Transcend Music has announced the signing of Welsh rockers REVOKER to its management and label roster. The band's sophomore album will be released later this year.

REVOKER's debut CD, "Revenge For The Ruthless", was released in 2011 through Roadrunner Records.

REVOKER will be managed by Transcend Music founder Rob Ferguson, who states: "REVOKER is an exciting signing for us here at Transcend Music. They are a band with a hard working pedigree who have laid all the foundations in the right places and they are in the middle of recording an album full of their strongest material to date. The best is yet to come from these lads and we at Transcend will enable them to deliver"

REVOKER has performed at prestigious festivals Download, Ozzfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Sonisphere and Hammerfest and has shared stages with the likes of ROB ZOMBIE, OZZY OSBOURNE, LAMB OF GOD, SKINDRED, ANTHRAX, SOULFLY, FEAR FACTORY, BLACK STONE CHERRY, SEPULTURA and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

REVOKER is:

Jamie Mathias - Vocals/Guitar
Chris Green - Guitar
Shane Phillips - Bass
Jack Pritchard – Drums

Former FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, who co-wrote the entire debut album from DEVICE, the industrial-style project featuring DISTURBED frontman David Draiman, joined DEVICE on stage this past Tuesday, July 9 at the Gigantour stop at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois to perform several songs from the CD. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Upon finishing the DEVICE record, Lenardo opted to remain a studio collaborator in the project so he could remain free to pursue his other passions/projects, which include film scoring, and spend time at home with his son rather than tour. So in order to bring the album to life and solidify a band in the truest sense of the word, Draiman enlisted EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt and DOPE guitarist Virus.

In an interview with Artisan News, Draiman stated about Lenardo's absence from the road: "Geno is tied up in his own projects and doing things on his own and he wants to be able to stay close to home and spend time with his son, so he won't be a part of the live part of this project, which is why I enlisted the services of [Will and Virus] to be partners in this project and to lend me their creative and their playing might."

While the Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum powerhouse DISTURBED was on hiatus, Lenardo reached out to Draiman to collaborate on a song for the "Underworld: Awakening" soundtrack in late 2011. As soon as the singer heard the music, he was both intrigued and inspired. The duo then cut "Hunted" in Chicago. Even though the track didn't ultimately make the final soundtrack album due to circumstances beyond their control, Draiman urged that they hold on to it and continue writing music. Soon, they had an entire album's worth of material.

"It started to develop very naturally and organically," recalled the frontman. "Geno is a brilliant songwriter in his own right and a tremendously talented sound designer as far as the electronic palette is concerned. Together, we made this monster. It's not metal. It's got a dark electronic vibe. At the same time, these are big, anthemic, and intensely melodic songs. It's futuristic rock."

Fan-filmed video footage of Norwegian black/thrash butchers AURA NOIR performing a cover version of the SLAYER classic "Fight 'Till Death" as a tribute to late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at this year's Hellfest, which was held June 21-23 in Clisson, France, can be seen below.

AURA NOIR's fifth full-length album, "Out To Die", was released in March 2012 via Norway's Indie Recordings.

"Out To Die" marked the return of guitarist Rune Eriksen (a.k.a. ex-MAYHEM guitarist/songwriter Blasphemer), who resides in Portugal and previously led his own band AVA INFERI. Eriksen made several trips back to Norway to work on the new AURA NOIR songs with Aggressor and Apollyon (guitar, bass, vocals, drums; also bassist in IMMORTAL).

Members of SLAYER released a statement on May 9 saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis. He is credited for writing many of the band's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

The guitarist, who passed away in Los Angeles on May 2, had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

Reunited METAL CHURCH — Ronny Munroe on vocals, Kurdt Vanderhoof and Rick Van Zandt on guitars, Steve Unger on bass, and Jeff Plate on drums — has set "Generation Nothing" as the title of its new album, due before the end of the year via Kurdt's label Body Of Work Recordings. The CD was recorded at Vanderhoof's English Channel studio in Washingtion. The band previously stated about the new effort: "This could be the best MC record of the METAL CHURCH MK3 era!! Woohooo!!"

Munroe said in a recent interview with Metal Assault that the new METAL CHURCH CD would contain material that is "very reminiscent of the old days with some stuff that's very 'now.'" He added: "There's a bit of… I'm not going to say 'prog' because it's not, but there's a couple of elements in there that are a little bit progressive. For the most part, out of this batch of songs, they really sound more reminiscent of the early days than anything we've done before with this lineup. This excites me very much, and I think the fans are really going to dig it."

Regarding the circumstances that led to METAL CHURCH's breakup in 2009, Ronny said: "Well, in a nutshell, without going into a huge and long story here, it was certain aspects of things that had continued to happen to the band throughout its career. Not having the proper management and the proper people in place that were handling us. You know, we ended up taking some shows we shouldn't have taken and that just led to where Kurdt was really getting fed up and then we all kind of got that way. Basically, we figured before we end up disbanding because of other reasons such as maybe starting to fight with one another or whatnot, we decided to go ahead and end it then. We all ended up friends and we wanted to keep it that way. So I won't go into specifics, but we all know what the music industry is like now compared to what it was like back then. We just didn't have the right people in our camp."

Asked what the band is going to do differently this time around to avoid falling into the same trap, Ronny said: "This time around we're going to release this next record on Kurdt's label. Basically, Kurdt and the band and whatnot are taking a lot more control of the situation. Yes, maybe the downloading thing is even worse than 2009, but also on the other hand, if you know what you're doing and you use the Internet correctly, you can actually have success. Kurdt's been doing that with his prog band PRESTO BALLET and whatnot. In this day and age, the time is right to go and try something on your own. If it doesn't work, you can always end up going out and searching for a label or something. We're going to take a shot at it and see what happens and I think we're probably going to have some decent success."

