According to Robin Leach of the Las Vegas Sun, ticket sales for GUNS N' ROSES' just-concluded second Las Vegas residency, "No Trickery! An Evening Of Destruction", at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino have been "phenomenal" — "so much so [that GUNS frontman Axl Rose has] begun thinking about putting the original group all back together for a global tour," a "knowledgeable insider" told Leach. "That would be the biggest-selling rock tour of all tours," the "insider" added.

Hotel executive Don Marrandino, who may return to Las Vegas as the possible future head honcho at the Hard Rock Hotel, told Leach: "They [GUNS N' ROSES] are definitely thinking of returning for another mini-run at the Hard Rock. We've already had conversations about converting one of the restaurant venues into a GUNS N' ROSES hangout with its own barbecue and hamburger lineup."

GUNS N' ROSES will release "Appetite For Democracy 3D: Live From The Hard Rock Casino - Las Vegas" on July 1 via Universal Music Enterprises. The show was filmed on November 21, 2012 during the "Appetite For Democracy" tour in celebration of twenty-five years of "Appetite For Destruction" and four years of "Chinese Democracy".

The sole remaining original member of GUNS N' ROSES, Rose seemed to rule out any possibility of working with the band's former guitarist, Slash, again in a 2009 interview with Billboard. "What's clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is," he said.

Slash told The Pulse Of Radio a while back how his relationship with Rose disintegrated during the final years of the original GUNS lineup. "His sort of m.o., as far as the band was concerned, over time got so exaggerated in the rock star sense or whatever and he became such a dictator and this and that and the other, that it was impossible for me to work with him, because I'm not the kind of person that takes orders, you know," he said.

During a 2009 interview with longtime friend and former road manager Del James, first published on Spinner, Rose called Slash a "cancer."

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS on Sunday (June 8) announced the departure of their singer of the past nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of his predecessor, Steve "Zetro" Souza.

Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004, told MetalRecusants.com about his return to the band: "A lot went into my decision. They [EXODUS] have got great management now with Chuck Billy [TESTAMENT], they really got it together. A lot of it was enticing to me and it makes great sense to [my other band] HATRIOT. Those guys [HATRIOT] are nearly as excited as me. They know we might have to sit for a minute but we're still working on songs [for the third HATRIOT album] and stuff."

Souza also confirmed that he will pull "double duty" for the foreseeable future, splitting his time between EXODUS and HATRIOT, which also features his sons Nick Souza (drums) and Cody Souza (bass). He said: "[EXODUS guitarist and main songwriter Gary Holt is] in SLAYER. What am I gonna do when he's [on the road with those guys]? They told me not to quit [HATRIOT], and I was, like, I'm not. I'm not gonna shelve everything we [HATRIOT] have worked for. I'm not. I'm like Corey Taylor now [who is splitting his time between SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR]. You know, we're writing the new HATRIOT album right now and it will be out next year guaranteed."

Asked about the possibility of a tour featuring SLAYER, EXODUS and HATRIOT, Zetro said: "I don't know about something like that. We need to take this in baby steps. I'm not gonna force anybody to piggyback. I believe the management understands how I feel about that band [SLAYER], my band [HATRIOT] and being in EXODUS. They've seen I've kept to the program with Gary being in SLAYER. You can work double duties, so we'll see what happens. But you know me, I can do it."

Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005), "The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007), "Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS' classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

Holt stated about the decision to re-hire Zetro: "The lines of communication with the band and Steve are the strongest they've ever been. All things have been discussed — the past, present and future going forward.

"Steve will start [recording] vocals [for the new EXODUS CD] on Wednesday and the small sampling I have of him on the new songs is fucking amazing. His best shit ever is coming. Be prepared, it's going to kill."

EXODUS' next live appearance is scheduled for July 11 at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany.

Souza left EXODUS ten years ago on the eve of the band's South American headlining tour in September 2004 over what was described as long-standing business and personal differences. Holt subsequently issued a statement calling Souza "human crap" for pulling out the trek "only about twenty-four hours before were ready to leave." He added, "Yes, he did a killer job on the [then-latest] album [2004's 'Tempo Of The Damned'], but mainly because we did not allow him to fuck everything up with his stupid Bon Scott impersonations anymore. We made him sing more like [previous vocalist Paul] Baloff. I tried to make it work. More than you can imagine. But he was (is) the most miserable pile of crap to be around."

After Souza made it clear in several interviews in 2011 that he wanted his old EXODUS job back, Holt — who has been pulling double duty with SLAYER for the past four and a half years — said: "I have nothing against Zetro; really, I don't. I consider him a friend, but the lobbying through the press for people to convince me to give him his job back just got under my skin, because Rob is NOT a placecard holder in EXODUS, he's our singer.

