"Thirty One & Sevens", the new video from the Australian metalcore outfit I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN, can be seen at Music Feeds. The clip, which was directed by Robot Army Productions (BODYJAR, ANBERLIN, THE AMITY AFFLICTION), is based in a post-apocalyptic world, and tells the story of two slaves that manage to escape and start a revolution after demonstrating to their slave compatriots that their captors can be defeated. It was filmed in a quarry in Anakie, just outside of Geelong, Australia.

"Thirty One & Sevens" is taken from I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN's first album in six years, "Beloved", which will be released on February 18 in the U.S. via Epitaph Records.

By their own admission, I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN have endured a decidedly checkered past. Over the years the band saw multiple vocalist changes and other personnel exchanges, side-project sojourns and moonlighting in other bands, hiatuses and break-ups. Yet through it all, their musical output both live and on record has remained thoroughly inspired.

For several years, the band lay dormant, as members went on to play in other bands. In 2011, I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN reclaimed their sound, style, history, and legacy with an all-new lineup, and original member Jona Weinhofen, who spent time with BLEEDING THROUGH and BRING ME THE HORIZON. Joined by new screamer Jamie Hope (ex-RED SHORE), Shane O'Brien on drums (DEEZ NUTS), Kevin Cameron on guitar, Benjamin Coyte on bass, and of course, Jona bringing vocal choruses, guitar and keyboard to the mix.

I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN entered the studio in 2013 in Gothenburg, Sweden with Fredrik Nordström (BRING ME THE HORIZON, AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCHITECTS) to record "Beloved".

"We've really extended ourselves," says Weinhofen. "But we've done it in a way where it's tasteful and it makes sense with the music. It's not like we’ve gone from sounding like a metalcore band to sounding like DIMMU BORGIR. It still sounds very much like PROM QUEEN."

"Beloved" track listing:

01. Beginning Of The End02. To The Wolves03. Bright Enough04. Meilor05. Thirty One & Sevens06. Calvert Street07. Kærjrlighet08. The Beaten Path09. Nightmares10. No One Will Save Us11. Brevity

Fan-filmed video footage of KILL DEVIL HILL's November 22, 2013 performance in Mentor, Ohio can be seen below.

KILL DEVIL HILL is the band featuring legendary drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL) alongside Rex Brown, Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) on guitar and Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) on vocals.

The group's sophomore album, "Revolution Rise", sold around 2,150 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

Released on October 29, 2013 via Century Media Records, "Revolution Rise" was produced by KILL DEVIL HILL and Jeff Pilson (DOKKEN, FOREIGNER, DIO) and was mixed by Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER). The cover artwork was created by Sam Shearon, who has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, IRON MAIDEN and FEAR FACTORY, to name just a few.

KILL DEVIL HILL's headlining club tour kicked off October 26, 2013 in Ramona, California and ran through the month of November with support from labelmates EYES SET TO KILL and GIRL ON FIRE, as well as BLACK WATER RISING.

The writers for "The Simpsons", one of the longest-running sitcoms in television history, have acknowledged their mistake in calling JUDAS PRIEST a "death metal" band on last week's show and have made amends in the follow-up episode.

The cartoon's January 5 installment, titled "Steal This Episode", saw Homer getting involved in illegal film downloading, prompting the FBI to launch an anti-piracy investigation. When Homer's family sought refuge in a Swedish consulate, an overzealous FBI director in charge of anti-piracy subsequently went after him, and JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford wound up singing a parody of the band's classic "Breaking The Law" in an effort to nab Homer. "There's only one surefire way to get fugitives out of a foreign building," said the FBI agent. "Blasting death metal."

"Swedes love death metal," a headbanging consulate member said in the episode. "It reminds us of death!"

After last week's episode aired, much of the metal community showed its disapproval online, making it clear that JUDAS PRIEST is not, and never has been, a death metal band. Word evidently got back to "The Simpsons" creators, who made amends by having Bart scrawl the words "Judas Priest is not 'death metal'" repeatedly on the chalkboard in the introduction of this week's episode.

According to the Bangkok Post, Samong Traisattha (a.k.a. Avaejee), the 36-year-old bassist/vocalist of the Thai black metal band SURRENDER OF DIVINITY, was stabbed to death in his house on Wednesday, January 8.

The deceased musician's widow, Jaruvan Surapol, said the murder was committed by a fan of her husband's band. She claimed the suspected murderer came over to the couple's home "to have some shirts screen-printed and to have a drink." After she put the couple's child to bed, she went to check on her husband and found him lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

A Facebook user going by the name "Maleficent Meditation" has since taken credit for the crime and has posted gruesome photos of Samong's body in addition to offering a detailed confession.

"I have intended to end my life since I was 25," the suspect wrote, according to the Bangkok Post. "Because I'll die eventually, I want to drag down those who tarnish Satanism with me. But I refrained from killing women and children.

"In my view, I have more respect for devoted Buddhists, Christians and Muslims than those who call themselves Satanists without knowing anything about it.

"If I did not kill him, I'm sure he would be murdered by someone else later."

A one-foot knife and a mobile phone belonging to the suspected killer were found at the crime scene, said Police Captain Chainarong Daengnokphum, an investigator at the Sai Mai police station in Bangkok.

North American power metallers ICED EARTH are joining forces with local record stores to release 500 limited-edition, hand-numbered vinyl "bootleg" copies of the band's new album, "Plagues Of Babylon". This extremely limited "bootleg" pressing, which is available only in record stores in North America, goes on sale tomorrow, January 14, and is sure to become an instant collector's item. Click here to find your nearest local participating retailer.

ICED EARTH makes its triumphant return with the January 21, 2014 release of new studio album, "Plagues Of Babylon", on Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Principal Studios (KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER) in Senden, Germany and was mixed at NHow Studios in Berlin, Germany. Guest vocals on "Highwayman" were laid down by VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen and SYMPHONY X/ADRENALINE MOB singer Russell Allen. Guest vocals on "Plagues Of Babylon", "Among The Living Dead", "Democide", "Resistance" and "If I Could See You" are by BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kürsch. The cover and additional artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, HATEBREED).

"Plagues Of Babylon" track listing:

01. Plagues Of Babylon02. Democide03. The Culling04. Among The Living Dead05. Resistance06. The End?07. If I Could See You08. Cthulhu09. Peacemaker10. Parasite11. Spirit Of The Times12. Highwayman

Songs 1-6 form the "Plagues Of Babylon" story line, part of the ongoing "Something Wicked" Universe

Exclusive "Plagues Of Babylon" pre-sale bundles are on-sale now at CM Distro.

