Esoteric Recordings has announced the latest release on new front-line label, Esoteric Antenna, dedicated to new releases by both new acts and established artists. LIFESIGNS's eponymous release has the hallmarks of being one of the finest progressive rock albums of 2013. Making the album even more impressive is the guest appearances from such respected figures in progressive music as STEVE HACKETT, Thijs Van Leer (FOCUS), Jakko Jakszyk (KING CRIMSON), and Robin Boult (JOHN YOUNG BAND).
Lifesigns features John Young (keyboards, lead vocals), Nick Beggs (bassist, Chapman Stick player, backing vocals) and Frosty Beedle (drums). The material reflects the excellence of the musicians who perform on the album. John Young is a classically trained composer, keyboardist and vocalist, who has worked with the likes of ASIA, STRAWBS, GREENSLADE, FISH, ULI JON ROTH and his own John Young Band. He also tours with BONNIE TYLER. Bassist/Stick player Nick Beggs was the founding member of 80s group KAJAGOOGOO and has worked with artists like ALPHAVILLE, BELINDA CARLISLE, JOHN PAUL JONES, GARY NUMAN, Steve Hackett, STEVE HOWE, TINA TURNER and many others. He is currently on tour with STEVEN WILSON. Drummer Frosty Beedle has worked with the likes of the CUTTING CREW, SARAH BRIGHTMAN, RUSSELL WATSON and ZUCCHERO.

Working with engineer Steve Rispin (Asia, URIAH HEEP, DAVE KILMINSTER, SHAKECHARMER), Lifesigns is a tuneful, innovative and hugely impressive debut album certain to appeal to those who appreciate the finer aspects of modern progressive rock.
Tracklisting:

'Lighthouse'
'Telephone'
'Fridge Full Of Stars'
'At The End Of The World'
'Carousel'

Purchase the CD here. More on Lifesigns at this location.

German dark metal quintet AGATHODAIMON entered Kohlekeller Studios in February with producer Kristian "Kohle" Kohlmannslehner to begin recording its new album, "In Darkness", for a June 28 release via Massacre Records. The follow-up to 2009's "Phoenix" will feature cover artwork by Hicham Haddaji of Strychneen Studio.

Commented AGATHODAIMON guitarist and vocalist Sathonys: "We're sure 'In Darkness' has a lot of killer songs, and we did step into the right direction — though it's also a step backwards. Back to the roots, to be clear.

"We collectively felt that 'Phoenix' reached a point that's as far as we can go, without denying our roots. So we summoned the spirit of the old times (of course without trying to pretend it's 1995).

"We've put focus on the atmosphere and got rid of elements which did not fit to our vision.

"To summarize, I'd say it's less technical, but more dense, coming rather from the heart than our heads. This sounds strange maybe, but you'll get it once you'll hear the first songs.

"Speaking of new songs, 'In Darkness' also features 'old' material, back from when our Romanian vocalist Vlad was still around. But don't worry, it's a history lesson that won't sound outdated. Actually, there's a re-recording of 'Dusk Of An Infinite Shade', something we actually worked on many years ago, but back then skipped the idea because it didn't seem to match with the other material. It simply did not sound right. But now, it turned out that it was a great preparation to get in the mood and to set the sails to embark on a journey... 'In Darkness'."

Finnish metallers DEAD SHAPE FIGURE will release their third album, "Opus Victoria", at the end of April. The CD was recorded and mixed last summer at D-Studios by Jarno Hänninen and was produced by Alexandre Locher (also known as Xytras or Xy) of Swiss industrial black metallers SAMAEL.

Commented DEAD SHAPE FIGURE guitarist Juhani Flinck: "'Opus Victoria' is presenting a new and more mature sound of DEAD SHAPE FIGURE. As cheesy as it may sound, categorizing this album is impossible nor necessary. I think we have succeeded to make an album that is full of timeless and above all, honest music."

For the first time in DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's history, the band decided to use an outside producer on the album. Xy really managed to take the band's ideas to a new level.

At the end of April 2012, Xy flew to Helsinki to work with DEAD SHAPE FIGURE the new album during the pre-production stage. For one whole week, from early morning until midnight, they worked together in DEAD SHAPE FIGURE's rehearsal room. The band states: "Xy got us to understand that a good song doesn't necessarily need thirty six riffs. He really opened our minds!"

"Opus Victoria" will be released in digital format and will be available in all the biggest online stores. In addition, there will be a limited vinyl version.

"The CD version of the album didn't feel that interesting for the band and neither for the record label," says Flinck. "Instead of a physical CD, we will save our listeners' space in their CD stands and spread our music in easier way even for a wider audience. Personally, I wouldn't be suprised if we didn't release any new music on CD format anymore. The vinyl format is still supported."

A hand-numbered vinyl version of the album will be available at a later date.

The "Opus Victoria" release party will be held on May 4 at On The Rocks in Helsinki.

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has apparently told the Swedish web site Talarforum (Speakers' Forum) during a brand new interview that there are plans for the band to enter the studio to record a new album for a tentative 2014 release.

MAIDEN's 15th studio CD, 2010's "The Final Frontier", featured 10 tracks that had an average running time of seven minutes and 40 seconds, with the shortest song, "The Alchemist", clocking in at four minutes and 29 seconds, and the longest, "When The Wild Wind Blows", lasting ten minutes and 59 seconds.

"The Final Frontier" sold 63,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 4.