"Zetro's place in EXODUS history is solid, he made some great records with us, and had a good run with the band. But this is now, not then, and we do not plan on throwing away what we have to go back in time."

Legendary guitarist Uli Jon Roth (SCORPIONS) has been forced to pull out of the previously announced "Guitar Gods" tour alongside Yngwie Malmsteen, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) and Gary Hoey.

Says Roth in a statement: "Unfortunately, we are forced to cancel my participation in this tour due to unforeseen circumstances which are beyond our control.

"We don't know why, but work visas got mysteriously delayed for no apparent reason to the point where we were left with no other reasonable choice but to cancel at this late stage. In over 30 years of obtaining U.S. visas this has never happened to me, but I guess there's always a first.

"I would have loved to play for the North American audience on this tour, like so many times before, but I'm sure my three guitar-playing friends will be just fine without me and will more than make up for it with their considerable skills. I'm wishing them best luck and lots of inspiration!"

Asked in a May 2013 interview with The Vinyl District if he had any regrets about his split with the SCORPIONS, Uli said: "I should have probably carried on doing the first American tour. I missed out on that, because my mind was on other things. I'm glad I did the Japanese tour, but I didn't want to do the American tour back then because I felt I really wanted to my own thing. Other than that, you know, they did their thing, I do my thing, it's very, very different, and it's a step I have never regretted, because it wasn't for me. I was in it for different reasons, and I got out of it for different reasons."

He added: "You see, for me, life is not just driven by material success. There was, of course, that with the SCORPIONS. I'm more interested in artistic success, and I had that with the SCORPIONS in the first few years, but then I felt that I wanted to go into a different direction, artistically. That was not possible because nobody would have understood that direction. It would not have fit."

Asked for his take on the way music technology has progressed, Uli said: "I have mixed feelings. I embrace the digital technology, but I do see its weaknesses. In the beginning, compact discs were a huge novelty but they were 12-bit. Then they make them 16-bit. They are still 16-bit. So the stuff that we are producing in the studio sounds a lot better than what people are actually hearing. In fact, in recent years, thanks to Steve Jobs, and people like that, we've regressed to MP3s, which sound pretty horrible most of the time, compared to what we are hearing in the studio. Vinyl, of course, was a different animal altogether. There are certain sounds on vinyl that you just don’t get from any other medium, and I kind of do miss that sometimes. However, even vinyl had its shortcomings. I remember we were pressing these albums, and when you came to the center of the album you had to be careful with the levels, it started to distort. There were problems with phases, you had to be careful with the phases otherwise the needle would jump up. Then you had the half-hour scenario on each side, which we got kind of used to. We worked around that, that was kind of the format."

On the topic of iTunes, Uli said: "Oh, forget iTunes! To me, iTunes is a great idea to make money for the big corporations. It is not good for the musicians at all, it's the kiss of death for art as we know it. What it does, it turns music into something… it completely devalues music in the sense that it is just too easy to get, and it turns people into music junkies. There's just nothing special about it anymore, because nothing is being celebrated. You know? When you actually put on the cassette tape, or when you put on the needle, it's almost like some celebration. OK, now we are making a dedicated effort and it's like we are entering that room that only that album can present. With iTunes, most of the kids have no relationship with any of the artists, it's just, 'I like that song, I like that song.' It’s like going into a McDonald's shop. Basically, what it is, it's inflation galore. Less is sometimes more. I've seen people in love and in tune with iTunes. Some people seem to know how to work it and they are really good with it. Some people are music junkies anyway. They listen to music all day long. For these people, it's great. However, I'm not one of them. I listen to music rather rarely. When I do, it's always something special. I never have it going on in the background. It drives me nuts. I give it my full attention. Otherwise, it just drives me nuts. It asks for my full attention."

Reunited Swiss technical thrash metal masters CORONER will soon begin working on material for a potential follow-up to the band's acclaimed last studio release, 1993's "Grin".

During an interview (hear audio below) with AndrewHaug.com, Australia's first-ever dedicated 24/7 rock and metal online radio station launched by Andrew Haug, the former host of Triple J Australia's "The Racket" radio show (originally "Full Metal Racket"; 2001-2011), CORONER guitarist Tommy Vetterli was asked if the band has any interest in putting out new music four years after the group announced its return to the metal scene. "Sure," he replied. "That's actually one of the reasons why [original CORONER drummer] Marky [Edelmann] wanted to leave the band."

He added: "I can't say when [a new studio album might arrive]. It's just what we want. But everybody's very busy, you know — me producing bands in the studio all the time. And after 'Grin', it's not easy to… If we do something, it has to be very good.

