On May 21, Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records will release "Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, on both 12-inch vinyl LP and analog cassette formats. The limited-edition 12-inch vinyl LP packaging will contain a special color poster insert and will retail for $18.98. The cassette will feature the same track listing as the vinyl LP version and will carry a $9.98 list price.

The track listing for both formats will be as follows:

Side A:

01. Cold
02. Dare
03. Give It To You
04. Slave
05. In The Hands Of God

Side B:

01. Running Backwards
02. Life Without You
03. Everything
04. Fallen
05. The Weight Of The World

"Frequency Unknown" sold around 5,500 copies in its first week of release in the United States to land at position No. 82 on The Billboard 200 chart.

QUEENSRŸCHE's previous studio CD, "Dedicated To Chaos", opened with around 8,000 units back in July 2011 to enter the chart at No. 70. The band's 2009 effort, the epic concept album "American Soldier", premiered with 21,000 copies to debut at No. 25. This was roughly half the first-week tally registered by QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime II" album, which shifted 44,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in April 2006 to land at No. 14 on The Billboard 200 chart.

QUEENSRŸCHE's 2003 effort, "Tribe", sold 20,000 copies in the first week while 1999's "Q2K", opened with sales of 28,000.

QUEENSRŸCHE's top-selling album by far is 1990's "Empire", which was certified triple-platinum in October 1994 for sales in excess of three million copies in the United States. The original "Operation: Mindcrime" release (1988) attained platinum status in August 1991, while 1994's "Promised Land" reached the same plateau in December 1994.

As previously reported, Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records is making available the "new and improved" mixes of "Frequency Unknown" to any customers who have purchased the original mix version and are dissatisfied with the audio. Simply e-mail the label a scan of your actual receipt for the physical CD to Queensryche@cleorecs.com and they will happily send you a replacement disc — at no charge whatsoever. No questions asked!

"Frequency Unknown" was released on April 23. The CD was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California. The first single from the effort, "Cold", can be streamed below. The track, which was mixed by Anthony Focx (NEWSTED, AEROSMITH, NIGHT RANGER, TED NUGENT), was also released as a special limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single with a newly recorded version of the QUEENSRŸCHE classic "Silent Lucidity" — mixed by Jürgen Engler (DORO, DIE KRUPPS) — on the B-side.

Asked about the decision to remix "Frequency Unknown" shortly before the album's release, Tate told "The Continental Breakfast With James & Raina": "We were a little rushed on the mixing end of it, so after listening to it back, we're having some of the songs remixed now before the album comes out. But that's typical with records — you have to have them in on time. So sometimes you compromise in areas. Luckily, with this situation, we get to go back and correct some areas in the sound where we thought it was kind of lacking. So that's fine. I've done that on… gosh… probably three quarters of the records I've ever made. It's no new thing, but it's a luxury when you get to fix it."

"Frequency Unknown" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity". Guest musicians on the CD include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST), Chris Poland (MEGADETH), Ty Tabor (KING'S X), Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS), Lita Ford, Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER), Dave Meniketti (Y&T) and Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN).

Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band now features Tate along with bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT), guitarist Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE 1998-2001), keyboardist Randy Gane and new additions, guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, HURRICANE) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET).

The Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE will release its new album, simply titled "Queensrÿche", on June 25 via Century Media Records.

"Queensrÿche" marks the debut release from the lineup comprised of La Torre (vocals; ex-CRIMSON GLORY), Michael Wilton (guitar), Parker Lundgren (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums).

The new animated lyric video for "Wrong Turn", the belligerent fourteenth track from Swiss grind faction MUMAKIL's upcoming third LP, "Flies Will Starve", can be seen below. The interactive, animated visual depiction of the track brings the urban carnage of the album's cover art by Remy Cuveillier of Headsplit Design to life while the band proceeds to rip the powers that be a new one with their inarguably enraged lyrics and grindcore turmoil.

Since 2004, the destructive MUMAKIL has infiltrated the grind circuit with a blasting whirlwind approach, through an arsenal of demos and D.I.Y. releases, splits with the likes of BLOCKHEADS, THIRD DEGREE and MISERY INDEX, and two previous LPs, the latter of which, "Behold The Failure", was also released via Relapse in 2009 following their split seven-inch single with INHUME on the label's cult Slimewave seven-inch series in 2007. Touring across Europe, Cuba and beyond has also helped fuel the fires in the engines of this death machine, also taking them to festivals including several installments of Obscene Extreme and more.

Recorded by the bandmembers themselves at Terrier 5 Studio in Geneva, MUMAKIL's first album in four years, "Flies Will Starve" will devastate listeners with twenty-four tracks of precision grindcore teetering on the edge of insanity in the vein of BIRDFLESH, MISERY INDEX, ANTIGAMA and KILL THE CLIENT. The oppressive percussion only lets up to build-up to the next blinding blast, the strings jackhammering forth the band's most death-influenced riffing yet and of course the razorchoked vocal bloodbath is nothing short of nauseatingly awesome.

