German metallers FREEDOM CALL will release an anniversary album, "Ages Of Light", on April 26 in Germany, April 29 in the rest of Europe and May 7 in North America via SPV/Steamhammer.

"Ages Of Light" is a best-of double album filled to the brim with 18 of the most important songs from the band's history, plus a bonus CD entitled "Masqueraded", featuring six FREEDOM CALL tracks in a new, unusual guise. There is a ska version of "Metal Invasion", "Mr. Evil" as a melodic reggae track, "Hero On Video" as a speed ska number and "Rockin' Radio" in a killerbilly version.

The "Rockin' Radio" video can now be viewed below.

"Those 18 numbers are usually celebrated at our gigs, or even requested with a vengeance," explains mainman Chris Bay.

"Masqueraded" is complemented by FREEDOM CALL in campfire strumming style (including music sheet/tablature) and "Age Of The Phoenix" in a power swing outfit. It would hardly be possible to present these tracks more colorfully. Bay says: "Our intention with 'Masqueraded' was to inspire musicians and music fans to create their own, personal version of one of our songs — irrespective of musical style — and send it to us."

"Ages Of Light" combines not only the essence of the best songs from the seven FREEDOM CALL studio recordings to date, but also marks a meeting of various former and current band members. Along with Chris Bay and guitarist Lars Rettkowitz, three different drummers can be heard on the bonus tracks: founding member Dan Zimmermann, along with his successors Klaus Sperling and Ramy Ali, whom fans know from the most recent FREEDOM CALL tour. The two bassists, Samy Saemann and original bandmember Ilker Ersin, and guitarist Cédric "Cede" Dupont, who was part of FREEDOM CALL between 2001 and 2005, are also featured.

"It was great fun to work with old and new friends alike at the studio, turning previously typical FREEDOM CALL numbers into unusual songs," Bay explains, stressing that the group will commence work on a new studio album after the spring tour. "But first we want to celebrate our anniversary in style!"

"Ages Of Light" track listing:

CD 1 "Ages Of Light"

01. We Are One
02. Tears Falling
03. Freedom Call
04. Farewell
05. Metal Invasion (live)
06. Warriors
07. Land Of Light
08. Hunting High And Low
09. Mr. Evil
10. Far Away
11. Blackened Sun
12. Thunder God
13. Tears Of Babylon
14. A Perfect Day (live)
15. Hero On Video
16. Power & Glory
17. Rockstars
18. Back Into The Land Of Light

CD 2 "Masqueraded"

01. Metal Invasion - Metal Folk Version
02. Mr. Evil - Melodic Reggae Version
03. Hero on Video - Speed Ska Version
04. Rockin' Radio - Killerbilly Version
05. Freedom Call - Camp Fire Strumming Version
06. Age of the Phoenix - Power Swing Version

The official lyric video for the title track of "Unwelcome", the fifth full-length album from Virginia-based melodic tech-death metal masters ARSIS, can be seen below.

"Unwelcome" will be released on April 30 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2010's "Starve For The Devil" was tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER). The artwork was handled once again by longtime collaborator Mark Riddick.

"So, we've had 'Unwelcome' finished for quite some time now and we are happy to finally be able to share the finished product with everyone," commented founder and lead guitarist/vocalist James Malone.

"As a band/musician, it's sometimes difficult to separate yourself from your work and visualize how others are going to interpret your work. In other words, it's sometimes hard to know whether or not your ideas are relevant to anyone but yourself. With 'Unwelcome', we certainly put all of our everything into the writing and recording and stopped paying attention to what's trendy or what we think might appeal to a larger audience. In doing so, I feel we have created one of the most sincere ARSIS albums and perhaps one of the most relevant."

"Unwelcome" track listing:

01. Unwelcome
02. Carve My Cross
03. Handbook For The Recently Deceased
04. Choking On Sand
05. Let Me Be The One
06. Sunglasses At Night
07. Martyred Or Mourning
08. No One Lies To The Dead
09. I Share In Shame
10. Scornstar

Fans can hear the debut of new guitarist Brandon Ellis and drummer/longtime session member Shawn Priest on the "Lepers Caress" EP, which can be downloaded for free here. The effort was released via Scion Audio/Visual (a.k.a. Scion A/V), the in-house record label and lifestyle marketing division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market.

Brandon Ellis replaced guitarist Nick Cordle, who was tapped to replace Christopher Amott in the Swedish/German extreme metal act ARCH ENEMY.

ARSIS's 2010 album, "Starve For The Devil" (Nuclear Blast Records), sold 1,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release, landing at No. 13 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart.

Progressive rockers URIAH HEEP will be rejoined by an old friend for a limited run of dates in May 2013 when they tour The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. John Lawton, who was lead vocalist between 1976 and 1979, will reunite with the group to cover for Bernie Shaw, who requires some time off for a routine medical procedure. John had already been confirmed to perform as a one-off guest at an outdoor amphitheatre HEEP show in Spain on July 12. This show at San Javier will now feature both singers and will serve as an occasion for the band to thank John. As the shows will be recorded for official bootlegs, it promises to be a real treat for the fans. The sets will be skewed to songs reflecting John's original tenure with the band, a celebration of classic 1970s URIAH HEEP. this will be a unique chance to catch such a nostalgic performance, fronted by an ex-URIAH HEEP legend, always a friend of the band, who has returned while Bernie Shaw recuperates.

In true HEEP style, the gig schedule is as busy as ever. The "Nail On The Head" tour has already seen the band perform 10 acclaimed shows across the U.K. and the band will have performed across much of Europe by the time they take the Download stage — helping to kick things off in style with an appearance on the opening date, June 14.

Originally founded by guitarist Mick Box in 1969, URIAH HEEP is truly one of the pivotal classic acts that helped define the rock sound and an era. Part of the fabled "Big Four" alongside LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE, the HEEP story still has a long way to go. With classic songs like "Lady In Black", "Gypsy", "Easy Livin'" and "Stealin'" full of ambition, sophisticated writing, memorable tunes and, of course, the vocals — the five-part harmonies were a clear influence on the operatics of QUEEN.

URIAH HEEP was the first Western rock band to perform in Russia, they have headlined at stadiums worldwide: truly they've ensured their place at rock's top table. With Mick Box always at the helm, URIAH HEEP tours all over the world and is one of music's most exciting and reliable live acts.

In a more-than-40-year career, URIAH HEEP has released 23 studio albums and sold more than 40 million units; the most recent release was 2011's "Into The Wild".

While the band is thrilled to welcome back an old friend in John Lawton, the HEEP story rolls on, and more new music is to come soon.