"We're gonna start to write songs and then see what happens. I don't know yet [how it will turn out]."

CORONER last month announced the addition of drummer Diego Rapacchietti to the group's ranks. The band said in a statement: "Diego is an accomplished and innovative drummer. He has played in bands PAGANINI, VENTURIA, 69 CHAMBERS, and many more. Diego also has extensive experience as a studio drummer for various projects."

Rapacchietti made his live debut with CORONER on May 29 at Salzhaus in Winterthur, Switzerland. He then joined his new bandmates on their first Australian tour ever, which kicked off on June 5 in Melbourne.

Video footage of the Melbourne concert can be seen below.

Edelmann (a.k.a. Marquis Marky) left CORONER in February, explaining in a statement that "it was clear from the start that I didn't want to record another album. I love the sound of CORONER, but for me, it's the moment to explore new sounds without the weight of the past on my shoulders."

Filmmakers Bruno Amstutz and Lukas Ruettimann last year released a teaser for the upcoming documentary about CORONER. Due later this year, the film will feature interviews with Tom G. Warrior and Martin Ain (CELTIC FROST), Max Cavalera (SEPULTURA, SOULFLY), Franz Treichler (YOUNG GODS), Chris von Rohr (KROKUS), Chris Glanzmann (ELUVEITIE), Stephan Eicher and more.

Originally part of the road crew for fellow countrymen CELTIC FROST, CORONER went on to become one of the most progressive extreme metal acts of the Eighties. The connection between the Zurich band and CELTIC FROST was so strong, in fact, that CELTIC FROST frontman Tom G. Warrior offered to handle vocals for the emerging band's demo. Warrior and CORONER entered Switzerland's Magnetix studio on October 10, 1985, and nine days later they walked out with the impressive four-song 1986 release, "Death Cult". Interview (audio):


Performance footage:

Cult Louisiana sludge/doom metal band ACID BATH, which broke up in 1997, has been the subject of reunion rumors after drummer Jimmy Kyle revealed in online posting that the band was searching for a new vocalist for a potential comeback.

ACID BATH guitarist Sammy Duet, who is currently a member of GOATWHORE, has released the following statement clarifying ACID BATH's future plans:

"In response to [Kyle's] post by 'Acidbath The Bayou Kid' on June 3rd, 2014, I'd like to clarify a few things: Jimmy Kyle created that post without prior discussion with [guitarist] Mike Sanchez or myself.

"ACID BATH is not looking for a vocalist.

"There is no ACID BATH without [late bassist] Audie Pitre, so there will never be 'new' ACID BATH material. "Currently, most of the surviving members of ACID BATH — Jimmy, Mike and myself — have been considering the possibility of doing some shows in the future as an ACID BATH tribute band, but nothing has been set in stone, and it is still just an idea. Unfortunately, [vocalist] Dax Riggs declines to be a part of such a tribute. We respect Dax and his decision.

"If we decide to put together an ACID BATH tribute band, the vocalist will be carefully chosen, but it is way too early to discuss choosing a vocalist at this time.

"I'd like to thank the loyal, diehard ACID BATH fans for their years of support, not just while ACID BATH was together, but for supporting us in all of our individual music projects."

ACID BATH released the underground classic "When the Kite String Pops" in 1994 and followed it up with "Paegan Terrorism Tactics" in 1996 before disbanding.

Southern California-based punk/rock band KRISTY MAJORS AND THE THRILL KILLS — featuring members of PRETTY BOY FLOYD and MURDERDOLLS — will release its debut self-titled album on June 17. With roots that feed from the East Coast '70s punk scene to the West Coast '80s metal scene, KRISTY MAJORS AND THE THRILL KILLS are delivering from the sweet spot that exists in between. The first single, "Broken Lip", is the perfect example of this synergy, with its blistering speed, classic punk guitar sound, lyrics punched with attitude and two-minute run time. "Broken Lip" is available for free download at this location.

"I write and record music to please myself these days," said Majors, who is releasing "Kristy Majors And The Thrill Kills" independently and going back to basics with fan-focused promotion: big shows in intimate venues, crazy live videos, and music that transcends generations. With decades of diverse experience, Majors is going "back to my roots." Majors grew up in New York City, attending all-ages shows at CBGBs and collecting firsthand the energy from epic punks like the RAMONES, DEAD BOYS and NEW YORK DOLLS. He later took in glam and rock shows, Broadway plays, and the cutting-edge art scene. Majors packed all that in his suitcase bound for L.A., and by the mid-'80s was signed to MCA with the glam rock band he formed, PRETTY BOY FLOYD. PRETTY BOY FLOYD's LP "Leather Boyz With Electric Toys" sold more than half a million copies, and the band has existed in various forms ever since. During the pop music shift of the '90s, Majors worked in A&R at Sony Records, producing some of their biggest jazz and pop artists, including Dave Koz, YOUNG DUBLINERS and Keiko Matsui. Later, he opened Highway To Hell Studios and Artists Worldwide booking agency, which represents more than sixty acts, including MISFITS, Paul Di'Anno, Yngwie Malmsteen and MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. He’s also written music for TV and movie soundtracks as well as commercials.

"Kristy Majors And The Thrill Kills" track listing:

01. Beginners Luck02. Deadbeat03. Empty Handed04. Broken Lip05. Stagnation Street06. Pissed It All Away07. Over And Over Again (The Same Thing)08. Make Up09. Falling Behind10. Teenage Wasteland11. Magazine

All tracks were produced, recorded and mixed by Kristy Majors at Highway to Hell Studios in Southern California, with Kari Kane (PRETTY BOY FLOYD) on drums. On stage, Majors will be joined by partners-in-crime Nick Rozz (guitar player for BULLETBOYS), JK Famous (PRETTY BOY FLOYD bassist) and Ben Graves (original drummer for MURDERDOLLS). The band has its debut and record release party at the legendary Viper Room on June 21. The evening includes a VIP meet-and-greet in the downstairs lounge, and a video shoot. Tickets are $10, general admission. This show marks the return of Club Vodka, one of L.A.'s most popular rock parties.

U.K. doom metal veterans MY DYING BRIDE have parted ways with guitarist Hamish Glencross due to "irreconcilable differences" and have been rejoined by Calvin Robertshaw.

MY DYING BRIDE's three remaining festival appearances in 2014 — Denmark's Copenhell on June 13, Slovenia's Metaldays on July 25 and Czech Republic's Brutal Assault on August 9 — will all go ahead as planned and will feature the band's longstanding guitar technician Robb Philpotts filling in on guitar.

Regarding Robertshaw's return to MY DYING BRIDE, the band states: "Calvin is one of the original guitarists that helped make MY DYING BRIDE what it is today. His departure after the now-infamous '34.788% Complete' album left us all stunned but now we have convinced him to rejoin and are sure this is going to be a success.

"We feel that MY DYING BRIDE has now stabilised again and we are really, really excited at the prospect of going forward as a band united again by doom metal music.

"We will be working together with Calvin on finishing the new LP, which we plan to record later this year.

"The writing of the new LP has been progressing somewhat slower than usual due to our internal problems, but despite that we now have around seven new songs in a very complete fashion, obviously we are now all wondering what Calvin can bring and now can't wait to get back into the studio to find out.

"The studio we have chosen to use for the majority of the recording is our old haunt Academy Studios. Then we will be back at Futureworks for some finishing off and possibly vocals. Time will tell.

"We would like to thank from the very bottom of all our hearts, all of our supporters old and new for their patience and love, we promise you a continued and very much stronger MY DYING BRIDE in the future."

MY DYING BRIDE released a new EP, "The Manuscript", in May 2013 via Peaceville Records on CD and vinyl.

"The Manuscript" contained four new and exclusive songs. It was recorded and mixed at Futureworks Studios in Manchester, U.K. with the band's longtime producer, Rob "Mags" Magoolagan.

MY DYING BRIDE's latest full-length album, "A Map Of All Our Failures", was released on October 15, 2012 in Europe and October 16, 2012 in the U.S. via Peaceville Records on CD, double vinyl and special-edition CD+DVD.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA's entire June 8 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburg, Germany can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Battery02. Master Of Puppets03. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)04. Ride The Lightning05. The Unforgiven06. Creeping Death07. Lords Of Summer08. Sad But True09. Fade To Black10. Fuel11. One12. For Whom The Bell Tolls13. Whiskey In The Jar14. Nothing Else Matters15. Enter Sandman

Encore:

16. St. Anger17. ...And Justice For All18. Seek & Destroy

As previously reported, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has spoken out about the negative feedback to the band's upcoming headlining appearance at the U.K.'s Glastonbury festival, which will be the first time in the event's 44-year history that a metal act has topped the bill. Asked about the response, Ulrich told Metal Hammer, "Glastonbury is like the Holy Grail in England, and we're respectful to that. But if somebody sits there and talks about petitions or what some other guy says, there's a point that it just becomes ridiculous."

Ulrich continued, "We're fairly thick-skinned. Obviously if Mick Jagger has something to say, or Alex Turner [of ARCTIC MONKEYS], or the nice guys in KASABIAN, it's cool. But if some guy in some other band — it's like, 'Huh? What? Who are you?'"