According to Timo Isoaho of Finland's Soundi magazine, Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA will enter the studio in late September to begin recording their new album for a tentative April 2014 release. Vocalist Tony Kakko has written around 50 songs for the follow-up to 2012's "Stones Grow Her Name", with plans to track and mix the effort over a three-month period.

Regarding the musical direction of SONATA ARCTICA's next CD, Kakko told Soundi that he has come up with some "diverse and versatile" material this time around, and that "at least the slower and heavier stuff will find its place on next record." The band is planning to make a slightly heavier and "more metal" album than "Stones Grow Her Name", which was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 10,000 copies. Kakko also revealed that he has composed a 10-minute song for the new SONATA ARCTICA LP, but he wasn't sure if the track was going to make its way onto the finished product.

Released in Europe on May 18, 2012 and in North America on May 22, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records, "Stones Grow Her Name" was recorded in several studios all over Finland, mixed at Sonic Pump Studios by Mikko Karmila and mastered at Chartmakers by Svante Forsbäck. The effort was released as a limited-edition digipak, standard jewel case, vinyl and download.

"Stones Grow Her Name" sold around 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 9 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Walk Through Exits Only", the his career-first solo album from Philip Anselmo, legendary frontman of PANTERA and DOWN, is available for streaming in its entirety below. Due on July 16 via Anselmo's own Housecore Records (MRI/Megaforce), "Walk Through Exits Only" will be available digitally, on CD and on vinyl.

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 drummer José Manuel Gonzales (WARBEAST) — "Walk Through Exits Only" is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo. The album's eight songs are as unstrained as it gets, from "Battalion Of Zero" to "Usurper's Bastard Rant", to the album's title track that goes against the grain and right through the exits. Brash, brutal guitars cut through punishing percussion as Anselmo screams with uncompromising ferocity and uncontainable fire.

"Walk Through Exits Only" track listing:

01. Music Media Is My Whore
02. Battalion Of Zero
03. Betrayed
04. Usurper Bastard's Rant
05. Walk Through Exits Only
06. Bedroom Destroyer
07. Bedridden
08. Irrelevant Walls And Computer Screens

The official video for the song "Bedridden" can now be seen below.

"It wasn't about doing a paint-by-numbers thrash or heavy metal record," Anselmo explained about the project. "It's an angry album that only I could do. I don't see anybody else out there screaming about the same shit I'm screaming about. On this album, there isn't any wordplay, there isn't any hidden message, it's all right there in front of you."

The genesis of "Walk Through Exits Only" proved both comfortable and natural for its architect. In fact, everything began to slowly come together in the frontman's New Orleans home back in 2010.

"It started right there in the fucking black bedroom where I haunt," he smiles. "When I get an itch, I've got to scratch it. The sole idea at the beginning was to be unorthodox. It wasn't about doing a paint-by-numbers thrash or heavy metal record. I've always believed there are different elements of groove. It's definitely not a cemented science. It's an angry album that only I could do. I don't see anybody else out there screaming about the same shit I'm screaming about. I tried to portray it as personally as I possibly could."

Gonzales puts it best. "I think it's going to put the rock 'n' roll back in extreme music," he says. "That combination is very different. For as extreme as it is, it's controlled chaos."

"It's meant to be very unpredictable," Anselmo affirms. "When I hear enough of the same thing, I want to rebel. That was a key factor. Right when you think you've got it pegged, it goes in a different direction. That's what keeps things interesting."

In order to harness that unpredictability and realize his vision, he enlisted the talents of longtime friend Houston-based shredder Montazeri. Filling the seat behind the kit is Gonzales, who entered the fold at the tender age of 19. Back at Anselmo's studio Nodferatu's Lair, they recorded in spurts between DOWN's own rigorous recording and touring schedule. In the process of those intense sessions alongside engineer Stephen "The Big Fella" Berrigan, the record was born.

"There's nobody like Philip," says Montazeri. "For years, I've always wanted to do something completely original and meaningful with him. I'm just trying to bring something pure to this. Nothing gets in the way of this band's purity. When all of us get together, it's automatic. If I have an idea, Philip always welcomes it. We share a love for extreme music, and I feel like we've got an unbreakable bond."

Gonzales agrees, "These guys pushed me to limits I didn't even know I could be pushed to. We've been able to create something really special together."

The world's proper introduction to PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS came on the "War Of The Gargantuas" split with WARBEAST at the top of 2013. The two songs included on the split — "Conflict" and "Family, Friends, and Associates" — were only a separate and small taste of what was come to come on the full-length though.

In many ways, "Walk Through Exits Only" embodies the same underground spirit and ethos that Anselmo has proudly possessed for his whole life. Since his career began, he consistently shined light on what was happening beneath the typical "surface" of music, whether by inviting MORBID ANGEL, EYEHATEGOD, CROWBAR, or NEUROSIS onto a PANTERA tour or donning a DARKTHRONE or MAYHEM t-shirt on television or in a major publication. He's gone against the grain, past the tides, and right through the exits. Now, that sentiment pipes through loud and clear on the record's viciously vital title track.

"It does create an unorthodox approach to things," Anselmo continues. "The hook is a powerful line. Why make music the 'right' way? There really aren't any fucking rules. You've got to simply take what’s there and make it your own."

The opener "Music Media Is My Whore" lays all speculation to rest with its focused pummeling. About the title, he laughs, "I've gotten my share of fucking licks from the media over the years. I figured I'd give them one back. Lyrically, there was always something driving me though. I couldn't put my finger on it for the longest time, but it's very reality-based. I didn't mince any words."

