Spanish death metal veterans, Avulsed, are entering the studio this Friday to begin the recording process of four new songs for an upcoming EP, due out in September right before the band embark on their fifth European tour (third as headliners).

The new EP will be titled Altar Of Disembowelment, and will include four new songs plus a cover of Black Sabbath’s "Neon Knights”, recorded in December 2010 for a Spanish tribute to Black Sabbath that never happened, so the band decided to use it on this release. Recording and mixing will be handled by Furni (ex-Avulsed drummer) at his own Overhead Studios, to be mastered later on by Dan Swanö and Unisound Studios.

The four new songs follow a heavier direction than the previous material, still with the unmistakable death metal style of Avulsed. This will mark the recording debut  for drummer Erik Raya. Cover artwork will be once again handled by the genius Juanjo Castellano.

Altar Of Disembowelment EP is scheduled for release on September 9th on CD format through Xtreem Music, while a vinyl version on 10" format should come out through Greek label Repulsive Echo Records on a still undetermined date.

Before that, Xtreem Music will also be doing a reissue of the band’s classic second album from '99, Stabwound Orgasm, on CD, 12"LP / t-shirt formats.

Updates to follow.

MetalTitans and The Invisible Orange have announced that the NIGHTWISH show in Vancouver, British Columbia on April 25 at The Orpheum will be filmed for a future DVD release.

NIGHTWISH is currently on the road in North America with special guests SABATON, a Swedish heavy metal band that gives us a history lesson in their songs on war and historical battles, and Duthc female-fronted metallers DELAIN.

The VIP package for the Vancouver show — which is now sold out — included a meet-and-greet with the band, signed poster, show program and a general admission seat in the orchestra section (floor).

NIGHTWISH's new album, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", was made available on March 27 in Europe and March 31 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast.

The "Élan" four-track single, which arrived on February 13, features the album version of the title cut, a radio edit and an alternate version of "Élan", as well as the non-album bonus track "Sagan".

The cover artwork for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was created by the band's longtime collaborator Toxic Angel. Famed evolutionary biologist and atheist writer/leader Richard Dawkins appears as a guest on the effort.

Longtime NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out the recording sessions for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" due to health issues. He has since been replaced by Kai Hahto (WINTERSUN, SWALLOW THE SUN, TREES OF ETERNITY).

Singer Floor Jansen, who officially joined the band in 2013, made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

Los Angeles, California metallers ARMORED SAINT will release their seventh studio album on June 2 in North America via Metal Blade. Titled "Win Hands Down", the CD was produced by bassist Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, STONE SOUR).

The song "Mess" from "Win Hands Down" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

"Win Hands Down" track listing:

01. Win Hands Down02. Mess03. An Exercise In Debauchery04. Muscle Memory05. That Was Then, Way Back When06. With a Full Head of Steam07. In an Instant08. Dive09. Up Yours

A video for the "Win Hands Down" title track was recently shot by director Andrew Nethery and can be seen below.

States ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush: "When we began talking about a new record, I told Joey Vera [bass] to pretend we were a really huge band and that we could do anything we wanted. At least that was the mindset we should have, from the writing to the production. What came out was 'Win Hands Down', which is our first record in five years."

He continued: "There's everything from classic ARMORED SAINT rocker songs to epic songs and we all dug deep to deliver something special. If we weren't going to, then we shouldn't have bothered. I'm glad we did."

Bush added: "In May we are doing some shows in the States with SAXON. It's a great way to get the ball rolling."

Stated Vera: "We're very excited about our new record coming out in June!

"We've been writing over the past year and half and we feel like we've written some amazing music. We can't wait to share it!

"To get our whistle's wet, we're super excited about doing some warm-up gigs before the record release with the legendary SAXON this May!

"We're doing a total of six shows between the East Coast, Texas, West Coast and we couldn't think of a better way to start off the summer! See you all soon."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

INTO ANOTHER has released a new five-song EP, "Omens".

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Crossed02. The Fray03. Nocturne No. 1104. Ominous05. What Went Wrong Hauntingly ethereal melodies, intricate but memorable hooks, dynamic moods, crunchy riffs and the banshee wail of a metaphor-master lead singer collide within the groundbreaking and steadfastly unique outfit known as INTO ANOTHER. Almost disturbingly defiant of categorization, INTO ANOTHER's catalog dabbles in hard rock, alt-rock, grunge, electro-pop and post-hardcore, somehow without sounding disjointed or disorganized.

INTO ANOTHER came together in 1990. Richie Birkenhead, one-time guitar player for seminal straightedge flag bearers YOUTH OF TODAY and vocalist for the reggae-tinged hardcore band UNDERDOG hooked up with drummer Drew Thomas, himself a veteran of old-school youth crew bands CRIPPLED YOUTH and BOLD. Both men shared a desire to abandon the restrictive musical and aesthetic limitations of the scene without sacrificing its sense of community or passionate spirit.

The pair found exactly what they were looking for in Lower East Side musician Peter Moses, a longhaired guitar player who had never performed in a band before. His virtuosic and uninhibited playing style awed Thomas and Birkenhead, who next recruited incredibly fluid bassist Tony Bono. Bono had done a tour of duty in proto-speed metal act WHIPLASH, who once lent a member to SLAYER.

The following year, Revelation Records released their debut, a self-titled album displaying INTO ANOTHER's sharp musical chops and tripped-out spiritual vision, encapsulated by the band's eleven-pointed star logo which adorned the album's cover artwork. In 1992, INTO ANOTHER released the playfully titled "Creepy Eepy" — four songs that reflected their increasing range.

1994 saw the release of what many consider to be their masterstroke — the epic "Ignaurus" album, filled to the brim with spectacular songs that venture into deep, dark, and progressive rock territory while still being firmly anchored in melody, groove, and abrasive angst. This album catapulted INTO ANOTHER into the ranks of much-heralded "buzz" bands. INTO ANOTHER signed a major label deal of their own in 1995 with the Disney-owned label Hollywood Records.

INTO ANOTHER entered Seattle's London Bridge Studios with Rick Parashar, who had produced PEARL JAM's cultural mile marker, "Ten", as well as the TEMPLE OF THE DOG album and ALICE IN CHAINS' "Sap" EP. The band emerged with "Seemless", which reigned in some of their excesses in favor of shorter compositions and straightforward lyrics without sacrificing INTO ANOTHER's well-established musical identity.

The band set off on tours with groups including WHITE ZOMBIE and SEAWEED. The video for "Mutate Me" received some airplay and "T.A.I.L.", which spawned an EP of the same name, was a Top 40 rock radio track.

Even as INTO ANOTHER's relationship with Hollywood (and with one another) began to unravel, they managed to record another album's worth of material. Sadly, the record was never released and the band parted ways with their record label and eventually with one another. Any hope of a reunion seemed to disappear with the tragic death of Tony Bono in 2002. The remaining members drifted further apart as the years rolled on.

Then, in 2012, as plans came together for a series of shows to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Revelation Records, one of the guys from a later generation of Rev bands reached out. Longtime INTO ANOTHER fan and supporter Brian Balchack (IGNITE) and his good friend Reid Black (INNAWAY) videotaped themselves playing guitar and bass on several INTO ANOTHER songs, which inspired Richie and Drew to get back onstage for the Rev shows. Once Peter got wind of the developing plans he was onboard, as well.

Now a quintet united by the alchemy of the past and the chemistry of the present, INTO ANOTHER's eleven-pointed star rose once again. After blowing people's minds at Rev 25, INTO ANOTHER played a few shows on both coasts as they set about recording some new songs. Due to the immediacy of new technologies, INTO ANOTHER has been able to take a 21st Century approach to their timeless music. Their new EP is truly the right album at the right time. Recalling the bands iconic sound, yet expanding on it, fans and new listeners will once again realize why INTO ANOTHER is truly one of the most important bands of any time.

Fan-filmed video footage of SIXX: A.M., the band featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx alongside guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael, perfoming on April 10 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SIXX: A.M. will continue its "Modern Vintage" tour, playing a limited number of dates all across North America throughout the end of April, several nights of which are already sold out. While on the road, the prolific band is also already in the process of writing music for its upcoming fourth full-length album, which is tentatively due in 2016. Known as strong advocates of new music, the members of SIXX: A.M. consciously curated a global lineup for the current tour by bringing along special guests APOCALYPTICA from Finland and VAMPS from Japan to introduce their fans to some of the most exciting new rock music from around the world. Sixx notes: "SIXX: A.M. has always been about new music and unique creative concepts ever since our first album and the book. We think globally as a band and can't wait to play our music live all over the world next year so it only made sense to invite some of the best international rock bands out there to join us on our first headline tour and share the excitement we feel about new rock music with our audience." To round out its live lineup, SIXX: A.M. has added drummer Dustin Steinke of BLEEKER RIDGE into the mix for the tour, as well as backup singers Melissa Harding and Amber VanBuskirk. Ashba says: "We really wanted to create a great, over-the-top live experience on this tour like all the artists of the late '60s and early '70s did who influenced our music.

"Dustin is an amazing drummer who fits in perfectly with James, Nikki and myself. Adding him, as well as singers Melissa and Amber, to our touring lineup really allows us to create the big-sounding show we had always envisioned for SIXX: A.M. live."

California heavy rockers HIGH ON FIRE will release their new album, "Luminiferous", on June 23 via eOne Music. Recorded at Salem, Massachusetts' GodCity Studios with producer Kurt Ballou, the CD is the follow-up to the group's 2012 release, "De Vermis Mysteriis", an album hailed as "not for the faint of heart " by The New Yorker and "a fantastically constructed bloodbath" by Entertainment Weekly.

Universally recognized as one of the most potent acts in music today, HIGH ON FIRE creates molten heavy metal that merges primal fury and aggression, blackened bombast and hall of fame heaviness. The group's seventh studio album, "Luminiferous" is a supersonic exercise in conquest by volume, delivering calculated catharsis as a volcano of revolving riffs and hailstorm of thundering drums combine to beam a blazing spotlight towards the future of modern metal music.

