German melodic metallers EDGUY will release their new album, "Age Of The Joker", in Europe on August 29 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Peppermint Park studio (SCORPIONS, PHIL COLLINS) in Hannover, which was previously described by the group as "a recording temple with a tremendously great-sounding room." The album will feature 11 songs with a total running time of over one hour. The limited-edition digipack will contain a bonus disc with six additional songs.

"Age Of The Joker" track listing:

01. Robin Hood
02. Nobody's Hero
03. Rock Of Cashel
04. Pandora's Box
05. Breathe
06. Two Out Of Seven
07. Faces In The Darkness
08. The Arcane Guild
09. Fire On The Downline
10. Behind The Gates To Midnight World
11. Every Night Without You

Limited-edition bonus disc track listing:

01. God Fallen Silent
02. Aleister Crowley Memorial Boogie
03. Cum On Feel The Noize (SLADE cover)
04. Standing In The Rain
05. Robin Hood (single version)
06. Two Out Of Seven (single version)

MEGADETH debuted a brand new song, "Public Enemy No. 1", during the band's headlining performance last night (Monday, July 4) at Docks in Hamburg, Germany.

In introducing the track, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine said from the stage, "I wanted to do something for you tonight to show you how much we appreciate you instead of saying you're a great audience. We're gonna play a new song for you. This song is from our new record, [it's] never been played anywhere, never been heard by anybody but us. This song is called 'Public Enemy No. 1'."

The band's setlist for the Hamburg concert was as follows:

01. Skin O' My Teeth
02. In My Darkest Hour
03. Hangar 18
04. Wake Up Dead
05. Poison Was the Cure
06. 1,320'
07. She-Wolf
08. Sweating Bullets
09. Trust
10. How the Story Ends
11. Angry Again
12. Tornado of Souls
13. Head Crusher
14. A Tout Le Monde
15. Public Enemy (new song)
16. Symphony Of Destruction

Encore:

17. Peace Sells
18. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Radio Metal recently conducted an interview with Mike Mangini, the new drummer of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Radio Metal: It is clear in the "Spirit Carries On" documentary that you were the one who wanted to be in the band the most. Do you think that this played in your favor when they had to choose a drummer?

Mangini: Yes, it played in my favor — to a point. It played in my favor because my heart and my mind were aware. In other words, I was very alert. I showed up very prepared and skilled. Because I wanted to be in the band, I learned everybody's parts. I was very respectful of everybody. Wanting to be in the band was like the seed of a tree. And everything that comes from a good seed is good. So it played in my favor because it made everything else easy for me. Where it did not play in my favor is that the band really could care less if twenty drummers wanted to be in the band, because they needed somebody that could actually play the best. I had a flawless audition, I had no mistakes. I'm the only person that played to that level, I think, and that's why I was chosen.

Radio Metal: When a new member of a band is introduced to the fans, the reaction can sometimes be negative and even aggressive when replacing a much-loved member. However, according to the forums, it seems that you have been welcomed with much enthusiasm. Why do you think this is?

Mangini: I believe this is because I'm the thing of the fans. I believe they think I'm one of their family. I have demonstrated things to make them believe this my whole career. In other words, when the opportunity of being in DREAM THEATER came to me, I didn't change the way I was. I've always liked Mike [Portnoy, former DREAM THEATER drummer], I've always been respectful of him, I've always like DREAM THEATER, I've always been respectful of them. I've always been a lover of drums and drumming, I've shared myself with the world. I sign every autograph, I talk to people. And I've been doing this for twenty years. So I didn't become somebody different, and because DREAM THEATER fans are very knowledgeable, and because they appear to be very intelligent to me, I believe they did their research. I don't have to pretend, they know me already, because I've demonstrated this my whole life. I think that's why they're comfortable with me.

Radio Metal: Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci [DREAM THEATER guitarist] have stated that it would be impossible for them not to play together again in the future considering the tight bond that links them. Do you feel as though there is an impending threat hanging over you?

Mangini: No, not at all. And the reason why is that I like Mike very much. He's a friend. I now have new brothers in DREAM THEATER, and when you love somebody, you let them do what they need to do. So I don't feel like it's hanging over my head at all. I feel very comfortable I'm in the band for good. Mike's not coming back, and that's the deal. I'm the drummer, and that's the end of it. I feel confident of that. My confidence doesn't come from being told that; it comes from the fact that I know I will continue to work hard for them to want me to be there.