Ulrich may have been referring to comments made by drummer Martin Bulloch of Scottish indie band MOGWAI, who called METALLICA "shite," while multi-instrumentalist Barry Burns added, "I can't wait to hear [Ulrich] play the drums again — unbelievably bad."

Ulrich's mention of a petition may have been an indirect reference to a petition launched last month calling for METALLICA's removal from the festival, due to frontman James Hetfield hosting a new series about bear hunting on the History channel.

Speaking about the Glastonbury criticism with the BBC, Ulrich said, "The fact that everyone's got an opinion I'll take as a good thing because it means that people still care and are still interested and we still have one foot in relevance of some sort. It's comforting that 33 years into a career you can still manage to stir up a little bit."

METALLICA will close the show at Glastonbury on Saturday, June 28. Other headliners include ARCADE FIRE and KASABIAN.

The country tribute album "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe" has had its release date pushed back to August 19 from the previously announced July 8. The project will feature fresh takes on 15 of MÖTLEY CRÜE's biggest hits covered by some of country music's biggest names, including FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Justin Moore, BIG & RICH, LeAnn Rimes, Gretchen Wilson, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts and more.

"We did not make this record for MÖTLEY CRÜE fans, but for country fans who are also rock fans," says MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx. "I believe that there's going to be a lot of synergy and excitement for MÖTLEY CRÜE fans hearing different artists covering their favorite songs. People will be surprised how these artists made the songs their own and we couldn't be happier with how the album turned out. It's been an amazing, positive experience and, as a lot of things we've done, a first in our career."

"It has been a blast becoming friends with the MÖTLEY guys and learning how much they appreciate the history of country music," says Justin Moore. "They are truly one of the most disruptive bands of their generation and I am honored to be able to cover one of my favorite CRÜE songs of all time, 'Home Sweet Home'. It has been pretty unreal singing with Vince Neil. [See video below.]"

The record is a joint venture between Big Machine Records — home to country superstars such as Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw — and Mötley Records and Eleven Seven Music. Big Machine label group president and CEO, Scott Borchetta, is among the legion of country music fans who love MÖTLEY CRÜE. Borchetta says of the collaboration, "I have been a not-so-secret CRÜE fan from the beginning. When manager Chris Nilsson called with the idea for a tribute album on Big Machine Records, it was an immediate 'yes' from me! Our album will highlight just how great the MÖTLEY CRÜE song catalog is. At the end of the day, that's what will stand the test of time."

"I thought the idea for the tribute album was cool until I started talking to everybody," MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil told Billboard.com. "Then I thought it was cooler and cooler and cooler!"

Neil recently admitted to The Tennessean that when he was first approached by management about the country-music tribute, he wasn't immediately sure it was a good idea.

"I was like, 'Eh, I don't know. Let me think about this one for a minute,'" he told The Tennessean. "The more I thought about it, the cooler it got, especially after Carrie Underwood did 'Home Sweet Home', and that was so good. I'm thinking to myself, 'How cool would it be to hear these other acts' renditions of the songs?'"

Until the country-music-tribute idea first came up, Neil hadn't heard of many of the artists who will appear on the set. "It's fun, because my girlfriend is a country girl," Neil said. "She's a barrel rider in the rodeo. When I showed her the names, she was like, 'Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.' I'm like, 'Tell me, tell me. Fill me in.'"

He added: "I'm an old classic rock and roll guy. The really cool thing is I think a lot of people have heard of the name MÖTLEY CRÜE, but don't put the music to the face. I think it's going to bring a lot of fans that aren't MÖTLEY fans in. It will make them go, 'Oh yeah, I've heard that song before.'"

"Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe" track listing:

01. RASCAL FLATTS - "Kickstart My Heart" 02. FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE - "If I Die Tomorrow" 03. LEANN RIMES - "Smokin' In The Boys Room" 04. JUSTIN MOORE - "Home Sweet Home" 05. CASSADDE POPE WITH ROBIN ZANDER - "The Animal In Me" 06. AARON LEWIS - "Afraid" 07. BIG & RICH - "SOS" 08. SAM PALLADIO AND CLARE BOWEN - "Without You" 09. ELI YOUNG BAND - "Don't Go Away Mad" 10. LAUREN JENKINS - "Looks That Kill" 11. THE CADILLAC THREE - "Live Wire" 12. THE MAVERICKS - "Dr. Feelgood" 13. BRANTLEY GILBERT - "Girls, Girls, Girls" 14. GRETCHEN WILSON - "Wild Side" 15. DARIUS RUCKER - "Time For Change"

