"The Rebirth Of...", the new video from Portuguese death prog masters DISAFFECTED, can be seen below. The clip was filmed on February 26 in Lisbon, Portugal, and was directed by Mafalda Norte and Frederico Weinholtz.

"The Rebirth Of..." comes off DISAFFECTED's second full-length album, "Rebirth", which was released on May 25 via the German label Massacre Records. The CD was recorded between August and December 2010 at The Pentagon in Lisbon, Portugal and was produced by Fernando Matias (MOONSPELL, GWYDION) and DISAFFECTED.

"Rebirth" features guest appearances by Miguel "Mike" Gaspar (MOONSPELL) on percussion, Joaquim Aires (BEFORE THE RAIN) on percussion and Célia Ramos (MONS LVNAE) on female vocals. The album cover art was created by the German graphic artist Marc Niederhagemann (ArtWars Mediadesign) and can be seen below.

"Rebirth" track listing:

01. Mankwala (intro)
02. C.ult O.f M.y A.shes
03. Getting Into The Labyrinth
04. Dreaming III (A Nightmare)
05. Evilution Within
06. Miracle Dance
07. Our Will
08. Hypnotic Prophecy
09. The Rebirth Of...
10. 1460 Steps To Divine
11. Arrival (outro)

DISAFFECTED is:

Sérgio Paulo - Guitar, Flute & French horn
António Gião - Bass
Octávio Custódio - Drums
Rodrigo Domingues - Keyboards
José Costa - Vocals

"The Rebirth Of..." video:



"C.ult O.f M.y A.shes" audio stream:

Russ Irwin, Los Angeles-based keyboardist, singer-songwriter and touring member of AEROSMITH for over 15 years, has released the ten-song solo album "Get Me Home". Featuring guest vocals from AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler and appearances by AEROSMITH guitarist Brad Whitford, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' Dean DeLeo, and Grammy-nominated trumpeter Chris Botti, the CD showcases Irwin's unique style of piano-driven, jazz-inspired, blues rock.

According to a press release, "the album's sharp arrangements and eclectic dynamics represent just a sample of the songwriting acuity that has earned Irwin high-praise status as a hitmaker among his peers. Irwin's first single 'Manhattan', a modern-day standard and ode to New York City, chronicles a born and bred New Yorker's nostalgia for the landmarks and mood of the Big Apple after years of being on the road and living in L.A. The raucous 'I Miss Being Lonely' laments an addict friend's chaotic downward spiral despite claims of being sober and the slow-burning build and tight vocal harmonies of 'Find The Light' give universal encouragement to not 'give up when times are rough.'"

In recent years, Irwin has toured with Sting, Bryan Adams, Curt Smith (TEARS FOR FEARS), and Duncan Sheik and has written songs for FOREIGNER, MEAT LOAF, SCORPIONS, and produced Clay Aiken's "I Want To Know What Love Is" which entered the Billboard Hot 200.

This June, Irwin will embark on The Global Warming Tour with AEROSMITH and will appear on episodes of Bravo's "The Real Housewives Of New York City" as Carole Radziwell's boyfriend. Solo tour dates will be announced later this year.

For more information, visit www.russirwin.com.

"Too Late", the new video from REVERENCE, the new power metal band featuring vocalist Todd Michael Hall (JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR, HARLET), guitarist Bryan Holland (TOKYO BLADE, ARREST), drummer Steve "Dr. Killdrums" Wacholz (SAVATAGE, CRIMSON GLORY), bassist Ned Meloni and lead guitarist Pete Rossi, can be seen below. The track comes off the group's debut album, "When Darkness Calls", which is being released today (Thursday, May 31) via Razar Ice Records, the band's official web site, iTunes, Amazon and various other music providers. The CD cover artwork was designed by renowned artist Jobert Mello of Sledgehamer Graphix (PRIMAL FEAR, SABATON, HYSTERIA) and can be seen below.

"When Darkness Calls" track listing:

01. When Darkness Calls
02. Bleed For Me
03. Phantom Road
04. Devil In Disguise
05. Too Late
06. Gatekeeper
07. The Price You Pay
08. Monster
09. Revolution Rising
10. After The Leaves Have Fallen
11. Vengeance Is Mine
12. Lost Generation (bonus track)

"When Darkness Calls" features a guest appearance by SANXTION drummer Tony Rossi.

REVERENCE will embark on a European tour in November. Exact citites and dates will be announced shortly.

For more information, visit www.ReverenceMetal.com.

Knoxville, Tennessee hard rockers 10 YEARS will release their new album, "Minus The Machine", on July 31 via their own Palehorse Records in conjunction with Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The CD marks the band's first release on their new label, after a long tenure at Universal.

10 YEARS' new single, "Backlash", can now be streamed using the audio player below (courtesy of MonsterEnergy.com). On June 19, the hard-driving track will head to radio and be available on iTunes.

