GODSMACK will enter the studio early next year to begin work on the follow-up to 2014's "1000hp" album.

The band started to wind down the touring cycle for "1000hp" last year and played its only show of 2016 this past weekend at the Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota.

Asked by Gunner and Chow of the Q105.1 radio station in Fargo, North Dakota if there are any plans for GODSMACK to release new music soon, guitarist Tony Rombola said: "Not this year. We're gonna start at the beginning of next year."

While GODSMACK is on a break from touring, Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin are focusing on their new project called THE APOCALYPSE BLUES REVUE, whose self-titled debut disc is due out on August 26.

"If we had a new [GODSMACK] record out, we'd be all hands on deck, but when we have a year off plus, I can't stay home and just drop-tune GODSMACK songs; I've gotta do something different," Rombola told Q105.1. "'Cause I play a lot of different styles, so it's a good way for me to stretch out musically."

As previously reported, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna has set "Hometown Life" as the title of his second solo album. Although a firm release date has yet to be finalized, the disc will arrive sometime later this year. Erna has also unveiled the cover art and track list for the ten-song collection, which will follow up his 2010 solo debut, "Avalon".

GODSMACK last year released a new song called "Inside Yourself" as a free download at the band's official web site. Erna said about the track: "This is a song about equality for all! Understanding that no one is worthless or any lesser than the next person. We are all equally important as human beings and should be treated that way. And for those of you who feel the need to cut others down to make yourself look superior, you seriously need to take a good look 'inside yourself.'"

Ozzy Osbourne says that his marriage to wife Sharon is "back on track again", less than three months after she allegedly discovered his affair with a celebrity hairstylist.

Sharon reportedly kicked Ozzy out of their home after discovering evidence of the affair — and possibly others — back in May. Earlier in the month, she she was quoted as saying that she was "seeing what it's like living on my own," but was then spotted taking a walk in Los Angeles with Ozzy.

In a brand new interview that aired on ABC's "Good Morning America", Ozzy stated about his marriage: "Oh, it's back on track again. You just, you make mistakes, and you learn by your mistakes, I think."

He added: "It's just a bump in the road. Some days it's good, some days it's terrible, some days you just drift apart for a while. But you get back on the horse, you know."

Osbourne's son, Jack, who is married with two children of his own, defended his father, with whom he stars in a new, offbeat travelogue reality series, "Ozzy And Jack's World Detour".

"As a married person myself, you know, marriage is not, like, 'Hey, we're married. All is good.' I mean, it's just life," Jack told "Good Morning America".

A source recently told TMZ that Sharon was "angry and hurt," but that Ozzy was "begging her not to leave him. The family is falling apart. They are talking daily and she still thinks there may be a chance they can save the marriage, but she's told friends it's a constant battle."

Sharon told The Sun that she didn't know if she could ever trust her husband again after she allegedly discovered his affair. Sharon told the British tabloid: "Can I ever trust him again? I don't know. I'm now questioning every statement — every move. The lies and intrigue still hurt." She added, "I don't want to hurt him. I admire and respect him. And that's what I expect back: respect. I didn't get that. It's very hurtful when you don't get that respect and consideration from your partner."

Sharon revealed that she is seeing a therapist regularly, and that she and Ozzy see a couple's therapist together. Ozzy is doing therapy alone. But Sharon added: "I'm seeing what it's like living on my own."

Sharon said: "Ideally I would love for my husband to deal with his issues and work at the problems that he has now. And be honest and open, to be able to come back to us with honesty and respect for the family. That's what I really wish."

Ozzy resumed a year-long farewell tour with BLACK SABBATH last month, which will include SABBATH and SLIPKNOT headlining a combined festival, Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, this September in San Bernardino, California. He has also reportedly been working on a new solo effort.

Sweden’s Sabaton are parting ways with guitarist Thobbe Englund.

Says the band: Our colleague and brother Thobbe Englund has decided to part ways with Sabaton. We wish him nothing but success and good luck in the future, and we salute him for all the good years and the fantastic moments we shared both on and off the stage!”

Thobbe Englund states: “ Today I have decided to announce my leave from Sabaton. Why? …many may ask. There is this thing that I truly believe in, and that is that one should always follow the heart.

“I have in recent years become more aware of what would make me feel real happiness and content, and that is to expand my own creativeness in combination with a somewhat stiller life, where I will not tour all year round at the speed of light. Unfortunately as a consequence I will not be able to meet all of you wonderful people out there, which is sad, and I'm really gonna miss you all. But I will still be making music, of course, and as I am writing this I am making plans for the future.

“During the many years of touring with Sabaton we have become like brothers. Together with the best crew in the world we've had a true blast and there is a bond between all of us that cannot be broken. Therefore I find no reason to be sentimental, because brothers and sisters are friends for life, and the future is bright! Always yours truly.”

Sabaton continues: “Thobbe will do some more shows during the summer and play his final gig with Sabaton in our hometown Falun, on our own festival Sabaton Open Air, for the release party of our new album, The Last Stand. After that a new guitar player will carry on. Do not fear friends, the show will go on!”

Sabaton will release their new album The Last Stand on August 19th via Nuclear Blast. A fourth video trailer for the new album, once again produced by Peter Tägtgren (Pain, Hypocrisy), has been released. All four trailers can be seen below:

Trailer #1

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

Trailer #4:

The album can be pre-ordered in various formats here, or digitally here.

CD+DVD tracklisting:

CD
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Bonus:
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

CD tracklisting:

“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Earbook tracklisting:

CD
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Bonus:
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”
“Afraid To Shoot Strangers”

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

Live CD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

2LP - 45 RPM tracklisting

Side A
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”

Side B
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”

Side C
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Side D (Bonus)
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”

"Blood Of Bannockburn" lyric video:

“The Lost Battalion” lyric video:

The Last Tour is the biggest tour of Sabaton yet and is scheduled to kick off January 7th at König Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany. Very special guests are none other than heavy metal legends Accept. Find Sabaton’s complete tour itinerary at this location.

KORN drummer Ray Luzier married his longtime girlfriend, model Aspen Brandy Lea, on June 29. The nuptials took place at the Keys Creek Lavender Farm in Valley Center, California in a "totally private" ceremony attended only by the couple's two sons, five-year-old Hudson Ray and sixteen-month-old Beck Jagger.

Luzier, who was raised just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Los Angeles in 1988 to pursue a career in music, tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "I finally feel complete. It feels great to wear the ring, 'cause it does.

"I'm 46 and I've never been married before. I always used to tell my friends that I'd only get married once, and if it didn't work out, that's it. 'Cause I have friends with three to five marriages, so it feels good to be official.

"It felt amazing having the kids there at the wedding. 'Cause usually it's the opposite — people get married, then have kids. So that was unique in itself, just having the kids there."

Luzier and his wife started dating in 2009 after she interviewed him while on assignment for Rivalry Nights. It was one of his first interviews as a member of KORN, having spent the initial two years of his tenure with the group as a session drummer.

After living in Los Angeles for sixteen years, Ray moved his family to Franklin, Tennessee in June 2014, but he still maintains close ties to his childhood community and often travels back to Los Angeles on business.

Luzier says that he is happy to finally be married to the woman he loves.

"It's really weird — it's not a big deal, but it was a big deal, you know what I mean?" he says. "I mean, she knows more about the bills and everything than I do in my own house. And we have a house in Pittsburgh that I inherited, then we have the Tarzana [home] and the Franklin house. So we have three houses and two kids. We're more married than most of my married friends."

Luzier and the rest of KORN kicked off a co-headlining tour with ROB ZOMBIE, "Return Of The Dreads", on July 19 in Englewood, Colorado. That trek winds down on September 3 in Bristow, Virginia.

KORN will also hit the road this fall with co-headliners BREAKING BENJAMIN for the "Nocturnal Underground Tour", which will launch on September 24 in Fargo, North Dakota and run through late October.

