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!”

Norwegian black metal band REVELATION’s HAMMER will release their self-titled full-length debut album on June 3rd via My Kingdom Music.

Album tracklisting:

‘Obsessed Onslaught’
‘Revelation’s Hammer’
‘Den Blåøyde’
‘Buried As Filth’
‘Avgudsdyrkelse’
‘The Crown Of Malice’

Check out the track ‘Obsessed Onslaught’ below:

The throat and strings is managed by the band's mastermind Accuser, while their heavy battery is performed by Myrvoll from Norwegian NIDINGR. The album was mixed by Børge Finstad at infamous Toproom Studio (MAYHEM, BORKNAGAR) and mastered by legendary Peter In de Betou (WATAIN, DIMMU BORGIR, DARK FUNERAL). Exilis from TROLL contributes as a guest musician on some of the tracks. The artwork is put together by Portuguese Ricardo Fernandes and is a truly amazing collage built upon a carefully chosen collection of (anti)religious paintings that reflects the band's conception.

For more info visit Facebook.

Century Media has dug deep into the rotten soil of the ancient death metal grounds and has announced the successful exhumation of entire demo recordings of Finland’s notorious death metal masters NECROPSY.
Emerging from the small yet fantastic Finnish death metal scene of the late 80s / early 90s, Necropsy dwell amongst the few but legendary bands of that time such as SENTENCED, AMORPHIS, CONVULSE, XYSMA, DISGRACE, DEMIGOD, DEMILICH, ADRAMELECH, ABHORRENCE or PURTENANCE. Never having reached a wider audience during the band’s existence from 1987 to 1993 (until its resurrection in 2008) Necropsy nevertheless managed to release a bunch of demos containing outstandingly great real Finnish death metal, that just deserve to be discovered by more people than those lucky guys owning the original tapes.

Tomb Of The Forgotten – The Complete Demo Recordings (to be released on June 3rd) includes the band’s complete demo recordings, from the first demo Mental Disturbance from 1989 until the last recorded tune 'Anointing Of The Sick' (1993). The entire material has been carefully remastered at DMS Mastering Studio (MORBID, ASPHYX, GRAVE etc.) from the original tapes. The result is mindblowing: Without ever destroying the analog charm of the old tapes, all songs sound fresh, just like they have been recorded just a few years ago.
The cover has been done by César Valladares (Asphyx, KRISIUN etc.) and perfectly captures the spirit of the ancient death metal demo days. Timo Hanhirova of Miasma Mag (Finland) has done a detailed interview with Necropsy's main man Janne Kosonen and former guitarist Aatu Holma telling the entire story of the band. And of course the release is stuffed with loads of old and never-seen-before photos, demo art, flyers, etc.

Tomb Of The Forgotten – The Complete Demo Recordings is going to be released as a 3CD jewelcase with o-card and extensive booklet as well as on limited 4LP and as digital download. Check out CMdistro.com to get your hands on a copy of the super limited colored vinyl version.
Tomb Of The Forgotten – The Complete Demo Recordings tracklisting:

CD1:

'Mental Disturbance'
'Extricate From The Life'
'Slippery Games'
'Intro - Appearing Lunacy'
'Scars Beyond Recovery'
'Fetchers Of Soul'
'Imminent Prophecy'
'Curse'
'L.G.I.'
'Intro - Sanctify The Crucifixion Ritual'
'Dust Thou Art'
'Allienced With Darkness'
'Fall-Out'
'G.A.B.G.'
'Chronic Agony'
'Formal Absurdity'
'Charge Of Undead'

Tracks 1-3: Taken from Mental Disturbance demo (1989)
Tracks 4-9: Taken from Curse demo (1990)
Tracks 10-17: Taken from Indigestion demo (1990)

All tracks previously unreleased on CD and vinyl.

CD2:

'Never To Be Forgotten'
'Dark Fantasies'
'Refusal Of Cross'
'Under The Masses'
'White Perfect Fume'
'Locked'
'Born And Begotten In Sin'
'Dance Among The Dead'
'Cross Of Deceased Flesh'
'Garden Of Rotting'
'Cold Inert Mass Of Meat'

Tracks 1-2: Taken from “Promo 1991” demo
Tracks 3-6: Taken from “Another World” demo (1991)
Tracks 7-11: Taken from “Go All The Way Of Flesh” demo (1992)

All tracks previously unreleased on CD and vinyl, except tracks 1 and 2 that have been released on the 'Never To Be Forgotten' 7inch EP (1992).

