CRADLE OF FILTH's new video for the song "For Your Vulgar Delectation", taken from the British extreme metal band's latest album, "The Manticore And Other Horrors", can be seen below. The clip is available exclusively on iTunes as part of "The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws". This new release also features 12 unreleased demos and another three videos.

"The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws" track listing:

01. The Unveiling Of O
02. The Abhorrent
03. For Your Vulgar Delectation
04. Illicitus
05. Manticore
06. Frost On Her Pillow
07. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair
08. Pallid Reflection
09. Siding With The Titans
10. Succumb To This
11. Nightmares Of An Ether Drinker
12. Death, The Great Adventure
13. Sinfonia
14. The Unveiling Of O (Demo)
15. Manticore (Demo)
16. Siding With The Titans (Demo)
17. Death, The Great Adventure (Demo)
18. Succumb To This (Demo)
19. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair (Demo)
20. Illicitus (Demo)
21. Pallid Reflection (Demo)
22. The Abhorrent (Demo)
23. For Your Vulgar Delectation (Demo)
24. Frost On Her Pillow (Demo)
25. Sinfonia (Demo)

A trailer for "The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws" can be seen below.

Check out audio samples at Amazon.de.

"For Your Vulgar Delectation" comes off CRADLE OF FILTH's tenth studio album, "The Manticore And Other Horrors", which sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous full-length effort, "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa", opened with 5,800 units in November 2010 to land at No. 99.

CRADLE OF FILTH's 2008 CD, "Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder", premiered with a little over 11,000 copies to enter the chart at No. 48. This was slightly less than the first-week tally registered by 2006's "Thornography", which shifted nearly 13,000 copies the first week out to enter The Billboard chart at No. 66, and "Nymphetamine", which premiered with almost 14,000 copies back in October 2004.

"The Manticore And Other Horrors" was released in North America on October 30, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Recorded in eight weeks at both Springvale and Grindstone studios (where it was also mixed by Scott Atkins), Suffolk, "The Manticore And Other Horrors" is a testament to the longevity of the 'FILTH, as not only does it reek of CRADLE's (feared or revered) brand of delicious metal vamperotica, but this thoroughly modern album places the band firmly in fresh killing fields anew.

"The Manticore And Other Horrors" itself possesses an altogether new atmosphere for the band, incorporating a heavier, faster NWOBBM punk vibe that is both current and cruel, blended with ornate orchestration and the quirky immediateness of 2000's "Midian" opus.

The album's title can be likened to a bestiary, a collection of stories on monsters - personal demons, Chimeras, literary fiends and world-enslaving entities to blame but a few. "Manticore", the ravening title track, is a song about a beautiful mythological horror that comes to be feared as the disfigurehead of foreign occupation in the Indian provinces.

The songs "Illicitus" and "Pallid Reflection" bear the sweet ingredients of vampirism and lycanthropy; the wicked "For Your Vulgar Delectation" and "Frost On Her Pillow" are woven perversely into grim fairy tales, whilst classic, monumental tracks like "The Abhorrent And Siding With The Titans" both extol tentacular Lovecraftian values.

"For Your Vulgar Delectation" video:

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's fourth studio effort will be a double album that the band will release in two installments. The first volume, "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1", will now arrive on July 30 (one week later than previously announced), with the second half, "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2", to surface sometime later this fall. The deluxe edition of "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" will come with a bonus 15-track live CD, "Purgatory [Tales From The Pit]", alongside the 14 songs featured on the album. The release will be accompanied by a redeemable limited-edition t-shirt with the physical pressing only. On June 18, a collectible limited-edition box set featuring a FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH lunch box, the deluxe version of the album with the bonus live CD, an early free download of an exclusive new track from "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" and assorted collectible items will be available for pre-sale exclusively through the band's webstore.

"The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1" features guest appearances by JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Rob Halford, SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera, HATEBREED singer Jamey Jasta, IN THIS MOMENT frontwoman Maria Brink and rapper Tech N9ne (on a cover version of LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out").

The imagery for both "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell" albums was created by legendary comic book artist and illustrator Greg Capullo ("Batman", "Spawn").

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will co-headline the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival this summer alongside ROB ZOMBIE, with the tour kicking off in San Bernardino, California on June 29.

The new double disc follows up 2011's "American Capitalist", the group's third studio album and its third consecutive release to reach gold status for sales of half a million copies or more.

"Lift Me Up" (studio version) lyric video:

Santa Cruz metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS will independently release their fifth full-length album, "Listen To The Color", this summer. The 15-song effort was recorded with Zach Ohren (ANIMOSITY, ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH, LIGHT THIS CITY) and features the return of original vocalist Remi Rodberg. Remi's vocals can be heard on early ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS releases like "Hits From The Bow" and "The Game Of Life", which were defining albums for the band and the genre itself. With the new material, look out for a faster, heavier, crazier, yet extremely focused ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS as the band looks to return to its roots, with Rodberg adding a key piece.

A video for the song "Beast Fist" can be seen below.

"Listen To The Color" track listing:

01. Setting Course For Disaster
02. When I Was Your Age Pluto Was Still A Planet
03. Bottle City
04. MK-ULTRA: Psychotropic Puppets
05. MK-DELTA: Glorified Killers (feat. ex- ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS vocalist/keyboardist Cameron Reed)
06. Disease Test The Best
07. Balloon Battle
08. Listen To The Color (feat. Robby Bancroft of FIVE CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN EXIT)
09. Beast Fist
10. Bardonis Chonies
11. Play The Sheep
12. My Newest Vision (feat. Rob Smith of HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW/DOWNSTARIIS)
13. Ride The Wave (feat. Garin Rosen)
14. Watchers (feat. Kevin McCaughey of ION DISSONANCE)
15. Sunny Places For Shady People

"Motherland", the fourth album from ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS, was released in May 2011 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at Castle Ultimate studios in Fremont, California with producer Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH).

GARTH ARUM, the side-project of Nightmarer, vocalist and guitarist of Spanish avant-garde black metallers AS LIGHT DIES will release their first full-length album, The Dawn Of A New Creation”, on June 24th through Satanath Records.

The versatile 11 tracks of this debut album were composed throughout the last fifteen years and feature some magnificent contributions from various vocalists. Cecilia Tallo from ON3RIC4 offers her angelic voice to both the opening and closing song, ‘A New Creation’ and ‘Trip (Part II)’ respectively, Lady Carrot from AEGRI SOMNIA lends her soprano vocals to ‘The Path To Oblivion’ and ‘Trip (Part I)’. Slo from SMOHALLA sings on ‘Rusty Hands’, while Camille Giraudeau also from Smohalla and STAGNANT WATERS contributes to ‘Yearned Freedom’.

The Dawn Of A New Creation tracklisting:

‘A New Creation’ (feat. Cecilia Tallo)
‘Shadows Of The Past’
‘A Barrage Of Hate’
‘The Path To Oblivion’ (feat. Lady Carrot)
‘Labyrinth Of Lies’
‘Rusty Hands’ (feat. Slo)
‘Trip (Part I)’ (feat. Lady Carrot)
‘Lucid Dreams’
‘Like An Angel’
‘Yearned Freedom’ (feat. Camille)
‘Trip (Part II)’ (feat. Cecilia Tallo)

Garth Arum has unveiled a new song ‘A Barrage Of Hate’ and is streaming on Bandcamp.

The Mighty Z of Capital Chaos TV conducted an interview with drummer Max Kolesne of Brazilian death metal veterans KRISIUN when the band played at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco, California on May 16. You can now watch the chat in two parts below. Also available is footage of the San Francisco concert.

KRISIUN's latest album, "The Great Execution", was released on October 31, 2011 in Europe and November 1, 2011 in North America via Century Media Records. The band's eighth studio CD "musically expands KRISIUN trademark high-speed death metal violence with a heavily increased amount of diversity ranging from extreme tempo variations over distinct rhythm patterns to clean guitars and even Flamenco parts!" according to a press release.

KRISIUN only used analog gear and instruments this time to avoid the compressed sound that so many musicians produce today. This wise decision resulted in a more organic sound, with the songs on "The Great Execution" possessing both warmth and rawness, which are so often lost through digital production. The low end is deeper, with drums that pound instead of bounce and guitar tones that sear rather than hiss.

Going back to Stage One Studio in Germany and working with producer Andy Classen again was the right choice: the album came out with a very distinctive and natural sound, shattering the boundaries of the style once more.

The cover artwork was created by Japanese artist Toshihiro Egawa who has been doing tons of great designs for acts like SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DEVOURMENT and DYING FETUS, among others.

"The Great Execution" was made available as a limited-edition digipack including a re-recorded version of the classic KRISIUN song "Black Force Domain" as a bonus track, as a 180-gram gatefold vinyl and as a digital download.

Classen previously worked with KRISIUN on the "Conquerors Of Armageddon" (1999), "AssasiNation" (2005) and "Southern Storm" (2008) releases.

Interview part 1:

Hungarian doomy-death-black combo VERILUN recently signed with Sliptrick Records.

Born in 2010 in Szombathely, Hungary, Verilun (whose name is taken from the Hunnic language and means "Blood moon", the Hunnish name of planet Mars) was formed by members of other well-known Hungarian bands.

Following few line-up adjustments and the Blood Moon EP, Verilun will enter the studio in July to start recording the new album. Drums will be recorded at Q Studio in Szombathely, Hungary, followed by different sessions in other recording facilities.

Verilun is:
Zoltan Sconberger (drums) ex-SEART BLISS
Krisztian Varga (guitar) ex-MONASTERY / HAYSEED
Gyorgy Varga (bass / vocal) ex-DALRIADA

For more info visit Facebook.

THE DOOMSAYER have inked a worldwide deal with Candlelight Records. The group, featuring ex-STIGMA members Stefano ‘Vlad’ Ghersi, Andrea Bailo, Flavio Magnaldi and Stefano Ghigliano, formed in 2012 and recorded their forthcoming, yet untitled, debut album between Ridgeway Studio, Oxfordshire, and Lambesis Studios in San Marcos, California.

Frontman Stefano "Vlad" Ghersi commented on the chance to sign with Candlelight Records saying: "Candlelight to us has always represented The Tradition in extreme music, having the chance to say we are now part of such a respected and hard working label is mind blowing. When we heard about Earth Crisis being signed to Candlelight and heard the label plans for us we couldn't hesitate a single moment. We're extremely proud of being where we are after one year we started this band, expect a lot more from us! See you on the road!"
More on The Doomsayer at this location.

ELECTRIC HELLRIDE is a band with deep roots in the Copenhagen underground environment and in their short lifespan they already played on the world's biggest metal festival, Wacken Open Air 2012.
The 2010 EP Charged is now being re-released by popular demand, under the title Recharged, with live-tracks from Wacken. Recharged comes with an extended booklet and the full Wacken Open Air 2012 show (audio only).
Recharged EP tracklisting:

'Obsessive Aggression'
'Installing The Virus'
'Unleash'
'Fighting Alone'
'Adiabatic Wrath' (live WOA 2012)
'Hatred Propaganda' (live WOA 2012)
'Exhaling Chaos' (live WOA 2012)
'Flesh Into Ash' (live WOA 2012)
Check out 'Exhaling Chaos' live from Wacken:

A preview of the whole Self Conscious Insanity album by Italian horror rockers/metallers Zombie Sam out on June 4th via Coroner Records has been released.

The album has been mixed and mastered by Ettore Rigotti at The Metal House Studio (DISARMONIA MUNDI, BLOOD STAIN CHILD, SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE, DESTRAGE), produced, recorded and arranged by Alessio Neroargento at AExeron Media Studio. Sophia (former Blood Stain Child) and Alessio Neroargento appear as guest vocals on some tracks.

Self Conscious Insanity tracklisting:

‘A Hallow Tale’
‘Woman In White’
‘Never Betray’
‘Family Portrait’
‘Through The Looking Glass’
‘Retry’
‘The Awake’
‘Brake The Fate’
‘A Beautiful Zombie’
‘Stay Away From Me’
‘Unreal’
‘The End, For Now…’
‘A Hallow Tale’ (orchestral version, exclusive digipak bonus track)
A trailer of ‘A Hallow Tale’ video can be seen below:

French death/black metallers TEMPLE OF BAAL are currently giving the final touches to their fourth album. The recording sessions are taking place in Hybreed Studios with Andrew Guillotin (GLORIOR BELLI).
The new recording will consist of ten tracks with a running time of about one hour, and will be released by Agonia Records in the fall of 2013. The band describes the effort as "a blend between Lightslaying Rituals' (sophomore release) aggression, and the last split CD The Vision Of Fading Mankind's epic atmospheres."

A track off band's latest split CD, 'Ordeals Of The Void', is streaming below:
More on Temple Of Baal, including the band's live itinerary, at this location.

Former KITTIE bassist Ivy Vujic Jenkins has resurfaced in a brand new Lansing, Michigan-based metal band called SPEEDGOD.

SPEEDGOD is a heavy metal band created and established by Sean Von Tersch (ex-DEEPFIELD) on guitar, Ivy Vujic Jenkins on bass, Miles Green (ex-BETWEEN YOU AND ME, MYTHS AND LEGENDS) on drums, and Geoff Jenkins (ex-GWEN STACY, ONCE NOTHING) on vocals.

SPEEDGOD will make its live debut this coming Friday, June 7 at Uli's Haus Of Rock in Lansing. The band will be giving away its three-song demo, simply entitled "The 2013 Demos", for free to anyone who wants it. Physical copies of the demo will also be available for free on the SPEEDGOD web site (you pay shipping) beginning Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m.

"The 2013 Demos" contains the following tracks:

* Liberation
* Hypocrisy (And Its Traitor)
* Duat

SPEEDGOD is currently in the process of booking appearances at several summer and fall music festivals as well as neighboring state event venues.

SPEEDGOD is:

Sean Von Tersch - Guitar
Ivy Jenkins - Bass
Miles Green - Drums
Geoff Jenkins - Vocals

"The Great Wonder", the new video from French metallers DAGOBA, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fifth album, "Post Mortem Nihil Est", which was released in Europe on May 27 via Verycords and will be made available in North America on June 18 through eOne Music. The cover artwork for the CD was created by Seth Siro Anton and can be seen below.

Produced by former MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader in Los Angeles, "Post Mortem Nihil Est"s two grand opening tracks, "When Winter..." and "The Realm Black", raise the bar for the rest of the album yet the remaining songs are definitely able to match the high standard. "Kiss Me Kraken", with its strong, harmonious chorus, blends perfectly with the hard black metal, whereas the single, "The Great Wonder", confirms that "Post Mortem Nihil Est" contains a whole arsenal of heavy weapons ready to destroy everything in its path.

"Post Mortem Nihil Est" track listing:

01. When Winter...
02. The Realm Black
03. I, Reptile
04. Yes We Die
05. Kiss Me Kraken
06. Nevada
07. The Great Wonder
08. The Day After The Apocalypse
09. Son Of A Ghost
10. Oblivion Is For The Living
11. By The Sword

Guitarist Izakar announced his departure from DAGOBA in July 2012 due to "irreconcilable differences with one of the [other] bandmembers."

DAGOBA's fourth album, "Poseidon", entered the official chart in France at position No. 41. Released on August 30, 2010 via the French label XIII Bis Records, the CD was recorded at Hyperion Studio in Marseille, France with "Brew" Varea and was mixed by Dave Chang at Philia Studio in the U.K.

Brazilian metallers ALMAH, featuring ex-ANGRA singer Edu Falaschi, officially announces start of the recordings for their fourth full-length CD, the follow-up to Motion (2011).

Last weekend Almah’s drummer, Marcelo Moreira, entered the studio AML in his home city Florianopolis, Brazil to record drum parts for the new studio album of the band, as-yet-untitled. The drums are being recorded with experienced sound engineer and producer Alexei Leão (also the vocalist of STOMENTAL).

According to Moreira: "We have chosen AML studio due to various reasons. First of all, we have taken into account the quality of its equipment and a very good choice of instruments, besides the professionalism of Alexei. Also, the studio has a very good location: inside an hotel in 800m from the beach (don’t forget, we stay in Florianopolis, a very nice city on the seashore with 42 beaches!). The place is easy to access and it has everything for the work and for the rest.

"Well, this time we’ve assembled a drum kit in an exotic way to have an opportunity to create different grooves. Besides the special character, the kit is really giant!", continues Moreira. "It has 4 snares, (10”, 12”, 13” and 14”), 3 toms (8”, 10” and 12”), 3 floor toms (14”, 16” and 18”), 2 bass drums (2 - 20”), 1 gong bass (22”), 1 timbales (12”) and 1 cowbell. We use drumheads by Brazilian company RMV and cymbals by Turkish brand Murat Diril, series Black Sea. I’m using 3 crashes (16”, 17” e 18”), 2 chinas (2 de 18”), 1 ride (20”), 2 hi hats (12” e 14”) and 1 Orbit Stacks (10”).

"So, I’m seeking to work with different grooves more and more, mixing the toms and floor toms during the grooves. All this helps to create good and different grooves mixed with fast and technical parts."

After the drums are finished Almah will continue working in Do It! Studio in São Paulo (a new studio established by Edu and Tito Falaschi) later in June. The new CD is planned to be released in the second half of 2013. On September 19th Almah will play at one of the most influential music festivals worldwide, Rock In Rio.

In the meantime, pre-production videos with some snippets of the new material can be seen below:

After almost a year without any updates, ex-RIOT frontman Mike DiMeo's MIDAS FATE has announced their new line-up, which now includes ex-ANGRA drummer Aquiles Priester. Check out the clip below of Priester playing the new Midas Fate track, 'Stillborn Reason'. The clip is taken from his forthcoming DVD, Aquiles Priester's 100 Top Drum Fills.

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Midas Fate is:

Mike DiMeo - vocals
Aquiles Priester - drums
Vitor Campos - guitars
Renato Videira - bass

More on Midas Fate at this location.

Danish metal quintet PSY:CODE will release their second album, entitled Cause And Neglect, on June 10th via Mighty Music.
Cause And Neglect has been three years underway since their debut album, Delusion, in 2010. Since the debut album, Psy:code has been sharpening their tools to deliver 12 new tracks. The album was pre-recorded in Psy:code’s headquarters - an old wartime bunker a little outside of Copenhagen. Drum tracking was done in Hansen studios and as on Delusion, the process of mixing and mastering was put in the trusted hands of Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, RAUNCHY, MERCENARY, etc.).

Musically, Cause And Neglect blends technical riffing, atmospheric passages, progressive structures and hardcore metal. Lyrically the album gives the listener an inside look at the deranged thoughts of five individuals.
Cause And Neglect tracklisting:

'No:100'
'My Sick Redemption'
'Creator/Destroyer'
'Open For The Taking'
'First In Line'
'Trapped In Time: Stretched'
'The Sky Is The Limit'
'Hellish Tensions'
'Speak Up'
'Above'
'Senseless Patterns'
'The Source Of Light'

'Trapped In Time: Stretched' video:
More on Psy:code at this location.

Austrian extreme metallers MASTIC SCUM will release their fifth album, "CTRL", on September 27 via Massacre Records. The CD will contain 11 tracks, including a re-recorded aong from the band's 1994 demo. The effort will be mixed at Metalforge Studio by Mike Kronstorfer. The artwork will be designed by Isisdesignstudio.

MASTIC SCUM previously stated about the musical direction of its new material: "The new songs are shaping up in a new brutal style and also on a higher technical level. With this release, we went back to our roots putting some experimental parts and also we made a big step forward to new structures and rhythms."

MASTIC SCUM's last album, "Dust", was released on November 13, 2009 via Twilight Distribution.

The band in 2009 parted ways with vocalist Will due to "musical differences" and replaced him with Maggo Wenzel (INZEST, TRISTWOOD, WATCH ME BLEED).

Australia’s THE AMENTA has released the lyric video for the song ‘Sewer’, taken from their new album, Flesh Is Heir, which is out now via Listenable Records.
The first full length to be written by the current lineup, Flesh Is Heir was also recorded and mixed completely by the band.

Check out the video for 'Teeth below:
Lyrically the album deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (which desires to be subsumed and therefore free) and the Realist (which embraces pain as a life truth).
The music, true to form, is a step forward for The Amenta, according to a press release. 2004's Occasus was the band's modern death metal album, fusing subtle electronics to grinding riffs and pummeling drums. 2008's n0n was the bands Extreme Industrial album, densely layering fragmented electronics and micro-programming over digitally destroyed guitars. Flesh Is Heir is an organic extreme metal album. Real sounds recorded in real spaces, demixed and torn apart in real time. Huge riffs that foreground The Amenta's hitherto buried sense of melody. The most versatile and haunting vocal performance The Amenta have achieved. Elements of what has gone before but consumed and re-constituted. A bleak and dirty journey through mental decay and pressure.

More on The Amenta, including the band's live itinerary, at this location.

New York City rockers EVE TO ADAM have released a video for their current single, ‘Straitjacket Supermodel’, taken from the band’s forthcoming album Locked And Loaded, which is scheduled to be released later this summer via Megaforce Records. The video shows the band performing at a twisted photo shoot, which features leather clad dominatrix Juliya Chernetsky (of Fuse fame), and Playboy Playmate vixen Kristin Nicole. Electric chair's, ball-gag's, and an axe also make appearances, all adding up to a truly scandalous experience.
Locked And Loaded was produced by an all-star cast of producers, including Dave Bassett, Eric Bass, and Elvis Baskette (PUDDLE OF MUDD, TRIVIUM, CHEVELLE), and is the follow up to 2011's Banquet For A Starving Dog.

Eve To Adam recently announced they will be teaming up with TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION this summer on The Highway Robbery Tour. The tour kicks off on July 13th in Birmingham, AL and wraps up August 16th in Abilene, TX.

For Summer On The Highway tour dates and ticket information visit Facebook.

Canadian epic folk metallers NORDHEIM are streaming two new lyric videos, for their new songs 'Get Drunk Or Die Tryin’' (with a special guest performance by Norway’s TROLLFEST on vocals), and 'Winter’s Dawn', both taken from their sophomore album, Refill. Refill was released on May 13th worldwide by Maple Metal Records.

The artwork was created by Nicolas Francoeur of Vorace Art, as was their 2010 debut album Lost In The North. Refill was recorded at Badass Studio, Montreal, QC, Canada in the winter of 2012/13 and produced by Jef Fortin (NEURAXIS, AUGURY, BLACKGUARD, UNEXPECT, KÄLTER).

The Refill tracklisting is:

'OV Frost and Ice'
'Mask of the Banned One'
'Get Drunk or Die Tryin’'
'Watch the Raven Die'
'Under a Crying Storm'
'The Grief'
'Winter’s Dawn'
'As Shadows Pass By'
'Soulblood'

'Get Drunk Or Die Tryin’' lyric video:
'Winter’s Dawn' lyric video:
‘The Grief’ lyric video:

Nordheim is:

Warraxe – lead vocals and guitars
Fred - lead guitars
BenFok - bass and vocals
Thom - keyboards
Lukas – drums (Kälter)

For more info on Nordheim visit here.

England's BLACKWATER have released a video for their new single, 'By Day & By Night', released on May 31st.
The band will be running a very special campaign over the following three months to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. The money raised from their single sales will be donated to the cause at the end of the campaign, set to finish on August 31st.

“This is a cause that we feel very strongly about and a subject that still affects the vast majority of the world. Cancer Research UK are doing some amazing work in their field and it is our privilege to work along side them to help raise money towards finding the cures,” said Blackwater vocalist / guitarist Jay Bartlett.
Blackwater will also be holding an exclusive auction of some very special personal items donated by the band and their endorsements including a signed PRS SE245 guitar! The highest bidders on each item wins, and money raised will be added to the final donation from Blackwater to Cancer Research UK.

Further details can be found at Blackwater-Official.com.

earMUSIC have announced the release of former NIGHTWISH vocalist TARJA TURUNEN's new single, 'Victim Of Ritual'.
An evocative snare-drum that sounds like it was coming from a mysterious place, the tender sound of an orchestra joins followed by a familiar and seductive melody played by an oboe. When Tarja’s distinctive voice resounds through the speakers, her warm timbre fills the room. Her melody is full of emotions and tender, before the song explodes into an epic, heavy chorus:

“Hysterical, tragical
Victim of ritual
Cynical, critical
Victim of ritual
She's a killer, killer
She's a killer, killer”

Inspired by the one-movement orchestral piece ‘Boléro’ by Maurice Ravel, the almost six minutes long ‘Victim Of Ritual’ is the first single from Tarja’s forthcoming album, Colours In The Dark. The song will be released as download, CD single and 7” vinyl on July 12th via earMUSIC.

Both physical releases will surely become rare collector’s items, being made available in strictly limited quantities. The 4-songs digipak CD-single is limited to 3,000 copies worldwide, whereas the 2-track 7” vinyl is limited to only 1,500 units worldwide. A video for ‘Victim Of Ritual’ is also scheduled for July.

Single tracklisting:

7" vinyl:

Side A: 'Victim Of Ritual'
Side B: 'Victim Of Ritual' (First Demo)

Maxi Single:

'Victim Of Ritual'
'Victim Of Ritual' (First Demo)
'I Walk Alone' (Live From Luna Park)
'Underneath' (Live From Luna Park)

Pre-order at this location.

Tarja will release her new album, Colours In The Dark, on August 23rd in Europe, and on August 27th in North America, via earMUSIC. A lyric video for the first single called 'Never Enough' can be viewed/heard below.
Check out the cover artwork created by Dirk Rudolph below:

Limited Edition Box Set Cover Artwork:
Special Edition Cover Artwork:
Regular edition artwork:
Despite her light and shiny personality, Tarja’s music has always been dressed “in black” - the colour of heavy rock, of mystery and elegance. With Tarja’s new album, fans will find out what happens when a splice of colour is added to the mix. Or - better said - when the full colour spectrum enters the picture it does not cover the black but makes it shine through with many emotions and landscapes.

Following up on the success of the multi-platinum and gold awarded previous records My Winterstorm (2007) and What Lies Beneath (2010), Tarja finally returns with her long-awaited new rock album. Colours In The Dark will be released on August 23rd via earMUSIC, the label which also released the top 5 live project, Act 1.

Mixed and mastered by Tim Palmer in Austin, Texas (PEARL JAM, U2), the songs on Colours In The Dark do not shy away from taking a risk and surprising musical turns, introducing new sounds and new musical atmospheres. Still, they maintain a heaviness that will surely bring a big smile to the hardest of rockers. With its grand orchestra and choir arrangements, Tarja’s next milestone emphasises once again the impressive vocal range of the Finnish artist and shows her artistic growth. With ten brand new songs and over one hour of music, Colours In The Dark is definitely going to be one of the brightest moments for rock in 2013.
Tarja will perform the songs from Colours In The Dark Tour 2013 starting with her forthcoming tour in Germany. Dates include:

October
19 - Berlin, Germany - Huxley’s
22 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
23 - Dortmund, Germany - FZW
25 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Festhalle Durlach
26 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
27 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
29 - Zürich, Switzerland - Komplex
30 - Nuremberg, Germany - Löwensaal

November
1 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
2 - Cologne, Germany - Gloria

Updates to follow.

Orange County, CA's SPEAKING THE KING’S recently signed a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band have revealed the tracklisting for their debut Here To Stay EP, due out in North America on July 9th.
'One Foot At A Time'
'How You Work'
'Casanova'
'Tearing Down The Walls'
'Lock & Key'
'The Collector'

'Casanova' video:
“The EP is about the band and the future we are working to create,” shares guitarist & founding member Justin Bock. “It's about the struggles and life events that have lead us to this point and our outlook on what's to come. We have put a lot in to this recording and we hope that people will be able to connect with our music and with us as individuals. Every band member has a say in our songwriting process; we all have a part in our sound and we can draw upon all of our collective influences. There’s the occasional disagreement, but we do our best to try out all ideas. Most of the time, once you play the part it's pretty easy to decide whether or not it works. We are very excited, and feel very fortunate, to be working with the people we are working with, and for the opportunities we've been presented with so far. We can't wait to get this music out and hit the road!”

Here To Stay was recorded with A DAY TO REMEMBER producer, songwriter, and former guitarist Tom Denney (PIERCE THE VEIL, SECRETS) in Florida. All songs were mixed by Zeuss (SUICIDE SILENCE, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, WHITECHAPEL).

Formed during the winter of 2011, Speaking The King's demos quickly captured the attention of A DAY TO REMEMBER producer, songwriter, and former guitarist Tom Denney (PIERCE THE VEIL, SECRETS), who ushered the band into his Florida-based studio to record their first arsenal of music. Mixed by Zeuss (SUICIDE SILENCE, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, CLOSE TO HOME), the band’s debut album is slated for a 2013 release.

STK’S has shared stages with WE CAME AS ROMANS, OF MICE & MEN, BLESSTHEFALL, WINDS OF PLAGUE, and BLEEDING THROUGH.
Speaking The King's are:

Bobby Burap – Vocals
Justin Bock – Guitars
Mike Entin – Guitars
Brad Reihl – Bass
Will Peacock - Drums

More on Speaking The King's here.

French progressive metallers UNEVEN STRUCTURE have released their new 8 EP, available via Basick Records.
8 EP tracklisting:

'Dianoia'
'Focus'
'Higher Quiddity'
'Cardinal'
'The Designer's Lead'
'Delusions Of Grandeur'
'Depression'
'Eight'
Uneven Structure will tour the UK this July, including an appearance at this year’s UK Tech Metal Festival, with support from UK tech metallers NO CONSEQUENCE.

Uneven Structure will play their Februus album and 8 EP in their entirety for a 70-minute set. No Consequence will showcase tracks of their upcoming sophomore album, to be released later this year. Support comes from UK progressive metal bands BROKEN TORMENT and SENTIENCE OF ESCHATON

Dates:

July
12 - Reading, UK - The Facebar
13-15 - Alton, UK - Tech Metal Fest
16 - Worcester, UK - Arts Workshop
17 - Birmingham, UK - The Actress & Bishop
18 - Brighton, UK - The Hydrant
19 - London, UK - Upstairs at The Garage
20 - Milton Keynes, UK - The Craufurd Arms

Belgium's STEAK NUMBER EIGHT have released their new video, for the lead track, 'Cryogenius', from their new album, The Hutch (out now).
Steak Number Eight have been added to the lineup for Graspop Metal Meeting, replacing the cancelled OVERKILL, on Saturday, June 29th. Steak Number Eight will be playing alongside SLIPKNOT, DOWN, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SAXON and many more.

Also, on August 1st the band travels to Slupsk, Poland, to support legendary ALICE COOPER at the Rock Legends Festival.

More on Steak Number Eight at this location.

Massacre Records has announced the signing of German death/viking metal quintet THRUDVANGAR.
The band was originally formed as a quartet back in 2001. With the release of their demo in 2003 and the debut album Ahnenthron in 2004, the band gained a lot of fans that are into epic and melodic pagan/viking metal. During the recordings of their second album, some major lineup changes took place. With the addition of a second guitarist the band's sound became more aggressive, but still remained melodic. The band signed with Einheit Produktionen and released all of their previous albums, including a re-release of their debut, on the label.
Thrudvangar played at various festivals, such as the Ragnarök Festival, Wave-Gotik-Treffen or the Pagan Nights Festival and supported bands like NOMANS LAND and TROLLECH. A huge highlight in the band's career so far was the release of their concept album, Durch Blut Und Eis, in 2010, which was about the life of Eric the Red. They also shot their first video clip for the song 'Thornesthing' off the album.

In 2012 the keyboardist left the band and Thrudvangar decided to go on without a keyboard in the future lineup. The band is now ready to release their fifth album on Massacre Records in July.

More on Thrudvangar at this location.

France's HERRSCHAFT have signed a new record deal with Code666, for their upcoming second full length album.
Five years after the release of Tesla, the band finally breaks the silence and is ready to release their new album. This new project, called Les 12 Vertiges, is to be released in October, and is about to dig once more into human’s mind, now in a more introspective, raw and perverse manner, driving two worlds altogether to their darkest sides.

Born in 2004, Herrschaft has released two albums with Code666 (Architects Of The Humanicide EP in 2006 and Tesla in 2008). During recent years, the band members have focused on various musical experiences, studio, remix or live - Zoé now being part of french band THE CNK - before setting back the focus to their core project with a new album and a fresh live line-up.

More on Herrschaft here.

RushOnRock.com editor Simon Rushworth recently conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

RushOnRock.com: Do you regret some of your past outbursts?

Mustaine: Sometimes when you make comments, they don't sit well with certain people. But it's my character that matters. Everybody who ever meets me says my reputation precedes me and how they thought this or that about me. But I prove them wrong. And that makes me happy. But I suppose the one thing that makes me really happy right now — the coolest thing about being in MEGADETH — is that I've got Dave Ellefson [bass] and Shawn Drover [drums] alongside me and they're like family these days. Shawn's been in the band for nearly a decade now… That's some stint for a MEGADETH drummer!

RushOnRock.com: When it wasn't so much fun being a member of MEGADETH, did you ever think "that's it." Surely being in a band is all about having fun…

Mustaine: I don't want to sound like a bleeding heart. I'm blessed to be in a band and to be in a position where I can make people happy. That's the coolest thing in the world. But it takes a lot of work being a public figure. You have to be careful about what you say. There was a time when I'd just had neck surgery and I was on the kind of medication that makes you bold. You only think about what you said after you've said it. A lot of people think I hate the current president of the United States because of a comment I made. But I don't hate him — I just don't agree with him on some points. It's no big deal. There will be another president after he's gone and I'll still be here making music.

RushOnRock.com: Do you worry that a happier Dave Mustaine could dilute the power of MEGADETH's music?

Mustaine: Don't get me wrong — I'm not happy. I'm just happier! I still get pissed off about stuff. There's still stuff that makes me mad. During the recording of the last record and the recording of "TH1RT3EN", I watched a lot of news. I can't really watch so-called television very much these days. "Normal" TV shows really insult my intelligence. Watching the news all the time is bleak, so it clearly affects your outlook and obviously inspires the songwriting process.

RushOnRock.com: "Super Collider" is packed full of future classics. Will they make it onto the current setlist?

Mustaine: We're really looking forward to going out on the road with the new stuff, because that's who we are. We've got a bunch of new songs that we feel are more than good enough to play live alongside the other material. For me, playing the new material will be my favorite part of the show. We're including four songs from "Super Collider" in the set — the first four, in sequence. I really wanted to do "Built For War" live; it's really aggressive and is a good, old-school mosh song.

Red the entire interview from RushOnRock.com.

Virginia Beach hard rockers PILLBUSTER are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of their stoner rock-tinged self-titled full-length album, hitting stores on August 6th via Stonerkill Records. The album was recorded at Osceola Studios in Raleigh, NC with Dick Hodgin (COC, VELVET REVOLVER, LYNYRD SKYNYRD). Check out a teaser below:

“We spent the better part of a year putting our hearts and souls into the writing of this record. After performing it for our fans at several shows, we decided to solidify our project by recording at Dick Hodgin's Osceola Studios in Raleigh, NC,” states Pillbuster guitarist Joe Festa. “Dick understood our sound from the beginning and really worked hard at capturing it. We initially went to him because of his portfolio, but we ended up getting so much more from him. He is as much a part of the sound of this record as any of us.”

Festa adds, “We really put everything we had into this and we hope our fans like it. It’s just straight up in your face and raw, classic metal!”

Pillbuster tracklisting:

‘Dying Next To You’
‘5th Helena Drive’
‘Coincide’
‘Beast’
‘Revery’
‘Rhythm Of Decline’
‘Apology’
‘Resolve’
‘Sinkhole’
‘Push’

Check out the song 'Revery' below:



Pillbuster is set to perform on June 29th at Mugzy’s Grill, located at 1312 E. Pembroke Ave. in Hampton, VA. More information on this show is set to be released soon. The band is currently planning an album release show in August, and also plans to tour in August/September 2013.

Detroit, MI's BATTLECROSS have unveiled the title, cover art, and first single from their upcoming new album, War Of Will. Co-produced at Audio Hammer Studios with famed producers Mark Lewis and Eyal Levi, the sophomore effort from Detroit's newest soldiers of steel will soon prove as a most impressive follow-up release.

"War Of Will triggers a strange Déjà Vu while feeling completely brand new", says Levi.
War Of Will tracklisting:

'Force Fed Lies'
'Flesh & Bone'
'Never Coming Back'
'My Vaccine'
'Get Over It'
'Ghost Alive'
'Wage A War'
'The Will To Overcome'
'Beast'
'Never-Ending Night'

Stream 'Force Fed Lies' below, and pre-order your copy of War Of Will now at this location.
After a fist-pumping debut, impressive breakout tours in 2012, Battlecross will continue their climb with appearances at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, Orion Music +More with METALLICA, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, DEFTONES and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in the band's hometown of Detroit, and the 4th Annual Gwar-BQ with MUNICIPAL WASTE and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

War Of Will releases July 9th, just as the band heads out for the summer on the Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour with ROB ZOMBIE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, AMON AMARTH, CHILDREN OF BODOM, MACHINE HEAD, BEHEMOTH, MASTODON and more.

More on Battlecross, including their live itinerary, at this location.