Finnish rock group DEVIL I KNOW will release its self-tilted debut album on November 23 via Inverse Records.

According to a press release, DEVIL I KNOW is a fresh breath of American-style melodic hard rock influenced by the likes of HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and even BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. The band's songs do contain some familiar elements but these guys are no copycats — they have their own sound and that sound happens to be pretty damn good!

Driven by catchy singalong choruses, heavy rock riffs and high-quality production, DEVIL I KNOW is on its way to something bigger. Their songs have already received airplay on the Finnish rock-oriented radio stations.

A digital single, "Scream And Shout", is now available. The song's official video can be seen below.

"Devil I Know" track listing:

01. Scream 'N' Shout
02. One Last Dance
03. Open Your Eyes
04. Bells of Death
05. Blow Me
06. Insomnia
07. Overrated
08. Not Anymore
09. Other Side

DEVIL I KNOW is:

Matias Melleri - Guitar, Vox
Roni Seppänen - Guitar
Olli Vartiainen - Drums
Jani Aaltonen - Bass

Frank Mullen, frontman for New York death metal veterans SUFFOCATION, recently gave an interview (see video below) in which he revealed that he would no longer perform with the band full time. He has since issued the following statement clarifying some of his comments:

"I am not leaving SUFFOCATION. Massive, one-month-long touring on my side cannot be done anymore, though.

"When the new album is released next year, I will be touring as much as possible to support the album as well as the following year in 2014.

"When I was asked that question in the interview, I was taken off guard and didn't really know what my schedule was going to look like next year and wanted to try and answer.

"I haven't given much thought to what our touring schedule would look like since we've been in the studio recording the new release. So I'm going to be getting out there as much as I can to support the album and get out there in front of the ones who have supported SUFFOCATION over the years, the true fans. So we are going to be supporting this record as soon as it comes out."

The rest of the band adds: "We have respected this decision that Frank has made, but by no means does this mean SUFFOCATION will 'replace' him with new singer or stop touring.

"Death metal has been good to us, and we feel fortunate with the success we have achieved. For shows or tours he can't be a part of, there will be a well-respected, talented fill-in singer, so we as a band can continue to prosper and bring SUFFOCATION to the fans.

"Bill Robinson (DECREPIT BIRTH) is a good friend of ours and came through during the European tours when Frank was unable to make the shows, but he was just filling in those two times. The fill-in singer will be announced soon, and we promise that our fans will not be let down.

"We have been fortunate to make a great living playing music, and are willing to continue to give our fans what they want."

SUFFOCATION is putting the finishing touches on its new album, "Pinnacle Of Bedlam", for an early 2013 release via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced by the band at Full Force Studios in New York with longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering of the effort will be handled by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE).

"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" will feature 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who previously played on the "Despise The Sun" EP.

SUFFOCATION was among the inductees for this year's class of the Long Island Music Hall Of Fame. TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider received the Harry Chapin Award at the event, which was held on October 18 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Snider also performed selections from his "Dee Does Broadway" album.

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has joined forces with former TNT singer Tony Harnell and Harnell's unique New York-based acoustic/electric band.

Since leaving TNT in 2006, Harnell has been recording hard rock, metal and acoustic rock albums and has been putting on entertaining acoustic shows to sold-out crowds in the the New York City area with his current backing group, which features guitarist Jason Hagen, Amy Harnell (vocals, percussion) and newest member, Cassandra Sotos (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, MARK WOOD), on seven-string electric violin.

Thal and Harnell met 20 years ago when Tony was forming a new band after TNT took a break in 1992, and in January 2012, Ron and Tony were reunited at the NAMM convention in Anaheim, California, where they started discussing the possibility of working together.

After Ron attended one of Tony's performances in August, which Thal proclaimed was "the best acoustic show he had ever seen," Tony, being a fan of Ron's otherworldly and original fretwork, asked if he'd like to join him on the project and contribute to his EP, which was already underway. Harnell states: "In addition to Ron's superhuman and beautiful guitar playing, he also happens to have a great voice and writes amazing songs, which will greatly add to this project both live and in the studio." Thal has also been a longtime fan of Harnell's songwriting and vocal artistry, so the new coalition seems more than natural.

With the new lineup and EP on the way, the group will tour nationally and internationally as a foursome featuring Harnell, Thal, Amy Harnell and Sotos under the name TONY HARNELL AND THE WILDFLOWERS FEATURING BUMBLEFOOT. Hagen will remain an integral part of songwriting and recording and will be appearing with the group for local performances. Harnell adds: "Ron's live appearances with this project will be subject to his schedule with GN'R, but he'll be with us for the live shows whenever possible."

The project already has shows booked in Vegas and Europe as well as the prestigious, soon to be re-opened Cutting Room in New York City, which has relocated and is being touted as one of the coolest new venues in the city.

Harnell and Thal have also been discussing other plans for a full electric band and have already started to reach out to some well-known musicians to join them. "That'll manifest after the acoustic EP, which is due out in early 2013," says Harnell.

AMERICAN DOG is getting into the holiday spirit with the release of their new album, Merry Christmas Asshole, available November 6th.

The 15-track disc features the brand new festive diddy 'Merry Christmas Asshole', plus a 13-song live set from Sonic Lounge Studios. The tracklisting is as follows:
'Merry Christmas Asshole'
'Devil Dog'
'Old Dog, New Tricks'
'Splinterin' Sally'
'The Real Nitty Gritty'
'Poison Smile'
'Cat Has Got You By The Tongue'
'Another Day In Paradise'
'Human Garbage Can'
'TV Disease'
'Beaten, Broken, Etc.'
'Boozehound'
'Just Like Charlie Sheen'
'Sometimes You Eat The Pussy'
'Merry Christmas A** (Radio Friendly Edit)'

Order yours for only $10 at AmericanDog.us.

Catch American Dog live at the following shows:

November
2 - Cambridge, OH - Downtown Arena
3 - Columbus, OH - O'Sheckeys Live
8 - Madrid, Spain - Ego Live
9 - Vitoria, Spain - Jimmy Jazz
10 - Pamplona, Spain - El Bafle
11 - Torredembarra, Spain - La Traviesa
12 - Barcelona, Spain - Rocksound
13 - Montpellier, France - Secret Place
14 - Guyancourt, France - La Batterie
15 - Arras, France - Blue Devil
16 - Toul, France - Chez Paulette
17 - Montbeliard, France - Atelier des Moles
18 - Chambery, France - Brin de Zinc
21 - Verviers, Belgium - Spirit of 66
22 - Berlin, Germany - Wild at Heart
23 - Lubeck, Germany - Dr. Rock
24 - Arnstadt, Germany - Rockneipe Jungfer
27 - Burgos, Spain - Estudio 27
28 - Leon, Spain - Gran Cafe
29 - Vigo, Spain - Sala Son
30 - A Coruna, Spain - Mardigras

December
1 - Asturias, Spain - Boca Negra
2 - Santa Maria del Paramo, Spain - Taberna Belfast
4 - Palencia, Spain - Lemon Society
5 - Lleida, Spain - Pub Stones
6 - Castellon, Spain - D' Leyend
7 - Alicante, Spain - Texola
8 - Zaragosa, Spain - La Ley Seca
9 - Segovia, Spain - Beat Club

Thrash metallers CANCRENA will release their new album entitled Hidden Depravity, on November 16th through Logic(il)logic Records.

The band has now revealed the artwork for the new album. Check it out below:



Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Serpent Skin’
‘The Pessimist’
‘Pervert Priest’
‘Dark Torment’
‘Backdraft’
‘Black Underground’
‘Ancient Strength’
‘Hidden Depravity’
‘To Nerve Oneself’
‘Under The Law’

According to a press release: “Hidden Depravity is a dense concentrate of 90's metal influenced by sludge and southern (PANTERA, TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA, DOWN and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY are the main reference artists for the band). A solid sound assault made of crushing guitar riffs, massive drumming and a melodic touch, all condensed in 40 minutes of pure energy and strength.”

The track ‘Dark Torment’ can be heard below:

Denver, CO-based melodic speed metallers CELLADOR have released the following update:

“Thanks! This idea had not been discussed but isn't ruled out. One immediate issue with this is the difference in tunings then versus now. The Honor Forth songs were recorded in D standard tuning, whereas nowadays the band has returned to Eb tuning for new songs.

The agenda has dramatically changed over the last couple months so really anything can happen. The band has been rehearsing several times a week for a year now without a singer, and as all the other elements continue to return (the band is seriously tighter than ever now), the prospects of Chris continuing to cover the vocalist spot are becoming more inevitable. Auditions are still being accepted through the band's email contact@cellador.com.”

Cellador band lineup:
Chris Petersen - Guitar, Vocals,
Diego Valadez - Synths and Leads
James Pickett - Bass
Nick McCallister - Drums

On November 1, link textKissFAQ, the self-described "most comprehensive and most informative KISS web site inhabiting the Internet," will launch NovElder, a month-long retrospective dedicated to the band's controversial 1981 concept album, "Music From The Elder".

"It's certainly a shock when you first put it on," producer Bob Ezrin said of the LP back in 1981. "It's kind of dreamy and a little softer than most people expect from KISS. The harmonies and different vocal sounds on this record are going to throw a lot of people for a loop."

Shock people and throw them for a loop, "Music From The Elder" did. Upon its release in November 1981, the album was confusingly received by both KISS fans and the general public. By the time the calendar turned to 1982, the album was essentially a commercial failure. And KISS were already ready to move on.

More than 30 years later, "Music From The Elder" has attained a cult-classic status among a segment of diehard KISS fans. A great part of the album's appeal lies in the mysterious conditions under which it was created. While "Music From The Elder" has been discussed in various music publications and KISS-related books, there has never been a concentrated effort to put this album under a historical microscope.

Until now.

Through a series of brand-new KissFAQ interviews, original features and related special content, NovElder will shine a spotlight on "Music From The Elder" like never before. More than 10 hours of interviews were conducted with various individuals who either worked on the project or have a connection of sorts, including professionals who have never told their "Elder story." These interviews will provide interesting insights and unique perspectives regarding the album's creative process and this fascinating period in KISStory, in addition to fun anecdotes and personal recollections.

A series of topical features will shed more light on KISS' activity in 1981 and early 1982 and dissect the album further with in-depth musical analysis, biographical information on the album's participants, a revised KissFAQ Album Focus, and much more. NovElder will also take a look at the climate of the rock genre in 1981 and look at the bloodline of rock concept albums.

Members of the KissFAQ community will have the opportunity to participate in NovElder via commenting on content, voting in "Music From The Elder"-specific polls and sharing album reviews and personal "Elder stories."

The odyssey continues November 1 with NovElder only at www.KissFAQ.com.

Quality video footage of San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL performing the song "Voracious Souls" on October 25 at The New Parish in Oakland, California can be seen below (courtesy of Capital Chaos TV).

DEATH ANGEL's long-awaited DVD, "A Thrashumentary", will be released in early 2013. Guitarist Ted Aguilar recently stated about the set, "It's gonna cover the history of DEATH ANGEL from the very beginning all the way up to the current version of DEATH ANGEL now. It's gonna be jam-packed with a lot of old footage, stuff from early D.A., even their side projects after D.A., when D.A. broke up and THE ORGANIZATION formed, and the reformation of the band [for an appearance at] Thrash Of The Titans [festival in 2001]."

According to a press release, "A Thrashumentary" is a combination live video and documentary, all wrapped up in one thrashing DVD. The footage was directed by Tommy Jones (SOILWORK, KATAKLYSM) and mixed by Chris Clancy of The Studio. The film gives the viewer an in-depth look into one of the longest-running thrash acts out of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region known for turning out historic thrash bands such as METALLICA, TESTAMENT and EXODUS.

With the band surviving a span of 30 years of activity, and 25 years since the release of the classic album "The Ultra-Violence", now was the time to tell the story. Filmed on the "Relentless Retribution" world tour, the film shows the bands energetic live performance, cut with documentary-style interview footage. "Fly-on-the-wall" filming of the band talking about their career and footage of the band on the road give the viewer a personal connection to what is known as the mighty DEATH ANGEL.

LED ZEPPELIN frontman Robert Plant has recorded guest vocals for the new album from British modern rockers PRIMAL SCREAM, due in 2013.

Speaking to Mojo magazine, Plant said he wants to carry on singing, but doesn't want to start a new band or make a full album. He said: "Everything we did back in those days and everything I have done since has been based on a fresh approach. What's going on? What can I be as a singer that doesn't play much? That's how I see everything: what can I be a part of that's exciting? And if anybody's got any ideas, then I'm always up for it." He added: "I sang a bit on the PRIMAL's stuff because I think their references on looking back on the glorious past and the way they bring them into the contemporary world are fantastic."

Plant previously played harmonica on PRIMAL SCREAM's 2002 song "The Lord Is My Shotgun", which was featured on the band's "Evil Heat" album.

Norwegian avant-garde label Adversum has announced October 29th as the release date for YUREI's Night Vision album. Today, a special long-form video presentation for Night Vision, a cooperation between Trine + Kim Design Studio (MAYHEM, SHINING, ULVER, VIRUS, SOLEFALD, FLEURETY, etc.) and video artist Kristin Bøyesen (live/video member of Ulver), featuring sole Yurei member Bjeima. Like a night-time walk inside a Dali painting where open landscapes, liquid clocks, and burning giraffes are exchanged with claustrophobic city streets, sleepwalking mutants, steaming machineries, and vomiting angels.

Watch the new video below:
Yurei's Night Vision follows 2010's Working Class Demon. Building on the same expression as that first album and venturing further into the weird, Yurei's Night Vision takes it all so much further and travels into a landscape of his own: twisted, progressive, Lynchian tracks with hectic Balkan-inspired outbursts going off inside the dissonant but still melancholic and driven rock. This is night music interpreted by of one of Norway's most gifted composers: all music is written, performed, and recorded by Bjeima, a multi-talented musician working with several groups, all of them in different ways stemming from or building upon Norwegian avant-rock or post-black metal mindset and instrumentation, from playing bass in Virus to being the sole creator and performer in ALFA OBSCURA and THE GHOST CONSPIRACY as well as Yurei and also being the drummer and a key contributor in -M-, SWARMS, and DELIRIUM BOUND.



Night Vision tracklisting:

'Insomniac Bug Hunt'
'Reborn In Reveries'
'3am Revolt'
'The Cognitive Crack'
'Diminished Disciple'
'Sleepwalkers In Love'
'Dali By Night'
'Ditt Monument'
'Machinery'
'Cranial Echoes'

Uddevalla, Sweden-based metallers HELLENNIUM have parted ways with singer Khaled El Tayara for personal reasons.

Says the band: "We never thought we'd have to type these words... The friendship shared in HELLENNIUM has been a really rare sight and even people outside the band have noticed this. That and the fact that we've shared so much, experienced so much over the years makes this even harder to bear. But we love this life too much to give up now. The stages, the fans, the friendship and the pure ecstasy of putting on a great show is too valuable to just let go of. It's not time yet...The show must go on."

Singers interested in auditioning for the vocalist position in HELLENNIUM can write to: frontrow@hellennium.com.

HELLENNIUM recently tapped Andy La Rocque (KING DIAMOND) to produce the band's second album at his Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden.

La Rocque previously worked with HELLENNIUM on their self-titled debut CD, which came out in May via Gothenburg, Sweden's Rambo Music, a division of Gain Music Entertainment (which is distributed and partly owned by Sony Music).

HELLENNIUM has completed most of the songwriting for the next CD and is planning on hitting the studio during the coming months.

VAN HALEN, SHINEDOWN and LINKIN PARK have been nominated in the "Favorite Band" category at the People's Choice Awards 2013.

Now in its 39th year, the People's Choice Awards continues to be the only major awards show voted on entirely by the public for fan favorites in music, movies and television.

The People's Choice official web site at PeoplesChoice.com houses the voting platform where fans determine the categories, nominees and winners for the annual awards show. Every year, potential nominees are determined by national ratings averages, box-office grosses, music sales and PeoplesChoice.com data, then vetted through E-Poll MediaSYNC – E-Score Celebrity.

The People's Choice Awards 2013, will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 (9:00-11:00 p.m. ET/delayed PT), on the CBS television network. The show is produced by Mark Burnett's One Three Inc. and hosted by Kaley Cuoco, star of "The Big Bang Theory".

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet and political activist Serj Tankian performed a full classical symphony called "Orca" with the world-renowned Das Karussell Orchestra (featuring members of the Bruckner Orchester) last night (Sunday, October 28) at Brucknerhaus in Linz, Austria. Video footage of the concert can be seen below. The show was professionally filmed and recorded for a 2013 release.

Tankian utilized the Kickstarter project platform to create funding for "Orca".

Stated Serj: "Many of you know my work in rock music, between SYSTEM OF A DOWN and my solo album releases. While I have rearranged some of my past rock compositions to be performed as orchestral pieces, such as the 'Elect The Dead Symphony' in 2010, 'Orca' is the first four-act symphony that I have composed, a mix of early-20th-century compositional styles combined with the powerful range of film scoring.

"I decided to name my symphony 'Orca' because orcas 'appear to have no parallel outside humans' in terms of their cultural faculties. An orca is really a dolphin with much darker tendencies. I see this dichotomy as a great metaphor for humanity.

"Last year, I wrote and recorded a professionally sampled studio version with the goal of being able to record it properly with a full orchestra…. this was not something I could capture in a small home studio.

"I was able to play with the Das Karussell Orchestra at Brucknerhaus during the 'Elect The Dead Symphony' world tour, which was an amazing experience. I shared my sampled recording of 'Orca' with them, and together we made plans for the live performance and recording to fully bring the work to life and share and distribute it to as many people as possible."

Superskum has uploaded quality video footage of MORBID ANGEL's October 7 concert at Gothic Theatre in Englewood during the band's North American tour with GRAVE and DARK FUNERAL. Check it out below.

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, MORBID ANGEL vocalist/bassist David Vincent stated about the band's latest album, "Illud Divinium Insanus", "One thing about MORBID ANGEL is that there's never been any rules and it's an interesting perspective. We just kind of go in and do what we do, and sometimes it blossoms; every flower is a different color and a different smell. This album, it surprises people, a couple of tracks on there, and then there's a couple of other tracks that are as MORBID ANGEL as you can get. People are coming around. It was slow going at first — people were going, 'What are these guys doing here?' and night after night, I'm getting comments, people are like, 'I finally really listened to it and I really like it. It just took me a while.' That's no different than some of the other records we've done in the past, so everything is going as planned."

"Illud Divinum Insanus" sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 141. The effort marked MORBID ANGEL's first CD to feature Vincent since 1995's "Domination".

Fan-filmed video footage of STONE SOUR performing its new song "Gone Sovereign", last night (Sunday, October 28) at the first of two "House Of Gold And Bones - Part 1" hometown CD-release shows at Wooly's in Des Moines, Iowa can be seen below.

STONE SOUR filmed a video for "Gone Sovereign" on September 26 in Des Moines with director Paul R. Brown (SLIPKNOT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KORN, GODSMACK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD).

"House Of Gold And Bones - Part 1", the first half of STONE SOUR's upcoming two-disc concept album, arrived on October 23. The second half will come out next year, probably in May.

Singer Corey Taylor told The Pulse Of Radio that the project has turned out even better than he had hoped. "It's some of the best work we've ever done," he said. "Song-wise, guitar-wise, performance-wise, I mean, everything. It's so good. It's come out so much better than I thought it was going to. It's surpassed all of our expectations. It's really, really good."

Speaking to Rolling Stone about the making of the project, Taylor said, "Even with the time constraints we had, we basically recorded two albums in the time it takes to record one. So we were doing double-duty every day. I was tracking two songs vocally a day just to keep us on a deadline and it really pushed us to strive for excellence."

The singer also said that the band wanted to "really try and go for (a) natural vibe on this without using a ton of samples and really try to differentiate us from everybody else out there . . . we wanted to really capture a unique sound."

STONE SOUR has tapped Johny Chow as its live bassist for the band's tour behind "House Of Gold And Bones". Chow has formerly played with metal acts SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and FIREBALL MINISTRY, and replaces Shawn Economaki, who bowed out of the band earlier this year for personal reasons.

Los Angeles-based traditional metallers WHITE WIZZARD have set "The Devil's Cut" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in the spring of 2013. The band says, "It [will contain] eight songs to tear your heads off. [Bassist, songwriter and founding member] Jon [Leon] is perfecting lyrics and vocal melodies now after having written the best WHITE WIZZARD yet and Jake [Dreyer] and Will [Wallner] are writing masterful leads that are gonna blow your heads off."

"Torpedo Of Truth", a brand new demo song from WHITE WIZZARD, can be seen streamed below. The track was recorded in early May and it features "beastly rhythm, thunderous melodic bass and some serious shred at a whole new level," said the band. "Anybody that was whining about the lack of more shreddy leads on the 'Flying Tigers' album better get ready to get an injection of some serious shit. A 'Torpedo Of Truth' right up your ass!" the group added.

WHITE WIZZARD's latest album, "Flying Tigers", was released in September 2011 via Earache Records.

Minneapolis, Minniesota-based singer Melissa Ferlaak (AESMA DAEVA, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, ECHOTERRA) has joined forces with guitarist Will Maravelas (WE ARE LEGION) in a brand new death/doom metal project called PLAGUE OF STARS. The two discussed the initial formula then brought in two additional scientists, bassist Christopher Quinn (AESMA DAEVA, A WHISPER IN THE NOISE, DODD) and drummer Aaron Lanik (WE ARE LEGION).

A press release states: "Initially concocted were two surprising reactions, 'In The Pines' which replicated earlier known reactions produced by Lead Belly and 'When Morning Came', an original design that surprised those who came in contact with it. These two strains of the virus would soon be engineered to include multiple strains of the infection to be released into the public in June 2013 following a top secret campaign by private donors, who believe this biochemical weapon is the answer to the struggles we currently face. The plague to be remembered in history….if history continues to exist….the PLAGUE OF STARS."

Finnish gothic metallers THE 69 EYES have released their own signature red wine.

Official wine description: "Love is red. Just like the lips of Juliet. Not far from that balcony of hers comes this Veronese wine. The Helsinki Vampires have always been known for their love of wine, women and song. THE 69 EYES' wine is red. Just like your lips."

For more information, go to this location.

THE 69 EYES' new album, "X", sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort landed at position No. 17 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.

As previously reported, "X" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 47 and the Finnish chart at No. 4. The CD, which was released in Europe on September 28 via Nuclear Blast Records, was mixed by Stefan Boman (THE HELLACOPTERS, BULLET).

THE 69 EYES filmed a video for the song "Red" in July with Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

After enjoying a limited "fan-club-only" U.K. release, "Heavy Metal Thunder - The Movie", SAXON's wonderfully unfiltered and intimate account of their ascent to the upper echalons of heavy metal, will finally enjoy an international release this December. The double-disc set features the soon-to-be-celebrated story of SAXON, while the second disc is packed with bonus features including a full-length performance (on St. George's Day) from April 23, 2008. Rivetingly honest, and including the frank memories of every musician who has played in the band, "Heavy Metal Thunder - The Movie" pieces together the earliest incarnations of SAXON, from frontman Biff Byford's teenage years in the coalmines of Yorkshire and SON OF A BITCH (the first incarnation of SAXON) all the way through to top 10 hits and world tours.

"Our music was more sort of machinery banging together, wheels turning, machines making noise," says Biff of those early, industrial days, "It's what heavy metal is all about. Heavy metal is all about hard, big sounds bashing your skull in. I used to work in factories where big machinery made lot of noise and I used to sing along to the noises they made."

It is a documentary which looks for all the world as though it's a superbly crafted script, as much a tale of pure, honest, working-class triumph as just another rock 'n' roll story. "Heavy Metal Thunder - The Movie" shows every facet of SAXON on their journey without once diluting the true characters who make up the band.

"We basically played every dump and shithole that there is in England over a period, probably just short of eight years," laughs Biff. "You know classic cliché of transit van, up and down and we used to play more or less every night. One gig might be a good paying gig and the other one might be no money or ten quid, but it was an obsession; you had to play every day." These wonderfully naïve young men sought nothing more than a great gig, a good time and maybe a nice girl, before suddenly finding themselves on tour in the U.S., exposed to the sorts of things which (quite frankly) Barnsley simply didn't offer in 1980. And from that point, "Heavy Metal Thunder - The Movie" takes the viewer on a journey on a rock 'n' roller of a journey encompassing it all from triumphs to tears to tea-bags and beyond. Nothing is forsaken and nothing skipped. Despite the fact that to this day there remain problems between the Byford/Quinn and Oliver/Dawson parties, everyone tells the full unedited SAXON story with heartfelt honesty and integrity.

"We do have a great legacy," says Byford, "whether you joined the band in 1994 or (as) an original member. There's a legacy there and I've tried hard to not let people demean it and to spoil it and you have to look after that thing that is SAXON."

Formats:

* DVD Digipack (2 discs)
* Blu-ray

German thrash metal veterans SODOM have entered the studio with producer Waldemar Sorychta (GRIP INC., ENEMY OF THE SUN) to begin recording their new album for an early 2013 release. The band's bassist/vocalist Thomas "Angelripper" Such states, "Makka [drummer Markus Freiwald] finished all the drum tracks [last] Wednesday. And believe us, he did a great job and hammered twelve songs in just two days. [This] week, Bernemann [guitarist Bernd Kost] will start the guitar recording sessions."

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.

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 latest album, "In War And Pieces", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64.

The expanded edition of late DEEP PURPLE keyboardist JON LORD's Concerto For Group And Orchestra will be released on December 7th.
Officially known as the Mediabook Edition, it comes with the standard CD of the Concerto plus a 72-page book and a documentary DVD. Along with unseen photographs from the recording sessions, the book also contains Paul Mann‘s elaborate complete essay on the life and recording of the Concerto.
The book also contains Marco de Goeij‘s essay on how he struggled with his recreation of the Concerto and his initial meeting with Jon while he was on tour with Deep Purple. Marco de Goeij caught him outside his hotel in Rotterdam and remembers the crucial moment, when Jon first heard about the reconstructed score: "Jon decided to have a look at my work right away. For the next two hours we sat in the lobby of the hotel discussing the score. With every turn of a page new thoughts and memories surfaced and at some points Jon could see his own handwriting coming through the printed score, remembering what the manuscript had looked like when he wrote it, complete with the stains caused by erasing mistakes. As he studied the work, it slowly dawned on him that it would now be possible to play the piece again. He grabbed my arm, asking “Are you real? Am I dreaming?”‘
The DVD contains The Making Of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, complete with unseen footage from the recording sessions in Liverpool and at Abbey Road Studios, along with filmed interviews with Paul Mann and Marco de Goeij.

The Mediabook will ship from December 7th. Pre-order at this location.

Lord assembled guest musicians such as IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, JOE BONAMASSA (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) and Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse in the Abbey Road Studios, to work with his trusted partner, director Paul Mann, on the 2012 version of the legendary concert.

“Over these last years since leaving Deep Purple, I’ve played it over 30 times with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and, of course, in 2000 I did it well over 30 times with Purple on the Concerto tour, so I’ve been honing the piece live on stage, and I’ve had the opportunity to change things in the score that weren’t sounding quite right. It is therefore a marvelous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive version of the score.” (Jon Lord May 2011)

On July 16, 2012, Jon Lord passed away in London at 71 years old. This album is a joyful testament of a great musician and fantastic man.

“His dignity and graciousness touched us all. His music was an inspiration and took us to places beyond our imagination… A truly great man. We humbly express our eternal love and great respect.” – Tribute from Deep Purple upon the passing of Jon Lord.

Jon Lord's Concerto For Group And Orchestra features the following tracklisting:

'Movement One'
'Movement Two'
'Movement Three'

Peter Mensch, the manager of LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page, told the U.K.'s Sunday Times that the legendary axeman is holed up in a west London studio "remastering every LED ZEPPELIN LP." It is believed that the new remasters, which are tentatively due next year, will possibly include alternate takes and unreleased material as well.

Page recently told Mojo magazine that there are plans to release each ZEPPELIN studio album as a box set with additional material from each LP. In addition, it was revealed in an article in The Australian that artist Shepard Fairley has been tapped to re-design the artwork for the upcoming reissues.

Page recently told a British radio station that he is working on new music, which might be released before the end of the year. During a chat with BBC Radio, Page said, "I'm just looking forward to making some music and surprising people with it. It won't be just teaming up with lots of people who are [big] names. I've got an idea of something which I've had for a long time and now's the time to do it."

Page remained ambiguous when talking about the still-unnamed project, saying: "I have got other ideas that have been nagging at me for a long long time, I think the way to present music is same picture different frame, and sometimes this frame is quite radical."

The Sunset Strip's hottest export STEEL PANTHER is looking to further its quest for worldwide domination with the release of its first-ever DVD, "British Invasion", via Guitar Anarchy Studios. Rumored for release multiple times in the U.S. in 2010 and 2011, the DVD will finally see the light of day domestically on October 30.

Recorded with 16 cameras in pristine HD over a two-year period, the DVD chronicles STEEL PANTHER's legendary live show that the band has come to be known for. Beginning in March 2010 at the band's sold-out concert at Brixton Academy in London during their highly successful "Feel The Steel" tour, the DVD feaures some of the group's most memorable hits, including "Asian Hooker", "Community Property", "The Shocker" and "Stripper Girl", in a way never seen before. Included in the package is a laugh-out-loud documentary that follows the band backstage and on their tour that is not to be missed. The deluxe box set includes two DVDs — one with the full show and one with the documentary — deleted scenes and five songs from Download Festival 2012. The packaging also includes a 16-page color book. The DVD will also be available in Blu-ray at the same time.

"British Invasion" was directed and produced by award-winning director Daniel E. Catullo III (RUSH, NICKELBACK, GODSMACK) and was mixed by Jay Ruston, who worked with the band on both of their previous records. An official DVD web site has been set up specifically for the DVD release, SteelPantherDVD.com, with a pre-order starting today as well. Fans who pre-order the DVD on the DVD site will receive a limited-edition signed poster of the band for free. New videos will be released every week up until release day to give the fans a sneak peek at the DVD and updated information will be posted on the official DVD site.

STEEL PANTHER is currently gearing up for their second world tour of 2012. The 25-plus-city trek kicks off in Auckland, New Zealand on October 2 and runs through mid-November and makes stops in major markets all over Europe and Australia, including Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Manchester, Paris, Zurich and Bristol, before wrapping up in London on November 15.

STEEL PANTHER was, for a long time, rock's best-kept secret: a cult legend on the L.A. scene. But in recent years due to the success of their albums (both debuted at #1 on the Billboard Comedy Album Charts) and live shows, the band has enjoyed huge acclaim from fans and peers alike. At sold-out shows in Hollywood and Las Vegas, STEEL PANTHER has been joined on stage by rock and roll icons such as Steven Tyler of AEROSMITH, Paul Stanley of KISS, Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT, Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, and Chester Bennington of LINKIN PARK.

"British Invasion" track listing:

Main DVD

01. Eyes Of A Panther
02. Eatin' Ain't Cheatin'
03. Fat Girl
04. Hair Solo
05. Party All Day
06. Hell's On Fire
07. Stripper Girl
08. Asian Hooker
09. Turn Out The Lights
10. Girl From Oklahoma
11. We Want Pussy
12. Community Property
13. The Shocker
14. Death To All But Metal

Bonus Disc

* 40-minute documentary
* Deleted scenes
* Download Festival 2012
* "Supersonic Sex Machine" video
* "Community Property" video
* "Just Like Tiger Woods" video
* "17 Girls In A Row" video
* "Death To All But Metal" video (featuring Corey Taylor)

A performance clip of the song "Fat Girl" from the "British Invasion" DVD can be seen below (courtesy of Loudwire).

"Fat Girl" performance clip:

"La Epidemia", the new video from New Jersey/New York's ILL NIÑO, can be seen below. The clip, which features a guest appearance by EMMURE frontman Frankie Palmeri, was filmed on September 29 at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"La Epidemia" comes off ILL NIÑO's new album, "Epidemia", which will be released on October 22 via Victory Records.

The recording sessions for "Epidemia" took place in Hoboken, New Jersey; Austin, Texas; and Denver, Colorado.

For nearly fifteen years, ILL NIÑO has gained a loyal and dedicated fan base while creating its own unique style of Latin-influenced, aggressive metal.

Utilizing bilingual vocals, Latin/tribal rhythms and powerful melodies, "Epidemia" is bound to spread worldwide.

"Epidemia" track listing:

01. The Depression
02. Only The Unloved
03. La Epidemia
04. Eva
05. Demi-God
06. Death Wants More
07. Escape
08. Time Won't Save You
09. Forgive Me Father...
10. Invisible People

The "Epidemia" cover artwork can be seen below.

ILL NIÑO drummer Dave Chavarri previously stated about the upcoming album: "This time around, we want to explore Latin and tribal rhythms we have never explored in the past five releases, giving us no musical boundaries at all."

CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer has uploaded audio samples of two new solo tracks, "Cold Day In Hell" and "Ask Me Yesterday", at TomKeifer.com. he states: "As promised, some new music, but it won't be here forever..."

Keifer has inked a deal with Jack Ponti's Merovee Records, a joint venture with David Letterman's Worldwide Pants, for the release of his long-awaited debut solo album. Due in early 2013, the as-yet-untitled CD will feature 14 tracks that are described by Ponti as “intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots." The lyrics will take an introspective look at the roller coaster ride that has been Keifer's life for the past 15 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord, to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will, when combined with a true love of music.

In a 2011 interview with Sweden's Metalshrine, Keifer was asked whether his solo album was going to be a whole lot different from CINDERELLA. Tom replied, "No, not really, because being the lead singer and the main songwriter and I did a lot of the guitar work in CINDERELLA, it's kind of hard to run from my sound. I had a lot of influence over those records so… I'm just doing what I do and that's hard rock inspired by blues and roots music. What I did in CINDERELLA is what I love to do and what I'm doing on my own is what I love to do. I try to be true to what I like. It's similar in that way, you know. Dynamically the records, the CINDERELLA records, and especially as they went on into 'Long Cold Winter' and 'Heartbreak Station', they had a lot of different flavors and colors and dynamics and different types of songs, which I always like because the bands that I grew up on, like, [LED] ZEPPELIN and THE [ROLLING] STONES, they really covered a lot of area musically. My solo record does that, too, and I think it makes for a more interesting record when it's not just the same song for 14 tracks."