Canadian extreme metallers KATAKLYSM will release their twelfth studio album, "Of Ghosts And Gods", on July 31 via Nuclear Blast. To coincide with the new CD's arrival, the band will release two new KATAKLYSM hot sauces, "Ghost Fire" and "God's Fury".

Says KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono: "What better way to celebrate a great new album with the release of KATAKLYSM's own hot sauce! We believe that a beer in your hand, metal music for your listening pleasure and a bottle of hot sauce in your pocket to spice up any meal go hand in hand in the metal world."

"Ghost Fire" is made with ghost peppers to bring the extreme heat and "God's Fury" is a milder, but hard-hitting sauce made with garlic and habanero peppers. These hot sauces will be made available in limited quantities with the new album pre-order on KATAKLYSM's official web site, www.kataklysm.ca, and will be available at concerts worldwide . The cover artwork for "Of Ghosts And Gods" was created by up-and-coming dark and macabre artist Art By Surtsey.

Guitarist Jean-François "JF" Dagenais tracked drums, guitars and bass for the album, while vocals were recorded by producer Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, CANNIBAL CORPSE). The effort was mixed and mastered in the U.K. by British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, AMON AMARTH).

AUDIOTOPSY, the new band featuring guitarist Greg Tribbett (MUDVAYNE, HELLYEAH), drummer Matt McDonough (MUDVAYNE), vocalist Billy Keeton (SKRAPE) and bassist Perry Stern, has signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. The group's debut album is scheduled for release in the fall.

"AUDIOTOPSY is the band that has been waiting to happen," says Greg. "All the stars aligned and here we are. It's some of the best music I've been a part of. We all cannot wait for everyone to hear it and we're excited to join forces with Napalm to make it all happen! See ya on tour!"

Adds Napalm Records vice president Thomas Caser: "We are thrilled to announce that AUDIOTOPSY has signed with Napalm Records! All of the members have already left their mark on the music scene with different groups before and we're glad to be part of the AUDIOTOPSY story that will certainly follow suit! The debut record will be released later this year and leave no doubt that this is a highly creative and innovative group of musicians."

Extensive tour plans are in the works for what will undoubtedly be a very busy remaining 2015 and beyond in support of the new album.

Matt prophetically adds: "Sometimes your world only changes once. Sometimes your world changes forever. Sometimes we get to change together. AUDIOTOPSY welcomes you, the change and the future. Thanks for joining us on our journey."

Billy says: "From the first few notes I knew this was going to be killer. The chemistry happening just took over and spawned this sound, this animal. I'm super stoked to get this music out, and to get this band on tour. Let the madness begin."

Tribbett previously described the musical direction of AUDIOTOPSY's debut album as "everything you want in a record... heavy, melodic, atmospheric, big, hooky riffs/singalongs as well."

HELLYEAH and MUDVAYNE singer Chad Gray told Songfacts in a recent interview that he doesn't know if the latter group will ever work together again. Asked if there was a chance for MUDVAYNE to regroup, Gray said, "I don't know if the full band will. Who knows — they might be putting something else together. We were talking for a while and that whole Greg thing went down and everything kind of fell apart." "The Greg thing" was the departure of Tribbett from HELLYEAH in 2013. Gray called his connection with Tribbett "the only truly solid relationship in [MUDVAYNE], although Matt and I are still great, Ryan [Martinie, bass] and I still briefly talk. I mean, the only way I personally would want to do MUDVAYNE is if everybody licked their wounds and got over it."

Gray said that there were "a lot of things" that tore MUDVAYNE apart, adding, "Maybe MUDVAYNE was the martyr for people that stopped supporting music. You sell 159,000 records the first week, and then the next record is like, 'Whatever, fuck it.'"

Gray admitted to Revolver recently that Tribbett's exit from HELLYEAH "was like losing a great friend… He has always been my right-hand man."

MUDVAYNE posted a message on Facebook one year ago saying that the band had not broken up and would be "back in action" at some point.

It's been more than five years since MUDVAYNE released its self-titled fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

As California technical death metal architects, Wrvth, (formerly Wrath Of Vesuvius), prepare for the release their self-titled, third full-length this June, the band offers up the brand new video for the tenth track, “Into Bloom”.

Comments the band of "Into Bloom", "This song’s very personal. It talks about finding who and where you want to be through chasing your dreams."

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Fallujah, All Shall Perish) at SharkBite/Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, California, the self-titled opus features a guest appearance from Daniel Casares of Bay Area jazz group, Atta Kid, on saxophone and boasts eleven tracks of jolting, transcendental death metal that tread a fine line between peaceful and punishing.

“Harrowing Winds”:

Wrvth is currently breaking stages as part of the Dawn Of The Shred tour. Assembled by Sojourner Booking and presented by Digital Tour Bus and Mt. Baker Vapor, Dawn Of The Shred kicked off May 6 in Van Nuys, California and will stomp through a total of eighteen cities, the final show to take place on May 26 in Fresno, California.

Tour dates:

May
20 – Dallas, TX – Boiler Room
21 – Austin, TX – Dirty Dog Bar
22 – Abilene, TX – Yayas
23 – Las Cruces, NM – Dream Center
24 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pubrock
25 – Anaheim, CA – Doll Hut
26 – Fresno, CA – The CYC

Wrvth will be released on June 16. Preorders are up at this location.