CD3

'Intro'
'Blasphemous Degradation'
'White Perfect Fume'
'From The Depths'
'Under The Masses'
'The Morass'
'Implicit Confidence'
'Shattered'
'Rune Of Suffering'
'Black Dyed Dawns'
'Martyrdom'
'Anointing Of The Sick'

Tracks 1-6: Taken from the split LP with DEMIGOD
Tracks 7-11: Taken from the “Promo 1993” demo
Track 12: Taken from the “Monoheads” compilation

All tracks previously unreleased on CD, except track 12.

Tracks 7-12 previously unreleased on vinyl.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland is extending his "Purple At The Core" to the West Coast, with a new string of dates starting on May 29 in Hollywood. But not all is well in the Weiland camp, as drummer Danny Thompson has quit the singer's touring band after seven years. Thompson wrote at Facebook, "I have just officially QUIT the Scott Weiland solo band. Loved playing with the guys for seven years but it's a matter of self-worth. Not going to elaborate."

The other members of STP issued a statement on February 27 revealing that Weiland had been "terminated."

He previously parted with the group in 2002, reuniting with them six years later after he was kicked out of VELVET REVOLVER.

The singer's tour with his solo band THE WILDABOUTS features him playing the first two STP albums.

THE WILDABOUTS' lineup includes multi-instrumentalist Doug Grean, bassist Tommy Black and guitarist Jeremy Brown.

Regarding how the concept for the tour came about, Weiland said: "Well, originally, it was an idea I came up with for STP for the anniversary of 'Core' to do the 'Core' album in its entirety. The rest of the guys didn't want to do it. So, it was still something that there was a lot of public interest in. Having that said, the idea was brought up to me through management. I talked to the guys in my solo band, THE WILDABOUTS, and they were totally into it, as were the promoters. It worked out."

INTEGRITY, the metallic hardcore band originally from Cleveland, Ohio that formed in 1988, will release its tenth full-length album, "Suicide Black Snake", on June 11 on vinyl via A389 Recordings and on CD via Magic Bullet Records.

Beyond an indisputable history as being an ultra brutal live act and basically being the most metal act associated with the top reigning champion acts of the '90s hardcore/metal scene, INTEGRITY has morphed into more of a musical entity, releasing countless splits and limited vinyl releases, taking back rights to seminal albums from the band's discography and re-releasing them in proper formats, constantly enshrouded in bleak end-time/anti-life propaganda. Over time, creator Dwid Hellion has stripped the once quintet down to the bare essentials, having written and recorded solely with Robert Orr alone for the past five years, the visual and musical dimensions of INTEGRITY have grown fathoms more expansive, culminating into the most diverse album in the band's storied existence with "Suicide Black Snake".

This week, Hellion releases some exclusive insight on the creation of this expansive new beast and working with Orr: "Orr brings a new dynamic to INTEGRITY; he's aggressively surprising while still being able to blend the old sound into modern times without sounding contrived. The new song direction was based entirely off the music that Orr and I listen to, and what we feel we would like to hear, but is not being made. This has always been the essence of INTEGRITY."

Following last week's release of the track "Beasts As Gods", this week the full track listing and album artwork for "Suicide Black Snake" has been exposed.

"The album artwork is a representation of the many avenues that we have traveled musically and aesthetically," Hellion divulges, being responsible for the artwork and layout of the album “I hope that the imagery can help expand the experience to our audience."

"Suicide Black Snake" track listing:

01. Suicide Black Snake
02. I Know VVhere Everyone Lives
03. Beasts As Gods
04. There Is A Sign
05. +Orrchida
06. All Is None
07. There Ain't No Living In Life
08. Detonate VVorlds Plague
09. Into the Night
10. Lucifer Before the Day Doth Go

INTEGRITY will embark on an extensive tour offensive leading up to and straight through the release of "Suicide Black Snake". The action begins with a one-off in New Haven, Connecticut May 23 alongside OVERCAST. The next two days will take the band's wrath to our northern allies to the first time ever as the A389 Canadian Invasion slams Montreal and Toronto. Support from HOMEWRECKER and ILSA will be provided for all three of these shows. Directly following the Canadian Invasion, INTEGRITY will take part in the massive annual Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore, performing the final night of the gala. A brutal tour through the Southeast states with GEHENNA and FULL OF HELL follow, as all three acts trek to Chaos In Tejas. A massive European festival assault will consume much of July and August as well.

