Cradle Of Filth backing vocalist/keyboardist Lindsay Schoolcraft has used her downtime from touring the band's latest album, Hammer Of The Witches, for a trip to the studio. She has checked in with a cover of the Vast song "Flames", released under the Schoolcraft banner.

"I consider this the greatest love song ever. I finally mustered up the ovaries of steel to cover it."

Australian Music Network recently caught up with Schoolcraft. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Lindsay: "There are things I can talk about because I’m allowed to talk about them. Of course, Cradle of Filth: we haven’t started yet, but we’ve discussed doing the next album together. So I’ve been given a grace period; I have until June, and then in June I’m going to start composing for Cradle of Filth again, which I’m looking forward to, because it’s going to be the same collaborative effort of the band as we had last time, but this time we’re actually going to meet for a week in Europe and sit down together and do it the way what we feel were the greatest Cradle albums were done—where all six of us are in a room, we’re focussed and we’re making these big songs happen. So that I’m looking forward to.

When it comes to Schoolcraft, before starting, I have to say I’m really, really passionate about organic instruments and about the string sections and having everything authentic. I feel that in today’s world, production is so polished and too clean, and all my favourite music was—not to say terribly produced—but it had some raw authentic qualities to it. And with Schoolcraft, I am redoing some of my old works, and I’m working on new works, and I want the real, live strings. And I’ve found a way to do it within a budget that works, because let’s be honest, this isn’t exactly something that is super affordable. But I believe you have to do your art right, or don’t do it at all.

I’m working on an EP right now with a local band here in Canada. They’re called Darkstone Crows. They’ve got more of a very raw kind of Alice in Chains-vibe, but the singer sounds like Stevie Nicks, and they’re fantastic at what they do. We found a way to make our two styles work together, so I’m doing one EP with them at the moment. We’re still trying to get it together, and we’re taking our time with it. Usually I’d be like, rush, rush, rush, get out a Schoolcraft song right now, but I want to do it right. I’m not going to make people wait years and years and years, but I am going to make sure that I’m happy with it before I put it out there. Because if you rush things, then you’ll look back that them later and think, I could’ve done this a little bit differently. I don’t want to live like that anymore, especially as an artist."

Click here for the complete interview. For information on Darkstone Crows go to this location.

Cradle Of Filth will be returning to Belarus and Russia in May with support from Xandria. Dates are posted below, tickets went on sale March 2nd.

Check out fan-filmed video of the band's complete Orlando show on February 2nd below.

Cradle Of Filth have released a music video for the track "Blackest Magick In Practice" (streaming below). The clip was directed by Sam Scott-Hunter and the song is taken from the groups latest tome of horror and romance, Hammer Of The Witches.

Comments the director: "There’s dark madness in this video. “Blackest Magick In Practice” is a deeply tragic tale of lost love. It’s the grief stricken insanity of trying to bring back that loved one from the dead; desperately trying to hold onto that person who’s gone, even if that leads down a dark and gruesome path. I don’t want to give it all away, but I will say that the hardest part of the production was getting hold of a human ear.

"I wanted to convey the power of the band too, in amongst the romance, madness and magick. Behind the imagery of the lyrics is a great and powerful metal band of amazing musicians, and I hope people can feel the intensity of the band when they watch this. It is intense viewing. There should be a bit of madness in the video, because there’s madness in this song."

Cradle Of Filth's latest album, Hammer Of The Witches, was brought to fruition in Britain's Witch County, in darkest rural Suffolk at the reputedly haunted Grindstone Studios. The album's title is named after the Malleus Maleficarum, a medieval document of guidelines regarding the persecution and torture of witches - but Cradle Of Filth’s title version is more retributory: It's the Hammer Of The Witches; the hammer is in the witches' hands and it's payback time.

Unquestionably one of the greatest and most influential British metal bands of all time, Cradle Of Filth have cast a commanding and macabre shadow across the metal scene for nearly a quarter of a century. Armed with their trademark, cross-pollinated assault that taps into myriad strands of sonic extremity and morbid opulence they have steadily conquered the entire world, unleashing a malevolent slew of classic albums along the way. From the raw and rambunctious savagery of their 1994 debut The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh to the wickedly monstrous, technicolor bombast of 2012's The Manticore & Other Horrors, the Cradle ethos and aesthetic has had a huge impact on the evolution of metal, the band's insatiable appetite for performing live and frontman Dani Filth's unerring charisma and sense of occasion ensuring that they have established a powerful and enduring connection with Hell-bound acolytes everywhere.

Photo by Melissa Matheson Photography

Modern progressive/experimental metal group Valleys have returned from their 18-day Experiment One: Asylum Tour. With the success of their new album and with the incredible feedback presented by this tour, Valleys have announced they are ready to start writing for the next record.

On February 5th, 2016, Valleys lost vocalist, MIkey Clement, to a horrific car accident. This unfortunate event set off a massive change in the band. Bassist, Brandon Clement, brother of Mikey, decided to leave the band as well. Now the band is set as a four piece. The tragic passing of Mikey and the sudden departure of Brandon left a big toll on the remaining members of Valleys. However, the band vows to push forward in tribute and memory of Mikey.

The writing process for the new record will take a while, but the band is planning to release an EP in late 2016 before continue progress on the follow up to Experiment One: Asylum, slated for a 2017 release.

(Photo - Will Page Photography)

Metal Blade Records has announced the worldwide signing of Poison Headache, a metallic-hardcore trio hailing from San Diego, CA. Set to release their self-titled debut on June 3rd, Poison Headache has now launched their first single, "Sin Eater", streaming below.

With Poison Headache, fans can expect a 10-song monster: a heaving, teeth-bared mass of anger, violent intent, aggression, and terrible certainty - mixed by Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Black Breath, Inverloch, Sleep) of Audiosiege Mastering. One part Entombed Wolverine Blues, one part Motörhead “Ace Of Spades”, and one part Converge “Jane Doe”, Poison Headache is crossover for the new age.

Poison Headache comments: "Big thanks to Brian Slagel and the MB team for their support of our debut album. It is an honour to have our music released through such a driving force in the metal community."

Poison Headache tracklisting:

“Sin Eater”
“Pity The Backseat”
“Rot With Me”
“Conspirator”
“Gray Skies”
“Benumbed”
“Death's Design”
“Hail, Colossus”
“Never. Again.”
“Discloser”

“Sin Eater”:

Toronto based heavy metal trio Black Absinthe are surfacing from the basement to unleash new tunes from their debut album Early Signs Of Denial, produced by Dave Baksh (Cross Dog, The Mahones), plus mixed and mastered by Frank Gryner (Rob Zombie). Set for release on May 13th, the album is the band's first professional recording to follow their three self recorded EPs Live At Coalition (2014), Noise Complaint (2014) and Augusta (2012).

Black Absinthe's powerful heavy riffs and bass lines are reminiscent of classic thrash and new wave British heavy metal with a range of progressive to classic rock influence. The band has premiered their new single "Now" via the SoundCloud audio player below.

Bassist Kyle Scarlett comments on “Now”: “'Now' is one of our favorites to play of the new songs. We wanted to build a song around a solid open chug you hear in a lot of NWOBHM. The chorus veers off from the old school metal vibe and comes back full force with some screams. The solo section was a lot of fun to work on in the studio, did a lot of layers and got it sounding mean. All in all a solid rager that gives ya little sections to breathe! To add, the lyrics are about the philosophy of time, thinking of what you want, but at the cost of what you have to do to get it."