Art Gates Records recently announced the signing of Gislaved, Sweden-based metallers, Stormhold, to their growing roster of artists. Stormhold was born in 2008 and their sound is based in power metal, with a touch of Swedish folk music and influences from classic hard rock from the 80's. With joy and high energy the band have convinced press and fans with their heavy power metal.

Stormhold will release their debut album, Battle Of The Royal Halls, in Spain on May 28th and in Europe/Worldwide on July 2nd. A video teaser previewing all songs on the album can be found below.

Battle Of The Royal Halls was recorded at Hoborec Studio, produced by Ulf Blomberg and Stormhold, and mastered by Ulf Blomberg. More news coming soon.

 

Starkill's latest album, Virus Of The Mind, was released in late 2014 and the Chicago based four piece has been busy ever since. They are currently preparing for a North American tour with Sepultura with a few headline shows to warm up. There is also a new lyric video for "Winter Desolation”.

Singer/songwriter/guitarist, Parker Jameson had this to say: “”Winter Desolation” was the first track we recorded for the new album, blending together all the influence and experience gained from touring with bands we have had the privilege of playing with.  It also has a guest vocal section from Arsis' James Malone, which is also exciting since we will be now heading out on tour with them for our third time.  We're pumped to be supporting them, and the legendary Destruction and Sepultura this May and June."

Find Starkill’s live itinerary at this location.

British death metal mongers Decrepid have finished their sophomore album and it's ready to be unleashed upon mankind. Title for this work is Osseous Empire and it was originally intended for a 2014 release, but lineup changes forced the band to delay their plans until 2015.

Formed back in 2005, and especially since the release of the band's debut album Devoted To Death in 2011, which was very well received by the scene, Decrepid have been forging a reputation by themselves as one of UK's most pure and uncompromising death metal acts with a sound that's brutal yet old school sounding with songs full of killer and crushing riffs.

Osseous Empire tracklisting:

“Concussion”
“Death Walks Above”
“Indulgence In Self Destruction”
“Ashumaniac”
“Into To The Doom”
“Breeding Anger”
“Fear Within”

“Death Walks Above”:

Release date for Osseous Empire is settled for June 20 through Xtreem Music.

(Photo by: Susanne Hjalte)

Arizona-based instrumental duo, Tempel, take their sound to the next level on their forthcoming sophomore effort, The Moon Lit Our Path, due June 16th in North America, June 15th in the UK/EU and June 19th in Germany.

Today the band showcase their new song "Carvings In The Door" with a play-through video led by guitarist Ryan Wenzel. Check it out below:

Recorded at Ryan Wenzel's Phoenix-area Arrowhead Studio, The Moon Lit Our Path - which features intricate artwork by Lucas Ruggieri (Kylesa, Dragged Into Sunlight), as seen below - features five colossal tracks that mix progressive, black, death and post-metal into one mammoth sonic cocktail.

"Carvings In The Door" is now available as an "instant grat" download with digital pre-orders of the new album on iTunes and Bandcamp. Pre-orders of The Moon Lit Our Path on CD and gatefold 2LP are available now via the Prosthetic web shop, including an exclusive 180-gram clear vinyl variant limited to 200 copies worldwide. Also available for pre-order is a new vinyl pressing of On The Steps Of The Temple, the first two pressings of which sold out in short order last year. Choose your pre-order bundle now at this location.

 

 

The Moon Lit Our Path tracklisting:

“Carvings In The Door”
“The Moon Lit Our Path”
“Descending Into The Labyrinth”
“Tomb Of The Ancients”
“Dawn Breaks Over The Ruins”

“Carvings In The Door”:

Album teaser:

 

The self-titled debut album from Danish speed metallers Encyrcle is now streaming below. The album will be released on June 2nd on Unspeakable Axe Records. Pre-order it at this location.
 
Encyrcle is the kind of band that could make a true believer of even the most jaded modern metalhead. Hard-charging speed metal is juiced up further with black metal-esque blast beats, while the guitar solos and vocals are derived entirely from the oldest of old schools: melodic, powerful, and way over the top. They call what they do "Nocturnal Speed Metal" - which is the kind of label that suggests that they are not married wholly to any one genre, while still planting their roots in the recognizable.  With a professional and powerful sound, and a grasp of songwriting and riffcraft that is well above the norm, Encyrcle aims to destroy when the album arrives on June 2nd from Unspeakable Axe Records and Dark Descent.

Tracklisting:

“Chronoboros”
“To The End”
“Evoke The Night”
“Bloodbasker”
“Entrance”
“Dizzy Me Deadly”
“Serpent's Dream”
“Deathlust”
“Facelasher”
“Black Dust”
“Obliteration Eyes”

Album stream:

 

Century Media Records has announced the signing of Sweden’s Dead Lord. The band was formed in January 2012. The mission was to rock. It still is.

The band’s debut album, Goodbye Repentance, was released in 2013 through High Roller Records. The album as well as two 7” EPs (one being a split 7” with Black Trip) gained Dead Lord a lot of attention, both from media and fans of straight forward rock. With the reputation of being one of the best live rock acts today, Dead Lord have played festivals like Rock Hard, Muskelrock, Getaway Rock, Hell’s Pleasure, Turock Open Air, Hell Over Hammaburg or also Metal Assault and toured with Imperial State Electric, Noctum and most recently Wolf.

