"Blood For Blood", the fourth album from HELLYEAH, is available for streaming in its entirety in the YouTube playlist below. Due on June 10 via Eleven Seven Music, the CD was helmed by producer Kevin Churko at his The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Churko is the Canadian musician, sound engineer, songwriter and record producer who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and IN THIS MOMENT, among other acts.

On the cover artwork for "Blood For Blood", HELLYEAH vocalist Chad Gray collaborated with renowned tattoo artist Paul Booth. Booth has been tattooing for over twenty years, and in that time he has worked on many celebrities and rock bands, including SLAYER, SLIPKNOT, SEPULTURA, SOULFLY and LAMB OF GOD. Paul says of the "Blood For Blood" artwork: "The last project that Chad and I worked on together was the MUDVAYNE blacklight design. I had such a great time working on that art, when Chad called on me to design HELLYEAH's 'Blood For Blood', I jumped right into it as I knew it, too, would likely be a fun one. Chad always gives me the freedom to explore and interpret his ideas. It always makes for great collaboration. I look forward to seeing it all in print!"

"Blood For Blood" track listing:

01. Sangre Por Sangre (Blood For Blood)02. Demons In The Dirt03. Soul Killer04. Moth05. Cross To Bier (Cradle Of Bones)06. DMF07. Gift08. Hush09. Say When10. Black December

HELLYEAH parted ways with guitarist Greg Tribbett and bassist Bob "Zilla" Kahaha before making the new album, with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott saying that the split became necessary after HELLYEAH finished its last tour.

He explained, "We felt like we had really got some momentum and the fans were really into where we were going and what we were doing musically and we got into the studio about three weeks after that tour was over and it just really became obvious to us that Greg and Zilla, they weren't really in the same head space as us."

HELLYEAH has recruited new bassist Kyle Sanders, a former member of BLOODSIMPLE and the brother of MASTODON's Troy Sanders. Also in the current lineup is touring guitarist Christian Brady. who has previously played with MAGNA-FI and FRANKY PEREZ & THE TRUTH.

A press release describes "Blood For Blood" as a "welcome return to form" for the band, adding that it "sounds like a recharged HELLYEAH, taken up many notches."

Vocalists Kari Rueslåtten (THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL), Anneke van Giersbergen (THE GATHERING) and Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (LEAVES' EYES, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY) will join forces for "The Sirens" tour in the fall.

The seeds for "The Sirens" were planted when Anneke approached Kari in early 2013 with the proposal of doing a duet for her "Drive" album (released in 2013). Seeing as Anneke regards Kari as an inspiration going in to do THE GATHERING's breakthrough album, "Mandylion", Anneke's intention was to pay tribute to Kari via the collaboration. The song didn't make the final cut as it didn't fit the album, but they remained in touch. Then, in July 2013, Anneke and Liv had a chance meeting at the Masters Of Rock festival in the Czech Republic, and "The Sirens" concept was born.

"We had a few minutes only to talk in between our gigs," Liv recalls, "but we agreed that we really should get together and tour. We both had to smile then, thinking that we were, with Kari, the 'originals' within our scene. Moreover, all three of us being mothers and still highly busy in music and art. Anneke told me that she had just talked to Kari, and that was the 'go' for 'The Sirens'."

It would be fair to call Kari the catalyst for "The Sirens", as both Anneke and Liv saw her as a role model when they first made their way into music.

"I find it hard to believe that I once inspired them," Kari admits, "but if so, it is truly flattering. It is a fantastic feeling to know that I will be singing live with two such amazing vocalists!"

"The Sirens" tour will be split into two parts, including festival appearances, and staged at the end of 2014 in October and December. It will be a full concert showcasing the trio, one band, and a setlist featuring songs from THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL, THE GATHERING and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY as well as tracks from Kari, Anneke and Liv's respective solo careers. They will sing alone, perform duets, capping off the night with all three of them on stage, with a show that is expected to clock in at around 100 minutes each night. Thus, it's a trip down memory lane produced for the here and now with brand new and unexpected elements, making "The Sirens" a nostalgia-fuelled reminder of who started it all and why it worked. And at the end of the night nobody will leave disappointed.

"The female-fronted scene has become so big all over the world, sometimes it's hard to believe the three of us were at the very beginning of it," says Anneke. "I am very proud of that. Without intentionally wanting to start a new genre, our bands made it okay to sound and look as a girl singer on a metal stage. It was all very new and exciting. I think the tour is great to, in a way, celebrate those early days now that a third-wave of bands is appearing on the scene."

There are noteworthy parallels in the lives of Kari, Anneke and Liv that bind them together. All three fronted influential bands, they went on to have lucrative solo careers and remain active, and they've successfully balanced music with family life. It's clear the trio share a chemistry that will make "The Sirens" a rousing success.

"I'm looking forward to it a lot," Anneke says. "Making music with kindred spirits is such a wonderful feeling. I also love harmonizing with more than one singer on stage, so that will be a cool aspect of the show as well."

"The fans have been waiting for this for years and years," Liv adds. "I can't wait to share stage with Kari and Anneke. They are absolutely lovely and we have so much in common. This is a kind of magic."