Florida's SunSentinel has issued the following report from Mary Thurman Yuhas:

When IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain isn't on the road, he calls Boca Raton home. About eight years ago, through friends at a golf tournament, he was introduced to HomeSafe, a Lake Worth-based nonprofit that helps victims of child abuse and domestic violence.

"I fell in love with the whole organization," McBrain said. "I had a wonderful childhood growing up in North London, and I think every child deserves to have caring people around them to nurture their abilities and help them go out and have a fulfilled life."
McBrain hosted HomeSafe's recent Classic Rock & Roll Party fundraiser at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. About 375 people attended, and the event raised more than $340,000.

"We only hold two fundraisers a year, and this fundraiser is extremely unique," said Matthew Ladika, HomeSafe's CEO. "It's a jam session and a rock party that breaks out into a fundraiser."

Read more at this location.

"V", the new video from U.K. modern metallers MALEFICE, can be seen below. Directed by Robin Fuller (THE DEFILED, FEED THE RHINO, HAWK EYES), it shows the fearsome five-piece doing what they do best — laying waste to an excited crowd while putting on an energetic performance.

"We wanted to do our own take on a traditional style of performance based video essentially to re-introduce MALEFICE as it is now," says guitarist Ben Symons. "A lot has changed in the last few years, and this video represents where we are as a band now."

"V" is the title track of MALEFICE's fifth album, which will be released on April 28 via Transcend Music.

Since bursting onto the U.K. metal music scene in 2007, MALEFICE has established its very own unique sound often described as brutal, belligerent, bold and undeniably British.

Commented singer Dale Butler: "After being written off, we're back to where we thrive the most. Being the underdog.

"We've always delivered something new and exciting in adversity and this time is no exception. The changes we have made have given us time to regroup and reinvent the sound of this band.

"Expect more bounce than ever, more hate than ever and more soul than ever. This is a record of feelings, how we are, where we want to be and where we will get to. This is the album we always wanted to write, where the evolution has taken us and has renewed our 'take-no-prisoners' attitude, something we always have at our live shows. You can hear the clarion call to arms in this recording.

"All music is a personal statement. This is our statement that no matter what, nothing can hold us back, nothing will keep us down and together we can, will and have survived all the bullshit thrown at us. This record represents everything we are as a collective and as individuals. It'll be the soundtrack to your parties in 2013."

"V" track listing:

01. V
02. The Great Deceiver
03. Never Say Die
04. Wasted
05. Time
06. Blueprints
07. Reach Up

MALEFICE's last full-length album, "Awaken The Tides", was released in July 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The 10-song effort was recorded at The Face studios in Reading with drums laid down at Fortress Studios in London. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Justin Hill.

MALEFICE is gearing up to head out for a few dates with THE DEFILED and BREED 77.

STAR & DAGGER, the 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, will release a full-length album, "Tomorrowland Blues", on July 23 via Cauldron 333, distributed by MRI. The CD was recorded at Rancho de la Luna, produced by Ethan Allen and Dave Catching, and mastered by Jay Yuenger (WHITE ZOMBIE).

STAR & DAGGER will make a rare U.S. appearance on Sunday, April 14 at Mercury Lounge in New York City before flying overseas for an extensive European tour.

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.

STAR & DAGGER recently attracted much attention, selling out its first show in Los Angeles and opening for HIGH ON FIRE, HELMET, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, DOWN and SAINT VITUS. They performed at the 2012 Voodoo festival and have plans for more shows on the West Coast.

STAR & DAGGER's first recording emerged a few months ago, a 12-inch vinyl titled "In My Blood".

In a recent interview with New Noise Magazine, Dava She Wolf stated about how STAR & DAGGER came together: "STAR & DAGGER emanated from friendship and kept growing from there. I knew Sean back in the day. She was my neighbor, in fact, and she was always the nicest, friendliest, and coolest person. To be playing guitar with her is, needless to say, a great honor. It raises the bar considerably for me, as does playing with the awesome Dave Catching, our magnificent drummer Gene Trautmann and another talented great friend, our vocalist Von Hesseling.

"The band has come together in a very organic way and we all are enjoying ourselves while making music together. You can’t ask for much more than that.

"We all have unique histories with different backgrounds, which I guess helps make for an interesting story. Our fans have been welcoming and wonderful to us, as have been some of the bands that we've been privileged to open for, such as DOWN, SAINT VITUS, HELMET, HIGH ON FIRE, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and others. We especially had a fun time filming our video for the song 'Your Mama Was A Grifter', which we recorded at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree. It is a mashup of 'Faster Pussycat Kill Kill', 'Night Of The Hunter' with a little 'Cleopatra' thrown in, directed by visual master and bona fide daredevil Art Haynie. We had an absolute blast making it."

Speaking to ASCAP.com, Yseult stated about STAR & DAGGER's musical direction: "I'm sure the Joshua Tree vibe seeped into our recordings; it's inevitable. But the riffs were all written in New Orleans and New York — it's a big reason I wanted to work with Donna, because her riffs and guitar style were so heavy but more in a '70s blues way than heavy metal, which is what I really like. I've always been influenced by BLACK SABBATH as far as my riffs and songwriting, and have been friends and fans of bands like KYUSS and MONSTER MAGNET since touring together back when I was in WHITE ZOMBIE. Donna's sound reminds me of Ace Frehley (KISS) at times, and early AEROSMITH at others — I just feel like we have a definite '70s heavy blues thing going, and we're happy to keep company with our friends in the desert who also appreciate that sound."

Asked if she feels any pressure, whether from herself or from the outside, to reach the same heights as that of WHITE ZOMBIE, Yseult said: "For me, I don't think it's possible for rock bands to reach the heights WHITE ZOMBIE reached back in the day. Not many rock bands are selling out arenas and traveling with five tour buses and three or four semis anymore, so it would be pretty unrealistic for me to think in those terms. I find it hilarious that both WHITE ZOMBIE and CYCLE SLUTS' greatest fame were both due to Beavis and Butthead — maybe now that they are back together, Donna and I should go and court them — at least we are still making music they would like!"

WISDOM OF CROWDS, the new project featuring Bruce Soord from THE PINEAPPLE THIEF with Jonas Renkse from KATATONIA, will release its debut album on June 3 via Kscope.

The music for the CD was originally written with Renkse's voice in mind, and Soord sought out the acclaimed KATATONIA singer to complete the compositions and release the music to the masses. Despite the rigorous schedules of THE PINEAPPLE THIEF and KATATONIA, the two musicians were eventually able to connect.

