Guitarist Zoltan Bathory of Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has confirmed to Billboard.com that the band already has "five, six ideas or roughs in the can" for the band's next album, tentatively due in early 2015. "I would say next spring we would want to put something out," he added, "so that means this year we'll be recording here and there and probably go into the studio in December or January. But we definitely want to have something out before next summer for sure.

"In this environment I don't think that bands can allow themselves to stay in a studio for two, three, four years and wait and try to write some masterpiece. In four years, people are going to forget about you. You have go put out records. Thank God we have plenty to say and plenty of material. We don't struggle for material — obviously."

According to Bathory, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is once again putting ideas together with portable studio equipment on the road — the same way that it did for last year's "The Wrong Side of Heaven..." albums. "That worked out for us really, really well — we got two albums out of it, right?" the guitarist said. "It was great, because it wasn't like the usual, 'Here you go, guys. You have four months, or five, to write a record.' Instead of that we started writing songs and lived with them for possibly a year. And when you get to live with a song it always evolves and evolves and gets better, so I think we'll always do it this way from now on. It's a healthy process."

Bathory also revealed that stretching out the songwriting process over a longer period of time makes it easier for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer Ivan Moody, who, in Zoltan's estimation, has the hardest job in the band, because we write without him. We just give him the full songs, like 'Here you go. here's a song,' and then another one and another one, and he has to come up with the lyrics and the melody. So for him it's fairly difficult, and when we give him songs way ahead of time he has time to live with them. He has more time to breathe and create when he doesn't have to write anything in a period of just a month or something like that."

"The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2" sold 77,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The first half of "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart, selling 113,000 copies in its first week of release.

NIGHTWISH keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen has spent the last two and half weeks in Hattula, Finland with the band's producer/crew member Tero "TeeCee" Kinnunen recording a demo of the songs that will appear on NIGHTWISH's next studio album. Tuomas writes on his official web site: "It has come together beautifully and we now have a total of 12 songs to work with.

"We are all very eager to finally get together and start the rehearsals in July.

"If everything goes as scheduled, we should have the ready album in our hands by the end of January 2015."

He adds: "It's still too early to analyze the material more closely, but the album will once again explore all the ends of the spectrum, bringing the very best out of the newcomers [Dutch singer] Floor [Jansen, vocals] and [English composer and multi-instrumentalist] Troy [Donockley; uilleann pipes, low whistles, vocals]. And stealthily the album ended up having a theme running through it."

Asked in a recent interview with Sweden's Metalshrine what Floor Jansen will bring to the next NIGHTWISH album, Tuomas said: "She [will] bring a lot of interpretations, some arrangements and positive energy for sure, but she [will] not [be] included in the songwriting process. She told me that the first time around, she has [her side project] REVAMP and Marco [Hietala, bass/vocals] and I will do just fine for now."

Speaking to Germany's EMP Rock Invasion at the end of last year, Floor stated about the songwriting process for the next NIGHTWISH album: "I think it's more like it's always been. So Tuomas is gonna start writing. And how it's gonna evolve later on, we'll see. But I don't feel the necessity of me being an active songwriting member, because the music is so good. It's about the songs and the music that goes first and not about my ego wanting to join like that. But if I can participate or add something with my creative input, of course I would love that. Of course, I have creative energy in me that needs to come out one way or another, but that's where REVAMP comes in."

Regarding whether she has any fears that, due to the band's troubled history with lead vocalists, her time with NIGHTWISH will not last very long, Floor told Finland's Radio Rock: "No. And whether this is in NIGHTWISH or in anything with anyone in everyone's lives, what guarantees do you have? So it's just about what you make of it and with the chemistry that you believe in. And I believe in the chemistry that we have today, 'cause it's been very strong since the beginning and grew to be better throughout the months. It's still a very recent thing. But what feels good now, that's where you should go from, and that's what I do."

NIGHTWISH released a new DVD, "Showtime, Storytime", on November 29 as a limited 2Blu-ray + 2CD digipack, limited 2DVD + 2CD digipack, limited 2CD digipack, 2LP (colored) in gatefold and an exclusive Nuclear Blast mailorder edition. The set NIGHTWISH's entire August 3, 2013 performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany. The show, which was played in the front of 85,000 screaming metalheads, was directed by Ville Lipiäinen, filmed with seventeen cameras and has a total running time of 85 minutes. The second disc consists of a 120-minute tour documentary, "Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours", also directed by Ville Lipiäinen. In addition, there are two music clips: "I Want My Tears Back" (live at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland) and "Ghost Love Score" (live in Buenos Aires).

The Wacken Open Air appearance was the first of the three final shows of NIGHTWISH's "Imaginaerum World Tour", which saw the band and their Jansen playing 104 concerts in 34 different countries, with a total audience of over 1.5 million fans around the globe.

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

Tuomas Holopainen has known Jansen for more than 10 years already, having previously toured with her former band, AFTER FOREVER.

Conquering audiences across Québec and Ontario with their unique look and high-energy stage performances since their inception in 2009, Montreal, QC based melodic death metal band HOLLOW have announced the official release of their debut full-length, Mordrake, set to be unleashed on May 30th.
Produced at Uplift Studios by Kevin Jardine (SLAVES ON DOPE) and co-produced by Dan Lauzon (ENTROPY) and Hollow, the debut is the follow up to the band's 2010 EP Cynoptic Eschaton and features a unique analogue approach towards extreme metal. Recorded without the use of any triggers, midi or copy/paste editing, the album showcases live off the floor performances that bring a breath of fresh air into an over-compressed and digital world of today's recordings.

Vocalist Mott comments: "An offering of symphonic black metal, with origins and inspirations planted firmly in death and thrash, we are proud to release Mordrake, the fruit of our passion, dedication and hard work we were challenged with over the last year. Using an old school approach towards modern extreme metal to give the record a more straight to the point, early nineties vibe from today's digital era, we feel the album is direct, fast, heavy and powerful with a melodic background, merging influences and keeping the audience attentive and entertained. Simply put, there is something on Mordrake for every music aficionado out there. "
Tracklisting:

'Lament Configuration'
'Cryptic Howling'
'A New Life'
'Landscape'
'Iscariot'
'Sunriser'
'Vlad'
'Anomie'
'Snow'
'Birth'
'Hate'
'Death'

'Landscape' video:
'Iscariot' lyric video:
'Hate':
Hollow are:

Snow - Bass
Cadaver - Guitar
Mott - Vocals
Blaac - Drums

Roadrunner Records has announced the release of an epic box set from the legendary DREAM THEATER. "The Studio Albums 1992-2011" arrives in stores everywhere on July 8. "The Studio Albums 1992-2011" collects the first 10 studio albums from DREAM THEATER's groundbreaking two-decade-plus career, from 1992's RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) gold-certified classic "Images And Words" to 2011's Grammy Award-nominated milestone "A Dramatic Turn Of Events". The 11-disc set will be available in CD with pre-orders now underway on Amazon. Long renowned as one of rock's most audacious live acts, DREAM THEATER is currently in the midst of its marathon "An Evening With Dream Theater - Along For The Ride World Tour", with European headline concerts and top-billed festival appearances slated through the summer. With total sales exceeding 10 million albums and DVDs worldwide, DREAM THEATER have long stood among the upper echelon of hard rock giants. Albums such as "Images & Words" (featuring the breakthrough top 10 single, "Pull Me Under") and 2002's double album, "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence", have earned the Long Island-based band countless accolades for their visionary synthesis of melodic power and virtuosic experimentation, including being named as one of Rolling Stone's top 10 "Best Prog Rock Bands of All Time." DREAM THEATER united with Roadrunner in 2007 and has since unleashed a series of remarkable albums, each work revealing stunning new musical facets and creative avenues. 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" proved a major achievement, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 — the band's highest album chart debut to date. In 2010, DREAM THEATER found themselves at a career crossroads following the departure of founding drummer/co-producer Mike Portnoy. To fill his seemingly unfillable seat, the band conducted an ambitious search — a process documented in a highly viewed YouTube series — which resulted in the addition of the gifted Mike Mangini. Most significantly, the challenge spurred DREAM THEATER to extraordinary artistic heights with 2011's landmark "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", earning the band its first ever Grammy Award nomination (in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category). Highlighted by the single "On The Backs Of Angels", the album proved one of the iconic band's most successful, making Top-10 chart debut in 14 countries, including The Billboard 200. Furthermore, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" was hailed for its ambition, complexity, and sheer melodic power, with Japan's influential Burrn! naming it the year's "Best Album." 2013's "Dream Theater" — which is not included on "The Studio Albums 1992-2011" — made a spectacular debut upon its release, both here and around the globe. The album entered Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 1 while simultaneously arriving at No. 7 on the overall The Billboard 200 — DREAM THEATER's third consecutive Top 10 debut. What's more, "Dream Theater" reaped a second Grammy nomination, with the single "The Enemy Inside" honored as "Best Metal Performance." "Dream Theater", which was recorded at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York, with John Petrucci producing and studio luminary Richard Chycki (AEROSMITH, RUSH) engineering and mixing, marks a brilliant new chapter for the always-adventurous group. Rolling Stone touted the collection as "the birth of a new era in the band's career," while Loudwire picked "Dream Theater" as one of the "10 Best Metal Albums of 2013" and Noisecreep selected the record as one of the "10 Best Vinyl Releases of 2013." DREAM THEATER is: John Petrucci (guitar, founding member), John Myung (bass, founding member), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards and continuum), and Mike Mangini (drums).

"The Studio Albums 1992-2011"

Disc 1: "Images And Words" (1992)Disc 2: "Awake" (1994)Disc 3: "Falling Into Infinity" (1997)Disc 4: "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory" (1999)Discs 5 & 6: "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" (2002)Disc 7: "Train Of Thought" (2003)Disc 8: "Octavarium" (2005)Disc 9: "Systematic Chaos" (2007)Disc 10: "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" (2009)Disc 11: "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (2011)

METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo will resurrect his MASS MENTAL project for an exclusive reunion concert at Warwick in Markneukirchen, Germany. The show will take place on Saturday, September 6 on the Framus & Warwick grounds, during the Warwick Open Day 2014, the crowning conclusion of the Bass Camp. MASS MENTAL will hit Warwick's open-air stage at 5:45 p.m.

There are just some bands who stand out from the crowd, and then there are those few who are absolutely out of this world. Without question, MASS MENTAL is such a monster of an act.

MASS MENTAL was founded in 1998 by Trujillo, formerly of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, along with SKINDRED singer Clive "Benji" Webbe, formerly of DUB WAR. In 1999, the band released "How To Write Love Songs", along with the live album "Live In Tokyo". Both CDs were made available exclusively in Japan. Shortly thereafter, MASS MENTAL broke up, allowing the bandmembers to return to their main projects. In 2002, MASS MENTAL reunited briefly with Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR, SOULFLY) playing drums, although no new material resulted.

MASS MENTAL's lineup for the Warwick Open Day 2014 concert:

* Benji Webbe (SKINDRED) - Lead Vocals * Robert Trujillo (METALLICA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) - Bass* Armand Sabal-Lecco (PAUL SIMON) - Bass* Ken Schalk (CANDIRIA) - Drums * Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE, ANOTHER ANIMAL) - Lead Vocals (special guest)

In many ways, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event: Robert Trujillo is normally with METALLICA 365 days a year. Since all these musicians are constantly on tour or in the studio, it was no small feat for all of them to appear under one roof for the Warwick Open Day. However, since Robert Trujillo places so much worth on MASS MENTAL, he was able to make it happen.

Rob Zombie not only has a live DVD, a book and a spring tour on the way, but he's already "pretty far into the process" of the follow-up to last year's album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor". Zombie and his band started putting together his sixth solo CD in January, and told Billboard.com: "It sounds fuckin' weird, man. That's a really good thing. Right now I'm by myself in the studio; the rest of the band's not here yet but, yeah, they'll all come up here later. It's going good. I'll work on that for about a month and get as far as I can get. Then in July we have a little bit of a break where I'll probably finish up the record, and then we have some more touring."

Zombie recently told The Pulse Of Radio about the upcoming CD: "I don't want years and years to go by between records, even though somehow it always seems to happen. And, you know, we're really excited because we really felt that for ourselves as a band, the last record really kind of got back to something that I was looking for, and we were just excited to take it to the next level. When you're feeling inspired, you kind of want to go for it, because sometimes you don't feel inspired."

Zombie has set May 20 as the release date for his first official concert DVD and Blu-ray, titled "The Zombie Horror Picture Show". Filmed at two shows last August in Texas, the 16-song set will include live versions of solo hits, WHITE ZOMBIE classics "Thunderkiss '65", "More Human Than Human" and "Supercharger Heaven", plus Zombie's recent cover of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's "We're An American Band". A photo book by photographer Rob Fenn will be published as a companion piece to the home video release.

Zombie kicked off a 12-date run of shows on April 26 in Fort Myers, Florida at the Fort Rock festival, mixing other major rock festival stops with headlining shows before wrapping it up on May 10 in Camden, New Jersey.

"Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" sold 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on April 23, 2013 via Zodiac Swan/T-Boy/Ume. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with everyone from BLACK SABBATH and ALICE COOPER to WILSON PHILLIPS and LYNYRD SKYNYRD.

Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon, who currently resides in Hollywood, California, conducted an interview with Slash on the red carpet of this past Monday's (May 12) 10th annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert, which honored BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne. Speaking about the current status of VELVET REVOLVER, the band he formed in 2002 with fellow ex-GUNS N' ROSES members Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, Slash said (see video below): "I think we're gonna audition a singer coming up. So there's that. But I'm gonna be out on the road for the next year and a half [with my solo band], so…"

VELVET REVOLVER released two full-length albums through RCA/Sony BMG — 2004's "Contraband" and 2007's "Libertad" — before dismissing singer Scott Weiland back in April 2008.

VELVET REVOLVER reunited with Weiland for a four-song set in January 2012 at a Los Angeles tribute concert for late songwriter John O'Brien, but the band has otherwise remained inactive.

At one point it was reported that VELVET REVOLVER was going to team with STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor, but the idea was ultimately vetoed by Slash. The group and Taylor recorded demos of 10 songs together.

In a recent interview with Rock Revolt Magazine, Sorum called the launch of VELVET REVOLVER the" biggest moment" of his career. He explained: "Because at a certain point during the formation, I was like, 'Can we really do this? Can we really pull this off again?' And we all did. We got together and had a very successful band after GUNS N' ROSES. That was really icing on the cake, especially for Slash, Duff and myself. To be able to come out of a band that big, and basically have Hollywood turn their back on us, was initially very difficult — and the answer to the low point. To go back and reinvent ourselves wasn't easy. When we managed to do just that, we were very, very ecstatic.

"Duff and I came out of a subway one day in New York City and some kid yelled at us, 'Hey! You're Duff and Matt from VELVET REVOLVER!' That was the first time we ever heard that after years of, 'Hey it's Duff and Matt from GUNS N' ROSES!' And we knew right then that everything was going to be alright. We were able to move on; we were able to move forward."

AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis was given a six-year prison sentence without probation for his role in a murder-for-hire plot. The singer's ex-bandmates Nick Hipa, Phil Sgrosso and Josh Gilbert were present in the San Diego Superior courtroom earlier today (Friday, May 16) when Judge Carlos Armour handed down the sentencing.

The 33-year-old musician, who received 48 days credit for custody already served, pleaded guilty in February to hiring a hit man to kill his estranged wife, Meggan. The singer's attorney offered no stipulated plea deal, which means the judge had the freedom to apply whatever sentence he determines appropriate, with a maximum of 9 years in state prison plus 4 years parole after release.

The judge confirmed at today's sentencing that Meggan and the couple's three adopted children would receive 10 years' protection.

According to Radio.com, the family of the victim, Meggan, spoke to the court at today's sentencing, as did Meggan herself. Meggan's father, Mike Murphy, who was the first to address he court, claimed that the family still fears Meggan's assassination, stating, "We know that prison is a great alibi for someone who wants to complete the deed." Murphy added, "He was only worried about the money. Tim is only sorry he got caught.

Meggan's mother also spoke at the hearing, calling Lambesis an abusive husband who regarded Meggan as "a mere inconvenience to this narcissistic child." For her part, Meggan said that Tim had become "dangerous" and that she "felt as fragile as a piece of paper that could float away at any moment." She also explained that the day before Tim's arrest, the musician texted her asking for their three adopted children's social security numbers in a display of "tying up loose ends." Meggan even referenced the Arnold Schwarzenegger film "Total Recall", where Arnold's character shoots his wife and says, "Consider that a divorce."

When it was Tim's turn to speak, the vocalist openly wept and stuggled to get the words out. "I do feel deep remorse," he said. "I want to thank you. For her prayers, which proves you still have the heart that you do." Lambesis also claimed that he wasn't able to verbally apologize to Meggan in the past due to restraining orders.

A number of witnesses testified for the prosecution during a September 2013 hearing, including the undercover officer who posed as a hit man. The officer explained that Lambesis told him, "Just to clarify, just so you know, I do want her dead."

Meggan filed a civil lawsuit against Tim back in August, seeking over $2 million. She has reportedly asked for $1 million for emotional distress and $25,000 in medical expenses to date. This is in addition to $75,000 she's seeking for future medical expenses and $1 million in punitive damages. The suit is also seeking attorney's fees. That case is still pending.

Meggan, who filed for divorce in September 2012, a month after the couple separated, claimed in court documents, "[Tim] continued to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and bought a new residence in his parents' name before he was arrested in May 2013 for allegedly hiring a hitman to have me killed." She also stated that she and the couple's children all "fear for all our lives."

Prosecutors alleged Lambesis had twice told a man at a gym that he wanted his wife killed, then met with an undercover detective known as "Red", and gave the agent an envelope containing $1,000 in cash, photographs of his wife, and the security gate code to her house. He also allegedly told the agent the dates he would be with the couple's three adopted children, in order to give himself an alibi.

Investigators say the undercover cop operation was staged after Lambesis told a man at his gym at Pure Fitness back on April 23, 2013 that he wanted his wife killed. Lambesis was allegedly complaining that she was making life difficult for him, that it was hard for him to see his children and that it was impossible for them to complete their divorce.

"[Lambesis said that] he wasn't allowed to visit his kids, he wasn't allowed to see his kids, he wasn't allowed to take his kids out of the state to go on tour with him, and that angered him," the undercover officer testified. "And the fact that his wife was gonna get a large portion — up to 60 percent — of his income [as part of a divorce settlement]."

The singer at one time has said he considered himself to be a Christian and acknowledged that he found inspiration for lyrical content from biblical texts.

Lambesis' attorney said the "gym culture" led to "changes in [the singer's] physiological and mental status," with Tim's bodybuilding obsession causing him to go from 170 to 220 pounds after first taking supplements, then steroids. "[He] was not the same person. He was irritable and lost God."

Tim's wife Meggan filed papers in September 2012 in San Diego Superior Court seeking a dissolution of the couple's marriage.

The couple had adopted three children from Ethiopia in recent years.

Lambesis was released in May 2013 with the requirement that he wear a GPS monitor and stay away from his wife and kids.

Guitarist Jim Root has been fired from STONE SOUR, the group fronted by Root's SLIPKNOT bandmate Corey Taylor.

STONE SOUR has released the following statement regarding the matter: "As some of you might have heard by now, STONE SOUR and Jim Root have indeed parted ways. We were trying to wait until the completion of the new SLIPKNOT album, but in light of recent events, we are going to confirm this information and move on. We feel it's best for both bands and hope that is reflected in the days to come. We will give you more information when the time comes."

Taylor added in a separate tweet: "Jim and I are still working together in SLIPKNOT and the album is almost done."

Root reportedly chose to sit out STONE SOUR's recent North American tour so that he could concentrate on writing music for the next SLIPKNOT album. The Pulse Of Radio spoke with Root and asked him to explain his decision in a little more depth. "You know, unfortunately I'm only one person," he said earlier this year. "I can't really be in two places at one time and the amount of focus that I need to put into SLIPKNOT makes it really difficult for me to be on tour with STONE SOUR. It's crushing and it's heartbreaking and I really don't like the idea of not being out there, but I don't really see any other way to really do it without... I mean, this is, like, the best way that we could come up with for a compromise."

Earlier today, a fan, who caught wind that Root would also be sitting out STONE SOUR's three U.S. summer shows scheduled for July 18-20, asked Root on the guitarist's Instagram account (where Root posts under the name stuperbee) if Jim was still taking time off from the group. "I'm not in that band anymore," Root replied. "Not my decision. Not happy about it."

Root was replaced for the month-long STONE SOUR tour with POP EVIL and STOLEN BABIES — which began on January 14 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and wrapped on February 15 in San Antonio, Texas — by Christian Martucci (THE CHELSEA SMILES, THOUSAND WATT STARE).

In a December 2013 interview with the Minneapolis radio station 93X, Taylor stated about Root's absence from the most recent STONE SOUR tour: "We wanted to go back out with STONE SOUR and do one more tour — just kind of wrap things up, because we were pretty smoked by the time we got done with the European run, especially with doing both bands, that we all just kind of needed some time off. But we wanted to go out and kind of do one more cool, quick run through the States, especially, and play some stuff off 'House Of Gold And Bones Part 2' that we never got a chance to, and just kind of make it fun for the fans. So we talked to Jim — Jim was in SLIPKNOT mode — so we talked to him about bringing a friend of ours, Christian Martucci, out to play, and he was fine with it, everybody was cool with it. So this is just kind of a way for us to kind of wrap everything up before I have to jump off the ship and start working on SLIPKNOT stuff as well."

Taylor and Root spent much of the last four years recording and touring behind three full STONE SOUR studio records, 2010's "Audio Secrecy" and the double concept album "House Of Gold & Bones", which was released in two parts in 2012 and 2013.






Sorry for the wait. We'll give you more when we can. Not the way we wanted, but you deserve to know. pic.twitter.com/leQ7vkXTgC

— Captain Fluffy Bug (@CoreyTaylorRock) May 17, 2014



Jim and I are still working together in Slipknot and the album is almost done.

— Captain Fluffy Bug (@CoreyTaylorRock) May 17, 2014

Fan-filmed video footage of San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD performing a brand new song, "Killers & Kings", live for the first time yesterday (Saturday, May 17) at the Scion Rock Fest in Pomona, California can be seen below.

MACHINE HEAD entered GREEN DAY's Oakland, California's JingleTown Recording compound on February 9 to begin recording its new album for a late 2014 release via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn recently stated about the band's new material: "I would say… that the songs are as epic in scope [as those on 2007's 'The Blackening'], if not more so, except where 'The Blackening' was more epic in the guitar department, this is more epic in the EVERYTHING department. Strings arrangements, keyboard arrangements, massive vocal layering (one track, 'Sail Into The Black' has 40 tracks of vocals), drum overdubs, and, of course, the standard MACHINE HEAD quadruple tracking of the guitars."

He added: "I want to reiterate, I don't feel this record sounds like 'The Blackening'. It feels like we're still moving forward. If I HAD to compare it to another record of ours, it may be closer to 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' in one aspect only, the simpler song arrangements. It's still what I would just call classic metal, but we've simplified beats, simplified riffs, taken the unnecessary complicated-ness of something and made it simple. I've even applied that to my lyrics, where I've stripped out a lot of extra words ('the's,' 'and's,' etc), and invented a lyrical technique I call 'clustering,' where you cluster vowels or cluster 'plosives' ('K's,' 'T's,' 'Ch's') together to make it sound heavier, or flow better. It doesn't read all that poetically, but in the song it sounds really cool. I've also really worked hard on sharpening up my rhyme schemes, finding clever places to place rhymes, instead of the usual place at the end of a line, or even again, 'clustering' rhymes. It makes an abstract concept like 'Killers & Kings' (which references 20+ Tarot Cards, and that I'm very proud of the end result) to have a real meaning. Out of that stripped down musical landscape, we've then taken that new (to us at least) 'extra space' and added in layers of strings, layers of dark, ambient keys, layers and layers of vocals, and it sounds HUGE."

As part of this year's Record Store Day on April 19, MACHINE HEAD released a 10-inch vinyl single, with the A-side containing the "demo" version of "Killers & Kings". The B-side is a cover version of the track "Our Darkest Days" from one of MACHINE HEAD's favorite bands, IGNITE. Other songtitles set to appear on the new MACHINE HEAD album include "Beneath The Silt", "Eyes Of The Dead" (formerly "Ojos De La Muerte") and "How We Die".

MACHINE HEAD's next album will be the band's first with new bassist Jared MacEachern, who replaced Adam Duce last year.

"Killers & Kings" performance:


"Killers & Kings" demo version:

Fan-filmed video footage of HELLYEAH performing three new songs — "Sangre Por Sangre (Blood For Blood)", "Demons In The Dirt" and "Cross To Bier (Cradle Of Bones)" — on May 8 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania as the support act for AVENGED SEVENFOLD can be seen below.

As previously reported, HELLYEAH has recruited Christian Brady as its new touring guitarist following the recent departure of Greg Tribbett (MUDVAYNE).

A former member of MAGNA-FI and FRANKY PEREZ & THE TRUTH, Brady met HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott in Las Vegas, where Christian has been living and playing in bands for a while.

HELLYEAH's fourth studio album, "Blood For Blood", will be released 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.

Prior to the recording of the new album, HELLYEAH parted ways with Tribbett and bassist Bob "Zilla" Kakaha (DAMAGEPLAN). Kakaha has since been replaced by Kyle Sanders, a former member of BLOODSIMPLE and the brother of MASTODON's Troy Sanders.

Still in the lineup are Vinnie Paul Abbott, guitarist Tom Maxwell and singer Chad Gray.

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."

HELLYEAH's other albums include 2009's "Stampede" and 2011's "Band Of Brothers".

MUDVAYNE has not released an album since 2009 while Gray and Tribbett have been working with HELLYEAH.

Professionally filmed video footage of former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman performing the song "Undertow" from his forthcoming solo album, "Inferno", at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, which took place January 23-26 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, can be seen below.

"Inferno", will be released in late May via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album will be made available through Universal Music).

"Inferno" was recorded primarily in Los Angeles with engineer Chris Rakestraw (DANZIG, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH) — features what Friedman recently told Guitar World is "the most intense writing and playing I can do." The album also includes notable guest appearances by several artists influenced by Friedman, including flamenco/metal acoustic guitar duo RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho, SKYHARBOR mastermind Keshav Dhar and David Davidson, as well as Friedman's first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker since the pair played together in CACOPHONY, the pioneering duo of guitar mayhem.

In addition, "Inferno" breaks all genre rules and creates new ones with an exhilarating and musically daring mash-up with Jørgen Munkeby of the acclaimed "blackjazz" act SHINING, as well as two tracks featuring vocals by rock guru Danko Jones. Overall, "Inferno" is by fa Friedman's most thrilling and adventurous effort to date.

"Inferno" track listing:

01. Inferno02. Resin03. Wicked Panacea (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)04. Steroidhead (feat. Keshav Dhar)05. I Can't Relax (feat. Danko Jones)06. Meat Hook (feat. Jørgen Munkeby)07. Hyper Doom08. Sociopaths (feat. David Davidson)09. Lycanthrope (feat. Alexi Laiho & Danko Jones)10. Undertow11. Horrors (co-written by Jason Becker)12. Inferno (reprise)

"Inferno" release dates:

North America: May 27UK: May 26Rest of Europe: May 23Japan: May 21

"I'm extremely proud of the work I've done with CACOPHONY and MEGADETH, but I was never interested in stopping there," Friedman said. "'Inferno' is the album that fans of my work with those two bands have always wanted me to make. I've finally made it, and completely on my own maniacal terms."

He added: "On the guests' songs, each would write a song from scratch, and then I would arrange it and add my parts to it," Friedman said. "That way, we were both invested in it, and it’s a little bit of a deeper experience than just banging out a guest solo."

"I wanted to create a new landmark to which my future music will be compared," Friedman said. "That idea of just going completely balls-out — knowing what the full potential of my music and my playing could possibly be, and actually making it a reality — was what drove me through the whole process."



"Sociopaths" lyric video:


"Meat Hook" audio stream:


"Inferno" video:


"Steroidhead" song audio stream:

"Ghosts", a brand new solo song from METAL CHURCH frontman Ronny Munroe, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track, which features a guest appearance by George Lynch (KXM, LYNCH MOB, ex-DOKKEN), is taken from Munroe's third solo album, "Electric Wake", which will be released on June 24 via Rat Pak Records. Additional guest musicians on the CD include Dave Rude (TESLA), Pamela Moore (QUEENSRŸCHE's "Sister Mary"), Paul Kleff (ex-FIREWOLFE), and more.

Produced by Bruce Bouillet and mixed by Jon Wyman, "Electric Wake" "truly captures all the magic of the classic metal genre," according to a press release. "I wanted to create something that was totally new, but at the same time allow all my influences to shine through," states Ronny. "I put two years into the writing process of this album, but when it came time to start recording, I threw everything out the window and just went with my gut and it worked out better than I could have imagined."

The cover artwork for "Electric Wake" was created by Rainer Kalwitz and can be seen below.

"Electric Wake" track listing:

01. Burning Time02. Ghosts 03. Electric Wake04. Turn To Stone05. My Shadow06. Not You Not Me07. Pray08. Ritual Damage09. Sleepless Mountain10. The Others (Long Live Heavy Metal)11. United

Bonus tracks

12. Tainted Nation13. Total Eclipse (IRON MAIDEN cover)

Speaking to the Auburn Reporter last year, Munroe stated about his musical upbringing: "I wanted to be a rock star from a very, very young age. I just had a love for music in general from a young age, as a baby."

Munroe said he decided to become a singer after being exposed to legendary metal frontman Ronnie James Dio's vocals on the RAINBOW song "Man On The Silver Mountain". "I heard it on KISW and took off my headphones, ran downstairs and called the station asking, 'Who is that singing?'" he said.

Ronny also spoke about how he landed the METAL CHURCH gig, telling the Auburn Reporter. "I originally tried out for Kurdt's [Vanderhoof, guitar] solo band, VANDERHOOF," he said. "But of course, my being a huge METAL CHURCH fan like everyone else, I was like 'Dude, how about METAL CHURCH? Why don't we do METAL CHURCH?' A couple of weeks later, Kurdt called me and said, 'OK, you want to do METAL CHURCH, let's do it.'"

"I thought that it was going to just be handed to me, but it took many years until I made it in 2003 when I got the gig in METAL CHURCH," he said. "I truly believe everything does happen for a reason, and it took me awhile to get where I wanted to be."

Although METAL CHURCH called it quits after "This Present Wasteland", the band reformed in 2012, this time with Munroe, Vanderhoof, Steve Unger on bass, drummer Jeff Plate and second guitarist Rick Van Zandt.

"METAL CHURCH is my main focus and will be for years to come, and my solo project," Munroe said. "So those are my main focuses. Will I do other projects? Yes, because I need to do that to survive. But I'm not searching any longer to be in a big name band. I'm home."

"Every time that I go up there, even now that we're back together, I do my job," he said. "I put my own stamp on the songs, but I also pay as much respect to [previous METAL CHURCH singers] Dave [Wayne, who died in 2004] and Mike [Howe] and the way they sang the original songs. There are always signature parts that the fans want to hear. So I do that, but I also put a little bit of me in there."

"I'm lucky to be doing what I'm doing and lucky there are people out there that like what I'm doing," he said. "There are people who don't. I'll never live down the David or Mike thing, but that's just how it is. Anybody coming into an established band and replacing somebody, you're never going to get rid of that. That's part of the band's history. So I really don't want that to go away. I'm a fan of the band and the first record too. And then I ended up becoming the singer."

Guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in the metal and rock universe for his work as leader of his own group FIREWIND and also as member of Ozzy Osbourne's band, performed at the Stockholm Rocks festival on May 3 at Tyrol in Stockholm, Sweden. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Gus G.'s debut solo album, "I Am The Fire", entered the official chart in Greece at position No. 27. The CD sold around 700 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

"I Am The Fire" track listing:

01. My Will Be Done (featuring Mats Levén)02. Blame It On Me (featuring Mats Levén)03. I Am The Fire (featuring Devour The Day)04. Vengeance (featuring David Ellefson)05. Long Way Down (featuring Alexia Rodriguez)06. Just Can't Let Go (featuring Jacob Bunton)07. Terrified (featuring Billy Sheehan)08. Eyes Wide Open (featuring Mats Levén)09. Redemption (featuring Michael Starr)10. Summer Days (featuring Jeff Scott Soto)11. Dreamkeeper (featuring Tom S. Englund)12. End Of The Line (featuring Mats Levén)

The cover artwork was designed by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, KAMELOT, DREAM EVIL).

Gus handles all guitar, bass and keyboards on "I Am The Fire", and is joined by a roster of friends and guests that help bring his vision to fruition: drummers Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUSCIFER, DEVO) and Daniel Erlandsson (ARCH ENEMY), bassists David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH) and Marty O'Brien (TOMMY LEE, WE ARE THE FALLEN, LITA FORD), and vocalists Mats Levén (CANDLEMASS, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION), Blake Allison (DEVOUR THE DAY), Michael Starr (STEEL PANTHER), Alexia Rodriguez (EYES SET TO KILL), Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY), Jacob Bunton (ADLER) and Jeff Scott Soto (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, TALISMAN, ex-JOURNEY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN). "I Am The Fire" was mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR, STEEL PANTHER) and was recorded between Los Angeles and Gus' home country of Greece through the latter half of 2013. A few of the album's tracks include "Eyes Wide Open", "Redemption", "End Of The Line" and "Blame It On Me". The album showcases a well-balanced mix of active rock, classic hard rock, traditional metal and guitar-driven instrumentals, taking listeners on a diverse journey and opening doors to Gus G.'s soulful playing.

Gus G. has had an amazing rise within the worldwide rock and metal scenes and has amassed an impressive body of work, both in studio and touring. He emerged as an up-and-coming talent with the groups DREAM EVIL (Sweden), MYSTIC PROPHECY (Germany) and NIGHTRAGE (Greece), but it is his work with his own band FIREWIND (who have released seven studio albums and two live releases) and as a member of Ozzy Osbourne's band that have helped him emerge as one of the world's top metal and rock guitarists. His work on Ozzy's "Scream" album led to a Grammy nomination in 2010, and his list of accolades includes Guitar Player magazine's "Best Metal Guitarist," the "Dimebag Darrell Shredder" award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, and Metal Hammer Greece "Best Guitarist" on four separate occasions.

Identical twins Camille and Kennerly Kitt have covered the IRON MAIDEN classic "Dance Of Death" as an electric duet harp arrangement. Check it out in the YouTube clip below.

Known as the "harp twins," Camille and Kennerly perform internationally as a dynamic acoustic and electric rock harp duo.

As the world's only known identical twin professional harpists, Camille and Kennerly have a passion and flair for arranging and performing contemporary music for harp duet.

Camille and Kennerly are known for their remarkable duet harp arrangements of songs by artists such as GUNS N' ROSES, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AEROSMITH, AC/DC, DEEP PURPLE and many more. The twins also arrange and perform a jukebox of Broadway, video game, TV and movie soundtrack hits. In addition to being prolific arrangers, Camille and Kennerly compose and perform their own original pieces for harp duet.

In December of 2013, Camille and Kennerly released their much-anticipated first cover albums, "Harp Attack", featuring 14 of their most popular rock and metal arrangements, and "Harp Fantasy", featuring 14 of their most popular TV and movie soundtrack, anime, and video game arrangements.

Camille and Kennerly began posting harp duet music videos of their rock, metal and contemporary cover arrangements on YouTube several years ago. The twins have since acquired over 14 million total views on their 100 percent independently produced videos in addition to amassing legions of fans worldwide — including over 100,000 YouTube subscribers and over 100,000 Facebook fans. Camille and Kennerly are known for their personal interaction with their fans — responding to more fan messages and comments than any other artist of their echelon.

"Dance Of Death":


"Fear Of The Dark":

The self-titled debut album from CALIFORNIA BREED, the new band of 2014, built around the foundation of legendary vocalist-bassist Glenn Hughes, drummer extraordinaire Jason Bonham and 23-year-old newcomer guitarist-singer-songwriter Andrew Watt, can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. Due on May 20 via Frontiers Records, the CD was produced by Dave Cobb (JAMEY JOHNSON, RIVAL SONS, SHOOTER JENNINGS).

"California Breed" was recorded at Cobb's Nashville studio and features equal co-writing credits among the three-man lineup. "It's proper rock," Hughes told Classic Rock magazine, "but at the same time it's very now. Andrew is as influenced by Mick Ronson as he is Jimmy Page." "This kid is amazing," says Bonham. "The first time we met I thought he looked like the white Jimi Hendrix. And he plays in the studio like he's on stage!"

Glenn Hughes, 'The Voice Of Rock', is a true original, a legendary icon whose credits include DEEP PURPLE and guesting with everyone from BLACK SABBATH to EARTH, WIND & FIRE — up to his most recent collaboration in rock supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is Hughes' calling card.

The legacy of LED ZEPPELIN lives on in Jason Bonham, British drummer and son of ZEP's legendary John Bonham. He has inherited the best of his father's skills while mastering his own distinctive and dynamic technique. Jason has followed his own distinctive path over the years, fronting his own successful outfits like BONHAM, and playing with LED ZEPPELIN, FOREIGNER, HEART and, most recently, movie composer Hans Zimmer.

Andrew Watt is a soulful singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose high-energy aggressive style and creative spirit are synonymous with New York City.

Hughes says: "I live in the moment, it's all about NOW. CALIFORNIA BREED is exactly where I live, breathe and where my freak flag flies."

"California Breed" track listing:

01. The Way02. Sweet Tea03. Chemical Rain04. Midnight Oil05. All Falls Down06. The Grey07. Days They Come08. Spit You Out09. Strong10. Invisible11. Scars12. Breathe13. Solo*

* Deluxe Edition includes "Solo" bonus track and a DVD including 2 video clips ("The Way" and "Sweet Tea"), plus documentary

When BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION disbanded, Hughes and Bonham had a strong desire to keep playing together. Their only challenge was finding a new guitarist worthy of their musicality. Easier said than done for these stars who between them have worked with some of the greatest guitarists in history — including Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page and Joe Bonamassa, to name just a few. Then fate took a hand in things when Glenn's friend Julian Lennon introduced him to the astounding talents of a New York City hotshot guitarist named Andrew Watt. "Literally, the first day me and Andrew got together we wrote two songs," recalls Glenn. "One was 'Chemical Rain' and the other was 'Solo', both of which are now on the finished album. I was so moved by the music, I said, 'We've got to record this!' That's when I called Jason."

"I was excited from the start," says Jason, "because apart from locking in as a rhythm section, Glenn and I had started writing together in BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, and we wanted to continue that." "There was such energy in the room the first time we all played together, me and Glenn didn't even have to talk about it," says Jason. "He was so exited to be playing, though, it was infectious! He was just on stage! No going through the motions, kicking the chair over, everything! I was like, you know what, this kid is a free spirit. It was cool, we all just clicked straight away." "Nothing though has gotten into my blood like CALIFORNIA BREED," says Glenn. "I feel the same way," says Jason. "I feel like a kid again starting out." Recording with Dave Cobb at the producer's own studio in Nashville, added all the finishing touches, says Glenn. "I'd gotten into Dave's work via the RIVAL SONS, who I know and really love. But Dave has done a lot of great stuff. That whole Nashville trip which Dave is a part of. Well, me and Jason don't want to sound like anyone else, we already sound like ourselves, but we felt we needed some fresh energy — and Dave absolutely brought it." At Cobb's insistence, every vocal was recorded live as the band was playing. "Totally the reverse of what I'm used to," says Glenn. "But I went into that aggressive rock soulfulness and everything down to the whispers, it was all done live! I enjoyed myself so much, just going for it." For what is on paper a three-piece, the sheer range of sounds and melodies you get from CALIFORNIA BREED are breathtaking. "I'm the oddball of the group but I'm the thing that makes us different from any other classic rock band. I grew up loving grunge music," explains Andrew. "But my father always played me THE WHO and THE BEATLES and LED ZEPPELIN. I always felt like I was in the wrong generation. I used to make rock music on my own and I'd play all the instruments because I could never find anyone my age that really got it the way I heard it. Then I got to play with Jason and Glenn and I haven't picked up anything but a guitar since!" "What we've got here is a kid who isn't a hammer-on, virtuoso," says Glenn, "but a whole new entity. This kid grew up listening to Mick Ronson on Bowie's records, as well as Jimmy Page in LED ZEPPELIN. He has a completely different take. And it's fresh and bold and so exciting. It just gets into your blood."

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield played a four-song acoustic set last night (Thursday, May 15) at the first annual "Acoustic-4-A-Cure" concert at the Fillmore in San Francisco, California. The event benefitted the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, and featured solo sets, duets and jam sessions.

In addition to playing two METALLICA songs on acoustic — "Nothing Else Matters" and "Until It Sleeps" — Hetfield joined forces with two of the evening's other performers, GREEN DAY frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and CHICKENFOOT's Joe Satriani, for a medley of BOB SEGER's "Turn The Page" and the GREEN DAY track "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams". James and Billie Joe traded verses — going back and forth between the two songs — while Satriani accompanied them on guitar. James also delivered an acoustic rendition of THE BEATLES' "In My Life" which he had previously performed with his METALLICA bandmates at this past Monday's (May 12) MusiCares MAP Fund benefit in Los Angeles.

Hetfield's setlist was as follows:

01. Nothing Else Matters (METALLICA)02. In My Life (THE BEATLES cover)03. Until It Sleeps (METALLICA)04. Turn The Page (BOB SEGER cover) / "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" (GREEN DAY cover; feat. Joe Satriani and Billie Joe Armstrong)

Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

The show was Hagar's idea and was administered through his Hagar Family Foundation. The legendary rocker said in a statement that, "I've seen first-hand the great work they're doing and how vital community support is. I ran the idea of a benefit concert by James, and we quickly had an amazing lineup of artists on board...and now we've got an epic event — the first of many, hopefully — so we can keep their research and programs funded and on the path to a cure."

The song "Moon" from the CASUALTIES OF COOL project from Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track features a guest appearance by Jørgen Munkeby of Norway's SHINING.

Devin recently launched a three-month-long crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMusic for CASUALTIES OF COOL since the project's debut album is being released without record-label backing. It is now expected to be made available next week via iTunes.

In a 2013 interview with BluntMag.com.au, Devin stated about CASUALTIES OF COOL: "If there's anybody who's new to what I do, who maybe heard 'Liberation' or some of the songs off 'Epicloud' and thought, 'This is really cool, I could get into this,' you're going to hate CASUALTIES. [laughs] I mean, really, it's as opposite of 'Epicloud' as 'Ghost' was to 'Deconstruction'. It's this weird, dark, not evil but verging on it, bluesy, Johnny Cash-y, strange, quiet folk record. But I love it, it's the one record that I've done over the past 10 or 15 years where I can truly say, 'This is where I am right now.'

"You know, the other things that I've done have been as well in their own right, 'Epicloud', 'Deconstruction' and 'Addicted!', but there was an agenda with those, I was trying to say something with them or I was trying to prove a point, make a statement about the past or whatever. CASUALTIES is something that I've done without any pressure, without anybody telling me what to do, without showing it to anyone, it's just what evolved when I wasn't thinking about it. As a result of that, I'm incredibly proud of it, but it remains to be seen whether or not other people will resonate with it. I think they will, man. I think it's fucking awesome, and I mean, I haven't smoked weed in a long time but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be awesome while you're smoking. [laughs]"

Asked where CASUALTIES OF COOL will fit into the Devin Townsend discography in terms of sound — among his more traditional-sounding albums, or a bit more removed like his ambient albums, Devin said: "Somewhere in the middle, you know, somewhere in the middle. It's like, if you took the weird elements of 'Ki' and the weird elements of 'Devlab' and added a vintage sort of vibe.

"My management had a suggestion, which I think is pretty cool, which was, 'You shouldn't call it DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, you shouldn't even put your name on it, just call it CASUALTIES OF COOL and put it out as its own thing.' It's got a different singer, I sing on like half of it right, but it's got this lady [Vancouver artist Ché Aimee Dorval, who also appears on 'Ki'] who's just this brilliant singer, she's a young, despondent-sounding bluesy vocalist and it's creepy. I think that that might be a way for me to get away with it, putting it out without it being part of the DTP [DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT] or whatever.

"I don't know what to tell you, man. I just go where it feels the most honest to go, then I deal with people thinking it's weird afterwards. [laughs]"

Regarding whether there is a particular atmosphere he wants to create or a story he wants to convey with CASUALTIES OF COOL, Devin said: "Yeah there's a story, definitely. It's going to take a little longer than what we've got for me to explain it, but you'll hear it eventually. I want it to be something you listen to quietly, by yourself, in the middle of the night, with a big old full moon outside. It'll work perfectly."

The self-titled fifth album from Anglo-Swedish modern metal powerhouse SONIC SYNDICATE, will be made available on July 4 via Nuclear Blast.

Commented SONIC SYNDICATE guitarist, main songwriter and founding member Robin Sjunnesson: "We decided to go with this one as a 'self-titled' release. Mainly because as an album, we have put everything we've got into it. All of our experience as musicians, the evolution of the music, the sound from all eras of the band, and also the road we have taken as people. This is us, this is SONIC SYNDICATE in all its beauty and destruction. It shows our strength, our love for melody, our scars, our energy. The cover art is a definite representation of that. In the background, a battle-torn city laid to waste, four figures emerging together with only each other to depend on in an environment so harsh, only those with a tough heart, body and soul can survive.

"The tone throughout this album is definitely darker, and as my Swedish family would say, 'with a red line running in the middle,' so we put this into the color scheme.

"We could not be more proud of this album, and we thank our fans for the support; it's because of them that we're here. This album is for you."

"Sonic Syndicate" will also feature a guest appearance by SOILWORK's gifted vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid on the track "Before You Finally Break".

Commented SONIC SYNDICAT singer Nathan James Biggs: "I'm honored to call Speed a friend.

"I've been a big SOILWORK fan for years. Those guys were a massive hand in crafting that trademark Swedish sound so it made perfect sense to ask Speed when we knew we wanted to do a song with guest vocals. Performance-wise, I think we have similar styles and execution, but at the same time we both have our own thing going on, so the voices complement each other to great effect. My idea was also to have a real battle between our vocals.

"I hate it when you have these 'featuring' songs and the guest just pops up for a chorus and then does backing vocals for a while in the verse or something. This is a real fight between us for the mic and I'm sure people are gonna appreciate that."

"Sonic Syndicate" will include a total of 11 tracks, while the limited edition digipak will feature no less than three bonus tracks.

"Sonic Syndicate" track listing:

01. Day Of The Dead02. Black Hole Halo03. Long Road Home04. My Revenge05. Before You Finally Break (feat. Speed/SOILWORK)06. Catching Fire07. Unbreakable08. It Takes Me09. See What I See10. So Addicted11. The Flame That Changed The World

Limited-edition bonus tracks:

12. Diabolical Work Of Art13. What We Shared14. Another Soldier Down

The official lyric video for the song "Black Hole Halo" can be seen below.

SONIC SYNDICATE bassist Karin Axelsson gave birth to her first child on October 12, 2012. The baby girl weighed in at 3.02 kilograms and measured 46 centimeters long.

SONIC SYNDICATE 2014 is:

Nathan James Biggs - VocalsRobin Sjunnesson - GuitarKarin Axelsson - BassJohn Bengtsson - Drums

SONIC SYNDICATE's latest album, "We Rule The Night", was released in Europe on August 27, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Bohus Sound studios in Kungälv, Sweden with producer Toby Wright, who has previously worked with KORN, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, FEAR FACTORY, IN FLAMES, STONE SOUR and OZZY OSBOURNE, among others.

The official video for the song "Don't Lean On Me" from Australian metalcore masters THE AMITY AFFLICTION can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album. "Let The Ocean Take Me", which will be released on June 10 via Roadrunner. Named one of 2014's "most anticipated" albums by Alternative Press, "Let The Ocean Take Me" is available now for pre-order on the iTunes Store, with all pre-orders receiving an instant download of the album's powerful first single, "Pittsburgh". In addition, the "Pittsburgh" companion video can be seen below. Known worldwide for its incendiary live performances, THE AMITY AFFLICTION is currently blowing up stages across North America as part of BLESSTHEFALL's "The Hollow Bodies Tour". The multi-artist trek — which also features, among others, fellow Roadrunner recording group HEARTIST — continues through mid-May. Additional North American live dates will be unveiled soon. Urgent, aggressive, and remarkably cathartic, "Let The Ocean Take Me" is THE AMITY AFFLICTION at its most vital best. Recorded by producer Will Putney (WINDS OF PLAGUE, UPON A BURNING BODY) at guitarist Troy Brady's Evergreen Studios in Brisbane, the album pushes the band's signature post-hardcore approach to new heights of richness and diversity, providing the consummate aural partner to vocalist Joel Birch's increasingly more potent lyricism. Inspired in part by a near-death experience suffered during last year's Vans Warped Tour, songs like "Don't Lean On Me" and "FML" are fueled by desperate emotion and intense anxiety but achieve extraordinary transcendence through radical honesty and raw power.

"(The album) is about really trying to find a positive in my life again," Birch says. "Writing these songs was a very cathartic process, but I'm terrified of people listening to them and reading these lyrics because they'll know exactly what I'm thinking. I'm hiding nothing."

"Let The Ocean Take Me" track listing:

01. Pittsburgh02. Lost & Fading03. Don't Lean On Me04. The Weigh Down05. Never Alone06. Death's Hand07. FML08. My Father's Son09. Forest Fire10. Give It All For more than a decade, THE AMITY AFFLICTION has used music to entertain while simultaneously confronting the very darkest edges of man's existence. "Severed Ties", the band's 2008 full-length debut, and 2010's follow-up, "Youngbloods", instantly established the band's twisted take, all revved-up rhythms, soaring melodies, and full-bore vocals coming together to fashion something provocative and distinct. "Let The Ocean Take Me" follows 2012's "Chasing Ghosts" which debuted at #1 on the Australian ARIA chart — the rare rock record to achieve that major milestone — and has since been certified gold. THE AMITY AFFLICTION is:

Joel Birch - VocalsAhren Stringer - Bass, Clean VocalsTroy Brady - GuitarRyan Burt - DrumsDan Brown - Guitar

Quality fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's May 13 performance at DNA Lounge in San Francisco, California can be seen below.

SKID ROW — Johnny Solinger (vocals), Scotti Hill (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Dave "Snake" Sabo (guitar) and Rob Hammersmith (drums) — has teamed up with BLACK STAR RIDERS for a brief tour of the West Coast, which started May 8 in Tucson, Arizona at the Rialto Theatre. Once that concludes on May 16, SKID ROW will play headlining shows across the U.S., including a stop at the legendary Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California on Saturday, May 17 and an appearance at this year’s Rocklahoma festival on May 23 in Pryor, Oklahoma. They will then head to Europe in June for various festivals, including Download in Donington, England on June 14. Once the U.S. trek concludes in July, SKID ROW will travel to Kostrzyn, Poland, where they’ve been invited to headline one of the biggest festivals in Europe, Woodstock, on July 31.

SKID ROW will release its new seven-song EP, "United World Rebellion - Part 2", on August 5 via Megaforce Records. After a hiatus that started in 1996, SKID ROW returned to the big stage — literally — opening for KISS in 2000. Exhilarated to tour with the heroes who rallied them in the first place, the band was reinvigorated by being underdogs who needed to come out fighting to prove themselves. "When we put the band back together, we needed to reintroduce SKID ROW as relevant without relying too much on past success," explains SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan. "We wrote songs and hit the road. We sunk our heart and soul into it, letting people know we weren't doing it for lack of something better to do." 2003's "Thickskin" and 2006's "Revolutions Per Minute" were battle plans for hundreds of live shows with new singer Johnny Solinger out front, every night being a hard fought battle to win new fans and convince the old ones. "United World Rebellion - Part 2" is SKID ROW coming out swinging. Rachel and Sabo tapped again into the potent songwriting collaboration that built the band. Sabo says they were eagerly up to the challenge. "We seem to be at our best when we're faced with adversity. It's us against the world again — and by us I mean the band and the fans who stick with us and carry the SKID ROW torch without fail." New plans came together in an Atlanta recording studio. But it's a different time, a different industry, so they decided to record a series of EPs. "The idea really appealed to me," says Bolan, "especially with the constantly changing musical climate. I like the idea of a steady flow of new music, as opposed to releasing a full-length album then riding it for the next two years." That guerrilla burst of recording a concise EP fostered a focused intensity that was liberating, says Snake. "The pressure seemed to be lifted. That immediately set me at ease and it became really exciting." Exciting and potent, prompting Solinger to exert the full range of his ability. "The third time in the studio as the voice of SKID ROW was the proverbial charm, and the proof is in the tracks. 'United World Rebellion - Part 2' is the most meaningful work I've done with the band. It's definitely the most I've been challenged, vocally." SKID ROW's last EP, "United World Rebellion - Chapter One", was released in Europe on May 24, 2013 via Germany's UDR Music. The European version of the EP includes two bonus tracks, both of them cover tunes: "Fire Fire" (EZO) and "United" (JUDAS PRIEST).

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" sold around 1,500 copies in the Unted States in its first week of release. The CD was made available in North America on April 16, 2013 via MRI.

"Triumph Of Death", a brand new song from Polish death metal veterans VADER, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Tibi Et Igni" (a Latin phrase which translates to "For You And Fire"), which will be released on May 30 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2011's "Welcome To The Morbid Reich" was recorded at Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland with producers Wojtek and Slawek Wiesawski. The artwork was handled this time by Joe Petagno (MOTÖRHEAD).

Commented VADER mainman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek: "Joe is a legend! Not just because he created MOTÖRHEAD logo or breathtaking artworks for many outstanding albums. Joe is over all times and his imagination touches the Hell itself…. And this is enough reason to ask him for painting 'a Hellfire' for VADER's new music. He accepted it and… made me so proud!" Joe Petagno added: "They have been on my 'get in touch' list for years. Finally we managed it and for a killer album very appropriately titled: 'Tibi Et Igni'." "Tibi Et Igni" track listing: 01. Go To Hell02. Where Angels Weep03. Armada On Fire04. Triumph Of Death05. Hexenkessel06. Abandon All Hope07. Worms Of Eden08. The Eye Of The Abyss09. Light Reaper10. The End

Digipak Bonus:

11. Necropolis12. Des Satans Neue Kleider

Bonus 7" Vinyl:

Side A: NecropolisSide B: Przeklęty Na Wieki (Cursed Eternally) "Tibi Et Igni" will be made available as a standard jewelcase CD, digipak (with 2 bonus tracks), as colored vinyl with a bonus seven-inch EP (including 2 bonus tracks) and exclusively at Nuclear Blast mailorder as a limited digipak edition with a signed VADER tourbook.

VADER released a special seven-inch single containing two tracks from "Tibi Et Igni". The single is titled "Go To Hell" and includes the following songs: Side A: "Where Angels Weep"Side B: "Triumph Of Death" The song "Where Angels Weep" was also made available digitally.

The vinyl and the digital version were released on April 18 via Nuclear Blast.

VADER's forthcoming effort will mark the recording debut of British drummer James Stewart (DIVINE CHAOS), who replaced Pawel "Paul" Jaroszewicz in 2011.

VADER's last album, "Welcome To The Morbid Reich", was released in Europe on August 12, 2011 and in North America on September 13, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

KISS will perform with "American Idol" finalist Caleb Johnson as he battles it out with Jena Irene on the Season 13 finale next week. The show will also see Jena hitting the stage with PARAMORE.

After learning on this week's show that he was going to be performing with KISS, which is said to be one of his biggest musical influences, Caleb got so excited he jumped into the arms of his "little" brother, who's got several inches on him, according to USA Today.

The two-part Season 13 finale of "American Idol" will air on Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21, starting at 8 p.m. on Fox.

KISS' upcoming appearance on "American Idol" will not be the first time the band has played on the annual reality show and singing competition. KISS previously performed its classic songs "Detroit Rock City" and "Rock And Roll All Nite" on the 2009 season finale of "American Idol". They were introduced by finalist Adam Lambert, who sang the KISS classic "Beth" prior to the band taking the stage (with Adam joining in).

A new series hosted by AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, "Cars That Rock", is airing in the U.K. on Thursdays starting on May 8 on Quest, Freeview Channel 38.

The Back2Back Productions series follows Johnson as he pursues his passion of cars, looking into the history, meeting the fanatics and of racing.

"Cars That Rock" is described as a series of six 60-minute episodes in which Brian looks at six of his favorite makes of car (three from the U.K. and three from other parts of Europe). Brian races some of the cars in professional races and he also drives other cars at high speed. From the Bugatti and Ferrari to the humble Mini, Brian delves into their fascinating histories, from big-screen appearances in blockbusters to some very famous owners.

A new video clip from "Cars That Rock" in which Johnson talks about and drives a Bugatti Veyron (capable of 268 mph and British television series "Top Gear"'s "Car Of The Decade") can be seen below.

Said Johnson: "A few years ago, AC/DC did a gig at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. There were 119,000 people gathered on the hills and stands. It was wonderful to stand up there with the band, but when I was on stage singing, I thought, I wish I could drive this track.

"If someone had asked me when I was a teenager whether I wanted to become a top driver or the lead singer with one of the world's biggest rock 'n' roll bands, I'd have said driver. I always imagined myself as Stirling Moss or Graham Hill. Luckily, the music worked out and has meant I can live the dream of racing.

"I am often asked to compare the two. When you are strapped into a car hurtling towards the first bend, the adrenaline has to be greater than it is when you're on stage. Maybe that's because the risk of hurting yourself or worse on stage is not the same as in motor racing.

"I was once racing a Porsche when the engine of the car in front blew up. Driving through a wall of smoke, with oil all over the windscreen, I couldn't see a thing. At times like that you wonder if you will emerge alive. Now I count myself as a lucky man in that I get the opportunity both to sing and to drive.

"The idea [for 'Cars That Rock'] started when a TV producer read my book, 'Rockers And Rollers', and thought: 'Rock 'n' roll and cars — let's give it a shot.' I was quite amazed because, apart from fronting a few fun short films about racing in America, I had not really done any presenting.

"They said to me: 'Brian, can you pick six makes of car from the past 100 years that have made a significant impact on automotive history?' Of course there are dozens, but I could pick only six. It was difficult, because I knew people would disagree with some of them. It ended up being Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Mini, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. I was looking for individual genius: men who, through their inventiveness and design skills, changed the face of motorcars: Ettore Bugatti, Ferruccio Lamborghini and WO Bentley, for example."

HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale joined classical-rock crossover violinist Lindsey Stirling on stage last (Thursday, May 15) at Club Nokia in Los Angeles to perform the title track of Stirling's sophomore album, "Shatter Me". Fan-filmed video footage of Hale's appearance can be seen below.

The studio version of the "Shatter Me" song — featuring Hale — was released as the first single and video from the CD, which debuted at an impressive No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 56,000 copies.

Stirling told rock journalist Gary Graff it wasn't a collaboration she envisioned prior to making the album. "I was looking for a singer who's just a powerhouse singer...women who can belt out those power ballads, "she said. "I started to dig into (HALESTORM) videos and thought, 'Wow, this girl is powerful,' almost a perfect mix between a little bit of (EVANESCENCE's) Amy Lee's style and the power of Hayley Williams from PARAMORE. So I reached out to (HALESTORM's management) and immediately they responded."

She added: "It was funny, because Lzzy had never heard of me and I'd never heard of Lzzy, but we immediately became fans of each other's music and respectful of each other. We have similar stories; they're a self-made band that paved their way through touring the world over and over again and working their records, where I did it through YouTube. It's just cool how we can have this respect for each other as self-made artists who did it their own way. And I absolutely loved Lzzy; she's one of my favorite people in the world."

Stirling's self-titled 2012 debut spent 37 nonconsecutive weeks atop the Classical Crossover Albums chart and two at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart and sold more than 300,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Stirling kicked off her current tour on May 13 in San Diego with special guest Dia Frampton, who sings on the "Shatter Me" track "We Are Giants".

"Shatter Me" performance from Club Nokia:


"Shatter Me" video (featuring Lzzy Hale):


Studio footage from "Shatter Me" recording sessions:

ANTHRAX members Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums) and Frank Bello (bass) joined Danish/American metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT on stage on May 3 at the Carolina Rebellion festival at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina to perform the song "Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza". Fan-filmed video footage of their appearance can be seen below.

Current VOLBEAT guitarist Rob Caggiano announced his departure from ANTHRAX in January 2013 to focus on his other passion: producing records. The following month, it was revealed that he had joined VOLBEAT after serving as producer on VOLBEAT's latest album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", alongside longtime production partner Jacob Hansen, who produced and mixed the band's prior four albums. Caggiano's other producer credits include THE DAMNED THINGS, BLEEDING THROUGH and ANTHRAX, and he was a member of ANTHRAX for two tenures — from 2001 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2013.

In a February 2013 interview with Metal Insider, Benante stated about Caggiano's exit from ANTHRAX: "It was a bit of a surprise to me. I was bummed. He said that he wanted to pursue more producing options, and that was his reason for leaving. He had other reasons, so I guess it was something that he'd been thinking about for a while. He wanted to get back to producing and getting off the road. And you're probably going to tell me, 'Well, you do know he joined another band [VOLBEAT], right?' That makes it a bit confusing. I know a lot of our fans were sad to see him go, but were like, 'If you want to go produce, we understand that.' But when you read that he went to go join another band, that makes it seem a bit sketchy."

"Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" has sold more than 214,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Quality fan-filmed video footage of PESTILENCE's May 5 performance at Magasin 4 in Brussels, Belgium can be seen below.

PESTILENCE's seventh album, "Obsideo", was released on November 12, 2013 via Candlelight Records. The CD was produced by Mameli and features ten new songs. According to Mameli, the album's overall lyrical theme is "the journey of the human soul."

"Obsideo", which means to besiege, features band mastermind Mameli and longtime partner, guitarist Patrick Uterwijk, with new German bassist George Maier and Dave Haley. Mameli notes: "PESTILENCE is chuffed to have Dave Haley in the lineup. Dave is one of the five best extreme drummers in the world, and his talent brings PESTILENCE to new levels that couldn't be reached otherwise. Georg Maier is a young and talented bass player that will turn some heads. Both guys are really down to earth and real easy going. Of course, Patrick Uterwijk is my most respectable and long-going friend and musician."

The official lyric video for the song "Necro Morph" is available below.

PESTILENCE is:

Patrick Mameli - Lead guitar/VocalsPatrick Uterwijk - Lead guitarGeorge Maier - BassDavid Haley - Drums

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo were interviewed on the red carpet of this past Monday's (May 12) 10th annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert, which honored BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne. Speaking about the progress of the songwriting sessions for METALLICA's long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic", Trujillo said (see video below): "The ideas are all there; there's no shortage of ideas. It's just finding the time to really nail it down and focus. And that will come very soon. After tonight, hopefully." Hammett added: "And we're old school about it, too; we like to all get in a room and bash it out. I know a lot of bands and a lot of musicians work digitally now, with just trading files, but, you know, we're still cavemen about it. We like to get in a room and bash it out and talk amongst ourselves and argue and fight. It's all part of the process, but it still feels real once you get to the end result."

Hammett told Guitar World in a recent interview that METALLICA will start working in earnest on a new album this fall, saying, "We totally want to make an album. But we have all these other touring commitments, and we have families now. It's gonna be summertime soon, and it's hard to work because the kids are out of school." As he has insisted repeatedly in other interviews, Hammett claimed that the band has "a backlog of riffs in the riff bank," adding, "Now it's about picking riffs out, putting them together and moving along. Later, we'll revisit it all and see where it goes. We've all said to each other that September is gonna be the time when we buckle down. I know I told everyone it was gonna be last January . . . but that's just the way it goes!"

Drummer Lars Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that METALLICA no longer wants to devote large chunks of time to any one project. "You know, METALLICA, in order for it to be true and pure and honest, has to be fun," he said. "And so the days of, you know, writing for a year and then recording for a year and then going on the road for three years — those kind of endlessly long cycles — they're just behind us. I don't think we have the stamina to do anything for those elongated periods of time any longer."

METALLICA recently completed a South American tour where the band played a nearly all-request set, with 17 songs chosen online by fans prior to each gig and the last slot filled by the new track "Lords Of Summer".

That song or possibly another new one will also feature in the set list for the band's upcoming European festival run, on which it will repeat the "by request" format.

Hammett said that "Lords Of Summer" is far from finished, telling Guitar World, "I didn't have time to work out the guitar solo in 'Lords Of Summer'. The solo that's on the demo track was all we had time to do . . . If you compare the solo in the demo version to what I've been playing live at those South American shows, it's a lot better and more refined now."

METALLICA did spend some time this spring working on material for the follow-up to "Death Magnetic", but the band's 10th studio effort is not expected out until 2015.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee has confirmed to Billboard.com that he has finished laying down the drums for "All Bad Things Must End", a brand new CRÜE track the band hopes to release to coincide with its "The Final Tour", which kicks off July 2 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "We're just mixing (the song) and getting it together," Lee said. "It's pretty heavy, but it's really melodic. It's definitely about this time right now with the band and what the feeling is and kind of all that wrapped into a song. I hate to say it's like a goodbye, but it definitely references our time here."

According to Lee, fans can also expect to see a new CRÜE greatest-hits album, with the possibility of more new material "still an open conversation, so who knows. Maybe there's some more music for us down there," he said.

"All Bad Things Must End" is being helmed by producer James Michael, who sings for MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx's SIXX: A.M. project. Speaking to Artisan News at this year's Revolver Golden Gods event at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, Michael said about the track: "As we know, the CRÜE is getting ready to hang it up. And we discussed for a while doing a final song. And that's a tall order. There was a lot of pressure on us to make sure that we did it right and that we celebrated everything that they were known for. So I think we've done it. And it's an outstanding song. I think it's gonna be an absolutely amazing way to go out swinging."

Sixx in January said that that it's unlikely that the band will release another full-length album of new material and will instead make select tracks available via special projects in order to maximize their impact.

"My take on it right now and the way that things work is very much reverted back to the '60s where people buy singles," Mars told Trunk. "I don't want an album full of fillers. And that's why I said I would release [a solo] EP or singles."

Sixx told the Rapid City, South Dakota radio station 95.1 KSKY: "We have music written, [but] it's not put together yet." He added: "It's hard, to be honest with you, to spend six [or] nine months to write eleven songs — all those lyrics… everything… the vocals, the guitars, the bass, the sonics, the mixing, the mastering, the artwork… You put it out and nothing [happens], because now people cherry-pick songs. So we go, 'Why don't we write songs and find vehicles to get one, two or four songs to ten million people rather than eleven songs to a hundred thousand people. That's how we're thinking. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but that's how we're thinking."

MÖTLEY CRÜE in 2012 released a brand new song called "Sex" to coincide with the launch of the band's North American co-headlining tour with KISS. Written when the group was together during their residency in Las Vegas in February 2012, it was the first studio track from the CRÜE since the June 2008 release of "Saints Of Los Angeles".