"A New Beginning", a brand new song from DEVIL YOU KNOW, the creative union of Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and John Sankey (DEVOLVED), can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

DEVIL YOU KNOW will release its inaugural effort, "The Beauty of Destruction", on both physical and digital formats on April 25 in Europe and April 29 in North America via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

"The Beauty Of Destruction" was produced by Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DEVILDRIVER, SOULFLY) and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, SOULFLY). Artwork for the album was created by noted painter and illustrator Travis Smith (OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND).

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

"The Beauty Of Destruction" track listing:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"A New Beginning" audio stream:

"You Can't Control Me", the new video from Hungarian extreme metallers EKTOMORF, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "Retribution", which was released on January 31 via AFM Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Black Flag" is described in a press release as a "first-class fist-in-your-face album, displaying heavy grooves and sheer power in the best of ways. Refining and bringing things to perfection was the goal, and this has been achieved impressively."

"Retribution" track listing:

01. You Can't Control Me02. Ten Plagues03. Face Your Fear04. Escape05. Who The Fuck Are You06. Numb And Sick07. Lost And Destroyed08. Souls Of Fire09. I Hate You10. Watch Me11. Mass Ignorance12. Save Me13. Whisper14. Collapsed Bridge

"Retribution" was again mixed and mastered by the band's longtime producer Tue Madsen (Antfarm Studios).

EKTOMORF's lyrics reflect this situation and deal with discrimination, society, pain and anger but show a strong will to survive and overcome all problems. Their music combines the burning fire of the primal gypsy music with modern elements: groovy, downtuned guitar riffs and aggressive drums, supplemented by powerful and raw screaming vocals became their trademarks.

In a recent interview with Metalholic.com, EKTOMORF guitarist/vocalist Zoltán Farkas stated about the band's constant comparisons to SOULFLY: "Everybody has their own influence. SOULFLY had their own influence, METALLICA has their own influence, SLAYER has their own influence. Every band has some influence and mine was SOULFLY [and] METALLICA, but then, of course, we got our own taste and that's the true form, and we have really good fans all over the world, and because if we were just a simple copy, all this would never happen. If were a cover band, like some say, it would never happen. It's easy to say that, it's so easy to say words and thoughts. I just call it ignorance and envy, but I learnt to handle it through the years, and for me, the most important is those people who love my music, who appreciate my music, because they are the most important, and for those who don't, it's not important, because anyway, they don't appreciate the music, so they don't count in my life, not even one minute. So, you know, we have our own faith and if someone says we sound like SOULFLY, then check out the latest stuff from SOULFLY and then check out 'Retribution', and if someone says it sounds the same. then they have some problem with their ears."

He continued: "For me, [SOULFLY mainman and ex-SEPULTURA frontman] Max [Cavalera] is a respectable legend, but for very long time I didn’t listen to SOULFLY, for a really, really long time, because, to me, what it does now is something which I don't like; I don't like it, man. It's more like death metal, and I like some death metal, but the SOULFLY I used to like does not exist anymore, neither SEPULTURA. [SEPULTURA] were something which I fell in love with and the anger, but for what they do now, I still have my respect for the band and for the legend and the name, but I gotta say that is nothing to compare with what they were."

"You Can't Control Me" video:

After months of blood, sweat and tears from Dutch symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION, the band's new album, "Hydra", is now on the road. While the group is on tour, singer Sharon den Adel is keeping a video diary of the trek that shows you what happens during and in between shows, and what it's like for the band to bring "Hydra" to the stage and see people respond to the new songs for the first time.

The fourth episode of the diary is a special one, as it features some of WITHIN TEMPTATION's fans talking about the tour. In the previous episode, Sharon asked fans who have already been to the show to record a video telling her (and the rest of the world) what they thought of the shows, what they liked most and if they had any fun stories to share regarding the tour. Some of the videos were used in this week's episode.

WITHIN TEMPTATION's new album, "Hydra", sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 16 on The Billboard 200 chart.

WITHIN TEMPTATION's previous CD, "Unforgiving", opened with 12,000 units back in March 2011 to land at No. 50.

"Hydra" was released in North America on February 4 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment, the new U.S. partnership between Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger and former Roadrunner Records A&R chief Monte Conner. The album was made available in several luxury formats. The cover artwork was created by Romano Molenaar ("X-Men", "Batman", "The Unforgiving").

The digital premium album, complete with digi-booklet, was made available on iTunes and includes 18 audio tracks and a music video. The digital premium album features bonus "Evolution Versions" of four new songs, which contain audio commentary from guitarist Robert Westerholt and singer Sharon Den Adel and give you unique access to the development of the songs, their lyrical inspiration and the sound of the initial demos and vocals.