Dead Lord’s appearance at Rockpalast/Crossroads Festival was broadcasted via WDR in October 2014 and can still be seen at this location.

 

 

Dead Lord’s second studio album is entitled Heads Held High and was produced/recorded by Ola Ersfjord (known from his works for Tribulation, Morbus Chron, Dread Sovereign, etc.) and Nicke Andersson (ex-Entombed, ex-The Hellacopters, Imperial State Electric).

Philipp Schulte, A&R at Century Media, comments on the signing as follows: “We are more than happy to finally have Dead Lord on Century Media. Their brilliant debut album, the excellent 7” EPs and the awesome (or better: AWESOME!!!) live shows have made Dead Lord’s mission very clear: They are here to rock. And their new album Heads Held High surely does rock. Welcome on board!!”

Heads Held High will be released in August. More news to be revealed.

Dead Lord lineup:

Hakim Krim - Guitar and vocals
Olle Hedenström - Guitar
Martin Nordin - Bass
Adam Lindmark - Drums

Rock It Up Records have announced the signing of San Francisco-based sleaze rock band Jetboy. 

Jetboy 2015 features:

Mickey Finn - vocals
Billy Rowe - guitars
Fernie Rod- guitars
Charles Norman - bass
Ron Tostenson - drums

Jetboy are taking part in Cathouse Live At Irvine Meadows, Saturday, August 15th at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater (recently known as Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre) in Irvine, CA. Riki Rachtman created the original rock dance club that dominated the Hollywood scene from 1986-1993. Now, along with Live Nation and Synergy Global Entertainment (SGE), he’s bringing Cathouse Live to a much larger audience with this decadent music and lifestyle festival.

The initial music lineup for Cathouse Live will also feature an All-Star Jam, Extreme, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Sebastian Bach, Dokken, Faster Pussycat, Stephen Pearcy (the voice of Ratt), Saigon Kick, Gilby Clarke, Dangerous Toys, L.A. Guns, Junkyard, Trixter, Autograph, Black ‘N Blue, Tracii Guns, Enuff Z' Nuff, BulletBoys, Bang Tango, Pretty Boy Floyd, Tuff and Little Caesar.

May 16 completed five years since the death of one of the greatest heavy metal vocalists of all time: Ronnie James Dio. Musicians from around found a way to honor the master last Saturday.
 
The Brazilian progressive rock/metal band Maestrick recorded a tribute to honor the legacy left by Dio. It is a new recording for Rainbow's classic "Rainbow Eyes", with the special participation of the Brazilian orchestra Belas Artes (OBA!) under the baton of conductor Andrea Porzio Vernino.

"In his entire carrer, Ronnie James Dio was a living proof of the true function of the artist", says Fabio Caldeira, Maestrick's vocalist and pianist. "With his voice and music, he transcended the act of entertain people. Dio went beyond! He inspired all of us, and this tribute is our sincere way to honor and thanking him."

Mick of the North Carolina radio station 99.5 The X conducted an interview with HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale at the fifth annual Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, which took place May 2-3 at Rock City Campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway just outside Charlotte, North Carolina. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about using her sex appeal to sell the band and the focus on image in the music industry, Lzzy said: "You know what's funny?! It can go either way, regardless of the gender. I think that's a generational thing, where it's, like… I remember in the '70s… Well, I don't remember, but I'm a big fan of the '70s and '80s, and I remember back then, even the guys were sex symbols, and now guys are kind of scared to be that. And I'm kind of… Let's bring that back around, can we?"

Asked why she thinks that is, Lzzy responded: "I don't know. I think through the '90s, and everything, the whole grunge era, everyone kind of started taking themselves too seriously. [Laughs] No offense to the '90s — I'm a child of the '90s — I'm just saying, the guys started getting a little shy, and then the girls kind of took over with the sex appeal, and now we're the only ones doing it. So, guys, I challenge you: take some shirts off, will ya? We wanna see some man nipple."

In a 2013 interview with Playboy.com, Lzzy admitted: "I don't mind dressing up and doing the short-skirt-and-high-heels thing… The only stipulation that I have about this is that you have to make sure you have something to back it up. You can't totally ride on the fact that I'm going to show my legs and people are going to show attention. If they can get past the legs, make sure you can actually sing and be good at your instruments." Hale added: "Sex and rock 'n' roll have been going together hand in hand since the beginning of time. You can't get away from it."

The vocalist told The Pulse Of Radio that she believes it can be too easy sometimes for female musicians to rely solely on their looks. "Actually, I've been encouraging a lot of people to challenge us, and make sure that when you're reading these articles or you're seeing us in magazines or something, that you go and you check us out live, or you go and you sample a CD, something like that," she said. "If people start doing that and don't just look at us because we're a quote-unquote pretty face, or scantily clad — I think if more people were looking beyond that, it would make us step up a little bit."

Hale also said that she was pleased to see the percentage of females in HALESTORM's audience growing, explaining, "I see all of these girls who are not there because their boyfriends dragged them along, you know? They're very empowered, a little crazy like me, and it's wonderful to be in a room like that because when we first started out there weren't a whole lot of girls at the rock shows unless you count the girlfriends of somebody in the band."

HALESTORM's third album, "Into The Wild Life", was released on April 14. The CD 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.

In a brand new interview with Radio.com, FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin spoke about his involvement in the controversial 2002 re-recordings of the drum and bass parts on OZZY OSBOURNE's classic first two solo albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman".

