Anthrax will release Chile On Hell, a live 2CD+DVD/Blu-Ray, on October 17th (Europe)/ October 20th (UK). Chile On Hell (out now in North America) was filmed at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile on May 10th, 2013 and features Anthrax performing an extended set that featured songs from the band's entire catalogue.

A live video clip for the song, "In The End", with an introduction from drummer Charlie Benante, can be seen below:



A short video clip of Charlie Benante talking about Chile On Hell can be seen below. “Santiago was the perfect place to film the show for this,” said Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. “When we'd played there in the past, we'd finish our set, play our encore and go back to the dressing room. But every time, the fans would continue to scream and cheer and clap. I mean, they went on and on, they wouldn't stop. One time Scott [Ian, guitar] and I walked out to the side of the stage just to watch what was going on in the audience, it was intense. Why wouldn't we want to film a DVD in front of an audience like that?”

"Plus," Benante continued, "the time was right to do this DVD… We wanted to finish on a high note. We didn't want to look back and regret that we didn't record the live show."



Chile On Hell is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, was recorded in 5.1 Surround Sound. It was produced by Jay Ruston and filmed by City Drive Entertainment Group and DC3 Global. The DVD's cover art was designed by Stephen Thompson who partnered with Benante to "redesign" the artwork from last year's Anthems EP.



The band's setlist:

"Among The Living"
"Caught In A Mosh"
"I Am The Law"
"Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)"
"A Skeleton In The Closet"
"March Of The S.O.D." (Stormtroopers Of Death cover)
"In The End"
"Deathrider"
"T.N.T." (AC/DC cover)
"I'm Alive"
"Indians"
"Medusa"
"In My World"
"Got The Time" (Joe Jackson cover)
"Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't"

Encore:
"I'm The Man" / Raining Blood" (Slayer cover)
"Madhouse"
"Antisocia"l (Trust cover)

"A Skeleton In The Closet”:

Italian gothic deathrock punks, Horror Vacui, are set to release their sophomore album, entitled Return Of The Empire, on October 31st on CD and digital formats via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. This album is the long awaited follow-up to their debut, In Darkness You Will Feel Alright, which was originally released on October 31st, 2012.

Horror Vacui have honed their craft as Return Of The Empire showcases the dark, vibrant, aggressive and catchy atmosphere along with memorable riffs and vocals. This pressing also includes two bonus tracks taken from the In Darkness You Will Feel Alright recording sessions, resulting in almost an hour of music that solidifies Horror Vacui as a trademark of the goth/deathrock revival.






Tracklisting:

"Return Of The Empire"
"5000"
"The Right Cure"
"Time"
"'Till The Last Drop"
"Light Of Darkness"
"Screen Of Infamy"
"Opus Tenebris"
"Desperate Adelia"
"Lortnoced"
"Underworld"
"The Fall Of The Empire"

"5000":

Spanish melodic death metal band Darkness By Oath have announced the sad news that they will call it quits.

Cyclone Empire states: "The Basques released two of their four albums via Cyclone Empire (Fear Yourself - 2009, Near Death Experience - 2012), and we want to say thanx to those great guys and good luck for their future.

Darkness By Oath will play three final shows in Spain to say goodbye. A message from the band regarding their split follows:

“It’s been 12 long years since our very beginning until we’re are writing this lines. Lot of stuff happened, good and lots experiences and some bad luck and not too wise decisions taken by our side. Time goes by, and our moment with it. It’s time to finish and start another paths, ideas and projects.Is time for Darkness By Oath to say goodbye.

If someone would tell us at the time we started the band that we would end doing all the stuff we’ve done, we would not believe it, as our only goal by that time was recording a CD. We’ve been lucky and have done much more stuff than we ever thought, and we’re proud of it. We released four CDs, covers of bands that we admire, shared stage with them, tour quite a lot even. You can not ask for more considering how the music business is going nowadays.

We’d like to thank all the people who has been part of the DBO family in a way or other, helping us in different ways with stuff that we couldn’t do by ourselves, since the Arrasate rehearsal room days, until these last months. You know who you are, and so do we, You fucking rule!!! Special thanks to Nahikari for all her work for the band during all these years, name it covers, pics or everything image/design related, eskerrik asko!!! We can not forget our ex members Alex, Angel, Ruben and Diego, for all those years in the band, Eternal Thanks!!!

We would like to thank also our present and former labels (Indar/Erzsebet, Cyclone Empire and Metal Blade) for their confidence and great work supporting the band all these years. Thanks a lot to all the bands we’ve found on the road, have shared good and bad times and enjoyed being on stage. As long as you guys have strength and illusion keep on doing it!

To all the promoters, clubs, bars and places we have played in and to everyone who supported the band in any way, attending to shows, buying CDs or merch, whatever you’ve done, THANK YOU. Media, webzines, magazines, fanzines, radio stations, journalists, which without their work people wouldn’t know about us and what we’ve been up to.

You won’t get rid of us that easy, ´cause we’ll keep on involved in music, Auryn Studios, Numen, Knives or any other project, you never know. At least we’ve been doing something that we love during all this years, and enjoyed it a lot. There will be some farewell shows in the following dates.

Darkness By Oath (2002-2014)”

After some triumphant live debut shows in their newest incarnation supporting Bolt Thrower and Morgoth, Dutch blackened death doom metallers, Soulburn, are getting ready to release their sophomore album, The Suffocating Darkness, via Century Media Records on November 17th. Check out “Under The Rise Of A Red Moon” from the album, streaming below.

Soulburn drummer Bob Bagchus (ex-Asphyx) had to say about the track: “This track shows well what Soulburn is all about: cold, dark and grim blackened doom/death metal. "Under The Rise Of A Red Moon" is furious and contains all the elements we love the most about metal. This song also shows that one does not need many riffs to create a grim atmosphere...this is a mid-paced assault with a pure and heavy 80's feel, just how we wanted it!”



The Suffocating Darkness was recorded with Harry Wijering (Harrow Productions) and mix/mastering duties were taken over by Dan Swanö (Unisound Recordings). The artwork, which can be seen below, was designed by Timo Ketola (Watain, Deathspell Omega) and additional artwork was provided by Roberto Toderico (Sinister, Asphyx).