Greek thrashers SUICIDAL ANGELS have set "Divide And Conquer" as the title of their fifth album, due in early 2014 via NoiseArt Records. The band states: "[The new CD title] sums up perfectly the essence of its content! On a first early note, we can personally guarantee that this will be our best work yet as we have never written more aggressive, faster songs. This will be the soundtrack of your lives, the anthem of destruction, the music you will all fucking mosh to!

"We will hit the studio during July/August this summer to record the album. More info on the album regarding artwork, mixing and mastering will follow soon!"

Vocalist/bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer of veteran German thrashers DESTRUCTION will join SUICIDAL ANGELS on stage on April 19 in Athens, Greece. SUICIDAL ANGELS states: "The frontman of DESTRUCTION will be our guest of honor and will do his part in tearing Gagarin 205 up that night!"

SUICIDAL ANGELS recently announced the addition of guitarist Chris Tsitsis to the group's ranks. Chris replaces Panos Spanos, which left the band in October.

SUICIDAL ANGELS new lineup:

Nick Melissourgos (vocals, guitar)
Chris Tsitsis (guitar)
Orfeas Tzortzopoulos (drums)
Angel Kritsotakis (bass)

On January 11, NoiseArt Records reissued SUICIDAL ANGELS' 2007 debut album, "Eternal Domination". The limited digipack includes a bonus CD with the EPs "Bloodthirsty Humanity" and "Armies Of Hell".

SUICIDAL ANGELS' latest album, "Bloodbath", was released on January 27, 2012 via NoiseArt Records. The CD features cover artwork by Ed Repka, who has previously worked with MEGADETH and DEATH, and who was responsible for the cover to 2011's "Dead Again".

Fan-filmed video footage of U.D.O.'s April 10 concert at Gramercy Theatre in New York City can be seen below.

Guitarist Igor Gianola recently left U.D.O. and was replaced by Finnish axeman Kasperi Heikkinen.

U.D.O. last year announced the addition of guitarist Andrey Smirnov to the group's ranks. He replaced Stefan Kaufmann, who left the group for health reasons.

U.D.O. will release its new album, "Steelhammer", on May 24 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Dirkschneider and Fitty Wienhold.

Stefan will continue to work with U.D.O. behind the scenes and produce other bands at his Roxx studio.

Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run due to health problems.

Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and has recorded nine albums with them.

"Live In Sofia", the new DVD+CD and Blu-ray+CD from U.D.O., entered the Music DVD chart in Finland at position No. 1 and in Germany at No. 4.

"Live In Sofia" contains footage of U.D.O.'s November 16, 2011 concert at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria.

ALICE IN CHAINS were the musical guests on last night's (Wednesday, April 10) edition ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The band performed three songs — "Stone", "Hollow" and "Man In The Box" — on the show's outdoor stage in front of a standing-room-only crowd. You can now watch video footage of the group's appearance below.

ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", is scheduled for release on May 28. Those who can't wait that long to hear new music can receive an instant download of new single, "Stone", by pre-ordering the album on iTunes.

"Stone" follows the album's hugely successful first single "Hollow", which hit No. 1 on both the Mainstream and Active Rock radio charts, while its companion video has amassed more than a million views on YouTube.

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES). ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell recently told Rolling Stone that the CD is "a unique record that's completely different from anything we ever did," adding, "The band is moving ahead in new territory that we haven't been to before, but we haven't lost our identity." The Pulse Of Radio asked Cantrell to talk more about the band's evolution on its fifth studio effort. "The cool thing about record is it's a snapshot of time, of that group of individuals," he said. "And when you line up all of those records back to back, you can see where the band changes, evolves, you can maybe feel what they're going through, you know, and I think you could probably say that with all of our records. You can get a pretty good snapshot of what's going on there and, you know, we're in a different place now."