KORN's much-anticipated new album, "The Serenity Of Suffering", will arrive on October 21 via Roadrunner. The official video for the disc's first single, "Rotting In Vain", was released this past Friday.

Cleveland metal / hardcore crew Ringworm are streaming their forthcoming new full-length, Snake Church, ahead of it’s official release this Friday.

Ringworm's eighth full-length album Snake Church is a 12-track, 30+ minute testament of vicious aggression. After having converted metalheads and hardcore fans alike with their intense, no-holds-barred live shows and consistently punishing albums over the course of the last 25+ years, Ringworm once again prove that they are in a league of their own when it comes to face-breaking sonic fury. Recorded and produced by Ben Schigel (Chimaira, Zao) at Spider Studios and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Nails, Xibalba, Black Breath), Snake Church obliterates the listener and never relents, leaving nothing but bile and bone in its wake.

Snake Church is due out July 29th on CD, LP, and Digital via Relapse. Physical pre-orders can be found at this location, and digital pre-orders are available via the band's Bandcamp page here.

Snake Church tracklisting:

“Snake Church”
“Brotherhood Of The Midnight Sun”
“Fear The Silence”
“The Black Light Of A Living Ghost”
“Destroy Or Create”
“Shades Of Blue”
“Innocent Blood”
“The Apparition”
“Believer”
“The Razor And The Knife”
“Angel Of War”
“Temple Of The Wolves”

Album stream:

"Innocent Blood" lyric video:

“Shades Of Blue” video:

“Snake Church” video:

In December 2015, three bands with three different stylistic approaches to aggressive music, but a common outlook on the world, came together to create a collective piece of work - The Depression Sessions. Those three bands were Thy Art Is Murder, The Acacia Strain and Fit For AnN Autopsy and on August 12th, Nuclear Blast Entertainment will release the results of this experience both digitally and on limited edition vinyl.

The Acacia Strain have made the track "Sensory Deprivation" available for download on all major digital music platforms. Receive the song, along with "They Will Know Another" by Thy Art Is Murder, as an instant download now when you pre-order the album digitally via iTunes and Amazon.

"An opportunity presented itself by way of two bands doing a split as friends," states The Acacia Strain vocalist Vincent Bennett. "We kinda forced our way onto it and took over. We had 3 months to write a song. We waited until the last minute to actually write it while we were on tour. Sometimes we work better under pressure".

In regards to this achievement, the parties involved have released the following collective statement: "After months of heavy touring, a cold NJ background set the tone for a dark, honest, and moody record. We gave some nods to the bands we grew up listening to and took some new risks in our own songs. More importantly, this record is a statement of community. We live in a very competitive and selfish world, and it this is proof it doesn't have to be like that. It's the friendships you make along the way, between the artists you share the stage with that you'll take away with you long after the shows are over. Support your peers; the whole music scene will be better for it. Thank you for listening."

Check out this lyric video for the first single "They Will Know Another" by Thy Art Is Murder below. The song, as well as their cover of Rammstein's "Du Hast", are the last pieces of music the band recorded before the departure of vocalist of CJ McMahon.

The Depression Sessions was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney. All the bands tracked in December 2015 at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, NJ. Cover art was created by Dan Bradley with a layout by Forefathers.

Tracklisting:

Thy Art Is Murder – “They Will Know Another”
The Acacia Strain – “Sensory Deprivation”
Fit For An Autopsy – “Flatlining”
Thy Art Is Murder – “Du Hast” (Rammstein cover)
The Acacia Strain – “Black Hole Sun” (Soundgarden cover)
Fit For An Autopsy – “The Perfect Drug” (Nine Inch Nails cover)

Studio teaser:

“They Will Know Another” – Thy Art Is Murder:

Pre-order the limited edition clear with red splatter vinyl at the Nuclear Blast shop.

Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Extreme’s classic multi-Platinum, Grammy nominated Pornograffitti, the definitive album of the band’s career. To mark the anniversary, Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown will be released September 23rd by the award-winning production company Rock Fuel Media in association with Loud & Proud Records as part of their four-part Metal Meltdown DVD series. The concert film captures the Boston band performing the album Pornograffitti in its entirety.

Directed by Brian Lockwood (Bon Jovi, Metallica, Motley Crue), the Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown package includes a Blu-ray, DVD, and audio CD of the complete concert that was filmed on May 30, 2015 at The Joint at the world famous Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. It also features Rockshow, a bonus documentary that takes fans through Extreme’s story, with exclusive interviews, ‘80s archive footage, and an exclusive photo gallery. Mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, it’s set for release September 23. A trailer can be seen below.

“It was a great thrill to perform Pornograffitti in its entirety,” says singer Gary Cherone. “Some of these songs were never played live before so we had to go back and relearn them for the tour.  The album was a watershed moment in the bands career…it’s when we came in to our own and it will always be special.”

As guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt continues, “The band always prided itself on its live performance. Over the years, some of these songs have evolved where the band actually plays them better now than when we had recorded them. Hope you enjoy it. “

Extreme achieved their greatest success with their 1990 album Pornograffitti, which peaked at #10 on the Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart, and was certified multi-Platinum. Musically, Pornograffitti is dominated by blistering guitar riffs, often with funky, syncopated timing, and incendiary, high-speed rock/metal solos. The record provided Bettencourt with widespread admiration from rock guitar enthusiasts and continual exposure in leading guitar playing publications. But it was the acoustic ballad single, "More Than Words,” that reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.” The subsequent single, "Hole Hearted,” another acoustic track, was also successful, rising to #4 on the same chart. "Decadence Dance" and "Get The Funk Out" were also released as singles both landing on Billboard's Rock chart and becoming fan favorites.

To date, the Grammy-nominated Extreme have released five albums, plus a greatest hits set - selling over 10 million records worldwide. The band’s trademark sound is a mix of hard rock funk in the spirit and style of their predecessors Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen and Van Halen - fueled by Bettencourt’s signature guitar flights and Cherone’s resonant vocals - and matched with a social consciousness in their lyrics.

Award-winning producer Barry Summers of Rock Fuel Media commented, “It was a real privilege to produce Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown in celebration of Pornograffitti, to have the opportunity to work first-hand with such high caliber musicians and audio purists. Over 25 years after this iconic album was released, we captured the band at their very best. Watching Nuno Bettencourt's off-the-charts guitar solos is simply mind-blowing, as confirmed by Queen's Brian May and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, whom we filmed paying homage to the Guitar God himself in the RockShow documentary. One of the highlights of the documentary is a moment where Gary and Nuno are sitting on the doorstep of Gary’s childhood home, and they perform a spontaneous version of “More Than Words”.”

Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown tracklisting:
 
“Decadence Dance”
“Li’l Jack Horny”
“When I’m President”
“Get the Funk Out”
“More Than Words”
“Money (In God We Trust)”
“It (‘s a Monster)”
“Pornograffitti”
“When I First Kissed You”
“Suzi (Wants Her All Day What?)”
“Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee”
“He-Man Woman Hater”
“Song For Love”
“Hole Hearted”
“Play With Me” *
“Cupid’s Dead” *
 
* Songs do not appear on the audio CD.

Black Crown Initiate have released music video for their title track of their new album, Selves We Cannot Forgive. Directed by veteran director Justin Reich, this is the first video instalment off the band's all new album.

Black Crown Initiate recently announced the departure of longtime guitar player Rik Stelzpflug. Wes Hauch, formerly of The Faceless joins the band as his replacement.

"It's a really rare and awesome thing if you're able to find a group of dudes that you can genuinely get along with," says Hauch. "It's even more rare if your musical tastes and goals are congruent. I can definitely say that's the case right now in Black Crown Initiate and I'm very grateful. Things are great and I'm looking forward to the the future."

