"Megitsune", the new video from BABYMETAL, the heavy metal offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and death metal, can be seen below. Due to be released as a single on June 19, the song is said to combine traditional Japanese instruments with metal overtones and an enka ballad to create a festive sound. The theme of the track is "women are born actresses." Four different versions will be made available for fans to purchase: a limited "Tsu", limited "Ki", and a limited "Ne" edition, as well as a less expensive regular edition. The limited versions will come with bonus videos from the BABYMETAL live events that were held from 2012 to early 2013.

BABYMETAL recently embarked on the "Death Match Tour 2013" and was accompanied by a "full metal band."

BABYMETAL released its first major single, "Ijime, Dame, Zettai", on January 9.

BABY METAL is:

Su-Metal - Vocals and Dance
Moametal - Screamer and Dance
Yuimetal - Screamer and Dance

"Megitsune" video:

The official lyric video for "Spirit Breaker", a brand new song from the Manheim, Pennsylvania-based quintet AUGUST BURNS RED, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fifth album, "Rescue & Restore", which will be released on June 25 via Solid State Records.

The new effort, described by guitarist and principal songwriter JB Brubaker as the band’s "most ambitious album yet," turns a critical eye to the oft-maligned genre of metalcore, leading by example to prove that bands can still find exciting new ways to expand the genre.

"'Rescue & Restore' is about challenging other bands and ourselves, as well as fans of this music, to want more than whatever happens to be the current buzz," explains Brubaker.

"We’ve done our best with each new album to try to push our sound in new directions and we’d like to see our peers do the same.

"People need to realize that there’s not much of a difference between a metalcore song that has a couple breakdowns with a repeating chorus and the latest LADY GAGA song. This genre used to be better than that. It can still be better than that."

Throughout the album, AUGUST BURNS RED continue to do their part to challenge the conventions of heavy music. Over the course of 11 tracks, the band artfully blend piano, cello, violin, trumpet, various percussive elements and more into their sonic arsenal, taking their music into new aesthetic territory and contorting the boundaries of the genre.

In support of "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED will perform all summer long as a mainstage act on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour, marking their third appearance overall and first since 2011.

With "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED have proven that it is possible to reshape music in a way that challenges listeners, reinvigorates fans and puts art first. But for any fans who fear AUGUST BURNS RED turning their back on the sound that catapulted them to the forefront of a genre, Brubaker advises them not to worry.

"At the end of the day, we are still a very heavy band," he explains. "'Rescue & Restore' still has plenty of really heavy stuff, techy odd meter riffs, and all the stuff that people have come to expect from us; it just has a lot more surprises along the way."

"Rescue & Restore" track listing:

01. Provision
02. Treatment
03. Spirit Breaker
04. Count It All As Lost
05. Sincerity
06. Creative Captivity
07. Fault Line
08. Beauty In Tragedy
09. Animals
10. Echoes
11. The First Step

Cleveland metallers CHIMAIRA have posted a video that reveals the artwork, track listing and 30-second song clips from their forthcoming album, "Crown Of Phantoms".

Due on July 30 via eOne Music, the band's seventh studio LP has already started collecting its fair share of accolades.

"Tracks like 'No Mercy', 'Plastic Wonderland' and 'Spineless' are absolute slayers that will surely impress longtime fans and newbies alike, and bring that classic 'I Hate Everyone flavor' we've all grown to love," writes Revolver magazine.

CHIMAIRA recently made headlines by way of crowd-funding a fan version CD/DVD where they doubled their initial goal via IndieGoGo.

The band just wrapped up a successful run on the "Dont Pray For Us Tour" with ASKING ALEXANDRIA and plans to be back on the road soon.

"Crown Of Phantoms" track listing:

01. The Machine
02. No Mercy
03. All That's Left Is Blood
04. I Despise
05. Plastic Wonderland
06. The Transmigration
07. Crown Of Phantoms
08. Spineless
09. Kings Of The Shadow World
10. Wrapped In Violence
11. Love Soaked Death

"All That's Left Is Blood" is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

Commented Mark Hunter: "When I started this band, I had a desire to make extremely heavy, eclectic metal. Nothing has changed in that regard. I wanted to merge all the styles I loved into a hybrid of sounds. Having the chance to reinvent the group gave me the opportunity to work with unbelievable players and take the essence of CHIMAIRA to uncharted territory. Assembling the right team was essential to creating what I feel is some of the craziest and most passionate music I've had the pleasure to be a part of. The past defines us while the present refines us."

In a 2012 interview with Metal Insider, Hunter stated about CHIMAIRA's plans for the new CD: "We want to come out with an album that not only captures the essence of what the fans have grown to know over the years, but we want to do something not only for the scene that's special, but for musicians out there, too. The musicianship in this band now is definitely on the next level. Everyone's pretty much a virtuoso at their instrument. Some of the stuff Emil [Werstler, guitar] was writing yesterday on this new song, I'm watching him play and I'm like, 'There are only going to be about a handful of people that'll able to play this!' [laughs] I'm imagining like a kid getting home, getting our new record and maybe they have the guitar, and they go sit down and try play along to it. And it's going to take them a very long time. [laughs]"

He added: "We couldn't be happier moving forward. It sucks that we had to go through hell — no pun intended — to get to where we are now. But I think all of us, coming from lessons of life, lessons of bands, lessons of the industry, we've lived and learned and now we have something completely different to prove."

CHIMAIRA's current lineup is as follows:

Mark Hunter - Vocals
Matt Szlachta (DIRGE WITHIN) - Guitar
Jeremy Creamer (DAATH) - Bass
Emil Werstler (DAATH) - Guitar
Sean Zatorsky (DAATH) - Keyboards
Austin D'Amond (BLEED THE SKY, THE ELITE) – Drums

"First Of The Last", the first-ever video from FIGHT OR FLIGHT, the new band featuring DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren, along with EVANS BLUE singer Dan Chandler, Sean Corcoran of RA on bass and Jeremy Jayson on guitar, can be seen below. The clip was helmed by Lester Cohn and multimedia producer/director and music documentarian Chuck Brueckmann, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and CREED guitarist Mark Tremonti.

"First Of The Last" arrived at radio on May 21, with FIGHT OR FLIGHT's debut album, "A Life By Design?", to follow on July 23.

Donegan began writing songs on his own last year and approached Chandler about a possible collaboration. The two began emailing music to each other and getting together to write whenever Chandler was in Chicago, where Donegan lives, until they had enough material to record a full album.

In a posting on the DISTURBED Facebook page, Donegan writes: "[I] just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to check out mine and Mike's new side-project FIGHT OR FLIGHT! No, this does NOT mean the end of DISTURBED, as David [Draiman, DISTURBED singer] has also made that clear.

"We love you the fans that have given us this life and the outlet to express ourselves for many years now. This has just become another extension of us.

"I get it, I understand why some of you may be mad that we are all doing other things right now, but let me assure you that all of us are looking forward to the day we return as DISTURBED to show you how much you mean to us. But in the meantime, we are all focused and giving 110% to our individual projects.

"Whether you love it or hate it, we all pour our blood, sweat and tears into making music for us and the satisfaction we get from it. We hope you find a connection with it as well …

"Music has always been therapeutic for everyone. That’s why we do it. It makes me feel good and any worries go away. It brings me peace in my life and I cannot live without it.

"I look forward to hopefully seeing some familiar faces once we hit the road with FIGHT OR FLIGHT and then again with DISTURBED someday!"

Donegan told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that he liked the idea of playing with other musicians. "This whole career with DISTURBED, I've always been jamming with the same people, which has been amazing. But I want to feel that I can actually, you know, just continue to expand and explore, you know, different paths as we progress, hopefully, in the future, maybe if there is another album from us."

Donegan said in a statement about the FIGHT OR FLIGHT album, "This is more hard rock. It's got edgy moments, but there's more melody across the board. We had the chance to experiment as well. There are acoustic guitars and some electronics even. It's different all around."

Dan Chandler has been the vocalist for EVANS BLUE since 2009, when he replaced original singer Kevin Matisyn. The band's most recent offering was 2012's "Graveyard Of Empires".

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman released the self-titled debut album from his new project, DEVICE, last month. The record entered the Billboard album chart No. 11. The act, which also features members of DOPE and EVANESCENCE, is on tour now.

Ohio-based viking/pagan metallers HAMMER HORDE have parted ways with singer Tom Sturniolo. A band statement reads:

"Another chapter of the Hammer Horde saga has ended today. We regret to inform you all that longtime vocalist Tom Sturniolo and the rest of the band have parted ways. We’d like to take this chance to thank Tom for all of the good years, memories, and great work that he did as the voice behind Under the Mighty Oath and Vinlander. We are grateful for all of his contributions to Hammer Horde and, with our pints held high, we say farewell. It is with a heavy heart that we part ways with an old friend and original member, but at the same time we remain fully supportive of his decision. As we continue to write and record for our next album, we remain on the hunt for a suitable replacement to fill Tom’s boots in becoming the new full-time Hammer Horde vocalist."
Tom Sturniolo's parting words: “After long thought I have decided to step down as front man of Hammer Horde. This was not an easy decision, but I feel that currently I cannot give the band the proper attention it deserves. We are all still on very good terms and I wish my brothers much luck and prosperity in the future.”

UK-based hard rockers CRASH MANSION are preparing themselves to embark on their biggest year yet as a band. They recorded their debut EP in 2012 with Martyn ‘Ginge’ Ford at the renowned Nott-in Pill Studios and quickly racked up shows with L.A. GUNS, FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS and THE DEAD LAY WAITING, proving to be every bit as potent on stage as the recordings promised.

The band are a heady mix of natural talent, raw energy, enthusiasm and a fistful of super catchy infectious rock n' roll with stadium bothering potential. Their single, ‘Money’ (video below), is scheduled to be released digitally on May 27th, with their album due out later this year.

The band have also been confirmed to perform an acoustic set at Download Festival on the Jagermeister Stage, on Sunday, June 16th.

Updates to follow. More on Crash Mansion at this location.

"Unspoken", the new video form the London, U.K.-based modern metal mob THE DEFILED, can be seen below. The clip, which sees frontman Stitch D and keyboardist The AvD being held captive by their bandmates before descending into a torturous nightmare, was directed by Robin Fuller (FEED THE RHINO, HAWK EYES, DAATH) and produced by Craig Tuohy. Craig's production company, Ascension Productions, won a golden trailer award for the work on "The King's Speech" and has also worked with the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The "Unspoken" single will be released on June 30. The track comes off THE DEFILED's second album, "Daggers", which is due on August 2 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The cover artwork was designed and executed by Scott Chalmers, the band's longtime photographer.

"Making our first official video for 'Daggers' was the most fun we have had filming," says The AvD. "Stitch and I tried our hand at acting and as we decided on the day, we nailed it! Not really, we are terrible actors…"

He continues: "We also got to work with our old pal Robin Fuller who was actually the very man that directed our first-ever video, 'The Resurrectionists'.

"I think this video sums up what 'Unspoken' is all about. We wanted a very specific scene in there where the two protagonists (The AvD and Stitch D) are smiling at each other and shaking hands with knives behind their backs. This very scene was the inspiration for the actual cover of 'Daggers' as this theme runs throughout the whole album."

Keyboardist The AvD explains the "Daggers" concept: "Daggers were made for only one thing — killing or betraying your fellow man. And one stab is almost always never enough…

"The flowers symbolize goodwill with the prospect of a co-operative future. The dagger behind the back symbolizes the ulterior motives, the insincerity and the impending disappointment that surrounds us all. This theme runs through all the tracks on the album.

"The concept was born out of a scene we wanted in our new video for 'Unspoken'. We wanted the two main characters shaking hands with daggers behind their backs. We were originally going to call the track 'Daggers', but then opted to go for 'Unspoken'. The song is about the politics of life and it seemed more fitting. We also didn't want to limit the word 'daggers' to only one song on the album, as it is the overall feeling we wanted for the full project."

Having released its debut album "Grave Times" via Metal Hammer magazine in 2011, THE DEFILED has since enjoyed status as the U.K.'s biggest unsigned metal acts. Making huge strides forward on their own, their achievements as a self motivated and independent band in the world of heavy music, which includes sold out tours, prestigious slots at the biggest festivals and a Golden God Award, is remarkable. Their unwillingness to compromise or settle for anything less than their ambition dictates has got them this far; this alliance with indie metal powerhouse Nuclear Blast Entertainment now sets the sky as the limit.

"Daggers" limited-edition digipack CD

01. Sleeper (4:00)
02. Unspoken (4:05)
03. Saints And Sinners (3:49)
04. As I Drown (4:41)
05. Porcelain (3:23)
06. New Approach (3:09)
07. Fragments Of Hope (4:30)
08. The Infected (4:01)
09. The Mourning After (4:14)
10. Five Minutes (4:38)
11. No Place Like Home (4:44)
12. I Destroy What Destroys Me (4:16) *
13. Self Under Siege (3:25) *

* bonus track

"Daggers" digital album

01. Sleeper (4:00)
02. Unspoken (4:05)
03. Saints And Sinners (3:49)
04. As I Drown (4:41)
05. Porcelain (3:23)
06. New Approach (3:09)
07. Fragments Of Hope (4:30)
08. The Infected (4:01)
09. The Mourning After (4:14)
10. Five Minutes (4:38)
11. No Place Like Home (4:44)

"Daggers" digital bonus version - iTunes exclusive:

01. Sleeper (4:00)
02. Unspoken (4:05)
03. Saints And Sinners (3:49)
04. As I Drown (4:41)
05. Porcelain (3:23)
06. New Approach (3:09)
07. Fragments Of Hope (4:30)
08. The Infected (4:01)
09. The Mourning After (4:14)
10. Five Minutes (4:38)
11. No Place Like Home (4:44)
12. As I Drown (live) (4:45)*
13. I Destroy What Destroys Me (4:16) *
13. Self Under Siege (3:25) *

* bonus track

During a brand new interview with Brian McCollum of the Detroit Free Press, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo was asked about whether the band's fans have come to always trust the group to always deliver the goods, both in the studio and on the concert stage. "Yes and no," Trujillo replied. "Obviously there were mixed reviews on our Lou Reed experience ('Lulu', 2011). Some people thought it was an amazing artistic statement. A lot of METALLICA fans thought it was crap. [laughs]

"You take chances and kind of go with the flow of it. We just try to have a good time. That's the name of the game — be creative — and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work.

"That's what makes the band special — the fact that METALLICA can go in and play with an orchestra and collaborate with the likes of a Lou Reed, and actually do a bit of improvising in uncharted territory.

"In this day and age, it's important in staying relevant, especially for us. We're inspired by so much, we like to try things. Sometimes financially it can be a task. …

"We're there to deliver the passion we feel for music. When we put on the guitars it's like we're kids again. And that's different from a lot of bands when they get older, to still connect with music that way. We come up with so many riffs — our problem is trying to keep them all out of one song. [laughs] It's a good problem to have.

"Right now we're having a hard time focusing on making a new record because there's so much else going on."

Trujillo also spoke about the upcoming second annual Orion Music + More festival, a music and lifestyle festival created by METALLICA and their friends at C3 Presents.

"The one thing about the Orion festival that's actually pretty cool is that it's also a lifestyles event," the bassist said. "We're connecting on different musical levels with various types of bands, but also with everyday passions. Last year we were at the beach, so we had surf, jet skis. We've got a skate zone — legends as well as newer pros — which is great for me. I grew up skating and surfing. I'm still wearing Vans tennis shoes to this day.

"James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] will have cars from film, television. That's his passion. He's legitimate. That's what he does — builds custom cars. Kirk [Hammett, guitar] will have his house of horrors.

"As far as Lars's situation … he really loves the art of filmmaking. He's on another level. I work on films myself. He's my number one guy, my critic — 'Hey, check this rough cut out.' He's very honest and sincere. He's incredibly intelligent. …

"Hopefully we can keep it going. Orion is a new thing, you know. It takes time. Putting your own festival together is not an easy task. It's modeled after the European festivals, with a variety of music, where you might have LOS LOBOS playing before METALLICA, and then a pop act after."

Read the entire interview from Detroit Free Press.

Williamsport, PA metallers MY HEART TO FEAR are set to release their debut full-length album, Algorithm, in stores and online July 9th via Solid State Records.

Algorithm builds off of the promise shown on the band's Lost Between Brilliance And Insanity EP, reinforcing to a wider audience what the band’s carefully cultivated fanbase had previously known - that My Heart To Fear's uncompromising metal attack couldn’t be kept a secret for long. With Algorithm, the cat is out of the bag for good thanks in no small part to the band’s commitment to honing their sound and their resolve to approach songwriting their own way and not cater to what an audience is presumed to want.

The 11-track album was recorded at Atrium Audio with Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland (AUGUST BURNS RED) and features notable guest appearances such as Ricky Armellino of THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE.

Tracklisting:

'Dust to Dust' (feat. Ricky Armellino of This Or The Apocalypse)
'414 Days'
'Angst'
'The Sneaking Chair'
'Algorithm'
'The Witching Hour Pt. II'
'Wish You Were Here'
'End Transmission'
'Bottomed Out' (feat. Josh Hines of Maitland)
'4th Dimension Opera House'
'Pack Up, We're Leaving'

“On Algorithm, the breakdowns are catchier, the vocals are better and are beyond appropriate for the music,” explains vocalist Trevor Pool. “No single part, instrument or effect is overused. There’s no filler. Everything is exactly where it needs to be. Nowhere was there something added just for the sake of adding something. Most importantly, we made the decision to write what we felt needed to be in the songs - nothing was written under the shadow of ‘what will please the most amount of ears.”
While My Heart To Fear remained focused on their own vision during the writing process, the band maintains a level of gratitude towards its fans that is rarely seen. That sincerity and honesty shines through in the band’s every move, and will continue to direct My Heart To Fear’s actions in the future.

“Fans don’t get enough credit from bands,” explains Pool. “They are the reason a band can succeed. Since we released the first EP, we have had a surplus of people that have shown their incredible love and support for us and we hope to give back that same love with this record.”

U.K. glam metal legends TIGERTAILZ have announced the return of Matt Blakout on drums.

Matt rejoins the 'TAILZ lineup after a three-year absence and teams up with Jules Millis (vocals), Rob Wylde (bass) and Jay Pepper (guitar).

The band is currently in Red Rock Studios in South Wales recording tunes for a new five-track EP titled "Knives".

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. The Shoe Collector
02. One Life
03. Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You
04. Spit It Out
05. Punched In The Gutz

TIGERTAILZ has already secured a record deal for the release of "Knives" EP. A further press release will be issued to announce that deal in the coming days, along with a release date.

Comments Pepper: "I'm absolutely delighted to see Matt back in TIGERTAILZ. Not only is he a great solid drummer and true professional, but a lovely guy too... Matt also brings stability to the 'TAILZ lineup which, after three years of grief, is more than welcome. It's really great to have him back and be working together again. And we're already well under way and motoring along in the studio working on new 'TAILZ tracks for the EP."

London, U.K.-based death metallers ACRANIA have inked a deal with Unique Leader Records. Spreading a message and staying one step ahead of their peers, they aim to keep a unique but unrelentingly heavy sound. The band has already toured with acts around the U.K. and rest of Europe, such as CEREBRAL BORE and WARPATH with upcoming shows with big acts such as THY ART IS MURDER, BLOOD RED THRONE and many more. They are set to bring a blistering mix of brutality, slams and blast beats.

Keep your eyes peeled and watch one of the quickest growing bands in the U.K. expand to international acknowledgement while staying true to their root sound and passion for music.

JON OLIVA'S PAIN and SAVATAGE mastermind Jon Oliva will release his first-ever solo album, "Raise The Curtain", on June 5 via AFM Records. The 11-song CD, which contains ideas collected over the course of the last four or five years, was tracked this past winter at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida with producer Tom Morris, with Jon handling laying down nearly all the instrument tracks and vocals himself as well as playing drums on three songs.

"Raise The Curtain" track listing:

01. Raise The Curtain
02. Soul Chaser
03. Ten Years
04. Father Time
05. I Know
06. Big Brother
07. Armageddon
08. Soldier
09. Stalker
10. The Witch
11. Can't Get Away
12. The Truth (bonus track)

Audio samples of six of the tracks are available for streaming at CDInzane.com.

It took a while: more than 30 years after founding the legendary SAVATAGE, Jon Oliva presents his first-ever solo album. Having released albums with SAVATAGE first and JON OLIVA'S PAIN later, this first Oliva solo album was about to become different: "Raise The Curtain" combines Jon's early music influences of '70s prog rock with the sound he cultivated with SAVATAGE and JON OLIVA'S PAIN. The result is a high-class, thrilling musical journey, something all lovers from rock to metal shouldn't miss.

The road to "Raise The Curtain":

Oliva: "After the passing of my dear friend Matt LaPorte, I felt very confused about the future of JON OLIVA'S PAIN. A week or so after Matt's service, I was speaking to my friend Dan Fasciano about what I wanted to do. He suggested that I come by his home where he has a full studio and we just hang out and record whatever I had that I wanted to demo. Unknown to me at the time, Dan also had tons of unfinished music that he wanted to do something with. It was very strange because he had tons of stuff and so did I. I don't remember how we actually started writing together but it just happened."

Working on new material:

Oliva: "Then it became almost like a competition. I would show up at his house at 9 a.m. and we just started combining what we both had and somehow it was magic. He would say on the phone I hope you got something because I do. We recorded over 60 songs in a very short period of time. I was amazed at the fact that his music and mine were very similar and easy to join together. I knew that this CD was going to be different and I wanted to play as much of it myself as I could. This was something I had to do for me and for Criss [late SAVATAGE guitarist and Jon's brother, Criss Oliva]."

Helping hands:

Oliva: "Dan and Chris Kinder's (JON OLIVA'S PAIN drummer) help was crucial to this CD coming out the way it did. The work of Tom and Jim Morris and Wayne Le'fleur was also crucial."

Last music of Criss Oliva:

Oliva: "The fact that this is the last of Criss's music (who died 20 years ago in a car accident), makes me sad but I'm also happy that I got all his music out to the fans because that's what he would have wanted. Everyone who pushed me to do this album: I thank you, your support is crucial to me. I so much loved recording this CD and I got to fulfill my deepest musical fantasy. At the same time I got the rest of the Criss's music out. It was a labor of love, I'm very proud of thank you all for listening."

"Raise The Curtain", which will be released on June 21 in Europe and July 2 in North America via AFM Records. The 11-song CD, which contains ideas collected over the course of the last four or five years, was tracked this past winter at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida with producer Tom Morris, with Jon handling laying down nearly all the instrument tracks and vocals himself as well as playing drums on three songs.

"Raise The Curtain" will be released simply under the banner OLIVA and you can expect a mixture of Jon's early influences and the material he wrote and recorded throughout his whole career.

"Raise The Curtain" will be made available as a CD digipak (first pressing) and two-LP vinyl (gatefold, limited to 800 copies worldwide).

"America", the new video from the Scranton, Pennsylvania-based metalcore sextet MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, can be seen below. The clip was directed by SLIPKNOT co-founder, conceptualist and percussionist Shawn M. Crahan (a.k.a. Clown). He wrote on his Facebook page: "I had a blast. We created something special. All the people involved were so great and a pleasure to work with. I live for those days."

Crahan is also the art director for SLIPKNOT and directed their DVDs, "Disasterpieces", "Voliminal: Inside The Nine", "Of The (sic)", and "(sic)nesses: Live at Download". He has been the creative vision behind the band since their inception.

In addition to producing his own work, Crahan has also worked as a producer for several bands, including GIZMACHI and DIRTFEDD, as well as serving as an executive producer to bands such as MUDVAYNE. Crahan has also remixed several songs for artists, including MARILYN MANSON, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE and SUICIDE SILENCE.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's sophomore album, "Infamous", was released on November 13, 2012 via Fearless Records.

"'Infamous' pays a lot more attention to real life, this time," explains MOTIONLESS IN WHITE lead singer Chris Motionless. "It's not about movie characters like a lot of [2010's] 'Creatures' was."

He continues, "I don't want to make music to just exist, I want to make music that makes a fucking difference. So this record is straight up, non-fiction and reflects how I feel about things being sung through not only my eyes, but those of fans and people in general.

"As much as I love not taking music entirely seriously all the time, I do feel at this point, we have an obligation to remain a band that's doing something positive and putting out the right kind of message."

"13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together, can be streamed in its entirety on the band's iTunes page. (Note: If the link leads you to another webpage, make sure to click "Open in iTunes" to hear the stream.) The CD is due out June 11 on Vertigo/Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"

Details of the album's deluxe edition surfaced on April 19, with the band revealing that the eight-song effort will be accompanied by three bonus tracks called "Methademic", "Peace Of Mind" and "Pariah".

Several versions of "13" are available for pre-order, including a standard CD, a double CD that includes a second disc of exclusive bonus audio, a heavyweight vinyl album in a gatefold sleeve and a "Super Deluxe Box Set" containing the double CD, the vinyl album, an exclusive DVD documentary on the band's reunion, 13 photographic prints and hand-written lyrics.

"13" track listing:

01. End Of The Beginning (8:05)
02. God Is Dead? (8:52)
03. Loner (4:59)
04. Zeitgeist (4:37)
05. Age Of Reason (7:01)
06. Live Forever (4:46)
07. Damaged Soul (7:51)
08. Dear Father (7:20)

Deluxe-edition bonus tracks:

09. Methademic (5:57)
10. Peace Of Mind (3:40)
11. Pariah (5:34)

Total running time (with bonus tracks): 68 minutes, 42 seconds

The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.

Osbourne went on the BBC in England to discuss the band's new single, "God Is Dead?" and the inspiration behind the track. Ozzy explained, "I was in somebody's office and there was a magazine on a table and it just said, 'God Is Dead', and I suddenly thought about 9/11 and all these terrorist things and religion and how many people have died in the name of religion. When you think about the tragedy that's happened throughout time, it just came in my head. You'd think by now that their God would have stopped people dying in the name of, so I just starting thinking that people must be thinking, 'Where is God? God is dead' and it just hit me."

Ozzy added that the question mark at the end of the title is his way of showing that he's not sure about the answer himself, saying, "At the end of the thing, there's still a bit of hope because there I sing that I don't believe that God is dead. It's just a question of when you see so many dreadful people killing each other with bombs, and blowing the tube trains up and the World Trade Center."

Ozzy told an Australian radio station that "13" is "mind-blowing," adding, "It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."

SABBATH kicked off its world tour in support of "13" on April 20 in Auckland.

"God Is Dead?" audio stream:

Another song from MEGADETH's forthcoming "Super Collider" album — "Forget To Remember" — is available for streaming using the widget below.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine tells New York Public Radio that the track draws on some experiences with memory and forgetting that have come very close to home.

"The song touches on the no. 6 cause of death in America, Alzheimer's Disease, which my mother-in-law has been diagnosed with," Mustaine said, "and our world is now upside-down. I did what I do best when I have something to say; I sing about it."

"Super Collider" is scheduled for a June 4 North American release via Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

"Super Collider" track listing:

01. Kingmaker
02. Super Collider
03. Burn!
04. Built For War
05. Off The Edge
06. Dance In The Rain
07. Beginning Of Sorrow
08. The Blackest Crow
09. Forget To Remember
10. Don't Turn Your Back…
11. Cold Sweat

The album will be available as a limited-edition CD with 3-D cover and bonus tracks, regular CD, regular LP, limited LP plus a bonus colored seven-inch single with two bonus tracks, and a download voucher.

The track "Super Collider", which was premiered on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio metal show on April 20, was released digitally on April 23 via iTunes.

"That song kind of came from that 'Symphony Of Destruction' corner of my mind," Mustaine told Guitar World magazine. "You can't always play aggressive, thrashy stuff. Sometimes those aren't even songs; they're like musical rams. But because I'm not a pop guy, I'm also not really comfortable playing sing-along songs. To me, 'Super Collider' made sense like a normal song — a verse-chorus-verse-chorus kind of thing. It's written the way a real songwriter would write the song, instead of just taking all these musical twists and turns."

"Super Collider" is MEGADETH's first release since the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.

MEGADETH filmed a video for the "Super Collider" title track on May 10 in the Los Angeles area. California-based model, actress, singer and songwriter Hunter Elizabeth was cast in the lead role in the clip, which she says is "about a high-school couple still loving each other after all the years after graduation, and at the 10-year reunion, both characters find themselves successful (a model and a mathematician) and still very in love."

"Forget To Remember" audio stream courtesy of New York Public Radio

Fan-filmed video footage of MORBID ANGEL's May 21 performance at Bar Opinião in Porto Alegre, Brazil can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, MORBID ANGEL bassist/vocalist David Vincent stated about the band's latest album, "Illud Divinium Insanus", "One thing about MORBID ANGEL is that there's never been any rules and it's an interesting perspective. We just kind of go in and do what we do, and sometimes it blossoms; every flower is a different color and a different smell. This album, it surprises people, a couple of tracks on there, and then there's a couple of other tracks that are as MORBID ANGEL as you can get. People are coming around. It was slow going at first — people were going, 'What are these guys doing here?' and night after night, I'm getting comments, people are like, 'I finally really listened to it and I really like it. It just took me a while.' That's no different than some of the other records we've done in the past, so everything is going as planned."

Asked if the lengthy break between albums was a benefit from a songwriting perspective, Vincent told Heavytothebone2 in a separate interview: "I think so. There's always pressure to hurry up and move on with the next thing. It's the world we live in these days. That goes right along with fast-food mentality, crappy sitcoms, and a lot of this other nonsense. There's people that like their music like they like their McDonald's food. I'm not one of those people. Taking the time to do what it is that I do is something that I cherish more than the quantity. Quality over the quantity, to me, always wins."

Vincent also spoke about whether he had to find the balance between the experimental side of MORBID ANGEL and pleasing the longtime fans during the writing process for "Illud Divinium Insanus". "I can say from my standpoint that I didn't think about it," he said. "The idea of necessarily being so calculated and what some kind or rule or some kind of expectation is, that's not really the 'mode de faire' of MORBID ANGEL. It never has been. When I hear something that sounds unique, or when I feel inspired about something, I just roll with it. I don't know [that] it's an experiment. It's something that came into fruition. An experiment is an attempt. We didn't attempt to do something; we did it. We included some atmosphere that we hadn't done in the past. Honestly, [the writing process for this CD was] not any different than anything else we've ever done. We made it a point to take a fresh approach with each record that we do. This is sort of another example of that in a growing list of records, to the letter 'I' now."

"Illud Divinum Insanus" sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 141. The effort marked MORBID ANGEL's first CD to feature Vincent since 1995's "Domination".

"Oracle", a brand new song from progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track comes off the band's new album, "The Migration", which will be released in North America on June 11 via Prosthetic Records. Recorded earlier this year at North Carolina's Basement Studios with producer Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, HE IS LEGEND, FOR TODAY), the CD will feature cover artwork by illustrator Duncan Storr (HAWKWIND, EDGE OF SANITY).

"The Migration" track listing:

01. Odyssey
02. Atlas Novus
03. The Olive Tree
04. Narrow Salient
05. Oracle
06. Evergreen
07. The Dark Horse
08. Willow
09. Sabrosa
10. The Traveler

"The Migration" marks the recording debut of new SCALE THE SUMMIT bassist Mark Michell. The album will be released just days after SCALE THE SUMMIT hits the road with INTRONAUT on a summer North American tour.

SCALE THE SUMMIT's 2011 effort, "The Collective", saw the band tour alongside the likes of PERIPHERY, CYNIC, FAIR TO MIDLAND, THE CONTORTIONIST, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, PROTEST THE HERO and TRIOSCAPES. Since that album's touring cycle ended late last year, the band has kept busy, with guitarist Chris Letchford launching his own signature series Strandberg guitar and bassist Mark Michell releasing an instructional book.

SCALE THE SUMMIT's third album, "The Collective", sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 39 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

The follow-up to 2009's "Carving Desert Canyons", "The Collective" was recorded at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (DEVILDRIVER, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER).

SCALE THE SUMMIT formed in 2005 while attending the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. The band relocated to Texas in 2006, where they recorded their first, self-released album. After signing with Prosthetic, they issued "Carving Desert Canyons", which Revolver called "a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion," in 2009.

David DiSanto, vocalist and guitarist for progressive thrash band VEKTOR, was reportedly arrested yesterday at the Scion Rock Fest in Memphis, Tennessee. According to MUNICIPAL WASTE, which also performed at the event, DiSanto "got locked up for throwing a beer on a Christian protester."

A couple of photos of DiSanto being led away in handcuffs can be seen below.

The other members of VEKTOR have since released the following statement regarding the matter:

"Alright alright alright. As many of you know, it was an intriguing evening in Memphis after the show itself (which did rule, thanks to you all, by the way).

"We'd like to clarify a bit, though. The blurb going around is sounding a bit misleading.

"1. 'Threw a beer' does not mean 'chucked a glass bottle,' or even a can/cup. (allegedly) beer was splashed out of a plastic cup, no violence.

"2. He's not locked away or anything, only a misdemeanor...

"We are getting a well-needed chuckle from all the FREE DAVE/FREE VEKTOR stuff, though.

"Even though you guys have put a somewhat positive spin on it, it was a stressful ordeal for everyone involved last night, and all before an early morning flight. He is safe and sound, though.

"We are still missing details, as none of the three of us actually saw what happened and haven't been able to communicate with him whatsoever since.

"Thanks for your amusing support.

"Nothing remotely like this has ever happened to him (or us), so we're kind of dizzy.

"Pretty absurd, but not the end of the world or anything.

"We probably shouldn't say much more yet, and we have yet to see if or how this will affect things. It is unfortunate, but what's done is done and hopefully the consequences are as mild as the (alleged) act."

Originally released on Heavy Artillery Records in 2011, VEKTOR's latest album, "Outer Isolation", is now available on CD again with new artwork, as well as on limited-edition colored vinyl for the first time.

Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) is featured on a new track from Brian May to promote the QUEEN guitarist's ongoing campaign against the U.K. government's decision to cull badgers in a bid to reduce tuberculosis in cattle.

"Badger Swagger", which will be available to download from tomorrow (June 4), will feature a host of guest collaborators — including MASSIVE ATTACK's Shara Nelson and Sir David Attenborough — under the banner ARTFUL BADGER & FRIENDS.

The track's creator, music producer Rob Cass, said in a statement: "To me, all nature is beautiful.

"This track is my humble contribution to stopping the needless slaughter of badgers.

"I met the 'Artful Badger' team on a demonstration to stop the cull a few months back and we decided the best way we could help was to do what we do best, make music. We reached out to Brian May, Slash, Shara Nelson, Sam and The Womp, Sonny Green and lastly the wonderful David Attenborough, all people who care about animal welfare to contribute and they all did so happily and bringing their fabulous talents to the table. I'm very proud indeed to be a small part of this incredible team."

Christofer Johnsson of Swedish progressive/experimental metallers THERION has released the following statement:

"Today the sad news reached me that Johanna Mårlöv passed away. Johanna was singing in the live choir for THERION during the 'Lemuria'/'Sirius B' era and travelled with the band and did shows in over 25 countries. She had been struggling bravely with her cancer for a number of years, but lost the battle in the end.

"My thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.

"She will be remembered as one of the happiest and most positive persons I've ever met and it was a privilege to have met and get to know her."

Added former THERION bassist Johan Niemann: "Sometimes, reality hits you like a ton of bricks, and you realize that things like money, fame, career doesn't mean shit. Today, the world lost a truly amazing human being, so gentle and never a negative word spoken about anyone. I'm lucky to have known her.

"Thank you for everything, Johanna Mårlöv. RIP."

British vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva — who has toured and/or recorded with CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS and ANGTORIA — wrote on her Facebook page: "Yesterday, I lost one of my dearest, most amazing friends to a horrible illness. We toured together, laughed together but didn't see each other that often, simply because we live in different countries. The last time I saw her was when she attended my wedding in 2011, she was recovering and doing ever so well and because she was recovering, I didn't speak to her for a while; I mean, life goes by so fast, doesn't it? At the beginning of this year, I found out she was ill again and no chance of recovery. I think she had time to prepare, but some of us maybe lived in denial.

"The reason I write this is because we do not last forever, at the blink of an eye, someone you truly love can be gone. I write this because sometimes, hitting a 'like' button on Facebook isn't a sign of friendship. Re-tweeting someone's news isn't effort. Actions DO speak louder than words and although we were in close contact the last few months, panic started to set in. I knew this was it and I didn't want to acknowledge it. I let her know most days how much I loved her and that I was grateful for the memories but I couldn't ever at any stage tell her how this was killing me inside. She was the most beautiful woman, who cared for all life, never hurt a fly, was always there and never had a bad word to say about anyone. She was strong, genuine, had drive and always had a smile and a cuddle for you.

"I write this not for sympathy, as your thoughts should be with her lovely man and twin boys and family, I write this because as I said, life is short.

"Tell people, the ones closest to you that you love them or care on a regular basis and SHOW IT!! If you have ever lost anyone you love, and this is my first time, you will know what I am feeling. As cliche as this is, the world lost an absolute angel yesterday.

"God natt, stora syster xxxx."

Pictured below: Johanna performing with THERION in her beautiful green dress.

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will release their tenth full-length album, "The Satanist", in the fall via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Metal Blade in North America. The CD is being recorded at Hertz studio in Bialystok, Poland with the help of the Wieslawscy brothers and Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD). Songtitles set to appear on the effort include "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel" — described by BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski as "killer" and "a monster"; "Messe Noir" (French for "The Black Mass"); and "Ora Pro Nobis, Lucifer" (Latin for "Pray For Us, Lucifer").

In a brand new interview with Revolver magazine, Darski described BEHEMOTH's new songs as "very atmospheric" and "very emotional." "Think BURZUM meets NEW ORDER meets KILLING JOKE," he added. But at the same time, fans shouldn't expect the album to sound too far removed from BEHEMOTH's past efforts. "Take SLAYER, for example," Darski said. "Whatever genre they deal with, they still end up sounding like SLAYER. Even when they were flirting with nu-metal, it was a SLAYER record. Same with BEHEMOTH."

According to Darski, at least some of the inspiration for the new BEHEMOTH album is coming from his five-month bout of leukemia he overcame in January 2011, after receiving a bone-marrow transplant. "When I was in the hospital, I was collecting experiences and emotions," he said. "I'm pretty sure that it's coming out now. There are moments I catch myself thinking about how my state was back then. It was me versus life, me versus death. It definitely changed my thoughts a lot. It's 100 percent being reflected in the record and songs I'm writing nowadays. I'm way more radical than I used to be."

Regarding the title of the new BEHEMOTH album, Darski said, "It took us over two decades to come up with a title that… says it all.

"While our new songs artistically take surprisingly adventurous directions, our message stands steadfast — proud and radical.

"'The Satanist' stands for undying yearning for liberation and love for freedom in all aspects of life.

"Considering all our life experiences that often took dramatic curves, I couldn't think of more appropriate and fitting statement of who and where we are now."

In an April 2012 interview with Metal Blast, Nergal offered more information about BEHEMOTH's mindset going into the new album. "We want to take our time and not rush ourselves in any way," he said. "It looks like it might be the most important album in our career. I want to make the most honest record and I won't be bending to anyone's rules or expectations, including [BEHEMOTH's record labels] Metal Blade or Nuclear Blast. Every next BEHEMOTH album is a surprise and is never the same. . . We don't want to stress ourselves because the music business and the direction it takes is not as I would like it to be. That means we will be going against the current again and just do as we will and please. Whatever we do is going to be BEHEMOTH, 100 percent. It is the state of our will and nobody can deny it. I can tell you that we aren't going to come out with a reggae or country album; it's going to be BEHEMOTH, it's going to be extreme. But don't be surprised if people listened to it and said, 'Fuck, they did it. It's so amazing.' [laughs] That's what I like to say when I listen to my own music. I love to surprise myself. I hate things that are predictable. I want to surprise myself and surprise other people, as well. . . Don't get me wrong, I am a huge AC/DC fan and I expect AC/DC to be AC/DC, but don't expect BEHEMOTH to put out another 'The Apostasy', 'Demigod' or 'Evangelion' album, because that will not happen."

BEHEMOTH's ninth full-length studio album, 2009's "Evangelion", sold 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 56 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Peter Hermansson , the formidable power pack behind the drums in bands like TALISMAN, ZOOM CLUB, JOHN NORUM and, of course, 220 VOLT, now proves he's not only a drummer, he's also a great singer and songwriter, which he shows in his rootsy, yet fresh, heavy rock solo debut, a five-track EP entitled "Black Cloud". Peter is handling lead vocals and drums on the effort while being backed up on guitar and bass by musicians such as Mats Karlsson (220 VOLT), Fredrik Åkesson (OPETH), Johan Niemann (THERION, MIND'S EYE, EVERGREY), René Sebastian, Michael Hujanen and Janne Stark (OVERDRIVE, GRAND DESIGN, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, CONSTANCIA).

Hermansson is foremost known for being the drummer in classic Swedish heavy rockers 220 VOLT, with whom he has recorded eight albums (so far). Peter also played with melodic rockers TALISMAN, featuring the late Marcel Jacob, together with whom he also played in the classic first lineup of JOHN NORUM band, on the album "Total Control". That lineup recorded such killer songs as "Let Me Love You", "Love Is Meant To Last Forever" and "Someone Else Here", the latter which Hermansson also co-wrote with John Norum. Peter also co-wrote the Norum song "Counting On Your Love" which features Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) on vocals.

Peter has been highly prolific both as a songwriter, singer and drummer, as well as producer, where he has also worked with artists like ANNIE FOR PRESIDENT, SUNAGLARE and TOMORROW'S DREAM. Besides playing drums in 220 VOLT, he is handling both drums and vocals in the power trio ZOOM CLUB, also featuring renowned Swedish guitarist/writer Janne Stark and bassist/guitarist Michael Hujanen.

"Black Cloud" can be downloaded from iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and is also available on Spotify.

Icelandic black metallers CARPE NOCTEM have inked a multi-album deal with Aural Music imprint Code666. Due late summer, the band's debut album, "In Terra Profugus", is a concept effort about an ethereal journey within and without the self, exploring concepts of life, death and the nature of evil. It is about overcoming and reaching understanding through strife and hardship, about self-flagellation of the soul. The album title calls upon Cain's journey into the wasteland of Nod, the self-made exile from God's creation. Imagery from nature and light references to Nordic myth permeate the text, which is both vivid and esoteric in description. The CD mixed and mastered by Paso (THE SECRET, EPHEL DUATH) at Studio73 in Italy.

The order of the songs count down at first, and then upwards, signifying the initial descent into the earth, into the dream or afterlife, and the subsequent transformation and resurrection.

"In Terra Profugus" track listing:

III. Odium Somniferum
II. Ars Moriendi
I. VITRIOL
II. Metamorphoses Maleficarum
III. Hostis Humani Generis

CARPE NOCTEM was formed in November 2005 but its current formation came to be in 2009. By this time, it had earned a reputation of intense performances on stage, while rising as one of Iceland's leading acts in black metal. The music shows various influences and expresses extreme opposites. It forms a raw, chaotic and apocalyptic soundscape combined with Icelandic lyrics, often referencing scripture, Nordic mythology, occult writings, apocalyptic prophecies and Icelandic black magic rituals.

CARPE NOCTEM previously released a demo ("Myrkraverk", 2008) and an EP ("Carpe Noctem", 2009).

Swedish melodic death metallers AMON AMARTH have released part two of their mini-documentary, "Forging Mjölnir". Filmed and directed by Luke Daley, the up-close-and-personal clip — which includes stunning black and white nature footage and Norse artwork — celebrates the imminent release of the band's ninth studio offering, "Deceiver Of The Gods". The latest fifteen-minute segment sees AMON AMARTH members recalling their earliest metal memories as well as the band's primitive beginnings.

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.

In a recent interview with France's LoudTV.net, Hegg stated about the recording process for "Deceiver Of The Gods": "It was pretty much six or seven weeks in January and February this year. So it went pretty quick. But when we went into the studio, we were very well prepared; we had all the songs written, we were well rehearsed. It went really quickly. We didn't have to change much. Everything was pretty much written. Every time you record something, there's always gonna be small changes, obviously, with songs, because when you rehearse it, maybe you don't hear that it didn't work perfectly, so you have to find another way. Or you come up with an idea of how something could be a little bit better. But all the songs were 99 percent ready, basically."

Asked if it was weird getting Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE) to produce "Deceiver Of The Gods", Hegg said: "I don't think so. I mean, if you know where Andy comes from — HELL and SABBAT. He kind of has the same musical background as us; we were listening to the same stuff. And for us, we realized that his style of producing would fit the band. So when we decided to go for a new producer, Andy was a pretty definite choice, because we liked the stuff that he's done recently with ACCEPT, for instance, and KREATOR, and we felt that he could contribute something to our sound, and I think he did; I think it was a good choice. It was good for us to work with [previous producer] Jens [Bogren], but you know, after three albums, it felt like we needed a new challenge, a new voice in the whole production. For us, it felt natural to go with Andy. Especially after meeting him the first time… We were actually on tour and we met him in Wales. We just sat down and had a couple of beers and talked, and I think we hit it off straight away; it really felt good. So I think it was a good choice to work with Andy; he's a great producer and I think he did a perfect job."

Regarding whether Sneap has made AMON AMARTH sound more dynamic on the new album, Hegg said: "I think so. I think that the whole recording process, and the sound, and everything, is more organic, it feels more 'live,' [there's] a better groove to it than with Jens. I mean, Jens is a great producer — he has a very, very good ear for music — but somehow his productions are a little bit too clinical sometimes; they're too bang-on. I mean, some people love that. I wanna have that little groovy… so you get that live feeling, and I think that's important for a band like us as well. So I think it was a good choice to work with Andy for this album. Especially, also, when you consider the material that we had. There is a bit more groove to it, there is more ups and downs in the tempo, and I think it's easier to get that across if you do, as I said, a more organic, more natural flow kind of recording. Like I said, great job from him, and I'm glad that we lived up to it as well. [laughs]"

On the topic of whether "Deceiver Of The Gods" is AMON AMARTH's most diverse album to date, Hegg said: "I think so, yeah. And I think that's going back to what I said before — that we decided to let our influences shine through a lot more than we used to in the past. I mean, our influences have always been there, but we always kind of tried to keep them on the low side, not too evident, but now we let them come up in the production much more, and I think that was a good choice because it definitely gave the album a wide range."

"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

The song "Shape Shifter" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

According to Alternative Press, former EIGHTEEN VISIONS and BLEEDING THROUGH bassist Mick Morris passed away in his sleep Sunday, June 2, from a pre-existing heart condition.

After EIGHTEEN VISIONS called it quits, Morris toured as a tech for HATEBREED, worked for Century Media Records and the Sumerian Records-owned SoundCheck Hollywood.

Morris started off playing guitar in vegan straight edge hardcore group CLEAR before joining EIGHTEEN VISIONS in 2000.

Morris, who had recently relocated to his hometown of Salt Lake City, was the father of a very young son, Jude.

According to BBC News, singer Ian Watkins of the Welsh rock band LOSTPROPHETS pleaded not guilty today (Monday, June 3) to a total of 24 charges, including two charges of raping a baby.

Watkins, 35, allegedly twice raped the child, who was under 12 months old at the time.

The rape charges were revealed when Watkins appeared at court via video link from prison.

A statement from the singer was read outside court. It said: "I want to thank my family, friends and all the fans for there continued support throughout this whole ordeal. Your support gives me strength.

"I deny all the allegations made against me and will continue to fight to the end to clear my name."

Watkins faces further charges of possessing, taking and making indecent photographs of children — the oldest of them dating back to March 2007.

Two women — one aged 20 and the other 24 — are facing a child-sex charge alongside Watkins.

Another hearing will be held on Thursday where a trial date will be discussed.

LOSTPROPHETS members Lee Gaze (guitar), Mike Lewis (guitar), Stuart Richardson (bass), Jamie Oliver (keyboards) and Luke Johnson (drums) released a statement on their official web site expressing their shock at the charges against Watkins.

LOSTPROPHETS has sold more than three million albums worldwide and topped the U.K. chart with 2006's "Liberation Transmission".

The band's most recent CD, "Weapons", came out in April 2012.

The first three studio albums from reactivated seminal technical metal pioneers ATHEIST — "Piece Of Time" (1989), "Unquestionable Presence" (1991) and "Elements" (1993) — will be re-released on vinyl in North America on June 11 via Season Of Mist. The new editions are remastered on colored vinyl and limted to 500 copies per title worldwide.

ATHEIST — Kelly Shaefer (vocals), Steve Flynn (drums), Tony Choy (bass), Christoper Martin (guitar), Jason Holloway (guitar) — is writing material for its new full-length album and follow-up to 2010's critically-acclaimed "Jupiter" CD.

"Jupiter" landed at position No. 88 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Jupiter" was released on November 9, 2010 (one day earlier internationally) via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at LedBelly studios in Atlanta, Georgia with engineer Matt Washburn and was mixed by Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER). The cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

"Bú-Tik", the seventh album from Taiwanese metal mavericks CHTHONIC, is available for streaming in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. The CD was recorded at Sweden's Sweetspot Studio by producer Rickard Bengtsson, who also worked on 2011's critically lauded "Takasago Army" full-length and finds the band sharpening their signature brand of self-dubbed symphonic "orient metal."

"Bú-Tik" will be released in North America via Spinefarm Records in the U.S. digitally on June 18 and on CD on June 25.

"Bú-Tik" track listing:

01. Arising Armament (intro)
02. Supreme Pain For The Tyrant
03. Sail Into The Sunset's Fire
04. Next Republic
05. Rage Of My Sword
06. Between Silence And Death
07. Resurrection Pyre
08. Set Fire To The Island
09. Defenders Of Bú-Tik Palace
10. Undying Rearmament (outro)

With "Bú-Tik", CHTHONIC continue their mission to build awareness of the myths of Taiwan and the tragic events in their country's history. Centered around the story of the 228 Massacre, the Bú-Tik Palace and the Mirror Of Retribution, "Bú-Tik" highlights what bassist Doris Yeh describes as "righteous violence, justifiable defense, and the armed spirits!"

The "Sail Into The Sunset's Fire" clip was once again directed by Lin Chun, creator of the band's epic "Defenders of Bú-Tik Palace" video, and was filmed in an outdoor swimming pool during a very unplanned, raging storm, creating the level of intensity both the director and band were hoping for.

"When a person encounters difficulties, he might feel as though he is going through a storm, so I chose to shoot with water," explains Chun. "No-one was prepared for the storm, but it brought a fabulous effect to the video!"

Adds Yeh: "It seemed such a coincidence when it started to pour. The cameraman was completely soaked and shivering, so I was thinking: 'Okay! Let's get this done quickly so he can get out of the water!'"

"Sail Into The Sunset's Fire" recounts the story of pirates in East Asia in the Age Of Exploration. During the Age of Exploration, many people waved goodbye to old China and sailed out in a quest for new life. They settled along the west coast of Taiwan, recruited militiamen, and built pirate fleets. Most of them eventually stayed on and called Taiwan their new home.

"We're not encouraging kidnapping or robbery," says Yeh, "but the challenge to conventional authority here is indeed inspiring. According to historical accounts, the pirates — who came from islands between Japan and Indonesia — had planned to overthrow the Ming Empire of China and the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, and some of them eventually settled along Taiwan's western coast…"

Legendary rockers KISS unveiled their brand new stage show this past Saturday (June 1) at the opening concert the European leg of their "Monster" world tour in Stockholm, Sweden.

A three-minute video tour of the new KISS stage set up — courtesy of Keith Leroux of KissOnline.com — can be seen below..

"It's really great," KISS frontman Paul Stanley told VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner about the new tour. "You know, for so many years, we've talked about a new stage show and basically what we've been doing has been an extension of the old stage show. So people would sometimes come and, obviously, the band does a great show and it's great to be there, but some people would say, 'Gee, it doesn't look that different.' This is a completely different stage, it follows a really great theme, the lights are like nothing you've ever seen before."

When pressed for more details, Paul said, "Um… I hate to give anything away but when you see first photos of this new tour, and we're headlining festivals all over Europe, I think people will be blown away by what we're doing onstage."

During a recent question-and-answer session with a group of fans, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons revealed that the new stage includes a 70-foot screen and a giant spider that shoots fireballs out of its tentacles.

"This spider is just beyond anything you've seen," he said. "It'll be able to be flat and come up and walk almost to the front of the stage. It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

He added: "We’re gonna levitate and go 30 rows into the audience. Oh — and play songs! It'll be the best tour yet, you'll see."

KISS recently completed an Australian tour with very special guests MÖTLEY CRÜE.

"Monster", the 20th studio album from KISS, sold 56,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart.