According to MyNewsLA.com, the trial of a copyright-infringement lawsuit over LED ZEPPELIN's 1971 classic "Stairway To Heaven" has been postponed from its previously scheduled start date of May 10. U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner has moved the trial to June 14 after previously ruling that the proceedings would last less than a week and attorneys would have no more than ten hours per side to present evidence.

The members of LED ZEPPELIN will have to defend themselves in a U.S. Federal court in a jury trial after being sued by Michael Skidmore, the trustee of the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust, on behalf of the late SPIRIT guitarist who wrote "Taurus" and performed under the name Randy California. The trust is hoping to not only win a monetary judgment, but also secure a writing credit for California on "Stairway To Heaven".

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page will not appear at the upcoming trial, but have already sat for individual depositions in their defense.

The performance and publishing worth of LED ZEPPELIN's "Stairway To Heaven" is estimated to be over $560 million.

The Pulse Of Radio posted some of the restrictions for the upcoming lawsuit that may act in Plant and Page's favor:

* The only version of "Taurus" that will be allowed to be played during the trial will be those that were filed with the copyright office in 1967. Other versions that the plaintiff's lawyers wanted to present that, presumably, showed the similarities between guitar passages even better, are now off limits.* The expert's written opinions that were to be submitted at trial that were based on the disallowed recordings have been rejected. The plaintiff's lawyers have five days to submit new reports based only on the allowed recordings.* All testimony on LED ZEPPELIN's history of plagiarism is barred. The only evidence that will be allowed will be two quotes made by Jimmy Page, himself, in magazine articles on how he wrote music.* There will be no testimony on the drinking or drug habits of the members of LED ZEPPELIN.* There will be no testimony on the wealth of the members of the group.

This Ending has recruited Peter Nagy as their new guitar player. Nagy is known from bands such as Mörk Gryning, Eternal Oath, and Hypocrite and has been a vital part of the Swedish death metal scene since the ‘90s,

The band says: "We're happy and proud to welcome Peter Nagy to This Ending and we’re looking forward to all the evil and canorous music we’ll make together! Peter have already proven to be a solid and charismatic piece in our puzzle as he made his live debut with us on the release party for Garden of Death and we are confident that together we'll bring This Ending to a new level!"
 
Peter adds: "I´m very proud and honored to be a part of This Ending. I´ve been a fan of their music since the first release as A Canorous Quintet, and I´ve also met the guys several times at the same gigs when sharing the stages with my former bands. Looking forward to contribute to the band with all that comes in the future expectations."

Lineup 2016:
Mårten Hansen - vocals
Linus Nirbrant – guitars
Peter Nagy - guitars
Linus Pettersson - bass
Fredrik Andersson – drums

You can't talk about heavy metal without talking about Pentagram. The legendary D.C. band has been committed to the dark arts for going on half a decade, and has only recently seen the kind of recognition its legacy deserves. Though the band has released nine influential full-lengths over the course of its career, Pentagram's most popular and influential material since its Relapse resurrection 15 years ago can be found in First Daze Here, a collection of the band's earliest works that has been out-of-print for years and will now finally see a new reissue via Relapse this coming June. Its companion First Daze Here Too, a 22-track collection of unreleased studio recordings and live rehearsals from the early '70s, will also see its first reissue since going out of print several years ago. 

Both reissues have been newly remastered and include in-depth liner notes from founding Pentagram member / original drummer Geof O'Keefe along with gorgeously revitalized layouts. CD version of First Daze Here includes a vinyl-shaped CD featuring the two newly remastered versions of the infamous Macabre 45! The original mix of the long-lost 45 will also see its first-ever vinyl pressing for this reissue, and is available in the deluxe First Daze Here / First Daze Here Too bundle or along with the Bone White / Gold Merge LP of First Daze Here.

First Daze Here and First Daze Here Too will both be released this June 17th on 2CD/LP/Digital and 2CD/2LP/Digital respectively. Physical preorders, including a variety of limited-edition vinyl colors and exclusive package options containing the Macabre 7", can be found via Relapse Records. Digital preorders for First Daze Here and First Daze Here Too are available via Pentagram's Bandcamp page.

First Daze Here tracklisting:

Disc 1
“Forever My Queen”
“When The Screams Come”
“Walk In The Blue Light”
“Starlady”
“Lazy Lady”
“Review Your Choices”
“Hurricane”
“Livin’ In A Ram’s Head”
“Earth Flight”
“20 Buck Spin”
“Be Forewarned”
“Last Days Here”

Disc 2
“Be Forewarned” (The Macabre 7” – Original Mix)
“Lazy Lady” (The Macabre 7” – Original Mix)

First Daze Here Too tracklisting:

Disc 1
“Wheel Of Fortune”
“When The Screams Come”
“Under My Thumb”
“Smokescreen”
“Teaser”
“Little Games”
“Much Too Young To Know”

Disc 2
“Virgin Death”
“Yes I Do”
“Ask No More”
“Man”
“Be Forewarned”
“Catwalk”
“Die In Your Sleep”
“Frustration”
“Target”
“Everything’s Turning To Night”
“Take Me Away”
“Nightmare Gown”
“Cartwheel”
“Cat & Mouse”
“Show ‘Em How”

“Forever My Queen”:

Pentagram recently announced a West Coast tour with Wax Idols and King Woman this month. The band will be crushing audiences for two weeks kicking off this May 17th, and will also be performing at Psycho Las Vegas this August.

