EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan) says that he sees "absolutely no point" in making another studio album with the band because the final product "would be a disappointment" to the group's fans.

EMPEROR hasn't released any new material since 2001's "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire And Demise". That album was composed and mostly played by Ihsahn, with guitarist Samoth already forming his next band during its production.

Asked by Metal Wani in a new interview what it would take for him and Samoth to make a new EMPEROR album at this point, Ihsahn, responded (hear audio below): "Well, that's the thing. I mean, I know people… Of course, I get that [question] a lot. But I don't know, really, if people know what they're asking for. Because, basically, I ended up writing the last EMPEROR album on my own; I was kind of bound in this direction of going it alone. So if it was up to me alone, EMPEROR would sound [like my solo material]; this is how I write metal [and] this is my direction."

He continued: "I know Samoth is releasing a new THE WRETCHED END record very soon as well, and I think it's very obvious that, musically, we are very far apart. So if people want a new EMPEROR record, what would they expect? They expect us to write music as if we were teenagers. So it's kind of a… you can't really win. At this point, I think it just would be absolutely pointless, because regardless of what route we would take and what would feel natural, if we were to do that, it would be… I think either way it would be a disappointment, because it's kind of just part of an illusion. And I see absolutely no point in doing that."

Ihsahn added that he is thankful to still have a career more than two decades after the release of EMPEROR's debut album, 1994's "In The Nightside Eclipse". "I think I've been very lucky to be able to kind of continue with the same state of uncompromising mind, if you will," he said. "I mean, we didn't get any recognition — everybody hated what we were doing — in the early days of EMPEROR. It was only later that it picked up; it took a long while. And, of course, when we started about, there was no black metal scene. So we basically just did this [of] our own accord with absolutely no intention of this being a career, because that was not an option; it was unimaginable. So it is kind of against all odds that we ended up having a career."

Even if his solo music is far removed from the primitive early offerings from EMPEROR, Ihsahn feels that his current composition process is grounded in the same principles that he embraced many years ago.

"I just try to… If I owe my fans anything — since I've had the privilege of doing this for such a long time — is to kind of continue the legacy of that and being totally uncompromising and kind of executing that free will to do music," he said.

Ihsahn's sixth solo album, "Arktis", will be released on April 8. The effort will be available in standard CD, deluxe CD (featuring additional exclusive content), and vinyl formats via Candlelight Records. The album's first single, "Mass Darkness", is available via iTunes and Amazon. It is available for streaming now via Spotify. The Michael Dickinson-created (ORANGE GOBLIN, GALLOWS) lyric video for the song available can be seen below. "Arktis" was recorded at Ihsahn's studio in Notodden, Norway and was mixed in Sweden by Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA). The album features ten songs and is the longest and most spirited of Ihsahn's solo recordings. It features guest appearances from Einar Solberg (LEPROUS), Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM), Jorgen Munkeby (SHINING), Tobias Ornes Andersen (SHINING, ex-LEPROUS), and renowned Norwegian author Hans Herbjornsrud. Graphic elements for "Arktis" once again have been provided by award-winning Spanish designer Ritxi Ostariz.

Kataklysm has won Heavy Metal Album Of The Year with their latest album, Of Ghosts and Gods, at the 45th annual JUNO Awards (the Canadian version of a Grammy) which were broadcast last night (April 3rd) from The Scotiabank Saddledome.

Diemonds, Fuck The Facts, Cancer Bats and Ken Mode were also nominated for a JUNO Award  for Heavy Metal Album Of The Year.

Heavy Metal Album Of The Year nominees:
Searching for Zero - Cancer Bats
Never Wanna Die - Diemonds
Desire Will Rot - Fuck the Facts
Of Ghosts and Gods - Kataklysm
Success - KEN mode

For more details visit Junoawards.ca.



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Legendary hip hop icon Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and the metal band GENERATION KILL have decided to make their collaboration project a legitimate band rather than a one-album venture. In doing so, they have unveiled their new name: FRAGILE MORTALS.

FRAGILE MORTALS has completed work on a full-length record, tentatively due before the end of the year. A DMC solo album, to which which GENERATION KILL contributed to, will precede the FRAGILE MORTALS effort.

GENERATION KILL, which features former EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, crossed paths with DMC on the road and gave him the latest GENERATION KILL CD, "We're All Gonna Die". Darryl contacted the band immediately after listening to the album, and asked if they would collaborate on a song, which very quickly turned into recording a full-length effort.

Dukes previously said about the collaboration with DMC: "It's really cool, 'cause it's different than anything I've ever done before. It's challenging as fuck to not be a shit rap/metal band, to kind of bring those two together. 'Cause I'm not really a metalhead; I'm more like a rock and roll kind of [guy]."

GENERATION KILL is currently writing its third album, due out in 2017.

A new behind-the-scenes video capturing some of the work that has gone into the production of the FRAGILE MORTALS album can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada's The Metal Voice, Blaze stated about his new album: "I had this idea to write my own book. I had a story that… kind of coming from the character from 'Tenth Dimension' [Blaze's 2002 album] that I really wanted to do. And we started work on it, and we had too many songs for one album. And I thought, you know what? When I did 'Tenth Dimension', I had to keep that down to a certain amount of time because I was working with a record company; I had deadlines to meet. I thought this time… I think this is a really big story. And so, I started thinking about it like 'Dune' and 'The Lord Of The Rings' and something like that. I thought if I was gonna do exactly what I wanted to do, then I would do it in three albums. Well, I am my record company, so I can do what I want to do. So I'm doing it in three albums. And this is my first studio album — full metal studio album — for four years, and it's part one of a trilogy. And the story is told across the three albums. And so far, it's turned out really, really well. And the first few people now have got their pre-orders delivered, and they're really enjoying it. The feedback I've had is great."

