Professionally filmed video footage of SLAYER's June 5, 2010 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany can be viewed below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. World Painted Blood
02. Jihad
03. Hate Worldwide
04. Disciple
05. Dead Skin Mask
06. Expendable Youth
07. War Ensemble
08. Beauty Through Order
09. Hell Awaits
10. Mandatory Suicide
11. Chemical Warfare
12. Raining Blood
13. South Of Heaven
13. Angel Of Death

ALICE COOPER, hat jetzt die Digitale EP "Alice Does Alice" veröffentlicht, die fünf Songs wurden alle neu eingespielt und aufgenommen. Außerdem wurde der Song "Elected" HIER auf der Band Webseite als Free Download bereit gestellt.

"Alice Does Alice" Track List:

1. School’s Out
2. No More Mr. Nice Guy
3. Elected
4. Eighteen
5. Welcome To My Nightmare

“There are about 20 songs I’d like to redo given the time,” says Alice. “So, when I get the time that’s what I plan to do. This is the first batch.”

Greek extreme metallers ROTTING CHRIST have been forced to cancel additional shows as a result of a recent accident involving guitarist/vocalist Sakis Tolis in which he sustained injuries to his leg that will keep him glued to his bed for at least a month.

In addition to the previously announced South American tour, ROTTING CHRIST has scrapped the following appearances:

July 02 - Metalshow.lv - Riga, Latvia
July 03 - Hard Rock Laager Festival - Vana Vigala, Estonia
July 04 - Mulen Ruzas - Vilnius, Lithuania
July 06 - Randal - Bratislava, Slovakia
July 07 - Planetnoir Metal Stage - Pecs, Hungary
July 08 - Metal Camp - Tolmin, Slovenia

Commented Sakis: "I had serious accident, my leg is broken and still in gypsum and it should be 'till late July.

"It was a really nightmare for me to get a decision that I have never taken in my life. I have never surrender but I feel like this time I have to cancel the following shows (see below).

"Believe me that I did my heart stone to take this decision but I believe that canceling these shows we avoid to have any problem for future shows.

"If I had to do this tour trip and hit my leg somewhere I would might need an operation so I think it will be better to cancel the shows."

On Saturday, June 5, former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske returned to the live stage for the first time in 17 years with his new band UNISONIC — also featuring Dennis Ward (bass) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums) of Germany's PINK CREAM 69 and Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer (who has previously played with ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS) — for a headlining performance at Live Music Hall in Mörlenbach, Germany. Several more shows followed, including an appearance at this year's Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden (see video footage below).

Kiske has since released the following statement via the UNISONIC MySpace page:

"Having done my first live shows after almost 17 years, I'd like to say that I was really thrilled about still having many friends out there after such a long time. Some people even came from Russia just for our freaking warm-up shows, another guy came from Turkey! That's unbelievable. I am deeply honored and moved by this and don't take any of it for granted.

"My voice was not half way where I want it to be in terms of condition for live situations — this always needs some time, especially after so many years — but on most songs I did well and the audience was great.

"It was very important for me to do this and to have new face to face contact with you people again after isolating myself for a long time.

"In Sweden it was extremely cool to see how welcome UNISONIC was and how many autographs we had to give afterwards. And it was not only 'Keeper' or PLACE VENDOME CDs I had to sign; every second CD seemed to be one of my solo CDs. I didn't expect that.

"I have been quite harsh on the metal scene over some time and was pretty pissed about it, because I can't deal with certain things in it, and that might have made me be a bit unfair occasionally, but that wasn't for very long. And meeting many of you fans now again has helped me to adjust even more now.

"I don't hate all metal, I just hate morally wrong ideologies which are circulating within the metal scene and I don't accept any sort of art slavery. But I still like rock music, yes, even some of my favorite metal records of my youth, because most of them are simply great rock records.

"In many ways, the music wasn't really the problem. My problem was, is and will always be the satanic sickness that is so common in the scene. I have NO understanding for inhumanity and heartlessness glorifying people and fascistic mentalities. I believe in good-hearted humans, love and understanding, and that free and honest music is the only law for a healthy and true music culture.

"What I have criticized about the metal scene was and is very just, but to each its own, of course.

"I will always speak my mind.

"My spiritual, moral and artistic convictions haven't changed a bit, but I am a lot more relaxed now and if I went too far sometimes in the past, I am sorry; I don't want to be unfair at all.

