"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.

STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok as joined NEWSTED, the new band led by former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist Jason Newsted.

NEWSTED is:

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

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

NEWSTED will make a number of European festival appearances in June:

Jun. 05 - Impact (Second Day) - Warsaw, Poland
Jun. 07 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden
Jun. 16 - Download (3rd Day/Pepsi Max Stage) - Castle Donington, UK
Jun. 21 - Seerock - Graz, Austria
Jun. 26 - Hegyalja Fesztival - Tokaj, Hungary
Jun. 29 - Rock The Beach - Helsinki, Finland
Jun. 30 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium

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

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

"Metal" contains the following tracks:

* Soldierhead
* Godsnake
* King Of The Underdogs
* Skyscraper

By purchasing all four songs, you will receive a copy of Jason's handwritten lyrics.

In a recent interview on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, Newsted stated about his new group's plans to release more material: "We recorded 11 songs total. We're going to release them in batches and if people dig them, then try to get a full LP out with the last EP with nice vinyl and stuff — that's my plan. If I can get that through and share that with people, then that's going to be really cool. I want to have it on CD. I ultimately want to have it on vinyl — the separate EP and the final one. We have to do it from the ground up like this because you have to take it to the people and selling the CDs at the show and all those kinds of things are the only way we were going to get back any money from the music. I think if you're going to put it online and share it with people that way, you get the downloads you can and then once it does whatever it does, you shouldn't try to really fight it — just present the best source material that you can, try to have it be representative and let it do its thing."

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

In a recent interview with Sonic Excess, Newsted stated about the video shoot: "It's just a simple thing, and I just wanted to capture the band. There is no heavy concept, no literal thing about bullets chasing your head or any of those things. It's old-school metal and most likely will be black and white. It was shot in an old factory. It was a gnarly, dusty, old factory and it had energy. That is what I will describe it as. I haven't got to play to the camera like that for a long time, and I was really going for it. The soldier version is something everyone will have. An HD version will be available on iTunes, but I want everyone to have it for free across the world. I want it to be the tip of the spear for everybody to see and hear what exactly it's all about."

"Soldierhead" was premiered on the December 17, 2012 edition of the "Eddie Trunk Live" show on SiriusXM satellite radio.

The Mighty Z of Capital Chaos TV conducted an interview with guitarist Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson of Swedish black metallers MARDUK on March 8 at Metro in Oakland, California. You can now watch the chat below.

MARDUK and Portugal's dark, gothic heavy hitters MOONSPELL have joined forces for the "Voices From The Dark" North American co-headlining tour. Support on the trek is coming from Colombian/American black metal rising demons INQUISITION, Italy's gothic melodic sensation THE FORESHADOWING, and Sweden's dark rock/metal band DEATH WOLF (featuring MARDUK members).

MARDUK's 12th studio album, "Serpent Sermon", sold around 800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 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.

MARDUK's previous CD, "Wormwood", opened with around 650 units to enter the Heatseekers chart at No. 99.

"Serpent Sermon" was made available as standard CD, vinyl and limited-edition media book with an exclusive bonus track entitled "Coram Satanae".

Interview:

"The New Awakening", a brand new song from Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE — singer Jesse Leach, guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarist Joel Stroetzel and drummer Justin Foley — can be streamed below. The song comes off the band's forthcoming album, "Disarm The Descent", which will be released on April 2 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's 2009's self-titled release is the band's first album with original singer Leach at the vocal helm since 2002's now-classic, genre-defining "Alive or Just Breathing". Leach returned to the band in January 2012 after a decade-long absence. The artwork for the new CD was created by D'Antonio.

"Disarm The Descent" was selected by Alternative Press magazine for its "Most Anticipated Albums of 2013" issue, and the band was profiled in Guitar World as one to watch in 2013. Clearly, buzz from fans and the metal and hard rock community regarding new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE remains deafening.

"It is with a grateful spirit that we prepare for this record's release," Leach said. "From the music, to the lyrics, to the artwork, we are all proud of what we have accomplished. To me, this is by far my best vocal performance, much thanks to Adam's guidance and faith in my abilities. I am very grateful to be where I am in life, back in an amazing band with a record we are all excited for the world to hear. Thanks to all the fans for their warm welcome back and their undying love for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE."

"Disarm The Descent" track listing:

01. The Hell In Me
02. Beyond The Flames
03. The New Awakening
04. In Due Time
05. A Tribute To The Fallen
06. The Turning Point
07. All That We Have
08. You Don't Bleed For Me
09. The Call
10. No End In Sight
11. Always
12. Time Will Not Remain

"Disarm The Descent" was mixed by veteran British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, ACCEPT, ARCH ENEMY and NEVERMORE.

A 39-second audio snippet of "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 orked 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.

To honor and celebrate Record Store Day, Nuclear Blast and legendary U.S. thrash metallers OVERKILL will release a limited-edition 10-inch copper-colored vinyl in gatefold containing four live tracks recorded at The Metro in Sidney, Australia on September 25, 2010.

Side A:

01. Horrorscope
02. Long Time Dyin'

Side B:

01. Necroshine
02. Walk Through Fire

Record Store Day celebrates the culture of independent record stores by playing host to in-store events/performances, signings and special product releases on a global scale.

As previously reported, OVERKILL will release a very special limited tour edition of its latest album, "The Electric Age", in Europe on April 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The limited 2CD tour edition will include the regular album as well as a four additional live tracks on a bonus CD, recorded at The Metro in Sidney, Australia on September 25, 2010.

"The Electric Age" tour edition track listing:

CD 1 - "The Electric Age"

01. Come And Get It
02. Electric Rattlesnake
03. Wish You Were Dead
04. Black Daze
05. Save Yourself
06. Drop The Hammer Down
07. 21st Century Man
08. Old Wounds, New Scars
09. All Over But The Shouting
10. Good Night

CD 2 - "Live From Oz" recorded in Sidney, Australia, (The Metro on September 25, 2010):

01. Horrorscope
02. Long Time Dyin'
03. Necroshine
04. Walk Through Fire

To order a copy, go to this location.

OVERKILL was forced to drop off the "Dark Roots Of Thrash" tour with TESTAMENT last month due to singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth's bout with pneumonia.

"The Electric Age" sold 6,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 77 on The Billboard 200 chart.

OVERKILL's previous CD, "Ironbound", opened with 4,100 units to enter the chart at No. 192. The effort landed at No. 4 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.

"The Electric Age" was recorded and mixed at Gear Recording Studios in New Jersey, owned and operated by OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni.

OVERKILL is Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (vocals), D.D. Verni (bass, backing vocals), Derek "The Skull" Tailer (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Dave Linsk (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Ron Lipnicki (drums).

To honor and celebrate Record Store Day, Nuclear Blast and TESTAMENT will release a limited-edition (1000 copies) seven-inch picture disc containing two bonus songs the band recorded during the sessions for their latest album, "Dark Roots Of Earth". Side A is a cover of the SCORPIONS song "Animal Magnetism", while side B is TESTAMENT's take on IRON MAIDEN's "Powerslave". Both covers can also be found on the deluxe edition of "Dark Roots Of Earth".

The "Animal Magnetism" / "Powerslave" picture disc will be released on April 20.

In a 2012 interview with Metal Assault, TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson stated about the band's versions of "Animal Magnetism" and "Powerslave": "I picked 'Animal Magnetism' [for us to cover]. For 'Animal Magnetism', we tuned it down to B. It's super low, and we slowed it down. It's already a slow, hypnotic song, but we slowed it down a little bit more. That's where the song just sucks you in. It puts you in a trance, which is what I think the SCORPIONS meant to do with the title 'Animal Magnetism'. It's kind of like a hypnotic beat through the whole song. But ours is, like, hypnotic to death or something. It's got a real drone-like sound to it."

He continued: "The 'Powerslave' song, that's a song you really can't change [laughs], because it's pretty modern and pretty up to date, and it's pretty awesome. But it really fitted in with the rest of the record, and I think what we really do to it is definitely give it justice. It sounds very close to the MAIDEN version, but it's just got that extra tightness and crunchiness to it. And the way Chuck's [Billy, TESTAMENT vocalist] singing it, it really puts a good vibe on it. He doesn't sound like Bruce [Dickinson, IRON MAIDEN singer] at all. He really just sounds like himself."

Record Store Day celebrates the culture of independent record stores by playing host to in-store events/performances, signings and special product releases on a global scale.

"Doomain", the title track of the fifth album from Swedish epic doom metallers MEMORY GARDEN, can be streamed below. Due on April 15 in Europe and April 16 in North America via Metal Blade Records, the CD was recorded at Annoying Sound Factory and SolnaSound Recording by the bandmembers themselves, with a little engineering assistance from Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND) during the lead guitar sessions. The mix was handled by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound studios in Örebro, Sweden.

"Doomain" track listing:

01. The Evangelist
02. Latent Lunacy
03. Daughters Of The Sea
04. Barren Lands
05. Violate & Create
06. Doomain
07. The King Of The Dead
08. A Diabolical Mind
09. Misfortune

Comments the band: "The recording of 'Doomain' must be the most relaxed album session we've ever done.

"We recorded most of the album ourselves in our own studio and took the time we wanted and needed to get it done. Dan Swanö helped us getting the rig together and he provided us with the tools to do it and from there we did it ourselves. The lead guitar sessions were done at SolnaSound Recording by Simon and Mike Wead. When it all was done, it was sent to Dan Swanö and Unisound for mix and mastering. The final album is amazing and we are so thrilled to get it out to all of you"

Regarding the CD title, the group states: "We wanted a short and effective title to this album. It's a little game of words referring to the style of music we play 'doom metal' and the actual word 'domain.'

"We see this album as a statement of what MEMORY GARDEN stands for music-wise and this album is certainly down our alley, it's in our Doomain."

MEMORY GARDEN was formed in 1992 in Sweden and has since then released four albums, two of them under the flag of Metal Blade Records ("Verdict Of Posterity" in 1998 and "Mirage" in 2000).

MEMORY GARDEN is:

Stefan Berglund - Vocals
Simon Johansson - Lead Guitar
Andreas Mäkelä - Guitars
Johan Fredrikson - Bass
Tom Björn - Drums

"Doomain" (song) audio stream:

A one-minute audio snippet of "Shot Of Reality", a brand new song from the Los Angeles hardcore/metal band TERROR, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the group's sixth studio album, "Live By The Code", which will be released on April 9 via Victory Records.

Regarding TERROR's new deal with Victory, the band's vocalist, Scott Vogel, previously said: "When I was in high school, I would go to Home Of The Hits Records in Buffalo, New York and every week I would check for new Victory releases.

"Growing up, Victory Records always had the best hardcore bands, period. They had this awesome packaging and vibe that I loved. INTEGRITY, STRIFE, BLOODLET, EARTH CRISIS — it was a fucking amazing time for hardcore. Later, I met [Victory Records founder] Tony [Brummel] when he came to Buffalo to see SNAPCASE. We stayed in contact and made plans for my second band, DESPAIR, but soon after we broke up.

"Victory and my band BURIED ALIVE worked together for years. They also had HATEBREED, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, ALL OUT WAR and REACH THE SKY, all bands I've always respected and held in the highest regard.

"This summer, I hung out with Tony and we had a wild night in Chicago. We talked about the good and bad of hardcore today and just had a blast. No business talk, no nonsense. We were under contract at the time so there wasn't even room for it.

"As we got ready to release 'Live By The Code', TERROR and Century Media debated on how to release the record right and Victory Records seemed like the best fit.

"Tony and I are both insane. We both come from the same place. We both scratch and fight to stay afloat. We still believe in the essence of hardcore and still love WARZONE. This is pretty fucking exciting."

Vogel claims "Live By The Code" "hits harder than 'Keepers Of The Faith'," calling it the "dirtiest, rawest and most hardcore record we've done since 'Lowest Of The Low'."

"TERROR are the biggest hardcore band in the world," said Brummel.

"I have known Scott for twenty years and he has remained true to what he believes in, cherishes and helps keep alive which is first and foremost: hardcore.

"If you are just discovering hardcore or have loved it since the movement started in the late 1970s, this album is for you."