Blaze also spoke in more detail about the story that is covered on the trilogy. He said: "It's about a man who does not know if he is human. It's his personal journey, and he is on a mission to discover one of the new Kepler planets. You know, Kepler discovered all these new planets. It's set a hundred years in the future, and he's on a spaceship and it's how he deals with the fact that he will be one of the first people ever to live for a thousand years because of advances in technology, and how he deals with that. And the question is: is he human or not? And that's it in a nutshell. And the story expands from there. And we discover a lot of different things — first, his emotions and how he feels, but also why he's there and how he is reacting to the circumstances. And everything is not what it seems. He's been chosen for the mission, and we find out why. And that's part of the overall story. So it's a kind of mystery horror, in a way, set in space, and this is part one of it. So I'm hoping that you'll like the rest as well."

According to Blaze, he intentionally made "Infinite Entanglement" so that fans of his music can listen to the album and enjoy it without having to be familiar with the entire story. He said: "That is how I started with the whole idea. I had to do something that I would enjoy. So I really wanted to do something more in the 'War Of The Worlds' style and in the 'Operation: Mindcrime'. I wanted it so, as a listener, you can enjoy each song without knowing the story. But if you want to look at the sleeve notes, if you want to get deeper in it, then you'll see the connections. You don't have to listen to all the songs to know the connections. And the order of the songs isn't in a way that you have to play it from start to finish either. And you won't really know where all of the songs fit until that third album comes out and it explains to you the whole story and all of the details."

Asked if he already has a timetable in mind for the release of the second and third albums in the trilogy, Blaze said: "We have half of album two, we have half of the songs ready for that, and we have some of the music and one of the songs for album three. So we kind of have the ending and a bit of the middle. So, as we're going along on tour, and I'm writing the rest of the story, then we'll come up with the rest of the songs."

He continued: "What I've enjoyed with this one is having the liberation of not having to connect everything to reality or directly to me, to be able to use somebody else's emotions and somebody else's thoughts, and have more than one set of eyes to look at the world through. That's been really liberating, and I've enjoyed it very much."

The 52-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to join MAIDEN, with whom he recorded two studio albums — 1995's "The X Factor" 1998's and "Virtual XI" — before Bruce Dickinson returned to the group.

Bayley released a career-spanning double-disc collection, "Soundtracks Of My Life", on October 31, 2013.

David "Devo" Oosthuizen of South Africa's The Blacklist recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On what IRON MAIDEN did differently during the recording process for the band's new album, "The Book Of Souls":

Adrian: "We didn't actually rehearse before going into the studio. I mean, we had songs… some ideas, but we actually kind of finalized the writing of the particular song on the day in the morning and recorded it in the afternoon. Sometimes we recorded the song as we were learning it, if you know what I mean. So it's very kind of, you know, spontaneous. We'd never done that before. We normally rehearse for a couple of weeks, get songs finished and learn the parts. But this time [we did things differently]. But it turned out pretty good."

On his favorite period of IRON MAIDEN:

Adrian: "I really enjoy what we're doing now. I think that the set we've got now is a great balance of the old and the new. We're playing quite a bit of stuff off the new album, but we're playing our favorite of the older songs, of the classic songs. The stage set is designed around the album cover, so we've got all the Mayan imagery going on. And I think the actual opening of the show is one of the most dramatic things we've ever done, so it's quite theatrical and it goes great with the music. So I really enjoy what we're doing now as much as anything we've ever done, if not more."

On the secret behind IRON MAIDEN's longevity:

Adrian: "I don't know what it is. I think it's just the band has an energy all of its own. Sometimes if some of us are tired or we start dropping a bit, you just get wrapped up in it again, the whole energy. And I think part of that comes from the audience as well, when you get on stage and they're so up for it and so passionate about our music. It kind of lifts you up, even if you feel a bit tired or whatever on the road."

On the setlist for IRON MAIDEN's upcoming South African shows:

Adrian: "It's gonna be a balance [between the new album and the classic songs]. The thing is, with the Internet now, as soon as you play one show, everyone knows the setlist, so it'll probably be pretty much what we've been playing for the last month or so. Because the show is so theatrical, there's a lot of cues in it, so it's not like we just get up there and play and change songs every night. It's a coordinated show, so we probably won't be changing much. It's a good balance of [the classic tracks and] our favorite of the new songs, from the new album, 'cause we wanna promote the new album, 'cause we're very proud of it. As a band, as musicians, we like to be moving forward and be creative. That’s always been the biggest buzz for me."

IRON MAIDEN's world tour, in support of "The Book Of Souls", kicked off on February 24 in Sunrise, Florida (a suburb of Fort Lauderdale).

The official music video for "Infinite Entanglement", the title track of the eighth solo album from British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE), can be seen below. The CD was released on March 1.

In a recent interview with Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada's The Metal Voice, Blaze stated about his new album: "I had this idea to write my own book. I had a story that… kind of coming from the character from 'Tenth Dimension' [Blaze's 2002 album] that I really wanted to do. And we started work on it, and we had too many songs for one album. And I thought, you know what? When I did 'Tenth Dimension', I had to keep that down to a certain amount of time because I was working with a record company; I had deadlines to meet. I thought this time… I think this is a really big story. And so, I started thinking about it like 'Dune' and 'The Lord Of The Rings' and something like that. I thought if I was gonna do exactly what I wanted to do, then I would do it in three albums. Well, I am my record company, so I can do what I want to do. So I'm doing it in three albums. And this is my first studio album — full metal studio album — for four years, and it's part one of a trilogy. And the story is told across the three albums. And so far, it's turned out really, really well. And the first few people now have got their pre-orders delivered, and they're really enjoying it. The feedback I've had is great."

Blaze also spoke in more detail about the story that is covered on the trilogy. He said: "It's about a man who does not know if he is human. It's his personal journey, and he is on a mission to discover one of the new Kepler planets. You know, Kepler discovered all these new planets. It's set a hundred years in the future, and he's on a spaceship and it's how he deals with the fact that he will be one of the first people ever to live for a thousand years because of advances in technology, and how he deals with that. And the question is: is he human or not? And that's it in a nutshell. And the story expands from there. And we discover a lot of different things — first, his emotions and how he feels, but also why he's there and how he is reacting to the circumstances. And everything is not what it seems. He's been chosen for the mission, and we find out why. And that's part of the overall story. So it's a kind of mystery horror, in a way, set in space, and this is part one of it. So I'm hoping that you'll like the rest as well."

