MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine was interviewed by Terrie Carr for the latest edition of "Box Of Rock" on WDHA-FM 105.5 FM, the rock music station licensed to Dover and Morristown, New Jersey. You can now watch the first part of the chat at this location.

Asked if it was fun to make MEGADETH's latest album, "Dystopia", after a period of uncertainty following the departures of drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick in late 2014, Mustaine said: "Yeah, it was fun to make. It is fun with [the current lineup of] this band. We are having a good time. It's kind of renaissance for us in a way. We made a little bit of an adjustment with our management and some of the staff on our crew, made a couple of musician adjustments and, 'Voilà!' Here you are."

Mustaine also talked about the addition of MEGADETH's latest members, drummer Chris Adler (also of LAMB OF GOD) and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA. He said: "[There are a lot of] reasons to like and love these guys, besides their playing. They're very good to the fans. They're very decent men that have a lot of integrity.

"We love to play," he continued. "We're not going out and getting ripped and catting around and doing all kinds of crazy, dumb stuff that bands usually do. We're all about the performance. We're all about making the show better. We're all about preparing for what's next. We're already talking about revisiting the crazy 'Thrashing In The Snow' [sketch promoting a fake Christmas album that] we did on 'Fallon' a while ago. So, for whatever reason, it's kind of on our radar about doing something fun like that. Versus when you get out of the studio and it's, like, 'Man, I never wanna see that guy again.' So we're already thinking about what's next, what's the next fun thing that we can do. And while we're not in the studio, how do we continue to improve on ourselves as performers?"

Mustaine went on to credit his new bandmates for making his time on stage a bit more enjoyable. He said: I've got a big job. There's a lot of really super-talented frontmen out there, so for me to play guitar and be a frontman, it's two completely different attacks that you have to have. And I lean more on the guitar playing than I do the frontman part, but with Kiko and Chris being here now, we've been able to have so much… Like, I used to not talk in between songs; I barely would talk at all. And I'm talking now, because we're having fun. You know, before, it was like, 'I can't wait to get off stage.' And not because of the fans or anything like that. It's just that you're playing up on stage and three guys are getting along and one guy is not, and it goes on over and over and over again. It's like when you're a little kid and you pull one of the fly wings off. Not that you did that. Not that I did that either, but… [Laughs] You know, and you just realize you're going nowhere. I think right now, we may not know where we're going, but we're going there fast."

On April 8, Universal Music / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records will issue "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. The "Dystopia" picture disc can be ordered individually at all participating retail and online outlets or at UMv as part of a specially priced pack with other picture disc titles including "Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?", "So Far, So Good…So What!", "Rust In Peace", "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia".

AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler has told Rolling Stone that the band will return to the road in 2017. "We're probably doing a farewell tour," he said. The singer added: "Look, there's two bands that still have the original members, us and THE [ROLLING] STONES. I'm grateful for that. Whether we do a farewell tour or go into the studio and do another record, I'm just excited about it."

In the meantime, Tyler will spend most of 2016 nurturing his solo career, including playing thirty solo shows between May and August leading up to the release of his debut solo album.

In May 2015, Tyler released his first country single, "Love Is Your Name", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs chart. He followed it up with "Red White & You", which came out in January.

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry seemed dismissive of Tyler's country debut, telling USA Today in an interview: "Hey, if I didn't know him when I heard the song I'd go, 'It's okay, next.' I'm not going to say anything else about that."

He added: "Steven is in Nashville doing whatever he's doing. He's got a [bleeping] rhinestone cowboy hat going 'Yippee ki yay.' I don't know what else to say about that."

Tyler's full-length country debut is tentatively due later in the year. The effort will be released via Dot Records, the legendary label that Scott Borchetta and his Big Machine Label Group revived in 2014.

The AEROSMITH singer's country album will feature songs that he has written and recorded in Nashville with writers like Paslay, Hillary Lindsey, Cary Barlowe and THE CADILLAC THREE's Jaren Johnston.

AEROSMITH guitarist Brad Whitford said last year that he was less than thrilled with Tyler's plans to devote most of 2016 to his country-tinged debut solo album. He said: "I guess he seems to think his solo career is going to go great guns and he doesn't seem to realize — in my opinion — that his fans around the globe want to see him in the context of AEROSMITH and don't really care for whatever he thinks he's going to do. I don't know if he gets that, but, hey — that's what he wants to do. I can't put a gun to his head."

"Cause For Alarm", a brand new song from San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "The Evil Divide", which will be released on May 27 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was once again recorded at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, DEICIDE), who previously worked on 2010's "Relentless Retribution" and 2013's "The Dream Calls For Blood". Mastering duties were handled by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City. The cover artwork was created by tattoo artist Bob Tyrrell and can be seen below.

DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany said: "Both Mark [Osegueda, vocals] and I had been tattooed by Bob, and when the subject of album artwork came up, we approached him to create the design. We wanted an image that would represent the idea of 'The Evil Divide'; something beautiful, yet simultaneously wicked, hence the death moth. Bob realized our vision with mere pencil and paper, and now we proudly present to you the cover art for our eighth studio album, 'The Evil Divide'."

Osegueda told SFWeekly.com about working with Suecof again: "It's the third time we've used him, and we couldn't really be happier."

He continued: "This time, all the music was written and lyrics were written with the exception of one song, which I purposely saved to write on the spot.

"Sometimes you can get a great vibe from a studio and draw inspiration from that. That song came out great."

Mark added: "It's got the aggressiveness of the last two records, but our songwriting has improved dramatically. Really, it sounds like DEATH ANGEL should."

Regarding DEATH ANGEL's mindset going into the songwriting process for the upcoming CD, Osegueda told Rock Hard magazine: "When we started working with Jason Suecof for the last two records, 'Relentless Retribution' and 'The Dream Calls For Blood', we thought we were gonna do two records intense like that and kind of go back [to the more] melodic [direction of 1990's] 'Act III', but the last two records, we've been loving so much writing that style, and the crowds have been enjoying them so much.

"In our minds, even if we think we're being more brutal than we've ever been, it's inevitable that we are obsessed with melody, so there's always gonna be melody that separates us from, say, different thrash bands or extreme bands, because we always veer to a melody and catchy hooks. No matter how brutal we think we're being, we like to throw in hooks, so we're just gonna carry on how we're doing now and try to pick as many of the young punters there and keep our stronghold on the old punters."

"The Evil Divide" track listing:

01. The Moth02. Cause For Alarm03. Lost04. Father Of Lies05. Hell To Pay06. It Can’t Be This07. Hatred United, United Hate08. Breakaway09. The Electric Cell10. Let The Pieces Fall

Bonus:

11. Wasteland

+ "Making Of" DVD

DEATH ANGEL released "A Thrashumentary" in July 2015 via Nuclear Blast. The DVD was directed, shot and edited by Tommy Jones (KATAKLYSM, SOILWORK, LAMB OF GOD, CARCASS, TESTAMENT) of Videohammer Studios. The release also includes a full live album titled "The Bay Calls For Blood".

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Rob Zombie has weighed in on the strange situation regarding AC/DC and singer Brian Johnson. The band postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told Johnson he faced "total hearing loss." Evidence has mounted that AC/DC may use GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist" when it reschedules the shows, with Johnson possibly not returning to the band at all.

Comedian Jim Breuer, a friend of Johnson, recently claimed that despite the singer being in AC/DC for 36 years, he still felt like a hired gun.

Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio that the situation seems like a difficult one from the outside. "That's a weird one," he said. "I feel bad for Brian Johnson. Being in a band for 38 years and still be the new guy is kind of odd but, you know, I'm not in AC/DC so I don't know the dynamic of it all, you know."

AC/DC reportedly began meeting with potential guest singers in Atlanta, during which Rose was also spotted in the city.

Not yet known is Johnson's future status with AC/DC. Johnson has fronted the group for 36 years, but it is not clear whether his hearing issue will prevent him from performing live with them again.

The rescheduled North American dates for AC/DC have not yet been announced. The band's next confirmed shows take place in Europe in May.

Rob Zombie's new disc, "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser", arrives on April 29. The first single is "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A UFO".

Legendary guitarists Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai performed Yngwie's classic song "Black Star" at the opening show of the "Generation Axe" tour, which kicked off last night (Tuesday, April 5) in Seattle. Fan-filmed video footage of their jam can be seen below.

"Generation Axe" is hitting the road for 26 performances in North America. Joining Vai and Malmsteen during the trek are Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi.

"The 'Generation Axe' show is a unique performance of five fiercely talented guitar players coming together to create a six-string extravaganza that is sure to amaze and delight," commented Steve Vai.

Yngwie's new studio album is due this spring. He told Seymour Duncan about the CD: "I spent two years [working] on it, touring, recording, touring, recording. And that's much, much better, actually, in a way. Back in the day I would write the songs then rehearse them with some musicians, then go and do a backing track and we'd record it, mix it, learn the songs to go play them on tour, then do it all again. That way isn't necessarily conducive to making the best music, y'know what I mean? So in a very, very backhanded way, this weird twist of fate in the music industry has actually made it a more inspiring environment, for me at least. I can write anytime and record anytime. My recording studio is always open, 24 hours. I can just record when I want and it's a beautiful thing."

Asked what the new record sounds like, Malmsteen said: "It's a Malmsteen record. [Laughs] But I would say it's a little different. First of all, I do all the lead vocals on it. Any time I did lead vocals in the past, I was singing blues stuff. This time I decided to do lead vocals in my style of songwriting, so it's different in that way. It's a very hard-hitting album and some parts are very advanced, very complicated. But it's a broad record. It's definitely a must-listen-to!"

Yngwie released a live album, "Spellbound Live In Tampa", and a live DVD, "Spellbound Live In Orlando", a little over a year ago.

The CD and DVD, both of which are named after Malmsteen's latest studio album, 2012's "Spellbound", were issued on September 17, 2014.

On March 31st, the Rock Meets Classic History Of Rock Tour 2016 played the Big Box in Kempten, Germany. The tour features Andy Scott and Pete Lincoln (The Sweet), Steve Walsh (Kansas), Scott Gorham and Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy), Dan McCafferty (Nazareth), Midge Ure (Ultravox), Joey Tempest (Europe) and special guest Doro together with The Mat Sinner Band and the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague. 

Fan-filmed video of Doro performing two Warlock classics and The Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz" with Andy Scott and Pete Lincoln can be viewed below:

Doro released her new single, “Love's Gone To Hell", on April 1st via Nuclear Blast. A video for the track can be viewed below.

Limited edition vinyl:

Side A
“Love's Gone To Hell”

Side B
“It Still Hurts” (duet with Lemmy Kilmister)

6-track maxi-single:
“Love's Gone To Hell” (radio version)
“Love's Gone To Hell” (single version)
“It Still Hurts” (duet with Lemmy Kilmister)
“Rock Till Death” (live)
“Save My Soul” (live)
“Love's Gone To Hell” (original demo version)

White Wizzard recently announced that the original high speed GTO EP lineup of James Paul Luna, James J Larue, Jon Leon and Tyler Meahl will be playing a reunion show at Frost And Fire, a metal festival on the weekend of October 7th - 9th in downtown Ventura, California.

They have now released a new single and video. See it here on their new official website. "Break Out" is fast and furious, etched with the signature White Wizzard sound and accompanied by a video directed by James J LaRue. 

 Founder member Jon Leon comments: “Having James J LaRue laying down leads for our new single 'Break Out' is just fantastic. He is a superb player and I am very excited to have him back in the band as a permanent member. He was there at the beginning when I started this and it's only fitting he returns to see the band into the future. The song is about staying true to yourself and questioning the Establishment - be that religion, the government or anything else which constrains the human spirit. Of course, in typical WW tradition, our video is a very tongue-in-cheek take on that message and we had a real blast making it!

We are further excited to be joining up with James Luna and Tyler Meahl to play Frost And Fire festival in Ventura Ca. We’d been talking about doing something together for some time now, however existing commitments had made it impossible, so it’s great that we can finally get together in October. We will perform the original High Speed GTO EP along with some other songs from that era, and maybe a couple of covers, and depending on how everything goes, we may look at doing more stuff together. White Wizzard is an evolving entity of myself and James J LaRue that will keep making music, while staying open to all possibilities and we are excited for the future, whatever that may hold."

James J LaRue adds: “I'm totally excited for the release of this new song and video. Jon was tireless getting the sounds he wanted, and I lost a lot of sleep animating and putting this video together. While I waited on video file renders, I was practising along with the original EP, getting a head start on having these songs PERFECT for everyone at Frost And Fire. A lot of my friends are playing that show. It's a very classic lineup all around. See you all in October!”

Check out White Wizzard's new website here.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new album from death/thrash sci-fi slayers Mountain Grave entitled Massive Structural Collapse, April 29th on CD and Digital formats. Below is the official description:

“To boldly continue to go where no band has gone before... Mountain Grave return to Horror Pain Gore Death Productions with a masterfully crafted modern cosmic death/thrash dream! Weaving vicious riffs through multi-dimensional atmospheric terror at blistering speeds, Massive Structural Collapse effortlessly punches its way through your speakers and throws you in the cockpit to experience action packed interstellar insanity. This album marks the melding and also completion of the sound / story from The Ancient Disease EP, released back in 2012 on HPGD. Mountain Grave successfully combine the raw drama of Star Trek along with the warm cinematic impact of Star Wars, resulting in a fusion of extreme metal glory!”

Tracklisting:

“Approaching Thyone”
“The Final Dimensions Of Blight”
“Mechanized Colony”
“Surge Capacity”
“Lair Of The Wretcher”
“Primeval Affliction”
“Pursued By Wolves”
“Ebarru”

“Pursued By Wolves”:

Physical preorders are available at Horror Pain Gore Death while digital preorders can be found on Bandcamp.

The as-yet-untitled new album by Trap Them has been completed and is expected to be released worldwide this fall. Once again, the band enlisted unofficial fifth member Kurt Ballou (Converge, Skeletonwitch) at GodCity Studios in Salem, Mass. to capture their unrestrained and unapologetic darkened hardcore sound. Co-founder/guitarist Brian Izzi says, "We’re psyched on how the album came out and can’t wait for you all to hear it. More info on that soon."  

The group has also announced two headlining shows on the East Coast in May. Adds Izzi, "New year, new set list. We added a bunch of 'Darker Handcraft' songs to our set that we haven't played in a while. West Coast: It's been way too long and we're working on getting out there later this year. UK/Europe: Yep, Wokring on that too. See you all soon."

Upcoming shows:

May
5 – Worcester, MA – Ralph’s
7 – Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus

Trap Them's venomous 2014 release Blissfucker – the follow-up to their Prosthetic debut, Darker Handcraft saw the band co-headline the sold-out Deathwish Fest with Converge in addition to a handful of East Coast dates with Coliseum. Limited quantities of Blissfucker on 180-gram black vinyl and special edition gray vinyl (ltd. to 300 copies) are still available.

Vancouver, CA's Astrakhan have announced the upcoming release of debut full-length album, Reward In Purpose, on CD and vinyl formats. The follow-up to 2014 EP A Tapestry Of Scabs And Skin will be released June 10th on War on Music and Sunmask Records. A teaser video is streaming below.

Recorded by Jesse Gander and Mastered by Stu McKillop at Rain City Recorders, Reward In Purpose stands as a singular piece of music and is meant to be taken as it is; the whole is indeed bigger than the sum of its parts. This album explores the perceptions and experience of the band over the last few years together and culminates with the realization that the true reward for which we search with any passionate endeavor is ultimately a matter of experiencing the highs and lows that come with the pursuit of pure expression. It is simply a matter being occupied with something that matters to you.

Album artwork comes courtesy of Nick Patterson. Astrakhan vocalist/guitarist Rob Zawistowski created the design and layout.

Tracklisting:

“Omajod”
“Turgid Waters”
“Of Sage And Other Herbs”
“The Traveler”
“Hatchet”
“Rabbits”
“Microcosmic Design”
“Forgetfulness”
“Hand On The Stone”

Album teaser:

“Omajod” live at Vancouver Psychfest:

(Photo by: Amy Ray Photography)

With their mind melting eighth epos, Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas brings you to the outer rim of the ever expanding boundaries of the cosmos - where the rules of man is not applicable and the cold, dark nothing envelops the harsh realities of the universe. Mariner will be released on April 8th via Indie Recordings. A full stream can be found below.

Mariner tracklisting:

“A Greater Call”
“Chevron”
“The Wreck of S.S. Needle”
“Approaching Transition”
“Cygnus”

Mariner stream:

Teaser video:

Since their beginnings in 1998, Cult Of Luna has released seven albums, been awarded the top rock/ metal award at the Swedish National Radio Awards and cemented their status as one of the true progressors of the metal genre, beknownst to most metal aficionados.

In 2013, the Swedes teamed up with Indie Recordings for the release of perhaps their most successful work to date in the shape of Vertikal I and Vertikal II. These cohesive pieces of work received worldwide appraisal and only pillared Cult Of Luna to even greater heights.

For their eight effort, the post-metal pioneers join forces with the talented Julie Christmas (Battle Of Mice, Made Out Of Babies) from Brooklyn, whom bring an even larger depth to Cult Of Lunas sound – powerfully displayed on Mariner.

Doom/sludge metal vets Sourvein will release their Metal Blade Records debut, Aquatic Occult, on April 8th worldwide. Featuring guest performances by Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe (vocals, organ), Amebix's Stig Miller (guitar), Corrosion Of Conformity's Reed Mullin (drums) and many others, the album is described by front-man T-Roy as the record he wanted to make at a time when his life was at its bleakest. A full album stream can be found below.

Aquatic Occult was produced by Mike Dean and mastered by Brad Boatright (Sleep, Yob). Pre-orders for Aquatic Occult are available now in CD, vinyl, and digital formats at Metal Blade.

Aquatic Occult tracklisting:

“Tempest (Of Desire)” (feat. Stig Miller) *
“Avian Dawn” *
“Ocypuss” (feat. Randy Blythe, Mike Dean) *
“Aquanaut” (feat. Dean Berry)
“Hymn to Poseidon” *
“Mermaids” *
“Urchins”
“In the Wind” *
“Cape Fearian” *
“Capsized” (feat. Dave Capps) *
“High Tide”
“Bermuda Sundown” (feat. Keith Kirkum)
“Coral Bones” *
“Oceanic Procession” (feat. Stig Miller, Randy Blythe on organ) *

* Reed Mullin on drums

Album stream:

"Avian Dawn" video:

"Aquatic Occult promises to be heavier than a two-ton anchor dropped into an antique porcelain bathtub - it's going to break things," comments guest vocalist Randy Blythe. "This record sees Sourvein at their most musical and focused of any recording to date."

"Finally man, finally, my years of hard work have paid off," says T-Roy, reflecting on the lengthy, gruelling trek that brought his band to Metal Blade's roster. He adds, "'Aquatic Occult' is going to bring the truth. The lyrics are reality to me; I don't write about cars or chicks or horror movies, I write about the sacrifice and struggle, all the stuff I saw growing up and what I see now. But I want it to be positive, to let people know that there is a way out of bad times and tough situations."

Sourvein lineup:

T-Roy - vocals/guitar
Lou Gorra - bass
Dig - drums

(Photo by: Tina Nocturnal)

With the core of the band playing together for well over a decade, Iowa’s Green Death have become a staple in the Midwest Metal scene, earning their stripes playing alongside artists like Slipknot, Suicidal Tendencies, Sevendust, Trivium, Napalm Death, Battlecross, John 5, Soulfly, Devildriver, Havok, Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals, Sebastian Bach, Doyle, Soulfly, Black Dahlia Murder, Dying Fetus, Carcass, and more, and releasing two critically acclaimed LPs, The Deathening, and Manufacturing Evil.

Their “big break” came in 2015 when Slipknot/Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor offered the band a slot on KnotFest in San Bernardino, CA, with Slipknot, Judas Priest, Korn, Mastodon, All That Remains, and more, and introduced them to EMP Label Group A&R director and Operations Manager Thom Hazaert, who immediately sent the band’s material to David Ellefson (on tour in India at the time with Megadeth), and the band were signed four days later.

On April 1st, (May 20th in Europe via SPV) EMP Label Group re-released the bands sophomore LP Manufacturing Evil, which the band celebrated this weekend at Wooly’s in Des Moines, with Ellefson even joining the band on stage in front of a packed house to crush a a crowd-pleasing “Green Death-ized” rendition of Megadeth classic “Peace Sells”.

View fan-filmed footage of the performance below:

The band will hit the road this week to open the Chicago date of the Decibel Tour, before heading out on a cross country trek with Hatchet and Black Fast.

Tour dates:

April
8 - Chicago, IL - Decibel Tour 2016 - The Metro
9 - Omaha, NE - Stormfest - Lookout Lounge

April (Coast to Coast Tour with Hatchet, Black Fast)
12 - Trenton, NJ - Championship
13 - Toledo, OH - Frankie's
14 - Indianapolis, IN - Headquarters
15 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
16 - Oklahoma City, OK - Thunder Alley
18 - Denver, CO - Trailside Saloon
19 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar
20 - Las Vegas - The Dive Bar
21 - Phoenix, AZ - Pub Rock Live
23 - Fresno, CA - Dynamite Vinyl
24 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge

May
20 - Annandale, MN - Annandale Roadhouse
22 - Waterloo, IA - TBA
28 - Des Moines - GDP Festival - Wooly’s
31 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge (with Striker)

Green Death are:

Mark Reinking - Rhythm Guitar
Erich Tran - Lead Guitar
Sol Bales - Vocals
Ryan Berrier - Drums
Parker Willis - Bass

"Gates Of Hell" featuring former Morbid Angel vocalist David Vincent:

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has entered the studio to begin work on its next full-length album, due later this year via Rise Records. The effort will be the follow-up to 2015's "Space" EP, a six-track collection of thematic songs that explored a different point of view of space. The yet-to-be-titled release will be the second featuring new THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA guitarist Kyle Sipress.

Commented THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA singer Mike Hranica: "Along with bringing Kyle into the band, we're also happy to announce that we're recording our sixth, next full-length. We wrote the album in two stints out in Michigan and Wisconsin, and now we're back in Long Island to work with the most excellent Dan Korneff."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA will embark on a short, intimate club tour in July, starting at Cleveland's Grog Shop on July 18 after appearing at Chicago's Open Air festival on July 15. The run will wrap up in Springfield, Missouri at the end of the month.

Asked how THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA got involved with producer Dan Korneff, Hranica told The Aquarian Weekly: "I think he had done an UNDEROATH record and that's where I came across his name. Then he mixed '8:18' and a single we did for Record Store Day called 'South Of The City'. He's amazing. He's very professional. Producers can be difficult to work with. Communication can be iffy. But Korneff is totally on top of it and that means the world to us, seeing that we tend to be very hands-on and very nitpicky. So when we had the chance to actually record with him and actually be in the same building as him, it was absolutely amazing. I can't say enough about him."

Regarding why THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA chose to make an EP to follow "8:18" instead of a full-lenth album, Hranica said: "We like mixing things up. It becomes really monotonous to keep shoveling full-lengths down listeners' throats; I feel like it's an easy way to just tire your band out. There are so many great bands that just kept doing the same thing over and over, and even though the records were good, there's still just this decline in interest. We try to avoid that. I know I love hearing the same thing from the bands that I like, and I very much model what we do after my own personal tastes, and I can only handle so many full-lengths. Doing these EPs feels like a breath of fresh air; something to digest differently. Creatively, it's very enjoyable for me and the other guys."

Cult Swedish death metal band Deranged has inked a record deal with Agonia Records, with plans to record a new album this summer. The successor to Cut Carve Rip Serve from 2011 is expected to be released in winter.

Deranged was formed in 1991 by a couple of bored teens in the southern parts of Sweden, that basically wanted to do something in their sparetime. Inspired by the bloodiest and most violent bands of the period, like early Carcass, Napalm Death, Impetigo, Suffocation, and even bloodier horror movies, they started to grind. The early fascination proved to be a particularly long-lasting and fruitful one, with a short break between 2007 and 2009.

Deranged is led by drummer Rikard Wermén, who's the band's mastermind and sole remaining member from the original 1991 lineup. With more than 20 years in the business and eighth full-length albums under the belt, Deranged remains as one of the cult-status Swedish death metal acts around.

Rikard had the following to say about the signing: "Deranged signs with Agonia! It is an honour to announce that we have signed a deal with Polish extreme metal label Agonia Records. We will enter Berno Studio in the summer to record Deranged's 9th full-length album, and our first since 2011! It will be the HEAVIEST Deranged release so far! More info as we go along, but expect a winter 2016/2017 release. KILL!"

Dutch/Mexican symphonic/progressive metallers STREAM OF PASSION have announced plans to disband. The group said in a statement: "Over the past eleven years, we've had the time of our lives playing in stages all over the world and sharing moments of joy on stage. But all good things come to an end, and we feel it's time to move on and search for new musical challenges. We're proud of everything we've achieved, with your help, and we want to end the band history on a high note instead of losing focus, interest and drive.

"Before parting ways as a band we will perform a few goodbye shows; we also want to record a DVD to serve as a memento of the good times we've had. We're also looking into adding an extra, final show towards the end of the year; more details to follow.

"Once again, we'd like to express our eternal gratitude for the support you've given us all these years. All of us will continue to make music, one way or the other; so we still hope to see you soon on a stage near you.

"Thank you for being part of the wonderful adventure that has been STREAM OF PASSION!"

Upcoming STREAM OF PASSION shows:

Aug. 26 - Zebra Festival, Gemert (NL)Sep. 02 - P60, Amstelveen (NL) (DVD recording)Sep. 07 - ProgPower USA XVII, Atlanta, GA (USA)Oct. 13 - Underworld, London (UK)Oct. 14 - Bierkeller, Bristol (UK)Oct. 15 - Classic Grand, Glasgow (UK)Oct. 16 - Robin 2, Bilston (UK)

STREAM OF PASSION's latest album, "A War Of Our Own", was released on April 18, 2014 via PIAS/Rough Trade. The CD was described in a press release as "the result of the struggle the band had to endure after they decided to part ways with their record label and continue on their own path."

In an interview with MetalTalk.net, STREAM OF PASSION singer Marcela Bovio stated about the band's split with Napalm and decision to release the new CD themselves: "It was around two years ago that we started the whole process for this album, and to be honest, by then we already felt that working with Napalm wasn't going all that well, for multiple reasons.

"When we started working on this new album, we went to them with demos of the first few songs and they didn't really seem to get what we were doing. We had an option in our deal, so it wasn't that we really had to make another album with them and their reaction triggered us to looking at what else we could do. We checked all our options, like looking for another label and so on, and we came up with the idea of crowdfunding. It seemed like a very big risk to take, but we thought if we do this, it will put us in a very different place. We hesitated for a while before making the decision but eventually decided to go for it… We did some research into how it worked and set up the campaign through a crowdfunding web site, and it went really well! We managed to raise a whole lot of money, much more than we ever expected to."

The red thread of the album is conflict in all its forms: personal battles, like disease and depression, corporate battles the band was confronted with themselves, but also the turmoil that destroys a land, mainly the drug wars of Mexico, the native country of Bovio. Musically the band has perfected their sound by ambitiously pushing their boundaries; "A War Of Our Own" is more progressive and melodic than ever, with symphonic elements and an emotional undertone, heavy with Latin-American influences.

Regarding the musical direction of "A War Of Our Own", Marcela told MetalTalk.net: "Our previous album, 'Darker Days', in a lot of ways was a little bit difficult to make what with the whole process of me moving from Mexico to Holland and finding my inspiration. In the end, it worked really well and it put us, or certainly me at least, a little bit back on track and I knew what I wanted to do next.

"A couple of years ago, when we started to write these new songs, I already had the idea, I wanted to make it a little more progressive. It was our goal from the beginning to be more ambitious with the songs, and I think we have really managed to do that. There are a lot more progressive influences in the album, but you can still hear that little Latin thing we do, and of course, a lot of symphonic elements still. That melancholic, dramatic feeling we've always had is still there too. I'm really happy, as I think we really managed to put down on those songs exactly what we were thinking of doing."

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK's November 19, 2015 concert at Joy Eslava in Madrid, Spain was professionally filmed and recorded for a new CD, DVD and Blu-ray, "On A Mission: Live In Madrid", to be released on May 6 via Inakustik. Joining Schenker at the show were Doogie White (vocals), Herman Rarebell (drums), Francis Buchholz (bass) and Wayne Findlay (guitar, keyboards).

Regarding why Madrid was chosen as the city in which to film the new DVD in, Schenker told Rock Bottom: "Madrid is… Spain, hot-blooded audience — one of my favorite audiences. And it fitted well in the routing of our European tour. And we found a nice little place, like an old theater, a music theater, with a bunch of balconies, so we decided to use Madrid for this DVD. And, basically, it was very fortunate for us that we had a good night musically, we played well, and the audience [was] absolutely fantastic. And I would say it all worked out absolutely top."

"On A Mission: Live In Madrid" track listing:

Disc 1:

01. Ocean Odyssey - Intro02. Doctor Doctor03. Live And Let Live04. Lights Out05. Where the Wild Winds Blow06. Natural Thing07. Before The Devil Knows You're Dead08. Victim Of Illusion09. Lovedrive10. Coast To Coast11. Vigilante Man12. Rock My Nights Away

Disc 2:

01. Saviour Machine02. Too Hot To Handle03. Only You Can Rock Me04. Lord of the Lost and Lonely05. Rock You Like A Hurricane06. Rock Bottom07. Horizons08. Attack Of The Mad Axeman09. Communion10. Blackout

Disc 3:

01. Searching For Freedom – Outro

Bonus Materials

* Rehearsal* Before The Show* Soundcheck* Individual Interviews With Each Bandmember

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK is tentatively planning to enter the studio later in the year to begin work on its third album for a 2017 release.

The band's last CD, "Spirit On A Mission", was recorded at Kidroom Studios in Münster, Germany; the same studio where 2013's "Bridge The Gap" album was laid down. The effort was produced by Michael Voss and Michael Schenker, and engineered by Voss.

Former RAINBOW singer Doogie White was described by Schenker as an "extremely creative individual with a fantastic range and a voice that never stops". "How many people do you know that can sing nine shows in a row, without a day off and still have a voice with a range like his?" said Schenker. "He's a real trooper."

As previously reported, Michael Schenker will play a very special show, Michael Schenker Fest, at this year's Sweden Rock Festival, set to take place June 8-11 in Sölvesborg, Sweden. The concert will feature appearances by three MSG singers: Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley. They will be joined by Ted McKenna on drums, Chris Glen on bass and Steve Mann on guitar/keyboards.

Depressive suicidal black metallers GHOST BATH have released a visualizer for the song "Ascension". This exclusive bonus track is taken from the re-release of "Moonlover", which is now available digitally worldwide via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. A physical release in North America will follow in both CD and vinyl formats on June 10. "'Moonlover' is the first part of a trilogy of albums we plan to release," comments GHOST BATH mastermind Nameless. "It encompasses the human experience and dwells within the minds of those who walk the earth. It deals with a longing for death and an eventual journey to realize the death instinct, Thanatos. A sort of numb sadness drenches this albums tracks; melancholy, tragedy, and despair all take hold of Moonlover at any given moment. "The bonus track, 'Ascension', is a transitional point for the band. The title refers to a journey into the heavens, a hint to where the next installment of our album trilogy will go. We feel that it envelopes the sounds of 'Moonlover', while also leading the listener to what will come next."

GHOST BATH will headline the Shadow Woods Metal Fest in White Hall, Maryland on September 15. This will mark the band's first live appearance ever. "Moonlover" track listing:

01. The Sleeping Fields02. Golden Number03. Happyhouse04. Beneath The Shade Tree05. The Silver Flower Pt. 106. The Silver Flower Pt. 207. Death And The Maiden

Bonus track:

8. Ascension

GHOST BATH began in October of 2013 with the release of their self-titled EP on Solitude Productions (China). This was followed by their debut LP titled, "Funeral", which was released on Pest Productions (China) in June of 2014. "Moonlover", their latest LP was released originally on Northern Silence Productions (Germany) and is now being re-released through Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album was produced by Josh Schroeder and Nameless and mixed by Josh Schroeder.

Photo credit: Randy Edwards Photos, LLC

Japanese teenage girl pop metal band BABYMETAL performed its song "Gimme Chocolate!!" on last night's (Tuesday, April 5) episode of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert". You can now watch video footage of the group's appearance below.

BABYMETAL's second album, "Metal Resistance", was released on April 1 via RAL/Sony Music Entertainment in the U.S. and earMUSIC in Europe.

"Metal Resistance" features songs that have already been performed live, as well as many never-been-heard-before new songs. As was the case with BABYMETAL's debut, "Metal Resistance" contains both songs performed as solo tracks, and as a group. "Amore -Aoboshi-" and "No Rain, No Rainbow" is performed by Suzuka Nakamoto (a.k.a. Su-Metal), and "GJ!" and "Sis. Anger" are performed by Yui Mizuno (a.k.a. Yuimetal) and Moa Kikuchi (a.k.a. Moametal). BABYMETAL kicked off the 2016 world tour with a headline show at the world-famous Wembley Arena, U.K. on Saturday, April 2, making history by becoming the first Japanese artist to headline the legendary venue.

Established in 2010, BABYMETAL is the offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and heavy metal.

BABYMETAL's members admit that they had never listened to metal before joining the group. The girls wear gothy schoolgirl costumes, do choreographed dance routines and bang their heads violently.

Many heavy metal fans have been reluctant to embrace BABYMETAL — which also includes producer Kobametal and a backing band of corpse-painted virtuosos — with some Internet forums calling them "the definition of a gimmick", "awful" and "metal for hipsters."

In a brand new interview with Rock Cellar Magazine, TWISTER SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French spoke about the band's status as an ongoing entity in 2016. He said: "This year is our 40th anniversary of me, Dee [Snider, vocals] and Eddie [Ojeda, guitar] together and this is it; this is the end. We're playing some shows and that's it. It's the '40 And Fuck It' tour. [Laughs]"

Asked if it's bittersweet for him to see TWISTED SISTER finally come to an end, French said: "Well, I don't know. We already ended it once before and ended it for twelve years and got back together again. The reunion lasted a lot longer than I thought it was gonna last. The reunion has gone on thirteen years. I thought the reunion would last two years, so it's really gone on a long time. We've accomplished an awful lot and released a lot of product. I mean, the movie [about TWISTED SISTER's early days, 'We Are Twisted F*cking Sister!'] is coming out this year and we have a CD coming up with some live shows from back in the bar days. There's a lot that is going on."

He continued: "It's kind of like the last five minutes of a fireworks display as far as the history of TWISTED SISTER is concerned. When people doubt that this is the end, I tell them they shouldn't doubt it. It is the end. I don't foresee us playing ever again. These dates are it, but there'll be plenty of product out there. But I think that the shelf life of the band live has reached [its] end, [and] that's why the tour is aptly titled."

Snider recently told The Washington Times about TWISTED SISTER's decision to call it quits: "It's not that I don't love the guys. It's not that I'm not proud of my past. I just want to leave with a certain degree of dignity. Leave people with a smile on their face. As opposed to them leaving, shaking their heads, saying, 'I remember when they were really good.'"

He continued: "I had been saying to the band, 'Guys, we've got to call it a day. At some point, there has to be an end. Now we have been reunited more years than we were together the first time.' A reunion is not supposed to go on forever, contrary to what KISS does."

Snider added: "When [drummer] AJ [Pero] passed away, the rest of the guys sort of said, 'You know what, we get it. It seems a logical time to finish things up.'

"Our 40th year is coming up, so we decided it would be cool to do some shows to say goodbye."

TWISTED SISTER's movie, "We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!", was released on February 23 on DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, and digital formats, with an included two hours of bonus material and director commentary.

"We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!" is a 134-minute documentary film by Andrew Horn. The film follows the band from their beginnings as a cross-dressing glam band playing four shows a night, six nights a week in New Jersey bowling alleys and Long Island beach bars, to the suburban mega-clubs of the late '70s and early '80s, to their bust-out appearance on the U.K. rock TV show "The Tube".

Ryze Up conducted an interview with BUTCHER BABIES frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey on February 6 at Ground Zero in Spartanburg, South Carolina. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about the fact that BUTCHER BABIES have been steadily earning the respect of metal fans and other groups alike, Carla said: "When we first started this band, we didn't have a plan. We just wanted to play music with our best friends. We started off playing on the Sunset Strip [in Hollywood], covered in blood and just having a great time. And then we realized that we were doing something — we were making some noise, people were watching, and we realized that we could get our message out in the manner that we really wanted to. So we started to write music that was important to us, and we started to see the way that it was affecting people at our shows, with them singing back to us and watching the emotion in their faces. And we realized slowly that we were gaining respect because we were honest in what we were doing. People were believing what we were saying."

Added Heidi: "And we were doing what we wanted. You know, the thing is, so many times, especially as women in this industry, they try and tell you what you're supposed to look like, sound like, act like — everything. So, for us, we went out there and defied those odds and kind of just gave a big 'fuck you' to the music industry, and it made noise, because we're out there showing that it doesn't matter where you came from, what you look like, your race, your gender, the typical stereotype — it doesn't matter. You can love anything that you want to love, and you can be anything that you wanna be, and, to us, that was our biggest message."

Continued Carla: "And I think a lot of people who feel like the underdog in their daily life, they kind of grasped on to us, because they felt like we were kind of underdogs and we all fought together, you know."

BUTCHER BABIES' second album, "Take It Like A Man", was released in August 2015 via Century Media. The CD was produced by Logan Mader, who has previously worked with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, DEVILDRIVER, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and GOJIRA.

Rock powerhouse ALTER BRIDGE has commenced recording the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed 2013 album "Fortress". The as-yet-untitled fifth LP is once again being produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette and is tentatively set for release in the fall.

In a brand new interview with Metal Wani, ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's new CD (hear audio below): "I'm actually tracking [my parts] today. We don't have a specific [release] date set yet, but we're trying as hard as we can to get the album out this year."

He added: "We've already tracked the drums and the bass for the album, and I started my guitar tracking yesterday, and I continue today. So we're well on our way."

Regarding what fans can expect from the next ALTER BRIDGE album, Tremonti told TeamRock Radio: "It could go in any direction. I've got a ton of ideas in all different styles. Last time, it was just one heavy idea after another and hopefully this time we can branch out and bring something new to the table."

"Fortress" was released in 2013 and featured the Active Rock Top 15 single "Addicted To Pain".

When ALTER BRIDGE is on hiatus, Kennedy can be found fronting Slash's band, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.

Tremonti will release the third effort from his band TREMONTI, titled "Dust", on April 29.

DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott was interviewed earlier today (Tuesday, April 5) by Johnny Garbutt of the Q107 radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

On DEF LEPPARD's latest, self-titled album:

Elliott: "[There are] fourteen tracks [on it], two of which have already been heavily exposed to radio, 'Let's Go' and 'Dangerous'. There's some great stuff on there, though; there's buried treasures on that record that will hopefully see the light of day down the road, you know. But it's a record we're really proud of, because it's different. The two songs I just mentioned are classic DEF LEPPARD — absolutely the second you hear 'em, you go, 'That's DEF LEPPARD.' And that's exactly why we did them. But there are other songs that go a lot deeper in different directions on the album but still tie in. So you know, for us it was a joy to do. It mostly came out of the fact that we didn't really know we were making an album when we made it. So, as daft as that sounds, we were only gonna do a three-track EP, but we kept writing and writing. And then when we thought, 'Well, which three do we pick?' You know, it was just kind of brought up, 'Well, why do we have to pick three? Why don't we put them all out?' And then we'd accidentally made an album. So we didn't have that pressure of A&R men or worrying about what direction we were going in. It just kind of came out naturally, which is the best way to do an album."

On his vocal issues that caused the postponement of a number of shows in February:

Elliott: "As far as I'm aware, it's fine. You know, I got a really bad cough over Christmas and New Year, and that's what did the damage. It wasn't singing. It was just an injury. It was like a footballer getting kicked very hard on the shin and not being able to play for a few weeks or a couple of months or whatever. It was nothing to do with his ability to play; it was just an injury that he picked up. And it was the same thing with me. I just got a really, really bad cough, couldn't clear it up, and I was warned, having seen a couple of throat doctors, that I needed to take four to six weeks off. So it's about now that I start giving it a shout again. But other than that, everything else is fine, you know. It's just… It just needed a rest."

"Def Leppard" entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 10 with first-week sales of just over 30,000 units — nearly all from pure album sales.

The album is the band's first studio effort since "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" in 2008.

Ultimate-Guitar.com recently spoke with Children Of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho on a variety of topics. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

UG: So, big news in the band, you recently got yourself a new guitar player, how did Daniel Freyberg come to be in the band? 

Alexi: "Well I've actually known him for over ten years. He's played in a couple bands so I always knew he could play guitar. When we started looking for a new member or at least somebody to do the shows with, we tried out a couple guys who didn't live in Finland and it didn't work out and this guy, he was right there and he just informally brought it up like, "hey if you guys need any help, let me know." I hadn't heard him play in a while so I had him send me a video with a couple of riffs to see if he could still play and he rocks. He's a hard working dude. He's a quick learner and so far, it's been awesome. But the thing is, we haven't really decided if we're going to have him as a permanent member or not. We're still not sure what's going to happen for sure."

UG: There seems to be a lot more to being in a band than just playing ability. 

Alexi: "Yeah, when you think about it, the playing part is such a small part of being in a band because the playing should be there no matter what. Being in a band is more about having people you get along with. We're the kind of band who is constantly on the road so you do basically live with each other so it's super important that we get along. If there's one guy that bums another guy out, it can be pretty destructive. I've seen that happen to so many bands and I don't want that around."

UG: Have you tested him out yet by playing some pranks yet? 

Alexi: "Not yet. I'm sure we will at some point."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Children Of Bodom recently checked in with the following update:

"We're so excited to announce Latin America dates for this year! Mexico - Chile - Argentina - Brazil we're coming for you this May. Head over to our events/tour dates page here for more info and tickets on sale today!"

METALLICA will reissue its first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", on April 15. Both albums have been remastered for the most advanced sound quality and will be available in three formats — CD, vinyl, and deluxe box set. Both deluxe box sets include original source material from the band's personal collection with many never-before- heard-or-seen recordings, along with a book including rare photos and essays from those who were there.

An unboxing video for the deluxe edition of the "Ride The Lightning" reissue — featuring METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich — can be seen below. Also available is the previously released "Kill 'Em All" unboxing video featuring METALLICA frontman James Hetfield.

The deluxe numbered box set of "Kill 'Em All" includes four vinyl records, five CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including rare photos and a patch while the deluxe numbered box set of "Ride The Lightning" includes four vinyl records, six CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including more of those unseen photos, a mini-book of lyrics handwritten by James Hetfield and a set of three posters. The deluxe box sets are limited-edition collectors' items.

Fans can pre-order both deluxe box sets at the Met Store now and all six new items will, of course, also be available at your local record store on Friday, April 15, just in time for Record Store Day.

Originally issued on July 25, 1983 through the independent label Megaforce Records, "Kill 'Em All" was recorded in two weeks on a miniscule budget in upstate New York. Although only 1,500 copies were initially pressed, the album was reissued by Elektra Records after the band signed to that label in 1984 and has since been certified triple platinum for sales of more than three million copies.

The varied sounds of "Ride The Lightning", which included the first METALLICA ballad in "Fade To Black", drew mixed responses from some fans. The band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, told Rolling Stone magazine: "It did surprise us a little bit, I guess. People started calling us sellouts and all that type of stuff. Some people were a little bit bewildered by the fact that there was a song that had acoustic guitars."

Noting that at least four songs from the album are still part of METALLICA's live set today, Ulrich said that "Ride The Lightning" "holds up very well," adding, "There's kind of a youthful energy that runs through the record."

Puerto Rico's thrash metal sensation Calamity has released their first music video, “Facing Calamity” from their debut album Imminent Disaster. The video was recorded and produced by a team of local students from Atlantic University College and was directed by Carolina Seda and Manuel Rosario.

"We are so proud of what we accomplished in this, our first music video”, says Berny Santos (vocalist and guitarist of the band). “’Facing Calamity’ is a song about a person suffering for bad things he or she did in the past, and we definitely captures that feeling on tape. The team wanted it to be a tribute to old school horror films and so they did. We were very into it from the beginning."

The band has just returned from US tour and are already getting ready for a second leg this summer/autumn in support of a veteran Latin band.

Israeli metallers, Ferium, will release their new album, Behind The Black Eyes this month. The follow-up to their 2014 debut album Reflections will be released on April 21st and pre-orders are being taken now at this location. Check out the new music video for the track “Power Is All That Matters” below.

Behind The Black Eyes was produced and mixed by Elram Boxer. It was mastered at The Panic Room by Thomas Plec Johanssen.

The band discusses the sound and ideas behind the album as follows: "Aggression is the most important thing about metal in our opinion. It has been an important outlet for so many people, including ourselves. We write the music from the bottom of our souls. The creative minds behind Ferium have experienced deceit, unfaithfulness, heartbreak, betrayal, pain and loss, all of which creates a sonic portrayal of aggressiveness and frustration in an effort to solve all of life's struggles, and to turn them into positive and empowering experiences.

“With our lyrical concept revolving personal relationships, emphasizing a story from the protagonists point of view, our new album has a much more direct and cohesive approach than Reflections, Behind the Black Eyes is a concept album, which makes it much easier to imagine yourself being in the story through vocals that play a big role in creation of the atmosphere and the huge groove riffing. Eliran Kantor's (Testament, Atheist, Hatebreed) mesmerizingly brutal cover artwork gives the lyrical concept the image it deserves."

Tracklisting:

“Aftermath”
“Power Is All That Matters”
“A Journey We Had”
“Revelation”
“Losing The Grip”
“She Feels Like Home”
“Seven Years Of Seven Levels Of Hell”
“We Fell Apart, We Fall Together”
“A Free Man”

“Power Is All That Matters” video:

“Revelation” video:

“A Journey We Had” video:

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.

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."

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was interviewed on the March 25-27 edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the Podbean widget below. A few excerpts follow.

Full Metal Jackie: We are here to celebrate the release of the "Battle Cry" CD, DVD and Blu-ray. It is out now, and was recorded at [the] Wacken [Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany] in August 2015. Man, Wacken is such an amazing place. I got to see you play there a few years before that. Man, this one you guys play in front of like, 85,000 people?

Halford: "Yeah, it was amazing, an absolutely incredible atmosphere at Wacken. You know, all the metal festivals, no matter where they are around the world, they're unique, because they're not only great for the bands that are jamming onstage, but for the metal community and metal maniacs. They get a chance to get together and, yeah, listen to all their favorite bands, have some drinks and just talk metal and live that experience, and that's what Wacken is very, very famous for. It's a three-day event, I believe. And I can't remember how many times we've played [Wacken], but we knew we wanted to make a full… you know, film it for a DVD/Blu-ray and CD audio. And we were trying to figure out the best place to do it, as the 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour roared around the world. And Wacken made perfect sense, because they've already got in-house cameras and stuff going down; they do that every year — it's just a great set of facilities that they have backstage. So we got it all to work, and, man, this is great. This is a real celebration for PRIEST, the 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour and for metalheads all uniting on that special night."

Full Metal Jackie: So many people thought that the band sounded better than ever on the last tour, especially you. How much did that overall response initiate the making of "Battle Cry"?

Halford: Well, the fans drive us more than ever. When you see that kind of reaction, when you feel those kinds of vibes coming to you, not only from the stage but on social media, especially, [and] when we meet our fans as often as we can after a show, that's what we still thrive on in PRIEST and that goes into what we feel and what we do when we're out on that stage. We're obviously having the best of times ever, playing together as a band, but when you're looking out and you're seeing that frenzy, when you're feeling that kind of insane response, it fires you up to really put more into it. And we've said it so many, many times, we feed on that energy and power from our fans. And it goes into our performance. I think that's what it is, you know. I don't know why I was singing like I was, or how Glenn [Tipton, guitar] was playing so great, and Richie [Faulkner, guitar], Scott [Travis, drums] and Ian [Hill, bass]. But there was just something very special happening on that 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour, and you can really see it and feel it and hear it in the 'Battle Cry' release."

Full Metal Jackie: The last tour lasted a little more than a year, over a hundred shows. What factors did you have to consider when choosing which show to film and what ultimately made Wacken your choice?

Halford: "Well, we're still recording every show that we do. That's just part of what PRIEST has done forever, from the [mixing] desk. And that's kind of an important element, I think, all bands should consider. You know, capture all your shows, whether you can just do it from the desk or whether you've got some GoPro [cameras] on the stage. It's all important, it's all valuable. And beyond that, you're looking for, in this case, the biggest dimension that you can capture. I mean, this is just talking off the top of my head. When we were just recently looking to approve the Us festival that we did out in what is now Devore in Southern California in front of three hundred and fifty thousand metal maniacs, when you look at that, you go, 'Man, that's metal, that's metal in its biggest expression. You know, the big stage, hundreds of thousands of people, that's a very, very special type of attribute to metal music, and let's try and do that again on this current tour.' We played a ton of festivals, as you know, Jackie, both here in the States and elsewhere around the world, but the Wacken one fell into place from the calendar perspective. But above and beyond that, we wanted to put PRIEST in that dimension that we haven't seen the band in for the longest time for a festival moment. It took a festival atmosphere to capture the pure raw size and power and volume of PRIEST live in front of all of those fans and metalheads."

Full Metal Jackie: From young men who are relentless to succeed to becoming a well respected band with an impressive body of work, what's changed most about your overall perspective of being a musician?

Halford: "Well, I think that, you know, over four decades in metal, there's a lot of wisdom at this point [laughs], and I'm one for wisdom, Jackie; you know me. Speaking about this, that and the other, qualified or not. But you just do these things, you know? It's just part of living the life. And we've done thousands of shows, God knows millions of miles we've traveled, and all of these things accumulate, but at the heart of what you do, it's not really that much different, when you think about it. Because you're still a band together, you're still having good times, you're still loving to do what you do in a band, and being with your fans that have given you the life in metal. So it's a combination of all of those things that have changed incrementally, obviously. But the pureness of it is real, it's raw. And I think that's very important for any band to remember if you're growing. Don't lose sight of who you are and what you are and how you got to where you end up, you know? And a lot of that is all the hard work, but it's also the fans that have been with you and have grown with you as your band is developing. And as a musician, I think it's, again, to your advantage to consider and remember that you can never stop growing; there's always a new idea, there's always a new riff, there's always new way to sing a note, there's always a new way to hit a drum. All of these things, you can never stop really learning in music. So that, for me, I think is the fundamental part of the joy of being in PRIEST. As we gear up to make a new PRIEST record, we have that in built and we know that the chance to grow some more and to display some things that we haven't done yet."

Full Metal Jackie: Rob, how is the relationship between people in a band similar and different to co-workers in a more traditional 9-to-5 career?

Halford: "I think it's very similar, because, you know, we're all creative people no matter what we do in life. And it's very difficult to be creative in the singular sense. I mean, even the most famous solo artists in music will tell you that they're surrounded by a team of people that help them be who they are and to achieve the things that they wanna achieve with their music. And I think that's the same with whatever you do. Whatever you do, it's very difficult to live life alone and by yourself; it's difficult. And so, if you have a friend, if you have a teammate, if you have a co-worker, whether it's one, two [or] twenty, you're all pulling together to achieve something, and there's nothing better than a team being successful. Even if you have failure, that's okay. You grow from failure, you grow from striving. Life is about pain and life is about overcoming that pain and making it into pleasure and joy. Let me rephrase that. [Laughs] Life isn't about pain. Life has some pain in it, and it should do, because that's what makes you grow. So all of that is kind of involved in the similarities. We're all doing something different, but a lot of the essential elements are the same."

Full Metal Jackie: Rob, what can we expect from the mighty PRIEST for the rest of 2016? What are you able to reveal?

Halford: "Well, Jackie, we're going on to writing sessions very, very soon. As we're all winding up 'Redeemer Of Souls'… At the end of any tour, like most bands, [we say to ourselves], 'What are we gonna do, guys, girls? What are we gonna do? Where are we going next? What's the plan?' We finished this tour, this big world tour, just before the holidays in December, and we're about to start writing sessions pretty much now. And that's great. Oh, man, I can't wait to get into the writing zone again. That, to me, as you and I have spoken over the years, Jackie, that's one of the most thrilling moments for me personally in PRIEST. You go into a room, like very, very soon I'll be there hanging out with Glenn and Richie, you'll be in a room with some amps, and, 'Hey, guys, have a cup of tea, whatever.' Turn the amps on, start riffing and boom, you could have another amazing PRIEST song by the end of the day. I love that part of being in PRIEST. So that's the next step — writing sessions, get some really good, solid PRIEST material ready, and then, you know, Scott and Ian come in and we jam and we start putting the songs together. Like always, it'll be ready when it's ready, but there was already an extraordinary amount of ideas collected throughout that tour. So I'm optimistic that we should have something ready by… probably not by the end of this year, but definitely by the early part of next year."

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