English rockers GLAMOUR OF THE KILL will release their new album, "Savages", on September 24 in the U.S. through eOne Music, September 20 in Germany and September 23 in the rest of Europe through SPV.

Produced by Joey Sturgis (ASKING ALEXANDRIA), this is the first batch of new material we've seen from GLAMOUR OF THE KILL since the release of "The Summoning", which came out in 2011.

The new CD's first single, "Break", which features a guest appearance by VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! lead singer Michael Vampire, can be streamed below.

Comments GLAMOUR OF THE KILL frontman Davey Richmond: "This is a very exciting time for us as we can finally expose the finished product of something that has been over two years in the making.

"With this new album we feel like we have finally found our sound.

"We decided to take everything we do best to the next level with this album and really tested our abilities both in playing and songwriting. It's now time to unleash a new chapter of GLAMOUR OF THE KILL upon the world!"

GLAMOUR OF THE KILL has been generating buzz ever since its debut EP, "Through The Dark They March", came out in 2007. The success of the EP led to tours with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, DRAGONFORCE, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and most notably a performance on the main stage of Download festival in 2008.

GLAMOUR OF THE KILL is: Davey Richmond (lead vocals, bass), Chris Gomerson (guitar, backing vocals), Mike Kingswood (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Ben Thomson (drums, backing vocals).

Kinematic Music, a new division of Kinematic Entertainment, will launch this fall with the September 17 release of "Our Own Devices" from Florida-based progressive metallers MINDCAGE.

Mixed and mastered by rock legend Michael Wagener (METALLICA, OZZY OSBOURNE, SKID ROW, DOKKEN, RAVEN, MEGADETH), "Our Own Devices" is a fantasy storybook set to music. Combining cultural and literary elements of steampunk, dystopian society and futuristic technologies with highly articulate progressive metal music, the album transports the listener to a world broken and needing a hero. That oppressive world is devoid of arts, creativity, light, and ultimately, humanity. But from it springs an enigmatic character, Arabella Vash, who is called to The One Constant, a group of rebels who maintain the history and teachings of the last free society.

The core members of MINDCAGE — Dietrick Hardwick (guitar), Brian Howell (bass) and Craig Nudo (drums) — have been connected personally and through music for almost thirty years. The significance of this project, for them, is that a lifelong goal has come to fruition. With the addition of power vocalist Jeff Hignite, the intense and unique synergy of writing and performing became apparent.

The band will debut "Our Own Devices" to the public this September at the ProgPower USA XIV festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Our Own Devices" track listing:

01. Cadence March
02. For All Mankind (The Dark Design)
03. Our Own Devices
04. The Human Race
05. At Full Steam
06. Firefly
07. The One Constant
08. Arabella’s Arc
09. The Serenity Sequence (Renaissance Pt. I)
10. The Grand Restoration (Renaissance Pt. II)

"Our Own Devices" will be available on iTunes, Amazon.com, and at your favorite record store.

Fan-filmed video footage of SLAYER's June 18 concert at Obihall in Florence, Italy can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. World Painted Blood
02. Spirit In Black
03. War Ensemble
04. Hate Worldwide
05. At Dawn They Sleep
06. Bloodline
07. Disciple
08. Mandatory Suicide
09. Chemical Warfare
10. The Antichrist
11. Die By The Sword
12. Postmortem
13. Hallowed Point
14. Seasons In The Abyss
15. Hell Awaits
16. Dead Skin Mask
17. Raining Blood

Encore:

18. South Of Heaven
19. Angel Of Death

As previously reported, the official Facebook page of SLAYER's current touring drummer, Paul Bostaph, has released the first photo of the lineup that has spent the past month on the road in Europe, featuring original members Kerry King (guitar) and Tom Araya (bass, vocals) alongside hired musicians Bostaph and Gary Holt (guitar). Check it out below.

It was announced on May 30 by Araya and King that Bostaph would be behind the drum kit for the first leg of the band's 2013 international tour. EXODUS' Gary Holt is continuing to fill in for fallen guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died on May 2 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver.

Bostaph was SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band — the gold-certified "Divine Intervention" (1994), the 1996 punk covers album "Undisputed Attitude", "Diabolus In Musica" (1998), "God Hates Us All" (2001) that received a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance", as well as the DVD "War At The Warfield" (2001), also certified gold. In addition to SLAYER, Bostaph has been a member of FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, SYSTEMATIC and TESTAMENT.

SLAYER's 2013 itinerary has the band playing 35 dates that include headline shows as well as a number of major summer festivals in Europe, Eastern Europe and South America between June and October.

"Paul's a great drummer and a good friend, and we're very happy that he's decided to rejoin the band," said Araya. "We're still pretty numb from the loss of Jeff, but we don't want to disappoint our European and South American fans, and we need to begin moving forward... Having Paul back in the band makes that a whole lot easier."

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo sat out the band's recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).

Unique Leader Records has announced the signing of Los Angeles, California death metallers ANNIHILATED. The band's as-yet-untitled new album will be released in early 2014.

Commented ANNIHILATED drummer Scott Fuller: "We are psyched to be a part of the Unique Leader family. With such a notable roster of brutal death metal bands and awesome releases, we feel right at home."

ANNIHILATED was formed by guitarists Eric Matranga and Robert Fimbres in 2008, shortly after the breakup of the L.A. death metal band EXCRETION. They began to create songs with a sense of purpose as an outlet for their vital message to promote rational thinking and freely question what's being told to us through the press and new media outlets.

