IN THIS MOMENT has been forced to cancel its previously announced European tour due to an injury sustained by the band's guitarist Chris Howorth.

Howorth says in a statement: "I have injured my neck and am unable to move my head more than an inch or two in any direction — and I now have the burden of making some pretty weighty decisions for myself.

"In order to continue performing live, I am aggressively seeking treatment and must remain at home in Los Angeles.

"I am devastated that our European shows are affected by this but in order to keep moving forward with the band, it's imperative to work on getting better."

Adds IN THIS MOMENT frontwoman Maria Brink: "The last time we were in Europe, I felt such fire and magic at the shows — I have been absolutely dying to get back.

"It's probably easy for everyone to think, 'Why don't you just go without Chris,' but the truth is, he is my partner, brother and one of my closest friends. I can't bring myself to do this tour without him. It simply would not be IN THIS MOMENT."

IN THIS MOMENT's North American tour dates are not affected by the European tour cancelation.

IN THIS MOMENT's canceled 2016 European tour dates:

May 14 - Karlsruhe, Germany @ SubstageMay 15 - Hamburg, Germany @ GruenspanMay 15 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbia TheaterMay 18 - Munich, Germany @ TheatrefabrikMay 19 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Extra LimmothausMay 20 - Cologne, Germany @ Live Music HallMay 22 - Groningen, Netherlands @ De OosterportMay 23 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ MelkwegMay 25 - London, UK @ ForumMay 26 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 InstituteMay 27 - Manchester, UK @ O2 AcademyMay 28 - Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy

IN THIS MOMENT recently spent time at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with producer Kevin Churko (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, HELLYEAH, PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED) working on the follow-up to "Black Widow", tentatively due later in the year.

Drummer Tom Hane announced his departure from IN THIS MOMENT last month, explaining in a statement that he had "struggled to be truly happy creatively."

IN THIS MOMENT will be the special guest on this summer's ROB ZOMBIE and KORN co-headlining amphitheater tour, dubbed "Return Of The Dreads". The trek will kick off in July and will visit 25 North American cities, including Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, Seattle, Las Vegas and more.

IN THIS MOMENT signed with Atlantic Records in 2013 after completing its contract with Century Media Records.

Finnish hard rockers Wishing Well opened up for the Graham Bonnet Band at On The Rocks Club in Helsinki on April 21st. It provided a good chance for Wishing Well band leader Anssi Korkiakoski to meet Graham Bonnet and discuss continuation for “Hippie Heart Gypsy Soul”, the song which they recorded last year and released earlier this year as a single and on Wishing Well’s Chasing Rainbows album.

“It was good to meet Graham and have a chat. He’s not only a very pleasant and easy-going gentleman but also in top shape when it comes to singing. His live performance was awesome and I really enjoyed seeing him live after a long time. We were all just astonished by what he can still deliver. The band was great too”, says Anssi. “We discussed the possibility of working together in the future and agreed it would be great to record a new track at some point down the road. I really hope we can do that when the time is ripe again since now we’re still busy with promoting our album and Graham is busier than ever with his new albums and autobiography to be released later this year. Time will tell if it’s going to happen but we both honestly wish we’ll get a chance to make it happen.”

For the time being Wishing Well will continue with lead vocalist Pekka Montin, who replaced Peter James Good earlier this spring. The band is now booking more live shows and working hard to promote the Chasing Rainbows album.  

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider delivered a surprise performance of "We're Not Gonna Take It" (TWISTED SISTER) and "Highway To Hell" (AC/DC) with his son and guest MC Jesse Snider during this past Tuesday's (April 26) "Ultimate Jam Night" at the world-famous Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Video footage of Dee's appearance can be seen below.

Other special guests included:

* Kenny Aronoff (CHICKENFOOT)* Gilby Clarke (GUNS N' ROSES)* James LoMenzo (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, MEGADETH, WHITE LION)* Jeff Scott Soto (JOURNEY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN)* LITTLE CAESAR (the band)* Stu Hamm* Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT)* Monte Pittman (MADONNA, PRONG)* Eric Dover (SLASH, JELLYFISH)* Sean McNabb (LYNCH MOB)

"Ultimate Jam Night", which debuted its Whisky A Go Go residency on March 29, features a wide range of music genres, a circus atmosphere, every Tuesday night at the Whisky A Go Go.

Chuck Wright, longtime bassist of QUIET RIOT, started "Ultimate Jam Night" over a year ago at Lucky Strike and has now moved it to the Whisky A Go Go. It remains a no-cover show.

"Ultimate Jam Night" continues to feature its house band of Wright, drummer Matt Starr (MR. BIG), guitarist Mitch Perry (MSG), and Walter Ino (SURVIVOR).

Using a format of unrehearsed tunes integrating music’s best performers, performance art, comedy, and charity giving the show has attracted over 28,000 in-person guests, viewership in excess of two million and worldwide attention. In its first year, the weekly event boasted performances by members of KISS, MOTÖRHEAD, BON JOVI and others.

"We're proud that our show has created not only a following, but an extremely loyal family feel," said Wright. "We're excited that the Whisky allows us to continue our mission of rebuilding the rock music community — only this time on the Sunset Strip in an iconic and historical setting."

On June 24, Knoxville, Tennessee death metallers WHITECHAPEL will release their sixth full-length album, "Mark Of The Blade", via Metal Blade Records. According to a press release, the new record "remains true to the band's roots while venturing into previously unexplored territory, both sonically and lyrically."

The lyric video for the first single from "Mark Of The Blade" — the album's title track — can be seen below.

Reunited with producer Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CANNIBAL CORPSE), WHITECHAPEL has redefined who they are and what they are capable of with "Mark Of The Blade". Kicking off with "The Void" — which has a SLAYER-esque ferocity that is perfectly suited to the band's three-guitar attack — the songs that follow all leave a distinct impression, and by the time the rich, dark melodies on "Decennium" bring the record to a close, it's impossible to deny the emotional weight brought to bear. "It's the most dynamic record we've done, in the sense that one song can be very aggressive while the next one will be softer and sentimental," WHITECHAPEL guitarist Alex Wade asserts. "At this point in our career and as we grow older, we are taking a more open-minded approach to creating our music, allowing what we think sounds good to evolve naturally, rather than to just write what is expected of us."