"The message comes across in a crazy way," adds Montazeri. "That goes for the entire record though. There's no similarity between this and any other band. It breaks from tradition."

Not only does "Walk Through Exits Only" break from tradition, it lays the groundwork for a new road.

"Fuck another chapter," concludes Anselmo. "This is a whole new book. Some might call it ambitious. I say it's natural. I can do anything I want with this, and I will. I want people to take that unpredictability with them. If you're in a younger band, I want you to realize you don't have to play by the fucking rules. I want everyone to see that there's a lot more to the story than they'd ever realized when it comes to me. You can't and won't be able to tell what comes next from the kid. You can't pin me down unless it's in my own fucking corner which will be painted black and say, 'Reserved for Philip H. Anselmo.' You're very welcome to do that."

The official listening and release party for "Walk Through Exits Only" will be held on Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 p.m. at Duff's Brooklyn in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The address is:

Duff's Brooklyn
168 Marcy Avenue (between S 5th & Broadway)
Williamsburg, New York

For more information, visit www.duffsbrooklyn.com.

Former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist and current NEWSTED frontman Jason Newsted was interviewed on a recent edition of "The Classic Metal Show", which is heard live on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST at TheClassicMetalShow.com. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

Asked how he felt about METALLICA's decision to release the 2004 documentary "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster", which offered a revealing behind-the-scenes look at the legendary band as they confronted personal demons and their relationships with each other while recording the 2003 album "St. Anger", Newsted said: "I, obviously, was out of the band at that point and I had no more say in the decision making or anything, and since I do keep things pretty personal private, to do that like that and expose yourself in those ways, I did not agree with that. But like I said, that wasn't my decision; I was long gone by then. I think there were some pretty unsavory moments in there."

He continued: "I've always tried to maintain the high road in this whole thing, and I will still. I'll never forget that METALLICA gave me my chance to be what I am and to have my career and to be talking to you now about my new music — all that stuff.

"But yeah, some of those decisions that were made about exposing your inner workings like that, I think it was detrimental. It doesn't make a lot of sense considering what kind of band we were. We were always able to solve all of the issues within our own camp; we were a pretty tough gang for a long, long time… And so, doing those kinds of things and showing those weaknesses like that, it's not necessary — it really isn't necessary for people to know that kind of stuff. The disrespect they showed to me and those things and all that, that's so long ago, and yeah, it got under my skin a little bit when I first saw it. [I thought], 'Why are you guys doing that?' I don't understand what I've done to [deserve that].

"I was always the first guy in, last guy out, I worked very hard for the band, I never — never — put anything before the band. It was always my first priority. I mean, I missed some pretty important things — things like laying very close friends and family members to rest and different important things where I really should have been a part of it, but instead, I would go and do an interview or go and do a photo session, or carry a master tape across the country, 'cause nobody else wanted to do it — 'just get Jason to do it' — these kinds of things, I always put the band first. And them guys forgetting about that that fast… I don't know if they were just trying to lash out to get back at me or whatever in the collective. There is that thing within a group or a band or people like that, whenever one person isn't there to defend themselves, everybody else gangs up on that. I think it's a very common thing within teams and all that stuff."

He added: "The one thing that, I think, people maybe don't realize, unless they are in groups or they have a good company that they're working with, or something like that, there has to be a pressure valve in something that's successful. And especially when there's so much male-ego stuff going on, there has to be a diffuser, there has to be a pressure valve. I was that pressure valve, and I don't know if they have one anymore.

"So that was really part of the thing that made me what I was, as far as the role that I assumed in that band. When they did push me out there in front to do some of those things that maybe everybody else didn't wanna do, little did they know that it would build the great character in me that I have now — the people-person skills and the emotional capacity and all that stuff. I didn't like it then, but as I look back it now, I wouldn't change a thing, because it built me to where I am now."

Former CHASTAIN bandmates Leather Leone (vocals) and David T. Chastain (guitar) have been demoing new music since January in an attempt "to see if we have any magic left," the singer tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET. She adds: "And it appears we are conjuring up the spirit one more time. We are currently in the studio to start tracking."

Leviathan Records in 2010 released "The Reign of Leather", a collection of CHASTAIN tracks Leather had a hand in writing during her glory days with the band.

Commented the label: "Leather had but a brief five-year stint in the classic band but recorded some timeless gems that have withstood the test of time. True metal fans consider Leather the preeminent female heavy metal vocalist of the late '80s. These tracks were recently digitally remastered in 2010 to bring them up to today's sound quality."

Leviathan Records also reissued two of the classic CHASTAIN CDs with Leather: "The 7th of Never" and "The Voice of the Cult". Both were digitally remastered and are in their original unedited versions.

Leather last year released the debut album from her SLEDGE LEATHER project, "Imagine Me Alive". The CD was inspired in 2010 when Leather called Sandy Sledge to collaborate on the Ronnie James Dio track "Egypt" for a demo tribute recording. Due to the overwhelming response for more material, SLEDGE LEATHER was born and was confirmed for Germany's Keep It True festival in April 2011.

SLEDGE LEATHER entered the studio in 2011 to record "Imagine Me Alive", engulfing the listener in an onslaught of heavy metal with 11 cohesive tracks that resurrects a classic heavy metal sound with DIO's former bandmembers Scott Warren (keyboards), and Jimmy Bain (bass).

German underground metal titans ATLANTEAN KODEX will release their long-awaited second album, "The White Goddess - A Grammar Of Poetic Myth", on October 4 on CD and vinyl through 20 Buck Spin Records (USA) and Cruz del Sur Music/Ván Records (rest of the world). The follow-up to 2010's "The Golden Bough" is described the band's drummer, Weiß, as "a triumph of heaviness and melancholy, a monument to the spirit of underground metal and the mythology of old Europe. Our sound has grown darker and heavier, like the world has grown darker and heavier in the past few years. At the same time, our '70s roots and our love for BATHORY and old MANOWAR are still there. Imagine Quorthon raping URIAH HEEP while 'Into Glory Ride' is blasting from an old tape deck."

