Reactivated NWOBHM legends TOKYO BLADE will release the "Live In Germany" CD and DVD on October 27 through Razar Ice Records. The effort was recorded last November at the Keep It True festival in Würzburg, Germany during the band's "Die By The Sword" tour.

"Live In Germany" was mixed and mastered by Sid Garcia at Sight 16 Studios in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The DVD will contain bonus material, including tour rehearsal, candid footage with the band and additional live songs from throughout the 2008 tour.

"Live In Germany" track listing:

01. Intro - The Killer
02. Lovestruck
03. Lightning Strikes
04. Midnight Rendezvous
05. Death On Main St.
06. Dead Of The Night
07. Attack, Attack
08. Monkeys Blood
09. Long Live Rock and Roll
10. If Heaven Is Hell
11. Night Of The Blade

Bonus tracks:

12. Someone To Love *
13. Blackhearts and Jaded Spades *
14. Unleash The Beast *

A new track from Lita Ford, entitled "Patriotic SOB", is available for streaming on her MySpace page. The song comes off Lita's first new studio album in 14 years, "Wicked Wonderland", which is scheduled for release in Europe on October 2 via earMUSIC/Edel. The set will be issued in the U.S. on October 6 through Lita's own JLRG Entertainment label as a regular CD and limited-edition vinyl with different artwork (see below).

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Love
02. Piece
03. Crave
04. Scream
05. Sacred
06. Wicked Wonderland
07. Indulge
08. Patriotic SOB
09. Everything
10. Inside
11. Truth
12. Betrayal
13. Bed
14. Garden
15. Push
16. Indulge (Remix)
17. Scream (Remix)

"New Horizons", the new video from Australian metallers LORD, can be viewed below. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Set In Stone", which was released in the band's home country in late August via Riot! Entertainment. According to frontman Lord Tim, the clip "has footage from all of the touring we've done this year so far and I think it really gets across the idea of how much travelling and endless waiting around we do between shows."

"Set In Stone" guest musicians:

Craig Goldy (DIO)
Glen Drover (ex-MEGADETH/ex-KING DIAMOND)
Pete Lesperance (HAREM SCAREM/FAIRGROUND)
Felipe Andreoli (ANGRA)
Olof Mörck (DRAGONLAND/AMARANTHE/NIGHTRAGE)
Yoshiyasu Maruyama (ARGUMENT SOUL)
Chris Brooks
Stu Marshall (PAIN DIVISION/ex-DUNGEON)
Chris Porcianko (VANISHING POINT)
Juz (ex-DUNGEON)
Richie Hausberger (ex-ENTER TWILIGHT)
Tania Moran (solo pop artist)
Mark Furze (FALCON ROAD/well-known star of Australian television)

The cover art was once again created by Felipe Machado Franco, who has previously worked with ICED EARTH, BLAZE BAYLEY and AXEL RUDI PELL, among others.

"Set In Stone" track listing:

01. Spectres Of The Ascendant
02. Redemption
03. 100 Reasons
04. Eternal Storm
05. Set In Stone
06. Someone Else's Dream
07. Forever
08. Beyond The Light
09. The End Of Days
10. Be My Guest
11. New Horizons

Legendary progressive rock veterans URIAH HEEP will celebrate their 40th anniversary by looking back to their past without melancholy or nostalgia and releasing a new album, "Celebration", on October 2 (October 26 in the U.K.).

URIAH HEEP look to the future proud and happy about their 40 years of joyful relationship with their audience. That's how the title "Celebration" came about.

HEEP history has been an extraordinary journey and it was time that their greatest classics were recorded in studio by the line-up playing them live to fans all over the world for more than 20 years.

The band re-recorded twelve of their most successful songs — classics like "Free Me", "Gypsy", "The Wizard", "Easy Livin'", and, of course, their all-time smash hit "Lady in Black".

In addition to that, they have composed and recorded two completely new songs as a special gift to their fans: "Only Human" and "Corridors of Madness", two of their best tracks in years.

"Celebration" will also be a tour, reaching every major city in Europe and all over the world.

"Celebration" will be delivered in three different editions:

* Standard Edition (CD Only)
* Deluxe Edition (CD + DVD)
* Collector's Edition (CD+7" Vinyl) signed by the band.

While the "Collector's Edition" comes with a strictly limited seven-inch vinyl containing two exclusive bonus-tracks, the "Deluxe Edition" is probably the one that all hardcore fans will want to have in their collection. It will feature a DVD with URIAH HEEP's outstanding live-show at the legendary Sweden Rock Festival 2009.

After examining information supplied by PETA showing that chimpanzees and other great apes used in advertising are removed from their mothers as infants and routinely abused in behind-the-scenes training sessions, telecommunications giant Samsung has withdrawn a television commercial that showed Ozzy Osbourne watching a chimpanzee "rock star" on a smartphone (see commercial below).

Great apes used in advertisements are typically taken from their mothers not long after birth and forced to live in substandard conditions. Trainers have been caught routinely beating, kicking, punching, and electro-shocking the young animals to force them into submission and to ensure that they will "perform" tricks. These tricks, which are confusing and often uncomfortable to them, require the animals to suppress all their natural behaviors.

"PETA applauds Samsung's decision to distance itself from cruelty to apes who are used and abused in entertainment," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman.

Samsung joins a growing roster of businesses that have pulled the plug on existing ads using great apes or that have pledged not to include the animals in any future advertising. These include Arnold Worldwide, Harris Teeter, Subaru, Honda, Keds, PUMA, Yahoo!, SEGA, Levi Strauss & Co., the Ad Council, and Gap Inc.

Sweden's MISERATION — the collaboration between SCAR SYMMETRY vocalist Christian Älvestam and Jani Stefanovic (ESSENCE OF SORROW, DIVINEFIRE) — has completed work on its sophomore album, "The Mirroring Shadow", for a November 16 release in Europe and January 19 in North America via Lifeforce Records. The follow-up to "Your Demons - Their Angels" was recorded at Panic Room studios with producer Tomas "Plec" Johansson.

Commented the band: "After a few months of intense work, we are happy to announce that our new album, 'The Mirroring Shadow', is now finally recorded and done. We are really proud of what we have accomplished this time and we can't wait to share this newborn baby with you all! Musically, it's definitely a step up, intensity- and aggression-wise; also being more technical than its predecessor. Even so, there are still a lot of melodic landscapes there to explore. Put together, this progression both came and felt very natural to us, once the new material started to take shape. Sound-wise, producer Tomas 'Plec' Johansson has really outdone himself on this one, giving the music a productional enviroment to die for! Crushingly pounding, yet crystal clear! A big thanks also to Stefan and Lifeforce Records for being patient, understanding and for backing us up in the hour of need! It will not be forgotten! Last, but not least, hats off to Pär Johansson for his brilliant lyrical contribution and to Pär Olofsson for an album artwork worthy of praise. Your exquisite work made all the difference! In all, we are very proud and happy with the outcome of our efforts, that is 'The Mirroring Shadow'!"

Check out the song "Dreamdecipher" — taken from the forthcoming album, "The Mirroring Shadow" — on the MISERATION MySpace page.

Vigilante is one of the most important and heaviest Industrial bands from South America. Its powerful beats and strong lyrics were released in several countries around the world like Russia, Germany, Chile, Argentina and even Japan. Vigilante has shared stage and colaborated with bands like Nine Inch Nails, Die Krupps, Agonoize, VNV Nation and Hocico among others. Watching this DVD will let you know a little more about the history of the band. Get soaked up with the power and energy of its live performances and a sound that will blow your ears. This release also includes an Extra CD with all the live tracks from the DVD in High Definition Audio, a very special remix from the legendary band Die Krupps and 2 new songs from the highly anticipated new Vigilante album "The New Resistance". Released on Black Rain and available October 16th, 2009.

Swedish street metal veterans HARDCORE SUPERSTAR will re-release two of their albums — "Hardcore Superstar" (2005) and "Dreamin In A Casket" (2007) — on October 16 via Nuclear Blast's "Reloaded Series." Both reissues will contain bonus material such as demo tracks and rehearsal takes.

"Hardcore Superstar" bonus tracks:

01. Kick On The Upperclass (rehearsal take)
02. We Don't Celebrate Sundays (rehearsal take)
03. Wild Boys (demo)

"Dreaming In A Casket" bonus tracks:

01. Dreamin' In A Casket (demo)
02. Sophisticated Ladies (demo)
03. This Is For The Mentally Damaged (demo)

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's latest album, "Beg For It", was released on June 5 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP's title track, which was released as the CD's first single, was certified gold in the band's home country after entering the national chart at position No. 5.

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR last year added guitarist Vic Zino from the band CRAZY LIXX following the departure of Thomas Silver.

Thomas Silver announced in January 2008 that he was "tired of music and touring" and left HARDCORE SUPERSTAR amicably.

Vic Zino played a number of European dates with HARDCORE SUPERSTAR as a session guitarist during the early months of 2008.

A bass guitar autographed by members of RUSH, DEFTONES, GREEN DAY and others is being auctioned to raise money for DEFTONES bassist Chi Cheng, who remains in a semi-conscious state 10 months after being gravely injured in a car crash in Northern California. The 2001 Fender Precision bass has been signed by GREEN DAY's Mike Dirnt, RUSH's Geddy Lee and Cheng himself, as well as notable session players Reggie Hamilton, Stu Hamm, Victor Bailey, Marcus Miller and others.

The bass, produced for Fender's 50th anniversary celebration, can be seen on page 16 of the September issue of Bass Player magazine, on sale now.

Following a critically and commercially successful album is no small feat for any band. For ATREYU, whose fourth full-length, "Lead Sails Paper Anchor", sold over 315,000 copies, the task was even more daunting. That album marked a substantial shift for the group, expressing an explosively commercial and alternative side of ATREYU that had been largely unexplored. With their new album, "Congregation Of The Damned", the members wanted to continue to develop musically, but at the same time return to more of the aggression and firepower they exhibited growing up in the hardcore metal-based scene of Orange County, California.

With a crumbling economy, environmental calamity and international strife as a backdrop, ATREYU — Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer Brandon Saller — were able to write some of their strongest, most salient songs to date. "Congregation Of The Damned", produced by Bob Marlette (AIRBORNE, OZZY OSBOURNE), mixed by Rich Costey (THE MARS VOLTA, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) with select tracks mixed by Noah Shain (ENDLESS HALLWAY, SONNY), comes out October 27, and is simultaneously crushing, exultant and unapologetic, delving further into ATREYU's quest for the perfect melody while satisfying their taste for street-lethal riffs and ear-piercing solos.

Throughout the 13 songs on "Congregation Of The Damned", ATREYU cover a variety of ground, including inflammatory and technical hardcore ("Stop! Before It's Too Late and We've Destroyed it All"), raging and anthemic metal ("Carried Away"), and brutally cinematic rock ("You Were the King Now You're Unconscious"). At the same time, they make passing nods to the music they grew up on and still love, including BLACK FLAG, PANTERA, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

While there is no shortage of euphoric sing-along melodies, the songs are more ferocious than anything since 2004's "The Curse". The subject matter is equally intense. "The music is heavier and so I was able to write darker lyrics," explains vocalist Alex Varkatzas. "There's personal shit on there: self-doubt, self-loathing. Bands who sing about happy things have their place, and I'm not singing about dark things to promote them, I'm singing about them so I don't go insane. It's pure catharsis. I make music so I don't go crazy."

Varkatzas finds himself in that darker territory with "Storm To Pass", a song that has double meaning: the storm as depression, and the storms of war: "You can feel that depression coming on, you can see yourself doing fucked up things but you can't stop it," says Varktazas. "I grew up watching the first Iraq war and the invasion of various countries and how the whole thing became one giant shit storm."

"Congregation Of The Damned" track listing:

01. Stop! Before It's Too Late and We've Destroyed it All
02. Bleeding is a Luxury
03. Carried Away
04. Coffin Nails
05. Black Days Begin
06. Gallows
07. Storm to Pass
08. You Were King Now You're Unconscious
09. Insatiable
10. So Wrong
11. Ravenous
12. Lonely
13. Wait For You

VIOLENT STORM — the band formed by ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/BLACKMORE'S NIGHT bassist Mick Cervino — is in pre-production for a new studio album, to be released in the winter of 2009.

Regarding the possibility of guest musicians appearing on the next VIOLENT STORM CD, Cervino stated, "I don't rule out the participation of guest musicians on the new recording. I may or may not, depending on what the songs want. We are still on the early stages, so we'll see how things flow as the sessions progress. So far the new songs are shaping up with lots of energy and musicality, without compromising in favor of today's substandard trends."

Digital Spy reports that LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page has turned down several lucrative bids from publishers trying to get him to write about life in the legendary rock band.

According to Angry Ape, the 65-year-old admitted that he has been approached numerous times over the years by those eager for him to pen an autobiography.

However, Page said that he keeps rejecting the offers as he believes that most books about ZEPPELIN are "a load of rubbish".

He added: "I've had so many offers over the years, but I'm not interested. I wouldn't know how to go about it."

