".44", the new video from Finnish technical death metallers DE LIRIUM'S ORDER (DLO), can be seen below. The clip was produced by Jukka Pihlajaniemi (Yellow Bucket) and was filmed at the Tuska open air metal festival in June 2013 in Helsinki, Finland. The song features a guest appearance by Lars Eikind (BEFORE THE DAWN, WINDS, KHOLD), who performs the clean vocals

According to a press release, ".44" "investigates a mindset of a school killer, exploring a dark past and eventually, depicting the delirium that takes a hold on its victim, the killer."

".44" comes off DE LIRIUM'S ORDER's third album, "Veniversum", which was released in March 2012 via DLO Productions, distributed by Inverse Records.

"Veniversum" track listing:

01. Autistic Savant02. .4403. Maximum Sentence04. Seppuku05. The Gravity of Crime06. Schizophrenic07. My Kingdom from Baekdu08. The Aftermath

"Collide", the new solo video from SOUNDGARDEN bassist Ben Shepherd, can be seen below (courtesy of RollingStone.com). The track comes off Shepherd's debut solo album as HBS (his given name of Hunter Benedict Shepherd), "In Deep Owl", which was released on August 27. The collection of songs was recorded in the industrial neighborhoods of Georgetown and Interbay in Seattle, Washington and was produced by Dave French, Ben Shepherd, Chad MacMurray and Nathan Yaccino. It features guest appearances by SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron and former PEARL JAM drummer Matt Chamberlain.

Regarding the CD title, Shepherd told Bass Player magazine: "That's an old nickname for the neighborhood where I hang out."

He added: "[The album] was done before SOUNDGARDEN returned to doing anything, and then it was put on the back burner."

Speaking about the lyrical approach of his solo material, Shepherd told PureVolume: "I want to do that to give people freedom to think and feel about what it is. I don't want to just blurt it out, unless it's one of those songs where you want to say exactly what it is. I don't tend to write journalistically like that when it comes to words. Like 'Stone Pale' was made up on the spot years ago. Then, I added a verse during the recording of this record because I thought it needed another verse instead of just repeating a verse."

"Blood In The Water" and "Ordinary", two more new songs from vocalist/guitarist Kenn Nardi of reunited St. Louis, Missouri-based progressive/melodic thrash metallers ANACRUSIS, can be streamed below.

Nardi revealed in an online post this past April that he is "planning to finish the new music and release it in some form, but I'm not sure of the details just yet. This will not be an acoustic project like CRUEL APRIL. It will be exactly the same album that I had intended to record with [fellow ANACRUSIS original members] John [Emery, bass] and Mike [Owen, drums].

"Basically. I have been recording new songs myself over the last couple of years (during the reunion rehearsals/shows/festivals) with the intention of going back and replacing the programmed drums and the bass parts that I recorded using the other guys. Unfortunately, this was going nowhere and we could just never find the time to get things moving. So I have left John's bass on a few songs that he had completed and have played everything else myself. There were rough drum tracks which Mike played and had planned to go back and re-do which I have just replaced like the rest of the demos (If you've heard the version of 'Made' I posted, you'll have an idea as I was the only one on that recording).

"I have more than 20 songs completed and will be working on recording the last batch over the next few weeks. In the end, there will be maybe 30 songs making up two complete CDs packed full of new material. Most will be very much in the style of ANACRUSIS (or at least where we would be 20 years after 'Screams And Whispers') and some a bit more experimental and/or melodic. There will be thrash stuff, proggish stuff, melodic stuff and some things like you've never heard. I have even recorded a heavier version of 'A Little Light' from the CRUEL APRIL project. With 2 1/2 hours worth of songs, there should something for any fan of ANACRUSIS and more.

"I still plan to call it 'Parallax Error', though I am debating whether to put the name ANACRUSIS on it or not. Regardless, by any name, the album would be the same. I plan on posting a medley of samples soon to give everyone an idea what to expect.

"I personally have so much time and creative effort invested in these songs that I did not want to abandon the entire project just because we cannot find the time to be a band right now. Hopefully some of you will enjoy what I have created this time and the new recordings will be something fresh for those of you who've waited for new ANACRUSIS music."

ANACRUSIS in 2010 spent time in the studio recording a "new" album entitled "Hindsight: Suffering Hour & Reason Revisited". The two-CD set featured both ANACRUSIS' debut album, "Suffering Hour", and its second release, "Reason", along with the classic ANACRUSIS demo track "Apocalypse", all fully re-recorded by the original lineup of Nardi, Kevin Heidbreder, John Emery and Mike Owen. The package also featured a 24-page, full-color booklet with lyrics and lots of photos both old and new. The cover art was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SIGH, MEKONG DELTA, GWAR).