May
17 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
18 - Portland, OR - Dante's
19 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
21 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
23 - Phoenix, AZ - Nile Theater
24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
25 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
26 - Santa Ana, CA - Observatory
27 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
28 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz

Despite its reputation as one of the most exciting live bands to ever rock an arena in the ‘70s, Bad Company never released a live album during its meteoric rise to the top of the charts. That will soon change when Rhino introduces the first-ever official live album to spotlight the original Bad Company line up: Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell. 

Live In Concert 1977 & 1979 was released on April 29th as a double-CD set. The collection includes more than two-and-half hours of unreleased music taken from 24-track tapes in the band’s vault. The music heard on this live collection features absolutely no enhancements or overdubs, nothing but the band as they performed live on the night of the concert. Vinyl fans take note: the concerts will also be released individually as double-LP sets later this year.

Check out the video trailer below:

Live In Concert 1977 & 1979 includes two previously unreleased concerts – with one additional track taken from the group’s June 26th, 1979 show in Washington, DC.

The first disc captures the band’s show at the Summit House in Houston, Texas, which took place on May 23rd, 1977. It was recorded during Bad Company’s tour supporting its fourth studio album Burning Sky. After opening with the title track from the album, the band went on to play selections from all its previous albums: Run With The Pack (1976), Straight Shooter (1975) and Bad Company (1974). Among the crowd-pleasing highlights are strong performances of “Shooting Star,” “Ready For Love,” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”

The next disc fast-forwards two years to the band’s March 9th, 1979 show in London, which was recorded during the band’s tour for its multi-platinum album, Desolation Angels. Several songs from that album were performed during the show, including “Rock ’N’ Roll Fantasy,” “Gone, Gone, Gone” and “She Brings Me Love.” The group also performed several songs from earlier albums that weren’t part of the 1977 concert, like “Run With The Pack,” “Rock Steady” and “Can’t Get Enough.”

Live In Concert 1977 & 1979 also includes the band’s stellar cover of “Hey Joe,” which was recorded on March 9th, 1979 at the Capitol Center in Washington, DC.

Tracklisting:

CD1 – Live At The Summit, Houston, TX (May 23rd, 1977)
“Burnin’ Sky”
“Too Bad”
“Ready For Love”
“Heartbeat”
“Morning Sun”
“Man Needs Woman”
“Leaving You”
“Shooting Star”
“Simple Man”
“Movin’ On”
“Like Water”
“Live For The Music”
Drum Solo
“Good Lovin’ Gone Bad”
“Feel Like Makin’ Love”

CD2 – Live At The Empire Pool, Wembley, UK (March 9th, 1979)
“Bad Company”
“Gone, Gone, Gone”
“Shooting Star”
“Rhythm Machine”
“Oh, Atlanta”
“She Brings Me Love”
“Run With The Pack”
“Evil Wind”
Drum Solo
“Honey Child”
“Rock Steady”
“Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy”
“Hey Joe”*
“Feel Like Makin’ Love”
“Can’t Get Enough”

*Recorded at Capitol Center, Washington, DC (June 26th, 1979)

Sara of the 93.3 WMMR radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania conducted an interview with drummer Brann Dailor of Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

Speaking about the progress of the songwriting sessions for MASTODON's 2014 album "Once More 'Round The Sun", Brann said: "At the moment, it's just a ton of riffs, and they're kind of starting to form songs now, so we kind of have a… And we have some stuff that didn't make the last record, and not because it wasn't awesome, but it just didn't fit the vibe of the stuff we had more of. And we were gonna do this winter EP thing, but that material's kind of morphed into more than just that, so I think it'll warrant a full album release. So we have that stuff, and then we have a whole new crop of songs. We have a lot of material, so we have to whittle it down at the moment. And we're still just kind of experimenting. We go over to Bill's [Kelliher, guitar] basement and sit down there and riff out, and throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks."

Dailor added that it's highly unlikely any of the new MASTODON material will be ready to be performed in time for the band's May 5 concert in Philadelphia with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. He said: "They're songs and they're riffs that belong together. But we write the music first, and then we kind of come in afterwards and figure out where we can shoehorn vocals."

Brann also talked about the possibility of MASTODON's next album featuring special guests. He said: "I don't know. It just all has to be sort of an organic thing; it has to come up naturally. You write a part and you kind of feel like, 'Maybe so-and-so's voice would be suited to maybe sing that part.' But we always like doing that, and it's always usually surprise when we do it, except for Scott Kelly [NEUROSIS]. You know, we don't put any pressure on him to be on the album. If he's feeling it, you know what I mean? But I always preface it with, 'No pressure, Scott.'"