The title Early Signs Of Denial is a conceptual connection to the themes of fear, corruption, and overcoming disparity, which is explored in the album's songs. The record has emphasis of crushing modern tone, polished instrumental sections, soaring vocals and a blending of contemporary and classic metal. With each track, this unique record represents different aspects of Black Absinthe’s diversity in song writing. The band does not tread lightly over their new wave of British heavy metal song style or their technical and progressive metal influences. Artwork and tracklisting are as follows:

"The Wild"
"Is This Life"
"Berj Khalifa"
"Pigs"
"Now"
"Winter"

Black Absinthe is: Kyle Scarlett - bass, Jack Cerre - vocals / guitar, Austin Henderson - drums

Catch Black Absinthe live:

May
13 - Oshawa, ON - The Atria
14 - Toronto, ON - Coalition (CD release show)

 

 

 

Today, cult black metallers True Black Dawn premiere the new track "Come The Colorless Dawn" via the SoundCloud audio player below. The track hails from the band's long-awaited new album of the same name, Come The Colorless Dawn, set for international release on May 17th via W.T.C. Productions. Hear the first track to be revealed from Come The Colorless Dawn now.

It's been 15 long years since Finland's True Black Dawn released an album. Back then, the band were monikered simply Black Dawn before a no-name American band threatened legal action and forced a change to True Black Dawn. During the '90s, the band had made its name in the black metal underground with a handful of demos, most significantly 1993's War Against Christians. But come time for their debut album, 2001's Blood For Satan became an immediate classic in that underground with its cryogenic distillation of filth and fury, a horrific and histrionic beast of dead-cold dread. Very much "just" a black metal record but by no means hindered by this stark and simple fact, Blood For Satan helped kickstart Finland's dominance of the black metal scene during the new millennium.

Alas, the band were forced to changed their name to True Black Dawn and it would be four years before a new recording appeared, as part of a three-way split with Finnish compatriots Enochian Crescent and O. Here, as part of O.B.C., True Black Dawn delivered seven strange and defiant tracks that proved more than a moniker change was afoot. In a number of ways, these songs aimed for the unorthodoxy at the heart of true black metal, and were successful in defiling a "clean slate," as it were; tellingly, their contribution to the split was titled Boogeyman Unbound. Collectively, these songs displayed the band's daring nature that would manifest in each recording sounding distinct from the one that preceded it.

And then, as defiantly as they entered this seemingly new era, True Black Dawn just disappeared. Whispers of activity abounded, but nothing concrete appeared for a long time. A show in their hometown of Helsinki at the Black Flames of Blasphemy Festival, and then their first performance outside the country at 2014's Incubate festival in the Netherlands... something was stirring.

Indeed, the beast has finally awoken, and True Black Dawn have named it Come The Colorless Dawn. The title is significant both for the band's rebirth but also for their adherence to the iron-fisted tenets of pure, traditionalist, resolutely Satanic black metal. Sonically, the band - led by founding vocalist Wrath and guitarist Syphon - offer up a chalice that tastes like the Blood of Satan, but more so tastes of a different and equally potent vintage, once again upending the rulebook by defying what came before. Bookended by the traditional intro and outro, the nine black metal tracks comprising Come The Colorless Dawn explode into being with that same ancient fire, but then twist toward thornier, moodier corridors they perhaps wouldn't have been able to locate in their earlier years. Likewise, the new album strips back the berzerker rawness of the debut for a well-rounded soundfield where each instrument is heard clearly and filthily, allowing space and spaciousness to seep through these spiraling screeds of horror and infect on a level that's less immediate but longer-lasting. Then again, three new members comprise this new guise of True Black Dawn - drummer VnoM, bassist Cult, and guitarist TG - and their understanding of what made Blood For Satan so special is immediately apparent. And much as as Come The Colorless Dawn truly sounds like the successor to that debut album, it more so thrusts a defiant fist of newness forward.

For those that say "true black metal is dead," W.T.C. Productions proudly presents evidence to the contrary on May 17th. That it hails from a band who were around during the original early '90s wave but who were then reinvigorated by new blood just proves that the art of black metal is more than just "music," and rather an eternal flame of empowered (and empowering) darkness, boundless and unbound. Come The Colorless Dawn, there shall be True Black Dawn. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Come The Colorless Dawn”
“The Light Goes Out”
“Cinereous”
“The Ring-Pass-Not”
“Downwards The Serpent Spiral”
“Strange The Shaded Sky”
“The Sectile Shadow”
“Eyes Of The Cadaver”
“Into The Tomb Of Her Mirror”
“Outro”

 

Back with a vengeance, Minneapolis-based technical death metal surveyors Reaping Asmodeia will take a short break from tracking their forthcoming release to hop onboard the first leg of 2016's Metal Alliance Tour featuring Dying Fetus, The Acacia Strain, Jungle Rot and Black Crown Initiate. The band's dates on the tour will begin tomorrow (April 29th) in Baltimore, MD and drop them off a week later in their hometown of Minneapolis, MN.

Reaping Asmodeia's forthcoming effort will be titled Impuritize and is expected to be released later this summer via Prosthetic Records. Vocalist Steven Lane announced a surprise for pining fans, "Since we are starting the Metal Alliance Tour this Friday, we wanted to give you guys something off our new album early 'The Clemency Guise', in its most basic form."

Marking the first new material from the band's current recording session, a rough, unedited version of 'The Clemency Guise' can be heard streaming below as well as purchased for digital download via Bandcamp.

The Clemency Guise (rough mix) by Reaping Asmodeia

Lane gave insight into the track's significance, stating "'The Clemency Guise' is about a transformation by tragedy that brings a realization that our quest for happiness is misguided by comfort and security. With a new understanding, we can bring others to enlightenment through torture using torment as a gateway." 

Catch Reaping Asmodeia live as part of the Metal Alliance Tour:

April
29 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
30 - Lowell, MA - Mill City Ballroom

May
1 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
2 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
3 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s
4 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze

 

 

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen has confirmed to Roppongi Rocks in a brand new interview that the band will take what is planned to be a year-long break during all of 2017. "That's the plan, yes," he said. "The last show for this tour is going to happen in October. Then all of 2017 off and back with a vengeance in 2018."

Regarding what he might be doing during NIGHTWISH's time off, Holopainen said: "I don't think I will be doing music. That's the idea of the break. I haven't really given it that much thought. I just enjoy the idea of getting to be at home, doing the gardening, taking care of the horse, just be steady for a while."

Singer Floor Jansen, who made her live debut with NIGHTWISH in 2012 but didn't officially join the band until the following year, was less forthcoming about her plans. She said: "I'm thinking about some ideas but I've nothing official really to share yet." When asked if her REVAMP band is perhaps part of what she is currently considering, she responded: "That's part of the thinking."

Holopainen was also reluctant to share any of NIGHTWISH's plans for when the band returns to live action in 2018. "It's a bit too far away to reveal anything but we know pretty much what the plans are until 2020 or so," he said.

Jansen recently shot down speculation that NIGHTWISH's upcoming break has something to do with tension between members of the group. She told AXS: "Even though we will have this year off, it doesn't have anything to do with how things are in the band. I've seen some people starting to gossip online of why we [would] take a year off. We'll take a year off because we can and because we want to. That's all there is to it. It has nothing to do with how things are in the band. And it also doesn't mean that we haven't been thinking about what's coming next; we have a lot of cool stuff coming up. So we hope that, after this break, people will still be equally excited to come out and see whatever we've got cooking up in our kitchen for them."

NIGHTWISH's 26-date headlining tour of North America launched on February 19 in Sayreville, New Jersey and closed out in Tampa, Florida on March 23. Support on the tour came from Dutch symphonic metallers DELAIN and Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA.

The Scottish town of Kirriemuir will this weekend pay homage to one of gods of rock 'n' roll, as it unveils a life-sized statue of Bon Scott, the influential frontman of world-conquering band AC/DC. Keen to recognize the Scottish roots of the talismanic lead singer — voted No. 1 on a list of the "100 Greatest Frontmen Of All Time" by Classic Rock magazine — the bronze statue will be revealed during the tenth annual Bon Scott international festival, Bonfest, by event organizers DD8 Music. It follows a two-year crowdfunding campaign, which drew support from AC/DC members themselves, as well as thousands of the band's loyal fans worldwide. The Angus town was home to a young Ronald Bedford Scott until the age of six, when his family left Scotland for Fremantle, Western Australia. Scott was invited to join the band by Glasgow-born brothers and founding members Malcolm and Angus Young in 1974, and achieved international stardom before his death at the age of 33 in 1980. To mark the occasion, several of Scott's contemporaries are scheduled to attend Bonfest, along with almost 4,000 avid AC/DC fans from across the globe. During the festival, tribute acts from all over Europe will bring Kirriemuir to life with the sounds of one of its most celebrated sons. DD8 Music development worker Graham Galloway said: "In 2008, Bon's Australian home town, Fremantle, unveiled a statue of him. At that point we started thinking it might be good to have one here where he started his life. "The unveiling will take place on Saturday, 30th of April, and will be carried out by some very special guests: Mark Evans, bass player on four of the Bon-era albums; Tony Currenti, drummer on AC/DC's first album; and Mary Renshaw, Bon's seamstress and 'soulmate.' "We are looking at a total attendance of 3,700 and are expecting fans from all over the world to travel. We have confirmed travellers from the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand. All in all, it is shaping up to be an amazing weekend." The event will be supported by EventScotland's National Funding Programme in its tenth-anniversary year, which has allowed for the erection of a big top festival site and a street party to take place. Bonfest is also supported by Angus Council. Stuart Turner, head of EventScotland, said: "We are delighted to support the life and work of one of Scotland's most influential and best-loved musicians with our funding of the tenth edition of Bonfest. "I'm sure that the newly-unveiled statue will serve as further incentive for AC/DC aficionados to make the journey to Kirriemuir in the future to see where Bon spent his formative years, but also to experience all that wider Angus and Scotland have to offer." To find out more about Bonfest, visit www.bonfest.com.

Individual members of AC/DC past and present have offered their support previously, with former bassist Mark Evans saying in 2012, "It's so amazing that Bon is getting honored like this, especially since Scotland is such an important place in the history of AC/DC. Bon already had a street named after him in Kirriemuir and now this!"

The statue will be the second of Scott, who was born in Kirriemuir in 1946 but moved with his family to Australia in 1952. An Australian statue honoring Scott has already been on display since February 2008.

The singer died in 1980 at the age of 33 from alcohol poisoning. He sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums, including "High Voltage", "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Let There Be Rock" and "Highway To Hell".

AC/DC guitarist Angus Young told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band almost didn't get past Scott's death. "Bon was the big… He was a full-on frontman, plus he had this great character, you know. I mean, he just lived that rock 'n' roll life. With Bon, what you saw was what you got, and, yeah, it was pretty, pretty tough."

In a brand new interview with Free-Times.com, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke the ill-fated band meeting in Brazil in April 2012 that ended in verbal and physical abuse between the group's then-vocalist Geoff Tate and the rest of QUEENSRŸCHE.

"People see you onstage having a fun time, but behind the scenes, everything has to be cohesive," Wilton said. "You have to be a brotherhood as well as shrewd businessmen and entertainers."

QUEENSRŸCHE hired Todd La Torre to replace Tate in 2012 and has released two albums with the ex-CRIMSON GLORY frontman: 2013's "Queensrÿche" and 2015's "Condition Hüman".

"It was a hundred percent totally and completely a rebirth of QUEENSRŸCHE," Wilton said of La Torre's addition to the lineup. "Todd's energy and his songwriting ability are a shot in the arm. He's a shot of adrenaline for the band. It's something that was needed in a stale situation. It's been four years since the change, and everything we wanted to do, all the goals that we set, we've completed them and we're moving straight ahead."

Wilton also talked about the fact that both Tate and the other members of the classic lineup of QUEENSRŸCHE were allowed to tour and make albums under the band name for about a two-year period after they split into two separate camps. The legal dispute was eventually settled, with Tate's band now performing under the name OPERATION: MINDCRIME.

"At that point, there was confusion in the trenches," Wilton told Free-Times.com. "For the layperson who doesn't really follow us that much, they see the symbol, our Tri-ryche, and they see the name QUEENSRŸCHE, and to them, that's enough. That kind of obliterated the confusion, though you still have bits and pieces of confusion. We're constantly dealing with that, but it's like debris after a war."

Wilton recently told Kitsap Sun that QUEENSRŸCHE's songwriting approach is more collaborative after parting ways with Tate and adding La Torre.

"It's [now] a democracy in the writing," Wilton said. "Everybody has the ability to write songs now and they all get worked on. They're not cherry picked. They all get worked on, to the point where everybody says, 'Okay, this one's good. This one, I don't know.' It's just a whole different scenario now."

Wilton also said that the renewed creative passion within the band is translating into QUEENSRŸCHE's live shows.

"It's just a whole different scenario now. Now, when we're playing live, the fans know we're giving it," he said. "We're out there performing, and it's a shame we have to prove ourselves every night. But you know what, if we prove ourselves one show at a time, so be it. We'll just keep doing it. And we've been doing that for the last two years and winning fans over."

"Condition Hüman" debuted at No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart, having shifted 14,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015.

Swedish progressive rock/metal innovators Pain Of Salvation have announced a very special reissue version of their classic 2002 album Remedy Lane, entitled Remedy Lane Re:visited (Re:mixed & Re:lived), to be released on July 1st via InsideOutMusic.

With this release, Pain Of Salvation re-visit their ground-breaking and genre-bending Remedy Lane album by teaming up with old companion and mixing engineer wizard Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Haken, etc.) for a new sonic take on the original recordings as well as the intense full-album live performance from ProgPower USA Festival from 2014.

Both these Remedy Lane recordings will be made available either together as 2CD Digipak format dubbed Remedy Lane Re:visited (Re:mixed & Re:lived) with a total playing time of 142 minutes or individually as Gatefold 2LP (+ Its corresponding album as bonus CD) or Digital Download versions, respectively called Remedy Lane Re:mixed (Playing time: 68 min.) and Remedy Lane Re:lived (Playing time: 74 min). The releases will come with revised artwork, expanded booklet design and extensive liner-notes by Daniel Gildenlöw.

Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw commented as follows about the re-mix project: "Jens Bogren, aka Fascination Street Studios, approached us a few years after the release of Remedy Lane, saying he was a fan of the band and kindly offered his services. He was later involved in "BE" and "Scarsick", but always in the periphery, since we were taking new directions in our sound and production by then. His true strengths lay in that impressive wall-of-sound type production that we had been aiming for with The Perfect Element and Remedy Lane, and I always wondered how those albums would have sounded in the care of his skillful hands. Maybe it was time to find out?"

More details about pre-order start for this release (and its various vinyl options) will be available in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we can also bring you the great news that Pain Of Salvation are currently working on a new studio album release together with acclaimed producer Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Meshuggah, Strapping Young Lad, etc.) at Dug-Out Productions in Sweden.

The album will be entitled In The Passing Light Of Day and is expected to be released later in the year via longtime label-partner InsideOutMusic.

Daniel Gildenlöw checked in with the following status report: "For those who don't already know, we are currently deep into recording the new Pain of Salvation album In The Passing Light Of Day with brilliant producer Daniel Bergstrand. This cooperation feels like a match made in heaven (or rather some other cool place that I actually believe in), and he was as thrilled to be working with us as we with him. The album will see us go back to our heavy roots again, with a vengeance, and we all feel that we are writing a super strong new chapter in the history of the band. Just wait and you'll see. Damn, we just want everyone to hear this stuff already! :)"

Pain Of Salvation live dates:

July
28 - Breitenbach / Herzberg, Germany - Burg Herzberg Festival
30 - Sibiu, Romania - ARTmania Festival

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN played their second-ever concert in China on Tuesday, April 26 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. The show followed MAIDEN's appearance two days earlier at Beijing LeSports Center, where the band was forced to make several minor changes in its performance — presumably at the reqest of China's Ministry of Culture, which had to approve all of the group's lyrics prior to MAIDEN's Chinese dates being confirmed.

Before launching into the third song of MAIDEN's Shanghai set, singer Bruce Dickinson told the audience: "It's great to be here tonight. It's great to be in China tonight, I tell ya. We ripped it up in Beijing, and we thought, 'Ooh, that was a bit serious,' you know. So they had a few rules, so we kind of stuck by the rules, and we didn't do any swearing. You know what I mean? There's another thing I can't do. See if you can guess what it is later on. But we don't really give a [mouths the word 'shit'] about all that kind of stuff, because, you know what? The most important thing is the music, the most important thing is that we are here, and you are here, and we are gonna have a great [mouths the word 'fucking'] time."

He added: "I was watching on the Chinese TV channel… They've got this really cool thing, interview with Janick [Gers, MAIDEN guitarist]. They've got these great pictures of the show with flames everywhere and dry ice and smoke. And I thought, 'Ah, that's a [mouths the word 'fucking'] shame, because we can't do that, because we just got a little bit restricted. However, next time we'll have a word. Next time we come back to China to see you guys."

According to the Polish IRON MAIDEN fan club SanktuariuM, MAIDEN did not alter "The Book Of Souls" setlist for the Beijing and the Shanghai shows, although the following changes were made:

* There were no pyrotechnics used during the concerts.* During the performance of "The Trooper", Dickinson did not wave a Union Jack flag, but still sported the red coat uniform worn by troops during the battle which inspired the song and waved an "invisible" flag while singing the track. In addition, the Union Jack flag was still prominently displayed on the backdrop during MAIDEN's performance of the song.* Bruce changed the lyrics to the chorus of the song "Powerslave" from "Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave" to "Tell me why I had to be a Wicker Man."* IRON MAIDEN was not allowed to throw stuff (wristbands, drum heads, etc.) into the crowd during the concert.* Bruce didn't swear and had to be careful not to use the "F" word.

IRON MAIDEN's setlist for the Shanghai concert:

01. If Eternity Should Fall02. Speed Of Light03. Children Of The Damned04. Tears Of A Clown05. The Red And The Black06. The Trooper07. Powerslave08. Death Of Glory09. The Book Of Souls10. Hallowed Be Thy Name11. Fear Of The Dark12. Iron Maiden13. The Number Of The Beast14. Blood Brothers15. Wasted Years

Vetting by the Chinese authorities for foreign bands and artists isn't uncommon and has resulted in many big names being refused entry to the country to perform.

THE ROLLING STONES were censored in their China debut in 2006, most likely for their songs' suggestive lyrics. "Brown Sugar", "Honky Tonk Woman", "Beast Of Burden" and "Let's Spend The Night Together" were banned from the concert.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "authorities [in China] require entertainment companies to jump through hoops, submitting minute details of their show, including setlists. The process reflects the control held by China's censors, who try to prevent incidents like one in 2008, in which Icelandic singer Bjork sang at a Shanghai concert about the ever-politically sensitive issue of Tibetan freedom." Speaking about her comments at the time, a spokesperson for the ministry of culture in China stated: "[Her] political show not only broke Chinese laws and regulations and hurt the feeling of Chinese people but also went against the professional code of an artist."

The members of METALLICA revealed in 2013 that they were asked to send the lyrics to their entire discography to the Chinese government for approval before they were given permission to play in the country. "We had to give them a whole set of songs and they went through all the lyrics and okayed which ones we could play, which ones we couldn't play," METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said. "They see a lyric like 'Master Of Puppets' being so subversive that they're not allowing us to play it. It's kind of scary." Added METALLICA frontman James Hetfield: "And that just brings more attention to it, of course. That doesn't work."

The Chinese ministry of culture monitors music for vulgarity, as well as political content. In 2009, it reportedly ordered a cleanup of online music sites to address "poor taste and vulgar content."

Even though MÖTLEY CRÜE called it quits as a touring entity last December after 35 years on the road, the band's bassist, Nikki Sixx, assures fans that there is plenty more material to come from the iconic Los Angeles hard rock outfit. "We have a live DVD of our last performance ever that we've just finished mixing," Sixx told Canadian rock journalist Mitch Lafon (hear audio below). "It looks fantastic. It was a great show. [And] we're gonna put [it] out.

"We have a legacy that needs to be curated," he continued. "We have all kinds of stuff, even from vintage merchandise and stuff. So we plan on, obviously, staying engaged with our fans. It's not like we're just gonna disappear. As a touring band, we decided that that's no more. The MÖTLEY CRÜE movie will come out. We're still working on a few of the bugs there, but that's gonna work out. So there's going to be a MÖTLEY in your life for a long time in one way or another."

According to Billboard.com, MÖTLEY CRÜE's three final shows at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California (on December 28, December 30 and December 31) were seen by 37,000 fans, generating $2.7 million in box office revenue and placing the trek at No. 2 on the weekly "Hot Tours" list of top-grossing tours.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's one-and-a-half-year "The Final Tour" saw the band perform across five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia) for a total of more than 164 shows in 72 markets, grossing $100 million.

To celebrate their mark in rock music's history and in honor of their devoted fans, the band has confirmed the release of a full-length concert film of the final performance, which will also include exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the last week of the tour, to be released later in the year. Produced and distributed by Live Alliance, the concert portion of the film was directed by Christian Lamb, while Jeff Tremaine, creator of the "Jackass" series, directed the documentary segment. The film will premiere in theaters worldwide, one night only, followed by pay-per-view in all cable/satellite/digital formats, with a DVD set to be released later on.

In addition to the live-concert film, MÖTLEY CRÜE is planning to release a major box-set of music down the line, as well as "The Dirt" feature film based on the band's best-selling 2001 autobiography, also to be directed by Tremaine, in the near future.