"The White Goddess (A Grammar of Poetic Myth)" track listing:

01. Trumpets Of Doggerland (There Were Giants In The Earth In Those Days)
02. Sol Invictus (With Faith And Fire)
03. Bilwis (Sorcery And Witchcraft In Eastern Bavaria)
04. Heresiarch (Thousandfaced Moon)
05. Twelve Stars And An Azure Gown (An Anthem For Europa)
06. Der Untergang Der Stadt Passau (Flaming Sword Of The Watcher)
07. Enthroned In Clouds And Fire (The Great Cleansing)
08. White Goddess Unveiled (Crown Of The Sephiroth)

ATLANTEAN KODEX is:

Markus Becker - Vocals
Michael Koch - Lead Guitar
Florian Kreuzer - Bass
Manuel Trummer - Guitar
Mario Weiß - Drums

Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently conducted an interview with drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, FLYING COLORS, THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Icon Vs. Icon: Do you feel there are a lot of misconceptions circulating about you?

Portnoy: I think I am one of the most misunderstood artists in the world! [laughs] Any time I go on the Internet and I see these web sites with an article with a quote for shock value as the headline, I realize the misconceptions about me that are out there by the fans and non-fans as well. I think the biggest one is that I am band-jumping or opportunity-jumping and jumping from band to band. That is not the case. Like I just said to you, it is me following my heart. I spent 25 years in one band and was so unbelievably dedicated to one band. I don't think you will find more dedication than I do for what I did for DREAM THEATER for 25 years. I mean, I literally oversaw every single step, every minute of the day. You won't find a more committed artist than me. I did that for 25 years, so I think the biggest misconception is that I am not committed. That is so far from the truth. I am just doing lots of different things. I am enjoying having this musical freedom right now. Every one of the bands and projects I am involved with are so different from each other. THE WINERY DOGS is one thing, TRANSATLANTIC is another, ADRENALINE MOB is something else. There are each so different from the other and I give all I can to each of them. The biggest problem is when you give 100% to five different things, inevitably there are going to be schedule clashes and it is not always going to be easy to juggle so many things. That is one of the difficulties I have been having lately and I am trying to make it all work. I am doing my best and I don't think you are going to find an artist with a stronger work ethic than I have. I am a total workaholic and passionate about everything I do. It is hard to always juggle it all without a scheduling conflict here or there! That has been the only problem, trying to solve that and make it all work.

Icon Vs. Icon: Misconceptions aside, your work speaks for itself and would make for a very interesting autobiography at some point. Is that a project you have considered undertaking in the future?

Portnoy: Yeah. Actually, after I left DREAM THEATER, I was approached by several different companies about doing that. I just felt for a while after I left DREAM THEATER, there was so much drama and controversy. No matter what I said, it got taken out of context and blown out of proportion. That made me very gun shy about doing interviews or taking openly. If I am going to do a book, I am going to talk openly. I want to be able to tell it all and not pull punches or bullshit anything. I have always prided myself on being very honest and open with the fans, so if I was to do a book, it would have to be that way. I think right now, it is all still too fresh. There is still way too much drama online and the fans are so passionate and dramatic about it all, I wouldn't want to do a book right now. I think it is still needs time for the wounds to heal and the smoke to clear. Surely one of these days I would love to do it. There was a DREAM THEATER biography which came out years ago I was very involved with. I spent a tremendous amount of time going through the history of the band and contributed a lot to that book. That is probably the closest to any kind of biography so far having to do with my career.

Icon Vs. Icon: When looking back on your incredible and still very productive career, how do you feel you have evolved as an artist?

Portnoy: My evolution goes beyond the drums. I think my evolution as an artist has to do with playing with all of these different bands and playing different roles within each of them, playing with different people and exploring different styles. My evolution as a drummer comes from having a different kind of drum kit or setup in each of the bands and I have to play stylistically different for each of them. That has been my evolution. That is another reason why I needed to get some time away from DREAM THEATER. I didn't want to, for the rest of my life, be just the guy from DREAM THEATER. I didn't want DREAM THEATER to define my entire life and career. I felt I had a lot more to say and had many, many different styles within me which I wanted to explore. That has been the evolution of my career, branching out and doing all of these things. Of course, DREAM THEATER will be a huge, huge part of my of my legacy but I would hope the other things are also a part of it as well. Everything I am doing is all part of the story of who I am.

Icon Vs. Icon: What else is on the horizon for you as an artist. Is there still new territory you are looking to tackle?

Portnoy: I am very fulfilled at the moment. Ya know, there are so many different things going on in my career at the moment and they have me very fulfilled. As I said, it is hard enough to juggle what exists, so I am not looking to add many more things on to the plate at the moment. I am really just looking to continue to develop what is already happening. For the moment, the focus is on THE WINERY DOGS. That is going to be the focus of everything I am doing over the next six to twelve months on the road. I am planning on traveling and touring as much as I can with this great new band. For the moment, that is the focus. Inevitably, there are always a million other things. There is a FLYING COLORS Blu-ray coming out later this year. There is PSMS [PORTNOY SHEEHAN MACALPINE SHERINIAN] Blu-ray coming out in September and a TRANSATLANTIC album at the beginning of 2014 but THE WINERY DOGS is definitely going to be the focus for awhile.

Read the entire interview at Icon Vs. Icon.