IRON MAIDEN's previous album, 2006's "A Matter Of Life And Death", opened with 56,000 units to land at No. 9. This was a notable increase from the 40,000 first-week tally registered by its predecessor, 2003's "Dance of Death" (which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 chart), and that of "Brave New World", which moved 38,000 copies in June 2000 to land at No. 39 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"The Final Frontier" was IRON MAIDEN's fourth U.K. No. 1 album. The band previously topped the chart in 1982 with "The Number of the Beast", in 1988 with "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" and in 1992 with "Fear of the Dark".

"The Final Frontier" was released in North America on August 17, 2010 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). The effort was made available in a unique limited-edition collectors' "Mission Edition" CD case and features access to extra bonus content, including the director's cut of a video for the edited version of the opening song on the album, entitled "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier"; band "Mission Debrief" interview footage; wallpapers; photos; and the exclusive game "Mission II : Rescue & Revenge". MAIDEN also for the first time made the album available as an iTunes LP with bonus content as well as the traditional digital format. There was also a limited-edition double picture disc.

German melodic death metal band BURIAL VAULT has released a lyric video for ‘Catharsis’. The track comes off the band’s second full-length album Incendium, which will be released on May 24th via Apostasy Records.

Check out the video below:

With Incendium, the quintet is about to release more than an ordinary album. Inspired by Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 the band developed a concept that embodies a metamorphosis of a human in an inconvenient future both on musical as on textual level. This dynamic and diverse album reaches from acoustic passages to eruptions of black metal blast-beats and slow death metal attacks. Inendium was recorded at Soundlodge Studios by Jorg Uken (GOD DETHRONED, DEW-SCENTED, DEFEATED SANITY) and features artwork from Ben Borucki (AGATHODAIMON, SUICIDE SILENCE).

Incendium tracklisting:

Chapter I:
'The Stench Of Burning Thoughts'
'A Blind Follower And A Watchful Hound'
Chapter II:
'Soil & Green'
'Peculiar'
'The Nightly Horror'
'Prelude To Peripety'
'Fatal Accident'
Chapter III:
'Struggling Doubt'
'Moment Of Truth'
'Awareness'
Chapter IV:
'Surveillance Web'
'Catharsis'
'Black Into White'

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STAR & DAGGER - blues-rock/metal group made up of good friends Sean Yseult (WHITE ZOMBIE), Dava She Wolf (CYCLE SLUTS FROM HELL), Dave Catching (EAGLES OF DEATH METAL), Gene Trautmann (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), and the sublime vocalist Von Hesseling - have released a video,for the Tomorrowland Blues album track, 'Your Mother Was A Grifter'. Check it out below:
The band's debut full-length album, Tomorrowland Blues, was recorded at Rancho de la Luna, produced by Ethan Allen and Dave Catching, and mastered by J. Yuenger (White Zombie). The album will be released via Cauldron 333, distributed by MRI, on July 23rd.
Star & Dagger was formed with auspicious beginnings: Sean and Dava were drinking late one night with the legendary Lenny Kaye (noted rock journalist and founder member of the PATTI SMITH GROUP) and he declared: "You two must start a band, I see it!" They took his word and set to it.

The band layers dense guitars onto a heavy groove, strung together by Von's towering vocals, which have the soul and presence of TINA TURNER crossed with CHERIE CURRIE. The band has recently attracted much attention, selling out their first show in LA and opening for HIGH ON FIRE, HELMET, Eagles Of Death Metal, DOWN and SAINT VITUS. They performed at the 2012 Voodoo Fest and have plans for shows on the West Coast and the UK for spring 2013. Star & Dagger's first recording emerged a few months ago, a 12" vinyl, titled In My Blood.
More on Star & Dagger at this location.

Montreal alternative metallers SLAVES ON DOPE will release "Covers EP Vol. 1" on April 23.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Working For The Weekend (LOVERBOY cover)
02. Mama (GENESIS cover)
03. Digging The Grave (FAITH NO MORE cover)
04. Sexual Healing (MARVIN GAYE cover)
05. When I'm With You (SHERIFF cover)

SLAVES ON DOPE's cover of GENESIS' "Mama" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

SLAVES ON DOPE's latest album, "Over The Influence", was released in February 2012 via THC: Music/Rocket Science Ventures. The CD was produced and mixed by Kevin Jardine, features a guest appearance by Jonathan Cabana, lead singer of Quebec deathcore band BLIND WITNESS, on the track "Dear Enemies".
SLAVES ON DOPE's digital-only EP, "Careless Coma", came out on November 1, 2011. The effort featured three new studio tracks, as well as remixes and a radio edit of the title cut.

SLAVES ON DOPE's "Inches from the Mainline" album was released through Ozzy Osbourne's now-defunct Divine Recordings label. After Divine Recordings lost its distribution deal with EMI's Priority Records, the band was left without a label. After a long search, a deal was struck with Bieler Bros. Records. SLAVES ON DOPE's second major album, "Metafour", was released in 2003.

In March 2004, SLAVES ON DOPE announced it was going on hiatus due to Jason Rockman leaving the band. The group officially reformed in 2009.

"Gates To The Pantheon", the fourth album from the German black/death quintet NEGATOR, can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. Due this spring in North America via Prosthetic Records, the CD will be made available physically on May 14 and digitally on April 23 to coincide with its European release through Viva Hate Records.

"Gates To The Pantheon", NEGATOR's first new music in over three years, is the follow-up to their highly acclaimed third album "Panzer Metal". That release caught the attention of Swedish legends DARK FUNERAL, who subsequently enlisted NEGATOR vocalist Nachtgarm to front their band throughout 2011 and 2012. The new album — recorded at Hammer Studios in Hamburg with producer Eike Freese (GAMMA RAY, CALLEJON, DARK AGE) — features nine bloodthirsty tracks of pounding blackened death, hailed by JOB FOR A COWBOY guitarist Alan Glassman as "one of the angriest-sounding releases I've ever heard — a black metal masterpiece."

