"Nocturnall Human Side", the new video from Brazilian metallers NOTURNALL — who feature in their ranks ex-ANGRA drummer Aquiles Priester (who's also toured with Tony Macalpine and Vinnie Moore) alongside former SHAMAN members Thiago Bianchi (vocals), Leo Mancini (guitar), Fernando Quesada (bass) and Juninho Carelli (keyboards) — can be seen below. The song, which features guest vocals from Russell Allen of SYMPHONY X and ADRENALINE MOB, is the first single from NOTURNALL's debut album, due in January 2014. The clip, some of the footage for which was filmed in New York City, also features an appearance by the international model and actress Renata Diffley.

NOTURNALL is:

Thiago Bianchi - VocalsFernando Quesada - BassLéo Mancini - GuitarJuninho Carelli - KeyboardsAquiles Priester - Drums

João Gordo of Brazilian crossover legends RATOS DE PORÃO (Portuguese for "Basement Rats") joined SEPULTURA on stage on October 25 at SESC Belenzinho in São Paulo, Brazil to perform the songs "Biotech Is Godzilla" and "Crucificados Pelo Sistema" (RATOS DE PORÃO cover). Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

SEPULTURA's new album, "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart", was released on October 25 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Although it was inspired by Fritz Lang's classic 1927 movie "Metropolis", "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" is not a concept album or a soundtrack like its precedessors "Dante XXI" (based on "The Divine Comedy") and "A-Lex" (based on "A Clockwork Orange").

"The Mediator Between The Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" was tracked over a 40-day period at producer Ross Robinson's (KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, SLIPKNOT) studio in Venice, California and was mixed and mastered by co-producer Steve Evetts, who previously worked with SEPULTURA on the "Nation" (2001), "Revolusongs" (2002) and "Roorback" (2003) albums, in addition to having collaborated with Ross on a number of other projects in the past.

Sean McCourt of MetroActive.com recently conducted an interview with SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On SLAYER's future:

Araya: "There was a lot of stuff that we had already lined up to do, and then we got the news about Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist] passing — so at the moment it's more about fulfilling obligations. After this tour is over, we have to sit down and really discuss what the plans are, what the future is."

"We're moving forward, and finishing up the year, basically so everyone can have closure. It will allow fans to have closure too and we can all remember Jeff one last time."

On the public memorial for Jeff Hanneman, which was held in late May at the Hollywood Palladium:

Araya: "It's the old cliché, no one is ever really respected for what they do until they pass, and then you realize the profound effect that he had on a lot of people, and the effect the band has on a lot of people.

"We have a banner that we had made with Hanneman's name on it and at the end of the set we drop it and the whole place goes nuts. I'm touched by that alone, that the fans have been very supportive, and coming out in droves."

On the songwriting process for SLAYER's next studio album:

Araya: "In the course of rehearsals [before he got ill], Jeff brought in two or three things he was working on and I thought it was awesome. It was really cool, but he never brought us finished products, they were things he was still working on, and that's the stuff I want to see if I can find. I want to see how far he got with a lot of that music, because it was just amazing stuff; we listened to it in jaw-dropping awe."

"This record has to be something special, it has to be extraordinary — it can't just be another SLAYER record. There's a lot on the plate for the band, and we've gotten quite a bit of support from a lot of fans. We've also gotten a lot of negative feedback about things that we've done [over the years], so we'll see what the future holds. Usually our attitude about that has been, 'Fuck 'em!' It seems to have worked for us so far, so I doubt we'll change that aspect of the band."

Read more from MetroActive.com.

Bassist Mike Tiner of Oakland, California-based extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH says that the band had no choice but to fire their lead singer, Hernan "Eddie" Hermida, after Hermida joined SUICIDE SILENCE as the replacement for the late Mitch Lucker.

Speaking to Metal Injection, Tiner said: "I first heard of Eddie potentially joining SUICIDE SILENCE in March while we were on tour in Japan. When he first brought it up, he made it seem as if he was only considering recording with them, but then as he further explained everything, it became very clear that he wanted to join SUICIDE SILENCE. Everyone in that room had the same reaction: 'How are you going to possibly have time to do both bands?' Eddie reassured us a dozen times over that both bands would be able to coexist and work together with one another, with him as the vocalist of both bands.

"As we had always trusted Eddie before, after a lot of long conference calls, we gave him the benefit of the doubt and decided to wait till there was an actual scheduling conflict and cross that bridge then. We already had METALLICA's Orion Music + More and our own MTL: South Of The Border Tour on the books, so we went ahead with Eddie for those shows, and they all turned out very well. It seemed like maybe everything would actually work out OK. Then, after Eddie was officially in SUICIDE SILENCE (but before it went public), we got an offer from DEATH ANGEL to play two or three shows with them, all in California. Eddie in particular wanted to do these shows and pushed hardest for them, so we confirmed them. Then a week or two later he tells our management that he actually can't do the shows… because of SUICIDE SILENCE.

"That's when SUICIDE SILENCE's management informed us of all of the things ALL SHALL PERISH would and would not be 'allowed' to do. ALL SHALL PERISH could not play a show until Eddie was well 'established' as the new singer of SUICIDE SILENCE. SUICIDE SILENCE's management told us that they would have to be well into their new album and touring cycle before ALL SHALL PERISH could be seen again with Eddie.