METALLICA played its only European show of the summer this past Saturday night (July 6) at Roskilde Festival in Roskilde, Denmark.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Blackened
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Disposable Heroes
04. Harvester Of Sorrow
05. The Day That Never Comes
06. Carpe Diem Baby
07. I Disappear
08. Sad But True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. Orion
11. One
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Battery
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman

Encore:

16. Fuel
17. Creeping Death
18. Seek & Destroy

Official MetOnTour video footage of the "Blackened" performance can be seen below.

Photos are available at this location.

It was not in the cards that the undisputed kings of metal were going to Europe at all this summer. But late in the game, the organizers managed to secure a single show with the band that visited Roskilde 10 years ago, teaching the attendees a lesson in thrash metal that made traffic around the festival come to a standstill.

METALLICA played its first Roskilde show in 1986, the year the band's Copenhagen-recorded "Master Of Puppets" album was released.

METALLICA last month headlined the second edition of its Orion Music + More festival, which was held in Detroit on June 8-9. The group headlined the second day while also playing a surprise afternoon set on the first day at which it played its entire 1983 debut disc "Kill 'Em All".

The group has a scattering of festival slots lined up into September, just before its upcoming 3D movie, "Metallica Through the Never", premieres on IMAX screen in North America on September 27.

METALLICA filmed the movie last August, combining live performance footage from three shows in Vancouver with a storyline following a fictional member of their crew, played by actor Dane DeHaan, who's sent on a mission during a concert.

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).

Photo below courtesy of Paul Bostaph's Facebook page (left to right: Gary Holt, Tom Araya, Kerry King, Paul Bostaph)

"Fire On The Mountain (1683)", the first song from the heavy metal "supergroup" TWILIGHT OF THE GODS, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's debut album, "Fire On The Mountain", which will be released on September 27 in Europe and October 1 in North America via Season Of Mist.

TWILIGHT OF THE GODS is: Alan Averill (PRIMORDIAL, DEAD SOVEREIGN, BLOOD REVOLT) on vocals, Nick Barker (ex-CRADLE OF FILTH, ex-DIMMU BORGIR, ex-TESTAMENT, ex-EXODUS) on drums, guitarists Rune Eriksen (AURA NOIR, ex-AVA INFERI, ex-MAYHEM) and Patrik Lindgren (THYRFING), and Frode Glesnes (EINHERJER) on bass.

"Fire On The Mountain" track listing:

01. Destiny Forged In Blood
02. Children Of Cain
03. Fire On The Mountain (1683)
04. Preacher Man
05. Sword Of Damocles
06. The End Of History
07. At Dawn We Ride

The effort will be made available as a CD digipack and a limited-edition LP via the Season Of Mist e-shop.

In a recent interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Averill stated about "Fire On The Mountain": "We grew up with and through most of our reference points. This is just what just came out when we play. We didn't need to go, 'We need to write songs that sound like MANOWAR,' but we all love MANOWAR. There's a fine line to walk between pastiche, parody and putting of the old gonzoid heavy metal charm into it, but not being too self-knowing in that sense."

Asked if it was weird to switch over to singing classic metal lyrics, and finding out how he related to those lyrics, Averill said: "Definitely. The thing is that it's full of the gonzoid heavy metal idioms — the swords and the steel and the blood and the fire. It was a difficult balance to find, to strike between being full of a certain glory and beauty and charm of old heavy metal, without it being too wink-wink, nod-nod, self-parody, but really genuinely meaning it because that's what we all love, and treating it with the sort of kid gloves and respect that it deserves."

He continued: "But yeah, it was difficult trying to find a different voice, another kind of lyric but at the same time, if you take, say, the title track, 'Fire On The Mountain', that's my Dio tribute and it sounds like a RAINBOW songtitle. But yeah, the song is about the siege of Vienna by the Ottoman empire in 1683 where King Leopold I and the Holy Roman See defeated the Turks, and those, I think, had a lot to do with saving the European culture and the Enlightenment and all sorts of stuff. So if you were to actually look at it, you'd go, 'Actually, there's something being said here, but it's written in heavy metal vernacular, which was handed down to us from IRON MAIDEN and whoever. But it's a challenge, for sure, and it's also a challenge to write a chorus that people could sing. You're sitting there for the first time thinking, actually, how could I write this in such a way for people at a show or at a festival to get behind it, you know? It's just a traditional, hard-rock structure, which is a breath of fresh air for all of us, because we've all, for the past 20 years, been playing extreme music and darker music to some degree, so it's a bit like something fresh for all of us, despite the fact that it's all old."

"I Solemnly Swear", the new video from the Columbus, Ohio metal/hardcore act LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's ?second full-length album, "An Eye For An Eye", which was released on July 9 through Rise Records. The follow-up to 2011's "When We Don't Exist" was once again recorded at Machine Shop Productions in Belleville, New Jersey with producer Will Putney (MISS MAY I, FOR TODAY, SUICIDE SILENCE).

"After almost two years, we are very excited to release our new record, 'An Eye For An Eye'," states vocalist Chris Roetter. "We've had time to learn about the band and ultimately figure out the direction that we'd like to go musically. I think the record shows a lot of growth and progression as we went outside of our norm to try some different things for a few songs. We couldn't be happier with the way the record turned out and can't wait to share it with all of you."

"An Eye For An Eye" upholds LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES' notoriously aggressive energy while revealing the band's most exciting and heavy-hitting work to date. The new album showcases maturing song structures leading with sleek guitar melodies rolling into robust riffs that complement Roetter's signature raw textured vocals and merciless lyrics. Guest vocalists Shane Told of SILVERSTEIN on "Into The Ground" and Ahren Stringer of THE AMITY AFFLICTION on "Lord Of Bones" also add to the evolving dynamic of the album that sets it apart from previous releases.

