Although he's quick to note that he doesn't pay too much attention to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian got a bit more passionate when talking to Radio.com about a band that has been ignored by the voters.

"A lot people have a problem with KISS," Ian said. "KISS is just as important as AEROSMITH and LED ZEPPELIN.

"The people who vote on these kinds of things — I don't know who these people are — I think they're the kind of people who never, ever liked KISS.

"If you like ALICE COOPER, you should like KISS. But a lot of people didn't take them seriously as a songwriting entity. I feel like they're never gonna let KISS in, which is pretty fucking lame when you consider what they've accomplished."

He continued: "I was reading an interview with someone from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and he said that one of the main criteria to be considered into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is what influence have they had on music? KISS has influenced bands that are already in the Hall Of Fame! They're one of the most influential bands of the last forty years!"

British rock legends DEEP PURPLE were denied entry to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year — losing out to pop and rap acts DONNA SUMMER and PUBLIC ENEMY.

"How many people started playing guitar because of the riff to 'Smoke On The Water?'" Ian asked Radio.com. "You can pinpoint that riff as the starting point to more guitar players than any other song in the history of rock. So it's just amazing to me that a band like DEEP PURPLE isn't in."

Ian added: "Nothing against my friends in METALLICA, but even if you asked them… When METALLICA were inducted [into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2009], James [Hetfield] name checked a bunch of bands from the stage, saying maybe you should put these bands in as well."

U.K. death metal punks THE ROTTED have released a video for their latest single, "Rotted Fucking Earth". Check it out below.

In another move to keep things in the family, the whole thing was self-funded and released on THE ROTTED's own Anarchogram Industries label, with the video being directed by vocalist Ben McCrow's brother, Tom McCrow, and the audio being produced by Joe Thompson at Sonic Forge Music in Cardiff, a great studio co-owned by long time friend of the band Mic Hourinhan (DESECRATION, ONSLAUGHT, ex-EXTREME NOISE TERROR).

Says the band: "The track itself is about throw away culture and the acceleration of just about everything in modern society. We decided that in a world of eight-string guitars, 12-string basses and drumkits from hell 'shredding' in weird scat-jazz time signatures that we wanted a stripped down song with lots of shouting, and where the verse and chorus are the same chords. It's the most knuckle-dragging, drunken-swaggering, punk-rocking song we've ever written."

THE ROTTED's second album, "Ad Nauseam", was released in 2011 to high critical acclaim from reviewers and listeners alike. The CD featured 11 tracks of fast, aggressive, honest and in-your-face punk-infused death metal sure to strike a chord with fans of NAPALM DEATH, ENTOMBED, EXTREME NOISE TERROR, MOTÖRHEAD and DISCHARGE. Since then, THE ROTTED has also released a seven-inch vinyl single, "Apathy In The UK", through Hammerheart Records.

Legendary guitarist Joe Satriani will release his 14th studio album, "Unstoppable Momentum", on May 7 through Epic Records. The CD was recorded at Skywalker Sound in the Bay Area and produced by Satriani and Mike Fraser (AC/DC). The album features an amazing array of talented players, including Vinnie Colauita (STING, JEFF BECK) on drums, Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION) on bass and Mike Keneally (DETHKLOK) on keyboards.

Fans are encouraged to pre-order "Unstoppable Momentum" via Sony Music and Satriani's own website store. When pre-ordering through the Epic Records store, fans will be given the chance to bundle new signed copies of the album with exclusive t-shirts and guitar straps. At Satriani.com, fans will receive an exclusive, never-before-seen art book featuring years of drawings, doodles and sketches that Satriani has done over the years.

"Some of my drawings have made their way on to guitars, straps and picks, LP and CD booklets, t-shirts, hats, keychains, etc…and even my live stage productions," explains Satriani. "This book represents my first effort to finally compile my oddly drawn friends into one place, a wildly colorful portfolio of sorts. A collection of drawings meant to inspire and entertain."

After returning from the South American G3 tour last October, Satriani got down to writing new music over the next two months. As he recalls, "A very prolific and cathartic two months followed resulting in a bundle of new music I was very excited to get recorded!"

Eleven songs were selected to record, all "heading in different directions and touching on a variety of musical influences." With that in mind, Satriani decided to assemble a new studio band. "The idea was to crank up the energy level of the sessions, and allow for more individual expression of the material from each player. The chemistry with Mike, Chris and Vinnie was fantastic and we blazed through all of the tracks with everyone laying down amazing performances."

For two decades, Satriani has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star "G3" guitar extravaganza. His studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, CHICKENFOOT, featuring former VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar, former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at No. 9. In late 2010, music sensation Nicki Minaj sampled the classic Satriani track "Always With Me Always With You" in her song "Right Through Me" from her multi-platinum debut album. In 2011, Satriani recreated his national anthem performance for the opening day of the Oakland A's historic 2002 season in the Brad Pitt movie "Moneyball".

"Unstoppable Momentum" track listing:

01. Unstoppable Momentum
02. Can't Go Back
03. Lies And Truths
04. Three Sheets To The Wind
05. I'll Put A Stone On Your Cairn
06. A Door Into Summer
07. Shine On American Dreamer
08. Jumpin' In
09. Jumpin' Out
10. The Weight Of The World
11. A Celebration

British rock legends DEEP PURPLE were denied entry to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year — losing out to such artists as American pop singer-songwriter Randy Newman and R&B singer Donna Summer.

The members of PURPLE, who will release a new album titled "Now What?!" on April 30 in North America via earMUSIC, say it is no big loss.

"I don't think the band really care, actually," keyboardist Don Airey tells The Straits Times. "It'd be nice but there's been no 'awwwww', no disappointment."

"The gig's the thing with this band, the next concert. That's what it's all about and we're looking forward to Singapore.

"Newman's fantastic but he's not really a rock act, is he? Neither is Donna Summer, although she made one of the greatest records I've ever heard. If you're going to have a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, let's have some rock and rollers in there."

He added, laughing: "There was a kind of ripple of excitement, like 'Oh, we've been nominated!'. Then [lead singer] Ian [Gillan] said, 'Don't worry, we won't get in'."

Gillan echoed those sentiments, telling AOL's Noisecreep: "I fought against, all my life, becoming institutionalized. So it really does not affect me. But on the other hand, my family and friends and everyone that has stuck with us all these years, it means something to them. They love that recognition.

"To analyze it, and I'll try not to sound cocky or anything, I will say it as respectfully as I can, it's sort of like the Oscars and Grammys and the other awards like that — in the States, just like it is in England, and other places — these awards and honors are usually not decided by the fans, but by a cartel of influential people. These are the same people that decided THE MONKEES were America's answer to THE BEATLES. [laughs]

"So I'm not too concerned about it. Maybe it will happen one day, bit if not, my diary is full and I'm very happy. It hasn't affected our career but it does concern the fans — that's who I feel for."

Outaouais Rock has announced the complete line-up for the eighth edition of the Amnesia Rockfest, now the biggest rock festival in Quebec. The festival will kick off with a series of indoor shows June 10-16 at the Montebello marina in the Outaouais region. Main outdoor festivities take place June 14 and June 15.

