Legendary rocker Alice Cooper has launched his very own theme park ride as part of this year's Halloween festivities in the U.S.

The rocker's very own ride, "Welcome To My Nightmare", is located at the Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles, California. The premise behind the attraction is its "spooky" maze which forms a major part of Universal Studios' Halloween extravaganza, running from September 23 to October 31. Universal Studios' creative director, John Murdy is delighted to work alongside Cooper to provide an exciting spectacle for Halloween. He said, "As a life-long Alice Cooper fan who's been motivated and inspired by his craft, I am absolutely thrilled by this incredible opportunity. It's a nightmare come true." Cooper was equally excited to endorse the Studios' new Halloween ride as part of his forthcoming album, "Welcome 2 My Nightmare". "[The ride] is a nightmare that will haunt visitors' dreams for a long time to come… [It's a] living horror movie, so there's no place more appropriate to offer a preview of the new record," said the 63-year-old singer.

Check out photos from USAToday.com.

Alice Cooper is also preparing to play a six-date tour of the U.K. as part of his "Halloween Night Of Fear" tour. Halloween continues to grow in popularity on the British Isles, with U.K. discount fancy dress costume retailer All Fancy Dress anticipating a fruitful October with Halloween Costumes and accessories in great demand for the thousands of parties held nationwide on October 31. As one of the U.K.'s leading online fancy dress retail outlets consumers can purchase online safe in the knowledge that almost every Halloween theme is covered by the good people at AFD for all ages and sizes.

The musical collaboration between Lou Reed and METALLICA, "Lulu", will be released on November 1 in North America via Warner Bros. Records and one day earlier (October 31) in the rest of the world through Universal Music. The CD was co-produced by Reed, METALLICA, Hal Willner — who has produced albums for Reed, Marianne Faithfull, and Laurie Anderson, among others — and Greg Fidelman. Fidelman also mixed the record.

"Lulu" final track listing:

01. Brandenburg Gate (4:19)
02. The View (5:17)
03. Pumping Blood (7:24)
04. Mistress Dread (6:52)
05. Iced Honey (4:36)
06. Cheat On Me (11:26)
07. Frustration (8:33)
08. Little Dog (8:01)
09. Dragon (11:08)
10. Junior Dad (19:28)

"Iced Honey" lyrics:

You can't put a butterfly in a jar
If the effort's too high no matter who you are
You can't catch the moon, or the sun or the stars
It doesn't matter who you are
Iced honey

Now me I've tried a million tricks
To make life cold and make it stick
Not running heat that flames then out
But the proud piece of ice that always floats
Iced honey

If I can't trap a butterfly or a bee
If I can't keep my heart where I want it to be
If no matter how much soul and heart
I put to the wood
If a flaming heart is not that good
Iced honey

If you can't put a butterfly in a jar
If violence mars your final hour
If you make others feel like jam
Poured on a piece of charbroiled lamb

If it's all mixed up and you cannot shout
And your oxygen starts to run out
If your final gasp has the recipe wrong
And instead of hello you say so long

If your energy starts to leak out
And people wonder what you're all about
A heartbreaker with an unattached heart
The story of love gives them all a start

And me, I've always been this way
Not by choice, just this way
I can't put my honey pot in a jar
Or a heart or a fist of some young boy

If you can't put a butterfly in a jar
No wonder no need to wonder where you are
It might seem like Hell, the river Styx
Your affection never sticks

No matter what you say, no matter what you do
A butterfly heart flies right past you
There's nothing to say, nothing to do
See if the ice will melt for you
Iced honey [End of lyrics]

The deluxe version of "Lulu", which will come in a tube-shaped container measuring 13 centimeters x 1.24 meters, will include the following:

* 2xCD digipack package
* A large 1.2 m x 1.6 m poster (with song lyrics)
* 3 photographs by Anton Corbijn (50 cm x 50.8 cm)

Check out photos of the "Lulu" deluxe edition below.

Stockholm, Sweden-based death/black metallers NECROPHOBIC have inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band, which was recently joined by guitarists Robert Sennebäck (DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED) and Fredrik Folkare (UNLEASHED), is currently writing material for its seventh album, tentatively due in late 2012.

NECROPHOBIC 2011 is:

Joakim Sterner - Drums
Tobias Sidegård - Vocals
Alexander Friberg - Bass
Robert Sennebäck - Guitar
Fredrik Folkare – Guitar

NECROPHOBIC will support MORBID ANGEL on the following European dates:

Nov. 19 - Weymouth (UK) Pavilion
Nov. 20 - Wolverhampton (UK) Slade Rooms
Nov. 21 - Sheffield (UK) Corporation
Nov. 22 - London (UK) 02 Islington Academy
Nov. 24 - Hannover (DE) Musikzentrum
Nov. 25 - Glauchau (DE) Alte Spinnerei
Nov. 27 - Budapest (HU) Club202
Nov. 29 - Zagreb (HR) Mocvara
Nov. 30 - Treviso (IT) New Age
Dec. 01 - Milano (IT) Magazzini Generali
Dec. 02 - Marseille (FR) Cabaret Aléatoire
Dec. 03 - Vevey (CH) Rocking Chair
Dec. 04 - Ludwigsburg (DE) Rockfabrik
Dec. 06 - Bratislava (SK) Majestic Music Club
Dec. 07 - Krakow (PL) Kwadrat
Dec. 08 - Warsaw (PL) Progresja
Dec. 11 - Pratteln (CH) Z7
Dec. 12 - München (DE) Backstage
Dec. 14 - Bochum (DE) Matrix
Dec. 15 - Antwerp (NL) Trix
Dec. 16 - Paris (FR) La Machine
Dec. 17 - Eindhoven (NL) Effenaar (Eindhoven Metal Meeting)
Dec. 18 - Saarbrücken (DE) Garage

Rody Walker (vocals; PROTEST THE HERO) and Travis Orbin (drums; ex-PERIPHERY, SKY EATS AIRPLANE) have been added to the list of musicians who will contribute to "Volume 1", the debut album from STAR MONARCHY, the new project launched by bassist Ray Riendeau (HALFORD, JAMES LABRIE). The release will feature songs written by Ray and some collaborations with other artists. It will be recorded by an ongoing cast of players/singers in various metal genres. Also scheduled to appear on "Volume 1" are Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) guitar, Dan Tompkins (TESSERACT) vocals and Peter Wildoer (DARKANE, JAMES LABRIE) drums. More players will be announced soon.

"Riot", a brand new song from the legendary U.S. metal band RIOT, was premiered on this weekend edition of Japan's "Power Rock Today" radio show, hosted by Masa Itoh. You can now listen to the track in the YouTube clip below. The song comes off the RIOT's new album, "Immortal Soul", which will be released on October 21 in Japan via Marquee/Avalon; October 26 in Scandinavia; October 28 in Germany; Austria and Switzerland; October 31 in the rest of Europe; and November 22 in the U.S. and Canada through Steamhammer/SPV. The effort will be available as a limited digipack with two bonus tracks, double gatefold LP (colored blue vinyl) and regular jewel case.

"Immortal Soul" track listing:

01. Riot
02. Still Your Man
03. Crawling
04. Wings Are For Angels
05. Fall Before Me
06. Sins Of The Father
07. Majestica
08. Immortal Soul
09. Insanity
10. Whiskey Man
11. Believe
12. Echoes

The artwork was created by the band's vocalist Tony Moore and can be seen below.

Sean Palmerston, who handles media relations for Sonic Unyon, the Hamilton, Ontaro, Canada label whose roster includes the heavy likes of UNTIMELY DEMISE, SACRIFICE and AUGURY, spoke to The Canadian Press about this week's announcement that a new category will be added to the Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) roster in 2012: "Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year", making a total of 41 categories up for grabs. The 41st annual Juno Awards will be held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 26 - April 1, 2012.

"It seems like these musicians are paying their dues, making great records and they definitely deserve at least a little bit of a tip of a hat of an award, just so people can recognize how great they are," said Palmerston, who began campaigning the academy about a year and a half ago, after struggling to find an appropriate category to submit an album by Quebec metal innovators VOIVOD.

"Hopefully it'll just make (fans) say, 'Hey, we have good metal bands in our own backyard.' ... I definitely think it's going to make people pay attention."

"People have always said to me, 'How come metal doesn't get celebrated the way that alternative does?"' he said.

"I think that Canada is ready for a metal category. I don't think it'll come as too much of a surprise."

Palmerston, who will serve as co-chair of the metal committee for the Junos, says that judges will consider heavy bands from all angles of the metallic spectrum.

"There's a lot of diversity in metal," he said. "We're not doing this and hoping that it's going to be a band that sounds like GUNS N' ROSES that gets this.

"We really want submissions across the board and for people to really open their ears to the different sonic palette of what constitutes metal in 2011."

