SKELETONWITCH will soon release a limited-edition, hand-screened 180-gram vinyl edition of their 2013 release, Serpents Unleashed, of which 100% of the profits will be donated to two animal shelters in the band's home state of Ohio - the Athens County Humane Society and Columbus’ Pets Without Parents. The members of Ohio’s most-loved heavy metal group have always been proud pet owners and are excited to have the opportunity to raise awareness and support for two no-kill organizations in their region.
Limited to a one-time-only pressing of 100 copies, the 180-gram black LP includes a hand-screened, hand-numbered jacket with exclusive artwork (pictured above) and a hand-screened dust sleeve. It comes with a color poster and a sticker which both showcase the album's original masterful artwork by John Baizley (BARONESS, KYLESA), as well as a download card. Mark your calendars, as the limited-edition LPs will go on sale on a first-come, first-serve basis exclusively via Skeletonwitch.com on Monday, January 20th at 1 PM, EST.

Find out more information directly from the band below:

Brazilian progressive metal band DYNAHEAD has revealed the art cover of the second part of its conceptual album Chordat'. The graphic design for the new album Chordata II was done by Chris Panatier, the new album was produced by Caio Duarte at BroadBband Studios in Sao Paulo Brazil.

The band have planned the online release of the album plus a full set of lyric videos containing all the tracks on the album on January 20th via the band's Facebook page .
The first part called Chordata I was originally recorded between September/December 2012. The album was released in 2013 via Digmetalworld Records and distributed in North America via MVD Entertainment Group. Chordata I is streaming at Bandcamp.

Chordata II tracklisting:

‘Jugis’
‘Kode’
‘Legis’
‘Mortem’
‘Numinous’

Dynahead is:

Caio Duarte - vocals/drums/keyboards
Pablo Vilela - guitar
Diogo Mafra - guitar
Diego Teixeira - bass

MARYANN COTTON has announced that his new album will be mixed and engineered by multi-platinum producer Warren Huart. Warren mixed and engineered the latest AEROSMITH album, Music From Another Dimension.
The final recordings will take place in Hollywood very soon, and the legendary DICK WAGNER will be producing the album. Chester Rose - The Legend Begins will be a full concept album which will introduce you to a world of chaos, blood and love.

The album consists of music written by Maryann Cotton, ALICE COOPER, Dick Wagner, and HAL PATINO. The pre-Production is done, and the concept story is in place, ready to be recorded. Updates to follow.

Reunited Swedish heavy rockers TRANSPORT LEAGUE will release a three-song EP titled "A Diezel Smelling Aftershock" on February 10 through frontman Tony Jelencovich's (DEATHDESTRUCTION, B-THONG, MASSIVE AUDIO NERVE, MNEMIC, ICON IN ME) Hoffa Communications. The EP will be released digitally but will also be made available in physical form as a 300-handnumbered-copies limited edition.

The Diezel Package containing the EP, an A2 poster, A6 aticker and a TRANSPORT LEAGUE pick can be ordered at this location.

TRANSPORT LEAGUE will hit the road to promote the EP beginning on February 13 in Stockholm.

The official lyric video for the song "Swing Satanic Swing" from TRANSPORT LEAGUE can be seen below. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Boogie From Hell", which was released digitally on May 20, 2013 via Hoffa Communications.

"Boogie From Hell" was tracked over a 17-month period and was mixed by Svein Jensen at Grand Recordings in Gothenburg, Sweden. The CD's sound is described in a press release as "groovy, shaky-boogie-rock 'n' roll metal … for the fans of CLUTCH, CATHEDRAL, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, MUSTASCH and even VOLBEAT."

TRANSPORT LEAGUE recently completed a short tour of Sweden and The Netherlands. Guitarist Peter Hunyadi was forced to sit out most of these shows due to "serious health problems." Filling in for him on the road was Dan Johansson (GENEROUS MARIA, MARY BEATS JANE).

ALAYA have announced the release of their debut album, Thrones, on March 17th via Basick Records. The band premiered the new single, 'Sleep', on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show with Daniel P Carter this week before releasing the accompanying video.

Hailing from Chicago, IL, Alaya are a band who have caught the ears and imaginations of musicians, fans, and press worldwide by standing apart from many of today’s artists, fusing punishing technical rhythm with a genre defying soulful, melodic style.

Thrones is the product of over two years of meticulous craftsmanship; two years which have produced some of the finest progressive metal fusion to date. Combining heartbreakingly haunting and beautiful melody with an eye for razor-sharp technical grooves, Alaya illuminate the path of the future of metal. When boundaries collide and are redefined, new bands rise. Entirely accessible, eminently listenable, exclusively unique: Alaya are here.
Thrones tracklisting:

'Inside'
'White Noise'
'Sleep'
'Screaming Still'
'Poor Gloria'
'Haunted Pt. I'
'Grace'
'Day Of The Dead'
'Thrones'
'Paths'
'Entropy'
'Haunted Pt. II'
'Haunted Pt. III'

'Sleep' video:
Pre-order the album here.
Alaya are:

Evan Graham Dunn (Vocals/Guitar)
David Jacob Robison (Drums)
Michael Brandt Rinkenberger (Bass/Vocals)

Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED will release a new three-song single, "Eye Of The Storm", on January 20 in Europe and January 21 in North America via Century Media Records. The single’s cover artwork can be seen below.

"Eye Of The Storm" will be made available as limited-edition seven-inch EP (1,000 copies split as follows: 500 on black vinyl, 300 on red vinyl and 200 on white vinyl) and as digital single, featuring the new songs "Eye Of The Storm", "Infiltrator" and "My Enemy".

"Eye Of The Storm" track listing:

01. Eye Of The Storm02. Infiltrator03. My Enemy

The "Eye Of The Storm" title track can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

The single marks the recording debut of THE HAUNTED's new lineup, which was announced last summer, featuring founding members Patrik Jensen (guitar) and Jonas Björler (bass), returning members Marco Aro (vocals) and Adrian Erlandsson (drums), as well as new guitarist Ola Englund.

Commented THE HAUNTED's founding member and guitarist Patrik Jensen: "There aren't superlatives enough to describe how much the band has longed for these three songs to be released.

"We are sure fans have been anxious to know what the band sounds like today after all the turmoil and old members leaving and new members joining.

"We feel that these three songs represent the band perfectly.

"We are currently working on the new album, an album that will be filled to the brim with what we know to be THE HAUNTED.

"We'll start doing gigs this spring and we'll do festivals all over the place this summer.

"Get in touch with the festivals you visit (and behave like an animal at) and tell them to get us on the bill!

"THE HAUNTED is back.

"Play it loud. No. Louder."

The new lineup of THE HAUNTED will make its live debut during the 2014 edition of "The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise" — 70000 Tons Of Metal — which will sail January 27 to January 31 from Miami, Florida to Costa Maya, Mexico and back.

THE HAUNTED's 2014 lineup:

* Patrik Jensen - Guitar * Ola Englund (SIX FEET UNDER, FEARED) - Guitar * Marco Aro (THE RESISTANCE, FACE DOWN) - Vocals * Jonas Björler - Bass * Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST) - Drums

THE HAUNTED's founding member and guitarist Patrik Jensen stated about the band's new lineup: "THE HAUNTED went through some difficult times last year. Losing three band members is a pretty huge blow to any band. Jonas and I agreed immediately that we wanted to continue with the band, but we wanted to take our time and not rush into anything.

"Some of you might recognize a few faces, some of you might not. Adrian Erlandsson is back on drums and Marco Aro is back on vocals. Adrian you might know from playing on our first album and Marco sang on 'The Haunted Made Me Do It', 'Live Rounds In Tokyo' and 'One Kill Wonder'. On guitar we also have Ola Englund bringing some pretty heavy chops to the band.

"We're all VERY excited about having THE HAUNTED back in working shape again and we can't wait to get back out on the road to play for our very patient and faithful fans again. A new album is also already in the works and if you are familiar with the individual band members of this new lineup, you can be assured that the new material will grab you by the throat from the get-go!"

Vocalist Marco Aro (ex-FACE DOWN, also in THE RESISTANCE) was previously involved with THE HAUNTED for three acclaimed releases between 1999 and 2003 as well as for several worldwide touring campaigns. Drummer Adrian Erlandsson (also in AT THE GATES and PARADISE LOST) belonged to the original lineup of THE HAUNTED together the Björler twins after the demise of their previous legendary group, AT THE GATES. Together with Jensen, they launched THE HAUNTED's self-titled debut in 1998, an album which has been widely considered as the kick-start for a new era in the thrash metal movement and which, despite its initial underground status, climbed to be a massively inspirational record for a whole new generation of musicians and bands in the following decade. Guitarist Ola Englund is a highly talented young player from Sweden, who has recently been active as touring and recording member of U.S. death metal institution SIX FEET UNDER.

Danish metal quintet BLOOD LABEL, which features members of such prominent Danish bands as HATESPHERE, DAWN OF DEMISE and THE BURNING, will release its debut album, "Skeletons", on March 17 via Mighty Music. The CD was helmed by acclaimed Danish producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, SUICIDE SILENCE, ABORTED) and features cover art that was handpainted by MNEMIC guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie (SOILWORK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DARK TRANQUILITY).

BLOOD LABEL made a name for itself in its native Denmark with the release of a critically acclaimed debut EP, "Existence Expires", in 2011 and three consecutive tours of Denmark supporting some of biggest names in metal such as ARCH ENEMY, ENTOMBED and VADER.

On "Skeletons", BLOOD LABEL fuses the immense energy of extreme metal with clear influences of alternative rock in 12 distinctive songs wrapped in a thick, voluminous sound. "With our debut album, we just went for it in hope of finding our very own niche in the world of metal — and we think we did," explains BLOOD LABEL vocalist Kenneth Klitte Jensen. "We spared no expense and involved ourselves only with the best people Denmark has to offer."

A lyric video for the first single, "Shotgun-Blown In The Face" can be seen below.

Arizona metal veterans FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will release "No Place For Disgrace - 2014", a re-recording of the band's second album, "No Place For Disgrace", on February 14 in Europe and digitally on February 18 in North America via Metal Blade Records. The physical CD will be available in North America on March 4.

Fans can pre-order "No Place For Disgrace - 2014" at this location.

Comments FLOTSAM AND JETSAM: "We have re-recorded 'No Place For Disgrace' because we have had a lot of requests to remix this record.

"The master tapes have been very difficult to obtain so we decided to re-record the album and use some of today's technologies to recreate it. The aim was not really to change but to enhance it with the opportunity with the use of new tools. We have the time available as well, and it just seemed like a no-brainer.

"A lot of the die-hards are really nervous about it, but we think after the final result, they will embrace it. The sound quality is 100% better and more refined!"

A re-recorded version of the song "P.A.A.B." can be streamed below.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will head over to Europe in February to support SEPULTURA and LEGION OF THE DAMNED. The tour begins on February 7.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will play a special concert at the Keep It True XVII festival, set to take place April 25-26, 2014 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. The band's set will consists of songs only from their first two classics — "Doomsday For The Deceiver" (1986) and "No Place For Disgrace" (1988).

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's lineup for Keep It True XVII will consist of four of five original members — Eric "A.K." Knutson (vocals), Kelly Smith (drums), Ed Carlson (guitar) and Michael Gilbert (guitar). Playing bass at the show will be Michael Spencer, who replaced Jason Newsted in 1987 and did the first European tours with the band.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM recently returned to Metal Blade Records to release their new album, "Ugly Noise".

"Ugly Noise" is FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's eleventh full-length album, their first release on Metal Blade since 2001, and the follow-up to their 2010 album "The Cold". The record also heralds the return of original members Michael Gilbert on guitar and Kelly David Smith, who hadn't recorded with FLOTSAM AND JETSAM since "High" in 1997.

Funding for the new FLOTSAM AND JETSAM album was aided by the PledgeMusic.com project, which encourages fans to contribute funds to the recording of albums and the artists themselves to donate to charity as a part of their fundraising.

Singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL will enter the studio the first week of February to begin laying down the vocals on the band's new album. The CD is being tracked at Gear Recording and will be mixed by Greg Reely, who also worked on 2012's "The Electric Age".

OVERKILL pushed back the projected release date of its new CD to July from the previously announced March. As a result, the band has postponed all shows originally scheduled for March (except for the U.K. dates) to the fall.

Said OVERKILL in a statement: "We are still working on the new record, but this is gonna be worth the wait, with more old-school, face-melting thrash!"

OVERKILL's new CD will be released in North America via eOne Music and in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records.

Speaking to Steppin' Out magazine, Ellsworth stated about OVERKILL's upcoming album: "The new record has a blend of what we've done over the past half decade. I'm noticing it's a more punchy heavy metal record with more dimension than the last record had. Where is it going to end up on the food chain? I really don't know. But my feeling is it's an eclectic collection of moments from us. 'The Electric Age' came across, to me, as kind of a two-dimensional thrash record. This one is punchy but has a whole different bunch of ways to go and things to hear on it."

OVERKILL released a very special limited tour edition of "The Electric Age" in Europe on April 19, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The limited 2CD tour edition included the regular album as well as a four additional live tracks on a bonus CD, recorded at The Metro in Sidney, Australia on September 25, 2010.

"The Electric Age" sold 6,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 77 on The Billboard 200 chart.

German doomsters AHAB have checked in with the following update:
"Ahoy friends and vinyl collectors, finally we can announce that we can offer the pre-order of The Giant as a damn cool picture 2LP in a gatefold sleeve. Yes, another childhood dream came true.

We have a limited stock of 96 vinyls in our store here."

Official release date is March 7th.

In 2013, an Ahab fan created a video clip for the band's song 'Further South', which the band has deemed "exquisite". The clip features footage shot by said fan, blacksheep665, including whales in Alaska.

'Further South' is taken from Ahab's 2012 album, The Giant.

"No Place Like Home", the new video from the London, U.K.-based modern metal mob THE DEFILED, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's second album, "Daggers", which was released on August 2, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The cover artwork was designed and executed by Scott Chalmers, the band's longtime photographer.

Directed by Aaron Shrimpton, the "No Place Like Home" clip provides a bleak and sinister visual to accompany the song, carrying a potent message — what you choose to do to survive will have consequences.

THE DEFILED heads out on the "No Place Like Home" tour next month with BUTCHER BABIES and THE KILLING LIGHTS, before making its way Down Under for its debut Australian shows at the Soundwave Festival.

Having released its debut album "Grave Times" via Metal Hammer magazine in 2011, THE DEFILED has since enjoyed status as the U.K.'s biggest unsigned metal acts. Making huge strides forward on their own, their achievements as a self-motivated and independent band in the world of heavy music, which includes sold-out tours, prestigious slots at the biggest festivals and a Golden God Award, is remarkable. Their unwillingness to compromise or settle for anything less than their ambition dictates has got them this far; this alliance with indie metal powerhouse Nuclear Blast Entertainment now sets the sky as the limit.

Power Prog has released Finnish melodic high speed power metallers JACK THE FROST's debut EP, Fool To Be Cool, worldwide as digital download from January 17th. Stream the release now at this location.
According to a press release, Jack The Frost is the most freezing powerful melodic metal band from the arctic scenery of Finland! With fast punchy riffs and sweet emotional melodies, these four Scandinavian powerhouses are ready to hit the stage to entertain you and kick some serious ass! Each member of the blood-standing charming quartet has already made his touring and recording experiences with bands like REQUIEM, SILENT VOICES and ALTARIA.

Recorded at Studio57 (SONATA ARCTICA, CAIN'S OFFERING) in Alaveteli, Finland by Pasi Kauppinen and mastered at Chartmakers (RAMMSTEIN, VOLBEAT) in Helsinki, Finland by Svante Forsbäck, the Fool To Be Cool EP is a shining example of the band's powerful style, musicianship and songwriting skills. In any case: This energetic sound is made for action rich live presentations.
Fool To Be Cool tracklisting:

'Fool To Be Cool'
'Jack The Frost'
'Under The Nordic Sky'
'Planet Of Love'

Blues-based metal act SEVENTRAIN, featuring vocalist Jon Campos (DIVE BOMBER), guitarist Eric Horton (CAGE), guitarist Jef Poremba (6ONE9, KOFI BAKER), bassist Steve "Dino" Andino (TOURNIQUET) and drummer Joel Maitoza (24-7 SPYZ), will release its self-titled debut album on February 18 via So Cal Records/Alliance Entertainment.

The album is currently available for pre-order on iTunes preview, which includes an instant download of the first single, "Change".

"Seventrain" track listing:

01. Bleeding02. Rays Of The Sun03. Change04. Broken05. Pain06. Trouble07. Never08. Bittersweet Seduction09. How Does It Feel10. Carry The Cross11. Let It Out

SEVENTRAIN will play select shows on the West Coast, kicking it off with a CD-release party on February 14 opening for the MiCHAEL SCHENKER GROUP at Brick by Brick in San Diego, California, before embarking on a U.S. tour this summer.

Swedish thrash metal project BENEATH has just announced that the title for their album will be Antidote and will be released on March 7th.

According to a press release, "Beneath’s music can best be described as melodic and brutal. Beauty and beast. Acoustic and distorted. Singing and growling. Take the aggression of thrash metal and the melancholy of melodic metal, add some traditional songwriting and the furiosity of hard core and you get the picture."

Antidote artwork and tracklisting:

Tracklist :
'Vengeance I Breathe'
'Reasons Undefined'
'Blissfully Numb'
'Harvest Of Mankind'
'Fear Vs Hate'
'In The Shadow Of The Beast'
'Everything Ends'
'Killed In The Womb'
'The Antidote'

Beneath is :

Christoffer Binnberg - vocals
Emil Kyrk - bass and vocals
Mats Tornebohm - drums

Swedish doom/stoner metal band THE GRAVIATORS will release their third album, Motherload, as a limited edition digipack and 2LP gatefold vinyl on March 28th (Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Finland/Benelux), March 31st (Europe), April 2nd (Sweden/Norway), and April 8th (North America) via Napalm Records.
Tracklisting:

'Leifs Last Breath / Dance Of The Valkyrie'
'Narrow Minded Bastards'
'Bed Of Bitches'
'Tigress Of Siberia'
'Lost Lord'
'Corpauthority'
'Drowned In Leaves'
'Eagles Rising'
'Druid's Ritual'

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman and former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Zakk Wylde has clarified his recent comments regarding the Ronnie James Dio-era BLACK SABBATH in which he stated that the Dio-fronted version of the band sounded too different from the group's previous output to be rightfully called BLACK SABBATH.

"You listen to BLACK SABBATH with Ronnie James Dio in it, and it's not BLACK SABBATH," Zakk told Songfacts. "They should have just called it HEAVEN & HELL right from the beginning. Because you listen to that 'Heaven And Hell' album, that doesn't sound anything close to BLACK SABBATH. I mean, that sounds about as much like BLACK SABBATH as 'Blizzard Of Ozz' sounds like BLACK SABBATH. If you were to play BLACK SABBATH for me — and I'm a huge SABBATH freako — and then with Father Dio over there, I'd be going, 'Oh, cool, what band is this? This is good stuff.' I mean, the songs don't even sound BLACK SABBATH-y. I mean, 'Neon Knights', could you picture Ozzy singing over that song?"

Speaking to Artisan News this past week, Zakk maintained that Dio and BLACK SABBATH mainman/guitarist Tony Iommi made some great music, but it wasn't BLACK SABBATH.

"We were just sitting at a bar back in the day, we were just talking about it," Zakk said (see video below). "It was, like, they [Ozzy and the other members of SABBATH] must have set the 'reset' button of creativity for both of them [after Osbourne was kicked out of the band]. You know what I mean? 'Cause, like, where SABBATH was at that point, between 'Technical Ecstasy' and 'Never Say Die!'…"

He continued: "Like, if we were friends with Tony and sat in a truck and he just said, 'Oh, dude, check out some of the new stuff we've got.' Just his riff writing alone, just musically, I would have been, like, 'Wow. This sounds like nothing I thought you would be… ever even heard you write before.' You know what I mean? Whether it's 'Children Of The Sea', 'Neon Knights'… everything that's on that record… And then Ozzy's stuff sounds nothing like BLACK SABBATH. And to me, I thought… Basically, they [Iommi, Dio and bassist Geezer Butler] are HEAVEN & HELL now. So there you go. That ends that question. What's the name of the band? It's HEAVEN & HELL, right?! Good. It's not BLACK SABBATH, is it? It's HEAVEN & HELL. 'Cause I just said, it sounds like a new band. 'What band is this?" 'Oh, it's a band called HEAVEN & HELL.' 'This is really great. Who's that singer?' 'Ronnie James Dio.' 'Dude, this is awesome.'"

Iommi himself acknowledged in an interview with Artisan News that BLACK SABBATH's songwriting approach had changed once the band had parted ways with Osbourne and hired Ronnie as Ozzy's replacement.

"When we had Ronnie James Dio with us, when we were doing [the] 'Heaven And Hell' [album], that was a distinct difference, writing mode for that," he said. "Because Ronnie is an opposite singer to Ozzy altogether, and it required… Where Ozzy would probably sing on a riff, Ronnie didn't so much; he wanted to sing on chords. So you'd do a riff and then go to a chord and he'd sing. So with us, he'd always sing on riffs, you know? So it was a different way of writing."

After Dio passed away in 2010, Osbourne had this to say about the singer that replaced him in SABBATH: "You know, when anyone dies in this game, it's sad. I first knew about Ronnie Dio's sickness a few months [before he died] and I sent him a message, saying if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to call us. I wasn't a really big friend of Ronnie Dio. I've met him a few times over the years. But he was a great, great singer. It's a terrible loss. God bless you, Ronnie."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach will release his new solo album, "Give 'Em Hell", this spring via Frontiers Records. The follow-up to 2011's "Kicking & Screaming" was once again produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, BLACK SABBATH and SHINEDOWN, among others.

"Give 'Em Hell" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.

Writes Bach in a posting on his Facebook page: "I am still shaking! Heart rate slowly returning to normal.

"What a feeling of pure electricity I am feeling at this very moment!

"I just listened to the new album, mastered to complete perfection by the master of mastering, Mr. Tom Baker.

"I was just able to say 'OK' to my AWESOME record company, Frontiers Records.

"YES, WE ARE DONE!!

"The CD Tom gave me today is EXACTLY what I want you all to hear when you press 'Play' on the new record.

"Tom has taken Bob Marlette's incredible mixes and retained all of the warmth and added sonic sparkle and excellence that I just cannot believe it when I listen to it.

"I want to thank Tom Baker and Bob Marlette and all of my bandmembers for all of their talent and expertise which is completely evident when you listen to this music.

"I truly feel like the luckiest man on earth right now.

"I truly love the CD and I just cannot wait for you all to crank the hell right out of it! It has been delivered to the presses and they are making one especially for YOU right at this very second!"

Sebastian managed to involve in the writing and recording some very special friends and guest stars, including none other than Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), and not one but two top-class guitar players: John 5 (MARILYN MANSON, ROB ZOMBIE) and Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL). Rounding out the lineup on the CD are Devin Bronson (AVRIL LAVIGNE, PINK) on guitar and Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, FATES WARNING) on drums. Duff and Sebastian previously collaborated on Duff's solo album "Believe In Me".

The cover for "Give 'Em Hell" is once again being handled by Richard Villa, who worked on "Kicking & Screaming". Incorporated into the album design will be one of the paintings by Sebastian's late father David Bierk, who painted the artwork for SKID ROW's "Slave To The Grind", inside artwork for SKID ROW's "Subhuman Race", and Bach's solo albums "Angel Down" and "Bring 'Em Bach Alive!".

Bach previously stated about "Give 'Em Hell": "We have captured some kick-ass rock and roll magic and producer par excellence Bob Marlette is the wizard behind the board.

"It is such an awesome feeling to be able to say to the planet if you like the music I have put out before, I can guarantee you will dig this one! I cannot stop listening to it and that is the whole intention.

"For those of you who dig my high crazy-ass screams of the other records, well, I am proud to say this new disc features all the ranges and textures I have been known for, clean soaring melodic ballads and blood-curdling death screams from hell."

Bach's CD/DVD package, "ABachalypse Now", was released in North America on March 26, 2013 via Frontiers Records. The "ABachalypse Now" Ultimate CD/DVD Edition includes never-before-seen footage from 2012's Graspop Metal Meeting festival in Dessel, Belgium, the full never-before-seen Hellfest set from France and the fully-remixed and remastered Nokia show from Los Angeles (originally broadcast on AXS TV), as well as bonus music videos. The DVD contains a running time of nearly 160 minutes. "ABachalypse Now" was made available in two configurations: the Ultimate CD/DVD Edition (2 CDs + DVD) and a standalone DVD.

German art/prog rock band RPWL was recently confronted with a rather difficult question: how do you follow up a both epic as well as celebrated album as was the Nietzsche-themed Beyond Man And Time? Here's the answer: you tackle the really, really huge topic on your new record Wanted - the ultimate liberation of the spirit. Wanted will be released in North America on April 1st via Gentle Art of Music/E1.
But... how does an idea like that spring to the minds of an art rock band in the first place?

RPWL tell of the hero of two worlds, Giuseppe Garibaldi who, being a tremendous admirer of the Greek antiquity became aware of a scroll of Plato's in which he analyzes the work of Hippocrates. It can be read in Garibaldi's diaries that Hippocrates had in fact found the formula for a medicine that leads the spirit into a real and absolute world, free of all illusion and invisible ghost worlds. The question, however, that inevitable arises at that point is the following: is the human race ready for what Plato called the "gift of absolute freedom?"

It lies in the artistic fearlessness of RPWL that the band is not afraid of transferring that complex question to the world of today: is modern man, being the evolutionary creature that he is, ready for absolute freedom? To explore that, these Bavarians have established a back-story full of fantasy. In it RPWL and their friends aim at granting the world access to the product of the secret formula - disguised as a homeopathic drug against mental fatigue that goes by the name of "Veritas Forte." Considering the true intention of the operation the fact that the wrath of the churches of the world religions is unleashed at the band rather sooner than later is understood. And so, consequently, they are forced to go underground. That, however, is where RPWL continues to organize ultimate liberation from all oppression through the machineries of illusion run by religions and sects. RPWL are Wanted.

The action of Wanted starts several days before the great day: Plato's Day. The enemy's fear is ever growing, as, after all nobody knows at what point the mirages and illusions are eradicated from people's minds once and for all. In the course of the record RPWL shift through ten varied songs full of breathtaking soundscapes and tell a compelling story of courage, doubt, bravery, the unconditional desire to never give in and, ultimately, the belief in what is right.

By making a philosophy that is new and to a degree unique the subject of the concept of Wanted, RPWL bring the principle of the concept album to a new level. That is how this gigantic piece of art evolves into a true explosion of creativity. Furthermore the intellectual firepower of the content is in every way matched by the artistic and emotional depth of the music. More than ever a sharp artistic edge and the hunger for discovery is what drives this record forward. Despite more than fifteen years in the scene, Yogi Lang (vocals, keyboard), Kalle Wallner (guitar), Marc Turiaux (drums), Markus Jehle (keyboard, piano) and Werner Taus (bass) brilliantly avoid playing it safe.

The masterpiece that is Wanted will also be released as double vinyl as well as a limited edition in additional 5.1-surround-sound. Yes, Wanted is a gamble - and boy does that gamble pay off.

Wanted tracklisting:

'Revelation'
'Swords And Guns'
'A Short Cut Line'
'Wanted'
'Hide And Seek'
'Disbelief'
'Misguided Thought'
'Perfect Day'
'The Attack'
'A New Dawn'

Massacre Records will release Reflections, the new album from French melancholic metallers SILENT OPERA, in late February. Reflections was recorded by Mobo (aka Frederic Motte - LOKURAH, GOROD, MINUSHUMAN) at Conkrete Studio in Bordeaux, France. Check out a new studio video below.
Anaïs Galiana from Barbariskunst is responsible for the cover artwork, which can be seen below:
Tracklisting:

'Beyond The Gate Of A Deep Slumber'
'Nightmare Circus'
'Dorian'
'The Great Chessboard'
'Fight Or Drift'
'Dawn Of The Fool'
'Chronicles Of An Infinite Sadness'
'Inner Museum'
'Sailor, Siren And Bitterness'

Silent Opera have launched two videos, for the tracks 'Dawn Of The Fool' and 'Fight Or Drift', directed by Theo Sauvage. See the clips below:

German deathgrinders MILKING THE GOATMACHINE will release a new album on March 28th via Noiseart Records. But it won't be a regular album: the guys are releasing a cover album with a collection of the band's all time favorite tracks and songs they have been influenced by.

"We have often been asked if we don't want to release a cover album", the band explains. During their shows they are already famous not only for their characteristic goat masks but also for covering well-known songs. "Our cover songs are very popular among the people and we really enjoy playing them every time and give them our own style. So we thought by ourselves, why not doing a full album with them? We have been crushing our horns for weeks and trying to find the right tracks."
Which tracks it will exactly be, the band does not want to tell yet, besides the little info that there will be songs of ZZ TOP as well as BONEY M among them. For sure there will be some classics on the record and for sure not only the band themselves will have fun with them. The result will be awesome and will be presented live right after the album release.

From April, the band will be on tour. Already confirmed shows include:

April
19 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
25 - Vienna, Austria - Viper Room
26 - Ljubiljana, Slovenia - Channel Zero

More shows will be confirmed soon.

UK death metal outfit DYSCARNATE have unveiled a video for the track 'In The Face Of Armageddon', taken from the album And So It Came To Pass, due for re-release on February 10th via SOAR/Century Media.
February 10th will also see the international re-release of Enduring The Massacre via SOAR/Century Media. The first pressing of the album sold out within a couple of months of its original release in late 2012. Following SOAR's merger with Century Media, Dyscarnate are now primed to release this vicious album to a larger worldwide audience.
In further news, the trio have just been announced as direct support to CHIMAIRA on their upcoming European tour - dates as follows:

March
2 - Club De B - Torhout, Belgium
3 - Melkweg - Amsterdam, Holland
4 - Imperial - Berlin, Germany
6 - Arena - Vienna, Austria
7 - Hydrozagadka - Warsaw, Poland
8 - Minoga - Poznan, Poland
10 - Schuur - Lucerne, Switzerland
11 - Ampere - Munich, Germany
12 - Underground - Cologne, Germany
13 - L'Empreinte - Paris, France
14 - Zeche Carl - Essen, Germany
16 - Fleece - Bristol, UK
17 - Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
18 - Cluny - Newcastle, UK
19 - Ivory Blacks - Glasgow, UK
20 - Sound Control - Manchester, UK
21 - Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton, UK
22 - Underworld - London, UK

MINISTRY mainman Al Jourgensen has revealed that he will check into a rehabilitation facility on February 3 to receive treatment for alcohol dependency.

Writes Jourgensen on his Facebook page: "My sobriety will not, and I repeat, not knock off my sarcasm. If anything, it will intensify."

He adds: "I appreciate the support from my brother and family.

"[I] kicked dope and crack by myself, but I need help on this one, so all your thoughts and prayers are more than welcome."

In a September 2013 interview with the Washington Times, Jourgenen was asked when the last time was that he used a drug other than alcohol."Eleven years as of September 6 [2013]," he replied, before adding. "I don't do pharmaceuticals. I don't do street drugs. I don't do anything. I'm just basically slowly killing myself with liquor as opposed to the fast departation of this mortal core with street drugs or pharmaceuticals. So, I've chosen that path."

Jourgensen reportedly suffered a near-death experience in 2010 as the result of a ruptured ulcer. He told Revolver magazine back in January 2012, "After [MINISTRY's] 'The Last Sucker' [album was released in 2007], I was puking up blood every day. I didn't know why. That's been going on for the last four or five tours, though, and I didn't see a doctor because I just thought that was part of what happens when you're my age on a rock tour. I didn't know there was a condition attached to it. I would puke blood and get off tour and it would go away. But this time I got off tour and it was worse. Blood was coming out my nose, my dick, my mouth. I'd stand up and fall over. I lost so much blood, I couldn't even walk. Instead of calling the doctor, I put on this medieval helmet that I had made in the Czech Republic, and I would quit hitting my head on the tiles, if I put on the helmet. I wore the helmet around for a couple days. I was a tired, run-down, bloated drunk — just a mess. And then I exploded on March 27, 2010, and they had to take me to the emergency room."

Asked if he could still drink, Jourgensen replied: "I have a male nurse who weighs 350 pounds named Hector. I call him 'Hector, the third bottle rejecter.' I'm only allowed two bottles of wine a day now. And it doesn't even get to that. It's about a bottle and a half, and that seems to be good along with the medicine I have to take every day for the rest of my life. I just went and saw my doctor and she said, 'Yeah, you're actually doing pretty good for being a fucking degenerate.'"

Singer Geoff Tate — who was fired from the Seattle progressive rock band QUEENSRŸCHE in 2012 after fronting it for three decades — and his former bandmates have requested more time to hammer out a settlement in their legal battle over the rights to the group's name.

King County Superior Court Judge Julia Garratt has signed a stipulation and order continuing trial date, allowing the parties two more weeks to come to an agreement over the use of the QUEENSRŸCHE name and its associated trademarks. If they cannot reach an agreement during that period, the trial is set to begin on February 10.

During an appearance this past week at the studios of the 98.7 The Gater radio station in West Palm Beach, Florida, Tate was asked for an update on the legal battle between him and his former bandmates over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name. "Actually, we're in settlement talks right now," Tate said. "I hope it doesn't [go to trial]. I'm kind of hoping that it will all be settled by the end of the month."

Pressed on how he thinks it will all play out, Tate replied: "Either way, it's in my favor. So I'm just waiting for the paperwork to be dry."

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit in June 2012 asking the judge to award them the rights to the band's name in exchange for Tate paying Eddie Jackson (bass), Michael Wilton (guitar) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) the fair market value for their interests in the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed a countersuit against the Tates in which they accused Geoff of creative obstruction and violent behavior, and Susan Tate of questionable business practices.

While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13, 2012 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson last year accused Geoff Tate of "continu[ing] to harm the QUEENSRŸCHE brand" since the Tates' original lawsuit was filed in June 2012. In a court document, they wrote: "The newest self-titled QUEENSRŸCHE CD release by the [Todd La Torre-fronted version of the band] entered the U.S. charts at #23 and continues to get 9-out-of-10-star reviews and is still selling very well on a weekly basis around the globe. In comparison, Geoff Tate released his own QUEENSRŸCHE CD in April of [2013] titled 'Frequency Unknown' and depicted as F.U. on the cover, which entered the charts at #82, received very bad reviews around the world, and has slowed to almost no more weekly sales. [The Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE's] new CD even outperformed the last two CDs of them with Geoff Tate, selling more in a month than the 'Dedicated to Chaos' CD has since its release in 2010, and charting much better than both that album and the previous one, 'American Soldier'. Thus, the return to the classic sound [Tate's former] bandmates have made with the new CD and live shows has been met with overwhelming success."

They added: "Geoff Tate also chose very poorly in hiring live musicians that have shown that they are not capable of representing the correct performances of the QUEENSRŸCHE music legacy, and he was constantly replacing them. He has been offering his low-quality version of QUEENSRŸCHE to the promoters at a much reduced rate, as low as $10,000 per night, when, in fact, [his former] bandmates have done their best to keep the authorized QUEENSRŸCHE at an average of well over $20,000 per show this entire year. However, this becomes harder and harder with Geoff Tate's sub-par band and cut-rate pricing that continues to be damaging to the QUEENSRŸCHE brand and legacy no matter who ultimately wins control after trial."

In an interview with The Oakland Press, Rockenfield said said that "negotiations are ongoing between Tate and the singer's former bandmates and "there's still time for anything to happen between now and [the start of the trial]."

"I think our confidence is pretty high," Scott said. "There's a lot of legal stuff you have to deal with, but we just feel good and look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel and keep playing shows and making music. I think when you do that, the right decision will be made in time."

The official YouTube channel of the legendary West Hollywood, California club Whisky A Go Go has been updated with video footage of FEAR FACTORY performing the song "Martyr" on January 18 as part of the venue's month-long 50th-anniversary celebration. Check it out below.

