Audio samples of all the tracks that are set to appear on "Dawn Of The Brave", the new studio album from German "a cappella metal" band VAN CANTO — which consists of five singers and one drummer (no guitars, no bass, no keyboards) — can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"Dawn Of The Brave" will be released on February 7 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded with Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HELLOWEEN, HAMMERFALL) and Ronald Prent (MANOWAR, RAMMSTEIN, WITHIN TEMPTATION).

Commented the band: "'Dawn Of The Brave' is our fifth studio album and it was important for us to go a little bit further than before. From the drum sound of Charlie Bauerfeind through to the choir recordings with over 200 VAN CANTO fans up to the mixing of Ronald Prent, who made the whole thing shine, as we always wanted to. The album will be bigger, fatter and more powerful-voiced than ever. We are thrilled to look forward to the release of the album and to play the songs live on tour."

"Dawn Of The Brave" track listing:

01. Dawn Of The Brave02. Fight For Your Life03. To The Mountains04. Badaboom05. The Final Countdown (EUROPE cover)06. Steel Breaker07. The Awakening08. The Other Ones09. Holding Out For A Hero (BONNIE TYLER cover)10. Unholy11. My Utopia12. Into The West ("Lord Of The Rings" soundtrack cover)13. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH cover)

"Dawn Of The Brave" audio preview:

The official lyric video for the orchestral version of the song "The Eagle Has Landed" from British heavy metal legends SAXON can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Unplugged And Strung Up", which 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.

As if this reinvention wasn't enough, SAXON superfans and collectors can purchase a digipak version of the release which includes 2002's storming set of full-volume, pedal-to-the-metal re-recorded hits "Heavy Metal Thunder". Featuring staple SAXON stormers such as "Motorcycle Man", "Strong Arm Of The Law" and "Dallas 1pm", it is a quintessential part of any collection.

The standard single CD of "Unplugged And Strung Up" comes in a jewel case, and a double-vinyl gatefold sleeve version of the release is also available. The digipack is a two-disc version of the release featuring the bonus disc "Heavy Metal Thunder", and there was a digital release of the same.

"Unplugged and Strung Up" track listing:

01. Stallions Of The Highway (remix)02. Crusader (orchestral version)03. Battle Cry04. The Eagle Has Landed (orchestral version)05. Red Star Falling (orchestral version)06. Broken Heroes (orchestral version)07. Call To Arms (orchestral version)08. Militia Guard09. Forever Free (re-recorded version)10. Just Let Me Rock (re-recorded version)11. Frozen Rainbow (acoustic version)12. Iron Wheels (live acoustic version)13. Requiem (acoustic version)14. Coming Home (acoustic version)

"Heavy Metal Thunder" track listing:

01. Heavy Metal Thunder02. Strong Arm Of The Law03. Power & The Glory04. And The Bands Played On05. Crusader06. Dallas 1pm07. Princess Of The Night08. Wheels Of Steel09. 747 (Strangers In The Night)10. Motorcycle Man11. Never Surrender12. Denim & Leather13. Backs To The Wall

According to The Pulse Of Radio, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale, IN THIS MOMENT vocalist Maria Brink and actress-turned-rocker Taylor Momsen of THE PRETTY RECKLESS have all made the annual "100 Hottest Women of the Year" list published by GuySpeed, one of the web's leading men's entertainment sites. Hale came in at No. 90, while Brink made it to 69 and Momsen climbed all the way into the Top 20 to land at No. 14.

Other female rockers who made the list included LACUNA COIL's Cristina Scabbia, BUTCHER BABIES co-vocalists Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, Mariqueen Maandig of HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS and more. No. 1 on the list was rap artist Nikki Minaj, with Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence right behind her at No. 2. Other Top 10 women included singer Katy Perry, model Kate Upton and "Blurred Lines" video star Emily Ratajkowski.

Hale told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that she believes it can be too easy sometimes for female musicians to rely solely on their looks. "Actually, I've been encouraging a lot of people to challenge us, and make sure that when you're reading these articles or you're seeing us in magazines or something, that you go and you check us out live, or you go and you sample a CD, something like that," she said. "If people start doing that and don't just look at us because we're a quote-unquote pretty face, or scantily clad — I think if more people were looking beyond that, it would make us step up a little bit."

Four bands featuring female members, including LACUNA COIL, SICK PUPPIES, EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER, will head out next month on the 2014 "Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock" tour, which kicks off on February 20 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

IN THIS MOMENT is on the road right now, while THE PRETTY RECKLESS starts a run on the 2014 SnoCore Tour on January 29 in Lincoln, Nebraska. HALESTORM is working on its third album, scheduled for release this summer.

LYNCH MOB will rock the West Coast in February, delivering classic favorites and tracks from the latest record while introducing a new vocalist for the George Lynch-led band.