MÖTLEY CRÜE first announced plans for their two-year "Final Tour" by signing a Cessation Of Touring Agreement at a press conference in Los Angeles in January 2014, solidifying the end of their touring career.

BLACK STONE CHERRY bassist Jon Lawhon has apologized to MOTÖRHEAD for claiming in a recent interview that he was offered cocaine by late MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy and other members of the MOTÖRHEAD camp when the two bands toured together more than six years ago.

Asked by Sweden's RockSverige.se if he had any good Lemmy stories from BLACK STONE CHERRY's 2009 tour with MOTÖRHEAD and whether he had a chance to sit down and talk to the iconic MOTÖRHEAD rocker, Jon said: "Not at a length, no. But we did meet him and did speak with him. The funniest thing from the whole tour was [that] all of them — not just Lemmy, [but] all of them — would offer us whisky and coke every day. Not whisky and [Coca-Cola], but whisky and cocaine. They would offer it to us, like, every day, and we were, like, 'Well, we can get down with the whisky, but the cocaine, we're all right.' But it was every day that they would offer it to us, and it was, like, every day we'd tell 'em that no, we didn't [do cocaine], and we got the same speech every day: 'Wow! We can't believe you're in rock and roll and don't do cocaine.' And we were, like, 'We just talked about this yesterday.' They didn't remember. They just didn't realize they had just said the same thing to us the day before."

A day after the above quote was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, the administrator of MOTÖRHEAD's Facebook page posted a link to the article and added that Lemmy never took cocaine. The administrator also stressed that MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee didn't do drugs and indicated that "an apology" from BLACK STONE CHERRY "would be the decent thing."

Earlier today, Lawhon released the following statement via the BLACK STONE CHERRY Facebook page:

"To Mikkey Dee, Phil Campbell, the Lemmy Kilmister family and the entire MOTÖRHEAD organization, I am deeply sorry for any harm that I may have caused the MOTÖRHEAD camp in relation to my recent interview.

"Let me make it crystal clear that we were never offered any substances by Lemmy, Mikkey, Phil or their stage crew. We were offered substances by now-former employees of the band while on tour with them and I should have made that distinction in my interview.

"What was intended to be an off-the-cuff, light-hearted road story I now see regrettably hasn't come across that way. For that, I am deeply sorry in a way that words can't properly convey.

"I, along with my brothers in BLACK STONE CHERRY, absolutely love and respect MOTÖRHEAD and couldn't be more thankful to the opportunities they have given us in our career. We will continue to remain loyal to them as people, their music, and their fans!

"My sincerest apologies, Jon Lawhon."

BLACK STONE CHERRY's fifth studio album, "Kentucky", was released on April 1 via Mascot Label Group.

KFMX's Wes Nessman conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Michael Poulsen of Danish/American rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT before the band's April 26 performance at X-Fest 2016 in Lubbock, Texas. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the writing process for VOLBEAT's forthcoming sixth full-length album, "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie":

Michael: "The process, it's great. We're hard workers. If we're not on the road, which we are constantly, we are working at home, or on the road, writing new songs. This time we took the right time at home to finish up the songs. I bought a new house away from the city in the countryside, and it pretty much isolated me for half a year to finish up the songs. And that was the right thing to do. Every details are totally in the right box, and the recording process was really food. We had Jacob Hansen again as the head producer, and me and Rob [Caggiano, guitar] have been co-producing. And yeah, without any doubt, I think it's our strongest work so far. The melodies are really in the front seat. We've got great great guest singers and musicians. We've got Danko Jones, we've got the Harlem Gospel Choir, we've got a girl doing some backing vocals on five tracks. We've got one of my good friends on bagpipes…. It's a very solid album. It's a rock album. We're not flirting too much around with all the different styles that we normally do, but it's underneath the layers. This is more a complete VOLBEAT album. I'm very proud of it."

On the recent death of iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister:

Michael: "That was one of those really weird wake-up calls. We've all been talking the last thirty years, 'Wow, we think he's going now,' but, you know, he always seemed like that immortal soldier. But when it happened, it definitely… it got to me. And it's still weird that we're not supposed to see him anymore at any festivals or tours. But he will still be a very, very big inspiration for every band [which] continues soldiering on on the road and new bands coming up. He will still be a huge inspiration for a lot of people."

"Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie" will be released on June 3 via Republic Records.

Longtime friend Kaspar Boye Larsen is assisting VOLBEAT as bass player for the band's current U.S. shows. He actually stepped in before to help the band out on bass during their very first European tour in 2006. Recognizable to the fan family, he's supported VOLBEAT as an opening act in previous bands such as THE HITCHCOCKS and THE KANDIDATE.

Fan-filmed video footage of Bobby Blotzer's new RATT performing on April 26 at the Enchanted Rock Fest at Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas can be seen below.

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

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

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

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

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

Blotzer's revamped RATT is rounded out by vocalist Josh Alan (ex-SIN CITY SINNERS) and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Nicholas "Blaze" Baum.

WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT, was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and singer Stephen Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again in 2014. Blotzer has since expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

Ottawa, ON-based symphonic black/death metal band, Endemise, has posted a new music video for the title track of their upcoming album, Anathema, due out later this year to follow their 2013 debut album Far From The Light and  their 2012 self-titled EP.

The album was produced by Endemise guitarist Dale Sauve along with Ken Sorceron (Abigail Williams) and features eight blistering tracks to burst your ear drums (album artwork and track listing below). Endemise's live brutality has also lead the band to be a favourite local support on the Ottawa metal scene for touring bands such as Abigail Williams, Cattle Decapitation, Alestorm, Battlecross, Beneath The Massacre, Crimson Shadows and Vesperia.

Endemise vocalist Franky Falsetto comments: "Anathema is fueled by an unquenchable inner hatred, and despair. Blood soaked in occult themes and a nihilistic mindset dripping with a melancholic hopelessness”.

Tracklisting:

“Nocturne”
“Anathema”
“Blackening”
“Procreator”
“Gargoyles: Fragments In Stone”
“Soma”
“Come Serene Dark”
“Fragments in Flame”

“Anathema” video:

Cirith Gorgor released their new album, Visions Of Exalted Lucifer, back in February via Hammerheart Records. Check out a full album stream at this location.

A new lyric video for the album track “A Vision Of Exalted Lucifer” can be seen below:

“Wille zur Macht” video:

Album teaser:

Painted Wives are a perfect enigma of a band. Their Century Media debut, Obsessed With The End is at once dark, inscrutable and simultaneously spirit elevating. These Huntington Beach, CA based doomsayers cast aural allusions from a grotto where Mastodon, Cave In and Alice In Chains cavort and coalesce while orchestrating nightmares in sound as provocative as they come. This album is a re-release of the band’s self-financed debut offering, which has been remixed and remastered by the world renowned producer, Machine (Lamb Of God, Clutch). Check out the new music video for the track “Dig” below.

Helmed by guitarist Justin Suitor (with their line-up rounded out by drummer Derek Eglit, bassist Justin Morales and guitarist Jeff Lyman with collaborator, conspirator and outside lyricist Ryan Williams taking an unconventional, but official role in the band), Painted Wives rose from the ashes of celebrated Orange County ensemble, Railroad To Alaska, to fill a void in the local heavy music scene.