Both artists are currently enjoying unparalleled success with their main bands.

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF have just completed a successful European tour following the release of their latest album, "All The Wars", in September. Rock Sound described "All The Wars" as "an album of MUSE-like, slow burning guitar anthems" while Classic Rock stated it was "the sound of a band reaching the height of their powers" and Prog argued it was an "elegant, sophisticated work... moody and meaningful, introspective and universal."

KATATONIA's new album, "Dead End Kings", was released on the Peaceville label in August and reinforced their position as "one of the most consistently fascinating bands in modern heavy music." (Metal Hammer, 9/10). The CD featured heavily in the year-end polls of magazines around the world and was also nominated for a Grammis award in the band's homeland of Sweden.

"Wisdom Of Crowds" track listing:

01. Pleasure
02. Wisdom Of Crowds
03. Radio Star
04. Frozen North
05. The Light
06. Stacked Naked Pretend
07. Centre Of Gravity
08. Flows Through You

Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH have set "Deceiver Of The Gods" as the title of their new album, due in June via Metal Blade Records. The CD was helmed by British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with (MEGADETH, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY and ACCEPT. The cover artwork for the effort, which will feature a guest appearance by former CANDLEMASS singer Messiah Marcolin, can be seen below.

Comments AMON AMARTH: "The cover depicts the last battle between the Gods and Loki who arrives at Vigridr field accompanied by the army of the dead during Ragnarok, the end of the world."

Regarding AMON AMARTH's decision to work with Sneap after utilizing Jens Bogren for the band's last three studio efforts (2006's "With Oden On Our Side", 2008's "Twilight Of The Thunder God" and 2011's "Surtur Rising"), AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen told Decibel magazine, "We were looking for a change, and Andy has been in our thoughts for some years now. After meeting with him, we felt a good connection. We think this is going to be a ripper."

AMON AMARTH's eighth studio album, "Surtur Rising", sold around 15,000 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, "Twilight of the Thunder God", opened with more than 11,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 48.

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER are in the studio recording the follow-up to their Grammy-nominated album "A Dramatic Turn Of Events". The band's guitarist, John Petrucci, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday (Thursday, April 11): "As of today, all writing, drum and guitar tracking (with the exception of solos) for the new DREAM THEATER album is complete! Will finish up bass next week... Pumped!!"

In a recent interview with Roadrunner Records, Petrucci stated about the making of the new DREAM THEATER CD: "First of all, it's been going great with [drummer Mike Mangini, who joined the group in 2010], and as much as we've been a band together for about 15 years, we haven't really experienced that process together. We've been in the studio for a few weeks now, and he's been amazing. Amazing chemistry is great, the writing process and the whole vibe is great, and his role is to let his personality shine as a drummer, creatively and to have his input and his musical personality really come through. And I gotta tell you, it's happening. When people hear the drumming on this album, they're gonna be pretty freaked out. On the last album, he did a great job, but he wasn't there for the writing process and he was interpreting drum parts that I had programmed. Even though he used his creativity, of course, to change them up and do his thing, I feel like now he's just Mike Mangini unleashed. It's all him. It's all his creativity, all his decisions and ideas and man, the guy's an animal."

"Live At Luna Park", DREAM THEATER's live concert captured on 2DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Video, 2DVD/3CD, Blu-ray/3CD, and a deluxe edition (2DVD/Blu-ray/3CD), will drop in May via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

"Live At Luna Park" was filmed over two nights in South America — home to one of DREAM THEATER's most ardent fanbases. The DVD was filmed August 19 and August 20, 2012 at Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina after a 15-month world tour, hitting 35 countries.

Former and current members of JUDAS PRIEST, ALICE COOPER, OZZY OSBOURNE and SCORPIONS will play classic songs from their respective bands during a week-long tour of Russia under the banner ROCKSTAR.

ROCKSTAR is:

* Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES) - Vocals
* Keri Kelli (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ALICE COOPER, RATT) - Guitar
* James Kottak (SCORPIONS, KINGDOM COME) - Drums
* Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE, DIO) - Bass
* Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (GUNS N' ROSES) - Keyboards

In a video interview, seen below, Owens says about the ROCKSTAR project: "We all have such diverse backgrounds in so many different bands that we just want to get there and play WHITESNAKE and ALICE COOPER and DIO and PRIEST and GUNS N' ROSES. So I think this project is just to go play for the fans with this special show with all these songs and all these bands."

ROCKSTAR's tour begins May 19 in Krasnodar, with stops in Rostov, Voronej, Penza and Saratov, before the tour ends May 28 in Moscow.

ROCKSTAR tour dates:

May 19 - Krasnodar - Arena Hall
May 21 - Rostov - Tesla Club
May 23 - Voronej - Barac’o’mama Club
May 25 - Penza - Rock Park Open-Air Festival
May 26 - Saratov Tuz Hall
May 28 - Moscow - Rockstar Bar

Newly released rehearsal and interview footage with the members of ROCKSTAR can be seen below.

Rehearsal:

Norwegian sons of northern darkness IMMORTAL will release a limited 10-inch vinyl box set of their last masterpiece, "All Shall Fall".

The prestigious box set will consist of four high-quality 10-inch vinyl discs, including the amazing album artwork poster.

The "All Shall Fall" 10-inch vinyl box set will be limited to only 3x 333 copies (black, white, silver) and will be released on July 5 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The official music video for the "All Shall Fall" title track can be viewed below. Shot in Norway by Vardefilm, the clip features the band's full lineup (Abbath, Demonaz, Apollyon, Horgh) and is the first music video the band has shot in 15 years.

"All Shall Fall" sold around 3,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 162 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"All Shall Fall" entered the German chart at position No. 33 and Finnish chart at No. 20. In the band's home country, the CD landed at No. 23 in its opening week.

"All Shall Fall" was released in North America on October 6, 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD, which was issued in Europe on September 25, 2009, was recorded at Grieghallen and Abyss studios in Norway and Sweden, respectively.

British epic metallers DRAGONFORCE have completed writing the follow-up to last year's "The Power Within" album, which was their first with vocalist Marc Hudson. Since his live debut with the band in July 2011, Marc has gone on to front over 100 shows with DRAGONFORCE in 32 countries across the globe, including arenas with IRON MAIDEN as well as a mammoth headlining world tour to support the CD.

With a newfound wealth of experience for the new singer and two years of playing together, the DRAGONFORCE machine will be at its most powerful when it enters Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden in May with Jens Bogren to start laying down tracks. Known for his work with the likes of OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK and SYMPHONY X, to name a few, Jens will undoubtedly help DRAGONFORCE make a killer-sounding album.

Comments DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li: "Right now, everyone in the band is itching to get into the studio to record probably the most epic DRAGONFORCE music ever written. With so many ideas flying around and songs already written, we decided to team up with producer Jens Bogren to help us take the DRAGONFORCE sound to the next level and beyond!"

"The Power Within" sold 5,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 74 on The Billboard 200 chart.

DRAGONFORCE's previous CD, "Ultra Beatdown", opened with 24,000 units back in September 2008 to land at No. 18.

"The Power Within" was released in the U.K. on April 16, 2012 via the band's own Electric Generation Recordings, distributed by Essential Music.

Asked if it was difficult to integrate Hudson into the band, Li told Metal Traveller: "I don't know if it was easy or hard, but we definitely spent a lot of time to make sure he integrated well in the band. Before he joined the band, we jammed, we rehearsed, we went to the studio and recorded some demos together — just to see how it's like, to understand his personality. After he joined the band, we didn't want him to be like, 'Hi, Marc, welcome to the band, record the songs in studio and see you on tour.' You have to be a real family, so we jammed and rehearsed a lot, and that really helped him to integrate the band. The first show he had to play with the band was with IRON MAIDEN, in front of 20,000 people. I didn't tell Marc until the warmup gig two weeks before."

Regarding whether Marc was involved in composing the new songs, Li said: "Most of the music was already composed when we were auditioning him. After he joined the band, we had to change the voice a little bit to get the best out of his voice. We found out that he can sing very high, but also really low at the same time. So in certain songs, we explored his low range, like 'Seasons' or 'Give Me The Night', on which he goes from low to high. Then we tried to explore the high register, like in 'Holding On'."

An exclusive clip from Rob Zombie's upcoming film, "The Lords Of Salem", can be seen below (courtesy of RollingStone.com). The horror movie, Zombie's fifth live-action feature, stars his wife Sheri Moon Zombie as a Massachusetts DJ named Heidi Hawthorne who discovers that playing a mysterious record somehow activates a curse placed on her town by a coven of witches 300 years ago.

In this clip, Heidi meets one of the Lords in an eerie, grandiose scene. "This is a key moment in the film where our main character, Heidi Hawthorne, finally confronts the dreaded apartment five to meet the bizarre master of her nightmares," Zombie tells RollingStone.com. "It is one of my favorite scenes in the film and wasn't even in the original script."

Zombie recently revealed the track list for the soundtrack of "The Lords Of Salem" and it contains classic songs from THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, MANFRED MANN, Rick James and RUSH in addition to an original score by Zombie's guitarist John 5. Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio how he approached compiling the soundtrack. "I mean, I always like to find songs that can represent the film, so there's at least one song in every movie that when you hear it, it brings back the imagery of the film," he said. "In this movie, it was a VELVET UNDERGROUND song. I always want to try to find that piece of music early on, even in the writing process. For 'Devil's Rejects', it was 'Freebird', strangely enough, and for the last movie it was 'Nights In White Satin'. Sometimes you just hear a song and you go, 'This song sounds like how I want the movie to feel.'"

The soundtrack includes MANFRED MANN's version of "Blinded By The Light", Rick James' "Give It To Me Baby", RUSH's "The Spirit Of Radio" and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND's "Venus In Furs" and "All Tomorrow's Parties".

"The Lords Of Salem" soundtrack arrives on April 16, a few days before the movie opens in limited release on April 19.

Zombie's own new album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", is due out on April 23 and contains songs such as first single "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town", "Lucifer Rising", "The Girl Who Loved The Monsters" and "Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures", along with a cover of the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD hit "We're An American Band".

Zombie will also receive an honorary award at the upcoming Revolver Golden Gods Awards, which will take place in Los Angeles on May 2.

Frontiers Records will release BURNING RAIN's new album, "Epic Obsession", on May 21 in North America.

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for the CD can be seen below.

BURNING RAIN was founded by current WHITESNAKE axeman Doug Aldrich together with singer Keith St. John (ex-MONTROSE). The lineup for the new album is rounded out by Sean McNabb (QUIET RIOT, DOKKEN, HOUSE OF LORDS) on bass and Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY) on drums.

"Epic Obsession" comes after a long hiatus from the release of the band's second album, "Pleasure To Burn", in 2000.

Of "Epic Obsession", Aldrich commented, "I think we have a good batch of songs that will stand up. It's a melodic blues rock approach to the sound. It's really the only thing I have done outside of WHITESNAKE in the last ten years."

"Epic Obsession" track listing:

01. Sweet Little Baby Thing
02. The Cure
03. Till You Die
04. Heaven Gets Me By
05. Pray Out Loud
06. Our Time Is Gonna Come
07. Too Hard To Break
08. My Lust Your Fate
09. Made For Your Heart
10. Ride The Monkey
11. Out In The Cold Again
12. When Can I Believe In Love
13. Kashmir *
14. Heaven Gets Me By (acoustic version) *

* Bonus tracks

The "My Lust Your Fate" video can be seen below. The clip was filmed last month with director Devin DeHaven of Fortress Entertainment (PAPA ROACH, WHITESNAKE, METHOD MAN, TALIB KWELI).

Check out photos from the video shoot at this location.

Frontiers Records will also reissue the long-out-of-print first two albums from BURNING RAIN, the self-titled debut (released in 1999) and the aforementioned "Pleasure To Burn". Both LPs will be repackaged and remastered and will contain two added bonus tracks to each respective album.

BURNING RAIN's previous efforts received great acclaim in Japan and the U.K. prior to Aldrich being tapped as guitarist for WHITESNAKE in 2002, with MelodicRock.com declaring, "Great quality songwriting...fantastic production that rivals any others out there. For fans of classic blues influenced hard rock there will be few albums to rival this record..."

"Abra Kadavar", the second full-length album from German psychedelic hard rockers KADAVAR, is available fo streaming in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below (courtesy of Classic Rock magazine). The CD is being released in Europe today (Friday, April 12) via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Abra Kadavar" is being made available as a limited digi version, including a bonus track, as well on different vinyl versions.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Come Back Life
02. Doomsday Machine
03. Eye Of The Storm
04. Black Snake
05. Dust
06. Fire
07. Liquid Dream
08. Rhythm For Endless Minds
09. Abra Kadabra

Bonus track:

10. The Man I Shot

The photo for the cover artwork, which was taken by photographer and ex-STEREOLAB drummer Joe Dilworth, can be seen below.

