Spanish thrashers LETHAL VICE have announced Thrash Converters as the title of their debut album and it will be released by Suspiria Records.
Thrash Converters tracklisting:

‘Insert Coin’
‘In Greed We Trust’
‘Diplomatic Immunity’
‘Psycho Surgery’
‘NWO’
‘Street Violence’
‘Godless World’
‘Operation Warehouse’
‘Zombies From Outer Space’
‘Lethal Thrashing Madness’

Lethal Vice has been around since 2005, releasing a demo Here Comes The Reaper in 2008 and they have opened for bands like DRI and VICIOUS RUMORS. In 2012, after a year of inactivity, and the entry of a new bassist, they rise to show what they are made of.

Lethal Vice is:

Charly – vocals
Calo – guitar
Alex – guitar
Abel – bass
Cheche - drums

Italian metallers THE MOOR are about to release the official video for the song 'Year Of The Hunger', taken from the album of the same name.
Vocalist/guitarist Enrico Longhin comments:

"We shot the video exactly one year after the release date of the album Year Of The Hunger, and this video represents what everyone of us is forced to do everyday. It's a metaphor about life and struggle. The best thing was to work with such a great artist like Guido Laurjini. He acted in several famous Italian movies, theatres, musical and also TV commercials, he's a really eye-catching actor. On the other hand we had the pleasure to work with one of the best photographer around, Andrea Livieri, just to give you the best result we can afford, like The Moor does every time."

The Moor incorporate sounds from prog rock, metal, death metal (for the guitar parts), seventies and alternative influences into their compositions, making for a very compelling end product that will reward any open minded listener. Recommended for fans of OPETH, DAY SIX, and PORCUPINE TREE, Year Of The Hunger will feature the following 12 songs:

Part I - Noble Truth of Suffering
'Hyperuranium'
'The Others'
'The Road'
'Covered'
'Year Of The Hunger'

PART II - The Path Of Liberation
'Clouds And Shales'
'Before Abigail'
'Liquid Memories'
'Antikythera'
'Venice'
'The Arising Of Volition'
'Venice' (instrumental)

An audio sampler has been made available:
Further details can be found at TheMoor.org.

French doom fiends WITCHTHROAT SERPENT have recently inked a deal with French label Deadlight Entertainment for the release of their eponymous debut album, tentatively due out in spring 2014.

The trio was formed at the end of 2011 by Fredrik Bolzann, leader of the avant garde black metal band DAVULIA and the former bassist of FORNICATION and MALHKEBRE, who recruited bassist Lo Klav and drummer Niklas Moonkouet to help him realize his doom laden dreams. Mining a very similar territory to WITCHSORROW, or the first ELECTRIC WIZARD album, Witchthroat Serpent sound at once refreshingly distinct and instantly familiar.
Witchthroat Serpent is premiering a brand new song today, in the form of the ominous ‘Serpenta Ritual’:

SOLAMORS, the brainchild of guitarist Alex Kenis (ex-BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE, ALETHEIAN) , vocalist Jason Wisdom (ex-Becoming The Archetype), and drummer Travis Turner (ex-Aletheian, UNTEACHERS), will release their debut album, Depravity’s Demise on Christmas Eve (December 24th).

Depravity’s Demise is an 11-track progressive melodic death metal album with a style that that attempts to blend technicality and thought-provoking music, with listen ability and traditional song-structures, in the vein of such greats as EXTOL, DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, and CARCASS.
Lyric video ‘Becoming What You Are’:
Depravity’s Demise tracklisting:

‘Standing In Air’
‘Becoming What You Are’
‘Plotting In Vain’
‘Self Destructing’
‘Dum Vita Est Spes Est’
‘Dispelling Illusions’
‘Shouting In A Vacuum’
‘Following The Light’
‘Permeating Reality’
‘Instrumental’
‘Calling Down The Sky’
For more info visit Solamors.com.

Minnesota-based AFTER THE BURIAL have returned with their album, Wolves Within, avaiable tomorrow, December 17th. It's been three years since the band has released any new material, but upon first listen it's very evident that it's been well worth the wait. The tech wizardry is amped way up, the breakdowns are massive and face melting and the vocal delivery is the most devastating yet. Already lauded for their technically impressive yet well-structured style of songwriting, After The Burial certainly takes things up a notch or two with this newest outing.