FEAR FACTORY last month completed touring North America as the support act for MEGADETH. Also appearing on the bill was NONPOINT.

The trek kicked off on November 23, 2013 in St. Paul, Minnesota and concluded on December 19, 2013 in Reno, Nevada.

Asked whose idea it was to perform FEAR FACTORY's classic classic 1995 sophomore album, "Demanufacture", on the band's 2013 Australian tour, Burton C. Bell told The Rockpit: "It was kinda like a joke at first. Last time we were there for 'The Industrialist' on tour, we were playing a lot of tracks from 'Demanufacture', and we just thought, 'Why don't we just play the whole damn record?' and the promoter was, like, 'Oh, that's actually a great idea. We should plan it properly,' and blah blah blah, and just started talking about it. And we thought about it, and it was Australia that embraced FEAR FACTORY wholeheartedly first and so Australia was where we received our first silver and gold records for 'Demanufacture', so we figured that we'd go to Australia."

FEAR FACTORY will also perform "Demanufacture" in its entirety aboard the 2014 edition of the world's biggest heavy metal cruise — 70000 Tons Of Metal — which will sail January 27-31.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "The Industrialist", sold 9,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Mechanize", opened with 10,000 units back in February 2010 to land at No. 72.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett tells Billboard.com that the band will start working on the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" "in a couple of weeks. When we start, that's going to be our main priority, and we're pretty excited about it because we've been saying we need to start working on this album, but we've been procrastinating greatly with it," he says. "We've pretty much come up with every sort of excuse we can not to start work on the album, but we've run out of excuses, so we pretty much have to start work on it now."

According to Hammett, there is no shortage of ideas for METALLICA's next CD, with the guys reportedly having met up twice in the last few months to cook up some tasty riffs in the studio.

"We're a band that never has a shortage of ideas," Hammett says. "You hear about these bands that are 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. James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] has, like, 800 ideas. I have 400. Those number alone are just crazy. That's formidable."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich acknowledged in an interview with U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine that the band's next studio album is unlikely to arrive before 2015 at the earliest. The drummer explained: "Obviously, there are a lot of people asking where the next record is. We're going to make another record, but like I said before, we don't really feel this kind of… what's the word? I guess 'responsibility' is probably the right word. We don't feel this inherent responsibility to just churn out records whenever people want them. [Adopts a sarcastic voice] 'I'm sorry! Let me slap myself on the wrists and go make a record for you!' We'll get 'round to it again."

Asked about a possible release date for METALLICA's next CD, Ulrich replied: "Actually, we know the date… no, we don't! If I was betting on this, I would say 2015 — that's where my money is. So if you think of the actual age of this planet, if it's been 75 billion years since dinosaurs walked the Earth or whatever, then one year is basically a blink of an eye, right?"

Ulrich also spoke about METALLICA's mindset going into the songwriting phase for the band's next album. He explained: "The only thing I can tell you is that there seems to be a consensus in the band that [2008's] 'Death Magnetic' was a really good record that we're proud of, that had good legs on it — meaning that it still sounds really rocking five years later. And I can tell you that with most of the previous METALLICA records, I found any faults, I had any issues with them way, way sooner than five years. So the stuff that we've been jamming on is certainly not a million miles removed from where we left off from 'Death Magnetic'. But two years from now, when I sit and talk to you about the new record, it'll probably be a different story from the six-year-old looking for the ice cream shop."

"Ghost Resurrection", the collaboration between former MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza and Widek (Maciej Dawidek), can be seen below. The footage was shot this past Thursday, January 16 at the Soultone Cymbals Studios in Los Angeles, California. Widek is a young guitarist and sound engineer from Poland. He makes instrumental melodic metal varying styles from progressive and ambidjent to metalcore. He does the whole recording, mixing and mastering process by himself in his own studio (Nova Studio and Widek Records). So far, he has released three records: "2010 Songs" (2011), "Multiverse" (2011) and "Aurora Borealis" (2012). Menza is rumored for second collaboration effort with Widek and is expected to be joined by SYMPHONY X bassist Mike LePond and THREAT SIGNAL frontman Jon Howard. "Ghost Resurrection" is the third track off Widek's 2011 release, "Multiverse". Widek's first full-lenght album, "Outside The Universe", is scheduled for a May 2014 release WidekRecords.com.

Asked last September by Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon if there is a possibility of him ever doing anything with MEGADETH again, Menza said: "You never know what can happen in the future. It's, like, I'm open to whatever. I would never say, 'I'll never join MEGADETH back up again.' But it's really up to [MEGADETH mainman Dave] Mustaine. I put the ball in his court."

Following the reissue of the entire MEGADETH catalog, Menza was invited to reunite with the band in 2004. Days after a reunion was announced, Menza was fired after rehearsals and replaced with Shawn Drover. Mustaine said that this was because Nick "just wasn't prepared."

Menza has been writing, recording and producing constantly but only releasing sporadic singles for years. That will all change when he opens the floodgates with the upcoming release of his memoir, "Nick Menza: Megalife", by acclaimed writer J. Marshall Craig.

Menza is currently negotiating a publishing deal for the book, which was written over the past couple of years. It features rare and never-before-seen photos of Menza with every band he's ever been in, including, of course, MEGADETH.

"It's a memoir of music," writer Craig said. "But a lot more. It's a book about chasing the ultimate gig, the ultimate drum setup, the ultimate sound and, it will come as no surprise to Nick's fans, the ultimate aliens, government conspiracies and anything else his muse sees fit to lay across his path."

"Nick Menza: Megalife", by J. Marshall Craig, is due in stores, in Kindle and eBook versions, later in the year.

RIOT V, the new band featuring the surviving members of the most recent lineup of U.S. metal pioneers RIOT, is currently in rehearsals for its upcoming tour of Europe. The band is continuing on in honor of the late great founding RIOT guitarist Mark Reale, who died from complications from Crohn's Disease in early 2012 and these dates are in tribute to the axeman. The musicians decided to continue on in Mark's honor and wishes as well as the blessings from the estate of Reale to keep the music and spirit of RIOT alive.

The continuing members decided to alter the name to RIOT V as the fifth chapter of the band's long history as well as Todd Michael Hall being the fifth singer following Guy Speranza (March 1956 - November 2003), Rhett Forrester (September 1956 – January 1994), Tony Moore and Mike Dimeo in the some 30-odd years of the band's existence.

RIOT V heads to Italy for a string of tribute dates starting in Brescia, Italy, ending in Thessaloniki, Greece, then returning home to start recording the new record slated for a summer 2014 release. The touring band for these tribute dates are longtime members Mike Flyntz (guitar), who has been Reale's guitar partner for over 25 years, and bassist/songwriter Don Van Stavern ("Thundersteel", "Privilege Of Power", "Immortal Soul"), new vocalist Todd Michael Hall (BURNING STARR, REVERENCE) and RIOT's "Army Of One" drummer Frank Gilchriest (VIRGIN STEELE, LIEGE LORD), who will be stepping in as Bobby Jarzombek is fulfilling his duties with FATES WARNING and SEBASTIAN BACH.

Although Reale can never be replaced, RIOT V has recruited former student-turned-teacher at Mike Flyntz's guitar school in Long Island, New York, 26-year-old guitar virtuoso Nick Lee, to handle the lead-guitar duties on the upcoming tour.

Says Flyntz: "I have decided to have guitarist Nick Lee join us on the live shows in Europe.

"The decision whether to add a guitarist or try it myself was very difficult. We did play some shows without Mark when he was sick. Although they went as well as could be expected given the circumstances, I felt it was better for the music to add a second guitarist, as Mark added me in 1989.

"It is very important to me that everyone knows that Nick is not Mark's replacement. Mark Reale can never be replaced. I will be taking on Mark's parts and Nick will be doing most of my parts.

"Nick studied with me weekly from ages 9 to 17.

"Nick has always been a perfectionist and has always poured his heart into his music. He is a great writer and performer. I am very proud of him. He lives and breathes music and is one with his guitar. He has met Mark and saw us play live.

"Nick and I are sitting and practicing in the same room at my school where Mark and I practiced and wrote for 19 years.

"I know there is no one else better matched to come in and help us recreate the RIOT sound. After the first rehearsal, I was convinced that we are doing the right thing by carrying on Mark's music and legacy.

"Mark's dad Tony has been involved and has advised me with every step and in all the decision-making and it has been crucial to us that we have his blessing.

"At our first rehearsal playing our opener 'Narita', I actually shed a tear hearing the song that I had played so many years side by side with Mark, but know the band will shine on in his honor and not disappoint the diehard fans."

More than a year has passed since German metallers DOWNFALL OF GAIA released their Metal Blade debut Suffocating In The Swarm Of Cranes.
The band has issued the following update:

"With more than 100 shows played in 2013, last year has been the most intense in the history of this band so far! Three European Tours, a full US Tour, several single shows and festivals! Memories we will keep for a long time. We are still remembering those hot days in desert of New Mexico, on the other side those freezing cold nights in St. Petersburg, Russia. Driving down old Route66 (by mistake) or getting arrested at the border in Finland! We are pretty thankful for all the possibilities, adventures and places we were able to discover in the last couple of months, thankful for all of the amazing people we met around the globe and the new friends we made! Unfortunately intense touring can also have it's bad and exhausting sides and people start to rethink about priorities in life. We also had our ups and downs and as a result of changing priorities we sadly have to announce that Hannes decided to leave the band and focus on other things in life! We respect his decision but we are also 100% willing to continue with a new drummer!

We don't want to lose too many words about it and wish him all the best for his future. To keep things short – From now on we are looking for a new drummer! If someone out there is serious about it - just drop us a line via booking@downfallofgaia.com and we will figure out the rest!

Besides all of that we are still looking forward to 2014 and some great plans that are in the making! Even with all of those circumstances - all planned shows will take place and no show will be cancelled! Feel free to spread the news and the word!"

San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans VICIOUS RUMORS have announced the addition of singer Nick Holleman and bassist Tilen Hudrap to the group's ranks. They also welcome back Bob Capka on guitar.

Nick, a native of Holland, has a powerful melodic voice with great range and tone. A natural talent with a high-octane stage presence and endless sustain. Nick's performance stunned VICIOUS RUMORS fans old and new during the band's last tour in the USA.

Nick was hired on the spot after VICIOUS RUMORS leader Geoff Thorpe saw a video on YouTube. "I just imagined him singing our songs and it works perfectly," Geoff said. "Once we met and the chemistry was right, I realized I found the right guy for the job."

Tilen is a native of Slovenia. After a series of auditions, Tilen was hired last summer to fill in on tour. The band liked his aggressive playing and monster stage presence so much that he was invited to join the band as a full-time member after his first show in July. Tilen already played two world tours with the band (Europe and USA, 50 shows) and appears in the newest video for the title track off the current album "Electric Punishment".

VICIOUS RUMORS welcomes back Bob Capka, who played on the highly acclaimed "Electric Punishment" CD and has been on three tours in Europe and the USA. Bob brings shredding solos and riffs as well as a hunter's killer attitude to the stage show.

Original members guitar player Geoff Thorpe and drummer Larry Howe have also announced that this killer new lineup has already recorded a live album.

After eighty shows on tour in 2013, the new VICIOUS RUMORS lineup has recorded the massive "Live U to Death 2 American Punishment". VICIOUS RUMORS has captured the power and precision with classics that have never been recorded live: "Towns on Fire", "Worlds And Machines", "Master Mind", "World Church", "You Only Live Twice", to name a few. Thirteen tracks in total. The album was recorded during the "American Punishment Tour" in the United States of America in September/October 2013.

Upcoming VICIOUS RUMORS tours include European summer festivals, a South America tour in September/October and also Australian/New Zealand shows in 2014. VICIOUS RUMORS will also play the 70000 Tons Of Metal festval cruise this year from January 27 until January 31, playing the "Digital Dictator" album in its entirety for the first time ever.

Fan-filmed footage of VICIOUS RUMORS' October 1, 2013 performance at the Webster Hall in New York City can be seen below.

Photo from left to right: Tilen Hudrap (bass), Bob Capka (guitar), Nick Hollemann (vocals), Geoff Thorpe (guitar), Larry Howe (drums)