The tracks originally played by Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake on both albums were replaced on the reissue by Bordin and Robert Trujillo (now in METALLICA) after Daisley and Kerslake sued Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne over royalties. They were restored for the 30th-anniversary editions.

Asked if it was weird to play drums on the re-recordings of "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman", Bordin — who was part of Osbourne's solo band from 1996 to 2010 — told Radio.com: "That was really kind of a fucked up thing… That wasn't what I was going in expecting to do [when I went into the studio to record those tracks]. So, that's all I'll say about it. I'm not ever going to throw anyone under the bus, ever. But when it turned out that that's what the reason was [for re-recording those tracks]… I never knew that. That doesn't lessen the fact that it happened. But that wasn't the way that it was presented to me at all. It was weird."

He continued: "I will say this: to hear the original guitar, bass and drum tracks in my headphones while I was recording, was one of the most insane things that I will probably ever experience. I also think I heard some guitar solos that I'd never heard before."

Bordin went on to say: "There's a reason why those albums are so good, and why people love them so much. They're magical. That's down to all the guys who made those albums. Far be it from me to ever want to fuck with that. It's something to be treasured."

After Bordin was reminded that the original albums were eventually restored for the 30th-anniversary editions, he said: "They had to [do that]. It was just weird."

Ozzy told The Pulse of Radio he was against the idea of replacing the original tracks when he found out about it. "Believe me, it wasn't my doing," he said. "I mean, I didn't know that was being done, 'cause Sharon was fighting all the legal things that were going down at the time. I said, 'What did you do that for?' And she said, 'The only way I could stop everything was if it went to that level.' And I said, 'You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back.' I mean, I wouldn't have done that."

Daisley told Rock Cellar in a 2012 interview that the 30th-anniversary reissues of both albums could have featured the material as bonus content. He explained, "I offered to supply tapes of our rehearsals and writing sessions, to go as proper bonus material. And I just said that I wanted a royalty out of it, because it's my stuff. But they wouldn't do it because they didn't want to give me a royalty — they just wanted to buy it."

Daisley said that he and Kerslake were fired because of disagreements with Sharon over a number of things, including refusing to do two shows in one day out of worry that Ozzy would blow out his voice.

In a brand new interview with ARTISTdirect, bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders of Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON was asked what his first meeting with METALLICA was like. He said: "It was a European festival. All I can remember is we were so excited our guitar player Bill [Kelliher, guitar] walked over to [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich, whipped his dick out and put it in Lars's pocket. [Laughs]"

He continued: "I can't believe we've done so many tours with them since. In the following years, we played Wembley Stadium in London in front of a hundred thousand people with them. I just remember being so happy."

Sanders added: "METALLICA is a giant reason why I picked up the bass and why I'm where I'm at today. Now, we're supporting them in front of a hundred thousand people at Wembley Stadium. That was magnificent. This summer we get to play another string of dates with them. It's just MASTODON and METALLICA across Russia for a couple of shows. If you flashback and told 13-year-old Troy this information, my head would've exploded."

As previously reported, MASTODON is working on a video for the song "Asleep In The Deep", taken from the band's current album, "Once More 'Round The Sun". The group is collaborating with Atlanta-based special effects guru Shane Morton and renowned American artist Skinner (cover artist for "Once More 'Round The Sun") on what is being described as "a short film that will feature bizarre imagery and psychedelically hued, possibly disturbing and disorienting concepts, starring cats."

MASTODON will re-release all of its Reprise titles on vinyl in the coming months. The first album in the series is 2006's "Blood Mountain", which was issued on March 3 on a mix of solid yellow and transparent green vinyl.

Lieutenant, the debut solo project of 20 year Foo Fighters vet and Sunny Day Real Estate co-founder Nate Mendel, premiered the new music video for his melodic and heartfelt song, “Believe The Squalor" today. Explosions, a demonic monk, a sexy woman performing sacrilegious acts upon an alter and metal rock heroes playing amidst the pews of a chapel are all some of the humorous, discordant images in the campy horror movie style video.

The song is off his debut solo record If I Kill This Thing We're All Going To Eat For A Week, which was released on Dine Alone Records in March of this year and available on vinyl starting this week.

 

 

The album track itself features the guitar work of Page Hamilton (Helmet) and vocals from Josiah Johnson (The Head And The Heart) but is played out in the video by Pete Majors and Sandor G.F. of Harassor, Erik Kluiber of Ironaut on bass and bandmate Eli Santana, also of Holy Grail. Mendel came up with the concept of the video when he was in the process of putting a touring band together for Lieutenant.

"I was in the brackish zone between a solo project and a band and wasn't sure of what the identity of the band would ultimately be," explained Mendel. "I thought, 'Why not play that our by creating a performance video using the 100% incorrect musicians, in this case a black metal band?' I texted the idea to a friend of mine, Jim Rota, who was a producer on the Sonic Highways project, and also fronts the metal band Fireball Ministry. He responded with a photo of Pete Majors covered in stage blood, on stage with his band Harassor.”
 

Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn took Europe’s 1986 classic rock staple, “The Final Countdown”, and reimagined it for banjos and wig for A.V. Club.

