Reject The Sickness have released a music video for “My Agony”, featured on their new album, Chains Of Solitude, released last November via Mighty Music.

Guy, frontman of Reject The Sickness, comments on the video: "The video of “My Agony” was made by Malika Maria AtwOrk (Malika does visuals on bigger live shows). The lyrics of the song describes the inner fight of a trauma after molestation. The video shows the mind-struggle of the victim. Pain, suffering, hope, redemption, revenge..."

Reject The Sickness is a five-piece band from Belgium that has been shredding metal since 2010. Their songs are a mixture of punching death-melodic guitar riffs, progressive characteristics and a slice of core. The music is perfectly balanced between melody and brutality. The lyrics are about confused and abused teenagers and all the anger and emotions that go hand in hand with that horror. Guy, the vocalist, works as a social worker and his job inspires him to write fictional stories about outcast youth and how they get back at society and at their molesters.

The band chose to record Chains Of Solitude themselves, in their own studio. This way they had the luxury of trial and error and could take time for the recordings. The mixing and mastering was done by Jochem Jacobs at Split Second Sound in Holland. "We really liked his work and sound for Textures, Crimson Falls, Scarred, … The fact that we could communicate in the same language was a huge advantage. He did a great job and we would like to thank him for that."

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Chains Of Solitude”
“My Agony”
“Only Darkness Is Real”
“Depravity”
“Psychopath”
“Alone”
“Heaven Turns Black”
“Hopeless”
“Seedless”
“The Fire's Burning”

“Only Darkness Is Real” lyric video:

“Hopeless” video:

Line-up:

Jannick Govaert - Drums
Pepijn Desmet - Lead Guitar
Guy Vercruysse - Vocals
Floris Desmet - Bass
Ruben Van der Beken - Guitar



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Madison, WI death metallers Casket Robbery - the up and coming death metal band created by the minds of Cory Scheider (Luna Mortis, Epicurean, Echoterra) and Dustin Foesch - have released two play-through videos for Evolution Of Evil tracks "Pray For Death" and "Asylum”. The new clips can be seen below.

The band’s full-length debut album, Evolution Of Evil, was released on March 4th via Mortal Music. Metal evokes deep emotions from elation to introspection to revulsion On the follow-up to the band's 2011 self-titled EP Casket Robbery runs the gamut, all the while burrowing its titanic sound deep into one's psyche. The songs are at once pulverizing and memorable. Evolution Of Evil is nothing short of pulse-pounding, unrelenting, and brutally catchy death metal. Indeed, the undeniable grooves and hooks coupled with conceptual lyrics make Casket Robbery the death metal band to watch in 2016.  

Tracklisting:

“Annibelle’s Hell”
“Blood Bathory”
“Malevolent Milwaukee Massacre”
“Final Chapter”
“Undead Living Hell”
“Pray For Death”
“Curse Of The Night Stalker”
“Encroaching Darkness”
“Cyanide Skies”
“The Asylum”

"Pray For Death" play-through:

"Asylum” play-through:

“Pray For Death”:

“Annibelle’s Hell” video:

Casket Robbery has also announced dates for the Midwest Massacre Tour, listed below.

April
2 - Ziggy's - Fon Du Lac, WI
15 - BBC - Milwaukee, WI
26 - Red Zone - Madison, WI (with Reaping Asmodeia)
29 - The Venue - Dubuque, IA

May
7 - Every Buddys Bar - Chippewa Falls, WI
21 - Red Zone - Madison, WI

June
18 - Club Underground - Minneapolis, MN (CerberusFest 3)

July
2 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
14 - Hijynx - Ft Atkinson, WI (with Summers End, They Live)
29 - Whiskeys - Rockford, IL

September
2 - The Venue - Dubuque, IA
23 - Fubar - St Louis, Missouri

October
7 - Whiskeys - Rockford, IL



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From the northwest Greek mountains, old-school blacksters Lord Impaler (pictured above), along with the obscure black metal horde Hell Poemer, join forces with the Athenian Ancient-cult band Dizziness. The result is Carved By The Winds Eternal, a 3-way split of pure Hellenic black metal, featuring six atmospheric, mesmerizing songs that burn with fiery intensity for a total running time of 36 minutes.

Tracklisting:

Dizziness – “Goddess Of The Moon”
Dizziness – “Άρπυιες”
Lord Impaler – “A Fire That Burns”
Lord Impaler – “Call From The Grave”
Hell Poemer – “The Sacral Knot Of Hierophant”
Hell Poemer – “My Dreams Will Stay Frozen On The Mountains”

Tragon, vocalist of Lord Impaler, stated recently in an interview: “In no case is this a ‘marriage of interest’ since we are bands with matching style and switching from one band to the other does not surprise the listener.”

The split is planned to be released in digital format on April 3rd, and then in physical formats (both CD and cassette) in the following weeks. A full stream can be found below:

Carved By The Winds Eternal by Dizziness / Lord Impaler / Hell Poemer



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Soto, featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, will release their second studio album, Divak, on April 1st via earMUSIC. A snippet of the new song, “Misfired”, is streaming below:

Divak (pronounced "dee-vock") comes shortly after the band's debut release, Inside The Vertigo. It's a mere 15 months later, partly due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's insistence on continuing to create and build a true brand for his new venture.

Once again, the album is produced by Jeff Scott Soto and drummer Edu Cominato. It was mixed by long time JSS engineer/associate John Ellis, as well. The band features Soto on vocals, Cominato on drums, lead guitarist Jorge Salan, bassist David Z, and keyboardist/guitarist BJ. They are heavily featured on Divak, with their writing contributions together.
 
The first single "FreakShow" was co-produced/written by Tony Dickinson, who also co-wrote "The Fall”, which was the first single from Inside The Vertigo. The track is an extension of the Soto sound created especially for this new band.
 
