LEAVES' EYES' video for the new version of the song "Edge Of Steel" — featuring the band's latest addition, singer Elina Siirala — can be seen below.

The new version of "Edge Of Steel" will appear on the earbook tour edition of LEAVES' EYES' latest album, "King Of Kings", which will be released in June. There will also be a U.S. edition of "King Of Kings" with the new version of "Edge Of Steel" as a bonus track.

Siirala, a Finnish vocalist who lives in London, England, made her live debut with LEAVES' EYES on April 17 at the Hammersonic festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The remaining members of LEAVES' EYES and their former singer, Liv Kristine, have offered different accounts of the circumstances behind their split, with LEAVES' EYES claiming the decision to part ways was amicably made in January and Liv saying she was dismissed from the group on April 6.

LEAVES' EYES said: "We understand that many fans and friends are surprised and shocked about the change in our band. We all know Liv had an important role for the band in the past, and we understand people are sad as it was not an easy decision for every one involved. But since a lot of hateful and disrespectful comments are in the social media, we would like to take the opportunity to make some points very clear: LEAVES' EYES has always been a band, and not a project, nor a Liv Kristine solo project at all. We always worked as a team in LEAVES' EYES. In the last decade Tosso [guitarist Thorsten Bauer] and Alex [Krull, LEAVES' EYES' co-vocalist and Liv's husband] wrote the music for LEAVES' EYES and Liv took care of the lyrics.

"Liv's solo project is called 'Liv Kristine.' We supported Liv also in her solo career, writing music, recording and producing albums and doing management in the past.

"The decision to part ways with Liv was taken by all LEAVES' EYES members, including Liv. A mediator — a friend of Liv and Alex — was at the band meeting who can witness that the decision of parting ways was agreed by all members. Liv was happy to have the opportunity to plan changes in her future life and she does not have to go on tour so much anymore. The idea to go separate ways came up already in January. Elina was not part of this decision or process. It was also agreed to help Liv for her solo project 'Liv Kristine' and record her new demo songs and her further projects at the studio just like in the past."

Shortly after the LEAVES' EYES statement was posted on April 16, Liv took to her personal Facebook page to thank the fans and to say: "I was told a bit longer than a week ago that I am not preferred as the band's singer for further tours and recordings anymore. I asked for the situation concerning Indonesia and the soon-to-happen upcoming shows. The answer was 'no.' I asked if there's a replacement and I got no clear answer."

She added: "I can't believe this process happened behind my back, parallel to a huge disappointment in my private life.

"A few days later, there certainly was a replacement. I must say — that was 'quick'!

"I still see LEAVES' EYES as 'my baby' and I will miss playing these gigs, feeling the good vibes, sensing the real Norwegian Viking power with the audiences. Inside my heart I will always treasure LEAVES' EYES for all the good music, tunes, themes, concept and true Viking power. The melodies I used to sing will always stay alive in my ears."

Powerwolf's history of success truly is a metal fairytale: Thanks to lifeblood, passion and talent the band has gathered an enormous amount of followers with until now six albums and uncountable captivating live gigs. Two albums in the Top 3 of the German album charts, sold-out headliner shows, frenetically celebrated festival gigs all over Europe – there is just one thing missing… a DVD / Blu-Ray which brings the glorious metal mass on your TV. Now the band unveil the first details and announce the release of their first DVD / Blu-Ray titled The Metal Mass Live, coming out July 29th via Napalm Records.

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

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

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

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

The sophomore album from First Signal, entitled One Step Over The Line, will be released on June 3rd. The album track “Karma” is available for streaming below.

In 2010, a marriage made in melodic rock heaven between Canadian singer Harry Hess and producer Dennis Ward launched the First Signal project. The concept developed when Frontiers' President Serafino Perugino presented Hess some melodic rock songs that harkened back to the magic of the early Harem Scarem sound, who at the time were on an artistic hiatus. The project was met with excellent reviews and interest from the melodic rock crowd and even when Harem Scarem re-launched with their album Thirteen (one of their strongest to date), Harry was still wanting to go back and sing some excellent melodic rock songs that he had from various songwriters under a different moniker.

So, the idea of another First Signal album started to float around and with the help of Swedish producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder of My Sweet, etc.), the new record started to take shape. Once again, the inspiration behind the songs are the first two Harem Scarem albums, two absolute classic melodic rock releases. But once again, we have some new twists and interpretations, with songs covering everything from AOR to arena hard rock.

Harry says, “I am very excited to be a part of the new First Signal release. I was pleasantly surprised with the positive reaction surrounding the first CD, so it was an easy decision to be a part of the new recording. Between Serafino, Daniel and myself we gathered some great songs that I'm sure the AOR fans will love. Daniel Flores did a fabulous job and put in a ton of effort to make this happen. We met many years ago on a writing trip to Sweden where I immediately noticed his work ethic and dedication to making music. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's reaction to the new album on June 3rd!”

Musicians on the album include the outstanding new talent Michael Palace on guitars and bass, Daniel Flores on drums and keyboards, and background vocals from Hess' Harem Scarem bandmate (and Red Dragon Cartel singer) Darren Smith, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Nigel Bailey, Daniel Flores, Rolf Pilotti and Angelica Rylin.

One Step Over The Line tracklisting:

“Love Run Free”
“Love Gets Through”
“Still Pretending”
“Broken”
“Karma”
“Minute Of Your Time”
“She Is Getting Away”
“December Rain”
“Weigh Me In”
“Pedestal”
“One Step Over The Line”

“Karma”:

“Love Run Free”:

“Love Gets Through” lyric video:

A piece of black metal history has been lying dormant for over two decades, deep in the shadowy abyss of dust-ridden, musty vaults. The authors of this forbidden rite decided the world was not quite ready for its offering in 1995, and thus locked it away from the light. But the years passed, and gradually it's power grew too strong. Freed from its vault by genre-defining creators Cradle Of Filth and the recently resurrected extreme music label Cacophonous, the two have joined forces to finally unshackle the unreleased sophomore album Dusk… And Her Embrace: The Original Sin as a CD and digital album on July 8th. A vinyl LP version will be available later this year.

“The wait is over. The original Dusk… And Her Embrace is dragged kicking and screaming into the world, and people can finally hear for themselves what a true masterpiece it is.” – Neil Harding, Cacophonous Label Head

Tracklisting:

“Macabre, This Banquet”
“Nocturnal Supremacy”
“Heaven Torn Asunder”
“Dusk And Her Embrace”
“A Gothic Romance”
“The Graveyard By Moonlight”
“Funeral In Carpathia”
“Beauty Slept In Sodom”
“The Haunted Shores Of Avalon”
“Carmilla’s Masque”
“A Gothic Romance” (Bonus Demo Track)
“Nocturnal Supremacy” (Bonus Demo Track)

Trailer:

Cradle Of Filth signed to Cacophonous in 1994, releasing their debut album, The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh on an unsuspecting world, consequently landmarking themselves at the forefront of the extreme music movement. With their writing becoming more fluid, more confident, Dusk… And Her Embrace: The Original Sin is the precursor to the band’s sound as it is today, and a must-have for any extreme music fans.

Dusk… And Her Embrace: The Original Sin will be available to pre-order from May 30th.

AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler says that he is worried that he could one day end up dying like Prince.

It was recently reported that the powerful painkiller Percocet was present in the legendary music icon's body when he was found dead late last month. But it is not yet clear if the substance played a role in his death.

The AEROSMITH lead singer, who has admitted to a decades-long struggle with substance abuse as well as a more recent relapse into prescription drug addiction, expressed his sadness over the loss of prince, whom he called "a saint" and "a musician who spoke my language."

Tyler told People magazine: "We're going to miss him and his music, but I think it's deeper than that."

Although he managed to stay sober for 12 years after a successful recovery in 1988, Tyler fell off the wagon into painkiller addiction following foot surgery, which led to him declaring doctors the new drug dealers.

"You know, I am very aware of taking too much of something," he told People. It got me in rehab many, many times. As a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, I get that. In the '80s, I fell to my knees with my addictions."

The rocker continued: "Doctors are the new pushers. All of America isn't strung out on street drugs, they're strung out on prescribed drugs.

"I'm hoping whoever brought him [Prince] to the hospital that night will have something to say... I hope it's not drugs. But if it is, this didn't have to happen... I was fortunate enough to have someone who said, 'You're going to Betty Ford [rehab clinic], again.'"

In a new interview with DuJour magazine, Tyler said: "I think Prince died so I could live. I think we both have the same disease. Today I'm sober and alive. Will I be dead tomorrow? I don't know."

AC/DC continued their Rock Or Bust tour with Brian Johnson's replacement - Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose - in Lisbon, Portugal on May 7th at Passeio Maritimo De Alges. The show wasn't the car crash so many diehard AC/DC fans and media folks had expected, and Teamrock.com has gone so far as to issue a public apology to Rose for doubting him. It appears below in its entirety.

"Dear Axl,

Apologies for getting in touch on such a public forum, but as you’re presently jet-setting around Europe we weren’t sure of the best way to get hold of you: that time we camped outside your home in LA ended badly for all concerned, and the restraining order also applies to emails, texts, phone calls and even Tinder messaging, apparently, so…

Anyway, it’s fair to say that we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye in the post-Use Your Illusion years. This isn’t the time to point fingers and apportion blame, but for the record, it was you not us. Those riots, those tantrums, the whole Chinese Democracy debacle, those times children (and indeed grown adults) walked out of your gigs in tears because you were enjoying a second portion of pie three hours after stage-time, that shit is all on you buddy. But in fairness, we’ve been no angels either. The ‘Keith Lemon’ memes, the sniggering at your corn-rows, the #TeamSlashIzzyDuffSteven hashtags… all very childish and unbecoming. And when we heard the rumours that you were set to replace Beano in AC/DC… well, let’s just say our reaction made the hysterical sweary bit from 'Get In The Ring' sound like Katherine Jenkins singing 'All Things Bright And Beautiful'. But that’s all in the past.

Full disclosure: on Saturday night, as we waited with bated breath to see how your virgin bow with AC/DC might turn out, we felt a little like vultures circling above carrion. We were expecting a car crash, a train wreck, an omnishambolic clusterfuck… and yet another opportunity to put the boot in with the rest of the professionally-indignant/personally-offended, puce-faced culture vigilantes. What we weren’t expecting was for you to turn up on time (well… pretty much), all smiles and sweet talk, and absolutely nail it, like a fucking boss.

We understand that the official reason given for you sitting down onstage at the Passeio Maritimo de Algés on Saturday night was because of a broken metatarsal in your left foot. Get well soon, and all that, if that’s indeed the case. Because from where we were watching, we thought you might need that chair purely because you’re toting around THE BIGGEST BALLS IN ROCK! Who else would have the nerve, the chutzpah, the sheer cojones to face down one of the most fiercely partisan audiences in rock at their most feisty and belligerent and end up charming the entire stadium’s knickers off? The cheeky mention of ‘Portuguese thighs’ in You Shook Me All Night Long? Nice. That moment where you stopped the “Axl! Axl!” chant and started up an “Angus! Angus!” roar instead? Well played brother, well played. We always knew you could pull off the vocals – no, honestly, we did - but truthfully it’s not often we’ve considered employing the words ‘humility’, ‘class’ and ‘dignity’ when considering your actions onstage, and this weekend we were genuinely impressed. And perhaps even a little embarrassed by our own readiness to shoulder pitchforks with the mob in the past few weeks.

So hey, please consider this an apology Axl. We’re sorry for doubting you. There was us thinking that this was all about ego and pay cheques, when in fact you’ve proven yourself to be rock ‘n’ roll’s own Good Samaritan, thoughtfully guiding a weary OAP across the highway from Hell (if you’ll excuse the clumsy mixed metaphors and misappropriated song title). Fair fucks to you, we didn’t see this coming at all. Good job, man, keep it up. From those about to rock, we salute you."

The Lisbon setlist was as follows:

“Rock or Bust"
“Shoot to Thrill"
“Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be"
“Back in Black"
“Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder"
“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
“Rock 'n' Roll Damnation"
“Thunderstruck"
“High Voltage"
“Rock 'n' Roll Train"
“Hells Bells"
“Given the Dog a Bone"
“Sin City"
“You Shook Me All Night Long"
“Shot Down in Flames"
“Have a Drink on Me"
“T.N.T.”
“Whole Lotta Rosie"
“Let There Be Rock”

Encore:
“Highway to Hell"
“Riff Raff”

Pro-shot video and fan reactions to the show are available below.

AC/DC European Tour Dates (with Axl Rose):

May
10 - Seville, Spain - Estadio De La Cartuja
13 - Marseille, France - Stade Velodrome
16 - Werchter, Belgium - Werchter Site
19 - Vienna, Austria - Erns-Happel Stadium
22 - Prague, Czech Republic - Letnany Airport
26 - Hamburg, Germany - Volksparkstadion
29 - Berne, Switzerland - Stade De Suisse

June
1 - Leipzig, Germany - Red Bull Arena
4 - London, England - The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
9 - Manchester, England - Etihad Stadium
12 - Aarhus, Denmark - Ceres Park

Metal Mark of SkullsNBones.com recently conducted an interview with David Vincent about the former MORBID ANGEL frontman's new country project. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

SkullsNBones.com: When and how did this "country" project come together?

Vincent: Just like most musicians, I listen to and am inspired by all types of music. When I moved to Texas, I found myself immersed in this scene, kept an open mind to it all, and found new inspiration by some of the artists around here. I began writing songs, man; [it's] as simple as that. I know it's not what many people would expect from my career in metal, but it's still me, you know. I'm still as open as I've ever been, and I'm still as passionate with this material as I was with anything else I've ever done before.

SkullsNBones.com: So this is not just a live show, there will be a record in the future?

Vincent: Definitely. We are definitely going to record this material. I feel it needs to be heard. It's my take on things, and it's different than what you'll hear from most of the other acts in this genre. Hank III is a guy that kind of has the sound and stories that I have, plus he has that metal side as well. He has that attitude that I feel is needed, and I'm ready to bring my attitude and sound to the genre now.

SkullsNBones.com: I hear that you're playing with Robert Earl Keene on July 4, which is huge, but what else do you have coming up?

Vincent: I'm doing little one-off, special-event type of stuff right now, but the most important thing right now is writing and finishing this record. I want people to have a chance to really hear it, and really understand what I'm creating with this material. There's a lot of people who see this "metal" guy trying this new thing and may not give it a shot, but the ones I've shared it with have been really impressed. A lot asked why I didn't do this sooner, and it's simple; people find their way to things when they find their way to things. It doesn't mean that I'll never play metal again, by any means, but this is where my heart is at right now, so I want to put out the best material I can, and have fun with it. We have a lot of cool stuff coming up that may surprise some people, but it's all about writing the best songs, and having fun. That's where I'm at right now, and I'm pretty damn happy.

Read the entire interview at SkullsNBones.com.

According to AUX, a fight between two males attending EAGLES OF DEATH METAL's May 7 concert in Toronto resulted in one of the fans getting his ear bitten off.

An employee at Universal Music apparently witnessed the incident, and described the scene as "the most fucked up thing I have ever seen. We had to get security to pick up his ear in case they can fix it." A witness at the venue told Exclaim! that he saw a man with a bandaged head being detained by police, though that man's identity and involvement with the ear-biting altercation could not be confirmed.

The Opera House's general manager Athena Ellinas-Towers has since told AUX: "I didn't witness anything, but there was a confrontation between two individuals. It was brought to my attention by the medical attention. The one gentleman that instigated the whole thing was arrested and charged. I'm not sure of the charges; I just saw him being arrested. The police haven't followed up with me yet. We called them because this is a serious offense."

She also revealed that a female member of the crowd picked up the detached body part and handed it over to venue staff, who put it on ice until passing it along to medical personnel once an ambulance arrived.

"A customer picked it up, because I didn't know where it was. She put it on ice and we gave it to the ambulance when they arrived. I asked the police to follow up with me but they never did. This is a first, let's say. I didn't actually believe it when someone came up to me and told me what happened. It's just bizarre.”

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL fan Jason Taylor told AUX that while he didn't witness the fight itself, he was at the back bar of the Opera House when both men were being escorted out. "The guy whose ear was bit was standing in front of me while they applied ice — before he was moved to the entrance area where they gave him a stool to sit down while waiting for the ambulance," he said. "I saw his ear, and for the record, it was the top 1/3 that was bit off (not the whole ear — not that this makes what happened any better). The guy who did it looked totally unphased by what he had done. Saw him in cuffs outside as I was leaving too. He had the same unphased expression on his face. It was a horrible thing to happen at any concert."

After a period of inactivity since 2007’s The Blue, which involved the departure of longstanding member Giuseppe Orlando, Novembre recently returned with a new set of potent and poignant tracks, effortlessly transitioning between soothing, epic, melancholy and intense, from what is one of the originators of the whole atmospheric death/doom scene. URSA was released on April 1st via Peaceville Records, and a new video for the album track “Annoluce” can now be seen below:

Headed by founding member and writer Carmelo Orlando, and with a reinvigorated musical alliance with Massimiliano Pagliuso, the lineup is completed by Fabio Fraschini (previously bassist on the Materia album), and David Folchitto on drums. There is also a special guest appearance from Anders Nyström of the Swedish Doom masters Katatonia, adding his own unique ‘cold’ touch to the album’s single track, “Annoluce”.

URSA was recorded at Blue Noise Studio, and PlayRec studio by Massimiliano Pagliuso, then mixed and mastered at Unisound Studios by Dan Swanö (Opeth, Katatonia, Bloodbath). Cover art comes courtesy of Travis Smith.

Tracklisting:

“Australis”
“The Rose”
“Umana”
“Easter”
“URSA”
“Oceans Of Afternoons”
“Annoluce”
“Agathae”
“Bremen”
“Fin”

Album stream:

“Umana” lyric video:

Carmelo Orlando comments on URSA: ”This album is a very important step in my life. It got me closer to what some may call ‘maturity’. I’ve been able to delve even deeper into the chasm of the subconscious and unearth gems I didn’t think existed. Lyrically and conceptually I explored new shores. I moved my ever-inwards headlights, and for the first time I dared to point them outwards, against the squalor of this Orwellian apocalypse we’re committing towards the Earth and its sons, on a daily basis, in quasi-total indifference. The album is indeed called URSA (the acronym for “Union des Républiques Socialistes Animales”), which was the title initially chosen for the French translation of George Orwell’s masterpiece novel Animal Farm.”

URSA is available to order on CD & LP at this location. Pre-orders from the Peaceville Store receive a free 3-track EP including an alternate version of “Annoluce”, plus two exclusive tracks.

The seeds of Novembre were originally planted in September 1990 in Rome, Italy. Then known as Catacomb, their early recordings of unusual gothic doom metal were to quickly gain the band interest. It was around 1993 that the band decided that a name change was in order, and Novembre was born, evolving into one of the premiere European atmospheric doom bands.

Watch out for Novembre on tour in 2016.

At the end of April, the organizers of the annual Resurrection Fest re-broadcasted the Dano Jones set from the 2015 edition of the event. Pro-shot clips of "First Date" and "Watch You Slide" from the band's latest album, Fire Music, is available below. It was shot on July 18th in Viveiro, Spain.

Danko Jones have updated their summer festival schedule for Europe with shows in Sweden and Denmark. It is currently as follows, with more dates to be added soon.

May 
26 - Umea, Sweden - U Rock

June
2 - Örebro, Sweden - Metallsvenskan
11 - Leicestershire, UK - Download Festival
24 - Bad Ragaz, Switzerland - Quellrock Open Air

July
1 - Helsingborg, Sweden - Sundspärlan (with D-A-D and Hardcore Superstar)
2 - Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
8 - Gierle, Belgium - Sjock Festival    
21 - Cuxhaven, Germany - Deichbrand    

August 
27 - Lierop, Netherlands - Nirwana Tuinfeest

Danko Jones recently released Live At Wacken on CD/DVD, Blu-Ray, double vinyl and digital. It includes a track-by-track commentary, an exclusive backstage interview and the spoken word performance from the 2012 Wacken Festival as bonus material.

The tracklist is as follows:

"The Rules"
"Play the Blues"
"Sugar Chocolate"
"The Twisting Knife"
"Forget My Name"
"Do You Wanna Rock"
"Had Enough"
"First Date"
"Watch You Slide"
"Full Of Regret"
"Code of the Road"
"Legs"
"Invisible"
"Sugar High"
"Cadillac"
"Lovercall"
"Gonna Be A Fight Tonight"
"Mountain"

EPK:

Guitarist Rob Scallon, who made a name for himself through his whacko interpretations of some of metal's finest works, has returned with a cover of Metallica's "Blackened".... on ukulele. Check it out below.

In 2014, Scallon released a video clip featuring his banjo-charged version of the Slayer classic "Raining Blood". It is his second take on Slayer, having released a ukelele cover of "War Ensemble" previously. Both tracks are available below:

For information and updates on Scallon's work go to his official Facebook page here.

Guitar legend Steve Vai has checked in with the following update:

"Hey folks, Steve here. I just finished a piece of music that will be on my new Modern Primitive record that comes out in late June, I think. I believe it's the greatest piece of music I have ever created. It's 20 minutes long and abstract and beautiful. If you like that bizarre stuff that I do, this will be a feast for you. And for those of you who this type of music resonates with, I just can't wait for you to hear it."

Vai issued the following update last week:

"When in Vancouver, Devin Townsend picked me up and we were able to spend some hours together. This shot was taken at this extraordinary little bird sanctuary he took me to. It's always so good to connect with him. And wait until you hear the work that he did on my new record, Modern Primitive, that comes out this summer. The song is called 'The Lost Chord' and his work on it is truly brilliant. It's way out there and I'm very excited for you to hear it."

In 1993, Vai conscripted then unknown singer Devin Townsend for his Sex & Religion album and subsequent tour. Townsend went on to launch Strapping Young Lad in 1994 and carve out his own legendary career in the years that followed.

Vai recently spoke with Metallus.it about the 25th anniversary of his classic Passion And Warfare album. To commemorate the release, Vai and Sony Records will issue a 25th-anniversary edition of Passion And Warfare that includes an entire bonus album, which Vai calls "the missing link between Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare."

The full statement from Vai courtesy of Metallus.it and picked up by Guitar World:

"What I’m working right now as we speak, is the 25th anniversary release of Passion And Warfare and in this release I’m putting an extra CD with material that’s never been released. But it’s music the I’ve either recorded or written in between Flex-Able and Passion And Warfare because, if you’re familiar with Flex-Able, it’s a very strange record: I’ve recorded it when I was 20 years old; and if you listen to Passion And Warfare it seems a completely different guy. So what happened in between? Where’s the missing link?

This record that I’m calling Modern Primitive will be in this Passion And Warfare release. It’s really amazing, ‘cause I’ve so much material. Seven or eight songs are already tracked and they just need a couple of finishing touches, then I’m gonna have the old band get together that I had back then just to lay down some other tracks we used to perform in that period. So it’s new music and frankly it’s turning out to be one of my favorite records."

The term “supergroup” gets thrown around on a regular basis these days, however, a new tour featuring some of the greatest guitarists of all time is about to truly give the term a whole new meaning. Introducing: Generation Axe, featuring Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abasi.

In the video below from their Days Of Our Lives documentary, Queen have completed their album Jazz, but what's next for the band? Looking towards Europe they hook up with esteemed German producer Reinhold Mack and record some of their most memorable songs to date including the billboard smash “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.

In 1971, four university students got together to form a band. Since then, that certain band called Queen have released 26 albums and sold over 300 million records worldwide. The popularity of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon is stronger than ever. Their story is a remarkable one, a narrative that covers early struggles, huge obstacles, success, arguments, breakups, triumph, tragedy and an enduring legacy - all against a backdrop of brilliant music and stunning live performances from every corner of the globe.

In Days Of Our Lives, for the first time, it is the band that tells their story. Guiding us through an extensive archive full of hitherto unseen footage, the documentary reveals how four strong-minded individuals, all capable of writing massive hit songs, worked together so successfully for four decades.

Queen never did anything by halves - meaning their highs were massive, but their lows catastrophic. It is a compelling story told with intelligence, wit, plenty of humor and painful honesty.

But the band quickly learned that if reaching the top is tough, staying there is the biggest challenge of all. With a loss of focus in the studio, the decline in popularity in North America, increasing internal tension and a desire to pursue solo projects, it seemed as if the band had had its day.

Then came the performance from Mercury at Live Aid, and their record breaking Magic tour in 1986. Queen were propelled back amongst the very best. Rejuvenated, the world was once again at their feet, but then tragedy struck and threatened to tear the band apart. Featuring musical performances, previously unseen and rare footage, and intimate interviews.

Ozzy Osbourne has broken his silence after news broke that the BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife are splitting.

"I have been sober for three and a quarter years," Ozzy shared with E! News exclusively. "I have not touched drugs or alcohol in that time. Any reports that I am not sober are completely inaccurate."

Multiple sources, including E! News and Us Weekly, reported on Sunday (May 8) that Ozzy and his wife of 33 years, Sharon Osbourne, had split up. A source told E! News that Ozzy had agreed to move out of the couple's house at least temporarily, and that the breakup had nothing to do with Ozzy's sobriety. The BLACK SABBATH singer has reportedly been clean and sober after falling off the wagon for an 18-month period in 2011 and 2012.

British tabloid The Sun reported that the split came about after Sharon discovered that Ozzy was having an affair with a celebrity hairstylist. A source told People that the rumors were "sort of true," but also added that they would not be surprised if the couple worked things out, saying "He'll be back."

Sharon was notably absent on Monday's episode of "The Talk". Her co-host Julie Chen addressed her absence, telling viewers that the 63-year-old wasn't appearing due to the news about her marriage.

"There were many tabloid headlines this past weekend about her and Ozzy. Rumors and speculation that they have split up after nearly 34 years of marriage. Sharon understandably took today off," Chen explained. "We are sending all of our love to her and to her family, and we ask that you do the same."

Sharon took over Ozzy's management from her father Don Arden in 1980 and helped launch his hugely successful solo career after he was booted from SABBATH in 1979. The two got married on July 4, 1982.

This is not the first time Sharon and Ozzy have separated. Back in 2013, Sharon admitted she was considering divorcing Ozzy after he relapsed on alcohol and drugs. But she said on her daytime show "The Talk": "We're not getting divorced. However, am I happy? No. Am I upset? Yes I am. I'm devastated right now… We've dealt with worse. We're dealing with it and this too shall pass."

Ozzy has previously credited Sharon for saving his life, saying, "I'm alive because I've got a strong wife, I think. I didn't expect to live past 30. I remember when I was 21 saying I would be dead by 40."

The couple have three children — 31-year-old Aimee, 29-year-old Kelly and 28-year-old Jack — and their relationship has been volatile over the years: Ozzy almost strangled his wife after a five-day drinking binge in 1989.

Ozzy is currently in the midst of a year-long farewell tour with SABBATH and is expected to announce some other news on Thursday, May 12 at a special event in Hollywood. It is not clear whether the announcement of his split with Sharon will affect future plans or her status as his manager.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN are celebrating the third anniversary of their Trooper beer with a video message from MAIDEN vocalist and ale aficionado Bruce Dickinson. Check it out below.

The Trooper beer was launched in May 2013 and has won the BBI (British Bottlers' Institute) Gold Medal 2014, 2015 in their annual blind tasting sessions. The premium British beer is now being exported to more than 50 countries and has proved unusually resilient overseas for a new beer, maintaining its stunning initial export success with repeated high volume orders across some of the world's leading importers.

Dickinson, who describes himself as a "fan of traditional English cask beer," devised the recipe for the Trooper in collaboration with Robinsons, a family-run brewery in the Greater Manchester town of Stockport.

The beer's label borrows the image from the sleeve of IRON MAIDEN's "The Trooper", which came out in June 1983 as the second single from the LP "Piece Of Mind". It features band mascot Eddie as an English soldier, charging grimly with a tattered Union flag in one hand and a bloodied saber in the other.

IRON MAIDEN and Robinsons recently announced Trooper Red 'N' Black — a new limited-edition beer from their award-winning Trooper range — which will be available to fans worldwide from September.

Trooper Red 'N' Black porter is the third beer in the Trooper range following on from the stunning success of Trooper and last year's limited-edition Trooper 666.

The beer, designed once again by Dickinson along with Robinsons' head brewer Martyn Weeks, takes its inspiration from a very early Robinsons recipe which was first brewed in the 1850s, a time when porter style beer was becoming increasingly popular in Britain.

Dickinson explained: "I like tasting outside the box. Stouts and porters were virgin territory for me, so I just went by feel. Martyn and I hope we have created a new take on a classic beer and one which I hope will tickle the taste buds of ale fans in a pleasantly unexpected way."

At 6.8% in bottle or 5.8% ABV in cask, Trooper Red 'N' Black is the strongest beer in the range to date.

Taking its name from both the color of the beer, which glows red when held up to light, and the song "The Red And The Black" from IRON MAIDEN's critically acclaimed 2015 album "The Book Of Souls", Trooper Red 'N' Black uses a blend of chocolate and crystal malts which help give the beer a roasted malt and caramel backbone. Robinsons yeast, the same strain which has been used in the Stockport brewer's beers since 1942, provides hints of both liquorice and honey to create a delicious warming brew.

Supersonic Blues Machine featuring Fabrizio Grossi, Lance Lopez and Kenny Aronoff issued their debut release back on February 26th via Provogue / Mascot Label Group. The album features guest appearances from Billy F. Gibbons, Walter Trout, Warren Haynes, Robben Ford, Eric Gales, and Chris Duarte.

The group have released a music video for the track “Remedy” featuring Warren Haynes. Watch the new clip below:

Real blues is the music of life experience. It is simple, but contains multitudes - feelings and knowledge accrued over decades. Collectively, the trio of musicians that make up Supersonic Blues Machine (SBM) have experienced more than three typical lifetimes. These world-class musicians have banded together in Supersonic Blues Machine, bonding in their love of this uniquely American genre and motivated by a desire to help its spirit evolve.

 
Fabrizio Grossi (bass/producer/engineer/wordsmith) worked his artistry in his birthplace - Milan, Italy - before migrating to London, Canada, New York, and currently Los Angeles. Texan Lance Lopez (guitar/vocals) accrued at least one lifetime of experience before he was out of high school while playing bars in Louisiana and Florida. College came in the form of tours with R&B legend Johnny Taylor and blues masters Lucky Peterson and Bobby Blue Bland. Kenny Aronoff (drums) has a resume that spans four decades and reads like a “who’s who” of roots rock legends, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Jack White, Billy Gibbons, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Dr. John.
 
SBM stems from Fabrizio Grossi’s desire to return to his roots. “The blues is what makes me tick. It is the main ingredient of any successful musical recipe,” he explains. “It is like pasta in Italian food. You can add all the ingredients you like and any sauce, but the pasta is the core of the dish. I’m the chef and blues is my pasta.” Aronoff calls it “a blast from the past aimed at the future.” Says Grossi, “You will feel B.B. King’s presence on stage even though we might be wearing space suits.”
 
Grossi found a magical connection with Kenny Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Toto guitarist Steve Lukather’s side Jam band “Goodfellas.” The next step came when Lance Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Billy Gibbons, whom he had met on a Los Angeles session. The ZZ Top guitarist had known Lopez as a young blues prodigy, and strongly suggested Grossi and Lopez join forces. It was the Reverend Billy G’s blessing that helped birth Supersonic Blues Machine, and a stronger imprimatur for a nascent blues-rock project would be hard to find.
 
The first tune recorded for the Supersonic Blues Machine project was “Running Whiskey,” written by Gibbons, Grossi, and Tal Wilkenfeld. It features Gibbons on guitar and vocals and helped forge the sound of this new blues-rock supergroup. “It had the twist on the blues that infuses all the other songs on the record,” says Grossi.

 
The guest guitarists on Supersonic Blues Machine’s debut West of Flushing South of Frisco are not a random selection of famous names, but more like members of an extended family. “I have worked on projects with Warren Haynes (guest and co-writer on “Remedy”), and when he tours anywhere near Dallas, he will always have Lance sit in,” Grossi explains.

Lopez and Chris Duarte (“That’s My Way”) have been friends for years, and the SBM guitarist grew up with guest Eric Gales (“Nightmares and Dreams”). Walter Trout (“Can’t Take It No More”) is yet another member of this blues fraternity who, despite battling health issues, was anxious to contribute to the project. Finally, Grossi describes Robben Ford (“Let’s Call It a Day”) as the “classiest guy” he knows. “All these people light up the room when they walk in,” he says.
 
European and North American tours are planned. “It was important for us to do this with people who can eventually join us live on stage when we tour,” says Grossi. “Every night will see different guests appearing. It will be like The Who’s Magic Bus tour.”
 
Supersonic Blues Machine marks a new page in the story of three creative musicians with a history of lending their prodigious talents to others. “Here, the artist is us, no boss to follow or established identities to be maintained,” says Aronoff. “We’re writing our own book, and when you have been blessed and enriched by having collaborated with so many significant artists, your vocabulary gets richer.” Adds Lopez: “We’re mixing all the shades of the blues with our personal sound.”
 
An anonymous sage once said, “We used to sing because crying didn’t seem to help much.” The blues is not just about experience. It is about creating catharsis to help people through the hard times. “Everyone on this record has fought through their own personal demons,” says Grossi. “This is the redemption record.”

Alone Records have announced their second wave of releases for 2016, focused on one of their favourite artist ever: Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gentle Storm, ex-The Gathering, and a series of new and exclusive limited vinyl issues that will see the light on June 14th. Three albums ready for pre-order at The Stone Circle Store, with different colour configurations packages for any fan to be pleased.

Drive - In this second release under her own name, the Dutch all-round diva shows, again, the ability to captivate from the first spin, delivering a memorable up tempo collection of optimistic stories starting with “We Live On”, the energetic “Drive”, or the touching “My Mother Said”. This album will be released on Black vinyl (300 copies) and Gold with Blue speckles vinyl, with a limited pressing of 200.

Live In Europe - A collection of tracks from their previous three albums and new tunes, recorded in different venues across France and Spain, with Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) on guitars and including the pertinent tribute to The Gathering with one of Anneke’s old favourites “Shrink”. The album appears as double Black vinyl (300 copies) or double Purple and Silver with colour spots vinyl, limited to only 150 units.

Everything Is Changing - Including the singles “Take Me Home” and “Feel Alive”, this album is a follow-up to a series of successful releases that continued in coming years, moving forwards to prog atmospheres and catchy tunes. Recorded halfway between the Netherlands and Ultrasound Studios in Braga, Portugal, she joined forces with Daniel Cardoso (Anathema, Leafblade) as writer, producer and musician. Released as Picture Disc, limited to 500 pressings.
 
Pre-orders are up, with limited packages including the three releases on black or coloured vinyls at The Stone Circle Store.

Anneke is currently on a solo acoustic tour for Europe and the UK. Remaining dates are listed below.

May      
12 - Gong - Turku, Finland         
13 - Semifinal - Helsinki, Finland           
14 - Good Omens - Trondheim, Norway         
20 - Thiemeloods - Nijmegen, Netherlands         
21 - Muziekcafé de Steen - Willemsoord, Netherlands         
28 - The Rock Station - Reuver, Netherlands

Anneke recently checked in with the following update:

"Dear friends, I'm very excited to announce a very special show that will take place on December 17th at Melkweg, Amsterdam. This full band performance will be part of the first ever Anneke van Giersbergen Fan Weekend, so if you have tickets for that event, you don’t need a separate ticket for this performance. Since the fan weekend is already sold out, this will be a great opportunity to hang out with fans from all over the globe that are coming to Amsterdam for this special occasion.

Tickets are available here.

But wait, there’s more. After many years of recording and touring constantly, I will be taking a break from performing live after December 17th. Besides hanging with my family and friends, reading and traveling, I also need some quiet months to fully focus on my next album. I have a plan and I think it will knock you off your feet, but I really need to take my time and make this new album the best it can possibly be. I feel like I'm on the verge of something wonderful and I want to give it my full attention when the time comes to start recording and prepare the new touring cycle somewhere in 2017. Expect something heavy and progressive folks!

You all know that I adore playing live and 2016 will be filled with shows, not only with The Gentle Storm and solo acoustic, but also in Dutch theatres with Árstíðir, so stay tuned for some more touring news soon and let’s make December 17th a night to remember!"

The first ever Anneke van Giersbergen Fan Weekend will take place December 16th – ­18th, 2016 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and will be packed with exciting events. The Fan Weekend will provide fans from all over the world with the opportunity to meet, socialize and connect with fellow fans. Anneke herself will be present during the whole weekend.

The program is as follows:

Friday, December 16th, 2016
- ­Welcome drink and goody bag
- Meet Anneke, grab some autographs, and get a professional photo taken together
- Dinner
- Acoustic solo performance at the hotel bar (including limited number of free drinks)
- Karaoke night with Anneke (including limited number of free drinks)
- Overnight accommodation included

Saturday, December 17th, 2016
- Breakfast
­- Canal boat tour in Amsterdam with a mini concert from Anneke and a special guest
­- Lunch
­- VIP sound check, go behind the scenes and watch Anneke and her band set up for their show
- Dinner
­- Anneke van Giersbergen full band performance (including limited number of free drinks)
­- Afterparty at the hotel bar (including limited number of free drinks)
­- Overnight accommodation included

Sunday, December 18th, 2016
- “Farewell for Now” breakfast
- Group photo

Go to this location for more details.

To coincide with TesseracT touring the US with Gojira in September, Kscope will be releasing a 2-disc tour edition of their studio album Polaris on September 16th.

The new 2016 edition of Polaris will be released with a bonus second disc Errai which features four re-worked tracks from Polaris – “Survival”, “Cages”, “Tourniquet” and “Seven Names”. The tracks have been re-imagined by the band’s long time live producer and sound engineer Aidan O’Brien. Along with the new song interpretations the cover art of new edition of Polaris has been given a 2016 make-over by artist Dan Mumford.

He says on being asked to work on the project "I've been lucky enough to contribute to various bits of TesseracT material since the Perspective EP back in 2012, but it was a thrill and an honour to be asked to have a much more involved role in working on reimagining four of the tracks from Polaris. Being given the chance to offer my interpretations of the songs at the core of these wonderfully nuanced and complex arrangements, as well as the chance to work closely with such talented musicians, was hugely exciting and I'm extremely proud of the results. It's still unmistakably TesseracT, but from an angle I think a lot of people won't have heard before."

TessaracT vocalist Dan Tompkins comments  "It's been fantastic to re-visit & re-work the vocals to some of the Polaris tracks from a different angle and with the benefit of time and space. The normal process of writing TesseracT songs starts with the creation of the music followed by the lyrical content; this time Acle and Aidan have stripped away the music and re-created the songs based around the vocals. As a result this has allowed much more breathing space between both and also highlighted much more detail in the performance.”

The Polaris Tour Edition will be released as a 2 CD set, with Errai being released as a stand-alone 180g heavyweight clear vinyl with enclosed download code. Pre-order starts on May 27th.

TesseracT dates with Gojira:

September
21 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
24 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
25 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
26 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
27 - Tampa, FL - Ritz Ybor
29 - Austin, TX - Emo’s
30 - Houston, TX - House of Blues

October
1 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live!
3 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
4 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theatre
6 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
7 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
9 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
10 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
11 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
14 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
16 - Minneapolis, MN - Myth Live
17 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Ballroom
19 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
20 - Toronto, ON - Sound Academy
21 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
22 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
23 - New York, NY - Terminal 5

Norwegian-American electronic hard rock/heavy metal group Combichrist returns with its eighth studio album, This is Where Death Begins, on June 3rd via Out Of Line Music. An album teaser video can be found below.

An apocalyptic behemoth of guitars, electronica, infernal drums and dark elemental force, This is Where Death Begins was produced by Oumi Kapila (Filter) plus Combichrist's own Andy LaPlegua and mastered by the legendary Vlado Meller (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot). The 15-track album also features guest vocals from Chris Motionless (Motionless in White) and Ariel Levitan (MXMS).

Combichrist founder/vocalist Andy LaPlegua comments: "I finally feel like we came full circle with this album, considering we're all from the punk rock, hardcore and metal backgrounds. After 10 years of electronica in the studio and a full live band, I feel like I captured the live sound and energy. Every style of music that I have done through the last 25 years has some kind of presence on this album."

This is Where Death Begins will be released on CD, deluxe double-CD, double-vinyl and as a strictly limited fan box containing the double-CD plus an exclusive DVD of the Combichrist performance at the Summer Breeze Festival 2015 in Germany.

Tracklisting:

“We Are The Plague”
“My Life My Rules”
“Glitchteeth”
“Exit Eternity” (feat. Ariel Levitan)
“Skullcrusher”
“Time Again”
“Destroy Everything”
“Tired Of Hating You”
“Don't Care How You Feel About It”
“Blackened Heart ”
“Pay To Play” (feat. Chris Motionless)
“Slakt”
“Black Tar Dove Pt. 1”
“Black Tar Dove Pt. 2”
“Homeward” (feat. Ariel Levitan)

Teaser:

Combichrist plans to tour the world this year in support of This is Where Death Begins, including already announced European and South American tours. Stay tuned for more information on Combichrist and This is Where Death Begins, out this June on Out Of Line Music.

Recordings for Avulsed's forthcoming Deathgeneration double album are finished. Now comes the mixing and mastering process; check out a small studio report below.

Don't forget to support Avulsed during the pre-orders campaign for their new album, learn more at this location.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Avulsed, the band decided to commit to a very ambitious project which is no other than recording a double album including 18 of their best songs from all their albums, EPs and demos. Instead of just doing a dull compilation with original songs, the band wants to do a "no fillers, just killers" release showing the evolution that the songs have suffered during all these years where the band's sound has been getting heavier and songs have got slight mutations through the times.

This double album (80 min.) will be released in a deluxe double CD digipack with slipcase and a thick 40 page booklet containing the original versions on disc #2 (just for the freaks who hate re-recordings), double gatefold 12"LP and double cassette with slipcase. But to make this release even more interesting, Avulsed will have very special guests from other bands singing in most of the songs. They are: Peter (Vader), Barney (Napalm Death), Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates), Sven (Aborted), Antti Boman (Demilich), Chris Reifert (Autopsy), Per Böder (God Macabre), Anton Reisenegger (Pentagram Chile), Kam Lee (ex-Massacre), Rogga Johansson (Paganizer), Mike Van Mastrigt (ex-Sinister), Ville Koskela (Purtenance), Will Rahmer (Mortician), Ludo (Supuration), Johan Jansson (Interment) and Paul Zavaleta (Deteriorot).

Title for this album will be Deathgeneration, since 25 years means a whole generation devoted to death metal, and cover artwork will be made, once again, by the awesome Juanjo Castellano who worked on the two latest Avulsed cover arts. Release date is autumn, right before the two very special 25th anniversary shows that Avulsed will offer in Madrid (November 19th) and Barcelona (November 26th). Support bands for the show in Madrid will be another Spanish death metal legend Aposento and newcomers Bizarre who will also open on the Barcelona show accompanied by another band which is confirmed, but can't be announced yet. An official live CD+DVD will be recorded and filmed in Madrid.

Deathgeneration will come on a very limited black boxset with silver foiled logo, of which only 100 copies will be made containing the 2CD, 2LP and 2MC. This special cassette release can only be obtained on this boxset that will come with t-shirt, poster, signed photo card, sticker, patch, badge, guitar pick and other goodies. The 2CD, 2LP and t-shirt can be obtained separately or in bundles too.

In a new guitar lesson video, Jeff "Mantas" Dunn shows us the middle riff in the Vemon song "Black Metal”. Notice how fast he alternate picks and how little his hand moves. Economy of motion. This is the last riff in the song. Check out the video at this location. PlayThisRiff.com is owned and operated by Bob Balch from Fu Manchu.

The second leg of Venom Inc.’s North American tour will run from May 31st in Brooklyn, New York through July 2nd in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Support will again be provided by long-running American death metal behemoths Necrophagia. The trek follows the band's recent and successful stomp through North America this past January.

Venom Inc. features original Venom members guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and drummer Anthony "Abaddon" Bray with former Venom bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan. The band made their live debut as Venom Inc. in April 2015 at the Keep It True Festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, performing a full set of Venom classics and played to over 30,000 people at Heavy Montreal last August.

Dolan and Dunn have spent the last few years collaborating in M:Pire Of Evil, who released their latest full-length, Crucified, in May 2013. Venom Inc. took to the streets early last Fall on the lengthy Iron And Steel European Tour before closing the year with a Latin American live infiltration. The band returned to the streets of North America last January to the frenzied praise and fans and critics alike.

Venom Inc. dates with Necrophagia:

May
31 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY

June
1 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY
2 - Once Ballroom - Boston, MA
3 - Piranha - Montreal, QC
4 - Mavericks - Ottawa, ON
5 - This Aint Hollywood - Hamilton, ON
7 - Altar Bar - Pittsburgh, PA
8 - Mr. Smalls - Detroit, MI
9 - Thompson House - Newport, KY
10 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
11 - Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
12 - Brauerhaus - Lombard, IL
13 - Rock Island Brewing Co. - Rock Island, IL
15 - 3 Kings - Denver, CO
17 - Studio 7 - Seattle, WA
18 - Shakedown - Bellingham, WA
20 - Star Theater - Portland, OR
21 - Oakland Opera House - Oakland, CA
22 - Catalyst - Santa Cruz, CA
23 - The Whisky - Los Angeles, CA
24 - Hard Rock Cafe - Las Vegas, NV
25 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
26 - Rebel Club - Phoenix, AZ
27 - Trees - Dallas, TX
28 - Grizzly Hall - Austin, TX
29 - Walters - Houston, TX
30 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA

July
1 - The Haven - Orlando, FL
2 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC

Venom Inc. festival dates:

May
7 - Malmo, Sweden - Crankfest
21 - Wulmstorf/Hamburg, Germany - Metal Bash

July
7-9 - Torgau/Entenfang, Germany - In Flammen Open Air
30 - London, UK - Metal Brew

August
10-13 - Jaromer-Josefov, Czech Republic- Brutal Assault

After several months of hard work of song writings and rehearsing at studio At Rock in Grenoble (France) with Pierre Caci behind the desk, Nightmare has entered the studio to start the recordings of their new album, produced and arranged by Patrick Liotard and Joost Van Den Broek (Epica) and recorded at Noise Factory Studio in Belgium with Gerald Jans (Epysode, Channel Zero).

Mixing will be done this month at Sandlane studio in The Netherlands by Van Den Broek. Check out more clips from the studio below:

Previously posted video from the drum recordings can be seen below:

Last October, Nightmare introduced vocalist Maggy Luyten (Beautiful Sun, Beyond The Bridge, Ayreon) and drummer Olivier Casula (Sangdragon, ex-Thalidomide, The Seven Gates).

Darkest Hour, who've been a unit for 20 years, completed a crowdfunding campaign for their ninth album. The Washington, D.C.-based band exceeded its initial goal of $50,000 by nearly $20,000. The band is pleased to announce the next step in the creation process for the album. Darkest Hour will enter GodCity Studio in Massachusetts to record the effort with producer Kurt Ballou (Converge) from September to October 2016.

"We really want to focus on the playing for this album. We want bring the energetic, raw, emotion we exude live to tape this time. We love to jam and riff all day and we feel Kurt's unique style of producing will compliment this perfectly. Also, it doesn't hurt that we completely respect and trust him as both a friend and musician, meaning we feel this monumental task of bringing another Darkest Hour album to life will rest well in his hands. So with our sights set on Boston for this September we will get back to the riff dojo and start woodshed'n these jams!," said guitarist Mike Schleibaum.

The band also launched a new pre-order page, here.

More details about the new album will be revealed shortly.

It's been a constant struggle for Central California's heavy hitters, Etched In Stone, to get to where they are today. Despite the issues they've had with botched tours and multiple lineup changes over the years, the band continues to redefine their sound and refine their artistic vision, and are now gearing up to make their return this summer with a brand new full length album entitled, Sulfur.

Etched In Stone are currently in the middle of the recording process, however the band is stoked to reveal the final album art and tracklisting for the forthcoming full-length.

Sulfur tracklisting:

“The Ouroboros”
“Ill Natured Propaganda”
“Inferno (The 7th Circle)”
“Welcome The Dark”
“Sweet Scent”
“Of Their Dying”
“Like Graves”
“Callous And Cold”
“Created Of Sulfur”
“Through Bastard Doctrines”
“The Hands Of Turpitude”
“Paradise In Ruin”
“Ashes Of Eden”
“Hymn Of Solace”

Etched In Stone founder and vocalist, Brian Lewis, had the following to say about the upcoming album: "The concept of Sulfur was born from the thought that it absolutely had to be an almost entirely new direction for us and on the way home from our national run last year the lyrics began forming. It's a much darker and more violent record than we've ever attempted and thus far, the live crowd reception of these new songs has been leaps and bounds above what we had initially anticipated. Thematically the lyrics to the songs take metal back to a taboo place, somewhere that takes people out of their comfort zone and reminds them how things were before science-fiction and bro-core dominated the scene. There's still a fair amount of progressive influence, but there's a ton more black metal influence on this record than we've ever attempted and it feels like it blends well with the unique style of metal we call our own. We're also very pleased to announce this offering as a true full length album; there's nearly an hour of material getting packed onto this album and it feels like it's pulling no punches in terms of keeping listener attention."

Despite the consistent setbacks the band has dealt with since the release of their last album in 2014, Etched In Stone have soldiered on, refining their sound and recording new material as time and finances have allowed. The recording process for Sulfur is still underway, though the album does have a release date set for August 19th.

(Photo - Etched In Stone Facebook)

German extreme metallers, Downfall Of Gaia, have announced the addition of guitarist Marco Mazzola to their lineup.

Says the band: “We are happy to announce Marco Mazzola will be the new guitarist for Downfall Of Gaia! It is always tough to replace a member of a band, particularly someone who has been with us for so many years, but Marco convinced us in every way! No big words needed for this - We are looking forward to the next chapter of Downfall Of Gaia and leave the last words to Marco!"

Comments Marco Mazzola: "We met in Italy, back in 2012, while I was touring with my band Caino and we opened a couple of gigs for Downfall Of Gaia. Me and Dominik stayed in contact during the following years and I immediately wrote him once I saw the announcement that the band was looking for a new guitarist. I always held Downfall Of Gaia in high regard, and I'm now honoured to take part of it. I'll do my best to keep alive what they previously built with Peter."

As reported heavily over the weekend, Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne and wife / manager Sharon Osbourne are having marital troubles. In an update from Mirror.co.uk it’s reported that Ozzy has gone off the radar after it was claimed that he has had an affair with a younger hairdresser called Michelle Pugh – while still married to wife of 33 years, Sharon.

Sharon – who’s reported to be “unforgiving” of the situation – has kicked him out of their LA home over the claims.

The Sun now reports that Ozzy’s gone missing – despite attempts by his children Jack , Kelly and Aimee to contact him. Though he had checked into the Beverly Hills Hotel, it’s now believed that he’s checked out.

Read more at Mirror.co.uk.

A previous report from The Daily Mail stated that Sharon allegedly kicked Ozzy out of their $10 million Beverly Hills home last week after claiming she had proof he had been having an affair with Michelle Pugh, 45.

A source told the publication: 'Sharon went ballistic with Ozzy and accused him of having the affair.

"She said she had suspected something had been going on for some time and now had proof. Ozzy was extremely sheepish and admitted being close to Michelle. It is likely Sharon has discovered calls and possibly meetings."

This isn't the first time the Osbournes have had problems in their marriage, something Sharon has been open about in recent years. Check out the video below.

Writing in her autobiography Unbreakable, Sharon said: "I would never have imagined our anniversary would be the start of one of the worst periods in our marriage."

She explained that she went through his texts and discovered that Ozzy had been taking prescription drugs for a year-and-a-half. The star said: ‘"I thought, ÄI can’t carry this any more. It’s what I have always done and I’m tired. I said, 'I want a divorce.'"

But Ozzy has since started seeing a counsellor and psychiatrist on his own, with Sharon learning to accept her husband, saying: "You can’t change people. You either accept them as they are or you go."

Stay tuned for updates.

Frontiers Music Srl will release JORN's new album, "Heavy Rock Radio", on June 3.

One of the greatest rock singers of our time, Jorn Lande returns with a unique album of covers of classics from artists and bands that have meant something special to him, and helped forge this talented man's own unique style.

The official video for Jorn's version of "Live To Win", which was originally recorded by KISS frontman Paul Stanley, can be seen below.

Through Jorn's extensive career, which includes more than 40 albums of mostly original songs, he has also recorded great versions of several rock classics such as THIN LIZZY's "Are You Ready", UFO's "On And On", DEEP PURPLE's "Perfect Strangers", and many more. Jorn also recorded a successful Ronnie James Dio tribute album, released in 2010. Every song JORN covers is treated with the utmost respect and "Jorn-ized" accordingly. A good example is his heavy sounding version of "I Walk Alone", first released by Tarja Turunen (ex-NIGHTWISH).

"Heavy Rock Radio" is not an ordinary album of cover songs; it is truly a songbook of hits. Featured — among others — are great versions of the EAGLES' "Hotel California" and Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", which gets the Jorn style treatment to become very powerful and epic, without losing its commercial touch. More great classics included are John Farnham's "You're The Voice", QUEEN's "Killer Queen", and two absolute melodic rock evergreen gems in JOURNEY's "Don't Stop Believin'" and FOREIGNER's "Rev On The Red Line".

The original concept of the album was to create a sort of jukebox of radio hits, but to avoid leaning too much on the pop side of rock, JORN decided to blend the track listing with a few more up tempo rock tracks as well, such as "The Final Frontier" by IRON MAIDEN ("probably the closest you get to anything commercial with IRON MAIDEN," says Jorn), "Live To Win" by Paul Stanley (a song which was also featured on the popular television series "South Park"), and a few hard rock classics show up as well from DEEP PURPLE ("Stormbringer"), DIO ("Rainbow In The Dark") and BLACK SABBATH ("Die Young") to complete the mix.

Jorn says: "The most important thing was to treat these songs with respect towards the original versions. My goal was always to think that the original artist would be honored and find my version relevant. At the same time, my intention was never to try to compete with the original song and artist, but make it a strong alternative version to enjoy. At the same time, it is a well-deserved homage to these artists and bands who influenced me strongly, and I have wanted to record these songs for quite some time but was always too busy writing and recording my own songs to make it happen. Originally, I had a list of 40-50 songs I wanted to do, but I had to strip it down to about 15 songs before deciding on the final tracklist. This means that there are some unfinished business musically, and I will most likely record more of these songs in the future."

Since releasing the critically acclaimed Dracula "Swing Of Death" album last year, Jorn has also been working on an album of brand new songs, which will be the follow-up to the 2013 JORN album "Traveller", to be released in early 2017.

Jorn's catalogue is getting too long to include in brief press statements, and his innovative and creative skills have led to him selling millions of albums worldwide and being a frequent entry on sales charts around the world, including Billboard. Worth a mention is his years with MASTERPLAN, with whom he recorded three albums. Claimed to be the biggest selling Norwegian musical export, since the pop band A-HA, Jorn continues his rock crusade, and there are no signs of him slowing down yet.

The title "Heavy Rock Radio" came quite naturally, as the sound of this album feels like if it's tailor made for any rock radio station, and while Jorn's voice can be enjoyed on more than 40 albums in different rock and metal styles, this record is a special treat which will tide over all the fans waiting for the new original album which is being worked on at the moment.

"Heavy Rock Radio" track listing includes:

01. I Know There's Something Going On02. Running Up That Hill03. Rev On The Red Line04. You're The Voice05. Live To Win06. Don't Stop Believin'07. Killer Queen08. Hotel California09. Rainbow In The Dark10. The Final Frontier11. Stormbringer12. Die Young

Recording lineup:

Jorn Lande: VocalsTrond Holter: GuitarFrancesco Iovino: DrumsThomas Bekkevold: BassAlessandro Del Vecchio: Keyboards

Except as follows:

"Rainbow in the Dark"

Jimmy Iversen and Tore Moren - guitarNic Angileri - bassWilly Bendiksen - drums

"Stormbringer"

Jorn Viggo Lofstad - guitarSid Ringsby - bassWilly Bendiksen - drums

On Friday, April 1st Guns N’ Roses played their first live gig of 2016 on the hallowed ground where they started, The Troubadour (West Hollywood, CA). The band hit the stage shortly after midnight and ripped through a set of Guns N' Roses classics along with some covers and a couple surprises, namely songs from the band's Chinese Democracy record that did not feature Slash on the original recordings.

Guns N’ Roses have uploaded the short video below, featuring quality footage from their concert at the Troubadour on April 1st.

Stay tuned for a new video every day this week.

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