“Yes, when Fleck - who’s been widely recognized as one of the instrument’s greats for decades - showed up at AVHQ, he asked whether we might have a “hair metal” wig for him to wear. Since this is also Onion HQ, we’ve got a whole wardrobe room, and a new look was born. For her part, Abigail Washburn teased her hair and added a headband. Fleck took the wig with him, and the duo - whose latest collaboration is called simply Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn - has been playing “The Final Countdown” on the road.”

Check out the footage at this location.

 

Death/slam/core metallers The Juliet Massacre will release their new album Human Abuse on May 26. In anticipation, the band is streaming the entire album a week ahead of its release.

Vocalist Antomega shares the following about the new album: “Its long gestation period has meant that the successor to Pray For An Afterlife appears to be faster, more brutal, more intense, but also more deep. We have written about how much the mankind likes to abuse and destroy everything, even itself, and how all this is leading us to an inevitable collapse. These are all tangible things that each of us savor every day and against which ordinary people can do little or nothing. Human Abuse can be considered as an anthem to what actually the mankind should never be. We are totally convinced that this new work will satisfy all fans of the genre and, in some way, will satisfy even the most discerning ears.”

Recorded and mixed at Underroom Studios, three international guests (Julien Truchan from Benighted, Radim from Spasm and Alessandro Falà from Sawthis) and the precious collaboration of Gozer Vision on the artwork, Human Abuse is one of the most interesting extreme albums of the year.

Human Abuse tracklisting:

“Human Abuse”
“Earth Annihilation”
“Chocking The Last Breath”
“Drown In The Dust”
“Suffering In A Lake Of Solitude”
“The Tragedy Of The Guns”
“Beaten & Killed”
“Her Violated Body”
“Freedom Of Speech”
“Slam Against The Injustice”
“Gli Anni Di Piombo”

Album stream:

 

Relentless is an American female fronted heavy metal act formed in 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. Their debut album titled Souls Of Charon came out in 2013 on Do Or Die Records, and included six songs. While in their early days Relentless were inspired by such doom metal cult heroes as Pentagram, Trouble or Candlemass, on their brand new release titled Night Terrors, which will come out on June 9 listeners will find eight traditional heavy metal oriented songs. Their rough, obscure and totally old school style takes us back to the golden, trend free era of early '80s heavy metal.

In July, Relentless will promote the Night Terrors album on their first ever European Tour, during which the band will play live in Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Poland, France and United Kingdom.

Tour dates:

July
9 – Fredericia, Denmark – Metal Magic Festival
12 – Germany – TBA
13 – Belgium – TBA
14 – Paris, France – Le Givus Café
15 – UK – TBA
17 – London, UK – The Hobgoblin
18 – Birmingham, UK – Scruffy Murphy’s
19 – Holland – TBA
22 – Itzehoe, Germany – Headbangers Open Air
23 – Berlin, Germany – TBA
24 – Gdansk, Poland – Protokultura
25 – Warsaw, Poland – Metal Cave
26 – Katowice, Poland – Korba
27 – Leipzig, Germany - TBA

Swedish metallers AMARANTHE recently took part in an acoustic performance at the studios of the 95.1 WIIL Rock radio station in Kenosha, Wisconsin. You can now watch video footage of their appearance below.

AMARANTHE's third album, "Massive Addictive", was released on October 21, 2014 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was tracked at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA) at the helm.

In a recent interview with The Grim Tower, AMARANTHE drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen stated about "Massive Addictive": "While other songs are more metal than anything else we have done, it's not as fast paced as our previous two albums, and a bit more groovy. Every song is distinctively different from the others, but it's not a concept album this time like on previous albums. Somehow I almost see the two first albums as part of a whole, while 'Massive Addictive' is a step in a little bit of a different direction maybe… You can easily hear that this is AMARANTHE, but it does contain new elements and a different approach than our earlier material."

Regarding the songwriting and recording process for "Massive Addictive", Morten said: "We recorded with producer Jacob Hansen, as we have on our previous albums, but we wanted a bit of a different production this time. The songs this time leave more room for everything to be heard, since it's not quite as hectic as before. So we could go for a bigger and more open sound. Everything went pretty smooth, actually, even though we had been touring all the time and actually had to write a big part of the album either on the road or in the studio while recording. We had a pretty clear vision of how we wanted the album to turn out, but also left room for a lot of creativity in the moment. All in all, it has been a pretty rewarding experience this time."

IN THIS MOMENT singer Maria Brink joined PAPA ROACH on stage last night (Tuesday, May 19) in Moline, Illinois to perform the PAPA ROACH song "Gravity". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below.

PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix recently told Songfacts about the song: "On 'Gravity', I really put it all out there: my failures as a husband, as a lover, and as the head of my household. I talk about my brokenness, and me and my wife's relationship in some real, true story factual-type stuff. I think it's a bit of a testimony for me and my wife, like, 'Hey man, if you're another couple that's going through this struggle, you can make it through if you really want to, if you really love each other.'"

"Gravity" is taken from PAPA ROACH's latest album, "F.E.A.R.", which came out at the end of January. The new disc was recorded in Las Vegas, taking the band out of their Sacramento, California home base for the first time since 2006. PAPA ROACH worked with the father-and-son producing team of Kevin and Kane Churko on the new CD.

Shaddix told The Pulse Of Radio that he wasn't very happy at first about going to Sin City to record. "I ended up in this city where I've had some of my greatest failures and worst decision making, and some of my biggest debacles of my life happened in Vegas, you know," he said. "And I believe I was sent back to that city to go do right this time, and we went there and I just faced that fear of living in this city that I felt was gonna eat me alive. But really and truly I just gave myself to this music 100 percent, and that's what pulled me through."

