Riding high off his solo debut, "The Way Life Goes", Tom Keifer has been on the road, continuing to deliver his electrifying live performances all across the country. Each show a reminder of why Keifer has been a mainstay on the live music scene with both his solo project and his original band CINDERELLA for nearly thirty years.

Keifer has just premiered the music video for his track "It's Not Enough", a song written by Keifer, his wife Savannah and Kent Agee. A high-energy barrage of tour footage, this is the fourth video release from "The Way Life Goes".

Keifer explains: "We've been compiling footage from our shows throughout the tour with the idea of making a video that would sum up the energy of the entire project to date, and give the feeling of being on tour with my solo band. We have really become a family with this band, on stage and off."

Feeling energized by the breath of new life into his solo record and band, Keifer says: "'It's Not Enough' has taken on a whole new meaning and felt like the perfect song for a video that's a look into this high-energy, guitar-oriented show, where everyone on that stage lives and breathes to share that moment with the people who make it all possible. The fans!"

The video ends with the following message to the fans: "THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AMAZING RIDE SO FAR! SEE YA ON THE ROAD IN 2015!"

Keifer elaborated on the message, stating: "The fans breathe the life into the music and our shows. A mere thank you really doesn't feel like enough so we are hitting the road again in 2015 and will do our very best to give them a hundred and fifty percent! We are just getting started."

"The Way Life Goes" sold 5,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 78 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on April 30, 2013 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group).

"The Way Life Goes" is a raw, introspective look at the roller coaster ride that has been Keifer's life for the past 15 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord, to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will, when combined with a true love of music.

"It's pretty scary," Keifer said of his vocal paralysis. "I've had six surgeries to deal with the collateral damage. Performing… has been difficult for me because of the vocal issues I've had. I work several hours every day on that. That's a difficult thing for me every day."

The collection of 14 new songs ranges from intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots that have always been present in his unique sound that has generated the sale of over 15 million records worldwide for CINDERELLA. Rolling Stone praised Keifer as "a gritty, bluesy (rocker) with enough genuine swagger to draw comparisons to Mick Jagger."

"This record was a labor of love," Keifer told TriCities.com. "When I started this record, CINDERELLA was in the middle of a lawsuit with Sony Records. This record is not in any way to be taken as me stepping away from CINDERELLA."

"I took a lot of time making this record," he continued. "I made it over 10 years. I wanted to make something I loved. My wife, Savannah (Snow), co-wrote a lot of the songs with me. It was a blessing to me.

"Each song has something to do with life. It's just life, love, love lost, being crazy, going crazy, being lost. The record, there's no change, really, in style. It has the peaks and valleys.

"I've always approached music, played music that I like. I've never chased trends through CINDERELLA and with this album. It reflects what's in me."

According to Naples Daily News, AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams has put his 13,223-square-foot, seven-room south Fort Myers, Florida mansion on the market. The rocker is asking $6.95 million for the house, which he purchased in 2010 for $5.1 million. The home sits on 2.5 acres and features seven full bathrooms, two half bathrooms and two guesthouses.

Back in 2010, Williams listed his Savannah, Georgia townhouse and a Fort Myers, Florida home. The Georgia townhouse was said to be a restored home that was originally built in 1872. Williams and his wife bought the home in 2006 for $1.5 million to stay there while they visited their son who attended college in the area. They spent over a year renovating the four-bedroom home and added an English pub-style bar. The three-story townhouse had a side garden and a carriage house with two bedrooms. This home was listed at $1.95 million.

The couple was also selling a four-bedroom home in Fort Myers, Florida. That home was a two-story Mediterranean-style home with a courtyard in Edgewater of Gulf Harbour. This home had a outdoor kitchen with gas grill and bonus soundproof music studio/exercise/hobby room over garage. The courtyard lanai included a woodburning fireplace with a gas starter and the pool is screened in. The home was prepared for storm season with a whole house backup generator with 500-gallon propane tank, as well as new impact windows. It was listed at $1.375 million.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, are selling two unfinished houses in Hollywood Hills West, priced at $1.999 million each.

The larger three-bedroom, three-bathroom property contains a 2,538-square-foot Contemporary house built in 1961.

The smaller property includes 2,038 square feet of living space.

Both houses have a pool, a spa and a two-car garage.

Back in March 2013, Sharon and Ozzy sold one of their Los Angeles-area homes for $11.5 million. According to Realtor.com, the six-bedroom, 10-bath, 11,000-square-foot mansion sat on a hill in the middle of a two-and-a-quarter acre property in the popular celebrity enclave of Hidden Hills. The house featured a completely redesigned interior, mountain and city views, a gym, a library, a pool, maid's quarters and other luxury amenities.

The property came on the market in 2011 at $12.999 million and was also listed for lease at $50,000 a month. Ozzy and Sharon paid $12,388,500 for the estate in 2007.