Among the headlining bands are the popular Chicago rock group RISE AGAINST, the legendary Californian punk rock bands THE OFFSPRING and SOCIAL DISTORTION, the provocative kings of rock ALICE COOPER and MARILYN MANSON, and the always outstanding alternative metal band DEFTONES. These bands will play alongside the likes of the previously announced RANCID and LAMB OF GOD as well as PENNYWISE (back together with the band's original signer), DROPKICK MURPHYS, ANTHRAX, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, LAGWAGON, TRANSPLANTS (with Travis Barker of BLINK-182), THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES (playing in Quebec after a 16-year absence), MILLENCOLIN and many others.

In addition to a significant enhancement of the three existing stages, Rockfest will introduce two new “international” stages that will focus on cult favorites and rare bands. Taking to these stages include the reunion of BLACK FLAG, which will play under the name FLAG, BAD BRAINS (after an 18 year absence in Quebec), SCREECHING WEASEL (after a 30-year absence in Quebec) SICK OF IT ALL, BIOHAZARD, DISCHARGE, SUBHUMANS UK, MAD CADDIES and many others.

Rotating with the main stage, the "Québécois" stage will host the pillars of Quebec's alternative music scene. Several of these now-defunct bands are reuniting solely for the Amnesia Rockfest: GROOVY AARDVARK, MEN O STEEL, ROLLER STARTER, CRYPTOPSY (with the band's original frontman Lord Worm), GHOULUNATICS, ARSENIQ33, CAPITAINE RÉVOLTE and VULGAR DELI. Also scheduled to reunite are: GRIMSKUNK, MONONC' SERGE, KATAKLYSM, MATT SMASHERS OF PLANET SMASHERS, OBEY THE BRAVE and a punk karaoke at the end of the night as well as many others.

Finally, the emerging stage will offer the best of local and international bands. Many surprises and secrets await festival attendees. In total, over 150 bands will take to the stages during the event.

It cannot be left unsaid that camping zones and festival grounds will be expanding the week leading up to festival as will indoor show venues (the lineup for indoor shows will be released in the upcoming weeks). There will be numerous activities taking place over the course of the event including rides, a rock and roll museum, a haunted house, buskers and fire spitters to enhance the carnivalesque and festive atmosphere.

Weekend passports are now available exclusively with advanced ticket sales in limited quantity on the Rockfest Facebook page. Tickets for general admission will go on sale Saturday at noon at www.pnrockfest.com, in Amnesia stores and on the Admission network. Passports are available at the affordable price of 79$ + taxes and service fees, which comes out to 0.53$ a band! With the already generated enthusiasm and this year's solid lineup, the team thinks that for the first time in its history, the festival will be sold out!

MORBID ANGEL frontman David Vincent will make his screen debut in in director Thomas Mignone's upcoming film inspired by the extraordinary life of Vanessa Del Rio — the legendary Latina adult film star in New York's infamous Times Square during the '70s and 80s.

Described by Michael Rooker, lead actor of "The Walking Dead", as "Boogie Nights" meets "Taxi Driver", the film is written and directed by Mignone, best known for his previous feature film "On The Doll" and also directing award-winning music videos.

SOULFLY's Max Cavalera has signed on to work on music for the film and Glenn Danzig has agreed to appear in the film as a violent thug.

To preserve the creative vision of the film project, it is currently featured on Indiegogo, the new buzzworthy crowd-funding platform.

Vincent has generously donated five of his signature-series "Demonator" electric bass guitars as items for the "Authentic Prop" contribution perk with 100% of the donations going towards funding. These guitars are custom designed by Dean Guitars for David Vincent and are exclusive collector's items. Each will be numbered and signed by both David Vincent and Vanessa del Rio.

Description of the Vanessa Del Rio film project by the filmmakers: "The criminal element that rose from the thriving adult shop area created some of the highest crime statistics New York City had ever seen. Our story takes place against this tumultuous backdrop."

"The Vanessa Del Rio Film Project" is not a documentary but a feature film based on the life of a character named Vanessa Del Rio.

Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with vocalist Biff Byford of British heavy metal legends SAXON. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metalshrine: Did you produce [the new SAXON album, "Sacrifice"] and Andy Sneap mixed it?

Biff: Yeah, I produced it myself and Andy mixed it. It's a vindication of my production.

Metalshrine: Right. It was never the plan for Andy to produce it?

Biff: No, no, never. It was me producing. Andy's a great mix engineer anyway, and I know he works a bit more with ACCEPT, but not with SAXON. He might produce the next album. Who knows? Nothing's carved in stone. I just wanted to do it myself this time. I've co-produced a lot of albums and I just wanted to do it myself.

Metalshrine: I read that you were kind of thinking of perhaps doing a solo album. Is that a serious idea?

Biff: Well, it's just me thinking of what to do next, really. It depends on the rest of the guys. We're gonna be touring pretty hard this year and we worked really hard on the album last year. I don't want to sort of drag the band into another album really quickly so… You know, I'm always working, so it's no big deal for me to write ten songs and if they will end up on the next SAXON album or on some other project, I don't know.

Metalshrine: You also said that you kinda wanted to get that "747" and "Wheels Of Steel" kinda sound?

Biff: Well, I just suggested that that's maybe the type of songs I would go to write on. Not really a sound, but a song style, because we've become quite heavy in the last ten or twelve years, so it might be nice to go back and be more melodic rock.

Metalshrine: I was thinking that bands like KISS and VAN HALEN have both gone for more of that vintage sound. Is that something you'd consider?

Biff: Probably not. [laughs] I like writing music, not rehashing old stuff. We do re-record stuff, but that's mostly for fun really and for fans. For our fans to listen to our songs in different formats, really. With this album, I wanted to bring the power of our sound. I didn't want the album to be overproduced in terms of slick harmonies and choirs and keyboards. I wanted it to be an intense SAXON experience. A couple of songs are more thrashy rock — you know what I mean? — like "Motorcycle Man" and "To Hell And Back Again". More sort of thrashy music, really.

Metalshrine: My first thought after listening to it was that it's really heavy.

Biff: Yeah and I brought back a live element to the album and live we're very heavy. There's no ballad on this album either. We don't really have a relaxing track, if you know what I mean. On the last album, we had a couple of slow songs on there, but this one there's no real let-up. It's just full-on.

Metalshrine: After all these years and all the albums, you're voice is still pretty amazing live. Other singers who's been doing it for just as long are struggling with their voices. How do you keep your voice in shape?

Biff: I don't really. To tell you the truth, I don't really keep it in shape. For a start, I don't drink spirits because that can really burn your throat. If I get shitfaced and I tend to go shitfaced on wine or something like that… and I stopped smoking some 20-odd years ago and I don't really do anything. I'm just aware of that I have a voice and I suppose that helps.

Read the entire interview from Metalshrine.

"Sacrifice" (song) video:

Legendary grindcore outfit NAPALM DEATH's collaboration with ceramic artist Keith Harrison in a one-off performance, which was scheduled for March 22 at the renowned Victoria And Albert Museum (V&A) in London, England, has been canceled.

"It is with regret that we have taken the decision to cancel the one-off NAPALM DEATH performance in collaboration with our ceramic artist in residence Keith Harrison on Friday, 22 March," reads a statement from the organizers. "This was due to take place in the Europe Galleries, which are currently being refurbished, and a further safety inspection has revealed concerns that the high level of decibels generated by the performance would damage the historic fabric of the building.

"The V&A is committed to an exciting programme of exhibitions and events, but the safety of our visitors and building remains our priority at all times."

Keith Harrison (pictured below), V&A ceramics resident, previously stated about the event: "My interest in NAPALM DEATH started in the late '80s when as a teenager in Birmingham I would listen to John Peel's evening radio show when they would appear out of nowhere in jaw-dropping fashion, sometimes for no more than a few seconds.

"The raw, uncompromising energy of NAPALM DEATH will be used to activate a set of three specially created ceramic sound systems based on the group of vivid blue and yellow tiled tower blocks on the Bustleholm Mill estate, West Bromwich where I was born.

"I wanted to invite NAPALM DEATH to collaborate with me for this live performance at the Museum for the last of a series of Disruptions I have worked on throughout my residency."

Tim Louie of The Aquarian Weekly recently conducted an interview with former PANTERA/DOWN and current KILL DEVIL HILL bassist Rex Brown. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Aquarian Weekly: Was there some sort of catalyst to make you want to write a sort of tell-all book about PANTERA ["Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera"]?

Rex: I just wanted it to be in first person and to speak my truth. Ya know, I was sitting in the cheap seats just like the rest of the guys. Only four of us know what went on with that book, and as you get on through the book, you'll understand where it all will lead. If you just started reading the book, you're only scratching the surface.

The Aquarian Weekly: You mentioned how your life changed once you hit rock stardom. When was it that it really hit you that you were a certified rock star?

Rex: I don't know. You get money flying in front ways and back, and it was always not necessarily for the money, but just the critical acclaim of what you'd really worked your tail off for. It took us six years before we were even with a major label. We were turned down 28 times from different labels and stuff like that we couldn't get arrested. The point being that once you do start selling a lot of records and people recognize you and you've reached that point of… I wouldn't call it stardom because I'm not into the fame, I'm just into the jam.

The Aquarian Weekly: There was actually something funny that I read, where you mentioned that you, [late PANTERA guitarist] Dime ["Dimebag" Darrell Abbott] and [former PANTERA drummer and Dimebag's brother] Vinnie [Paul Abbott] got a strip club, and while you and Dime hung back, Vinnie would walk in with all of these bodyguards.

Rex: Yeah, well when you read the book, you will understand his persona and his way of going about things, and I'm not trying to hack Vinnie at all, I have a lot of empathy for him, but in the long run, the guy carries a lot of hatred with him that it's not right. Ya know? I understand about his brother, and well, he was my brother also, but I don't carry around this terrible vendetta against people.

The Aquarian Weekly: Did you find it therapeutic to write this book and to finally get a lot of shit off your chest?

Rex: Absolutely! It was cathartic for sure. Reliving all of those memories and stuff like that, it really made me go back and think, "Fuck, man! I wish Dime were still on this planet because God knows what would've happened." Unfortunately, he's not. I always envisioned that we would somehow try to get back together, but it was not meant to be, I guess.

Read the entire interview from The Aquarian Weekly.

DEATH RAY VISION, the project featuring SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio and former OVERCAST/SEEMLESS guitarist Pete Cortese, will re-release its debut five-song EP, "Get Lost Or Get Dead", on May 14 via Bullet Tooth (the label run by Trustkill Records founder Josh Grabelle) in seven-inch vinyl, digipack CD, and digital download formats.

"Get Lost Or Get Dead" track listing:

01. Shattered Frames
02. Get Lost Or Get Dead
03. Not For Glory
04. Chainsaw Of Bees
05. Drown The Light

"Get Lost Or Get Dead" was originally indepedently released in 2011. The CD was recorded in March 2011 at Mad Oak Studio in Allston, Massachusetts with Benny Grotto (MOTHERBOAR, SLAPSHOT, ACARO, DRESDEN DOLLS) at the helm. The recording captured the raw energy and emotion of the band combined with a modern production, seamlessly bridging the gap between the past and future. The sessions were the creative spark that inspired the band to continue writing and see how far they could push their sound.

"For our first release, we wanted to have a huge-sounding record with modern production but still maintain the energy and rawness of the old-school hardcore seven-inches that influence the formation of the band," Fair explained at the time. "We kept it simple with minimal overdubs, layers and Pro Tools magic that is becoming all to common in music today. We just set up, hit record and let it rip."

DEATH RAY VISION recently completed tracking its new LP with producer Dean Baltulonis (SICK OF IT ALL, AGNOSTIC FRONT) for a summer release.

"The band is really excited to get back in the studio," said Fair. "These new songs have pushed our sound to a new level and we can't wait to unleash them on the world!"

DEATH RAY VISION made its live debut on April 8, 2011 at the Vegas Lounge in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

Regarding how the band came together, Fair said, "When Mike and I first met, we went to see LEEWAY and BREAKDOWN play in Boston. My love for raw, metallic hardcore began that day and the energy and insanity in that club is something that has stayed with me forever."

"We started the band to have fun, there is really no other reason to do DEATH RAY VISION," stated Mike. "Apparently we were having so much fun when we started writing for the first EP that we just kept writing and writing. All of a sudden, we had a crapload of tunes."

While gathering material for a full-length release, DEATH RAY VISION caught the attention of Bullet Tooth, a label that has a staff with very similar backgrounds and history in the heavy music scene as the band. Having a label that embraces the same DIY ethic as the band was a necessity. Joining forces with Bullet Tooth was the perfect way for DEATH RAY VISION to reach a wider audience without having to sacrifice the independent spirit of the band.

"Josh Grabelle and Bullet Tooth have the capacity to get our record out to more people then we can reach on our own," explained D'Antonio. "It also doesn't hurt that he is an old friend and is really excited about DEATH RAY VISION. What more could you want?"

Grabelle is as enthusiastic about the signing as the band is. He's known the members for years, having almost signed KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2000.

"I'm a huge fan of SHADOWS FALL, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and OVERCAST," he said.

"I first met Brian Fair in 1995 at an OVERCAST show in Erie, Pennsylvania. I've been friends with Mike D for years as well. Mike D told me he had started a new band and I already knew it was gonna be awesome, and it was! I was honored they thought of me and Bullet Tooth and I know we will knock it out of the park together."

According to D'Antonio, the DEATH RAY VISION songs "are much easier to write than KILLSWITCH ENGAGE songs for me, and I can be a bit more old-school in my approach. This style comes very natural to me because I grew up on CRO-MAGS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, MADBALL, LEEWAY and BAD BRAINS. When I want to write, I throw these inspirations on and get to it."

DEATH RAY VISION is:

Brian Fair - Vocals
Mike D'Antonio - Bass
Pete Cortese - Guitar
Zack Wells - Guitar
Colin Conway - Drums

"Under Destruction", the new album from HATEFX, the Fresno/Livermore, California-based metal band featuring guitarist Glen Alvelais (FORBIDDEN, TESTAMENT, LD/50), will be released on March 23 in North America via xXx Music. The effort will be available in two configurations: the Ultimate Limited Edition silver bullet-shaped USB drive (mp3-wav format, lyrics and extras) and a standalone CD.

A picture of the limited edition silver bullet USB drive can be seen below.

Commented HATEFX frontman Gabriel "G" Almazán: "We wanted to innovate as far as the format of our music release and got these special usb drives made with our logo engraved with open code so you get the album in two hi-fi formats as well as lyrics, artwork, pictures, and other extras, plus you can use the drive to carry other information as well since there's additional free space on the USB drive. You can play the music right in your car if you have a USB input. Also we thought it was a portable/convenient format that allows to be carried easily; let's say you get this on a show and it fits right in your pocket! And you get bonus stuff."

"Under Destruction" will include special guest appearances by Anton Reisenegger (LOCK UP, CRIMINAL), Patrick Contreras (master violinist), Amandolyn Rostikus (SPIRIT DESCENDING) on keys and Antonio Godoy (MUSIC MACHINE) on some sequences.

HATEFX has scheduled an "Under Destruction" release party on March 23 at the Starline in Fresno, where they will share the stage with GROOVEYARD and Sacramento's SERPENT AND SERAPH, also including a guest appearance by Contreras.

The band is lining up a number of other live dates in support of the new release in California and Nevada.

"Under Destruction" was helmed by Chilean producer Javier Bassino.

Rock act FILTER will release its sixth studio album, "The Sun Comes Out Tonight", on June 4 via Wind-Up Records. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles at Blue Room studios with producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ATREYU, SALIVA). The follow-up to 2010's "The Trouble With Angels" was written and recorded by leader Richard Patrick and guitarist Jonny Radtke, as well as collaborator Marlette. There are also performances from touring members Jeff Friedl and Elias Mallin (drums) and Phil Buckman (bass).

The lead single, "What Do You Say", will impact radio on May 7.

Another track from the CD, "We Hate It When You Get What You Want", is available for streaming and free download below (e-mail signup required).

"The Sun Comes Out Tonight" track listing:

01. We Hate It When You Get What You Want
02. What Do You Say
03. Surprise
04. Watch The Sun Come Out Tonight
05. It's Got To Be Right Now
06. This Finger's For You
07. Self Inflicted
08. First You Break It
09. Burn It
10. Take That Knife Out Of My Back
11. It's My Time
12. It's Just You

In a 2012 interview with "All Knowing Force", Patrick said about the songwriting process for the new CD, "One of the main things we set out to do, we said let's make a song with all the elements of 'Hey Man Nice Shot', and we sat there and it wrote itself." He added, "We didn't want to write the same bass line or guitar progression, but it had to be an amazing riff; let's start with that. The riff was so good, it's a two-bar pattern, and we throw guitar over it with drums and I scream and the bass line never changes, it's a nonstop bass line that never ever changes."

Regarding the inspiration for the new material, Patrick said, "We were talking about some of the things that are going on in my life; there's been a lot of betrayal from people surrounding me. So we were thinking 'Hey Man Nice Shot', that's something that describes a desperate man's actions and trying to make sense of it, almost like a joke. So we started talking about betrayal and we played around with the words 'Take That Knife Out of My Back' and all of a sudden this song just wrote itself."

On the topic of the overall direction of the new CD, Patrick said, "We have this beautiful record that starts off heavy and mean and then it goes back to the more moody, almost joyful parts of life. For me, the record that we always try to model is the 'Title Of Record' era — that sets the standard in how heavy and how light we can go. We just aspire to make the songs as good and I think the songwriting is superior, we just have to make sure the performances are as desperate and powerful as those crazy takes I did when I was kid."

Stockholm, Sweden-based melodic death metallers DEGRADEAD, whose singer, Mikael Sehlin, recently joined fellow Swedes ENGEL as their new frontman, will release their fourth album, "The Monster Within", on August 23. The CD was recorded between January 14 and February 2 at Panic Room studios in Skara with producer Thomas "Plec" Johansson and marks the group's first release with new drummer Amit Mohla. According to the band, "This album ended up being the best DEGRADEAD album so far! More dynamic, more melodic, more thrashy, more of everything!"

Commented Johansson: "Finally, the new DEGRADEAD album is mastered and is now uploading after three weeks of production...

"It has been great going back to the roots even on this one. No drum triggers or sample replacements used whatsoever, which is otherwise so commonplace in today's metal productions. We did it the hard way, with getting the right sounds from the start and having Amit actually playing the parts until we got the takes we needed, tuning the drums in between takes, switching snares for different songs etc... No plugins were used in the process either other than for very surgical tasks and special FX. All other processing are real chambers, hardware reverbs, delays, compression and EQ. Five times more work, but five times more fun and inspiring plus it's five times more fun to listen to!!

"Be sure to check this monster out..."

Regarding what impact Sehlin's addition to ENGEL will have on his status in DEGRADEAD, DEGRADEAD said: "Mikael is still our vocalist and he is still 100% dedicated to DEGRADEAD and this will not affect DEGRADEAD."

DEGRADEAD's third album, "A World Destroyer", was released in North America on June 28, 2011 via Metalville Records. The CD was recorded at Peter Tägtgren's (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) Abyss studios in Pärlby, outside Ludvika, Sweden, with producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY, CENTINEX, WORLD BELOW).

On August 6, 2010, DEGRADEAD played for their first time at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken. Germany. Their full set, as performed on the W.E.T Stage before an enthusiastic audience, along with many extras, is included on the DVD release, "Live At Wacken And Beyond", which was released on February 28, 2012 via Metalville Records. The disc also contains "From Tullinge To Hyderabad", a 50-minute documentary following DEGRADEAD from their first years in Tullinge, a small suburb south of Stockholm where the band was formed, to their successful tour of India in February 2011. It includes interviews, live clips and a lot of other "interesting stuff for the fans."

Former THE HAUNTED and current AT THE GATES guitarist Anders Björler is continuing work on his first solo album, "Antikythera" (formerly "The Antikythera Mechanism"), tentatively due later this year. He states: "We started yesterday with recording the additional guitars and bass tracks for the album at Martin Brändström's [DARK TRANQUILLITY] Rogue Music Studio. We just finished tracking today after some very fast, productive sessions."

"Antikythera" recording lineup:

* Anders Björler (THE HAUNTED, AT THE GATES) - Guitar, Keyboards, Mellotron & Moog
* Morgan Ågren (MATS & MORGAN BAND, KAIPA, FREDRIK THORDENDAL'S SPECIAL DEFECTS) - Drums, Percussion
* Dick Lövgren (MESHUGGAH) - Bass
* Carl Svensson - Additional Electric And Acoustic Guitars
* Peter Wiberg (OPETH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) – Piano

Anders previously stated about his upcoming album: "This is NOT a 'metal' project. Those of you who are familiar with my soundtrack/movie stuff for THE HAUNTED and AT THE GATES documentaries will know somewhat to expect. It's inspired by Italian film music from the '60 and '70s, post rock, ambient, progressive, jazz, and Swedish folk music."

Björler announced his departure from THE HAUNTED in October. He explained in a statement, "I feel that I have come to the end of the line regarding THE HAUNTED. This is not a sudden or hasty decision. I have been contemplating it for the last couple of years. Peter's [Dolving, vocals] departure [in early 2012] made me more certain than ever that I had reached my personal goal with THE HAUNTED, and that the time was right to call it quits. I have enjoyed every bit of the ride. It's been an overwhelming journey. I would like to thank the other band members especially, our crew through the years, and our fans worldwide for the experience and opportunity. Thank you so much! The memories will be with me forever. I will, of course, continue writing music, but where that leads me? [It's] simply too early to say."