Soto will debut live this month with a string of East Coast US dates, leading into the annual Monsters of Rock Cruise (East), alongside Steve Vai, Extreme, Queensryche, and countless headliners.
 
Soto, formed in 2014, are the dream band created when Jeff Scott Soto realized how much he missed the "heavier side" of his career after fronting artists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman, and Journey, and even his own solo albums. The band hopes to continue its role as a driving force in today's current hard rock and metal scene.

Tracklisting:
 
“Divak” (Intro)
“Weight Of The World”
“FreakShow”
“Paranoia”
“Unblame ”
“Cyber Masquerade”
“In My Darkest Hour”
“Forgotten”
“SuckerPunch”
“Time”
“Misfired”
“The Fall From Grace”
“Awakened”
 
Bonus Tracks (All Digital Retailers):
“Final Say” (live)
“The Fall” (live)
“Break” (live)
“When I'm Older” (live)
“Stand Up” (live)

Additional Bonus Tracks (iTunes/Apple Music):
“My Life”
“Cracking the Stone”

“Unblame” snippet:

“Paranoia” snippet:

“Weight Of The World” video:

“FreakShow” lyric video:

(Photo - Natalia Britt)



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Australian female fronted symphonic/cinematic metal band, Darkyra, have cancelled their April tour in the Netherlands and Germany. Singer / songwriter Darkyra Black, also known as Gina Bafile, has been confirmed to have Stage 3 Breast Cancer and will commence chemo therapy treatments late next week. The band will reschedule their tour in a years time.

The band comments: "To those that were looking forward to seeing Darkyra live in Europe, we are sorry that we are unable to attend this tour but we feel that cancelling this trip was the best decision to make at this time and we offer all our love and support to Gina during this tough time.”

A previously issued tour trailer can be seen below. Stay tuned for updates from Darkyra.



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Session conducted an interview with DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci prior to the band's March 15 concert in Frankfurt, Germany. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On DREAM THEATER's current European tour in support of the band's concept album "The Astonishing":

Petrucci: "Well, here's an interesting thing. The way that this album came about, and the way the tour is, it's a two-act, two-CD concept album. It's a long show, and this tour is called 'Dream Theater Presents The Astonishing Live', which means we're basically just playing this whole show as it was meant to be. When we wrote it, we envisioned playing it as a standalone show — kind of like when PINK FLOYD toured for 'The Wall' and they just went out and they played 'The Wall'. So there's no other DREAM THEATER songs, there's no encore — it's just this show. So we thought it would be better for the audience to kind of be seated and take in the whole thing, because there's a lot of visuals and everything else. In America, when we play, a lot of the venues are already theaters — like, let's say New York, the Beacon Theater, Radio City Music Hall… These are all big seated venues that normal concerts go on. But here in Europe, what's interesting is that the fans aren't used to us playing in seated venues. They say, 'Oh, it's weird not standing.' So it's like we're a rock and roll band, but we're playing in places where they normally have opera, ballet, musicals… stuff like that. And so the European audience is sitting and they're a little bit… at first, they're not sure what to do, and it might feel a little uncomfortable. But you know what? I was speaking to some people who saw us in Nürnberg last night, and they said that it was great, 'cause they were able to sit back and take in the experience of the show, which is what we wanted in the first place. So they're getting used to it."

On the biggest differences in the music industry since DREAM THEATER started three decades ago:

Petrucci: "A lot of it, actually, it's kind of… To tie it in with 'The Astonishing' and the story, it kind of is an underlying theme that's in the story, which is that… There's a line and it says, 'People just don't have the time for music anymore.' And what I was referring to is now, the way that we listen to music and consume music is a lot more passive and it's a lot more on the go. So you're able to stream things quickly. You might not even listen to it in the best circumstance; you might just be using some earbuds and your phone or something. You download a song, not a full album. It used to be you had to go to a venue to go see music in order to be able to hear it. So in my story, in this concept album, it takes place three hundred or so years into the future, and music is no longer made by people; it's made by artificial intelligence, by machines. It's kind of a commentary on what would happen if music becomes so unimportant. So the biggest change, I think, between when DREAM THEATER first started — to answer your question — and now is just the way that we consume music, listen to music. Again, people can access music a lot easier, but there's kind of a negative side to that where people don't really sit down, take the time and take it in. I can remember listening to albums by RUSH and PINK FLOYD and stuff like that, and just putting on the entire thing, shutting off the lights and getting into it just the same way you would watch a movie."

"The Astonishing" was released on January 29 via Roadrunner. The CD was made available in a wide range of distinctive versions, including standard 2-CD set, 4-LP vinyl box set and a limited-edition deluxe box set.

Recorded at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York, with John Petrucci producing, studio luminary Richard Chycki (AEROSMITH, RUSH) engineering/mixing and legendary arranger, composer and conductor David Campbell orchestrating, "The Astonishing" paints a tale of a retro-futurist post-apocalyptic dystopia ruled by medieval style feudalism. It's a place aching for a Chosen One to rise above the noise and defeat an Empire defined by the endless drone of noise machines and the illusion of safety in bland conformity.

Australian Rock & Metal Institute recently conducted an interview with legendary BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Australian Rock & Metal Institute: BLACK SABBATH recently wrapped up the first leg of the massive 2016 "The End" world tour and by all accounts it was a riveting success. Has it met your expectations?

Geezer: It has more than met my expectations. The response from our audience has been incredible. The gigs have been fun to do. I think people are extra responsive because this is the last time they will see us live; it is almost like a party feel to the shows.

Australian Rock & Metal Institute: How does it fell to be hanging up the boots after nearly five decades?

Geezer: We all feel that it's the right time to finish SABBATH. None of us ever thought we would still be around after all these years, and we owe it to our fans to go out at the top rather than grind ourselves into the ground. I feel we are playing better than ever, but it is better to end while we are still good at what we do rather than let age diminish our capabilities.

Australian Rock & Metal Institute: What do you think is the main difference between the music industry today and when you first started?

Geezer: The music industry today is unrecognizable from when we first started. I think it is harder than ever to break through the success barrier, especially for rock and metal bands. It is very hard to make a good living out of music for new bands, especially with the access to Internet these days, having so many people posting their videos online. Downloading songs from the Internet has made it almost impossible to make money from recordings and live shows. The Internet has taken the surprise out of gigs. When we first started, if you wanted to see us, you had to go the gig, and if you wanted to hear our music, you had to buy the vinyl record or cassette tape, plus if you were successful you could get backing from your record label. These days, what record labels are left are reluctant to gamble on new bands, especially non-pop related acts.

Read the entire interview at Australian Rock & Metal Institute.

STONE SOUR has returned to Room 237, the Burbank, California recording studio owned and operated by the band's drummer, Roy Mayorga, to work on material for the follow-up to its last collection of original music, "House Of Gold And Bones", a double concept album which was released in two parts in 2012 and 2013.

Several photos and video clips from the latest studio sessions can be found below.

STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor recently said that the band has fourteen new songs written and recorded in demo form. He told Eddie Trunk that the group's new CD will go "in a different reaction than the older stuff — like a little more rock and roll, a little more expanding the range again."

STONE SOUR, has released two EPs of cover songs — "Meanwhile In Burbank…" and "Straight Out Of Burbank" — and was slated to issue a third, titled "No Sleep 'Till Burbank", but those plans now appear to have been scrapped. Taylor told the "Someone Who Isn't Me" podcast: "Originally we were going to do three [covers EPs], and now it sounds like we're just going to do the two and just keep the other stuff we recorded as extra content for when we make the next album."

Taylor's touring schedule with SLIPKNOT means that STONE SOUR won't return to the road until sometime next year.

STONE SOUR last year named guitarist Christian Martucci as the permanent replacement for Jim Root, who was dismissed from the band in late 2013 after he decided to sit out the group's last tour in order to begin working on the new SLIPKNOT album. Martucci was recruited to play on that tour and was confirmed as a permanent member in March 2015 in a Facebook post.

Root did not speak kindly of STONE SOUR in interviews after he was fired, saying, "Some of the guys in STONE SOUR, I think they just want to be a radio band and write strictly for radio and try to be more of a poppy rock band. And that's not really what I'm into. There's at least one guy in the band that's only concerned about money. I really have no desire to associate with people like that anymore."

Root played on all five STONE SOUR studio records to date, including 2010's "Audio Secrecy" and "House Of Gold & Bones".

#comingsoon #underconstruction #coreyseesawoodchuck @inwalksthechow @Martucci77 @StonesourRoy #joshinspirit pic.twitter.com/FwxRqYKQ7k

— MEGA-GEEK MELTDOWN!! (@CoreyTaylorRock) March 28, 2016

#thingsgettinginteresting pic.twitter.com/5U48rW3uOI

— MEGA-GEEK MELTDOWN!! (@CoreyTaylorRock) March 28, 2016

pic.twitter.com/WvL2oD8mou

— MEGA-GEEK MELTDOWN!! (@CoreyTaylorRock) March 28, 2016

TMZ.com has posted photos of GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose and members of AC/DC leaving a rehearsal studio in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday — apparently after rehearsing AC/DC classics for the band's upcoming shows. Check out the pictures at this location.

A rumor started last this week suggesting Axl will perform as a guest vocalist with AC/DC gained traction after Atlanta Rock 100.5 host Jason Bailey claimed that a "very, very good source" confirmed to him that the collaboration was happening.

The rumor began after AC/DC postponed the last ten shows of its recent North American tour because singer Brian Johnson was in danger of suffering "total hearing loss." The band promised to make up the gigs, possibly with "guest vocalists." Rose has been spotted and photographed in Atlanta, where AC/DC is reportedly meeting with potential singers.

Bailey reported: "This is what I'm being told: Axl was meeting with the AC/DC group, because it's all but a done deal that Axl will front AC/DC for the 10 remaining shows."

Bailey added that Johnson was "supposed to retire after the last tour," adding, "They're in town, they were auditioning people for the job, and then they flew Axl in. Again, this is from my source."

A press representative for AC/DC responded to the reports that Rose is set to fill in for Johnson as the band's frontman for the rest of the hard rock outfit's tour, telling NME: "Nothing official to announce. Will update you if that changes."

Rose was apparently not in Atlanta on any GUNS N' ROSES business. That band will make its comeback with original members Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan at six shows next month in California, Las Vegas and Mexico.

There is no word on whether AC/DC intends to permanently replace Johnson, who has been the band's frontman for 36 years.

Axl Rose is back! After announcing he'd be filling in as frontman for AC/DC, he was spotted at a rehearsal studio. https://t.co/EdkE2apT22

— TMZ Live (@TMZLive) March 28, 2016

Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM were rejoined by former singers Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristensen and Eirik "Messiah" Nordheim during their March 26 performance at the Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway. Also appearing with the band — alongside current vocalist Attila Csihar — for several songs was co-founding MAYHEM drummer Kjetil "Manheim" Haraldsson.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

As previously reported, MAYHEM will be rejoined by Maniac for its appearance at this year's Sweden Rock Festival, set to take place June 8-11 in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

According to Wikipedia, Kristiansen joined MAYHEM in 1986 after the departure of the band's original vocalist, Messiah. He was in the band until 1988, when he was replaced by Kittil. When drummer Hellhammer decided to revive MAYHEM in 1995 after the deaths of both Euronymous and Dead and the imprisonment of Count Grishnakh, he invited Maniac to return as the band's vocalist.

Maniac was known for giving extremely intense live performances. He would often cut himself onstage, frequently landing him in intensive care units. However, he later said, "When we realized that the cutting had become a phenomenon people came to watch, I quit doing it."

Maniac was in MAYHEM until 2004 when he was forced to leave. MAYHEM bassist Necrobutcher (real name: Jørn Stubberud) later told Decibel magazine: "To be honest, Maniac fucked it all up in the end with too much alcohol and too little rehearsing."

In 2004, Maniac was replaced in MAYHEM by Attila Csihar (TORMENTOR, ABORYM), who previously fronted the band on their 1993 album, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas".

Maniac photo credit: Finn Håkon Rødland

In a brand new interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kerry King was asked to recount one of the most memorable nights he had being in SLAYER. He said: "Something that was really cool for me — and I didn't think it was going to be as cool as it was — was when we did the 'Big Four' shows [with METALLICA, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX]. I think that was important. I think it mattered. When I went in, I thought it was going to be cool for the fans, but in the end, it was cool for me, too."

He added: "The funniest thing in the history of Kerry King and SLAYER is us and METALLICA, we don’t really run in the same circles. As similar we are, you know, we've never been on tour with those guys. To actually play with them on the 'Big Four' was really cool for me. I'd go back behind where Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] goes when he gets done with a song — we called that Larsland — we'd go watch the show from there. It was really cool. It was just cool hanging. Kirk [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist] would come and hang out, and we'd go do stuff with Lars. It was fun."

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine recently told the"Talk Is Jericho" podcast about the possibility of more "Big Four" shows in the future: "I think that the 'Big Four' thing that we did, it was really important. It was necessary for a lot of different reasons. You know, if it happens again, that would be great. If it doesn't, the people who got to see it got to see something really remarkable."

He added: "Am I supposed to doing it? You know, it would have to be the right thing. I think that, you know, MEGADETH is at a place right now where we're successful to a degree where we would be happy continuing to do what we do on our own. So if we're gonna do another 'Big Four' thing, I would want it to be something where we walk away as content as METALLICA does from something like that. It's not METALLICA and three other dudes."

METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX played together for the first time in history on June 16, 2010 in front of 81,000 fans at the Sonisphere festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland. The night before the concert, METALLICA organized a dinner with members of all four bands, a get-together that MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson called "very relaxed and comfortable" and "a class way" to ease into the tour.

The "Big Four" played its last concert on September 14, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Since then, METALLICA, SLAYER and ANTHRAX have played a number of shows together, including the 2013 Soundwave festival in Australia. They also performed at the 2014 Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine recently shared his thoughts with Fox News on his harsh critics, his supporters in the South, and his new album "Dystopia". Check out the clip below.

Asked if he thinks the music industry has gotten too tame, Mustaine responded: "Probably yes and no. I think that there's a lot of people out there that are probably overtly harsh in their cricticism and it's because they don't want people to know that they don't really know what they're talking about. It's like the old saying: dogs with no teeth bark the loudest. You find that the meanest critics are people with no real musical education and they're just bitter."

On April 8, Universal Music / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records will issue MEGADETH's latest album, "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". Featuring eleven tracks, "Dystopia" was released on January 22 on CD, LP, and digitally, as well as a special Deluxe Virtual Reality CD package. "Dystopia" debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart, No. 1 album on the Hard Music and Top Rock charts. and No. 2 on the Top Album Sales chart. Globally, "Dystopia" also achieved Top 10 debuts in Canada (No. 2), Japan (No. 2 international chart), Finland (No. 3), Mexico (No. 4), Czech Republic (No. 5), Australia (No. 6), New Zealand (No. 6), Switzerland (No. 7), Poland (No. 8) and Germany (No. 10), which along with Belgium, Ireland and Spain contributed to achieve MEGADETH's highest ever chart positions in their thirty-year history in a total of ten countries around the world. Other countries with significant sales or chart debuts included U.K., Norway, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, and France.

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

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

Australia's The Rockpit recently conducted an interview with ASKING ALEXANDRIA guitarist Ben Bruce. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Rockpit: Tell me a little about the new [ASKING ALEXANDRIA] album "The Black". This is the first time that Danny Worsnop (former ASKING ALEXANDRIA vocalist) is not part of an album. So how was that whole process with the new singer?

Ben: It was actually awesome; we had a really good time. For the last few years of Danny being in the band, things actually got really difficult; even getting him into the studio to record vocals was a huge nightmare. So this time around, everyone was excited to be there, everyone was stoked to be in the studio and work together as a team. Denis [Stoff, new ASKING ALEXANDRIA vocalist] was just so excited to be recording his first album with us. He put so much effort in and it was just a lot more fun than we've had in the studio for years now, and I definitely think that shows as well when you listen to the album. Just the effort we put into it, you can tell just by listening to it.

The Rockpit: It's an interesting story how Denis became part of the band. Where did you find him and how did he initially join the band?

Ben: We actually heard of Denis a few years ago. People send us links, like, "Check out this killer YouTube video covering your band's songs. He's really good,' and that's cool. We used to joke around with Danny, like, "Oh, you better watch out. Someone will take your place!" Fast forward four years later and here he is.

The Rockpit: Most fans dream of becoming part of their favorite band and this guy actually did it. What was it about him that you really liked that you wanted him to be part of the band?

Ben: He just had an incredible voice, incredible range, incredible dynamics and stuff. We met him a few times as well because he was in previous bands before. He opened up for us with his band when we played in Russia for the first time and we met him at a few festivals in the States with his old band so we already knew he was a pretty cool and down-to-earth guy, and, obviously, the fact that he's an incredible vocalist. It was weird; it was like intuition, just a gut feeling that this was the guy that we had to go with. I can't really explain why or how we knew, but it just was something there telling us, 'Yeah, this is the kid."

The Rockpit: And what was it like performing with him live on stage?

Ben: It's amazing, actually! We hadn't really rehearsed or hung out that much before we even hit the stage together, but I think the first show we did together, we headlined a festival in Austria, I believe, and there was thirty thousand people there. Before we went on stage, it was, like, "Fuck, what's going to happen? Are they going to bottle us off the stage because they miss our old vocalist? Is he going to be booed off stage? What the hell is going to happen?" But everyone was just excited; everyone welcomed him with open arms. It was good for us, as we spent the last few years touring with a vocalist that didn't give a shit anymore, so we lost all drive and all passion for touring, because it was a nightmare being up on stage with someone like that who didn't give a shit. When Denis came along, here's this young kid who is stoked to be up there and he's smiling. You look over to him and he's got a huge smile on his face and he's energetic, he's giving it a hundred percent, and that gave all of us a kick in the arse and it was like I remember why we loved doing this so much. So it really just gave us a lot more energy and just made us feel a lot more youthful and really enjoy what we're doing again.

Read the entire interview at The Rockpit.

In a brand new interview with Metal Wani's William Richards, TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick was asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2012's "Dark Roots Of Earth" album. He said (hear audio below): "[TESTAMENT guitarist and main songwriter Eric Peterson and I] don't get together that often, but when we do, we come up with some really strong material. And that's what happened last time around. We've had some sessions together, and some of that material, I think, will wind up on this record. But I also know that Eric, he works on a lot of material on his own too. And I'm happy to just sit back and let him do that."

Skolnick also commented on recent reports that TESTAMENT's next studio album will feature a musical direction that is at least partly a throwback to the more aggressive, thrashier direction of 1999's "The Gathering" LP. He said: "'The Gathering' was a period of time I wasn't in the band, and I'm respectful of that. And if [Eric is writing] stuff that's more in that direction, I'm not as involved in, as far as the composition. So I think there will be a lot of that stuff, but that's also good music, and that's a period of the band I respect. Hopefully this record will be a blend of that without abandoning the other parts of the band."

TESTAMENT has set "The Brotherhood Of The Snake" as the tentative title of its eleventh studio album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast. The CD's projected title track, which has already been recorded, is expected to be made available in the coming weeks.

TESTAMENT's U.S. tour with SLAYER and CARCASS came to a close last night (Saturday, March 26) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was interviewed on "The Boris & Robyn Show" on WPDH 101.5 FM in Poughkeepsie, New York. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked why KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons ended up not appearing on Frehley's upcoming "Origins Vol. 1" collection of covers, Ace said: "Well, I tried calling Gene a couple of times and I got his answering machine. So I shot him a few different texts. I even went as far as to get ahold of Doc McGhee [KISS's manager] and tell Doc to let Gene know I wanted to get ahold of him. And I guess either he didn't get the message or he was just too busy. So I said, 'Well, let me reach to Paul [Stanley, KISS frontman].' I had Paul's cell phone [number] in my phone. I gave him a buzz, and he picked up immediately. And from the outset, he thought it was a great idea and would be a lot of fun. It took a while to choose which song we wanted to do. We were originally thinking about DEREK AND THE DOMINOS' [version of Jimi Hendrix's] 'Little Wing', then we were kicking around maybe 'My Generation' [by THE WHO]. But towards the end of the elimination process, I came up with the idea for [FREE's] 'Fire And Water', and he loved it."

"Origins Vol. 1" will be released on April 15. Other guests are none other than Slash trading leads on THIN LIZZY's classic "Emerald", Lita Ford singing and playing lead on THE TROGGS staple "Wild Thing", ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 playing guitar alongside Ace as he sings his classic KISS composition "Parasite" for the very first time, as well as Jimi Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic", and PEARL JAM's Mike McCready also plays guitar with Ace as he finally sings his KISS "Alive!" mainstay "Cold Gin". "White Room" is also an iTunes instant gratification track, meaning fans who pre order the LP on iTunes will receive the CREAM cover song instantly.

The first in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "Here Come The Infidels", the new album from STUCK MOJO, can be seen below. Due on June 24, the CD was once again produced by Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and ACCEPT, among others.

In addition to STUCK MOJO guitarist and main songwriter Rich Ward and longtime drummer Frank Fontsere, "Here Come The Infidels" features the band's latest additions, vocalist Robby J and bassist Len Sonnier.

Speaking about why a planned reunion of STUCK MOJO's classic lineup — featuring vocalist Bonz and bassist Corey Lowery — fell apart less than a year after playing a well-received show in the band's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, Ward said: "The goal was to do a reunion record. And after doing three reunion shows, we just realized it wasn't gonna work — for the same reasons it didn't work the first time. But we'd already started the process into making this new album. And I knew that I wanted to work with Andy, because the best records in my career were done partnering with Andy. And Andy is not a producer in the sense that he sits in the back of the room with a cigar and says, 'Do that again.' So Andy then takes up part of that responsibility of being another member of the band to bounce ideas off of, help me creatively."

Containing eleven tracks of unmistakeable Ward riffing, "Here Come The Infidels" is available for pre-orders through Pledge Music. To say thank you, everyone who pre-orders the album will immediately receive a digital download of the track "Verbal Combat", the lyric video for which can be seen below.

Said Ward: "Robby J is a fucking ninja, the total package vocalist/frontman. Mark my words, this guy is going to set a new standard for what a band with a rapper looks like."

Hailing from the Texas-Louisiana border, Len is a veteran bass player, best known for his time spent as the touring bassist in KING'S X frontman Doug Pinnick's POUNDHOUND project.

Video footage of legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi performing the band's classic song "Into The Void" with several campers at last month's Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles can be seen below. Also taking part in this installment of the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp, which was held February 11-14, were Steve Vai, Warren Haynes, Zakk Wylde and drummer Carl Palmer. The weekend culminated with campers and their bands performing at the Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip.

Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp is a non-competitive atmosphere designed for all levels of musicians and music enthusiasts. Participants are placed in bands with like-minded people and skill level to make for an off-the-charts experience. The bands rehearsed under the guidance of a rock star counselors, including Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL), Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE), Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS), Vic Johnson (Sammy Hagar), Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT), Bjorn Englen (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Kane Roberts (ALICE COOPER), Teddy Andreadis (GUNS N' ROSES) and Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE).

Some of the campers play well and even gave up careers as musicians to become CEOs and lawyers. Some campers can't play at all. What they all have in common is passion for rock music. At Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp, they all get to pursue their passion — and meet, and play with the artists who became the soundtrack of their lives. David Fishof is the founder and creator of the famed Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp where rock dreams become reality. The idea came to him after years of producing rock tours throughout the word. He's been honored to work with veteran rockers Roger Daltrey, Joe Walsh, Ringo Starr, Todd Rundgren, Gene Simmons, Dr. John, Randy Bachman, and so many more. He feels fortunate to have seen their talent first hand. David's desire to share this experience with you, gave him the inspiration to produce the one-of- a-kind Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp.

San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL will release their new album, "The Evil Divide", on May 27. 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.

The second trailer for "The Evil Divide", featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the CD, 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".

Metal legends Metallica have posted a new teaser online:

"This was recorded at the first gig that we played after having our gear ripped off in January of '83. Anthrax was cool enough to lend us their equipment for the night. Recorded live at J Bees Rock III, Middletown, NY on January 20th, 1984 by Calvin Coohey.

Pre-order Remastered Deluxe Editions of Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning at store.metallica.com or wherever you buy music. Also available on vinyl, CD & digital download on April 15, 2016."

Check out complete details of the Kill 'Em All - Deluxe Remastered Box Set here. All details of the Ride The Lightning - Deluxe Remastered Box set can be found here.

Metallica's recently announced headlining concert at Minneapolis' brand new US Bank Stadium on August 20th has completely SOLD OUT. Presale fan club tickets were made available earlier this week, followed by this morning's public on-sale, which sold out in less than 10 minutes.

Metallica's show in Minneapolis will be the first rock concert at US Bank Stadium, the new home of the Minnesota Vikings, as part of the opening weekend festivities.

Avenged Sevenfold will provide direct support, marking one of only a few shows the hard rock band will play in the country this year. Volbeat will open the show with their unique blend of rock, metal, and rockabilly.

In celebration of this year’s Record Store Day, on April 16th Metallica will be releasing a special exclusive CD titled Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, Metallica! The artwork for the upcoming release can be seen below.

The nine-song set was recorded live at Le Bataclan in Paris, France on June 11th, 2003 and Metallica are donating all profits to victims of the attacks in Paris in 2015.

Tracklisting:

"The Four Horsemen”
"Leper Messiah”
"No Remorse”
"Fade To Black”
"Frantic”
"Ride The Lightning”
“Blackened"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Damage, Inc.”

“Fade To Black”:

Seek & Destroy artwork by KronicX



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Brasov, Romania based melodic death metal band False Reality have reached a deal with Loud Rage Music for the release of their debut album, End of Eternity. The release is scheduled for Autumn 2016 when the band is also planning a series of concerts to promote it. According to a press release, fans of old Amorphis, Orphaned Land, Moonspell should expect something right on their taste, an emotional, atmospheric, and at the same time intense and abrasive incursion into the band's own reality through seven long tracks that will crown the band's long and troubled career.

False Reality line-up:

Ioan Alexandru Crisan - vocals
Codrut Costea - drums
Radu Grosu - bass
Silviu Stan - guitars
Lucian Popa - guitars, vocals
Vlad Amariei - keyboards and FX



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Dutch vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen has checekd in with the following update:

"Exactly one year ago today (March 26th), The Gentle Storm performed on stage for the first time ever! What a year it has been and… the ride still continues. Yesterday, the readers of iO Pages voted our album, The Diary, as the #1 prog album of 2015 from the Low Countries. Today we have been rehearsing for our upcoming shows in South America. Some familiar faces, some new faces - my dear friend Ruud Jolie from Within Temptation is temporarily filling in the lead guitar role. Koen Herfst (who was voted best Hard Rock / Metal Drummer Benelux 2015 by Holland’s leading percussion magazine Slagwerkkrant), will take up drumming duties until Ed Warby is fully recovered. See you soon South America!"

The Gentle Storm's South American tour schedule is as follows:

April
8 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Teatro Vortex
9 - Santiago, Chile - Teatro Cariola
10 - São Paulo, Brazil - Hangar 110

Other dates on The Gentle Storm's 2016 schedule include:

July 
2 -  Barcelona, Spain - Be Prog! My Friend

September 
9 -  Atlanta, GA - Progpower USA XVII
10 - Atlanta, GA - Progpower USA XVII

December 
17 - Amsterdam, Netherlands -     Melkweg Oude Zaal

The first ever Anneke van Giersbergen Fan Weekend will take place December 16th – ­18th, 2016 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and will be packed with exciting events. The Fan Weekend will provide fans from all over the world with the opportunity to meet, socialize and connect with fellow fans. Anneke herself will be present during the whole weekend.

The program is as follows:

Friday, December 16th, 2016
- ­Welcome drink and goody bag
- Meet Anneke, grab some autographs, and get a professional photo taken together
- Dinner
- Acoustic solo performance at the hotel bar (including limited number of free drinks)
- Karaoke night with Anneke (including limited number of free drinks)
- Overnight accommodation included

Saturday, December 17th, 2016
- Breakfast
­- Canal boat tour in Amsterdam with a mini concert from Anneke and a special guest
­- Lunch
­- VIP sound check, go behind the scenes and watch Anneke and her band set up for their show
- Dinner
­- Anneke van Giersbergen full band performance (including limited number of free drinks)
­- Afterparty at the hotel bar (including limited number of free drinks)
­- Overnight accommodation included

Sunday, December 18th, 2016
- “Farewell for Now” breakfast
- Group photo

Go to this location for more details.



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Dutch progressive death metal band Anatomy Of I welcome the addition of Erwin Harreman as their permanent second guitarist. 

While the pre-production for Anatomy Of I's second album is in the works for a late 2016 release, the band is still looking for a bassist. 

Dorrian states, "We're looking for a musician with experience and a pro attitude in the proximity of Rotterdam."  

Interested parties can contact the group at management@anatomyofi.com

Anatomy Of  I's current line-up is now as follows:

 Michael Dorrian - guitars, vocals
 Erwin Harreman (Supreme Pain) - guitars
 Edwin van den Eeden (ex-Sinister) - drums

 Anatomy Of I's debut album, Substratum, which features bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Sadus, Death, Testament) and drummer Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork, Scarve) was re-released in 2015 by Punishment 18 Records. 

Check out the band's official Facebook page here for updates.



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German rockers The New Black have announced Philipp ‘Flip’ Klinger as their new drummer.

The band says in a statement:

“After almost 10 years (ten!) Chris Weiss steps down from the TNB drum throne to take care of other things in life. Flip will play his first show with us tonight Wiesloch and will continue with us on the A Monster‘s Tour.

“It‘s all good, there‘s no drama whatsoever. We have known Flip for a while, he has been with us in the studio, teching for the new album. He‘s been playing in Fabs‘ thrashcore combo Wild Zombie Blast Guide for a year, and some of you might know him from Franconian thrashers Hatred. Flip‘s a great guy and a terrific drummer, so again there were no auditions.

“Of course, a big Thank You is in order for Chris, our drummer from day one, for his groove, for recording his parts of A Monster‘s Life in less than two days and for several, well, special moments: ‘Whose pants do you want me to sign now?’ We‘re proud of what we accomplished so far, four cool albums, a lot of kick-ass shows and all in all a great time. Keeping the same line-up since 2007 is awesome in itself, right? We wish Chris all the best for the bottom of our old black hearts!

“So rest assured, friends: The Monster keeps on roaring!”

Tour schedule: 

March
26 - Wiesloch, Germany - Rock&Pop Verein 
30 - München, Germany - Backstage

April
1 - Siegen, Germany - Vortex 
4 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Pitcher 
8 -Wetzikon, Switzerland - Hall Of Fame 
9 - Trübbach, Switzerland - Jonnys Lion Cave 
15 - Viersen, Germany - Rockschicht
16 - Wetzlar, Germany - Franzis

May
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Rock Cafe St. Pauli
14 - Stade, Germany - HC (secret Ggg - invitation only)

June
17 - Würzburg, Germany Umsonst-und-Draussen Festival

September
10 - Willanzheim, Germany - Sporthalle

The New Black released their new album A Monster's Life on February 26th via AFM Records. A new lyric video for the track “Send In The Clowns” can be found below.

Tracklist:

"Long Time Coming"
"Blockbuster Life"
"With A Grin"
"Send In The Clowns"
"Dead In The Water"
"Buddha Belly"
"The Beer Of No Return"
"A Pill Named Ting"
"Better"
"That’s Your Poison, Not Mine"

"Send In The Clowns" lyric video:

"With A Grin" video:

"Long Time Coming" video:

For information and updates on The New Black go to this location.



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Canadian rock icon Lee Aaron has released an official video for the title track of her new album, Fire And Gasoline, which is now available worldwide. Check it out below.

BraveWords scribe Carl Begai recently spoke with Canadian rock icon Lee Aaron, who released her new album Fire And Gasoline on March 25th. Following is an excerpt from the interview that does not appear in the feature story.

"Sometimes I think it's a miracle I haven't lost my voice after all these years in rock n' roll and having bad monitors," says Lee. "I finally caved about a month ago and bought myself a set of in-ear monitors. I used them for the first time on a weekend away in Saskatoon and Regina, and it was like 'Where have you been all my life?' (laughs). It's so nice because with music that has powerful guitars, a lot of the time I wasn't hearing the nuances in my vocalizations. No with the in-ears it's like 'Man, this is amazing...' The funny thing is I always stay after the show to sign autographs or take pictures with the fans - meeting the fans is one of my favourite parts of performing - and at those two shows I received extra comments on how good the vocals sounded. I'm so glad I took the plunge."

"There's no guessing. When you're in a rock band the guitar player starts turning up a little bit two thirds into the set, the drummer plays louder, the bassist turns up, the whole sound system gets turned up, and before you know it your ears are shutting down. There have been some nights where I've been guessing and really hoping I'm actually hitting the notes, so the in-ears are a nice thing to have."

Go to this location to check out the BraveWords feature story.

French doom goth metallers Angellore have released a lyric video for the song "Inertia", atken from their latest album La Litanie Des Cendres which was released in 2015.

La Litanie Des Cendres tracklisting:

"A Shrine Of Clouds" (13:46)
"Still Glowing Ashes" (10:25)
"Twilight’s Embrace" (9:28)
"Inertia" (6:24)
"Moonflower" (18:29)

Just like their debut, Errances, this five-song album was recorded and mixed between July 2012 and April 2014 by Florent Krist (bass player in Cynic's side project Aeon Spoke) at EverTone Studio in France. It was mastered by Markus Skroch (Hel, Nattsol, Elane).

Commenting on the album’s production, the band said: “Creating La Litanie Des Cendres (French for Litany Of Ashes) was a very demanding process, but we can assure you that the result is worth all the efforts we put into it. And it definitely feels great to start anew with a young and welcoming home like Shunu Records. With their help, we will make sure we take Angellore to the next level. We can’t wait to take you on our new musical journey. The best is yet to come!”

Matteo Coppola Neri, founder of Shunu Records has issued the following statement:

“When La Litanie Des Cendres arrived on my desk I was immediately surprised by how these guys could, with absolute nonchalance, extend their music from the early-'90s doom to today’s most psychedelic post-rock, passing through the emotional gothic rock. Within Shunu Records we have a wide range of musical tastes, some of us prefer post-rock, some indie-rock, others progressive, but when we listened to the album we all agreed on one thing: Angellore’s language is universal and their music speaks to everybody, because it goes straight to the heart. We have rarely found records of such beauty.”

For information and updates on Angellore go to this location.



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Unleashing their debut self-titled album earlier this March, Montreal, QC power metal quintet Demise Of The Crown are wasting no time getting back in studio for the release of new material. Collaborating with award winning producer/engineer/mixer Glen Robinson who has worked with names such as The Ramones, AC/DC, GWAR, Annihilator and Voivod, Demise Of The Crown are recording two new singles “Black Rain” and “Glorius Light”, which the band has posted a behind the scenes video.

Guitarist Manuel Iradian comments on recording with Glen Robinson.

"It’s been a privilege recording our two new singles with heavy hitter Glen Robinson. Our band has definitely been feeling the pressure working with a man with such a tight ear and a sharp stylistic vision. He has this very amicable and humble approach despite his demand for structure and clean lines. I can confidently say that our song writing has matured into something that just works."

Watch drum footage of Kevin Alexander pounding away for “Black Rain”:

Rehearsal video of the band for “Glorius Light”:

Killer guitar ripping by Manuel Iradian during tracking:

Demise Of The Crown are streaming their upcoming self-titled debut album ahead of it’s release. Produced by Kevin Jardine (Uplift Studios, guitarist of Slaves On Dope) and mastered by Joao Carvalho (Protest The Hero, Alexisonfire, Rush), the album is due out on March 4th (pre-order here) and features this Canadian power metal band's strong melodic death metal and hard rock influences fused with epic choruses, classic high ranged vocals plus explosive guitar solos that are reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen with undertones of Yngwie Malmsteen sure to leave fans humming.

Tracklisting:

“We Are Invincible”
“Human Denial”
“Save Me”
“Sides Of The Wave”
“Don’t Worry”
“Cold Dead Eyes”
“Eons”

Album stream:



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Canadian atheistic satanic quintet Idolatry has released their debut full-length, Visions From The Throne Of Eyes (LP version will be out in May) via Humanity's Plague Productions. The band has premiered the single "Tiamatic Winds" from the full-length. The track is about wildfires ripping through western Canada during the writing of the lyrics. Imagining Tiamat, the satanic entity, encouraging and blowing the flames hungrily across the mountains.

Tracklisting:

"Visions From The Throne Of Eyes (Pt. I)"
"Thunder From The Depths"
"Satanas Haxan"
"Anachronistic Might Of Spellcasting"
"Cathartic Expulsion Of Shrieking Sorrow"
"Visions From The Throne Of Eyes (Pt. II)"
"Tiamatic Winds"
"Illuminated Ominous Darkness"
"Imperator Nero Murmurationis Hortum"

“Tiamatic Winds”:

"Visions From The Throne Of Eyes (Pt. II)":

For information and updates on Idolatry go to their official Facebook page.



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Israeli seven-piece progressive extreme metal formation Winterhorde has announced the signing of worldwide agreement with Swedish label ViciSolum Productions. The release date for their third album Maestro is set for May 20th. The first single off the album, "Antipath", is available for streaming below.

Recorded by Alex Feldman in Sound Studio, Tel AvivMixed by V.Santura (Obscura, Triptykon, Secrets of the Moon) and mastered by Jens Bogren (Amorphis, Katatonia, Amon Amarth), the album features guest appearances from Jiri Valter (Root) and Peter Huss (Shining).

Band comments: "We couldn't be more satisfied with our decision to sign with Thomas and ViciSolum Productions. From the very first moment we've got the feeling, that this will be the right home for us and we're honored to share it with such monsters as Persefone, Loch Vostok and Diabolical.”

“Antipath”:



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Rome, Italy-based tech/industrial-influenced death metal outfit, Deceptionist, has inked a pact with Unique Leader Records. As the label now prepares to release the band's Initializing Irreversible Process debut album late this spring, this week a video trailer and more info on the record has been issued.
 
Comments the band: "We're really proud and excited to be part of the Unique Leader family. This label played a huge part in the death metal scene during the years and it's absolutely the best label nowadays when it comes to brutal and technical death metal, that's why we have no doubt Unique Leader is what fits best our sound!"
 
The intense cover art for Initializing Irreversible Process was created by Pär Olofsson (Abysmal Dawn, Cult Of Luna, Deeds Of Flesh, Exodus):

Tracklisting:

“It’s Just Begun”
“Through The Veil”
“Quest For Identity”
“When Humans Began To Be Machines”
“Final Innovation – Automatic Time”
“The Confession”
“Irreversible Process”
“Sunshine”
“Industrivolutionaction”
“Operator Nr 3”

Album teaser:

Unique Leader will release Initializing Irreversible Process on CD, LP, and digital formats worldwide on June 17th. Stand by for preorder info and further samples of the album preceding its incursion.



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South Carolina progressive black metal unit Enthean will release their debut album Priest Of Annihilation on May 20th. Preorder the album on Bandcamp.

Priests Of Annihilation will unquestionably appeal to fans of Dissection, Emperor, Origin, and Immortal. Yet the album more broadly represents the band's musical take on experiences past and present. Indeed, it is an ode to their many influences, musical or otherwise.  Put simply, Enthean has created a fierce and dynamic album that will excite a wide range of metal fans.

Tracklisting:

“1054”
“Tones Of Desecration”
“Before You, I Am”
“Dysthanasia”
“Ekpyrosis”
“Behold The Primordial”
“Bring Forth The Raven”
“Invalesc De Profundis”

“Dysthanasia”:

Priests of Annihilation by Enthean



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