In a recent interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, WITHIN TEMPTATION vocalist Sharon Den Adel stated about the songwriting process for "Hydra"": "A lot of bands were inspired by the '80s at the time we were writing 'The Unforgiving' album. There was a lot of music based on the '80s coming out and it had a lot of '80s flavors. With this new album, even though we're only a few years further up the road, you can feel that music has changed again. Music is not inspired on the '80s, but more like there are different influences in the music again. Music's always organic, and you feel things are changing comfortably."

She added: "When people asked us after 'The Unforgiving', 'Are you gonna make another 'Unforgiving' album?" we said, 'Of course.' Because we were really full of it in a positive way. We really like the album a lot and still do like it a lot but we really feel there's an '80s feel to the songs. When we started writing this album, again we felt like we were already knowing we were gonna go a different direction also."

Danish extreme metallers ILLDISPOSED will release their new album, "With The Lost Souls On Our Side", on June 27 via Massacre Records. The cover artwork was created by Lasse Hoile (PORCUPINE TREE, BLACKFIELD, STEVEN WILSON) and can be seen below.

ILLDISPOSED last fall announced the addition of drummer Kim Langkjaer Jensen (KOLDBORN, ex-DAWN OF DEMISE) to the group's ranks.

Thomas Jensen announced his departure from ILLDISPOSED on October 5, 2013. The band explained in a statement that Thomas "lost his motivation to go on."

ILLDISPOSED's last album, "Sense The Darkness", entered the official chart in Denmark at position No. 78. Released on September 21, 2012 via Massacre Records, the CD was recorded at Antfarm Studio in Aabyhøj, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL). The artwork was created by Mircea Gabriel Eftemie.

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON have set "Once More Round The Sun" as the title of their sixth album. The CD was recorded at a Franklin, Tennessee studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among others. The cover artwork is being created by Oakland-based artist Skinner, who specializes in "psychedelic nightmare paintings." MASTODON singer and bassist Troy Sanders told Paste Magazine: "It's going to be a work of art for sure. It's going to be very eye-opening, very striking. It's from another dimension, and a lot of our music is geared toward that idea — taking you to another planet on songs. It's out there, and I think it's incredible."

Regarding the new MASTODON album title, Sanders told Paste Magazine: "The idea was generated before we recorded the title track on the record, but the title was thought up many months ago.

"After we finished the two-year touring cycle on our last record, 'The Hunter', we were kind of gearing up to go back to our rehearsal space in Atlanta. And we were starting the effort, the time, the blood, the energy, the months of driving, the recording and the long process between recording and the release day.

"In a nutshell: we're fortunate enough to do this again, but there's this feeling of this yearly cycle. It's not a bad thing. We get to go tour a bunch, we get to record a bunch of songs we love. It's embracing the positive — the wonderful side, to be able to have the same four dudes who love doing what we do so much. And like anything in the MASTODON world, it's open to interpretation."

According to Sanders, MASTODON recorded more than an album's worth of material this time around, with the possibility an additional EP coming out sometime after the album release.

"We didn't want a 90-minute album," he told Paste Magazine. "We like to record around the 60-minute mark. That's what our favorite records are. We're in love with all 15 of [the songs], so they might all see the light of day in some platform or another."

Songtitles set to appear on "Once More Round The Sun" include "Ember City" and "Diamonds In The Witch House", the latter of which features yet another guest spot from longtime collaborator Scott Kelly of NEUROSIS.

"I think subconsciously that we're trying to involve him with every album enough to have a full set of songs eventually," Sanders joked. "I think his performance is great, his part still gives me chills. That's a great sign."

Asked what it's been like working with Raskulinecz on the new album, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher told Metal Hammer magazine: "It's something that we totally need — a cheerleader to get our asses in gear. There he is saying, 'Come on, you're MASTODON… you're one of the biggest bands in metal… Smash that hammer down and write some heavy shit. It's time to do or die!' He's that kind of a guy."

MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor recently told RollingStone.com about the band's forthcoming CD: "It's gonna be massive and insane, lots of epic greatness. There will be lots of huge riffs and new directions. It's real weird, real math-y, real straightforward. It's up, down and all around. It's a culmination of everything for the band. The snowball keeps rolling and collecting snow."

KISS played a rare unplugged concert last night (Thursday, April 3) at Highland, California's San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino. According to The Pulse Of Radio, the show, which came only one week before the band's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, is notable seeing as how co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have ruled out KISS performing in any configuration at the induction ceremonies in Brooklyn. The casino gig was dubbed "An Acoustic Evening And Stories With Kiss", which recalled not only the band's impromptu performances at past KISS conventions, but the original lineup's legendary 1995 reunion as part of "MTV Unplugged".

The setlist was as follows:

01. Comin; Home02. Calling Dr. Love03. Hard Luck Woman04. Christine Sixteen05. Hide Your Heart06. Goin' Blind07. Cold Gin08. Do You Love Me09. Nothin’ To Lose10. Love Her All I Can11. A World Without Heroes12. Plaster Caster13. Take Me14. See You Tonite15. Rock Bottom16. You Shook Me (LED ZEPPELIN cover)17. LED ZEPPELIN Medley18. Mississippi Queen (MOUNTAIN cover)19. Got To Choose20. Shout It Out Loud21. Rock And Roll All Nite The acoustic show was filmed by AMC as part of the upcoming reality show based around the AFL football team the LA KISS, which is part owned by Simmons and Stanley.

Gene Simmons told The Pulse Of Radio that attending a KISS concert should be viewed as nothing less than a religious rock experience. "There's something else going on, that somehow words don't really get to — in the same way that, perhaps, when you think about a Southern Baptist church revival," he said. "Your spirit is lifted when you walk out of there. You feel glad to be alive another day. I'd like to think that when you leave our show, you feel exhilarated -- physically exhausted, but there's something to talk about."

English progressive rock band ANATHEMA will release its new studio album, "Distant Satellites", on June 10 via Kscope. The follow-up to 2012's "Weather Systems" was recorded at Cederberg Studios in Oslo, Norway with producer Christer-André Cederberg. The CD's beautifully ethereal artwork was created by Korean new media artist Sang Jun Yoo and based around his Distant Light Installation. ANATHEMA has released the following statement regarding the new album: "'Distant Satellites' is the culmination of everything ANATHEMA been working up to so far in our musical path. It contains almost every conceivable element of the heartbeat of ANATHEMA music that it is possible to have. There is beauty, intensity, drama, quietude, and extra musical dimensions that the band has previously only hinted at. All built on the songwriting chemistry of Daniel, John and Vincent — and the haunting voice of Lee Douglas. Produced and mixed once again by our very own Christer-André Cederberg ('Weather Systems', 'Universal') and with some songs also mixed by the unassailable Steven Wilson, it's a special and unique release for the band. "ANATHEMA hopes the fans get as much joy from listening to and feeling the music as we did in creating it." ANATHEMA recently completed a successful tour of the U.S. as the support act for Finnish "love" metallers HIM. The trek followed ANATHEMA's first-ever headlining tour of North America last fall. The band will continue to tour with the release of the new album, beginning in Europe this summer.

METALLICA's official YouTube channel MetallicaTV has uploaded "fly-on-the-wall" footage shot by the MetOnTour reporter on March 22 in São Paulo, Brazil. The clip, which can be seen below, includes a very wet version of "Battery" as well as a cover of the famous Irish traditional song "Whiskey In The Jar" (popularized by THIN LIZZY in the '70s) for the first time since 2009.

As promised, the band played a nearly all-request set in São Paulo, with 17 songs chosen online by fans prior to the gig and the last slot filled by the new track "The Lords Of Summer".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Battery02. Master Of Puppets03. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)04. Fuel05. The Unforgiven06. The Lords Of Summer07. Wherever I May Roam08. Sad But True09. Fade To Black10. ...And Justice For All11. One12. For Whom The Bell Tolls13. Creeping Death14. Nothing Else Matters15. Enter Sandman

Encore:

16. Whiskey in the Jar17. The Day That Never Comes18. Seek & Destroy

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that "The Lords Of Summer" "is fairly representative of where our creative headspace is at right now. It's one of those things that's like, 'Here, we're writing and we're creating.'"

Guitarist Kirk Hammett told The Pulse Of Radio that coming up with music is not a problem for the band. "We're a band that never has a shortage of ideas," he said. "You know, you hear about these bands that are like, oh, they're sitting in the studio and they don't have any songs, what are they gonna do? That's not METALLICA. METALLICA's problem is the total opposite: we have too many ideas, which ones are we gonna use. And so that's pretty much how it stands with us."

Ulrich cautioned, however, that "The Lords Of Summer" may not even end up on METALLICA's next album at all, or at least not in its current form. He explained, "We did the same thing when we went out and played a bunch of dates in 2006. We were writing and played two different new songs over the course of that summer, and none of them made the record (2008's 'Death Magnetic')."

The Metallica By Request tour will hit Europe this summer, with a single North American date confirmed in Montreal, as the band continues working on its 10th studio album.

Seattle police have released two more never-before-seen photos from the scene of NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain's suicide nearly 20 years ago. The police re-examined the case last month in advance of media interest surrounding the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death and came across four rolls of undeveloped film taken at his Seattle home on April 8, 1994, the day his body was found after he shot himself three days earlier.

One of the two photos released by the Seattle Police Department Thursday morning (April 3) shows a close-up of the 27-year-old musician's arm with a hospital ID bracelt around his wrist. The other shows a box of shotgun shells inches away from Cobain's foot, still clad in a Converse sneaker.

You can see more photos at Seattle Police Department's SPD Blotter.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the photos revealed no new evidence, but paint a bleak picture of his final hours. The room he was in was empty of furniture except for one stool, while other photos reveal what police say was his suicide note and his "heroin kit" of drug paraphernalia. More photos show Cobain's wallet, trash strewn around and various views of his residence.

Cobain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound not long after he took a massive dose of heroin — which could have proven fatal on its own.

Cobain began using heroin to ease chronic stomach pain he had suffered from his entire life, and his biographer, Charles R. Cross, told The Pulse Of Radio that one of the biggest misconceptions about Cobain was that he glamorized drug use. "Here was a guy who tried, almost ever since he started heroin, to quit," he said. "He was in rehab at least five different times, he got extensive help, but none of it ultimately worked or kept. And in his diaries, you know, hundreds and hundreds of times he's pleading to God that he wants to quit drugs. So this idea that he in any ways glamorized drug use or promoted it is just absolutely untrue."

Detective Mike Ciesynski, who was assigned to review the case, said that he developed the rolls of film to possibly help quiet persistent and groundless conspiracy theories that Cobain was murdered.

NIRVANA will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on April 10 — just five days after the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death.

Photos provided by the Seattle Police Department




After receiving a number of public disclosure requests, we've released an add'l 34 photos from the Cobain scene http://t.co/jzJSTox5K4

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) March 31, 2014

Finnish extreme metallers IMPALED NAZARENE will release their 12th studio album, "Vigorous And Liberating Death", on April 14 via Osmose Productions. The cover artwork was painted by Taneli Jarva and can be seen below.

"Vigorous And Liberating Death" final track listing:

01. King Reborn02. Flaming Sword Of Satan03. Pathological Hunger For Violence04. Vestal Virgins05. Martial Law06. Riskiarvio07. Apocalypse Principle08. Kuoleman Varjot09. Vigorous And Liberating Death10. Drink Consultation11. Dystopia A. S.12. Sananvapaus13. Hostis Humani Generis

The official lyric video for the "Vigorous And Liberating Death" title track can be seen below.

"Vigorous And Liberating Death" was recorded at City Lights and S/Mental studios and is currently being mixed at Studio Fungus by the band's longtime sound engineer Max "Kosher/Kebab" Kostermaa, who also handled the previous album, "Road To The Octagon".

"Vigorous And Liberating Death" was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studios.

"Vigorous And Liberating Death" will be available on CD, gatefold LP (with poster) and as a digital download.



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Post by Osmose Productions.

Fan-filmed video footage of HALESTORM performing a brand new song, tentatively titled "Mayhem", earlier tonight (Thursday, April 3) at O2 Academy in Sheffield, England can be seen below. Also available is footage of HALESTORM playing another new track, titled "Heartbreaker", on March 28 at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, Tennessee.

After 20 months of touring behind 2012's "The Strange Case Of…", HALESTORM has commenced work on record number three. The quartet headed into the studio in January following a short holiday break. Lzzy Hale told Loudwire: "It's the beginning stages and we just started writing for the next record.

"It's our third record and what a cool thing it is to make it to that point in your career.

"We're chasing the song dragon and we're chasing after whatever gets us excited at this point.

"I think we're starting to crack the code of what we have to do on this record."

She added: "We've been looking back at some of the classic third records, and oh my god, there's a little bit of pressure there. But as long as we keep focused on what we have to do, I think it'll be okay."

Lzzy told The Pulse Of Radio that while she enjoys writing songs on tour, they're often different from what the band does when it gets in the studio. "Definitely," she said. "When everything is kind of more consistently tour-focused and not, you know, writing-focused, I definitely write differently. I explore different subjects without being picky about anything. So as things develop in my life, in either my personal life or professional, it's nice to explore all those different subjects, you know, without the pressure of being in the studio."

"The Strange Case Of…" came out in April 2012 and spawned three hit singles, including the chart-topping "Love Bites (So Do I)" and "Here's To Us".

"Love Bites" also won the Grammy last year for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance."

HALESTORM recently issued its second covers EP, "ReAniMate 2.0", which featured renditions of songs from JUDAS PRIEST, AC/DC, PAT BENATAR, MARILYN MANSON, DAFT PUNK and FLEETWOOD MAC.

"Mayhem" performed live on April 3 in Sheffield, England:

A two-camera edit of ANIMALS AS LEADERS' entire March 27 performance at Asssembly in Sacarmento, California can be seen below (courtesy of Rock Hard Live).

"The Joy Of Motion", the new album from ANIMALS AS LEADERS, sold around 13,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. Issued on March 25 via Sumerian Records, this offering is quickly going to be hailed by fans and media alike as the group's career-defining release that will ultimately redefine the progressive world as we know it.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS' third full-length release is a bombastic, dynamic and innovative explosion that incorporates elements spanning across the entire musical spectrum. It also marks the recording debut of drummer Matthew Garstka, whose technical proficiency and unique style allows ANIMALS AS LEADERS guitarists Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes the room to push their boundaries to previously unthinkable heights.

"The Joy Of Motion" places a greater emphasis on clean and acoustic guitar tones. "I think it's just a natural progression for both me and Tosin as players," Reyes tells Guitar World magazine. "It's been a natural evolution to write a lot of clean stuff. At the same time, this might be our heaviest album. There's a lot of high-gain stuff on there, but the blend of that and the clean songs and the thumping songs makes it more interesting than what we've done in the past."

"I think this album shows a different side of my guitar playing," Abasi adds, "because here's actually less soloing. And for the solos that do occur, I'm playing differently than I was. There's way less shred, if I'm going to be blunt about it, but I think it's more lyrical. I started to get into modern gospel and neo-soul, listening to jazz-influenced R&B guitarists like Jairus Mozee and Isaiah Sharkey, and I think it's kind of bled into my phrasing now."

Norwegian/Spanish symphonic gothic metallers SIRENIA have inked a deal with Napalm Records.

Says Nadir Amrioui, A&R at Napalm Records: "[SIRENIA mainman/guitarist] Morten [Veland] is an amazing songwriter and with his band SIRENIA they still belong to the top of gothic metal. We can barely wait to check out the first new songs and to release the new album in early 2015."

Adds Morten: "We are very excited about having signed a new deal with Napalm Records. This is where SIRENIA began our career 13 years ago, so it feels like a homecoming in many ways.

"Looking forward to keep on bringing our music out to all the metalheads around the world together with Napalm. There is much more to come."

SIRENIA's sixth studio album, "Perils Of The Deep Blue", sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 20 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.

"Perils Of The Deep Blue" entered the official German chart at position No. 50 — the band's highest German chart entry ever — and the Swiss chart at No. 43.

"Perils Of The Deep Blue" was released on June 28, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced by Morten Veland, while the mixing and mastering was handled by Endre Kirkesola at Dub Studios in Oslo.

In 2008, SIRENIA recruited singer Ailyn (born: Pilar Giménez García) as the replacement for Monika Pedersen, who left the group a year earlier after only one album due to "musical differences."

Ailyn was best known as a former contestant on the Spanish version of "The X Factor", the biggest television talent competition in Europe.

"My Destiny Coming To Pass" lyric video:

SAIGON KICK guitarist Jason Bieler has recorded a new song for his OWL STRETCHING side project. Check out 'Ten Long Years' below:

Ten Long Years by Owl Stretching

Bieler recently issued a new five song Owl Stretching EP from his via Bandcamp entitled The Happening. Check it out and purchase via the widget below:

The Happening EP by Owl Stretching

The tracklist is as follows:

'Stars Collide'
'Mighty Hammer'
'All Souls Lost'
'Love Song'
'When We Are Young'

Watch for an exclusive Bravewords.com interview with Bieler on all things Saigon Kick and Own Stretching, coming soon.

Minneapolis-based extreme metallers ANTIVERSE will release their debut album, Cosmic Horror, on April 8th through all major digital services and their own BandCamp page.
Says the band: "We wanted to do something that was firmly-footed in metal, representing influences from both modern black/death/thrash as well as more trad stuff."
Tracklisting:

'Hostile Entities'
'Feral Deconsecration'
'Bethlem'
'The Expressionless'
'The Commutator'
'Apex Predator'
'Novamancer'
'The Beast of Bray Road'
'Aurora'

'The Expressionless':
More on Antiverse at Facebook.

Finnish blackened death metallers COPROLITH released their new album, Death March, on March 7th through Violent Journey Records. Check out the video for 'For Infernal' below:
Death March tracklisting:

‘Intro: Without God’
‘Prelude To Depression’
‘Life=Disease’
‘This Nightmare’
‘For Infernal’
‘Hate Infected’
‘Pleasure Of Pain’
‘Towards The Axiomatic Pain’
‘Death March’

The album features guest appearances from: Mathias “Vreid” Lillmåns (FINNTROLL), Tor Stavenes (1349, PANTHEON I), Einar “Eldur” Thorberg Gudmundsson (FORTID, DEN SAAKALDTE) and Heljarmaðr, Isengrim, Maugrim (CURSED 13, GRÀ)

Album teaser:



For more info visit Facebook.

Hammerfest VI took place on March 14th - 15th, 2014 at Haven Hafan y Môr Holiday Park in Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales. Two-camera footage of OVERKILL in action can be viewed below:
OVERKILL's highly anticipated new album, White Devil Armory, is due to be released worldwide in July. The cover art can be viewed below. The tracklist is as follows:

'Freedom Rings'
'Where There's Smoke...'
'Pig'
'Amorist'
'Down To The Bone'
'Bitter Pill'
'King Of The Rat Bastards'
'Another Day To Die'
'It's All Yours'
'In The Name'
About the album, singer Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth told BraveWords recently:

"The hardest thing for me is trying not to repeat myself. I think that’s absolutely a fucking impossibility as a thrash band. I read an article once that had a quote after it, saying how many times can you use the word ‘pain’ and ‘death’? (cackles) It’s probably a more difficult album for me to write, from that perspective, because I try to challenge myself and not fall into that whole thing. With regards to the music, one of the things I’ve noticed is that it’s more of a heavy metal record than the last record. To me, the last one came across as more of a thrash record, maybe a two-dimensional record. This one has more moods and nuances, so let’s say maybe a three-dimensional record."

Read more here.

Legendary vocalist JON OLIVA (SAVATAGE, JON OLIVA'S PAIN) is featured on the new song 'No Hope For The Healing' from Germany's DAWN OF DESTINY. The song is taken from the band's new album, F.E.A.R., released on March 7th. Check it out below.
For information on Dawn Of Destiny go to this location.

Jon Oliva's Pain drummer/producer Chris Kinder has checked in with the following update:

"Good day one and all. Lots of things happening in the JOP camp.

We are closing in fast on signing a new deal for the next JOP CD and future releases. Hope to share the good news with you by the end of the month. We are scheduled to deliver the new cd by mid-December for an early 2015 release...details to follow.

Jon has been busy working on TSO stuff but we should be back to work on the next JOP CD in a few weeks. We are excited to get back to analyzing the boat-load of material already demoed up and start putting final arrangements together.
You all know JOP will be co-headlining the sold-out 2014 ProgPower Festival in Atlanta, GA. Well in keeping with tradition we will be adding a Tampa Bay show the weekend before. As soon as we have a venue and date we will let you know! This will be the only other US date in 2014.

I will be putting up a new post later with merchandise still available from the Storytellers tour. For those that are still waiting on the signed Oliva prints, I am waiting to see Jon so he can sign them. Sorry for the delay."

On December 14th, 2013 SAVATAGE frontman/founder Jon Oliva concluded his Storytellers east coast solo tour at the State Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida. Fan-filmed video from the gig is available below:
The show was filmed for a future DVD release. Oliva is planning on taking his Storytellers tour to the west coast in 2014.

Power Prog is pleased to announce the signing of Poland's NIGHT MISTRESS from Poland. With their debut album, The Back Of Beyond, released in 2011, they have already gained an exceptional reputation. The band's as-yet-untitled second album will be released this summer through Power Prog. Details will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Night Mistress is:

Krzysztof Sokolowski - vocals
Arkadiusz Ciesla - guitars
Robert Kazanowski - guitars
Artur Pochwala - bass
Dominik Wójcik - drums

Check out the band's video for 'Hand Of God below:
For more information go to the official Night Mistress Facebook page here.

SINGLE BULLET THEORY frontman Matt DiFabio has contacted BraveWords with the following update:
"Unfortunately, we are again at a new cross roads in the Single Bullet Theory camp. Long time member and dear friend Jeff Kalber is stepping down from his position to focus on his career and family obligations.

We support Jeff and everything is trying to accomplish and we are proud of the last five years we spent with him tearing up the stages across this great nation.

We are looking for a person with excellent work ethic, stage presence and a true love for thrash metal. Preferably a 4 string pick player with professional touring gear.

We are doing several weekend road trips between now and late September. At that point we will be doing a 14 day run down to and through out Texas in support of our new record Divine Ways of Chaos."

Below, is a statement from Kalber regarding his departure.

"To all the Single Bullet Theory fans and to my friends and brothers in metal,

Due to personal and family commitments, it is with regret that I have to take a hiatus as the bassist for Single Bullet Theory starting in late June. Over the past 5 + years I've been extremely proud to be part of this band's resurrection and helping create some intensely, vicious metal, including the upcoming Divine Ways Of Chaos record, which I'm more proud of than anything I've ever recorded. It's also been amazing to be a part of SBT as it has become and continues to be a devastating live act that I would put on stage with any band.

I have gained the utmost respect, admiration, and a friend for life in Matt Difabio. Matt, you are by far the hardest working man in metal and you always pull the best out of me in the studio and on stage. It has been my privilege to play the amazing metal that your mind has created and my privilege to share the stage with you and some amazing musicians, Harry Lannon, Rob Gladden, Pat Brose, Nick Bunczk, Joe Brannigan, and Jeff Willet. Special thanks to John Ruszin for all his hard work and support, and not to forget all the amazing bands we've played with....you know who you are. I salute you all.

Until my departure, I will continue to unleash my own fury at each and every show. Thanx to everyone who has supported me or SBT over these years. To my bandmates, Matt, Harry, and Rob...Single Bullet Theory IS a live force to be reckoned with and it deserves to be on the road touring and spreading the music that we do so well. Go forth and CRUSH my brothers! Our paths will cross again. Horns up!"