Justin Lowe (guitars) previously stated: “We are beyond excited to announce that our new album, Wolves Within, will be released December 17th on Sumerian Records. We've spent the last two years pushing our own limits in an attempt to give you what we feel is some of the most crushing and dynamic material we've written to date. We feel like this record is a new beginning for us. We are continually trying to push our own musical and creative boundaries that have yet to be explored, and simultaneously paving the way for the future of our sound.

We also couldn't be happier to announce that we have re-signed with Sumerian Records. We have so much respect for not only everyone at the label, but for all of the bands on the roster as well. For almost six years, Sumerian has been our home, and the home to many of our favorite bands. None of us could ask for a better setting right now, having the opportunity to work with our friends on a daily basis doing what we love.”

All tracks from the album are streaming below:
More on After The Burial, including their live itinerary, at this location.

Progressive metal band POVERTY OF IDEALS, hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa, have released their debut album entitled Barriers.
The 13 track album by the instrumental trio is available on Agent Indie Records and features the following tracks:

'Interlaced'
'Barriers'
'Jazz, Dawg'
'Arete Moraine'
'Sky-Trigger I'
'Machines'
'Primeval Park'
'North Star Fleet'
'Fermata'
'Glaciers'
'Sky-Trigger II'
'Loop Holes'
'StarGazer'
Poverty Of Ideals are:

Kyle Williams - drums
Craig Goudge - guitar
Matthew Bairstow - bass

For more details visit Poverty Of Ideals on Facebook.

LILLIAN AXE and CME Records have announced the release of a limited edition Lillian Axe Box Set entitled Convergence. This box set will contain all of Lillian Axe's releases from their debut Lillian Axe up to the 2012 release The Days Before Tomorrow along with a bonus CD containing unreleased Lillian Axe material never before released:
The band has checked in with the following update:

"Just a friendly reminder to our fans who reserved a box set:

Time is running out to reserve your box set. We are almost sold out of the pressing. If you sent an email in to reserve your box set you need to pay for it as soon as possible. If you want one please place your order via our previous instructions for Paypal or credit card. The cutoff date to pay for your email reserved box set is December 31, 2013. If you do not pay for your box set we will offer another person on our waiting list to purchase a box set. Thanks for your understanding as this is a limited edition and extremely expensive to manufacture."

The box set will contain the following:
Lillian Axe
Love And War
Out Of The Darkness Into The Light
Poetic Justice
Psychoschizophrenia
Fields of Yesterday + 2 bonus tracks (Japanese release)
Live 2002 (disc 1)
Live 2002 (disc 2)
Waters Rising
Sad Day On Planet Earth
Deep Red Shadows
The Days Before Tomorrow
Bonus CD with unreleased songs:
The Live And War EP (previously a digital only release)
'All's Fair In Love And War' (Live 2012)
'Ghost Of Winter' (Live 2012)
'Show A Little Love' (Live 2012)
'Angels Among Us' (Import only bonus track from The Days Before
Tomorrow)
The Love And War Demos from 1989
(Different versions that made the final album)
'She Likes It On Top'
'Diana'
'All's Fair In Love And War'
'Down On You'
'Fool's Paradise'
'The Last Good Bye' (previously unreleased)
'Perfect Blue' (previously unreleased)
'The World Stopped Turning'

Also in the box set you will receive a replica Psychoschizophrenia 1993 tour pass, two Steve Blaze custom guitar picks and a booklet with liner notes by Steve Blaze. All boxes will be hand numbered and autographed by Steve Blaze. Due to the great response from fans we will be pressing 250 box sets instead of 100.

Box sets will ship in early 2014.

TNT, who recently welcomed back original vocalist Tony Harnell, released their 30th Anniversary DVD in Japan on November 27th. It is due for release in other territories worldwide in the coming months.
The tracklist is as follows:

'Invisible Noise'
'Substitute'
'Refugee'
'As Far As The Eye Can See'
'Downhill Racer'
'Intuition'
'Northern Lights'
'Magica Lanterna'
'Harley Davidson'
'U.S.A.'
'Eddie'
'My Religion'
'Everyone’s A Star'
'10000 Lovers'
'Seven Seas'

The DVD, which was filmed on June 2nd, 2012, is now available through CDJapan here.
Harnell recently checked in with the following update:

"It's been a while!

First of all yes, I am doing the TNT thang again:) Hope to see you all on tour in your city next year! So far the TNT shows in Scandinavia look like this, many more will be added around Europe, Japan looks likely and hopefully the U.S.!