"Backlash" audio stream:

Italian/Norwegian electro/post-black metallers ABORYM will enter the studio in October to record their sixth album for an early 2013 release through Agonia Records. The band is also working on a special song to celebrate its 20th anniversary, described in a press release as "an assembly of riffs, ideas, lyrics, loops, grooves sent in by fans." Furthermore, a big fan-wall poster is under construction, with hundreds of photos from the fans. You’ll find all the infos and restrictions on sending audio and visual material inside the fan area section at www.aborym.it.

ABORYM's fifth CD, "Psychogrotesque", was released in November 2010 via Season Of Mist. The effort was composed of a single song written by the band's mastermind Malfeitor Fabban and talented guitarist Hell:IO:Kabbalus.

The debut six-song solo EP release from Down Boys recording artist Scotty Dunbar, "In A Mellow Mood", has just been released worldwide. The effort features guest appearances by Michael Sweet of STRYPER (lead guitar solo on "Memories Never Fade"), Louis St. August of MASS (duet vocals on "Pillar Of Strength"), AMJ (duet vocals on "Tears In The City" and "Something So Wrong"), Jeremy Heussi of MASS and FORTUNE (all piano, keyboards and orchestration), and Jonathan Roketenetz (acoustic guitar).

"In A Mellow Mood" was mixed and mastered by Kenny Lewis (STRYPER, MICHAEL SWEET, STEPHEN PEARCY, MASS, ACTION) at Mixed Emotions Studios in Middleton, Massachusetts and was produced by Scotty Dunbar and Jeremy Heussi.

Down Boys Records is owned by Jerry Dixon and Erik Turner of the multi-platinum rock band WARRANT.

For ordering information, visit Amazon.com.

Metal Army's Victor M. Ruiz recently conducted an interview with vocalist Chris Barnes of Florida-based death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal Army: The word "pioneer" is associated to so many people, but it's obvious that thousands of singers have and will continue to emulate a style you helped make popular decades ago. Did you ever think what you were doing would be so influential?

Barnes: No, I don't even think of it now. When you say that, it makes me cringe a little bit. [laughs] I don't really think about things like that. I don't think I'm really responsible for that, but if people want to associate me with that, I'm OK with it. I'm just glad people enjoy it.

Metal Army: A lot of the topics covered on the new album, "Undead", are not new to the band. How much of a challenge is to take some of these themes and make them new again?

Barnes: It's not that difficult. There's millions of ways to kill people. I haven't written a million, but I've written maybe a couple of hundred. It's pretty much infinite. When I sit and write lyrics, I just take it as if it is the first song I've ever written. I really listen to the music, because I write to the music; it really takes me on a journey and speaks to me. What it's saying to me, I really look into that, and bring out the story, following the vibe of the actual music.

Metal Army: Given some of these themes, does it surprise you when people can't differentiate between Chris Barnes the entertainer and Chris Barnes the person? Do they expect you to only talk about death and murder all of the time?

Barnes: [laughs] I don't know, I guess some people are surprised when they meet me, and sit down and actually talk to me. Yeah, you know, it's not all I really talk and dwell on. That's my secret life that I give you guys, that I let you into. It's the calm normal guy next door that you have to watch out for. Sometimes I feel that there is some disappointment with some fans, you know faces [they make] when they meet me, and we hang out, they expect something other than what they get, and I can't be anyone else than the person I am. It is what it is, and I just try to have fun no matter the situation.

Metal Army: With the last album you self-produced it, with "Undead" you went with Mark Lewis and Jason Suecof to help steer certain aspects of the album. How important was their contribution to the album?

Barnes: They're just as important as everyone else on this album. We went outside of the band and tried to do things a little different. Even with the production, we did things differently, with as much care as everything else that we concentrated on with this release. They're both good friends of ours, and I've worked with Mark on previous releases that he's mixed for us. He's just a great guy, I love his way of handling things; it's just great. And Jason, he really came into this thing, and did the mix on the record, and just understood exactly what myself and Rob Arnold needed from this production, and pulled all of these elements together, with everyone's tastes and likes and made sure they were incorporated in the album. I couldn't be happier with the production, it is the best production we've ever had on an album.

Read the entire interview from Metal Army.

Mark Kadzielawa of 69 Faces Of Rock recently conducted an interview with former VENOM and current MPIRE OF EVIL guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

69 Faces Of Rock: VENOM's legacy is unquestionable.

Dunn: There is definitely a legacy, there is a heritage there, and it had a massive influence as well. I've met so many people on this tour, who say to me, "oh my God, do you realize what you've done for metal?" It's incredible that I get that reaction.

69 Faces Of Rock: And then there is always a new generation of kids discovering the original VENOM.

Dunn: Oh yeah, definitely. We've had young guys in the audience, and I've met tons of people after the show. In Seattle and Portland especially. There were fathers bringing their sons, so that's a new generation of fans. And to think those young guys are going back and paying homage re-discovering all the early stuff. I mean, most of them were not even born when "Welcome to Hell" came out, you know, but they are re-discovering all this stuff. And it can only be a good thing at the end of the day.

69 Faces Of Rock: When you look back at all the music you wrote over the years, especially VENOM's golden years, how do you see your musical growth?

