"Freak Parade", the new video from Swedish hard rockers THE QUILL, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Tiger Blood", which was released on May 24 via Metalville Records. The effort was made available on CD, vinyl and digitally.

"Tiger Blood" consists of 10 tracks, with one additional song on the iTunes release.

As with THE QUILL's 2011 album, "Full Circle", the band worked with producer Petter Diamant at Jakaranda Studio in Gävle and the 491 Studio in Oskarshamn. The CD was then mixed by Patrik Frisk (CRASHDIET, CORRODED, TAKIDA) at Sidelake/Ninetone Studios in Sundsvall.

Comments the band: "The goal for this our seventh release was to make an album that was straight to the point without any excess luggage.

"Early on in the writing process, we all agreed on trying to make an album with a lot of variation giving the listener a broader picture of what THE QUILL is all about. With the album now finished, we can honestly say we managed to achive what we aimed for."

"Full Circle" was released on June 24, 2011 in Europe and July 26, 2011 in North America via Metalville Records.

Maine progressive tech-metallists LAST CHANCE TO REASON will release their third album, "Level 3", on August 6 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Eyal Levi (DÅÅTH, WHITECHAPEL, SIX FEET UNDER). The cover artwork was created by Joshua Andrew Belanger and can be seen below.

"Level 3" track listing:

01. Rebirth
02. Adrift I: A Vision Begins
03. Cosmos: The Pattern Forms
04. A Glimpse of Omniscience
05. Adrift II: A Vision Ends
06. The Escapist
07. The Dictator
08. The Artist
09. Awaiting
10. Transcendence

In other news, LAST CHANCE TO REASON will return to the road this summer for the first time since the band completed a busy two-year touring cycle in support of its 2011 Prosthetic debut, "Level 2", during which they played alongside the likes of ANIMALS AS LEADERS, PROTEST THE HERO, OBSCURA, THE FACELESS, ATHEIST and INTRONAUT.

British shred-heavy melodic metallers SAVAGE MESSIAH will enter the studio on July 1 to begin recording their as-yet untitled new studio album. The follow-up to 2012's "Plague Of Conscience" will be laid down at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk with producer Scott Atkins (SYLOSIS, BEHEMOTH), who helmed the band's last two albums.

Comments SAVAGE MESSIAH frontman Dave Silver: "We're beyond excited to be fast approaching the day when we'll head off back into Grindstone Studios to work once more with Scott Atkins on what we can promise will be the most metal SAVAGE MESSIAH CD yet!

"We've approached the writing process in a totally old-school manner; just four guys in a rehearsal space getting a vibe going, playing heavy metal! Which has really allowed us to express the chemistry within the band and build on the musical foundation we laid with 'Plague Of Conscience'.

"We're pleased to be working with Scott Atkins for the third time, as he understands the band and has always delivered above and beyond for us and we've no doubt that he'll get the best out of us once again."

SAVAGE MESSIAH's latest album, "Plague Of Conscience", is available now on CD and limited-edition colored vinyl LP via Earache Records.

Andrew Perry of The Telegraph recently conducted an interview with BLACK SABBATH members Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar) and Geezer Butler (bass). A couple of excerpts from the Osbourne portion of the chat follow below.

On the chart success of BLACK SABBATH's new album, "13":

Ozzy: "I knew it was a fucking good album, but when somebody just told me it's gone top in fifty countries — I didn't know there were fifty countries, and I'm number one in all of them! I'm just devastated."

On why BLACK SABBATH's initial attempt to record together around again eleven years ago failed:

Ozzy: "[It was because of] my ego — I was riding on this fucking cloud of being television's new megastar for five minutes. I was doing well on my own, so it took me a while to get that balanced out in my head. I mean, it's not Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH. It's fucking BLACK SABBATH. It's different from me doing my own thing."

On whether the touring cycle for "13" will mark the end of BLACK SABBATH:

Ozzy: "It depends on Tony. At the moment, we're doing so many weeks on the road, then he has to go back for more treatment [after being diagnosed with lymphoma]. He's had chemo and radiotherapy, and now he's on a thing to boost his immune system. I really hope it's gone for good. I'm sure it has. But you never know with that stuff."

"Father Of The Wolf", a brand new song from Swedish melodic death metallers AMON AMARTH, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track comes off the band's ninth studio album, "Deceiver Of The Gods", which will be released in North America via Metal Blade Records on June 25, in Europe June 24 and Japan on June 26.

Recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and produced, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap (OPETH, MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed 2011 "Surtur Rising" full-length delivers ten fiery battle hymns made of buzzsaw riffs and epic harmonies all driven by vocalist Johan Hegg's commanding Viking roar and absorbing accounts of Norse crusades and treachery.

"Deceiver Of The Gods" comes adorned with another outstanding Tom Thiel-created cover portraying a mythical battle between the Norse Gods Loki and Thor. As an added bonus, Messiah Marcolin (CANDLEMASS) makes an appearance as guest vocalist on eighth track, "Hel".

"Deceiver Of The Gods" will be released in North America via Metal Blade Records on June 25, in Europe June 24 and Japan on June 26.

Following a run of European festival dates, AMON AMARTH will open the main stage of this year's edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, set to commence June 29 in San Bernardino.

"Deceiver Of The Gods" track listing:

01. Deceiver Of The Gods
02. As Loke Falls
03. Father Of The Wolf
04. Shape Shifter
05. Under Siege
06. Blood Eagle
07. We Shall Destroy
08. Hel
09. Coming Of The Tide
10. Warriors Of The North

Italian symphonic death metallers FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE will release their new album, "Labyrinth", on August 16 in Europe and August 20 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was mixed and mastered by Stefano "Saul" Morabito. The cover artwork was once again created by Colin Marks, who was also responsible for several neoclassical pieces of art in the massive inlay.