January
17 - Gregers Live - Hamar, Norway
18 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway

April
26 - Telenor Arena - Oslo, Norway
30 - Idun Folkets Hus - Umeå, Sweden

May
2 - Kulturens Hus - Luleå, Sweden
3 - Waterfront - Stockholm, Sweden

June
6 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden
20 - Tons of Rock Festival - Halden, Norway
21 - Hønefoss Rock Festival - Hønefoss, Norway

July
19 - Väsby Rock Festival - Väsby, Sweden

Secondly, we have a new DVD which has just been released in Japan and is coming out in other territories very soon. It's a beautifully shot video of the 30th anniversary show I did with TNT last year with a full symphony orchestra."

German thrashers PARADOX have revealed that they will be releasing a new compilation called The Demo Collection (1986-1987) and that it is “coming soon” via Stormspell Records.
The Demo Collection tracklisting:

CD1 – Demo #1

‘Opening Theme’
‘Pray To The Godz Of Wrath’
‘Kill That Beast’
‘Paradox’
‘Execution’
‘Death, Screaming And Pain’
‘No Place To Survive’
‘Victims Of Hell’ (bonus)
‘Beware The Darkness’ (bonus)
‘At Night Ever Twice’ (bonus)
‘The Fox’ (bonus)
‘Tears Of Repentance’ (bonus)
‘Outro’ (bonus)

CD2 – Demo Mystery

‘Asturias/Beyond Space’
‘Mystery’
‘Execution/Invasion’
‘Kill That Beast’
‘Product Of Imagination’
‘Wotan (Der Wahnwitzige)’
‘Death, Screaming And Pain’ (Recorded live on January 2nd, 1987)

For more info visit Facebook.

Norway’s KEEP OF KALESSIN has entered the mixing phase of their new album. Vocalist, guitarist Obsidian C has checked in with the following:

“Finally we have started the mixing process of the new album! I'm so much looking forward to hearing the first songs with all instruments including vocals, keyboards and not to mention Vyl's real drums instead of the pre-production programmed drums that I've been listening to during the entire production process. I expect to have the first draft next week!”
Keep Of Kalessin recently finished up a European tour with SOILWORK and SYBREED.

For more info visit Facebook.

St. Johns, Newfoundland’s CATEGORY VI has announced the release of their debut album FIREBORN. The album is available now on iTunes and other digital platforms. Fireborn features over 50 minutes of melodic metal, traditional metal, and even a few hints of thrash.

Discussing the album, the band said, "It's been a year in the making and finally our album has been set free! We feel that Fireborn covers many metallic bases with elements of melodic metal, traditional metal, power metal, and even some thrash - all qualities which make our music appealing to fans of several styles of metal.”
Fireborn was engineered and mixed by Rick Hollett. In mid-November, Category VI unveiled a lyric video for ‘Silence Befalls The Crowd’. The band will be announcing plans for an album release show in early 2014.
Fireborn tracklisting:

‘Vinland’
‘Silence Befalls The Crowd’
‘The Raven’
‘Reborn’
‘Beginning Of The End’
‘Descent Of The End’
‘Wasting Away’

Category VI is:

Amanda Marie - vocals
Geoff Waye - guitar
Keith Jackman - bass
Adam Thistle – drums

Fireborn recording lineup:

Amanda Marie - vocals
Geoff Waye - guitar
Tristan Adey - bass
Jason Williams – drums

For more info visit Facebook.

A three-minute video recap of 2013 by keyboardist Janne Wirman of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM can be seen below.

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

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

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

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

In the 14-minute clip below, Jeff Kendrick and Mike Spreitzer of California metallers DEVILDRIVER show U.K.'s Total Guitar magazine their favorite riffs from the band's sixth album, "Winter Kills".

"Winter Kills" sold around 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 32 on The Billboard 200 chart. This figure is in line with the opening number of DEVILDRIVER's fifth CD, "Beast", which also shifted 11,000 units back in February 2011 to land at No. 42.

The instrumental parts for "Winter Kills" were recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida while the vocals were laid down at singer Dez Fafara's home studio, with Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, ALL THAT REMAINS) handling production duties. The album's cover artwork features a photograph by Dean Karr. The layout was done by Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature.

"Winter Kills" was made available in four configurations, including a deluxe digibook with CD (including two bonus tracks, "Shudder" and "Back Down To The Grave") and live DVD (featuring 45 minutes of live raw DEVILDRIVER power — no studio overdubs at all, just the band at their best — and including fan favorites "Clouds Over California" and "The Wretched"), standard CD version, digital version and, for the first time in DEVILDRIVER history, a 2LP gatefold edition.