"Mark Of The Blade" track listing:

01. The Void02. Mark of the Blade03. Elitist Ones04. Bring Me Home05. Tremors06. A Killing Industry07. Tormented08. Brotherhood09. Dwell in the Shadows10. Venomous11. Decennium

Prior to "Mark Of The Blade"'s release, WHITECHAPEL will headline a U.S. tour with FIT FOR A KING, THE PLOT IN YOU and ENTERPRISE EARTH as support — thus concluding the campaign for 2014's "Our Endless War" (which debuted at No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart). Following that trek, WHITECHAPEL will join ATREYU, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, EVERY TIME I DIE, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, and many more on this year's Vans Warped Tour.

A video recap of MEGADETH's March 16 and March 17 performances at Terminal 5 in New York City can be seen below.

MEGADETH filmed a video for the song "Post American World" earlier this week. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Dystopia", which came out in January.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine recently told Noisey about "Post American World":"It talks about how you might not like the America that it is right now, and people are saying, 'Get the fuck out of my country, we don't want your military presence here, we don't want that,' but then there's a dichotomy at how quickly do people want to move here? There are so many things that have happened that have been good for places to have that Western mentality, but the same thing, you look at democratic countries, the U.K., Canada, stuff like that, that's pretty much considered the new frontier, the new West, so I'm not just saying a post-United States of America world."

Mustaine told the Houston Press that he considered "Post American World" to be a spiritual (and riff-wise) follow-up to MEGADETH's popular track "Symphony Of Destruction".

"There are all kinds of governmental backdoor meetings and agreements that [the U.S. government] has with people that you and I as Joe Q. Six-Pack have no fucking idea of the why, whens or how," Mustaine said. "People don't want America everywhere. And we can be like, 'Okay, screw it. We'll pull out.' And then they can see what happens."

"Dystopia" shifted 49,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending January 28.

In terms of pure album sales, "Dystopia" opened with 48,000 copies, marking MEGADETH's highest-charting album since 1992's "Countdown To Extinction" debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the chart dated August 1 of that year. "Dystopia" also logged the group's best sales week since 2007, when "United Abominations" landed at No. 8 with first-week sales of 54,000. In addition to Mustaine, MEGADETH's current lineup includes longtime bassist David Ellefson, LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA.

On April 8, Universal Music / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records issued "Dystopia" as a limited-edition vinyl picture disc featuring the album's vivid dark and chilling artwork which takes the bands long-time mascot Vic Rattlehead to a whole new level and drops him into a bleak, futuristic dystopian universe.

Quality front-row fan-filmed video footage of GHOST's April 26 performance at the House Of Blues in Houston, Texas can be seen below.

GHOST's current U.S. headlining tour kicked off on April 13 in Montclair, New Jersey and will wrap up on May 22 in Albany, New York.

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

The other nominees in the "Best Metal Performance" category were AUGUST BURNS RED, LAMB OF GOD, SEVENDUST and SLIPKNOT.

A Nameless Ghoul from GHOST told Grammy.com about the nomination, "Being nominated for a Grammy is obviously a big honor for any band or artist — obviously, ourselves included. Especially for us, as a Swedish band, it feels extra honoring, I guess. Especially us maneuvering in the rock genre, where traditionally it's usually British or American bands."

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

Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's April 23 performance at Cannery Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below. Handing the vocal duties for the band once again was the South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart (DRAGONFORCE, TANK, I AM I).

Theart's involvement with SKID ROW was exclusively reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on December 31, 2015.

SKID ROW has not yet officially named Theart as the permanent replacement for singer Tony Harnell (ex-TNT), who quit the band in December.

Theart's band I AM I was the support act for SKID ROW on their April 2013 tour of the United Kingdom. The trek ended in great style at a sold-out Islington Academy on April 13, 2013, with members of SKID ROW, I AM I and fellow support band BUFFALO SUMMER getting up on stage to sing the final SKID ROW song "Youth Gone Wild".

A founding member of DRAGONFORCE, Theart made four studio albums and a live record with the band and toured the world for a decade, eventually performing to audiences of up to 85,000 people. His time with the group also saw him nominated for a Grammy in 2009. After his departure from DRAGONFORCE in 2010, ZP worked tirelessly to put together his own group and, after catefully handpicking a set of expert musicians, the result was one of the most exciting new rock bands of 2012, I AM I. A promotional single entitled "Silent Genocide" in the summer was followed by the release of a debut album, "Event Horizon", in September 2012.

Harnell announced his departure from SKID ROW on December 29, 2015, writing on his Facebook page: "I'm sorry to inform everyone that I'm no longer the lead singer for SKID ROW. I thank the fans for their love and support!" He added in a separate post a couple of hours later: "I was not fired from SKID ROW. I quit. Being ignored and disrespected isn't my thing. I had a great time performing with the band and singing so many great songs. I don't regret a thing!"

SKID ROW later said in a statement that they "found out about [Tony's] decision the same way all of [the fans] did, via his post on social media. He had posted that he was no longer in the band before informing the band personally." They added: "That being said, we are all moving forward and wish Tony the best in his future endeavors.

Harnell made his live debut with SKID ROW on May 22, 2015 at Living Sky Casino in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.

He officially joined SKID ROW in April 2015 as the replacement for Johnny Solinger, who was the band's frontman for fifteen years.

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

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

The Alan Parsons Symphonic Project - Live In Colombia is to be released on May 27th on earMUSIC as a DVD, Blu-ray, 2-CD digipak, 3xVinyl, and download.

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

“Eye In The Sky”:

 

 

 

 

"Take Control", the new video from UNLOCKING THE TRUTH — the heavy metal band from Flatbush, Brooklyn made up of three African-American boys, guitarist/vocalist Malcolm Brickhouse, bassist Alec Atkins and drummer Jarad Dawkins — can be seen below.

Taken from UNLOCKING THE TRUTH's forthcoming debut full-length album, "Chaos", "Take Control" is a rally cry against bullying. The song is inspired by personal experience, as Jarad explains: "I remember when I used to be bullied in school for the music that I love to play, the jeans that I love to wear. I always told myself that everything is going to be alright. You are going to take control of the world one day."

"Take Control" will be available as an instant grat track with the pre-order purchase of "Chaos". "Chaos" will be released on June 17 via premier independent music distributor Tunecore. The set was produced by Johnny K (MEGADETH, POP EVIL, DISTURBED) and captures the young band's explosive live energy, resulting in a tight, powerfully heavy yet melodic full-length offering.