In 2012, drummer Scott Fuller (ABYSMAL DAWN) joined the group with the same values and ideologies. Helping to succeed their musical purpose, he added a new dimension of percussive flavor and syncopation to the music. Shortly after, they recruited Martin Rygiel (ex-DECAPITATED) to lay down the bass tracks on their EP, "Injected". Martin's thunderous bass attacks and vast knowledge of music added the aggression and solid foundation the group was hoping for.

KornRow.com has uploaded video footage of FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM — the heavy and hypnotic new project from Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer — performing live on October 19, 2012 at B Ryder's in Bakersfield, California. Check out the entire concert below.

Featured songs:

01. Beautiful Side - 2:25
02. Chosen Ones - 6:43
03. Chinatown - 10:48
04. No Secrets - 14:09
05. Slow Motion - 20:07
06. Jaguar - :24:07
07. Ambien - 28:46
08. Choking Victim - 33:31
09. Dissolve - 38:07

FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM's first-ever tour kicked off on October 13, 2012 in Redondo Beach, California and wrapped on October 21, 2012 in West Hollywood.

This special jaunt saw the group perform four intimate West Coast shows, introducing the world to songs from their self-titled debut on stage. The album is available in stores and via digital retailers now through INgrooves/Fontana.

About the tour, Shaffer excitedly commented, "FEAR AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM is unlike anything that I've ever done, and it's an incredible feeling to finally tour behind it."

This collective of musicians on the album handpicked by Shaffer includes FAITH NO MORE bassist Billy Gould, BAD RELIGION drummer Brooks Wackerman, REPEATER singer Steve Krolikowski, KORN touring keyboardist Zac Baird, and Leopold Ross on guitar. Tracked and mixed by Jim "Bud" Monti, the record encompasses a calculated metallic darkness wrapped in a haze of dark, dreamy industrial soundscapes. It's the ultimate sonic headtrip from some of hard rock and heavy metal's most daring musicians.

As a founding member of KORN, James "Munky" Shaffer has won two Grammy Awards and sold over 35 million albums worldwide. However, this is his very first solo effort.

O2 Academy TV recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. You can now watch the chat in two parts below.

Asked how the switch in record labels from Roadrunner to Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) affected MEGADETH's songwriting approach on its new album, "Super Collider", Mustaine said: "I think it affected the sound of the album, the style of music, the outlook of the band. I mean, no offense to Roadrunner — they did what they do — but we're a major-label band. And when we left Capitol to go to Sanctuary, it was for two reasons. One, I hated that record president that [Capitol] had at that time, and two, Sanctuary made a lot of big promises. And you know, when you think about [IRON MAIDEN's manager] Rod Smallwood, who had a big part to do with the label, that's IRON MAIDEN, and I love IRON MAIDEN, so I thought, 'For sure, this is gonna be great.' Well, it didn't end up being great, 'cause Rod wasn't involved in it as much as my brain would like to have thought. And we left Sanctuary and went to Roadrunner, and it just kept going like this. [makes downward motion with his hand] And I figured, I'm not gonna bail on the contract, I'm not gonna be a scumbag musician like so many musicians are where they stick people with contracts and break up and leave everybody holding the ball. I figured, 'I'm gonna honor the contract, I'm gonna finish it, and then when it's done, I'm gonna say goodbye like a gentleman.' And I did, and Universal came into the picture. I mean, think about this; this is so amazing. [Universal is] the biggest label; they own Capitol Records that has almost all of my catalog; they bought EMI Publishing that does own all my publishing. So you're a brand new record company… Not brand new, but for us… We've got a new label, a new record… Oh, by the way, I own all of your past life. I was, like, 'Who could possibly have arranged something that fantastic?'"

"Super Collider" sold 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 4 via Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The disc follows up "TH1RT3EN", which opened with 42,000 units back in November 2011 to enter the chart at No. 11. The band's 2009 CD, "Endgame", premiered with 45,000 copies to debut at No. 9. This was slightly less than the 54,000 first-week tally registered by 2007's "United Abominations", which entered the chart at No. 8. 2004's "The System Has Failed" premiered with 46,000 copies (No. 18) while 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" moved 61,000 units in its first week (No. 16).

Pete Colantuono of EzineArticles.com recently conducted an interview with QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

EzineArticles.com: How important was it to get ["Frequency Unknown"] out to remind people what Geoff Tate and the QUEENSRŸCHE brand was about?

Tate: How important was it for that? Well, that wasn't my reasoning at all. My reasoning is I make records. I like to put them out and I'd like to put them out a lot more frequently and that's what I'm gearing up for, is to be a lot more efficient with my time and putting out all the music that I have in my head. In the past, I had to work at other people's pace, you know, so this is a real treat for me getting to work at my pace and work with the people I want to work with and not having that feeling that creatively my hands are tied, you know. So I'm very happy with that, very glad to be in the position I'm in now, very keen on moving ahead.

EzineArticles.com: There are some accusations flying around about some pretty wild behaviour on your part, can you put into context any of the following — apparently you spat on former drummer Scott Rockenfield, you pulled a knife on your bandmates, you abused your own audience, you took an audience member's iPhone from them and threw it away and you love that fans hate the new album?

Tate: Well, you know, honestly, I can't even be bothered to think about accusations; it's so worthless, so ridiculous. I think if you really want to look at context, unfortunately, we're in a lawsuit. Whenever anyone is in a lawsuit it becomes, often it becomes a preoccupation and a goal for one side to try to make the other side look bad. So I'll just leave it at that.