Album and merchandise packages include the following: * Standard CD (28-page booklet; jewel case; collectible top spine)* Limited-edition deluxe CD/DVD (standard CD; DVD with "making of" documentary, alternate album mixes and gear guides; 32-page booklet with alternate cover artwork on cover; 6-panel matte digipack, collective top spine)* Double LP (180 gram; gatefold sleeve on matte-laminated heavy cardboard; printed inner sleeves; available in black or limited-edition silver wax)* Limited-edition boxset (CD/DVD from above packaged as deluxe mediabook; also includes bandana, embossed metal flask, six artwork cards and refrigerator magnet; limited to 3,000 copies worldwide) * Limited-edition 10-inch boxset (three 10" LPs; 12-page booklet; album artwork poster; limited to 1,000 worldwide - 500 gold / 500 black)* Long-sleeve shirt (pre-order package exclusive)* Short-sleeve shirt (pre-order package exclusive)

ICED EARTH will promote the new CD in its North American homeland with the headlining "Worldwide Plagues Tour", which kicks off April 4 for a six-week run with SABATON and REVAMP in support. "This is a seriously heavy album with a seriously brutal album cover," says ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer of "Plagues Of Babylon". "I'm sure it will go down as a classic in the epic ICED EARTH catalog.

"We feel that the package with SABATON and REVAMP is very strong and we are very excited to tour the U.S. and Canada again and kick some major ass!"

Jon Dette (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX) is sitting behind the drums for ICED EARTH's current European headlining tour, taking over for Raphael Saini, who filled in during the summer 2013 festivals, the recording of ICED EARTH's new album, and the club leg of the VOLBEAT tour.

Dette made his live debut with ICED EARTH on November 6, 2013 at O2 World in Berlin, Germany.

ICED EARTH last year parted ways with drummer Brent Smedley for "personal family reasons."

San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans TESTAMENT have released the following statement:

"It is with much respect that we announce our mutual parting with bassist Greg Christian. Metal fretless bass pioneer Steve DiGiorgio will be returning to TESTAMENT. Steve previously was a member of TESTAMENT on 'The Gathering' (1999) as well as 'First Strike Still Deadly' (2001). He will be joining TESTAMENT on their upcoming shows in Australia on the Soundwave Festival, Japan and Mexico City. Steve will also be taking part in the new TESTAMENT album. We are looking forward to continuing the momentum you, the fans, have made possible."

Christian was forced to leave the band's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in November for "personal reasons." Filling in for him was EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson.

"Dark Roots Of Thrash", a DVD/2CD release documenting TESTAMENT's sold-out headlining performance at the Paramount in Huntington, New York this past February, was made available on October 18, 2013 (Europe) and October 29, 2013 (North America) via Nuclear Blast Records. "Dark Roots Of Thrash" was produced by Get Hammered Productions, directed by Tommy Jones (DEATH ANGEL, KATAKLYSM, SOILWORK) and mixed by Juan Urteaga (VILE, EXODUS, SADUS, MACHINE HEAD). It captures a total of 19 live tracks with countless cams onstage and high above the audience, plus a special moshpit cam that makes you feel like you're a part of the show.

(Thanks: NJthrasher)

The video for "Steelcrusher", the title track of the second album from Tel Aviv-based neo-thrashers HAMMERCULT, can be seen below.

Comments HAMMERCULT singer Yakir Shochat: "This is a live video of the band performing the song 'Steelcrusher' live for the first time, which is truly capturing the raw power and unstoppable energy of HAMMERCULT live stage show. It clearly can be seen that the mania raged well within the crowd and the band to one big extreme metal party!

"We have chosen to kickstart 'Steelcrusher' with the self-titled video and a live video because it old the real essence of us as a live band, without any filtering, editing and over-hyped budget or scripted stuff — just pure metal onslaught, and making the fans roar, which is what we do best."

"Steelcrusher" will be released on CD and colored vinyl on January 27 in Europe and February 4 in North America via Sonic Attack/SPV. The effort was produced by Tal Vaisman and mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

"Steelcrusher" track listing:

01. Hymn To The Steel (intro)02. Steelcrusher03. Metal Rules Tonight04. Into Hell05. We Are The People06. Burning The Road07. Ironbound08. Unholy Art09. Satanic Lust10. Liar11. Damnation Arise12. Heading For War13. In The Name Of The Fallen

Check out a teaser for "Steelcrusher" below.

The song "We Are The People" includes a guest guitar solo by SEPULTURA's Andreas Kisser.

The "Steelcrusher" cover artwork was created by Andreas Marshall, the Berlin-based artist who has previously worked with BLIND GUARDIAN, IN FLAMES, RUNNING WILD and HAMMERFALL, among others.

"We definitely have European influences and have grown up with bands like KREATOR, DESTRUCTION and SODOM," says HAMMERCULT frontman Yakir Shochat. "Lots of important groups signed with Noise Records in their early days. That's why we're particularly happy that 'Steelcrusher' will be out on Sonic Attack, Noise founder Karl Walterbach's current label. So as fans of that great Noise era, we've come full circle in that respect."

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL will release their new studio album, "Broken Crown Halo", in North America on April 1 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded Italy by producer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., SEVENDUST, EVANESCENCE, PAPA ROACH) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., BUSH, ZEBRAHEAD). The effort was mastered by Howie Weinberg, whose credits include RAMMSTEIN, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, DEFTONES and SHERYL CROW.

"Broken Crown Halo" is LACUNA COIL's seventh studio effort, and the highly-anticipated follow-up to "Dark Adrenaline", which was released in January 2012 and saw the band tour with acts including MEGADETH, MOTÖRHEAD, VOLBEAT and SEVENDUST after debuting at No. 15 on The Billboard 200 album chart. LACUNA COIL will return to the road to introduce North America to "Broken Crown Halo" as part of the Revolver Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour, which launches February 20 and features LACUNA COIL sharing a stage with SICK PUPPIES, Century Media Records labelmates EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER. The tour launches in Wilmington, North Carolina, and runs through March 20 in Anaheim, California. See complete itinerary below, and visit www.hottestchickstour.com for additional details and VIP packages. LACUNA COIL had this to say about "Broken Crown Halo": "What conflict could run so deep that it takes you to the deepest corners of your inner world?

"Today we are surrounded by a lot of lies, aliases, and people acting like they are wearing an invisible crown — but you better have thick skin if you want to wear this crown!

"'Broken Crown Halo' is a cinematic album that could be the soundtrack of our days — it is a dark vision of a near future when survival is second nature, and failure is not something to be avoided, but rather cultivated with lessons learned along the way. "We set the bar pretty high with 'Dark Adrenaline' and it hasn't been easy bringing our sound to the next level, but we have lived, learned and grown through a year full of personal issues and changes. We learned to be strong and get stronger, and we felt an inner vibe in this band that we haven't felt before. We locked ourselves in an age-old studio in Milan, Italy, where history was strong and the past met with our future, vintage gear and the influence of classic Italian horror movies and bands like GOBLIN meeting the fresh and rough sounds of the modern world with unique and invigorating results.

"'Broken Crown Halo' is LACUNA COIL introducing a new order, and letting nothing stand in our way..." Revolver Hottest Chicks In Rock Tour featuring LACUNA COIL with SICK PUPPIES, EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER:

Feb. 20 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggy's By The SeaFeb. 21 - Atlanta, GA - MasqueradeFeb. 22 - Lexington, KY - Buster's Feb. 23 - Springfield, VA - EmpireFeb. 24 - New York, NY - Irving PlazaFeb. 26 - Worcester, MA - PalladiumFeb. 27 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon ClubFeb. 28 - Columbus, OH - Alrosa VillaMar. 01 - Joliet, IL - Mojoe'sMar. 02 - South Bend, IN - Club FeverMar. 05 - Broussard, LA - The Station LiveMar. 06 - Houston, TX - Scout BarMar. 07 - Austin, TX - InfestMar. 08 - Dallas, TX - Gas MonkeyMar. 10 - Denver, CO - Summit Music HallMar. 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The ComplexMar. 14 - Spokane, WA - Knitting FactoryMar. 15 - Seattle, WA - Studio SevenMar. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - House Of BluesMar. 20 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues

On February 21, two new releases from THERION will be made available: the deluxe edition CD plus DVD of their all-time classic "Theli" as well as a three-DVD package (limited edition including bonus DVD) called "Adulruna Redivia And Beyond".

THERION's fifth studio album, "Theli" was released in August 1996. The CD featured the band's legendary hit "To Mega Therion" as well as the outstanding ten-minutes epos "The Siren Of The Woods" and the hymn "Cults Of The Shadow". It features two different choirs and Dan Swanö from EDGE OF SANITY as a guest singer.

The deluxe edition of "Theli" has three more bonus tracks: "In Rememberance", "Black Fairy" and the SCORPIONS cover version "Fly To The Rainbow" as well as a bonus DVD with the entire album performed live.

In addition, there will be a double live DVD plus bonus DVD, limited-edition digipak called "Adulruna Redivia And Beyond". The two shows were recorded live in Atlanta in 2011 and in Budapest 2007.

Commented the band: "The concert recorded in Hungary was a concert on the 'Adulruna Rediviva' 20th anniversary tour in December. The idea of the tour was to play the entire 'Theli' album plus a set consisting of songs that the fans had voted for on the band web page. Piotr Wawrzeniuk and our old friend Messiah Marcolin joined in to make this evening extra special. The concert in Atlanta was the band's only show in the USA since 2007 and was shot during the band's headline performance at the ProgPower USA festival 2011."

"Adulruna Redivia And Beyond" track listing:

DVD 1

01. The Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah02. Son Of The Sun03. Midgård04. Asgård05. The Wine Of Aluqah06. Wisdom And The Cage07. Kali Yuga I08. Kali Yuga II09. Kali Yuga III10. Lemuria11. Via Nocturna12. An Arrow From The Sun13. Typhon14. Ginnungagap15. Preludium16. To Mega Therion17. Cults Of The Shadows18. In The Desert Of Set19. Interludium20. Nightside Of Eden21. Opus Eclipse22. Invocation Of Naamah23. The Siren Of The Woods24. Grand Finale / Postludium25. Adulruna Rediviva26. Black Funeral DVD 2 01. Sitra Ahra02. The Wine Of Aluqah03. Typhon04. Perennial Sophia05. Hellequin06. Nifelheim07. Clavicula Nox08. Voyage Of Gurdjieff09. Ljusalfheim10. Dies Irae11. Ginnungagap12. Kali Yuga III13. Call Of Dagon14. Siren Of the Woods15. The Wild Hunt16. Blood Of Kingu17. Lemuria18. Abraxas19. The Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah20. To Mega Therion21. Quetzalcoatl Bonus DVD 3

01. 011 - An Adventure with Therion02. 011 - Documentary And Behind The Scenes03. Amazing Voice

Adds THERION: "011 is the name of a board game made by the italian game manufacturer Scribabs. In a very ambitious way to market the game, they made this fantastic short film, starring the band members as actors, playing their roles in the game. The main man behind the game and the film, Paolo Vallerga, is currently writing a novel on the story behind the game and there are even some plans for a movie."

"'Amazing Voice' is a Japanese TV program about great singers. This episode had Thomas Vikström as main focus and the TV team flew to Sweden to interview Thomas and record some live singing exclusively for the program." A new THERION studio album is scheduled for late 2014.

Candlelight Records has announced the signing of the Italian melodic blackened doom band SHORES OF NULL. The band's new album, "Quiescence", will be released in early spring.

Said the group in a statement: "Joining the Candlelight family is an incredible milestone for a band like us.

"When we started this project one year ago, we couldn't imagine things to become so serious so quickly, and this is great.

"The sound of SHORES OF NULL fits perfectly into the Candlelight parameters; we are very thrilled about it.

"We are one hundred percent satisfied about the album that is going to come out and we definitely can't wait any longer to share it with you.

"We feel 2014 will be a colossal year for us."

Adds SHORES OF NULL guitarist Gabriele Giaccari: "Candlelight records has always been the label of some of my favourite bands and among the very first choices when we started looking for a label. I'm very excited and honestly I couldn't think of a better home for our music."

SHORES OF NULL was born with the sole aim of exploring the darker side of metal music, absorbing elements of gothic, doom, melodic death metal and other subgenres. It is something distant from the musical approach of the mother bands, some of which got over 10 years of experience under their belt (THE ORANGE MAN THEORY, ZIPPO). Crushing epic riffs and impressive gloomy vocals are combined here with dismal lyrics and misty soundscapes, where the whole plot can be described as epic, intense and very peculiar. They soon hit the stages of their homeland with success, teaming up with NEGURĂ BUNGET, STORMLORD and SATURNUS among others, and also gained the invitation to play Doom Over London in December 2013.

Svart Records has set a February 28 release date for KUOLEMANLAAKSO's "Tulijoutsen" ("The Fire Swan"), the highly acclaimed Finnish death-doomsters' second album and their most ambitious work to date. Produced once again by TRIPTYKON/DARK FORTRESS guitarist V. Santura, the CD explores unconquered grounds of heaviness and pushes the band into a new level of melancholy. The 50-minute magnum opus was inspired by the grandeur of the Finnish forests, serene eeriness of the lakes, and early 1900s poetry and folklore. Thus, it was only natural for the band to live the lyrics, so to speak, and isolate themselves in a secluded location in the middle of the woods and capture the true essence of the songs on hard disk. The first fruit of "Tulijoutsen" to be revealed is the alternating drifting/crushing "Tuonen Tähtivyö", which can be heard in its entirety below. "Tulijoutsen" track listing:

01. Aarnivalkea02. Verihaaksi03. Me Vaellamme Yössä04. Arpeni05. Musta06. Glastonburyn Lehto07. Tuonen Tähtivyö08. Raadot Raunioilla Musically, KUOLEMANLAAKSO have taken giant leaps in new territories on "Tulijoutsen", but not forgetting the crushing heaviness and the love for the avant-garde, which define the KUOLEMANLAAKSO sound.

"Tulijoutsen" is as versatile and epic as it gets, and it's got more hooks than a slaughterhouse. The "Musta Aurinko Nousee" MCD/MLP, released in November 2013 by Svart Records, gave a little taste of things to come, but that was just a preview. Compared to previous material, "Tulijoutsen" offers a fresh variety of vocal acrobatics, bigger choruses, catchier melodies, fuller arrangements, more courageous surprises in the arch of drama — you name it. KUOLEMANLAAKSO's debut album, "Uljas Uusi Maailma" (2012), was almost entirely written by guitarist/keyboardist Laakso (CHAOSWEAVER), whereas Tulijoutsen" is much more of a band effort with other members providing an array of material, too. The Maldivian prodigy Maahy Abdul Muhsin provided the front cover paintings for both albums. KUOLEMANLAAKSO was founded in 2010 in Kuopio, Finland.

"Uljas Uusi Maailma" peaked at #6 on the Rumba independent record store chart and #42 on the official Finnish album chart. In support of the debut, the band toured in Finland, hitting some of the biggest and most respected clubs in its native country, as well as performing to an electric crowd at the 2013 Tuska open-air festival.

"Tulijoutsen" will be released as a limited digipak CD with an exclusive bonus track ("Raadot Raunioilla"), digital download, and limited vinyl editions. KUOLEMANLAAKSO is:

Kotamäki (SWALLOW THE SUN, ex-BARREN EARTH) - vocalsLaakso (CHAOSWEAVER) – guitar, keyboardsKouta (CHAOSWEAVER, ex-VERJNUARMU) - guitarUsva (THE NIBIRUAN, ex-ELENIUM) - bassTiera (CULT OF ENDTIME, ex-DISCARD) - drums

PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR, the three-piece, predominantly instrumental band from the heart of Cambridgeshire, U.K., has inked a deal with Candlelight Records. PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR is Scott Gowan, Steve McKenna and Dale Vinten and was formed through a mutual love of all things big and beautiful. Often cited as "post-metal," this prodigious three-piece transcend any one genre, instead focusing on melody and dynamics, combining multi-layered guitars, hypnotic bass-lines, crushing riffs and groove oriented drum patterns to create a live sound much greater than the sum of its components. The band started at the end of 2008 in Peterborough after the dissolution of previous musical projects and quickly established their distinctive sound. Releasing their first self-titled EP in 2009 through Lost Children gained the band rave reviews around the online circuit and a healthy underground following. This would lead on to the demand for the second EP, "And The Sky Fell", released in January 2011 also through Lost Children. This recording was extremely well received and along with the inclusion of selected tracks on a handful of compilation albums and years of shows to an ever-appreciating audience the band was beginning to gather momentum. With a huge step up in production thanks to Jonny Renshaw (DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL) at Bandit Studios, PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR have recorded their debut full-length album "Fragments of Uniforms", set for an early 2014 release. A record that takes everything great about this band and then multiplies it exponentially. The band had this to say about the new deal: "PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR are delighted to sign to Candlelight Records. It's the perfect home for us and our debut album, and we look forward to working together with our new friends. Special thanks to Darren Toms A&R for his enthusiasm and belief in what he heard." Added the label: "PET SLIMMERS OF THE YEAR are a very gifted and talented young band, with a huge future ahead of them. We are over the moon to have them on the label!"

Watch the video for the song "Days Since I Disappeared" below.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has set "Give 'Em Hell" as the title of his new solo album, tentateively due in March 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.

Bach revealed the new CD title during an appearance on Episode 71 of the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray. You can now listen to the episode, which was recorded last Thursday (January 9) at at the Hollywood Improv, using the audio player below.

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."

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

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.

Episode 71 of "Let There Be Talk" podcast (audio):

On Saturday, January 4th ENTROPY will perform at The Rockpile in Toronto, Ontario with VARGA and MORTAL FEAR. Entropy guitarist Dan Lauzon has checked in with the following update:
"On the eve of our return to playing Toronto I would like to take this chance to introduce to you a new member to the Entropy family.

Blake Lemieux has been working his fkn ass off nailing down an hour long set of smoke and I gotta tell you, you're gonna be totally stoked to hear this new version of Entropy.

Please help us welcome our new brother on the drums with a hearty round of fuck yaaas. We cannot wait to see you all at the Rockpile on the 4th.

Cheers 'n beers to y'all and see u soon!"

Go to this location for event information.
Further Entropy information, including how to order their latest album E3, is available at this location.

"Cold", the new video from Birmingham, Alabama rockers LYNAM, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest EP, "Halfway To Hell", which was released on December 10, 2013 via New Ocean Media.

Says LYNAM vocalist Jacob Bunton: "'Cold' is about being fed up with your current situation and wanting to start over.

"Sometimes it's hard to leave behind who you are to find out who you could become.

"There are a lot of obstacles in life.

"Sometimes it's your dreams that break your heart the most. The struggle pushes most people to their breaking point and they give up.

"Everybody believes their problems are worse than everybody else's.

"Tomorrow is never promised and the world will knock you down, but it's up to each of us to keep standing back up.

"I'm a big believer in faith and that you can be whatever you want to be regardless of where you come from.

"The video for the song was filmed in Nashville, Tennessee by director John Fucile and his team at Smack Dab Media. The story line follows a girl that has basically given up on life. The video starts with her dead in the woods and then tells her story in reverse."

"Halfway To Hell" was helmed by the band and longtime producer Jason Elgin (COLLECTIVE SOUL, MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER, TERRIBLE THINGS).

LYNAM consists of Jacob Bunton (lead vocals, guitar), David Lynam (drums, vocals), Cody Elliott (Bass, Vocals), and Lonny Paul (guitar, vocals).

In 2006, LYNAM signed a deal with DRT/Universal and released the critically acclaimed album "Slave To The Machine". The follow-up CD, "Tragic City Symphony", was released in 2008 on Megaforce/Mascot Records and featured the radio singles "Save My Soul", "Lindsay Says" and "Porn Star". All three singles reached the Top 10 on the Active Rock independent chart, with "Save My Soul" reaching Top 5. A live album entitled "Thank You Goodnight!" was released November 2010 through Island Def Jam/New Ocean Media. Shortly after the release of "Thank You Goodnight!", frontman Jacob Bunton joined up with former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler to form the band ADLER.

Dutch classical guitarist Thomas Zwijsen will release his second album, "Nylonized", on March 11. His first album, "Nylon Maiden" (2013), contained 11 arrangements of IRON MAIDEN tracks on classical guitar. "Nylonized" will contain tracks from several artists and original compositions by Zwijsen.

Among the twelve guest musicians on the album are: * Kee Marcello (EUROPE) - guitar* Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, PSMS, BILLY IDOL) - piano* David Readman (PINK CREAM 69, VOODOO CIRCLE) - vocals* Damian Wilson (THRESHOLD, HEADSPACE, AYREON) – vocals* Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) - vocals* Ben Woods (FLAMETAL) - flamenco guitars* Tess Gaerthe - vocals* Mat Lehman - fretless bass

"Nylonized" track listing:

01. Nylonized (Thomas Zwijsen)02. Black Masquerade (RAINBOW)03. Panic Attack (DREAM THEATER)04. Behind Blue Eyes (THE WHO)05. Flash Of The Blade (IRON MAIDEN)06. Poison (ALICE COOPER)07. Twilight Zone (GOLDEN EARRING)08. Highway Star (DEEP PURPLE)09. Journey To The South (Thomas Zwijsen)10. Skyfall (Adele)11. Perfect Storm (Thomas Zwijsen)*12. La Última Canción (Agustín Barrios Mangoré) * featuring most of the guest musicians performing together. "Nylonized" was mastered by Grammy-nominated Maor Appelbaum, who has worked with such artists as SEPULTURA, Rob Halford and ADRENALINE MOB.

Zwijsen is currently on a two-month tour with Blaze Bayley in South America, after which he will embark on a European tour playing solo shows and shows with Ben Woods and Glenn Roth (who are also featured on "Nylonized") as the "Master Guitar Tour".

Zwijsen first gained attention with his classic arrangements of IRON MAIDEN songs on YouTube, which have gotten well over 3.5 million views. In 2013 he toured the album "Nylon Maiden" extensively in South America, Europe and the Middle East. He released a tablature book for the "Nylon Maiden" songs with bonus EP in October 2013.

"Nylonized" will be released through Yellowdog and Blacklake, which also handled Zwijsen's previous releases. ‘

"Nylonized" can be pre-ordered at ThomasZwijsen.com.

Former THE HAUNTED and current AT THE GATES guitarist Anders Björler took part in the reunion show of Gothenburg, Sweden-based thrashers PAGANDOM at the Gothenburg Sound Festival on January 4 2014 at Trädgår'n in Gothernburg.

Said Anders: "PAGANDOM was a thrash metal band from Gothenburg formed in 1987, which had a huge impact on the local scene in the late '80s/early '90s. This is pure nostalgia on my part."

Professionally filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:15 - "Spiritual Psycho"05:29 - "Protectors of Penetration"10:00 - "What Now, My Friend?"

PAGANDOM was:

Martin Carlsson - Guitar (1987-1996)Christian Jansson - Vocals, Bass (1987-1996)Rikard Ligander - Drums (1987-1996)Johan Zackrisson - Guitar (1988-1991, 1994-1996)Jens Florén - Bass (1993-1994)

PAGANDOM's reunion lineup 2014:

Christian Jansson - VocalsMartin Carlsson - GuitarsAnders Björler - GuitarsSören Fardvik - Drums

Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER will release thier third full-length album, "All You Can Eat", in the United States on April 1 on Open E Records via Kobalt Label Services (KLS). The 12-song CD, which was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, ADRENALINE MOB), will be available for pre-order on January 14 at SteelPantherRocks.com.

From the opening acoustic riff of album opener "Pussywhipped" to final chord hit in the album closer "She's On The Rag", it is clear STEEL PANTHER is back and better than ever. Songs like "Gloryhole", "Gangbang At The Old Folks Home" and "BVS" all showcase STEEL PANTHER's incredible musicianship and ability to write memorable and sometimes educational songs.

The debut single, "Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World", was released in November with a star-studded video directed by Rob Riggle that has been viewed over 660,000 times.

"All You Can Eat" track listing:

01. Pussywhipped 02. Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World03. Gloryhole04. Bukkake Tears05. Gangbang At The Old Folks Home06. Ten Strikes You’re Out07. The Burden Of Being Wonderful08. F@#king My Heart In The Ass09. BVS10. You're Beautiful When You Don't Talk11. If I Was The King12. She's On The Rag

STEEL PANTHER has also partnered up with acclaimed Los Angeles food truck Grill 'Em All for a promotion to coincide with the announcement of the release date of "All You Can Eat". Grill 'Em All was the winner of the first season of the "Great American Food Truck" on the Food Network and is known for their heavy metal themed burgers. The band unveiled the album cover of "All You Can Eat" on the Grill 'Em All truck and the truck will roam around Los Angeles giving away "The Fat Girl" and the "Eatin' Ain't Cheatin' Cheeseburger" for free to all STEEL PANTHER fans in Los Angeles.

Here is the schedule for the locations of Grill 'Em All today:

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. — Origami (1816 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026)1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — High Fidelity (1956 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027)3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. — The Record Parlour (6408 Selma Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028)5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. — The Rainbow (9015 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069)

Regarding the new CD title, singer Michael Starr said: "We feel like STEEL PANTHER is like a buffet. You know what I mean?! There's a little bit of everything for everybody. And you can have as much of us as you want."

The not-safe-for-work version of the official "Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World" video includes celebrity cameos by "Jackass" star Steve-O, porn icon Ron Jeremy, "Breaking Bad" actor RJ Mitte and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell.

Speaking to the South Bend Tribune, STEEL PANTHER drummer Stix Zadinia (real name: Darren Leader) stated about the band's new CD: "If you liked [2009's] 'Feel The Steel' and [2011's] 'Balls Out', you will love this record. It is more heavy metal songs that are hooky and great and fun and make you want to rock and make you want to have a good time and party. Also, there is a lot of riffage on this album that I think anybody who has ever questioned this band — 'Oh, those guys wear spandex and it is 2000-whatever' — these songs are going to put all of that to rest."

"Balls Out" sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Frontiers Records will release VANDEN PLAS' new concept album, "Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld (Path 1)", on February 21, 2014 in Europe and February 24, 2014 in North America.

The official video for the song "Godmaker" can be seen below.

With "Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld", the German progressive metal combo continues the pattern of development from album to album that th eband's fans have grown accustomed to. This time the progress is quite substantial, since the input for this new release came from Wolfgang Hohlbein, who, with 43 million books sold worldwide, is not only Germany's biggest-selling author but also a fan of VANDEN PLAS. He suggested a creative collaboration: a rock opera for the stage based on his series "The Chronicle Of The Immortals". The result was "Bloodnight" ("Blutnacht"). The libretto was written by VANDEN PLAS singer Andy Kuntz, together with Hohlbein and his manager Dieter Winkler, himself a respected author. The VANDEN PLAS team of Stephan Lill, Günter Werno and Andy Kuntz composed 19 songs for the stage theater production.

"Bloodnight", with Kuntz in the leading role and the VANDEN PLAS musicians in the orchestra pit, celebrated a stunning premiere on the stage of the Pfalztheater in Kaiserslautern in 2012. 25 sold-out performances in the 2012 and 2013 seasons with standing ovations that never seemed to end speak for themselves. Overwhelmed by this success, Hohlbein responded by writing another novel: the story of "Bloodnight".

The next step for the band was to turn the successful theatre piece into an equally successful VANDEN PLAS album. "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld" has 10 tracks comprising the first act of "Bloodnight". "Path 2", the second half of the album, is scheduled to bring the story to a conclusion in early 2015. Kuntz, in agreement with Hohlbein, adapted the stage version to fit an album format. On it he appears as the storyteller, so that unlike the stage production he is not only the main character Andrej Delany, but also embodies the roles of the other protagonists. In this way the storyline is richer and more easily understood by the listener for whom the powerful visions from the stage production are not available.

The music of "Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld" is pure VANDEN PLAS. The songs are noticeably heavier than the stage version and several amendments to the live arrangements can be heard with certain scenes that were rewritten from scratch. Some large chorus scenes from the stage production reappear with stark intimacy on the album, while in other sections a lush orchestral accompaniment replaces the piano line that had led the action in the stage version. At the same time, all the elements come into play that have long been distinctive to VANDEN PLAS. Kuntz's incisive lyrics are interwoven with Lill's defining riffs and Werno's diverse keyboard parts. A solid base is provided by bass player Torsten Reichert and drummer Andreas Lill, whose collaboration has produced an atmosphere that seems more homogenous and transparent than ever.

It is the attention paid to details that make this album different from any other earlier VANDEN PLAS recording. It is evident that this album recounts the story from a newly staged theatre production, which makes the VANDEN PLAS music to "Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld" even more diversified and vivid.

VANDEN PLAS fans will immediately feel at home with this album. Hohlbein was also thrilled from the first time he heard the music. He said: "Great album. I loved it! I'm happy that fans of 'The Chronicles Of The Immortals' can re-experience the story through the rock opera 'Bloodnight'."

VANDEN PLAS is:

Andy Kuntz (Vocals)Stephan Lill (Guitar)Günter Werno (Keyboards)Torsten Reichert (Bass)Andreas Lill (Drums)

ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE, the new project from longtime friends Frank Bello of ANTHRAX and David Ellefson of MEGADETH, will release its self-titled EP on January 14.

"Altitudes & Attitude" track listing:

01. Booze & Cigarettes02. Tell The World03. Here Again

The song "Booze & Cigarettes" can now be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below (courtesy of RollingStone.com).

The two bassists began writing music together while traveling the world during clinics now known as "Metal Masters".

"What started out as simple bass ideas quickly developed into some really great songs together," says Ellefson. "Our fans would probably never suspect that a couple of metal bass players would have songs like these inside of us. It's exciting to write melody with diversity while still pushing the limits of lead-bass playing. Frank's singing, and both of us playing guitars and other instruments, gave us a whole new dimension for creative opportunities."

"We thought it would be cool to let fans hear something they wouldn't expect from us — which is what ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE is," adds Bello.

"Altitudes & Attitude" EP recording credits:

Frank Bello - lead vocals, electric guitar, 8-string bass guitar David Ellefson – 4-, 5- and 8-string bass guitars, rhythm guitars Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE) - drums and percussion

Special guest: Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE) - lead guitar on "Here Again"

Fan-filmed video footage of ICED EARTH's January 12 headlining concert at 02 Academy in Birmingham, England can be seen below.

Jon Dette (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX) is sitting behind the drums for ICED EARTH's current European headlining tour, taking over for Raphael Saini, who filled in during the summer 2013 festivals, the recording of ICED EARTH's new album, and the club leg of the VOLBEAT tour.

Dette made his live debut with ICED EARTH on November 6, 2013 at O2 World in Berlin, Germany.

ICED EARTH last year parted ways with drummer Brent Smedley for "personal family reasons."

ICED EARTH makes its triumphant return with the January 21, 2014 release of new studio album, "Plagues Of Babylon", on Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Principal Studios (KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER) in Senden, Germany and was mixed at NHow Studios in Berlin, Germany. Guest vocals on "Highwayman" were laid down by VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen and SYMPHONY X/ADRENALINE MOB singer Russell Allen. Guest vocals on "Plagues Of Babylon", "Among The Living Dead", "Democide", "Resistance" and "If I Could See You" are by BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kürsch. The cover and additional artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, HATEBREED).

"Plagues Of Babylon" track listing:

01. Plagues Of Babylon02. Democide03. The Culling04. Among The Living Dead05. Resistance06. The End?07. If I Could See You08. Cthulhu09. Peacemaker10. Parasite11. Spirit Of The Times12. Highwayman

Songs 1-6 form the "Plagues Of Babylon" story line, part of the ongoing "Something Wicked" Universe

ICED EARTH will promote the new CD in its North American homeland with the headlining "Worldwide Plagues Tour", which kicks off April 4 for a six-week run with SABATON and REVAMP in support. "This is a seriously heavy album with a seriously brutal album cover," says ICED EARTH mainman/guitarist Jon Schaffer of "Plagues Of Babylon". "I'm sure it will go down as a classic in the epic ICED EARTH catalog.

"We feel that the package with SABATON and REVAMP is very strong and we are very excited to tour the U.S. and Canada again and kick some major ass!"

PHAZE I, the violent brainchild of David Potvin (LYZANXIA) and his brother Franck Potvin (LYZANXIA) as well as friend Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT), will release its sophomore album, "Uprising", via Trepan Records/Wormholedath. Drums were recorded at Dirk's Die Crawling studio. The rest of the album was produced by David at The Dome Studio in 2012.

A song from the CD, "A Thousand Fingers And Claws", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"Uprising" will be released digitally on February 2 via The Orchard.

PHAZE I had been years in the making, the Potvins working on this ferocious side project in between their LYZANXIA albums and gigs. It finally came fully into fruition in 2005 when David (vocals, guitar, bass), Franck (vocals, guitar) and Dirk (drums) managed to set some time aside together to record the first PHAZE I album at David's The Dome Studio. Soon after completing its self-titled debut, PHAZE I signed a deal with Scarlet Records. The record was mastered by Peter In De Betou at Tailor Made Studios.

Dallas Toler-Wade, guitarist/vocalist of the death metal band NILE, has launched a new project called NARCOTIC WASTELAND.

NARCOTIC WASTELAND's debut album will be released digitally on Wednesday, January 15 and will be made available via the band's web site as well as iTunes, Spotify and Amazon. Physical copies of the CD will also be available the following week on the group's web site.

The official lyric video for the song "The Shackles Of Sobriety" can be seen below.

NARCOTIC WASTELAND started as a side project Dallas had been working on for the past few years when he was not touring or in the writing/studio mode with NILE. "The more songs I completed for NARCOTIC WASTELAND, the more I wanted to put a full band lineup together," he explained.

Dallas asked longtime friend Edwin Rhone (lead guitar, vocals) if he was interested in joining the new group. They both had played in metal bands together in the early-to-mid 1990s. Edwin later recommended Chris Dupre for bass and vocals.

Dallas stated: "Chris came in and not only knew his parts, but owned them with lots of attitude. So the only thing left was finding a drummer. After trying out several drummers from all over the States over two years, my bandmate in NILE, George Kollias, recommended Erik Schultek. Erik did not only nail the material, but fit very well to the style and sound of the music."

NARCOTIC WASTELAND is:

Dallas Toler-Wade - Guitar/VocalsEdwin Rhone - Guitar/VocalsChris Dupre - Bass/VocalsErik Schultek - Drums

"One Last Call" and "The Ingredients", two brand new songs from the reactivated Swedish metal band BESEECH, can be streamed until the end of January using the SoundCloud widgets below.

About a year ago, Manne Engström (guitar), Robert Vintervind (guitar) and the former guitarist and songwriter Klas Bohlin (vocals), entered StudioMega / Fashionation Street in Varberg, Sweden, where all previous albums was recorded, to figure out the next era and return of BESEECH.

After spending some time recording and writing behind closed doors, BESEECH managed to come up with a worthy continuation to the critically acclaimed album "Souls Highway" (released by Napalm Records in 2002 and the last album with the main composers of the band Klas and Robert writing together). The result of the new recording got the classic BESEECH elements with a fresh, vintage-oriented sound.

With a new lineup, comes also a new sound. The new formation contains the three most creative members, Robert Vintervind (guitar), Manne Engström (guitar) and the founding member and songwriter Klas Bohlin (vocals). The new members are Johan Örnborg (bass), well-known producer at Fascination Street Studios; Angelina Sahlgren Söder (vocals) with experience from the world of theatre and musicals; and Håkan Carlsson (drums).

Italian gothic metallers MACBETH will release their fifth studio album, "Neo-Gothic Propaganda", on February 24 via Dragonheart Records/Audioglobe S.R.L.

Commented the band: "'Neo-Gothic Propaganda' combines a wide range of influences from classic symphonic gothic metal to scandinavian death metal with many contemporary, heavy, dynamic and very melodic elements. Our sound has been pushed to a more extreme approach and beyond the clichés of gothic metal."

"Neo-Gothic Propaganda" track listing:

01. Scent Of Winter02. Slow Motion Tragedies03. Void Of Light04. Last Night In Shanghai05. I Don't Care Of Being Just Like You06. Empire's Fall07. Dogma08. Opaque09. Little Spark10. The Archetype

The band previously said: "'Neo-Gothic Propaganda' is probably the best record we have ever written.

"Though our new sound is more aggressive than ever before, the new album will take you back to our roots. Fans of our old stuff will love it and new fans will find something special and a fresh production.

"The new sound combines a wide range of influences and is heavier, dynamic and more melodic.

"'Neo-Gothic Propaganda' is made up of ten brand new melodic and heavy songs and mixes gothic atmospheres into music that doesn't fit into any categories.

"'Neo-Gothic Propaganda' is a manifesto, is a movement, is the soundtrack of contemporary decadence."

MACBETH's last album, "Superangelic Hate Bringers", came out on November 16, 2007 via Dragonheart. The CD was recorded in two different studios, including a private studio in Reykjavik, Iceland and New Sin studios in Italy, where the band also mixed and mastered the album.

Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE), Thomas Zwijsen and Anne Bakker are currently out on tour in Brazil in support of their release "Russian Holiday".

Video footage of the trio performing an acoustic version of the IRON MAIDEN"Futureal" at the studios of Locomotiva Do Rock can be seen below.

The "Russian Holiday" EP was recorded during 2012 and released on February 7, 2013.

The EP received favorable reviews, with a Swedish magazine crediting the trio for inventing the genre "acoustic heavy metal."

"Russian Holiday" features acoustic re-recordings of three songs recorded and released during Blaze's years as a solo artist, a re-recording of the IRON MAIDEN classic "Sign Of The Cross" and one new song, "Russian Holiday".

The track listing is as follows:

01. Stealing Time (4:57)02. Russian Holiday (4:19)03. Soundtrack Of My Life (5:17) 04. One More Step (3:30)05. Sign Of The Cross (10:02)

Bayley released a career-spanning double-disc collection, "Soundtracks Of My Life", on October 31, 2013.

Metal Mind Productions recently released the two-CD version of Blaze Bayley's "Alive In Poland" (previously available only as part of the limited-edition "Alive In Poland" DVD) in Europe and North America.

"Alive In Poland" was recorded in Poland in April 2007 during the 21st edition of Metalmania festival in Katowice, Poland. It features a fantastic, over-one-and-a-half-hour show during which Blaze presented the best tracks from his discography, as well as select tracks from IRON MAIDEN ("Man On The Edge", "Futureal").

Bayley's latest studio album, "The King Of Metal", was released in March 2012. The CD was recorded at Fear Studio in Ravenna, Italy.

The 50-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to replace Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN.

The official video for the track "In The Trenches..." from HELL'S DOMAIN — the Danish thrash metal band featuring former members of HATESPHERE, KOLDBORN, EXMORTEM and ARTILLERY — can be seen below. The performance footage for the clip was filmed by Markus Prämaßing at the sold-out show at Logo in Hamburg, Germany, where HELL'S DOMAIN played main support for Swedish death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY.

"In The Trenches..." is taken from HELL'S DOMAIN's self-titled debut album, which was released on September 23, 2013 via Punishment 18 Records. The CD's cover artwork was created by Ed Repka, best known for his work with such bands as MEGADETH, DEATH, MASSACRE, ATHEIST, DEFIANCE and VIO-LENCE.

"Hell's Domain" was recorded at Antfarm Studios in Aarhus, Denmark. Mixing and mastering duties were handled by renowned producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, KATAKLYSM, HATESPHERE, SICK OF IT ALL).

"Hell's Domain" track listing:

01. 100 Days In Hell02. The Needle And The Vein03. In The Trenches…04. Order #22705. The Walls Come Tumblin' Down06. Crawling In The Shadows07. Dead Civilization08. Hangman's Fracture09. As Good As Dead10. A Good Day To Die11. Sneaking Disease (CRIONIC cover)

HELL'S DOMAIN was formed by guitarist Bjørn Bihlet (ex-KOLDBORN, BOIL) and bassist Lars Knudsen (ex-CRIONIC) in 2007 with the intention of churning out some catchy Bay Area-inspired thrash metal. Soon joined by Anders Gyldenøhr (ex-HATESPHERE, ARTILLERY) on drums and Alex Clausen (MONSTAH) on vocals, the band completed its lineup in 2011 with the addition of former EXMORTEM axeman Andreas Schubert.

HELL'S DOMAIN is:

* Alex Clausen (ex-GROPE, MONSTAH) - Vocals * Bjørn Bihlet (ex-KOLDBORN, HORNED ALMIGHTY) - Guitar * Andreas Schubert (ex-EXMORTEM) - Guitar * Lars Knudsen (ex-CRIONIC) - Bass * Anders Gyldenøhr (ex-HATESPHERE, ARTILLERY, GROPE) - Drums

Swedish melodic metal outfit DEAD BY APRIL will release its third studio album, "Let The World Know", on February 12 in Sweden via Universal.

DEAD BY APRIL's new CD is the follow-up to 2011's "Incomparable" and is the first to feature brand new vocalist Christoffer Andersson (SONIC SYNDICATE, BY NIGHT) following Jimmie Strimell's departure last year.

01. Beautiful Nightmare02. Abnormal03. Empathy04. Done With Broken Hearts05. As A Buttlerfly06. Same Star07. Let The World Know08. Peace Of Mind09. Freeze Frame10. Infinity x Infinity11. My Tomorrow12. Hold On13. Replace You

The band's latest single, "As A Butterfly", can be streamed below.

DEAD BY APRIL issued a statement in March 2013 blaming the split with Strimell on "Jimmie's personal problems." The band added: "His problems has affected the band for many years and we have basically tried everything we could to make this work. We have even gone through group therapy lately to get honesty and sincerity into the group. As nothing changed, we had to realize that if we want to move forward with this band, there's, unfortunately, no other way but to continue without Jimmie. We're sick of not knowing whether he'll turn up for shows, recordings and sick of having such bad environment within the band — at all times. It came to a point where we could not be in the same vehicle. We also want to strongly declare that DEAD BY APRIL is against drugs — an important statement for us to make in a time were we know a lot of our fans are young."

A photo of the new DEAD BY APRIL lineup can be seen above.

Dutch extreme death metal militia ARSEBREED has completed recording its new album for a 2014 release via Unique Leader Records. The follow-up to 2005's "Munch The Rotten" features current NECROPHAGIST drummer Romain Goulon.

Says the band: "In 2006, just after [former drummer] Floris [De Jonge, Mangled] left ARSEBREED, we got in contact with an unknown young French guy. He said he knew us from our other bands, PYAEMIA and DISAVOWED. We all agreed on a try-out. After only one month, he e-mailed saying he had learned our songs. Slightly skeptical — one month is really quick — we bought him his plane ticket and flew him in. Once in the rehearsal room, he nailed it! Flawless, relentless, speed and accuracy! We instantly knew that this unknown young guy from France, Romain Goulon, was the prefect drummer for ARSEBREED.

"Unfortunately, the best-kept secret in death metal was soon discovered by the rest of the world and in 2007 Romain fled ARSEBREED to join NECROPHAGIST. Nevertheless, last year we once again got in contact with Romain. We started talking about these ten songs that we had written over time, just waiting for a drummer... and we were stoked to hear that he was willing to record them! This week we received the recordings.

"More than seven years later, we got that exact same feeling that we had back in 2006 in that rehearsal room. Insane.

"Romain proved once again that was and is the one and only drummer for ARSEBREED. He is unsurpassed in creativity, technique, speed, perseverance and grasping the concept of the ARSEBREED songs as no one else.

"Finally! We waited for more than six years but it was worth the wait!"

Formerly known as BLOODCUM, ARSEBREED was spawned in 2000 and is dedicated to the execution of brutal, uncompromising, U.S.-styled death metal in the vein of DEEDS OF FLESH and DEICIDE.

LAST IN LINE, the band featuring DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell alongside fellow founding DIO members Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain and Claude Schnell, plus singer Andrew Freeman, who has previously fronted HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB, has begun writing original material, according to a new Facebook post from Campbell.

Said Vivian: "We got together in a rehearsal room this week to kick around ideas for some new songs.

"It's so much fun to play with these guys and we soon came up with a bunch of great starting points.

"Will keep you all posted as to how things develop."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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