Comments FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE's Francesco Paoli: "'Labyrinth' is going to be THE album for FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE. It's the perfect combination of all our strong points with the best production we've ever had. It's definitely the most FLESHGOD thing we've ever thought with the most FLESHGOD riffs, lyrics, melodies, drumparts, solos, etc. We went deep inside the core of this music, we broke it, and we finally unleashed these eleven songs.

"I want to be honest, it needed so much work and time to come up with this, but now I'm like, 'OK, next time will be tough to reach this point!'

"Honesty and quality pay, always, and all of you guys supporting the band DESERVE THE BEST.

"You might think that i'm overrating it just because it's our 'child,' but trust me, this album is fuckin' dangerous. Just take your time, listen to it and get lost into the 'Labyrinth'."

Added Tommaso Riccardi: "The concept of this album is based on the myth of the Labyrinth of Knossos and every character related to it. We focused on the philological aspect in order to represent all the elements of the classic world and, through a manic and meticolous research, we managed to create a metaphor with our times, as the maze can be associated with the endless search for what we really are. We're sure you will be stunned by this as much as we are."

"Labyrinth" track listing:

01. Kingborn
02. Minotaur (The Wrath Of Poseidon)
03. Elegy
04. Towards The Sun
05. Warpledge
06. Pathfinder
07. The Fall Of Asterion
08. Prologue
09. Epilogue
10. Under Black Sails
11. Labyrinth

A short video clip of former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo jamming in the studio with SEPULTURA's Eloy Casagrande during the recording sessions for the Brazilian/American metal band's forthcoming album can be seen below.

Due in October via Nuclear Blast Records, the new SEPULTURA CD is being recorded with producer Ross Robinson (KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, SLIPKNOT) at his studio in Venice, California. The effort is being co-produced by 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.

In a recent entry in the ongoing studio diary on the web site of the Brazilian newspaper Diario de Pernambuco, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser wrote about Lombardo's appearance on the band's new album: "We were preparing to record the second guitar when Ross received a message on his phone. He was really excited about it so he stopped everything to tell us what was going on: Dave Lombardo, the one and only ex-drummer from SLAYER, also plays with Mike Patton on FANTOMAS, was real close to the studio with his kids and his dog enjoying some time at the beach, Ross asked if he would like to come to the studio and jam something on our album and he said YES! We were so excited, we could not believe that one of our great idols was ready to be a part of our new album.

"He came and it was so nice, so special, so awesome! He is one of the nicest guys in business and he enjoyed the idea a lot. Ross and Mike prepared two drum sets on the living room, facing each other, no cymbals, just tribal drums! When the mics were all ready and running Eloy and Dave started playing and the magic was on, so great! The part they recorded will be a special part on the middle of one of the songs, it came out crazy!

"We just have to thank Mr. Lombardo and his family for this opportunity. Thank you Dave, we will never forget this, it's a real honor to have you on the album!"

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.

"Roots" sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and was certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000 units.

SEPULTURA has spent most of the past two years on tour in support of its 12th studio album, and Nuclear Blast Records debut, "Kairos", which hit stores in July 2011.

The official MetOnTour video recap of METALLICA's March 2 concert in Adelaide, Australia during this year's Soundwave festival can be seen below.

There has been a lot of talk about METALLICA's next album, with singer/guitarist James Hetfield saying they've got a handful of music already and drummer Lars Ulrich stating he'd be surprised if their next record comes out before 2015. So what's the holdup? VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner asked METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo what it is about the band's writing process that requires them to take so much time to create their music.

"Basically, we jam but we jam over a period of time," Robert said. "We have a jam room when we go on tour, and obviously we have a studio, and every little riff gets recorded, every idea, every chordal pattern, every progression, every drumbeat, bass line, we have it, we file it away and then we go through the process of elimination.

Trujillo then told VH1 Radio Network more about the riffs they've been working on.

"James Hetfield has, like, a thousand riffs and they're all great," he said. "His worst riff would be another band's best riff. So we're blessed… the blessing is also a curse, because we have so many cool ideas that it becomes challenging to decide what should not survive, at least for me, from where I'm sitting. I'm always like, 'Well that's a good riff!' and James might be, like, 'Eh, nah, I don't like it.' You know what I mean? But then again, maybe two weeks later he may like it. But you gotta have some sort of process of elimination. So that's what we've been going through."

Robert explained that process of elimination to VH1 Radio Network.

"What that entails is that we listen to the ideas, we go out on the floor in our studio, in the jam room, and we play that idea, and we maybe spend maybe a minute jamming it, maybe more," he said. "Sometimes we come up with a full arrangement and then we put it aside and then we revisit all that like eight months later to see how it holds up and then you narrow it down basically to the best ideas to formulate about 15 songs or maybe more."

Although METALLICA is not quite ready to get into the studio and begin recording its 10th album, Trujillo says that working with producer Rick Rubin again is a possibility. Rubin produced the band's last effort, 2008's "Death Magnetic". When asked about possible producers for the next one, Trujillo told South Africa's Muse magazine, "First things first, we've got to start getting our blueprints for songs together and make sure they're the best possible — and then we see what producers are available. We made a great album with Rick Rubin the last time — that's a strong possibility still."

Trujillo added, "Obviously, there are no guarantees in anything in this day and age, but if there is a great producer, who has something to bring to METALLICA, we will investigate it."

While METALLICA has said that they enjoyed the results they got with Rubin, a number of fans complained that the sound on "Death Magnetic" was too compressed and mixed too "hot," making for an unpleasant listening experience.

The concert to celebrate late DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord's life and music will be held on April 4, 2014 at London, England's Royal Albert Hall.

Artists confirmed so far include DEEP PURPLE members Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey and Steve Morse.

IRON MAIDEN frontman and longtime The Sunflower Jam supporter Bruce Dickinson will also perform, along with Rick Wakeman, Joe Brown and Alfie Boe.

The evening will also be compered by the great Bob Harris.

Jon Lord died on July 16, 2012 at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such PURPLE classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time", among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he's worked primarily in the classical field.

Over the course of his career, Lord also worked with the ARTWOODS, FLOWER POT MEN, PAICE, ASHTON AND LORD, WHITESNAKE and good friend and neighbor, George Harrison.

In a recent interview with Peter Makowski, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich stated about Jon Lord: "I'm not sure that the people in today's hard rock world really truly understand how innovative this guy was. He wasn't just another keyboard player on the side of the stage. In '66/'67, when Hendrix, Townshend and Ritchie Blackmore were taking the electric guitar to a new level, by using banks of Marshall stacks beefing up the sound, Jon Lord was one of the first guys in hard rock to take the keyboards through the same process. He took a fairly standard instrument like a Hammond organ put it through amplifiers and Leslie cabinets and introduced a whole new way of forcing the sound out of the keyboards.

"Ritchie Blackmore said the other day that Jon formed DEEP PURPLE; he was certainly the instigator that made things happen. If not the musical leader, Jon was the spiritual leader of the band. He was a pioneer, and I think that somehow that's gotten a little lost in the last few [months]. People are talking about, obviously, what a gentleman he was and what a fantastic band member but he really did something nobody had done before with the sound of the keyboards and I think that's probably the biggest thing to remember him for."

Spanish extreme metallers NOCTEM have once again tapped Daniel Cardoso (ANATHEMA, ANGELUS APATRIDA, ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN) to produce their third album, to be released before the end of the year. The band will enter the studio in July to begin recording the follow-up to 2011's "Oblivion".

Comments the band: "This is our most ambitious work to date.

"The desire of the band is to enter the studio and see all the captured audio in all its intensity and potential.

"This new album will be darker, faster and will contain more atmosphere, something we specially worked in to combine the aesthetic of the band and the compositions in all its glory."

According to a press release, the second part of the trilogy that started with 2009's "Divinity", "Oblivion" was "the hardest, fastest and darkest opus from NOCTEM to date." The CD was a "logical progression of the last album, full of new nuances and based in a darker sound and a more complex composition."

Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, über-energetic frontman and all-round rock 'n' roll legend Michael Monroe (HANOI ROCKS) has revealed the cover artwork for his new studio outing, "Horns And Halos", to be released in the U.K. on August 26 via Spinefarm Records.

The arresting cover art is based on an idea from Swedish guitar star Dregen (BACKYARD BABIES), who features in Michael's current touring and recording lineup.

"I love logotypes that are a 'little secret," says Dregen. "You know, the ones that are more like signs — VAN HALEN, CRASS, HIM's Heartagram, etc. That was the starting point…"

"Horns And Halos" — mixed by Petri Majuri at Seawolf Studios in Finland — is the follow-up to 2011's critically acclaimed "Sensory Overdrive", winner of Classic Rock magazine's "Album Of The Year" and a No. 1 record in Monroe's Finnish homeland.

Monroe's touring and recording outfit — bassist Sami Yaffa (HANOI ROCKS, NEW YORK DOLLS), guitarist Steve Conte (NEW YORK DOLLS, COMPANY OF WOLVES), drummer Karl "Rockfist" Rosqvist (CHELSEA SMILES, DANZIG) and Dregen — has been hard at work in the studio, providing creative support for a frontman whose reputation is genuinely global and whose influence continues to be felt, with musicians of all ages (from Dave Grohl to the original GUNS N' ROSES members) citing Michael's groundbreaking career as a source of inspiration.

"Horns And Halos" track listing:

01. TNT Diet
02. Ballad Of The Lower East Side
03. Eighteen Angels
04. Saturday Night Special
05. Stained Glass Heart
06. Horns And Halos
07. Child Of The Revolution
08. Soul Surrender
09. Half The Way
10. Ritual
11. Hands Are Tied

A second single/video from "Horns And Halos" will be made available on August 5.

The video for current single, "Ballad Of The Lower East Side" (a nod to Michael's early days in New York, a city he moved to for a decade following the mid-'80s breakup of glam-punk pioneers HANOI ROCKS), can be seen below.

Sensory Records has announced the signing of the Norwegian progressive metal quintet WITHEM. The band's full-length debut, "The Point Of You", will be released late this summer.

Inspired by the likes of SYMPHONY X, PAGAN'S MIND, DREAM THEATER and CIRCUS MAXIMUS, WITHEM formed in 2011, their music offering varied sonic landscapes for the listener to explore, whether with its elaborate interplay between all musicians or with straightforward power metal anthems. With a solid online fanbase and several stellar live performances in Oslo and beyond already under their belts, the band has completed their debut album which caught the ear of the prog aficianados at Sensory/The Laser's Edge, who immediately brought the band on board for the release of the new opus.

The passion and dedication put into "The Point Of You" is emphasized by the countless hours spent in studio perfecting each individual performance and making sure that the end result is a world class blend of progressive, symphonic power metal, with over fifty minutes of thrills and melody-driven songs, without drifting into the clichés of overly long instrumental sections and sheer complexity for complexity sake. Based on the first impact made by the album teasers and demo tracks, expectations are running high within the progressive and power metal scene.

WITHEM is:

Ole Aleksander Wagenius - Vocals
Frank Nordeng Røe - Drums
Ketil Ronold - Keyboards
Oyvind V Larsen - Guitar
Miguel Pereira - Bass

PENTAGRAM CHILE recently completed work on its first-ever studio album, entitled "The Malefice", for a September 6 release via Germany's Cyclone Empire Records. Drums for the CD were tracked at Sade Studios in Santiago, Chile, while all guitars and vocals were recorded at HVR Studios in Suffolk, U.K., where the album was mixed by vocalist/guitarist Anton Reisenegger with longtime friend, collaborator, co-producer and studio owner Daniel Biggin. The cover artwork is an illustration by renowned Argentinian artist Santiago Caruso.