According to Blaze, he intentionally made "Infinite Entanglement" so that fans of his music can listen to the album and enjoy it without having to be familiar with the entire story. He said: "That is how I started with the whole idea. I had to do something that I would enjoy. So I really wanted to do something more in the 'War Of The Worlds' style and in the 'Operation: Mindcrime'. I wanted it so, as a listener, you can enjoy each song without knowing the story. But if you want to look at the sleeve notes, if you want to get deeper in it, then you'll see the connections. You don't have to listen to all the songs to know the connections. And the order of the songs isn't in a way that you have to play it from start to finish either. And you won't really know where all of the songs fit until that third album comes out and it explains to you the whole story and all of the details."

Asked if he already has a timetable in mind for the release of the second and third albums in the trilogy, Blaze said: "We have half of album two, we have half of the songs ready for that, and we have some of the music and one of the songs for album three. So we kind of have the ending and a bit of the middle. So, as we're going along on tour, and I'm writing the rest of the story, then we'll come up with the rest of the songs."

He continued: "What I've enjoyed with this one is having the liberation of not having to connect everything to reality or directly to me, to be able to use somebody else's emotions and somebody else's thoughts, and have more than one set of eyes to look at the world through. That's been really liberating, and I've enjoyed it very much."

The 52-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to join MAIDEN, with whom he recorded two studio albums — 1995's "The X Factor" 1998's and "Virtual XI" — before Bruce Dickinson returned to the group.

Bayley released a career-spanning double-disc collection, "Soundtracks Of My Life", on October 31, 2013.

DOWN guitarist Pepper Keenan was asked in a brand new interview with Metal Wani if there is still a future for the band after the controversial incident more than two months ago when ex-PANTERA and current DOWN singer Philip Anselmo made a "white power" gesture onstage at a concert. "Well, I don't why there wouldn't be," Pepper responded (hear audio below). "You know, DOWN didn't do anything wrong. I mean, we were just guilty by association on that one. That was Phil's mistake. I've spoken to Phil and told him to get his shit together, and he is. He knows he made a mistake and was being stupid."

He continued: "I've known the guy [most of my life]. He's not what that whole thing framed him to be at all. But, yeah, there's definitely a future for DOWN. I wouldn't throw all the shit we've done, beautiful music we've done on one stupid moment that was caught on camera, and he apologized for. [So we are] far from done."

Anselmo performed the PANTERA classic "Walk" at the January 22 "Dimebash" event at the Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, California in honor of his former bandmate, late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. As he left the stage, he made a Nazi-style salute. He appeared to say "white power" as he made the gesture, but he later claimed he was referring to drinking white wine as part of an "inside joke."

The singer apologized for the incident and wrote an open letter to the organizer of the French festival Hellfest in which he said it was not the right time for DOWN to tour. He also revealed that he was suffering from a recurring knee injury and needed rehabilitation.

Besides Hellfest, DOWN was scheduled to play at the Download festival in the U.K.

The band was dropped from the bill by Dutch festival FortaRock in February.

Two months ago, Keenan offered his take on what transpired, writing in a Facebook post: "I am saddened and confused by the behavior of Philip Anselmo. I do not condone what was gestured and said. This lapse in judgment of 'making a joke' was in terribly poor taste and unacceptable.

"That philosophy is the opposite of what I am about. My heart follows love and soul and my music has been inspired from people of all walks of life and musical styles. I view music as a gift that is universal and intended for all of humanity. As a proud New Orleanian, life is about celebrating diversity through music, it's about bringing people together, not tearing apart.

"I won't speak for Phil but I've known him most of my life and I know there is not hate in his heart. However, I hope at this moment in time Phil will focus his energy on self-reflection and begin the process of regaining perspective, healing himself and those lives he has touched through music."

A number of celebrities turned up to witness GUNS N' ROSES' surprise reunion performance Friday night (April 1).

Kate Hudson, Bradley Cooper, Emily Ratajkowksi, Lenny Kravitz, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Brown, Jim Carrey and Nicolas Cage are among the A-list stars who joined a crowd of more than 250 that snagged tickets to see the reunited band perform at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California.

Cooper reportedly brought his mom, Gloria Campano, to watch the show and was seen alongside Ratajkowski, Kravitz, Brown, Carrey, Cage and Rodriguez in the VIP balcony overlooking the stage.

The gig was advertised as "Not In This Lifetime" by the venue, quoting what singer Axl Rose said in 2012 about a possible classic GUNS N' ROSES lineup reunion. The same phrase has since been announced as the name of the band's upcoming summer tour.

Only Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan from GN'R's "Appetite For Destruction"-era lineup took part in the Troubadour gig. They were joined by keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer. Also appearing with them was second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

A one-and-a-half-minute video report from TMZ featuring clips of some of the aforementioned celebrities as they entered the venue prior to the GN'R gig can be seen below. More than a dozen photos from both inside and outside the Troubadour are available at DailyMail.co.uk.

GUNS N’ ROSES' reunion tour will officially kick off on Friday, April 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band is also scheduled to headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival later this month.

Original GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott joined STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER, the revamped version of the cult '80s British metal act led by singer Steve Grimmett, on stage on March 25 at 4 D's Bar & Grill in Fort Wayne, Indiana to perform several of the band's classic songs. Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

Bowcott previously played with STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER in 2014, marking the first time Steve and Nick appeared on stage together in more than 25 years.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER is currently on a 22-city U.S. tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of GRIM REAPER's classic album "Fear No Evil".