Dunn: I hope I've grown up, and evolved, and progressed. I'm very proud of the new album, but it's still me writing the songs. I mean, I still got the same attitude. When we did the MPIRE album, we wanted to do anything we pleased. We wanted to put the album out, hoist the flag, and see who salutes! And the reviews so far are amazing. The reviews had been absolutely amazing. I mean, we took a lot of risks on the album. There is a track on the album called "Devil", which is a big heavy blues track. I play slide guitar, all that kind of stuff. When I had the idea for that song, I wanted to play the blues, and pay homage to Robert Johnson, the crossroads, and all the old blues players. You see, everything we do as musicians comes from the blues. The other thing that I wanted to say in that song was VENOM created black metal, but before we took its influences from BLACK SABBATH, and there was BLACK WIDOW. But way, way before that there was some guy sitting on the porch in the Delta with an old acoustic whaling about the devil. So it's nothing new, and that's what I'm trying to say in that song. The opening line is, "A widow on the Sabbath day."

69 Faces Of Rock: VENOM's image was very much in your face, shocking, often thought-provoking. How much of that was a gimmick?

Dunn: We've always said that we wanted to be the band that we would like to see on stage. And we've said that if you took every heavy metal cliché, put it in a big pot, stir it all up, then pour it out, it's gonna spell VENOM. That was always our thing.

69 Faces Of Rock: And the satanic aspect of the band?

Dunn: That was an absolute shock value. Nobody had taken it that far before. I mean, yeah, I've read the Satanic Bible. We all had an interest in the sort of darker side, if you'd like. I mean, my grandfather, when I used to go to his house, he let me stay up late, and watch all the old horror films. It was that kind of thing, so I had that sort of background. But I mean, the whole thing, the name VENOM, the way we wanted to portray it, and everything was all new. It was all there before Cronos joined the band. It was an already made thing to step into, really. The songs were written, everything was there. But, I've got no particular religious beliefs. I think religion causes more problems than anything else. I get asked this a lot, especially from people who are into the black metal thing. They want to know your views on it all, but I'm still into the music. That's what it's about for me. Yeah, I like presenting things with a certain image, making it look as good as you possibly can. And that was the whole thing with the VENOM thing as well. The stage show, the pyro, the way we looked. It's nothing new when you think about it, nothing drastic.

Read the entire interview from 69 Faces Of Rock.

MANOWAR's new studio album, "The Lord Of Steel", will be released in retail stores from September 7 (dates may vary from territory to territory). The CD will already be available for worldwide shipping from The Kingdom Of Steel from July 27 and in the special limited "Steel Edition" of U.K.'s Metal Hammer #233 from June 26.

The digital version of "The Lord Of Steel" will be released on June 16.

"The Lord Of Steel" — which was mixed and mastered at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands with the help of longtime collaborators, mixing engineer Ronald Prent and Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Darcy Proper — is blazing with pure power, untamed energy, and a sound as raw and wild as a force of nature. Track titles like "Annihilation" and "Hail, Kill And Die!" set the tone for a record that is packed with surprises. In contrast to the 2007 release "Gods Of War", this new album is not a concept album, yet each song tells a different story, retaining the MANOWAR vision of righteousness, honor and everything MANOWAR fans have come to know and love.

MANOWAR fans should expect to have "their heads completely blown off," said MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio in a recent interview, and explained that "this album is all about brutality and raw power!"

"We were talking about a concept album but then got inspired to go in a different direction. This is where we are right now," explained DeMaio. "I've been doing research on getting the best microphones and pre-amps for the guitars. The bass sound is death defying. We've done a lot of work on drums too, giving Donnie [Hamzik, drums] room to stretch out. And Eric [Adams, vocals] will simply sound bigger than life, as always."

"The Lord Of Steel" will include the track "El Gringo", which will also serve as the theme song for the After Dark Action franchise film "El Gringo", an action western starring Scott Adkins ("The Expendables 2", "The Bourne Ultimatum"), Christian Slater and Yvette Yates ("Without Men").

"El Gringo" marks the first time MANOWAR has written a song specifically for a movie. The song depicts the struggle of a hero torn between his moral code and financial gain, and the challenge of being true to oneself and the real values in life — a recurring theme in MANOWAR's music.

"Everyone loves action movies! Our music, along with ass-kicking visuals and a great story, are a perfect match, not to mention a chance to actually see the music come alive on screen," said MANOWAR bassist and composer Joey DeMaio. "'El Gringo' has been a great experience, the team at After Dark Films has been a pleasure to work with, and we are ready for more!" he continued.

On March 12, a select group of special MANOWAR fans known as The Circle, who represent the band's worldwide fan base, were invited to a private pre-listening session of the forthcoming MANOWAR album, as well as a tour of Wisseloord Studios.

MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio, and longtime collaborators, mixing engineer Ronald Prent and Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Darcy Proper, provided insight into the making of a record, and the specific requirements in the production for a band that is world-renowned for a sound that is louder than any other band and yet equally clear and perfect.

Fans from all over the world were chosen to represent their countries and receive news and updates to share them with their fellow brothers and sisters, and listen to first songs from the new album that is set for release in June/July.

"It was important to us that the fans should be the first to hear the new music. After all, it is all for them!" explained DeMaio.

When asked about the long gap between MANOWAR's last CD and upcoming effort, DeMaio said, "I know that a lot of people don't wanna wait another five years for a MANOWAR record, but we hope that people are gonna think that it was worth waiting the time. Because, you know, you go to a restaurant and you order dinner, if the waiter walks in the kitchen and comes back out two seconds later and puts the dinner on the table, I really don't know what you're gonna get. Every now and then I like McDonald's, too — it doesn't mean something fast is not good — but we're not a fast-food restaurant with MANOWAR. We think it's quality, so we hope you're gonna feel the same way."

MANOWAR will headline several European festivals this summer, celebrating their new album and the 10th anniversary of one of their most popular records, "Warriors Of The World".

"Expendable" rough mix:

Video footage of Joey Tempest and John Norum of Swedish hard rockers EUROPE performing acoustic versions of the songs "The Final Countdown" and "Holiday" (SCORPIONS) at the studios of the German radio station SWR1 on Tuesday, May 29 can be seen below.

EUROPE's ninth studio album, "Bag Of Bones", entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 2.

"Bag Of Bones" was released in Europe on April 27 via earMusic/Edel. The CD, which features a guest appearance by blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), was produced by Kevin Shirley, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, JOE BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK STONE CHERRY and JOURNEY, among others.

The "Not Supposed To Sing The Blues" video was directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

The "Not Supposed To Sing The Blues" digital single was made available on March 9.

"Headstone", the new video from DJERV — the Norwegian band featuring singer Agnete Kjølsrud of ANIMAL ALPHA, drummer Erlend Gjerde of STONEGARD and WARDRUNA and guitarist Stian Kårstad of TRELLDOM — can be seen below. The song comes off the group's self-titled debut album, which entered the official chart in Norway at position No. 8. The CD was released in the rest of Europe in June 2011 via Indie Recordings (except in Poland and Czech Republic, where the album was made available through Mystic Production).

"Djerv" track listing:

01. Madman
02. The Bowling Pin
03. Headstone
04. Gruesome Twosome
05. Only I Exist
06. Ladder To The Moon
07. Abmuse
08. Blind The Heat
09. Immortal

DJERV consists of the three core members — Agnete Kjølsrud, Stian Kårstad and Erlend Gjerde. The lineup is completed by guitarist Stamos Koliousis from MENCEA and bassist Victor Brandt from ENTOMBED, who join them for their live performances.

DJERV spent most of the fall of 2010 working on its debut album, which was engineered by Daniel Bergstrand (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH) in Oslo, before the band traveled to Los Angeles to team up with Grammy Award-winning producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED, MONSTER MAGNET) to work on the mix. The effort was mastered by Tom Baker at Precision Mastering, and it was written and produced in its entirety by DJERV.

DJERV's story is short but eventful. The first demos surfaced early 2010, and two weeks later they were booked for the most important festival in Norway, the Oya festival. They went on to tour Norway in June 2010 and played several of the bigger Norwegian festivals during the summer. In August 2010 they released the "Headstone" EP which basically is their first-ever recorded demo tracks made available as people kept demanding to get to hear them not only on MySpace. The release of the "Headstone" EP generated some good press for the band several key magazines featured them as one of the bands to keep an eye out for in 2011. In addition, DIMMU BORGIR helped promote DJERV when they invited Agnete to participate on no less than three songs for their latest album, "Abrahadabra". Among them the lead track of the album, "Gateways", the video for which also features Agnete.

British power metal mercenaries TANK — featuring Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans on guitar alongside ex-RAINBOW/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN frontman Doogie White and ex-BRUCE DICKINSON bassist Chris Dale and drummer Steve Hopgood — will release their new album, "War Nation", on June 5 via MVD (one day earlier in Europe through Metal Mind Productions). The follow-up to 2010's "War Machine" was helmed by new hotshot producer Phil Kinman at his west London studios.

The "War Nation" title track can now be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Commented Evans: "“The song 'War Nation' is the title track that opens our new album and sets the scene for what's to follow. It thunders in with a classic TANK guitar riff, which wouldn't sound out of place on any of the legendary rock albums of the '80s, and has a chorus that plants itself firmly in your mind."

"War Nation" track listing:

01. War Nation
02. Song For The Dead
03. Hammer And Nails
04. Don't Dream In The Dark
05. Grace Of God
06. Dreamer
07. Justice For All
08. Wings Of Heaven
09. State Of The Union
10. Hard Road

Said Evans: "The [cover] painting was done by infamous London graffiti artist Jay Bryce exclusively for TANK. We've always admired his work and it's an honor to be the first band to feature his artwork on an album cover."

TANK's March 9 concert at Stodola in Warsaw, Poland was professionally recorded and filmed for the band's fist official live DVD, to be released later in the year via Metal Mind Productions. Apart from the material recorded in Warsaw, the DVD will also contain footage of TANK's appearance at Metal Hammer Festival (August 10, 2011 in Katowice, Poland), a warm-up gig in Chorzów (March 8, 2012), along with interviews with bandmembers and other bonus material.

TANK's most recent album, "War Machine", was released on October 25, 2010 in Europe via Metal Mind Productions (December 7, 2010 in the U.S. through MVD). The production was handled by Pedro Ferreira (THE DARKNESS, THERAPY?, MEAT LOAF) and the bulk of the recording was done at Pedrock Studios in London. Drums were laid down by Tony Newton at Steve Harris' (IRON MAIDEN) Barnyard Studios.

"Wrapped In Barbwire", the new video from the Finnish metal/hard rock outfit AMORAL, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's fifth album, "Beneath", which entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 30. Released on October 26, 2011, the CD came equipped with a stunning 18-page poster booklet (made by Spanish artist Marta Nael), expanding the cover artwork into all its glory.

"Beneath" track listing:

01. Beneath
02. Wrapped In Barbwire
03. Silhouette
04. Things Left Unsaid
05. (Won't Go) Home
06. Closure
07. Same Difference
08. Hours Of Simplicity
09. Wastelands
10. This Ever Ending Game
11. No Future
12. Of Silent Stares & Fire Lost

"Beneath" was recorded at Sound Supreme studios in Hämeenlinna, Finland, and was produced by Janne Saksa and guitarist Ben Varon.

"I'd describe the album as 'three steps forward, one step back,'" Varon previously said. "There are several nods to our past in form of long songs, intricate riffs and growling vocals. But the main focus is still on the strong melodies, big choruses and catchy riffs, just as was on our last album, 'Show Your Colors'."

"Beneath" marks the recording debut of AMORAL's new guitarist Masi Hukari. Hukari — who joined the group late in the songwriting process — immediately wrote two songs together with Varon, both which ended up on the album. Another first is that, from now on, AMORAL has two lead guitar players.

Last September, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine underwent surgery for stenosis, a neck and spine condition that he says was caused by years of headbanging.

Earlier this month, Artisan News spoke to Mustaine and asked him about how he's doing eight months after the surgery. "It's good," he said. "Leading up to it, it was horrible. But I think probably the thing was the most painful was the stuff people were saying. Like I wasn't really hurt and I was faking it. I was hurt. And when they pulled that bone fragment out of my neck… It's one thing to have a bulging disc and have stuff fused together, but when they find broken pieces of bone in your spinal cord, that stuff causes pain. And I wasn't gonna let it affect me or keep me from going on stage and playing. I probably hurt myself more by going out there like that, but, you know… I don't know if I'm just stubborn or what, but I was always taught the show must go on, and I went up into the point where I had to be hospitalized. Which is kind of rock and roll, if you think about it. [laughs]"

He added, "There are, every once in a while, some sharp pains and stuff like that, if I move it wrong, but it's completely healed. And I don't have any fear. I do have a little bit of apprehension when I'm getting out on stage and I start to get too revved up. 'Cause it's really easy, once that button turns on, for you to go to a place you don't wanna physically go to — you're hanging over the cliff 'cause you're headbanging too much."

As to how he thinks his stage performance exacerbated his condition, Mustaine said, "There's one move I used to do; I used to always snap my head back and forth. . . It wasn't like I was doing it for a dance move or something choreographed or corny like that. It was just a form of expression and I think that's probably one of the positions that I hurt myself in, 'cause it's more of a grinding movement."

Even though Mustaine has fully recovered from his surgery, he does admit that performing live has become more difficult in the months following the procedure. "After the surgery, it's been harder to sing," he said. "They said that that would happen. And it's been harder to sing, which is sad, 'cause I've already had… Singing is not my forté. I try my best to do it, but I'm not a great singer, and like I said, they told me that it was gonna get more difficult, and I didn't believe 'em. So now I'm dealing with it. When I go out there and play, I look at the fans out there and I don't think, 'Well, there's a guy that's seen me 20 times.' I think about, 'What about the person that's seeing us for the very first time?'"

Speaking to Decibel magazine last November, Mustaine stated about his neck injury, "The way [2011's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival] ended, with me being hurt, I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how bad. Nobody knew the writing was on the wall. I pretty much thought, 'Well, I''m hurt, but I'll just take it easy, have a couple of glasses of wine. I'll get through it, get a couple of trigger point injections, get an epidural.' There were a couple of times they gave me a shot in my neck that numbed me up. I saw chiropractors and masseuses all the time. It inevitably gets to the point where you're starting to take medication, and that's never good, because if you're taking something and you never feel the pain… You saw Curt Schilling when he was playing for the Diamondbacks, and Randy Johnson; I can't remember if [Schilling] was playing for the Diamondbacks that time he had the bloody sock or if he'd gone back to Boston or not yet — [he] did some heroic feat where he had his foot put back together and he went out there and played."

He added, "I'm an athlete, as a guitar player and as an onstage persona. But as far as being a musician that has to do hurdles — I don't think most musicians, when they start playing music, think that they're going to be playing this demanding-type music that those of us who are part of the 'Big Four' and all the bands we influenced and kind of created [play]. With the advent of the headbanging — which was not my invention, by any means; I'm not like Al Gore who invented the Internet — there was that whole headbanging thing that came around, it's hurt a lot us… What is headbanging, anyway? It's kind of like chronic whiplash syndrome, isn't it?"