Interested parties can contact HardAttackEnt@gmail.com or visit SingleBulletTheory.us. Serious inquiries only.

PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner checked in with the following update earlier this week:

"On my way to Innsbruck with the ROCK MEETS CLASSIC family, I could listen again to the KISKE/SOMERVILLE 2 pre-production and I'm really excited about the songs and attitude. This album will be massive! 'City Of Heroes' and 'Ocean Of Tears' are two of the best songs I've ever written with my partner in crime Magnus Karlsson."
Kiske/Somerville - featuring vocalists Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, ex-HELLOWEEN) and Amanda Somerville (TRILLIUM, AVANTASIA) with additional songwriting from Sander Gommans (HDK, ex-AFTER FOREVER) - released their self-titled debut in late 2010 and spawned videos for the songs 'If I Had A Wish' and 'Silence'. Check them out below:

PHOBOCOSM, a dark death metal band from Montreal which features former members of VENGEFUL, have announced they have signed with Dark Descent Records to release their debut album, Deprived.
The label has issued the following statement: “I first contacted this band over a year ago after C.S. from ADVERSARIAL told me how deadly their live set was. At the time, the band was still working on their debut full-length. A couple months ago I was contacted by the band and given an opportunity to listen to some pre-production material and later the finished full-length that was three years in the making. So, it is with great triumph that we welcome Phobocosm into the Dark Descent Records pantheon. Their debut full-length, Deprived, will be released on CD/LP and digital formats, via the label, later this year.”

Commented the band: “We are proud to announce that we have just signed with Dark Descent Records, the best label for dark death metal bands. Over the last few years, this label has released some of our favorite death metal albums and every time we discussed our search for a label, we always reached the conclusion that Dark Descent was the most logical option for us. We simply couldn't have found a better label to release our debut album, Deprived.”

Deprived was mixed and mastered by Colin Marston (GORGUTS, DYSRHYTHMIA, KRALLICE) and Chimère Noire (PORTAL, ABYSSAL) is currently working on the full-length's artwork.

Check out the new song 'Solipsist' below:

For information on Phobocosm go to this location.

Richmond, Virginia hardcore thrash supergroup IRON REAGAN, which consists of current and former members of MUNICIPAL WASTE, CANNABIS CORPSE, DARKEST HOUR, MAMMOTH GRINDER and SUPPRESION, has released the "Spoiled Identity" EP for free through the band's Bandcamp page. Hammering thirteen riotous songs into about seven minutes, the EP was mastered by Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED). "Spoiled Identity" will also be available as a seven-inch EP as part of the Decibel Flexi Disc series. "Spoiled Identity" track listing:

01. Tounge Tied02. The Living Skull03. I'm Regret04. Zero Gain05. One Shovel Short Of A Funeral06. Spoiled Identity07. Your Kids an Asshole08. The Hungry Male (Of Wall St.)09. Cops Don't Like Me, I Don't Like Cops10. Declaration Of War11. I Spit on Your Face/Grave12. Court Adjourned13. The Hill Witch

IRON REAGAN signed with Relapse Records earlier this year and is in the middle of recording its highly anticipated second LP. The effort is being helmed by guitarist Phil Hall at Blaze Of Torment Studios in Richmond and will be mixed by CONVERGE's Kurt Ballou. A fall release is expected.

IRON REAGAN is days away from a solid month of touring with GHOUL and OCCULTIST.

In its short time as a band, IRON REAGAN has already released a demo EP and a full-length via A389 Recordings, and a split with EXHUMED via Tankcrimes.


Spoiled Identity Ep by Iron Reagan

Norwegian black metallers DEN SAAKALDTE will release their long-awaited sophomore album, "Kapittel II: Faen I Helvete", on May 27 in Europe and June 10 in North America via Agonia Records. The cover artwork was created by Trine + Kim Design Studio (ULVER, MAYHEM, DARKTHRONE, DHG) and can be seen below. The follow-up to 2009's "All Hail Pessimism" was recorded in February 2014 at Strand Studio. The effort will be available as a three-panel digipack CD, digitally and on vinyl (in three versions: black, blue and red).

DEN SAAKALDTE steps out of the shadows after five long years of strengthening its dark musical identity and defining a more grim musical approach. Built upon intense and heavy emotions and featuring members of GORGOROTH, 1349, KOLDBRANN and NIDINGR, "Kapittel II: Faen i Helvete" feels as the band's most complete work to date. The album combines doom and black metal elements with clean vocals, spoken parts and obscure atmosphere.

"Kapittel II: Faen I Helvete" track listing:

01. Din Siste Dag02. Forbanna Idioter03. Du Selvproklamerte Misjonær04. Endeløst Øde05. Djevelens Verk06. Som Ett Arr på Sjelen07. Ondskapens Nødvendighet

Eldur (FORTID) replaced Niklas (SHINING) on vocals.

DEN SAAKALDTE is:

Sykelig - GuitarTjalve - Guitar, Backing VocalsSeidemann - BassEldur - VocalsTybalt - Drums

Hollywood rockers SPIDERS & SNAKES will release their ninth studio album on May 27 via the Sansei label. Entitled "Year Of The Snake", the CD features guest appearances by Billy Sherwood (YES, CIRCA), Angelo Moore (FISHBONE), Rik Fox (W.A.S.P., STEELER), Ryo Okumoto (PHIL COLLINS, ARETHA FRANKLIN, SPOCK'S BEARD) and Betsy Weiss (BITCH), among others.

"Year Of The Snake" is the first SPIDERS & SNAKES studio album release since 2008's "Melodrama" on the Corporate Punishment label (distributed by E1 Entertainment) and features all four band members sharing lead vocal and song-writing duties. The multiple lead vocalists lends the disc a depth that separates it stylistically from previous efforts, which mainly featured SPIDERS & SNAKES co-founder Lizzie Grey on lead vocals. The new album was recorded in the Chinese calendar "Year Of The Snake" (2013-2014) at Steady Studios in Burbank, California with engineer Gavin Ross at the helm — just short of the band's upcoming 25th anniversary.

Founded in 1990 from the ashes of Grey's previous outfit — the notorious LONDON, which famously spawned the careers of Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE), Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler, Slash (GUNS N' ROSES), Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.), Fred Coury (CINDERELLA) and Nigel Benjamin (MOTT THE HOOPLE) — SPIDERS & SNAKES immediately made its presence felt in its hometown of Hollywood by selling out venues on the Sunset Strip and the West Coast with its SWEET-meets-T. REX-meets-MOTT THE HOOPLE musical influences and over-the-top stage shows with special effects, costumes and scantily clad female dancers.

SPIDERS & SNAKES' 1991 debut EP, "Arachnomania" charted in Japan and the U.K. on the import charts and the band never stopped, releasing "Arachno II" (1992), "2000 Retro" (1993), "Oddities: The Glitter Years" (1995), "Astro Pop" (1997), "London Daze" (2000), "Hollywood Ghosts" (2005) and "Melodrama" (2008). During the rollercoaster ride of record deals that saw their catalog released by such labels as Rkd/RED, Rafr/Flipside, Cleopatra and Corporal Punishment, the band continued to tour and release music videos (two which aired on MTV in the '90s) and appear in B films like "Vamps In The City" (MVD) and documentary films like "Hollywood Rocks" (Cleopatra Films). Most recently, SPIDERS & SNAKES was featured in the opening segment of the hit reality show "Ex Wives Of Rock" (Fuse).

Says Lizzie Grey, who co-founded the band with drummer and vocalist Tim Yasui: "We're simply not has-beens since we never officially became mainstream.

"I realized that if you stick around long enough, you eventually become somewhat relevant again"

"Year Of The Snake" will be released on digital download, CD and vinyl formats and a 25th-anniversary tour is in the works.

"Year Of The Snake" track listing:

01. Don't Step Outta Line (feat. Angelo Moore)02. Crazy03. Too Angry (feat. Angelo Moore)04. Kawasaki City (feat. Ryo Okumoto, Betsy Weiss)05. Neutron Baby06. Drive Me Crazy07. Over & Over Again08. Hey You09. Hello10. Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (feat. Rik Fox, Betsy Weiss)11. Digital Church (feat. Billy Sherwood)

The song "Too Angry" can be streamed below.

SPIDERS & SNAKES will appear live at Paladinos in Tarzana, California on Friday, April 11 for the annual "Rockers Against Trafficking" benefit featuring performances by HELMET, Dave Lombardo of SLAYER, Robert DeLeo from STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and members of W.A.S.P., QUIET RIOT and many more.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the speculation appears to be true, Courtney Love is once again reuniting the "Celebrity Skin" lineup of HOLE.

Late last year, Courtney posted a photo on Facebook of her hugging on guitarist Eric Erlandson and tagged bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. The caption for the photo read, "2014 is going to be a very interesting year." That lineup, also featuring drummer Patty Schemel, will release a new single titled "Wedding Day" in May to coincide with a U.K. tour.

When speaking about the reunion, Love said, "I started playing with Patty and Melissa and Eric, just to see how that was. We already played like three or four times in the last week."

They played together from 1994 to1998, between the arrival of Auf Der Maur, who replaced the group's late bassist Kristin Pfaff, and the departure of Schemel, who left the band over differences with the "Celebrity Skin" producer.

The lineup played its first songs together in 15 years — "Miss World", off "Live Through This", and a cover of THE WIPERS' "Over The Edge" — in April 2012 at an after-party for Schemel's documentary.