Of "Chaos", Brickhouse commented: "We can't wait for everyone to hear our album. We've worked very hard to give the fans something they'll love and never forget. We hope they are able to relate to the songs the way that we do and have the time of their lives listening to them. We know that this album will blow you guys away." In other news, UNLOCKING THE TRUTH will be the subject of the forthcoming documentary, "Breaking A Monster". An exclusive feature-film account of the band's experience with the major record industry, it will be released this summer. SeeThink Films, the collaborative behind the release effort, has launched a Kickstarter campaign this month in support of an even wider theatrical presence.

"Chaos" track listing: 01. Chaos02. Monster03. A Tide04. Help Me05. Other Side06. Numbing07. Made Of Stone08. Ravens09. Escape10. FAYWB11. Take Control

UNLOCKING THE TRUTH last year spoke to The Daily Beast about their decision to sever ties with Sony, less than a year after signing with the major label.

"It was pretty difficult at times with [our] meetings [with Sony] — especially with this one particular lady at the label, who had a meeting with us once where she was just talking at us for six hours," Alec said. "We were pretty young at the time so we were pretty restless and wanted to get up and do something else, but she just had us in this meeting for six hours."

As part of its guaranteed two-album deal with Sony, UNLOCKING THE TRUTH was reportedly due to receive $60,000 to record the first disc and possibly as much as $325,000 for the second CD. Sony reportedly had an option to release a total of five albums from UNLOCKING THE TRUTH that could have pushed the label's financial investment to around $1.8 million ($325,000 for the second album, $400,000 for the third, $450,000 for the fourth and $550,000 for the fifth). It should be noted, however, that the band was only supposed to see the real money after an initial $60,000 advance if their debut album sold more than 250,000 copies, a prospect that seemed highly unlikely in an age of diminishing record sales.

Luke Meyer, the director of "Breaking A Monster", told The Daily Beast: "The $1.8 million is what happens if you add up all their advances for five records, and it increases in amount with each successive album.

"That's what everyone says about the music industry — it's got all this glitter on it, but it's always less flashy than it looks."

The members of UNLOCKING THE TRUTH famously got permission from a New York judge in July 2014 to sign the Sony deal. The musicians needed the judge's approval because they were minors.

UNLOCKING THE TRUTH has already played the Coachella festival and has supported GUNS N' ROSES. In addition, the band has appeared in a national ad campaign for Verizon Wireless.

UNLOCKING THE TRUTH credits bands such as METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, CHELSEA GRIN, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and ESCAPE THE FATE as its influences.

Photo credit: Clay Patrick McBride

Rock band PIERCE THE VEIL has released "Circles", a brand new song from its next album, "Misadventures", due out May 13 on Fearless Records. Just yesterday, "Circles" was named the "Hottest Record In The World" on BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac show, and in less than 24 hours, the track has soared past 100,000 YouTube hits. In addition, it's trending worldwide on Facebook.

"Circles" goes to U.S. rock and alternative radio today, and you can check out the song below.

"Circles" was inspired by last fall's Paris terrorist attacks and is a hypothesized story about two friends at the the EAGLES OF DEATH METAL show and how they tried to save each other as the onslaught was taking place.

"Misadventures" is the follow up to the band's 2012 breakthrough release, "Collide With The Sky", that debuted at No. 12 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, held the No. 1 spot on the Rock, Hard Rock, and Modern Rock/Alternative Albums charts, has sold nearly 350,000 copies, and earned the band a gold single for the track "King For A Day".

For "Misadventures", the band — Vic Fuentes (vocals, guitar), Tony Perry (guitar), Jaime Preciado (bass) and Mike Fuentes (drums) — worked again with Dan Korneff who co-produced "Collide" and recorded at his Long Island studio Sonic Debris on and off between summer 2014 and summer 2015. "It was exciting to do another record with Dan," said Vic. "We had gotten to know him really well on 'Collide', so there wasn't that initial period where you're trying to get to know each other. We just dove in and started to make music right away."

Initial plans were for "Misadventures" to be released earlier, but touring commitments and the band's conscious decision to take their time to make the album the very best it could be, both musically and lyrically, set a different course. Explained Vic, "We went into this record wanting to top the last one, which we try to do with every record, and we kept setting the bar higher and higher."

Vic's search for inspiration took him to a number of places to write the lyrics — New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, the Southern California mountain resort of Big Bear, Santa Barbara and Seattle. "I wanted every song to have real meaning, and thought that in spending time in different places, I'd find new inspirations — that's exactly what happened," he said.

The eleven songs on "Misadventures" find the band dealing with a variety of topics including self-worth and an individual's ability to shine, the dream of leaving everything behind while you run away with the one you truly love, the challenge of outrunning betrayal to an undefined relationship.

The track listing for "Misadventures" is as follows:

01. Dive In02. Texas Is Forever03. The Divine Zero04. Floral & Fading05. Phantom Power And Ludicrous Speed06. Circles07. Today I Saw The Whole World08. Gold Medal Ribbon09. Bedless10. Sambuka11. Song For Isabelle

PIERCE THE VEIL will launch its "Misadventures" tour with a special sixteen-date trek played in intimate venues, a treat for both the band and its fans who last saw PTV headline amphitheatres on the 2015 Warped Tour. On this leg only, the band will play "Misadventures" in its entirety.

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

Roadrunner Records has announced the signing of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's CODE ORANGE. The progressive unit comprised of Jami Morgan (drums, vocals), Eric Balderose (guitar, vocals), Reba Meyers (guitar, vocals) and Joe Goldman (bass) has gripped listeners and press around the globe with its visionary compositions and aggressive power.

This spring CODE ORANGE will join DEFTONES on a U.S. trek which is set to get underway May 10 in Memphis, Tennessee and continue through the end of the month. CODE ORANGE is also set to perform at number of festivals later this year, including a highly anticipated set at This Is Hardcore Fest 2016.

CODE ORANGE first turned heads under the moniker CODE ORANGE KIDS with a series of tapes and seven-inch singles. At just 17-18 years of age, the band released its 2012 debut LP, "Love Is Love / Return To Dust", which NPR declared "an untamed, unpredictable beast of a hardcore record… a sign of where we're at in heavy music — fewer boundaries, more ways to crush eardrums." In September of 2014, with CODE ORANGE approaching their 20s, the band officially dropped "KIDS" from their name to release their landmark second LP, "I Am King", which Pitchfork asserted as "the most forward-thinking post-hardcore record of 2014." Crashing through the confines of genre limitations, CODE ORANGE proved that their power lies in their fearlessness and audacity which has placed them at the front of the pack.