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER played their first concert ever last night (Monday, July 4) at Ippodromo Capannelle in Rome, Italy.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Under A Glass Moon
02. These Walls
03. Forsaken
04. Endless Sacrifice
05. Drum Solo
06. The Ytse Jam
07. Peruvian Skies
08. The Great Debate
09. On The Backs Of Angels (new song)
10. Caught In A Web
11. Through My Words
12. Fatal Tragedy
13. The Count Of Tuscany

Encore:

14. Learning To Live

Frontiers Records has set an August 23 North American release date (three days later in Europe) for Norwegian powerhouse vocalist Jorn Lande's (MASTERPLAN, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ARK, THE SNAKES) "Live In Black" a 2-CD/DVD set. The concert was recorded on June 10, 2010 at the Sweden Rock Festival in front of more than 25,000 people.

2010 was a significant year in Jorn's career. Besides releasing a tribute album to his hero Ronnie James Dio, Jorn was invited to perform, alongside Glenn Hughes, with HEAVEN & HELL at their final concert, which was held in July 2010 at the High Voltage festival in Victoria Park, London, England.

Just a few weeks earlier, Jorn appeared at the Sweden Rock Festival, in Sölvesborg and blew the crowd of more than 25,000 fans away.

"The special thing with 'Live In Black' is that it captures a very rough, uncut and spontaneous moment in the band's history," says Jorn Lande. "It was a hectic day, with many interviews and several TV appearances and I also had to do a short speech and statement regarding the great Ronnie James Dio's untimely passing a few weeks earlier. The whole festival became in the spirit of Ronnie, and it was very moving to see everyone there, including the artists honoring his memory."

A new original Jorn album is already in the works and scheduled for an early 2012 release.

"Live In Black" will be exclusively released in a special luxury digipak 2-CD/DVD set.

CD 1:

01. Road Of The Cross
02. Shadow People
03. Below
04. We Brought The Angels Down
05. Stormcrow
06. Spirit Black
07. The Inner Road
08. Man Of The Dark

CD 2:

01. Blacksong
02. Guitar Solo (Tore Moren)
03. Tungur Knivur
04. Guitar Solo (Tor Erik Myhre)
05. Rock And Roll Angel
06. Drum Solo
07. Soul Of The Wind
08. Are You Ready
09. War Of The World

DVD Contents:

01. Road Of The Cross
02. Shadow People
03. Below
04. We Brought The Angels Down
05. Stormcrow
06. Spirit Black
07. The Inner Road
08. Man Of The Dark
09. Blacksong
10. Guitar Solo (Tore Moren)
11. Tungur Knivur
12. Guitar Solo (Tor Erik Myhre)
13. Rock And Roll Angel
14. Drum Solo
15. Soul Of The Wind
16. Are You Ready
17. War Of The World

Bonus Material:

* Song For Ronnie James (video clip)
* Man Of The Dark (video clip)

DVD format: NTSC Region Free - Stereo mix 2.0 / 5.1 - Screen 16:9

VAN HALEN lead singer David Lee Roth posted a simple-yet-cryptic message on his official web site — "Get Ready..." — fuelling rumors that the band will release a new single soon.

VAN HALEN's long-awaited new studio album in tentatively due in the fall, which is when the band is also expected to hit the road in support of the effort.

ALTER BRIDGE/CREED guitarist Mark Tremonti, who is friends with VAN HALEN bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, recently told Ross Ford, a morning radio show host on Colorado's 94.3 KILO, that Eddie Van Halen's son invited Tremonti to VAN HALEN's 5150 studio to watch Eddie, Wolfgang and drummer Alex Van Halen rehearse. During the visit, Mark got to hear VAN HALEN's entire album, which he said sounded like "old-school VAN HALEN."

"What makes it so great is that they took what they could from all their old demos back in the '80s and pretty much did what they could to create songs out of old ideas, so it sounds like vintage VAN HALEN," Tremonti said. "I didn't hear any vocals — David was not there. It was just the three of them. The music sounded like very authentic, old-school VAN HALEN."

VAN HALEN staged a successful reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth in 2007 and 2008, with rumors of a new album persisting since then. The group began recording in January with producer John Shanks.

VAN HALEN's last full album, "Van Halen III", came out in 1998 and featured the only appearance of EXTREME singer Gary Cherone as lead vocalist.

German metal queen Doro Pesch filled in for singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) for the third and final time during last night's (Sunday, July 3) DIO DISCIPLES concert at Sala Bikini in Barcelona, Spain.

DIO DISCIPLES features former DIO members Simon Wright (drums), Craig Goldy (guitar) and Scott Warren (keyboards) alongside bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, WHITE LION) and singers Owens and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS, GUN)

DIO DISCIPLES pays tribute to the legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio and is fully supported by Dio's widow/manager, Wendy, who recently 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."

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

Owens was unable to make the Spanish shows as he was attending his daughter's wedding.

Prior to the Spanish concerts, Pesch stated about performing with DIO DISCIPLES, "I'm so excited to be a part of this tour. I listened day and night to Ronnie James Dio's amazingly wonderful songs and I will try me very best to do a good job with them. I feel so honored and blessed to be a part of this and to keep Dio's music and magic alive. He was truly the greatest rock and metal singer of all time. We love you, Ronnie. I will sing my heart out for you and the fans. "

In a recent interview with Rocksalt.mx, Pesch spoke about a new song she has written as a tribute to Ronnie James Dio. "I was always such a big [Dio] fan, like so many other people, [I] just adored him and loved him," she said. "But there's one song, we will be working on that and I think it will be wonderful. But I first want to show it to Wendy Dio [Ronnie's wife/manager] and let her listen to it, so that's one thing. I kind of want to make many versions of that song, I think it's beautiful and I like it a lot . . . It's called 'Hero' and it has a beautiful melody and I would like to make many versions of it, like an acoustic version and a full-blown band version and maybe an orchestral version… and we are just working on it. I definitely want to take care of that one — that song's nice. But first I want to let Wendy listen to it. I'm really hoping… but I'm sure she will like it a lot. Every time everybody is listening to it in the studio everybody is crying and so — wow — so touching."

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King has explained his absence from the latest "Big Four" jam, which took place during METALLICA's set on Sunday, July 3 at Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The "Big Four" bands of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — played the second show of their current European tour in front of a capacity crowd of 55,696 in Gothenburg after kicking off the trek one night earlier in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

The highly anticipated onstage performance of the "Big Four" bands at the same time happened near the end of METALLICA's set, between "Enter Sandman" and "Damage Inc.". Members of ANTHRAX and MEGADETH joined METALLICA on stage for a cover of DIAMOND HEAD's "Am I Evil?" before METALLICA ended the night with "Creeping Death".

SLAYER — who could not join the jam at the "Big Four" show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany due to their travel arrangements to get to the Gothenburg concert — did not take part in last night's "Am I Evil?" performance. King told Sweden's Aftonbladet newspaper about his absence from the Gothenburg "Big Four" jam, "I was supposed to be there, but they changed the song at the very last minute. We were gonna play the ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE's 'So What', so I had rehearsed that song. When they changed it to 'Am I Evil?', I decided not to do it. I haven't thought about that song for two months since we played it in California [at the only U.S. 'Big Four' show so far]."

Despite his decision to sit out the "Big Four" jam in Gothenburg, Kerry told Aftonbladet that he was pleased with his overall experience at Ullevi.

"I had a lot of technical problems in the beginning, but as soon as I sorted that shit out, I had a lot of fun," he said.

SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo told MusikUniverse.net last year that he was the only member of the veteran thrash metal act to take part in the first-ever "Big Four" jam in Sofia, Bulgaria because his bandmates "don't do that kind of thing."

Many fans were surprised to see that Lombardo was the only musician from SLAYER to perform with members of METALLICA, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX at the end of the June 22, 2010 "Big Four" concert broadcast from the Sonisphere festival in Bulgaria.

Lombardo explained to MusikUniverse.net: "I'm the only one who knows how to jam and have a good time! The other guys, they don't do that kind of thing. They just know their music when it's written and that's it — they don't know how to go up and improvise and enjoy themselves. Jeff [Hanneman; guitar] does a little bit, but not the other guys [bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King]."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach filmed two new video videos on June 28 in Hollywood, California with director Devin DeHaven of Fortress Entertainment (PAPA ROACH, WHITESNAKE, METHOD MAN, TALIB KWELI).

Bach will release his new solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", on September 27 via Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SHINEDOWN, ATREYU, FILTER) and features young virtuosic guitarist Nick Sterling and drum pro Bobby Jarzombek (HALFORD, RIOT, ICED EARTH). The follow-up to 2007's "Angel Down" was mastered at Precision Mastering in Los Angeles with Tom Baker.

In a new online posting, Bach states, "[I just had a] marathon studio session with director Devin DeHaven , making sure the videos are perfect and the bonus materials are stellar ... Which they are! This is the most satisfying experience I have had creatively in a long time.

"Frontiers Records has pulled out all the stops and I have been creating new music and bonus materials for literally months now. We have the new music, three new videos, bonuses galore, new everything!!

"If you were ever a fan, now is the time to rejoice because I am gonna give you so much new Bach 'n' Roll, your ears & eyes are gonna bleed, mothertruckers!!!"

The "Big Four" bands of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — played the second show of their current European tour earlier tonight (Sunday, July 3) at Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The highly anticipated onstage performance of the "Big Four" bands at the same time happened near the end of METALLICA's set, between "Enter Sandman" and "Damage Inc.". Members of ANTHRAX and MEGADETH joined METALLICA on stage for a cover of DIAMOND HEAD's "Am I Evil?" before METALLICA ended the night with "Creeping Death".

SLAYER — who could not join last night's jam at the "Big Four" show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany due to their travel arrangements to get to today's concert, did not take part in tonight's "Am I Evil?" performance.

SLAYER's next show is scheduled to take place on July 6 in Milan, Italy.

Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA) is filling in for ANTHRAX's Scott Ian on the current "Big Four" tour and took part in tonight's jam.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows:

01. Hit the Lights
02. Master of Puppets
03. The Shortest Straw
04. Seek & Destroy
05. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
06. Ride the Lightning
07. The Memory Remains
08. All Nightmare Long
09. Sad But True
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman

Encore:

16. Am I Evil? (w/ MEGADETH and ANTHRAX)
17. Damage, Inc.
18. Creeping Death

NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has launched a MySpace page where she has posted two demo tracks that she recorded in 2009 for what was supposed to become her debut solo album. She says, "The songs are not mixed or produced, just recorded in the moment, and therefore are very rough songs. But I still want you to hear them since I am proud of them and I think they show another part of me than you hear in NIGHTWISH." She adds, "The first song is called 'Floating' and I call it the 'circus' song. It gives me a happy feeling and the vibe in it is happy and joyful. The second song ['Invincible'] is a song I wrote for my son and therefore it's very special to me."

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT last month entered the studio with British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, MACHINE HEAD) to begin pre-production on their new album for a late 2011 release.

Due to a "serious injury," drummer Paul Bostaph is unable to take part in the new CD recordings but will rejoin TESTAMENT for future touring activities. Playing drums on the follow-up to 2008's "The Formation Of Damnation" is Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (ex-DARK ANGEL, ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK), with LAMB OF GOD's Chris Adler set to make a special guest appearance on a couple of bonus tracks.

Commented TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy: "Gene Hoglan completed his drum tracks last Friday, so now Greg Christian will start on the bass tracks." Guitarist Eric Peterson added, "[This is] gonna be the fastest and most-outta-control drum record we've done."

British black metal pioneers VENOM have set "Fallen Angels" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in August/September via Universal Music. The CD was mixed with producer Tom Belton at his London studio and will contain 13 new "classics." The band is also in the process of making a promotional video for one of the new songs, as well as finalizing live DVD footage.

Commented VENOM's latest addition, drummer Danny "Danté" Needham (TONY MARTIN): "Yeah, everything is on schedule and coming along great. We're really busy getting ready for the launch. It's amazing how positive everyone is about the new record, so we're really eager for the 'Legions' to finally hear it. We've had to put our live shows on hold for the time being while we fully concentrate on the new album release and video work, plus we've now started to schedule the interviews and photo shoots, etc., but the management are working on some live shows for later in the year, so we will be back on the road soon, and playing the new songs which are already part of the new live set list."

"Fallen Angels" will feature the following songs:

* Hammerhead
* Nemesis
* Pedal To The Metal
* Lap Of The Gods
* Damnation Of Souls
* Beggarman
* Hail Satanas
* Sin
* Punk's Not Dead
* Death Be Thy Name
* Lest We Forget
* Valley Of The Kings
* Fallen Angels

Regarding what fans can expect to hear from the next VENOM studio LP, bassist/vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant told The Quietus, "The new tracks are tremendous. Basically, if you think of the way [former VENOM drummer] Antton [Antony Lant, who is also Cronos' brother] was playing, especially on the last album 'Hell', he is a nu-metal drummer and comes from that kind of background. He's hung 'round VENOM most of his life and it was just good to introduce him to the whole VENOM concept of playing like the way [original VENOM drummer] Abaddon used to play. Basically Abaddon came from a rock background and then basically developed a black metal, speed metal, thrash metal style. The nu-metal drumming is very different and it was a steep learning curve for him. At the end of the day he's got his own style and he wants to be known for what he's done and not be in my shadow, which is totally understandable. Some of the guys we had coming to the rehearsals were not ex-CRADLE OF FILTH but they were still, 'I've been in this band, I've been in that band,' but they were all far too young, you know. We were looking for someone in their thirties upwards who understood rock music."

When asked how the new songs compare to those off "Hell", Cronos said, "I would say more like those off 'Metal Black'. More like our earlier stuff. 'Hell' was getting a bit too much like session tracks. Too . . . polished. And polish isn't a good word for VENOM songs. VENOM songs need to be off the cuff, loose, a little bit thrash. Once you start polishing songs up a bit much you end up going in the wrong direction. There's a spontaneity about VENOM songs that I've always loved. When we're coming up with new VENOM songs there's one thing that I always try and keep in mind: 'Is that kid in his bedroom on his knees playing air guitar and going 'Yeah! Get in!'' You know? I'm not interested in Joe Satriani sitting there and discussing whether it's technically correct or not! That's the last thing on my mind."

"The World Won't Hold Your Hand", the new video from British vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva — who has toured and/or recorded with CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS and ANGTORIA — can be viewed below. The track comes off Sarah Jezebel Deva's sophomore solo album, "The Corruption Of Mercy", which was released in Europe on June 27 via Listenable Records. The cover art for the CD was created by CRADLE OF FILTH artist Matt Lombard and will come in a slipcase due to its slightly "dark/close-to-the-mark" nature.

Commented Sarah: "We decided on the song 'The World Won't Hold Your Hand' and shot the video at Murder Mile Studios in London, which is owned by Adrian and Amber Erlandsson. The producer of the video is David Kenny, who did the last video, 'A Sign Of Sublime', but has also produced video's for TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED and THE DEAD LAY WAITING."

"Road To Khitai", the first-ever video from ARTISAN, a Norwegian project and media experiment led by Jens F. Ryland (BORKNAGAR, ICS VORTEX), can be seen below. The fan-made clip features footage from the online game "Age Of Conan" by Funcom.

Commented Ryland: "I play 'Age Of Conan' actively and this is my tribute to a brilliant game.

"Playing 'Age Of Conan' is in itself a good inspiration to create music, and that is why this whole band and this particular song has come to life."

The recording lineup for "Road To Khitai" was as follows:

* ICS Vortex (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, ICS VORTEX, BORKNAGAR, ARCTURUS) – Bass, Vocals
* Mustis (ex-DIMMU BORGIR) - Keyboards
* Asgeir Mickelson (ex-BORKNAGAR, ex-TESTAMENT, SPIRAL ARCHITECT. SARKE, ICS VORTEX) - Drums, Guitar
* Jens F. Ryland (BORKNAGAR, ICS VORTEX) - Guitar, Video Production

Added Ryland: "As a band, we will continue to make music without being tied to a genre or put in a shelf. As a media project, Asgeir Mickelson and myself will continue to make posts about our lives as musicians on this blog along with creating new possibilities to implement our music."

ARTISAN is unsigned and has no plans to perform live.

Reunited Seattle grunge legends SOUNDGARDEN kicked off their first full-fledged tour in 14 years last night (Saturday, July 2) at the Molson Ampitheatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

"Welcome to the first show of the first tour in 13, 14 years," said vocalist Chris Cornell before adding, "This is the best place to start. It sounds like bullshit, but it's not bullshit.”

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Black Rain
02. Searching With My Good Eye Closed
03. Spoonman
04. Gun
05. Rusty Cage
06. Blow Up the Outside World
07. Let Me Drown
08. Jesus Christ Pose
09. My Wave
10. The Day I Tried to Live
11. Outshined
12. Beyond the Wheel
13. Fell on Black Days
14. Ugly Truth
15. Burden in My Hand
16. Superunknown
17. Black Hole Sun
18. 4th of July

Encore:

19. Face Pollution
20. Like Suicide
21. Slaves & Bulldozers