Comments KADAVAR frontman Lupus Lindemann: "Joe had already worked with us for our debut album. He's one of the best photographers I know and always understood our ideas, which is why we wanted to cooperate with him again. He proudly brought an old camera from the '60s and a color film that had been expired for ten years to the shooting — hard to get and highly coveted, because it causes unpredictable deviants as far as color and contrast are concerned. As one can see: We’ve used this very film!"

As far as the album recordings are concerned, KADAVAR drummer Tiger explains: "After last year's final show had been played in mid-December, we started writing new songs. We've already had a couple of finished tracks in May 2012, but those were eventually released on a split LP with AQUA NEBULA OSCILLATOR in November 2012, which is why we started at square one again. As we knew that there was no procrastination and no going back for us, we sat down for two weeks straight to finish composing with total commitment. We're perfectly happy with the outcome — I'd even say that 'Abra Kadavar' comprises the best compositions we've created to date. The songs are more diversified, the ideas feel more spontaneous. Moreover, we've tried to capture much more of our live energy, which is why we've recorded almost everything all together in one room, with the amps turned up to the max — solely the vocals and a handful of guitar solos were added afterwards."

It was already with 2012's eponymous debut album that the three-piece from Berlin casted a spell on all fans of solid riff-driven-yet-doom-like '70s hard rock à la BLACK SABBATH and PENTAGRAM. Marrying this with the spacy psychedelic approach of early HAWKWIND and mixing in a distinct own touch while preserving their icons' warm vintage charm can doubtlessly be considered the trio's key to success. Astoundingly high vinyl sales and support slots with such bands as SLEEP, SAINT VITUS, PENTAGRAM and ELECTRIC WIZARD as well as festival appearances at Stoned From The Underground, Yellowstock and Fusion, among others, underline KADAVAR's status as one of the scene's most exciting acts to watch in 2013.

KADAVAR is:

Lupus Lindemann - vocals, guitar
Mammut - bass
Tiger - drums

Fan-filmed video footage of the reunited acclaimed 1990s rock band SAIGON KICK performing last night (Thursday, April 11) at Webster Hall in New York City can be seen below.

As previously reported, SAIGON KICK recently parted ways with bassist Tom DeFile. According to Tom, the split happened because of "personalities and other reasons." The remaining members of the band said in a statement: "Tom and SAIGON KICK amicably decided this is best for both parties and we wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors."

Chris McLernon, who was not a part of the original SAIGON KICK lineup, but came aboard as the band's bassist for the "Water" album in 1993 and remained with the group until they unofficially called it quits in 1999, is playing bass on SAIGON KICK's current reunion tour.

Guitarist Jason Bieler, who last year launched a new project called OWL STRETCHING, stated in a 2012 interview about the prospect of a SAIGON KICK reunion, "My only thing about SAIGON KICK is that I wouldn't want it to be a 'will-work-for-food' tour. I hate that, and I expressed to the guys that whatever and if ever we do something, I want to do it at a level that's higher and better than it was. You tend to remember the best things about a band when they're younger, and when you see them when you're older you think 'Oh, man, they suck! Maybe they're still the same band and just never got any better.' I'd want to go out there and capture something, do something great. If we're going to do some shows, I don't want to show up with one flashlight and rip off the fans to make an extra $200. That's not what I'm interested in."

SAIGON KICK is perhaps best remembered for its second album, 1992's "The Lizard", which spawned the band's biggest hit single, "Love Is On The Way". The track reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and its accompanying video was in the top 10 MTV countdown for many weeks. Just before touring for the LP commenced, DeFile was fired and was replaced by ex-COLD SWEAT bassist Chris McLernon. They toured from summer 1992 to spring 1993 and "The Lizard" was eventually certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD are scheduled to begin demoing material today (Thursday, April 11) for the follow-up to 2011's "Unto The Locust" with engineer Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios in Pacheco, California. The band's vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn writes on the band's official web site: "[MACHINE HEAD drummer Dave] McClain and I had a really good jam session on Monday. It was one of those jam days where you feel a breakthrough happen, a day where, for no apparent reason, several things fall into place and start to make sense. It is an amazing-yet-hard-to-explain feeling, but you know that a huge chunk of progress just happened! New riffs flowed, new ideas materialized and new concepts explored. It was definitely one of 'those' days."

He added: "We had one more day of rehearsals yesterday and we'll start demoing the new tunes today with my trusty engineer Juan from Trident Studios manning Da Tools.

"Phil [Demmel, MACHINE HEAD guitarist] begins his Jackson Guitars clinic tour overseas for a couple weeks, so it's a perfect time to demo. I tend to take over the jam room when demoing, so rehearsals fall by the wayside as I track and experiment with a million different ideas."

MACHINE HEAD in February parted ways with bassist Adam Duce. Flynn explained in an online posting: "We may have fired Adam on [February 11], but Adam quit MACHINE HEAD well over a decade ago. He just never bothered to tell anyone… but we all knew it." A replacement bassist has not yet been announced.

MACHINE HEAD's most recent studio album, "Unto The Locust", sold more than 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart — putting MACHINE HEAD in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's 17-year history.

Trenton, New Jersey metalcore mainstays BEYOND DISHONOR have released a music video for their first single, entitled "Heisenberg". The song comes off the band's upcoming EP, "Generations", set to drop in June.

Any fan of the hit television drama "Breaking Bad" will immediately recognize that "Heisenberg" is a tribute to the popular show — complete with yellow meth lab suits, greasy cigar-smoking drug kingpins, shady factory laboratories galore and more.

"It's an obvious homage to one of our favorite pieces of entertainment, but it is wrapped around a stronger metaphor — just as Walt perfects the formula against his better judgement, so too are we forced to find and perfect the formula for notice and respect in this tumultuous industry and genre," states lead vocalist Reese Dunlap. "That theme is referenced throughout the song, and goes one step further in the video, where we are, in a sense, a victim of this formulaic control. It is only when we have 'perfected the formula' that we can finally escape mediocrity."

Breaking free of the norm is exactly what BEYOND DISHONOR plans to do with "Generations", which boasts production credits from acclaimed producer Andreas Magnusson, known for his work with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, IMPENDING DOOM, THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE and more. The five-piece combines eclectic styles and ranging influences to create music that is devastatingly heavy and aggressive enough for the most hardcore of fans, yet rhythmic and groovy enough to be accessible to those on the fringe. In a recent write-up, Heavyblogisheavy.com said, "The music lands on the good side of the contemporary metalcore/deathcore spectrum, for fans of early BORN OF OSIRIS (sans keyboards) or WITHIN THE RUINS."

Drawing inspiration from pop culture, primarily in the form of movies, television and gaming, is one of countless ways BEYOND DISHONOR has garnered fans in the local and national metal scene since they formed in late 2006. Their 2011 full-length, "Travesty", is a well-received concept album drawing from band favorites "Se7en", "Ghostbusters" and "Full Metal Jacket". In similar fashion, "Generations" features pop culture references evident in song titles like "ED209 vs. The Staircase" ("RoboCop") and "What Clayton Bigsby Doesn't Know" ("Chappelle's Show").

In the state of New Jersey and even nationally, BEYOND DISHONOR asserts one of the strongest DIY success stories in a very challenging genre. The band churns out a staggering 70-plus self-funded shows a year — without any label, booking agency, or management assistance. BEYOND DISHONOR is pushing 5,000-plus fans on their official Facebook page and 10,000-plus on Twitter — essentially commanding the attention of East Coast metal fans with each and every post. Much of their success stems from the overwhelming support and praise provided by the many nationally recognized artists they have supported, including UNEARTH, CHIMAIRA, AUGUST BURNS RED, ATTACK ATTACK, ALL SHALL PERISH, WINDS OF PLAGUE, BORN OF OSIRIS, SUFFOCATION, EMMURE, and numerous others.


This past February, BEYOND DISHONOR won the Trenton, New Jersey date of the Sumerian Records "Headband For The Highway" competition, which was a touring "battle of the bands"-style performance competition in which bands from each market were chosen to perform on a large summer festival date. As the winner, the band was selected to perform on a local date of the All Stars Tour (this year featuring EVERY TIME I DIE, CHELSEA GRIN, VEIL OF MAYA and more). Specifics regarding this performance are set to be announced soon.

BEYOND DISHONOR will head out on a 13-date East Coast trek beginning April 12. Several dates include performances with internationally-recognized artists such as MISS MAY I, WHITECHAPEL, TEXAS IN JULY and more, plus a stop at the annual Launch Music Conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE has just hit the road to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band's epic 1988 release, "Operation: Mindcrime", performing all fifteen songs from the album along with other well-known hits and rarities from the catalog they've compiled over the past 30 years.

Fan-filmed video footage of last night's (Wednesday, April 10) concert at Mesa Theater & Club in Grand Junction, Colorado can be seen below.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. I Remember Now
02. Anarchy-X
03. Revolution Calling
04. Operation: Mindcrime
05. Speak
06. Spreading The Disease
07. The Mission
08. Suite Sister Mary
09. The Needle Lies
10. Electric Requiem
11. Breaking The Silence
12. I Don't Believe In Love
13. Waiting For 22
14. My Empty Room
15. Eyes Of A Stranger

Encore:

16. I'm American
17. Silent Lucidity
18. Best I Can
19. Jet City Woman
20. Neon Knights (BLACK SABBATH cover)
21. Empire

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).

Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records has released "Cold", the new single from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, via iTunes. The track, which was mixed by Anthony Focx (NEWSTED, AEROSMITH, NIGHT RANGER, TED NUGENT), will also be 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.

"Cold" comes off QUEENSRŸCHE's new album, "Frequency Unknown", which is scheduled for release on April 23 via Deadline Music/Cleopatra. The CD was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California.

"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).

A teaser for what is to come from Swedish metallers ENGEL can be seen below.

Singer Mikael Sehlin (DEGRADEAD) made his live debut with ENGEL on January 4 at the Gothenburg Sound Festival at Trädgårn in Gothenburg, Sweden. The group states: "Mikael is doing a great job and we look forward to the next album.

ENGEL parted ways with singer Magnus "Mangan" Klavborn in November and recruited Lenne (ex-TWELVESTEP) as his temporary replacement. In a statement announcing his departure from the group, Klavborn said: "I'm not going to rant about the who's and why's, just say goodbye." He added: "I have had a lot of good times and I am sad to leave it behind, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's not a farewell forever; I'm not going to quit music."

ENGEL's latest album, "Blood Of Saints", entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 60. Released on May 18, 2012 via Season Of Mist, the CD was recorded at Antfarm studios in Aabyhøj, Denmark. According to the group, the album is "a good mixture between both [previous ENGEL efforts] 'Threnody' [2010] and 'Absolute Design' [2007], but with some new angles as well!"

Fan-filmed video footage of COAL CHAMBER's entire April 5 performance at Pop's in Sauget, Illinois can be seen below.

COAL CHAMBER and SEVENDUST are currently taking part in a U.S. co-headlining tour. Also appearing on the bill is LACUNA COIL.

In a recent interview with the WGRD 97.9 FM radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, COAL CHAMBER frontman Dez Fafara (also of DEVILDRIVER) stated about theband's current status: "COAL CHAMBER, for me right now, is like a really fine woman, man. I've gotta re-date her — she's back in my life, I've gotta see how she is, and we've gotta take our time with each other. And that's what we're doing. And I think that's the important thing — we're doing it for the love of the music as well. There's a lot of people that never got to either see COAL CHAMBER live or haven't seen us in a long time due to the breakup.

"It's good to see [the other guys in the band] off hard drugs, man, and you can see their guys are crystal clear, and it makes me wanna do music with them again.

"Right now, with COAL CHAMBER, that's what we're doing — we're taking it slow. [Last September], they sent me some new tunes and said, 'Hey, would you ever think about doing a new record? Here's some new tunes.' And they were absolutely killer. They were moving forward with their sound, but yet you could tell it was COAL CHAMBER, but it wasn't so linear. So who knows what's gonna happen in the future, man? We're just playing it by ear at this point. I've got a lot going on right now, so we just have to really see."

Regarding why neither of the two former COAL CHAMBER bassists — Nadja Peulen or Rayna Foss — is involved in the band's reunion, Dez told Full Metal Jackie in a separate interview, "Rayna was not [asked to be a part of it]. Rayna has been out of the band for a very long time. We did speak to Nadja. She has other things going and it wasn't really in the headspace where we were at as a band. We found Chela; she's Canadian and she's a bad-ass player. She's been playing for nearly [15] years. She plays five-string and it's good to have her on bass. She grew up with COAL CHAMBER. Where Meegs and Mikey and I am right now, we're really excited so we needed someone that filled that excitement drawer and she did for sure; she's stoked."

COAL CHAMBER rose to prominence with a gold-certified debut album in 1997 that established the group as one of the most promising bands on the then-emerging, so-called "nu metal" scene.

Nadja Peulen replaced COAL CHAMBER bassist Rayna Foss Rose in 1999 during Rose's pregnancy for almost 12 months while the band was on the road supporting its second album, "Chamber Music". Rayna came back to the band after her pregnancy leave and recorded COAL CHAMBER's third album, "Dark Days". Shortly after recording "Dark Days", Rayna quit the band and Nadja was recruited for the touring cycle that followed the CD's release. The band broke up during the "Dark Days" tour in 2002.

"Goodbye My Friend", a brand new song from Grand Rapids, Michigan hard rockers POP EVIL, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new full-length album, "Onyx", which will be released on May 14.

"Onyx" track listing:

01. Goodbye My Friend
02. Deal With The Devil
03. Trenches
04. Torn To Pieces
05. Divide
06. Beautiful
07. Silence & Scars ?
08. Sick Sense
09. Fly Away
10. Behind Closed Doors ?
11. Welcome To Reality ?
12. Flawed

The message of the first single, "Trenches", applies to the world of art as well as the world of sports, the military, or anyone struggling with the economic downturn, like POP EVIL's home state of Michigan.

"It's about our battles," vocalist Leigh Kakaty says. "Not focusing on the things we can't control, if we really want to be a band that stands the test of time we have to write the music that connects. We have to dig our way out of the trenches."

During a slump in the music industry, POP EVIL is living proof that you can still make a living following your dreams. "It's a matter of time before rock and roll is in the forefront again and we want to be part of that," Kakaty says.

After three Top 5 songs at rock radio, a fourth in the Top 10, a half million digital singles sold and over 1,000 shows a few short years into their impressive career, POP EVIL's return with "Onyx" is a swaggering, fist­pumping, ball­busting ride through American rock. The grandiose melody of the '70s, the danger of the '80s, the emotion of the '90s and the loudest of modern riffs all have a home in POP EVIL, who fashion a fresh sound that looks to the future through the prism of rock's past.

A new video message from STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok about his involvement with NEWSTED, the new band led by former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist Jason Newsted, can be seen below.

NEWSTED has just completed recording its first full-length album, to be released later this year. NEWSTED is scheduled to begin mixing the effort this week, with more details to be announced soon.

NEWSTED will kick off its first-ever U.S. tour on April 19 in Walnut Creek, California. The 14-date trek will conclude on May 23 in Asbury Park, New Jersey and will lead into a number of European festival appearances for the band, which is completed by drummer Jesus Mendez Jr. and guitarist Jessie Farnsworth.

"It was obvious from the word go that Mike is one of us," Jason said about Mushok's addition to the group. "Professional, focused, happy and grateful to be able to make our beautiful noise together!"

"I loved the old-school vibe of [NEWSTED's] 'Metal' EP, and when we got together to jam, it really felt great," added Mushok.

"STAIND is taking a break for a while, so when Jason asked if I was interested in joining them to record an album and play on the upcoming tour, it was perfect timing. All I could say was, 'Hell yeah! I'm totally down for this.'"

"Metal", the debut EP from NEWSTED, sold around 6,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 62 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Metal" was released on January 8 exclusively via iTunes. The EP was made available as a physical CD on January 15.

"Metal" contains the following tracks:

* Soldierhead
* Godsnake
* King Of The Underdogs
* Skyscraper

"Soldierhead", the first video from NEWSTED, can be seen below. Directed by Leon Melas, the clip was filmed on December 15, 2012 in an abandoned factory in California.

NEWSTED is:

Jason Newsted - Bass, Lead Vocals
Jesus Mendez Jr. (THE NAPOLEON BLOWNAPARTS) - Drums
Jessie Farnsworth - Guitar, Backing Voice
Mike Mushok (STAIND) – Guitar

A photo of the current NEWSTED lineup can be seen below.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has commenced mixing its fourth album at Las Vegas' The Hideout Recording Studio for a summer release. Helming the sessions once again is The Hideout's owner, Kevin Churko, the Canadian musician, sound engineer, songwriter and record producer, who has also previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE and IN THIS MOMENT, among other acts.

Tweeted FIVE FINGER guitarist Zoltan Bathory: "[I] LOVE how this is turning out! Also we got some unexpected special guests — you guys going to love this."

An audio snippet of a new FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH song, "Here To Die", taken from the band's forthcoming fourth album, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is scheduled to make a number of festival appearances this summer, including the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in the U.S.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", was certified gold last year for sales of 500,000 copies. Not only is it the band's third album, but it is the third consecutive release from the group to reach the gold mark, with previous efforts "The Way Of The Fist" and "War Is The Answer" also selling more than half a million copies each. "American Capitalist" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart when it came out in October 2011.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's most recent tour was last summer's Trespass America trek, also featuring KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, POP EVIL and others.

In an exclusive with CNN, KISS singer Paul Stanley explains how he became the frontman for one of the most successful rock bands in America, despite being born deaf in his right ear. This article initially ran in 2011; CNN is republishing as KISS gears up for the second leg of its world tour, which kicks off June 1.
Says Stanley; "I was born with a Level 3 Microtia, which is a congenital deformity of the cartilage of the outer ear, and occurs in approximately 1 out of every 8,000 to 10,000 births.

There is no ear canal and no direct path to the inner workings of the ear. Except for bone conduction, I'm virtually deaf on my right side, as there is no access for sound to enter.

I've had an implanted hearing aid for years now. This is a device that is usually given to children at an early age or to adults who have lost their hearing due to a medical condition. This has been an ongoing adjustment for me as my brain has never processed sound coming in from my right side."

Read more at CNN.

Check out video below:

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, the renaissance-inspired rock band formed by Ritchie Blackmore and his wife Candice Night, will release a new album, "Dancer And The Moon", on June 11 in North America on Frontiers Records. "Dancer And The Moon" will be released in two editions — as a CD and a digipak deluxe edition with a bonus DVD that includes music videos of "Dancer And The Moon" and of "The Moon Is Shining (Somewhere Over The Sea)", plus an extensive interview with Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night.

Anticipated by the digital release of the first single "The Moon is Shining (Somewhere Over the Sea)" on May 6, "Dancer And The Moon" is the band's eighth original studio album, with each disc topping the European and American Billboard's New Age charts.

Each album that BLACKMORE'S NIGHT has released has been awarded Best Vocal Album or Album of the year for their respective charts on NPR and college radio. BLACKMORE'S NIGHT performed on PBS, had specials on CNN and the History Channel. The group has songs on the soundtrack of Germany's "The Magical Story Of The Rings: Die Nibelunger The Ring Of The Nibelungs" and the theme song "All For One" for Japan's popular TV show "Third Watch". Their song "Olde Mill Inn" is featured in Jim Carrey's movie "Yes Man".

