New Jersey pirate thrash armada SWASHBUCKLE have uploaded a brand new song from their upcoming album, Crime Always Pays…, to the bands MySpace page. 'At The Bottom Of A Glass' will give you a first impression of what you can expect on the Heidenfest tour, starting next week.

Commented Commodore Redrum: “Alright fuckers, here's the calm before the storm... you'll find this album's touch of class 'At the Bottom of a Glass'. Next week, we redecorate our pirate ship with brain matter as we thrash all your faces into a wall. Ye be warned... But for now, GO DRINK YOURSELF STUPID!”

On Monday, September 6th, another song will be unleashed.




Crime Always Pays... tracklisting is as follows:

'Slowly Wept The Sea'
'We Are The Storm'
'This Round's On YOU!'
'Powder Keg'
'Where Victory Is Penned'
'Of Hooks And Hornswogglers'
'A Time Of Wooden Ships & Iron Men'
'Crime Always Pays'
'Raw Doggin' At The Raw Bar'
'The Gallow's Pole Dancer'
'Legacy's Allure'
'At The Bottom Of A Glass'
'To Steal A Life'
'You Bring The Cannon, We'll Bring The Balls'
'Surf-N-Turf (For Piratical Girth)'
'Rope's End'

Also for those of you who loved last years Swashbuckle online game – stage 2 has just been uploaded to the Nuclear Blast games channel, here.

THE WRETCHED END, the new Norway-based band featuring guitarist Samoth (EMPEROR, ZYKLON) and bassist Cosmo (MINDGRINDER) alongside Swedish drummer Nils Fjellström (DARK FUNERAL, IN BATTLE, AEON), will release its debut album, "Ominous", on October 25 through Samoth's own imprint label, Nocturnal Art Productions, and marketed and distributed worldwide by Candlelight Records.

Songtitles set to appear on the CD include:

* Zoo Human Syndrome
* Red Forest Alienation
* Residing in Limbo
* Human Corporation
* Numbered Days
* Of Men and Wolves
* The Juggernaut Theory
* Fleshbomb
* The Armageddonist
* With Ravenous Hunger
* Last Judgement

GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose has commented on the band's appearances this past weekend at the U.K.'s Leeds and Reading festivals, the latter of which was cut short by the festival organizers due to curfew issues. In a message on Twitlonger.com, a related Twitter site where one can post messages longer than 140 characters, Rose wrote, "Don't know what it is with us or these last two shows. Takes the fun out it for everyone — fans, band and crew alike, but whatever.

"So you know, we allegedly had a deal in place pre-show with the city at least at Leeds to do a bit longer performance that was either miscommunication, someone wasn't informed, changed their mind, didn't care or was a con. Regardless, the nonsense just seems so unnecessary but without real management or industry presence is unfortunately beyond our control. We hope the fans feel they got at least what they could from us under the circumstances as for us all things considered that's the main thing. The rest is filler.

"Anyway, enough rambling. Peace, thanks for understanding and what we did manage to get done out there was a blast! The crowds and fans were amazing!! And in our opinion (not that apparently it means much) you deserved better!! Thanks again!!"

Professionally filmed video footage of the Reading performance (courtesy of the BBC) can be viewed below.

September 25, 2010, marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham. His groove and sound is considered to be the most influential of all rock-n-roll drummers; John "Bonzo" Bonham is the undisputed king. Bonzo will once again be honored in a special concert featuring rock's biggest names behind the kit at the Key Club in Hollywood, California.

On stage and for one night only, a rotating cast of guest drummers perform their favorite LED ZEPPELIN songs.

Confirmed drummers include:

* Steven Adler (GUNS N' ROSES, ADLER'S APPETITE)
* Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, DIO)
* Kenny Aronoff (JOHN COUGAR, JOHN FOGERTY)
* Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT)
* Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN, FOREIGNER)
* Fred Coury (CINDERELLA)
* Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS)
* James Kottak (SCORPIONS)
* Khurt Maier (SALTY DOG)
* Chris Slade (THE FIRM, AC/DC)
* Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, CHICKENFOOT)
* Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, BILLY IDOL)
* Joe Travers (ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA, DURAN DURAN)
* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO)

Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, ROD STEWART) will perform via video.

Joining the drummers on stage will be musicians Brent Woods (guitar), Michael "Denim" Devin (bass), Keith St. John (vocals), Stephen LeBlanc (keys) and Brian Tichy (guitar).

"Not a day goes by where I don't think of John Bonham's snare sound, and it hit me — 'Why isn't there a Bonzo tribute where every drummer gets up on a Vistalite kit, with gong and timpanis, and plays their favorite ZEPPELIN song?" co-organizer Brian Tichy, said. "I thought of all the drummers I know that worship at the alter of John Bonham and being in L.A., there are so many here."

Promoter Joe Sutton took care of the rest and has helped organize this striking tribute. His moxie for the all-mighty Bonzo and LED ZEPPELIN has never wavered.

"First and foremost, LED ZEPPELIN is the greatest band in the world and it is not a coincidence that John Bonham was the drummer," Sutton said. "Bonham's drumming is one of the main reasons that they were able to sound so huge."

Sutton continued, "I remember the day that John Bonham died; it broke my heart. Not only to lose a great man and the best drummer in the world, but to lose LED ZEPPELIN as a band was just devastating to myself and everyone I knew. So to have a chance to put together a tribute 30 years later for the almighty Bonzo I will use all of my efforts and experience to put together a very special night."

Tickets for "Bonzo: The Groove Remains The Same" can be purchased at Keyclub.com.

The Key Club is located at 9039 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.

Former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe has tapped legendary producer Jack Douglas (AEROSMITH, JOHN LENNON, CLUTCH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, NEW YORK DOLLS) to helm his new solo album, tentatively due in early 2011. Monroe and his band spent a week earlier this month writing and recording demos at the Seawolf Studios on the Suomenlinna Island, about a 15-minute ferry ride from the Helsinki, Finland harbor. Michael said, "We chose about 16 out of over 20 songs we had written for the record.

"The newest stuff sounds especially great, and we now have a pretty clear picture of what our new studio album will sound like.

"We sent the demos to our producer, who also loved the material and can't wait to start digging into it with us.

"Needless to say, we're all really excited about the recording sessions.

"We're flying to L.A. this Sunday to get started and will record through September."

Reactivated Swedish death metallers DESULTORY recently completed work on their first album in 14 years, "Counting Our Scars", for a late 2010 release via Pulverised Records. The follow-up to 1996's "Swallow The Snake" was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, NOMINON, AVERSE SEFIRA, FUNERAL MIST, NEX, ONDSKAPT, MORK GRYNING, ADORIOR) in Alvik, Sweden with producer Tore Stjerna.

Commented DESULTORY: "What gets inside always stays inside.

"This music once shaped us and the marks it left will forever keep itching.

"DESULTORY never died, it just went down deep below and beneath the surface it slowly kept growing.

"Throughout the years, there are many of you out there who never stopped waiting, asking the same question over and over. Now when we finally meet again, 'Counting Our Scars' feels like liberation, the bleeding is over.

"This album is for all of us who never stopped waiting."

"Counting Our Scars" track listing:

01. In A Cage
02. Counting Our Scars
03. Ready To Bleed
04. This Broken Halo
05. The Moment Is Gone
06. Uneven Numbers
07. Dead Ends
08. Leeching Life
09. A Crippling Heritage

Legendary Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant says he has moved on from rock and wants to focus on a different type of music.


Robert Plant has given up rock music.

The Led Zeppelin musician - who has refused requests to reform the group for a full tour -said his musical tastes have completely changed.

Speaking about going to see his former Led Zeppelin bandmate John Paul Jones' new rock group Them Crooked Vultures he said: "I feel so far away from heavy rock now. It's quite odd how mine and John's paths seem to have crossed over - we've sort of gone into each other's world's a bit."

The 62-year-old musician also admitted that he could no longer handle the decibel level of a rock concert saying his ears "bled for two days" after the show.

Now Robert - who won several Grammy awards for 'Raising Sand' his collaboration with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss in 2009 -hopes to focus on a different type of music and lifestyle.

He said: "For me, it's no longer to do with vanity, ego and visible success. It's just about getting down into the earth of music. I spent three or four years never playing a Zeppelin song from 1981 onwards, because I didn't want to lean on Zeppelin. I've gone from being in that huge band to picking up the pieces of my own gift."

Sweden's THE QUILL is back! Four years after the release of the band's most recent studio album, THE QUILL is ready to once again spread its musical gospel. We are talking heavy rock firmly rooted in the Seventies but vibrant and updated rather than retro.

With the touring cycle for THE QUILL's fifth album, "In Triumph", completed, the band and singer Magnus Ekwall parted ways and THE QUILL was put on the backburner. Drummer Jolle Atlagic joined now-defunct Finnish glam legends HANOI ROCKS — touring Europe and Japan in the process — and also did a stint in THE REAL MCCOY band alongside FOO FIGHTERS guitarist Chris Shiflett. Christian Carlsson (guitar) and Robert Triches (bass) also kept busy with other projects. In early 2010, it was THE QUILL time again. Songs were written and Magz Arnar filled the vacant vocalist spot. It was a perfect match. The versatile singer has heaps of energy and a powerful voice that fits THE QUILL like a glove. Magz has the required range to sing the old stuff but also a rawness that the band was looking for.

THE QUILL will enter the studio this fall to record a new album for a 2011 release. The band will also perform a few selected shows in September where a number of new songs will be played.

THE QUILL 2010 is:

Magz Arnar (vocals)
Christian Carlsson (guitar)
Jolle Atlagic (drums)
Hot Señor Rob (bass)

According to TMZ.com, legendary guitarist Slash (real name: Saul Hudson) has filed for divorce from his wife of nine years, Perla Ferrar. Slash cites irreconcilable differences. Slash and Perla have two boys, aged 6 and 8.

Court documents, which can be viewed at this location (PDF file), indicate the former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist is asking for joint physical and legal custody and is willing to pay spousal support. There is no prenuptial agreement.

The couple was married in October 2001. Slash lists the date of separation as July 15, 2010.

Slash was previously married to actress Renee Suran. They ended their five-year union in 1997.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman Scott Weiland has responded to allegations that he is using backing tracks during the band's live shows after he fell off a stage at a recent concert and landed heavily without missing a note.

While performing in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 25, Weiland lost his footing, stumbled and fell clumsily while carrying a microphone in one hand and a megaphone in the other. According to Rock Radio, "despite the tumble, his voice was heard to continue the song — he wasn't singing at the precise moment he fell, but when the moment came to resume he didn't sound short of breath, out of tune or in any way flustered."

At STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' August 28 concert in Pittsburgh, Pensylvania, Weiland addressed the rumors (see video below) before the band launched into the song "Wicked Garden", stating from the stage, "I would like to dispel a rumor swilring its way around the Interwebs that I am not singing these songs that I wrote. There has never been a time in the 25-plus years that I have been singing with these guys or a combination of these guys or with other musicians that I have not sang. So whoever started that bullshit claim, like so many other bullshit claims, which is the problem with modern technology, and there are so many great things about it. But that it such a travesty. We are a rock and roll band, [and] rock and roll bands perform live."

Sometime in October, Canuck rockers HELIX will be releasing Running Wild In The 21st Century, a compilation CD of songs released between 2000 and 2010 with two bonus tracks and an edited version of 'Monday Morning Meltdown'. The two bonus tracks are 'The William Tell Overture' and the cover of the AC/DC classic 'It’s A Long Way To The Top If You Want To Rock And Roll', featuring THE MUDMEN on bagpipes. Mike Uzilac played bass on this song.

The song order of this CD is as follows:
'I’m A Live Frankenstein'
'X-Ray Eyes'
'King Of The Hill'
'Cyberspace Girl'
'Get Up!'
'Boomerang Lover'
'Make ‘Em Dance'
'Monday Morning Meltdown' (edited version)
'When The Bitter’s Got The Better Of You'
'The William Tell Overture'
'It’s A Long Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock And Roll'

According to an update from singer Brian Vollmer, "the second CD we’ll be recording is an acoustic CD of all the Helix hits. Sean Kelly (CRASH KELLY) will be helping out on this one. This will be a pared down bare bones CD focusing on vocals and acoustic guitar. We’re thinking of calling this disc simply The Hits Unplugged."

Bassist B-Force has left Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL. The band's guitarist, Lord Ahriman, said in a statement, "I wish to thank [B-Force] for the six fantastic years he'd been with us on bass. It's been a pleasure indeed working together."

Commented B-Force: "After six awesome and crazy years with DARK FUNERAL, I have decided to leave the band. It's my own decision to leave one of the best band/friends in the world, but I feel that I need to move forward in life and do something else music-wise. There are absolutely NO hard feelings between me and DARK FUNERAL. We are and will continue to be good friends!

"I want to thank the band and all the fans all over the world. You kick ass everywhere I've been playing with the band. I thank you all. May the dark forces be with you."

DARK FUNERAL has already found "a new and totally amazing bassist; a bassist who lives and breathes DARK FUNERAL in its purest form," according to Lord Ahriman. "We will, however, wait until everything is settled before we present him to all of you, so please be patient."

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen has released a new video message in which he announces the instrumentalists that perform on "Victims Of The Modern Age", the new album from his STAR ONE project.

"Victims Of The Modern Age" instrumentalists:

* Ed Warby (AYREON, HAIL OF BULLETS, GOREFEST) - Drums
* Peter Vink - Bass
* Joost van den Broek (ex-AFTER FOREVER) - Keyboards Solos
* Gary Wehrkamp (SHADOW GALLERY) - Guitar solos
* Arjen Lucassen - All Other Instruments

The next update will feature the first guessing game. You will hear music from the album and you have to guess the name of the vocalist. Then post your answer at Arjen's message board and you will be informed if you have won a copy of the new STAR ONE album.

"Black Smokers (752 Farenheit)", the new Arnaud Lalanne-directed video from French metallers DAGOBA, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's fourth album, "Poseidon", which is being released today (Monday,August 30) via the French label XIII Bis Records. The CD was recorded at Hyperion Studio in Marseille, France with "Brew" Varea and was mixed by Dave Chang at Philia Studio in the U.K.

"Poseidon" track listing:

01. 43 17'n / 5 22'e
02. Dead Lion Reef
03. Columnae
04. The Devil's Triangle
05. Degree Zero
06. The Horn Cape
07. Black Smokers (752 Farenheit)
08. Ha Long
09. Shen Lung
10. I Sea Red
11. Theres Blood Offshore
12. Waves Of Doom

Hard-hitting Danish four-piece THE BURNING has revealed the cover artwork for its new album, "Hail The Horde", due in Europe on October 25 via Massacre Records. The cover art was created by Brent Elliot White, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, DEATH ANGEL and WHITECHAPEL.

"Hail The Horde" was produced by Jacob Bredahl (HATESPHERE, PURIFIED IN BLOOD), while the drum recordings and mastering were handled by Tue Madsen (SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SICK OF IT ALL). The album features guest vocals by Scott and Bjørn Jensen (DAWN OF DEMISE) and Søren "Nico" Adamsen (ARTILLERY).

"Hail The Horde" track listing:

01. Godless
02. Bait The Hook
03. Flames Be Your FriendNihilist Life
04. Nihilist Life
05. Swing The Pendulum
06. Wolf Moon (feat. Søren "Nico" Adamsen)
07. Hail The Horde (feat. Scott and Bjørn Jensen)
08. Inverted Cross Syndrome
09. Metamorphosis
10. Baptized In Bong Water
11. Turn Or Burn
12. Disownment

Legendary US southern trend-killers PANTERA are celebrating the original release of Cowboys From Hell with a 20th Anniversary Edition due out on September 14th via Rhino. An Ultimate Edition of the album will be available on November 23rd. BraveWords.com spoke with drummer Vinnie Paul (HELLYEAH) about the landmark release and he revealed that all Pantera albums will be treated similarly.

"We plan on doing this with all the Pantera releases as they come up on the 20th year," Paul mentioned while discussing the Cowboys From Hell anniversary. Which means 1992's Vulgar Display Of Power is up next. "We've got two years to go for that," he laughs, "but I know that it's already in motion and there's another track that we discovered that we never put on the record. It will have one more jam that nobody has ever heard. We were always a band that believed when it came to song-writing it was all about quality and not quantity. A lot of bands would write 40 songs to see if they have ten good ones to put on the record. We wrote what was on the record - ten or eleven and that was it. We rarely had any extras and that's why there hasn't been any hidden b-sides or anything like that. 'The Will To Survive' (one of the unreleased tracks on the Cowboys From Hell 20th Anniversary) came up and then this other one that's going to be included on the Vulgar package. So there will be something new on there that people haven't heard."

A four-minute trailer for "Live In Europe", the new live album from Dutch singer Anneke Van Giersbergen (AGUA DE ANNIQUE, ex-THE GATHERING), can be viewed below. According to Anneke, "the vast majority of the CD's 12 songs were recorded during our spring 2010 tour in France and Spain. The touring band consisted of Ruud Jolie (guitar), Jacques de Haard (bass) and Rob Snijders (drums). Yours truly sang, shook her booty and played piano and guitar. My front-of-house engineer Erik-Jan Dodd recorded and mixed the album. I'm really excited that the energy of a live show is captured well on this release!

"There will be three brand new up-tempo songs on it: 'Fury', 'Laugh It Out' and a song called 'Who I Am'. I wrote that one together with Devin Townsend while we were working on his 'Addicted' album. I've also re-recorded an old favorite of mine: 'Shrink'. I wrote this song when I was 19 years old and I first recorded it for a demo I made in 1992. It ended up on THE GATHERING's album 'Nighttime Birds' (1997) and now it's revived on 'Live in Europe'. It's a song dear to my heart and I'm proud to share it with you in a new arrangement.

"I had already chosen a picture for the album cover when Mehmet Turgut sent me a photo from a shoot I did with him in Turkey earlier this year. I fell in love with that shot instantly! Arda Aktas made a beautiful cover design."

"Live In Europe" track listing:

01. Intro
02. The World
03. My Girl
04. Who I Am
05. Day After Yesterday
06. Hey Okay!
07. Fury
08. Beautiful One
09. Adore
10. I Want
11. Laugh It Out
12. Witnesses
13. Shrink

According to NME.com, GUNS N' ROSES' appearance at the Reading festival earlier tonight (Friday, August 27) was cut short after the organizers pulled the plug on the band's performance due to curfew issues.

GUNS N' ROSES kicked off the show at 10:30 p.m. — over an hour later than scheduled — and managed to play the majority of its set until roughly midnight despite earlier warnings from festival organizer Melvin Benn that he would not tolerate the band playing past 11:30 p.m.

GUNS N' ROSES walked offstage after playing "Nighttrain" and tried to return for an encore, at which point the band's sound was cut. According to NME.com, the group "still tried to launch into 'Paradise City', though only the drums could be heard as all other instruments had been switched off. As the crowd started to sing the track, [singer Axl] Rose tried to greet members of the audience while singing through a megaphone." This went on for roughly five minutes, before the GN'R bandmembers came together on the stage for a final bow and walked off.

GUNS N' ROSES will play U.K.'s Leeds festival tonight (Sunday, August 29) despite singer Axl Rose's previous claim that that the band would pull out of the gig because the group's appearance at the Reading festival on Friday (August 27) was cut short. In two separate message on Twitlonger.com, a related Twitter site where one can post messages longer than 140 characters, Rose wrote, "We are in constant talks to ensure the fans attending Leeds get what they paid for without undue bureaucratic interference. We thank you for your understanding. . . In regard to Reading, we feel at the very least the fans deserve an apology from those responsible for the nonsense. We'd also like to thank the fans for being so great, singing along n' not tearing the place apart!!"

GUNS N' ROSES reportedly started its Reading festival performance at 10:30 p.m. — more than an hour later than scheduled — and was given an extra half hour to play, until roughly midnight.

In a statement to BBC News, the Reading festival organizers said, "GUNS N' ROSES wanted to 'extend' the new agreed curfew but were prevented from doing so in order to comply with the entertainment licence issued by Reading Council."

GUNS N' ROSES played the final song of its set, "Paradise City", with no guitars and the crowd shouting along despite the lack of sound with Axl Rose singing through a megaphone, according to BBC News.

Although GUNS N' ROSES guitarist D.J. Ashba subsequently aplogized for the band hitting the stage "a little late," he accused the organizers of the festival of having "a personal grudge" with GUNS N' ROSES stemming from eight years ago when the band last played the Leeds festival.

Ashba's GN'R bandmate Richard Fortus (guitar) echoed D.J.'s sentiments, writing on his Twitter profile, "I don't think there is another band out right now that has the balls to do what we did last night. Axl insists on doing things his way and not playing by the fucking rules. You can love him or hate him for it, but the fact of the matter is.... he's the real fucking deal. skin, blood and soul. Deal with it or not, but it won't ever change."

British vocalist Tony Mills (ex-SHY), who currently fronts Norway's most famous hard rock sons TNT, suffered a heart attack at Oslo airport Saturday afternoon (August 28) on his way to a gig with the rest of the band. Mills is now in recovery and will be moved out of intensive care today (Monday, August 30).

Mills, 47, wishes to thank all the personnel who helped him at Oslo airport and in the intensive unit at the hospital. He and the rest of TNT also want to express their gratitude to all the fans and friends for their support in the last two days. "I look forward to coming back and singing!" says Mills.