Relapse will dispense "Flies Will Starve" on CD, LP and digitally on June 25 in North America, preceded by its release June 21 in Germany/Benelux/Finland and June 24 in the U.K. and abroad, in conjunction with new bursts of touring across Europe, Canada and beyond over the coming months.

"Flies Will Starve" track listing:

01. Death From Below
02. Dawn Of Slugs
03. War Therapist
04. Fucktards Parade
05. Built Of Lies
06. Shit Reminders
07. Designed To Fail
08. Get Exorcised
09. Fresh Meat For The Grinder
10. Repudiate
11. Army Of Freaks
12. Hailing Regression
13. Cockroaches
14. Wrong Turn
15. Let The World Burn
16. Piss Off (Part 2)
17. Waste By Definition
18. Unfair For Whom?
19. Bring Them To Ruin
20. Begging For The Obvious
21. Redline
22. Blind Disciples
23. Betrayer
24. Behind The Mask

The official lyric video for the song "Grinding Dissent" from Boston thrashers RAMMING SPEED can be seen below. The track comes off the band's Prosthetic Records debut, "Doomed To Destroy, Destined To Die", which will be released in North America on June 25. The CD was recorded with Kurt Ballou (HIGH ON FIRE, CONVERGE, KVELERTAK) at GodCity Studio.

Comments RAMMING SPEED: "'Grinding Dissent' is largely about America's facade of righteousness and freedom. A government that is 'for the people' may or may not have originally been the goal, but in this day and age, it's obvious that protest and free speech aren't welcome. Our police departments have military-grade weapons turned on civilians to keep us quiet while politicians smile and shake hands behind closed doors. Musically. the song starts off with punishing D-beat and ends with Ferrari-sized, Piña Colada-chugging twin guitar riffage! Put this shit on 11, crack a beer and scream at the sun."

"Doomed To Destroy, Destined To Die" track listing:

01. Doomed To Destroy, Destined To Die
02. Anticipating Failure
03. Grinding Dissent
04. Gorgon's Eye
05. Cretins And Cowards
06. Anthems Of Despair (Summer Jam)
07. Ashes
08. Minisitry Of Truth
09. The Rhetoric Of Hate And Other Examples Of Wildly Unchecked Ignorance
10. Extinction Event
11. Under The Monolith
12. Hollow Giants
13. Dead Flags

Described as "one of the hardest-working bands in heavy metal" (Noisecreep) and "the perfect blend of thrash, punk and light-hearted enthusiasm" (Lambgoat), RAMMING SPEED will tour this summer with VALIENT THORR and GYPSYHAWK.

Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the release, on June 25th, of the JETHRO TULL set, Around The World Live. This book + 4 music DVD set comes in deluxe hardback packaging for Jethro Tull collectors and contains a wealth of previously unreleased material. The release features performances of classic tracks including 'Aqualung', 'Cross-eyed Mary', 'Living In The Past', 'Too Old To Rock’n’Roll, Too Young To Die', 'Orion', 'Minstrel In The Gallery', 'Heavy Horses', 'Thick As A Brick', 'Nothing Is Easy', 'Budapest', 'Life Is A Long Song', and many more.

This superb set pulls together material from Jethro Tull concerts across their career and filmed at some of their many stopovers around the globe. It reaches back as far as the legendary Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970 and as recently as the Estival in Lugano, Switzerland in 2005. Much of the material is previously unreleased. The set is packaged in a 19cm x 14cm 32 page hardback book with 2 discs in each inside cover. Disc 3 of Around The World Live offers an insightful interview with Ian Anderson from the Hilversum 1999 session.

The book contains photos from Ian Anderson’s personal archive and a text on all the different shows by Joel McIver. Around The World Live charts Jethro Tull’s ever evolving music through blues to rock to folk to electronica with a frequently changing line-up anchored by the ever present frontman Ian Anderson.

Around The World Live charts the global success of one of rock’s favorite acts. Highlighting the band’s illustrious career and phenomenal concerts, this is treasure trove of Jethro Tull material.



Tracklisting:

Disc One:

Isle Of Wight, England, 1970:
'My Sunday Feeling'
'My God'

Lineup: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Martin Barre – guitar; Clive Bunker – drums; Glenn Cornick – bass; John Evan – keyboards

Tampa, Florida, USA, 1976:
'Quartet' (intro)
'Thick As A Brick'
'Wond’ring Aloud'
'Crazed Institution'
'Barre' (instrumental)
Drum Solo
Medley: 'To Cry You A Song' / 'A New Day Yesterday' / 'Bourée' / 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'
'Living In The Past / Thick As A Brick'
'A New Day Yesterday' (reprise)
'Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll, Too Young To Die'
'Minstrel In The Gallery
Extract from Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 (Molto Vivace)

Lineup: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Barriemore Barlow – drums; Martin Barre – guitar; John Evan – keyboards; John Glascock – bass