"The Malefice" will be made available in three different formats: double gatefold vinyl, double CD digipak and regular jewel case CD.

While the main part of the album consists of all-new material written by founding members Reisenegger and Juan Pablo Uribe (lead guitar) over the last two years, the band also re-recorded their classic demo material from the 1980s.

Double gatefold vinyl:

Side 1

01. The Death Of Satan (5:22)
02. The Apparition (6:03)
03. Grand Design (5:41)
04. Prophetic Tremors (5:40)

Side 2

01. La Fiura (4:28)
02. Sacrophobia (4:56)
03. Horror Vacui (4:08)
04. Arachnoids (4:22)
05. Spontaneous Combustion (5:02)

Side 3

01. Fatal Predictions (5:27)
02. The Malefice (4:23)
03. Demoniac Possession (4:11)
04. Demented (5:58)

Side 4

01. Profaner (6:11)
02. Temple Of Perdition (6:30)
03. Spell Of The Pentagram (6:36)

Double CD digipak:

Disc 1

01. The Death Of Satan (5:22)
02. La Fiura (4:28)
03. The Apparition (6:03)
04. Horror Vacui (4:08)
05. Spontaneous Combustion (5:02)
06. Grand Design (5:41)
07. Sacrophobia (4:56)
08. Arachnoids (4:22)
09. King Pest (6:13)
10. Prophetic Tremors (5:40)

Disc 2

01. Fatal Predictions (5:27)
02. The Malefice (4:23)
03. Demoniac Possession (4:11)
04. Demented (5:58)
05. Profaner (6:11)
06. Temple Of Perdition (6:30)
07. Spell Of The Pentagram (6:36)

Jewel case CD:

01. The Death Of Satan (5:22)
02. La Fiura (4:28)
03. The Apparition (6:03)
04. Horror Vacui (4:08)
05. Spontaneous Combustion (5:02)
06. Grand Design (5:41)
07. Sacrophobia (4:56)
08. Arachnoids (4:22)
09. Prophetic Tremors (5:40)

The band faced a dilemma when deciding whether to re-record their legendary '80s material. Reisenegger commented: "We weren't sure if we should re-record the old demo songs; some people encouraged us to do so, others said we would ruin our own legacy. At first, we decided to re-record just a couple, but while we were at it, we were so pleased with the results we decided to do them all."

"We obviously didn't want to base our first studio album on 25-year old songs," he continued, "as people have been — rightfully — accusing us of flogging that material to death already, so I think we found an elegant solution: The album's first edition will consist of two records, one of all-new material written during the last two years, and a second one of re-recorded songs from the '80s demos. The few friends who've been able to listen to the re-recorded material have been amazed at how we've been able to capture the vibe of the old material despite using modern recording technology. Hell, even the new stuff sounds like it came from that era!"

While the PENTAGRAM drum throne was taken over by veteran Chilean drummer Juan Pablo Donoso (SADISM, EXECRATOR, THRONAFIRE) after original member Eduardo Topelberg left the band (he is now a local politician for the Ñuñoa district of Santiago), bass duties on the album were split between various musicians. Besides the band's touring bassists Juan Francisco Cueto and Daniel Biggin, the band also invited longtime friend Rodrigo "Pera" Cuadra of DORSO to record the bass on one song, as well as to re-do the evil laughter he originally contributed to the demo version of the track "The Malefice".

Another bassist to guest on the album is Mauricio Peña, brother of original PENTAGRAM bassist Alfredo "Bey" Peña, who committed suicide in 1990. "It was really emotive to have Mauricio perform on the album. He looks a lot like his brother and is just as talented. In a way, it's like Alfredo is still with us in spirit."

In addition, the track "La Fiura" will feature a scream provided by MORGOTH singer Marc Grewe. "The song is about this mythological creature from the South of Chile," Reisenegger explained, "which emits this really piercing, high-pitched scream that literally melts people's faces. When we were playing the Maryland Deathfest last year, MORGOTH were on while we were getting ready, and all of a sudden we heard this insane scream. We all looked at each other and said: 'That's it, that's La Fiura!!!' So we approached Marc and he immediately agreed."

STONE SOUR has released a lyric video for "The Uncanny Valley", a track from the band's latest album, "House of Gold & Bones Part 2", the second installment and conclusion to the group's "House of Gold & Bones" two-part concept album. The CD, which arrived everywhere this past April, debuted at No. 10 on The Billboard 200, marking the group's fourth consecutive Top 10 debut, an incredible achievement for the three-time Grammy-nominated act.

Furthermore, the first three issues of "House of Gold & Bones" (Dark Horse Comics) are available now. Written by Corey Taylor, the comic book follows and develops the story contained within the two-part album and features stunning covers from Jason Shawn Alexander ("Empty Zone", "Batman", "Abe Sapien"). This limited four-issue series marks Taylor's debut in the comics genre.

The "House Of Gold & Bones" albums were recorded at Sound Farm Studios just outside of the band's native Des Moines, Iowa with producer David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE) at the helm.

"Are You Done With Me", the new video from Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers DELAIN, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's special album, "Interlude", which was released in May via Napalm Records.

"Interlude" is described in in a press release as "a fantastic blend of brand-new songs, special versions and mixes of popular DELAIN tracks, covers, and the beautiful single 'Are You Done With Me'. Thanks to the new mix, the well-known anthem shines with a new-found splendor. The album includes a special DVD featuring exclusive live footage and clips from the band's career. 'Interlude' is not only a must for loyal DELAIN fans, but also for those who have not experienced the music by DELAIN so far. It is the perfect introduction to the world of DELAIN and the starting point to an emotional and bombastic journey!"