ALICE IN CHAINS took part in an exclusive private performance yesterday (Wednesday, September 9) at the PC Richard & Son Theater in New York City.

Fan-filmed video footage of the band's appearance can be viewed here and here.

As previously reported, ALICE IN CHAINS will celebrate the release of its highly anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", with an outdoor mini-concert on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, September 29 (which will actually air the morning of Wednesday, September 30).

If you pre-order ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", via iTunes, you will receive two exclusive bonus tracks: "Your Decision" (live) and "Black Gives Way To Blue (Elton John Piano Mix)".

ALICE IN CHAINS recently tapped U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes to shoot a clip for "Check My Brain", the first official single from "Black Gives Way To Blue".

"Black Gives Way To Blue" arrives in stores on September 29 and is the first all-new ALICE IN CHAINS album in 14 years.

The disc features the recording debut with the group of singer and guitarist William DuVall. Original frontman Layne Staley died in 2002.

"Black Gives Way To Blue":

Patrick Mameli (guitar, vocals) of the resurrected late '80s/early '90s death metal outfit PESTILENCE has issued the following update:

"Well, the touring, the festivals and the travelling, it all has come to an end for us. I think we covered pretty much all the countries in Europe we really wanted to go to!

"I want to give props and a big thank you, to the guys in the band — [Tony] Choy [bass; ATHEIST, CYNIC], [Peter] Wildoer [drums; DARKANE] and [Patrick] Uterwijk [guitar] for their input and strength to finish this tour. Also, a warm shout goes out to all the fans that have attended our show(s). We really appreciate this!!

"Now we will have a nice and long break to regroup and I have already started working on new material for the upcoming new PESTILENCE album. It’s so exciting to compose new songs using the RG2228GK (8-string) provided by Hoshino/Ibanez.

"Again, I will try to push the limit to new musical heights. The new material will be nothing like you’ve ever heard before from PESTILENCE, yet I will be trying hard to maintain the PESTILENCE style to a maximum. By now everybody should be used to the fact that no PESTILENCE album sounds alike. This new material will be out of this world!"

Finnish folk metallers FINNTROLL have inked a three-album, worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The band entered Sonic Pump studios in Helsinki in late July to begin recording its as-yet-untitled fifth album for an early 2010 release.

Commented Jens Prueter, head of A&R at Century Media Europe: "We started working with [FINNTROLL] in 2001 when we licensed 'Jaktens Tid' and the following two albums from their previous label Spinefarm for release in Germany, Benelux and North America. Since then we became good friends going through great times like a massive co-headline show at Wacken 2006 (to be seen on the 'Ur Jordens Djup' bonus DVD), the experience of a Fisherman's Friend Vodka Cocktail and many other great moments blurred by further alcohol abuse. And we also went through bad times like Teemu 'Somnium' Raimoranta's funeral, the day we had to bring Tundra to a doctor because his infected feet was already smelling bad and the Earthshaker Roadshock Tour 2007 that was cancelled after a few shows because of disastrous organization. Apart from that, we just love FINNTROLL for their unique dark blend of traditional Finnish hoedown music and folky black metal. There are only a few bands in metal that have such a unique style and we can't wait to hear the upcoming album."

Added FINNTROLL: "Yeah, that's right peeps. We're most enthusiastic to announce our signing with Century Media Records. We decided to continue our long co-op with CM, thanks to Jens 'very special' Prueter and Mr. Rosie of King Foo. FINNTROLL felt it's time to work directly with CM this time as we have all the trust with them and they have never let us down in the past. Our new album will be released worldwide through CM in early 2010, and with that said we're gonna do some heavy touring, that’s gonna start in February in Europe and after that we're gonna sail across the ocean to North America."

Keyboardist Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali previously stated about the follow-up to 2007's "Ur Jordens Djup". "I personally think this will be our best album ever. Overall I can sense there's a lot 'punk' on it, lots of weirdness, a load of *riffs* instead of chord progressions, quite a bit of folkish parts and a lurking, evil atmosphere. In the terms of 'heaviness,' it's probably the heaviest album we've done, at least judging from the song material.

"I could pretty much safely say this sounds like a meaner and more wicked version of 'Ur Jordens Djup' with an occasional hint of the first album. For the disappointment for those who were waiting for songs sounding like 'Trollhammaren' or 'Jaktens Tid', I have to say that you probably should pick up the new KORPIKLAANI instead."

Corset boutique Belle Modeste and singer Heidi Parviainen from the Finnish symphonic metal band AMBERIAN DAWN have joined forces and started a collaboration on a series of costumes that will be designed and manufactured exclusively for Heidi's stage appearances. The first costume is based on two of the classical elements — air and water — and it was finished in time for the show at On The Rocks in Helsinki, Finland on September 2.

Video footage of AMBERIAN DAWN performing the song "River of Tuoni" on June 5, 2009 at the Sweden Rock festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden can be viewed below.

AMBERIAN DAWN's second album, "The Clouds of Northland Thunder" was released in Europe on June 29 via Ascendance Records.

AMBERIAN DAWN guitarist Tuomas Seppälä, who has played the keyboards in the studio on the band's albums, recently became the group's full-time keyboardist. The new AMBERIAN DAWN axeman is Emil Pohjalainen, who is described as "a talented 24-year-old shredder from Finland."

For more information, visit www.amberiandawn.com.

Boston Massachusetts metallers THE RED CHORD will release their fourth full-length album, "Fed Through the Teeth Machine" (cover), on October 27 in the U.S. via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Jonny Fay Backyard Studios, which is owned by the band's former guitarist Jonny Fay, and it was mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with HATEBREED and SHADOWS ALL, among others.

The track listing for the album is as follows:

01. Demoralizer
02. Hour Of Rats
03. Hymns And Crippled Anthems
04. Embarrassment Legacy
05. Tales Of Martyrs And Disappearing Acts
06. Floating Through The Vein
07. Ingest The Ash
08. One Robot To Another
09. Mouthful Of Precious Stones
10. The Ugliest Truth
11. Face Area Solution
12. Sleepless Nights In The Compound

Commented guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie: "We spent the last year working hard on this one and we're excited for everyone to finally hear it. It's a lot faster and, in my opinion, more straight-forward in a structural sense. We're really happy with the great work Jonny Fay and Zeuss did, too. It's not a concept record, but there are some loose conceptual elements to it: hygienic obsession, delusional compound-dwellers and Maniac Mansion.

"Get ready to make fun of us on the Internet!"

THE RED CHORD has uploaded the track "Demoralizer" to the band's MySpace page.

"'Demoralizer' kind of sums up what the record is about. It's aggressive and fast with some darker melodic parts. Probably one of the angriest-sounding songs we've recorded, which fits the records vibe," states McKenzie.

Regarding the new album title, vocalist Guy Kozowyk told Revolver magazine, "It's from the Discovery Channel show 'How It's Made'. They were talking about this machine they feed zippers through, but we just though the name was creepy."

The disc will be the band's first since the mid-2007 departure of Faye, whom the group chose not to replace. "With the economy being so bad, we figured it was time to downsize," Kozowyk said, only half-joking. "Writing as a four-piece is actually more efficient because there's one less opinion you have to deal with."

According to Kozowyk, the new songs are more intense and mature than those on 2007's "Prey for Eyes". "It's faster and heavier, but it's definitely groove-oriented and melodic where it needs to be," he said.

THE RED CHORD has dates lined up with interplanetary gods GWAR along with labelmates JOB FOR A COWBOY. The nearly two-and-a-half-month trek will take THE RED CHORD across the United States, kicking off in Houston Texas on September 29 and finishing up in New York City on December 13.

THE RED CHORD is:

Guy Kozowyk - Vocals
Mike "Gunface" McKenzie - Guitar
Greg Weeks - Bass
Brad Fickeisen - Drums

German thrash metal veterans TANKARD will have their classic VHS video from 1990, "Open All Night", released on DVD in December through AFM Records. Entitled "Open All Night - Reloaded", the disc's main feature will be the concert held on March 4, 1990 at the Werner-Seelenbinder-Halle in East Berlin and a show recorded at the Rock Hard Festival in 2007. It will also include the band's latest promotional clips — "The Beauty And The Beast", "Stay Thirsty!" and "Forza SGE" — along with other bonus material.

The original track listing for "Open All Night" was as follows:

01. The Morning After
02. Commandments
03. Alien
04. Open All Night
05. Maniac Forces
06. 666 Packs
07. Shit-Faced
08. Space Beer
09. Zombie Attack
10. Alcohol (GANG GREEN cover)
11. Chemical Invasion
12. (Empty) Tankard

The aforementioned show in East Berlin was organized to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. The bill also included Switzerland's CORONER, U.K.'s SABBAT and Germany's KREATOR.

TANKARD's latest album, "Thirst", was released in December 2008 via AFM Records.