"To Every Heartache", the new video from Finnish female-fronted heavy rock outfit LULLACRY, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in January with director Sauli Kivilahti.

"To Every Heartache" will be released as a digital single on February 13. The song was recorded at Noise Floor studio in Helsinki by Mikko Herranen and was mixed and mastered by Anssi Kippo at Astia studio in Lappeenranta.

LULLACRY's fifth album, "Where Angels Fear", was released in North America on April 10, 2012 through End Of The Light Records distributed by DisManic via eOne Distribution. Released on March 7, 2012 in Finland through LULLACRY's own label, OUTO Recordings, the CD — which marked the band's first effort since 2005's "Vol. 4" — was produced by Mikko Herranen (ex-vocalist for MISERY, INC.), who also sings a duet with LULLACRY vocalist Tanja Lainio in "Feel My Revenge". The album was mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers in Helsinki.

LULLACRY is:

Tanja Lainio - Vocals
Sami Leppikangas - Guitar
Sauli Kivilahti - Guitar
Heavy Hiltunen - Bass
Jukka Outinen - Drums

TESTAMENT's February 15 concert at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York as part of "The Dark Roots Of Thrash" tour will be professionally filmed for a 90-minute DVD, to be released via Nuclear Blast.

In a recent interview with RockMusicStar.com, TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy stated about the band's current tour: "We have a new show, with new songs that we are going to perform. We had previously played three legs of a tour with ANTHRAX, so we are trying to put in some new songs for this one, do a new show. We also plan on filming a DVD on this tour. We did a couple live DVDs/CDs, and we want to do some songs that are not on those, and to create something new … Our set will be about an hour and a half, with five songs off of the new record, 'Dark Roots Of Earth'."

TESTAMENT's setlist for the February 9 concert at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia was as follows:

01. Rise Up
02. More Than Meets The Eye
03. Burnt Offerings
04. Native Blood
05. True American Hate
06. Dark Roots Of Earth
07. Into The Pit
08. Practice What You Preach
09. Riding The Snake
10. Eyes Of Wrath
11. Trial By Fire
12. The Haunting
13. The New Order
14. D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)
15. 3 Days In Darkness
16. The Formation Of Damnation

TESTAMENT's new album, "Dark Roots Of Earth", sold more than 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No, 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on July 31, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER) at his Trident Studios. The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

"Death March", the new video from Indianapolis doomsters THE GATES OF SLUMBER, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new EP, "Stormcrow", which was released on January 29 via Scion Audio/Visual, (a.k.a. Scion A/V), the in-house record label and lifestyle marketing division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market. The CD was recorded by Sanford Parker and it features cover artwork by Dave Quiggle.

"Stormcrow" will contain five brand new songs:

* Death March
* (Devil's Grip) - Driven Insane
* Son Of Hades
* Dragon Caravan
* Of That Which Can Never Be

THE GATES OF SLUMBER last year parted amicably with drummer J. Clyde Paradis, who recorded and toured behind the 2011 album "The Wretch" (Rise Above Records).

THE GATES OF SLUMBER started in 1998 as a backlash against the stoner rock trend prevalent at the time and with their mixture of BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS, PENTAGRAM, and prime-era CELTIC FROST, the band has crushed or converted unbelievers ever since.

"The Wretch" was released in May 2011 via Rise Above/Metal Blade. The CD was recorded at England's Orgone Studios with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, ANGEL WITCH).

DOWN's latest EP, "Down IV Part I - The Purple EP", will be released on purple vinyl on February 26.

"Down IV Part I" sold 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Down IV Part I - The Purple EP", DOWN's first in a series of four EPs to be released over the next few years (with a year between EPs), each touching on a different aspect of the band's sound, came out on September 18, 2012.

"Down IV Part I - The Purple EP" heralds the sound of DOWN going back to its roots, with influences from BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS and WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Levitation
02. Witchtripper
03. Open Coffins
04. The Curse Is A Lie
05. This Work Is Timeless
06. Misfortune Teller

Lyrically, the EP goes beyond just personal experiences, and explores themes that include the faith of mankind, the imperfection of mankind and cultural belief systems.

"DOWN gives me the platform to be poetic and paint imagery with lyrics," said vocalist Philip Anselmo. "That's the approach I took. They complement the music and create an ominous feeling. Ultimately, when people consume the words, it's always their interpretation that matters. I could be image-conscious though when I wrote. It's not so gut level or street. The darker shit is some of my favorite."

DOWN will perform a handful of headline dates this May. Kicking things off on May 23 in Birmingham, Alabama, the band will stop in seven cities in the Southeast, including Baltimore's Maryland Deathfest, and wrap things up with a hometown show in New Orleans on May 31. Tickets go on sale to the general public on February 16 and include VIP packages with opportunities to meet the band and hang out at soundcheck.

The dates are as follows:

May 23 - Birmingham, AL - Zydeco
May 24 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
May 25 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar - Maryland Deathfest
May 27 - Augusta, GA - Sky City
May 28 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
May 31 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues

The eagerly awaited new ROB ZOMBIE album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", will be released on April 23 on Zodiac Swan/T-Boy/Ume. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with everyone from BLACK SABBATH and ALICE COOPER to WILSON PHILLIPS and LYNYRD SKYNYRD.

The "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" cover artwork can be seen below. Also available is an audio sample of the CD's first single, "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town".

"I think for the first time this new album perfectly merges the old days of WHITE ZOMBIE with the future of what I am doing now," says Rob. "I think fans of both will agree that this is the perfect combo of both worlds."

A rock icon and auteur filmmaker with insight and unlimited vision, Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of music, film, and publishing. Now, the seven-time Grammy-nominated recording artist releases his fifth solo album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", which includes "Dead City Radio And The New Gods Of Super Town", along with such tracks as "Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga", "Lucifer Rising", "Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures" and a heavy-duty cover of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's "We're an American Band".

"Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" is the first release on Rob's new label, Zodiac Swan, through T-Boy Records/UMe.

Zombie told The Pulse Of Radio what goals he set for himself in making the new album. "I wanted someone to hear it and go, 'Wow, I haven't heard that before,'" he said. "I wanted it to be just different. We really went out of our way with the sounds, so every song has a very different sound, a very different guitar sound, drum sound, just everything, where the sound, the actual sound becomes very important. You know, after all these years you want to still try to feel that you can break through new, creative areas in your own mind, and that's really what we're just trying to do, you know."

T-Boy Records is veteran rock manager Andy Gould's new partnership with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) which will serve as an umbrella label releasing new music and albums from established iconic hard-rock bands with major followings.

Gould, who currently heads his own Spectacle Entertainment Group, has managed Rob Zombie since his days in WHITE ZOMBIE. Gould's track record includes sales exceeding fifteen million worldwide and seven Grammy nominations with Zombie, including securing deals for Zombie to become one of only a handful of people to have unprecedented success for six feature films as the writer and director.

"We have had a great deal of success in the past with Rob Zombie," explains Gould about his decision to take the new venture to UMe. "We want to sign rock bands with brand names that do good business on the road, and have been underserved by the major label system. The idea I had arose out of discussions with the other managers of major hard-rock acts who all felt their artists could benefit from an improved label experience. We're looking to super-serve this niche audience, which is tremendously loyal, and is often even larger internationally than here in the States."

As a musician, Rob Zombie has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide to date. His last studio album was "Hellbilly Deluxe 2". The CD came a decade after its predecessor, "Hellbilly Deluxe", the album that established Zombie as a solo artist after the breakup of multi-platinum group WHITE ZOMBIE. That triple-platinum album also yielded a string of successful radio singles, namely "Dragula", "Superbeast" and "Living Dead Girl", which dominated the airwaves.

The rocker-turned-film director is the only artist to experience unprecedented success in both music and film as the writer/director of five feature films, with a worldwide gross totaling more than $100 million dollars. The week of his album release, Zombie will premiere his sixth motion picture, "The Lords Of Salem", that he wrote, directed and produced in tandem with the producers of the "Paranormal Activity" franchise, on April 26, with Anchor Bay Films.

Last year, in addition to working on his film, Zombie also dominated the touring world in 2012, blowing away audiences on the road with MEGADETH, then with MARILYN MANSON for the "Twins Of Evil Tour". Zombie and his band of maniacs — John 5 on guitar, Piggy D on bass and Ginger Fish on drums — brought their elaborate, multi-media production, complete with hair-raising theatrics, animatronic robots, oversized LED screens, a non-stop collage of psychotronic monster film clips, a spectacular light show, a gigantic robot with flames shooting out of its body, pyrotechnics, insane guitar riffs and vicious beats to audiences and festivals around the world.

"Expurgation Euphoria", the new video from Belgian death metalers ABORTED, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's seventh studio album, "Global Flatline", which sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 27 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.

"Global Flatline" was released in January 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, PESTILENCE, HATESPHERE) at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark. The artwork was once again created by Justin Osbourn from Slasher Design.

"Global Flatline" track listing:

01. Omega Mortis
02. Global Flatline
03. The Origin Of Disease
04. Coronary Reconstruction
05. Fecal Forgery
06. Of Scabs And Boils
07. Vermicular, Obscene, Obese
08. Expurgation Euphoria
09. From A Tepid Whiff
10. The Kallinger Theory
11. Our Father, Who Art Of Feces
12. Grime
13. Endstille

The regular jewel-case edition of "Global Flatline" includes 12 tracks while the limited-edition digipack has 14 tracks.

"Global Flatline" features several guest vocalists, such as Trevor Strnad (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), Julien Truchan (BENIGHTED), Jason Netherton (MISERY INDEX), and Keiijo Niinima (ROTTEN SOUND).

As previously reported, ABORTED will celebrate the tenth anniversary of their 2003 CD, "Goremageddon: The Saw And The Carnage Done", this spring by performing "the entire album front to back" at "a few exclusive shows" in April.

San Francisco-based doom rockers ORCHID have set April 26 as the release date for their new album, "The Mouths Of Madness". The cover art for the CD done was created by singer and tattoo artist extraordinaire, Theo Mindell.

Comments Mindell: "I wanted the cover of the album to be really classic and strong, like one of the records from my childhood where when you'd see the colors and shapes on it from across the room, you'd immediately recognize it. A classic 'icon' ...so it's very simple, really. But then I did a really elaborate painting for the inside that is totally ornate.. I wanted people to open this kind of sparse, plain thing and be drawn into another world that kind of visually told the story of some of the emotions of the record. Kind of like peeling a weird fruit open... the inner painting was really inspired by some of the Latino psychedelic murals that were done around San Francisco in the late '60s-early '70s... like the cover of 'Abraxas' by SANTANA, which is a record I grew up on and always loved. So, it's the 'ORCHID version' of those murals."

Guitarist Mark Thomas Baker stated about the extensive "The Mouths Of Madness" production process: "Most of the tracks on 'The Mouths Of Madness' were cut in early June 2012. We were pretty fresh off of our European tour and full of confidence. The basics done at that time were the best recording experience that we've had so far. Everybody got along great and did great work.

"We did this album with a completely different guitar sound than 'Capricorn'. I think it sounds much heavier in that regard. We take a lot of time to get things right. I hope people enjoy it and let it sink in. I think it's miles above our past efforts."

Producer Richard Whittaker, who also took care of the latest BLACK SABBATH and THIN LIZZY rereleases/analogue transfers, comments: "I've been a huge fan of ORCHID since I first heard their debut EP back in 2009, and they've certainly come a long way since then. So, as you can imagine, to be asked to work with ORCHID on their records was an honour and a pleasure. They're a great bunch of guys and a stellar band to be involved with.

"'The Mouths Of Madness' is such a well-crafted and awe-inspiring album. Sonically, its 1974 meets 2013 which, for me, takes the SABBATH/PENTAGRAM vibe to whole new level."

As an appetizer and collector's item, ORCHID will also release the 10-inch vinyl EP, "Wizard Of War", on February 22, containing a brand new track, as well as "Demon's Eyes", a song that previously had only been released on an underground Halloween compilation as well as the extensive "Albatross", from the band's stunning debut, "Capricorn".

The official "Wizard Of War" lyric video can be seen below.

Puerto Rican death/thrashers ZAFAKON have revealed the tracklisting for their upcoming debut album, War As A Drug, to be released this spring via Khaosmaster Productions. Zafakon has recruited none other than Joel Grind from TOXIC HOLOCAUST for a guest appearance on the album.

Bassist Weslie Negron comments: "It is a great honor to have Joel featured on our album and we are deeply thankful for his time since all of us are also a huge Toxic Holocaust fans."
War As A Drug tracklisting:

'Intro'
'War As A Drug'
'Fall'
'In Resistance'
'Collateral Slavery'
'The Call Of Winslow'
'Conspiracy'
'Summoning The Vortex' (featuring Joel Grind)
'At The Mercy Of Fate'
More on Zafakon at this location.

HOLYHELL - featuring vocalist Maria Breon and guitarist Joe Stump - have checked in with an update. Breon's statement on the current status of the band is available below:
"Dear Hellions,

Francisco, Joe, Jay, John and myself are excited to announce we are fully re-recording HolyHell's Darkness Visible and working with new management and channels of distribution.

In an attempt to limit our visibility, our website, Facebook pages, as well as YouTube accounts with content made by us and our loyal fans, were either removed or made subject to a false copyright infringement claim. Although we do own the trademarks and copyrights to all HolyHell materials, this was not our doing. We extend our deepest apologies to anyone who may have been inconvenienced by these malicious actions of others.

While we work to build our new website, we offer you a place on our HolyHell Facebook page for all current updates and information, as well as inviting you to join us on our new journey.

Thank you again for your continued support and patience during our transition."

Darkness Visible, the new studio album from HolyHell, was due to be released as digital album and as physical CD in fall 2012. The band had originally announced a pre-release of the album in June 2012.

To bridge the waiting for this new studio album full of epic, power-goth metal, HolyHell released the EP Darkness Visible – The Warning that featuring three songs from the forthcoming long play album, and a never before released live version of the song ‘Armageddon’, performed live at The Agora, Cleveland, OH on March 12th, 2011.

Lion Music has announced the addition of ANTON JOHANSSON to the label’s roster for the release of the epic Galahad Suite on May 11th.
With a sound that runs across progressive rock/metal, melodic and hard rock grounds with equal measure, Anton Johansson’s Galahad Suite is the result of an idea that has been in the head of former MISTER KITE member Anton Johansson for almost 30 years and features an array of talented musicians including Linus Abrahamson (guitar and bass), Carl Lindquist (vocals), Mats Bergentz (drums), Sebastian Berglund (keyboards), Anna Forsvall Lundmark (cello) and backing vocals by Evelina Andersson, Ellen Abrahamson and Mikael Cederhag.

The album also boasts notable guest performances by guitarists Mattias IA Eklundh (FREAK KITCHEN), Magnus Karlsson (PRIMAL FEAR), Jonas Hansson (SILVER MOUNTAIN), Dennis Post (STAR*RATS) and Magnus Kristensson (Mister Kite); along with keyboards by Lalle Larsson (AGENTS OF MERCY) and additional vocals by Alf Wemmenlind (Mister Kite).

An album preview can be seen below:

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

"The work with the release is proceeding well and the pre-production is almost finished
We shall soon enter the studio for the actual recordings."

A three-minute YouTube clip containing audio samples of the tracks that appear on the debut EP from CIVIL WAR can be found below. The CD was released on November 13, 2012 via Despotz Records.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Details of "...And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth", the new album from dark metallers AETERNUS, have just been revealed. The ten-track CD, which will be the band's seventh full-length release, will first appear as a limited edition containing AETERNUS' classic 1995 debut EP, "Dark Sorcery", as a bonus, and is set for release on Dark Essence Records on March 18 worldwide (except for Norway, Germany, Austria and Sweden, where the album will appear on March 22).

Formed in Bergen, Norway in 1993 by guitarist and frontman Ares, AETERNUS has re-emerged seven years after the release of their last album "Hexaeon" with a new lineup that comprises Ares on guitars and vocals, Phobos (GRAVDAL, MALSAIN) on drums and Specter on guitars. One of the pioneers of what the band calls "dark metal," AETERNUS' sound combines features from both black metal and death metal with superlative guitar playing and occasional haunting, melodic interludes.

"...And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth" was produced by Bjornar E. Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES, BLACK HOLE GENERATOR) at the Conclave And Earshot studios in Bergen. All music is by AETERNUS, concept and lyrics by HELHEIM's V'gandr. Artwork is by Timo Ketola, known for his work with bands such as for DEATHSPELL OMEGA, ASPHYX, DISSECTION, MARDUK, WATAIN and OPETH, among others, while band photos were taken by Christine Ristesund. The bonus EP, "Dark Sorcery", was recorded, mixed and mastered by Cato Langnes at Hindu Lyd in 1995 and produced by AETERNUS. Lineup on "Dark Sorcery" is Ares on guitars and vocals, Erik (VROLOK) on drums and Ørjan on bass. All music and lyrics by Ares.

"...And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth" track listing:

01. There Will Be None
02. ...And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth
03. Spurcitias
04. Ruin And Resurrect
05. The Confusion Of Tongues
06. Hubris
07. Reap What You Saw
08. Saligia
09. The Hand That Severs The Bonds Of Creation
10. The Spirit Of Illumination

"Dark Sorcery" (bonus)

01. Black Dust
02. Victory
03. Raven and Blood
04. Nordlys (instrumental)

"Live By The Code", a brand new song from the Los Angeles hardcore/metal band TERROR, can be seen below. The track is the title cut of the group's sixth studio album, 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."

Hamburg, Germany-based melodic power speed metallers TRAGEDIAN will release their second studio album, "Decimation", this summer via IceWarrior Records. The CD was mixed and mastered by Uwe Lulis (REBELLION, GRAVE DIGGER, MAGIC KINGDOM). The cover artwork was designed by Uwe Jarling.

According to a press release, "mainman behind TRAGEDIAN is Gabriele Palermo, a gifted guitarist/bassist and songwriter, inspired by many classic metal/rock bands such as DIO, FIFTH ANGEL and '80s-era HOUSE OF LORDS."

Originally formed in 2002, TRAGEDIAN combines traditional metal with modern and progressive influences.

TRAGEDIAN is:

Val Schieldon (ex-ORACLE SUN, SIGMA) - Vocals
Gabriele Palermo (ex-STORMWARRIOR) - Guitars
Dany All (FOGALORD, SYNTHPHONIA SUPREMA) - Keyboards
Steve Vawamas (ATHLANTIS, SHADOWS OF STEEL) - Bass
Max Polon - Drums

Manheim, Pennsylvania-based quintet AUGUST BURNS RED will enter the studio next week to start recording its fifth full-length album (holiday releases notwithstanding), due out later this year.

"2012 turned out to be quite intense for us from a touring standpoint," says guitarist JB Brubaker. "We did more traveling than we had ever previously done in our career and after three straight months on the road to end the year I think we were all ready to come home and shift into writing/recording mode. Now that the writing is complete we are all itching to get started with the actual tracking."

Eschewing the trend towards big-name producers, AUGUST BURNS RED has opted to keep in the family for the forthcoming effort, reteaming with Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland of Atrium Audio — the same hometown studio where the band recorded last year's fan-favorite holiday album, "Sleddin' Hill". The forthcoming album promises to be AUGUST BURNS RED's most adventurous and exciting work to date — no small feat for a band that has constantly reinvigorated the genre over the course of its career.

"This new record will push the boundaries of our genre more than we ever have before," Brubaker continues excitedly. "We set out to write a record where every song stands out from the last. There is a lot of ground covered here and a ton of meat to this album. It's full of odd metered rhythms and breakdowns, unexpected twists and turns, and some of our most technical riffing to date. Each of us have parts that make our heads spin and we have had to practice like crazy to get some of this stuff together. I know we always say this, but this will be our most ambitious album yet."

The band was recently announced as a mainstage act on this summer's Vans Warped Tour, marking their third appearance on the venerated annual event, where they were last seen in 2011 performing in support of "Leveler".

AUGUST BURNS RED's fourth album, "Leveler", sold around 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in June 2011 via Solid State Records.

Due to "manufacturing problems," the release dates have changed for SAXON's new album, "Sacrifice". The CD will now be issued on March 1 in Europe (except in the U.K., where it will be made available on March 4) and March 26 in North America through UDR. Taking a sharper, re-invigorated approach to the production, on this, their 20th album, SAXON have produced 10 of their strongest, heaviest and most inspired songs for many-a-year, and a more than worthy successor to their last album "A Call To Arms".

"Less tricks, more power!" roars frontman and founding father Biff Byford. "My brief to the band was to be raw, be real and not be afraid to look back at the old classic material for inspiration."

The album was recorded at LS Studios in Yorkshire and was produced by Byford, with Andy Sneap mixing and engineering by Jacky Lehmann. It fairly bristles with muscular metallic intent, Paul Quinn's and Doug Scarratt's guitar work the best it's ever been, while Biff's vocals sound fresher and livelier. The songwriting too harks back to a classic era in SAXON's history, with the likes of "Warriors Of The Road", "Wheels Of Terror" and "Stand Up And Fight" evoking the halcyon days of yore with a contemporary twist, the classic SAXON sound absorbing the snarl, ferocity and attitude of contemporary bands (and fans) such as MEGADETH, as evidenced by the crunching title cut, "Sacrifice".

"It's certainly been done from a more early '80s thrashier perspective," explains Biff, "and it's not just guitars bashing away willy-nilly, they've got a fresh drive, purpose and perspective."

Besides the new material, SAXON will also be adding some unique recordings of revisited classic to certain formats of the release, also produced by Byford and mastered by Andy Sneap, including an orchestrated version of "Crusader" and an acoustic version of "Frozen Rainbow".

"From the songs to the production, I wanted to focus on the raw aspects which made us great in the first place," concludes Biff, "And living in that rawness, combined with some great classic SAXON songwriting, has in my opinion made SAXON fresher than ever."

The "Sacrifice" cover artwork was created by longtime SAXON artist Paul Raymond Gregory and can be seen below.

"Sacrifice" track listing:

01. Procession
02. Sacrifice
03. Made In Belfast
04. Warriors Of The Road
05. Guardians Of The Tomb
06. Stand Up And Fight
07. Walking The Steel
08. Night Of The Wolf
09. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue

Bonus track:

* Luck Of The Draw (on iTunes only)

01. Crusader (orchestrated version)
02. Just Let Me Rock (re-recorded version)
03. Requiem (acoustic version)
04. Frozen Rainbow (acoustic version)
05. Forever Free (re-recorded version)

"Confessions", the sixth studio album from Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY, is available for streaming in its entirety at this location. Due on February 13, the disc will be BUCKCHERRY's first domestic release with new label Century Media Records. The CD will be made available via Eleven Seven Music in other parts of the world.

According to the Dropping The Needle podcast, the Japanese edition of "Confessions" will include two bonus tracks: "Wherever I Go" (from "Avengers Assemble") and a live version of "Rescue Me". The domestic deluxe edition will contain the bonus cuts "Give 'Em What They Want" and "When The Fire Starts" as well as a DVD featuring the newly released "Gluttony" music video, "On The Set: Gluttony Video Shoot", "The Story Behind Confessions" and the original "Gluttony" lyric video.

All configurations of the album will include the following track listing:

01. Gluttony
02. Wrath
03. Nothing Left But Tears
04. The Truth
05. Greed
06. Water
07. Seven Ways To Die
08. Air
09. Sloth
10. Pride
11. Envy
12. Lust
13. Dreamin' Of You

The "Gluttony" video can be seen below. The clip was shot in November in Los Angeles, with the band putting out an open casting call for fans to appear in the video.

"It's just about trying to control your behavior," BUCKCHERRY singer Josh Todd tells Loudwire about "Gluttony". "They always say that you have to do everything in moderation and that's never been my experience. One is okay, two is better, three is fantastic and four is the best. I want to consume everything, I want to go big or go home. I'm either on 11 or I'm asleep."

He continued: "That's my problem, that's my struggle, trying to moderate — that's what 'Gluttony' is about. It's like, 'I want it, I need it, I love it' and everything that feels good to me, I want to overdo it. It's just who I am and I don't understand why I can't do it."

"Confessions" is a loose concept album that revolves around the notion of the seven deadly sins and is inspired by events in Todd's childhood.

Todd has helped co-write a short film that will come out later in the year and expand upon the record's themes. It's not clear yet how the film will be distributed.

Todd said that "Confessions" is "definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it. It's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day."

The band will join KID ROCK as special guests on his upcoming "Rebel Soul" tour, beginning February 2 in Kansas City, Missouri.

DEF LEPPARD's song "When Love & Hate Collide", which originally appeared on the band's 1995 greatest-hits collection "Vault", will be released digitally for the first time on Valentine's Day (Thursday, February 14). Check out the brand new single cover art below.

One of DEF LEPPARD's biggest hits, "When Love & Hate Collide" was written by vocalist Joe Elliott and bassist Rick Savage and made it to the No. 2 spot on the U.K. singles chart.

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

DEF LEPPARD frontman Joe Elliott told

EMI will release IRON MAIDEN's double-disc DVD "Maiden England '88" on March 25. Now available for the very first time on DVD, this live show was filmed across two sold-out nights at Birmingham N.E.C Arena, U.K. in November 1988 during the band's "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son World Tour". Disc one contains the concert which has been specially upgraded and extended from the existing 1989 longform VHS release and now includes three previously unreleased encores — "Running Free", "Run To The Hills" and "Sanctuary" — thereby completing the full concert with a total running time of 110 minutes. MAIDEN's own film producer and director Andy Matthews went back to the 1988 edit and painstakingly remastered each shot digitally; color correcting and grading to give the image the best possible look from that time. As well as the VHS stereo sound track by Martin Birch, the band's producer between 1981 and 1993, the DVD also includes a brand new 5.1 audio surround mix by MAIDEN's current producer Kevin Shirley. The concert was meticulously directed and edited by bass player and founder member Steve Harris, so as to capture the performance from a fans-eye view of the stage, focusing fully on the music, the elaborate stage production and the lighting. Add into the mix an electrifying set list and, of course, Eddie, and "Maiden England" now offers a snapshot of a bygone era in which the band, as they continue to do today, devote their all in delivering the ultimate live experience for their fans.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disc One - "Maiden England '88"

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

* previously unreleased.

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

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

Check out a trailer below.

The dispensers of auditory demolition at 20 Buck Spin have confirmed the release date of Alone In The Grave - the debut 12” and digital download from Olympia, WA death metal outfit BONE SICKNESS - for April 30th.

The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
'Submit To Decay'
'Strange Obsession'
'Paranoid Delusions'
'Scraping The Bones'
'Alone In The Grave'
'Death And Dismemberment'
'Tied To The Stake'

Having raided their local punk/metal scene since 2010, Bone Sickness recall some of the earliest and most savage days of death, grind and punk into a beastly and belittling blend of what 20 Buck Spin dubs, “American death metal disfigured by grindcore.”

Following a demo tape and a self-titled EP on Detest Records, this ravaging quartet have completed their debut 12”, Alone In The Grave. A maelstrom of breakneck intensity in the tradition of REPULSION, AUTOPSY, early NAPALM DEATH, and INFEST, Alone In The Grave aborts seven tracks in 20 minutes.
Catch Bone Sickness live on April 25th at Highline in Seattle, WA with ABSU.

Legendary heavy metal band BLACK SABBATH will release its much-anticipated new album, "13", in June via Vertigo/Universal Republic in the U.S. and Vertigo in all other territories. The drum tracks on the group's first LP with Ozzy Osbourne since 1978 were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.

Osbourne, Tony Iommi (guitar) and Geezer Butler (bass) recorded the album primarily in Los Angeles with producer Rick Rubin. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "God Is Dead", "End Of The Beginning" and "Age Of Reason", the latter two of which stretch out to as long as eight minutes.

A full behind-the-scenes video from the "13" recording sessions will be released tomorrow. In the meantime, check out a 30-second teaser below.

"I wanted to make an album that stood alongside their first four albums," Rubin tells RollingStone.com. "The first album wasn't a straightforward heavy metal record. You could hear the jazz influence, so that was the goal, and to capture that live interaction."

Ward in May 2012 announced again that he was declining to join his former bandmates for its scheduled 2012 dates, as well as the recording of the new album, due to a contractual dispute. After SABBATH shot down Rubin's suggestion to replace Ward with Ginger Baker (CREAM) ("I thought, 'Bloody hell?'" Iommi tells the magazine. "I just couldn't see that."), Rick suggested Wilk.

Iommi tells RollingStone.com that Ward's demands came out of the blue. "I didn't know Bill was having these issues when we got together — he never even mentioned it to us," he says. "It was quite confusing. We wanted him involved, but it was just getting too hard." Adds Osbourne: "You can't go, 'Well, I don't like it.' You get off your ass and get your shit together. The life of a bohemian rock star is fucking long over."

Iommi was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2011, and his treatments forced BLACK SABBATH to cancel all but three tour dates in 2012 after announcing their reunion in November 2011.

"Things are fairly good, dare I say, at the moment," Iommi tells RollingStone.com. "I'm still here and it's okay. We had to do this album now. Christ, if it happened in another 10 years, I don't know if we'd be around."

Osbourne, who describes the new SABBATH album as "Satanic blues," also spoke about one of the band's new tracks, the provocatively titled "God Is Dead". "It starts off, 'God is dead,'" Osbourne says, "but at the end it says, 'I don't believe that God is dead.'"

Madison, Wisconsin-based, female-fronted quintet LUNA MORTIS (formerly known as THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE) has announced plans to reunite for festival appearances and the release of new music, tentatively due in late spring/early summer. The band states: "Details are still forthcoming, and all five members from [LUNA MORTIS' debut album] 'The Absence' are discussing the possibilities."

In 2009, LUNA MORTIS was dropped by Century Media Records, the label that released "The Absence". The CD, which came out in in February 2009, was tracked at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM).

LUNA MORTIS's "Forever More" video can be viewed below. The clip was directed by David Brodsky, who has previously worked with ALL THAT REMAINS, BLEEDING THROUGH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and KITTIE, among many others.

In a 2009 interview, LUNA MORTIS singer Mary Zimmer stated about the progression of the band's sound: "The older stuff is more New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, IRON MAIDEN-ish kind of stuff. You can hear our metal roots in that. It's also a little more proggy. As we've progressed, the music has gotten darker and heavier with more elements of death metal coming in. We're all happy with that evolution."

Asked which is easier for her, the singing or the screaming, Zimmer said: "The screaming is so easy. If that was my only job and didn't have to do any singing, I'd be hooked up. I don't want to say that it's easy for everybody that does it, but for me personally it's way easier than singing. The singing is much harder."

"The Reap", the new video from Norwegian black 'n' roll legion VREID, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new full-length album, "Welcome Farewell", which is set for North American release on March 5 via Indie Recordings. Cold and compelling, the follow-up to 2011's "V", which Decibel magazine called "VREID's finest hour," was recorded at bassist Hváll's own Studio 1184.

Described by Metal Hammer as a "unique time-travel in metal," commending their merge of '70s rock, '80s classic metal and Norwegian black metal, with the eight-track "Welcome Farewell" VREID again add a new twist to their already difficult-to-pinpoint sound. Hváll says of the new material, "It's been a lot of work, but we are utterly pleased with the result. 'Dark,' 'heavy' and 'VREID' are the three keywords to describe it."

"Welcome Farewell" track listing:

01. The Ramble
02. The Way Of The Serpent
03. The Devil's Hand
04. Welcome Farewell
05. The Reap
06. Sights of Old
07. Black Waves
08. At The Brook

VREID formed in 2004 following the demise of ''Sognametal" legends WINDIR. Some described their music as a fusion of WINDIR's ambiance, the rawness of Norwegian black metal and the molten groove of SEPULTURA, METALLICA and MOTÖRHEAD blended with historically inspired lyrics. Their third and fourth offerings, "I Krig" and "Milorg", were both concept albums based around the liberation work in Norway during World War II. Liberation was also the keyword on "V", but put in a broader historical/philosophic perspective. The lyrics on "Welcome Farewell" describe a lifecycle through a series of short stories, seen from an existential point of view and, inspired by Hváll's own local community with its nature, architecture and historical artists such as Arne Garborg and Otto Valstad, are more personal than ever before.

VREID is:

Hváll - Bass
Sture - Vocals/Guitar
Strom - Guitar
Steingrim - Drums

Norway's IN VAIN will release its third attack of progressive extreme metal, "Ænigma", on March 8 in Norway, March 15 in Germany and Austria and March 11 in the rest of Europe through Indie Recordings. The band's most extreme work to date, it was mixed and produced by the legendary Jens Bogren (OPETH, SOILWORK, BORKNAGAR) at Fascination Street in Örebro, Sweden. The cover artwork was designed by Robert Høyem.

According to a press release, "Ænigma" contains "eight songs of IN VAIN's unique trademark sound and as usual, IN VAIN has brought some guests along, and 'Ænigma' sees appearances by Lazare and Cornelius from SOLEFALD."

Commented IN VAIN's Johnar Håland: "We had a solid impression of the productions coming out of the Fascination Street Studio, and believed Jens was the right guy to give the music the crystal clear and powerful sound that it demands. Jens did not cut any corners and delivered a production par excellente."

The second in a series of video clips featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the "Ænigma" recording sessions can be seen below. Also available is a stream of the album's new single, "Against The Grain".

Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON have entered the studio to begin recording their new album for a tentative September release. The band will premier some of its new material during an appearance at this year's edition of the Inferno festival, set to take place March 27-30 at the Rockefeller, John Dee, Rock In, Blå, Unholy, Victoria and Revolver venues in Oslo, Norway.

In a June 2012 interview with MetalSickness.com, SATYRICON frontman Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven stated about the band's decision to take a long break after completing its last extensive tour in 2009, "I felt that the cycle of SATYRICON had become very something different from what I wanted it to be. It became like this: write, rehearse, record, promote, tour, finish. [Then again] write, rehearse, record, promote, tour, finish. And again and again and again. And I came to a point in 2009 where I went, like, 'What's the point of this? Is this why I started [playing music]? Definitely not.' This was never my goal to come in a situation like this. It's not like I dreamt about living on a bus. It was not my goal in life. Or to live my life in a suitcase. Or in a backstage. It was never my plan. My plan was to write music, record music and release music and then do the occasional show and tour, but this became like a clusterfuck of events — all the time something going on and all this pressure all the time, especially from everyone around us. Plus, I also think that when you're working so intensely, there's sort of this tear-and-wear to people on a personal level. And also, as the leader of a company or a sports team or a metal band, you also have a responsibility to make some decisions that might be popular but unnecessary. And for those who just want to go on the road and play all the time, they don't want to have a break, and our agent and record company, they certainly didn't want any break. But for me, it became almost like a choice between quitting as a band or taking a break."

SATYRICON's latest album, "The Age Of Nero" (2008), entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 73. It also landed on the national chart in Norway at position No. 5. This was SATYRICON's lowest chart entry in the band's home country since "Rebel Extravaganza", which premiered at No. 32 in 1999. "Volcano" (2002) entered the chart at No. 4, while 2006's "Now, Diabolical" came in at No. 2.

ENSLAVED, EL CACO and NEKROMANTHEON have been nominated in the "Metal" category at the 41st annual Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards). The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show will be held March 23 at Konserthus in Stavanger, Norway and will be broadcast live on the Norwegian channel NRK1.

The nominees in the "Metal" category are as follows:

* EL CACO - "Hatred, Love And Diagrams"
* ENSLAVED - "RIITIIR"
* NEKROMANTHEON - "Rise, Vulcan Spectre"

Commented ENSLAVED (pictured below): "By the hammer, saw, and grinder of Thor! What an incredibly pleasant surprise to be getting on the road, being nominated for Spellemannsprisen! Having that many people interested and versed in music liking our album is simply overwhelming. We'll miss the party, but feel confident that others will take care of the scandalous behavior. Thank you jury, this means a lot to us no matter the outcome of the 'final!'"

This is the seventh time ENSLAVED has received a Spellemann award nomination. They have won four consecutive times for their previous four studio albums:

2010: "Axioma Ethica Odini" - Winner
2008: "Vertebrae" - Winner
2006: "Ruun" - Winner
2004: "Isa" - Winner
2003: "Below The Lights" - Nominated
2000: "Mardraum" - Nominated

Last year's Spellemann award in the "Metal" category went to ÅRABROT for the band's "Solar Anus" album.

MEGADETH has set "Super Collider" as the title of its new album, due this June via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft.

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

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie at last month's 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."

On the topic of MEGADETH's current label situation, Mustaine said: "We have a new label. We left Roadrunner; we completed our contract with them, which not a lot of many metal bands have the luxury to have been able to complete contracts. They usually either break up or quit or give up and stuff like that, but we were honorable and finished our contract with them and we moved on. And we've actually got a fantastic relationship with a brand new label. We have eleven songs already recorded. We wanna give them thirteen, 'cause, you know, the B-sides and Japanese releases and all that kind of crazy stuff."

In a January 24 post on his Facebook page, Ellefson wrote about the recording process for MEGADETH's new album: "Having a great week here at Vic's Garage laying down bass on the new songs. Really some great, great songs taking shape at this point in the recording process. I told Dave [Mustaine] today that one of them totally reminded me of the earliest stuff back when we first met. Fast, ripppin' and fully bringing the REAL old-school MEGADETH sound!!!"

Johnny K produced MEGADETH's last album, 2011's "TH1RT3EN", which was also recorded at Vic's Garage.

German power metallers GAMMA RAY will release a new EP entitled "Master Of Confusion" on March 15 via earMUSIC, the Hamburg, Germany-based international rock label which is part of Edel Group.

Check out the cover artwork below.

In addition to the brand new title cut, "Master Of Confusion" features a second new studio track, "Empire Of The Undead", showing the heavier side of the band, with an explosion of energy and pure GAMMA RAY sound at its best.

The release is not free from tasty rarities: a brand new studio cover versions of British glam rock band SWEET ("Lost Angels" — "the reason I have joined a band many years ago," stated GAMMA RAY frontman Kai Hansen) and a hidden treasure of NWOBHM ("Death Or Glory" by HOLOCAUST).

"Master Of Confusion" is rounded off with six live versions ("The Spirit", "Wings Of Destiny", "Farewell", "Gamma Ray", "Time To Break Free" and "Insurrection", recorded in Bochum) that were already included on the Blu-ray "Skeletons & Majesties Live" but were not featured on the CD release (which included the show recorded in Pratteln).

"Master Of Confusion" track listing:

Side A

01. Empire Of The Undead (new studio track)
02. Master Of Confusion (new studio track)

Side B

03. Death Or Glory (Holocaust studio cover version)
04. Lost Angels (Sweet studio cover version)

Side C *

05. The Spirit / 06. Wings Of Destiny / 07. Gamma Ray
08. Farewell / 09. Time To Break Free / 10. Insurrection

*Recorded live in Bochum

"Master Of Confusion" and "Empire Of The Undead" are the first two new studio songs by GAMMA RAY to be released after the successful studio album "To The Metal!" which brought GAMMA RAY at the highest positions in the charts worldwide.

"We have been away for quite some time," declared Hansen. "We have released what we consider a very beautiful live product, 'Skeletons & Majesties Live', but we felt it was time to release some new music by the Rayz…

"Yes, we planned to have an album ready by now but deadlines are not our best friends. No, seriously, although we have already started working on the new album, we did not want to wait any longer and thought we should let the fans listen to these two new songs before the world tour with HELLOWEEN. We have also recorded cover versions of two songs we have always loved and… before anybody could say that a CD can feature more minutes of music… we are also releasing the live material recorded for the 'Skeletons' Blu-ray that could not be included on the live CD.

"OK, it's not a new album. But it's 60 minutes of music… call it the longest single in metal, if you like!"

With its 60 minutes of pure and raw GAMMA RAY, "Master Of Confusion" is a great way to wait for the new album, scheduled for the end of 2013.

GAMMA RAY always takes its music and the relationship with their fans very seriously, and the band wanted this release to be priced as a mid price mini-album.

Kai & Co. are not afraid to celebrate their peculiarity with humor and irony.

Reading the lyrics of the song "Master Of Confusion", not too many clarifications are necessary…

GAMMA RAY are indeed the masters of confusion, a trait all the fans and also the music industry had no option than to accept and appreciate. They bring chaos to other people's lives, they miss important deadlines, they reschedule the release of the desperately awaited new long player, but they never miss a show, they never let a fan down, and in a world of calculated and career-driven rock stars, they are among the few remaining honest true heavy metal heroes.

Excerpt from "Master Of Confusion":

No matter where I'm going
And anywhere I roam
I am the master of confusion

Maybe you'll see me coming
Or maybe I just don't
I am the master of… confusion

The label's calling, boys are you done?
The deadline's past, time to deliver
I am so sorry, we're running late
Some unexpected ghost in the machinery

Whenever I am closing in
Your peaceful life goes in the bin
Let chaos begin

"Save You From Yourself", the new video from Swiss rockers SHAKRA, can be seen below. The clip features the appearance of "snake woman" Nina Burri, known from several TV/talent shows.

"Save You From Yourself" comes off SHAKRA's latest album, "Powerplay", which entered the official chart in Switzerland at position No. 1. The CD also landed on the German Media Control chart at No. 81.

Released on January 11 via AFM Records, "Powerplay" is "the most varied SHAKRA album to date," according to a press release. "In addition to major ballads and earthy rock songs, it also includes more opulent tracks. It's the band's ninth album, and second with singer John Prakesh, but critics agree that this band has now really turned a corner, and if 'back on track' on the last record, they're now gunning the engine and steaming down the highway on this one."

Guitarists Thomas Muster and Thom Blunier continue with the driving material on tracks such as "The Mask", a storming rocker gripped beautifully by the honesty of the songwriting and the tightness of the production (again handled extremely efficiently by Blunier at his own Powerride Studios), but once again the music keeps on pulling you back to Prakesh and the feeling that this singer, who was a virtual unknown when he joined SHAKRA, has come through with shining colors yet again.

"Even though it is difficult to top being No. 2 in the charts, we believe that the new album really has got what it takes to do just that," the band explained recently on their web site; a mix of confidence and sober analysis definitely to the fore. "We are very satisfied with 'Powerplay'. Now it's really up to the public and the fans. We hope they like it as much as we do."

Even after 20 years of history, the original band members (Blunier [guitar], Muster [guitar], and Roger Tanner [drums]) still appear to be much of the driving force behind the material, but the young guns of Dominik Pfister (bass) and most particularly singer John Prakesh, are knitting together perfectly and this band now has just one overriding goal: to make good, honest, hand-made hard rock utterly irresistible.

"Powerplay" track listing:

01. Life Is Now
02. The Mask
03. Higher
04. Wonderful Life
05. Dear Enemy
06. Save You From Yourself
07. Don't Keep Me Hanging
08. Dream Of Mankind
09. Stevie
10. Because Of You
11. Secret Hideaway
12. Too Good To Be True

The "Wonderful Life" video can be seen below.

Vocals: John Prakesh
Guitar: Thom Blunier
Guitar: Thomas Muster
Bass: Dominik Pfister
Drums: Roger Tanner

The Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden told his story to Esquire magazine — speaking not just about the raid and the three shots that changed history, but about the personal aftermath for himself and his family. In the article, the unidentified man spoke of one raid, where he and his team, accompanied by two dogs, wiped out "an entire spiderweb network."

It was important to him to stress that no women or children were killed in that raid. He also insisted that when it came to interrogation, repetitive questioning and leveraging fear was as aggressive as he'd go. "When we first started the war in Iraq, we were using METALLICA music to soften people up before we interrogated them," the Navy SEAL said. "METALLICA got wind of this and they said, 'Hey, please don't use our music because we don't want to promote violence.' I thought, Dude, you have an album called 'Kill 'Em All'.

"But we stopped using their music, and then a band called DEMON HUNTER got in touch and said, 'We're all about promoting what you do.' They sent us CDs and patches. I wore my DEMON HUNTER patch on every mission. I wore it when I blasted bin Laden."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich appeared as a guest on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" in April 2009, where the liberal news commentator and the Danish drummer discussed living in San Francisco, Guitar Hero: Metallica, and politics (see video below). With the debate over the military and CIA's use of torture front and center in the news lately, Maddow also asked Ulrich how he felt about METALLICA's music being used to psychologically torture prisoners of war. "There is a lot of METALLICA music that's helping a lot of scared 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kids out there who are out on the front lines and who are doing a hell of a job on behalf of you and me and the rest of us," he said. "But obviously when you hear stories like the one you're telling, it all seems so bizarre and so strange that METALLICA's music, which generally sort of facilitates bringing people together, is used in these bizarre circumstances. It's certainly not something that we in any way advocate or condone."

Ulrich also told Maddow that if someone really wanted to use music to torture others, there are groups out there that are way more extreme than METALLICA. "If there are people that are dumb enough to use METALLICA to interrogate prisoners, you're forgetting about all the music that's to the left of us," he said. "I can name, you know, 30 Norwegian death metal bands that would make METALLICA sound like SIMON AND GARFUNKEL."

The German-language television network 3SAT spoke to METALLICA guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield in 2008 about the use of METALLICA's music to torture Guantanamo Bay, Cuba prisoners. "Part of me is proud is because they chose METALLICA," Hetfield said about the reports that the band's song "Enter Sandman" was used during the interrogation of Mohammed al-Qahtani — known as the 20th hijacker on Sept. 11 — and that listening to the track brought al-Qahtani to tears "because he thought he was hearing the sound of Satan." James added, "It's strong; it's music that's powerful. It represents something that they don't like — maybe freedom, aggression… I don't know… freedom of speech. And then part of me is kind of bummed about it that people worry about us being attached to some political statement because of that. We've got nothing to do with this and we're trying to be as apolitical as possible, 'cause I think politics and music, at least for us, don't mix. It separates people, [and] we wanna bring people together. So, so be it. I can't say 'Stop.' I can't say 'Do it.' It is just a thing — it's not good or bad."