Canada's Devin Townsend Project recently wrapped up the European leg of their Z² world tour. During the performance of "Lucky Animals" in Bristol, UK on March 29th they were joined by support act Shining's frontman Jørgen Munkeby on saxophone. Fan-filmed video can be viewed below:

In addition, fan-filmed video of the band playing two cuts from Townsend's Ocean Machine record from 1997 - "Bastard" and "The Death Of Music" - for the first time ever at the band's April 11th show in Bournemouth is available:

Devin Townsend drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen recently checked in with the following update:

"I officially played the most prestigious gig of my life. Royal Albert Hall was absolutely amazing tonight. I don't know if this show will ever be topped. It was incredible playing one of the most iconic if not the most iconic venue in the world. It was surreal, electric, filled with positive energy and sold out! It was truly amazing."

Fan-filmed video from the show is available below:

U.A.E.-based prog metal band, Anuryzm, is set for release their new album, All Is Not For All, on June 15th via Melodic Revolution Records.

“Humanoid” is the first single to be released from All Is Not For All, it’s the perfect introduction to the new album combining technical guitar riffs with vacillating harmonious and powerful vocals. A lyric video for the song can be found below. The track glides effortlessly through euphonious and symphonic synth and acoustic sections while at times incorporating traces of Eastern and jazz like arrangements.

 

 

“Humanoid” has been released as a Digital Single and is available via iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Tidal, Bandcamp, Xbox Music and more. According to the band, “”Humanoid” is a Sci-Fi epic about being watched by intelligent ETs. They recognize that humans are a flawed and doomed species. They question whether they started us off on the right path to technological awakening or whether it was a mistake to give away knowledge.”

All Is Not For All follows their debut album Worm’s Eye View, released in 2011. The new album is an uncompromising collection of carefully calculated songs with an esoteric approach to the instrumentation, and masterful compositions on this release. All Is Not For All effortlessly melds elements of progressive metal with power, death, and even thrash metal to solidify their own unique sound.

If you listen closely you may even hear elements and an underlying familiarity of bands that have influenced Anuryzm over the years, touches of Opeth, Megadeth, Iron Maiden and even Queensrÿche make for an incredibly compelling listen.

Additionally, the band have raised an army of venerable musicians from the music world to take up arms on the new album, with guest collaborations from the likes of; Michael Lepond (Symphony X), Uri Dijk (Textures, Ethereal), Charlie Zeleny (Whiplash), and interestingly, Christopher Chaplin (the youngest son of the late icon Charlie Chaplin) who plays cello on “Oceans Apart”.

According to the band, thematically, “The album’s songs span a variety of topics including humbleness, nanotechnology, illness, astral projection, extraterrestrial encounters, love, longing and remorse, third culture upbringing, displacement and Japanese warrior code (Bushido) to name a few.”

 

 

Tracklisting:

“Mineral”
“Full Agonist”
“Humanoid”
“Depolarized”
“The Challenger”
“Oceans Apart”
“All Is Not For All”
“199x”
“Impermanence”
“Perispirit”

“Humanoid” lyric video:

 
Musician on the album:

John Bakhos (Guitars & Synths)
Nadeem Bibby (Vocals)
Miltiadis Kyvernitis (Additional Backing Vocals)
Michael LePond (Bass)
Charley Zeleny (Drums)
Uri Dijk (Synths)
Christopher Chaplin (Orchestral Strings on “Oceans Apart”)  

Touring band:

Nadeem Bibby (Vocals)
John Bakhos (Guitars)
Jay Jahed (Synths)
Imad Dahleh (Drums)
Rany Battikh (Bass)

 

Pillars Of Creation is the second album from British metal band, Dendera, who combine classic metal with an aggressive modern edge. The album will be released on June 22nd via Metalbox Recordings.

Following the release in 2013 of Dendera’s debut album The Killing Floor, the band has gone from strength to strength and the last few years has seen them support the likes of Saxon, UFO, Fozzy, Skindred, Firewind, Orange Goblin, Grand Magus, Ill Nino, Gloryhammer, and Soulfly, among others.

 

 

Shows scheduled for summer 2015 include two shows with Queensrÿche/Death Angel and further shows are planned in support of the album. Stay tuned for updates.

 

Legendary singer-songwriter David Bowie has hailed "Lulu", METALLICA's controversial collaborative album with former THE VELVET UNDERGROUND frontman Lou Reed, as a "masterpiece," calling it "Lou's greatest work."

Bowie's opinion of "Lulu" was revealed during the speech Reed's widow, Laurie Anderson, gave last night (Saturday, April 18) at the the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where her late husband was being posthumously inducted as a solo performer.

"One of [Lou's] last projects was his album with METALLICA," Anderson said in her speech. "And this was really challenging, and I have a hard time with it. There are many struggles and so much radiance. And after Lou's death, David Bowie made a big point of saying to me, 'Listen, this is Lou's greatest work. This is his masterpiece. Just wait, it will be like 'Berlin'. It will take everyone a while to catch up.'"

Despite the fact that Anderson could not fully appreciate "Lulu" at the time of its November 2011 release, she has an opportunity to re-evaluate it in the 18 months since Reed's Ocober 2013 death from liver problems.

"I've been reading the lyrics and it is so fierce," she said in her speech. "It's written by a man who understood fear and rage and venom and terror and revenge and love. And it is raging. Anyone heard Lou sing 'Junior Dad' will never forget the experience of that song, torn out of the Bible. This was rock and roll taken to whole new levels."