EzineArticles.com: I believe a court case is looming in November to decide who owns the rights to the name and imagery. If you lose, what will you do then?

Tate: Ah, yeah, of course. It's not really a matter of losing from my perspective, it's just being done with it. I definitely just want to be done with it, I'm already emotionally done with it, I've ripped off the rearview mirror and I ain't looking back. I don't want to look back. The court date in November is to settle what we have, which is a corporate dispute and corporate disputes have a set formula that's regulated by the state and the government to how the case is settled and really when it all comes down to it, it's just a matter of compensation and that's what it'll be.

EzineArticles.com: I remember in the 1980s the David Lee Roth/VAN HALEN split and the METALLICA/Dave Mustaine feud, both got pretty ugly at times, do you see the same thing happening between yourself and your former band?

Tate: Well, I hope not. Yeah I hope not, I hope it's all settled peacefully and civilly and we can go on our merry way, you know.

EzineArticles.com: Can you see yourself down the track returning to the original QUEENSRŸCHE?

Tate: Oh, absolutely not. What on earth for?

Read the entire interview at EzineArticles.com.

Guitarist Mike Dimkich has left THE CULT to play with BAD RELIGION as the fill-in for Greg Hetson, who is said to be "dealing with some personal issues." Replacing Dimkich in THE CULT is James Stevenson, who previously toured with the band in 1994 and 1995.

THE CULT will perform its 1987 album "Electric", raw and unfiltered, on tour in 2013, an event branded as "Electric 13". Until now, THE CULT has never performed the album in its entirety. The live show will also include a second set pulling from the band's eight other studio albums.

Says THE CULT guitarist Billy Duffy: "We stared of rehearsals as a trio with me, Chris [Wyse, bass] and Johnny [Tempesta, drums] as we felt like we just wanted to get a bit of the rust off as we haven’t played together for a while.

"Obviously, 'Electric' is very much a two-guitar album, one rhythm and one lead, so with Mike moving on, we've decided to welcome back James Stevenson back into the fold to play rhythm for the tour. As a CULT alumni of 94/5, James was the obvious choice.

"The plan is to play the 'Electric' album in order then break and play a bunch of other stuff from the other eras, similar to the 'Love Live' tour from a few years back. I've really enjoyed playing 'Bad Fun', 'King Contrary Man' and 'Electric Ocean' again as its been a while. There's moments when it's really exciting and that's really cool.

"It will be interesting to see how 'Memphis Hip Shake' goes down, as it will end that first section of the set, as it sounds really good, but it's not your traditional set-ending song. But then 'Black Angel' ended the 'Love Live' set really well."

Beggars Archive has set a July 30 release date for a two-disc set from THE CULT on CD and vinyl called "Electric Peace", which will pair "Electric" with the abandoned "Peace" album, tracks from which have been released over the years on "The Manor Sessions" EP, as "Electric" B-sides and on 2000's "Rare Cult".

In 1985, THE CULT enjoyed breakthrough success with the single "She Sells Sanctuary" and the album "Love", establishing themselves as a new breed of alternative rock band. When it came to recording a follow-up, the band booked into The Manor studios in Oxfordshire with Steve Brown again producing the album. By the end of October 1986, the album was recorded, the masters assembled and it was given the title "Peace". However, the band weren't happy with the final results, which seemed too polished. Appreciating the rawness of RUN-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way", the band contacted producer Rick Rubin to remix the lead track, "Love Removal Machine". Rubin agreed to work with the band but only on condition that the track was entirely re-recorded. The result was a sparse, dry, riffing version that captured the sonic excitement the band were looking for. Enthused by the results, the decision was made to abandon the expensive "Peace" recordings and re-record the entire album in New York with Rick Rubin. The new tracks would become THE CULT's third album, re-titled "Electric", and a multi-million seller.

Tracks from "Peace" were used as single B-sides and some of the alternative versions were issued on an early CD, "The Manor Sessions", but it wasn’t until the limited "Rare Cult" box set in 2000 that fans got to hear the full album correctly sequenced. The box rapidly sold out so "Peace" has been unavailable for 13 years.

"Electric Peace" track listing:

CD/LP 1 - "Electric"

01. Wild Flower
02. Peace Dog
03. Lil' Devil
04. Aphrodisiac Jacket
05. Electric Ocean
06. Bad Fun
07. King Contrary Man
08. Love Removal Machine
09. Born To Be Wild
10. Outlaw
11. Memphis Hip Shake

CD/LP 2 - "Peace"

01. Love Removal Machine
02. Wild Flower
03. Peace Dog
04. Aphrodisiac Jacket
05. Electric Ocean
06. Bad Fun
07. Conquistador
08. Zap City
09. Love Trooper
10. Outlaw
11. Groove Co.

"Captive Bolt Pistol", a brand new song from reactivated British extreme metal pioneers CARCASS, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track is also available for free download using the widget below (e-mail sign-up required).

"Captive Bolt Pistol" comes off CARCASS' comeback album, "Surgical Steel", which will be released on September 16 in the U.K., September 13 in the rest of Europe and September 17 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was produced by Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY).

Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in CARCASS' current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON).

CARCASS' first studio LP since 1996's "Swansong" will feature guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen.

In a recent interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, Walker stated about the new CARCASS CD: "We think we've made a good album, so it's gonna be very interesting when people get to hear the record. We can't wait to see what people think."

