Doom-tinged metal unit Castle will release their fourth full-length album this Summer via Ván Records worldwide.

Titled Welcome To The Graveyard, the follow up to 2014's Under Siege was captured by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Eyehategod) at Type Foundry Studios in Portland, Oregon this past Winter. Welcome To The Graveyard is set for official unveiling July 12th.

Leading up to the release of Welcome To The Graveyard, Castle will embark on an 18-date headlining tour from June 15th through July 2nd with an included stop at this year's edition of the Maryland Doom Fest where the band will be performing alongside The Obsessed, Mos Generator and others. Expect more North American dates in support of Welcome To The Graveyard to be announced in the coming weeks.

Castle live:

June
15 - Yucca Tap - Phoenix, AZ
16 - The Sandbox - El Paso, TX
17 - Paper Tiger - San Antonio, TX
18 - Rudyards - Houston, TX
19 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
20 - New World Brewery - Tampa, FL
21 - Burro Bar - Jacksonville, FL
22 - The Jinx - Savannah, GA
23 - Reggies - Wilmington, NC
24 - Maryland Doom Fest - Frederick, MD
25 - Ace Of Cups - Columbus, OH
26 - 5th Quarter - Indianapolis, IN
27 - Skeletunes - Ft. Wayne, IN
28 - Vaudeville - Des Moines, IA
29 - O'Leaver's - Omaha, NE
30 - Flux Capacitor - Colorado Springs, CO

July
1 - Metro Bar - Salt Lake City, UT
2 - Chateau Le Punk - Las Vegas, NV

 

 



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Former DREAM THEATER and current THE WINERY DOGS drummer Mike Portnoy has told Classic Rock magazine that the best lesson he learned from another musician was something he observed from METALLICA's Lars Ulrich. He said: "Lars and I were doing an autograph session together for Tama drums, as we both had signature snare drums coming out at the same time, and he's in one of the biggest bands of all time, so I figured he'd be the type that wouldn't even look up and push the line along as quickly as possible, but he was actually the total opposite. He was so completely gracious with each and every person, and he'd look every single one of them in the eye and spend a few minutes asking them questions. That was a tremendous lesson for me. I've done signings with guys that are in one-hundredth of the band that METALLICA is, and they’ve had attitudes and wouldn't give fans the time of day. But watching one of the most famous drummers in the world have that kind of attitude, even after all these years, was really inspiring to me."

Portnoy told Sticks For Stones last year that had "a tremendous amount of respect for Lars" as a drummer "even though [Ulrich] takes a beating in the drum community." He explained: "To me, his value is not necessarily in drumming, but it has to do with him being a part of a musical revolution that he was a huge, huge part of starting. He's been a tremendous asset to METALLICA, not only as a writer, but as a businessman and his abilities to market things and his ability to arrange music and his performance on stage — he's a very animated player on stage. And to me, I would rather watch somebody like Lars Ulrich on stage than one of these technical drummers that can do quadruple paradiddles at 240bpm. To me, that's boring. Who cares about that?"

He continued: "I'd rather be entertained and go to a show and watch a drummer and have somebody that makes me actually smile. So I don't judge drummers based on their technical ability; I judge them based on the overall package and what they bring to the music they're part of. And what Lars brings to the music of METALLICA is absolutely invaluable. So I could care less if his meter might be slightly up and down, or if his fills are slightly sloppy; I don't care about that. To me, there's way more to being a good drummer than precision and technique."

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine was recently interviewed by Fox News entertainment producer Ashley Dvorkin. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow.

On the lyrical themes covered on MEGADETH's latest album, "Dystopia":

Mustaine: "If you're a musician who writes happy love songs and stuff like that, if that makes your boat float, that's great. I like talking about things that affect me. I came from a broken family, broken home, latchkey kid, I was on food stamps, that whole thing, so I know what it's like to have the odds stacked against you. But I'm also a great American success story of perseverance and that you can overcome stuff. And I think a lot of that is what I share in the songs — like, [no matter] how bad it gets, you can always change things if you're willing to apply yourself to it."

On how MEGADETH managed to survive in the music business for more than three decades:

Mustaine: "There's a lot of real cheeky sayings, like 'It's a lot easier to turn a no into a yes,' which helped a lot. Also, don't ever sign anything unless you have an attorney look at it, which is another simple thing to do. But I think the most important thing is going back to 'The Sermon On The Mount' [collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus], with the golden rule: treat people the way you wanna be treated. I see a lot of people that are musicians that just act like idiots and treat people really awful, and I see that and I think, 'God, you didn't have to do that. You didn't have to treat people like that.' And I think a lot of that comes with new people in the music business. They think they have that self-righteous entitlement where they walk above everybody else. And, you know, 35 years later, I think I'm pretty grounded."

On April 8, Universal Music / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records will issue "Dystopia" as a limited-edition vinyl picture disc featuring the album's vivid dark and chilling artwork which takes the bands long-time mascot Vic Rattlehead to a whole new level and drops him into a bleak, futuristic dystopian universe. The "Dystopia" picture disc can be ordered individually at all participating retail and online outlets or at UMv as part of a specially priced pack with other picture disc titles including "Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?", "So Far, So Good…So What!", "Rust In Peace", "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia". Featuring eleven tracks, "Dystopia" was released on January 22 on CD, LP, and digitally, as well as a special Deluxe Virtual Reality CD package.


Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

On March 17, Metal Mark of SkullsNBones.com conducted an interview with MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On what it has been like touring with MEGADETH the last few months:

Adler: "When I first got the call, you expect to go in as a session guy. Then [MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine] asked me to tour, and I expected to be kind of weekly employee. But we really are having a great time. And we're friends, and we're joking around, and we're going on NASCAR rides, and tank rides, and going curling with David Ellefson [MEGADETH bassist] up in Canada. It's just like ridiculous stuff, and it's so stupid, but we're really having a good time."

On the response to "Dystopia", his recording debut with MEGADETH:

Adler: "I certainly can't take any responsibility for it, but it's great to a part of kind of my favorite band coming back to life a little bit. Not that they ever went away, but you can see the difference with this record and the numbers and the response to it… It's different. Again, I'm not taking credit, but it's nice to be a part of."