Dave Rath, SVP of A&R at Roadrunner Records, commented on the signing: "Now is the time for the next generation of heavy bands to take the torch and run with it. CODE ORANGE is at the forefront of that generation, pushing the boundaries and changing perceptions of what heavy music will be for the future. As the premier lifestyle label in heavy music, Roadrunner Records is proud to announce CODE ORANGE as part of a roster rich with a history of game-changing bands. This band is sure to change the game for all who follow."

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA will enter Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden in May 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" will be Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH, among others.

The first 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."

Little Caesar will release their first ever double live album worldwide on May 6th with pre-orders available right now. Brutally Honest Live In Holland was recorded on June 20th, 2015 at Muziekcentrum De Bosuil in Weert, Holland.

Lead singer Ron Young states, "It’s called Brutally Honest because there are no overdubs, “clean ups” or fixes to alter what musically occurred that night. Live music is a unique interaction. It’s an energy exchange between the players and the listeners. This album captures that exchange. It captures a moment in time where our adoration for the power of music, with all its subtle imperfections, combined with a welcoming audience, create an experience that will never occur again. We hope you enjoy it and we hope to get to enjoy a similar exchange with you… in person… so that we can get to make great music with you all. Without you, your love of music and your support of Little Caesar, we would never get the gift of that cherished exchange.”

The band will be triumphantly returning to Germany, Spain, Belgium and France starting on May 6th for 17 dates to celebrate the release of Brutally Honest. Along with the recent addition of Pharoah Barret on bass (The Four Horsemen) they are proud to announce the joining of Alex Kane on guitar. Alex was a founding member of Warner Bros artist Life, Sex And Death, and has played Guitar with Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, Sass Jordan and Richie Ramone.

Brutally Honest contains 21 songs taken from the entire Little Caesar catalog; including favorites such as “Chain Of Fools”, “Rum And Coke”, “In Your Arms” and a brand new song never recorded or released before called “Crushed Velvet”.

Ron Young had this to say about the new song, "It's about so many women I know in Hollywood that have not grown old gracefully and are leaving claw marks while clinging to a self destructive life out of fear."

Brutally Honest will be available at all the shows in Europe as well Apple iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Play and Spotify. iTunes pre-orders will instantly be able to download the tracks “Rum And Coke” and “Chain Of Fools”.

As a special offer to Little Caesar fans in the UK, if you travel to one of the shows in Europe and show your ID at the merchandise stand to prove you live in the UK Little Caesar will give you a free concert t-shirt to say thank you for making the trip.

Tracklisting:

“Supersonic”
“Rock ’N’ Roll State Of Mind”
“Hard Times”
“Hard Rock Hell”
“Tastes Good to Me”
“Down ’N’ Dirty”
“I Wish It Would Rain”
“American Dream”
“Real Rock Drive”
“Redemption”
“Prisoner Of Love”
“Wrong Side Of The Tracks”
“Crushed Velvet”
“Rum And Coke”
“Chain Of Fools”
“Every Picture Tells A Story”/“Happy”
“Dirty Water”
“Sick And Tired”
“Drive It Home”
“In Your Arms”
“Down To The Wire”

European tour dates:

May
6 - Oostende, Belgium - Bada Bing
7 - Arras, France - Blue Devils
8 - Beerse, Belgium - Beatnik
9 - Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
11 - Bordesholm, Germany - Albatros
12 - Bremen, Germany - Meisenfrei
13 - München, Germany - Garage Deluxe
14 - Lichtenfels, Germany - Paunchy Cats
15 - Krefeld, Germany - Kulturrampe
16 - Frankfurt, Germany - Nachtleben
17 - Verviers, Belgium - Spirit Of 66
19 - Bilbao, Spain - Antzokia
20 - A Coruña, Spain - Mardi Gras
21 - Cangas, Spain - Salason
22 - Leon, Spain - Gran Café
24 - Madrid, Spain - La Boîte
25 - Valencia, Spain - Paberse Matao

Little Caesar is:

Ron Young - Vocals
Pharaoh Barrett - Bass, Vocals
Alex Kane - Guitar, Vocals
Loren Molinare - Guitar, Vocals
Tom Morris - Drums

During a brand new interview with the WGRD radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith was asked for his opinion on last week's announcement that Brian Johnson was retiring from AC/DC because he risks substantial hearing loss if he continues to perform in large arenas and stadiums.

Smith said: "I was a little confused by the whole situation until the other day, because Brian Johnson actually released a statement yesterday, where he had made a point about the fact that his hearing loss was something of really just… It's quite tragic on a lot of different levels. You know, he's been with AC/DC for 36 years. But in his statement… I think a lot of people, before Brian made his statement, people were just really angry at Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist], like, 'What are you doing?' And I understood that, because of the iconic voice that is Brian Johnson. But I didn't really know what was going on."

He continued: "I was saying this before, when it happened…. We don't really know what's going on; it's not like I have an open line of communication with the band AC/DC. And everybody was just making their own assumptions as to whether they thought this was B.S. or it was bogus, or what was going on. But from what I gathered from Brian Johnson's statement, he's okay with what they're doing by bringing Axl [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES singer] in to finish up the dates. And also, he thanked Cliff [Williams, AC/DC statement] and he thanked Angus in the statement. And it basically came down to the fact that the doctors are, like… The hearing loss…. He can't perform in stadiums anymore right now. He can't deal with just the amount of noise that larger arenas and stadiums impact on his hearing. It doesn't mean that he can't go into the studio and perform, is what he said in the statement. So I think he's gonna continue to do albums with AC/DC, and hopefully, God willing, he may be able to return to the stage. I mean, he's 68 yeas old. But it's kind of one of those things where only time will tell."

Smith went on to say: "But, in answer to your question, what do I think about it? After looking and reading his statement, and seeing what they're doing by bringing Axl in to finish up the shows, now that I know both sides, and it looked as if Brian Johnson had given his blessing for Axl to come in and do this, I mean, more power to 'em, I guess."

AC/DC's European stadium tour will kick off May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal, and run through June 12 in Aarhus, Denmark. Following the European run, Rose will head out on tour with his GUNS N' ROSES bandmates for the "Not In This Lifetime" summer stadium tour.

