Intestinal Disgorge returns with their 11th full length album of extreme and experimental cut-up noisegrind. Having jettisoned the themes so typical of goregrind and noise, the band has recently been exploring a different atmosphere altogether: that of sublime and logic-defying horror reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft.

Lurking In The Void Between Dreams shows Intestinal Disgorge at their most frenzied and odd, further honing the peculiar style of cut-up noisegrind which they pioneered on 2013's The Shadows That Stride From World To World. The music is jarring, chaotic, and abrasive while snapping unexpectedly between cut-up segments of garage-recorded grind, jazz, death, black metal, doom, sludge, math and noisecore. The result is somewhat akin to flipping randomly (and frequently) through different radio stations, getting nothing but shrieking, hysterical noise and grind on every channel.

Lurking In The Void Between Dreams will be released on Bandcamp on June 9.

“The Sublime Ecstasy Of Mortal Terror”:

“My Blood For Their Return”:

Longtime U2 tour manager Dennis Sheehan died Tuesday night in West Hollywood. The band confirmed his death via its website. He was on tour with the group in Los Angeles, where U2 was about to kick off a five-night residency. Variety reports Sheehan suffered a heart attack. He was 68.

"We've lost a family member, we're still taking it in," Bono said in a statement. "He wasn't just a legend in the music business, he was a legend in our band. He is irreplaceable."

"Our heartfelt sympathy is with his wonderful family," Arthur Fogel, Live Nation's President of Global Touring, said, calling Sheehan a "dear friend to us all."

Sheehan has served as U2's tour manager for more than three decades. Over the course of his career, he also worked with Led Zeppelin, assisting on their 1975 and 1977 tours, as well as Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Siouxsie and the Banshees and members of the Sex Pistols, according to Projection, Lights and Staging News.

Read more at RollingStone.com.

(Photo - U2.com)

Los Angeles-based cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY will release their ninth studio album, "Genexus", on August 7 worldwide via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The follow-up to 2012's "The Industrialist" was co-produced by longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber, along with guitarist Dino Cazares and vocalist Burton C. Bell and mixed by Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD). Artwork was once again handled by Anthony Clarkson. Drums on "Genexus" were performed by Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY).

"The word 'genexus' is a hybrid of two words: 'genesis' and 'nexus,'" explains vocalist Burton C. Bell. "This word describes the next transition in human evolution as man moves forward to a 'mechanical' state of being. Ray Kurzweil predicts that the singularity will occur around 2045. 'Genexus' is the term for that next evolutionary process. Where humans are machines, machines are human, and the differences are oblivious to the naked eye."

He continues: "This album is a record of thought patterns, psychology and struggles of the Genexus generation. The cognitive machine has arrived, and it wants autonomy from the industry that created it. This machine struggles, like every other human has throughout the course of history. This is the story of every one of us."

"Genexus" track listing:

01. Autonomous Combat System02. Anodized03. Dielectric04. Soul Hacker05. Protomech06. Genexus07. Church Of Execution08. Regenerate09. Battle For Utopia10. Expiration Date

Limited digipak bonus tracks:

11. Mandatory Sacrifice (Genexus Remix)12. Enhanced Reality

Says Cazares: "The sensation of finalizing our newest album is one of relief and joy, wrapped within a massive whirlwind of excitement.

"We really feel this is a very special FEAR FACTORY album. While being careful not to replicate ourselves, this album still has a very classic FEAR FACTORY vibe that we feel will appease both old and new fans. The aggressive, melodic and industrial elements are all intact and shine more than ever.

"Burt and I produced the album with Rhys Fulber co-producing. Damien Rainuad and Giuseppe Bassi handled most of the keys and pre-production. We also enlisted the masterful metallic skills of Andy Sneap for an amazing mixing job!

"We would like to thank everyone who has been a big part in the making of this record. We can't wait for everybody to hear it."

Speaking about what FEAR FACTORY is trying to accomplish with its forthcoming album, the band's first since signing with Nuclear Blast, Cazares said: "It's still just to be who we are. We are 'cyber metal,' whatever you wanna call it, but it's still a lot of the killer riffs, killer double bass, Burt's beautiful, melodic vocals. Conceptually, it's always still futuristic, man-versus-machine type of thing, but, you know, we thought we're gonna keep it real, keep it what we are and who we are."

Asked about how it feels to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of FEAR FACTORY's classic "Demanufacture" album in 2015 with only two members of the band's classic lineup remaining in the group, Dino said: "The two main members are in the band right now. The soul of the machine is still intact, and that's me and Burton. And I don't think anything has changed, really."

He continued: "Every album we do always has to have something a little different. From the beginning, from the first album, 'Soul Of A New Machine', it was very death metal inspired, [with] a little bit of industrial. The second album, 'Demanufacture', the classic album… Every record changes. 'Obsolete' was a big difference, you know what I mean?! But my right hand is still there, the passion is still there, Burt's killer melodic vocals are still there. So I think that's all that matters."

In an interview with Silver Tiger Media, Bell stated about the new FEAR FACTORY album: "It's classic FEAR FACTORY sound, the sound that fans have always expected, but I think because we are taking our time, the songs are really well crafted. Without losing the edge or the angst. Without losing the essence of FEAR FACTORY, but they are well-crafted songs."

FEAR FACTORY recently parted ways with bassist Matt DeVries (previously of CHIMAIRA, where he played guitar, and SIX FEET UNDER and replaced him with Tony Campos (ex-SOULFLY, STATIC-X, PRONG, MINISTRY).

FEAR FACTORY will hit the road this July with COAL CHAMBER.

Photo credit: Kevin Estrada

Underground Symphony has announced the new album of the symphonic gothic metal band Eternal Silence, Chasing Chimera. After the success of debut Raw Poetry, the Italian band went back in the Old One Studios to record ten new tracks, under the supervision of Giulio Capone and Alberto Cassina.

For the first time Eternal Silence have a guest: Daniele Scavoni from Spellblast who sing a special duet with Marika Vanni. Chasing Chimera is available in a limited edition in digipak packaging. The album is currently streaming on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Dreambook”
“Shades Of Dusk”
“Reverb”
“Unbreakable Will”
“My Cage”
“Astronomer”
“The Maze Of My Obsession”
“Never Forgotten”
“Hell On Earth”
“Chimera”
 

Regeneration, the sophomore release from Cerebellion, can now be streamed in its entirety via the SoundCloud widget below.  The albums official release date is June 2 and will be available through iTunes, Amazon, and most other online retailers. Having established the ability to cross genres while maintaining a cohesive sound, the band’s latest effort is no different.

Lead guitarist John Arnold had this to say of the album “As you would expect from us, this is an eclectic body of work. Each song has its own soul. Yet it’s all unquestionably Cerebellion.”

Preorders are currently taking place at Bandcamp and include immediate download of the tracks “Thin Ice” and “Cold”.

Regeneration tracklisting:

“All Came To Light”
“Cold”
“Savior”
“Nothing Left”
“Thin Ice”
“Forsaken”

Album stream:

“Thin Ice”:

Edge Of Paradise have released a new video for the song “Rise For The Fallen”, taken from their newest album Immortal Waltz, released on May 22 through Pure Rock / Pure Steel Records.

Immortal Waltz tracklisting:

“Perfect Shade Of Black”
“It’s My Showtime”
“Immortal Waltz”
“In A Dream”
“Rise For The Fallen”
“Ghost”
“Break Away”
“Goodbye”
“Children Of The Sea” (Black Sabbath cover)

"Rise For The Fallen" video:

“In A Dream” video:

Band lineup:

Margarita Monet – vocals
Dave Bates – guitars
John Chominsky – drums
Nick Ericson – bass

 

Following an entire decade without a new album, Phoenix-based melodic death metal kingpins, Vehemence, return to full-time duty in 2015, having reactivated the band and completed their fourth full-length studio full-length, Forward Without Motion, which is now set for release this Autumn via Battleground Records.

Their first new album since 2004's Metal Blade Records-released Helping The World To See, Vehemence returns to the death metal fold with a stunning new album that will surely see the band regaining their traction within the scene after their time off the grid. Forward Without Motion is the culmination of years of hard work and the collective desire to write the best songs and capture the best performances.

Guitarist and founding member Bjorn Dannov perhaps says it most succinctly when describing the record, "I really believe this is our strongest album to date. With our previous albums, we were so inexperienced in the studio so I was never really happy with the final product, production-wise. This album I feel represents the songs well. We wanted to capture a tight performance, but not overly produced and sound replaced like a lot of modern metal albums. We still wanted to maintain an organic element to the sound, which I believe we achieved."

Working on the songs off and on for several years between 2007 and 2011, Vehemence began a methodical, painstaking tracking process for Forward Without Motion between 2012 and 2014, the album's guitars, bass, and vocals being recorded at the home studios of Dannov and guitarist Kyle Moeller, with the drums being recorded at Villain Studios in Phoenix.

"Kyle did all the mixing, reamping, and mastering," says Dannov. "It was really great to have those tools at our disposal, without having to worry about a budget or studio expenses."

When listening to Forward Without Motion, one will discover the refreshing sounds of a band creatively reborn and seasoned by experience. The album flows with a relentless, throat grabbing energy that never flags and begs for repeated spins. This cohesive power is nowhere more apparent than in the strength of the instrumental and vocal performances, which slash and hammer their way out of the speakers with a passion rarely found in the cold, mostly lifeless corpses that are most modern death metal recordings.

When asked about the lyrical themes behind the songs and album title of the album, Vehemence vocalist Nathan Gearhart remarks, "The lyrics of Forward Without Motion each tell a unique story dealing with pain, loss, sadness, and horror. Written over the course of twelve years, each piece stands alone in subject. The consistent theme of the lyrics as a whole denote humanity's dark side, and summarize our lives and impact on our world during our limited time. Nothing changes. Nothing gets better or worse. It's all the same. It's time without a number. We are all going to die leaving this world just as fucked as those before us, and future generations will continue this cycle."

 

 

Gearhart also has much to say about the core ethos of the band when reflecting upon both the present and the years past, "Bjorn and I have been jamming together since 1996. Mark and Andy joined in '97-'98. Vehemence is a band of brothers with no bigger intent other than getting together and creating together. Kyle is a great compliment to the core of the band, and his involvement along with the material and performance contributed by Jake Green are what helps to take us into our current chapter. Forward Without Motion is our life's work. I am so proud of what we have created, and I hope others enjoy our art as much as I do."

Vehemence will release Forward Without Motion through Battleground Records on October 27th in various formats, including a 2xLP set on 180-gram black vinyl in gatefold packaging, a CD version, and across various digital platforms.

In conjunction with the release of Forward Without Motion, Vehemence will be performing several shows in support of the album shortly before the street date. Additional information on the album, audio samples, an official video and more will be released throughout the summer and early fall months.

San Francisco-based classic doom metallers Orchid’s brand new EP Sign Of The Witch which was scheduled for a late May release will now be released July 17 via Nuclear Blast Records. Sign Of The Witch will contain four brand new tracks and will exclusively be available at the Nuclear Blast shop.

The band will arrive in Europe next week to play big festivals like Rockavaria and Rock im Revier on the Centerstage.

Guitarist Mark Thomas Baker comments:

"It's been a few years since we've recorded and we've all gotten so much better at playing and working together. We're excited to let people hear what we're up to these days."

Sign Of The Witch tracklisting:

“Sign Of The Witch”
“John The Tiger”
“On Strange Winds”
“Burning Eastern Skies”

Sign Of The Witch marks the band's first release since 2013's The Mouths Of Madness, which hit the German charts on position #18 in its first week of sale.

Orchid tour dates:

May
29 - München, Germany - Rockavaria
30 - Nürburgring, Germany - Grüne Hölle

June
2 - Berlin, Germany - Bi Nuu
3 - Dresden, Germany - Scheune
4 - Geiselwind, Germany - Out & Loud
5 - Netphen-Deuz, Germany - Freak Valley
10 - Lindau, Germany - Club Vaudeville
11 - Milan, Italy - Magnolia (with Blues Pills)
14 - Nickelsdorf, Austria - Novarock
16 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 Mini
19 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
20 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
21 - Athens, Greece - Kytarro Live Club
23 - Barcelona, Spain - Boveda

Florida natives, Culture Killer, have signed with Metal Blade Records and are preparing to record their full length debut. Previously, the band had released the Denial EP in 2014, and a single "Exterminate Filth" earlier this year. Today, fans can hear a brand new cut that will be appearing on their forthcoming debut. The track, "Justice Through Retaliation", is streaming below.

Culture Killer will be tracking throughout June with Kenny Gil (Dark Sermon) at Pig Pen Recordings. On signing with Metal Blade, vocalist Ian Campbell commented: "As a group of young musicians, it comes with great honor that Culture Killer is fortunate enough to be a part of the Metal Blade Family, alongside some of the most legendary and influential bands to date. We love working with everyone on the Metal Blade staff and can't wait to release our debut full-length through the label later this year!"

The ferocity of Culture Killer's music and lyrics make it apparent that this band has a goal and message, and that this isn't directionless rage. The cover art for the "Exterminate Filth" single should make this quite obvious.

 

 

Drummer Dylan Blow elaborates on the topic Culture Killer tackled with "Justice Through Retaliation": "The song tells the story of a woman fighting a seemingly endless battle with spousal abuse. She reflects on the words and feelings that she once embraced; soon realizing that the man she loved was now her greatest fear. At the turning point of the song, she finds that her only chance of survival is to kill him.

"Domestic violence is an extremely disturbing and reoccurring reality. Sadly, many stories remain untold. Don't be afraid to speak up, don't be afraid to reach out for help, and most importantly, don't ever feel ashamed to tell your story."

More details about the upcoming album will be made available throughout the next few months. The album is expected to be released later this year.

 

 

Culture Killer is:

Hunter Young - Guitars, vocals
Dylan Blow - Drums, vocals
Storm Bauer - Bass guitars
Ian Campbell - Vocals
Trevor Kopp - Guitar

Motor City thrashers, Battlecross, have just returned home from a successful trip to Bogota, Columbia, and nearly immediately upon returning, have launched a brand new song from their forthcoming album, Rise To Power. The new song, "Not Your Slave", is streaming at below. Head to this location, where pre-order bundles are available.

Rise to Power will be released worldwide on Metal Blade Records on August 21st. The record was produced by Jason Suecof, and mixed/mastered by Mark Lewis at Audiohammer Studios. Cover art was completed by Hungarian artist Péter Sallai (Sabaton, Sacred Steel).

Guitarist Tony Asta offers the following comment on the new single, "Not Your Slave": "We're really happy with the crushing feel of this song. Somehow through the writing process, maybe even on accident, a more groovy feel was created. We won't write the same record twice and I think this is our strongest and more dynamic album yet."

Rise To Power tracklisting:

“Scars”
“Not Your Slave”
“Absence”
“Spoiled”
“The Climb”
“Blood & Lies”
“Bound by Fear”
“Despised”
“Shackles”
“The Path”

“Not Your Slave”:

Find the Battlecross tour itinerary at this location.

 

 

 

 

New Jersey/Philadelphia-local progressive rock/metal group, In The Presence Of Wolves, have been making waves amongst the local scene, impressing new fans with their tight and energetic live performances and high-skill musicality. Fans of bands ranging from Rush and YES to Mastodon and The Mars Volta will find something to love with In The Presence Of Wolves.

Today, the band release a new music video for their track “Storm In A Red Dress”. Originally imagined with a “short film” style, the director Ryan Beacher was able to shrink down the footage into a four-and-a-half minute music video. The theme of the video relates to the title and concept behind the track – a devilish woman out to cause trouble. Watch below.

Guitarist/vocalist Chris Capitanio explains, “Tom (our lead actor) goes out for a night on the town, only to come in contact with a devilish woman in a red dress. Unbeknownst to Tom, she drugs him and leads him on a night he will never remember.”

Capitanio adds, “Our original concept was very different from the final product but the one characteristic that stuck around was that we wanted it to be trippy. Tom (the lead actor) actually came up with the idea of wanting to walk around Philly in a kimono while tripping out and the video stemmed entirely from that concept. It was important to us that video wasn't super serious. We take our music very seriously but we don't take ourselves seriously at all. It was a lot of fun to finally explore that part of our personalities and still connect it with our music.”

 

 

In The Presence Of Wolves released their debut full-length album, entitled Thalassas, this past December.

Tracklisting:

“Man Of The Times”
“Storm In A Red Dress”
“Hypoxia”
“Palladium”
“Birdsong”
“Thalassas I: The Careless Abandon”
“Thalassas II: What Dwells Below (The Portal)”
“Thalassas III: Back To The Surface”

“Storm In A Red Dress” video:

 

 

Portland, Oregon's Lord Dying released their sophomore album, Poisoned Altars, earlier this year via Relapse Records. Recently the band completed work on a video for the latest single "A Wound Outside Time" from Poisoned Altars. The video was directed and edited by Brett Roberts and Jon Meyer.

"We're psyched to release this new video for "A Wound Outside of Time!" This vid pays homage to our favorite early 90's death metal videos, like Bolt Thrower's "Cenotaph”, Unleashed's "Before the Creation Of Time”, Entombed's "Left Hand Path”, etc. We really love the quick flashes of cliched over the top imagery and slow motion head banging sequences that infest so many videos of that era. Enjoy, and catch us on the road," says front man Erik Olson.

Tonight the band takes to the stage headlining in Tulsa, Oklahoma before they join up with Crowbar and Battlecross as part of the Summer Of Doom tour.  The tour runs from May 28th in Shreveport, LA through July 3rd in Baton Rouge, LA.  A complete list of dates, including select headline shows can be seen below.

 

 

Tour dates:

May
27 - Tulsa, OK - Boulevard Trash (Lord Dying headline show)
28 - Shreveport, LA - Riverside Warehouse
29 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey
30 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog      
31 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar

June
1- Lubbock, TX - Backstage (Lord Dying headline show)
2 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad   
3 - Tempe, AZ - Club Red
4 - San Diego, CA - Til Two         
5 - Long Beach, CA - DiPiazzas     
6 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky A Go Go      
8 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater  
9 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon    
10 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater   
12 - Calgary, AB - Republik       
13 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite           
14 - Saskatoon, SK - Obrians         
16 - Winnipeg, MB - The Zoo
17 - Minneapolis, MN  - Amsterdam   
18 - Cudahy, WI - The Metal Grill          
19 - Detroit, MI - Shelter
20 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's       
21 - Columbus, OH - Alrosa Villa    
22 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom         
23 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club      
24 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks    
25 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa
26 - Worcester, MA - Palladium     
27 - Albany, NY - Trickshot Billiards      
28 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage         
29 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus    
30 - Frederick, MD - Cafe 611

July
1 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern         
2 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade  
3 - Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theater

For their eighth studio album, Shadowmaker, Finnish group Apocalyptica hunkered down in a Tennessee studio to produce their most cohesive release to date. They played their song “Path” as well as a cover of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” for NP Sessions.

See the footage at this location.

Apocalyptica released Shadowmaker – their first album with vocalist Franky Perez – on April 21st.

 

 

Shadowmaker tracklisting:

“I-III-V- Seed of Chaos”
“Cold Blood”
“Shadowmaker”
“Slowburn”
“Reign of Fear” (Bonus Track)
“Hole in My Soul”
“House of Chains”
“Riot Lights”
“Come Back Down” (Bonus Track)
“Sea Song (You Waded Out)”
“Till Death Do Us Part”
“Dead Man's Eyes”

“Cold Blood” video:

Full album stream:

Catch Apocalyptica live at the following shows:

May
27 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory Concert House
28 - Garden City, ID - Revolution Center
29 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
30 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom

June
1 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
2 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall Ballroom
3 - Saskatoon, SK - O’Brian’s Event Centre
4 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick Centre
6 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
7 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
8 - London, ON - London Music Hall
9 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial
10 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis

 

 

After seven years of touring and three releases, Swedish metal band Denied has parted with singer Johan Fahlberg (pictured above).

Founding member Andreas Carlsson states, “We have shared great times together and created a lot of kick ass heavy metal. We are still the best of friends and there is absolutely no bad blood between him and the band. Johan needed to focus on his commitment to Jaded Heart and there was simply not enough time for the both bands any longer. We fully understand his decision to quit. He will always be our brother.”

The vacancy for a new frontman has been filled by acclaimed vocalist Germán Pascual (ex-Narnia, Divinefire, Minds Eye, Empire 21).

Carlsson continues: “Germán’s experience, skill and great personality made our decision very easy. We are now excited to continue the Denied-journey together and the best is yet to come".

This summer the band will head into the studio to record the follow-up to the 2013 album Let Them Burn. Once again produced by Fredrik Folkare, also mastermind of Sweden’s Unleashed.

(Photo - Jimmie Sonelius)

Denis Shaforostov (pictured), formerly of Ukrainian metalcore act MAKE ME FAMOUS, has been confirmed as the new singer of ASKING ALEXANDRIA.

A new ASKING ALEXANDRIA song, "I Won't Give In", featuring Shaforostov, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

In the new issue of U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine, ASKING ALEXANDRIA guitarist Ben Bruce stated about the band's new addition: "Everyone guessed it was Denis, and I think they did so because they know Denis was the right choice to make. He's an incredibly talented vocalist, from the multiple wide range of screams that ASKING ALEXANDRIA obviously needs and will continue to have, and his singing and range is out of this world. He's been a fan of the band for a long time, so he's familiar with all our old songs, and he really cares about the band. He's a passionate, cool guy; it's the perfect scenario."

Added Denis: "I had this gut feeling, man; I totally felt something big was going to happen right before the guys reached out to me. It's crazy. Honestly, I've never been waiting for such an opportunity to ever knock at my door but, as the same time, I was always ready for it. Without a doubt, I was extremely stoked and I poured all of my emotions into the writing for the new ASKING ALEXANDRIA record."

MAKE ME FAMOUS was stylistically similar to ASKING ALEXANDRIA, to the extent that they were at times accused of copying the British act's sound.

The day before singer Danny Worsnop announced his departure from ASKING ALEXANDRIA in January, Shaforostov posted the following message to Instagram: "There's such thing as karma and magic in this world. The hardest work will always pay off no matter how many of these fucks have ever tried to bring you down on your way. You never know when and how but trust me, your door will open and the future will be yours for the taking — just wait and see."

Worsnop revealed he was exiting ASKING ALEXANDRIA on January 22, explaining in a statement: "Over the last eight years together, we've done some amazing things and created something truly special. I now, same as then, want what's best for the band and at this point in time, that isn't me. ASKING ALEXANDRIA will continue to tour throughout the year and will be working on a new album." Worsnop added, "I will always support and love ASKING ALEXANDRIA and cannot wait to see what the future holds for them."

Ben Bruce wrote at the band's Facebook page, "ASKING ALEXANDRIA will not be slowing down. We are going to tour harder than ever and we are going to write the greatest record of our career . . . This isn't the end, this is the start of a whole new chapter. This is where we come together and make history."

Worsnop's other band, WE ARE HARLOT, released its self-titled debut album on March 31.

Worsnop admitted last year to Kerrang! magazine that his involvement with WE ARE HARLOT had caused some friction with the members of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, saying, "Back when it started, there were maybe concerns and stress and bitterness from the guys. But over time they've realized that it's not detrimental to ASKING in any way."

A one-and-a-half-minute teaser for AVENGED SEVENFOLD's forthcoming DVD, "This Is Bat Country", is available below.

In a 2014 interview with Loudwire, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows stated about the band's forthcoming DVD: "It is going to encompass the whole world that we've been filming for the last five years, being in all these different countries with our camera guy. That'll be a fun thing, I think. We're going to film some big shows — I think we're filming Mexico City coming up, and we have some other shows we're going to film and kind of intertwine the live performance with this huge DVD we want to do."

"This Is Bat Country" is reportedly once again being directed by Core Entertainment's Rafa Alcantara, who also worked on 2008's "Live In The LBC & Diamonds In The Rough" and the band's critically acclaimed 2007 road documentary "All Excess".

M. Shadows told Kerrang! magazine in 2012 about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next DVD: "We're trying to film everywhere besides the United States. We just did Europe last summer with Rafa — who did our first DVD, 'Live In The LBC' — and now we want to do Asia and South America. We're going to release something that represents everybody."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD released its latest album, "Hail To The King", in 2013. It was the band's second straight studio effort to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, following 2010's "Nightmare".

M. Shadows said in a recent interview with the Jakarta Post that the band has evolved past its original sound and won't be revisiting it anytime soon. Asked if fans could expect the band to ever return to its "metalcore" roots, Shadows replied, "The metalcore has been left behind. It's not something that any of us find enjoyment in listening to, so it's obviously that the direction we would write songs in. I wouldn't hold my breath for a comeback. We are ever evolving and never repeat ourselves." Pressed on how he sees the band evolving musically, Shadows added, "I want to stay away from trends and do what we want to do musically . . . as we develop, I just see us following our heart on this musical journey."

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band has met resistance from its fans as its sound has changed. "It's difficult, you know, to take a step forward when you know you're gonna be criticized by first and foremost, your own fan base," he said. "Any time you do anything different, everybody has an opinion on it. But you have to know exactly what you want to do as an artist."

Video footage of MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK performing the SCORPIONS classic "Rock You Like A Hurricane" on May 24 at the Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany can be seen below.

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK's latest album, "Spirit On A Mission", features twelve 12 classic rock guitar-driven songs that highlight Schenker's distinctive and dynamic guitar playing, valiantly underpinned by the ferocious rhythm section of Rarebell and Buchholz, the same rhythm section that originally performed together on the SCORPIONS' 1979 album "Lovedrive".

The new album was recorded at Kidroom Studios in Münster, Germany; the same studio where 2013's "Bridge The Gap" album was laid down. The CD was produced by Michael Voss and Michael Schenker, and engineered by Voss.

"After the 'Bridge The Gap' Japan tour in March 2014, I started to put new material together for what was to become the 'Spirit On A Mission' album," says Schenker. I went to the recording studio in June 2014 to put down the song arrangements and we finished recording in November."

During the recording of the new album, the original recordings and guitars were stolen from the recording studio. Did this impact on the recording process of the new album?

"Yes, we got robbed [some guitars and some music] and got very upset about it," recalls Schenker. "Fortunately, it was just performances and not compositions. We caught up and performed the music better than before. It forced us to work extra hard and longer but it made it stronger."

Former RAINBOW singer Doogie White is described by Schenker as an "extremely creative individual with a fantastic range and a voice that never stops". "How many people do you know that can sing nine shows in a row, without a day off and still have a voice with a range like his?" says Schenker. "He's a real trooper."

On May 12, HALESTORM played an acoustic set for WAAF listeners in Boston, Massachusetts. Video footage of the "Dear Daughter" and "Amen" performances can be seen below.

"Dear Daughter" and "Amen" are taken from HALESTORM's third album, "Into The Wild Life", which was released on April 14. Singer Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio that making the record was a satisfying experience for her and the band. "It was a lot of fun," she said. "It was such a freeing process 'cause it really didn't feel like we were — 'we're recording an album now, guys!' It just — we were in this big, overhauled church, you know, so it didn't feel like we were in a studio and there was just every instrument everywhere. There was a piano and everything was all set up so it's like, whatever you wanted to do, you could just do." "Into The Wild Life" follows up HALESTORM's Grammy-winning 2012 sophomore effort, "The Strange Case Of…"

HALESTORM recently released a music video for "Amen". The album's first single, "Apocalyptic", became the group's third straight chart-topper at rock radio.

QUEEN guitarist Brian May says that there are no plans at the moment for the band to record new music with "American Idol" finalist Adam Lambert.

Lambert, May and drummer Roger Taylor first shared the stage during "American Idol" in May 2009 for a performance of "We Are The Champions". They teamed up again in 2011 at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast, Ireland for an electrifying eight-minute finale of "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" and in the summer of 2012, Lambert performed a series of shows with QUEEN across Europe as well as dates in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. They also performed three sold-out gigs at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Speaking to Gigwise at yesterday's (Thursday, May 21) Ivor Novello Awards in London, England, May stated about the prospect of recording fresh material with Lambert: "No, we're not doing that. Not at the moment anyway. We might do [at some point]. But, at the moment, we're watching with interest while Adam pursues his solo career, and it seems to be going very well. I mean, he's an amazing, amazing artist — there's no getting away from that — so it's very interesting to watch him develop. And I think we're conscious that he doesn't wnna be with us all the time, you know?! That would be so wrong, for us to just, sort of, envelop him and never let him go off and do anything else. It's very important that his own career is progressing now. And we're looking forward to being back together in September to do Rock In Rio [in Brazil], and some dates in Argentina and Venezuela, I believe."

After completing QUEEN's most recent European tour in January, May described Lambert as the only singer the band had found capable of filling the shoes of iconic frontman Freddie Mercury. "Adam is the first person we've encountered who can do all the QUEEN catalogue without blinking," said May. "He is a gift from God." Taylor echoed the guitarist's sentiments, adding: "[Adam's] incredibly musical, and we certainly take anything he says quite seriously."

Lambert, for his part, downplayed the Mercury comparisons, saying: "There's never going to be another, and I'm not replacing him. That's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to keep the memory alive, and remind people how amazing he was, without imitating him. I'm trying to share with the audience how much he inspired me."

Lambert will release his third studio album, "The Original High", on June 16 through Warner Bros. Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden and Los Angeles, California with Max Martin and Shellback as executive producers, the CD displays a fresh sound for Lambert, and includes collaborations with Tove Lo and May.

Chris Cornell will release his new solo album, "Higher Truth", in September. In support of the CD, the current SOUNDGARDEN and former AUDIOSLAVE singer will embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November/December, performing songs spanning his entire career, as well as new songs from "Higher Truth" in an "unplugged, up-close and personal setting," according to a press release.

After SOUNDGARDEN disbanded in 1997 at the height of the group's success, Cornell embarked on a solo career, releasing "Euphoria Morning" in 1999 and debuting a softer sound both live and on the record. But when that album failed to take off, he accepted an offer in 2001 to join with the instrumental members of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE after vocalist Zack de la Rocha exited that group. The new act, called AUDIOSLAVE, released its self-titled debut in 2002. AUDIOSLAVE was a huge success from the start and released two more albums, 2005's "Out Of Exile" and 2006's "Revelations". But by the time "Revelations" came out, Cornell was already looking at other projects and recorded the theme song, "You Know My Name", for the 2006 James Bond comeback film "Casino Royale". In early 2007 he officially left AUDIOSLAVE to revive his solo career, while the rest of the band reactivated RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.

Cornell issued his second solo album, "Carry On", in 2007 and the controversial "Scream" in 2009. The latter album was produced by Timbaland and found Cornell attempting to pursue an urban/pop direction, making him the focus of ridicule from musicians like Trent Reznor.

Rumors of a SOUNDGARDEN reunion had been percolating for several years and became a reality in 2010, with the band getting back together for a few shows at first, then full-fledged tours and eventually a brand new album in 2012, "King Animal".

Cornell told The Pulse Of Radio that he sees working with SOUNDGARDEN again as having a positive influence on his solo career. "One thing about a solo artist is you can just be in a room way too long with yourself and your own thoughts and your own songs, and it feels really good to be working with Ben [Shepherd, bassist] and Matt [Cameron, drummer] and Kim [Thayil, guitarist] again, and it's actually a really nice reprieve also from just being alone, doing what I do. It's helping with the balance, I think, too."

"Loudwire Nights" host Full Metal Jackie conducted an interview with SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan at this year's Rock On The Range, which was held May 15-17 at MAPFRE Stadium (formerly Crew Stadium) in Columbus. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked when fans can expect to see the follow-up to SLIPKNOT's latest album, 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", Crahan said: "I'm not sure, 'cause we're slated to tour the rest of this year and some of next year. So… I mean, it takes six months to make a record… [And then] marketing and preparation… So, you know, if we're touring the rest of this year and some of next year, it could be as early as the first quarter of 2017. I mean, I'm just giving you actual facts. But we're writing now. We're in the rhythm of writing all the time, which is a very helpful tool, because we love doing that. So it's not a waste of time. It's not anything that won't get used. Usually, if we're writing, it's passion. Whether it's written here [on the road] or in someone's garage or basement, it's all for the better cause. So, who knows?! Hopefully soon."

Asked what musical direction the next SLIPKNOT album might take, the band's guitarist, Jim Root, told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine: "Man, that's really tough. I mean, there's a couple of different ways to approach it. We could approach it like we did, say, [2001's] 'Iowa' compared to the first release. Or we could approach it like kind of picking up where [2004's] 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' or where 'The Gray Chapter' left off. Do we go more aggro and more heavy and more death metal, or do we go more cerebral or more PINK FLOYD, more kind of experimental? It's hard to say. And I think because we never know what we're gonna do is why we end up just doing what we do. And it comes off as being very organic and not contrived, and that's the case. Don't overthink what it's gotta be or what it should be or shouldn't be."

It was six years between 2008's "All Hope Is Gone" and last year's ".5: The Gray Chapter", during which SLIPKNOT dealt with the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010 and the dismissal of drummer Joey Jordison in 2013.

SLIPKNOT's "Summer's Last Stand" tour kicks off on July 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, wrapping up six weeks later on September 5 in Dallas. Joining SLIPKNOT on the road trip will be LAMB OF GOD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. The summer jaunt follows a brief spring run that SLIPKNOT launched on April 25 at the Fort Rock festival in Fort Myers, Florida and ended on May 16 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

"The Front Row Report" recently conducted an interview with BUTCHER BABIES frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about BUTCHER BABIES' forthcoming second album, which is due at the end of the summer via Century Media Records, Carla said: "What we've been telling people is that there's a little controversy surrounding the title, because both our label and our management absolutely hate it. [But] it's a title that we chose."

Added Heidi: "They hated the title, they hated the artwork, but we fought for it. We've always had to fight for everything that we believed in. We had to fight for it, and we're really proud of it. We're proud of the title, we're proud of the artwork. It's very meaningful to us."

Asked if there is a central theme running through the lyrics on BUTCHER BABIES' upcoming CD, Heidi said: "It basically encompasses becoming the women that we are. And that's a real good clue."

As previously reported, BUTCHER BABIES has selected "Never Go Back" as the first single from its new album. An official release date for the single has not yet been announced, but the track is expected to arrive at radio next month.

BUTCHER BABIES have been performing another new song, titled "Monsters' Ball", on their current tour, to a great reception from the crowd.

Regarding the musical direction of BUTCHER BABIES' forthcoming CD, Carla told "Big Smash Radio": "The majority of the album is very aggressive thrash metal. On this album, we wanted to go back to our roots, which were aggressive thrash, and ninety percent of the album is that."

Added Heidi: "But the thing is we're not ever gonna sacrifice who we are for that. What we're attempting with this is to bring back the metal and the aggression into radio. So we kind of… We merged the two worlds. And radio stations who have heard it so far are impressed and we're very excited for that."

BUTCHER BABIES' new album was produced by Logan Mader, who has previously worked with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, DEVILDRIVER, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and GOJIRA.

"Behind The Velvet Rope" host Arthur Kade (with the help of distribution partner Zonzia) recently conducted an interview with Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, LOADED, WALKING PAPERS). You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he is aware of the enduring influence of GUNS N' ROSES' music almost thirty years after the release of the band's debut album, "Appetite For Destrution":

"It's dawning on me. The last few years, it's kind of hit me, like, 'Oh, yeah… I guess we…' We did something that people still really care about it. And maybe it's because my kids are teenagers and I see all their friends, and they're really into it — they're into the band I was in when I was just a little older than them. And it's 2015. So it's dawning on me that we made an impact, yeah."

On the current rock scene:

"I don't really have a comment on the state of rock today, because, frankly, I'm probably just too old to make a comment on it. I know what's genuine, and that can be rock, it can be R&B. I think Bruno Mars is awesome. I think that's genuine R&B. 'Uptown Funk' is the best R&B song in thirty years or something, maybe — since 'Little Red Corvette' [from Prince]. It's the best genuine R&B song that I've heard in a long time."

McKagan's second book, "How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions)", came out on May 12 and is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed New York Times best selling memoir, "It's So Easy (And Other Lies)".

The bassist released a three-song EP, also called "How To Be A Man". in conjunction with the book's publication. The title track featured former GUNS guitarist Izzy Stradlin and ALICE IN CHAINS axeman Jerry Cantrell.

The reigning kings of technical, historically-themed brutality NILE are currently in the studio wrapping up the mix of their upcoming album, "What Should Not Be Unearthed". Produced by NILE and mixed by Neil Kernon, the CD will be released on August 28 via Nuclear Blast. The artwork was handled this time by Michal "Xaay" Loranc and can be seen below. Pre-order your copy here. Comments NILE mastermind Karl Sanders: "All of us in NILE are happy to announce our upcoming newest album, 'What Should Not Be Unearthed'. It's our eighth official album, and this time we believe we have a truly crushing disc to bring to metal fans.'

"The focus this time around is on brutally heavy metal riffing and songwriting; kind of like of an 'Annihilation Of The Wicked' approach but very streamlined to achieve maximum destructive impact."

He continues: "Our last record, 'At The Gates Of Sethu', was super surgically clean and very 'musicianship oriented' whereas the new disc is a polar opposite; 'Unearthed' is aimed straight at utter metal heaviness and memorable songwriting.

"Although 'Unearthed' is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from NILE over the years, it's the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around."

Sanders adds: "These songs will be a blast to play live, and we are stoked at the opportunity to bring these songs to metal fans everywhere. See you on tour!” States Xaay about the artwork: "At first, I would like to express that it was great experience to work on another NILE cover / artwork again. I'm really grateful having been a big fan of the band for all these years.

"The story behind the title goes deeply beneath everything we have already known, and we may not be ready to face. With the art I excavated the theories of an elder ancient civilization which could give the origin to ancient Egypt. That's why you can find a new ingredient in the band imagery, pointing at some higher obscure intelligence, eroding and covered with time. That trace of a dismal legacy is resembled in the outer structure which radiates from the block, sealing the unknown, and it's only an adumbration of what we will meet, once it is removed.

"The pyramid-shaped seal in the center doesn't contain a recipe for some Camel Stew or a Pharaoh's dining menu. An experienced eye will notice hieroglyphs taken from the 'Book Of The Dead', or the Seven Islands of Amentet glyph — depicting the ancient Underworld, and describing the elder reign of God-kings, which had ended circa. 9850 B.C. (perhaps some similarity with that of Atlantis?). But the main thing we should not miss here is a winged scarab sign in the exact center. We all know this most common Egyptian artifact giving protection... so the message is pretty clear... I hope it may become another fine element in band's repository for the NILE-themed tattoos.

"To sum it up: this album is definitely not a box of candies. Keep in mind that opening the package means you will deal with the deadliest essence... However, it will be a hard task to hold on to your curiosity. Well... it's a new NILE!"

NILE will hit the road in Europe with their labelmates SUFFOCATION at the end of August. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Aug. 29 - POL - Warszawa - Progresja Music Zone / MassivefestAug. 30 - POL - Wrocław - AlibiAug. 31 - GER - Berlin - K17Sep. 01 - GER - Bremen - Tivoli Sep. 02 - GER - Saarbrucken - GarageSep. 03 - GER - Munich - BackstageSep. 04 - CH - Huttikon - Meh Stuff! Metal FestivalSep. 05 - FR - Torcy - Fall Of SummerSep. 06 - UK - Plymouth - The HubSep. 07 - UK - Manchester - Sound ControlSep. 08 - UK - London - The DomeSep. 09 - UK - Bristol - The Marble FactorySep. 10 - HOL - Nijmegen - DoornroosjeSep. 11 - GER - Andernach - Death Feast Open AirSep. 13 - FR - Toulouse - Connexion Live Sep. 15 - SP - Bilbao - Santana 27Sep. 16 - POR - Porto - Hard ClubSep. 17 - POR - Lisbon - RCA ClubSep. 18 - SP - Madrid - ArenaSep. 19 - SP - Barcelona - Razzamataz 2Sep. 20 - FR - Marseille - Moulin - Sep. 21 - CH - La Chaux-de-Fonds - Bikini TestSep. 23 - ITA - Brescia - Circolo ColonySep. 24 - SLO - Ljubljana - Kino SiskaSep. 25 - HUN - Budapest - A38Sep. 26 - A - Wien - SzeneSep. 27 - SK - Kosice - Collosseum

Frontiers Music Srl will release of the new studio album from good-time rock 'n' rollers TRIXTER, titled "Human Era", on June 5 in Europe and June 9 in North America.

The song "Midnight In Your Eyes" can be streamed below.

Following on the heels of the successful comeback album "New Audio Machine", TRIXTER is returning stronger than ever.

"After the success of our last album, 'New Audio Machine', we felt more confident than ever in making another top-notch album," says TRIXTER lead guitarist Steve Brown. "I'm so proud to say that after more than 25 years of making records, TRIXTER is getting better and better. 'Human Era' will show the world this band at its finest."

The new CD sees TRIXTER sticking to their guns and delivering 11 new choice cuts, with a sound reminiscent of their earlier work which they were well known for in the '90s. For fans new to TRIXTER, their sound fits in nicely to an album collection next to BON JOVI, DEF LEPPARD, VAN HALEN, AC/DC and even '70s classic rock mainstays.

"Almost 30 years together and the band is tighter than ever!" adds Brown. "We are family and that makes everything we do more and more special. The title track, 'Human Era', really sheds insight into our story."

The first video for the album's opening song, "Rockin' to the Edge of the Night", can be seen below.

"Human Era" track listing:

01. Rockin' To The Edge Of The Night02. Crash That Party03. Not Like All The Rest04. For You05. Every Second Counts06. Beats Me Up07. Good Times Now08. Midnight In Your Eyes09. All Night Long10. Soul Of A Lovin' Man11. Human Era12. Always A Victim (acoustic version - bonus track iTunes)13. Road Of A Thousand Dreams (re-recorded version - bonus track iTunes)

TRIXTER is Pete Loran (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Steve Brown (lead guitar/harmonica/backing vocals), P.J. Farley (bass/backing vocals) and Gus Scott (drums/percussion/backing vocals).

Fan-filmed video footage of IN FLAMES' May 24 performance at the River City Rockfest in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

IN FLAMES' latest album, "Siren Charms", sold around 9,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 26 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Siren Charms" was released in the U.S. on September 9, 2014 via Sony/RED. The CD was recorded at Hansa Tonstudios (DAVID BOWIE, DEPECHE MODE, U2) in Berlin, Germany. The cover artwork was created by Blake Armstrong of Space Boy Comics.

In a recent interview with Pop Culture Madness, IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte talked about the fan reaction to "Siren Charms". He said: "I would sound unappreciative if I said [the response has been] the same [as what] the reaction has been for us the last fifteen years almost. We kind of divide our audience every record we do. It's not an intentional thing. It's just that we wanna make our music interesting for us. And we decided early on that we can't cater to any one audience, because you will always be a step behind. It's better to just enjoy what you're doing and try to challenge yourself a bit. And, in my opinion, if you do the music you wanna hear yourself, it's easier to stand on stage playing it. You do a record once, but I'm gonna play a couple of thousand more live show. So, for me, it's important to like what I play."

According to Björn, he doesn't begrudge any of the IN FLAMES fans for not always embracing the musical shifts and turns that the band has taken over the years.

"I can appreciate [why they wouldn't always be completely into it] and I can understand the fact," he said. "I can be the same way — only I don't go on the Internet and scream about it. But certain bands, they have an evolution that I might not dig that much, but that's just the way it is. And I see it from the band point of view and the songwriter point of view, I totally understand why. I might not like the direction, [but] that's not my choice. I just choose to listen to something else then. It's very simple."

IN FLAMES filmed a new concert DVD/Blu-ray on November 6, 2014 at Hovet in Stockholm and November 7, 2014 at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Reunited seminal Swedish hardcore band REFUSED will release its new album, "Freedom", on June 30 via Epitaph. The CD was produced by Nick Launay (ARCADE FIRE, Kate Bush, Nick Cave) except for the songs "Elektra" and "366", which were helmed and co-written by Shellback, the Swedish pop superproducer who has worked with pop superstars Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Pink, among others.

"It's not a reunion anymore," said REFUSED frontman Dennis Lyxzén in a statement. "This is one of the most radical things we've ever done, both musically and lyrically."

"Nobody wanted us to fuck with the image of the band who makes a great album and splits up," added drummer David Sandström. "Nobody wanted us to dilute it. That actually provoked us."

"Freedom" will get a limited-edition CD release featuring a 28-page hardbound book with a poster and gold foil stamping on the album cover.

"Freedom" track listing:

01. Elektra02. Old Friends / New War03. Dawkins Christ04. Françafrique05. Thought Is Blood06. War On The Palaces07. Destroy The Man08. 36609. Servants Of Death10. Useless Europeans

The song "Françafrique" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

REFUSED last year parted ways with guitarist Jon Brännström. He revealed his exit from the group in an October 31, 2014 posting on REFUSED's Facebook page, where he wrote: "I was fired from REFUSED a while ago. I wasn't given a reasonable explanation and wasn't even invited to sit down and talk about it, so I'm not completely sure why they decided to go on without me."

Back in 2012, REFUSED embarked on a reunion tour where the band performed tracks from its classic 1998 album, "The Shape of Punk To Come", at festivals around the world. The final show of the trek took place on December 15, 2012 in REFUSED's hometown of Umeå, Sweden.

REFUSED's legacy was chronicled via the "Refused Are Fucking Dead" collection, which featured never-before-seen material and videos. In addition, REFUSED's landmark 1998 album, "The Shape Of Punk To Come", was remixed and remastered in 5.1 surround DVD audio format, and was re-released through Epitaph Records. Also re-released were remastered editions of REFUSED's "Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent" and "The EP Compilation" CDs.

Michigan-based rockers POP EVIL will release their new album, titled "Up", on August 21 via eOne Music. Recorded at Studio Litho, Robert Lang Studios and London Bridge Studios with producer Adam Kasper (PEARL JAM, SOUNDGARDEN, FOO FIGHTERS), the CD is "the sound of a rock band cementing a powerful identity that's steadily materialized over the course of three prior full-length slabs," according to a press release.

The first single from "Up", a track called "Footsteps", will arrive at radio on June 1.

"People ask me all the time, 'What it's like to hear your song on the radio?' It never gets old!" POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty declares. "It's a reminder of hard work, and of having that dream sitting in your garage, trying to write a song that someone would love one day. That dream happened for our band and it's something that we don't want to take lightly.

"Now it's time to step up our game and let people know we can back it all up," he adds. "We want to prove we aren't a one-hit wonder. We didn't just get lucky."

"Up" will be the highly anticipated follow-up to POP EVIL's previous LP, "Onyx", which was released in 2013 and has sold 115,000 copies in the U.S. alone. "Onyx" also produced four Top 10 singles on the Active Rock chart, with three of them reaching Number One: "Trenches", "Deal With The Devil" and "Torn To Pieces".

Since "Onyx" was released, POP EVIL has played over 250 shows. Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival alongside GODSMACK, supporting STONE SOUR in the U.S. and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in Europe were just some of the highlights from last year. The band also made headlines with their memorable Rock On The Range festival performance in Columbus, Ohio. Not only did they perform "Trenches" with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame member Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, but the band brought 13 marines on stage showcasing the Lima Company Eyes of Freedom Memorial to stand behind them during the performance.

By the time 2014 came to a close, the band found their songs atop the year end charts at Billboard magazine. "Torn To Pieces" landed at #7 on the "Top Mainstream Rock Songs" while POP EVIL came in at #4 on the "Mainstream Rock Artists" chart.