Night and Blackmore began working together first in Ritchie's previous group RAINBOW, when Candice co-wrote a number of songs, most notably "Ariel" and "Black Masquerade" for RAINBOW's 1996 album, "Stranger In Us All". The following year, the two formed BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, and after seven studio albums, two live DVD/CDs and one holiday release, the group's latest album, "Dancer And The Moon" follows the band's eclectic/jam/folk rock/new age/neo-Celtic/neo-Medieval/progressive rock/chamber pop/world beat styling. Take your pick from the songwriting team of Candice and Ritchie: the acoustic "Somewhere Over the Sea (The Moon Is Shining)", the rocking track "The Moon Is Shining (Somewhere Over The Sea)", which you can dance to, along with the title track "Dancer and the Moon", the nature-inspired "The Last Leaf" and the Russian-influenced "Troika".

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT own their versions of classic rock chestnuts: RANDY NEWMAN's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today", URIAH HEEP's "Lady In Black", and "The Temple Of The King" that Ritchie and the late Ronnie James Dio collaborated on originally for their band RAINBOW.

"Dancer And The Moon" is made complete with its inspiring instrumentals, including the waltzy "Galliard" and the DEEP PURPLE-esque "Carry On… Jon" that Ritchie wrote as a heartfelt tribute to his former bandmate, the late Jon Lord.

"Dancer And The Moon" is a distinctive album, that is both melodic, rhythmic, and full of classic influences led by the dynamic and signature alto vocals of Candice Night and the phenomenal fret work of Ritchie Blackmore.

"Dancer And The Moon" continues to establish the band that has been growing its following steadily in the jam, pagan/wiccan scene, new age, folk and progressive worlds, as well as the classic rock community.

"So much has happened since our 2008 marriage (and the 2010's release of the duo's 'Autumn Sky' album)," says Candice, as she and Ritchie have been musical and emotional partners since 1989. In 2010 daughter Autumn Esmeralda was born, and then in 2012, their son, Rory.

Candice says: "We find that the 'Dancer And The Moon' is visually and emotionally representative of how we feel about our music. We have always had a very strong pull to the mystery of the Moon. Her magic, her power, her legend... She affects us so deeply that we have named many CDs after her and she is almost always represented in our songs. The dancer gives herself completely, unabashedly and whole heartedly moved by the intensity of the music she feels within her soul."

"Dancer And The Moon" track listing:

01. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
02. Troika
03. The Last Leaf
04. Lady In Black
05. Minstrels In The Hall
06. The Temple Of The King
07. Dancer And The Moon
08. Galliard
09. The Ashgrove
10. Somewhere Over The Sea (The Moon Is Shining)
11. The Moon Is Shining (Somewhere Over The Sea)
12. The Spinner's Tale
13. Carry On... Jon

Chicago modern metallers TRIALS will release their sophomore album, "In The Shadow Of Swords", on May 1. The follow-up to 2011's "Witness To The Downfall" sees the band take its blend of forward-thinking metal and muscular, technical thrash to the next level. TRIALS has truly upped the ante where aggression, songwriting and sheer metallic power are concerned. Look no further than the album's lead single, "Believers in Black", for proof of the band's progression.

"In The Shadow Of Swords" is the first TRIALS release to feature guitarist Ryan Bruchert (ex-HEWHOCORRUPTS), who joined the band last year. The CD was recorded at Wall 2 Wall Studios in Chicago and at TRIALS' home studio, with mixing and mastering courtesy of Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios in Lübeck, Germany. The album's artwork was created by Chris Angelucci with Mark Sugar and Usha Rajbhandari.

"In The Shadow Of Swords" will be offered in digital and CD formats. The digital version includes a ripping cover of JUDAS PRIEST's "Jawbreaker" as a bonus track, while the CD release will feature an additional TRIALS song, "Spirit Leaves", as a bonus.

"In The Shadow Of Swords" track listing:

01. Conjoined
02. Believers in Black
03. Blueprints of Metaphor
04. In the Misery Machine
05. With Only Sorrow Now
06. All the Promises
07. Upon this Day
08. Ancestor
09. Embracing Nothing
10. Jawbreaker (digital release only)
11. Spirit Leaves (CD release only)

TRIALS is:

Mark Sugar (guitar/vocals)
Ryan Bruchert (guitar)
Usha Rajbhandari (bass)
Adam Kopecky (drums)

According to The Pulse Of Radio, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Josh Homme has spoken to BBC Radio 1 about having Dave Grohl play drums on the new QUEENS album, "…Like Clockwork". Homme said about Grohl, who also played all the drums on the 2002 QUEENS CD "Songs For The Deaf", "I have a special relationship with Dave. I've known him since I was 19. He makes something good, great. If something's mediocre he makes it great."

Grohl and Homme also played together in 2009 and 2010 with LED ZEPPELIN bassist John Paul Jones in the band THEM CROOKED VULTURES.

Grohl did not play all the drums on the new QUEENS record, but contributed to selected tracks. Other guests on the disc include Trent Reznor, Elton John and Alex Turner of ARCTIC MONKEYS.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE have set June 4 as the release date for "…Like Clockwork". The first single from the album, called "My God Is The Sun", arrived on Monday (April 8).

The band's only scheduled U.S. live date as of this moment is August 2 at Chicago's Grant Park as part of Lollapalooza.

Italian thrashers ABSINTHIUM have issued the following update:

“After many long months of research, we are pleased to announce that the band's line-up is finally complete! We are happy to welcome Fabio Dos Santos De Castilho (vocals), Max Manthix and Marco Zuppa (guitars) and Jack Demaria (drums) to our ranks. We would also like to thank Alessandro Granato for helping us out during a very difficult time. In addition, we would also like to wish the greatest of luck to Franco Buonocore and Tommaso Ruberti who left the band because of personal reasons.”

Absinthium’s debut album, One For The Road, came out on Punishment 18 Records last year.

German heavy/power metal band MAJESTY has officially announced that Robin Hadamovsky has joined the band as the group’s new rhythm guitar player. Hadamovsky toured with the band on the German Metal Attack tour and has now become a permanent member.

Singer Tarek Maghary comments: “Robin proved on the last tour that he perfectly fits into the band - musically and as a person. We are proud that we finally have a permanent second guitar player again.”

Hadamovsky comments: “I am very happy to be a part of Majesty. The last tour was a proof how great a band can mesh together – all band members are super friendly and welcomed me into the band very nicely. The same I can say about the fans: they gave me a positive feedback from the beginning on and received me very friendly. A huge “thank you” for that! I am looking forward to lots of other shows and tours with you!”