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told Johnson he faced "total hearing loss." Those dates will be rescheduled, also with Rose on vocals. Details will be released soon, the band said in a statement.

SHINEDOWN's fifth studio album, "Threat To Survival", debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 65,000 copies in its first week of release.

"Threat To Survival" is the third SHINEDOWN album to enter the chart in the Top 10, following "Amaryllis" and 2008's "The Sound Of Madness", which debuted at No. 8.

Schmier of German thrashers DESTRUCTION has weighed in on the strange situation regarding AC/DC and singer Brian Johnson. The legendary Australian rock band postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told Johnson he faced "total hearing loss." AC/DC has since announced that it will use GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist" when it resumes its tour next month, with Johnson apparently not returning to the band at all.

Speaking to Metal Wani, Schmier stated about the prospect of an Axl Rose-fronted AC/DC (hear audio below): "Oh my God. I mean, it's a great promotional [tool]. But for real, I don't know why they're doing this, actually; it's weird. I mean, Axl Rose has a legacy of fucking up concerts and not being very reliable. I saw him on his worst, when he was so fat that he couldn't sing anymore. They played Rock In Rio three years ago. We [DESTRUCTION] were also on Rock In Rio — we played there — and I saw the Axl Rose performance on TV in Rio De Janeiro the day before we played, and it was so… Actually, it was after us, I think. It was on Sunday. We played on Saturday. It was fucking terrible, you know. And I think [since then] he [has] lost some weight and maybe he's stopped doing so many drugs, and he has a better voice now again; he's back to [being] a better singer. But singing AC/DC every night; this is a lot of energy for the vocals, you know. I don't think he's gonna be able to do that, actually. I mean, it would be a miracle if they don't have to cancel shows."

He continued: "Axl Rose definitely did some great albums with GUNS N' ROSES in the past, and he used to be a great singer. And maybe he's back. But I don't think he was a good choice. There would have been many, many other singers that would have fit much better, like the guy from ACCEPT [Mark Tornillo] or [Marc] Storace from KROKUS — guys that are also in the same age and in the same time that would fit much better. [Tornillo is] actually fantastic. He's also not the youngest anymore; he's, like, 60, I think. But he's still in great shape. And I think also Marc Storace from KROKUS. He's in amazing shape. I had a show with him two years ago, and he was warming up backstage, and he was soo good. And I asked him how old he is, and he said he was, like… And that was, like, two years ago… He was 60 or 62 or something already. I think he's also old, but still so good. I think Storace would have been the perfect guy for AC/DC. But, okay, Axl Rose definitely has the better promotion."

According to a Billboard.com source, Rose initially met with AC/DC members in Miami and Atlanta back in March. It was then that the decision was made to have Rose join AC/DC on tour. There was also talk of having other singers 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 earlier in the month, to tie in with the official confirmation of Rose's involvement.

Brian Tatler from Diamond Head was a guest on the Friday NI Rocks Show recently. The band have just released a new self-titled album following a record deal with Dissonance Productions that will also see them re-release the band's two previous albums. This is the first album with new vocalist Rasmus Born Andersen

An excerpt from the interview is available below:

On writing with new singer Rasmus Born Andersen

Tatler: "Occasionally he would say ‘This sounds very Diamond Head’ and maybe I had lost sight of that a little bit; but I understood what he meant and we tried writing together. I thought give it a go, with no great expectation and no pressure on ourselves. It went well and just progressed and progressed. We’d tape every rehearsal and Rasmus would take everything away and work on sections and lyrics. It came together really well in the end. We’re all really pleased with it.

He did say to me ‘I can sing on anything’. So I think wow, that’s great. I could fire difficult riffs at him and complicated parts, and he wouldn’t say ‘No, no I couldn’t sing on that.’ He’d just go away and do it and come back with something. That kind of freedom is great really, because I can bring these riffs out that I’ve probably had for a while, that I know are going to be tricky to sing on, but know that Ras can do it!"

Metallica have covered Diamond Head tracks. Which tracks would Diamond Head want to cover?

Tatler: "I’ve never been asked that question before. That’s interesting. I’ve got some favourite rock tracks that I like to play. For some reason whenever I pick up a guitar one of the first things I play is 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'. That riff just sits comfortably under my fingers. If I was going to do a Metallica song I’d probably pick something not too obvious, but that would suit Diamond Head. I’d pick maybe 'Blackened' or maybe 'Cyanide' off the last album. I like 'Harvester of Sorrow' – that would be a good one. Other than that, I always really liked 'Sinner' by Judas Priest and I also like 'Island of Domination' and 'Victim of Changes'. One of them might be good. And Black Sabbath. I always wanted to do 'Lord of this World' off Masters of Reality. 'Symptom of the Universe' is mighty, but I don’t think we could improve on their original version. I’d have to give Black Sabbath some thought because there are so many amazing songs. 'Cornucopia' would be good – I’d have to detune a bit for that one! I’d probably do an AC/DC song – 'Problem Child' maybe!

On Axl Rose and AC/DC

Tatler: "Axl has the range and he’ll probably make it more of an event rather than picking some Joe Soap who may be from an AC/DC tribute band or just somebody who has a good high range that nobody has heard of. I think Axl, as long as he plays ball and plays nice, is a great front-man, there’s no question about that. It’s a lot better than cancelling the tour because of Brian Johnson’s hearing. I’m sure the fans won’t mind having a rock star substitution. And Angus is the star in AC/DC. Always has been. He is the only irreplaceable member in my opinion."

The full transcript of the interview is available on the Rock Radio NI website here.

Diamond Head released their new self-titled album April 22nd in Europe. The album will be released on June 3rd in North America. A full album stream can be found below. Recorded at Vigo Studios in Birmingham, the album is the first to feature new vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen and ends an eight-year silence for the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) legends.

Prior to 2014, the thought of a new album was bleak. Guitarist and band founder Brian Tatler reveals, “I had no interest in doing another record but after working with Ras on the 2014 European tour that suddenly changed. I wanted to make a record with him. He’s a confident singer and he’s not trying to fill anyone’s shoes.”

Recording of the album commenced last July with the band and engineer Adam Beddow at the helm. Tatler notes, “I gave Rasmus some music to listen to last January. He selected songs or riffs that he wanted to work on and we began rehearsing. We whittled things down to fourteen songs by April.”