Three and a half years since its release, "Lulu" has only sold under 40,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Lulu" polarized fans around the world and earned METALLICA some of the most scathing reviews of its career. The effort featured the former THE VELVET UNDERGROUND frontman's spoken-word poetry and lyrics combined with METALLICA's musical assault for a jarring experience that didn't sound like anything METALLICA had ever attempted before. A concept album based on two early-20th-century plays by German author Frank Wedekind, the CD was co-produced by Reed, METALLICA, Hal Willner — who has produced albums for Reed, Marianne Faithfull, and Laurie Anderson, among others — and Greg Fidelman. Fidelman also mixed the record.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said that he was unfazed by the fact that most of the band's fans found "Lulu" to be virtually unlistenable, saying "I love that album to death. It's unfortunate that other people don't see it the same way as I do, but what can I do about it? I can't do anything about it. I can just keep on loving it. And if people like it, great. If people don't like it, that's great too. It's only music."

In a 2012 interview with Spin, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich admitted that the band was caught off guard by the vehement reaction to "Lulu", saying, "It was more spiteful than anyone was prepared for. Especially against Lou. He is such a sweet man. But when METALLICA do impulsive riffing and Lou Reed is reciting abstract poetry about German bohemians from 150 years ago, it can be difficult to embrace." Asked whether the band had second thoughts over some of Reed's lyrics, like "I swallow your sharpest cutter / Like a colored man's dick," Ulrich said, "I understand that to some 13-year-old in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, it can all seem a little cringe-worthy, but to someone raised in an art community in Copenhagen in the late '60s, that was expected."

More surprisingly, Ulrich also revealed that he and Reed almost got into a physical altercation while making "Lulu". He recalled, "One time I had to point something out to him about how things were functioning in the outside world and he got hot and bothered. He challenged me to a street fight, which is a pretty daunting proposition because he's an expert in martial arts and is never too far from a sword. The good thing about me is I can do the 100-meter dash faster than most other 48-year-old musicians."

The collaboration between METALLICA and Reed was sparked by their performance together of Reed's "Sweet Jane" and "White Light/White Heat" at the 25th anniversary of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame at Madison Square Garden in October of 2009.

The songs were all written by Reed with extensive arrangement contributions by METALLICA.

Only two songs on the album are under five minutes in length, while two are more than 11 minutes long and the closing cut, "Junior Dad", clocks in at 19 minutes.

Reed died in October 2013 at the age of 71, five months after he had a life-saving liver transplant, according to his wife, Laurie Anderson.

Drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB) spoke to Loudwire about his recently announced metal project in which he is collaborating with a couple of other well-known musicians — rumored to be Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH).

He said (see video below): "I still have to be cryptic, because we haven't come out with a formal announcement. But I've kind of been hinting at what's going on and the people I'm working with."

He continued: "There's this misconception that it's my metal project, which it's not. This is something that I am working in equal collaboration with another bass player and another guitar player. It's our project. And if you've done your Twitter detective work, you know who's in it with me. But we're still not ready to come out with an official announcement, but it is gonna be happening really, really soon."

Portnoy added: "It's a great, great metal album that the three of us have written and recorded together, and we're gonna have lots of various other friends and special guests joining us on it. And more info to come, but, for me, it's a great, great metal outlet, because… Since I left DREAM THEATER, I've had prog bands and classic rock bands and alternative things, but I haven't had a true, true thrash metal-oriented outlet — other than the METAL ALLEGIANCE shows that I've done, but that's live. So, yeah, it's exciting for me."

Mike also talked about involvement with METAL ALLEGIANCE — the all-star metal band consisting of a rotating cast of musicians, including members of PANTERA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA, MASTODON and more — which debuted on MOTÖRHEAD's Motörboat cruise last year, and performed at this year's NAMM show and on the ShipRocked cruise.

"To me, METAL ALLEGIANCE is… it's the ultimate hang," he said. "And, for me, it's awesome, because I'm really the only guy on the roster that's not normally in a thrash or metal band; I come from a kind of different world. So, on the outside, it may look weird that I do this, but I've always been the biggest metal fan through and through. I grew up listening to the same stuff as all these guys — we all grew up listening to [BLACK] SABBATH and [JUDAS] PRIEST and [IRON] MAIDEN and KISS and AC/DC and MOTÖRHEAD — so I have the same musical background as these guys. And once all the guys in METAL ALLEGIANCE were coming up — in MEGADETH and SLAYER and PANTERA and ANTHRAX — I was coming up around the same time as well, just in a different genre. But these guys were always my friends; I was always hanging out with the ANTHRAX guys and the PANTERA guys… whatever. I felt a close kinship to all the guys in this thrash world, and they became my friends. So, with METAL ALLEGIANCE, for me, it's a natural thing to be involved with these guys. All these guys are great guys, great friends. We love jamming together, and the whole METAL ALLEGIANCE thing is just… You know, we're fans. When we're up on stage playing this stuff, we're as much fans as the people on the other side, in the audience. We're on the side of the stage headbanging and cheering everybody on and having a good time. So that's what it's about: it's just metal by metal guys who are still metal fans."

Portnoy previously told MikePortnoyWarriors.com about his new metal project: "It's pretty obvious that it's stemming from my METAL ALLEGIANCE experience, and it's all original music. For me, I'm getting to do the full-blown, double-bass shredding drumming that I've only been able to hint at with DREAM THEATER or with AVENGED or with ADRENALINE MOB. So now it's a full-blown album. And the whole album is not thrash. I mean, this album is really kind of the history of metal; there's moments that are early metal, like very [BLACK] SABBATH-esque, and then there's moments that are full-on mid-'80s thrash — EXODUS, SLAYER, early METALLICA, 'Kill 'Em All' METALLICA — so there's a good chunk that's very, very much like that. And then there's moments that get more into '90s type of ALICE IN CHAINS sort of stuff. So it's almost a good history-of-metal sort of album. But I definitely have gotten my metal chops in. It's been fun. It's been really, really cool. I can't wait for people to hear this album."