He continued: "It sounds like CARCASS. Even the drumming sounds like CARCASS. Everything about it… I think it's gonna shock people, how good it is. I think it's got all the elements that people like, yet it still sounds fresh. So that's all I can say, really, 'cause we don't really sound like any other band, and the fact that after 17 years, we wrote music and it still sounds like CARCASS, I think it's good."

In a separate interview with Terrorizer magazine, Steer spoke about how the decision to record a new CARCASS studio album came about.

"I found myself playing riffs that sounded like CARCASS," he said. "This was after the band had finished the whole reunion cycle of shows and festivals. So, officially, I would have been playing with other bands and stuff, but for some reason whenever I picked up a guitar at home I was coming up with riffs that sounded like CARCASS. I got on the phone to Jeff and said, 'We could have a crack at writing a couple of tunes and seeing if they're strong enough and take it from there.' We also agreed if it didn't sound like carcass or have that kind of vibe to it, we would just drop it. So that was the thing, we got together and started working on some stuff and just immediately got the excitement back very quickly."

He added: "It definitely sounds like CARCASS. I think we just generally by accident captured the flavor of past music that we have done and you can't help but push it forward. We have really been creative and when you are looking at things like guitar harmonies, it's way more adventurous on this record. It's not just parallel harmony like we did in the past, things branch off in different directions.

"A lot of what is happening now is based on rhythms rather than actual riffs. We were discussing this a lot during record sessions about how the riff is almost dying or dead already. People spend a lot of time chugging on the bottom string [but] that's a rhythm, it's not a riff. We can't write a song, never mind an album, without it being chock-full of riffs."

Stated Walker: "I'd like to feel like we are giving CARCASS fans what they want again. I'm a realist and I think Bill has realized and Dan know what people like about CARCASS. We're definitely delivering."

Regarding the sound of the forthcoming CARCASS album, Walker previously stated: "We've taken stylistic cues from all the albums because it's in our blood, but it's no rehash or mess of ideas. I think it sounds almost like the missing link between the third and forth albums but with some groove in there. I've jokingly christened some parts 'trad blast' and some 'death sleaze'… don't think for a minute this is just some nostalgic throwback album — we're setting up another 17 years of ideas for other bands to copy and clean up on. [laughs]"

Asked if this means we'll be hearing some death metal vocals out of Bill for the first time since "Necroticism", Walker told Decibel, "Yes, already in the can. It's more along the lines of how I envisioned him backing me up on 'Heartwork'. That said, my own vocals have a hell of a lot more range than they did in the past solely down to the luxury of having time to record them — I did all the vocals for 'Heartwork' in two days and it shows!"

Walker on the "Surgical Steel" cover artwork: "We went back to working with Ian Tilton, who is an iconic English photographer famous for working with THE STONE ROSES," stated CARCASS bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker. "He actually did the front cover for [1991's] 'Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious' as well. We've deliberately tried to evoke the feeling of that album and [1993's] 'Heartwork'."

While the final track listing has yet to be confirmed, the following songs were recorded during the sessions:

* The Master Butcher's Apron
* The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills
* A Congealed Clot Of Blood
* A Wraith In The Apparatus
* 316l Grade Surgical Steel
* Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System
* Captive Bolt Pistol
* Intensive Battery Brooding
* None Compliance To Astm F899-12 Standard
* Mount Of Execution
* 1985/Thrasher's Abattoir
* Unfit For Human Consumption
* Zochrot
* Livestock Marketplace

Guitarist Michael Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, who had been touring with CARCASS since the band's reunion was announced in 2007, are no longer involved with the group due to scheduling conflicts with their main band, ARCH ENEMY.

CARCASS will support AMON AMARTH on their upcoming European tour.

German thrashers EXUMER have parted ways with guitarist H.K. The musician played his last show with the band at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany on July 13. The guitarist's departure has been an amicable one and he is said to have left the group for solely personal reasons.

Comments EXUMER vocalist Mem V. Stein: “We were sad to let H.K. go after touring with him for the past three years and recording our comeback album in 2011. However, the thrashing must go on and we already have found a session guitarists who will accompany us to South and North America for our upcoming tour dates there. We will try our best to fulfill all our touring obligations and find a permanent second guitarist as soon as possible to ensure a band chemistry that will take EXUMER to the next level."

EXUMER's latest album, "Fire & Damnation", was released in April 2012 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-track CD, which was recorded with renowned producer Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., THERION, SODOM, MOONSPELL), "combines a punishing production with aggressive songwriting," according to a press release. "EXUMER manages to capture the intensity and feel of the 1980s thrash metal gems and yet sound up to date on their latest output."

Formed in 1985 by Mem V. Stein and guitarist Ray Mensh, EXUMER went on to release two albums (1986's "Possessed By Fire" and 1987's "Rising From The Sea") that are regarded as some of the most cult thrash metal releases ever to come out of Germany. EXUMER was also one of the first thrash metal acts to capture exotic, foreign markets like Poland and Brazil, where their albums were domestically released in the 1980s. The subsequent tours that followed those releases secured the band live shows in front of thousands of fans and an unusually large following outside of Germany.

Plagued by lineup changes and internal turmoil, the band broke up in 1990, and did not perform live, with the exception of 2001 appearance at the prestigious Wacken Open Air festival, until 2009.

