Fan-filmed video footage of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's new solo/side project BRITISH LION performing on March 9 at Live Music Hall in Cologne, Germany can be seen below.

BRITISH LION is out on the road this month, visiting fourteen countries and twenty-four cities across Europe. For the first time ever, and as a major surprise to many, MAIDEN's bass player, founding member and leader is taking temporary leave from his MAIDEN activities and heading out on a full European club tour.

Regarding the BRITISH LION tour, Steve previously said: "I love touring and live shows and I'm very excited about touring with BRITISH LION. It's fantastic to get out there and once again experience the sheer vibrancy of small clubs with the fans right up front and in your face. I think the fans will enjoy that too. It's exciting, going back to the roots, and it's going to be fantastic. We are taking this to clubs all round Europe — a full club tour, with club shows at club prices, hot, sweaty and loud. We have no idea how many people will turn out to see us, as it's obviously very recent and very new, so we have kept the venues small with tickets priced accordingly as low as we reasonably could.

"I've known all the guys in the band for ages and, besides being great musicians, they are also good friends, which is lucky because this has been an ongoing project for many years! They've had to be very patient with me as, of course, I'm so involved with MAIDEN I don't really get a lot of free time to work on other stuff. So it's great to finally have the opportunity to get out and do all these shows. The reaction to the album has been really good and I think it will sound great live. We're all planning to have a lot of fun on this tour!"

BRITISH LION's debut album sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 3 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.

"British Lion" was released in the U.S. on September 25, 2012 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). Mixed by Kevin Shirley — whose credits include IRON MAIDEN as well as Led ZEPPELIN, JOURNEY and RUSH, among many others — the CD, which features Harris alongside vocalist Richard Taylor, guitarists Graham Leslie and David Hawkins and drummer Simon Dawson, presents a different side of the bassist's musical visions.

"British Lion" comprises ten songs that Steve and his collaborators have been working on between IRON MAIDEN tours and releases and is described by Harris as "'70s-influenced, British-sounding hard rock." "I'd say it's more mainstream rock than metal... and quite commercial… but good commercial," he said. "There's all kinds of stuff going on, with nods to THE WHO and UFO and some classic British rock bands, but it's not the progressive rock album some might be expecting."

A teaser for JUDAS PRIEST's "Epitaph" DVD and Blu-ray, containing professionally filmed video footage of the the final show of the band's "Epitaph" world tour on May 26, 2012 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, England, can be seen below. The set, which is due later in the year, was directed by Brickwall's Alex Walker and sound-engineered by Richard Kayvan and Tom Allom, the mastermind behind countless seminal metal records.

The setlist for the London concert was as follows:

01. Rapid Fire
02. Metal Gods
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Judas Rising
05. Starbreaker
06. Victim Of Changes
07. Never Satisfied
08. Diamonds & Rust (JOAN BAEZ cover)
09. Prophecy
10. Night Crawler
11. Turbo Lover
12. Beyond The Realms Of Death
13. The Sentinel
14. Blood Red Skies
15. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
16. Breaking The Law
17. Drum Solo
18. Painkiller

Encore:

19. The Hellion (taped intro) / Electric Eye

Encore 2:

20. Hell Bent For Leather
21. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

Encore 3:

22. Living After Midnight

According to a new post on JUDAS PRIEST's official web site, the British heavy metal legends "are working in the studio on their new album — and all is going is really well!"

PRIEST's forthcoming album will mark the recording and songwriting debut of the band's new guitarist, Richie Faulkner, who replaced co-founder K.K. Downing in 2011.

Asked what fans can fans expect from the group's next CD, JUDAS PRIEST lead singer Rob Halford said in an August 2012 interview, "We've already got a strong cross-section of ideas, some of them complete, some of them in bits and pieces. It's shaping up to be quite intense, in terms of the riffage and the strength of certain tracks. Much like every time you try and talk about music, it's practically impossible to capture it. You can only point it in the direction of where things are shaping up, and it's just glorious. If I try to pinpoint it, there are elements of 'British Steel' and there elements of 'Painkiller' in terms of the vibe. We've got a really solid record coming together slowly in a strong metal way that will make all of our PRIEST fans around the world very happy and content. At least I hope it does."

Regarding a possible release date for the new PRIEST album, Halford said, "I'm not really sure. It'll be ready when it's ready. We're not under the same clock as we used to be. I remember in the '80s we were banging out a record almost every year, and that was on top of putting in a world tour. We have the luxury now, if you want to call it that, of taking our time. And that's just because that's the way it is. We're just as eager to get this done as ever, but we do it at a slower pace. It's that British thing, you know? [laughs] It's that monarchy thing. Let's look forward to that moment for another PRIEST record for everyone to bang their heads to."

In a November 2011 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Halford stated about PRIEST's plans for the upcoming CD, "Glenn and I started to write in the early part of January [of 2011]. We just went to it from the heart really, there was no specific agenda or idea, as opposed to what we had to do with 'Nostradamus', which was very focused and a real anchor of a project. This one has just been some straight-forward, classic British heavy metal. Some of it feels a bit like 'Painkiller', some of it feels like 'Sad Wings Of Destiny', some like 'British Steel'. We didn't do much research, we didn't bother checking some of our previous releases, we didn't do any homework, we just sat down and played, you know? Glenn came up with riffs and I came up with vocal melodies. There was no outside influence or interference in the writing sessions. We just started the day, plugged in some amps, got the mic up and made the metal that way. It's a very pure record, in that respect."

The official trailer for "Blodsvept", the sixth album from Finnish metal marauders FINNTROLL, can be seen below. The CD will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

* Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway: Friday, March 22
* Spain, Italy: Tuesday, March 26
* Sweden, Hungary: Wednesday, March 27
* Rest Of Europe: Monday, March 25
* Australia, New Zealand: Friday, March 29
* USA, Canada: Tuesday, April 2

The follow-up to 2010's "Nifelvind" was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. FINNTROLL's Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali and his bandmates produced the album themselves, while the CD cover artwork was handled by FINNTROLL guitar player Samuli "Skyrmer" Ponsimaa.

"Blodsvept" track listing:

01. Blodsvept
02. Ett Folk Förbannat
03. När Jättar Marschera
04. Mordminnen
05. Rösets Kung
06. Skövlarens Död
07. Skogsdotter
08. Häxbrygd
09. Tva Ormar
10. Fanskapsfylld
11. Midvinterdraken

Check out the cover artwork below.

FINNTROLL filmed a video for the song "Häxbrygd" on March 8-9. Photos from the video shoot can be found on the Facebook page of Soundi magazine (courtesy of Timo Isoaho).

In regards to the new album, FINNTROLL commented on their studio blog: "Combining our trademark sound with even more influences from non- traditional genres in metal music, we have created 11 songs which show you everything we want to offer. And boy, wasn't that one of the hardest tasks for some time. After all, how do you keep your sound fresh, yet familiar, after 6 albums and 15 years?

"At some point, we were afraid that the songs are not melodic enough. Then we started to fear they became too melodic. Then we let the songs rest for a while and molded them more in a way that the non-melodic stuff got something to hum with, and the cheesy pop songs were arranged more stripped and aggressive. We were confident, yet sometimes scared what will people think of the stuff we've been doing so hard. What if they hate it? That would be fine, but if they would hate it because the material was uninspiring, boring and done-to-death, that would be a huge disappointment. So, we kept pushing and tried to keep it fresh all the time, while still having the 'this has to be FINNTROLL because no other band sounds this insane' — grinning going on."

Quality fan-filmed video footage of LOVE & DEATH — the band led by former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch — performing on March 10 at House of Rock in Corpus Christi, Texas can be seen below.

LOVE AND DEATH's debut album, "Between Here & Lost", sold around 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 95 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on January 22 via Tooth & Nail Records.

Recorded in Nashville with producer Jasen Rauch (RED, BREAKING BENJAMIN) and mixed by Paul Pavao, Ben Grosse (MARILYN MANSON, DISTURBED) and Jim Monti (KORN), "Between Here & Lost" consists of 11 tracks, ranging from songs about personal struggle and triumph ("Chemicals", "My Disaster", "Paralyzed") to emotionally charged anthems ("Fading Away", "Watching The Bottom Fall") to a riff-heavy rendition of DEVO's 1980 hit "Whip It".

LOVE AND DEATH is comprised of Welch, lead guitarist JR Bareis, bassist Michael Valentine, and drummer Dan Johnson.

Like the album title suggests, "Between Here & Lost" captures the honesty of light and darkness, beauty and tragedy, good and evil, delivered by a band with intense passion and commitment to the message of its music.

"This record was birthed from trials, tribulations, pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, and drama," stated Welch. "However, we came out on top and the end result is a very real, raw and honest record. We are so stoked for people to hear it! From our opening song, 'The Abandoning', to our cover of DEVO's 'Whip it', to our collaboration with Mattie Montgomery from FOR TODAY on 'I W8 4 U', It's an exciting piece of art and the listener will feel the different range of emotions with the lyrics and melodies of each song."

"Between Here & Lost" track listing:

01. The Abandoning
02. Whip It
03. Watching The Bottom Fall
04. By The Way...
05. Meltdown
06. My Disaster
07. I W8 4 U (featuring Mattie Montgomery)
08. Fading Away
09. Paralyzed
10. Chemicals
11. Bruises

LOVE AND DEATH formed when Welch decided to have open auditions on YouTube in 2009. "I picked the guys and then had a jam session in Phoenix," says Welch. "Over the last couple of years, there have been a few lineup changes as we went through normal growing pains. The current band has been together and touring for a while now and they are a big part of the new music and the future of LOVE AND DEATH."

"Cape Of Our Hero", the new video from Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's fifth studio album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", which will be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on April 5, in the rest of Europe on April 8, and in North America on April 9 via Vertigo/Republic Records/Universal Music.

Seamlessly bringing together all of the band's influences and reshaping them into something gleaming and new, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" is a record that's rich with stories and characters woven throughout its lyrics. Some are real — like the noble lady outlaw Pearl Hart, who held up a stagecoach to buy medicine for her dying mother, or Lola Montez, the erotic dancer with her infamous "Spider Dance," or "Black Bart," the gentleman highwayman who wrote poems for the people he robbed. Others are entirely fictional. "The Nameless One" is a cautionary tale of dabbling in the dark arts, featuring the mysterious and sinister character of the title. Elsewhere, "Room 24", featuring King Diamond, was inspired by a terrifying experience in a hotel room somewhere in the heart of America.

"Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" finds the core trio of Michael Poulsen (vocals/guitar), Anders Kjølholm (bass) and Jon Larsen (drums) joined by former ANTHRAX/THE DAMNED THINGS guitarist Rob Caggiano, who produced the album with longtime VOLBEAT co-producer Jacob Hansen.

"It's a new vibe for VOLBEAT," says Poulsen. "You've got everything — the rockabilly stuff, the melodies, the ultra-heavy stuff, the Western motifs and the big rock songs. It's everything that VOLBEAT are all about, but taken even further." The album title is a phrase that evokes another time, an era when elegant lawbreakers were the rock stars of the day. It tips its fedora to everything from the bad men (and women) of the old west to the old school metal bands who influenced the young Michael Poulsen to form his first band, DOMINUS, back in the early 90s.

As with so many classic albums, the seeds of "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" were sown on the road in Europe and the U.S. That's where Poulsen began playing around with ideas and riffs, recording them on his mobile phone and directly to an amp. "Melody, lyrics, everything — it's just working non-stop in my head," he shares. When the band eventually returned to Denmark, it was time to go to work. The band leader recalls, "We came back from the U.S. after touring a lot over there, and isolated ourselves in our own homes for six months to finish off the album. That peace was something I needed. Even though it's very inspiring to write on the road, it's more comfortable to write at home."

It was there that the album truly began to take shape. Poulsen would close the curtains, turn off the light and draw inspiration from the old Western movies he'd watched as a child with his father. Watching the old spaghetti westerns he's watched with his father provided a catalyst for inspiration. He offers, "Sometimes it's just about the right feeling — the scenery, the lines, the dusty look. I have my own soundtrack when I see those kind of pictures."

You can hear the influence of the Old West right from the start in "Let's Shake Some Dust", an evocative intro track that features harmonica from acclaimed blues harp player Paul Lamb. You can hear it again in the rampaging "Black Bart", which Poulsen describes as "our country-MOTÖRHEAD song," and in the banjos that pepper the chorus of the hard-as-steel "Doc Holliday", a tribute to the legendary lawman and associate of the Wyatt Earp gang. But "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" is no country and western record. If it was a car, it would be a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk with monster truck wheels — vintage and modern, stylish and muscular.

You can hear echoes of classic '50s rock 'n' roll in the soaring; "Pearl Hart", and the live classic-in-waiting "Lola Montez". The band's metal roots come to the fore via the heavy riffage of "Dead But Rising" and "The Nameless One", while the ghostly "The Lonesome Rider" – which finds Michael duetting with Sarah Blackwood of Canadian band WALK OFF THE EARTH like a modern-day Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash — beats with a rockabilly heart. Elsewhere, they bring some greased-back energy to "My Body", a cover of the hit song by U.S. pop-punk outfit YOUNG THE GIANT, while the brooding album closer "Our Loved Ones" is the nearest thing they've ever written to a ballad. Poulsen offers, "When I was growing up, my dad and mother played a lot of old records — Elvis, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. I love that stuff — it's a drug somehow. My own record collection growing up was metal. But I listen to a lot of different styles of music. If something moves you, I don't care what it is."

The track "Room 24" features a massive coup for VOLBEAT with the guest appearance from King Diamond, the legendary front man of Danish metal pioneers MERCYFUL FATE, and one of Poulsen's musical idols. Michael reveals, "I'm a huge fan of MERCYFUL FATE and KING DIAMOND. Having King on the record is a huge privilege. Normally, it's not something he does. He wrote his own lines, and it is half my lyrics and half his. It's a weird, scary story, and he's the perfect person for it." Additional guests include Anders Pedersen on slide guitar, Rod Sinclair on banjo and Jakob Øelund on double bass.

The album itself was recorded in the legendary PUK Studios in Randers, Denmark, with Jacob Hansen and Rob Caggiano sharing production duties, which brought a new dynamic to proceedings. Poulsen reflects, "I love Jacob Hansen's work. He's part of VOLBEAT, and we worked together on all the albums so far. I started flirting with the idea of bringing Rob in as a producer too because he produced ANTHRAX and THE DAMNED THINGS, and I like the sound of what he did there. I thought, 'That could be a really cool combination,' as both are quality guys with really high standards."

In closing, Poulsen sums it up in sharing, "I chose this way of living because I love playing music and I love touring. We wanted to write, we wanted to be inspired by our idols, we just wanted to rock out. That, for me, is what music is all about."

"Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" track listing:

01. Let's Shake Some Dust
02. Pearl Heart
03. The Nameless One
04. Dead But Rising
05. Cape Of Our Hero
06. Room 24 (feat. King Diamond)
07. The Hangman's Body Count
08. My Body (YOUNG THE GIANT cover)
09. Lola Montez
10. Black Bart
11. The Lonesome Rider (feat. Sarah Blackwood)
12. The Sinner Is You
13. Doc Holliday
14. Our Loved Ones

Limited-edition bonus disc

15. Ecotone
16. Lola Montez (harp version)
17. 7 Shots (live Wacken 2012)
18. Evelyn (live Wacken 2012)
19. Evelyn (2010 demo)

NONPOINT recently performed an acoustic set for the listeners of the Phoenix, Arizona radio station 98 KUPD. Check out video footage of the session below.

NONPOINT has launched an IndieGogo campaign to help financially support the band's upcoming touring plans. To give back to their fans, they have arranged perks that feature exclusive merchandise and unique experiences for fans ranging from $5.00 digital demos to $5,000 for a private acoustic performance.

The band is currently out on the road with HINDER and will join the ALL THAT REMAINS, HELLYEAH and IN THIS MOMENT tour on March 18.

NONPOINT explains the campaign: "As you know, we're on some killer tours this spring with HINDER, ALL THAT REMAINS and HELLYEAH and are thrilled to be out kicking ass every night across the States. We've had a blast with each and every one of you and can't wait to see the rest of your faces in the coming months!

"Touring ain't the easiest job in the world, and you guys make it possible for us to keep chugging along. It's all about give and take.

"We have officially finished creating a campaign that allows us here in NONPOINT to finance these tours, but it's not something we can do on our own. This is where you guys come in. And in return for your support, we'll be returning the favor. So we are going to be offering a number of very VERY exclusive, limited-supply NONPOINT goodies. This is the ONLY chance anyone will ever have to pick up any of these tasty temptations, so make sure you get the chance to check out what we're going to be offering.

"Thank you all for helping NONPOINT make 2013 the best year we've ever had!!"

NONPOINT's new self-titled album sold 7,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 62 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Miracle" (2010), opened with around 8,000 units to land at No. 60.

"Nonpoint" was produced/mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Johnny K (DISTURBED, STAIND, MEGADETH) and features additional production and mixing from Brian Virtue (30 SECONDS TO MARS, CHEVELLE). The CD contains 12 of the most raw and real songs of their 15-year career with unique, uncompromising, and undeniable hard rock on their self-titled ninth studio album and first for Razor & Tie. Weathering lineup changes, label shifts, and other trials and tribulations, founding members Elias Soriano (vocals) and Robb Rivera (drums) regrouped with fresh blood — Dave Lizzio (guitar), Adam Wolosyzn (bass), and Rasheed Thomas (guitar) — and captured pure fire this time around.

"Dismantled", the new video from Swedish death metallers SKINEATER, can be seen below. The clip was produced by Uppsala-based digital production company Oddville.

"Dismantled" comes off SKINEATER's debut album, "Dermal Harvest", which was released in North America on Febuary 19 (January 28 in Europe) via Pulverised Records.

According to a press release, the CD "showcases some of the most resilient veterans in the Swedish extreme scene, with past and present members from WOMBBATH, IN THY DREAMS, DARK FUNERAL, CARNAL FORGE, DEFLESHED, etc. The end result is an unstoppable skin-butcher unit literally flaying everything in its path! Never has death metal extremity been so well brewed with melodic darkness in a long time."

Recorded at various locations, mixed and mastered at Sweden's Studio Underground (CARNAL FORGE, STEEL ATTACK, FLESHCRAWL, NECRODEATH), and with the striking album artwork designed and conceptualized by Mathias Björkbacka, "Dermal Harvest" is without doubt a world-class audioviolence with sick torturous intent.

"Dermal Harvest" track listing:

01. He Was Murdered
02. Dismantling
03. Your Life Is Mine
04. Made Of Godsick
05. Through The Empire
06. Stab
07. Drifting
08. Thousand Dead Faces
09. Bring Them
10. Solitude Discord

SKINEATER in 2011 announced the addition of drummer Matte Modin (DARK FUNERAL, RAISED FIST, DEFLESHED, SPORTLOV) to the group's ranks.

Formed in late 2008, SKINEATER features scene veterans Håkan Stuvemark (ex-WOMBBATH, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Stefan Westerberg (ex-CARNAL FORGE, ex-IN THY DREAMS) and Jörgen Ström (THE MARY MAJOR).

SKINEATER is:

Jörgen Ström - Vocals
Håkan Stuvemark - Guitar
Stefan Westerberg - Bass
Matte Modin - Drums
Kari Kainulainen - Lead Guitar

For more information, go to this location.

"Maid Of Gold", a brand new song from VEXT — the new New Jersey/New York-based heavy rock band featuring singer Tommy "Vext" Cummings (DIVINE HERESY, SNOT), guitarist Billy DiNapoli and MUTINY WITHIN drummer Bill Fore — can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track, which features a guest solo by Doc Coyle of GOD FORBID, was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Dan Malloy at Vipen Studios and is described by VEXT as "just a taste of what's to come within the next couple of months."

In other news, Vext joined DEFTONES on stage last night (Sunday, March 10) in Montclair, New Jersey to peform the DEFTONES track "7 Words". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

VEXT's debut EP, "Impermanence", was released last July.

On the evening of September 19, 2010, Vext was the victim of a brutal attack at his home in Brooklyn. Having suffered severe injuries to his skull, abdomen and an open compound fracture to his left arm, Tommy was rushed to the ER. With medical bills soaring above seventy-five thousand dollars, his friends in the music scene banded together to help raise funds.

Enter Roadrunner recording artists MUTINY WITHIN. "We heard that GOD FORBID was doing a benefit concert for Tommy and when we found out why, we immediately jumped on the bill," said MUTINY WITHIN bassist Andrew Jacobs. A few months later, Andrew introduced Tommy to Bill. After seeing Fore perform with the Angel Vivaldi band, Angel and Bill joined this new musical effort and appeared on the aforementioned EP.

VEXT is:

Tommy "Vext" Cummings - Vocals
Billy DiNapoli - Guitar
Bill Fore - Drums

According to David Lee Roth, VAN HALEN will embark on an Extensive European tour before the end of the year.

The singer revealed the news during an appearance Monday morning (March 11) on "The Opie & Anthony Show" on SiriusXM satellite radio. "We're going to be playing Europe — probably 50, 60 shows outside of the States, starting at the end of this year, and then come back around through the U.S.," he said.

Roth also indicated that VAN HALEN's only concert in North America will come in the form of appearance at the Rock USA festival which he said were booked on short notice.

"I'm frankly surprised that these happened now," he stated. "I think probably they had designs on somebody else, and somebody else got sick. 'Cause, y'know, we're kind of here to save the day. These are big shows — these are like 50-70,000-person shows. And they're just coming together fast, which says probably somebody else bowed out or somebody else took ill."

Regarding the upcomimg VAN HALEN shows, Roth said: "VAN HALEN is very pure and uncut kinda music. It's a little like getting drunk on shots of really good Kentucky bourbon. It's like, you'll have a great night — but you probably won't want to see us again for three years!"

Roth recently gave an interview to Rolling Stone in which he expressed his desire to work on fresh material with Eddie Van Halen and tour outside the U.S., saying, "We have an audience and we have a potential future in many, many places . . . I don't know where the VAN HALEN future lies aside from the States."

The band has been touring in support of its February 2012 release, "A Different Kind Of Truth", which was its first album with Roth in 28 years.

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

Speaking to Media Mikes, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook (pictured below) stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's new CD: "We are about 65% done. We are shooting for a deadline that is at the end of April, early May. We are working hard every day on this thing. I am at the phase now where I am laying down solos here at my home studio. Generally, the first portion of the recording process I am writing and working on rhythm stuff. It's not 'till the last quarter that I switch over to doing the other stuff."

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.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is scheduled to make a number of festival appearances this summer, including on a yet-to-be-announced "big tour" (rumored to be Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival) in the U.S.

"Prancer", a brand new song from the New Jersey-based "mathcore" act THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's fifth full-length album, "One Of Us Is The Killer", which will be released on May 14 through the band's own Party Smasher Inc., in partnership with Sumerian Records in North America. Party Smasher's partnership with BMG covers the rest of the world, including licensing deals with Grind House for Japan and Remote Control in Australia.

Says the band: "Words can’t describe the feelings right now as we begin to present this album to you today. There are a million different things we'd probably like to say, to one another and to all of you, but pages couldn't contain. So here you go.

"To everyone that's been on this ride for a while, thank you, and to everyone just getting onboard, welcome. We're grateful for the ability to express ourselves artistically, to be able to release a piece of our souls through music and words, and we're proud that any of you can relate to our expression or get something out of it in any way… that our band and what we do means anything at all to you."

"One Of Us Is The Killer" was recorded in Southern California with longtime producer Steve Evetts (GLASSJAW, THE CURE, SUICIDE SILENCE), with additional production at guitarist/co-founder Ben Weinman's studio. Mastering will be handled by Tom Baker (DEFTONES, NINE INCH NAILS, BEASTIE BOYS).

The album represents a new holistic pinnacle of the band's constantly evolving and engaging dynamics.

Speaking to AOL's Noisecreep, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN vocalist Greg Puciato stated about the recording process for the band's forthcoming CD: "DILLINGER is a different beast in tracking than most normal bands. Even Steve has told me that there's no other band that he has recorded that requires this amount of attention to detail. We take a longer amount of time to do one thing than most bands take to do ten. At this point, talking to Ben about it, we only do this once every three years on average so ten years from now I don't want to look back and think, 'Fuck man, we should have finished that one three weeks earlier!' Who cares? You want it to be right and you want it to be the thing that was the closest to what your vision actually was."

Regarding the direction of the new THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN material, Puciato said: "I can hear [the influence of old punk and hardcore records] a lot. I can definitely hear that in some of the riffs, which are really aggressive. It's not a blatant hardcore record or anything like that. I actually think this is the most all over the place and weirdest record we've ever written. It's the first one since I joined the band where Ben has sent me songs and I've been like, 'What the fuck is happening? This sounds like a beehive!'"

The band will launch worldwide tours in 2013, beginning with a handful of headlining dates that have just been released.

Bob Findley, the horn player on the MEGADETH track "Silent Scorn", from the band's 2001 album "The World Needs A Hero", has recorded a guest appearance on the song "A House Divided" on the new MEGADETH CD, "Super Collider".

"Super Collider" is scheduled for release in June via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises(UMe).

"It was a real thrill for us to learn there was an opportunity to join Universal," said Mustaine. "It seems like every time you see a great band or music video, it comes from a Universal label.

"Being with Universal is by far the most exciting and prestigious home for MEGADETH ever! We are electrified with what the future holds and the possibilities such a powerhouse like Universal will bring for us all.

"We have worked with some great people over the years, and it is amazing to see so many of them on the Universal team for our new record, 'Super Collider'.

"If MEGADETH being here isn't satiating enough, having Tradecraft as my own label is going to be really amazing for metal bands around the world."

"Super Collider" is being recorded at Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California and is MEGADETH's first release its recent split with Roadrunner Records.

"Shawn [Drover, drums], Chris [Broderick, guitar] and David [Ellefson, bass] have all been feverishly contributing some great music and I believe we are doing our best work ever together in the studio right now," Mustaine said.

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie at the NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California, Mustaine stated about the direction of the band's new material: "[MEGADETH bassist] David Ellefson is one of those guys that's kind of the barometer of the band. You ask me, you never really know what you're gonna get, but when you ask David Ellefson, it's kind of like reading the ingredients on the back of something, 'cause he's such a straight shooter. He told some people the other day that this is music that's really similar to [MEGADETH's 1985 debut album] 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!', some of the stuff — really dark, really heavy and fast stuff. I mean, I don't thnk it's really as fast and heavy as 'Killing' is, to me, but Junior is a great, like I said, barometer — bad word, but he knows what's going on."

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler said in a new interview with Guitar World magazine that "13", the band's new album — the first in 35 years to feature Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and singer Ozzy Osbourne — is also the first that the original members of the band have made while completely sober. Butler explained, "This was a million times better than that last album, where everyone was coked out of their brains!" Added singer Ozzy Osbourne, "[1978's] 'Never Say Die!' should have been called, 'We Should Be Fucking Dead!'"

SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma at the end of 2011. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of cell that forms part of the immune system. Production on "13" stopped while Iommi began chemotherapy, but it wasn't long before he requested the band move operations from producer Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu, California to England so he could work on material between treatment sessions.

"Tony's the kind of bloke that doesn't want to let us down," Butler told Guitar World. "He wouldn't let his illness interfere with this album. He wanted to get it done."

Iommi's illness was not the only setback to befall BLACK SABBATH during the creation of "13". Despite spending a year writing with the band, drummer Bill Ward opted out of the reunion in early 2012 over some well-publicized contractual disagreements. After much fan speculation regarding Ward's replacement, it was finally revealed this January that Brad Wilk — best known for his work with RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE — had been brought in by Rubin to handle the album's drum duties.

"We'd have loved to have Bill on the album," Butler said. "But suddenly something came up. I went to Hawaii when Tony started his treatment, and when l came back, Bill wasn't in the band anymore."

"The only sad thing is that Bill couldn't keep it together," Osbourne told Revolver magazine. "It would have been great to have Bill with us. I've never understood the business side of this. I don't choose to go there. My wife does that for me, and Geezer's wife is his manager, and Tony's got his manager. So, I keep my nose out of it. But they couldn't come to an agreement with him. I mean, I still love him, and I wish him well, but…"

Although the band was skeptical at first about enlisting Wilk to lay down the drum tracks on "13", he proved up to the task.

"I was really surprised," Butler told Guitar World. "He had that Bill Ward kind of jazzy swing feel, rather than heavy metal bashing."

The new BLACK SABBATH album — the band's 19th overall — is due out in June. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include three seven-plus-minute behemoths "End Of The Beginning", "God Is Dead" and "Epic", as well as a track about killing pedophile priests ("Dear Father") and another about the scourge of methamphetamine addiction ("Methademic").

BLACK SABBATH last month released a behind-the-scenes video online that takes viewers into the studio for a glimpse of the making of "13". All three original members seem enthusiastic about finally working together again after 35 years, with Iommi saying about the album, "You can't always repeat what you've done, you've just got to go on. It'll be today's version of how it was 40 years ago, I suppose."

Elsewhere in the video, Ozzy said, "This BLACK SABBATH album is quite possibly the most important album of my career," while Butler added, "We'll probably all be dead soon, so while we still can play and sing, then we've got to do it."

BEATALLICA — a satirical mashup act whose hilarious schtick marries the songwriting prowess of THE BEATLES to the deep-throated rock growl of METALLICA — will release its third full-length album, "Abbey Load", on April 16 via Oglio Records (a label that is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year).

"Overall the album is our darkest," explains guitarist/vocalist Jaymz Lennfield. "Not sure why it turned out that way, to be honest. We didn't realize it til we got to listening to the first mixes. It sounds brooding in places. Not like we tuned down any more or played any stoner rock or anything. But the overall vibe is deeper than other projects we've done. Maybe it's 'cause THE BEATLES' 'Abbey Road' was the last release for them — like the end of an era. And we were placing our fingers on that. After a while, I got to embrace that whole vibe.

"BEATALLICA is always fun and interesting, and yes there are 'candy' songs on the album such as 'Help!' and 'I Saw Her Standing There'… but there is something more foreboding about 'Abbey Load' than what we initially thought."

Once more, BEATALLICA have successfully found links between both aforementioned bands, most notably on the album's tour de force, "Abbey Load Medley". "The medley...well, it's obviously one of the great famous pieces of rock music," says Lennfield. "We really enjoyed working in NEWER METALLICA tunes.

"Folks always ask us how much old stuff from METALLICA we can use. Helloooo...they have a LARGE catalog, so use it! Those tunes work great, plus the fact that we are doing what we always do: deal with tempo, time signature, rhythm patterns, keys from major to minor, adding our own riffs, etc., but now we have to make all the songs in the medley sound like they fit. Not just one song at a time, but now five songs, bang-bang-bang. The challenge was irresistible."

As for BEATALLICA's plans for 2013, Lennfield predicts some good, old-fashioned global roadwork. "Well, we'd like to finally hit Japan," he says. "It's just way overdue. We have U.S. folks asking for us to come back so we'll see how to best route. As far as Europe, they are starting to consider the fall sometime."

"BEATALLICA is so much more than a novelty cover band," adds Oglio Records founder Carl Caprioglio. "BEATALLICA's members and producer are among the most creative and talented people I have encountered in my years with Oglio Records. Their ability to blend influences from these two legendary bands is as amazing and impressive today as it was when we met in 2006."

Imagine what the BEATLES' "Abbey Road" would have sounded like if it had been originally released by METALLICA, and you have a good starting point for "Abbey Load".

"Abbey Load" track listing:

01. Come Together
02. I Saw Her Standing There
03. Michelle
04. Help!
05. Please Please Me
06. Blackbird
07. You Never Give Me Your Money
08. Sun King
09. Mean Mr. Mustard
10. Polythene Pam
11. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
12. Golden Slumbers
13. Carry that Weight
14. The End
15. Her Majesty

A live studio performance of the song "Feel Like I Do" from Texas heavy rockers DROWNING POOL can be seen below (courtesy of Revolver magazine). The video showcases the band's new lead singer, Jasen Moreno.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce admitted in a new interview with Billboard that he went through a "little bout of depression" after the band's last singer, Ryan McCombs, left the group in 2011. Pierce called McCombs' departure after six years "frustrating . . . like 'Here we go again,'" but added, "Now I look back, and things happen for a reason. It led us on this path and now we've got our favorite musician we've ever worked with, hands down. So we had to go through all the rest of it to get to this point."

DROWNING POOL's new singer — their third since the death of original frontman Dave Williams in 2002 — is fellow Dallas resident Jasen Moreno, and Pierce told The Pulse Of Radio a little about him. "Super great guy to work with, man," he said. "He's been by far the most respectful guy we've worked with since, you know, Dave's passing, and it's been nothing but awesome. We've written more songs with him in this past year than I think we've ever written in our whole career. He's a singer/songwriter as well. It's just fun to work with somebody else who's as passionate about it as you are, you know what I mean?"

Pierce told Billboard the band has known Moreno since the late '90s, saying, "He's been that guy on the scene; he was always great but never got his shot."

Moreno makes his debut with the group on its fifth studio album, "Resilience", which is due out on April 9. The first single is "Saturday Night".

Pierce said the record "has the staple DROWNING POOL sound . . . It's definitely more of a heavy record than we've done before, though."

DROWNING POOL is currently on the road with FLYLEAF, who are also introducing a new singer named Kristen May. The tour stops in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday (March 8).

After finishing off a very eventful and busy past year of promotions for their previous album release, "Bilateral", acclaimed Norwegian progsters LEPROUS entered the studio to start recording their follow-up effort.

Entitled "Coal", the new CD will be released on May 20 in Europe and May 28 in North America via InsideOutMusic.

Comments LEPROUS singer/synth player Einar Solberg: "With our upcoming album, 'Coal', I feel we are one step closer to a personal expression. Heidi Solberg Tveitan and Vegard Tveitan of Mnemosyne were the producers of this album, together with LEPROUS. They helped us a lot with reaching the full potential of the songs, and the album would not be equally good without their expertise. Jens Bogren and Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios mixed the material and have made this album shine like nobody else could.

"I see less interest in defining music than in creating music, but I will give a short overview on what to expect...

"'Coal' is a more melancholic and darker album than the more playful 'Bilateral'. By darker I don't mean more aggressive, but more severe. There is still a big range in the dynamics, but no jumping between different moods within a song. We cannot wait to show this album to the world!"

Video footage from the "Coal" drum recording sessions can be seen below.

Actor Dane DeHaan, who stars in METALLICA's much-anticipated 3D movie, "Metallica Through The Never", has described the film as "a concert movie meets 'The Wall' meets METALLICA" and says that it is "unlike anything that [he has] ever seen before."

"Metallica Through The Never" will be the first new release via Picturehouse, the full-service independent film marketing and distribution company started in 2005, which is reopening its doors with founder Bob Berney at the helm. The film, written and directed by Nimród Antal ("Kontroll", "Predators"), stars members of the iconic rock band and DeHaan ("Chronicle", "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"). DeHaan plays a young band crew member who is sent out on an urgent mission while the band is playing a rousing live set in front of a sold-out crowd and unexpectedly finds his world turned completely upside down.

Speaking to Collider.com, Dane, who first gained notice for his impressive performance on the HBO series "In Treatment" in 2010, stated about "Metallica Through The Never": "It's, in a way, like a 3D concert movie but there's also this narrative that ties together all the footage. It's gonna be, first of all, really rock and roll and really 'METALLICA,' for lack of a better word; they don't hold back at all. But during the concert, I basically go on this trip as a roadie for the band and I pretty much literally have to go through hell and back to take it back to them, and all of this is going on during the concert, so it all ties together really kind of beautifully and uniquely. It's unlike anything that I've ever seen before; it's almost like a concert movie meets 'The Wall' meets METALLICA… We filmed it last August."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine some more details about "Metallica Through The Never", which will combine concert footage with a fictional storyline. Ulrich cited the 1976 LED ZEPPELIN movie "The Song Remains The Same" as a major influence, explaining, "There are four members in LED ZEPPELIN, four members in METALLICA, it's a full-length movie, and there's a lot in this film that does not take place onstage. The major difference is that the stuff that takes place offstage in the METALLICA movie does not feature any members of METALLICA. It's two separate worlds — a METALLICA show and a story that unfolds in a parallel universe — and at some point they intertwine."

The ZEPPELIN film interspersed concert footage with fantasy sequences starring each member of the group.

The concert sequences for METALLICA's movie were shot last August at two shows in Vancouver, Canada.

Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that making a movie has been one of the most daunting challenges METALLICA has ever taken on. "It's sort of fun, it's intimidating, it's a little overwhelming, to be honest, because it's a whole different league," he said. "You know, when we go down to [the METALLICA headquarters in San Rafael, California] and record and make a record, it's kind of — you know, we can manage the size of that. [laughs] When you're talking about doing, like, a 3D movie that you're gonna, like, play all over the world, that's a little bit of a bigger undertaking, so obviously we're treading a little more carefully."

THE OCEAN has unveiled the song "Bathyalpelagic II: The Wish in Dreams" from their forthcoming studio offering, "Pelagial", a progressive musical journey written, recorded, mixed and to be performed live as a single 53-minute piece of music. Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, WITCHCRAFT) at Fascination Street Studios in Örebrö, Sweden, "Pelagial" will be released as a double CD (including a vocal and an instrumental version of the album) on April 29 in Europe and April 30 in North America through Metal Blade Records.

The concept of the album is made evident in its title, "Pelagial". Listeners will be further submersed as they journey with the band, beginning at the surface of the ocean and plunging through all five pelagic depth zones: epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathyalpelagic, abyssopelagic, and hadopelagic. In synch with diminishing light and increasing pressure as one dives or sinks deeper into the ocean, the album begins rather light and progressively gets heavier and slows as the band reaches the unfathomable depths of the hadopelagic zone, characterized by complete darkness and a thousandfold increased pressure as compared to surface level. What is amazing about "Pelagial" is that this is not some detached conceptual idea; this can actually be heard and felt while listening to the album.

Preorders are currently available for a very special acrylic boxset edition of "Pelagial", released through Pelagic Records. These heavy acrylic boxes are available in CD and vinyl formats and contain the CD digipak vs. four vinyl records respectively, as well as an extra DVD with the "Pelagial" movie by Craig Murray, all of which will be "buried" underneath five thick acrylic layers, colored in different hues of blue, each layer reflecting one of the five pelagial depth zones. The layers will be silk-screen printed with additional artwork by Martin Kvamme. 350 out of 500 copies of the limited vinyl box sets and 450 out of 1000 CD box sets have already been sold in the first five days of starting the preorder.

"Pelagial" track listing:

01. Epipelagic
02. Mesopelagic: The Uncanny
03. Bathyalpelagic I: Impasses
04. Bathyalpelagic II: The Wish in Dreams
05. Bathyalpelagic III: Disequillibrated
06. Abyssopelagic I: Boundless Vasts
07. Abyssopelagic II: Signals of Anxiety
08. Hadopelagic I: Omen of the Deep
09. Hadopelagic II: Let Them Believe
10. Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance
11. Benthic: The Origin of Our Wishes

German thrashers DEW-SCENTED will release "Insurgent" in North America on May 28 via Prosthetic Records. The 19-track effort will contain over an hour's worth of music, including three new songs mixed alongside live tracks and covers celebrating more than 20 years of restless, deadly thrash metal.

DEW-SCENTED will support TESTAMENT on a number of European shows starting on March 16 in Reggiolo, Italy. Also appearing on the bill is BLEED FROM WITHIN.

DEW-SCENTED's latest album, "Icarus", was released on July 31, 2012 in North America via Prosthetic Records (one day earlier internationally through Metal Blade Records). The CD featured guest appearances by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH), Rob Urbinati (SACRIFICE) and Dennis Schneider (RETALIATION, FINAL BREATH).

DEW-SCENTED vocalist Leif Jensen previously described the "Icarus" main theme as "a modern-times, very apocalyptic adaption of elements of the Icarus myth, using a lot of its symbolism while interlinking with several other personal or observant subjects in true DEW-SCENTED fashion." While the album — recorded at Soundlodge Studio and produced by Jörg Uken (NIGHTFALL, SUICIDAL ANGELS, GOD DETHRONED) — is not quite a concept album per se, Jensen said "Icarus" "has a pretty coherent lyrical flow, and that helps to enhance and also to intentionally enlarge the atmosphere and vibe created by the music." The "Icarus" cover artwork was once created by Björn Goosses of Killustrations.

DEW-SCENTED's current lineup is as follows (pictured from left to right in photo below):

Rory Hansen - Guitar
Marvin Vriesde - Guitar
Leif Jensen - Vocals
Joost van der Graaf - Bass
Koen Herfst - Drums

"Fight Song", the new video from Swedish female-fronted heavy rockers SISTER SIN, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's third album, "Now And Forever", which entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 44. Released on October 23, 2012 via Victory Records, the CD was recorded at Standstraight Studios in Stockholm with producer Chris Snyder and was mixed by Cameron Webb (MOTÖRHEAD, SOCIAL DISTORTION, DANZIG).

In a 2012 interview with Loudwire, SISTER SIN singer Liv Jagrell stated about the new album title: "The title 'Now And Forever' is kind of a statement for us as a band. As a band and as individuals, we have been through quite a lot of things, a lot of troubles and things that might break up bands but we're so dedicated to this band. So that's the title — we are here now and hopefully forever. We won't give up even if something goes wrong."

Asked what keeps the band going after all these years, Liv said: "Yes, it's been almost a decade — at least for me and Dave [Sunberg], the drummer — because we started the band from the beginning, and yeah, it's kind of a decade now; that's a long time. It's really hard today with the business, there's so many bands, so much competition out there, no money whatsoever and all the things with downloads. I mean, it could be good but also bad, depending on how you look at it. When I started to play music at 15, the music business and scene was totally different and you could actually make money from it. When I was 15, I just decided, 'I'm going to play music my whole life and I'm going to be a rock star' — that kind of attitude. So I spent all 15 years to convince myself that that's the only thing I will ever, ever do, so that's why I can't give up because I programmed my brain to believe that I will do this forever. I think that's why we don't give up and why sometimes other bands do — they find other opportunities and other things they love, too, they have something else you actually can do and you'll probably do that because that will make you money and a better living. If you just prepare your whole life to be in the music business and tell yourself, 'This is what I'm going to do, I'm not going to do anything else,' it's kind of foolish and childish, but in that way you just can't give up. People, of course, give up and I'm not saying I'm not going to do it years from now, but right now I still feel like I have to fight for that dream that I had as a teenager. Obviously, we all have gained a lot and experienced so much, but we're still a little bit far away that whole kind of — living with the music or for the music thing — close but still far away. [laughs] I think that's what drives us."

"Obsideo", the seventh album from resurrected Dutch extreme metallers PESTILENCE, will be released later in the year through Candlelight Records. The CD was produced by PESTILENCE vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mameli and features ten new songs, including "Necromorph", "Saturation", "Soulrot", "Laniatus" and "Superconcious". According to Mameli, the album's overall lyrical theme will be "the journey of the human soul."

"Obsideo", which means to besiege, will feature band mastermind Mameli and longtime partner, guitarist Patrick Uterwijk, with new German bassist George Maier and Australian drummer Dave Haley. Mameli notes: "PESTILENCE is chuffed to have Dave Haley in the lineup. Dave is one of the five best extreme drummers in the world, and his talent brings PESTILENCE to new levels that couldn't be reached otherwise. Georg Maier is a young and talented bass player that will turn some heads. Both guys are really down to earth and real easy going. Of course, Patrick Uterwijk is my most respectable and long-going friend and musician."

"Obsideo" track listing:

01. Obsideo
02. Soulrot
03. Transition
04. Necromorph
05. Laniatus
06. Distress
07. Superconcious
08. Aura Negative
09. Saturation
10. Displaced

The "Obsideo" cover art can be seen below.

PESTILENCE 2013 is:

Patrick Mameli - Lead guitar/Vocals
Patrick Uterwijk - Lead guitar
George Maier - Bass
David Haley - Drums

PESTILENCE's last album, "Doctrine", was released in North America in July 2011 via Mascot Records. The eleven-track CD was recorded and mixed at Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer Victor Bullok (a.k.a. V. Santura; TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS). The artwork was designed by Marko Saarelainen.

Mick Box of legendary UK rockers URIAH HEEP recently spoke with Metal Express Radio's Mick Burgess while the band was on theit UK tour. Check it out via the audio player below:

Mick Box on continuing to write new music: "It shows the band's moving forward. You don't want to be stuck in a rut, you know. There's so many bands who go out and do their classic rock thing where they just play all the old hits and that's it, but they don't do it with any emotion. We still got passion and energy for our music so we'll always be writing new stuff."
Uriah Heep

Uriah Heep will be one of the headliners of the 2013 edition of the Metalitalia.com Festival being held Saturday, May 11th at Via Mazzini 58, Trezzo Sull’Adda in Milan, Italy. The band will be performing a special best-of set spanning through all the hits of their fundamental career.

Several international and Italian special guests from various branches of heavy metal have also been invited to join such an important act including ARTILLERY, SCHIZO, GAMA BOMB, TORTURE SQUAD and ICY STEEL.

Organizers add: "The additional space outside the venue will allow us to comfortably accommodate the crowd, and will allow more room for the metal market, places to sit and other new additions such as tattoo artists, lounge rooms, etc. The Live Club is surrounded by free parking lots and can also provide meals thanks to a restaurant that oversees the stage. More newly confirmed bands and details will be announced shortly."

Ticket Prices:
Advance: €30 + service charge
Door: €35

For more details visit Facebook.

With an unprecedented 20 plus years of creating, performing, and writing music together, Kris Norris and Ryan Parrish (ex-DARKEST HOUR) are back after an 4 year hiatus forming a melodic death metal band entitled BLISSKILL.
While seething monstrous thrash riffs and somber, underlying layers of melody accentuate the bands overall sound, Blisskill encapsulates the essence of Norris' prolific writing style and Parrish's thunderous delivery on the drums. No strangers to the genre, Blisskill is unique in craft and energetic by nature, giving them the ability to make their presence known to the metal world and beyond.

An untitled full length album is in the works currently, and, with the help of their dear friend Pacey on second guitar, nearly seven tracks are completed and ready to record. Be sure to keep an eye out for that release very soon!

For more information, updates, and news on Blisskill go to this location.

Check out the Blisskill intro video and an update clip below. The band's official Facebook page can be found here.

According to BBC News, singer Ian Watkins of the Welsh rock band LOSTPROPHETS has issued a statement denying child-sex-offense charges brought against him at the end of last year.

The statement, issued on behalf of Ian Watkins by his solicitor Sarah Williams-Martin of Watkins & Gunn Solicitors, reads: "Mr. Watkins furiously denies all of the charges and allegations made. He intends to fight to the bitter end to clear his name. He wishes to thank the fans, family and friends for the constant love and support they have given and continue to give throughout this testing time."

The 35-year-old musician, who is accused of conspiracy to rape a one-year-old girl along with other charges, appeared earlier today (Monday, March 11) via video link from Parc Prison in Bridgend, and will appear in court again in May.

LOSTPROPHETS members Lee Gaze (guitar), Mike Lewis (guitar), Stuart Richardson (bass), Jamie Oliver (keyboards) and Luke Johnson (drums) released a statement on their official web site expressing their shock at the charges against Watkins.

LOSTPROPHETS has sold more than three million albums worldwide and topped the U.K. chart with 2006's "Liberation Transmission".

The band's most recent CD, "Weapons", came out in April 2012.

MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil's girlfriend, Las Vegas celebrity makeup artist and beauty educator Rain Andreani, told Robin Leach of the Las Vegas Sun this morning that it was "unknown for the moment what the illness is" that forced the singer and his bandmates to play an abbreviated set Sunday night (March 10) in Sydney, Australia. "[Vince] will get the results of the scan Monday morning Australian time" and it was possible that he would undergo an operation, she said.

Neil was reportedly rushed to a hospital in Sydney by an ambulance from the stadium and immediately underwent a CT scan.

Vince complained while onstage of internal pain and said it was so severe that he couldn't continue. Guitarist Mick Mars took to Twitter a little later to say that the singer was suffering from "kidney stones."

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx has since gone on to explain the entire situation via Facebook. "As many have heard, we had to cut our set short by four songs last night due to Vince being in severe pain on stage," he wrote. "He was doubled over on his dressing room floor five minutes 'till show time and was told by the promoter to not even play, but Vince said he couldn't do that to the fans.

"I've seen Vinnie go onstage with broken bones, his voice completely blown out and torn ligaments, but he never ever cancels… Just like an athlete, you sometimes have to play through the pain, but last night it became to excruciating.

"I was texting with Vince most of the night last night as he was just waiting for the doctor to come back with the test results. This morning we found out he had to be admitted into surgery to remove kidney stones. He just got out five minutes ago and the doctors said everything went well in the operating room.

"I am going to the hospital to see him before I head to Brisbane."

Neil also checked in from the hospital with the following message: "Just out of surgery. Spent night in hospital probably have to again tonight.

"Thank you all for the kind words and prayers.

"Doc says I should have a full recovery and be back onstage for the Brisbane show tomorrow.

"Thanks to my bandmates and crew for your support!"

CRÜE played seven songs during its Sydney set before Neil had to leave: "Saints Of Los Angeles", "Wild Side", "Shout At The Devil", "Same Ol' Situation", "Sex", "Home Sweet Home" and "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)". Drummer Tommy Lee and Mars also took part in individual solo spots at the very end. Sixx then took to the microphone and told the crowd that Neil had been in pain throughout the show and had been taken to the hospital.