Eleven songs were selected in the end for the album; all mixed by Dave Nicholls and mastered by John Davis at London’s Metropolis.

The album’s lyrical focus details political and environmental themes. Its opening and closing songs specifically draw attention to the world’s self-destructive path. Tatler comments, “the body of the album explores other subtopics in more depth along with songs dealing with lighter subjects that are not so heavy on the heart.” Vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen affirms, “we made the album with the band’s fans foremost in mind from start to finish. We wanted to write songs that would have ties to the best parts of all the early albums.”

Tracklisting:

“Bones”
“Shout At The Devil”
“Set My Soul On Fire”
“See You Rise”
“All The Reasons You Live”
“Wizards Sleeve”
“Our Time Is Now”
“Speed”
“Blood On My Hands”
“Diamonds”
“Silence”

Album stream:

Band lineup:

Brian Tatler - Lead, Rhythm Guitar
Rasmus Bom Andersen - Vocals
Karl Wilcox - Drums
Eddie Moohan - Bass
Andy Abberley - Rhythm, Lead Guitar

Metal Wani's William Richards recently conducted an interview with STEEL PANTHER frontman Michael Starr. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for STEEL PANTHER's follow-up to 2014's "All You Can Eat" album:

Starr: "It's going good, man. I think we've already picked the songs to record. So we're going into the studio right before we come out to Australia, actually, to record the basic tracks, which is the drums and the bass. And then, when we're done doing that, we're gonna go to Australia, do the tour, and then come back and we start doing guitars and then vocals, and we're hoping to have it out by October."

On the musical and lyrical direction of STEEL PANTER's new material:

Starr: "As far as the record is concerned, the music content, it's completely different. I mean, we're singing about completely different shit; we're singing about fucking bitches and partying now. We just wanna change it up. 'Cause we were talking partying and fucking bitches [before], but now we're talking about fucking bitches and partying — just in a different order."

On GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose singing for AC/DC:

Starr: "[it's] pretty fucking awesome, I think. I mean, who's gonna sound more like fucking Brian Johnson than Axl Rose? Think about it. They're, like, the same register, same key, same tone. And it's Axl. That's fucking pretty cool when you have two heavenly heavy metal bands joining forces. It's like two continents coming together for one big heavy metal baby. As long as he shows up. If he shows up, he goes on time, and he stops eating before the show, it should be great."

"Live From Lexxi's Mom's Garage", STEEL PANTHER's first full-length film featuring a live ten-song acoustic concert interspersed with comedic vignettes showcasing the band's unmatched shenanigans and debauchery, was released on February 26 on CD and CD/DVD by Open E Records via Kobalt Label Services.

After a five-year break during which individual members pursued other projects, three founding members of AKERCOCKE — Jason Mendonca, Paul Scanlan and David Gray — have returned to their original purpose; to create new, exciting and innovative music. Complemented by the addition of bass player Nathaniel Underwood, AKERCOCKE is presently producing its sixth studio album, "Renaissance In Extremis", tentatively due in the fall. Jason says of AKERCOCKE's return: "The time is right and the time is now.

"We've been back to the woodshed, writing a host of new songs that have progressed our aesthetic forward again. We are loving the creative process and are humbled by the response from our fans concerning our musical return.

"AKERCOCKE 2016 continues as a positive force, driven by the reasons we began the band in the first place. Expect drama, chaos, new textures and atmospheres enveloped by the hallmarks that have defined our sound.

"There is much excitement at our HQ as we prepare to air new material as well as smashing out some favourites from albums past." AKERCOCKE's first live appearance in five years will be at the Bloodstock Open Air festival on Friday, August 12.

AKERCOCKE's last studio album, "Antichrist", came out in 2007.

"White Flags", a brand new song from the London five-piece AS LIONS, can be streamed below. The track is expected to appear on the band's debut album, due later in the year via Better Noise Records, part of Eleven Seven Music Group. The CD was helmed by David Bendeth, the multi-platinum, award-winning producer who has previously worked with PARAMORE, PAPA ROACH, IN FLAMES, A DAY TO REMEMBER, BRING ME THE HORIZON, OF MICE & MEN and more.

Comprised of vocalist Austin Dickinson (son of IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson), guitarists Conor O'Keefe and Will Homer, bassist Stefan Whiting, and drummer Dave Fee, AS LIONS formed in late 2014. Called the "hot new band of 2015" by Metal Hammer, the band has been keeping busy by touring regionally and building a national following through the U.K.

Cultivating inspiration from bands that encompass a wide range of rock and metal (MUSE, 30 SECONDS TO MARS, BRING ME THE HORIZON), fans can expect an all-encompassing record that will fuel headbanging and encourage crowd sing-a-longs. This was witnessed in full when AS LIONS performed at the legendary Wembley SSE Arena alongside FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on November 28, 2015 to celebrate their new label home and upcoming debut album.

Better Noise Records is Eleven Seven Music Group's new avenue for exciting rock artists such as ESCAPE THE FATE and APOCALYPTICA, and is included in the group's distribution deal with RED/Sony in the U.S., ADA in the EU, Sony in Australia, Southeast Asia and South America, as well as Universal in Canada and Japan.

Label owner and founder Allen Kovac adds: "I've been looking for a project to work on with Craig and the team over at Raw Power Management as I admire the work they accomplished with OF MICE & MEN and BRING ME THE HORIZON. Austin Dickinson and AS LIONS have given us this opportunity, blowing us away with his unique voice and dynamic live performance."

AS LIONS was formed after the breakup of Austin's previous band, RISE TO REMAIN, which released one album, "City Of Vultures", in 2011.

Roots And Roads, the third album from former Orphaned Land co-founder Yossi Sassi’s Yossi Sassi Band will be released on May 25th. The album’s genre can be described as Oriental prog metal, combining Yossi's various musical roots - east and west, acoustic and electric, oriental and metal.

The first single to be released from the upcoming album is “The Religion Of Music” featuring Zaher Zorgatti (Myrath) on vocals. Listen to the track below:

The final sound of the album is the reflection of an intricate combination of rock, classical and worldwide oriental instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Bozuouki, Oud, Saz, Charango, Chumbush, Ney, Kanun and much more. Alongside well-renowned local (Israeli) guest musicians, the album includes vocals by Zaher Zorgati (Myrath) and guitar parts by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses).

