METALLICA, SOUNDGARDEN, SLAYER, WITHIN TEMPTATION and MASTODON are among the confirmed bands for this year's installment of the Spanish edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place May 26 at Getafe Open Air in Madrid.

The billing is as follows:

METALLICA
MASTODON
SLAYER
SOUNDGARDEN
CLUTCH
GOJIRA
VITA IMANA
GHOST
KYUSS LIVES
SKINDRED
WITHIN TEMPTATION
CHILDREN OF BODOM
ORANGE GOBLIN
SISTER

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m.

METALLICA will play the "black album" — its 1991 self-titled fifth effort that has sold nearly 16 million copies — in its entirety at selected European festivals, including Sonisphere, this summer.

Video footage of the Stockholm, Sweden-based "melodeath" metal band FRANTIC AMBER performing the song "Doomed To Walk This Earth" at "P3 Guld" — Swedish radio station P3's annual music awards ceremony — on January 21 at Lisebergshallen in Gothenburg, Sweden can be seen below.

FRANTIC AMBER recently recruited a new drummer — and its first male member — Erik Röjås. Erik has been performing with the band since last year's Sweden Rock Festival and accompanied the group on its second tour of Russia in September.

FRANTIC AMBER is currently recording its second EP with producer Ralph Santolla (guitarist for such acts as DEATH, DEICIDE, OBITUARY, ICED EARTH) for a spring release.

The P3 Guld award in the "Best Rock/Metal Album Of The Year" category went to GRAVEYARD. Also nominated for the "Rock/Metal" award were IN FLAMES, OPETH, ARCH ENEMY and THE HAUNTED.

Mick Stingley of Rocksalt.mx recently conducted an interview with vocalist Angela Gossow of Swedish/German extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Rocksalt.mx: This is your sixth full-length album with ARCH ENEMY. Are you still as energized and excited as when you began?

Angela: Yeah, this is sixth. I feel a lot better: perhaps a mixture of anxiety, excitement and having more knowledge about the whole thing. It's just like dropping into cold water: it's very exciting but at the same time it's very nerve-wracking and now we've all learned to swim. And in a very good way, you know? It's not just staying on the surface, staying alive, but to actually, you know, be able to compete with the best right now. And we're just kinda like a big fish in a pond – a bigger fish — not so small anymore. So, it actually feels — I don't wanna… it feels like if somebody asked you if you wanted to be 15 or 16 or 18 again. I neither want to be 18 again nor do I want to go back ten years. You know? I'm really happy where we are right now.

Rocksalt.mx: Did you foresee this kind of longevity with the band when you started out?

Angela: Well… I don't dwell on the past at all. I'm very much here in the present. Always. I do plan the future, as, you know, when I do something I want to make it last — it's just like with a relationship or anything I do. So we were always planning two, three years ahead, you know, but obviously you can't plan ten years ahead, so: no. I didn't think that I'd be doing this when I'm approaching my 40s! (laughs) But, hey — I am and it just feels really, really good. And my health is totally there — I'm actually fitter now than I was ten years ago, so that's awfully interesting. I think women peak in their 30s and 40s. I think that comes very handy, you know? Because when they have kids and they have to multi-task and take a lot of shit and be very, very flexible. And it's a lot. I think I'm actually peaking. I would say I'm stronger now than I was then. So, yeah — I didn't put the years out ahead but I am glad we are still here and still relevant and that we can still do it. Yeah.

Rocksalt.mx: You said you were sitting around listening to music late at night when you're stoned. And I want to make sure there's no misunderstanding by what you mean by "stoned."

Angela: Oh, I mean, obviously, weed — the stuff that grows outside in my garden and (laughs) it's obviously not legal, unfortunately, but — that's one of our political agendas in [ARCH ENEMY's new album] "Khaos Legions" is to legalize it. You know? (laughs)

Rocksalt.mx: Really? How come you're not covering "Legalize It" by Peter Tosh?

Angela: Yeaahhh… that's too obvious. But, uh…

Rocksalt.mx: Too obvious?

Angela: Well, yeah — maybe we should do it one day. Yeah, I think it's an awesome recreational… herb. I wouldn't call it drug, that's so negative. It's like, yeah, it's something you can buy at a drugstore, hopefully one day. So let's call it a drug.

Rocksalt.mx: What is the — you're in Sweden, right?

Angela: Yeah – oh, yes! The young generation, they've had a couple of votes now. They're trying to get it legalized. Which is good. It doesn't do any damage to people, except when you're prone to paranoia and schizophrenia then you've got to, you actually have to see a doctor if you've got problems like that. But for most people it's very harmless, compared to hard liquor. And Sweden is very damaged by hard liquor. They have a very high alcoholic rate here, you know. Especially among teenagers, and drinking hard stuff… I mean, honestly, I'd rather see a 16-year-old smoke a spliff than having a bottle of vodka in their hands, you know. So I just hope; but they're very tough on it. You can go to jail for it if you're caught with a spliff. Yeah. It's not nice. It's not like California or anything like that. And then you've got obviously neighboring countries — in my country, Germany, they're totally lax on it. If you get caught with it nobody says anything. And in Holland it's legal. Yeah… I might have to move one day. I might have to relocate! (laughs)

Rocksalt.mx: Even in New York City now they have this thing, if you're caught with less than an ounce they will let you go.

Angela: Yeah, it's nice. Because I think that they could really use that money they are wasting on the war on drugs for better education, and maybe health care and all these things that have a massive shortage in the U.S. So that's a good move, I think. I hope a lot of people and a lot of, different states, will catch up to that.

Rocksalt.mx: One would hope. And not to dwell on it too much: do you roll your own or do you use a bong?

Angela: Oh, I use a vaporizer. I'm an asthmatic, so I don't smoke at all. So I use a vaporizer because it doesn't irritate my throat at all and it helps my asthma a lot. And you know, since I've been using weed, I haven't had to use any of my steroid inhalers. It really relaxes the airways, opens it up. And also, I will bake cookies with chocolate with it.

Read the entire interview from Rocksalt.mx.

Angela talking about weed - part 1 (audio):

METALLICA will headline this year's installment of the Finnish edition of the Sonisphere festival, set to take place June 4 at Kalasatama in Helsinki, Finland. Also scheduled to appear are MACHINE HEAD, AMORPHIS, GOJIRA and GHOST.

Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 6 at 9:00 a.m. at Lippupalvelu.fi and Tiketti.fi.

METALLICA will play the "black album" — its 1991 self-titled fifth effort that has sold nearly 16 million copies — in its entirety at selected European festivals, including Sonisphere, this summer.

METALLICA's four-song EP called "Beyond Magnetic", which was made available digitally last month, will be released as a physical CD on January 31 (one day earlier internationally). The effort consists of the quartet of previously unheard tracks that the band unveiled in concert last month during its 30th-anniversary celebration. All four tunes — "Hate Train", "Just A Bullet Away", "Hell And Back" and "Rebel Of Babylon" — were recorded during the sessions for the band's 2008 "Death Magnetic" album but left off the final track list.

According to TMZ.com, JOURNEY drummer Deen Castronovo was arrested this past Saturday, January 21 in Oregon for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. Deen was booked into Polk County Jail on a number of charges, including coercion, assault, criminal mischief , interfering with making a report and harassment.

Sources tell TMZ.com that some of the charges stem from an altercation that occurred after the alleged physical blowout when Deen's girlfriend ran out of the house to call her father and the musician allegedly grabbed the phone out of her hand and refused to let her contact her dad.

A representative for Deen tells TMZ.com that the incident "was a misunderstanding that should not have been escalated to such a level in the first place."

Deen was released after posting $52,500.00 bail.

Castronovo's booking photo can be seen at TMZ.com.

"Follow The Signs", the new Andrew Pulaski-directed video from the Chicago-based progressive metal hybrid BORN OF OSIRIS, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's third full-length album, "The Discovery", which sold around 6,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 87 on The Billboard 200 chart. The group's previous CD, 2009's "A Higher Place", entered the charts at No. 73 with first-week sales of over 6,000 copies.

"The Discovery" was released on March 22, 2011 via Sumerian Records. The CD was recorded at BOTA Studio in Lake In The Hills, Illinois and was mixed by Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER).

When asked by AOL's Noisecreep if the band toned down the technicality of the playing and arrangements for the new album or if they dialed it up, BORN OF OSIRIS guitarist Lee McKinney said, "I would say it's more and less at the same time. The instrumentals are more technical, as far as playing each part. As for structure and arrangements, we tried to organize our songs a little better. We wanted to bring back key parts and have more structure in our songs. That being said, these songs are still by far harder to play than any of our other material. We really pushed ourselves with this one."

BORN OF OSIRIS recently parted ways with guitarist Jason Richardson. The band said in a statement, "This was something that just needed to happen. We will be a more creative, energized, and focused unit as a result."

Dutch folk metal six-piece HEIDEVOLK will release its fourth album, "Batavi", on March 2 through Napalm Records.

With "Batavi", HEIDEVOLK takes you back 2,000 years to a time where numerous Germanic tribes and one massive Roman empire were struggling for dominance in north-western Europe, along the shores of the river Rhine. Caught in the middle of this where the Batavians, protagonists and name-givers of the new album.

"Batavi" is a concept album that deals with the early history of the Batavian tribe, from its origination to a daring revolt against one of the greatest empires the world has ever seen. Set against a background of wars, alliances, intrigues and betrayal in a tumultuous era, "Batavi" tells the story of a people that find themselves in various frontlines and struggle for survival.

Though still unmistakably in line with their musical tradition, on "Batavi" you will hear a faster and more determined HEIDEVOLK. With nine songs of brutal power and epic highlights, HEIDEVOLK shows you its teeth like never before. Heavy, powerful guitar riffs and fast thundering drums, mixed by Peter Tägtgren, create the HEIDEVOLK sound of 2012. Trademark dual clean male vocals will guide you through the story of the "Batavi" and take you straight to the battlefields of Roman-age north-western Europe.

Commented the band: "Our new CD, 'Batavi', is about to see the light of day, and after many hours of hard work in the rehearsal room and studio we feel like a bunch of starved caged animals! Armed to the teeth with new songs, we're ready to satisfy our hunger and break free!"

"Batavi" track listing:

01. Een Nieuw Begin (A New Beginning)
02. Als Ons De Toekomst Lonkt (When The Future Beckons)
03. Het Verbond Met Rome (The Alliance With Rome)
04. Wapenbroeders (Brothers In Arms)
05. In Het Woud Gezworen (Sworn In The Woods)
06. Veleda
07. Als De Dood Weer Naar Ons Lacht (When Death Smiles At Us Again)
08. Einde Der Zege (The End Of Victory)
09. Vrijgevochten (Fought To Freedom)

An edited version of the song "Een Nieuw Begin" can be streamed using the audio player below.

Mumbai, India-based horror/heavy metal band ALBATROSS has recently released a single from its upcoming EP, "The Kissing Flies". The track titled "Uncle Sunny At The Tavern", which can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below, features Niklas Stalvind (vocalist/rhythm guitarist of Swedish heavy metallers WOLF) sharing vocal duties with ALBATROSS frontman Biprorshee Das.

Bassist Dr. Hex explains the concept behind the song: "An unnamed narrator returns to his native town, Raptorsville, after sixteen years to find it in shambles. An element of decay pervades every inch of the town; an atmosphere of wither which seems to have infected even the townspeople. Unable to come to terms with this disarray, he walks into the local tavern and meets a figure he recognizes from his youth, the mysterious Uncle Sunny. What ensues is left for you, the listener, to discover."

"The Kissing Flies" is ALBATROSS's second release and the follow-up to the band's 2010 debut, "Dinner Is You". The EP forms a part of a split release with American occult metal band VESTAL CLARET and is slated for an April 2012 release.

Dr Hex adds: "Exciting things are happening in the ALBATROSS camp. We've recently signed on to a merchandising company, and a label announcement will be made at a later date."

Radio Metal recently conducted an interview with singer Hansi Kürsch of German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN. An excerpt from the chat follow below.

Radio Metal: Could we have an update on your work on this orchestral album which is expected to be released in 2012?

Hansi: (huge sigh) I would say 2012 is history already! (laughs) That's how far I can go. We worked on the orchestral stuff as well as on stuff for a regular BLIND GUARDIAN album between our tours and the finalizing of "Memories From A Time To Come". My goal would be to release either the regular BLIND GUARDIAN album or the orchestral album in 2013. It is doable, but it's tough work for us. There are so many elements involved in the orchestral album, as well as in the regular album, all the way from songwriting to production… I'm really cautious when it comes to guessing release dates. But as I said, I assume it will be late 2013, possibly in the fall, before another BLIND GUARDIAN album.

Radio Metal: It sounds like you're kind of exhausted by this orchestral project!

Hansi: I'm not exhausted, but it's so much work. It's fun doing it. We did like six songs in a concert hall already, and we recorded them, but I still have to do the vocals. I did a pre-production for these songs already. But we also have to complete the other songs we have done, and it takes a lot of time, in terms of finalizing the scores and all that. If we don't feel the time is right to work on this, we prefer to work on the regular BLIND GUARDIAN stuff. That's on the same priority level. Both are too important to rush. We never did that in our whole career, and we certainly won't start after 25 years, even if we would like to release something next year. It's not important to be as quick as possible, it's more important to keep the quality.

Radio Metal: Do you think you'll promote this orchestral album live, and most importantly, is it possible for you, financially speaking?

Hansi: Financially speaking, I would say it could be beneficial! But the problem is to find the right occasion, the right venue and the right orchestra to do it. You cannot do something like this in a regular concert hall. Depending on the country, the audience at our shows is between 500 and 7,000 or 8,000 people. Finding venues that can accommodate these different audiences would be very, very difficult. What I think would be possible would be a small festival tour with an orchestra, or a very limited number of BLIND GUARDIAN concerts, like four in Europe or so. That's something we could consider, especially in connection with a regular BLIND GUARDIAN show. This might be an option. But we'll deal with it when we're there. Right now it's more getting all the composition out of the way, then finalizing the various elements. Once this is done, we'll be a big step further, and then we'll need to consider how to promote this album and how live situations could be organized.

Read the entire interview from Radio Metal.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada traditional metallers 3 INCHES OF BLOOD have recruited Byron Stroud (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY) as their new bassist.

Stroud and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD have been working together on a variety of things, and Stroud is beyond pleased shift his involvement to a creative level.

"I am super stoked to let everyone know that I have joined my brothers in 3 INCHES OF BLOOD," exclaims Stroud.

"We are busy rehearsing for touring of the new record, 'Long Live Heavy Metal'.

"The band asked me to come on board as manager earlier last year.

"We rehearse in my bike shop. I've toured with them in the past and being involved in many aspects of the new record has been extremely gratifying for me.

'I'm looking forward and see a great future for this band.

"I'll see you all on tour this year."

3 INCHES OF BLOOD will release its fifth studio album, "Long Live Heavy Metal", on March 27 via Century Media Records. According to a press release, "fans can expect a blast of pure metal assured to leave no face unmelted."

"'Long Live Heavy Metal' is the fifth chapter in the book of 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, and we couldn't be more pleased and proud of our new onslaught of honest heavy metal," says guitarist Justin Hagberg.

For "Long Live Heavy Metal", 3 INCHES OF BLOOD reunited with producer and engineer Terry "Sho" Murray (CITY OF FIRE, EXHIBITIONISTS), who worked with the band on their seven-inch single, "Anthems For The Victorious".

"When a band is releasing a new record, they often speak about it being their most important work or best album to date," explains vocalist Cam Pipes. "Regardless of how clichéd either statement may sound, I think we would say both apply to this album. All of us have a special feeling about this one. We're more committed than ever to the cause of real, honest, no-bullshit heavy metal. No trends, no fucking around!"

Check out photos from the studio on the 3 INCHES OF BLOOD Facebook page (all photos by Aaron Aubrey).

Beginning March 16, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD will head out on the "Metal Alliance Tour 2012" alongside DEVILDRIVER, THE FACELESS, DYING FETUS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, IMPENDING DOOM and WRETCHED.

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson hopes the band will return to the studio later this year to begin work on the follow-up to the hugely successful 2008 album "Black Ice".

During an appearance on a recent edition of "The Cowhead Show", the American radio program hosted by Mike "Cowhead" Calta, Johnson revealed that health issues were affecting one of his bandmates, which may have put new album plans temporarily on hold. "One of the boys is a little sick and I can't say anything, but he's getting better," Brian said. "He's doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected."

The singer added, "It's a wonderful thing when we get in a room. Whenever the boys get back together, I get all excited. The boys, after a while, pick the guitars up, Phil [Rudd] will make his way to the drums, Cliff [Williams] will pull his bass out and then all of a sudden this noise comes out and I sit there with just this big old grin on my face."

You can listen to Johnson's appearance on "The Cowhead Show" using the SoundCloud player below.

AC/DC earned AUD 131.4 million (approximately USD $127 million) in 2009-10 (up from AUD $105 million [approximately USD $102 million] the previous year) to land at the second place on a list of Australia's richest entertainers, according to Business Review Weekly magazine.

AC/DC was honored in the "Top Boxscore" category at the Billboard Touring Awards, which were handed out at a special reception in New York on November 4, 2010. The awards were primarily based on global box office numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore from October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010.

Interview (audio):

Former EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan) will make a guest appearance on the sophomore solo album from ex-NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis. The CD, which is being produced by Aaron Smith (7 HORNS 7 EYES), is scheduled for release later in the year via Century Media Records.

Commented Ihsahn: "I was both surprised and honored when Jeff asked me to sing on one of the songs for his upcoming album. He sent me a killer track, so it was easy to get inspiration for both words and vocal ideas, and I think it came out really well.

"Jeff is an amazing musician and I'm really looking forward to hearing the final album. Also, in the collaborative spirit, I got him to lay down a solo for my own new album."

Added Loomis: "I know most of you are aware that Christine Rhoades is doing some vocals on my album. At first I thought she'd be the only guest singer on the record, but then this one song started coming together, it's pretty brutal.

"I've always wanted to do really, really heavy music and after hearing this, both Aaron and myself thought we needed some crazy, sick singer on it. We just sat around tossing names out for a bit, nothing really was sticking and then Aaron says, 'I got it...Ihsahn' and it was one of those moments where you knew that was the answer all along, it just hadn't been unlocked in your mind yet.

"Anyway, a few short emails back and forth and we had his vocal track in. It came out amazing. I can't wait for you to hear it.

"Ihsahn, thanks again, it's an honor to have you on my record."

Other musicians who have recorded guest appearances on Loomis' new solo album include fellow axemen Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH), Tony Macalpine and Chris Poland (ex-MEGADETH).

Former/current members of MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and PILEDRIVER have commented on the passing of Mark Reale, the founding guitarist of the legendary metal band RIOT. Reale died yesterday (Wednesday, January 25) in a San Antonio hospital due to complications of Crohn's disease — an ailment he had battled for most of his life. He was 56 years old.

Marty Friedman (ex-MEGADETH): "I just heard that Mark Reale from RIOT passed away. 'Rock City', 'Narita' and 'Fire Down Under' are three of my favorite albums of all time. I wore all three of them out and have loads of great memories attached to all those great songs. Thank you for the music. Friends please take care of yourselves."

Gord Kirchin (PILEDRIVER): "'Rock City'... 'Narita'... 'Fire Down Under'... 'Restless Breed'... 'Born In America'... 'Thundersteel'... 'The Privilege Of Power'... 'Nightbreaker'... 'Brethren Of The Long House'... 'Inishmore'... 'Sons Of Society'... 'Through The Storm'... 'Army Of One'... 'Immortal Soul'... Sickly underrated, but not by me. Indeed. An immortal soul if ever there was one. You will be missed, Mark... you will be missed."

Neil Turbin (DEATHRIDERS, ex-ANTHRAX): "RIP Mark Reale 1955-2012 RIOT guitarist and founder. My favorite metal band in high school and one of my greatest musical inspirations of all time. 'Fire Down Under' was such a huge influence on me when I was writing songs like 'Metal Thrashing Mad'. My sincere condolences to Mark's family, friends, fans and bandmates. Shine on, warrior."

Reale had reportedly been in a coma for the past two weeks after suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage on January 11.

Mark is survived by his father, Anthony Reale, and was preceded in death by his mother, Frances Reale.

Mark spent most of his life working and performing while enduring almost constant pain and the side effects of treatment for Crohn's disease. He was in Texas bravely attempting to practice for the shows, but was felled by a severe onset of Crohn's symptoms, leaving him in the Intensive Care Unit at an undisclosed facility. Mark was struggling with these symptoms throughout the production of RIOT's new album, "Immortal Soul", and guitarist Mike Flyntz recorded a major portion of the guitars on the LP with Mark's creative direction while Reale was unable to perform.

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE have set "Bag Of Bones" as the title of their ninth studio album, tentatively due in April. The CD is being produced by Kevin Shirley, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, JOE BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK STONE CHERRY and JOURNEY, among others.

Regarding the new CD title, EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland said, "It's not [called 'Bag Of Bones'] because we all have lost tons of weight or found a new interest in archeology or dogs... It's just because it sounds fuckin' cool!"

In a July 2011 press release, EUROPE singer Joey Tempest stated about the bands' new CD, "We still feel we have one hell of a rock record to make. Kevin's the man for the job. We love his work with BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, and BLACK STONE CHERRY. He's the real deal. We're ready to do some serious damage."

Last year, EUROPE met up with Shirley in Stockholm to discuss the direction of the next album. Based on reactions from the fans and media, EUROPE's 2009 album, "Last Look At Eden", proved to be the band's most important record since "The Final Countdown". "I've been a big fan of EUROPE's work for many years," said Shirley. "The band is influential and highly underrated. I can't wait to make the upcoming album their most explosive to date."

The new material suggests a more straightforward rock approach evident in "Doghouse" — a new song EUROPE performed on their most recent U.K. tour (see video below). The song is also featured on EUROPE's "Europe: Live at Shepherd's Bush" DVD, released in August 2011 via earMUSIC CDs and DVDs.

earMUSIC last year released a limited deluxe book with pictures by Denis O'Regan. "Live Look At Eden" features exclusive live audio and the stunning performance at 2010's iTunes Festival in London.

Video footage of MASTODON's January 22 performance at Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, Portugal can be seen below.

MASTODON bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders recently confirmed that the band will team up with Sweden's OPETH and GHOST for a North American tour in April.

MASTODON is among the nominees for the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band's Grammy nomination is for "Curl Of The Burl", the first single from MASTODON's new album, "The Hunter".

MASTODON received its first Grammy nomination in 2006 for the single "Colony Of Birchmen", from the band's Reprise Records debut album, "Blood Mountain".

Riff-Mag.com conducted an interview with Troy Sanders before the Lisbon concert. You can watch the chat below.

Performance videos:

Reformed Montreal, Quebec, Canada rockers SLAVES ON DOPE will release their new album, "Over The Influence", on February 28 via THC: Music/Rocket Science Ventures. The CD, which was produced and mixed by Kevin Jardine, will feature a guest appearance by Jonathan Cabana, lead singer of Quebec deathcore band BLIND WITNESS, on the track "Dear Enemies".

SLAVES ON DOPE will launch the release of "Over The Influence" with a free show at Foufounes Electriques in Montreal on Wednesday, February 29. The band will play the entire album, from start to finish, and debut the new video for the track "Pork Sword".

"Over The Influence" track listing:

01. No One To Blame
02. Burn The Evidence
03. Cavalry
04. The Jokes On You
05. Hollywood
06. Dear Enemies (featuring BLIND WITNESS singer Jonathan Cabana)
07. The Land Of Make Believe
08. Pork Sword
09. Unraveling
10. Careless Coma

A one-minute trailer for "Over The Influence" can be seen below.

SLAVES ON DOPE's digital-only EP, "Careless Coma", came out on November 1, 2011. The effort featured three new studio tracks, as well as remixes and a radio edit of the title cut.

SLAVES ON DOPE is:

Kevin Jardine - Guitar
Jason Rockman - Vocals
Peter Tsefaris - Drums
Sebatien Ducap – Bass

SLAVES ON DOPE's "Inches from the Mainline" album was released through Ozzy Osbourne's now-defunct Divine Recordings label. After Divine Recordings lost its distribution deal with EMI's Priority Records, the band was left without a label. After a long search, a deal was struck with Bieler Bros. Records. SLAVES ON DOPE's second major album, "Metafour", was released in 2003.

In March 2004, SLAVES ON DOPE announced it was going on hiatus due to Jason Rockman leaving the band. The group officially reformed in 2009.

For more information, visit www.slavesondope.com.

Norway's TRAIL OF TEARS has issued the following update:

"Today we have to announce that our longtime drummer, Cato Jensen, has parted ways with the band. Cato has decided to make some changes in his life and focus on other priorities.

"While the band was more than willing to continue the co-operation, we have to accept and support Cato's decision that it would be too hard to combine these changes with playing in a band that demands a lot of focus and dedication.

"We want to thank our friend Cato for his commitment over the years and wish him all the best for the future.

"This brings us to announce that TRAIL OF TEARS is hereby looking for a new person to fill the drum stool. Interested candidates should have both studio and live experience, must be dedicated, and able and willing to tour.

"The band is currently putting the finishing touches to their seventh album and festivals and tour dates around the world has been booked for 2012 with more to follow.

"Interested candidates (preferably European residents), can contact ronny@trailoftears.no. Make sure that you include your personal information, biography, a photo and some video links to your work."

The first teaser for the forthcoming seventh album from TRAIL OF TEARS is available below.

TRAIL OF TEARS in September finished recording its as-yet-untitled new CD at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes. The band is currently seeking a suitable record label to release the effort.

Commented the band: "Cathrine [Paulsen] came through the extreme schedule with flying colours, putting the finishing vocals on the end result and delivered a performance for the history books!

"We believe that we have created something extraordinary and can't wait to share it with you all. Never before has a recording process involved so much blood, sweat and tears!"

TRAIL OF TEARS in 2010 parted ways with guitarist Pål Olsen and opted to carry on as a five-piece.

TRAIL OF TEARS's sixth album, "Bloodstained Endurance", was recorded and mixed over a six-week period at Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France with producer Terje Refsnes. Mastering duties were handled by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Finland. The cover artwork for the album was designed by acclaimed artist Travis Smith (AMORPHIS, OPETH, NEVERMORE).

In 2007, TRAIL OF TEARS was rejoined by vocalist Cathrine Paulsen, who sang on the group's 2002 album, "A New Dimension of Might".

Brendan "Brush" Shiels, founding member of the late 1960s/early 1970s Irish blues-rock act SKID ROW — which is best known as legendary guitarist Gary Moore's first professional band — has posted a YouTube video in which he invites Sebastian Bach, the former frontman of the American rock group SKID ROW, to sing on his upcoming album, which will be released under the SKID ROW name.

Shiels previously released a video message in which he accused the American SKID ROW of using the band name without his permission. He also talked about how he believed the story that Moore received a $35,000 payoff by the American band for the use of the name is nonsense and revealed that he unsuccessfully tried to contact Jon Bon Jovi (with whom the Sebastian Bach-fronted SKID ROW reportedly signed a publishing deal prior to releasing its first album) and Doc McGhee, early manager of the the American SKID ROW, to resolve the SKID ROW name issue once and for all.

In the latest video message, which can be seen below, Shiels addresses Bach directly, stating, "In my opinion, you're one of the greatest frontmen in American rock of all time. For me, you're up there with Ozzy Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Tyler from AEROSMITH. Man, you've got it all. The reason I'm trying to get in contact with you… Can you imagine this: Sebastian Bach and SKID ROW? When I say SKID ROW [pointing to his chest]… When Rachel [Bolan, bassist of American SKID ROW] and Snake [guitarist of American SKID ROW] and Bon Jovi were in kindergarten, I was trucking around America playing for very little, blessed to be playing with Frank Zappa at the Fillmore West, played with the ALLMAN BROTHERS. Up and down Canada with BECK, BOGERT & APPICE… The reason I'm trying to get in contact with you is very simple: I have a new album [coming out]. Now I've been waiting 25 years for this opportunity and it only comes along once in a lifetime. Well, Sebastian . . . if you were singing my songs, we couldn't fail. 'I'll] give you 50 percent of the songs — 50 percent of the roaylties. I'll split the band with you, 50/50. Your name is top of the bill — Sebastian Bach and SKID ROW. We could do the ultimate . . . tour; it can't fail. I'm in New York this Saturday, [January 28]. I'd love to meet you, I'd love to get together with you, I'd love to talk with you. But I'll tell you something: me and you together, we can't fail. I'm one of the greatest Irish rockers of all time. I know for a fact, I've seen you… you have the voice, you have the looks, you have the charisma, you have the passion. Man, I need you, but you need me. Now think about it: Sebastian Bach and SKID ROW. We split everything 50/50, we call the shots together; we can't fail, Sebastian. We're unstoppable. Let's get together and do it."

Shiels' video message can be seen below. Also available is a separate YouTube clip containing a track from Brush's new SKID ROW album.

It turns out that "Blood And Fire", the newly previewed song from VAN HALEN's "A Different Kind Of Truth" album, is not so new after all. After a 90-second sample of track was released earlier today, the band's hardcore fans were quick to point out that it is based on an instrumental called "Ripley" from "The Wild Life" movie.

Released on VHS in 1984 and starring Chris Penn, "The Wild Life" featured a score written by VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Only one song ("Donut City") was included on the movie's official soundtrack, while others, including "Ripley", are heard throughout the Cameron Crowe-directed film.

The first single from "A Different Kind Of Truth", "Tattoo", was released on January 10. The song itself said to be is a rewrite of a very old VAN HALEN track "Down In Flames", which the band used to play in its late Seventies club days but never recorded for any of its albums. The new version has a slightly different arrangement and fresh lyrics from singer David Lee Roth.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, at least two other songs on the new record, "She's The Woman" and "Bullethead", date back to the band's early days as well. "She's The Woman" appeared on a 1976 VAN HALEN demo produced by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, and was performed by the group earlier in the month during its show at the tiny Cafe Wha? in New York City.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen has said in numerous interviews over the years that he has "10 albums" worth of unreleased material in his archives from throughout the band's career.

Ironically, it was former singer Sammy Hagar who hinted that VAN HALEN might be digging into the vaults on the new album. Hagar recently told Rolling Stone, "I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days. I mean, stuff from before I even joined the band . . . Because from what I heard, they aren't working with new material. Ed and Dave didn't actually write new songs."

VAN HALEN will kick off a North American tour on February 18 in Louisville, Kentucky. KOOL AND THE GANG will open for VAN HALEN on selected tour stops.

"A Different Kind Of Truth", will arrive on February 7 via Interscope.

IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC, the Swedish rock band led by THE HELLACOPTERS architect and former ENTOMBED drummer Nicke Andersson, will release its new album, "Pop War", on March 9 via Psychout. The ten-song CD was recorded at Gutterview Studios in Stockholm.

For all the vinyl lovers out there, "Pop War" will be out on a strictly limited clear vinyl version limited to 300 copies only on February 24, and as a red vinyl version limited to 600 copies on March 2. On March 9, the album will be made available as a regular CD, as a limited CD version in 10-inch sleeve with an exclusive "Iron On", and on black vinyl with download code.

Since the release of its self-titled debut album in 2010, IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC has played most of the big festivals, played support to both GUNS N' ROSES and KISS, toured in Sweden, Spain, Germany, and also found time to release the EP "In Concert" containing studio versions of their live favorites.

IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC consists of Andersson, Dolf de Borst on bass, Thomas Eriksson (ex-CAPTAIN MURPHY) on drums and Tobias Egge of THE OBJECTS on guitar.

"Pop War" track listing:

01. Uh Huh
02. Narrow Line
03. Can't Seem To Shake It Of My Mind
04. Back To Main
05. Waltz For Vincent
06. Sheltered In The Sand
07. Empty Hands
08. Monarchy Madness
09. Deride And Conquer
10. Enough To Break Your Heart

IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC is:

Nicke Andersson - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Tobias Egge - Guitar, Vocals
Dolf De Borst - Bass. Vocals
Tomas Eriksson - Drums, Vocals

A special incarnation of DIO DISCIPLES took part in the "Living Legends Jam" on January 20 on the main lobby stage at at the 2012 NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, a massive music-products convention that took place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. You can now watch video footage of the performance below (courtesy of Bay Area Backstage).

DIO DISCIPLES' lineup for this show was as follows:

* Robert Sarzo (HURRICANE) - Guitar
* Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE) - Bass
* Scott Warren (DIO) - Keyboards
* Robin McAuley (SURVIVOR, MSG) - Vocals
* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, UFO, RHINO BUCKET) - Drums

DIO DISCIPLES pays tribute to the legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio and is fully supported by Dio's widow/manager, Wendy, who posted that "there will never be another Ronnie, but we want to keep his music alive and hope you will support the band and become one of the DIO DISCIPLES."

DIO DISCIPLES' regular lineup features former DIO members Wright, Craig Goldy (guitar), Warren and Rudy Sarzo alongside singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS, GUN).

Sarzo was unable to take part in DIO DISCIPLES' European tour and was temporarily replaced by James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, WHITE LION).

This year's NAMM marked the 110th anniversary of the legendary trade show and was the meeting place for musical instrument retailers to view and purchase the latest musical innovations being shown by more than 1,400 manufacturers.

"Hank Is Dead", the new Whitey McConnaughy-directed video from Portland, Oregon's RED FANG, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's critically acclaimed release "Murder The Mountains", which was recorded with THE DECEMBERISTS' Chris Funk and was mixed by three-time Grammy Award winner Vance Powell (THE WHITE STRIPES, THE RACONTEURS).

"Murder The Mountains" is now available on CD, 12-inch vinyl, and deluxe digital.

Commented drummer John Sherman: "Another great concept from the brilliant mind of Whitey McConnaughy. This one came together super quick with the help of some insane Portland locals and their sick air guitar skills. We basically just threw a big party and had a blast while a bunch of cameras ran. That is my shower Aaron and Bryan and Bobcat are in at the intro, by the way. It still has a weird ring around it..."

RED FANG is currently on tour in Europe with MASTODON. The tour runs through February 11 in London and includes RED FANG headline dates in addition to the shows with MASTODON.

"Hatred", the new video from Norway's EL CACO, can be seen below. The song comes off the group's new album, "Hatred, Love & Diagrams", which is scheduled for release on January 27 in Europe and January 31 in North America via Indie Recordings.

Commented EL CACO: "'Hatred' is our first single from the upcoming album 'Hatred, Love & Diagrams'. It has a pretty rigid beat around 125 bpm and that is not very usual in the EL CACO camp. So, you can say 'Hatred' is a bit different but at the same time EL CACO made."

"Hatred, Love & Diagrams" track listing:

01. After I'm Gone
02. Hatred
03. Autopsy
04. Equivalence
05. Go Forward
06. Confessions
07. Sixty To Zero
08. Skeleton
09. She Said
10. Disconnect

EL CACO has been an institution and a well-kept secret in the Norwegian music scene for the past decade. The band's music is a culmination of three very talented individuals, each with a very eclectic taste in music. Inspired by the best, but never stripping themselves of their own unique identity, they have the rare ability to grasp the finer elements of their influences and mould them into their own diverse sound.

On their new album, EL CACO "push the envelope even further than they have done before," according to a press release. "Having explored the melodic aspects of rock and metal for more than a decade, this album shows us yet another side of this multi layered band. With an organic and natural sound the trio displays true musicianship and great songwriting skills on this 10-track album which is their definitive peak, their Opus Magna. It sounds more like a band than most other bands. A true organic unit moving fluently with the songs, expressing the underlying emotions through their instruments in a way we know from the greater bands of history."

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI have entered the studio to begin recording their new album, "Kunnia", due in August via Nuclear Blast Records.

A new KORPIKLAANI song called "Metsälle" was originally recorded late last year when the band was competing to represent Finland in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest. The track, which will also appear on the forthcoming CD, has since been released as a single and can be downloaded at this location.

According to KORPIKLAANI, "Metsälle" "is about the hunt on Hiisi’s magical moose in the Northland. He (Lemminkäinen) puts on his charmed ski’s and takes off for a prolonged hunt through forests and meadows, marshlands and woodlands, rapids and rivers. This song describes part of the Kalevala story, the national epic of Finland."

KORPIKLAANI last fall took part in the "Ukon Wacka" North American tour with support from Russia's ARKONA. POLKADOT CADAVER and FORGED IN FLAMES completed the package.

KORPIKLAANI recently parted ways with longtime violinist Jaakko "Hittavainen" Lemmetty and replaced him with "a young prodigy" by the name of Teemu Eerola. According to a press release, "There is a mutual understanding between [Hittavainen] and the rest of the band and there is no big drama involved. His personal health issues made the constant touring and recording impossible."

Eerola made his live debut with KORPIKLAANI on September 24, 2011 in Rotterdam, Holland.

KORPIKLAANI's latest album, "Ukon Wacka", was released in North America on February 25, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Italian rock/metal band LACUNA COIL took part in a special acoustic performance and question-and-answer session on Tuesday, January 24 at the acclaimed record store Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey. Fan-filmed video footage of the event can be seen below.

LACUNA COIL's new album, "Dark Adrenaline", was released on January 24 via Century Media Records. Produced by Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE), the delivers "the melodic, sensual, metallic rush for which the band has come to be known," according to a press release.

Fans both old and new have a variety of options to choose from, as "Dark Adrenaline" was released in a number of formats, including standard-edition CD and vinyl, deluxe-edition digipak with a bonus DVD, sticker, poster and guitar pick and as an iTunes LP with expanded packaging, five bonus audio tracks and video. The Metal Club edition features exclusive artwork designed by the band and is limited to 3000 units. The Hastings edition features a bonus 10-track LACUNA COIL sampler, and the Amazon digital edition comes with a free five-track sampler.

For true fans of LACUNA COIL, the "Darkest Adrenaline" box set is available. It includes both the digipak and vinyl versions of the album along with a hardcover photo book, a LACUNA COIL custom syringe pen and ink, a lyric pad, signed lithographs created by the band and more, all housed in a LACUNA COIL medical box. This box set is limited to 500 pieces and is available exclusively through CM Distro.

As previously announced, LACUNA COIL will support MEGADETH on their critically-acclaimed Gigantour. This run will also feature MOTÖRHEAD and VOLBEAT.

Keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen of Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH recently answered a number of fan-submitted questions for the NIGHTWISH fan site Oceansouls Of America. A couple of excerpts from the question-and-answer session follow below.

Oceansouls Of America: How much of a culture shock was it coming to the U.S. when you were a teen? I'm from the area you stayed (Missouri/Kansas), what were your impressions of the area?

Tuomas: It was a huge shock. The thing is, I came here when I was 15, and I was quite a different person back then. Well, not that different; but back then, I was incredibly shy. I remember that during the year that I was here, I didn't make but one friend, for example, besides my host family. You know, I didn't hate anybody, nobody hated me; but I was just a quiet kid in the school corridors. I really was just playing the clarinet in the band, and being real, real quiet. So that's what I remember; that everything was so new, and I was quite scared. It was truly a nice lesson of independence and everything. Afterwards, I'd been thinking that maybe I did it, like 1 or 2 years too early. I was just so secluded. But only good memories living here; fantastic host family and everything.

Oceansouls Of America: This show at Gibson [Ampitheater in Universal City, California on January 21] will be the band's first opportunity to bring their elaborate stage show to their American audience. What kind of things can we expect? While it's likely that much of it will be part of the stage show for this tour, are there any special surprises that will be exclusive only to this show?

Tuomas: We had some big plans, but then we got the budget and we had to cut a lot of that away. I'm being really honest here. Because, for example, pyrotechnics, they cost about four times here, more than in Europe. So there was no way we could pay for…astronomical, the expenses. So we basically just have flames, some confetti… but that's it. We couldn't bring the screens, for example; there's no way. It's the first time we have fire on U.S. soil, so that's something special.

Oceansouls Of America: Seeing as how the "Imaginaerum" movie was filmed in Canada, is there a likelihood of the movie being shown in Canadian theaters? Is there any possibility of the movie being shown in theaters throughout other North American countries?

Tuomas: I have my doubts, I really do. I'm sure it will be shown in theaters in Finland; it's gonna be quite an event over there, no doubt. But maybe Canada, because it was shot in Canada. But I would be highly surprised if it got any kind of theatrical release in the U.S. or UK or Europe, even. Because, I mean, it's a lot on the "cult" side; it doesn't really have blockbuster written all over it. But you know, when we have asked the directors, "Does this movie have any chance of hitting the theaters?" They always say, "Give us a two-minute trailer and we'll decide." So we'll know more in March, when we get the trailer done.

Oceansouls Of America: Have you written any other songs that didn't make it onto the album, that you will release as bonus tracks later on?

Tuomas: We don't have any bonus tracks, not a single one. We just did those 13 songs, and that's it. But we are coming up with a separate score album, because all the music that you hear in the movie are the same songs, but completely rearranged. We're going to release the score album with those songs.

Oceansouls Of America: In my opinion, "Dark Passion Play" was an album full of sorrow with a little bit of anger. But now, in "Imaginaerum", all energy changed: sorrow gave way to hope and there is a full harmony sensation in each song. So, the question is: what changed since "Dark Passion Play", in your head and in your heart, to have such a wonderful change in NIGHTWISH's music?

Tuomas: I just don't want to go through the "Dark Passion Play" era ever again. That's something I decided when I started to do the songs for the new album; not all this melancholy… well, not melancholy, that's good. But enough of the anger, and sorrow, and being really, really depressed all the time. I mean, it's just a waste of life. So we deliberately decided that, "OK, let's do the more optimistic album." Which doesn't mean that it's, like, all positive and just major chords. Melancholy and sorrow and darkness needs to be there, but the overall feeling is so much more optimistic. It's all about imagination and the beauty of the world and all that.

Oceansouls Of America: Are there any songs you don't like to perform, or are tired of performing?

Tuomas: "Wishmaster". It's just that we decided with the band that let's, on this tour, let's just do the songs that everybody enjoys doing. Because that's how you keep up the energy, and the smiles, and it reflects to the people. So "who wants to do 'Wishmaster'?" Nobody raised their hands. Some other songs as well; for example, I wanted to do "The Wayfarer", we even practiced it. It was Marco [Hietala, bass/vocals] who said that this is not a really good song. I really like that song, and I wanted to do it, but yeah, they were like, "Maybe something else." And then it was Anette's [Olzon, vocals] idea, that why don't we… because everybody was sick and tired of "Nemo" as well… Let's re-arrange it, acoustic.

Read the entire interview frm Oceansouls Of America.

Die deutschen Symphonic Metaller VOICES OF DESTINY haben das Artwork und die Tracklist ihres kommenden Albums „Power Dive“ veröffentlicht. Das Album wird am 27. Jänner 2011 via Massacre Records veröffentlicht.

Der Titel Track kann unter folgenden Link gestreamt werden:

http://listn.to/massacrerecordseurope/player

Tracklist:

1. Prologue
2. Power Dive
3. My Separation
4. Dreams Awake
5. Kami
6. The Untouchable
7. Being Worth
8. Dedication
9. Your Hands
10. Red Winter's Snow I (Prophets of Doom)
11. Power Dive (Reprise)

PIGEON TOE, the German progressive rock band featuring TRIPTYKON drummer Norman Lonhard, has inked a deal with Lifeforce Records. The band's debut album will be released later in the year.

Brothers Martin Fischer and Hans Fischer, who were previously in such bands as FEAR MY THOUGHTS, BACKSLIDE and MONGOUSE, got the idea to form a new project in 2008. After coming up with several rough song ideas, they asked their then-FEAR MY THOUGHTS bandmate Lonhard to sit behin the kit for the new group. A short time later, bassist Ben Krahl (FINAL KINGS) joined the fold, to be followed by Patrick Hagmann on third guitar and synths.

PIGEON TOE played several shows in 2010 and 2011 with such acts as KARNIVOOL and LONG DISTANCE CALLING, whom they supported on their "Into The Black Wide Open" tour through Germany and Switzerland.

PIGEON TOE is:

Martin Fischer (Marsn) - Guitar/Vocals
Hans Fischer (Hanson) - Guitar/Vocals
Norman Lonhard - Drums
Patrick Hagmann - Guitar/Synths
Ben Krahl - Bass