Cantrell told Revolver magazine that the title track's lyrics take on the beliefs of certain organized religions, saying, "What I've seen is the most basic message to most faith systems is in contradiction with how it gets applied . . . It always amazes me that some of the most hateful and hurtful things are done in the name of some sort of belief system."

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is ALICE IN CHAINS' second with William DuVall on vocals. It follows up 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue", the group's first all-new collection of material in 14 years and first since the 2002 death of original singer Layne Staley.

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" track listing:

01. Hollow
02. Pretty Done
03. Stone
04. Voices
05. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
06. Lab Monkey
07. Low Ceiling
08. Breath On A Window
09. Scalpel
10. Phantom Limb
11. Hung On A Hook
12. Choke

ALICE IN CHAINS will hit the road on a spring trek that starts on April 25 in Miami Beach and includes headlining slots at the Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville and Rock On The Range festivals.

A person going by the online handle "TheSorceressKnight" at BLABBERMOUTH.NET has unveiled two additional images hidden in the cover artwork for the album.

When loaded into Photoshop, the main picture of a dinosaur skull reveals first a mirror image of that photo, and then underneath both what looks like a skull belonging to a demon or devil.

Marilyn Manson has collaborated with singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne on a song for her upcoming fifth studio album.

The as-yet-untitled CD will be Lavigne's first for Epic after leaving RCA Records.

"The record's really diverse," Lavigne told Billboard.com. "We've got these pop-rock tunes, and then these piano ballads with orchestras.

"I have a heavier song that Marilyn Manson's on called 'Bad Girl', and then I've got a song called 'Hello Kitty' that sounds like nothing I've done before."

She added: "'Here's To Never Growing Up' is one of the rock tunes on it, but it's all over the place."

DEVICE, the new band fronted by DISTURBED singer David Draiman, made its live debut last night (Wednesday, April 10) at Soul Kitchen in Mobile, Alabama. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

The self-titled debut album from DEVICE is likely to sell between 35,000 and 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on April 9 via Warner Bros.

Draiman told The Pulse Of Radio that DEVICE's CD is a showcase for musical and vocal styles he couldn't do with DISTURBED. "This was just kind of experimentation of other things that I've always been able to do but never really tried in any effective way," he said. "But, you know, I love going in these different directions and trying these different textures and taking songs to have a little bit more of an ambient feel to them — things that don't go hand in hand with DISTURBED."

Draiman launched DEVICE last year with ex-FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, after DISTURBED went on hiatus in late 2011.

Lenardo will not tour with DEVICE due to previous commitments. The live band includes EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt and DOPE guitarist Virus.

The DEVICE album features guest appearances from AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows, SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist Serj Tankian, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and ex-DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes.

Irish cult entity SLIDHR will release their first full-length album, Deluge, in a noble six-panel digipack CD on May 24th (May 28th in North America) via Debemur Morti Productions.

The front cover was conceived by band mastermind J. Deegan and the layout assembled by Kontamination Design.
Tracklisting is as follows:

'Wielding Daggers'
'Hex'
'Earth's Mouth Opens'
'Symbols Obscuring'
'Rejoin The Dirt'
'Their Blood'
'Death Of The Second Sun'
'Unseen'
'As The Dead'
'Rays like Blades'
The track 'Hex' is now streaming below:

Hex by SLIDHR

Listen to the song 'Death Of The Second Sun' below:

Death Of The Second Sun by SLIDHR

More on Slidhr at this location.

CIVIL WAR — the new Swedish metal band featuring former SABATON members Rikard Sundén (guitar), Daniel Mullback (drums), Daniel Mÿhr (keyboards) and Oskar Montelius (guitar) alongside singer Patrik Johansson (ASTRAL DOORS, LION'S SHARE) and bassist Stefan "Pizza" Eriksson (VOLTURYON) — will release its full-length debut, "The Killer Angels", on June 11 via Despotz Records. The group states: "The album deals with a lot of stuff: heroes, traitors, battles and heavy metal....and yes: we have a song called 'Gettysburg'."

"The Killer Angels" track listing:

01. King Of The Sun
02. First To Fight
03. Saint Patrick's Day
04. Rome Is Falling
05. Sons Of Avalon
06. I Will Rule The Universe
07. Lucifer's Court
08. Brother Judas
09. My Own Worst Enemy
10. Gettysburg
11. March Across The Belts (bonus track)

The song "I Will Rule The Universe" is now available for streaming in its entirety below.

