The video for the song "All My Friends Are Dead" from former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach can be seen below. The clip is dedicated to a number of fallen hard rock/heavy metal musicians that we lost way too soon.

"All My Friends Are Dead" is taken from Bach's new solo album, "Give 'Em Hell", which is being released on April 22 via Frontiers Records. The follow-up to 2011's "Kicking & Screaming" was once again produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, BLACK SABBATH and SHINEDOWN, among others.

Of the new album, Sebastian Bach enthused: "I could not be more proud of the new CD, 'Give 'Em Hell'. As a rock music fan myself, I listen to it every single day. As a musician, I honestly feel like I have reached a new level of album recording. As an audiophile, I could not be more blown away by the sound! The production and mastering sound so good that it's perfect to show off your high-end stereo system.

"Ever since my first record, 'Skid Row', on through 'Slave To The Grind' up to 'Kicking & Screaming' and 'Angel Down', I have always been concerned, first and foremost, with making quality records for my fans. And I can honestly say that 'Give 'Em Hell' meets or even exceeds the standards set by some of the records I have put out in the past.

"I can't wait for you all to hear this record! Let's 'Give 'Em Hell' in 2014, mothertruckers!"

"Give 'Em Hell" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.

Sebastian managed to involve in the writing and recording some very special friends and guest stars, including none other than Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), and not one but two top-class guitar players: John 5 (MARILYN MANSON, ROB ZOMBIE) and Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL). Rounding out the lineup on the CD are Devin Bronson (AVRIL LAVIGNE, PINK) on guitar and Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, FATES WARNING) on drums. Duff and Sebastian previously collaborated on Duff's solo album "Believe In Me".

The cover for "Give 'Em Hell" (see below) was once again handled by Richard Villa, who worked on "Kicking & Screaming". Incorporated into the album design is one of the paintings by Sebastian's late father David Bierk, who painted the artwork for SKID ROW's "Slave To The Grind", inside artwork for SKID ROW's "Subhuman Race", and Bach's solo albums "Angel Down" and "Bring 'Em Bach Alive!".

"Give 'Em Hell" track listing:

01. Hell Inside My Head02. Harmony03. All My Friends Are Dead04. Temptation05. Push Away06. Dominator07. Had Enough08. Gun To A Knife Fight09. Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game10. Taking Back Tomorrow11. Disengaged12. Forget You

The video for the CD's first single, "Temptation", can be seen below. The clip was directed by Patrick Fogarty, who has previously worked with BLACK VEIL BRIDES, PICTURE ME BROKEN and THE BURNING OF ROME.

Bach previously stated about "Give 'Em Hell": "We have captured some kick-ass rock and roll magic and producer par excellence Bob Marlette is the wizard behind the board.

"It is such an awesome feeling to be able to say to the planet if you like the music I have put out before, I can guarantee you will dig this one! I cannot stop listening to it and that is the whole intention.

"For those of you who dig my high crazy-ass screams of the other records, well, I am proud to say this new disc features all the ranges and textures I have been known for, clean soaring melodic ballads and blood-curdling death screams from hell."

"All My Friends Are Dead" video:

"Black Heart Rebellion", a new song from Finnish melodic death metallers INSOMNIUM, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's sixth studio album, "Shadows Of The Dying Sun", which will be released on April 28 in Europe and on April 29 in North America via Century Media Records. All the drums were recorded at studio SF Sound with Kimmo Perkkiö while the rest of the instruments were laid down at studio Korkeakoski with Teemu Aalto. André Alvinzi of Fascination Street Studios took care of the mix, with Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers overseeing the mastering. The artwork was once again created by Wille Naukkarinen.

Stated INSOMNIUM bassist/vocalist Niilo Sevänen: "'Black Heart Rebellion' is maybe the most brutal song we have ever done. Violent, epic and massive are the words that come to mind when describing the atmosphere here. Surely this is something different for us, and personally one of my favourite songs on the album!"

"Shadows Of The Dying Sun" track listing:

01. The Primeval Dark 02. While We Sleep 03. Revelations 04. Black Heart Rebellion 05. Lose To Night 06. Collapsing Words 07. The River08. Ephemeral (album version) 09. The Promethean Song 10. Shadows Of The Dying Sun

Last fall, INSOMNIUM released the first song, "Ephemeral", off its forthcoming album. The first track to feature new guitarist Markus Vanhala (also in OMNIUM GATHERUM), who replaced Ville Vänni in 2011, "Ephemeral" was made available digitally in Europe on September 23, 2013 and was accompanied by three bonus tracks — acoustic songs that can be heard in the background of the INSOMNIUM documentary.

INSOMNIUM's most recent album, "One For Sorrow", was released in October 2011 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden with sound engineer Daniel Antonsson (also bassist in DARK TRANQUILLITY and guitarist in DIMENSION ZERO) and at Fantom studios in Tempere, Finland, where the album was also mixed by Samu Oittisen.

"Inferno", the new video from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, can be seen below. The song is the title cut of Friedman's new album, which will be released in late May via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album will be made available through Universal Music). The video's concept is inspired by a television show called "Zenryokusaka" ("Full Power Hill") that airs weekly in Japan, where Friedman has lived for more than a decade and established himself as a popular TV personality. A two-minute compilation of some of Friedman's notable Japanese broadcasts can be seen below.

"The music video for 'Inferno' is an homage/parody of one of my fave Japanese TV shows, 'Zenryokusaka'," Friedman explained. "It's a weekly five-minute show where the entire premise is absolutely nothing but a girl running up a hill. Each week a different girl, and a different hill. I am hooked on this show, and think it is genius in its simplicity and ever-so-slight sexual nature. It took me a while to explain the charm of the show to the video director [David Brodsky], but I think towards the end of making our video together, he got it. It's like many things that happen outside the culture you were born in; you either get it and it's fresh or you don't and it's just weird."

"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 REVOCATION guitar whiz 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

"Steroidhead" — hailed by Rolling Stone as a "mix of searing solos and chugging prog-metal riffs" — was unveiled in January prior to the annual NAMM convention, where Friedman introduced a new Paul Reed Smith signature series guitar and performed live before capacity crowds at the PRS and Roland/Boss demonstration booths.

"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."

Regarding his brand new collaboration with Becker — who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease) at age 20, shortly after joining David Lee Roth's band for the gold-selling 1991 album "A Little Ain't Enough" — Marty said: "[Jason is] able to make music, but he's not able to play guitar. If you see the [documentary] movie 'Not Dead Yet', you'll learn how he does it with his eye movements, because that's all he can move. But his brain is completely intact and his music has evolved, just like any other musician would have evolved over time. So it's really insane how his evolved his music is."

He continued: "I wanted to have one song where [Jason and I] could collaborate, just like we used to collaborate together in CACOPHONY. And what he did was he gave me a bunch of his musical ideas to choose from, and I chose from those, and then I arranged them. And I added my parts to those and I fleshed it out into a complete kind of an opus of a song — it's really long; it's, like, seven and a half minutes or something. And then it came to the point where now I've gotta play Jason's parts of have someone play Jason's parts. So, basically, I played everything that was electric. But there's an acoustic section of the song that I'd rather have an acoustic master play than me, 'cause I'm totally a half-assed acoustic player. So I had a friend of mine named Ewan Dobson, who is also a friend of Jason's, I had him play what Jason wrote and what I arranged of Jason's parts, I had him be Jason. So I had him come into the studio and be Jason, and I had him play exactly the way I had arranged Jason's material. And it was literally just like sitting in a room with Jason and having him play it, because [Ewan] didn't diverge from what was actually written at all, he just interpreted it exactly the way it was… It was written down — I arranged it, I had it written down — so he just nailed it completely perfectly and I wanted to make sure it was true to a Marty-and-Jason collaboration. I mean, [Ewan is] a fantastic guitarist — I would love to collaborate with him sometime — but on this, it was all about the Marty-and-Jason thing. So I had him do the Jason parts on acoustic, and I played everything else on electric. Of course, I play nothing like Jason."

Friedman also spoke in more detail about the track itself, telling VintageRock.com: "The song, it's definitely CACOPHONY, and it's definitely what [Jason and I] would be doing in 2014 and the future. So it's very evolved, it's very new, but it's definitely the two of us. And it came to life thanks to Jason's willingness to contribute and to Ewan's willingness to be Jason for me."

He continued: "I played a rough mix for Jason the other day, and he just loved it. We finished mixing it this week.

"I wanna play it for everybody so bad, but I guess you'll just have to wait until May. I'm very pleased with it."

According to Friedman, his relationship with Becker has not changed since Jason was diagnosed with ALS more than two decades ago.

"To know Jason, to know his story…. Of course, ALS is the worst thing ever, it's an unbelievably sad, horrible situation," Marty explained. "But Jason, whenever [we are in contact with each other], ever since he's had it, it's the same as it ever was, just the same as friends. We never talk about, 'Oh, it's so sad, I'm so bummed, I'm so depressed.' We totally insult each other like we always did, we put down each other's favorite football teams, we call each other bastards… I mean, nothing has changed; his brain is just as perverted as he ever was. He's exactly the same. His spirit is just perfect. And just seeing him in that situation gives me so much inspiration. And now people will hear the incarnate of something that we've done together in 2014, and I'm just so glad that it's happening. And it's a very important part of my record. I mean, it's a big, important part of the record."

"Inferno" video:

The fifth installment in Relapse's exhaustive reissue campaign of DEATH's immensely influential catalog is "Leprosy", the band's titanic second album. Originally released in 1988 the pioneering LP built upon the thrash sounds of METALLICA and SLAYER but added a previously unheard level of raw extremity. These songs are the roots of an entire genre: death metal. While this was only the second record DEATH released, it immediately cemented them as heavy metal icons. The "Leprosy" reissue will be made available on April 25 in Benelux, Germany, Finland; April 29 in North America and April 28 in the the rest of the world. The entire album, as well as the bonus material, has been painstakingly remastered by Alan Douches (MASTODON, NILE) and will be reissued in the following format:

* 2xCD/Limited Edition* 3xCD/LP/Picture Disc LP/Limited Edition* 2xLP Box set/Digtal

The Deluxe 2xCD contains 50 minutes of previously unheard and unreleased "Leprosy" demos and rehearsal material housed in an embossed o-card package with a 24-page booklet featuring unseen pictures of the band as well as brand new liner notes from Ian Christe (SiriusXM) and Jeremy Wagner (BROKEN HOPE). The LP features the remastered core album on wax together with a download card for all of the music included on the 2xCD.

The "Leprosy" reissue can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. In addition to the 2xCD reissue, a super limited 3xCD version will be available exclusively from Relapse.com featuring everything included on 2xCD version plus an exclusive third CD featuring over 40 minutes of unreleased live material, housed in a deluxe embossed eight-panel digipak with a 24-page booklet, limited and numbered to 2000 copies. Finally, a super-limited deluxe vinyl box set (limited to 500 copies) will be available exclusively from www.relapse.com containing: the remastered core "Leprosy" album on exclusive colored vinyl; a second LP containing unreleased rehearsal material from the "Leprosy" sessions housed in an exclusive jacket with original flyer art on exclusive colored vinyl; an exact replication of the original Combat newspaper print LP insert, a "Leprosy" turntable slipmat, and a download card of all three discs.

Pre-orders, including an exclusive new line of official DEATH merch, are available here.

Digital pre-orders are available via Bandcamp here. Disc 1 01. Leprosy02. Born Dead03. Forgotten Past04. Left To Die05. Pull The Plug06. Open Casket07. Primitive Ways08. Choke On It Disc 2 Leprosy - 9/23/87 Rehearsal

01. Open Casket02. Choke On It03. Left To Die04. Left To Die - Take 2 Leprosy - 12/05/87 Rehearsals

05. Left To Die06. Open Casket07. Pull The Plug08. Choke On It09. Born Dead10. Forgotten Past Disc 3 Live at Backstreets, Rochester, NY - December 13th, 1988

01. Leprosy02. Open Casket03. Zombie Ritual04. Pull The Plug05. Left To Die06. Mutilation07. Forgotten Past08. Born Dead09. Denial Of Life10. Primitive Ways11. Infernal Death Live at The Dirt Club, Bloomfield, NJ - December 11, 1988

12. Leprosy13. Pull The Plug14. Forgotten Past15. Primitive Ways Digital Deluxe ONLY Bonus Tracks - Live at The Dirt Club, Bloomfield, NJ - December 11, 1988

16. Open Casket17. Mutilation18. Infernal Death

An unboxing video of the super-limited deluxe vinyl box set can be seen below.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer and legendary drummer of GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER and THE CULT, Matt Sorum released his new album, "Stratosphere", under the moniker MATT SORUM'S FIERCE JOY on March 11 on Rok Dok Recordings via Kobalt Label Services.

"Stratosphere" is major departure from the hard-hitting rock Sorum is best known for. His intense passion for animal and human rights, and need to give back heavily influenced the narrative and acoustic orchestration of the album.

"Over the years, I've been influenced by my surroundings and sometimes that hasn't always been for the better," says Sorum. "But after years of soul searching, I organically fell into a different state of mind.

"With many lessons learned along the way, it seemed like the perfect time to do a record in my own voice, if you will. It's as real and exposed as anything I've ever offered my in my career."

Besides stepping behind the mic for lead vocals, Sorum wrote the entire album, and plays acoustic guitar and piano.

"I've always played acoustic, so I wanted to use that as the feel of the record," Matt says.

"I chose the musicians I wanted by records they had played on, and diverse instruments such as mellotron, slide guitar and ethnic percussion.

"I always wanted orchestration, so this album was the canvas for that as well."

MATT SORUM'S FIERCE JOY - "Stratosphere" track listing:

01. Intro - Stratosphere Part 102. The Sea03. What Ziggy Says04. For the Wild Ones05. Goodbye To You06. Gone07. Lady of the Stone08. Ode to Nick Drake09. Blue10. Josephine11. Land of the Pure12. Killers N Lovers13. The Lonely Teardrop14. Outro - Stratosphere Part 2

The official video for the song "The Sea" can be seen below.

Speaking to The Street, Sorum stated about his inspiration for the "Stratosphere" CD: "I'm known as a rock guy, but I've always loved so many diverse artists. I was a huge Joni Mitchell fan; I remember listening to a lot of her records back to back. Neil Young, Tom Petty, THE BEATLES, of course, and I was a huge Bowie fan. I was also into progressive stuff, like early GENESIS, Peter Gabriel era. You can hear that influence on the new album; there are a couple of songs that have some interesting time changes.

"I've always dabbled on the acoustic guitar, and I wrote a couple songs for VELVET REVOLVER. In GUNS N' ROSES, Axl [Rose] and Slash looked to me for arrangements. I wasn't the predominant songwriter, but I've always been involved in the process.

"When I put 'Stratosphere' together, I actually had a lot of it on cassette. I'd been writing the songs over the years, and I wanted to do an album that was just coming from me, regardless of anyone's expectations."

Asked if MATT SORUM'S FIERCE JOY will go out on tour, Sorum said: "We're going to tour, but it isn't going to be a typical rock show. If I'm going to front a band, I can't see myself, at my age, jumping up and playing rock and roll the way Dave Grohl does. Dave pulls it off, running around the stage with an electric guitar. But would that feel right for me? How can I make this feel natural, a natural progression, growing into the man that I finally feel that I am, and saying what I want to say now?"

Vitrine Do Rock has uploaded a 33-minute clip of GUNS N' ROSES' April 17 performance in Fortaleza, Brazil. Check it out below.

As previously reported, former GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan will perform with the band later this month at the Revolver Golden Gods awards, scheduled for April 23 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. This will mark the first time that McKagan has performed with the group on U.S. soil, following appearances in London, Vancouver and, most recently, five shows in South America.

McKagan joined GUNS 'N ROSES onstage for the first time in 17 years at an October 2010 concert in London. He also performed with the current version of GUNS in December 2011 at shows in Vancouver and Seattle. All three appearances were for a few songs, not full gigs.

This month's South American shows marked the first time he has played full concerts with the band since his departure in 1994. He stood in for current bassist Tommy Stinson, who was committed to a REPLACEMENTS reunion at Coachella.

The Pulse Of Radio asked McKagan a while back why he thinks the music of the original GUNS N' ROSES lineup was so important when it came out. "We were just five like-minded guys, who met at the right time, who had pretty much the same idea on how we wanted to portray our music and what we thought a band should be," he said. "I suppose, to put a term on it, we were disenfranchised youth. And those songs, eventually, spoke to, I guess, a whole legion of other disenfranchised youth, and it just caught fire."

VH1 Classic will also air the 2014 Golden Gods awards on Saturday, May 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose will take home this year's Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award, while Joan Jett will be the first female recipient of the Golden God Award.

In addition to GUNS N' ROSES and Jett, performers will include THE PRETTY RECKLESS, SUICIDE SILENCE, A DAY TO REMEMBER and Zakk Wylde.

Also appearing at the show will be members of BLACK SABBATH and LINKIN PARK, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Andrew Dice Clay, Carmen Electra, Tony Hawk, Richie Sambora, Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH, Alice Cooper, Ace Frehley and others.

"The Killing Gods", a brand new song from American death metal extremists MISERY INDEX, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is the title cut of the band's fifth studio album, "The Killing Gods", which will be released on May 23 via Season Of Mist.

"The Killing Gods" was recorded at Wright Way Studios in Baltimore, Maryland and was engineered by Steve Carr (DYING FETUS, SLIPKNOT, SOILWORK). The drum parts were tracked with Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, BLACK TUSK, BRUTAL TRUTH) at Visceral Sound in Bethesda, Maryland.

Comments MISERY INDEX bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton: "After an extended writing and recording process we have finally completed 'The Killing Gods'. It is the longest, most diverse and most complete album we have ever created, and it represents the blood, sweat and beers of four dudes trying to make the best songs they can. We think we have succeeded and we hope you do as well."

Having cemented a reputation as one of the most formidable live bands in the death metal scene, MISERY INDEX has toured the world over numerous times on the backs of four critically acclaimed albums. The Baltimore-based quartet has leveled venues in over 40 countries over 1000-plus live shows. With albums showcasing a disgust for everyday life and the ills of modern society, MISERY INDEX will continue to push its crushing take on pummeling death metal with the release of "The Killing Gods".

"The Killing Gods" track listing:

01. Urfaust02. The Calling03. The Oath04. Conjuring The Cull05. The Harrowing06. The Killing Gods07. Cross To Bear08. Gallows Humor09. The Weakener10. Sentinels11. Colony Collapse (feat. John Gallagher)12. Heretics13. Thieves Of The New World Order (MINISTRY cover; bonus track)

MISERY INDEX recently announced a special live date as part of this year's Maryland Deathfest pre-show on May 21.

MISERY INDEX is:

Jason Netherton: Bass, VocalsMark Kloeppel: Guitar, VocalsAdam Jarvis: DrumsDarin Morris: Guitar

Photo credit: Josh Sisk

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has slammed Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame co-founder and Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner as a "spineless weasel," claiming that the guitarist/vocalist and the rest of the band were treated like "uninvited guests" during Thursday night's (April 10) induction ceremony.

"Our treatment at the [Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame] confirmed my worst suspicions," Stanley fumed via Twitter. "Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels." He went on to say that the people behind the Rock Hall gave the members of KISS "no passes" or "schedule" for the evening, but didn't elaborate on what exactly he was referring to. He concluded: "We were great and [Wenner] remains a small man."

Stanley's bandmate, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, also took a couple of shots at Rolling Stone on Twitter, mocking the magazine's original critical review of LED ZEPPELIN's first album, writing "Rolling Stone. Idiots then. Idiots now." He then posted a link to a video from the early 1970s band CHRISTOPHER MILK, which featured John Mendelsohn, the writer who penned the negative reviews that appeared in Rolling Stone of each of the first two LED ZEPPELIN LPs.

Stanley ended his Hall Of Fame speech on Thursday by calling the evening "vindication" for the fans. He also took a dig at the Hall Of Fame by saying, "The people, I believe, are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they're saying is, 'We want more.' They deserve more. They want to be a part of the induction. They want to be a part of the nomination. They don't want to be spoon-fed by a handful of people. Choices. The people pay for tickets. The people buy albums. The people who nominate do not. Let's not forget that these are the people that make it all possible. We just benefit from it."

KISS did not perform at the ceremony — the Hall Of Fame wanted the original quartet only to play, while Simmons and Stanley insisted on the current lineup performing as well. In the end nobody won that battle.

The 29th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony was taped and will air on May 31 on HBO.

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine introducing the song "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" during the band's April 19 concert in Tucson, Arizona can be seen below.

Said Mustaine: "If I was your president…. [Chuckles] Oh, boy… I'll tell you what… There would be no fucking 'mom jeans' on this guy. [Editors' note: Mustaine was referring to an old joke about how President Obama wears mom jeans.]"

He added: "Don't forget to vote.

"This song is called 'Holy Wars'."

President Barack Obama last month responded to critics of his "mom jeans," telling radio host Ryan Seacrest in an interview: "I've been unfairly maligned about my jeans. The truth is, generally, I look very sharp in jeans. There was one episode like four years ago in which I was wearing some loose jeans, mainly because I was out on the pitcher's mound and I didn't want to feel confined while I was pitching, and I think I've paid my penance for that. I got whacked pretty good. Since that time, my jeans fit very well."

Mustaine in 2012 revealed his "birther" opinions on a Canadian talk show, saying he doubted President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Mustaine also made headlines in August 2012 when he said on stage during a concert in Singapore that Obama was behind the shooting rampages near Denver and Milwaukee. He continued his diatribe by wondering where he was going to live "if America keeps going the way it's going, because it looks like it's turning into Nazi America."

Finnish occult rock troupe JESS AND THE ANCIENT ONES have revealed news on their next album for Svart Records, which follows the Astral Sabbat EP (2013) and the self-titled debut album (2012), both released worldwide by Svart.
"After a needed break, we have once again put the wheels of JATAO in motion. Writing process has began, and the band is working hard to create a follow-up to the debut album - so far, so good, as we already have a few new songs in our hands. A natural progress has taken its place, as the material has a lots refreshing elements within it, but one will definitely still identify the creators."

Continuing, the band says: "When the summer is over, the call of the studio will be inevitable. The second album will most likely be released in early 2015, through Svart Records. More accurate information concerning the release will be announced later. If you want to keep track, be sure to check out the virtual world. Also, some shows are being booked for the summer, and the first announced appearance will happen at Bergen, Norway. It's an indoor festival called Beyond The Gates. So if you want to catch us live, that's the place to be! Be all that you can be, JATAO."

Corey Pierce of GOD FORBID reveals that he is teaming up with THY WILL BE DONE vocalist J.Costa, former ANTHRAX vocalist Dan Nelson, ex-Thy Will Be Done bassist Eric Tavares and long-time friend Rob McElroy to form LEAD PIPE CRUELTY.
"I'm at an incredible point in my life in which I get to do so many creative and fun things." states Corey. "I am so happy to say that one of these great new chapters is 'LPC' and I'm really excited to play with a bunch of guys who are so supportive and excited to make great music!"

Dan Nelson elaborates on his involvement by stating, "Corey, Rob and myself have been good friends for a while now. We have jammed quite a bit in the past and always talked about having a project together. So I was super stoked when Corey asked me to come on board as the bass player of LPC. Along with J and Eric, it's a great conglomerate of such talented musicians and awesome human beings, I feel very honored to be a part of that."

Dan asserts, "The vibe between all the guys is super positive, and all involved are eager and excited to create something special together... LPC is gonna be killer."
"The energy in the room has been nothing short of ethereal", comments J. Costa. "The chemistry between the five of us is intense and very groove-ladden."

Corey concludes, "I think after the band I was previously a part of and the music we made, I could not think of a better bunch of guys to get together and create music with. After a couple years of buzzed and up buzzed conversations, and some great idea exchanges with crazy dudes, we will now have some ultimate heavy grooves from Lead Pipe Cruelty. LPC!"
Lead Pipe Cruelty is:

J. Costa - Vocals
Dan Nelson - Bass & Vocals
Eric Tavares - Rhythm Guitar
Rob McElroy - Lead Guitar
Corey Pierce - Drums

QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton has confirmed that singer Geoff Tate — who was fired from the Seattle progressive rock band in 2012 after fronting it for three decades — and his former bandmates have reached a settlement in their legal battle over the rights to the group's name.

Speaking to the Allentown Music Examiner, Wilton was asked when fans can expect a resolution of the legal case involving the two versions of QUEENSRŸCHE. "That's coming up," Wilton said. "What I can say is that both sides have reached an amicable settlement and it's now just a matter of time. There will be an official press release, but for now, you'll have to wait."

Wilton also revealed that the Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE is continuing work on material for the follow-up to last year's self-titled effort. "We've already begun the process for the next album," he said. "We have probably six songs demoed so far. We're taking it in a direction suited to what we do as QUEENSRŸCHE but maybe a little more progressive and heavier. The thing is, you never know what you really have until it's complete. It's like carving a piece of clay and seeing how it turns out. You peel off the layers until you get to something really cool."

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit in June 2012 asking the judge to award them the rights to the band's name in exchange for Tate paying Eddie Jackson (bass), Michael Wilton (guitar) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) the fair market value for their interests in the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed a countersuit against the Tates in which they accused Geoff of creative obstruction and violent behavior, and Susan Tate of questionable business practices.

While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13, 2012 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson last year accused Geoff Tate of "continu[ing] to harm the QUEENSRŸCHE brand" since the Tates' original lawsuit was filed in June 2012. In a court document, they wrote: "The newest self-titled QUEENSRŸCHE CD release by the [Todd La Torre-fronted version of the band] entered the U.S. charts at #23 and continues to get 9-out-of-10-star reviews and is still selling very well on a weekly basis around the globe. In comparison, Geoff Tate released his own QUEENSRŸCHE CD in April of [2013] titled 'Frequency Unknown' and depicted as F.U. on the cover, which entered the charts at #82, received very bad reviews around the world, and has slowed to almost no more weekly sales. [The Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE's] new CD even outperformed the last two CDs of them with Geoff Tate, selling more in a month than the 'Dedicated to Chaos' CD has since its release in 2010, and charting much better than both that album and the previous one, 'American Soldier'. Thus, the return to the classic sound [Tate's former] bandmates have made with the new CD and live shows has been met with overwhelming success."

They added: "Geoff Tate also chose very poorly in hiring live musicians that have shown that they are not capable of representing the correct performances of the QUEENSRŸCHE music legacy, and he was constantly replacing them. He has been offering his low-quality version of QUEENSRŸCHE to the promoters at a much reduced rate, as low as $10,000 per night, when, in fact, [his former] bandmates have done their best to keep the authorized QUEENSRŸCHE at an average of well over $20,000 per show this entire year. However, this becomes harder and harder with Geoff Tate's sub-par band and cut-rate pricing that continues to be damaging to the QUEENSRŸCHE brand and legacy no matter who ultimately wins control after trial."

In an interview with The Oakland Press, Rockenfield said said that "negotiations are ongoing between Tate and the singer's former bandmates and "there's still time for anything to happen between now and [the start of the trial]."

"I think our confidence is pretty high," Scott said. "There's a lot of legal stuff you have to deal with, but we just feel good and look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel and keep playing shows and making music. I think when you do that, the right decision will be made in time."

British grindcore pioneers NAPALM DEATH recently entered the studio to begin recording the follow-up to 2012's "Utilitarian" for a late 2014 release. The band has posted the following update on its Facebook page: "First night done laying some more drum tracks down for the new NAPALM DEATH album. A different approach than the last record with different recording sessions. Some of the songs are worked out, and some songs we are going for a more spontaneous approach to see where it takes us, but so far we are getting some cool dynamics in drum tones and songs, which will ultimately lead to a more diverse and crazy-sounding album. It's looking good so far."

Fan-fimed video footage of NAPALM DEATH performing a brand new song, "Dear Slum Landlord", on April 10 at the Roadburn festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands can be seen below.

NAPALM DEATH last year took part in Decibel magazine's second annual national tour alongside the preeminent gore institution CANNIBAL CORPSE and New York death metal stalwarts IMMOLATION.

"Utilitarian" sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 14 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

NAPALM DEATH's previous album, 2009's "Time Waits For No Slave", opened with around 1,800 units to land at No. 19 on the Heatseekers chart.

"Utilitarian" was released on February 27, 2012 in Europe and February 28, 2012 in North America via the band's longtime partner, Century Media Records. The cover artwork perfectly fits the album's theme and was created by the Danish artist Frode Sylthe, who is also responsible for THE HAUNTED's "rEVOLVEr" artwork.

URIAH HEEP, one of the pivotal hard rock groups to emerge from England in the late 1960s, returns with "Outsider", its 24th studio album, and the first since 2011's "Into The Wild".

"Outsider" will be released on June 9 in the U.K., June 6 in the rest of Europe and June 10 in North America via Frontiers Records.

"We are very proud of our history," says URIAH HEEP founder/guitarist Mick Box, "but it is equally important to keep producing new material. This new album, 'Outsider', is very much a rock album in true HEEP style. It shows that we still have the same passion and energy for our music that we have always had."

From the opening chords of the album's hard-driving rocker "Speed Of Sound" to the more introspective closer "Say Goodbye", "Outsider" proves that URIAH HEEP has remained a musical powerhouse, and one that can effectively balance its legendary sound with a distinctly contemporary approach. The record, which was produced by Mike Paxman (ASIA, STATUS QUO), also introduces bassist Dave Rimmer, who joined the band last summer after the untimely death of long time member, Trevor Bolder.

Says Box of his late friend, Bolder: "We lost a world class bass player, singer, songwriter and friend. While Trevor was ill, he wanted us to continue working, so we used a bass player called Dave Rimmer, who Trevor approved of. It was only natural that Dave carried on with the band."

After major tours of Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and South America, upon the release of "Outsider", URIAH HEEP will launch a world tour that will take in many continents as the band promotes the new album to an international audience.

"Outsider" CD track listing:

01. Speed Of Sound02. One Minute03. The Law04. The Outsider05. Rock The Foundation06. Is Anybody Gonna Help Me?07. Looking At You08. Can't Take That Away09. Jesse10. Kiss The Rainbow11. Say Goodbye

"Outsider" LP edition:

Side 1:

01. Speed Of Sound02. One Minute03. The Law04. Can't Take That Away05. Rock The Foundation

Side 2:

01. The Outsider02. Is Anybody Gonna Help Me?03. Looking At You04. Jessie05. Kiss The Rainbow06. Say Goodbye

The "Outsider" cover artwork was created by Igor Morski and can be seen below.

Prophecy Productions welcome Australia's GERM to its artist roster. Germ mastermind Tim Yatras (NAZXUL, AUSTERE, GREY WATERS, WOODS OF DESOLATION) signed a long-term contract with Prophecy, also encompassing re-issues of the entire Germ back catalogue.
While the idea for Germ was created over ten years ago, it wasn't until 2012 that the first releases surfaced, in the form of debut full length album Wish, and follow up EP Loss. After considerable praise for the combination of depressive black metal and electronic elements which spreads a unique 1980s pop and stadium rock vibe, Germ returned in 2013 with a new full length album, Grief. Featuring Audrey Sylvain from AMESOEURS on guest vocals, this album fused the Germ sound as heard on the first two releases with Tim's more traditional black metal past. Tim plans to spend 2014 composing and recording material for what will become the third full length Germ album, and the first album to surface from the partnership with Prophecy Productions.

Tim Yatras: "I'm extremely excited about the new partnership between Germ and Prophecy Productions. I grew up listening to many of Prophecy's releases, from the 1990's all the way up to the present day, and to now be working with a label whose artists have been a huge part of shaping who I am as a musician today is an honor I can't even begin to describe!"

KORN drummer Ray Luzier (pictured) has posted a comment regarding the death of Shane Gibson, a former touring guitarist with the group who passed away from a blood clotting disorder on Tuesday (April 15) at the age of 35. Luzier wrote on his Instagram: "Death is so strange and the timing of it is never right. I'm still in disbelief that we lost Shane Gibson [three] days ago. You were way too young to leave this planet. You were one of the most talented, funniest and caring people I've ever known. I'm honored to have shared the stage and travel many places with you for so many years. My heart goes out to the family and friends that you've touched in your short life. You will truly be missed and never forgotten. RIP ENAHS."

The other members of KORN have issued separate comments regarding Gibson's passing. The band released a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Shane Gibson's friends, fans and family following the passing of our dear friend. Shane Gibson was KORN's touring guitarist from 2007 to 2010 and a member of (singer) Jonathan Davis' solo band, THE SFA'S. He will be greatly missed."

Gibson, who was most recently a member of a band called STORK, was one of several guitarists who toured with KORN during the eight-year absence of Brian "Head" Welch.

Welch, who rejoined the group last year, said online, "I've never had the pleasure of meeting Shane, but I'm honored he was able to fill my spot after I left KORN. He was an amazing guitarist. Hopefully we can jam together in the next life. RIP, brother."

KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer added, "Shane Gibson, you were an amazing guitar player and an amazing person. Your kindness and talent will be missed. I'm very fortunate to have known you."

KORN and AVENGED SEVENFOLD will co-headline this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which kicks off its annual run on Saturday, July 5 in Devore, California, wrapping up on August 10 in The Woodlands, Texas.

Hard rockers PARTY ANIMALS are ready to publish their debut album Light A Fan Cool, that will be released on May 6th under Street Symphonies Records and distributed by Andromeda. The album was recorded by Riccardo Asquini at Saojo Studios (Reana Del Royale, Udine, Italy).

Album trailer:
Light A Fan Cool is a wordplay based on the similarity with an expression from the band’s hometown (Udine) that means “Fuck off!” The moniker includes all the fundamentals of rock and roll in its most colorful, pompous and sinful form from the 80’s: endless parties, uncontrolled fun, wild sex and alcohol galore. The spokesperson of this provocative lustful scenario is a girl, Andre, whose personality and attitude aren’t second to her male colleagues’ ones. Ten songs of scorching hard rock’n’roll in which MÖTLEY CRÜE’s raids, W.A.S.P madness and AC/DC most classic atmospheres relive.
Light A Fan Cool tracklisting:

‘Fuck You Baby’
‘Damned Road’
‘Set Me Free’
‘A New Day’
‘I Wanna Get It All’
‘Hellfire’
‘Lace And Spurs’
‘Whiskey Sour’
‘Party Animals’
‘Light A Fan Cool’

For more info visit Facebook.

Canadian power metal veterans SHOCK officially announce the addition of drummer Taylor Calderone from Canadian progressive death metal band Dissentient. Taylor replaces former drummer Chad Walls who had recorded the band's 2013 release Once Denied.
When asked about the reason for the switch, bass player Steve Monette had this to say: "Chad is a great drummer who plays in several bands, and he was unable to play for some shows we had scheduled last fall opening for ANNIHILATOR so Taylor was kind enough to fill in. With the potential for more scheduling conflicts in the future we felt it would be better for all concerned to carry on with Taylor, as his only other musical obligation was Dissentient and they had been on a break."

Taylor will continue to pull double duty playing for both Shock and Dissentient. Shock are currently in rehearsals for what promises to be their busiest year for live shows since reforming in 2011, as well as working on material to record the follow-up to Once Denied at the end of 2014.

Kaotoxin Records has announced the release of AD PATRES' monstrous debut full-length, Scorn Aesthetics, as a limited-edition - 100 copies only - cassette tape.
Specially mastered at the Ubik Studio, and featuring a bonus track taken from their 2010 promo, the cassette is set for release this quarter. The bonus track, 'To The Fathers', is a demo version featuring both Axel Doussaud (the band's current singer) and Julien Lemasson (ex-I.O.S.T., former Ad Patres singer and founding member) on vocals. Fully re-mastered, this version of the track differs from the one appearing on the band's promo CD-R and split tape with WRITHING; released in 2012 by Nihilistic Holocaust.

Enjoy the NSFW video for 'Scars Of Compromise':

Denver's CALL OF THE VOID, who recently recruited second guitarist Gabe Morales, will enter the studio later this month to record the follow-up to last year's Dragged Down A Dead End Path.
Titled Ageless, for their sophomore full-length, the band will return to The Boar's Nest in Salt Lake City with Andy Patterson, who will also handle all mixing duties. The record will be mastered by Brad Boatright at Audioseige and feature artwork by CULT LEADER vocalist Anthony Lucero. Ageless will be released via Relapse later this year.

Comments the band, "We are beyond stoked to hit the studio again with Andy Patterson and start the second chapter of Call Of The Void. The addition of Gabe Morales has added a new ferocity to the COTV sound. Don't expect Dragged Down A Dead End Path part II."

Call Of The Void performed at Submission in San Francisco, CA on January 27th. Interview and live footage courtesy of Capital Chaos TV is available below:

Danish groove metallers ELECTRIC HELLRIDE (winners of the last Danish edition of W:O:A Metal Battle) will release the Come Darkness, Come Light EP on May 5th through the band's own label, ElHell Records, on CD, vinyl and free download.
The artwork for Come Darkness, Come Light was made by the Copenhagen-based illustrator and designer Tunguska, who stated the following about his collaboration with Electric Hellride:

"The band wanted a dark and gloomy atmosphere in a urban environment reflecting the track 'Grey Mass Depression'. The challenge with this was to make it visually interesting to avoid things seen way to many times before. The lighting and the different composition of the front and back were important elements in order to achieve a satisfying product".

Electric Hellride has expressed its views on cooperation with Tunguska: "Tunguska did a design for us that should be available on t-shirt soon and we liked that design so much that it was only natural to ask him to do the cover for the EP as well. He really nailed the atmosphere we wanted, so we are of course very satisfied. We are looking forward to show the vinyl version to the public as the large format only makes the artwork even better"

The follow-up to the debut album Hate.Control.Manipulate from 2012 (released on Mighty Music) was recorded in Grizzly Sauer Studio with Emil Buus Sauer.

Come Darkness, Come Light sees Electric Hellride evolving and changing the music into something more varied and diverse. This is also the primary reason for choosing to release an EP instead of a full length album. The band is working hard with the songwriting for the next album but wanted to make a little stop in the studio to try out some of the new stuff as well as to test the music on the fans and potential new fans.

Tracklisting:

'Master Inferno'
'Higher Profanity'
'Grey Mass Depression'
'Phosphorus'
In the Youtube clip below, Electric Hellride brings you inside the studio, where you can get a sneak peek of some new material.

Swimming With Sharks Records has announced the addition of THE CONJURATION to their roster of artists. The project is a solo effort from producer and multi-instrumentalist, Corey Jason, and can best be described as extreme, experimental metal and/or avant-garde death metal. The band’s latest effort Surreal is currently available to stream and download and boasts eight insane tracks and a free bonus track featuring a cover of 'F(r)iend' from IN FLAMES.

The Conjuration mastermind, Corey Jason states: “After almost 10 years of diligently learning and perfecting my craft, it’s a dream come true that my labors of love have been discovered! I spent hours upon hours over the last year and a half making the newest The Conjuration album ‘Surreal’; a vicious work of refined emotion that exceeds my artistic vision. Swimming With Sharks Records has shown me that my efforts have not been in vain! I’m beyond excited to work with Swimming With Sharks, as it’s clear they’re offering an artist-centric promotion platform and are 100% committed to the growth and advancement of each band on their roster. I’m sure it’s every artist’s goal to sign with a label that promotes creativity, and I believe I’m lucky enough to have reached such goal. Expect great things, my friends.”
Surreal tracklisting is as follows:
'Profane
'Capricorn
'Kaleidoscopic Thought
'Fragile
'Surreal
'Perception Shattered: A Darker Scope
'Introvert
'Overdose
'F(r)iend' (In Flames cover streaming below)

Saturnal Records has set May 26th as the international release date for HELLSPIRIT's debut album, Dawn Under Curse. Hellspirit was formed in 2004 in Kuopio, Finland by Dethrone and Goat. The band released two demos during the years 2005-2006 and recorded a split release with Australian blackthrashers NOCTURNAL GRAVES in 2007, but it was not released until 2010, by Nuclear War Now! Productions, due to numerous difficulties on the way.

??Hellspirit's lineup altered very drastically during the first years of the band's existence. A stabile lineup was established in 2011 when Dethrone and Heinrich Von Heretic, who had already joined the ranks of bassist in 2008, teamed up with Eld on drums and MSA on guitars. The band then started working on a debut full-length with a whole new intensity together with raging live shows, where they shared a stage with such bands as ANAL CUNT, NIFELHEIM, and SABBAT.
?The musical style of Hellspirit had changed during the years from very straightforward thrash-oriented black metal towards more epic and war-like black metal where influences of thrash and heavy have taken a step up to a whole other level.

Finally, in 2012, Hellspirit started recording their debut full-length album, which led to a deal with Finnish underground record label No Sign Of Life, which eventually ceased all activities before the debut was released. The band was perhaps one of the most prominent ones in Finland's underground scene at the time, and yet an unsigned artist. ??At the threshold of the band's 10-year anniversary in 2014, Hellspirit signed to Saturnal Records, and finally, the band's debut album, Dawn Under Curse, is seeing daylight this year. Hellspirit delivers raw and epic black metal with solid roots in thrash and heavy metal. The band's musical style has been evolving through their 10-year existence, from the point where one can find resemblances to classic Finnish and Australian black thrash acts to more epic soundscapes influenced by classic names like BATHORY and MORRIGAN.
Dawn Under Curse tracklisting:

'Call To Arms'
'Weak Flesh - Filthy Blood'
'Total Holocaust'
'Unholy Redemption'
'Eternal Night (Millennia Of Might)'
'Blood And Metal'

'Weak Flesh - Filthy Blood', the first sample from Dawn Under Curse, can be heard via a special promotional video:

DEGENERHATE, featuring former members of NOVEMBRE, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, CORPSEFUCKINGART, and FLEGIAS, have inked a worldwide deal with Sliptrick Records.
The band's forthcoming new albm, Chronicles Of The Apocalypse, was recorded at Playrec Studio in Rome by Fabio Fraschini and sound engineer Luigi Colasanti Antonelli. The album was mastered by grindcore guru Scott Hull (BRUTAL TRUTH, PIG DESTROYER, etc.) at Visceral Sound Studio, in Bethesda, Maryland.

Tracklisting:

'Intro'
'Bushit'
'Earth First'
'War Inside My Head'
'Behind The Black Horizon'
'Power'
'All The Promises That I Have Made'
'Cannibal Ritual' (BLOOD cover)
'Breeding Hatred Inside'
'Fur Is Dead'
'Another You Another Me'
'Last Fight 13. New World Disorder'
'No Excuses Anymore'
'Running Through The Blood' (FEAR OF GOD cover)
'Under The Same Sky'
'Song Of Hate And Destruction'
'Turn Off The TV Turn On The Brain'
'Outro'

Check out a few audio samples below.

'Bushit':
'Earth First':
'Power':
Degenerhate was started by Gianluca Lucarini in 2002 in Rome, along with two old friends, Max Varani on vocals (ENTHRALMENT, CORPSEGOD, CorpseFuckingArt) and Fabio Fraschini on bass guitar (DESECRATION, D-FORM, Enthralment, Novembre). Later on, recruiting drummer Cristiano Rotatori and recording in 2005, the mini-CD The End Has Just Begun, released by mexican label EBM Records.
Over the years, Degenerhate have changed several drummers, until the arrival of Francesco Struglia (ex-Fleshgod Apocalypse) and in 2010, a second guitarist , Angelo Vernati, a very good friend and excellent musician, stepping the sound to a new compact and massive step.