Swedish female-fronted black/thrash metal act DRACENA will release a new mini-CD, "Ravenous Bloodlust", on January 30, 2014. The Drac Productions release will include four new songs recorded at Sonic Train Studios, which belong to KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque. This will be band's first release since their full-length album "Infernal Damnation", which came out in 2006.

DRACENA was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1994 as an all-female band. In April of 1997, the first demo was recorded and released as a limited edition of 100 copies on cassette with three original tracks and a cover version of the VENOM classic "In League With Satan". In 1998, drummer Karin left the band, but Mia (guitar, vocals), Emma (guitar) and Asa (bass) continued on, and entered Andy La Rocque's Los Angered Recordings studio to record the second demo (April 1999), with the help of session drummer Terror (SACRAMENTUM, NECROCURSE, SWORDMASTER, RUNEMAGICK). The three-track effort titled "Demonic Women" was released as a demo and a limited seven-inch single on Bloodstone Entertainment. In late 2000, Mojjo (DEATHWITCH, LORD BELIAL) joined DRACENA as the band's new drummer, and they released another demo, titled "Labyrinth Of Darkness". In 2002 band members decided to go separate ways and DRACENA was left with Mia as the only active member: she didn't give up, and in 2006 DRACENA released its debut album titled "Infernal Damnation". The same year band appeared on the W.A.S.P. tribute album with "Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)".

Finnish metallers AMORAL have revealed the cover artwork and track listing of their new album, "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows", set for release on February 14. The effort will be available on CD, double vinyl and digital download. Aki Siltala, the artist behind the covers of previous AMORAL albums "Decrowning" and "Reptile Ride" is again responsible for the cover artwork.

To hear a brand new song weeks before its official release, subscribe to Amoral Times the band's brand new monthly newsletter. This monthly informative package personally written by the band will consist of updates, tour news, pics, videos, random ramblings by the group... pretty much whatever the guys think could be of interest to the AMORAL enthusiast. This is a convenient way of keeping in touch with what's happening with AMORAL by hearing it straight from the horses mouth once a month! Sign up by e-mailing to newsletter (at) amoralweb.com.

"Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows" track listing:

01. On The Other Side Pt. I (7:14)02. No Familiar Faces (4:07)03. Prolong A Stay (7:39)04. Blueprints (4:20)05. If Not Here, Where? (9:15)06. The Storm Arrives (6:25)07. See This Through (6:39)08. On The Other Side Pt. II (9:14)

"If Not Here, Where?" can be streamed below.

"'Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows' is a concept album, and 'If Not Here, Where?' sits right in the middle of the album and the story, marking a turning point in the protagonist's journey," says Ben Varon, guitarist and main songwriter of AMORAL.

"We wanted the first taster to really represent the whole album. Also, 'If Not Here, Where?' being such a massive chunk of music, almost like two songs in one, it will take some time for listeners to digest it all, and hopefully this track will keep people occupied until we leak out another song."

AMORAL's fifth album, "Beneath", entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 30. Released on October 26, 2011, the CD came equipped with a stunning 18-page poster booklet (made by Spanish artist Marta Nael), expanding the cover artwork into all its glory.

AMORAL is:

Ari Koivunen (RASKASTA JOULUA) - VocalsBen Varon (GREASE HELMET) - GuitarMasi Hukari - GuitarPekka Johansson - BassJuhana Karlsson (SHEAR) - Drums

METALLICA set a world record on December 8, 2013 by becoming the first and only band in history to perform concerts on all seven continents in under a year.

METALLICA's 10-song show in Antarctica "was the most unique show [the band] has ever done," the group said in a statement. "The band, contest winners, research station scientists (from Russia, South Korea, China, Poland, Chile, Brazil and Germany), and the ship crew, all crammed in this little dome out on the helipad of Carlini Station in Antarctica! The energy in the little dome was amazing! Words cannot describe how happy everyone was."

A 20-minute video recap of the show, including some funny moments during soundcheck, a jam on "The Wait", and a clip of "Creeping Death" from the show, can be seen below. The METALLICA concert was sponsored by Coca-Cola Zero and fans from several Latin and South American countries had a chance to enter a contest and win the opportunity to join the band on the expedition.