Originally, Soulburn emerged after the demise of Dutch death metal legend Asphyx in the mid 90’s, when founding members Eric Daniels (guitars) and Bob Bagchus (drums) looked for a seperate outlet to unleash their mutual obsession with Bathory, Venom, Celtic Frost and unite it with a dark, doomy and primal death metallic twist. After a demo and the cult Feeding On Angels debut album via Century Media Records in 1998, which featured Wannes Gubbels (Pentacle) on vocals/bass, Soulburn were put to rest and seemed to be a mere transitional act before Asphyx achieved a short-lived return for On The Wings Of Inferno (2000) with the same lineup.

Soulburn was dead, buried, but not forgotten...

And now, 16 years after their debut album, the blackened death metal merchants return to the surface in their new lineup shape that again features the core of Eric Daniels (guitars) and Bob Bagchus (drums), teaming up with Twan van Geel (Flesh Made Sin, Legion Of The Damned) as vocalist/bassist and Remco Kreft (Grand Supreme Blood Court, Nailgun Massacre, Xenomorph) as second guitarist.

More details about The Suffocating Darkness will be available in the coming weeks.

New York's brutal death metal maniacs, Skinless, have entered the studio to record their long-awaited new album. After reforming in the summer of 2013, Skinless are recording their first new album in over eight years.

The group is preparing seven new destructive anthems at Edie Road Studios in Argyle, NY with engineer Tom Case and will then send it off for mixing to Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Primitive Man) and then mastering at Audio Siege Studios in Portland (Obituary, Nails).

The album is planned for a spring 2015 release via Relapse Records with tentative song titles including "Serpenticide", "Skinless", and "The Beast Smells Blood". Artwork will be handled by Ken Sarafin.

Grindcore masters, Pig Destroyer, are set to release a two song doom EP, entitled Mass & Volume, this fall. Previously available for a limited time as a digital only release with all of the proceeds going to the family of former Relapse Records employee Pat Egan, who tragically passed away last year, this cult release will now be available on physical formats for the first time ever. A full stream of the EP can be found below.

Written and recorded during the final hours of the sessions for 2007’s Phantom Limb LP, Mass & Volume finds Pig Destroyer’s typically break neck speed virtually come to a grinding halt with two epic songs of crushing doom. The album will be available on October 14th in North America, October 13th in the UK/World and October 10th in Germany/Benelux/Finland.

Mass & Volume will be limited to a one time press of 2,000 CDs worldwide and a limited run of colored vinyl, each featuring the stunning cover art from legendary artist Arik Roper (High on Fire, Sleep). Pre-orders are available here.

Fan-filmed video footage of EXODUS' October 5 performance at Circo Voador in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil can be seen below.

EXODUS will release its tenth studio album, "Blood In Blood Out", in North America on October 14 via Nuclear Blast. The CD is EXODUS' first album since the departure of the band's lead singer of the past nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of his predecessor, Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy lends his signature roar to the track "BTK", one of the first songs recorded by Souza, who recently said: "Chuck and I have known each other forever. We work really well together; we know each other really well. So if I'm doing my vocals and he's there, I can trust him to go, 'No way, Zet, [it] doesn't sound good like that. Do it like this,' or, 'Yeah, that's killer.' If he says it sounds killer, I know it is." Original EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, who has been a member of METALLICA for the past 31 years, contributed a solo to "Salt The Wound". "It felt really casual, really cool — just like it did back in 1980 when we were all just hanging out back in the day," Hammett told RollingStone.com. "Me, recording a solo on their album was a huge thing for me. Other than the EXODUS demo that's been heard by a lot of people, it's the only time I ever recorded with EXODUS. It was a huge thing for me."

He added: "I play a pretty cool solo, and then Gary [Holt] comes in and plays another solo, and you know what? I listened to that and thought, 'Wow, it's 1982 all over again and here we are, Gary and I are trying to cut each other's heads off with our guitar solos.' Nothing has changed much in the last 30 years. I love it. I love those guys. I've only known them for most of my life, so I'm really happy that I finally got to record with them."

Asked what EXODUS is doing differently on "Blood In Blood Out" compared to the band's previous efforts, Souza said: "I just think it's way more brutal now. I think if you look at the production value in the albums, from 'Bonded By Blood' [1985] and even 'Impact Is Imminent' [1990] and now you look at them, from 'Tempo Of The Damned' [2004] and then 'Shovel Headed Kill Machine' [2005] and 'The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A' [2007] and 'Exhibit B: The Human Condition' [2010] and now to 'Blood In, Blood Out', I just think the maturity level and knowing what you wanna sound like and knowing what you're going for and knowing what you do well. Not trying to second-guess yourself and go, 'Oh, we've gotta do this because of this.' It's not like that anymore. Now it's all about, 'Hey, we're EXODUS. We've been EXODUS for 30 years. And let's just be EXODUS.'"

EXODUS will embark on a supporting run in November with fellow metal titans SLAYER and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. The Scion-sponsored leg of this U.S. tour launches on November 11 with two shows at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California.

UK rising rock/metal quintet, In Search Of Sun, have released a new music video, for the track "Draw The Line", featured on their debut album, The World Is Yours, available digitally in North America via Raging Demon Entertainment.



Formerly known as Driven, The World Is Yours marks a significant step up in songwriting, production and maturity for In Search Of Sun, with head-bopping beats, epic choruses and ambient soundscapes replacing the groove-laden metalcore roots of its debut EP, A Breakdown of Character. The album itself is built upon a foundation that's been developing over the last three years, with the name change being the final piece of the puzzle in terms of crafting and sealing the band's identity.


Commented the band, "The World Is Yours has been a while in the making, but it's a big shift up for us in terms of direction and sound and we can't wait to get out there and start playing these songs live. Expect an uplifting and hard-hitting journey through groove-ridden riffing and punching beats."

The World Is Yours was produced by Phil Kinman at MTR Studios (Deadly Circus Fire, Tank, Paul Di'Anno) and mastered by Harry Hess at HBomb Mastering (Cancer Bats).






The World Is Yours tracklisting:

"The World Is Yours"
"Give In"
"51 56"
"In Search Of Sun"
"Idle Crown"
"Burn"
"To The Axe"
"Skin"
"Draw The Line"
"The Eyes Behind I"

"Idle Crown" lyric video:

The sixth and final American Heritage album, Prolapse, is due out on November 24th via Solar Flare Records. The album track, "Anxious Bedwetter", can be heard below.

Recorded and mixed by Sanford Parker at SOMA Studios in Chicago, IL, and with additional recording by Che Arthur and Mike Lust, Prolapse is the follow-up to the band’s 2011 album Sedentary, and features six new songs plus three cover tracks.

Following the recording of this new effort, vocalist/guitarist Adam Norden left the band, making Prolapse their farewell release after 18 years of abuse and racket.

Check out the full tracklisting and the cover art, created by A.W. Sommers below.






"Eastward Cast The Entrails"
"Anxious Bedwetter"
"Obliviocrity"
"Constant And Consuming Fear Of Death And Dying"
"Mask Of Lies"
"Blackbird"
"Hürtin’ Crüe" (Descendents cover)
"Thirsty And Miserable" (Blag Flag cover)
"Bulletproof Cupid" (Girls Against Boys cover)

"Anxious Bedwetter":

THE SIRENS, the collaboration between vocalists Kari Rueslåtten (THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL), Anneke van Giersbergen (THE GATHERING) and Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (LEAVES' EYES, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY), has made two songs available for streaming. Check out the tracks "Sisters Of The Earth" and "Embracing The Seasons" below.

The seeds for THE SIRENS were planted when Anneke approached Kari in early 2013 with the proposal of doing a duet for her "Drive" album (released in 2013). Seeing as Anneke regards Kari as an inspiration going in to do THE GATHERING's breakthrough album, "Mandylion", Anneke's intention was to pay tribute to Kari via the collaboration. The song didn't make the final cut as it didn't fit the album, but they remained in touch. Then, in July 2013, Anneke and Liv had a chance meeting at the Masters Of Rock festival in the Czech Republic, and THE SIRENS concept was born.

"We had a few minutes only to talk in between our gigs," Liv recalls, "but we agreed that we really should get together and tour. We both had to smile then, thinking that we were, with Kari, the 'originals' within our scene. Moreover, all three of us being mothers and still highly busy in music and art. Anneke told me that she had just talked to Kari, and that was the 'go' for THE SIRENS."

It would be fair to call Kari the catalyst for THE SIRENS, as both Anneke and Liv saw her as a role model when they first made their way into music.

"I find it hard to believe that I once inspired them," Kari admits, "but if so, it is truly flattering. It is a fantastic feeling to know that I will be singing live with two such amazing vocalists!"

THE SIRENS tour will be split into two parts, including festival appearances, and staged at the end of 2014 in October and December. It will be a full concert showcasing the trio, one band, and a setlist featuring songs from THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL, THE GATHERING and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY as well as tracks from Kari, Anneke and Liv's respective solo careers. They will sing alone, perform duets, capping off the night with all three of them on stage, with a show that is expected to clock in at around 100 minutes each night. Thus, it's a trip down memory lane produced for the here and now with brand new and unexpected elements, making THE SIRENS a nostalgia-fuelled reminder of who started it all and why it worked. And at the end of the night nobody will leave disappointed.

"The female-fronted scene has become so big all over the world, sometimes it's hard to believe the three of us were at the very beginning of it," says Anneke. "I am very proud of that. Without intentionally wanting to start a new genre, our bands made it okay to sound and look as a girl singer on a metal stage. It was all very new and exciting. I think the tour is great to, in a way, celebrate those early days now that a third-wave of bands is appearing on the scene."

There are noteworthy parallels in the lives of Kari, Anneke and Liv that bind them together. All three fronted influential bands, they went on to have lucrative solo careers and remain active, and they've successfully balanced music with family life. It's clear the trio share a chemistry that will make "The Sirens" a rousing success.

"I'm looking forward to it a lot," Anneke says. "Making music with kindred spirits is such a wonderful feeling. I also love harmonizing with more than one singer on stage, so that will be a cool aspect of the show as well."

"The fans have been waiting for this for years and years," Liv adds. "I can't wait to share stage with Kari and Anneke. They are absolutely lovely and we have so much in common. This is a kind of magic."

Video highlights of STRYPER's October 5 acoustic performance at Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire can be seen below.

STRYPER release a concert CD/DVD combination called "Live At The Whisky" on September 23 via Frontiers. The live recording was captured at a sold-out show last November at the legendary Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California. The 16-track collection documents the band's first show in support of its latest, critically acclaimed release, "No More Hell To Pay". From the show opener "Legacy" to the final notes of show finale "Soldiers Under Command", "Live At The Whisky" documents STRYPER's rich musical legacy that spans over 30 years. The original lineup comprised of Michael Sweet (vocals/guitars), Robert Sweet (drums), Oz Fox (guitars) and Tim Gaines (bass) showcase the musicianship and songs that garnered the band a huge fan base in the mainstream world and the Christian market.

"No More Hell To Pay" sold around 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Second Coming", a collection of re-recorded versions of STRYPER's classic songs, opened with around 4,400 units back in April to land at No. 117.

STRYPER's covers album, 2011's "The Covering", registered a first-week tally of around 4,600 copies to enter the chart at No. 175.

The band's previous collection of new material, 2009's "Murder By Pride", premiered with 5,900 copies to debut at No. 73.

"No More Hell To Pay" was released on November 5, 2013 in North America via Frontiers Records.

Boston's Revocation are streaming the new track, "Labyrinth Of Eyes", from their upcoming fifth album, Deathless, set for an October 14th release via Metal Blade.



The album will be available in CD, 2LP and digital formats. A pre-order is available at MetalBlade.com.

Deathless was recorded with acclaimed producer Zeuss at Planet Z studios in Massachusetts. The album is ten tracks of ambitious, catchy, and undeniably heavy material. Musically, cuts like "Madness Opus" showcase a more deliberate Revocation - restrained, if even moderately so, to deliver a slow, near-dirge like track. Alternatively, the title track highlights the diversity of Davidson's vocals with a catchy chorus. It's an earworm the likes of which the band had only previously hinted. The rest of the album offers a refreshing variety of music and truly feels like an "album", rather than a collection of similar tracks. This is a refinement, achieved only through years of focusing on their craft.






Lyrically, Deathless addresses life on the road and the band's commitment to touring, followed by even more touring. "Madness Opus" made its live debut when Revocation toured with DevilDriver and Whitechapel during the summer of 2014. Davidson discusses the track: "The crowd response for that tune has been overwhelmingly positive. It's one of the heaviest songs we've ever written, hands down, and has been a blast to play live. Lyrically, it's about one of my favorite HP Lovecraft stories, The Music Of Erich Zann. Fans of unnamable cosmic horror and punishing death metal will not be disappointed!"

Hang The Bastard are streaming their track, "The Majestic Gathering Of Goetia", featured on their new album, Sex In The Seventh Circle. The album was released on September 22nd via SOAR/Century Media in Europe and will be available on October 14th in North America.

Produced by Steve Sears at Titan Studios in London (Gallows, Spycatcher) and with jaw dropping conceptual art from Daniel P Carter, Sex In The Seventh Circle promises to be Hang The Bastard's iron clad stamp on the worldwide heavy music scene. Dripping with acidic bile and fuzz fuelled venom, Hang The Bastard's latest creation is a lesson in blunt force trauma but also has a dynamic, more subtle streak of melody throughout. The result is a sonic union of the heaviest doom, the most righteous metal, and an undoubtably old school vibe that is as much Sleep and Sabbath as it is Crowbar and COC.






Sex In The Seventh Circle tracklisting:

"Keeping Vigil"
"Morrs Tempest"
"Hornfel"
"The Lesser Key"
"The Majestic Gathering Of Goetia"
"Mist Of Albion"
"Sex In The Seventh Circle"
"Snake Symbol"
"Absorption"
"Beyond The Pale"
"Sweet Mother"

This October/November, Swedish / American / Canadian metal icons ARCH ENEMY will return to North American soil to tour in support of their critically acclaimed new album, "War Eternal". To celebrate this momentous headlining trek, the band will release a split seven-inch single with German thrash metal veterans KREATOR, who will provide direct support on the run. The exclusive transparent red seven-inch single (limited to 500 copies) will be available at the merchandise table; a dark red seven-inch single (limited to 500 copies) will also be available on KREATOR and ARCH ENEMY's European tour, which sees ARCH ENEMY as direct support.

ARCH ENEMY/KREATOR split seven-inch track listing:

Side A - ARCH ENEMY

01. Breaking The Law (JUDAS PRIEST cover)

Side B - KREATOR

01. Iron Destiny

ARCH ENEMY's Michael Amott (guitar) comments: "Super excited about the upcoming tours in Europe and USA with KREATOR, and it's really cool to have this split vinyl seven-inch single coming out to celebrate the extreme metal party of the year!

"Covering the JUDAS PRIEST classic 'Breaking The Law' is obviously not the most original idea, but this is a heavily rearranged version that sounds very ARCH ENEMY, and anyhow, there's no denying that the mighty PRIEST is a great influence on ARCH ENEMY.

"Enjoy this unique and limited KREATOR/ARCH ENEMY release and see you on the road!"

KREATOR's Mille Petrozza (vocals, guitar) adds: "Finally, after all these years, ARCH ENEMY and KREATOR not only tour together, but will also release a split single!

"I have always been a fan of this stuff since these are special little collector's items.

"We chose the song 'Iron Destiny' for this. Lyrically, this is a tribute to the early days of the band, the days when we were young metalheads, discovering the music that we still love to this day.

"KREATOR is looking forward to this run and we hope to see all of you!"

IN THIS MOMENT's fifth album, "Black Widow", will be released on November 17. The CD was once again helmed by Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, HELLYEAH, PAPA ROACH) at his The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The cover artwork for "Black Widow" can be seen below.

"Black Widow" is available for pre-order on the iTunes Store and other digital retailers. The album is being offered to fans in an array of distinctive configurations, including a very special vinyl piece exclusively available at Atlantic's webstore. All pre-orders will receive four instant grat downloads prior to the album release, highlighted by the potent first single, "Sick Like Me", which arrived at multi-format rock radio outlets nationwide. A companion video is currently in production, with a premiere date to be announced soon.

IN THIS MOMENT last year inked a new deal with Atlantic Records, a division of Warner Music Group, following the completion of its contract with Century Media Records. "'Black Widow' is definitely the darker part of me," says singer Maria Brink. "This album is about finding the weakness inside and turning it into strength. It's about being reborn, setting yourself free and realizing the balance in everything — the dark and the light. "We are very excited to be releasing this album through Atlantic Records," she adds, "who have put out some of the greatest and most revered albums of all time. I am so ready and excited for the launch of this album. I think people will embrace its diversity and hearing different sides of us that they haven't experienced yet." "Here we go again," says guitarist Chris Howorth. "This was by far the most challenging, exciting and rewarding experience we've ever had making a record. We threw out the rulebook and tried to create something fearless, constantly pushing ourselves to make an album unlike anyone has heard before. Fans, get ready for this ride — everything is going to the next level."

Howorth told Billboard earlier in the year that the band wanted its new studio effort to be "bigger and better" than 2012's "Blood", while "still keeping true to that same vibe." He added: "We feel like we found something and want to stick the flag in the ground on top of that hill."

"Black Widow" is expected to feature several special guests, including FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer Ivan Moody. IN THIS MOMENT frontwoman Maria Brink previously appeared on the FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH track "Anywhere But Here", which was included on "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" album.

IN THIS MOMENT has had its share of ups and downs since forming in 2005, but Brink told The Pulse Of Radio that the band is in a good place now. "To be where we are in our career, the strongest it's ever been, and like everything that I've ever, ever even dreamed of creating is happening," she said. "You know, it's just such a good message for listeners and anybody, you know, who hears our story, just 'cause people need to really understand the power that they hold within themselves."

IN THIS MOMENT released all four of its previous studio efforts through Century Media, including "Blood".

"Blood" was IN THIS MOMENT's highest-charting album, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard album chart, while the title track became the band's first-ever Top 10 hit at rock radio.

COAL CHAMBER, the reformed '90s alt-metal band fronted by current DEVILDRIVER singer Dez Fafara, has entered Audiohammer studio in Sanford, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (DEVILDRIVER, CANNIBAL CORPSE) to begin recording its comeback album for a tentative early 2015 release via Napalm Records.

Dez told SiriusXM Liquid Metal host Jose Mangin in August about COAL CHAMBER's decision to record a new studio album: "Over the years we just started talking and hanging out, and from there we decided to take it around the world and on a tour, and it went really well. Everywhere we would go crowds were coming out in force, and from there it would come to guys slipping me demoes silently, without anyone really knowing and I loved the stuff. It was evolved, we have evolved, and the music has evolved. And when I heard a couple of the songs I said, 'Man, this could be legitimately really cool.' So we signed with Napalm Records; they'll be our partner in this. I'm tracking vocals in November and we're hoping to be done, mixed, and mastered in January and get it out to people next year."

Bassist Nadja Peulen returned to COAL CHAMBER in November 2013 following the departure of Canadian musician Chela Rhea Harper, who joined the band in late 2011 and toured with the group for nearly two years.

COAL CHAMBER and SEVENDUST last year took part in a U.S. co-headlining tour. Also appearing on the bill was LACUNA COIL.

COAL CHAMBER rose to prominence with a gold-certified debut album in 1997 that established the group as one of the most promising bands on the then-emerging, so-called "nu metal" scene.

Peulen replaced Foss in 1999 during Rayna's pregnancy for almost 12 months while the band was on the road supporting its second album, "Chamber Music". Rayna came back to the band after her pregnancy leave and recorded COAL CHAMBER's third album, "Dark Days". Shortly after recording "Dark Days", Rayna quit the band and Nadja was recruited for the touring cycle that followed the CD's release. The band broke up during the "Dark Days" tour in 2002 and reunited nine years later.

Treviso, Italy power metallers Burning Black have released their new video for the single “Flag Of Rock”. The song is taken from their upcoming album Remission Of Sin, which will be released on October 10th by Limb Music GmbH.








Tracklisting:

"Do Lung Bridge"
"Mercenary Of War"
"Remission Of Sin"
"Flag Of Rock"
"Crucified Heart"
"Spaceman's Theory" (Instrumental)
"Visionary In A Primitive Future"
"Love Me"
"Soulless Stone"
"Far Away"
"True Metal Jacket"

Bonus Video:

"Flag Of Rock"

Exclusively Digital Download Bonus Track:

"Angry Machine…Of Love" (Acoustic Version)

The new music video of the third single "Confiscation Day" taken from the upcoming Necrotted album Utopia 2.0 is out now. It was shot in Aalen within one night inside of an old industrial hall which optically provides the perfect atmosphere for the music of Necrotted. The song itself is catchy, fast and brutal but at the same time groovy and melodic. It has a catchy refrain which invites you to sing along and meaningful lyrics. The result is a dynamic and powerful performance video which was produced in cooperation with Julez Media Design.



Utopia 2.0 will be released on October 10th via Supreme Chaos Records.


Utopia 2.0 tracklisting:

“Step Forward”
“Utopia (We Are The Light)”
“Rebuild And Revive”
“Confiscation Day”
“Assimilation”
“Bigotry Unmasked”
“Xenophobic Attitudes”
“Mind Control”
“Anthem Of The Oppressed”
“Liberty, Equality, Brutality”
“United We Stand”
“Philanthropic Misanthrope”

Nuclear War Now! Productions has set October 31st as the international release date for Doombringer’s The Grand Sabbath. In recent years,

A press release states: “Doombringer has been responsible for some of the darkest emanations from the bleak region of Poland. After several demos and 7” releases, Doombringer now unleashes its debut full-length, The Grand Sabbath. This album is a triumphant exaltation of darkness. The band has spent considerable time arriving at this point, and their dedication is manifest. Doombringer imbue the cacophonous intensity of death metal with the unconstrained evil of black metal, exploring the nexus between the raw, oppressive darkness of Goatlord and the ecstatic and transcendent evil of bands like Varathron and Mortuary Drape. The high level of composition is immediately apparent, and against the backdrop of the band’s tremendous songwriting is a tendency to enhance their sound with unanticipated sonic and vocal flourishes that accentuate the unique character of the songs. As such, The Grand Sabbath is a manifesto of the future direction of black/death and is destined to expand and epitomize the perimeters of extremity inherent in both genres.”

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:


“Labyrinth Of Everlasting Fire/Ecstasy Of Witch Blood”
“Ominous Alliance”
“Nocturnal Assembly”
“Vessel Of Gifts”
“Children To Moloch”
“The Sleep Of Thanatos”
“Grand Sabbath Reaps Souls”


Lineup:

Old Coffin Spirit - bass/vocals
Sepulchral Ghoul - drums
Tribes of the Moon - guitars
Medium Mortem - vocals

Fan-filmed video footage of Robert Plant's October 7 performance at the Palladium in Hollywood, California can be seen below.

"Lullaby… And The Ceaseless Roar", Plant's new solo set with backing band SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS earned the former LED ZEPPELIN frontman a Top 10 hit on The Billboard 200 album chart. According to The Pulse Of Radio, "Lullaby… And The Ceaseless Roar" came in a full five spaces under Plant's previous studio set, 2010's "Band Of Joy", and far below his Top 2 runaway hit with Alison Krauss on their groundbreaking 2007 "Raising Sand" collection. Plant's 2004 album, "Mighty Rearranger", got as high as No. 4.

Robert Plant told The Pulse Of Radio that the success he found in 2007 with the "Raising Sand" album both liberated and centered him creatively. "Following the work with Alison Krauss, which was a spectacular revival of my spirit in a way, I felt I could do more or less anything, I could sink and swim," he explained. "There was no real big partnership moment. I don't have to ask anybody anything. I just stood there a little bit like I did when I was about 17."

Plant has arguably been the lone holdout for another LED ZEPPELIN reunion. Despite promoters essentially offering the band a blank check for a series of concerts, Plant remains committed to his new musical direction in the roots and blues-based "Americana" field.

"I hate to say it, but it felt young," Plant told The Pulse Of Radio. "It felt like I didn't know what was going to happen next, and it didn't really matter — and that was the great thing. I know the songs that I like and the songs that I always attach myself to have been of a certain genre, if they're not self-penned. And I was in very good company with people who had a very familiar lean in the same direction."

DEF LEPPARD has tapped TRIXTER guitarist Steve Brown to fill in for Vivian Campbell while Vivian is undergoing stem-cell treatment in his continuing battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Brown made his live debut with DEF LEPPARD on September 28 at the pre-game show at the first of this year's three NFL International Series games when the Oakland Raiders hosted the Miami Dolphins. He will also perform with DEF LEPPARD in Santa Ynez, Rancho Mirage and Temecula in late October and early November.

Official video footage of Brown's debut appearance with DEF LEPPARD can be seen below.

Campbell — who before joining DEF LEPPARD in 1992 was well known for his work with DIO and WHITESNAKE — went public with his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis last summer, but announced in November that he was in remission.

The term "remission" means that the symptoms of the cancer have either been eliminated or reduced. When the tumor is completely gone, doctors call it "complete remission."

However, Campbell revealed earlier in the year that the cancer had returned and he was battling the disease with a new high-tech chemo treatment.

In a message to fans on DEF LEPPARD's official web site, Campbell wrote: "While I can't say that I'm looking forward to the process ahead, I'm very much looking forward to what I feel will be a most successful outcome.

"Next year will be very busy for DEF LEPPARD with a new album and a world tour, and frankly, I don't think they would sound as loud without me, so I have no intention of letting the team down!"

AVATARIUM, the project led by Leif Edling, founding bassist and main songwriter of Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS, will release a new vinyl/digital-only EP, "All I Want", on November 14 via Nuclear Blast.

In addition to Edling, AVATARIUM features Marcus Jidell (ROYAL HUNT, EVERGREY) on guitar, Lars Sköld (TIAMAT) on drums, Carl Westholm on keyboards and Jennie-Ann Smith on vocals.

In early 2014, AVATARIUM felt the need to break new musical ground and, after listening to some old vinyl records, the desire to get closer to this kind of material was born. With a new demo track at hand, Edling was joined by Jidell to work on the song that would be called "All I Want". While the two musicians got deeper into exploring where they want to take the music of AVATARIUM and how they can keep things interesting for themselves and for the fans, yet another song was created, and the idea to make a new EP was fully set. The old spirit comes even more alive, with psychedelic percussionist Michael Blair, who has worked with Tom Waits and Lou Reed, among others, guesting on "All I Want". Commented Jidell: "[Michael] showed up at the studio with a big 'bag of tricks' with metals, crashers, shakers and a lot of strange things which he made sound like if you throw in a punkrocker at Woodstock and feed him with psychedelic pills!" About the new songs, he adds: "We tried to keep things simple and spontaneous during the recordings, something I hope people will be able to hear. Also, I think that Jennie-Ann Smith has reached new levels with the way she sings on both of the new songs!" "All I Want" EP track listing: 10-inch single:

Side A (45 RPM)

01. All I Want02. Deep Well

Side B (33 RPM)

01. Pandora's Egg (live)02. Tides Of Telepathy (live)03. Bird Of Prey (live) The three live songs were recorded at the 2014 edition of renowned Roadburn festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands, which was the second ever AVATARIUM show and the first one outside of Sweden.

The official "All I Want" lyric video can be seen below.

Due to his health condition, Edling was unable to perform with AVATARIUM at some of the band's most recent gigs. Filling in for him once again was Anders Iwers from TIAMAT.

AVATARIUM's self-titled debut album was released in Europe on November 1, 2013 via Nuclear Blast.

AVATARIUM's first release was a 12-inch mini-LP, "Moonhorse", featuring the title track, the B-side "Boneflower" as well as an acoustic cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs". It arrived on September 20, 2013.

AVATARIUM is:

Leif Edling: BassJennie-Ann Smith: VocalsMarcus Jidell: GuitarLars Sköld: DrumsCarl Westholm: Keyboards

Three previously unreleased QUEEN songs featuring late singer Freddie Mercury spearhead an exciting new QUEEN album, "Queen Forever", due November 10 on the Virgin Records label.

A trailer for "Queen Forever" is available below.

The tracks include a long-anticipated track from QUEEN and Michael Jackson, "There Must Be More to Life Than This", a previously unfinished Mercury-QUEEN track, "Let Me In Your Heart Again", originating from the band's "The Works" album recording sessions, and a scorching new stripped-down ballad version of Mercury's first solo hit, his Giorgio Moroder collaboration, "Love Kills".

The rest of the package brings together QUEEN hits, classic tracks, and new takes on well-known songs, matched with band recordings Brian May describes as "things that we have collected together that are representative of our growth rather than the big hits" in a collection immaculately assembled by May and Roger Taylor themselves. The tracks are all linked to represent a definitive collection of QUEEN's timeless love songs.

"Queen Forever" is available as a 20-track single CD and as an extended 36-track, two-CD set, and celebrates the extraordinary musical path of one of the world's greatest rock bands.

Anticipation for these new Mercury tracks has been high since May and Taylor first hinted earlier this year that new tracks featuring Mercury were being explored.

Speaking at the press conference to launch their North American concert tour with singer Adam Lambert earlier in the year, May said: "There was a little bit more in the can that we had overlooked for a long time, so we have a few songs which we're working on right now. Freddie sounds as fresh as yesterday."

On the subject, Taylor said: "We've got some great new tracks that haven't been heard and there's an interesting selection of older stuff."

The QUEEN and Michael Jackson duet, "There Must Be More to Life Than This", began as a song written by Mercury during sessions for QUEEN's 1981 album, "Hot Space". The band recorded a backing track, but the song was never completed. Mercury visited Michael Jackson at his home studio in Los Angeles where he recorded Jackson singing the song for an unfinished version. QUEEN revived the track during sessions for 1984's "The Works", but again it was not finished. A year later, Freddie's own version of the song surfaced on his debut solo album, 1985's "Mr. Bad Guy". This new production of the powerful ballad fuses QUEEN's original backing track and Mercury and Jackson's distinctive vocals, and has been produced and remixed by celebrated Madonna/Robbie Williams producer William Orbit.

Talking of his involvement, Orbit said: "I had known Roger for many years. Now he was on the phone asking if I would get involved in this musical adventure.

"When I first played it in my studio, I opened a trove of delights provided by the greatest of musicians. Hearing Michael Jackson's vocals was stirring. So vivid, so cool, and poignant, it was like he was in the studio singing live. With Freddie's vocal solo on the mixing desk, my appreciation for his gift was taken to an even higher level.

"The musicianship of all four members of QUEEN is phenomenal. Roger, an extraordinarily multi talented man I've always admired. John Deacon's original bass part with its lyrical fluidity that made it easy for me to know where to put the odd reinforcement. Freddie's original piano carried most of the song's musical DNA. Brian, one take for the solo, a blur of fingers, and the spirits of MJ and FM fully present, in the moment, sending shivers down the spine."

Perhaps the biggest revelation on "Queen Forever" is Brian May's composition, "Let Me In Your Heart Again". The song was first recorded by "Queen For The Works" album, but not completed at the time and has remained overlooked since then. An authentic, live-in-the-studio track from the same golden age as "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want To Break Free", this never-before-heard QUEEN track shows off Freddie's timeless vocals and features newly recorded guitar parts and new backing vocals from Brian and Roger. This thrilling track finally reaches us nearly 30 years after Freddie first laid down his original vocal.

The third new track, "Love Kills", was composed by Freddie Mercury and famed German producer/songwriter Giorgio Moroder for the soundtrack to Moroder's newly restored and tinted version of Fritz Lang's 1927 classic silent movie "Metropolis" in 1984 to which he added a pop soundtrack featuring various music artists. Mercury recorded a high-energy dance version of the song that became his debut solo hit in 1985. However, it is less well known that all four members of QUEEN played on the original track. Prior to QUEEN embarking on their recent tour with lead singer Adam Lambert, Brian May proposed performing an acoustic ballad version of "Love Kills", which became one of the most memorable moments of the current QUEEN & Adam Lambert shows. This new QUEEN-Freddie studio version is shaped in the same ballad style and revives the QUEEN original with some newly recorded guitars and drums by May and Taylor, becoming a glorious showcase for one of Freddie's most adrenaline-charged vocal performances.

Alongside this new material, both the one and two-CD versions of "Queen Forever" feature songs that spotlight the band's songwriting prowess, studio experimentation and remarkable development. It's a timely reminder that, almost uniquely in the world of rock and pop, all four members of QUEEN were accomplished songwriters and superlatively gifted musicians.

"Queen Forever" reaches back as far as 1974 with fan favorite "Nevermore", a Freddie Mercury song originally included on "Queen II", the album that first saw QUEEN use the recording studio as an instrument in its own right. From the same year comes the dramatic power ballad "In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited", once the grand finale of any QUEEN show, and since revived by QUEEN and lead singer Adam Lambert on their 2014 tour. Meanwhile, the upbeat single "You're My Best Friend", written by bass guitarist John Deacon, showcased QUEEN's poppier side and was released as the follow-up to 1975's "Bohemian Rhapsody", becoming a Top 10 UK and Top 20 US hit in the same year and gave John Deacon his first QUEEN hit single.

Elsewhere, 1977's "Long Away" remains the only QUEEN single to feature Brian May on lead vocals; and the same year's B-side Drowse" includes a rare QUEEN performance from Roger Taylor on guitar. QUEEN saw out the decade with a run of hits that included the gospel-flavored "Somebody To Love", memorably performed by QUEEN and George Michael at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992, and finished on a high with '79's U.S. No. 1 hit, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", an exuberant rockabilly pop song composed by Freddie Mercury in the bath in Munich.

By touching on prog rock, gospel, acoustic balladry, Elvis-style rock'n'roll and more, these songs alone encapsulate QUEEN's diversity in the 1970s. However, the band threw out the rulebook completely in the decades that followed, embracing funk, hard rock, soul and pure pop, but always sounding unmistakably QUEEN. The band used synthesizers for the first time on 1980's "Play The Game" single; Freddie sang some of his vocals in Spanish on the 1982 hit "Las Palabras De Amor", and 1986's "One Year Of Love" featuring unusually a saxophone. The album is completed by latter-day QUEEN hits, including '91's No. 1 "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" and '95's "Too Much Love Will Kill You", together with the poignant "A Winter's Tale", recorded during Freddie Mercury's final QUEEN recording sessions in Montreux in 1991.

"Queen Forever" is both a showcase for these exclusive new recordings, but also an enduring tribute to the extraordinary musical achievements of John Deacon, Brian May, Roger Taylor and the late, great Freddie Mercury whose singular talent we can again get to marvel at with the arrival of these previously unheard tracks.

"Queen Forever". Forever? Who can tell? But for now we can be certain that this highly rewarding collection of QUEEN new, rare, and at their most accomplished, more than serves to uphold the band's indisputable place in music history and is certain to earn a prized place in music collections for a long time to come.

QUEEN certainly rates in the top among Britain's favourite bands. The UK's Official Charts Company earlier this year confirmed QUEEN's 1981 "Greatest Hits" album as Britain's best-selling album of all time all after surpassing the 6 million sales milestone. A staggering one in three British households now own a copy of the iconic act's original best-of collection.

And if 6 million sales isn't enough for the band, QUEEN's follow-up, "Greatest Hits II", which was released in October 1991 also rides high at No. 10 in the all-time Official Albums Chart, having notched up a further 3.9 million UK sales to date.

"Queen Forever" track listings

Single CD:

01. Let Me In Your Heart Again02. Love Kills – The Ballad03. There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix)04. It's A Hard Life05. You're My Best Friend06. Love Of My Life07. Drowse08. Long Away09. Lily Of The Valley10. Don't Try So Hard11. Bijou12. These Are The Days Of Our Lives13. Las Palabras De Amor14. Who Wants To Live Forever15. A Winter's Tale16. Play The Game17. Save Me18. Somebody To Love19. Too Much Love Will Kill You20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

2-CD Set

CD1

01. Let Me In Your Heart Again02. Love Kills – The Ballad03. There Must Be More To Life Than This (William Orbit Mix)04. Play The Game05. Dear Friends06. You're My Best Friend07. Love Of My Life08. Drowse09. You Take My Breath Away10. Spread Your Wings11. Long Away12. Lily Of The Valley13. Don't Try So Hard14. Bijou15. These Are The Days Of Our Lives16. Nevermore17. Las Palabras De Amor18. Who Wants To Live Forever

CD2

01. I Was Born To Love You02. Somebody To Love03. Crazy Little Thing Called Love04. Friends Will Be Friends05. Jealousy06. One Year of Love07. A Winters Tale08. '3909. Mother Love10. It's A Hard Life11. Save Me12. Made in Heaven13. Too Much Love Will Kill You14. Sail Away Sweet Sister15. The Miracle16. Is This The World We Created17. In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited18. Forever

Californian rockers PAPA ROACH will release their eighth studio album "F.E.A.R.", on January 27, 2015 via Eleven Seven Music. The follow-up to 2012's "The Connection" was recorded at Las Vegas' The Hideout Recording Studio, which is owned and operated by Canadian producer Kevin Churko, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, IN THIS MOMENT and HELLYEAH.

PAPA ROACH guitarist Jerry Horton revealed that the band worked with two producers, Kevin Churko and Kevin's son Kane, saying, "We did the first five songs with Kevin, the dad, and then the last seven with the son, because [Kevin] had a prior engagement with IN THIS MOMENT… It was a different sort of workflow, but we got into it and it was cool. And I think we came out with some really good stuff."

PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix told Kerrang! magazine that "F.E.A.R." is "probably the most positive record we've written," adding, "There's obviously been an element of hope within the despair of the music that we write, and I think that that's always key, and that's very important to what we do, is to always have that element of hope, and that's laced throughout the record." Shaddix, a recovering alcoholic and drug user, said he was nervous about camping out in Las Vegas during the recording sessions for the new album. He explained, "I've been sober for a few years now, and it was just, like, 'All right, how am I gonna go to Vegas and stay focused?' And I just had to put my spiritual armor on and just go out there and do my best to be creative."

Shaddix described the new album as "all things good PAPA ROACH — it's big, banging riffs, it's a very guitar-heavy record . . . It spans across the board, from heavy to reflective, to just in your face, out of control. It's just everything that we believe is great about PAPA ROACH."

"F.E.A.R." track listing: 01. Face Everything And Rise02. Skeletons03. Broken As Me04. Falling Apart05. Love Me Til It Hurts06. Never Have To Say Goodbye07. Gravity08. War Over Me09. Devil10. Warriors

PAPA ROACH filmed the "Face Everything And Rise" vide lateo last month. Horton described the experience as "tiring, painful, and dry, but totally worth it!" He added: "I can't wait for you to see [it]."

Shaddix co-directed the "Face Everything And Rise" video, for which he also came up with the concept. He told DutchScene: "Me and my partner from Luminous Pictures [Ezio Lucido, which] is another endeavor I'm involved in — it's a filmmaking company, but also we do music videos — this will be the first music video that I co-direct."

He continued: "It's pretty cool, man, 'cause the band is trusting me to co-direct this music video, which is the first time we've done something like this. And I've been trying to encourage Jerry… Jerry is going to shoot the photography for the album cover. And so, it's, like, we just kind of wanna take everything back into our hands instead of going, 'OK, cool. I wanna hear your interpretation.' Well, no. I wanna visually let you see what's in my heart when I'm creating this music."

Fan-filmed video footage of GHOST's entire September 26 concert at the Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below. Photos are available at this location.

Asked if GHOST could one day exist without the outfits and the theatrical stage show, a Nameless Ghoul told Ghost Colombia: "I don't think so. I am very comfortable with the idea of not potentially being anonymous, because, in many ways, we are not anymore. Every show there's 50 people outside our bus and we do informal meet-and-greets all the time, because we have to. We cannot… The laws of gravity… in the sense that we cannot play an enclosed arena where we can completely shy away from everybody, just hovering in a helicopter."

He continued: "We have chosen not to officially claim anything, just because that was never the idea. Whether or not we will do that in the future, we'll see, but I think that what is the most important thing is that we don't change too much of how the actual craft is being presented.

"I wouldn't like to see GHOST as being just a normal band… I mean, on stage, the way that we portray ourselves. Just because people wouldn't know, like, the name of a member or anything like that… It's not like we're gonna start writing out the names on the record. So I think there is a way where these things [GHOST members' identities being known to the public and the bandmembers portraying themselves as 'nameless' on stage] can coexist. But obviously, that's up to fans to decide. If knowing who we are destroys everything, OK."

BEHEMOTH's Adam "Nergal" Darski recently posted a photo on Instagram of him hanging out backstage at the FortaRock festival in The Netherlands with Swedish musician Tobias Forge — believed to be none other than GHOST frontman Papa Emeritus II. The photo was accompanied by the caption "If you have ghosts... U have everything;)", a line from the ROKY ERICKSON song "If You Have Ghosts", which was covered by GHOST on their EP "If You Have Ghost", released in November 2013.

Speaking to Jägermeister at this past summer's Sonisphere festival in the U.K., one of the Nameless Ghouls from GHOST stated about the photo leak: "I mean, it's… We don't really know what to say about that except for we keep our identities as secret as we possibly can, of course, but at some point it's bound to happen, some things that are not really optimal for us, of course. But the identity part is always gonna be, for as long as can take it, it's gonna be a hassle in many ways, and I think we have managed to keep it below the radar, for the most part, at least."

GHOST's sophomore album, "Infestissumam", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 28 on The Billboard 200 chart.

GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."

THE GENTLE STORM, the collaboration between AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen and former THE GATHERING singer Anneke Van Giersbergen, will release its debut album in early 2015 via InsideOut Music. The effort will be "an epic concept double album" and "a combination of classical meets metal and acoustic folk," according to Lucassen.

Arjen comments: "We are thrilled to be able to strengthen our relationship with InsideOut Music as THE GENTLE STORM's label."

Anneke adds: "We're in the middle of recording these amazing new songs and are very excited the label shows an equal amount of faith in this release. We can't wait for people to hear it and are happy this superb team will help us spread the word."

Lucassen and Van Giersbergen originally crossed paths in 1998 for AYREON's breakthrough third album, "Into The Electric Castle". Ten years later they teamed up again for AYREON's seventh album, "01011001", both having established themselves as world-renowned heavy metal/rock artists in the decade between releases. Although their respective musical styles went in vastly different directions during that time, Arjen and Anneke retained a common ground that ultimately led to the creation of THE GENTLE STORM.

THE GENTLE STORM's double album is an epic production of AYREON proportions, divided into two parts as a full-on metal assault (CD1) and lighter folk arrangements (CD2). It also heralds Anneke's return to the realms of heavy guitars and soaring vocals reminiscent of THE GATHERING's breakthrough album "Mandylion".

THE GENTLE STORM's album release will be followed by live dates through the spring and summer European festival season.

Known for touring extensively year after year, Anneke will take THE GENTLE STORM on the road backed by well known Dutch talents. Arjen, however, will not be part of the live production.