"Fire & Damnation" video:

Italian folk metallers KRAMPUS have announced their collaboration with renowned producer Tommy Vetterli (ELUVEITIE, CORONER, 69 CHAMBERS). The band entered the studio less than a year after the release of its debut album. Rather than producing a full-length CD, KRAMPUS has chosen to spend a week recording some of its favorite material and to release it later this summer as a free download.

Says the band: "We are extremely excited to announce that we have entered Tommy Vetterli's renowned New Sound Studio in Switzerland! Not only are we recording some of the new material we've been working on for months now, but we have decided to break with current conventions (and restrictions!) and deliver the results to our fans mere weeks after recording — FOR FREE.

"Rather than waiting years to produce a new album, we have chosen to pick two favorites out of all the material we've written and to record them with Tommy Vetterli — one of the genre's best producers today, less than a year after the release of our debut album. We are doing so independently and on our own terms! A first song will be released later this summer and we can't wait to share it with you."

SCYTHE, the new band formed out of the ashes of Chicago underground metal band USURPER, will release its sophomore album, "Subterranean Steel", on September 11 via Primitive Reaction Records. The CD, which was recorded at Arcane Audio in Chicago with producer Dan Klein, is described in a press release as "a sonic juggernaut of apocalyptic aggression, a nine-song pummeling assault of headbanging, fistbanging metal anthems paying homage to endtime prophecies, conspiracies, and occult powers of the the diabolical elite."

"Subterranean Steel" track listing:

01. Leather Aggressor
02. Monarch
03. Subterranean Steel
04. October Dies
05. The Grunting Dead
06. The Bray Beast
07. Beyond the Northwoods
08. Nights of Terror
09. Thunder Hammer

Following the release of "Subterranean Steel", SCYTHE will support Japan's legendary SABBAT on their first full-scale North American tour.

SCYTHE is:

Rick Scythe: Guitar, Vocals
Dan Geist: Bass, Vocals
Joey Contreras: Drums

Multi-camera fan-filmed video footage of the Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE performing the song "Where Dreams Go To Die" at the release party for the band's new, self-titled album on June 26 at The Crocodile in Seattle, Washington can be seen below.
"Queensrÿche" sold around 13,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 25 via Century Media Records.

"Frequency Unknown", the latest album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, opened with around 5,500 units to debut at No. 82.

QUEENSRŸCHE's 2011 studio CD, "Dedicated To Chaos", registered a first-week tally of around 8,000 to enter the chart at No. 70. The band's 2009 effort, the epic concept album "American Soldier", premiered with 21,000 copies to debut at No. 25. This was roughly half the first-week tally registered by QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime II" album, which shifted 44,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in April 2006 to land at No. 14 on The Billboard 200 chart.

QUEENSRŸCHE's 2003 effort, "Tribe", sold 20,000 copies in the first week while 1999's "Q2K" opened with sales of 28,000.

QUEENSRŸCHE's top-selling album by far is 1990's "Empire", which was certified triple-platinum in October 1994 for sales in excess of three million copies in the United States. The original "Operation: Mindcrime" release (1988) attained platinum status in August 1991, while 1994's "Promised Land" reached the same plateau in December 1994.

"Queensrÿche" marks the debut release from the lineup comprised of La Torre (vocals; ex-CRIMSON GLORY), Michael Wilton (guitar), Parker Lundgren (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums). The drums for the album were recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, Washington with producer James "Jimbo" Barton — the man who engineered and mixed the band's classic 1988 LP, "Operation: Mindcrime", and its 1990 follow-up, "Empire", and co-produced 1994's "Promised Land". The rest of the music and vocals were laid down at several different facilities on the West Coast. The cover artwork was created by Craig Howell, who has previously worked on designs for "Star Wars", SLIPKNOT and "American Idol", to name a few.

Professionally filmed video footage of VOLBEAT's entire June 23 performance at Hellfest in Clisson, France can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. The Nameless One
02. Evelyn (with Mark "Barney" Greenway)
03. Sad Man's Tongue
04. Lola Montez
05. 16 Dollars
06. Mary Ann's Place
07. Dead but Rising
08. Maybellene I Hofteholder
09. The Hangman's Body Count
11. The Mirror and the Ripper
12. Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza

VOLBEAT's fifth studio album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", was released in North America on April 9 via Vertigo/Republic Records/Universal Music.

Seamlessly bringing together all of the band's influences and reshaping them into something gleaming and new, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" is a record that's rich with stories and characters woven throughout its lyrics. Some are real — like the noble lady outlaw Pearl Hart, who held up a stagecoach to buy medicine for her dying mother, or Lola Montez, the erotic dancer with her infamous "Spider Dance," or "Black Bart," the gentleman highwayman who wrote poems for the people he robbed. Others are entirely fictional. "The Nameless One" is a cautionary tale of dabbling in the dark arts, featuring the mysterious and sinister character of the title. Elsewhere, "Room 24", featuring King Diamond, was inspired by a terrifying experience in a hotel room somewhere in the heart of America.

"Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" finds the core trio of Michael Poulsen (vocals/guitar), Anders Kjølholm (bass) and Jon Larsen (drums) joined by former ANTHRAX/THE DAMNED THINGS guitarist Rob Caggiano, who produced the album with longtime VOLBEAT co-producer Jacob Hansen.