Black Crown Initiate released Selves We Cannot Forgive on July 22nd via Entertainment One Music (eOne).

Recorded and mixed by Carson Slovak & Grant McFarland (August Burns Red, Texas In July, From Ashes To New) at Atrium Audio Recording Studio’s in Lancaster PA, Selves We Cannot Forgive will be the follow up to the buzzworthy debut LP The Wreckage of Stars released at the end of 2014. The Wreckage of Stars also propelled the band into the international touring act it is today. BCI quickly found themselves on the road with the likes of Behemoth, Deicide, Napalm Death and Voivod.  

Selves We Can Not Forgive, the band’s sophomore album with Entertainment One, is a lean and focused collection that jettisons the extraneous fat found too often within ambitious metal bands, striking a balance between fearless adventurousness and methodical might. It follows The Wreckage of Stars, which together with their self-financed Song of the Crippled Bull EP introduced Black Crown Initiate’s unapologetic exploration of everything from Friedrich Nietzsche and Greek Sophist Gorgias to Hinduism, Buddhism, and indigenous mysticism, with a pragmatic skepticism.

Tracklisting:

“For Red Cloud”
“Sorrowpsalm”
“Again”
“Belie The Machine”
“Selves We Cannot Forgive”
“Transmit To Disconnect”
“Matriarch”
“Vicious Lives”

"Vicious Lives”:

"For Red Cloud”:

Black Crown initiate have hit the road supporting Australian import Ne Obliviscaris. "We are incredibly excited!" says guitarist Andy Thomas. "We are long-time fans and even opened for them on their first ever US show. We spoke about this possibility then, and the fact that it is happening makes us all very happy. We are sure that fans of progressive metal will get their fill! See you all there!"  

Tour dates:

July
25 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
26 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
27 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
28 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
29 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
31 - Boston, MA - ONCE Ballroom

August
1 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage Lounge
2 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
3 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
5 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog Bar
6 - San Antonio. TX - The Rock Box
7 - Ft. Worth, TX - Rail Club
8 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
10 - Denver, CO - Bluebird
11 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
12 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe's Grotto

Black Crown Initiate will join Born Of Osiris, Veil Of Maya and Volumes on the Sumerian Alliance European Tour in fall 2016. The run marks Black Crown Initiate's first visit to Europe.

Tour dates:

September
9 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Stadtmitte  
10 - Brussels, Belgium - VK  
11 - Leeds, UK - Key Club  
12 - Glasgow, UK - Classic Grand  
13 - Manchester, UK - Sound Control  
14 - Cardiff, UK - The Globe  
15 - London, UK - O2 Islington Academy  
16 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013  
17 - Paris, France - Fleche d'Or  
18 - Toulouse, France - Metronum  
20 - Madrid, Spain - Changó   
21 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 2  
22 - Montpellier, France - Secret Place  
23 - Milano, Italy - Legend Club  
24 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Cerbervs Fest  
25 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage  
26 - München, Germany - Backstage  
27 - Wien, Austria - Arena  
28 - Budapest, Hungary - Durer Kurt  
29 - Katowice, Poland - Mega Club  
30 - Leipzig, Germany - Täubchenthal  

October
1 - Köln, Germany - Euroblast   
2 - Köln, Germany - Euroblast   
3 - Berlin, Germany - Musik & Frieden
5 - Stockholm, Sweden - En Arena  
6 - Oslo, Norway - John Dee  
7 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Fangelset   
8 - Aarhus, Denmark - Atlas

Tickets at this location.

(Photo - Trevor Sweeney)

Strange Hobby was previously released in 1996 without saying who the artist was. It can now be announced it was legendary Dutch prog artist Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Lucassen is the progressive metal/rock songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his long-running progressive opera project, Ayreon.

Strange Hobby has been out of print for over a decade and is now a much sought after collectors item. This edition includes four bonus tracks which have not been available on CD previously.

Of this re-release, Arjen said, “Back in 1996 I had so much fun recording Strange Hobby! It was great to take a break from recording my complex, bombastic Ayreon prog-extravaganzas and blow off some steam blasting out these rocky cover versions of my favourite songs from the sixties. I hope you’ll enjoy listening to this psychedelic blast from the past as much as I enjoyed recording it! Groovy!

This re-release of Strange Hobby, the first on Arjen's own Aluca Music imprint via Cherry Red, is likely to be a big surprise to many of his fans.

Order direct from here, or via the Amazon widget below:

 

 

Revocation have released a music video for “Arbiters Of The Apocalypse”, a track from the band’s new album, Great Is Our Sin, out now via Metal Blade Records. Head to this location to order your copy of the new album, and check out the new video below:

When it came time for the follow-up to 2014's Deathless, the quartet had their work cut out for them, and their response to the challenge is a record that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Never forcing anything, the songs that would comprise Great Is Our Sin came together organically, and while the members being spread all around North America would have been an impediment to some, Revocation drew strength from it.

Reuniting with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Bleeding Through), who also helmed Deathless and 2012's Teratogenesis EP, the record packs the requisite punch, yet retains the organic feel with which it was conceived. Known for their technical prowess, the band remained dedicated to upping the ante without ever losing sight of the importance of good songwriting.

While the songs come together to make for a cohesive record that is engaging from front to back, they are further united by the lyrical concept penned by Davidson. The title itself appropriated from Charles Darwin's quote: "If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin", Davidson went about building a theme that was not only fittingly expansive, but also had real resonance with regard to contemporary society. "The concept revolves around the folly of man throughout the ages. Some themes come from historical references that are hundreds of years old, yet sadly these themes are still very relevant today due to mankind's refusal to learn from the lessons history has taught us, time and time again."

Regardless of the state of the world, nothing is going to slow Revocation down any time soon. Whilst the lineup has changed over the ten years the band has been in existence, Davidson's passion has never waned, and they are arguably sounding better than ever as they look toward the future. "We can't wait to bring these songs out on the road and perform them for different audiences all over the world. Great Is Our Sin is a new chapter for the band, and collectively we feel that it is our defining record to date."

Great Is Our Sin tracklisting:

“Arbiters Of The Apocalypse”
“Theatre Of Horror”
“Monolithic Ignorance”
“Crumbling Imperium”
“Communion”
“The Exaltation”
“Profanum Vulgus”
“Copernican Heresy”
“Only The Spineless Survive”
“Cleaving Giants Of Ice”

Album stream:

“Crumbling Imperium” lyric video:

“Monolithic Ignorance” lyric video:

In support of Great Is Our Sin, Revocation are on the road this summer as part of the Summer Slaughter tour, alongside Cannibal Corpse, Nile, After The Burial, Suffocation, Carnifex, Krisiun, Slaughter to Prevail and Ingested. The tour runs through August 21st in Atlanta, GA. A complete list of dates can be found below.

Summer Slaughter tour dates:

July
26 - Knoxville, TN - The International
27 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
28 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
29 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
30 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
31 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theatre

August
2 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze
3 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
5 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
6 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
8 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
10 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
11 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
12 - Los Angeles, CA - The Novo
13 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
15 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
16 - Austin, TX - Empire Control Room
17 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
19 - Richmond, VA - The National (B4BQ)
20 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggy's By The Sea
21 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade

Revocation lineup:

David Davidson - Guitars / Vocals
Dan Gargiulo - Guitars / Vocals
Brett Bamberger - Bass / Vocals
Ash Pearson - Drums

Darkest Sins is a five-piece melodic metal band from Ålesund, Norway, founded by Marius Danielsen and Anniken Rasmussen in 2009. For the last three years, the five-piece has been working on their debut album, The Broken, which will be released via Pride & Joy Music on October 21st.

Previously, Darkest Sins released a demo album back in 2011 and an EP in 2013. So, The Broken marks the first real album from the band.

The Broken was mixed and mastered by Piet Sielck (Iron Saviour) who also has mixed albums for Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Grave Digger, Paragon and many more.

Guest appearances on The Broken by:

Fabio Lione (Rhapsody Of Fire) - lead vocals on “Far Away”
Esa Ahonen (Cryonic Temple) - guitar solo on “Far Away”
Jimmy Hedlund (Falconer) - guitar solo on “The Broken”

Darkest Sins lineup:

Marius Danielsen – Vocals, guitar
Anniken Rasmussen – Vocals, bass
Sigurd Kårstad – Guitar
Peter Danielsen – Keyboard and orchestration
Ludvig Pedersen - Drums

In the official music video streaming below, Blaze Bayley, Thomas Zwijsen and Anne Bakker perform “What Will Come”, a track from Bayley’s Infinite Entanglement album.

Blaze Bayley, Thomas Zwijsen and Anne Bakker recently released a video performing an acoustic version of Iron Maiden’s X Factor album track, “Judgement Of Heaven”. In the interview below, Blaze and Thomas talk about how the video was made.

Watch the “Judgement Of Heaven” video below:

This version of “Judgement Of Heaven” is on the new Nylon Maiden double CD, available at ThomasZwijsen.com and iTunes.

Nylon Maiden’s Preserved In Time is Zwijsen’s ultimate Iron Maiden tribute album. It makes the classical guitar world a bit more metal by adding 16 Iron Maiden songs (and two Bruce Dickinson songs) to its repertoire.

Zwijsen’s long-time collaborator Blaze Bayley is one of the returning guest musicians on this album, performing two tracks from his Iron Maiden days, as well as a unique version of “Blood Brothers” off the Brave New World album! This is the first time Blaze performs an Iron Maiden song from the post-Blaze era. It gives Iron Maiden fans an idea of what it would have sounded like if Blaze had stayed with the band.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1
“If Eternity Should Fail”
“Stranger In A Strange Land”
“Judgement Of Heaven” (with Blaze Bayley & Anne Bakker)
“Ghost Of The Navigator”
“Powerslave” (Thomas & band)
“Burning Ambition”
“Tears Of The Dragon” (Bruce Dickinson song)
“Blood Brothers” (with Blaze Bayley)
“When The Wild Wind Blows” (Thomas & band)

Disc 2
“Afraid To Shoot Strangers”
“Como Estais Amigos” (with Blaze Bayley & Anne Bakker)
“Wrathchild”
“Tears Of A Clown”
“Jerusalem” (Bruce Dickinson song)
“For The Greater Good Of God”
“Reach Out”
“Fear Of The Dark”
“Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” (Thomas & band)

Zwijsen comments: “In our attempt to choose the best tracklisting for the most fulfilling, surprising and complete Iron Maiden tribute album, we simply couldn't fit all the songs on a single CD, so we decided to make it a double CD this time. Many of the songs were requests from people on YouTube. If this were to be the setlist at an Iron Maiden concert, I’d be very happy!”

“Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”:

“When The Wild Wind Blows”:

“Powerslave”:

“If Eternity Should Fail”:

"Afraid To Shoot Strangers”:

“Tears Of The Dragon”:

“Ghost Of The Navigator”:

Sam Dunn of Banger TV conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH on July 9 at the Eistnaflug festival in Iceland. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On what makes OPETH such a good band:

Mikael: "It all comes down to talent at the end of the day. We're very talented. I don't know… I think we're… Of course I'd say we're a good band; I'd say we're a fucking good band. We're not really afraid, I think; we're not of anything musically. In fact, we need the experimentation and all these different styles that we have in our music — we need that, I think — and it make sense to us. Because we basically try to play and write music that's kind of connecting with what we're listening to on a daily basis, what we're listening to as music consumers."

On why OPETH has gone through so many musical changes over the years:

Mikael: "I don't know why, to be honest. For me, there was never a massive difference between some of the records that people think are so different to the one before; I never really that type of difference. I know that we're evolving and there's new music coming in. I'm a record collector — buying records, listening to records; I love music — but I never understood what makes, say, 'Heritage' such a vastly different record than the ones before. I mean, I can hear it's different, but, you know, you add some distortion on it and maybe a scream here and there, and it's pretty much the same shit. But we're been lucky, I guess."

On whether he ever gets scared or anxious about some of the musical changes that OPETH undertakes on its albums:

Mikael: "I don't get scared. Say if I could never write a song again; I mean, that would be terrible for me. Luckily, that's never happened. I've had a few periods in my life where I can't come up with anything that I like. I'm not scared about where we're gonna go. Like if I have a song, or a record, that's different, or that's very different, it doesn't scare me at all. I'm not scared of anything when it comes to music. I'm more scared about stagnating and just pumping out shit just to maintain a career and to pay the bills. That's scary."

On how he keeps creating magic when it comes to his songwriting:

Mikael: "For me, I sit down and sometimes I'm lucky, sometimes I'm not. You have to understand: we've done twelve studio albums now, and if I would keep all the shit that I've written, that's another hundred records of shit. So all the good stuff, I think, that we've put out comes with a tail of absolutely horrible shit music that I'm ashamed of… I'm lazy and horrible with some things in my life, but when it comes to music and writing music, I'm really tunnel-visiony. I work a lot, and I work because I love it; I get lost in it, and it becomes… It's like a bubble when I'm writing, which is a lovely feeling."

OPETH will release their twelfth album, "Sorceress", on September 30 through Nuclear Blast via OPETH's imprint label Moderbolaget Records.

Orlando, Florida-based hard rockers ALTER BRIDGE will release their fifth album, "The Last Hero" on October 7 via Napalm Records in all territories excluding North America. The CD was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who helmed the band's previous three albums, "Blackbird" (2007), "AB III" (2010) and "Fortress" (2013).

The first single from "The Last Hero", a song called "Show Me A Leader", was premiered this morning on SiriusXM's Octane and can now be streamed at SiriusXM.com. The track will be released digitally on Tuesday, July 26.

"'Show Me A Leader' is a reflection of how polarized and fractured things are in our society," ALTER BRIDGE singer Myles Kennedy said. "This song doesn't push an agenda; it simply expresses a very common sense of disillusionment people seem to be feeling at this point in time."

ALTER BRIDGE will return to Europe this fall. Their biggest headline shows yet, the 24-date tour treks 15 countries and kicks off on November 4. Special guests include Danish rockers VOLBEAT, who released their sixth album, "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie", last month. French progressive metallers GOJIRA and up-and-comers LIKE A STORM..

ALTER BRIDGE's last album, "Fortress", featured the Active Rock Top 15 single "Addicted To Pain".

When ALTER BRIDGE is on hiatus, Kennedy can be found fronting Slash's band, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.

Tremonti released the third effort from his band TREMONTI, titled "Dust", on April 29.

Photo credit: Carlos Amoedo

"Bad Boyfriend", the new video from the Canadian rock artist Lee Aaron, can be seen below. The song is the title track of Aaron's new album, which was released on March 25.

Aaron stated about the track: "I had this campy little song kicking around for a couple of years. We had included it in our live set as an encore, and it always went over great, so we decided to record it. It's one girl's self-satirical dialogue about the struggle between the worldly and the divine and coming to the realization that she's really the common denominator in all her relationship problems. Is it autobiographical? Ha, ha... in a been-there-done-that, taking-the-piss-out-of-myself kind of way."

Ever timeless, seemingly ageless, and artistically fearless, Aaron has sustained a three-decade strong career based on the powerful songwriting and vocal delivery that are at the heart of "Fire And Gasoline" (Big Sister Records/ILS/Caroline). The CD features songs like the title track, "Fire And Gasoline", "Wanna Be", "Heart Fix" and "Bitter Sweet", which evoke the influences of LED ZEPPELIN, HEART, DAVID BOWIE, THE RUNAWAYS and FLEETWOOD MAC while weaving in and out of Aaron's unique artistic vision. It is a vision that has led her to sales of close to a million copies in Canada alone, multiple awards and nominations, and a fervent following around the world. Videos for songs like "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do To My Body", "Hands On" and "Some Girls Do" were staples of MuchMusic in Canada, and continue to rack up massive views on YouTube, bringing Lee Aaron classics to a new generation.