Adds Roetter: "After working with Will Putney at Machine Shop for our first album, there was no question to where we would be recording the second. We spent the months of March and April at Machine Shop working on this album, and once again, the experience was great. Putney has always had a good grasp on where the band wants to go musically and what the band wants to do and he helps us to get there."

LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES can also be seen performing on the Monster Energy stage through the entirety of this summer's Vans Warped Tour.

"An Eye For An Eye" track listing:

01. You'll Burn?
02. A Feast For Crows?
03. The Common Misconception
04. I Solemnly Swear?
05. Deathmarks?
06. The Blackout
07. In Dreams?
08. Into The Ground (ft. Shane Told)
09. Serpent Herders?
10. Nothing But Blood
11. Lord Of Bones?(ft. Ahren Stringer)
12. My Own Personal Hell

Neurot Recordings has announced the addition of CORRECTIONS HOUSE to its eclectic roster of artists. The band's full-length debut will be released this fall.

Featuring Mike IX Williams (EYEHATEGOD), Scott Kelly (NEUROSIS), Sanford Parker (MINSK) and Bruce Lamont (YAKUZA), CORRECTIONS HOUSE is a mysterious collective of souls exploring the darkest, most unsettling facets of sound through audio disease and transcendent musical destruction. An impossible-to-pinpoint synthesis of mechanical decomposition, atmospheric abnormalities and poetic putrefaction, together CORRECTIONS HOUSE systematically create and destroy.

Following a special run of live rituals in January, which Invisible Oranges appropriately crowned both "unique and devastating," CORRECTIONS HOUSE unleashed the "Hoax The System/Grin With a Purpose" seven-inch single through War Crime Recordings in the U.S. and Burning World Records in Europe, earning critical accolades from adventurous listeners.

Danish thrashers CARO will release their second full-length album, "Letchworth Village", on July 17 via Rogue Records.

Fast riffs, screaming solos and guttural vocals that some describe as a cross between Barney from NAPALM DEATH and Randy from LAMB OF GOD, CARO's hard, old-school thrash is nonstop aggression. "Letchworth Village" captures the high intensity gritty and energetic live performance of the band.

CARO has already streamed a "Letchworth Village" album cut on YouTube, entitled "Blacklisted". Also, a lyric video for "Letchworth Village" was released on July 1 via the band's mobile app, Facebook app and publisher's YouTube page.

Hailing from Frederikshavn, Denmark, CARO was formed in 2007 as OMEN before changing its name in 2011.

To date, the band has toured extensively in Denmark and Europe an has played numerous festivals, both in and out of their home country.

San Diego-based deathgrind masters CATTLE DECAPITATION will release a seven-inch single this summer. "Your Disposal" features the B-side "An Exposition of Insides", which was previously available only as a Japanese bonus track on the band's most recent album, "Monolith Of Inhumanity". The single is available (both black and clear vinyl) for order on-line on IndieMerchStore.com for $5.50, as well as in a bundle with a t-shirt for $18.99. Fans attending this year's Summer Slaughter Tour can grab their copy at the band's merch booth throughout the tour.

Vocalist Travis Ryan comments: "We noticed a lot of people were dismayed to find out there was a track available out there on a Japanese version of 'Monolith Of Inhumanity' that nobody outside of Japan had ever heard before. When it hit YouTube, that's when we started getting emails from fans. We noticed the lyrics weren't inside that version or available anywhere at all so that gave us the idea of throwing it on a B-side and releasing a 7" vinyl single for 'Your Disposal' with the song 'An Exposition Of Insides'! We feel that 'Monolith' is the mother of all of our releases so far and I thought it'd be funny to make it look like she just squirted out a baby and that's what this little guy looks like. Just in time for Summer Slaughter!"

The most extreme tour of the year has returned with its most devastating and anticipated lineup yet. The seventh annual Summer Slaughter Tour, presented by Indie Merch Store, ESP and Guitar World, is now officially slated to run from July 19 through August 24. It features such heavyweights as THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, PERIPHERY, NORMA JEAN, CATTLE DECAPITATION, THE OCEAN, REVOCATION, AEON and two other bands.

CATTLE DECAPITATION's latest album, "Monolith Of Inhumanity", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 6 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.

Released on May 8, 2012, "Monolith Of Inhumanity" was produced by Dave Otero of Denver's Flatline Audio and sees the band exploring innovative new techniques in songwriting without abandoning their signature formula of confrontational audio wreckage and self-loathing lyrical content.

DEPRECATED has inked a multi-album deal with Unique Leader Records. The band's latest album, "Deriding His Creation", will be re-released on October 1.

Cast from members of the mighty SUFFOCATION, DECREPIT BIRTH and DISGORGE, DEPRECATED is the embodiment of agonizing brutality.

While the solid foundation of original members AJ Magaña, Derek Boyer and Torrey Moores oversees the composition of DEPRECATED's material, the addition of Terrence Hobbs and Matt Sotelo fuse to be one of death metals more formidable string sections to date. Terrence and Matt, being of polar opposite styles in their respective bands, bring their influential talents and unyielding ferocity together with that of DEPRECATED's old-school approach to exploit and pulverize ones adrenal gland in its vice.

After the tracks for the "Deriding His Creation" re-release were recorded, the final piece was to be put in place by utilizing one of the industry's top engineers to ensure the albums message was clearly stated. Zack Ohren of Castle Ultimate studios, known for engineering releases for bands such as SUICIDE SILENCE, SEVERED SAVIOR, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION, IMMOLATION and SIX FEET UNDER, just to mention a few, brings the over indulgent aggression of DEPRECATED's music to a mirrored finish ensuring fans of all that is heavy to question the direction that death metal has so unfortunately taken.

Norwegian metallers SUSPERIA will release the first single from their upcoming album soon as a free download here the band's official web site. The group states: "We are working our asses of right now and we think the song will be ready for you in early August."

SUSPERIA in November 2011 released a CD celebrating its 10-year anniversary as a recording artist, "We Are The Ones". According to a press release, the "mark[ed] 10 years of releases, and at the same time a nice end of a circle where Mustis (ex-DIMMU BORGIR), who participated on SUSPERIA's first demo in 1999, now return[ed] after 12 years to once again put his magical touch on new, as well as old songs. A very fruitful cooperation which now has led to some fantastic re-recordings of some very popular, classic songs, now in complete symphonic versions. A brand new song has been recorded, with a massive orchestral theme."

Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based female-fronted melodic death metallers THE AGONIST have posted behind-the-scenes footage from their recent visit to Mexico City, where they supported CANNIBAL CORPSE for one show. Check out the two clips below.

THE AGONIST's third album, "Prisoners", debuted at No. 19 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.

"Prisoners", was released on June 4, 2012 in Europe and June 5, 2012 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE) and it "picks right up where 2009's 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind' left off, with soaring melodies over complex metal passages that fans of thinking-man's metal can appreciate," according to a press release.

In regards to the album artwork, singer Alissa White-Gluz stated: "We wanted to really include a chaotic visual to reflect the chaotic sound of the band, but we also wanted to show that the lyrics on this album are a lot more introverted…The human face was left non-descript on purpose — it doesn't belong to any particular person, but we could call him the Lonely Solipsist."

Los Angeles death metallers ABYSMAL DAWN have entered the studio to begin work on the follow-up to their 2011 release "Leveling The Plane Of Existence".

Comments ABYSMAL DAWN frontman Charles Elliott: "The time has finally come to exorcise the demons once again.

"It's been a while, but we'll be entering the studio very soon to begin recording the follow-up to 'Leveling The Plane Of Existence'.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure we could top that record at first. After a couple tracks into the demoing process, though, all my doubts were washed clean away.

"This is definitely a worthy successor, if not something even greater, and I'm sure fans will agree.

"We aren't always to most optimistic bunch, but in this case I think we'll make an exception.

"There's definitely some faster stuff here, as well as some super groovy and atmospheric material. It's slightly different, but as always with us, 'the riff' and song craft are what we tried to bring to the forefront here. All these songs were meant to pummel audiences in a live setting, and I think we've achieved that.

"We look forward to playing these on tour for you guys whenever the album comes out!

"We'll start recording drums at Trench Studios (EXHUMED, INTRONAUT) [in Corona, California] this weekend with John Haddad, then head over to Artisan Road Studios with Mike Bear to track everything else, before returning to Trench again to reamp everything. Once that's all done, we'll send it off to the good people at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH, SOILWORK, THE FORSAKEN) in Sweden to mix and master.

"Time to crush!"

ABYSMAL DAWN's "In Service Of Time" video can be seen below. The track comes off "Leveling The Plane Of Existence", which was released in February 2011 via Relapse Records.

On the creation of the dark and sinister new video, Charles Elliott said: "It was directed and edited by Robert Mestas, who won a contest a while back for making a video clip for our song 'My Own Savior'. He did such a great job with that track that we decided to give him a shot at making a full-fledged epic video for us. Being a self-financed production, though, I think at some point we all realized we'd bitten off a bit more than we could chew. Several favors we're called in and many plans would fall apart, causing the video to be delayed for a very long time. We have to say, though, the end result did turn out pretty amazing. It's a very dark dystopian piece, which you'd expect from us, with a nod to the classic silent German film 'Metropolis'."

Elliott previously stated about the "In Service Of Time" track: "Lyrically, the song is about trying not to repeat your same mistakes, and trying to find purpose in life in the time that you're given.

"When I was writing the lyrics, I was very inspired by the infectious mechanized rhythm of the song. I could visualize the gears of clocks ticking away and it got me thinking about my own mortality."

Fan-filmed video footage of IRON MAIDEN's July 10 performance at Malmö Stadion in Malmö, Sweden can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Moonchild
02. Can I Play With Madness
03. The Prisoner
04. 2 Minutes To Midnight
05. Afraid To Shoot Strangers
06. The Trooper
07. The Number Of The Beast
08. Phantom Of The Opera
09. Run To The Hills
10. Wasted Years
11. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
12. The Clairvoyant
13. Fear Of The Dark
14. Iron Maiden

Encore:

15. Aces High
16. The Evil That Men Do
17. Running Free

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson recently told the Swedish web site Talarforum (Speakers' Forum) that there are plans for the band to enter the studio to record a new album for a tentative 2014 release.

MAIDEN's 15th studio CD, 2010's "The Final Frontier", featured 10 tracks that had an average running time of seven minutes and 40 seconds, with the shortest song, "The Alchemist", clocking in at four minutes and 29 seconds, and the longest, "When The Wild Wind Blows", lasting ten minutes and 59 seconds.

"The Final Frontier" sold 63,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 4.

IRON MAIDEN's previous album, 2006's "A Matter Of Life And Death", opened with 56,000 units to land at No. 9. This was a notable increase from the 40,000 first-week tally registered by its predecessor, 2003's "Dance of Death" (which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 chart), and that of "Brave New World", which moved 38,000 copies in June 2000 to land at No. 39 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"The Final Frontier" was IRON MAIDEN's fourth U.K. No. 1 album. The band previously topped the chart in 1982 with "The Number of the Beast", in 1988 with "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" and in 1992 with "Fear of the Dark".

Fan-filmed video footage of Slash's July 5 headlining performance at Ribfest in Naperville, Illinois can be seen below.

Slash's second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love", came out in May 2012 and was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales in excess of 35,000 copies.

"[The album has] been really well received and I was really pleased with the record in the first place; it's great," Slash said. "You never know what exactly is going to happen and I never have any what you'd call expectations, but once it's out there and people sort of dig it for the right reasons, it's always a good feeling."

Slash recently revealed that he and singer Myles Kennedy have already begun working on music for the guitarist's next album, to be recorded sometime this year.

Kennedy divides his time between ALTER BRIDGE, who are working on their fourth studio set, and Slash, for whom he fronts Slash's touring and recording group MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.

"Between Here & Lost", the debut album from LOVE & DEATH, the band led by KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, will be re-released soon as a "deluxe" edition containing as-yet-undisclosed bonus material.

Professionally filmed video footage of LOVE & DEATH's appearance at this year's edition of the Rock Am Ring festival on June 7 in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below (courtesy of Dasding).

"Between Here & Lost" sold around 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 95 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was originally issued on January 22 via Tooth & Nail Records.

Recorded in Nashville with producer Jasen Rauch (RED, BREAKING BENJAMIN) and mixed by Paul Pavao, Ben Grosse (MARILYN MANSON, DISTURBED) and Jim Monti (KORN), "Between Here & Lost" consists of 11 tracks, ranging from songs about personal struggle and triumph ("Chemicals", "My Disaster", "Paralyzed") to emotionally charged anthems ("Fading Away", "Watching The Bottom Fall") to a riff-heavy rendition of DEVO's 1980 hit "Whip It".

LOVE AND DEATH is comprised of Welch, lead guitarist JR Bareis, bassist Michael Valentine, and drummer Dan Johnson.

Like the album title suggests, "Between Here & Lost" captures the honesty of light and darkness, beauty and tragedy, good and evil, delivered by a band with intense passion and commitment to the message of its music.

"This record was birthed from trials, tribulations, pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, and drama," stated Welch. "However, we came out on top and the end result is a very real, raw and honest record. We are so stoked for people to hear it! From our opening song, 'The Abandoning', to our cover of DEVO's 'Whip it', to our collaboration with Mattie Montgomery from FOR TODAY on 'I W8 4 U', It's an exciting piece of art and the listener will feel the different range of emotions with the lyrics and melodies of each song."

LOVE AND DEATH formed when Welch decided to have open auditions on YouTube in 2009. "I picked the guys and then had a jam session in Phoenix," says Welch. "Over the last couple of years, there have been a few lineup changes as we went through normal growing pains. The current band has been together and touring for a while now and they are a big part of the new music and the future of LOVE AND DEATH."

SALIVA will release its eighth full-length album, "In It To Win It", in North America on September 3 via Rum Bum Records. The first single from the CD, the aggressively anthemic title track, is now available on iTunes.

"In It To Win It" was produced by Bobby Huff (known for his songwriting work with MEAT LOAF, HALESTORM, DROWNING POOL, PAPA ROACH, 3 DOORS DOWN and more) and executive-produced by Rum Bum Records owner Luis Bacardi and new SALIVA lead singer Bobby Amaru.

"In It To Win It" track listing:

01. Animal
02. She Can Sure Hide Crazy
03. In It To Win It
04. Choke
05. Redneck Freakshow
06. Lost
07. 1000 Eyes
08. Flesh
09. The Enemy
10. Rise Up
11. I Don't Want It
12. I.D.N.A.E.
13. No One But Me

Since forming in Memphis in 1996, SALIVA has produced a number of chart-topping hits and earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for their record "Your Disease". A number of tracks from records have also been featured in major films, including "The Fast And The Furious" and "Talladega Nights" as well as successful games like Tiger Woods PGA.

"We want to sell 10 million records," said Amaru. "In the end, what's most important is coming out with songs that we're excited to play, that our fans are excited to hear and that the combination of the two results in a great tour. That's what it's all about."

SALIVA's last studio album was 2011's "Under Your Skin", which featured the Top 5 rock single "Never Should've Let You Go".

Vocalist Josey Scott left SALIVA in 2011 to pursue a solo Christian recording career.

Rum Bum Records is an independent record label based in South Florida. Led by a team of industry veterans dedicated to finding original talent of all genres, the label offers worldwide distribution, and provides artists with the resources necessary to develop and expand their careers.

Chicago's DIAMOND PLATE has set "Pulse" as the title of its sophomore album, due on August 20 in the USA via Century Media/Earache and on digital formats in Europe on August 19. The follow-up to 2011's "Generation Why?" was recorded with producer Neil Kernon (JUDAS PRIEST, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD) at Studio Chicago.

Comments DIAMOND PLATE: "During the months of recording, the album took on a life of its own. Our goal was to capture the energy of a live band, and working with Neil gave us the freedom to create the music we've always wanted to play.

"A straightforward explanation of the title 'Pulse' is that it represents music, or life, in its purest form. The real meaning behind the album can only be discovered by the person using his/her ears."

The artwork for "Pulse" was created by artist Gustavo Sazes (MORBID ANGEL, ARCH ENEMY, SEPULTURA).

PEARL JAM will release its new album, "Lightning Bolt", on October 15. The CD's first single "Mind Your Manners", is available for download on PearlJam.com.

The band has been working intermittently on the follow-up to 2009's "Backspacer" for the past eighteen months with producer Brendan O'Brien.

In May, guitarist Stone Gossard told Billboard.com the album was "sounding great. I think people are going to be excited about it."

PEARL JAM's North American arena tour in support of "Lightning Bolt" will kick off on October 11 and run through December 6.