Ex-KEEP OF KALESSIN frontman Torbjørn "Thebon" Schei has slammed his former bandmates for "firing him in public" after he "disappeared" in he "African jungle" for three months.

KEEP OF KALESSIN has just released a video for a new song, "Introspection", which premiered his past Wednesday (March 27) at the Indie Recordings label night at the Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway. The track features the singing debut of guitarist Arnt "Obsidian C." Grønbech, who took over on lead vocals after the band was allegedly unable to track down Thebon.

"We [hadn't] heard from him in five months," said Obsidian. "He went to South Africa with his girlfriend and we received no life sign or answers to our messages. Instead of waiting it out, we just had to move on and I started testing the vocals in the studio myself, realizing my vocals were far from bad. I've always been the driving force of the band and I found it to be easier if I just managed to handle the vocals from now on instead of replacing Thebon with someone else. The worst part of this will, of course, be to do both vocals and guitars live, but it's all a matter of practice, really. We now feel that this is the way to go and that the band is in fact stronger than ever!"

After KEEP OF KALESSIN announced Thebon's departure from the band in a press release on Thursday, the singer released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"I'm not missing in the jungle, I went to study and relax for three months and did not hear anything from the band in that time. I got a message about a band meeting a week ago, but did't reply because I was preoccupied with other projects, and I was deciding if I wanted to continue with KEEP OF KALESSIN.

"I read in a press release that they have recorded new music, and even made a video and fired me in public at the Inferno festival. Clearly this proves that they have made their decision about me quite some time ago. This kind of loyalty and friendship is exactly one of the reasons I have been considering leaving the band for quite some time now. I wish them all the best."

"Reptilian", the latest album from KEEP OF KALESSIN, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 2. The CD was made available in North America on June 8, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

KEEP OF KALESSIN took third place in the 2010 installment of the Norwegian national Eurovision Song Contest competition "Melodi Grand Prix". The band performed a song called "The Dragontower", which was originally written for the group's latest album but had to be shortened from 5:20 minutes to 3:00 minutes for the performance. The full, unedited track appears on "Reptilian".

Pictured below: Torbjørn "Thebon" Schei

Nearly three months after reuniting for a one-off concert at the inaugural edition of the Gothenburg Sound Festival at Trädgår'n in Gothenburg, Sweden, acclaimed Swedish metallers GARDENIAN have released the following statement:

"Well, boys and girls. Here is the news we were talking about.

"We felt we wanted to do some more than one show. So right now we're back together for real and we are in the process of making new songs for an upcoming album.

"When this album will be recorded and how it is going to sound is yet to find out. But this old bear has slept enough and we are ready to bite someone in the ass. Are you?"

Fan-filmed video footage of the "Ecstasy Of Life" performance (from the 1999 album "Soulburner") at the Gothenburg Sound Festival can be seen below.

The double-CD reissue of GARDENIAN's "Soulburner" and "Sindustries" (2000) albums came out in February 2008 via Metal Mind Productions. The limited-edition digipack release (limited to 2,000 copies) was made available on golden disc, digitally remastered using 24-bit technology.

GARDENIAN was yet another spawn of the Swedish metal community, but unlike many other bands from the Gothenburg region, they managed to stand up to the fathers of the genre and deliver a huge dose of solid melodic death metal, at the same time presenting a sound of their own.

The two GARDENIAN albums that were originally released through Nuclear Blast — "Soulburner" and "Sindustries" — received an impressive number of positive reviews over the years, but GARDENIAN sadly never managed to get the acclaim it deserved, resulting in the band's breakup in 2004.

GARDENIAN is:

Jim Kjell - Vocals, Guitar
Niclas Engelin (IN FLAMES, ENGEL) - Guitar
Thim Blom - Drums
Håkan Skoger - Bass

"BANG TANGO was the start of a trend that never happened," says producer Howard Benson (CHRIS CORNELL).

Videographer Drew Fortier has teamed up with current and original Bang Tango members to create a documentary of the band, scheduled for release sometime in 2013. The final theatrical trailer can be seen below:
Formed in the late '80s, Bang Tango never fully realized their potential, peaking with the hit single 'Someone Like You'. This film explores the good times, bad times, and debauchery that the band has endured throughout the years.

Catch the current incarnation of Bang Tango live at the following shows:

April
12 - Santa Ana, CA - Malone's
17 - Golden Valley, AZ - CastleRock Event Center
19 - Yuma, AZ - Yuma City Fairgrounds
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe's Grotto Music Venue
21 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock

May
3 - Arvada, CO - Jammin Joe's
4 - Colorado Springs, CO - Union Station

Originally released in 2012, L.A. GUNS' Hollywood Forever has received a makeover courtesy of Collectors Dream Records. Renamed Tango On Sunset Strip (Hollywood Forever), the same 14 songs have been cloaked in new artwork:
Although guitarist Stacey Blades appears on the album, he is no longer in the band, having been replaced by Michael Grant.