"Not all metal fans are Ignorants or Satanists, I never really thought that anyway. I have actually met only cool, good-hearted and intelligent metal and rock fans on this very short 'tour.' Some even seem to understand my way of thinking when we talked. They were much more open-minded and friendly than I thought, and if that would be representative for the majority, I'd be very happy.

"I wanted to get these words out to you guys while all is still fresh."

Japanese theatrical phenomenon SOUND HORIZON's new maxi single, "Hikari to Yami no Douwa", which features former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman on all of its tracks, entered the official chart in Japan at position No. 1. This is the first No. 1 recording Marty has played on in his entire career in any country.

SOUND HORIZON is known for its epic arrangements, extravagant theatrical concerts and devoted fans. This is Marty's first involvement with the project.

The second sold-out SOUND HORIZON concert at the Yoyogi Auditorium in Tokyo on June 20, at which the band will be joined by Marty on stage, will be shown in real time in 3-D in all TOHO Cinemas throughout Japan.

After completing the majority of the recording Los Angeles' most legendary recording studio, The Village Recorder, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman is back in Tokyo, Japan putting the finishing touches on his latest instrumental solo album.

"Atlanta", a complete 2 hour live performance from Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet tour, is now available as a download from the PT Store. The show was recorded and mixed to the usual PT standards in order to provide material for a planned live album, but when the decision was taken to film much of the same repertoire in Holland for a major DVD release instead, the Atlanta recording ended up back in the vault. Now PT have now decided to make it available in complete form as a download only release to raise funds for Mick Karn's treatment for cancer. Although the repertoire is similar to that on the Anesthetize DVD, the performance has its own atmosphere, and also includes the first ever officially released live recording of "A Smart Kid".

The mp3s are high quality 320kbps files, and there is a break between tracks 8 and 9 in case you want to burn your own 2 CD set, for which Carl Glover has also provided CD artwork.

Please note that profits from the sale of the Atlanta download will go to Mick Karn and his family.

NEVERBORNE, originally hailing from South Africa but now residing in Surrey, U.K., has issued the following update:

"We are excited to announce that we will be working with two guest musicians on our upcoming album. Antony Hämäläinen (NIGHTRAGE) will be providing guest vocals on the track 'Mechanical Ruin' while Henrik Danhage (ex-EVERGREY, DEATHDESTRUCTION) will be doing a guest solo on a track that's yet to be named.

"To be working with such talented musicians from bands that we admire and respect is really inspiring and we can't wait for you all to hear the final product.

"As of today, we've completed preproduction on 10 of the final 12 tracks and are due to begin recording with Karl Groom of Thin Ice Studios on July 19.

"Although we're still working on the album title, we can reveal the following track names: 'Forget To Live', 'Embers To Ashes', 'Mechanical Ruin', 'Confession' and 'Beneath The Scars'.

"The new album can be described as a natural progression of the NEVERBORNE sound that defined our debut release, 'In Absence Of Fear', with more focus on groove and melody"

NEVERBORNE's debut EP, "In Absence Of Fear", was released last November via Glasstone Records. The CD was produced at Surrey's Thin Ice Studios by Karl Groom.

According to a press release, NEVERBORNE writes "adrenaline-soaked metal that combines melody and brutality, harmony and chaos, hope and despair."

GRAVEHILL's "Rites of the Pentagram" album will be reissued on July 6 via Ibex Moon Records. The re-release comes with new packaging and includes the five-song "Metal of Death/Advocation of Murder & Suicide" EP.

Originally issued by Enucleation Records, "Rites of the Pentagram" is described in a press release as "how real death metal is done; no fruity keyboards, no emo or fake guttural vocals, no triggered drumming, no lame sub-par AT THE GATES wannabe riffs, no association with the word 'core' or a band name that is a sentence long and no cramming 5,000 riffs with political-themed lyrics."

GRAVEHILL, CARDIAC ARREST, HOD and FATALIST will team up for the "Campaign For Death Metal Purity 2010" tour. Kicking off July 2 in Portland, Oregon, the trek "was designed for the sole purpose of taking death metal back to its roots, a time when metal wasn't a fashion statement and death metal came from some place much more sinister and far more deadly!" according to a press release.

For a list of dates, go to this location.