"Gates To The Pantheon" track listing

01. Epiclesis
02. Bringer Of War
03. The Last Sermon
04. Serpents Court
05. Nergal, The Raging King
06. Carnal Malefactor
07. The Urge For Battle
08. Atonement In Blood
09. Revelation 9:11

Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) took part in an interview and acoustic performance this past Friday morning (April 19) on "The Heidi & Frank Show" on KLOS 95.5 FM radio station in Los Angeles, California. You can now watch video footage of his appearance below.

In the two decades since Ozzy Osbourne hired him away from his job at a New Jersey gas station to become his new guitarist, Zakk Wylde has established himself as a guitar icon known and revered the world over. Writing and recording with Osbourne led to multi-platinum success, inspiring him to create the now legendary BLACK LABEL SOCIETY in 1998. In the decade since, BLS has turned the notion of what a rock band should be upside down by inspiring legions of fans (known as Berzerkers) all over the world to follow the mantra: Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever — SDMF for short. The Berzerkers, with Wylde as their leader, have created a heavy metal institution true to his vision of uncompromising, unfiltered, and unrestrained rock and roll. Wylde has won nearly every guitar award imaginable, and is a major influence on a new battalion of rock guitarists currently popular today.

Wylde shares what really goes on behind bus windows and stage doors in the paperback edition of his book, "Bringing Metal To The Children: The Complete Berzerker’s Guide To World Tour Domination". The book, which was released on April 9 through William Morrow, was co-written by New York Times bestselling author Eric Hendrikx.

In support of the release, Wylde has announced a string of West Coast acoustic performances beginning April 21 in San Francisco, and ending May 1 in San Juan Capistrano, California.

"Elevate", the first video from THE WINERY DOGS, the new project featuring Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB), Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG) and Richie Kotzen (MR. BIG, POISON), can be seen below. The song comes off the band's self-titled debut album, which will be released in Japan on May 15 via Victor Entertainment. The was mixed by Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, ADRENALINE MOB, STONE SOUR and STEEL PANTHER. Sheehan previously stated about the effort: "I'm really pleased with it. Richie sang his ass off and played amazingly unique stuff, and, of course Mike annihilated on drums. [It's a] really cool, unique record."

Regarding how THE WINERY DOGS got its name, Portnoy said: "It was Richie's name. We had a list of about 50 names. I had about 10 that I preferred over THE WINERY DOGS, but you know, when you're in a band, you have to give and take and choose your battles, and Richie really, really loved this band name. So, you know, it was, like, 'OK.' A name is a name. If you feel that strongly about it, then go for it. So that's who we are."

THE WINERY DOGS will kick off its world tour by playing two shows in Japan this summer: July 16 in Osaka and July 17 in Tokyo. Dates for the rest of the world will be announced soon.

"The Winery Dogs" track listing:

01. Elevate
02. Desire
03. We Are One
04. I'm No Angel
05. The Other Side
06. You Saved Me
07. Not Hopeless
08. One More Time
09. Damaged
10. Six Feet Deeper
11. Criminal
12. The Dying
13. Regret

At the end of 2011, Portnoy and Sheehan tapped Kotzen to be the guitarist/vocalist of their new project following the departure of John Sykes (WHITESNAKE, BLUE MURDER, THIN LIZZY).

Although Portnoy and Sykes demoed a dozen or so songs at a Los Angeles studio in 2011, their vastly different work ethics and conflicting schedules were solely to blame for the dissolution of their collaboration.

During an interview that aired on the July 13, 2012 edition of Eddie Trunk's "Friday Night Rocks" radio show on New York's Q104.3 FM, Portnoy said, "I love John personally, and we get along great — he's a sweetheart of a guy — but I need to keep moving. I can't sit still and kind of wait to make an album over the next three years, I need to put things on the calendar and move forward and get them done, and John's kind of just a 'wait, wait, wait' guy. Sadly, it kind of just stopped in its tracks, and Billy and I said, 'Look, let's do something.' And you [Eddie] were the one, actually, that suggested Richie Kotzen and I thought it was a brilliant suggestion, because he's an unbelievably underrated talent, not only [as] a guitar player but a phemonal singer, and just an amazing songwriter and artist. I think people just kind of lump him, or write him off as the guy that was with POISON and MR. BIG. I think they have no idea what he's really capable of."

When asked to describe the musical direction of the project, Portnoy said, "It's a classic-rock kind of power-trio sound. If you picture the classic-rock bands of… the classic ones — [LED] ZEPPELIN, CREAM, [JIMI] HENDRIX, GRAND FUNK [RAILROAD] — if you take that classic-rock power-trio sound of the early '70s, and then you sprinkle it on top with some of the modern kind of sounds of SOUNDGARDEN and ALICE IN CHAINS or BLACK CROWES or LENNY KRAVITZ… It's in that vein; it's kind of a [mixture] of all of those bands. But on top of it all you've got the phenomenal playing that Richie and Billy do, and I could play a couple of things on the drums as well [chuckles], so... And all three of us are singing — Richie is the lead vocalist, obviously, but me and Billy are also singing."

Swedish death/grind band QUEST OF AIDANCE, featuring members of SCAR SYMMETRY, UNMOORED, TORCHBEARER and INCAPACITY, have announced the title of their debut full-length album as Misanthropic Propaganda. Belching out fourteen tracks of exceptional grinding, where both lyrics and artwork are based on the classic 80's sci-fi TV-series V; the group's first full-length effort is a major evolution prior to their previous two EPs.

The album cover artwork for Misanthropic Propaganda features the anomalous yet breathtaking trademark of Pär Olofsson (IMMOLATION, MALEVOLENT CREATION, COLDWORKER).

The band recently completed work on the music video for ‘Anyx’. Check it out below:

Misanthropic Propaganda tracklisting:

‘A New Storm Rising’
‘Seething Voids’
‘Deadly Viral Strain’
‘To No Avail’
‘Section 34’
‘Anyx’
‘Dimout’
‘Sothis Allegro’
‘Red Dust’
‘Spawnlayer’
‘Sirian Breed’
‘Like Shadowing Suns’
‘The 5th Column’
‘Doom Reactor’
Quest Of Aidance is:

Daniel "Daaz" Valström - vocals
Christian Älvestam - guitars, vocals
Christian Lundgren - bass
Oscar Nilsson - drums (session)
Johan Randén - lead guitar (session)



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Taiwanese Metallers CHTHONIC will release their seventh studio album, "Bú-Tik", on June 3 via Spinefarm Records.

Recorded at Sweden's Sweetspot Studio by producer Rickard Bengtson, who also worked on 2011's "Takasago Army", "Bú-Tik" sees the band returning to the scene with their signature brand of symphonic "orient metal," as they choose to define it. As usual, the musicians continue on their mission to build awareness of the myths of Taiwan and thetragic events in their country's history.

"Bú-Tik" — based around the story of the 228 Massacre, the Bú-Tik Palace and the Mirror Of Retribution — highlights "righteous violence and justifiable defence"; once more, it takes the listener deep into the folklore and history of exotic Taiwan.

Says CHTHONIC bassist and band spokesperson Doris Yeh: "We are very proud to present 'Bú-Tik' to the world. It talks about self-defense, righteous violence and the armed spirits! With this album, we have pushed ourselves to achieve new heights — heights we've never imagined before! We are leading metal fans to the next episode of CHTHONIC!"

"Bú-Tik" track listing:

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

The song "Next Republic" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

The first single, "Defenders Of Bú-Tik Palace", will be made available digitally shortly, with a very special video to follow.

"For this clip, the first in a series of four, we decided to put ourselves through one month of martial arts training, to prepare ourselves properly," explains Doris. "Finally, a couple of days ago, we filmed the video over a 24-hour period, and we are all now covered in bruises and completely exhausted… it's not easy to go at it for such an extended period!"

On the live front, CHTHONIC is confirmed to play on the Pepsi Max Stage on Saturday, June 15 at the Download festival at its historical stamping ground of Donington Park.

CHTHONIC last appeared at Download in 2011, but for this follow-up show, they are returning in greater numbers, the plan being to utilize the skills of the oriental orchestra.

Says Doris: "This is the first time we’ll have played with the orchestra outside of Taiwan. We're really hoping to present a show that people will be talking about for some time to come."

Swedish progressive metallers OPETH celebrated "Record Store Day" with a free acoustic performance and signing this past Saturday, April 20 at 3:00 p.m at Newbury Comics in Leominster, Massachusetts. Fan-filmed video footage of their appearance can be seen below.

Founded in 2007 and officially kicked off in 2008 by METALLICA, Record Store Day takes place on the third Saturday of every April and brings together artists and independently owned record stores around the world to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and sold in independent stores.

For a list of participating retail outlets, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

OPETH has returned to North America in support of their most recent studio album, "Heritage". Released September 20, 2011, it garnered rave reviews from everyone from Rolling Stone, who called the album "a career record that reimagines prog as actual rock 'n' roll," to Pitchfork saying "a pretty, well-thought-out collection" to NPR who called it "equally vast, thoughtful and heavy." The tour kicked off on April 18 in Buffalo and is taking the band throughout North America over the course of more than 30 dates.

OPETH's April 28 show in Clifton Park, New York will see PORCUPINE TREE's Steven Wilson, the STORM CORROSION collaborator and friend of OPETH's mainman, Mikael Åkerfeldt, join OPETH for a special evening that is not to be missed. There will also be two rare and intimate evenings with OPETH planned for Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on April 29 and The Roxy in West Hollywood on May 24. These shows will allow fans the unique opportunity to experience OPETH like never before.

Maryland rockers CLUTCH celebrated "Record Store Day" with a free two-song acoustic performance and signing this past Saturday, April 20 at The Sound Garden in Baltimore. Fan-filmed video footage of their appearance can be seen below.

Founded in 2007 and officially kicked off in 2008 by METALLICA, Record Store Day takes place on the third Saturday of every April and brings together artists and independently owned record stores around the world to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and sold in independent stores.

For a list of participating retail outlets, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

CLUTCH's new album, "Earth Rocker", sold 22,000 copies in its first week of release to debut at position No. 15 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Released via CLUTCH's own Weathermaker Music label, "Earth Rocker" entered the German Media Control chart at No. 71. In the U.K., the CD landed at No. 50 on the regular chart, No. 3 on the Rock/Metal Albums chart and No. 11 on the Independent Albums chart.

Produced by Machine (LAMB OF GOD, FOUR YEAR STRONG, FALL OUT BOY) at the Machine Shop studio in Belleville, New Jersey, "Earth Rocker" was described by CLUTCH vocalist Neil Fallon in a recent interview with DCHeavyMetal.com as "probably faster than most of our recent albums. Maybe compared to some other bands, it's not the fastest thing on planet Earth. For us it was definitely a step up in the tempo. And I think the other thing that kind of stands out about this one is the blues influences that we've been flirting with over the past couple records is more or less absent in this record, which didn't really happen intentionally until we looked back at it. As a whole, it's just much more of a straight-up rock and roll record."

