The deluxe-edition version of VAN HALEN's much-anticipated new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", will contain a bonus DVD featuring four brand new acoustic-performance videos titled "The Downtown Sessions" including the songs "Panama", "You And Your Blues", "You Really Got Me" and "Beautiful Girls".

"A Different Kind Of Truth" track listing:

01. Tattoo
02. She's The Woman
03. You and Your Blues
04. China Town
05. Blood and Fire
06. Bullethead
07. As Is
08. Honeybabysweetiedoll
09. The Trouble With Never
10. Outta Space
11. Stay Frosty
12. Big River
13. Beats Workin'

A "You Really Got Me" performance clip from "The Downtown Sessions", shot at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, can be seen below.

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

The album's first single, "Tattoo", came out 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 last week 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.

The official lyric video for "Monarchy", the first single from STAR MONARCHY, the new project launched by bassist Ray Riendeau (HALFORD, JAMES LABRIE), can be seen below.

The track, which was mixed and mastered by Derek Taylor at Milo studios in Texas, features the following musicians:

* Dan Tompkins (TESSERACT) - Vocals
* Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) - Guitar
* Danny Handler (THE BETTER DEATH) - Drums
* Ray Riendeau (HALFORD, JAMES LABRIE) - Bass, Guitar

"Monarchy" comes off STAR MONARCHY's forthcoming debut album, "Volume 1", which will feature songs written by Ray and some collaborations with other artists. It is being recorded by an ongoing cast of players/singers in various metal genres.

"Volume 1" will feature the following musicians:

* Ray Riendeau (JAMES LABRIE, HALFORD) - Bass
* Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) - Guitar
* Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) - Vocals
* Dan Tompkins (TESSERACT) - Vocals
* Rody Walker (PROTEST THE HERO) - Vocals
* Danny Handler (THE BETTER DEATH) - Drums
* Peter Wildoer (DARKANE, JAMES LABRIE) - Drums
* Travis Orbin (PERIPHERY, SKY EATS AIRPLANE) - Drums
* Alex Rudinger (THREAT SIGNAL) – Drums
* Hannes Grossmann (OBSCURA, BLOTTED SCIENCE) - Drums
* Sean Dailey (THE BETTER DEATH) - Vocals
* Derek Taylor (STARA ZAGORA) - Guitar
* Thomas Pulda (ANOMALY) - Screams

MASSACRE, the resurrected 1990s Florida-based death metal band featuring Terry Butler (DEATH, MASSACRE, SIX FEET UNDER, DENIAL FIEND, OBITUARY) and Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo (MANTAS, DEATH, MASSACRE, M INC.), played a brand new song, "Succumb To Rapture", for the first time during the group's January 14 headlining concert at The Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida.

Video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of Brutal Broadcast).

The Brass Mug show marked the first-ever appearance by MASSACRE's new lineup, which consists of Terry Butler (bass; DEATH, MASSACRE, SIX FEET UNDER, DENIAL FIEND, OBITUARY) and Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo (guitar; MANTAS, DEATH, MASSACRE, M INC.) alongside the band's latest additions, Mike Mazzonetto (drums; M INC., PAIN PRINCIPLE) and Ed Webb (vocals; DIABOLIC, GENERICHRIST, DESTINED TO RUIN).

MASSACRE recently canceled its European tour in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the band's classic "From Beyond" album. Dubbed "Army Of Darkness", the trek was slated to take place in January/February 2012 and was supposed to feature additional performances from MACABRE and MASTER.

"From Beyond" was recently reissued as a limited-edition digipak CD via Earache Records.The long-out-of-print album was made available on CD with four bonus EP tracks and comes housed in a digipak with extended artwork and a fold-out poster.

MASSACRE's current touring lineup is as follows:

* Mike Mazzonetto (M INC., PAIN PRINCIPLE) - Drums
* Ed Webb (DIABOLIC, GENERICHRIST, DESTINED TO RUIN) - Vocals
* Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo – Guitar
* Terry Butler - Bass

A different version of MASSACRE — consisting of DENIAL FIEND members Sam Williams (guitar), Curt Beeson (drums; NASTY SAVAGE), along with Terry Butler, Steve Swanson (guitar) and Kam Lee (vocals; MASSACRE, DEATH, MANTAS) — completed a European tour in late 2007.

Legendary U.S. metal band RIOT played its first show without founding guitarist Mark Reale last night (Wednesday, January 18) at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Reale was admitted to a San Antonio hospital last week in critical condition due to complications of Crohn's disease — an ailment he has battled for most of his life.

The band earlier in the week released the following update on his condition:

"Due to complications arising from treatment for Mark's illness, he remains hospitalized in San Antonio and will not be healthy enough to appear as scheduled.

"Mike [Flyntz, guitar], Tony [Moore, vocals], Bobby [Jarzombek, drums] and Don [Van Stavern, bass] have, at the strong urging of Mark's family, decided to perform the shows without Mark on guitar.

"We are receiving updates on his condition several times daily, and Mark is currently undergoing procedures to stabilize him. His father, in addition to several dedicated friends of the band and the family, are at Mark's side constantly as doctors work to restore him to health. In accordance with the family's wishes, no further details are being released at this time.

"While we are saddened by these developments, RIOT's music has been Mark's lifeblood for over 30 years. We have struggled with idea of performing without him, and we are continuing to prepare with heavy hearts, but the entire RIOT organization has agreed on the importance of bringing our music to the fans who have supported us for so long.

"Thank you for continuing to support RIOT during this difficult time, and we will see you at the shows."

Remaining RIOT shows (to be played without Mark Reale):

Jan. 19 - West Springfield, VA – Jaxx
Jan. 20 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
Jan. 23-27 - Miami, FL - 70,000 Tons Of Metal

Mark has been battling Crohn's for most of his life, working and performing while enduring almost constant pain and the side effects of treatment for his illness. 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 he was unable to perform.

In the annals of rock history, Tommy Bolin occupied a brief, but shining stint as a brilliant guitarist who wowed those in the know with his mastery of many genres —rock, fusion, funk, reggae and heavy metal among others. Along with a much-lauded solo career that, pushed the boundaries of rock/jazz fusion, Bolin played with THE JAMES GANG and DEEP PURPLE, which set him up for major solo guitar stardom which was cut short by his untimely death in 1976.

Not to be overlooked, there's been much written about the guitar wunderkind and now a top notch roster of players have signed on to pay tribute to Bolin on "Great Gypsy Soul". Produced by Greg Hampton and Warren Haynes, it's a remarkable project that brings together major players who actually perform alongside Tommy Bolin's playing and vocals from the recording outtakes to his solo debut album "Teaser". Peter Frampton, Warren Haynes (a key supporter of the project), Nels Cline, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Brad Whitford, Joe Bonamassa, John Scofield, Derek Trucks, Glenn Hughes and Myles Kennedy all contribute to this amazing project.

"Great Gypsy Soul" will be released on 429 Records on March 27 in both a single CD format and double CD with bonus tracks. A series of promotional concerts are also in the works.

Tommy Bolin was the quintessential guitar prodigy who focused his talents within the burgeoning rock/metal scenes of the early '70s as well as mastered a highly lauded jazz fusion technique, catching the attention of rock tastemakers and guitar legend peers. It was just a matter of time before Bolin was making a name for himself playing on projects as diverse as Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" project (considered one of the great jazz fusion recordings of all time), replacing Joe Walsh in THE JAMES GANG, playing session work on seminal fusion projects by MOXY and ALPHONSE MOUZON, to replacing Ritchie Blackmore in DEEP PURPLE. With the release of his second solo album, "Private Eyes", what should have been a red letter moment for Bolin, opening up for Jeff Beck in Miami, sadly turned tragic as Bolin was found dead of an overdose shortly after the gig.

Says Warren Haynes: "Many of the guests added after the fact have a close personal connection to Tommy — all share in acknowledging his place in rock history. Watching (and hearing) it all come to fruition some 35 years later was a journey of its own — well worth the travel."

"Great Gypsy Soul" track listing:

Disc 1

01. The Grind (w/ Peter Frampton)
02. Teaser (w/ Warren Haynes)
03. Dreamer (w/ Myles Kennedy and Nels Cline)
04. Savannah Woman (w/ John Scofield)
05. Smooth Fandango (w/ Derek Trucks)
06. People People (w/ Big Sugar and Gordie Johnson)
07. Wild Dogs (w/ Brad Whitford)
08. Homeward Strut (w/ Steve Lukather)
09. Sugar Shack (w/ Glenn Hughes and Sonny Landreth)
10. Crazed Fandango (w/ Steve Morse)
11. Lotus (w/ Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Huges and Nels Cline)

Disc 2 Bonus CD

01. Flying Fingers (w/ Oz Noy and Nels Cline)
02. Marching Bag - Movement One (w/ Nels Cline, Bolin, Greg Hampton, John Scofield, Sonny Landreth)
03. Marching Bag - Movement Two (w/ Nels Cline, Bolin, Steve Lukather, Derek Trucks, Peter Frampton)
04. Marching Bag - Movement Three (w/ Gordie Johnson, Bolin, Nels Cline, Oz Noy, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Joe Bonamassa)
05. Marching Bag - Movement Four (w/ Nels Cline, Bolin, Warren Haynes, Joe Bonamassa, Oz Noy, Brad Whitford, Peter Frampton)

For more information, visit www.429records.com.

Vocalist Morean of German black metallers DARK FORTRESS makes a guest appearance in the song "Drown Them Back To Sleep" by Bosnian folk/black metal band SILENT KINGDOM. The track, which also features a guest guitar solo from Pavel Jerabek from Czech progressive metallers EDAIN, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

"Drown Them Back To Sleep" comes off SILENT KINGDOM's fourth full-length album, "Path to Oblivion", which was released on December 3, 2011 through independent record labels Zero Budget Productions and Raptures Asylum.

SILENT KINGDOM is:

Amir Hadžic – Vocals, Guitar
Edin Cehovic - Guitar
Emir Cehovic - Bass
Stefan Komljenovic - Drums
Amir Cefo - Keyboards

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/SilentKingdomOfficial.

Century Media Records has announced the signing of FOZZY, the band featuring WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho and STUCK MOJO mastermind Rich "The Duke" Ward.

FOZZY was formed a decade ago out of a passion for hard rock and heavy metal and has transformed into one of North America's most electrifying bands.

"We are so excited and honored to be part of the Century Media family," says Jericho, an entertainment icon who has achieved legendary status as one of the WWE's most acclaimed superstars, penned two New York Times best-selling autobiographies, and was a finalist on ABC's hit television show "Dancing With The Stars" in 2011. "FOZZY finally has a record company with the firepower and worldwide influence we need and deserve to rise to the next level — Century Media is the perfect home for FOZZY, and we are stoked to release the masterpiece album of our career and conquer the world... and elsewhere!"

Chris Jericho will discuss FOZZY's signing to Century Media Records tomorrow morning (Thursday, January 19) at 9 a.m. PST (Thursday, January 19, 2011) on the legendary Los Angeles radio station 95.5 KLOS, where he'll appear live on the "Mark And Brian Show". To listen live on the Internet from around the world, click here.

"There are very few musicians I respect more than Rich Ward, and I couldn't be prouder of bringing him home to Century Media Records, the label that introduced me to STUCK MOJO in 1995," says Century Media Records product manager Paul Gargano. "Chris is one of the most captivating entertainers and electrifying frontmen I know, and FOZZY have emerged as one of the best-kept secrets in hard rock and metal over the years — now it's time to let the secret out..."

"Shortly after my 12th birthday, while air-guitaring to IRON MAIDEN, I decided that when I grew up, I wanted to 'pay my bills' by playing guitar," says Ward. "In 1995, Century Media Records allowed this seemingly unreachable goal to become a reality with my band STUCK MOJO. When that relationship came to an end in 2001, I continued making and releasing music with several different bands, through several different record companies. There was only one common thread in all my experiences with these other organizations — I wished they were more like Century Media."

"The truth is, like any 'first' relationship, it's tough to get a real perspective of how good it really is until you've had other relationships to compare it to. After having lots of opportunities to gain some perspective, I am honored to return to Century Media Records as they become the home for FOZZY's music. I'm so grateful to be able to play music for a living, and it is a privilege to continue my career with the label that gave me my start."

FOZZY recently parted ways with bassist Sean Delson and replaced him with Paul DiLeo (ADRENALINE MOB).

FOZZY released the "Remains Alive & Chasing The Grail" two-CD set on July 18, 2011 via Edel's international rock label earMUSIC.

FOZZY was already on the map as the band with the pro wrestler singer, but "Chasing The Grail" broke them as a proper band. It hit #6 on the U.S. Heatseekers charts and the single "Martyr No More" was a theme song for the WWE Royal Rumble. "Remains Alive" is a 2005 live album (recorded in Australia) that was previously available in digital format only.

FOZZY's latest album, "Chasing The Grail", sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 6 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.

Finnish extreme metal non-profit Blood Music has announced an incredibly long-overdue vinyl worship session of every last bit of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's music one could ever ask for.

The monstrous limited edition 7xLP box set discography will contain all five STRAPPING YOUNG LAD full-lengths, as well as extra vinyl dedicated to the band's non-album material, plus other special gifts yet to be announced.

The genre-busting Canadian industrial/death band has never seen their seminal albums "Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing", "SYL" nor "The New Black" touch wax before. Their other two records — "City" and "Alien" — were pressed in ultra-limited numbers of 500 copies only and sold out within months of their release.

The massive box set is slated for a late 2012/early 2013 release.

Blood Music is a Finnish non-profit, whose mission is the anthropological preservation of extreme metal culture. They were formed in an attic in Tampere, Finland in early 2011. Their first action was a MAUDLIN OF THE WELL vinyl box set. MAUDLIN OF THE WELL had been attempting a vinyl release for nearly 10 years. This sold out within a month of release. Their future actions include in-house documentary productions on the subject of metal, fund-raising and grant-making for writers, and local extreme metal workshops in Helsinki. They have an in-house vinyl division for releasing classic/rare albums that have not seen the proper light-of-day on wax, which includes a full slate of releases for 2012, which will be rolled out throughout the year.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD was a heavily-loved Canadian extreme metal band who genre-bent from progressive death to industrial metal in the blink of an eye. They are most well-known for their unique leader, Devin Townsend, whose dark lyrical humor and insane stage antics catapulted them into every '90s high school metalhead's dreams. Townsend has gone on to further acclaim in his solo act, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT.

For more information, visit www.blood-music.com.

Solid State Records has announced the signing of Arkansas road warriors THE OVERSEER. The surging hard rock outfit has been dominating the Southern underground circuit as of late with a relentless touring schedule and a rousing catalog of pummeling riffage, savage breakdowns and vocal cord-rupturing vocals. Inspired by bands like THRICE and UNDEROATH, THE OVERSEER has three goals with its music: to elevate, to transport the listener to a place that's emotionally honest ... and to stir up one hell of a mess in the moshpit.

All of those elements are on full display in the band's debut single "Secrets", available for download on iTunes. The song is the first taste of THE OVERSEER's as-yet-untitled debut album, being recorded now in Atlanta's Glow In The Dark Studios.

"Everyone almost always has a secret or something to hide, and it eats you up inside," says vocalist Anthony Rivera of "Secrets". "The best thing to do is to let it out — to 'come clean,' as the end of the song proclaims. The song is a good blend of our heavier side, which is everyone's initial take on the band, and a bit of our softer side which I feel really bleeds out well in our upcoming debut record!"

Proving they've got the work ethic to back up their talent, THE OVERSEER have spent 400 days over the last two years touring as an unsigned band and winning over the fans the good, old-fashioned way: by playing their hearts out and grabbing listeners by the throat with an artful brand of dynamic, hard-hitting rock. It's been a fruitful run for THE OVERSEER — if not always glamorous. “There's really nothing like sleeping in a van in a different Walmart parking lot every night and showering once a week — or less,” laughs bassist Bradley Riggs.

The sacrifices paid off when the band achieved one of the goals the members had set from the beginning — getting signed to Solid State Records.

"Growing up, I would buy any record they put out and was never disappointed," vocalist Anthony Rivera says of his new label home. "Signing with them has been a dream come true."

"THE OVERSEER'S commitment to touring and their exciting live shows over the past couple years made them stand out to me," says Solid State A&R rep Adam Skatula. "They're able to stay on the road all year, and the energy in the room when they play is truly remarkable. After hearing the first few tracks from their debut record, we're extremely proud to have them be a part of the Solid State family."

The ANTHRAX "Icon" compilation (Island/UMe) sold 64 copies (not a typo) in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The aptly named "Icon" series from Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) launched in August 31, 2010, with releases from 30 major artists spanning rock, pop, R&B and country. The albums feature "the greatest hits, signature tunes and fan favorites of the most popular artists in music history" and promise to offer "unprecedented value to consumers."

Each album, at a "great price," includes roughly a dozen hit tracks.

Released on January 10, 2012, the ANTHRAX "Icon" compilation features the following songs:

01. Madhouse
02. A.I.R.
03. Armed And Dangerous
04. I Am The Law
05. Indians
06. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
07. Antisocial
08. Got The Time
09. Belly Of The Beast
10. Bring The Noise
11. I'm The Man 91

Check out the cover artwork below.

ANTHRAX's new album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

Jimmy DeGrasso (ALICE COOPER, MEGADETH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, Y&T) laid down the drums tracks on "Evil Abounds", the new album from the Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based band THE WORSHYP. The CD, which will be released later in the year, was produced by Glen Robinson, who has previously worked with VOIVOD, GWAR and ANNIHILATOR, among others.

THE WORSHYP founder Marz Nova named the band as a salute to how heavy metal fans love, and almost worship, their music as if it were a religion to them. The name has no ties to any real organized religion.

In the spring of 2010 Marz recruited Danish guitarist Thor Rune and Peruvian musicians Mig Diablo (bass) and KK Devina (drums), both of whom have played with former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Di'Anno.

THE WORSHYP's sound is based on strong vocal melodies over driving guitar riffs set to today's lower tunings.

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor is the latest rocker to collaborate with Dave Grohl on an as-yet-undisclosed new project. Taylor tweeted his excitement last night, writing, "HUGE checks off the Bucket List today — did a song with Dave Grohl and Butch Vig. Do the words 'holy shit' say enough about it?!?"

RATT vocalist Stephen Pearcy and lead guitarist Warren DeMartini recently also revealed plans to record a song for the project headed up by the former NIRVANA drummer and current FOO FIGHTERS frontman. Pearcy stated, "Warren and I are recording an original song for a project for Dave. He's way cool and we're ready to go. . . We'll let [Dave] tell you about when he's ready, kidz. [It's not a track] for a RATT record."

Butch Vig produced NIRVANA's landmark 1991 album "Nevermind", on which Grohl made his debut with that group. Vig also helmed the latest FOO FIGHTERS album, "Wasting Light".

In a 2006 interview, Corey was asked which other musical figures he identified with. "I probably identify the most with people like Dave Grohl, who is such a cool dude, so down to earth and probably one of the funniest cats on the planet," Taylor said. "He's just so approachable and yet has done so much. I really, really dig that."

Chicago heavy rockers SOIL have confirmed the beginning of a series of U.S. dates to follow up their hugely successful sold-out 2011 U.K. tour. The band's current lineup consists of founding members Ryan McCombs (vocals; ex-DROWNING POOL), Tim King (bass) and Adam Zadel (guitar) alongside former STAIND drummer Jon Wysocki.

"We had such a good time on the U.K. run that we wanted to keep the party going with some regional dates in our area," states Zadel. "These will be some up close and personal shows to give everyone a taste of what's to come."

In other news, SOIL will release its first-ever DVD, entitled "Re-LIVE-Ing The Scars", on April 10 via Bieler Bros. Records. The two-disc set, which was recorded live on October 14, 2011 at Electric Ballroom in London, England, features the band's current lineup and will also include a live CD version and over one hour of backstage and behind-the-scenes bonus footage.

Confirmed 2012 U.S. dates:

Feb. 09 - Planet Live Music - Battle Creek, MI
Feb. 10 - Another Hole In The Wall - Steger, IL
Feb. 11 - Spicoli's - Waterloo, IA
Feb. 12 - Rural Oaks - Ottawa, IL
Feb. 23 - Offside Bar - Woodstock, IL
Feb. 24 - Back Bar - Janesville, WI
Feb. 25 - Bar 3 - Rockford, IL

The 10th-anniversary edition of SOIL's breakthrough album "Scars" — featuring the hits "Halo" and "Unreal" — was made available digitally on October 10 through Sony Music. The release features the rare B-side "Center" and the previously unreleased track "Damaged You" from the "Scars" recording sessions.

Fan-filmed footage (October 14, 2011 at Electric Ballroom in London, England):

QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate made a surprise appearance at James Durbin's wedding reception on New Year's Eve, launching into a duet with Durbin of QUEENSRŸCHE's1984 classic "Take Hold Of The Flame". The song is a favorite of Durbin and his new bride Heidi Lowe. You can now watch video footage of their performance at RevolverMag.com.

Durbin, who turned 23 on January 6, was the token "rocker" contestant of the 10th season of "American Idol" last year and had showcased his struggle as a musician diagnosed with Asperger and Tourette Syndrome. He released his first album, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster", on November 21.

Tate recently revealed plans for a selection of acoustic solo dates on the West Coast, billed as "Geoff Tate and Friends".

Portuguese gothic metallers MOONSPELL have set "Alpha Noir" as the title of their new album, due on April 27 via the band's new label home, Napalm Records.

Commented MOONSPELL frontman Fernando Ribeiro: "A true band has to have to a glorious past, a solid present and a bright future. More than that, a true band has to know how to live throughout all these seasons, dealing with their ghosts, their shadows, their aim at the light, moulding darkness with personality, with the impulse to be better, to do better while getting close to theirselves. Their true heart, soul and flesh.

"Never a MOONSPELL album came so close to be absolute like the new opus magna (masterpiece) 'Alpha Noir', scheduled to be proudly released by Napalm Records on April 27th, when spring racks through the wastes of winter, bursting new colours over familiar sights, once silent and white, now fiery under the blackest of suns.

"The concept of this new record, painstakingly composed by the Portuguese gothic metal knights over the past three years, after the public and critically acclaimed 'Night Eternal', is bulletproof. The band managed to split their heart and soul in half and the result is that they came even closer to themselves, the ambitious band they always were, with a undying wish not to claim any throne but to build their own ships that would take them and their fans to 'give new worlds to the world,' like in the age of discovery where the Portuguese were a leading force in the world.

"With their country drowned in a corrosive crisis, MOONSPELL filled their lungs with pride and created an incendiary album, with nine outbursts of their rockiest and thrashier riffs made superiorly dimensioned by the reindivictative lyrical content and songs structure that take you by storm from the first listen on. MOONSPELL has tapped a notch into their energy filled gothic metal by adding a guitar wall forjed by timeless artists like BATHORY, KING DIAMOND or in a twist ofthe knive to old thrash metal legends like ONSLAUGHT, METALLICA early works or even TESTAMENT and ARTILLERY, making 'Alpha Noir' a truly surpring and fresh record where all the songs have a climax effect about them, an high tension charm that will for sure electricize audiences when played on a stage.

"Songs like the title track ('Alpha Noir'), the infectious 'Versus', the wolf hymn 'Lickanthrope' or the Portuguese sung 'Em Nome Do Medo' (In The Name Of Fear) and the closing epic 'Grandstand', might get you a welcoming chilling of the past but make no mistake: 'Alpha Noir' is a leap of faith and belief in their writing skills and progressive musicianship.

"Together with 'Alpha Noir' packed in a deluxe and special edition on digipack, MOONSPELL and Napalm offers no live DVD, making-of or any kind of filler. Instead they put in the table another offerend: 'Ómega White', the musical twin of 'Alpha Noir', a collection of eight songs of pure atmosphere and shadow, close to their breakthrough album 'Irreligious', in a just homage to their TYPE O NEGATIVE and SISTERS OF MERCY roots. Tracks like the erotic 'Herodisiac', the catchy 'White Skies' or the heartbreaking 'Whiteomega' will for sure keep you in dark company through a night of fear and loss, both soothing and provoking.

"Both masterpieces were produced and mixed by Tue Madsen, pre-produced by Benny Richter.

"Each song a jewel, each song a stronghold!

"Keep your watch and do not miss this new MOONSPELL record, for it is a true mortal sin to stay away from these eighty minutes of music, beautifully and violently craved by one of the most legendary and imaginative bands ever to surface the European scene. Do not forget to get your hands on this masterpiece and to watch the band live in the summer festivals around Europe. 'Alpha Noir'/'Ómega White' will also be played in their entirety in Lisbon's Campo Pequeno, that holds 5,000 fans, in their homeland Portugal in the most daring stage set and visuals the band has ever tried."

MOONSPELL released a DVD, "Lusitanian Metal", in December 2008 in Europe via Century Media Records.

The band's latest album, "Night Eternal", entered the national chart in Portugal at No. 3 and in Germany at No. 62. The follow-up to 2006's "Memorial" was recorded at Antfarm studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, HALFORD).

Austria's pride and joy - and Side-Line darlings - L'Ame Immortelle have started the club promotion for their new single "Banish". A first listening impression of the song can be found here or right after the jump.

The band also announced the video trailer for the song "Wie Traenen im Regen" which was shot by director Carlo Roberti (Solobuio Visual Factory) in Rome last December. You can view it here or - indeed - right after the jump!

Out on January 27th, 2012 is the band's new studio album "Momente". Be sure to also note that on April 27th, 2012, a very special L'Ame Immortelle surprise will see the light of day.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, organizers of England's Download festival are saying that BLACK SABBATH still intends to perform at the event, scheduled for June 8-10, despite guitarist Tony Iommi's cancer diagnosis.

SABBATH was reportedly also slated to play at this April's Coachella festival in California, but pulled out of that show one day before its lineup was announced when Iommi's illness was revealed.

Download organizer Andy Copping said, "I've been told that BLACK SABBATH are going to be playing Download. I don't want people to worry unduly about that, we should all just send our thoughts and best wishes to Tony Iommi."

Other acts on the bill include METALLICA, SOUNDGARDEN, THE PRODIGY, ANTHRAX, LAMB OF GOD, UGLY KID JOE and more.

Iommi told The Pulse Of Radio that ever since re-learning how to play guitar after severing two fingertips as a teenager, he's always been determined to fight his way through anything. "I've always been the same," he said. "I always have to try to get over that barrier, whatever it may be, and do it, you know. And that's continued in what I do with the music. People have said over the years, 'Well, why do you still keep playing and why do you still hold BLACK SABBATH together through the different lineups?' Because I'm determined to do it, I'm determined to carry on. And it's been with everything like that."

Iommi's bandmate in SABBATH and HEAVEN & HELL, legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, died of stomach cancer in May 2010 at the age of 67.

French progressive technical death metallers GOROD have inked a deal with Listenable Records. The band's fourth full-length album, "A Perfect Absolution", will be released in March. The CD was mixed by producer Frédéric "Elmobo" Motte, who oversaw the recording of the drums, bass and vocals, while all guitars were tracked by GOROD's mastermind Matthieu Pascal at his Bud Records Studio. The mix and the mastering were done at Elmobo's Conkrete Studio by Pascal and Elmobo.

The lyrical concept of "A Perfect Absolution" is based on the history of Kievan Rus during the 10th century.

In the year 945, Igor, King of Kiev, was killed while collecting a "tribute" when he visited a neighbor pagan tribe (the Derevlians) who lives in the forest. He left a widow, Olga, who avenged him in an extremely harsh manner before converting to Orthodox Christianity.

"A Perfect Absolution" features guest guitar solos by Christian Muenzner (OBSCURA) and Mike Keene (THE FACELESS).

GOROD will join OBSCURA for the "Omnivium Europe 2012" tour in March/April. Also appearing on the bill are SPAWN OF POSSESSION and EXIVIOUS.

GOROD's latest full-length album, "Process Of A New Decline", came out in 2009 via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Leading Vision" marked the recording debut of GOROD's new drummer, Samuel Santiago.

GOROD's "Transcendence" EP came out last spring. The disc included a 15-minute-long new song, one acoustic track, a CYNIC cover and two re-recorded songs from the band's first two albums.

THIS ENDING, the Swedish death metal band featuring AMON AMARTH drummer Fredrik Andersson, has completed work on a new three-song EP titled "Systematic Worship". The effort was recorded during late 2011 at guitarist Linus Nirbrant's studio Audiohammer, which the band calls "an environment where we are used to rehearse, so it's been the most natural and organic recording for us. This has allowed us to not only deliver more of the same THIS ENDING that our fans have come to appreciate, but also experiment with some new stuff that we hope you'll enjoy as well."

"Systematic Worship" will be released on all official web pages in digital format one song at a time, starting in a matter of days.

"Systematic Worship" track listing

01. Our Creation
02. Army Of (N)one
03. No More Silence

The song "Army Of (N)one" can now be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

THIS ENDING's second album, "Dead Harvest", was released in January 2009 via Metal Blade Records.

THIS ENDING is:

Mårten Hansen - vocals
Leo Pignon - guitar
Linus Nirbrant - guitar
Jesper Löfgren - bass
Fredrik Andersson – drums

Formed in 2005, THIS ENDING existed in a previous incarnation as A CANOROUS QUINTET. After several years of absence from the metal scene the guys decided that the time was right for a new era. Members of the band are/have been active in the following acts: AMON AMARTH, GUIDANCE OF SIN, NIDEN DIV. 187 and SINS OF OMISSION, among others.

"Army Of (N)one" audio stream:

In October of last year, Swedish death metal veterans UNCANNY entered the studio to record two new songs for a seven-inch single, to be released in late January through Dark Descent Records. One of these tracks, "The Path of Flesh" — which marks the first new material from UNCANNY since 1994's "Splenium For Nyktophobia" album — is now available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

UNCANNY is:

Jens Törnroos - Vocals
Fredrik Norrman - Guitars
Kennet Englund - Drums
Johan Jansson - Guitars
Mattias Norrman - Bass

Formed in Sweden in 1990, UNCANNY recorded two demos (1991's "Transportation To The Uncanny" and 1992's "Nyktalgia"), a split release in 1993 with ANCIENT RITES and one full-length album (the aforementioned "Splenium For Nyktophobia"). Last year, Dark Descent Records released all one and a half hours of this classic-era Swedish death metal together on one double-disc package. Like the limited run 3LP UNCANNY box set released by The Crypt in 2010, this 2CD is titled "MCMXCI - MCMXCIV" and features original artwork from "Splenium For Nyktophobia" as well as artwork from the demo era.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/uncanny666.

Canadian metal legends ANVIL have recruited Sal Italiano (pictured below), a member of the Long Island, New York IRON MAIDEN tribute band LIVE AFTER DEATH and original progressive metal act THE NIGHTMARE STAGE, as well as a former member of the acclaimed '80s heavy metal group CITIES, as their new touring bassist.

ANVIL's longtime bassist Glenn Gyorffy (a.k.a. Glenn Five or G5) announced his departure from the band two days ago, citing creative differences.

Glenn Five joined ANVIL in 1996 and has appeared on seven of the band's albums, including "This Is Thirteen" and the group's latest release, "Juggernaut Of Justice", on which he wrote and sang the song "This Ride".

Commented Glenn: "Playing in ANVIL has given me some of the best years of my life. However, after nearly 16 years with the band, the time has come to move on and try new musical endeavors. Although ANVIL has been a great band to play in, I have been limited creatively. I have a wide taste in music and I feel that it’s time to broaden my horizons."

Speaking to Metal Shock Finland about Glenn's exit and Italiano's addition to ANVIL, guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow said, "We hired an old friend to do the tour and are currently working with a new, improved bassist. There was no major issue in fixing this at all and in fact everything was sorted out within a few hours of Glenn departing. Glenn tried to make it difficult by leaving without proper notice but we've been preparing for this for quite sometime. This did end up for the better as it is a huge improvement with our new guy both musically as well as personally."

The End Records celebrated ANVIL's career with "Monument Of Metal: The Very Best Of Anvil", a 19-track career retrospective that will earn "must-own" and "must-hear" status for fans both fans new and old.

Released on September 27, 2011, this set collects choice cuts from ANVIL's career and the track listing was hand-selected by the members of ANVIL and spans their three-decade career. It is designed to show you why the aforementioned likes of GUNS 'N ROSES, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD, ANTHRAX, SLAYER and more have praised ANVIL as pioneers and way pavers in the heavy metal world. It's a retrospective spanning the band's entire iconic career and a comprehensive heavy metal history lesson captured on record.

ANVIL's latest album, "Juggernaut Of Justice", was released in Europe on June 20, 2011 (three days earlier in Germany) via SPV/Steamhammer. The effort was made available as a limited-edition digipak (including two bonus tracks), double gatefold LP in blue vinyl, standard version and a digital download.

"Juggernaut Of Justice" sold around 1,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 12 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.

A four-and-a-half-minute audio preview of the as-yet-untitled new album from Italian metallers MURDER THERAPY is available in the YouTube clip below. The follow-up to last year's "Molochian" EP was recorded at Regrexion Studios in Bologna and mixed/mastered at Studio73 (EPHEL DUATH, AT THE SOUNDAWN, THE SECRET, EXTREMA). The band is currently seeking a suitable label to release the effort.

MURDER THERAPY is:

Sean Worrell - Guitar, Vocals
Francesco D'Adamo - Guitar
Andrea Burgio - Bass
Marco Bolognini - Drums

SPIN.com is currently streaming "Dark Adrenaline", the new album from the Italian rock/metal band LACUNA COIL. It is also available below. Due in North America on January 24 via Century Media Records, the CD was helmed by acclaimed producer Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and "promises to deliver the melodic, sensual, metallic rush for which the band has come to be known," according to a press release.

Fans both old and new will have a variety of options to choose from, as "Dark Adrenaline" will be released in numerous 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 will feature exclusive artwork designed by the band and will be limited to 3,000 units. The Hastings edition will feature a bonus 10-track LACUNA COIL sampler, and the Amazon digital edition comes with a free five-track sampler. Finally, for true fans of the band, is the "Darkest Adrenaline" box set, which 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.

"Dark Adrenaline" track listing:

01. Trip The Darkness
02. Against You
03. Kill The Light
04. Give Me Something More
05. Upsidedown
06. End Of Time
07. I Don't Believe In Tomorrow
08. Intoxicated
09. The Army Inside
10. Losing My Religion
11. Fire
12. My Spirit

The "Trip The Darkness" video can be seen below. The visually stunning performance clip was directed by Sitcom Soldiers (FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, THE BLACKOUT).

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia stated about "Dark Adrenaline", "I really feel that it is really, really a good album with good songs. I think that it totally captures the essence of LACUNA COIL because it's definitely a mixture of our roots and something completely new. We never repeated ourself with any album, but this one, it's a perfect balance between the old stuff and the new. And the new stuff, it's more obscure than the usual. It's definitely heavier — the sound is way heavier than we did before. A lot of people will be surprised. I think so. . . I believe that, you know, it's something that they don't really expect from us. They probably expect us to go, I don't know, more melodic and mellow and actually this is not the direction we are taking. [Laughs] We're kind of getting heavier while everybody else is getting mellower. [Laughs]"

When asked if she and her bandmates had specific aims when they went into the studio, Cristina said, "No, not really, because I think that when you are writing songs, it's not about what you want to achieve. You just go with the flow and you just like what you hear. And if you like something, you just, like, work on it. I don't think it would make sense for us just to think about a song or like, Oh, the album is going to sound like that. That wouldn't be honest and that wouldn't be hard, you know? Of course, you kind of know what you want to do, just because you know that's your taste, but you don't really know what's gonna be the final result. You just, you know, put down layers and layers and layers and layers, and then you just hear the result at the very end. Actually, after the mixing you're just like, Oh, wow! [Laughs] It's hard to see things, you know. You just kind of draw the image of what you think it's gonna be, but you don't really know what's gonna be in the end."

In 2007, Uli Jon Roth conduceted his Sky Academy in Hollywood, California. Two concerts highlighted the week-long event. Soon after, many recordings of the show surfaced. Combining these sources, Uli and his team were able to capture the magic of one of these nights.

"Live In Hollywood" is an NTSC-only DVD which contains footage of Uli playing material from the SCORPIONS, solo and ELECTRIC SUN. This is a very limited pressing and is only being made available for Uli's North American tour in January and February. Once sold out, it will not be pressed again.

"Live In Hollywood" track listing:

01. Intro Jam
02. Firewind
03. Land Of Dawn
04. We'll Burn The Sky
05. Fly To The Rainbow
06. Pictured Life
07. In Trance
08. Polar Nights
09. Going Down
10. Sails Of Charon
11. Catch Your Train

To order a copy, go to this location (scroll down).

Sky Academy was conceived by Uli to provide knowledge and inspiration to those who take guitar seriously and to help them reach a new plateau.

The seminars are designed to open people's eyes to new possibilities and to trigger an awakening of the student's full awareness.

The philosophy and approach of Sky Academy is consistent with the ideals of its founder.

The teaching center on achieving the student's transition to a noticeably higher level of ability. This includes raising their general and specific musical awareness, as well as facilitating an increase in their technical abilities. The participants are able to receive invaluable direct insights into the way Uli approaches the art of guitar playing, as well as concerning his philosophy of music in general.

IRON MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson, who is a licensed commercial pilot, has set up a state-of the-art Boeing 737 flight simulator at London's Heathrow Airport and is holding training sessions for members of the Iron Maiden Fan Club.

New footage from some of last month's training sessions can now be seen below.

After the success of the first Bruce Air Flight 666 Experience, fan have another chance to fly Bruce Air in a state-of-the-art full motion 737 flight simulator with personal instruction from Bruce.

This full motion flight simulator has been purchased by Bruce and ex-Astraeus colleague Mario Fulgioni as part of their aviation business, training and checking pilots and crews from many airlines. In fact, Bruce did his own pilot training in a 737 simulator just like this one.

For those of you with good memories you might also recall that a 737 was the very first plane to bear the Bruce Air moniker when Flight 666 took its maiden voyage to Paris back in November 2003.

You will taxi the aeroplane around a major international airport, line up on the runway and perform the take off. If you're good enough, you'll do the landing too!

In between take off and landing, you will be shown the real performance capabilities of a modern airliner and experience the most advanced cockpit visuals.

You can book a slot and have an hour of Bruce's one-to-one tuition all to yourself, or you can split it between 2 or 3 of you and divide up the hour of flying time between you and your friends. Or if you just want to bring a couple of people to sit in the observers seats (directly behind the pilots seats), you can do that, too.

All participants will be given a personally signed commemorative Bruce Air Flight 666 certificate as a souvenir of their experience.

The Bruce Air Flight 666 Experience costs £666 + VAT (at 20%) for one hour of simulator time with Bruce.

For more information, visit www.bruceair.co.uk.

In a press release that was issued in November, Bruce commented, "I can't wait to sit in the simulator with fans and share the buzz of what it is really like to fly a modern passenger jet such as Flight 666 and all the challenges that entails."

Bruce Dickinson has a huge passion for flying — so much so that he is a commercial airline captain and a talented originator — devising an ingenious method of converting a Boeing 757 to allow him, the band, their crew and tons of equipment to tour three times around the world in their customised plane "Ed Force One", call sign "Flight 666".

Not content with just entertaining fans on the ground, Bruce then instigated a series of highly acclaimed "Bruce Air Flight 666" excursions, filling the plane with fans and personally flying them to and from various IRON MAIDEN concerts around Europe.

Dickinson told CNN.com in a 2007 interview, "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF. But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly so I said if a drummer can learn to fly then anyone can."

He added, "I never dreamed I would end up flying an airliner. I ended up flying IRON MAIDEN around on tour in a little eight-seat, pressurized, twin-engine plane. Basically we were flying round all the world's major airports, flew across the Atlantic and back, which was quite an adventure. At the end I thought I really want to fly something bigger, but I can't afford it — I can't buy my own 707. If I'm going to do that I have to get a job."

On how the thrill of piloting a 757 compares to taking to the stage with MAIDEN:

"It's a different kind of buzz. Obviously you aren't leaping around the flight deck yelling and screaming, but you have to manage situations... Flying at 35,000 feet is an internal thing, really. Whereas 35,000 people, that's just showing off."

On whether he will be hanging up his leopard-skin spandex forever:

"I could never contemplate giving up music. I have to say I've always been interested in planes, the only difference is I started to fly the darn things 15 years ago. I don't see why I should give up either of them. People say 'Why do you need a second job?' I say 'Why do you need to breathe?'"

Los Angeles-based goth-metallers VAMPIRES EVERWHERE! are preparing to enter the studio to begin recording their sophomore album, due later in the year via Hollywood Waste Records.

The band spent the last few months in pre-production for the CD, expanding its sound and adding a healthy dose of testosterone to its already aggressive musical foundation.

Commented VAMPIRES EVERWHERE! vocalist Michael Vampire: "We will be co-producing the record with Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker from Grammy-nominated alternative-metal band SPINESHANK and we couldn't be more pumped about it. We're changing it up a bit from the last album but our fans will still love it. The new record will be darker and more message-driven and will abandon ALL Auto-Tune effects! I want this record to have a '90s industrial shock rock feel with a mixture of 2012 technology. We plan on releasing the record around Vans Warped Tour. See you there!!"

VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!'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.

VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE lit the scene on fire with the release of the "Lost In The Shadows" EP. The band also completed tours across the nation with the likes of BLACK VEIL BRIDES, X JAPAN and ALESANA, among others.