The official lyric video for "Not One Day Dead", a brand new song from German alcoholic thrashers TANKARD, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's 30th-anniversary album, "A Girl Called Cerveza", which was released on July 27 via the band's new label home, Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Studio 23 in Frankfurt with producer Michael Mainx (ONKELZ, DER W, DISBELIEF, D-A-D).

"A Girl Called Cerveza" track listing:

11. Running On Fumes
12. A Girl Called Serveza
13. Witchhunt 2.0
14. Masters Of Farces
15. The Metal Lady Boy (feat. Doro Pesch)
16. Not One Day Dead (But One Day Mad)
17. Son Of A Fridge
18. Fandom At Random
19. Metal Magnolia
20. Rapid Fire (A Tyrant's Elegy)

TANKARD's fourteenth studio album, "Vol(l)ume 14", was released on December 17, 2010 via AFM Records. The limited-edition digipak version of the album included a bonus DVD containing footage of TANKARD's performance at the 2009 edition of the Headbangers Open Air festival, which took place July 23-25, 2009 in in Brande-Hörnerkirchen, Germany.

"Not One Day Dead (But One Day Mad)" lyric video:

Dutch death metallers SINISTER will release their new album, "The Carnage Ending", on September 28 via Massacre Records. The CD was once again recorded at Soundlodge studios in Rhauderfehn, Germany with producer Jörg Uken (GOD DETHRONED, OBSCENITY).

"The Carnage Ending" track listing:

01. Gates Of Bloodshed (Intro)
02. Unheavenly Domain
03. Transylvania (City Of The Damned)
04. My Casual Enemy
05. Crown Of Thorns
06. The Carnage Ending
07. Oath Of Rebirth
08. Regarding The Imagery
09. Blood Ecstacy
10. Defamatory Content
11. Final Destroyer

The digipack version will include a bonus disc with five covers:

* Spit On Your Grave (WHIPLASH
* Succubus (MASSACRE
* Swing Of The Axe (POSSESSED
* Dethroned Emperor (CELTIC FROST
* Face Fate (BLOODFEAST

The song "Transylvania (City Of The Damned)" is now available for streaming below.

Poland's Metal Mind Productions released an exclusive box containing SINISTER's full discography in February 2011. Entitled "Altered Since Birth", the set contains eight studio albums, a live DVD, a compilation of demo tracks, plus a booklet containing a full biography based on an exclusive interview, the complete discography, lyrics to all songs and a selection of amazing archive photos. The cover artwork was created by the well-known Polish graphic designer Graal.

SINISTER's most recent album, "Legacy of Ashes", came out on December 17, 2010 via Massacre Records.

Slovenian thrashers PANIKK have inked a deal with Metal Tank Records. The band's new album, "Unbearable Conditions", will be released later in early 2013.

Influenced by San Francisco Bay Area metal bands, PANIKK "represent it with full-blown-in-your-face voyage to the world of face-melting riffs unwilling to slow down to the last beat and you will want to take that trip again and again and…AGAIN!" according to a press release.

Commented PANIKK: "We went into DYZ Sonic Temple Studio in March to record our debut album, 'Unbearable Conditions', under the guidance of producer Dyz. We're pumped with thrash that is energetic and tightsounding and so is our music, which doesn't give a fuck of today's trends. We wrote six songs anew and took two songs off of demo rearranged them and made them even better. We invited along two friends Domen Justin (Dyz) and Tim Draksler who contributed a few solos."

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's A LIFE ONCE LOST has set "Ecstatic Trance" as the title of its sixth opus, due on October 23 in North America and on November 16 in the rest of the world via Season Of Mist. The CD was recorded at Planet Red studios in Richmond, Virginia with producer Andreas Magnusson (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, IMPENDING DOOM).

A LIFE ONCE LOST vocalist Bob Meadows recently stated about the band's forthcoming album, "It's going to be a beast of a record and fans can expect a little more honesty both musically and lyrically with an amalgamation of the ALOL signature style and some other surprises that have yet to be over played within the metal community. We are making this record because we enjoy the art of making music, not because we have to make a new record. As long as we are happy playing in ALOL, we will continue to grow and take our sound further."

Georgia's THE CHARIOT has inked a European deal with Season Of Mist. The band's fifth album, "One Wing", will be released in Europe on September 21 and in the U.S. on August 28 via eOne Music / Good Fight Music.

"We love touring Europe and are excited to work with Season," says THE CHARIOT singer Josh Scogin. "The more we can do to bring out music to new kids in new places the better!"

In a recent interview, Scogin was asked what THE CHARIOT's mindset was when going into the studio to record "One Wing". He replied, "Let's get weird."

THE CHARIOT are true artists whose determined passions lead them down winding pathways as they buck trends and avoid formulas. The noisy, rambling, shambling, Southern — fried, punk-infused, heavy metal hardcore band has long rejected the conventions of the genre that surrounds them by refusing to conform to established structures. After all, THE CHARIOT is the band whose debut was recorded live in the studio in one take, whose frenetic and often destructive live shows are the stuff of underground legend and whose evolving lineups have generated a body of work as vibrant in the hearts and minds of those who’ve witnessed the mayhem live as those who own the discography.

Norwegian satanic black metal band NETTLECARRIER will release its self-titled debut album on September 21 in Europe and September 25 in North America via Indie Recordings. The cover artwork was created by artist Truls Espedal (ENSLAVED, THEATER OF TRAGEDY, DJEVEL), who has painted all of ENSLAVED's album covers since 2001.

"Nettlecarrier" track listing:

01. The Boiling Blood
02. Paa Vaare Paaler Deres Hoder
03. I Helvete Kristus Skal Forgaa
04. Naar Han Vaakner
05. Demoriel
06. Cup Of Lethe
07. Bundet Til Masten

NETTLECARRIER features in its ranks T. Ciekals (DJEVEL, LJÅ), Mannevond (KOLDBRANN, URGEHAL) and Dirge Rep (ORCUSTUS, GEHENNA, GORGOROTH, ENSLAVED).

NETTLECARRIER was formed in 2004 when T. Ciekals, who was a member of the band LJÅ at the time, moved to Oslo and teamed up with Mannevond from the infamous KOLDBRANN. "I had been in contact with Mannevond a few years back and we were both fans of each others bands," said Ciekals. They had a burning desire to create a black metal band that did not sound like anyone else, but with an older and more sinister sound. In late 2006, Vold joined in on drums for a short while and as a three-piece the pace increased. This resulted in the release of the seven-inch vinyl single, "To Strangle The Hero Of Heaven".

When Mannevond started Urgehal and T. Ciekals formed DJEVEL, NETTLECARRIER was put on ice for almost three years. "I left LJÅ in 2007 to focus on DJEVEL and Mannevond was busy with URGEHAL, but NETTLECARRIER wasn't dead, just buried for a while," explained Ciekals. After the DJEVEL album was released, Ciekals was finally able to focus on NETTLECARRIER again. The very talented Dirge Rep joined the band on drums in 2010 and the decision to record an album was made.

"Naught", the new album from the avant-garde metal band STOLEN BABIES, will be released digitally on September 18 and physically on October 16 via No Comment Records. The CD art was illustrated by artist Crab Scrambly and can be viewed below.

"In continuing our collaboration with artist Crab Scrambly, it was really important to us to create something our fans would want to keep staring at while they caress and possibly fondle its smooth exterior… not something easily done to a downloadable MP3, I must note," states STOLEN BABIES bassist Rani Sharone. "We hope this album cover brings plenty of candy coated smiles to the masses and even more warm and fuzzy feelings when they see the rest of this little gem that is the album's packaging. 'Naught' is our mutant, not-so-well-behaved second full-length studio album and we look forward to its release!"

This September, STOLEN BABIES will be touring the United States with co-headliners DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, KATATONIA, and special guests PARADISE LOST as part of the "Epic Kings & Idols Tour" (DTP and KATATONIA will alternate in headlining each show). The tour kicks off in Seattle, Washington at Studio 7 on September 4 and travels throughout the United States until September 24 when it comes to a close in Baltimore, Maryland at Rams Head Live.

STOLEN BABIES is:

Dominique Lenore Persi - Lead Vocals/Accordion
Rani Sharone - Bass/Vocals
Gil Sharone - Drums
Ben Rico - Keyboard/Vocals/Percussion
Davey Oberlin - Guitar (touring member)

Italian progressive metal/rock band TIMESWORD has announced the addition of singer Alberto Zampolli to the group's ranks.

Commented TIMESWORD: "[Alberto is] a new young promise of metal and we trust in him about his vocal abilities, surely him will carry in TIMESWORD a new freshness and charge that will be present in the new album now in progress."

TIMESWORD in January 2011 parted ways with singer Mark Pastorino.

The band's debut album, "Chains Of Sin", was released in March 2010 via 7Hard Records.

Formed in December 2005 by guitarist Dan Logoluso, TIMESWORD recruited drummer Alex Galanti, bassist Luca Prederi and keyboardist Alberto Sonzogzi in 2007. The group rounded out its lineup with the addition of Pastorino the following year.

We entered WildOneMusic Studio with our new singer SØREN NICO ADAMSEN to record our new CD Balance Of Power. Nico is a fantastic singer and has a huge variety in his voice from very melodic to heavy and powerful.

Nico stated: I am really happy to sing on this album, becasue I could sing in a lot of different styles and facets of my voice, and drank a lot of good Austrian beers! This really gonna be a fantastic album!

Balance Of Power will be a very versatile, powerful and melodic album. There also will also be some guest musicians that will add some extra colour on this album. Besides recording the vocals we are working on the the cover artwork which will be done by Anthony Devine. So stay tuned !

DIGNITY is:

Søren Nico Adamsen – Vocals
Phil Porter – Guitars
John Boy Bastard – Bass
Frank Pitters – Keys
Roland Navratil - Drums

According to True Metalhead, Adam "Nergal" Darski, frontman of extreme blackened death outfit BEHEMOTH, has become the new spokesman for energy drink called Demon in his native Poland.

Before Nergal could even put his face on the product, the relationship is already causing controversy and backlash in Poland. There are organizations prepared to boycott the launch.

"We want this brand to surprise people while we have fun with marketing communications," says Marek Sypek, chairman and managing director of Agros-Nova, the company that is said to be licensing the product from Demon's manufacturer in New Zealand. "We want it to be controversial, but taken with a grain of salt."

Demon's product logo contains a pentagram and Nergal will be appearing in the advertising campaigns in his BEHEMOTH stage attire. Featuring the slogan "No Limits - No Laws," the campaign will include four tempting flavors and one low price.

With the face of Nergal (known as "Holocausto" in the campaign), who is known for his anti-Christian views and allegations of public blasphemy, the manufacturer wants to gain a strong position in a competitive market for energy drinks.

Nergal will reportedly donate a portion of his earnings from the campaign to DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow donor center whose mission is to save people's lives by registering and motivating stem cell donors over the long run in all corners of the globe.

Darski was found innocent last August of offending religious feelings in connection with a September 2007 incident when he reportedly called the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet" during the band's performance in Gdynia and tore up a copy of the Bible, calling it "a book of lies."

A Polish judge ruled on August 18, 2011 that Darski's ripping up of a Bible during a show was a form of artistic expression consistent with the style of his band.

Judge Krzysztof Wieckowski said he considered Darski's actions "a form of art." He added that the court had no intention of limiting freedom of expression or the right to criticize religion.

Bassist Dan Biggin of thrash masters CRIMINAL — originally formed in Chile and now based in the U.K. — underwent surgery on his spine last week due to a herniated disk. The band states, "He had been in a lot of pain in the last few months but was on a waiting list and didn't expect to go under the knife so soon. Fortunately, everything went well, so after a period of recovery he will hopefully be like new and rocking the stage with CRIMINAL."

"Akelarre", the seventh studio album from CRIMINAL, was released last August via Massacre Records.

The CD was CRIMINAL's first album since the departure of lead guitarist and founding member Rodrigo Contreras and the subsequent addition of Basque guitar wizard Olmo Cascallar.

"Akelarre" is a word from the Basque language (Euskara) which is also widely used in most Spanish-speaking countries and translates to "witches' Sabbath."

"Akelarre" was produced by Dan Biggin at his HVR Studios in Suffolk, U.K.

Country megastar Carrie Underwood, Julian Lennon (John Lennon's son with his first wife Cynthia) and actor Johnny Depp make guest appearances on "Music From Another Dimension!", the new album from Boston hard rock legends AEROSMITH. Underwood duets with AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler on a crossover ballad titled "Beautiful", a move which guitarist Joe Perry was skeptical about at first before eventually being won over. "Their voices matched up really well," Perry tells RollingStone.com in a new interview. "It doesn't sound forced. It was just right." Lennon contributed harmony vocals to "Love Three Times a Day", which Tyler describes to RollingStone.com as "BEATLES-que." "He's such a sweet fucking guy," Tyler says. "And he's John's first son with that voice and sense of humor — gimme a break!" Depp laid down backing vocals on a Perry-penned track called "Freedom Fighter", which the guitarist will either appear the regular album or be released as a bonus track on a later deluxe edition of the CD.

"Music From Another Dimension!" also features a guest appearance by guitarist Rick Dufay, who briefly replaced AEROSMITH's Brad Whitford in the early Eighties. Dufay joined the band on a cover of THE TEMPTATIONS' 1975 hit "Shakey Ground", which Tyler had originally intended to include on a solo album.

"Legendary Child" video:

New Jersey metallers ATTACKER have posted a seven-minute video clip featuring snippets of several songs which will be featured on the band's as-yet-untitled new album. The tracks were recorded live at the group's rehearsal studio on July 29.

Commented drummer Mike Sabatini: "Since we have not had a lot to share lately, we figured, why not put some stuff up so people who are interested can see what we have been up to for the last few months? It also features for the first time on any recording our new bassist Jon Hanemann. Check it out!"

ATTACKER recently recruited Bobby "Leatherlungs" Lucas (SEVEN WITCHES, OVERLORDE, MORBID SIN) as its new vocalist. Lucas is still a member of OVERLORDE, which is currently working on a new album.

U.S. metallers SLEEPY HOLLOW have announced the addition of guitarist Rick Craig to the group's ranks.

Craig is a founding member of Detroit metal legends HALLOWEEN and is also a former member of classic rock icons HUMBLE PIE and the MC5.

Rick will make his live debut with SLEEPY HOLLOW this fall, when the band headlines Dingbatz on Friday, October 6. Fans can also expect the guitarist to be on the band's next album and beyond.

SLEEPY HOLLOW's new album, "Skull 13", was released on March 23 via Pure Steel Records and High Roller Records. The effort was released on vinyl (limited 500 copies) through High Roller and on CD/DDL through Pure Steel.

"Skull 13" was recorded primarily at No Oulet Studio in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania with producers Steve Stegg and Eric Fisher.

Bassist Mike LePond left SLEEPY HOLLOW in December due to his commitments with SYMPHONY X. He has since been replaced by Alan D'Angelo.

DEATH RAY VISION, the new project featuring SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio and former OVERCAST/SEEMLESS guitarist Pete Cortese, is working on "some very rough" new demos. Fair writes on Twitter, "[I'm] digging these tunes a lot."

DEATH RAY VISION's "Get Lost Or Get Dead" EP was released last year. The CD was recorded in March 2011 at Mad Oak Studio in Allston, Massachusetts with Benny Grotto (MOTHERBOAR, SLAPSHOT, ACARO, DRESDEN DOLLS) at the helm.

"For our first release, we wanted to have a huge-sounding record with modern production but still maintain the energy and rawness of the old-school hardcore seven-inches that influence the formation of the band," Fair explained at the time. "We kept it simple with minimal overdubs, layers and Pro Tools magic that is becoming all to common in music today. We just set up, hit record and let it rip."

DEATH RAY VISION made its live debut on April 8, 2011 at the Vegas Lounge in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

DEATH RAY VISION is:

Brian Fair - Vocals
Mike D'Antonio - Bass
Pete Cortese - Guitar
Zack Wells - Guitar
Colin Conway - Drums

On July 12, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet and political activist Serj Tankian visited KROQ's Red Bull Sound Space studio for a special "Harakiri" release-week interview and performance in front of 100-200 lucky fans. KROQ and Red Bull streamed the event live via their web site for free. You can now check out the footage of question-and-answer session and performance below.

Tankian and his five-piece backing band the FCC (the FLYING CUNTS OF CHAOS) played the following six songs:

01. Figure It Out
02. Butterfly
03. Harakiri
04. Honking Antelope
05. Cornucopia
06. Empty Walls

Tankian's new solo album, "Harakiri", sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 29 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Harakiri" was released on July 10 via Reprise Records/Serjical Strike.

In a recent interview with CraveOnline.com, Serj stated about the "Harakiri" title track, "[It] refers to the ominous events of early 2011 when close to a million species of bird and fish died, without much satisfactory scientific explanation. The omen was not lost on me. Varied creatures on earth were committing massive harakiri or were being given a sign to leave this place. Why would these intuitive beings closely knit in the fabric of nature leave? What does that mean for us in terms of environmental degradation, events to come, etc.?"

When asked if there is a thematic idea behind the "Harakiri" album, Serj said, "'Harakiri' is not really a concept record, although the idea of harakiri as it relates to death is a central theme. Everything else on the album captures the same time period of life in these times: political and social events, personal stories, humorous interpretations. It tries to convey the massive upheaval of our global life today ripe with injustice, economic inequities, the failing of the massive globalist agenda, and of course revolt."?

"Harakiri", a Japanese word meaning ritual suicide, is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed "Imperfect Harmonies", and the third solo release from the SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman. As with 2007's "Elect The Dead" and "Imperfect Harmonies", Serj produced "Harakiri" himself at his home studio in Los Angeles. He tried to approach writing a little differently this time around. "I used the Apple iPad as a songwriting instrument to sketch out three of the songs on the record," explained Serj. "We must trick ourselves into writing in different ways to get unexpected results." The album will also feature performances by Serj's touring band, THE F.C.C. — Dan Monti on guitar, Mario Pagliarulo on bass, and Troy Zeigler on drums. Dan Monti is also co-mixing and co-engineering the album with Serj. The album was mastered by Vlado Meller (METALLICA, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, KANYE WEST, BEASTIE BOYS).

"Clash Of The Titans", the second single from the Italian "cinematic" metal band LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY, will be made available for free at the end of the summer/early fall. The "virtual" single will include the new song "Fantasia Gotica", described by the band as "a very original cinematic orchestral ballad of rare emotional impact," and a video for the track "Clash Of The Titans" helmed by the Swedish director Owe Lingvall of Dreamday Media (U2, THE RASMUS). The clip was filmed in New York and its "visual impact will underline once more the strong link between RHAPSODY and the world of movies," according to Lingvall.

Commented guitarist Dominique Leurquin: "We are working with our friend Owe Lingvall to present a new generation of shows on our upcoming tour. The songs of the new album, the legendary hits of the first albums, some of those old glorious RHAPSODY songs never or rarely played until now, a couple of surprises from the solo releases of Luca Turilli; the great variety of the setlist is surely guaranteed and we will offer music for all tastes!”

Added drummer Alex Landenburg: "The collaboration with Dreamday Media and the use of video projection will set a new standard for our shows in this and in the future tours. But this is not everything, as many more exciting surprises are waiting for you. Therefore, be ready to live an intense emotional experience and see you soon to spend some great and unique cinematic evenings together!"

In August 2011, RHAPSODY OF FIRE guitarist Luca Turilli and keyboardist Alex Staropoli announced their decision to go their separate ways.

Due to legal reasons, Staropoli is continuing under the RHAPSODY OF FIRE name. Turilli, on the other hand, is making his efforts available under the RHAPSODY moniker (RHAPSODY OF FIRE's original name), in which he is joined by guitarist Dominique Leurquin, bassist Patrice Guers, singer Alessandro Conti (TRICK OR TREAT) and drummer Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA, STRATOVARIUS).

"Ascending To Infinity", the new album from LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY, was released on June 22 via Nuclear Blast. The CD entered the German Media Control chart at the position No. 32.

TOMAHAWK, the underground super group that includes Duane Dennison (THE JESUS LIZARD, UNSEMBLE), Trevor Dunn (FANTOMAS, MELVINS LITE), Mike Patton (MONDO CANE, FAITH NO MORE) and John Stanier (BATTLES, HELMET), has announced a brief fall tour kicking off on October 27 at Nashville's The Exit/In.

The dates are as follows:

Oct. 27 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
Oct. 28 - New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience
Oct. 29 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre
Oct. 31 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
Nov. 1 - Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's
Nov. 2-4 - Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fun Fest

TOMAHAWK will preview music from its upcoming album, "Oddfellows", with the release of a seven-inch single titled "Waratorium" on November 23 (Record Store Day's Black Friday event). The B-side will be an original etching by famed cartoonist and comics scholar Ivan Brunetti. A digital release for "Waratorium" follows a week later.

Due in January 2013 via Ipecac Recordings, "Oddfellows" "is a full-on rock album," Dennison recently told Rolling Stone. "There's no quirky weirdness — it's very straightforward for us. There's almost like this weird, upbeat sound, what I call 'heavy pop,' and Patton totally got the vibe right away... really heavy BEACH BOYS."

TOMAHAWK has been dormant for the past five years after releasing a trio of albums: "Tomahawk" in 2001, "Mit Gas" in 2003 and "Anonymous" in 2007. The band last performed live in 2003.

KORN recently recorded several songs at the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios in London, England for an exclusive BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" session which aired in early April as part of Daniel Carter's program. KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer was also interviewed about the session and the band's recent tour. Check out newly released video footage of the "Freak On A Leash" and "Falling Away From Me" performances below.

KORN's latest album, "The Path Of Totality", saw the band teaming up with dubstep producers and DJs to add a whole new electronic layer to their sound.

Much of the material for the album was recorded at singer Jonathan Davis' home studio, and he laid down vocals at home or in hotel rooms while on tour.

Davis said that title refers to the fact that "in order to see the sun in a full solar eclipse, you must be in the exact right place in the exact right time. That's how this album came together . . . I'm not sure it could ever happen again."

The album was released in two configurations: as a standard 11-song CD and a special edition CD that included bonus tracks as well as a DVD of "The Encounter", a full-length video concert of KORN's mind-blowing, once-in-a-lifetime performance in the middle of a 900-foot-long crop circle in a wheat field in Bakersfield. The complete concert, previously seen in 2010 on TV and online in an abbreviated form, was offered in its entirety to those who purchase the deluxe version.

According to the Los Angeles Times, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drummer Brad Wilk and his wife Selene Vigil (former lead singer for the band 7 YEAR BITCH) have put their house in Malibu, California on the market for $2.699 million. Built in 2001, the contemporary home has two bedrooms, three bathrooms, ocean views, and a huge deck. The property has about 2,750 square feet of living space, including a loft office. Check out pictures at this location.

Wilk, 43, bought the house in 2003 for $1.9 million

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE released its last studio album, "Renegades", in 2000. The band disbanded that year and reunited in 2007, but despite playing a number of live shows has not recorded anything new.

GODSMACK's video for the band's cover version of THE BEATLES' "Come Together" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Ian Barrett and features footage of the actual recording sessions for the song. The track comes off GODSMACK's first-ever live album, "Live & Inspired", which sold around 16,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart.

In a brand new interview with RockstarUproar.com, GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin said, "We love the ['Come Together'] video! It was actually filmed while we were recording 'Come Together'. Normally, the song will be recorded, and then the band will go back in the studio, put their headphones on, and pretend they're recording for the music video. This was real. It wasn't staged or anything. It's really cool. We were in Boston in January, and there were two feet of snow on the ground. We were totally in that vibe at the studio. It was awesome."

Asked what he likes the most about the music video, Larkin said, "I totally like the fact it was done while we were really recording. That's a big deal to me because most people are faking it. I like that I had a BEATLES shirt on. I had no idea we were doing the video that day. Sully [Erna, GODSMACK frontman] had hooked it all up, and he didn't tell us. [laughs] I went to record the song, and they had video cameras there. He was like, 'We're going to film today!' We didn't know if it was going to be for a music video or a DVD. I just thought we're doing a BEATLES song, I'll wear my BEATLES apple shirt. I'm a huge BEATLES fan, by the way. Obviously, all musicians are. They were one of the first bands my mom had turned me on to at a very young age. I particularly like the later version when they all had beards. I had to be rocking a beard because it was wintertime in Boston. I tend to do that. I thought, 'Wow, man, I'm totally in BEATLES mode here."'

On the topic of what GODSMACK brought to the cover, Larkin said, "In 1978, AEROSMITH, who's obviously a huge influence on us as a Boston band, covered 'Come Together' on the 'Live! Bootleg' album. We listened to that version and the original. We knew AEROSMITH added modernity and more rocking sound to THE BEATLES' version. We wanted to bring it into the 2000s with a heavier guitar tone. Tony [Rombola, guitar] wrote a more chunking riff than the AEROSMITH version. We wanted to make it GODSMACK. We approached it like, 'If we wrote the song, what would it have sounded like today?'"

The video for GODSMACK's cover of JOE WALSH's "Rocky Mountain Way" can be seen at RevolverMag.com. The song comes off GODSMACK's first-ever live album, "Live & Inspired", which sold around 16,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Released on May 15 via Universal Republic Records, "Live & Inspired" features fierce and furious live renditions of numerous hits from the Massachusetts rockers' five studio albums. Their incendiary and infectious shows have become legendary in modern rock, and they continue to impress both critics and audiences alike every time they hit the stage. The group sounds unchained on rousing performances of "Awake", "Keep Away", "Straight Out of Line", "Whatever", "Voodoo", and "I Stand Alone".

About the collection, frontman Sully Erna said, "'Live & Inspired' is our way of saying 'Thank you' to all of our fans for believing in us throughout the years, and helping us to become a great live band! Along with this ass-whooping set live from Detroit Rock City, we've also included four cover songs of our favorite hits in the past to show you that, we too, are simply just fans that appreciate nothing more than good old fashion ass-kicking rock 'n' roll! Enjoy!"

AXEWOUND — the new project featuring Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) on guitar and vocals, Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) on lead vocals, Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) on guitar, Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) on bass, and Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, KILLING JOKE) on drums — will release its debut album, "Vultures", in the U.K. on October 1 via Search And Destroy/RCA. A single, "Cold", will precede the full-length effort on September 10.

The "Vultures" album was recorded in Cardiff at the start of this year, with regular BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE collaborator Martin "Ginge" Ford engineering the sessions. From the outset, the aim was to work quickly and instinctively. In the event, they recorded 11 songs in 11 frenetic days.

"It was very intense, very demanding but that's how we wanted it to be," reasons Tuck. "No pre-writing, no rehearsing… just booking a studio and going in and doing a song a day. We wanted to capture something that happened right there and then."

Adds Cormier: "The record is great because it's been made by a bunch of friends who are just enjoying themselves playing together and doing something that's different to what they normally do."

According to a press release, "Vultures" is "a terrific debut. It is, as was intended, a thoroughly uncompromising beast: standout songs 'Burn Alive' and the title track being driven by venomous riffs, the former in particular echoing the sort of thrilling assault administered by the likes of SLAYER and SEPULTURA in their pomp. Yet Tuck's melodic gifts are in ready supply too on hulking tunes like 'ExoChrist' and the epic 'Collide'."

O2 Academy has uploaded multi-camera video footage of AXEWOUND performing the song "Cold" on June 6 at O2 Islington Academy in London, England. You can check it out below.

The band made its live debut on May 31 at Tivoli in Utrecht, Holland as the support act for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE.

AXEWOUND is:

Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) - Guitar, Vocals
Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) – Vocals
Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) - Guitar
Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) - Bass
Jason Bowld (ex-PITCHSHIFTER) – Drums

Thrash-inspired doom metallers CASTLE will release their second album, "Blacklands", on September 11 via their new North American label Prosthetic Records. The CD — which was produced by Billy Anderson (CATHEDRAL, SLEEP, EYEHATEGOD, NEUROSIS) — was described by Metal Hammer as "charged with arcane mysticism."

Commented the band: "We are proud to announce that CASTLE's dark vision has found a home with Prosthetic Records in North America. They are a label that looms large in metal and are as diverse and committed as we are to bringing original great music to legions of metal fans everywhere. With their help we look forward to doing just that with 'Blacklands'."

The "Blacklands" album artwork was created by Russian symbolist painter Denis Forkas Kostromitin (HORSEBACK, WRATHPRAYER, DEAD REPTILE SHRINE).

CASTLE's music video for the track "Corpse Candles" was directed by David Hall (Handshake Inc.) and can be seen below.

CASTLE was formed in 2009 and released its debut album, "In Witch Order", via the German label Van Records (THE DEVIL'S BLOOD) in the spring of 2011. The album brought light to the newly formed band and gained them the title of Metal Hammer Norway's album of the year as well as Roadburn Festival's "Newcomer of the Year." The band has played with the likes of BLOOD CEREMONY, WITCH MOUNTAIN, and will perform later this month with HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE and GATES OF SLUMBER.

CASTLE consists of Elizabeth Blackwell on vocals/bass, Mat Davis on guitars/vocals and Al McCartney on drums.

KISS has revealed the final piece of the cover for its 20th studio album, "Monster".

Using their recently launched "Monster Hunt" Facebook app, the rockers have been exposing portions of the image at various web sites around the Internet since last week.

The complete "Monster" cover can now be seen below.

"Monster" will be released on October 16 through Universal Music Enterprises. Described in a press release as a "12-track, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll album," the CD features collaborations among all four members — including co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — in an album that shows the band at the top of its game.

"Monster" is the group's first studio album since the band's 2009 smash success, "Sonic Boom", and was also produced by Paul Stanley with Greg Collins at Conway Studios in Hollywood, California, and The Nook in Studio City, California.

"Monster" represents KISS' nod to the music that first inspired them to pick up their guitars and flame-throwers and don makeup to entertain millions. The group goes back to their own beginnings with THE WHO-like "Freak", while Gene lives up to the title track's declaration on the raucous rock of "Back To The Stone Age" and the bludgeoning "The Devil is Me". Even guitarist Thayer takes a turn on his own with "Outta This World". a tribute to his KISS "spaceman" character, while drummer Singer provides the vocals (and the back story) for the arena anthem "All For The Love Of Rock & Roll".

"There are no symphony orchestras, boy choirs, keyboards, outside producers or songwriters on this album," promises Gene Simmons. "The best thing we did was to turn inwards to ourselves. Tommy and Eric have revitalized this band, with a work ethic and the talent to back it up. This is a real band effort. KISS has become a behemoth. We're going where no bands have gone before."

THE COMPANY BAND's upcoming "Pros & Cons" EP is available for streaming in its entirety at AOL Music.

Since THE COMPANY BAND first got together in 2006, the group has solely existed through semi-annual corporate retreats. These meetings developed into an organization of odd fellows featuring vocalist Neil Fallon from CLUTCH, drummer Jess Margera from CKY, guitarist/vocalist Jim Rota from FIREBALL MINISTRY, bassist Brad Davis from FU MANCHU and guitarist Dave Bone. Since the beginning, the group has rarely surfaced to show their hand. In 2007 it was the "Sign Here, Here And Here" EP. In 2009 it was "The Company Band" album along with the "It's A Confusing World / Not Fragile" single. And after a recent retreat at a beach house in Venice, the group have a new five-song EP ready, "Pros & Cons", due on July 31 via Weathermaker Music.

"The music on this record is our most platinum-influenced. Early '80s hard rock and classic metal. Bands like AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and some AEROSMITH. But it's become a melting pot. This is the stuff where we really found our sound," says Dave Bone. Jim Rota goes on to describe: "It's like that point in life when you finally say; I'm trading in the Kawasaki and going full Harley. We went full Harley on this one." Brad Davis points out that maximum sound quality was of utmost importance: "We did a lot of the EP live in the studio. Working with producer Dr. Andrew Alekel at Grandmaster Recorders is always a recipe for success. There's no doubt, he's an important asset to our team." The recording for Neil's vocals was done with J. Robbins at The Magpie Cage in Baltimore. "In the modern age, remote operations are crucial to productivity," Neil said of the coast to coast recording. Guitar overdubs and background vocals were also done at Jim's own Sword And Shield studio. "Having the ability to examine the product under your own microscope is indispensable," Jim commented.

Not many have known the origins of THE COMPANY BAND until Jess Margera finally opened up about its inception. "I crossed paths with Jim on tour and knew we should open up shop immediately," he said. "Do some instrumentals that could be valuable in the placement market. Then he suggested getting Bone involved. It's then when we laid down our original presentation that we took to Neil. We hoped he could be a guest speaker on one of the tracks but it fortunately turned out that he wanted a permanent seat. Brad Davis came seamlessly into the fold later as he was already a compatriot with several of the members, musically and socially."

With everyone's bands creating such a difficult schedule, how do they make it all happen? "I don't want to say we pay great attention to astrology, but..." said Neil Fallon trailing off. "On this one, I chose the spot for the retreat in Venice. A great location will not only bring the people out, but it will also bring the best out of the people." And when THE COMPANY BAND do get together, it's an occasion not to be missed. The group can be seen performing limited live demonstrations toward the end of July.

"Pros & Cons" EP track listing:

01. House of Capricorn
02. Black Light Fever
03. Kill Screen
04. Loc Nar
05. El Dorado

"Blood Of My Enemies", the debut album from ATTIKA 7, the Los Angeles-based band featuring vocalist Evan Seinfeld (ex-BIOHAZARD) and lead guitarist Rusty Coones (famed motorcycle builder), can be streamed at AOL Music. The CD will be released on July 31 via Rocket Science Ventures/THC:MUSIC in North America and Membran/Ninetone in Europe.

ATTIKA 7 recently announced the addition of guitarist Zach Broderick (formerly with NONPOINT), drummer Tommy Holt (ex-UPO) and former KYUSS bassist Scott Reeder to the group's ranks.

Commented Evan, "Both Rusty and I feel extremely privileged to have found such killer guys and accomplished musicians to be members of ATTIKA 7.

"We can't wait to get out on the road and blow away audiences with our unique brand of melodic heavy metal.

"We have been enjoying working on the live show with Scott, Tommy and Zach.

"The album has been getting a lot of positive reviews so far, but I know that the real work begins now.

"It was super-important to us to find band members that were not only masters of their instruments but REAL team players and guys who were willing to make the commitment to dedicating themselves to the hard work it takes to break a new band nowadays. These guys are seasoned veterans who all believe in 'Blood Of My Enemies' and are all hungry to go out and destroy!"

ATTIKA 7 recorded "Blood Of My Enemies" with producer Mudrock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK).

The bass and drum tracks on the CD were laid down by Tony Campos (SOULFLY, POSSESSED, STATIC-X, ASESINO, MINISTRY) and Devin Lebsack, respectively, but due to scheduling conflicts they were not able to make the required commitment to ATTIKA 7.