"It's a new vibe for VOLBEAT," said Poulsen. "You've got everything — the rockabilly stuff, the melodies, the ultra-heavy stuff, the Western motifs and the big rock songs. It's everything that VOLBEAT are all about, but taken even further." The album title is a phrase that evokes another time, an era when elegant lawbreakers were the rock stars of the day. It tips its fedora to everything from the bad men (and women) of the old west to the old-school metal bands who influenced the young Michael Poulsen to form his first band, DOMINUS, back in the early 90s.

The official lyric video for the song "Back On The Ground" from DREAM THEATER frontman James LaBrie's new solo album, "Impermanent Resonance", can be seen below.

"Impermanent Resonance" will be released on August 6 in North America and July 29 in Europe via InsideOut Music. In addition to the standard CD and the digital download format, the effort will be made available in Europe as a limited-edition digipak featuring alternate artwork and two bonus tracks ("Unraveling" and "Why"), as well as on limited LP version (with the full album as bonus CD).

The previous LaBrie album, "Static Impulse" from 2010, will be released for the first time as LP (with the full album as bonus CD) on the same street date as that of the new album. Both LPs will be available on 180-gram black vinyl but also on strictly limited clear vinyl (limited to only 200 copies each).

The follow-up to 2010's "Static Impulse", "Impermanent Resonance" was once again conceived with LaBrie's songwriting partner for over a dozen years, Matt Guillory. Guillory not only took the leading role in composing the material, he also handled all of the keyboards and background vocals.

The album's lineup is intact from the previous recording, featuring Marco Sfogli from Italy on guitar, Ray Riendeau (HALFORD, MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE) on bass and Swedish drummer Peter Wildoer (DARKANE, MAJESTIC), who was a finalist in the DREAM THEATER drum auditions. Additionally, former SOILWORK guitarist Peter Wichers came into the fold to contribute songwriting and studio guitars.

"To me, this album incorporates and continues with the styles and musical direction that we have created with the previous releases," says James LaBrie. "The difference being that the music on this disc is to me a true telling of the songs evolving and taking on a sense of identity that is every band's ultimate goal. It is powerful, memorable, hook-driven and above all extremely musical. It shows how the writing and the band itself have matured. I truly feel that this is our quintessential album."

"Impermanent Resonance" was once again mixed and mastered at Sweden's Fascination Street recording studios (KREATOR, OPETH, PARADISE LOST, SYMPHONY X) with Jens Bogren and this time also Tony Lindgren. Visually, Canadian LaBrie hooked up with Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, FIREWIND, KAMELOT) to capture and translate the album's atmosphere into the striking artwork.

"Impermanent Resonance" track listing:

01. Agony
02. Undertow
03. Slight Of Hand
04. Back On The Ground
05. I Got You
06. Holding On
07. Lost In The Fire
08. Letting Go
09. Destined To Burn
10. Say You're Still Mine
11. Amnesia
12. I Will Not Break

Video footage of Wildoer laying down the drum trcks for "Impermanent Resonance" can now be seen below.

"Impermanent Resonance" recording lineup:

James LaBrie - Lead Vocals
Matt Guillory - Keyboards, Background Vocals
Marco Sfogli - Guitars
Ray Riendeau - Bass
Peter Wildoer - Drums, Screams

"Static Impulse" sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 14 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.

"Static Impulse" was released on September 28, 2010 (one day earlier internationally) via InsideOut Music. The CD was LaBrie's first solo effort in over five years.

Irish metallers STORMZONE will release their fourth album, "Three Kings", on July 22 via the U.K. label Metal Nation Ltd.

The official video for the song "Night Of The Storm", taken from the forthcoming CD, can be seen below.

Formed in 2006, STORMZONE originally signed to U.K. hard rock label Escape Music. 2007 saw this company release the band's debut album, "Caught In The Act", in Europe where its impact gained the band attention in Japan and the CD saw a release there shortly afterwards.

Over the next few years, STORMZONE concentrated on extensive touring and supported bands such as Y&T, TESLA, STRYPER, SAXON, CINDERELLA, L.A. GUNS, WINGER and WHITE LION as well as securing great positions at festivals in Europe, including Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock, Lorca Rock in Spain and Headbangers Open Air. The band developed a heavier sound over the years and recorded its second album, "Death Dealer", which was released by German metal label SPV/Steamhammer. This CD was produced by the legendary Neal Kaye, the man widely regarded as the person who discovered IRON MAIDEN. The live work continued in support of this new album, and while touring with TESLA in the U.K., the band came to the attention of head of Metal Nation Ltd., Jess Cox. Jess was the original singer in NWOBHM band TYGERS OF PAN TANG and he formed a lasting bond with the band, which was to see him eventually become their manager. Jess secured a deal with SPV for the band's third album, "Zero To Rage", and this was released throughout Europe to great reviews in 2011.

And so to album number four for this Irish metal five-piece. Free of all contracts in 2013, the band wrote and recorded "Three Kings" and with regards to which label was going to release it there was no doubt in the minds of STORMZONE as to who that was going to be. Seeing as the band had just signed a management deal with Steve Simms at Blink Music Management, as that company were based in Belfast, this allowed Jess Cox to sign the band to his Metal Nation label to maintain the relationship he had built with them and now he could put all his efforts into promoting STORMZONE and "Three Kings" as head of their record label. Jess and the band met at the Metal Assault festival in Germany earlier in 2013 and agreed that there would be no better label than Metal Nation to have the best interests of STORMZONE at heart. A great relationship had already been formed and the legacy of Jess and the label in the world of the NWOBHM was important to the everyone's decision to sign the five-year, three-album deal he offered them.