In April 2011, the Osbournes also put a Malibu beach house on the market for $10 million. According to The Pulse Of Radio, that 4,500-square-foot, three-story oceanfront residence had five bedrooms and five bathrooms, along with a library, office, hot tub, walk-in closets and a backyard with a view of the Pacific Ocean. The couple bought the Malibu house in 2003 for $5.1 million and first placed it on the market in 2006 for $14 million.

TWISTED SISTER will "honor" the band's late drummer A.J. Pero by fulfilling its touring obligations this year with the help of "a professional drummer who is a friend," says guitarist Jay Jay French.

Pero died at the age of 55 while on tour with the band ADRENALINE MOB. After members of that group failed to rouse him on their tour bus on March 20, he was taken to a Poughkeepsie, New York hospital and pronounced dead of an apparent heart attack.

Writing on his blog at his blog at Preview.inc.com, Jay Jay said: "I realize that our collective history is so long, so deep, so intertwined that A.J.'s death has shaken us to the core. It made me realize the fundamental connection that we as a band and as a company share as friends with a nearly 40-year history."

He continued: "This company employs a lot of people and has created a business model that is the envy of many of our fellow bands.

"We will honor A.J. during our shows this year. A professional drummer who is a friend will be filling in shortly. This will allow us to fulfill our touring obligations and, most importantly, give us some space to make some very hard decisions about our future."

Jay Jay added: "We are surely not the same kids who had a dream 40 years ago to become 'rock stars.'

"We carry the scars to prove it.

"We are adults who run a business, and businesses must go on, even through a curtain of tears."

A couple of days after Pero's death, TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider told a TMZ cameraman that the group would "probably" would keep playing, "for [A.J.'s] family, because his family will benefit from us playing, financially."

French sounded less certain about the band's future when he told radio host Eddie Trunk on March 23 that "it may be time" for TWISTED SISTER to call its quits in 2016 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of French, Snider and Ojeda first playing together. He said: "We need to look at this and say to ourselves, as a live, breathing entity, on which our reputation totally rests on — being a great live act — how do we honor that history? And how do we honor A.J.? And how do we honor the fans' loyalty? And I think you know me and Dee and the band enough to know that we are totally realistic and genuine when it comes to our relationship with our fans."

TWISTED SISTER rose to prominence from the New York club scene in the early 1980s. Their biggest album, 1984's "Stay Hungry", contained the hits "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock".

In addition to touring with TWISTED SISTER and ADRENALINE MOB, Pero also recently played with former and current members of IRON MAIDEN and DISTURBED in a band called THE FOUNDRY. He also hosted drum clinics and seminars.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will present rock heavyweights KISS with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at its 32nd annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 29 in Hollywood. The exclusive, invitation-only gala takes place at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The ASCAP Founders Award goes to ASCAP's pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Past recipients include Sir Paul McCartney, Smokey Robinson, Patti Smith, STEELY DAN, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (AEROSMITH), Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

KISS is one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time, selling over 100 million albums worldwide in their 40-year career. Formed in the early 1970s, KISS has achieved staggering career milestones, boasting decades of record-breaking tours around the globe. Today, the KISS "brand" has infiltrated pop culture with its unforgettable personas Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Cat. With hits like "Strutter", "Shout it Out Loud", "Detroit Rock City", "Rock And Roll All Nite", "Christine Sixteen", "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Beth", KISS has 28 gold albums, the most of any American rock band, and in 2014 they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. As the band continues their 40th Anniversary World Tour with 2015 tours in Japan, South America and Australia — founding band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons also celebrate 40 years as members of ASCAP.

The 32nd ASCAP Pop Music Awards precede the 10th annual ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, the only national conference dedicated to the craft and business of songwriting and composing. The EXPO takes place April 30 - May 2 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Many of the biggest names in music have shared their wisdom and music at the EXPO, including Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Jackson Browne, Lindsey Buckingham interviewed by Sara Bareilles, Dr. Luke, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Quincy Jones, Randy Newman, Katy Perry, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, Justin Timberlake in conversation with Bill Withers and Ann and Nancy Wilson (HEART).

In a brand new interview with LA Weekly, former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland was asked if the decidedly rock direction on his new solo album, "Blaster", had anything to do with wanting to remind STP — the band that made him famous in the early '90s and ultimately fired him in 2013 — what they were missing.

"No, you know, I don't think about STP," he responded. "Actually the only time it enters my mind is when I get a check."

He continued: "Whatever they do is their own business. [New STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer] Chester's [Bennington] reason for doing it is his own reason. He must be a busy guy between LINKIN PARK and STP. But I wish them well and hope they do great and my focus is on [my solo band] THE WILDABOUTS."

In a recent intervie with QMI Agency, Weiland spoke about his exit from STP. He said: "It's just a shame how it happened… I felt we needed six months off in order to do a 20th-year-anniversary tour and that 20th-anniversary tour didn't end up happening and I said, 'Okay, then we need to make a new record because we can't go on just playing the greatest-hits set'… I assumed we were all on the same page when we left tour and it turned out not so and they got different management and things just soured."

STP fired Weiland in February 2013, claiming that his own solo activities and erratic behavior were detrimental to the band.

The group then teamed up with Bennington, releasing an EP called "High Rise" in October 2013. A new studio album is in the works.

Weiland added about STP, "Crazy things happen, especially when you end up getting different management. People see things one way and a lot of times how things are portrayed to the bandmembers are through the goggles of the management and filtered through that and that's what you end up hearing."

The two sides sued each other, but eventually reached a settlement in 2014.

Weiland's last album with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, a self-titled effort, came out in 2010.

As previously reported, THE WILDABOUTS guitarist Jeremy Brown died on Monday (March 30). The cause of the 34-year-old musician's death has not been revealed. In a post on his Facebook page, Weiland wrote that he was informed of Brown's death via a phone call from the guitarist's family after Brown failed to show up for rehearsal Monday afternoon.

Weiland wrote, "I am in shock right now, everyone that knows him is devastated. It is a terrible loss that goes beyond words. He is one of my best friends, a truest friend and one of the most gifted guitar players that I've ever known. A true genius. It's impossible to explain how much he will be missed and what a hole this will leave in our hearts… Please keep his family in your thoughts."

Weiland and THE WILDABOUTS had been scheduled to play a record release party in Hollywood on Monday night for "Blaster", which came out on Tuesday (March 31).

Weiland met Brown in 2008 during the recording of his second solo album, "'Happy' In Galoshes", and they have worked together ever since.

US metal legends Pentagram have launched an exclusive performance clip from its newly released double-disc DVD collection, All Your Sins. Featuring over seven hours of numerous electrifying concerts spanning three decades - all straight from the band's collection - All Your Sins released yesterday via Peaceville Records.

“Relentless” and “Broken Vows” from the Hung Jury Pub, Ocotber 30th, 1987:

This first-ever official Pentagram video collection recovers, repairs and resurrects the earliest known footage of this doomed metal pioneer and more. Two DVDs packed with priceless archive footage, as well as recent shows, All Your Sins - Video Vault unearths the rumored lost visual evidence pent up in the Ram Family vault for decades. This definitive collection contains over seven hours of footage from nine venues and numerous historical shows, including a charged performance at the legendary CBGB's club in 1985 - a mass of classic renditions from the band's catalogue finally gathered together for a live journey spanning over 30 years.

Disc 1
Death Row Live at the Silver Fox – 1983
CBGBs – 1985
The Seagull Inn – 1985
The Hung Jury Pub – 1987
9:30 Club – 1993

Disc 2
The Paragon – 1993
The End – 2010
John Dee, Oslo – 2012
The DNA Lounge – 2014

German black metal project Bonjour Tristesse has made available the track “Wieder Allein” (over nine minutes). The song is from the Par Un Sourire album, which will be released on April 10th.

Par Un Sourire is a re-release of the debut album which was partly re-arranged, additional guitars was recorded, samples was cancelled, new ones were added and the whole album was re-mixed and re-mastered.

Tracklisting:

“Tu Es Inscrite Dans Les Lignes Du Plafond”
“Wieder Allein”
“Par Un Sourire”
“Liberté”
“Lifeforce”
“Tu Es Inscrite Dans Les Yeux Que J’aime

Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est from Italian death metallers Ad Nauseam is out now on Lavadome Productions. Stream the album in its entirety on Bandcamp.

 Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est is the debut album from the quartet and is bound to impress with its heaviness and destructive insanity. The eight technically complex, yet infinitely memorable tracks results in a timeless piece of death metal.  

Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum Est was five years in the making and well worth the wait. The band has recorded and mixed the album in their own studio, even making some of its own equipment to capture the sound exactly as intended. The painstaking effort was driven by passion, energy, and creativity, collectively harnessed to ensure that mediocrity was crushed in the quest to create something relatively unique without abandoning familiar (and beloved) death metal constructs.

Nihil Quam Vacuitas Ordinatum tracklisting:

“My Buried Dream”
“Key To Timeless Laws”
“La Maison Diev”
“Into The Void Eye”
“Terror Haze”
“Lost In The Antiverse”
“The Black Veil Of Original Flaw”
“Superimposing Mere Will And Sheer Need”

Pure Steel Recording artists Sleepy Hollow announced the title of their 2015 Pure Steel Records release today. Tales Of Gods And Monsters will be their follow-up to Skull 13. Recording and mixing at Dirge Studios in Newark, DE will be complete by the end of April and a release date will be announced soon.
 
Coming this October 23rd and 24th Sleepy Hollow will be staging their first Holllowfest an annual festival being held this year at JB McGinnes in New Castle ,Delaware  This year’s lineup to date is Sleepy Hollow, Power Theory, Wretch, Sunless Sky (all on Pure Steel Records) Altar Of Dagon, Voodoo Terror Tribe, Infernal Opera, Season Of Mourning and Flesh Engine and more.