The first trailer for "The Bonding", the forthcoming eighth album from Austrian female-fronted symphonic metallers EDENBRIDGE, can be seen below. The effort will be released on June 21 in Germany, June 24 in the rest of Europe and July 2 in the U.S./Canada via SPV/Steamhammer. It will be available as a limited-edition ecol book with a bonus CD and some exciting extras, double gatefold colored vinyl with printed inner sleeves, jewel case version and as a digital download.

Commented EDENBRIDGE bandleader and composer Lanvall: "We are extremely happy and proud to be part of the SPV family. After several months of meetings, we feel that the title of our new album, 'The Bonding', fits perfectly into our new home. Our fans should expect a new album filled with emotional and powerful music and a mystical artwork which will form a unity with the message of the album."

Added Steamhammer A&R representative Olly Hahn: "EDENBRIDGE were always a band way ahead and I'm happy that they decided to join the SPV family. Together we will create some exciting things for the new album which will present the band in a light which they deserve!"

"The Bonding" was mixed by Karl Groom (THRESHOLD) at Thin Ice Studios in Surrey, England. The CD will feature orchestral parts by the Klangvereinigung Vienna orchestra, conducted by Gerald Mair and recorded at Home Music Studio in Vienna with Georg Luksch. Lanvall stated: "The result is overwhelming. We have decided to record strings, brass/woodwinds and percussion seperately this time. Everything sounds more voluminous and cleaner. The musicians of the orchestra did a tremendous job. Be prepared for a real blast!"

The drum tracks for "The Bonding" were recorded by Max Pointner at Sunprojects Studio.

EDENBRIDGE recently announced the addition of bassist Wolfgang Rothbauer to the group's ranks. Wolfgang is a longtime friend of the band who has previously collabororated with EDENBRIDGE drummer Max Pointner in IN SLUMBER and EDENBRIDGE guitarist Dominik Sebastian in THIRDMOON.

EDENBRIDGE's seventh album, "Solitaire", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 95 back in July 2010.

EDENBRIDGE's live album, "LiveEarthDream", was released in May 2009. The disc was recorded at various concerts in 2008 and was only available through the band's fanshop.

"Meir", the sophomore album from Norwegian adrenaline pushers of heavy rock and roll KVELERTAK, can be streamed in its entirety at Stereogum.com. It is also available below.

"Meir" (which means "more" in English) will be released on March 26 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was produced by CONVERGE's Kurt Ballou and features cover artwork by John Dyer Baizley.

"Meir"'s first single, "Bruane Brenn", has early critical acclaim from several tastemaker outlets including Stereogum, which raves, "It's a total blast of riffs, adrenaline, football chants, and guitar solos, and in its four minutes, you get five decades of rock ‘n' roll, compressed into one massive speedball hit."

KVELERTAK's euphorically-received self-titled 2011 debut was iTunes 2011's U.S. Metal Breakthrough Artist of The Year. Pitchfork described their sound as having "monolithic walls of adrenal-gland-strangling sound" while LA Weekly named frontman Erland Hjelvik #2 on their list of top ten metal frontmen (and women) under 30.

Overseas the band has racked up numerous accolades. KVELERTAK was called "the best Norwegian debut of all time" by Norwegian rock authority Asbjørn Slettemark, named "Best Debut Album" by Metal Hammer Germany, "Best New Artist" and "Best Rock Album" at the Spellemannprisen (Norway's Grammy equivalent) and has received countless additional critical acclaim from Metal Hammer U.K. and Kerrang! who called them "the most exciting new band on the planet."

From storming 2011's SXSW festival to being personally invited by MASTODON to support them in Bergen, Norway, to Dave Grohl presenting them with their first gold discs at a sold-out show at Telenor Arena, Norway's largest indoor venue, KVELERTAK, or "chokehold" in English, are only getting started.

With the explosive first single "Bruane Brenn" to the slowed down guitar crunching of "Evig Vandrar" to the brutally chaotic "Nekrokosmos", "Meir" is an album that certainly lives up to the hype of giving the listener "more." Tight rhythms, inventive guitar hooks and melodies that seep into your consciousness, this is an album that constantly surprises.

"It is both catchy and heavy; we're pushing our limits in both ends of that spectre. It's very varied and there are a lot of surprises in store. I mean, it's unlike anything I myself have heard before, so we even managed to surprise ourselves," said lead singer Erlend Hjelvik.

KVELERTAK is Erlend Hjelvik (vocals), Vidar Landa (guitars), Bjarte Lund Rolland (guitars), Maciek Ofstad (guitars), Marvin Nygaard (bass) and Kjetil Gjermundrød (drums).

"Meir" track listing:

01. Åpenbaring
02. Spring Fra Livet
03. Trepan
04. Bruane Brenn
05. Evig Vandrar
06. Snilepisk
07. Månelyst
08. Nekrokosmos
09. Undertro
10. Tordenbrak
11. Kvelertak

A new audio interview with guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH conducted by Andrew Haug, the former host of Triple J Australia's "The Racket" radio show (originally "Full Metal Racket"; 2001-2011), air on Australia's recently launched first-ever dedicated 24/7 rock and metal online radio station, AndrewHaug.com. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for the new OPETH album:

Mikael: "I was working today, actually, and I have three ideas I am working on now. One is pretty much done. And the other idea is something that we kind of jammed, actually, on the last tour, on the soundchecks, which is a tribute to the band GOBLIN from Italy, which I've loved for a long time. And it sounds like GOBLIN and the song is called 'Goblin'. And the last one is all over the place, pretty much — like an evil metal song, kind of. It's a bit overblown and a bit… I wouldn't say pretentious, but it's… It's not 'less is more,' it's 'more is more.'"

On the criticism OPETH received for abandoning death metal-style vocals and pursuing a a more mystical and folk-laden sound on the band's latest album, "Heritage":

Mikael: "We have gained a lot of new fans — people who never were into metal, let alone death metal, music before who got into the band through the last record and are now kind of backtracking and getting into our older songs and older records, too.

"'Heritage' was a very good record for us. I mean, it was good on a commercial level and it was good on an artistic level, and we have a lot of positive feedback from the record. But, obviously, there's been a lot of negative feedback, too — people who absolutely hate that record and who now hate the band, and we cheated them and we're traitors and we're not metal and blah blah blah. We heard it all. I mean, it's nothing new, really; we heard that throughout our entire career, pretty much — that we're pussies, so to speak. But we don't really listen to that. It's just how people are. If some people don't like it, there's nothing you can do about it. I'm not working on, like, a recipe to kind of make everyone like what we do. I mean, we're not a commercial band in any way; we're not commercial within the metal community either. We're kind of going against the grain, pretty much. I think — even in the metal world, so to speak. And 'Heritage' is a record I particularly love. I think in our catalog, it's probably my favorite record. Basically, I've been getting closer to the music I listen to. I don't listen to new extreme metal. I think it's dull, I think it's shit — most of it. And I can't get impressed with bands that are fast, that play… Brutality, for me, does nothing. I mean, you can't be more brutal than… I've been into the whole death metal scene for ages, so it's not happening that I'm gonna be impressed by brutal music anymore. And I think metal has a new meaning to me than it did before. I think 'Heritage' is metal; I think it's rebellious, anyway. But a lot of people, obviously, would disagree. To a lot of people, metal is screaming vocals, double-bass drums, pretty much a computerized recording that sounds inhuman, and I think we just reacted towards that, I guess. To me, it's maybe a bold statement or whatever you call it, but in our catalog, I think, 'Heritage' is the most metal record. But for different reasons than trying to sound like a generic metal band."

On whether he now has more respect for a band like METALLICA for wanting to change up its sound and try different things and not fall into the trap of making the same kind of record every time:

Mikael: "You can't stay the same. It would be impossible for METALLICA to write another 'Master Of Puppets'; I don't think they want to, either. METALLICA is very interesting to me, because they shaped a whole new form of metal music with at least the first five records. They keep doing records… I mean, they did 'Load', they did 'Reload', and those records were fucking hated. I'm not sure if they were hated because of the actual music or if it was hated because of their image, or whatever it was. And then they tried to kind of get back into playing faster with 'St. Anger' and 'Death Magnetic', but I guess that didn't really do it for their fans either; it didn't really do it for me, to be honest. But they're really interesting. I mean, they're bigger than ever; they're fucking massive. If there's a festival and METALLICA is on the bill, you basically wouldn't need any other bands on the bill; they could just take all the other bands off the bill and it would still sell out, they're that fucking massive. And if you would interview all of their fans, I'm pretty sure that 90-95%, or maybe even 100%, of their fans would state that some '80s record that they did, maybe the 'black' album, is their favorite record and they don't really like the stuff that they have done since. And that's fucking ages ago. And even METALLICA themselves. I think that's quite interesting, and I've been wondering about this for quite some time: Why don't they play more new stuff live? Why do they go out and do the 'Master Of Puppets' or whatever other records that they are doing? Why don't they focus on new material? Aren't they proud of the new stuff that they do or do they just wanna please the fans? Either way, I think it's fine and it's none of my business, whatever choices they [make], but I just find it interesting. Because the way we see it, obviously, we're just a fart in the wind compared to METALLICA, but when we put out a new record, that's what we love the most and that's what we wanna promote and that's what we wanna play. But I remember seeing them just after 'St. Anger' came out and they had, like, a two-and-a-half-hour show, or whatever it was, and they played only one new song. And I didn't understand it. I didn't really like 'St. Anger', and I personally didn't wanna hear more songs than just a song or two from the new album, but I just found it interesting that they don't seem to stand behind their own material when they are actually on stage touring for this new album. They're playing 'Master Of Puppets' [instead] … It's just interesting that they have such a fucking following and they are so massive, but they haven't put — and maybe I'm talking out of my own ass here — it seems like that's the view of their fans, that they haven't really put any new music out in a long time that's had that kind of appeal, like that of the five first records. And still, they're bigger than ever."

On METALLICA's collaboration with Lou Reed, "Lulu":

Mikael: "I heard a couple of songs. I thought that was bad, to be honest. I'm kind of a fan of Lou Reed, I kind of like Lou Reed, and, obviously, I'm a massive fan of METALLICA, but that collaboration, when I heard about it… Even if I would have been proven wrong and it had been amazing, initially, I was, like, 'Oh, that's not really gonna work.' I couldn't see the connection, to be honest. But they did it, and that's what they wanna do, and I respect them and I'm always gonna be a massive fan of theirs. If I'm ever gonna meet them, I'll be, like, 'Wow, that's like meeting a Beatle,' if you know what I mean."

Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with WHITESNAKE/ex-DEEP PURPLE frontman David Coverdale. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metalshrine: As I understand it, there's two live albums coming out, "Live In Japan" and "Live In Britain". Why two?

David Coverdale: Because they're both extremely different. We didn't plan the Japanese project. You know, the Japanese tour was booked and we were invited to headline at Loud Park and I hadn't headlined a Japanese music festival since 1984, so that was a very exciting premise for me. They made a very generous offer and then asked if they could film three songs for a TV special. We said OK and my co-producers, Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre, and I, mixed the three songs and obviously watching the video and going crazy. It looked fantastic and we had them send over the rest of the footage and thought, "This could be a fabulous follow-up to 'Still Of The Night'.". And where we are now, featuring new songs for the first time. The record company we work with, Frontiers, they were absolutely positive in their response, so we added that to the mix. What we're doing with the "Made In Britain" CD, is giving it a different sonic identity. The CD from "Made In Japan" is a soundtrack and the bonus stuff features behind-the-scenes, soundcheck stuff we recorded in different Japanese venues. Having fun with some our songs, like trying an unplugged version of "Good To Be Bad" and "Tell Me How" from the "Forevermore" album. Stuff that people normally don't get to hear. For the second CD, it's "WHITESNAKE the world record." We're taking songs from all over different cities, like Oslo and there might be a Sweden Rock. I'm not sure if we legally can do that. Stuff from Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio. It's two entirely different projects, and for the end of the year, we're hoping to achieve a limited-edition box set for Christmas, called "Forevermore - The Complete Collection", which will have everything "Forevermore"-related plus outtakes, alternate mixes, acoustic versions of songs, behind-the-scenes footage. Really cool stuff. It's fascinating, Niclas, because "Forevermore" is an extraordinary jewel in the WHITESNAKE catalog. It still got legs, as they say. It's still selling significant records, and now I'm involved in a daily exercise called Twitter. A lot of people didn't know WHITESNAKE was still going because a lot of people still don't search the Internet or listen to music and they feel they've grown out of music, but then discovering that we're still playing and not only that, but flourishing as a positive force. It's amazing, so people are checking out "Good To Be Bad" and "Forevermore" since the first of January. Everything just keeps igniting the next wave of enthusiasm for WHITESNAKE, which is a great feeling.

When are we getting the David Coverdale autobiography?

David Coverdale: How white was my snake? [laughs] You know, I don't have time, man, and I'm still living it. Honestly, there's a huge obstacle for me, because I've read some of my contemporaries' work and I remember certain circumstances very differently. If I ever do this, and right now I don't have that enthusiasm, but if I do, I'm gonna be completely honest. Names will be named, because, to me, that's the only way to do it, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with being as revealing. I'm very revealing in my work, but I don't name names, so you don't know who this woman was who was behaving like a bitch or who broke my heart. [laughs]

Have you read Glenn Hughes book that he did with Joel McIver?

David Coverdale: Yeah, and it's amazing. It's my brother Glenn, and I love him dearly, but there are certain things that I remember differently, but I wish him every success. We're in touch almost every day. He sent me a pre copy and it was beautiful.

When is there gonna be a Coverdale/Hughes album?

David Coverdale: You know, I don't know. I don't even know whether it has to be an album. One of the things we're setting up with Whitesnake.com is that you're gonna be able to download new ideas that Doug and I are messing around with. Not do the big over-glossy stuff, just sharing music with people around the world and it's the first time in history that I'll be able to do that. I've just done a song for Bernie [Marsden, former WHITESNAKE guitarist] and I want him to be able to tell people what it is, but it was one of the songs that we wrote together many years ago in the early days and that was a lot of fun for me to do and it took no time at all. So it's very likely that Glenn and I could do a song or two or even three or four, like the old EP. I don't have time to make a commitment to make that kind of record. WHITESNAKE is my baby, and WHITESNAKE is a huge foundation of what I do and what helps me live. I'm not really missing anything. I know a lot of musicians, if they do a solo album, it's like, "Oh, I'm gonna play jazz guitar now. This is what I really love." But, to me, when I did "Into The Light", it's just David Coverdale being quieter and WHITESNAKE is a great opportunity for me to be a fucking lion and sometimes the lion gets a thorn in its paw: "Please, darling, help me!" The thing that's more interesting to me is something in the future where I'm hopefully gonna be doing an evening with David Coverdale, where I play intimate venues and can interact physically as opposed to Internet virtually. Physically interact with people and sing songs. Not in the huge WHITESNAKE arena or stadium style, but in a more intimate style like "Starkers…". I really have a full dance card. Sorry, Glenn! [laughs]

Another WHITESNAKE album then? Are we talking 2014 or 2015?

David Coverdale: Well, Frontiers have discussed that with me, and I do have a full agenda, as you've heard, and there's more that that, too. I wanna do an unplugged record, and we're still talking about it, my co-producers, Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre, and I. For me to commit for a new studio record will take a year out of my life, whereas these other projects just take a couple of months. I might even be able to get back on the road next year. My last long tour was in 2011, and you're gonna see shorter ones now and I wanna make sure I have the physical energy and power to be able to present shows as people wanna see me. If I commit to a nine-month tour, I don't think I'm gonna be able to deliver. I'm 61 years old and I'm in great shape, but I'm still 61 years old. It's gonna be shorter tours and stuff. That's the dilemma for me, to commit to a new studio record. Believe me, I would love the challenge to go further than "Forevermore", because Doug and I and the band are so up for that. It's just taking a whole fucking year to write new songs and quality songs, because we're very critical. Anything that doesn't resonate, we just let go. Regardless if I brought it to the table or Doug. But we have a fantastic writing situation. We sit down for a cup of coffee and he'll pick a guitar up and I'll sing some Christmas song and then we've got a fucking Christmas song! It's a fabulous, natural, organic thing. The muse sits over us with joy and sprinkles ideas on us.

Read the entire interview from Metalshrine.

Brandon Marshall of Sonic Excess recently conducted an interview with former PANTERA and current KILL DEVIL HILL bassist Rex Brown. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Sonic Excess: You stated in your [newly published memoir, "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera"] several times how much you value privacy and how you preferred to stay out of the public eye. Was the decision to publish a difficult one for you?

Rex Brown: This book is just my truth about what my eyes saw. I had the really good, cheap seats. There were only four of us in the band that really knew what went on with the internal PANTERA situation. I thought it was about time for me to go ahead and spill some truths. Even with the private life I do like to lead, I think that there was something inside of me that said, "OK, Rex, it's time to go ahead and let this thing out." It's just my side of the story.

Sonic Excess: Phil [Anselmo, former PANTERA singer] has an autobiography in the works. Have you been helping him with ideas, stories, or anything like that?

Rex Brown: Hmmm… no. Phil and I are still great friends. We talked about a year ago and he said you are going to do your work, and I'm going to do mine. We are not going to talk about it in the press, and that's the way it is. I don't want to turn the fans off what he does, and he doesn't want to turn the fans off of what I do. It's an amicable decision.

Sonic Excess: Hypothetically, if PANTERA were still together, how would you want the last chapter to end?

Rex Brown: Without Dime [late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott] around, that is not an easy question. I would just answer that I just hope we would have worked our stuff out by now. We all get into the same room, beat the shit out of each other, go to rehab together, and figure it out. We can't do it without the original band. There is just no way.

Sonic Excess: Is the PANTERA reunion talk frustrating for you?

Rex Brown: Not at all. I think it's kind of funny, in a weird way. Who are you going to get to replace Dime? Who's going to be able to play the way he did? There are a ton of players our there, there are a ton of pickets out there, and we've got a ton of offers on the table, but until things are water underneath the bridge between Phil and Vince [former PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott], I just don't know. Let me say this also: I never say never. Phillip and I, we are open-armed. It's up to Vinnie if he wants to go ahead and do something like that, but I just don't see that in the immediate forecast.

Read the entire interview from Sonic Excess.

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

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new CD was recorded at Las Vegas' The Hideout Recording Studio and is due this summer. Helming the sessions once again is The Hideout's owner, Kevin Churko, the Canadian musician, sound engineer, songwriter and record producer, who has also previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE and IN THIS MOMENT, among other acts.

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

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

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

Frontiers Records will release WHITESNAKE's live concert, "Made In Japan", on deluxe 2CD/DVD edition, Blu-ray and DVD in North America on Tuesday, April 23.

The "Fool For Your Loving" performance clip from "Made In Japan" can be seen below.

Multi-platinum rock band WHITESNAKE co-headlined the Loud Park festival on October 15, 2011 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan during their "Forevermore World Tour". The performance was initially recorded for Japanese TV and future Loud Park promotions, but after three songs were broadcast on a Loud Park highlights program in Japan, WHITESNAKE received unprecedented requests for this performance to be made available for general release.

Having spent most of 2012 editing and mixing the Japanese concert in stunning HD as a multi-format DVD-CD in 5.1 and stereo, just prior to commencing the "Year Of The Snake" 2013 world tour, this exceptional performance is a welcome addition to the history of WHITESNAKE live releases. Now fans can relive the irresistible magic of WHITESNAKE in concert any time their heart and loins may desire!

The "Forevermore" songs alone are worth the price of admission, not forgetting the classic WHITESNAKE songs, "Is This Love", "Still Of The Night" and "Here I Go Again", all peformed at the height of their musical powers. It's all here. This is what WHITESNAKE fans, new and old, have been clamouring for. Highlights include blistering guitar work from the band's six string guitar slingers, Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, who both celebrate their 10th anniversary with the band this year.

WHITESNAKE also features the earth-shaking rhythm section, The Wrecking Crew featuring Michael Devin (bass) and Brian Tichy (drums), who anchor the deep and dirty foundation of WHITESNAKE. The band is accompanied by the swirling sonic tapestries of special guest keyboardist Brian Ruedy, and of course, the chest beating, seductive vocals of front man and founder, David Coverdale.

After hearing the sound check recordings from the different Japanese venues, the band decided to include them in the package as special bonus content. They agreed that everything would be related to their 2011 Japanese tour. So, when you think about it, it is appropriate they've called the project "Made In Japan".

CD track listing:

CD 1

01. Best Years
02. Give Me All Your Love Tonight
03. Love Ain't No Stranger
04. Is This Love
05. Steal Your Heart Away
06. Forevermore
07. Six String Showdown
08. Love Will Set You Free
09. Drum Solo
10. Fool For Your Loving
11. Here I Go Again
12. Still Of The Night

Bonus CD 2 - Soundcheck

01. Love Will Set You Free
02. Steal Your Heart Away
03. Fare Thee Well (Acoustic Version)
04. One Of These Days (Acoustic Version)
05. Lay Down Your Love
06. Evil Ways
07. Good To Be Bad (Acoustic Version)
08. Tell Me How (Acoustic Version)

DVD and Blu-ray track listing:

01. Best Years
02. Give Me All Your Love Tonight
03. Love Ain't No Stranger
04. Is This Love
05. Steal Your Heart Away
06. Forevermore
07. Six String Showdown
08. Love Will Set You Free
09. Drum Solo
10. Fool For Your Loving
11. Here I Go Again
12. Still Of The Night
13. Forevermore (fan video)
14. Steal Your Heart Away (fan video)

The musicians:

David Coverdale (vocals)
Doug Aldrich (guitar)
Reb Beach (guitar)
Michael Devin (bass)
Briian Tichy (drums)

Special guest:

Brian Ruedy (keyboards)

"Fool For Your Loving" performance clip:

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH entered Hertz studio in Bialystok, Poland at the end of February to begin recording their next album for a late 2013 release via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Metal Blade in North America.

A few photos from the drum-recording sessions can be seen at HertzRecording.com.

Speaking to Metal Storm last December, BEHEMOTH bassist Orion (real name: Tomasz Wróblewski) stated about the band's plans for the new CD: "We have scheduled the studio for the end of February. If everything goes as planned, the album will be done in the summer and we plan on releasing it in the fall of 2013."

He added: "The last recording session — I don't even remember how many studios were involved… Like, six or seven, and lots of sound engineers as well; that's just the way we work. This time we will probably do most of the work in Hertz Studio, but we might do some stuff in other places as well. Plus we are still talking about mixing of the album and that's going to be probably somewhere else other than Poland."

In an interview with Rock N Roll Industries conducted aboard Barge To Hell — the world's most extreme metal cruise — which sailed on December 3, 2012 from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas and returned to the real world on December 7, 2012, BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski stated about the progress of the songwriting sessions for BEHEMOTH's next album: "I'm really thinking about my record. I'm dreaming my record, I'm eating my record, I'm shitting my record… I mean, everything just comes to the same thing: this artistic release that's gonna take place in the fall next year. That's the plan. We already made a rough plan. We should be entering the studio in late February. We're demoing stuff now. It's actually a rehearsal studio. So this is a thing we've never done before: we get into the studio, we set up the equipment, and we just play. And we record stuff. So it's very creative. It's new and it's different energy, too. I mean, we still use our rehearsal room, but it's good to change the environment. And then in January and February, we decided to move to Warsaw to work on the record. It should be very stimulating; this change of rooms and change of cities, it can be very stimulating. But we've got plenty of stuff written already; I'm guessing 30 or 40 minutes of music is done. But I keep on writing. I'm so hyped and I'm so into delivering new stuff. I have this thought: every time I come up with a new theme or a new song idea, I think it's actually better than the one before. So I hope that this process stops at a certain point and I'm, like, 'OK, over. This is it. We're working on this bunch of songs and that's it.' Because this way I can go on forever."

In an April 2012 interview with Metal Blast, Nergal offered more information about BEHEMOTH's mindset going into the next album. "We want to take our time and not rush ourselves in any way," he said. "It looks like it might be the most important album in our career. I want to make the most honest record and I won't be bending to anyone's rules or expectations, including [BEHEMOTH's record labels] Metal Blade or Nuclear Blast. Every next BEHEMOTH album is a surprise and is never the same. . . We don't want to stress ourselves because the music business and the direction it takes is not as I would like it to be. That means we will be going against the current again and just do as we will and please. Whatever we do is going to be BEHEMOTH, 100%. It is the state of our will and nobody can deny it. I can tell you that we aren't going to come out with a reggae or country album; it's going to be BEHEMOTH, it's going to be extreme. But don't be surprised if people listened to it and said, 'Fuck, they did it. It's so amazing.' [laughs] That's what I like to say when I listen to my own music. I love to surprise myself. I hate things that are predictable. I want to surprise myself and surprise other people, as well. . . Don't get me wrong, I am a huge AC/DC fan and I expect AC/DC to be AC/DC, but don't expect BEHEMOTH to put out another 'The Apostasy', 'Demigod' or 'Evangelion' album, because that will not happen."

BEHEMOTH's ninth full-length studio album, "Evangelion", sold 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 56 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released in the U.S. in August 2009 through Metal Blade, the CD was mixed at Miloco Studios in London, England by Colin Richardson, who has previously worked with MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT, NAPALM DEATH and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, among many others.

Munich, Germany-based epic black metallers SYCRONOMICA will release their new mini-CD, "Neverest", on April 2 via Nocturnal Empire Productions. The effort, which has a running time of more than 32 minutes, contains two brand new tracks; the band's first demo from 1998 ("Durch Das Geäst") which has long been out of stock; and the recently filmed video for the song "Neverest".

"Neverest" track listing:

01. Neverest
02. Jukai - Das Meer aus Bäumen
03. Intro *
04. Durch das Geäst *
05. Fever Dreams *
06. Painful Grieving *
07. Neverest (video)

* Demo 1998

The release party for the "Neverest" MCD will take place on March 31 at the Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich where SYCRONOMICA will perform " a special show with a unique setlist" alongside ENSLAVED, BETHLEHEM, DARK FORTRESS and HELRUNAR, among others.

The "Neverest" video was filmed in April 2012 at the Ragnarök festival in Germany by Felix Opahle and Wolfgang Lanzenberger and it features additional original footage from Bavarian alps and the Himalayan mountains. The track was recorded in October 2011 at SOS Studios in Munich by Michael Zech (SECRETS OF THE MOON, ex-NEGURA BUNGET).

SYCRONOMICA's third album, "Sycroscope", was released in October 2009 via the Bavarian label Silverwolf Productions. The CD was recorded at Munich's Helion Studios, where both of SYCRONOMICA's previous albums — "Paths" (2004) and "Gate" (2006) — were tracked. The cover artwork was created by drummer Michael Bayer.

SYCRONOMICA 2013 is:

Oliver Walther - Vocals
Florian Winter - Keyboards
Johannes Jüde - Guitar
Ruben Raff - Bass
Christian Metz - Guitar
Thomas Hagl - Drums

The official Facebook page of Tom Keifer, best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Philadelphia-based blues-rock band CINDERELLA, has been updated with the following message:

"Tom caught that flu that was going around while on tour. Instead of cancelling dates, he continued on. That flu, left untreated, turned into pneumonia very quickly. He is being treated, resting and will be fine. He greatly appreciates the well wishes and concern."

Keifer's debut solo album, "The Way Life Goes", will be released on April 30 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group). The collection of 14 new songs ranges from intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots that have always been present in his unique sound that has generated the sale of over 15 million records worldwide for CINDERELLA.

"This record was a labor of love," Keifer told TriCities.com. "When I started this record, CINDERELLA was in the middle of a lawsuit with Sony Records. This record is not in any way to be taken as me stepping away from CINDERELLA."

"I took a lot of time making this record," he continued. "I made it over 10 years. I wanted to make something I loved. My wife, Savannah (Snow), co-wrote a lot of the songs with me. It was a blessing to me.

"Each song has something to do with life. It's just life, love, love lost, being crazy, going crazy, being lost. The record, there's no change, really, in style. It has the peaks and valleys.

"I've always approached music, played music that I like. I've never chased trends through CINDERELLA and with this album. It reflects what's in me."

"The Way Life Goes" track listing:

01. Solid Ground
02. A Different Light
03. It's Not Enough
04. Cold Day In Hell
05. Thick And Thin
06. Ask Me Yesterday
07. Fools Paradise
08. The Flower Song
09. Mood Elevator
10. Welcome To My Mind
11. You Showed Me
12. Ain't That A Bitch
13. The Way Life Goes
14. Babylon

As previously reported, Tom Keifer will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, May 1 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with Keifer by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). The show will be streamed on the "Rockline" web site for two weeks beginning the afternoon after the live broadcast.

For more information, visit RocklineRadio.com.

Alpha WolfHunters conducted an interview with DEF-CON-ONE, the British metal band featuring former VENOM and MPIRE OF EVIL drummer Antony "Antton" Lant (brother of VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant), at this year's Hammerfest, which was held March 13-16 at Hafan y Mor Holiday Park, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, Wales. You can now watch the chat below.

DEF-CON-ONE's debut album, "Warface", was released last June via Scarlet Records.

With influences covering a wide range of musical styles, from modern metal to old-school rock and punk, DEF-CON-ONE has been described by the organizers of Bloodstock Open Air festival (where the band played in 2011) as a bar fight between MACHINE HEAD, SLAYER and PANTERA.

DEF-CON-ONE is on a mission to spread its sound and infect the world with songs such as the "Warface" title track (audio stream available below) and "Steeped In Pain", which offer up huge slabs of aggressive, groove-laden riffs, beats and vocals.

A solid couple of years of gigs in 2011 and 2012 increased DEF-CON-ONE's fan base and saw them play the length and breadth of the U.K.

Boston-born and now New York City-based veteran avant-metallers KAYO DOT, led by Toby Driver, will enter Avast Studios in Seattle, Washington in April with producer Randall Dunn (SUNNO))), WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, BLACK MOUNTAIN) to record their seventh album, "Hubardo". This CD will mark the 10th anniversary of KAYO DOT's debut and landmark release, "Choirs Of The Eye".