On the differences between playing with MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD:

Adler: "I've just gotten to the point now… We did a world tour with MEGADETH, and now we're doing the U.S. tour, and I'm really just now, after months and months of touring with them, getting to the point where I'm comfortable, so I can really knd of rock out to these tunes. And I've never really learned any cover songs before this, so it took me a long time to get comfortable, because, even though these are songs that I listened to since I was a kid… Of course, they're fresh; I've never really tried to play 'em, except for the new stuff. So I'm just getting to the point where I'm comfortable doing it. But, stylistically, it's much less… It's more physical in a way, because I'm really laying into the parts, but it's less challenging, I guess, on a physical level, because most of the LAMB stuff — looking back on it, in comparison anyway — it seems like it's all just one big drum solo. So now, again, I'm trying to be the backbone for these amazing guitar players, so they can do their own thing and stay out of the spotlight. But at the same time, I'm here for a reason. Dave's a smart guy, and so I'm trying to add in my little things here and there. But I wanna be true to the songs. I'm a fan of the band. If we're playing 'Wake Up Dead', 'Wake Up Dead' should sound like 'Wake Up Dead'. It's not the Chris Adler show back there; I'm not gonna be doing anything crazy. Some of these songs aren't that easy, so it still requires a lot of attention and me really kind of focusing in on stuff, but it's a lot of fun. Like playing 'Tornado Of Souls' or something like that, that's just so ingrained in my mind. When we first got the… Dave sent the setlist for the world tour that we started in China, and when I first saw that setlist and I saw that it was on there, I was just, like, 'Yes!' I mean, that was such an athem for me in high school, and now playing it, I'm just going nuts back there. I don't even know what I'm playing. But it's such a great song; I love it."

On April 8, Universal Music / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records will issue "Dystopia" as a limited-edition vinyl picture disc featuring the album's vivid dark and chilling artwork which takes the bands long-time mascot Vic Rattlehead to a whole new level and drops him into a bleak, futuristic dystopian universe. The "Dystopia" picture disc can be ordered individually at all participating retail and online outlets or at UMv as part of a specially priced pack with other picture disc titles including "Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?", "So Far, So Good…So What!", "Rust In Peace", "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia". Featuring eleven tracks, "Dystopia" was released on January 22 on CD, LP, and digitally, as well as a special Deluxe Virtual Reality CD package.

Quality fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH's March 23 performance at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hangar 1802. The Threat Is Real03. Wake Up Dead04. In My Darkest Hour05. Post American World06. Dawn Patrol07. Poison Was The Cure08. Poisonous Shadows09. She-Wolf10. Sweating Bullets11. Trust12. Fatal Illusion13. Tornado Of Souls14. Dystopia15. Symphony Of Destruction16. Peace Sells

Encore:

17. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

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. "Dystopia" weaves together Dave Mustaine's intricate and unique songwriting style, trademark leads and lightning riffs with harmonious precision, paying homage to MEGADETH's influential roots while continuing to break new and heavy ground. 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.

The official lyric video for "Soul Machine", a brand new song from Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's fifth studio album, "Kentucky", which will be released on April 1 via Mascot Label Group. The CD was recorded at Barrick Recording in Glasgow, Kentucky. Taking a "back-to-the-roots" approach, the effort was produced in the same way and same place as BLACK STONE CHERRY's eponymous debut album, which broke the band out of the small southern backwater and onto the world stage.

"Kentucky" track listing:

01. The Way Of The Future02. In Our Dreams03. Shakin' My Cage04. Soul Machine05. Long Ride06. War07. Hangman08. Cheaper To Drink Alone09. Rescue Me10. Feelin' Fuzzy11. Darkest Secret12. Born To Die13. The Rambler

BLACK STONE CHERRY guitarist Ben Wells recently told Metal Hammer magazine about "Kentucky": "This is the first time we get to self-produce. And most of the songs, with the exception of maybe two or three out of fifteen, are all written by us, the four of us. Which all of our songs always are — we might co-write with somebody — but this time, the majority of the songs are all written by us. So it feels really good to kind of have that creative freedom. Even though we're still learning things as we get along, we've kind of picked up over the years touring internationally what our fans have come to expect and what we expect from ourselves and what we know people are gonna enjoy from us. So it's definitely… it's raw, it's heavy. We're going back to our hometown to record it, where we did our debut album. So we're kind of revisiting some of that old mojo that we had, and I think our fans have been wanting that from us for a long time now. So we want, and I know they want it, and we're just excited about it. I mean, the songs… These are probably some of the coolest songs we've written as far as the music and the melodies."

Added BLACK STONE CHERRY drummer John Fred Young: "We're not doing a prog record — it's not that different — but I think it does have parts where I don't think records before have had these parts. And I think people are gonna go, 'Wow! I've never heard 'em do that, or that transition there.' And I think, too, with us, we're… In America, like I've said before, and we've all said, you are only as good as your last American rock single, and for us, we just don't play that ballgame, because our fans, they're here for the live show, they're here to hear the songs and have a great time. And I think that in some previous records, we were in positions with the label where we had to write songs formatted [for radio]."

Continued Wells: "But this time, we weren't focusing on that. We said, 'Look, if they pick it up and they like it, awesome. But our fans are the ones who gave us a career. So we wrote it with them in mind and [the songs were assembled for] the live setting."

Video footage of former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach performing the TWISTED SISTER classic "I Wanna Rock" with Finnish rockers SANTA CRUZ can be seen below. The clip is taken from AXS TV's original music series "Breaking Band", which premiered in January. The documentary-style series was hosted by ROYAL MACHINES vocalist Donovan Leitch and featured six 30-minute episodes packed with powerhouse performances and appearances from some of the industry's biggest names.

"Breaking Band" gave some of the country's most talented emerging musicians the chance to achieve their dreams of rock stardom. Throughout the season, the artists were guided by an eclectic array of famous faces, serving as mentors and collaborators for the young musicians. This season's mentors were Bach, rocker and TV personality Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY); chart-topping music artist Belinda Carlisle (THE GO-GO'S); rock legend Robin Zander (CHEAP TRICK); award-winning producer and techno star Moby; and beloved guitar guru Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION). As mentors, they shared their invaluable advice from their decades of experience while supporting the emerging artists in their debut live broadcast performance.

"Breaking Band" was filmed at YouTube Space LA, and concert highlights are available on youtube.com/axstvconcerts.

SANTA CRUZ will return to American soil this April and May, partying hard, and rocking the hell out as the main support act on Bach's upcoming tour. The trek kicks off on April 27 in Jacksonville, Florida and runs through June. SANTA CRUZ released its latest album, a self-titled affair, last year on Spinefarm.

DEVIL YOU KNOW, the band fronted by former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones, will kick off its first-ever North American headlining tour on April 15 in Fresno, California. Dubbed "Make America Metal Again", the trek will also feature the band ONI as direct support.

Unfortunately, DEVIL YOU KNOW drummer John Sankey will not be able to join his bandmates on this tour as he has to attend to a personal matter back in Australia, but he will rejoin the group for the start of the HATEBREED and DEVILDRIVER trek on May 12. In the interim, John Boecklin (ex-DEVILDRIVER) will step in and sit behind the kit for DEVIL YOU KNOW during the band's headlining run.

Sankey states: "I will be sitting out our upcoming U.S. headline tour due to commitments I have in Australia as ambassador and co-founder of the Legion Music Festival taking place in January 2017. It sucks to miss playing these shows but being part of planning and overseeing the launch of a national music festival is an enormous task which requires all of my time and dedication right now.

"Unfortunately, Dave Grohl isn't available to fill in, but don't fear, my good buddy and drummer extraordinaire John Boecklin will be hitting the road with Hojo, Fran and Womby to rock the kit for you all each night... F#%k yea! I'll be back from the land down under to rejoin my metal brothers for our tour with the mighty HATEBREED and DEVILDRIVER in May/June. See ya all on the road then."

Boecklin (pictured) says: "Being a fan of DEVIL YOU KNOW and its members individually, I'm beyond honored to fill in for John Sankey. Having been working on my management career and new musical project, this will be great opportunity for me to take a break and have some fun playing on stage again. I look forward to seeing friends and representing DEVIL YOU KNOW behind the kit, so come on out these shows and support this heavy-ass band."

DEVIL YOU KNOW recently launched a live performance music video for the song "Consume The Damned", which features all footage from the band's 2015 European fall tour with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and PAPA ROACH. The track is taken from DEVIL YOU KNOW's sophomore album, "They Bleed Red", which was released on November 6, 2015 via Nuclear Blast.

Produced by Josh Wilbur (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, LAMB OF GOD, KILLER BE KILLED), "They Bleed Red" is a breakneck paced trip through DEVIL YOU KNOW's broken psyche, struggles with anxiety, and ultimate triumph against adversity, all laid upon a foundation of high-level artistic achievement and vitriolic full throttle heavy metal fury.

In a recent interview with Australian Musicians Network, Jones stated about "They Bleed Red": "With the first album… We wrote and recorded that album without ever having played in the same room together, so it's kind of unique. But yeah, we've been spending a lot of time together on the road, planes and just doing our thing… getting to know each other well. And I remember [saying on] the first tour, 'We've gotta make a heavier album this time,' That was definitely the plan. Just also make songs that are fun to play live and that we are really happy with, that are a challenge to write and craft — whether they are heavy or not as heavy, even though, most of the album is pretty heavy. We wanted songs that would be easy to listen to, easy to enjoy, and fun to play."

He added: "Spending time on the road together, sitting on a plane, and sitting inside a smelly van, watching TV on a bus together, hanging out in each other’s houses and things like that, you get to know each other and you get this bond. And it definitely made things easier. One difference is that I was so much more prepared before I went into the studio for this one. And getting to know each other, and knowing exactly what direction we want to take with the album."

A woman was called out publicly by DISTURBED frontman David Draiman when she decided to text rather continuously during the band's March 23 concert in Dallas, Texas.

The scolding was captured on video shot at DISTURBED's performance at House Of Blues, and the clip is now beginning to make the rounds.

In the video, which can be seen below, Draiman can be heard addressing a specific segment of the audience. He said: "Oh, up in the balcony, what am I gonna do with you? Especially this one. Yeah, you, the brunette. Yeah. Hi, how are you? So what is so important going on in the world that you need to be texting the entire fucking show? The whole show! You're right up front; I can see you clear as day. You've had your face in your fucking phone the whole goddamn show. Are we that boring?"

After pausing for a second, he continued: "Don't tell me to go fuck myself; you already did by looking in your phone instead of paying attention.

"I'm not wrong. Am I wrong? If you were up here and I did that to you, how would you feel? Seriously! It's fucking rude. It is!

"If you don't wanna watch, don't watch, but don't stand there in front of the fucking stage in the front row of the balcony where everybody can see you texting the whole fucking time on your phone."

The singer then added: "I'll tell you what. Can I at least have your word that I will have your attention for the rest of whatever's left of the set?

"Now she's all pissed off. She thinks that I did something wrong to her. I love it.

"Welcome to the age of the Internet, ladies and fucking gentlemen."

"Immortalized", DISTURBED's sixth studio album, was released last August and debuted at the top of The Billboard 200 chart. That made it DISTURBED's fifth effort in a row to enter the chart at No. 1, a feat shared only with METALLICA and DAVE MATTHEWS BAND.

DISTURBED kicked off a North American tour — its first in more than four years — on February 10 in Fargo.

British heavy metal legends SAXON will headline the Swedish racing series V8 Thunder Cars final, dubbed the "Lemmy 500", on September 24 in Ljungbyhed. The band's concert will include a musical tribute to iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister, featuring a guest appearance by MOTÖRHEAD members Mikkey Dee (drums) and Phil Campbell (guitar).

"It's going to be great to come back and see all our Swedish fans," said SAXON frontman Biff Byford in a statement. "This event is something special and unique. We have never before played a concert at a racetrack on a raceday and it will also be a chance to pay tribute to our longtime friend and rock icon Lemmy along with Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell."

Added Dee: "This is going to be a night to remember! Playing some of MOTÖRHEAD's greatest hits together with our friends SAXON is going to be a great tribute to our former friend and bandmember. The Lemmy 500 will go down in history as the rockiest race championship final ever!"

The Swedish national championship racing series V8 Thunder Cars renamed its final race in honor of Lemmy. The winner of the Lemmy 500 and the championship will be crowned on stage before the concert starts.

"There will be no other race more prestigious to win than the Lemmy 500 in Sweden," said Alexander Graff, runner-up in the championship last year and one of the favorites for the title this year. "It will be one hell of a final, a true party of rock 'n' roll and racing mixed together. Both SAXON and MOTÖRHEAD are huge here in Sweden and we will make sure the spectators will feel right at home in our paddock. We are quite a rowdy but friendly bunch and definitely more rock 'n' roll than the glamour that is so often associated with motorsports."

Tickets will go on sale in May via Ticketmaster.se.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Condition Hüman" was released on October 2, 2015 via Century Media.

Former SEPULTURA manager Gloria Cavalera (pictured) has apparently accused the band's current lineup of being "obsessed" with her and her husband, ex-SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera.

Gloria's comments come a day after it was announced that Max — who has been fronting SOULFLY for the past twenty years — and fellow ex-SEPULTURA member Igor Cavalera will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of SEPULTURA's classic album, "Roots", by performing the LP in its entirety at this year's edition of the Amnesia Rockfest. Also booked to appear at the same event is the current lineup of SEPULTURA, which includes the other two members of the band that played on "Roots", guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr..

In a public post on her personal Facebook page, apparently directed at the members of SEPULTURA but without mentioning them by name, Gloria wrote: "How sad to be obsessed with Max and me for 20 years.... You have not one memorable achievement in all these years. You desperately book a FREE show the same day as SOULFLY, whose show has been booked for much longer? You wasted your life watching Max... Pretty jealous in your camp, eh? Have fun being envious till your last breath... We stand with our Tribe!"

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band fired Gloria as their manager.

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).

"Roots", along with 1993's "Chaos A.D.", is considered SEPULTURA's most commercially successful release, having been certified gold in 2005 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.

In a 2015 interview with Metal Wani, Kisser stated about the persistent talk of a possible reunion of SEPULTURA's classic lineup: "I think it's gonna go on forever. Unfortunately, people are really… They're stuck in a date, in a year, in an era of their life. They didn't develop something of their own. They didn't move on, it seems like."

He continued: "We had to rebuild SEPULTURA from scratch, because when Max left, he took the management, he took the label, he took, basically, [producer] Ross [Robinson] and [producer/mixer] Andy Wallace. It took everything that we built… It took ten years to build that, [and] Max took it for him. And it was very difficult for us, of course — to lose the lead singer, a charismatic guy… Max was really one of a kind of a lead singer, you know, so it was very difficult on that respect, but the most difficult part was really to rebuild the whole structure — the confidence from the label and the fans. The campaign that [Max] Cavalera did was really… He tried to separate the axis of evil: 'Either you're with me or with them.' It was something very stupid in the end. I mean, this is not a political party; this is music. If you choose to follow a different path, so be it — just go for it. Don't keep looking back and talking shit — which he still does. But that's his problem, and that's something that he has to deal with."

FeMetal TV last year conducted an interview with Gloria Cavalera. You can watch the chat below.

Photo courtesy of FeMetal TV

"Swarm", a brand new song from the Massachusetts-based extreme metal outfit ABNORMALITY, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's sophomore album, "Mechanisms Of Omniscience", which will be released on April 29 via Metal Blade.

Formed in 2005, ABNORMALITY drew its members from the ranks of units such as TERATISM, FORCED ASPHYXIATION, GORATORY and SEXCREMENT, and they have worked patiently and persistently to build up a grassroots following, maintaining their integrity while steadily expanding beyond their local scene. In 2010, they dropped their debut EP, "The Collective Calm In Mortal Oblivion", which immediately drew attention in the underground, followed by the crushing and critically acclaimed full-length, "Contaminating The Hive Mind" (2012), cementing their status as one of the heaviest and most dynamic bands in the genre. Now, with their upcoming sophomore effort, "Mechanisms Of Omniscience" — produced once again by Peter Rutcho, and featuring artwork by vocalist Mallika Sundaramurthy — the quintet have never been more serious about getting their message out there, as well as ensuring legions of the moshing masses incur whiplash.

"Mechanisms Of Omniscience" track listing:

01. Swarm02. Synthetic Pathogenesis03. Mechanisms Of Omniscience04. Catalyst of Metamorphosis05. Vigilant Ignorance06. Irreversible07. Hopeless Masses08. Assimilation09. Cymatic Hallucinations10. Consuming Infinity

ABNORMALITY will join SOULFLY, SUFFOCATION, BATTLECROSS and LODY KONG on a USA trek that kicks off April 22 in San Antonio, Texas.

Dutch female-fronted band NEMESEA, famous for combining rock with electronica to stir up a dark and strangely addictive brew, will release its fourth album, "Uprise", on April 29 via Napalm Records.

According to a press release, "Uprise" "offers intense and soulful alternative rock complete with a subtle breath of goth and loudly demands the attention the band undoubtedly deserves. 'Uprise' is a gem that reveals its many-splendored colors more and more each time you press play!

"The guitars and Manda Ophuis's outstanding vocals continue to be the driving force behind NEMESEA. "The alternative rock trio has several surefire hits up its sleeve, and it's impossible to not be enthralled by the all-encompassing balance between driving rock and soothing ballads."

"Uprise" track listing: 01. Hear Me02. Twilight03. Forever04. Let It Burn05. Time To Make It06. Can't Believe It07. Light Up The Sky08. Get Out09. Bones10. Hold On11. The Way I Feel (bonus track)12. Broken (bonus track)13. If You Could (bonus track)14. No More (bonus track)

The official lyric video for the song "Twilight" can be seen below.

PIERCE THE VEIL, one of the fastest-rising, most electrifying artists on the music scene today, will release its hotly anticipated new album, "Misadventures", on May 13 via Fearless Records. "Misadventures" is the follow up to the band's 2012 breakthrough release, "Collide With The Sky", that debuted at No. 12 on The Billboard 200 albums chart, held the No. 1 spot on the Rock, Hard Rock, and Modern Rock/Alternative Albums charts, has sold nearly 350,000 copies, and earned the band a gold single for the track "King For A Day".

The first single from "Misadventures", a song called "Texas Is Forever", is a punk-flavored track that goes back to the band's roots, and, according to the band, begs to be played live.

"'Texas is Forever' is a fast song, the fastest song we've ever done," said PIERCE THE VEIL bass player Jaime Preciado. "It goes back to our roots and is going to be a fun song to play live." Added vocalist Vic Fuentes: "It's purely a self-indulgent song for us because it's really fast and that's what we grew up listening to. Lyrically, it closes the book on a relationship that I've been singing about over the last three albums."

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

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

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

The eleven songs on "Misadventures" find the band dealing with a variety of topics including self-worth and an individual's ability to shine, the dream of leaving everything behind while you run away with the one you truly love, the challenge of outrunning betrayal, an undefined relationship, and the horror of the 2015 Paris attacks told from a hypothesized point of view.

The track listing for "Misadventures" is as follows:

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

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

German technical/progressive death metal masters, Obscura, have just shared a stream of "The Origin Of Primal Expression”, the deluxe CD-only bonus track from their brand-new record Akroasis.

Steffen Kummerer commented on the track: "“The Origin Of Primal Expression" shows the title track of our new album stripped down to only one acoustic guitar and is meant to give a slight insight behind the scenes of writing an Obscura song. The two main themes show that certain Death vibes are still present and audible within the multilayered song structures we work with. The bonus tracks on Akroasis are a gesture of gratitude to everyone who purchases physical copies of the record. Music, lyrics and artworks together build an album and create a certain vibe and flair within the songs that is barely comprehensible with a few files stored on a hard disc."

Obscura will provide direct support in Europe for Death DTA on the European Thought Patterns tour this March and April. The tour kicks off in just one week in Rome, Italy, and runs through April 13th in Tallinn, Estonia.

March
30 - Rome, Italy - Traffic

April
1 - Athens, Greece - Fuzz Live Music Club
2 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Principal Theater
3 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Mixtape 5
4 - Bucharest, Romania - Events Hall
5 - Belgrade, Russia - Dom Omladine
6 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra Music Club
7 - Brno, Czech Republic - Fleda
8 - Kosice, Slovakia - Colloseum    
9 - Katowice, Poland - Mega Club
10 - Wroclaw, Poland - Alibi
12 - Riga, Latvia - Melna Piektdiena
13 - Tallinn, Estonia - Club Tapper



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

All Hail The Yeti will release their new full-length concept album, Screams From A Black Wilderness, on April 8th via Minus Head Records. The concept, based on classic campfire-circle horror stories, presents a different story with each track. Listen to the track "Mr. Murder", featuring Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists, below:

All Hail The Yeti recently released a music video (streaming below) for the track "After The Great Fire", cut from their previous self-titled album. Screams From A Black Wilderness features the prequel to that concept track, entitled "Before The Flames".

Both videos are directed byBrian Cox of Flarelight Films and depict an orphanage housing children being abused by possessed caretaker nuns. When the nuns try to hide the abuse, their plan backfires tragically and everyone meets their demise. "Before The Flames" conceptualizes how the evil corruption came to be, before the tragic flames were set.

"This portion of the story is told from one child's point of view - the little girl writing the letter to her parents begging them to come save her," states vocalist Connor Garritty. "The idea for the story was something I came up with and immediately wanted to convey visually in addition to musically. The director Brian and I worked pretty closely together on the concept and treatment. From the initial idea I knew that I wanted it to be something that would make people feel uncomfortable but not be too gory. It's more of a "suggested" horror, to think of what these nuns are doing to these little children."

“Before The Flames” video:

“After The Great Fire” video:

Screams From A Black Wilderness, is produced by Matt Hyde, known for his prior work with renowned groups such as Deftones, Slayer, and Soulfly, and features a guest vocal appearance from Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists.

Vocalist Connor Garrity clarifies that the Screams From A Black Wilderness writing process, both sonically and conceptually, came easily once the new line-up for the band had been solidified. "When our guitarist Alan Stokes joined the band, the writing process finally felt natural. While we knew we wanted to connect it to the self-titled album, Screams From A Black Wilderness was truly conceptualized as it came together in the studio. We knew we wanted to do something different while still keeping our integral sound - this album, to us, is a more developed version of the style you hear on the self-titled release. Working with Matt Hyde was instrumental; he understood what we were doing musically and used that to pull the best out of us."

Screams From A Black Wilderness will feature a heavier, grimier and considerably more advanced version of the All Hail The Yeti fans have come to know since their inception. Stay tuned for the release of new tracks, music videos and other details coming soon.

Tracklisting:

“Before The Flames”
“Plague Dance”
“Let The Night Roar”
“Mr. Murder” (feat. Brock Lindow)
“Lady Of The Night”
“Witch Is Dead”
“Daughter Of The Morning”
“Sun Will Never Set”
“Fall Of Core”
“Breaking On The Wheel”
“Nemesis Queen”
“Angels Envy”



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

It's no secret that Dawn Of Disease have been highly influenced by old school Swedish death metal: a healthy dose of Scandinavian rawness that worms its way into every tune, but now over the past couple of years these German death metallers have started to conquer new shores and they have now announced their worldwide signing with Napalm Records.

Dawn Of Disease on signing with Napalm Records: “We are very happy and proud to become part of the Napalm family. It feels good to sign with one of the worldwide well-established Metal labels. Four years have passed since we released Crypts Of The Unrotten. With Napalm Records we have the perfect partner to take the next step into the right direction and we are looking very forward to the collaboration, the release of our new album and the upcoming shows during the festival season.”

Napalm Records A&R Sebastian Muench: “We are absolutely excited and honoured to welcome Dawn Of Disease to the Napalm family! Dawn Of Disease has released two brilliant and timeless death metal albums with Legends Of Brutality and Crypts Of The Unrotten and I can ensure you the new album is a true death metal masterpiece!”

And if that’s not enough good news from team Dawn Of Disease, this power five-piece has also unveiled details of their upcoming album including: the title, artwork, tracklisting and release date.

Instead of cheaply rehashing the typical Sunlight sound, the guys in Dawn Of Disease opted for a modern and pumping production, courtesy of Woodshed Studios. This puts the spotlight on blasting beats, grinding grooves and insidious melodies. The Northern Germans have also infused their third assault entitled Worship The Grave with unbound guitar solos and more dynamic vocals than ever before – the result might be the most intense death metal release of the year!

Worship The Grave tracklisting:

“Worship The Grave”
“The Saviour's Tomb”
“Ashes”
“On Trails Of Death”
“Prayer For The Dawn”
“Cult Of The Fading Light”
“Through Nameless Ages”
“Outsourcing The Brain”
“Enwrapped In Guts”
“The Sky Is Empty”

Worship The Grave is set to be released on June 24th via Napalm Records. More news as well as upcoming tour dates and pre-orders will be announced soon. Stay tuned.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

It's only been five years since Southern Germans, Dust Bolt, won the W:O:A Metal Battle 2011 - five years the band used to transform themselves from hot newcomers into national thrash heroes with their debut Violent Demolition. These Bay Area aficionados are ready to drop their third full length in shape of Mass Confusion.

Dust Bolt on their brand new album: “We are more than thrilled and excited to unveil Mass Confusion! We have never put so much blood, sweat and tears in anything else than this album before. Since the release of Awake The Riot we’ve incredibly learned, as musicians, as people and together as a band. With Mass Confusion, we have managed to accurately represent the band, exactly the way we wanted it to convey and we are incredibly happy about that. It shows the typical Dust Bolt sound, as well as new sides from us, which makes the album so unique. Our goal was to show that a new generation of musicians and metal bands have grown up, which is now ready to face the world with Mass Confusion on July 8th - the day everyone lives in confusion!”

Relentless touring plus constant fine-tuning of the typical Dust Bolt sound have finally paid off: the old school songwriting is focused and free of ballast weight, yet despite all the rage and aggression there is still plenty of breathing space for melodic guitar work, gang shouts and ten ton grooves.

Mass Confusion tracklisting:

“SickxBrain”
“Mass Confusion”
“Allergy”       
“Turned To Grey”
“Blind To Art”   
“Mind The Gap”  
“Exit”
“Empty Faces”
“Taking Your Last Breath”
“Portraits Of Decay”
“Masters Of War”
“Into The Void” (LP Bonus Track)

Mass Confusion will be available as:

- Regular Jewel Case
- CD & Shirt Bundle (Webstore)
- 1LP Gatefold (black & different colors) & Vinyl exclusive Track “Into The Void” – Black Sabbath Cover

Mass Confusion will hit the worldwide stores on July 8th via Napalm Records. Pre-orders will be available shortly.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Australian melodic/progressive death metal act, Be’lakor’s fourth full length album will drag this whole world down into its darkness – the sophisticated tunes of this five-piece definitely have the potential to enthral masses with their upcoming masterpiece, Vessels.

Be’lakor states: "Vessels is the product of well over a year's hard work - without doubt, it's the album that has challenged us the most. It's much richer and more textured than any of our other albums. There are parts which sound like the Be'lakor that fans know, while other sections might surprise some people. Our goal was to keep the music exciting and varied, for us as much as for anyone else. Vessels is also our first concept album, which has meant that lyrically we've really pushed ourselves this time around. We hope our fans will enjoy it as much as we do!"

Vessels tracklisting:

“Luma”
“An Ember’s Arc”
“Withering Strands”
“Roots to Sever”
“Whelm”
“A Thread Dissolves”
“Grasping Light”
“The Smoke Of Many Fires”

Vessels will be available as:

- Regular Jewel Case
- Webstore Exclusive CD & Band Logo arm patch
- CD & Shirt Bundle (Webstore)
- 2LP Gatefold ( black & different colors)
- Strictly limited 2LP Gatefold Edition of the predecessor album Of Breath And Bone (black LTD limited to 300)

The eight pillar songs Vessels is built upon definitely satiate your hunger for progressive structures and technical prowess, but at the same time these new compositions live for intense, passionate and deeply disquieting melodic death metal.

Vessels will be released on June 24th via Napalm Records. Pre-orders will be available soon.

Be’lakor is:

George Kosmas - Guitar / Vocals
Shaun Sykes - Lead Guitar
John Richardson - Bass
Steve Merry - Piano / Keyboard
Elliott Sansom – Drums



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

New Jersey's progressive metal mainstay, Binary Code, is finally back. Set to officially self-release its new album Moonsblood - the full-length follow-up to 2009's Suspension Of Disbelief and 2010's Priest EP this May 24th. Moonsblood will feature new vocalist Oded Weinstock and promises to offer up a completely different sound from what fans might previously expect from the band. Moonsblood promises powerful vocal hooks, huge, thundering riffs, gorgeous atmospheric tapestries, and impressively technical musicianship and songwriting.

Pre-order Moonsblood here, listen to a brand new track entitled "Immersion" below. The first 50 pre-orders will receive a special signed poster featuring the album art image below.

Engineered and mixed by Eyal Levi (August Burns Red, The Contortionist, Monuments) at Audiohammer Studios and mastered by Alan Douches (Suicide Silence, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge) at West West Side Music, the members of Binary Code poured everything they had into delivering an album that would ultimately be a game-changer. The band is set to release something heavy, melodic, and progressive, yet focused and tightly written.

Binary Code founder and guitarist Jesse Zuretti comments, "Moonsblood is a time capsule for Binary Code. Not only was the album written sporadically throughout the course of some of the hardest times I've personally had to endure, but also some of the most enlightening and positive moments of my life. The instrumentation perfectly conveys many of the instances of that period and instantly brings me back to those moments. It was amazing to see how everything fell into place with Oded (our singer) joining the band. It became clear in an instant that he was a missing element to the sound we evolved into."

Singer Oded Weinstock adds, "Upon listening to the pre-production tracks for Moonsblood, I knew that joining Binary Code would mean that I would need to step up my game. The stretch of time between joining the band to laying down the vocal tracks for Moonsblood was a period of complete transformation for me. That spirit of self awakening and finding this path comes out almost intuitively in the lyrics, melodies, and sounds of this album."

Binary Code will support Moonsblood with rigorous touring, to be announced. Upcoming details such as tracklisting will be announced soon.

“Immersion”:

Immersion (2016 Album Version) by Binary Code



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Northern Germany's infernal extreme metal duo, Mantar, are streaming audio snippets for all tracks featured on their forthcoming album, Ode To The Flame, out on April 15th via Nuclear Blast. Listen below:

About the album artwork, the band states: "Actually we discussed the possibility of having no cover at all. We kinda liked the idea of boycotting the need of any so called "art" which bands try to get people's attention with. The theme of the record is so one-dimensional and obvious that we decided to skip artwork and just put the title on the record to make it look more like an old book. A manifest, a challenge. We don't want people to speculate about any meaning. The meaning is clear: kill, destroy, fuck shit up."

Regarding the album title: "The title Ode To The Flame is chosen in tradition of the debut record, Death By Burning to maintain the cleansing power of fire as the key theme. Fire is able to reset anything and will erase this planet one day from any plague that's been around. Furthermore it's obviously an ode to passion and iron will. Ode To The Flame isn't dramatic, it's drastic. By all means."

Tracklisting:

“Carnal Rising”
“Praise The Plague”
“Era Borealis”
“The Hint”
“Born Reversed”
“Oz”
“I, Omen”
“Cross The Cross”
“Schwanenstein”
“Sundowning”

“Schwanenstein”:

In-studio video teaser:

Ever since their inception in 2013 and the release of their first album in 2014 the band has been recognized as one of the hardest working in the German extreme metal underground. Melding the most sinister elements of styles like black metal, doom and punk, representing unfiltered pure primal rage, Mantar have proven to be one of a kind. Their extremely intense live shows have been seen all over the world and have blown away unaware audiences with their unconditionally tight and brutal performances. Mantar is a pure evil elemental force captured by only two uber passionate artists that strife for ultimate raw sonic power.

Mantar is:

Hanno - vocals, guitars
Erinc - drums, vocals



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Ill Niño returned to Wacken Open Air in 2015 to celebrate their brand of metal inside Bullhead City Circus. Pro-shot footage of the full performance can be seen below:

Ill Niño perform next on April 29th at Vina Rock Festival in Villarrobledo, Spain. Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

 



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Asking Alexandria have launched a new teaser video (streaming below) for their fourth full-length album, The Black, set for release March 25th via Sumerian Records. Pre-Orders for The Black are available here.

Tracklisting:

“Let It Sleep”
“The Black”
“I Won’t Give In”
“Sometimes It Ends”
“The Lost Souls”
“Just A Slave To Rock N Roll”
“Send Me Home”
“We’ll Be Okay”
“Here I Am”
“Gone”
“Undivided”
“Circled By The Wolves”

Teaser:

Studio video:

“Send Me Home”:

“Here I Am”:

“The Black” video:

Life is all about how quickly you get back up. In January 2015, everything changed for Asking Alexandria. The chart- topping, gold-selling UK hard rock outfit parted ways with singer and founding member Danny Worsnop. On the outside, the future might’ve seemed uncertain - even grim - to some, but Ben Bruce [lead guitar, vocals], James Cassells [drums], Cameron Liddell [rhythm guitar], and Sam Bettley [bass] dusted themselves off, lifted their chins, and got right back up.

“We hadn’t reached our destination yet, and Danny had,” admits Bruce. “I think it was necessary. When it happened, I was devastated. I lost my best friend. We even started referring to this part of our career as ‘The Black period.’ It was the darkest time, but we weren’t going to give up. If he hadn’t left, I don’t think we would’ve been as inspired as we were. I also don’t think Asking Alexandria would still be around. Instead, we’re more excited than ever about this band.”

In order to properly do that, the band actually turned to a fan. Ukrainian singer Denis Stoff gained notoriety posting Asking Alexandria covers on YouTube and consequentially inked a deal with Sumerian Records in his band Down and Dirty. Bruce shot him an email one night. The next day, a new Asking Alexandria song had vocals and a new era in the band’s history took form.

Asking Alexandria have announced two intimate shows ahead of their scheduled appearances at Reading & Leeds festivals this summer. The band will give die hard fans the chance to see them up close and personal at two shows in Southampton and London on August 15th and 16th.

Guitarist Ben Bruce states: “ENGLAND! We are coming HOME! We cannot wait! We are playing two intimate shows for you guys as the first UK shows following the release of our new album The Black and we couldn't be more excited. These will be the only two shows we play in the UK this summer outside of Reading and Leeds which means a much longer set, more fun and more booze!!! See you guys soon.”

UK dates:

August
15 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
16 - London, UK - Koko
26 - Reading, UK - Reading Festival
27 - Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival

Tickets available at www.livenation.co.uk, www.ticketmaster.co.uk.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Ahead of their European/UK tour, Iowa-based powerhouse For Today have released an official live video for “No Truth, No Sacrifice”, the lead track from their new album, Wake. Find the new video below. The band’s live itinerary can be found here.

Tracklisting:

“No Truth, No Sacrifice”
“Broken Lens”
“Forced into Fire”
“Deserter”
“Bitter Roots”
“Wasteland”
“Hopeless Ambition”
“Determination”
“Flooded Earth”
“Time and Tide”
“Two Brothers” (Bonus Track)
“Without You” (Bonus Track)

“No Truth, No Sacrifice” video:

“Bitter Roots” video:

“Forced Into Fire” lyric video:

“Broken Lens” video:



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Norwegian progressive metal band, Withem, will release their new album, The Unforgiving Road, on June 3rd.

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

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

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

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

The Unforgiving Road tracklisting:

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

Withem lineup:

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



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Finnish modern metallers, Volymian, will release their debut album, Maze Of Madness, worldwide on April 15th via Canadian label Maple Metal Records. The band have released a video for the album track “Line of Fire”, filmed by Mad Motion Pictures of Helsinki. The clip can be found below.

Volymian was founded in 2008, and the band went through various member changes before settling down with the sextet that recorded Maze Of Madness. Most recently, vocalist Markku Kuikka (Status Minor, The Ragged Saints, Kenziner) joined the band in 2015 for the new album. Previously the band had recorded three EPs with a different vocalist. Maze Of Madness was recorded at Artlab Studio, Helsinki, and produced by Volymian. The album was mastered by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Primal Fear, Epica, Amaranthe) in Denmark.

Jacob Hansen shares his comments on the album: "Volymian is great! I’m very impressed with the performances and song writing. Excellent stuff they’ve got going."

The album cover artwork was designed by Satu Velasco.

Tracklisting:

“Breathe”
“Line Of Fire”
“Inside Out”
“Under A Million Stars”
“Maze Of Madness”
“Empty Room”
“Damnation Of Love”
“Ring”
“Indifferent”
“Wasted Years”

“Line Of Fire” video:

Teaser:

 
Volymian is:

Markku Kuikka - vocals
Timo Mikkonen - guitar
Juha Raisanen - guitar
Ville Velasco - drums
Petri Hampinen - bass
Robert Leksis - keyboards



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Swedish riff lords GRAND MAGUS will release their eighth studio album, "Sword Songs", on May 13 through Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork for the CD was created by acclaimed artist Anthony Roberts.

The official lyric video for the song "Varangian", taken from "Sword Songs", can be seen below.

GRAND MAGUS vocalist Janne "J.B." Christofferson commented: "We put all of our sweat, blood and tears into this new album and I think that you can hear that. For me, 'Sword Songs' is the best GRAND MAGUS album ever! The new songs are faster and more aggressive than on 'Triumph And Power', and we have also included some more extreme and harder stuff. I'm convinced that there are some future classics on the disc!"

"Sword Songs" was produced by Nico Elgstrand at Studio Supa in Stockholm, Sweden. Guitars, vocals and bass were recorded at Studio Supa while the drums were laid down with Roberto Laghi at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. The album was mixed by Roberto Laghi (Oral Majority Records, Gothenburg) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (Chartmakers, Helsinki).

"Sword Songs" track listing:

01. Freja's Choice02. Varangian03. Forged In Iron - Crowned In Steel04. Born For Battle (Black Dog Of Brocéliande)05. Master Of The Land06. Last One To Fall07. Frost And Fire08. Hugr09. Everyday There's A Battle To Fight

Bonus Tracks (digipak only)

10. In For The Kill11. Stormbringer (DEEP PURPLE cover)

"Love's Gone To Hell", the new video from German metal queen Doro Pesch, can be seen below. Filmed in superior locations such as the renaissance castle Bückeburg, Doro showcases herself in the video production in some incredibly impressive scenes in a way you've never seen her before.

Doro states: "'Love's Gone To Hell' is a magical song, a big anthem — and for myself it's on the same level as the all-time favorites 'All We Are', 'Love Me In Black' and 'Für Immer'."

Doro will release "Love's Gone To Hell" as a single on April 1 through Nuclear Blast.

With "Love's Gone To Hell", Doro has created another outstanding power ballad, which doesn't only gleam with a great piano intro, heavy guitars and a fantastic melody, but also with tons of emotion and a chorus, which captures your ears and your heart from the word "go."

"Love's Gone To Hell" will be released in two formats on April 1 and can be pre-ordered now.

The "Love's Gone To Hell" six-track maxi single will also contain — in addition to three versions of "Love's Gone To Hell" (radio, single and demo edit) and the duet with Lemmy — two live tracks: "Rock Till Death", featuring Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN) and "Save My Soul". Both live tracks deliver a great insight into the long-anticipated DVD called "30 Years Doro - Strong & Proud", which will be released in June via Nuclear Blast. It features the Doro anniversary shows in Wacken and Düsseldorf, including spectacular tracking shots as well as sonic perfection. Additionaly, the DVD contains tons of terrific and previously unreleased bonus material.

"Love's Gone To Hell" limited-edition vinyl single:

Side A

01. Love's Gone To Hell

Side B

02. It Still Hurts (duet with Lemmy Kilmister)

"Love's Gone To Hell" six-track maxi single track listing:

01. Love's Gone To Hell (radio version) 02. Love's Gone To Hell (single version)03. It Still Hurts (feat. Lemmy Kilmister)04. Rock Till Death (live)05. Save my Soul (live)06. Love's Gone To Hell (original demo version)

Doro is looking forward to her upcoming "Rock Meets Classic" tour, on which 'Love's Gone To Hell' will be premiered live. Doro will hit the stage across 16 German cities and Switzerland as a special guest. In late autumn, the "Love's Gone To Hell" tour will follow, when Doro will rock fans in Germany and half of Europe with her band.

"Reign Supreme", the new video from Detroit, Michigan's WALLS OF JERICHO, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "No One Can Save You From Yourself", which will be released on March 25 via Napalm Records.

WALLS OF JERICHO frontwoman Candace Kucsulain recently told Toxic Online about "No One Can Save You From Yourself": "It's been a long time since we've put out a record, but not that much has changed. We are still pissed, it's still heavy as shit, maybe a bit more than before, and it still rips! We have a unique energy on stage, something we've worked hard on for the past 17 years, and with all the time between records, it helped us realize what was important to us for our live shows. So through that, we focused on a record with our live show in mind and made a record that represents us and the energy we create. Lyrically, a lot of shit has gone down in my life, and this record you can feel the pain, darkness and chaos. It's a soundtrack to all of it."

Regarding the "No One Can Save You From Yourself" album title, Candace said: "We have been doing this for a long time, and you never stop finding a reason to fight. We feel that real change can't happen until you look inside yourself and own up to your part. We are our own worst enemy, and that can apply to life limitlessly. It's about progress not perfect, but once you know the difference, there's nothing left to do but take action."

"No One Can Save You From Yourself" track listing:

01. Intro02. Illusion Of Safety03. No One Can Save You From Yourself04. Forever Militant05. Fight The Good Fight06. Cutbird07. Relentless08. Damage Done09. Reign Supreme10. Wrapped In Violence11. Anthem12. Beyond All Praise13. Probably Will

WALLS OF JERICHO released a demo version of the song "Relentless" in 2014.