CD track listing:

01. Breathe On Me
02. Collars And Suits
03. Are You Done With Me (new single mix)
04. Such A Shame
05. Cordell
06. Smalltown Boy
07. We Are The Others (new ballad version)
08. Mother Machine (live)
09. Get The Devil Out Of Me (live)
10. Milk And Honey (live)
11. Invidia (live)
12. Electricity (live)
13. Not Enough (live)

Bonus DVD:

01. Invidia (Video Live @ Metal Female Voices Fest)
02. Electricity (Video Live @ Metal Female Voices Fest)
03. We Are The Others (Video Live @ Metal Female Voices Fest)
04. Milk and Honey (Video Live @ Metal Female Voices Fest)
05. Not Enough (Video Live @ Metal Female Voices Fest)
06. Backstage Footage
07. Get The Devil Out Of Me (video)
08. We Are The Others (video)
09. April Rain (video)
10. Frozen (video)

Former AFTER FOREVER frontwoman and current NIGHTWISH touring singer Floor Jansen will release the second album from her REVAMP project, "Wild Card", in Europe on August 23 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at SandLane Studio in Rijen, The Netherlands with Joost van den Broek (ex-AFTER FOREVER) and will feature guest choir parts by Marcela Bovio (STREAM OF PASSION) and Daniël de Jongh (TEXTURES).

"Wild Card" track listing:

01. The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: On The Sideline
02. The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: The Limbic System
03. Wild Card
04. Precibus
05. Nothing
06. The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: Neurasthenia
07. Distorted Lullabies
08. Amendatory
09. I Can Become
10. Misery's No Crime
11. Wolf and Dog
12. Sins (bonus track)

The CD features additional guest appearances by Mark Jansen (EPICA), Johan van Stratum (STREAM OF PASSION) and Devin Townsend.

The second trailer for "Wild Card" can be seen below.

Regarding the album title, Jansen states: "This album became the most aggressive album I've ever made and in the lyrics I tell a lot about my personal experiences of the last years. This resulted into some heavy stories and some open-hearted 'screams' I needed out of my system. It matches the violence of the music in a great way; we wrote as a great team! But not one sentence or word can really cover the contents of this album. Its variety in all its ingredients makes it almost impossible.

"A wild card is an unpredictable and unforeseeable factor. You don't know what you're getting, or when. That's this album! It's 100% REVAMP and it's your wild card!"

The "Wild Card" cover artwork was created by Richard Stark of NI Concept And Design. Jansen explains: "I am the queen of hearts on it, who is a wild card herself. You see a 'nice' and a 'nasty' queen. The nasty one has a cracked lip, cuts in her face and a bleeding heart in her hand. The other queen looks nice even though queens of hearts never truly are...

"Again, what is it you're going to get? In that respect it visualizes the music, from aggressive and nasty to melodic and pretty. This theme has been important to me personally throughout my career and also in this album I played with it to the max. I used my voice in so many different ways now! The music invited me to do this.

"I am super proud of the amazing guitar riffs, the versatile and groovy but mega tight drums and the keyboard sounds and arrangements that bring something new to the table.

"We hope you like our wild card!"

The first trailer for the "Wild Card", including video footage from the studio and a brand new song snippet, can be seen below.

REVAMP recently announced the addition of bassist Henk Vonk to the group's ranks. He replaces Jaap Melman, who left REVAMP before the band entered the studio to begin recording its second album. The CD was eventually completed with the help of STREAM OF PASSION bassist Johan van Stratum, who filled in on short notice and "did an amazing job to record and edit the bass parts," according to a press release.

Floor previously stated about the making of "Wild Card": "Never before in my career I faced a situation like the one we were in with this album. It was a huge challenge because of several reasons. My sickness caused a major break between the first album and tours, plus the writing of the first ideas for the second album and the actual finalization of those songs and the album. And right at the moment we started to pick everything back up after I was sick, I joined NIGHTWISH. Like a winter and a summer storm, they bring unexpected things, some nasty ones and some amazingly wonderful!

"Also the recording of this album was unlike any I did before because I was on tour with NIGHTWISH most of the time. Guided by Joost van den Broek, the talented musicians of REVAMP recorded all the instruments, and when I came back to The Netherlands, I stepped into the studio to find a rough diamond. A shiny dark crystal: ready for my vocals. That was magical! The singing went smoother than ever before. The lyrics are like a roadmap through our storms and through my personal detours and horrors.

"With pride we can announce our partner in crime from the first album will again join forces with us! Metal and rock giant Nuclear Blast will again make sure REVAMP's new album reaches YOUR music collection wherever you are on this metal-loving planet!!!

"Nuclear Blast knows about storms and their metal heart beats like ours. I am very exited they will release this album! The team is so good and with such great people I have no doubts our cooperation will again be fantastic."

REVAMP's self-titled debut album was released in Europe on May 28, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

Jansen handled lead-vocal duties on NIGHTWISH's recent North American, South American, Australian and U.K. tours after the group parted ways with Anette Olzon at the end of September 2012.

"Wild Card" album trailer #2:

The official lyric video for the song "Forgotten Arrows" from Canadian technical death metallers GORGUTS can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fifth album, "Colored Sands", which will be released on August 30 in Europe and September 3 in North America via Season Of Mist. The effort will be made available will be available as a digipak CD limited to the first pressing, regular black LP, transparent clear LP and red/yellow colored LP.

"Colored Sands" track listing:

01. Le Toit Du Monde
02. An Ocean Of Wisdom
03. Forgotten Arrows
04. Colored Sands
05. The Battle Of Chamdo
06. Enemies Of Compassion
07. Ember's Voice
08. Absconders
09. Reduced To Silence

GORGUTS guitarist/vocalist Luc Lemay previously told Zero Tolerance magazine about "Colored Sands": "It's a whole concept album, so I've been reading books for a year a year and a half for the lyrics to know what I'm going to talk about.