Bowcott will also perform with the band at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on April 11.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER's current touring lineup:

Steve Grimmett - VocalsRichie Yeates - GuitarChaz Grimaldi - BassPaul White - Drums

GRIM REAPER's debut album, "See You In Hell", was released in 1984 and was distributed worldwide through RCA. A successful world tour in support of the album included an appearance at Texxas Jam in front of over 20,000 people. The band's 1985 follow-up, "Fear No Evil", showed improvement on the production front and also enjoyed moderate success in both the United States and Europe.

Ebony Records delayed the release of the band's third album, "Rock You to Hell", by almost two years. The LP eventually arrived directly through RCA in 1987.

The back catalog from GRIM REAPER was reissued in Japan in October 2008 via RCA/BMG.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees and 2016 Record Store Day Ambassadors METALLICA will perform live at Berkeley, California's legendary record store Rasputin Music on Saturday, April 16 in celebration of Record Store Day 2016. As this year's Record Store Day Ambassadors, the band invites fans to join them on this special day to experience the passion for music that lives on in local record stores around the world.

"Getting loud, noisy and sweaty at Rasputin's on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley transports METALLICA right back to the core of its Bay Area beginnings," said METALLICA's Lars Ulrich. "We can't wait to celebrate Record Store Day while shaking up the East Bay old-school style."

Rasputin Music customers and Met Club members are invited to be in the audience by entering to win tickets to this very intimate performance.

Two ways to win:
1. Visit Rasputin Music in Berkeley between now and April 10 to fill out a ballot for your chance to win ONE ticket to the special performance.
2. Met Club members can click here to win ONE ticket to the performance.

For all guidelines and additional fine print details, click here. METALLICA is no stranger to Record Store Day, a special day in support of independent record stores and record store culture worldwide, now in its ninth year. METALLICA's support through out the years has been more than noteworthy with in-store appearances, (remember Mountain View, California Rasputin Records in 2008, when the band met their fans for hours to kick off the very first Record Store Day) and a healthy handful of special releases. In fact, members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo made big news just last year when the band's cassette-issued demos collection, "No Life Til Leather", ended up as Record Store Day 2015's highest seller. As well, Trujillo's lauded biopic "Jaco", about legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius, was RSD 2014's official film and a special Record Store Day exclusive version was released on DVD for Black Friday 2015, including a bonus CD featuring tracks from Trujillo himself. This year the band's official release will fit into a wider theme of Record Store Day 2016, highlighting the relationship between U.S. record stores and their French counterparts, between Record Store Day and "Disquaire Day", between music-loving humans in the U.S. and France, following the tragic events in Paris in November 2015. METALLICA will release "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, Metallica! - Live At Le Bataclan. Paris, France - June 11th, 2003", a CD featuring a live recording from the club, with the band, Record Store Day and independent record stores donating proceeds to benefit Fondation de France's Give For France charity.

German metallers, SuidAkrA, have revealed the cover artwork and tracklisting for their new album, Realms Of Odoric, which will be out on May 20th via AFM Records. Melodic death metal, mixed with traditional heavy metal and Celtic folk elements. The band has checked in with the following update:

"We are happy to release an official teaser for the upcoming video clip called 'Pictish Pride'. David Thelen is still working on the final cut of the clip and believe us, we are as much excited as you are!"

Realms Of Odoric will be presented with extensive epic artwork by artist Kris Verwimp.

Tracklisting:

“Into The Realm”
“The Serpent Within”
“The Hunter's Horde”
“Creeping Blood”
“Undaunted”
“Lion Of Darcania”
“Pictish Pride”
“On Roads To Ruin”
“Dark Revelations”
“Braving The End”
“One Against The Tide”
“Cimbric Requiem”

Bonus track (Digipak version)
“Remembrance”

(Photo - Nicole Volz - Heel Of Steel)



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German thrash icons Paradox have revealed the cover artwork and tracklisting from their upcoming new studio album Pangea. The album will be out in Europe on June 3rd and in the US on June 24th via AFM Records as CD and gatefold 2LP.

Pangea was produced by Charly Steinhauer and mixed and mastered by Panagiotis Katsaounis. The cover art was created by Claudio Bergamin. 

Tracklisting:

“Apophis”
“Raptor”
“The Raging Planet”
“Ballot Or Bullet”
“Manhunt”
“Cheat & Pretend”
“Pangea”
“Vale Of Tears”
“Alien Godz”
“El Muerte”



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Former ACCEPT and BANGALORE CHOIR singer David Reece has joined forces with guitarist Mario Percudani in a new project called the REECE PERCUDANI GROUP (RPG).

For fans of melodic hard rock, the name David Reece will be a familiar one. Since bursting onto the scene as the then-new frontman for German legends ACCEPT, David has released no less than 15 full-length recordings and appeared on numerous more. His diverse catalog encompasses his early '90s success with BANGALORE CHOIR, known for their MTV hit "Loaded Gun", The powerful modern metal project SIRCLE OF SILENCE, numerous solo releases, and most recently David has been fronting another legendary German act, BONFIRE.

Mario Percudani is also a name many in the melodic rock world will be familiar with, having worked with legendary acts such as Bobby Kimball, Ted Poley, Bobby Barth, Vinny Appice and many more.

Mario merged his roots in blues and seventies rock music. With a style that ranges from rock, pop, blues to soul and American West Coast. His fantastic guitar playing and songwriting skill ensures that this new partnership with David Reece is going to be a winning combo!.

The band lineup is rounded out by two other exceptional musicians; bassist Stefano Scola from hard rockers HUNGRY HEART, and drummer Ale Mori who has made his name working with Glenn Hughes, Steve Lukather and Bernie Marsden.

Look for the REECE PERCUDANI GROUP on the road and in the studio in 2016 and beyond.

