A one-and-a-half-minute teaser for AVENGED SEVENFOLD's forthcoming DVD, "This Is Bat Country", is available below.

In a 2014 interview with Loudwire, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows stated about the band's forthcoming DVD: "It is going to encompass the whole world that we've been filming for the last five years, being in all these different countries with our camera guy. That'll be a fun thing, I think. We're going to film some big shows — I think we're filming Mexico City coming up, and we have some other shows we're going to film and kind of intertwine the live performance with this huge DVD we want to do."

"This Is Bat Country" is reportedly once again being directed by Core Entertainment's Rafa Alcantara, who also worked on 2008's "Live In The LBC & Diamonds In The Rough" and the band's critically acclaimed 2007 road documentary "All Excess".

M. Shadows told Kerrang! magazine in 2012 about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next DVD: "We're trying to film everywhere besides the United States. We just did Europe last summer with Rafa — who did our first DVD, 'Live In The LBC' — and now we want to do Asia and South America. We're going to release something that represents everybody."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD released its latest album, "Hail To The King", in 2013. It was the band's second straight studio effort to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, following 2010's "Nightmare".

M. Shadows said in a recent interview with the Jakarta Post that the band has evolved past its original sound and won't be revisiting it anytime soon. Asked if fans could expect the band to ever return to its "metalcore" roots, Shadows replied, "The metalcore has been left behind. It's not something that any of us find enjoyment in listening to, so it's obviously that the direction we would write songs in. I wouldn't hold my breath for a comeback. We are ever evolving and never repeat ourselves." Pressed on how he sees the band evolving musically, Shadows added, "I want to stay away from trends and do what we want to do musically . . . as we develop, I just see us following our heart on this musical journey."

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band has met resistance from its fans as its sound has changed. "It's difficult, you know, to take a step forward when you know you're gonna be criticized by first and foremost, your own fan base," he said. "Any time you do anything different, everybody has an opinion on it. But you have to know exactly what you want to do as an artist."

Video footage of MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK performing the SCORPIONS classic "Rock You Like A Hurricane" on May 24 at the Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany can be seen below.

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK's latest album, "Spirit On A Mission", features twelve 12 classic rock guitar-driven songs that highlight Schenker's distinctive and dynamic guitar playing, valiantly underpinned by the ferocious rhythm section of Rarebell and Buchholz, the same rhythm section that originally performed together on the SCORPIONS' 1979 album "Lovedrive".

The new album was recorded at Kidroom Studios in Münster, Germany; the same studio where 2013's "Bridge The Gap" album was laid down. The CD was produced by Michael Voss and Michael Schenker, and engineered by Voss.

"After the 'Bridge The Gap' Japan tour in March 2014, I started to put new material together for what was to become the 'Spirit On A Mission' album," says Schenker. I went to the recording studio in June 2014 to put down the song arrangements and we finished recording in November."

During the recording of the new album, the original recordings and guitars were stolen from the recording studio. Did this impact on the recording process of the new album?

"Yes, we got robbed [some guitars and some music] and got very upset about it," recalls Schenker. "Fortunately, it was just performances and not compositions. We caught up and performed the music better than before. It forced us to work extra hard and longer but it made it stronger."

Former RAINBOW singer Doogie White is described by Schenker as an "extremely creative individual with a fantastic range and a voice that never stops". "How many people do you know that can sing nine shows in a row, without a day off and still have a voice with a range like his?" says Schenker. "He's a real trooper."

On May 12, HALESTORM played an acoustic set for WAAF listeners in Boston, Massachusetts. Video footage of the "Dear Daughter" and "Amen" performances can be seen below.

"Dear Daughter" and "Amen" are taken from HALESTORM's third album, "Into The Wild Life", which was released on April 14. Singer Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio that making the record was a satisfying experience for her and the band. "It was a lot of fun," she said. "It was such a freeing process 'cause it really didn't feel like we were — 'we're recording an album now, guys!' It just — we were in this big, overhauled church, you know, so it didn't feel like we were in a studio and there was just every instrument everywhere. There was a piano and everything was all set up so it's like, whatever you wanted to do, you could just do." "Into The Wild Life" follows up HALESTORM's Grammy-winning 2012 sophomore effort, "The Strange Case Of…"

HALESTORM recently released a music video for "Amen". The album's first single, "Apocalyptic", became the group's third straight chart-topper at rock radio.

QUEEN guitarist Brian May says that there are no plans at the moment for the band to record new music with "American Idol" finalist Adam Lambert.

Lambert, May and drummer Roger Taylor first shared the stage during "American Idol" in May 2009 for a performance of "We Are The Champions". They teamed up again in 2011 at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast, Ireland for an electrifying eight-minute finale of "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" and in the summer of 2012, Lambert performed a series of shows with QUEEN across Europe as well as dates in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. They also performed three sold-out gigs at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Speaking to Gigwise at yesterday's (Thursday, May 21) Ivor Novello Awards in London, England, May stated about the prospect of recording fresh material with Lambert: "No, we're not doing that. Not at the moment anyway. We might do [at some point]. But, at the moment, we're watching with interest while Adam pursues his solo career, and it seems to be going very well. I mean, he's an amazing, amazing artist — there's no getting away from that — so it's very interesting to watch him develop. And I think we're conscious that he doesn't wnna be with us all the time, you know?! That would be so wrong, for us to just, sort of, envelop him and never let him go off and do anything else. It's very important that his own career is progressing now. And we're looking forward to being back together in September to do Rock In Rio [in Brazil], and some dates in Argentina and Venezuela, I believe."

After completing QUEEN's most recent European tour in January, May described Lambert as the only singer the band had found capable of filling the shoes of iconic frontman Freddie Mercury. "Adam is the first person we've encountered who can do all the QUEEN catalogue without blinking," said May. "He is a gift from God." Taylor echoed the guitarist's sentiments, adding: "[Adam's] incredibly musical, and we certainly take anything he says quite seriously."

Lambert, for his part, downplayed the Mercury comparisons, saying: "There's never going to be another, and I'm not replacing him. That's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to keep the memory alive, and remind people how amazing he was, without imitating him. I'm trying to share with the audience how much he inspired me."

Lambert will release his third studio album, "The Original High", on June 16 through Warner Bros. Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden and Los Angeles, California with Max Martin and Shellback as executive producers, the CD displays a fresh sound for Lambert, and includes collaborations with Tove Lo and May.

Chris Cornell will release his new solo album, "Higher Truth", in September. In support of the CD, the current SOUNDGARDEN and former AUDIOSLAVE singer will embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November/December, performing songs spanning his entire career, as well as new songs from "Higher Truth" in an "unplugged, up-close and personal setting," according to a press release.

After SOUNDGARDEN disbanded in 1997 at the height of the group's success, Cornell embarked on a solo career, releasing "Euphoria Morning" in 1999 and debuting a softer sound both live and on the record. But when that album failed to take off, he accepted an offer in 2001 to join with the instrumental members of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE after vocalist Zack de la Rocha exited that group. The new act, called AUDIOSLAVE, released its self-titled debut in 2002. AUDIOSLAVE was a huge success from the start and released two more albums, 2005's "Out Of Exile" and 2006's "Revelations". But by the time "Revelations" came out, Cornell was already looking at other projects and recorded the theme song, "You Know My Name", for the 2006 James Bond comeback film "Casino Royale". In early 2007 he officially left AUDIOSLAVE to revive his solo career, while the rest of the band reactivated RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.

Cornell issued his second solo album, "Carry On", in 2007 and the controversial "Scream" in 2009. The latter album was produced by Timbaland and found Cornell attempting to pursue an urban/pop direction, making him the focus of ridicule from musicians like Trent Reznor.

Rumors of a SOUNDGARDEN reunion had been percolating for several years and became a reality in 2010, with the band getting back together for a few shows at first, then full-fledged tours and eventually a brand new album in 2012, "King Animal".

Cornell told The Pulse Of Radio that he sees working with SOUNDGARDEN again as having a positive influence on his solo career. "One thing about a solo artist is you can just be in a room way too long with yourself and your own thoughts and your own songs, and it feels really good to be working with Ben [Shepherd, bassist] and Matt [Cameron, drummer] and Kim [Thayil, guitarist] again, and it's actually a really nice reprieve also from just being alone, doing what I do. It's helping with the balance, I think, too."

"Loudwire Nights" host Full Metal Jackie conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan at this year's Rock On The Range, which was held May 15-17 at MAPFRE Stadium (formerly Crew Stadium) in Columbus. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked when fans can expect to see the follow-up to SLIPKNOT's latest album, 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", Crahan said: "I'm not sure, 'cause we're slated to tour the rest of this year and some of next year. So… I mean, it takes six months to make a record… [And then] marketing and preparation… So, you know, if we're touring the rest of this year and some of next year, it could be as early as the first quarter of 2017. I mean, I'm just giving you actual facts. But we're writing now. We're in the rhythm of writing all the time, which is a very helpful tool, because we love doing that. So it's not a waste of time. It's not anything that won't get used. Usually, if we're writing, it's passion. Whether it's written here [on the road] or in someone's garage or basement, it's all for the better cause. So, who knows?! Hopefully soon."

Asked what musical direction the next SLIPKNOT album might take, the band's guitarist, Jim Root, told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine: "Man, that's really tough. I mean, there's a couple of different ways to approach it. We could approach it like we did, say, [2001's] 'Iowa' compared to the first release. Or we could approach it like kind of picking up where [2004's] 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' or where 'The Gray Chapter' left off. Do we go more aggro and more heavy and more death metal, or do we go more cerebral or more PINK FLOYD, more kind of experimental? It's hard to say. And I think because we never know what we're gonna do is why we end up just doing what we do. And it comes off as being very organic and not contrived, and that's the case. Don't overthink what it's gotta be or what it should be or shouldn't be."

It was six years between 2008's "All Hope Is Gone" and last year's ".5: The Gray Chapter", during which SLIPKNOT dealt with the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010 and the dismissal of drummer Joey Jordison in 2013.

SLIPKNOT's "Summer's Last Stand" tour kicks off on July 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, wrapping up six weeks later on September 5 in Dallas. Joining SLIPKNOT on the road trip will be LAMB OF GOD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. The summer jaunt follows a brief spring run that SLIPKNOT launched on April 25 at the Fort Rock festival in Fort Myers, Florida and ended on May 16 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

"The Front Row Report" recently conducted an interview with BUTCHER BABIES frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about BUTCHER BABIES' forthcoming second album, which is due at the end of the summer via Century Media Records, Carla said: "What we've been telling people is that there's a little controversy surrounding the title, because both our label and our management absolutely hate it. [But] it's a title that we chose."

Added Heidi: "They hated the title, they hated the artwork, but we fought for it. We've always had to fight for everything that we believed in. We had to fight for it, and we're really proud of it. We're proud of the title, we're proud of the artwork. It's very meaningful to us."

Asked if there is a central theme running through the lyrics on BUTCHER BABIES' upcoming CD, Heidi said: "It basically encompasses becoming the women that we are. And that's a real good clue."

As previously reported, BUTCHER BABIES has selected "Never Go Back" as the first single from its new album. An official release date for the single has not yet been announced, but the track is expected to arrive at radio next month.

BUTCHER BABIES have been performing another new song, titled "Monsters' Ball", on their current tour, to a great reception from the crowd.

Regarding the musical direction of BUTCHER BABIES' forthcoming CD, Carla told "Big Smash Radio": "The majority of the album is very aggressive thrash metal. On this album, we wanted to go back to our roots, which were aggressive thrash, and ninety percent of the album is that."

Added Heidi: "But the thing is we're not ever gonna sacrifice who we are for that. What we're attempting with this is to bring back the metal and the aggression into radio. So we kind of… We merged the two worlds. And radio stations who have heard it so far are impressed and we're very excited for that."

BUTCHER BABIES' new album was produced by Logan Mader, who has previously worked with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, DEVILDRIVER, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and GOJIRA.

"Behind The Velvet Rope" host Arthur Kade (with the help of distribution partner Zonzia) recently conducted an interview with Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, LOADED, WALKING PAPERS). You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he is aware of the enduring influence of GUNS N' ROSES' music almost thirty years after the release of the band's debut album, "Appetite For Destrution":

"It's dawning on me. The last few years, it's kind of hit me, like, 'Oh, yeah… I guess we…' We did something that people still really care about it. And maybe it's because my kids are teenagers and I see all their friends, and they're really into it — they're into the band I was in when I was just a little older than them. And it's 2015. So it's dawning on me that we made an impact, yeah."

On the current rock scene:

"I don't really have a comment on the state of rock today, because, frankly, I'm probably just too old to make a comment on it. I know what's genuine, and that can be rock, it can be R&B. I think Bruno Mars is awesome. I think that's genuine R&B. 'Uptown Funk' is the best R&B song in thirty years or something, maybe — since 'Little Red Corvette' [from Prince]. It's the best genuine R&B song that I've heard in a long time."

McKagan's second book, "How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions)", came out on May 12 and is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed New York Times best selling memoir, "It's So Easy (And Other Lies)".

The bassist released a three-song EP, also called "How To Be A Man". in conjunction with the book's publication. The title track featured former GUNS guitarist Izzy Stradlin and ALICE IN CHAINS axeman Jerry Cantrell.

The reigning kings of technical, historically-themed brutality NILE are currently in the studio wrapping up the mix of their upcoming album, "What Should Not Be Unearthed". Produced by NILE and mixed by Neil Kernon, the CD will be released on August 28 via Nuclear Blast. The artwork was handled this time by Michal "Xaay" Loranc and can be seen below. Pre-order your copy here. Comments NILE mastermind Karl Sanders: "All of us in NILE are happy to announce our upcoming newest album, 'What Should Not Be Unearthed'. It's our eighth official album, and this time we believe we have a truly crushing disc to bring to metal fans.'

"The focus this time around is on brutally heavy metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an 'Annihilation Of The Wicked' approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact."

He continues: "Our last record, 'At The Gates Of Sethu', was super surgically clean and very 'musicianship oriented' whereas the new disc is a polar opposite; 'Unearthed' is aimed straight at utter metal heaviness and memorable songwriting.

"Although 'Unearthed' is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from NILE over the years, it's the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around."

Sanders adds: "These songs will be a blast to play live, and we are stoked at the opportunity to bring these songs to metal fans everywhere. See you on tour!” States Xaay about the artwork: "At first, I would like to express that it was great experience to work on another NILE cover / artwork again. I'm really grateful having been a big fan of the band for all these years.

"The story behind the title goes deeply beneath everything we have already known, and we may not be ready to face. With the art I excavated the theories of an elder ancient civilization which could give the origin to ancient Egypt. That's why you can find a new ingredient in the band imagery, pointing at some higher obscure intelligence, eroding and covered with time. That trace of a dismal legacy is resembled in the outer structure which radiates from the block, sealing the unknown, and it's only an adumbration of what we will meet, once it is removed.

"The pyramid-shaped seal in the center doesn't contain a recipe for some Camel Stew or a Pharaoh's dining menu. An experienced eye will notice hieroglyphs taken from the 'Book Of The Dead', or the Seven Islands of Amentet glyph — depicting the ancient Underworld, and describing the elder reign of God-kings, which had ended circa. 9850 B.C. (perhaps some similarity with that of Atlantis?). But the main thing we should not miss here is a winged scarab sign in the exact center. We all know this most common Egyptian artifact giving protection... so the message is pretty clear... I hope it may become another fine element in band's repository for the NILE-themed tattoos.

"To sum it up: this album is definitely not a box of candies. Keep in mind that opening the package means you will deal with the deadliest essence... However, it will be a hard task to hold on to your curiosity. Well... it's a new NILE!"

NILE will hit the road in Europe with their labelmates SUFFOCATION at the end of August. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Aug. 29 - POL - Warszawa - Progresja Music Zone / MassivefestAug. 30 - POL - Wrocław - AlibiAug. 31 - GER - Berlin - K17Sep. 01 - GER - Bremen - Tivoli Sep. 02 - GER - Saarbrucken - GarageSep. 03 - GER - Munich - BackstageSep. 04 - CH - Huttikon - Meh Stuff! Metal FestivalSep. 05 - FR - Torcy - Fall Of SummerSep. 06 - UK - Plymouth - The HubSep. 07 - UK - Manchester - Sound ControlSep. 08 - UK - London - The DomeSep. 09 - UK - Bristol - The Marble FactorySep. 10 - HOL - Nijmegen - DoornroosjeSep. 11 - GER - Andernach - Death Feast Open AirSep. 13 - FR - Toulouse - Connexion Live Sep. 15 - SP - Bilbao - Santana 27Sep. 16 - POR - Porto - Hard ClubSep. 17 - POR - Lisbon - RCA ClubSep. 18 - SP - Madrid - ArenaSep. 19 - SP - Barcelona - Razzamataz 2Sep. 20 - FR - Marseille - Moulin - Sep. 21 - CH - La Chaux-de-Fonds - Bikini TestSep. 23 - ITA - Brescia - Circolo ColonySep. 24 - SLO - Ljubljana - Kino SiskaSep. 25 - HUN - Budapest - A38Sep. 26 - A - Wien - SzeneSep. 27 - SK - Kosice - Collosseum

Frontiers Music Srl will release of the new studio album from good-time rock 'n' rollers TRIXTER, titled "Human Era", on June 5 in Europe and June 9 in North America.

The song "Midnight In Your Eyes" can be streamed below.

Following on the heels of the successful comeback album "New Audio Machine", TRIXTER is returning stronger than ever.

"After the success of our last album, 'New Audio Machine', we felt more confident than ever in making another top-notch album," says TRIXTER lead guitarist Steve Brown. "I'm so proud to say that after more than 25 years of making records, TRIXTER is getting better and better. 'Human Era' will show the world this band at its finest."

The new CD sees TRIXTER sticking to their guns and delivering 11 new choice cuts, with a sound reminiscent of their earlier work which they were well known for in the '90s. For fans new to TRIXTER, their sound fits in nicely to an album collection next to BON JOVI, DEF LEPPARD, VAN HALEN, AC/DC and even '70s classic rock mainstays.

"Almost 30 years together and the band is tighter than ever!" adds Brown. "We are family and that makes everything we do more and more special. The title track, 'Human Era', really sheds insight into our story."

The first video for the album's opening song, "Rockin' to the Edge of the Night", can be seen below.

"Human Era" track listing:

01. Rockin' To The Edge Of The Night02. Crash That Party03. Not Like All The Rest04. For You05. Every Second Counts06. Beats Me Up07. Good Times Now08. Midnight In Your Eyes09. All Night Long10. Soul Of A Lovin' Man11. Human Era12. Always A Victim (acoustic version - bonus track iTunes)13. Road Of A Thousand Dreams (re-recorded version - bonus track iTunes)

TRIXTER is Pete Loran (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Steve Brown (lead guitar/harmonica/backing vocals), P.J. Farley (bass/backing vocals) and Gus Scott (drums/percussion/backing vocals).

Fan-filmed video footage of IN FLAMES' May 24 performance at the River City Rockfest in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

IN FLAMES' latest album, "Siren Charms", sold around 9,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 26 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Siren Charms" was released in the U.S. on September 9, 2014 via Sony/RED. The CD was recorded at Hansa Tonstudios (DAVID BOWIE, DEPECHE MODE, U2) in Berlin, Germany. The cover artwork was created by Blake Armstrong of Space Boy Comics.

In a recent interview with Pop Culture Madness, IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte talked about the fan reaction to "Siren Charms". He said: "I would sound unappreciative if I said [the response has been] the same [as what] the reaction has been for us the last fifteen years almost. We kind of divide our audience every record we do. It's not an intentional thing. It's just that we wanna make our music interesting for us. And we decided early on that we can't cater to any one audience, because you will always be a step behind. It's better to just enjoy what you're doing and try to challenge yourself a bit. And, in my opinion, if you do the music you wanna hear yourself, it's easier to stand on stage playing it. You do a record once, but I'm gonna play a couple of thousand more live show. So, for me, it's important to like what I play."

According to Björn, he doesn't begrudge any of the IN FLAMES fans for not always embracing the musical shifts and turns that the band has taken over the years.

"I can appreciate [why they wouldn't always be completely into it] and I can understand the fact," he said. "I can be the same way — only I don't go on the Internet and scream about it. But certain bands, they have an evolution that I might not dig that much, but that's just the way it is. And I see it from the band point of view and the songwriter point of view, I totally understand why. I might not like the direction, [but] that's not my choice. I just choose to listen to something else then. It's very simple."

IN FLAMES filmed a new concert DVD/Blu-ray on November 6, 2014 at Hovet in Stockholm and November 7, 2014 at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Reunited seminal Swedish hardcore band REFUSED will release its new album, "Freedom", on June 30 via Epitaph. The CD was produced by Nick Launay (ARCADE FIRE, Kate Bush, Nick Cave) except for the songs "Elektra" and "366", which were helmed and co-written by Shellback, the Swedish pop superproducer who has worked with pop superstars Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Pink, among others.

"It's not a reunion anymore," said REFUSED frontman Dennis Lyxzén in a statement. "This is one of the most radical things we've ever done, both musically and lyrically."

"Nobody wanted us to fuck with the image of the band who makes a great album and splits up," added drummer David Sandström. "Nobody wanted us to dilute it. That actually provoked us."

"Freedom" will get a limited-edition CD release featuring a 28-page hardbound book with a poster and gold foil stamping on the album cover.

"Freedom" track listing:

01. Elektra02. Old Friends / New War03. Dawkins Christ04. Françafrique05. Thought Is Blood06. War On The Palaces07. Destroy The Man08. 36609. Servants Of Death10. Useless Europeans

The song "Françafrique" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

REFUSED last year parted ways with guitarist Jon Brännström. He revealed his exit from the group in an October 31, 2014 posting on REFUSED's Facebook page, where he wrote: "I was fired from REFUSED a while ago. I wasn't given a reasonable explanation and wasn't even invited to sit down and talk about it, so I'm not completely sure why they decided to go on without me."

Back in 2012, REFUSED embarked on a reunion tour where the band performed tracks from its classic 1998 album, "The Shape of Punk To Come", at festivals around the world. The final show of the trek took place on December 15, 2012 in REFUSED's hometown of Umeå, Sweden.

REFUSED's legacy was chronicled via the "Refused Are Fucking Dead" collection, which featured never-before-seen material and videos. In addition, REFUSED's landmark 1998 album, "The Shape Of Punk To Come", was remixed and remastered in 5.1 surround DVD audio format, and was re-released through Epitaph Records. Also re-released were remastered editions of REFUSED's "Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent" and "The EP Compilation" CDs.

Michigan-based rockers POP EVIL will release their new album, titled "Up", on August 21 via eOne Music. Recorded at Studio Litho, Robert Lang Studios and London Bridge Studios with producer Adam Kasper (PEARL JAM, SOUNDGARDEN, FOO FIGHTERS), the CD is "the sound of a rock band cementing a powerful identity that's steadily materialized over the course of three prior full-length slabs," according to a press release.

The first single from "Up", a track called "Footsteps", will arrive at radio on June 1.

"People ask me all the time, 'What it's like to hear your song on the radio?' It never gets old!" POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty declares. "It's a reminder of hard work, and of having that dream sitting in your garage, trying to write a song that someone would love one day. That dream happened for our band and it's something that we don't want to take lightly.

"Now it's time to step up our game and let people know we can back it all up," he adds. "We want to prove we aren't a one-hit wonder. We didn't just get lucky."

"Up" will be the highly anticipated follow-up to POP EVIL's previous LP, "Onyx", which was released in 2013 and has sold 115,000 copies in the U.S. alone. "Onyx" also produced four Top 10 singles on the Active Rock chart, with three of them reaching Number One: "Trenches", "Deal With The Devil" and "Torn To Pieces".

Since "Onyx" was released, POP EVIL has played over 250 shows. Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival alongside GODSMACK, supporting STONE SOUR in the U.S. and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in Europe were just some of the highlights from last year. The band also made headlines with their memorable Rock On The Range festival performance in Columbus, Ohio. Not only did they perform "Trenches" with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame member Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, but the band brought 13 marines on stage showcasing the Lima Company Eyes of Freedom Memorial to stand behind them during the performance.

By the time 2014 came to a close, the band found their songs atop the year end charts at Billboard magazine. "Torn To Pieces" landed at #7 on the "Top Mainstream Rock Songs" while POP EVIL came in at #4 on the "Mainstream Rock Artists" chart.

L.A. GUNS singer Phil Lewis was joined on stage by the band's former guitarist Tracii Guns (now of GUNZO and DEVIL CITY ANGELS) this past Friday, May 22 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, California. Fan-filmed video footage of the joint performance can be seen below.

In a recent interview with the "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley", Tracii stated about playing with Phil Lewis again: "Phil and I really never lost… we never really had any real bad blood. I mean, we had some cat fights and stuff like that… [But playing together is] so familiar to both of us that it's very comfortable and there's no hesitation or wondering what the other guy is gonna do, or anything like that, because we've done it so much. [When we first shared the stage again] It had literally been eleven years since we had been on stage together. It just felt normal. It felt like, 'Hey, we're doing L.A. GUNS music, shit we wrote together, and we're really good at L.A. GUNS music.' [Laughs]"

He continued: "There's kind of a little plan right now that him and I… actually, him and GUNZO… we may actually do something out of the country for a minute together. So there's all kinds of possibilities. But the reality of any type of what Phil and I would call an L.A. GUNS 'reunion,' that probably won't ever happen. But there's a good chance that you'll see even possibly new music from Phil and I. Certainly, at some point, as long as we're living, we'll definitely be on stage again at some point together."

Tracii Guns in 2013 ruled out the possibility of a reunion with Phil Lewis and L.A. GUNS drummer Steve Riley. He said: "My heart's just not into it, man, you know. I was so young when we did that. Your tastes just change. And I played those songs for so many years. I just don't really see it happening. I don't know, really, why I would do it, you know what I mean? It's not like the band is big enough to have, like, a comeback where it would make some crazy financial sense or something like that. But musically, I think I've played those songs enough in my life."

Tracii started L.A. GUNS while still in high school in 1982. The original singer, Michael Jagosz, was replaced by Axl Rose. Signed to PolyGram in '87, the band's self-titled debut, with Phil Lewis replacing Rose, sold over a million copies, as did "Cocked and Loaded" (1989) and "Hollywood Vampires" (1991).

When people think of Logan Mader, they remember the flying dreads, a flying V, and deadly volume, performing with the likes of MACHINE HEAD and SOULFLY. It's hard to believe, but it's been 12 years since Mader set foot onstage. Now an in-demand music producer/mixer who has worked with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA and PERIPHERY, he had written off the performing part of his life and settled behind the scenes.

Still, something within him stirred. Former Roadrunner A&R chief and current Nuclear Blast Entertainment head Monte Conner sent newcomer and multi-instrumentalist Lauren Hart to Logan Mader for a production deal. A creative spark between the two forged the nexus of ONCE HUMAN, as Hart moved from guitars to vocals, unsheathing a throat-scarring level of vocal brutality that completely contradicts her soft appearance. Unexpectedly, the result brought Mader back to creative life as both artist and performer.

"The creative chemistry was so on fire and the music really spoke to me. In all of my years producing, I've never been so attached and excited about a developing project," Mader said.

He continued, "It's a mix of brutal metal and melodic epic, with cinematic textures. It's unique and really has its own identity."

Mader is not closing his studio doors for producing, however. "I can do it all," he said. The rhythm section of ONCE HUMAN consists of Damian Rainauld on bass and Ralph Alexander on drums; both are newcomers, yet are insanely talented. ONCE HUMAN has inked a worldwide deal with earMUSIC, which will be unveiling the band's debut album, "The Life I Remember", on September 4.

The lyric video for the "The Life I Remember" title track is available below.

MEAN MAN, the new band fronted by former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, celebrated the release of Chris's new album, "Shitting Bricks", with a special show on May 2 at at Le Ferrailleur in Nantes, France.

Video footage of MEAN MAN performing the song "Let It Roar" at the Nantes concert can be seen below.

MEAN MAN is:

Chris Holmes: Lead Guitar, VocalsThomas Cesario: GuitarPascal Bei: BassGabriel Candela: Drums

In a recent interview with Noisey, Holmes was asked he was surprised by the attention he got with the video for his song "Let It Roar". "No," he responded. "I think it's just because people are talking trash about me. You know, once it gets on Blabbermouth, they start talking about how crappy it is. They're always gonna compare everything I do to W.A.S.P., no matter what. So they start bad-mouthing it. That's probably why it's gotten so viral. But you know, [the video] is just what I do in [my new hometown of] Cannes [France]. It’s a beautiful city. You see me fishing and stuff. I think one part of the video shows a wave hit the rocks and almost knock me off. [Laughs] It's a neat town. You can't do the same things in L.A."

Holmes also talked about his decision to move to France last year. He said: "My wife is from France. But since I left W.A.S.P. I dangled around in L.A., trying to find musicians to play with, but it just didn't work out. The change of culture in the last ten years… My kind of music isn't played that much — not like it was in the '80s."

He continued: "About two years ago, I pulled into a 7-11, and this kid got out of his car. He wasn't listening to rock. When I was his age, that's all I listened to. That made me realize the kind of music I do here anymore… [He was listening to] hip-hop. And I just don't play that kind of music."

Holmes added: "I was talking to one of my friend's kids — he's in high school — and I asked him, 'Why don't you listen to rock, like DEEP PURPLE or something?' And he said, 'Man, that's pussy music.' This is a white kid. So I thought, if people don't listen to this kind of music anymore, why should I even be here? I'm in my 50s, but I want to still keep on going, kind of. So I talked to my wife and we decided to move. They listen to rock more over here. There's lots more concerts and stuff."

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

Holmes in 2013 released a solo album called "Nothing To Lose". Chris composed, performed, and produced the music and vocals, and teamed up with former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor to perform on and engineer the effort.

America’s newest neo-classic riff masters, Black Fast, will release their all new LP, Terms Of Surrender, on August 7th via eOne Music. Ripping pages from Death's technical death metal guidebook, the St. Louis foursome conjures the spirit of the late, great Chuck Schuldiner while channeling the viciousness of Megadeth's young-and-hungry Dave Mustaine and blistering aggression of Kreator’s Mille Petrozza.

The band tapped veteran producer Erik Rutan for the effort on their debut LP for eOne Music. Known for his work with Hate Eternal, Six Feet Under, Goatwhore and Cannibal Corpse, Rutan was an easy choice.

"We can't wait to work with Erik Rutan! Erik is a legend”, says front man Aaron Akin. "Excited doesn't even do justice to the mind frame we are in. I've followed his work for over a decade, and he's been at it for way longer than that. I mean, it's f***ing Erik Rutan!"

 
"Black Fast has an amazing blend of heaviness and melody," says Rutan. "Their aggressive and raw style has a very unique approach and an immense energy to it. Black Fast has an interesting range of influences in their music, making it impossible to stereotype or pigeon hole. I think the recording process went fantastic and feel this is an album metal fans will truly appreciate."

Terms of Surrender will be the band's followup to their highly buzzed about self-released Starving Out The Light. Black Fast has a short but concentrated history. Started in 2010 by fellow music students Aaron Akin, Trevor Johanson, Ryan Thompson and Ross Burnett, the band has bulldozed on an upward trajectory ever since. Their soundtrack to society’s collapse is relentless. Possessed by unbridled energy and a palpable desperation, the band has a fierce vitality that will not go unnoticed.

Creating a modern twist on the energetic riffs of metal’s glory days, Black Fast harness the spirit of their metal forefathers, whether exploring hand-cramp-inducing riffs or blazing through straightforward thrash. Black Fast songs have a hungry ferocity reminiscent of the Bay Area thrash scene, the likes of which haven’t been this raw or hyper-charged in decades.

 

Poland-based twisted black metallers, Outre, have a new music video, built around their show with Svartidauði, Antediluvian and Emptiness earlier this month. The black-and-white video, edited by the extremely talented Kuba Leszko, conveys the tortured mania of the band’s performance, surrounded in fog and bright lights.

The band also have cryptically revealed that this is the start of their presentation of latest album Ghost Chants onstage. The first appearance will be at Germany’s In Flammen Open Air on July 2nd - 4th, joining great names such as Dark Funeral, Entombed A.D., Eyehategod and Vader to name just a few. For more details about the fest, visit the official here.

 

There's a new sci-fi death metal band in town and they're called Coraxo. The Finnish band was formed in fall of 2013 and has already released two EPs - Starlit Flame (2014) and Starlit Flame II (2014) - containing an exciting new hybrid of death metal and soundscapes from sci-fi movies and TV shows.

Coraxo now aims to move melodic death metal towards a new genre, by fusing it with the ambient electro music of the 70's and taking influences from prog rock and post black metal. Lyrically, the themes vary from dystopian societies, oppression and brainwashing to fanaticism, philosophy and ontology. All told through their own sci-fi story universe.
 
Coraxo's debut album, Neptune, mastered by Dan Swanö, is expected to be released later this year via Massacre Records.

Band lineup:
 
Tomi  Toivonen - Vocals, Guitars, Programming
Ville Kokko - Bass
Ville Vistbacka - Drums

 

Surprising news from Damnation Angels. The band, who has recently released its second album The Valiant Fire, has parted ways with its vocalist Per Fredrik "PelleK" Åsly.  

They released the following statement:

"We're sorry to say that after 5 years together, we're parting ways with PelleK. It's a mutual decision that has been on the horizon for quite some time.

Per Fredrik has a lot going on in his life and simply can't commit the amount of time that we require from him. As things with the band get busier and busier, we need someone who can commit a serious amount of time to the band, and Per Fredrik simply can't fulfill this duty. We remain friends out of the band and wish him all the best for the future.
 
Although lineup changes are difficult and can be frustrating, the future of Damnation Angels was never in doubt. We are very excited about the next chapter for the band and glad you will all be there to share it with us."
 
The band is now looking for a new vocalist and stated that anyone from anywhere can apply.
 
Instrumental versions and lyrics for 2 Damnation Angels songs are available here.

Everyone who's interested, should record a video of him-/herself singing a song and send the YouTube link to the band - either via message on the band's Facebook page, via email (damnation_angels@hotmail.com) or you can tag the band on Facebook if you post the video to your profile (make sure the posting’s privacy is set to public).

Damnation Angels released their new album, The Valiant Fire, on March 27th via Massacre Records. The Valiant Fire was mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studio. The stunning artwork's created by Rola Chang, aka JungShan Ink.

 

 

The Valiant Fire tracklisting:

“Finding Requiem”
“Icarus Syndrome”
“This Is Who We Are”
“The Frontiersman”
“Closure”
“The Passing”
“Everlasting”
“The Fire Inside”
“Under An Ancient Sun”

“This Is Who We Are” lyric video:

“Finding Requiem”:

Fan-filmed video footage of ACCEPT's May 24 performance at Principal Club in Thessaloniki, Greece can be seen below.

ACCEPT earlier last month announced the addition of guitarist Uwe Lulis (GRAVE DIGGER, REBELLION) and drummer Christopher Williams to the group's ranks.

ACCEPT parted ways with guitarist Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann last December. The band explained in a statement at the time: "We and the fans all knew that [Herman and Stefan] had their own careers and that eventually we would run into scheduling and other conflicts beyond our control."

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with new singer Mark Tornillo and have appeared on their last three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Frank and Schwarzmann are playing in PANZER, a new project also featuring vocalist and bassist Schmier, best known as frontman of DESTRUCTION.

The 2015 edition of SLIPKNOT's Knotfest festival will take place on October 23-25 at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore, California.

The full lineup for the event will be announced on Monday, June 29.

A three-minute video wrap-up of last year's Knotfest, which was held on October 25-26, 2014 in Devore, can be seen below.

The Vixlet-sponsored GTV Knotfest simulcast included SLIPKNOT's two full performances, as well as select songs from most of the bands performing at the festival. Saturday and Sunday were each highlighted by SLIPKNOT's unique closing sets on Stage 001, featuring brand new music from their latest album, ".5: The Gray Chapter" and an entirely new stage set and experience. More than 20,000 people reportedly packed the San Manuel Amphitheater for Knotfest U.S. — powered by Rockstar Energy Drink — which featured a massive lineup of over 50 bands playing on five stages on Saturday and Sunday. SLIPKNOT was joined by some of the biggest names in metal, including DANZIG, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, VOLBEAT, ANTHRAX, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, IN THIS MOMENT, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, OF MICE & MEN, TESTAMENT, FEAR FACTORY, HATEBREED, NAPALM DEATH, ATREYU, HELLYEAH, and dozens more. The festival was an epic experience for Maggots and metalheads even apart from the five stages of earsplitting music, with the SLIPKNOT-curated Slipknot Museum, the Fire Zone, Ring Of Fire carnival ride, Thunderdome, Fitz Army Freestyle Motocross Show, Junk Car Drum Circle, and more. In addition, Friday night's VIP Pre-Party Bash featured exclusive performances from SUICIDE SILENCE, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, BUTCHER BABIES and more for those that purchased VIP or Camping Packages.

FeMetal TV's fiery redhead Mercedes recently conducted an interview with bassist Pär Sundström of Swedish metallers SABATON. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked if SABATON has begun working on material for its eight album and when fans can expect the follow-up to 2014's "Heroes", Sundström said: "The next album's gonna come out at the end of next summer, if everything goes well. We have topics for it, we have plans for it, but we can't tell it yet, because it's still a secret, and also, we don't wanna tell things which might change. Because until it's recorded, you never know if it's gonna change."

He continued: "We have some good topics [for the lyrics]. We haven't really written any songs yet. We've got ideas for some songs, some good ideas. Because we are touring so much, and it's really complicated to write music on tour; for us, it's really complicated. And so, we're gonna start in the autumn writing songs. We still have some few ideas. But, really, in the autumn, we're gonna start writing [properly for the next album]."

SABATON released a special, three-disc limited-edition deluxe version of its 2014 album, "Heroes", in the U.S. and Canada on April 7 via Nuclear Blast. Limited to 5,000 copies, this deluxe edition includes two discs of live audio recorded on the 2014 Sabaton Cruise in addition to the original ten "Heroes" album tracks. "Heroes" was certified gold in the group's home country for sales in excess of 20,000 copies.

Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Sweden has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach gold status in the country twice in the last seven years — from the pre-2002 level of 40,000 to the current 20,000.

"Heroes" sold around 3,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 99 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Released on May 16, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records, the "Heroes" cover artwork was created by Péter Sallai. A number of bonus tracks were made available, including cover versions of songs originally written and recorded by METALLICA, BATTLE BEAST and RAUBTIER.

"Heroes" was tracked at The Abyss, the recording studio in Pärlby outside Ludvika, Sweden owned and operated by record producer and musician Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN).

Sweden-based melodic death metal experts SOILWORK will releas their tenth studio album, "The Ride Majestic", on August 28 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded by David Castillo (OPETH, KATATONIA) at Studio Gröndal and was produced and mixed by Jens Bogren (KREATOR, AMON AMARTH) at Fascination Street. The cover artwork was created by Róbert Borbás (Grinddesign) and can be seen below.

"The Ride Majestic" will be made available in various formats (CD, vinyl, t-shirt/CD bundle). Pre-order your copy here.

Comments SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid: "We just put the final touches on our new album, 'The Ride Majestic', and all we can say is that it's going to be massive. It definitely picks up where we left off with 'The Living Infinite', but slightly darker, atmospheric and almost anthemic, with some really interesting twists and turns. Can't wait to play this epic beast live! Await the ride majestic ladies n gents!"

In celebration of "The Ride Majestic"'s impending release, SOILWORK has released a live video of the band's "hit" song "Let This River Flow", featuring a guest appearance by NIGHTWISH/REVAMP singer Floor Jansen, which comes off SOILWORK's most recent DVD/Blu-ray, "Live In The Heart Of Helsinki".

Adds Strid: "I was really excited to work with Floor Jansen, especially since we haven't had any female guest artists featured on anything SOILWORK-related before.

"I first got to know Floor via e-mail some years ago, when she asked me to do some guest vocals for her other amazing band REVAMP. I was absolutely thrilled, since I really respect her as a singer — she can do it all: amazing clean vocals, powerful high and low screams and can shape her voice into just about anything. I thought I'd 'return the favor' and ask her to do 'Let This River Flow' with me for our live DVD in Helsinki and, boy, did it turn out amazing! It was really cool to meet her in person as well; her presence is majestic and she has a great sense of humor. I think our voices match perfectly in this almost anthemic song, which showcases a lot of different types of vocals."

The official "The Tour Majestic" European run will kick off in late November. The band will share the stage with Danish thrash/death metal group HATESPHERE and another special guest. SOILWORK is also slated to perform at the seventh annual Metal Hammer Awards in Berlin on September 18.

Last Of Our Kind, the new album from The Darkness, is now streaming in it’s entirety at this location.
 
Last Of Our Kind is the first album to feature new drummer Emily Dolan Davies. She replaces original drummer Ed Graham who departed in mysterious circumstances. Having been drumming since 1999, Emily has played with everybody from the likes of Bono, Bryan Ferry and Tricky. Now she has shown herself to be equal to the ultimate music challenge.
 
Emily's ability is face-shatteringly evident in “Barbarian” – described by vocalist Justin Hawkins as having “not one but two dramatic monologues, a guitar solo that has been declared 'irresponsible', a riff that weakens lady-knees and a chorus that makes grown men shit directly into their pants." Justin goes on to point out that "The lyrics describe the Viking invasion of East Anglia which culminated in the decapitation of Edmund the Martyr. So yeah, classic Darkness.”
 
Last Of Our Kind is the meaty and impassioned follow-up to 2012’s Hot Cakes, which saw the band reunited having enjoyed a well-publicized and well-deserved hiatus. As distinguished guests of Def Leppard, The Darkness destroyed Download Festival in 2011, then waved goodbye to their loved ones and toured planet Earth for over 18 months. They rounded off 2013 with a celebratory tour marking the 10th Anniversary of their legendary number one debut album. Permission To Land featured the classics “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, “Love Is Only A Feeling”, “Love On The Rocks With No Ice” and “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing”; it was the fastest selling debut album by a British band in America since that of The Spice Girls.
 
Last Of Our Kind is available on limited edition colour vinyl, CD and downloadable computer files.

 

 

Last Of Our Kind tracklisting:
 
“Barbarian”
“Open Fire”
“Last Of Our Kind”
“Roaring Waters”
“Wheels Of The Machine”
“Mighty Wings”
“Mudslide”
“Sarah O’Sarah”
“Hammer & Tongs”
“Conquerors”

“Open Fire” video:

“Barbarian” video:

The Darkness have announced the Blast Of Our Kind UK tour, to commence on November 30th in Norwich and culminate in a triumphant show at London's Roundhouse on December 20th. It is the first, and a golden, opportunity for enthusiasts to see The Darkness on their own stage in support of the new, fourth album Last Of Our Kind.
 
Blast Of Our Kind will be The Darkness' first UK tour since 2013. The Darkness will spend the summer months honing their craft with a sold-out launch show at Dingwalls and choice slots at the various festivals listed below.

Summer dates:
 
June
3 - London, England - Dingwalls (album launch)

July
4 - Wicklow, Ireland - Groove Festival
5 - Waterford, Ireland - Daytripper Festival
12 - Chelmsford, England - Brownstock Festival

August
9 - Newquay, England - Boardmasters Festival
30 - Portsmouth, England - Victorious Festival
 
Blast Of Our Kind UK tour:
 
November
30 - Norwich, England - Open

December
1 - Cambridge, England - Corn Exchange
2 - Nottingham, England - Rock City
4 - Newcastle, England - O2 Academy
5 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy
9 - Leeds, England - O2 Academy
10 - Manchester, England - Academy
11 - Birmingham, England - O2 Academy
13 - Bristol, England - O2 Academy
14 - Southampton, England - O2 Guildhall
15 - Bexhill, England - De La Warr Pavillion
17 - Bournemouth, England - O2 Academy
19 - Oxford, England - O2 Academy
20 - London, England - Roundhouse

Dear fans and friends of Kingdom Come, and whoever this may concern!

Now that we have learned that the Russian promoter is spreading false information over the www, we felt it would be good to at least give you a short statement from us.
Please understand that we can not give out contractual details, but here is the bottom line:

It is a usual custom to make a contract between two business partners, reminding each other to stick to an agreement just in case someone „might forget“.
The Russian promoter has breached the contract on 3 different occasions, with no attempt to fix them.

We tried hard for weeks and weeks to make this work and were hoping for a solution. But after countless emails with senseless excuses and accusations, we have simply lost all basis for a trustworthy partnership.

That the Russian promoter is trying to ruin KC's reputation is no surprize, but will not force us to join this kindergarten.
We only feel sorry for our fans.
We toured in Russia many times and always had a fantastic time. Meeting great people leaving friends behind.
So why would we not wanna do that again???

Which real business man would post something so ridiculous?
Calling us a non existing band? He must be on some strange pills at the time he wrote that. Where can I get them;-)
How desperate and frustrated (or drunk) must one be to take on such action?
Danny, Johnny, Hendrik, Marko, our Tour agent from Belgium and myself feel very much alive.
Who is Denise from Germany?
Yes, Johnny had issues with his teeth, so what, don’t we all at times?
Pictures could not be taken because Hendrik and myself are residing in Germany, and the US boys are in the US. Hard to take a band-picture across the ocean.
James was never in the picture because the Scorpions back then did not allow him to join other bands. All good on that front.
Misjudging the consequences caused by his stalling strategies simply backfired.
He probably hates himself and the world! Now he needs a ventil. Too bad it hit us again.
As Bon Scott was saying: „Looking for trouble, I’m the man to see“ Смайлик «wink» Yes, Lenny was the one pulling the plug to avoid any more trouble. As simple as that.
Why is he sending emails to his business partners across the globe, informing everybody that his company is shot down and will re open under a different name on Mai 27th ??
Some people can’t cope with reality even if the lights are flashing red for a long time.
It takes a real and honorable man to admit he fucked up. He still can’t.

We hope this will help you coming to your own conclusions.
To sum it up, shit happens, next!

My God bless our fans and soldiers around the globe!
Lenny

Maiden United, the acoustic Iron Maiden tribute project featuring Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace) and Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), are streaming their cover of the classic "Aces High", which can be found on their new album, Remembrance, out now on CD, red 12” vinyl and as digital download.

 

 

Tracklisting:

"Strange World"
"Charlotte The Harlot"
"Killers"
"Remember Tomorrow"
"Burning Ambition" (featuring Bob Verschoyle)
"Futureal" (featuring Blaze Bayley)
"Aces High"
"Prowler" (featuring Paul Di’Anno)
"Still Life'15"

Contributing musicians:

Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace) - vocals
Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) - guitar
Joey Bruers (Up The Irons) - bass
Stef Broks (Textures) - drums
Huub van Loon (Dearworld, Barry Hay) - piano
Marcela Bovio (Stream Of Passion) - vocals
Thunderstick (Samson) - drummer
Wudstik (Ayreon, For All We Know) - guitar
Thijs Schrijnemakers (Orgel Vreten) - Hammond
Perttu Kivilaakso (Apocalyptica) - cello on "Still Life"
Mike Coolen (Within Temptation) - drums on "Prowler"
Marco Kuypers (Cloudmachine) - piano on "Prowler"
Bob Verschoyle (Gypsy’s Kiss) - vocals on "Burning Ambition"
Paul Di’Anno - vocals on "Prowler"
Blaze Bayley - vocals on "Futureal"

Trailer:

"Strange World":

Maiden United's debut album, Mind The Acoustic Pieces (2010), was an acoustic re-imagining of the entire classic Iron Maiden album Piece Of Mind with new arrangements. The second album Across The Seventh Sea (2012) contained tracks from different Maiden albums.

For more details visit MaidenuniteD.com.

 

Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has commented on Scott Weiland's recent claim that the ART OF ANARCHY project "was a scam from the beginning."

In addition to the GUNS N' ROSES guitarist and the ex-STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer, the recording lineup for ART OF ANARCHY's first CD included DISTURBED bassist John Moyer. The rest of the lineup is filled out by Jon Votta on guitar and Vince Votta on drums. The group's debut disc will arrive on June 2 via Century Media imprint Another Century.

Weiland recently denied that he was ever a member of ART OF ANARCHY, explaining that he was paid to contribute to the group's CD as a session musician and a songwriter.

"It was a project I did where I was just supposed to have written the lyrics and melodies for this band that I'd never heard of, and I was paid to do it," Weiland told The Daily Beast. "And so I did it, and did some production work on it, and the next thing I knew there were press releases that I was in the band. I mean, I did one photo shoot with them, 'cause it was part of the deal, but I'm not in the band."

He told Rock.About.com in a separate interview that he "wasn't surprised" ART OF ANARCHY put out a press release saying it was a new supergroup that he was a member of. He said: "It was a scam from the beginning."

He continued: "I had them send me the files and I worked in my studio with my engineer and I wrote the lyrics and the melodies and I sent them back. I didn't even know what their names were… I had no idea who they were."

Weiland added: "I was paid to do it. But they were an unsigned band and they're still an unsigned band. Hey. They're gonna put it out on the Internet, and as fate will have it, they don't even have a lead singer. I'm not worried about it taking away any thunder from [my solo band] THE WILDABOUTS."

Asked by Revolver magazine to comment on Weiland's "scam" claim, Thal said: "First, I gotta say Scott did an amazing job on the record; we all feel the vocals he laid down are some of the best he's ever done. We're thrilled and proud of the collaborative effort that went into the making of this record. The public response has been great. We're very happy with the whole album. As for Scott's statement, we need to address if, or why, he made it. It was just a quote from a recent interview and we're trying to verify that he actually did make that statement. Scott deserves the respect to publicly clarify whether he actually said that. All the members of ART OF ANARCHY feel he should have that opportunity."

Regarding whether ART OF ANARCHY is planning on getting a new singer and touring to support this album following Weiland's departure, Thal said: "[I] wouldn't call it a departure as of yet. ART OF ANARCHY hasn't received any official written communication that Weiland is no longer the lead singer of ART OF ANARCHY. There are certain legal steps you'd need to take in order to officially leave a band. We've been offered great touring opportunities with Scott on board even before the record's been released. Aside from Scott, all the band members are on board for getting on stage with this. As for with who? Stay tuned…"

Asked if ART OF ANARCHY would let Weiland back in the band if he ever came back and apologized asking to rejoin the group, Thal said: "He's still technically in the band, and that all needs to be addressed. We're keeping every option and door open."

ART OF ANARCHY is the brainchild of Thal and the Votta brothers, who have been friends for 18 years dating back to their days on the New York music scene.

Thal also serves as producer and engineer on the album.

Weiland is no stranger to supergroups, having formed VELVET REVOLVER with several former members of GUNS N' ROSES more than a decade ago.

He was dismissed from that band in 2008, rejoining STP until they also fired him in early 2013. He and THE WILDABOUTS put out a new album in March.

Thal has been with GUNS N' ROSES since 2006, playing on the 2008 album "Chinese Democracy". He has also released a number of solo CDs.

Moyer has been DISTURBED's bassist since 2004. The band has been on an extended hiatus since late 2011.

Footage of Halestorm's complete set Rock On The Range 2015, which they played on May 17th, can be viewed below. It also includes some pre-show interview footage with Lzzy Hale (vocals, guitars) and Joe Hottinger (guitars).

The setlist was as follows:

"Love Bites (So Do I)"
"Freak Like Me"
"Amen"
"Scream
"Apocalyptic"
"I Miss The Misery"

Check out BraveWords' new Halestorm feature with Lzzy Hale here.

Halestorm made a stunning top 5 chart debut in the US with their new album, Into The Wild Life. The Grammy Award-winning band’s long awaited third studio album arrived at #5 on Billboard 200, and #3 on SoundScan’s Top Current Albums chart while also entering their Top Current Rock Albums chart and Top Current Hard Music Albums chart at #1 – marking Halestorm’s highest chart placement to date on all charts. In Canada, the album made its debut in the Top 10 on the Soundscan chart, entering at #7.  This marks the highest one week sales for the group in North America.

Into The Wild Life marks the band’s third studio album and follow-up to 2012’s The Strange Case Of... Recorded last year in Nashville with Grammy-nominated producer Jay Joyce (Cage The Elephant, Eric Church) at the helm.

“Into The Wild Life is not a departure,” says Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale. “It’s an invitation to all things Halestorm.  Lyrically and musically, we explored everything that makes us tick. We set a new standard for this record and gave ourselves no choice other than to be unapologetically ourselves in every way. Peel away at the onion that is our third record if you dare and let us drag you deeper into our world.”

Tracklisting:

"Scream"
"I Am The Fire"
"Sick Individual"
"Amen"
"Dear Daughter"
"New Modern Love"
"Mayhem"
"Bad Girls World"
"Gonna Get Mine"
"The Reckoning"
"Apocalyptic"
"What Sober Couldn't Say"
"I Like It Heavy"

Bonus tracks:
"Jump The Gun"
"Unapologetic"