Cleveland, Ohio doom rockers VENOMIM JAMES have released a new single called "33rd Degree" via Auburn Records. The single is currently available through iTunes, Amazon and other major digital distributors.

This is the second VENOMIM JAMES single to feature vocalist Mike Martini. The first single, "Sailor's Grave", was released last summer and received a very positive response.

Martini was officially announced as VENOMIM JAMES' new vocalist this past July, replacing original vocalist Jim Meador.

"'33rd Degree' alludes to the secret societies of the world," says Martini. "The behind-the-scences decision makers. The thieves of the ancient Sumerian texts and information. The info that was supposed to help all of humanity, but was used against humanity."

"The song was born from jam sessions," adds guitarist Joe Fortunato. "The more we jammed on the riffs, all of the pieces evolved into a song that showcases everything we are at this point in time. A classic VENOMIN JAMES track that stands along everything we've ever recorded. A small amount of chaos, a small amount of order — total sonic meltdown!"

VENOMIN JAMES, founded in 2006, is a doom metal band known for heavy riffs and intricate musical arrangements in the vein of BLACK SABBATH and "desert rock" bands like KYUSS and UNIDA. They have released two full-length albums, "Crowe Valley Blues" and "Left Hand Man", and are currently signed to Auburn Records. Original drummer Jared Koston passed away from cancer while the band was in the midst of recording their third album, "Unholy Mountain". To date, his final recordings have not been released.

VENOMIN JAMES had a feature spot at the 2011 Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and plays out extensively on the regional club circuit. The band's next live appearance will be on the WJCU 2014 Radiothon benefit concert, set to take place February 15 at the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland.

VENOMIN JAMES is:

Joe Fortunato - GuitarTomasz Scull - GuitarErin Corcoran - BassEric Matthews - DrumsMike Martini - Vocals

Lifelong horror enthusiast and METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett joined DEATH ANGEL on stage last night (Saturday, February 8) at his first annual horror convention, dubbed Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEviL, at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California to perform the BLACK SABBATH classic "Heaven And Hell" and the METALLICA song "Trapped Under Ice". Video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of AndrewHaug.com).

Hammett's relationship with DEATH ANGEL goes back more than two decades, when the METALLICA guitarist produced DEATH ANGEL's 1986 demo, "Kill As One".

Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEvil kicked off on Thursday (February 6) and lasted through Saturday (February 8), and Hammett told The Pulse Of Radio what he envisioned for it. "I've gone to San Diego Comic-Con, and I was just struck by how all it really is is a bunch of stuff to look at and a bunch of stuff to buy," he said. "What I wanted to do with my convention is I wanted it to be an experience, you know. I wanted it to be interactive, I wanted it to have ambiance and atmosphere, and I wanted it to be unique and thrilling, and that's what we're trying to do here."

Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEviL included additional musical performances by Nuclear Blast artists CARCASS, EXODUS (featuring a guest appearance by Hammett) and ORCHID.

Hammett was a member of EXODUS' original lineup before replacing Dave Mustaine in METALLICA in 1983. In fact, Hammett was not only the person who came up with the EXODUS name, but also the first from the band to meet original EXODUS singer Paul Baloff and brought him into the group.

Visit www.FEARFESTEviL.com for the latest information on horror's newest and coolest fan convention.

Capital Chaos TV has uploaded video footage of Greek guitarist Gus G.'s (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND) January 22 private showcase at Swing House studios in Los Angeles, California. Gus performs the BLACK SABBATH classic "Into The Void" and two solo tracks, "My Will Be Done" and "Blame It On Me", with drummer Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUSCIFER, DEVO), bassist Marty O'Brien (TOMMY LEE, WE ARE THE FALLEN, LITA FORD), and vocalist Mats Levén (CANDLEMASS, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION). He also plays another solo cut, "Long Way Down", with singer Alexia Rodriguez (EYES SET TO KILL).

Gus G.'s first, long-overdue solo album, "I Am The Fire", will be released on March 17 in Europe and March 18 in North America via longtime international partners Century Media Records.