"The Sirens" tour dates:

Oct. 14 - DE Bonn, HarmonieOct. 15 - FR Colmar, GrillenOct. 16 - UK London, ProudOct. 18 - BE Wieze, Metal Female Voices FestDec. 17 - NL Zoetermeer, BoerderijDec. 18 - DE Jena, F-HausDec. 19 - DE Nagold, Alte SeminarturnhalleDec. 20 - FR Paris, Divan Du Monde

More dates will be announced soon.

Reactivated German death metallers MORGOTH are in the studio working on material for a new studio album. In addition, the band has been confirmed as main support for the upcoming European tour of death metal masters BOLT THROWER in September / October.

Comments MORGOTH: "We are happy to announce that we will be touring Europe with the mighty BOLT THROWER in September / October. This marks the first proper tour for MORGOTH since 1997 and will be a killer package for all of you death metal maniacs!

"And yes, the rumors are true… MORGOTH are currently in the studio working on new material. We decided to team up with Jörn Michutta at Sound Division Tonstudio in Sundern, Germany for these sessions and the results are sounding seriously heavy.

"The atmosphere and the creativity within the band have been inspiringly good in these past reunion years since 2011, so naturally, new ideas started to come up. As consequence, we decided to take some months off from playing shows and properly focus on songwriting.

"We expect to already have a brand-new single out before the tour, so stay tuned for more news and details soon…and see you on tour!!!” 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).

"Cursed To Live" is the documentation of MORGOTH's 20th-anniversary celebration of the band's all-time classic album "Cursed" (released by Century Media Records in 1991). It was released on CD, a limited DVD+2CD as well as a limited deluxe 2LP. The live show featured on the album was recorded at the band's triumphant show headlining Way Of Darkness festival 2011, at which MORGOTH performed an extensive set of 15 songs, with the main focus on the songs off "Cursed". The cover artwork — with an intentional nod to the original "Cursed" art — was designed by the renowned artist Dirk Rudolph (RAMMSTEIN, IN EXTREMO, APOCALYPTICA), who had also created the original artwork for "Cursed".

MORGOTH 2014 is: Marc Grewe - VocalsHarry Busse - GuitarSebastian Swart - GuitarSotirios "Soti" Kelekidis - BassMarc Reign - Drums

ICED EARTH guitarist and leader Jon Schaffer has released the following statement:

"It is with sincere apologies that I write to inform you all that ICED EARTH is forced to cancel this summer’s festivals and headline shows.

"As many of you know, I underwent surgery on my neck in the year 2000, due to an onstage injury that occurred in 1996. Since that time, I have battled with this problem, and it has begun to accelerate in the past several months, causing additional issues that can no longer be ignored.

"In February, while on tour in Europe, I underwent highly specialized treatment in Germany from a doctor who has helped, among many others, Tony Iommi and Eddie Van Halen. This treatment helped sustain my ability to perform so that we could complete our Worldwide Plagues Tour. However, I am now forced to take further, more invasive action sooner than I intended in order to maintain my overall health.

"Surgery was originally planned to take place in September during our break, but I have now been advised to have the procedure completed sooner rather than later.

"As much as it pains me and everyone else in our camp to have to cancel these dates, this is something that cannot be put aside any longer.

"Once the surgery and recovery are completed, we will be back to work — healthy, strong, and ready to bring the metal to you, our fans."

ICED EARTH 's latest album, "Plagues Of Babylon", sold around 6,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 49 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous CD, "Dystopia", opened with around 6,100 units back in October 2011 to enter the chart at No. 67.

ICED EARTH's 2008 effort, "The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part II)", registered a first-week tally of 6,700 to debut at No. 79.

"Plagues Of Babylon" was recorded at Principal Studios (KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER) in Senden, Germany and was mixed at NHow Studios in Berlin, Germany. Guest vocals on "Highwayman" were laid down by VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen and SYMPHONY X/ADRENALINE MOB singer Russell Allen. Guest vocals on "Plagues Of Babylon", "Among The Living Dead", "Democide", "Resistance" and "If I Could See You" are by BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kürsch. The cover and additional artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, HATEBREED).

Jon Dette (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX) is sitting behind the drums for ICED EARTH's current tour, taking over for Raphael Saini, who filled in during the summer 2013 festivals, the recording of ICED EARTH's new album, and the club leg of the VOLBEAT 2013 tour.

Dette made his live debut with ICED EARTH on November 6, 2013 at O2 World in Berlin, Germany.

ICED EARTH last year parted ways with drummer Brent Smedley for "personal family reasons."

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON will release their sixth album, "Once More 'Round The Sun", on June 24 via Reprise Records. The follow-up to 2011's "The Hunter" was recorded in Nashville with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz, who is known for his work with RUSH, DEFTONES, FOO FIGHTERS and ALICE IN CHAINS.

The song "Chimes At Midnight" can now be streamed below.

Also available on June 24 will be a stunning deluxe 2LP vinyl edition of "Once More 'Round The Sun". This limited edition will include two discs pressed onto 180-gram black vinyl housed in a quadruple gatefold vinyl jacket featuring artwork by Skinner, plus a CD of the complete album. The package will include four exclusive lithographs derived from the album artwork.

Those who preorder the deluxe vinyl edition will be entitled to bonus digital content: An instant download of "High Road", plus another album track delivered digitally prior to street date, and a download of the entire album delivered digitally on street date.

"Once More 'Round The Sun" track listing:

01. Tread Lightly02. The Motherload03. High Road04. Once More 'Round The Sun05. Chimes At Midnight06. Asleep In The Deep07. Feast Your Eyes08. Aunt Lisa09. Ember City10. Halloween11. Diamond In The Witch House (feat. Scott Kelly of NEUROSIS)

A three-minute video video featuring renowned Oakland-based artist Skinner, whose work graces the cover of "Once More 'Round The Sun", can be seen below. The short film showcases a conversation between MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor and Skinner about the genesis of the ideas that would eventually become the cover art. Skinner talks about his longtime appreciation of MASTODON's music that would later inspire his creation of these lurid and iconic images.

MASTODON will film a video for the song "High Road" on Saturday, May 24 in the Los Angeles area.

Fan-filmed video footage of DIMMU BORGIR's May 31 performance at the FortaRock festival in Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands can be seen below.

DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) told Inferno TV in April told about the band's upcoming studio CD: "Of course we're always writing music for the new DIMMU album… Time flies by, and before you know it, it's, like, four years since we released the last DIMMU album. Usually we take a couple of years between each release, but now it's [taken longer and] two more [years have gone by]. But we haven't rushed, really, because we'd rather take our time and make an album that we can fully appreciate and stand behind."

DIMMU BORGIR's follow-up to 2010's "Abrahadabra" is tentatively due in early 2015 via Nuclear Blast Records.

DIMMU BORGIR's most recent touring lineup included Geir Bratland (APOPTYGMA BERZERK, THE KOVENANT) on keyboards and Terje Andersen (a.k.a. Cyrus; SUSPERIA) on bass.

"Abrahadabra", the ninth album from DIMMU BORGIR, was released in Germany on September 24, 2010, in the rest of Europe on September 27, 2010, and it was made available in North America on October 12, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Fan-filmed video footage of ARCH ENEMY's May 30 performance at New Age Club in Roncade, Treviso, Italy can be seen below.

ARCH ENEMY's new album, "War Eternal", 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."

DTS, Inc., a leader in high-definition audio solutions and audio enhancement technologies today announced that it is working with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) to release an exclusive DTS Headphone:X mix of SOUNDGARDEN's landmark album "Superunknown", in 11.1 surround sound to fans who purchase the Super Deluxe Edition of the rerelease. "Superunknown" is the first rock album to ever be offered with an exclusive 11.1 DTS Headphone:X mix. DTS Headphone:X allows fans to hear the music as if they were sitting in the producer's chair, in studio with the band.

This year, SOUNDGARDEN celebrates the 20th anniversary of this groundbreaking album with a special reissued deluxe version, available on June 3 via A&M Records/UMe. The Deluxe Edition is a 2-CD package featuring the remastered album along with disc two consisting of demos, rehearsals, B-sides and more. The Super Deluxe Edition is a 5-disc package featuring 4 CDs of the remastered album, additional demos, rehearsals and B-sides and the fifth disc is the album mixed in Blu-ray Audio 5.1 Surround Sound. The Super Deluxe Edition is packaged in an incredible hardbound book with a lenticular cover, liner notes by David Fricke and newly reimagined album artwork designed by Josh Graham. It also features never before seen band photography by Kevin Westenberg. Additionally, fans who purchase the Super Deluxe Edition re-release will also be able to download the Soundgarden DTS Headphone:X Superunknown 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition app on iOS and Android devices.

To hear the DTS Headphone:X difference, check out the "Spoonman" track mixed in this exciting new technology at this location.

"Bands have been releasing albums in surround sound for years now, but no technology has been able to provide fans with a true feeling of what it was like to be in the studio with the band," commented Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Adam Kasper. "That's why I find DTS' Headphone:X technology so fascinating. The experience SOUNDGARDEN's fans will hear over headphones is identical to how I heard the mix in the studio when producing the surround sound version."

DTS Headphone:X is an advanced new technology that enables content producers to capture the acoustics of a high quality audio production studio for faithful reproduction on consumer-end products. The technology externalizes and expands sound, so instead of listeners perceiving that the sound is inside their head, as with traditional headphone listening, they experience it as coming from high quality loudspeakers located some distance around them. With benefits for both producers and consumers, the DTS Headphone:X technology presents a whole new way to enjoy entertainment content over headphones.

"DTS is run by music fanatics, and that shared passion for music is made evident through the technologies we develop," said Geir Skaaden, senior vice president of digital content and media solutions. "DTS Headphone:X is a prime example of a technology that was designed to heighten the enjoyment of music over headphones. By emulating the experience of being in studio with SOUNDGARDEN, our DTS Headphone:X technology connects fans with the band in a way that has never before been possible. We are excited to be working with UMe to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 'Superunknown', and to be providing SOUNDGARDEN's fans with an opportunity to enjoy this epic album in a whole new way."

The Soundgarden DTS Headphone:X Superunknown 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition app will be available worldwide to both iPhone/iPad users as well Android users who purchase the 20th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of "Superunknown" beginning June 3.

SOUNDGARDEN will hit the road for a North American tour with NINE INCH NAILS. The trek kicks off on July 19 in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood and wraps up in Los Angeles on August 25 at the Hollywood Bowl.

METALLICA, AEROSMITH and AC/DC have made Billboard magazine's list of the 25 highest-grossing touring artists from 1990 through 2014.

The music industry publication ranks THE ROLLING STONES, U2, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, MADONNA and BON JOVI as the five acts to have earned over a billion.

Billboard's 25 highest-grossing touring artists from 1990 through 2014:

01. THE ROLLING STONES02. U203. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN04. MADONNA05. BON JOVI06. ELTON JOHN07. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND08. CELINE DION09. KENNY CHESNEY10. THE EAGLES11. THE POLICE/STING12. ROGER WATERS13. PAUL MCCARTNEY14. BILLY JOEL15. ROD STEWART16. NEIL DIAMOND17. METALLICA18. AEROSMITH19. GEORGE STRAIT20. JIMMY BUFFETT21. COLDPLAY22. TOBY KEITH23. CHER24. FLEETWOOD MAC/STEVIE NICKS25. AC/DC

17. METALLICAGross: $432,816,245Attendance: 8,388,374Shows: 468

18. AEROSMITHGross: $417,573,638Attendance: 8,405,069Shows: 582

25. AC/DCGross: $337,879,092Attendance: 5,387,353Shows: 316

As previously eported, tickets for AEROSMITH and Slash's upcoming summer trek, dubbed the "Let Rock Rule" tour, are among the most expensive of the season. According to The Street, the average ticket price for the road trip is a whopping $275.85. The most expensive show on the trek comes in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with an average price of $385.24 — nearly 40 percent above the tour average. The "Let Rock Rule" tour kicks off on Thursday, July 10 at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, New York.

The bill will also stop in cities like Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas and others before coming to a close on September 12 in Canada.

METALLICA previously made Billboard magazine's "Top 25 Tours Of 2010" list, which was compiled from Boxscore data reported for the November 28, 2009 issue through the November 20, 2010 issue.

METALLICA grossed $62 million from mostly international dates, for the most part wrapping a 200-plus-show tour in support of the band's latest album, "Death Magnetic". With just 33 shows reported during the period, METALLICA drew attendance of more than 700,000.

AC/DC was honored in the "Top Boxscore" category at the Billboard Touring Awards, which were handed out at a special reception in New York in November 2010. The awards were primarily based on global box office numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore from October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010.

The "Top Boxscore" award recognized the highest-grossing single engagement for the time period. Two of the Boxscore finalists were from AC/DC: a three-night, sold-out stand at ANZ Stadium in Sydney and three more sellouts at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne; both were in February 2010. The third finalist for Top Boxscore was the 2010 Download festival in the U.K.

Fan-filmed video footage of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends SATAN performing at this year's Muskelrock festival, which was held May 29-31 at Tyrolen in Alvesta, Sweden, can be seen below.

SATAN's latest album, "Life Sentence", was released on April 29, 2013 in Europe and May 21, 2013 in the U.S. via Listenable Records. The cover artwork for the effort was drawn by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, HATEBREED, SODOM) and depicts a similar graphic concept as that of the band's debut album, "Court In The Act", originally issued 30 years ago.

"Life Sentence" was mixed by Dario Mollo, who is part of TONY MARTIN'S HEADLESS CROSS touring project and has worked with numerous artists as a producer and engineer, including SKYCLAD, ANATHEMA, CRADLE OF FILTH, LACUNA COIL, Tony Martin and Glenn Hughes. The CD was recorded September-November 2012 at First Avenue Studios in Newcastle, England and was mixed and mastered by Mollo at Damage Inc. Studio in Italy. The songs deal with the following topics: injustice, impending death, reincarnation, atonement, third-world politics, and biblical retribution.

"Life Sentence" is the culmination of a process that began when the original "Court In The Act" lineup got together for an exclusive "one-off" reunion show at Germany's Keep It True festival in 2011 in what marked their first performance together in 28 years. The band was somewhat overwhelmed with the response — 10 minutes into headliners CRIMSON GLORY's set, the crowd could still be heard chanting, "Satan! Satan!" The SATAN bandmembers immediately booked more shows in Germany, Holland, Belgium and London, and have since kept in close contact with each other, writing songs and making demos.

The recording lineup for "Life Sentence" was the same as that on "Court In The Act":

Brian Ross (vocals) Steve Ramsey (guitar) Russ Tippins (guitar) Graeme English (bass) Sean Taylor (drums)

SATAN is one of the most important groups that emerged in the early NWOBHM era. Their unique mixture of heavy and power metal spirit with thrash riffage brought a handful of unforgettable tunes and revolutionized heavy music as we know it.

"Court in the Act" was SATAN's debut release and was considered a true milestone at the time of its release (1983). The songs were melodic, but at the same time very aggressive. The band's two guitarists, Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey, delivered a truly amazing performance; although their styles were completely different, they managed to perfectly complement each other's playing and introduced a handful of timeless riffs and solos.

A digipack reissue of "Court In The Act" was made available in November 2008 featuring three bonus tracks.

DRIVING MRS. SATAN, the London/Naples-based acoustic trio which reinterprets famous metal songs in a unique acoustic style, released its debut album, "Popscotch", last August via Agualoca Records. The CD features covers of old metal classics from the likes of AC/DC, SLAYER, IRON MAIDEN, FAITH NO MORE and more performed with female vocals, acoustic guitars and double bass.

DRIVING MRS. SATAN makes room for quiet into the history of heavy metal, borrowing lyrics and melodies from long-haired '80s hard rock, conditioner-only-washing them into the whispered politeness of indie pop, and rinsing them with the passion of jazzy, sound centered, avant-pop.

Claudia Sorvillo's unique voice is at once erotic and ethereal, transforming ferocious, macabre stories into joyful tales and cosy serenades through Ernesto Nobili's carefully interweaved guitars and trembling vocals, and Giacomo Pedicini's beautifully crafted double bass structures. In the midst of a house change in a record-hot summer, Giacomo's love for heavy metal re-emerged, and he began to re-envisage the songs that made him decide to become a musician in the first place. He found a perfect harmonic companion in Ernesto and they asked Claudia to lay down vocals on a song she never heard before in its original form, HELLOWEEN's "I Want Out". DRIVING MRS. SATAN was born. The song was released online in April of 2012 together with other four: AC/DC's "Hells Bells", BLACK SABBATH's "Never Say Die" and JUDAS PRIEST's "Living After Midnight". After that, they prepared a full record and a live show to bring their music into people's life and out of the studio.

"Popscotch" track listing:

01. I Want Out (HELLOWEEN)02. Battery (METALLICA)03. Killers (IRON MAIDEN)04. Caught In A Mosh (ANTHRAX)05. Killed By Death (MOTÖRHEAD)06. Hells Bells (AC/DC)07. 2 Minutes To Midnight (IRON MAIDEN)08. Can I Play With Madness (IRON MAIDEN)09. Never Say Die (BLACK SABBATH)10. South Of Heaven (SLAYER)11. From Out Of Nowhere (FAITH NO MORE)

The official video for DRIVING MRS. SATAN's cover version of ANTHRAX's "Caught In A Mosh" can be seen below.

DRIVING MRS. SATAN is:

Claudia Sorvillo - VocalsGiacomo Pedicini - Double BassErnesto Nobili – Acoustic and Classical Guitars, Ukulele, Backing Vocals

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL filmed videos for the songs "Bitter Pill" and "Armorist" this past weekend with veteran director Kevin J. Custer (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, SUFFOCATION). Custer previously worked with OVERKILL on the "Electric Rattlesnake" and "Bring Me The Night" clips.

Says OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth: "[It's] fantastic to have Kevin on board again. When he's directing, the direction is intense!"

He adds: "Each time, the prior results have been spot-on, so our confidence is high for this shoot. From the director's eye to yours/ours, should be a killer!"

"Bitter Pill" and "Armorist" are both taken from OVERKILL's new album, "White Devil Armory", which will be released on July 22 in North America via eOne Music and on July 18 in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was tracked at Gear Recording and was mixed by Greg Reely, who also worked on 2012's "The Electric Age".

The limited-edition box-set version of "White Devil Armory" includes a digipack CD, a leather belt and buckle plus a certificate of authenticity. It is available for pre-order from Nuclear Blast.

"White Devil Armory" track listing:

01. Freedom Rings 02. Where There's Smoke...03. Pig04. Armorist05. Down To The Bone06. Bitter Pill07. King Of The Rat Bastards 08. Another Day To Die09. It's All Yours10. In The Name

The cover artwork for "White Devil Armory" can be seen below.

Speaking to Steppin' Out magazine, OVERKILL vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth stated about "White Devil Armory": "The new record has a blend of what we've done over the past half decade. I'm noticing it's a more punchy heavy metal record with more dimension than the last record had. Where is it going to end up on the food chain? I really don't know. But my feeling is it's an eclectic collection of moments from us. 'The Electric Age' came across, to me, as kind of a two-dimensional thrash record. This one is punchy but has a whole different bunch of ways to go and things to hear on it."

OVERKILL released a very special limited tour edition of "The Electric Age" in Europe on April 19, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The limited 2CD tour edition included the regular album as well as a four additional live tracks on a bonus CD, recorded at The Metro in Sidney, Australia on September 25, 2010.

"The Electric Age" sold 6,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 77 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Decline & Fall", the new EP from reformed U.K. industrial metal pioneers GODFLESH, can be streamed in its entirety using the widget below. The effort will be released on June 26 in the U.S. via GODFLESH frontman Justin K. Broadrick's Avalanche Recordings. The Japanese version of the EP will include two bonus songs.

"Decline & Fall" track listing:

01. Ringer 02. Dogbite 03. Playing With Fire 04. Decline & Fall + 2 Japan-only bonus tracks

GODFLESH released its first new recording in over 12 years through Decibel magazine's Flexi Series. A cover of the track "F.O.D. (Fuck of Death)" by legendary death thrashers SLAUGHTER (Canada) was included in the subscriber version of the magazine's November 2013 issue.

In an interview with the French radio station Le 106, Justin K. Broadrick stated about the band's forthcoming album — which is tentatively titled "A World Lit Only By Fire" and due in September— "It will be [musically] similar to the first two or three [GODFLESH albums]. I just think, like we're playing these shows, we feel very pure about we're doing and honoring the initial intentions with what we originally set out to do. Which, I think, like most bands and musicians and all the rest of it, by the time you get on to your fourth album, it's somewhat of a dilution going on to what you initially tried to achieve. It will definitely sound aggressive and it probably won't sound like any of the other records we've made, but it will have the minimalism of the first few records."

Added GODFLESH bassist G.C. Green: "It won't sound like the first two record; it will be more the spirit… When you make records over the years, you change as people, you change as musicians, you progress, you develop and you take other styles on, but I think, having had a break from it and come back to it, it seems that we've gone straight back into what the essence of it was originally, and that's why it feels good."

Continued Justin: "It's getting straight back to the core of what this is all about. And I think having a break from it has probably even more inspired… It's like refocusing and obviously, we're somewhat older and wiser. It's gonna be a really interesting record. It's extremely minimal and very, very brutal — a fairly unforgiving record, really, I think."


Decline and Fall EP by GODFLESH

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release release the critically acclaimed Banger Films documentary "Super Duper Alice Cooper" on June 3 as DVD, Blu-ray and Deluxe Limited Edition Boxed set.

An extended trailer for "Super Duper Alice Cooper" is available below. Premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this past April, "Super Duper Alice Cooper" is the first ever "doc opera" film, presented with a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation, and rock opera. The film was also screened in theaters nationally in late April. "Super Duper Alice Cooper" is the story of Vincent Furnier, a preacher's son who struck fear into the hearts of parents everywhere as the ultimate rock star of the bizarre, Alice Cooper. Yet beyond the make-up, there is a richer, deeper story. Presented here is the twisted tale of a teenage Dr. Jekyll whose rock 'n' roll Mr. Hyde almost kills him. Through the advent of Alice as front man of a rock band group of Phoenix misfits in the '60s, to the hazy decadence of celebrity in the '70s, to his triumphant comeback as '80s glam metal godfather, the film reveals how Alice and Vincent battled for each other's souls, and how these two opposite characters came to co-exist within one mind. Alice's story is told not only by the man himself, but through exclusive interviews with members of the original ALICE COOPER band, Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon and Dee Snider. The DVD and Blu-ray version of "Super Duper Alice Cooper" includes bonus deleted scenes, Alice Cooper interviews from the VH1 Classic series "Metal Evolution", and additional rare footage. The Deluxe Edition features not only the full film on DVD and Blu-ray, but also a second DVD of previously unreleased concert footage from Montreal University in 1972, and a CD of Cooper's performance at the 2009 Montreux Jazz Festival, all housed in an LP-sized box with 60-page hardback photobook. "Super Duper Alice Cooper" is the creation of Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films, producers of "Iron Maiden: Flight 666" (2009 SXSW Audience Choice Winner) and "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage" (2010 Grammy-nominated and Tribeca Audience Choice Winner), and much-lauded filmmaker Reginald Harkema (winner of the TIFF Special Jury Prize for his film "Monkey Warfare"). "Super Duper Alice Cooper" will also air on VH1 Classic this September. "Super Duper Alice Cooper" Deluxe Track Listing DVD - Montreal 1972:

01. Be My Lover02. You Drive Me Nervous03. I'm Eighteen04. Is It My Body05. Dead Babies06. Killer07. Long Way To Go08. School's Out09. Under My Wheels

CD - Montreux 2009:

01. It's Hot Tonight02. No More Mr. Nice Guy03. I'm Eighteen04. Feed My Frankenstein05. Acoustic Solo06. (In Touch With) Your Feminine Side07. Dirty Diamonds08. Vengeance Is Mine09. Halo Files10. Welcome To My Nightmare11. Only Women Bleed12. Steven13. Dead Babies14. Ballad Of Dwight Fry15. Devil's Food / Killer / I Love The Dead16. School's Out17. Billion Dollar Babies

A 27-second audio preview of GODSMACK's new single, "1000hp" (One Thousand Horsepower), is available in the YouTube clip below. The track will be released to radio on June 9, and a digital single will be made available on June 10.

"1000hp" is also the name of GODSMACK's new album, which will be out later this summer. The band's frontman, Sully Erna, described the sound of the band's sixth studio effort to The Pulse Of Radio as "a little bit more raw, a little bit more open. The writing was a little freer. The production is really kind of raw and in your face, and the songs, man — I'm really, really excited about these songs. And I have to tell you honestly, I wasn't that excited about writing this record at first."