This new category is an award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the Canadian recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. Eligible albums include metal, metalcore, hardcore, heavy rock, thrash metal, death metal and their respective sub-genres including (but not limited to) nu-metal, power metal, grindcore, extreme metal, industrial metal, viking metal, folk metal, doom metal, gothic metal, speed metal, and sludge metal.

Submissions for the 2012 Juno Awards open October 1, 2011. Apply online at junosubmissions.ca.

For more information about Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) and the Juno Awards, go to www.junoawards.ca.

French progressive metallers GOJIRA have issued the following update:

"A lot happened since our last message so we wanted to give you some news today and let you know we are still alive!

"We know you are all eagerly awaiting the Sea Sheperd EP release. We are sorry for the delay. Some of the material was on a hard drive that crashed but we are nearing the end of a long and difficult recovery process.

"Now the good news: the new Album is ready! All the music and lyrics are waiting to be recorded. Joe [guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier] is already in New York to check out the studio and make sure everything is sorted so we can begin to record next month.

"A new website is being built and we are working on ways to improve the communication between the band and our fans."

Audio samples of all 10 tracks that appear on "Prophecy", the forthcoming debut album from Sydney, Australia-based "epic, aggressive" metallers DRAGONSCLAW, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The CD features guest vocals from Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) and Alessandro Del Vecchio (EDGE OF FOREVER, EDEN'S CURSE).

Commented vocalist Giles Lavery: "We have worked really hard on putting together the best collection of songs, scrapping anything that wasn't up to our highest standards. In fact, we wrote and recorded one track we felt very strongly about in the final days of recording... Totally crazy, but that's what it takes to have the best record we can!

"The melody and songwriting has gotten a little bit lost these days in modern metal. We are hoping to re-introduce that while maintaining the crushing power that only heavy metal can provide. Basically, everything we grew up with and loved about the genre is here on display.

"I cannot wait for people to hear this material and to perform it live once we hit the road!"

GUNS N' ROSES is among 15 finalists for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Votes will be cast by a group of more than 500 musicians and industry professionals; of the 15 nominees, the five that get the most votes will be announced in January and inducted into the Hall Of Fame at its 27th annual ceremony on April 14, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum.

GUNS N' ROSES was nominated in its first year of eligibility.

Speaking to The Miami Herald, former GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan, who is promoring his book "It's So Easy (And Other Lies)", stated about the band's nomination, "I don't really know what to make of that yet. That's quite an honor and we will see what happens. I woke up very early on the West Coast and I got a couple texts from the East Coast — 'Congratulations, congratulations.' I had to get writing and get started for the book release and then go work out with my sensei."

When asked if GUNS N' ROSES' classic lineup would play live again if inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, McKagan said, "Oh, I don't know (laughing). I guess I have to start preparing myself for these questions."

Guitarist Slash, who left GUNS N' ROSES in 1996, told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that he never imagined he'd still be talking about the group now. "It's weird because the hype and the, you know, sort of mythic whatever about the band has snowballed to where it's at at present, and it's bigger now than it was when the band was still together, which is really sort of, very surreal," he said.

According to DailyTelegraph.com.au, ROSE TATTOO frontman Angry Anderson has joined The Nationals (National Party of Australia) with the intention of running for a seat at the next federal election.

The National Party of Australia, formerly the Country Party, is a conservative party representing rural interests.

"If between the party and I, we can agree, I feel I can best serve the Australian people on the national stage," the 63-year-old rock singer told The Sunday Telegraph.

The singer said being drawn into politics was a natural extension of his community service work.

"You can reach a stage like I have where you've done as much as you can in your profession in my case music and a political career becomes an extension of the community work I'm doing," he said.

Anderson said he was not committed to running for a specific seat and wasn't afraid to tackle a safe Labor seat.

"I'll have those discussions with the party," he said. "If they think I'm the best qualified person to run for a seat, any seat, I'll run. If not, I'm a team player: you have to be in a band. I'll be a foot soldier instead."

'Journey Saturnine' wird das neue ECLIPTICA Album heißen, welches am 20. Jänner 2012 erscheinen wird. Das Teil wird 12 Songs beinhalten und die CD Verion wird zudem mit dem Videoclip zum Track 'Love & Misery' aufwarten.

Desweiteren gibt es Guest appearances von Frank Pitters (Dignity) und Roland Navratil (Atrocity, Leaves’s Eyes, Dignity), das Coverartwork stammt von Felix Mitterer und 'Journey Saturnine' soll ein trip through all Rock and Metal genres, from melodic Hard Rock to classical Heavy Metal werden.

'Journey Saturnine' Trackliste:

1.
2. Journey Saturine
3. Fire!Burn!
4. Love & Misery
5. Dreamland
6. Blackend Day
7. Ready Fro A Ride
8. Kingdom Of Heaven
9. The Shadow
10. Condition Crest Falle
11. Attitude
12. Without You

Das neue MYSTIC PROPHECY Album wird ja bekanntlich "Ravenlord" heissen und soll am 25.11. von Massacre Records veröffentlicht werden! Jetzt gibt es das Coverartwork, die Trackliste und das Pre-Listening des Titeltracks via http://http://www.massacre-records.com/

-PRODUCED BY R.D.LIAPAKIS ( DEVIL'S TRAIN, SUICIDAL ANGELS, FIREFORCE, CRYSTAL TEARS, WINTERS VERGE )
-MIX BY FREDRIK NORTSTRÖM ( HAMMERFALL, ARCH ENEMY, FIREWIND, AT THE GATES )
-COVER BY JONAS KAWALEK ( MYSTIC PROPHECY )

"Ravenlord" Trackliste:

1. Ravenlord 4:06
2. Die Now 3:34
3. Eyes Of The Devil 5:21
4. Cross Of Lies 3:26
5. Hollow 4:32
6. Wings Of Destiny 4:25
7. Endless Fire 4:30
8. Damned Tonight 3:25
9. Reckoning Day 3:41
10. Miracle Man (OZZY cover) 3:15
11. Back With The Storm (Bonustrack) 3:23

Vocalist/guitarist/producer DEVIN TOWNSEND played three pre-Bloodstock Open Air 2011 acoustic shows in the UK between August 9th - 11th, in Brighton, Southampton and Exeter respectively. Townsend was selling a small number of acoustic CDs as a strictly limited run for the UK, but he has added more copies to his official webstore. Go to this location for more details and to purchase.

The CDs are signed by Townsend and being issued through his own label, HevyDevy Records. Details are as follows:

-- acoustic CD recorded July 2011
-- full album of just Townsend and guitar, unknown if it will be reprinted
-- cardboard sleeve
-- signed copies are available; add $2 to the shipping cost and indicate in comments section

The tracklist is as follows:

'Coast'
'Terminal'
'Funeral'
'Fall'
'Saloon'
'Lady Helen'
'Radial Highway'
'Kawaii'
'Ih-Ah!'

Norwegian "blackjazz" outfit SHINING (not to be confused with the Swedish extreme metal band of the same name) will release its first-ever live DVD and CD, "Live Blackjazz", on November 11 via Indie Recordings. The effort was produced by SHINING frontman Jørgen Munkeby and was mixed by Sean Beavan (MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS, SLAYER). The mastering duties were handled by Tom Baker (MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS)

For the first time ever, the raw energy of SHINING's legendary live performances has been captured on tape in a setting organized solely by the band itself. Produced by Munkeby and backed by the same mixing and mastering team as on their previous "Blackjazz" studio album, we could not get a truer version of what "Blackjazz" is meant to be. Straight from the horse’s mouth, this is the new standard that bands will strive to match for the next 10 or 20 years to come.

"This is basically the 'Greatest Hits' album we have always dreamed of, now beautifully combined with breath-taking film footage vibrating with power. It feels good to know that people can now truly experience how much fire and effort we pour into our live shows. It could not have been better!" stated Jørgen Munkeby.

Over the course of its impressive 10-plus-year career, SHINING has created its own unique and bizarre hybrid of jazz and extreme metal, which is easily distinguishable from the musical world of their Swedish counterparts sharing the same band name.

U.K. extreme metallers ANAAL NATHRAKH — consisting of Mick Kenney and David Hunt — are currently working on the follow-up to "Passion", released earlier this year via Candlelight Records. Hunt commented from the studio, "The songs we've recorded so far have come out very well. They are stylistically quite heterogeneous yet somehow sounding focused at the same time. And there's one section that's completely from left field, which we've included as a personal tribute. It's all still in a raw, hardly mixed and not-yet-mastered state, but it's all sounding quite powerful.

"There was an earthquake here a couple of days ago, which we're taking as a portent. But there's a fair way to go yet — we're about half way through the main body of it, and we're looking forward to getting back to tearing things open over a grindstone."

Finnish melodic rockers MYON have inked a worldwide deal with Rock N Growl Management/Promotion.

Says the band: "Myon proudly presents the new management deal in courtesy of Rock N Growl Promotion! With this new management deal we expect great international success with our forthcoming album; Vitalworks! We expect a great increase in live performances and touring. Also it is to be expected, that we will establish a more permanent and secure place within the European Central markets. And with this, more media visibility."

The band's fifth full-length album, Vitalworks, will be released in 2012.

Myon’s fifth album Vitalworks (countdown to ground zero) is done. With this album, you have access to the biggest unused resource – unique album with unique sound - in the music industry today. As earlier albums have proved, Myon’s tracks works for everybody involved in the rock scene. Ground Zero is a strong package of genius songs made with the highest level of professional touch.

The new single, 'After It's Gone', proves that all once again. Myon is taking music to the new direction and brings the rock to the new era 2011. Vitalworks era has began.

Check out the video for 'After It’s Gone' below:

DOL AMMAD, the band led by Greek keyboard player Thanasis Lightbridge, have announced that they have started recording their 12-member choir for their upcoming third full album. The choir includes three sopranos, three tenors, three altos and three barritones.

Lightbridge shares the production process with three samples from the choir recordings from the songs 'Stargate Pyramid', 'Supernova' and 'Xenocide'. The 'Stargate Pyramid' sample contains a women-only phrase, 'Xenocide' a men-only and 'Supernova' includes the full tutti choir in unison.

Thanasis and Dol Ammad are working full time on the upcoming album, entitled Hyperspeed, which will be once again influenced by space and sci-fi themes.

More details and samples at this location.

The Swedish heavy metal band MALISON ROGUE have announced the addition of guitar player Mats Johansson to the band. Mats has peformed with Malison Rogue as a session member for the last six months, but now everyone involved think that the next step is to add him as an official member of the band.

Malison Rogue vocalist Zeb comments: "We've known Mats for several years and he's a good friend of us and a great guitarplayer. Mats fits in the band like a glove! Now we're able to create our guitar harmonies live, which is awesome! We're very excited about what the future will bring to Malison Rogue, we hope to see you on tour soon!"

David Fricke of RollingStone.com spoke to Lou Reed and METALLICA about their unlikely musical collaboration, "Lulu", which is scheduled for release on November 1 in North America via Warner Bros. Records and one day earlier (October 31) in the rest of the world through Universal Music. The CD was co-produced by Reed, METALLICA, Hal Willner — who has produced albums for Reed, Marianne Faithfull, and Laurie Anderson, among others — and Greg Fidelman. Fidelman also mixed the record.. The 10 songs are Reed's — harrowing examinations of sexual taboo and moral peril originally composed for a new Berlin production of works by the German expressionist playwright Frank Wedekind. But "Lulu" is a true collaboration: METALLICA wrote new riffs and arrangements and recorded almost everything, including vocals, live with Reed in this studio.

"They're as powerful as you can get," Reed said of METALLICA. "The drums are no joke, and Hetfield is like that." Reed pounded a hand on his heart. "Then you have lyrics that are high-octane. It's so easy, because we're not trying to change anyone."

"It wasn't 'This is my shit, do as you're told,'" Ulrich confirmed. "Lou understood we were going to give him something nobody else would." "Lulu" "is almost like two languages," Ulrich said. "We have m-e-t-a-l in our name. But we can go fucking anywhere and do anything."

"Lou and us — we're kindred souls," METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said. "We both have a clear vision of what you should sound like and say. Also, he has an edge that totally fits. He speaks our language, slightly sarcastic and blunt, like another pea in the pod."

Ulrich recalled listening with Hetfield to Reed's original "otherworldly" tapes, featuring spare guitar and long drones on cello and an electronic instrument, the Continuum, played by Reed and Sarth Calhoun, a member of Reed's band.

"He was defensive, ready to roll his eyes," Ulrich said of Hetfield's initial response. "Then you could see this weight lifted off his shoulders. He felt a connection. He had not expected that."

According to Ulrich, "Lulu" has had an effect on the writing for METALLICA's next album. Instead of starting with riffs, "James is talking about bringing lyrics in first," the drummer said. "What happens if the music is inspired by that?"

A few days after "Lulu" was mastered, Ulrich described listening to the album on a late-night car ride. "I was overwhelmed," he confessed. "I also felt, 'This is really unique.'" How unique? He laughs. "This makes [METALLICA's 1988 LP] '...And Justice For All' sound like the first RAMONES album."