"Hubardo" is an approximately 90-minute conceptual epic double-album, with story and lyrics written by longtime lyricist and former MAUDLIN OF THE WELL vocalist Jason Byron. Musically, the album covers the spectrum of all of the band's works, from the sparse doomy elements of "Choirs Of The Eye", to the blast-beat, woodwind-driven "Gamma Knife", the chorus-bass goth fusion of "Coyote", and even lush orchestrated prog moments harkening back to the days of their previous band, MAUDLIN OF THE WELL, and, as with all the band's releases, Toby Driver and Co. venturing into new territory.

The album sees a returning cast of characters, with Toby Driver on bass, keyboards, guitars and vocals, Terran Olson on keyboards and woodwinds, Daniel Means on woodwinds and synth, Mia Matsumiya on violin, Tim Byrnes on trumpet and horn in F, the first proper studio recording with Keith Abrams on drums, and the first recording contribution of longtime live collaborator Ron Varod on guitar. "Hubardo" will also feature a very special guest vocal appearance by Jason Byron — his first recorded appearance since MAUDLIN OF THE WELL's 2001 albums, "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map".

This album will be self-released on the band's own imprint, Ice Level Music, and pre-orders will be taken to help fund the recording and travel costs. Pre-orders will be offered in 3xLP deluxe, standard, and digital-only editions, featuring limited 200g colored vinyl in triple gatefold (six huge panels of artwork), a five-chapter poem by Jason Byron entitled "The Sword Of Satan", signed poster, T-shirt, guitar pick, and sticker.

"Hubardo" track listing:

01. The Black Stone
02. Crown-In-The-Muck
03. Thief
04. Vision Adjustment To Another Wavelength
05. Zodelida Caosaji (To Water The Earth)
06. The First Matter (Saturn In The Guise Of Sadness)
07. The Second Operation (Lunar Water)
08. Floodgate
09. And He Built Him A Boat
10. Passing The River
11. The Wait Of The World

POWERWOLF have issued an update from Studio Fredman, where they are working on their upcoming new studio album, expected this summer via Napalm Records.

Says the band: "Checking in from Gothenburg, Sweden, where we are about to lay final touches to the upcoming album at Studio Fredman. Feels great to finalize this monster project that kept us breathless and busy for the past seven months, and I dare say it sounds absolutely amazing so far. This is going to be a damn catchy and intense album. Furious, epic, heavy and wolfish to the max!

Some more days of metal and mayhem ahead here in Sweden until we can send white smoke through the studio chimney... exiting times! Can't wait until this beast of an album gets unleashed upon you this summer."
Previously commenting on their follow-up to the Blood Of The Saints album, Powerwolf stated: "There will be fast stuff, heavy stuff and epic stuff as well as some unholy little surprises - and all of that in the most typical, Powerwolfish way you can imagine."

Stay tuned for further updates. More on Powerwolf at this location.

Vocalist JEFF SCOTT SOTO (TALISMAN, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) is featured in a new interview with Greece-based Rock Overdose. An excerpt from the discussion is available below:
RockOverdose.gr: You first came into prominence during your stint with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. It surely has been quite some time since then, but what are your memories from back then?

Jeff Scott Soto: "It was a great time but also one that has a lot of discolored memories as well. I learned more than I expected so soon after joining him, and I mean that in a negative way! The business is ugly already, so the people you surround yourself with should be ones who have your back and that you can trust…not any fault to Yngwie, but he was pretty much in it for himself we as his backup band were helpless sidemen with no chance for growing or making something of ourselves while we were with him. Clearly you can see why I left so soon after starting with him, even at 19 years old, I knew I had so much more to offer as an artist."

Go to this location for the complete interview.
Soto is gearing up for his first full European tour since 2009. Dates are as follows:

April
4 - Belfast, Ireland - The Limelight
5 - Birmingham, England - The Asylum
6 - London, England - Camden Underworld
7 - Rotherham, England - Hard Rock Hell AOR Festival
11 - Kerkrade, Netherlands - Rock Temple
12 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Rock N' Roll Warehouse
16 - Essen, Germany - Turock
17 - Cergy Vaureal (Paris), France - Le Forum
19 - Lichtenfels, Germany - Paunchy Cats
20 - Budapest, Hungary - Club 202
22 - Serbia - TBC
24 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Venue TBA
25 - Thessaloniki, Greece - 8ball
26 - Athens, Greece - Kyttaro Live
29 - Milan, Italy - Blue Rose Saloon

May
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Razzmatazz 3
3 - Valladolid, Spain - Sala Porta Caeli
4 - Santiago de Compastella, Spain - Sala Capitol
5 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Caracol

Soto will be touring with the most recent band lineup, comprising Jorge Salán (guitar), Fernando Mainer (bass), ‘BJ’ (guitar/keys and vocals) and Edu Cominato (drums/vocals) and will be showcasing his current solo album, Damage Control, as well as tracks from across his solo and front-man roles right across his outstanding career.

More on Jeff Scott Soto at this location.

Wichita, Kansas' TRANSCENDENCY has inked a deal with up-and-coming label At Your Command Records.

Commented At Your Command Records owner Chelsea Steele: "When I first listened to TRANSCENDENCY's EP, 'Human/Complex', I realized this band had something going on. They were melodic yet heavy, catchy and entertaining. If that was only their first effort I can only imagine what will come next with more experience under their belts. More people need to know about them, there's a little bit of something for everyone in their music."

TRANSCENDENCY's Kendall Crocombe added: "We're all really excited to be a part of this label. Writing the best music we can, having big plans for the future, and now getting some great support and help behind this band is something that we're all looking forward to in furthering our futures with the band we've all put so much into."

"Human/Complex" came out last September and was followed by the release of the "Reshape, Reform" single this past January.

Kendall continued: "Our plans for this upcoming spring and summer are to start really hitting the road as much as we can and playing for new audiences. We are also hard at work writing for our next release which is going great so far. We're all really eager to see what people think of us pushing our songwriting and sound to places and levels it hasn't gone before. There are a lot of things we've wanted to try and haven't gotten the chance to yet and we feel this release will really show us for what we each individually are."

TRANSCENDENCY has long been in the works, and until recently has finally pulled together all the resources to make that long planned vision come to life. With each member bringing strong assets to the table, the band has successfully blended those skills and many aspects of progressive metal to create a sound that captures melody and beauty, but is relentless in its aggressiveness and determination for the listener to hear its message and feelings.