Spanish black metallers ZINVMM have released more details of their upcoming album. October 9th is the date that has been set for the release of Zinumm, their homonymous entitled debut full-length album, a six-track work that will be available as a strictly limited edition of 350 hand-numbered copies via Darkwoods.

Zinumm tracklisting:

‘Ár Dídeanaí D´aois’
‘Taobh Thiar Dúinn Ar Dtalamh’
‘Ní Bheidh Aon Duine Maireachtáil’
‘Lá Breá Le Bás’
‘Guí Ar Mo Dheartáireacha’
‘Is E Mo Talamh Imithe Rn Mar Sin I’

Among the songs that can be emphasized is the fourth track, ‘Lá Breá Le Bás’, an amazing reinterpretation of BATHORY’s classic, ‘A Fine Day To Die’, that shows clearly Zinvmm’s influences, a really personal mixture between classic black metal acts and European folk tradition, strengthen with lyrics written and performed in Old Gaelic and the usage of traditional instruments.

CULT OF FIRE has revealed a new, as-yet-unnamed track from their forthcoming new album for Iron Bonehead Productions.



From the days of ROOT and MASTER'S HAMMER on to MANIAC BUTCHER and DARK STORM and more recently TRIUMPH, GENUS and DEATH KARMA, the Czech Republic has long been fertile ground for the blackest of metals. With the release of their Triumvirát debut last year, Cult Of Fire exploded onto the scene as a new contender well versed in the olden ways. Now, with their second album, ???????????????????, Cult Of Fire stand poised to drag those olden ways into a perversely brighter/darker future.

A press release describes the album: “On ???????????????????, the sound is undeniably "black metal" by definition, but Cult Of Fire shred the rulebook in favor of ancient, arcane texts, speaking in forbidden tongues that dazzle with a certain kaleidoscopic flavor/fervor. Indeed, Cult Of Fire are aptly named, as their attack encompasses coruscating gnarliness and winding, grinding violence, yet their grasp of dynamics spans a dizzying array of songcrafts, often simmering into melody-infused mysticism and patient, doomed-out excursions: not so much speaking a different language from black metal, but speaking one that's an entirely unique dialect.”



??????????????????? will be released on LP and cassette by Iron Bonehead Productions, and its cover, tracklisting, and release date shall be revealed shortly.

For more info visit Facebook.

The Israeli heavy metal band SWITCHBLADE, based in Haifa, recently inked a five year deal with the German label Killer Metal Records, which also has in its roster the bands STORMWARRIOR, LONEWOLF, ANIHILATED and DAMIEN THRONE.

Switchblade will release its debut album, Heavy Weapons, near the end of November. The album consists of fresh material along with re-recorded songs from the band’s earlier singles in the past two years. Switchblade has been mixing various elements of NWOBHM along with European and American 80s traditional metal.

Heavy Weapons was produced, mixed and mastered by Federico Taich at Flam Studios, Haifa, Israel. Artwork and logo design were produced by the Romanian artist, Costin Chioreanu, of Twilight 13 Media.

Heavy Weapons tracklisting:
‘Heavy Weapons’
‘Euphoria’
‘Metalista’
‘Lost Lovers Unite’
‘The Lost Kingdom’
‘Infernal Paradise’
‘Curse Of The Father, Sins Of The Son’
‘Into The Unknown’
‘Endless War’

‘Metalista’ below:



Current Switchblade Lineup:

Lior “Steinmetal” Stein – vocals
Federico “FedeRock” Taich – lead / rhythm Guitars
Venedict “Vene” Pavlovic – lead / rhythm Guitars
Boris Siper – bass
Moshe “Moshpit” Sabach – drums

Sensory Records will release The Colourless Sunrise - the maiden full-length album from Oxford, England's PROSPEKT - now locked down for an October 22nd street date.
The Colourless Sunrise was recorded by the band and then mixed by world renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, DAYLIGHT DIES, AMON AMARTH, SYMPHONY X) and Adam 'Nolly' Getgood (of PERIPHERY), and mastered by Borgen as well.