The current iteration of LYNCH MOB is an unusual combination of rock backgrounds. Bassist Kevin Baldes is an original member of the Orange County alternative rock band LIT. LIT's platinum album "A Place In The Sun" spawned three Top Ten hits, including "My Own Worst Enemy". He’s also played with SUGARCULT, MEST and GOOD MAN DOWN. Jimmy D'Anda is on drums. With L.A.-based rock band BULLETBOYS and its hit "Smooth Up In Ya", he earned a gold album and toured the world with rock's biggest acts. Being introduced on this tour is new vocalist Thadeus "Tad" Gonzalez. With Oakland-based ELECTRIC SISTER, Tad enjoyed critical acclaim from not only the release of "The Lost Art Of Rock & Roll", but also supporting gigs with KISS/MÖTLEY CRÜE, SLASH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and DANKO JONES. He's been called "a frontman to watch" and "a definitive rock 'n' roll voice." LYNCH MOB "Wynter Tour" dates: Feb. 13 - Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV Feb. 14 - Whisky A Go Go - Hollywood, CA Feb. 15 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA Feb. 19 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA Feb. 20 - Tonic Lounge - Portland, OR Feb. 21 - The Boardwalk - Orangevale, CA Feb. 22 - M15 Concert Bar - Corona, CA Feb. 23 - 910 Live - Tempe, AZ

For twelve years with DOKKEN, George Lynch was able to develop a groundbreaking brand of guitar virtuoso that would also earn a Grammy nomination. In the early 1990s, Lynch launched his own project, LYNCH MOB, which harnessed the talent of rock's best players and released several well-received records, from 1990's "Wicked Sensation" to the most recent "Unplugged". Tracks like "Wicked Sensation", "River Of Love" and "Tangled In The Web" have solidified George Lynch's position on Guitar World's list of Greatest Guitarists Of All Time. Live, LYNCH MOB is described as desert-infused blues-based rock with a penchant for extended improvising, harkening back to the glorious jam days of the late '60s and early '70s.

Lynch's current work also includes the film "Shadow Nation", which explores a hybrid way of life, merging modern society with the ancient practices of people who have lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years; native American Indians. The film reveals its message through the journey of a group of renowned musical artists as they share their rock music on a road trip through Indian reservations of the Southwest.

"Malevolent Firmament", a brand new song from Swedish black metallers ASTROPHOBOS, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's debut album "Remnants of Forgotten Horrors", which is scheduled for release on January 24 through Triumvirate Records. Recorded and mixed at Garaget Studio by Erik Nilsson (AORIA, A SWARM OF THE SUN) and featuring session drummer Fredrik Widigs (THE UGLY), "Remnants of Forgotten Horrors" follows up ASTROPHOBOS' debut EP, "Arcane Secrets", from 2010 and is definitely a positive and creative step forward for the Swedish trio, that will surely leave an indelible impression on fans of Swedish black/death metal.

Says bassist/vocalist Micke Broman: "['Malevolent Firmament'] is classical black metal to us: dark, melodic and fast. Lyrically, it's partly inspired by Lovecraft's short story 'Polaris' and the fear that the titular star instills in the story’s narrator."

A 15-minute EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for MOTÖRHEAD's 21st studio album, "Aftershock", is available below.

"Aftershock" sold 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart.

MOTÖRHEAD's previous CD, 2011's "The Wörld Is Yours", opened with 7,000 units to enter the chart at No. 94. The band's 2008 effort, "Motörizer", premiered with 6,400 copies to debut at No. 82, while 2006's "Kiss Of Death" registered a first-week tally of 3,500.

"Aftershock" was recorded at NRG Studios in North Hollywood, California and is described in a press release as "a true leveler, a crushing confirmation of everything MOTÖRHEAD stands for, marching from the dust storm to deliver 14 belting statements which see MOTÖRHEAD in perhaps their best writing form for years. There's swagger, there's punch, there's speed and there's dirty filthy grooves, Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee showing clearly that MOTÖRHEAD is not simply a band, it's a genre!"

"Aftershock" track listing:

01. Heartbreaker02. Coup De Grace03. Lost Woman Blues04. End Of Time05. Do You Believe06. Death Machine07. Dust And Glass08. Going To Mexico09. Silence When You Speak To Me10. Crying Shame11. Queen Of The Damned12. Knife13. Keep Your Powder Dry14. Paralyzed

The "Heartbreaker" video can be seen below (courtesy of RollingStone.com). The clip incorporates concert footage from this year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards ceremony in the U.K., a 2010 Manchester gig and several 2011 shows (including Rock In Rio, Germany's Wacken Open Air Festival and Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile). Fans who hang on for the credits at the end of "Heartbreaker" may be surprised to learn that the video's sketch art was created by frontman Lemmy Kilmister.

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

On their upcoming North American tour, Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY will be selling a seven-inch EP entitled "A Memory Construct", which also will be released digitally in the beginning of March. Recorded during the "Construct" sessions, the single contains the two songs, is limited to 500 copies worldwide and is available on a transparent red wax. Featured tracks are t previously unreleased "A Memory Construct" and "Sorrows Architect", previously only available as a limited flexi seven-inch released with issue #106 of Decibel magazine.

Comments DARK TRANQUILLITY: "['A Memory Construct'] was originally written (as the name implies) as the title track for the 'Construct' album, but was later deemed too different to be included without interrupting the flow of the main record.

"'Sorrow's Architect' is probably our darkest song in a while; a brooding track that gradually builds up to a climatic ending." DARK TRANQUILLITY's North American tour kicks off on February 1 at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

DARK TRANQUILLITY's tenth studio album, "Construct", was released on May 27 via Century Media Records. The CD was mixed by Jens Bogren (PARADISE LOST, OPETH, KATATONIA) at his Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden.

