Inquisition have announced the title and release date of their new album - Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith will be released by Season Of Mist worldwide on August 26th.

Their first new record in three years, Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith was recorded at the legendary London Bridge Studios in Seattle (Alice In Chains, Queensryche) with long time engineer Arthur Rizk (Prurient, Power Trip).

Inquisition recently reissued their entire back catalog via Season Of Mist. The band's albums are available across CD and limited edition LP formats in the highly coveted goat and cow leather variants at this location.

 

 

EMPEROR guitarist Samoth says that he agrees with Ihsahn's recent comment that making a new EMPEROR studio album "would be absolutely pointless," explaining that writing new music with his longtime bandmate would feel like "a forced compromise."

EMPEROR hasn't released any new material since 2001's "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire And Demise". That album was composed and mostly played by Ihsahn, with Samoth already forming his next band during its production.

The EMPEROR frontman recently told Metal Wani about the possibility of a new album from the band: "I think it's very obvious that, musically, [Samoth and I] are very far apart. So if people want a new EMPEROR record, what would they expect? They expect us to write music as if we were teenagers. So it's kind of a… you can't really win. At this point, I think it just would be absolutely pointless, because regardless of what route we would take and what would feel natural, if we were to do that, it would be… I think either way it would be a disappointment, because it's kind of just part of an illusion. And I see absolutely no point in doing that."

Asked by Friedhof Magazine if he agrees with Ihsahn's comments, Samoth — whose real name is Tomas Haugen — said: "I think maybe I have a little more nuanced view to it. Yes, the sound of Ihsahn and THE WRETCHED END and ZYKLON and PECCATUM previously are for sure different as I am more in the extreme metal genre while he is more on the progressive side, but we are still somehow in the same metal music landscape. I wouldn't say we are totally different in that sense, but definitely different approaches to how we execute our musical expressions within the metal genre.

"The thing is, the way Ihsahn makes music with his solo project is how he would make metal music, and for him to go back and compromise his progressive nature with a more back-to-basic black/extreme metal focus would feel like a step backwards for him as an artist, I think. I also agree that it would be very hard and 'forced' for us to sit down and try to make that compromise happen to try to make a new EMPEROR album. I'm not sure it would feel natural.

"If the musical expression is not really coming from a heartfelt desire, but rather from more of a forced compromise, I don't see anything good coming out of it."

He continued: "When we wrote '[In The] Nightside [Eclipse]' [1994] and 'Anthems [To The Welkin At Dusk]' [1997], these albums reflect very much that we were quite young, and that spesific era in our lives. I think that shines through in those recordings. One cannot just go back and redo that with the same youthful passion.

"Classic albums aren't just made, they happen and are basically impossible to redo. How many times don't you think METALLICA have heard, 'Write another 'Master Of Puppets'' or Kerry King [SLAYER] 'Write another 'Reign In Blood''?

"It's quite funny sometime when young people that maybe even weren't born when 'Nightside' was recorded and tell us, 'You should do another 'Nightside', man.'"

THE WRETCHED END's latest album, "In These Woods, From These Mountains", was released on April 22 via Indie Recordings.

AC/DC has posted a short video recap of the band's second concert with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose, which took place this past Tuesday, May 10 in Seville, Spain. The band delivered the same 22-song set at Estadio de La Cartuja that they presented in Lisbon, Portugal on May 7 with Rose, who stepped in as fill-in for regular vocalist Brian Johnson after the latter was forced off tour by hearing loss.

For the Seveille concert, Rose was once again confined to a throne after snapping his metatarsal bone while singing during GUNS N' ROSES' Troubadour reunion show on April 1. It is the same custom throne Dave Grohl used last year for FOO FIGHTERS concerts after breaking a leg.

Rose told NME in a new interview that he didn't speak with Johnson before temporarily replacing the latter as frontman for AC/DC, saying it was only because he didn't have enough time. Rose explained: "I have not spoken with Brian. We haven't spoken much about Brian. There hasn't been any negative talk with the guys or anything — it's just the time schedule of having to get things together for the shows, while I also had GUNS N' ROSES commitments, and then breaking the foot."

Rose took over the mic in AC/DC after Johnson was warned by doctors that he would face a total loss of his hearing if he stayed on the road. Rose is slated for now to play AC/DC's current run of European shows as well as ten postponed North American gigs.

Rose also spoke about his injured foot, saying: "The day I found out it was broken I left the hospital to rehearse. My only day off was the surgery day, and the next day was back to rehearsals."

The singer said he had "about twenty rehearsals" with AC/DC, adding, "If I really screw up, they can blame me for that, because I did have good rehearsals."

Rose reached out to AC/DC himself after hearing about Johnson's misfortune. Guitarist Angus Young said: "A lot of people were putting people forward. You get a lot of people. The modern world being what it is, everyone's, 'Well, I can sing a song.'" AC/DC did audition at least two tribute band singers during their search.

Rose recently indicated that he's willing to continue with AC/DC past the 22 shows he's contracted for. He will have to take a break from them this summer, however, for his North American stadium run with GUNS N' ROSES.

Each day this week, Guns N’ Roses are posting video from their recent tour dates. Today’s video highlights the band’s show in Mexico City on April 19th. Check it out below, as well as footage from their dates in Las Vegas and West Hollywood.

Upcoming Guns N’ Roses tour dates include:

June
23 - Ford Field - Detroit, MI
26 - FedEx Field - Washington, DC
29 - Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City, MO

July
1 - Soldier Field - Chicago, IL
6 - Paul Brown Stadium - Cincinnati, OH
9 - Nissan Stadium - Nashville, TN
12 - Heinz Field - Pittsburgh, PA
14 - Lincoln Financial Field - Philadelphia, PA
16 - Rogers Centre - Toronto, ON
19 - Gillette Stadium - Foxboro, MA
23 - Metlife Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ
27 - Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
29 - Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium - Orlando, FL
31 - Mercedes-Benz Superdome - New Orleans, LA

August
3 - AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX
5 - NRG Stadium - Houston, TX
9 - AT&T Park - San Francisco, CA
12 - CenturyLink Field - Seattle, WA
15 - University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, AZ
22 - Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, CA

 

 

43 years after his contribution to one of the most successful records of all time and 40 years after the release of The Alan Parsons Project’s debut album in 1976, Alan Parsons returns with all his greatest hits in a superb symphonic show.

On the evening of August 31st, 2013, a large crowd gathered at Parque Pies Descalzos in Medellín, Colombia. When Alan Parsons appeared on stage, along with the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra and his band the audience went wild. This is an audio visual document of that incredible evening.

The Alan Parsons Symphonic Project - Live In Colombia is to be released on May 27th on earMUSIC as a DVD, Blu-ray, 2-CD digipak, 3xVinyl, and download. Watch a video for “Don’t Answer Me” from the upcoming release below:

Alan Parsons was 19 years old when he landed a job at the world famous Abbey Road Studios, an important first step on his journey to becoming a world class engineer, producer and artist. Following his beginnings with George Martin and The Beatles, his contribution to Pink Floyd’s classic The Dark Side Of The Moon earned him worldwide attention. As a producer he had many hits with Pilot, John Miles, Ambrosia and Al Stewart. Together with his manager and creative partner at the time, Eric Woolfson, he developed the Alan Parsons Project.

Following their debut album Tales Of Mystery And Imagination (1976), they released a series of hit albums; namely I Robot (1977), Pyramid (1978), The Turn Of A Friendly Card (1980), Eye In The Sky (1982), Ammonia Avenue (1984), Vulture Culture (1985), Stereotomy (1986) and Gaudi (1987).

Then Parsons and Woolfson called it a day, but Parsons had ambitions to perform the amazing music live. Now to the great delight of his fans, for the first time on a live video and audio recording, The Alan Parsons Symphonic Project combines the talents of his amazing band with the lush sound of a 70-piece symphony orchestra, creating a very special show with unmatched quality. Together, they revitalize hits such as “Eye In The Sky“, “Don’t Answer Me“ and “Sirius“.

The lineup consists of Alan Parsons on acoustic guitar, keys, and vocals, P.J. Olsson (lead vocals), Alastair Greene (guitar, vocals), Guy Erez (bass, vocals), Danny Thompson (drums, vocals), Tom Brooks (keyboards, vocals) und Todd Cooper (saxophone, guitar, percussion, vocals). Alejandro Posada conducts the Medellin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tracklisting:

“I Robot”
“Damned If I Do”
“Don’t Answer Me”
“Breakdown”
“The Raven”
“Time”
“I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You”
“La Sagrada Familia”
“The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)”
“Snake Eyes”
“The Ace Of Swords”
“Nothing Left To Lose”
“The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)”
“What Goes Up”
“Luciferama”
“Silence And I”
“Prime Time”
“Sirius”
“Eye In The Sky”
“Old And Wise”
“Games People Play”

“Eye In The Sky”:

 

 

 

 

"Sunday", the new video from Iggy Pop and Joshua Homme, can be seen below. The song is taken from "Post Pop Depression", the seventeenth Iggy Pop album, which was released on March 18 via Rekords Rekords / Loma Vista / Caroline.

The first Iggy Pop album co-created with producer/guitarist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/bandleader Homme, "Post Pop Depression" began with a succinctly worded text from Iggy to Joshua, and was realized in seclusion with Homme's enlisted aid of his QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE bandmate and DEAD WEATHER-man Dean Fertita and ARCTIC MONKEYS drummer Matt Helders. Both became instantly integral in creating and shaping the Detroit meets Palm Desert by way of old Berlin vibe of "Post Pop Depression": Interweaving with and augmenting even more superhuman than expected Iggy vocal performances and Homme's tapestry of guitar, bass, piano and backing vox, Fertita's talent for wringing the most out of only the most essential notes worked in seamless tandem with Helders' pushing himself and his new bandmates to unforeseeable heights and depths.

The result would be a timeless work, one that sounds as if it's always been there, has existed before any of the musicians were even born-yet imbued with the ramshackle energy of a garage band that threw itself together yesterday.

"I wanted to be free," recalls Iggy of the earliest germ of the partnership with Homme that culminated in "Post Pop Depression". "To be free, I needed to forget. To forget, I needed music. Josh had that in him, so I set out to provoke an encounter — first with a carefully worded text, followed by a deluge of writings all about me. No composer wants to write about nothing. He got revved up and we had a great big rumble in the desert USA."

"This was to go where neither of us had gone before," adds Homme. "That was the agreement. And to go all the way."

"Post Pop Depression" is equal parts a dream come true for co-creator Homme as it is a record that defiantly takes its place in Iggy's storied discography alongside the twin towers of "The Idiot" and "Lust For Life" — two records and the mythic Berlin era of their creation canonized as much lyrically ("German Days") as sonically ("Sunday") on this new record.

"Post Pop Depression" is a singular work that stands proudly alongside the best works of either of its principles, from THE STOOGES to QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, bearing its creators' undeniable sonic DNA while sounding like nothing they've done before. It's a record that wouldn't exist without either Pop or Homme — and one that probably shouldn't in theory if you really think about it-but it does, and we and rock 'n' roll are all the better for it.

"Post Pop Depression" track listing:

01. Break Into Your Heart02. Gardenia03. American Valhalla04. In The Lobby05. Sunday06. Vulture07. German Days08. Chocolate Drops09. Paraguay

The album is being supported by a tour realizing Homme's ambition to assemble a live outfit worthy of both bringing the new album and doing justice to the gems and wreckage of the Ig's sprawling solo catalogue: The core band that recorded the album is expanded by QOTSA's Troy Van Leeuwen and journeyman guitarist Matt Sweeney.

UK rockers Cats In Space have released their new single and video, “Only In Vegas”, it's a light hearted ‘ELO tinged’ pop rock romp through the crazy world that is Las Vegas.

The track is taken from their critically acclaimed debut album Too Many Gods. The video can be viewed below:

The song was written by guitarist Greg Hart and 10cc’s Mick Wilson. This time focussing on massive lush harmony vocals, multi layered walls of guitars and accompanied by some delicious acoustics, this hook laden song even features the wonderment of the keyboard Vocoder. With a fun, no expense spent video to accompany the song, it is pop rock at its best and once again confirming there’s no other band out there quite like Cats In Space.

Greg Hart says: “Initially the track was a light acoustic ‘romp’ that Mick Wilson and I agreed could possibly fill a gap as a ‘bonus’ song, maybe perhaps as an album track. However, as in many cases in the studio, a song sometimes grows on its own and becomes something much more. Dean Howard laid down some amazing ‘Joe Walsh style’ guitar, which kinda lit the blue touch paper, and the ‘Cats wall of sound’ was once again implemented! Adding ELO vocoders, a Glenn Campbell style guitar solo played on a ‘Baritone guitar’ and a wall of 40 harmony guitars, tons of vocals and lead vocal ad- libs by Mick Wilson, it turned the song into another huge production. At the end everyone was insisting this ‘had to be a single’. Who was I to argue? After all, it hit all the 70s iconic themes that I loved as a kid. It does in my opinion benchmark the fact that us Cats like to have fun sunny songs as well as the ‘Gothic sinister epics’ in the ‘Cat repertoire’. We all need happy tunes in our lives, and this for us is the ideal song to play on a Summers day with the roof down as you blast along the motorways pretending it’s 1976, but respecting the national speed limits at all times of course..!”

Tapping into a simpler, youthful, happier time, when music was meant to be like this. Cats In Space are now here for the duration, with the Spaceship firmly docked on Earth. Love or hate the name, it ain’t going away anytime soon. Yes, the ‘Cats crept in’, but they ain’t creeping out again!

Cats In Space fans, look out for something very special being released to tie in with the bands Out Of This World tour this September. A rock duet on a timeless 70s classic that will put your windows in, but more on that later. You can see the Cats In Space play live at The O2 London at Stone Free Festival Sunday, June 19th.

New Jersey's progressive metal mainstay, Binary Code, will officially self-release its new album Moonsblood - the full-length follow-up to 2009's Suspension Of Disbelief and 2010's Priest EP - on May 24th. Listen to the new track, “Dark Meditation”, streaming below.

Moonsblood will feature new vocalist Oded Weinstock and promises to offer up a completely different sound from what fans might previously expect from the band. Moonsblood promises powerful vocal hooks, huge, thundering riffs, gorgeous atmospheric tapestries, and impressively technical musicianship and songwriting.

Engineered and mixed by Eyal Levi (August Burns Red, The Contortionist, Monuments) at Audiohammer Studios and mastered by Alan Douches (Suicide Silence, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge) at West West Side Music, the members of Binary Code poured everything they had into delivering an album that would ultimately be a game-changer. The band is set to release something heavy, melodic, and progressive, yet focused and tightly written.

Binary Code founder and guitarist Jesse Zuretti comments, "Moonsblood is a time capsule for Binary Code. Not only was the album written sporadically throughout the course of some of the hardest times I've personally had to endure, but also some of the most enlightening and positive moments of my life. The instrumentation perfectly conveys many of the instances of that period and instantly brings me back to those moments. It was amazing to see how everything fell into place with Oded (our singer) joining the band. It became clear in an instant that he was a missing element to the sound we evolved into."

Singer Oded Weinstock adds, "Upon listening to the pre-production tracks for Moonsblood, I knew that joining Binary Code would mean that I would need to step up my game. The stretch of time between joining the band to laying down the vocal tracks for Moonsblood was a period of complete transformation for me. That spirit of self awakening and finding this path comes out almost intuitively in the lyrics, melodies, and sounds of this album."

Pre-order Moonsblood here. The first 50 pre-orders will receive a special signed poster featuring the album art image below.

Tracklisting:

“Immersion”
“Trees 100ft Underwater”
“Dark Meditations”
“Moonsblood”
“Knell”
“Push”
“Cetacean”
“707”
“Unexist”

“Dark Meditations”:

“Moonsblood” lyric video:

“Immersion”:

Immersion (2016 Album Version) by Binary Code

Dutch all-female Dutch death/black metal band SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION released its debut five-song EP, "Brutal Queen", on April 22. The effort combines technical, old-school death metal with great hooklines and elements of black metal, according to a press release.

Founded in 2014 in Eidhoven, SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION managed very quickly to establish an amazing live reputation and got lots of invitations from venues and smaller festivals. This was noticed by Eindhoven Metal Meeting, who gave them a chance to present themselves for a bigger audience.

It has always been a dream of vocalist Els Prins to start an all-female death metal band, but she didn't seem to be able find the right group of girls to make this dream reality — that is, until she met guitarist Simone van Straten. Sharing a love for extreme music, they recruited drummer Amber de Buijzer and bass player Marjolein van den Nieuwenhuizen and started rehearsing. They released their first single, "Boundaries", in July 2014 and played their first show one month later. In May 2015, Marjolein exited the band and was replaced by Puck Wildschut.

Earlier this year, SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION finally went into the studio in Antwerp to record "Brutal Queen", and the first pressing is already sold out.

The band is scheduled to perform at the Antwerp MetalFest on July 10, to be followed by an appearance at the Stonehenge festival three weeks later.

SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION is:

Vocals - Els PrinsGuitar - Simone van StratenDrums - Amber de BuijzerBass - Puck Wildschut

German technical/progressive death metal luminaries Obscura have just shared a new playthrough video, which features fretless bass virtuoso Linus Klausenitzer shredding his way through the track "Ten Sepiroth”, taken from the band's latest release Akroasis. Watch below:

Additionally, Obscura have announced a series of festival appearances this coming summer. The band will be performing throughout Europe and in Israel at major festivals including Brutal Assault in the Czech Republic, Summer Breeze in Germany, Tuska Open Air in Finland, Metaldays in Slovenia, and more. View a full itinerary of dates below.

July
7 - Helsinki, Finland - Tuska Open Air
24 - Tel Aviv, Israel - Gagarin / Progstage Festival
24-30 - Tolmin, Slovenia - MetalDays Festival

August
11 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault
17-20 - Dinkelsbuhl, Germany - Summer Breeze Festival
21 - Brittany, France - Motocultor Festival

September
11 - Aalborg, Denmark - Aalborg Metal Festival

Brazilian power trio, Nervosa, will release their second studio album, Agony, on June 3rd via Napalm Records. Agony was mixed and mastered by Andy Classen. The new song “Hostages” is streaming below.

Agony tracklisting:

“Arrogance”
“Theory Of Conspiracy”
“Deception”
“Intolerance Means War”
“Guerra Santa”
“Failed System”
“Hostages”
“Surrounded By Serpents”
“CyberWar”
“Hypocrisy”
“Devastation”
“Wayfarer” (Bonus Track)

“Hostages”:

“Intolerance Means War” lyric video:

This South American riff tornado is in flawless shape. With nods to Kreator, Slayer and more, this new album is really just the tip of the iceberg here, and the Brazilian squad continues to drag its fans down into a malicious maelstrom full of old school darkness.

Pre-Order your copy via the following links: North America, Rest of world.

Sweden’s The Order Of Israfel will unleash their second studio album, The Red Robes, on May 27th via Napalm Records. A lyric video for the track “Swords To The Sky” can be seen below:

The album will be available as 6-page digipack with bonus DVD, as well as 2LP Gatefold edition with bonus DVD.

Tracklisting:

“Staff In The Sand”
“The Red Robes”
“In Thrall To The Sorceress”
“Swords To The Sky”
“Von Sturmer”
“Fallen Children”
“A Shadow In The Hills”
“The Thirst”

Bonus DVD: Live At Sweden Rock Festival 2015

“The Noctuus”
“The Earth Will Deliver What Heaven Desires”
“On Black Wings, A Demon”
“Promises Made To The Earth”
“Wisdom/Morning Sun” (Satanas)

“Von Sturmer” video:

DVD trailer:

Sweden’s Despite has revealed the cover artwork and details for their upcoming album, Synergi which will be released worldwide via Eclipse Records on July 22nd. Synergi contains thirteen powerful songs of progressive, melodic death metal produced by Oscar Nilsson (Engel) at Crehate Studios. The cover artwork was designed by the band’s singer Peter Tuthill, and it perfectly captures the album’s concept as a whole.

Vocalist Peter Tuthill explains, "Synergi touches many subjects that we feel need more attention in this harsh world that we inhabit. Every song has a meaning, and they’re all pieces of the big jigsaw puzzle, so to speak. The title Synergi isn’t just the Swedish spelling for the English counterpart Synergy. Synergi puts the self, the “I” in the bigger picture. We chose to do this to signify that every single individual on this planet is a cog in the greater machinery. For change to happen, we all need to start thinking along the same lines, without borders. There’s no racial divides, no genders; there’s only humanity. We need to start taking care of our world, ourselves, and the other species we live alongside, before it all goes BOOM."
 
Despite features three guitarists, each playing on eight-stringed instruments tuned a full octave below standard guitar tuning (drop-e), and just like a ten-ton hammer from the metal gods themselves, Synergi will obliterate you with crushing rhythms, technical melodies, and emotionally moving, complex song structures which may be heard in the title track below:

The album is already available for pre-order via iTunes and Amazon (widget below). Either option comes with the songs “As You Bleed” and “Time Lapse” as instant grat tracks. The album is also available via Google Play.

 

 

Selfmadegod Records has issued the first single to Overkill Commando, the debut full-length from Polish grindcore quartet, Nuclear Holocaust, as the album is completed for Summer release.

Nuclear Holocaust, comprised of vocalist Bloodseeker, guitarist XXX-Bomber, drummer Overkiller, and bassist Doomtrigger, recorded 20 brand new songs for their debut album at local Backyard Studios with producer Pawel "Chudy" Chyla in April and May 2016, completing the record just days ago. Overkill Commando is a powerful dose of dirty, old fashioned grindcore heavily influenced by classic bands like Terrorizer, Extreme Noise Terror, and Repulsion. The cover image by Marcin Studzinski of St. Chaos Art, the album's tracklisting, and release info have been revealed in addition to the streaming of the album's opening track, "Abominations Of Annihilation".

Overkill Commando will see European release on June 27th, and will see US release on September 9th, the long delay due to a new MVD distribution deal for Selfmadegod Records, this record marking the first title under the new pact.

Overkill Commando tracklisting:

"Abominations Of Annihilation"
"Overkill Commando"
"Epicentre Of Terror"
"Cryptic Stench Of Radioactive Foetuses"
"Power¬Hungry Paranoia"
"Religious Mutation"
"Deathbringer Of Death"
"Toxic Whore"
"Mashed With A Club"
"Only Cockroaches Will Survive"
"Vomiting Blood"
"Queen Of Sodomy"
"Pulverised"
"Nuclear Waste Repository"
"Frostbitten By The Radioactive Fullmoon"
"Desciples Of The Flesh"
"We Are The Batpeople"
"Gore Cult"
"God Is Undead"
"Atomic Suicide"

ViciSolum Productions has announced the June 24th release of Here Be Dragons, the forthcoming third album from tech-death mindbenders C.B. Murdoc.

C.B Murdoc was formed in 2006 out of the remnants of Mörk Gryning. Innovative and aggressive; intricate and unruly; the band ebbs and flows between grandiosity and self-hate in an attempt to compose the soundtrack to the chaotic and often unpleasant human existence. C.B Murdoc is a therapeutic and compulsory creative outlet for the introvert Scandinavian mentality steeped in a mandatory eight-month long winter season. C.B Murdoc is the manic panic attack forced into the light.

Tracklisting:

“Debt Of Guilt”
“Brood And Roaring Fires”
“Nonplus Ultra”
“The Green”
“Rage Enabler”
“The Violence Of Illumination”
“Diamonds”
“Everything Is Going To Be OK”
“Dither”
“Objecting Projection”
“11”

“Everything Is Going To Be OK”:

Here Be Dragons was recorded and mixed by the seasoned producer and engineer Sverker Widgren at newly founded Wing studios, Vällingby, Sweden. Pre-order the album at this location.

Portland-based heavy metal troupe Spellcaster are streaming the new track “I Live Again”, featured on their upcoming full-length release, Night Hides The World, out on July 8th via Prosthetic Records. Listen to the track below.

Often compared to the lauded forerunners that have paved the path for the classic heavy metal genre, Spellcaster have dug out a new trail with their forthcoming effort which features their most visceral material to date. The band - which includes vocalist Tyler Loney, guitarists Cory Boyd and Bryce R. VanHoosen, bassist Gabe Franco and drummer Colin Vranzian - split their time tracking the new material between Oakland, CA and their hometown with producer/mixer Zack Ohren (All Shall Perish, Exmortus) amidst consistent appearances in North America and Europe including gigs with Death Angel, Flotsam & Jetsam, Night Demon, Holy Grail, Exmortus and more.

Tracklisting:

“Aria
“Night Hides The World”
“The Lost Ones”
“Betrayal”
“I Live Again”
“The Accuser”
“The Moon Doors”
“Prophecy”

“I Live Again”:

Night Hides The World is available for physical pre-order via Prosthetic Records web shop at this location. The album will be offered on CD, limited-edition LP (black and opaque purple variants) and limited-edition cassette tape (purple variant). Digital pre-order's will also be available in the coming weeks.  

Spellcaster are on the road with Canadian metallists Striker on their North American Spring tour, along with additions support on select dates provided by Weresquatch and Thrashole. They will also make a featured appearance at the Frost and Fire II Festival (Cirith Ungol, Midnight, Omen) in California later this fall. Remaining dates can be found below.

Tour dates:

May
13 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom #
14 - Boise, ID - The Shredder #
15 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Metro *
16 - Reno, NV - PB & J’s #
17 - Fullerton, CA - Slidebar #
19 - El Paso, TX - Mesa Music Hall #
20 - San Antonio, TX - The Korova #
21 - Houston, TX - Satellite Bar #
22 - New Orleans, LA - TBA
23 - Orlando, FL - Bombshell Tavern #
24 - Atlanta, GA - 529 *
25 - Covington, KY - Backstage Cafe #
26 - Bowling Green, OH - Howards Club #
27 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s Live #
29 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews #
30 - Dubuque, IA - The Venue #
31 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge #

June
1 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunshine Studio Live #
2 - North Platte, NE - Sculley’s Shooters #
3 - Scottsbluff, NE - Elks Lodge #
4 - Billings, MT - The Railyard #
5 - Missoula, MT - The Palace Lounge

October
8 - Ventura, CA - Frost & Fire II
9 - Oakland, CA - The Golden Bull

* with Striker
# with Striker, Weresquatch, Thrashole

"Draconian Love", the new video from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project, can be seen below. The clip contains live footage from AVANTASIA's recent shows in Brazil.

"Draconian Love" is taken from AVANTASIA's seventh studio album, "Ghostlights", which entered the German chart at position No. 2. Released on January 29 via Nuclear Blast, the twelve-song CD was produced by Tobias and Sascha Paeth at Gatestudio in Wolfsburg, Germany. Paeth engineered and mixed "Ghostlights", while the mastering was done by Michael Rodenberg.

In an interview with Myglobalmind, Tobias stated about the lyrical themes covered on "Ghostlights": "It's a concept that started in novel form on 'The Mystery Of Time' and 'Ghoslights' is based on that one, so it finishes the story. The twelve new songs represent twelve stations on the protagonist's journey. It's a journey where he is looking for answers for some questions about his own existence and that leaves its mark on his philosophical worldview as well. Those twelve songs represent key moments on this journey and then it's done. There is no happy end indeed — it's a very open ending — but I didn't want to continue the story in fairytale form. Instead I wanted it to be more universal, so that people can think about the things that happen in the story. You should be able to interpret it for yourself in the end. So this concept and topic is definitely finished."

Tobias also talked about the musical direction of "Ghostlights". He said: "I'm not that kind of person who sits down after a large market analysis and says, 'The next album has to be faster, darker or softer.' That will never happen, and that's good, because you can keep it interesting for yourself. I never really know in which direction it will lead. I just have a rough idea in mind when I develop a concept and of course there is a certain quintessence that is always present during the whole process, but I never really know how it will turn out. You never know if a song gets more dark or something like that. These are simply nuances. So many things are happening during the development process, so because of smallest changes a song can go into a different direction in the end. Let me give you one example. There is one song called 'Draconian Love' that sounds quiet dark, but that just happened in the studio. Originally this one was a typical AVANTASIA track in the vein of 'Dying For An Angel' or 'Avantasia' from the very first record. At the end of the day, Sascha Paeth came up with the idea that my duet partner Herbie Langhans from SINBREED could sing his part an octave lower than me to get a bigger discrepancy between our two voices. And suddenly this song got this kind of… many people call it 'gothic' touch. I really can't compare it, since I'm not into this style of music, but because of that little change this song got a more darker tone."

"Ghostlights" features guest appearances by:

* Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER)* Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE)* Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH)* Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION)* Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN)* Ronnie Atkins (PRETTY MAIDS)* Bob Catley (MAGNUM)* Jorn Lande (MASTERPLAN)* Bruce Kulick (KISS)* Robert Mason (WARRANT)* Herbie Langhans (SEVENTH AVENUE, SINBREED)* Oliver Hartmann* Sascha Paeth

The instrumentalists on "Ghostlights" are as follows:

* Sascha Paeth - rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass, additional keys* Michael Rodenberg - orchestration, keys* Tobias Sammet - additional keys and bass* Bruce Kulick - lead guitar* Oliver Hartmann - lead guitar* Felix Bohnke - drums

CD

01. Mystery Of A Blood Red RoseLead vocals: TobiasLead guitar: Sascha Paeth

02. Let The Storm Descend Upon YouLead vocals: Tobias, Jorn Lande, Ronnie Atkins, Robert MasonLead guitar: Oliver Hartmann

03. The HauntingLead vocals: Dee Snider, TobiasLead guitar: Sascha Paeth

04. Seduction Of DecayLead vocals: Geoff Tate, TobiasLead guitar: Sascha Paeth

05. GhostlightsLead vocals: Michael Kiske, Tobias, Jorn LandeLead guitar: Sascha Paeth, Oliver Hartmann

06. Draconian LoveLead vocals: Herbie Langhans, TobiasLead guitar: Sascha Paeth

07. Master Of The PendulumLead vocals: Marco Hietala, TobiasLead guitar: Sascha Paeth

08. Isle Of EvermoreLead vocals: Sharon Den Adel, Tobias

09. Babylon VampyresLead vocals: Tobias, Robert MasonLead guitar: Bruce Kulick, Oliver Hartmann, Sascha Paeth

10. LuciferLead vocals: Jorn Lande, TobiasLead guitar: Bruce Kulick

11. Unchain The LightLead vocals: Tobias, Ronnie Atkins, Michael KiskeLead guitar: Sascha Paeth, Oliver Hartmann

12. A Restless Heart And Obsidian SkiesLead vocals: Bob Catley, TobiasLead guitar: Bruce Kulick

Digibook

CD 1

01. Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose02. Let The Storm Descend Upon You03. The Haunting04. Seduction Of Decay05. Ghostlights06. Draconian Love07. Master Of The Pendulum08. Isle Of Evermore09. Babylon Vampyres10. Lucifer11. Unchain The Light12. A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies13. Wake Up To The Moon (bonus track)

CD 2 (Bonus Disc - AVANTASIA live)

01. Spectres02. Invoke The Machine03. The Story Ain't Over04. Prelude05. Reach Out For The Light06. Avantasia07. Whats Left Of Me08. Dying For An Angel09. Twisted Mind10. The Watchmakers' Dream11. Another Angel Down---Earbook (digibook including 68-page photobook, 28.5x28.5cm)+ CD 3 karaoke version of CD 1 without bonus track

01. Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose02. Let The Storm Descend Upon You03. The Haunting04. Seduction Of Decay05. Ghostlights06. Draconian Love07. Master Of The Pendulum08. Isle Of Evermore09. Babylon Vampyres10. Lucifer11. Unchain The Light12. A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies

Mailorder Box

- Earbook- Poster- Autograph- Lanyard + Pass- 10" Vinyl (tracks to be confirmed)

Vinyl

Side A

01. Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose02. Let The Storm Descend Upon You03. The Haunting

Side B

01. Seduction Of Decay02. Ghostlights03. Draconian Love

Side C

01. Master Of The Pendulum02. Isle Of Evermore03. Babylon Vampyres

Side D

01. Lucifer02. Unchain The Light03. A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies04. Wake Up To The Moon (bonus track)

Swedish occult rockers GHOST will release new EP later this year and will follow it up with a new round a touring featuring a brand new stage show.

Speaking to MetalSucks during GHOST's spring U.S. tour, one of the band's Nameless Ghouls stated about the group's plans for the coming months (see video below): "We're gonna finish up this tour in Albany, which is on May 22nd, and then our European tour starts May 27th. And that stretches into right in the beginning of July; so that's gonna be festivals. After that, we have an EP coming out. That's gonna be great, because that's gonna, sort of, re-energize the whole cycle. So there's gonna be some new material, we're gonna have a new stage show. So it's gonna be a completely different setting. Then we're gonna terrorize you with that up until next year."

GHOST won the Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" during the pre-telecast ceremony at the 58th annual Grammy Awards. GHOST was nominated for the song "Cirice" from its 2015 album "Meliora".

"Cirice" recently reached the Top 10 at rock radio, the first song from the band to get significant airplay in the U.S.

Asked how big he envisions GHOST one day becoming, the Nameless Ghoul told WNOR FM99: "It's hard to fully set a parameter of, 'This is exactly how big we wanna become.' But I think that the one goal that we want to achieve… I mean, set aside a lot of the personal, I guess, monetary things that you want to achieve as a human being; you wanna be rich and you wanna be that… But when it comes to the size that I've always wanted us to become or turn into, it's basically a full-production band that can do almost anything that we need in order to fully accomplish the show that we've always had in mind. Obviously, it's not exactly the same vision from eight years ago — it's grown — but the idea has always been for it to be a full-production arena [show]."

And they said it would never happen. Never!!  However, this September, original singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig, original bassist Jerry Only and long-time guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein - for the first time in over 30 years - will be stepping onto stage together as “The Original Misfits” to headline Riot Fest & Rodeo in Denver, CO (September 2nd - 4th) and Riot Fest & Carnival in Chicago, IL (September 16th - 18th).

From the time of their first gig in 1977, the Misfits and their iconic imagery went on to become one of the most crucially influential, genre-defying bands to ever emerge from North America, the Misfits significance extends well beyond the narrowed path of punk rock and hardcore. Although not cognizant of how significant they would become, what the Misfits achieved in their initial six-year window deconstructed and redefined rock music.
 
All the while, the Misfits with Danzig’s unmistakable voice, Only’s ferocious bass sound and the bands anthemic songs, melody-induced choruses and authentically bruising musicianship, cemented their importance with all ensuing generations, whether in arena-filled metal shows or in a sweaty 400-cap club in Tucson. And for the first time in over three decades, legions of diehard fans from around the world will have the opportunity to hear the original band that created thousands of bands in their wake.
 
Full line-up announcements for Riot Fest 2016 will be happening shortly. Riot Fest three-day passes are now on sale and available at riotfest.org, or ticketfly.com.

An Australian man says an IRON MAIDEN shirt saved his life after a serious motorcycle crash ripped his leg off.

Steve Radeski had only minutes to live after the horrific August 2014 accident left him bleeding profusely.

"There was no one around and a returned soldier from Afghanistan turned up after he heard the accident," Radeski told The Advertiser.

"My leg had come off totally and the bones were coming out of my hand. It was a compound fracture of the femur so that took the femoral artery out.

"I only had about six minutes to live and he came up after about four minutes and he was wearing a 1985 IRON MAIDEN tour shirt which he'd had since he was a kid. He was a tragic fan but looked at me and realized that he would have to use it as a tourniquet which stemmed the blood flow until the helicopter arrived.

"IRON MAIDEN saved my life."

With the help of The Advertiser, Radeski was able to contact IRON MAIDEN's management and have a new MAIDEN shirt signed so he could later present it to Bill Gaythwaite, the man who saved his life and received an award and commendations from both the police and army for his efforts.

MAIDEN's manager gave Radeski a new, signed T-shirt for Gaythwaite backstage at the band's Adelaide concert on Thursday night, plus a spare one for the soldier to wear. In addition, MAIDEN sent a car to pick Radeski up and drive him to the gig at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where he had a front-row seat.

Read more and check out pictures from The Advertiser.

The members of DEF LEPPARD met the Arkansas School For The Deaf's football team on Wednesday, May 11 when the band came to Central Arkansas for a concert in Little Rock.

Nearly 1,500 people signed an online petition to get DEF LEPPARD to take a photo in front of the Arkansas School For The Deaf's football scoreboard.

The school's mascot is the leopard, making their team the Deaf Leopards.

Four students from the school met with members of DEF LEPPARD backstage and took a photo with the band in front of the scoreboard replica.

Stacey Tatera, spokesman for the Arkansas School For The Deaf, told ArkansasOnline: "We're so proud for anyone to shine a light on our school, on deaf education and on the work we do here."

The Arkansas School For The Deaf has reportedly used the name Leopards since at least 1941, long before the formation of DEF LEPPARD more than thirty years later.

JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon says that he doesn't care about being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after their first release. JOURNEY has yet to receive a nomination despite having been eligible since 2000.

"After reading and talking to Steve Miller about what went on with him and how it was not a good experience, I don't really care right now one way or the other," Schon told Billboard.com, referring to Miller's recent revelation that his bandmembers would have to pay their own way to attend the Rock Hall ceremony, with passes running as much as $10,000 a piece. "I'd have to see what the situation is for real. I'm not about to pay money to anybody to get in anywhere. I would never do that. And at this point there's so many people in there that are not even rock 'n' roll, I don't really care about being in there at all. It's not going to make or break my life for who I've come as an artist or a person. I'm like an aspiring artist that needs to move forward and you don't move forward by settling in on what you've attained in your past. I think you're only as good as what you are right now."

But Schon added there are indications that JOURNEY may get the nod in 2017, with nominees set to be announced in the fall and inductees revealed in December.

"I think there always has been an opening for us," Schon explained. "Basically [former JOURNEY singer] Steve [Perry] has not wanted to do it. I think he probably wants to wait until he releases his solo record, which is supposed to come out this year and is probably why I'm hearing that we're supposed to get in this year."

According to Schon, there is "no communication at all" between him and Perry, who made three surprise guest appearances with EELS in 2014, prompting JOURNEY's current frontman, Arnel Pineda, to write in a tweet that Perry would be welcome to reclaim "his righteous place."

"I feel like I've reached out in every humane way I can... just to be friends, like we were," Schon said. "There's no reason not to be. I've tried to get his real phone number instead of talking through his attorney, but he will not give it to me, not even to say hello."

JOURNEY keyboardist-guitarist Jonathan Cain said that the band has made numerous attempts to reconnect with its former frontman, with no success. "We reach out to him," Cain revealed. "We've got an open chair for him if he wants to sing a song, whatever he wants. We have said that all along. He chooses to remain aloof and that's fine. Peace with him. We communicate on publishing, synchronization, licensing. It's almost 30 years since Steve's done a gig with us, so we're not holding our breath."

Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH will embark on a European tour in the winter. Main support on the trek will come from U.S. metallers HIGH ON FIRE.

The dates are as follows:

Nov. 22 - D - Berlin - AstraNov. 23 - NL - Amsterdam - Melkweg MaxNov. 24 – NL - Tilburg - 013Nov. 25 - B - Antwerp - TrixNov. 26 - D - Stuttgart - LKA LonghornNov. 27 - F - Lyon - Le TransbordeurNov. 29 - E - Madrid - La RivieraNov. 30 - E - Barcelona - Razzmatazz 1Dec. 01 - F - Montpellier - RokstoreDec. 02 - I - Bologna - EstragonDec. 03 - I - Milan - AlcatrazDec. 05 - CH - Pratteln - Z7Dec. 06 - F - Paris - Le BataclanDec. 07 - D - Köln - EssigfabrikDec. 08 - D - Hamburg – Markthalle

Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, May 17.

Other MESHUGGAH dates:

Jul. 01 - DK - Roskilde - Roskilde FestivalJul. 06 - CH - Montreux - Montreux Jazz FestivalJul. 09 - IS - Neskaupstadur - Eistnaflug FestivalJul. 15 - USA - Chicago, IL - Chicago Open Air

The European headlining tour will follow the release of MESHUGGAH's highly anticipated new album, expected this autumn. A teaser for the effort is available below.

In a 2015 interview with RockSverige.se, MESHUGGAH guitarist Mårten Hagström revealed that he hasn't been checking out any new music for inspiration while working on the band's next album. He said: "Since we're in writing mode now, I don't listen to music, basically, at all. Not because 'I'm not gonna listen to music,' but it's just that… When you've got a lot of stuff to do… You know, I pick up the kid, go home, feed him, put him to bed, and then it's time for me to work, and I sit and play guitar for… whatever… many hours and try to make some new music, it's not like I'm gonna kick back and put on an album, regardless of style. But I listen to a lot of stuff; we all do. We don't listen to the same stuff, but we spread a lot. So we listen to metal, we listen to… anything, basically."

In 2014, MESHUGGAH was awarded an exclusive scholarship for its services to the Swedish and international music scene. The musicians were presented with the scholarship and diploma by SKAP president Alfons Karabuda at an intimate event in the south side of Stockholm in December.

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the recording of its first EP, MESHUGGAH released a concert DVD / 2CD set and Blu-ray, "The Ophidian Trek", on September 30, 2014 via Nuclear Blast. With visual footage shot in the U.S. and Europe during "The Ophidian Trek" tour and festival footage from Wacken Open Air 2013 in Germany, the live audio was processed and edited by MESHUGGAH guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, mixed by Daniel Begstrand (DIMMU BORGIR, BEHEMOTH) and mastered by Mats "Limpan" Lindfors (ROXETTE, OPETH, MANDO DIAO).

"The Ophidian Trek" was MESHUGGAH's second live DVD, the first being 2010's "Alive", which debuted at position No. 8 on the Billboard Music DVD chart.

US metallers Dead By Wednesday will release their new album, The Darkest Of Angels, on May 20th in Europe via David Ellefon's (Megadeth) EMP Label Group and distributed by SPV. The album was produced by Nicholas T. Rage of Toxic Holocaust (Hatebreed, Kingdom of Sorrow, Jasta).

The Darkest Of Angels features 11 killer tracks with 11 heavyweight guest vocalists including: Brian Fair (Shadows Fall), Eric AK (Flotsam and Jetsam), John Arch (Fates Warning), Rob Dukes (Generation Kill, ex-Exodus), Carley Coma (Candiria), Waylon Reavis (ex-Mushroomhead), Sean Danielsen (Smile Empty Soul), Paul Stoddard (Diecast), Kris Keyes (formerly Gargantua Soul), Antony Hamalainen (Armageddon) and Ceschi Ramos (Fake Four Inc.).

A new video for “Live Again” featuring Shadows Fall’s Brian Fair can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“The Beginning of the End (Intro)”
“Live Again” (featuring Brian Fair)
“Donner’s Pass” (featuring Rob Dukes)
“Self-Medicate” (featuring Paul Stoddard)
“Power Troopers” (featuring Ceschi & David Ramos)
“Darkest of Angels” (featuring John Arch)
“The Surgeon” (featuring Rob Roy & Marc Rizzo)
“Defining Fire” (featuring Antony Hamalainen & Waylon Reavis)
“Chosen” (featuring Carley Coma)
“Phoenix Rising” (featuring Kris Keyes)
“You Must Like Suffering” (featuring Sean Danielsen)
“Break When I’m Dead” (featuring Eric AK)

“Live Again” video featuring Brian Fair:

“Darkest Of Angels (D.O.A.)” featuring John Arch of Fates Warning:

“The Surgeon” featuring Dead By Wednesday vocalist Rob Roy:

Dead By Wednesday are:

Rob Roy - Vocals
Opus - Drums
Joey Concepcion - Guitars
Mike Modeste - Bass

Just before the start of their European tour next week, Sweden’s Port Noir has launched a new video for the track, “Earth”, taken from their latest album, Any Way The Wind Carries, which was recently released. Watch the video below:

Tour dates:
 
May
16 - Astra Stube - Hamburg, Germany
17 - Underground 2 - Cologne, Germany
18 - Cross Club - Prague, Czech Republic
19 - Viper Room - Vienna, Austria
21 - Crash -  Freiburg, Germany
22 - Backstage Club - Munich, Germany

Port Noir is:

Andreas Wiberg
Love Andersson
Andreas Hollstrand

Death Dealer the band featuring Ross The Boss of Manowar, Sean Peck of Cage and Denner/Shermann, Stu Marshall of Empires Of Eden and Blasted To Static, Mike Davis of Halford and Lizzy Borden and Steve Bolognese of Into Eternity have released the second music video from their sophmore release Hallowed Ground. The album was released October 4th, 2015 on SMG records to critical acclaim and now the video for the thrasher "K.I.L.L." is up for viewing.  

"We shot this video in Los Angeles with some good friend of ours, and wanted to just have some fun with it,” says Ross.  "When our director friend offered to film this idea he had, we took off an extra day from the tour and did it.  It shows the lighter side of the DD world if you will."  Sean added, "I love this song personally.  I was watching a video in St. Petersburg, Russia of W.A.S.P. doing ‘L.O.V.E. Machine’ one of my favorites of theirs and I said to Stu, hey we need a spelling song! I came up with most of it right there on the spot and we wrote the rest of it backstage at the show the next day in Moscow.  Thanks Blackie!"

Hallowed Ground can be purchased on vinyl and cd format at this location.