Century Media has just released the two only studio recordings from the cult Chicago thrash/death metal act SINDROME — the acclaimed "Into The Halls Of Extermination" (1987) and its successor, "Vault Of Inner Conscience" (1991). As both demos have been bootlegged numerous times, it's now time to offer all fans of timeless thrash/death metal these two legendary recordings as an official release, fully supported by the band and done in close co-operation with SINDROME vocalist Troy Dixler.

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

"Resurrection - The Complete Collection" was released as a noble two-CD digipak with slipcase and 36-page booklet as well as an LP with a 16-page LP size booklet and bonus CD. The entire audio material has been carefully remastered from original sources to guarantee an optimal listening experience. Metalion (Slayer magazine) has written an introduction to the release and Laurent Ramadier (Snakepit magazine) has conducted an extensive interview with Troy Dixler giving you a deep insight into the band's history. The cover artwork and additional design was done by Gustavo Sazes (MORBID ANGEL, ARCH ENEMY). As a special bonus, SINDROME has unearthed the lost track "Brought To The End" from the recording session of "Into The Halls Of Extermination" — an awesome track that now finally can be offered to the fans.

Besides the two demos and the bonus track, "Resurrection - The Complete Collection" includes a full bootleg live show from Chicago, recorded in 1988, when SINDROME supported DEATH on their "Scream Bloody Gore" tour. The show is unedited and has a pretty raw sound, but it captures the intensity of SINDROME's live shows very well. It also includes the tracks "Surround The Prisoner" and "Psychic Warfare", two songs from the very early days that were never properly recorded in the studio.

"Resurrection - The Complete Collection" offers over 88 minutes of relentlessly raging thrash/death metal and is a mandatory purchase for every fan of U.S. thrash metal and especially for the worshippers of the glorious heydays of the Chicago metal scene that brought up bands like DEVASTATION, TERMINAL DEATH, DEATH STRIKE, ZOETROPE, FUNERAL NATION, CYCLONE TEMPLE, ZNÖWHITE, NUM SKULL, FUNERAL BITCH and MASTER.

Head here and order your copy now.

Said Chris Reifert (AUTOPSY, ex-DEATH): "This stuff still sounds kick-ass! I was ready for it way back when, as I had already been into DEVASTATION and TERMINAL DEATH. SINDROME did not disappoint and I'm glad it's finally getting the proper treatment all these years later. I have a soft spot in my rotten soul for the good ol' demo days, when everything hadn't already been done and SINDROME was definitely part of that movement. I am very much looking forward to cranking this release up loud!"

Added Lars Petrov (ENTOMBED A.D., NIHILIST, MORBID, FIRESPAWN): "It's great news that Century Media are releasing old stuff with my favorites SINDROME! People need to hear this legendary underground band with my personal influence Troy Dixler on vocals! Check it out!"

The official lyric video for "Rise", the new single from SIXX: A.M., the band featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx alongside guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael, can be seen below. The song is taken from the first volume of SIXX: A.M.'s upcoming double album, "Prayers For The Damned", which drops April 29 via Eleven Seven Music.

"Prayers For The Damned" is available to pre-order via iTunes and all digital retailers. Setting the stage for the new album, "Rise" is a call-to-action for everyone to stand up for their beliefs. Describing the song's message, Michael explains: "Throughout history, some of the most dramatic changes have occurred when people reject the status quo and demand change. 'Rise' is about how we find ourselves at a global tipping point and how it is our duty as citizens of this world to come together, communicate with one another and rise up to demand more of ourselves and our leaders."

Sixx adds: "A song like 'Rise' speaks to the fact that you don't have to look very far around the world to see people standing together and rising up against some oppressive force.

"We're not a political band, but we certainly do believe in a unity between people. The only time when things make a change for the positive is when people put their differences aside, rise up and stand together.

"A big part of our message is, and will always be, finding hope in dark subject matters, taking universal messages and rendering them in a way which people can ascribe their own meanings to and relate to their own life experiences. That is something that resonates with our crowd and gives us the strength of connection we do."

With two U.S. Billboard Top 20 albums and a string of hit singles already under their belt, "Prayers For The Damned" represents the band's most ambitious, complete and adrenaline-soaked effort to date. James Michael once again plays triple duty on "Prayers For The Damned" as vocalist, the album's producer and mixer, thereby solidifying the unique musicianship of this beloved hard-rock outfit. The introspective cover art for "Prayers For The Damned" is an original design created by guitarist DJ Ashba, further proving that all aspects of this album are a collaboration of true passion for the band. "SIXX: A.M. is in the most creative place of our careers," says Sixx. "For James, DJ and myself, we think it's the perfect time to release so much quality music to our fans who've been supporting us over the last three albums.” Michael agrees: "The double albums will leave no stone unturned in our quest to create important music and push the boundaries of rock." Ashba concludes: "We are on a mission to give our fans even more than they could have hoped for, both musically and visually."

"Prayers For The Damned Vol. 1" track listing:

01. Rise02. You Have Come To The Right Place03. I'm Sick04. Prayers For The Damned05. Better Man06. Can't Stop07. When We Were Gods08. Belly Of The Beast09. Everything Went To Hell10. The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground)11. Rise Of The Melancholy Empire

Photo credit: Dustin Jack

Highly complex progressive sci-fi themed metallers Vektor have released a new track, “Charging The Void”. Due to be released on May 6th worldwide, Terminal Redux is Vektor's third full-length release and the band's first ever concept album, further exploring the themes that first appeared in the lyrics of the title track from their previous album, 2011's Outer Isolation.