"Fire And Gasoline" was recorded at Vancouver's The Farm studio (better known to rock aficionados by its former name, Little Mountain Sound) with acclaimed west coast engineers Ben Kaplan (MOTHER MOTHER, HEDLEY) and vocal engineer/keyboard guru John Webster (BON JOVI, AEROSMITH, THE CULT). Their gold- and platinum-certified ears give "Fire And Gasoline" a contemporary sonic sheen while also honoring the energy of the "off the floor" approach of real musicians interacting in real time.

"Fire And Gasoline" track listing:

01. Tom Boy02. Fire And Gasoline03. Wanna Be04. Bitter Sweet05. Popular06. 50 Miles07. Bad Boyfriend08. Heart Fix09. Nothing Says Everything10. If You Don't Love Me Anymore11. Find The Love

Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA will release their seventh studio album, "The Holographic Principle" on September 30 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was produced by Joost van der Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities and was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, DESTRUCTION). The cover artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann.

"The Holographic Principle" track listing:

01. Eidola02. Edge Of The Blade03. A Phantasmic Parade04. Universal Death Squad05. Divide And Conquer06. Beyond The Matrix07. Once Upon A Nightmare08. The Cosmic Algorithm09. Ascension - Dream State Armageddon10. Dancing In A Hurricane11. Tear Down Your Walls12. The Holographic Principle - A Profound Understanding Of Reality

The second part of a studio documentary on the making of "The Holographic Principle" can be seen below.

"Halfway through 2015, EPICA started a new journey: writing and recording the seventh studio album, 'The Holographic Principle'," explains EPICA guitarist Isaac Delahaye. "In between touring, we spent our time in the Sandlane Recording Facilities with producer Joost van den Broek and here's the first part of our studio documentary! It gives you a little insight into the creation of what we see as our most complete album ever. You'll hear rough snippets of new music, and you'll see how we built things up. Enjoy!"

EPICA previously stated about the lyrical inspiration for "The Holographic Principle": "'The Holographic Principle' deals with the near future wherein virtual reality has taken off and allows people to create their own virtual worlds which can't be distinguished from 'reality as we know it.' This raises the question whether our current reality is a kind of virtual reality on itself, a hologram. This implies the existence of a higher reality which we currently do not have access to. The lyrics challenge you to think out of the box, to reconsider everything you thought to know for sure and to be open-minded towards recent revolutions in science. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for a ride as nothing appears to be what it seems in our holographic universe."

Speaking to Spark TV, which is part of the Czech monthly magazine Spark, EPICA singer Simone Simons stated about the follow-up to 2014's "The Quantum Enigma": "It's a huge amount of songs, it's a lot of information, it's a lot to take in, but we put everything in this record and we hope that it will pay off and that the people will feel what we feel when we listen to it."

She added: "Since 'The Quantum Enigma' was received so well, we set the bar so high, but we accepted the challenge to make an even better record. And we've done everything bigger than before — we had more orchestra, a bigger choir. We had so many different instruments — real, live instruments. Vocally, I put everything in the record that I can possibly do, and I'm very pleased with it."

According to Simone, she has once again experimented a bit with her vocal approach on the new album. "With each record, I try to get the best out," she said. "And Joost [van den Broek], our producer, he's also very good at getting everything out of me. And the songs themselves, they just ask for a lot of variation in the vocal style. And I do opera, rock, pop, and in the ballads you hear the really soft voice. And, yeah, I can belt out some high notes as well."

Even though "The Holographic Principle" is one of EPICA's most ambitious offerings to date, the album doesn't sacrifice any of its instant appeal, something which Simone says was intentional. "I think it needs to be all in balance," she said. "We are, in heart, a metal band going in the symphonic direction. The orchestration, the choir is a little bit like the seventh and eighth bandmember of EPICA, and that's something we'll always keep in there. And the choir parts are often very catchy, the choruses are very catchy. But on this record, besides having catchy melodies, we also wanted to have really groovy vocal lines. And that's something that we worked on as well; we changed up some things to make it less predictable."

One of the aspects of EPICA's sound which has been enhanced on "The Holographic Principle" is the growling vocal style of EPICA guitarist and main songwriter Mark Jansen. "Well, it's Mark and it's actually our drummer as well," Simone said. "Mark is the main grunter, and our drummer, Ariën [van Weesenbeek], has a really nice, thick sound. So I don't know if he sang all the grunt parts as well, if he doubled them with Mark, but them together makes a totally new grunt sound, and I like it. Also, it changes it up a bit. Mark can do also really low grunts, he can do screams, and Ariën really has that deep sound to it."

Simone also praised the contributions of Isaac Delahaye, who came into the band in 2009. "The guitars are definitely more brutal," she said. "Also in the mix, the melodies, the grooves, and I think that ever since Isaac joined the band, not only as a songwriter but also the guitars have been lifted to a different level, and have become more interesting to listen to, I find myself. So I'm a big fan of his guitar work and also his songwriting."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA will release its sixth full-length album, "Transit Blues", on October 7 via Rise Records. It follows last year's "Space" EP that bowed at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 and earned widespread acclaim. Upholding a career-long tradition of progression and perseverance, the group's new record represents another natural evolution. The band retreated to both Watertown, Wisconsin and Sawyer, Michigan last winter to write "Transit Blues", for the first time living and creating in a shared, full time space. They re-teamed with "Space" producer Dan Korneff (PIERCE THE VEIL, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE) in the spring of 2016 to record the 11-track effort. Overall, the album reflects themes of transition, separation, and mourning. "It's like zooming out on a commute," explains singer Mike Hranica. "It's the notion of getting from one place to another. Most people go from their homes to work while we go from date to date on tour. Either way, it's the inevitable process of growth and change. There are moments of anger, but the pervading theme is separation. Drawing the full circle, it is separation that is inherent in moving from one place to another." Last week, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA unleashed the first single "Daughter", and it racked up nearly 270,000 views in less than a week. A marriage of metallic elegance, punk immediacy and sweeping alternative, the track nods to a passion Hranica has yet to properly write about: literature. Specifically, it takes a page from Simone de Beauvoir's novel "The Mandarins". "It's strange," smiles Hranica. "I will write EPs based on subjects that aren't super close to my heart like 'Zombie' or 'Space' because it opens the door for me to make my own stories based off the topics. When we did 'Transit Blues', it was only natural to incorporate fiction. 'Daughter' is the most forthright example."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is Mike Hranica (vocals), Jeremy DePoyster (rhythm guitar, clean vocals), Andy Trick (bass) and Kyle Sipress (lead guitar).

Sitting behind the drum kit for the "Daughter" video shoot was Guiseppe Antonio Capolupo (HASTE THE DAY), who has also joined THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA on the road. His addition to THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA follows the departure of Daniel Williams, whose exit from the band was made public earlier in the month.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA performed at the Chicago Open Air festival on July 15 and embarked on a short, intimate club tour last week, starting at Cleveland's Grog Shop on July 18. The run will wrap up in Springfield, Missouri at the end of the month. Photo credit: Anthony Barlich

Dutch doom death metal pioneers ASPHYX will release their new studio album, "Incoming Death", on September 30 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Deathhammer" was recorded at several diffferent studios throughout 2016 and was once more mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö, who previously worked with the band on the "Deathhammer", "Death…The Brutal Way" and "Live Death Doom" releases.

"Incoming Death" track listing:

01. Candiru02. Division Brandenburg03. Wardroid04. The Feeder05. It Came From The Skies06. The Grand Denial07. Incoming Death08. Forerunners Of The Apocalypse09. Subterra Incognita10. Wildland Fire11. Death: The Only Immortal Commented ASPHYX vocalist Martin Van Drunen: "'Incoming Death', the third ASPHYX album after our resurrection in 2007, contains 11 furious songs in the traditional death/doom style which we are known for so well. Only more unmerciful than ever! Lyrical themes include gore humor, death, doom, war, sci-fi, the varying trustworthy ASPHYX subjects, each fusing perfectly with the metal of the tracks. "The album title already existed two or three years ago, being a phrase that doesn't really exist but refers to what entrenched soldiers cry out when under severe artillery fire. Thus 'Incoming Death' implies another relentless bombardment of monstrous ASPHYX death/doom metal!" The "Incoming Death" artwork was once again created by longtime cover artist Axel Hermann (SODOM, GRAVE, MORGOTH), who commented: "'Incoming Death' is my tenth collaboration with ASPHYX. Instead of visualizing the obvious, which would have been a reaper just collecting the soul of a dying man on his deathbed, I tried a maybe more sinister approach, simply by giving the concept a slightly different twist. A demon-infested living cemetery filled with decaying souls, forever being tortured with their own consciousness...or worse!" Martin added: "Of course, no ASPHYX release without the magnificent cover art of Axel Hermann, whose interpretation of the title fits superb with the atmosphere of the recordings. His demons are ours and soon they will be yours too!" "Deathhammer" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 67. The CD was released in February 2012 via Century Media Records. ASPHYX is:

Paul Baayens - GuitarAlwin Zuur - BassMartin Van Drunen - VocalsStefan "Husky" Hüskens - Drums

PIERCE THE VEIL's music video for the song "Circles" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Drew Russ who helmed the band's 2012 "King For A Day" video that has accumulated more than 70 million YouTube views. The video's concept is loosely based on the 1991 feature film "Nothing But Trouble" that was directed and written by Dan Aykroyd and starred Chevy Chase, John Candy and Aykroyd. PTV is on tour, on the road, their bus pulls up to their hotel for the night, and the second thoughts about this hotel start immediately. The hotel's bar serves drinks laced with snakes, bugs, eyeballs, and other animal parts, the hotel rooms are decorated in "crazy" — rooms full of mirrors. rooms full of rotting food, rooms full of skeletons and mystery stains. San Francisco morning radio host and former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield plays a featured role as an obsessed and very creepy old man.

"Circles", currently a Top 40 track at alternative radio, a is taken from the band's long-awaited and critically-acclaimed new album, "Misadventures", that debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. PIERCE THE VEIL, nominated for "Bandom of the Year," performed the track on last night's broadcast of MTV's Fandom Awards. The band recently completed the sold-out U.S. "Misadventures Tour" and just announced the "Made to Destroy Tour", presented by Journeys, a seven-week North American trek that kicks off on September 3. The band also recently announced a UK tour to follow this winter.

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

ARMORED SAINT guitarist Phil Sandoval (pictured) will sit out the band's festival appearances in Germany next week so that he can stay home and be with his girlfriend while they expect their first child. The group states: "We have enlisted the help of guitarist Matt Price from BEHOLD! THE MONOLITH to step up and fill in for Phil for these three festivals in Germany.

"Phil will miss seeing all of you this time but he promises to 'deliver' once he returns for the dates we have booked in the fall.

"Please help us wish Phil and his girlfriend a positive and safe delivery."

Affected shows:

July 28 - Headbangers Open Air - Brande-Hörnerkirchen, DEJuly 29 - Saarmagedon Festival - Saarbrucken, DEJuly 30 - Noord Open Air - Essen, DE

ARMORED SAINT will join forces with progressive metal veterans QUEENSRŸCHE for a U.S. tour in the fall. The month-long trek will kick off on November 15 in Seattle, Washington and conclude on December 15 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Also appearing on the bill will be MIDNIGHT ETERNAL.

ARMORED SAINT's seventh studio album, "Win Hands Down", was released in June 2015 in North America via Metal Blade.

Regarding the songwriting process for "Win Hands Down", ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera told Metal Forces magazine: "[Singer John Bush and I] always have these discussions — him and I — about what we're gonna do, and the state of the music. We look at our past a little bit, and we look at what our intentions are gonna be. We usually have the same conversation, and it goes something like this. For one thing, we never wanna repeat ourselves. We don't want to just make part two of another record that we made and at the same time; we want to experiment more. We want to push ourselves as far as the soundscapes go, and as far as instrumentation or arrangements go. We never wanna go out and just make a record that is obligatory, you know what I mean? We never wanna feel like we're obliged to please a group of fans, let's say, where all they wanna hear is 'Symbol Of Salvation' over and over and over. We never wanna do that. We always have to make music that's basically pleasing to ourselves first. Now, that's not to say that we are willing to just completely abandon everybody. We are well aware of where we come from and what the lineage is of our group. Once we decided on that, then that's the conversation we continued to remind ourselves of along the way, like, 'How can we make this bigger, better and more interesting? Let's be challenging to ourselves a little bit.' That's usually the conversation we have."

More than thirty people were arrested Saturday night (July 23) at the GUNS N' ROSES concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police, said a 30-year-old woman was arrested during the event and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer. She remained in police custody Sunday night.

Williams told NJ 101.5 that there were several other arrests during the show for charges ranging from marijuana possession to solicitation, including:

* 9 disorderly conduct arrests;* 11 solicitation arrests;* 1 arrest for “open lewdness”;* 1 resisting arrest charge;* 2 arrests for simple assault;* 1 charge of harassment;* 3 criminal trespassing arrests; and* 1 arrest for possession of under 50 grams of marijuana.

GUNS N' ROSES played another show Sunday at MetLife Stadium, which which has a maximum capacity for concerts at around 50,000-55,000.

In other news, WickedLocal.com reported that two employees at Gillette Stadium were arrested and charged breaking into a fellow employee's car during GUNS N' ROSES concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts last Tuesday (July 19).

The men were charged with breaking and entering a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property over $250 and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

A review of the stadium's video surveillance footage revealed that two people got out of a vehicle and took the items from the victim's car and then put it into their own vehicle. The men had forced a window open in the vehicle to gain entry.

The two were placed under arrest and the items were recovered.

According to The Sun Chronicle, a total of four people were arrested and another sixteen were taken into protective custody for intoxication during Tuesday night's GUNS N' ROSES concert at at Gillette Stadium, which was attended by 42,100 fans. At Wednesday's (July 20) GUNS N' ROSES performance at the same stadium, where there were 21,700 in attendance, there were a total of six arrests and five taken into protective custody.

Rock legends Twisted Sister performed at the Hell & Heaven Festival in Mexico City on July 23rd as part of their Forty And Fuck It farewell tour. The show was streamed live and the first clip has surfaced on line. Check it out below, expect to see the entire gig online soon.

According to TeamRock.com, Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French will take part in a Q&A with fans at a screening of We Are Twisted F*cking Sister in London, England next month. He will join the film's director Andrew Horn at the event at Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square on August 10th. Tickets are available at this location.

Following on the heels of the critically acclaimed documentary film We Are Twisted F*cking Sister! comes a deluxe box set chronicling the meteoric rise of the legendary glam rock outfit who strutted their way to the top of the music scene in high heels and fishnet stockings. Featuring three full length vintage live recordings dating back to the group’s late ‘70s, early ‘80s heyday, this incredible release, titled Rock ‘N’ Roll Saviors - The Early Years, is available now via Deadline Music.

In addition to the classic Twisted Sister lineup of vocalist Dee Snider, guitarists Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda, and bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza, these recordings feature early drummers Tony Petri and Ritchie Teeter as well as the man who earned the spot as permanent drummer, the brilliant A.J. Pero, whose passing last year was mourned across the entire rock universe.