“Bound By Blood”:

SoCal experimental metal group Chrysalis has unleashed their brand new lyric video for the track “Thoughts Behind”.

“Thoughts Behind” appears on Chrysalis’ new album, Focus On The Center, which was released last year. Boasting an eclectic experimental sound that combines alternative rock and progressive metal influences, Chrysalis will appeal to fans of various hard rock and metal sub-genres.

Chrysalis is currently on their US headline tour. Remaining dates:

April
3 – Fife, WA – Louie G’s
5 – Eugene, OR – Black Forest
25 – Pico Rivera, CA – Summer Breakdown Festival

May
1 – Henderson, NV – Aerie Hall
2 – Scottsdale, AZ – The Rogue Bar
3 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Hive
5 – Albuquerque, NM – Blue Phoenix
6 – Amarillo, TX – Yellow City Bomb Shelter
8 – Dallas, TX – RBC
9 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
11 – Lawrence, KS – Fatso’s
13 – Colorado Springs, CO – Flux Capacitor
14 – Denver, CO – Seventh Circle Music Collective
16 – Chubbuck, ID – The Green Triangle
17 – Boise, ID – The Crux

With three releases contributed to the metal world, 2012′s Burning Bridges To Nowhere, 2009′s debut album At The Bottom produced by Greg Dawson (The End, Moneen, Choke) and 2006′s debut Glass Barricade, Canadian band Odium has established itself as a serious contender on the metal stage, delivering melodic, dark yet beautiful music and landing gigs with bands such as Fuck The Facts, Cryptopsy, Alexisonfire, The Agonist, Threat Signal, Baptized In Blood, Beneath The Massacre, Divinity and Arise and Ruin.

Following a short break from the industry to make some much needed changes, Odium is back with a new lineup and a sound that’s heavier and more defined as they begin recording on their self-produced third full-length record.

“This is a very exciting time for me,” says drummer Joe Mullen. “We have been working towards this for a long time. We initially tested out our abilities with our new track 'Centipedes' and I know that after combining our work with the sonic wizardry of Greg Dawson at BWC Studios (Moneen, The End), this will be a record we can be very proud of.”

As the album comes together in the studio, Odium has no plans to slow down on the live performance front. They will be supporting Montreal metal force The Agonist at London's APK on May 9th alongside Nothing Left For Tomorrow and Ataxia. Following the release of the upcoming album, they plan to perform as much as possible throughout Ontario while also considering opportunities for a US run.

“Centipedes”:

Centipedes by Odium

Download the track for free at Bandcamp.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions will release the debut EP from the all-female brutal death metal act Castrator entitled No Victim on May 5th on CD format. Below is the official description:

“Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is proud to unleash the brutal, all female death metal squad Castrator! Consisting of an international line-up of prolific performers, Castrator's members hail from Colombia, Florida, Mexico, Massachusetts, Sweden, and Norway. The debut EP entitled No Victim is an unmerciful musical experience and pure tornado of devastation. Already creating a buzz in the underground scene, Castrator are the essence of violent, lacerating, emasculating death metal... the perfect soundtrack to domination! Features a guest solo from Bob Vigna of Immolation.”

No Victim tracklisting:

“Honor Killing”
“Brood”
“The Emasculator”
“No Victim”

“Honor Killing”:

Preorder the CD at HorrorPainGoreDeath.com.

(Photo by: Jorge Riaño)

German black/death metal band Ars Irae has signed a deal with Quality Steel Records.
 
Their new and second full length album Dunkle Klänge will be released on May 15th. It was recorded and produced in the band’s own studio and mastered by Dan Swanö.

The title track, including a video of the drum recording is streaming below:

Line-up:
 
Michael S. - vocals
Florian K. - guitar
Stephan K. - guitar
Volker S. - bass
Anton F. - drums

Quebec City, Canada-based female-fronted power-prog metallers Merkabah have released an official video for the track “Mythomania”.  The song is the lead-off track from their third album Ubiquity, which was released worldwide in 2014 by Maple Metal Records.

The album Ubiquity was produced by Merkabah, and mixed by Pierre Rémillard (Anvil, Kataklysm, Voivod) at Wild Studio, north of Montreal.
 
The video “Mythomania” was filmed by Martin Huot (K-u3.0 Productions) and Ulric Low (Productions 1080), and edited by Merkabah guitarist Raynald Brochu.  Keyboardist Mathieu Fiset also appears in the video performing his own parts.

Merkabah will be performing select shows throughout Canada and the US in 2015, in support of their album Ubiquity; dates have yet to be announced.

Long-running New Zealand-based progressive death metal tyrants, Dawn Of Azazel, will release their fourth full-length later this month. Titled The Tides Of Damocles, the 10-track slab of sonic violence is the trio's first output in six years following 2009's Relentless long-player. A lyric video for the new track, "Vassalplasty”, can be found below.

The Tides Of Damocles was recorded, mixed and mastered last year at Mana Recording Studios (Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Goatwhore, et al) in Tampa, Florida by Brian Elliot and J.J. Hrubovcak. A name referencing the ocean as a metaphor for the forces of life that constantly assail and erode the will of those who seek power, The Tides Of Damocles thrusts forth forty-eight minutes of harrowing, surgically precise death metal mastery.

 

 

Comments the band of their latest works: "We're excited as fuck to resurface with this record.  It has an anger and a dynamism that reflects the reasons we've been silent for a several years, and our aggression moving forward in spite of these obstacles. We couldn't be more proud of this record as our contribution of something ferocious and unique to the death metal genre."

 

 

The Tides Of Damocles tracklisting:

“Strike First, Strike Hard, Strike Often”
“Irresistible Foe”
“Vassalplasty”
“The Odious Tides”
“Forever Enduring, Always Ready”
“Controlled Burn”
“Progeny of Pain”
“The Eagles Grasp”
“Damocles”
“Tarnished Gold”

“Vassalplasty” lyric video:

The Tides Of Damocles will be released independently via the official Dawn Of Azazel BandCamp page at this location on April 28th, and come available digitally and as a stunning, deluxe, six-panel digipack with 20-page booklet. Pre-order your copy today.

Dawn Of Azazel will bring their brutality to the stage in the coming days on a slew of live excursions through New Zealand and Australia with further invasions to be announced shortly.

Tour dates:

April
18 - Napier Deathfest - Napier, New Zealand
23 - The King's Arm Tavern - Auckland, New Zealand (with Napalm Death, Carcass)

May
2 - The King's Arm Tavern - Auckland, New Zealand (with Suffocation, Decapitated)

July
4 - Rust In Perth 2015 - Perth, Australia

August
29 - Living Death Fest 2015 - Melbourne, Australia

Dawn Of Azazel:

Rigel Walshe - bass, vocals
Joe Bonnett - guitar
Jeremy Suckling - drums

Relapse Records will be releasing a new album from Valkyrie, entitled Shadows, on May 19th. Listen to the album’s lead track, “Mountain Stomp”:

Propelled by the stunning guitar heroics of brothers Pete and Jake Adams, Virginia's Valkyrie return with their third full length, Shadows, one of the year's best guitar-driven, heavy rock records. Jam packed with harmonized leads, rich solos and melodic, blues-based riffs, Valkyrie sound like the perfect blend of American style doom rock bands like Pentagram or Spirit Caravan and classic hard rock like Thin Lizzy, Wishbone Ash, and Deep Purple.

Where Pete Adams' other band Baroness focuses more on the modern proggy and poppy side of metal, Valkyrie looks to proto metal trailblazers for influence while injecting plenty of current day inspiration. Produced by Sanford Parker (Pelican, Leviathan, YOB), Shadows is the perfect summer heavy rock record.

The cover art was created by Jeremy Hush.

 

 

Tracklisting:

“Mountain Stomp”
“Golden Age”
“Temple”
“Shadow Of Reality”
“Wintry Plains”
“Echoes (Of The Way We Lived)”
“Carry On”

Trailer:

 

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner came back to the EMGtv studio to play over Andy James’ original track, "Low Rider" (provided by Jam Track Central). Richie came in having never heard the track before and gave this performance in one take.

Richie’s guitar is loaded with the EMG 57/66 humbucker set running through a Dunlop Wah and chorus pedal. Subscribe to EMGtv for updates on their weekly videos.

Faulkner recently posted two live clips of Judas Priest in action on YouTube with comments. Check them out below:

Faulkner: "Includes GT's mighty solo and Rob's shrieking banshee at the end..."

Faulkner: "The main part of the 'March Of The Damned' solo here from Seoul, Korea. The cool thing here is - and I wonder how many of you maniacs noticed - the zombie in the back has Robs face super-imposed onto it. Check it out from around the 15 second mark!"

 

Swedish heavy metal act Enforcer are streaming their new track, “Below The Slumber”, featured on the band’s From Beyond album, out next Tuesday in North America via Nuclear Blast.

This fourth Enforcer record contains ten new songs, produced, mixed and mastered by the band on their own. Vocalist and guitar player Olof Wikstrand comments: "From Beyond is faster, heavier, louder, darker and more vicious all at the same time without losing a tiny bit of what Enforcer stand for. A fist in the face of all current trends and a stake through the throat of modernity. Total metal!"

 

 

Tracklisting:

“Destroyer”
“Undying Evil”
“From Beyond”
“One With Fire”
“Below The Slumber”
“Hungry They Will Come”
“The Banshee”
“Farewell”
“Hell Will Follow”
“Mask Of Red Death”

“Destroyer” video:

"Undying Evil" lyric video:

Trailer:

Iconic New York death metal militia, Skinless, was spawned in 1992 by guitarist Noah Carpenter with one goal: to be the heaviest band in creation. Following a variety of personnel changes and two demos, Skinless established a solid, dedicated lineup from 1997-2001 in the form of Carpenter, vocalist Sherwood Webber, bassist Joe Keyser and drummer Bob Beaulac. This version of the band would later become known as the "classic" lineup. Following an extended hiatus, Skinless will again corrupt the ears of the living this June with a brand new studio recording.