The concert took place under a dome at the Carlini Argentine Base and was heard by the fans through headphones, with no other amplifiers or sound system. The gig was also live-streamed in the participating countries.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death02. For Whom The Bell Tolls03. Sad But True04. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)05. Master Of Puppets06. One07. Blackened08. Nothing Else Matters09. Enter Sandman10. Seek & Destroy

Speaking to Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone last month, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said: "We are playing Antarctica; it's pretty wacky. It's crazy, because I don't deal with cold very well, so I have my reservations. But it should be pretty cool, because we've played the North Pole before — we've played Tuktoyaktuk [in 1995]— so we have to play the South Pole. Tuktoyaktuk was fine; it wasn't as cold as it sounded. But I have a feeling that the Antarctica is a lot colder than the North Pole. And it should be an interesting experience."

A snippet of the song "The South's Too Fat To Rise Again" from American rockers NASHVILLE PUSSY can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new studio album, "Up The Dosage", which will be released on January 21, 2014 in North America, in Germany on January 17, 2014 and in the rest of Europe on January 20, 2014 via Steamhammer/SPV. It will be made available as a limited digipak edition (including two bonus tracks and a poster), double gatefold LP edition with colored vinyl, standard version and download.

"The ['The South's Too Fat to Rise Again'] song is about how fucking fat everyone in the south has got. Me included! It's hard to preach about Southern Pride when you can't touch your toes," exclaims frontman Blaine Cartwright.

According to a press release, "Up The Dosage" picks up seamlessly where their 2009 release "From Hell To Texas" left off. And what is more: the quartet's five-year hiatus seems to have done frontman Blaine Cartwright (vocals, guitar) and Ruyter Suys (guitars) good — all 13 new songs (plus two bonus tracks) sound like they were catapulted into to the public from a fountain of youth, rocking in typical PUSSY style. Blaine Cartwright is rightly proud of and unmistakably happy about the new material. "None of the previous NASHVILLE PUSSY albums have been as diverse and at the same time consistent," he said. "Everything sounds even bigger and better, yet raw and authentic through and through. This is our 'Back In Black'!"

"Up the Dosage" features the first recordings from new bassist Bonnie Buitrago, who took over the bass player duties from Karen Cuda. Cartwright commented on the addition of Bonnie to the band: "Bonnie originally tried out for NASHVILLE PUSSY 12 years ago. When we needed a replacement for Karen a couple of years ago, we were lucky that she was available. She's a Southern California native who is a great musician who has given our rock a more solid roll!" Rick Beato, known for his production work with SHINEDOWN, mixed the album.

"Up The Dosage" track listing:

01. Everybody's Fault But Mine02. Rub It To Death03. Till The Meat Falls Off The Bone04. The South's Too Fat To Rise Again05. Before The Drugs Wear Off06. Spent07. Beginning Of The End08. Up The Dosage 09. Taking It Easy10. White And Cloud11. Hooray For Cocaine, Hooray ForTennessee 12. Pillbilly Blues13. Pussy's Not A Dirty Word14. Begging For A Taste (digipak bonus track) 15. Before The Drugs Wear Off (digipak bonus track)

Fan-filmed video footage of NASHVILLE PUSSY performing three new songs — "Rub It To Death", "Everybody's Fault But Mine" and "Up The Dosage" — on November 19 in Florianópolis, Brazil can be seen below.

NASHVILLE PUSSY came together in 1996. Ever since, the band has been performing a strenuous annual gig marathon, touring with acts like LYNYRD SKYNYRD, REVEREND HORTON HEAT and ZZ TOP as well as playing festivals like Wacken Open Air. Classic albums such as "Let Them Eat Pussy" (1998), "High As Hell" (2000), "Say Something Nasty" (2002) and "From Hell To Texas" (2009) have caused an international stir, and their single release "Fried Chicken And Coffee" earned the band a Grammy nomination in the late Nineties in the category "Best Metal Performance."

Helsinki, Finland's WOLAND will release its new studio album, "Hyperion", on February 24 (February 17 in Norway and February 21 in Germany/Austria) via Indie Recordings.

A teaser for the album can be seen below.

WOLAND's music relies on a foundation without boundaries and a focused vision. When others crawl in the mud and idolize the past, the band gazes to the future with a Nietzschean vision and welcome it with opened arms. The core idea is to rise above one self and become one with divinity, to be everything you can be.

While the music and lyrics are not tied to any specific events or follow any single dogma, they are heavily influenced by some of the modern worlds most prominent philosophers and writers as well as inspired by mythology with its gods and heroes.