In 2009, Stormspell Records released the CD/DVD compilation, "Annihilation Complete: The Early Years Anthology", which featured ANACRUSIS' demo and video footage of Nardi's pre-ANACRUSIS band, HEAVEN'S FLAME.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, film producer Harvey Weinstein says that LED ZEPPELIN did not appear at last year's 12.12.12 concert for Hurricane Sandy relief due to Jimmy Page passing on the charity gig. Weinstein was on hand at the Toronto International Film Festival for the screening of the 12.12.12 documentary, and revealed that he pulled out all the stops to ensure that ZEPPELIN appeared — even asking former President Bill Clinton and President Obama to personally lobby the guitarist so that the ZEPPELIN reunion could help raise funds for the suffering and displaced Easterners. Weinstein said: "We get an OK from [Robert] Plant if Page will do it. . . Jimmy Page doesn't want to do it. Bill [Clinton] talked to the group and Jimmy told him no. Jimmy Page struck out Obama and Bill Clinton. . . that will live on in infamy."

Jimmy Page explained that the recently released "Celebration Day" CD/DVD of ZEPPELIN's 2007 London reunion concert was a chance to rectify some of ZEPPELIN's less-than-stellar post-breakup reunion performances. "We had the opportunity to get together again — which is what we had there, to do the O2 — with those, y'know, things that left us a bit uncomfortable like the Live Aid and Atlantic 40th (anniversary concert), etc.," he said. "But we really just wanted to get it right and go out there to play to people who maybe never heard us, who had heard about this reputation and what we're about, and basically go out and stand out and be counted for what we were."

Swedish heavy rockers GRAND MAGUS have entered the studio to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "The Hunt" for an early 2014 release via Nuclear Blast. The band is once again working with producer Nico Elgstrand and engineer Staffan Karlsson (ARCH ENEMY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) at Studio Sweetspot in Halmstad. Commented GRAND MAGUS drummer Ludwig "Ludde" Witt: "The time has come! Warriors! Things have been quiet around here recently, you know us well enough to know that we haven't been sitting around idly though... We have finished writing our new album and we enter the studio!!! Monday the 2 of September marks the start of our new journey. The result will be something to behold. That is a promise. You want something heavy? You'll get it. This will be our strongest album to date." Added the entire band: "The MAGUS have been busy bees with an elaborate pre-production phase, meaning that we have demoed all the tracks and it certainly pays off now. The recordings proper started off this Monday and we already have some killer basic tracks brewing. We are working simultaneously on several tracks to ensure flow and proper impact. It feels like it's going to be something extremely powerful this time... The drums are killer and with the perfect touch we've learned to expect from Ludwig, there will be a wall of ferocious guitars and grinding bass guitar that will shake the bowels. Among other things we worked today on 'Holmgång', which has a lot of riffing going on and we think the guitar sound is the best we've ever had on a recording. Pure power!" "The Hunt" was released in Europe on May 25, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD's cover artwork was created by Arik Roper (CATHEDRAL, HIGH ON FIRE, SLEEP), who also handled the art on GRAND MAGUS' "Iron Will" LP.

Due to family obligations and work commitments, drummer Sebastian "Seb" Sippola left GRAND MAGUS last year.

Maryland rockers CLUTCH have been forced to postpone the September tour dates of the "Earth Rocker" North American tour so that singer Neil Fallon can undergo surgery for cervical spinal stenosis and two herniated discs. Most of the shows will be rescheduled. Support on the rescheduled concerts will still come from THE SWORD and CROBOT.

Tickets that were already purchased for the dates in September will be honored for the rescheduled dates in January.

Unfortunately, one of the shows could not be rescheduled and has been canceled. This is show is Vienna, West Virginia on September 21.

The shows scheduled for South Burlington, Vermont on September 24 and Long Island, New York on September 27 will be rescheduled for a later date; please hold on to your tickets. Refunds for the West Virginia are available at point of purchase.

The band will still be playing The Shindig festival on September 14 in Baltimore, Maryland. All dates on the October - November leg of the tour will go on as scheduled and planned. The Hampton Beach, New Hampshire date originally in September is now scheduled for October 25.

Unfortunately, THE SWORD and CROBOT will not be appearing on this new date in Hampton Beach, NH. News about support will be released in the coming weeks. CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon gave the following update on his condition: "Dear friends, this week I've learned that a childhood injury to the neck, a genetic predisposition for spinal disease, and 20 some years of headbanging will exact a toll. I've been diagnosed with an ugly case of cervical spinal stenosis and two herniated discs.

"In some instances, these conditions can be treated non-surgically. This is not the case for me. I have been advised by several neurosurgeons that my spinal cord has already been damaged and that I risk further damage were I not to address the situation. For this reason, I've decided to take care of this [as soon as possible].

"Believe me, rescheduling a tour turns my stomach, but I believe this is the wisest choice given the prognosis. "On Tuesday, I will undergo surgery. The procedure will fuse three vertebrae together with a small titanium plate.

"I have faith that this surgery will go as well as it can, and that I will be back in the saddle for our October-November tour.

"On behalf of my spine, deepest apologies to those who had been looking forward to seeing CLUTCH over the next two weeks. We'll make it up to you."

The video for "Killhammer", the title track of the new album from Greek/German heavy metallers MYSTIC PROPHECY, can be seen below. Due on September 27 via Massacre Records, the effort will be made available as a jewel case, limited-edition A5 digipak with a bonus live DVD, as well as limited vinyl LP in gatefold cover (500 copies) and limited clear vinyl (100 copies).

