California metallers BLEEDING THROUGH will be rejoined by their original guitarist Scott Danough on the European leg of their farewell tour.

Commented BLEEDING THROUGH frontman Brandan Schieppati: "Very excited to bring an original member to the last European tour. We are bringing back Scott Danough on guitar. I started BLEEDING THROUGH with Scott in the summer of 2000. Glad he can be part of the tour with us."

Prior to going their separate ways, BLEEDING THROUGH will embark on one final tour spanning North America, Europe and Australia.

In an exclusive statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Schieppati stated about BLEEDING THROUGH's decision to disband: "We have been a band since 1999, and many of us just had life catch up with us in the way of marriages, kids, businesses and other endeavors. We can no longer dedicate what we need to to keep BLEEDING THROUGH going.

"Personally, I feel doing this band in a part-time fashion is not what this band is about and and feel like we have always been an all-or-nothing band. With that being said, and because we have established a worldwide following over the last 14 years, we want to give us and those people one more chance to share in this music together.

Fan-filmed video footage of THE SOUTHERN CROSS performing the DIO song "Lock Up The Wolves" aboard Sweden's Rock At Sea cruise on November 16-17, 2012 can be seen below.

Before legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio died in May 2010, his former guitarist Rowan Robertson got in touch with a Norwegian drummer, Rick Hagan, and started talking about doing a few shows featuring the material from Rowsn's period in DIO, which Ronnie had not played for 20 years. With bassist Are Gogstad and singer Nils Patrik Johansson, the lineup was stable and toured in Norway twice under the name QUEENSTREET. But there was one part missing, and with the addition of 25-year BLACK SABBATH member Geoff Nicholls, THE SOUTHERN CROSS became the natural representation of what DIO musically stood for in the Eighties and early Nineties.

THE SOUTHERN CROSS's 2012 tour saw the band visiting highlights from RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH and DIO. Songs like "Man On The Silver Mountain", "Falling Off The Edge Of The World", "Lock Up The Wolves", "Don't Talk To Strangers" and, of course, the classics "Heaven And Hell" and "Holy Diver" were all featured in the concerts.

The full lineup of the band is as follows:

* Rowan Robertson (DIO, DC4) - Guitar
* Nils Patrik Johansson (ASTRAL DOORS, LION'S SHARE) - Vocals
* Are Gogstad (PAUL DI'ANNO, RIPPER OWENS, A.S.C.) - Bass
* Rick Hagan (PAUL DI'ANNO, RIPPER OWENS, 21ST CENTURY ROX) – Drums
* Geoff Nicholls (BLACK SABBATH) - Keyboards

According to Hagan, THE SOUTHERN CROSS hopes to get together late this year or early next year for more tour dates.

In the late 1980s Robertson heard that Ronnie James Dio was looking for a new guitarist. He sent a tape to the record company Phonogram. After six months of waiting, he got a reply that stated that at that moment they were not interested in him. At the encouragement of his friend and fellow guitarist Sean Manning (HURRICANE) the tenacious Robertson then contacted the DIO fan club who then asked him to send his demo tape to them.

Robertson, who was 17 years old at the time, got a great response from DIO after receiving the demo through the fan-club channels. In late January or early February 1989 Robertson was flown to Los Angeles for an audition with DIO. He was auditioned twice. Immediately after the second audition he was invited to join the band. The press-release for the addition of Robertson to DIO was sent out on July 18, 1989 and the press was invited to meet the newest DIO guitarist on July 20, 1989 at Oliver's Pub in New York City.

The first DIO album Robertson started working on with DIO was "Lock up the Wolves". These sessions included Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Jens Johansson. The band had already begun writing and recording when Jimmy Bain and Vinny Appice were suddenly excused from the band. They were replaced with Teddy Cook and former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright.

"Lock up the Wolves" was released in 1990, and the band embarked on a tour in support of the album.

Robertson stayed with DIO until Ronnie James Dio rejoined BLACK SABBATH in 1991.

Dio and Robertson had been writing songs for an album to be released in May 1991 which ended up being shelved. When the DIO band was put on ice, Robertson started work on an instructional video for guitar players. It was released on Star Licks in July or August 1991. He then teamed up with vocalist Oni Logan (ex-LYNCH MOB) and drummer Jimmy Paxson (from TRIANGLE) and began to write and record on an album together for Atlantic Records.

‘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 guitarist and founding member Kai Hansen. “We have released what we consider a very beautiful live product, ‘Live – Skeletons and Majesties’, 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. Coinciding with the start of the “Hellish Rock, Part II” tour, “Master of Confusion” will be released on March 15th, 2013 via earMUSIC.
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 humour 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 of ‘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

In addition to the brand new studio song, “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 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 “Live – Skeletons and Majesties” but were not featured on the CD release (which included the show recorded in Pratteln).

Tracklist
A Side
1. Empire Of The Undead (new studio track)
2. Master Of Confusion (new studio track)
B Side
3. Death Or Glory (Holocaust studio cover version)
4. Lost Angels (Sweet studio cover version)
C Side*
5. The Spirit / 6. Wings Of Destiny / 7. Gamma Ray
8. Farewell / 9. Time To Break Free / 10. Insurrection
*Recorded live in Bochum.

Order "Master of Confusion" here!

Addition for the USA: "Master Of Confusion" will be released as a digital bundle only in the US on Tuesday, 19th of March 2013.

TREES OF ETERNITY, SWALLOW THE SUN writer and guitarist Juha Raivio's female-fronted side project with singer Aleah Stanbridge, will enter Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden on February 24 to begin recording its debut album. The CD will be produced by Jens Bogren (OPETH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, DAYLIGHT DIES, SWALLOW THE SUN, DRACONIAN, SOILWORK) and engineered by Johan Örnborg. The drums on the album will be played by Kai Hahto (SWALLOW THE SUN, WINTERSUN), with the rest of the instruments set to be laid down during March.

A promotional video for the demo version of the TREES OF ETERNITY acoustic song "Sinking Ships" can be seen below.

TREES OF ETERNITY last year signed a publishing deal with AMF Music — a U.K.-based servicing publishing company that also offers management services, synchronization opportunities and additional marketing.

TREES OF ETERNITY's musical style is described in a press release as "down-tempo, doom/death inspired melancholia with ghostly female vocals." The full band's recording lineup will include three more musicians (whose identities will not be revealed until album recording details are released), as well as some acclaimed guest musicians.

TREES OF ETERNITY came into being when Raivio and Stanbridge got together in the studio to work on the song "Lights On The Lake" for SWALLOW THE SUN's album "New Moon". The plan was to to feature Aleah's vocals on part of the song already prepared by Juha, but when they instead began to experiment with a vocal line Aleah had written for the occasion, the session quickly headed off in a new direction and the project took on a life of its own.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/treesofeternity.

Alberta power thrashers EDGE OF ATTACK will release their self-titled debut album via Nova Scotia label Spread The Metal Records on February 19th.

The band has debuted the music video, directed by Karen Michelle Meola, in support of their second single 'In Hell'. Check it out below:
Produced by EAO guitarist/vocalist Jurekk Whipple, the debut features ten tracks of haunting vocals, shredding guitars, complex bass lines, furious drumming plus choral and symphonic arrangements along with guest artists by solo artist Ivan Gianinni, Ryan Boivard (HALLOWS DIE) and Pellek (DAMNATION ANGELS).
Edge Of Attack tracklisting:
'In Hell'
'The Haunting'
'Demon (Of The Northern Seas)' feat. Ivan Giannini
'Take Me Alive'
'In The Night'
'Edge Of Attack'
'Rise Above'
'Forever'
'The Damned' feat. Ryan Bovaird
'Set The World Aflame' feat. Pellek

The track 'Forever' can be heard below:

"Face The Evil", the new video from Belgium's BLIKSEM, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's debut album, which will be released on February 25 (three days earlier in Germany) via Alone Records. Combining blistering tandem guitars, thrashing drums, pounding bass and furious vocals, the resulting eight songs not only explore themes including revenge, oppression and madness but also celebrate the timeless glory of metal. Mastering was done by Herbrand Larsen (ENSLAVED) at the Earshot Studio in Bergen, Norway.

A CD-release party for "Face The Evil" will be held on March 2 at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium.

Lightning is one of the most spectacular displays in nature. Bolt temperatures hotter than the sun. Shockwaves radiating out in all directions. In Dutch, this deadly natural phenomenon is called "bliksem." A fitting name for an electrifying five-piece thrash band from Antwerp.

In late 2008, their quest to find a singer on par with Chuck Billy or Dave Mustaine took an unexpected and brilliant turn with the arrival of Peggy Meeussen. Her commanding razor-edged vocals are reminiscent of the late Dawn Crosby (DÉTENTE, FEAR OF GOD) and Nicole Lee (ZNÖWHITE), slicing through the existing legions of goth or guttural female-fronted bands.

BLIKSEM quickly established a strong live reputation playing dozens of youth centers and local metal and rock festivals around Belgium and soon moved up to bigger stages.

In 2010, the band recorded its first EP, which got rave reviews in numerous magazines/e-zines such as Germany's Rock Hard, Aardschok, Lords Of Metal, France's Rock Hard and Rock Tribune as well as alternative-oriented press. Critics praised the quality thrash and some went as far to declare BLIKSEM the best thing to happen to the genre in years.

In 2011, BLIKSEM expanded its horizon, playing shows in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, along with a fiercely convincing performance at Slovenia's Metalcamp festival.

The band went on to play Holland's Paaspop, which featured fellow heavy acts like HELL, ENSLAVED and ACCEPT as well as Dutch chart-toppers, and the renowned Eindhoven Metal Meeting (with EXODUS, HEATHEN, IMMORTAL and other metal greats). The momentum continued, and BLIKSEM was asked to support CHANNEL ZERO, ANGEL WITCH, VANDERBUYST and PRONG. Meanwhile, BLIKSEM created a buzz in the leading alternative media in the Benelux, including 3voor12/VPRO and Kindamuzik.nl, which called them one of the bands to watch in 2012-2013.

Singer Todd La Torre has officially quit Florida metal veterans CRIMSON GLORY.

La Torre, who joined QUEENSRŸCHE in June 2012 as the replacement for Geoff Tate, became an official member of CRIMSON GLORY in April 2010 and has played a number of shows with the band during the past two and a half years.

A "raw" version of a new CRIMSON GLORY demo track entitled "Garden Of Shadows" was released last September and was supposed to appear on the band's new concept record, which was expected sometime this year.

"We were writing the new album and things were looking good," La Torre says in a statement. "We had interest from two major European labels, which was very promising. I was very honored and proud that we were on the rise, and the fans were embracing all that we were doing. We had wonderful momentum and we were working within an important window of time within which the new record should have been recorded and released to have the most impact given the bands resurgence. Unfortunately, the record never materialized despite my best efforts."

He continued: "My involvement with QUEENSRŸCHE had nothing to do with the album progress. I haven’t been contacted to write with CRIMSON GLORY for over six months. As a band, our writing sessions were slow, eventually becoming non-existent before I ever joined QUEENSRŸCHE. During the specific timeframe that I was in talks with QUEENSRŸCHE, members of CRIMSON GLORY were simultaneously occupied by other external and internal endeavors that apparently absorbed the time and/or will away from CRIMSON GLORY, which is not fallacious per se, but it proceeded in passivity. The main reason for my resignation from CRIMSON GLORY is primarily due to its inertia status.

"CRIMSON GLORY was the catalyst that exposed me to the world as an undiscovered vocalist, and I am very thankful to them. Special thanks also to the amazing fans for their acceptance and support of not only CRIMSON GLORY, but their continued support to me as an artist. Lastly, I sincerely wish my friends in CRIMSON GLORY the absolute very best, both personally and professionally."

La Torre made his first public appearance with CRIMSON GLORY at ProgPower USA X as one of seventeen guest performers paying tribute to Midnight, the band's original singer.

Essentially unknown to the mainstream progressive metal scene, La Torre spent 22 years earning his stripes and solidifying himself as an unquestionable talent behind the drum kit of various hard rock and heavy metal projects in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. However, his vocal aspirations went largely unfulfilled until 2009 when Matt LaPorte (JON OLIVA'S PAIN), who had only heard La Torre sing on a few occasions, casually mentioned to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning that he might make a nice addition to the already stellar lineup of performers the band had accumulated. It was only a short time later that La Torre found himself at the band's rehearsal studio, and the pieces began to fall into place.

Midnight passed away in 2009 due to long-term health complications.

La Torre, who says that QUEENSRŸCHE has been his favorite band since he was 15 years old, first met QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton at last year's NAMM convention in January in Anaheim, California.

"F.R.E.A.K.S.", a brand new song from the French progressive metalcore outfit AS THEY BURN, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the group's new album, "Will, Love, Life", which will be released on February 19 via Victory Records.

AS THEY BURN will take part in this year's Bonecrusher Fest, which kicks off March 1 in Cologne, Germany. They will steamroll seventeen cities in Europe alongside JOB FOR A COWBOY, BENEATH THE MASSACRE and more. New York heavyweights EMMURE will headline the twenty-nine date "The Mosh Lives" European tour that begins April 5.

Emerging from the streets of Paris, AS THEY BURN was formed in 2007 by bassist Ronald Pastor, guitarist Fabio Meschini and drummer Milton Bakech. Vocalist Kévin Traore, known for his chillingly aggressive vocals, was enlisted shortly thereafter, along with guitarist Hoby Arinosy.

AS THEY BURN's debut album, "Aeon's War", was digitally released on June 20, 2011.

PVTV conducted an interview with Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, a massive music-products convention that took place January 24-27 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. You can now watch the chat below. Also available is footage of BLACK STONE CHERRY's acoustic performance at the event.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's third album, "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea", which sold 13,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 29 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on May 31, 2011 via Roadrunner Records.

This was the first time BLACK STONE CHERRY has not recorded in the South, this time taking up residence in Los Angeles to work with famed producer Howard Benson (THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DAUGHTRY, THREE DAYS GRACE). The new surroundings allowed them to strengthen their relationships as both band members and friends, ultimately a detail that sets "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" above previous recordings.

Interview:

Elliot Levin of the New York Hard Rock Examiner recently conducted an interview with former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On the possibility of PANTERA one day getting inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame:

Philip: "I'm a bad pessimist. I don't think about how successful any record I've ever done is going to do before it came out. People are going to think and take things how they're going to take it, and I have no control over that, so it's kind of like biding time until you get your feedback. So, it's like once the public can consume what you're putting out there, then you know. Then, you know, hit, miss, in between. You're always going to have detractors and you're always going to have people who love you and that's how it's perfectly balanced and the world spins on. So I don't really concern myself with what's going to happen big next. All I know is we're touring now, WARBEAST comes out March or April this year. My solo record comes out beginning of summer. And maybe some odd DOWN thing during the summer, the European festivals and stuff like that. And that's all I'm concentrating on now. I can't predict the future."

On whether DOWN is planning on working some of its more mellow songs back into the live set:

Philip: Oh I don't know. The sets, I'm not sure. I like to base things off of the group of guys I got, and our strengths. Think about Pepper [Keenan, DOWN guitarist] who's the lead singer of C.O.C., and Kirk [Windstein, DOWN guitarist], who sings in CROWBAR. Both of them are fucking Neanderthals, they get up on the mic and scream as loud as they can. When a song is supposed to be delicate, with harmonies, it kind of makes me cringe a little with a bunch of cavemen screaming. So I don't think it works to our strengths live, unless we really, really, really buckle down and concentrate on it. And as far as writing new material, of course, all the "Stone The Crow"s, and even a song like "Nothing In Return", it's within our... DOWN, we can touch on these different genres, different feelings within the genre — dynamics, if you will. And, of course, we have three more EPs to do, in the set of four, and sometimes I wonder, would it be really fair to the DOWN audience to wait a couple of years in between whatever and put out these five- or six-song acoustic, smooth rock records? I just don't think that would be fair, in my opinion. We might mix a little in if it's worth it, if it turns out good, but I can't make any promises. Because, really, at heart we're a bunch of heavy metal dudes.

On the DOWN song "Nothing In Return":

Philip: I was coming off some really tough years in my life. I went through the death of my guitar player, I went through Hurricane Katrina, and then I guess one of the biggest personal wars, besides Dimebag dying, was drug addiction. And chronic pain. Which really goes hand in hand, if you know anybody that suffers from chronic pain and whatnot. At that point, I had come clean, and now it's 2013 and it's been eight years for me off hard drugs, so that's a great feeling. But "Nothing In Return" is about, basically, what you give, you're gonna give back. And I have been the motherfucker on stage, out-of-my-mind drunk, on drugs, broken up inside, injured, feeling very vulnerable, and for me that's an uncomfortable feeling. And I've said things over the microphone to thousands of people that I had no business fucking saying. Badmouthing other bands, badmouthing this, that, the other thing. And just coming off as a negative person, which I'm not at all. I'm very much a positive person, so when I came clean, I recognized all this, and there were some friends of mine that were still struggling at the time, and I kept really begging them, "Take the step. All you have to do is trust me, listen to me, we'll get you off drugs, and all the bad anxiety that comes with it, the sickness that comes with detoxing and all that shit, it goes away. You can have your fucking life back, man, y'know?" Basically, that's my message right there. You can have your fucking life back. Unfortunately, you can talk a blue streak, and talk is cheap when it comes to... once you've conquered something and you're trying to tell someone else about it, they're going through the tough time, it's like talking to the brick wall. They're not hearing you, really. And such is the case a lot of times, and really that's what the song's about. Failing, kinda. In my mission to straighten some people up. Because you can't win every time. You can't win every time.

On his participation in the "Metal Masters" clinic series, also featuring members of SLAYER, ANTHRAX, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among others:

Philip: I guess doing the "Metal Masters" is my way of celebrating those years, celebrating that era of music, with a lot of guys I grew up worshipping, for god's sakes. You got SLAYER, and all those guys. I know ANTHRAX, SLAYER, all of them cats since the '80s. EXODUS. Shit, they took PANTERA out on our first national tour in 1990 with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. So we've known each other for a very long time, just to get up there with that group of guys who I respect so much man, as musicians, and visually recognizable guys who are really heroes to heavy metal. Kerry King and Charlie Benante, Scott Ian's face is fucking everywhere. I don't mean to leave anybody out, but just to be up there with those guys is enough and doing those old PANTERA songs with them is a lot of fun. Billy Sheehan [MR. BIG] last time, an incredible bass player."

Read the entire interview from New York Hard Rock Examiner.

Bram Teitelman of Metal Insider recently conducted an interview with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal Insider: I'm not going to dwell on this, but I'll start by addressing the elephant in the room, which is [guitarist] Rob's [Caggiano] departure. Did you know he was creatively unsatisfied with ANTHRAX, or did it come as a surprise to you?

Charlie: It was a bit of a surprise to me. I was bummed. He said that he wanted to pursue more producing options, and that was his reason for leaving. He had other reasons, so I guess it was something that he'd been thinking about for a while. He wanted to get back to producing and getting off the road. And you're probably going to tell me, "Well, you do know he joined another band [VOLBEAT], right?" That makes it a bit confusing. I know a lot of our fans were sad to see him go, but were like, "If you want to go produce, we understand that." But when you read that he went to go join another band, that makes it seem a bit sketchy.

Metal Insider: Let's talk about your covers EP. Wasn't it supposed to initially just be for a special edition of "Worship Music"?

Charlie: It was talked about as that. But we had some of these songs and we wanted to do something with them because we really liked the way they came out. We wanted to add a bit more, so we talked about doing three or four more songs. Joey [Belladonna, vocals] really liked "T. N. T.", so we did that. Then we did the RUSH, BOSTON and JOURNEY songs, which was another one Joey really liked as well. So we went back and recorded them and they came out really good.

Metal Insider: What are your thoughts on being nominated for a Grammy for a fourth time?

Charlie: To some, it may come as a "yeah, I got nominated for a Grammy, I really don't care," kind of thing. I actually really do care about the Grammys, because it's being recognized for your art. And it came as a total surprise to us, which was even better. We weren't sitting around waiting to be nominated, and it was a complete shock. The amount of hard work and emotion that went into making the record, I feel that being recognized for our art is amazing. I can't say what the other bands put into their records, but I know what we put into ours, and it took a while for a reason. I'm really excited about it, and I hope it goes our way.

Metal Insider: I know this is way premature, but are there any thoughts on a follow-up to "Worship Music"?

Charlie: Yeah, well, we talked about of course not waiting to long to do the next one. We're looking for some time this year to get in and start working on it.

Read the entire interview from Metal Insider.

Southampton, U.K. doom trio MOSS will release its new album, "Horrible Night", on April 2 via Rise Above Records. Recorded during the summer and autumn of 2012 at Hampshire's Earth Terminal and London's Earthworks studios, the CD is the sound of MOSS emerging from its cocoon a much more savage, intelligent and all the more terrifying beast. While no longer obsessed with extremity for its own sake — with weirdly infectious riffs, eccentric vocal melodies and no song over 12 minutes — MOSS remain heavier-than-thou, broadening their horror beyond any imposed "scene" expectations. This mastery of the craft is evident from the opening moments of first track, "Horrible Nights"; written back in 2010, it sets the course for the album, taking the twisting death-crawl of MOSS mini-epics such as "Tombs of the Blind Drugged" and administering a lethal dose of addictive melody, cooked up by the colossal riffs of Dominic Finbow and the Ozzy-via-seance vocalizations of Olly Pearson. Cuts such as "The Coral of Chaos" and "Dark Lady" expand further upon this potent formula, dragging the BLACK SABBATH blueprint to its most nightmarish conclusion and ushering MOSS further into their newest dark age.

With six tracks, MOSS proves more than ever why this English cult band is regarded exactly as such. While still no easy pill to swallow for the uninitiated, over its duration, "Horrible Night" will demand complete mind control. Nonsense prefixes such as "stoner", "sludge" or "drone" do not apply here; this is pure doom metal, a celebration of horror, the arcane and the unknown.

Although traditionally a reluctant live act, in 2013 MOSS is set to embark on its first European headline tour, as well as make a return trip to Holland's Roadburn festival.

Said MOSS: "We wanted to write something that would stand up over time… No disrespect to our earlier recordings, we feel the essence and atmosphere of those is still very much with us, but they were of a time and place that we're no longer part of."

"Horrible Night" track listing:

01. Horrible Nights
02. The Bleeding Years
03. Dark Lady
04. Dreams from the Depths
05. The Coral of Chaos
06. I Saw Them That Night

"Pestilence", the new video from Polish death-black overlords NORTHERN PLAGUE, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's debut EP, "Blizzard Of The North", which was released in North America this past December via the Canadian underground label Mulligore Production. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered in September-December 2010 at Hertz Studio (VADER, DECAPITATED, HATE, VESANIA, BEHEMOTH) in Bialystok, Poland.

NORTHERN PLAGUE is currently working on material for its as-yet-untitled full-length album, tentatively due in the second half of 2013.

"Blizzard Of The North" track listing:

01. Intro
02. Blizzard Of The North
03. Ishtar Gate's A Ruin
04. Pestilence
05. Wind Of Eternity

NORTHERN PLAGUE was created in July 2009 by guitarist and vocalist Fenris and drummer Saryon. Saryon left almost two years later and was replaced by Damyen.

NORTHERN PLAGUE has shared the stage with such bands as DECAPITATED, VADER, PANDEMONIUM LOST SOUL and AZARATH.

Brazil's NOX ETERNA have revealed the art cover of its new album, The Ocean Is Mine. It was created by its bassist Luis Felipe Chagas, who was also responsible for the art cover of its predecessor Mind Abduction, released in 2009.
The Ocean Is Mine will be released via Digmetalworld Records and distributed via MVD Entertaiment Group for North America. The release date will be confirmed soon.

The track list of The Ocean Is Mine is available below:

'Gone'
'I've Been Here Before'
'Tempted'
'The Ocean is Mine'
'She Likes the Dark'
'A Night in the Eternity'
'Disease Strikers'
'State of Mind Suicide'
'Wirewalker'
'As I Fall'
'Today I Died Again'

A video teaser for the album is available below:
Follow Nox Eterna on Facebook here.

Calgary-based classic metalheads HELLRAZER are releasing their third album, Operation Overlord, on February 22nd via Dust On The Tracks. The album was recorded and mixed at Alchemy Studios in Calgary, while legendary producer Michael Wagener (OZZY OSBOURNE, ALICE COOPER, GREAT WHITE, QUEEN,) did the final sound and the mastering of the album in his WireWorld Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to a press release, "Operation Overlord has everything a good metal record needs - superb guitar playing, really great riffs, the sound is massive."
Operation Overlord tracklisting:
'Hellrazer'
'Raging Seas'
'Enemy'
'The Hunting'
'Ironheart'
'Operation Overlord'
'Burn In Heaven'
'The Phantom'
'Death Or Victory'
'Rise Of The Machines'

Bonus tracks:
'Dehumanize' (2012 Version)
'Black Legion' (2012 Version)

Check out audio samples from the entire album at this location.

Check out the live version of 'Operation Overlord' below:

Swedish stoner rock outfit NEW KEEPERS OF THE WATER TOWERS are streaming their track, 'The Great Leveler', featured on the group's upcoming Cosmic Child album, due on March 11th on CD and limited edition vinyl LP via Listenable Records. Listen to the track below:
The band comments: "Cosmic Child is our most ambitious work yet. 47-minutes filled with dark but majestic melodies, psychedelic passages and a doomy groove. Some have gone to the lengths of calling it Dark Side Of The Doom (with reference to PINK FLOYD's legendary album with a similar title) and I guess our influences from early 70s progressive music has started to shine through the carpet of distortion. None of us have put so much emotion and effort into a piece of music of such epic proportion."
Cosmic Child tracklisting:

'The Great Leveller'
'Visions Of Death'
'Pyre For The Red Sage'
'Cosmosis'
'Lapse'
'The Cosmic Child'

Updates to follow. More on New Keepers Of The Water Towers at this location.

Oulu, Finland-based metal act ANTIPOPE are preparing to release a new full-length album, entitled 3 Eyes Of Time. The album is scheduled to be published in May via Violent Journey Records.
3 Eyes Of Time will include the following tracklisting:

'Close'
'Last Chance'
'River Standing Still'
'Burn'
'White Summer Night'
'Exposure'
'The Fear Of Fear'
'A Decomposing Ritual Of Absorption'
'Them Cacti'
'The Logic Of Self-Discovery'
'Guiding Light'

Mikko Myllykangas, bass player/vocalist and the main composer for Antipope, comments on the upcoming album: "3 Eyes Of Time presents a natural progression from the standing point of House Of Harlot album. We took what was the best on the previous album and did it even better. There are lots of new tricks, and the whole album has very strong overall atmosphere. This album also marks a complete departure from the black metal oriented influences of Antipope’s early years. In some respects this is our biggest steps as a band so far.”
More on Antipope at this location.

Indie Recordings will release Ålesund, Norway-based act BLODIG ALVOR's new album, Mørkets Frembrudd, on Feburary 12th in Europe and February 8th in Norway/Germany/Austria.
Mørkets Frembrudd tracklisting:

'Mørkets Frembrudd'
'Mr. Molotow'?'Start En Revolusjon'
'Blodig Alvor'?'Svik'?'Ordets Makt'?'Likegyldighetens Sønn'
'Solgt Min Sjel'?'Vår Resignasjon'

Blodig Alvor recently released the first single from the debut album. Check out 'Vår Resignasjon' below:
Blodig Alvor is the next band breaking out of the new Norwegian rock scene spearheaded by bands like KVELERTAK, MAN THE MACHETES, BLOOD COMMAND and OSLO ESS. It’s catchy, punky and filled with elements of classic rock.

Blodig Alvor was formed in 2009 and now, four years later, they’re ready to release their new album on Indie Recordings. Despite their young age, they’ve had a long carrier in music, including support slots for Oslo Ess and a bunch of other big Norwegian acts. Inspired by their favourite bands, the new album is clearly influenced by classic rock, as well as punk and metal. The record is a result of hard work and an intense desire to release their own music.

More on Blodig Alvor at this location.

Pagan/Viking metallers WULFSHON have released the first official video for the track 'Son Ov Wolves', extracted from their debut album Prinnit Mittilagart.
In words of the band: "'Son Ov Wolves' is one of the most aggressive, concrete-concept-themed songs of Prinnit Mittilagart. This is so not only at a musical level, but also at a literary level, for the lyrics’ subjects are relevant to our philosophy of life, both as a group and as distinct individuals. This song speaks of the moral and philosophical decadence of the most genocidal religion in history. It expresses the feelings of ancient peoples which were annihilated under the word of their God. We expose both the feelings of defilement as well as our feelings of embarrassment for the perpetrators, and we also try to showcase the worldview stemming from our origins, which we accept in order to preserve our – and the victims’- cultural identities. We attempt to protect our people’s Words, which have been often twisted; and yet in spite of this haven’t been forgotten by those who carry in their very blood the memory of the fallen Gods Son of Wolves bears our whole identity because of the fact that it clarifies the origin of our band’s name – Wulfshon. This is the last name of the band’s founder on his father’s side, and is derived from the German last name “Wulfsohn” (Son of Wolf), which in itself is a derivative form of older Germanic last names of the same meaning. That is what we are: Sons of wolves."

Check out the clip below:

UK technical metallers NO CONSEQUENCE have revealed their sophomore album’s artwork, tracklisting and title: IO. The debut single to be taken from the album, 'Coerce:Conform', will be released as a free download on March 4th via Basick Records, prior to their UK tour with Odessa.
IO tracklisting:
'So Close to Nowhere'
'Name Your Price'
'All That’s Left'
'Enemy of Logic'
'Ether'
'Bury The Debt'
'Sentient'
'Illusion Of Choice'
'Coerce:Conform'
'What Is Dead May Never Die'
'Vela'
'Unify'

The band have made the album track 'So Close to Nowhere' available to stream as a sneak preview to IO below:
IO will be released via Basick Records this spring.
No Comsequence will be touring throughout the year in support of IO. Dates announced so far are:

February
23 - Boilerroom - Guildford, UK (with Exist Immortal)

March (with Odessa)
6 - Relentless Garage - London, UK
7 - The Vic Inn - Derby, UK
8 - Intake Club - Mansfield, UK
9 - Kingston Peel - Kingston, UK

THE ALCOHOLLYS, featuring KITTIE drummer Mercedes Lander and former Kittie bassist Tanya Candler, performed at The Richmond in London, Ontario on February 1st. Fan-filmed live video of '27 Death Riot/Demolition In Speed City' is available below:
The band's schedule is now as follows:

February
16 - The Coach And Horses - Windsor, ON

March
2 - BackStage Bar & Grill - Stratford, ON

The Alcohollys have posted a short studio documentary of the sessions for The Flashback EP. It was recorded at Beachroad Studios in Goderich, Ontario with Siegfried Meier. Check it out below:
Tracks featured on the album are 'Flashback To '93' and '27 Death Riot / Demolition In Speed City'. It will be released digitally on February 12th. Check out the tracks at the bottom of the page.

The Alcohollys are:
Kimber Heart - vocals, keys
Scarlet Fever - bass, vocals
Ruby Pubey - drums, vocals
Maiden China - guitar
The Flashback EP by The Alcohollys

For information and updates on The Alcohollys go to this location.

Serbian thrashers PUTRID BLOOD have released their first-ever video for the song 'Silovanje', taken from their current album Absolute Profit; check out the clip below:
Released via Switzerland's Miner Recordings in November 2012, Absolute Profit consists of ten songs: five in Serbian, four in English, and one instrumental.
Putrid Blood is:

Stevan Milankovi - vocals
Bojan Goluža - vocals
Srdjan Ranisavljevi - guitars
Vladimir Jašur - guitars
Srdjan Hardi - bass
Petar Barna - drums

UK-based emotive doom/death metal band EYE OF SOLITUDE and their label, Kaotoxin Records, have just released The Deceit, a digital EP which is being sold to help raise funds for a Romanian organization for the blind.
A two-song version of The Deceit, which includes a remastered version of 'Painstained', from the band's now out-of-print debut, The Ghost, and a title track featuring guest vocals from Arno Strobl (ex-CARNIVAL IN COAL, 6:33, WE ALL DIE (LAUGHING)!) and Déhà (IMBER LUMINUS, MERDA MUNDI, We All Die (Laughing)!), is available through all major digital music retailers.

Orders being placed through Kaotoxin Records will receive a three-song version of the EP that comes with an instrumental cover of SHAPE OF DESPAIR's 'Night's Dew'. This bonus track edition is available exclusively at this location.

A trailer for The Deceit can be seen below:
Eyes Of Solitude lineup:

Daniel Neagoe - Vocals
Indee Rehal-Sagoo - Guitars
Mark Antoniades - Guitars
Pedro Caballero Clemente - Keys
Chris Davies- Bass
Adriano Ferraro- Drums
More on Eyes Of Solitude at this location.

DEATH TYRANT was a project of Thomas Backelin at first, running alongside with LORD BELIAL, but in the end of 2008 Lord Belial was put on ice and the ideas of turning the project into a real band began to take form. Death Tyrant as a band was formed in the spring of 2009 and the positions within the band were filled very fast.

Joakim Antonsson was recruited as drummer, shortly followed by his brother Dennis Antonsson to fill the spot as guitarist. Anders Backelin was the obvious and only choice as bass-player since Thomas and Anders already had a long time collaboration between them.
A promo EP entitled The Dark Abyss was recorded in the fall of 2010 in Armageddon Recordings - produced and engineered by Anders and Death Tyrant.

After this recording Death Tyrant recruited Daniel Bornstrand as a permanent singer since Thomas only did the vocals for The Dark Abyss because there were no vocalist up for the task at the time being.

In the fall of 2012 Death Tyrant closed a deal with Non Serviam Records who will release the band's debut, Opus De Tyranis, on March 18th.

Opus De Tyranis cover created by Marcelo Vasco:
Opus De Tyranis tracklisting:
'The Awakening Of Sleeping Gods'
'Pandemonium'
'Ixion - The Fallen King of the Laphits'
'Baphomet'
'The End'
'Impending Day of Wrath'
'Tenebrae'
'A Greater Alliance'
'Wrath And Disgust'

Check out the track 'The Awakening Of Sleeping Gods' below:

German thrash metal veterans SODOM will release their new studio album, "Epitome Of Torture", on April 29 in Europe and May 7 in North America via SPV/Steamhammer. Vocalist/bassist Thomas "Angelripper" Such, guitarist Bernd "Bernemann" Kost and new drummer Markus "Makka" Freiwald recorded a total of twelve new tracks (plus a MOTÖRHEAD cover) which "present SODOM as more diverse and multi-faceted than ever," according to a press release.

"'Epitome Of Torture' features not only your typical SODOM fare, but also two or three numbers which are slightly more moderate and melodic than what people have come to expect from us," says Angelripper, "so wait and see!"

"Epitome Of Torture" was produced by Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., ENEMY OF THE SUN), whose expertise as a sound engineer and audio magician thoroughly enhanced SODOM's previous CD, 2010's "In War And Pieces". Angelripper says: "Waldemar is a true authority. He doesn't let you get away with anything, he knows all our weak spots. Which occasionally makes working at the studio a little demanding, but at the end of the day, it's all worthwhile, as the result shows." The SODOM frontman describes the sound on "Epitome Of Torture" as "hard as nails and contemporary, without ignoring our tried-and-tested old-school attitude."

"Epitome Of Torture" will be available in four different formats: a limited-edition digipak, including two bonus tracks and a poster; regular jewel case; as a double gatefold vinyl, including three bonus tracks; and as a digital download. The cover artwork featuring SODOM's popular "Knarrenheinz" logo was developed by graphic designer Meran Karanitant, who has previously worked with SIX FEET UNDER, HATEBREED and DIMMU BORGIR, among others.

SODOM will film a video for the song "Stigmatized" later this month with Roax Media (SODOM's "Lords Of Depravity" volumes 1 and 2, VOLBEAT, THE MOB RULES) in Berlin.

"SODOM haven't had an official video clip for some time, so it's about time we did one," says Angelripper. "That's why the mini film will be uncompromising, a shocking clip which our fans can look forward to!"

SODOM's latest CD, "In War And Pieces", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64.

SODOM in 2010 parted ways with drummer Bobby Schottkowski due to "personal and private problems between Tom and Bobby," according to a statement released by the band.

SODOM's current drummer, Markus Freiwald, previously played for the German bands DESPAIR and FLAMING ANGER and was involved with the VOODOOCULT project. In addition, he played percussion as a session musician on the MOONSPELL album "Irreligious" and is featured on the 1996 LP "Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers" by Greek extreme metallers ROTTING CHRIST.

According to WTVR.com, a concertgoer defended LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe's actions during a performance in Prague, telling a Czech court earlier today that he did not think Blythe was aggressive that night, and that fans should realize any aggressive behavior displayed on stage is just part of the show.

Blythe is facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a May 2010 incident in which a fan, Daniel Nosek, who attended a LAMB OF GOD concert in Prague, died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage.

Lukas Havlena told the court during Thursday's testimony that he contacted Blythe's defense team after reading accounts of what other witnesses were saying during the trial.

Contrary to the way other witnesses described the atmosphere at the concert, Havlena said that each time somebody got on the stage, Blythe made it clear they weren't allowed there.

Blythe's defense team asked for the trial to be postponed until March 4 because one witness fell ill and two criminal psychologists who were expected to testify were unable to attend this week. Also expected to testify when the trial resumes are Havlena's friend and some more security personnel.

The singer will be allowed to return to the U.S. until his trial resumes. He indicated in court that he would definitely return to Prague next month.

The parents of the alleged victim, Daniel Nosek, are demanding compensation of 10 million Czech Koruna (approximately $530,000).

Blythe was imprisoned for five weeks in the Czech Republic after being detained on June 27, 2012 when the Grammy-nominated, Richmond, Virginia-based band arrived there for a show.

The singer was freed without charge in August but had to post $400,000 bail, then left the country, vowing to return for the trial.

Candlelight Records has announced the signing of PESTILENCE to a worldwide deal. The celebrated eastern Netherlands-based band is currently preparing to enter the studio to begin work on its seventh album, titled "Obsideo". The CD wil be produced by PESTILENCE vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mameli and will feature 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." No release date is set as of press time.

Comments PESTILENCE: "PESTILENCE is very excited to announce that they have signed a recording deal with Candlelight Records. We feel that our new material is very special and innovative and that it needs the back up of a solid company like Candlelight to get it out there to the metal world."

"Obsideo" 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."

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.

Monmouth, NJ-based old school thrashers CONDITION CRITICAL have released a video for their new track, 'Random Acts Of Killing'. The track will be featured on the band's debut album, Operational Hazard, due in April. Watch the clip below:
The new track and upcoming album were recorded at Mana Recording Studios, owned by Eric Rutan, and were recorded and mixed by Brian Elliot at Mana. 'Random Acts Of Killing' is available for free download at this location.
Condition Critical lineup:

Alonso Maguiño - Guitar/Vox
Ryan Donato - Drums
Sam Agnew - Guitar/Gang Vox
Mike Dreher - Bass/Gang Vox

More on Condition Critical at this location.