GRAVEHILL will enter Trench Studios in Santa Ana later this year with engineer John Haddad to begin recording its sophomore album, "Pravus Tyrannis!", for a late 2010 release via Ibex Moon Records. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Unholy Executioner", "Suffer No Man to Live", "When All Roads Lead To Hell", "Devil Worshipper" and "War Prayers".

GRAVEHILL and CARDIAC ARREST are featured on the first installment of Relapse Records' "Death Metal EP Series", featuring one band per side. This exclusive release contains the GRAVEHILL song "Of Wolves And Wickedness", recorded during the "Metal Of Death / Advocation Of Murder & Suicide" EP session.

German/Greek metal band MYSTIC PROPHECY has announced the addition of drummer Claudio Sisto to the group's ranks.

Commented Sisto: "I'm half Italian but was born in Southern Germany. In 1996 I got my first drum lessons and so far I played in bands like CONTRACRASH, MANTIKOR and UNGEHOBELT. With CONTRACRASH I released an album, rocked the Bang Your Head!!! festival in 2008 and also toured Germany and Finland. In May 2010 I joined MYSTIC PROPHECY claiming the vacant drum kit's seat and I can't wait to kick ass with the guys!!!"

MYSTIC PROPHECY is hard at work on material for its seventh studio album for a tentative April 2011 release.

Commented MYSTIC PROPHECY mainman/producer R.D. Liapakis: "After months of trying and auditioning, we finally found the man for the job. Claudio is not only a very powerful drummer but also the chemistry between us is ideal in order to make great heavy metal music and tour together.

"A band is like a family — if the chemistry isn't right the results are obvious on the music. This is why I feel Claudio is going to be appropriate man for the job.

"As for our new album, 'Fireangel' has been a big success and our fans were very pleased by the result so the new one has to be better or at least equally good.

"I admit that I am always anxious about how people will react to our music. However, so far playing music that comes from our hearts has always led us to good releases and I am confident this album will be no exception to the story so far.

"This is our seventh studio album, and I am confident that with our current lineup, and Claudio behind the drum kit, we will make your heads bang."

North America's progressive metal gods SYMPHONY X recently entered the studio to begin laying down the drum tracks for the band's next studio album, tentatively due before the end of the year via their new record label, Nuclear Blast Records. According to the band's webmaster, "the drums and most of the rhythm guitars are all recorded. At the moment, they are fine-tuning the lyrics and melodies, during which time Russ [Allen] will also be recording his vocals.

Jason Rullo of North America's progressive metal gods SYMPHONY X is scheduled to enter the studio today (Thursday, March 18) to begin laying down the drum tracks for the band's next studio album, tentatively due mid-2010 via their new record label, Nuclear Blast Records. The band's

SYMPHONY X guitarist Michael Romeo previously stated about the group's new material, "We have over an hour of really good stuff that we really dig; there's more than enough stuff there that we can choose the best songs to go on the CD... but all of the songs are really strong. One is shaping up to be 10 minutes plus.

"I think everyone will like it," Romeo concluded. "It has a little bit of everything."

"Draconian Times", the seminal 1995 album from U.K. gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, will be reissued on vinyl on July 26 via Peaceville Records. This vinyl edition is numbered and limited to 2000 copies and comes on double 180-gram burgundy-colored vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and printed inner sleeves and liner notes from the album's producer, Simon Efemy.

"Draconian Times" was recorded at Great Linford Manor and Ridge Farm Studios, England, with the prolific writing partnership of Nick Holmes (vocals) and Greg Mackintosh (vocals) creating something beyond even their previous albums, while retaining the strong union of atmosphere and melody, particularly with the identifiable and often-copied guitar tone and playing style.

"Draconian Times" is often referred to as the peak of the band's creativity, and established PARADISE LOST as a truly world- class act.

Side 1:

01. Enchantment (6:04)
02. Hallowed Land (5:03)
03. The Last Time (3:23)

Side 2:

01. Forever Failure (4:13)
02. Once Solemn (3:03)
03. Shadowkings (4:42)

Side 3:

01. Elusive Cure (3:21)
02. Yearn For Change (4:19)
03. Shades Of God (3:54)

Side 4:

01. Hands Of Reason (3:57)
02. I See Your Face (3:16)
03. Jaded (3:26)

Germany gothic rockers END OF GREEN will release their seventh album, "High Hopes in Low Places", on August 20 release in Germany, Austria and Switzerland via Silverdust Records. The CD was recorded at Munich's Weltraumstudios with producer Corni Bartels.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Blackened Eyes
02. Goodnight Insomnia
03. Carpathian Gravedancer
04. Under The Sway
05. Tie Me A Rope… While You're Calling My Name
06. High Hopes In Low Places
07. An Awful Day
08. Saviour
09. Slaves
10. Starlight

Chris Krovatin of Revolver magazine tracked down SLAYER guitarist Kerry King in Austria and MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine in Warsaw, Poland to discuss the two bands' participation in the so-called "Big Four" European dates — a series of Sonisphere festival appearances featuring METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX, the four originators of 1980s thrash. A couple of excerpts from the discussion follow below.

Revolver: How did the "Big Four" tour come about?

King: It was something that was trying to be made happen, so it just took everyone signing off on it. I gotta tell you, man, I can't believe, in the 27 years since we put our first record out, that no one's tried to make this happen. Because now that it is happening, it's so cool, it's so important, that every territory in the world wants it. I don't know what took so long.

Mustaine: We had some opportunities to do these festivals, and we had been doing the Carnage dates [with SLAYER], which were of course so popular in the States and Canada. For me, personally, I didn't see it coming… Having dinner with Lars [Ulrich] the other night, he told me that he had talked to SLAYER's tour manager a year and a half ago about whether or not this was gonna happen, and I thought, God, I'm so glad I didn't know about this a year and a half ago, because I would've had to spend every day with that "I've got a big gig coming" brain.

Revolver: For a long time, it seemed like there was bad blood between you guys, specifically between SLAYER and MEGADETH, and MEGADETH and METALLICA. What squashed that beef?

King: Before we did the Australian and Japanese run with MEGADETH, I was reading the Revolver SLAYER issue, and reading this interview we did with Dave. And I just couldn't remember why I wasn't friends with this dude anymore — I could not remember what I was upset about. So we get to the airport, and I saw him coming out of the lounge, and I came up, shook his hand, and said, "Hey, dude, I don't think I've talked to you in about 15 years!" We have a shitload of dates coming up, and honestly, when I've talked to him, I remember the guy I dug 25 years ago.

Mustaine: We've just learned how to step back see what we stand for in the world, the "Big Four," and how each band has contributed to that in its own way. I had a huge turnaround on my whole outlook at life walking into this tour, these dates, with just a brand new relationship. The first person I talked to was [METALLICA guitarist] Kirk [Hammett]. We talked for a while, and then at dinner, I sat next to James [Hetfield] and Lars, and it was cool to look at it — just how much we changed the world… Twenty years ago, this tour probably wouldn't have happened — we were all young, and we weren't dealing with the fame too well.

Revolver: What do SLAYER represent in the "Big Four?"

King: We represent all that is evil in the "Big Four," and historically, I think we've represented thrash the best, but it's funny, just how these four bands from this same movement went off to become different entities.

Revolver: What about MEGADETH?

Mustaine: Our lyrics are a little deeper than some of the others, but we're each different in that way — SLAYER's lyrics are really different from ANTHRAX's. We're really just like a four-paned window, you know — four different vantage points, all getting across that same message.

Revolver: Since METALLICA is headlining these shows, Kerry, should they be worried about getting blown off the stage by one of you?

King: The one thing I'm not happy about — and we didn't know this until we got here — is that it's not always the "Big Four" in a row. Some days, there are bands in between us, and that's kind of a bummer. A night ending with ANTHRAX, MEGADETH, and SLAYER would be brutal. I have nothing against those other bands, but I didn't know about that. But yeah, we open for METALLICA some nights. I've seen METALLICA twice on this tour, and they may not have all the spiel and bells and whistles they had in the States, but they've been killing it. They're pros, man, they'll have no problem. That said, man, our set's brutal, and it ain't there to make friends.

S

t
one Sour, the Grammy-nominated alt-metal band fronted by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor, will release "Audio Secrecy" on Sept. 7, the group's first new release in nearly four years. Taylor wasn't sure what kid of reaction the new music would get from fans.

So late last week, Taylor was pleasantly surprised when new song "Mission Statement" was downloaded over 50,000 times for free during a special 48-hour period at the group's website.

"I'm just sort of blown away and ecstatic," Taylor says. "There's a lot of buzz and people are really stoked. This album is not only better than the first two Stone Sour albums combined, to me it's the most well-rounded and diverse album I've ever been able to make. The music is just so visceral, and 'Mission Statement' is a perfect example of where it's at. That's a great anthem. It's got a little bit of the heavy but also is melodic as hell."

There's no secret that Stone Sour provides Taylor with creative expression and exploration that he's unable to attain with Slipknot's aggressive style. Taylor declined to comment directly about the recent death of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray, he did offer a "too soon to say right now" regarding the masked band's future.

"Yeah, I get a lot of latitude," Taylor says. "As diverse as Slipknot is, it's always kind of a cornerstone for a certain kind of music and I love that, I really do. We kind of set the standards and defined a genre for a while. And to me, I'll never take anything away from that but it has always been very locked in that sort of style. We've broken away and done some different things but we've always come back to what makes us us. With Stone Sour, there aren't those boundaries or locks or chains. I think that's what has kept us moving, right out of the gate that we're not afraid to take chances and do our own thing."

Currently overseas playing European festivals for the rest of this month, Stone Sour returns with stateside dates on the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival coming in August. Taylor hints fans can expect to hear new tracks such as lead single "Say You'll Haunt Me" (ships to modern and rock radio July 6), the prog-rockish "Digitial" and the heavy "The Bitter End."

Looking ahead, the group plans on visiting Japan, Australia and Canada, as well as a return visit to Europe, before mounting its own headlining American run next spring.

"Right now I'm looking at a year and a half of my life," Taylor says. "We're just going to tour the world and have a good time."

Video footage of HAIL! — the supergroup featuring vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, BEYOND FEAR), guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), drummer Paul Bostaph (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN) and bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH) — performing a cover version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "Neon Knights" on June 12, 2010 at the Sauna Open Air festival in Tampere, Finland with a special guest appearance by Marco Hietala of NIGHTWISH and TAROT can be viewed below.

Commented HAIL!: "If having DEATH ANGEL [perform the KISS classic 'Cold Gin' with us] wasn't enough — we also had Marco Hietala from NIGHTWISH/TAROT sing 'Neon Knights' with us again!

"We had a great time when Marco sang with us in Helsinki [on June 8] and the dude can w(hail!). He's a Finnish god so the crowd went bananas and he tore it up.

"It was an incredible night and everybody had a great time.

"What a wonderful way to say 'see you later' to Finland — friends having fun together the HAIL! way."

Added HAIL!: "The next time you see Andreas, buy him a beer and say thank you. This guy is seriously the ultimate road warrior. After our show at Sauna Open Air, he left at 3:00 in the morning, took a two-hour car ride to Helsinki airport, flew to Zurich, Switzerland, drove two hours to play the Greenfield Festival with SEPULTURA at 3:00 in the afternoon, walked onstage after not seeing the guys for a month and tore it up! ...and his day was far from over as he then drove two hours back to the airport to catch a 2:30 a.m. flight to Madrid, got to the hotel at 10:00 a.m. and played with us at Rock In Rio Madrid (then flew to Frankfurt to grab a train to Saarbrucken to meet up with SEPULTURA for the next two months!).

"Never a complaint or bad word."

"Hail! Andreas Kisser!"

Mark Gromen has checked in with the following:

While Nick Douglas (bass), Johnny Dee (drums) and Joe Taylor (guitar) recently performed together under the bassist's moniker, DDT is a new venture intent on filling the gaps between the DORO touring cycle by offering a fan-favorite array of classic rock covers to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

"During the festival season we play about 10 days and have 40 off," comments Douglas. "There are a bunch of biker gatherings that want (live) entertainment, so we're looking at filling in the gaps in our schedule."

Their debut gig, at Whiskey Tango, in Northeast Philadelphia (June 18, 2010), saw the trio taking turns as lead vocalist, running through the likes of ALICE COOPER (the Dee sung 'I'm Eighteen'), THE CARS ('Candy-O'), GUESS WHO ('American Band'), PINK FLOYD ('Money'), HENDRIX / DYLAN ('All Along The Watchtower'), THE BEATLES ('She's So Heavy') and NEIL YOUNG / BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD ('Mr. Soul').

Joked Dee: "We've spent 17 years of our lives in Germany and we can't speak Germany! We're some dumb Americans."

Douglas and Dee leave June 21st for Europe, to meet up with Doro for their Graspop gig, in Belgium on the 25th.