All together, these legends of crazed, cross-dressing hard rock mayhem absolutely slay on stage with performances of the early classics “Rock ’N’ Roll Saviors,” “The Kids Are Back,” “What You Don’t Know (Sure Can Hurt You),” “Ride To Live, Live To Ride” and many, many more.

Each concert CD comes in its own individual wallet with inner sleeve and the whole set is packaged in a lavish, red velvet-lined box with pop up mirror. In addition to the CDs, inside the box is a gorgeous full-color 20-page booklet of rare photos and extensive liner notes written by music journalist Malcolm Dome, plus three signature guitar picks, a custom bright pink lipstick tube, and a backstage pass. It’s everything you need to properly celebrate this extraordinary band.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1: 1979 Detroit Club
“Rock 'N' Roll Saviors”
“Pay The Price”
“Follow Me”
“Under The Blade”
Guitar Solo
“Can't Stand Still”
“Lady's Boy”
“Workin' On You Baby”
“Come Back”
“Without You”
“Chinese Hustle”
“I’ll Never Grow Up Now”
“Plastic Money”
“Johnny B Goode”
“Rock 'N' Roll Saviors”

Disc 2: 1980 Hammerheads
“What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)”
“Come Back”
“Bad Boys”
“Destroyer”
“Pay The Price”
“Without You”
“Under The Blade”
“Rock 'N' Roll Saviors”
“Plastic Money”
“You Know I Cry”
“I'll Never Grow Up Now!”
“Born To Be Wild”

Disc 3: 1983 Donington
“What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)”
“The Kids Are Back”
“Shoot 'Em Down”
“Destroyer”
“Like a Knife In The Back”
“Ride To Live, Live To Ride”
“We're Gonna Make It”
“You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll”
“I Am Me (I'm Me)”
“It's Only Rock 'N' Roll”

Buy the CD. Buy the digital version.

Kansas-based death metal unit Unmerciful - which unites the extreme metal ingenuity of bassist Jeremy Turner (ex-Origin), guitarists Justin Payne and Clint Appelhanz (ex-Origin), drummer John Lonstreth (Dim Mak, Origin, ex-Gorguts etc.), and vocalist Kris Bolton (D.F.W.B.) – has released the sonic brutality of their Ravenous Impulse full-length via Unique Leader Records. Captured at Appelhanz's own Waveworks Studio with drums recorded at Chapman Studios (Origin, Tech N9NE) with longtime producer and friend, Robert Rebeck, Ravenous Impulse raises the proverbial bar of inexorable, unsparing, belligerent, and plainly vicious death metal. Stream the whole album on Bandcamp.

Ravenous Impulse is available on CD, vinyl, and digital. For various bundles head to this location.

Tracklisting:

“Unmerciful”
“Abscission”
“Ravenous Impulse”
“Sociopathic Predation”
“Kill Reflex”
“Habitual Savagery”
“Enduring Torture”
“Kingdom Of Serpents”
“Methodic Absolution”

Founded in 2001, Unmerciful released its debut, Unmercifully Beaten, in 2006. With intensive tour runs from 2006 through 2009 with the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Necrophagist, Decrepit Birth, Cryptopsy, and more, the band went through various personnel changes before deciding to disband in 2009. What started out as just a reunion show in 2012, quickly returned the band to working status. With consistent live shows and numerous metal fest appearances, the band released a self-titled demo in 2014 as a first step in the process to completing its first full-length release in nearly a decade. After the abrupt departure of drummer James King, John Longstreth was enlisted to record drums for Ravenous Impulse.

Translation Loss has announced the signing of the ambitious death/black metal band, Bhavachakra. The Floridian quartet will release their eponymous album via the label on Septeber 23rd later this year.

The word "Bhavachakra" itself coming from eastern theology; the name is given to the depiction of a large demon holding a wheel, which represents each of the different realms of rebirth one may find themselves in, depending on their karma in the cycle of life. It is these very concepts and lyrical themes the band employs on their crushing debut full-length.

Bhavachakra founder Kenneth Redar comments on the premiere: 

"Kali Yuga is the name given to the fourth and final epoch in the procession of epochs that must reach their conclusion before the Universe is born again and starts over anew. Kali Yuga is the age of vice. The age of materialism, chaos and pain. The darkest of the four ages and the one we currently find ourselves living in. Kali Yuga, the last song on the album, is about an awareness of existing in this age and coming together as a collective organism to move beyond material and interpersonal strife."

Redar continues to discuss the full-length and signing:

"This first Bhavachakra album (Self-titled), our full length debut, is the result of a series of compositions written in 2014/2015. This being the first album I've written completely on my own it was also a new opportunity to tackle conceptual / lyrical material I've always been impassioned about. Concepts ranging from Buddhism / Hinduism, duality, the cosmos and our rapidly deteriorating planet. Musical influences included Gorguts, Krallice, 1349, Deathspell Omega and others. I was very excited when Translation Loss Records expressed interest in releasing this album. Their roster rich with artists and bands I've always greatly respected and admired such as Dysrhythmia, Rosetta and Intronaut. We're honored to be working with Translation Loss Records to release the Bhavachakra debut full-length in physical form."

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Sri Yantra”
“Oceans Of Existence”
“The Burden Of Attachment”
“Prelude”
“Sybaritic Apparitions”
“Rivers Of Transmigration”
“The Diadem Of Thought”
“Untitled” (instrumental)
“Avalokiteśvara”
“Kali Yuga”

“Kali Yuga”:

Bhavachakra by Bhavachakra

On October 7th, Greyhaze Records will release a vinyl LP reissue of Die Hard - the only official, comprehensive demo collection of Brazilian black/death metal cult act Sarcofago.

 
Beautifully packaged as a double-LP with gatefold jacket, the album will be available on black and limited-edition yellow vinyl, including an over-sized booklet and poster, as well as liner notes by Sarcofago front man Wagner Antichrist. Die Hard includes material that had never before been made available, such as the band's very first demo recording, as well as material recorded for “Rotting” and “The Laws Of Scourge”. Renowned artist Zbigniew Bielak (Ghost, Watain) created the artwork for a very limited slipcase version of the vinyl reissue. The album can be streamed in its entirety on Bandcamp. Preorders are being taken at Greyhaze Records.

Sarcofago's influence and legacy in the realm of extreme metal cannot be overstated. Classics like INRI, Rotting, and The Laws Of Scourge have paved the way for a large number of bands spanning various genres such as black and death metal. The band's demos have been shamelessly bootlegged for decades and demand for an official demo collection has been constant.

With upcoming performances in their home province of Ontario that includes a show date with Abiotic and Vesperia (listed below), Toronto's Sludgehammer have posted their new video “Ectogenesis” from their recently released debut full-length The Fallen Sun.

Tour dates:

July
29 - Oshawa, ON - The Atria (with Caym, Backlash, Astaroth)

August
27 - Oshawa, ON - The Atria (with Abiotic, Vesperia)

The band released The Fallen Sun on June 10th. The album was self-produced by the band and mixed by guitarist Tyler Williams and mastered by world renowned producer and engineer Lasse Lammert (Gloryhammer, Alestorm, Teramaze) at LSD Studio in Germany.

Tracklisting:

“Demons From The Woodwork”
“Intestines Entwined”
“The Black Abyss”
“Ectogenesis”
“Carrion Eater”
“Consuming Afterbirth”
“Carnivorous Forest”
“Utopian”
“Revolting”
“Organ Harvester”
“Casualties”

“Carrion Eater” video:

“Demons From The Woodwork”:

(Photo - Hayden John Wolf)

Swedish heavy metal heroes Sabaton will release their new album The Last Stand on August 19th via Nuclear Blast. A fourth video trailer for the new album, once again produced by Peter Tägtgren (Pain, Hypocrisy), has been released. All four trailers can be seen below:

Trailer #1

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

Trailer #4:

The album can be pre-ordered in various formats here, or digitally here.

CD+DVD tracklisting:

CD
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Bonus:
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

CD tracklisting:

“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Earbook tracklisting:

CD
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Bonus:
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”
“Afraid To Shoot Strangers”

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

Live CD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)
“Intro (The March To War)”
“Ghost Division”
“Far From The Fame”
“Uprising”
“Midway”
“Gott Mit Uns”
“Resist And Bite”
“Wolfpack”
“Dominium Maris Baltici”
“Carolus Rex”
“Swedish Pagans”
“Soldier Of 3 Armies”
“Attero Dominatus”
“The Art Of War”
“Wind Of Change”
“To Hell And Back”
“Night Witches”
“Primo Victoria”
“Metal Crüe”

2LP - 45 RPM tracklisting

Side A
“Sparta”
“Last Dying Breath”
“Blood Of Bannockburn”
“Diary Of An Unknown Soldier”
“The Lost Battalion”

Side B
“Rorke’s Drift”
“The Last Stand”
“Hill 3234”
“Shiroyama”

Side C
“Winged Hussars”
“The Last Battle”

Side D (Bonus)
“Camouflage”
“All Guns Blazing”

"Blood Of Bannockburn" lyric video:

“The Lost Battalion” lyric video:

The Last Tour is the biggest tour of Sabaton yet and is scheduled to kick off January 7th at König Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany. Very special guests are none other than heavy metal legends Accept. Find Sabaton’s complete tour itinerary at this location.

Atlanta's southern rock sons, Blackberry Smoke, have announced their brand new studio album, Like An Arrow. Set for release on October 14th via Earache Records, Like An Arrow follows the band's 2015 album, Holding All The Roses, which landed in the Top 50 on album charts around the world upon release, including the UK, US, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands, as well as taking the top spot in the UK Rock Chart and the US Country Chart.

Check out the album's lead track, “Waiting For The Thunder”, streaming below.

Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr discusses the track: "Simply put, it's a rock and roll song. It's the statement we want to make, musically. Lyrically, I think maybe it touches on how crazy the world seems right now."

Like An Arrow features 12 rocking new hits, including a track featuring The Allman Brothers Band’s very own Gregg Allman. The album was recorded and mixed by Billy Joe Bowers at The Quarry Recording Studio in Kenneshaw, Georgia, and was produced by Blackberry Smoke with sleeve artwork created by Alex Hagen.

Pre-order Like An Arrow now on limited edition signed CD and coloured vinyl, as well as regular CD, vinyl, and various merch bundles at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Waiting For The Thunder”
“Let It Burn”
“The Good Life”
“What Comes Naturally”
“Running Through Time”
“Like An Arrow”
“Ought To Know”
“Sunrise In Texas”
“Ain't Gonna Wait”
“Workin' For A Workin' Man”
“Believe You Me”
“Free On The Wing” (feat. Gregg Allman)

“Waiting For The Thunder”:

Carnifex have released a video for the title track of their new album, Slow Death. The album lands on August 5th via Nuclear Blast, and is available for pre-order at this location.

The Slow Death album was produced and recorded by Carnifex and Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh, Bleeding Through), and co-produced by Jason Suecof (Death Angel, Chelsea Grin, Job For A Cowboy). It was mixed by Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Devildriver, Deicide) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. Cover art was created by renowned artist and longtime collaborator, Godmachine.

Slow Death tracklisting:

“Dark Heart Ceremony”
“Slow Death”
“Drown Me In Blood”
“Pale Ghost”
“Black Candles Burning”
“Six Feet Closer To Hell”
“Necrotoxic”
“Life Fades To A Funeral”
“Countess Of The Crescent Moon”
“Servants To The Horde”

"Six Feet Closer To Hell" lyric video:

"Six Feet Closer To Hell" 360-degree play through video:

Studio report videos:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Catch Carnifex on tour as part of Summer Slaughter, alongside Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Suffocation, and more. Confirmed dates are as listed:

July
23 - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - Culture Room
24 - Tampa, Florida - The Ritz
26 - Knoxville, Tennessee - The International
27 - Baltimore, Maryland - Rams Head Live!
28 - New York, New York - Webster Hall
29 - Poughkeepsie, New York - The Chance
30 - Worcester, Massachusetts - The Palladium
31 - Cleveland, Ohio - Agora Theatre

August
2 - Minneapolis, Minnesota - The Cabooze
3 - Chicago, Illinois - Concord Music Hall
5 - Denver, Colorado - The Summit Music Hall
6 - Salt Lake City, Utah - The Complex
8 - Seattle, Washington - Showbox SODO
10 - San Francisco, California - The Regency Ballroom
11 - Santa Ana, California - The Observatory
12 - Los Angeles, California - The Novo
13 - Tempe, Arizona - The Marquee
15 - Dallas, Texas - Gas Monkey Live
16 - Austin, Texas - Empire Control Room
17 - Houston, Texas - Warehoue Live
19 - Richmond, Virginia - The National
20 - Wilmington, North Carolina - Ziggy's By The Sea
21 - Atlanta, Georgia - The Masquerade

Now based in New York, Swedish technical death metal band Armageddon are re-releasing their classic album, Crossing The Rubicon, later this year .

Produced by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Göteborg, Sweden, Armageddon’s debut album was originally released in May 1997. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Crossing The Rubicon really generated waves when it came out, probably one of the most accomplished Swedish metal debut albums ever released.

Christopher Amott remembers: “The creation of the whole project was a collaboration between me and Michael (Christopher’ brother now playing in Arch Enemy). We are both sci-fi fans. The album is a concept album about the destruction of the planet, and the escape and subsequent adventures of the earth’s survivors. Apart from the obvious metal influences, we were also looking towards bands like YES and Rush for the conceptual progressive rock feel of the 70s - hence our decision to give each member a solo track. Michael and I were less than thrilled when the movie Armageddon came out a year after Armageddon’s debut. It was also a crap movie."

After the release of their latest album, Captivity And Devourment, released in 2015, Armageddon played their first show outside the US at the prestigious Loudpark festival in Tokyo last year: “Having played the Loud Park Festival numerous times with Arch Enemy, it was great to be on stage with Armageddon and to present my new band to the Japanese audience. It was a magical moment for all of us - we’d worked hard, with the Captivity And Devourment album, to come to this point. Playing in Japan is always a great experience. The stage crew is always of the highest quality, and everything is well organized. The fans are very kind and receptive to the music. They’re genuine music fans, as I’m sure you’ve heard. This case was no exception. It was amazing to hear the melodies that I wrote in my bedroom being chanted by thousands of people.”

Christopher adds he was very thrilled to play Japan with his buddies in Arch Enemy’s Black Earth album era with the Black Earth project earlier this year as well: “I hadn’t played with Johan (J. Liiva first Arch Enemy vocalist) since 1999, so that was great - to be back on stage with him. His voice sounded better than ever. It was special to bring back the old sound of Arch Enemy once again. I love the old Arch Enemy style, with its 70s rock influence and rawer, old-school death metal touch. The three first albums with Arch Enemy were extremely successful in Japan, and we were expecting an older audience. But the crowd was very mixed, with a lot of younger Arch Enemy fans. It was definitely a unique experience: different from what Arch Enemy evolved into, and different from Armageddon. Also, it’s been a long, long time since I’ve been in a band where everyone speaks Swedish, so it was a pretty hilarious atmosphere. Between the shared language and the 20-plus years of common references, we were joking around 90% of the time, and nobody else could understand us.”

More news on Crossing The Rubicon - Revisited coming soon.

Armageddon lineup 2016:

Antony Hämäläinen - Lead vocals
Christopher Amott - Guitars and clean vocals
Joey Concepcion - Guitars
Andrew Pevny - Bass
Márton Veress - Drums

(Photo - Armageddon Facebook)