Founded in the year 2010, WOLAND released a double single called "Conquer All & Live Forever" in February 2011 for the international event Finnish Metal Expo. While the songs have been freely streamable online, WOLAND concentrated on writing the full-length album "Hyperion", which is since completed and features elements from flamenco guitar to jazz piano, resulting in a unique and modern outcome. The album also features additional vocal performances from artists like Geir Bratland (DIMMU BORGIR), Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns (FINNTROLL) and Janica Lönn (BLACK SUN AEON).

"Hyperion" track listing:

01. Conquer All02. Art Of Ascension03. Living Water04. None05. Extacy And Rapture06. Honey In The Lion07. Live Forever08. Elevated Existence

Swedish/Danish sextet AMARANTHE have checked in with the following:

"Enjoy a... creative cover of our song 'Hunger' by the shark-themed kids rock band... 'Hungry'! We say brilliant."
Amaranthe's recently released new 'Invincible' video was accompanied by a single featuring two B-sides; an acoustic version of 'Serendipity' recorded live at Universal Studios London, and an instrumental version of 'Invincible' for all your YouTube karaoke needs. Click here for more details and to purchase.
Amaranthe recently announced their first ever headline tour of Europe, stating: "We are very excited to bring a special, full-length set to our fans throughout the continent! This tour finally includes our first dates in the UK in support of The Nexus. Joining us on this tour are two amazing up-and-coming Swedish bands - DEALS DEATH and SMASH INTO PIECES. For full list of dates check the poster (below) or Amaranthe.se."

Two years after the release of Illusion, Greek power metallers SECRET ILLUSION return with a new offering entitled Change Of Time, containing eight brand new tracks plus 'Point Of No Return' from the 2012 EP release.
In an attempt to tease us with a pre-taste of the new material, the band have released a lyric video for the song 'Perfect Fantasy', showcasing excerpts of Thass Jillion’s amazing artwork featured in the release.

Change Of Time was produced by Nigel Foxxe and Filippos Papakyriakou and mixed/mastered by Nigel Foxxe at The Foxxe’s Lair in Athens and features the guest appearance of Spyros Lambrou’s Children’s Choir on two of the tracks. Secret Illusion have already shot a video clip for the song 'Born Once Again'.

“The new material is definitely more mature! It’s a great mix of classic European power metal and orchestral music, all spiced up with progressive metal flavors!”, the band states.

Release date and further details about the upcoming album are to be announced soon.

'Perfect Fantasy' lyric video:

THE EXPERIMENT NO. Q, a musical project written and directed by the musician/comedian/scenograph Paolo Vallerga (featuring THERION band members), have released their first official video, 'Labyrinths'.

The Experiment draws together musicians from all over the world, combining a diverse range of styles, musical backgrounds and personalities to create a meeting of creative worlds... the one common point: No. Q.

A rock album that combines the power of metal with the beauty of poetic atmosphere, The Experiment No. Q fuses together the energies of each musician involved to create a unique and theatrical new world. A realm where musicians are the characters and music tells the story as we weave our way through a metal-infused dimension of leather, poetry and sensuality... amidst a cloud of steam-punk dust!
Tracklisting:

'Enter Number Q'
'To The Wise And Understanding Reader'
'Unpainted Leaves'
'Romantiquesque'
'The Dream Of The Whales'
'The Ship And The Poet'
'The Black Horizon Of The Monodist'
'Labyrinths'
'The Testament Of Cremer'
'Il Comandante' - Bonus Track

'Labyrinths' video:

More on The Experiment No. Q at Facebook.

Metal Mind Productions will release of a brand new album from Polish rock/metal band COCHISE. The album entitled 118 is scheduled for release on February 24th in Europe and March 11th in North America (via MVD).
Tracklisting:

'Sweet Love Generation'
'Destroy The Angels'
'White Garden'
'Beautiful'
'Bleed'
'Inside Of Me'
'Dead Love'
'Part Of Me'
'Cold River'
'Before You Sleep (For Jeremy)'
'Dog In Blood'
'Help'
'Little Witch'

Teaser:
The band was formed in 2004 in Bialystok, Poland. The current line-up includes: Pawel Malaszynski on vocals (he is also a very successful movie actor in Poland), Wojtek Napora on the guitar, Radek Jasinski on the bass guitar and Czarek Mielko on the drums. So far, they have released a demo “9” plus two full-length releases - Still Alive in 2010 and Back To Beginning in 2012.

According to a press release, on their studio albums, Cochise perfectly blend energetic songs enriched with heavy, almost metal sounds with more delicate, atmospheric ones. And that’s exactly what you can expect from their forthcoming release 118. The new material will also prove that they can remain true to the rock tradition and still enrich their sound with fresh and original ideas.

"Coincidentally, the new album marks the band's tenth anniversary," Radek Jasinski, the band’s bassist, comments. “It will be our third release and, on the one hand, it will show how far we have gone since our very beginning and, on the other, it will prove that, despite the changing music trends, it’s still us - the same musicians who still love to play rock music”.

Pawel Malaszynski, the vocalist, reveals the meaning of the album’s title: "Due to my work as an actor, I spent the last two years of my life travelling. Different cities, different hotels, where I can also work on new music. For some reason, the hotel rooms I stayed in were al-ways number 118. For me, the room 118 means the exchange of energy. It’s really important who you're sharing it with. It’s a claustrophobic, intimate place, filled with emotional waste - which you could compare to a peeling wallpaper - that has seen everything our minds cannot understand. It’s a room where we sleep with our eyes wide open, hidden in the corners behind spider webs of doubts. It’s a rare type of insanity… still cherished and still wanted… buried behind the door to the room 118."

Cochise lineup:

Pawel Malaszynski - vocals
Wojtek Napora – guitar
Radek Jasinski - bass guitar
Czarek Mielko - drums
More on Cochise at Facebook

Check out the official EPK (electronic press kit) for the SCORPIONS' new offering, MTV Unplugged, which is out now in Europe on 2CD, DVD, Blu-ray and in various other digital and physical configurations. The release is due out in Canada via Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. on January 21st. A US release date is pending.
On September 11th and 12th, 2013 and as part of their massive 38-date Farewell World Tour, Klaus Meine (vocals, guitars), Rudolf Schenker (guitars, vocals), Matthias Jabs (guitars), Pawel Maciwoda (bass) and James Kottak (drums) played two fantastic acoustic sets in the Lycabettus Theatre, Athens and made history in the process; it is the first ever open-air show in the history of MTV Unplugged.
Throughout its two-and-a-half hours, the show features an impressive range of brand new songs and classic tracks. As vocalist Klaus Meine recalls; “We played here many years ago. It is a beautiful place. I can remember that even back then the fans climbed onto the surrounding rocks. Of course we played some of the greatest classics this time, but we also performed a few new songs as well as material that we had never played live up to then. Those are songs which are very popular with the fans but which somehow never made it onto the set lists.”

The Scorpions evidently enjoyed this musical rollercoaster ride through their own history. It is equally obvious that both rock songs and power ballads display their class and style even when rendered as acoustic versions. The melodies maintain their timeless compositional appeal and the quality of the performance showcases the band at their very best.
The show opens with ‘Sting In The Tail’, arranged in a Cajun style. This song, taken from the eponymous album of 2010, bears witness to how deeply the Scorpions are rooted in rock 'n' roll and blues. The same applies to the set of classics that follow, such as ‘Pictured Life’, ‘Speedy's Coming’ or the hymnal ‘Born To Touch Your Feelings’ There are even more nuggets from the sheer endless stock of hits such as ‘Rock You Like A Hurricane’ ‘Still Loving You’ ‘Big City Nights’, ‘No One Like You’ ‘When The Smoke Is Going Down’ and ‘Wind Of Change’– as well as a few welcome surprises to dazzle the connoisseur. ‘When You Came Into My Life’, where Rudolf Schenker plays a sitar, is one of those tracks which the Scorpions had never before played live, as are ‘Where The River Flows’ and ‘Passion Rules The Game’. They also perform ‘Love Is The Answer’ a ballad for which Rudolf Schenker took over as lead vocalist – a feat that does not happen very often. And immediately after this, Klaus Meine surprises us with the world premiere of ‘Follow Your Heart’ in this exceptional set of two dozen songs.
Tracklisting:

Disc 1
'Sting In The Tail'
'Can't Live Without You'
'Pictured Life'
'Speedy's Coming'
'Born To Touch Your Feeling'
'The Best Is Yet To Come'
'Dancing With The Moonlight'
'In Trance'
'When You Came Into My Live'
'Delicate Dance' (Matthias Solo)
'Love Is The Answer' (Rudolf Solo)
'Follow Your Heart' (Klaus Solo)

Disc 2
'Send Me An Angel'
'Where the River Flows'
'Passion Rules The Game'
'Rock You Like A Hurricane'
'Hit Between The Eyes'
'Rock 'N' Roll Band'
'Blackout'
'Still Loving You'
'Big City Nights'
'Wind Of Change'
'No One Like You'
'When The Smoke Is Going Down'

Check out the trailer for MTV Unplugged below:
'In Trance':
'Dancing With The Moonlight':

Swedish death metal bastards BLOOD MORTIZED welcome new bassist, Alexander Nord.