The second in a series of teaser clips for the forthcoming SLIPKNOT greatest-hits album, "Antennas To Hell", can be seen below. The latest clip focuses on SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison

"Antennas To Hell" is scheduled for release on July 17 via Roadrunner Records.

There is no word yet on which tracks will be included on "Antennas To Hell", and if it will contain any previously unheard music or other bonus content.

As previously reported, SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor has confirmed that the group is finally "putting together demos" for its fifth major label album, which it is expected to begin recording next year for a mid-to-late 2013 release.

SLIPKNOT is getting back to work after an extended hiatus following the passing of bassist Paul Gray in 2010. Last Thursday (May 24) was the two-year anniversary of Gray's death from an overdose of drugs.

Playing bass on SLIPKNOT's recent tours has been early band member Donnie Steele. Percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan told The Pulse Of Radio that Steele has been doing a great job, but no decisions on a permanent replacement have been made. "Donnie's a beautiful person and he's just done a remarkable job," he said. "He's always got a smile on his face and he's doing Paul proud and Paul's proud of it and it's amazing. He's filling in for Paul now and we'll see what happens in the future, but it's way too early to even remotely even entertain those ideas."

Crahan said in an interview with Metal Injection in March that all the members of SLIPKNOT had been writing music, adding, "But nothing is done because we're not together yet. And there is no reason to get together and talk about it because there are other things moving, like the grieving process."

SLIPKNOT will headline the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour this summer in the U.S., starting on June 30 in Devore, California.

"3rd Space Gorilla Generator", a brand new song from Maryland's STRONG INTENTION, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below (courtesy of Decibel magazine). The track, which features a guest appearance by EYEHATEGOD frontman Mike IX Williams, comes off STRONG INTENTION's new effort, "Razorblade Express", which will be released on June 1 via PATAC Records.

Since the mid-'90s STRONG INTENTION have been punishing the underground with their own blend of New York-influenced hardcore breakdowns and blistering grindcore. Their unique sound has allowed them the longevity to play out and tour with such acts as CRIPPLE BASTARDS, DISFEAR, PHOBIA, EXTREME NOISE TERROR, ROTTEN SOUND, D.R.I., LOCK UP and MISERY INDEX, among others, over their extensive career… and they're just getting started.

STRONG INTENTION have an extensive back-catalog of releases behind them and their latest slab of audio discontent is hardly an exception. "Razorblade Express" is a six-track behemoth which features a bass work by CATTLE DECAPITATION's Derek Engemann. With the first press limited to just 500 copies, this isn't one to sleep on.

Comments STRONG INTENTION founding frontman Zac Ohler: "It's been far too long since we put out a record, so having these six songs of 'no hope/no future distort' released by a killer label and having long time friend Mike IX join us in this act of terrorism seems to be the perfect fit. It's time to rise and grind!"

"Razorblade Express" track listing:

01. Razorblade Express (featuring Mike IX Williams)
02. Messiah Whore
03. Holes In The Wall
04. 3rd Space Gorilla Generator (featuring Mike IX Williams)
05. Rat Factory
06. Slaughter Intelligence

In conjunction with the release, STRONG INTENTION will drag their filth to the stage alongside fellow grind heathens, PHOBIA. The East Coast Filth Tour 2012 will commence June 3 in Detroit.

Los Angeles cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY have released a special trailer that is a visual preview into the story behind their forthcoming album, "The Industrialist". Check it out below. Also available is a full-length stream of the track "New Messiah".

"The Industrialist" will be released 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.

Video footage of Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz (guitar) and Kevin Boutot (drums) of Massachusetts metallers THE ACACIA STRAIN rehearsing a brand new song can be seen below.

THE ACACIA STRAIN last month released a new song, "Servant In The Place Of Truth", via iTunes and Amazon.

Having recently signed a new deal with Rise Records, the band wanted to put out something new in between labels for fans to enjoy.

"As you can see, we aren't changing at all, only working harder to write the best tunes that we are proud of that the fans enjoy," states Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz. "We are really stoked on this song and are glad people are liking it."

THE ACACIA STRAIN will record its next album over the next few months for an October release via Rise Records. Laskiewicz will produce, engineer and mix the effort in his studio in Western Massachusetts.

Commented vocalist Vincent Bennett: "You all love DL, so it makes sense for us to go ahead and do the album this way and keep it heavy right from the source of where this all comes from. We are still here, talking to you, doing what we have always done. This is such a great time for this band, you have no idea."

THE ACACIA STRAIN's latest CD, "Wormwood", sold around 6,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 67 on The Billboard 200 chart.

THE ACACIA STRAIN's previous effort, "Continent", opened with 5,600 units to land at No. 107.

"Wormwood" was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL) handling producing, mixing and mastering. The CD features three guest vocalists — HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta, 100 DEMONS' Bruce LePage and Kyle Chard of BORN LOW.

THE ACACIA STRAIN released its first live album, "The Most Known Unknown", in June 2011 via Prosthetic Records.

Swedish modern metal band ONE WITHOUT is making its new EP, "Numbers", available over a four-week period, with one song released for free each week through the online music promotion platform OKDJ. Each track is being released on the same day and same time each week starting on Sunday, May 27 at 8 p.m. GMT, and will end with the full EP being released on all bigger online music stores (and Spotify) on June 24.

Using the OKDJ platform, ONE WITHOUT will issue a weekly prize to the top promoter for each track using OKDJ's Top Promoter game. Prizes will include merchandise and CDs.

Song release schedule:

May 27 (Week 1): "The Lies"
Jun. 03 (Week 2): "Systematic Suffering"
Jun. 10 (Week 3): "Numbers"
Jun. 17 (Week 4): "Involuntary Suicide"
Jun. 24: Full EP release

Commented ONE WITHOUT guitarist Kenny Boufadene: "The 'Numbers' EP is a taste of what direction ONE WITHOUT are going in with the upcoming third album. It will be totally free to download through OKDJ, and if you want to buy it to support us, you will get the chance on the 24th of June when it is released on iTunes, Spotify and all bigger online music stores."

"Numbers" was produced, mixed and mastered by Joonas Niskanen and Kenny Boufadene, with cover art by Markus Mönttinen.

ONE WITHOUT previously released two albums, 2011's "Sweet Relief" and 2009's "Thoughts Of A Secluded Mind", has toured with DEAD BY APRIL, EVERGREY, KATATONIA, MARIONETTE and the GENITORTURERS, been featured in numerous magazines and radio shows and shared stages with bands like SOULFLY, EPICA, DORO, KRYPTERIA, PARADISE LOST, CARPARK NORTH, and ALL ENDS.

ONE WITHOUT is:

Catrin Feymark - Vocals
Kenny Boufadene – Guitar, Screams
Joni "Jupiter" Kaartinen - Bass
Joonas Niskanen - Guitar
Håkan "H-Can" Strind - Drums

For more information, visit www.onewithout.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of former TNT singer Tony Harnell performing the BOSTON classic "More Than A Feeling" with the help of STRYPER/ex-BOSTON frontman Michael Sweet on May 24 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City can be seen below.

Harnell opened for STRYPER at the concert and joined the headliners on stage during their set to perform the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law". Fan-filmed video footage of that performance below is also available.

As previously reported, Harnell will guest on the new solo album from Michael Sweet, due later this year on Big3 Records. Harnell will be a special guest vocalist on the song "Taking On The World Tonight".

Commented Sweet: "I think Tony is truly one of the most underrated singers of all time. He's always been one of my favorites and is an incredibly nice, humble guy to boot. I've always wanted to work with Tony and I knew this would be the perfect song and opportunity to do so. 'Taking On The World Tonight' is very heavy with a combination of old-school riffs and solos yet it's got a very modern, relevant sound as well. It's the best of both worlds! You won't be disappointed."

Glenn Danzig is performing his "Legacy" career-spanning set featuring songs from DANZIG, SAMHAIN and MISFITS, in a number of U.S. cities in late May and early June. In addition, he is playing four DANZIG shows where is joined by ex-MISFITS axeman Doyle Von Frankenstein as a "special guest."

Fan-filmed video footage of the Danzig/Doyle portion of Glenn's set from the May 27 concert at The Warfield in San Francisco, California can be seen below.

A "Danzig Legacy" TV special was filmed on Tuesday, May 29 in Glendale, California with director Mark Brooks (Adult Swim's "Metalocalypse").

Glenn Danzig is streaming the track "Devil's Angels" on his official web site. It was originaly the theme song for the late '60's biker film of the same title.

DANZIG is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on the as-yet-untitled covers record for a late summer/early fall release.

Bassist Karin Axelsson of Swedish/British modern metallers SONIC SYNDICATE is pregnant with her first child. According to Karin, the baby is due the first week of October. She says, "Please welcome the next generation Axelsson."

After an almost year-long hiatus, SONIC SYNDICATE will co-headline the Vekeri Fesztival, set to take place June 21-23 in Hungary. Also scheduled to appear are AMORPHIS, NORTHER, ELUVEITIE and many other acts.

SONIC SYNDICATE's latest album, "We Rule The Night", was released in Europe on August 27, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Bohus Sound studios in Kungälv, Sweden with producer Toby Wright, who has previously worked with KORN, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, FEAR FACTORY, IN FLAMES, STONE SOUR and OZZY OSBOURNE, among others.

Earlier this week, Metalhead.ro conducted an interview with SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

When asked about the progress of the recording sessions for SLAYER's next release, Araya said, "We went [into the studio] in April. [Guitarist] Kerry [King] put together a bunch of songs. I did vocals for two songs before I flew out [to Europe for the current run of SLAYER shows]. We are in the process of finishing those up. And hopefully they'll have them mixed and we should have something out by the end of summer."

On the topic of what the new SLAYER material sounds like, Araya said, "Gee, let me think… Sounds like SLAYER to me. [laughs]"

SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo previously stated about the band's new material, "[It sounds like] SLAYER. . . Traditional fans will be pacified and non-traditional fans will be like, 'Again?'"

Speaking to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Kerry described the new SLAYER songs as "really refreshing and energetic." He added, "One thing I can tell you is that the songs are shaping up in the classic SLAYER style. You won't be hearing us doing acoustic stuff. [laughs]"

Kerry also said that he was hoping that Greg Fidelman, who co-produced 2009's "World Painted Blood" with Rick Rubin, would be at the helm for the new album. "That's the idea, anyway," Kerry told Metal Hammer. "But it all depends on his availability. . . I don't think we'll spend long in the studio this time, either. We're gonna do it old-school style and get things done fast."

SLAYER performed its classic 1986 album "Reign In Blood" in its entirety at All Tomorrow's Parties' second U.K. "I'll Be Your Mirror" event, which took place this past weekend (May 25-27) at Alexandra Palace, London, England.

SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman has been forced to sit out the band's current tour dates due to complications from a spider bite.

Hanneman contracted necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite over a year ago.

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt is filling in for Hanneman on SLAYER's summer tour, which began at All Tomorrow's Parties.

SLAYER's latest album, "World Painted Blood", sold 41,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Official Metallica.com footage of METALLICA's meet-and-greet, pre-show tuning-room jam and "Through The Never" performance at the May 23 show of the band's European tour at Vallehovin in Oslo, Norway can be viewed below.

METALLICA performed its top-selling 1991 LP, "Metallica", a.k.a. "the black album," in its entirety at the Oslo 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. No Remorse
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 15,776,000 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.

In partnership with YouTube, DEF LEPPARD will play a one-time exclusive "YouTube Presents" club gig at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on June 6 at 2:30 p.m. PST.

Fans will get in for FREE on a first-come-first-served basis. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer session of fans with the band. Both the performance and Q&A will be available on YouTube in full, at 12 p.m. PST on June 7.

To celebrate the summer of "Rock Of Ages", DEF LEPPARD has recorded new versions of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Rock Of Ages". The songs will be available worldwide on iTunes, Amazon, and all other digital music retailers June 4.

DEF LEPPARD will make a return to the United States this June with a massive summer tour which will include fellow rockers POISON and LITA FORD.

DEF LEPPARD's influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums — including two of the best-selling albums of all time, "Pyromania" and "Hysteria". Most recently, the band released their first live album, "Mirror Ball: Live & More" last summer, which rose to the Top 20 on The Billboard 200 chart. The album captures the group's legendary concert experience, bringing together live versions of classic LEPPARD hits such as "Rock Of Ages", "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Foolin'".

With 100 million records sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, DEF LEPPARD — Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums) — continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group's spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name. For the past thirty years the band's concerts have become must-see events and have quickly made them an institution in the touring industry, as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

Kill TV has uploaded a four-camera edit of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends EXODUS performing the song "Bonded By Blood" at "Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance", a special concert which marked the 10-year anniversary of former EXODUS singer Paul Baloff's passing. The event took place February 4 at the Oakland Metro Operahouse in Oakland, California and featured performances by EXODUS, POSSESSED, FORBIDDEN and HEATHEN, among others. METALLICA/ex-EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, former EXODUS axeman Rick Hunolt and original EXODUS bassist Jeff Andrews all joined the current lineup of EXODUS on stage at "Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance".

It was more than a decade ago — on January 31, 2002 — that Paul Baloff suffered a major stroke and was brought to Highland General Hospital in Northern California, where he remained in a coma until he was declared brain dead. On February 2, 2002, his doctors shut off his life support, leaving him to die in his sleep. He had no previous known health problems, and the stroke was a complete surprise to everyone around him.

Regarding EXODUS' decision to stage this concert, the band's guitarist Gary Holt said, "With February 2nd being the 10-year anniversary of Paul's passing, the band knew it was high time we do something special to remember the legend of Paul Baloff, so we decided to put together a show the Bay Area will not soon forget. We've pulled some of the Bay's finest for this, bands who knew and shared many a stage and drink with Pavel. There are some nice surprises in store as well! It will be ten years and two days since the thrash world lost one of its greatest frontmen ever, and we will always make sure his memory lives on and is never forgotten. Long live The Destroyer!"

"Let There Be Blood", the controversial re-recording of EXODUS' classic 1985 debut album, "Bonded by Blood", was issued in October 2008 through Zaentz Records.

Regarding the band's decision to re-record "Bonded By Blood", Holt previously said: "It is our way of paying homage to Paul Baloff by showing how relevant these songs we had written together still are. We aren't trying to replace the original; that's impossible anyway. We are just giving these songs the benefit of modern production. It's something we talked about before Paul's death and it's always been important to us to do. We were super-excited about entering the studio once again to record these classics." Current EXODUS vocalist Rob Dukes added, "Paul was rad, totally original. He was not like [METALLICA's James] Hetfield or [SLAYER's Tom] Araya. I think at times he wanted to be, but he was simply himself. He had a really cool way of going up with his voice in the weirdest spots. I, myself, find it cool and original."