"I Am The Fire" track listing:

01. My Will Be Done (featuring Mats Levén)02. Blame It On Me (featuring Mats Levén)03. I Am The Fire (featuring Devour The Day)04. Vengeance (featuring David Ellefson)05. Long Way Down (featuring Alexia Rodriguez)06. Just Can't Let Go (featuring Jacob Bunton)07. Terrified (featuring Billy Sheehan)08. Eyes Wide Open (featuring Mats Levén)09. Redemption (featuring Michael Starr)10. Summer Days (featuring Jeff Scott Soto)11. Dreamkeeper (featuring Tom S. Englund)12. End Of The Line (featuring Mats Levén) The cover artwork, pictured below, was designed by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, KAMELOT, DREAM EVIL).

A first song from the album can be heard via the video for the album's opening track, "My Will Be Done" (featuring Mats Levén), which was produced by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

Gus handles all guitar, bass and keyboards on "I Am The Fire", and is joined by a roster of friends and guests that help bring his vision to fruition: drummers Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUSCIFER, DEVO) and Daniel Erlandsson (ARCH ENEMY), bassists David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH) and Marty O'Brien (TOMMY LEE, WE ARE THE FALLEN, LITA FORD), and vocalists Mats Levén (CANDLEMASS, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION), Blake Allison (DEVOUR THE DAY), Michael Starr (STEEL PANTHER), Alexia Rodriguez (EYES SET TO KILL), Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY), Jacob Bunton (ADLER) and Jeff Scott Soto (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, TALISMAN, ex-JOURNEY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN). "I Am The Fire" was mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR, STEEL PANTHER) and was recorded between Los Angeles and Gus' home country of Greece through the latter half of 2013. A few of the album's tracks include "Eyes Wide Open", "Redemption", "End Of The Line" and "Blame It On Me". The album showcases a well-balanced mix of active rock, classic hard rock, traditional metal and guitar-driven instrumentals, taking listeners on a diverse journey and opening doors to Gus G.'s soulful playing.

The album's first commercial single — title track, "I Am The Fire" — will be released digitally February 25 in North America. Gus G. has had an amazing rise within the worldwide rock and metal scenes and has amassed an impressive body of work, both in studio and touring. He emerged as an up-and-coming talent with the groups DREAM EVIL (Sweden), MYSTIC PROPHECY (Germany) and NIGHTRAGE (Greece), but it is his work with his own band FIREWIND (who have released seven studio albums and two live releases) and as a member of Ozzy Osbourne's band that have helped him emerge as one of the world's top metal and rock guitarists. His work on Ozzy's "Scream" album led to a Grammy nomination in 2010, and his list of accolades includes Guitar Player magazine's "Best Metal Guitarist," the "Dimebag Darrell Shredder" award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, and Metal Hammer Greece "Best Guitarist" on four separate occasions.

Norwegian black metallers EMPEROR will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their "In The Nightside Eclipse" album by making a number of festival appearances this year. In addition to performing at Germany's Wacken Open Air and Sweden's Sweden Rock Festival, the band will headline the 2014 edition of the the Bloodstock Open Air festival, set to take place in August at Catton Hall, Walton-On-Trent, West Midlands, United Kingdom. EMPEROR members Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan) and Samoth (real name: Tomas Haugen) will be joined by Bård Guldvik "Faust" Eithun on drums, and they will perform the CD in its entirety. There will be no new studio album or a worldwide tour — only a few exclusive festival appearances this year to mark the celebration of this landmark release.

The first photo of the 2014 lineup of EMPEROR has now been released and can be seen above. (Photo credit: Bjørn Tore Moen)

In a 2013 interview with Exclaim.ca, Ihsahn was asked, aside from the 20th anniversary of the "In The Nightside Eclipse" record, there was anything else that pushed him to make this moment the moment that EMPEROR played some songs again. "It's a celebration of 'In The Nightside Eclipse'," he replied. "We knew we would be playing that album and material from that era. That's it, really. That's my terms for doing it, and the added bonus of having the original drummer.

"It's no secret that I've been really reluctant to ever do anything with EMPEROR again. I'm so much more focused on my solo work that I was almost fighting my past in EMPEROR. I didn't want to be just a spinoff product of that. I wanted to build something totally on my own terms, and I waited three albums in before I did any live shows because I didn't want to go 50/50, an EMPEROR/solo show. I wanted to have three albums and pick the songs that were best and play that.

"This ['Das Seelenbrechen'] is my fifth album, I've done more albums now as a solo artist, not including everything else I've done, than I did with EMPEROR. Where I'm at now with my solo career, I think it's easy to just comfortably accept my past metal as part of my musical life as well."

He continued: "I would not do something like the stuff we did in 2006/2007 again. I didn't want to play those kind of gestalt shows. I wanted this to be a celebration of that album. Because for us, personally, obviously, this was the stepping stone for me to be able to have a 20-year career. Coming from Norway and being a musician is sort of far fetched in the first place. I should say, starting a black metal band in '91. It's more paying respect to the fact that this is our starting point.

"Even before we announced [the EMPEROR reunion], there's always a constant flow of offers for EMPEROR to do this, or EMPEROR to do that. I have to say, all this nostalgia and all these bands coming back is a result of the power of metal. You don't get the big '80s rock bands anymore because there is not enough time. With the Internet and everything is so widespread, you don't get the big superstars anymore. It's very hard for young bands to build a name for themselves. People tend to just go back to what they know. I think it's a result of that. Obviously, we wanted to reunite for other reasons. Not everybody can as easily get working visas to go to the U.S.

"I've been thinking that the reason why I've been able to have a 20-year long career, and the reason EMPEROR became the institution that it became. In my book, EMPEROR as a phenomenon is much bigger now than it ever was when we were in the band. I think the reason for that is we never compromised. I've had the privilege of doing my music without compromise for all these years and I'm not going to change that now. If I was exploiting markets or potentials in a cynical way like that, if I tried to make another EMPEROR album… that would just make everything we ever did into a lie. I don't see the purpose.

"Obviously as a solo artist, I am not as big as EMPEROR. These are different times. But I get by, and I'm pulling quite big crowds when I play. So to me, it doesn't make that much of a difference. As long as I can be a free artist, I prefer that any day."

Photo credit: Bjørn Tore Moen

Ronny Thorsen (TRAIL OF TEARS), Miriam "Sphinx" Renvåg (RAM-ZET, ENDLING), Morfeus (MAYHEM, LIMBONIC ART, DIMENSION F3H), Endre Moe (TRAIL OF TEARS, DIMENSION F3H, CUTTHROAT) and Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow (TRAIL OF TEARS, SPHERE) have joined forces under the banner VIPER SOLFA, bringing their diverse backgrounds together to create a new brand of extreme metal. The band is currently working on material for the debut album, for which the recording process will start shortly. "Whispers And Storms", the first offering from the band, can now be streamed below. VIPER SOLFA emerged in 2013 as an idea from TRAIL OF TEARS singer and frontman Ronny Thorsen. After nearly two decades of albums, worldwide touring, as well as guest appearances for TRISTANIA and BLOOD RED THRONE, the time seemed right to head into different musical territories. Thorsen was quickly joined by fellow TRAIL OF TEARS members Endre Moe on bass and Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow on drums. Not long after, the three of them found themselves in the creative company of Morfeus, who immediately took the role of main composer as well as handling guitar, keyboard and orchestration duties. With the material at hand, it became obvious that the sound needed a diverse, intense and highly skilled female voice and after auditioning over two dozen singers from around the globe, Miriam "Sphinx" Renvåg was recruited as the final piece of the puzzle.

With a lineup consisting of established and well-known members from vast musical backgrounds, the result is a merciless musical beast combining the best of the individual members' musical history. Nearly a year has been spent crafting the band's innovative brand of extreme metal, or as the band so fittingly labels it: poison music.

The material for VIPER SOLFA's debut album is ready and plans are being mapped out to destroy stages around the world.

* Ronny Thorsen (TRAIL OF TEARS) - Vocals* Miriam "Sphinx" Renvåg (RAM-ZET, ENDLING) - Vocals* Morfeus (MAYHEM, LIMBONIC ART, DIMENSION F3H) - Guitar, Keyboards, Orchestration* Endre Moe (TRAIL OF TEARS, DIMENSION F3H, CUTTHROAT) - Bass* Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow (TRAIL OF TEARS, SPHERE) - Drums

Fan-filmed video footage of CANDLEMASS' January 17 performance at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland can be seen below.

CANDLEMASS celebrated the 25th anniversary of its third album, "Ancient Dreams", with special live concert on December 28, 2013 at Debaser Medis in Stockholm, Sweden.

The LP, which was originally issued in 1988, has long been hailed as a classic and was performed in its entirety by CANDLEMASS, which was last year voted Sweden's best rock/metal band of all time in Sweden Rock Magazine.

CANDLEMASS' current touring lineup includes four members of its classic formation: Leif Edling on bass, Mats "Mappe" Björkman on rhythm guitar, Lars Johansson on lead guitar and Janne Lindh on drums.

CANDLEMASS played its first show with singer Mats Levén on June 5, 2012 at Debaser Slussen in Stockholm, Sweden.

Levén is a former member of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION and TREAT, who also plays with CANDLEMASS bassist/mainman Leif Edling in KRUX.

Also joining the group for CANDLEMASS' recent live performances was keyboard player Per Wiberg (OPETH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS).

CANDLEMASS in June 2012 parted ways singer Robert Lowe. The band stated at the time that this was "a very difficult decision" to make and had "mainly to do with the quality of the live performances."

Lowe — who is still a member of SOLITUDE AETERNUS — joined CANDLEMASS in January 2007 and sang on the band's last three studio albums: "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007), "Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012).

CANDLEMASS released its 11th and final album, "Psalms For The Dead", on June 8, 2012 via Napalm Records. A limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single contaning two album tracks —"Dancing In The Temple Of The Mad Queen Bee" and "The Killing Of The Sun" — preceded the full-length effort on April 13, 2012.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will release their sixth album, "The Quantum Enigma", on May 5 in Europe and May 13 in North America via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to "Requiem For The Indifferent" was produced by Joost Van Den Broek (the former AFTER FOREVER and AYREON keyboard player who has previously worked with REVAMP and STREAM OF PASSION).

Says EPICA guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen: "[I] have been listening to our new album and I can't get enough of it! It sounds more modern but with all typical EPICA elements inside. Refreshing might be the right word. This album has also been the result of a real group effort.

"It was great to see everyone being so motivated to create our best album!

"Even though the sound is more heavy (the guitars, bass and drums sound so brutal!!!), it's still a very catchy album as well. Some old influences from our earliest work, some references to 'Design Your Universe' and some new elements.

"[I] can't wait 'till the moment you'll be able to listen to our newborn which makes us all very proud!"

EPICA will return to the stage on April 30 for a CD-release performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

After taking a break from the road due the pregnancy of lead singer Simone Simons, the release of a new concert DVD, "Retrospect", as well as the writing and recording of the band's upcoming album, the sextet will put on a memorable concert, with plans to perform both old and new songs.

EPICA celebrated its 10th anniversary with a one-night-only event, dubbed "Retrospect", on March 23, 2013 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The band was accompanied by the seventy-piece Reményi Ede Chamber Orchestra and the Miskolc National Theatre Choir, playing an unforgettable three-hour best-of set. On November 8, 2013, Nuclear Blast released "Retrospect" as a deluxe hardcover book with 48 pages, both as a 2DVD/3CD and 2Blu-ray/3CD version.

"Retrospect" features this massive performance in its entirety, as well as exclusive interviews with all band members and behind-the-scenes footage from the show.

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD will enter GREEN DAY's Oakland, California's JingleTown Recording compound on Sunday, February 9 to begin recording their new album for a late 2014 release via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

Comments MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn in the latest installment of his online blog, "The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings": "Looking forward to this; it's gonna be a fun album to record.

"We have some really, really strong songs, powerful songs.

"There's no question it's going to be a big project. So with big projects come big expectations and sometimes big 'issues,' but the feeling in the band, the feeling BETWEEN the band, is so positive we're chomping at the bit to get started.

"We know it will be a big undertaking but we're up for it. We're ready.

"We're approaching two decades of recording and releasing our music to you. Let that sink in for a minute... because it definitely causes me to pause.

"Most bands do not get to make music for as long as we have and flourish. Most bands do not get to build an 'army' of fans and friends. We have, and for one of many reasons, we refuse to rest on our laurels. There's no getting complacent at this stage of the game. Good isn't good enough, it has to change the world, it has to dent the universe. You won't care if it's anything less. We're putting in the long, hard, boring hours of work that it takes to make something truly special.

"And I have to mention it again; the feeling of four guys pulling together, four guys all on the same page, four guys all on the same team, man... it is an amazing feeling. I can't remember a time when the band was this locked-in mentally, physically, and spiritually.

"There's still a waaaaays to go before we're done, a few songs still getting wrapped up musically / lyrically...

"But yeah, it begins... this weekend."

He adds: "As I mentioned last week, we will be releasing the 'demo' version of 'Killers & Kings' with a B-side of the IGNITE classic 'Our Darkest Days / Bleeding', on 10-inch vinyl for Record Store Day worldwide.

"For those of you who don't know, Record Store Day is a day to support the local mom-and-pop record stores. Often bands will release limited-edition items exclusively to these stores, it never ends up in the big chains. It helps support the little guys, and if you can't make it to the store, you can still order if from them online. We back it 100%.

"Yesterday we put the first of four 10-inch album covers that will be released. Four Tarot cards in total.

"More covers coming next week.

"It's the first time since our debut album that we've actually released demos 'before' an album. Since that album, we've only done it after the fact, and I really am excited about doing beforehand.

"I remember selling the six-song MACHINE HEAD demo at our early shows. We'd sell it in the parking lots of metal shows like drugs. I even brokered a deal overseas to have the demos sold and they did extremely well; it helped create a buzz over there.

"This demo version of 'Killers & Kings' is not-finished. Shit, I'm still 'scattin'' some the lyrics, meaning = making it up as I go! I think it's cool that you can hear that.

"I'm not sure why the idea of releasing demos before a record stopped. I always loved hearing demos before a record came out.

"I think what happened is that record companies got scared that people wouldn't buy the record if they didn't like the demos. I know, for me, I wanted to hear new music no matter what. If I was crazy about the band, I searched far and wide to hear anything they had, demos, bootlegs, rehearsals, videos, the more I found, the better. It's like I went on a journey with the band. Listening to the songs evolve, or not evolve, change or not change.

"I love that journey! I hope you do too, 'cause we're about to take you on a crazy fucking journey.

"Are you ready?"

Other tentative songtitles set to appear on the new MACHINE HEAD album include "Beneath The Silt", "Ojos De La Muerte", "Sail Into The Black" and "Night Of The Long Knives".

MACHINE HEAD's most recent studio release, 2011's "Unto The Locust", entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 22 — putting them in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's history.

Las Vegas Weekly celebrated its 15th anniversary in true Las Vegas fashion with #Unscripted, a night that featured dozens of the city's elite, at the Havana Room inside The New Tropicana Las Vegas on December 18, 2013. A portion of the proceeds from the evening benefitted the Foundation To Assist Young Musicians and its mission to encourage young musicians through training, advanced study, career development and more. More than 650 of the publication's loyal fans gathered at the party, which commenced with signature spirits by Bacardi USA, sounds by producer and DJ duo MICS and a red carpet full of celebrities. Las Vegas Weekly publisher Travis Keys and Las Vegas Weekly editor Sarah Feldberg gave a few words to attendees followed by a "champagne wishes" toast from columnist and television personality Robin Leach. The evening was hosted by the editor at large and writer of entertainment column "The Kats Report", John Katsilometes, who also took the limelight to introduce some of the party’s key performances including the night's headliner, Frankie Moreno. Among the audience were several celebrities and Las Vegas personalities including publisher and editor of Las Vegas Sun, Brian Greenspun; television personality Holly Madison and founder and CEO of Insomniac, Pasquale Rotella; 'NSYNC band member and television personality Joey Fatone; PIN UP star and Playboy's 2011 Playmate Of The Year Claire Sinclair; Lacey Schwimmer of "Dancing With The Stars"; Chippendales members including television personalities Jaymes Vaughn and James Davis; MÖTLEY CRÜE lead singer Vince Neil; GUNS N' ROSES guitarist DJ Ashba; ROUGH CUTT/ex-QUIET RIOT singer Paul Shortino; and HELLYEAH/ex-PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott. Guests had a blast as they mingled, sipped on drinks and enjoyed musical stylings, while Las Vegas' top performers hit the stage with absolutely no rules. At the center of the uncensored madness was Moreno's band, who invited the stars amongst the crowd to perform at random including Fatone, Neil, Ashba and Vnnie Paul. The artists performed hits ranging from '70s rock to holiday classics.

TropLV.com has uploaded video footage of Neil, Ashba and Vinnie Paul performing a cover version of the ZZ TOP classic "Tush"; and Ashba, Vinnie Paul and Shortino covering THE KINKS' "You Really Got Me". Check it out below.

Shortly after HATRIOT — the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band led by former EXODUS and LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT) frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza — started playing the song "Murder American Style" on January 18 at Spancky's in Cotati, California, a fire started in one of the PA speakers.

Jesse Amazeen, who attended the concert and shot the clip below, tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "The fire got put out pretty quickly, but a lot of us realized this could have easily been another GREAT WHITE type of club fire. Scary."

HATRIOT's sophomore album, "Dawn Of The New Centurion", will be released on February 21 via Massacre Records. The band once again used producer Juan Urteaga and graphic artist Mark DeVito for the new effort, which will be made available on CD and digital download, as well as a limited-edition CD digipak with bonus tracks, and a limited-edition vinyl LP.

"Dawn Of The New Centurion" track listing:

01. From My Cold Dead Hands02. Your Worst Enemy03. The Fear Within04. Honor The Rise And Fall05. Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious06. Silence In The House Of The Lord07. World Funeral08. Dawn Of The New Centurion09. Consolation For The Insane

"Over the past year, HATRIOT has grown tighter as a band, and the songs on the new record will reflect that," said Souza. "The songs are longer and more melodic, while keeping the classic thrash metal feel that we are known for.

"'Heroes Of Origin' was our 'Kill 'Em All', and 'Dawn Of The New Centurion' is our 'Ride The Lightning'."

HATRIOT's drummer is none other than Steve's son, Nicholas Souza. Nicholas auditioned for the band after the departure of Alex Bent and "proved himself to be the best choice," according to Steve.

HATRIOT's lineup also includes Zetro's son Cody, who got his first bass as a present from his father after Zetro bought it off current EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson.

Regarding HATRIOT's musical direction, Zetro said, "It's in the vein of typical Bay Area thrash, but these guys are a lot younger, so there's gonna be some blast-beats in there. There's gonna be some kind of death [metal] approach to it, a little bit. 'Cause these guys are new. They're raw, and they're fast, young, heavy, hard and aggressive, and I'm trying to convey that along as well."

He added, "These new kids seem to understand what we did in the '80s, but still bring a little bit of a new essence to it. We put that together with what I write vocally and it's turned out to be really, really killer. It's good stuff."

Keyboardist Jordan Rudess of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER has uploaded video footage from Katowice, Poland and Nürnberg, Germany, shot during the band's current European headlining tour. Check it out below.

DREAM THEATER's latest, self-titled album (available for purchase here) sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on September 24, 2013 via Roadrunner.

DREAM THEATER's "Along For The Ride" tour will pick up on March 20 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada following the band's European tour and then continues through the end of April where it will eventually wrap up in Guadalajara, Mexico on April 26.

DREAM THEATER's spirit of adventure and fearless musical virtuosity continues to reap dividends for the progressive metal titans who recently earned their second Grammy nomination, this time for "Best Metal Performance" for their single "The Enemy Inside" from their current self-titled album. The band — John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards & continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — received its first-ever Grammy nomination in 2012 for "On The Backs Of Angels" (from their "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album) in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category.