"We're doing our part to expose The Elite and the fingers they have in religion, media, governments and financial world downfall and their relationship to all of our extraterrestrial connections in the race to control this world," comments HIGH ON FIRE vocalist/guitarist Matt Pike. "Wake up, it's happening. All while we stare at a socially engineered lie we think of as normalcy. Unless we wake from the dream, there will come true doom."

"I'm really happy HIGH ON FIRE decided to come back to GodCity to do another album," states producer and CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou. "Having been a fan of theirs since 'The Art Of Self Defense', the opportunity to collaborate with one of my favorite bands has truly been an honor."

"Luminiferous" track listing:

01. The Black Plot02. Carcosa 03. The Sunless Years04. Slave the Hive05. The Falconist06. Dark Side of the Compass07. The Cave08. Luminiferous09. The Lethal Chamber

HIGH ON FIRE is Matt Pike (guitar, vocals), Des Kensel (drums) and Jeff Matz (bass).

According to Sweden Rock Magazine, Swedish occult rockers GHOST will release their third album in late summer/early fall. The follow-up to 2013's "Infestissumam" was helmed by Klas Åhlund, a prolific songwriter, producer and guitarist who is also a member of the Swedish rock band TEDDYBEARS. As a songwriter and producer, Klas has previously worked with such artists as Katy Perry, Kesha, Taio Cruz, Britney Spears and Madonna. Songtitles set to appear on the GHOST CD include "From The Pinnacle To The Pit", "Cirice", "Majesty", "Devil Church" and "He Is".

A new GHOST single will be released before the band's June 4 appearance at this year's Sweden Rock Festival, which will also serve as the group's live debut with "new" singer Papa Emeritus III, the three-month-younger brother of GHOST's previous frontman, Papa Emeritus II (pictured).

The new issue of Sweden Rock Magazine (see cover below) marked GHOST's final photo session with Papa Emeritus II before he was "fired" and succeeded by Papa Emeritus III.

GHOST is planning to return to the studio before the summer to record several cover songs, including one by Leonard Cohen and another by the '80s Swedish band IMPERIET.

GHOST's last release was a covers EP, "If You Have Ghost", which sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 87 on The Billboard 200 chart. Issued on November 19, 2013 via Loma Vista Recordings, the five-track EP was recorded and produced by Dave Grohl (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA), and included cover versions of songs by ROKY ERICKSON, ABBA, ARMY OF LOVERS and DEPECHE MODE, plus a live version of the GHOST offering "Secular Haze", recorded in Brooklyn earlier that year.

"Infestissumam" was certified gold in Sweden last fall for sales in excess of 20,000 copies.

Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Sweden has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach gold status in the country twice in the last seven years — from the pre-2002 level of 40,000 to the current 20,000.

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

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

Nuclear Blast is issuing Slayer's new vinyl-only single, "When The Stillness Comes" - the first new track from the band in nearly a year - as limited edition green and white vinyl. The two-track vinyl will be available as part of the upcoming Record Store Day on April 18th.

The song, accompanied by a live recording of "Black Magic”, from the band's 1983 album Show No Mercy and recorded live at the 2014 Wacken Open Air Festival, will be available as a limited-edition (only 5000 copies worldwide), 7” vinyl picture disc exclusively at all participating independent record stories worldwide.

 

Head here for the list of stores.

Slayer - Tom Araya, Kerry King and Paul Bostaph - recorded "When The Stillness Comes" last year in Los Angeles with producer Terry Date. The band (rounded off by Exodus guitarist Gary Holt) have mixed and mastered their first new album since 2009's Grammy-nominated World Painted Blood, which is expected out later this year.

Stay tuned for updates.

Pro-shot video from KISS' April 14th show at Movietar Arena in Santiago, Chile has been posted online. View four clips from the gig below:

KISS have the remaining South American dates scheduled:

April
16 - Velez Stadium - Buenos Aires, Argentina
18 - Parque Central De Montevideo - Montevideo, Uruguay
20 - Devassa on Stage - Florianapolis, Brazil
21 - Pedreira - Curitiba, Brazil
23 - Mineirinho - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
24 - Estacionamento Do Estadio Nacional - Brasilia, Brazil
26 - Monsters of Rock - Sao Paulo, Brazil

British black metal pioneers Venom have released a lyric video for “Smoke”, the track from the band’s latest album, From The Very Depths, released on January 27th via Spinefarm.

An LP version of From The Very Depths will be available in the UK on Record Store Day in a 2-disc gatefold, stained blood red and limited to just 300 copies. Check out the list of participating stores on the official website at this location.

 

 

From The very Depths tracklisting:

"Eruptus"
"From the Very Depths"
"The Death of Rock N Roll"
"Smoke"
"Temptation"
"Long Haired Punks"
"Stigmata Satanas"
"Crucified"
"Evil Law"
"Grinding Teeth"
"Ouverture"
"Mephistopheles"
"Wings of Valkyrie"
"Rise"
    
"Grinding Teeth":

Venom is led by vocalist/bassist and original Venom titan, Cronos, who decided against making fans the world over wait too long for this powerful new 14-track release. Venom issued their fourteenth studio album, via CD and download, on January 27th, with a double vinyl format to follow shortly after.

Cronos says, "This album is perfect, all three members are totally over-the-top confident with the new songs and the production. We had a great atmosphere in the studio while we were recording. Dante created pure thunder from his drums, while Rage tears the flesh off your face with his riffs, making everything fall into place so well. It's a strong release and really shows the band maturing into an unstoppable force of pure black metal. We can't wait to play the new songs live for the Legions... Hell Yeah!"

 

"Unapologetic", a bonus track from the deluxe edition of HALESTORM's third album, "Into The Wild Life", can be streamed below.

Released on April 14, "Into The Wild Life" follows up 2012's "The Strange Case Of…" and is already being described as HALESTORM's most diverse and adventurous record yet.

"Into The Wild Life" track listing:

01. Scream02. I Am The Fire03. Sick Individual04. Amen05. Dear Daughter06. New Modern Love07. Mayhem08. Bad Girl's World09. Gonna Get Mine10. The Reckoning11. Apocalyptic12. What Sober Couldn't Say13. I Like It Heavy

Bonus tracks (digital deluxe version):

14. Jump The Gun15. Unapologetic

HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio that the band set out to make a unified album despite its many different sounds. "This entire record is like one big song with different elements to it, so it's hard to pick it apart — for me, it's hard to pick it and say, 'Oh, well, that's my favorite song,' because they all don't sound alike and each one lends itself to the other," she said.

Lzzy Hale recently penned a letter for Rock Sound magazine — to her younger self. In the piece, she tells the younger Lzzy about the band's accomplishments, what it took to get to this point and the self-doubts she had to overcome.

In one excerpt, she writes, "You will wonder at times if you're crazy for always moving forward, don't. It's that forward movement that will save you. You also will question whether or not you are 'cool' enough to be a rock star… you're not… but neither were any of your idols so it'll be okay."

Later she writes, "You are tough, remember that no matter what this life throws at you . . . you can pull through. Your fervor and drive for the band are what keeps you sane, so use that, but don't forget that you are human too, and to give that 'smushy center Lzzy' some love once in a while."

In addition to its Grammy win, HALESTORM is the first female-fronted rock band to lodge three consecutive No. 1 tracks at the top of the rock radio chart.

HALESTORM will begin a North American tour with THE PRETTY RECKLESS on April 22 in Nashville.

ABOUT 2 CRASH is a new band formed by drummer Aquiles Priester (PRIMAL FEAR, Tony Macalpine, Vinnie Moore, HANGAR, ANGRA, Paul Di'Anno), bassist Luis Mariutti (SHAMAN, ANGRA, FIREBOX, André Matos, HENCEFORTH), guitarist Bill Hudson (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, Jon Oliva, Zak Stevens), vocalist and producer Theo Vieira (HARD ROCKET), guitarist and co-producer Carlos Anderson (HOLY SAGGA, HARD ROCKET) and the DJ and vocalist Vinicius Neves (Stay Heavy). According to a press release, ABOUT 2 CRASH creates "an aggressive and modern sound, mixing heavy, melody, groove and samplers." In existence for just over a year, the band has been improving its style and compositions, and has released three singles released so far, all of which mixed in Los Angeles by renowned producer Damien Rainaud (FEAR FACTORY, DRAGONFORCE).

ABOUT 2 CRASH is planning to release a full-length album in the second half of 2015. The band will also perform at the Rock In Rio festival in September.

"New York City", the new video from TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon, can be seen below. The track is taken from FRANK HANNON BAND's new album, "World Peace", which is available at FrankHannon.com.

Says Hannon: "When I was offered the gig to return to 'That Metal Show' as guest guitarist this season by my good friend Eddie Trunk, the wheels in my mind immediately started turning as to how could I make best use of the trip to the East Coast. Of course, my first idea was to book a few club shows, both before and after the Tuesday taping in the city… and within a few hundred miles. So my agency, ARM Entertainment, were lucky enough to find a few clubs. Then it dawned on me… what better place to shoot video the the awesome city of New York!?! So I asked Kelly Smith to bring his camera along and plan to make a video for 'World Peace' the song. My ideas were to ride the subway, and film the statue of liberty, the World Trade Center memorial site, and basically the three of us in New York doing a mellow vibey video for the title track of the album (we did shoot this as well and it is coming soon!)."

He continues: "Well, being the workaholic that I am… I came up another crazy idea to hit times square and shoot some fun stuff for the 'New York City' song as well… Heck, why not since I did actually write a song about the place!!!

"After working all day at the taping of 'That Metal Show' on Tuesday night, David Ungar, the representative of BlackStar Amps graciously drove Aaron, Kelly, Joe and myself down to times square at 11 p.m., and at 30 degrees cold to run around going crazy in the video you're about to see. It was all shot in a matter of one hour on Broadway and 7th Avenue in freezing temperatures. The funny part is that nobody bothered us, not even the cops! All the people around us basically ignored us! Until the very end clip you see a guy flipping me off, which was funny as hell!!"

