Yoichiro Ishino, guitarist and mastermind behind Japan's AREA51, has checked in with the following update:

"About our recent situation, Area51 had tough times in last year since our business got into the trouble (it's not inside of the band), but in the final three months we had a great thing carrying over to this year. Yeah, we're releasing a new album this summer with HUGE musicians. We promise not to have a further delay, because... the deal got signed!"

More details will be revealed soon.
Ishino posted a sneak peek of some of the material from the band's forthcoming as-yet-untitled new album in August 2012, which can be heard below.

Ishino: "It's not a track from upcoming NIGHTWISH album :-)"

Drummer Jaska Raatikainen of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM has revealed that he was diagnosed with three prolapsed discs in his lower back during the band's fall 2013 European tour. He writes on his Facebook page: "I was exhausted from all the constant touring that started last summer. It was almost five months in a row and I definitely needed these two months of doing nothing and giving my time to my family and myself. Also, I had very bad back pains during the European tour that I was hospitalized for a day in Spain. They found out that I had three prolapsed discs in my lower back, but somehow I made it through the tour. I am stubborn. So, I really needed all this time to recover totally. My back is OK now, but I need to work on it a lot.

"I am convinced we don't have to cut songs from the set list [on CHILDREN OF BODOM's current North American headlining tour] at all like we did on the Euro tour some nights. Just to let you know, it might happen, and there is a reason for it."

CHILDREN OF BODOM six-week major-market North American headlining tour kicked off on February 14 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and will hit 32 markets across the U.S. and Canada before wrapping with a two-night stand at New York City's Irving Plaza on March 28 and March 29. The tour features support from folk metal heroes TÝR and represents CHILDREN OF BODOM's first Stateside headlining run since the release of the band's new LP, "Halo Of Blood".

New York fans will have the opportunity to see two unique CHILDREN OF BODOM shows, a different set each night. In addition, 100 two-night packages are available for New York City which include one ticket for each evening, early entry to the venue both nights, an exclusive show poster and access to the VIP Balcony section.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's eighth album, "Halo Of Blood", sold 8,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was made available on June 11, 2013 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover art was created by Sami Saramäki, who was responsible for the artwork on previous CHILDREN OF BODOM albums "Follow The Reaper", "Are You Dead Yet?" and "Hate Crew Deathroll".

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new album was recorded at Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki. For the recording of the LP, CHILDREN OF BODOM has teamed up with recording engineer Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their fan-favorite albums "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll", as well as Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, AMON AMARTH), who oversaw production of both vocals and keyboards on the record. The album was mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.

Danish death metallers DEUS OTIOSUS have revealed the cover art and track listing of threir third album, "Rise", to be released later this year via Deepsend Records.

The cover art was created by Danish artist Claude Wit and can be seen below.

"Rise" track listing:

01. Rising War02. Iron Rule03. Don't Fuck With The Dead04. Breeding Maggots05. Vultures06. Walk The Shadows07. Stand Up And Fight08. Will And Fear09. Fall Of The West

The CD was recorded in Fast Beat Studio and Earplug Studio, mixed at Earplug Studio (MERCYFUL FATE, VICTIMIZER) and mastered at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, FUNERAL MIST, NOMINON).

DEUS OTIOSUS released its debut album, "Murderer", in 2010 and signed with Deepsend prior to the arrival of its second CD, "Godless" (2012).

DEUS OTIOSUS is:

Anders Bo Rasmussen - VocalsHenrik Engkjær - GuitarPeter Engkjær - GuitarJesper Holst - BassJesper Olsen - Drums

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss has released the following statement:

"To KISS fans,

"It's disappointing to have to say to you, the fans, that as of today, [original KISS guitarist] Ace [Frehley] and I have been denied a performance with [fellow KISS founding members] Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] for our Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 24, and I wanted to make sure that fans understood that no original performance, in or out of makeup, has been offered to us before they purchased their tickets. This is disgraceful, and I feel bad for the fans who were looking forward to the four of us being inducted together. "God bless, Peter Criss – The Catman"

The 29th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The television broadcast will premiere on HBO on May 31.

In a 2012 interview with "The Opie & Anthony Show", Criss revealed that a power struggle, with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley on one side, and Peter and Ace Frehley on the other, led to his departure from KISS. "I could start feeling [Stanley and Simmons] wanting the power," he said. "The more we were going up the ladder of future and fame, the more it was kind of swaying to Mr. Simmons and Stanley. Ace and I were kind of not getting our musical [ideas] in. It's funny — I wrote the biggest hit the band [ever had] [the 1976 ballad 'Beth'], and meanwhile, I was kind of always getting put down for this stuff. So it was always a battle."

According to Criss, he and Frehley were extremely close, which is why it was especially hurtful for the drummer to learn that Frehley was making more money when the farewell tour ended in 2000. "[It] broke my heart when [Ace] broke my heart," he said. "In the book, I tell the story, but towards the reunion, towards the end, I was devastated, man. I couldn't believe what went on. And it was again about the old M-O-N-E-Y. Money, money, money. Power, power, power. It never was enough for those guys."

Back in November 2012, current KISS drummer Eric Singer snapped back at some of the digs Criss threw his way in his autobiography, "Makeup To Breakup: My Life In And Out Of Kiss". Both Criss and certain die-hard fans take umbrage at the fact that Singer dresses in Criss' signature cat makeup onstage. Singer, who bookended Criss' reunion stints in the band, told Ultimate Classic Rock, "I don't have nothing against the guy, he's done nothing to me personally. I may have my own personal opinions of how I feel about him as a drummer, or how he's conducted himself, that I may or may not agree with everything, but that's really their [Criss, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley's] beef." Singer, a childhood KISS fan, was instrumental in getting Criss back into the KISS fold prior to the 1995 reunion and along with current guitarist Tommy Thayer, reportedly helped Criss get reacquainted with the long forgotten KISS material. "You gotta remember, this is Peter's chance to get some more attention for himself," Eric said. "Because, he really hasn't done much since he's been out of KISS… It's understandable why people become negative, or bitter, or cynical about something, but hopefully, they say that time heals, and I do believe that's true. Hopefully, we all get to that place in our lives when we look back at our experiences, and we try to remember the positive and the better things about them, rather than the negative and bad things."

Simmons remains baffled at why Criss decided to leave the band at the beginning of the decade following such a triumphant reunion tour and album. "Most people only have one chance, if at all, to swing the bat," Gene said. "Peter's had many chances. When there's a party, not everybody comes. And if you're not in the party, from the outside looking in, you scratch your head and say, 'Why wouldn't anybody want to go to the party? Lots of girls. Lots of money. Lots of good times.' You got me."

Stockholm, Sweden-based rockers DYNAZTY will release their fourth studio album, "Renatus", on March 31 via Spinefarm Records. The CD's first single, "Starlight", is now available on iTunes.

Says DYNAZTY guitarist Love Magnusson: "From the get-go, 'Starlight' felt like a quintessential heavy metal single. The idea was to create a heavy and fast-paced melodic bomb!" As "Starlight" shows, "Renatus" sees the Swedish rockers building on the musical direction of their previous recordings, embracing a broader vision and a bigger sound… Says DYNAZTY vocalist Nils Molin: "After four years, three studio albums and shows on almost every continent, we took the time in 2012 to figure out what we wanted to be in the future, updating ourselves musically and sonically; and once we started to write 'Renatus', everything fell into place. This album is heavier and faster-paced, with big arrangements built around soaring vocal melodies. "This is a new era for DYNAZTY: the first album with our new bass player and band member, Jonathan Olsson, the first to be produced by ourselves, and the first to be released on Spinefarm."

"Renatus" track listing:

01. Cross The Line02. Starlight03. Dawn Of Your Creation04. The Northern End05. Incarnation06. Run Amok07. Unholy Deterrent08. Sunrise In Hell09. Salvation10. A Divine Comedy Having landed a Top 10 album in Sweden with "Sultans Of Sin" and toured internationally (including a run of dates in China), DYNAZTY has created a new 10-track offering that showcases the depth of both their songwriting and their ambition. On the live front, DYNAZTY is confirmed to make its second-ever visit to the U.K. in March, when it appears at the Hard Rock Hell AOR event in North Wales — a three-day festival topped off by such melodic rock legends as TYKETTO and HOUSE OF LORDS. DYNAZTY is: Nils Molin (vocals), Love Magnusson (guitar), George Egg (drums), Mikael Lavér (guitar) and Jonathan Olsson (bass).

British heavy metal legends SAXON will release "St. George's Day Sacrifice - Live In Manchester", a "hidden treasure" recorded live at The Ritz in Manchester, England during the band's "Sacrifice" world tour.

SAXON traditionally performs each year a show on St. George's Day. Honoring a fine tradition, the band is paying homage to England's patron, Saint George, whose traditionally accepted day of his death is April 23.

This 2CD set finds a blistering performance covering a collection of SAXON's finest work from 1979 up to 2013. A very special rendition of "Broken Heroes" goes straight to the heart and is dedicated to the British Armed Forces.

The release is not only available as a 2CD set, it will be sold digitally as well.

"St. George's Day Sacrifice - Live In Manchester" was mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap, and it was produced by SAXON singer Biff Byford.

Release dates:

Germany: March 14UK: March 17USA: April 22

"St. George's Day Sacrifice - Live In Manchester" track listing:

CD 1 (running time 61:05 minutes)

01. Sacrifice02. Wheels Of Terror03. Power And The Glory04. Made In Belfast05. Rock 'N' Roll Gypsy06. And The Bands Played On07. I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)08. Night Of The Wolf09. Conquistador10. Broken Heroes11. Guardians Of The Tomb

CD 2 (running time 59:08 minutes)

01. Never Surrender02. Ride Like The Wind03. Crusader04. Stand Up And Fight05. Dallas 1 PM06. 747 (Strangers In The Night)07. Wheels Of Steel08. Strong Arm Of The Law09. Denim And Leather10. Princess Of The Night

SAXON's new album, "Unplugged And Strung Up", sold around 500 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

Issued on on November 18, 2013, "Unplugged And Strung Up" reveals layers and pieces previously dormant in many of the 14 classic SAXON songs chosen for this makeover, thanks to some ear-catching new arrangements and mixes. Recorded, mixed and mastered with Andy Sneap in Derbyshire, U.K. last year, "Unplugged And Strung Up" contains re-evaluated, re-worked and re-energized versions of "The Eagle Has Landed" and "Crusader" by introducing orchestral dynamics to offer added dimension. "Frozen Rainbow", from the band's 1979 debut, gets a stunning acoustic reprisal which transports it into a power ballad to be proud of, while "Red Star Falling" soars and sweeps the emotions with its orchestrally arranged dovetail.

Cult New York doom band BLOOD FARMERS will release its new album, "Headless Eyes", on March 1 via the group's own Resurrection Productions label.

Originally formed in 1989, BLOOD FARMERS combine the atmosphere of '70s horror with heavy doses of psychedelia and doom in the tradition of BLACK SABBATH and SAINT VITUS. The band's 1995 debut on the legendary Hellhound Records has been cited as an influential underground classic by such bands as ELECTRIC WIZARD and CHURCH OF MISERY.

BLOOD FARMERS' current lineup includes Dave Szulkin (guitar), Eli Brown (vocals) and Tad Leger (drums; ex-TOXIK).

"Headless Eyes" features the epic title track, based on the creepy and bizarre 1971 film by Kent Bateman. It can be streamed below.

"Headless Eyes" track listing:

01. Gut Shot (6:17)02. Headless Eyes (10:49)03. The Creeper (4:51)04. Thousand-Yard Stare (6:34)05. Night Of The Sorcerers (10:15)06. The Road Leads To Nowhere (5:59)

The album can be purchased directly from the band.

Swedish dark rockers KATATONIA have released the following statement:

"It has been some time coming but guitarist Per 'Sodomizer' Eriksson and KATATONIA have now mutually agreed to part ways.

"Per joined the band in 2010 as a live session player, and after some substantial touring, quickly became a steady fixture being heavily involved in the recording of KATATONIA's 2012 critically acclaimed studio album 'Dead End Kings'.

"A difference in views on the band's current operative as well as last year's decision from Per to permanently live in Barcelona have made his involvement in the band too problematic, both for him and for the remaining band members. They part ways as good friends and on a related note, his position within the death metal 'supergroup' BLOODBATH remains unchanged and he will soon join his fellow band members in the studio to record their fourth album, to be released on Peaceville Records this fall.

"KATATONIA's upcoming 'Dethroned & Uncrowned' tour will go ahead as scheduled and will see none other than Bruce Soord (THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, WISDOM OF CROWDS) as a special guest taking on guitar and vocal duties."

KATATONIA recently supported PARADISE LOST on the "Tragic Illusion" 25th-anniversary tour alongside LACUNA COIL. Concurrently, also celebrating their own 10th anniversary for their masterful sixth album "Viva Emptiness", KATATONIA performed the album in its entirety each night to make these shows even more special.

KATATONIA's North American tour, "Uncrowned & Vertikal Tour", with CULT OF LUNA plus special guests INTRONAUT and TESSERACT, commenced on September 23, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts and wrapped on October 7, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

"Dethroned And Uncrowned" was released on September 10, 2013 in North America to celebrate Kscope's fifth anniversary.

The album was funded by a successful PledgeMusic campaign that helped make the recording possible.

U.S. death metal legends AUTOPSY have completed work on their seventh studio album, "Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves", for an April 29 release via Peaceville Records (April 21 in Europe). The CD was recorded at Fantasy Studios with producer Adam Munoz, and sees a continuation of AUTOPSY's pursuit of the ultimate in metallic horror and extremity, featuring the longstanding combo of Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles on guitars, Joe Trevisano on bass and Chris Reifert on drums/vocals.

From all-out death metal savagery to crawling, doom-filled sludgery, "Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves" further pushes the limits of taste and brutality with this latest relentless onslaught of terror from beyond the grave. Artwork comes courtesy of Wes Benscoter, who was also previously responsible for the stunning "Macabre Eternal" album cover.

Says the band: "Tourniquets tighten... hacksaws rip... graves are filled...This is AUTOPSY, this is death metal. With the stench of 'The Headless Ritual' still permeating the befouled air, AUTOPSY has once again come for your very metal soul with their newest blood-soaked homage to all things dark, twisted and horrific... once again, bone-crushingly heavy nightmares await. 'Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves' will awaken the most depraved part of the coldest zombie's stare... blood will flow, brains will be destroyed, coffin lids will be opened."

AUTOPSY's sixth studio opus of horror and all-out madness, "The Headless Ritual", was released in July 2013 via Peaceville Records.

AUTOPSY released a DVD, "Born Undead", in June 2012 in the U.S. via Peaceville Records. The set charts AUTOPSY's birth, death and rebirth with an extensive documentary conducted with the bandmembers themselves, as they describe how the beast came to be, and the impact their music has had on the metal world over a span of more than 20 years. The film also documents the band's long-awaited return to the studio and stage, and includes rehearsal footage of both new tracks and old classics for their live comeback assault.

AUTOPSY had previously decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th-anniversary edition of debut album, "Severed Survival", in late 2008; the band having originally split before the release of its fourth album, "Shitfun", in 1995. AUTOPSY is: Chris Reifert - Drums/VocalsDanny Coralles - GuitarEric Cutler - GuitarJoe Trevisano - Bass

LAST IN LINE, the band featuring DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell alongside fellow founding DIO members Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain and Claude Schnell, plus singer Andrew Freeman, who has previously fronted HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB, will enter the studio in April to begin recordings its first original material.

The news of LAST IN LINE's recording plans was revealed by Campbell during an interview with "The Bob And Coe Show" on San Diego's 101.5 KGB radio station.

Speaking about his stint with THIN LIZZY in 2011 while DEF LEPPARD was on a break from touring, Vivian said:"They were such an influence on me in my formative years of guitar playing. I mean, I knew all their licks inside and out, I knew every solo. The guitar players of THIN LIZZY were such big influences to me — Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson from the classic lineup in the '70s, and then in particular Gary Moore was probably the most influential of all of them. So to go on stage and to play with Scott Gorhan and Brian Downey was just fantastic. It really kind of reconnected me to my inner 16-year-old. It kind of lit a bit of a fire under my ass about playing guitar again, to be honest.

"I came off that tour, and the first thing I did was call the guys from the original DIO band — Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain — and we went into a rehearsal room and started playing. 'Cause I really just wanted to play rock again. And as a result of that, we kind of [ended up] doing some shows under the name of LAST IN LINE, the second DIO album. One thing has led to another, and now we're going into the studio in April to record some new music for that. So it's amazing how the effects can start from that one phone call: 'Hey, you wanna play with THIN LIZZY?'"

LAST IN LINE performs material from the early DIO records that Campbell appeared on.

Vivian Campbell's former SWEET SAVAGE bandmate Ray Haller filled in for Jimmy Bain at LAST IN LINE's October 20, 2013 performance at the Loud Park festival at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Speaking to David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com at the January 2013 NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, Campbell stated about reuniting with the original DIO band: "We're calling it LAST IN LINE after the second [DIO] album. It's the original DIO band — myself, Vinny Appice on drums, Jimmy Bain on bass, Claude Schnell on keyboards, and we found a terrific singer called Andy Freeman, who can totally do justice to the songs. Actually, he doesn't sound anything like Ronnie [James Dio], which is great, [because] I don't wanna draw that comaprison. Ronnie was a very unique singer, but Andy is a great singer in his own right, and he certainly sings the songs very respectfully.

"The original band, we actually wrote the majority of that material as a band, so I feel like we're entitled to go out and play it. I don't think we're a tribute band or a cover band or anything like that.

"There's obviously a big legacy of DIO music, and I think I'm right in saying that most people would think that those early DIO albums are the strongest, so we are just chuffed to play it."

Campbell and Ronnie James Dio worked together on the first three DIO albums — 1983's "Holy Diver", 1984's "The Last in Line" and 1985's "Sacred Heart" — before Irishman Campbell left to join WHITESNAKE in 1987.

ROCKwellUnScene.com has uploaded multi-camera video footage of LAST IN LINE performing the song "We Rock" on October 12, 2013 at Ramona Mainstage in Ramona, California. Check it out below. Photos of the concert are available at this location.

It's official: The original lineup of KISS will not perform at the band's upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, scheduled for this April at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

The news of the legendary group's non-reunion at the event was broken by former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley during an appearance on last night's edition of "Eddie Trunk Rocks" (formerly "Friday Night Rocks") radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM.

"I don't think KISS fans are gonna be too excited and happy about the news, 'cause at this juncture, [KISS leaders] Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] have decided to perform with [current KISS members] Tommy [Thayer, guitar] and Eric [Singer, drums], and it looks like the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is going along with it," Frehley said.

Ace, who said that he was informed "in the last 24 to 48 hours" of Stanley's and Simmons' decision to perform with the current incarnation of KISS rather than the original lineup, continued: "The last time I was on [this radio show], it was a very exciting and happy call. And the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was very excited about having the four original members who are being inducted to perform at the ceremony. And that was shot down by Paul and Gene. And now it's kind of, like, if I'm not gonna put on the makeup and do a three-song reunion for the fans, then what am I gonna do? And right now I'm not even sure if I'm gonna show up for that, you know?!"

According to Frehley, Stanley and Simmons "shot down doing any type of reunion with [original KISS drummer Peter Criss and me] — with makeup, without makeup," while Frehley himself ruled out performing alongside KISS' current lineup, saying, "I'm not gonna get on the stage with Tommy wearing my makeup. That's absurd."

He added: "It's a shame. I know [the original lineup reunion is] what the fans wanted. I know it's what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame wanted. [But] it's not gonna happen."

Asked if he had any idea why Stanley and Simmons are so opposed to the idea of performing with the original KISS lineup at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Frehley said: "I don't know, and at this point, I really don't give a shit. [Laughs] I really don't care. It's, like, enough already.

"You don't wanna do something for the fans after 40 years of them supporting you?

"It's something the fans wanted, it's something the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame asked of all four of us. They shot it down.

"It is what it is. I don't completely understand it, but those guys do a lot of things that don't make sense to me. It's unfortunate for the fans.

"We're being inducted because of the fans. And I feel like the fans are being let down. And I'm upset about it; I've gotta be honest with you. But I'm trying not to let it get to me because, like I said, I've gotta finish [my new solo] record and I've gotta think positive. And I wanna move forward. But it's upsetting. "I'm working on my second book. I've got [my] new [solo] record [coming out]. What will be in the future will be. No matter what happens, I'm fine. And I'm having fun. And I'm creating great music. My life's great. And I can't let any negativity… I've gotta just let it roll off my back and continue doing what I've been doing — making great music.

"I'm at the tail end of [making my new solo] record… and this has just been a thorn in my side, because every day there's a different story: 'Yeah, maybe you can come and get up and do 'New York Groove'. And if you don't do it with KISS, you can do it with a celebrity lineup.' And that was shot down. It's very frustrating. It's also distracting my attention from the most important thing right now that I'm doing, [which] is working on music and creating. So it's very frustrating and a little disheartening."

Frehley also revealed the main reason he wanted to spread the message that he wasn't going to perform at the Rock Hall induction.

"It was very important that I let the fans know that because the tickets are going on sale on Monday, and I didn't want people buying tickets thinking that they were gonna see a KISS reunion, and then be disappointed," he explained.

[Note: American Express card members can purchase tickets to this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony before the general public beginning Monday, February 24 at 9 a.m. EST through Friday, February 28 at 10 p.m. EST. Tickets will be available to the public at Ticketmaster.com beginning Saturday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m. EST.]

KISS, which has been passed over by the Hall since 1998, is taking its long-overdue induction with a grain of salt, with Stanley telling Classic Rock magazine that it feels like a case of a little too little and a little too late to mean anything for him, explaining, "It was done begrudgingly and because it had become absolutely ludicrous that they were choosing to ignore us. At the end of the day most people don't realize that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was a privately created establishment and that it has a self-appointed board. It's a perfect case of perception becoming reality. People heard 'Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame' and gave it credibility." Stanley added: "So whether it deserves the title has to be weighed against who it inducts.

"So was it an honor to be nominated? No. It means a lot to the fans, and I understand it, because it's validation for them. So for that reason, I accept graciously and accept on their behalf."

The 29th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10 at Barclays Center.

The television broadcast will premiere on HBO on May 31.

French death metal veterans LOUDBLAST have inked a deal with Listenable Records for the follow up to 2011's "Frozen Moments Between Life And Death". Due out later this year, the band's newest album will be titled "Burial Ground".

A solid mix of classic and modern influences, the latest output from these death metal veterans dares transgressing their traditional thrash/death style of yore to achieve a much more malign yet as catchy sound. "Burial Ground" benefits from a massive production and sees the band evolving in further darker sounds while retaining the original '90s classic death metal roots.

LOUDBLAST is:

Vocals/Guitar: Stéphane BuriezGuitars: DrakhianBass: Alexandre LenormandDrums: Hervé Coquerel

Photo credit: Anthony Dubois

Nazareth are delighted to officially announce that we have found a new vocalist and frontman.

We would like to introduce you all to Linton Osborne.

Nazareth

After extensive auditions, the band was knocked out by Linton’s voice, presence and style.

And he’s a thoroughly good guy!

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland and raised in Rosyth near Dunfermline, 41-year-old Linton has been singing and performing professionally for as long as he can remember.

A long time fan of Nazareth and Dan McCafferty, on his selection as Nazareth’s new singer Linton simply says, “It’s better than winning the lottery!”

As well as a passion for Rock ‘n’ Roll and singing, Linton also enjoys Kickboxing and likes to stay in shape.

His enthusiasm and energy has been a shot in the arm for the band, and a real boost after the keen sense of loss and sadness at the sudden retirement of our dear friend and brother, Dan.

Dan was pleased to hear that Linton, a ‘local lad’, had been chosen to follow in his footsteps.

The two singers have met and get on very well.

It seems that they have a lot in common, not least a love for old time Rock ‘n’

Roll, with the legendary Little Richard being a firm favorite of them both.

Dan was heartfelt in expressing his feelings toward Linton and the band, wishing them good luck, safe travels and success in the future.

We love you Dan.

Dan McCafferty & Linton Osborne - Nazareth Dan McCafferty & Linton Osborne - Nazareth

Linton is thrilled to be a part of the bands continuing story and is excited about taking the music forward.

Nazareth are now able to move ahead with rehearsals and will be back on the road very soon.

See you out there….

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL performed two new songs — "Nothing Stands In Our Way" and "Die & Rise" — live for the first time last night (Thursday, February 20) in Wilmington, North Carolina on the opening night of "The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour" with SICK PUPPIES, EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER. Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

"Nothing Stands In Our Way" and and "Die & Rise" are both taken from LACUNA COIL's new studio album, "Broken Crown Halo", which will be released in North America on April 1 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded Italy by producer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., SEVENDUST, EVANESCENCE, PAPA ROACH) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., BUSH, ZEBRAHEAD). The effort was mastered by Howie Weinberg, whose credits include RAMMSTEIN, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, DEFTONES and SHERYL CROW.

"Broken Crown Halo" is LACUNA COIL's seventh studio effort, and the highly-anticipated follow-up to "Dark Adrenaline", which was released in January 2012 and saw the band tour with acts including MEGADETH, MOTÖRHEAD, VOLBEAT and SEVENDUST after debuting at No. 15 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

"Broken Crown Halo" track listing:

01. Nothing Stands In Our Way02. Zombies 03. Hostage To The Light 04. Victims 05. Die & Rise 06. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)07. Cybersleep 08. Infection 09. I Burn In You10. In The End I Feel Alive11. One Cold Day

LACUNA COIL is touring as a quintet following the departures of guitarist Cris "Pizza" Migliore and drummer Cristiano "Criz" Mozzati. Marco "Maus" Biazzi is handling all guitar duties on the trek while drummer Ryan Blake Folden is once again sitting behind the kit. The band states: "Fans will already be familiar with Ryan, as he performed live with LACUNA COIL on the majority of the 2012 and 2013 'Dark Legacy' and 'Dark Adrenaline' tours."

Regarding the departures of Migliore and Mozzati, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia told U.K.'s Metal Hammer: "It's something we announced [on February 14] but knew for a few weeks, and honestly, I feel good, because we couldn't have a better — I don't even wasn't to use the word ‘split'; that sounds like, 'Oh, we had a big fight and we don't want to see each other anymore,' she said.

"It was something that was coming from the heart, very sincere. They just decided they wanted to change their lives. It's not like they didn't like the band anymore, but this lifestyle is not easy. You're on tour all the time, you don't have any private life anymore.

"Being on tour is really surreal, because time moves in a different way, so I think it's absolutely normal that after so many years together, some of us want to carry on doing what we do because we still enjoy it, and some of us would want to move on, keeping the great memories we have together. I mean, they're not planning to join other bands. It's not going to be a huge difference, because we will have the same songwriter, and we are determined to go on. So I'm sad that they're leaving, but we will continue seeing each other outside the band. They are happy, we are happy, everyone is happy."

She continued: "It's too early to think about replacements, and we don't even know if we want that. We might work with session musicians for a while, because even if we are serene and happy, it's hard for us, because we lost two brothers, so we don't want anyone to come into the family just like that. It would be wise, I think, just to go on with us four and then move on with friends like Ryan, who is a great drummer and very easy to get along with. And that's an important factor, because if you're going to share a tour bus with people, you have to be able to get along with them!"

The Revolver-magazine-presented "The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour runs through March 20 in Anaheim, California. Visit www.hottestchickstour.com for additional details and VIP packages.

Swedish death metal act VAMPIRE will release its self-titled debut album in Europe on March 3 and in North America on March 18 via Century Media Records. Featuring ten tracks of relentless death metal with haunting melodies and a deadly horror vibe, "Vampire" promises to not disappoint. The eerie cover artwork was created by Mattias Frisk, who is known for his work with bands such as GHOST, VANHELGD and MAIM. The song "The Fen" from "Vampire" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. "Vampire" will be available as a CD, LP and digital download. A very limited colored vinyl version will be available at CMdistro.com.

VAMPIRE was founded in 2011 by Hand Of Doom (vocals), Black String (guitars) and Command (bass). The band’s self-titled debut demo, released in September of the following year in different print runs, had a massive impact on the worldwide underground metal scene. Word-of-mouth promotion as well as excellent reviews gained the band a great reputation as being one of the most promising acts from the Swedish death metal scene. A seven-inch version of the demo tape (including one extra track) was released in January 2013 by To The Death Records and sold out in no time. By now, both the demo and the seven-inch have become highly sought after collector's items despite their total print run of 1,400 copies.

Following the success of the demo and seven-inch, VAMPIRE has built a steady live reputation by supporting some of the most renowned bands in today’s metal scene and by acclaimed performances at the Live Evil and Muskelrock festivals in 2013.

While VAMPIRE's roots reach deep into metal’s most vicious origins, the eleven raw slices contained on the debut album will immediately catch your attention with their refreshingly morbid approach and should be hailed soon as some of the most poisonous metal of the decade.

VAMPIRE is:

Hand Of Doom: VocalsBlack String: GuitarCommand: Electric BassRatwing: Battery

NEWSTED — the new band featuring former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist Jason Newsted and STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok — has confirmed that it will no longer be coming to Australia for the Soundwave festival, which begins tomorrow (Saturday, February 22) in Brisbane.

Said Jason in a statement: "Due to private and personal circumstances, we sincerely regret to inform you that the NEWSTED band is unable to perform in February and March as scheduled.

"Our deepest apologies for any inconvenience to you.

"We are all gutted by this turn of events.

"Our hope is that we will have another opportunity to share our heavy music with you all again sometime in the near future.

"I'm sorry, sisters and brothers, We were really looking forward to these shows too."

NEWSTED's cancelation follows MEGADETH's withdrawal from Soundwave earlier this month after a disagreement between MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine and the Soundwave promoters over NEWSTED's appearance on MEGADETH's "off" dates during Soundwave.

NEWSTED's debut album, "Heavy Metal Music", sold nearly 8,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was made available on August 6, 2013 in North America via Chophouse Records/Collective Sounds and August 5, 2013 in Europe through Spinefarm Records.

NEWSTED took part in last year's edition of Gigantour, the critically acclaimed package festival founded in 2005 by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. Also appearing on the bill were headliners MEGADETH, along with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, DEVICE, HELLYEAH and DEATH DIVISION.