Shaddix admitted that the band went into the studio this time with almost no new material prepared, explaining, "Usually when we begin working, we'll have a bunch of demos, and I'll have a bag of lyrics ready to go. We didn't have those things this time."

Guitarist Jerry Horton added, "We walked into the studio with nothing. It was frightening since it was so different, but it was also liberating. Once the ball started rolling, it was a snowball effect."

Los Angeles hardcore band TERROR will release a new album, "The 25th Hour", on August 7 via Victory in the U.S. and Century Media in Europe.

The track "The Solution", taken from"The 25th Hour", can be streamed below.

Says TERROR vocalist Scott Vogel: "We're very glad to finally get a new song of 'The 25th Hour' out. This is the hardest hitting song that we've had in a while. The lyrics are about children that had grown up in households that are negative, violent, and destructive to their innocence. As the cycle continues, they soon will too become bitter and aggressive in their lives."

"We Own The Night", the new video from IMPELLITTERI, can be seen below. Directed by John Logsdon, who has helmed videos for DEF LEPPARD, VAN HALEN and NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, the clip was filmed at the Mates rehearsal room in Los Angeles while VAN HALEN was preparing in the next room for its upcoming tour. "We Own The Night" is described in a press release as "the perfect anthem for all the rock fans that continue to live for the music." The song is taken from IMPELLITTERI's latest studio album, "Venom", which was released on April 17 in Europe and April 21 in North America.

"Venom" is described in a press release as "a record filled with addictive and memorable riffs, guitar solos that feature Chris Impellitteri's blistering shredding technique coupled with strong melody and taste. Rob Rock's vocals are mesmerizing, melodic, and will make the listener sing along with each song long after the record is over. Lastly, the band boggles the mind with brutal drumming (featuring John Dette, formerly of TESTAMENT, SLAYER, etc.) filled with speed and groove and beastly bass playing (curtesy of James Pulli) that supports IMPELLITTERI's sonic madness! The result is a record that excites and musically satisfy every Metal and Rock fan, and every musician around the world. To add to their quest, IMPELLITTERI also wanted to create music that would take the listener on a musical journey thru different time periods of metal and rock."

Chris Impellitteri is heralded as one of the world's greatest guitar shredders. He has won "Best Rock Guitarist" awards in several magazines during the years for his guitar soloing. He is the first guitarist to be called the fastest guitarist in the world by the international media. Impellitteri was recently officially voted second fastest guitarist in the world by Guitar One magazine; and Guitar World magazine listed Impellitteri within its top 50 fastest guitarists of all time!

Chris Impellitteri formed IMPELLITTERI in 1987, along with vocalist Rob Rock. That year, they released an EP called the "Black Album" which was well-received, and IMPELLITTERI went on to release the full-length album "Stand In Line" in 1988. To date, IMPELLITTERI has released a total of nine acclaimed studio albums and "Venom" follows after 2009's "Wicked Maiden".

"Venom" track listing:

01. Venom02. Empire Of Lies03. We Own The Night04. Nightmare05. Face The Enemy06. Dominoe Theory07. Jehova08. Rise09. Time Machine10. Holding On11. Rock Through The Night (bonus track)12. Reach For the Sky (bonus track)

Recording lineup:

Chris Impellitteri - Lead GuitarRob Rock - Lead VocalsJames Pulli - BassJon Dette - Drums

Los Angeles theatrical rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES will release their first-ever concert DVD and Blu-ray, "Alive And Burning", on July 10. The cover artwork for the set was designed by the band's longtime friend and previous album cover illustrator, Richard Villa, and can be seen below. Also available is a performance clip of the song "Faithless", taken from "Alive And Burning".

"Alive And Burning" will feature footage of BLACK VEIL BRIDES' sold-out hometown show in Los Angeles at the Wiltern Theater on November 1, 2014. The concert was part of the group's inaugural Halloweekend event as part of "The Black Mass" tour. The DVD was directed by Casey Tebo, known for his work on the acclaimed AEROSMITH documentary "Rock For The Rising Sun".

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie, BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack stated about why it has taken so long for his band to release a concert DVD: "I think, for us, being the band that always had the aspirations and dreams to be the kind of band that could put on a big theatrical stage show, it's taken a long time in our career. And, naturally, it takes a while for any band to get to the point where they can have that big stage show."

He continued: "When you're a young kid and go to a concert and see a big pyrotechnics or video screens, the reality behind how long that may take to get to that point both where it's financially viable but also makes sense for you on a scalable ability to be able to tour with it, you don't really think about that. We now are at a point, thankfully, that we can do a much more impressive and visual show and we felt that it was time to capture that with the DVD."

BLACK VEIL BRIDES' latest, self-titled album skyrocketed to No. 1 on the iTunes Rock Chart, No. 4 on the iTunes overall album chart, and to Top 10 on iTunes in over 20 countries when it was released. It debuted at No. 10 on The Billboard 200 album chart, giving BLACK VEIL BRIDES their second consecutive Top 10 album.

"Black Veil Brides" was helmed by producer Bob Rock, whose resume includes albums by METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE CULT and many others.

Fan-filmed video footage of AC/DC's May 19 concert in Munich, Germany can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Rock Or Bust 02. Shoot To Thrill 03. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be 04. Back In Black 05. Play Ball 06. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 07. Thunderstruck 08. High Voltage 09. Rock 'N' Roll Train 10. Hells Bells 11. Baptism By Fire 12. You Shook Me All Night Long 13. Sin City 14. Shot Down In Flames 15. Have A Drink On Me 16. T.N.T. 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

19. Highway To Hell 20. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

AC/DC's sixteenth studio album, "Rock Or Bust", has sold around 524,000 copies since debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart back in December.

It's the band's first album without founding guitarist Malcolm Young, who is suffering from dementia. He has been replaced by nephew Stevie Young.

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was arrested last November at his home in Tauranga on charges of threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis.

Although Rudd played on "Rock Or Bust", he did not appear in photos or videos for the disc.

One-time AC/DC drummer Chris Slade officially joined the band's lineup for its performance on the February 8 Grammy Awards telecast. Slade is also behind the kit for the group's current world tour.

The band will return to North America later this summer for 13 more tour dates, starting on August 22 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts and wrapping up on September 28 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Maryland rockers CLUTCH have set "Psychic Warfare" as the title of their eleventh album, tentatively due in September via the band's own label, Weathermaker Music. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2013's "Earth Rocker" include "X-Ray Visions", "Firebird", "Quick Death In Texas", "Our Lady Of Electric Lights", "Monsters", "Decapitation Blues" and "Son Of Virginia".

CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon tells Alexander Milas of TeamRock Radio 's "Metal Hammer Magazine Show" about the new album title: "'Psychic warfare' is a lyric from the first track, 'X-Ray Visions'. It's about a guy holed up in a motel for unexplained reasons, and he's under great duress, being attacked by psychically-empowered agents of unknown origin. At least, that's the back story I have in my head."

According to Fallon, the "X-Ray Visions" lyrical concept was influenced by Philip K. Dick, the science fiction author whose 1968 novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" was the basis for "Blade Runner". Neil says: "[Dick's] general philosophy and questions have always crept into my lyrics, because I share an interest in it. On 'Earth Rocker', 'Crucial Velocity' was definitely a Philip K. Dick song for me. On this record, 'X-Ray Visions' certainly is."

The basic tracks and most of the guitars for "Psychic Warfare" were laid down at producer Machine's studio in Dripping Springs, Texas, while the remainder was recorded at CLUTCH's studio in Maryland.

Fallon says that the secluded studio location was the inspiration for the song "Quick Death In Texas". He explains: "I was staying in a kind of unique, maybe 100-year-old property, by myself. I got spooked out because I come from the East Coast and the suburbs and I was out in the woods. That was the environment that brought out 'Quick Death In Texas' — and the locals."

In a recent interview with Pollstar.com, Neil stated about CLUTCH's forthcoming album: "There's nothing out of the ordinary of the CLUTCH canon [on the new CD]." He continued: "I think these songs were written so soon after 'Earth Rocker' that they have a lot in common. It's a faster record. It think it shares a bit of the sense of humor, lyrically, with 'Earth Rocker'. There are a lot of hooks on this record."

Fallon added: "It's hard for me to comment, because I'm still in the middle of it, still listening to mixes and stuff. I think it's another offering of our sincerest rock emotion."

Legendary guitarist George Lynch's "Shadow Train" project finally comes to light in an all-new 18 track deluxe edition two-CD set, due on July 17 via Rat Pak Records. The former DOKKEN and current LYNCH MOB axeman's stellar guitar work is combined with contributions from vocalist Gregg Analla, bassist Gabe Rosales, keyboardist Donnie Dickman and drummer Jimmy D'Anda to create honest, soulful and meaningful rock, blues and hard rock-based music, making this release a must-have for all Lynch fans.

Songs on this disc are also featured in Lynch's forthcoming movie, "Shadow Nation", a thought-provoking documentary that explores the trials and tribulations that face Native American Indians in our world today.

About the release, George says: "I've spent over four decades of my life pursuing elusive musical aspirations. But for even longer than that, I've cared, studied and thought deeply about the human condition and how we interact with each other and the world around us. Fusing these two aspirations into one has been a challenge for me throughout my creative life. This is my attempt at bonding the music and the message into one cohesive whole."

"Shadow Train" track listing:

Disc 1

01. Vulture02. Currency Of Lies03. Power And Resistance04. Now It's Dark05. Vulture (Slight Return)06. I Am Weapon07. Ghost08. White Clay09. Fight No More

Disc 2

01. Believe02. Blinded03. Fallen04. Glitter05. Prayer Mechanism06. Sioux Wake Up07. Trail Of Tears08. Under A Crooked Sky09. World On Fire

Pre-order bundles are available at this location.

"Shadow Nation" film synopsis: "[The film] will illuminate the cost of the destruction of the Native American community; to both the indigenous population as well as to their European conquerors. The documentary will reveal the qualities inherent in indigenous people's world views that should be recognized and adopted if we all, collectively, intend to not only survive, but to find a way to live happier, more meaningful lives. While engaging a wide variety of opinions from notable activists, authors, artists, elders and shaman, politicians and government officials, clergy, teachers and everyday people, the film will reveal its message through a powerful music-driven road trip.