GODSMACK's follow-up to 2010's "The Oracle" was once again helmed by Dave Fortman, how previously worked with SLIPKNOT and EVANESCENCE, among others.

An official release date for GODSMACK's new album has yet to be nailed down, but Erna said that fans should watch for tour dates in August.

Following the tour cycle for 2010's "The Oracle", Erna told The Pulse Of Radio that years of working together almost non-stop were taking their toll on the group. "You know, it was getting rough," he said. "You know, I'm not gonna lie — the band was getting into a funky place and there was talks about breaking up and, you know, not really staying a band anymore. But you know, I think it was just some time we needed, some time to really reassess the thing and really appreciate what we have as a band. We've always been kind of level-headed about things and eventually we just needed to let a little time pass and let the dust settle."

Erna added that bad blood over the GODSMACK offshoot ANOTHER ANIMAL, as well as his satisfaction with his own solo album "Avalon", led GODSMACK to the brink before they reconsidered.

Moose of the 98.9 The Rock radio station conducted an interview with KORN members Ray Luzier (drums) and James "Munky" Shaffer (guitar) yesterday (Saturday, May 31) at Rockfest at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. You can now watch the chat below.

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch underwent kidney stone surgery last week while on tour in Russia and was forced to miss several shows. He was temporarily replaced by 19-year-old JR Bareis, who plays guitar for Welch's LOVE & DEATH project.

"[Welch] said it was one of the worst experiences he's ever went through," Shaffer told 98.9 The Rock. "Because there's a language barrier. He was at the hospital and couldn't tell anybody where it hurt. [He] would point to [his] groin and say, 'This is where it hurts, girls.'"

KORN's eleventh studio album, "The Paradigm Shift" (Prospect Park), sold 46,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 8 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on October 8, 2013 via Prospect Park.

"The Paradigm Shift" is the first KORN disc to feature Brian "Head" Welch since 2003's "Take A Look In The Mirror" and follows up 2011's dubstep experiment, "The Path Of Totality".

Speaking about Welch's return to the group, Shaffer told 98.9 The Rock: "It's been something that… I don't see how we were doing it without him, honestly. But now it feels like a complete band."

Welch left KORN in 2005 after he converted to Christianity and got off drugs. He rejoined them for a handful of live performances in 2012 before officially becoming part of the lineup again in early 2013.

Bassist Marco Mendoza will leave BLACK STAR RIDERS at the end of the band's current U.S. tour on June 22 and will be replaced by Robbie Crane (RATT, VINCE NEIL, LYNCH MOB). Marco, a founding member of BLACK STAR RIDERS alongside fellow THIN LIZZY alumni Ricky Warwick (guitar, vocals), Damon Johnson (guitar), Scott Gorham (guitar), has decided to pursue other projects after potential conflicts in schedules. Comments Gorham: "I am very sad to see Marco go. We have been together in a band now for almost 20 years and Marco is my brother and we wish him well for the future. It's an amicable parting of ways and we all respect that Marco wants to do other projects outside of BLACK STAR RIDERS and there just isn't time to do both." Adds Warwick: "Marco will always be part of the BLACK STAR RIDERS family and a true friend of ours.

"We are very happy to introduce Robbie Crane to everyone as the new BLACK STAR RIDERS bass player. The guy killed the audition and we can't wait to get on stage with him on our European run starting mid-July and then, of course, in the studio in the autumn for the recording of the second BLACK STAR RIDERS record." States Mendoza: "I loved my time in BLACK STAR RIDERS and want to thank all the fans for making the last year on road so successful.

"I am sorry to be leaving the band, but I feel it's time for me to pursue other avenues, some of which I have already been working with, all of which I am very excited about.

"I wish the guys all success in the future and I am very happy that my friend Robbie Crane will continue to blaze with BLACK STAR RIDERS." Comments Crane: "I am very excited to be a part of the BLACK STAR RIDERS family. As a longtime fan of their music, I am thrilled to be a part of the band." BLACK STAR RIDERS, whose lineup is completed by Jimmy DeGrasso (ALICE COOPER, MEGADETH, DAVID LEE ROTH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) on drums, will enter a studio in Dublin, Ireland in October with producer, and DEF LEPPARD frontman, Joe Elliott, to begin recording its sophomore album for an early 2015 release via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Also working on the project will be longtime LEPPARD sound guru Ronan McHugh.

BLACK STAR RIDERS's debut album, "All Hell Breaks Loose", sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 5 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.

Drummer Kyle Severn has announced his departure from underground death metal veterans ACHERON. He explains in a statement on his Facebook page: "Yes, my decision to depart from ACHERON sucks, but it's long overdue.

"I have put a lot work into this band for many years now, but time has come for me to end this journey!

"Of course, everybody wants answers, and as all of you are supporters, you deserve one, but it's nothing against the band and remaining members.

"I love ACHERON music, loved playing with the guys, but ongoing internal problems just can't be resolved this time around. It is personal, so I don't feel the need to go running my mouth on gay-ass Facebook to everyone about it, because it has nothing to do with the music, so no disrespect to our fans, but frankly, it's nobody's business besides Vince [ACHERON vocalist/bassist Vincent Crowley] and I.

"The new ACHERON material we'd been working on is fucking killer, and I'm sure they will find someone to play drums to give it justice."

ACHERON's latest album, "Kult Des Hasses", was released in Febraury via Listenable Records. The CD was recorded in Cleveland, Ohio at Bad Back Studios and mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö of Unisound. Guest vocalists on the album include Kam Lee (ex-MASSACRE, THE GROTESQUERY, BONE GNAWER), Jim Lippucci (SOULLESS), John McEntee (INCANTATION, FUNERUS), Jill McEntee (FUNERUS), Ash Thomas (ESTUARY, FAITHXTRACTOR) and Zdenka Prado (ESTUARY). The cover art for the album was created by German artist Timo Wuerz.

Fan-filmed video footage of SLAYER's May 31 performance at the FortaRock festival in Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands can be seen below.

SLAYER surprised the capacity crowd at this past April's Revolver Golden Gods awards in Los Angeles with an unannounced performance, kicking off the show with a three-song set that included the global premiere of "Implode", the band's first new studio recording in five years. Recorded in April at Henson Studios in Los Angeles and produced by Terry Date and co-produced by Greg Fidelman, "Implode" was made available as a free download as a "thank you” to the band's fans for their continued support.

Later this year, the two-time Grammy-winning SLAYER will begin recording a new album, tentatively set for an early 2015 release. The album will make SLAYER history as it will be released on Nuclear Blast Records through the band's own label imprint, closing out a 28-year relationship with Rick Rubin and American Recordings. No name for the imprint has been decided on yet. "Rick has played a huge role in our career, we've made some great albums with him,” said SLAYER's Tom Araya. "But today is a new day, record companies don't play the kind of role they once did, and we really like the idea of going out on our own, connecting directly with our fans, and Nuclear Blast is fired up about taking on that challenge with us." All future recordings on the band's label imprint will be released worldwide exclusively through Nuclear Blast. SLAYER will spend the next few months on the road touring major North American and European festivals as well as headlining dates, sharing the stages with METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and more, but is expected to be back in the studio in the fall to record the rest of the new album.

Joining bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King during the sessions for SLAYER's new album are returning drummer Paul Bostaph, who replaced Dave Lombardo last year, and guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS), who has been filling in for late SLAYER axeman Jeff Hanneman on tour for the past four years.

Bostaph was SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band — the gold-certified "Divine Intervention" (1994), the 1996 punk covers album "Undisputed Attitude", "Diabolus In Musica" (1998), "God Hates Us All" (2001) that received a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance", as well as the DVD "War At The Warfield" (2001), also certified gold. In addition to SLAYER, Bostaph has been a member of FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, SYSTEMATIC and TESTAMENT.

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo sat out the band's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).

The official lyric video for the song "Wastelands" from LINKIN PARK can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "The Hunting Party", which is scheduled for release on June 17.

Aside from their 2004 EP "Collision Course", on which they collaborated with rapper Jay-Z, LINKIN PARK has never worked on studio recordings with other artists. According to The Pulse Of Radio, that's about to change on "The Hunting Party", which features guest appearances from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello, HELMET's Page Hamilton and SYSTEM OF A DOWN's Daron Malakian in addition to rapper Rakim's guest spot on the single "Guilty All The Same".

Vocalist Chester Bennington told New Zealand's 3 News, "We've collaborated with people for the first time, which was inspiring . . . When we got Page in, Mike [Shinoda, co-vocalist and producer] had written this chorus and sang it, and his voice had this tone, and it was unlike anything I'd heard from him before. And I was like, 'Dude, this is crazy, this sounds like a HELMET song! It's cool!' And we were like, 'Dude, why don't we see if we can get like Page in here?' You know? And if that's why the song says it's feeling like it should be, then why don't we just go straight to the source."

"The Hunting Party" track listing:

01. Keys To The Kingdom 02. All For Nothing (feat. Page Hamilton) 03. Guilty All The Same (feat. Rakim)04. The Summoning 05. War 06. Wastelands 07. Until It's Gone 08. Rebellion (feat. Daron Malakian) 09. Mark The Graves 10. Drawbar (feat. Tom Morello) 11. Final Masquerade 12. A Line In The Sand

Shinoda told The Pulse Of Radio that the band will work hard to make sure the songs translate to the live show. "We try to approach how we perform our songs with integrity, and the stuff we write in the studio can be really layered," he said. "There can be a lot of stuff in there — lots of tracks of cool sounds and samples and keyboards and multiple guitars and all this. And sometimes it's a big challenge to bring that to the stage, but we end up just finding a way to make it all work."

LINKIN PARK will hit the road in support of "The Hunting Party" on this summer's "Carnivores Tour" with 30 SECONDS TO MARS and AFI. The trek kicks off on August 8 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Photo credit: Brandon Cox