Keyboardist Randy Gane (pictured below), who is a member of Geoff Tate's newly assembled version of QUEENSRŸCHE, suffered a heart attack Wednesday night (December 26), according to a posting on Geoff's Facebook page. The singer is asking fans to "please send [their] prayers and positive thoughts to [his] good friend."

Gane was a co-founder of Tate's pre-QUEENSRŸCHE band MYTH.

Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE also includes legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE, DIO), drummer Bobby Blotzer (RATT) and guitarist Kelly Gray (MYTH).

Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE will hit the road next year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the group's epic 1988 release, "Operation: Mindcrime".

The performance of "Operation: Mindcrime" next spring will cover all fifteen songs from the album including such fan favorites as "Revolution Calling", "Operation: Mindcrime", "I Don't Believe In Love" and the closing track, "Eyes Of A Stranger". It will also feature other selections from the QUEENSRŸCHE catalog, including songs from "Operation: Mindcrime II".

Glen Drover (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND) announced his departure from Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE last month before playing a single show with the band. He said in a statement: "I was very excited about doing this gig initially, but learned in the past week or so that it's in my best interest not to do this right now. I feel really bad for those who were excited about the idea, and to Geoff himself, who, I have to say, was very nice to me on my past trip to Seattle. I, of course, am very disappointed for arriving at this point, and making this decision, to say the least. I sincerely wish the Geoff and the band all the luck on what they do in the future."

Tate, who was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in June after fronting the group for three decades, recently sought to prevent his former bandmates from touring and operating under the QUEENSRŸCHE name without him. While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

Video footage of STRIFE's entire November 30 performance at El 'N' Gee in New London, Connecticut can be seen below.

STRIFE's new album, "Witness A Rebirth", was released on November 6 via 6131 Records.

Some bands leave such an impression on fans that, even after two decades, their sound still resonates deep and wide. STRIFE is just such a band, having once again tapped into the energy that has kept listeners interested for 21 years.

After touring throughout the world in recent years, STRIFE decided it was time to unleash a new batch of songs and break their 11-year streak of recording silence. The groundwork for what would become their newest album, "Witness A Rebirth", had been laid and their collective efforts began down the road to realization.

With producer Nick Jett (TERROR, ROTTING OUT, BACKTRACK) at the helm, STRIFE recruited friend and previous collaborator Igor Cavalera (founding member of SEPULTURA) to perform drums for the album and traveled to Brazil to start the recording process with him. Soon after, they returned to California and put the rest of the pieces into place, including guest vocals by Billy Graziadei (of BIOHAZARD) and Scott Vogel (of TERROR), plus a guitar solo by Marc Rizzo (of SOULFLY). The result serves as a testament to their talent, bridging their past (especially the highly acclaimed album "In This Defiance", with which this album shares four-fifths of the members) with a more contemporary hardcore sound. "Witness A Rebirth" is at once both refreshing and evocative.

A rough-mix version of the song "Hello From The Gutters" from Swedish death metal masters DERANGED can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new five-song EP, "Morgue Orgy", to be released in early 2013 via Sevared Records.

DERANGED's eighth full-length album, "Cut, Carve, Rip, Serve", was made available in May 2011 via Sevared Records. The follow-up to 2008's "The Redlight Murder Case" was recorded at Berno Studio in Malmö, Sweden.

DERANGED 2012 is:

Anders Johansson - Vocals
Thomas Ahlgren - Guitar
Andreas Johansson - Bass
Rikard Wermén - Drums

AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen (also ex-BODINE, VENGEANCE) has been confirmed as one of the guest musicians who will appear on "The Mystery Of Time", the new album from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project. Also scheduled to make appearances on the CD are Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, HELLOWEEN), SAXON frontman Biff Byford, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Russell Gilbrook of URIAH HEEP.

Commented Sammet: "To me, he used to be what John D. Rockerduck is to Scrooge McDuck: an adamant longtime rival; in our case, when it comes to producing rock operas. Well, if you can't beat your enemy, make him your ally! And so I opened the door and literally invited pestilence into my world, ha!

"Seriously, the truth is that the 'pestilence' I'm talking about is really one of the nicest, coolest and loveliest plagues I've ever come to know, an ambitious artist through and through and a real great guitar player. So, having just come back from a shopping tour in 2912 — where apparently he found himself a brand new pair of bad-ass pants and boots — he went into the studio to record some additional lead guitar for the forthcoming AVANTASIA album, 'The Mystery Of Time': AYREON mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen!"

A YouTube clip containing footage of the orchestra recordings as well as a rough-mix sample of a song featuring Kiske is available below.

Bruce previously appeared on AVANTASIA's "The Wicked Symphony" and "Angel Of Babylon" CDs and Tobias contributed guest vocals to Bruce's last solo release, "BK3".

The new AVANTASIA CD is being recorded in part at VOX Klangstudio in Bendestorf, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth (KAMELOT, EDGUY, EPICA, RHAPSODY).

Immediately after the release of "The Mystery Of Time", a metal opera based on a story written by Sammet, the band will embark on a full-fledged indoor tour, during which the band and special guests will bring the epic undertaking to the stage.

Since the performances will embrace all the different eras and history of AVANTASIA, these shows will feature an extended playing time and the entire evening will be dedicated to AVANTASIA with no support acts.

Tobias originally wanted to put AVANTASIA to rest after the release of the "The Flying Opera - Around The World In 20 Days" concert DVD in April 2011, but he has since had a change of heart. He explains, "Even though I love to record and tour with EDGUY, I didn't foresee how much I need AVANTASIA when I decided to finish this chapter of my life in 2011. I didn't know if there would be another AVANTASIA album one day, but I didn‘t feel like doing it. After the worldwide success of the latest studio releases, an arena world tour that was sold out pretty much everywhere, collaborations with childhood heroes like Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Eric Singer of KISS, etc. I 'knew' that I had said everything I could possibly say in the name of AVANTASIA. But that's not what AVANTASIA is all about. I wanna create more great music, I wanna create more fantasy worlds, the bigger and the more epic, the better. And listening to the material that I have created for this forthcoming chapter in the history of AVANTASIA, I know there is no way I am not going to do it! I have got the feeling and the certainty that this is absolutely meant to happen and to be!"

Pictured below: Arjen Lucassen

The couple that became an Internet sensation after a video surfaced of them performing a cover version of METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets" at their wedding reception, have announced the birth of their new baby boy, Dax Orion Diaz.

A maternity video featuring Annette Ortiz-Diaz (a former drummer for FATAL POSPOROS and HALF PAST-TWO and the current bass player for RANDOM NINJAS) and her husband Dennis — who had a METALLICA tribute band (made up of Asians) called TRAPPED UNDER RICE — playing the METALLICA classic "Orion" can be seen below.

Annette and Dennis got a chance to play with the members of METALLICA themselves on December 10, 2011 at the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of the band's 30th anniversary for fan club members only. They joined METALLICA on stage to perform the song "Blackened" during the portion of the concert where fan-club winners were invited on stage to jam with the band.

Annette Ortiz and Dennis Diaz were married on April 10, 2010 in El Segundo, California. Photos of the reception can be found at this location.

Maternity video:

DOKKEN frontman and namesake Don Dokken was interviewed on the latest edition of "Rich Davenport's Rock Show". The program can be streamed using the Mixcloud player below. (Note: The Don Dokken interview begins around the nine-minute mark.)

Speaking about DOKKEN's plans for the immediate future, Don said: "[DOKKEN guitarist] Jon [Levin] had to have surgery on his arm. [It's] pretty serious. He had some nerve damage on his left arm and he won't be able to play for four or five months. They actually took out a rib and had to cut into his shoulder and his neck and it was pretty serious. He was losing the feeling in his hand and it was painful, so he had to have surgery. So Jon and I talked. Jon Levin has been in the band 10 years now. We're gonna probably be both be playing guitar on the next tour. I think it will sound bigger and fuller with two guitars. Plus when it comes to solos, have a rhythm just keep going in the background. I played in DOKKEN on the first couple of albums and tours, I played guitar, and I'm gonna go back to that style."

DOKKEN's eleventh studio album, "Broken Bones", sold around 2,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 173 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released in North America on September 25 via Frontiers Records, the effort was made available in two configurations: standard CD and limited-edition CD in digipak with a bonus DVD, which features a comprehensive "Making Of The Album" documentary.

"Broken Bones" was produced by Don Dokken and was mixed by Bob St. John (EXTREME, DURAN DURAN, COLLECTIVE SOUL) and Wyn Davis (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, WHITESNAKE) and mastered by famed engineer Maor Appelbaum (HALFORD, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, SEPULTURA). The new set features a return to the band's signature sound of catchy melodies, hot riffs and monster production.

GLORYHAMMER, the "heroic fantasy power metal" project led by Christopher Bowes, the mastermind behind pirate metal sensation ALESTORM, with a desire to explore the more symphonic and epic side of metal, will release its debut album, "Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife", on March 29, 2013 via Napalm Records. The CD, which will tell an original story based in an alternate-history medieval Scotland, where magic and dark sorcery reigns supreme, was recorded at LSD Studios in Germany. A concept of such epic proportions requires a truly talented vocalist, and for this purpose Thomas L. Winkler from Swiss power metal band EMERALD was hired to provide majestic soaring vocals. The lineup is completed by Paul Templing, James Cartwright, and Ben Turk, who honed their battle skills in various underground U.K. metal bands.

GLORYHAMMER is:

Christopher Bowes - Keyboards
Thomas Winkler - Vocals
Paul Templing - Guitars
James Cartwright - Bass
Ben Turk - Drums

The cover artwork for "Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife" was "painstakingly handcrafted" by Dan Goldsworthy (ACCEPT, HELL, SYLOSIS). The art depicts the great hero Angus McFife, questing valiantly through the frozen highlands, wielding the Hammer of Glory.

"Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife" track listing:

01. Anstruther's Dark Prophecy
02. The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee
03. Angus McFife
04. Quest for the Hammer of Glory
05. Magic Dragon
06. Silent Tears of Frozen Princess
07. Amulet of Justice
08. Hail to Crail
09. Beneath Cowdenbeath
10. The Epic Rage of Furious Thunder

There will also be a limited first-pressing "Heroic Edition" of the album, presented in a luxurious digipak format with alternate artwork, featuring the bonus track "Wizards!".

"Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife" "Heroic Edition" artwork:

According to Bimringham Mail, the record company honcho who discovered BLACK SABBATH is calling for the airport in Birmingham, England Airport to be named after the band's legendary frontman, Ozzy Osbourne.

Jim Simpson, boss of Big Bear Music, is backing the idea after a suggested "Black Sabbath Day" in the city to celebrate the heavy metal legends' contribution to music apparently failed to generate enough support.

"I believe that there is a masterstroke that would instantly confound the cynics," Simpson said. "Just re-name our airport! How does The Ozzy Osbourne International Airport resonate? The message that would carry is instantly international, confident, powerful, unforgettable and says, 'Hey, world, we are proud of our own. Ozzy might not always have been a paragon of virtue, but he is a genuine flesh and blood Brummie."

Council member Philip Parkin, who first brought up the idea of a "Black Sabbath Day" in a report titled "Destination Birmingham," said he was receptive to the airport renaming suggestion.

"It's an interesting idea and I've got an open mind but I think something like that would need to be consulted on fairly widely because it's a significant part of our infrastructure," he told the Birmingham Mail. "I would be interested to know what people thought about that as an idea."

He added: "I still feel in general we need to be making the most of the talent we have got and did have in this city and with something like this we have to ask people their opinion."

The Mighty Z of Capital Chaos TV conducted an interview with German Viking metallers VARG before the band's November 30 performance at the Oakland Metro Operahouse in Oakland, California as part of a North American tour with WINTERSUN and ELUVEITIE. You can now watch the chat below. Also available is footage of VARG's Oakland show.

VARG's new album, "Guten Tag", landed on the official charts in Germany (No. 25) and Austria (No. 45). The CD came out on October 5 via NoiseArt Records. The band also released a limited-edition version of "Guten Tag" in Europe as a digipack with a 20-page booklet and a bonus DVD. The DVD contains footage of the band's performance at the 2011 edition of the Wolfszeit Festival as well as a 38-minute documentary.

The "Guten Tag" video was directed by Polish producers Grupa 13, who previously worked with BEHEMOTH, ENSIFERUM and KREATOR, among others.

Interview:

CANNIBAL CORPSE members Rob Barrett and Paul Mazurkiewicz will reunite with their former band, TIRANT SIN, at a special show to celebrate Rob's wedding to Irina on January 11, 2013 at Club Infinity in Williamsville, New York. Also scheduled to perform at the event is another pre-CANNIBAL CORPSE act, LEVIATHAN, which will feature Rob Barrett and Jason Blachowicz (MALEVOLENT CREATION), plus MANIC JASPER, MONARCH, VILE VINDICTION, AXEMEN and MAD POSTURE. There will also be a a cover band performing that Rob Barrett will play guitar for, with MALEVOLENT CREATION's Brett Hoffman handling the vocals.

For more information, go to this location.

TIRANT SIN previously reunited for a an appearance at the benefit concert for SONS OF AZRAEL guitarist Tony Lorenzo on January 7-8, 2012 at Club Infinity.

According to a new interview with Gary Graff from Billboard, BON JOVI's upcoming What About Now? will mark a musical "evolution" for the band, but not to the point that might be off-putting to group's worldwide legion of fans.

Guitarist Richie Sambora tells Billboard that "Jon (Bon Jovi) and I, when we get together it sounds like Bon Jovi. It sounds like us. That's basically the way it is and what comes out comes out." But for What About Now?, due out this spring, he says the band and co-producer John Shanks focused on dynamics, and "just basically pushing the production a bit more or lessening the production so you're a bit more naked. It goes both ways on this particular record. We've stripped it down, taken some away and added some different elements."

Meanwhile, Sambora says the album's first single, 'Because We Can', which drops January 7, is indicative of the album's upbeat tone to the album. "The lyrics are very positive - obviously 'Because We Can,' 'What About Now?,' it's all empowering and that's what we were trying to get to. We were trying to get some positive lyrics. That's kind of where we landed."

Read more at Billboard.

Bon Jovi recently announced the first set of US dates, taking them from coast to coast on their Because We Can – The Tour. The tour will kick off in Uncasville, CT on February 9th, treating fans to one-night-only performances in US arenas nationwide, plus multiple stadium shows including a two-night stand at MetLife Stadium in the band’s home state of New Jersey.

Ensuring that there is truly something for every fan, Bon Jovi is offering a wide range of ticket options, starting at $19.50 (plus service charges). Tickets will go on sale in select markets beginning Friday, November 30th. Visit BonJovi.com for up-to-date information.

“As AEG Live embarks on its fourth collaboration with one of today’s greatest original rock bands, it is no surprise that they are going to sell out stadiums and arenas around the globe, since Bon Jovi has consistently delivered the goods to their hardcore and new fans alike,” said Randy Phillips, President & CEO of AEG Live. “‘Because We Can - The Tour’ will again showcase Bon Jovi’s immense catalog of hits and some incredible new music from the forthcoming What About Now album and the signature state-of-the-art production that have become the hallmarks of Bon Jovi tours.”

Overwhelming demand for the band’s previously announced Canadian dates has already led to second shows in Montreal and Toronto, and Bon Jovi has plenty more in store. The band will expand their current tour schedule with additional North American dates including Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA; Ford Field in Detroit, MI, and many more. The current tour itinerary is listed below, with further details to come. View US tour announcement video below:

The tour, promoted by AEG Live in the US, Canada and the UK, will debut brand new songs from Bon Jovi’s upcoming album. What About Now, to be released in spring 2013, loading even more ammunition into the band’s huge arsenal of hits. The group’s return to the road in 2013 will launch the latest chapter in an ongoing blockbuster run which has already secured Bon Jovi’s status as the essential live rock band – having performed more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 35 million fans. Because We Can – The Tour will make its way across the globe with dates in Europe, the Far East, Africa, Latin America and Australia.

North American dates:

February
9 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
10 - Washington DC - Verizon Center
13 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
14 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
17 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
18 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
20 - Kanata, ON - Scotiabank Place
21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center
27 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

March
1 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Times Forum
2 - Sunrise, FL - BB&T Center
5 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena
6 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
9 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
10 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena
13 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
14 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center
16 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena
17 - Lubbock, TX - United Spirit Arena

April
2 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
3 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
5 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
7 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
10 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
11 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
13 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
14 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
16 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena
19 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
20 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
23 - Glendale, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
25 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion

July
12 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
24 - E Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
25 - E Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium

The tour will also hit the following cities, with additional details to come:

Memphis, TN
Milwaukee, WI
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Raleigh, NC
San Antonio, TX
Seattle, WA
State College, PA
Vancouver, BC

A five-minute video recap of THE AGONIST's November 2012 Asian tour — which included stops in Taiwan and Japan — can be seen below.

THE AGONIST's third album, "Prisoners", debuted at No. 19 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.

"Prisoners", was released on June 4 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE) and it "picks right up where 2009's 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind' left off, with soaring melodies over complex metal passages that fans of thinking-man's metal can appreciate," according to a press release.

In regards to the album artwork, singer Alissa White-Gluz stated: "We wanted to really include a chaotic visual to reflect the chaotic sound of the band, but we also wanted to show that the lyrics on this album are a lot more introverted…The human face was left non-descript on purpose — it doesn't belong to any particular person, but we could call him the Lonely Solipsist."

Belgian grindcore act LENG TCH'E is putting the finishing touches on the songwriting process for its new album. The band states: "Pre-production will start in February and hopefully we can finish our next masterpiece of brutally grooving grindcore by summertime. Which means we'll bring this retarded circus back on the road in late 2013."

2012 marked the tenth anniversary of the release of LENG TCH'E's debut album, "Death By A Thousand Cuts".

LENG TCH'E's latest album, "Hypomanic", was released in Europe in May 2010 and in North America in June 2010 via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at Parlour Studio in Kettering, United Kingdom with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, EVILE).

LENG TCH'E last year parted ways with drummer Tony Van den Eynde and replaced him with Olivier Coppens.

The band's "A.men" video can be seen below. The live footage was shot at the Obscene Extreme festival in the Czech Republic, filmed by 2guys1tv and edited by Nicolas M.

LENG TCH'E in 2008 split with vocalist Boris Cornelissen and replaced him with Serge Kasongo from southern Belgian band ACKROS.

PSYCHO SPOON, the "raw rock and roll" band formed by Pete Hammoura, ex-drummer and founding member of the South Carolina death metal band NILE, has tapped NILE mainman Karl Sanders to produce the group's debut album. Entitled "Incognito", the recording sessions for the CD will begin in January, with a scheduled release date of April 2013. Grammy Award-winning producer Neil Kernon (JUDAS PRIEST, QUEENSRŸCHE, NEVERMORE, NILE) will mix and master the effort.

PSYCHO SPOON was formed in the fall of 2009 by longtime friends and musical collaborators Rick Ballenger (vocals) and Hammoura. They had a clear vision of what they wanted to accomplish with this band, and that was to play rock and roll from the heart. Five songs were written in a short period of time, at which point the band entered the studio to lay down the tracks.

PSYCHO SPOON's goal as a band is to continue writing songs and playing to live audiences as often as possible because they are very much a live audience band. You'll be able to tell that they love what they do from the moment they hit the stage. Their purpose is "to lay down pure, live rock and roll!"

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE has posted a "mockumentary", apparently inspired by "This Is Spinal Tap", in which they give fans a sneak peek into the making of the band's next studio album. The nine-minute "Secrets Of The Sound" segment, hosted by Matt Berry and Steve Agee, can be seen below.

FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl, who plays drums on the upcoming QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE studio set, recently confirmed that he will not be part of the QUEENS touring lineup. Grohl played drums on the QUEENS' 2002 album, "Songs For The Deaf", and did go on a short club tour with the group before returning to active duty with the FOOS — who took QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE out as support.

There's no release date or title for the new QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE album yet, although it's expected to surface in early 2013.

The band is said to be auditioning drummers now. Grohl stepped in for the recording sessions after the group parted ways with longtime drummer Joey Castillo.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's fifth album, "Era Vulgaris", came out in June 2007 and entered the Billboard chart at No. 14.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE commemorated the reissue of its classic 1998 debut with a limited series of intimate shows at which the band played the record in its entirety, plus B-sides and other rarities and hits from the early QUEENS catalog up to the present.

Having started the band way back in 1993, mainman Hoest will celebrate 20 years of staying true to his musical identity by releasing a 20-song, 2 CD collection of TAAKE rarities. The anniversary album will be released on Dark Essence Records on March 1 in Norway and March 4 in the rest of the world to coincide with a planned European tour which will herald the start of a year celebrating TAAKE's unique contribution to Norwegian black metal. Titled "Gravkamre, Kroner Og Troner" (Burial Chambers, Crowns And Thrones), the release will not only feature exclusive new tracks, but also rare and previously unreleased material as well as alternative versions and recordings that have, until now, only been available on vinyl.

"Et Pust Av Oeyne", a track from the album, has been debuted on the TAAKE SoundCloud page and can be heard below.

"Gravkamre, Kroner og Troner" track listing:

Disc 1:

01. Et Pust av Oeyne
02. Hov var Stein (Exclusive new track)
03. Nordbundet (Featuring Niklas Kvarforth & Nocturno Culto)
04. Motpol
05. Hordalands Doedskvad 1
06. Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik 4
07. Nattestid ser Porten vid 1 ("Kveld" 12" EP 2011)
08. I am The Black Wizards ("Noregs Vaapen" LP bonus track 2011)
09. Die When You Die ("Swine of Hades" MCD 2011)
10. A lost forgotten Sad Spirit ("Taake" LP Bonus track 2009)

Disc 2:

11. Voldtekt
12. Eismalsott
13. Tykjes Fele
14. Over Fjell og gjennom Torner ("Svartekunst" 7" EP 2007)
15. Voldtekt
16. Death Trap ("Dra til Helvete" 10" EP 2006)
17. Lamb ("A Norwegian HAIL to VON" 7" EP 2005)
18. Hennes kalde Skamlepper ("Lagnonector" 10" EP 2005)
19. Der Todesking ("Nordens Doedsengel" 10" EP 2004)
20. Nattestid ser Porten vid 1 (Pre-mix 1997)

A 17-minute video clip in which guitarist/vocalist Kurt Bachman of Pennsylvania-based technical thrash metal veterans BELIEVER answers questions that were submitted by fans via Facebook can be seen below.

BELIEVER is preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its fifth album, due next year via Metal Blade Records.

"The writing for the basic tune parts [is] almost complete," Bachman said. "Hopefully we'll start recording the drums within the next couple of weeks here for the new record. We're shooting, again, [to have] 12 tunes [on the CD], maybe 13. We'll see."

Bachman previously stated about the writing process for the new BELIEVER album: "I feel that this will be the most sensual of all BELIEVER releases. Once again we are striving to create something unique while not throwing away any riff just because it might not fit the typical BELIEVER mold. This is part of the process we love and hate. We love being creative, yet we place intense pressure on ourselves to write something we'll enjoy hearing and playing at least 2060 times. Of course, we are sticking to our two main goals: 1) Have fun and 2) Don't die in the process."

BELIEVER's last album, "Transhuman", was released in April 2011 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was produced by Trauma Team Productions and was mixed by Kevin Gutierrez (RAVEN, PROJECT: FAILING FLESH, DECEASED, DYSRYTHMIA, GARDEN OF SHADOWS) at Assembly Line Studios in Virginia. The mastering duties were handled by Maor Appelbaum of Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles.

The band's fourth album, "Gabriel", was released in March 2009 through ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Howard Jones's imprint label Cesspool Records via Metal Blade. The CD featured guest appearances by Jones, Joe Rico (SACRIFICE), CKY/WORLD UNDER BLOOD guitarist/vocalist Deron Miller and Rocky Gray (EVANESCENCE, SOUL EMBRACED, LIVING SACRIFICE).

BELIEVER is:

Kurt Bachman - Guitar/Vocals
Joey Daub - Drums
Jeff King - Keyboards/Guitar
Kevin Leaman - Guitar

Austrian symphonic metallers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have issued the following update:

"The year 2012 slowly draws to a close and we are very happy that our upcoming album, 'Ethera', is finally also very very close to be finished! Almost one year of writing and another year of recording, improving, re-recording and more will soon turn into our most ambitious album to date! So keep an eye on our [Facebook] page as the release dates, artwork, brand new band pictures and more are on their way! The next three months promise a lot to be found here at first hand!!"

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS' fifth album, "Ethera", is scheduled for an early 2013 release via Napalm Records.

Regarding the new album title, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS said, "'Ethera' is a word mix out of 'ether' as the quintessence of this band, the energy between the five band members, the fifth album and 'era,' leading VISIONS OF ATLANTIS to some new and interesting musical and lyrical shores while still remaining typically VISIONS OF ATLANTIS!"

Fabio D'Amore (SERENITY) and Ivan Moni Bidin, who is also a master at the mixing desk, produced this latest work.

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS' "Maria Magdelena" EP was released in October 2011.

Former AMBERIAN DAWN singer Heidi Parviainen has launched a a new project called DARK SARAH. She plans to release a promotional CD with two songs in early 2013 along with a music video for the song "Save Me".

Says Parviainen: "I used to look at the world with blue eyes, I used to love with an open heart but I was naïve; the world needed to show it to me. I got angry for my weakness and angry with the world. In the darkest swirls of my mind, I got stronger and meaner and started to change. I worked with my fear and I became DARK SARAH. I'm not bitter, I'm just bittersweet."

A teaser for the "Save Me" video can be seen below.

DARK SARAH's forthcoming album will include "the most bombastic duet ever from DARK SARAH and the great soprano Manuela Kraller of XANDRIA!" according to Heidi. She adds: "The song is already being written for us and I have a great story for it; it will be exciting!"

Parviainen left AMBERIAN DAWN in November. Her final appearance with the band was at the Metal Female Voices Fest at the end of October in Belgium. She has since been replaced by Päivi "Capri" Virkkunen.

Parviainen sang on AMBERIAN DAWN's first four albums — "Circus Black" (2012), "End Of Eden" (2010), "The Clouds Of Northland Thunder" (2009) and "River Of Tuoni" (2008).

Drummer Jaska Raatikainen of Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM has issued the following update:

"Today we had the last rehearsals before entering the studio tomorrow to record drums for the new album.

"Last two days have been quite intensive. Playing the songs over and over again, lots of fuck-ups and broken drum sticks, sweating, frustration, coffee and what have you, a little bit of arranging and all that shit.

"I am convinced that the new songs are great. A little bit of black metal, heavy metal, metal, old-school death metal, melodies, solos and anything you need to make a nice album. And the most important, new ideas à la CHILDREN OF BODOM!"

CHILDREN OF BODOM's new CD is tentatively due in late spring/early summer 2013 via Marquee Inc. in Japan and Nuclear Blast in other parts of the world.

CHILDREN OF BODOM in November canceled its appearance at next year's edition of the Tuska festival, set to take place June 28-30, 2013 in Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland, "in order to be able to be part of a big tour in USA," according to the group's bassist, Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith).

CHILDREN OF BODOM released a photo book, "Roadkill", on August 8 via Hatecrew.com. The first 666 copies are numbered and personally signed by the band.

Photography for "Roadkill" started in 2007. It includes exclusive material of life on the road, shows, promo shoots, recording sessions, album cover production and the worldwide "hate crew," as the band's fans are affectionately known. The book also contains comments and diary entries by the band and the photographer, Jussi Hyttinen of FLC415.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's most recent release was "Holiday At Lake Bodom (15 Years Of Wasted Youth)" , a very special CD+DVD career retrospective in celebration of the band's 15th anniversary.

"My Own Angel", the brand new video from Barcelona, Spanish melodic metallers ANKOR, can be seen below. The clip was filmed with renowned director Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company AB, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, EUROPE and LACUNA COIL, among many others. The song is the title track of ANKOR's second full-length album, which was released in October 2011 via STF Records. The CD was produced by the band and Radish Records in Barcelona.

"My Own Angel" track listing:

01. Remaining
02. Completely Frozen
03. It Would Be Easier
04. Awaiting Your Awakening
05. No Matter What
06. My Own Angel
07. Pride
08. Reborn
09. Against the Ground
10. Starting Over

ANKOR is Rosa de la Cruz on vocals, David Romeu and Fito Martinez on guitars, Julio A. Lopez on bass, Javier Casanova on keyboards and Jordi Vidal on drums.

A three-minute trailer for "The Divinity Of Purpose", the new album from Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED, in which the band's frontman, Jamey Jasta discusses the CD's lyrics, can be seen below.

"The Divinity Of Purpose" is available for pre-order on iTunes (in the United States and Canada). When fans pre-order the album, they'll also receive an instant download of the opening track, "Put It To The Torch".

"The Divinity Of Purpose" will be released on January 29, 2013 in North America via Razor & Tie and on January 25, 2013 in Europe through Nuclear Blast. The CD was co-produced by HATEBREED, Chris "Zeuss" Harris (SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL THAT REMAINS, SHADOWS FALL) and Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD), with Wilbur also handling mixing duties. The cover artwork was created and illustrated by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS, GWAR) and can be seen below.

"The Divinity Of Purpose" track listing:

01. Put It To the Torch
02. Honor Never Dies
03. Own Your World
04. The Language
05. Before The Fight Ends You
06. Indivisible
07. Dead Man Breathing
08. The Divinity Of Purpose
09. Nothing Scars Me
10. Bitter Truth
11. Boundless (Time To Murder It)
12. Idolized And Vilified

Regarding the musical direction of the new HATEBREED material, singer Jamey Jasta told "Maximum Threshold", "We did enough experimenting, I think, on the last record… A lot of people really liked that record and it did gain us a lot of new fans, but on this record, with the 10-year anniversary of [HATEBREED's 2002 album] 'Perseverance' and with Wayne [Lozinak, guitar] being back in the band — this will be his second record with us — it's just fun to kind of keep with the old-school influences. I hear more CRO-MAGS and KILLING TIME and SHEER TERROR and OBITUARY and BOLT THROWER and SLAYER and ENTOMBED and those kind of '80s and '90s influences in there. Which is fun for us, because we emulate the bands that we love. We try to make it our own sound and make it our own style, but at the end of the day, we're just fans of those styles of bands."

"The Divinity Of Purpose" will be supported by extensive global touring that will stretch well into 2014.

HATEBREED recently completed a tour with LAMB OF GOD, IN FLAMES and SYLOSIS and will headline the Persistence Tour 2013 in Europe in January.

"The Divinity Of Purpose" trailer #2:

Professionally filmed video footage of acclaimed Norwegian rockers KVELERTAK performing a new song, "Spring Fra Livet" last month on the Norwegian TV show "Lydverket" can be seen below. The track, which KVELERTAK has been playing live for over a year now, will appear on the band's sophomore album, "Meir", to be released in March 2013 via Sony Music Scandinavia. The CD was recorded late summer/early fall at Godcity studios in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE).

KVELERTAK's previous label, Indie Recordings, which will release "Meir" on vinyl, said in a statement: "We congratulate the boys in KVELERTAK on their signing to Sony Music Scandinavia. It was a natural step for the band to sign to a major label at this point. We are so proud to have been a big part of their journey and helped to build them up to where they're at now! We are looking forward to keep on working with KVELERTAK on their vinyl releases in the future!"

"Meir" track listing:

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

KVELERTAK recently completed a U.S tour alongside CONVERGE and TORCHE.

Featuring iconic artwork by John Dyer Baizley (BARONESS, KYLESA), KVELERTAK's self-titled 2010 debut album — which was certified gold in the band's home country — has earned the band extensive worldwide acclaim, with Kerrang! going so far as to call the sextet "the best Norwegian band since A-HA." The album, which features vocals entirely in the band's native language, recieved 9/10 ratings from Metal Hammer, Decibel and Rock Hard magazines and earned the group an invitation to perform a live session on BBC Radio 1.

Charly Steinhauer, guitarist/vocalist of long-running German metallers PARADOX, was scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery on December 24. His bandmates state: "The heart surgery of Charly has been moved to today.... so right now he just is over it. We wish him all the best and we will let you know as soon as we hear from him if everything went fine... please keep your fingers crossed for him!"

In an online posting last week, Steinhauer stated about his heart procedure: "I will survive and carry on making some good music for you. PARADOX will never die! I don't know if I will be able to go on stage again... Right now, I don't think so."

The official lyric video for the song "Brutalized" from PARADOX can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Tales Of The Weird", which was released on December 14 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Steinhauer and was mixed and mastered by Victor Bullok (a.k.a. V. Santura; TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS) at Woodshed Studio in Landshut, Germany. The cover art was created by Claudio Bergamin.

"Tales Of The Weird" features guest appearances by Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) and Gus Drax (SUNBURST).

The new PARADOX lineup is as follows:

Charly Steinhauer (vocals, guitar)
Christian Muenzner (guitar)
Olly Keller (bass)
Daniel "Evil Ewald" Buld (drums)

"Brutalized" lyric video:

German metallers EMERGENCY GATE have issued audio snippets from their forthcoming album, You, and a video teaser featuring comments from Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Chris Bay (FREEDOM CALL) and Stefano Fiori (GRAVEWORM). Check out the material below:
The tracklist is as follows:

'Mindfuck'
'Force United'
'Moshpit'
'Feeling Inside'
'Liar's Truth'
'Breathless'
'rEvolution'
'You'
'Lean on Words'
'Regret'
'Alone'
'Say Goodbye'
-----------------
'Dark Passenger' (Limited Edition only)
'Dead Down Below' (Limited Edition only)
'Contest the Fight' (Limited Edition only)

THE SWORD have released a special, limited-edition 180 gram audiophile black LP of their most recent release, Apocryphon at this location.

The band is also offering fans the opportunity to purchase the vinyl (and additional band merchandise) at a 25% discount by using the special code RT25 at checkout beginning now through January 1st.

Additionally, Apocryphon is also on sale for $5.00 until January 31st on Amazon.
Apocryphon was released October 22nd. It entered the Swedish Hard Rock Album Charts at #12. The album previously attained the highest chart and sales debut of the band’s career in the last week of October, debuting at #17 on the Billboard Top 200 with over 16,800 units sold.

The Sword recently released the first official music video from their new album for the song 'The Veil Of Isis'. Watch below:

Inner Wound Recordings recently announced the signing of the Brazilian female-fronted progressive power metal band VANDROYA. The group's debut album, "One", will be released on January 18. The Japanese edition of the album will be made available on December 19 through Spiritual Beast and the Brazilian edition will follow on February 4 via Voice Music. The CD artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, ICED EARTH) and can be seen below.

VANDROYA is one of the best-kept secrets from Brazil, led by the fantastic vocalist Daísa Munhoz (SOULSPELL). According to a press release, the band "should be a perfect fit for fans of KAMELOT, SYMPHONY X, ANGRA and SONATA ARCTICA."

"One" track listing:

01. All Becomes One
02. The Last Free Land
03. No Oblivion For Eternity
04. Within Shadows
05. Anthem (For The Sun)
06. Why Should We Say Goodbye?
07. Change The Tide
08. When Heaven Decides To Call
09. This World Of Yours
10. Solar Night

The song "The Last Free Land" can be streamed in the youTube clip below.

"One" can be pre-ordered at the Inner Wound store.

VANDROYA is:

Daísa Munhoz (vocals)
Marco Lambert (guitar)
Rodolfo Pagotto (guitar)
Giovanni Perlati (bass)
Otávio Nuñez (drums)

Finnish love metallers HIM debuted a brand new song entitled "I Will Be The End Of You" during their headlining concert last night (Wednesday, December 26) at Klubi in Turku, Finland. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of Nalle Österman).

HIM recently finished recording its ninth full-length album, "Tears On Tape", at Helsinki's Finnvox Studios with longtime producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) for an early 2013 release. The CD, which will be made available via an as-yet-undetermined record label, was mixed in London, England by Tim Palmer, who previously helmed 2005's "Dark Light" and 2007's "Venus Doom".

"Basically, we're making what I'd call 'modern retro,'" HIM singer Ville Valo told Revolver magazine about the musical direction of the new album, which he says will sound like "ROY ORBISON meeting METALLICA." "We wanted it to be nasty, fucked-up, and messy, and have that punk-rock attitude. But then on the other hand, it would also have that Roy Orbison naive, sentimental, dream-like quality."

According to Valo, HIM was originally scheduled to begin work on "Tears On Tape" at the end of last year, but a repetitive-strain injury suffered by drummer Mika Kristian Karppinen (a.k.a. Gas Lipstick) — which left the skinsman unable to lift even a cup of coffee, much less pound a drum kit — forced the bandmembers to re-evaluate their desire to carry on.

"I think because he had the ailment, we had the opportunity to reassess what we had," Valo explained. "It was a miniscule existential crisis. We had to figure out what we really want to do and if we really like each other enough to continue through the hardest times-or do we want to call it a day?"

Asked about the meaning of the new HIM album title, Valo said, "For me, what it means is how songs —I'm not talking about our songs, but songs in general — can be milestones. You hear a song and it brings you to where you heard that song for the first time, or when it meant something really big to you. 'Tears On Tape' means that I appreciate the people who have really poured their souls and hearts out on tape, and showed that to the rest of the world for the better or for the worse. I wouldn't be here without those tears of Elvis Presley on tape."

BLACK STAR RIDERS, the new band formed by THIN LIZZY alumni Ricky Warwick (vocals), Scott Gorham (guitar), Damon Johnson (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass) with new addition Jimmy DeGrasso (ALICE COOPER, MEGADETH, DAVID LEE ROTH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) on drums, will enter a Los Angeles studio next week with producer Kevin Shirley (LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH, RUSH) to begin recording its debut album for a May 2013 release via Nuclear Blast.

In October 2012, THIN LIZZY announced that they would not be recording new material under the THIN LIZZY monicker. The last incarnation of the band — Gorham, Brian Downey, Wharton, Warwick, Johnson and Mendoza — would be looking to form a new project.

According to a press release, Brian Downey decided to not become involved with BLACK STAR RIDERS because he didn't want to commit to the touring cycle a new album would entail and Darren Wharton wanted to concentrate on DARE and other music and film projects.

The BLACK STAR RIDERS album will feature material the band wrote while touring as THIN LIZZY and the sound retains that classic feel but is very much its own as well. The BLACK STAR RIDERS record is the next step in the evolution of the THIN LIZZY story.

"We are all very excited about the music that we have created for BLACK STAR RIDERS. The synergy between the five of us has been phenomenal and I can't wait for the world to hear these songs," says Warwick.

BLACK STAR RIDERS was signed to Nuclear Blast by Monte Conner — the former Roadrunner A&R guru who has worked with such acts as SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, SEPULTURA and RUSH. Conner recently joined Nuclear Blast as the president of Nuclear Blast Entertainment, a new U.S. partnership he co-founded with Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger.

Says Conner: "As a lifelong THIN LIZZY fan, I was floored by this line-up's new material. Not only do the new songs sound like THIN LIZZY but they sound like CLASSIC THIN LIZZY. BLACK STAR RIDERS totally captures the essence of what was great about the original band while at the same time adding something totally fresh and modern. Even when I heard the band decided to change their name, my interest in signing them did not waver for one second."

The band are looking to support their May album release with European festivals shows in the summer of 2013 and follow this up with worldwide touring. The setlist will consist of material from the new album and classic THIN LIZZY material.

Ann and Nancy Wilson of HEART played "Stairway To Heaven" as the finale of a star-studded musical tribute to LED ZEPPELIN during the Kennedy Center Honors, which were broadcast last night (Wednesday, December 26) on CBS after being taped earlier in the month. They were joined on stage by late LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham's son Jason on drums, as well as a massive house band consisting of string and horn sections as well as a vocal choir.

During a December 3 appearance on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman", LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page stated about the Wilson sisters' performance: "They did a version of 'Stairway' that had a choir and an orchestra. Ann and Nancy Wilson started it up and it was building and building. Then a scrim goes up and it started really rocking. It was great."

Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, along with Letterman, were awarded the Kennedy Center Honor on December 1 in Washington, D.C.

The bandmembers were promoting their new live collection, "Celebration Day", which features ZEPPELIN's entire 2007 London reunion concert.