"Three Kings" track listing:

01. The Pass Loning
02. Night Of The Storm
03. Stone Heart
04. Three Kings
05. Alive
06. B.Y.H.
07. Beware In Time
08. Wallbreaker
09. I Am The One
10. Never Trust
11. Out Of Eden
12. The Pain Inside
13. Spectre

STORMZONE is:

Steve Moore – Guitar
John "Harv" Harbinson - Lead Vocals
Graham McNulty - Bass
Davy Bates - Drums
David Shields - Guitar

"Collide", a brand new solo song from SOUNDGARDEN bassist Ben Shepherd, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track comes off Shepherd's debut solo album as HBS (his given name of Hunter Benedict Shepherd), "In Deep Owl", which will be 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 SOUNDGARDEN's reunion, Ben said: "I don't think we should have split up in the first place. We definitely needed a hiatus, and we took one. It was just longer than everyone thought. I can see all the proactive goodness of it. It's ironic that two days before the call, I was finishing my solo album and telling everyone I would never be in another band — ever. I will help other guys make records. I've been a hired gun to my friend Mark Lanegan [SCREAMING TREES, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE]; it’s fun to be a part of a creative process and play live, but for me nothing compares to SOUNDGARDEN taking the stage. That's the big daddy of them all. I knew we'd always be in business together, so we might as well do the cool part — make music."

Former SCORPIONS drummer Herman Rarebell has just released a new album, "Acoustic Fever", containing all-acoustic versions of 12 SCORPIONS songs he co-wrote while in the band.

An 11-minute YouTube clip containing audio samples of the entire CD can be found below.

"Acoustic Fever" features Rarebell on drums alongside Robby Lochner (Rob Halford's FIGHT, Cherie Currie, Eddie Money, GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL) on steel string guitars, Dario Seixas (FIREHOUSE, STEPHEN PEARCY, CROWN OF THORNS, GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL) on bass, José Antonio Rodríguez (Alejandro Sanz, Marc Anthony) on flamenco guitar and Corey Whitehead on flamenco guitar. Each song features a different singer, including Bobby Kimball (TOTO), John Parr ("St. Elmo's Fire"), Alex Ligertwood (SANTANA), Jack Russell (GREAT WHITE), Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH), Michael Voss (Michael Schenker), Gary Barden (MSG) and Johnny Gioeli (HARDLINE).

In a recent interview with Metal-Rules.com, Rarebell stated about "Acoustic Fever": "On this album, I'm playing all my classic songs I wrote for the SCORPIONS. For example, 'Passion Rules The Game', which will be sung by John Parr. You remember John Parr 'St. Elmo's Fire'? Then I have Bobby Kimball from TOTO singing 'Rock You Like a Hurricane'. I have Tony Martin from BLACK SABBATH singing 'Another Piece of Meat', I got Jack Russell from GREAT WHITE singing 'Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)'. He's a killer singer. And then I have Vossy, Michael Voss, who sings 'Loving You Sunday Morning'. I have Don Dokken singing 'You Give Me All I Need', I have Gary Barden singing 'Falling In Love' and I have Paul Shortino. He sings the song 'Love Is Blind', which I wrote many years ago. I also got Alex Ligertwood from SANTANA, he sings 'Is There Anybody There', and I also have Johnny Gioeli, who sings with Axel Rudi Pell, he is singing 'Dynamite'. So, I have really some really killer singers on this album and I'm very proud that they all said yes to me. Robby Lochner from GREAT WHITE played guitar on the album. And I must say all those guys and also Dario Seixas, the bass player from GREAT WHITE, were great. They have done a fantastic job, all of those boys."

"Acoustic Fever" track listing:

01. Loving You Sunday Morning (vocals by Michael Voss)
02. Passion Rules The Game (vocals by John Parr)
03. Is There Anybody There (vocals by Alex Ligertwood)
04. Rock You Like A Hurricane (vocals by Bobby Kimball)
05. You Give Me All I Need (vocals by Don Dokken)
06. Make It Real (vocals by Doogie White)
07. Dynamite (vocals by Johnny Gioeli)
08. Falling In Love (vocals by Gary Barden)
09. Don't Make No Promises (vocals by Jack Russell)
10. Love Is Blind (vocals by Paul Shortino)
11. Arizona (vocals by George Daniels)
12. Another Piece Of Meat (vocals by Tony Martin)
13. Animal Magnetism (vocals by Michael Nagy)

Rarebell will support "Acoustic Fever" with a European tour beginning in November, with U.S. dates to follow in 2014. The drummer's touring band will feature three or four lead singers.

Professionally filmed video footage of acclaimed vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (DIO DISCIPLES, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) performing the JUDAS PRIEST song "Blood Stained" on December 13, 2012 at The Roxy Live Buenos Aires, Argentina during his Latin American solo tour can be seen below.

Owens' backing band for the show was as follows:

Adrian Esposito - Drums
Daniel Telis - Guitar
Fernando Palearii - Bass
Gerardo Villamil - Guitar

Released in May 2009, Owens' first solo album, "Play My Game", landed at position No. 66 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.

Owens is without doubt among the most important metal vocalists of the past 15 years. When he succeeded Rob Halford, joining JUDAS PRIEST in May 1996, the press rubbed their eyes, surprised as well as impressed: Owens had previously been a fairly unknown quantity to international music journalists and only a few new of him from the band WINTERS BANE, but he recorded his first PRIEST album, the Grammy-nominated "Jugulator" (1997) with more aplomb than even insiders had expected. Following successful tours with the British metal legends, the strong studio recording "Demolition" (2001), and the live recordings, "Meltdown - 98 Live" (1998) and "Live In London" (2003), and the movie "Rock Star" that was loosely based on Tim's experience with JUDAS PRIEST, Halford's return put an end to Owens' stint with JUDAS PRIEST. More or less immediately, he was enlisted by Jon Schaffer to team up with ICED EARTH and sang on "The Glorious Burden" in spring 2004. Three years later, Owens followed suit with the ICED EARTH album "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Pt. I)", which succeeded the self-titled highly praised debut by his own band BEYOND FEAR. Spring 2008 saw Owens move on to join one of the world's best guitar players Yngwie Malmsteen, debuting with a sensational vocal performance on "Perpetual Flame".

WDR's (German public TV) series "Rockpalast" recently aired professionally filmed video footage of Brazilian/American thrashers SEPULTURA performing at the Rock Hard Festival, which was held May 17-19 at Amphitheater in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. You can now watch another clip from the broadcast below.

SEPULTURA has completed recording its new album for a tentative October release via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was tracked over a 40-day period at producer Ross Robinson's (KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, SLIPKNOT) studio in Venice, California and will be mixed and mastered by co-producer Steve Evetts, who previously worked with SEPULTURA on the "Nation" (2001), "Revolusongs" (2002) and "Roorback" (2003) albums, in addition to having collaborated with Ross on a number of other projects in the past.

The follow-up to 2011's "Kairos" will contain nine songs, including "The Age Of The Atheist", "Tsunami", "The Vatican" and "Trauma Of War", and two bonus tracks (covers of DEATH's "Zombie Ritual" and a song from the Brazilian group CHICO SCIENCE E NAÇÃO ZUMBI). The CD will also feature a guest appearance by former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo.

SEPULTURA's upcoming CD will mark the first time the band will have recorded an album outside Brazil since "Against".

The reunion between SEPULTURA and Robinson was first suggested by Monte Conner, the former Roadrunner Records A&R chief who is now the head of Nuclear Blast Entertainment, a U.S. partnership with Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger.

Robinson produced SEPULTURA's classic "Roots" album in 1995. Released in February 1996 by Roadrunner, it was the band's last studio album to feature founding member and vocalist Max Cavalera.

"I Am The End", the new video from the Swedish heavy metal act RAM, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Martin Högdal, edited by Leonard Palmestål and written by Oscar Carlquist — the same team that worked on the "Flame Of The Tyrants" video. The song was written by Harry Granroth and Oscar Carlquist.

Comments Carlquist: "The 'I Am The End' video shows a completely different side of the cinematic vision of RAM than what we created in the 'Flame Of The Tyrants' video. This video displays a lot of esoteric aspects, and has many layers of symbolism that will not be seen at once. We thank everybody involved for their outstanding dedication to making flesh out of our disturbed visions."

"I Am The End" comes off RAM's third album, "Death", which was released on January 30, 2012 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Welfare Sounds Studios in the group's hometown and was mastered by Dragan Tanaskovic at Bohus Sound.

In other news, Daniel Johansson — guitarist and one of the founding members — has decided to leave RAM. The departure was amicable and a replacement for Daniel has already been found. RAM is very happy and proud to welcome former RAM session guitarist Martin Jonsson as a full-time member.

2013 marks the 10th anniversary of RAM's first release: the "Sudden Impact" EP. This will be celebrated with a concert on Friday, September 13 at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg. The show will also feature special guests PORTRAIT and TRIAL. RAM's performance will be filmed.

The "Sudden Impact" EP will be rereleased on vinyl only and in a strictly limited edition of 500 copies through Gothenburg-based label Lake Of Fire Productions. The EP will be released at the 10th-anniversary concert.

According to RTL, Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) — the BURZUM mastermind who served a Norwegian prison term for the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) — was arrested this morning (Tuesday, July) 16 near the town of Salon-la-Tour, a commune in the Corrèze department in central France, on suspicion of planning a "massacre."

Vikernes, 40, who has been living on a French farm with his wife and three children, was picked up by the Direction Centrale du Renseignement Intérieur (Central Directorate of Interior Intelligence, DCRI), a French intelligence agency which reports directly to the Ministry of the Interior.

A search of Vikernes' farm for weapons and explosives is currently underway. His wife, a French national and a member of a shooting club, recently legally purchased four rifles.

Openly racist, Varg on April 3, 2011 posted a statement in French on his web site calling for the French to vote for the National Front and describing Norway as "the last Soviet state in Europe."

According to RTL, Vikernes was one 530 supporters to have received the manifesto of Anders Breivik, the man responsible for the July 2011 bomb attack in central Oslo, Norway and shooting rampage in Utøya island.

In a December 2012 posting on the Burzum.org web site, Varg openly criticized the actions of Breivik, writing, "To Breivik, I can only say I hope you do kill yourself. You have killed more Norwegians than the entire Muslim population in Norway has done the last 40 years, and you claim to be a Norwegian nationalist and patriot fighting (alongside your Jewish masters) against Islam, to protect us against their crimes!? I am sorry to say so, but you have made a big mistake."

Although his parole application was denied four times, Vikernes received word in February 2009 that he would be released after serving almost 16 years in prison. He was finally allowed to leave that spring.

Vikernes and his wife, whom he met while he was incarcerated, previously resided in Bø, a municipality in the county of Telemark, Norway.