New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends RAVEN are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal album "All For One" in 2013. Originally released in 1983, "All For One" was not only the band's breakout LP, it was also a massively influential slab of classic metal. The band's groundbreaking and high-energy approach was a vital element in the development of thrash.

"Wow, hard to believe but it was 30 years ago when we hooked up with mega producer Michael Wagener (and Udo Dirkschneider of ACCEPT) to craft our breakthrough album 'All For One'," said RAVEN vocalist/bassist John Gallagher. "It's still one of our favorites and although we still play quite a few songs [from the album] live, on the upcoming dates we will squeeze a few more into the set as a celebration. We can't wait to dust them off, get out there and kick ass!"

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of "All For One", the NWOBHM lunatics will play select dates dubbed "All For One Forever", during which they will perform many tracks from the album, including some rarely or never performed live.

Confirmed dates follow, with more to be announced:

Apr. 19 - Springfield, VA - Empire (w/ A SOUND OF THUNDER)
Apr. 20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Dead Horse Cantina (w/ A SOUND OF THUNDER)
Apr. 21 - Brooklyn, NY - St. Vitus Bar (w/ A SOUND OF THUNDER, HOLY GRAIL, BRÖHAMMER)
May 11 - Freehold, NJ - Encore Event Center (w/ ANVIL, THE RODS)

Washington, D.C. traditional metallers A SOUND OF THUNDER will provide direct support April 19-21. John Gallagher appeared on the band's latest album, "Out Of The Darkness", (Nightmare Records, 2012), performing a vocal duet with A SOUND OF THUNDER vocalist Nina Osegueda on the title track.

RAVEN's latest album, "Walk Through Fire", was released in the U.S. on March 30, 2010 (one day earlier in Europe through SPV/Steamhammer) via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Assembly Line Studios with engineer/mixer Kevin 131 (PROJECT: FAILING FLESH, DECEASED, DYSRYTHMIA, GARDEN OF SHADOWS).

EMI will release IRON MAIDEN's double-disc DVD "Maiden England '88" on March 25.

A performance clip of the song "Wasted Years" from th forthcoming set can be seen below.

Now available for the very first time on DVD, this live show was filmed across two sold-out nights at Birmingham N.E.C Arena, U.K. in November 1988 during the band's "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son World Tour". Disc one contains the concert which has been specially upgraded and extended from the existing 1989 longform VHS release and now includes three previously unreleased encores — "Running Free", "Run To The Hills" and "Sanctuary" — thereby completing the full concert with a total running time of 110 minutes. MAIDEN's own film producer and director Andy Matthews went back to the 1988 edit and painstakingly remastered each shot digitally; color correcting and grading to give the image the best possible look from that time. As well as the VHS stereo sound track by Martin Birch, the band's producer between 1981 and 1993, the DVD also includes a brand new 5.1 audio surround mix by MAIDEN's current producer Kevin Shirley. The concert was meticulously directed and edited by bass player and founder member Steve Harris, so as to capture the performance from a fans-eye view of the stage, focusing fully on the music, the elaborate stage production and the lighting. Add into the mix an electrifying set list and, of course, Eddie, and "Maiden England" now offers a snapshot of a bygone era in which the band, as they continue to do today, devote their all in delivering the ultimate live experience for their fans.

Disc two is an extensive bonus disc featuring an exclusive documentary charting Part 3 in "The History Of Iron Maiden". This 40-minute film comprises recent interviews with the five band members and manager, Rod Smallwood. Picking up the story in the aftermath of the '84/85 "World Slavery" tour, this interesting and insightful documentary sees the band speak candidly about their memories of an exciting and occasionally turbulent period from which would emerge the albums "Somewhere In Time" and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son". As the Eighties began to draw to a close, so did another chapter in MAIDEN's compelling history.

Other special extras on the bonus disc include "12 Wasted Years". First released as a longform VHS in 1987 and available for the first time on DVD, this documentary runs for 90 minutes and includes archive interviews and dynamic live footage from the band's beginnings in the now-legendary Ruskin Arms pub, via London's Marquee club and three world tours. Five promo videos for the singles from the aforementioned albums are also featured and have been carefully restored and improved upon from the original films using the very latest software with the audio remastered in digital stereo.

Smallwood comments: "We've been busy upgrading this concert footage for a long time, with our in-house film producer and director Andy Matthews working tirelessly to weave his magic yet again!

"The 1989 VHS video has been largely unavailable for many years and we know how eagerly our fans have been awaiting the new version so we wanted to give it the best possible treatment.

"The current 'Maiden England' world tour, which continues later this year, revisits much of the set list and production from the initial 1989 VHS release so it will be interesting to compare just how much has changed in terms of our 2013 live show production, especially with all the advances in modern technology and the improvements we've been able to make to the set."

The "Maiden England '88" concert soundtrack will also be made available on 2CD album, limited-edition double vinyl picture disc and digital download formats. The audio had previously only ever been available before on CD as part of EMI's 1994 "Sound And Vision" series packaged alongside the VHS, but with two tracks fewer than the video contained. "Can I Play With Madness" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" were not featured as there was no space on the 1CD disc. Now with the three encores also included, the double disc offers a total of five tracks previously unavailable on CD making this the first full and complete audio recording release of this historic tour.

Disc One - "Maiden England '88"

01. Moonchild
02. The Evil That Men Do
03. The Prisoner
04. Still Life
05. Die With Your Boots On
06. Infinite Dreams
07. Killers
08. Can I Play With Madness
09. Heaven Can Wait
10. Wasted Years
11. The Clairvoyant
12. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
13. The Number Of The Beast
14. Hallowed Be Thy Name
15. Iron Maiden
16. Run To The Hills *
17. Running Free *
18. Sanctuary *

* previously unreleased.

Disc Two - "The History Of Iron Maiden Part 3"

01. The History Of Iron Maiden - Part 3
02. 12 Wasted Years
03. Wasted Years (promo video)
04. Stranger In A Strange Land (promo video)
05. Can I Play With Madness (promo video)
06. The Evil That Men Do (promo video)
07. The Clairvoyant (promo video)

"Wasted Years" performance:

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.

A performance of the song "Damien", taken from the forthcoming set, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below (audio only).

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.

"Damien" performance (audio):

Multinational melodic metallers MASTERPLAN will release their new album, "Novum Initium", on April 26 via AFM Records. The CD's cover artwork can be seen below.

According to Whiplash.net, the track listing for "Novum Initium" is as follows:

01. Per Aspera Ad Astra
02. The Game
03. Keep Your Dream Alive
04. Black Night Of Magic
05. Betrayal
06. No Escape
07. Pray On My Soul
08. Earth Is Going Down
09. Return From Avalon
10. Through Your Eyes
11. Novum Initium
12. 1492 (digipack bonus track)
13. Fear The Silence (digipack bonus track)

The band last month filmed a video for the song " Keep Your Dream Alive" in the Luftverteidigungsbunker Erndtebrück, also called "Bunker Erich."

A photo of MASTERPLAN's new lineup can be seen below. Joining drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka (CRADLE OF FILTH) are vocalist Rick Altzi (AT VANCE, SANDALINAS, THUNDERSTONE), who replaces Jorn Lande, and bassist Jari Kainulainen (STRATOVARIUS, SYMFONIA, DEVIL'S TRAIN).

Commented MASTERPLAN guitarist/leader Roland Grapow: "The last years have not been easy for MASTERPLAN. Because of several factors, we have been unable to play festivals and tours — even though we had plenty of offers. But this will definitely change now.

"I'm very happy to welcome Rick and Jari on board now. Beside their undoubted musical qualities, they both fit perfectly into our team.

"We feel a huge motivation to get things going now.

"2013 will be see a new MASTERPLAN album, several festivals and a tour! It's time to return with full force."

MASTERPLAN's new lineup:

Rick Altzi - vocals
Roland Grapow - guitars
Axel Mackenrott - keyboards
Jari Kainulainen - bass
Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka - drums

Back in March 2012, Grapow revealed that he had 15 songs written for MASTERPLAN's next album. He added, "We are looking for a more powerful album this time... still with great melodies and feelings, but also with more orchestration and faster stuff again… just more metal."

In an August 2011 interview with the Czech web portal Kultura21.cz, Grapow stated about the status of the songwriting sessions for the next MASTERPLAN album, "This time we tried not to make demo productions, which have a poor sound — so we wanted to make really nice pre-production [recordings] which sound very close to the album sound, which is very easy [to do] in my studio now. I think we have many, many new ideas which, I guess, are a little bit more modern and more aggressive as well. So we try not to follow any trends of MASTERPLAN — I'm not saying we're reproducing the first album or the third one or the fifth one. I think we always have to try to make some surprises for the people. The 'Time To Be King' album is great, but this new album sounds a bit different again. I always want to do this, because I'm not that kind of guy who wants to make every year the same album."

On the topic of MASTERPLAN's numerous lineup changes, Grapow said, "I think it's always difficult in this band, I guess. If you see, the first album just came out after a big turbulence — leaving HELLOWEEN, Uli [Kusch, drums] and me. I think this band always needs some very bad moments to some great songs. [laughs] And it looks like MASTERPLAN, basically, is my main band, and whoever will sing and whoever will play in the band, I'm happy with. But, basically, at the moment, I'm thinking the main songwriters are Axel now and me. So whatever happens, this band will continue. It's very important for me to show that we still have the power and the ability to write beautiful melodies and some aggression and rock and metal songs. Whatever we do, we want just to make good-quality stuff."

MASTERPLAN's last CD, "Time To Be King", was released on May 21, 2010 through AFM Records. The CD's first single, "Far From The End Of The World", was issued on April 16, 2010.

The third trailer for "End Of Disclosure", the new album from Swedish death metallers HYPOCRISY, can be seen below. Due in Europe on March 22 via Nuclear Blast Records, the CD was produced by HYPOCRISY mastermind Peter Tägtgren at his Abyss Studio in Sweden. The artwork was created by Wes Benscoter (SLAYER, KREATOR, NILE, VADER).

"This time, I wanted to go back to the basics," says Peter. "[I] felt like we lost it for the last couple of albums. It's straight to the point. It's more HYPOCRISY than ever — the fast, the heavy, the epic. Enjoy!”

"End Of Disclosure" track listing:

01. End Of Disclosure
02. Tales Of Thy Spineless
03. The Eye
04. United We Fall
05. 44 Double Zero
06. Hell Is Where I Stay
07. Soldier Of Fortune
08. When Death Calls
09. The Return

HYPOCRISY's latest DVD/CD, "Hell Over Sofia - 20 Years Of Chaos And Confusion", was released in October 2011 via Nuclear Blast. The disc contains footage of the band's February 27, 2010 concert at the Blue Box club in Sofia, Bulgaria.

HYPOCRISY's latest album, "A Taste Of Extreme Divinity", sold 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 23 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"End Of Disclosure" album trailer #3:

To celebrate the kick-off of Viva Hysteria!, DEF LEPPARD's Las Vegas residency during which the band will play its 1987 album, "Hysteria", in its entirety, the band has released a newly recorded version of "Hysteria", available now for the first time on iTunes and all digital retailers.

DEF LEPPARD last year joined the long list of rockers who have re-recorded their biggest hits in note-perfect renditions. The "2012" versions of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Rock Of Ages" are now available at various digital retailers and in December the band cut five acoustic songs performed during their "Rock Of Ages" tour for a medley released to iTunes.

DEF LEPPARD frontman Joe Elliott told

British hard rock legends DEEP PURPLE will release their 19th studio album, "Now What?!", via earMUSIC, the Hamburg, Germany-based international rock label which is part of Edel Group, on the following dates:

* Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Spain: April 26
* UK, France, Benelux, Poland, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark: April 29
* North America, Italy: April 30
* Sweden: May 1

After various songwriting sessions in Europe, the band recorded and mixed the album in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, PETER GABRIEL, ALICE COOPER, KANSAS). The CD contain 11 tracks, including "Out Of Hand", "Weirdistan", "Uncommon Man" and "Above And Beyond". The latter song references the band's late keyboard player, Jon Lord, in the lyric "Souls having touched are forever entwined."

Speaking to AOL's Noisecreep, DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan stated about the new CD: "The one weakness that PURPLE always had, to me, was the sound of the records. Generally, I've always been slightly disappointed in sound and this new album wipes away everything we've ever done ever. I'm thrilled and delighted with what Bob was able to do. The first monitor mixes I ever heard from these sessions I just sat back and said 'oh my God, what he has done it's perfect.' Everything was so clearly defined from the guitars to the Hammond organ. The definition is just remarkable. We always had a sort of delightful sound, don't get me wrong. But I felt we were always kind of lacking a power thing that we finally have now."

He continued: "We never used to do much more than just turn up at the studio, plug in our amps and play. We were literally a garage band back then. We disliked all the discipline of studios and all the engineers and all that, so we ended up recording bars and garages in the early days. And so Bob really brought us back around into the 21st century. We're not normally very good at planning. The band turns up a rehearsal with no songs that's always been now we are. We just jam and by about the third or fourth day, we start to have ideas for songs and start developing from there. Back then and today, just like that."

"Now What?!" track listing:

01. A Simple Song
02. Weirdistan
03. Out Of Hand
04. Hell To Pay
05. Body Line
06. Above And Beyond
07. Blood From A Stone
08. Uncommon Man
09. Après Vous
10. All The Time In The World
11. Vincent Price

"Now What?!" will also be released in a limited quantity with a bonus track and a bonus DVD featuring DEEP PURPLE in conversation plus additional audio material. This edition will be available in a digipak with a cut out front cover. "Now What?!" will also be released as double vinyl LP containing a bonus track, as in the limited-edition CD.

The official lyric video for the song "All The Time In The World" can be seen below.

According to a press release, "Now What?!" was recorded with no musical rules… and it shows a modern and fresh production… to the point that DEEP PURPLE have never sounded so close to the spirit of the '70s in the last 20 years as they do now. The CD has the excellence and elegance of "Perfect Strangers" and the wild freedom of "Made In Japan".

The first taste of "Now What?!" will be the release of a double A-side single on March 29 (as a limited and numbered vinyl seven-inch, CD single and digital download).

Seven-inch vinyl (limited to 1000 numbered copies)

Side A:

01. Hell To Pay (radio edit)

Side B:

01. All The Time In The World (radio mix; edit)

CD Single

01. All The Time In The World (radio mix; edit)
02. Hell To Pay (radio edit)
03. Perfect Strangers (bonus track live)
04. Rapture Of The Deep (bonus track live)

Frontiers Records will release the fifth album from Swedish hard rockers THE POODLES, "Tour De Force", on May 17 in Europe and May 22 in North America.

"Tour De Force" is the eagerly awaited follow-up to THE POODLES' Swedish No. 1 album from 2011, "Performocracy". Behind the wheel, taking on the duties of producer for a fourth time, was Mats Valentin and once again, the band wishes to underline with the album title their superb entertaining abilities both as a hard-rocking studio unit and as live act.

"When writing and creating music, we try to do something that we would love to listen to ourselves. It's always been important for us to do music close to our hearts," says bass player Pontus Egberg. "I do feel, however, that there's a newly found playfulness about a lot of the tracks. I'm not quite sure what it is myself, but it's great!"

With songs like "Shut Up", "Happily Ever After", "Kings And Fools" and "Going Down", THE POODLES stay true to their legacy of powerful, melodic metal while at the same time stretching into a new, more playful arena, flirting with influences from the past but always with a watchful eye on the present and in to the future.

In May 2013m the World Championships of Ice Hockey will be held in Stockholm, Sweden and the official theme song for the Swedish team will be performed by THE POODLES!

"The Swedish team wanted a great song to help cheer the team and the fans on during the games," says Pontus. "Apart from a great song, they also needed an artist/band to perform the song that could put some fire in to it." A fruitful collaboration between songwriters Anders Wikström (TREAT) and Fredrik Thomander (SCORPIONS, TREAT, GOTTHARD) and THE POODLES came about and it resulted in the powerful sing-along, raise-your-fist-in-the-air rocker "En För Alla För En", which will be impacting at Swedish radio and TV on March 27 and is an exclusive bonus track for the physical edition of the album. Another single from "Tour de Force" — "40 Days And 40 Nights" — a song which promises to entice both THE POODLES fans and anyone with a passion for rock 'n' roll will impact at radio and available for digital sales on April 26.

"Tour De Force" track listing:

01. Misery Loves Company
02. Shut Up!
03. Happily Ever After
04. Viva Democracy
05. Going Down
06. Leaving The Past To Pass
07. 40 Days And 40 Nights
08. Kings & Fools
09. Miracle
10. Godspeed
11. Now Is The Time
12. Only Just Begun
13. En För Alla För En (bonus track – physical edition only)

THE POODLES will be on the road to promote the new album. "We are kicking off the tour by doing three dates in Spain April 25-27," says Pontus. "Then we are going to start touring mainly in Sweden in May and all through the summer. We are playing the H*E*A*T festival in Germany in November and we are working on more European dates during the fall."

Pontus is looking forward to rocking THE POODLES fans all over the world.

"We love you, missed you, it's been far too long, we hope you'll love the new album as much as we do and we are looking forward to seeing you all soon on tour!" he says.

THE POODLES is:

Jakob Samuel - Vocals
Pontus Egberg - Bass
Christian Lundqvist - Drums
Henrik Bergqvist - Guitar

"All Lips Go Blue", the new single from Finnish "love metallers" HIM, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. A music video for the song will be helmed by Eugene Riecansky, a multi-award-winning director and animation and motion graphics who has previously worked on music clips for Madonna and THE PRODIGY, directed television commercials for MUSE, MTV Europe and MASTODON, and worked with international partners such as Warner Brother Records and the BBC.

HIM's new album, "Tears On Tape", will be released on April 30 via Razor & Tie in North America and on April 29 through DoubleCross (Cooking Vinyl's specialist rock imprint) in the U.K. and Ireland. The "love metal" act's eighth official album was recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox Studios with longtime producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) and was mixed in London, England by Tim Palmer, who previously helmed 2005's "Dark Light" and 2007's "Venus Doom".

"Tears On Tape" track listing:

01. Unleash The Red
02. All Lips Go Blue
03. Love Without Tears
04. I Will Be The End Of You
05. Tears On Tape
06. Into The Night
07. Hearts At War
08. Trapped In Autumn
09. No Love
10. Drawn & Quartered
11. Lucifer's Chorale
12. W.L.S.T.D.
13. Kiss The Void

HIM has launched fan pre-order bundles for "Tears On Tape". Unique items featured in the various bundles include a limited-edition HIM poster, an album cover T-shirt, a "snake" T-shirt (available for both men and women), a HIM hoodie, and two different colored vinyl pressings. All bundles include a "Tears On Tape" digital album download, a poster tube, a "Tears On Tape" CD or Vinyl, and an "instant gratification" download of a brand-new version of "When Love And Death Embrace" (recorded live in-studio during the recording sessions for the new album).

The first 2000 orders will receive the deluxe digipak edition of "Tears On Tape" featuring a bonus DVD with five new in-studio videos recorded specifically for this album release. Order now at him.merchnow.com.
In addition to the 13 new tracks, the very exclusive and very limited "fanpack", presented by Metal Hammer magazine and DoubleCross Records features some not-to-be-found-anywhere-else content. Exclusively available from April 29 for four weeks, it comes with a bespoke 132-page magazine edited by frontman Ville Valo himself that plays as the ultimate sleeve notes to the album, including:

* Full studio album + 2 bonus tracks ("Buried Alive By Love" and "The Kiss Of Dawn" recorded live in the studio)
* Giant double-sided door poster
* Exclusive interviews with Ville Valo and all members of HIM
* An extended track-by-track guide to "Tears On Tape"
* An interview with the architects behind the sound of "love metal" Hiili Hiilesmaa and Tim Palmer
* A detailed guide to HIM's extensive back catalog
* The true, exclusive story of the Heartagram
* An exclusive gallery from the band's own private collections
* Interviews by the band with as assortment of their own heroes

The album's artwork, which artist Daniel P. Carter describes as having come about via "a series of strange coincidences involving Lee Dorrian, sacred geometry and the ramblings of a madman," is revealed below.

HIM's current lineup is Ville Valo (vocals), Mikko "Linde" Lindström (guitar), Mikko "Migé" Paananen (bass), Janne "Burton" Puurtinen (keyboards), and Mika "Gas" Karppinen (drums). The band is managed by Seppo Vesterinen at Hinterland, Inc. and represented for U.S. touring by Justin Hirschman/AGI.

Following the sensational success of "Act I", the first-ever live solo album from former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, earMUSIC and Tarja have announced the renewal of their collaboration for an exciting set of new releases spanning over the next few years.

Kicking off with the long-awaited new studio rock album, the following months will entail many musical areas of interest of the versatile and talented Finnish artist, including exciting new studio material as well as live audio and video recordings.

Although rock will remain Tarja's main musical field in the months to come, earMUSIC and the artist are also planning to release further high quality productions in diverse musical genres.

The spectacular "Beauty And The Beat" tour will be filmed this year, and the success of the album "Harus" will be followed by the first-ever classical studio album by Tarja Turunen.

Tarja's fans will be happy to know that the follow-up to 2010's studio album "What Lies Beneath" will hit the stores between August and September. The new CD, mixed by Tim Palmer (PEARL JAM, U2) is set to be Tarja's next milestone for symphonic heavy rock, thanks to a stellar lineup and a state of the art production.

Details about the first single and its video and the extensive worldwide tour will be revealed soon.

In a recent interview with the Music Legends web site, Turunen stated about her upcoming CD: "I have just recently found my style and sound so I would like to establish it with the third studio album. The elements on the album will remain the same as in my previous albums, also the versatile style of songs. I like to keep the big dynamic changes between my songs, so that album songs feel radically different from each other.

"I am not stressed at all this time, even though I am producing the album on my own again. I have been lucky to gather around a group of musicians who are willing to work with me, so everything is going smoothly."

Tarja and her husband/manager Marcelo Cabuli recently became the parents of their first child.

Turunen, who currently resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina with her husband, kept her pregnancy a secret until the very end.

"Act I" was released in North America on September 4, 2012 in 2-CD, 2-DVD and Blu-ray format via the Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records, in conjunction with Hamburg, Germany-based earMUSIC.

The first-ever live audio/video offering from the former NIGHTWISH soprano, "Act I" is a mammoth undertaking recorded and filmed with 10 HD cameras at the breathtaking Teatro El Círculo in Rosario, Argentina in March 2012. With an elaborate track listing of solo tunes, NIGHTWISH classics and various covers, including a rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom Of The Opera", Gary Moore's "Over The Hills And Far Away", WHITESNAKE's "Still Of The Night" and a variety of video extras, "Act I" provides a full-fledged bill of fare to every diehard Tarja fan.

Tarja's sophomore solo album, "What Lies Beneath", sold around 1,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 24 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Walldancer", a brand new song from German progressive metal veterans IVANHOE, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Systematrix", which will be released on May 24 via Massacre Records. The band entered The Red Room Studios in February/March 2012 with producer Andy Horn (LANFEAR, EDENBRIDGE, VOICES OF DESTINY) to record the follow-up to 2008's "Lifeline".

IVANHOE was founded in 1986 by Giovanni Soulas (bass), Markus Britsch (keyboards) and Lars Hörnig (drums). After several demo tapes, their debut album, "Visions And Reality", was released in 1994 with vocalist Andy B. Franck and guitarist Chuck Schuler. The second album, "Symbols Of Time", followed a year later.

Chuck decided to leave the band after a successful European tour with NEVERMORE and ICED EARTH due to personal reasons and was replaced by Achim Welsch.

With the departure of their vocalist Andy, "Polarized" (1997) was the last album of the band before they went on hiatus.

But in 2001, Giovanni Soulas and Achim Welsch decided to continue with IVANHOE and recruited Mischa Mang as new vocalist. Richard Seibel (keyboards) and Sebastian Brauchle (drums) completed the lineup and the band released the new album "Walk In Mindfields" via Massacre Records in 2005. A year later, Chuck reunited with the band and IVANHOE released their latest album, "Lifeline", via Silverwolf Productions in 2008.

With the addition of Mathias Biehl as new drummer in late 2010, the band focused on their live activities and drew a lot of attention as support act for QUEENSRŸCHE and the SCORPIONS. They also played at festivals, such as the Bang Your Head!!! and Building A Force.

Achim left the band in mid-2011, putting more responsibility on the shoulders of band leader and founding member Giovanni.

IVANHOE is:

Mischa Mang - Vocals
Chuck Schuler - Guitar
Giovanni "Gio" Soulas - Bass
Richie Seibel - Keyboard
Mathias Biehl - Drums

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine will be a featured soloist with the San Diego Symphony in April, 2014 in a program that will include Wagner's "Ride Of The Valkyries" from "Die Walküre", Vivaldi's "Winter" from "The Four Seasons" and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 (the "New World" symphony).

Executive director Edward "Ward" Gill said it's all about reaching new audiences, while music director Jahja Ling said he had a good meeting with Mustaine, and he may conduct the concert himself (no conductor is listed at this point, and Mustaine's exact involvement is still being worked out).

MEGADETH's new album, "Super Collider", is scheduled for a June release via Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises(UMe). Mustaine sang the very last note on the album on March 13 at his Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California. Horn player Bob Findley — who previously appeared on the track "Silent Scorn" from MEGADETH's 2001 CD, "The World Needs A Hero" — is a featured guest on the song "A House Divided" on the new album.

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM have set "Halo Of Blood" as the title of their eighth studio album, due on June 11 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The cover art was created by Sami Saramäki, who was responsible for the artwork on previous CHILDREN OF BODOM albums "Follow The Reaper", "Are You Dead Yet?" and "Hate Crew Deathroll".

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new CD was recorded at Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki. For the recording of the LP, CHILDREN OF BODOM has teamed up with recording engineer Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their fan-favorite albums "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll", as well as Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (MARDUK, AMON AMARTH), who oversaw production of both vocals and keyboards on the record. The album was mixed at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.

Commented CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho: "'Halo Of Blood' is the eighth studio album from CHILDREN OF BODOM, and believe it or not, but we still managed to keep it fresh and new while still maintaining the elements that make COB sound recognizable. It's got the fastest and the slowest song we ever made and lyrics wise there are themes we had never had before. It's 10 new songs of pure Nordic metal and whether you enjoy it with a beer or a glass of water, I’m sure you will have a good time."

Added CHILDREN OF BODOM bass player Henkka Seppälä about the artwork: "We wanted to have a winter scene. Somehow it fits well with the atmosphere of the music and the composing session. It could be Lake Bodom, actually, frozen, with people trapped under the ice. Very Finnish looking scene. We were really happy how Sami created the whole imagery!"

"Halo Of Blood" track listing:

01. Waste Of Skin
02. Halo Of Blood
03. Scream For Silence
04. Transference
05. Bodom Blue Moon (The Second Coming)
06. The Days Are Numbered
07. Dead Man’s Hand On You
08. Damage Beyond Repair
09. All Twisted
10. One Bottle And A Knee Deep

"Halo Of Blood" is expected to feature a guest appearance by ANNIHILATOR mainman] Jeff Waters.

"I played on ANNIHILATOR's album 'Metal' in 2007, so the way I see it, Jeff Waters owes BODOM a solo or two! It's payback time," Laiho told Soundi magazine.

The unique, artful Japanese rock band DIR EN GREY will release a mini album, "The Unraveling", on April 3. The effort will contain seven tracks, including a new song, "Unraveling". The cover features original artwork by artist and sculptor Yasuyuki Nishio. This intriguing artwork is the result of the fusion between DIR EN GREY's expressions to this day with Yasuyuki Nishio's perspective of the world, bringing forth yet another release that exhibits an overwhelming sense of existence.

"The Unraveling" track listing:

01. Unraveling
02. Karma
03. Kasumi
04. Karasu
05. Bottom Of The Death Valley
06. Unknown.Despair.Lost
07. The Final

A teaser for "The Unraveling" can be seen below.

For more information, visit www.direngrey.co.jp.

DIR EN GREY released a new single, "Rinkaku", in December. According to a press release, "the track is unlike anything you have heard before, almost overturning the band's musical concept on a new scale, coming in with a range full of depth with Kyo's vocals that evoke classical elements in this beautiful and intricate melodic track which builds up dramatically with the intertwining guitars and bass. 'Rinkaku', mixed by an internationally acclaimed engineer, has turned out to be an inimitable track with an intense sound."

The initial limited version of the "Rinkaku" single features a bonus DVD featuring scenes from the single's recording sessions. The limited deluxe version features a bonus DVD featuring scenes from the recording of "Rinkaku" and the band's November 11, 2011 concert at Tokyo Dome City Hall.