Munich, Germany, 1980:
'Aqualung'
'Dark Ages'
'Home'
'Orion'
'Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll, Too Young To Die'
'Cross-eyed Mary'
'Minstrel In The Gallery'
'Locomotive Breath'
'Dambusters March'

LineUp: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Barriemore Barlow – drums; Martin Barre – guitar; John Evan – keyboards; David Palmer – keyboards; Dave Pegg - bass

Disc Two:

Dortmund, Germany, 1982:
'Pussy Willow'
'Heavy Horses'

Lineup: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Martin Barre – guitar; Gerry Conway – drums; Dave Pegg – bass; Peter Vettese – keyboards

Loreley, Germany, 1986:
'Black Sunday'

Lineup: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Martin Barre – guitar; Dave Pegg – bass; Doane Perry – drums; Peter Vettese – keyboards

Santiago, Chile, 1996:
'Roots To Branches'
'Rare And Precious Chain'
'Thick As A Brick'
'In The Grip Of Stronger Stuff'
'Dangerous Veils'
'Aqualung / Aquadiddly'
'Nothing Is Easy'
'Bourée'
'In The Moneylenders’ Temple'
'My God'
'Locomotive Breath'

Disc Three:

Hilversum, Holland, 1999:
'Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You'
'Thick As A Break'
'Locomotive Breath'
'The Secret Language Of Birds'
'Dot Com'
'Fat Man'
'Bourée'
'In The Grip Of Stronger Stuff'

London, England, 2001:
'Cross-eyed Mary'
'Hunt By Numbers'
'My Sunday Feeling'

Montreux, Switzerland, 2003:
'Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine For You'
'Life Is A Long Song'
'Living In The Past'

Disc Four:

Lugano, Switzerland, 2005:
'Aqualung Intro'
'For A Thousand Mothers'
'Nothing Is Easy'
'Jack In The Green'
'Serenade To A Cuckoo'
'Beggar’s Farm'
'Boris Dancing'
'Weathercock'
'We Five Kings'
'Up To Me'
'Bourée'
'Mother Goose'
'Empty Café'
'Farm On The Freeway'
'Hymn 43'
'A New Day Yesterday'
'Budapest'
'Aqualung'
'Locomotive Breath'
'Protect And Survive'
'Cheerio'

Lineup (1996 / 1999 / 2001 / 2003 / 2005): Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, guitar; Martin Barre – guitar; Andy Giddings – keyboards; Jonathan Noyce – bass; Doane Perry - drums

International hard rock/AOR project LANESLIDE have released their debut album, Flying High, via Avenue Of Avenue Of Allies.

The lineup, put together by Italian songwriter/ guitarist Bruno Kraler (BRUNOROCK) for the debut album, includes vocalist extraordinaire Frank Vestry (MARCELLO/VESTRY, LAST TEMPTATION), Alessandro Del Vecchio (HARDLINE, LIONVILLE, EDGE OF FOREVER) on keyboards, John Billings (RICK SPRINGFIELD, DONNA SUMMER, LANCIA) on bass, Dominik Hülshorst (ex-BONFIRE) on drums, as well as Lino Gonzalez and Bobby Altvater on guitars and Erik Mårtensson and Michael Bormann on backing vocals.
Tracklisting:

'Flying High'
'Hangin’ Out Here'
'You Can Make It'
'River Of Love'
'Dancing Girls'
'Understand'
'Self Control'
'Look The Other Way'
'Your Fight'
'Washed Away'

Check out an album trailer below:
The album is available worldwide on CD from well-assorted record stores and from various specialised mail order companies as well as the big online retailers. Flying High is also available as digital download.
More on Laneslide at this location.

Austrian thrash/death metallers DARKFALL will release their new album, Road To Redemption, on May 24th via Noisehead Records. A new teaser clip for the album can be seen below:
Road To Redemption was mixed by Peter Fritz (Tonstudio SixtySix, Austria) and mastered by Andy Classen (Stage One Studio, Germany). The album artwork, designed by Michael Freitag, can be seen below:
Road To Redemption tracklisting:

'Road To Redemption (Intro)'
'Misery Of Peace'
'War Has Come'
'Fading Away'
'Phoenix Rising'
'The Gods Await'
'Never Ending Hate'
'Rise To Dominate'
'Echoes From The Past'
'Peacemaker'
'Kill The Need MMXIII'
Darkfall lineup:

Sascha Ulm - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Stephan Stockreiter - Lead & Rhythm Guitar
Thomas Spiwak - Lead Vocals
Markus Seethaler - Bass Guitar
Thomas Kern - Drums
More on Darkfall at this location.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video footage of PHILM's entire April 23 concert at Init in Rome, Italy can be seen below.

PHILM is the Los Angeles-based experimental post-hardcore triumvirate featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), guitarist/vocalist Gerry Nestler (CIVIL DEFIANCE), and bassist Pancho Tomaselli (WAR).

The band's debut album, "Harmonic", was released on May 15, 2012 via Ipecac Recordings.

"When people hear about my involvement in PHILM, they automatically assume that it will compare to SLAYER's sound," explained Lombardo. "They couldn't be more different. I have scaled down my drum set to a four-piece, reminiscent of the drummers from the late '60s that influenced me. Each song is unique in itself, I like to refer to it as 'rhythmic emotion.' It's almost like taking all the heavy songs of the '60s and bringing that era to a modern plateau, then blending them with the modern trance and psychedelic sounds of today."

"We decided to record 'Harmonic' in the intimate setting of a home, with various vintage recording equipment," added Lombardo on the band's debut album. "The music was written collectively in an improvisational manner, unlike the majority of recordings I've done before. This was very important given this is my first recording where I'm carrying the title of producer and performer. The album achieves a dense, unholy convergence of tones and discords. We also touch on haunting, desolate, ambient sounds. Our music tends to be written in a manner where we never know the outcome until we listen back to what we recorded. A harmonic journey."

Lombardo sat out SLAYER's recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Also missing from the shows was guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who is still recovering from necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease which he is believed to have gotten from a spider bite. Filling in for them were Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX) and Gary Holt (EXODUS), respectively.

Asked if he will be sitting behind the kit for SLAYER when they return to Europe this summer, Lombardo told Greeece's Rock Overdose: "I don't know yet. I hope to be there, but at this point, I don't know if I'm returning or not." He added. "I love my fans so much and they've been so supportive through the years; they've always been there. And their concern and sadness for what happened in Australia is more than I could have ever imagined fans to react. It's unbelievable. I just love my fans and I hope to continue playing for them. This is all I do. This is my life. I don't do anything else. I don't have a snakefarm, I don't have a farm with cows… I'm not like that. Music is my passion and my life, and this is all I do. So for the fans to be this nice and kind and concerned, I just love them."

Guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier of French progressive metallers GOJIRA revealed during an interview with France's Metal XS that the band's March 24 concert at O2 Academy Brixton in London, England was professionally filmed for a DVD release.

GOJIRA's setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Explosia
02. Flying Whales
03. Backbone
04. The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe
05. L'Enfant Sauvage
06. Toxic Garbage Island
07. Wisdom Comes
08. Oroborus
09. Drum Solo
10. The Axe
11. The Gift Of Guilt

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

GOJIRA and the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT recently completed a North American tour.

The trek, which was announced during Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, also included support from THE ATLAS MOTH.

GOJIRA's fifth album, "L'Enfant Sauvage", sold almost 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "The Way Of All Flesh", opened with 4,200 units back in 2008 to land at No. 138.

"L'Enfant Sauvage" entered the official chart in France at position No. 7 (No. 17 on the digital chart).

"L'Enfant Sauvage" (which translates to "The Wild Child") features 11 tracks of mind-bending, thunderous metal. The CD was recorded at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York with co-producer Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD).

Inner Wound Recordings will release a limited 12-inch double gatefold edition of TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON's album "The Land Of New Hope" on June 19. The edition is strictly limited to 700 copies.

"The Land Of New Hope" is available for pre-order at the Inner Wound store.

The track listing is as follows:

Disc 1

Side A

01. Avalanche Anthem
02. A World Without Us
03. Enshrined In My Memory

Side B

01. In The Name Of The Rose
02. We Will Find A Way
03. Shine

Disc 2

Side A

01. The Magic Of The Night
02. To The Edge Of The Earth

Side B

01. I'll Sing You Home
02. The Land Of New Hope

"Enshrined In My Memory", the new video from TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others. The song is also available for download and legal streaming through all fine shops such as iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

Frontiers Records has set a May 21 North American release date for TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON new metal opera, "The Land Of New Hope". The CD's story takes place more than 40 years in the future when most of the planet has been destroyed by natural disasters. The title of the opera refers to the safe haven that a small group of survivors seek.

"The Land Of New Hope" is composed by one of the forefathers of the power metal genre, former STRATOVARIUS main songwriter and guitarist Timo Tolkki.

The album will be available in two formats: a standard CD and a deluxe edition featuring a 30-minute documentary on the making-of the album and two videos.

For this unique concept album, Timo Tolkki was able to gather some of most accomplished international singers: Michael Kiske (UNISONIC), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE), Rob Rock (IMPELLITTERI), Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X), Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION) and Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA). Rounding out the stunning lineup of this album are world-renowned musicians Alex Holzwarth (RHAPSODY OF FIRE) on drums, Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) and Mikko Härkin (SONATA ARCTICA) on keyboards, and Tolkki himself taking care of all guitars, bass and production duties.

"The Land Of New Hope" came about as the result of a discussion that began years ago between Timo Tolkki and Frontiers Records president Serafino Perugino. Perugino, a longtime STRATOVARIUS fan, suggested Tolkki return to the original STRATOVARIUS sound in a more symphonic fashion. In August 2012, Tolkki began work on what would become "The Land Of New Hope". Tolkki explained: "I sort of rediscovered myself musically in the process of making this album. I wrote the story first and started composing the music after that. My aim was to write memorable songs with good melodies that would support the story.

"In STRATOVARIUS back in the early '90s, I was one of the creators of the power metal genre, so it is only natural that people may associate this music style with me... but on this album, you will find lot of dynamics including fully-orchestrated songs that sound very, very big."

With the full support of Frontiers Records and Serafino Perugino's executive production, "The Land Of New Hope" opens a new chapter in Tolkki's career. Tolkki added, "'The Land Of New Hope' is one part of the story, the end of it, actually. The story is longer and goes back to the time before this album's concept, so two more metal operas are likely to follow to complete a trilogy.

"In general, I find the metal opera concept fascinating and logical to me at this point of my career. I love classical music and just like in classical opera, in metal opera you can also create stories and have almost limitless possibilities musically.

"It is not so easy to stay fresh after a 25-year career, but this album is truly something special."

A "The Land Of New Hope" EPK (Electronic Press Kit) can be seen below.

The second part of a new "Rock Climbing" feature with Joel O'Keeffe (vocals/lead guitar) of Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE can be seen below.

AIRBOURNE's third album, "Black Dog Barking", will be released on May 21 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2010's "No Guts. No Glory." was produced by Brian Howes, who has previously worked with HINDER, DAUGHTRY and PUDDLE OF MUDD.

The Full Throttle edition of AIRBOURNE's new single, "Live It Up", will be made available for the opening of Full Throttle at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, the tallest, fastest looping roller coaster in the world. The Full Throttle edition of "Live It Up" will be featured throughout the newly themed five-acre section of the park where guests will experience high-energy action through fast-paced imagery, sound and lights, with additional music featuring various Roadrunner artists. The launch will be further supported nationally in all theme parks, Roadrunner and Six Flags online and social media channels, live events and press outreach.

AIRBOURNE's infectious music has been used in more than 20 video games, countless films, trailers and more.

AIRBOURNE is Joel O'Keeffe (vocals/lead guitar), Ryan O'Keeffe (drums), David Roads (guitar) and Justin Street (bass).

Last night (April 27th) METALLICA played in Johannesburg for the first time in their 30-year career, seven years after playing in nearby Centurion in 2006. This was the last show of their brief four-date April tour. Up next for the band will be the Revolver Golden Gods Awards Show next week in Los Angeles and Orion Music and More in Detroit in June.
Metallica played 18 songs including:
'Hit The Lights'
'Master Of Puppets'
'Ride The Lightning'
'Harvester Of Sorrow'
'Fade To Black'
'The Memory Remains'
'Cyanide'
'Sad But True'
'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)'
'Orion'
'One'
'For Whom The Bell Tolls'
'Blackened'
'Nothing Else Matters'
'Enter Sandman'
'Creeping Death'
'Battery'
'Seek & Destroy'

Check out more photos by Ross Halfin Photography here.

Check out fan-filmed video below:

Romanian progressive death metallers ILLUMINATI are streaming their new album, The Core, which was released today (April 30th) at this location.

Mixing and mastering on The Core was done by Tymon Kruidenier (EXIVIOUS, ex-CYNIC), guitars recorded by Adrian "OQ" Neagoe (NEGURA BUNGET) and drum parts were recorded with the producer Marius Costache (WHITE WALLS, AVATAR, MEDIOCRACY).

The Core features the following guests: Kelly Shaefer (ATHEIST), Tony Choy (Atheist, ex-PESTILENCE, ex-CYNIC), Daniel Mongrain (MARTYR, VOIVOD), Mike Browning (NOCTURNUS, ex-MORBID ANGEL, ex-ACHERON), Patrick Mameli (PESTILENCE) and Luc Lemay (GORGUTS).
Illuminati lineup:

Andrei Popa (ex-NEGURA BUNGET, CYBORG, MY SHADOW) - vocals, guitar, synthesizer
Peter Ifitimie (SPECTRAL, ex-Cyborg, SHADOW RISING) - guitar
Matthew Tibacu-Blend (LOST SOCIETY, Cyborg) - drums, bass, percussion, vocals, other instruments
For more details visit Facebook.

THRAWSUNBLAT, the blackened folk metal brainchild of former WOODS OF YPRES guitarist Joel Violette, will release the new album Wanderer On The Continent Of Saplings on March 13th. A full length clip of the song 'Once Foreveined' has been posted online and is available for streaming below:
The new album is now available for pre-order via PayPal: $20 CAD (North America) or $25 CAD (World), shipping included. Send funds to thrawsunblat@gmail.com.

The tracklist for Wanderer On The Continent Of Saplings is as follows:

'Lifelore Revelation'
'Once Fireveined'
'We, The Torchbearers'
'Goose River (Mourners' March)'
'Bones in the Undertow'
'Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings'
'Maritime Shores'
'View of a Million Trees'
'Borea (Pyre of a Thousand Pine)'
'Elegy Across the Silence'
'Song of the Nihilist'
'I Am the Viator'
Violette has reprised his role as songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist for the album, and enlisted Rae Amitay and Brendan Hayter to handle drums and bass respectively. The pair was chosen to complete the Woods of Ypres line-up for the band's European tour in support of Woods 5: Grey Skies And Electric Light. Unfortunately, the tragic passing of David Gold put an end to those plans, but drummer Rae Amitay says, "Thrawsunblat II is an incredibly special way for the three of us to create music together. It's an amazing project, and I'm honoured that Joel has chosen us to be a part of it."

Thrawsunblat II was recorded in July and August, in studios in both Canada and the United States.

The band's first official release - the Canada 2010 "demo" - is still available via BandCamp.com. Go to this location to check out audio samples and to purchase.

The tracklist is as follows:

'Black Sky'
'Set Us Ablaze'
'Misted Shores'
'Slake the Earth'
'Through the Ice'
'Fire Still Burns'
'She, Arboreal'
'Vastland'

THE RESISTANCE - the Swedish metal band featuring guitarists Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström (both ex-IN FLAMES), vocalist Marco Aro (ex-THE HAUNTED, FACEDOWN), drummer Chris Barkensjö (ex-KAAMOS, ex-GRAVE) and MINORA guitarist Claudio Oyarzo - will release their debut album, Scars, on May 10th in Europe, May 13th in the UK via earMusic and the 14th in North America by Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records.

The new song 'To The Death' is currently streaming online at Gun Shy Assassin.

Check out a new video interview with Marco Aro and Chris Barkensjö talking about the new album below:
The 12-track album Scars is a pure reminiscence to the good old days of Swedish death metal back in the 1980s/1990s when berserk bands like ENTOMBED, GRAVE or DISMEMBER proved how insanely brutal and relentless, yet immensely captivating and technically adept extreme music can be. Well, apparently some established Swedish musicians did miss them, so they put things right: They brought back the old Swedish Death Metal.

“If you listen to Entombed's 'Left Hand Path' today, it still blows everything away. And it's over 20 years old,“ says Jesper Strömblad, main musical force behind Stockholm/Gothenburg based squad The Resistance, about an album classic that still gives him the shivers after all those years. He adds: “Just awesome death metal!”

Scars will be released on CD (as an elaborated digi-pack), on classic vinyl as well as a download. Scars is featuring brand new, never before released songs only.

Check out the artwork and tracklisting below:
Scars tracklist:
'Clearing The Slate'
'Your Demise'
'To The Death'
'Expand To Expire'
'Imperfected'
'I Bend - You Break'
'The Serpent King'
'Eye For An Eye'
'My Madness'
'Warmonger'
'Scars'
'(I Will) Die Alone'

The band recently unveiled the official lyric video for the new song 'The Serpent King' below:
For more details on The Resistance visit Facebook.

Spain's RISE TO FALL are streaming their new track, 'Diaries From The Gloom', online at this location.

'Diaries From The Gloom' was originally recorded to be included on the band's Defying The Gods album, but was eventually discarded.
In other news, Rise To Fall have the following live dates scheduled:

June
4 - City Pub - Kiev, Ukraine
5 - Churchill - Kharkiv, Ukraine
6 - TBA - Voronezh, Russia
7 - Oblaka - Lipetsk, Russia
8 - Relax - Moscow, Russia
9 - Ok - Ryazan, Russia
10 - 28 Street - Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
11 - TBA - Kazan, Russia
12 - Podval Club - Izhevsk, Russia
13 - Nirvana - Ekaterinburg, Russia
14 - TBA - Chelyabinsk, Russia
15 - TBA - Ufa, Russia
16 - TBA - Samara, Russia
17 - TBA - Saratov, Russia
18 - The Beatles Rock Bar - Volgograd, Russia
18 - Tochka Club - Rostov On Don, Russia

PTSD have released a lyric video for the track 'Event Horizon', featured on their new album, A Sense Of Decay, to be released on May 20th via My Kingdom Music. Watch the clip below:
A free download of 'Event Horizon' is available at this location.

A Sense Of Decay tracklisting:

'Event Horizon'
'A Reason To Die'
'Parasomnia'
'Staring The Stormwall'
'Suicide Attitude'
'A Sense Of Decay'
'Breathless'
'Solar Matter Loss'
'By A Thread'
'Heavy On My Heart' (Anastacia cover)
'...If?'
'Event Horizon' (Forgotten Sunrise rmx)

The album artwork can be seen below:
Recorded with the presence on drum of Marco Minnemann (KREATOR, NECROPHAGIST, EPHEL DUATH, etc.) and mixed and mastered by Jim Caruana (AEROSMITH, LENNY KRAVITZ), A Sense Of Decay will include a remix performed by Forgotten Sunrise and a cover of the ANASTACIA anthem 'Heavy On My Heart', performed with the new drummer Marco Lancs.

Watch the official album teaser below:
More on PTSD at this location.

Hungary's ANGERTEA have released a new video, for the Nr. 4: Songs Exhaled album cut, ' Lions’ Region'. Watch below:
An update from the band states: "After having won the Best Album Of 2012 title at the Hungarian Metal Awards, and having toured intensively in the Eastern-European region, we’re taking a bit of a break from September till March, as Angertea bass player Miguel is expecting his first child then. But we’re gonna work on two more videos during that time, and are planning a Western- European Tour for 2014!"
Angertea released Nr. 4: Songs Exhaled, their fourth full-length album, in September 2012 via Smash Fabric Records. The album was recorded at Black Hole Sound studio in Szeged with producer Gábor Vári.

Nr. 4: Songs Exhaled tracklisting:

'No Computation' (featuring Bill Gould)
'Demons Surfaced'
'V.'
'In Light Air'
'Decay'
'Lions' Region'
'A For Afrodita'
'Akråm'
'Meeting Satan On The Way To Personal Desertification' (featuring Tibor Rákos)
'Distance Of You'
Billy Gould from FAITH NO MORE makes a guest appearance on the release, on the track 'No Computation'. A lyric video for the track can be seen below:
The video for the track 'Meeting Satan On The Way To Personal Desertification' was shot last fall in Szentes, Hungary. Watch below:
The video for 'Demons Surfaced' is below:
More on Angertea at this location.

Northern Californian progressive metal instrumentalists ABNORMAL THOUGHT PATTERNS have revealed the album cover and the first track 'Velocity and Acceleration: Movement 5' off their forthcoming new album and Lifeforce Records debut Manipulation Under Anesthesia.

The track 'Velocity and Acceleration: Movement 5' can be heard below:
Manipulation Under Anesthesia artwork:
Manipulation Under Anesthesia release dates:
June 14th - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland
June 17th - Europe
June 25th - North America

Manipulation Under Anesthesia was mixed by Matt LaPlant (SIKTH, NONPOINT) and mastered by Alan Douches (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN). Artwork by Erick "Wurm" Pollard.

Twin brothers Jasun (guitar) and Troy Tipton (bass) along with Mike Guy (drums) are the collective creative force behind Abnormal Thought Patterns. In 2008, Jasun wrote and recorded a 12-minute instrumental that would ultimately lead to the founding of this new instrumental band. Prior to forming this group, the trio was the backbone of prog-metal powerhouses ZERO HOUR, releasing five albums. This exactly is what the Californians are continuing with Abnormal Thought Patterns – but this time with instrumental music.
For more details visit Facebook.

Swedish metallers MEAN STREAK will release their third album, Trial By Fire, on June 14 via Black Lodge Records. Check out the artwork and tracklisting below:
Trial By Fire features:

'We Are One'
'Shine On'
'Thunderbolt'
'A Heartbeat Away'
'Bad Blood'
'Cast Away'
'Hangman's Daughter'
'Into The Night'
'Let Love Rain'
'Tunnel Vision'
'Saints Are Falling'
'Trial By Fire'
'The Fugetive' (Japan Bonus Only)
'Crimson Sky' (Acoustic Version Japan Only)

The official lyric video for 'Shine On' can be seen below:
The follow-up to 2011's Declaration Of War was produced by Thomas "Plec" Johansson, who has previously worked with DEGRADEAD and SOLUTION .45.

Mean Streak are:
Peter Andersson - bass
Andy La Guerin - vocals
Jonas Källsbäck - drums
Thomas Johansson - lead guitar
David Andersson - lead guitar
For more details visit Meanstreak.se.

British rockers VOODOO SIX have announce they will now release new album Songs To Invade Countries To' worldwide on May 27 via Universal Music, before embarking on the biggest tour of their career so far as main support to metal legends IRON MAIDEN on their European dates.

Songs To Invade Countries To consists of 11 tracks mixed by Tony Newton and Pedro Ferreira (THE DARKNESS, ENTER SHIKARI, THERAPY?) and mastered by Ade Emsley (IRON MAIDEN, STEVE HARRIS).

Voodoo Six will join Maiden in Portugal for their summer tour dates in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Poland and Sweden.

Iron Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris comments: "I've been keeping an eye on Voodoo Six for a while now and they've produced a cracking new album with real promise. It's great to support true British up and coming talent such as theirs and it'll be a pleasure to have them out with us on tour."
Voodoo Six vocalist Luke Purdie adds: “This is a huge deal for us and an amazing opportunity to support arguably the most iconic band in metal history. We came up with the album title ‘Songs To Invade Countries To’ ages ago since we’ve been wanting to get our music across to European shores for a long time - but it’s been made a reality now that we’ve been chosen to support Iron Maiden on these dates. It’s going to be a very exciting year!”

Prior to their dates with Iron Maiden, Voodoo Six headline The Garage in London UK on May 9, the final date of their UK tour.
'Songs To Invade Countries To' tracklisting is as follows:

'Falling Knives'
'All That Glitters'
'Lead Me On'
'Sink Or Swim'
'You Don’t Know'
'Your Way'
'Sharp Sand'
'Stop'
'Brick Wall'
'Waiting In Line'
'Higher Ground'

Check out the 'Sink Or Swim' video below:
For more details visit Voodoosix.com.

According to the unofficial BLACK SABBATH web site Black-Sabbath.com, North American retailer Best Buy will carry a version of "13" — the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together — containing the exclusive bonus track "Naïveté In Black".

"13" 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)
12. Naïveté In Black (Best Buy exclusive track)

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.

Scott Kara of The New Zealand Herald has written a track-by-track review of "13". Check it out at this location.

Regarding "End Of The Beginning", which SABBATH will perform on the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" on Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS, Kara wrote: "The first thing you notice — apart from Tony Iommi's glorious, grinding guitar licks, and the brain-rattling bass and rumbling drums — is that unique SABBATH tempo. For any other band, it would sound plodding, but they somehow turn it into a fearsome lurch. While 'End Of The Beginning' is no 'War Pigs', it's an impressive epic that moves from foot-planting heaviness, to eerie tranquility, and then into one of Ozzy's tender serenades."

On the topic of "God Is Dead?", Kara wrote: "The first single off the album — which, at almost nine minutes and the longest on the record, isn't exactly radio friendly — comes creeping and crawling out of the speakers like a prowler. But then it rumbles and pummels its way to an early crescendo like a brawler. And you can't help but laugh and throw a cheeky heavy metal goat salute when Ozzy sings a line like, 'Out of the gloom, I rise up out of my tomb, into the impending doom.'"

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.

"Methademic" performance:

"Anomima", the fourth album from CHAOSTAR, the band led by SEPTICFLESH guitarist Christos Antoniou, can be streamed in its entirety using the widget below. The CD will be released on May 10 in Europe and May 14 in North America via Season Of Mist. The limited-edition version of the effort will come with a bonus DVD entitled "Anomimata".

"Anomima" track listing:

01. (Ma)
02. Un Pensiero Per Il Destino
03. Sorrow Descending
04. Medea
05. Dilate The Time
06. Les Réminiscences Extatiques
07. Truth Will Prevail
08. Beatiful Daughter
09. The Charmer
10. L'idée Fixe
11. Misery's King

"Anomima" features guest appearances by David Vincent (MORBID ANGEL) and Fernando Ribeiro (MOONSPELL).

The cover artwork was designed by Metastazis and can be seen below.

Commented Christos: "David narrates the prologue of the most vicious song on the album, shading his dark and imposing shadow over the band's music. I consider that cooperation as one of the most representative of CHAOSTAR's new work. A tragic heroine taken from the ancient Greek tragedies meets the devilish power of the unsurpassable voice of Mr. Vincent."

With regards to Ribeiro's involvement with the CD, Antoniou said, "His deep gothic voice will give a completely powerful atmosphere to a duet."

CHAOSTAR's current lineup is as follows:

Christos Antoniou: Composer/Synths
Androniki Skoula: Vocals
Fotis Benardo: Percussion
George Diamandopoulos: Traditional Instruments
Charalampos Paritsis: Electric Violin
John Thermos: Synths

After the independent release of their first record, "The Underworld" (2000), CHAOSTAR signed a deal with the French label Holy Records, which issued the "Chaostar" (2000), "Threnody" (2001) and "The Scarlet Queen" (2004) albums, as well as the compilation "Underworld" (2007).

When SEPTTICFLESH returned from a self-imposed creative break with their highly successful album "Communion" (2008) on Season Of Mist, Christos also revived CHAOSTAR and placed his trust in the same label.

Reactivated British extreme metal legends CARCASS recently recruited Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY) to mix their comeback album, "Surgical Steel", after the CD's producer, Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE), quit the project two weeks into the mixing process. During last month's concert at the Underworld in London, CARCASS bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker claimed that Richardson walked away from the mix in order to work on the new TRIVIUM album.

A photo of Sneap on the studio last week mixing "Surgical Steel" can be seen below. The band states: "[It's] sounding killer! Few little tweaks and it will be finished! We should be able to give you more info on a release date soon!"

The first official photo of the new lineup of CARCASS can be seen below (courtesy of Adrian Erlandsson of Murder Mile Studios). Joining guitarist Bill Steer and Walker in the band's current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON).

CARCASS' first studio LP in 17 years, "Surgical Steel" is due in late 2013 via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The band's first studio outing since 1996's "Swansong" will feature guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen.

In a brand new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, Walker stated about the new CARCASS CD: "We think we've made a good album, so it's gonna be very interesting when people get to hear the record. We can't wait to see what people think."

He continued: "It sounds like CARCASS. Even the drumming sounds like CARCASS. Everything about it… I think it's gonna shock people, how good it is. I think it's got all the elements that people like, yet it still sounds fresh. So that's all I can say, really, 'cause we don't really sound like any other band, and the fact that after 17 years, we wrote music and it still sounds like CARCASS, I think it's good."

Guitarist Michael Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, who had been touring with CARCASS since the band's reunion was announced in 2007, are no longer involved with the group due to scheduling conflicts with their main band, ARCH ENEMY.