Austrian longest running death metallers DARKSIDE have decided to pre-release a song from their upcoming album in memoriam to the late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman. The song is audibly inspired by the musical output of the Californian thrash metal originators.

Vocalist Wolf states: “Back in 2000 we had the great honor to share the stage with Slayer, one of the main influential forces of Darkside´s career, I assume there never was a member of Darkside that wouldn´t count Jeff and Co. amongst his idols. We have recorded this track for our new album and everyone can hear that it was influenced by the four slaymen from California. Therefor we have decided to pre-release this track in honor to Jeff, even if for a sad reason, but simply to show our respect for Jeff´s musical heritage. The song is called ‘Hosts Of Depravity’ and is part of the conception album about the life of Madeleine de la Palud that we have recorded earlier this year. The song talks about part of the feelings and thoughts of the main character of the story. Me myself, I was lucky enough to meet Slayer and of course Jeff a few times on different occasions and this is why it is extremely important to me to present this tune in honor to Jeff and preserve the memory about his musical output as one of the driving forces behind my whole music experiences.”



Hear the song at this location.

‘Hosts Of Depravity’ was recorded partly in Czech Republic and in Italy, mixed and mastered in Italy, just as the whole album. There is also a contribution by a guest musician on this track,
Wolf about that: “When we entered Shaark Studio in February this year to record bass, guitars and vocals for Inferno, it was inevitable that some of our old friends would drop by to pay us a visit e.g. Bruno, former bass player of KRABATHOR, nowadays mainman at Hypnos. We are having a great friendship since almost 25 years, so it was more than obvious to ask him about some contribution to our album. Bruno has recorded some backing vocals for the title track of the new album and HYPNOS' live guitarist, Vlasa Urbanec, who shared the stage with us with his own band SIX DEGREES OF SEPERATION, ended up to record three solos for Inferno, one of them being the second part of the solo section for ‘Hosts Of Depravity’, while the first part of the solo was executed by Pylath, our guitarist. I think both solos came out really great and catches the atmosphere of the song perfectly."

Progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT have unveiled a guitar playthrough video for new song ‘Odyssey’, posted below. The track appears on the band's June 11th release, The Migration, alongside nine other stimulating soundscapes recorded earlier this year at North Carolina's Basement Studios with Jamie King (BTBAM, FOR TODAY, HE IS LEGEND). You can download Odyssey immediately when you purchase any Migration pre-order package from the Prosthetic webstore or by buying digitally from iTunes or Bandcamp.



The Migration tracklisting:
‘Odyssey’
‘Atlas Novus’
‘The Olive Tree’
‘Narrow Salient’
‘Oracle’
‘Evergreen’
‘The Dark Horse’
‘Willow’
‘Sabrosa’
‘The Traveler’

An audio trailer featuring snippets of all tracks can be heard below:

Scale The Summit tour dates:

May
31 - Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep

June
2 - Caldwell, ID - The Venue
3 - Richland, WA - Ray’s Golden Lion
4 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater #
5 - Seattle, WA - Highline*
6 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater*
7 - Calgary, AB - Calgary Metalfest*
8 - Edmonton, AB - Pawn Shop*
10 - Winnipeg, MB - Osborne Village Inn*
11 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
12 - Chicago, IL - Double Door*
13 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class*
14 - Rochester, NY - Bug Jar*
15 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus*
16 - Syracuse, NY - The Lost Horizon*
17 - Montreal, QC - Il Motore*
18 - Toronto, ON - Wreck Room*
19 - West Chester, PA - The Note*
20 - Boston, MA - Great Scott*
21 - Baltimore, MD - Metro*
22 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall*
23 - Nashville, TN - The End*
24 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn*
25 - Orlando, FL - The Social*
26 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum*
27 - Metairie, LA - Cypress*
28 - Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's*
29 - Austin, TX - Red 7*
30 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada*

July
1 - Lubbock, TX - Jake’s Sports Cafe**
2 - Santa Fe, NM - Warehouse 21**
3 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater**
5 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's**
6 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy**
7 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar (with Castle)
8 - Tempe, AZ - Yucca Tap Room

# with INTRONAUT
* with Intronaut and MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT
** with Intronaut and CASTLE

Poland's J.D. OVERDRIVE will release their sophomore studio album, Fortune Favors The Brave, on May 24th in Europe via Metal Mind Productions, and on July 2nd in North America, via MVD.

The mixing and mastering duties for the album was held by Piotr Gruenpeter, who's best known for providing electronics, noise and production quality for the post-black phenomenon THAW, as well as from bands SEARCHING FOR CALM and SUN FOR MIILES.

Wojtek ‘Susel’ Kaluza, the band’s vocalist comments: “First results are simply amazing and we can't wait to show you the final album. It's gonna be heavy, raw and crushing!”
Tracklisting:

'Bad Karma'
'Born To Destroy'
'Funeral Stopper'
'Beware The Boozehound'
'Call Of The South'
'Standing Tall'
'Shadow Of The Beast'
'The Revelation'
'Like Heroes To The Slaughter'
'Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst'

A new video, for the album track 'Funeral Stopper', is now available. Guitarist Michal "Stempel" Stemplowski comments: "The good old MTV doesn’t exists anymore so some people see no point in making a video clip. But not us. You can upload your music along with a video on the internet almost on the go so why shouldn’t we use that tool? We decided to shoot a video for the track ‘Funeral Stopper’, which is a killer track at our gigs. Apart from standard band shots, it will feature a short story of a guy led by us through the forest with a bag on his head and bound hands. The presence of shovels and a baseball bat on the set was not accidental! And, apparently, some people didn’t find it very funny… we realized this when some very serious-looking policemen from the crime department got on the set shouting ‘Drop it right now!’ Someone must have called the police! Luckily, no one was hurt and the policemen let us finish the recording of the video.”

Watch the new video below:
The band previously released a lyric video for the track 'Born To Destroy':
'Beware The Boozehound' can be heard below:

The new album will feature two guest appearances - a fantastic guitar solo is provided by Piotr "Dziki" Chancewicz from the Polish band MECH and Hammond parts by Piotr "Voltan" Sikora from LEASH EYE and EXLIBRIS.