Titled Only The Ruthless Remain, and featuring their classic late '90s lineup with with recent addition of second guitarist, Dave Matthews, the record was captured 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 etc.) at Flatline Audio in Denver, Colorado, and the entire monster mastered by Brad Boatright (Obituary, Nails, Integrity etc.) at Audiosiege in Portland, Oregon. Brandishing seven tracks of Skinless' signature meld of punishing, war-waging grooves and blast-laden, surgically precise severity, Only The Ruthless Remain is poised to stand among the most sadistic and plainly addictive death metal offerings of the year.

Comments Carpenter, "We worked really hard on this record and I hope you guys soil your diapers repeatedly when you hear it. We think it's the most well-rounded Skinless album yet; from the song writing to the production, the artwork, and the layout, it's the real deal. Get your beers and toilet paper ready."

Adds Webber, "Gallons of brew slammed and oceans of blood spilled, we're back sicker than ever. This is a dark, immense slab of death metal. May the brutal party commence again until Only The Ruthless Remain!"

Only The Ruthless Remain includes artwork by Ken Sarafin and will be unleashed on CD, LP and digitally via Relapse Records on June 2nd in North America (June 1st in the UK/Europe and May 29th in Germany/Benelux/Finland). Limited Relapse 25 Anniversary editions of the CD and LP will also be available. For pre-order bundles, visit this location. Desirers of the digitals, go here.

Feast your eyes and ears on the new Only The Ruthless Remain video teaser below.

 

 

Only The Ruthless Remain tracklisting:

“Serpenticide”
“Only The Ruthless Remain”
“Skinless”
“Flamethrower”
“The Beast Smells Blood”
“Funeral Curse”
“Barbaric Proclivity”

Trailer:

In related Skinless developments, the band will levy their sonic brutality upon Baltimore this May as part of this year's Maryland Deathfest as well as Hellfest in France with further live conquests to be announced in the coming weeks.

Dates:

May
21 - Maryland Deathfest @ Soundstage - Baltimore, MD

June
20 - Hellfest Open Air - Clisson, France

(Photo - Shaun MacMahon)

Celebrating their tenth year as a band in 2015, Northern Virginia-based King Giant has completed their thundering third LP, Black Ocean Waves, set for release this spring, and today they unveil the full album details alongside a video trailer of the album's recording process at Magpie Cage Studios with J. Robbins.

With their brooding, doom-drenched take on Southern rock/metal, King Giant has been rendering their woeful, rousing tales of heartfelt loss and ruthless resolution through their songcraft since 2005, and has built a solid reputation as a diehard internal workforce through handling the recording and releasing of their own gravelly anthems since their inception. Their 2006 Burden EP was followed by the self-released 2009 LP, Southern Darkness, which won over stoner/doom rockers everywhere with its vibrant approach to the genre. But it was the Dismal Hollow LP released in 2012 that launched the band into a more accessible, but more sinister territory, reaping critical acclaim from internationally based mags and webzines.

2015 brings King Giant's third full-length album, proudly celebrating a decade in existence as they prepare to unleash the wayward grooves of Black Ocean Waves. Forty-five minutes of bold, ominous, organic, and accessible material pours fourth on Black Ocean Waves, the new opus surging with eight ebbing torrents of regret, shame, revenge, and reconciliation. King Giant recorded in July 2014 at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, Maryland, the album engineered by Jawbox architect, J. Robbins (Clutch, The Sword, Wino) who later mixed the album. Robbins also performed Hammond organ on the track, "Blood Of The Lamb”, and background vocals on "Trail Of Thorns”.

The cover art for Black Ocean Waves, created by Misty Kilgore, the tracklisting, and a short visual trailer of King Giant's recording experience (which includes audio excerpts from two tracks) have all been released. The band plans to independently release the album in June on CD, and digitally distribute again with The Path Less Traveled, with an LP version to follow.

 

 

Black Ocean Waves tracklisting:

“Mal De Mer”
“The One That God Forgot To Save”
“Requiem For A Drunkard”
“Red Skies”
“Trail Of Thorns”
“Blood Of The Lamb”
“The Gentleman Carny”
“There Were Bells”

Trailer:

King Giant has plans to unveil their new anthems, including a live local record release blowout in Springfield, Virginia alongside brethren Sixty Watt Shaman and Foghound on May 30th. Additional shows and tour plans will be posted shortly. Stand by for the final release date for Black Ocean Waves and whiskey-soaked tears of wounded redemption from the album to pour forth in the coming weeks.

King Giant live:

May
30 - Empire - Springfield, VA (record release show with Sixty Watt Shaman, Foghound)

(Photo - Bobby Ross)

Richmond, VA's genre-destroying metal troupe, Inter Arma, have unveiled a new music video for "Destroyer”. The epic cut is taken from the band's glorious 2013 LP, Sky Burial.

In just ten days, the quintet will kick off a North American tour with Nashville,TN's Yautja. The journey begins in Philadelphia and culminates with a performance at the acclaimed Maryland Deathfest on May 23rd.
 

 

Tour dates:

April
10 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
11 - Boston, MA - TT The Bear’s
12 - Brooklyn, NY - St Vitus
13 - Washington, DC - DC9
14 - Durham, NC - Pinhook
15 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight
16 - Atlanta, GA - 529
17 - Orlando, FL - Will's Pub
18 - St Petersburg, FL - Fubar
19 - Tallahassee, FL - Liberty Bar
20 - Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic
21 - Birmingham, AL - Spring Street Firehouse
22 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
23 - Houston, TX - Fitzgerald’s
24 - Dallas, TX - Three Links
25 - Austin, TX - Holy Mountain  
26 - El Paso, TX - The Sandbox
27 - Tucson, AZ - Flycatcher
28 - Phoenix, AZ - 51west
29 - Las Vegas, NV - Beauty Bar
30 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar

May
1 - Los Angeles, CA - Complex
2 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
4 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
5 - Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl
6 - Seattle, WA - Highline
7 - Spokane, WA - The Bartlett
8 - Missoula, MT - The Palace
9 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
10 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
11 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake
12 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
13 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
14 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
15 - Pontiac, MI - Pike Room at The Crofoot
16 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
17 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub
18 - Nashville, TN - Stone Fox
23 - Baltimore, MD - Maryland Deathfest XIII (2015) @ Soundstage

Greek symphonic death metallers, Septicflesh, have premiered their gruesome and vehement music video for "Prometheus”, taken from their 2014 opus, Titan. The band announced the debut as "the second video clip since our formation (the first being “The Eldest Cosmonaut" from the album A Fallen Temple). The storyline revolves around the theme of transformation and crossing the thin line between predator and prey. It is something that literally brings food for thought. Provoking, disturbing, resisting, surviving the ordeal…"

Directed and produced by Jon Simvonis - who added, "It's been a pleasure working with the almighty Septicflesh, visualizing a massive song from their latest album, an album which works on so many different levels. Bon Appetit!"

Septicflesh will return to North America later this month as they embark on the Conquerors Of The World III tour with support from gothic metal acts Moonspell and Deathstars. Previously the band has appeared on worldwide tours alongside acts including Deicide, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Krisiun, Inquisition, Cradle of Filth, Amon Amarth, Gorgoroth, Satyricon and Children of Bodom, just to name a few.  

 

 

Tour dates:

April
24 - Mexico City, Mexico - Circo Volador
25 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog #
26 - Fort Worth, TX - The Rail Club #
27 - El Paso, TX - The Lowbrow Palace
28 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe’s Grotto #
29 - Ramona, CA - Ramona Mainstage #
30 - Las Vegas, NV - LVCS #

May
1 - Los Angeles, CA - Black Castle #
2 - Oakland,CA - Metro Opera House #
3 - Portland, OR - Tonic Lounge #
4 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven #
5 - Spokane, WA - The Pin #
6 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre #
9 - Indianopolis, IN - Emerson Theater #
10 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room #
11 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s #
12 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theatre #
13 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House #
14 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Corona #
15 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall #
16 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium #
17 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre #
18 - Springfield, VA - Empire #
19 - Atlanta, GA - Hell (The Masquerade) #

June
19-20 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Festival

# with Moonspell, Deathstars

Inner Wound Recordings recently announced the signing of the cinematic metal project, Dark Sarah, the new project from Heidi Parviainen (ex-Amberian Dawn).

Dark Sarah will release a new music video and digital single for the track "Light In You" on April 15th. "Light In You" is a duet with Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) and the video was shot in a beautiful winter landscape in the deep forests of Finland.

Check out a video teaser featuring Heidi and Tony below:

More photos from the video shoot can be seen below:

 

 

 

 

The debut album, Behind The Black Veil, leads you through the psychological adventure of Sarah, who is hovering between her two personalities. Dark Sarah's music combines metal, film music and theatrical elements. Sarah's thoughts are at best depicted in the dialogues (duets) with the guests - "The Fate": Manuela Kraller (ex-Xandria), "The Queen Of No Good": Inga Scharf (Van Canto) and "The Moon": Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica).

Production, orchestrations and mixing was handled by Mikko P. Mustonen, Pathos Music (Delain, Sonata Arctica, Ensiferum) and the album was mastered by Henkka Niemisto, Chartmakers (Volbeat, Sonata Arctica, Korpiklaani). The artwork was created by Jan Yrlund, Darkgrove Design (Apocalyptica, Ensiferum, Sirenia).

Behind The Black Veil will be released on May 8th in Europe and on May 12th in North America. Pre-order Behind The Black Veil at the official Dark Sarah store here.