"Once More 'Round The Sun" sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 24, 2014 via Reprise Records.

Interview (audio):

Danish heavy metal singer King Diamond (KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE), who has lived in suburban Dallas, Texas for more than two decades, has weighed in on the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He told Metal Hammer magazine: "I never talk openly about my political beliefs. I am an entertainer, and don't believe I should use this position to preach to anyone about who they should be voting for. Others might disagree, but that's the way I feel.

"I am eligible to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, but I won't, because there isn't a candidate who represents what I want. In Denmark, you have thirteen or more political parties, so it's not too difficult to find a party who reflect your views. Coalitions happen all the time, and there's a decent percentage that will be represented. In America, though, it's a two-party system, and that's bad because they spend much of the time disagreeing with each other for the sake of casing arguments. If one patty suggests doing something, you know the other will automatically argue against that. So, what chance is there for a reasonable representation?"

He added: "All I would say to people is that they should read as much as they can about candidates, find out what they can, then make make up their own minds."

King also talked about his health, six years after he underwent open-heart triple-bypass surgery. He said: "I have become a lot healthier. I gave up smoking after my heart scare, my wife keeps me on a strict diet that I follow completely, and doctors are amazed at how healthy I am these days. Honestly, I think I am now healthier than I have ever been."

He continued: "I've also found that, since I made a real effort to have a healthy lifestyle, my voice has improved so much. I can now hit notes that were a struggle for me when I was younger. As for my sex life, that's just great now. And I am not saying that because my wife is sitting next to me!"

King, 59, is married to Livia Zita, the Hungarian-born singer who is 28 years his junior.

KING DIAMOND's November 25, 2015 and November 28, 2015 live shows in Philadelphia and Detroit, respectively, were flmed for the band's forthcoming DVD. The set is being helmed by director Denise Korycki (CANNIBAL CORPSE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), and will include additional footage from multiple shows throughout the band's most recent North American trek.

KING DIAMOND performed its classic second album, 1987's concept effort "Abigail", in its entirety on the band's latest U.S. tour.

Vardøger, the first of three short films by noted Norwegian shock filmmaker Reinert Kiil and set to Mortiis' "Geisteskrank”, can be seen below. Kiil's mind-blowing visuals accompany Mortiis' track, recorded during the same sessions that yielded Mortiis' latest work, The Great Deceiver.

"The video unpleasantness continues," said Mortiis, who has already unveiled three graphically-intense videos from The Great Deceiver. "A while back Norwegian horror director Reinert Kiil started his short film trilogy based on his own ugly descent into depravity and violence. Never ones to turn our backs to a good cause, we leaped at the opportunity to provide the soundtrack to what is essentially a good old bashing. Vardøger is the first part. I've seen the next one, and it just keeps getting worse."

Kiil began toying around with filmmaking as an adolescent. The director has now gained notoriety as Norway's only Grindhouse filmmaker. Kiil's work with Mortiis is his first musical collaboration. Both parties were intrigued by the idea of delving into the other's art-form, but both were waiting to find that kindred soul to capture a shared essence. Mortiis and Kiil found that in each other.

"The music is sonically fused with a glimpse of his soul - or crazed mind or whatever it might be - and it is complete, a sordid success," Mortiis said. "The result is sleazy, strange, disturbing, and extremely violent."

Mortiis will be returning to UK shores for a run of seven headline shows this month. The tour kicks off at Newcastle’s Cluny venue on May 23rd and commences at Bristol’s Fleece on May 29th.

The band comments: ”It’s about time we came back to the UK for some shows. See you in May, you bastards.”

Tour dates:

May
23 - Newcastle, UK - Cluny
24 - Glasgow, UK - Audio
25 - Manchester, UK - Ruby
26 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Institute
27 - Brighton, UK - Haunt
28 - London, UK - Garage
29 - Bristol, UK - Fleece

Tickets are on sale now at this location.

Guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH spoke to OC Weekly about his forthcoming solo project. "It's anything but metal but it's still very dark and different," Nergal said, referencing non-metal influences such as Neil Young and Johnny Cash. "[The solo album] is semi-acoustic and very stripped down in its instrumentation.

"I'm not expecting BEHEMOTH fans to like it," he continued. "Some will like it because they are a little open-minded, but I'm doing this because I'm a free artist and I'm free to do whatever I want. That's what freedom means to me and that's what being an artist means to me."

Nergal recently posted two short video clips of what appears to be the studio sessions for his forthcoming acoustic project. Check them out below.

BEHEMOTH is touring North America this spring, featuring MYRKUR as support. BEHEMOTH is playing its latest album, "The Satanist", in its entirety. In addition to the concert, fans also have the chance to view "The Congregation" exhibition at each venue. Dubbed "a symbiosis of BEHEMOTH and Toxic Vision," the display showcases the collaboration between the two parties.