Fan-filmed video footage of THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA — the new classic-rock band featuring Björn Strid (SOILWORK) and Sharlee D' Angelo (ARCH ENEMY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) — perfoming on June 6 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden can be seen below.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA's debut album, "Internal Affairs", was released in June 2012 via Coroner Records.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA started like so many others as an innocent yet serious drunken idea when Strid and David Andersson (MEAN STREAK, session musician for SOILWORK) were on the road together somewhere in North America in 2007. Björn and David were bonding over what they considered "classic" or not, from rock and roll conspiracies to being arrested in a lobby with nothing but leather pants on. All those scenarios, fictional or real, needed a soundtrack. They also came to think that whether you're on a metal tour or not, a lot of classic rock songs say it all and can really lend you a helping hand and make you forget about everything, especially when in motion or travelling. The classic escape. The never-ending road trip. The transatlantic night flight. It may sound simple and naive, but what it all comes down to is that we all need that soundtrack to feel extra special, whether you have been arrested in a lobby or not.

It didn't take long before bass player D' Angelo joined forces as well as keyboard player Richard Larsson (VON BENZO) and drummer Jonas Källsbäck (MEAN STREAK). The goal was to reclaim the '70s/early '80s sense for classic melody, the forgotten recipe to a timeless song, preferably a song mentioning a city, street name or an exhilarating alcoholic beverage. Anything that will have you spitting out the word "classic." From "Tarot Woman" to "Badlands", from "Rhiannon" to "Running on Empty", from "Blind Man" to "Night Moves", from "Deuce" to "Separate Ways", from "Elected" to "Set me Free". The list goes on. It's all about reclaiming the "classic."

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA made its live debut in August, 2013 at Dina-scenen in Lidköping, Sweden.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is:

Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) - VocalsDavid Andersson (SOILWORK) - GuitarSharlee D'Angelo (ARCH ENEMY) - BassRichard Larsson - KeyboardsJonas Källsbäck - Drums

"No More Regrets", the new video from Swedish / American / Canadian metallers ARCH ENEMY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "War Eternal", which will be released in North America on June 10 via Century Media Records. The cover artwork was created by Costin Chioreanu.

ARCH ENEMY played its first show with new singer Alissa White-Gluz, former vocalist of THE AGONIST, on May 23 at Turbohalle in Bucharest, Romania. Angela Gossow, who joined ARCH ENEMY in 2000 and made her debut on the now-classic "Wages Of Sin" (2001), has stepped down as frontwoman and will focus on management, while Alissa takes her place.

In a recent interview with Turk Gitar, ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott stated about Angela's exit from ARCH ENEMY: "It was a sudden change for the fans; we know that. But, of course, these kind of big steps in life don't come easily, and I believe this was a gradual thing that kept growing in Angela's mind for some time.

"We had decided to take 2013 off from the road and any sort of band activity. The only thing we were doing was writing music and also there always the plan to go into the studio and record at the end of 2013. As the scheduled recording time got closer, Angela informed us last year that she would definitely be stepping down from her position in the band.

"To be honest, it was not such a huge surprise to the rest of us, as there were a lot of conversations of that nature leading up to that point. I made the changes in the band that were necessary for ARCH ENEMY to continue and keep the music alive."

Regarding Alissa's more versatile vocal approach compared to that of Gossow, Amott said: "Alissa has many different vocal styles that she can do very well… She is much more versatile in that aspect than Angela. But for ARCH ENEMY, we are sticking with the aggressive vocal style that we are known for.

"When I started the band in 1995, I had the idea to make the most heavy melodic band of all time, combining elements of extreme death metal heaviness and thrash speed alongside traditional heavy metal and hard rock influences with the harmonies, melodies and solos. We are very much staying true to these roots of the band on 'War Eternal'."

Speaking to Metal Underground, Alissa had the following to say about "War Eternal": "The circumstances surrounding the creation of this album, writing the lyrics and recording it, I'm just happy to have it finally come out. I think people are going to like it. The production quality is amazing! I always wanted an album that would sound this full. I'm a really big fan of this album, myself. Even if I weren't in the band and ARCH ENEMY put out this album, I would pick it up and say it's great. I'm really excited."

On the topic of the new album title, Alissa said: "This album ended up being a lot more personal than maybe some of my previous or Michael's previous lyrics. In the past, a topic like war or a political or global issue was what we normally wrote about. We were writing in two different bands, but we happen to have similar topics in our writing. Then when we were writing for this album, we had a collection of lyrics for this album, but we found that we were actually writing on similar things. Fighting the ongoing war in your day-to-day life, everybody has their battle going on that nobody else knows about. And then there are song titles like 'Never Forgive, Never Forget' and on and on, I think it ties in very nicely. It wasn't something we planned out, but that is the way it turned out, so it worked out really nicely. I think we really saw eye to eye and were experiencing similar things in our lives, so we ended up writing about the same topics even though we have different styles of writing lyrics."