DARK TRANQUILLITY filmed a music video for the song "Uniformity" on April 13 with Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

In an interview with Louder Than Hell, DARK TRANQUILLITY guitarist Niklas Sundin stated about "Construct": "A typical effect of being locked up in a studio for 2-3 months listening to every single second of the new songs over and over again is that you're getting extremely tired of the material. At the same time as you know that you've created something great, there's a part of you that never want to hear the songs again. Also, the collaborative and democratic nature of DARK TRANQUILITY means that there always are riffs and ideas that a single member doesn't find too interesting according to his personal preferences, so what normally happens directly after a studio session is that I sit down and think that the result is OK, but if X and Y would have been done differently, it would have been even better (again: for my own tastes). In this case, there were two main parameters that were different: The members' opinions on the material were a bit more uniform — i.e. no great clashes in taste — and the actual mixing process brought out a lot of details and nuances in the songs that we previously weren't aware of. The result is that I for a change actually was a massive fan of 'Construct' from the first time I heard the final mix."

Asked if the band had a direction or "game plan" when entering the studio to make "Construct", Niklas said: "There never is a defined game plan as such; we usually start writing songs without knowing exactly where the music will take us. Every time we've tried to decide that the next album should go in a certain direction, it usually ends up being the complete opposite, ha ha! This time, though, we all were certain that we needed to do something different in order to find the motivation to even make a new album. It's a similar situation to the one before 'Projector' (1999) where we either could split up or do something new, and from that realization we actually succeeded in reinventing ourselves."

"III: Beneath Trident's Tomb" is the title for the final album from experimental black metal band TWILIGHT, to be released in North America on March 18 and Europe on March 17. Six tracks will appear on the record, whose album artwork can be seen below. Released as a digipack and LP (1000 pressed worldwide, 500 on purple vinyl (U.S. only), 500 on black), "III" is much more an experimental album than its predecessors. It's a dark, uncomfortable listen. "III: Beneath Trident's Tomb" track listing: 01. Lungs (Whitehead/Jameson)02. Oh Wretched Son (Giannopoulos/Whitehead/Jameson)03. Swarming Funereal Mass (Whitehead/Jameson)04. Seek No Shelter Fevered Ones (Giannopoulos/Whitehead/Jameson)05. A Flood Of Eyes (Giannopoulos/Moore/Whitehead/Jameson)06. Below Lights (Parker/Jameson)

The track "Lungs" can be streamed below.

"III: Beneath Trident's Tomb" recording lineup: N. Imperial - vocalsWrest - drums/bass/vocalsStavros Giannopoulos - guitars/vocalsSanford Parker - synths/electronics/productionThurston Moore - guitar/vocals

VALLENFYRE, the new U.K. death metal band featuring Gregor Mackintosh, songwriter and guitarist of PARADISE LOST, alongside members of MY DYING BRIDE, AT THE GATES and DOOM, has entered GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, BLACK BREATH, NAILS) to begin recording its sophomore album, "Splinters", due in April via Century Media Records.

Says Mackintosh (vocals and lead guitar): "We are really digging Kurt's honest, old-fashioned approach to recording. No triggers or samples. Just a good drum kit, good mics and a good drummer." In 2011, Mackintosh announced that he would go back to his death metal roots with his new band, VALLENFYRE. The level of expectation was set high with a lineup consisting of Hamish Glencross (guitar; MY DYING BRIDE), Scoot (bass; DOOM, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND), Adrian Erlandsson (drums; AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST, THE HAUNTED) local friend Mully (second guitar) — and, of course, Gregor on vocals (for the first time in his career!). Their debut, "A Fragile King", was a reference to Gregor's father's (lost) battle with cancer; the harrowing, crusty death-doom found on the album was hailed as "a beast of a record" (Terrorizer) and "a sonic force that bites deep and hard" (Decibel). Simply put, "A Fragile King" is "old school to the bone" (Rock Hard). VALLENFYRE is:

* Gregor Mackintosh (PARADISE LOST) - Vocals and Lead Guitar* Hamish Glencross (MY DYING BRIDE) - Rhythm and Lead Guitar* Mully - Rhythm Guitar* Scoot (DOOM, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND) - Bass* Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST, THE HAUNTED) – Drums

Photo by Jason Zucco

Left to right: Kurt Ballou (producer, GodCity Studio), Scoot (bass), Gregor Mackintosh (vocals and lead guitars) and Adrian Erlandsson (drums)

"Cathedrals Of Dread" video:

Italian hard rockers FAKE IDOLS have inked a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band's self-titled debut album is scheduled for a late April release. The CD was recorded at Raptor Studios and features a special guest appearance by CRUCIFIED BARBARA singer Mia Coldheart. According to a press release, the effort "will surely please anyone who loves great songs and killer riffs, showcasing a surprising attitude in rock songwriting with their original and catchy sound."

FAKE IDOLS was formed from the union of three well-known and recognized European bands in the hard rock/metal genre (who previously released two albums on Lifeforce Records), RAINTIME, SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE and JAR OF BONES.

Some of the members of all three bands were united in their search for new sounds and decided to join forces in this promising new project, relying on their different backgrounds and different musical influences and styles in order to infuse their invaluable musical experiences over the years into the new album.

"Enter The Silence", the new video from Italian extreme metallers CARVED, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's debut album, "Dies Irae", out now on Bakerteam Records. CARVED. The name of the band is the best calling card for these six angry metalheads. Carving the emotions of their audience with the most violent performance they could possibly deliver is, as a matter of fact, their most notable trait.

The band made an impact with its 2010 three-track EP, which was reviewed enthusiastically by many international extreme metal zines and attracted the interest of legendary black/thrashers NECRODEATH, who consequently decided to take them on their 25th-anniversary European tour. Gigs with many others notable acts followed, cementing the band's reputation and leading them to some new musical ideas for their debut full-length release, "Dies Irae", which was finally completed at the beginning of 2013.

Recorded and mixed in Italy and mastered at Chartmakers Studio (RAMMSTEIN, VOLBEAT, APOCALYPTICA) in Finland, "Dies Irae" mixes powerful guitar riffs, massive grooves and brutal vocals with beautiful melodies and refined classical passages.

"Detracked", the new video from Finnish old-school death metallers SHRAPNEL STORM, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's most recent release, "We Come In Peace..." The clip was shot in an old industrial hall in Nokia, Finland and was produced and edited by SHRAPNEL STORM bassist Petri Saarenmaa.

"We Come In Peace..." was released on November 18, 2013. The promotional CD was recorded at Shrapnel Studios in Finland and contains two tracks from SHRAPNEL STORM's upcoming, as-yet-untitled full-length debut, which the band will begin recording in April.

SHRAPNEL STORM is currently in talks with a couple of labels about the release of the upcoming album.

SHRAPNEL STORM is: Ville Yrjola - VocalsAki Laaksola - GuitarJanne Makitalo - GuitarPetri Saarenmaa - BassMikko Orava - Drums

Uppsala, Sweden-based death/thrash five-piece UNANGEL will release its new EP, "Drunk On Hate", on January 28. The effort consists of six high-quality metal tracks that will appeal to "fans of CARNAL FORGE, ARCH ENEMY and AT THE GATES," according to a press release.

"Drunk On Hate" sees UNANGEL pursuing a slightly different direction, as evidenced on the speedy "The Pain Grid", the brutally catchy "Shard" and the "Gothenburg-ish" "Total Meltdown". The song "Tre Dagar I Morker" ("Three Days In Darkness") even features Swedish lyrics from vocalist Oskar Norman Westin, who writes about the dark corners of the human mind on merry topics such as misanthropia, religion and sociopathism.

Main songwriter Christoffer Bertzell explains that the EP showcases the many faces of UNANGEL. "Extreme music today can sometimes be either all about speed or all about melody," he says. "We simply write songs that features the right amount of brutality or melody that we feel are required of the songs best interest."

DEDVOLT, the Sacramento, California-based rock/metal band featuring SKINLAB frontman Steev Esquivel on guitar, has released a lyric video for the song "Carving The Waters", edited and produced by Mike Sloat (MACHINE HEAD, STAIND, AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE). The track is taken from the band's upcoming debut, "Bleeding Hearts", due in March via Felony 1 Records. The CD was arecorded at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California with Juan Urteaga, and was mixed and mastered by Joel Wanasek of JTW in Hubbertus, Wisconsin.

DEDVOLT plays "aggressively heavy yet melodic music, feeding off each other to form a cohesive and dynamic sound," according to the band's official bio. "Their mission is to offset limitations and explore the many different influences within the band and sharing it with a wide array of their fans. Sharing the musical stylings of SEVENDUST, SHINEDOWN and CHEVELLE, DEDVOLT has a sound of their own that will surely grab the attention of even the heaviest metal fan.

Writing music that will stand the test of time is the goal for DEDVOLT. "Our songs are infused with emotion, at times painful emotion...It's real," says Esquivel. "We're all driven by passion and fueled by dedication and we prove it in our show."

Since the band's formation in December 2011, DEDVOLT has been putting miles on the road playing shows throughout the West Coast and their relentless dedication is slowly paying off.

DEDVOLT's debut EP, "Let It Burn", was released in February 2013.

"Defend With Violence", a brand new song from the Southern California metal act THROWDOWN, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Intolerance", which will be released on January 21 via eOne Music. The follow-up to 2009's "Deathless" was recorded at Hurley Recordings in Costa Mesa, California with rising producer Davey Warsop and mixed at Planet Z.

"Intolerance" features guitar solo contributions from Dave Nassie (BLEEDING THROUGH, NO USE FOR A NAME, INFECTIOUS GROOVES), who joined THROWDOWN's recent touring lineup alongside DEMON HUNTER drummer Tim "Yogi" Watts and "Deathless"-era bassist Mark Mitchell.

Comments THROWDOWN frontman Dave Peters: "Completing this record felt great in so many respects, most important of which was the opportunity to finally give longtime supporters of the band this music that I've had swirling around in my head over the past four years.

"The variety of people from different places and scenes who have found the band through vastly different avenues over the past 15 or so years will each get into it for their own unique reasons, I think. And for those who think it’s junk, it's only about 28 minutes they have to regret."

"Intolerance" combines the massive production punch of the moody, sludgy and powerfully diverse masterpiece "Deathless" (which spawned the Sirius XM staples "This Continuum" and "The Scythe") with the focused resolve of the band's genre-classic-filled back catalog.

The big sound that developed on "Deathless" works magic upon the brutal missives found all over "Intolerance", nearly all of which clock in around two minutes.

"Deathless" and "Vendetta" collaborator Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, CROWBAR, DEMON HUNTER) returned to mix the new record.

Drummer Jarrod Alexander (AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, SUICIDE FILE, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE) made his first recorded appearance with THROWDOWN on "Haymaker", returning as a session player again for "Deathless" and the brand new album, "Intolerance".

"Intolerance" track listing:

01. Fight Or Die02. Borrowed Time03. Avow04. Hardened By Consequence05. Defend With Violence06. Suffer, Conquer07. Cut Away08. Intolerance09. Without Weakness10. Born And Buried Alone11. Condemned To Live

Finnish gothic metallers ENTWINE entered the studio earlier today (Wednesday, January 15) to begin recording their seventh album, due later in the year via Spinefarm Records. The recordings for the follow-up to 2009's "Painstained" are taking place at Petrax and Wave Sound Studios in Finland.

ENTWINE's first-ever "best-of" collection, "Rough n' Stripped", entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 37 back in July 2010. The compilation is a double album, with the first disc containing original versions of the band's best material and the second disc featuring new acoustic or remixed versions of the group's lighter and mellower songs. Both CDs also feature brand new songs as opening tracks.

"Painstained", which was made available in Finland in January 2009, was recorded with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, APOCALYPTICA, SENTENCED).

ENTWINE is:

Mika Tauriainen - VocalsTom Mikkola - GuitarJaani - GuitarJoni Miettinen - BassAksu Hanttu - Drums

The official lyric video for the song "Army Of The Bear" from Canadian metallers SCYTHIA can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's melodic, power/folk fusion record, "…Of Conquest", which is set to arrive later in the year. The album, which also includes progressive and death metal influences, is engineered/produced by Lasse Lammert (ALESTORM, GLORYHAMMER, HALCYON WAY, SVARSOT) at LSD Studios in Lubeck, Germany, with co-production by Shaun Thingvold (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, LAMB OF GOD, FEAR FACTORY). The album is mixed by Nino Laurenne (ENSIFERUM, WINTERSUN, KIUAS, FIREWIND) at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland. Mastering credits go to Svante Forsback (RAMMSTEIN, FIREWIND, KORPIKLAANI, APOCALYPTICA) at Chartmakers in Helsinki, Finland. "…Of Conquest" track listing:

01. Fanfare 151602. Merchant Of Sin03. Bear Claw Tavern04. Sailor's Accolade05. Reflections06. The Kraken07. Into The Storm08. Land Of Scythia09. Wrath Of The Ancients10. Army Of The Bear11. Path Through The Labyrinth12. Departure The "Bear Claw Tavern" can be seen below. The old world-themed clip, directed by fantasy movie director Richard Olak and filmed at the Storm Crow Tavern in the band's hometown of Vancouver, B.C., is an uproarious three-minute scorcher featuring the band rocking out in a medieval tavern filled with hooligans and mysterious characters. The video also features a dwarven troublemaker that gets himself into hot water when he decides to irritate a "wizened" old man.

Formed in 2008, SCYTHIA's music is recognized throughout their home country for its rich, poetic storytelling and epic melodies. Because of this, and touring like a cavalry of nomads, they have taken the independent scene by storm as they gather more and more fans both domestically and internationally. SCYTHIA delivered its first album, "Of War", in 2010. SCYTHIA is:

Dave Khan - Guitar, Main VocalsTerry Savage - Bass, Harsh VocalsJeff Black - Keyboards, Back-Up VocalsCeline Derval - Drums, Back-Up Vocals

earMUSIC will release FOREIGNER's "I Want To Know What Love Is - The Ballads" just in time for Valentine's Day! "The Ballads" are 14 of FOREIGNER's best and most timeless ballads. It will be released on January 31 in two different editions: as a standard jewel case, and as a 2CD special edition-digipak.

The special-edition release is a must-have for all the die-hard FOREIGNER fans. Produced by noted FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson in December 2013, the bonus disc contains previously unreleased performances of all the hits and fan favourites, recorded from an acoustic show for the German radio station SWR1 in July 2013.

CD 1: "I Want To Know What Love Is - The Ballads"

01. I Want To Know What Love Is02. In Pieces03. Waiting For A Girl Like You04. When It Comes To Love05. Feels Like The First Time06. Say You Will07. The Flame Still Burns08. Save Me09. I Can't Give Up10. Fool For You Anyway11. As Long As I Live12. I'll Be Home Tonight13. Double Vision14. Long, Long Way From Home

CD 2 = "An Acoustic Evening with Foreigner" (Special Edition Digipak)

01. Double Vision02. Long, Long Way From Home03. Say You Will04. When It Comes To Love05. Waiting For A Girl Like You06. Dirty White Boy07. That's All Right08. Fool For You Anyway09. Feels Like The First Time10. Juke Box Hero11. I Want To Know What Love Is12. Hot Blooded

With ten multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 75 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems, FOREIGNER continues to rock the charts more than thirty years into the game. "Our music has touched a lot of people worldwide," says founder and lead guitarist Mick Jones. "Unwittingly, we've weaved into the fabric of people's lives."

At FOREIGNER's core is Jones, the visionary maestro whose stylistic songwriting, indelible guitar hooks and multi-layered talents continue to escalate FOREIGNER's influence, along with lead vocalist Kelly Hansen, bass guitarist Jeff Pilson, drummer Chris Frazier, and multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel. In June 2013, Mick Jones was inducted to the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. A multi-talented and multi-dimensional "musician's musician," Jones has also written songs such as "Bad Love" with Eric Clapton and "Dreamer" with Ozzy Osbourne, and produced records for others including BILLY JOEL's "Storm Front" and VAN HALEN's "5150".

FOREIGNER had a blockbuster year and a recent surge in popularity due to several of their hits being featured on the "Rock Of Ages" soundtrack, including "I Want To Know What Love Is", "Juke Box Hero" and "Waiting For A Girl Like You" — more songs than any other one band on the soundtrack. Hollywood quickly took note, and several more tracks were featured in hit films "Anchorman 2", "Magic Mike" and "Pitch Perfect", sending FOREIGNER downloads up 400%. The video game industry was soon to follow. The blockbuster release "Grand Theft Auto V" features FOREIGNER's "Dirty White Boy", and "Hot Blooded" is included in the November 2013 release of "BandFuse". The high visibility of FOREIGNER's songs continues to introduce the band's music to a whole future generation of fans.

Band photo by Bill Bernstein

THE CRIMSON PROJEKCT, the KING CRIMSON offshoot featuring three current members of that band, recently announced the release of Live In Tokyo via InsideOutMusic on March 18th. Now the group reveals the first track to be taken from the album, a performance of 'Frame By Frame' which can be heard at this location.
Featuring the talents of Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter, Julie Slick and Tobias Ralph; The Crimson ProjeKCt primarily focus on repertoire from the early '80s through to the mid-'90s. The band has a "double trio" line-up, as made popular by Crimson between 1994 - 1997. The full tracklisting for the CD and digital release can be found below:

'B'Boom'
'Thrak'
'Frame By Frame'
'Dinosaur'
'Industry'
'Elephant Talk'
'Vrooom Vroom'
'Sleepless'
'Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part II'
'Indiscipline'
'Red'
'Thela Hun Ginjeet'
The Crimson ProjeKCt will head out on tour in 2014, confirmed shows are as follows:

March
5 - Heichal Tarbut - Tel-Aviv, Israel
6 - Bingo Club - Kiev, Ukraine
7 - Usine A Gaz - Nyon, Switzerland
8 - Amager Bio - Copenhagen, Denmark
9 - Cosmopolite - Oslo, Norway
11 - Ziquodrome - Compiegne, France
12 - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - London, UK
13 - Trabendo - Paris, France
14 - De Boerderij - Zoetermeer, Netherlands
16 - Arena Club - Moscow, Russia
17 - Palace of Culture Lensoveta - St. Petersburg, Russia
19 - Palladium Club - Warsaw, Poland
20 - Klub Studio - Krakow, Poland
21 - Neuberin Halle - Reichenbach, Germany
22 - Konzerthause - Karlsruhe, Germany
23 - Frankfurter Hof - Mainz, Germany
25 - Grughalle - Essen, Germany
26 - Z7 - Basel, Switzerland
27 - Archa Theatre - Prague, Czech Republic
29 - Auditorium Supercinema - Chieti, Italy
30 - Auditorium Manzoni - Bologna, Italy
31 - Auditorium Verdi - Milan, Italy

April
1 - Auditorium Parco della Musica - Rome, Italy
2 - Viper Theatre - Firenze, Italy

June
24 - The Studio - Auckland, New Zealand
26 - The Hi-Fi - Melbourne, Australia
27 - The Hi-Fi - Sydney, Australia
28 - The Hi-Fi - Brisbane, Australia

July
2 - Fly By Night - Fremantle, Australia

London hardcore metallers DRIPBACK have revealed details of their debut album release, due out January 20th digitally and March 24th in vinyl. Recorded with legendary audio wizard Russ Russell at Parlour Studios “Failed Futures” features 13 tracks of uncompromising, loud, fast and furious metal with their trademark and undeniable London stamp all over," according to a press release.

“It’s been a long time coming but finally the Dripback album will see the light of day, and this is as pure as it gets,” says the band. “Direct from us to you, no labels, no bullshit. It’ll be on iTunes for the lazy cunts with their iPods and we’ll have a nice vinyl for people to get stuck into as well."

The full tracklisting is as follows:
'Wasted'
'Rest With The Dead'
'We Precede The End'
'Cessation Of Suffering'
'Profit Driven War'
'Shallow Lives'
'Seeing Without Eyes'
'Failed Futures'
'Victims'
'Stranglehold'
'Forgotten Code'
'Embodying Emptiness'
'Requisite For Refinement'

Borås, Sweden-based metallers CRYSTAL EYES have signed a deal with Massacre Records. Their new album, Killer, will be released later in the spring. The cover artwork was done by Jan Yrlund while mixing and mastering was handled by Fredrik Nordström and Henrik Udd at Studio Fredman.
Killer tracklisting:

‘Killer’
‘Warrior’
‘Hail The Fallen’
‘Solar Mariner’
‘Forgotten Realms’
‘Spotlight Rebel’
‘The Lord Of Chaos’
‘Dreamers On Trial’
‘Dogs On Holy Ground’
For more details visit CrystalEyes.net.

Fifteen months after the release of their fourth album, Apocryphon, THE SWORD announce the final North American dates of the album cycle. Supporting The Sword on these dates will be BIG BUSINESS and O’BROTHER. Dates for the tour are below.