Justin and Ryan state: "We are beyond excited to be a part of the Century Media family! We have a great respect for their history and their influence on the heavy music scene. To be associated with all of these great artists is truly humbling and an honor. We immediately felt a connection with the label and the staff. There is no better feeling than to be able to work with people that want to be creative and work hard to make things the best they can be. We are constantly trying to refine our ideas, and Century Media encourages that.

“We also couldn't be happier with Machine's work on Obsessed with the End. He opened up a whole new realm of sonic possibilities for us. He

definitely made this album come alive. We had lived with these songs in various states for awhile and the dreaded 'demo-itus' had already set in. Hearing his new mixes erased that immediately. Machine truly emboldened the songs and allowed them to communicate the deeper meaning we had attempted to instill in them.

"Machine’s mixes have also brought a new level of confidence to the writing sessions for the next album. Hearing new mixes for the first time is kind of like hearing yourself through someone else's ears. It gives you perspective and a brief abstract of how you might sound to the listener. When the scope of possibility opens up like that, we as a band now have a more lucid understanding of how to speak more directly to our listeners. That influence goes a long way in writing sessions. We try and use that energy to forecast the way future songs can sound.

"All of the new material that has been generated for the next offering is some of the best writing we have done to date. While still encompassing our identity and sound these new songs are expanding our range and testing our focus and ingenuity. Our goal has always been to reconcile the space between sincerity and guttural fanaticism. This stable of songs has potential to do just that.

"Painted Wives is a heavy blue thrash of sound, with a lyrical conscience of bright doom. We spend most of our time attempting to throw a saddle on our ideas and pull them back down to earth in order to share them with people. We are constantly working that way. Instinct, and the untamed nature of things inspires us, but we are also slaves to the calculation. We attempt to ‘couple’ these things with our music. The balance of this, is how we want to be and what we hope to create. Painted Wives refers to this creative mentality."

Having won the title of “Best Live Band” at the 2012 Orange County Music Awards, it was their re-christening as Painted Wives and the light shed upon the original self-released version of the tracks "Hollow Bones" and "Stay with Me" by fans and outlets like Sirius XM’s Liquid Metal that led to the band’s signing to Century Media. Now, armed with a stunning new mix of the record, Painted Wives are now poised to enfold sonic paintings from the deepest reaches of the human psyche with an originality and confidence few can possibly match.

Pre-order the album at this location.

“Dig” video:

“Hollow Bones” lyric video:

Italian alternative/progressive metal group Klogr have released their biggest and most theatrical music video yet, specifically for their single "Breathing Heart", cut from their recent full-length release Make Your Stand (2015). The track "Breathing Heart" features emotive vocals, soaring guitars and prominent string quartet arrangements - all of which perfectly come to life in the video, filmed at the historical Carpi Theatre in Carpi, Italy and featuring Milanese actress Veronica Sogni.

The "Breathing Heart" music video, featuring beautiful moving camera shots and haunting imagery, was produced by Zeta Factory and 21Frames and was directed and edited byRoberto Zampa and Joba.

Klogr frontman Rusty states, "The location for the video is magical and the actress (Veronica Sogni) is amazing in her role. We couldn't have closed the Make Your Stand chapter any better!"

Klogr (pronounced Key-Log-Are) recently announced that their upcoming third full-length album will be produced by none other than three-time Grammy award-winning producer David Bottrill (Tool, Stone Sour, Muse, Rush). The band will enter the studio in September 2016. Stay tuned for more information on the new album coming soon.

Brazilian death metal machine Rebaelliun will release their new album, The Hell’s Decrees, on May 13th via Hammerheart Records. Full of diversity, brutality, technicality, insane speed, and killer solos, each memorable song is a highlight. Pre-orders are available at Hammerheart Records.

A new lyric video for the album’s lead track, “Affronting The Gods”, can be seen below:

The album cover was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco, known for working with: Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Vader, Machine Head and more.

Tracklisting:

“Affronting The Gods”
“Legion”
“The Path Of The Wolf”
“Fire And Brimstone”
“Dawn Of Mayhem”
“Rebaelliun”
“Chush The Cross”
“Anarchy (The Hell’s Decrees Manifesto)”

"Legion" lyric video:

Italian thrashers, Braindamage, released their new album, The Downfall, via My Kingdom Music on April 18th. A full album stream can be found below.

Seven years after their last work, Braindamage return with their most futuristic, abrasive and visionary output of their 28-year career. The Downfall is a concept album based on the novel Kahlenberg, The Queen In Red And Other Tales, written by Andrea, bass player, vocalist and leader of the band. The story deals about power agents who fight for the conquest of the world during one thousand years since 1066 in different places of the Earth. The last one of these agents permits to the mysterious Red Empress (or Queen in Red) to start the conquest of the planet, starting from Turin, through a thermonuclear war.

The cover artwork was created by Stefania Didonato.

Tracklisting:

“Substituting Forgiveness With Mass Destruction”
“God Granted Your Prayers Through Nuclear Warheads”
“She Can Smell The Blood Of A Surrendering Race”
“I Owe You A Billion Years Of Terror”
“Subhuman's Towns Merciless Obliteration”
“Queen Acadienne's Floating Mirrors And Tarots”
“Last Of The Kings, First Of The Slaves”
“The Shadow That I Cast Is Yours, Not Mine”
“You Nailed My Soul I Burned Your Flesh”
“The Downfall Is Here To Stay, I Shall Fight Until The End”

Album stream:

Order the album at this location.

Portland-based heavy metal troupe Spellcaster have spent the last year perfecting material for their first offering to Prosthetic Records and third overall full-length release which they are proud to announce will be titled Night Hides The World. Often compared to the lauded forerunners that have paved the path for the classic heavy metal genre, Spellcaster have dug out a new trail with their forthcoming effort which features their most visceral material to date.

The band - which includes vocalist Tyler Loney, guitarists Cory Boyd and Bryce R. VanHoosen, bassist Gabe Franco and drummer Colin Vranzian - split their time tracking the new material between Oakland, CA and their hometown with producer/mixer Zack Ohren (All Shall Perish, Exmortus) amidst consistent appearances in North America and Europe including gigs with Death Angel, Flotsam & Jetsam, Night Demon, Holy Grail, Exmortus and more.

Spellcaster will join Canadian metallists Striker on their North American Spring tour kicking off tomorrow, April 29th, in Victoria, British Columbia along with additions support on select dates provided by Weresquatch and Thrashole. They will also make a featured appearance at the Frost and Fire II Festival (Cirith Ungol, Midnight, Omen) in California later this fall. Full dates can be found listed below.

Night Hides The World is scheduled for worldwide release on July 7th and is now available for physical pre-order via Prosthetic Records web shop at this location. The album will be offered on CD, limited-edition LP (black and opaque purple variants) and limited-edition cassette tape (purple variant). Digital pre-order's will also be available in the coming weeks.  