Rush has just launched a lyric video for their classic "2112: Overture" below:

2112 has been newly-remastered on 200-gram, heavyweight vinyl at legendary Abbey Road Studios using the Direct to Metal Mastering (DMM) audiophile copper plating process, all from original analogue masters. RUSH's fourth album, 2112, first released in 1976, proved a breakthrough, highlighted by its seven-part title suite - written by Lee and Lifeson, with lyrics by Peart - recounting a dystopian story set in the year 2112. It came in at #2 on Rolling Stone's list of 'Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time.' Most Rush fans consider it the band's definitive recording and it has sold over 3 million albums in the U.S., going triple-platinum.

This unique reissue showcases a custom, limited-edition, hand-etched hologram of the 'Red Star of the Federation' pressed in the album's dead wax runout of side two. To reveal the spinning hologram, fans can use any focused source of light, such as the LED flashlight on a smartphone, directly above the turntable while playing.

 

Rush frontman Geddy Lee recently sat down with Music Radar and went through a track-by-track overview of the band's critically acclaimed fourth album, 2112, released in 1976. An excerpt is available below:

Lee: “It begins with the 'Overture', which – despite being the first thing you hear – was the last piece to be written, much like with any classical overture. We wanted to take the most important musical threads from each of the subsequent parts to create a ‘new’ piece of music that would represent the album as a whole. So that’s where it all starts.”

“And then 'The Temples Of Syrinx' sets the scene, because 2112 is about a totalitarian society that controls everything about your life, including the music that you hear. It manufactures it all, so that’s what we wanted to say with this track. It sets up the hierarchy in this futuristic world that we’ve arrived in.”

“'Discovery' is where the hero of the story finds a device in a cave. It’s a guitar, but he doesn’t know it because they don’t exist in his time period. So he picks it up and realises that it’s a device that can make music and create sounds. Previous to that point, everything he’d ever heard had been provided to him by the people that run his world.”

Go to this location for the complete list.



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According to Nationallawjournal.com, Led Zeppelin face a May 10th trial over claims that they ripped off another artist to make the iconic song “Stairway To Heaven”.

Lawyers for Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones could go to trial after failing to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by the trustee of the late Randy Craig Wolfe, better known as Randy California of the band Spirit. Wolfe drowned off the coast of Hawaii in 1997, but a trustee for his estate has sued Led Zeppelin and the three band members, plus music publishers Super Hype Publishing Inc. and Warner Music Group Corp. The 2014 suit claims that Led Zeppelin, which opened for Spirit in the 1960s, copied a musical composition Wolfe wrote called “Taurus.”

“A lot of songs written by Led Zeppelin were written by other artists and other bands,” said the trustee’s attorney, Francis Malofiy of Francis Alexander. “They failed to give credit where credit was due.”

On March 23rd, both sides in the “Stairway to Heaven” case failed to settle the dispute. U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner in Los Angeles has scheduled a trial but has yet to rule on a pending summary judgment motion.

Read more at Nationallawjournal.com.



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Up and coming UK hard rockers The Blackmail Snaps have released their debut single, "The Wheel Is Spinning (But The Hamster Is Dead)", along with a promotional video. The band have dedicated the song to "...anyone who can't face mornings without an intravenous coffee drip, or anyone who's having a bad day! Play it loud, we hope it helps!"

Vocalist/guitarist Rich Davenport adds "We take the music seriously, but not ourselves. There are some songs about more serious subjects on the album, but we grew up on bands like AC/DC and Twisted Sister who weren't afraid to let their sense of humour shine through. The song title describes that early-morning brain-dead feeling when you have to drag yourself off to work before the coffee's kicked in!!!"

The Blackmail Snaps’s debut album, When One Door Closes, Smash A Window is and is available on CD via their website, where the band are also giving away a free MP3 track, at www.blackmailsnaps.com

When One Door Closes, Smash A Window by The Blackmail Snaps

Taking their musical cues from classic acts like Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, UFO, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Accept and Metallica, The Blackmail Snaps offer up a fresh, contemporary blend of hard rock and heavy metal, delivering memorable songs with relentless energy. Pounding drums, rumbling bass, biting guitars and gritty vocals underpin the band’s heavy, melodic material.

A power trio in the vintage mould, the band feature David Nuttall (drums, vocals / ex-Toy Dolls), Marc Hood (bass, vocals) and Rich Davenport (guitars, lead vocals / ex-See Red, ex-Atomkraft). Songs from their debut album have already met with an enthusiastic reception at live shows.

Other songs deal with getting through tough times, dealing effectively with people you’d rather attack with a cattle prod, corruption in high places, and trying to emerge from all of the above with your sanity intact, all summed up in the title track – “When One Door Closes, Smash A Window!”

Their down-to-earth attitude and in your face live performances have seen them garner enthusiastic responses from a range of audiences, and they aim to carry on gigging extensively in support of the album throughout 2016.  

Just enter your name and email address at the band's official website here and you will be immediately sent the download link to the free track. Check out the band's official Facebook page here.

BraveWords scribe Carl Begai has weighed in on When One Door Closes, Smash A Window!: "Imagine a bare bones garage band weaned on the likes of Thin Lizzy and The Sex Pistols given the chance to run amok in the studio for a few hours. The Blackmail Snaps are all spit, no polish. As real as rock gets at street level."



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Groove metal influenced hard rockers Toy Called God are gearing up for the release of their third heavy-hitting full-length album, Dirt On Your Coffin, out April 5th. Hailing from Brentwood, CA, the quartet have been making a name for themselves since 2011 - mixing crushing distortion, great hooks and an amazing ability to make your head bang... involuntarily! This is the band's first album with new frontman Marcus Lance.

In celebration of the upcoming album release, Toy Called God have unleashed a brand new music video for the record's lead track, "False Prophet". Shot and directed by Mike Sloat (Testament, Machine Head, Lynyrd Skynyrd) on location at Brannan Island in Antioch, CA, the video depicts a priest's personal struggle with the message he is delivering to his flock. It all comes to a head during a funeral as he loses the struggle with his inner demons, personifying the song's title.

Watch the new clip below. Pre-order Dirt On Your Coffin here.

