Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of German progressive death metallers OVER YOUR THRESHOLD. The band's full-length debut, "Facticity", will be released on August 28 (one day earlier internationally).

Hailing from Munich, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD began playing live in 2007. After numerous gigs with renowned death metal acts like OBSCURA, DEADBORN and HOKUM, the band made a name for itself in the local metal scene. The band's first record, "Progress In Disbelief" (EP), was independently released in 2008.

Over the years, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD's brand of death metal evolved and currently includes a bit of thrash and some fusion components.

In 2011, OVER YOUR THRESHOLD entered Woodshed Studio in Landshut, Germany to record its first full-length album, entitled "Facticity". The sound of "Facticity" is not only more blasting but also more technical, interspersed with energetic death metal riffing as well as melodic acoustic guitars. It's enriched by brute-force blast beats, thrash metal, jazzy harmonics and the distinct tones of smooth, fretless bass. Furthermore, the band recruited guest musicians Steffen Kummerer (OBSCURA, THULCANDRA) and Jonas Fischer (HOKUM, ex-OBSCURA) to jazz up the effort, which was mixed and mastered by V. Santura (TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS).

Commented OVER YOUR THRESHOLD: "Metal Blade Records ranges among the highest renowned labels for extreme metal music and we are very glad about the possibility to release our upcoming debut album, 'Facticity', via such a strong partner. We are looking forward to work with Metal Blade and the future development!"

OVER YOUR THRESHOLD is:

Ludwig Walter - Vocals
Lukas Spielberger - Guitar
Kilian Lau - Guitar
Christian Siegmund - Bass
Julian Matejka - Drums

"Liquid Fire", a brand new song from French progressive metallers GOJIRA, is available for free download from the band's Facebook page (scroll down). The track comes off the group's fifth album, "L'Enfant Sauvage", which will be released on June 26 via Roadrunner Records.

"L'Enfant Sauvage" (which translates to "The Wild Child") features 11 tracks of mind-bending, thunderous metal. The CD was recorded at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York with co-producer Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD).

In a recent interview with Metalshrine, GOJIRA guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier stated about the new album title, "We couldn't call it 'The Wild Child', because it's hard to translate 'L'Enfant Sauvage'. It's not really the wild child as understood in English, because a wild child for me, has an aspect like someone out of control somehow. 'L'Enfant Sauvage' in French… 'Sauvage' is something that is not educated or something that is like free and completely free in nature. A wild flower that goes wherever she wants and becomes something beautiful. The idea with 'L'Enfant Sauvage' is like with a human that would grow up in nature, raised by wolves, for example, without the influence from others and the influence from institutions or society in general. Without a social security number. [laughs] Not even a name. This is what you are and I am on the inside, right? How much the education and the culture, emotions and the guilt are interacting with us and it changes us and how far are we from this pure child inside? That's the question we had on this album."

A special collector's package of "L'Enfant Sauvage" will feature two bonus tracks and a double-colored vinyl version of the record, along with an exclusive t-shirt.

"L'Enfant Sauvage" track listing:

01. Explosia
02. L’Enfant Sauvage
03. The Axe
04. Liquid Fire
05. The Wild Healer
06. Planned Obsolescence
07. Mouth Of Kala
08. The Gift Of Guilt
09. Pain Is A Master
10. Born In Winter
11. The Fall

GOJIRA will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, "The Flesh Alive", in Europe on June 4 and in the U.S. on July 31 via Mascot. The set will be made available in the following formats:

* 2-DVD+CD
* Blu-ray+CD with free poster

The three-disc "The Flesh Alive" chronicles the making of GOJIRA's 2008 album, "The Way Of All Flesh", and the touring activity that followed the CD's release.

"L'Enfant Sauvage" album teaser:

The soundtrack to the upcoming film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical "Rock Of Ages", which showcases popular rock songs from the '70s and '80s, features the cast — Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand and Julianne Hough — singing some of the greatest hits of the "hair-band" era.

Due to be released June 5 — ten days before the film hits theatres — "Rock Of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" includes Cruise's renditions of DEF LEPPARD's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and GUNS N' ROSES' "Paradise City".

"Rock Of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" features the following track listing:

01. Paradise City (Tom Cruise)
02. Sister Christian/Just Like Paradise/Nothin' But a Good Time (Diego Boneta)
03. Juke Box Hero/I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Diego Boneta)
04. Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Catherine Zeta-Jones)
05. Waiting For A Girl Like You Diego Boneta
06. More Than Words/Heaven (Diego Boneta)
07. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Julianne Hough)
08. I Want To Know What Love Is (Malin Akerman)
09. I Wanna Rock (Diego Boneta)
10. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Tom Cruise)
11. Harden My Heart (Julianne Hough)
12. Shadows Of The Night/Harden My Heart (Julianne Hough)
13. Here I Go Again (Diego Boneta)
14. Can't Fight This Feeling (Russell Brand)
15. Any Way You Want It (Julianne Hough)
16. Undercover Love (Diego Boneta)
17. Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Diego Boneta)
18. Rock You Like A Hurricane (Julianne Hough)
19. We Built This City/We're Not Gonna Take It (Russell Brand)
20. Don't Stop Believin' (Diego Boneta)

"Rock Of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" is now available for streaming in its entirety at AOL Music.