In a burst of creative energy, TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon started writing his own batch of songs shortly after TESLA released its latest album, "Simplicity", in June. While on the road touring during the summer or 2014, Frank spent all the lonely hours in his hotel rooms recording musical ideas on a little Boss hard disc recording machine, and the ideas started flowing so much that he would literally be recording music in the dressing rooms five minutes prior to TESLA stepping onstage! After returning home, Frank knew he had a batch of strong material, so current FRANK HANNON BAND members Aaron Leigh (bass) and Kelly Smith (drums) joined him in the studio to help put the album into fruition.

After the majority of songs were recorded, an old original concept came back to Frank Hannon's mind from the year 2000 when the guitarist wrote an instrumental native American chant song he titled "World Peace?" which asks the question: "When will it come?" This was long before the "Guitarz From Marz" album. With that concept in mind, the flames grew hotter and the final group of songs were written and recorded.

Featured songs include powerful, heavy protests such as "The Picture", "Electric Chair", "Born Free" and the happier positive melodies of "Lucky 13", "Down The Road" and "Break The Silence". Both the title track and the album "World Peace" not only showcase Hannon as a powerful lead singer and shredding lead guitarist, but also a prolific songwriter. The recognizable sound of TESLA is evident here, but the sound of an unleashed artist is also heard.

France's La Grosse Radio recently conducted an interview with guitarist Rudolf Schenker of German hard rock legends SCORPIONS. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the new SCORPIONS album title, "Return To Forever":

"What can we do? We had every week another album title. We were calling the record company, 'What do you think about this? What do you think about this?' And they went crazy. Until one of the record-company guys called and said, 'Look, guys, I have a good title for you. Why are you not calling this album 'Return To Forever'?' And we said, 'Oh. Good. It fits perfectly with our [recently released documentary] film, called 'Forever And A Day'.' In this case, the perfect thing… You know it. If the time is right, the whole thing goes together like a puzzle. So working on this new album was really a good situation by going slowly on material, building new material to come up with an album which is now already, with all the reviews, a great success."

On how SCORPIONS chose "We Built This House" as the first single from "Return To Forever":

"Because it's the best song. I mean, for me, it was the best song anyway, already. But the record company… We always leave things open to a decision for the record company, because they have to present it, and sometimes they have a — especially for this kind of subtle things — a better ear than us. We [see] things from a different side. In this case, the record company [felt] the same way, and it was the right decision, because it's the perfect, perfect rock song. And the good thing, what I like on this song is it starts with a great… Okay, the intro is SCORPIONS-like, then going into the verse, going into the bridge, which sounds like a chorus. But then you go in the 're-chorus.' In this case, it's fantastic. It's one of my favorite songs. And also 'Rock My Car', which is one of the older ones. Because, by going on long tours, in American worldwide, going by limos, by plane, and by bus… I like to drive cars, you know. In this case, when I came home, I went immediately in my sports car and was driving like crazy on the motorway. And I came up with the idea, 'Rock my car, rock my car, push the pedal down to the metal.' So, in this case, it was inspired by life. Touring finished. You now rock the street and make speed."

"Return To Forever" was released on February 20 on CD, Deluxe CD, vinyl, Limited Collector's Box, and several more digital and physical formats.

"Return To Forever" was recorded with Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen, who had already produced "Sting In The Tail", and re-arranged the material for "MTV Unplugged" with guitarist Matthias Jabs.

On March 27, Emma of GoDpsMusic conducted an interview with guitarist George Lynch (DOKKEN, LYNCH MOB, KXM, SWEET & LYNCH). You can now watch the chat below.

Asked if there are any new artists that stand out to him, Lynch said: "There's so many great bands in all different genres.

"I'm not gonna pretend to be a musicologist [or an expert on] current music. And even some of the bands that I think are kind of new to me have still been around for, like, fifteen years — like ANIMALS AS LEADERS and MESHUGGAH, on the really heavy, progressive end. I like bands like that — because the guitar players, initially, sort of caught my interest; 'cause they're great guitar players."

He continued: "I listen to everything… I don't just listen for guitar players. I think the band thing is the bigger picture and the more important picture is the song composition.

"I really listen to singers more than I listen to guitar players. I love old blues singers and R&B singers and people that really emote when they sing. That's always what I try to do with my guitar — just sort of mimick wind instruments and vocalists, when I was starting out… So I wasn't trying to play like another guitar player; I was trying to emulate a voice."

SWEET & LYNCH — the new band featuring Lynch, guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet of Christian hard rockers STRYPER, bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, WHITE LION, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Brian Tichy (S.U.N., WHITESNAKE) — released its debut album, "Only To Rise", on January 27 via Frontiers Music srl. The CD was produced by Sweet, who also helmed the last STRYPER album, "No More Hell To Pay".

LYNCH MOB's new EP, "Sun Red Sun", once again highlights the unique pairing of singer Oni Logan and Lynch, showcasing their ever-evolving songwriting abilities. Mixed and mastered by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (LITA FORD), it offers up straight-forward rockers like "Believers Of The Day" and "Play The Game", as well as more groove-oriented cuts like "Erotika" and "Subliminal Dream". The CD also features a dynamic Lynch guitar solo track called "Black Waters" as well as an acoustic ballad called "Sun Red Sun", which is a tribute to late BADLANDS and BLACK SABBATH singer Ray Gillen, who died on December 3, 1993 of AIDS-related complications. The release also features a cover of BAD COMPANY's "Burnin' Sky", and includes four remastered bonus tracks from the original "Sound Mountain Sessions" EP: "Slow Drag", "World Of Chance", "City Of Freedom" and "Sucka".

According to The Herald-News, a club in Joliet, Illinois oversold the TESTAMENT/EXODUS show on Saturday, April 11 by more than 400 tickets. A total of 917 tickets were sold for the concert at Mojoes, which has a capacity of about 500.

After learning that the show was oversold, city officials sent a police detective and fire official to count people entering through the front door of the club.

"Once the count reached 500, our detective prevented more patrons from entering Mojoes," Joliet Deputy Police Chief Ed Gregory said.

"While the officers were there, they said they counted waiting in line 171 people at 8 o'clock," Gregory said.

The Mojoes owners reportedly informed the city they would refund money to fans who could not get into the concert.

The Mojoes show was part of the the "Dark Roots Of Thrash II" tour, featuring TESTAMENT amd EXODUS, alongside support act SHATTERED SUN.

Following on from their near-sellout tour, stunning sets at Sonisphere, Damnation and Hammerfest, resurrected Corby, U.K. metallers RAGING SPEEDHORN are set to launch a Pledge Music campaign for their hotly anticipated fifth album. RAGING SPEEDHORN has been teasing fans with the prospect of a new record since the band's return in February 2014. Earlier this year, the group released a single, "Halfway To Hell", which was praised widely by fans and media alike. Drummer Gordon Morison had this to say on the Pledge Music campaign and new record: "I'm really happy to announce that RAGING SPEEDHORN will be recording a new record this year.

"We're going to be teaming up with the guys at Pledge Music for the as-yet-untitled fifth record.

"We've always had amazing fans and now they have the chance to pledge and help us make the record, and in the mean time they can access exclusive content as well as getting their hands on limited edition pledge-only signed CDs, vinyl, screen prints and T-shirts, as well as Pledge-exclusive gigs, signed drum skins and much more." Fans wanting to contribute to the Pledge Music campaign can do so here.

RAGING SPEEDHORN is set to hit the road in May with returning U.S. noise barons WILL HAVEN.

RAGING SPEEDHORN formed in 1998 and went on to issue four records, the most successful being their second release, "We Will Be Dead Tomorrow", recorded by Billy Graziadei and Danny Schuler of BIOHAZARD fame. The band achieved chart success with "The Gush" in 2001, toured continuously with acts like SLIPKNOT, ILL NINO, RAMMSTEIN and WILL HAVEN, and performed at countless festivals across the globe, including main stage at the inaugural Download festival in 2004. They split in 2008 following the release of their last record, "Before The Sea Was Built", and a subsequent tour of Japan.

Roadrunner/604 recording group THEORY OF A DEADMAN has announced the "Angel Acoustic" EP, a collection of acoustic performances of fan favorite THEORY OF A DEADMAN songs as well as an acoustic cover of TOVE LO's "Habits (Stay High)". The EP will be available for preorder via iTunes beginning April 21, with all preorders receiving "Habits (Stay High)" as an instant grat. The "Angel Acoustic" EP officially arrives at all DSPs on April 28. The EP follows THEORY OF A DEADMAN's most recent LP, "Savages", which made a spectacular debut on the Billboard charts last August, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart and at No. 8 on The Billboard 200. Furthermore, the album also debuted at No. 4 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart and at No. 7 on the Digital Albums chart. "Savages" marked the band's second straight Top 10 debut on The Billboard 200 as well as their third consecutive No. 1 Hard Rock album. Furthermore, current single "Angel" continues to climb the Active Rock radio chart, landing in the Top 10 this week, while its companion music video is quickly approaching 1 million views. Produced by longtime collaborator Howard Benson (HALESTORM, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE), "Savages" is THEORY OF A DEADMAN's most accomplished work to date. THEORY OF A DEADMAN is currently in the midst of an epic world tour, which will see the band performing a series of dates in the U.K. later this month, including two sold-out shows in Birmingham and London. The band will then make their way back to the States this summer for a run of festival and fair performances which will continue through late August. THEORY OF A DEADMAN is: Tyler Connolly (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Brenner (rhythm guitar), Dean Back (bass), and Joey Dandeneau (drums). "Angel Acoustic" EP track listing

01. Angel02. Santa Monica03. Habits (Stay High)04. Not Meant To Be05. The One

Frontiers Music Srl will release "American Trash", the new album from rock and roll veterans Jean Beauvoir and Micki Free, on June 3 in Europe and June 7 in North America.

Best known as the driving force behind the legendary CROWN OF THORNS self-titled debut album in 1994, Beauvoir and Free's collective credits read like a "who's-who" of rock, with a list of collaborations that includes the likes of the RAMONES, KISS, Debbie Harry, THE PRETENDERS, John Waite, Lionel Richie, N'SYNC, Billy Gibbons of ZZ TOP, Bill Wyman, Carlos Santana and Prince, to name but a few.

The duo both coincidentally moved back to Los Angeles in 2003 and reconnected. They discussed joining forces again for a new project and after a few shows in Europe in 2013, a deal with Frontiers was inked for a brand new album, which was recorded in 2014.

The result is "American Trash", an album that shaped up as "the continuation of the BEAUVOIR FREE sound as the writing team for the CROWN OF THORNS debut," explains Jean Beauvoir.

"When we write together, there really is this magic. We know we want killer guitar riffs and major melodic chorus... and this is what turns out in our songs, in BEAUVOIR FREE style."

All the new songs came out like "rocking babies" in the BEAUVOIR FREE fold. "And all represent the sound only Jean and I create together. The 'inimitable' sound of BEAUVOIR FREE," says Micki Free.

"We both feel this CD is some of the best work we have done, right up their next to the CROWN OF THORNS debut," adds Jean. "We want to get out on the road and bring it to the fans. We receive a lot of enquires of, 'When are you guys coming back out on tour?' and people telling us they can't wait to hear the new material. Frankly, we can't wait for our fans to hear 'American Trash' as well."

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "American Trash" is available below.

"American Trash" track listing:

01. Angels Cry02. Morning After03. American Trash04. Whiplash05. Just Breathe06. Shotgun To The Heart07. Never Give Up08. Cold Dark December09. It's Never Too Late10. She's A K.O.11. There's No Starting Over

BEAUVOIR FREE is:

* Jean Beauvoir - lead vocals and background vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, drums, keyboards and orchestration* Micki Free - lead guitar, rhythm and acoustic guitar

"Little Brother Is Watching", the video for the title track of the new solo album from GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, can be seen below. Released on February 24, the disc was composed, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Bumblefoot at his studio in New Jersey, and also features drummer Dennis Leeflang and a crowd of 100 fans stomping, chanting and singing backing vocals recorded at a listening party in New York.

Says Bumblefoot about the "Little Brother Is Watching" clip: "The director, Gabriella Loutfi, took a real cinematic approach with the song subject. Rather than showing the current evolution of Orwell's '1984' 'Big Brother,' we turned the clock back to 1984 BC, showing how power struggles for control and order are timeless.

"The video plays out like chapters of a story — dominating rule, a demand for instant gratification, a revolt and the tables turn.

"Gabriella gave a 'tip of the hat' to pioneer filmmakers like Georges Méliès, often choosing organic methods rather than digital effects. An example is the drowning scenes — long blue and white sheets stretching across a room, each end held by crew, being rippled and waved by hand as the actors would descend between them."

Thal recently revealed that he was focusing on his solo career after spending eight years playing in the Axl Rose-fronted band. Thal, however, stopped short of saying that he was no longer a member of GUNS N' ROSES, which has caused some fans to criticize him for not coming clean about where he stands with the group.

Thal responded to one fan via Facebook about the lack of clarity surrounding his position in GUNS N' ROSES. He wrote: "I can't erase a decade of history and I can't stop the media from asking what they want to ask and making up their own titles on their interviews and posts. No matter how much I ask them not to do it."

He added: "I've been honoring a request to not make any public statements about anything related to it, which continues to put me in a very awkward position that I don't want to be in. Not how I do things, repeatedly taking the bullet on this one."

Bumblefoot joined GUNS N' ROSES in early 2006 as the replacement for Buckethead. He made his live debut with the band at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 12, 2006.

In a brand new interview with SPIN.com, SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian was asked about the status of the band's long-awaited new studio album. He responded: "There is an openness to working together again when we all have material that is mutually accepted. We don't have a set timeline or anything else to report. One thing we do all agree upon is that it's gotta be a leap from what we've done before."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian said in a recent interview with Madcap Music Review that the band has already worked on its first new music in a decade, with plans to enter the studio in the coming months to record a full-length album. Asked about the chances of the group recording for the first time since 2005, Odadjian said, "Yeah, there's a very good chance. I don't have a date. We've already gone. We've written some songs. We're keeping it to ourselves. We're getting back to the bullshit of being together." SYSTEM last released new music in 2005 with the "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" albums, but started to tour again in 2011.

The band members have reiterated throughout the hiatus that they have remained friends, although drummer John Dolmayan hinted last year at some personal issues in the group, saying, "We probably would have been in the studio making an album already, but for personal reasons, one of our members cant be in the studio right now. It's a positive thing, but that's all I can say on that right now."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN recently added two more North American dates to its upcoming world tour. In addition to a show in Quebec on June 18, the band will now stop in Detroit on June 17 and Toronto on June 19.

The tour commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and will feature SYSTEM OF A DOWN's first-ever performance in their homeland of Armenia, on April 23.

"Serpenticide", a brand new song from reunited New York death metallers SKINLESS, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's first new studio offering in nearly a decade, titled "Only The Ruthless Remain", which will be unleashed on CD, LP and digitally via Relapse on June 2 in North America.

Featuring the band's classic late '90s lineup, SKINLESS's new CD is described in a press release as "a prime slab of truly brutal death metal." Recorded by Tom Case at Edie Road Studio and Doomsday Bunker Studio, both in upstate New York, with vocals tracked by Dave Otero (CEPHALIC CARNAGE, PRIMITIVE MAN) at Flatline Audio in Denver, Colorado, and mastered by Brad Boatright (OBITUARY, NAILS, INTEGRITY) at Audiosiege in Portland, Oregon, the effort boasts seven tracks of SKINLESS's signature fusion of punishing, concussively heavy grooves and surgically precise, blasting severity.

"Only The Ruthless Remain" includes artwork by Ken Sarafin.

Comments SKINLESS vocalist Sherwood Webber: "[Illustrator] Ken Sarafin summed it up best when he said that upon listening to the new SKINLESS, his balls exploded and bigger ones grew in their place. That's how we felt when making it!

"'Serpenticide' was the song that got us into the flow of creating this album. This track has the grind, dirge, and vengeful bludgeoning that makes it a slicing cross cut of 'Only The Ruthless Remain'.

"You've heard the live version; here is the final in all its ruthlessness.

"The countdown is on. Much more to come.

"As the old saying goes, it's time to stop the teasin' and start the pleasin', ha!"

Formed in 1992 in Albany, New York, SKINLESS has released four full-length albums and numerous EPs throughout its 20-plus-year career. After disbanding in 2011, the group is now back together with the classic "Progression Towards Evil" lineup (Sherwood Webber on vocals, Noah Carpenter on guitar, Joe Keyser on bass, Bob Beaulac on drums) plus the recent addition of Dave Matthews on second guitar. SKINLESS 2015 is:

Sherwood Webber - VocalsNoah Carpenter - GuitarDave Matthews - GuitarJoe Keyser - BassBob Beaulac - Drums

German dark, primitive metal trio, Valborg, who feature within their ranks current and former members of Owl, Klabautamann, Woburn House, Gruenewald and more will unleash their fifth full-length next month via Temple Of Torturous.

Titled Romantik, the follow-up to 2012's Nekrodepression, features six tracks of morose avant blackened beauty. Ambient synthesizers collide with wistful guitars, all slowly and deliberately hovering above a foundation of pounding rhythms, the band's harsh, German vocal inflections adding further terror to their profoundly bleak brand of funeral power doom.

In anticipation of the release, the band has offered up the album’s third movement, “Comtesse”, which is streaming below.

Romantik was produced, recorded and mixed by Oliver Weiskopf at Stonehenge Studios and mastered by Michael Schwabe at Monoposto Mastering. Following four albums based around experimental, skull-crushing doom, with Romantik, Valborg delves deeper into the heart-tearing atmospheres of the abyss of which they've so boldly explored. Fans of Type O Negative, Vangelis, Killing Joke and Celtic Frost/Triptykon pay heed.

Romantik tracklisting:

“Vampyr”
“Blitz Aus Sodom”
“Comtesse”
“Sulphur”
“Kryptische Arroganz”
“The Haunted Womb”

“Comtesse”:

Romantik will be released on CD and digitally on May 19 and on vinyl June 16 via Temple Of Torturous.

Sweden has been a fertile ground for metal of all varieties for multiple decades, and there appears to be no sign that this will change anytime soon. The variety and quality of bands is staggering, and Metal Blade Records is prepared to help add The Great Discord to the list of one of Sweden's finest new groups. The band's cornerstone is with the enigmatic vocals of Fia Kempe. Her tone and delivery is immensely emotive and is augmented by a band whose sound is impossible to describe. It's technical, heavy, and yet not so much to overwhelm those not anointed in metal. What's important is that The Great Discord offer a truly unique twist on both metal, and what is to be expected from a female-fronted band.

The uniqueness The Great Discord encapsulates is put on display today with the release of the first teaser from Duende.  Part 1 entitled "Sanguine" gives a brief glimpse into the enigma that is The Great Discord.  It features a brief sample of new music with eerie yet perfectly entwined visuals.

Duende will be available worldwide via Metal Blade Records on June 2nd in North America, June 1st in the UK / Europe, and May 29th in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Listen to "Eigengrau" now:

The relationship between Kempe and drummer Aksel Holmgren has stood for many years, connecting on a deep personal level when it comes to music, though it was only when they came together to form The Great Discord in 2013 that their collaboration began. Sharing an interest in progressive music, they count the likes of Genesis and King Crimson as well as contemporary acts such as Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan among those who have inspired them.

While music pundits and critics will fall over themselves trying to label the unique and intriguing sounds contained within Duende the band are more interested in presenting their music to the world, with the hope of making a profound musical connection with the likeminded. Having been working toward the completion of the record for nearly two years the band have perhaps only just arrived at the beginning, and the ambitiousness of their music is further reflected in their goals. "We obviously want to take over the world," Kempe smiles. "We really believe in our vision, we really believe in the concept behind everything that we do. We want to entertain people. We want them to come to our shows and experience everything that we have visualized for this band, and we want them to relate to the emotion that we're putting into our songs, to be able to find something in The Great Discord that they cannot find anywhere else."