"The lyrics process is very hard for me. First, I'm French, and then I need to educate myself on the topic I'm going to talk about. I'm not going to educate myself on the Chinese invasion of Tibet with a Wikipedia thing.

"I bought piles of books. I feel the same way I did at the conservatory when I was writing classical pieces. It takes months and months, the pieces you just can't get it out of your system. You need to become a sponge, you need to get soaked with the topic. So far so good I'm very very happy with what we've done.

"In the first place I wanted to write the whole album about the rituals of mandalas made with sand. One day my girlfriend's little daughter colored in a coloring book a mandala for me and I wondered what a mandala was, I liked the word. I searched on the Internet and found out this is a Tibetan thing and then it clicked, this is gonna be it, but I didn't have any clue, I wasn't very educated on the Tibetan culture. This mandala thing gets so complex, you could study it for 25-30 years before you know exactly what you're talking about, so I said, 'Okay, I'll take it from a different angle.' It's not a National Geographic documentary either. It's very poetic and very epic. This is my vision. I have no pretension about telling 'truth'; it's how I feel about these people."

The band has also announced a string of headlining shows leading to and from this year's Hopscotch Festival. the U.S. trek, which begins on September 5 in Springfield, Virginia, will travel through Hopscotch before ending on September 8 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

War On Music Records in 2011 released on vinyl the GORGUTS albums "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001) and "Obscura" (1998). These records were largely regarded as pioneering works in the technical death metal genre, and set the standard for the decade to follow.

GORGUTS' current lineup is as follows:

* Luc Lemay (NEGATIVA) - Vocals, Guitar
* Kevin Hufnagel (DYSRHYTHMIA, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, BYLA, EUCLID STREET, THE FIFTH SEASON, GREY DIVISION BLUE) - Guitar
* Colin Marston (DYSRHYTHMIA, BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS, BYLA, KRALLICE, INDRICOTHERE) - Bass
* John Longstreth (DIM MAK, ORIGIN, THE RED CHORD, SKINLESS, POSSESSION, ANGELCORPSE) - Drums

A 30-second teaser for "Preachers Of The Night", the fifth album from multinational metallers POWERWOLF, can be seen below. The CD will be released on July 19 via Napalm Records.

"Preachers Of The Night" track listing:

01. Amen & Attack
02. Secrets Of The Sacristy
03. Coleus Sanctus
04. Sacred & Wild
05. Kreuzfeuer
06. Cardinal Sin
07. In The Name Of God (Deus Vult)
08. Nochnoi Dozor
09. Lust For Blood
10. Extatum Et Oratum
11. Last Of The Living Dead

POWERWOLF recently filmed a video for the song "Amen & Attack". The band states: "Expect a blast of furious scenes with a lot of fire, a burning organ and a sinister screenplay."

"Amen & Attack" will be released on seven-inch vinyl on June 28. It will be made available on gold and copper vinyl.

POWERWOLF's first live album, "Alive In The Night", was recorded exclusively for Metal Hammer, Germany's leading metal magazine. The CD was only available with the April 2012 issue of Metal Hammer.

POWERWOLF's fourth album, "Blood Of The Saints", was released in August 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was made available as a regular CD, a limited-edition digibook 2-CD and on vinyl. The cover art was created by POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf.

The official lyric video for the song "Platinum" from Italian metallers MASTERCASTLE can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fourth album, "On Fire", which was released on April 19 via Lion Music.

MASTERCASTLE has been honing its trademark sound since its debut, "The Phoenix" (2009), and refining it through "Last Desire" (2010) and "Dangerous Diamonds" (2011). Led by the powerful vocals of Giorgia Gueglio, the virtuoso guitar of Pier Gonella and the driven bass lines of Steve Vawamas, "On Fire" contains nine tracks of melodic heavy metal with neo-classical influences and marks MASTERCASTLE's first release with one of the metal world's most respected drummers behind the kit, John Macaluso (ARK, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JAMES LABRIE). Macaluso's addition has given the band a kick up the proverbial backside, taking their unique brand of metal to an even higher plateau.

On the band's new member, Gonella comments: "John gives us great energy because from the first time he heard our music he was really impressed. He participated in the composing process and his vast experience was a great help for the album's production."

Once again, all lyrics were composed by Gueglio. She states: "I started the lyrics with the intention of writing a concept album with the title 'Metals', concerning metals in metallurgy, chemistry, alchemy and magic. But during their creation, I found my lyrics full of sentiments, suffering and emotions. So 'Metals' became too cold. Many tracks have a title with a metal within, but these are 'warmed' by blood, my/our human warmth, the passion of making music in a difficult world. So the album title was changed to 'On Fire'. 'On Fire' is a hot work, very human. On the front cover (also created by Giorgia) you can see a metal hearth. It represents our body that became real and can be hot or burn thanks to our emotions."

Regarding the new album, Gonella comments, "I don't feel a big difference to our previous releases, but I think this is our most (and best) melodic album so far. Our first album, 'The Phoenix', had a similar sound but with more evident classical influences. For the second album, 'Last Desire', we moved to hard rock style and less neoclassical. Our third album, 'Dangerous Diamonds', was somewhere between those first two, with heavy riffs and powerful sounds. This new album has our best work in the vocal melodies and their presence, with a more 'natural' sound, especially in the drums. There are some classical influences in the instrumental songs, and generally it has a heavier vibe in many ways thanks to Giorgia's vocals. The production is also heavy, but never harsh and really emphasis the power this band has."