"Gruesome ", a brand new song from death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's eleventh studio recording, which will be released on May 5 via Metal Blade Records. Titled "Crypt Of The Devil", the ten-track slab of audio violence was composed by vocalist Chris Barnes and CANNABIS CORPSE bassist/vocalist Phil "Landphil" Hall. While on tour with CANNABIS CORPSE in 2013, Barnes and Hall met and kept in touch. Barnes would later lend his vocals to a track on CANNABIS CORPSE's "From Wisdom To Baked". That same year, Hall and Barnes joined forces to pen brand new SIX FEET UNDER tracks. Barnes lauds Hall's take on the SIX FEET UNDER style of death metal and stated that this material was, "where my wheelhouse is — it's where I thrive vocally and lyrically."

With "Crypt Of The Devil", Barnes has worked to continue the overall story from the previous works, wherein he is penning lyrics from the perspective of a serial killer. Or as Barnes describes, it's a "winding journey through his mind. The songs paint a picture that's not necessarily linear, rather a meandering back and forth through a dark soul." Soon-to-be-classic cuts such as "Open Coffin Orgy" serve as exemplary examples of the fruits of Barnes' macabre muse.

Recording for the album took place at Hall's studio in Virginia. Hall tracked rhythm and bass guitar, while his brother, Josh Hall, tracked drums, and guitarist Brandon Ellis tracked the majority of the album's leads. Barnes took to London Bridge Studio (PEARL JAM, ALICE IN CHAINS) in his new base of operations in Seattle, Washington to record vocals and in fact holed himself up in the very same booth where Layne Staley tracked his words. The mix was completed by Rob Caldwell (CANNABIS CORPSE, IRON REAGAN) in Sarasota, Florida and mastering was done by Alan Douches (CANNIBAL CORPSE, REVOCATION, TORCHE, SKELETONWITCH) at West West Side in New Windsor, New York.

"Crypt Of The Devil" track listing:

01. Gruesome02. Open Coffin Orgy03. Broken Bottle Rape04. Break The Cross In Half05. Lost Remains06. Slit Wrists07. Stab08. The Night Bleeds09. Compulsion To Brutalize10. Eternal in Darkness

SIX FEET UNDER's current live lineup will include longtime guitarist Steve Swanson, flanked by Jeff Hughell on bass, and Marco Pitruzella on drums.

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx spoke to Australia's Rolling Stone magazine about the band's "The Final Tour", which kicked off last year and will end New Year's Eve at the Staples Center in Los Angeles after one more round of North American gigs.

Asked if the CRÜE is still planning to play a set at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California after the band's Staples Center show on December 31, Nikki responded: "I don't know. By the time we get off stage and hang out, it will be about 2 o'clock in the morning. Do you want to drive into Hollywood, get there about 4, play at 5 a.m.?"

He continued: "I think I like the send-off at the Staples, where we blow the place up, rather than kind of hobbling through a set at the Whisky at 5 o'clock in the morning!

"It sounds all romantic, until you really put the pieces of the puzzle together and you go, 'Yeah, it's actually not a very good idea.'"

The idea of MÖTLEY CRÜE playing its final show at the Whisky A Go Go was first raised last year by singer Vince Neil, who told the Las Vegas Weekly: "Rumor has it, the last few shows are going to be Vegas and L.A., because we wanted to end in 2016 in Los Angeles where we started.

"After New Year's, we'll do three nights at one of the arenas in L.A.," Neil added. "And then do a special show at the Whisky A Go Go on our 35th anniversary."

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee told Rolling Stone last year: "We want to finish where we started. There's talk about the Staples Centre and the Forum, though it might end with a 1 a.m. show at the Whisky. Fuck, we all used to live around the corner from that club."

Sixx added. "After we take the final bow, I'm gonna drive home alone with the radio off.

"I'll go past the Roxy, the Rainbow and the Troubadour. I'll open the door to my house and be like, 'Where did all the fucking years go?' Then I'll close the door and wait for the next chapter."

While announcing the first details of "The Final Tour" at a Los Angeles press conference in January 2014, the four members of MÖTLEY CRÜE revealed that they took the unusual step of having their lawyer draw up a formal "cessation of touring" agreement that goes into effect at the end of 2015 and prohibits the members of the group from going on the road again under the MÖTLEY CRÜE banner.

"The only loophole is if all four members agreed to break the contract," Sixx said before adding. "There is no amount of money that would ever make me do it again. We'd have so much egg on our face."

After the completion of the farewell tour, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars is expected to put the finishing touches on his long-in-the-works debut album as well as a memoir. Sixx will focus much of his efforts on his other band, SIXX: A.M., while Neil will continue his solo career. Lee's plans have not yet been revealed, but he did tell Newsday: "I am writing and putting things aside. It's a different direction from my last solo work because I'm changing around all the components. It won't be something you've heard or seen before. Believe me, I'm not done after this."

According to Stuff.co.nz, AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has admitted to possession of drugs and threatening to kill a former employee.

Rudd, 60, appeared in Tauranga District Court on Tuesday (April 21st) where he pleaded guilty to possession of 91g of cannabis and 0.478g of methamphetamine, and one count of threatening to kill.

A second charge of threatening to kill was withdrawn by Crown Prosecutor Anna Pollett.

Rudd has been on bail since he was arrested after police executed a search warrant at his Bureta home on November 6th, 2014.

Read more at Stuff.co.nz.

Rudd was charged over an incident on September 26th where - according to a police summary - heudd rang a man he knew and threatened to kill both him and his daughter, according to News.com.au. This was consistent with another phone call made by Rudd earlier that morning. The drug charges were laid after police executed a search warrant at Rudd's home on November 6th. Police say Rudd had 0.71g of methamphetamine and 130g of cannabis in his possession. He was also charged with attempting to procure a murder when he appeared in court in November, but this was dropped by the crown solicitor the following day.

Poughkeepsie, NY-based metal band, The Begotten, have released the music video for the track “Behind The Sun”, included on the band’s demo debut, released independently earlier this year. The video was directed by Ignacio Orellana (@Picturevents).

The Begotten have released a 3-song EP on a CD format called Dehiscence, the band has been working hard supporting it’s release by opening for major acts and frequently performing live around the area.

Tracklisting:

“Behind The Sun”
“Flesh Possessor”
“Dehiscence”

The Begotten is:

Genevieve Salerno - Vocals
Joe Lamanna - Bass
Bryon Macisaac - Guitar
Damon Botelho - Drums

 

Stockholm, Sweden-based metallers, Faceshift, released their sophomore album, All Crumbles Down, on April 13th via Mighty Music. A new lyric video for the track “A New Beginning” can be seen below:

Combine crushing in-your-face riffs with bluesy lead guitars, add thunderous bass lines hailing from the depths of death, then throw this mix on a solid foundation of progressive drums and pour powerful yet soaring vocal harmonies on top… What do you get? That´s right! Faceshift.

 

 

The initial impact of hearing Faceshift for the first time will strike you with a sense of power and melody in perfect harmony. But there is so much more! With influences ranging from Pantera to Alice In Chains, from Slash to Tool, and from Dio to Symphony X, the versatility of Faceshift is what really sets them apart.
 
All recordings were done in less than two weeks, the album was self produced and mixed by Öyvind Voldmo Larsen at Lionheart studio in Oslo, Norway. Everyone who has heard it agree: this is one kick ass metal album! So brace yourselves, because in 2015...  All Crumbles Down!

 

 

Tracklisting:

"Betrayed"
"The Lie"
"Pieces"
"A New Beginning"
"Someone To Be"
"Of Dignity And Shame"
"Awaken"
"Painted Life"
"Stand Alone"
"On The Inside"
"When All Crumbles Down"

"Betrayed" lyric video:

 

Mighty Music have announced the signing of Polarized, a classy thrash-band with great musicians from Sweden, USA, Italy and Bosnia, known from bands like Node, Carnal Forge, Soul Breach and Merkel Market. The new album, Western Hypnosis, will be released in the fall of 2015.

While its cradle and main headquarter are both in New Haven, CT (US), three of its four hearts pump blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen from Sweden to Italy. But not all Polarized members are from these three countries. Wars, financial collapses, or simply sheer boredom made people move and meet new people, start new projects, and begin new stories. This is the story of Polarized, a quintessentially Euro-American story. Bosnia, Sweden, Italy, and the United States are the countries where Polarized stumbled into.

Polarized plays classy thrash. Yes, you read that right: classy, not classic. There is no room here for nostalgia for the good old days — that, one might say, never quite existed. No attempt at being the fastest, the craziest, or the drunkest. Polarized plays neither revival nor experiments. There is no effort to surprise you with unexpected blends of genres, new technologies, and complex song structures. The listener of Polarized won’t bother to search for multi-hyphenated labels to define its music. S/he will know exactly what Polarized is about, and s/he’ll dig it. Inspired songs, outstanding musicianship, and thought provoking lyrics shape into a silky thrash metal entity which has been named Polarized after its lyrical content. Polarized lyrics have not to be taken from the “I” point of view. The “speaking-I angle” changes through the lyrics within the same song. Polarized lyrics are “Polarized dialogues” in which, by definition, there is no dialogue at all, but a juxtaposition of divergent, irreconcilable views takes place. It is your job to disentangle them in foro interno. And, no, Polarized won’t provide you with the last word or ready-made slogans to flaunt in foro externo.

 

 

Three years after his departure from thrashers Node (Scarlet Rec., Massacre Rec.), Daniel Botti begins writing new riffs. With a few songs at hand, he starts sharing material with new and old friends on both sides of the Atlantic (since January 2010, Dan lives in New Haven, CT). In the winter of 2012-2013, an old friend of Daniel, bassist Lars Linden (Carnal Forge) joins Polarized and suggests Daniel to get Dino Medanhodzic involved in the project. Former guitarist of Soulbreach (Mascot Rec.), Dino Medanhodzic took part in Carnal Forge’s single “Blood War” and toured with them for a couple of years. Co-owner of Radionika Studios in Stockholm, Dino is well reputed as sound engineer and artistic producer. Skins are thrashed by another old friend of Daniel, Marco Di Salvia, former Node’s member and current drummer in Pino Scotto’s band and Milan’s post hardcore project Merkel Market.

Western Hypnosis is the title of Polarized debut album. The record has been engineered, mixed, and mastered on April and May 2014 at Radionika Studios in Stockholm (Sweden), under the supervision of producer and Polarized lead guitarist Dino Medanhodzic.

 

 

Lineup:

Daniel Botti – Vocals/Rhythm Guitars
Dino Medanhodzic – Lead Guitars
Lars Linden – Bass
Marco Di Salvia – Drums

 

Norway’s Shining have joined forces with Spinefarm Records for a worldwide deal that will see a new studio album released later this year supported by international touring, plus a number of high-profile festival appearances (in France, Belgium, Norway, and Holland), with more dates to be added.

The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter Jørgen Munkeby, Norwegian collective Shining, fresh from a European tour guesting with Devin Townsend, have been breaking down musical barriers for the past 15 years, mixing progressive, technical metal, jazz, avant-garde and experimental sounds with cutting-edge visuals and blazing live performances. Along the way, Munkeby, a skilled saxophonist and guitarist, a graduate of the Norwegian Academy of Music, has released a number of Shining albums, collected awards, toured with the likes of Dillinger Escape Plan and Arch Enemy, and effectively forged a whole new musical genre.

Just as Venom created Black Metal in the early '80s, Shining can proudly put their name to Blackjazz, also the title of their 2010 album, a Top 10 record in Norway.

Following Blackjazz was the excellent One One One (2013), and now it's time for studio album number seven, the title of which is TBA. As with Blackjazz and One One One, the new album has been mixed by Sean Bevan (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle), and is about to be mastered in Los Angeles by Tom Baker (Baker Mastering).

"Our new album is one of our most varied, encompassing the whole gamut of what we do, from the sinister ferocity and experimentation of Blackjazz to the more focussed songwriting of One One One. It really is the culmination of all the best elements in the Blackjazz world," Munkeby said. "Shining are now at the high point of our career, with several high-profile tours completed over the past couple of years, so we feel it's very fitting for us to be moving ahead with Spinefarm Records at this particular time; we are greatly looking forward to working with them to take Blackjazz to the masses around the world, and we can't wait for everyone to hear our new album!"

Spinefarm Records General Manager UK Dante Bonutto, "It's very rare that you get a chance to work with a band like SHINING and an artist like Jørgen Munkeby: a songwriter and a musician with a vision that sets him completely apart from the norm, yet a vision that still allows for songs that can appeal to a broad audience. Creating challenging, intelligent music doesn't mean that it can't connect both emotionally and commercially, and I speak on behalf of everyone at Spinefarm worldwide when I say that we''e very much looking forward to spreading the Blackjazz gospel. Amen."

Adventurous, compelling and constantly developing, Jørgen Munkeby and Shining are a unique force to be reckoned with.

US-based progressive rock and metal band, Odin's Court, released their fifth album, Turtles All the Way Down, on March 3rd. After releasing four diverse albums on ProgRock Records internationally, Odin’s Court released their latest album independently through their own label D2C Studios.

Check out the newest video single from the album “And The Answer Is…” below. “And The Answer Is…” deals with an individual’s attempt at coping and trying to understand mankind’s origins and beyond.

Band leader Matt Brookins comments: “The latest single ‘And the Answer Is…’ deals with the internal thought process people go through as they try to figure out their place in the universe. Attempts at handling the vast scope are a big part of this, because infinity is a concept the human mind has a hard time grasping. Sometimes we think we have things figured out, then we dig deeper and our thought process spirals out of control leaving us as confused as ever. In my specific case, I remember a ‘lazy Sunday’ as a teenager laying on the floor in the sunshine. I fell asleep, but it was that special kind of ‘asleep while awake’ state, where you are conscious and controlling your thoughts…trying to maintain the balance of being aware so you don’t wake yourself up, but also continuing to crunch data in that serene state. I remember thinking ‘that’s it! I’ve figured it out!” only to wake up, and promptly lose everything. I was aware enough while asleep to remember, when I woke, that I was thinking about the meaning of it all and had figured it out – but somewhere between the lucidity of dreaming and waking, I lost the actual answer.”

Matt Brookins commented on the new album: “On Turtles All the Way Down, our sound is refined with a balance of modern and classic vibes, while still retaining the signature Odin's Court sound. We also have the 'missing piece' that completes us - a new vocalist that can bring the emotion and technicality to the music that it deserves. Dimetrius LaFavors' vocals, combined with the more mature song writing and production, have taken us to the next level.”

The artwork was done by French painter J.P. Fournier.

 

 

As with all of the Odin's Court full length releases, the newest is a concept album. This album deals with ideas and questions relating to the entire universe - how did it start, where is it going, what makes it tick, what is its purpose, etc. - from the point of view of the individual's mind. It deals with mankind's quest for knowledge, and how that knowledge changes. New discoveries often change humanity's understanding or turn perceptions upside down, sometimes making long held beliefs immaterial. The title refers to the idiom that references “infinite recursion” or in layman's terms, “what came first: the chicken or the egg?”

Brookins commented on the concept: “In a nutshell, Turtles All the Way Down is about the quest for knowledge, and how the human race learns more through experiments, observation, and discoveries over time. New findings may challenge long held beliefs, which in turn may cause deep thoughts in one's mind for how these findings impact personal or social beliefs. While the songs are much more accessible, the music still has serious intricacies for the technical music lover. The melodies and harmonies with the vocals are catchier than our past work, but thematically this album deals with pretty heavy subject matter. For the prog lover, the concept and lyrics are definitely an order of magnitude above 'Nerd Rock' since it is largely inspired by physics. Of course, the other important inspiration is human emotion, as no matter what science may observe, individuals' experiences always have an intangible factor to them that cannot be truly expressed or understood in textbook terms - they have to be learned through life.”

Check out the video to the first single from the album “…But What’s the Question?”:

Brookins explained the meaning behind the song, “The first single from Turtles All the Way Down is “…But What’s the Question?” The song speaks to humanity’s need to question everything, and while asking questions is important towards obtaining knowledge, we may not always be asking the right questions. Environment and genetics contribution towards individuals and social conditioning, which in turn may result in programming people’s perspectives. Perspectives can warp and shadow the way we approach problems or questions, and thus cause people to often ask the wrong questions - which means getting the wrong answers.”

Odin's Court is a Maryland, USA based band that was formed by Matt Brookins in 2001. The band is best described as progressive metal & rock, fusing classic and modern sounds that transcend several genres. In 2013, the band picked up lead vocalist Dimetrius LaFavors; with a voice reminiscent of classic vocalists in the rock, metal, and progressive genres, he added the “final piece” needed to polish off the band's sound, while still maintaining a unique voice. Rick Pierpont, an infectious presence on stage, provides excellent and exciting leads that soar through the music. Brookins provides additional vocals and performs on various instruments as needed, doubling as band producer. The current line up started gigging in 2013, and has been winning over new fans with each show performed.

Odin's Court:

Matt Brookins - Vocalist, Guitarist, Keyboardist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont - Guitarist, Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors - Vocalist
Gary Raub - Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont - Bassist

Odin's Court has been known to perform energetic live shows in the United States, primarily gigging on the east coast doing festivals, short tours, and one-off performances. The band has shared the stage with many classic and modern greats, including (but not limited too) Symphony X, Spock’s Beard, King’s X, Kamelot, Steve Whiteman (Kix, Funny Money), Sonata Arctica, Helloween, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Zero Hour, Crimson Glory, Circle II Circle, Devin Townsend, Circa, Enchant, and more.

