Fan-filmed video footage of THE WINERY DOGS — the power trio featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB), legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS, DAVID LEE ROTH) and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen (MR. BIG, POISON) — performing on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, which sailed from Miami, Florida on March 29, can be seen below.

THE WINERY DOGS will release two new special versions of its self-titled debut album on April 15. "The Winery Dogs Special Edition" will consist of two-CDs. Disc 1 is the standard album and Disc 2 is entitled "Unleashed In Japan 2013", featuring 10 songs recorded live in Japan during the band's July 2013 tour, including "Criminal", a track previously unavailable in the U.S., along with a 16-page booklet of live photos and lyrics. A deluxe package for die-hard fans will be released simultaneously. "Dog Treats: The Winery Dogs Deluxe Special Edition" will be sold in a box resembling a box of dog treats, and will include the "Special Edition" collection of music, a DVD featuring four music videos and interview footage, demos from the original recording sessions, a "studio diary" written by Mike Portnoy, as well as some unique merchandise unavailable elsewhere. THE WINERY DOGS' self-titled debut album sold around 10,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released in North America on July 23, 2013 via Loud & Proud Records and in Japan on May 15, 2013 via Victor Entertainment, the CD was mixed by Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, ADRENALINE MOB, STONE SOUR and STEEL PANTHER.

"As soon as the three of us got together, we immediately established that we didn't want this to be some instrumental wankfest," Portnoy told NY Music Examiner in a new interview. "This was something that was going to be song-oriented and vocal-oriented, and something that moved us that way. I think that's where we're all at and we're all on the same page. Richie's been doing that for so long now, but Billy and I have always been associated with a million notes and technique and stuff like that. Yet the two of us are such fans of a good song and three-part vocal harmonies, so we were really looking to do something in that vein, and that was always the calling card for this band."

Regarding the reaction from the fans and press alike to THE WINERY DOGS' debut CD and live shows, Portnoy said: "All three of us could not be happier with the reception so far. It's been incredible. We went out for a lot of last year and toured all over the world, from South America to Japan to Europe to America, and everywhere we went it was so well-received. The fans have embraced it, and not only the fans, but the critics and all across the board. So it's so satisfying, especially at this point in all three of our careers. We've all been doing this for a long time now, but when you come together with something new, you kind of build it from scratch, no matter how established you are individually. And the fact that it's been so well received makes us want to continue to take this as far as we can."

He added: "I think the fact that all three of us have had our individual careers and individual acclaim kind of helps to keep the egos in check. It wasn't like a band where you had two guys that had done something and one was a newcomer. All of us had been around the block and have been doing this for 20-30 years now, so we had that mutual respect and we know what each person brings into the big picture.

"We've all been there, done that. We've played the Budokan multiple times and been around the world dozens of times, so at this point it's about the music. When the three of us came together, we didn't have this master plan of being the next GUNS N' ROSES; we had this master plan of getting together and making some music that the three of us enjoy. It was all about us seeing what the three of us could make together. If it gets us off, let's stick with it. That was always the goal, and so far we've achieved that goal. We made an album that all three of us are incredibly proud of and really enjoy listening to and playing."

Los Angeles glam-metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER took part in a press conference and acoustic performance on Thursday, April 3 at Hustler Hollywood in Hollywood, California. Check out video footage of the event below (courtesy of Artisan News).

STEEL PANTHER's third album, "All You Can Eat", is likely to sell between 15,000 and 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on two-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on April 1 via Open E/KLS. The chart will be unveiled on Wednesday, April 9.

STEEL PANTHER's sophomore album, "Balls Out", opened with nearly 12,000 units back in November 2011 to land at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart.

STEEL PANTHER premiered "All You Can Eat" in a unique interactive experience. The premiere is taking place here and features a television set that broadcasts all things STEEL PANTHER, including the complete album stream of "All You Can Eat".

With each change of the channel on the television set, fans experience different content from the STEEL PANTHER world. The set broadcasts the latest STEEL PANTHER music videos, current episodes of SP TV and a few surprises as well. The experience takes fans deeper in to the lifestyle of STEEL PANTHER and is a must-see for all Fanthers around the globe.

STEEL PANTHER has also launched a worldwide "hotline" that fans can call for up to the minute updates on the band. Fans who call 941-75-Steel (941-757-8335) and verify that they are over 18 are sent an immediate link to see the band’s latest unreleased video for the song "Gloryhole". The video was shot in an unnamed glory hole location and features a performance by STEEL PANTHER in the stalls as only they can do it. A few surprise visitors showed up that day during filming and can be seen in the video as well. The phone number has been getting major attention with fans around the globe calling in to experience what STEEL PANTHER delivers on the "hotline."

"All You Can Eat" track listing:

01. Pussywhipped 02. Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World03. Gloryhole04. Bukkake Tears05. Gangbang At The Old Folks Home06. Ten Strikes You’re Out07. The Burden Of Being Wonderful08. F@#king My Heart In The Ass09. BVS10. You're Beautiful When You Don't Talk11. If I Was The King12. She's On The Rag

Regarding the new CD title, singer Michael Starr said: "We feel like STEEL PANTHER is like a buffet. You know what I mean?! There's a little bit of everything for everybody. And you can have as much of us as you want."

The not-safe-for-work version of the official "Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World" video includes celebrity cameos by "Jackass" star Steve-O, porn icon Ron Jeremy, "Breaking Bad" actor RJ Mitte and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell.

STEEL PANTHER's first-ever DVD, "British Invasion", sold 3,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in November 2012 to debut at position No. 2 on Billboard's Top Music Videos chart.

EYE EMPIRE — the band featuring Corey Lowery (STUCK MOJO, STEREOMUD, DARK NEW DAY), B.C. Kochmit (SWITCHED) and Ryan Bennett (TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION) — has parted ways with vocalist Donald Carpenter (SUBMERSED).

Lowery, Kochmit and Bennett said in a statement: "For the last several years, we have committed every ounce of energy we collectively have to EYE EMPIRE. We've shared great heights and unbelievable lows. Through it all, we stood together like brothers, sacrificing on behalf of one another pursuing a dream. That vision, and the hopes that come with the quest, remain.

"Following the last run, it was brought to our attention that one member was making moves to re-assemble a former band. The moment that transpired, and there was an absence of communication, it was clear he had left the band.

"For the fans that have supported us, we love you and owe you so much.

"There will be another EYE EMPIRE album, and we will return to the road. However, that news will come when we find a fourth partner who is unequivocally committed to the journey and understands that our business is not to be misrepresented and aired with deceit publicly."

For his part, Carpenter posted the following on April 3: "Starting over is always hard but it's not the first time and I'm am certain that it won't be the last.

"Things are starting to come together, but still getting those curves coming in every once in awhile, but hey, that's life!"

EYE EMPIRE's latest album, "Evolve", was released on October 29, 2013.

The members of EYE EMPIRE all have seen success in the past through other ensembles. With the formation of EYE EMPIRE, however, they have proven a commitment to seeing through what they started. Lowery remembered: "B.C. and I started playing together when he was in SWITCHED, and I knew that he would be the guitar player that I would one day create something special and lasting with. He has a great sense of melody with rhythm and solos and a great understanding of arrangement and what's best for the song. He knows the difference between shredding and holding one note, and making that one note sing. He truly has his own style as an artist."

With the youngest member of the quartet, Ryan Bennett, Lowery reflected: "Simply one of the baddest drummers to come to the rock 'n roll scene in years. Grabbing some of his favorite drummers and making his own style with EYE EMPIRE. He's the guy that is always smiling staying positive until he gets behind the drums then he explodes."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, this Saturday (April 5) marks the 20th anniversary of the death of NIRVANA founder and frontman Kurt Cobain at the age of 27. Cobain, who killed himself with a shotgun in a room above the garage of his Seattle home, instantly joined the pantheon of rock legends who died too early, including Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Bon Scott, and more. Yet while many of those artists lived the rock star lifestyle to the fullest, Cobain was branded as something that he, by all accounts, never wanted to be — the spokesman for an entire generation. It's widely felt that Cobain's inability to reconcile his inner demons and fear of "compromise" with NIRVANA's massive success drove him to depression, drugs, and ultimately, suicide.

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch recalled hearing NIRVANA's music and sensing that Kurt Cobain was already in a lot of pain. "I just remember tripping and going, 'Wow, that guy must have been like really in a dark place,' you know," he said. "It just shows you, you know, like that life isn't all about fame and being a rock star and making it and money and all that stuff, you know. It's about finding like who you are and being happy inside and finding that place, because you can have the whole world and still want to kill yourself. You know, even 20 years later, it's like a reality check, you know. We should use this, his anniversary of his death, as a reality check."

Former PANTERA and current HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott said that while NIRVANA's success did a lot of damage to the metal scene at the time, he still liked the band and was shocked by Cobain's death. "NIRVANA was a huge band and I, like everybody else, I think — I don't know anybody who ever said they weren't a fan of them — thought they were great," he said. "And I was terribly shocked and kind of mortified as to what happened, you know. I never knew Kurt was that depressed and that kind of stuff, you know. Just didn't seem that way to me, you know. He was just big and larger than life."

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell was coming up on the Seattle music scene at the same time as NIRVANA and ran into Cobain occasionally. "I didn't really know Kurt that well, but there was a guy I always admired," he said. "We didn't spent much time together, but the few times we did spend together, you know, were times I'll always remember. You know, he was a really sweet guy, and a really genuine soul, you know, and an incredibly talented artist."

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford sums up what Kurt Cobain meant to rock music. "He was an absolute genius," he said. "In the legacy of rock and roll music, he'll be there with, like, Hendrix and Lennon and Joplin and Morrison. Incredibly evocative, inspiring, controversial, human musician. For me, there's been nothing great since NIRVANA, in the way it shook up the world. There's been nothing great since that band."

IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris will take his solo/side project BRITISH LION back out on the road briefly this year with a 10-date European tour starting on July 8 in Norwich and rounding off with an open-air show at the annual International Motorcycle Convention at the Moto Clube De Faro, Portugal on Saturday, July 19 (full list of dates below). Tickets go on sale Monday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. (11 a.m. local time outside the U.K.). Comments Steve: "As most fans know, I have strong ties with the Portuguese Moto Clube through our mutual friend Manu DaSilva, now sadly departed, who for many years ran MAIDEN's Eddie's Bar in Santa Barbara de Nexe near Faro. In fact, the first-ever BRITISH LION live show we played was in the Clubhouse itself!

"When they invited us back this year, to play at the same festival MAIDEN headlined in 2011 in memory of Manu, it provided the perfect opportunity to schedule a few shows beforehand on our way down to Faro from the U.K.

"We're playing clubs again, same as we did last year, as we all really love the vibe and intimacy of getting up close and personal with the crowd.

"Although we would have liked to have visited more cities and countries on this run, it simply hasn't been possible time-wise. This is for a number of reasons, probably of interest to MAIDEN fans!" BRITISH LION tour dates:

July 08 - Waterfront, Norwich, UK July 09 - Concorde 2, Brighton, UKJuly 10 - Quarterhouse, Folkestone, UKJuly 12 - De Pul, Uden, The Netherlands July 13 - Zaal Jagersborg, Maasmechelen, Belgium July 14 - Divan Du Monde, Paris, France July 15 - Metronum, Toulouse, France July 17 - Shoko, Madrid, Spain July 18 - Custom, Seville, Spain July 19 - International Moto Clube de Faro Convention, Portugal

BRITISH LION's debut album sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 3 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.

"British Lion" was released in the U.S. on September 25, 2012 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). Mixed by Kevin Shirley — whose credits include IRON MAIDEN as well as Led ZEPPELIN, JOURNEY and RUSH, among many others — the CD, which features Harris alongside vocalist Richard Taylor, guitarists Graham Leslie and David Hawkins and drummer Simon Dawson, presents a different side of the bassist's musical visions.

"British Lion" comprises ten songs that Steve and his collaborators have been working on between IRON MAIDEN tours and releases and is described by Harris as "'70s-influenced, British-sounding hard rock." "I'd say it's more mainstream rock than metal... and quite commercial… but good commercial," he said. "There's all kinds of stuff going on, with nods to THE WHO and UFO and some classic British rock bands, but it's not the progressive rock album some might be expecting."

"British Lion" track listing: 01. This Is My God02. Lost Worlds03. Karma Killer04. Us Against The World05. The Chosen Ones06. A World Without Heaven07. Judas08. Eyes Of The Young09. These Are The Hands10. The Lesson

"Us Against The World" video:

Reactivated Los Angeles rap/hardcore/metal act DOWNSET has released the following statement:

"The rumors you have heard are true: the somewhat original DOWNSET lineup is playing [the] This Is Hardcore [festival] in July and will most likely play other shows to follow.

"To make things clear, there will not willingly be two versions of DOWNSET performing as that would be ignorant for obvious reasons.

"While we mean no offense to other bands that coexist in this way, Rey [Oropeza, vocals] is the face of DOWNSET, and if he has finally decided to take the wheel and drive, well, it's his car.

"DOWNSET was resurrected in 2013 with all original members invited at the time and only a couple willing and passionate enough to bring it back. So, with a new lineup, this reincarnated DOWNSET went on to tour through the summer and had a blast properly serving the fans night after night bringing that original West Coast hardcore sound back to the fans. During and since that summer, Rey, Ares [Schwager, guitar] and James [Morris, bass] have decided to come back and undoubtedly kill shows like they once have.

"Ultimately with dismay, this leaves the upcoming summer European tour up in the air. The next couple of weeks will tellingly procure details of the 'if' and 'how' of any resolution."

Formed in 1986, DOWNSET released albums on the Mercury and Epitaph labels before disbanding in 2009.

DOWNSET's most recent touring lineup was comprised of Neil Roemer (vocals), Rogelio Lozano (guitar), Christopher Lee (drums), and J.D. Manhart (bass).

LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe has confirmed that he attended the April 1 private memorial for late GWAR frontman Dave Brockie (a.k.a. Oderus Urungus) in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Blythe writes on Instagram: "I was one of three people who were not part of GWAR who spoke. This was a gift and an honor for me.

"When someone you love dies, the very absence of that person grows into something huge and unmanageable unless you let it out somehow. This is the nature of grief, and this is what mourning with your community is for.

"I haven't been around my people enough lately.

"I tried to do him proud, and even got heckled a bit, which was ENTIRELY FITTING at a funeral for Dave.

"This was a private affair, only for friends and family, and there were several hundred rowdy crying folks there, so you can only imagine what the public memorial in August will be like. An uninvited fan even managed to piss me off.

"This should be obvious, but apparently people have gotten so stupid these days I have to say this: a) if you aren't invited, don't show up at a funeral. It's NOT a show, no matter who died, and b) if you do show up, just be quiet and respectful. Don't come up, tell me how awesome I am, start grinning and throwing the horns and ask for a picture.

"I took the photo, because it was either that or choke the idiot kid out, but REALLY, dude? Of course, that this happened is also ENTIRELY FITTING, because Brockie is laughing at me being all pissed somewhere right now (F you, bro)."

Several photos from the private memorial attended by Brockie's family and friends can be found at YellMagazine.com.

Brockie was found dead in his home in Richmond on March 23. He was 50 years old. GWAR manager Jack Flanagan released a statement saying, "It is with a saddened heart that I confirm my dear friend Dave Brockie, artist, musician, and lead singer of GWAR, passed away at approximately 6:50 p.m. EST Sunday, March 23, 2014 . . . A full autopsy will be performed. He was 50 years old, born August 30, 1963. My main focus right now is to look after my bandmates and his family."

Brockie is the second member of GWAR to die within the past three years. Guitarist Cory Smoot, who played the character Flattus Maximus, died of a heart attack on the band's tour bus in November 2011 at the age of 34.

Brockie said at the time, "I think Cory's death is a big wake-up call for all of us. We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out it wasn't a drug overdose, to speak quite frankly. But then to think that he was 34 and died of a heart attack — it's really scary."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Brockie was the last remaining original member of GWAR, which was founded 30 years ago. The future of the band at this stage is uncertain.

The satirical metal band earned a following for its macabre, over-the-top costumes, offensive lyrics and graphic, gore-soaked shows, in which the band members performed as the descendants of alien warriors who arrived on Earth to enslave and slaughter the human race.

The band released its 13th album, "Battle Maximus", last year.

Guitarist Robby Krieger of THE DOORS will guest on the upcoming solo album from stoner rock legend John Garcia (VISTA CHINO, KYUSS). The CD will be released at the end of July via Napalm Records.

Says Garcia: "To have Robby Krieger from THE DOORS play on my first-ever solo record was surreal. Not only was it surreal, but to be the first artist ever to record in his brand new studio, Horse Latitudes, in Los Angeles made it even more special. I am honored, and humbled by his professionalism and talent and will never forget that experience for the rest of my life... It truly made the song 'Her Bullets Energy' better, not to mention the entire record." Garcia's solo album is being recorded at Thunder Underground studios in Palm Springs, California with producers Harper Hug and Trevor Whatever.

VISTA CHINO is the group comprised of two founding members of the legendary rock band KYUSS — Garcia and Brant Bjork — and guitarist Bruno Fevery.

VISTA CHINO's debut album, "Peace", was released on September 3, 2013 (one day earlier internationally) via Napalm Records. The cover artwork for the CD was created by the renowned California art collective The Date Farmers.

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD are seeking to dismiss the lawsuit that was filed against them by the band's former bassist, Adam Duce, claiming that that Duce has "failed to state a claim for federal trademark infringement" and "has failed to state any claim against [MACHINE HEAD's new bassist] Jared MacEachern or [MACHINE HEAD's new record label] Nuclear Blast," both of whom were listed as co-defendants in Adam's original complaint.

As first reported by Courthouse News, Duce sued MACHINE HEAD in January, alleging trademark infringement, breach of partnership agreement and defamation, among other things.

Duce was fired from MACHINE HEAD on February 11, 2013, a few months prior to the band signing a new deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

In MACHINE HEAD's April 2 motion to dismiss Duce's lawsuit, the band's attorney, Dawn M. Coulson of Epps & Coulson, LLP, writes, in part: "This case concerns the claims of Plaintiff Adam Duce ('Plaintiff'), an expelled former partner of Defendant MACHINE HEAD, a California general partnership ('MH' or 'the Band'), for income and royalties associated with the Band's business as a recording act. In addition to the Band, Plaintiff names the individual Band members (including his replacement), the Band's touring company, the Band's managers and the Band's post-expulsion record label. The claims run the gamut from breach of fiduciary duty, breach of partnership agreement, interference with prospective economic advantage, and defamation to unfair competition. Curiously, they also include a claim for trademark infringement under the federal Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1114(1), despite the fact — judicially admitted by Plaintiff in the Complaint — Plaintiff does not own any of the federally registered trademarks.

"Plaintiff was expelled from the Band on or about February 11, 2013. According to [Duce's] Complaint, MacEachern was hired to replace Plaintiff as bass player in or about June 2013, four (4) months after Plaintiff's expulsion. Even later, the Band signed with record label Nuclear Blast in or about October 2013.

"In the Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that [MACHINE HEAD guitarist/vocalist Robb] Flynn, [the band's manager, co-defendant Joseph W.] Huston and 'the other Band members' (presumably [drummer Dave] McClain and [guitarist Phil] Demmel, since MacEachern was not hired until afterwards), 'sought to expel Plaintiff from the Band prior to entering into a new record deal in order to exclude him from any income to be derived as a result of the deal and to derive greater profit for the remaining Band members.' Plaintiff alleges that 'On information and belief, [Nuclear Blast] supported and aided Flynn, Huston, and the other Band members' efforts to expel Plaintiff from the Band.' He alleges '[i]n or around June 2013, the Band 'replaced' [Plaintiff] on bass and backup vocals with Defendant MacEachern.'

"Plaintiff complains he subsequently received no distributions from the Band or [Head Machine Touring, Inc.] He also complains that Flynn defamed him by allegedly publishing a blog saying that the Band technically fired Plaintiff on February 11, 2013, but that Plaintiff was 'sick of [the Band]' and effectively quit it over a decade before.

"Plaintiff, a former partner to the MACHINE HEAD partnership, 'the Band,' now sues the Band and the other Defendants for federal trademark infringement, alleging that the Band and the other Defendants have used 'a mark identical to MH's federally registered mark without Plaintiff's required consent, for and in connection with Defendants' musical recordings, live shows put on by the Band, and with merchandise including but not limited to clothing and headwear.' These allegations fail, however, because Plaintiff is not the registrant of the MACHINE HEAD trademarks — the Band is. Plaintiff admits as much in the Complaint."

"In the Complaint, only three of Plaintiff's claims are alleged against MacEachern, the Band's replacement bass player, the First Cause of Action for trademark infringement, the Seventh Cause of Action for negligence and the Ninth Cause of Action for unfair competition. All fail and should be dismissed as against MacEachern.

"The First Cause of Action for trademark infringement fails against MacEachern because (1) Plaintiff is not the registrant and (2) no Defendant is alleged to be using the MACHINE HEAD trademarks without the Band's consent.

"The Seventh Cause of Action for negligence fails because the only allegedly negligent actions are those Plaintiff alleges 'resulted in Plaintiff being unceremoniously and publicly 'fired' from the Band….' The elements of negligence are not alleged against MacEachern, and indeed they cannot be, considering the Complaint alleges he was hired by the Band some four (4) months after Plaintiff was expelled.

"In the Complaint, Plaintiff likewise alleges the First Cause of Action for trademark infringement, the Seventh Cause of Action for negligence and the Ninth Cause of Action for unfair competition against Nuclear Blast, the Band's post-expulsion record label. In addition, Plaintiff alleges the Fifth and Sixth Causes of Action for intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage, respectively. These claims also fail, and should be dismissed as against Nuclear Blast.

"The First Cause of Action for trademark infringement fails against Nuclear Blast for the same reasons it fails as to the other Defendants. The Seventh Cause of Action for negligence fails because, again, Nuclear Blast is only alleged to have 'entered into a new record contract with' the Band sometime 'after the expulsion of Plaintiff….' The elements of negligence are not alleged, and the naked allegation that 'On information and belief, [Nuclear Blast] supported and aided Flynn, Huston, and the other Band members' efforts to expel Plaintiff from the Band' does not suffice. No duty, breach, causation or damages proximately caused by Nuclear Blast or can be alleged against Nuclear Blast, and the Seventh Cause of Action should be dismissed.

"The same is true for the Ninth Cause of Action for unfair competition. The naked allegation that 'On information and belief, [Nuclear Blast] supported and aided Flynn, Huston, and the other Band members' efforts to expel Plaintiff from the Band' does not amount to any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice. The Ninth Cause of Action should be dismissed as well.

"The most Plaintiff alleges is that '[Nuclear Blast], Flynn and Huston wrongfully and with reckless disregard conspired to expel and then did expel Plaintiff from the Band prior to signing the Band's new record deal in an attempt to preclude Plaintiff from enjoying the profits of the new record deal. Even beyond the fact that only the Band could expel Plaintiff, none of Nuclear Blast's alleged conduct is independently wrongful."

A hearing on MACHINE HEAD's motion to dismiss Duce's lawsuit is scheduled for June 5 at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, California.

In his original complaint, Duce claimed that although MACHINE HEAD formed a general partnership and a corporation under which each member owned 25 percent, the band's guitarist/vocalist, Robert Flynn, got a larger portion of the band's income.

MACHINE HEAD's 2009 tour, which included dates with METALLICA, grossed more than $2 million. A 2012 Europe tour grossed more than $3 million, according to Duce's complaint.

Flynn wrote about Duce's departure in a "diary entry" on MACHINE HEAD's web site by "directly attacking plaintiff's work ethic," Duce said in the complaint.

"Therein, Flynn stated, inter alia, 'We may have fired Adam on 2-11-13, but Adam quit MACHINE HEAD well over a decade ago. He just never bothered to tell anyone ... but we all knew it.' Flynn went on further in the diary entry, continuing to say about plaintiff, 'No matter how un-happy [sic] or fed up he got, quitting the band would be seen as 'losing' or a 'failure.' Truth be told, he was sick of it. Sick of touring, sick of recording, sick of practicing, sick of looking at album artwork, sick of being-on-a-team-but-never-getting-the-ball, sick of yearning-for-the-honeymoon-to-resume when 20 years deep it never does. Sick of never quite hitting the big-time, sick of carving the niche ... sick of caring.'" (Ellipses in complaint.)

Adam claimed that Flynn's "diary entry was libelous per se in that in contained untrue statements made to third parties that tended to harm [Duce] in his reputation and occupation." Duce added that "Flynn published this diary entry without making a reasonable effort to ascertain the truthfulness of its contents." In addition, "Flynn was not privileged to make such statements in the diary entry. As a direct, proximate result of this diary entry, [Duce] has been damaged in an amount to be proven at trial, but in any event in excess of $1,000,000."

Duce, who still holds interest in the band's partnership and company, claimed that no agreement was ever made about his share of future royalties and profits. He said the other bandmembers "simply kicked him out of the band and presumed he would forget about over two decades of hard work, dedication, and effort he put into the Band." Duce also said his likeness is used on the band's web site and in promotions without his authorization.

Jared MacEachern made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD on June 24, 2013 in Spokane, Washington.

Adam Duce photo above courtesy of FaceCulture.nl

Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the release of The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story on 2DVD and Digital Video on May 20th. Originally made in 2001, this documentary, presented in Dolby Digital Stereo, is now being presented with additional bonus material.
The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story explores the tragic, yet celebratory life of the late SYD BARRETT, lead guitarist and prominent songwriter of early PINK FLOYD. With contributions from all members of Pink Floyd, as well as managers, friends, and others close to Syd, the documentary traverses the tale of this enigmatic rock legend, from his intelligent, thought-provoking songwriting and indelible stamp on the psychedelic music genre, to his 1968 departure from the band, when his increasingly erratic behavior made his continued participation in the band impossible. This 2DVD set also includes the additional interview Roger Waters On Syd Barrett, and a second disc with bonus uncut interviews with Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright, and a performance of 'Love You' by GRAHAM COXON.

Pink Floyd was revolutionary, pushing popular music into new cerebral dimensions, and Syd Barrett was an integral part of the band’s sound and lyrics. A charismatic cult figure with a flair for eccentricity, he crafted such unique hits as 'See Emily Play' and 'Arnold Layne', as well as album tracks such as 'Bike' and 'Astronomy Domine'. His use of dissonance, feedback, and distortion in his guitar playing has inspired generations of musicians. After leaving Pink Floyd, he recorded two solo albums before vanishing from music altogether, retiring to his English hometown of Cambridge. Fans and reporters continued to travel there to seek out the reclusive Barrett until his death in 2006, at the age of 60.

At 214 minutes, The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story 2DVD is an in-depth and comprehensive study of this music and cultural icon.

Four years have passed since Central California's death metal unit, ETCHED IN STONE unleashed their debut album, Emulate The Defiler. Following that the band was forced to take an unexpected break as they dealt with multiple shifts in their lineup. This also led to numerous setbacks in recording their follow up album, which was originally intended for release in summer 2013.

Despite the many setbacks and only releasing the single ‘At The Altar Of Lethe’ in 2013, Etched In Stone have pushed on, refining their sound and recording the remaining tracks as time allowed. They are finally set to release their sophomore album, The Failure Of Modern Man, this June.
At the Altar of Lethe {SINGLE} by Etched in Stone

Etched In Stone vocalist/producer Brian Lewis, had the following to say about the forthcoming release: "Releasing this album, for me at least, is a form of much needed closure. We've been hard at work on it for nearly three years and have had several discouraging setbacks and battles along the way, so I'm not only overjoyed that Etched In Stone is finally able to bring something new and entirely different from what we've ever done before to the table, but it's enthralling to finally be able to say IT IS FINISHED! We are boldly stepping into new territory with this album musically and The Failure Of Modern Man is a damn good indicator of what the future of Etched In Stone's sound holds!"

The Failure Of Modern Man is set to be released on June 24th.

Portuguese prog-rock/metal outfit LEGACY OF CYNTHIA have released their debut album, Renaissance. The full album is streaming below, and is available for purchase in a digital download version at this location.
Renaissance was recorded, mixed and mastered at Fingerprint Music Studio, in Sintra, by Legacy’s bass player and producer Caesar Craveiro.
Tracklisting:

'Gnosis'
'Lygophilic'
'Dorian's Portrayed'
'Seven Sins'
'Bystander'
'The End Of Days'
'The Tale Of The Scarecrow'
'The Silence'
'Cain'
'Something To Die For'

Album stream:

Renaissance by LEGACY OF CYNTHIA

The band also released a limited edition of 250 units in digipack format only, available through order by e-mail, legacyofcynthia@gmail.com.

Ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan played the first of five shows with the band last night (Sunday, April 6) at Estadio Ferrocarril Oeste in Buenos Aires, Argentina. McKagan is filling in for GN'R's current bassist, Tommy Stinson, during the group's South American tour because Stinson is reuniting with THE REPLACEMENTS for two high-profile dates at Coachella.

Before launching into the MISFITS cover "Attitude" (with McKagan on lead vocals) at last night's concert, GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose told the crowd: "Our regular bass player, Mr. Tommy Stinson, is doing a show at Coachella with THE REPLACEMENTS, so we had to try to find a new guy. He's hanging in there. [Please give] a hearty welcome to the new guy, Mr. Duff McKagan."

McKagan, who left GUNS N' ROSES in 1993, will play the remaining shows of the South American band's tour, including dates in Asuncion, Paraguay on April 9, La Paz, Bolivia on April 12, Recife, Brazil on April 15 and Fortaleza, Brazil on April 17.

In a statement relayed through GN'R's publicist, McKagan said that, "It's pretty great to play these songs again, and l'm looking forward to playing some gigs with my pal again. South America is always a radical place for rock 'n' roll...and I'm honored to be doing this thing, in that place."

Stinson told journalist Gary Graff that THE REPLACEMENTS shows — April 11 and 18 at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and May 10 at the Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta — were locked in before GN'R decided to play in South America.

"It got to be a scheduling issue right out of the gate," he said. "I didn't want to fuck anyone up in GUNS by saying, 'Hey, I can't do this tour' or anything like that. Luckily someone was able to reach out to Duff and he was amenable to the idea and was into doing it. It's Duff being the kind of good sport he is, trying to help Axl out. So I'm like, 'Thanks, dude, for covering my ass on this one.' I think people are gonna be really stoked about it. It's gonna be fun for everyone."

"He's a fucking great bass player. [The shows are] gonna be a breeze," Stinson predicted. "The only bummer is I don't get to see one of the shows he plays, especially after playing his fucking parts for 17 years. It would be interesting to see how he plays them. There's a couple things I could use some pointers on."

GUNS N' ROSES' setlist for the Buenos Aires concert:

01. Chinese Democracy02. Welcome To The Jungle03. It's So Easy 04. Mr. Brownstone 05. Estranged 06. Rocket Queen 07. Nice Boys (ROSE TATTOO cover)08. Attitude (MISFITS cover) (Duff McKagan on lead vocals)09. Raw Power (THE STOOGES cover) (Duff McKagan on lead vocals)10. My Michelle 11. Better 12. Guitar Solo (Richard Fortus)13. Live And Let Die (WINGS cover)14. This I Love (with band introductions)15. Dizzy Reed Piano Solo 16. Catcher in the Rye 17. You Could Be Mine 18. DJ Ashba Guitar Solo (La Bella Vita)19. Sweet Child O' Mine20. Jam ("Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" by LED ZEPPELIN)21. November Rain 22. Abnormal (Bumblefoot cover) (Bumblefoot on lead vocals)23. Don't Cry for Me Argentina (JULIE COVINGTON cover) (Bumblefoot Guitar Solo)24. Don't Cry 25. Used To Love Her 26. Civil War 27. Shackler's Revenge 28. Knockin' On Heaven's Door (BOB DYLAN cover)29. Jam 30. Nightrain

Encore:

31. Jam 32. Patience 33. The Seeker (THE WHO cover)34. Jam 35. Paradise City

McKagan joined Axl Rose onstage for the first time in seventeen years at GUNS' October 14, 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.

Rumors that the classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES would reunite have been around for years, although any possibility of that happening seemed to end when the band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Axl Rose declined to show up.

Rose told Billboard.com in 2009 that he doesn't ever expect to play again with guitarist Slash, saying, "One of the two of us will die before a reunion. However sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is." Slash stated about Axl: "He hates my guts. It's over a lot of different stuff; I don't even know. There's just no communication between us. I talk to Duff and Steven [Adler, drums], but when it comes to old GUNS N' ROSES, there really isn't anybody that makes decisions."

Photo credit: Katarina Benzova

Roadrunner/604 recording group THEORY OF A DEADMAN has unveiled details of its new album, "SaVages". The follow-up to 2011's "The Truth Is…" will be released on July 8.

"SaVages" is heralded by the fiery new single, "Drown", a snippet of which can be heard now in a video teaser streaming below. Produced by longtime collaborator Howard Benson (HALESTORM, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE), the single arrives at multi-format rock radio outlets across the country on April 22, the same day the track goes on sale on iTunes.

Tyler Connolly, vocalist and guitarist of THEORY OF A DEADMAN, commented: We went back to where we belong on this record, back to the angst, back to the darkness. We veered off the road a bit on this one but it took us right to where we needed to be." Connolly expanded further on the band's inspiration behind "Drown", stating, "'Drown' is about being alone, the feeling of being washed away and left to your own devices. We've all felt that way at some point in our lives; unable to stay afloat, we sink to the bottom which always seems easier in the end than fighting your way back to the surface."

"The Truth Is…" made an explosive Top 10 debut into The Billboard 200 upon its initial 2011 release while also coming in at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums charts. The album — THEORY OF A DEADMAN's fourth — yielded a series of multi-format radio blockbusters, including "Bitch Came Back", "Hurricane" and the No. 1 smash "Lowlife", which spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Rock radio airplay charts nationwide.

For more than a decade, THEORY OF A DEADMAN has been among the most distinctive and popular bands in hard rock history, combining frank, earnest lyricism and extraordinary melodies with massive power and electrifying dynamics. With singer/songwriter Tyler Connolly at the helm, the Vancouver-based band has earned a fervent fan following as well as a long line of multi-format hits, among them the #1 Mainstream Rock breakthrough "Bad Girlfriend" (found on 2008's RIAA platinum-certified "Scars & Souvenirs").

Like any hard rock outfit worth its salt, THEORY OF A DEADMAN has spent much of its existence on the road. In addition to countless headline dates, the band has shared stages on an array of festival tours alongside such like-minded acts as ALTER BRIDGE, STONE SOUR, and MÖTLEY CRÜE. A wide range of live dates spanning headline dates and festival appearances are scheduled through the summer.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN is: Tyler Connolly (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Brenner (rhythm guitar), Dean Back (bass), and Joey Dandeneau (drums).

Frontiers Records will release TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON's sophomore album, "Angels Of The Apocalypse", on May 16 in Europe and May 20 in North America.

The official video for the CD's first single, "Design The Century", can be seen below. The clip, which features NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen on lead vocals, was directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

The story: It is 2020 A.D - The Elements send 4 Angels to observe mankind and its actions in the last century. There are 4 Angels, but still they are One. Fire, Wind, Earth and Water are their names. With the Elements they observe in unimaginable sadness and anger the primitive events that take place in the last 150 years as they have the ability to go back and forth in time. As they give their final warning, Mankind sees unimaginable destruction that shakes its core foundations. Pandora's Box is opened and the forces of Nature are unleashed. Is this the prelude for Judgement Day...

Following the release of the debut album "The Land of New Hope", the "Metal Opera" was met with critical and fan acclaim, entering the national album charts in seven European countries, including a Top 10 entry in Tolkki's home country, Finland. In August 2013, Tolkki flew to Greece to seek the right inspiration for the follow-up album and upon his return he managed to develop a sound that is even more grandiose and symphonic and yet heavier and darker in direction as compared to the debut album.

"In August 2012, I planned to release a Metal Opera that had to be a trilogy," says Tolkki.

"I am following a specific storyboard in a musical format and this time the musical direction is heavier and darker than the previous AVALON. This was deliberate since the Apocalyptic scenes described in the lyrics demanded that".

As for the players on the album, Tolkki finally managed to reunite the legendary STRATOVARIUS "Dreamspace" lineup, calling Antti Ikonen and Tuomo Lassila to play keyboards and drums respectively. "It was really nice and brought good vibes and freshness to the album," says Timo. "Definitely the right move."

The amazing cast of vocalists appearing this time includes NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen — who takes care of the lead vocals on the first single, "Design The Century" — along with Simone Simons (EPICA), Fabio Lione (RHAPSODY OF FIRE), David DeFeis (VIRGIN STEELE), Zachary Stevens (ex-SAVATAGE, CIRCLE II CIRCLE), plus Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) — who appears again after contributing to the first album — and the stunning Chilean singer Caterina Nix, who is working on her debut album, which is also produced by Tolkki.

"Some songs were written with a specific singer in mind, while for some others I decided based on the knowledge that I had on how he or she would perform," says Tolkki.

"I am particularly happy of how this record sounds especially two songs, 'You'll Bleed Forever' and the 10-minute title track, are among my favorite ever."

Once again the stunning artwork is provided by the French artist Stanis W. Decker and the first pressing of the physical edition will be available in a glossy digipak.

"Angels Of The Apocalypse" final track listing:

01. Song For Eden02. Jerusalem Is Falling03. Design The Century04. Rise Of The 4th Reich05. Stargate Atlantis06. You'll Bleed Forever07. The Paradise Lost08. Neon Sirens09. High Above Of Me10. Angels Of The Apocalypse11. Garden Of Eden Musicians:

* Timo Tolkki: guitars, bass and keyboards* Tuomo Lassila: drums* Antti Ikonen: keyboards* Nicholas Jeudy: orchestration* Floor Jansen, Simone Simons, Fabio Lione, David DeFeis, Zachary Stevens, Elize Ryd, Caterina Nix: vocals

SALIVA is returning to the rock scene this spring with "Rise Up", its ninth studio effort and second since the departure of original singer Josey Scott.

The official video for the CD's title track can be seen below. The clip was helmed by seasoned director Jon Vulpine, who has previously worked with DROWNING POOL, GEMINI SYNDROME and BACKSTREET BOYS. "The video for 'Rise Up' takes a different approach than we typically would have taken," states SALIVA vocalist Bobby Amaru. "Our director, Jon Vulpine, sent a few different concepts over and one of them was a 'Mad Max'-type role and we all were hooked. Basically, it's a revenge piece but based around a group of people who get attacked but get the last laugh when it's said and done. Along with the fire, blood and explosions, we had a lot of fun making the video."

The "Rise Up" album will hit the street on April 29. Amaru is back for his second set with the band, along with longtime drummer Paul Crosby and founding members Wayne Swinny on guitar and Dave Novotny on bass.

Swinny said about Amaru, "We're lucky to have found him. We discovered him through one of our old crew guys. He really energized the rest of us. He's a great songwriter, and a top-shelf producer in his own right."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, an earlier version of this album, called "In It To Win It", was released last fall as the band's first album through Rum Bum Records.

"Rise Up" features a number of the same songs that were on "In It To Win It" as well as several new ones. The earlier record was later said to be a "sneak-peek" limited release for longtime fans.

"Rise Up" track listing:

01. Rise Up02. She Can Sure Hide Crazy03. No One But Me04. Lost05. 1000 Eyes06. Redneck Freakshow07. Choke08. Army09. Closer10. In It To Win It11. The Enemy12. I Don’t Want It

SALIVA 2014 is:

Wayne Swinny - GuitarDave Novotny - BassPaul Crosby - Drums, PercussionBobby Amaru - Vocals

Resurrected cult classic progressive thrashers TOXIK are mixing their long-awaited comeback album "In Humanity". According to a press release, this CD "will encompass everything TOXIK is known for, as well as some surprises."

The band is currently rehearsing for its first U.S. shows in over 20 years, as well as for the Keep it True festival and subsequent European tour that will start later this month.

TOXIK last year announced the addition of SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner and FREYA bassist Bill Bodily to the group's ranks.

Hailing from New York's Hudson Valley area, TOXIK released a pair of classic thinking-man's thrash metal albums in the late '80s. An upstart record label named Roadrunner Records (later home to SLIPKNOT and NICKELBACK) released the band's two astounding masterworks, 1988's "World Circus" and 1989's "Think This". Both releases saw TOXIK take the aggression and brutality of speed metal and mix it with the technicality and proficiency of progressive hard rock.

TOXIK left the Hudson Valley region and toured the United States and the world, playing shows with the likes of PANTERA, SEPULTURA, EXODUS, KING DIAMOND and others in their quest for metal ascendancy before their premature implosion in 1992.

TOXIK released a DVD, "Think Again", in August 2010. The set contained both vintage and brand new never-before-seen footage. The main feature was a 1989 headlining set from the Paramount Theater in TOXIK's hometown of Peekskill, New York. This performance came shortly after the release of "World Circus" and the energy level of the band wa truly at its peak for TOXIK's first headlining show. The DVD contains all the tracks from "World Circus" and an early version of "Spontaneous" that later appeared on "Think This".

MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister performed the official coin toss at LA KISS' first-ever home game yesterday (Saturday, April 5) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Check out video footage of his appearance below.

STEEL PANTHER, widely considered one of the hottest heavy-metal bands out of Hollywood since MÖTLEY CRÜE, GUNS N' ROSES and POISON ruled the Sunset Strip, put on a special halftime performance in front of 12,045 fans at last night's event.

"We wanted a football team, but this is a different type of football," 47-year-old KISS fan John Richards told the Los Angeles Times at last night's game. "This is KISS football."

He added: "I think 95% are KISS fans and 5% know something about arena football. If it would have been L.A. anything else, I wouldn't have been here. I wouldn't have known anything was going on."

MOTÖRHEAD canceled a handful of shows on its European festival tour in August 2013 after Lemmy suffered a haematoma (where blood collects outside of a blood vessel). The news of Lemmy's latest medical issue followed reports that he was also fitted with a defibrillator because of heart problems. The band also postponed a European headlining tour which was scheduled to kick off in November.

Joe Dolan of JoeDolanPR.com has uploaded video footage of KILL DEVIL HILL's April 5 performance at the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California. Check it out below.

KILL DEVIL HILL has recruited Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH) to replace Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, DIO, LAST IN LINE).

"I'm really excited about coming on board with KILL DEVIL HILL," said Kelly. "I've been a fan since their debut and have known the guys for a long time. It's also clear that I have some really big shoes to fill. I'm ready for that challenge as I prepare for KILL DEVIL HILL's next chapter. This is gonna be a blast!"

KILL DEVIL HILL played their first shows with Kelly behind the kit April 4-6, three warm-up shows before embarking on an Australian run with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE.

Added KILL DEVIL HILL bassist Rex Brown: "We all have a lot of love and respect for Vinny and have been honored to have jammed with him over the last few years. We wish Vinny well with all his future endeavors, it has been a blast!"

"It wasn't a musical breakup at all," Vinny told rock journalist Mitch Lafon about the decision to split with KILL DEVIL HILL. "It was more of… What you wanna do with… I mean, I started the band; it was my band and then Rex [Brown, former PANTERA and DOWN bassist] came into the band and he was a known dude and strong personality, and it became a great band. So it's not a musical problem at all; it's more a business thing where… scheduling and the idea of how to make this work, the time involved, and all the different things. Obviously, I had a lot of stuff on my plate, and it's hard to devote to one thing when these other really good things are happening too. So it was just a mutual thing where… 'Look, I think it's better if you guys continue and get somebody else,' and see what happens."

He continued: "Actually, [KILL DEVIL HILL] was started at the end of 2009, when I started doing this. You devote four years, almost five years to this thing. And it's, like, 'Wow! What does it take to get this across?' Especially when Rex joined the band. It's, like, people know Rex, people know me. It's not like it's a bunch of new guys trying to make it. And it was, like, 'Wow! It's really, really hard to get this thing off the ground.' It seems to be doing better now. And it comes down to getting people around you that know what they're doing, like record companies, managers, agents and different things. That's a real important part of being in a band. Unless it's an all-star band; then it's easy to go out and do stuff. Like LAST IN LINE is a lot more sellable on this level than KILL DEVIL HILL when it comes to agents booking gigs. That's the way the business works; people wanna see, or hear music that they know.

"It's a crazy business right now. Rex and I were shocked that… 'Wow! This is the third tour already, and we're still struggling to get this thing off the ground.'… You're going out and you're making merch money, but it's all going back into keeping this thing alive. There's no tour support, there's no advertising… Where do you advertise? You can only advertise on the Internet, really; there's no more [print] magazines. And even then, it's hard to get a budget for advertising. Videos… You do videos… Basically, it seems like you just need somebody that does social media that you just hire 24 hours a day, every day, 16 hours a day, get on the Internet and get it everywhere. That seems to be the way to do it."

KILL DEVIL HILL's sophomore album, "Revolution Rise", sold around 2,150 copies in the United States in its first week of release. Released on October 29, 2013 via Century Media Records, the CD was produced by KILL DEVIL HILL and Jeff Pilson (DOKKEN, FOREIGNER, DIO) and was mixed by Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER). The cover artwork was created by Sam Shearon, who has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, IRON MAIDEN and FEAR FACTORY, to name just a few.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno's April 9 performance at Lizard Club in Krakow, Poland as as part of the Doładowanie festival will be professionally filmed for an upcoming DVD, to be released through Metal Mind Productions. The festival is an annual non-profit initiative of young Polish musicians and consists of five concerts in five Polish cities: Warsaw, Krosno, Krakow, Wroclaw and Lodz.

Di'Anno completed his first North American tour in early 2010, 17 years after he was deported following a prison term for guns and drug offenses.

On August 27, 2011, Di'Anno played his first show since serving time in a U.K. prison after he falsely collected U.K. government benefits by claiming he suffered nerve damage to his back that prevented him from working.

Due to a number of health issues, including a knee problem which will require surgery soon, Di'Anno announced in July 2012 that he would stop touring in 2013. His farewell tour has since been extended to 2014.

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

Asked why he thinks his two LPs with MAIDEN became timeless and iconic in the rock history, Di'Anno told Spotlight Report: "I think because when we started, the whole punk thing was so bloody huge, which I loved and still love punk to this day, and the heavier music just became so distant; they called it dinosaur rock back in the day."

He continued: "When we got signed and the whole New Wave Of British Heavy Metal started, that's what really kicked off what we have today. If it wasn't for MAIDEN and bands like SAXON, MOTÖRHEAD, etc., you would never have had bands like METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX. If you didn't have those bands, you would never have had SEPULTURA, MORBID ANGEL and then PANTERA, etc. So at the time, they were just bloody good albums, but in the history of things, they really kicked off what started for anything today that has heavy guitar. And yeah, they are timeless. Those albums still sell millions. You don't see the crap that was around then still selling shit, like SHAKIN' STEVENS or SPANDAU BALLET, do ya?"

HELLION singer Ann Boleyn joined Doro Pesch as a surprise guest Monday (March 30) for Doro's encore at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below.

In honor of her 30th anniverary as a performing artist, Doro Pesch will celebrate with fans from all over the world with two separate-yet-unique shows on May 2 and May 3 at CCD Stadthalle in her hometown of Düsseldorf.

To coincide with Doro's anniversary concerts, Nuclear Blast will release "Raise Your Fist - 30 Years Anniversary-Edition", containing the re-release of the "Raise Your Fist" record and a bonus CD, "Powerful Passionate Favorites", featuring new and unreleased tracks, as well as Doro's cover versions of aongs by some of her favorite artists, such as LED ZEPPELIN, TINA TURNER, METALLICA and DIO. Another highlight is the French version of her hit "Raise Your Fist In The Air" as well as a new mix of "It Still Hurts", a duet along with MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister.

HELLION's 2-disc anthology titled "To Hellion And Back" was released on April 1 via the London-based HNE/Cherry Red Records.

"To Hellion And Back" chronicles the band's beginnings from 1982, to the present, and features new music from HELLION. It features a collection of fan favorites, hard-to-find recordings, and previously unreleased tracks. Among the collection are also two songs that were produced by Ronnie James Dio at the legendary Sound City recording studio. The cover artwork was designed by Italian artist Gaetano Di Falco and inspired by the photography of P.G. Brunelli.

The musicians enlisted by powerhouse vocalist Ann Boleyn for the new HELLION include drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE, DIO, DIO DISCIPLES), keyboardist Scott Warren (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL), Swedish import bassist Bjorn Englen (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES), and up-and-coming lead guitarist Maxxxwell Carlisle.

Norwegian black metal veterans DARKTHRONE will release "Black Death And Beyond" on May 12 via Peaceville Records. It is a special collector's box-set featuring an in-depth book containing extensive accounts of the band's history and philosophy from both Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell and Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum, as well as additional recollections from bass player Dag Nilsen. Numerous other artists and friends along the way give their thoughts on the legends too, plus the book contains a large amount of personal photos from the band archive. Also included are three vinyls featuring DARKTHRONE's own choice cuts from their illustrious collection of death, black, metal and punk classics, presented on white, black and transparent vinyl, plus woven DARKTHRONE patch. All pre-orders of "Black Death And Beyond" also come with a signed certificate from the band.

Fenriz explains the concept behind the track selections: "I never quit my day job; one of the reasons being that I can listen to music on headphones there all the time. To the extent that I rarely listen to music at home anymore, and if I do, it's like I can't hear it properly. At work with headphones is where the details reveal themselves and also which songs I can and can't use in compilations or DJing appear quite clearly.

"Every time I get/buy a cassette or vinyl, I have to transfer them to WAV files via a computer program, then I write a little note to accompany the final burnt disc. But the note first swings by my workplace where I can rate the various songs with a clever underlining system called The Fenrizolator. And so pass the days.

"Then came the idea to do a DARKTHRONE book and with it a vast box set. There was talk about three compilation discs, one with Death, one with Black and one with our other styles. So be it. But this time I took it upon myself do it properly. And to do that... well, I had to face my own rating system. Because I also use the F-olator on regular CDs, it took three whole days to rate all of our 16 full-length albums. Certain discoveries were made, like the song I think is worst by DARKTHRONE is 'Hans Siste Vinter' (scoring only 12 out of 60 points) and also that 'The Cult Is Alive' is probably our best album — at least it's the one with the highest grades consistently. But I digress. Aggressive digressor!!! Lists were made, and I truly tried to be as honest and fair as possible. Ted was initially going to do this but I think he suddenly saw how monumental a task it would be, and ended up with — well, what you hold in your hands right now. My 'best oF' trying to follow both my biased ratings, crystal logic and also personal favorites and my fave Ted songs."

This edition of "Black Death And Beyond" is strictly limited to a single vinyl pressing. Once it's sold out, it will not be re-pressed.

"Black Death And Beyond" track listing:

Black:

Side 1:

01. In the Shadow of the Horns
02. Inn I De Dype Skogers Favn
03. Under a Funeral Moon
04. I en Hall Med Flesk og Mjod

Side 2:

01. The Hordes of Nebulah
02. The Claws of Time
03. Fucked Up & Ready to Die
04. Hate is the Law
05. The Cult of Goliath

Death:

Side 1:

01. Snowfall
02. Sunrise over Locus Mortis
03. Soulside Journey
04. Neptune Towers
05. Nor the Silent Whispers

Side 2:

01. Iconoclasm Sweeps Cappadocia (NRK version)
02. Sadomasochistic Rites
03. In his Lovely Kingdom
04. Black Daimon
05. Paragon Belial

Beyond:

Side 1:

01. Graveyard Slut
02. Forebyggende Krig
03. These Shores are Damned
04. Pervertor of the 7 Gates
05. Wisdom of the Dead

Side 2:

01. The Winds they called the Dungeon Shaker
02. Grizzly Trade
03. Those Treasures Will Never Befall You
04. Stylized Corpse
05. The Ones You Left Behind

Singer Ozzy Osbourne tells the Toronto Sun in a new interview that he feels satisfied that he's gone full circle with the legendary heavy metal BLACK SABBATH after topping the charts around the world with the group's reunion album, "13".

"When we did the album '13', if that was going to be the last album I ever did with BLACK SABBATH, it was okay, because before, in 1978 with 'Never Say Die!', wasn't a good time for me with BLACK SABBATH," he says. "So if we never do another thing together again, we ended on a better note. The only sad thing was that [65-year-old original SABBATH drummer] Bill Ward never played on it."

Ward was on board for the reunion when it was first announced in November 2011, but backed out soon after due to contractual issues.

SABBATH has used Ozzy's regular touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on "13", which came out in June 2013.

Osbourne also doesn't rule out the possibility of more new music from SABBATH, telling the Toronto Sun: "Everybody asks me if there's going to be a follow-up to '13'. And all I can say is, 'I never say never anymore.' I don't want to say, 'Yeah, we're never going to do another album,' because if everybody agrees and we don't take 500 years again to make another album, I'm up for it. I wouldn't mind doing another SABBATH album."

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi revealed in January of 2012 that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, which is described by the Mayo Clinic as "a cancer of the lymphatic system, the body's disease-fighting network." He has had to go back to England every six weeks for treatment, forcing him and SABBATH to work around both the treatments and the recovery time needed afterward.

According to Osbourne, Iommi is in good health as far as he knows and playing as strongly as ever.

"I haven't had one of them dark phone calls so I presume he's okay," Ozzy tells the Toronto Sun. "He's unbelievable. I mean, any of us could be diagnosed with cancer. I always think cancer means death. I didn't know anybody who'd recovered. My wife recovered from colon cancer and that was the first person I ever knew. But he just accepts it and gets on with it. I mean, it's got to be worrying. But he's doing fine, I think, I hope. He's unbelievable. We all know our job, we all know our craft, but he's a very talented guy. Considering on his fret hand he's got no fingertips, he plays with prosthetic fingers at the end. I've often said to him, 'How the hell do you know when you're touching the strings?' I don't know. It's amazing."

Italian progressive metallers NOVERIA have inked a deal with Scarlet Records for the release of their debut album, "Risen". Due on June 10, the CD features nine challenging songs in a style the band likes to call "catastrophic" metal. The effort was recorded at VDM Studios in Rome, Italy and was mixed and mastered by renowned producer and musician Simone Mularoni (DGM, EMPYRIOS) at Domination Studios in San Marino, Italy. Mularoni also laid down a guest guitar solo on the track "Fallen From Grace". The album's beautiful artwork was created by Simone Bertozzi (MNEMIC, EMPYRIOS).

NOVERIA consists of Frank Corigliano on vocals, Francesco Mattei (former member of BATON ROGUE MORGUE) on guitar, Emanuele Casali (DGM, ASTRA) on keyboards, Omar Campitelli on drums and Andrea Arcangeli (DGM, SOLISIA) on bass.

A music video for "Risen"'s first single, "Downfall", was filmed and edited by Matteo Ermeti in a steel factory in Terni, Italy and will be released soon.

RUBICON CROSS, featuring vocalist CJ Snare (from FIREHOUSE) and guitar virtuoso Chris Green (of PRIDE and FURYON) will release its self-titled full-length debut on May 19 via INgrooves.

Based Chicago, CJ Snare and Chris Green first met while on tour in Europe when they shared the stage at a rock festival in Madrid. A close friendship was forged through sharing a decade of life experience that would ultimately serve as the creative nucleus for this project.

It was clear from their very first collaboration that the songs they were writing needed to be released separately from their other pursuits. Together they formed RUBICON CROSS. With the addition of PRIDE and FURYON bassist Simon Farmery (who co-wrote "Save Me Within"), SEVENTH OMEN drummer Robert Behnke, and second guitarist Jeff Lerman, RUBICON CROSS became a band of brothers, willing to tackle the music, the road, and bring life to these songs of fight, commitment, and connection.

The lush melodic core of the songwriting is given a forceful, aggressive boost on this record. From the first single, "Bleed With Me", which starts just as propulsive as it ends to "Kill Or Be Killed", which has a relentless metal drive, RUBICON CROSS is a collection of contemporary heavy music that sits just as comfortably next to hard rock classics as it does modern rock upstarts.

"Rubicon Cross" track listing:

01. Locked And Loaded02. Next Worse Enemy03. Bleed With Me 04. Save Me Within 05. You Will Remember Me 06. Moving On 07. R U Angry 08. Shine 09. Kill Or Be Killed 10. All The Little Things

Check out the video for "Bleed With Me" below.

"Locked And Loaded" is featured in the Xbox360 and PS3 game "Dirt Showdown" along side of new rock heavy-hitters RISE AGAINST, RIVAL SONS and THE PARLOR MOB.

"Rubicon Cross" was recorded at Black Dog Studios in Atlanta, Georgia and Snare Bear Studios in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with Ken Lanyon and CJ engineering. The album was mixed and mastered by Rick Beato. All songs were written by Snare and Green except "Save Me Within", which was penned by Snare, Green and Farmery.

German thrashers HOLY MOSES have added a new live guitarist to their roster; Simone Wenzel from REVOLUTION EVE. The new line-up will make their debut on April 5th in the Palzer Hell Festival.
Holy Moses recently announced details for their new album, Redefined Mayhem. “Holy Moses have never released standard thrash songs, and we never will,” Sabina Classen explains with some pride. “We write songs which we like ourselves and don’t compromise in terms of trends and concessions to wrong expectations. We don’t have to please everybody, we’re our own brand, we have our own sound, which includes the occasional odd beat, technically demanding passages and unusual chord structures as well as interesting lyrics which deal with the dark side of people and their minds.”

That Holy Moses mark 2014 don’t show any symptoms of fatigue is mainly due to their perfect balance consisting of founder members and musicians who have played in other groups: vocalist Sabina Classen has been the voice and face of Holy Moses since 1981, bassist Thomas Neitsch has been in the band for six years, drummer Gerd Lücking joined the fold three years ago, and guitarist Peter Geltat was enlisted in 2012, supporting his colleagues immediately in a number of successful shows such as the Barge To Hell Cruise 2012. The current line-up is ready to face new challenges in a permanently evolving metal genre. “This is Holy Moses mark 2014, and Redefined Mayhem defines a new chapter of our band history,” explains Sabina Classen, adding: “We had to redefine ourselves as a band and gel as a team. There were people who voiced their doubts that it would work. But the new songs prove beyond all doubt that Holy Moses continue to be a force to be reckoned with.”

There can be no doubt: Redefined Mayhem sees Holy Moses 2014 reach a new pinnacle of their creative work. Their fans can look forward to a contemporary thrash metal oeuvre which reflects the band members’ influence while skilfully forging an arch to the group’s successful past with classics such as Finished With The Dogs (1987) and The New Machine Of Liechtenstein (1989). Classen: “It’s still first-rate thrash metal, fast-paced and powerful, chaotic at times but with a modern touch and amazingly multi-faceted guitars and drums.”

Redefined Mayhem will be released in Scandinavia on April 23rd, in Germany on April 25th, in Europe on April 28th and in the USA on April 29th through SPV/Steamhammer as CD, double gatefold LP with coloured vinyl plus onus track and the CD in a cardboard sleeve and as download. CD and LP have different covers.
Tracklistings:

CD Version

'Hellhound'
'Triggered'
'Undead Dogs'
'Into The Dark'
'Sacred Sorrows'
'Process Of Projection'
'Fading Realities'
'Liars'
'Redemption Of The Shattered'
'Whet The Knife'
'Delusion'
'One Step Ahead Of Death'
'This Dirt'
Vinyl Version

LP 1A
'Hellhound'
'Undead Dogs'
'Sacred Sorrows'

LP 1B
'Triggered'
'Into The Dark'
'Process Of Projection'

LP 2A
'Delusion'
'Fading Realities'
'Liars'
'Entering The Now' (Bonus Track)

LP 2B
'Whet The Knife'
'Redemption Of The Shattered'
'One Step Ahead Of Death'
'This Dirt'

Former UFO bassist Pete Way says that he is halfway through his radiotherapy treatment for the prostate cancer with which he was diagnosed last year. "[I] feel so low and tired," he writes on his Facebook page.

Way's treatment reportedly involves undergoing radiotherapy sessions every day for a month to shrink the tumor, in conjunction with hormone therapy.

As a result of his cancer diagnosis, Way's new album, "Walking On The Edge", will not be released until later in the year. The CD is being mixed by producer/engineer Mike Clink, who has previously worked with GUNS N' ROSES and METALLICA.

The news of Way's cancer battle was broken in November by Classic Rock magazine. Way told the publication that he diagnosed last summer during a routine check on his liver, which has been damaged over the years through hepatitis. The abdominal scan picked up the tumor on his prostate.

"I was lucky," Way said. "They were checking my liver, not my prostate. They found it by accident. I didn't think I had any symptoms, but when I spoke to the doctors, and they were asking me all those questions, I did have the symptoms. I just didn't know what they were."

Speaking to Classic Rock, Way said: "This is prostate cancer. It's not lung cancer. It's not pancreatic cancer. If you're going to get cancer, this is the best one you can have — and they caught it early."

Former PANTERA/DOWN and current KILL DEVIL HILL bassist Rex Brown is one of a number of musicians featured on the online guitar lesson learning program JamPlay.

Learn the most popular PANTERA songs as well as new material from KILL DEVIL HILL at JamPlay. Learn from the man himself, Rex Brown!

Rex discusses each song and shares stories about the songwriting and recording process. He also describes what they are like to ROCK live!

Check out these songs, as well as Rex Brown's full Artist series where Rex goes over his much-sought-after tone and picking style.

Asked to describe how his playing has changed over the years, Brown told Music Radar: "Whether you're playing with three or four different cats, you have to adapt to each situation. DOWN didn't sound like PANTERA, and KILL DEVIL HILL certainly doesn't sound like either of those bands. You have to size up everybody's strengths and weakness. Sometimes that calls for you to do a lot or a little, but whatever you do, you serve the song and try to keep it interesting."

Reflecting on how he fashioned his basslines in and around the massive guitar riffs of late PANTERA axeman "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Brown told Music Radar: "Dime's sound was so big, I had to look for ways to fit something inside that wall. I had to have a real mid-punch and compose parts that could stand out. I'd play the riffs and then figure out where to take it from there, listening for little pockets of space when I need to add a nuance or a walking line. The main thing was to anchor the song, and when the music needed a little more juice from the bass, I'd go for it."