The writing process for "On Fire" began three months after the release of "Dangerous Diamonds" in February 2012, shortly after John Macaluso joined the band. Many demos were recorded with John of the new material before recording for the album began, with drums first being recorded from July 2012 to September 2012. Gonella recorded the album along with Macaluso, aiming for a strong metal sound without the reliance on triggered samples and sounds. Guitar and bass recording came next before vocals were laid down. The mix was also done by Gonnela and Macaluso, before the album was mastered by Pier with Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio from late 2012 to early 2013.

"On Fire" track listing:

01. Silver Eyes
02. Chains
03. Platinum
04. Quicksilver
05. Gold Violet
06. The Final Battle (instrumental)
07. Leaden Roads
08. Titanium Wings
09. Almost a Fantasy (instrumental)

"Platinum" lyric video:

On June 1, FaceCulture conducted an interview with former ANTHRAX and current VOLBEAT guitarist Rob Caggiano at the Fortarock XL festival at Goffertpark in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. You can now watch the chat in three parts below.

Caggiano, who was a producer on VOLBEAT's fifth studio album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", recently joined the band as its new guitarist. He replaces guitarist Thomas Bredahl, who was given his walking papers in November 2011.

Asked what led to his departure from ANTHRAX, Caggiano said: "It just boils down to the fact that I never had any creative input, so there was no emotional connection to the music. And I don't know if it's 'cause I'm getting older or whatever, but it just got to the point where I started feeling like I was ging through the motions, and that's a terrible feeling to have when you're playing music. And it's not who I am. I can't do anything in life unless it's 200%; that's just the way that I am. So I knew I needed to do something, I knew I needed to make a change. And that was a really hard, emotional time and an emotional decision for me to make."

Regarding how the ANTHRAX guys reacted when he told them he was leaving the band, Rob said: "They totally understand. We're still friends, we're still cool. We've hung out a couple of times since this whole thing went down. I think they get it; they understand how I felt and why I felt the way I did. And I think on that level, it's cool. I mean, I hope it is. It seems like it is."

Ohio-based metallers LEGION will release their debut album, "Woke", on July 30 via eOne/Good Fight Music. The band has wrapped up the recording process with producer Daniel Laskiewicz (THE ACACIA STRAIN) and has vowed to release their most ferocious material to date.

"Woke" track listing:

01. The Fear
02. And Then, The Devil Said
03. Righteous Dictation
04. He Became Death
05. Priest
06. Disclosure Of Sin
07. Kneel Before Order
08. Perverse Icon
09. B.R.F.
10. The Roach

The official lyric video for the song "He Became Death" can be seen below.

Comments LEGION vocalist Mike Guilford: "I speak for the entire band when I say we're very excited. We have put a lot of honesty and aggression into 'Woke'. Hopefully this record opens everyone's eyes the way it has opened ours."

LEGION's forthcoming CD delivers upon the promise put down by their devastating EPs. No stone is left unturned when it comes to LEGION's targets, from the government to the church. LEGION speaks their minds, musically and lyrically, without compromise.

Columbus, Ohio has produced many celebrated "scene" bands, but LEGION actively chose another route. They didn't base their career plans on the accumulation of Internet hype nor on cookie-cutter music designed to cater to a specific crowd. They went against the grain, on the path of resistance, decidedly choosing hard work and originality.

LEGION isn't following the scene blueprint. LEGION is all about a genuine connection with their fans through authentic expression. Ultimately, LEGION looks to create music that inspires listeners to be themselves. They are believers in the power of creativity and artistic achievement.

LEGION is:

Michael Guilford (vocals)
Chris Dragics (guitar)
Alex Heiberger (guitar)
Mason Prince (bass)
Jake Rodriguez (drums)

Drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, FLYING COLORS, THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) has released the following update:

"I had a great time with my [ADRENALINE MOB] brothers at these last shows in South America. Honestly, I'm sad to see it end...

"Although I recently announced having to step aside from the band because of current scheduling conflicts (I hate the word 'quit,' as so many websites took it upon themselves to so eloquently use as a stupid headline for shock value), I must say I'd always be happy to help them out whenever/however I could in the future should our schedules and situations allow.

"I really will miss Russell [Allen, vocals], Mike Orlando [guitar] and John [Moyer, bass]. We made some great music and unforgettable memories together the last couple years. Through thick and thin...for better or worse. Like any marriage, family or brotherhood.

"But, as I've previously stated, I have other things immediately approaching on my calendar, and unfortunately, I cannot ask them to 'wait around' for my schedule to re-open if they choose to continue working right now... That is their prerogative... I get that and I totally understand it. I wish them the best no matter how it all plays out in the future..

"On the other hand, I cannot be 'exclusive' to them at the moment as I have many other bands/projects that also require my time and attention as well...(most immediately, THE WINERY DOGS world tour that kicks off next month...)

"Just to clarify, for some people who still don't seem to understand it: I always said from Day 1 after leaving DREAM THEATER, that I was going to spend a few years 'planting many musical seeds'... and that's what I'm still currently enjoying doing.

"I spent 25 years focused on ONE band and at the moment I am still enjoying my freedom to explore many different musical, creative and personal environments with so many incredible musicians and different musical directions.

"Perhaps someday I will settle down again with ONLY one band... maybe it will be with one of the ones I'm currently in...? Or maybe with something entirely different...? Or maybe I won't at all... who knows? The future is impossible to predict... There is ONLY THE NOW... and that's how I'm living.

"I know to some, this is a hard concept to swallow as it's not the usual or 'traditional' route for a typical rock musician... But I don't follow rules, I follow my heart!!

"The remainder of 2013 for me will be focused on THE WINERY DOGS which I am incredibly excited about and proud of...I look forward to touring the world with Billy [Sheehan] and Richie [Kotzen] and sharing our music and our chemistry with you all. We plan on playing everywhere and anywhere that will have us...and we can't wait to get started a few weeks from now!