The album was recorded in the Jaffa Sound Arts studio in the ancient city port of Jaffa, Israel, during April 2016. The video below from the studio offers snippets of what’s to come:

Canada’s Mortillery have released a full preview for their their upcoming third album, Shapeshifter, a ferocious beast drunk on speed, venomous guitar solos and the rabid vocals of Cara McCutchen. Shapeshifter is set to be released on May 27th via Napalm Records.

Mortillery are on a mission to deliver true thrash metal. They stand out with their smashing riffage, raw energy and dynamic female vocals.

Tracklisting:

“Radiation Sickness”
“Age Of Stone”
“Bullet”
“Mantis”
“Black Friday”
“Wendigo”
“At The Gates”
“Torture”
“Shapeshifter”
“Patient Zero” (bonus track)
“Neckbreaker” (bonus track)
“Shine” (Motörhead cover) (bonus track)

Album preview:

“Radiation Sickness” lyric video:

THE END, the new old-school Florida death metal trio featuring ex-DEATH/MASSACRE guitarist Rick Rozz, ex-MASSACRE drummer Mike Mazzonetto and vocalist/bassist Michael Grim, has inked a deal with FDA Rekotz. The band's debut EP, "Age Of Apocalypse", will be released in late summer and will be followed by a full-length album.

Stated Rick about the signing: "I would like to thank Rico (FDA) for having faith in THE END and giving us the chance to get our music out to the masses, and also to Mike and Michael for both your talents, and great friendships. Salud... to making great metal music together. We have a supreme team. Much love and respect. Until THE END..."

Formed in 2015 in Altamonte Springs, THE END "combines the classic Floridian death metal, well known from the early '90s, bloodsoaked heaviness and modern influences with catchy-as-fuck hooklines," according to a press release.

"Age Of Apocalypse" was recorded at CGM Studios in Altamonte Springs, Florida with producer/engineer Tim Vazquez.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Age Of Apocalypse02. Crawling Back To Life03. Silent Screams Of Death04. Inhale The Plague

THE END will perform on May 13 at The Haven in Winter Park, Florida.

Brazil's melodic death metal/metalcore five piece, Reckoning Hour, have just released a brand new music video for their track, "Misguided". The song comes from their recently released LP, Between Death And Courage.

The band comments: “This song in particular, we dedicated to all of the people who did not believe in our work. It's incredibly difficult to compete in the international market from here in Brazil -- it's a country that metal is not a predominant genre in, you know? We wanted to show the world that we're here, and that this record is only the beginning!"

Reckoning Hour is:

JP - Vocals
Philip Leander - guitar and vocals
Lucas Brum - guitar
Fabio Bianna - bass
Johnny Kings - drums

Norwegian progressive metal band, Withem, will release their new album, The Unforgiving Road, on June 3rd. Listen to the album track, “Arrhythmia”, streaming below:

Withem are inspired by the likes of Symphony X, Pagan's Mind, Dream Theater and Circus Maximus, concentrating heavily on melodic, memorable hooks, but still with plenty of stunning and virtuoso instrumental sections. The band debuted with The Point Of You in 2013, gathering excellent reviews from several music websites, blogs and magazines from all over the world. The release was followed by European touring with Pagan’s Mind, Circus Maximus and Seventh Wonder, and performances at both ProgPower USA and ProgPower Oslo, always with an extremely positive reception.

The new album, The Unforgiving Road sees the band perfecting their style. Withem’s gripping, melody-driven songs avoid the clichés and pitfalls of overly dramatic instrumental sections and sheer senseless complexity and instead centre on creative interplay between the musicians, while the unique vocal range of Ole Aleksander Wagenius gives the band a distinctive touch. Just like the debut album, The Unforgiving Road was produced and mixed by guitarist Øyvind Voldmo Larsen at his own Lionheart Studio, boasting powerful and bombastic production values with plenty of moments for the listener to notice the most subtle intricate parts of the songs.

"The Unforgiving Road is a the culmination of almost a year worth of composing, recording and producing. We didn't want to rush things after the first album, to avoid the usual pitfalls of "sophomore albums," says Withem guitar player and producer Oyvind Larsen. "The challenges we encountered while writing and recording can only be matched with how rewarding it feels after everything is set and done!"

"Øyvind once again took the helm for most of the composition and the whole scope of recording, mixing and producing, and we can't wait to hear everyone's reactions after they listen to the end result," adds new bassist Miguel Pereira. "We are looking forward to start promoting The Unforgiving Road with live shows right after the album is out, and meet all our friends and fans throughout the world."

The Unforgiving Road tracklisting:

“…Intro”
“Exit”
“In The Hands Of A God”
“The Pain I Collected”
“Riven”
“C'est La Vie”
“The Eye In The Sky”
“Arrhythmia”
“In My Will”
“Unaffected Love”
“Outro…”

“The Pain I Collected” lyric video:

Withem lineup:

Ole Aleksander Wagenius - Vocals
Frank Nordeng Røe - Drums
Øyvind Voldmo Larsen - Guitar
Miguel Pereira – Bass

Ulterium Records will release the reissue of Deliverance Of Soul, from the Greek melodic metal band Black Fate, on April 29th in Europe and North America. The track “Blood Red Sky” is streaming below.

Deliverance Of Soul was originally released in 2009, and it was the first Black Fate album to feature Vasilis Georgiou on vocals. The reissue is remastered by Erik Tordsson (End Of September) and features new artwork by Jan Yrlund (Apocalyptica, Korpiklaani, Leah).

Tracklisting:

“Children Of Aniramas”
“Dying Freedom”
“Blood Red Sky”
“Angry Silent Scream”
“The Conscience Of The Brave”
“Rain Of Paradise”
“If The Silence Was Gray”
“Wicked”
“Thorn In My Hand”
“Inner Warning Of My Soul”
“Fallen”

“Blood Red Sky”:

My Ruin guitarist Mick Murphy has released a new Neanderthal EP entitled Live In The UK It is available for free download via Bandcamp; check it out via the player below.

The EP was recorded live at Fleece & Firkin in Bristol, UK on August 21st, 2014.

Live In The U.K. by NEANDERTHAL

The complete tracklist is as follows:

"Mi Ruina"
"Road Agents"
"Murchdadhl"
"E 350 Super Duty"
"Hilljack"
"Booster"

Check out this new official video for "Murchdadhl" below.