Surging beyond the one-hour mark, the huge The Colourless Sunrise recording builds upon the solid foundation Prospekt constructed on their self-titled 2011-released debut EP, expanding their spires of vibrant, modern take on their respective genre to much greater heights. Prospekt combines the fierce technicality of progressive metal with the symphonic elements of contemporary prog. From brutal riffs coupled with odd time-signatures, to majestic melodies, the principle of the band's music is to create an intelligent and atmospheric mix of melodic, modern progressive metal. Incorporating passionate higher ranged vocals, frenetic guitar work, haunting orchestration and solid grooves, every composition remains both interesting and original.

The album's cover art was created by Mattias Noren / ProgArt Media.
The Colourless Sunrise tracklisting:

'A Desolate Kingdom'
'Dissident Priests'
'Eternal Memories'
'Shroud'
'The Colourless Sunrise'
'Visions'
'The Great Awakening'
'Shutter Asylum'
'Hunting Poseidon'

'A Desolate Kingdom':
In the coming weeks, Prospekt will be filming an official video for another track from the album to be released closer to its release date. Additionally, the band will begin to perform material from The Colourless Sunrise live in support of the album, beginning with a record release show in Oxford on November 15th and much more to follow.

More on Prospekt at Facebook.

DEFTONES' video for their new single, "Romantic Dreams", off their latest album, "Koi No Yokan", can be seen below. The clip was directed by skater and filmmaker Brett Novak, and features fellow skater Jason Park.

Stated DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno: "When we started this record cycle, we decided that we didn't want to make any videos whatsoever. They're not much fun to make and they usually turn out pretty corny. But this was an idea that we were interested in because we're all very keen skateboarders and we like the idea of marrying one of our songs to someone as talented as Jason Park."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Moreno believes that the band should and will release "Eros", the album it recorded before late bassist Chi Cheng was left in a semi-comatose state by a car accident in November 2008. Although Moreno was not sure if the disc would ever surface, his feelings have changed since Cheng's death this past April. Moreno told MTV Hive, "I get asked about that record a lot. For a while, I was giving the same answer, 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no.' After Chi's passing, I went back and listened to some of the record and it was a pretty intense experience to say the least." Moreno added, "I think it should be released, but we don't have any definite plans. There's some work to do on it. DEFTONES have been moving forward in a strong, positive motion, so for us to stop and reflect on something five years ago, I don't know if we're ready for that."

But he also said, "It is a special thing for us: it's the last thing Chi played on. It will see the light of day. I just don't know when."

Moreno's new side project, PALMS, released its self-titled debut disc on June 25.

Cheng performed on DEFTONES' first five albums, with his last released work being on 2006's "Saturday Night Wrist".

Bassist Sergio Vega played on "Diamond Eyes" and the most recent DEFTONES disc, "Koi No Yokan".

Brendan Crabb of Australia's Loud magazine recently conducted an interview with guitarist Mårten Hagström of Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Loud: I'm sure like many people within the metal world you were actively following Randy Blythe's [LAMB OF GOD] recent trials and tribulations. What was your take on that situation?

Hagström: I was following what happened; I knew what was going on. I kept up to date on the Internet, but I really didn't get too into it. It's one of those things where it was fairly obvious what was going on, but it's also one of those things where… It's out of your hands, sort of. But the thing is, it's scary, stuff like that. And as a travelling musician, or whatever you want to call it, every once in a while, stuff goes wrong. And it doesn't have to be something like that; that's a very unique situation, a very strange and tough situation for Randy, of course. But there's shit happening all the time when you're out on the road. You never really know what's going to go down around the corner. It was a sobering thing, I think, for others, standing on the sidelines.

Loud: Although obviously not on such a level as that, but have you witnessed similarly concerning or dangerous behaviour at MESHUGGAH shows?

Hagström: No, not really. Sometimes, granted, you see stuff going down. But when you're up there playing, you're so focused on what's going on onstage that you're not always… You realize that there's a moshpit going on or whatever, but it's not like you're consciously taking it in. But we've been around for a long time, so yeah, definitely, we've seen stuff on the road that's scary. But you can't think about it that way. Every occupation has a hazard, so it's not often that anything happens. The scary thing about Randy's situation was how easy things can go wrong, and how bad and confused the consequences can get.

Loud: How much longer do you plan to tour in support of the latest record before you bunker down to write new material?

Hagström: End of the year. I think the last day of November is our last show for this album. So we're basically looking to have some time off in December, and then we've been on the road with "Koloss" for like two years or something, on and off. So then I guess it's about time to start writing new stuff again.

Loud: You mentioned that every album represents a slight progression for the band. In your view, what is the next step forward for MESHUGGAH creatively?

Hagström: I have no idea, and I never do. And I think that's a good thing, 'cause people sometimes say that we're pretty unpredictable, but I don't really think we are, because we have a sound that's been with us since at least like the "None" EP (from 1994), that's very us. [laughs] It doesn't really change all that much, but it's still a progression, and what I mean by taking a step forward is that we're still, we've been around now. We're veterans in this game [laughs], and we're still having fun with what we do, with experimenting with the music that we want to create. So as long as it feels like we're making it better, and as long as it feels like we're doing something that we can at least stand for and be proud of, that's all that we ask.

You can read the entire interview at Loud magazine.

Iconic prog/metal guitarist Michael Romeo of SYMPHONY X, eminent guitarist "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, from Rob Halford's band HALFORD, and industry session vocalist Chandler Mogel, among others, have joined forces with celebrated drum virtuoso Pat Gesualdo, and his new studio project ICELAND. A portion of income from the project will be donated to numerous schools, hospitals, and community centers throughout the world, on behalf of Gesualdo's famed non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities), which helps brings free therapy services to disabled children and their families. "Iceland is a combination of music masters, who bring forth great performances for fans who love progressive metal music," says Gesualdo. "I am grateful to have my musician friends join me in this wonderful project, which will help disabled children throughout the world develop physical and cognitive abilities." Gesualdo made medical, education, and drumming history with his groundbreaking techniques of drum therapy, and his famed non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums and Disabilities). D.A.D. is used by doctors, psychologists, neuroscientists, therapists and school systems on a global basis to help special needs children. Numerous celebrities, sports stars, and corporations join with Pat in an effort to help children fight disabilities throughout the world. He has performed/recorded for various Warner Brothers, Columbia, Sony, Atlantic, and Paramount Pictures artists and special projects, has won numerous awards and honors, and is the author of the hit instruction book "Drum Therapy". He has been the lead story in major international media outlets, and is an artist/clinician for Pro-Mark Drumsticks, Zildjian Cymbals, Alfred Music Publishing, and ProLogix Percussion. Track listing:

01. Buddha And The King - Metal Mike, Pat Gesualdo, Chandler Mogel02. Reverse Osmosis - Michael Romeo, Pat Gesualdo03. Egyptian Winds - Michael Romeo, Pat Gesualdo, Chandler Mogel04. Carol Of The Bells - Metal Mike, Pat Gesualdo05. World's Apart - Chandler Mogel, Pat Gesualdo06. The Trial Of Adeus Bue - Michael Romeo, Pat Gesualdo07. Apocalypse - Metal Mike, Pat Gesualdo, Chandler Mogel08. Sign From Above - Chandler Mogel, Pat Gesualdo09. Solar Shuffle - Michael Romeo, Pat Gesualdo The songs can be previewed at www.icelandnj.com.

KILL DEVIL HILL — the band featuring legendary drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL) alongside Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) on bass, Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) on guitar and Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) on vocals — will release its sophomore album, "Revolution Rise", in North America on October 29 via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by KILL DEVIL HILL and Jeff Pilson (DOKKEN, FOREIGNER, DIO) and was mixed by Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER). The cover artwork was created by Sam Shearon, who has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, IRON MAIDEN and FEAR FACTORY, to name just a few. Says Brown of the new album: "This new KILL DEVIL HILL record is definitely one of my favorite moments of my career — it's got balls, great melodies, awesome guitar riffing and a low end that'll set your ass on fire! The album far exceeds our wildest expectations and we can't wait to take this music out on the road and share it with all of our friends and fans. Buckle your seat belts, we're all in for one hell of a ride!"

"Revolution Rise" track listing:

01. No Way Out02. Crown Of Thorns03. Leave It All Behind04. Why05. Wake Up The Dead06. Long Way From Home07. Where Angels Dare To Roam08. Stained Glass Sadness09. Endless Static10. Stealing Days11. Life Goes On

The song "Crown Of Thorns" can now be streamed in the YouTube clip below. KILL DEVIL HILL will celebrate the new album release with an October 29 party and performance at The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. A fall tour will follow. Speaking to Skinny Music earlier this year, Brown stated about KILL DEVIL HILL's new material: "It's pure, unadulterated, hard, kicking-ass rock and roll, man. That's all I an say about it. It's gonna be amazing. The tapes I have, there's no compression, no EQ off the board. It's just non-stop rock and roll, man. That's all there is to it."

KILL DEVIL HILL's self-titled debut album was released last year via Steamhammer/SPV. The CD landed at position No. 9 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Kill Devil Hill" was produced by Warren Riker, who is best known for his work with DOWN, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SUBLIME and CATHEDRAL. The effort was made available in a standard CD edition, as an iTunes digital download, and double gatefold LP.

According to drummer Vinny Appice, KILL DEVIL HILL's sound is "like a cross between BLACK SABBATH, ALICE IN CHAINS and a little bit of LED ZEPPELIN thrown in. It's heavy, but with a lot of cool hooks and melodic overtones, too."

KILL DEVIL HILL is:

* Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) - Vocals* Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) - Guitar* Rex Brown (DOWN, PANTERA) - Bass* Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, DIO) – Drums

MONSTER MAGNET will release its new album, "Last Patrol", in North America on October 15 via Napalm Records. The CD was produced by Dave Wyndorf and Phil Caivano, while "Evil" Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, BAD RELIGION) mixed the album, with additional production duties handled by Matt Hyde. The artwork was created by Johun Sumrow with consultation coming from Chris Ryall and designs by Ryan Clark for Invisible Creatures Inc. The album will be available as a limited edition CD, standard CD, 2LP and digital format.

In support of "Last Patrol", MONSTER MAGNET will embark on a full-blown North American tour. Although the band has toured Europe relentlessly over the past decade, this is MONSTER MAGNET's first full North American tour in over 10 years. Support will come from Prosthetic artist ZODIAC. The tour is scheduled to kick off November 14 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and will run through December 14 in New York City.

Frontman and MONSTER MAGNET mastermind Dave Wyndorf checked in with his thoughts about "Last Patrol": "'Last Patrol' is a return to our roots in terms of vibe and recording style. It's full-on psychedelic space-rock with a '60s garage feel, recorded almost exclusively with vintage guitars, amps and effects in our hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey. The songs are a kind of space-noir, tales of cosmic revenge, peaking libidos, alienation and epic strangeness. It's a weird trip through the back alleys of a dark, retro-future, which not by coincidence very much resembles my own life. [laughs] The lyrics aren't fantasy really, rather a recounting of my musings on, observations of and general emotional reaction to my life and environment during a 1 week writing period in February of 2013. But I tend to use the vernacular and imagery of science fiction and surrealism to express myself and that's where these lyrics get trippy. There's also our cover version of DONOVAN's 'Three Kingfishers', which I thought fit the mood of the album."

He continued: "'Last Patrol' was produced by Phil Caivano and myself with an effort to bring a homegrown feel to the whole affair. We had been doing smaller projects out of Phil's Studio 13 recording space and I really felt comfortable there so it was the natural choice on where to record the next full-scale MONSTER MAGNET album. Phil and I grew up together and have a shared love of some very particular vintage music and styles. And everybody in the band played their asses off on this one."

"Last Patrol" track listing:

01. I Live Behind The Clouds02. Last Patrol03. Three King Fishers04. Paradise05. Hallelujah06. Mindless Ones07. The Duke08. End Of Time09. Stay Tuned

The song "Paradise" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

The official trailer for the self-titled debut album from SCAR THE MARTYR, the new band led by SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison, can be seen below. The CD will be released on October 1 via Roadrunner Records.

Recorded at Sound Farm Studios in Des Moines, Iowa, SCAR THE MARTYR's album was helmed by Rhys Fulber, whose production and mixing credits include FEAR FACTORY, ROB ZOMBIE, MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY and more. The CD was written by Joey and lead vocalist Henry Derek Bonner (BLOOD PROMISE), and joining them in the studio were keyboardist Chris Vrenna (NINE INCH NAILS), as well as Simon and Norris, who collectively handled all lead guitars on the album.

"Scar The Martyr" track listing:

01. Intro02. Blood Host03. My Retribution04. Soul Disintegration05. Cruel Ocean06. Dark Ages07. Sign Of The Omeneye08. Anatomy Of Erinyes09. Prayer For Prey10. White Nights In A Day Room11. Effigy Unborn12. Never Forgive Never Forget13. Mind’s Eye14. Last Night On Earth

Bonus tracks:

01. Flatline & Fracture02. Digging For Truth03. Coat Of Arms04. Complications

SCAR THE MARTYR was recently on the road as the support act for DANZIG on a North American tour which also included performances by former MISFITS guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein and HUNTRESS. The trek kicked off August 9 at Sound Academy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and wrapped up on August 31 at Tempe, Arizona's Marquee Theatre.

In addition to Jordison, SCAR THE MARTYR's lineup for the tour featured singer Henry Derek Bonner (BLOOD PROMISE), guitarists Jed Simon (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) and Kris Norris (DARKEST HOUR), keyboardist Joey Blush and bassist Kyle Konkiel (IN THIS MOMENT).

"With this project, I focused my efforts on writing for the better of the song," said Jordison. "I wasn't worried about flash or persona... It's all about writing a good solid song. I'm writing music that people can grasp and hold on to...something that resonates. If you don't have that, then you have nothing."

"I'd been working on new SLIPKNOT material since the end of the 'All Hope Is Gone' tour cycle, but I ended up with so much stuff I had to take a step back and stop working on it," he explained to Metal Hammer magazine. "The time wasn't right. But I came up with a bunch of material that was really killer and heavy and started taking some of it in a different direction. I started focusing on a lot of the post-punk and industrial stuff that I've always loved and started putting super heavy and brutal guitars over the top of it. That's how it started. It's taken me a couple of years to get to this point, but I can honestly say this is the most satisfied I've ever been in the studio. I can't wait for everyone to hear this shit."

SCAR THE MARTYR will support ALICE IN CHAINS on their U.K. tour in November.

For a complete list of dates, visit ScarTheMartyr.com.

"Crying Shame", a brand new song from MOTÖRHEAD, is available for streaming at RollingStone.com. The track comes off the band's 21st studio album, "Aftershock", which will be released as a an official Classic Rock collectors fanpack that features the new LP in full plus a 132-page magazine that forms the "ultimate sleevenotes" to the new release, with extensive and exclusive interviews with Lemmy, Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell.

Pre-order your copy now at this location (official on-sale date is October 21).

Inside is everything you need to know about "Aftershock" and the world of MOTÖRHEAD in 2013: inside the making of album, new features covering all eras of the band's career from 1975 to 2013, and tons of previously unseen pictures.

Fanpack edition includes:

* New album "Aftershock"* 132-page magazine* Giant double-sided poster* Exclusive MOTÖRHEAD car sticker

"Aftershock" track listing:

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

Check out the cover artwork below.

If you want to pre-order the fanpack but do not want your name to be included on the poster, you must email [email protected]
/* */
before 12 p.m. on September 20 to tell them that you do not want your name to be included in the Classic Rock Presents Motörhead: Aftershock fanpack poster.

Due in North America on October 22, "Aftershock" was recorded at NRG Studios in North Hollywood, California and is described in a press release as "a true leveler, a crushing confirmation of everything MOTÖRHEAD stands for, marching from the dust storm to deliver 14 belting statements which see MOTÖRHEAD in perhaps their best writing form for years. There's swagger, there's punch, there's speed and there’s dirty filthy grooves, Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee showing clearly that MOTÖRHEAD is not simply a band, it's a genre!"

"Steal it if you must, buy it if you can!" says Lemmy, whose pride in the album is so immense that guests to his home and dressing room in the last couple of months have been treated to extremely loud airings of the rough mixes, while Phil Campbell adds, "I really think the variation on the album shows that we've dug deep and produced some of our best work for a long time."

"It is," says Mikkey Dee, "a really, really strong MOTÖRHEAD album, one that really does define everything this band stands for."

MOTÖRHEAD canceled a handful of shows on its European festival tour last month after Lemmy suffered a haematoma (where blood collects outside of a blood vessel). The news of Lemmy's latest medical issue followed reports that he was also recently fitted with a defibrillator because of heart problems.

The official lyric video for the song "Dead Man Breathing" from Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED can be seen below. The track comes off the band's latest album, "The Divinity Of Purpose", which sold 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 20 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was made available on January 29 in North America via Razor & Tie and on January 25 in Europe through Nuclear Blast. The CD was co-produced by HATEBREED, Chris "Zeuss" Harris (SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL THAT REMAINS, SHADOWS FALL) and Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD), with Wilbur also handling mixing duties. The cover artwork was created and illustrated by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS, GWAR).

In a recent interview with PureGrainAudio.com, guitarist Frank Novinec stated about the musical direction of "The Divinity Of Purpose": "We are a universal band like MOTÖRHEAD, where we appeal to rock, metal and hardcore fans, and we feel that we can step outside of our boundaries at times. We did that about as much as we wanted to on the last record and some people were into it and some people weren't, but there were some great songs in there. I think, definitely, for this one, we wanted it more straightforward; more meat and potatoes. We are a band that has been around for a long time and it is really difficult to come up with something fresh, but I think we achieved that on 'The Divinity Of Purpose'. More than anything, though, I am really proud at what a solid effort this record is from the beginning to the end."

Regarding the cover artwork for "The Divinity Of Purpose", Novinec said: "We had an artist who has done stuff for SODOM and TESTAMENT and others do this one for us. It was kind of a risk, because a lot of people thought, once they saw the cover, that the album was going to be really, really metal, and that is not the case at all. We wanted something different. We are open to different things and experimenting, and we certainly did that with this album cover, but when you look at it, it has the black-and-red classic HATEBREED look to it even though it is something new to us with the painting. I think it is real cool. This is an exciting time for us; everything from having a new album out, being on tour and the artwork."

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON have issued the following update:

"MASTODON has been busy jamming every day writing and arranging the next studio album. We have quite a few songs and ideas that are taking some time to nail down what we think will make it to the next full-length.

"There will be no more touring this year. We will hit the studio in November to hopefully finish by the end of year."

Asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for MASTODON's follow-up to 2011's "The Hunter", guitarist Bill Kelliher told Artisan News: "We haven't really come to the lyrical concepts yet. That's usually the last thing that comes. We're usually focused on the music and getting all the parts and everything sounding 'balls to the wall,' you know what I mean?! That's the most important thing. And then once we've got all that settled and recorded, we're always scrambling for lyrics and ideas and stuff. We're getting a little bit better at it, and I think Brann's [Dailor, drums] got a lot of ideas for vocal melodies and stuff like that. I'll play the riff and he'll kind of sing along, and I'm, like, 'OK, that sounds really proggy, but really awesome.' I'm really, really excited about it. But as far as what it's gonna be dealing with, it's a little too early to tell; it's pretty fresh stuff right now. I mean, we've got some demos, but they're really, really rough."

Kelliher also spoke about possible lyrical themes that might be covered on MASTODON's next album. He said: "Death always makes for really good story telling. It's kind of the theme that we have a lot in our music. We've had a lot of friends pass away since the last record. I'm not really sure yet. I think we're kind of focusing more about living on this earth and what would happen if this was your last year to live. I think that's sort of maybe a little bit of what we might be kind of touching on."

He added: "Art reflects life — how you're feeling and your mood. I played a riff for Brann and he was, like, 'That sounds kind of happy. Are we happy now?' I don't know… I am; I'm a pretty happy guy. So that's kind of how we work; it's pretty simple. But we'll have to see. I really like the way 'The Hunter' went; that was not a total change in direction, but we just kind of proved to ourselves that we can just write stuff that we think sounds cool, and it doesn't have to all flow together, it doesn't have to all sound the same. It can be totally different without a concept. So I think that really opened up my mind at least to, like, 'What if I write something like this? Is that gonna be cool?' And we're all on the same page right now with all the songs — the 30 or so songs we've gathered so far. So we'll just have to see how it goes."

MASTODON's latest album, "The Hunter", came out in September 2011 through Reprise Records.

The Dude from 106.5 KWHL conducted an interview with vocalist Michael Starr of Los Angeles glam-metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER before their August 31 show at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can now watch the chat below.

STEEL PANTHER has set "All You Can Eat" as the title of its third album, tentatively due in early 2014. A video for the song "Party Like It's The End Of The World" is being filmed this month.

Regarding the new CD title, 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.

Karl Simon, vocalist/guitarist for for Indianapolis doomsters THE GATES OF SLUMBER, has posted the following message on the Hellride Music forums:

"Some of you may have noticed that Jason [McCash, bass] quit THE GATES OF SLUMBER this past week.

"So, yeah. it's done.

"I always said I'd never go on doing THE GATES OF SLUMBER without Jason. I don't think anyone ever really believed it, but yeah, it's done. I did start the band, but McCash has been my best friend for the last 20 years, the last 10 in this damn band. He wrote amazing music and was a killer person to be around on the road.

"Somewhere about three years back, shit started to change, and it's ended with him quitting. I'm sure he needs the break, probably from me... I'm starting to *kind of* get the hint.

"So yeah. It's done."

THE GATES OF SLUMBER's "Death March" video can be seen below. The song comes off the band's "Stormcrow" EP, which was released on January 29 via Scion Audio/Visual, (a.k.a. Scion A/V), the in-house record label and lifestyle marketing division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market. The CD was recorded by Sanford Parker and it features cover artwork by Dave Quiggle.

THE GATES OF SLUMBER last year parted amicably with drummer J. Clyde Paradis, who recorded and toured behind the 2011 album "The Wretch" (Rise Above Records).

THE GATES OF SLUMBER started in 1998 as a backlash against the stoner rock trend prevalent at the time and with their mixture of BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS, PENTAGRAM, and prime-era CELTIC FROST, the band has crushed or converted unbelievers ever since.

"The Wretch" was released in May 2011 via Rise Above/Metal Blade. The CD was recorded at England's Orgone Studios with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, ANGEL WITCH).