Dirt On Your Coffin tracklisting:

“False Prophet”
“Drop On The Pile”
“Justice”
“Numb In A Bottle”
“Warning Shot”
“Push Me Down”
“Shackled”
“Dirt On Your Coffin”

“False Prophet” video:



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Canadian prog outfit, Heaven’s Cry, have revealed the first sample of new material featured on their forthcoming album, Outcast. The nearly one minute long teaser, which also showcases the album’s chaos inducing artwork alongside quotes from political activist Noam Chomsky, whom approved a selection of one of his speeches to appear in the new track "The Human Factor".

"Pierre (St-Jean, vocals/guitar) introduced me to Noam Chomsky' work in the early 2000s", commented vocalist/bassist Sylvain Auclair. "When the time came to dress up that two-minute instrumental part in "The Human Factor", Noam' 1970 ' in the ' lecture was a perfect fit."

Continuing where their 2012 full-length Wheels Of Impermanence left off, Outcast is a concept album that examines the corruption of governments around the world and incites humankind to rally up and fight as this will be the key to our survival and growth.

Scheduled for release on June 3rd via Prosthetic Records, Outcast was self-produced by the band along with Yannick St-Amand. Stay tuned in the coming week for pre-order bundles and further details on the new album.

Outcast will showcased live during three record-release shows in Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec. Additional support will be provided by Borealis and Hillward.

Dates are as follows:

June
3 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks
4 - Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar
5 - Quebec City, QC - L'Anti



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This spring, Alarion - the solo project of Dutch guitarist Bas Willemsen formerly known as Alerion - will release their debut album Waves Of Destruction through Freia Music. The album contains an hour of melodic, symphonic and intense music featuring appearances by many great musicians, whose identities will gradually be revealed in time. 

Ben Mathot recorded violin on several tracks for the album. He is well known for his regular studio recordings as violin player with many great progressive and symphonic rock and metal acts, often working with Joost van den Broek (ex-After Forever) or Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon). He has recorded for Epica, Revamp, Ayreon, Xandria and many others. Check out several glimpses of his Alarion performance, the songs and the recording process in the new album teaser below.

Ben recorded enchanting violin melodies to "Clash With Eternity" and the acoustic "Turn Of Fate", as well as the (sometimes scorchingly fast) violin parts on "Colourblind".

Musicians also confirmed to appear on Waves Of Destruction include.

Bas Willemsen - guitars, keyboards, orchestration, bass
Tom Gorissen (Hymir) - keyboards
Nico Lammers - acoustic guitars
Ronald van Schaik - bass
Jeroen Nagel (Blind Justice) - drums
Irene Jansen – vocals
Damian Wilson - vocals

Check out the cover art for Waves Of Destruction below.

For more information go to the official Alarion website.

Photo by Ben Treep



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Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and producer/engineer/sonic warlord Sanford Parker (Buried At Sea) are restless. This inquietude has culminated in another collaboration. The two work together in Corrections House, a project that also features the talents of Mike IX Williams of Eyehategod, and Bruce Lamont of Yakuza. While Corrections House seem hell-bent on impersonal bludgeon and unfettered terror, the pair's latest project, Mirrors For Psychic Warfare, is far more restrained.

The band's haunting self-titled debut is the sonic manifestation of insomnia, complete with the tossing, the turning, and the perennial dread that comes with facing another shabby daylight. The five songs lurch and pulsate across a desolate landscape with an almost curious obsessiveness. While Mirrors For Psychic Warfare may remind some of the best work on the classic Cold Meat Industry label, there is enough familiar Kelly/Parker-isms scattered throughout to keep the album stimulating. It is a work with more in common with a fever or a fitful wraith than a record.

Tracklisting:

“Oracles Hex”
“A Thorn To See”
“CNN WTZ”
“I’ll Try You All”
“43”

“Oracles Hex”:

 
Mirrors For Psychic Warfare was realized and recorded by both Kelly and Parker at Actual 13 Studio and Hypercube respectively over the course of 2015. The record was mixed and mastered by Parker and will come available in CD and vinyl form. For pre-orders point your browser to this location.

(Photo - John Sturdy)



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Imperative PR welcome Thus Defiled to their roster, for the digital release of three EPs over the coming months. Thus Defiled have been kings of the British black metal underground for more than twenty years, their albums hailed by fans and critics alike. They have shared stages with bands such as Mayhem, Blasphemy, Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Enslaved, Behemoth and Dissection and many more, have appeared on compilation albums alongside Black Sabbath and Venom, they have been championed by much missed DJ legend John Peel and had guest appearances on their albums from Sakis of Rotting Christ.

Now, Thus Defiled have stirred from their slumber and will be digitally releasing, for the first time, two long since sold out EPs - A Darker Beauty and Fire Serpent Dawn - both remastered by front man Paul C to sound more powerful and abyssic than ever. The third release is a brand new EP entitled A Return To The Shadows. This brings together four dramatic cover versions and one brand new, original recording.

A Return To The Shadows features guest vocals from Mike Browning of Morbid Angel / Nocturnus and Donn Donni of  Vesperian Sorrow and is both a tribute to the bands Thus Defiled grew up with - and a defiant roar that dares anyone to doubt their continued power and potency.

Each EP release will be preceded by a special promo video – the first of which you can see below:

The release schedule begins with 2000’s A Darker Beauty, coming on June 6th; a recording that perfectly encapsulates the sheer class that has always been the hallmark of Thus Defiled’s music and stands as an unholy testament to the band’s unswerving dedication to the darkness.

Be afraid – the wolves have returned!



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"I Got Bones", the new solo video from former ASKING ALEXANDRIA and current WE ARE HARLOT frontman Danny Worsnop, can be seen below. The song is taken from Danny's has forthcoming debut solo album, "The Prozac Sessions", due later in the year.

The singer, who recently spent time in Nashville seeking a suitable label to release the record, told Alternative Press last year about the musical direction of his solo material: "[The solo album has] still got some of that typical snotty flair going. I'm still, for the most part, singing the blues. But I went into it with country in mind. I've always loved country. In England, I grew up as a country boy. I was in a small village of two hundred people. The lifestyle goes hand in hand with the music all over the world. [But writing] it just never crossed my mind. Obviously, of late, I've made a lot of life changes, where I'm exploring new things. So it seemed like an appropriate time. I had some time off, I was jamming on the guitar and I had some ideas, and I was, like, 'Fuck it, let's take this and run."

The songs on "The Prozac Sessions" were completed with songwriters like John Paul White (THE CIVIL WARS), while producer Jim Kaufman sat behind the boards.

"We're definitely going to push to radio a lot, do videos," Danny told Alternative Press. "[The solo project] is definitely something I'd like to make a lot of money doing and get to do more of. If it's not a success, I doubt I'll have much opportunity to do it again. [But] there's no plans to tour, per se. Maybe just shows here and there. So it's nothing that's... I know I've said this before, and it ended with me leaving the band. [Laughs]"

Danny said in an online post that every piece of artwork for his upcoming solo album "was so perfect" that he "decided to use them all, which means there will be four versions of the album, all with different visuals." He added: "I am thinking of writing a couple more songs so that each version will have a different bonus track."

More information, including audio samples, can be found at TheSnop.com.

Worsnop exited ASKING ALEXANDRIA in January 2015, explaining in a statement: "Over the last eight years together, we've done some amazing things and created something truly special. I now, same as then, want what's best for the band and at this point in time, that isn't me."

Danny has since been replaced by Ukrainian singer Denis Shaforostov, who gained notoriety posting ASKING ALEXANDRIA covers on YouTube and consequentially inked a deal with Sumerian in his band DOWN & DIRTY.

Denver, CO’s atmospheric blackened metal band Wayfarer will release their sophomore album, Old Souls, on June 17th via Prosthetic Records. Recorded at Flatline Audio with Shane Howard (Martriden, Khemmis) while being mixed and mastered by Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Cobalt), the album features seven tracks clocking in at almost 50 minutes long.  The album's cover artwork was created by Colorado artist and knifesmith Adam Gersh.

Wayfarer’s debut album, Children Of An Iron Age was met with worldwide critical acclaim. Asked how Old Souls differs, guitarist and vocalist Shane McCarthy commented: "This record is a darker and much more focused effort from us. Writing the album was a very cohesive and involved process as a whole band this time around. It has moved further and further away from any particular genre trappings and stepped closer into what we feel our sound is; which is always shifting, always evolving. Life is too short to write music that already exists. We can't wait to get this out there."

Following the release of Old Souls, the band will head out on the road with Maine’s Falls of Rauros, joining them in Canada is Numenorean.

Tracklisting:

“Ever Climbing”
“Frontiers”
“Old Souls’ New Dawn”
“Catcher”
“Deathless Tundra”
“The Dust Lakes”
“All Lost In Aimless Chaos”



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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.

With only one week until Aquatic Occult drops, Sourvein has revealed a brand new music video for the track “Avian Dawn”, directed by Randy Ada.

T-Roy details the guest appearances on this track and in the “Avian Dawn” video: "The 'Avian Dawn' video is directed/edited by Randy Ada and features live footage of us recording at SSP Studios in Raleigh, NC. You'll see Mike Dean of C.O.C. on the production board, Reed Mullin of C.O.C. on drums, Kevin Rochelle of Sea of Tyrants on guitar, Lou Gorra on bass and myself recording riffs and vocals. This video truly gives a behind the scenes look at the album's core performers hard at work. Music wise, 'Avian Dawn' is an upbeat song about positive thinking with an overall loose theme surrounding the sea birds of Pleasure Island, relayed as abstract wordplay in the lyrics throughout the song. We really dig this tune and it's a lot of fun to play. Enjoy."

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

"Avian Dawn" video:

"Aquanaut":

"Ocypuss":

"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."

Stay tuned for more information, tracks, and other exclusives coming soon from Sourvein.

Sourvein lineup:

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

(Photo by: Tina Nocturnal)



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Copenhagen, Denmark’s Heidra have released a new music video for their track “The Eyes Of Giants”, featured on their debut album, Awaiting Dawn (Mighty Music/Target Group). Find the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

"Prelude"
"Awaiting Dawn"
"Betrayal"
"Witch Of Prophecy"
"Into Cursed Lands"
"The Eyes Of Giants"
"Wolfborn"
"The Power Of Gods"
"Harbringer Of War"

“The Eyes Of Giants” video:

“Wolfborn” video:

"Betrayal" lyric video:

Heidra is heading out on an big European tour tomorrow (April 2nd) with Ensiferum and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Find their tour schedule at this location.



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Massachusetts tech deathsters Eschaton have released the video for “The Beast Is Awakened”. The track comes by way of the band's spine-twisting Sentinel Apocalypse full-length released through Unique Leader last year.

Captured at drummer Darren Cesca's House Of Grind Studios in southern Connecticut, Sentinel Apocalypse is a relentlessly abrasive exercise in technical agility and blatant aggression boasting eleven tracks of methodical guitar sweeps, fierce drum incursions and dominating vocal tirades for fans of the twisted craftings of bands like Carnifex, The Faceless, Necrophagist, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Beneath The Massacre.
 
"'The Beast Is Awakened' is an attempt to illustrate mankind's metamorphosis into savage and destructive animals that is the result of the perpetual struggle between man's obsession with power and inextinguishable thirst for freedom," elaborates the band of the track. "Some would rather face death than oppression while others will stop at nothing to maintain control, resulting in a cycle of horrific acts that represent the worst of who we are as a species. The video's producer, Miceli Productions LLC, went to great lengths to capture the chaotic and violent nature of the song, but also the energy and technicality of the band's performance. The goal was to blend dynamic angles, post production effects, war footage and editing techniques to give the viewer an intense and captivating experience."



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Less than 12 months after unveiling their debut album, Melbourne-based rock n’ roll nomads Palace Of The King have announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album, Valles Marineris.
 
Set to land on July 15th, Valles Marineris deepens Palace Of The King’s footprint on the international rock music scene by expanding on the qualities of their debut through an all-new ten track collection of blues and psych-infused hard rock.
 
Lead by the bruising gospel-tinged riffathon of “Let The Blood Run Free”, Valles Marineris is both eclectic and unrelenting right through to the final eerie piano fadeout of album closer “Into The Black”.
 
Vocalist Tim Henwood comments “I feel like we’re really honing in on our own distinctive sound now. I love our early recordings but after traveling around the world and playing over 300 shows in our first three years as a band, we’re growing and evolving. It’s real, it’s from the heart and we can’t wait to let this one out of the box.”
 
Having always placed equal importance on the visual component of each release, the band once again enlisted award-winning tattoo artist Kristian Kimonides for the album artwork, whose original painting was inspired by the music and lyrics of Valles Marineris.
 
With extensive tour dates already scheduled in Australia, US and Europe, 2016 is set to be Palace Of The King’s best and most prolific year yet.

Tracklisting:

“Let The Blood Run Free”
“Beyond The Valley”
“Black Cloud”
“The Bridge Of The Gods”
“We Are The Vampires”
“Empire Of The Sun”
“Sick As A Dog”
“River Of Fire”
“Throw Me To The Wolves”
“Into The Black”



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Atlanta based death metal band Withered will release their new album, Grief Relic, via Season Of Mist worldwide on May 27th; pre-orders are currently available here. The album track “Feeble Gasp” is streaming below.

Guitarist / vocalist Mike Thompson commented: "Having been five years since our last release, we felt the need to do something very intentional with Grief Relic.You know that sense of timelessness you get when you go back and listen to some 20 year old metal record and it’s just as relevant now as it ever was? It’s not really about nostalgia and definitely not about rehashing anything. Just the need to continue carving out a sonic identity like the great bands of the late '80s and early '90s. We focused on song arrangements and an album structure that would offer a real emotional experience and, of course, we loaded every song with a lot of typical Withered twists and turns. It’s progress for the sake of progress without abandoning our identity."

The artwork, painted by Paul Romano (Mastodon, Baroness), and tracklisting for Grief Relic can be found below.

 

 

"Leathery Rind"
"A Realm Of Suffering"
"Withdraw"
"Feeble Gasp"
"Husk"
"Downward"
"Distort, Engulf"
"To Glimpse Godliness"

"Feeble Gasp”:



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Highly complex progressive sci-fi themed metallers, Vektor, will release their new album, Terminal Redux, on May 6th worldwide. Terminal Redux is Vektor's third full-length release and the band's first ever concept album, further exploring the themes that first appeared in the lyrics of the title track from their previous album, 2011's Outer Isolation. The album track “Pillars Of Sand” is streaming below.

Like the most outlandish and classic concept records of the past - such as Rush’s 2112, Queensrÿche's Operation: Mindcrime and Mastodon’s Leviathan - Terminal Redux mixes fantasy and reality, imagination and fact, and cataclysmic warnings from the future to keep the listener on edge throughout.

Vektor vocalist/guitarist David DiSanto discusses the album's concept: "The story begins with a lone astronaut regaining his memories after being sentenced to an isolation testing program. Near the point of death in his damaged spacecraft, he finds a life-rejuvenating molecule within a stellar nebula that will change the course of his fate and many others. He brings a large haul of his newly discovered prize to the Cygnus regime, a vast galactic empire, in hopes of regaining his status as a high-ranking general. Years of isolation have turned him into a power-hungry tyrant that will stop at nothing to usurp the people who banished him. Through terror tactics and brute force, he incites a coup within Cygnus and gains control. Using the life-rejuvenating molecules from the stellar nebula, he grants the people under his rule extended life. His goal is to achieve perfect, cosmic harmony within his domain and bring balance to the war torn planets: something that no intelligent life-form has ever been able to accomplish."

As well as letting their imaginations flow free lyrically, Vektor have also embraced some unusual audio elements during the recording of Terminal Redux, going as far as to enlist the vocal assistance of a group of Philadelphia soul singers to contribute additional texture to the riff-heavy thrash opus.

Terminal Redux is available to pre-order now on CD and vinyl, including a number of limited signed editions. Reserve your copy now in Europe at this location or in North America here. The album is also available to pre-order now on iTunes.

Terminal Redux was recorded between the band's home studio and Panther Pro-Audio in Philadelphia, with additional mixing courtesy of Byron Filson at Villain Studios in Arizona.

The album artwork was created by Adam Burke. David DiSanto comments: "The cover artwork depicts a scene from the second half of the album. In the distant future, a ravaged space terminal makes a journey to an exploded star known as 'Relic Alshain'."

Tracklisting:

“Charging The Void”
“Cygnus Terminal”
“LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease)”
“Mountains Above The Sun”
“Ultimate Artificer”
“Pteropticon”
“Psychotropia”
“Pillars Of Sand”
“Collapse”
“Recharging The Void”

“Pillars Of Sand”:

"Charging The Void":

Trailer:

“Ultimate Artificer”:

(Photo - Katy A.D. Photography)



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Lifeforce Records will release the self-titled debut from London-based progressive metal/hardcore act, When Our Time Comes, on April 15th in Europe and May 6th in North America.

The band have released a video for their debut single, “50 Years From Now”. Produced by Justin Hill (Bury Tomorrow, Young Guns), “50 Years From Now” combines anthemic hooks with big metallic grooves that are both technical and accessible.

The self-titled debut features ten more tracks of powerful melodic rock with impressive riffery and strong songwriting, resulting in a very memorable album. Influences as diverse as SikTh, Parkway Drive, Thrice, and Periphery give a good indication of the band’s musical background, but expect a whole lot more.

Check out the band on the following dates:
 
April
14 - Bassment Bar - Chelmsford, UK

August
18 - Hevy Festival - Newhaven, Derbyshire, UK

“Impending” video:



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