Vektor vocalist/guitarist David DiSanto comments:

"'Charging The Void' is the first track of the album and sets the scene for the story that follows. It begins with the lone astronaut from Outer Isolation who is actually an isolation test subject. He overrides the auto-pilot and is compelled to go forth on his own and search for his purpose. Years in isolation have twisted his mind and he teeters between insanity and vengeance. His travels bring him to the now-exploded star, Alshain. Within the stellar nebula he finds a life-giving molecule that revitalizes him and extends his life. With an entire haul of the new found molecule, he believes to have found his purpose. He has an epiphany about life and death and decides to bring his life-giving molecule and his new way of understanding to the Cygnus Regime.

"There are many hidden meanings in the song that relate to balance, power, and life and death, so keep an ear out!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

"Charging The Void":

Trailer:

“Ultimate Artificer”:

Vector tour dates with Voivod, Eight Bells

March
2 - Columbus, OH - A&R Music Bar *
3 - Ferndale, MI - The Loving Touch *
4 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club *
5 - Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood *

* - Vector and Black Fast supporting Voivod

(Photo - Katy A.D. Photography)

 



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UK hard rock band Wytch Hazel will release its debut full-length LP, Prelude, on April 22nd via Bad Omen Records; the boutique label founded by long-time Rise Above Records agent Will Palmer. Recorded at Foel Studio (Hawkwind, Dust) with ex-Purson multi-instrumentalist Ed Turner as producer, Prelude is defined by its stately duelling guitars, blissful expressive solos and fist-throwing eponymous sing-along. Stream the new Wytch Hazel song, "We Will Be Strong”, below.

In a parallel universe where the New Wave of British Heavy Metal happened 600 years early, Wytch Hazel are the band of choice for the discerning Plantagenet headbanger. Combining the folk-rock eccentricity of Jethro Tull, the mystical harmony of Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy and the exuberance of prime NWOBHM - all immersed in sacred medieval influences via David Munrow's Early Music Consort of London - Wytch Hazel have happened upon an extremely singular and compelling alchemy. The group, who Darkthrone's Fenriz called, "the oldest sounding band to be band of the week. At least in the NWOBHM style," as part of his regular "Band of the Week" column, cites the likes of "Henry VIII, medieval and Renaissance music, 1970's prog rock and pop of differing eras" as its most diverse set of influences.

As a child the band's founder member, singer / guitarist Colin Hendra, played drums in brass bands and orchestras, studied classical piano and sang in the school chamber choir, but at 16 the direction of his life changed forever, after a revelation we can all relate to: "Iron Maiden was the main reason I started playing electric guitar," he reveals. "I remember borrowing The Number Of The Beast off a friend and was just blown away – heavy metal was an obsession from that point on!".

Cutting his teeth with Lancaster metalheads Lake Of Fire, Hendra discovered sacred vocal music and medieval dance through his college music studies. This, he says, "gave me the distinct vision for the band, its name and image," and lo, Wytch Hazel was born in early 2011. The quartet released a two-track demo the same year, followed by a couple of seven-inch splits, an appearance at the Swedish festival Muskelrock and the four-track EP The Truth in 2012. This noble artifact garnered quite a buzz on the UK underground, securing Wytch Hazel a support slot at Manilla Road's first ever UK live show and was later reissued along with their debut demo as a mini album on High Roller Records.

"I would define our look as ‘battle ready’!" says Colin of the band's rustic swashbuckler gear. "Our performance is like a musical fight!". Although visual presentation is important to Wytch Hazel, the priorities are clear. "The songwriting is our thing, that's what we major in," he asserts. "In my life that's what I'm best at, that's what I'm most passionate about. But you've also got to record that well, with clarity, and signing to Bad Omen has been a really big thing for us. This album is a massive breakthrough."

Tracklisting:

“Freedom Battle”
“Fight”
“Mighty King”
“More Than Conquerors”
“Psalm”
“Prelude”
“He Shall Reign”
“Dark Ages”
“Wytch Hazel”
“We Will Be Strong”

“We Will Be Strong”:

Pre-order Prelude now at this location

(Photo - Ester Segerra)



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Ready to unleash their second full length album, From The Asylum, tomorrow March 4th worldwide via CDN Records, Canadian thrash metallers Psycho and BraveWords.com have teamed up to launch the full stream of the album today. Listen below.

Singer/guitarist Hard Metal Mike Meilleur comments: "This our seventh recording, is a combination of some old school thrash riffs, power chugging, double bass, head banging raw smash mouth rock and roll. We went back to the roots of Metal for this, and wanted the music to be more soulful, funky and raw, with more feeling to it."

The official video for the track “Generation Death” can also be found below.

From The Asylum is a powerful hard thrash, head banging recording with killer licks and teeth rattling riffs, fast ripping bone crushing songs about the chaotic world we live in today. Mike Meilluer says the bulk of the record’s "songs are different and diverse but maintaining the in your face attitude of a Psycho record."

Meilluer asserts, "We are hoping to get this record out world wide to our fans and find new ones, we think anyone who likes metal, hard rock, thrash or death plus rock and roll will enjoy head banging to this really cool hard record."

Plus they have "a cool bonus guest solo from guitar legend Glen Drover on the track “Run For Your Life”, says the Psycho leader.

Order the new album at this location.

From The Asylum tracklisting:

“Stricken”
“Run for Your Life”
“Destroy”
“Generation Death”
“You're Dead Anyways”
“Psycho Killer”
“Electric Death”
“Annihilate”
“Motorized”

Album stream:

“Generation Death” video:

(Photo - Jaybird Digital Arts)



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Longtime GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Chris Pitman has apologized for calling the band's reunion a "nostalgia tour."

The reunited GUNS N' ROSES — featuring Axl Rose alongside guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan — has six shows scheduled so far, all in April: two at the Coachella Music And Arts Festival, two in Las Vegas and two in Mexico City.

The rest of the band's lineup for the shows — and a potential tour later in the year — remains unclear, although keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus, and drummer Frank Ferrer are all believed to be involved.

In recent a social media post that's since been deleted (but captured on Reddit), Pitman wrote: "This is a nostalgia tour, please don't mention those who are there the last 20 fkg years [sic] oh god no! ...(a money grab) FU."

Now Pitman has taken to Twitter to say sorry to his bandmates, explaining: "I sincerely apologize to GNR,especially the band and crew,for stupid comments about upcoming tour, ..remember kids, dont drink n text!"

The multi-instrumentalist joined GUNS N' ROSES in 1998, performing keyboard, bass, percussion and backing vocals. He featured on every song on the band's sixth album, "Chinese Democracy", and is one of the longest serving members of the group's most recent lineup.

I sincerely apologize to GNR,especially the band and crew,for stupid comments about upcoming tour, ..remember kids, dont drink n text!

— Chris Pitman (@CPitmanofficial) March 4, 2016

Nine months after the release of Refugeeum, the internationally acclaimed fourth album by Black Space Riders, comes a reprise: the Beyond Refugeeum EP, to be released May 13th via BSR/Cargo.

Vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist JE discussed the idea behind the EP: "We had deliberately kept back four songs, all original recordings, from the Refugeeum sessions in order to release them separately from the album because - as the cover artwork already may suggest - the material is different to the songs on Refugeeum. It's unlike what you might expect from this band. But you can still tell that it comes logically and quite unmistakably from the Black Space Riders. The songs are exalted, sometimes overwrought, vivid, and yet accessible. Much has happened in Europe and in the world since these songs were written at the end of 2014 and recorded in early 2015, but they seem to be even more contemporary and necessary than ever."

A track-by-track description follows:

"Welcome" is the band's first instrumental piece, a melodic, psychedelic jam that builds in intensity from quiet to very, very loud.

"Freedom at First Sight" is a crisp, catchy alternative hit that flirts with New Wave melodies and classic metal riffing.

"Droneland" evolves from a 70s Sequencer Ambient to a furious rhythm monster.

"Starglue Sniffer" is funky and dares to have beats and a "Prince-falsetto", before driving you on to the dance floor.

The EP is rounded off with two bonus tracks: "VRTX RMX" (a remix of "Vortex Sun") is atmospheric electric drone, and "Gravity" is the electro club remix of the band's 2014 hit "Give Gravitation To The People" that may and certainly will destroy or inspire one or another traditional rocker.

The Beyond Refugeeum EP will be be available from these national distribution partners:

Germany/Austria/Switzerland: Cargo Records
US/Canada: MVD Entertainment
UK: PHD (plastichead distribution)
BeNeLux: Suburban Records
Scandinavia: Border Music
Italy: Goodfellas

Visit the Black Space Riders store for CDs, vinyl, and more.

(Photo by: Hanno H. Endres)



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London, UK-based metal band, KilliT, have unveiled a music video for their brand new single, “Take The Power”. Check it out below:

“Take The Power” is taken from the forthcoming album Shut It Down, which is set for a self-release on May 6th. The album was produced by KilliT & Phil Kinman/MTR Studios, recorded at Resident Studios and mastered by Ade Emsley of Table Of Tone Mastering.

Hot off the back of a rammed Borderline show last night, KilliT have also announced they will be playing at Nambucca on March 18th supporting Cairo Son. 

KilliT’s members have extensive experience of touring the live circuit and rocking hard, born from bands which featured current members of Judas Priest and We Are Harlot, the band have begun to prove their worth in the capital playing sold out shows at The Monarch, 12 Bar and Cargo.

Originally hailing from Hungary, Israel, Argentina and Britain, KilliT was founded at the beginning of this year and they quickly released their first video for single and album title track “Shut It Down” which has to date racked up close to 100K views.

Check out previous singles:



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Finnish funereal directors of rocking doom Tombstoned will release their second album II on April 22nd on Svart Records on CD, LP, and digital formats and is the follow-up to their 2013 self-titled debut album, also released by Svart.

A press release states: “If Tombstoned was the brash opening statement, then II is the more focused consolidation of strengths. By the band's own admission, Tombstoned's opening salvo crammed nearly every influence they possessed into every song, making for a wild, jam-oriented spin. Here on II, with the band members now living in different countries, the process was more composed, resulting in tight, earth-shaking songs of molten, magnanimous molten might. Still within the boundaries of stoner doom, Tombstoned sought with II to take a more personal approach and express the harsh times they've been living recently, resulting in a lumbering celebration of slow-motion darkness. Additionally, the vocals have strayed from the usual Sabbath-inspired drawl to one of a gloomier post-punk aspect, furthering the band's agenda to expand upon the stoner doom subgenre.

“With a pallet like this, capturing the mood is of the utmost importance. And yet, when it came time to mix II, the studio engineer asked Tombstoned for reference records and nobody could think of any. Nevertheless, the band went with a simple, totally analog approach to production, capturing everything on vintage outboard gear and recording on reel tape. The result is a record equally warm as Tombstoned, but inducing bigger and deeper goosebumps. Dark times call for dark music, and Tombstoned have survived the grave to deliver II.”

Tracklisting:

“Pretending To Live”
“Brainwashed Since Birth”
“Time Travels”
“And I Told You”
“Haven’t We Seen All This Before”
“You Can Always Close Your Eyes”
“Remedies”

“And I Told You”:



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Fan-filmed video footage of EXODUS's March 3 performance at Fibbers in York, United Kingdom can be seen below.

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt is unable to take part in the band's current European trek due to his commitments with SLAYER. Filling in for him once again is HEATHEN guitarist Kragen Lum.

EXODUS's latest album, "Blood In Blood Out", sold around 8,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released in North America on October 14, 2014 via Nuclear Blast, the CD art was illustrated by Swedish artist Pär Olofsson, known worldwide for his incredible renderings that have graced the covers of countless heavy metal albums, including EXODUS' "Let There Be Blood".

"Blood In Blood Out" is EXODUS' first album since the departure of the band's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

EXODUS last fall completed a tour of North America as the support act for KING DIAMOND.

Fan-filmed video footage of Doro Pesch's March 1 performance at Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia can be seen below.

In a recent interview with I'm Music Magazine, Doro was asked if the passing of MOTÖRHEAD mainman Lemmy and other rock icons ever made her stop and question her own mortality. She responded: "Yes, it really does make you think, and I always thought that Lemmy would outlive us all. He was someone who was always there, and he was actually the first musician that I ever met back in 1984. I couldn't speak English at all when I first met him, but we became friends instantly. We had some cigarettes and whiskey cola and it was really great; ever since the friendship deepened after that, and we toured together."

She continued: "My first collaboration was a song with Lemmy that he wrote in 2000 called 'Alone Again' and it was a beautiful acoustic guitar song. We did the MOTÖRHEAD classic 'Love Me Forever' and the last duet was on 'It Still Hurts' on 'Raise Your Fist'. We always talked or text messaged each other and we would always try to visit each other when we were out on tour.

"The last time that I saw him was about two months ago and we had just started the touring going to England. We had one last rehearsal and everyone was saying that we would have to rehearse all night long, but I knew I had to see Lemmy. He was playing in my former hometown in Germany, so I went to see him and the show was great. I went to see him backstage and I congratulated him on his sold-out tour and he told me that he was too old to enjoy it. It brought tears to my eyes when he said that, because he sounded so serious. A friend called me later when I was in New York and told me that Lemmy's health was going so well and that Lemmy's doctor was thinking that he might not survive the night.'

Doro added: "I went to the funeral in L.A. and everybody was there, including Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford, METALLICA, Dee Snider and Gene Simmons and everybody that I grew up with. It was a mixture of being super sad, plus trying to keep that spirit up that Lemmy had about him. I wrote a song when I was flying there and it's called 'Living Life To The Fullest' and it's for Lemmy. I hope that we can work on it in the studio soon because it's just a demo right now. I think it will be on the new record coming out next year. Then there was also Jimmy Bain [RAINBOW, DIO], who was super nice, great guy and a sweetheart; he was on my second big tour in 1987 when we toured with Ronnie James Dio. I love and miss Ronnie so much and between Lemmy and Ronnie, they are definitely two of my favorite people in the world and my closest friends. They're gone and it feels a little bit strange and lonely without them."

Doro will release her new single, "Love's Gone To Hell", on April 1 through Nuclear Blast.

A visually stunning music video for the song was recently filmed in superior locations such as the renaissance castle Bückeburg.

"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.

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has revealed to Australia's The Music that he hopes to reunite with the band's former frontman Tony Martin to record new music to be included with the upcoming reissues of SABBATH's "Headless Cross" (1990) and "Tyr" (1990) albums.

"We've held back on the reissues of those albums because of the current SABBATH thing with [current frontman Ozzy Osbourne], but they will certainly be happening," Iommi said.

"I'd like to do a couple of new tracks for those releases with Tony Martin," he added. "I'll also be looking at working on 'Cross Purposes' (1994) and 'Forbidden' (1995)."

Iommi and Martin reconnected in January when they attended the unveiling ceremony for a plaque honoring legendary drummer Cozy Powell (RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, BLACK SABBATH, WHITESNAKE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) in Cirencester, England.

Martin took to his Facebook page after the event to write: "Well, what a great day. I attended the unveiling of Cozy Powell's memorial plaque in his hometown of Cirencester, along with Brian May, Neil Murray and Tony Iommi... And, to my surprise, [I] was greeted by Tony Iommi VERY warmly. It's the first conversation of any length I have had with him in 15 years! And it turns out we may well be working together soon!"

In a 2012 interviw with Über Röck, Martin talked about how it felt when he got that call asking him if he wanted to be a part of BLACK SABBATH: He said: "It was weird, because my manager at the time was already friends with them. I mean, they used to go to school together, and he was their tour manager during the '70s. Basically, he gave me a call one day and said, "Oi, kid, I want you meet me somewhere, we're gonna take and drive," and I said, "Oh, alright, where we going?" and he said just to meet him. So, I met him and we drove for a while, and ended up at this big house. He got out and rang the doorbell and Iommi answered the door... I was like, "Bloody hell, you could have warned me!" But in I went, nervous as hell, played him a few things and next thing I had audition in London, and that was it — I was in!" Regarding Iommi's criticisms levelled at Martin in Iommi's "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" book (referring to the Martin period, especially the touring phase following the release of "Cross Purposes" in 1994, the guitarist lambasted his former singer as "unprofessional" and having "no stage presence"), Martin said: "It surprises me. I mean, they never said anything to me. Surely, if you've got a problem, the first person you should say something to is the person that's in the band with you... You don't wait ten years. It sounds like a really stupid thing to say, as they didn't say anything to my face — and, if that's the case, then more fool them for not saying anything, because, you know, we could have fixed it. I said to them, endlessly, that if there was anything they wanted changed, done differently, just to say and we could fix it, but clearly they didn't, they hadn't got the guts to, obviously, and to write about it in a book afterwards seems a bit daft to me. I'm not bitter about it, but it is surprising...it seems a bit stupid to say that after the event." On the topic of BLACK SABBATH's seemingly deliberate attempts to expunge the Tony Martin period of the band's history, Martin said: "It seems a bit of a waste of ten years of the band's history. To cut that out, they're not just cutting me out, they're cutting themselves out. It seems like cutting your own nose off to spite your face. Why would you want to delete ten years of your history? It seems to me that they've got their minds elsewhere, and whatever brings them the most money seems to be what they go for. I mean, the Ozzy reunion. How many times do you want to go and pay to see them do the same stuff? Okay, people argue that those old songs are people's favorites. Well; it's probably that way because you keep ramming it down people's throats and don't give them a chance to buy anything else. It seems disjointed and disconnected to me, and I don't understand why they would want to even cut themselves out of that history."

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Tony Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol" (1987), "Headless Cross" (1989), "Tyr" (1990), "Cross Purposes" (1994), "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995).

Martin's last solo album, "Scream", was released in November 2005 via MTM Music. The CD featured legendary drummer Cozy Powell (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE) on the track "Raising Hell" as well as songwriting contributions by another SABBATH member, Geoff Nicholls.

Former FLYLEAF vocalist Lacey Sturm has released a new video for her latest solo single, "Impossible". The clip, which was filmed on February 4 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, is a mixture of commentary on "Impossible" and live performance.

"Impossible" is taken from Lacey's debut solo album, "Life Screams", which was released on February 12 via Followspot Records with The Fuel Music distribution. Writing alone, as well as with husband/guitarist Josh Sturm, SKILLET's Korey Cooper and Grammy Award-winning writer and producer David Hodges, Lacey created a record that is the sonic successor to FLYLEAF's celebrated self-titled debut (which spent a staggering 133 weeks on The Billboard 200 chart). Sturm in 2014 opened up about some of the reasons why she quit FLYLEAF in the fall of 2012, shortly before the release of the band's third album, "New Horizons". Speaking in a video to promote her memoir, Sturm said that several events, including getting married, having a baby and enduring the death of the band's sound engineer Rich Caldwell changed her priorities. Sturm explained: "The one that hit the hardest was the death of our sound engineer. We did one last show with FLYLEAF as a benefit for his wife Katy and their son Kirby. And it was really hard to do a show without him, and it was really hard to think it could be our last show. So I remember looking at my son after Rich had passed and just wondering to myself, if this was the last year I had with my son, how would I spend it?"

Sturm added: "It was really amazing to recognize this season changing in my life and the freedom that I was gonna be able to focus on my family. And I'm so thankful for that time. And although it was really hard, I'm thankful. And that's the reason I stepped down from FLYLEAF."

FLYLEAF recruited singer Kristen May as Sturm's replacement and released its fourth album, "Between The Stars", in September 2014.

Swedish melodic rockers JoNo started as a solo project of singer Johan Norrby (hence the moniker ”JoNo”), who debuted with an independently released record in 2006. That was the starting point of the band who, since then, has released two very well received albums: Requiem (2013) and Silence (2015).

Singer and songwriter Johan Norrby has been singing, writing and playing music in countless bands and projects for years and years – which very much goes for all of the guys in the band.The guitarist, Stefan Helleblad, is also a member of Dutch symphonic rockstars Within Temptation. The drummer Nicka Hellenberg actually played all the drums on Within Temptation's album The Unforgiving and is involved in several band and recordings. Both keyboard player Johan Carlgren and bass player Janne Henriksson are frequently hired for both live and studio sessions. Leo Olsson – also a busy musician – joined JoNo in 2015.

The band says: “We are very thrilled and proud about our cooperation with Frontiers Music Srl, a label which is home to so many great artists we truly respect and admire. As a band this is an excellent opportunity to reach the international markets we’ve been aiming for. We can’t wait to get started with the production of the coming album, and of course hitting the stage to be heard and seen by a wider audience, meeting with old and new fans. See you all out there!”

JoNo’s exciting music is hard to pinpoint. Maybe it is best described as AOR/progressive rock, based on strong melodies, with symphonic arrangements. Dynamics and a contemporary, fat sound are also important ingredients of the JoNo recipe. Often compared to Queen, Supertramp, Kansas, Journey and Sparks, the band has received a lot of credit and praise because of their unique sound and performance.

The band will be releasing a new record for Frontiers Music Srl in 2017 and more exciting surprises for fans of the band are on the way.

JoNo lineup:

Johan Norrby – Lead vocals
Stefan Helleblad – Guitars
Nicka Hellenberg – Drums
Johan Carlgren – Keyboards
Janne Henriksson – Bass
Leo Olsson – Guitars



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"Take Me To Heaven", the new video from FILTER, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's seventh studio album, "Crazy Eyes", which will be released on April 8 via Wind-Up Records. The follow-up to 2013's "The Sun Comes Out Tonight" was produced by FILTER founder, singer and guitarist Richard Patrick.

"Take Me To Heaven" rides a pulse-pounding gallop into an entrancing and ponderous refrain. "I was looking into the eyes of my father when he was passing away, and I held his hand," Richard recalls. "He glanced at me really quickly, focused on me, had this look of gratitude, and then he slipped away. I was almost like, 'I hope you're going to heaven'. Scientifically, the idea doesn't make any sense to me, but if there is a heaven, take me there. That's what happened."

On "Crazy Eyes", Patrick collaborated with old friends such as the man behind 1999's seminal platinum-certified "Title Of Record", producer Ben Grosse (THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS, MARILYN MANSON), and Michael "Blumpy" Tuller (NINE INCH NAILS). He also worked closely with new bandmates Oumi Kapila (guitar, programming), Ashley Dzerigian (bass), Chris Reeve (drums) and Bobby Miller (keyboards), plus former FILTER bandmates Johnny Radke and Danny Lohner. Mixing, meanwhile, was taken care of by Brian Virtue (JANE'S ADDICTION, THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS, DEFTONES), with the mastering being handled by the colorful Howie Weinberg (VAN HALEN, THE MARS VOLTA, THE WHITE STRIPES). "FILTER is the mind," exclaims Richard. "It's your interpretation or my interpretation. Our thing is to look at people's unexplainable behavior and assess it, using sound. It's a way to approximate the insanity of the human condition. The reason this record is so fucking heavy and strange is it's exactly the opposite of what's popular. It's not pretty. It's not cute. It's real." Rather than partner with a producer, Richard took up the reins and oversaw the production side himself… "You recognize it's us from my aggression and singing, but the instrumentation had to change," he admits. "It wasn't about just stacking guitars like we might've done on the last couple of records. There are way more electronics and sound design used." Ultimately, it all comes back to the fact that Richard remains honest. "I'm completely into this for the music," he concludes. "Being yourself is the most important thing. I authentically went to places I'd never gone before. That was from my heart. I'm trying to be as genuine as possible to what FILTER is. It's about sounding fucking different, forward and original."

John Thomas, former guitarist for the Welsh hard rock band BUDGIE, passed away last night. He was 63 years old.

His death was confirmed by the band's longtime drummer Steve Williams who broke the news on Facebook.

Williams wrote: "My friend and fellow BUDGIE band member John Thomas sadly passed away last night. My thoughts are with the loved ones he left behind."

John was initially a part of BUDGIE from 1979 to 1988, playing on the "Power Supply" (1980), "Nightflight" (1981) and "Deliver Us From Evil" (1982) albums, then again from 1995 to 1996, and finally from 1999 to 2002.

In a 2007 interview, BUDGIE frontman Burke Shelley stated about John Thomas: "He was a great guitarist with great style and technique and he had a big sound at the time, and it was great, plus he was a good laugh. I think you probably know this, but maybe you don't, but he got ill and had a stroke, and that's why he had to leave. It became impossible for him to play the way he used to. But John is a great guitarist."

He added: "When John was in the band, we were touring with Ozzy [Osbourne], and John was big friends with [Ozzy's then-guitarist] Randy Rhoads. And Randy used to stay up at his place in Birmingham and all that, and they were mates. It's all about guitars, isn't it? [Laughs] They were guitar mad, weren't they? And they were good friends, and they even messed around and taped a few things together.

"It was great having John in the band. It was very sad the way it finished with John. But as a guitarist, he was spot on."

BUDGIE's music is often described as a cross between the progressive textures of RUSH and the heaviness of BLACK SABBATH.

Although BUDGIE remained quite obscure during its early career, many future stars of hard rock/metal have cited them as an important influence and covered their songs, including VAN HALEN, METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN.

Despite the fact that BUDGIE was never more than a cult attraction in the U.S., they always seemed to have a stronghold in Texas, which served as the site for a 2002 live album, "Life In San Antonio". John Thomas later said: "It's really quite strange that Texas really 'got' BUDGIE before anyone else, really. It's about the most un-English place you could ever be in, but for some reason the BUDGIE fans down there are totally into the band and ridiculously devoted. We play shows there and enormous numbers of people turn up just to see BUDGIE. They want to hear all the old classics and they keep asking when we're going back in the studio to do a new record. We could just keep playing in Texas forever."

LINKIN PARK has made its debut album, 2000's "Hybrid Theory", available for free download via Google Play. The offer, which is available to U.S. customers only, ends on March 18.

Says LINKIN PARK in a statement: "Our first album, 'Hybrid Theory', was made with all the love, passion, and naïveté that an artist can give to their first recordings. We are humbled and grateful that it has been embraced so widely, and we still find it hard to believe it became the biggest-selling rock album of the century. As a thank you to our fans, we've partnered with Google Play to give you 'Hybrid Theory' for free."

"Hybrid Theory" — the band's original name before it was changed to LINKIN PARK for legal reasons — was issued in October 2000 and was a breakout success for the group, which had formed in 1996 and had played the Los Angeles club scene for several years.

The album yielded four massive hit singles — "One Step Closer", "Crawling", "Papercut" and "In The End" — while going on to sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.

LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington and co-frontman Mike Shinoda told The Pulse Of Radio a while back about some of the challenges of making their debut album.

"We walked into every song with a fresh, you know, outlook on it and we focused equal amounts of energy on every song," Bennington said. "And that at times was quite interesting, and also difficult at the same time. So we really learned how to push ourselves to new levels, and that was an accomplishment."

"Our biggest obstacle was putting something together that we felt was strong from beginning to end and doing our best to give each song its proper attention," Shinoda added.

German metallers, Varg, have premiered a video for the song "Streyfzug",  a track from their new album, Das Ende Aller Lügen, available via Napalm Records.  

With their fifth album, Varg prove that offense is often the best defense – and how impulsivity and unpredictability always makes the best generals. In this battle you will need the best and only the best, those who surreptitiously allure one into the trap, but are also open minded for the frontal attack. In this battle you need the brute force that is called Varg, and this force alone.

Tracklisting:

“Der große Diktator”
“Das Ende aller Lügen”
“Revolution”
“Streyfzug”
“Achtung”
“Dunkelheit”
“Totentanz”
“Einherjer”
“Wintersturm”
“Ascheregen”

“Streyfzug” video:

"Achtung" video:

German and English versions of the music video for “Dunkelheit” are streaming below:

Varg tour dates:

March
4 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
5 - Berlin, Germany - K17
17 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
18 - Geiselwind, Germany - Musichall
19  - München, Germany - Backstage

April
1 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
8 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
9 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
10 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7

 

 



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Ruben Mosqueda of Sleaze Roxx has issued a new interview conducted with former Scorpions guitar legend, Uli Jon Roth. An excerpt follows:

Q: I imagine since you’ve been touring relentlessly behind Scorpions Revisited — you must have recorded a number of live performances, no?

A: “Well, we have recorded a lot of shows but I just want to release the very best. There will be be a counterpart to Scorpions Revisited and it will be called Tokyo Tapes Revisited. It’s a DVD recording of a 2.5 hour show that I did in the same hall where we recorded Tokyo Tapes. That video looks and sounds really great. We just finished editing it in Japan last week. It will be out later this year. We originally wanted to issue another live performance that we had recorded and I wanted to issue it after the studio album but I wasn’t too happy with that and we decided against that. Then, there was talk about recording the show in Japan where Scorpions recorded Tokyo Tapes and that turned out wonderfully.”

