Season Of Mist has announced the signing of Swedish extreme metal lunatics SHINING. The band's next studio album will ariive in early 2015.

SHINING is made of mastermind Niklas Kvarforth (vocals, concept, guitars) and his "toolbox": Rainer Tuomikanto (drums), Christian Larsson (bass), Euge Valovirta (guitar) and Peter Huss (guitar).

Kvarforth issued the following statement about the signing: "After a long period of negotiations and discussions that lasted almost eight years, I have now chosen to grant Season Of Mist the privilege of releasing the next SHINING album. We have also once again decided to work with [KING DIAMOND guitarist] Andy La Rocque and record at his Sonic Train facilities. The ceremony is set to begin in September, and thus my ninth child can be expected in early 2015."

The pioneer of what is today referred to as "suicidal black metal," SHINING has been spreading chaos and mayhem throughout the planet since 1996. With eight highly acclaimed albums behind them, and 70+ members fired between the years 2002 and 2011, SHINING has finally found a lineup that has lasted longer than two years. Now the band is fully prepared to shed some genuine darkness into an otherwise shallow scene that relies mostly on overused theatrics and the camouflage offered by alter egos. "It has cost us a lot doing what we do, but it has all been worth it. We are now a fantastic constellation that is able to put on the kind of show that I've been striving for since the very day I gave birth to this sick child of mine nearly two decades back," says Kvarforth. Photo by Ester Segarra

According to The Street, AEROSMITH's upcoming "Let Rock Rule" tour with Slash is among the most expensive summer concert tickets, with an average ticket price of $275.85. The most expensive show on the trek — which kicks off in July, playing 21 North American dates through September — comes in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with an average price of $385.24, 39.65% above the tour average.

Promoted exclusively by Live Nation, the "Let Rock Rule" tour kicks off on Thursday, July 10 at Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, New York.

AEROSMITH and Slash — longtime friends who've performed together throughout the years — will also take over Boston, Massachusetts (Xfinity Center); Los Angeles, California (The Forum); and San Francisco, California (Sleep Train Pavilion), among other cities, before wrapping Friday, September 12 in Sydney, NS, Canada (Open Hearth Park).

AEROSMITH's North American summer dates will follow the band's overseas dates, kicking off May 14 in Istanbul, Turkey and will hit 16 countries including stops in Russia, France, and the U.K. before wrapping July 2 in Kiev, Ukraine.

AEROSMITH released its first set of all-original material in 11 years, "Music From Another Dimension!", in 2012, and toured for much of the year after its release.

Slash recently completed work on his third solo album with his band MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS. The follow-up to 2012's "Apocalyptic Love" is expected to arrive in September.

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx says that this group was ready to turn down an opportunity to headline more than a dozen U.S. festivals if it meant that he and his bandmates would have to share the stage with Massachusetts hard rockers GODSMACK.

Sixx's latest comments were fueled by his ongoing war of words with GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna, who reportedly wrote the band's song "Cryin' Like A Bitch" about Sixx after the two musicians clashed during the 2009 Crüe Fest 2 tour, on which GODSMACK was a support act and CRÜE was the headliner.

Speaking on a recent edition of his "Sixx Sense With Nikki Sixx" syndicated radio program, Nikki said (hear audio below): "Yesterday somebody came into the studio and they said, 'Hey, GODSMACK would really like to be on this show.' And I said, 'Over my dead [expletive] body.' And they said, 'Well, you know, they wanna be on the show because their record's coming out.' And I go, 'Did you forget the fact that they wrote a song about me called 'Cryin' Like A Bitch' and that there's probably 15 festivals that MÖTLEY CRÜE is headlining and that we said if GODSMACK's on 'em, we're not doing them? And that was just the beginning of my revenge. And that I take every opportunity to slander them and be very immature? And then they wanna be on the show? Dude, have some credibility. I mean, Jesus Christ! I'm so embarrassed for you. At least you can go, 'We've got a new record and we don't wanna be on that [expletive]'s radio show.'' [And he said], 'Well, we actually need some help now.'"

When asked directly if the "Cryin' Like A Bitch" track was written about Sixx, Erna told Albany, New York's Q103 radio station, "It's very difficult for me to restrain myself from answering that question because as honest as I'd like to be, the other side of me doesn't want to give anybody the extra exposure, even if it's negative. So, I'm just gonna plead the fifth."

Back in May 2011, Sixx had the following to say regarding Erna's complaints about how GODSMACK was treated on the Crüe Fest 2 tour, "Every person — from road crew, fans and even all the bands on the tour (including [Sully's] band) — was so happy, but [Erna] just seems to be crying like a bitch," Sixx replied. "Funny, even his manager told me he's an asshole... Maybe the problem is just in HIS head... I got no problem with him."

Erna admitted in a webisode for the band's fifth studio album, "The Oracle", that "Cryin' Like A Bitch" was inspired by events of Crüe Fest 2. Sully told Artisan News Service at the time, "There's definitely been some rock-star garbage on this tour that we just have never seen in our career . . . this was the first time that I felt like, 'You know what?! If there's gonna be some people that are gonna treat other people a certain way, then I'm gonna go out there every night and . . . make sure that we make you look old and fat, and go home with a nice big fat paycheck."

Samples of some of the lyrics on "Cryin' Like A Bitch" include lines like: "Strut on by like a king/Telling everybody they know nothing/Long lived what you thought you were/Time ain't on your side anymore"

Speaking to Tricia Weight (a.k.a. A Geek Girl) of "Interviews From The Edge" during the 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin stated about the inspiration for "Cryin' Like A Bitch", "Several things actually happened [during that tour], honestly. You know, the rest of the band... we get along great with [other MÖTLEY CRÜE members] Mick Mars, Tommy Lee. I got along great with Nikki Sixx. In fact, he had called me over to catering one time and said would I like to play with his SIXX: A.M. [side project], on the record. And I was like, 'Yeah!' But then this was, like, three weeks into the tour, and then four weeks later, him and Sully had this clash. And it stemmed from [MÖTLEY CRÜE's] security, I think, more than Nikki, but you know, Nikki is the leader of the band. Basically, [it had to do with their] security throwing us off the stage... whatever... It was a bunch of ego shit that none of us really got into. But MÖTLEY CRÜE kind of acted like... Well, their security, in any event... they were real weird with our guests getting backstage, like our guests might want to look at MÖTLEY CRÜE. Our guests were there to see us and they didn't care a shit about MÖTLEY CRÜE. And MÖTLEY CRÜE is a legendary band that we all respect."

He continued: "When I was 17, I had 'Shout At The Devil' and all that, hell yeah! But it just kind of fronted us a little that they would think that our guests would be star-struck over them. And half the time these were people I've known for 30 years — [and they] can't even get backstage because MÖTLEY CRÜE doesn't want people back or whatever.

"So that's where the bad blood came from. And then Sully runs his mouth, Nikki runs his mouth… They're both big rock stars. Next thing you know, it's a battle in the press."

HELIX frontman Brian Vollmer has posted a slideshow for the band's forthcoming album, Bastard Of The Blues, which includes a stream of the title track. Go to this location to check it out.
Vollmer recently checked-in with the following:

“We're nearing the end of recording for the new Helix CD Bastard Of The Blues. As usual it's been a long and winding road, a little stressful at times, but always a rewarding experience in the end. The result has been a disc I'm very proud of; one of the best I think we've ever put together-and that's not just my opinion. Everyone involved with the project feels the same as I do. I also had some good friends help out-Jeff Fountain sang some very low bass parts, Cheryl Lescom came in with her incredible voice to wail on ‘Even Jesus (Wasn't Loved In His Hometown)’ and ‘Bastard Of The Blues’ (the song) as well as Nick Walsh, who used his pipes to take ‘Screaming At The Moon’ to the next level.

Aaron Murray, our illustrious producer, had been working day and night to get this done, as has Matt Brooks of Babyjack Design with the artwork. Next week the mix goes off to Carvelo Mastering in Toronto and then to Perris Records in Texas and John Ball in Brantford to be pressed. Thank you to all our fans who bought advance copies. You can order now by sending $20.00 (includes shipping) to Paypal. Use bvollm0656@rogers.com for payment.”

'Bastard Of The Blues'
'Even Jesus (Wasn't Loved In His Hometown)'
'Screamin' At The Moon'
'Metal At Midnight'
'Axe To Grind'
'When All The Love Is Gone'
'Winning Is The Best Revenge'
'Hellbound For A Heartbreak'
'Skin In The Game'
'The Bitch Is A Bullet'
'Sticks & Stones'

Catch Helix live:

May
16 - Salamandra - Barcelona, Spain
17 - Cultural Burlada - Pamplona-Casa, Spain
18 - Shoko - Madrid, Spain
29 - Ribfest - Sioux Falls, South Dakota

August
15 - Rock n' Roar - Spanish, Ontario (with TROOPER)
23 - Whoop-Up Days - Lethbridge, Alberta

October
17 - Backstage Rockbar at Livingroom - Sandviken, Sweden
18 - Scandic Swania - Trollhättan, Sweden
22 - Harry B. James - Stockholm, Sweden
23 - Ritz - Örebro, Sweden
24 - Denim & Leather - Jönköping, Sweden
25 - Gjerdrum Kulturhus - Gjerdrum, Norway

Ohio's DISMEMBERMENT have released their debut full-length, Embrace The Dark, on CD through Horror Pain Gore Death Productions and cassette by Tridroid Records. A full album stream can be found below.
Tracklisting:

'Confess Your Flesh'
'Eye Of The Keeper'
'Archaic Wisdom'
'Labyrinth'
'Sacrifice Reality'
'Aura Of Obscurity'
'Anathema'
'Monolithic Impurity'
'Born To Consume'
For more info visit Facebook.

Indian metal veterans DEMONIC RESURRECTION have announced the release of their fourth full-length album titled The Demon King. The album is due for release worldwide on Candlelight Records and on Universal Music in India.
Release dates:
India: July 13th
UK and Europe: July 14th
USA: July 15th

"We have always played around with unnamed forces of darkness in the past," says Mephisto (Keyboards) explaining the album title. "With this release, we felt the need for an evil overlord to take the reigns and bring in the apocalypse. A savage and unstoppable force such as this had to be a definitive and commanding figure, which is why we came up with The Demon King."

Demonstealer further commented: "This album has been 4 years in the making and we're more than excited to release it. We're also extremely happy to renew our deal with Candlelight Records who will put out the album worldwide and also our new relationship with Universal Music who will release the album in India."

The band's last album The Return To Darkness was released in 2010 on Candlelight Records worldwide and Demonstealer Records in India.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM recently announced the unexpected release of Celestite, an instrumental, experimental companion record to 2011's Celestial Lineage.
Celestite sees the band take a deeper excursion into the crystalline synthesizer-driven domains that have long intrigued them. With the aid of producer Randall Dunn, the band unearthed a hidden soundscape that is only loosely tethered to their familiar sound, yet is still unmistakably the work of Wolves In The Throne Room.

The North American release date for Celestite is set for July 8th, marking the maiden release on the band's new label, Artemisia Records, which will be their outlet for future recordings. The cover art and track listing for the album have now been revealed.
Tracklisting:

'Turning Ever Towards The Sun'
'Initiation at Neudeg Alm'
'Bridge of Leaves'
'Celestite Mirror'
'Sleeping Golden Storm'

Additional information on the creation of the album as well as audio samples will be released in the coming weeks.

Wolves In The Throne Room will return to the road this summer in conjunction with the release of Celestite, with a run of West Coast North American July tour dates just announced and more to follow.

Tour dates:

July
11 - Capital Theatre Backstage - Olympia, WA
12 - Shakedown - Bellingham, WA
13 - The Venue - Vancouver, BC
14 - Crocodile - Seattle, WA
15 - Star Theatre - Portland, OR
17 - Slim's - San Francisco, CA
18 - Catalyst Atrium - Santa Cruz, CA
19 - Che Café - San Diego, CA
20 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA

Connecticut-based prog-rock quintet MILE MARKER ZERO have released their Young Rust EP.
Recorded by Vic Steffens (LITA FORD, XYZ) and mixed by Michael Birnbaum and Chris Bittner (BAD BRAINS, COHEED AND CAMBRIA) at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY - Young Rust, the group’s first release since their acclaimed self-titled debut released in 2009, contains a total of six new songs and is available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon among other digital music stores.
Young Rust EP tracklisting:

'The Great Unknown'
'Where I Want You'
'Bound'
'Trick Of The Tongue'
'Toughest Love'
'Between The Lines'
On Friday May 16th, Mile Marker Zero will commemorate the release of Young Rust with a special acoustic performance at Idle Hands Bar in New York City beginning at 7 PM. Idle Hands is located at 25 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009. For more info, visit this location.