CIVIL WAR's debut EP was released on November 13, 2012 via Despotz Records.

According to Sundén, CIVIL WAR's sound is "more old-school hard rock," with "a little less keyboards" than that of SABATON. He says, "With Patrik's vocals on top, it becomes a different thing, but there are some parallels [to our previous band]."

Regarding how CIVIL WAR came together, b>Mullback told the Swedish-language newspaper Dalarnas Tidningar (DT), "It came pretty naturally. We always thought Patrik had a good voice and he accepted our offer when we asked him to join the band."

"I had no hesitation about getting involved," Patrik said. "ASTRAL DOORS certainly has a solid fan base, but we are a little more underground. I see this as an opportunity to reach a wider audience."

The four ex members of SABATON were never involved in the songwriting process with their former band since those duties were usually handled by vocalist Joakim Brodén. But in the new group, everyone is contributing ideas.

"This has been a reawakening of sorts," Mÿhr said. "I have never been in a situation where there has been so much creativity."

On the topic of whether CIVIL WAR will continue SABATON's tradition of focusing on war-related themes in its lyrics, Mÿhr said, "No, we won't. Now the lyrics can be about anything. [CIVIL WAR was just] a good name that sounded good."

An invite-only listening party for BLACK SABBATH's new album, "13" — the first in 35 years to feature bassist Geeezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and singer Ozzy Osbourne — was held yesterday (Wednesday, April 10) at The Montalban in Los Angeles, California.

The following eight songs were played back to a small theater full of select media and VIPs:

* End Of The Beginning (8:07)
* God Is Dead? (8:54)
* Loner (5:06)
* Zeitgeist (4:28)
* Age Of Reason (7:02)
* Live Forever (4:49)
* Damaged Soul (7:43)
* Dear Father (7:06)

Check out a report at the Black Sabbath Online web site.

"13" is due out June 11 on Vertigo/Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!" They have sold more than 70 million albums together.

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

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

BLACK SABBATH will make a rare television appearance when the band performs a new song on the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". The episode is set to air on Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS-TV. The band will world premiere a song called "End Of The Beginning" from "13". The episode's plot follows the "CSI" team as they investigate a series of murder that resemble the sins in "Dante's Inferno", with the trail leading the detectives played by Ted Danson and Marc Vann to attend a SABBATH concert.

Although SABBATH vocalist Ozzy Osbourne has extensive TV experience thanks to the now-legendary reality series "The Osbournes", he told The Pulse Of Radio he's generally shied away from showing up on the small screen. "'The Osbournes' was like an experiment that went way over what I ever expected it to do," he said. "Sharon and I have been offered so much TV stuff, but I can't stand it, you know. I mean, I don't like to see me on TV, I don't like to see me on film or anything, you know."

SLAYER singer Tom Araya spoke with Andrew Haug from AndrewHaug.com - Australia's Only Dedicated 24/7 Rock-Metal Station - at the Melbourne stop of Soundwave 2013. He was asked about the status of guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who was hospitalized in early 2011 with necrotizing fasciitis (likely rooted in a spider bite) and continues to this day in recovery-mode. The band has since enlisted EXODUS' Gary Holt for live shows.
"Even though he's not in the picture, he's still part of the picture," Araya says. "It's taken him a lot longer than he even thought. He can play and he can work out the material but… It's like everything else, depending on how you are health-wise as a person, that affects how you heal. Even though you haven't seen him live, he's still part of the band."

Check out the 15-minute chat below:

Shadow Kingdom Records has set June 11th as the release date for Strange Conflicts Of The Past, a collection of early recordings from Finnish heavy/doom metal band CARDINALS FOLLY.

One of the best Finnish bands performing this style, their early material is all out of print and impossible to get. This is a fine package of all of their early works and arguably their very best material. The tracks one-three are from the Heretic's Hangover EP, which was released in early 2008 as the first release under the name of Cardinals Folly. This release was just a few hundred copies and was sold out pretty fast. They left out the last track of this EP, ‘Uncharted Seas’ because that was already on the debut album. Shadow Kingdom wanted to offer some unreleased songs instead. Tracks five-eight are from the Orthodox Faces EP (2009), which was also sold out quickly and received a notable welcoming in the doom circles. Tracks four, nine and ten are unreleased tracks from the same era of these two EPs, also recorded in 2008-2009. Track four was featured on THE COVEN´s 2006 demo-EP Beltane, but this version of the song is much better, as it's recorded in 2008 with the Cardinals Folly line-up.

Strange Conflicts Of The Past tracklisting:

‘Intro’
‘The Right Hand Of Doom’
‘Raputin (The Mad Monk)’
‘Serpent Nights’
‘Opening Ceremony’
‘Blood Axis Raider’
‘Cardinals Folly’
‘They Found Atlantis’
‘The Model’
‘Transmission From The Mad Arab’

For more info visit Facebook.

Slovenian hard rockers STONE ORANGE will release its second album The Dreamcatcher on April 23rd by Street Symphonies. This will be the band’s first work in English and a new single, titled ‘Nobody Cares’ has been released.


Check out the song below:

The Dreamcatcher tracklisting:

‘Broken Man’
‘I Am (Whatever)’
‘Pride And Pain’
‘Rockin’ & Rollin’
‘It Keeps On Raining’
‘Lovetron’
‘Scare Me’
‘Nobody Cares’
‘Whites Of Their Eyes’
‘Frozen Sky’
‘The Age Of Stars’

Stone Orange are:
Marko Erjavec – vocals, guitar
Tomo Jurca – guitar
Davorin Kovacic – bass, backing vocals
Vid Zgonc – drums

For more info visit Facebook.

ICED EARTH's first officially filmed headline show, "Live In Ancient Kourion", will hit stores on April 15 in Europe and April 16 in North America via Century Media. This incredibly powerful package will come to you in various configurations and, a first for Century Media Records, also on Blu-ray disc. The limited-edition deluxe book features the main show and a plethora of bonus content on DVD and a Blu-ray disc, as well as the entire concert on a 2CD set (4 discs in total). You can also enjoy the audio version of the full concert in a 3LP gatefold vinyl package or as a 2CD set. A standard DVD and digital audio download will also be available.

In a new posting on ICED EARTH's official Facebook page, the band writes:

"Dear ICED EARTH fans around the world:

"We have noticed comments about the Blu-ray for 'Live In Ancient Kourion' not being available separately and, in North America, the deluxe package that includes the Blu-ray, DVD and 2 CDs plus extended booklet as well as the 3-LP vinyl box set only being available from CM Distro.

"There is one thing to be said here:

"As a band, you deliver a product. You make it as good as humanly possible, you pour your blood, sweat and tears into it and at some point, you hand it over to the label.

"As a band, you only have limited input into whatever happens next.

"We would have loved to see a Blu-ray as a stand-alone format and for that format to be available worldwide, in as many stores as humanly possible.

"We would have loved to see the deluxe edition and 3-LP vinyl version to be available in record stores across the U.S., however few it may be that still exist.

"Ultimately, labels make these decisions. They base it on economics, what they think is the demand of the market and what will sell.

"Band and label live together and work together, but not always do they agree. But this is above our influence.

"In reality, the only way to influence for this to change and for the U.S. to offer the same packages Europe is getting, is if the orders for these configurations are large enough to make the label listen and see that there IS indeed a demand for it and change their outlook on this in the future.

"Again: we are sorry and we wish it was different.

"We just wanted you guys to know how things really work."

The setlist for ICED EARTH's August 19, 2012 concert was as follows:

01. Dystopia
02. Burning Times
03. Angel Holocaust
04. Slave To The Dark
05. V
06. When The Night Falls
07. I Died For You
08. Invasion
09. Motivation Of Man
10. Setian Massacre
11. Stormrider
12. Pure Evil
13. Wolf
14. Dark City
15. End Of Innocence
16. Dracula
17. Ten Thousand Strong
18. End Of Innocence
19. Anthem
20. Decleration Day
21. Days Of Rage
22. Melancholy (Holy Martyr)

Encore 1:

23. In Sacred Flames
24. Boiling Point
25. Damien
26. Watching Over Me
27. Dantes Inferno
28. Iced Earth

Encore 2:

29. The Hunter

Since ICED EARTH's latest album, "Dystopia", was released in October 2011, the band has been on the attack in a big way, playing more shows in the past year than in the previous ten years... combined.

Comments ICED EARTH guitarist/mainman Jon Schaffer: "I feel this is a testament to a new beginning, a new energy and a rock solid determination that will see us taking the music of ICED EARTH to every corner of the globe; spreading the awareness of our brand of metal in a way that hasn't been done before. I've never been more proud of this band, our crew, and the people behind the scenes that are responsible for much of our success."

Early on in the world tour, the band decided that they wanted to capture this newfound energy and passion on film. The biggest question was deciding where to film. There were so many great shows and audiences around the world that it was very challenging to decide which city to choose for this special event. When the offer came in to film at the ancient Kourion Theater in Limassol, Cyprus, they were immediately attracted to that idea. The history and culture there, as well as the Cypriot audience, which the band experienced in December 2011, solidified the decision to film the DVD in Cyprus. Filming and recording a two-and-a-half-hour show in an amphitheater that is 6000 years old and is not set up for a rock concert, paired with 40-degree-Celsius heat, were just some of the obstacles to overcome. But the finished product makes up for any of the challenges that the band and crew faced on that special night.

"Stormrider" performance (video):

Swedish rock act WE ARE THE CATALYST will release their debut EP Panem Et Circenses on May 2nd digitally. It features previous singles ‘Beware Of Snakes’, ‘This Is Paranoia’, ‘Tomorrow’ as well as two unreleased songs, ‘Sad Reality’ and ‘Being Number One’.

Panem Et Circenses tracklisting:

‘This Is Paranoia’
‘Beware Of Snakes’
‘Tomorrow’
‘Sad Reality’
‘Being Number One’
The EP was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Kenny Boufadene at Studio Meltdown in Varberg, Sweden.

For more info visit Facebook.

Finnish death metallers DECAYING has announced their third full-length album The Last Days Of War will be released on May 20th via Hellthrasher Productions. The follow-up to their acclaimed sophomore effort Encirclement features eight new tracks with a total running of 46 minutes and marks the debut of new bass player Sebastian Bergman.

Check out the new song ‘Code Name Overlord’ below:

The Last Days Of War tracklisting:

‘Preparation’
‘Code Name Overlord’
‘The Ardennes Offensive’
‘Firestorm’
‘’The Last Days Of War’
‘Passchendaele’
‘El Alamein’
‘The Pacific’
Decaying are:
Matias Nastolin - Guitars, Vocals
Henri Hirvonen - Guitars
Sebastian Bergman - Bass
Benjam Lahdenpää – Drums

For more info visit Facebook.

Video footage of ANTHRAX's March 9 performance at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas during the "Metal Alliance Tour" can be seen at this location (courtesy of Tom Bachonski). A few of the clips are available below.

The "Metal Alliance Tour", which also features EXODUS, HIGH ON FIRE, MUNICIPAL WASTE and HOLY GRAIL, will stay on the road through late April.

"Anthems", ANTHRAX's long-awaited, eight-track EP that pays tribute to the classic songs by some of the band's favorite acts from the 1970s, sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 52 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in North America on March 19 (MRI/Megaforce), and on March 22 in Europe (Nuclear Blast).

ANTHRAX's latest full-length album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at No. 12. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno's previously announced U.S. tour, which was originally scheduled to kick off in January and was then postponed until May/June, has once again been called off. According to Paul, the trek "is now being rescheduled to the later part of this year."

In other news, fan-filmed video footage of Di'Anno performing a brand new song, "You've Been Kissed By The Wings Of An Angel Of Death", on March 24 at The Rock Temple in Kerkrade, The Netherlands can be seen below.

Di'Anno completed his first North American tour in early 2010, 17 years after he was deported following a prison term for guns and drug offenses.

On August 27, 2011, Di'Anno played his first show since serving time in a U.K. prison after he falsely collected U.K. government benefits by claiming he suffered nerve damage to his back that prevented him from working.

Due to a number of health issues, including a knee problem which will require surgery soon, Di'Anno announced in July 2012 that he will stop touring next year.

Michael Salenius, Di'Anno's Swedish booking manager and tour manager, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that this year will be "a big, fantastic" last touring year for Paul, with a lot of solo shows, festival appearances and Di'Anno vs. Blaze Bayley concerts. You will also see various guest musicians joining Paul on stage.

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.