Read the full interview at SleazeRoxx.com.

Uli Jon Roth is currently on his Ultimate Guitar Experience Tour in North America. The trek concludes on April 8th in Melbourne, FL after a thirty five date run in eighteen states and three Canadian provinces. Joining the axe master is Andy Timmons (Danger Danger, Simon Phillips, Kip Winger) and Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck, Michael Sembello). Joining the guitar trio will be vocalist John West, guitarists Niklas Turmann and David Klosinski, keyboardist Corvin Bahn, bassist Nico Deppisch and drummer Richie Monica.

Remaining dates include:
 
March
3 - New Orleans, LA - HOB
4 - Houston, TX - Concert Pub North
5 - San Antonio, TX - The Korova
6 - El Paso, TX - Mesa Music Hall
8 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe's Grotto
9 - Las Vegas, NV - LVCS
10 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
11 - Ramona, CA - Ramona Mainstage
12 - Hollywood, CA - The Whisky
13 - Fremont, CA - Saddlerack
14 - Concord, CA - Vinnies Bar and Grill
15 - Reno, NV - PB&J's
16 - Redding, CA - The Dip
17 - Portland, OR - Dantes
18 - Seattle, WA - Studio 7
19 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
22 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
23 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
24 - Moorehead, MN - The Garage
25 - Savage, MN - Neisen's
26 - St. Charles, IL - Arcadia Theater
27 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
28 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
29 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
30 - Montreal, QC - Katacombes
31 - Londonderry, NH - Tupelo Music

April
1 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey
2 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
4 - NYC, NY - BB Kings
5 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
8 - Melbourne, FL - Black Box Theater

More info can be found at this location.



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Below you can see the documentary Horrors Of The Unknown, featuring the bands Bloodway (Romania), Valborg (Germany) and Perihelion (Hungary), created by Gina Sandulescu.

The documentary features footage from the tour with the same names, undertaken from September 25th to October 1st, 2015 in Romania.



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UK melodic thrash/death metallers, Thirteenth Sign, will release their third album, entitled Evolutions End, worldwide through Casket Music on March 4th.

This is the bands first full-length album since 2012's Rise Of The Black Angel, and the first featuring new vocalist Rob Norrington. The album (the first release through Casket) features 12 tracks of epic thrash and keeps punishing for over 70 minutes.

Whilst the band is still true to its fast, thrashy, deathly heavy roots the addition of Rob's vocals have enabled to band to expand into a new epic, trad metal territory previously unobtainable. Any fans who have enjoyed their brand of thrash/death over the years will not be disappointed by the new material, which has already received glowing reviews from both critics and fans at their shows.



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Slovakia's Wastage are a brutal blend of thrash, hardcore and metalcore with no-nonsense lyrics about the dystopian society we live in. Featuring former members of Xibalba, Stone Cold Bitch, Eternity and The Weed, Wastage released their debut album worldwide last October via Sliptrick Records. Now the band have released a music video for the album cut “No Way Out”. Check it out below.

Slave To The System tracklisting:

“Away From Darkness”
“Slave To The System”
“Game”
“No Way Out”
“Ham-Let”
“You Can’t Stop”
“Right Now”
“I Walk Alone”
“Nobody”
“Let Me Go”
“Confidence”

“No Way Out” video:

More on Wastage here.

 



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The debut album from the Finnish folk metal band Vetten Äpärät, entitled Syntyi Talven Kyynelistä (translated: Born Of Winter’s Tears) will be released through Inverse Records digitally and in Finland on April 1st. International release date for the physical version will be May 13th. Two songs from the album can be heard below.

The tracklist is as follows:

"Ancient's Call"
"Exile"
"Brothers Of Hate"
"Winterheart's Silence"
"Winter Darkness"
"Grief Of Woods"
"Sydäntalven Viha"
"Herätys"
"Sword's Dance"
"Wind Of Exhaustion"
"Ice Made New Kingdom"
"I Heard Them"
"Vala"

The band will be holding an album release party in Helsinki, Finland at On The Rocks on April 7th. Go to this location for event details.

 



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For the last two decades, Church Of Misery have sawed off only the finest in uncompromising doom. The revered Japanese masters are lifelong practitioners of the genre, honouring and extrapolating upon the Sabbathian legacy from which all detuned life springs forth.

Church Of Misery's sixth and latest album, And Then There Were None, is another blood-soaked trip through homicidal hell, with songs inspired by killers both infamous and obscure. But while the murderous inspiration for the tunes remains the same, the cast of characters is almost completely new.

And Then There Were None is set for a March 4th release via Rise Above Records. A full album stream can be found below.

In 2014, Church Of Misery bassist and mastermind Tatsu Mikami was forced to assemble a new lineup for the band's follow-up to 2013's Thy Kingdom Scum. His chosen few reside on American soil: Blood Farmers guitarist Dave "Depraved" Szulkin, Earthride drummer Eric Little (ex-Internal Void) and Repulsion frontman (and former Cathedral bassist) Scott Carlson on vocals.

"All the musicians involved in this album are undoubtedly the best in this scene," Tatsu enthuses. "So you will enjoy listening to all play tastefully."
 
And Then There Were None marks Tatsu's first Church Of Misery endeavor with foreign musicians. He, Szulkin and Little met in Maryland to rehearse the bassist's riff-ready material.

"It was a challenge because there was not much time to make this record-only two weeks," he explains. "One week for rehearsals and then one week to record all materials. Before I arrived in Maryland, I was a little bit nervous. But after the first rehearsal, I knew it was gonna be a good album."
 
Carlson wrote all the lyrics for And Then There Were None, which also marks the first time he's done vocals for a full-length album since Repulsion's genre-inventing classic Horrified.

"I was afraid to listen to it for a while because I haven't recorded a full album of vocals in almost 30 years," he says. "Once Tatsu had mixed everything I listened back and was able to enjoy it. The riffs are so strong on this record that even my 50 year-old vocal chords couldn't bring it down! I'm very pleased to be a part of this and I can't wait for Church Of Misery fans to hear it!"

And Then There Were None tracklisting:

“The Hell Benders”
“Make Them Die Slowly”
“Doctor Death”
“River Demon”
“Confessions Of An Embittered Soul”
“Suicide Journey”
“Murderfreak Blues”



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Swiss death metal horde, Omophagia, have released a video for the track “Down We Fall”, featured on their upcoming album, In The Name Of Chaos. Watch below:

Omophagia is the latest addition to Unique Leader Records' expanding roster of extreme metal.

Comments the band in a collective statement, "We couldn't be happier about the fact that we just signed a label contract with Unique Leader Records for the next few Omophagia album. It's an absolute dream come true and we feel honoured to be part of that specific label which brought out so many bands we love. It's been our absolute first choice and we are very glad that Unique Leader is putting enough trust in us to sign us. We are looking forward to a great cooperation over the next few years."

Omophagia, a name relating to the consumption of raw flesh, will unleash their eleven-track, sophomore release In The Name Of Chaos on April 15th. The record was tracked at the band's own studio in Switzerland, mixed and mastered at Hertz Studio in Poland (Decapitated, Vader, Behemoth, Hate etc.) and promises to be their fastest, heaviest and most brutal output to date.

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Willing Whore”
“Man Machine”
“Until The Sky Turns Red”
“The Leader”
“Despair”
“The Dominant”
“Love Song”
“Down We Fall”
“Wheel In The Engine”
“Instramentalized”

Pre-order the new album here.

In conjunction with its release, Omophagia will bring their sonic savagery to the stage on a near-two-week run of European live abrasions supporting Morgoth, Incantation and DarkRise.



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Classic Rock magazine has uploaded video footage of DREAM THEATER members John Petrucci (guitar), Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and James LaBrie (vocals) performing an acoustic cover version of the PINK FLOYD classic "Wish You Were Here" in Oslo, Norway. Check it out below.

Said Petrucci: "'Wish You Were Here' is one of my favorite FLOYD songs of all time. I have many memories of playing that back in high school even at parties. It was just the one song that everybody kind of seemed to know and loved to sing along.

"PINK FLOYD is a huge influence not only on me, but on the rest of the guys.

"Of course, [DREAM THEATER's] 'The Astonishing' is a concept album written around a story. PINK FLOYD's 'The Wall' was definitely an inspiration, and they've been a huge influence, as I said. I love the fact that they have so many great songs that you can actually just pick up the acoustic guitar, strum and have people sing along and know it, and there's a real art to that."

"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.

Denver-based thrash metal stalwarts, Havok, have released a live video for the track "Claiming Certainty”, which will appear on their forthcoming Century Media debut album (release information to come soon).

Says the band: ““Claiming Certainty” is a pounding new song from our upcoming 4th record. This cut of the song was filmed/recorded live in in our hometown at the Denver Black Sky Festival inside the Gothic Theatre. We decided to play this high energy tune live because it gets the adrenaline pumping and never lets up. Our new album is full of bangers like this with even more attitude, dynamics, and musical intricacy. Fans of Havok and fans of metal will not be disappointed in our newest record. Every member of the band is positive that the 4th Havok album will be the best one yet!"

Havok has worked nonstop since their formation in 2004, releasing three albums and touring the world in support of them. Now with their recent signing to Century Media Records, the band will continue taking their music and career to the next level with the release of their brand new album, which has yet to be given a title.

For an early preview of what promises to be the band's most intense, neck-wrecking effort to date, catch Havok on current tour dates across North America supporting the mighty Megadeth along with Suicidal Tendencies, and Children Of Bodom. Havok plays every night at 7 PM so get there early to get in on the action! All dates below.

March
3 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
5 - Penticton, BC - South Okanagan Events Centre
6 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Resort
8 - Dawson Creek, BC - Encana Events Centre
9 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
10 - Moose Jaw, SK - Mosaic Place
13 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
14 - Dayton, OH - Rockstar Pro Arena
15 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Rapids Theatre
16 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
17 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
19 - Bethlehem, PA - Sands Bethlehem Event Center
20 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
21 - Boston, MA - House Of Blues
23 - Bangor, ME - Cross Insurance Center
24 - Quebec, QC - Centre Videotron
25 - Montreal, Canada - Corona Theatre
26 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
27 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
28 - Louisville, KY - Highlands Taproom

Havok is:

David Sanchez - Lead vocals / Guitars
Pete Webber - Lead drums
Reece Scruggs - Lead guitar / Vocals
Nick Schendzielos - Lead bass / Vocals



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Prog metal outfit Third Ion, featuring former members of The Devin Townsend Band and Into Eternity, recently announced that the band's new vocalist is none other than Dave Padden (ex-Annihilator). Padden replaces departed vocalist Tyler Gilbert. The new band has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign via Indiegogo in order to complete the production of their second album, entitled Biolith. Check out the clip below.

Third Ion are currently recording the follow-up to 2015 Glasstone Records debut album 13/8bit.  The sophomore effort will also be released on Glasstone. An audio clip of the band recording with Padden can be heard below:

Third Ion is:

Justin Bender - Guitar
Aaron Edgar - Drums
Mike Young - Bass
Dave Padden - Vocals


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Atlanta based death metal band Withered have revealed details of their forthcoming album, Grief Relic. It will be released by Season Of Mist worldwide on May 27th; pre-orders are currently available here.

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

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

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

 

 

 



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