European symphonic metallers SERENITY will release their fifth album, "Codex Atlanticus", on January 29 via Napalm Records. According to a press release, the CD boasts thrilling storytelling about art and science. Leonardo Da Vinci is the center of attention here, but lovers of conspiracy theories, Illuminati and so forth will also rejoice when mastermind Georg Neuhauser gives free rein to his compositional genius. This album is full of monumental, movie score-ish orchestral arrangements mean riffing and lush melodies."

Audio samples of all the tracks that are set to appear on "Codex Atlanticus" can be seen below. Commented the band: "After three months of hard work, 150 unhealthy McDonalds meals and 200 bottles of Jägermeister, we're done — our fifth full-length album, 'Codex Atlanticus', is ready to conquer the universe! Inspired by the life of Leonardo Da Vinci we created a bombastic album with melodies that can easily fit as a soundtrack for 'Game Of Thrones'!" "Codex Atlanticus" track listing:

01. Codex Atlanticus02. Follow Me03. Sprouts of Terror04. Iniquity05. Reason06. My Final Chapter07. Caught in a Myth08. Fate of Light09. The Perfect Woman10. Spirit in the Flesh11. The Order SERENITY will hit the road with labelmates in XANDRIA for an extensive European tour in February.

SERENITY parted ways with female singer Clémentine Delauney in February 2015 — two years after she joined the band as a full member. The group explained in a statement: "Though we have worked with female voices since our second album, we think that we have pushed this aspect far enough with our latest album, [2013's] 'War Of Ages'. Though we love to add different voices to Georg's one, we no longer think these moments will be significant enough to justifiy to have a female singer within our ranks."

Los Angeles rockers VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE have premiered their newest single, a haunting cover of HOZIER's breakout hit "Take Me To Church", featuring CHELSEA GRIN's Alex Koehler. This is the second piece of new music to be revealed off VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE's forthcoming full-length, "Ritual", which will be released on March 18.

VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE vocalist Michael Orlando explains:"The first time I heard HOZIER sing 'Take Me To Church', I knew I had to cover it! I also knew I needed one of my homies to collab with me. The first person that came to mind was Alex Koehler. He's one of my best friends and his scream is evil as fuck. I've been wanting to collab with him for years and I'm beyond excited with the outcome. The lyrics to this song are amazing and I'm thankful I was able to put my spin on it."

"Ritual" was produced by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST, DRUGS), mixed by David Bendeth (BRING ME THE HORIZON, PARAMORE), and is the follow-up to 2012's "Hellbound And Heartless". The first single off the album, "Black Betty", was just recently released, as well as an album teaser, highlighting snippets of each song on the album.

"Ritual" track listing: 01. Perfect Lie02. Violent World03. Black Betty04. Take Me To Church (feat. Alex Koehler)05. The Ghost Inside My Head06. Truth In You07. The Demon Inside Me08. 9 Lives09. American Nightmare

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY will release their fifth studio album, "Kentucky", on April 1 via Mascot Label Group. The band recorded the effort at Barrick Recording in Glasgow, Kentucky. Taking a "back-to-the-roots" approach, the CD 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.

The first official single from "Kentucky", a song called "In Our Dreams", can be streamed below. Also available is the "Kentucky" artwork.

"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 the band's forthcoming CD: "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."

Regarding BLACK STONE CHERRY's decision to produce the new album themselves, John said: "It is very exciting for us, I think, because this is all on our back. We don't have a producer that can take a little bit of the heat if it bombs. You know, it's us being in full control of our sonic artistry."

On the topic of recording the new BLACK STONE CHERRY CD in their hometown, Wells told the WMMG 93.5 radio station: "It's just really awesome to come back here and record again and kind of feel those old vibes, because we all still live here. So it just makes sense. Why spend the money to go out to California, or even go to Nashville, like we have in the past, and record, when we have a great studio right here in our backyard and a brilliant engineer. So it feels really good."

Video footage from the new album recording sessions can be seen below.

BLACK STONE CHERRY released its debut live DVD+CD, Blu+ray+CD, Digital Video and Digital Audio, "Thank You: Livin' Live" via Eagle Vision on October 30. The performance was shot on BLACK STONE CHERRY's "Magic Mountain" tour, exactly one year prior to the disc's release date, at the band's sold-out Birmingham LG Arena show on October 30, 2014.

Danish / American rock singer Maryann Cotton has issued a video for ”No Wish Upon No Star”, which appears on his second album, Into Eternity, released in November 2015.

In other news, Maryann Cotton is "very proud to let you all know that I will return to Detroit for the 2nd Dick Wagner Memorial Concert, on February 20, 2016. I am very pleased and honoured to have been given the opportunity to perform and share the stage with many of my great friends and heroes again." Further details can be found at this location.

 

 

 



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

Two announcements from the Kobra And The Lotus camp:

"We are super stoked to finally announce our new drummer! Please give our brother Marcus Lee a big KATL welcome and throw some horns his way!! Can't wait to start the journey with you bro, we are in it for the long haul!"

Lee has posted the following message:

"Honored to announce that I am the new drummer for Kobra And The Lotus! I will be leaving for Denmark mid-February to write and record the new double album, Prevail. This is a dream come true for me and I want to thank everyone who has ever supported me!"

Secondly, Kobra And The Lotus' pledge music campaign launched in support of the making of Prevail succeeded in taking in 100% of the funds needed. Vocalist Kobra Paige has posted a video message to the fans:

PLEDGE COMPLETE!! Thank-You so much! You all ROCK!! Now the journey of PREVAIl begins and we are stoked to take you long! \M/
Posted by KOBRA AND THE LOTUS on Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Kobra And The Lotus recently released a new single entitled "Zombie", co-written with guest guitarist Charlie Parra del Riego, via iTunes. It features the B-side "Remember Me". Go to this location to check it out and to purchase.

Photo by Fusion Photography



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

When Worlds Collide is the new full band album from the Skel-crow (and former Misfits vocalist) himself Michale Graves. Serving as the sequel to Michale’s Lost Skeleton Returns project, originally released in 2013, When Worlds Collide combines influences from punk, horror punk and monster rock classics. Enjoy the video for "Old Dark House" below.