"Killhammer" was recorded at the Prophecy & Music Factory Studios with singer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis (SUICIDAL ANGELS, VALLEY'S EVE, INSIDEAD) once again sitting in the producer's chair. Fredrik Nordström (HAMMERFALL, IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY) was responsible for the mix at the Studio Fredman in Sweden. The album's cover artwork was created by Uwe Jarling and can be seen below.

Comments Liapakis: "We are truly satisfied with our new album.

"I'm pretty confident that we have taken MYSTIC PROPHECY to the next level, and I believe our fans will be satisfied with the result too.

"We already have great reviews coming in, and a very warm response from the people who have already listened to it.

"We strongly believe that 'Killhammer' is heading for the German charts.

"As in our previous albums, we had some nice surprises to present; the same goes for 'Killhammer'. We have a couple of aces up our sleeves, certain elements which, when you listen to it, you will understand the path we are walking into."

"Killhammer" track listing:

01. Killhammer (4:16)02. Armies Of Hell (4:24)03. To Hell And Back (4:24)04. Kill The Beast (3:24)05. Hate Black (4:54)06. Children Of The Damned (4:41)07. 300 In Blood (4:22)08. Angels Of Fire (4:07)09. Warriors Of The Northern Seas (4:21)10. Set The World On Fire (3:47)11. Crazy Train (OZZY OSBOURNE cover) (5:19)

A trailer for "Killhammer" can be seen below.

MYSTIC PROPHECY is:

Roberto Dimitri Liapakis - Vocals Markus Pohl - Rhythm guitar Laki Ragazas - Lead guitar Connie Andreszka - Bass Tristan Maiwurm - Drums

A few days after the release of "Killhammer", MYSTIC PROPHECY will launch a European tour alongside MASTERPLAN and JADED HEART.

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR have begun mixing their new album with Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, PRETTY MAIDS, DESTRUCTION) at his Hansen studio in Ribe, Denmark for a January 2014 release via Frontiers Records. 12 songs were recorded during the new CD sessions, including "two epic songs, one guitar ballad, and nine crushing metal songs with all the trademarks you know and love to hear from PRIMAL FEAR," according to the band. The effort was engineered by Achim Köhler (EDGUY, MASTERPLAN) and is being produced by PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner.

In a recent interview with Jump Metal, PRIMAL FEAR vocalist Ralf Scheepers stated about the musical direction of the band's upcoming album: "It's not so far away [from what we've done in the past], because we have our style, you know. It was hard for us to imagine… because [2012's] 'Unbreakable' was a pretty tough... and really, in our ears, pretty great album, and for us, it was somehow hard to top it. But as soon as we started to write the new songs, and as soon as I heard what Mat and Magnus [Karlsson, guitar] did in the first place — because then they sent me some stuff and I added my ideas on it — I just thought, 'Wow, this is amazing.' And in the end, it really turned out to be a better album than 'Unbreakable'."

Frontiers and PRIMAL FEAR in January announced that they have renewed their partnership for another multi-album deal, which will include two more studio releases and one live CD and DVD. PRIMAL FEAR's latest album, "Unbreakable", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 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.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach says that MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx's "memory is wrong" regarding whether Bach was once asked to replace Vince Neil as the frontman of MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Earlier this week, Bach responded to a question on Twitter, saying he was asked to join MÖTLEY CRÜE more than two decades ago. But Sixx disputed that account, telling the listeners of his "Sixx Sense" radio show that Bach's claim that was "absolutely not true. At the time that Vince left MÖTLEY CRÜE in 1990… '89… '90.. somewhere in there… '91… [Sebastian] was in SKID ROW and SKID ROW was on top of the world," Sixx said. "And [Dave] Snake [Sabo], their guitar player, was one of my very best friends. So I think I would remember that.

"I don't know where Sebastian got this. I think maybe Sebastian wanted to be in MÖTLEY CRÜE and just forgot to tell us that he wanted to be in MÖTLEY CRÜE when we were looking for a singer. Which I don't think we would have taken him anyway, just because of our friends from SKID ROW."

Sixx added, "Sebastian Bach was never part of this master plan, that's for sure. So I wanted people to know that."

Earlier tonight, Bach posted the following lengthy statement on his official Facebook page:

"Well, it's not every day you wake up to one of your childhood heroes calling you a liar. Either that, or Nikki Sixx's memory needs some serious 'refreshing.'

"What the fuck is Twitter? Twitter is the new rock magazine of the modern age.

"When I was a kid, we had magazines and journalists and interviews and articles and pinups and posters to follow our favourite artists. Nowadays? Twitter is actually the new rock magazine.

"Last week I answered one tweet with three words. Some fan asked me if I was 'ever approached to join MÖTLEY CRÜE.' My tweet, in response to this, was: 'not approached. asked.' Literally three words.

"The next day I woke up and saw that my tweet had actually become headline news on every single rock music website. Every single rock music radio station. Every single rock news outlet, radio, web, or print, was reporting 'Sebastian Bach asked to join MOTLEY CRUE.'

"I laughed that all of these supposed 'news outlets' have nothing better to do then go to my Twitter page to manufacture 'news' stories.