In order to reward the fans for their magnificent support, Italian pioneers of blackened doom metal, Forgotten Tomb, have released a free live album recorded during Kings Of Black Metal Festival in Germany in 2012. The audio has been professionally mixed and originally comes from Forgotten Tomb's brand new DVD, Darkness In Stereo: Eine Symphonie Des Todes - Live In Germany, which additionally offers a full video of the above-mentioned concert, as well as excerpts filmed at: Under The Black Sun Festival and K17 Club in Berlin in 2012. While The DVD is available today in Europe (and will be released on May 13th in North America via Agonia Records); the free audio album can be downloaded now at Bandcamp.
Audio tracklisting:

‘Intro (Springtime Depression)’
‘Reject Existence’
‘Shutter’
‘Solitude Ways’
‘Todestrieb’
‘Spectres Over Venice’
‘Disheartenment/Alone/Steal My Corpse’ (medley)
Trailer #1:
Trailer #2:

US death metal legends INCANTATION will release their new album, Dirges Of Elysium, on June 10th in Europe, and on June 24th in North America, via Listenable Records. The album track 'Carrion Prophesy' can be heard below. Check out the artwork by Eliran Kantor:
The band recently commented: "Elysium. Sky burial, necromancy, a cult in ancient Prussia, and pure blasphemy all await those who will hear the new release. The music is diverse and holds more aggression then our previous, along side with more doom hymns heard at a demonic funeral! As each and every record gets better by date, this by far surpasses any past materials!! Hell awaits in the ashes of Elysium!!"

'Carrion Prophesy':
More album details to follow. For more info visit Incantation.com.

Puerto Rican death/thrashers ZAFAKON have released a video for 'Fall', the track featured on the band's debut album, War As A Drug.
War As A Drug tracklisting:

'Intro'
'War As A Drug'
'Fall'
'In Resistance'
'Collateral Slavery'
'The Call Of Winslow'
'Conspiracy'
'Summoning The Vortex' (featuring Joel Grind)
'At The Mercy Of Fate'

'Fall' video:
'Summoning The Vortex' lyric video:
Zafakon are currently at work on what will be their second tour around the US. Details to follow.

During their most recent European tour, Brazilian death metal band KROW - at the invitation of producer Ronnie Bjornström (MESHUGGAH, AEON) - recorded their newest EP at Garageland Studios in Umea, Sweden. Titled Relentless Disease, the EP contains two songs which are available digitally, and will be released soon in physical format.

The cover art was created by renowned Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu, who has worked with bands like ARCH ENEMY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS and GRAVE.
Listen to the EP below:
Take a survey and try to count how many metal bands – national and international – have continentally toured for more than five months in recent years. Krow is one of these few rare bands.

The tour began with the release of Traces Of The Trade in Santiago, Chile in March 2nd, 2012, the band was invited to play with DIMMU BORGIR. With the new album in hand the band again went to Europe, this trip yielded the music video for ‘Retaliated’, recorded in Romania with the participation of Alvaro Lilo, bassist for WATAIN and vocalist of UNDERCROFT, and shared the stage in concerts and festivals alongside the likes of Undercroft, ARCH ENEMY, DYING FETUS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, HAEMORRAGE, ONSLAUGHT, and has also participated of Destroying the Balkans Tour with the SINISTER.
The band finished 2012 among the best of the year in several specialized sites and began in 2013 following the promtion of the album throughout Brazil, making an extensive tour through the Northeast, North and Midwest of the country, and than left for Europe again for a large sequence of concerts and festivals in another arm of the tour supporting the album.

With the name Framework of Violence Tour the band performed for more than five months with bands such as NAPALM DEATH, DECAPITATED, SEPTIC FLESH, PRIMORDIAL, AGATHOCLES, NEGURA BUNGET, besides a summer tour with EXHUMED

You can also check the official video the band recorded with Alvaro Lilo from Watain below:

Copenhagen, Denmark-based death metal rockers BILLY BOY IN POISON have released their new video, for the track ‘Decadent God’, featured on their debut album, Watchers, available via Mighty Music.

Filmed in Portugal and directed by Sara Samsøe, the video forgoes the classic live shots for all story and mood.

“Our last music video was filmed at a festival show, this time we wanted something wholly different than just dudes playing”, the band explains and continues: “The plot is based off the song’s lyrical theme about how religion is used for indoctrination and control, and spiritual doubt is at the center, but we also wanted it to be somewhat open to interpretation.”
Watchers is produced, mixed and mastered by the renowned Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, ABORTED, MERCENARY, etc.), which resulted in a tight and powerful soundscape. Variety and coherency is key on the album, with the band leaning on contemporary death metal, but infusing it with crunch and catchiness from metalcore. Punishing heavy riffs and blast beats are accompanied by both atmospheric parts and an occasional progressive twist.

Watchers tracklisting:

'Through The Haze'
'Decadent God'
'A Shadow Of My Past'
'The Last Shreds Of Humanity'
'Mask Of Insecurity'
'A Scent Of Blood'
'Capture It All'
'Corrupted Into Slaves'
'Hibernation'

'Corrupted Into Slaves' video:
Billy Boy In Poison lineup:

Steven Borgwardt - vocals
Mikkel Larsen – guitars
Alexander Mortensen – guitars
Troels Lehmann – bass
Niclas Mortensen - drums

Still riding high from the success of their critically acclaimed 2011 album "The Great Mass", Hellenic metallers SEPTICFLESH will release their new full-length album, "Titan", on June 24 via Season Of Mist in Europe and Prosthetic in North America. The new CD consists of 10 songs that were recorded once again at Devasoundz Studios in Athens, Greece and in the Czech Republic with the collaboration of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra And Choir. From there, the album was mixed and mastered in Los Angeles by acclaimed producer Logan Mader (GOJIRA, FEAR FACTORY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY).

"Titan" track listing:

01. War In Heaven02. Burn03. Order Of Dracul04. Prototype05. Dogma06. Prometheus07. Titan08. Confessions Of A Serial Killer09. Ground Zero10. The First Immortal

The song "Burn" can be streamed below.

Says the band: "We are really exhausted from the work on this record, but also very proud of the results. We worked hard with Logan to bring you the ultimate death metal soundtrack for your darkest dreams. The compositions are progressive with a lot of emotional peaks, while at the same time the songs sound very aggressive and powerful. We also had the chance to work for the first time with a full children's choir besides the regular adult choir, and that helped us dive deeper into darker cinematic atmospheres. We have achieved a new level of extreme emotions."

SEPTICFLESH has earned extensive international praise for its eight albums to date, as well as their performances on tour alongside the likes of CRADLE OF FILTH, AMON AMARTH, GORGOROTH, SATYRICON and CHILDREN OF BODOM.

Austrian death/ black metal metallers BELPHEGOR will release their tenth album, "Conjuring The Dead", on August August 11 in Europe via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2011's "Blood Magick Necromance" was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE). Songtitles set to appear on BELPHEGOR's new CD include "Gasmask Terror", "Rex Tremendae Majestatis", "Take Her, Lucifer!" and "The Inverted Cross". The cover artwork was created by Greek artist Anthon Siro Seth, who previously worked on BELPHEGOR's "Pestapokalypse VI" album in 2006. Commented BELPHEGOR guitarist/vocalist Helmuth Lehner: "The spectacular cover, the offensive lyrical content, the Death Musick. BELPHEGOR's nine new sound collages are a new dimension of intensity and dynamics." Added Seth: "Once you can customize the basic principles of Renaissance painting and deriving energy/data from chaotic reservoir of unconscious... you get BELPHEGOR's 'Conjuring The Dead' cover art." "Blood Magick Necromance" was released in January 2011 in Europe and February 2011 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast Records.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS have confirmed that their American drummer, James Kottak, arrived in the U.S. last night after spending a month in a Dubai, United Arab Emirates jail for insulting Islam. The band added in a statement posted on Facebook: "[James] will have to find the time to sort out his problems."

For SCORPIONS' recent concerts in Germany, Swedish drummer Johan Franzon filled in for Kottak.

According to The National, the 51-year-old Kottak consumed five glasses of wine on an April 3 flight from Moscow to Dubai while travelling to Bahrain on a Gulf Air flight to perform two days later at the country's Formula One grand prix. After taking a wrong turn and entering the transit hall, Kottak "started swearing and talking about 'non-educated Muslims' before he flashed his middle finger at passengers," according to witnesses. Police said he also lowered his trousers and showed people his behind.

An officer said he heard Kottak saying "what is this disgusting smell" before the drummer insulted Islam. "I didn't see anything else but I heard him," the officer said. "I then informed my supervisor, who came and took the defendant away."

A 27-year-old client service employee at the airport added: "When he [Kottak] saw the Pakistani and Afghani passengers, he covered his nose and said that there was no way he will travel with them." He added that the drummer then started swearing repeatedly at the arrivals area of Terminal 2. "He wasn't talking to a person specifically but was talking in general," the client service employee said. "He was very nervous at the time and talking loudly."

A 25-year-old Jordanian passenger services agent said Kottak came over to her and "was shouting 'non-educated Muslims' then he went to the office of the head and flashed his middle finger at the passengers."

Kottak denied that he insulted Islam, telling prosecutors: "I don't remember saying these words and I did not flash my middle finger." He also denied taking down his trousers, saying: "This is not true — I just lifted my shirt up to show the tattoo on my back" as a "spontaneous act." "There is no way that I would say such a phrase about Muslims, whether I was drunk or not," he said.

"I confess to drinking alcohol but I refuse the other two charges, I did not do them," he added.

In addition to spending one month in jail, Kottak was fined 2,000 dirhams (approximately $545) for drinking alcohol without a license.

Kottak's time spent in detention was deducted from his sentence.

Because of his arrest, Kottak did not perform with his bandmates at the April 5 show at the 2014 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and was replaced at the gig by Mark Cross (TAINTED NATION, FIREWIND, OUTLOUD, HELLOWEEN, METALLIUM).

In a 2005 interview, Kottak, who has been in the SCORPIONS since 1996, stated about his audition for the band: "I was always a SCORPIONS fan for the songs on the radio because in America they played them non-stop. I was never the guy that went out and bought their records but I always liked their songwriting and the songs and the whole vibe. Then I was in a band called KINGDOM COME in 1987-1990 and we opened for the SCORPIONS and I saw them and they were so professional on the Monsters Of Rock tour, [and] I was totally blown away. But I never went out and bought their albums, I never went out and bought any other albums either. I was a fan of all music — good or bad. It was on the radio so much, I didn't need to buy it. I spent all my money buying drums, drumsticks and cymbals. In the audition, I knew most of the SCORPIONS music from playing in cover bands. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky. That's how I earned my money in the early '80s — we played 'Still Loving You', 'Rock You Like a Hurricane', 'Big City Nights'. The flattering point with the SCORPIONS [was] when I did fly to Germany for the 'audition,' it wasn't so much an audition, more like, 'Let's get together and see how it feels.' So, I was very flattered about that because they did audition like another 25 drummers. I was very flattered to be picked."



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Post by Scorpions.

A two-camera mix of the reunited classic lineup of U.K. death metallers CANCER — John Walker (guitar, vocals), Carl Stokes, Ian Buchanan (bass) and Barry Savage (lead guitar) — performing on May 2 at The Haygate, Telford, England can be seen below.

CANCER in 2005 released a "comeback" studio album, entitled "Spirit In Flames", on the Copro label. The group's first full-length studio album (fifth overall) since 1995's "Black Faith" was recorded over a three-week period at Philia studios in Henley on Thames, England. An EP, entitled "Corporation$", preceded the "Spirit In Flames" CD and was also released through Copro. Included on the effort was the group's cover version of the CELTIC FROST classic "Dethroned Emperor".

CANCER's most recent lineup included Stokes, Walker, bassist Adam Richardson, and guitarist Dave Leitch (PULVERISED). Leitch replaced Rob Engvikson in 2004 after Rob left the group to focus on his long-running ASATRU project.

CANCER split up in 2006 "due to the lack of comitment to the band from John Walker," according to a statement released at the time by Carl Stokes.

DIMENSION ZERO — the Swedish band featuring ex-IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad (on bass), ex-MARDUK vocalist Joakim "Jocke" Göthberg, LUCIFERION/DIABOLIQUE drummer Hans Nilsson, and ex-SOILWORK guitarist Daniel Antonsson — has been confirmed for next year's edition of the Gothenburg Sound Festival, set to take place January 2-3 at Trädgårn in Gothenburg, Sweden. Also scheduled to appear are DARK TRANQUILLITY and INTOXICATE.

Visit www.gothenburgsound.com for more details. DIMENSION ZERO's third album, "He Who Shall Not Bleed", was released in 2007 via Vic Records. It contained "11 tracks of aggressive, fast and melodic Gothenburg metal," according to a press release, and it featured a guest appearance by ANNIHILATOR's Jeff Waters.

DIMENSION ZERO's sophomore full-length album, "This is Hell", was released in October 2003 through Regain Records. The CD — the band's first to feature Antonsson — was recorded at Phlat Planet studios in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer and IN FLAMES frontman Anders Fridén.

Swedish thrashers CARNAL FORGE released a new single, "When All Else Fails", on April 30. It includes the tracks "Chemical Disincorporation" and "Bleed For Me", the latter of which features guest guitar solos from Per Nilsson from SCAR SYMMETRY and Mike Wead of KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE.

The official lyric video for "Chemical Disincorporation" can be seen below.

Joining CARNAL FORGE's founding guitarist Jari Kuusisto in the band's current lineup is Jens C. Mortensen (vocals), who sang on CF's latest full-length album, 2007's "Testify For My Victims", along with longtime members Lars Lindén (bass) and Petri Kuusisto (lead guitar) and the group's latest addition, drummer Lawrence Dinamarca (LOCH VOSTOK, BLEEDING UTOPIA). CARNAL FORGE is: Jens C. Mortensen - VocalsPetri Kuusisto - Lead GuitarJari Kuusisto - Rhythm Guitar Lars Lindén - BassLawrence Dinamarca - Drums "Testify For My Victims" was released in the U.S. in May 2007 via Candlelight Records.

IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain backed 2014 world snooker champion Mark Selby as Mark celebrated winning his first world championship title with an impromptu karaoke performance on Monday, May 5 in Sheffield, England.

McBrain, who was in the audience to watch the memorable final, joined Selby and the Manchester group MANCINI FIRES as Mark serenaded fans at the Mecure Hotel with various songs, including a version of the classic "Mr. Bojangles", KINGS OF LEON's "Sex On Fire", R.E.M.'s "Losing my Religion" and THE MONKEES' "I'm A Believer".

Fan-filmed video footage of the "Losing my Religion" and "I'm A Believer" performances can be seen below.

DOWN's new EP, "Down IV - Part Two", can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. Tracked at Nodferatu's Lair — iconic vocalist Philip H. Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson, Anselmo and DOWN, the new EP is the eagerly anticipated sequel to "Down IV - Part One". Due on May 13 via Down Records/ADA Music, the new offering from DOWN is packed with the quintet's signature gargantuan riffs, swamp blues leads, crashing drums and hypnotic howls, upholding a certain tradition that countless fans celebrate, expanding their own musical mythos as they leave its pillars intact and untouched. In support of the upcoming record, DOWN has taken its renowned live show on the road this spring, joining BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and DEVIL YOU KNOW on a North American tour. The tour, which also includes DOWN headlining shows and festival appearances, began at Iron City in Birmingham, Alabama on May 2, and will end at Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma on May 25. The run also includes an appearance on May 24 at Emo's in Austin at the "Rock the Heart" concert, a benefit for the late Mike Scaccia's (RIGOR MORTIS, MINISTRY) "Heart Rock" foundation, with the goal of raising awareness about heart disease. When Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Jimmy Bower, Pat Bruders, and Bobby Landgraf retreated to Nodferatu's Lair at Anselmo's Lousiana home in the fall of 2013, things had changed a bit. For the first time in the band's storied career, Kirk Windstein wouldn't be handling guitar duties alongside Keenan. Instead, longtime "family" member, stage manager, and HONKY guitarist Landgraf took the reins. "He was immediately at home," affirms Anselmo. "Bobby had always been that guy in case of anything. Knowing his personality, he really locked in with what we do and took it to heart. He made himself belong. Honestly, the first day he came down he contributed a very strong riff to a key song. There's that Southern element, which is imperative. I also catch a real old heavy metal vibe from this record. I can't stress this enough. He took it all on, and he did a fucking awesome job." Keenan adds, "Even with the lineup differences, it's interesting how the songs still sound very DOWN. Bobby and I have always locked in. It's not just physically either, but mentally as well. We see eye-to-eye, and he's been watching for a long time." "It was a big deal for me," beams Landgraf. "I drove ten hours up from Texas that first day, cracked a beer, and plugged in. We jumped right into the room, and I played this part. They all smiled. That was the moment for me. I'm a longtime fan, and I knew we were friends, but being a part of the writing and working towards something together was just incredible. As a guitar player, one of my goals was to be in a group like this. I want to make everyone proud." The fans will undoubtedly take pride in this collection as well. Making good on DOWN's promise of a series of EPs, the second installment sees a pronounced progression amongst the individuals themselves as well. "We wanted to back up our word as far as releasing these EPs," Anselmo goes on. "Everybody was fixated on that. This is the shortest period of time between our releases, and every one stepped it up and upped his game. Keenan, Bower, Bruders and Landgraf all contributed some excellent riffs. Having all of this fresh input makes for a different listen and a new perspective on what DOWN should and does sound like. All of that yields a unique record off the bat." For the future, DOWN's sights are set on endless touring. Landgraf made his formal stage debut when the band headlined Anselmo's first annual Housecore Horror Film Festival in front of a packed audience of the faithful in October 2013. Now, it's just about bringing that inimitable sound everywhere possible. "Down IV - Part Two" track listing:

01. Steeple02. We Knew Him Well03. Hogshead/Dogshead04. Conjure05. Sufferer's Years06. Bacchanalia

California deathcore masters SUICIDE SILENCE will release "You Can't Stop Me", their first album to feature new vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (ex-ALL SHALL PERISH) and their first since the tragic loss of singer Mitch Lucker, on July 11 in Europe (except in the U.K., where it will arrive on July 14) and July 15 in North America via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

"You Can't Stop Me" was produced and mixed by Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN), who worked with the band not only on "The Black Crown", but also on some instrumental demos for the new CD just prior to Lucker's death in the fall of 2012.

"You Can't Stop Me" standard jewelcase track listing:

01. M.A.L.02. Inherit The Crown03. Cease To Exist04. Sacred Words05. Control (feat. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher)06. Warrior07. You Can't Stop Me08. Monster Within (feat. Greg Puciato)09. We Have All Had Enough10. Ending Is The Beginning11. Don't Die12. Ouroboros

"You Can't Stop Me" special edition track listing:

01. M.A.L. 02. Inherit The Crown03. Cease To Exist04. Sacred Words05. Control (feat. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher)06. Warrior07. You Can't Stop Me08. Monster Within (feat. Greg Puciato)09. We Have All Had Enough10. Ending Is The Beginning11. Don't Die12. Ouroboros

Bonus Tracks:

13. Blue Haze14. Last Breath (HATEBREED cover)+ Bonus DVD (featuring studio & touring footage)

"You Can't Stop Me" vinyl track listing:

Side One:

01. M.A.L.02. Inherit The Crown03. Cease To Exist04. Sacred Words05. Control (feat. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher)06. Warrior

Side Two:

01. You Can't Stop Me02. Monster Within (feat. Greg Puciato)03. We Have All Had Enough04. Ending Is The Beginning05. Don't Die06. Ouroboros

The official lyric video for the song "Cease To Exist" can be seen below.

"The long and short of it is this," says guitarist Mark Heylmun. "Mitch left behind a set of lyrics with the title 'You Can't Stop Me'. This gave us chills, to say the least, and we knew we had the title and title track. This filled us with inspiration for writing sessions to empower us and empower you, the supporters of SUICIDE SILENCE.

"We as a band (and Steve Evetts) worked tirelessly on this record and I'm not gonna say we can't wait for you to hear it. I'm gonna tell you that you have to hear it. You have to sit and listen from start to finish.

"I'm not gonna tell you this is our best record we've ever done. I'm gonna tell you this is the record we care more about than any record we've ever done. This is a record that we fought, bled, sweated, and fucking cried over.

"Go pick up a copy and turn this sucker up to eleven.

"We couldn't be more excited.

"Thank you all for supporting SUICIDE SILENCE."

Mitch Lucker died November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach that Halloween night.

"We never talked about continuing and we never talked about quitting, so it was like an unspoken thing, 'cause with some people, a tragic happening, the last thing you want to do is talk about it," SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza told Music Feeds.

Ultimately, Garza explained, carrying on as SUICIDE SILENCE felt like the right thing to do. "I think keeping the SUICIDE SILENCE brand going and the name going keeps Mitch alive and I think it would be completely disrespectful to Mitch and everything that he worked for if we stopped going or changed the name," he added.

Regarding the direction of the new material, Heylmun told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine: "Eddie is quite a versatile vocalist and he's willing to experiment, so we're definitely exploring the horizons, but don't expect anything less than pure brutality throughout."

Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD), Robb Flynn (MACHINE HEAD) and Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) were among the "surprise" guests who performed with with the surviving members of SUICIDE SILENCE at a special show on December 21, 2012 at the Fox theater in Pomona, California as a tribute Mitch Lucker. All proceeds from the event went towards the education of Mitch's six-year-old daughter, Kenadee Lucker.

The Pomona concert was professionally filmed for a DVD, "Suicide Silence - Ending Is The Beginning: The Mitch Lucker Memorial Show", that was released on February 18 in North America and was made available March 17 in Europe as a CD/DVD digipack and CD/Blu-ray combo pack.

SUICIDE SILENCE 2014 is:

Hernan "Eddie" Hermida - VocalsChris Garza - GuitarMark Heylmun - GuitarAlex Lopez - DrumsDan Kenny - Bass

Michael Sweet, frontman for the Chiristian hard rock band STRYPER, has just released a new full-length solo album, "I'm Not Your Suicide", and his first autobiography, "Honestly: My Life And Stryper Revealed", via BIG3 Records.

The official video for Sweet's cover of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold", a duet between the STRYPER frontman and MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's 16-year-old daughter Electra, can be seen below.

The future remains bright for Sweet, who has endured heartbreaking tribulations throughout his life and career, including the 2009 passing of his wife of more than 22 years, Kyle. In 2010, Sweet remarried to Lisa Champagne-Sweet, a woman he describes as "a Godsend and the one who fits perfectly by my side."

Sweet continues to record and tour with STRYPER, as well as touring and recording as a solo artist, all the while making frequent trips to Nashville where he is writing with some of the biggest music writers in the business.

"After 30 years in this business, I feel honored and blessed to be able to continue doing what it is I love, making music," said Sweet.

"I'm extremely thankful to have the greatest fans in the world.

"God has blessed me with this talent and I plan to continue on this path as long as I can draw breath."

Sweet's autobiography, "Honestly: My Life And Stryper Revealed", chronicles an amazing 30-year career and includes endorsements from Eddie Trunk, Dave Mustaine, Larry The Cable Guy, Jeordie White and Chris Jericho. Among the topics covered are:

* How Michael Sweet formed the first Christian rock band to hit #1 on MTV, paving the way for an entire genre of music.* First-hand stories of the Sunset Strip, with never-before-told stories that include friends and musical peers such as POISON, MÖTLEY CRÜE, RATT, WHITESNAKE, METALLICA and more.* How Jimmy Swaggart and Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker played a role in Michael's life.* The temptations and ultimate low-points of a notable Christian rock star.* Never-before-revealed stories of life behind the scenes in STRYPER.* Why so many people have declared Michael Sweet a significant influence on their lives; from Larry The Cable Guy to professional wrestler Chris Jericho to Haitian musician and politician Wyclef Jean and more.* Losing his wife to cancer and re-marrying shortly thereafter.* An honest look at Sweet's often tumultuous family relationships.* The unlikely relationship between Sweet and national radio personality Don Imus.* What led to the decline and fall of STRYPER in 1992, and subsequent reunion and rebirth in 2001.

Produced by Sweet himself, "I'm Not Your Suicide" includes additional appearances by Tony Harnell (TNT), Kevin Max (DCTALK, AUDIO ADRENALINE), Chris Jericho (FOZZY), Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE) and STRYPER bandmates Robert Sweet and Timothy Gaines. Legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff (CHICKENFOOT) played on the record as well.

"I'm Not Your Suicide" track listing:

01. Taking On The World Tonight (featuring Tony Harnell)02. All That's Left (For Me To Prove)03. The Cause04. This Time (featuring Kevin Max)05. I'm Not Your Suicide (co-written with Blair Daly)06. Coming Home07. Miles Away08. Strong09. How To Live (featuring Robert Sweet and Timothy Gaines of Stryper) 10. Heart Of Gold11. Anybody Else (featuring Chris Jericho and Doug Aldrich)12. Unsuspecting13. Heart Of Gold (featuring Electra Mustaine) (bonus Track)

Fan-filmed video footage of TESLA performing two news songs — "MP3" and "Ricochet" — on May 2 at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy can be seen below. The tracks are taken from the band's new studio album "Simplicity", which will be released on June 6 in Europe viaFrontiers Records and on June 10 in North America through Tesla Electric Company Recording's arrangement with Entertainment One Music and distribution.

The Sacramento rockers are back with 14 new songs offering a ride of energy that doesn't come easy for a band of rookies much less a band whose been doing this for over 20 years. "Simplicity" is TESLA's seventh all-original studio album which follows a six-year creative break from the release of the previous album, "Forever More".

After a string of shows in the USA in 2013, the band went back into the studio in early 2014 and came out with a new album, which goes straight back to the TESLA roots. The bandmembers produced it themselves, as they did with "Into The Now", their successful comeback effort from 2004. Helped by the legendary Tom Zutaut, who was the man behind the best TESLA albums, this new CD rocks from start to finish, showing a variety of emotions where each song has its own twist — not sounding like another.

The first new song off the new album, "Taste My Pain", was released last summer digitally via iTunes and Amazon. The track was recorded during a two-day (June 5-6, 2013) session at J Street Recorders in Sacramento. The new song is, according to the band, "A heavier song with a hard-driving beat and TESLA trademark blazing guitars."

Guitarist Frank Hannon says about "Simplicity": "I must say that this new TESLA album is really gonna be awesome. We went in more prepared with the songs and ideas way more than 'Forever More', and the style is pure TESLA back to our roots. I truly believe you guys are gonna love it!"

"The opening track is called 'MP3'," continues Hannon, "and starts off with an opus intro that orchestrates into a heavy slow groove with lyrics about technology and how we miss simplicity, vinyl albums, family values...and has a heavy-ass riff! Then we segue into a rock and roll song called 'Ricochet' that talks about Uncle Ted... [I] can't wait to play this stuff live!”

"Simplicity" (European version) track listing:

01. MP302. Ricochet03. Rise And Fall04. So Divine...05. Cross My Heart06. Honestly07. Flip Side!08. Other Than Me09. Break Of Dawn10. Burnout To Fade11. Life Is A River12. Sympathy13. Time Bomb14. 'Til That Day15. Burnout To Fade (writing demo version) *

"Simplicity" was mixed by legendary producer Michael Wagener (SKID ROW, OZZY OSBOURNE, METALLICA, DOKKEN, ACCEPT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITE LION, EXTREME, POISON, MEGADETH, OVERKILL, TESTAMENT).

* Bonus track

TESLA is:

Jeff Keith: Lead VocalsFrank Hannon: Guitars, Vocals, Piano, BassBrian Wheat: Bass, Vocals, PianoTroy Luccketta: Drums and PercussionDave Rude: Guitars, Vocals, Bass

Fan-filmed video footage of DEVIL YOU KNOW — the creative union of Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and John Sankey (DEVOLVED) — performing on April 30 at the House Of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Florida can be seen below.

DEVIL YOU KNOW is supporting BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on this year's Revolver Golden Gods Tour, which kicked off on April 16 in Portland and will wrap up on June 7 in Los Angeles. Also appearing on the bill is DOWN.

DEVIL YOU KNOW's debut album, "The Beauty Of Destruction", was released on both physical and digital formats on April 25 in Europe and April 29 in North America via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced by Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DEVILDRIVER, SOULFLY) and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, SOULFLY). Artwork for the album was created by noted painter and illustrator Travis Smith (OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND).

"When Travis Smith presented us with the initial sketches we were blown away,” commented Jones. "He captured the concept of the album perfectly. It's hugely different than anything that's out there and will be immediately recognizable as DEVIL YOU KNOW."

"The Beauty Of Destruction" track listing:

01. A New Beginning02. My Own03. Embracing The Torture04. For The Dead And Broken05. Seven Years Alone06. It's Over07. A Mind Insane08. Crawl From The Dark09. The Killer10. I Am The Nothing11. Shut It Down12. As Bright As The Darkness13. Sacrifice (bonus track - vinyl LP only)

DEVIL YOU KNOW's touring lineup is completed by guitarist Roy Lev-Ari and BLEEDING THROUGH bassist Ryan Wombacher.

DEVIL YOU KNOW made its live debut on February 15 at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. The group also took part in the 2014 edition of Australia's Soundwave Festival.

DEVIL YOU KNOW was born out of Artusato and Sankey's creative quest to stretch beyond their extreme metal backgrounds. The two had written over a dozen songs before even attempting to lock down a singer. "We were unsure if Howard would be interested," said Sankey." Yet, when KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's former frontman received the material, a creative ideal began to solidify.

Finally connecting in Los Angeles during the last months of 2012, a highly distinctive sound began to become apparent. "It turned from bare-bones musical ideas into something that surpassed any of our expectations," said Jones. "It went from something we thought was going to be a fun, heavy project into something very real." It was during a recording session at the start of 2013 with producer and former MACHINE HEAD and SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader that DEVIL YOU KNOW's ideas began to alchemize into something none of the bands members would ever expect. "It became a departure from what I'm known for," said Artusato. "I wasn't focusing on technical guitar parts (even though I still love that aspect of writing) but simply on writing what felt best for each individual song."

The writing and recording process for DEVIL YOU KNOW's debut album "was surprisingly easy," stated Artusato. "When we get together it just works." The band is also quick to sum up the studio vibe with producer Mader as "intensely creative," said Sankey. "Logan definitely helped us realize and define the DEVIL YOU KNOW sound." Jones agreed: "He went from producer, to unsung member, to friend."

"It's a different style of music for me," said Jones of DEVIL YOU KNOW's unique sound. "It's heavy as anything any of us are known for but I get to do some different things people won't expect. I've been singing almost all my life. Being around good songwriters and musicians in my former bands really helped mold me into who I am now."

Fan-filmed video footage of < Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL performing the song "Our Truth" on April 27 at the Welcome To Rockville festival at Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida can be seen below.

LACUNA COIL's latest studio album, "Broken Crown Halo", registered the following first-week chart positions:

Italy: #13USA: #27Switzerland: #37Germany: #40UK: #45Austria: #55France: #56Belgium (Wallonia): #61Greece: #63Canada: #65Belgium (Flanders): #176 (first week), #66 (second week)Netherlands: #75

"Broken Crown Halo" sold around 13,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD arrived in stores on April 1 via Century Media.

LACUNA COIL's previous effort, "Dark Adrenaline", opened with around 20,000 units in 2012 to debut at No. 15.

The band's 2009 album, "Shallow Life", premiered with 21,000 copies to enter the chart at No. 16.

LACUNA COIL's "Karmacode" album registered a first-week tally of 34,000 copies back in April 2006 to land at No. 28. It has since sold more than 200,000 units in the U.S.

"Broken Crown Halo" was recorded Italy by producer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., SEVENDUST, EVANESCENCE, PAPA ROACH) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., BUSH, ZEBRAHEAD). The effort was mastered by Howie Weinberg, whose credits include RAMMSTEIN, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, DEFTONES and SHERYL CROW.

LACUNA COIL in February hit the road as a quintet as part of "The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour" following the departures of guitarist Cris "Pizza" Migliore and drummer Cristiano "Criz" Mozzati. Marco "Maus" Biazzi handled all guitar duties on the trek while drummer Ryan Blake Folden once again sat behind the kit.

The Revolver-magazine-presented "The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour kicked off February 20 and featured LACUNA COIL sharing a stage with SICK PUPPIES, Century Media Records labelmates EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER. The tour launched in Wilmington, North Carolina, and ran through March 20 in Anaheim, California.

AT THE GATES frontman Tomas "Tompa" Linderg joined PENTAGRAM CHILE on stage on April 26 at The Metal Fest in Santiago, Chile to perform the song "Sacrophobia" and a cover of the DEATH classic "Evil Dead". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

PENTAGRAM CHILE's first-ever studio album, "The Malefice", was released last September via Germany's Cyclone Empire Records. Drums for the CD were tracked at Sade Studios in Santiago, Chile, while all guitars and vocals were recorded at HVR Studios in Suffolk, U.K., where the album was mixed by vocalist/guitarist Anton Reisenegger with longtime friend, collaborator, co-producer and studio owner Daniel Biggin. The cover artwork is an illustration by renowned Argentinian artist Santiago Caruso. "The Malefice" was made available in three different formats: double gatefold vinyl, double CD digipak and regular jewel case CD.

While the main part of the album consists of all-new material written by founding members Reisenegger and Juan Pablo Uribe (lead guitar) over the previous two years, the band also re-recorded their classic demo material from the 1980s.

While the PENTAGRAM drum throne was taken over by veteran Chilean drummer Juan Pablo Donoso (SADISM, EXECRATOR, THRONAFIRE) after original member Eduardo Topelberg left the band (he is now a local politician for the Ñuñoa district of Santiago), bass duties on the album were split between various musicians. Besides the band's touring bassists Juan Francisco Cueto and Daniel Biggin, the band also invited longtime friend Rodrigo "Pera" Cuadra of DORSO to record the bass on one song, as well as to re-do the evil laughter he originally contributed to the demo version of the track "The Malefice".

Another bassist to guest on the album is Mauricio Peña, brother of original PENTAGRAM bassist Alfredo "Bey" Peña, who committed suicide in 1990.

Fan-filmed video footage of RED DRAGON CARTEL's May 2 performance at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy can be seen below.

RED DRAGON CARTEL is the band led by former OZZY OSBOURNE and BADLANDS guitarist Jake E. Lee.

RED DRAGON CARTEL's self-titled debut album sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 69 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on January 28 via Frontiers Records, the CD was recorded at Las Vegas' The Hideout Recording Studio — owned and operated by Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, IN THIS MOMENT) — and was produced by R. Bernard Mann (a.k.a. Ronnie Mancuso) and Jake E. Lee, and executive-produced, mixed and mastered by Churko.

RED DRAGON CARTEL, which references the axeman's Japanese roots, also features Darren James "D.J." Smith of Canadian metallers WARMACHINE, on vocals, Ronnie Mancuso (BEGGARS & THIEVES) on bass and Jonas Fairley (BLACK BETTY) on drums.

Jake E. Lee is best known for his work in BADLANDS and as guitarist for OZZY OSBOURNE on "Bark At The Moon" and "The Ultimate Sin" albums.

"Red Dragon Cartel" also features various guest appearances from some of rock's most notable faces, including legendary CHEAP TRICK vocalist Robin Zander, former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno, KILL DEVIL HILL/ex-PANTERA bassist Rex Brown, Sass Jordan, Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz (SLASH) and IN THIS MOMENT frontwoman Maria Brink.

JAKE E. LEE'S RED DRAGON CARTEL's setlist includes new material like the singles "Feeder" and "Deceived", as well as major hits from Jake E. Lee's glorious past: "Bark At The Moon", "The Ultimate Sin" and "Rock 'N' Roll Rebel" (all originally recorded by OZZY OSBOURNE), as well as "Shine On" and "High Wire" (BADLANDS).

On April 29th, Cleopatra Records will roll out a series of limited edition deluxe vinyl reissues of five landmark albums by one of the most influential experimental rock bands of all time, iconic German Krautrock legends AMON DÜÜL II.

Each album has been meticulously put together with digitally remastered audio made specifically for these reissues, 180 gram colored vinyl packaged in glue-on heavyweight chip board jackets, and sequentially numbered. The first two reissues to appear will be the spectacular 1969 debut album Phallus Dei and the hugely influential 1972 classic Wolf City. The following month will see the release of the 1971 double LP Dance Of The Lemmings, followed in June by two more - 1973’s Vive La Trance and an extra special lenticular jacket printing of the group’s masterpiece, 1970’s double LP Yeti, which will be limited to just 500 copies.
As thrilling as these extraordinary releases are, what’s more exciting is the long awaited return of this iconic German outfit after a nearly 20-year absence from the music world with a new album, Düülirium! This stunning new album features three of the group’s founding members - guitarist John Weinzierl, guitarist/violinist Chris Karrer, and vocalist Renate Knaup - and will be simultaneously released on both CD and vinyl June 10th.

“Amon Duul never used to present the same style on their albums,” explains guitarist John Weinzierl. “We like to develop our music into all kinds of directions and sometimes we don’t even know where it’s gonna lead us. We don’t follow a pattern only because it is successful. Since 2000 we’ve used lots of elements of world music, we had eastern influences, ethnological sounds, and of course we never forgot ‘sound painting’.”

When asked if there was a concept behind this new album, Weinzierl expounded, “Avoiding industry music, heading for new frontiers.”

Düülirium will be available at all fine music stores, including iTunes, starting June 10th. Purchase the vinyl reissues here.