"The journey begins as renowned guitarist George Lynch, drummer, artist and activist Vinnie Nicastro and a musical band of politically engaged musicians climb into an old station wagon in the southwest desert. They pull a vintage horse trailer, retro-fitted to carry band equipment, solar panels, generators and camping gear.

"They travel the back roads, searching for a truth that can speak to power. They visit the Apache, Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona, Zuni and Tewa in New Mexico, Shoshone in Nevada, Utes in Utah and Colorado and then on to the Dakotas to visit the people and places that were (and still are) the epicenter of conflict between the native peoples and their European conquerors.

"The people they visit on the reservations will share how they have created sensible environmentally sustainable solutions that work in today’s world. Simple and proven practices like passive solar water heaters on the Paiute reservation, active community gardens and other ideas will be explored. Then as [they] move on to other reservations, they will help to integrate these workable procedures, pick up more ideas and carry them further."

In the one-and-a-half-minute video below, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield recalls turning 50 and reminiscing about having to balance between being a rock star and his family. His family is most important, because it's unconditional love. Some parents can smother their kids with rules and boundaries; and some look the other way and give no attention. James talks about being in the middle of those two; finding a balance between showing you care but setting boundaries as a parent. It's not easy, but James knows how important the balance is.

Says Hetfield: "When I turned fifty, there was a strange split in the road, thinking I'm this rocker dude who's gotta go out blazing. I'm an artist, I'm a struggling artist. I need to struggle, I have to… Maybe I have to fall farther. Maybe the elevator needs to go further down. I need to… I need to… I need to do some more research. I need to show my fans that I really care about them more than anything else, and forgot about the other split — my family — and that's an unconditional love. Just because my family kind of disintegrated as a kid doesn't mean my parents didn't have unconditional love for me. I know there are parents out there that struggle with loving their kids, or not knowing how to love their kids."

He continued: "God, being a parent is so hard! And I'll either smother that kid with control, or I'll just go like this [puts his hands up]. 'Whatever you do, I don't wanna know about it.' Being in the middle is so hard… so hard in the very middle, showing that you care. And being hated as a parent… Even when you're doing a good job, you're hated."

The latest Hetfield video, like the three before it, was produced by Road Recovery, an organization dedicated to helping young people battle addiction and other adversities, in partnership with Hooplaha.

It was during the late '90s that cracks began to show in both METALLICA's public image and Hetfield's tough-guy demeanor. Always a heavy drinker, his alcohol intake reached toxic levels in 2001 just as the band was starting work on its eighth studio album.

He recalled the moment when he made the decision to get help for his problems with drugs and alcohol. "My wife threw me out of the house and I went to rehearsal, and she could not believe that I had done that, and said, 'You've got to check yourself in somewhere,' and I said, 'Nah, no way, I'm the singer for METALLICA, I can't get help. I don't need help,'" he told The Pulse Of Radio. "A lot of denial. She was very adamant about me seeking the help and I went in, I think, for her and for my family."

Hetfield said that entering rehab was one of the scariest times in his life. "I was just kind of really scared," he said. "I was dropped off into this place and at that point my family was in question. Basically the family had split up, or I was no longer in the house, and it was totally one of the most scary times in my life. It was really like the earth was shaking under me, there was no stability, it felt like a constant earthquake. I had no idea what I was doing, where I was going."

Hetfield got clean and sober in 2002, returning to METALLICA to record the controversial "St. Anger" album and make the documentary "Some Kind Of Monster", which chronicled his struggle as well as the band's near-breakup.

During an appearance on this past Monday's (May 11) edition of Eddie Trunk's SiriusXM satellite radio show, "Eddie Trunk Live", vocalist Gary Cherone of Massachusetts hard rockers EXTREME was asked about the band's plans to write and record the follow-up to 2008's "Saudades de Rock".

"Right now, we're all feeling the pressure of putting out something new," he said. "[Celebrating the 25th anniversary of EXTREME's 1990 album] 'Pornograffitti' is great. We're enjoying it. We're playing to new audiences the past couple of years. We're hitting Russia for the first time and China. We're going to South America in June for the first time in 23 years. So all that's great. But for me, and Nuno [Bettencourt, guitar] and the guys, we're writing, we're doing demos… Now it's like… Now we've gotta get… Let's get busy. Let's get some new music out."

He continued: "We're writing and demoing now, and, obviously, this summer, you take advantage of the touring season with the festivals… It's about all of us getting in a room together to record, and that's the fall. We'll find time to do it. But we'll be ready; the songs will be there."

EXTREME's first studio album in thirteen years, "Saudades de Rock" (pronounced "sow-dodge") was released in the U.S. on August 12, 2008 on Open E Records and distributed by Fontana. The European version of the CD, which came out on August 1, 2008, included a bonus track, the "Americocaine" demo from 1985, the very first studio recording of EXTREME.

The iconic rock foursome — Cherone, Bettencourt, bassist Pat Badger and drummer Kevin Figueiredo — recorded their fifth studio offering at NRG Studios in Los Angeles with Bettencourt at the helm as producer and mixer. "Saudades de Rock" boasted 13 tracks, including the infectious roar of "Star", the groove-laden, swagger of "King Of The Ladies", a raw funk rock anthem called "Learn To Love", and the expressive ballad "Ghost".

EXTREME's "Take Us Alive" live CD and DVD came out on May 4, 2010 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records. This performance was recorded on the last night of their tour at the House of Blues on August 8, 2009 in EXTREME's hometown of Boston.