The official lyric video for the song "Every Inch Of You" from British rockers THE DARKNESS can be seen below. The track comes off the band's third studio album, "Hot Cakes", which will be released on August 21 via Wind-Up (North and South America) and PIAS (U.K. and rest of the world). After a seven-year wait, "Hot Cakes" — produced by the band's Justin and Dan Hawkins with longtime collaborator Nick Brine and mixed by Bob Ezrin — will deliver the epic rock anthems and infectious pop choruses the multi-platinum band has become renowned for worldwide.

"When we first heard a new DARKNESS track and after seeing them play live in New York City, we knew THE DARKNESS were back!" explains Wind-Up CEO Edward Vetri. "THE DARKNESS and Wind-up make a great rock partnership and we look forward to working with them to launch 'Hot Cakes'."

THE DARKNESS returned to the U.S. earlier this month for select dates and three festival appearances: Saturday, May 19 at InfieldFest (Baltimore, Maryland); Sunday, May 20 at Rock On The Range (Columbus, Ohio); and Saturday, May 26 at Rocklahoma (Pryor, Oklahoma). They will now perform at festivals across Europe as well as a hometown outdoor headlining gig at Thetford Fest in Suffolk before teaming with LADY GAGA for her "Born This Way Ball" tour.

Since THE DARKNESS — Justin Hawkins (vocals/guitars), Dan Hawkins (guitars/backing vocals), Frankie Poullain (bass) and Ed Graham (drums) — resumed active service almost 12 months ago on the main stage of 2011's Download festival with their original lineup, the British group have accomplished a lot. They've completed sold-out tours of the U.K. and North America; were featured in a Superbowl ad (broadcast to over 100 million viewers in the tense fourth quarter of the game); finished recording "Hot Cakes" and released a free teaser track and video, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us".

THE DARKNESS made its U.K. live comeback in June 2011 in front of just 200 people at the Norwich Waterfront.

THE DARKNESS' first album, "Permission To Land", was released in 2003, hitting the No. 1 spot in the U.K. chart and winning "MasterCard British Album" at the 2004 Brit Awards (along with "Best British Group" and "British Rock Act").

Between 2003 and 2006, THE DARKNESS was honored with many awards and accolades; along with three Brit Awards, the band won an Ivor Novello in 2004 for "Songwriters Of The Year", four Kerrang! Awards, two Metal Hammer Awards, an MTV Europe Music Award and even an Elle Style Award in 2004 for "Most Stylish Band".

Anders Eek, a founding member of Norwegian cult doom band FUNERAL, was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday, May 29.

While Eek remains in stable condition, further tests need to be done in order for doctors to decide the next step.

Eek will spend the next few days in the hospital, in accordance with the doctor's orders.

Although very fatigued, Eek is confident he will be able to get back on his feet soon.

FUNERAL recently completed work on a new studio album, "Oratorium", due later in the year via Grau Records.

The band's last CD, "As The Light Does The Shadow", came out in September 2008 through Indie Recordings.

Chicago-based multinational extreme act AGAINST THE PLAGUES has issued the following update:

"We are currently wrapping up the production of the new AGAINST THE PLAGUES album. As we are nearing the release, we felt that it was time to reveal the album's title and details. We decided to call this collection 'The Quaternion' since the album features four extensive pieces that correspond to one conceptual idea. This concept underlines the theme and philosophy of AGAINST THE PLAGUES. We feel that over the past six years, the listeners of 'extreme metal' have been denied and robbed of the essence of metal's original intentions, class, and quality. We are hoping, with this album, that perhaps yesterday's listeners will revive their estranged relationship with extreme music. We also hope that new ears will catch a glimpse of this craft before it completely dies out in North America."

Due this summer, "The Quaternion" will feature the following track listing (not in final running order):

01. Man's Modern World
02. Theokratia
03. The Praetorian Icon
04. Enemy Herein

AGAINST THE PLAGUES is:

* Varyen Chylinski (FOREST OF IMPALED, DAMNATION) - Drums
* Marco Martell (MALEVOLENT CREATION, DIVINE EMPIRE) - Guitar
* Marcin "Novy" Nowak (BEHEMOTH, VADER, ROAD'S END) - Bass
* Orlando Logan "Plague Healer" Perez (ex-VEX, WHORE OF BABYLON - Vocals

AGAINST THE PLAGUES' debut album, "Decoding The Mainframe", was released in Europe on March 31, 2010 via Vic Records.

AGAINST THE PLAGUES in 2010 parted ways with guitarist Adrian Adamus (FOREST OF IMPALED, CORPHAGY). According to the band, Adrian left AGAINST THE PLAGUES "in order to focus on his personal/family life." Guitar duties in AGAINST THE PLAGUES are now being handled by Marco Martell (MALEVOLENT CREATION, DIVINE EMPIRE, KULT OF AZAZEL), who previously played bass for the group.

"Decoding The Mainframe" contains re-recorded versions of all eight songs from AGAINST THE PLAGUES' self-released CD, "Architecture of Oppression". The tracks were remastered and mixed by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, AEON, DISSECTION, KATATONIA, MARDUK).

For more information, go to this location.

KING KOBRA is busy recording the follow-up to last year's successful self-titled album for an early 2013 release via Frontiers Records.

Commented guitarist David Michael-Phillips: "We’ve got a high-energy combination of the classic KING KOBRA sound mixed with some of our favorite (heavy) influences: LED ZEPPELIN, WHITESNAKE, BLUE MURDER. Cool, heavy grooves, great melodies, soulful lead vocals by Paul Shortino, infectious harmonies and hooks...blazing guitars by yours truly and the thundering rhythm section of Johnny Rod and the legendary Carmine Appice! This is the next natural progression of 'Ready To Strike' and our last, self-titled album, 'King Kobra'."

Songtitles set to appear on the next KING KOBRA CD include "In The Night", "Feelin' Fine", "Take Me Back", "Deep River", "Got It Comin'" and "We Go Round".

Formed in 1984 by legendary drummer Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, ROD STEWART, OZZY OSBOURNE), Los Angeles heavy metal outfit KING KOBRA recorded two critically acclaimed albums for Capitol Records — the 1985 release "Ready To Strike" and 1986's "Thrill Of A Lifetime".

Along with Carmine, the band featured four relatively unknown musicians at the time — David Michael-Philips and Mick Sweda on guitar, Johnny Rod on bass and Mark Free on lead vocals. KING KOBRA toured the U.S., Canada, Europe and Mexico playing shows with KISS, IRON MAIDEN, QUIET RIOT, TED NUGENT, QUEENSRŸCHE and AUTOGRAPH.

The band was featured regularly on MTV and performed the theme song for the #1 1986 motion picture "Iron Eagle". After disbanding in 1988, each member continued his career in other successful major-label groups — Carmine to BLUE MURDER (Geffen), Mark Free to UNRULY CHILD (Interscope), Mick Sweda to the BULLETBOYS (Warner Bros.), Johnny Rod to W.A.S.P. (Capitol/EMI) and David Michael-Philips to LIZZY BORDEN (Metal Blade).

The year 2010 saw the band reunite the original classic '85 lineup, replacing original singer Mark Free (now Marcie Free) with veteran lead vocalist Paul Shortino (ROUGH CUTT, QUIET RIOT).

VEXT — the new New Jersey/New York-based heavy rock band featuring singer Tommy Vext (DIVINE HERESY, SNOT), guitar virtuoso Angel Vivaldi, and the rhythm section of the now-disbanded MUTINY WITHIN (Andrew Jacobs on bass and Bill Fore on drums) — will release its debut EP, "Impermanence", on July 3.

"Impermanence" track listing:

01. Exit Wounds
02. In The End
03. Crush
04. Hourglass

The cover artwork of "Impermanence" can be seen below. Also available is a stream of the EP's first single, "In The End".

VEXT is:

Tommy Vext - Vocals
Angel Vivaldi - Guitar
Andrew Jacobs - Bass
Bill Fore - Drums

All copies that are pre-ordered will be autographed by the bandmembers. The EP will also be available on iTunes and many other digital retailers.

VEXT will play a pre-release show on June 12 at Sullivan Hall in New York City.

These four musicians came together in search of a different sound since they had all been previously involved with more extreme metal projects. How they came to know one another is a quite unconventional.

On the evening of September 19, 2010, Vext was the victim of a brutal attack at his home in Brooklyn. Having suffered severe injuries to his skull, abdomen and an open compound fracture to his left arm, Tommy was rushed to the ER. With medical bills soaring above seventy-five thousand dollars, his friends in the music scene banded together to help raise funds.

Enter Roadrunner recording artists MUTINY WITHIN. "We heard that GOD FORBID was doing a benefit concert for Tommy and when we found out why, we immediately jumped on the bill," says Jacobs. A few months later, Andrew introduced Tommy to Bill. After seeing Fore perform with the Angel Vivaldi band, it became apparent to Tommy that Angel and Bill were the missing pieces to this new musical effort.

Canadian blackened death metal blasphemers WEAPON have completed the recording of their long-awaited Relapse debut entitled "Embers And Revelations". The band entered the studio on March 18 to record the CD along with producer Terry Paholek at The Physics Lab in their hometown of Edmonton, Canada. Continuing on the same scathing path as their previous works, the upcoming release, planned for the fall of 2012, is sure to be their most vicious and all-out evil offering to date.

Commented WEAPON guitarist/vocalist Vetis Monarch: "WEAPON loyalists can expect no-holds barred, satanic death metal that the band displayed on its previous work, but further refined and sharpened to ferocious perfection. 'Embers And Revelations' will be the apex of malice via music."

WEAPON has confirmed a three-week tour with black metal legends MARDUK and 1349, with additional support from WITHERED. The trek begins this Saturday, June 2 in Baltimore, Maryland and ends on June 20 in San Diego, California. Immediately following these dates, WEAPON will headline a string of shows with support from WITHERED, HOD, NIGHTBRINGER and BLASPHERIAN on select dates.

Legendary San Francisco Bay Area gore grind act AUTOPSY will release a new DVD, "Born Undead", on June 5 in the U.S. via Peaceville Records (May 28 in Europe).

The "Born Undead" DVD charters AUTOPSY's birth, death and rebirth with an extensive documentary conducted with the bandmembers themselves, as they describe how the beast came to be, and the impact their music has had on the metal world over a span of more than 20 years. The film also documents the band's long-awaited return to the studio and stage, and includes rehearsal footage of both new tracks and old classics for their live comeback assault. The trio of 2010 reunion shows are all featured here, with all the best classic tracks from Maryland Deathfest, Party.San Open Air festival and Hole In The Sky in Norway, where the trio of Chris Reifert, Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles was joined by Dan Lilker (NUCLEAR ASSAULT, BRUTAL TRUTH) on bass.

With hours of footage as well as extras, including the band's promotional video for the song "All Tomorrow's Funerals", "My Corpse Shall Rise" and more, "Born Undead" is the ultimate set for all AUTOPSY and metal maniacs alike. The DVD also contains artwork from Kent Mattieu, who had collaborated with the band on their early classic (and often controversial) album covers.

A one-and-a-half-minute trailer for "Born Undead" can be seen below.

AUTOPSY is currently working on all new material for its next album, due out late 2012/early 2013. The band states, "We can definitely promise more of what you would expect from AUTOPSY. There will be no compromise and no holding back. If you want 100% pure death metal brutality, you will certainly get it."

"Macabre Eternal", the first full-length album from AUTOPSY since 1995's "Shitfun", sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 67 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Macabre Eternal" was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California and includes AUTOPSY's first 10-plus minute song "Sadistic Gratification".

AUTOPSY had previously decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th-anniversary edition of debut album, "Severed Survival", in late 2008; the band having originally split before the release of its fourth album, "Shitfun", in 1995. A five-song EP, "The Tomb Within", came out last September and saw the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-ABSCESS).

Die deutsche Power Metal Band um Chris Boltendahl hat das Cover für ihr Single Album enthüllt. Die Single-CD wird "HOME AT LAST" heißen und wird am 27.7.2012 veröffentlicht.

Sie wird einen Track enthalten der auch auf dem Ende August kommenden Album sein wird und 2 Tracks die nicht auf dem kommendem Album zu finden sind. Drei Songs sind Live Aufnahmen ihres Wacken Gigs in 2010.

Die Tracklist:

1. HOME AT LAST

2. RAGE OF THE SAVAGE BEAST (non album track)

3. METAL WILL NEVER DIE (non album track)

4. BALLAD OF A HANGMAN (live in Wacken 2010)

5. EXCALIBUR (live in Wacken 2010)

6. HEAVY METAL BREAKDOWN (live in Wacken 2010)

Swedish heavy rockers GRAND MAGUS released their new album, "The Hunt", in Europe on May 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD's cover artwork was created by Arik Roper (CATHEDRAL, HIGH ON FIRE, SLEEP), who also handled the art on GRAND MAGUS' "Iron Will" LP.

"The Hunt" track listing:

01. Starlight Slaughter
02. Sword Of The Ocean
03. Valhalla Rising
04. Storm King
05. Silver Moon
06. The Hunt
07. Son Of The Last Breath
08. Iron Hand
09. Draksådd
10. Silver Moon (demo version, bonus track)
11. Storm King (demo version, bonus track)
12. Sword Of The Ocean (demo version, bonus track)

A six-and-a-half-minute YouTube clip containing audio samples of the tracks that appear on "The Hunt" is available below.

GRAND MAGUS frontman Janne "J.B." Christoffersson on the individual tracks that make up the album:

"Starlight Slaughter"

Christoffersson: "We wanted to expand our songwriting on this album, and this song is different from anything we've done before. For lack of a better term, it's more open somehow. After everything had been mixed, it felt like this should be the opening track. It wasn't the obvious decision, since some of the other songs are more in the vein of what we've done in the past, but it felt exciting to kick things off with this one. Who dares wins!"

"Sword Of The Ocean"

Christoffersson: "I've always been interested in and fascinated by what is called 'Kenning' in Norse, which basically means metaphor or replacement words for something. It's the way the Norse poetry managed to bring variation and nuances to the stories. For example, blood could be called 'raven's wine.' A spear could be called 'warrior's tooth,' etc. This is something I've incorporated in the lyrics many times before. What do you think 'Sword Of The Ocean' means?"

"Valhalla Rising"

Christoffersson: "The Norse belief is that if you die fighting, there is a chance you will chosen by One-eye and carried by Valkyries up to the golden hall of Valhall. Obviously this song has more layers of meaning than this. But in essence, we all have our battles to fight, it's how we choose to do it that defines us."

"Storm King"

Christoffersson: "No matter how hard we try, mankind will never be able to reign over the raging elements. We have to deal with the fact that there are powers greater than all of our inventions and machines. But it's possible to embrace the awesome power of the storm.... if you try hard enough."

"Silver Moon"

Christoffersson: "The moon is the key to powerful experiences. It is the lamp of the hunter and the revealer of inner struggle. By the silver moon, the true self is exposed and strengthened. This track, along with 'Sword Of The Ocean' and 'Storm King', were the first songs we wrote for the album."

"The Hunt"

Christoffersson: "The hunt is the primal state of existence, that is not to say that mankind has exclusive rights to hunt. The strongest, best equipped and with the best endurance is not man and will never be. Also, mankind is prey. And will always be."

"Son Of The Last Breath"

Christoffersson: "It should come as no surprise that this track was a challenge to complete. It's definitely the most ambitious thing we've recorded and it covers a lot of ground musically and lyrically. We were dead set on having something that really pushed the boundaries on this album and it all started with a melody rooted in Scandinavian folk music. The rest is a journey to power!"

"Iron Hand"

Christoffersson: "Sometimes the only thing that can save you is an Iron Hand. Wisdom is the path of power."

"Draksådd"

Christoffersson: "Certain actions can result in unforeseen and terrible consequences. I think most of us has experienced this. This was the last song that was recorded and also the closing statement about the themes of 'The Hunt'. Search for the truth and you will find the wolf."

Due to family obligations and work commitments, drummer Sebastian "Seb" Sippola has left GRAND MAGUS. The new man behind the kit is Ludwig "Ludde" Witt (SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, FIREBIRD, SHINING).

GRAND MAGUS's last album, "Hammer Of The North", was released digitally in North America in January 2011 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at 301 studios outside of Stockholm and features artwork by Necrolord.

After fulfilling their contract with Earache Records in 2009, Italian progressive metal band Ephel Duath disappeared for a bit. In 2011, songwriter and guitarist Davide Tiso announced that he had assembled a new Ephel Duath lineup and signed a deal with Agonia Records.

Boasting a formidable roster of Tiso, vocalist Karyn Crisis, bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Autopsy, Testament), and drummer extraordinaire Marco Minnemann (Adrian Belew, Necrophagist, Kreator), Ephel Duath hit the studio to record a new EP titled On Death and Cosmos.

Today, we're extremely thrilled to exclusively premiere a track from the EP. The song is called "Black Prism" and you can listen to it right now:

Braunschweig, Germany-based metal/hardcore act FOREVER IT SHALL BE has released the following statement:

"It's been over 1.5 years since we've split up, about enough time to realize that we really miss the band and we've made a wrong decision. So we got together some time ago to decide if we should continue or not... This was an easy task: of course we want to continue! Right now we are writing on some new stuff and plan to do some shows in the next months.

"For all the people who have already forgotten about us, or don't even know us: we've put both of our FULL albums on our Facebook page to listen to. So if you want to get in contact or offer a show, head over there! We've also made a short trailer to explain how the split happened and how we got back together again....but most likely this is completly fictional, haha."

FOREVER IT SHALL BE released its sophomore album, "Sonic Death Squad", in March 2010 via Maintain Records. The 12-song CD was recorded at Rape of Harmonies studio (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, MAROON) in Triptis, Germany and features cover artwork (see below) by Justin Osbourne of Slasher Design.

FOREVER IT SHALL BE's debut album, "Reluming the Embers", came out in June 2007 via Maintain Records. The CD was produced by Ralf Mueller and Alexander Dietz (HEAVEN SHALL BURN) at Rape of Harmonies and features a guest appearance by John Gahlert (FALL OF SERENITY).

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 fourth OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS concert took place last night (Monday, May 29) at the Bergen Calling festival in Bergen, Norway.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Bark At The Moon
02. Mr. Crowley
03. Suicide Solution
04. I Don't Know
05. Killer Of Giants
06. Shot in the Dark
07. Rat Salad
08. Iron Man (BLACK SABBATH song)
09. War Pigs (BLACK SABBATH song)
10. N.I.B. (BLACK SABBATH song)
11. Fairies Wear Boots (BLACK SABBATH song)
12. Into The Void (BLACK SABBATH song)
13. I Don't Want To Change The World
14. Crazy Train
15. Mama, I'm Coming Home
16. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH song)

Slash, who made his first OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS appearance in Bergen, wrote after the show, "Jamming with Ozzy & Friends was a blast! Too short, though! Bergen crowd looked like they were having a blast as well."

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

In a recent interview with The Nervous Breakdown, Zakk Wylde stated about the setlist for the upcoming OZZY OSBOURNE & FRIENDS shows, "[Current Ozzy bandmembers] Gus G., Blasko and Tommy [Clufetos] are coming out and doing a bunch of tunes, then I come out with Blasko and Tommy and we end up doing a bunch of stuff from the era when I was with The Boss, from 'No Rest For The Wicked' all the way through everything I've ever done with him. Then Geezer [Butler, BLACK SABBATH bassist] comes out and we do a bunch of SABBATH stuff and at the end, Slash and everybody — Geezer, Slash, Gus — and we all play 'Paranoid'."

Maryland-based experimental, progressive metallers PERIPHERY will release their sophomore album, "II", on July 3 via Sumerian Records. The CD will feature guest appearances by John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER), Guthrie Govan (THE ARISTOCRATS) and Wes Hauch (THE FACELESS).

Commented PERIPHERY guitarist Misha Mansoor: "We put so much hard work and time into this album and we thank all of you for your continued support and patience. The album clocks in at sixty-nine minutes exactly and has tons of brand new material, so I assure you it is well worth the wait. Make sure to keep on the lookout for the first track which we will be releasing in the coming weeks."

"II" track listing:

01. Muramasa
02. Have A Blast (feat. Guthrie Govan)
03. Facepalm Mute
04. Ji
05. Scarlet
06. Luck As A Constant
07. Ragnarok
08. The Gods Must Be Crazy!
09. Make Total Destroy
10. Erised (feat. John Petrucci)
11. Epoch
12. Froggin' Bullfish
13. Mile Zero (feat. Wes Hauch)
14. Masamune

PERIPHERY supported DREAM THEATER for two U.S. shows last October and a full-length European tour in January and February.

In a September 2011 interview with Metal Assault, Mansoor stated about Petrucci, "John Petrucci is the reason why I have a seven-string. John Petrucci is who I wanted to be when I started taking guitar seriously. I learned all the songs off [1999's] 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory' and played them horribly. But it really challenged me and showed me… I wanted to be him… I wanted to be John Petrucci so badly. I didn't even wanna be like him; I just wanted to be him. And I figured if I learned every song and solo, I'd get in his head and figure out how he wrote the amazing parts that he did and I'd understand how to be a better musician. I kind of got over that eventually when I realized I just didn't have the technical prowess to pull that off. But it definitely made a very big mark on me in many ways — in his approach to lead playing and arrangements and songwriting, in riff writing… everything. He's just such a balanced player and such a huge influence to me."

Bassist Tom Murphy last year announced his departure from PERIPHERY "to pursue something new." Adam "Nolly" Getgood of RED SEAS FIRE has been filling in on bass while Mark Holcomb took up his position as the full-time guitarist on the band's most recent tour.

Professionally filmed video footage of HELLYEAH's entire May 27 performance at the Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma can be seen below.

Although it was announced last week that HELLYEAH guitarist Greg Tribbett would sit out several dates — including Rocklahoma — on the band's current tour due to a family emergency, he performed with his bandmates at this past weekend's concert.

HELLYEAH's third album, "Band Of Brothers", will be released on July 17 via the band's new label home, Eleven Seven Music. The CD was recorded in Dallas, Texas at Vinnie Paul's home studio, VP's Upstairs Studio, and was produced by the band and Jeremy Parker (GODSMACK, EVANESCENCE), who also served as engineer.

HELLYEAH's "Band Of Brothers" video was filmed on March 26 at Loyal Studios in Burbank, California with director David Brodsky of MyGoodEye, who has previously worked with THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, GOATWHORE, MUNICIPAL WASTE and SUFFOCATION, among many others.

KORN was joined onstage by ex-guitarist Brian "Head" Welch on May 5 at the Carolina Rebellion festival in Rockingham, North Carolina, marking the first time in seven years that KORN played with Welch, who left the group in 2005.

KORN has released multi-camera video footage of the reunion, which electrified KORN fans everywhere and has naturally sparked talk of a full reunion with Welch to record and tour. Check it out below.

In a recent interview with The Pulse Of Radio, KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer said that the band isn't rushing into anything. "The whole thing needs to be approached very delicately, because it's such a fragile thing," he said. "It's just something that has to be super well-planned and it has to come naturally. And our experience with him on Saturday has all started from a positive place, and it wasn't forced and it was just natural. So I think if everything optimistically runs like that, that's all I can hope for. I'm really happy just to reconnect with my old friend."

Welch joined the band onstage to perform its classic song "Blind". According to The Pulse Of Radio, Shaffer later said that Saturday night's reunion was the first contact he had with Welch since his former bandmate left the KORN lineup.

Welch is currently on the road with his new band, LOVE AND DEATH, which recently issued a new EP called "Chemicals". KORN is touring behind its 10th studio effort, "The Path Of Totality".

KORN recently unveiled a new round of June tour dates, which will begin on June 15 in Quebec. Singer Jonathan Davis will do an opening set as DJ J. Devil.

VXN, the newly formed band featuring three former members of the platinum-selling all-female '80s band VIXEN — singer Janet Gardner, drummer Roxy Petrucci and bassist Share Ross, along with guitarist Gina Stile, who was the guitarist on VIXEN's "Tangerine" album — has changed its name to JANETSHAREROXYGINA (a.k.a. JSRG) to avoid any confusion between them and the band known as VIXEN.

The VIXEN trademark belongs to guitarist Jan Kuehnemund and the members of JANETSHAREROXYGINA want to make it clear that they are a completely different band.

Commented Gardner, "It feels so good to be reunited with Roxy and Share. And when we started jammin' some old VIXEN songs with Gina, we knew this was right."

Share Ross added, "With hits like 'Edge Of A Broken Heart', 'Cryin'', 'How Much Love', 'Not a Minute Too Soon', 'Love is a Killer' and 'Rev It Up' emblazoned upon our souls, we knew it was time to resurrect our sound. We want to give the fans what they want."

In 1987, "Edge Of A Broken Heart" climbed the Billboard chart to the Top Ten and VIXEN had hit after hit. EMI suddenly had the only platinum-selling all-female rock band of its time on their roster.

Dubbed "MTV Darlings", the hits kept coming with "Cryin'", "How Much Love", "Love Is A Killer" and "Not a Minute Too Soon". The band earned credibility as they opened up for superstars, including OZZY OSBOURNE, DEEP PURPLE, SCORPIONS and BON JOVI, to name a few. A live performance on the "Arsenio Hall" television show sealed their credibility with the fact that these girls could play.

JSRG will play a select number of casinos, festivals and showcase dates in 2013 and perform all the VIXEN hits along with new songs from their as-yet-unreleased EP. The debut gig will take place at the kick-off party as well as on board the Monsters Of Rock Cruise on March 16-20, 2013 sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida bound for CoCoCay and Freeport, Bahamas.

JSRG is not to be confused with the current version of VIXEN, which consists of founding member Jan Kuehnemund (guitar) alongside Jenna Sanz-Agero (vocals), Lynn Louise Lowrey (bass), and Kat Kraft (drums).

VIXEN's original members Gardner, Kuehnemund, Pedersen and Petrucci appeared together on VH1's "Bands Reunited" in October 2004 to reminisce about their start on L.A.'s Sunset Strip and their rise to fame in the late 1980s, before the onset of grunge in the early 1990s displaced metal at the top of the charts. They also took part in a short performance for the program.

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "Danger Zone", the new album from HARDLINE, can be seen below. The CD was released on May 18 in Europe and May 22 in North America via Frontiers Records.

Following the release of "Leaving The End Open", HARDLINE's mastermind and singer Johnny Gioeli did not realistically feel that another HARDLINE album would have seen the light of day sometime soon. It was again thanks to the insistence of Frontiers Records president Serafino Perugino that the concept came about once again "I love surprises and this was certainly one of them," says Gioeli. "Each time I decide to close the door on HARDLINE, I get the itch to continue."

Fate wanted that when Perugino sent Gioeli some song demos written by Alessandro Del Vecchio (an Italian musician and producer know for his work with EDGE OF FOREVER and EDEN'S CURSE but also with AXE, Mitch Malloy, Bobby Kimball and several other top musicians and bands), the singer became excited once again and wanted to give it another go.

"Ale is one talented brotha..." says Johnny. "He plays, writes, sings, engineers, produces and mixes... He's like the golden goose handed to me. More than all the talent he has, he is an example of a great human in many many ways. I look forward to making more music with Ale. And it doesn't hurt that he's Italian, too!"

Alessandro Del Vecchio says: "I feel humbled but at the same time excited as never before. I grew up with 'Double Eclipse', which I bought when I was 13, so it's really a combination of feelings. The whole thing started so naturally that I feel like me and Johnny have been knowing each other for years. Our goal was to match the superb quality of that milestone of a debut and we worked hard to get to it, but we also wanted this record to be a shift and the truthful mirror of this 'new' life for HARDLINE." And, according to Gioeli, "I think all of the HARDLINE records have a magic about them... this one certainly holds a more commercial pop sound to its heartbeat. I love it."

So now HARDLINE have been completed with a Europe-based lineup featuring Francesco Jovino (U.D.O.), Thorsten Koehne (CODE OF PERFECTION, EDEN'S CURSE) and Anna Portalupi (MITCH MALLOY).

"I would absolutely LOVE to tour with these guys. I think the fans would be quite surprised when they hear this band....like a good solid kick in the teeth" concludes Gioeli and certainly discussions are ongoing to have finally HARDLINE play some dates around Europe in support of this exciting new release.

"Danger Zone" track listing:

01. Fever Dreams
02. 10,000 Reasons
03. Danger Zone
04. What I'd Like
05. Stronger Than Me
06. Never Too Late For Love
07. Stay
08. I Don't Want To Breakaway
09. Look At You Now
10. Please Have Faith In Me
11. Show Me Your Love
12. The Only One

The "Fever Dreams" video can be seen below.

"10,000 Reasons" audio sample:

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash told The Daily Beast that being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the fact that the band's lead singer, Axl Rose, refused to be inducted along with the rest of the classic GN'R lineup closed the book on a GUNS N' ROSES reunion once and for all..

"That last Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing was it," said Slash. "I've been entertaining the idea for other people for years, but it's never been my inclination to get back together. Given the opportunity for us all to show up in one place, that was the only reasonable platform for us to do it, and it didn't happen. I'm really sick to death of even entertaining the concept."

Slash was interviewed by CNN's Piers Morgan on May 23, where he said that no amount of money could ever get the original GUNS N' ROSES to reunite. Slash explained, "I don't think it's a matter of that; it really isn't. I think you've got a situation where nobody involved wants to revisit. It's not just me — it's the whole band. And so I don't think there's a price tag that anybody's put in front of us that's going to make that work."

Asked about the kinds of offers the band has gotten to get back together for a tour, Slash replied, "I've heard a lot of numbers, but I've never been handed a specific offer. But I'd say it starts off with seven figures and then sometimes it starts to get even more grandiose than that."

Slash told The Pulse Of Radio that he knew from the start there was no chance of the original lineup performing again. "I never, in however many years it's been, ever planned or thought that there was gonna be any reunion," he said. "Everybody else has sort of alluded to it but, you know, I never saw it coming. I knew it was just an impossible thing, and it wasn't something I really wanted."

Slash also told Morgan he has not spoken with Axl since 1996, the year he left the band. As for the circumstances of his departure, Slash recalled, "It wasn't even me necessarily leaving the band, it was not continuing on with the new band that Axl put together that he was now at the helm of, which was the new GUNS N' ROSES. I was given a contract to basically join his new band, and it took about 24 hours before I decided, 'I think this is the end of the line.'"

Slash released his second solo album, titled "Apocalyptic Love", on May 22.

Former ICED EARTH frontman Matt Barlow will make a very special guest appearance on the title track of "Ancestral Energy", the new album from the melodic power metal band ARTIZAN. The song reveals an intriguing back story for the original ARTIZAN track "Curse Of The Artizan", which was released in 2011. Matt will perform the voice of the Artizan's ancestors.

Commented Barlow: "I'm happy to announce that I will be lending my voice to the forthcoming release of the new ARTIZAN album, 'Ancestral Energy'. In addition to my own musical project, Ty and the guys of ARTIZAN have given me the opportunity to appear as a guest vocalist on what I believe will be a great conceptual endeavor.

"If you have followed what the band has recorded previously, you know that they are very much into 'storytelling' and that's something that has always interested me in this genre. As another benefit, I will get to work with producer Jim Morris again as he puts the guys through their paces at Morrisound Recording.

"I'm looking forward to recording the song that I'll be performing on, and think that we'll have a great time with it."

Added ARTIZAN founder/drummer Ty Tammeus:"We are proud and honored that Matt will be contributing his talents to the new album. We will be showcasing Matt's full vocal range on the passage that we have created for him. I am ecstatic that we all get to hear Matt again!"

"Ancestral Energy" will be released in April 2013 via Pure Steel Records.

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of the infamous New York City street punk band THE CASUALTIES. The group's ne walbum was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Massachusetts with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (MUNICIPAL WASTE, MADBALL, HATEBREED) and will be released later in the year.

THE CASUALTIES (Jorge Herrera - lead vocals, Rick Lopez - bass/vocals, Jake Kolatis - guitar/vocals, Meggers - drums) combine influences from the classic punk sound of GBH, THE EXPLOITED, ENGLISH DOGS, DISCHARGE and UK SUBS with modern extreme sounds and a thrash/crossover edge.

THE CASUALTIES have released five acclaimed records on Side One Dummy, and toured to almost every corner of the globe in clubs and on festivals alongside giants like BAD RELIGION, GWAR, HATEBREED, FLOGGING MOLLY, MUNICIPAL WASTE, TSOL, AGNOSTIC FRONT and more.

Commented the band: "We are joining the dark forces of Season Of Mist! We're more then honored to bring our blend of hardcore-street-thrash-punk to the battle to keep heavy music alive! We have a new album ready and we will see you all on the road everywhere in the world soon!"

THE CASUALTIES will co-headline this summer's "Tonight We Unite!" tour alongside the NEKROMANTIX. The trek will also include DOWN BY LAW, LOWER CLASS BRATS, and more.

Finnish metallers ADASTRA will release their third album, "Corroder Of Minds", on June 20 via Violent Journey Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Death Or Domination" sees the quintet "mixing contemporary metal with old-school influences like METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN," according to a press release. "In addition to the heavy riffs, soaring guitar-leads and Ville Siikamäki's rugged vocals, the band also experimented with a more melodic and acoustic approach on a couple of tracks."

"Corroder Of Minds" track listing:

01. Ripcord Rock
02. Widow Maker
03. Corroder Of Minds
04. No Last Words
05. Backstabber
06. Going Out For Good
07. Vortex
08. Broken Wings

The song "Ripcord Rock" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

"Drug Of Choice", a brand new song from Los Angeles-based goth-metallers VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!, can be streamed at Bloody-Disgusting.com. The track, which was written from the point of view of a girl trying to gain attention from a world that doesn't care, comes off the band's new album, "Hellbound And Heartless", which will be released on June 19 via Hollywood Waste Records. According to a press release, the CD "showcases the darker side of VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!, focusing on message-driven lyrics and deriving musical influence from industrial rock icons such as MARILYN MANSON and ROB ZOMBIE. "

"Hellbound And Heartless" was co-produced by the band and Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker, both members of Grammy-nominated alternative-metal act SPINESHANK. Every song on the album presents a fresh, new morsel of gothic darkness for fans to sink their teeth into.

"Early on while recording this record I felt an amazing force behind it," says vocalist Michael Vampire. "'Hellbound And Heartless' is a piece of me and a lyrical representation of who I am. I dedicate this record to our fans and everyone that believed in our vision. Get ready for the new name in horror rock 'n' roll... VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!"

"Hellbound And Heartless" track listing:

01. I: Hellbound
02. I Can't Breathe
03. Beauty Queen
04. Drug Of Choice
05. II: The Inferno
06. Star Of 666
07. Kiss Of Death
08. Rape Me (NIRVANA cover)
09. Plastic
10. III: The 7th Gate
11. Unholy Eyes
12. Social Suicide
13. IV: Born Individual
14. Anti Hate
15. Hell On Earth
16. Amanda's Song

Check out the cover artwork below.

"I Can't Breathe", the first track to be revealed from the new album, recently premiered with Alternative Press and received an overwhelming positive response.

VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! recently parted ways with bassist Philip Kross. Filling in on bass for the Vans Warped Tour this summer will be Adam Vex (SUFFER WELL, AESTHETIC PERFECTION, IMPERATIVE REACTION).

VAMPIRES EVERWHERE!'s full-length debut, "Kiss The Sun Goodbye", was released in May 2011 through Hollywood Waste/Century Media Records. The CD was recorded with producer Fred Archambault, who has previously worked with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and DEFTONES.

"Drug Of Choice" audio stream (courtesy of Bloody-Disgusting.com):