"Obsideo", the seventh album from resurrected Dutch extreme metallers PESTILENCE, will be released on November 12 via Candlelight Records. The CD was produced by PESTILENCE vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mameli and features ten new songs. According to Mameli, the album's overall lyrical theme will be "the journey of the human soul."

"Obsideo", which means to besiege, features band mastermind Mameli and longtime partner, guitarist Patrick Uterwijk, with new German bassist George Maier and Dave Haley. Mameli notes: "PESTILENCE is chuffed to have Dave Haley in the lineup. Dave is one of the five best extreme drummers in the world, and his talent brings PESTILENCE to new levels that couldn't be reached otherwise. Georg Maier is a young and talented bass player that will turn some heads. Both guys are really down to earth and real easy going. Of course, Patrick Uterwijk is my most respectable and long-going friend and musician."

"Obsideo" track listing:

01. Obsideo02. Soulrot03. Transition04. Necro Morph05. Laniatus06. Distress07. Superconscious08. Aura Negative09. Saturation10. Displaced

The official lyric video for the song "Necro Morph" is available below.

PESTILENCE 2013 is:

Patrick Mameli - Lead guitar/VocalsPatrick Uterwijk - Lead guitarGeorge Maier - BassDavid Haley - Drums

PESTILENCE's last album, "Doctrine", was released in North America in July 2011 via Mascot Records. The eleven-track CD was recorded and mixed at Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer Victor Bullok (a.k.a. V. Santura; TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS). The artwork was designed by Marko Saarelainen.

Fan-filmed video footage of LAST IN LINE's October 12 performance at Ramona Mainstage in Ramona, California can be seen below.

LAST IN LINE is the band featuring DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell alongside fellow founding DIO members Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain and Claude Schnell, plus singer Andrew Freeman, who has previously fronted HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB.

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

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

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

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

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

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

German death metallers LAY DOWN ROTTEN will release their new album, "Deathspell Catharsis", on January 24, 2014 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; January 27 in the rest of Europe; and on February 11 in North America via Apostasy Records. The CD was once again produced by the band's collaborator Thilo Krieger in his Desert Inn Studio. The artwork was created by Toshihiro Egewa (CRYPTOPSY, DEFEATED SANITY, KRISIUN).

For nearly 15 years, LAY DOWN ROTTEN has stood for energetic top-notch death metal. Their haunting live-shows at festivals like With Full Force, Rock Harz, Extremefest, Death Feast and Summer Breeze, and shows alongside the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE, BOLT THROWER and ABORTED, have always captivated the audience. Albums like "Breeding Insanity" (Remission Records), "Gospel Of The Wretched" (Metal Blade Records) and last year's "Mask Of Malice" (Metal Blade Records) have been well-received within the whole scene and the press. Now, it is time for the first sign of life from the band via their new label home, Apostasy Records. LAY DOWN ROTTEN is:

Jost Kleinert - VocalsNils Förster - GuitarDaniel "Kensington" Seifert - GuitarUwe Kilian - BassTimo Claas - Drums

British/Irish doom metal outfit SOLSTICE has made their first available recordings since 1998’s New Dark Age album. Recorded in GM Studios, Huddersfield mixed by Richard Whittaker, and featuring artwork from Chris Smith of Grey Aria Design Studio Death's Crown Is Victory is a 27 minute mini-album that will be soon made available on vinyl and CD formats, with a cassette version to be released through Ireland's Into The Void Records. Announcements for the release dates will follow shortly.

In the meantime, Solstice have made the entire mini-album available on their Bandcamp page for streaming as well as for official paid download.

Death’s Crown Is Victory tracklisting:

‘Fortress England’
‘I Am The Hunter’
‘Death’s Crown Is Victory’
‘Aequinoctium II’

Check out the title track, ‘Death’s Crown Is Victory’ below:

Death's Crown Is Victory by Solstice

GIFT OF GODS is the name of a new project from the mind of Nocturno Culto, one half of the legendary Norwegian black metal band DARKTHRONE. For GIFT OF GODS, Nocturno turns his hand to creating pure unbridled heavy metal excellence, taking in a vast array of influences from decades past to concoct a special whirlwind of melodic riffing and headbanging anthems on this 30-minute heavy metal pilgrimage.

Due on October 28 in Europe and November 5 in North America on vinyl and CD via Peaceville Records, "Receive" also features a rendition of "Looking For An Answer", originally written and recorded by the obscure Swedish '80s band UNIVERSE.

A mini-site for "Receive" has been launched at this location.

A labour of love over several years since its initial inception, GIFT OF GODS sees Nocturno performing all instruments himself and recording the mini-album at his own studio.

"Receive" was mixed and mastered at Enormous Door by Jack Control, who previously worked with Nocturno on DARKTHRONE's "The Underground Resistance" album.

Comments Nocturno: "Finally the mini album is done.

"GIFT OF GODS has been a great ride for me. I don't want this to end now, so I will most likely work on new material.

"Thanks to my partner in crime, K.A. Hubred, we got to rehearse during the last two years.

"What to expect? I have no idea how to describe this, but it's metal, for sure."

"Receive" track listing:

01. Intro02. Enlightning Strikes03. Receive04. Looking For An Answer05. Last Solstice06. Outro

The song "Enlightning Strikes" is available for free download using the widget below (e-mail sign-up required).

According to the Colombian web site of Coca-Cola Zero (the low-calorie variation of Coca-Cola), METALLICA will play a very special concert in Antarctica. The Coca-Cola-sponsored event will take place between December 2 and December 15 and will see the group performing on Earth's southernmost continent, about 98% of which is covered by ice that averages at least 1 mile (1.6 km) in thickness.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told a San Francisco radio station in an interview last month that the band has something coming up in December that will surprise fans. Asked what the group had in store for the immediate future, Ulrich explained, "There's a very interesting thing coming our way in December . . . There's another frontier heading in METALLICA's direction in December. Which, if anybody (at the band's management) even knew that I just said what I just said, they would hunt me down and silence me. But there is another frontier coming in December, which we're very excited about." The first rock concert ever performed in Antarctica took place on July 7, 2007 at British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) Rothera Research Station, one in a series of Live Earth concerts that took place on the same day in all seven continents. The science team's indie-rock house band NUNATAK performed as the lone act. NUNATAK's concert, though performed in front of only 17 people, was broadcast all over the world.

Coca-Cola became the first corporation to participate in an expedition to Antarctica. Each year an international group of Coca-Cola employees and bottlers join the expedition and embark on a journey of inspirational leadership and teamwork.

Over the years the Coca-Cola employees have supported the design and building of the worl's first education station in Antarctica, The E-Base.



(Thanks: Overkill.pl)

Despotz Records has signed a record and publishing deal with KAMCHATKA. The band's as-yet-untitled fifth full-length album will be released in February 2014.

KAMCHATKA's sound — which has roots in Miami and Stockholm — mixes elements of rock and blues. In recent years, the band toured the U.S. and Europe with the blues-influenced American band CLUTCH.

"We just want to say that we are very pleased and excited to have been signed by Despotz," says KAMCHATKA in a statement. "Our manager Lena Graaf , together with the company and all of us in the band, worked out a deal which we are all very pleased with."

"Our track record speaks for itself," adds Ömer Akay of Despotz. "Sweden is too small for our artists, so we create a larger arena for them internationally.It's incredibly that KAMCHATKA recognize this and choose to work with us at Despotz over other interested record labels."

Photo above by Lars Glendell

HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale joined ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy on stage on October 20 at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales to perform an acoustic rendition of the ALTER BRIDGE song "Watch Over You". Check out fan-filmed video footage of her appearance below.

Lzzy tweeted afterwards: "Thank you so much to Myles Kennedy and ALTER BRIDGE for including me in a rendition of 'Watch Over You'. It was magic. This tour rocks!"

HALESTORM is currently on tour in Europe as the support act for ALTER BRIDGE and SHINEDOWN.

HALESTORM's new EP, "ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP", was released on October 15 via Atlantic. The EP marks the acclaimed hard rock band's first new release since their stunning Grammy Awards triumph earlier this year, as well as the follow-up to 2011's "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP". As with its predecessor, "ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP" sees HALESTORM putting their distinctive brand on a strikingly eclectic collection of classic songs, including legendary tracks by JUDAS PRIEST, AC/DC, PAT BENATAR, FLEETWOOD MAC, MARILYN MANSON, and DAFT PUNK.

ALTER BRIDGE's fourth album, "Fortress", sold 30,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on October 8 via EMI Label Services.

Just in time for Halloween, a scarily impressive alliance of metal and hard rock luminaries has formed to create one of the most depraved abominations of musical crossbreeding in history — an all-metal tribute to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, available on CD October 22! Never before have such quintessential pop hits as "Beat It", "Thriller", "Billy Jean" and "Man In The Mirror" been so completely transformed, substituting softly stylized synths with crunchy, distorted guitars, replacing the pitter patter of programmed beats with pulverizing double bass acoustic drums, and topping it off with some of the finest, most powerful vocals in metal. When completed, these reinventions pay due respect to the expertly crafted melodies and songs that made Michael Jackson one of the most beloved figures in all of music, and offer legions of metalheads a reason to simultaneously grab their crotches and throw the horns in celebration!

Spearheaded by producer/musician Bob Kulick, who also helped in the arrangement of these cover versions, the project was in his words a "labor of love" for all involved. Exclaims Kulick: "We made these awesome songs kick ass while still being faithful to the original versions. Add killer players like Doug Aldrich, Billy Sheehan, Bruce Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, Tony Franklin, Craig Goldy, Bumblefoot, Phil Campbell and you've got some real MAGIC!" Rudy Sarzo, a stalwart of the metal scene as a member of both QUIET RIOT and QUEENSRŸCHE, reflects: "Michael Jackson's music is synonymous with iconic rockers such as Eddie Van Halen, Steve Stevens and Slash. So it's only fitting that the rock community pays tribute to this legendary artist with Metal Mike!" And FISHBONE's Angelo Moore expresses great enthusiasm for his contribution, saying: "I never thought I would hear myself doing a cover of 'The Way You Make Me Feel', but it's an honor and a dream come true. We put a different twist on it to give it a whole new light, or maybe I should say a whole new dark!"

In addition to the legends Kulick enlisted, several of today's modern metal figures also contributed, including Elias Soriano of NONPOINT, who comments, "It was my pleasure to do this tribute to MJ. My admiration for the talent and history he has given to music overall will be hard to replace. My only wish is that I did him justice with my performance." Jason Myers of ICARUS WITCH, one of the current flag bearers in the traditional metal scene, declares: "When we were approached by Cleopatra to contribute to the Michael Jackson tribute we were honored (due to the legendary talent already on board), but a bit skeptical about how our fans would react...Choosing an unorthodox hit took a bit of pressure off and allowed us to put more of ourselves into the track."

Finally, bassist Tony Franklin, who has worked with everyone from LED ZEPPELIN's Jimmy Page to PINK FLOYD's David Gilmour to WHITESNAKE, confirms the surprise and astonishment many felt during the creation of the album, "The first thing I noticed was how easily these out and out pop songs translated to the metal genre. That is the sign of, one, a great song and, two, a great production and arrangement." He goes on to note that it wasn't just the songs that were transformed when Metal met Pop on these recordings; the performers themselves were transformed. He states, "It was very cool to see how the guest artists interpreted these songs as it brought out a different side of them - a side we wouldn't usually hear."

"Thriller – A Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson" features appearances by the following musicians:

* Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT)* Danny Worsnop (ASKING ALEXANDRIA)* Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG)* Angelo Moore (FISHBONE)* Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO)* Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO)* Lajon Witherspoon (SEVENDUST)* Bruce Kulick (KISS)* Tony Franklin (THE FIRM)* Priya Panda (DIEMONDS)* Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES)* Corey Glover (LIVING COLOUR)* Phil Campbell (MOTÖRHEAD)* Elias Soriano (NONPOINT)* Doug Pinnick (KING'S X)* Chris Jericho (FOZZY)* Paul Di'Anno (IRON MAIDEN)* Craig Goldy (DIO)* Lonnie Jordan (WAR)

Track listing:

01. Thriller - Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT)02. Man In The Mirror - Danny Worsnop (ASKING ALEXANDRIA) & Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG)03. The Way You Make Me Feel - Angelo Moore (FISHBONE), Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE), & Rudy Sarzo (QUEENSRŸCHE)04. Black Or White - Lajon Witherspoon (SEVENDUST), Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS), & Tony Franklin (THE FIRM)05. Beat It - Priya Panda (DIEMONDS) & Ron Bumblefoot Thal (GUNS N' ROSES)06. Billy Jean - Corey Glover (LIVING COLOUR) & Phil Campbell (MOTÖRHEAD)07. Shake Your Body (DOWN TO THE GROUND) - Elias Soriano (NONPOINT)08. Rock With You - Doug Pinnick (KING'S X)09. Dirty Diana - Chris Jericho (FOZZY)10. Bad - Paul Di'Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN) & Craig Goldy (DIO)11. They Don't Care About Us - ICARUS WITCH12. Never Can Say Goodbye - Lonnie Jordan (WAR)13. Smooth Criminal - ALIEN ANT FARM

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH played a brand new song called "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel" during their October 19 appearance at this year's edition of the Loud Park festival at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan. You can now watch fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.

"Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel", which was previously described by BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski as "killer" and "a monster," will be included on the band's tenth full-length album, "The Satanist", due in early 2014 via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Metal Blade in North America. The CD was recorded at Hertz studio in Bialystok, Poland with the help of the Wieslawscy brothers and Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD). Other songtitles set to appear on the effort include "Messe Noir" (French for "The Black Mass") and "Ora Pro Nobis, Lucifer" (Latin for "Pray For Us, Lucifer").

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, Darski described BEHEMOTH's new songs as "very atmospheric" and "very emotional." "Think BURZUM meets NEW ORDER meets KILLING JOKE," he added. But at the same time, fans shouldn't expect the album to sound too far removed from BEHEMOTH's past efforts. "Take SLAYER, for example," Darski said. "Whatever genre they deal with, they still end up sounding like SLAYER. Even when they were flirting with nu-metal, it was a SLAYER record. Same with BEHEMOTH."

According to Darski, at least some of the inspiration for the new BEHEMOTH album is coming from his five-month bout of leukemia he overcame in January 2011, after receiving a bone-marrow transplant. "When I was in the hospital, I was collecting experiences and emotions," he said. "I'm pretty sure that it's coming out now. There are moments I catch myself thinking about how my state was back then. It was me versus life, me versus death. It definitely changed my thoughts a lot. It's 100 percent being reflected in the record and songs I'm writing nowadays. I'm way more radical than I used to be."

Australian orchestral doom metal ensemble RISE OF AVERNUS have announced L'appel Du Vide as the title for their debut album, to be released October 31. The date coincides with their Australian tour with Norwegian black metal legends ENSLAVED.

The eight-track album, which combines the bombast of symphonic death metal with the more intimate atmosphere of doom and gothic metal, features artwork from Seth Siro Anton (SEPTIC FLESH) and was mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios. With Australian distribution soon to be announced, the band is currently looking for a label to release the album internationally.
L'appel Du Vide tracklisting:
'A Triptych Journey'
'The Mire'
'Disenchanted'
'L’appel Du Vide'
'Ethereal Blindness'
'Embrace The Mayhem'
'An Somnium'
'As Soleness Recedes'

Check out a lyric video for 'A Triptych Journey' below:

German dark metallers EWIGHEIM have revealed the tracklisting for their upcoming album Nachruf, due out via Massacre Records on December 6th.
Nachruf tracklisting:
'Zwischen Menschen'
'Die Augen Zu'
'Am Meer'
'Heimweh'
'Ein Nachruf'
'Himmelfahrt'
'Falsches Herz'
'Liebes Lied'
'Glück Im Unglück'
'Wenn Es Am Schönsten Ist'
'Sanctum Imperium' (bonus track - digipak and LP)

A studio clip featuring the brand new song 'Ein Nachruf' can be heard below:
Nachruf was recorded, mixed and mastered by Markus Stock at Klangschiede Studio E and features EISREGENS' M. Roth who appears on 'Sanctum Imperium',

For more details visit Ewigheim on Facebook.

"Still Climbing", the new studio album from Leslie West, the legendary guitarist, vocalist and original founding member of MOUNTAIN, is available for streaming in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below (courtesy of Billboard.com). The CD will be released on October 28 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group.

The CD is a testimonial to the strength and durability of West's artistry. Born October 22, 1945, as he approaches his 68th birthday, West has packed some of the most soulful and searing vocal performances of his half-century career into these 11 tracks. His guitar has never sounded more massive or riff-orientated.

West, who ascended rock's Mt. Olympus with Mountain in a historic performance at 1969's Woodstock festival, accomplished all of that despite a life-threatening battle with diabetes that cost him most of his right leg in 2011, just after his previous Mascot Label Group release, "Unusual Suspects", was recorded.

"I'm lucky it wasn't one of my hands or I'd be screwed," says West. "It was a difficult struggle, and after the amputation I didn't know whether I'd ever want to or be able to perform again. But a month later I played at the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp in New York City, and I heard my guitar on stage and that was it. I knew I had to keep going."

Following the success of "Unusual Suspects", West approached the new release with vision of tying the albums together. "The new album is a sequel to 'Unusual Suspects', where I had friends of mine that include Slash, Zakk Wylde, Steve Lukather, Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons come to the studio and play," West explains.

This time Jonny Lang, Johnny Winter, TWISTED SISTER's Dee Snider and Mark Tremonti do the honors. "What's different on 'Still Climbing' is that I wanted my guitars to sound as big as I look," Leslie says. "So I used four of my Dean Signature model guitars with my Mountain of Tone humbucking pickups. I plugged them into my Blackstar amps — no pedals — and turned them up loud and raw, and what you hear is exactly what I did in the studio. These Blackstar amps deliver everything I need without 'confidence' pedals. I played one of the early tracks we recorded for Slash, and he said, 'That is as heavy as it gets.'"

"Still Climbing" track listing 01. Dyin' Since The Day I Was Born (feat. Mark Tremonti)02. Busted, Disgusted or Dead (feat. Johnny Winter)03. Fade Into You04. Not Over You At All05. Tales Of Woe06. Feeling Good (feat. Dee Snider)07. Hatfield or McCoy08. When A Man Loves A Woman (feat. Jonny Lang)09. Long Red10. Don't Ever Let Me Go (feat. Dylan Rose)11. Rev Jones Time (Somewhere Over The Rainbow) "Still Climbing" is co-produced by West and Mike "Metal" Goldberg, who engineered all of the sessions. Songs like "Dyin' Since The Day I Was Born", "Hatfield or McCoy" and "Busted, Disgusted or Dead" establish a new litmus test for "heavy." The latter features West and Johnny Winter on duelling slide guitars. West also gave up smoking cigarettes and pot after a bout with bladder cancer, so it's no wonder many of "Still Climbing"'s numbers explore the theme of survival and, ultimately, triumph. To that end, West avows, "Not only am I lucky to be here, but because I stopped smoking my voice is now stronger than it's ever been — as strong as my guitar playing."

His inclusion of "Feeling Good", a song by British actor-musician Anthony Newley that was made famous by Steve Winwood's group TRAFFIC, is a testimonial to all of that. Its lyrics celebrate a "new dawn for me" as West and his long-time buddy Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) trade vocal lines.

West has always been an outstanding vocalist, earning comparisons to soul legends like Otis Redding since his 1969 debut "Mountain", which gave his historic band its name. On "Still Climbing", West revisits the catalogue of another classic soul man, Percy Sledge, with the enduring "When A Man Loves A Woman". He's joined by now 32-year-old soul man Jonny Lang, whom he met 15 years ago when Lang was a rising guitar prodigy. West says they cut the tune side-by-side in the studio, their soaring guitars and voices twining to bring fresh blood and a blues-soaked arrangement to the song.

"When A Man Loves A Woman", "Never Let Me Go" and "Fade Into You" explore a romantic theme. In 2009, West married his wife Jenni, who co-wrote many of "Still Climbing"'s songs with the guitar giant.

They exchanged vows on stage at the Woodstock 40th-anniversary concert. West credits her with saving his life — first with her love, and then by making the difficult decision to permit his doctors to amputate while he was in a coma.

"Being in MOUNTAIN was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done in my professional life," says West. "I became a musician, not just a guitar player."

"Being in MOUNTAIN with Felix Pappalardi was an honour. He was so talented as a producer, arranger, bass player, guitar player — all the things I aspired to be. We had some great years together, and some rocky roads. His wife Gail, who, by the way, shot and killed Felix, could suck the fun out of a clown. It left a terrible taste in my mouth about working with my wife, Jenni. I did not want to risk going down that path where your wife was involved in every aspect of your musical life. Jenni has become so good at expressing thoughts to paper. She has become my primary collaborator on the lyrical side of my new recordings."

West has been performing since 1965, when he fronted the soul-fired VAGRANTS in his native New York City. Rolling Stone placed him at #66 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists."

His repertoire continues to be relevant with enduring appeal to this day as top-selling rap recordings are built around samples from "Long Red", which appeared on the "Mountain" album. Jay-Z tapped the tune for his 2004 mega-smash "99 Problems". So did Kanye West, for "Barry Bonds" and "The Glory", and Common's "The People", along with others.

Recently, Lana Del Rey sampled West's voice and features it in the beginning, middle and end of the worldwide smash "Born To Die". For "Still Climbing", West re-recorded "Long Red" with his brother and former VAGRANTS mate Larry West on bass. He offers, "It was time for me to let people hear that song the way I do it now. I used a B-3 organ on it again, but this time it has a lot more balls."

Balls, guts, heart — more words that are part of West's legend and describe the roaring crescendos and deep emotional roots of "Still Climbing" — and West himself. "You know, when it comes to talent, we don't all move at the same rate of speed," West muses. "Some people start at the top of their game and after 10 or 20 years you wonder what the hell happened to them. I like to joke that the older I get the better I used to be, but after giving up drugs and smoking, my voice can hit notes that I never could reach before. I'm thankful for that."

After several years of absence, New Zealand-based extreme metallers DAWN OF AZAZEL will enter Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida in January 2014 to begin recording their new album. The band states: "We are currently intensely involved in pre-production work and it is already certain that the new material will be the most complex, violent, nasty and innovative to date. The last four and a half years have not been in vain."

The group adds: "We will be taking taking a break from pre-production in late November to hit the road for three dates with our buds in DEPTHS."

DAWN OF AZAZEL third album, "Relentless", is was release in October 2009, with distribution through both Unique Leader and Prosthetic Records channels.

DAWN OF AZAZEL's previous CD, "Sedition", was re-released in September 2006 with a video bonus track and distributed through RED/Megaforce Records/MIC via Ibex Moon Records.

DAWN OF AZAZEL created a stir in 2005 after a New Zealand newspaper published an exposé on mainman Rigel Walshe's occupation as a police officer and the band's lyrical content.

British thrashers EVILE are now accepting applications for their vacant lead guitarist position. If interested, please send any links, videos, photos and biogs as well as a brief statement about yourself to: [email protected]
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On August 30, guitarist Ol Drake announced his departure from EVILE. he explained in a statement: "Over the past year, I've, unfortunately, found myself becoming more and more detached from the touring/band lifestyle.

"In my opinion, the music business for a band of our genre and 'level' determines a very unrealistic way of life to me, and I personally find it difficult to make a living and have a 'normal' life.

"I've reached a point where I want a family/kids, a house, a steady and definite income and everything in between, and in regard to my personal preferences, a touring band's income and uncertainties, in the state that I feel they would continue to be in, has become incompatible with how I feel and what I want/need."

EVILE released its fourth album, "Skull", on May 27 in Europe on Earache Records and in North America via Century Media/Earache Records. The follow-up to 2011's "Five Serpent's Teeth" was once again recorded with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England. The artwork for the album was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SODOM, HATEBREED).

AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton was forced to sit out the band's October 20 concert at the Monsters Of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil after being taken ill. His replacement at the show was David Hull (pictured above), who has stood in for Hamilton on previous AEROSMITH tours.

Professionally filmed video footage of AEROSMITH performing the song "Back In The Saddle" at Monsters Of Rock can be seen below.

Hamilton, who has successfully battled cancer in recent years, told Australia's Tone Deaf that he's amped up for the band to record the follow-up to last year's "Music From Another Dimension!" album, saying, "I am looking to go back into the studio and do another record but under certain conditions. (I'm tired of) examining every single detail of a record . . . (I'd like to) slap on the bass, get the drums rockin' and the guitars blazing with Steve (Tyler) on those vocals with melodies and harmonies."

Although some members of AEROSMITH were critical of Tyler's decision to join Fox's "American Idol" for the 2011-2012 season, Hamilton was unfazed by it. "Steven did a cool thing on that program," he said. "I knew he was going to be good on that show because there's a lot of his personality that we in the band have seen for years. His sense of humor and quirky personality has always been hidden to audiences."

Hamilton told The Pulse Of Radio why he felt it was crucial for AEROSMITH to hit the studio and record "Music From Another Dimension!" "I've been waiting for this for so long, because I so want to be known as a band that is still firing on all cylinders," he said. "We could go out and work every year and just play, you know, all our same old songs year after year, but it would have been a very uneasy feeling to me to think about not ever having an album of new material out."

"Music From Another Dimension!" was released on November 6, 2012, and debuted at No. 5 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 63,000 copies in its first week of release.

The group's previous collection of new songs, 2001's "Just Push Play", entered the chart at No. 2 with sales of 240,000 copies.

The Grammy Award-winning hard rock band SYSTEM OF A DOWN gets the Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star lullaby treatment this week, album released October 22. The collection highlights some of this cutting-edge band's most memorable rock songs, such as "Chop Suey!", "Aerials", "Toxicity" and the "B.Y.O.B.". SOAD remains one of the most requested bands that Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star fans have asked the label to release. SYSTEM OF A DOWN emerged onto the scene in the late '90s and quickly gained a large fan base with its unique mix of innovative riffs, hard rock instrumentals and lyrics that blend a style of socio-political commentary and cultural quirkiness. Over the last 15 years in the business, SOAD has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning in 2006 for "Best Hard Rock" performance for their song "B.Y.O.B." Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star was born for the parent that wants to pass along their biggest passion to their child, music. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star transforms popular music into instrumental lullabies perfect for babies, yoga or just relaxation. Now, parents can enjoy the music from LADY GAGA to METALLICA in soothing lullaby style. With over 135 titles to choose from, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the largest line of pop, rock, metal and jamband music lullabies in the world. These aren't novelty recordings. They are cute, they are soft but these are serious recordings. Roma Music Group, which releases Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, is run by two music industry veterans who put the fidelity of these recording at the top of the priority list. Let's face it, much like the brand name clothes you buy for your infant, this music is really for you. Whether you are raising a metal baby, rocker or hippie baby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has your music transformed from arena anthems into nursery classics.

Reformed Chicago death metallers BROKEN HOPE and Bloody-Disgusting.com have unveiled the brand new, gore-tastically horrific new music video for the track "The Flesh Mechanic". The clip was helmed by acclaimed video director Corey Soria (DANZIG, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD) and features amazing, gore-laden traditional horror FX by FX wizard Jamie Grove who handles makeup and creature effects for major motion pictures.

Grove began his career at age 13 and has been working in his craft for 15 years. Jamie's resume includes his work on such films as "The Devil's Rejects", "Halloween", "Halloween 2", "The Hills Have Eyes 2", "Hostel 2", and his current work can be seen in the new "Robocop", "Captain America 2", and all of the "Iron Man" movies.

"The Flesh Mechanic" features Dino Cazares of FEAR FACTORY as a special guest actor. Cazares stars as the "Flesh Mechanic victim" and is subjected to many horrors! Cazares says: "It was a honor to be a part of the BROKEN HOPE video. I had a great time getting bludgeoned in the head with a severed arm then getting my face sliced off with a dull knife."

BROKEN HOPE's Jeremy Wagner adds: "I'm so excited and happy about 'The Flesh Mechanic' video! This is only the second music video we've ever done (the first was 'Into The Necrosphere' in 1995), and it truly captures the horror and brutality of the storyline and the music.

"It was a pleasure working with my friend Corey Soria. Corey is a brilliant director and he has the best video and camera crew. Moreover, Corey has a genuine passion for horror and death metal, so this collaboration couldn't have been more perfect. Even more amazing is the fact that FX-god — Jamie Grove — stepped in to do ALL the horror/gore FX, but he also stars as the actual 'Flesh Mechanic' character! Jamie Grove brought in a mountain of props, a stellar FX crew, and his evil acting skills to 'The Flesh Mechanic' video set, and made our music video look like a million-dollar horror movie!

"Death metal videos are severely lacking in conveying any real 'horror' element... I think BROKEN HOPE changed that with this video. Traditional horror FX trumps CGI every time."

"The Flesh Mechanic" comes off BROKEN HOPE's sixth album, "Omen Of Disease", which sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. Issued on October 1 (September 30 internationally) via Century Media Records, the CD's drum tracks were laid down at Belle City Sound in Racine, Wisconsin with engineer Chris Wisco (LAZARUS A.D., JUNGLE ROT, ORIGIN, GORGASM), while the remaining instruments were tracked at Mercenary Digital Studios in Zion, Illinois with engineer Scott Creekmore (DIRGE WITHIN, PUTRID PILE, LIVIDITY).

"Omen Of Disease" features a special guest appearance by Trevor Strnad of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER on the new BROKEN HOPE track "Rendered Into Lard". The cover painting for the CD was created by world-renowned horror artist Wes Benscoter (SLAYER, CATTLE DECAPITATION, AUTOPSY, KREATOR). BROKEN HOPE tapped James Murphy (DEATH, OBITUARY, TESTAMENT) to mix and master "Omen Of Disease" at Murphy's studio, Safehouse Production. "Omen Of Disease" — a title conceived by chief lyricist and guitarist Jeremy Wagner — is also a song on the new album, marking the first BROKEN HOPE "title track" since their 1991 debut LP, "Swamped In Gore". BROKEN HOPE is currently supporting DEICIDE on the "No Salvation Tour 2013". Also appearing on the bill are DISGORGE and NECRONOMICON. BROKEN HOPE 2013 is:

Damian Leski - VocalsJeremy Wagner - GuitarsShaun Glass - BassChuck Wepfer - Lead GuitarsMike Miczek - Drums

Capital Chaos TV has uploaded video footage of Tom Hunting of EXODUS on drums performing the song "No Stone Unturned" with HEATHEN on October 17 at Slim's in San Francisco, California. Check out the clip below.

Drummer Jon Dette, who recently played with SLAYER and ANTHRAX (and previously with TESTAMENT), is sitting behind the kit for HEATHEN on the San Francisco Bay Area thrash band's recent European tour with GENERATION KILL and DUST BOLT.

Prior to embarking on the trek, HEATHEN stated about Dette's addition to the band's touring lineup: "As most of you know already, Darren [Minter] recently left the band. It was an amicable split and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

"For those of you concerned about our European tour, have no fear. Jon Dette will be filling in on drums for all dates on the tour. Jon played with us once before during our North American tour a couple of years ago and we are looking forward to touring with him again."

HEATHEN last year inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Records. HEATHEN's latest album, "The Evolution Of Chaos", was released in the U.S. on February 16, 2010. The CD was issued in Japan on December 23, 2009 via King Records and was made available on January 25 in Europe via Holland's Mascot Records.

The long-awaited Wagnerian opera metal project Lyraka Volume 2: Sonata Sirena is set for release August 29th, 2014, and contains vocal performances by Al Atkins (JUDAS PRIEST/ATKINS/MAY), Rob Diaz (VASTATOR), Veronica Freeman (BENEDICTUM), Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETERNUS, CANDLEMASS), and a vocal trio featuring Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ), Mark Boals (YNGWIE MALMSTEN, RING OF FIRE) and Liz Vandall (ULI JON ROTH and SAHARA).
Lyraka has posted a video on Facebook concerning their long delayed release, including audio clips from songs featuring Graham Bonnet and Mark Boals here.

Composer-lead guitarist Andy DiGelsomina announces: "Lyraka Volume 2 is practically finished from all perspectives except for production and engineering. With the help of our fans and friends (both of whom are the same in my eyes), we can move the release of this cd up by over half a year. Forgive the shortness of the clips, and homemade quality of the video of itself."

Lyraka Volume 2: Sonata Sirena tracklisting (includes singers in parentheses):

'Volcano (featuring Veronica Freeman, Rob Diaz, and Graham Bonnet on lead vocals, with backing vocals by Liz Vandall)
'Father' (an operetta in three movements)
a) Angst (Mark Boals, Liz Vandall)
b) Semmonet (Al Atkins)
c) Neires' Ocean Journey (Mark Boals, Liz Vandall, and Al Atkins)
'Entombed by Choice' (featuring Robert Lowe on vocals)
'Lilliput (Liz Vandall)
'Luminous Wisdom' (Andy DiGelsomina guitar instrumental)
'Abyss' (Rob Diaz)
'Fideis Defensor' (Graham Bonnet, Mark Boals, Liz Vandall)
'Lyraka (On Dragon's Wings)' (Graham Bonnet lead vocals and Liz Vandall backing)
'The Will to Believe' (Andy DiGelsomina guitar instrumental)
'Heavy Metal' (Graham Bonnet)

In other Lyraka news, work is about to begin on Jasmine Lyraka Aliara's graphic novel collaboration with artist Vince Locke (SANDMAN, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE). The graphic novel is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2014. Pictured is a Vince Locke original drawing for Lyraka, depicting a denizen of the landmark Abyss.

SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor has told ARTISTdirect in a new interview that things may finally be moving forward for the band in terms of making its first new album since 2008's "All Hope Is Gone". Taylor explained: "SLIPKNOT is looming on the horizon. That's what's next in my mind anyway. I'm writing some demos. [Shawn 'Clown' Crahan, percussion] is putting some things together. Joey [Jordison, drums] is doing [his side project] SCAR THE MARTYR, but he's a fucking machine. He can write at any time. This band is just loaded with writers. We don't have a definitive start date, which is fine. That's okay for us now. When we're ready to make the album, we will. That's the mindset. Next year we're going to get together and start putting the pieces together."

Asked what he thinks when someone brings up SLIPKNOT's 2004 album "Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses", Taylor replied: "That album is a bit of a peek at what I think the next album will be. It'll be a cross between 'Iowa' and 'Vol. 3' in a lot of ways, while also evolving the way we always have. The stuff I'm writing right now is really dark. The stuff Clown is coming with is fucking beyond. It's really cool. It's going to be cool to get the alchemists in the same room and see what happens."

Jordison recently told Stereoboard.com about the forthcoming SLIPKNOT CD: "What I can say is that there is SLIPKNOT material. We're writing right now, and we're all in talks . . . I've got so much SLIPKNOT material, I started writing this a long time ago. Y'know, when the time is right. Everyone works at their own pace and I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, I just kinda put myself in the mindset where I'm writing for a certain project. I kinda just take myself to that place, get in that mindset. When the time is right." Jordison and Crahan are the main creative forces within SLIPKNOT and the ones most ready to make a new record, as Crahan hinted to The Pulse Of Radio not long ago. "Before you know it, there is going to be another record, and it's gonna come sooner than anybody thinks," he said. "Everybody thinks differently, but I'm here to tell you as the Clown, it's gonna come sooner than you think and it's gonna hit you in the back of the head instead of the front of the face. And it's gonna be an amazing, amazing part of our lives."

The new SLIPKNOT album will be the band's first without bassist Paul Gray, another key member of the songwriting team who died of a drug overdose in May 2010.

Taylor and SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root have spent the last three years recording and touring behind three full STONE SOUR studio records, 2010's "Audio Secrecy" and the double concept album "House Of Gold & Bones", which was released in two parts in 2012 and 2013.

SLIPKNOT toured earlier this year and last summer.

Canadian thrash metallers from UNTIMELY DEMISE have posted a full preview stream of their new album, Systematic Eradication, produced by ex-MEGADETH / ex-KING DIAMOND guitarist Glen Drover:
Systematic Eradication tracklisting:
'Spiritual Embezzlement'
'The Last Guildsman'
'Somali Pirates'
'Redemption'
'Navigator's Choice'
'A Warrior's Blood'
'Revolutions'
'Escape from Supermax'

Brazil’s KRISIUN have good news for you... first up is reissues of the first two albums Black Force Domain and Apocalyptic Revelation, which will be released on December 2nd in Europe and for the first time will also be available on vinyl. In addition to that, Krisiun will wreak havoc upon European stages again in early 2014 supporting KATAKLYSM.
The band comments: “It's great to see our first two full-length albums coming out again on CD and especially vinyl! Both reissues will have a new layout with old and unpublished photos plus remastered sound. These two records represent the pure essence of Krisiun during the 90s when metal was going through a depression and grunge took over, so it was pure hatred and battle. Definitely can't wait to see these come out again!

Also, we are looking forward to our upcoming European tour alongside the great bands Kataklysm and FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE. It will be a brutal tour that will satisfy any hunger for extreme metal and we will play some old tunes bringing you guys nothing but pure death metal without any fancy commercial bullshit!”

Black Force Domain will be released as midprice CD, digital album and LP on either black, clear or transparent red 180gr vinyl. As bonus tracks the CD/digital release will contain 'Nuclear Winter' (SODOM cover version) and 'Total Death' (KREATOR cover version). Apocalyptic Revelation will be released as midprice CD, digital album and LP on either black, clear or transparent orange 180gr vinyl. As bonus tracks the CD/digital release offers a re-recording of 'They Call Me Death', 'Unholy Blasphemies' (MORBID ANGEL cover version), 'Silent Scream' (SLAYER cover version) plus three live tracks.

You will be able to pre-order these releases from November 4th at CMdistro.com.

Check out Krisiun teaming up with DESTRUCTION at the Rock In Rio festival, covering VENOM's classic song 'Black Metal':
More footage from Rock In Rio can be seen below:
Tour dates:

January
9 - Berlin, Germany - C-Cub
10 - Glauchau, Germany - Alte Spinnerei
11 - Essen, Germany - Turock
12 - Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Romein
13 - London, England - Underworld
14 - Manchester, England - Sound Control
15 - Glasgow, Scotland - Classic Grand
16 - Belfast, Ireland - Voodoo
17 - Dublin, Ireland - The Pint
18 - Bristol, England - Bierkeller
19 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
20 - Paris, France - Divan Du Monde
21 - Toulouse, France - Dynamo
23 - Madrid, Spain - Caracol
24 - Valencia, Spain - Sala Fussion
25 - Barcelona, Spain - Razmatazz 2
26 - Luynes, France - Korrigan
27 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z 7
28 - Lindau, Germany - Vaudeville
29 - Bruneck, Italy - Ufo
30 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Gala Hala
31 - Wörgl, Austria - Komma

February
1 - Budapest, Hungary - Dürer Kert
2 - Prague, Czech Republic - Club Matrix
3 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
4 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Majestic Music Club
5 - Krakow, Poland - Kwadrat
6 - Warsaw, Poland - Proxima
7 - Szczecin, Poland - Heya Club
8 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
9 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
10 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
11 - Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum
12 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
13 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Rockfabrik
14 - Geiselwind, Germany - Music Hall
15 - München, Germany - Backstage

US metal legends STEEL PROPHET have signed a deal with Pure Steel Records. The label will release the band's complete works on vinyl, beginning with 1995's The Goddess Principle. The album has been remastered and will be out at the end of 2013/ beginning of 2014.

Stay tuned for complete details, to be announced soon.
Steel Prophet lineup:

Vince Du Juan Dennis - bass
James Schultz - drums
Chris Schleyer - guitar
Rick Mythiasin - vocals
Steve Kachinsky Blakmoor - guitar

More on Steel Prophet at Facebook.

Canadian power metallers THALION have inked a worldwide deal with Canadian label Maple Metal Records to release their debut album Dawn Of Chaos. The North American release date is slated for October 31st, and the worldwide release date is set for December 2nd. It was Rob ‘The Witch’ from NECRONOMICON that first recommended Thalion to Maple Metal Records.

Dawn Of Chaos was produced from June 2012 to June 2013 by Thalion’s guitarist Charles Voho at his own studio, Voho Studios, in Saguenay, QC, north of Quebec City. The album cover art is by Jessica Simard of Banshee Studio in Montreal.
The tracklisting for Dawn Of Chaos is as follows:
'Another Day'
'To Hell and Back'
'Dawn of Chaos'
'Nameless Pharaoh'
'Lord of Metal'
'Ballroom of Fear'
'Je me Souviens'
'The Valley of Damned'

Check out 'Another Day’ and ‘To Hell and Back’ is streaming below:
Thalion will perform a few select shows this fall in Quebec and Ontario, CA in support of their new album; details of which are to be announced.
Thalion is:
Charles VoHo - guitars, backing vocals
Sam Dufour - guitars, backing vocals
Stéphane Brindle - lead vocals, bass
Pierre-Yves Côté - drums

For more info on Thalion visit the band’s website here.
https://www.facebook.com/Thalionrulz

Massachusetts melodic deathcore five-piece A WANTED AWAKENING announce the addition of vocalist Trey Holton to the band. Trey was formerly a member of The River Neva from Worcester, MA. Trey is an amazing vocalist with a tremendous stage presence and an unparalleled work ethic. We couldn’t be happier with his addition to the AWA family.
Statement from Trey Holton

“I had the opportunity to play alongside AWA in other bands and to fill in for them for a short stint when their previous vocalist Rick was sick, so when we got together and jammed the first time it already felt like home to me. It is such an awesome feeling to become part of a group of individuals that you have so much respect for as people and as musicians. Both Rick and Caitlin are ridiculously talented and placed their own respective stamp on the music. I can only hope to equal what they have done and place my own imprint on the next wave of songs. Thank you to my brothers: Jason, John, Mat, and Dre, for welcoming me so graciously into the AWA family and I hope the fans will like what they see and hear from us in the future.”

AC ANGRY will now release their debut album Black Denim, worldwide through the German record label Dust On The Tracks Records on November 8th. Originally scheduled for release on October 25th, the delay stems from a mistake at the pressing plant. The album was produced by Phil Hillen (POWERWOLF, PARACHUTES, THE VISION BLEAK, VENDETTA) at SU2 Studio. Iconic illustrator Jan Meininghaus (U.D.O., BOLT THROWER, BRAINSTORM) is responsible for the perfectly fitting artwork.

A press release describes the album: “AC Angry are demonstrating with a total of ten songs how a dirty rock ’n’ roll album is supposed to sound! Catchy tunes like the pounding opener ‘Booze Horse’, the intriguing half-ballad ‘It‘s Good To Be Bad’ or the fat speed metal riffs-driven ‘Rock ‘N’ Roller Roller Rolla!’ are evidence that singer and guitarist Alan Costa, his congenial lead guitarist Stefan Kuhn, as well as the tight rhythm section, consisting of bassist Dennis Kirsch and drummer Sascha Waack will truly stir up the international scene! Moreover AC Angry pays tribute to the BACKYARD BABIES with the track ‘Rocker’.”

The Black Denim tracklist is set up as follows:

‘Booze Horse’
‘Rock ‘N’ Roller Roller Rolla’
‘It’s Good To Be Bad’
‘You Got The Thirst – I Got The Booze’
‘Black Denim’
‘Like A Riot’
‘Motor’
‘Hellrock Anthem’
‘Rocker’
‘AC Angry’

If you missed the AC Angry heavy rock ‘n’ roll express this summer on its shows with MICHAEL SCHENKER, SAXON or ANVIL, you may still catch up on the shows with OHRENFEINDT, when AC Angry will stop by your city carrying their brand new album Black Denim with them.

For more info visit Facebook.

Germany's VAN CANTO are currently in the studio with Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HELLOWEEN, HAMMERFALL) and Ronald Prent (MANOWAR, RAMMSTEIN, WITHIN TEMPTATION) working on their next studio album, which will be released at the beginning of 2014 via Napalm Records.
An update reads: "Dawn Of The Brave is our fifth studio album and it was important for us to go a little bit further than before. From the drum sound of Charlie Bauerfeind through to the choir recordings with over 200 Van Canto fans up to the mixing of Ronald Prent, who made the whole thing shine, as we always wanted to. The album will be bigger, fatter and more powerful-voiced than ever. We are thrilled to look forward to the release of the album and to play the songs live on tour. Rakkatakka Motherfuckers!"
To promote their new album, Van Canto will be on tour next year. Confirmed Tour Of The Brave dates with WINTERSTORM and special guests (TBA) include:

February
14 - St. Petersburg, Russia - Zal Ozhidaniya
15 - Moskau, Russia - Klub Volta
21 - Strassbourg, France - La Laiterie *
22 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Gallery *
23 - Nürnberg, Germany - RoFa *

March
6 - Milano, Italy - Factory *
7 - München, Germany - Backstage *
8 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chmelnice *
9 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - ROFA *
21 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - ColosSaal *
22 - Hamburg, Germany - Grünspan *
23 - Hameln, Germany - Sumpfblume *

April
2 - London, England - Underworld *
3 - Tilburg, Netherlands - O13 *
4 - Bremen, Germany - Aladin *
5 - Köln, Germany - Live Music Hall *
10 - Berlin, Germany - Lido *
11 - Glauchau, Germany - Alte Spinnerei *
12 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Pitcher *
13 - Dortmund, Germany - FZW *

* - with Winterstorm

Updates to follow.

German metal legends MAJESTY will release their new album, Banners High, on December 18th in Spain/Sweden/Norway, on December 20th in Germany/Austria/Switzerland, and December 23rd through the rest of Europe, via NoiseArt Records. Apart from the limited digipak with bonus tracks there will also be different vinyl versions. Fans can look forward to epic songs, glorious vocals and incredible shredding. Banners High is the first-ever concept album in the band's history and tells a fantasy story penned by singer Tarek "MS“ Maghary himself.

Tarek comments: "We're very proud to release our first concept album. The story deals with oppressed people who march into battle to finally be free. We definitely didn't want to do one of those concept albums with silly, boring audiobook parts and thousands of intros. The story is being conveyed by ten heavy metal anthems which could easily stand alone too. Which is why you can simply listen to the album without delving into the concept too much. If you want to though, you'll experience an incredibly epic world where honor, friendship, self-sacrifice and love of freedom still mean something.“
Banners High tracklisting:

'Judgment Of The Gods'
'We Want His Head'
'Banners High'
'Time For Revolution'
'United By Freedom'
'Pray For Thunder'
'Bloodshed And Steel'
'All We Want, All We Need'
'Take Me Home'
'On A Mountain High'
'The Day When The Battle Is Won'

Digipak Bonus Tracks:

'Banners High' (Karaoke Version)
'Take Me Home' (Acoustic Version)

Order the album in various formats via the links below:

- Ltd. Digipack
- Vinyl Black
- Vinyl Blue
- Vinyl Orange