The lyric video for the song "I Am, I Am" from Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based metallers KOBRA AND THE LOTUS can be seen at DecibelMagazine.com. The track is taken from the band's new album, "High Priestess", which is due out in North America on June 24 via Titan Music. Produced by the Grammy-nominated Johnny K (MEGADETH, DISTURBED, THREE DOORS DOWN), the CD delivers a blend of fiery vocals, heavy riff-laden melodies and ferocious musicianship.

In an interview with Full Throttle Rock, KOBRA AND THE LOTUS vocalist Brittany "Kobra" Paige stated about the band's upcoming album: "The new album is really interesting, because it is absolutely eclectic, but there is still consistency, but you almost cannot figure it out all the time why it is inconsistent because there are that many different things. I mean, there are a lot of different expressions on this album. You have a lot of really traditional, in-your-face metal, you know, just straight-up heavy metal songs, but then we have some things that steer more towards Nordic-sounding and maybe even Canadian, which I do not even know what that means, but it just sounds different. [laughs] It is different from our last album, which is crazy, because you try not to be different, you do not want to change you sound or anything, but every time you write new music, it all has to do with what is just pouring out of you at that time. There is even some more rock/metal thing that goes back to more close to the roots of KOBRA AND THE LOTUS, when we first started, which was in between rock and metal; there is a little bit of that in there, too. So it is interesting. It is very heavy still, but it is eclectic and I cannot wait. There are some songs that I am not sure what to tell you it is, because I do not know what the label would be for it. It is still metal, [but] I do not know what kind of metal. [laughs]"

Regarding KOBRA AND THE LOTUS' overall sound, Paige said: "We are definitely a kind of metal that is traditional, I would say. We do have that vibe and some off that nostalgic sound, with the riffs and the vocal style, but we also bring our own twist. I would not say it is a rebirth of that kind of music, but rather just turning the music forward that was of that style, where it included people from all different types of genres who could enjoy this kind of metal, no matter what kind of metal or rock they listen to, just like [bands like IRON MAIDEN, DIO and ICED EARTH]. [A band] like IRON MAIDEN is a really wide umbrella for people in the metal world; it really brings everyone together."

Paige also spoke about her classical training and her jump to singing metal. "Actually it is not a very big jump," she said. "When I was 15, I saw JUDAS PRIEST play, and I had stopped being classical by then, because it was not for me anymore, and when I saw JUDAS PRIEST and I saw [Rob] Halford, I knew there was a place for me, but it did not have to be completely operatic or classical to be in metal. I think that is the two genres of music, classical and metal, that are actually pretty strongly correlated more than we know."

She added: "There are definitely similarities [between singing classical and singing metal] and there are a lot of things that have helped me be a stronger singer. Like the utilization of your breath. Knowing breath techniques, I think, is very important so you can get the notes better, especially when you are holding a note forever, but you want there to be power behind it and know how to not strain your voice, you know. You do not want to strain it because you have only got one voice and if you blow that you are dead in the water, so I think those things really help around the technique of protecting your voice and getting the most out of it."

KOBRA AND THE LOTUS has been tapped as support for legendary bands KISS and DEF LEPPARD this summer on their massive North American summer tour.

"99 Problems BC", a song from BODY COUNT, the metal band fronted by hip-hop legend, actor and director Ice-T, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track — a remake of Ice-T's 1993 single "99 Problems" — is taken from the group's new album, "Manslaughter", which is being released on June 10 via Sumerian.

In a recent interview with Flama's D-Stroy of "Left Unattended", Ice-T stated about "Manslaughter": "People have been asking me to do some music, and I haven't really been inspired to do hip hop for a while, 'cause hip hop kind of got really pop to me. But my band always wants to play, so we decided to do an album. And it's brutal. It's brutal."

"Manslaughter" track listing:

01. Talk Shit, Get Shot02. Pray For Death03. 99 Problems BC04. Back To Rehab05. Manslaughter06. Get A Job07. Institutionalized 201408. Pop Bubble09. Enter The Dark Side10. Bitch In The Pit11. Black Voodoo Sex12. Wanna Be A Gangsta13. I Will Always Love You

Regarding the song "Bitch In The Pit", which can be streamed below, Ice-T told Revolver magazine: "Most of the inspiration for my records is that I plan on singing them onstage. So I try to think of things that the crowd is going though or I'm going though.

"Every time we do a show, you're always staring at that mosh pit and there's usually that one girl in there or a couple of girls in the middle of the mosh pit and they're very interesting. So I was thinking this is a way I could dedicate a record to the girls that go to the rock concerts and go hard. It never fails. It's kinda like a true story. It's an homage to the girls that really get in the mosh pit with the guys."

BODY COUNT's current lineup includes bassist Vince Dennis (a.k.a. Vincent Price; STEEL PROPHET) and guitarist Juan Garcia (a.k.a. Juan Of The Dead; AGENT STEEL, EVILDEAD), the latter of whom made his live debut with the group in November 2013 at the Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas. The band's set included first-time airings of new songs "Talk Shit, Get Shot" and the "Manslaughter" title track.

The "Talk Shit, Get Shot" video was filmed on April 6 at The Morgan in Brooklyn, New York with director Frankie Nasso, who has previously worked with EMMURE and ASKING ALEXANDRIA, among others.

BODY COUNT 2014 is:

Ice-T - VocalsErnie C - Lead GuitarJuan Of The Dead - Rhythm GuitarVincent Price - BassIll Will - DrumsSean E Sean - Backup Vocals/Sampler

BODY COUNT will take part in this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which kicks off on July 5 in San Bernardino, California.

BODY COUNT's last album, "Murder 4 Hire", came out in 2006 via Escapi Music.

Technical death metallers ORIGIN will release their new album, "Omnipresent", on July 8 in North America via Nuclear Blast (July 4 in Europe through Agonia). The CD was recorded with longtime producer/engineer Robert Rebeck at Chapman Recording in Lenexa, Kansas and was mixed and mastered at Menegroth - The Thousand Caves with Colin Marston. The artwork was once again created by Colin Marks (NEVERMORE, KATAKLYSM, EXODUS).

The official lyric video for the song "Absurdity Of What I Am", taken from "Omnipresent", can be seen below.

Comments ORIGIN vocalist Jason Keyser: "We were very happy to be able to work again with Colin Marks of Rain Song Design for the artwork of 'Omnipresent'. He designed the art for our previous album, 'Entity', which had a barren, stripped down minimalism, but for 'Omnipresent', we wanted bigger. We were looking for something that would represent the total insignificance and helplessness of humanity to the impending doom of the universe that surrounds us at all times. It's a strong running theme of the album, lyrically; how our pride and arrogance can advance us as a species in so many ways, eventually conquering the unknown reaches of space. But ultimately we continue to exist only at the whim of the cold, indiscriminate forces that could snuff our sentient spark at any moment. “The title of the album, 'Omnipresent', works perfectly with the artwork in the way that omnipresence does not come from expanding to new worlds and growing as a species, but only through being whittled down to a last living being alone in the universe. The final failed experiment of life has no comparison, it is the most powerful, only through our sentient extinction can we finally understand some sliver of godhood."

"Omnipresent" marks ORIGIN's first CD to feature Jason Keyser (ex-SKINLESS), who has being touring with the band as their vocalist since the release of "Entity".

"ORIGIN records albums in a somewhat masochistic, chaotic, and senseless fashion," comments drummer John Longstreth. "It's our best trick, and we need the best guy for our best trick, so that's why we have Jason. He's had two years of hard road work with the band and we know he's the guy.

"For those that weren't aware, ORIGIN recorded 'Entity' as a trio without a proper vocalist, so we are very excited to have Jason in to do what a proper vocalist is supposed to do."

"Omnipresent" track listing:

01. All Things Dead02. THRALL:FULCRUM:APEX03. Permanence04. Manifest Desolate05. Absurdity Of What I Am06. Source Of Icon O07. Continuum08. Unattainable Zero09. Redistribution Of Filth10. Obsolescence11. Malthusian Collapse12. The Indiscriminate13. Kill Yourself (S.O.D. cover song)

"A culmination of 15 years of technical death metal brutality, 'Omnipresent' transcends definition,” states the band. “From light speed to absolute zero it is a journey to the farthest reaches of the universe to the darkest nether of the mind. We are everywhere and nowhere. We are omnipresent."

Formed in Kansas in 1997, ORIGIN is one of the most intense and most brutal technical death metal forces to be reckoned with. Since its inception, the group has charted twice on the Billboard Top Heatseekers (with "Antithesis" at #21 and "Entity" at #20) and emerged on countless highly energetic shows across the world. In 2007, ORIGIN reached Europe for the first time in career (on tour with MISERY INDEX and NECROPHAGIST) and five years later, in 2012, reclaimed The Old Continent together with SUFFOCATION. This coming May, ORIGIN will be heading out on a headlining run in Southeast Asia and Australia.

ORIGIN is:

Jason Keyser - VocalsPaul Ryan - Guitars/VocalsMike Flores - Bass/VocalsJohn Longstreth - Drums