In a brand new interview with Playboy.com, Cruise stated about his first attempt at singing, "I knew I could hold a note. I sang in a glee club when I was 14 years old and in a high school musical. But I never had a singing lesson. No one ever taught me how to use my voice.

It was previously reported that Cruise was preparing for his role by training with Axl Rose's vocal coach. "He was an opera singer who taught me how to control my voice," Cruise said. "It's like learning a new sport or a skill for a character. I had to find out how to move air through the vocal cords and where to place it in my head, in the chest. It's something you have to do every day to strengthen your voice."

The first song Cruise sang in front of a crowd was "Pour Some Sugar On Me", with members of DEF LEPPARD watching him.

"I was down in Miami, recording different songs, and Adam [Shankman, director] called and said, 'DEF LEPPARD's coming by the set,'" Cruise told Playboy.com. "I said, 'Man, that's cool.' Then I paused. 'Wait, I'm rehearsing their song tomorrow.' And he's like, 'Yeah!' [laughs] So we started right in the deep end, and that was the first scene I shot in the movie. It's a great song, and I grew up listening to them. They went to the back of the Bourbon Room, and I looked at my band and was like, 'Hit it.' All the crew was watching them watching me. . . [After the song was done] the lead singer, Joe Elliott, points at me and goes, 'Fuck you! Fuck you!' Then I saw big smiles on their faces, and I realized I'd gotten their stamp. It was a very cool moment. It was important they knew I was honoring their music and not making fun of them."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen recently told VH1 Classic Rock Nights that Cruise "was a super-lovely guy" when they met. Collen added, "I was so impressed because he hadn't sung before and he had vocal lessons. He was literally doing five hours a day, five days a week, like truly real, getting in there and doing it. And we saw him and he was amazing, it was like Iggy Pop meets someone else and he's in great shape and it was like, 'What!?!' It was surreal, but he really pulls it off and it was like he's a total rock star."

An audio sample of Cruise singing the DEF LEPPARD classic "Pour Some Sugar On Me" can be streamed below (courtesy of RyanSeacrest.com).

Tom Cruise stars in "Rock Of Ages" as Stacee Jaxx, an aging musician whose glory days are long past.

Adam Anders, executive music producer for the film and album, recently told The Hollywood Reporter about Cruise's vocal skills, "He had never sung in his life. He was like, 'I need to know that I can do this before I sign on.' So I went to his house to hear him sing and even though he was completely green as a singer, his vocal cords were amazing. He had this voice that blew me away. It was the most powerful voice I had ever heard. So loud. He could do anything and go as high as we wanted. It was like a kid discovering he had a new toy. I left there super-pumped knowing that not only could we make him pass as a singer in the movie, but we would blow people away with what he could do."

He added, "[Tom's] confidence kept growing as we worked together. I think he started off a little nervous, as anybody would who has never done this, but he just bought it 110%. He works harder than anybody I've ever met in my life. By the end of this movie, the guy was just phenomenal. I remember telling him, 'You're a singer!'"

"Rock Of Ages" also stars Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman and many others. It scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 15.

Legendary Swedish doom metallers CANDLEMASS have parted ways with singer Robert Lowe. According to the band, this was "a very difficult decision" to make and "has mainly to do with the quality of the live performances."

For the upcoming shows, Robert will be replaced by Mats Levén, a former member of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION and TREAT, who also plays with CANDLEMASS bassist/mainman Leif Edling in KRUX (see video below).

In a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Mats said, "I'm helping my friends in CANDLEMASS with the shows booked so far. Looking forward to that, for sure. [However], the only band I'm a permanent member of is KRUX."

CANDLEMASS is currently rehearsing new and old songs with Mats and "we know that nobody attending the gigs at Debaser Slussen, Metaltown, Borås or Southern Discomfort will be disappointed," the band says.

Also joining the group for the upcoming live performances will be keyboard player Per Wiberg (OPETH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS).

Lowe — who is still a member of SOLITUDE AETERNUS — joined CANDLEMASS in January 2007 and sang on the band's last three studio albums: "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007), "Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012).

CANDLEMASS will release its 11th and final album, "Psalms For The Dead", on June 8 via Napalm Records. A limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single contaning two album tracks —"Dancing In The Temple Of The Mad Queen Bee" and "The Killing Of The Sun" — preceded the full-length effort on April 13.

CANDLEMASS will celebrate the release of the new album with June 5 performance at Debaser Slussen in Stockholm, Sweden. The band will play a full set that will contain songs from the new CD, a few surprises and some classics.

Fan-filmed video footage of KRUX — the Swedish band featuring Edling, Levén, ex-ENTOMBED drummer Peter Stjärnvind, guitarist Jörgen Sandström (also in THE PROJECT HATE, ex-ENTOMBED/GRAVE), OPETH/ex-ARCH ENEMY guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and keyboardist Carl Westholm — performing the song "The Hades Assembly" on December 29, 2011 at Debaser in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below.