Says the band: "We are very pleased to introduce him as the new member of the Bloodfamily. Alexander will play bass with us from now on."
The Demon, The Angel, The Disease, the new album from Blood Mortized, was unleashed from the graveyard November 29th on CD and digital formats. The album features 12 brand new tracks full of classic swedish death metal riffs, epic guitar solos, guttural voice and horrifying scenes of blood and gore.

Mixed and mastered by Linus Nirbrant (A Canorous Quintet, Amon Amarth) at Audiogrind Studios, The Demon, The Angel, The Disease features artwork by Benny Moberg see below. First limited edition comes in cardboard digiwallet 5" with exclusive artwork and strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide.
Tracklisting:

'Bastard'
'In The Black Flames Of Desolation'
'My Soul, Your Flesh'
'I Am The Dead'
'Master Of Pain'
'Dysphoria Dystopia'
'Blessed Are The Dead'
'Blooddrenched Stones'
'Noiseterror 08'
'The Barbarian Lust'
'The Demon, The Angel, The Disease'
'I Leave With Hate'

'Bastard' video:
More on Blood Mortized at Facebook.

Fans can now experience the high energy of a FOGHAT concert from the comfort of their living room, with the DVD release of their performance at Jannus Landing, Live In St. Pete. Check out 'Slow Ride' from the release below:
While most classic rock bands have made it due to monster selling studio albums, Foghat has always been an exception to that rule with their 1977 Foghat LIve album being their biggest seller (Double Platinum). And this holds true to this day as Foghat still tours relentlessly with their thunderous blend of blues, boogie and rock n’ roll. They hit the stage with all cylinders firing and still remain one of the best live bands today with not only as much energy but with 40+ years of additional experience.
The man who we have to thank for keeping Foghat going and never stopping is founding member Roger Earl who treats the fans to a wicked drum solo. Incredible bassist Craig Macgregor has been a Foghat member since 1975 and played on some of their most successful albums in the 70s including Foghat Live, Night Shift, and Stone Blue. Lead/slide guitarist Bryan Bassett is an alumni of both WILD CHERRY and MOLLY HATCHET, while vocalist/guitarist Charlie Huhn played with TED NUGENT, GARY MOORE and HUMBLE PIE.

All of Foghat's classics are included in this DVD - 'Fool for the City', 'I Just Want to Make Love to You', 'Stone Blue', 'Drivin’ Wheel', 'My Babe', and of course, 'Slow Ride', among many others.
Tracklisting:

'Road Fever'
'Take Me To The River'
'My Babe'
'Drivin' Wheel'
'Stone Blue'
'Rollin' and Tumblin' / You Need Love'
'Terraplane Blues'
'Fool For The City'
'I Just Want To Make Love To You'
'Slow Ride'

‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’:

'Back To Life', the new video from Romanian metallers GOODBYE TO GRAVITY is streaming below. The performance-based clip is a collage of
behind the scenes and on the road material shot during a one-year period, on the band's Zero Gravity Tour. It includes footage from the
biggest festivals the band played, including the Summer Breeze Open Air in 2012.
"We were all impressed by the reaction this song got when we played it live, and–although it was never intended as a single–we decided in the
end to do a video for it" explained bassist Alex Pascu. "It's definitely a big 'thank you' to all of our fans", adds lead singer Andrei Galut.
'Back To Life' is the fourth single from the band's self-titled debut album, released in 2012. The CD was produced and mixed by Alex Pascu and mastered by Jens Bogren, known for his work with bands like SOILWORK, KREATOR and JAMES LaBRIE.
Goodbye To Gravity is now entering the studio to record their second album, due 2014.

Italy's DANIELE LIVERANI, best known as the driving force behind bands TWINSPIRITS, GENIUS ROCK OPERA, COSMICS and KHYMERA, will release his new album, entitled Fantasia, via SG Records on January 10th.
Tracklisting:

'Unbreakable'
'Joke'
'Peacefully'
'Apocalypse'
'Daylight'
'Gigantic'
'Black Horse'
'Outstanding'
'Guilty'
'Heaven'
'Rage'

Making Of Fantasia Episode #1:
Two pre-production clips can be found below:
More on Daniele Liverani at Facebook.