"None of these 'news stories' had any actual quotes by me. Or anything that I actually said. Every single article just copied and pasted my tweet.

"It is incredible to me that my Twitter feed is a source of 'news' for every rock news outlet around the world.

"Everybody knows that Nikki Sixx is in control of MÖTLEY CRÜE.

"When I woke up that next day and saw every headline of every news outlet 'Sebastian Bach asked to join MÖTLEY CRÜE', 'MÖTLEY CRÜE Sebastian Bach blah blah blah blah blah,' I was laughing, because this is extremely old news. I could envision Nikki Sixx seeing his band's name 'MÖTLEY CRÜE' in every single news article and saying, 'Hey, I am MÖTLEY CRÜE! What the fuck is all this?'

"And now today I wake up to the headline that Nikki Sixx himself is on his radio station actually talking about my tweet.

"It is incredible to me that Nikki Sixx, one of my childhood heroes, would go on his radio station to talk about one single tweet that I made. I did not realize that my tweets were this newsworthy. It blows my mind that Nikki Sixx is on his radio station talking about one tweet that I made in response to a fan.

"Why people are constantly fixated on what happened in 1991 is completely beyond me. But that's just the way it is.

"What did they say about the '80s? If you remembered it, you weren't really there? A perfect example of this would be Nikki Sixx's book 'The Heroin Diaries'. In his 'diary,' Nikki tells a story about the 'Theater Of Pain' tour and how I kicked in the window of the CNE Stadium door on the afternoon of the show and let all of the fans in at three in the afternoon. Being that his book is a 'diary,' you would think that this would be accurate information. But in actual fact, this whole incident did not even happen on the 'Theater Of Pain' tour. In fact, this incident occurred on the 'Shout At The Devil' tour. About 3 or 4 years before 'Theatre Of Pain'.

"So does that mean Nikki Sixx's 'claim' that his 'book' is a 'diary' is 'absolutely not true?' Do I think Nikki Sixx is actually 'lying?' Not really. I am sure that all of the heroin and partying and drinking would affect a man's memory. The simple fact is that, I did indeed kick in the doors... on the 'Shout At The Devil' tour. Not the 'Theater Of Pain' tour.

"Who even cares? What does this even matter, anyways?

"Vince Neil is the singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE. He always has been, and he always will be. Vince Neil is the voice, frontman, and singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE. Now and forever.

So, Nikki Sixx is either calling me a liar, or his memory is wrong in this instance. I am willing to assume the latter.

"The fact of the matter is I was not only asked to join MÖTLEY CRÜE… I actually REHEARSED with the band MÖTLEY CRÜE.

"I was driven to rehearsal by Tommy Lee [MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] and I spent a full day singing the MÖTLEY CRÜE set with the band MÖTLEY CRÜE. In front of their whole road crew.

"I remember the songs that Nikki asked me to sing that day. I remember the whole road crew's ecstatic reaction to us jamming together all day. And I remember Nikki's very generous, kind offer, at the end of our rehearsal, for me to join the band MÖTLEY CRÜE. I remember his exact words, that he said to me in front of his whole road crew, Tommy, and Mick [Mars, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist] as well.

"It's not every day that your hero asks you to join his band.

"I remember everything about that day.... including what kind of sandwich Tommy Lee had for lunch.

"I will tell this complete story in my upcoming book.

"This was not just a simple offer to 'join a band.' I rehearsed with the band. I spoke to their management on the phone days later about Nikki's offer. It was a big deal involving record companies, management companies, and all sorts of business dealings.

"Maybe Nikki doesn't remember that day. But I find it hard to believe that I would spend a day rehearsing with the band, at their official rehearsal hall, do the set with them, in front of their whole road crew, and Nikki doesn't remember this?

"Oh, well.

"I will tell the complete story of Nikki offering me to join MÖTLEY CRÜE in my upcoming book, which will be arriving on bookshelves soon.

"I am not simply 'making this up.'

"Thank you all for enjoying my Twitter page so very much.

"I am not a liar.

"I am working on my book right now and I look forward to you all reading it.

"I plan on my book having even more information in it than one of my tweets does."

On September 11, Metal Kaoz conducted an interview with former PANTERA and current DOWN singer Philip Anselmo. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below. A couple of excerpts follow.

On the status of his solo band:

"We just finished up mixing the new EP from myself and THE ILLEGALS, and it's very different — very, very, very different than [Anselmo's solo debut] 'Walk Through Exits Only'. And that EP will be available for the Housecore Horror Film Festival at the end of October in an seven-inch version and then we'll probably release it digitally shortly thereafter. It's two songs. I think we're gonna keep it simple and just call it the 'Housecore Horror Film Festival' EP — just keep it very, very simply; straight to the point."

On whether the new songs from his solo project are more melodic or more extreme than "Walk Through Exits Only":

"I think a little bit of both. I think there is points in it where there is a different use of vocal, where I guess you could say, yes, it's more melodic, to a certain degree, in spots. And then, maybe for some people it might be even more extreme musically in spots as well. Either way, it is very extreme, but it does touch on different, I guess, avenues of extremity."