"That is easily a year of ALL SHALL PERISH not being 'allowed' to do anything; possibly more than a year. There were other rules, too, but this one was huge. When we heard this, we immediately all got on the phone with Eddie and asked him how him being in both bands could ever work, especially after this whole DEATH ANGEL thing. Eddie still insisted it could work but also maintained that SUICIDE SILENCE would be his priority. We asked Eddie if he was quitting and he said, 'No, I'm not. If you want me out of ALL SHALL PERISH, you'll have to fire me.'

"Now, I ask all of you reading this, both ALL SHALL PERISH fans and SUICIDE SILENCE fans: what would happen if you worked at Starbucks and you told your boss that you took a job at Coffee Bean across the street, that Coffee Bean would be your new priority and that you wouldn't be able to pick up a single shift at Starbucks for at least a year or more, followed by: 'But I'm NOT quitting!'

"Did Eddie 'quit' ALL SHALL PERISH or was Eddie 'asked to leave' ALL SHALL PERISH? You tell me."

Hermida spoke to Metal Injection earlier in the week about his decision to join SUICIDE SILENCE.

Asked how SUICIDE SILENCE approached him to join the band, Hermida said: "At first, their manager contacted me and said, 'Hey, Ed, the guys are thinking about picking themselves up and would like to hear what someone else sounds like on a previously recorded track.' They said it was more for the reference than anything else. After I recorded the 'You Only Live Once' track, they liked it so much that we started exploring ways to make something work."

He added: "Mitch and SUICIDE SILENCE were always like a surrogate family to me so when they asked me to help with the track, I was honored. When they officially asked me if I'd be interested in joining the band, it definitely put me in a tough spot as I had many things to consider."

Regarding when he decided that he would have to do this full time and depart from ALL SHALL PERISH, Hermida said: "The full-time aspect for SUICIDE SILENCE was always part of the deal. Just know that I did everything in my power to stay in ALL SHALL PERISH and work both projects. The ALL SHALL PERISH boys will say that I quit when I decided to take the reigns in SUICIDE SILENCE. I will say that I was asked to step away by my bandmates because they didn't want my schedule with SUICIDE SILENCE to interfere with their future. Either way, ALL SHALL PERISH has my heart and soul built into it and I will always support the work we did together."

Former THE HAUNTED singer Peter Dolving has announced via his Facebook page that he will shortly undergo hip transplant surgery.

"It's hard to describe what a relief this is," he writes. "Six years of endless pain that just had me on my ass. Pain like that, that never, ever, ever, ever goes away. But now I know that I will be close to pain free again, and I won't have to worry about my kidneys shutting down because of the anti-inflammatories and painkillers."

"Sure, the doc says I can't do anymore long-distance running. But I figured that out years ago.

"So, it's back to active rest and as doing little as possible and I will be back on my big bad feet again.

"This feels truthfully relieving. Finding hope, that's not depending on sheer willpower, I say, it ain't half bad."

Previously a vocalist for MARY BEATS JANE, Dolving joined THE HAUNTED in 1997 and sang in their debut self-titled album. In 1998, he left the group to concentrate on a band called ZEN-MONKEY but returned in 2003 following the departure of Marco Aro (the vocalist which took over Dolving's spot after Peter's 1998 exit). He has since appeared on the studio albums "Revolver" (2004), "The Dead Eye" (2006), "Versus" (2008) and "Unseen" (2011).

Dolving left THE HAUNTED again in February 2012, explaining in a statement that he "had fucking had it with dysfunctional bullshit." He has since been replaced by a returning Marco Aro.

MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars has once again dismissed reports that his poor health is partly to blame for the band's decision to retire from touring.

In a recent interview with the Oakland Press, CRÜE singer Vince Neil said that Mars' ongoing battle with Ankylosing spondylitis, a painful form of chronic arthritis that causes vertebrae in the spine to fuse together, as well as the band's desire to "go out on top" were the primary reasons for CRÜE's revelation that they will call it quits after 2015. "It's just time," Neil said. "Mick's health is not that good, and touring is tough on him. I'm sure in five, 10 years' time, we'll probably do something together again, but it's not gonna be like a KISS farewell to the farewell to the farewell tour. We're not gonna be like that."

He added: "We want to go out on top. We don't want to be one of those bands that people are like, 'Oh, they're playing a little club now.' We still sell out arenas and do stadium shows and stuff like that, and that's how we want to be remembered."

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee echoed Vince's comments, telling Canadian progressive-house music producer and performer Deadmau5 in a recent video: "Our guitar player, Mick, he has a spinal disease that's slowly fusing his vertebrae together. It's one of those things that's treatable, but not curable. So it's just progressively getting really worse and it's painful for him, so he doesn't wanna tour much longer. I can't say I blame him… The last thing we ever wanna do is go out running on two cylinders with some hired guy playing guitar; that's just wack. So we wanna go out with one big hurrah with the original guys and be done with it."

He added: "That's such a bad look when bands are still playing the fucking fairgrounds — those county-fair shows — and it's just like two of the original guys, or one original guy, and the rest, no one knows who they are. We don't wanna do that."

However, in a posting earlier today (Saturday, October 26) on his Twitter account, Mars painted a different picture, claiming that his medical condition had never affected his playing. "Once again, any rumors regarding a farewell tour due to 'my poor health is BS," he wrote. "I am doing fine, my AS has never kept me from touring." He added: "Thank all of you for knowing the truth… When I'm done touring, you'll hear it from me."

Lee responded to Mars' Twitter posting, writing: "@mrmickmars it's probably not so much about your physical health it's more about our mental health as a band! Haha!"

MÖTLEY CRÜE recently returned to Las Vegas for an exclusive twelve-show engagement September 18 through October 6 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault recently conducted an interview with guitarist Greg Mackintosh of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal Assault: In this interview, I'll mainly talk to you about the new PARADISE LOST release, the "Tragic Illusion 25 (The Rarities)" compilation which is releasing on October 29th via Century Media Records. First thing I want to ask you is how did the idea for this come about and what's the reasoning behind this release?

Greg: Well, the idea initially came from Century Media. Those people were telling us that we've been a band for 25 years and that it would be cool to do something to mark the 25 years. A lot of our B-sides and rare stuff are really good tracks that should have been on albums, so we thought we can put those together and make it a special release by re-recording a couple of the older tracks, the idea behind that being to try and almost school fans on where we came from because a lot of people might not know the history of where we started from. And also, we wrote a totally new song to put on there, to make it even more worthwhile and to sort of bridge the gap between the past and the future. So it's a combination of two things, the idea came from Century Media and then we kind of shaded it.

Metal Assault: As you said, you've re-recorded a couple of old tracks ("Gothic" and "Our Savior") and you've included a new track called "Loneliness Remains". I think that's important for a compilation release. Bands often just put together the old songs and put it out. But then people don't really have any interest unless there's actually something new to look forward to in the release.

Greg: Yeah, this is very much a collectors' record, I would say. We're not putting it out to try and get new fans or anything. This is specially for the collectors and the fans, to put all these songs in one place and in one time, tracks that we wish had made it on to the record. I think it's nice to put it all in one package, and like you said, we re-recorded those two old tracks. Those are not meant to improve on the originals because they have that charm of that time when they were recorded. It's just something to show where we came from and to prove that we can still do what we want to. So we put it all together and got the cover artwork done by a guy named Valnoir. We asked him to incorporate little things from the artwork of each of the albums we've done.

Metal Assault: This is obviously a follow-up to "Tragic Idol" which came out last year. The album is fantastic and it was received very well by fans, and I think you even gained new fans with it. That must be a good feeling, to put out such a relevant album in 2012, after all these years of being a band.

Greg: Yeah, I think that's one of two reasons really why we continue to exist. One is because people tell us that our music is still relevant in the metal scene, and the other reason is that we still enjoy doing it. Otherwise I don't really imagine continuing. If for some reason we feel what we do has nothing to say anymore or we don't enjoy it anymore, that would be the time to give up, you know.

Metal Assault: We talked about the fact that there's a new track on this compilation. Is that an indication of the future musical direction, or is it just a one-off and the new album will be completely a fresh start?

Greg: I think it's kind of an indication. We never like to write on the road, we like to finish doing our touring stuff and then sit down and think where we want to go, because an album is like a snapshot. It's just what we're about at that point of time. So if you're writing too far ahead, it's not relevant to what you're about at that time. So when we recorded this track, it was kind of like where we were heading towards, musically. So it's an indication, I would say, of what we're starting to do after this 25th-anniversary tour.

Metal Assault: Obviously, there is nothing confirmed yet because you haven't announced anything, but is there something in the works for North America next year or sometime soon?

Greg: Well, the plan is to start writing again after this 25th anniversary tour and we're supposed to be recording in June next year. So, we'll be ready to tour again in the early fall of next year and if you're looking out for us to tour North America, it would probably be around that time. It's one of my favorite places to tour, purely because I have such a good time over there, you know.

Read the entire interview at Metal Assault.

KINGS OF CHAOS — the new touring project featuring former GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan, along with Glenn Hughes (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, DEEP PURPLE), Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) and Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) — will perform a special concert on Monday, November 18 at Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles. They will play a two-hour set spanning the greatest hits from all of its superstar members. Additional special guest performers for the night include Juliette Lewis, Les Stroud and Gary Dourdan.

The one-night-only benefit concert event, billed as "Tokyo Celebrates The Dolphin", will be the group's only North American performance in 2013. Proceeds from "Tokyo Celebrates The Dolphin" will go directly to Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project, an international organization dedicated to saving dolphins from slaughter and exploitation. Los Angeles is the first and only, North American stop.

"This is a rehearsal for the BIG one. We plan on taking 'Tokyo Celebrates the Dolphin' to Japan," says Ric O'Barry, whose life and work was featured in the Academy Award-winning film "The Cove". "We'll add a few Japanese friends to our lineup and rock the socks off Tokyo. There isn't a better way to bring Westerners and Japanese people together than rock and roll and the world should also know about the wonderful relationship between Japanese people and dolphins in the Tokyo Islands," added O'Barry. "Dolphins are respected and protected in this part of Japan. It's the opposite of Taiji, but very few people know about it. 'Tokyo Celebrates the Dolphin' will hopefully change this by bringing positive, international media attention to what is right about Japan."

"I'm thrilled to bring a bunch of superstars together for a fun night with fans," adds Matt Sorum, who has also played with VELVET REVOLVER. "The main thing is to keep creating awareness for the Dolphin Project and everyone involved."

KINGS OF CHAOS made its Australian live debut on April 20 at the Stone Music Festival at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

KINGS OF CHAOS toured South and Central America last year under the name ROCK 'N' ROLL ALLSTARS.

The band will embark on a new South American tour at the end of November.

NIGHTWISH and REVAMP singer Floor Jansen has posted the following message on her official blog:

"The news about [me joining] NIGHTWISH [as an official member] got a lot of happy and supportive reactions. Thank you for that! But it also raised questions about the future of REVAMP.

"The coming month, REVAMP will tour Europe [with KAMELOT] and in 2014 we will work on more tours, which we can hopefully announce soon

"The summer of 2014 will be an exciting and full one, with REVAMP doing festivals and NIGHTWISH rehearsals and recordings.

"The new NIGHTWISH album will probably come out in 2015 and we will rock the world in 2015 and 2016. This doesn't mean REVAMP stops existing, however! It cannot be a full-time band, but a band for sure that can still make albums and play shows. This with its own, typical super-heavy and dark music that I am so fond and proud of.

"So there will be a bright future for REVAMP.

"I welcome you to celebrate this future at one of our shows!

"Hope to see you soon!!!"

REVAMP's second album, "Wild Card", was released in Europe on August 23 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at SandLane Studio in Rijen, The Netherlands with Joost van den Broek (ex-AFTER FOREVER) and features guest choir parts by Marcela Bovio (STREAM OF PASSION) and Daniël de Jongh (TEXTURES). The effort features additional guest appearances by Mark Jansen (EPICA), Johan van Stratum (STREAM OF PASSION) and Devin Townsend.

The opening track, "The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: On The Sideline", was released as a digital iTunes single on July 19.

REVAMP recently announced the addition of bassist Henk Vonk to the group's ranks. He replaces Jaap Melman, who left REVAMP before the band entered the studio to begin recording its second album. The CD was eventually completed with the help of STREAM OF PASSION bassist Johan van Stratum, who filled in on short notice and "did an amazing job to record and edit the bass parts," according to a press release.

BOSTON's new studio album, "Life, Love & Hope" will be released on December 3 via Frontiers Records. More than a decade in the making, the new album features 11 tracks replete with the classic and beloved BOSTON sound, as well as the latest in the evolution of Tom Scholz' musical artistry.

Diverse and cohesive, the long-awaited album has something for everyone. It fulfils the expectations of BOSTON fans, while exposing a new generation to one of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll bands.

Says Scholz: "These are songs from the heart, each of them taking many months of effort to write, arrange, perform and record, always up to the demands of BOSTON's harshest critic. Me. The songs have been meticulously recorded to analogue tape on the same machines and equipment used for BOSTON's hits for the past 35 years."

In 1976, BOSTON burst onto the music scene with their eponymous best-selling debut album and never looked back. With over 17 million copies sold, BOSTON's hits included "More Than A Feeling", "Peace Of Mind" and "Smokin'" — rock staples that are still in heavy rotation today.

Their second album, "Don't Look Back", was another chart-topper that confirmed their place in rock history, followed by "Third Stage", which hit #1 on the charts, with the top single of 1986, "Amanda". With over 31 million albums sold to date, BOSTON's music has stood the test of time, as evidenced by live BOSTON audiences that spans generations.

"Life, Love & Hope" includes lead vocals from Brad Delp and prodigy Tommy DeCarlo, as well as Kimberley Dahme, David Victor, and songwriter Scholz himself. The new album features tracks that embody BOSTON's trademark guitars, harmonies, and immaculately-crafted sound. "I intentionally stayed close to the early BOSTON style on some of the songs, even using the same amps and instruments; on others I let my imagination run wild," says Scholz.

A beautiful full-color booklet with notes from Scholz and detailed song credits accompanies "Life, Love & Hope".

"Life, Love & Hope" track listing:

01. Heaven On Earth02. Didn't Mean To Fall In Love03. Last Day Of School04. Sail Away05. Life, Love & Hope06. If You Were In Love07. Someday08. Love Got Away09. Someone (2.0)10. You Gave Up On Love (2.0)11. The Way You Look Tonight

The song "Heaven On Earth" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Audio samples of the tracks that will appear on "Life, Love & Hope" can be streamed at BandBoston.com.

David E. Gehlke of DeadRhetoric.com recently conducted an interview with NIGHTWISH keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

DeadRhetoric.com: Let's backtrack for a second and talk about your [the new NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen]. I know you've known her for a while and did some stuff when she was in AFTER FOREVER, but, what were your first impressions?

Tuomas Holopainen: We did a tour together, I think it was 2003 or 2002, but over ten years ago. I've followed her since the first AFTER FOREVER album, which came out in 1999, I think. I was actually a fan of the band, and still am, and was very impressed by her vocals. When we toured together, I saw her live and it was like a sledgehammer into the face. She had such charisma and was in the right place all the time.

DeadRhetoric.com: That's what I was wondering — if you were able to sneak out and watch her during the tour. Was it also a word-of-mouth kind of thing?

Holopainen: She's a really friendly person, but she's also quite persistent — she knows what she wants to do. She's also very metal. [laughs] Genuinely metal, and that's not the most common trait in a female, and I say this in a very positive way. There's the contrast. She's very feminine and very sweet… but you don't want to fuck with her. She's the Amazon; she has the size and the looks and she'll punch you in the face if you say something wrong.

DeadRhetoric.com: We can always second-guess and wonder, but was she ever in the running when you had the make the singer switch the first time?

Holopainen: To be honest, no. We never considered her because she was doing really well with AFTER FOREVER at that time and we didn't want to go into other people's territory at the time. It didn't seem like the right thing to do at the time.

DeadRhetoric.com: Another hypothetical: She doesn't have the big shoes to fill like Anette [Olzon] did for Tarja [Turunen] — it's easier for her.

Holopainen: [pauses] I haven't thought of it in that way, but we need to always remember to give a lot of credit to Anette — she did her job. I don't think there's anybody who could have sung those two albums better than her, but when Floor came in, the transition of the vocalist was unbelievable. It was practically two days she was with us and the fans were going crazy. We got a lot of really good support from them — there was a lot of positive feedback to us and to Floor. It went much better than we ever could have expected.

DeadRhetoric.com: You initially said you were going to wait until 2014 to mull over the decision and let the dust settle, yet you just made the announcement recently. Why do it now?

Holopainen: Just practical reasons. We realized we were coming up with the DVD release soon and will be doing a lot of talking, a lot of interviews and promotion and it would just feel silly and awkward not to say things out loud. We knew what would happen already in June or July — we decided, so to be talking to you right now and you'd be asking about Floor, I'd just feel stupid. Because of this DVD release, we decided with the other guys in the band to go public with it.

Read the entire interview at DeadRhetoric.com.

The not-safe-for-work version of "Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World", the brand new video from Los Angeles glam-metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER, can be seen below. (Warning: The video includes partial female nudity.) The clip includes celebrity cameos by "Jackass" star Steve-O, porn icon Ron Jeremy, "Breaking Bad" actor RJ Mitte and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell.

"Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World" is the first single/video from STEEL PANTHER's third album, "All You Can Eat", which is due in early 2014.

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."

STEEL PANTHER's new album was recorded in part in Sherman Oaks, California with producer Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR, MEATLOAF).

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."

STEEL PANTHER is the '80s metal/hard rock tribute band formerly known as METAL SKOOL. The group's lineup includes guitarist "Satchel" (real name Russ Parrish; ex-FIGHT) and singer "Michael Starr" (real name Ralph Saenz; ex-L.A. GUNS). Onstage, the band both pays tribute to and lampoons the heyday of '80s glam metal. The group's between-song comedy includes jests at conflict between bandmembers, discussions of drugs, sex, and improvised humor with the crowd.

Regarding naysayers that say STEEL PANTHER is a joke-metal band, Zadinia said: "Listen to our record and tell us that our songs aren't better than most of the bands out there. How funny is that? At the end of the day, it comes down to the songs. I think our songs — without sounding egotistical — I think our songs are great. When you hear the hooks in our songs, you hear the playing and you hear the vocals, you throw that up against any band in any era, and I think it stands up."

"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.

On June 7, EUROPE took the stage in their home country Sweden for a special occasion: celebrating 30 years of rock music. The Swedish rock band celebrated this event together with 30,000 fans at the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival. EUROPE performed 28 songs, selecting their personal favourite moments spanning from their earlier years up to their most recent songs taken from albums "Last Look At Eden" and "Bag Of Bones"; plus songs performed for the very first time. Described as a greatest hits extravaganza, EUROPE's headline festival performance also displayed its more soulful moments, especially when the band sat down to perform an emotional acoustic set. This segment of the concert gave the massive festival atmosphere an intimate club feeling before EUROPE returned to perform the hard rock anthems their fans have grown to love and cherish. To pay tribute to some of their biggest rock heroes, EUROPE invited two very special guests to perform with them — Scott Gorham (THIN LIZZY) for an electrifying version of "Jailbreak" and Michael Schenker (MSG, ex-UFO, SCORPIONS) for their tribute to UFO's classic "Lights Out". The setlist is full of treasures and surprises. EUROPE were determined to celebrate and enjoy their long record of hit singles, including "Carrie", "Rock The Night", "Superstitious", "Open Your Heart", "Last Look At Eden", "Prisoners in Paradise", "New Love In Town" and, of course, the ever-present and always electrifying iconic rock anthem "The Final Countdown". Clocking in over 2 hours, 40 minutes of footage, and filmed with state-of-the-art hi def cameras, the concert features behind-the-scenes material, plus an exclusive interview with the band, making "Live At Sweden Rock - 30th Anniversary Show" the definitive EUROPE live experience!

"Live At Sweden Rock - 30th Anniversary Show" track listing:

01. Riches To Rags02. Firebox03. Not Supposed To Sing The Blues04. Scream Of Anger05. Superstitious06. No Stone Unturned07. New Love In Town08. In The Future To Come09. Paradize Bay10. Girl From Lebanon11. Prisoners In Paradise12. Always The Pretenders13. Drink And A Smile14. Open Your Heart15. Love Is Not The Enemy16. Sign Of The Times17. Start From The Dark18. Wings Of Tomorrow19. Carrie20. Jailbreak (feat. Scott Gorham)21. Seven Doors Hotel22. Drum Solo23. The Beast24. Let The Good Times Rock25. Lights Out (feat. Michael Schenker)26. Rock The Night27. Last Look At Eden28. The Final Countdown

"Live At Sweden Rock - 30th Anniversary Show" was released in Europe on October 18.

A performance clip of the song "Riches To Rags" can be seen below.

For the record: today's version of EUROPE is identical to the classic "The Final Countdown" lineup: Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitar), John Levén (bass), Mic Michaeli (keyboards) and Ian Haugland (drums).

"Bag Of Bones" was released in Europe on April 27, 2012 via earMusic/Edel. The CD, which features a guest appearance by blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), was produced by Kevin Shirley, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, Joe Bonamassa, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK STONE CHERRY and JOURNEY, among others.

The official lyric video for the song "Wardrum Heartbeat" from Danish thrash metal veterans ARTILLERY can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Legions", which will be released on November 26 via Metal Blade Records.

ARTILLERY comments: "With the release of 'Legions' we feel that we have played our strongest card since the early days of 'By Inheritance'. With a killer production, some great new songs done by a strong and dedicated lineup, we are looking forward to support 'Legions' all the way! We can't wait to tour and meet the legions of thrashers out there! This album is for you!"

Since the release of its last album, "My Blood", in 2011 ARTILLERY has played European and South American tours and appeared at several festivals and the Barge To Hell cruise. In 2012 ARTILLERY saw the departure of Carsten N. Nielsen and Søren Adamsen. Two new members were recruited, making Josua Madsen the new drummer and Michael Bastholm Dahl the new singer.

In a recent interview with StageReport.ro, ARTILLERY guitarist Michael Stützer stated about the upcoming CD: "I personally think it's the best production we ever had on a ARTILLERY album. It's very raw and heavy."

He continued: "Our new drummer, Josua [Madsen] and new vocalist, Michael [Bastholm Dahl], really deliver the goods on this album, Josua is an amazing drummer and real nice guy and Michael is the singer in ARTILLERY who is the closest ever to [original ARTLLERY vocalist] Flemming Ronsdorf beside putting a lot of new elements in the band because of his vocal range. He is also writing some great lyrics. So this band is a very complete unit."

Regarding what qualities they were looking for in a singer following last year's departure of Søren Adamsen, Michael said: "You will never hear ARTILLERY with a growler or a pop singer, but sung vocals with melody and rawness at the same time. Actually, we headhunted Michael from a cover band who played MERCYFUL FATE / KING DIAMOND covers, so we knew he could sing the old ARTILLERY songs very good."

Comments "Legions" producer Søren Andersen: "If you're a hardcore ARTILLERY fan, you won´t be disappointed when you hear the forth coming album. Classic ARTILLERY, but with new elements. A new drummer, a new singer, 10 new songs, great lyrics, killer riffs etc…

"We did the album in 3 weeks, without looking back.

"There is so much new energy this time, and the band plays better than ever. One reason: They are touring more than ever.

"This is a real metal band that plays real music for the right reason. They don't give a damn about the fame, the look or the party… It's all about the music. That's how I see them, and that's the vibe when we are working together.

"The new drummer, Jos, is a monster drummer with feel, swing, attitude and skills. I find that very giving for the band, and he's a great guy, too. Likewise, Michael fits the band perfectly. His voice is very big and very classic. He has his own perfect spot between Søren and Flemming, and again: great lyrics!

"Hope you'll enjoy the album as much as I did in the process of the creation!"

"Legions" track listing:

01. Chill My Bones02. God Feather03. Legions04. Wardrum Heartbeat05. Global Flatline06. Dies Irae07. Anno Requiem08. Enslaved To The Nether09. Doctor Evil10. Ethos Of Wrath

ARTILLERY is:

Michael Bastholm Dahl - VocalsMichael Stützer - GuitarMorten Stützer - GuitarPeter Thorslund - BassJosua Madsen - Drums

"IV: Empires Collapse", the fourth studio album from Los Angeles metallers WARBRINGER, can be streamed in its entirety at RevolverMag.com. Due on October 28 in Europe and October 29 in North America via Century Media Records, the studio recording debut for former MANTIC RITUAL members Jeff Potts (guitar) and Ben Mottsman (bass) rounding off WARBRINGER's five-piece lineup was recorded with producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SUICIDE SILENCE), mixed by Brett Eliason (PEARL JAM, HEART) and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATEBREED, CONVERGE). The album's cover artwork, which can be seen below, was designed by Adrienne Rozzi.

WARBRINGER recently filmed a video for "Black Sun, Black Moon" with directorDean Ciocca.

Says WARBRINGER vocalist John Kevill: "We went out to the most desolate stretch of highway we could find out in the Mojave desert. It's a fitting location for this song, which is a motorin' heavy metal tune, with a PRIEST highway-rollin' type feel crossed with the forbidding mysticism of the night!"

He adds: "The director Dean Ciocca is an old friend of ours and a talented filmmaker. He came up with the treatment for the song based off the lyrics. He put a great crew together and we shot all through the night!"

"IV: Empires Collapse" track listing:

01. Horizon02. The Turning Of The Gears 03. One Dimension 04. Hunter-Seeker 05. Black Sun, Black Moon 06. Scars Remain 07. Dying Light 08. Iron City 09. Leviathan 10. Off With Their Heads! 11. Towers Of The Serpent

Comments WARBRINGER: "The artwork for 'Empires Collapse' came about from wanting to take a much more focused and simplistic approach. Previous WARBRINGER album covers are extremely detailed, busy works, so it was a conscious decision to have art that was the antithesis of what we had done before. John Laux came up with the concept, so we had our friend Adrienne Rozzi make up a sketch, which led to us having her follow through with the final piece. It's incredibly different from what most fans would expect for a WARBRINGER album cover, but we wanted the art to visually reflect the music. The piece reminds me of a tarot card illustration and sets a very cryptic, somber vibe which associates well with the music that ties into the album's title."

WARBRINGER is currently on the road in North America with KREATOR and OVERKILL.

U.K. black metallers HECATE ENTHRONED recently inked a deal with Crank Music Group for the release of their upcoming album. The long-awaited follow-up to 2004's "Redimus", entitled "Virulent Rapture", is due on November 25. A short U.K. tour to promote the upcoming opus will kick off at the beginning of December.

"Virulent Rapture" track listing:

01. Thrones Of Shadow02. Unchained03. Abyssal March04. Plagued By Black Death05. Euphoria06. Virulent Rapture (feat. Sarah Jezebel Deva) 07. Life08. To Wield The Hand Of Perdition09. Of Witchery And The Blood Moon10. Immateria11. Paths Of Silence

Pre-odered copies will come in a special limited box set edition that includes an A3 poster and the HECATE ENTHRONED Black Flag (50cm x 70cm). Only 100 hand-numbered copies are available!

HECATE ENTHRONED recently announced the addition of vocalist Elliot Beaver (AETERNUM) and drummer Gareth Hardy to the group's ranks. The band states: "This heralds a new start as well as a new lineup for the band."

HECATE ENTHRONED bassist, Dylan Hughes previously stated about the band's upcoming CD: "The new material is very much guitar-driven, lots of heavy and fast riffs (tuned to C#), giving a relentless feeling to the tracks which we have tempered with a big orchestral sound. The choirs and orchestras have always been a big part of the sound with HECATE and that is very true with this material. In some parts, it recaptures some of the moods from the very early releases. Because of the fact we are recording ourselves, we aren't pressured too much by time constraints and can spend more time on getting the right sound and mix as we feel in the past we have had to sacrifice certain things to reach a recording deadline."

Tel Aviv-based neo-thrashers HAMMERCULT will release their second studio album, "Steelcrusher", on CD and colored vinyl on January 27 in Europe and February 4 in North America via Sonic Attack/SPV. The CD 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."

Tuomo Lassila, the founder of the legendary Finnish power metal band STRATOVARIUS, will join his old bandmate Timo Tolkki for the recording of the drums and percussion parts on the second album of TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON metal opera, due for release on Frontiers Records in 2014.

Tuomo formed STRATOVARIUS and came up with the name of the band in 1984, so next year marks the band's 30th anniversary.

Lassila's drumming style was featured on the early STRATOVARIUS albums like "Dreamspace" and "Fourth Dimension" and his versatility as a musician will bring to the record a great flavor of world-class drumming.

Tuomo currently plays percussion in the Symphony Orchestra of the city of Lohja in Finland.

Tolkki said: "I am extremely happy to have Tuomo on board for this album and look forward to the contributions he will give to the music."

Fans can follow the progress of the making of the album, including writing and recording sessions and special cameos from the musicians and singers involved, from the new web site at this location.

The entire cast of musicians will be revealed one by one in separate video blogs. Fans will be able to interact and take part to different phases of the production through the web site and in the social media pages.

The confirmed cast of musicians/singers is once again full of internationally acclaimed artists, with some interesting twists and surprises. It will surely guarantee another masterpiece from one of the forefathers of symphonic melodic power metal.

The first singer from the cast is Simone Simons of EPICA. She is one of the leading ladies in the female voices category in the world. However, she is not singing the main role on "Avalon II", which is a working title for the album. The final name will be revealed later.

To date, Timo Tolkki has sold over two million records in his career, has won a Finnish Grammy-equivalent and has been chosen by the readers of the American Guitar World magazine to Top 100 as "the fastest guitar player in the world" and "the most influential metal guitar player in the world." He has released 20 albums in his career and toured the world for over 3000 shows in 52 countries.

The official lyric video for the song "Vegas" from GENERATION KILL, the band featuring EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, can be seen below. The track comes off GENERATION KILL's sophomore album, "We're All Gonna Die", which will be released on November 15 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL THAT REMAINS, SHADOWS FALL and SOULFLY, among others.

Commented Dukes: "I wrote the lyrics to ['Vegas'] after watching a documentary about meth. It's a fictional story, but I'm sure it happens every day in reality. When I hear the song, it's like a little movie in my head." "We're All Gonna Die" track listing:

01. Born To Serve02. Prophets Of War03. Self Destruction04. Friendly Fire05. Carny Love06. Vegas07. There Is No Hope08. We're All Gonna Die

Said Dukes: "We called this album 'We're All Gonna Die' because, for the most part, the lyrics are about the darker side of the existence of humans on this planet.

"The album as a whole is so diverse, drawing from our influences that we grew up on.

"We achieved our goal of creating something that we all are so proud of. I personally think this is the strongest vocal performance of my career, and as a band we can't wait for the hard rock/metal world to hear this album."

Added Zeuss: "This album is not an EXODUS clone. This is an album of music where five guys got together an explored our own roots of music, the records we grew up listening to and wrote songs paying homage to what we love."

GENERATION KILL's debut album, "Red White And Blood", was released in September 2011. The CD was recorded at J. Rod Production Studios in New City, New York (where the vocal tracks for EXODUS' "Let There Be Blood" and OVERKILL's "Ironbound" were previously laid down).

GENERATION KILL is:

Rob Dukes - VocalsRob Moschetti - Bass/Backing VocalsJason Trenczer - Lead GuitarJason Velez - Lead GuitarJames DeMaria - Drums

Legendary rock trio RUSH have unveiled details for their first new recording since being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year. "Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" will be released via Anthem/Roadrunner Records on November 19. Anthem/Zoe Vision/Rounder will simultaneously release the companion DVD.

An audio recording of the song "2112" — taken from "Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. "Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" was filmed and recorded last November at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas, during RUSH's highly successful "Clockwork Angels" tour. The eleven month-marathon world tour crossed North America twice and ventured overseas to Europe in support of the band's acclaimed 2012 studio release "Clockwork Angels". In capturing the tour's electrifying three-hour set, "Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" pairs RUSH classics ("Tom Sawyer", "The Spirit Of Radio", "2112"), with a nod to the '80s RUSH era ("The Analog Kid", "Territories", "Subdivisions") alongside newly reworked arrangements specifically for the tour featuring the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble ("Headlong Flight", "YYZ", "Red Sector A"). The string section marks the first time the trio has brought additional musicians on the road with them. To showcase their latest studio release, the epic setlist also features nine tracks off "Clockwork Angels". Other highlights include tracks rarely performed and never before recorded live ("The Body Electric", "Middletown Dreams"), in addition to three separate drum solos by the incomparable Neil Peart.

Beyond the incredible live performances, the DVD includes a 25-minute tour documentary, featuring interviews with all three members and exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage. Titled "Can't Stop Thinking Big", the piece offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the RUSH tour machine and insight into the band members themselves. Other special features on the DVD include the trio of hilarious shorts created specifically for the tour as well as interviews and outtakes captured during their filming. Additional filmed sketches and a rare soundcheck performance of perennial favourite "Limelight" round out the exclusive offerings.

"Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour" comes on the heels of Anthem/Atlantic's September 30 release of "Vapor Trails Remixed", a newly remixed version of the band's 2002 album "Vapor Trails" and 7-disc boxed set "The Studio Albums 1989-2007", which features every studio album RUSH recorded for Atlantic Records.

"Clockwork Angels Tour" track listing:

Set One:

01. Subdivisions02. The Big Money03. Force Ten04. Grand Designs05. The Body Electric06. Territories07. The Analog Kid08. Bravado09. Where's My Thing?/ Here It Is! (drum solo)10. Far Cry Set Two:

11. Caravan *12. Clockwork Angels *13. The Anarchist *14. Carnies *15. The Wreckers *16. Headlong Flight */ Drumbastica (drum solo)17. Peke's Repose (guitar solo)/ Halo Effect *18. Seven Cities of Gold *19. Wish Them Well *20. The Garden *21. Dreamline *22. The Percussor (I) Binary Love Theme (II) Steambanger's Ball (drum solo)23. Red Sector A *24. YYZ *25. The Spirit Of Radio Encore:

26. Tom Sawyer27. 2112 Bonus:

28. Limelight (soundcheck recording)29. Middletown Dreams30. The Pass31. Manhattan Project * * With the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble Special Features (Blu-ray/DVD only)

* Can't Stop Thinking Big (25-minute tour documentary)* Behind The Scenes (featuring Jay Baruchel)* Outtakes* Interview With Dwush* Family Goy* Family Sawyer* The Watchmaker (intermission tour film)* Office Of The Watchmaker (closing tour film)

On February 11, 2012, MASTODON took the stage at London, England's O2 Academy in Brixton, capping off the Atlanta-based band's world tour in support of their critically acclaimed album "The Hunter". This sold-out performance was MASTODON's first show at the legendary venue. It won't be their last, as the London audience positively erupted from the opening chords until the final, frenzied encore.

In addition to performing "Curl of the Burl", "Black Tongue" and "Dry Bone Valley" from "The Hunter", the band dug into their catalog, unearthing such scorching tracks as "Colony of Birchmen", "Capillarian Crest" and "Iron Tusk". Rolling Stone magazine referred to the band's sonic attack as one that: "Demonstrates how contemporary hard rock can still be made with imagination, precision and a majestic sense of force."

Now this extraordinary live show is being released digitally by Warner Bros. Records as "Mastodon Live At Brixton" on December 10. An audio-only version and a live video version directed by Ryan Mackfall (Crashburn Media) (both featuring the full 97-minute performance) will be available from all digital retailers, including iTunes and Amazon.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Dry Bone Valley02. Black Tongue03. Crystal Skull04. I Am Ahab05. Capillarian Crest06. Colony of Birchmen07. Megalodon08. Thickening09. Blasteroid10. Sleeping Giant11. Ghost of Karelia12. All The Heavy Lifting13. Spectrelight14. Curl of the Burl15. Bedazzled Fingernails16. Circle of Cysquatch17. Aqua Dementia18. Crack The Skye19. Where Strides The Behemoth20. Iron Tusk21. March of the Fireants22. Blood and Thunder23. Creature Lives

At present, MASTODON is hard at work on material for its next studio album, tentatively due in early 2014.

Folk metal mavericks KRAMPUS are following up the release of their groundbreaking and controversial new track ‘Paralysis’ with yet another free song, ‘Butterflies On Fire’. This is the second track the band recorded and produced with Tommy Vetterli (ELUVEITIE, CORONER) in August, and again features Eluveitie's Merlin Sutter on drums. The track shows yet another facet of the band’s unique approach to mixing modern metal with traditional folk instrumentation.



‘Butterflies On Fire’ is available both as a free stream and a free download. Its availability will be expanded in the coming weeks and fans are encouraged to share the track wherever and in whatever fashion they choose.

‘Paralysis’:

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Hells Headbangers has announced the signing of SACROCURSE, whose membership is split between Mexico and Turkey. The band released their debut demo this summer, Sulphur Blessing, by Iron Bonehead Productions.

But now, Sacrocurse are currently preparing their Hells Headbangers debut album, Unholier Master, tentatively set for May 2014 release on both CD and LP formats. Much like the Sulphur Blessing tape, Sacrocurse's Unholier Master will be guided by the evil hand of scene veteran Zolrak Montes, most known for NODENS and UNHOLIER, but also a former member of MORBOSIDAD and OBEISANCE.

Together with help from Turkey's GODSLAYING HELLBLAST, Zolrak promises to release yet more unhinged barbarity firmly with the ancient tradition of South American black/death, but again adding a uniquely memorable element to the caustic chaos at hand. More Sacrocruse news to be announced shortly.

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