"Also later this year, there will be live releases (Blu-ray/DVD/CD) of my tours from last year with both FLYING COLORS and PSMS (Portnoy, Sheehan, MacAlpine, Sherinian)...as well as the new CD by BIGELF that I played on.

"In 2014, new studio albums from both TRANSATLANTIC and FLYING COLORS will also surface with possible tour dates for both upon their releases...

"Time will tell how all of these different 'musical seeds' will continue to grow and blossom...

"But in the meantime... let's not question it all, overanalyze it all, criticize and judge, etc. It's MUSIC!!!! Let's just ENJOY IT....

"Like I wrote all those years ago: CARPE DIEM!"

ADRENALINE MOB released "Covertá", an eight-track EP featuring cover versions of some of the group's favorite songs, on March 12. Longtime fans of Portnoy are aware of the multiple cover CDs he has released with DREAM THEATER and with Neal Morse. "Covertá" is the first CD of covers recorded by ADRENALINE MOB.

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 20 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).

Portnoy played on AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "Nightmare", following the death of that band's drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, and toured with them for the entire second half of 2010.

In the August 2013 issue of Guitar World magazine, Kathryn Hanneman, the wife of late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman, recalled the spider bite that he suffered in January 2011 and the resulting infection that ravaged the flesh and tissues of Jeff'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.

"Jeff had been visiting a friend in the L.A. area," said Kathryn. "He was in the Jacuzzi one night relaxing, and he had his arm over the side, and he felt something, like a bite or a prick. But of course he didn't think anything of it. He came home about a week later, and he was pretty well lit when he came through the front door. He wasn't feeling well, and he just wanted to go upstairs and go to sleep.

"Before he did he said, 'Kath, I need to show you something, even though I really don't want to.' And he took off his shirt, and I just freaked out when I saw his arm. It was bright red and three times the normal size. I said, 'Jeff, we need to go now. We need to get you to the ER.' But all he wanted to do was go to bed and sleep, and I knew that I was trying to rationalize with a very intoxicated person. So there was nothing I could do that night. But the next morning I convinced him to let me take him in. He didn't have a lot of strength, but I was able to get him into the car.

"When we got to the hospital in Loma Linda, they took one look at him and they immediate knew what it was, so they took him right in. Jeff told me to go home because we both knew he'd be there for hours and neither of us thought it would be a life-or-death situation.

"About three or four hours later, Jeff called me and said, 'Kath, it's not good. They may have to amputate. I think you need to come back here.' When I got there, Jeff was on the stretcher waiting to go into surgery, and the doctor put it in perspective for me. He said, 'I need you to see your husband. He may not make it.' The doctor looked at Jeff and told him, 'First I'm going to try to save your life. Then I'm going to try to save your arm. Then I'm going to try to save your career.' And looking at Jeff on that stretcher and possibly saying goodbye, knowing that I may never see him again… was one of the hardest moments of my life."

According to Kathryn, Jeff struggled emotionally and developed major depression after he returned home and began the process of rehabilitating his arm in the hopes of regaining his ability to play guitar.

"I couldn't get Jeff to go to rehab or therapy," Kathryn said. "I think he was letting the visual of his arm get to his emotions, and it was messing with his mind. It was hard to keep him upbeat at that point.

"I think he thought he could do this on his own — that he would just to go rehearsal and play, and that that would be his rehab. But I think he started to learn, once he tried rehearsing, that he wasn't playing up to his ability and that he wasn't able to play guitar at the speed he was used to. And I think that really hit him hard, and he started to lose hope."

For the rest of this story, plus a Jeff Hanneman poster, order a copy of the Guitar World August 2013 issue at the Guitar World online store.

Ulterium Records has announced the signing of the Slovak melodic metal band SIGNUM REGIS.

With their two previous albums, "The Eyes Of Power" (2010) and "Signum Regis" (2008), SIGNUM REGIS established themselves as highly respected band in the scene, especially with the diverse concept effort "The Eyes Of Power", which received great reviews from around the world. The singer on these two albums was Göran Edman, known for his work with Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum and many more.

SIGNUM REGIS is currently putting the finishing touches on its new concept album entitled "Exodus", to be released later this year. Each track one the CD will feature a different singer, with Matt Smith (THEOCRACY), Michael Vescera (OBSESSION, ANIMETAL USA, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Thomas Winkler (GLORYHAMMER, EMERALD) and Göran Edman already confirmed to take part. More vocalists will be announced later on.

Fan-filmed video footage of DIO DISCIPLES' June 15 concert at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil can be seen below.

The group, which pays tribute to legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO, HEAVEN & HELL) and is fully supported by Dio's widow/manager, Wendy, currently consists of the following musicians:

* Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) - Vocals
* Oni Logan (LYNCH MOB) - Vocals
* Craig Goldy (DIO) - Guitar
* Bjorn Englen (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Bass
* Scott Warren (DIO,HEAVEN & HELL) - Keyboards
* Simon Wright (DIO, AC/DC, UFO) – Drums

Commented Goldy: "After Ronnie's passing and a lengthy mourning period, Wendy Dio and the band that was left behind have decided it was time to honor and keep the memory and legacy of Ronnie James Dio alive in the most respectful way possible!

"There is something special that happens when a group of people gather together with the same heart, mind and spirit as one another... and that is what happens every night we (the DIO DISCIPLES) perform! I never know when... but I know that it will happen because it always does... some time during the concert, the audience and the band connect and become as one!

"And with the large speaker system, lights and special performances by past members of AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and LYNCH MOB... you don't want to rely on all the crappy little cell phone recordings that look and sound like shit posted on YouTube!

"I've never lied about anything to any DIO fan and I'm not about to start now! Every time we perform there's always several very special moments that just can't be defined into words! You just have to trust me and come experience it for yourselves! And I hope you do!"