On DOWN's plans for the immediate future:

"As of yesterday, September 10, DOWN wrote the first new song for the next EP. So we're gonna get back to work on that tomorrow. And we should have another song knocked out by tomorrow. And we're looking to release that fucker in the first quarter of next year. These are skeletons so far, but they are very, very strong skeletons. I think this first song that we wrote is very, very BLACK SABBATH-infused DOWN and very raw and heavy and I'm very happy with it."

Interview (audio):

Reformed West Virginia metallers BYZANTINE, who independently released their fourth album earlier this year, have announced two new members. The band has revamped its lineup with the rehiring of lead guitarist Brian Henderson, who filled in on a round of reunion shows in 2010, and new bassist Sean Sydnor. Along with the new members comes a round of select show dates to promote their self-titled album, which was released on February 26.

Sep. 20 - Akron, OH @ Ripper's Rock HouseSep. 21 - Indianapolis, IN @ Old National Centre Indianapolis Metal FestivalOct. 12 - Charleston, WV @ The Blue ParrotOct. 16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Club Europa CMJ Metal Insider ShowcaseNov. 07 - Richmond, VA @ The Canal ClubNov. 08 - Chesapeake, VA @ Roger's Pub

The "Byzantine" cover artwork was designed by David Friedmann, the winner of the contest the band launched on MetalSucks.

BYZANTINE was first discovered by LAMB OF GOD and released three highly respected albums and completed several major tours before calling in quits in 2008, just after the release of their most respected effort, "Oblivion Beckons". Last year, the band entered the studio to begin work on the new CD.

Richmond, Virigina metallers LAMB OF GOD will release a special 10th-anniversary edition of their "As The Palaces Burn" album in November.

After some serious detective work tracking down the original album master tapes, the band went in with producer Josh Wilbur (who also produced LAMB OF GOD's "Wrath" and "Resolution" CDs) and gave "Palaces" a full-on, ass-kicking remix and remaster, front to back, top to bottom. The remixed version of "Palaces" is now how they had originally intended it to be.

To go along with the album re-release, LAMB OF GOD also shot a brand new DVD documentary recounting the recording process and the stories behind the music which features new interviews with original producer Devin Townsend, the band members and current producer, Josh Wilbur.

LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler comments: "We are lucky to have the opportunity, a decade after our first attempt, to bring what I consider to be our master work up to speed sonically.

"Ever since the original release, we've been distraught about the sonic qualities of 'As The Palaces Burn'.

"The band had captured lightning in a bottle and the budget limitation of a sophomore album turned our lightning into a firefly in a jar.

"The songs are undeniable and we've always been very proud of how this album launched our career. It feels appropriate to revisit now that we can and give this very special album the chance to reach our original hopes and it's true potential."

"As The Palaces Burn" 10th-anniversary edition track listing:

01. Ruin 02. As The Palaces Burn 03. Purified 04. 11th Hour 05. For Your Malice 06. Boot Scraper 07. A Devil In God’s Country 08. In Defense Of Our Good Name 09. Blood Junkie 10. Vigil 11. Ruin (previously unreleased demo) 12. As The Palaces Burn (previously unreleased demo) 13. Blood Junkie (previously unreleased demo)

To order "As The Palaces Burn" 10th-anniversary edition, go to this location.

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH's entire September 10 performance at at Austin360 Amphitheatre in Austin, Texas as the support act for IRON MAIDEN can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hangar 18 02. Wake Up Dead 03. In My Darkest Hour 04. Sweating Bullets 05. Kingmaker 06. Tornado Of Souls 07. Symphony Of Destruction 08. Peace Sells

Encore:

09. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

MEGADETH's latest album, "Super Collider", has sold 66,000 copies in the United States since its June 4 release. The CD arrived in stores via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). It marks MEGADETH's first release since the band's split with Roadrunner Records.

In a recent interview with Metal Insider, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson stated about the band's decision to release the new album via the group's own label, "The whole imprint idea is that we pretty much just put our logo on our own record [laughs], but we use the muscle of Universal Music Group around the world to push it out and to use all of their marketing and distribution, which is what you want.

"Anyone can start a label, but if you're just selling them out of your post office box, you're gonna sell about two copies versus having it distributed around the world. So major-label distribution obviously makes all the difference in the world. And we noticed that when we went from 'Killing Is My Business' to the 'Peace Sells' record years ago."

Regarding the songwriting process for "Super Collider", Ellefson said: "We worked with [producer] Johnny K on the last record, so we already had the getting-to-know-each-other experience on that record; that was kind of the first date and this was more digging into the songs on the record and had a good idea of what we were going into when we started it. And, really, the songs were laid out in October and we did the 'Countdown To Extinction' 20th-anniversary tour, and by the time we were ready to start tracking at the end of December, we had a good road map of where we wanted to go and there were a lot of tunes that were already on the deck and ready."

He added: "We're a band now that is always on tour, so we always try to find little windows to make records in between. [laughs] So yeah, we were already laying out the record during the last world tour. And we knew once we were rolling off the road that we were going to go in and start tracking. January gave us the opportunity to write about six more tunes, which also included bringing in the cover song of [THIN LIZZY's] 'Cold Sweat'.

"We've always done covers, for the most part, of bands that don't really exist anymore, even BLACK SABBATH at the time didn't exist when we did 'Paranoid'. Nancy Sinatra, of course, the SEX PISTOLS, you know, so at the time we were doing this, it was all artists from a past day. That's what made the THIN LIZZY song a great tune — the fact that that lineup will never exist ever again I think made it cool for us to be able to take the torch and run with it."

Multi-camera video footage of Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA) and his solo band THE ILLEGALS performing a medley of the PANTERA classics "Domination" and "Hollow" on August 22 at Tipitina's in New Orleans can be seen below.

2014 will mark the 20th anniversary of PANTERA's seventh album, "Far Beyond Driven", and the band is planning to re-release a special edition for fans. According to The Pulse Of Radio, Anselmo chatted about the album with Artisan News saying, "Considering its contents, it is the heaviest record to come in at No. 1, and yes, there is a fucking goddamn re-release coming up. I don't know anything, really, about it other than, yes, it's gonna re-released with live footage from said show, but I can't name the show yet, because I think it's a fight between two different shows. And you never know. I'm trying to think of specialties or whatnot that will be included as well."

Anselmo went on to discuss the band's success saying, "The chemistry within PANTERA... In the early days, they were very guarded about what I said here and there. And then, finally, by 'Vulgar Display Of Power', it was, like, 'Just let me handle the lyrics.' And then by 'Far Beyond Driven', I was saying anything I fucking wanted to fucking really fucking sing about, man."

Anselmo's first-ever solo album, "Walk Through Exits Only", sold around 8,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Produced by Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at Philip's New Orleans studio, Nodferatu's Lair, with his band THE ILLEGALS — guitarist Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL) and José Manuel Gonzales — "Walk Through Exits Only" is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo.

Acclaimed drummer Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, SEBASTIAN BACH, FATES WARNING) has finished laying down drum tracks for 12 songs on the new solo album from former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach. The CD is being recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ALICE COOPER), who helmed Bach's last solo CD, 2011's "Kicking & Screaming".

A short video message from the studio can be seen below.

Says Bach: "We have a special bass player playing on this record, but we're not allowed to say who it is yet, because he's so important. But every one of you know who he is. And stay tuned for the announcement on who's playing the bass in your face."

The guitars on Bach's new album will be performed by Devin Bronson (AVRIL LAVIGNE, PINK) and Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL). There will also be songwriting contributions from guitarist John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, ex-MARILYN MANSON), who co-wrote the song "TunnelVision" on "Kicking & Screaming". Making a guest appearance on the CD will be bassist Duff McKagan (DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES).

Bach previously stated about his new material: "It is going to be balls-out, kick-ass rock 'n' roll with tons of vocal histrionics and harmonies especially… I am going to really concentrate on harmonies and pushing my voice to the maximum you have ever heard it pushed. The riffs are crazy and cool."

Asked if he feels "Kicking & Screaming" got enough credit from the rock community and the fans, Bach told "The Classic Metal Show" in a recent interview: "Yeah. To be on the Billboard chart again is enough credit for me. I like being on the chart. It's cool that I can put out an album that competes on the charts in this day and age.

He added: "I'm not trying to remind anybody of the past; that's the opposite of what I'm trying to do. I never was doing that.

"I don't understand the nostalgia factor of rock and roll fans at all. When SKID ROW came out in 1989, we weren't singing songs that were 20 years old, we were singing songs that we just wrote. That's what I'm doing today; that's what I was doing then. So I don't get that whole idea at all."

Bach's brand new CD/DVD package, "ABachalypse Now", was released in North America on March 26 via Frontiers Records. The "ABachalypse Now" Ultimate CD/DVD Edition includes never-before-seen footage from last year's Graspop Metal Meeting festival in Dessel, Belgium, the full never-before-seen Hellfest set from France and the fully-remixed and remastered Nokia show from Los Angeles (originally broadcast on AXS TV), as well as bonus music videos. The DVD contains a running time of nearly 160 minutes. "ABachalypse Now" was made available in two configurations: the Ultimate CD/DVD Edition (2 CDs + DVD) and a standalone DVD.

Asked by Italian web radio Linearock.it in a June 2012 interview what the reason is for the frequent lineup changes in his solo band, Bach said, "It's a very easy answer. It's all to do with finance. If you get paid a certain amount of money, you can't pay to play… If I tell a guy in my band, 'This is what we're getting. We all have to split it.' Some guys will be like, 'Fuck that!' And I'm like, 'You know what?! Bye!' [laughs] 'Cause it's a business. When you see me change bandmembers, it's usually a business decision."

A teaser for the forthcoming BLACK SABBATH DVD, "Gathered In Their Masses", can be seen below. The set will contain footage from the band's tour in support of its long-awaited reunion album, "13".

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler told the Chicago Sun-Times that the band's current tour could very well be his last. Asked why he thought that, Butler explained, "I don't know. I just got a feeling. It's getting tough, it really is. I can't lie about that. I'm old now. It really is tough going on every night. You wake up the next day, all the pains you never had before. I don't want to go onstage for the sake of the money. You have to have a lot pride in yourself, and I honestly think I'm coming to the end of the top of my job." Butler also said that he's enjoying the current SABBATH tour, adding, "I've always said as long as I can play, as long as I can do it to a good level, then I'll keep doing it, because I still really enjoy playing. I'll know when the day comes I can't do this anymore, can't play to my usual standards. That's when I won't go out anymore. I won't do that to me self. But at the moment, I just love playing with the band. It probably will be the last time, will probably be the last tour. But I want to go out on a high. The band is playing really well at the moment."

Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and singer Ozzy Osbourne reunited in late 2011 to record their first new album together in 35 years. Original drummer Bill Ward was on board at first but dropped out over contract disputes.

Progress on the record was slowed first by Ward's departure and then by Iommi's January 2012 cancer diagnosis.

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio that the band members knew this might be their last chance to make an album together. "We knew as a band that people were gonna go, 'Oh yeah. they're going in the studio again, it's never gonna happen,' you know," he said. "So we just marched through all the problems and did an album, you know, with Rick Rubin."

The disc, which came out this past June, became the first SABBATH album in the band's 43-year history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

"Why So Lonely", the new Aksel Dalili-directed video from former THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL "goddess of beauty" Kari Rueslåtten, can be seen below. The song, which is available via iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Wimp, is a new version of the THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL track from the band's "Tears Laid In Earth" album (1994), featuring a guest appearance by NIGHTWISH mastermind Tuomas Holopainen on piano and keyboards. Jostein Ansnes plays guitar and Rune Arnesen laid down the drums. "I decided to look back in time and make a cover version of one of my favorite songs from the early years with THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL," said Rueslåtten. "In a way, it can be seen as a tribute to those who have showed interest in my music through so many years. "What really triggered me to start making music again were all the kind messages I got from fans around the world asking me when new music would surface. I am most humbled and grateful to find that there are people out there who have followed my music since my early beginning, back in THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL days, and through all my solo albums."

In an interview with FestivalBlog.be, Holopainen stated about his guest appearance on the track: "It's just an incredible thing because this album called 'Tears Laid In Earth' from 1994 is my all time number one album. It's my favorite album of all time and I'm not exaggerating when I say that listening to this album made me form NIGHTWISH. I wanted to do something similar. That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard — female voice, atmospheric metal; I wanted to do something similar. So I owe everything to this band and this album. And then Kari contacted me saying, 'I'm doing a cover of the song 'Why So Lonely' for my solo album, Would you like to come and play the piano and the keyboard for that song?' And I [said 'Yes'], like, immediately, I mean, this is an unbelievable coincidence. I did it last May." Rueslåtten's natural talent, combined with classical training and roots in the Norwegian folk music tradition, has resulted in a voice that is difficult to describe. Her music has been compared with artists like Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Bjørk, maybe not necessarily because the music sounds very similar, but because of each artist's distinctive vocal delivery. Rueslåtten will start the recording of her brand new, 10-song album this fall. The CD will be tracked at Øra Studio in Trondheim and produced by Jostein Ansnes, one of Norway's best guitarists, known for his work with the critically acclaimed Norwegian band DADAFON with singer Kristin Asbjørnsen. Rueslåtten in 2005 her solo debut, "Spindelsinn" (originally issued in 1997 via Sony Music Norway), re-released through GMR Music Group's Peach Music label. The CD was re-mastered and featured two bonus live tracks.

Rueslåtten's fourth solo album, "Other People's Stories", was released in 2005 via GMR/Peach Music. The follow-up to 2002's "Pilot" was previously described as "filled with [Kari's] best songs to date as well as wonderfully produced." A live video was shot for the album's title track.

The original THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL version of "Why So Lonely" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Dutch/Norwegian rockers THE GATHERING will release their new 43-minute album, "Afterwords", in September on CD, vinyl and other formats. In addition to the three songs that originally appeared on the "Afterlights" EP in 2012, the new disc contains two fresh "Disclosure" remakes as well as three brand new THE GATHERING tracks and a cover version of a song called "Areas". The album's title track, "Afterwords", features a guest appearance on vocals by founding THE GATHERING member Bart Smits and it "shows the 'other' side of Bart's dynamic voice," according to the band. Contributing "great trumpet parts" to the CD once again is Noel Hofman.

"Afterwords" track listing:

01. S.I.B.A.L.D.02. Echoes Keep Growing03. Afterwords04. Tuning In, Fading Out05. Areas06. Gemini III07. Afterlights08. Sleep Paralysis09. Bärenfels

The song "Afterwords" can now be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

THE GATHERING has scheduled shows in The Netherlands, Norway and France in November. This will mark the band's first time playing in Norway since 2001, and the first THE GATHERING show for singer Silje Wergeland — who was previously in the Norwegian band OCTAVIA SPERATI — on her home turf.

THE GATHERING's latest album, "Disclosure", was released on September 12, 2012 via the band's own Psychonaut Records. The CD cover artwork was created by the Chilean artist Carlos Vergara Rivera.

AVATARIUM, the new project led by Leif Edling, founding bassist and main songwriter of Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS, will release its self-titled debut album on November 1 via Nuclear Blast.

In addition to Edling, AVATARIUM features Marcus Jidell (ROYAL HUNT, EVERGREY) on guitar, Lars Sköld (TIAMAT) on drums, Carl Westholm on keyboards and Jennie-Ann Smith on vocals.

AVATARIUM's first release will be a 12-inch mini-LP, "Moonhorse", featuring the title track, the B-side "Boneflower" as well as an acoustic cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs". It will arrive on on September 20.

The cover artwork for "Avatarium" was Swedish artist Erik Rovamperä, who has previously worked with CANDLEMASS.

Commented Erik: "As opposed to many contemporary artists eager to express their inner emotional turmoil, my ambitions as a painter stand first and foremost from a lifelong love of hard-rockin' music and the inherently darker iconography of that genre.

"I'm seldom one to channel personal experiences in my art but rather view my work as part of the heavy metal tradition forged by likes of Derek Riggs, Ken Kelly and many more.

"In the specific chase of AVATARIUM, my sources of inspiration have come to include the heretical idolatry of the pre-Christianized cults throughout ancient Europe and esoteric allegories of the late medieval secret societies."

Jidell has the following to say about the birth of "Avatarium": "We are very proud to present the first, but not the last, AVATARIUM album to you.

"When we started to demo the songs on this album, we had one thing that we thought was extremely important: we wanted to make music that was heavy, dark and poetic. Also, we had an urge to make an album with a very organic sound and no fixing and trixing in computers but just try to make great emotional music.

"During the whole process, we have been looking for feeling rather than trying to make everything technically perfect. "I think that everything really came together the first day Jennie-Ann came in the studio and sung 'Moonhorse'. She had everything we looked for in a singer: rock 'n' roll attitude, jazz and blues feel, a big and powerful voice and yet so able to be fragile and extremely tender in her interpretation of the songs.

"If you like heavy, dark riffs and big guitars, emotional, raw and bluesy vocals, thunderous and groovy drums, I am quite sure that you'll like AVATARIUM." "Avatarium" track listing: CD:

01. Moonhorse02. Pandora's Egg03. Avatarium04. Boneflower05. Bird Of Prey06. Tides Of Telepathy07. Lady In The Lamp 2LP:

Side A

01. Moonhorse02. Pandora's Egg

Side B

01. Avatarium02. Boneflower

Side C

01. Bird Of Prey02. Tides Of Telepathy

Side D

01. Lady In The Lamp

AVATARIUM is:

Leif Edling: BassJennie-Ann Smith: VocalsMarcus Jidell: GuitarLars Sköld: DrumsCarl Westholm: Keyboards

Norwegian death metal upstarts OBLITERATION will release new album, "Black Death Horizon", on November 12 via Relapse Records. The record will be made available in North America on CD, LP, and digital formats, and takes the malignant form of a raging slab of filthy death metal in the tradition of DISMEMBER, AUTOPSY, and fresher meat like MIASMAL and NECROWRETCH. It was recorded in the band's home studio this past April.

Hailing from Kolbotn, Norway (the home of DARKTHRONE), OBLITERATION are true heirs to a long line of gritty Scandinavian death metal. "Black Death Horizon" both invokes the classics of the genre and puts a new and fresh spin on the sound to make it their own. DARKTHRONE's Fenriz himself hails "Black Death Horizon" as "a brand new old, organic-sounding death metal masterpiece."

"Black Death Horizon" track listing:

01. The Distant Sun (They Are The Key)02. Goat Skull Crown03. Transient Passage04. Ascendance (Sol Invictus)05. Sepulchral Rites06. Black Death Horizon07. Churning Magma

The band plans to return to North America in early 2014 in support of their new record.

Experimental metal act EPHEL DUATH will return with its first album in five years, "Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness", on November 19 in Europe and November 26 in North America via Agonia Records.

A video trailer for the CD featuring album artwork created by visionary artists Dehn Sora and Aeron Alfrey can be seen below.

Ignited by commitment and passion, "Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness" is a multi-layered hybrid of death metal, jazz and post rock, and a strong statement from a band never bounded by rules. With intuition set as the only significant parameter, EPHEL DUATH takes an uncompromising will to experiment, to a whole new level of intensity. "This album holds together all that EPHEL DUATH's music has touched in the last fifteen years and pushes its boundaries even further," comments EPHEL DUATH mainman Davide Tiso. "Lyrically, the new songs dig deep in higher self subject matters, combining brutally visual imagery with a painfully honest soul-searching quest." Featuring eight new songs and reaching over 50 minutes of total length, "Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness" includes a unique line-up of: Marco Minnemann (KREATOR, NECROPHAGIST, JOE SATRIANI) behind the drums, Bryan Beller (DETHKLOK, JOE SATRIANI) on bass, lead singer Karyn Crisis (CRISIS) along with Tiso. The album was produced by Erik Rutan (CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL) at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Studios in New York. "Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness" track listing:

01. Feathers Under My Skin02. Tracing The Path Of Blood03. When Mind Escapes Flesh04. Within This Soil05. Those Gates To Nothing06. Through Flames I Shield07. Hemmed By Light08. Shaped by Darkness "Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness" will be available in digipack CD, double LP and digital formats.

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

A performance clip of the song "The Final Countdown" 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.