As Yngwie J. Malmsteen could comment on the recent line-up change in the Simulacrum camp; “More is more!” Simulacrum has announced vocalist Erik Kraemer as an additional singer to the band. His singing style will be a great asset both live and on the next studio album that is currently being written and is heading towards the modern realms of djent. Even though Erik represents the high pitched traditional power metal sound, the coloring of his voice differs from Niklas' in a way that lets them both shine and it is easy to spot which one of them is singing on the songs.

Simulacrum released their second album Sky Divided in 2015 via Inverse Records. A video of the title song can be found below:

Sweden's doom/crust/prog-infused death metal band, Usurpress, is set to release a brand new album titled The Regal Tribe on September 23rd via Agonia Records. The album's haunting cover artwork was created by renowned Dutch artist Marald van Haasteren (Bolt Thrower, High On Fire, Baroness, Kylesa) who was given a carte blanche with regards to the visual interpretation of the album’s lyrical concept. The Regal Tribe was recorded under the supervision of rising star producer Lawrence Mackrory (FKÜ, Darkane). A lyric video for "Across The Dying Plains" is streaming below.

The Regal Tribe is the follow up to Ordained (2014) which saw Usurpress leave their deathcrust path for more uncharted territories. During the composing of the new album, the band was plagued by mental disorders/depressions and life threatening illnesses in the member’s immediate families, most notably vocalist/lyricist Stefan Pettersson’s battle with his bone marrow cancer. Therefore, The Regal Tribe is a heavier and darker, yet more varied, complex and thoughtful effort than their previous albums. This concept album is a tragic story about life versus death, about vanity and the relentless passing of time and is by far Usurpress’ most ambitious output to date.

Pettersson states: "We decided early on to discard the traditional way of songwriting/arranging and compose The Regal Tribe one piece at the time, starting with the first riff in the first song and ending with the last riff in the 10:th song. That way we hoped to avoid the album becoming repetitive and stale and instead more fluent and powerful. Listening back to the finished album, I’m convinced we did the right thing. This is the album we have always sought to do".

Since their formation in 2010, Usurpress have gained a reputation as a creative and hardworking band that in a relative short time already have built up an extensive back catalogue of albums, EP’s and splits. Their aim has always been to constantly evolve and expand their soundscape, always looking forward in a restless and tireless way.

Pettersson: "Although we are very proud of all our previous works, we never look back. Dwelling on the past does not interest us at all. We started to write The Regal Tribe a couple of weeks after Ordained was released and we started to draw up the blueprints for our next album before we started to record The Regal Tribe. This is how we do things, we don’t wait for inspiration, we get inspiration from creating".

The Regal Tribe is also the last Usurpress album to feature original drummer Calle Lönnberg who left the band shortly after the recording and was replaced by internationally renowned sticksman Mathias "Matte" Modin (Firespawn, Raised Fist, ex-Dark Funeral, ex-Defleshed).

Tracklisting:

“Beneath The Starless Skies”
“The One They Call The Usurpress”
“Across The Dying Plains”
“The Mortal Tribes”
“The Halls Of Extinction”
“Throwing The Gift Away”
“Behold The Forsaken”
“On A Bed Of Straw”
“The Sin That Is Mine”
“In The Shadow Of The New Gods”

"Across The Dying Plains" lyric video:

Available formats:

- Digipack CD
- Black LP
- Green LP (limited to 100 copies)
- T-shirt in two versions
- Digital

Preorders are available at this location.

Lineup:

Stefan Pettersson - vocals
Påhl Sundström - guitar
Daniel Ekeroth - bass
Calle Lönnberg - drums

Hailing from Kotka, Finland, female-fronted quintet Crimson Sun play kick-ass modern metal with an in your face attitude.  The band will perform at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival 2016, Helsinki, Finland on Saturday, July 2nd at 4 PM.

Maple Metal Records is re-releasing their 2013, four track EP to coincide with Crimson Sun’s performance at the metal fest on July 2nd.

The EP was produced by Crimson Sun and Saku Moilanen at Deep Noise Studios, Kouvola, Finland. The EP was recorded by the same line-up that performed on their debut album Towards The Light, that was released worldwide by Maple Metal Records last year.
 
Crimson Sun was founded in 2001 by guitarist Joni Junnila, and the band went through various member changes before settling down with the quintet that recorded their EP The Border and their debut album Towards The Light in 2015.

The Border tracklisting:

“The Border”
“Burned Away”
“Pieces To Count”
“The Fire Within”

Eagerly awaited by a myriad of fans, the legend In The Woods... are premiering today a song taken off their upcoming new album, Pure, which is scheduled for release on September 16th via Debemur Morti Productions.

Titled "Cult Of Shining Stars", this piece shows the band in top form, heavier than ever as well as more instantly-gratifying in their melodicism and prominent listenability. In The Woods... evolved and matured, no doubt.

The sonorous, textural, melodic and lyrical sensibilities of new vocalist, James Fogarty, dovetail with the band's past identity whilst simultaneously ushering in a new beginning.

The artwork was crafted by Max Winter from Teratogen and the front cover is viewable below. The CD version will come with a slightly different cover.

Tracklisting:

“Pure”
“Blue Oceans Rise (Like A War)”
“Devil's At The Door”
“The Recalcitrant Protagonist”
“The Cave Of Dreams”
“Cult Of Shining Stars”
“Towards The Black Surreal”
“Transmission KRS”
“This Dark Dream”
“Mystery Of The Constellations”

"Cult Of Shining Stars":

Pure by IN THE WOODS...

About this eagerly awaited new offering, the band comments: "This is without a doubt the most accessible release by In The Woods… yet. Lyrically, existential and philosophical themes are at the fore ; Elements of psychedelia, alienation and loss interweave, leaving the listener in no doubt that In The Woods… seek to advance their own understanding of the esoteric and transcendental, if were it not already obvious to the listener through the music."

Pure is scheduled for release worldwide on September 16th via Debemur Morti Productions on CD/Vinyl/Digital.

Norwegian progressive classic metallers, Sahg, will release their new album, Memento Mori, on September 23rd via Indie Recordings. The first single from the album, “Sanctimony” is out now. Listen to the track here.

“"Sanctimony" is the perfect first single from Memento Mori, because it tells a lot about what this album is: versatile, unpredictable, relentlessly uncompromising, and very heavy. It has a disturbing darkness to it, an untamed lunacy, and a soft shimmer of light. What begins as a twisted, heavy stomper, ends up growing into a wretched monster, that clocks in at 7 minutes, 30 seconds. So, yeah, it is the perfect single.

"Hide behind a shield of religion and let it justify your evil deeds." - Olav Iversen (vocals, guitar)

In a time when threats of religious hostility and environmental decay loom heavily over the world, we have no choice but to acknowledge the inevitability of death. Not only does it spread fear, stigma and hatred, but it also reminds us of the grasp our own mortality has on us. Death is just a heartbeat away and our fear of the unknown is apparent now more than ever. Thus the title Memento Mori (Latin: remember that you must die).

The heavy rock powerhouse Sahg have since their beginnings in 2004 delivered grade-A hard rock of the fist bumping and heavy-leaded sort. When elements hoisted from the depths of doom converge with the realm of progressive rock, one can draw parallels to greats such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Mastodon. Sahg procure a unique blend of the aforementioned while resting firmly on a heavy metal base. The crisp sound on their fifth and latest effort Memento Mori defies the idea of simple genre categorization in favour of delivering a damn good heavy metal album.

Tracklisting:

“Black Unicorn”
“Devilspeed”
“Take It To The Grave”
“Silence The Machines”
“Sanctimony”
“(Praise The) Electric Sun”
“Travellers Of Space And Light”
“Blood Of Oceans”

Preview video:

“Mortality closes in.
Evils of fanatic religion.
21st century imperialism.
Destruction campaign against the earth.
Immortal idols pass away.
Cancer in our minds.
In our way of life.
In the veins of those we honor the most.
It is in our darkest times we realize how swiftly life can end.
We all die.
Everything dies.
Memento Mori.”

Salt Lake City's Chelsea Grin are streaming “Never, Forever”, a song from their upcoming album and Rise Records debut, Self Inflicted, which is out July 1st. Pre-orders are now live at Merch Now and iTunes.

Self Inflicted Tracklisting:

"Welcome Back"
"Four Horsemen"
"Love Song"
"Clickbait"
"Skin Deep"
"Scratching and Screaming"
"Strung Out"
"Broken Bonds"
"Life Sentence"
"Never, Forever"
"Say Goodbye"

"Never, Forever”:

"Broken Bonds" video:

"Skin Deep”:

"Clickbait”:

Chelsea Grin are spending their summer on the Van's Warped Tour. They will appear on the entire trek, which began June 24th and runs through August 13th, laying waste to stages across the country.

Reformed 80s hard rock/heavy metal legends, Q5, will release their third album, entitled New World Order, on July 8th. You can pre-order the album now via Amazon.com (widget below) or iTunes. Listen to the new song “A Prisoner Of Mind” below:

Q5 was formed in 1983, comprised of members of two popular Seattle bands: vocalist Jonathan K and guitarist (plus famous guitar tremolo inventor) Floyd Rose from The C.O.R.E. and Rick Pierce (guitar), Evan Sheeley (bass) and Gary Thompson (drums) from TKO. The band released its first album, Steel The Light (on Music For Nations) in 1984, receiving immediate worldwide critical acclaim, and landing them touring spots with Twisted Sister, Y&T and Lita Ford. The success of Steel The Ligh" led them to eventually sign with Polygram/Squawk for their 1985 sophomore release, When the Mirror Cracks. Due to personal differences, the original lineup dissolved shortly after this release.

In 2014, Q5 was asked to perform at Sweden Rock Festival, a performance that the band had agreed would be a "one off" show, but at the completion of the performance, it was obvious that this was not an ending, but merely a beginning. Upon returning to Seattle, The band secured drummer Jeffrey McCormack (former Heir Apparent, Fifth Angel) and guitarist Kendall Bechtel (former Fifth Angel) and began rehearsing formally as Q5. The band's relaunch debuted at the Rock You To Hell Festival in Athens, Greece followed by a headlining performance in Cyprus. The band then returned to Seattle to begin work on music for a new album. Kendall Bechtel, however, was unable to stay with the band due to personal reasons, so the band secured guitar virtuoso Dennis Turner to complete the lineup.

So, while the band’s debut album, Steel The Light  continues to grow in popularity all over the world, the fans are writing from all corners of the globe, eagerly inquiring about the next chapter in the Q5 story. That chapter begins NOW. With their new lineup solidified, and a new album slated for release, Q5 is poised to take its rightful place again in the hard rock/heavy metal hierarchy.

New World Order tracklisting:

“We Came Here To Rock”
“One Night In Hellas”
“The Right Way”
“New World Order”
“Tear Up The Night”
“Halfway To Hell”
“A Prisoner Of Mind”
“Unrequited (A Woman Of Darkness And Steel)”
“Just One Kiss”
“Fear Is The Killer”
“Land Of The Setting Sun”
“A Warrior’s Song”
“Mach Opus 206” (Instrumental)
“Get Next To You” (Bonus Track)

“We Came Here To Rock”:

“Halfway To Hell”:

“The Right Way” video:

Trailer:

Q5 lineup:

Jonathan Scott K.: Vocals, Background Vocals
Rick Pierce: Lead Guitars, Rhythm Guitars
Dennis Turner: Rhythm Guitars, Lead Guitars, Background Vocals
Evan Sheeley: Bass Guitar, Backgr. Vocals
Jeffrey Mccormack: Drums And Percussion, Background Vocals

 

 

French heavy metal band, Lorraine Cross, have released a video for “At Close Range”, a track from their upcoming debut album, Army Of Shadows, to be released worldwide on August 26th via Mighty Music. Find the new clip below.

Lorraine Cross was born in 2012 in Toulouse, South of France when two heavy metal enthusiasts - a couple in life, Katia Figuera (manager) and Guillaume (founder and bass player)  - decided to form a band to perpetuate the spirit of hard ‘n’ heavy. Soon after this, four talented musicians joined their quest: Tony (lead singer) D.K and Florent (guitars) and Thomas (drums). After a demo (Lorraine Cross, 2014) the band received the support of French heavy metal specialist Christophe Bailet (ex-manager of Sortilège, ADX, Nightmare).

The album, Army Of Shadows, was recorded and engineered by François Merle (Manigance) and mastered by Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray, Pretty Maids) and is a mix of influences like US hard rock, British heavy metal and German speed metal. But even if Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest or Helloween are the inspirations, the heart of Lorraine Cross beats in France.

France and its tormented past, hence the name...Lorraine Cross, the symbol of Free French Forces during world war II. An iconic symbol, for all those who refuse to surrender and to live on their knees. Like Guillaume’s grandfather, a French resistant who was nearly shot by a German fire squad. He was like his brother in arms, one of the anonymous martyrs fighting oppression. He was one, from the Army of Shadows.

Army Of Shadows tracklisting:

“Sharpshooter”
“Black Infantry”
“One Bullet For Me”
“Hard To Get Out”
“Die In Your Arms”
“Target Locked”
“Stray Rocket”
“The Slab Was Trapped!”
“Go To Hell!”
“Don’t Waste Your Energy”
“At Close Range”
“Lorraine Cross”

“At Close Range” video:

The Five Hundred are the latest in technical, melodic metal from the rough streets of Nottingham, UK. Dealing in an array of down-tuned riffs and barbed hooks performed on beastly 8-string guitars, the band unleash an avalanche of crushing technical groove and belligerent aggression, broken up by some searing leads, haunting vocal melodies and devastating, earth-shaking breakdowns.

The ear-rattling outfit have just released a new music video for the song “Winters”, taken from their debut EP.

The band say this about the video: "The track is about the miserable and negative people that try to bring you down to their level. The lyrics go:

“The winters of your grief
Shut off that sound it’s deafening
Ripping away belief
A worry that weighs a ton…”

“Every musician or band starting out has had to deal, at some point, with the naysayers, the killjoys and the downers - the people who are so miserable in their own existence that they spend their energy and time trying to bring others down. "Get a real job. Get a career. Get a mortgage, a pension plan, financial security. Quit this rock n roll pipe dream. So, this song goes out to them. All of that noise and negativity just spurs us on, and we wouldn't be where we are now if it wasn't for their inspiration.

“The video was recorded by Shaun Hodson of Loki Films, who's recently done some wicked videos for bands such as Black Tongue, Heart In Hand, and TRC. Filmed in some undisclosed location in the woods of Nottingham (we weren't allowed to be there and had to switch off the power and hide in the dark a few times so we wouldn't be spotted!). It was cold, rainy and miserable, which is exactly what we needed it to be for this video.”

The band are due to release a second EP in 2016, with a full album to follow in early 2017 (all released produced by Justin Hill – SiKth, Heart Of A Coward, Betraying The Martyrs, etc.).

The Five Hundred are touring with Taken By The Tide over the next couple of weeks and will perform at UK Tech-Metal Fest in Newark.

Live dates:

June
30 - Bournemouth, UK - The Anvil (with Taken By The Tide)

July
1 - Hastings, UK - The Carlisle (with Taken By The Tide)
2 - Southampton, UK - Fire House (with Taken By The Tide)
7 - Bristol, UK - Mother’s Ruin (with Taken By The Tide)
8 - Kettering, UK - Prince Of Wales (with Taken By The Tide)
9 - Derby, UK - The Hairy Dog (with Taken By The Tide)
10 - Newark, UK - UK Tech Metal Fest
17 - Coventry, UK - Sophie Fest

August
31 - Derby, UK - The Hairy Dog (with Meta-Stasis, Sworn Amongst and Taken By The Tide)

September
3 - Nottingham, UK - Macmillan Fest (with SiKth, InMe, Black Peaks, Shields and more)
30 - Brighton, UK - Mammothfest (with Heart Of A Coward, Textures and  Krysthla)

October
1 - Bristol, UK - The Gryphon (with Shields)

Fake Idols, band formed by ex-members of Raintime and Slowmotion Apocalypse among others, have signed a deal with Scarlet Records for the release of their new album.

Says the band: “We are extremely glad to announce two great news. The first one is that we signed a new deal with Scarlet Records: we are excited about this new cooperation and the plans we are making together. The second news is that the wait is finally over for our fans. We have a release date for our new album set for this fall, all the details will be revealed soon, including the announcement of two international guest stars. Stay tuned for more details. Stay Fake!”

Updates to follow.

Buenos Aires, Argentina-based heavy metal band, Feanor, have released a video for “We Are Heavy Metal” the title track of their new album, out now in South America and coming soon worldwide via Massacre Records. We Are Heavy Metal is the first record in the band's history that's sung entirely in English.

Tracklisting:

“We Are Heavy Metal”
“Ëol The Dark”
“Ëarendil The Sailor”
“The Discipline Of Steel”
“Water Gardens”
“Dagor Nuin Giliath”
“White And Blue”
“Crying Games”
“The Visitors”
“In The Darkness”
“The Scribe”
“The Epic Of Gilgamesh Pt.1 (The Quest For Glory)”

“We Are Heavy Metal” video:

Teaser:

Band lineup:
 
Sven D'Anna - Vocals
Walter "The Scorpion" Hernández - Electric/Spanish Guitars
Gustavo Feanor Acosta - Bass, Piano, Keyboard, Percussion & Harp
Frank Gilchriest - Drums & Percussion

Following six successful studio albums, Powerwolf will finally release their first DVD, The Metal Mass - Live, on July 29th. It contains almost seven hours of material and features plenty of songs, old and new. A second video teaser can be found below.

Powerwolf's history of success truly is a metal fairytale: Thanks to lifeblood, passion and talent the band has gathered an enormous amount of followers with until now six albums and uncountable captivating live gigs. Two albums in the Top 3 of the German album charts, sold-out headliner shows, frenetically celebrated festival gigs all over Europe – there is just one thing missing… a DVD / Blu-Ray which brings the glorious metal mass on your TV.

Powerwolf do it again in style and have assembled a truly opulent package for their loyal fans. The Metal Mass Live contains three complete live shows with which you can enjoy the irresistible hook lines and great metal hymns of Powerwolf with live recordings from the Masters Of Rock, the Summer Breeze and the Oberhausen gig from the Wolfsnächte tour.

Apart from that all the previous videoclips and two documentaries are included – fans will surely appreciate to witness the hilariously maverick sense of humour of the band members.

The Metal Mass Live will be presented in a beautiful valuable packaging that will make collectors' hearts beat faster: With about 7 hours material, the first DVD / Blu-Ray release of one of the most successful German metal bands will be coming out on Mediabook with 2-DVD / Blu-ray + Live-CD, Earbook with 2-DVD and 2 Live-CDs, a live CD and as Gatefold-Double-Vinyl.

It's about time to finally enjoy the inimitable live feeling of a Powerwolf gig on your couch. Pre-order The Metal Mass Live here.

Teaser #1:

Teaser #2:

Now the Wolves decided that they want to hear YOU play YOUR favourite Powerwolf track of all time! Grab your instrument (or microphone) and upload your cover version to YouTube. Submit your entry by posting the video publicly on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, using the hashtag #PowerwolfCoverContest and tagging both the band and Napalm Records.

The band will check out ALL submissions and hand-pick the winner. The best entry will be shared by both the band and Napalm Records on their socials, added to a Powerwolf “The Metal Mass” Playlist on the Napalm Channel and also get a surprise pack by the band, including signed items.

Videos can be submitted until July 7th.

Powerwolf  and Dutch symphonic metal stars Epica are teaming up for an European tour in early 2017. This impressive co-headline tour comes in support of the highly awaited new Epica album Holographic Principle, which is scheduled for a September 30th release and Powerwolfs The Metal Mass Live.

Comments Matthew Greywolf of Powerwolf: “In early 2017 we will embark on a special tour, sharing stages throughout Europe with the amazing Epica. Those shows will become Powerwolf’s biggest indoor metal masses to date. Be prepared for an amazing stage set and crazy nights full of metal madness!”

“Woohoow, this fall we're releasing our seventh studio album and the band has exciting times coming up! A new album means a new Epica chapter and obviously a new world tour. Early 2017 we'll join forces with our German friends in Powerwolf and together we'll storm stages allover Europe. If you want to hear our brand new songs come to live, if you want to see our brand new visuals and if you simply want to have a good time with us, we expect you on our biggest tour to date! I really can't wait to be back on the road again and to see the music, the energy and our lovely fans become one. Until then!,” commented Epica frontwoman Simone Simons.

Tour dates:

January
12 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
13 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium
14 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - MHP Arena
16. - Geneve, Switzerland - Salle des Fetes de Thonex
17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus
20 - Munich, Germany - Tonhalle
21 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
24 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
25 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
27 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
28 - Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlin

February
3 - London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire
4 - Paris, France - Zenith

Further dates of this tour to be announced at a later date. Tickets for all shows can be purchased on the bands’ websites: Powerwolf, Epica.

Los Angeles metallists Phinehas have premiered their video for "Forever West", which takes loose inspiration from both The Revenant and The Pilgrim's Progress, check it out below.

"Forever West" appears on Phinehas' most recent album Till The End, which was released in July 2015 via Artery Recordings. Catch Phinehas live on tour:

June
29 - Creation Festival - Shirleysburg, PA     

July
1 - The Backstage at Championship Bar - Trenton, NJ      
6 - Bier Stube - Moline, IL      
7 - Lifest - Oshkosh, WI      
8 - Lifest - Oshkosh, WI     
16 - Double Happiness - Columbus, OH     
21 - Sonshine Festival - Somerset, WI     
25 - Jackpot Music Hall - Lawrence, KS     
26 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO       
27 - The Loading Dock - Salt Lake City, UT     
29 - The Hive - Flagstaff, AZ     
30 - The Warehouse - Henderson, NV       
31 - Malones - Santa Ana, CA 

Deathgasm Records will release the eleventh official studio full-length album from long-running Kentucky-based death metal legion, Abominant, on July 29th.

For twenty-three years, Abominant has done their best to write individual songs rather than repeating the same style, in the process simultaneously enticing or alienating much of the metal underground, causing them to maintain a purely cult status. With no interest in trends or genres, they've always carved their own path through the metal underworld, recognizing the appeal of individuality and attempting to separate themselves from getting lost in the sea of brutality. The band's relentless eleventh album, Napalm Reign was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Briggs and Abominant inside Velocity Studios during the Winter months of 2015/16. Napalm Reign spews forth eleven brand new aural assaults and showcases the band executing their subterranean thrash-tinged blackened death with the passion and vehemence of true scene veterans. Check out the cover art and tracklisting:

"No Peace"
"Reborn Through Bloodshed"
"Iron Clad"
"Hordes Of Desolation"
"Burning Hemispheres"
"The Watchers"
"Truth Beyond Belief"
"As Evil Rears Its Head"
"The Villains Veil"
"Out Of The Shadows"
"Scream In The Night"

Pre-orders for the CD and digital versions of Napalm Reign can be placed at this location where you can also sample streams of "The Watchers" and "As Evil Rears Its Head", or alternately enjoy them via the audio player below.

Abominant has shared the stage with dozens of national and international acts including: Deicide, Aborted, Rotting Christ, Death Angel and Belphegor as well as personal underground favorites like Nunslaughter, Incantation, Deceased, and many others. Expect new tour dates in support of Napalm Reign to be announced in the coming weeks.

Napalm Reign by Abominant

 

Carnifex will release their new album Slow Death via Nuclear Blast on August 5th. The band has shared guitar, drum, and bass playthroughs of the song "Drown Me In Blood".

Slow Death 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). A lyric video for "Six Feet Closer To Hell" is streaming below.

Slow Death was mixed by Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Devildriver, Deicide) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. Cover art for the album was created by renowned artist and longtime collaborator, Godmachine.

"Album number six, over 10 years as a band and we have more fire and passion than ever," comments Scott Ian Lewis. "This album will reshape our genre and be looked back on as an album that started a new movement for aggressive, dark metal. We're going to show those who love us and those who hate us just how far reaching our ambition is."

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”

Lyric video: "Six Feet Closer To Hell":

Carnifex vocalist Scott Lewis discusses the album's artwork:

Slow Death is available for pre-order at this location.

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

 

 

 

SOUNDGARDEN is continuing to write material for the follow-up to 2012's comeback album, "King Animal". The band started work on a new record last year, but took a break while frontman Chris Cornell toured through the fall in support of his latest solo effort, "Higher Truth". The singer has since resumed his solo tour, telling the Hartford Courant in a new interview: "SOUNDGARDEN is in the middle of writing songs. After this tour, the songs will become real and we'll put an album out.

"There's much more to SOUNDGARDEN," he added. "I get to play with my band and I get to go solo. It's great for me."

SOUNDGARDEN reunited in 2010 after a 13-year layoff, touring and then eventually writing new material that became the basis for "King Animal", its first new studio album in 16 years.

SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band's approach to making music hasn't changed that dramatically since its early days. "We started out very humbly here in the Northwest and I don't think we've ever really gone too far from those sort of ideals, which were, you know, real do-it-yourself, kind of '80s underground ideals," he said. "And it just feels good to lock up in a room together and write music together and play together that is uniquely our own thing."

In addition to "King Animal", SOUNDGARDEN has issued a live CD, a greatest hits compilation and a two-disc collection of B-sides, outtakes and rarities.

"Higher Truth", meanwhile, was Cornell's fourth studio solo set and contains the Top Five rock radio single "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart".

BLACK SABBATH will bring its storied career to a close in the band's native England, with seven shows booked there in January and February. The last two, on February 2 and February 4, will take place in SABBATH's hometown of Birmingham and will likely be their final shows.

"[Guitarist] Tony Iommi wants to do 80 shows [as part of 'The End' tour]," SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne told Billboard.com. "We're doing 80 shows. It's good enough. I wouldn't mind extending the tour for another few gigs. There's a lot of people who won't get to see us, but I don't think it's going to happen."

Osbourne also made it clear that it wasn't his call to stop touring with SABBATH. "It's not me that wants to retire; it's BLACK SABBATH," he said. "I'll be continuing my own musical thing. My wife [and manager Sharon Osbourne] is good at telling me partial information, y'know, but I know I'm not hanging 'em up for awhile.

"Being Ozzy Osbourne solo again is not a job. It's a passion. It's a love. It's the biggest, greatest love affair of my life."

The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Osbourne on vocals, Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.

They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after just a few months. The remaining trio issued the "13" album in 2013 and backed it with a successful world tour — despite Iommi being treated for lymphoma since 2012.

Dutch symphonic rockers WITHIN TEMPTATION took part in a press conference on June 18 at Hellfest in Clisson, France. You can now watch the question-and-answer session below.

Asked when fans can expect to see the follow-up to WITHIN TEMPTATION's sixth studio album, "Hydra", which came out in January 2014, frontwoman Sharon Den Adel said: "At the moment, we have started [the songwriting process], but we're not that far yet; there's no release date yet."

Regarding a possible concept or special lyrical theme that will be covered on the upcoming WITHIN TEMPTATION album, Sharon said: "We always try to find some kind of angle that makes this album different towards the other ones. Like last time, we had a lot of guest appearances and the comics before that one [2011's 'The Unforgiving']. We'll come with something new again. We have several options, but we're not definite on that yet. It's all part of the big surprise, of course, also."

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen joined WITHIN TEMPTATION on stage at Hellfest to perform the song "Paradise (What About Us?)". Professionally filmed video footage of her appearance — preceded by the WITHIN TEMPTATION song "Mother Earth" — can be seen below.

The studio version of "Paradise (What About Us?)" — also featuring Tarja — can be found on "Hydra".

Sharon previously stated about the band's collaboration with Turunen: "When we had written the first version of 'Paradise' and listened back to the demo we'd recorded and the epic power of the song, we thought of Tarja instantly. How well this track would fit her classical voice and how extra special it would be if we sang it together. The more we thought about this wild idea, the more excited we got about it!"

PIERCE THE VEIL made its late-night television talk show debut last night on "Conan", performing the band's hot new single, "Circles". Video footage of their appearance can be seen below.

Inspired by last fall's horrific terriorist attack in Paris, "Circles" tells a hypothetical tale of two friends at the EAGLES OF DEATH METAL show and how they tried to save each other as the onslaught was taking place. "I watched the EAGLES OF DEATH METAL talk about what happened," said PIERCE THE VEIL's lyricist Vic Fuentes. "They said a lot of people died trying to save their friends, and that just really affected me, thinking about these kids at a rock show trying to save their friends. And I realized that could have been our band or any of our friends' bands, and the whole situation really hit me hard."

"Circles" is currently in regular rotation on 21 alternative and active rock radio stations across the country, including 91X, the influential alt/rock station in the band's hometown of San Diego, and Los Angeles powerhouse KROQ-FM where the song has been #1 on the program "Furious 5 @9".

PIERCE THE VEIL wrapped its sold-out U.S. "Misadventures Tour" on Sunday night, and heads to South America, Mexico and Australia next month.

PIERCE THE VEIL's new album, "Misadventures" (Fearless Records) was released May 13 and debuted at #1 on Billboard's Alternative, Rock, Hard Rock and Independent charts.

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen took part in a press conference at this year's Hellfest on June 19 in Clisson, France. You can now watch the question-and-answer session below.

Speaking about how she has evolved as a solo artist following her 2005 split with NIGHTWISH, Tarja said: "The current situation in my life as an artist has brought me to a place where I really, really, really feel very comfortable.

"Many things have changed. I've learned enormously in these last years. I mean, being a solo artist is very different than being a member of a band. It's absolutely different. The whole situation is very different — situations where you can't really compare, it's so very different. But I found happiness. I found also freedom, and, to be honest, to be able to write songs and to perform your songs for your audience is a dream come true for me. And so I have to say that I'm very, very, very grateful for this opportunity to be an artist and have a career today.

"We are living hard times in music business in general, so it's not easy for anybody, I think, but I really, really… I have to also remember that every day."

Tarja's forthcoming heavy rock album, "The Shadow Self", will be issued on August 5 via earMUSIC.

While waiting for the release of "The Shadow Self", Tarja and earMUSIC have released the new album's prequel, "The Brightest Void". With over 50 minutes of new music, the extra album was released on June 3 via earMUSIC as a CD digipak, LP+download code and as a digital download.

"The Brightest Void" features not one but three incredible guest artists: fellow Finnish star Michael Monroe, icon of the glam rock scene and former frontman of inspiring band HANOI ROCKS; Chad Smith (who doesn't need any further introduction) and a new mix of WITHIN TEMPTATION's collaboration "Paradise (What About Us)", carried out with Tarja and world-renowned sound engineer and producer Tim Palmer. The prequel presents Tarja's new single, "No Bitter End", as the album opener and furthermore shakes you with an incredible cover of Sir Paul McCartney's overlooked gem "House Of Wax" and adds a new twist to Dame Shirley Bassey's James Bond theme "Goldfinger".

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine was interviewed by Red Carpet News TV at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods, which took place June 13 at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London, England. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked what made late MOTÖRHEAD leader Lemmy such a great performer and such a great man, Mustaine said: "Well, that he had been so influential on so many of the 'Big Four' members [METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX], so many other bands that were influenced by the 'Big Four' because of MOTÖRHEAD, and just the ripple effect and the trickle-down effect, however you wanna say it… MOTÖRHEAD influenced so many people. And the thing, I think, most people forget is that MOTÖRHEAD was like a really loud, heavy blues band. Their music was very soulful and very heavy, but it wasn't like super… like the Swedish riff-lord bands and stuff like that. So I think Phil [Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist] was totally overdue getting the 'Riff Lord' award tonight, and I was really, really honored to be able to give it to him."

As previously reported, MEGADETH will team up with AMON AMARTH, METAL CHURCH and HAVOK for a U.S. tour in the fall. The trek, which is expected to include an as-yet-undisclosed fifth band, will last for five weeks.

MEGADETH's last full U.S. tour took place earlier in the year and featured support from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, CHILDREN OF BODOM and HAVOK.

MEGADETH is continuing to tour in support of its fifteenth album, "Dystopia", which shifted 49,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending January 28. In terms of pure album sales, it opened with 48,000 copies, marking MEGADETH's highest-charting album since 1992's "Countdown To Extinction" debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the chart dated August 1 of that year. "Dystopia" also logged the group's best sales week since 2007, when "United Abominations" landed at No. 8 with first-week sales of 54,000.

Decapitated are planning to undertake legal action against their former record label, Earache Records, alleging unpaid royalties for the albums they released together. In a bid to help with the expenses of hiring a legal team, the band have released this shirt to help them raise funds. A posting on the group’s Facebook states that the band hope to get ownership of their catalogue as part of the case:

“We have released a brand new ’20 Years of Madness’ t-shirt to help raise legal funds to get our catalogue back from Earache Records”

The below video was also released, in which band guitarist Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka states the following:

“I’d like to tell you about something very important. In 1999 we signed a 4-album deal with Earache Records. We have, as a band, fulfilled all the requirements of the contract. We recorded 4 albus, promoted them, played shows, etc.. However, they haven’t paid a penny in royalties since the deal ended 10 years ago, For that reason, we’ve devided to begin legal action against the label. In order to raise the funds for the legal proceedings, the lawyers and so forth, we’re issuing a limited edition t-shirt. We’re now asking you all on behalf of the band, Covan‘s and Vitek‘s families to purchase this t-shirt to support the band and for JUSTICE to be done. I hope this is enough to convince you to buy this t-shirt and help us out! Finally, I’d like to say thank you to each and everyone of you for coming to our shows, buying our album and for being such amazing fans.”

Glenn Hughes spoke to the Danish metal magazine Metalized about BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's plans to reunite for a fourth studio album in 2017.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION was the Anglo-American rock supergroup featuring Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE), drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN, FOREIGNER), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa. The band split in late 2012 due to tensions between Bonamassa and Hughes.

Regarding how the reunion came about, Hughes said: "In February I was doing an interview with Gary Graff, the editor of Billboard magazine in America. Gary asked me some questions about [DEEP PURPLE's Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame [induction]. I said to him that I don't think I will ever be in a band again after BLACK COUNTRY because the legacy of those three albums was so mighty and the band was so good with each member being very, very good. I said to him that BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION will be the last band I play in. Three weeks later, Joe Bonamassa calls me for dinner. I had no idea why."

He continued: "We're friends. We've always been friends. People thought we weren't friends. He said, 'Hey, don't you think it's time we make another great album?' I said, 'I do. And do you know that this is the last band I am gonna play in?' We joked about it.

"Joe and I are very friendly. We never ever fell out. Joe is a solo artist as I am now.

"The fans on the Internet thought we were fighting. We never fought.

"When Joe and I had dinner in March in L.A., we hugged each other and said, 'Hey, we're friends, we're family.' I am a big fan of Joe as a person and a musician, and I like his fans."

"We are going to do this one step at a time. Let's do the album and think about doing some shows. Let's see what happens. Let's embrace it."

Asked about his expectations for the fourth BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION album, Hughes answered: "I think the world needs another big rock album.

"I love BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION so much, and I am so happy that we're getting back together again.

"BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION really gave me so much energy to write.

"When I joined the band, Joe and I were working for a year before Jason and Derek and Kevin [Shirley, producer] joined. Joe and I were working together writing in 2009. He was doing great, coming up as a solo artist. He said to me very kindly that he was a solo artist and that he was going to be a solo artist for the rest of his life. And I said to him, 'That's fantastic.' I never asked him to change and be in a band with me. I had other things going on, I had other people to play with.

"Joe and I knew that he was going to continue and BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION would be a band that would play shows from time to time. That was it. We did 33 shows in all in three years which isn't very much. Again, there was no expectations to play anymore. But when we broke up, there was the factor: if you can't play any shows, there's no point making new music. You know, I was writing all the time.

"I said to Joe, 'I think I should go back and make a solo album,' and he said, 'Great!' And that what's happened. My first thing is my solo career now."

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's third album, "Afterglow", sold 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 48 on The Billboard 200 chart.

2012's "2" CD from BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION opened with 8,000 units to land at No. 71.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's self-titled debut album registered a first-week tally of 7,100 copies to enter the chart at No. 54.

Don Dokken has confirmed that the classic lineup of DOKKEN will reunite for a series of concerts in Japan, with no plans to take the reunion to the rest of the world.

The six shows will take place this October, and will include an appearance at the Loud Park festival, which last year celebrated its tenth anniversary.

During an appearance on last night's (Saturday, June 25) installment of "The Classic Metal Show", Don explained how the long-rumored DOKKEN reunion finally came to fruition.

"Years and years ago, I made a comment offhandedly, like, 'You wanna do a reunion tour? I'll do it for this amount of money," Don said (hear audio below). "It was like a one and a lot of zeros. And that was my price, and everybody said, 'You're crazy.' And I said, 'Well, that's my price, and I'm not gonna do it [for anything less].' And now, fifteen years later, somebody came up with that price. So I approached George [Lynch, former DOKKEN guitarist] and Jeff [Pilson, former DOKKEN bassist], and I said, 'You guys wanna make a shitload of money for about one week of work?' And I told them the price, and I told them how much I wanted and how much they'd make, and, basically, they could make more money in one week than they'd probably make in several years. And so everybody said, 'Okay.' So I said, 'Well, I'll do it on the condition that I don't wanna do it in America or Europe or anywhere else. Just six shows in Japan.' 'Cause we were very big in Japan, and it's just a… It's a reunion tour. So they agreed, and we're gonna do six shows in Japan. We're gonna be playing Loud Park, headlining with the SCORPIONS. The two headliners are us and SCORPIONS. We're playing the same night — back to back on two different stages. And then we're gonna buzz off and do five more shows. And it's very temporary."

Despite the fact that there is plenty of interest from promoters in other parts of the world to book the DOKKEN reunion, Don claims that the Japanese dates are the only shows the group is committed to doing.

"Of course, everybody came out of the woodwork, and they want us to do Sweden Rock, Wacken festivals, M3… People are throwing money at us to do a DOKKEN reunion in the States and Europe, and my answer to everybody is, 'No. It's not gonna happen,'" he said.

"I feel bad for my agents, 'cause they're getting bombarded from these offers for us to play these big festivals all over the world as a reunion, but I'm just not interested; I'm sorry, I'm just not," he continued. "Jeff's busy. He plays like crazy in FOREIGNER. He's on the road. George is out, you know, playing the bars with LYNCH MOB, so everybody's busy. So I don't see any reason… I can't say, 'We can make all this tons of money…' And we're doing this tour for a lot of money, but I'm doing it to put an exclamation point on a very temporary reunion."

According to Don, part of the reason there are no plans for the reunited DOKKEN to play any other shows after the Japanese run is the fact that the current lineup of DOKKEN — which includes fellow member of the band's classic lineup, drummer Mick Brown, alongside longtime guitarist Jon Levin and bassist Chris McCarvil — is still very much an active entity, with a steady schedule of live shows throughout the year.

"I'm so happy with Jon Levin and Chris," he explained. "I mean, we get along so, so good. We're happy. We get on a plane, we fly to a venue, we hang out together and we go to dinner and we do the show and we hang out in the dressing room. It's very easy; you know, there's no drama. And at my age now, the last thing I need in my life is drama. So I am hopeful everything goes smoothly in Japan [with the reunion shows], but I am ready [laughs] for something to… There was always drama in DOKKEN, so I don't expect anything to change. I'm just gonna kind of keep myself removed from it all. All I'm gonna do is go up there and sing my butt off and play two or three songs on guitar and just make it a fun thing for [the fans]."

Don also admonished the other members of DOKKEN's classic lineup for leaking details of the band's reunion before it was made official. "Mick said we were doing it a month ago, George has been saying it, and Jeff was saying it," he said. "Which I have to laugh, because I said, 'Please don't anybody talk about it until the contracts are signed,' and I hadn't signed the contracts until a couple of days ago."

He continued: "Doing a tour like this is not easy; there's a lot of logistics, money, accountants, taxes, overhead, equipment, video. It's a lot of logistics to put together, and it's taken a long, long time to put this Japanese tour together. But we did it, and we're gonna do six shows.

"Everybody was talking like it was a done deal, which is a very bad thing to do. You should never announce a tour before it's announced, because then the promoters think we're gonna do it no matter what, and it kind of hurts my negotiating skills. If we say we're gonna do this, and we're kind of bartering about how much money, and they feel we're gonna do it no matter what — if it's a half a million or million dollars — I said, 'Please don't say we're doing it, because it hurts my negotiating position. So I've said nothing until tonight."

For DOKKEN fans in other parts of the world who are hoping to catch a glimpse of the reunited band, Don says that there is a small silver lining in all of this. "I'm hoping that, in rehearsals" — which will take place at the Badlands Pawn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — "we feel that we're tight enough on the final day that we actually do a show and we're gonna film the whole thing," he said. "And hopefully it comes out good and we'll edit it and put out a live DVD."

Serious discussions about a reunion of DOKKEN's classic lineup have been held, on and off, for at least the past half decade. Back in may 2010, Dokken and Lynch appeared on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" together in hopes that a reunion would follow. Despite their efforts, it never happened and Don went forward with DOKKEN's current lineup.

All the members of DOKKEN's classic 1980s lineup reunited on stage for the first time in more than a decade on November 29, 2009 during an encore at a DOKKEN show at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is gearing up for the release of his first ever solo album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere. He recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the venture. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Entertainment Weekly: You got a polarizing reaction when you announced you were making a country record. Were you surprised?

Steven Tyler: "I never should have said that. One of Aerosmith’s biggest hits was 'Cryin'' and the lyric and melody I wrote was (sings) 'There was a time, when I was so brokenhearted.' That’s so f—ing country!"

Entertainment Weekly: Besides doing a country album, anything else on your bucket list?

Steven Tyler: "I would love to be a producer on a show like Vinyl. I’m going to continue with music—having 15 great songs is like having 15 better-than-ever-before orgasms that I get to share with the world. And I think I might have a career doing movies. I want to have an affair with a producer and hopefully someone in the movie. (Laughs) Don’t they all do that?"

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will preview songs from his new solo album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere, when he performs Friday morning, June 24th at Rockefeller Plaza as part of The Today Show’s concert series in New York City, reports The Boston Globe.

Viewing is on a first-come, first-served basis on The Today Plaza, located at 48th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues in NYC. To get the best spot, fans should try to arrive by 5 a.m. Generally, concerts happen rain or shine.

In a recent live interview on The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM Radio, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has revealed that the band will embark on a Farewell Tour in 2017. Tyler, who will release his first ever solo album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere, on July 15th, offered no more details on the Aerosmith situation. Stay tuned for updates.

Tyler tells Rolling Stone that his first ever solo album, We’re All Somebody From Somewhere, will feature 15 new songs including his first two country single, “Love Is Your Name” and “Red, White And You”, as well as a new, “darker, countrified” version of Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got A Gun”.

"Country music still plays stuff with melody, I have a sorcerer's grasp of melody, I like to think," he explains. "I'm a freak for that so thank God they're still playing it in country, and I think they're gonna be all over songs like 'Only Heaven' and you guys are gonna be surprised."

Tyler will launch his Out On A Limb summer tour on July 2nd in Las Vegas, NV. A year after launching a solo country career, the Aerosmith frontman is hitting the road this summer with a new band (the Nashville-based Loving Mary) and a different approach to playing live. On his 19-city Out On A Limb tour, the rock icon is trading arenas for more intimate concert venues, where he'll rework Aerosmith classics and tell stories behind some of the band's most beloved hits.

The idea stems from an acoustic performance he did last fall as part of PBS' Front And Center series, with an emphasis squarely on the fans.

"What would I not pay to go see (Paul) McCartney, but instead of playing with whoever he's with now, actually do (a show) where he tells you what he was thinking when he wrote Yesterday?" says Tyler, 68. "That's what I'm doing. I figured I'd talk about Sweet Emotion and Dream On and where I was when I wrote it, and Seasons of Wither and how I played it."

Tour dates:

July
2 - Las Vegas, NV - Venetian Theatre
5 - Los Angeles, CA - Dolby Theatre
8 - Seattle, WA - Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
10 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre
14 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
23 - Denver, CO - Ellie Caulkins Opera House
26 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall
29 - Houston, TX - Brown Theater at Wortham Center

August
1 - Dallas, TX - Music Hall at Fair Park
13 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
17 - Nashville, TN - Andrew Jackson Hall at TPAC
23 - Washington, D.C. - Warner Theatre
29 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall

September
1 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
4 - Boston, MA - Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre
7 - Philadelphia, PA - Academy of Music
10 - Providence, RI - Providence Performing Arts Center
13 - Toronto, ON - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

Fan-filmed video footage of Bobby Blotzer's new RATT performing on June 25 at Reserve Casino Hotel's Lava Room in Central City, Colorado can be seen below.

Blotzer's RATT recently parted ways with bassist Scotty Griffin (ex-L.A. GUNS) and replaced him with Robbie Crane.

Crane previously played bass for RATT from 1996 to 2012 and appeared on the band's 1999 self-titled album and 2010's "Infestation".

Said Blotzer in a statement: "Adding Robbie Crane back is naturally just like slipping into an old missed pair of spandex."

Blotzer announced last September that he was taking control of the RATT name and hitting the road with a new version of the group, which played shows earlier that year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE.

RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini later filed a lawsuit against Blotzer, claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing.

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.

WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT, was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and singer Stephen 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 has since expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

Southern California’s Nails released You Will Never Be One Of Us on June 17th, via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album has debuted at #126 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. US chart positions include:

#126 Billboard Top 200
#1 Top New Artist Albums (“Heatseekers”)
#9 Independent Current Albums
#6 Current Hard Music Albums
#42 Top Current Albums

Canadian documentary filmmaker Sam Dunn at Banger Films has posted his take on the new album for his latest instalment of Overkill Reviews. Check it out below:

You Will Never Be One Of Us was recorded, mixed and produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge, High On Fire). Artwork was created by WHTHD. Order the album in CD or vinyl format, with or without several bonus items, from the Nuclear Blast web shop.

You Will Never Be One Of Us tracklisting:

“You Will Never Be One Of Us”
“Friend To All”
“Made To Make You Fall”
“Life Is A Death Sentence”
“Violence Is Forever”
“Savage Intolerance”
“In Pain”
“Parasite”
“Into Quietus”
“They Come Crawling Back”

Album stream:

“You Will Never Be One Of Us” video:

In support of their new album, Nails has announced several worldwide tour dates. Confirmed shows are listed below.

Tour dates:

July (with Terrorizer, Freedom, Nomads)
20 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
21 - Constellation Room - Santa Ana, CA
22 - The Roxy Theatre - West Hollywood, CA
23 - Thee Parkside - San Francisco, CA (no Terrorizer)

August
5 - This Is Hardcore Festival - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA

October
21 - Southwest Terror Fest - 191 Toole - Tucson, AZ

November (with Full Of Hell)
4 - Cathouse - Glasgow, Scotland
5 - Damnation Festival - Leeds, England
6 - The Fleece - Bristol, England
7 - Underworld - London, England
8 - Point Ephemere - Paris, France
9 - Trix - Antwerp, Belgium
10 - Underworld - Cologne, Germany
11 - Aalborg Metal Festival - Aalborg, Denmark
12 - Babel - Malmo, Sweden
13 - Hafenklang - Hamburg, Germany
14 - Musik & Frieden - Berlin, Germany
15 - Futurum - Prague, Czech
16 - Arena - Vienna, Austria
17 - Hansa 39 - Munich, Germany
18 - Keller Club - Stuttgart, Germany
19 - Doorroosje Indoor Fest - Nijmegen, Netherlands

(Photos - Jimmy Hubbard)

One of the most important efforts vocalist/lyricist Kami Van Halst of Canada's Van Halst emphasizes through their music are strong messages from her socially conscious lyrics. Pushing to inspire listeners and fans to be aware, informed and encouraged to take action on various topics ranging from female empowerment, body image, education, rape culture, poverty, domestic violence among many other issues, the goth rockers have released a lyric video from “Questions”, in support of their new album World Of Make Believe.

“I wrote “Questions” with my sister Brittney Grabill. This song deals with victim blaming and how the victims of sexual assault are often criticized and blamed for putting themselves in a vulnerable position, which allowed them to be abused or exploited,” says Kami Van Halst, "This is wrong, we should not be blaming or scrutinizing the victims of abuse. We need to remove the stigma and put the blame where it rightly belongs- on the abuser.”

In additional news, Van Halst will be hitting the road for a Western Canadian tour, which will kick of at OurFest in Nevis, AB on August 20th and wrap up with a hometown show in Edmonton, AB on September 4th.

Dates:

August
20 - Nevis, AB  - Ourfest - info
27 - Valemount, BC - Metalocolypstick Fest - info
31 - Kelowna, BC - Fernando’s Pub

September
2 - Victoria, BC - Logan’s Pub
3 - Vancouver, BC - Red Room
4 - Edmonton, BC - Mercury Room

(Photo - Renee Robyn)

This week sees the official digital re-release of two killer and over-looked records by longtime veteran Boston thrashers, Meliah Rage. Check them out on Bandcamp, where they are now exclusively available.

The first, the 2016 reissue of 2004's Barely Human features a complete facelift of the record's sonic palette. This is due largely to the fact that it was completely remixed and remastered by Peter Rutcho from the original session tracks.

"I always loved this frickin' record. Joe Moody (who passed in early 2016) did an incredible job engineering and producing it in 2004 quite honestly," said Rutcho. "Credit where credit is due! But due to a few post-production snafu's it just did not have the life and drive that the original tracks had. I heard this immediately when I pulled up the sessions after converting from the original recording. I was like, 'holy shit, these tracks sound incredible, why the f^ck does the record sound so nasal and thin?' Well, now I'm confident that this record shines the way Joe originally intended it to. R.I.P. buddy! We'll miss you!"

Check out this track from the 2016 reissue:

Barely Human (2016 Re-Issue) by Meliah Rage

The other, is the 2016 reissue of 2009's Masquerade which was produced by Rich Spillberg and remastered by Peter Rutcho from the original mixdowns. This record marked the rather triumphant return of Mike Munro to the lineup.

"Masquerade finds the group continuing to compose catchy riff driven songs that are heavy as all get but melodic at the same time (one reviewer who described the group as an 'aggressive onslaught of catchiness' hit the nail on the head)." - Angelic Warlord (2009). "

Listen to this snippet from this ass-kickery:

Masquerade (2016 Re-Issue) by Meliah Rage