Former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist and current NEWSTED frontman Jason Newsted was the featured guest on the January 14 edition of the nationally syndicated "Loveline" radio show with hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Mike Catherwood. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On why he waited so long to marry his girlfriend of 11 years, Nicole Leigh Smith (pictured below with Jason), in October 2012:

Jason: "It made sense for my life and my lifestyle. I'd been around the world four or five times by the time I was 35 or so, and so I had to calibrate all that stuff, or at least make an assessment of all that. And once I found somebody that would really deal with all of my accelerated, weird life and all that, then that was really somebody I held on to."

On whether being newly married has helped him with his music or if it has taken away from it:

Jason: "We've been together for a long time. She was there just after I left METALLICA. She was there through my shoulder surgeries, she was there through my painkiller addiction, she was there to support me in all kinds of different times when I was down. And she is the person that recognizes that, after the fifth day that I do not go and make my noise, on that sixth day when I start getting irate, she pushes me to the studio and says, 'Call your boys and plug in the amps.' So to find someone like that to help me and support me, I would say that, if anything, she encourages me to move forward with my music and my art."

On his painkiller addiction:

Jason: "I had taken [painkillers] for years with METALLICA as I was trying to get my neck into a place and I really didn't understand what they did or what they were about. Once I had my serious surgeries and I went right-left-right rotator cuff and laborum and bicep and all this kind of stuff. I was one-armed for a long time, and that's when I started painting, 'cause that's all I could really do; I couldn’t play serious. But within that time, because of the timing of my particular ones. I did the right arm, and in the meantime, while the left was trying to make up for both arms, I tore it. So by the time the right one was rehabbed, they went back to the left and they fixed that one. In the meantime, I tore the right one again trying to make up for the other one. That whole thing went back one swing — right, left, right. The time in between the rehab therapy, trying to get off the medicine, then getting hit with the heavy stuff right during the surgery and then [taking[ Vicodin to help it a few times through therapy, I never got a chance to get my body clean enough not to go right back to that once the heavy stuff hit again. And I got taken in — like, four years of just going back and forth with that stuff, and it was brutal. It's been now three years at least that I've been away from it; I did it by myself and with my life. But it got ugly for awhile. I got very close a couple of times; my heart almost stopped a couple of times. So I know about that, man. It's ugly. You've gotta be careful — very careful. It does sneak up on you before you know it. It could get the best of you no matter how strong or tough or what you've endured before."

Nicole is an accomplished artist who encouraged Jason in 2005 to find a new hobby after he forced to wear an arm sling, thanks to a surgery to fix his right shoulder after decades of wear-and-tear on stage.

Newsted quit METALLICA in February 2001 for several reasons, including his desire to play more of a creative role. According to MTV, he also felt the band had lost its focus and was spending too much time involved in litigation and political rhetoric. And finally, he needed time off to recover from neck and back injuries he sustained banging his head every night onstage.

Newsted last performed with METALLICA in December 2011 at all four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the band's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a group for fan club members only.

IRON MAIDEN mascot Eddie last week attended Carnival, a world-famous festival held in Rio De Janeiro before Lent every year and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets.

Although Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) is celebrated in towns and villages throughout Brazil and other Catholic countries, Rio de Janeiro has long been regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World. The Rio Carnaval is not only the biggest Carnival, it has also a benchmark against which every other carnival is compared and one of the most interesting artistic events on the Globe.

Rio Carnival is a wild four-day celebration, 40 days before Easter. It officially starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures. Carnival with all its excesses, celebrated as a profane event, can be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh. It usually happens in February, the hottest month in the Southern Hemisphere, when the Rio summer is at its peak.

Photo below courtesy of IRON MAIDEN's Facebook page

Be In TV conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Slash (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) before his February 11 performance in Prague, Czech Republic. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked about LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe's ongoing trial in Prague on manslaughter charges in connection with the death of a fan at a LAMB OF GOD concert in the Czech Republic nearly three years ago, Slash said: "I know as much as I've been told from everybody I know in that camp. It's a strange, unique situation. I think that when he first came over here and put up his bail and they never let him out and they kept paying and they kept paying and paying and paying, and they never let him out. I said, 'What the fuck is going on there?' I mean, that’s' a whole different type of law, to me, where it's just different. And so finally they let him out, and now it's actually going to trial. And I really don't think he, in any way, shape or form, is guilty. So they're gonna let this thing run its course, I suppose. And because the judicial system here is so different, that he was able to stay in jail here so long, who knows what the verdict is gonna end up being?! It's hard to say. And I guess witnesses didn't show up and they had to postpone it. It's a very long and, unfortunately, it's a very expensive process. It's, like, fuck… Really?!"

Slash's second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love", sold around 38,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 4 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Slash's self-titled debut album scored the highest new entry on The Billboard 200 chart in April 2010, with first-week U.S. sales of around 60,000 copies.

Unlike Slash's solo debut, which featured different vocalists on each track and a number of guest musicians, Slash has recorded all of the new CD with his touring band, MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS.

"Realm Of Chaos", the classic 1989 album from British death metal legends BOLT THROWER, has been remastered with Full Dynamic Range audio and is available now on CD/DVD and limited-edition vinyl LP.

BOLT THROWER's second full-length album and their Earache Records debut, "Realm Of Chaos" cemented the band's position in 1989 among the heaviest of the underground scene. The LP features new artwork from the original artist, John Sibbick.

"Realm Of Chaos" has been specially remastered from the original tapes using Full Dynamic Range (FDR) mastering, allowing the music's nuances to shine through, giving the whole album a more ferocious and dynamic sound and enabling the listener to immerse themselves in the full audio heaviness like never before.

The "Realm Of Chaos" Full Dynamic Range CD includes a bonus DVD featuring a full, previously unreleased live performance from the legendary 1989 "Grindcrusher" tour. The album is also available on limited-edition vinyl.

Get the "Realm Of Chaos" Full Dynamic Range edition now in Europe at or get the European import in North America.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS — the Swedish band featuring ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, along with vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (ex-FIREWIND) — will release its eighth studio album, "Earth Blues", on April 16 (one day earlier internationally) via InsideOut Music.

The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below.

Commented Amott: "I had the idea for this artwork from my time as a child, seeing posters of two young lovers watching a romantic sunset on the beach — just your typical tacky bedroom art in the '70s, really... Also, growing up in what is now referred to with some nostalgia as the Atomic Age — the threat of nuclear war was always looming over our heads it seemed. I wanted to combine these two images of my youth in one paradoxical image and Per Wiberg of Hippograffix (and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS keyboardist) really managed to capture the melancholic feeling perfectly. Earth Blues, indeed."

Regarding the making of "Earth Blues", Amott said: "We started the recording process of 'Earth Blues' with an eight-day-long session at Fat Guitar Studios (Sweden) with knob-twiddler Roberth Ekholm, a truly great dude who really knows how to capture a band jamming live, sadly a rare quality in recording engineers nowadays! We continued with some overdubs at various studios in Sweden, and it's all come together super easy this time. Sonically, I think this might be our finest hour yet. It's a raw, heavy and honest record."

In order to promote this upcoming release as well as the band's anniversary, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have confirmed a European tour for April with support by German rockers ZODIAC, as well as some European summer festivals.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS in 2011 released a live CD entitled "Return To Live: Loud Park 2010" in Japan via Trooper Entertainment. The disc features eight songs, capturing the bands high-energy performance at Loud Park 10 at Saitama Super Arena, Japan on October 17, 2010. The live recording was mixed in Sweden by Staffan Karlsson and Rickard Bengtsson at Studio Landgren 5.3 and The Sweet Spot Studio in December 2010. The artwork and design was handled by Hippograffix.

The new lineup of SPIRITUAL BEGGARS made its live debut on October 1, 2010 at Kyttaro club in Athens, Greece.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS's seventh studio album, "Return To Zero", was released in Japan on August 25, 2010 via Trooper Entertainment Inc. — the label founded by legendary Japanese heavy metal music industry guru Tetsu Miyamoto. The Japanese special edition comes in a glossy paper box with a poster and a sticker of the CD front cover. The Japanese edition also features a bonus track, a thunderous cover of URIAH HEEP's "Time To Live" off the legendary U.K. band's 1971 "Salisbury" record.

"Return To Zero" was released in North America on October 12, 2010 via InsideOut Music. The follow-up to 2005's "Demons" was recorded at Sweetspot Studio with producer Rickard Bengtsson.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS 2013 is:

Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY, CARCASS) - Guitar
Ludwig Witt (FIREBIRD) - Drums
Per Wiberg (OPETH) - Keyboards
Sharlee D'Angelo (ARCH ENEMY, MERCYFUL FATE) - Bass
Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND) – Vocals

New Jersey-based "mathcore" act THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN has set "One Of Us Is The Killer" as the title of its fifth full-length album, due in May through the band's own Party Smasher Inc., in partnership with Sumerian Records in North America. Party Smasher's partnership with BMG covers the rest of the world, including licensing deals with Grind House for Japan and Remote Control in Australia.

"One Of Us Is The Killer" was recorded in Southern California with longtime producer Steve Evetts (GLASSJAW, THE CURE, SUICIDE SILENCE), with additional production at guitarist/co-founder Ben Weinman's studio. Mastering will be handled by Tom Baker (DEFTONES, NINE INCH NAILS, BEASTIE BOYS).

The album represents a new holistic pinnacle of the band's constantly evolving and engaging dynamics.

Speaking to AOL's Noisecreep, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN vocalist Greg Puciato stated about the recording process for the band's forthcoming CD: "DILLINGER is a different beast in tracking than most normal bands. Even Steve has told me that there's no other band that he has recorded that requires this amount of attention to detail. We take a longer amount of time to do one thing than most bands take to do ten. At this point, talking to Ben about it, we only do this once every three years on average so ten years from now I don't want to look back and think, 'Fuck man, we should have finished that one three weeks earlier!' Who cares? You want it to be right and you want it to be the thing that was the closest to what your vision actually was."

Regarding the direction of the new THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN material, Puciato said: "I can hear [the influence of old punk and hardcore records] a lot. I can definitely hear that in some of the riffs, which are really aggressive. It's not a blatant hardcore record or anything like that. I actually think this is the most all over the place and weirdest record we've ever written. It's the first one since I joined the band where Ben has sent me songs and I've been like, 'What the fuck is happening? This sounds like a beehive!'"

The band will launch worldwide tours in 2013, beginning with a handful of headlining dates that have just been released.

The first two photos of the new lineup of the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE can be seen below.

Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band will now feature Tate along with bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT), guitarist Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE 1998-2001), keyboardist Randy Gane and new additions, guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, HURRICANE) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET).

Wright takes over for previously announced drummer Bobby Blotzer, who will be returning to RATT as an integral part of the band that made him famous.

"I'm very much looking forward to being involved in the QUEENSRŸCHE project with Geoff," stated Wright. "I've always admired his singing and songwriting and working with Rudy Sarzo again is going to be cool! Between this and my other project, DIO DISCIPLES, I look forward to a very busy year!"

The new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE is due later in the year via the Los Angeles-based independent label Cleopatra Records. Guest musicians set to appear on the CD include Y&T mainman Dave Meniketti, legendary guitar slinger K.K. Downing of JUDAS PRIEST, KING'S X guitarist Ty Tabor, NIGHT RANGER guitarist Brad Gillis and Blotzer.

Tabor comments, "I'm very happy that Geoff considered me for this record. It will be great to play with all of these great musicians."

Beginning in early April, Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE will be hitting the road to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band's epic 1988 release, "Operation: Mindcrime", performing all fifteen songs from the album along with other well-known hits and rarities from the catalog they've compiled over the past 30 years.

"I try to surround myself with the best players available and feel our longtime fans deserve nothing less," says Tate. "I expect the forthcoming effort to be one of our best yet."

Tate, who was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in June 2012 after fronting the group for three decades, last year sought to prevent his former bandmates from touring and operating under the QUEENSRŸCHE name without him. 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.

Last November, Tate released his first solo CD in over a decade titled "Kings & Thieves" (InsideOut Music) and toured with his solo band in support of the CD, which included dates with the legendary ALICE COOPER.

Swedish rockers PSYCHOPUNCH will release their new album, "Smakk Valley", on February 25 via SPV/Steamhammer.

With the band's typical mix of full throttle and diversity, toughness and melodies, simplicity and complexity, PSYCHOPUNCH have produced an album full of highlights. Be it with their typical straightforwardness on tracks such as "Last Night" and "Back Of My Car", or mercilessly driving on "So Jaded", "Kick In The Head" and "I Will Never Ever", PSYCHOPUNCH always hit the golden mean between raw ferociousness and concentration on the things that really matter. In addition, "Smakk Valley" features a number of surprising moments: despite its slightly slower pace, "Sitting By The Railroad" impresses with its amazing power and gritty melodies, while the unusual "Emelie" impresses with its — as bassist Lindell calls it — "great country rock'n'roll bad-ass feeling. I get a big smile on my face every time I hear it."

"We tried to make and give every song that little bit extra special and I think that we've succeeded in doing that," guitarist/vocalist JM explains the band's special philosophy which in the end always shines through on PSYCHOPUNCH's material. Drummer Jocke describes "Smakk Valley" as consisting of "powerful songs with strong and catchy melodies," while Lindell considers PSYCHOPUNCH first and foremost a "great and honest no-bullshit rock'n'roll punk powerpop band" that keeps the spirit and tradition alive from such bands and artists as the RAMONES, SEX PISTOLS, JOHNNY THUNDERS, NEW YORK DOLLS, CHEAP TRICK, CHUCK BERRY, IGGY & THE STOOGES, GENERATION X or THE CLASH. "This list could go on forever, and we don't think our attitude has changed over the years in terms of wanting to be a great live band that makes people happy and gives them a chance to forget about their problems."

"Smakk Valley" was produced by PSYCHOPUNCH's longtime friend Pelle Saether, who has been part of the band's inner circle for years. Saether knows how to handle the group, he knows all about their moments of euphoria and exuberance which can easily turn into self-doubt and dissatisfaction in view of the great significance of album productions if there's nobody there to indicate the general direction. "We had some fantastic and some bad times at the studio," JM admits, "but most of it was fun. We had high expectations of ourselves. Pelle is always a great help to us. He and I worked really hard with the vocal melodies on the choruses to get the most out of every song. All in all we are very happy with the outcome of the new album, so it was well worth the pain."

But back to the question of the band's amazing output and the energy source which has fed their haunting new album "Smakk Valley". "To be honest, I sometimes wonder where we get the power from," JM admits, "but in the end I think it has to do with the fact that we love what we do. We all have our roots in punk rock, rock'n'roll, hard rock and metal. So making people feel good and having a great time, that's what gives us boundless energy!"

"Smakk Valley" track listing:

01. Back Of My Car
02. So Jaded
03. Last Night
04. Kick In The Head
05. Sitting By The Railroad
06. My Empty Head
07. All I Wanna Say
08. I Will Never Ever
09. Dead By Dawn
10. Smakk Valley Train
11. Emelie
12. Down On My Dreams
13. Everybody Wants An Answer
14. Your're Totally Mistaken

A teaser for the album can be seen below.

PSYCHOPUNCH guitasrist Joey recently left the band due to personal reasons. He will be replaced by Lindell (former bass player in the band) on guitar and new bass player is Walle.

According to Esctoday.com, Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI, who won the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, will perform at the 2013 Irish Eurovision national final, "Eurosong 2013", on Friday, February 22.

The 2013 Irish Eurovision final will be aired live during the "Late Late Show" on RTE 1 at 22:35 CET and will be hosted by Ryan Tubridy.

LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi (a.k.a. Tomi Putaansuu) spoke to Inside Bay Area in 2007 about winning the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest with the band's "Hard Rock Hallelujah" anthem. The songswept Eurovision with 292 points, the highest score in its history.

"Traditionally, Eurovision entries all sound like Barry Manilow, with lots of violins," Mr. Lordi said of the annual song fest that first launched ABBA with a "Waterloo" win. "So we didn't think we'd win — we just thought we'd get some free promotion for an album that was coming out. But after we won, people started calling the TV stations and broadcasting company, saying, 'This can't be right — you have to recount the votes!' But it was sad but true — we won. After all these people had tried their best to stop us. And we'd told all hose people who promised to go to Sweden, 'Hey, we'll come help you pack and then wave goodbye to you as your boat leaves.'

"But guess what? Once we got back, suddenly all those people had disappeared. In Finland, there was nobody against us anymore. So in one night, for LORDI, everything changed. And our fans in Finland were wide awake."

LORDI will release its new album, "To Beast Or Not To Beast", on March 1 in Europe (excluding Finland) via AFM Records. The CD will be made available in North America on March 19 through The End Records. The album's first single, "The Riff", was issued on February 9.

"The Line Of Least Resistance", the new Benjamin Cappelletti-directed video from Swiss metallers SYBREED, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's fourth album, "God Is An Automaton", which was released on September 24, 2012 in Europe and October 2, 2012 in North America via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2010's "The Pulse Of Awakening" was recorded at Downtone Studio in Geneva and was once again mixed in Los Angeles by Rhys Fulber, who has previously worked with FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, FEAR FACTORY and PARADISE LOST, among others. The artwork was created by Seth Siro Anton (SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, SEPTICFLESH) and can be seen below.

Seth Siro Anton previously commented on his artwork for "God Is An Automaton": "My works are distorting dream mirrors of the body and soul. Human nature attracted often to specific art forms which are essentially attracted by the reflected dream world. On SYBREED new artwork, I tried to decode-externalize the architect of the blackest light, an automated God, an ironic priest which is fighting between two different levels of reality. An ironic synthesis combination of modern classicism. It was a great challenge and pleasure trying to visualize their new masterpiece."

The release date of "Planetary Breathing", the fourth album from Finnish melodic death metallers MYGRAIN, has been pushed back to September 27 (via Spinefarm Records) from the previously announced April 26. No reason was given for the delay.

A six-minute teaser for "Planetary Breathing" is available below.

Finnish melodic death metallers MYGRAIN will release their fourth album, "Planetary Breathing", on April 26. The CD was recorded during August and September at Sound Supreme studio with Janne Saksa, who previously worked with the band on their first two albums. The mixing and mastering was again handled by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound studios in Örebro, Sweden.

Commented MYGRAIN: "The debut album, 'Orbit Dance', was released in 2006. The second album, 'Signs Of Existence', came out two years later and the third one, 'MyGrain', in 2011. The last-mentioned felt like a launch to something new and it was like a new beginning for the band.

"'Planetary Breathing' can be characterized through familiar MYGRAIN elements: the catchy choruses, melodies and keyboard lines are still there, whereas the winding and striking guitar riffs being a solid base of the MYGRAIN sound.

"We are so excited of the result we achieved with this album! Together with Janne and Dan, we managed to capture the most rich and balanced MYGRAIN sound so far.

"Those of you who have witnessed us live must know that we love touring — performing for you guys. To us, that is the very essence of all of this. Thus, we are really looking forward to the gigs that are following the release of the new album."

"Planetary Breathing" track listing:

01. Incantation
02. Waking Up The Damned
03. Ambivalentine
04. Black Light Supernova
05. Dreamscape
06. Rats in The Cradle
07. The Ghost in Me
08. Mechanimal Instinct
09. The Final Skyline
10. Planetary Breathing

MYGRAIN's third, self-titled album entered the official chart in the group's home country at position No. 23. Released in January 2011 via Spinefarm Records, the CD was recorded atSeawolf Studios in Helsinki with producer Janne Joutsenniemi (SUBURBAN TRIBE, STONE) and was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö.

MYGRAIN's second album, "Signs of Existence", entered the Finnish national chart at position No. 32. The CD was released in February 2008 via Spinefarm Records.

Legacy Recordings — the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment — will release a newly expanded deluxe edition of "Above", the first and only album to be completed by Seattle-based rock supergroup MAD SEASON.

Formed in 1994, MAD SEASON is vocalist Layne Staley (ALICE IN CHAINS), guitarist Mike McCready (PEARL JAM), drummer/percussionist Barrett Martin (SCREAMING TREES) and bassist John Baker Saunders (THE WALKABOUTS, LAMONT CRANSTON BAND).

The deluxe edition of MAD SEASON's "Above" is a three-disc set comprised of two CDs and one DVD. It includes the original studio album and a host of extras such as previously unreleased tracks from the band's unfinished second album with new lyrics and vocals by Mark Lanegan (SCREAMING TREES), full audio plus the first official DVD release of MAD SEASON's last show ever performed — "Live At The Moore", an unreleased full concert video of the band's New Year's Eve performance from now-defunct Seattle club RKCNDY, a full-color collector's booklet and more.

The deluxe edition, and a separate digital configuration, will be available April 2. In addition, there will be a 12-inch 2LP expanded edition vinyl available on Record Store Day, April 20. Content featured in the "Above" deluxe edition will be available through iTunes with audio mastered for iTunes and a separate standalone longplay video.

MAD SEASON "Above" deluxe edition

CD1 – "Above"

01. Wake Up
02. X-Ray Mind
03. River of Deceit
04. I'm Above
05. Artificial Red
06. Lifeless Dead
07. I Don't Know Anything
08. Long Gone Day
09. November Hotel
10. All Alone

Bonus tracks:

01. Interlude (previously unreleased)
02. Locomotive (lyrics/vocals by Mark Lanegan)
03. Black Book Of Fear (lyrics/vocals by Mark Lanegan)
04. Slip Away (lyrics/vocals by Mark Lanegan)
05. I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier (remix)

CD2 - Live At The Moore

Previously unreleased full audio set of "Live At The Moore" performance from Seattle, Washington, April 29, 1995. Includes "Wake Up", "Artificial Red", "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier", "I'm Above" (featuring Mark Lanegan).
DVD - Live At The Moore + Bonus Footage

Full video set of the "Live At The Moore" performance from Seattle, Washington performance, April 29, 1995. Remixed and remastered for 5.1 sound, and newly edited by director Duncan Sharp. Plus, more bonus footage, including a full concert of the band's performance from New Year's Eve 1995 at RKCNDY in Seattle, and both performances from the Seattle-based Self-Pollution Radio specials, one newly edited.

The song "Locomotive", which was intended to be on MAD SEASON's second album, can be streamed at RollingStone.com.

"'Locomotive' is a song that best represents the direction MAD SEASON was going for our second, unfinished album," Martin tells Rolling Stone. "Mark Lanegan's lyrics and powerful voice captures that time perfectly."

"He did an amazing job singing over this track from the elusive second MAD SEASON record that was to be called 'Disinformation'" McCready adds. "'Locomotive' hits you like one!"

In 1994, four Seattle-based musicians decided to embark on a side-project that took them into new and different musical territory. Formed by Mike McCready, Layne Staley, Barrett Martin, and bluesman John Baker Saunders, the group went on to form MAD SEASON, which made one seminal album in the history of Seattle rock. That album, "Above", was released in 1995 and immediately struck a resonate chord with the public that sent the album into gold status within a few weeks. It is the only complete album of Layne Staley's introspective and mystical lyrics, which were highlighted by additional vocals from SCREAMING TREES vocalist Mark Lanegan and Seattle-based saxophonist/percussionist Skerik.

MAD SEASON was essentially Seattle's version of an extremely heavy blues band, anchored by the deep swinging rhythm section of Barrett's drums and Baker's bass lines, with Layne's haunting melodies and Mike's stadium-size guitar riffs soaring over the top. This unusual chemistry made the band absolutely unique in an era of post-grunge. In the almost 20 years since the original release of "Above", new generations of music listeners have discovered the dark and lasting beauty of MAD SEASON.

In 1996, work began on a second MAD SEASON album with Mike, Barrett and Baker writing and recording the basic tracks for 15 new songs. Unfortunately, because of declining health, Layne wasn't able to make any of the recording sessions and the album was shelved. Fate subsequently took each musician in a different direction: Mike back to PEARL JAM and Barrett back to SCREAMING TREES. Tragically, both Baker (1999) and Layne (2002) passed away.

In 2012, the two remaining band members, Mike and Barrett, along with "Above"'s original producer Brett Eliason, convened in Seattle to sift through the original magnetic tapes from that second album's sessions to revisit the unfinished songs. They called on Mark Lanegan to pen lyrics and sing on three of the best of those songs, including one co-written by Peter Buck of REM, which will be featured on the forthcoming reissue honoring the legacy of Layne and Baker.

"Lethean", the new video from Swedish dark rockers KATATONIA, can be seen at Rocknytt.net. The clip was shot by Lasse Hoile, who has previously worked with KATATONIA as well as OPETH and PORCUPINE TREE. The song comes off KATATONIA's ninth album, "Dead End Kings", which sold 3,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 138 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 4 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.

KATATONIA's previous album, 2009's "Night Is The New Day", opened with around 2,200 units.

"Dead End Kings" was released on August 28, 2012 (one day earlier internationally) via Peaceville Records. Containing some of KATATONIA's most poignant and ambitious material to date, the CD sees the quintet conjure yet another milestone in audial angst and melancholy with this much-anticipated follow-up to 2009's inspired and acclaimed "Night Is The New Day".

"Dead End Kings", which features a guest appearance by Norwegian singer Silje Wergeland (THE GATHERING), was recorded at Ghost Ward Studios and The City Of Glass, and was produced by KATATONIA's own Anders Nyström and Jonas Renkse, and mixed by David Castillo, known for his prior work with KATATONIA, as well as OPETH and BLOODBATH. The album marks the recording debut of KATATONIA guitarist Per Eriksson and bassist Niklas Sandin. Additionally, KATATONIA was joined once again by Frank Default and his invaluable expertise on sampling and atmospherics. The cover artwork was created by KATATONIA's longtime visual collaborator Travis Smith.

KATATONIA guitarist/co-founder Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström recently finished stripping down "Dead End Kings" to an atmospheric sound devoid of any metal.

Says Nyström: "Early on, we felt it was both peculiar and interesting how the songs could breathe on their own taking a different minimal approach, so we wanted to go back and explore this in a very spontaneous and unpretentious way. Vocals, keyboards and acoustic guitars are in and distorted guitars/bass and drums are out! Stay tuned for a release date!"

In other news, Nyström will spend the next dew weeks "diggin' into old boxes and transferring ancient VHS cassettes and DV tapes to digital media, so we can finally get goin' on the actual edit on the documentary that will hopefully wrap up the anniversary DVD that's been taken forever!"

KATATONIA's upcoming DVD is expected to contain professionally filmed video footage of the band's May 6, 2011 concert at Koko in London, England.

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "Sacrifice", the new album from British heavy metal legends SAXON, can be seen below.

"Sacrifice" will now be released on March 1 in Europe (except in the U.K., where it will be made available on March 4) and March 26 in North America through UDR. Taking a sharper, re-invigorated approach to the production, on this, their 20th album, SAXON have produced 10 of their strongest, heaviest and most inspired songs for many-a-year, and a more than worthy successor to their last album "A Call To Arms".

"Less tricks, more power!" roars frontman and founding father Biff Byford. "My brief to the band was to be raw, be real and not be afraid to look back at the old classic material for inspiration."

The album was recorded at LS Studios in Yorkshire and was produced by Byford, with Andy Sneap mixing and engineering by Jacky Lehmann. It fairly bristles with muscular metallic intent, Paul Quinn's and Doug Scarratt's guitar work the best it's ever been, while Biff's vocals sound fresher and livelier. The songwriting too harks back to a classic era in SAXON's history, with the likes of "Warriors Of The Road", "Wheels Of Terror" and "Stand Up And Fight" evoking the halcyon days of yore with a contemporary twist, the classic SAXON sound absorbing the snarl, ferocity and attitude of contemporary bands (and fans) such as MEGADETH, as evidenced by the crunching title cut, "Sacrifice".

"It's certainly been done from a more early '80s thrashier perspective," explains Biff, "and it's not just guitars bashing away willy-nilly, they've got a fresh drive, purpose and perspective."

Besides the new material, SAXON will also be adding some unique recordings of revisited classic to certain formats of the release, also produced by Byford and mastered by Andy Sneap, including an orchestrated version of "Crusader" and an acoustic version of "Frozen Rainbow".

"From the songs to the production, I wanted to focus on the raw aspects which made us great in the first place," concludes Biff, "And living in that rawness, combined with some great classic SAXON songwriting, has in my opinion made SAXON fresher than ever."

The "Sacrifice" cover artwork was created by longtime SAXON artist Paul Raymond Gregory and can be seen below.

"Sacrifice" track listing:

01. Procession
02. Sacrifice
03. Made In Belfast
04. Warriors Of The Road
05. Guardians Of The Tomb
06. Stand Up And Fight
07. Walking The Steel
08. Night Of The Wolf
09. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue

Bonus track:

* Luck Of The Draw (on iTunes only)

01. Crusader (orchestrated version)
02. Just Let Me Rock (re-recorded version)
03. Requiem (acoustic version)
04. Frozen Rainbow (acoustic version)
05. Forever Free (re-recorded version)

Metal Meltdown recently caught up with drummer MIKE TERRANA, known for his work with TARJA TURUNEN and RAGE. A few excerpts from the audio interview are available below.
On his time with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN: "He's one of the worst people I've ever met, and I would never work with someone like that again, nor would I ever play with him again. I would work at McDonald's before I played drums for that guy. There's more respect and credibility in working a regular job than playing music for that man."

On leaving Rage: "They just kept quantizing my drumming, and putting heavy samples on my drums. And I said, 'Please leave it alone, man. You're destroying this, you're destroying me.' They wouldn't listen. So I left."

Go to this location for the audio interview.

New York, NY based thrash metal band PIROSAINT have announced that it will be rejoined by original singer Gonzalo Rodriguez to record the vocals for the band's next album. Rodriguez was responsible for the vocals on the band's demos Atrocity Not Condign (1992), Infected Dreams (1994), and the New God EP (1997). All recordings released by the band in cassette format only.

The video for track 'Real Psychology', taken from the Infected Dreams demo from 1994, is available below:
Drummer Ignacio Orellana commented: "We are happy to announce that we are working with our original singer. It has been a pretty tough decision for us to do this, since he will be working with us from Chile and we already know that the second part of this project it will be the hardest part, because of that fact, but right now… with two local failures in the count, we still haven't found any stable singer locally to be able to record or perform live with us and we need to put our new material out. We have been working on the new songs for some time now, so our EP project has become our debut album. Twenty years after but what the hell, we have at least have two original members that were on those old recordings, so that's all, we just keep working hard at it. We love what we do."

All the music on Pirosaint's debut album was been recorded at Oily Sound Studios in New Windsor, NY, and the vocal tracks and mixing process will be done in Santiago, Chile later this year. The album will contain nine tracks, more information will be revealed soon.

Pirosaint is:
Gonzalo Rodriguez - vocals
Bill Smith - guitars
Ron Buckner - bass
Ignacio Orellana - drums

For updates visit Pirosaint on Facebook here.

Video footage of New York hardcore legends AGNOSTIC FRONT performing a cover version of the RAMONES classic "Blitzkrieg Bop" can be seen below.

Commented AGNOSTIC FRONT: "We recorded this song for the Strength Records compilation 'Respect Your Roots' when we recorded 'My Life My Way' about three years ago... We have been playing at our live shows for last two years and our friends at Coretex Records help put this together for us combining the recording and live shows in collaboration with their 25-year anniversary and the release on Strength Records.

"This is actual real footage from the song being played live on the Persistence Tour mainly in Dresden! Just a little history on it... Mainly dedicated to the band that made us who we are the RAMONES! Thank you!"

AGNOSTIC FRONT's latest album, "My Life My Way", was released in March 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and features 13 new powerful and anthemic songs laid down by Erik Rutan (MADBALL, GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, etc.) under the watchful guide of producer Freddy Cricien of MADBALL. The record was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York.

The "My Life My Way" cover artwork was brought to life this time by artist Todd Hubber, who also works with vocalist Roger Miret on designing his street wear clothing line American Made Kustom.

By Martin Popoff

History has ossified around the idea that CHRIS POLAND and Gar Samuelson were jazzers trapped in a thrash metal machine of Mustaine’s making. Gar is now dead, and Chris has moved on from his seminal two records with MEGADETH, most notably with major label act DAMN THE MACHINE in 1993, into the here and now where he’s a fearless seeker of all things front-edge guitary.

“We’ve been playing The Iridium in New York, and so we had a little jam CD we called Tsunami Jams,” begins Poland, giving us the run-down on his current band OHM: and beyond. “We brought that CD there to try to make some money in New York. Because if you’re in New York, it costs you 50 bucks to walk out the door. So we brought that there, and we were selling that on the Internet and whatnot. But we just finished a project with HAWKWIND, you know, the late ‘60s band? Basically, Adam Hamilton came in and we used my studio, and it came out really good. So they’re going to send those tapes to England, and the sax player... they approached us to do it, and they said, ‘We just want you to jam,’ and it’s kind of a concept on each song, and see what happens, and that’s what we did. But as far as Ohm: goes, our new record is done—we just have to find some time to mix it.”
As for the vibe of the new Ohm: record, Poland explains that, “Since playing with the Sean, Jim and Frank Catalano from POLCAT, we decided we’re gonna make a live record in the studio. And I’m glad we did, because the energy that we exhibit live is actually on tape now. So I think people will really get a better example of what the band’s really about, instead of overdubs and everything’s perfect. I don’t know, everything is perfect on this record, but it’s just got way more energy and it’s just intense. So I’m glad we did it live. Peter, my co-producer/engineer, he insisted that we do it live, and I said, you know, you’re right, let’s do it.”

But we’re still confused about this Hawkwind thing... “Well, we composed the music, and existing members of Hawkwind are going to overdub over the top of it,” says Chris. “And some guys from The Doors, you know, just bands from that era, whoever they can find. It’s on Cleopatra Records. It was a blast, man. Because that’s one thing that me, David Eagle and Robby Pagliari, before we even start rehearsing or writing or anything, we jam. It’s something that we do, because we like to do that more than anything else, really. So it just worked out great. It was a pleasure to do it, and it was easy.”
And the title? Band name? Album name? “I have no idea. I’m pretty sure it’s Hawkwind. I don’t know what they’re going to call it, and I don’t know what it’s going to sound like, because basically Adam kind of told me... he said, ‘I notice that you always go into a repeated melody or whatever, and you have a defined theme. If you can just keep doing that, then we can have a sax player kind of repeat that, and we’ll just go from there.’ And I was like, cool. So that was our plan. It’s too bad. I mean, I guess Lemmy Kilmister used to be in the band, but I doubt he’s going to have anything to do with it. But maybe he will; I don’t know. But it was just a pleasure to do. Because as far as off-the-cuff jamming and shit... I love doing that stuff, man.”

“Just go to ChrisPoland.com,” offers Chris, adding, in closing, a summary. “We’re getting ready to mix the album. We’re done with recording. We just did the Hawkwind project, and I’m going to be doing some shows in Chicago. I’m going to be playing the Elastic Festival in March. June I’m playing with Frank Catalano, a sax player from Chicago, and we have our project called Polcat. And Frank is an amazing sax player. He’s played with Miles, played with BEYONCÉ, RANDY BRECKER. I mean, when he was 18, he played with Randy Brecker, and Randy Becker just decided that he’s going to be called The Kid, because he was so young, and he could play like... back then he could play like MICHAEL BRECKER, and now he’s just like effortless. It’s hard to play with him because he’s a stickler jazz guy, and I’m just who I am, and what I do, and I’m faking it most of the time (laughs).”
If this is all a little bewildering for fans of Chris in Megadeth, Poland understands... “Yeah, well, I just want to say, any Megadeth fan who reads this, obviously, you guys are the best fans in the world, and I appreciate it. You know, every time I see a Megadeth fan and how excited they get sometimes it’s... the stuff I’m playing now, sometimes it’s an albatross—guys who are serious guys, they just go, ‘He’s a metal guy.’ But the thing was, I was never a metal guy (laughs). That’s the funny thing about it.”

For more details visit Threeohms.com.

Another new track from SOILWORK's ninth album and first dual-disc, The Living Infinite, is available at iTunes. Click here to download 'Long Live The Misanthrope'.
The Living Infinite will be released on March 1st (Europe), March 4th (UK) and March 5th (North America) via Nuclear Blast.

Soilwork singer Bjorn 'Speed' Strid will be answering fan questions on Soilwork's Twitter page this Monday, February 18th at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern. Tweet your questions to @_Soilwork using #TheLivingInfinite hashtag and they'll all be answered. Don't have a Twitter account? Post your questions for Bjorn in the comments section below and they will be answered also on the band's Twitter wall.

Soilwork recently posted the third album trailer for The Living Infinite. In the three-minute video, singer Björn „Speed“ Strid talks about the lyrics, guest features, the musical approach and his personal favorites on the first double album in the history of melodic death metal:
Check out the previous trailers below:

Speed talks about the production process and the artwork of the first double album in the history of melodic death metal:
What Speed has to say about the idea of a double album, the songwriting process and working with new guitarist David Andersson for the first time:
Produced by Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH), The Living Infinite features artwork by MNEMIC’s Mircea Eftemie Gabriel.
The Living Infinite tracklisting:

CD 1:
'Spectrum Of Eternity'
'Memories Confined'
'This Momentary Bliss'
'Tongue'
'The Living Infinite I'
'Let The First Wave Rise'
'Vesta'
'Realm Of The Wasted'
'The Windswept Mercy'
'Whispers And Lights'

CD 2:
'Entering Aeons'
'Long Live The Misanthrope'
'Drowning With Silence'
'Antidotes In Passing'
'Leech'
'The Living Infinite II'
'Loyal Shadow'
'Rise Above The Sentiment'
'Parasite Blues'
'Owls Predict, Oracles Stand Guard'

A video for The Living Infinite track, 'Rise Above The Sentiment', follows:
The official viral video for 'Spectrum Of Eternity' and 'This Momentary Bliss' can be viewed below:
Soilwork's North American Infinity Tour 2013, also featuring JEFF LOOMIS, BLACKGUARD, THE BROWNING and WRETCHED, includes the following dates:

March
12 - West Springfield, VA - Empire
13 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
14 - Albany, NY - Bogie's
15 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
16 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
17 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
18 - Qu?bec City, QC - Dagobert
19 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks
20 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
22 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
23 - Westland, MI - Token Lounge
24 - Milwaukee, WI - Rave
25 - Joliet, IL - Mojoes
26 - Des Moines, IA - Wooly's
27 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
28 - Winnipeg, MB - Park Theatre
29 - Regina, SK - Exchange
30 - Calgary, AB - Republik
31 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room

April
1 - Prince George, BC - Generator
2 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
3 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
4 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
5 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
6 - West Hollywood, CA - Whiskey-a-Go-Go
7 - Tempe, AZ - Rocky Point Cantina
8 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
9 - Las Vegas, NV - Las Vegas Country Saloon
11 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue
12 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
13 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
14 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird
15 - Dallas, TX - Trees
16 - San Antonio, TX - Backstage Live
17 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's
18 - Abilene, TX - Lucky Mule
19 - Odessa, TX - Chameleon Room
20 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls
21 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog Bar
22 - Corpus Christi, TX - House of Rock
23 - McAllen, TX - Geo's
24 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
26 - St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre
27 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
28 - Charlotte, NC - Casbah
29 - Richmond, VA - Kingdom
30 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage

May
1 - Teaneck, NJ - Mexicali Live
2 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Chance Theatre
3 - Buffalo, NY - Broadway Joe's
4 - Columbus, OH - Al Rosa Villa
5 - London, ON - Music Hall
6 - Syracuse, NY - Station 58
7 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
For more info on Soilwork visit Facebook.

Germany's HIGHLIGHT KENOSIS have checked in with the following update:
"HK is proud to announce that we'll be pairing up with some pretty awesome professionals for some recording and production of our upcoming album!

Amanda Somerville (TRILLIUM, KISKE/SOMERVILLE, AVANTASIA) will be producing the vocals, while Sander Gommans (HDK, ex-AFTER FOREVER) and Paul Simons take care of such recording sessions and engineering at The Rock Station in the Netherlands.

More info to come!"

Check out Highlight Kenosis on Facebook here.

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

Östergötland/Norrköping, Sweden-based occult rock quintet YEAR OF THE GOAT have set loose a brand new video for the track 'Spirits Of Fire', "showcasing the incredibly hooks and melodies the band have seemingly perfected, depicted in a psychedelic '70s occult horror," according to a press release.

Check out 'Spirits Of Fire' below:
Year Of The Goat will hit the stage sporadically and continuously through the year, having just announced the acts first confirmed performances of 2013. Stay tuned for further updates as more shows are confirmed.

Live rituals:

March
1 - John Dee - Sankt Hanshaugen, Norway
9 - Dynamo - Norrköping, Sweden
22 - Harry’s Rock Night - Linkoping, Sweden

May
24 - Club Destroyer - Sundsvall, Sweden

July
27 - Skogsröjet - Rejmre, Sweden

August
8/29 - Beyond The Gates - Bergen, Norway

November
16 - Hammer Of Doom Festival - Würzburg, Germany
More on Year Of The Goat at this location.

SHADOW SOCIETY have unveiled the cover art and tracklisting for their debut EP as follows:
Shadow Society tracklisting:
'Initiation Ritual'
'Shrouded In Darkness'
'Beneath A Full Moon'
'Dreaming With Demons'
'Hidden In Plain Sight'

The band’s eagerly-awaited first single, 'Shrouded In Darkness', is now available for streaming below. Mixed and mastered at the Audio Refinery by Eric Koondel (SOILWORK, CYNIC, MALEVOLENT CREATION), "Shrouded In Darkness is a glimpse into the dark arts of Shadow Society. Ambience, brutality, melody, and technicality all blend together seamlessly to weave unique and original sonic soundscapes," according to a band statement
Shadow Society is:
Rob Thoth: lead vocals (CHRONZON, IMMANIFEST)
Kevin Quirion: guitars/vocals (DEICIDE, ORDER OF ENNEAD, COUNCIL OF THE FALLEN)
Al Asgrim: guitars/clean Vocals (YETI, Immanifest)
Adam Sagan: drums/clean vocals (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, INTO ETERNITY)
Scott Patrick: bass (Order Of Ennead, Council Of The Fallen)
Roberto “Kadath” Celentano: keyboards (Yeti)
More information about Shadow Society can be found on Facebook.

MERCYFUL FATE's Hank Shermann, who played guitar for Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT for all of last year, has released 11-minute "What Happened In 2012?" video, featuring highlights from the past 12 months. Check it out below.

Shermann shared the stage with METALLICA in December 2011 at one of four intimate shows which took place at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of METALLICA's 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

As previously reported, Shermann's DEMONICA project — which also features FORBIDDEN/SPIRALARMS axeman Craig Locicero — has tapped drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, FORBIDDEN) for the band's sophomore album, which is expected to be recorded sometime this year.

The sixth in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the new MEGADETH album, "Super Collider", can be seen below.

"Super Collider" is scheduled for release in June via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises(UMe).

"It was a real thrill for us to learn there was an opportunity to join Universal," said Mustaine. "It seems like every time you see a great band or music video, it comes from a Universal label.

"Being with Universal is by far the most exciting and prestigious home for MEGADETH ever! We are electrified with what the future holds and the possibilities such a powerhouse like Universal will bring for us all.

"We have worked with some great people over the years, and it is amazing to see so many of them on the Universal team for our new record, 'Super Collider'.

"If MEGADETH being here isn't satiating enough, having Tradecraft as my own label is going to be really amazing for metal bands around the world."

"Super Collider" is being recorded at Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California and is MEGADETH's first release its recent split with Roadrunner Records.

"Shawn [Drover, drums], Chris [Broderick, guitar] and David [Ellefson, bass] have all been feverishly contributing some great music and I believe we are doing our best work ever together in the studio right now," Mustaine said.

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie at last month's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California, Mustaine stated about the direction of the band's new material: "[MEGADETH bassist] David Ellefson is one of those guys that's kind of the barometer of the band. You ask me, you never really know what you're gonna get, but when you ask David Ellefson, it's kind of like reading the ingredients on the back of something, 'cause he's such a straight shooter. He told some people the other day that this is music that's really similar to [MEGADETH's 1985 debut album] 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!', some of the stuff — really dark, really heavy and fast stuff. I mean, I don't thnk it's really as fast and heavy as 'Killing' is, to me, but Junior is a great, like I said, barometer — bad word, but he knows what's going on."

On the topic of MEGADETH's current label situation, Mustaine said: "We have a new label. We left Roadrunner; we completed our contract with them, which not a lot of many metal bands have the luxury to have been able to complete contracts. They usually either break up or quit or give up and stuff like that, but we were honorable and finished our contract with them and we moved on. And we've actually got a fantastic relationship with a brand new label. We have eleven songs already recorded. We wanna give them thirteen, 'cause, you know, the B-sides and Japanese releases and all that kind of crazy stuff."

"MEGADETH is not just one of the most successful metal bands, but one of the most influential rock bands of the past 30 years," said UMe President/CEO Bruce Resnikoff in making the announcement. "They continue to be a huge draw on the road with their longtime fans as well as continually adding new fans. I look forward to working together with them."

With the recent acquisition of EMI, UMe now brings together MEGADETH's classic, 14-year, seven-album Capitol catalog, which includes one multi-platinum release ('92's "Countdown To Extinction"), four platinum records ('86's "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" ; '88's "So Far, So Good... So What?"; '90's "Rust in Peace"; '94's "Youthanasia"), and one gold ('97's "Cryptic Writings"). In all, the band has scored five U.S. Top 10 albums (including 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame") and two Top 5 releases, with 2011's "TH1RT3EN" debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.

In a January 24 post on his Facebook page, Ellefson wrote about the recording process for MEGADETH's new album: "Having a great week here at Vic's Garage laying down bass on the new songs. Really some great, great songs taking shape at this point in the recording process. I told Dave [Mustaine] today that one of them totally reminded me of the earliest stuff back when we first met. Fast, ripppin' and fully bringing the REAL old-school MEGADETH sound!!!"

Johnny K produced MEGADETH's last album, 2011's "TH1RT3EN", which was also recorded at Vic's Garage.

Professionally filmed video footage of PRONG's January 26 performance at the 11th annual Schecter Guitar Research NAMM party at The Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, California can be seen below.

PRONG's new album, "Carved Into Stone", sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 13 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.

"Carved Into Stone" was released on April 24, 2012 in North America via Long Branch Records/SPV. The CD was recorded with producer Steve Evetts, who has previously worked with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X, SEPULTURA and HATEBREED, among others. The cover artwork was created by Vance Kelly (DOWN, THE SWORD).