The artwork for "Earth Rocker" was created by Nick Lakiotes, longtime CLUTCH art director, who has worked on previous efforts, including "Robot Hive/Exodus" and "Strange Cousins From The West".

The second leg of the "Earth Rocker" North American tour was recently announced and will kick off May 1 in Richmond, Virginia and run through May 26 in San Antonio, Texas. Support on this run will come from THE SWORD and LIONIZE.

Fan-filmed video footage of PHILM's April 20 concert at Second Skin in Athens, Greece 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."

Extreme electro/industrial metallers ABORYM have revealed the first track from the second CD of the upcoming Dirty double album. While the first CD will feature completely new material, the second CD will include two completely re-arranged and re-recorded tracks from previous albums, covers of tracks by IRON MAIDEN, PINK FLOYD and NINE INCH NAILS, as well as a previously unreleased track. 'Dirty' (cover below), the brand new double album which will be available in jewel case, double digipack and gatefold double LP formats, is set for release on Agonia Records on May 28th in Europe and June 11th in North America.

Dirty was recorded at the Fear No One Studios in Italy with Emiliano Natali, reprising his Sound Engineers role from the band’s Psychogrotesque album, and it is helmed by Marc Urselli of New York’s Eastside Sound Studio. The electronic part of the album is engineered by D. Loop. R.G. Narchost (STORMCROW, DEMON'S SHADE, DROWNING ASHES) created 'The Spiral Shaped Chamber" custom sounds library for the band. Artwork for the album is by Aborym’s Fabban.
Dirty tracklisting is as follows:

CD 1
'Irreversible Crisis'
'Across The Universe'
'Dirty'
'Bleedthrough'
'Raped By Daddy'
'I Don’t Know'
'The Factory of Death'
'Helter Skelter Youth'
'Face the Reptile'
'The Day the Sun Stopped Shining'

CD2
'Fire Walk With Us' (new version originally released on Fire Walk With Us)
'Roma Divina Urbs' (new version originally released on Kali Yuga Bizarre)
'Hallowed Be Thy Name' (Iron Maiden Cover)
'Comfortably Numb' (Pink Floyd Cover)
'Hurt' (Nine Inch Nails Cover)
'Need For Limited Loss' (new track)

The album's lead track, ''Irreversible Crisis', can now be heard below:
Aborym's line-up consists of Italians Fabban on vocals, bass and Synths and Paolo Pieri (HOUR OF PENANCE) on guitars, keyboards and programming, together with Norway’s Bard “Faust” Eithun (BLOOD TSUNAMI, MONGO NINJA, ex-EMPEROR) on drums.

With Dirty being the band’s first release since 2010’s Psychogrotesque, all three musicians have something to say about it.

Guitarist Paolo Pieri commented: "This is definitely the most schizoid and experimental Aborym work so far. This time we focused on pushing the boundaries of electronic music one step forward while retaining the ruthless brutality of extreme metal in a way totally ahead of the times".

Drummer Bard “Faust” Eithun added: “This time around ABORYM push everything further; the electronic and industrial elements have never been so present. Rest assured, no matter how sick, twisted and beyond everything it sounds, it is still Aborym.”

The last word falls to founder Fabban: “I believe that Dirty represents the best material ever written by Aborym from 1992 until today. Given that it wasn’t that easy to go beyond an album such as Psychogrotesque, I strongly believe that this time we did exceed every limit and every concept of experimentation - manipulating all the clichès of extreme metal, industrial or electronic music and pushing together elements that are so far away from each other. As a result, we achieved something really innovative, powerful, refined and of a really high standard. The quality of sounds, the nuances, the details passing through the recording quality; the quality of the machines that we used and abused, the quality of the lyrics, the artwork and the performances of each of us and of all the people who have worked with us, are definitely all at the top. Dirty is a record that simply expands the range of our listeners, it’s an album that everyone can enjoy and really appreciate. I am personally very excited and, at the same time, really proud of what you’ll soon be able to listen to. We worked so hard for the past two years on this double album that we have no words to really explain how excited we are to finally see it released. It’s an album that will further change the history of extreme music. Of that I have no doubt.”

For more details visit Aborym.it.

French black metallers SETH will release their new album, The Howling Spirit, on June 7th via Season Of Mist. Check out the album artwork below:
The Howling Spirit tracklisting:

'In Aching Agony'
'Killing My Eyes'
'One Ear To The Earth, One Eye On Heaven'
'Howling Prayers (Act I)'
'He Whose Heart Is Heavy With Sin'
'Ten Barrels (A Scourge For The World, A Plague For His Soul)'
'Scars Born From Bleeding Stars'
'Howling Prayers (Act II)'
'Mort-luisant'
'Dicing With Death'

A lyric video for 'Scars Born From Bleeding Stars' can be found below:
'Ten Barrels (A Scourge For The World, A Plague For His Soul)' and 'Howling Prayers (Act II)' are bonus tracks that will only appear on the first, digipak pressing of the album. Pre-order this edition, as well as merchandising items and bundles, here.

The Howling Spirit includes guest performances from Stéphane Buriez and Alex Lenormand (LOUDBLAST), Kvohst (HEXVESSEL, ex-DHG), and I.Luciferia (REVERENCE).

Seth is throwing a release party on June 8th at Dr Feelgood in Paris (34, rue Keller). Be there to meet the band, listen to the album and have a few beers.
Seth lineup:

Heimoth - Guitar, Keys
Alsvid - Drums
Black Messiah - Vocals
Cyriex - Guitar
Helldryk - Bass

More on Seth here.

Boston, Massachusetts female-fronted death metal unit ABNORMALITY have released a new music video, for the track 'Fabrication Of The Enemy'. The five-piece once again had the clip directed by Corey Gomes, who did the bands previous music video for 'Monarch Omega'.

Commented vocalist Mallika Sundaramurthy: "We decided to work with the same director as our last music video, Corey Gomes. We are big fans of his work and he really understands our message and who we are as a band. We were confident he would be able to create a video that did justice for the music and concepts within the song."
'Fabrication Of The Enemy' appears on the band's latest album, Contaminating The Hive Mind, released last June through Sevared Records digitally and on CD. More recently, Threshold of Pain Records and Sevared are teaming up to release a very limited quantity on vinyl. Pre-orders are available for Threshold Of Pain's exclusive version now, reserve your copy while you can, here.
Abnormality live dates:

April
20 - Middletown, NY - Sounds Asylum (Shrimp 'til Death Fest)

May
2 - Worcester, MA - Ralph's Diner (Metal Thursday 7 Year Anniversary Show)
21 - Keene, NH - The Railroad Tavern (with Gorod, Inanimate Existence, Kamikabe and more)

July
27 - Providence, RI - Dusk (Something Bloody Metal Fest)

More on Abnormality at this location.

Former DERDIAN Singer Joe Caggianelli has issued and update in regards to his new project, STARBYNARY.
Says Joe: "I'm very proud to reveal the birth of my new power progressive metal project: STARBYNARY is here! With me, for now, the project involves Leo Giraldi, my great old friend, a great guitarist, a great composer and multi-instrumentalist. Currently we are writing the songs that will be part of the debut album."
Listen to a demo version (pre-production) of the first single, 'Dark Passenger' below:

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

More on Starbynary at this location.

New York City hard rockers STREETLIGHT CIRCUS have announced the forthcoming release of a new EP, called The Snake Mountain Sessions. The disc features four tracks that did not make it onto the band’s debut album, which was release a year ago. The tracks are 'I Shot The Radio', 'Long Time', 'Confessions' and 'She Likes To Come (And Go)'.
Songs from the new EP will be debuted on the WVOX Metal Mayhem radio show tomorrow (Friday, April 19th) with Streetlight Circus live in studio. The radio show airs from 6 -10 PM, EST and Streetlight Circus is expected be on the air at about 9 PM, EST. Anyone can tune in by going to here and clicking the “listen live” link.

The band plans to have the new EP on hand and available when they play the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD on Saturday, May 4th.
In addition, Streetlight Circus is finishing production on a music video for the lead track on its debut album, 'Downside'. Directed by Rick Ernst, the force behind the heavy metal documentary Get Thrashed, the band hopes to have the video available for viewing by the beginning of May.

On Saturday, April 20th, Streetlight Circus will headline The Hub in Island Park, NY as part of a three day music event to raise money for Toys for Hope, a charity which will benefit children affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Current Streetlight Circus tour dates are as follows:

April
20 - The Hub - Island Park, NY
27 - Wasteland Live - Clarion, PA

May
4 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD (M3 Rock Festival)

July
11 - Dingbatz - Clifton, NJ (w/ Adler)
20 - Shorefront Park - Patchogue, NY (Great South Bay Music Festival)

August
3 - Eastover Resort - Lenox, MA (Berkshirestock 2)

More dates to be announced soon.

More on Streetlight Circus at this location.

Italian symphonic power prog metallers INFINITA SYMPHONIA have released details for their upcoming sophomore album. The self-titled album will be released on June 18th via Scarlet Records.
Infinita Symphonia tracklisting:

'If I Could Go Back'
'The Last Breath (Slideshow)'
'Welcome To My World'
'Drowsiness'
'In Your Eyes'
'Fly' (duet with Michael Kiske)
'Interlude'
'Waiting For A Day Of Happiness'
'X IV'
'Limbo'
Infinita Symphonia album was recorded and mixed at Outer Sound Studio by Giuseppe Orlando (NOVEMBRE) and mastered by Henkka Niemistö and Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers Studio (SONATA ARCTICA, APOCALYPTICA) and the album features a very special guest appearance by legendary singer Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, AVANTASIA, ex-HELLOWEEN) on the song ‘Fly’, where Michael does a duet with Luca Micioni.

Michael Kiske commented about the song ‘Fly’: “The song is pretty cool and in progressive rock style.”

And the band commented about Michael’s collaboration: “We have had the pleasure to meet him and he showed himself to be very kind... a special person. He promised to listen to the song and he kept his word! Then, to our great pleasure, he even said he appreciates the message of the song!”

Audio samples can be heard in the album trailer below:
More on Infinita Symphonia at this location.

Texas-based trio TRUE WIDOW are set to release their Relapse Records’ debut, Circumambulation, on July 23rd.

“I’ve always considered us a simple band but these songs seem even more boiled down,” explained singer/guitar player DH Phillips. “I’d say the pace is a little different as well. Things are a bit more upbeat. We also did not want to do a double LP. For me, as a listener of records, I get tired of getting up to change sides so many times. We wanted it to fit on a single record so the album clocks in at about 45 minutes as opposed to an hour like we have done in the past.”

The eight-track release was recorded at The Echo Lab in Argyle, Texas with the band reuniting with producer Matt Pence. “We have done all of our recording with him,” added Phillips. “He is able to capture what we do in such a nice, lush way that I couldn’t imagine doing it with anybody else. He is a master at getting that thick sound.”

True Widow, who is rounded out by singer/bass player Nicole Estill and drummer Slim TX, will join labelmates BARONESS for a handful of dates in May:

May
28 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
29 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
30 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree Cafe *
31 - Dallas, TX - Trees

June
1 - Austin, TX - Chaos in Tejas (Mohawk)

* - True Widow only

More on True Widow at this location.

Swedish thrash maniacs WARFECT have finished the recordings for their second studio album, Exoneration Denied. The album, due out later this year via Cyclone Empire, will contain 10 songs of pure old-school thrash metal in the vein of SLAYER, DEAD HEAD and SADUS.

The artwork was created by renowned Russian artist Andrei Bouzikov (AUTOPSY, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SKELETONWITCH). See below:
Exoneration Denied tracklisting:

'Exoneration Denied'
'Drone Wars'
'Filled With Hate'
'Inflammatory'
'Retribution Unfold'
'The Prince'
'Nation Divided'
'Slit With Razor'
'Roman Disfigure'
'Pried From Earth'

An album trailer is available below:
Warfect is:

Fredrik Wester – vocals and guitar
Kristian Martinsson – bass
Mattias Kern – drums
For more on Warfect visit Facebook.

Paul Cole of Birmingham Mail recently conducted an interview with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On BLACK SABBATH's new album, "13", and upcoming tour:

Tony Iommi: "The recording and rehearsals have been going very well indeed. There's a really good feeling about it all.

"We're very pleased with the new album. But after all the work in the studio it will be good to get out and do some shows."

"I have to admit that [the new BLACK SABBATH album is] not what I expected. I could never have imagined that the album would turn out so well, but it has.

"I think it sits comfortably with our first three albums — 'Black Sabbath', 'Paranoid' and 'Master Of Reality' — and I think it's one you'll like.

"We wanted it to sound like the way we played in our early days, back to basics, and we recorded pretty much all of it almost live as a band.

"We didn't want to go through the usual trip of recording the drums, the guitars and the vocals separately. So we played together.

"We'd also written more songs than we ever have for previous recording sessions. There are 16 tracks in total, and all of them will appear in some form or other on the album when it is released. There will be different versions, including a deluxe edition."

On his relationship with BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne:

Tony Iommi: "The truth is that Ozzy and I have never really fallen out personally. When there have been issues, it has been purely business. Even when there has been a problem we've carried on talking. There's never been a bad vibe.

"Ozzy was the one who kept on at me to go to the doctors because he was concerned about me, and he has been very supportive since I was diagnosed [with lymphoma]. In fact, all the guys in the band have been great.

"Even now, when we arrive at the studio they ask how I'm feeling, if I'm up to it, making sure that I'm OK."

On being diagnosed with lymphoma after Ozzy pestered him to get a pain in his groin checked out:

Tony Iommi: "I was gutted. I went home thinking, 'Christ, that's it, I've had it!'

"Cancer meant death to me. I started writing myself off. I would lie awake at night, thinking about selling this, getting rid of that, and preparing everything: who should speak at my funeral and where I'd want to be buried.

"But I also kept thinking, 'I'm not ready to go yet. I've got too much to do, and I like being here'."

"I have to have an antibody administered by drip every six weeks or so to keep the lymphoma in check. It sort of coats the cancer cells, stops it from going anywhere else. I have to come back home no matter where I might be in the world.

"The tour dates are arranged so that I can always get back for treatment. It's the only way I can manage my illness and keep on the road. I'd love to play more shows than we're doing but my health has to be sorted out first.

"The infusions I have are part of the chemotherapy regime. It's relatively new treatment and they don't know what all the side-effects might be yet, but I wanted to try it.

"After each session I feel sick and tired, and that lasts for a week or so. I'm finding that it takes around 10 days to fully recover from each round of treatment, but if that's what it takes, I have to accept it.

"In myself I'm feeling OK now. When I first found that I had the illness, it was a dark time and I was a bit spaced out. Since we've been in rehearsals and recording sessions, I've felt pretty good – great even.

"I think that the album and tour have given me something immediate to get my teeth into, something to accomplish.

"It's not a case of taking your mind off the lymphoma — you want to be strong about it, but there's this little doubt in your mind that keeps nagging: what if this pops back — but it is something to get excited about."

"Medics say that the condition is manageable with treatment. I enjoy where I'm at now, I really do. It's a good place. I've got a good home life and a good family, great friends and support. And I'm fortunate because I'm still able to go out and play music."

Read the entire interview from Birmingham Mail.

Sweden Rock Magazine correspondent Daniela Pilic conducted an interview with former FIREWIND and current SPIRITUAL BEGGARS vocalist Apollo Papathanasio for her blog, In The Rearview Mirror. You can now watch the chat below.

In The Rearview Mirror: You're known for fronting many bands, but maybe mostly for fronting FIREWIND. A few months ago you quit the band and fell off the map. Nobody really knows what happened. This is your chance to give your version of what happened?!

Apollo: It's a long story… It started that I felt that many times I couldn't give 100% of myself and I felt a little bit that… I don't wanna be a guy that pulls the breaks all the time saying, "I can't take that gig or do that tour." So, I started to think about it and we talked about it many times. And in the end, I decided to step down and give my place to somebody else.

In The Rearview Mirror: You'd been with FIREWIND for 10 years. Did you think about this for a very long time or was there a specific moment when you decided, "This is it"?

Apollo: Yeah, I felt a little bit that sometimes you can't combine different [things]. I wanna do a lot of things… And I also have my family and you have to make it [work] economically. It's not easy to play in a rock band. There are some duties… You have to be [available] all the time. And, like I said, I felt a little bit that I wanna be more free to prepare something later, do something else.

In The Rearview Mirror: How did the band react when you told them that you were out?

Apollo: It's not something new; it has been a process for a long time. We talked about it and there was no arguing. It was my own decision. I wish we that we had [played] more [shows], played 300 days a year, so you can make a living of it without playing in different bands — only [play with] one band and you can make it. But how it is today — many people play in different bands, and it's not easy to combine all that stuff. And sometimes I felt even if I was there, I had my mind sometimes somewhere else. So it has to 100%, 110%.

In The Rearview Mirror: Did you know that you were going to quit the band when you did the anniversary shows in Greece back in December?

Apollo: Like I said, [it's been] a process for one, two years. I almost decided that I was about to leave, so the guys knew. We didn't [always] talk about it, but I think they felt that something was gonna happen, and they were not shocked or whatever.

In The Rearview Mirror: You never really made a "last show" or a farewell gig, you just somehow went "underground" and disappeared…

Apollo: No, you can't say I disappeared, because I'm still gonna be a huge fan of FIREWIND and if they need anything, I'm there for them. We have always been like brothers. And I'm happy to have put my part in such a great band like FIREWIND.

In The Rearview Mirror: So you guys are, of course, still friends…?

Apollo: Of course, yes, yes! We don't talk so much right now, but after a while, I think we're gonna talk more. They are busy, I'm busy…. There's no time sometimes for even a chat.

In The Rearview Mirror: Are you at a point in your life where you realize that it's not just about becoming a rock star — you're experiencing the harsh reality of the music business?

Apollo: Yeah. There are two ways [you can approach it]. You can go for doing it 100% full time and live in a tent or whatever to make it, or you do it, like in my case, you just do several gigs, you do some records and you don't tour that much.

In The Rearview Mirror: But you're still in EVIL MASQUERADE and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS. If you had decided to quit those two bands and made more time for FIREWIND, would that have worked? Was that ever a solution?

Apollo: No, actually, it has nothing to do with that; it has to do with how to make a living. If there had been more time for one band, [to make it] really a full-time job, of course, it would have been FIREWIND. So many people try to make it, I know many guys who are in seven, eight bands just to keep it up. But I don't think it's good to do that, because you put your energy in too many different things and sometimes you lose that energy because of it. It's better to minimize and focus on less things. So, it was not about choosing, or whatever. It has to do with how big the job is.

Italian symphonic death metallers FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are working on their third full-length album at 16th Cellar Studio with producer Stefano Morabito. "We are tracking guitars now, and the result is amazing," says guitarist/vocalist Cristiano Trionfera. "Stefano is nailing it and we know the album will sound incredibly powerful." For this album the band also used a collaboration of very talented guests, which contributed in making this record a unique piece of art.

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

"It's difficult to recap in a few words all the elements contained in our new work, but we are sure this will absolutely be THE album for us," elaborates drummer Francesco Paoli. "We have spent a lot of time composing these new songs and, even if recordings are not finished yet, we can firmly declare that this material is simply incredible, more mature and definitely a huge step forward from all our previous works. Epic complex harmony, sophisticated touching melodies, a true vocal aggression, photonic grooves and back to articulated riffing... these are just few things you will find in this album. It's fucking quality music, you will see."

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE's as-yet-untitled third album is tentatively due in August via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band's second full-length CD, "Agony", was released in August 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. The effort's intricate cover design was handled by Marco Hasmann, who previously worked with the band on the "Mafia" and "Oracles" releases.

Stern Pinball, Inc., the world's leading maker of real pinball games and the AAMA 2012 Manufacturer Of The Year, has announced the availability of a second Premium model METALLICA pinball machine. The initial release of METALLICA pinball captured the attention of gamers and fans alike. Stern sold out of both the U.S. and international allocations of its 500 Limited Edition ("LE") games within an hour of each respective customer announcement.

The second Premium edition machine features the vibrant artwork of Dirty Donny Gillies and complement's Stern's METALLICA LE, "Road Case" Premium and Pro models.

The new Premium edition METALLICA game boasts the same action-packed features as the Road Case Premium model and highlights the addition of Dirty Donny's radical pop art creations. Dirty Donny is considered one of the most influential artists in the pop culture scenes of underground rock, punk and heavy metal. He is widely known for his creative work on concert posters, album covers and vinyl toys.

"Stern Pinball has pulled out all the stops for the METALLICA machines," said Dirty Donny. "Creating artwork for this special release game has been awesome. I can't wait to see people's reactions when they take a first look at it and get to play the game."

For a glimpse of the game in action, Stern Pinball will be showcasing the METALLICA pinball machine at Comic-Con International in San Diego this year with Nuclear Blast Records.

The METALLICA game continues both the Stern Pinball and the Stern family tradition of producing quality pinball machines for young and old. The company traces its lineage to Philadelphia in the 1930s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Sam Stern subsequently became part owner and president of Williams Manufacturing, a pioneer in the pinball industry. Sam passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary Stern who founded Stern Pinball. Today pinball remains one of America's favorite pastimes.

Pricing and availability:

The METALLICA pinball machine is available while supplies last through authorized Stern distributors and dealers.

* Pro Version: $4,995
* Premium Version (Road Case): $6,995
* Premium Version (Donny): $6,995
* Limited Edition Version: (Master Of Puppets) $7,595 (SOLD OUT)

To learn more about the METALLICA pinball games and Stern Pinball, visit www.sternpinball.com.