"The Satanist" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Action News Jax has posted a new interview with Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine and during the interview, Mustaine was asked about interacting with people on social media.

Mustaine said: “The thing with social media is there’s so much dishonesty about it out there and anonymity, so people will say stuff that they’ve met us, that they know us. I mean there’s something going around that the singer from Paramore is my niece or something like that and it’s like, I know the band Paramore, but I didn’t know who the singer was. When they said her name, I was like ‘I don’t know who that was’.”

He continues, “But I think social media can be used for good too. If you know how to use it, you have to have a thick skin, you have not worry about what the trolls are doing because as funny as this sounds, trolls need love too, and you just either ignore them or love on them until they wake up or they go away. If they see they’re getting in your face and bugging you, they’re gonna keep doing it. I just look at it like this: I treat everybody with love and respect.”  

Megadeth performed at Terminal 5 in New York, NY on March 16th and 17th. The band have now posted this recap video from the shows:

Get a 360° view of Megadeth performing "Poisonous Shadows" from their Virtual Reality experience for the new album Dystopia, below. Purchase the VR goggles and album here.

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently revealed via Twitter that his band will be filming a video for the song "Post American World" from Dystopia. No further details were announced.

Fan-filmed video of Megadeth  performing "Post American World" live at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, PA on March 19th can be seen below.

Megadeth resumed their Dystopia world tour on April 28th in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A complete list of tour dates can be found at this location.

 

 

 

Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt of STATUS QUO are delighted to announce another great double act! They have teamed up with a pair of great British producers to create a duo of classic drinks: the "Dog Of Two Head" ale and the "Down Down" cider. Both will offer a refined pedigree, based on character and tradition; qualities that define STATUS QUO. Both "Dog Of Two Head" and "Down Down" are being made available, bottled, nationally through the Spar chain from May 18. "Dog Of Two Head" will be available to buy on draught at selected outlets from June. "Down Down" has been selected for Wetherspoon's National Cider Festival which runs from Friday, July 8. "Dog Of Two Head" ale was created in conjunction with Hobsons Brewery in Shropshire, "Down Down" cider is crafted by the Celtic Marches company in Herefordshire. The band have been involved in the brewing process and cider making right from the off, visiting the facilities, working with each of the relevant teams in choosing the individual elements that give each product their satisfying and refreshing quality — and even spending a day harvesting apples for the cider. Francis Rossi said: "We know what we like. And we know what our fans like. And I think we can all agree that we like these!" Rick Parfitt added: "It's no secret that over the years the band has enjoyed a drink or three. Finally, we're actually seeing a return on those wasted hours by creating something useful. We love it!" "Dog Of Two Head" is a chestnut amber traditional ale, with a modern citrus twist delivered by the British hops. This is a subtle ale deftly uniting and balancing the influences of malt, hops and natural bitterness. "Dog" is created by Hobsons from British malting barley, and a blend of U.K.-grown Fuggles, Challenger, Goldings and Progress hops. "Down Down" is beautifully-rounded golden, medium cider, with a well-balanced finish. Drawing on generations of heritage and expertise, "Down Down" is made with the finest fresh-pressed cider apples which are grown on the Celtic Marches family farm. The cider will be available in three formats: Carbonated in 500ml bottles and 30-liter keg, and Still in 20-liter boxes. Both "Dog Of Two Head" and "Down Down" will be available online. The beer can be purchased from this location. The cider can be ordered online from this location.

STATUS QUO are a band that are known for delivering creativity, entertainment and consistency at the highest level, and in that they feel a kinship with their chosen partners on this drinks range. The band have already proved that they know this market, launching the "Piledriver" beer brand, which went on to sell over a million and a half pints in the U.K. alone! This ale and cider are sure to be enjoyed by QUO fans, but also by anyone who loves a great British product.

Photo credit: Danny Clifford

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA have entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden to begin recording their new album for a tentative late 2016 release. Helming the sessions for the follow-up to 2013's "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" is Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH, among others.

The second in a series of webisodes featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of SEPULTURA's new album can be seen below.

Said SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser: "We're very happy that we have a chance to work with [Jens]."

SEPULTURA released a limited-edition seven-inch single to mark its 30th anniversary. "Under My Skin" features artwork of fan tattoos on its cover, with a live version of "Kairos" on the b-side. The single was issued on black, yellow and green vinyl, with only 200 copies of each version pressed.

"The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" came out on October 29, 2013 via Nuclear Blast.