 

 

Behind The Black Veil tracklisting:

“Save Me”
“Poison Apple”
“Hide And Seek”
“Memories Fall” (feat. Manuela Kraller)
“Evil Roots” (feat. Inga Scharf)
“Violent Roses”
“Hunting The Dreamer”
“Fortress”
“Silver Tree”
“Sun, Moon And Stars”
“Light In You” (feat. Tony Kakko)
“Sarah's Theme”
“Memories Fall” (orchestral version)
“A Grim Christmas Story”

“Memories Fall”:

“Save Me”:

“Hunting The Dreamer”:

 

"Voice Of Slumber", the new video from German death metallers MORGOTH, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Dirk Behlau of Pixeleye Interactive, who who has previously worked with such bands as ARCH ENEMY and SICK OF IT ALL. The song is taken from the band's new studio album, "Ungod", which will be released on April 7 in North America via Century Media. The CD will contain 11 tracks of dark and dismal death metal, combining the untamed ferocity of MORGOTH’s infamous EPs with the atmospheric density of the band’s two legendary full-length efforts, "Cursed" and "Odium".

The atmosphere of "Ungod" was perfectly captured by Greek cover designer Seth Siro Anton (PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK, MOONSPELL), who transformed it into an eerie piece of delusion and despair.

Comments MORGOTH: "We started with the songwriting in January 2013 and finished the recording process by the end of December 2014.

"It was an awesome experience to go through the sometimes very complex and challenging process of writing and recording an album again.

"Our goal was to present some real MORGOTH-style death metal, which closes the gap between 'Cursed' and 'Odium'. We hope that we have achieved this goal and our supporters and friends will like the final outcome."

"Ungod" was recorded, mixed and mastered in November and December 2014 by Jörn Michutta and Matthias Klinkmann at Sound Division Tonstudio in the band’s initial home area of Sauerland, Germany, after having already successfully tested the studio for the "God Is Evil" EP.

MORGOTH recently recruited singer Karsten "Jagger" Jäger (DISBELIEF) to replace the band's longtime vocalist Marc Grewe.

MORGOTH released its first-ever live album and DVD, "Cursed To Live", on June 25, 2012 via Century Media Records. The audio tracks were mixed at Unisound Studio in Sweden with Dan Swanö (OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION).

Texas-based "groove" metallers PISSING RAZORS have announced the addition of bassist Geo Gomez to the group's ranks. The band is in the early stages of preparation for a 2015 release of new material and run of live dates planned for both stateside and abroad.

PISSING RAZORS' upcoming CD will follow the vibe and direction of the band's Andy Sneap-produced 1998 self-titled effort as well as 1999's acclaimed "Cast Down The Plague" album, both of which were released through Noise/Modern Music.

PISSING RAZORS's current lineup includes founding members Eddy Garcia (drums), Joe Rodriguez (vocals) and Mat Lynch (guitar), who led the band to gain a loyal underground following in the mid/late '90s and early 2000s through constant touring, both stateside and abroad.

PISSING RAZORS was formed by the Garcia brothers (Eddy and Danny) in the early '90s under the moniker BACK DOOR CYCLOPS, but changed its name to PISSING RAZORS in time for the release of the band's debut studio album, "Psycho Punko Metal Groove", in 1996. The CD was followed by "Pissing Razors", "Cast Down The Plague", "Fields Of Disbelief" (2000), "Where We Come From" (2001), the live record "Live In The Devil's Triangle" (2002) and the group's final release, "Evolution", in 2003.

FreqsTV recently launched "Ghosts Of The Road", an intimate day-in-the-life-of portrait series, featuring some of today's top rock and metal acts as they navigate a rigorous life on the road. Filmed entirely on one day during a band's tour, these episodes capture the everyday goings-on of a modern rock tour from arrival until the band hits the stage. This fly-on-the-wall perspective aims to offer more to the fans than the traditional mic-in-the-face interview.

"Ghosts Of The Road" presents a personal portrait of today's top acts as they work hard to bring the rock to the masses. New episodes are being released every Thursday and include such acts as AT THE GATES, PROTEST THE HERO, GOTTHARD, AMORPHIS, THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT and more. The series is presented by Germany's Guitar magazine.

The latest "Ghosts Of The Road" episode featuring New Orleans sludge metal veterans CROWBAR can be seen below. FreqsTV is an all-music documentary channel on YouTube consisting of original programming focused on the rock and metal genres. Series will include tour documentaries, artist portraits, spotlights-on-scenes, features on independent labels and pioneers of DIY music technology.

CROWBAR's latest album, "Symmetry In Black", sold around 3,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 68 on The Billboard 200 chart.

CROWBAR's previous CD, 2011's "Sever The Wicked Hand", opened with around 3,500 units to land at position No. 4 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Symmetry In Black" came out in North America on May 27, 2014 via Entertainment One Music. The CD, which was made available in Europe on May 26, 2014 through Century Media Records, was produced by CROWBAR guitarist/vocalist Kirk Windstein and Duane Simoneaux and was mixed by Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA).