Swedish progressive metallers OPETH were forced to cancel their performance last night (Monday, May 7) at the Myth in Maplewood, Minnesota after the band's guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt was reportedly rushed to the hospital. However, contrary to online reports, Åkerfeldt did not break his arm in a car accident and he is expected to make a full recovery. The remaining shows on the band's current tour will be unaffected by last night's cancelation.

OPETH has teamed up with MASTODON for a spring North American co-headlining tour. The trek kicked off on April 4 in Portland, Maine, and was scheduled to visit more than 30 cities in the U.S. and Canada before wrapping up at Atlanta's Masquerade Music Park on May 12.

Das neue ALLEGAEON mit dem Titel "Formshifter" kommt morgen am 8 Mai 2012 in den Handel. Jetzt wurde ein Lyric Video zum neue Song "Behold (God I Am)" online gestellt. ALLEGAEON sind eine Fusion verschiedener, äußerst talentierter Individuen. Greg Burgess ist sogar klassisch ausgebildeter Gitarrist mit einem Abschluss am Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Er verbrachte fünf Jahre als Gitarrenlehrer am Music Institute of Lexington und war erster Gitarrenlehrer an der Denver- Niederlassung von Paul Greens School Of Rock. Perfekt ergänzt wird das Line-up von Gründungsmitglied und Gitarrist Ryan Glisan, Bassist Corey Archuleta und Sänger / Texter Ezra Haynes.

Die wiedervereinigten Dark Metaller MOONLYGHT aus Quebec haben folgende Meldung zu ihrem neuen Album "Return to Desolation" veröffentlicht.

"The recording process for the third Moonlyght album 'Return to Desolation' is taking form. All guitars are now recorded. We are doing a pre-production for the album with drums and all the other instruments at the moment. One of our original members on the very first Moonlyght line-up in 1995, Simon Rhéaume-Goulet, will be doing some guitar solos on the album! 'Return to Desolation' will feature 9 songs and a total of 60min + playing time! If you think our song 'Messiah' on the 2008 album 'Shining' was a fast song, wait to hear the new album. Here's the song titles that will appear on 'Return to Desolation'"

Vorläufige "Return to Desolation" Track List:

01. Human Remebrance
02. Return to Desolation
03. Universal Pain
04. Dwelling in Earth's Shadow
05. The Sweet Poisoned Light
06. Revelations from the Other Side
07. A Distant Illusion of Freedom
08. (Towards A) Ghastly Future
09. Blowing Winds

Frontiers Records has set a July 2 North American release date (June 29 in Europe) for the second album from the Irish hard rock band MILLION $ RELOAD entitled "A Sinner's Saint".

Formed in Northern Ireland in 2005, MILLION $ RELOAD started immediately to develop their craft by playing live in the local club circuit leaving behind them a trail of fans hungry for more. Their catchy anthemic tunes soon gained them a recording deal, which culminated with the release of the debut album "Anthems Of A Degeneration" in 2008. A tour-de-force of vast hooks, killer riffs and moments of joyous, snake-hipped abandon, with shades of everyone from AC/DC and AEROSMITH through to THIN LIZZY and THUNDER confirming that these young Irishmen know their history and salute it with style, while also displaying a powerful and compelling character and atmosphere that is all their own.

"MILLION DOLLAR RELOAD sound is the culmination of our individual influences: no-frills, balls-to-the-wall, straight-up rock and roll," says singer Phil Conalane. "Loud guitars , big vocals and the odd guitar solo with killer hooks. We have a definite sound, it's not a new sound and we are not trying to re-invent the wheel, there are no delusions of grandeur in M$R. We know what we are about. All of us have our own personal influences that clearly can be heard in our songs, AC/DC, AEROSMITH, early GN'R. We don't try to emulate those bands, we have our own take on modern day rock n roll, but they are definitely a big influence."

The band toured heavily in support of the album and shared stages with THUNDER, THE DARKNESS, BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH and more. This has further pushed the band's abilities and focused their songwriting abilities. The result is the new killer album, "A Sinner's Saint", which has sparkled the attention from the Italian label Frontiers Records which immediately signed the band upon hearing the new stuff the Irish five-piece created.

Indeed, from blistering, cocksure sing-alongs like "Blow Me Away", "Bullets In The Sky" and "Wicked", through to the irresistible bluesy ballad "Broken", "A Sinner's Saint" is a flawless exercise in smart, sassy songwriting and a superb showcase for the electrifying chemistry that exists between these five musicians. You can't keep a band this good, or an album this strong, down for long, and now that they have started to build momentum once again, MILLION $ RELOAD must surely be on the road to rock 'n' roll glory. They've got the balls, the belief and the tunes to make it happen.

"Rock 'n' roll is escapism…you can forget about your everyday troubles and woes, rock out, sing and scream along, have a beer and a smoke!" grins Phil Conalane. "It's nothing new, this kind of balls-out rock 'n' roll, but it's been buried away these last few years because too many people in the industry wrote it off as old fashioned and out of touch, but people are beginning to realise what proper rock 'n' roll really is! We're the real deal and we're here to stay!"

"A Sinner's Saint" track listing:

01. Fight The System
02. Bullets In The Sky
03. Blow Me Away
04. Can't Tie Me Down
05. Broken
06. I Am The Rapture
07. Wicked
08. Smoke N Mirrors
09. Headrush
10. Pretty People
11. It Ain't Over
12. Protest (bonus track)

Die Chicagoer Band BIBLE OF THE DEVIL kündigt ihr sechstes Album an, mittlerweile das dritte bei Cruz Del Sur Music (Rom/Italien).
"For the Love of Thugs and Fools" ist der langerwartete Nachfolger von "Freedom Metal" (2008) und mit der Philosophie eine Flasche Whiskey und laute Gitarren seien meist die beste Heilung, servieren sie darauf eine Sammlung wütender Rock'n' Roll Songs.
Die Band sieht "For the Love of Thugs and Fools" als Dokument der verschiedenen Begegnungen, die sie im Laufe ihrer Bandkarriere hatten, sei es in Liebe, Verlust, Freundschaft oder Hass.

Ausgedehnte Tourneen durch die USA und Europa seit 1999 und das unberechenbare Leben in der Großstadt Chicago, wo Verbrechen, Gewalt und Straßenkriminalität nicht aus dem Weg zu gehen ist, bieten ausreichend Stoff für Song Stories.

Sänger und Gitarrist Mark Hoffmann: "The few years since the last full-length have been like a dare. A dare to create a soaring, throttling Rock n' Roll record of this magnitude. It is a dare that we have been forced to answer ourselves."

France's MEMORIES OF A DEAD MAN has released a visual teaser for its second full-length album, "V.I.T.R.I.O.L.", which came out on April 20 through Klonosphere/Season of Mist.

Produced in France by Etienne Sarthou and mastered in Sweden by Lindberg Magnus (CULT OF LUNA, POISON THE WELL, AUGUST BURNS RED), "V.I.T.R.I.O.L." features "11 new themes that characterize MEMORIES OF A DEAD MAN's engaging ability to switch between the intimate and the powerful with ease," according to a press release.

Much like last year's "Maze" EP, "V.I.T.R.I.O.L." "displays an ambitious blend of sounds and moods, fusing the hypnotically pulverising riffs of post-metal artists like THE OCEAN, CULT OF LUNA and ROSETTA with the burning, full-hearted intensity of hardcore acts like ENVY, and occasionally veering off into dreamy and ethereal ambiences that transport listeners into outer space." The cover art was designed by Hicham Haddaji and can be seen below.

"V.I.T.R.I.O.L." track listing:

01. Tomorrow at Dawn
02. On the Heights of Despair
03. Under the Cross
04. Meshi'ha
05. Good Mourning Child
06. Insomniac Animal
07. An Ode to Myself
08. Trismegistus King
09. Leave Scars
10. Diving Bell and Butterfly
11. INRI

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 first track from the album, "Don't Dream In The Dark", can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

Commented Evans: "As with our 'War Machine' album, 'War Nation' will include a variety of different influences and styles.

"With a wealth of musical ability to draw from, we don't like to limit ourselves.

"Individually we've worked with names such as Ritchie Blackmore, Bruce Dickinson, Paul Di'Anno and Yngwie Malmsteen.

"So many bands release albums now where once you've listened to the first two songs you've heard the whole album. Not with TANK. Each song that makes it onto our album has to deserve it. Our standards are high."

Added White: "With songs like 'Justice For All' and 'Grace Of God', we are upgrading the TANK sound while retaining all the elements that made 'War Machine' so successful. There are killer riffs and haunting melodies and lyrics that you can take from, what you want, or indeed what you need."

"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.

Kaotoxin Records wird am 28. Mai 2012 das Debut Album "Black Throne Of All Creation" der Belgischen Death Metal Band DEHUMAN veröffentlichen. Die Jungs haben jetzt das "Black Throne Of All Creation" Cover Artwork und die Track List enthüllt.

"Black Throne Of All Creation" Track List:

01. Apocalypse And Perdition
02. Monstrosity In The Hands Of God
03. Eyes Of A Thousand
04. Spiral Of Loss
05. Down With The world
06. Harvest The Sun
07. Cast Of Assassination
08. Black Mamba
09. Path To Oblivion

PROJECTED, the new project featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric "Erock" Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI), is currently mixing a song called "12804", which is a "song I wrote as my tribute to Dimebag Darrell," says Connolly. He adds, "My daughter Jordan, who is 7, has declared the song a single! I guess I gotta agree. Probably my favorite song on the [forthcoming PROJECTED] record."

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

PROJECTED's debut release is expected to be made available later in the year.

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

PROJECTED is:

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

Last year was an insane roller coaster for SONIC SYNDICATE with extremes of both highs and lows. The band played in front literally the biggest crowds of its entire career, but parted ways with two bandmembers. They were presented with gold records, among other music awards, but lost over 100,000 friends when their Facebook page was deleted. The list of good and bad that pursues SONIC is longer than their bar tab at the Metal Hammer Awards. So after the "We Rule The Night" tour, which spanned Japan, entire Europe and Russia, was complete, they decided to call a hiatus, in all honestly not knowing what would happen next. All they knew was they needed to be with their families.

Nine months of silence. After their joint headline spot at the Summer Breeze festival in Germany to over 35,000 people, SONIC haven't played a single show since, declining tour offers to play with some of the world's hugest bands. But all of this still hasn't been enough to stop their fans. The overwhelming amount of requests to see them live again has kept pouring in every day since they announced the break.

Earlier today, the band released the following statement: "We've been to hell and back this past 12 months, but we realized something. We miss each other. And we miss our fans and we miss playing live! It seemed we had two choices. Split up, go our separate ways and let our fans down OR continue even more determined. So we have some very exciting news! We're back! We're gonna play some very exclusive shows this year, and decided first we have to go to Hungary because we missed it on the 'We Rule The Night' tour!"

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 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.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian tells Billboard.com that the band's upcoming two weeks of East Coast tour dates with DEFTONES does not signal the end of SOAD's lengthy recording hiatus.

"When people are asking, 'When can we get new music from you,' I think it's the biggest compliment in the world," says Tankian. "We have not made a plan to do it as of yet. I think it's something that we'll get together at the right time when we all have that head space and do it. But, you know, it hasn't been that time yet, so I think everyone will know when it is. It's as simple as that."

During an interview with Brazil's Multishow after SYSTEM OF A DOWN's performance at the Rock In Rio festival last October in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the band's drummer, John Dolmayan, was asked if SOAD fans can expect to hear a new studio album from the group following their current reunion tour. "We're gonna take it day by day," he said. "For the people who are waiting for an album — I know there's a lot of people waiting for an album; I'm waiting for an album just like they are. It's gonna happen when it's right and when we can make something that tops what we've done in the past. Because we don't really wanna rest on our laurels — where what you've done in the past is what you depend on. Well, I don't wanna do that, and I know the rest of the guys don't wanna do that. Instead of resting on our laurels, we wanna throw them away and create something new and specific for this generation that they can say that's their SYSTEM OF A DOWN."

SYSTEM's last two albums, "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize", were released in 2005.

Dolmayan previously told Straight.com about SYSTEM OF A DOWN's five-year hiatus, "I personally don't like breaks — I like to continue playing. But it was nice to go off and be John Dolmayan, as opposed to John from SYSTEM, for a while. I think everybody had similar feelings."

The drummer explained that a desire to pull off the road for a while and reconnect with their lives is what led SYSTEM to take an extended vacation from each other, saying, "When you're on the road and in the studio all the time, it's kind of like traveling at light speed. When you come back, it's like 20 years have passed by, and you're only one or two hours older . . . You're living a nomadic life, and you lose touch with people because they have grown away from you. People get older, get married, die — life is still going on."

Ex-KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch rejoined his former bandmates on stage this past Saturday night (May 5) at the Carolina Rebellion festival at the legendary Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina to perform the band's classic song "Blind". This marked the first time in seven years that Welch and KORN played together.

Video footage and a photo of Welch performing with KORN at Carolina Rebellion can be seen below.

Commented Welch: "It was so amazing Saturday night playin' with KORN. Reconciling with family is always good. So much love on stage and from KORN fans. Many tears shed. God is love."

Welch left KORN in 2005 to become a born-again Christian after years of hard drug and alcohol abuse while in the band.

Although Welch has a new band called LOVE AND DEATH, both he and KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu have said that a reunion could be possible one day under the right conditions.

Welch was recently asked by Loudwire what he thought of the recent drama last month at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose refused to attend the ceremony and be inducted with his former bandmates. Welch — who left KORN seven years ago — replied that if KORN ever got nominated to the Hall, the situation would be very different.

Welch explained, "I've thought about that over the years and I'm friends with them now. I talk to them pretty regularly, so I don't think it would be a big deal for me to go and play a classic or two. I don't understand grown men who are close to 50 years old having issues like that. It just floors me that you can't at some degree, be civil. It's just beyond me. I don't understand that, but you know, everyone is different, I don't judge them. We all have our issues."

KORN will be eligible for induction into the Hall in 2019, 25 years after the 1994 release of the band's self-titled debut album.

Cobra Metal recently conducted an interview with vocalist Mark Osegueda of San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANEGL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Cobra Metal: It seems like you guys have been relentlessly touring in support of "Relentless Retribution". How has the road been treating you?

Mark: It's been amazing! This is definitely the most extensive tour we've ever done and we've been winning fans over, all over the place which is good for us. That's what's neat about this run — we've been getting support slots which has never really happened for us. The ANTHRAX and TESTAMENT gig, we got that tour and then this one [with SEPULTURA]. It's nice because a lot of people are coming to see DEATH ANGEL that may have just seen the name or the logo, or never got to see us before. It's been great.

Cobra Metal: Not that it ever died off, but it seems like thrash metal is making a comeback. You recently toured with ANTHRAX and TESTAMENT. I was at the L.A. show and apart from the old-school fans, I saw a bunch of younger fans not even old enough to buy beer. To what do you attest the new popularity enjoyed by thrash metal?

Mark: It's just something that's timeless. Kids can grasp onto it. The great thing about thrash is that it's powerful and it's fast and you get that aggression, but there's also roots in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal so there's actually some melody to it as well and technicality to it where as for a while in the '90s, there was a lot of rap metal and nu-metal where it was mostly a percussive thing… not a lot of flavor in the middle, if you ask me.

Cobra Metal: It appears that Nuclear Blast has been kind to the band. Have you enjoyed being on the label?

Mark: They've been great! Speaking from experience with different labels we've been on, they understand metal and know how to market a metal band and that's the main goal for the label. We've been on polar opposite sides of the spectrum back in the '80s when "Act III" was on Geffen, but they in turn didn't really know how to market a metal band or this type of metal so it was a learning experience for both of us. [Laughs]

Cobra Metal: Have you started writing for the next album?

Mark: Yeah. It's difficult writing on the road but we have about five skeletons [of songs] right now. I have lyrics down for one, so my plan is to start writing lyrics for the other ones on this tour. I haven't got time to get into the studio, but the goal is to have 15-20 songs and pick out the best to make a solid statement of an album.

Cobra Metal: Any plans to hit the studio any time soon?

Mark: We still have a bit of touring to do for this so we're gonna take our time to write the next one. I'm guessing, in all honesty, it would be tail end of this year or January/February of 2013 at the latest. We're shooting for a spring or summer release in 2013.

Read the entire interview from Cobra Metal.

"Superskum" (web site) has uploaded quality video footage of DEATH ANGEL's April 15 concert at the Gothic Theater in Englewood, Colorado as part of a North American tour with SEPULTURA, KRISIUN and HAVOK. You can now watch the clips below.

Italian extreme epic metal act STORMLORD have issued the following update:

"Legions of the storm, first of all, we want to show you our deepest gratitude for having so much patience. It's been a while since our last update and now we're ready to unveil some details about our next album.

"In the last years, we left behind our live activity in order to focus more on the songwriting and to develop the synergy of the new lineup: now we're pleased to announce that all the material has been written while the pre-production process and the lyrics writing are on their way. We're very proud of how the new stuff sounds and we firmly believe that these will be the best songs of our career, so far: those who enjoyed the epic and mediterranean feeling of 'Mare Nostrum' (2008) and the dynamic flavour of 'Supreme Art Of War' (1999) will not be disappointed, that's a promise! As usual, we are trying to push our sound one step forward, remaining loyal to the roots of our music but dealing with new influences and different styles too. In three worlds: extreme epic metal.

"The title of the new album will be 'Hesperia' (a Greek/Latin word that stands for 'land of the sunset' or 'Western land', the name whereby ancient Greeks called Italy), and it will be a concept album, the first of our career, inspired by the Aeneid, the Latin epic poem written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC.

"We will enter the Outer Sound Studios (NOVEMBRE, NECRODEATH, THE FORESHADOWING, KLIMT 1918), of Rome during this autumn and, once again, we'll be working with Giuseppe Orlando, the sound engineer that handled the recordings of almost all of our past records.

"Hear you soon and, like the characters of 'Game Of Thrones' would say: 'brace yourself, Storm is coming!'"

STORMLORD's fourth full-length album, "Mare Nostrum", was released in May 2008 via Locomotive Records. The CD was recorded at Giuseppe Orlando's Outer Sound Studios and was mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila (HIM, CHILDREN OF BODOM, NIGHTWISH, SENTENCED).

"The Legacy – 17 Years of Extreme Epic Metal", a double "best-of" collection from STORMLORD, was released on February 22, 2007 through Scarlet Records. The first CD contains 13 songs spanning the band's 17-year career as of one of Europe's most respected metal merchants, including the rare EP "Under the Sign of the Sword", originally released in 1997. The second CD contains a full live show recorded in Montreal on June 14, 2006 during the band's Canadian tour.

Scarlet Records released STORMLORD's first official DVD, "The Battle of Quebec City: Live in Canada", in July 2007 in Europe.

Oakland, California death metallers SUFFOKATE have parted ways with vocalist Ricky Hoover.

Commented Hoover: "As of [last week], I announced I will no longer be in the band SUFFOKATE. This has nothing to do with the fact I'm currently going to school. This was a mutual decision; both the band and I feel this is in the best interest for everyone.

"Over the last four years, I have done and seen things I never would have gotten the chance to if not for the band. These have been the best years of my life and I won't ever forget all the great memories and all the amazing fans. I am very sad to let this all go but could no longer continue due to other reasons I won't get into. I have no bad feelings or ill will towards the band and will always have love for them and the music I was fortunate enough to help create. I have poured my all and given everything I have into these last two albums and will always be grateful for them and everyone who supported me. No matter what happens, the guys in SUFFOKATE will always be my bothers. I will do whatever i can to help them out. They are some of the greatest people I have ever met and I'm truly thankful I've gotten to do this with them.

"This isn't the end for me musically. I plan on doing more in the near future. I have some personal things I need to take care of and priorities to work out in my life before I can do that. I will always have a passion for music and lyrical expression and will never stop writing. Music will always be in my life and a part of who I am. I'm very excited to see what's in store for me so be on the lookout for my future musical endeavors.

"To the fans, you are the reason I'm still here and you have helped me just as much as you say I have helped you. I'm extremely fortunate that I've been able to have such a strong connection with you all. If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't be who I am today.

"I will still have my personal Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram under the name @iamrickyhoover so check those for any updates of what I'm doing."

SUFFOKATE's latest album, "Return To Despair", was released last September via Mediaskare Records. The CD was recorded at Undercity Studios in North Hollywood, California.

In absence for more than two decades, we embrace new material from Leather Leone (CHASTAIN, RUDE GIRL, MALIBU BARBI) and drummer Sandy Sledge (RUDE GIRL, MALIBU BARBI, WARBRIDE, WEAPONSVAN) in their new project SLEDGE LEATHER.

The SLEDGE LEATHER debut album, "Imagine Me Alive", was inspired in 2010 when Leather Leone called Sandy Sledge to collaborate on the Ronnie James Dio track "Egypt" for a demo tribute recording. Due to the overwhelming response for more material, SLEDGE LEATHER was born and were confirmed for Germany's Keep It True festival in April 2011.

SLEDGE LEATHER entered the studio in 2011 to record "Imagine Me Alive", engulfing the listener in an onslaught of heavy metal with 11 cohesive tracks that resurrects a classic heavy metal sound with DIO's former bandmembers Scott Warren (keyboards), and Jimmy Bain (bass).

"We wanted to finish what we started with RUDE GIRL in the '80s — straight-up heavy-ass metal," Sandy Sledge explains, "This album truly shows the different ways that Leather's voice can create music."

Leather Leone comments: "It's great for me to finally have a huge say in what's written and how it's written. With Sledge, I feel like it's writing with a soulmate — same beliefs, same ideas — because we are writing what comes to us naturally and what comes to us naturally is HEAVY music. This is metal. It's just 'metal.' Heavy, metal."

Respected industry friends Mike Varney and Monte Conner comment on SLEDGE LEATHER.

"Sledge and Leather are the most powerful team of female rockers on the metal scene today," says Mike Varney, founder of Shrapnel Records.

"Leather sounds as great as she ever did and kicks even more ass than she did in the '80s!,” says Monte Conner of Roadrunner Records.

SLEDGE LEATHER's album lineup includes Leather Leone (vocals), Sandy Sledge (drums), Matthias Weisheit (guitars), Scott Warren (keyboards/orchestration), and Jimmy Bain (bass).

"Imagine Me Alive" is currently available from the band and soon through all online outlets.

A new audio interview with Leather in which she talks about the making of "Imagine Me Alive" has been been posted at RockOverAmerica.com:

* Interview Part 1
*

Dutch post-hardcore act NOTE TO AMY will release its debut album, "Midnight Arsons / Morning Ghosts", on June 15 through Graviton – The Missing Link.

According to a press release, "Midnight Arsons/Morning Ghosts" contains thirteen energetic, catchy and hard-rocking songs that already gained praise in magazines like Aardschok (NL), Big Cheese (UK), File Under (NL), Mass Movement (UK), MusicFrom.nl (NL), Muziek.nl (NL), OOR (NL) and Rock Tribune (BE). "It is a way of life for us," says vocalist Remco Tuns. "We need to make music, we are all music freaks — from grindcore to SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, we love it all. I grew up with IRON MAIDEN when I was nine years old, but then at 16 I got into punk rock, BAD RELIGION, in particular. With NOTE TO AMY, we focus a lot on the melodies to stand out and I apply the clean singing style like LIFE OF AGONY or DANZIG to our music."

"Midnight Arsons / Morning Ghosts" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jochem Jacobs and Bouke Visser at Split Second Sound studios (TEXTURES, AUTUMN, THE LUCIFER PRINCIPLE, STREAM OF PASSION) in Amsterdam. The artwork was created by Dutch painter Jasper de Gelder, from the series "Hunting Birds". The themes within the songs are cathartic for Tuns, with the album holding a specific meaning for him. "You have the 'midnight arsons' times when you go out and set the night on fire," says Remco. "Whether you play a show or hang out with your friends. But you also have to deal with the 'morning ghosts', those things you will carry with you through the rest of your life. There are elements of each that you can destroy but there are some that you will always have to carry with you."

In support of the album, NOTE TO AMY has released a video for track "Love Is A Dog From Hell". It was shot guerilla-style in the crowded centre of Amsterdam on a Saturday afternoon and vividly tells a story everyone can relate to. "No matter how much you love someone," continues Remco, "how much you try, you end up hurting each other. A lot of the lyrics on the album are about change — you may want to be a better man for people that are important to you and instead you go out and medicate yourself with alcohol or drugs or other things..."

NOTE TO AMY is:

Guitar: Eelco Klein Overmeen
Guitar: Guy Schwartzmans
Drums: Wouter Dielesen
Bass: Marco Flohil
Vocals: Remco Tuns

Austrian extreme metallers MASTIC SCUM have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band is currently working on material for its fifth studio album for a fall release.

Commented MASTIC SCUM guitarist Harry Gandler: "We are proud to announce that we signed a worldwide deal with one of our favorite labels. We know Massacre Records since quite a long time and are happy to be a part of it now!"

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for the forthcoming CD, the band recently said, "We are fucking excited about the new record which follows our last album, 'Dust', our strongest release to date! The new release will be for sure a progression from the songwriting and sound production points of view! Most of the songwriting is already done, but we still have work to do! The new material so far is fucking brutal, combining shredding rhythms, mosh grooves and grindcore blast attacks! We sure give 100% in the songwriting process and we cannot wait to enjoy with everyone the new overdose of brutal distorted structures! Be prepared!! As our goal is to enter the studio in summer, we are very focused on our work and will play just a few live shows this spring/summer. Nevertheless, we really look forward to grind with you at our upcoming shows!"

"Construcdead", the latest video from MASTIC SCUM, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed in Innsbruck, Austria and was produced and directed by Sulinor.

"Construcdead" comes off MASTIC SCUM's latest album, "Dust", which was released on November 13, 2009 via Twilight Distribution. 12 songs were recorded for the effort, which was mixed at Grindlab Studio and mastered by Jacob Hansen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, ABORTED, HATESPHERE). Artwork for the CD was created by Killustrations (SIX FEET UNDER, KATAKLYSM, AMON AMARTH).

An e-card for "Dust" can be found at this location.

MASTIC SCUM in 2009 parted ways with vocalist Will due to "musical differences" and replaced him with Maggo Wenzel (INZEST, TRISTWOOD, WATCH ME BLEED).

For more information, go to this location.