Catch LAG live:

April
19 - Count's Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV
20 - Pima County Fair - Tucson, AZ

May
4 - Palace Theater - Stafford Springs, CT
5 - Emporium - Patchogue, NY
7 - The Bowery Electric - New York, NY
31 - Penn's Peak - im Thorpe, PA

With their new album, All Is Mist And Fog, set to be released in early May in Europe, Australian black metallers NORSE are about to start work on an upcoming EP.
Guitarist/singer Treelo comments on the current working stage: "We have a few songs written at the moment. They are still in the 'demo phase'. This means that while I have written and recorded the guitar and piano sections, they are still in the early stages and thus, subject to change. At the moment the process is that I will arrange some music, then Frog (Robin 'Frog' Stone - drums) will meet up with me once a week to have his say. This means he might want me to alter certain melodies or re-arrange sections of a piece.

At this stage, we can say that the music is coming along to be our most expressive and melodically intense music yet. Lyrical ideas have started to develop, although no artwork, EP titles, or song titles have been confirmed yet."

All Is Mist And Fog is currently available for download at this location.
The tracklisting:

'Neglect'
'Worn And Grey'
'Towards The Shining Sky'
'Black Ocean'
'Silently Awake'
'Plaguewhore'
'Concrete Wastes'
'Magus'
'Gravel'

The album is streaming below:

All is Mist and Fog by Norse

Stay tuned for updates. More on Norse at this location.

Puerto Rico metal veterans TAVÚ will independently release their new album, titled Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii, on June 1st. The self-produced album was mixed and mastered by renown sound engineer Leo Alvarez (MATTADOR, Tavú, MESSAGE TO VENUS, COABEY, SLIMMY NUGGETS, etc.) in Soundjunkies Recordings in Cupey, Puerto Rico, and includes a collaboration with award winning sound designer Cesar Dávila-Irizárry, known for the foreboding musical composition of the title sequence for the American Horror Story television show on FX, as well as his experimental electronic rock creations with LEJOSFAR.

“This is the heaviest, most technical, and yet most melodic collection of songs we have ever created,” says longtime drummer, David F. McCloskey. “We are extraordinarily proud of what we have crafted in this album.”

The album includes songs in both English and Spanish, reflecting the band’s multicultural background. “Living in Puerto Rico, which is a colony of the United States yet has a distinct Latin American history, our cultural influences are diverse,” states founding member and vocalist Marcos Reyes. “We believe that the lyrical content of a song deserves as much work and dedication as the music, and the unique multicultural viewpoint of our island gives us a much wider palette of lyrical expression. Some songs flow better in English, while others feel natural in Spanish.”
Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii tracklisting:
'Clamor Victorium'
'Sin Miedo'
'Take a Bow'
'Jack'
'A System Without Honor'
'Antipoesía'
'Courtesy'
'Words of Salt and Ash'
'Apología'
'My Kingdom Falls'
'Clamor Silentii'

The artwork for “Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii” was created by Angel Resto (ANKLA, ANOTHER BLACK DAY, FOURTH DIMENSION, STEREOSIDE, MIGUEL TITO RODRIGUEZ), who also worked on their first full-length album and can be seen below.

On working with Cesar Dávila-Irizárry, Reyes said “Cesar actually played bass with us in the late '90s. Collaborating with him was both a very natural process and an honor. We are very proud of his achievements in the world of Sound Design.”
Since their creation in 1996, Tavú has shared the stage with artists like ANTHRAX, MUNICIPAL WASTE, D.R.I., THE ABSENCE, FULL BLOWN CHAOS, SWASHBUCKLE, GOD FORBID, WALLS OF JERICHO, PUYA, ANKLA, and many more.

Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii is Tavú's first full-length release in nine years, since their 2004 self-titled debut album, as well as their first release since the extremely limited independent release of their X Años EP in 2006. This would also be their first full-length release as an independent band.

“We actually self-produced our first album for an independent 2003 release,” McCloskey explained. “But just before release, ShowCase Records approached us, and we signed a distribution deal. They eventually released it in 2004. It made getting the album out easier, but the label wasn’t very good with their artists. We were doing better independently, and when the contract ended, we never looked back. With this album, we are sticking to releasing it independently. Whatever happens after, we will be ready for it.”

“We have worked hard as an independent band to have the new album reach as many metal fans as possible,” stated McCloskey.

Tavú is:
Marcos Reyes – vocals
David F. McCloskey – drums, vocals
Joen Blanco – guitars
Carlos “Yogi” Benitez – bass, vocals

Swedish metallers DEMOTIONAL will release their debut album, State: In Denial, on May 17th via Dead End Exit Records.
The band was formed in 2009 after guitarist and songwriter Sebastian Fjordevik enrolled vocalists Christopher Kristensen and Nils-Petter Nilsson, and experienced death metal drummer, Tommy Magnusson for a song project. The song, 'When She Cries', was recorded as a music video by director Kristofer "Kiggs" Carlsson and quickly became a huge success. With over 12,000 views on YouTube and over 18,000 visitors on Myspace, the band members knew they all were on their way to becoming an incredible new band. Later on Johan Olofsson was enlisted and with recruitment of bassist, Kristoffer Lindh, the band was finally completed as Demotional.

The band has been playing live extensively since the start and with their “headbanging-rockers-in-suits” style they thrill audiences that reach far beyond the usual metal heads. In January 2013 Demotional was signed to the metal label Dead End Exit (a division of RoastingHouse), and so, the debut album State: In Denial is finally in reach for their fans.
A video for the album track 'Alive' can be seen below:
Stay tuned for updates.
Demotional lineup:

Christopher Kristensen - Screams
Nils-Petter Nilsson - Clean Vocals
Sebastian Fjordevik - Guitars
Johan Olofsson - Guitars
Kristoffer Lindh - Bass
Tommy Magnusson - Drums

More on Demotional at this location.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has signed Japanese thrash killers DEAFLOCK, and will release their album, Courage To Expose All, on CD format on April 30th.
Full of passionate anger and aggression, Deaflock destroy the listener while maintaining an emotional yet intense roaring sound. Never too brutal or traditional, this album exposes the darkness of mankind through the power of the riff, displaying thrusting vocals straight from the soul.

Courage To Expose All tracklisting:

'Ruin Factory'
'Clash'
'The Umpire Of A Daily Crime'
'Nothing In My Eyes'
'Rule Over Yourself'
'Lay Hidden'
'Loneliness'
'Only One'
'Again... I'm Here'
'Remove The Mask'

Listen to the track 'The Umpire Of Daily Crime' below:
Pre-order a copy for only $10 including shipping at this location.

More on Deaflock at this location.

Massacre Records has announced the signing of Austrian "Alpencore" act, TUXEDO.
The sextet was formed as an alternative/crossover trio back in 2005. They released their EP Schizophrenia in 2009. Soon after and with the addition of a new drummer, they played more metal oriented music.

Their second EP Fight was released in 2010 and received good reviews. A second guitarist joined the band and they continued to develop their own musical style. Soon after, Austrian Alpencore was born.

Since their formation in 2005, the band has played more than a hundred gigs in Austria, Germany, Croatia and Slovakia and supported bands like UNEARTH, SEPULTURA, DEBAUCHERY, EKTOMORF and others. They also played at several festivals, such as the Metalfest Open Air Austria, Metal Invasion and Novarock.

Tuxedo's video for the track 'Anger', filmed live at the Raise The Roof festival, can be seen below:
Tuxedo lineup:

Christoph Kiebe - Vocals, Samples
Johannes Frauenhuber - Percussions, Vocals
Michael Tiefenthaler - Guitar, Vocals
Dominique Wedam - Guitar
Reinhard Seifriedsberger - Bass
Christopher Till - Drums

More on Tuxedo at this location.

Singer Myles Kennedy and guitarist Mark Tremonti recently began the songwriting process for ALTER BRIDGE's fourth studio album.

According to ALTER BRIDGE bassist Brian Marshall, the band "is about eight songs deep in writing! There's some pretty heavy, cerebral stuff going on and it sounds awesome."

The group plans to write and record over the next few months, with the record due to be completed before a planned September tour.

ALTER BRIDGE's last studio offering, "AB III", came out in 2010 and included the hits "Isolation" and "Ghost Of Days Gone By".

As previously reported, ALTER BRIDGE plans to release a new box set on May 14, according to a message posted by the group at its website. The band has also launched a separate site for the package itself, although all that features at the moment is a countdown clock and a video teaser trailer. There's no word on what the box set will contain, although it will likely include the band's three previous studio discs or at least selections from them, along with a live disc released in 2011.

During ALTER BRIDGE's break, Tremonti recorded his first solo album, "All I Was", and toured behind it, while Kennedy recorded all the vocals for Slash's second solo effort, "Apocalyptic Love", and toured the world as part of his live band.

Tremonti, Marshall and ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillips have also toured as part of their original act, CREED, who have also been working on new material.

Alice Cooper, Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW), Tommy Thayer (KISS), Eric Singer (KISS) and Robbie Krieger (THE DOORS) performed Thursday night (March 28) at a concert to celebrate the opening of the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school is part of The Boys And Girls Club of Sioux Falls, and it offers music education programs to kids in Sioux Falls and surrounding towns.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below. Photos are available at B1027.com.

Cooper, who founded Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation in Phoenix, was on hand to help Chuck Brennan, CEO of Dollar Loan Center and namesake of the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy, announce the academy's formation last year. "He has been an incredible mentor and supporter in helping bring the academy to my hometown," said Brennan. "I grew up just a few blocks from here and know first-hand how important it is for kids to explore their passions and be supported in that."

The Brennan Rock & Roll Academy will provide the first-ever free music education program for children in The Boys And Girls Of The Sioux Empire, focusing on rock and roll instruments, including guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums and vocals.

Cooper told radio station B102.7 in Sioux Falls that his school took nearly 14 years to open, but now serves 100 kids every day. "All kids that would have been in gangs, would have been out selling drugs, buying drugs, taking drugs or shooting people. And now they’re playing guitars, playing bass and drums."

Brennan has a lifelong love for rock and roll. Before founding Dollar Loan Center in Sioux Falls, Brennan opened and operated one of the largest rock concert halls in the Midwest, The Blitz Ballroom.

Las Vegas’ AVENGER OF BLOOD reformed last year and self-released their Spawn Of Evil three-song EP/demo. The band is putting the finishing touches on material for their full-length, which they have announced will be recorded in May at Arcane Digital Studio in Phoenix, AZ with producer Ryan Butler (LANDMINE MARATHON, EXHUMED, MISERY INDEX). The band is looking for a label to release it.

“We feel that Ryan is the best person for the job and we are very excited to work with him,” says guitarist Brandon Gulling. “We will reveal more updates on the recording and the album artwork as we get closer to entering the studio.”

In addition the band have announced some new shows below:

May
17 - Nile Underground - Mesa, AZ
29 - LVCS - Las Vegas, NV (Jered Lucero Tribute show)

June
29 - The Riff Haus - Fullerton, CA with Hatchet, Tormentor

For more details visit Avengerofbloodband.com.

Christian Olde Wolbers, who handled the bass duties in FEAR FACTORY for nine years (1993-2002) and then assumed the role of guitarist in a revamped version of the band from 2002 until 2008, has posted a video clip of him "auditioning" for the vacant bassist slot in MACHINE HEAD. Check it out below.

Despite the fact that he had played bass in FEAR FACTORY for almost a decade, the Dutch-born Olde Wolbers had started his career as a guitarist, having handled the axe in several groups in Belgium prior to joining FF in 1993.

In an interview with RoughEdge.com conducted back in August 1999, Christian recounted his decision — made on the recommendation of BIOHAZARD, with whom Wolbers was friends — to switch to the four-string instrument in order to join FEAR FACTORY.

"[BIOHAZARD frontman] Evan [Seinfeld] had seen me playing upright bass in a rockabilly band on the street in Belgium back in '90 or '91," Christian recalled. "He always thought I was a bass player. I had always played guitar in metal bands and hardcore bands. And [one night while we were hanging out] he said, 'Oh, you're a bass player — I have a band for you!' I kept telling him 'I'm not a bass player, I'm a guitar player now.' But he said, 'FEAR FACTORY needs a bass player — you're a bass player and you'd be perfect.' And I'd actually heard of FEAR FACTORY because someone told me about them while I was still in Europe. However, I really wasn't into the death metal scene too much, but I knew they were different. When I went to the audition and I was blown away when I saw Raymond [Herrera, drums] playing — I said, 'Alright, I'll play bass.' So I borrowed a bass from Evan and auditioned for a couple of days right before a tour with SEPULTURA and then I knew I was going to do the tour. After the SEPULTURA tour, the rest of the guys said, 'Do you want to be in the band?' I said, 'Hell yeah!' "

MACHINE HEAD is holding public auditions to find a temporary bass player. The San Francisco Bay Area-based band is seeking a musician to perform with them on this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour.

To find a temporary bassist for the duration of the Mayhem festival, MACHINE HEAD turned to the nearly 800,000 fans on their Facebook page, asking interested parties to post a video clip of them singing and playing bass along to three tracks: "This Is The End", "Halo" and "Beautiful Mourning".

Once the band has narrowed down potential candidates, they will hold tryouts in person at a to-be-determined location.

Fan-filmed video footage of MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil's March 22 performance at the Bob Rocks concert at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

In a December 2012 interview with MLive.com, Neil spoke about what keeps him inspired to play casinos around the country with his solo band when he is not busy performing in arenas around the world with the CRÜE. "I do it because I'm having fun," he said. "I love the arenas but it's fun to be onstage in smaller venues with these guys. You don't have to put on a big show when the music does the talking."

Neil, who penned "Tattoos & Tequila: To Hell and Back with One of Rock's Most Notorious Frontmen", a 2010 biography that captured the ups and downs of his long, wild ride, claims to have come out a better person after after his countless battles with the law and a number of legal and personal setbacks.

"I've learned from the mistakes I've made," Neil said, "and I know how to do things better next time. Through it all, you have to believe in your music. When times get bad, you can't give up. You can't be too proud. Things will get better, absolutely."

Neil's live backing band continues to consist of bassist Dana Strum and Jeff Blando (both of SLAUGHTER) and drummer Zoltan Chaney.

Neil's latest solo album, "Tattoos & Tequila", sold 7,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 57 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was issued in Europe on June 4, 2010 via Frontiers Records and was made available in the U.S. on June 22, 2010 through Eleven Seven Music.

Neil recorded "Tattoos & Tequila" in the winter of 2009 with Strum, Blando and Chaney. The album includes two new songs — "Tattoos and Tequila" and "Another Bad Day", both produced by Marti Frederiksen (AEROSMITH, OZZY OSBOURNE, DEF LEPPARD) — plus a selection of classic cuts from some of the rock giants that have influenced Vince Neil throughout his musical career. The cover songs were produced by Vince and Jack Blades (DAMN YANKEES, NIGHT RANGER).

According to SPIN.com, the release date of "Infestissumam", the sophomore album the mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST, has been pushed back a week to April 16 after four compact disc manufacturers allegedly refused to print a piece of artwork that was meant for the deluxe version of the new CD. The manufacturers all took issue with the sacrilegious imagery, inspired by the work of Gustave Dore, which showcases what looks like a forest nymph orgy.

"We kept on getting turned down because of the CD art, which is basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy," a source close to the band told SPIN.com. "[The bandmembers] weren't surprised. The comment was 'Well, I thought this would have happened sooner.' The artwork was meant to provoke some sort of thought, but it's been one obstacle after another."

The controversial art can still be found on both the vinyl and European copies of the "Infestissuman" CD. "Vinyl manufacturers don't have a problem with the artwork. Neither does Europe," the source told SPIN.com.

"Infestissumam" track listing:

01. Infestissumam
02. Per Aspera Ad Inferi
03. Secular Haze
04. Jigolo Har Megiddo
05. Ghuleh / Zombie Queen
06. Year Zero
07. Idolatrine
08. Body And Blood
09. Depth Of Satans Eyes
10. Monstrance Clock

GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."

The band's debut album, "Opus Eponymous", was released in late 2010 in Europe and in early 2011 in North America via Rise Above Records.

Video footage of PHILM's entire March 28 performance at Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar in Long Beach, California can be seen at this location. A few of the clips are available below.

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

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

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

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

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

An 11-minute teaser for "Skull", the fourth album from British thrashers EVILE, can be seen below. Due on May 27 in Europe on Earache Records and in North America via Century Media/Earache Records, the follow-up to 2011's "Five Serpent's Teeth" was once again recorded with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England. The artwork for the album was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SODOM, HATEBREED).

Commented EVILE drummer Ben Carter: "We'd like to extend our thanks to Eliran Kantor for his amazing artistic representation of our original concept, which we'll reveal further details of in the coming weeks.

"Our fans can expect this album to be a return to our thrashier roots, as well as exploring new ground in typical EVILE form.

"We've always said we want to progress and move forward in everything we do, and this album is no exception.

"We're so amazed with everything Russ Russell and ourselves have produced, and can't wait for it to be released upon the masses!"

Added EVILE lead guitarist Ol Drake: "'Skull' is not what you think. 'Skull' is not where you think. 'Skull' is a mythical void in the deep fathoms of space."

As previously reported, EVILE will celebrate this year's Record Store Day by releasing a split seven-inch picture disc vinyl with Swedish death metal legends ENTOMBED.

The limited-edition release will feature ENTOMBED's classic 1990 track, "Drowned", along with EVILE's 2012 cover version, available on vinyl for the first time. The seven-inch will be available in independent record stores on Saturday, April 20 in strictly limited quantities.

EVILE will perform a special show for fans at Crash Records in Leeds, U.K. on April 20 at 4 p.m. Space is limited, but fans who buy the seven-inch vinyl from Crash Records on the day will get free entry to the show (space permitting).

Video footage of the mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST performing the songs "Year Zero" and "Ritual" this past Thursday, March 28 at Tyrol in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below.

According to SPIN.com, the release date of GHOST's sophomore album, "Infestissumam", has been pushed back a week to April 16 after four compact disc manufacturers allegedly refused to print a piece of artwork that was meant for the deluxe version of the new CD. The manufacturers all took issue with the sacrilegious imagery, inspired by the work of Gustave Dore, which showcases what looks like a forest nymph orgy.

"We kept on getting turned down because of the CD art, which is basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy," a source close to the band told SPIN.com. "[The bandmembers] weren't surprised. The comment was 'Well, I thought this would have happened sooner.' The artwork was meant to provoke some sort of thought, but it's been one obstacle after another."

The controversial art can still be found on both the vinyl and European copies of the "Infestissuman" CD. "Vinyl manufacturers don't have a problem with the artwork. Neither does Europe," the source told SPIN.com.

"Infestissumam" track listing:

01. Infestissumam
02. Per Aspera Ad Inferi
03. Secular Haze
04. Jigolo Har Megiddo
05. Ghuleh / Zombie Queen
06. Year Zero
07. Idolatrine
08. Body And Blood
09. Depth Of Satans Eyes
10. Monstrance Clock

GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."

The band's debut album, "Opus Eponymous", was released in late 2010 in Europe and in early 2011 in North America via Rise Above Records.

"Dirty", the sixth full-length album from Italo-Norwegian hard-industrial-electro extreme metallers ABORYM, will be released on May 28 in Europe and June 11 in North America via Agonia Records. The 10-track double album (cover below) will be made available in digipak, jewel case and gatefold double LP formats.

The official "Dirty" teaser can be seen below.

"Dirty" was recorded at the Fear No One Studios in Italy with Emiliano Natali, reprising his sound engineer role from the band's "Psychogrotesque" album, and was helmed by Marc Urselli of New York's Eastside Sound Studio, who previously worked with the likes of Mike Patton and Lou Reed. The electronic part of the album was engineered by D. Loop (KEBABTRAUME, LIMBO). R.G. Narchost (STORMCROW, DEMON'S SHADE, DROWNING ASHES) created "The Spiral Shaped Chamber" custom sounds library for the band. Artwork for the album is by ABORYM's Fabban.

The first CD of the album features new material, while the second CD features two tracks from previous albums, which have been completely re-arranged and re-recorded, covers of tracks by IRON MAIDEN, PINK FLOYD and NINE INCH NAILS, and a previously unreleased track performed by both musicians such as Agonia BV, Tamara Picardo, Samuel Heru Ra Ha MK, Hostis, Ulven, Mike Bizzini, David Cholasta, Tobias Dünnebacke, Jonathan Butcher, Jessy Lavallee, Thomas Hochstetler, Mary J. Rooks, Amanda Neilson and Mark Llewellyn, as well as several fans. The song was written by Alberto Penzin (CO2, ex-SCHIZO) and was spliced together from all the different sources.

"Dirty" track listing:

CD 1

01. Irreversible Crisis
02. Across The Universe
03. Dirty
04. Bleedthrough
05. Raped By Daddy
06. I Don't Know
07. The Factory Of Death
08. Helter Skelter Youth
09. Face The Reptile
10. The Day The Sun Stopped Shining

CD2

01. Fire Walk With Us (new version originally released on “Fire Walk With Us”)
02. Roma Divina Urbs (new version originally released on “Kali Yuga Bizarre”)
03. Hallowed Be Thy Name (IRON MAIDEN Cover)
04. Comfortably Numb (PINK FLOYD Cover)
05. Hurt (NINE INCH NAILS Cover)
06. Need For Limited Loss (new track)

Formed in 1992 by frontman Fabban, ABORYM started life as a covers band and went through several transformations, eventually pioneering what the band calls hard-industrial-electro extreme metal. Today's line up consists of Italians Fabban on vocals, bass and synths and Paolo Pieri (HOUR OF PENANCE) on guitars, keyboards and programming, along with Norway's Bård G. "Faust" Eithun (BLOOD TSUNAMI, MONGO NINJA, ex-EMPEROR) on drums.

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

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

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

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

Nina Noir (pictured below) was selected by Geoff Tate to take part in the 2013 QUEENSRŸCHE tour after making a guest appearance on the band's new album, "Frequency Unknown". She will be singing a duet with Geoff on the group's epic song, "Suite Sister Mary".

Nina mastered speech level singing with renowned vocal coach Seth Riggs. In 2011 she performed on "America's Got Talent", where she received high praise from Sharon Osbourne. She has gone on to form THE LIONS, a rock band based out of San Francisco, California. They are currently recording their debut album with producer Jason Slater (QUEENSRŸCHE, THIRD EYE BLIND, SMASHMOUTH, SNAKE RIVER CONSPIRACY). She has played many roles in music and is currently fronting an all-female QUEEN tribute band called THE KILLER QUEENS as Frederica Mercury. The girls have headlined sold-out shows on their winter tour and are currently booking dates for their 2013 summer tour across the Western United States.

Deadline Music/Cleopatra has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding the reports that "Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, was being remixed by acclaimed musician, record producer and engineer Billy Sherwood:

"Since previews of the new QUEENSRŸCHE album were made available to the general public on iTunes and other digital retailers, some of the response has been less than positive. Some complained about the overall quality of the recordings, and in particular the mix. We here at Deadline Music have the utmost confidence in the powerful songwriting and outstanding performances from Geoff Tate and crew on this album, but we also want the fans to know that we are listening to them as well! So, in the interest of democratic free choice, Deadline Music has commissioned the superbly talented musician/producer Billy Sherwood (formerly of YES) to remix the album. Now fans will be able to decide which mix they feel best represents the album: the original mix, which will be released on April 23rd, or the new mix by Billy Sherwood that will be made available at a future date to be announced…. WE REMIX, YOU DECIDE!"

Sherwood revealed in a posting on his Facebook page on Monday that he was hired to remix "Frequency Unknown". Sherwood wrote: "[It] seems there are sonic issues with the previous versions and so I shall be fixing it for all to enjoy. [I am] starting on it [Wednesday] morning [March 27]."

"Frequency Unknown" was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California.

Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band will now feature 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). 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).

"Frequency Unknown" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity".

"Frequency Unknown" track listing:

01. When Lightning Strikes
02. Running Backwards
03. Fallen
04. Life Without You
05. In The Hands Of God
06. Cold
07. The Weight Of The World
08. Slave
09. Dare
10. Everything

Bonus tracks: (2013 versions)

11. Silent Lucidity
12. Empire
13. Jet City Woman
14. I Don t Believe In Love

Tate, who was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in June 2012 after fronting the group for three decades, last year sought to prevent his former bandmates from touring and operating under the QUEENSRŸCHE name without him. While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13, 2012 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

Last November, Tate released his first solo CD in over a decade titled "Kings & Thieves" (InsideOut Music) and toured with his solo band in support of the CD, which included dates with the legendary ALICE COOPER.

On April 5, EVIL UNITED — the Austin/San Antonio, Texas-based band featuring Jason McMaster (WATCHTOWER, DANGEROUS TOYS, BROKEN TEETH) on vocals, a double guitar assault of T.C. Connally (PB/DC, CULT TO FOLLOW) and John Valenzuela (PB/DC, URIAL) as well as the brutal rhythm section of Don Van Stavern (RIOT, S.A. SLAYER) on bass and "Shakes" West (MURDERDOLLS, NEUROTICA, SEBASTIAN BACH) on drums — will release the first track/video from its forthcoming sophomore full-length album. The song, "Viking Funeral", celebrates the cultural ideals of a savage way of life, while respecting the accepted wisdom that death is but a celebration and only a new beginning at entrance to Valhalla.

EVIL UNITED instantly delivers what fans expect and demand from the Lone Star state: intricate, heavy, pounding rhythms, screeching guitar solos and over-the-top power-screaming vocals. The band was described by Lior "Steinmetal" Stein of Metal-Temple.com as "fresh with an old-school orientation."

EVIL UNITED's self-titled debut album was released in September 2011 via MVD Entertainment Group.

McMaster previously stated about EVIL UNITED: "I think there are a lot of bands playing this type of metal right now, but I believe that EVIL UNITED has something different about it. There is a wide range of influence, lots of peaks and valleys to explore, without losing any of the extreme.

"It's a pleasure to work with Texas metal alumni such as these guys; they shred but they are paying attention to the thrash and power as well as the melody."

After one year since their last album, Emerge, Italian metallers BEJELIT - featuring SECRET SPHERE rhythm guitarist Marco Pastorino - have parted ways with bassist Giorgio Novarino and replaced him with Luca Negro (THE RITUAL, HATETYLER).
The band have also released the video for 'We Got The Tragedy', which was directed by Gianni Galli (author of the videos 'Bejelit' and 'Saint From Beyond'). Check it out below:
Bejelit have also finished recording an original acoustic EP called Don’t Give Up which will be out on April 25th, limited to 200 numbered digipack copies.
Don’t Give Up will contain this following tracklist:
'Emerge'
'Don't Know What You Need'
'Saint From Beyond'
'Death Trip Serenade'
'We Got The Tragedy'
'Dancerous'
'Piano Medley'

For more details visit Bejelit.com.

Slovenian occult act VIGILANCE will release their new album, Queen Of The Midnight Fire, on May 14th via Metal Tank Records. Check out the first audio preview for the song ‘Under Sulphurous Skies’ below:
About the album guitarist Gilian Adam tells: “After months of hard work, the album is done. Rok Zalokar did a great job and we are very much excited to finally give you a taste of what is to come. The gates have been opened, the torches have been lit. Follow if you dare.”
Queen Of The Midnight Fire tracklisting is as follows:

‘Queen Of The Midnight Fire’
‘Behind The Cellar Door’
‘Speedwave’
‘What Lies Beyond…’
‘Night Terrors’
‘Four Crowns Of Hell’
‘Poetry And The Gods’
‘Under Sulphurous Skies’
‘Ritual Of Death’

According to a press release: “Ripping with its excellent mixture of genuine traditional speed / heavy metal filled with profound devotion for primordial occultism, Vigilance itself reflects perfectly a lethal dose of true metal, real old school attitude fueled with dark emotions and spell bound intensity.”

Enigmatic UK-based blackened death trio ABYSSAL will release the CD reissue of their debut full-length, Denouement, on April 2nd via Poland's Hellthrasher Productions, with the vinyl edition coming in the fall.
The album was primarily self-released by the band in January, 2012 on hand-assembled CDs and digitally, getting great reception with its refreshing manifestation of dark, twisted death metal, reminiscent of PORTAL and MITOCHONDRION, yet unique in its own way.

The entire album is available for streaming below:

Denouement by Abyssal

Denouement (limited to 1,000 copies) can be pre-ordered here.

Denver, CO thrash metal group HAVOK have premiered their latest video, 'From The Cradle To The Grave', from their 2012 EP, The Point Of No Return. The video, directed by Roy Warner Creative Photo and Videography, was filmed on location in Detroit.
The song’s lyrical inspiration, vocalist/guitarist Dave Sanchez says, “‘From The Cradle To The Grave’ is about America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes. In the late 1800s, in Chicago, Holmes built a hotel specifically with murder in mind. It included doors that opened up to brick walls, staircases that lead to nowhere, and one-way rooms that once you entered, you never came out. He was a religious man and firmly believed that since he was born, the Devil was at his side. That being said, bang your head.

We will hit the road next week, teaming with GOATWHORE and THE CASUALTIES. The dates will feature new bassist Michael Joseph Leon. As many people have already heard, we recently parted ways with bassist Jesse De Los Santos. It was a mutual split and we wish Jesse all the best. I’d like to thank Jesse for the four years of killing it in studio and on stage. With that being said, we’d like to introduce our new four-string monster, Mike Leon. Mike is a fantastic bassist and a veteran of the road from his years of touring with THE ABSENCE Absence. We are very happy to have him on board.”

Leon comments: “I'm completely honored to be a part of such a well-oiled machine and to have the opportunity to play with these dudes is a dream come true! Not only is HAVOK one of my favorite new heavy metal bands out in the scene, but the guys in the band are a few of the best dudes I know! You can definitely look forward to us kickin' lots of ass together this year, and for many years to come.”

Havok will complete all work on their new record in the coming weeks. Album information and special pre-order details will be announced shortly.

Havok dates with Goatwhore and The Casualties:

April
1 - Albuquerque, NM -2H Launchpad
2 - Tempe, AZ - Rocky Point
3 - Santa Ana, CA - Observatory
4 - W. Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues
6 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Metro
7 - Reno, NV - The Alley
8 - Portland, OR - Branx
9 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven

Swedish experimental/progressive band THE MOTH GATHERER's debut album entitled A Bright Celestial Light will be released on April 16th in Europe and April 30th in North America via Agonia Records.

The band have unveiled a video clip for 'A Falling Deity' song, the album closing track. Directed and produced by Tommy Pedersen, the video can be customised up 1080p HD format at You Tube.

Commented the band: "It's kinda David Lynch-like. Very slow, very haunting. We want to create a feeling, something that makes the viewer think. Death is not entertainment, death hurts."

The clip can be seen below:
A Bright Celestial Light was mastered by Karl Daniel Liden (SWITCHBLADE) and will feature a guest appearance by THE KONSORTIUM’s Member 001.

Co-founder Alex Stjernfeldt commented: "We just want our music to be an emotional explosion. A lot of the songs are about death, missing people you loved who have passed away and losing hope in mankind. We want the music to make you feel like you can move mountains with it. I wish for that when people hear our music, they start to dream away."
Tracklisting is as follows:

‘The Water That We All Come To Need’
‘Intervention’
‘A Road Of Gravel And Skulls’
‘The Womb, The Woe, The Woman’
‘A Falling Deity’

Check out ‘A Road Of Gravel And Skulls’ below:
A short album preview can be seen below:

Progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT have released a second behind-the-scenes video update from the recent recording sessions for their new album, The Migration, which will be released in North America on June 11th.

The new installment features a sneak peek into the guitar tracking process. Watch both clips below:
The Migration was recorded in January at North Carolina's Basement Studios with producer Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, HE IS LEGEND, FOR TODAY), and is the follow-up to their 2011 release, The Collective. The group, who spent much of 2011 and 2012 on tour with the likes of PERIPHERY, FAIR TO MIDLAND, CYNIC, THE CONTORTIONIST, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, PROTEST THE HERO and TRIOSCAPES, will soon announce their first tour of 2013.
Additionally, bassist Mark Michell has released a bass instructional book titled Guide to Right-Hand Technique for Bass, via the band's official web store here. This instructional guide focuses around all of the various “plucking-hand” techniques and includes 16 chapters (143 pages), over 120 unique exercises, photos, descriptive “how-to” captions and a variety of diverse exercises targeting essentially every skill level. A full-gloss front cover and spiral-bounding for easier reading also included.
More on Scale The Summit at this location.