The album features 11 new songs – each title inspired by a classic horror/sci-fi film that defines the genre. Also included on the CD is the sequel to “Crying On Saturday Night” titled “Dying On Sunday Morning”. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows.

"Bedlam"
"Diabolical"
"Dying On Sunday Morning"
"I Walk With A Zombie"
"Old Dark House"
"Robot Monster"
"The Beginning Of The End"
"The Face Behind The Mask"
"Things To Come"
"3 Days ‘Til Dawn"
"When Worlds Collide"

Pre-orders can be placed via Hydraulic Entertainment; a shipping date of January 26th is listed.

 



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

Seattle, WA thrashers, Fallen Angels, are streaming their latest single, “Into The Abyss”, in support of their third studio release World In Decay, produced by Grammy award winning metal producer/engineer Michael Rosen (Forbidden, Testament, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Tesla, Vicious Rumors). Listen below:

'World In Decay was released on August 4th via their indie label Cyberdyne Records to follow 2010's Engines Of Oppression and 2008 debut Rise From Ashes, released on Metal On Metal Records.

(Photo - Aaron Meyers)



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

Germany gothic metal act CREMATORY will release its thirteenth studio album, "Monument", on April 15 via Steamhammer/SPV.

Infinitely more strongly than on its predecessor, "Antiserum" (2014), the twelve tracks on "Monument" are based on brute guitar riffs and hard-as-nails drum grooves, replete with sinister keyboard hooks and that mix of growls and clear vocals — some in English, some in German — that is so typical of this band. The group's fans will be thoroughly delighted with "Monument" and its dynamic sound. When the work on "Monument" commenced in spring 2015, a personnel issue had to be settled in the CREMATORY camp: Matthias Hechler, guitarist, clear voice and a style-defining member for 17 years, had left the band for private reasons. That his departure went off without animosity or internal quarrels was confirmed by Matthias in an interview on the "Live At Wacken 2014" DVD. Following his decision, CREMATORY made a virtue out of necessity, enlisting two successors: Tosse Basler (SCAPEGOAT, AVALANCHE) joined the fold as rhythm guitarist and clear vocalist, and Rolf Munkes is CREMATORY's new lead guitarist.

"Tosse and Rolf have brought a breath of fresh air to the band. They've really inspired us with their powerful style and phat guitar sounds," rejoices drummer Markus Jüllich, who composed the songs again with producer Kristian "Kohle" Bonifer before going on to produce them together at the Kohlekeller Studio. The result is a gothic metal opus that positively bursts with energy, featuring twelve diverse numbers with different degrees of toughness, including double guitar parts and guitar solos. The opener, "Misunderstood", which is supported by the first video release, is probably the most metallic number of CREMATORY's career. Markus refers to the track as an "ideal introduction, not only to our new album but also to our upcoming shows." The ballad "Save Me", which Jüllich/Bonifer wrote some time ago and have now approved for release in view of the new lineup, presents a stark contrast.

"As far as I'm concerned, this number has an orchestral flair," Jüllich reckons. "It suits Tosse and his timbre perfectly." Talking of which: because of their new team, CREMATORY have honed the homogenous blend of frontman Felix Stass's raw growls and the clear voice of their new band member Tosse Basler even more finely than ever before. The album carries its symbolic title with justification and the twelve impressive songs are undoubtedly a real monument to this group's amazing creative powers. In line with this, the cover artwork is both classy and sublime: for the third time in succession, CREMATORY, worked with Hungarian artist Peter Sallai. As in the productional collaboration between Markus Jüllich and Kristian Bonifer, the band has relied on tried and tested collaborators without repeating or indeed copying themselves. CREMATORY is:

Felix Stass - VocalsHarald Heine - BassTosse Basler – Rhythm Guitar, VocalsRolf Munkes – Lead GuitarKatrin Jüllich – Keyboards, SamplesMarkus Jüllich - Drums

Los Angeles-based heavy metal outfit Holy Grail will mercilessly shred across the highways of North America this year as they serenade audiences new and old with material from their blazing new album Times Of Pride And Peril, scheduled for worldwide release via Prosthetic Records on February 12th. A new lyric video for the track “Crystal King” can be found below.

The band - who in recent weeks gigged alongside the likes of King Diamond, Flotsam & Jetsam and Death Angel, in addition to touring with Night Demon - will begin their assault with a stretch of dates in early February alongside iconic guitarist Marty Friedman before joining Georgia heavy metal trio Black Tusk on a full North American jaunt that extends into April.

Times Of Pride And Peril is the follow-up to Holy Grail's 2013 effort Ride The Void. Recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer John Spiker (Tenacious D, Filter), the album encompasses the rise and fall of an empire, showcasing a history of triumphs and defeats through the group’s quintessential shreddery. The album will be available for pre-order on CD, LP and digital download at the Prosthetic webshop.

Tracklisting:

“Crystal King”
“Waste Them All Away”
“Sudden Death”
“Those Who Will Remain”
“Descent Into The Maelstrom”
“Apotheosis”
“Psychomachia”
“No More Heroes”
“Pro Patria Mori”
“Black Lotus”

“Crystal King” lyric video:

“No More Heroes”:

Teaser:

Dates with Marty Friedman:

February
9 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls
11 - San Antonio, TX - Fitzgerald’s
12 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
14 - Little Rock, AR - Juanita’s
16 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
17 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
18 - Orlando, FL - Backbooth
19 - St. Petersburg, FL - The State Theatre

Dates with Black Tusk:

February
23 - Charlotte, NC - Milestone
24 - Virginia Beach, VA - Shakas
25 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
26 - Boston, MA - Once Ballroom
27 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
29 - Burlington, VT - Nectars

March
1 - Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle
2 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques
3 - Toronto, ON - Hard Luck
4 - Detroit, MI - Berserker Fest
5 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
6 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
7 - Minneaplis, MN - Triple Rock
8 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
9 - Winnipeg, MB - The Windsor Hotel
11 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos Cantina
12 - Edmonton, AB - Brixx
13 - Calgary, AB - The Palomino
14 - Kamloops, BC - The Office
16 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore
17 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
18 - Spokane, WA - The Pin
19 - Portland, OR - Panic Room
20 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theatre Pub
22 - Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst
23 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
24 - Los Angeles, CA - Viper Room
25 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
26 - Phoenix, AZ - Pub Rock
28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar
29 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
30 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
31 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar

April
1 - Indianapolis, IN - 5TH Quarter
2 - Newport, KY - Southgate House

 



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

Turin, Italy’s Misteyes have signed a worldwide deal with Canadian label Maple Metal Records to release their debut album, Creeping Time, on April 8th.

The new album consists of 12 songs, with the finalized tracklisting and album cover art to be revealed shortly. Misteyes are unique in the sense of having two front persons, male and female co-lead vocalists. But, as the day could not exist without the night, in each part of their music, ‘contrast’ is the fundamental element.

In 2012, the band started out having a melodic death/black metal sound, but their path changed radically in 2014, with the decision to add a female co-lead vocalist, and a keyboard player to the project. In 2015 this musical evolution came to a fundamental point, and now a 7-member band, Misteyes decided to sum this all up with their debut album. This is how Creeping Time was born.

Misteyes have shared the stage with such acts as Arcturus, Cadaveria, Opera IX, Whyzdom, and Rublood, as well as performing at some Metal Festivals in their home country of Italy. Misteyes will be touring Italy, and Europe in support of their new album, with the dates and locations to be announced.

A demo version of the song “Lady Loneliness” is streaming below. The official version appears on Creeping Time.

Also, a live clip of Misteyes, can be viewed below:

Misteyes is:

Edoardo "Irmin" Iacono - lead vocals
Denise "Ainwen" Manzi - lead vocals
Daniele "Insanus" Poveromo - guitars
Riccardo "Decadence" Tremaioni - guitars
Gabriele "Hyde" Gilodi - keyboards
Andrea "Hephaestus" Gammeri - bass
Federico "Krieger" Tremaioni - drums

 



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

Skol Records presents the first release in the series of the CD replicas of the legendary NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) singles: Elixir - "Treachery (Ride Like The Wind)", which will be out on January 30th.

The debut single of the London based heavy metallers was originally recorded and released in 1985, and includes two songs: the title track, which became the band's ultimate classic, and which was later re-recorded for the legendary The Son Of Odin LP from 1986, and the rare song "Winds Of Time", which also appeared on the demo tape which the band released in 1985. Both songs from the debut single have never been released together in a CD format.

Each CD release in the Skol Records' series of the replicas of the original NWOBHM singles will be limited to only 500 copies, will include original cover artwork and layout design, like the original single released back in the day, and will be available at a special, low, fan-friendly price.

Coming out next in the series: Overdrive - "On The Run", Aragorn - "Black Ice" and others.

 



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

Finnish metal sextet AMORAL will release its seventh studio album, "In Sequence", in Japan on January 29 via Ward Records, and in the rest of the world on February 5 through Imperial Cassette (Gordeon Music, GSA).

The second song to be released from "In Sequence", titled "The Next One To Go", can be streamed below.

"'Rude Awakening', the first single off 'In Sequence', presented the more modern, metallic side of the new album, whereas on 'The Next One To Go', the riff assault has changed to painting landscapes with chords, and the guitars make some room for vintage keyboard sounds," says AMORAL guitarist and founder Ben Varon. "The lyrics look into the write's block syndrome, and what pain such a state can bring to those who work in the creative field. We are also reminded of the dangers of postponing doing things of importance."

The cover artwork for the follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows" was designed by Aki Siltala, who is also one of the most well-known tattoo artists in Finland.

"In Sequence" track listing:

01. In Sequence (Prologue)02. Rude Awakening03. The Betrayal04. Sounds Of Home05. The Next One To Go06. Helping Hands07. Defuse The Past08. From The Beginning (The Note Part 2)

Said Ben Varon: "We went into making the seventh album with an Yngwie Malmsteen state of mind: more is more! Once we got our original singer Niko Kalliojärvi back in the band — expanding the group into a six-headed monster, with two vocalists and three guitar players — it was time to start the writing process, which was one of the most inspiring ones for me so far. More guitar parts, more keyboards, more back and forth between clean and growling vocals."

Another angle used to get a fresh touch for "In Sequence" was the decision to invite a whole bunch of guest musicians — including percussionist Teho Majamäki, INDICA singer Jonsu and ACYL singer/mastermind Amine Benotmane — to play on the album, which was a first for AMORAL.

Stated Ben: "The album is filled with stellar guest performances from many talented musicians, who added percussion, female vocals, analog syths and ouds to the songs, amongst other things. The guests definitely helped take the songs to the next level."

He added: "To me, 'In Sequence' is the logical follow-up to 'Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows', on which we took our love for grandieuse prog to new hights. 'In Sequence' continues on that path, though the return of Niko gives the new material some of that old school AMORAL vibe. And I think this one turned out a touch heavier as well, not least because of the real-life based concept of the album."

Following a single and a sold-out UK headline tour in December 2015, Tax The Heat announce the release of their full length Nuclear Blast Entertainment debut, Fed To The Lions.

The album shows why there is so much excitement at the release of this record. Previous singles “Some Sympathy”, “Highway Home” and “Fed To The Lions” sit alongside future classics such as “Caroline”, “Animals” and “Stood On The Platform To Leave”. The driving rhythms of Jack Taylor (drums) and Antonio Angotti (bass) overlaid with the powerful riffs of JP Jacyshyn (guitars) and distinctive melodies of Alex Veale (vocals, guitars). The album is available on CD and vinyl. Pre-order Fed To The Lions here.

Tracklisting:

CD
“Highway Home”
“Animals”
“Under Watchful Eye”
“Fed To The Lions”
“Hit Me Hard”
“Stood On The Platform To Leave”
“Some Sympathy”
“Devil's Daughter”
“Learn To Drown (You're Wrong)”
“Caroline”
“Your Fool”
“Lost Our Way”

LP
Side A
“Highway Home”
“Animals”
“Under Watchful Eye”
“Fed To The Lions”
“Hit Me Hard”
“Stood On The Platform To Leave”

Side B
“Some Sympathy”
“Devil's Daughter”
“Learn To Drown (You're Wrong)”
“Caroline”
“Your Fool”
“Lost Our Way”

“Some Sympathy”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7uuXZwFcLg

“Fed To The Lions” video:

“Highway Home” video:



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

Wisconsin-based newcomers Product Of Hate chose their band name for a good reason. The five-piece honed their brutal and groovy thrash sound / NWOAHM by sharing the stage with Lamb Of God, Meshuggah, Gwar and Testament to name a few. The band is pumped and ready to introduce the world to their debut album, Buried In Violence. Check out their new video for the track “Monster”:

Product Of Hate has confirmed a February 5th release date for their debut album, Buried In Violence, via Napalm Records. The brutal artwork was designed Colin Marks of Rain Song Design. The album was mixed and mastered by the legendary James Murphy, known for his work with Death, Testament and Obituary.

"When you see the album art, right away you know what to expect. Dark, brutal, and unforgiving... The artwork was designed around the lyrics from our song, "Buried in Violence." It became the title track." says vocalist Adam Gilley.

Napalm Records A&R Representative Demetri Benoist added: "We are really looking forward to the release of Product Of Hate's debut album Buried In Violence! These guys are going to take the metal world by storm in 2016!"

Tracklisting:

“Kill. You. Now.”
“Annihilation”
“...As Your Kingdom Falls”
“Blood Coated Concrete”
“Monster”
“Buried In Violence”
“Vindicare”
“Nemesis”
“Revolution Of Destruction”
“Unholy Manipulator”
“Perry Mason”

"Blood Coated Concrete" video:

“Unholy Manipulator” video:



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

According to NJ Advance Media, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has sold the Lincroft, New Jersey home that was condemned after massive flooding from Hurricane Irene in 2011. The house that was once featured on MTV's "Cribs" went for $272,500 — about $85,000 less than what he paid more than twenty five years ago.

Bach, who has been living in Los Angeles for the past few years, tells NJ Advance Media, "To me, New Jersey is SKID ROW. That's why I moved there. That's the reason I bought a house there. New Jersey means so much to me about rock and roll. The Stone Pony, you know, Asbury Park. The beach. The boardwalk. The Count Basie Theatre, downtown Red Bank. Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. Vintage Vinyl. I lived in those places for 20 years. For me, walking around Jersey is, like, haunted."

He continued: "I played Giants Stadium when I was 20 years old for 75,000 people. New Jersey is SKID ROW. We came from there. We are New Jersey. So without SKID ROW, I can't be in New Jersey."

Back in 2011, Bach's house was knocked off its foundation after a nearby reservoir overflowed, breaking the bridge next to his home and sending it into his garage. Among the items that he lost in his flooded basement were irreplaceable items such as SKID ROW master tapes, a KISS pinball machine and other band memorabilia.

"How I wish there was a reason to do a [SKID ROW] box set or something before Hurricane Irene hit," he wrote in a Facebook post at the time. "Nobody cared. Now it's too late. Don't know what you got 'till it's gone, indeed."

Bach put the house on the market in 2012, and at once point was asking as much as $669,000 for it.

Sebastian recently said that he "would love the chance" to bury the hatchet with his former bandmates in SKID ROW and reunite the group's classic lineup.

Sweden’s Adept have released a full preview (below) for their upcoming album, Sleepless, set to be released on February 19th via Napalm Records.

The band on the brand new signing with Napalm Records: "We are happy to announce that we have signed with Austria's finest Napalm Records. We can also reveal that our new album Sleepless will be released on February 19th 2016. Originally planned to be released summer 2015, this album has been an absolute roller coaster to make.

Recorded in January and then re-recorded in September we can finally shine a light on this album. Through the ups and downs we created something truly beautiful with Sleepless. A melodic hard-hitting album with its roots to our early days. Thanks to Napalm Records we have a new found strength and confidence to push us forward. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on. Bring on February."

Billie Klein - Napalm Records A&R: "We are more than happy to finally have Adept on board. Here is a young band that combines furious metal, uplifting and catchy melodies and post-rock atmospheres and is always ready to step on stage and rock, no matter the situation. Welcome to the Napalm Family!"

Sleepless tracklisting:

"Black Veins"
"Wounds"
"Dark Clouds"
"Carry The Weight"
"Rewind The Tape"
"Down And Out"
"The Choirs Of Absolution"
"Lights"
"The Sickness"
"Sleepless"

Preview:

“Dark Clouds” video:

Adept lineup:

Robert Ljung - vocals
Jerry Repo - guitar
Gustav Lithammer - guitar
Filip Brandelius - bass
Gabriel Hellmark - drums

 



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

Taking flashlights and a simple HD cam, Calgary, AB-based progressive death metal band, Divinity, have created one of the cheapest but very much fulfilling music videos of their career. The band is premiering their video “Manhunt” in support of their upcoming EP The Immortalist Part 2 - Momentum, set to be unleashed on February 5th to follow 2013's The Immortalist - Part 1 - Awestruck.

Vocalist Sean Jenkins comments on the video: "We're very excited to release a new music video for our upcoming EP release! This video is raw, in your face, and will leave no doubt in your mind that we are back, stronger than ever. We're also very proud of the fact that we self produced and directed this video all in our band room using flashlights and an HD Cam. Who says you need a 10K budget to make a music video? We surely don't think so. Crank this new video up and rock on!"

The Immortalist Part 2 - Momentum was produced by Divinity and mixed and mastered by Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy) at The Grid studio in Montreal along with artwork created by Justin Totemical. The EP is also part of Divinity’s EP trilogy series that will lead up to a full length release later in 2016.

Tracklisting:

“Manhunt”
“PsyWar”
“DMT”
“Momentum”

“Manhunt” video:



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

Hammer Fight are a bunch whiskey-drinkin', beer guzzlin' bros who spawned from New Jersey. The band will release their Napalm Records debut, Profound And Profane, on March 25th. Today they have unveiled the artwork and track listing for the new album. The artwork was created by Raf the Might. Pre-orders for the new album are available here.

Vocalist/Bassist Drew Murphy on the album artwork: "We're very happy to unveil the cover art for Profound And Profane. Raf The Might did an incredible job. He really captured the theme of the record. And for the more savvy music consumers who purchase a physical copy, not only will you get a more expanded view of the cover art, you'll also get more amazing artwork from Mark Richards (heavyhandillustration.com) and The Living Corpse Crew (corpse-crew.com). The music is mad sweet too."

Hammer Fight brings a sound that many kids these days may have missed; hard rockin' metal. Versatile enough to share the stage with the most extreme death metal acts to classic hard rock bands and everything in between, Hammer Fight are ready to make an impression on the today's heavy music scene.

Profound And Profane tracklisting:

1. Picking Up Change
2. Target Acquired
3. Into the Dark
4. Good Times in Dark Ages
5. Gods of Rock n' Roll
6. Low & Broken
7. Private Stock
8. The Ultimate Sacrifice
9. Cell Mates
10. West Side Story
11. The Crate
12. Cult of Conceit

Hammer Fight lineup:

Drew Murphy - Bass, Vocals
Todd Stern - Guitar
Dan Higgins - Guitar
Justin Spaeth - Drums

 



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

Iconic Norwegian black metallers, Ragnarok, have revealed the artwork and details of their eighth studio album. Titled Psychopathology, the 11-track album is set for release via Agonia Records on March 25th and is now available for pre-order via the label's webshop

Psychopathology was recorded at the Endarker Studio in Sweden with Marduk bassist Devo at the helm. Following last year's surprise announcement that Ragnarok founder and drummer Jontho would be stepping out from behind the drum kit to take on the role of frontman and Dauden’s Malignant would take his place on drums, the lineup on the album comprises Jontho on vocals, Bolverk on guitars, Malignant on drums, and, making his swansong appearance with the band, DezeptiCunt on bass.

Psychopathology tracklisting:

“Dominance And Submission”
“I Hate”
“Psychopathology”
“My Creator”
“Infernal Majesty”
“Heretic”
“Into The Abyss”
“The Eighth Of The Seven Plagues”
“Lies”
“Blood”
“Where Dreams Come To Die”

With artwork by the Brazilian graphic artist Marcelo Vasco (Slayer, Machine Head, Dimmu Borgir), Psychopathology will be available in Jewel Case CD and Limited Edition black vinyl formats, as well as in transparent brown vinyl with red, yellow, white and blue splatter, strictly limited to 133 hand-numbered copies. Additionally, Agonia will release a CD Box which will be limited to 666 copies and which will include Psychopathology in CD format, a logo pin, poster, booklet with rare photos and old interviews, and the bonus compilation CD Chaos And Insanity Between 1994-2004 (details of which can be found below ).

As mentioned above, in addition to Psychopathology, Ragnarok will also release a special compilation album titled Chaos And Insanity Between 1994-2004, which features a rare collection of the band's early demos and EPs. The compilation will be released on Agonia Records at the same time as Psychopathology and will also be available in Limited Edition black vinyl, as well as in a red vinyl version which will be limited to 133 hand-numbered copies.

Chaos and Insanity Between 1994-2004 tracklisting:

I.Pagan Land demo 1994
“Intro”
“Pagan Land”
“From The Darkest Deep”
“Et Vinterland I Nord”
“Hammerens Slag”
“Ragnarok”

II.Various Unreleased tracks:
“Et Vinterland I Nord” (Ørevox version)
“Under The Wings Of Satan” (pre-production)
“Fainted Eyes” (Celtic Frost cover)
“Live 2004”

Jontho recently had this to say about fans can expect from Psychopathology: "I can say with absolute certainty that this album will be the best in Ragnarok's career to date. It is the result of dedication, hard work, and the musical skills of our lineup, and is the next stage in the band's development, both musically and lyrically. Psychopathology is about to unleash total chaos upon you as it invites you to dive deeper into the dark recesses of the human mind.”

 



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

British rock n’ rollers, The Temperance Movement, have teamed up with Deezer for the release of an exclusive live EP. The band visited Deezer's headquarters in Paris earlier this month during a stop on their European headlining tour to perform acoustic renditions of songs from both the band's self-titled debut album and their brand new album, White Bear.

Live And Acoustic At Deezer tracklisting:

“Three Bulleits”
“Get Yourself Free”
“Midnight Black”
“White Bear”
“I Hope I'm Not Losing My Mind”
“Take It Back”
“Battle Lines”

Listen to the live/acoustic EP now exclusively on Deezer at this location. Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video below:

The Temperance Movement will release their new studio album, White Bear, in North America on January 29th via Fantasy/Concord. The band have released the third behind-the-scenes video. See all three clips below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

The band have teamed up with Amazon to celebrate the upcoming release of White Bear. Theey are the latest artists to be featured on Amazon Front Row, with a selection of exclusive videos of the group performing stripped-down versions of three songs from White Bear: "Battle Lines", "Get Yourself Free" and the album's first single, "Three Bulleits".

Watch the videos now exclusively on Amazon at this location.

The Temperance Movement have spoken about the music and artists who have influenced them over the years. Band members Phil Campbell (vocals), Paul Sayer (guitar), Nick Fyffe (bass) and Damon Wilson (drums) sat down ahead of the release of their new album, White Bear, to talk about each of the members' influences and how the group brings it all together to capture and create something truly special and unique.

The follow-up to their 2013 self-titled debut was recorded with producer Sam Miller in London, Northamptonshire and Monmouth and features 10 stomping new rock anthems.  Have a listen to “Three Bulleits” below for a sneak peek, and pre-order the album here.

Guitarist, Paul Sayer comments, "White Bear is a real step up for us sonically and artistically. Playing so many shows together over the last 3 years allowed us to develop a really clear idea of where we wanted to go with our next record. When it came to making this album we had a bit more time and space to let our creativity go, and I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved”

On the album title, White Bear, singer Phil Campbell notes, "Nick called me with the title which inspired the lyric to the song. It refers to a study by Daniel Wenger on mindfulness and the controlling of unwanted thoughts, testing a quote from Dostoevsky's Winter Notes on Summer Impressions: ‘Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.’"

White Bear tracklisting:

“Three Bulleits”
“Get Yourself Free”
“A Pleasant Peace I Feel”
“Modern Massacre”
“Battle Lines”
“White Bear”
“Oh Lorraine”
“Magnify”
“The Sun and Moon Roll Around Too Soon”
“I Hope I'm Not Losing My Mind”

Album preview:

“Three Bulleits”:

The band will tour across Canada in February and March with Monster Truck. Tour dates below:

February
23 - Victoria, BC - Sugar Nightclub
25 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
27 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Ballroom

March
1 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
2 - Regina, SK - The Pump
4 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick
5 - Thunder Bay, ON - Outpost
8 - Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle
9 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
11  - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
12 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre

Don't miss The Temperance Movement on tour in the UK in support of White Bear:

January
21 - Newcastle, UK - University
22 - Leeds, UK - Becket University
24 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
25 - Birmingham, UK - Institute
26 - Cardiff, UK - Y Plas
27 - London, UK - Shepherd's Bush Empire

 



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

Polish death metal masters, Decapitated, have released an official video for their new track, “Veins”. The unique animated video was created by Polish based animator / concept artist Łukasz Rusinek and depicts an apocalyptic universe featuring droids and feuding superpowers. Watch the video below.

Łukasz commented on the video: "Animation is an area extremely time-consuming and the fact that I work alone only adds to the sad fact that, especially during complex productions such as the video for the song 'Veins' by Decapitated, my little ones await their father to come back home in the evenings in vain and my newlywed wife withers at the window longing to see me. Despite these minor inconveniences, I do not complain because I love to combine sound with vision.  On most occasions I prepare scripts myself.  And so it was this time. I came up with a short story with the apocalypse in the background, set in a slightly imaginary universe in which droids fight on battlefields instead of humans, intelligence cells of feuding superpowers plot their rise to power, and the relics of the Cold War keep waiting for someone to finally press that 'damn button'. Enjoy."

The video is being released in support of the Decapitated's forthcoming tour dates across the US, EU and UK. Speaking about their international dates, the band commented: "We can't wait to start the touring ahead - we're in America, Canada, UK and Europe with some great bands and look forward to playing in front of our loyal Decapitated fans across the world!”

March (with Sylosis, Black Tongue)
2 - Bristol, UK - Marble Factory
3 - Birmingham, UK - Rainbow Warehouse
4 - Glasgow, UK - Garage
5 - Manchester, UK - Academy 3
6 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
8 - Colchester, UK - Arts Centre
9 - Plymouth, UK - The Hub
10 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
11 - Brighton, UK - Concorde 2
12 - Norwich, UK - The Waterfront
 

March (with Heart Of A Coward)
29 - Berlin, Germany - Musik und Frieden
30 - Hamburg, Germany - Logo
31 - Cologne, Germany - Luxor

April (with Heart Of A Coward)
2 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Amsterdam Metal Fest @ Melkweg
3 - Aardschot, Belgium - De Klinker
4 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rockhal
5 - Paris, France - O’Sullivans
6 - Lyon, France - Le Ninkasi Kao
7 - Zurich, Switzerland - Werk 21
8 - Milano, Italy - Lo Fi Club



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

Norwegian progressive rock pioneers, Aunt Mary, have announced the band's return with the release of the New Dawn studio album on February 12th. The heavy rock icons approach this come back with a new lineup, and plans to stage select appearances across the globe.

Pioneers on the Norwegian heavy-rock scene in the early 70s, Aunt Mary was considered among the absolute elite of European rock bands. Alongside Deep Purple, Ten Years After, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and others, the band shared the scene, at times overshadowing these cornerstone acts. They officially broke up in 1973 following the release of their heavily progressive oriented album Janus, and the successful tour staged to support the title. Over the next several decades, they sporadically staged appearances, and issued an album of Blues covers in 1992 titled Bluesprints. After a period characterized by both musical joy and personal profound grief over the last several years, Aunt Mary looks towards 2016 with optimism and a keen commitment to cement the band's legacy as a cornerstone act in the Scandinavian and worldwide history of rock.

In 2013, initiated by Norwegian guitar legend and producer – and devoted Aunt Mary-fan – Ronni Le Tekrö, the original line-up prepared to enter the studio when band mate and bass player Svein Gundersen announced his resignation. Rather than capitulate and not see his vision through, Le Tekrö approached Bernt Bodal to join. Back in the 70s, Bodal was the bass player in the band Host, Prog contemporaries of Aunt Mary. He had moved to the US and worked his way up from ordinary fisherman to be the founder and part owner of American Seafoods - one of the world’s largest seafood companies. Simultaneously he kept his bass playing skills on a master level, playing with rock stars like Steven Tyler, Sammy Hagar, Alan White, Spike Edney, Roger Taylor, Brian May, Roger Daltrey, Jeff Beck and Eddie Vedder. He also contributed his musical talents on one of Ronni Le Tekrö’s solo albums.

With Bodal now committed, the band prepared for the studio sessions. More shocking news blindsided the Aunt Mary members as singer Jan Groth announced he had to resign due to illness from cancer. He urged the others to continue without him, and again Ronni Le Tekrö exhibited his producer genius. He introduced the band to Glenn Lyse, 2007 Norwegian Idol winner, which turned out to be another match made in heaven. With Lyse formally taking over as Aunt Mary's front man, the band entered the studio and began recording. Jan Groth died in August, 2014.

Having barely finished the recording sessions, the band mates received yet devastating news: Drummer Ketil Stensvik had also been diagnosed with cancer. And in April, 2015 Stensvik passed away. Less than three years after the first plans for a new album with the founding members of Aunt Mary, guitar player and the band's main songwriter Björn Kristiansen found himself the only remaining part of the original line-up. After thorough consideration, and discussions with the new members of the group, he decided to carry on.

Early next year, Aunt Mary will begin touring accompanied by Ronni Le Tekrö’s band, TNT. Music history will be written as Norway’s first and leading heavy-rock band will share the scene with Norway’s first and leading heavy-metal band. As their new drummer, Aunt Mary has recruited Ole Tom Torjussen. New Dawn is produced by Kjartan Hesthagen and Henning Ramseth (the latter also plays keyboards on the album).

Despite the adversity that has repeatedly challenged Aunt Mary, Kristiansen, Bodal, Lyse, and Torjussen celebrate plans to return to the stage, bring new music to their decades of fans, and to find new ones in North America, Scandinavia and across the globe.

Aunt Mary guitarist, and principle songwriter Björn Kristiansen shares, "..after many years without any new album from Aunt Mary it`s with great pride and joy I`m now looking forward to releasing our new studio album New Dawn. The majority of the songs on this record are written based on my ideas, with great help from my band mates. Being the sole remaining original member of the group, I`m from the bottom of my heart grateful for this opportunity to again be able to share our music with old and new friends around the world!”



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

Leprous' Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Baard Kolstad are featured on the third episode of FreqsTV’s original series, Into the Machine. They discusshow the band’s writing process has changed over the years and the attentiveness of prog fans.. Future episodes will include Steven Wilson, Haken, Periphery and more.

The series, presented by Germany’s Metal Hammer, will feature a different band every Thursday on the official FreqsTV YouTube channel.

Into The Machine - Ep. 3, Leprous:



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

"In a world of pop music we are freaks. We do everything completely opposite of what the current formula of doing things is. We recorded and produced everything ourselves with no outside influences. We play a style of music that is underground. We are all freaks of nature." So proclaims Beastmaker singer, guitarist and mastermind Trevor William Church.

Hence the title of Beastmaker's debut: Lusus Naturae, or Freak Of Nature. "When you think differently and do things unconventionally, you are an outsider," he ventures. "We wanted to bring a natural essence back into music the best way we could in a digital world."

Lusus Naturae is set for a March 26th release via Rise Above Records.
 
Beastmaker hail from the unlikely locale of Fresno, California. Sweating profusely in a parched no man's land about three and a half hours northeast of Los Angeles, the city isn't exactly a cultural mecca-and yet it's the birthplace of Hollywood outsiders and weirdos like Sid Haig, Slim Pickens and director Sam Peckinpah. Still, it suffers from an unsurprising dearth of musicians interested in heavy rock. Though Church had the concept for Beastmaker as far back as 2006, it wasn't until he and drummer Andres Alejandro Saldate, aka Juan Bonham, hooked up with bassist John Tucker in 2014 that the band was fully realized.

"I was really inspired by old bands and metal," Church explains. "From the Zombies to Slayer, from Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons to Black Sabbath. I was really into NWOBHM and what bands like Witchcraft are doing now. After many failed attempts and at least five bands in between, we found John and finally had a solid lineup."
 
Bleak and burly overtones of Sabbath, Pentagram and Witchfinder General ring through Lusus Naturae like echoes from a haunted past. Slow-rolling bruisers "Eyes Are Watching”, "Arachne" and "It" set the tone of doom and despair with nods to heavy '70s classics, cult horror flicks and the inimitable work of one Mr. Glenn Anzalone.

"When it comes to genre, I think of us as a much slower version of the Misfits or Danzig, but I've come to love the word 'Doom' whether or not it really relates to us," Church offers. "It just feels like home."
 
Beastmaker's lyrical landscape is awash in imagery from midnight movies and the dark arts, but that's only part of the picture. "I like to make up stories," Church says simply. "I use horror movies and the occult as influences but rarely directly. For instance, 'Mask of Satan' is me paying homage to the great horror film Black Sunday very directly. On the other hand, 'You Must Sin' is about a woman longing for love and finding it in the most bizarre place, but John will tell you it's a political song. I like to think that people come up with their own interpretations of what the songs mean and let their minds run free."

Lusus Naturae tracklisting:

“Clouds In The Sky”
“Eyes Are Watching”
“Arachne”
“Skin Crawler”
“Find The Stranger”
“You Must Sin”
“Burnt Offering”
“Mask Of Satan”
“It”
“Astral Corpse”
“Lusus Naturae”
“The Strain”

“You Must Sin”:

You Must Sin by Beastmaker

 



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

Greece’s Rotting Christ have released a teaser for their upcoming album, Rituals, due out on February 12th via Season Of Mist.

Rituals tracklisting:

“In Nomine Dei Nostri”
“Ze Nigmar”
“Elthe Kyrie”
“Les Litanies De Satan (Les Fleurs Du Mal)”
“Apage Satana”
“Tou Thanatou”
“For A Voice Like Thunder”
“Konx Om Pax”
“Devadevam”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Lok'tar Ogar” (bonus track)

“Ze Nigmar”:

“Elthe Kyrie”:

Rotting Christ lineup:

Sakis - vocals, guitars
Themis - drums
Van Ace - bass
George - guitars



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

In a brand new interview with USA Today, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine spoke about what transpired to cause the band's drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick to abruptly announce their exits within hours of each other in November 2014. "I was surprised but not surprised," Mustaine said. It didn't help that MEGADETH fans kept asking the band to re-team with"Rust In Peace"-era guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. Although that reunion never panned out, "everybody was talking about it and they quit," Mustaine said. "I would have, too."

As for whether there are any hard feelings, Mustaine said: "I got to this point in my life where I realized that you don't have to put somebody down to make somebody else look great. I've got nothing bad to say about Shawn and Chris. I miss the friendship. I wish we had gotten the chance to say goodbye."

MEGADETH's current lineup includes Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA, and LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler.

Mustaine told Australian Associated Press about MEGADETH's latest additions: "In no way is this meant to be offensive to Shawn or Chris, but we've definitely upgraded talent-wise, personality-wise, friendship-wise."

Mustaine also shot down the widely held belief that MEGADETH is a dictatorship, explaining that his goal at the end of the day is just to be a good leader.

"A lot of people think that the way we do things is always my way but it's not," he said. "Sometimes I've chosen the right way, sometimes the way that I've chosen was not the right way. Basically, treat people the way you want to be treated ... If you're a good leader and you love your people, they'll do it."

MEGADETH's fifteenth studio album, "Dystopia", will be released on January 22. The follow-up to 2013's "Super Collider" was recorded last year year in Nashville, Tennessee and was mixed by Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, ALL THAT REMAINS and GOJIRA.

Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend will enter the studio on March 27 to begin recording the next album to be released under the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT banner. Tentatively titled "Transcendence", the follow-up to DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT's 2014 double album "Z2" will be released in September.

Speaking to Metal Wani's editor in chief Owais "Vitek" Nabi, Townsend said about the writing process for his next CD (hear audio below): "Because 'Z2' happened amidst the crowdfunding, amidst touring and just lots of shit, it was really a challenging and tiring experience. So I've tried to spend this year really putting the pieces together. So now that we are working on a new DTP record, the process will be more streamlined, more efficient and more fulfilling."

He continued: "The way that I write is I just write a ton of music in the background of my life and then I just bring it into rehearsal. It's, like, 'Okay, guys. It goes like this. Let's smooth it out.'"

Townsend also talked about the new album's musical and lyrical direction. He said: "In terms of what the music is, it's always hard to tell. But in terms of what the theme is, I can tell you — it's about getting over it: getting over yourself, getting over… all that stuff. And I'm not saying that I am. But the point of it is, that seems to be the next step."

He went on to say: "You know, I'll get into situations with people that I'll be really irritated by them. And recently there's been this sort of thing that's been going on in my process where I'm, like, 'This is your problem. This is not [the other] person that needs to change; it's you and how you're reacting to them.' And that's kind of new, right?"

Townsend added: "Because I have been so pigheaded and so selfish about so many things for so many years, I've spent a lot of time being, like, 'That person needs to change. This person needs to change.' So, in a sense, this record is based around the sense of, like, what needs to change is your reaction to these things and not them."

"Z2" was a double album where the first CD was a DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT album called "Sky Blue", and the second disc was a ZILTOID album called "Dark Matters".

According to The New York Times, Josh Homme of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and legendary rocker Iggy Pop have joined forces to record a new album, "Post Pop Depression", due in March via Loma Vista. The nine-song CD was recorded with the help of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE guitarist/keyboardist Dean Fertita and ARCTIC MONKEYS drummer Matt Helders. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen and Matt Sweeney of CHAVEZ will round out the new band's touring lineup.

Homme told The New York Times that the project began with a text message from Pop. "It basically said, 'Hey, it would be great if we got together and maybe write something sometime,'" said Homme.

"We paid for whatever ourselves," Pop told The New York Times. "But it was made to be heard — not to be some quirky thing that we did with our own money…"

"He is the last one of the one-of-a-kinds," Homme said of Pop. "This is a much-deserved victory lap for a man who's not sure if he won. But he did. He may have tunneled underground for lots of that, but he still got to the destination."

Pop and Homme's new project will make its debut on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" Thursday night.

MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil spoke to the South Bend Tribune about the completion of the band's 18-month "The Final Tour" on December 31 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. He said: "I was emotional. There is video out there. I broke down. It was emotional and surreal and exhilarating. You think about it, it was a huge part of my life."

Asked if he could foresee MÖTLEY CRÜE ever reuniting, Neil said: "Never. That was it."

Neil also talked about his solo live backing band, which continues to consist of bassist Dana Strum and Jeff Blando (both of SLAUGHTER) and drummer Zoltan Chaney. He said: "I have been with these guys for almost nine years now. They are all great. It's a great combination. It's cool and it's a good vibe. We are definitely bringing a good time to town."

He added: "We do all of the MÖTLEY stuff and a lot of the stuff that MÖTLEY didn't normally do. These guys are great. I can call out anything. It is a lot of fun and has a great energy. Everybody that has seen it really enjoyed it."

According to Billboard.com, MÖTLEY CRÜE's three final shows at the Staples Center (on December 28, December 30 and December 31) were seen by 37,000 fans, generating $2.7 million in box office revenue.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Final Tour" saw the band perform across five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia) for a total of more than 164 shows in 72 markets, grossing $100 million.

MÖTLEY CRÜE announced that a full-length concert film will be released this year. The movie will include exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the last week of the band's five-continent tour, which began in July 2014.

In a brand new interview with Gigs And Festivals, legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker spoke about what it was like playing in the earliest days of the SCORPIONS alongside his brother Rudolf. He said: "There are things that I know today, and I must say I'm actually very disappointed in my brother and the SCORPIONS these days, because I just found out that a lot of things have been incorrect in the past. Me, being seven years younger than the other guys, I think I was taken advantage of right from the beginning."

He continued: "I wrote most of the SCORPIONS songs on the 'Lonesome Crow' album, and it was credited to all members. The very first song I ever wrote was 'In Search Of The Peace Of Mind', and it too was credited to all members. I was focusing on music, and they were maybe focusing on business. I have no idea, but they didn't know how to write songs in those days."

Asked if he has any plans to get up on stage with the SCORPIONS before they call it a day, Michael said: "I don't pay attention to any of that. I focus on what I'm doing. I'm fed up with that, and I'm disappointed in them; they have completely distorted the 'Lovedrive' phase. Just a few weeks ago, I was confronted with the SCORPIONS [albums reissue] box, and what I saw there, it really, really shocked me. I can't trust them anymore. The whole 'Lovedrive' story is wrong. They are putting it down as if I begged them to take me into the SCORPIONS. They begged me to join — I was already doing arena tours with UFO in the States. It's unbelievable. They asked me to help them, and now I see that the whole 'Lovedrive' story is written to their favor; they are the big guys."

He continued: "I can't believe it, honestly. They're just fooling people with their finishing playing, and then they don't, and then [they continue playing] forever and ever. I guess when you get older, you get bolder or something, but I have absolutely no interest because I can't trust them. If I look back now, it's unbelievable, little bits and pieces I'm discovering. So putting together the whole picture, it looks like they're absolutely desperate."

According to Michael, the difference between him and his brother is that "one can play and the other one can't! [Laughs] That's how you can find out who is who. Or you look at the eyes; his eyes are brown, but he can fake that too by getting blue lenses. Rudolf is the entertainer on a visual level; I'm the artist."