In addition, a lyric video for the Apocryphon track 'Hidden Masters' can now be seen below:
Tour dates:

February
13 - Austin, TX - Mohawk
14 - Houston, TX - Fitzgeralds
15 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey
17 - Nashville, TN - Exit / In
18 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont
19 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggys By The Sea
21 - Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
22 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East
23 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall Of Williamsburg
25 - Albany, NY - Upstate Concert Hall
26 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes ÉLectriques
28 - London, ON - London Music Hall

March
1 - Toronto, ON - Lees Palace
2 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
3 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr Smalls
5 - Chicago, IL - Double Door
6 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
7 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
8 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave Bar
9 - Minneapolis, MN - Mill City Nights
10 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
11 - Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
14 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
15 - Spokane, WA - The Hop
16 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
17 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
19 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows
20 - San Francisco, CA - Slims
21 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
22 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
23 - Albuquerque, NN - Launchpad

MIDNATTSOL vocalist Carmen Elise Espenaes has launched a new project with THE SINS OF THY BELOVED members Stig Johansen and Anders Thue called SAVN. Strings for two songs on the forthcoming debut album were recorded by the LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA in Minsk, directed and recorded by RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski.
In a recent interview with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai, Carmen confirmed that her sister Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES) will make a guest appearance on one track for the album. It will be released via CDR Records out of Norway.

Stay tuned for updates via the band's official Facebook page.

SOUND OF CONTACT and sci-fi fans worldwide can check out the exclusive worldwide premiere of the new video for 'Pale Blue Dot'. The stunning, cosmic-inspired video is taken from the band's debut album, Dimensionaut, and follows the journey of a time and space traveller's mission back on earth to bring about world peace, one human experience at a time.

You can view the video, courtesy of USAToday, below:
Sound Of Contact is the progressive rock band from vocalist/drummer/composer/producer and solo recording artist, Simon Collins (son of legendary musician PHIL COLLINS). With a distinguished musical familial lineage, Collins has established himself as a preeminent performer with the release of several solo albums. Melding elegant melodies with electronica-tinged hard rock and intimate lyrics, Collins has created a distinct sound all his own. With this new project/musical collaboration, Sound Of Contact, Collins delves further into the futuristic aspect of his songcraft, all the while incorporating elements of progressive rock that are his musical heritage.

Sound Of Contact's debut concept album, Dimensionaut, was recently released internationally via prog rock label InsideOut, alongside Simon Collins' own label Lightyears Music, resulting immediately in rave reviews from fans and critics alike. Sound Of Contact will soon take their music to the masses, with upcoming tour dates in North America to be announced shortly.
Co-produced by Collins and Sonic Reality's Dave Kerzner, Dimensionaut finds Collins at home behind the drum kit as well as out front, handling lead singer duties. He is joined on the album by Matt Dorsey (guitars and bass, backing vocals), Dave Kerzner (keyboards, backing vocals, sound design), Kelly Nordstrom (guitars and bass) with guest appearance by THE WISHING TREE's Hannah Stobart (vocals) and Wells Cunningham (cello, violin). Dimensionaut was mixed by Nick Davis (GENESIS, XTC), mastered by Grammy-Award-winning Gavin Lursen and features futuristic artwork designed by visionary graphic artist, Taavi Torim.

Sound Of Contact will be appearing live this April, firstly on The Moody Blues Cruise (2nd - 7th) and following immediately after on Cruise To The Edge (7th - 12th). The band are also scheduled to perform at ROSfest in the US on May 3rd.

GOATWHORE has confirmed that they will be on tour in April as part of the Metal Alliance Tour 2014. They will be supporting headliners BEHEMOTH, along with other supporting acts 1349, INQUISITION, and BLACK CROWN INITIATE. The Metal Alliance tour will begin April 4th in Tempe, AZ and run through May 3rd. Dates are listed below.

Goatwhore has additional plans in place for tour dates once the new album is complete, including a major summer tour that has yet to be announced. Updates will be posted as soon as they are made available.
Dates:

April
4 - Tempe, AZ - Club Red
5 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues - no Goatwhore
6 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
8 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater
11 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
12 - Austin, TX - Emo's East
13 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
15 - Orlando, FL - Beacham Theater
16 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
17 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
18 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
19 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
22 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda
23 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
24 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
25 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
26 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater Studio B
27 - Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Center
29 - Calgary, AB - Macewan Hall
30 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall

May
2 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
3 - Seattle, WAvStudio 7

In other news, Goatwhore has returned to Mana Recording studios this month with producer Erik Rutan to record their sixth full length album. Fans have been following Goatwhore's progress over the course of the last week via updates at Facebook, which includes exclusive photos and vine videos.
Goatwhore's new album will be the follow up to the band's 2012 release, Blood For The Master.

Pioneering space-rock band HAWKWIND will release their 29th studio album, Space Hawks, on February 4th via Four Worlds Media. Hawkwind return to once again prove they are the masters of the universe... Space Hawks is a collection of sixteen songs ranging from the re-imagining of classic hits like 'Sunship' and 'Season', to brand new, previously unheard tracks like 'Lonely Moon' and others.
Space Hawks tracklisting:

'Seasons'
'Assault & Battery'
'Sonic Attack'
'Masters Of The Universe'
'Sacrosanct'
'Sentinel'
'It's All Lies'
'Touch'
'Where Are They Now'
'Lonely Moon'
'Golden Void'
'Sunship'
'We Took The Wrong Step'
'We Two Are One'
'The Chumps Are Jumping'
'Demented Man'

Band leader Dave Brock (recovering from illness) is the recent receipient of Progressive Music's coveted Lifetime Achievement Award, firmly cementing him and Hawkwind as two of Britain's great musical export.

Hawkwind lineup:

Dave Brock - vocals/guitar
Tim Blake - keyboards
Richard Chadwick - drums
Niall Hone - bass guitar
Mr. Dibs - bass/cello
Dead Fred - keyboards
In an update regarding their US spring tour, the band report:

"We are pleased to let you know that Hawkwind have appointed a US manager, Rich Rees from Dissident Bookings in Los Angeles. He is very experienced and will be liaising with the respective venues and promoters regarding the spring shows. He will also be looking at booking a few other shows in areas that were missed out in the last schedule.

All of the venues have been contacted and we are just awaiting confirmation that they are happy to go ahead with the shows. Then, as soon as contracts are exchanged and deposits in place we will post full details on our websites. We are all very excited to be working with Rich, it will take a lot of pressure off our hard-working UK management and free them up to work on other events planned for the year ahead...

So, lets extend a big welcome to Rich from all the Hawkwind family and hope that this is the start of a great working relationship, which will enable us to share the live Hawkwind experience with all our friends in North America... who have waited long enough!"

Italy's LENORE S. FINGERS will release their debut album, Inner Tales, on February 24th via My Kingdom Music.
The 9-track album explains the never-ending solitude of a girl, lost between tragic memories of her past and the most uncomfortable fears for the future.
Inner Tales tracklisting:

'Inner Tales'
'The Last Dawn'
'Victoria'
'Cry Of Mankind'
'To The Path Of Loss'
'Song To Eros'
'Doom'
'The Calling Tree'
'An Aching Soul'

Album teaser:
‘Cry Of Mankind’:

London's SAVAGE MESSIAH will release their new album, The Fateful Dark, on March 10th in Europe via Earache Records and on March 18th in North America via Century Media/Earache Records.

The band, who were recently banned from entering the Freemason UK headquarters in London for a photo shoot after the society deemed the band's name offensive, are releasing three instant grat tracks on iTunes which can be downloaded in advance of the album's release.

The new track, 'Minority Of One', is available now as an instant grat download, along with a previously-released track, 'Cross Of Babylon'. A further track, 'Hellblazer', will be available as an instant grat download on iTunes on February 10th.

Listen to 'Minority Of One' below:
Frontman Dave Silver comments: "The title for this song comes from a famous saying by Ghandi, who said that even if you're in a minority of one, the truth is the truth. Which is a good message to people about breaking the mould and not getting sucked into 'group think' mentality. Standing up for what's objectively right and not compromising for the sake of social acceptance. Musically, this is my favourite Savage Messiah track ever; we've managed to marry the thrash and heavy metal elements into a cohesive track, which is catchy and melodic, but still fast and thrashy. Enjoy!"

Listen to Savage Messiah talking about the new track below:
The Fateful Dark, the follow-up to 2012's Plague Of Conscience, was recorded at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, England with producer Scott Atkins (AMON AMARTH, SYLOSIS, BEHEMOTH) and features artwork created by Peter Sallai (SABATON).
The Fateful Dark tracklisting

'Iconocaust'
'Minority Of One'
'Cross Of Babylon'
'Hellblazer'
'Live As One Already Dead'
'The Fateful Dark'
'Zero Hour'
'Hammered Down'
'Scavengers Of Mercy'
'The Cursed Earth'
'Be Quick Or Be Dead' *
'Lightning To The Nations' *
'Killers' *

* Earache Webstore/iTunes exclusive bonus tracks

Album preview:
Tour dates:

February
25 - London, UK - Borderline

March
5 - York, UK - Fibbers
6 - Glasgow, UK - Audio
7 - Manchester, UK - Sound Control
8 - Wolverhampton, UK - Slade Rooms

April
19 - Norwich, UK - Thrashersaurus Festival

Italy’s HUMAN IMPROVEMENT PROCESS have posted the official video for the title track of their new album, Deafening Dissonant Millennium. The video was produced by Davide Cilloni (Eklipse Design). Check it out below:
Deafening Dissonant Millennium is available in all digital stores and on limited edition digipack at this location.
Tracklisting:

'Jenova'
'Deafening Dissonant Millennium'
'Erase'
'Empty Eyes'
'Our Last Pieces Of Sanity'
'Artificial Savior'
'Materioscura'
'Architecture Of A Dying Sun'
'The Process'
'Ethereal'
'The Deepest Oblivion'

SAIGON KICK guitarist Jason Bieler has recorded a new song for his OWL STRETCHING side project. Check out 'All Souls Lost' below:

All Souls Lost by Owl Stretching

Bieler recently issued a new six-song Owl Stretching EP entitled The Gathering. The tracklist is as follows:

'Keep Calm And Carry On'
'Testify'
'Here In My Arms'
'Save The Day'
'Kings Of Everything'
'Broken Bad'

The Gathering by Owl Stretching