Kisser told Metal Wani about SEPULTURA's last CD: "I think we have two factors on this last album, which are very important. I mean, [producer] Ross [Robinson] is one of them, for sure. And the other one is our new drummer [Eloy Casagrande], [who's been] four years with us already. And he really brought some new possibilities for our music. He's an amazing musician; he can play basically anything. [His playing style is] very metal, very powerful, very much with that urge to break limits. So the consequence was 'Mediator' — songs that were really… that stretch our possibilities as musicians, which was great for me, Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr., bass] and Derrick [Green, vocals], to have that kind of push and motivation to do something extra and something new, and really to take SEPULTURA to a different level. And Ross [who previously worked with SEPULTURA on 1996's 'Roots'] really enhanced everything, especially with Derrick's singing and the performance. It was great. I mean, of course, it was different times and different ideas than 'Roots' and stuff, but we have that kind of communication of friends. I mean, we know each other, and we respect each other so much. It was the perfect choice; we're very happy with everything."

CREED singer Scott Stapp has confirmed that he has joined ART OF ANARCHY as the replacement for late STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland.

ART OF ANARCHY released a self-titled debut album last year that featured Weiland alongside DISTURBED bassist John Moyer and ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

Stapp's involvement with ART OF ANARCHY was originally slated to be announced in July, but the CREED frontman decided to "share this announcement sooner to clarify" recent speculation that he might have joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS as that band's new singer. The STP rumor was apparently semi-started by Stapp himself, who hinted in a radio interview that he had been recruited by STP as the third lead singer in the band's history. But STP tweeted a brief statement on Monday (May 2) saying, "Despite recent comments, Scott Stapp is not, nor has he ever been considered as the singer for STP."

Said Stapp in a statement:" I wanted to clarify any confusions on STP and my comment. First off, Scott Weiland in STP is irreplaceable. I was recently asked what I'm currently working on in an interview and could not reveal details or announce this new project. This led the interviewer to assume it was STP and he eagerly kept asking for more details. Evidently my response caused confusion.

"I'm excited to share I've been working with ART OF ANARCHY band whose members are Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, formerly of GUNS N' ROSES, John Moyer of DISTURBED and Jon and Vince Votta. Original announcement was slated for July along with our first single and album to follow but happy to share this announcement sooner to clarify.

"ART OF ANARCHY is the project that I was referring to in the interview, not STP. Scott Weiland was a part of ART OF ANARCHY and that's the six degrees of separation I was referring to. Always been a fan of STP and I wish them all the best in their search for a new singer."

Weiland, whom STP parted ways with in 2002 and again in 2013, died last December.

Stapp went through a highly publicized, drug-enhanced meltdown in 2014, after which he entered into an intensive rehab program and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Stapp is now sober and in intensive therapy, although he recently began touring as a solo artist again.

Photo: Annie Atlasman

According to De Standaard, approximately 7,000 AC/DC fans who bought tickets to see the band perform on May 16 at Werchter Festivalpark in Werchter, Belgium have requested to get their money back because they don't want to watch Axl Rose on lead vocals. Live Nation, which is producing the show, said that the disappointed fans had until Monday night (May 2) to claim a refund. The newly released seats were then first made available to those people who were previously on the waiting list for the event, with the remaining 6,000 tickets once again going on sale to the general public.

The show is one of twelve European dates AC/DC will perform with the GUNS N' ROSES frontman on lead vocals after Brian Johnson was ordered to stop touring or risk going deaf.

A similar refund offer has been made available on some of the other dates on AC/DC's European tour, which kicks off on May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal and runs through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark. Following that, Rose will head out on his previously announced summer reunion tour with GUNS N' ROSES. AC/DC's ten postponed U.S. dates will take place later in the year, also with Rose as frontman, and the refund policy on those shows has not been revealed.

According to Billboard, Rose met with the members of AC/DC twice in March, in Miami and Atlanta, about doing the shows. Singers from AC/DC tribute acts were also auditioned, and at one point there was talk of having other vocalists alternate with Rose, including ex-SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach and Nic Cester of the Australian band JET.

Fan reaction to Rose replacing Johnson — even temporarily — has been largely negative. The fan site AC/DC Italia announced it was shutting down in protest, while AC/DC biographer Jesse Fink called it "the worst decision AC/DC has ever made. Fans are pretty disgusted... AC/DC is all about the money now."

AC/DC guitarist Angus Young made a guest appearance with GUNS N' ROSES at the Coachella festival in California last month, to tie in with the official confirmation of Rose's involvement.

Classic Rock magazine recently posted a story on its web site as to why Axl Rose is the "worst idea" to replace Johnson in AC/DC. Its sister publication, Metal Hammer, has since countered with why it is a "brilliant idea," and here are some of their reasons:

1) "Various singers from bands ranging from KROKUS to THE HIVES have thrown their hat in the ring, but all along, there was only one viable direction, and that was pulling in a high-profile singer who knows the material, who has the range and who's got the time."

2) "Anybody who's watched GUNS N' ROSES' version of 'Whole Lotta Rosie' on YouTube must grudgingly admit that he riotously delivers the punch and snarl of the original. There is no debate that Axl has the style and the range to handle the band's current set list."

3) "Say what you will about Axl, but he's possessed of high intelligence and his own keen survival instinct; he acutely understands that before him lies a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to elevate his stature among his fans and peers and to carve his name on the wall of the AC/DC legacy for all time. No way will Axl blow this..."

4) "Finally, think about the ticket holders. If you had a ticket to one of these shows and word comes down that the band have hired the guy from KROKUS to front them, are you going to go? But put Axl Rose and now you’ve got something to see."

British melodic rockers, Vega, will release their new album, Who We Are, on May 13th. A music video for the track “White Flag” is streaming below.

Vega is really one of the few bands who successfully manage to mix in their music the heritage of the great melodic rock bands of the 80’s and 90’s with a very contemporary approach to songwriting and production. Vega is indeed one of the few bands that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and give you that butterflies in your stomach excitement as you listen to the songs on an album for the first time. And with their fourth studio album, Who We Are, Vega manage again to create a magic formula with 11 concise and riveting songs that rock from start to finish and will leave you wanting more.

“We always try to push the envelope with each record that we do and this one is no different. We have put in all of our different musical influences into every song and what has come out of it is undoubtedly Vega but a Vega that is bigger than ever!” says singer Nick Workman.

Brothers Tom and James Martin say: “We're thrilled with how this record came out. We were in a fortunate position where we could fly Harry Hess over from Canada to produce the record. We spent the best part of 3 weeks with Harry at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales perfecting this record. There was laughter, blood, sweat and tears along the way and even a hospital visit, but what a great time we had! And to be recording where the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin Official, Oasis and Black Sabbath have recorded was incredibly inspiring.”

“The ballad “Nothing Lasts Forever” is a stand out for me,” adds keyboard player James Martin. ”It's a huge piano ballad with Queen and The Beatles influences and Harry really went to town on the production of this song.”

Tom Martin says: "This is probably our most diverse record and that's what we tried for when choosing the songs. Each song has its own identity and we probably have the heaviest and softest songs we have ever recorded and everything in between. That gives you an idea of how strong the material is on this record."

Vega will embark on a tour upon the new album’s release with UK rock veterans Magnum. Who We Are truly sees the band taking their song writing and performance to the next level. Be sure to catch the guys on tour.

Who We Are tracklisting

“Explode”
“We Got It All”
“Every Little Monster”
“Nothing Is Forever”
“White Flag”
“For Our Sins”
“Generation Now”
“Ignite”
“Savin' Grace”
“If Not You”
“Hurts So Bad”

“White Flag” video:

“Explode”:

“We Got It All”:

“Every Little Monster” lyric video:

Vega lineup:

Nick Workman - Vocals
Tom Martin - Guitars
Dan Chantrey - Drums
James Martin - Keyboards
Marcus Thurston – Guitars

ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna joined SEVENDUST on stage on April 30 at the Fort Rock festival, which was held at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, to perform the SEVENDUST song "Face To Face". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Belladonna, whose most recent return to ANTHRAX was officially announced in May 2010, was originally the lead singer of ANTHRAX from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the band's classic lineup (alongside Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante), which reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006. His voice was featured on over 10 albums, which reportedly sold eight million copies worldwide.

ANTHRAX's latest album, "For All Kings", came out on February 26 via Megaforce in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.

SEVENDUST was among the nominees for the 58th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 15, 2016 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The band's eleventh studio album, "Kill The Flaw", debuted at No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart, having shifted 21,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015.

Fan-filmed video footage of QUIET RIOT's April 30 performance at the M3 Rock Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland can be seen below.

In a 2014 interview with MLive.com, QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali spoke about the band's decision to enlist Jizzy Pearl (LOVE/HATE, L.A. GUNS, ADLER'S APPETITE, RATT) as its new lead singer following the departure of Scott Vokoun.

"There is the misconception that Jizzy is the fourth [QUIET RIOT] singer [since the band reformed in 2010]," Banali said. "He's actually the third. We hired Mark Huff and let him go and I asked my friend and former MONTROSE singer Keith St. John to fill in for three shows that we had on the books. That hardly qualifies him as a singer for QUIET RIOT. We then hired Scott Vokoun and subsequently also let him go. That's where the real story begins when we asked Jizzy Pearl to come on board. After giving to unknowns the opportunity, we went with a pro. Jizzy is the real deal."

He continued: "I am very conscious of Kevin's [DuBrow, late QUIET RIOT singer] legacy and the legacy of QUIET RIOT as I continue this journey. You can never replace a singer or performer like the late, great Kevin DuBrow who was the total rock and roll package. He was also my best and closest friend, so that plays into it as well. To me it has to sound like QUIET RIOT, though not exactly as it was with Kevin, but it still has to have that 'sound' and energy. Jizzy is doing a fantastic job of keeping the spirit, music and sound of Kevin's vocals while bringing his own sound to the band which blends really well."

DuBrow died in November 2007 of an accidental cocaine overdose. He was 52 years old.

In addition to Banali and Pearl, QUIET RIOT's current lineup includes bassist Chuck Wright and guitarist Alex Grossi.

"Quiet Riot: Well Now You're Here There's No Way Back", the feature documentary on QUIET RIOT, was released last year. It is described as an inside look at Frankie's road to recovery after losing DuBrow as he forges ahead to conquer his loss, regain his life and put the band back together.

Sensory Records has locked the summer release date for Machina Viva, the vast fifth studio album from leading Swedish progressive metal outfit, Wolverine. The band has released a lyric video for the track "Machina".

Recorded and produced by Wolverine in various locations throughout Sweden during the fall and winter months of late 2015 and early 2016, Machina Viva was mixed at Spacelab Studio in Germany by Christian "Moschus" Moos (Everon, Haken, Delain, Cloverseeds), and mastered by Grammy Award winning audio engineer Bob Katz.

A natural progression from the band's previous album, Communication Lost, released in 2011 via Candlelight Records, Machina Viva invites the listener into the harmonious yet portentous and sullen musical dimensions of Wolverine with perhaps their most dynamic album to date. From the fourteen-minute epic and powerful "The Bedlam Overture" and the dark electronic landscapes of "Machina," to the naked and organic nature of "Pile Of Ash" and "Sheds," Machina Viva is the next step in Wolverine's explorations in the progressive field. The layout features microbiological photos by Arturo Agostino and cover art by drummer Marcus Losbjer. Additionally, the CD edition will bear an additional bonus cello version of "Pile Of Ash”.

Wolverine's first title for the Sensory Records division of US progressive powerhouse Laser's Edge, Machina Viva will see worldwide release on July 8th. Additional video and audio samples of the album will be issued over the weeks ahead.

Tracklisting:

“The Bedlam Overture”
“Machina”
“Pile Of Ash” (ES335 version)
“Our Last Goodbye”
“Pledge”
“When The Night Comes”
“Nemesis”
“Sheds”
“Pile Of Ash” (cello version) *

* bonus track

"Machina" video:

Trailer:

(Photo - Mattias Wigforss)

Gathering Of Kings can best be described as a Swedish melodic rock phenomena-type-project. The yet untitled debut album will be produced, mixed and mastered by Thomas ”Plec” Johansson (Watain, Onslaught, Scar Symmetry, Solution. 45, The Night Flight Orchestra).

Gathering Of Kings have now confirmed the following artists:

Vocals:
- Björn Strid (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra)
- Rick Altzi (Masterplan, At Vance)
- Apollo Papathanasio (Spiritual Beggars, Firewind)
- Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse, W.E.T, Nordic Union)
- Tobias Jansson (Saffire)

Guitars:
- Niclas Engelin (In Flames, Engel, Drömriket)
- Stefan Helleblad (Within Temptation, Jono)
- Victor Olsson (Saffire)
- Chris Laney (Randy Piper’s Animal, Shotgun)
- Martin Sweet (Crashdïet, Sister)

Bass:
- Nalle Påhlsson (Therion, Treat)

Keyboards:
- Richard Larsson (The Night Flight Orchestra)

Drums:
- Robban Bäck (Mustasch, Eclipse, Sabaton, W.E.T)
- Jonas Källsbäck (The Night Flight Orchestra, Mean Streak)

French melodic power prog band Eternal Flight has released a lyric video for “Pandora’s Box”. This is the second of three songs featuring drummer John Macaluso (Ark, Yngwie Malmsteen, Symphony X, TNT, Riot). A permanent drummer will soon be added to the lineup and announced in June. The end of the summer will see the band recording a full-length album at Morphoenix Studio.

The first track recorded by this lineup was “Angles Of Violence”:

The lineup that recorded the songs:

Gérard Fois - vocals, keys and production
Jérome Fischer - lead and rhythm guitars
Thibaud Ducrot - lead and rhythm guitars
Arnaud Neri - bass
John Macaluso - drums

Swedish death/thrash-metal group Feared has just shared a new music video for “Lords Resistance Army”, the leading single from the band’s forthcoming 10th anniversary album Reborn. Watch the video directed by guitarist Ola Englund and Patrik Forsberg below.

Reborn features the best tracks from the band’s first two records, 2011’s Rejects and 2012’s Refeared, totally re-recorded and revamped for this 10th anniversary and will be available on digital download and CD, including some deluxe editions. Release is set for June 3rd.

Guitarist and founder Ola Englund commented: “We always felt that the first two albums were not up to par with Furor Incarnatus, Vinter and Synder. Refeared and Rejects didn't have real drums and it has a lot to be desired mixing job so we decided to revisit these two releases. Reborn is a best of Refeared and Rejects totally re-recorded and revamped for the 10th anniversary. We believe the songs have much more to offer with real drums, better production, new mix, new master etc. We're extremely proud about our whole catalogue and we want to thank our fans and followers for their constant support.”

Preorders for the digital version of “Reborn” are now available at this location, while physical copies can be obtained here.

Reborn tracklisting:
 
“Opening Scene”
“Fall of Man”
“World Eater”
“Lords Resistance Army”
“Our Dying World”
“The Morgue”
“The Turn”
“Breaking The Cycle”
“My Last Line”
“Changes”
“OCD”
“The Bridge”

"Lords Resistance Army":

Teaser:

Formed in 2007, Feared was the brainchild of guitarist and producer Ola Englund, but from a potent start it soon disbanded. The heart and presence of the band though continued to breathe through Englund and the numerous instrumental songs he recorded and released on YouTube as tutorials. It was 2010 which saw Feared beginning to re-emerge when the guitarist and vocalist Mario Ramos (Demonoid) worked on a self-titled debut album; a release swiftly earning acclaim and support from fans and media alike. The energy and passion of the band only grew and blossomed from thereon in, as equally its evolving sounds. The following year saw the greedily received Rejects unveiled, as well as a re-recorded and remixed version of their debut album called Refeared, both pushing the band into broader attention. They were followed in 2013 by praise soaked third album Furor Incarnatus, it similarly whipping up a torrent of eager responses and new spotlights.

It was eclipsed in exploration and imagination, not forgetting acclaim, by Vinter a year later though. The album came after a period between releases which saw Englund also become the new guitarist of Swedish comrades The Haunted, drummer Kevin Talley (Suffocation, ex-Dying Fetus, ex-Black Dahlia Murder) additionally join the ranks of BattleCross, and ex-Clawfinger bassist Jocke Skog recruited by and bringing Feared another surge of new energy and thought. It all only strengthened the intensive passion and inventive appetite of the band, as well as sparking fresh avenues to investigate in sound, all evidenced dramatically in Vinter and with even greater adventure on its successor Synder.

Meaning sins in English, Synder is the blistering success of Feared pushing their limits and imaginations into darker depths and intimate challenges once more yet emerging as provocative and expansive landscapes of furious sound and unbridled emotion. Produced by Englund and Skog, and wrapped in the striking artwork of Sylvain Razorimages, Synder is the most intensive collaboration within the band yet; a sonic emprise breeding one explosive tempest and inspiring intensive roar from the heart of Feared.

2016 sees Feared celebrating their 10th anniversary and to mark the occasion the Swedish group will release the new collection, Reborn.

Sick Drummer Magazine has posted this new video of Between The Buried And Me drummer Blake Richardson performing "Famine Wolf" at the Summit Music Hall in Denver, CO on March 14th.

Between The Buried And Me will be heading to Europe in July for selected festivals and club shows alongside Protest The Hero.

Comments bassist Dan Briggs: "It's pretty surreal that our summer trip will not only begin in Barcelona, but also playing alongside legendary prog artists including Magma. Looking forward to visiting some cities we've never been to before and watching baseball at odd hours while everyone else is recovering from their soccer/footie matches!"

European dates:

July
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Be Prog! My Friend Festival
3 - Toulouse, France - Connexion Live (with Protest The Hero)
4 - Marseille, France - Jas Rod (with Protest The Hero)
5 - Lyon, France - CCO (with Protest The Hero)
8 - Milan, Italy - Dissonance Festival
10 - Nottingham, England - Newark Showground
11 - Paris, France - Divan Du Monde (with Protest The Hero)
12 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage (with Protest The Hero)
13 - Berlin, Germany - Musik & Frieden (with Protest The Hero)
14 - Köln, Germany - Underground (with Protest The Hero)
15 - Dour, Belgium - Dour Festival
16 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg (with Protest The Hero)

Recently on the road with August Burns Red and Good Tiger, Between The Buried And Me launched a new live video from the tour: "The Ectopic Stroll". Filmed at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles (an intimate venue for this massive trek), "The Ectopic Stroll" can be viewed  below. The track is taken from Between The Buried And Me's recently released album, Coma Ecliptic.

Other live dates:

May
6 - Concord, NC - Carolina Rebellion
22 - Columbus, OH - Rock on the Range

Vancouver, BC's Without Mercy have welcomed their fans to the depths of hell with the premiere of their new music video “Burn”, which is in support of their upcoming EP Mouichido set for release on May 27th. Album preorder at Bandcamp.

"On the surface, 'Burn' shows a decent into hell. The imagery and content seems to follow the rhetoric of a burning and painful afterlife. In reality, 'Burn' is actually about the decent into madness. Your own personal hell while you battle your inner demons and face your own addictions. Listeners of this song can hear references to famous depictions of damnation from other literary worlds and even a very famous video game,” comments guitarist DJ Temple.

Mouichido is a rebirth for the band as it's a re-release of re-recorded material from their 2014 EP Reborn. Mouichido, the Japanese word for “Repeat” or “to do one more time” is perfectly titled for the EP to signify its re-release of previously recorded versions that now feature new vocalist Alex Friis and bass tracks recorded by Tristan Martin plus live performance being done by Ryan Loewen along with a guest appearance by vocalist Mark Hunter of Chimaira on track “In Waves”.

Tracklisting:

“Worthless”
“In Waves”
“Burn”
“Morphine”

“Burn” video:

(Photo by: Shimon Karmel)