In closing Matt Brookins has this to impart, “The main message is that life is a beautiful journey and as far as we can observe with empirical results, only happens one. So stop and smell the roses. Question things. Seek knowledge. Learn. Gain experience. Don't believe everything you're told without your own research. Don't be a slave to old ideals or institutions if you have reason to believe new discoveries tell you something else. Form relationships and work to sustain them.”

To purchase the Turtles All the Way Down CD head to this location.

Catch Odin’s Court live:

May
5 - NJ Proghouse - Dunellen, NJ (with Enchant)
6 - Fish Head Cantina - Baltimore, MD (with Enchant)
7 - Empire - Springfield, VA (with Enchant)
8 - 120 Tavern - Atlanta, GA (with Enchant)
9 - TBD - Raleigh / Durham, NC

 

Texas-based metallers, Shattered Sun, will release their debut album, Hope Within Hatred, on April 21st via Victory Records. Check out the band’s new music video for the title track below.

 

 

Hope Within Hatred tracklisting:

“The Ultimatum”
“Victory Or Death”
“Hope Within Hatred”
“Reign Over Me”
“Burning Regrets”
“Waging War”
“Dead Set”
“281”
“Awaken”
“No Sympathy”
“Return To Serenity”

“Hope Within Hatred” video:

Album stream:

 

 

Dark Roots Of Thrash II dates:

April
21 - Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY
22 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN
23 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
24 - The International - Knoxville, TN
26 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
28 - The Filmore - Silver Spring, MD
29 - The Chance - Poughkeepsie, NY
30 - Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA

May
2 - Bogart’s - Cincinnati, OH
24 - AT&T Center - San Antonio, TX - River City Rockfest

 

Former Evile lead guitarist, Ol Drake, has released the first single from his upcoming debut solo album, Old Rake, which features instrumental guitar encompassing a myriad of styles, including flat-out shredding, classical, progressive, melodic and acoustic. The album is due to be released on June 22nd in Europe and June 23rd in North America.

The first track, "Guitarists Playing Guitars" - which made its debut last night on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show with Daniel P. Carter - showcases the six-string shredder's phenomenal fretwork and features special guest appearances from the likes of Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer), James Murphy (Death, Testament, Obituary) and Josh Middleton (Sylosis). Also featured is sticksman Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy), who performs drums on the entire album. Listen to "Guitarists Playing Guitars" now on Spotify at this location.

 

 

Ol Drake comments: "Behold the first single from the already-rusty Old Rake. This song was written by trying to write the cheesiest riff possible and going from there.

"I was speaking to Gary Holt and he said he'd like to solo on the album, and it just happened that when he'd said that I'd reached the main 'solo section' in its writing process. Then I Thought 'I might as well go all out'. James got involved and I couldn't believe it; to have two of my idols from growing up on one of MY songs was mind-blowing. I then asked my friend, Josh, from Sylosis, who is a ridiculous shredder, and my other friend, Amit. I met Amit through his working at a metal magazine publication, but mainly from at festivals involving alcohol; ridiculous shredder, too!

"Do not take a full impression of the whole album from this song; every track is different. Hope you enjoy my cheese-fest of “Guitarists Playing Guitars”!”

 

 

Old Rake is available to pre-order now on CD and limited edition signed CD. For anyone brave enough to attempt playing any songs from the album, there is also a deluxe 242-page tab book, featuring full tablature for both guitar and bass, transcribed by Ol Drake himself.

See a sneak peek of the official tab book below, and try your hand at the "Guitarists Playing Guitars" tab at this location.

Old Rake was recorded at the guitarist's home studio and was mixed with producer and former Death/Testament/Obituary guitarist James Murphy. Pre-order the CD, signed CD and official tab book now in Europe at this location or in North America here.

The album is also available to pre-order now on iTunes, including an exclusive bonus track as well as an instant download of "Guitarists Playing Guitars”.

"Spaceship Janitor" demo:

 

Max Cavalera recently put out his autobiography, so there's no need to tell the story of his departure from Sepultura and forming SOULFLY here. What is important however, is the fact that we have both SEPULTURA and SOULFLY on the bill.We're also proud to announce that elusive black metal cult known as CULT OF FIRE will play our fest once again! We remain the one and only open air fest they ever agreed to play and we will make this a very special show, stay tuned for more. From Israel or Netherlands more precisely we will have MELECHESH playing their middle east influenced black metal. From Melbourne, Australia NE OBLIVISCARIS will bring their own way of mixing progressive with classic and melodic with extreme metal. For the fans who like to discover new things we confirm shamanic music ritual of Bön tradition as performed by PHURPA, group of Russian artists focusing on ancient tibetian traditions. Finally, the bands MAXIMUM PENALTY and WISDOM IN CHAINS will represent american hardcore scene.

British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST will release their 14th studio album, "The Plague Within", on June 2 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media. The CD was recorded at Orgone Studios (GHOST, ULVER, CATHEDRAL, ANGEL WITCH) in London with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano.

The official lyric video for the PARADISE LOST track "No Hope In Sight", taken from "The Plague Within", can be seen below. The band comments: "'No Hope In Sight' was one of the first tracks we wrote and it reflects a blend of styles. From death metal to gothic to classic rock. It's like all eras of b>PARADISE LOST wrapped up into one track. We hope you all like it!"

Regarding the musical direction of "The Plague Within", PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh told U.K.'s Total Guitar magazine: "It could be a bit of a Marmite album. Sometimes it's nice to do albums that are expected, in a way, but for a career like ours, it's important to do certain records and songs where you try something else.

"A certain track, like 'Flesh From Bone', is probably the fastest song we've done tempo-wise," he revealed, "while 'Beneath Broken Earth' is quite possibly the slowest.

"We weren't shying away from any period," he continued. "But it also had to be cohesive."

Greg added: "As it came together, the death metal elements became more prevalent, so the album ended up with more of those elements than we'd first anticipated. But it's got a good ebb and flow to it.

"We deliberately went down a different route, where we want it to sound like no one else in metal. Whether we've achieved that, I have no idea until everyone hears it."

The cover for "The Plague Within" was created by Polish artist, illustrator and architect Zbigniew M. Bielak, best known in the musical realm for his record cover illustrations, which, among others, include meticulously handcrafted artworks of WATAIN, GHOST and ENTOMBED A.D. albums.

Photo credit: Ester Segarra

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH will release their eleventh studio album, "Hammer Of The Witches", in July via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.

CRADLE OF FILTH vocalist Dani Filth states: "The artwork for 'Hammer Of The Witches' was created by Latvian artist Arthur Berzinsh and is a lavish walk-through of the lyricism, drawing on rich renaissance themes and displaying them in beautiful-yet-unsettling scenarios. Half of the detailed pieces are totally original for the release, others are Berzinsh classics cunningly tailored to the themes of the album, which are themes rife with heady witchcraft, be it persecution, retribution or unfettered spiritual liberation. The female form is rampant throughout the artwork, unashamedly displayed in its classical rendition of beauty... and horror." Arthur Berzinsh is best known for his defiant neo-symbolism raster graphics and oil paintings, postmodern interpretations of classic myths and refined hooliganism in the playground of contemporary art. He has been proclaimed as a "sacred monster of Latvian postmodernism." And rightly so, his visually expressive and mannerly works tend to trigger emotions which can make thoughts fidget and wriggle, unable to find a comfortable position among the impressions gathered. His creative work is characterized by a varied range of voluptuous erotica, intensified imagery, dream-like scenes and decorativeness weighed down by visual metaphors and contrasts teetering on the edge of symbolism. Arthur Berzinsh explains his artwork and concepts: "In terms of mood, I was looking for the inspiration of this set in the spirit of Faustian romanticism, the ambivalent art of renaissance that reanimated motives of pagan mythology after the Middle Ages, and, of course, the darkly beautiful and charming spirit of Goetia traditions that is filled with the atmosphere of hermetical rituals.

"My personal conceptual leitmotif that inspires me is a conflict between the free-thinking and totalitarianism, where the raw power always gains the upper hand over individualism.

"The act of art is a theurgical act that creates existence in the Platonic reality — reality of ideas. So, at least in this Platonic dimension let’s give the suppressed ones a chance to get their revenge.

"For me, the Goat of Mendes on the cover symbolizes the scapegoat who's tired of his humiliating role and wants a payback. This character is an archetypical symbol of libido and other primordial forces and instinctive aspects of a human being. And these forces always have been a menace for those who want to reign over the others, like it's schematically represented in George Orwell's '1984'." CRADLE OF FILTH have been ensconced in creative purgatory for the last few weeks in Britain's darkest rural Suffolk, busy finishing the recording of their album at the reputedly haunted Grindstone Studios. It has been three years since the release of their previous album — the longest gap in the band's history. And the wait is almost over.

"Hammer Of The Witches" will mark the first release with CRADLE OF FILTH's new lineup, which includes new guitarists Ashok (of Czech groups ROOT and INNER FEAR) and Richard Shaw (of English acts EMPEROR CHUNG and NG26).

Dani Filth recently told Australia's "Rabid Noise" podcast about the band's upcoming album: "It's sounding amazing. It's gone back to the twin-guitar harmonies — very fast and ornate and atmospherically sppoky, but [with] lots of melody. I think it's gonna surprise a lot of people."

CRADLE OF FILTH is:

Dani Filth - VocalsRichard Shaw - GuitarAshok - GuitarDaniel Firth - BassMartin Skaroupka - DrumsLindsay Schoolcraft - Keys, Female Vocals

Band photo courtesy of CRADLE OF FILTH's Facebook page

German/American metallers ACCEPT debuted their new lineup over the weekend with a pair of shows in Mexico — Chihuahua on April 18 and Mexico City on April 19. Fan-filmed video footage of both concerts can be seen below.

ACCEPT earlier in the month announced the addition of guitarist Uwe Lulis (GRAVE DIGGER, REBELLION) and drummer Christopher Williams to the group's ranks.

ACCEPT parted ways with guitarist Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann last December. The band explained in a statement at the time: "We and the fans all knew that [Herman and Stefan] had their own careers and that eventually we would run into scheduling and other conflicts beyond our control."

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with new singer Mark Tornillo and have appeared on their last three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Frank and Schwarzmann are currently involved in a new project called PANZER, also featuring vocalist and bassist Schmier, best known as frontman of DESTRUCTION.

FOO FIGHTERS released a 10-inch vinyl EP titled "Songs From The Laundry Room" on April 18, Record Store Day. Side A features frontman Dave Grohl's early demos of "Alone + Easy Target" and "Big Me", while side B contains a cover of Kim Wilde's "Kids In America" and the previously unheard "Empty Handed".

You can now stream "Songs From The Laundry Room" in its entirety below. The EP was recorded at Laundry Room Studio and produced by Barrett Jones, who co-produced the first FOO FIGHTERS album with Grohl.

Grohl was this year's Record Store Day Ambassador.

Among the other artists releasing rare and collectible items exclusively for sale in independent record shops on April 18 were METALLICA, U2, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, PEARL JAM and many others.

FOO FIGHTERS begin a massive North American tour in Washington D.C. on July 4 — the 20th anniversary of the release of the first FOO FIGHTERS album.

Los Angeles theatrical rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES have been forced to postpone their shows in Buenos, Aires, Argentina (April 21) and Santiago, Chile (April 23) due to "an unforeseen family emergency." BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack states: "We do, however, plan to still come to Brazil at the Monsters Of Rock festival in São Paulo (Brazil) and we are currently working to reschedule the two postponed shows."

He continues: "I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience this may cause you, but I promise that we will make the shows up to you in a timely fashion."

The self-titled fourth studio from BLACK VEIL BRIDES sold around 30,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous CD, "Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones", opened with around 42,000 units back in January 2013 to land at No. 7.

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

According to News.com.au, more than 300,000 tickets were snapped up for AC/DC's upcoming Australian tour within hours of the "Rock Or Bust" stadium shows going on sale Monday morning (April 20).

Due to overwhelming demand, the promoter added second concerts in Sydney and Melbourne just an hour after the box office opened.

AC/DC now play ANZAC Stadium on November 4 and 7; QSAC, Brisbane on November 12 and 14; Adelaide Oval on November 21; Domain Stadium, Perth, on November 27 and 29; and Etihad Stadium on December 6 and 8.

AC/DC last toured the world from 2008 to 2010 with the "Black Ice" world tour, which had the band playing to over 5 million fans in 108 cities in over 28 countries. The band played at Adelaide Oval in March 2010 in front of a crowd of 43,000.

"Rock Or Bust" was released on December 2, 2014 and is AC/DC's first album without 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.

A "not guilty" plea to the charges was entered by his lawyer in December. Rudd faces several years in prison if convicted of the charges.

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 will also be behind the kit for the group's upcoming world tour.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett was recently interviewed on the latest installment of HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta's official podcast, "The Jasta Show". You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On who is producing the next METALLICA album:

Kirk: "It's still a little bit early on who's producing it, but I'll tell you that Greg Fidelman is involved — old Fiddle Guy, as I like to call him. And he's just great. We love working with him. And for me, his whole attitude toward working is so 'right on,' man. I can't wait to get into the studio and work with him. He's not a ballbuster, but he is a slavedriver."

On how the songwriting process works in METALLICA:

Kirk: "I put riffs on my iPhone, but something very unfortunate happened to me about six months ago. I lost my iPhone [containing] two hundred and fifty musical ideas. And I was crushed. It didn't get backed up. And when it happened, I was bummed out for about two or three days. I walked into the house. My wife saw me and she said, 'Uh-oh, what's wrong? Did you get a phone call from a relative?' I said, 'No.' She said, 'What's going on?' I told her, and she understood.

"I lost [the phone]. I just plain lost it. I can't find it. I'm still looking for it to this day. I just set it somewhere and… It still might turn up. I'm hoping it will. To try to remember those riffs…? I can only remember, like, eight of 'em. So I just chalked it down to maybe it just wasn't meant to be and I'll just move forward with it.

"For me, music comes at all times of the day. When I get a riff, sometimes it's a complete riff and I can just play it and there it is, sometimes it's half a riff and I have to tweak it. Sometimes it's just a rhythm or a note selection. Or sometimes it's just something that I hum in my head. But it can come from anywhere, and I put it on my phone, and I make sure the phone is fucking backed up.

"All you musicians out there who use your phone, make sure it's backed up. Right?!

"And, you know, we get together and we jam [the ideas] out. And, you know, one riff leads to another riff, which leads to another, and, all of a sudden, you have somewhat of a skeleton of an arrangement, and you just jam on it and pound it out, talk about it — talk about what you would like to hear, where you would like to see it go. I mean, there's so many possibilities that you can do with it. For us, it's more so what we choose not to do with a piece of music, because there's so much you can do with it. We just wanna do the right thing with the music, the right approach and the right arrangement to any sort of riff or chord progression or melody."

On what the new METALLICA material is sounding like:

Kirk: "Let's just say that the stuff that's coming up is super riffy, super heavy… We've developed a vocabulary of how we express ourselves through riffs and technique, and let's just say that that vocabulary is well versed. I would say, you know, it's a lot similar to [2008's] 'Death Magnetic' but different in certain parts. James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] is doing a lot of really, really cool melody stuff these days, a lot of vocal layers. [Last year's song] 'Lords Of Summer' is a good example of that, the beginning. And we're just jamming the stuff out. But, yeah, I can say if there's any album that I can compare the stuff that we're working on to, I would say it's a lot like 'Death Magnetic'. And, you know, okay, there's a couple of songs that remind me of something on [1988's] '…And Justice For All', but the album doesn't sound like '…And Justice For All'."

On whether he pays attention to the negative feedback on the Internet that METALLICA constantly gets:

Kirk: "I don't really think about any of that shit. People have their opinions, and they have every right to their opinions. I know that if I read too much negativity, I get bogged down in it. And it's just healthier and safer for me to not even put those thoughts in my head. I do what I set out to do and what my goals are. And that's what I stick to. I just go out there and do the best I possibly can. If people love it, great. If people hate it, that's their choice. I can't do anything about it. I can only do the best I possibly can, and that's been our attitude, collectively, forever. And, for me, it's the only way to really stay sane in this business. 'Cause if you start chasing what the haters are hating on and what the fans are loving, you're gonna drive yourself nuts. We just try to do the best that we can, and try not to worry too much about what everyone else has to say. I mean, it's just like back in the day, before social media, we'd get a lot of great record reviews and we'd get some shitty ones. Which ones do you believe? I don't believe any of 'em. I just know in my heart where I stand on any particular piece of work and I hold on to that."

On whether he has heard the AVENGED SEVENFOLD song "This Means War", which bears a strong resemblance to METALLICA's "Sad But True":

Kirk: "When it comes to influences and inspiration and anything else, I can't really say anything, 'cause I'll admit, there's been riffs that I've heard where I was, like, 'I'm getting me a riff like that.' Or I hear guitar solos and I'm, like, 'Oh, I'm gonna steal that lick and put it in this guitar solo and I hope no one notices.' It happens a lot more with… Musicians do it a lot more, I think, than what the public is aware of. It's when musicians call out other musicians on it, it kind of makes me uncomfortable. I mean, music has a long-standing tradition of recyclining itself. If you look at certain genres, like the blues, it's the three fucking same fucking notes in every fucking song. If you listen to rap music, it's the same beat."