Photo by Tairrie B Photography

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has just released the music video for his cover of the FREE song "Fire And Water", featuring his former bandmate and KISS's co-founding frontman Paul Stanley. Check it out below.

The "Fire And Water" video holds its place in rock and roll history as the first time in 14 years that Frehley and Stanley have shared a stage since KISS's appearance at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. It's also the first time Frehley has released a music video since 1989, which was Frehley's cover of "Do Ya" by ELO and THE MOVE.

Frehley's cover of "Fire And Water" is taken from his solo covers set, "Origins Vol. 1", which debuted at No. 23 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 16,109 equivalent album units in the week ending April 21.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

In terms of pure album sales, "Origins Vol. 1" opened with just under 15,824 copies.

During an appearance on KBAD 94.5's "Morning Crash" radio show, Stanley stated about his collaboration with Frehley: "Ace was doing an album of covers, songs that influenced him and that he loved, and called me. And it's always very funny, because with caller ID, I look, and the phone's ringing, and I see Ace's name come up. So, of course…

"Look, for all the bickering and stuff that we may say about each other, we go back to a very magical time. We started this together. So in spite of whatever we may say from time to time or things that get blown up, we are a family, and a dysfunctional one, but nonetheless a family.

"So Ace said, 'Would you do something on the album?' I said, 'Sure. Of course.'"

He continued: "If [Ace] succeeds, it only makes me happy. I don't wanna see anybody fail, especially somebody who I'm close to. Even if I don't speak to him weekly, even monthly, we are connected in a way that will go to the end.

"There's a great song by FREE called 'Fire And Water', which was on the album with 'All Right Now'. Paul Rodgers, besides being a friend of mine, is one of the consummate vocalists. So to get a chance to sing something that's a little different than what I do in KISS was something I didn't take lightly, because Paul Rodgers is a hell of a vocalist. So it was great, and it was a lot of fun, and it was terrific. And I only wish Ace well with it."

Ace spoke to Rolling Stone about his teamup with Stanley. Frehley said: "I thought Paul did a fabulous vocal on it. He jumped at the chance to do this because it's something that's outside of KISS and his character in KISS, and it gave him a chance to, y'know, sing. With Paul, you usually think of him singing in a slightly higher register and on 'Fire And Water', he's singing deep from his diaphragm, and it's a real cool vocal. Everyone's who heard it was just thinks it's the shit."

Other high-profile artists guesting with Ace on the new album are Slash, Lita Ford, Mike McCready, and John 5. In addition to the FREE track, Ace and his guests tackle key classic rock touchstones by CREAM, STEPPENWOLF, LED ZEPPELIN, THIN LIZZY, THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, THE ROLLING STONES, THE KINKS — and even KISS.

"Origins Vol. 1" track listing:

01. White Room (CREAM)02. Street Fighting Man (ROLLING STONES)03. Spanish Castle Magic (JIMI HENDRIX) (feat. John 5)04. Fire And Water (FREE) (feat. Paul Stanley)05. Emerald (THIN LIZZY) (feat. Slash)06. Bring It On Home (LED ZEPPELIN)07. Wild Thing (THE TROGGS) (feat. Lita Ford)08. Parasite (KISS) (feat. John 5)09. Magic Carpet Ride (STEPPENWOLF) 10. Cold Gin (KISS) (feat. Mike McCready)11. Till The End Of The Day (THE KINKS)12. Rock And Roll Hell (KISS)

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has paid tribute to iconic artist Prince, calling him "a unique guy" who "did it all."

Speaking to CNN, Simmons said (see video below): "Very few people know who Prince really was off stage; [he was] a very private, shy man. I got to see it a little bit off stage, but I can't really say I knew him all that well; I don't know that many people did. All the way to the end, [Prince] was a very private person. He lived in Minneapolis from the beginning until the end."

He continued: "One more thing that I wanna say about [Prince's] humanism. Very few people know that during his concert tours, he asked him fans, 'If you bought tickets to a Prince concert, I want you to bring canned goods and contribute to those less advantaged.' C'mon! That's cooler than any rock star that gets up on stage and says, 'Look at me! Look at me!'"

Simmons added: "This is a unique guy, and it would be a crime if the next generation of 14-year-olds don't look up and say, 'You know what? That's who I've gotta emulate,' instead of the modern, sort of pop artists who have producers… Remember: it's a guy who wrote, produced, arranged, engineered… did it all."

Prince's body was discovered on Thursday, April 21 in the elevator of his Minnesota estate Paisley Park. The sheriff's office later released a statement saying they were "continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death," but had no further details. Foul play and suicide are not suspected.

Third Man Books has announced the release of "Total Chaos: The Story Of The Stooges / As Told By Iggy Pop". The book marks the first time the story of this seminal band has been told entirely in Pop's own words. Author Jeff Gold and contributor Johan Kugelberg, noted music historians and collectors, spent two days with Pop at his Miami home, sharing with him their extensive STOOGES collection and interviewing the legendary singer. Pop's candid, bare-all responses left them with the almost unbelievable tale of the band he founded-the alternately tragic and triumphant story of a group who rose from youth, fell prey to drugs, alcohol, and music biz realities, collapsed and nearly 30 years later reformed, recording and touring to great acclaim. In 2010, THE STOOGES, credited with having invented punk rock, were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Their continuing influence can be felt today in the shape and sound of rock and roll music. Jeff Gold, Johan Kugelberg and editor/contributor Jon Savage are among the most respected music authors and historians working today. Their efforts include numerous acclaimed and best-selling books and a Grammy Award. "Total Chaos" stands as a work for all fans of the band and rock music to draw inspiration. Including an absolute treasure-trove of rare and unseen photographs, "Total Chaos" is a book that shows and tells the story of THE STOOGES. A metallic k.o. of only the best kind. Said Gold: "It was a rare privilege to sit with Iggy as he downloaded the story of THE STOOGES. He's an incredible storyteller with a fantastic memory and a great sense of humor, and he held nothing back.

"THE STOOGES were pioneers in sound, look, and live presentation, and along the way invented a genre-punk rock-and influenced countless others that followed. There was no precedent in rock music for what they did. They're definitely the only group in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame who started out playing an amplified Waring blender, a vacuum cleaner, spring water bottles and a 200 gallon oil drum."

"Total Chaos: The Story Of The Stooges / As Told By Iggy Pop" is due this winter.