You can watch a video from the recording studio below:
J.D. Overdrive lineup:

Wojtek "Susel” Kaluza – vocal
Michal "Stempel” Stemplowski – guitar
Lukasz "Joorek” Jurewicz – drums
Lukasz "Peo” Pomietlo – bass
More on J.D. Overdrive at this location.

Indian death metal band REPTILIAN DEATH, the side project of Demonstealer (DEMONIC RESURRECTION), will release their new album, The Dawn Of Consummation And Emergence, on May 19th in India via Universal Music India. Worldwide release dates for the album have yet to be announced.

"We're still in talks with labels and distribution partners, we feel this album deserves a proper release so we'll try and close these deals soon. If nothing works out fans can expect it to be self released around 25th June 2013, worldwide." said Sahil Makhija, owner of Demonstealer Records.

The artwork for The Dawn Of Consummation And Emergence was done by Michal ‘Xaay’ Loranc, who has previously worked with bands like BEHEMOTH, Demonic Resurrection, NILE, VADER, etc. The album features 12 tracks of pure old-school death metal. band is also now fronted by Vinay Venkatesh who also fronts one of India’s most popular metal band, BHAYANAK MAUT.
Tracklisting:

'PrimEvil'
'Inchoate'
'Stimulate. Hike. Impel. Tear'
'Soaked With The Imperfections Of Puerile Blood'
'Emerge, Hatred, Emerge'
'Distorted By Bondage, Blood & Bestiality'
'Unnervingly Perverted At The Altar'
'Patchwork And The Art Of Skinning'
'O'
'Now You Graze Upon Me'
'Marvelous Gods – The Apple Of My Eye'
'Emergence – The World, Your Playground'

A new lyric video, for the track 'O', is streaming below:
Said Devraj Sanyal, MD Universal Music group, South Asia, “Metal is a burgeoning scene in South Asia and often ignored. At UMG we believe that this scene must be supported fully and Reptilian Death's new album, The Dawn Of Consummation And Emergence, is a fierce statement to every metal fan. Brilliantly produced and madly brutal, Reptilian Death is UMG's foray into the metal publishing domain and this will lead the path for many indie bands to follow."
More on Reptilian Death at this location.

On July 5th, Metal Blade will release From The Vault…Tortured And Broken, a HERETIC boxset featuring two CDs and one DVD.

CD 1 includes Heretic's classic album Breaking Point featuring later METAL CHURCH singer Mike Howe on vocals. The album has been remastered for maximum audio quality and features four bonus tracks. CD 2 includes the band's first official recordings, the infamous Torture Knows No Boundary EP (aka Don't Turn Your Back) featuring the band's current vocalist Julian Mendez as well as nine bonus tracks. All being remastered as well! The bonus DVD features two live shows from 1985 and 1986 as well as a video clip.
From The Vault…Tortured And Broken tracklisting:

CD 1 Breaking Point (remastered) plus bonus tracks:
'Heretic'
'And Kingdoms Fall'
'The Circle'
'Enemy Within'
'Time Runs Short'
'Pale Shelter' (instrumental)
'Shifting Fire'
'Let 'Em Bleed'
'Evil For Evil'
'The Search'
'Impulse (bonus track from initial re-issue)
'Riding With The Angels' (live 1986 / vocals Mike Howe)
'Portrait Of Faith' (live 1986 / vocals Mike Howe)
'Let There Be Rock' (live 1986 / vocals Mike Howe)

CD 2 Torture Knows No Boundary (aka Don"t Turn Your Back – remastered) plus bonus tracks:
'Riding With the Angels'
'Blood Will Tell'
'Portrait of Faith'
'Whitechapel'
'Torture Knows No Boundary' (instrumental)
'Impulse' (bonus track from Metal Massacre VII)
'Blood Will Tell' (2012 version)
'Master Of The Game' (Live 1985 / previously unreleased)
'Evil For Evil' (Live 1985 / original version)
'Burn Away The Night' (Live 1985 / previously unreleased)
'Escape' (Live 1985 / previously unreleased)
'Too Much' (Live 1985 / previously unreleased)
'Heretic'(Live 1985 / different version)
'Born To Be Wild' (Live 1985)
Disc 3 - bonus-DVD at Country Club 12/26/85:
'Intro' (introduced by Lizzy Borden)
'Blood Will Tell'
'Master Of The Game' (previously unreleased)
'Evil For Evil' (original version)
'Burn Away The Night' (previously unreleased)
'Impulse'
'Escape' (previously unreleased)
'Too Much' (previously unreleased)
'Whitechapel'
'Heretic' (extended version)
'Born To Be Wild' (STEPPENWOLF cover)

At Jezebels 1986 (supporting MEGADETH):
'Heretic'
'Evil For Evil'
'Let Em Bleed'
'The Enemy Within'
'Riding With The Angels' (Russ Ballard/SAMSON cover)
'Time Runs Short'
'Portrait Of Faith'
'The Circle'
'Impulse'
'Let There be Rock (AC/DC cover)

bonus video clip:
'Let Em Bleed' (taken from Crash & Burn Video)

The booklet features liner notes by guitarist and founding member Brian Korban as well as lots of exclusive photos!

For more details visit Hereticusa.com.

Tel-Aviv, Israel-based thrash metallers HAMMERCULT are currently on a second tour in Europe. The band are presenting their modern thrash on a tour with SEPULTURA.
After the conclusion of the tour, on May 24th, all loyal fans will be treated with a limited edition in red vinyl of their debut, Anthems Of The Damned. The SPV distributed Sonic Attack Records release will come with a new cover artwork and will have three new songs.
Tracklisting:

Side A

'Above The Ruins'
'Let The Angels Burn'
'Riding Through Hell'
'Diabolic Overkill'
'We Are Hammercult'
'Black Horseman'
'Stealer Of Souls'
'Hell`s Unleashed'

Side B

'Devil Chainsaw Fuck'
'Hellbent'
'Into The Death Gate'
'The Damned'
'Santa Satan'
'Ironbound' (bonus track)
'Damnation Arise' (bonus track)
'Liar' (bonus track)

Remaining tour dates are as follows:
May
14 - Nürnberg, Germany - Rockfabrik (with Sepultura)
15 - Mühltal/Darmstadt, Germany - Steinbruch Theater (with Sepultura)
16 - Lindau, Germany - Club Vaudeville (with Sepultura)
17 - Aarau, Switzerland - Kiff (with Sepultura)
18 - Eichstätt, Germany - Open Air am Berg (with Sepultura)

August
14 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze Festival

More on Hammercult at this location.

Lyon, France-based melodic death metallers DESTINITY are parting ways with vocalist Mick.
The singer has issued the following statement: "It is with deep regret that I announce my departure from the band Destinity, founded in 1996. I am very proud of the road we travelled. This is a huge half of my life and is a very painful decision to make, but I am not pleased with certain actions that have occurred and disappointed me. I've always been a man of strong principles and I will carry this heritage throughout my life.

I’ll show the respect of not pointing out the reasons behind this event, although I'm sad to see this end because of foolishness, but I will respect the band until the end because I have always invested my soul, my blood, my life and my thoughts into it.

I wish them a long career even though many things now oppose us and I want to thank all the fans and friends of Destinity I met on the road across Europe, it will remain the unique experience of my life. Thank you to Adipocere Records that gave birth to our beginnings, to Lifeforce Records for letting us grow so far, thank you to former members of the band who are worth respect and memory... and especially all of you... THANK YOU for giving me this chance, THANK YOU all from the deepest of my heart...

Perhaps we shall soon meet again !"

Updates to follow. More on Destinity at this location.

Vocalist SARAH JEZEBEL DEVA (ANGTORIA, ex-CRADLE OF FILTH) has issued the following band update on a new Angtoria album... sort of:

"Currently demoing my vocals with Dan Abela for the first new song for the album between Chris Rehn and I. Angtoria was formed by Chris and I after touring together on the THERION tour, when he was playing EVERGREY back 2006. Despite any rumours, Chris wrote 95% of God Has A Plan For Us All, alone and unassisted and I wrote all vocal melodies and lyrics. Sadly, as most of you may be aware, we are having to change the name simply because the person who thought up the name is no longer part of our project, so, please stay tuned for more news on our second album, just with a new name please share this everywhere!"

The new edition of "Warriors Of The World" takes MANOWAR's album to the next level. Fully remastered and with a different bonus track, this brand new edition provides even higher sonic quality than ever before.

Mixed at legendary Galaxy Studios by world-renowned mixing engineer Ronald Prent, the 10th-anniversary edition was remastered at MANOWAR's own studios Hell And Haus Wahnfried by MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio personally, with MANOWAR's in-house audio engineer Dirk Kloiber.

"It was an amazing experience, revisiting this production," says DeMaio. "There are so many great memories associated with this album, from the recording to the post-production to the many unique live performances. All these experiences go into your work, when you sit in the studio and create a new experience for your fans."

The 10th-anniversary remastered edition of "Warriors Of The World" contains all 11 tracks from the original release, entirely remastered, plus a live recording of "House Of Death", recorded during the "Battle Hymns MMXI Tour" at O2 Academy in Birmingham, England; MANOWAR's triumphant return to England after 16 years.

The album features, among others, the iconic title track, "Warriors Of The World United", the battle cry "Call To Arms", and a series of further favorite hymns, including "Hand Of Doom" and the live favorite "House Of Death".

The 10th-anniversary remastered edition of "Warriors Of The World" is already available as digital album on iTunes worldwide.

"Warriors Of The World" 10th-anniversary remastered edition track listing:

01. Call To Arms
02. The Fight For Freedom
03. Nessun Dorma
04. Valhalla
05. Swords In The Wind
06. An American Trilogy
07. The March
08. Warriors O The World United
09. House Of Death
10. Fight Until We Die
11. House Of Death (recorded live at O2 Academy in Birmingham, UK, March 27, 2011)

"We Are The Fallen", a brand new song from DEATH DIVISION — the heavy, technically aggressive and melodic band founded by bassist Jerry Montano (HELLYEAH, DANZIG, NOTHINGFACE), drummer Tim Yeung (MORBID ANGEL, DIVINE HERESY, HATE ETERNAL, NILE), vocalist/guitarist Sean De La Tour and lead guitarist Rick Di Marco — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

DEATH DIVISION has been confirmed for this year's edition of Gigantour, the critically acclaimed package festival founded in 2005 by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are headliners MEGADETH, along with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, HELLYEAH, DEVICE and NEWSTED.

DEATH DIVISION is managed by Dave Mustaine's son, Justis Mustaine.

In a recent interview with the Colorado Springs, Colorado radio station 94.3 KILO, Mustaine stated about DEATH DIVISION: "One band that I did hear recently that I really liked was the opening band on Gigantour. It's an unknown band. The bass player from DANZIG and the drummer from MORBID ANGEL formed this band called DEATH DIVISION. And they're opening up Gigantour. My son manages them and if Tradecraft [Mustaine's label imprint] could sign anybody, I would sign them. They're that good. When I heard them, I said, 'Well, who's their label?' And Justis said they don't have a label. And I said, 'Really? Well, you know what? They can open Gigantour if they want to.' And they're on it. And the band's got one of the best guitar players I've heard in a very, very, very long time."

DEATH DIVISION has been working with Carin Cronacher of Hazmat Design (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER) on the group's official logo and artwork.

For more information, visit the DEATH DIVISION Facebook page.

A teaser for the song "Poison Apple" from DARK SARAH, the new project led by former AMBERIAN DAWN singer Heidi Parviainen, can be seen below. The track will appear on DARK SARAH's debut album, "Behind The Black Veil", to be released later in the year.

The story of Dark Sarah starts with a woman who has gone through some rough time and was actually left on the altar by her husband. She almost breaks down, but something wakes up inside of her and she becomes another person, her meaner half, Dark Sarah.

Dark Sarah says: "I used to look at the world with blue eyes, I used to love with an open heart but I was naïve; the world needed to show it to me. I got angry for my weakness and angry with the world. In the darkest swirls of my mind, I got stronger and meaner and started to change. I worked with my fear and I became Dark Sarah. I'm not bitter, I'm just bittersweet."

In an interview with Bloodart, Parviainen stated about DARK SARAH: "I had been planning my own project for years but never had really the time for it next to AMBERIAN DAWN. And in fall 2011, I started an active phase to make my project happen. After quitting AMBERIAN DAWN, I could concentrate on it only. At this point of my career, I felt I had to make one of my dreams come true in the form of DARK SARAH. But who knows what the future will bring?"

Regarding where the idea for the name of her new project came from, Heidi said: "The name for DARK SARAH came along the first lyrics I wrote for this project. The story is about a woman who has gone through some rough time and was actually left on the altar by her husband. She almost breaks down, but something wakes up inside of her and she becomes another person, her meaner half, Dark Sarah. So Dark Sarah became my project name and kind of my alter ego, too. I wanted to make the name sound like a supervillain or a cartoon figure like a Catwoman, Jekyl & Hyde, etc. since they all have their metamorphoses. There is also a meaning behind the name Sarah which is an really old name and means 'a princess,' and Dark Sarah a 'dark princess.' The eye of horus symbol in her eye when she transforms into hear meaner self means protection; she protects her good self by becoming bad."

On the topic of the "Save Me" lyrical concert and video, Heidi said: "The song 'Save Me' is an introduction song and it tells the story about transforming into Dark Sarah. There is a strong movie kind of feeling in it and really strong story telling. It is such a big song and I felt it needed a music video to support the story. The music video was made in Finland by Voionmaan Opisto and Routafilmi in October 2012 (really freezing!) and mostly in the forest."

Parviainen left AMBERIAN DAWN in November. Her final appearance with the band was at the Metal Female Voices Fest at the end of October in Belgium. She has since been replaced by Päivi "Capri" Virkkunen.

Parviainen sang on AMBERIAN DAWN's first four albums — "Circus Black" (2012), "End Of Eden" (2010), "The Clouds Of Northland Thunder" (2009) and "River Of Tuoni" (2008).

"Poison Apple" teaser:

TESLA guitarist Dave Rude delivers the goods with his latest hard rock offering, "The Key". Due on June 4 via Rat Pak Records, this 10-song, riff-laden extravaganza captures the true spirit and essence of American rock and roll music!

Produced by Marc Kapetan, "The Key" showcases both Dave's solid guitar playing skills and unique songwriting ability. Along with bassist Marco Guzman, drummer Josh Schmidt and Dave's signature guitar style, this release offers up a straight-forward mix of hard-rockin' cuts that will satisfy any and all fans of the genre.

"The Key" track listing:

01. The Key
02. Yours To Hold
03. Afterlife
04. On My Own Again (featuring Troy Luckketta)
05. Iron Grip
06. Own The Night
07. Forgive Her
08. One Night, One Day
09. Sledgehammer
10. Charlie Mansion

The song "Yours To Hold" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

TESLA's latest album, "Twisted Wires And The Acoustic Sessions", was released in July 2011 via Scarlet Records. The CD featured six songs that were recorded back in 2005 at bassist Brian Wheat's J Street Recorders studio — which also serve as the last recordings with original member Tommy Skeoch — and six newly recorded tracks, including acoustic remakes of songs from TESLA's entire catalog and two brand new songs, "Second Street" and "Better Off Without You".

Bassist Eric Avery (ex-JANE'S ADDICTION) has left the new touring lineup of Trent Reznor ‘s NINE INCH NAILS.

In a statement, Avery explains: "It's with very mixed emotions I tell you all that I'm pulling out of NINE INCH NAILS.

"I know. It's been a tough call and I don't know if it's the right one. But I really want to focus on my musical life here in Los Angeles, on film work in particular. As the tour dates kept growing… I just got overwhelmed.

"I just got home from a year of heavy travel with GARBAGE, [and] the idea of leaving town for another year and a half, and with all the intensity that NAILS demands… Fortunately, my friend Trent understands all this and appreciated my pulling the plug now instead of deep into 2013 and 14.

"Go get 'em, gentlemen."

Avery reunited with JANE'S ADDICTION for the band's third go-round in 2008, only with the bassist on board for the first time since the group originally split in 1992. However, Avery left in late 2009 and Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) stepped in to play a few gigs and work on the band's new album.

Frontiers Records will release James Christian's third solo album entitled "Lay It All on Me" on July 5 in Europe and July 9 in North America.

Best known as HOUSE OF LORDS singer, James Christian built for himself during the years a reputation as a fine songwriter and producer in his own right. His first solo album, "Rude Awakening", was originally released in 1994 and is, to this day, regarded as a musical delight for any lover of first-class melodic rock.

After the return of HOUSE OF LORDS in the early 00s, Christian released another classy album entitled "Meet The Man" in 2004, which featured the songwriting of several AOR luminaries such as Stan Bush, Judithe Randall (MARK FREE, FM) and his then-HOUSE OF LORDS bandmates Chuck Wright and Lanny Cordola.

Now — another nine years later — Christian steps back with a brand new solo release "Lay It All On Me", which he recorded and produced in his own studios in Florida during the second part of 2012 and early 2013. This long wait for has been worth every drop of sweat and tears spilled these past years since Christian superb vocals can really offer the listener a rewarding experience.

James Christian says: "I recorded this solo album during one of the toughest periods of my life. I really tried hard not to let it influence every song as it just did not seem like the right thing to do. I was stirred with many emotions about mortality, but I knew I could get through it. Some of the songs touch upon my fears and other songs touched upon hope and faith. I made sure to throw in a few tongue and check songs to lighten the load. I have a few favorites, such as the title track, 'Lay It All On Me', which were pretty much the words I used when I found out that I had cancer. But the song itself is not about the Big 'C,' but about trial and tribulations in life itself. I also love the two ballads, 'Believe In Me' and 'Let It Shine'. Both have a quality to them that will surely stand the test of time. Different from HOUSE OF LORDS but very much ME. Then there is 'A Day In The Sun' a bit more modern sounding… but what message. And my favorite of the rockers is 'Sacred Heart', written by James Christian, Jimi Bell and Jeff Kent. I loved working on this album!"

With songwriting contributions from Tommy Denander, Chris Pelcer, Jimi Bell and Jeff Kent, "Lay It All On Me" is a strong personal statement from James Christian: a mature artist, songwriter, producer and performer who meets his fans with another beautifully crafted melodic rock release.

"Lay It All On Me" track listing:

01. Lay It All On Me
02. Sacred Heart
03. Day In The Sun
04. Believe In Me
05. You're So Bad
06. Don't Come Near Me
07. Let It Shine
08. She's All The Rage
09. Sincerely Yours
10. Shot In The Dark
11. Welcome To Your Future

Check out audio samples below.

Musicians featured on "Lay It All on Me":

* James Christian: Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar
* Robin Beck: Background Vocals
* Jeff Kent: Keyboards
* BJ Zampa, David Sherman: Drums
* Jorge Salas, Jimi Bell, Shelby Stewart: Guitars

Video footage of BLACK STAR RIDERS members Ricky Warwick and Damon Johnson performing an acoustic version of their song "Bound For Glory" can be seen below.

BLACK STAR RIDERS — the new band formed by THIN LIZZY alumni Ricky Warwick (guitar, vocals), Damon Johnson (guitar), Scott Gorham (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass) with new addition Jimmy DeGrasso (ALICE COOPER, MEGADETH, DAVID LEE ROTH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) on drums — will release its debut album, "All Hell Breaks Loose", via Nuclear Blast Entertainment on the following dates:

* May 21 - Japan
* May 22 - Sweden
* May 24 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway
* May 27 - U.K., France, BeNeLux, Poland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Greece
* May 28 - U.S., Canada, Italy, South America

The "All Hell Breaks Loose" artwork features a painting by Gil Elvgren (March 15, 1914 - February 29, 1980), the legendary U.S. painter best known for his work on pin-up girls, advertising and illustration.

The artwork ties directly to the origins of the album title. Warwick explains: "I was watching a documentary about World War II bombers and saw the name painted on the side of one of the aircraft. The name just resonated with me and it seem to encapsulate the turmoil that we, as a society, are currently experiencing. The past few years have been such a wild ride and now with the release of the album, it sounded like a bad-ass album title that summed up what BLACK STAR RIDERS is all about."

About the single, Warwick states: "'Bound For Glory' — a song for the lost but never lonely, walking tall in the face of everyday adversary. Everyone has a story to tell. Revolution begins in the mirror!!!" Gorham adds: "When it came time to pick one of these songs as a single, we had a really hard time. There are so many really great tracks here and everyone had their favorites. But in the end, we all agreed that 'Bound For Glory' is the perfect choice and represents what BLACK STAR RIDERS is all about."

"All Hell Breaks Loose" was recorded and mixed by producer Kevin Shirley (LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH, RUSH) at his The Cave studios in Malibu, California. Mastering duties were handled by Bob Ludwig (JIMI HENDRIX, RUSH, KISS, LED ZEPPELIN) at Gateway Mastering Studios in Portland, Maine.

"All Hell Breaks Loose" track listing:

01. All Hell Breaks Loose
02. Bound For Glory
03. Kingdom Of The Lost
04. Bloodshot
05. Kissin’ The Ground
06. Hey Judas
07. Hoodoo Voodoo
08. Valley Of The Stones
09. Someday Salvation
10. Before The War
11. Blues Ain't So Bad

The album will be released as a standard CD and also as a special-edition digipak featuring a bonus track, "Right To Be Wrong", and a "making-of" DVD.

"Bound For Glory" acoustic performance:

"Raped In Hatred By Vines Of Thorn", a brand new song from Michigan's unstoppable sons of molten melodic death metal THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track comes off the band's sixth full-length album, "Everblack", which will be released on June 11 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Audiohammer Studios (lead guitars and vocals), Rustbelt Studios (drums), and Regal Fecal (guitar and bass). Mixing was handled by Jason Suecof and Ryan Williams, mastering was completed by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York. Frontman Trevor Strnad's horror-inspired lyrics persist on "Everblack", beginning with "In Hell Is Where She Waits For Me", a reference to the murder from which the band took for its moniker. The cover artwork was painted by renowned artist Nick Keller.

Strnad elaborates on the lyrical concepts: "The opening track is the first actual song we've done about the Black Dahlia. This one is for the fans… they've been asking for this to happen for a long time. The story takes place at the Elizabeth Short's rain drenched funeral, where her killer in attendance… just one of the many macabre tales woven into the fabric of 'Everblack'. Subterranean flesh-farming vampires, vine rape, Jeffery Dahmer, amputation… it's all here! With this sixth slab of sickness I tried my best to honor the band's legacy and write lyrics that will keep the legions of horror fiends perspiring with fear."

Available at MetalBlade.com/bdm are a variety of limited edition pre-order bundles. Fans can grab "Everblack" on a triple gatefold double LP with purple/white marbled vinyl, along with "crime scene bundles." An evidence pack, which includes toe tags, deceased band member photos, spent shotgun shells, and more can be viewed now. These bundles are extremely limited and expected to sell out quickly.

"Everblack" track listing:

01. In Hell Is Where She Waits For Me
02. Goat Of Departure
03. Into The Everblack
04. Raped In Hatred By Vines Of Thorn
05. Phantom Limb Masturbation
06. Control
07. Blood Mine
08. Every Rope a Noose
09. Their Beloved Absentee
10. Map Of Scars

The song "Into The Everblack" is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

In a recent interview with Kaaos TV, Strnad stated about "Everblack": "The writing was still taken care of Ryan [Knight] and Brian [Eschbach] — the guitar players. It was split pretty much 50/50 — pretty much like 'Ritual' [2011] was; half the songs by Ryan, half the songs by Brian. I think what Max [Lavelle, bass] brought to this record is a really, really crushing bass sound that's a little bit new for us, like a little bit more overdriven and distorted and it's really energetic and heavy as fuck. And Max killed it in the studio; he did great. [New drummer] Alan [Cassidy] also did great. He didn't really have as much time to study the songs, because he came into the band so quickly, you know what I mean?! We needed him to come on tour with us to take Shannon's [Lucas] place, and things worked out so great with him that we asked him to stay. But he had to learn the songs for the album really fast. He was at home in Wyoming playing drums for 10 hours a day, he said, getting prepared for the album. He brought a lot to the drums; he's a got a really awesome style, I think his fills are bit more busy than Shannon's. I think that there's gonna be some stuff that makes him really stand out and will get people excited about him. 'Cause I know right now people are, like, 'Wow, they suffered a huge loss, losing Shannon.' Shannon is a great drummer, definitely, but he's gonna like what Alan has done on this record, too; it's really impressive stuff and I definitely feel like we found the right guy for the band. So his playing is exciting and people are gonna take notice, for sure, as soon as that record drops. And I'm excited to get it out for that reason, you know — to kind of say to everyone, 'We're back.' [laughs]"

Regarding whether drummer Alan Cassidy is now a full-fledged member of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, Strnad said: "It's very, very recently we asked him to join [the band as a member] — even after the album [was completed]. But he's a great dude, great positive energy. He's young, man — 23 years old — and he's a monster at the kit. So it's a good relationship, it's been a lot of fun, he's very positive and a really hard worker, and we've never had to ask him to do anything twice. He couldn't have played on the album, he couldn't have come on the tour if he wouldn't have been a psychopath workhose, but he really was — he really worked really hard and exceeded our expectations and now he's here with us and we're definitely proud to have him."

On the topic of how "Everblack" compares to "Ritual", Strnad said: "I think that it kind of took what we learned with 'Ritual' and pushed it even further, I think. The biggest change for me, writing 'Ritual', was having more surprises in the songs and more dynamics — buildups, some quiet parts, samples, different kinds of instruments incorporated into the album. That has all carried over to this new one. And better solos, more solos, more time to solo. Ryan's guitar work on this album is mindblowing. He shocks us, pretty much, every time we come back to do an album with what he's learned and he really sets the bar high for himself. So there's definitely some fretboard fireworks on this one. I don't know, man. People that liked 'Ritual', I think they're gonna love the new one; it's just us taking it further — darker music, more melody…. The melody that was really prevalent in 'Ritual' is there. But there's also some heavy stuff, too — some slow, MORBID ANGEL-esque kind of slimy stuff. So I think people are gonna be really happy with it… [It's[ a good mixture of all things DAHLIA. We [wanted to] keep it kind of raw with the mix — not too polished. Keep things sounding 'real' — like 'Ritual' was; I think that was a good move."

Faroe Islands-based metallers TÝR are recording their new album at Hansen studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, ABORTED, MERCENARY). For drum tracking on the CD, TÝR has enlisted the services of George Kollias, one of metal's most accomplished drummers, primarily known for his work in NILE, as well as NIGHTFALL.

A video clip featuring drum-tracking highlights, as well as a short message from Kollias, can be seen below.

Kollias comments on the experience: "Hey, TÝR fans, this is George Kollias and I hope you are ALL ready for a crushing new album from TÝR!!! I had the pleasure to record the drums on the new album. We had an absolutely great time in the studio and I gotta tell you, the material is super strong and catchy, I'm 100% sure you will all love this new album!! Big thanks to Heri, Terji and Gunnar for the opportunity and to Jacob Hansen for his incredible work with the recordings!"

TÝR comments: "It was a pleasure to have George in studio. He's an amazing drummer and he certainly made an impact on this album. We're very excited to release this album."

A recent announcement on the TÝR Facebook page has confirmed that the band has parted ways with drummer Kári Streymoy. The group stated aboutn the amicable split: "Kári suffered a back injury in 2008, and since then he has had some issues with his drumming. That is the main reason that the co-operation has been problematic for some time now, and we finally decided to part ways. We want to thank Kári for his time in the band. It's been great to have you with us, we wish you the best of luck in the future and we hope you recover fully some day."

TÝR's seventh full-length effort will include the song "The Lay Of Our Love", which is a duet between TÝR vocalist Heri Joensen and Liv Kristine from LEAVES' EYES. Kristine stated about the experience: "Heri already joined LEAVES' EYES at our headliner show in Wacken Open Air 2012. This was an absolute highlight during our live performance. Moreover, I really like his voice and I am grateful for the invitation. A superb track, with inspiring melodies and lyrics, proving the authenticity of TÝR."

Former AFTER FOREVER frontwoman and current NIGHTWISH touring singer Floor Jansen has recruited bassist Henk Vonk for her REVAMP project. He replaces Jaap Melman, who left REVAMP before the group entered the studio to begin recording its second album. The CD was eventually completed with the help of STREAM OF PASSION bassist Johan van Stratum, who filled in on short notice and "did an amazing job to record and edit the bass parts," according to a press release.

States REVAMP: "Henk Vonk will be joining us on stage from now on to seriously rock your asses! He's a great guy and an amazing bass player. Please welcome him warmly!"

Adds Henk: "I'm stoked to have been asked to join the REVAMP ranks. I've known Jord and Ruben for years and have played with other ReVampers before in other projects. This is a great honor and I look forward to see each and everyone of you on tour!"

REVAMP's new album was recorded at SandLane Studio in Rijen, The Netherlands with Joost van den Broek (ex-AFTER FOREVER) and will feature guest choir parts by Marcela Bovio (STREAM OF PASSION) and Daniël de Jongh (TEXTURES). It will be released via Nuclear Blast Records on the following dates:

September 9: UK
September 6: Rest Of Europe
September 12: Japan
September 17: USA

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

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

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

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

Video footage of REVAMP performing a brand new song, entitled "Sins", in January 2012 at Metropool in Hengelo, The Netherlands can be seen below.

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

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

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

"Sins" (new song) performance footage:

"Halo Of Blood", the title track of the eighth album from Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM, can be streamed at Pitchfork. The CD will be released on June 11 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover art was created by Sami Saramäki, who was responsible for the artwork on previous CHILDREN OF BODOM albums "Follow The Reaper", "Are You Dead Yet?" and "Hate Crew Deathroll".

Pre-order the CD (including the bonus track and digital booklet) now and get the single "Transference" instantly.

Comments CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho: "'Transference' is a straight-up CHILDREN OF BODOM to-the-core-type song and therefore was a good pick for a video and obviously is one of our favorite tracks. It always had an evil vibe to it, which I wish I knew how to explain because it still gives me chills… Enjoy!"

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new CD was recorded at Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki. For the recording of the LP, CHILDREN OF BODOM has teamed up with recording engineer Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their fan-favorite albums "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll", as well as Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, AMON AMARTH), who oversaw production of both vocals and keyboards on the record. The album was mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.

Commented Laiho: "'Halo Of Blood' is the eighth studio album from CHILDREN OF BODOM, and believe it or not, but we still managed to keep it fresh and new while still maintaining the elements that make COB sound recognizable. It's got the fastest and the slowest song we ever made and lyrics wise there are themes we had never had before. It's 10 new songs of pure Nordic metal and whether you enjoy it with a beer or a glass of water, I'm sure you will have a good time."

"Halo Of Blood" track listing:

01. Waste Of Skin
02. Halo Of Blood
03. Scream For Silence
04. Transference
05. Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming)
06. The Days Are Numbered
07. Dead Man's Hand On You
08. Damage Beyond Repair
09. All Twisted
10. One Bottle And A Knee Deep

"All That's Left Is Blood", the new single from CHIMAIRA, is available gfor streaming in the YouTube clip below. The song comes off the band's new album, "Crown Of Phantoms", which will be made available on July 30 via eOne Music.

Commented singer Mark Hunter: "'All That's Left is Blood' is an exercise in musical evisceration. One almost feels guilty for screaming along to such audio violence. Here, [Emil] Werstler's soloing lays a daring fluidity over the riot-inciting main riff. It's immediately recognizable as being another classic CHIMAIRA track, trademarked territory yet radical with growth."

CHIMAIRA has announced a massive crowdfunding campaign surrounding the release of "Crown Of Phantoms".

The band is seeking support for a special fan-edition CD/DVD. This edition and its perks will only be available to campaign supporters and will not be sold anywhere else. Specifically, supporters will be contributing to the following:

* Two narrative music videos
* A behind-the-scenes making-of documentary, "Crown Of Phantoms"
* Seven additional tracks exclusive to the fan edition
* Various behind-the-scenes videos
* Expanded version of "Dr. Z" with fan-determined ending
* Full-length album commentary that features dialog from all the band members as they listen to the record start to finish
* Graphic art storyboards created specifically for the music videos included in the fan-edition booklet
* Original artwork and packaging exclusive to the fan edition

To further conceptualize their plan, the band has released a video explaining, with some satire, the details of their campaign along with a sneak peek of a brand new track called "Kings Of The Shadow World" and a visual display of the many creative perks they're offering to contributors.

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

Apathia Records has announced the signing of France-based groove/thrash metal act HEART ATTACK, for the release of their debut album, Stop Pretending. Stop Pretending will be released on June 17th, 2013, via Apathia Records.
Stop Pretending tracklisting:

'Stop Pretending'
'Face The Music'
'Sweet Hunting' (feat. Shawter of Dagoba)
'Lazarus'
'Raging Load'
'Down The Way'
'1902'
'Wasted Generation'
'Thrash Your Neighbour'
'Blackbox'

Samples of 'Sweet Hunting', 'Stop Pretending', and 'Down The Way' can be heard below:
Heart Attack is:

Flora Capello - Bass
Christophe Cesari - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Kevin Geyer - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals
Christophe Icard - Drums
More on Heart Attack at this location.

Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH introduced the first single from their upcoming album, called "Lift Me Up", via a live appearance at the Revolver Golden Gods on May 2 in Los Angeles. The performance featured a special surprise guest — Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST — who also appears on the studio version of the track.

The studio version of the song premiered on Monday (May 13) on U.S. radio stations and the official lyric video for the track can now be seen below.

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 arrive on July 23, with the second half, "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2", to surface sometime later this fall.

Comments FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer Ivan Moody: "First and foremost, just to work alongside an icon like Rob Halford, THE Metal God, was absolutely surreal.

"The song itself was originally written about overcoming everyday obstacles and less-than-perfect situations.

"Most of us weren't born with a silver spoon in our mouth, but if life dealt you all the wrong cards, you still have to play.

"The song's intent is to inspire; if you play that hand right, you might just come out on top anyway."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory said, "We came off the road after a couple of great years of touring and were really amped up to write the fourth record . . . (we) found ourselves 12-13 songs deep fairly quick but were still coming up with better and better material so we looked at each other and said, 'OK, why stop there? Let's keep going.' Once we passed the 24th song, we knew we're going to have to do a double album."

Bathory added, "We had this massive amount of music that's very dear to us, possibly the best material this band has ever created. At that point there was no way to decide which songs to leave off the album. So we made the decision to release them all."

The guitarist told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that everyone in FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is capable of coming up with music. "You know, it's important to write songs," he said. "There was a time when people couldn't be in a band if they couldn't write songs or they couldn't play their instruments. In this band, that's how this band was kind of assembled, like everybody's a top shelf musician. Everybody can really kick ass, and we have a singer who can sing. And then we write songs."

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:

Vocalist/guitarist Lzzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger of Pennsylvanian rockers HALESTORM performed an acoustic version of the track "Love Bites (So Do I)" , from the band's 2012 album "The Strange Case Of…", for PitCam.TV. Check out the footage below.

HALESTORM has released a new version of the song "Here's To Us", featuring an all-star lineup of guest performers. Joining the band on this edition of the song are guitarist Slash, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith, ALTER BRIDGE vocalist Myles Kennedy, Tyler Connolly from THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DEVICE/DISTURBED singer David Draiman and IN THIS MOMENT's Maria Brink. HALESTORM is also offering fans a chance to record their own shout-outs for the song, and the band intends to take some of the best ones and work them into a new "fan edit" of the track.

The original version of "Here's To Us" is featured on HALESTORM's 2012 album "The Strange Case Of…"

The song was previously covered on a February 2012 episode of the hit television show "Glee". Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio at the time why the band let it happen. "It's pretty much the strangest thing we've done so far as a band and also, I think, the most exciting," she said. "There's a little bit of controversy because, obviously, 'Glee' is very pop culture, it's very kind of Broadway, and personally I think it's really good for us, only because here's an outlet for us that it's gonna expose us to so many people that would not normally be seeking us out."

HALESTORM is currently on the HardDrive Live tour with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and YOUNG GUNS. The trek will wrap up on May 22 in Milwaukee.

"Keep Your Eyes Peeled", a brand new song from QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new album, "...Like Clockwork", which is due out June 4 on Matador Records.

"...Like Clockwork" track listing:

01. Keep Your Eyes Peeled
02. I Sat By The Ocean
03. The Vampyre Of Time And Memory
04. If I Had A Tail
05. My God Is The Sun
06. Kalopsia
07. Fairweather Friends
08. Smooth Sailing
09. I Appear Missing
10. …Like Clockwork

Described by QUEENS principal Joshua Homme as "an audio documentary of a manic year," "...Like Clockwork" is the band¹s first full-length collection of all new material since 2007's "Era Vulgaris", as well as its debut release on new label partner Matador. The record can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl. iTunes pre-orders will immediately receive "My God Is The Sun", which has been generating some early heat.

"…Like Clockwork" features guest appearances from Trent Reznor, Dave Grohl and other luminaries, including the legendary Elton John. The Pulse Of Radio asked QUEENS frontman Josh Homme how he snagged the iconic singer/songwriter to play on the record. "It actually stemmed from an old roommate of mine, who drives really high-end folks around now, and Elton was in the car listening to THEM CROOKED VULTURES, I guess," he said. "And his assistant was saying, 'Oh, you've got to hear QUEENS, the other band of this guy,' you know. And because my old roommate was driving the car, it was like, 'Do you want to talk to him?' And I just got a phone call at my house on a Sunday. You know, he said, 'The only thing missing from your band is an actual queen,' and I said, 'Honey, you have no idea.'"

The track that Elton plays on is called "Fairweather Friends".

Although it was initially reported that Dave Grohl played all the drum tracks on the new CD, Grohl only appears on selected songs. The rest of the drums are handled by Joey Castillo and Jon Theodore.

Other guests on the record include SCISSOR SISTERS singer Jake Shears, ARCTIC MONKEYS frontman Alex Turner and one-time QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE members Mark Lanegan and Nick Oliveri.

Aalborg, Denmark-based old school death/doom metal act THE VEIN are soon to release their debut, Scouring The Wreckage Of Time, via Shadow Kingdom Records.

In between creating epic doom metal albums, the two ALTAR OF OBLIVION members involved gave birth to this devil child. The Vein is a death/doom metal twist to what Altar Oblivion has done on albums like last year's Grand Gesture Of Defiance; their approach is very epic in nature, but The Vein offers something much darker and heavier. Musically, the style is a classic one; recalling the late 80s early 90's death and black metal. The Vein starts off with a very unique release, a double EP.

Scouring The Wreckage Of Time will be out worldwide this summer and is now available for pre-order at this location.
Tracklisting:

Chapter I: The Poisoned Chalice
'Pale Dawn Rising'
'Seeds Of Blasphemy'
'Acedia'
'The Poisoned Chalice'

Chapter II: Born Into Grey Domains
'The Great Deception'
'Carving A Labyrinth Of Despair'

Stream the tracks 'The Great Deception' and 'The Poisoned Chalice' below:

Scouring the Wreckage of Time by The Vein

More on The Vein at this location.

Rock act FILTER will release its sixth studio album, "The Sun Comes Out Tonight", on June 4 via Wind-Up Records. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles at Blue Room studios with producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ATREYU, SALIVA). The follow-up to 2010's "The Trouble With Angels" was written and recorded by leader Richard Patrick and guitarist Jonny Radtke, as well as collaborator Marlette. There are also performances from touring members Jeff Friedl and Elias Mallin (drums) and Phil Buckman (bass).

The song "Surprise" can now be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

"The Sun Comes Out Tonight" track listing:

01. We Hate It When You Get What You Want
02. What Do You Say
03. Surprise
04. Watch The Sun Come Out Tonight
05. It's Got To Be Right Now
06. This Finger's For You
07. Self Inflicted
08. First You Break It
09. Burn It
10. Take That Knife Out Of My Back
11. It's My Time
12. It's Just You

In a 2012 interview with "All Knowing Force", Patrick said about the songwriting process for the new CD, "One of the main things we set out to do, we said let's make a song with all the elements of 'Hey Man Nice Shot', and we sat there and it wrote itself." He added, "We didn't want to write the same bass line or guitar progression, but it had to be an amazing riff; let's start with that. The riff was so good, it's a two-bar pattern, and we throw guitar over it with drums and I scream and the bass line never changes, it's a nonstop bass line that never ever changes."

Regarding the inspiration for the new material, Patrick said, "We were talking about some of the things that are going on in my life; there's been a lot of betrayal from people surrounding me. So we were thinking 'Hey Man Nice Shot', that's something that describes a desperate man's actions and trying to make sense of it, almost like a joke. So we started talking about betrayal and we played around with the words 'Take That Knife Out of My Back' and all of a sudden this song just wrote itself."

On the topic of the overall direction of the new CD, Patrick said, "We have this beautiful record that starts off heavy and mean and then it goes back to the more moody, almost joyful parts of life. For me, the record that we always try to model is the 'Title Of Record' era — that sets the standard in how heavy and how light we can go. We just aspire to make the songs as good and I think the songwriting is superior, we just have to make sure the performances are as desperate and powerful as those crazy takes I did when I was kid."