Nearly 20 years after its original arrival, MORTIIS' "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" will receive a limited-edition vinyl re-release this summer via the Italian label Ordo MCM.

The effort, recorded in 1994, is from what is now known as "Era1" in MORTIIS' evolution, when the singly-named solo artist focused on creating epic synth tracks that evoked images of desolate landscapes and eerie atmospheres. MORTIIS' music was a huge departure from the black metal scene he was largely involved in during his mid-teens, yet it retained a dark ambience that still appealed to the black metal elite, as well as fans of more experimental music and the gothic crowd.

Taking a cue from experimental/progressive acts like TANGERINE DREAM, MORTIIS threw typical song structure to the wayside in favor of synth-laden soundscapes, of a length and grandeur that would limit "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" to just two songs, "En mork Horisont" and "Visjoner av en Eldgammel Fremtid".

"TANGERINE DREAM pretty much single-handedly got me into making music on synths," Mortiis said. "I was into stuff like COIL, KRAFTWERK, SLEEP CHAMBER, and THROBBING GRISTLE as well, but TANGERINE DREAM was the big thing for me."

The re-release of "Ånden som Gjorde Opprør" will be limited to 500 copies, with 250 available in standard black and 250 in special swirl-colored vinyl.

Finnish atmospheric rock act THE CHANT has inked a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band's third album, "A Healing Place", will be released on the following dates:

August 14: North America + digital
August 17: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
August 20: Europe excluding Finland
August 22: Scandinavia

"Since I was in touch with Jussi Hämäläinen about his other very promising band HANGING GARDEN for a while already, it was only logical I gave THE CHANT a fair chance and I must admit I was sold after the first listen!" comments Lifeforce Records owner Stefan Lüdicke. "Being a huge fan of similar bands such as ANATHEMA, KATATONIA and PARADISE LOST, my decision to want to work with THE CHANT was made within a glimpse of an eye and their upcoming album, 'A Healing Place', is on heavy rotation in my stereo since then!"

THE CHANT is a seven-member band from Finland. The current lineup has been existence since 1999, but it took some years and a couple of demo recordings before the group's debut album, "Ghostlines", was released in 2008. It already based on this unique melancholic music full of beautiful melodies and harmonies, THE CHANT have become known for. With "This is The World We Know" (2010), the Finns strengthened their approach of playing atmospheric rock with gothic and progressive influences.

The majority of the songs for "A Healing Place" were recorded by THE CHANT themselves and showcase a band going deeper into an even more complexand layered sound with unexpected twists and an arcane ambience. The Finns take their listeners into a place where they have to fumble ingrey mist, before being able to see all the shades of color. The agonizing sides of life have to be faced, before being able to clean oneself from them. The seemingly positive exterior of "A Healing Place" hides bitter and dismal moods.

With "A Healing Place", the Helsinki-based septet takes a stand as one of Finland's progressive rock bands people have to be aware of. Based on a deeply atmospheric, almost cinematic sound, THE CHANT rely on dreamy guitarmelodies, spherical piano-playing and a remarkable voice. This album full of soundscape-driven, ambitious rock music should please fans of ANATHEMA, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA, PORCUPINE TREE and A PERFECT CIRCLE.

"The Industrialist", the new album from Los Angeles cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY, can be streamed in its entirety at AOL Music. Due in North America on June 5 via Candlelight Records, the CD is a conceptual record based around a story written by Burton C. Bell. Lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel magazine. The album's artwork was created by American designer Anthony Clarkson with additional direction from the band. The album will be available on three formats — standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs), and 180-gram double vinyl.

"The Industrialist" again pairs FEAR FACTORY with producer Rhys Fulber. Mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, SKINNY PUPPY, MACHINE HEAD), with additional tracking by Logan Mader (GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY), the album is the second written by Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split.

"The Industrialist" track listing:

01. The Industrialist
02. Recharger
03. New Messiah
04. God Eater
05. Depraved Mind Murder
06. Virus of Faith
07. Difference Engine
08. Dissemble
09. Religion is Flawed Because Man is Flawed
10. Human Augmentation
11. Blush Response (Difference Engine) *
12. Landfill *

* Available on deluxe digibook only

"Recharger" can be purchased via iTunes.

FEAR FACTORY recently enlisted Matt DeVries as the band's new bass player. DeVries, previously of CHIMAIRA (where he played guitar) and most recently SIX FEET UNDER, joined FEAR FACTORY as the replacement for Byron Stroud (now with 3 INCHES OF BLOOD).

FEAR FACTORY has tapped Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY, SYSTEM DIVIDE) as its new touring drummer.

"Angels In White", the new video from Sydney, Australia-based "epic, aggressive" metallers DRAGONSCLAW, can be seen below. The clip contains footage recorded on the band's first tour, supporting Steve Grimmett (GRIM REAPER, ONSLAUGHT), in March. The track comes off the group's debut album, "Prophecy", which was released in January via Arkeyn Steel Records.