Tour dates:

April
29 - Victoria, BC - Logans Pub *
30 - Vancouver, BC - The Metro Bar *

May
1 - Vernon, BC - The Green *
2 - Calgary, BC - Dickens Pub
4 - Winnipeg, MB - Windsor Hotel
5 - Minneapolis, MN - The Hexagon
6 - Hortonville, WI - Standard Projects
7 - Chicago, IL - Ragnarokkr Festival
8 - Lincoln, NE - The Spigot
9 - Cheyenne, WY - The Crown Bar
13 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom #
14 - Boise, ID - The Shredder #
15 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Metro *
16 - Reno, NV - PB & J’s #
17 - Fullerton, CA - Slidebar #
19 - El Paso, TX - Mesa Music Hall #
20 - San Antonio, TX - The Korova #
21 - Houston, TX - Satellite Bar #
22 - New Orleans, LA - TBA
23 - Orlando, FL - Bombshell Tavern #
24 - Atlanta, GA - 529 *
25 - Covington, KY - Backstage Cafe #
26 - Bowling Green, OH - Howards Club #
27 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s Live #
29 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews #
30 - Dubuque, IA - The Venue #
31 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge #

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

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

* with Striker
# with Striker, Weresquatch, Thrashole

Black Metal: Into The Abyss from black metal writer and photographer, Dayal Patterson, will be released on May 31st and is now available for pre-order. The new book includes 300 pages and 21 chapters of brand new and exclusive material, with long, detailed and definitive interviews; featuring four Pagan Records acts: Sacrilegium, Furia, MasseMord and Mord’A’Stigmata.

The newest full-length book in the Black Metal Cult series follows on the good work in Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult and Black Metal: The Cult Never Dies Vol. One. Designed to be read as either a separate work or as part of the series and presented with a somewhat more old-school aesthetic to the previous two tomes.

Available as a standalone edition or as a box set, featuring a second (colour/gloss) with over 100 pages of photos, a patch, art prints, a deluxe box and numbered illustrated certificate.

The author, Dayal Patterson, comments about exploring Polish black metal: “Along with the bands coming out of territories such as Greece, Norway and Sweden, Polish black metal was something that we kept an eye on as fans since the 90s. It has been a pleasure to be able to explore the scene in more detail in this book series and conduct in-depth interviews with such diverse groups as Xantotol, Arkona, Behemoth, Mastiphal, Evilfeast, Mgla/Kriegsmaschine, Graveland - and in the new book Black Metal: Into The Abyss - Furia, Massemord, Black Altar, Besatt, Mord ‘A’ Stigmata, Sacrilegium and Blaze Of Perdition.”

Static of Mord’A’Stigmata adds: “I did hundreds of interviews since I started this journey called Mord'A'Stigmata in 2004. If someone asks me which of those conversations touched the real soul of the band, I definitely should point to my talk with Dayal. The work he did preparing his last book, could not be overrated. It was a challenge to answer all these profound questions, but results are amazing."

S. of Blaze of Perdition comments: "The simple, yet not that easy, trick of journalism is to ask the right people the right questions and Dayal does just that.”

Pre-order at this location.

US black metal underground act Wormreich will release a split album, Infirmos Vocat Deus Fidei, with Vesterian, Gravespawn and Diabolus Amator. The album is set to be released on May 28th via via Satanath Records' sub-label Symbol Of Domination (Belarus), and Black Plague Records (North America).

The album will be available in jewel case CD, 500 copies. Today the band has unveiled a sampler for the upcoming album:

Wormreich Frontman Vulk stated: "On our end, you can also expect split vinyl with Kult Ov Azazel and Hod in the coming months, all while work continues on the next full-length!"

Wormreich was formed in 2009 by guitarist/vocalist Vulk and joined by current and former members of Blood Stained Dusk, Ancient (Nor), and Hallows Eve, and despite tragedy and death, Wormreich has returned to unleash Satan’s will upon the Earth. Wormreich is an established touring band, currently signed to Moribund Records, and they have a reputation for putting on air-tight and intense live performances, gaining them great respect and admiration within the extreme metal underground. Currently Wormreich are working on their next full-length album, to be titled Vril: Elixir Of Death And The Void.

About Wormreich’s upcoming albums, Vulk reveals: “As of now, we are currently in the process of writing and recording our next full-length album, to be titled Vril: Elixir Of Death And The Void. We will also be putting out three split releases through various labels this year: a split 12” LP with Florida’s legendary Kult Ov Azazel, a split 7” with Texas black/death titans Hod, and a split CD with North Carolina’s Vesterian and two other artists yet to be announced. More details will be released in due time. We also wish to announce that our first full-length album, 2011’s Edictvm DCLXVI, will be reissued sometime this year through Black Plague Records.”

Wormreich live:

May (with Kult Ov Azazel)
4 - Nashville, TN - The East Room
6 - Sanford, FL - West End Trading
7 - Deerfield Beach, FL - American Rock Bar
8 - Tampa, FL - The Brass Mug

"This album is certainly the darkest album I've ever recorded", states Bloody Hammers mastermind Anders Manga, who stays on the dark path to the nether world and opens the seven gates with Lovely Sort Of Death. Today Bloody Hammers unveils the album artwork, tracklisting and release date of their upcoming album.

Lovely Sort Of Death tracklisting:

“Bloodletting On The Kiss”
“Lights Come Alive”
“The Reaper Comes”
“Messalina”
“Infinite Gaze To The Sun”
“Stoke The Fire”
“Ether”
“Shadow Out Of Time”
“Astral Traveler”
“Catastrophe”
 
Deluxe Edition Bonus CD:
“Altar Of Fear”
“The Shrine”
“Halloween”
“At Dawn They Sleep”

Fomats:

Limited 4 Panel Digipack CD
1LP Gatefold edition
Strictly Limited 4 Page Digipack & Bonus CD - 300 worldwide
Strictly Limited 1LP Gatefold & Bonus CD - 200 worldwide

Lovely Sort Of Death will be released on August 5th via Napalm Records.

Anders Manga on Lovely Sort Of Death: "We live high on a mountain with a steep treacherous driveway so when any snowfall happens, we're stuck for days. Luckily, as a result of all the isolation, my songwriting mood ended up much more on the darker side than previous records. The songs are heavy, but not always heavy. I wanted to create more atmosphere than before. It's a stylistically varied record, which I'm very proud of. I used the Moog more on this album, which blends well with the heavy guitar fuzz tones. It's definitely my favourite album so far in every way."

Bloody Hammers are a duo who hail from the mountains of Transylvania County, NC. The project and first self-titled release was originally formed as a studio only project with vocalist/songwriter, Anders Manga producing and recording all instruments. Soon Anders decided to take the project from the studio to a real band by recruiting his wife Devallia to play keyboards and other local musicians for live shows.

In late 2013 Anders was approached by one of Europe's largest rock and metal labels, Napalm Records. In 2014 Napalm released Bloody Hammers' third official album titled Under Satan's Sun. Through the snowy winter of 2015, Anders began writing again, but this time took a much darker and atmospheric direction. For the first time he added thick Moog sounds along with his normal fuzzed-out guitar, with more atmospheric keys provided by Devallia. They emerged from the winter with Lovely Sort Of Death, their darkest album yet.

Cadaveric Poison, the old school death/thrash metal project featuring members of Master (Paul Speckmann) and Witchburner (Simon Seegel and Felix Darnieder), will release their self-titled debut album on April 29th via Metal On Metal Records. A lyric video for the track “Bombs Away”, as well as a new promo clip, can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“Cadaveric”
“The Few”
“Rollover”
“Fight For Evil”
“Forfeit The Race”
“Never Put All Your Stones In One Basket”
“Face The Whore”
“Bombs Away”
“Violence Breeds Violence”
“Poison”

“Bombs Away” lyric video:

Promo clip:

“The Few”:

Rudra, Singapore's unholy kings and the true pioneers of Vedic metal, have announced details of their upcoming eighth album. The extreme metal veterans are on the verge of celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band. Their upcoming eighth album is said to be the band's most aggressive release so far.

Rudra’s eighth album is now officially titled Enemy Of Duality. Front man Kathir Aryaputra says, "The whole album is based on a Sanskrit text called Mandukya Karikas. The text takes a radical stand on non-duality. So we coupled that philosophy with Extreme Metal. Hence, we thought Enemy Of Duality could be the best suitable title for this album.”

Further more, guitarist Vinod adds, "This is probably the first album where we have introduced numerous instruments such as Digeridoo, Sitar, Tabla etc., for various tracks in this album. A lot of time and thought has been put in each track, hence it took a lot of effort to get the right tone for all the instruments during the recording stage.”

Studio footage of Rudra's drummer recording for the eighth album can be seen below. Stay tuned for more details, coming soon.

 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee has listed his Calabasas, California home for $5.99 million.

Official description of the house courtesy of Rodeo Realty: "Unique celebrity-owned view property with recording studio in a guard-gated community of Calabasas. This custom estate has panoramic jetliner views of the valley and is perched on its own hilltop in a cul-de-sac enclave w/other custom homes. The main house is almost 10,000 square feet with a subterranean (approximately 3000 square feet) garage, of which approximately 2000 sqft. now houses a state-of-the-art recording studio with control and two live rooms. This property features an Atrium in the middle of the home with retractable roof, and sprawling bamboo that sets the tone for a very serene zen-like feel to the open floor plan. Additional features of the home include indoor koi pond, indoor spa, wood-beamed ceilings, home theater, wine room with secondnd kitchen, separate bar area, five bedrooms, including stunning master retreat with views, six baths, library/office, two fireplaces, piano shaped swimming pool with spa. All this just up the street from Calabasas country club which features a championship golf course."

Check out photos of the property at this location.

Lee sold his last house, in nearby Malibu, in late 2004 for $2,475,000, according to public records. Lee had paid $800,000 in 1995 for that 7,462-square-foot house on 2.49 acres. The house had made the news back in 2001 when a four-year-old boy died after accidentally drowning in the house's swimming pool during a birthday party.

Selling your home may be the most stressful shit EVER! Who wants it?

— T❍mmy L33 (@MrTommyLand) April 13, 2016

"X", a brand new song from HELLYEAH, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's fifth album, "Unden!able", which will be released on June 3 via Eleven Seven Music.

The band gave fans the first taste of "Unden!able" with lead single "Human", which was welcomed by fans who are embracing the band's return to form with more than three hundred thousand views on YouTube after two months.

"Unden!able" marks the first time HELLYEAH's current lineup — vocalist Chad Gray, guitarists Tom Maxwell and Christian Brady, drummer Vinnie Paul and bassist Kyle Sanders — has recorded together as a unit, promising a very special return to their true metal roots.

HELLYEAH's official video for "Human", which is due out very soon, was filmed in Los Angeles under the direction of Robert Sexton, who also helmed clips for "Hush" and "Moth", both Top 10 singles from 2014's critically acclaimed "Blood For Blood" album.

"Unden!able" was produced in Las Vegas at The Hideout Recording Studio by Kevin Churko (PAPA ROACH, ROB ZOMBIE), and showcases everything that the band’s fans have come to know and love in a more focused, concise, and powerful sound, with Churko co-writing all songs.

The album art by William Felch and Chad Gray features a predatory, gleaming eye with an exclamation point pupil — the ultimate signifier of what’s inside: anger, pain and a hyper-focused, high octane, heavy metal collection for the ages.

Maxwell offered: "There's a lot of new stuff coming out that we've never tried before, and a lot of heavy shit… It's gonna be moody, it's gonna be dark, it's gonna be crushing, it's gonna be heartbreaking, it's gonna be everything. So it's going to be a proper take-off from our last record, but with a lot of new surprises, musically and lyrically. We are moving forward with the path that we've taken with 'Blood For Blood'. It's a really, really savage album, and we’re really excited for fans to hear it."

"Unden!able" will be available just in time for HELLYEAH's upcoming "Hell Pop Tour" with IN THIS MOMENT, which starts on June 18 in Des Moines, Iowa. This run will follow HELLYEAH's "We're All In This Together" headlining tour which also features ESCAPE THE FATE, NEW YEARS DAY and FROM ASHES TO NEW, kicking off May 2 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Fans who purchase tickets from participating venues for the "We're All In This Together" tour receive a free tour eight-track sampler — comprised of two songs from each band, including "Human".

"Unden!able" track listing:

01. !02. X03. Scratch A Lie04. Be Unden!able05. Human06. Leap of Faith07. Blood Plague08. I Don't Care Anymore09. Live Or Die10. Love Falls11. 10-3412. STARTARIOT13. Grave

Iconic rockers SCORPIONS will hit the road in May for twelve North American headlining dates with Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD, sitting in on drums. Dee will be filling in for James Kottak, who is currently on break while he seeks medical attention.

Swedish-born Mikkey Dee joined MOTÖRHEAD in 1992 and is well-respected among the rock and metal community. SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine states: "We would like to continue our 'Return To Forever' tour with James, but we have to realize that his health is priority. We wish James a speedy recovery and he will be back to rock you later in the fall! We look forward to seeing all our fans this month."

SCORPIONS kick off the 2016 U.S. leg with twelve dates in May beginning at Carolina Rebellion in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 6. The run includes a Las Vegas residency.

Kottak rejoined the SCORPIONS on the road in November 2014, eight months after he spent a month in a Dubai, United Arab Emirates jail in April for insulting Islam.

Kottak, who had been receiving treatment for alcohol abuse, released a statement in June 2014 in which he said "this entire incident caused me to realize that it is time to stop drinking once and for all so that I can become the father, musician, and friend that I know I can be."

For some of SCORPIONS' 2014 concerts, Swedish drummer Johan Franzon filled in for Kottak.

Because of his arrest, Kottak did not perform with his bandmates at the April 5, 2014 show at the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and was replaced at the gig by Mark Cross (TAINTED NATION, FIREWIND, OUTLOUD, HELLOWEEN, METALLIUM).

SCORPIONS vocalist Klaus Meine told the SCORPIONS French fan club Crazyscorps in October 2014 about Kottak: "With James, you know, when he went through this unfortunate incident in Dubai, we said, 'At this point, it's good if you take a break. Not so much for us, but for yourself. And not so much being the drummer of the SCORPIONS, but for yourself being a family man. And you should go into rehab and don't think about anything else but just try to clean out yourself and come back the same James we know for so many years that's been not only our drummer, but also our friend, and a great guy.' So, giving him that time, we played this whole stretch of shows with a great Swedish drummer, Johan Franzon. And now, of course, we want James back, and we said to him, 'The door is open for you to come back. But first, it's up to you, and you have to take care about yourself, take it serious, go through a serious rehab, and then the door will be open for you.'"

Dee was originally scheduled to play drums for THIN LIZZY on the latter band's forthcoming anniversary shows planned for 2016 and 2017 but recently bowed out of the dates. He has since been replaced in that group's touring lineup by JUDAS PRIEST's Scott Travis.