Commented vocalist Giles Lavery: "We have worked really hard on putting together the best collection of songs, scrapping anything that wasn't up to our highest standards. In fact, we wrote and recorded one track we felt very strongly about in the final days of recording... Totally crazy, but that's what it takes to have the best record we can!

"The melody and songwriting has gotten a little bit lost these days in modern metal. We are hoping to re-introduce that while maintaining the crushing power that only heavy metal can provide. Basically, everything we grew up with and loved about the genre is here on display."

"Prophecy" track listing:

01. Darkness Within
02. Fight For Your Life
03. Defenders Of The Skies
04. Angels In White
05. Prophecy
06. Life Through Anubis' Eyes
07. Devil's Firey Dance
08. Rising Power
09. Unknown Horizon
10. Revolutionary Suicide

The CD features guest appearances by Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) and Alessandro Del Vecchio (EDGE OF FOREVER, EDEN'S CURSE).

The band's lineup is as follows:

Ben Thomas - Guitar
Giles Lavery - Vocals
Ray Martens - Keyboards
Aaron Thomas - Bass, Orchestration
Alcides "Seed" Stowe - Drums

"Angels In White" video:

Artisan News conducted an interview with DOWN vocalist Philip Anselmo and bassist Patrick Bruders at this year's Rock On The Range festival, which was held May 18-20 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. You can now watch the chat below.

DOWN entered the studio last October to begin recording the first in a series of four EPs, to be released over the next few years (with a year between EPs), each touching on a different aspect of the band's sound.

The first six-song EP, which heralds the sound of DOWN going back to its roots, with influences from BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS and WITCHFINDER GENERAL, will be released late summer.

When asked about DOWN's plans to release four separate EPs, Anselmo said, "That's the idea right now, but I think that after you work on a body of music, you need to reload, you need to refresh, you need to clear your head. Get that, digest it, get it out of your system, and then decide what direction you're going to go. It's a good idea and I think we should see it through. But there's no way we can rush it. Because I think if it is a series of four, each one should be unique, and that… We've shown flexibility — we have songs like 'Bury Me In Smoke' and then we have songs like 'Stone The Crow'… acoustic pieces and what-not… We have all that. So we've touched on many, I guess, dynamics, so… I would expect each EP to have its own life."

Fan-filmed video footage of DOWN performing a brand new song, "The Misfortune Teller", on May 29 at the Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, Florida can be seen below. The entire concert is available at this location.

Anselmo recently described DOWN's new EP as "very stripped down. Nothing flashy. Straight to the point… really just DOWN music. If you liked the first record, the demos… something like that… This record, we're pretty dead straight and honest and on the money as far as making it as simple and direct as possible and I think we did that. . . It has that practice-room vibe to it. We didn't really try and fucking slick it out and anything. We went the more raw route, as far as an approach."

The track listing for the effort is as follows (in no particular order):

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

Interview:

Swedish tech metal supergroup NONEXIST, featuring former ARCH ENEMY and current HEARSE vocalist Johan Liiva and ANDROMEDA/SKYFIRE guitarist Johan Reinholdz, has inked a deal with Pivotal Rockordings. The band's new full-length album, entitled "From My Cold Dead Hands", is currently being recorded at Multipass Studios and will feature nine blistering new tracks, to be released later this year through all major digital retailers. "From My Cold Dead Hands" will also be accompanied by cover songs that Pivotal Rockordings will release for free on YouTube. More information on the exact cover songs will be revealed shortly.

Commented Reinholdz: "I'm really excited about unleashing the second assault of NONEXIST! Even though 'Deus Deceptor' came out ten years ago, NONEXIST never died. It has always been alive in my heart and I've written songs for it every now and then. Because I love it, I love this kind of music which I grew up with. A couple of years ago, the NONEXIST songwriting became more frequent and I came up with the title — 'From My Cold Dead Hands' — and I started to focus on getting the album done. I also began dabbling with cover songs, something I've never really done before but it's great fun! Some of these song choices might surprise you — but they're all done NONEXIST style! I then asked Johan Liiva if he wanted to join NONEXIST again was pleased when he said yes. He is one the great singers in extreme metal and I'm proud to work with him again!"

Added Liiva: "It's been like 10 years now since the debut came out. I actually had this 'fantasy' ever since to make a sequel. For various reasons (like for example 'life,' haha) it took us all this time to finally get there. Thankfully, Johan and I stayed in touch every now and then… and now *kazaam!* — the time has come! Filled to the brim with new and fresh ideas — as well as retro ones, for sure! Let's hope you people out there who digged and asked for another one appreciates this new one. Hailz and salutes — it's time… metal to the very bone!"

NONEXIST's debut full-length record, "Deus Deceptor", was released in 2002 via Century Media/New Hawen Records and the lineup at the time included Liiva, Reinholdz and DEFLESHED/DARK FUNERAL drummer Matte Modin. The CD was produced by Tommy Tägtgren and Reinholdz at Abyss Studios and featured a musical direction described as a cross between early ARCH ENEMY and CARCASS (circa "Heartwork").

SEVENDUST's Morgan Rose will lay down the drums tracks on the forthcoming sophomore album from the Staten Island, New York- and Tom's River, New Jersey-based hard rock band THE INFINITE STAIRCASE.

THE INFINITE STAIRCASE members, brothers Lenny and Jeff Cerzosie, have been working pre-production at their home recording facility, Majickly Malicious Studios in Staten Island, New York, but will begin tracking the new album with Rose at Architekt Studios in Butler, New Jersey in the coming weeks.

THE INFINITE STAIRCASE released its debut album, "The Road Less Taken", in March 2009 before embarking on "The Black Label Bash" tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, SEVENDUST and DOPE. The CD was mixed by guitar virtuoso Blues Saraceno (POISON) and featured guest appearances by Saraceno and Earl Slick (DAVID BOWIE). After a year-long hiatus following a much-publicized and still-ongoing dispute with former drummer Paris Bierk (son of ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach), and a few sporadic and special acoustic performances (including a 2010 performance with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bassist John JD DeServio), this is the first official announcement of the band's continuity.

Professionally filmed video footage of MARILYN MANSON's June 1 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

MARILYN MANSON's new album, "Born Villain", sold 38,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 10 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on May 1 via Cooking Vinyl and Manson's own label Hell, Etc.

MARILYN MANSON's previous album, "The High End Of Low", opened with 49,000 units back in May 2009 to debut at position No. 4 on The Billboard 200 chart. This was roughly half of the first-week tally registered by 2007's "Eat Me, Drink Me", which landed at No. 8 after selling 88,000 copies.

MARILYN MANSON's 2003 album, "The Golden Age Of Grotesque", entered the chart at No. 1 with first-week sales of 118,000.

Marilyn Manson's new video, "No Reflection", was directed by Lukas Ettlin, who previously worked with Manson on the award-winning "Personal Jesus" clip.

Manson last September unveiled a new music video for the song "Born Villain" directed by actor Shia LaBeouf.

Duff McKagan (DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) joined former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe on stage this past Saturday night (June 2) at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California to perform the HANOI classics "Taxi Driver" and "Feel Alright". Fan-filmed video footage of Duff's appearance can be seen below.

The day after the show, Duff tweeted, "Michael Monroe were fucking GREAT tonite! Rock and roll in the best of ways."

Monroe stated in a Facebook post, "Had a great time at the Whisky show! Thank you, Hollywood! And thank you, Duff McKagan, for coming up to rock out on 'Taxi Driver' and 'Feel Alright'!! You rule, my man, that was awesome!"

Michael's latest album, "Sensory Overdrive", was released in the U.S. and Canada in August 2011 via Spinefarm/Universal. The CD, which was released in Europe in March 2011 via Universal Music subsidiary Spinefarm Records, features guest appearances by MOTÖRHEAD's Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister and three-time Grammy-winning country/folk singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams.

"Sensory Overdrive" was recorded in Los Angeles with legendary producer Jack Douglas, who has previously worked with AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CLUTCH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and NEW YORK DOLLS, among many others.

Monroe in June 2011 recruited Dregen (real name: Andreas Tyrone Svensson) of Swedish sleaze rockers BACKYARD BABIES to be the guitarist of Monroe's solo band following the departure of Ginger (THE WILDHEARTS).

Professionally filmed video footage of LAMB OF GOD's June 1 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

Hal Leonard has released the official, note-for-note matching guitar tab book for "Resolution", the latest album from Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD. It is now available for purchase from MusicDispatch.com.

"Resolution" sold around 52,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Wrath", opened with around 68,000 units back in March 2009 to enter the chart at No. 2. This figure was roughly in line with the first-week tally registered by 2006's "Sacrament", which shifted around 63,000 units to debut at No. 8. It also represented almost double the amount of records sold by its predecessor, "Ashes Of The Wake", which premiered with 35,000 copies in September 2004.

"Resolution" was released in the U.S. via Epic and internationally through Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at various studios in Virginia and New York with producer Josh Wilbur, who worked on the band's last effort, 2009's "Wrath".

"Resolution" features 14 songs and comes in a digipack with artwork by longtime art director Ken Adams.

"Resolution" has sold 115,000 copies in the United States since its February release.

OVERKILL drummer Ron Lipnicki has joined forces with HADES guitarist Scott LePage and two former members of '80s thrash band PROWLER (New Renaissance Records) in a new outfit called MINISTRY OF HATE.

MINISTRY OF HATE's debut album, "All Your Godz Are Dead", features 10 tracks and is available online as individual song downloads or in CD form from CDBaby and other well-known digital distribution outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.

According to a press release, MINISTRY OF HATE was formed after Mike Cusumano (vocals, guitar) and MJ Malinski (vocals, bass) from PROWLER began penning tunes on a whim in 2010. "After a couple of songs, we thought we had some good stuff and it became a realization that we should get some other talent involved and put out a record," said Cusumano.

He continued, "In the '90s, MJ and I both played in a local metal cover band with Scott, whom I stayed close with over the years and I gave him a call. Scott plays with a lot of feel and was great choice. Even though Scott lives in Texas now, the Internet makes recording pretty easy these days.

"During the writing process, the drums were done with either drum loops or midi drums and sounded out of control, like no human could do it. We knew we needed someone kick-ass for that!

"I played with Ron in different metal cover bands [between] 2008 [and] 2010 and didn't hesitate to see if he would be into it.

"Ron's performance, in my opinion, made the record.

"This side project won't affect Ron's road schedule with OVERKILL. If we do any shows, they will be local… unless the demand is high!"

Lipnicki added, "I'm excited about the album and I am real proud of the drumming and love the songs. I can't wait to see what everyone thinks."

"All Your Godz Are Dead" track listing:

01. Rise To The Bottom
02. 912
03. Blood of Achmed
04. Bagged
05. Prelude To Hate
06. Threads Of Hate
07. Painmaker
08. Thrash & Bang
09. Machine Gun Serenade
10. Ballad Of Charlie Sheen

For more information, visit www.mohate.com.

Violin player Janne Liljekvist has left the Swedish "Viking metal" act MÅNEGARM "due to lack of motivation."

Commented the remaining members of the group: "It's of course unfortunate after almost 15 years together, but it's also an unsustainable situation if one out of five can't find the motivation and put the effort into the band that is needed to move forward. However, MÅNEGARM will definitely move on as planned and this will have no impact on our music at all. The work with the new album goes on as planned and we can promise you that it will be a killer! The mighty wolf WILL strike again, this time harder than ever before!"

MÅNEGARM last year inked a deal with Napalm Records. The band's new album is scheduled for release at the end of 2012.

MÅNEGARM's most recent CD, "Nattväsen", was released in November 2009 via Regain Records.

"Vetrarmegin" (English translation: Winter Force), the latest video from MÅNEGARM, was shot in a "Viking village" near the band's hometown, Norrtälje, with an "incredible pre-renaissance atmosphere." The clip was helmed by Sweden's Standard Film Team, which has previously worked with DARK FUNERAL, PLECTOR and ZONARIA.

PROJECTED, the new project featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric "Erock" Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI), has completed work on its debut album, "Human", to be released later in the year.

Commented Connolly: "The idea behind this project originally started as nothing more than a group of us who were friends already, going into the studio to just record some tunes we had laying around and basically just have a good time with it. No pressure from labels or any preconceived notions or expectations. Just making music and having a good time.

"This album, 'Human', is the end result of us working without dealines or budget constraints… or really a budget at all

"The drums and rhythm guitars were recorded by Bill Papp, Jacob Crabb and Ryan Denman at Paint It Black studios [in] Orlando [Florida]. The vocals and guitar solos, overdubs and bass were tracked by myself and Bill at studio 1119, which is the studio in my home office when it's not being used by my wife to pay the bills or my daughter to play Webkins. Editing was done by Jef Moll, Ryan Denman, Jacob Crabb. Programming by Jef Moll, Eric Friedman and myself. String arrangements and mixed by Michael 'Elvis' Baskette and mastered by Ted Jensen. Produced by John Connolly, co-produced by Elvis Baskette.

"I've honestly had the time of my life making this record and couldnt have done it without everyone involved."

"Human" track listing:

01. Into
02. HELLo
03. Watch It Burn
04. So Low
05. Bring You Back
06. 12804
07. Alive
08. The Crown
09. Stella
10. Closure
11. Breaking Me

Check out audio samples at www.projectedband.com.

Connolly previously revealed that the song "12804" was written as a tribute to late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

The songtitle "12804" is a reference to the December 8, 2004 date, which is when Abbott was shot and killed onstage while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.

Connolly describes PROJECTED's musical direction as "not super heavy. . . somewhere closer to FOO FIGHTERS/A PERFECT CIRCLE. It's sorta heavy, just not real metal. I guess. The songs are pretty badass, though."

PROJECTED is:

John Connolly (SEVENDUST) - Guitar, Vocals
Vince Hornsby (SEVENDUST) - Bass
Scott Phillips (ALTER BRIDGE, CREED) - Drums
Eric Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI) - Guitar, Vocals

Finnish black metallers CAVUS have entered their own studio to begin recording their sophomore album for a fall release via Listenable Records. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2010's "Fester And Putrefy" include "The Art Of Blood Purging" and "Unholy Water".

"The band just purchased some rats and locusts to roam their premises to advance the vile surroundings of their studio," reads a press release from Listenable. "The old wooden building is condemned to be demolished in the near future so it will be the last album CAVUS records at that place they simply call The Lair."

Formed in 2008 in Porvoo, CAVUS "set out to pillage and desecrate everything in its path with a sinister blend of crushingly heavy, old-school black metal with baritone guitars and juggernautic basses along with raw-to-the-bone vocals that earned the group great recognition," according to a press release. "No keyboards, no fairies, no bullshit. This is straight-up rawness and CAVUS will spread like a virulent plague among legions worldwide."

Swiss hard rockers GOTTHARD played a special invitation-only club gig on May 31 at Plaza in Zurich, Switzerland to celebrate the release of their brand new album, "Firebirth".

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

"Firebirth" was released on June 1 via Nuclear Blast/Warner Music. The CD was produced at the band's own Yellow House Studios in Lugano, Switzerland, with guitarist/songwriter Leo Leoni and Paul Lani (who has previously worked with GOTTHARD on several of their earlier albums, including "G-Spot" and "Homerun") at the helm.

"Firebirth" marks GOTTHARD's first release with new singer Nic Maeder, who was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, lived in Melbourne, Australia and grew up between Switzerland and "Down Under."

GOTTHARD vocalist Steve Lee was killed on October 5, 2010 in what has been described as a freak road accident in Nevada.

The "Firebirth" album cover depicts the firebird Phoenix, which symbolically rises "from the ashes to the sky" — this line expresses what each GOTTHARD fan feels and underlines the turbulent time that GOTTHARD has gone through in the past months.

GOTTHARD's first live shows with Maeder took place in South America before the band makes several European festival appearances. The new group's German live debut will take place on July 14 at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen.

GOTTHARD's "Starlight" video was filmed in an old animal food factory near Berlin, Germany where scenes from the Quentin Tarantino film "Inglorious Basterds" were previously shot.

Former DIO and current DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell performed two songs — "Rock Of Ages" (DEF LEPPARD) and "Holy Diver" (DIO) — with Los Angeles glam-metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER on Monday, May 28 at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below

Vivian previously performed "Rock Of Ages" and DIO's "Rainbow In The Dark" with STEEL PANTHER at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California in January.

Campbell revealed in April month that he is planning to join forces with three other original DIO members to play "some gigs" that will see the musicians performing material from the early DIO records that Campbell appeared on. Campbell, Vinny Appice (drums), Jimmy Bain (bass) and Claude Schnell (keyboards) will be accompanied by singer Andrew Freeman, who has previously fronted HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA's entire June 2 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

METALLICA performed its top-selling 1991 LP, "Metallica", a.k.a. "the black album," in its entirety at the Nürburgring concert. As they have done on all the shows on their current European tour, the band played the LP backwards, starting with closing number "The Struggle Within" and ending with "Enter Sandman".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hit The Lights
02. Master Of Puppets
03. Ride The Lightning
04. For Whom The Bell Tolls
05. Hell And Back
06. The Struggle Within
07. My Friend Of Misery
08. The God That Failed
09. Of Wolf & Man
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Through The Never
12. Don't Tread On Me
13. Wherever I May Roam
14. The Unforgiven
15. Holier Than Thou
16. Sad But True
17. Enter Sandman

Encore:

18. Blackened
19. One
20. Seek & Destroy

Asked whose idea it was for METALLICA to play the "black" album in reverse on the current tour, the band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, told Rolling Stone magazine, "If you like the idea, it was mine. If you don't, it was James' [Hetfield, guitar/vocals]. For better or worse, I'm the setlist guy. This is all subject to change if it doesn't work. But the idea of starting off with the lesser-known songs buried down there and ending up with 'Sad But True' and 'Enter Sandman' seems like a winner. You finish with the money shot, which is the first song."

On the topic of the "black" album's shift away from sped metal to shorter, simpler songs, which set the tone for the rest of METALLICA's career, Lars said, "I'm a big believer that the records all thread together. That straighter, four-on-the-floor thing was present on earlier records, in 'Harvester Of Sorrow' and 'Ride The Lightning'. But we went all-out because there was nowhere else to go. Where do you go after 'Dyer's Eve'? You can't get faster. You can't get more pissed off than Hetfield barking at his parents. That was the end of the Eighties for us."

He continued, "We played a show with AEROSMITH in the summer of 1990, right at the time we started writing the 'black' album. I remember sitting under the grandstand with [co-manager] Cliff Burnstein. He said, 'The MISFITS are a huge part of your influence — 'Last Caress' is a minute and a half long, [THE ROLLING STONES'] 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' is part of who you are. You just haven't released it yet.'

"I went back to San Francisco and there was a riff on Kirk's [Hammett, guitar] on tape [hums the 'Enter Sandman' lick]. The whole thing is just that riff. 'Enter Sandman' was the blueprint. The rest of the record appeared over two months."

METALLICA will play the complete "black album" at its own Orion Music + More festival, scheduled for June 23-24 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. METALLICA is headlining both days and will perform its entire 1984 album "Ride The Lightning" for the first time ever on the other day of the festival.

"Metallica" in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era. To date, the black album has sold more than 15.7 million copies in the United States.

Although METALLICA had scored their first radio and video airplay with their previous effort, 1988's "...And Justice For All", the black album was the band's biggest commercial breakthrough, producing five singles and making them into one of the most popular rock bands in the world.

Professionally filmed video footage of MACHINE HEAD's June 2 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

As previously reported, TEN TON HAMMER, the famed MACHINE HEAD "cover band" that looks and sounds exactly like the real thing, will play its first London show in ten years on Wednesday, June 6 at King's College.

MACHINE HEAD recently announced plans to film a video for the song 'Darkness Within' in the Czech Republic. The track comes off the band's new album, "Unto The Locust", which sold more than 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart — putting MACHINE HEAD in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's 17-year history.

Omnibus Press has set an October 15 tentative release date for "Inside The Machine". The world's first MACHINE HEAD biography — which has **NOT** been authorized by the band — is being written by British rock author Joel McIver — whose 20 books to date include "Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica", "Crazy Train: The High Life And Tragic Death Of Randy Rhoads", "Glenn Hughes: The Autobiography", "To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton", "Overkill: The Untold Story Of Motörhead", "The Bloody Reign Of Slayer" and "Unleashed: The Story Of Tool".

MACHINE HEAD recently completed a North American headlining tour with support from SUICIDE SILENCE and DARKEST HOUR and is currently playing festival shows in Europe

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — who late last year confirmed the recording of their first new album in more than 33 years and a worldwide headlining tour — had to put some plans on hold due to guitarist Tony Iommi's battle with lymphoma. At this time, BLACK SABBATH will perform only one show of this summer's previously scheduled European tour. It will take place Sunday, June 10 at the U.K.'s Download festival.

So as not to let the promoters and fans down, SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne is now performing the majority of the previously scheduled BLACK SABBATH European dates (both festival performances and the headlining shows) billed as OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS. These "first-ever" OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS shows are featuring appearances by "special guest" musicians, including Geezer Butler (who is joining Ozzy for a special BLACK SABBATH set as a show of respect and support to their friend, Tony Iommi) and longtime former Ozzy bandmember Zakk Wylde. In addition, Ozzy is being accompanied by longtime collaborator and friend Slash at select shows, with other "special guests" set to join the tour at various stops along the way (full list of dates, appearances below).

The sixth OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS concert took place earlier tonight (Saturday, June 2) at Malmö Stadion in Malmö, Sweden.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

Ozzy Osbourne (vocals)
Gus G. (guitar)
Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (bass)
Tommy Clufetos (drums)

01. Bark At The Moon
02. Mr. Crowley
03. Suicide Solution
04. I Don't Know
05. Shot In The Dark
06. Rat Salad (BLACK SABBATH song)

Ozzy Osbourne (vocals)
Slash (guitar)
Gus G. (guitar)
Geezer Butler (bass)
Tommy Clufetos (drums)

07. Iron Man (BLACK SABBATH song)
08. War Pigs (BLACK SABBATH song)
09. N.I.B. (BLACK SABBATH song)

Ozzy Osbourne (vocals)
Zakk Wylde (guitar)
Geezer Butler (bass)
Tommy Clufetos (drums)

10. Fairies Wear Boots (BLACK SABBATH song)

Ozzy Osbourne (vocals)
Zakk Wylde (guitar)
Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (bass)
Tommy Clufetos (drums)

11. I Don't Want To Change The World
12. Crazy Train
13. Mama, I'm Coming Home

Encore (everybody on stage):

14. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH song)

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Professionally filmed video footage of SOUNDGARDEN's entire June 1 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

"Live To Rise", the first SOUNDGARDEN song in almost 16 years, was made available as a free download on iTunes beginning April 17 as part of the promotion of "Marvel's The Avengers". The seven-day promotion included an exclusive clip, "The Face Off", from the superhero team-up movie, which came out on May 4.

"Live To Rise" was written specifically for "Marvel's The Avengers" after SOUNDGARDEN was approached about contributing a song to the film.

"The hard part of writing a song for a film is it has to act as a SOUNDGARDEN song, first and foremost, then obviously, it has to coexist with the film," Cornell told Billboard.com.

Cornell told Seattle radio station KISW that fans should not think of "Live To Rise" as an indication of what the rest of the group's new record will sound like. Chris explained, "Some of the songs on our new album are pretty far left of center, and sort of zero in on more of a hardcore SOUNDGARDEN fan and not necessarily a family that goes to see a film like that. Although ['Live To Rise' is] not really what I think of as a necessarily family-friendly song, but it's as close as we've ever come."

The singer added that the tune wasn't specifically based on the movie, saying, "I think a film like this appeals to little kids all the way to old people because it's an action film, it's comic book characters, but it's also pretty witty dialog and accomplished actors doing it. So it had to be somewhat open to all of that. But also first and foremost it has to be a SOUNDGARDEN song."

SOUNDGARDEN officially reunited in early 2010 after disbanding in 1997. Since then, the group has played one full-length North American tour, a batch of festival and club gigs, and some overseas shows.

The group also released a career retrospective called "Telephantasm" as well as a concert album titled "Live On I5", which was recorded on its last tour before breaking up.

A release date and title for the new SOUNDGARDEN album have yet to be announced.

Professionally filmed video footage of EVANESCENCE's entire June 1 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be seen below.

EVANESCENCE will headline this year's edition of Carnival Of Madness, the annual touring rock extravaganza, with support from CHEVELLE, HALESTORM and NEW MEDICINE. Kicking off Tuesday, July 31 in Springfield, Illinois, the 2012 trek will hit major cities across the U.S. including Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.

EVANESCENCE's self-titled third major label album came out last October, five years after the group issued its last effort, 2006's "The Open Door".

"Evanescence" sold 127,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart.