The entire May 30, 2009 concert by reactivated Arizona thrashers SACRED REICH at the Dynamo club in Eindhoven, Holland can be viewed at this location.

Displeased Records's reissue of SACRED REICH's classic album "The American Way" came out in February. With upgraded layout, to-the-point remastering plus unreleased pre-production demo bonus tracks and a video clip, this new and improved CD reissue is an essential addition to every thrash metal collection!

"The American Way" was made available in a limited digipak version and standard jewel case version. The first 2,500 copies come with a free logo patch.

The track listing is as follows:

01. Love… Hate
02. The American Way
03. The Way It Is
04. Crimes Against Humanity
05. State Of Emergency
06. Who's To Blame
07. I Don't Know
08. 31 Flavors

Bonus tracks:

09. The American Way (demo)
10. Love… Hate (demo)
11. Crimes Against Humanity (demo)
12. State Of Emergency (demo)
13. I Don't Know (demo)
14. The American Way (video clip)

Metal Blade Records released a three-disc deluxe reissue of SACRED REICH's "Ignorance" and "Surf Nicaragua" in June 2007. Two CDs are included in the package (both remastered!) as well as a bonus DVD. The package, which was made available in Europe only, includes liner notes by Rind and Malcolm Dome (Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Total Rock Radio) and an extensive booklet with loads of previously unpublished photos.

Swiss extreme metallers SAMAEL have issued the following update:

"Some of you could feel it coming… today we’re proud to present you the first SAMAEL wine. 'Alliance' is a fine assemblage made from grapes of Gamay, Diolinoir and Sangiovese. It should surprise the connoisseurs by its mixtures of dark and deep aromas. Only a very limited edition of this 2009 vintage is branded SAMAEL, so if wine is 'your cup of tea,' don't lose time. You can order your bottle right now from the SAMAEL online shop, www.samael.info/shop."

"Above", the new album from SAMAEL, entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 99.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS took part in the "It Started In Poland" concert last night (June 4) in Gdansk Shipyard - Mlode Miasto. The aim of the show was to commemorate the events of 1989 transforming the totalitarian communist system into democracy. The organizers also wanted to preserve the memory of the moral message of the Solidarity movement. All revenues from ticket sales will be donated to the statutory tasks of the European Solidarity Centre, specifically for education.

SCORPIONS' setlist was as follows:

01. Coming Home
02. Loving You Sunday Morning
03. Is There Anybody There
04. The Zoo
05. Coast To Coast
06. Send Me An Angel
07. 321
08. Bad Boys Running Wild
09. Still Loving You
10. Blackout
11. Big City Nights
12. Wind Of Change
13. Rock You Like A Hurricane

Reactivated Dutch death metal veterans HOUWITSER have completed work on a new two-track promotional CD called "Sledgehammer Redemption". The effort was recorded by W. Remeijer and D. van Bijleveld at WR Studios and is available for order via the band's official web site.

One of the new tracks, "Hatred Vindicated", is available for streaming on the HOUWITSER MySpace page.

The band is currently looking for a label to release the next HOUWITSER full-length CD.

HOUWITSER is:

Stan Blonk - Vocals
Michel Alderliefsten - Guitar
Richard Gielen - Guitar
Ramon Ploeg - Bass
Marco De Groot - Drums

Swiss-German heavy metal drummer Dani Löble, who has been a member of HELLOWEEN since 2005, took part in a drum clinic on May 31, 2009 in Eitorf, Germany.

Video footage of his appearance can be viewed below.

Löble, 36, began his career with RAWHEAD REXX, a band that he co-founded but eventually left due to his commitments to HELLOWEEN. He was also a touring drummer for Blaze Bayley from October 2004 to December 2005. He has thus far appeared on two HELLOWEEN albums: "Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy" (2005) and "Gambling with the Devil" (2007).

Regarding his role in HELLOWEEN compared to that of his two predecessors, Ingo Schwichtenberg and Uli Kusch, Dani has been quoted as saying: "I view my style as a symbiosis of Schwichtenberg and Kusch. I'm not as straightforward as Ingo but not as technical as Uli. I have my own style."

Veteran Massachusetts metallers MELIAH RAGE will release their new album, "Masquerade", on July 28 via Screaming Ferret/Metro City Records. The CD was recorded at The Outpost in Stoughton, Massachusetts and was mastered at the end of November by producer Rich Spillberg (WARGASM), who has worked with everyone from STEEL ASSASSIN to JOSH GROBAN. According to the group, "The music on the record is much faster and heavier than the past few records and will feature a guest appearance by METAL CHURCH frontman Ronny Munroe."

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Lost Or Found (7:57)
02. Chosen (6:15)
03. History Will Tell (6:47)
04. Dreamer (5:09)
05. Seeker (6:58)
06. Hour Glass (5:06)
07. Masquerade (6:00)
08. Last Rites (4:56) (feat. Ronny Munroe)
09. Whatever It Takes (7:32)

BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal that California thrashers SLAYER have set "World Painted Blood" as the title of their new album, tentatively due late summer via American Recordings/Columbia Records. The forthcoming CD is being produced by Greg Fidelman and will include the album's title track and "Psychopathy Red" (both of which are Jeff Hanneman-penned tunes), the latter of which was made available as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl disc on April 18, 2009 as part of the third annual Record Store Day.

Prior to the new album release, SLAYER will join forces with MEGADETH to perform together for the first time in more than 15 years when they co-headline four shows in Canada in late June. The tour, dubbed "Canadian Carnage", will also feature MACHINE HEAD and SUICIDE SILENCE, and will see MEGADETH and SLAYER each closing two of the four shows. SLAYER will also co-headline with MARILYN MANSON on the five-week Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, set to kick off July 10 in Sacramento, California.

An audio sample of JORN's cover version of TARJA TURUNEN's "I Walk Alone" is available for download at this location (courtesy of MelodicRock.com). The track comes off JORN's brand new studio album, entitled "Spirit Black", which is being released today (June 5) in Europe and July 14 in the USA via Frontiers Records.

Considered by many fans and critics as one of the finest voices in hard rock to arrive on the scene at the end of the 20th century, JORN is now ready to unleash upon the world yet another studio album entitled "Spirit Black". "I have carried some of these ideas with me for quite some time," says Lande. "Willy, Jimmy, Sid and myself have known each other since the '80s, and some of the song ideas and demos from back then have now seen the light of day, and become an essential part of 'Spirit Black'. When we were younger we usually never cared about what we did yesterday, only about the future, but the past can sometimes reveal hidden treasures and I discovered great potential in some of these song ideas.". The result: "Spirit Black" is another slab of classic hard rock with '80s metal elements which will definitely please all those who loved his recent "Lonely Are The Brave", released in June 2008.

A winning formula should not change, so Jorn has worked again with Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark ensuring the right edge to the rich guitar and vocal sound that is now trademark to all Jorn releases. "The fans can expect a solid and defined record that will shake the classic metal world and hammer the future Jorn legacy in stone," says Jorn. "The sound of the album is like a crossover between 'The Duke' and 'Lonely Are The Brave', and I feel that some of the songs on 'Spirit Black' have the potential to become essential hard rock classics that will stand the test of time."

Jorn Lande's strong and diverse voice and solid songwriting skills have now become legendary in the hard rock world. In a career spanning over 30 albums releases and as frontman for MILLENNIUM, ARK and MASTERPLAN, Jorn was recently featured on spectacular projects such as Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA, along with stars like Alice Cooper and Eric Singer (KISS), Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS), Bob Catley (MAGNUM) and in Arjen Lucassen's recent concept album with AYREON.

"The musical style and direction is now more defined and less experimental. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel anymore, I just want to write good quality hard rock songs that people can relate to and identify with," continues the Norwegian Viking. "As we entered into the new millennium, I realized and accepted that my strength as a singer was more classic rockoriented. If you buy a Jorn album today, you know what you will get. True classic hard rock music."

Jorn is getting ready to tour the world at the end of summer 2009 with his band formed by Jgor Gianola and Tore Moren on guitars, Nic Angileri on bass and Willy Bendiksen on drums.

"Spirit Black" final track listing:

01. Spirit Black
02. Below
03. Road of the Cross
04. The Last Revolution
05. City Inbetweeen
06. Rock And Roll Angel
07. Burn Your Flame
08. World Gone Mad
09. I Walk Alone (TARJA TURUNEN cover)
10. The Sun Goes Down (bonus track exclusively included in the first limited edition pressing in digipak)

Audio samples of four songs from JUDAS PRIEST's forthcoming "A Touch of Evil: Live" live album — "Painkiller", "Eat Me Alive", "Beyond The Realms Of Death" and "Death" — are available here.

JUDAS PRIEST has chosen 10 songs not previously released in live album form for "A Touch of Evil: Live", which is due out July 14, in the midst of the band's U.S. summer tour.

"A Touch of Evil" includes live renderings of longtime fan favorites such as "Painkiller", "Dissident Aggressor", "Riding on the Wind", "Between the Hammer & the Anvil" and "Eat Me Alive", as well as "Hellrider" from "Angel of Retribution", the group's 2004 reunion album with frontman Rob Halford, and two tracks — "Death" and "Prophecy" — from last year's rock opera "Nostradamus".

"I love those songs," Halford told Billboard.com. "All of those songs just crush. Because they've never been recorded live in this way, it's just something fresh to put out. And when you listen to it and think this band has been around for three decades, with a combined age of 250-something years...I mean, how cool is that? It's a very fierce record and just captures the band's attitude and feeling in a very strong, determined way."

Recorded by Martin Walker and Brian Thorene during JUDAS PRIEST's mammoth 2005 and 2008 world tours, "A Touch Of Evil: Live" marks the first PRIEST album that producer Tom Allom has worked on since 1988 (co-producing along with the band). It was such Allom-produced albums as the aforementioned "Unleashed In The East", as well as "British Steel" and "Screaming For Vengeance" (among others) that made PRIEST not only one of the premier metal acts, but one of the leading global rock acts.

"A Touch Of Evil: Live" track listing:

01. Judas Rising
02. Hellrider
03. Between The Hammer & The Anvil
04. Riding On The Wind
05. Death
06. Beyond The Realms Of Death
07. Dissident Aggressor
08. A Touch Of Evil
09. Eat Me Alive
10. Prophecy
11. Painkiller

SEROTONAL, the Liverpool, U.K.-based band featuring Darren White (ex-ANATHEMA, THE BLOOD DIVINE), has finalized the track listing and artwork for its debut album, "Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope", due later this year via Union Black Records

Commented Union Black label owner Dan Griffiths: "SEROTONAL marks more than just the return of the most recognizable voice in metal — they are a fully functioning band with a wealth of talent and some of the most intense songs you've heard in a long time! Old and new fans alike are going to love the album when it comes out this summer! This fills a massive gap in all of our music collections and is one of the most important releases in metal in over a decade. And, having heard it, I'm confident people won't be disappointed!"

"Monumental: Songs Of Misery And Hope" (cover) track listing:

01. Self Control Seizure [4:07]
02. Now It's Over [3:49]
03. Unseen [4:42]
04. Wasteland [4:01]
05. Chaosmind [3:56]
06. Monumental [8:05]
07. Hinge ( ) [3:12]
08. Isolated [6:40]
09. Natureality [3:49]

Formed in 2004, SEROTONAL has spent the intervening years honing its sound and touring, having appeared at a number of festivals across Europe and at Bloodstock 2008 in the U.K.

"Ox", the first full-length album in 10 years from the Kansas City, Missouri hadrcore punk/metalcore band COALESCE, is available for streaming in its entirety at Lambgoat.com.

"Ox" will be released on CD and LP on June 9 in North America and June 15 internationally via Relapse Records. The CD version will be housed in a six-panel digipack with an embossed front cover and contain a 24-page booklet with seven distinctive die cuts. The LP will come in a gatefold jacket with embossed front cover and a custom-printed inner sleeve with a unique die cut center. Photos and pre-order options will be posted on Relapse.com shortly.

The follow-up to 1999's "0:12 Revolution In Just Listening", "Ox" was recorded with engineer Ed Rose at Blacklodge Studios and was mastered by Mike Fossenkemper at Turtle Tone.

COALESCE recently announced its first dates in support of "Ox" — a two-week headlining European tour in June. The band's first-ever European trek will include appearances at France's Hellfest and Germany's Pressure Festival. Also scheduled are a handful of dates in the Midwest, including a local show in Kansas City.

A new demo recording — "Hordes Of Zombies" — from American grindcore pioneers TERRORIZER is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track marks the group's first recording since the passing of guitarist Jesse Pintado.

Pintado, a founding member and guitarist of TERRORIZER, died at Holland's Erasmus MC hospital on August 27, 2006 due to liver failure, only less than a week after the release of TERRORIZER's long-awaited second album "Darker Days Ahead". His death effectively put TERRORIZER's future in question.

With an aggression and ferocity until then unheard, TERRORIZER took the scene by storm with the 1989 release of its highly acclaimed and genre-defining debut album, "World Downfall" (Earache Records). The LP established the band as a cult institution, and the musicians went on to concentrate on their future main outfits: Pete Sandoval (drums) with MORBID ANGEL and Jesse Pintado with NAPALM DEATH.

With "World Downfall", TERRORIZER created the "Reign In Blood" of grindcore, inspiring a generation of bands, their popularity never waning through these intervening years. The massive amount of available bootleg recordings and band merchandise, as well as rumors of a follow-up album, kept the TERRORIZER name alive.

Montreal extreme metallers DESPISED ICON have set "Day Of Mourning" as the title of their new album, due on September 22 via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Yannick St-Amand, while the mixing duties were handled by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, THE ACACIA STRAIN, WHITECHAPEL) in Massachusetts. The whole thing was mastered by Alan Douches (MASTODON, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, NILE).

DESPISED ICON recently released a new DVD entitled "Montreal Assault Live". The disc features a "stellar" multi-camera shoot from the band's sold-out hometown show, alongside a new hour-long documentary and all of the band's promotional video clips.

DESPISED ICON released a "deluxe edition" of its "The Ills of Modern Man" album in June 2008, featuring a bonus DVD composed of a live set from a monumental hometown performance, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. The live footage includes the following songs: "A Fractured Hand", "Bulletproof Scales", "Harvesting The Deceased", "Immaculate", "Retina", "The Sunset Will Never Charm Us" and "In The Arms Of Perdition".

Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer of AEROSMITH stopped by the WZLX radio station in Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday, June 2. They talked to Chuck Nolan, Carter Alan, and Kenny Young about their upcoming tour, the upcoming books, jamming with members of LED ZEPPELIN in London and getting wedding invitations. They also confirmed reports that they will play the whole ""Toys In The Attic" album on the upcoming trek with ZZ TOP.

Asked which album he'd like to play in its entirety on tour, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry recently told VH1 Classic Radio, "I think 'Toys In The Attic' would be fun. We do a lot of songs off the first four records anyway. We've jammed on 'Uncle Salty' onstage a few times. The later records with more songs on them, they would take up too much time in the set. We need to leave some room for some of the other standards."

"Toys In The Attic", AEROSMITH's third album, was released in 1975 and is one of their most successful efforts. It includes the classic singles "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", as well as "Adam's Apple", "Big Ten-Inch Record", "Round And Round", "Uncle Salty" and the title track.

By playing one record from front to back on this tour, AEROSMITH will join the ranks of other classic rock artists doing the same this summer. MÖTLEY CRÜE plans to perform 1989's "Dr. Feelgood" in its entirety, while JUDAS PRIEST is going to blast through all of 1980's "British Steel".

Seven years after parting ways with PROTOTYPE in 2002, Pat Magrath (ex-KILLING KULTURE, ex-STEEL PROPHET) returns to the drum throne for the Los Angeles-based progressive thrash band. Guitarist Kragen Lum commented, "We are stoked to have Pat playing with us again! His performance on our 'Trinity' album was repeatedly praised by both fans and reviewers, and it's been great working with him again. We'd also like to thank Nic Ritter for his drum work on our 2008 pre-production demo. His tour schedule is packed with WARBRINGER through the end of the year and we wish him all the best with the new album and tours."

Currently in pre-production, PROTOTYPE is working on its third full-length effort. Demo samples of four songs can be heard on the band's MySpace page.

PROTOTYPE is:

Vince Levalois - Vocals/Guitar
Kragen Lum - Guitar
Kirk Scherer - Bass
Pat Magrath - Drums

"Tell Me", the new video from LEGACY UPRISING — the Las Vegas-based band featuring Kelly Conlon (ex-DEATH, MONSTROSITY) on bass, Curran Murphy (SHATTER MESSIAH, ex-ANNIHILATOR, NEVERMORE) on rhythm guitar, Robert Falzano (SHATTER MESSIAH, ex-ANNIHILATOR) on drums, Mike Duncan (POWND) on vocals and 14-year-old Joey Doherty on lead guitar — can be viewed here.

The current LEGACY UPRISING lineup made its live debut on April 4 at the Phantasy in Lakewood, Ohio along with Cleveland-based hardcore band AT NO END.

After spending three weeks in Las Vegas writing and demoing material, the band recently reconvened for pre-production at Smiley Sound Studios in Akron, Ohio where they will record their debut album under the watchful eye of producer Curran Murphy.

DIVINE HERESY, the California-based band featuring FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares, is streaming a new song, "Face Breaker", on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off DIVINE HERESY's sophomore album, "Bringer of Plagues" (cover), which is scheduled for release in North America on July 28 via Century Media Records.

The creative force behind the genre-defying, legendary metal titans FEAR FACTORY, guitarist Dino Cazares, has returned with a mind-blowing, scathing new offering that shatters the boundaries of conventionality with unrelenting intensity, precision and speed. This new offering from Cazares' extreme metal juggernaut DIVINE HERESY also features one of the genre's most acclaimed drummers, Tim Yeung (ex-NILE, VITAL REMAINS), bassist Joe Payne (ex-NILE) and newcomer vocalist Travis Neal (ex-THE BEREAVED, PUSHED). This pummeling new offering, "Bringer Of Plagues", redefines the meaning of aggression and takes extreme to an all new level.

DIVINE HERESY teamed up once again with acclaimed producing team Dirty Icon (Logan Mader and Lucas Banker) who has recently produced CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, GOJIRA, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

"Bringer of Plagues" features the legendary machine-gun riffs that'll take your breath away, combined with some jaw-dropping double-bass drum insanity. This album undeniably upped the ante in brutality, precision and technicality as the group are more focused and tighter than ever before.

After a year and a half of touring with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, STATIC-X, ARCH ENEMY, SHADOWS FALL and CHIMAIRA, DIVINE HERESY have proven that they are a stellar live act and are a force to be reckoned with.

Cazares comments: "With Neal now having a few shows under his belt, his confidence is coming across through the new material. The songwriting process has been great and the ideas are constantly flowing. Collaborating with Tim Yeung, Joe Payne and Neal, all together hashing out ideas in the practice space has been very therapeutic and enjoyable. We all have a collective desire to take our performances to the next level with this release to undoubtedly prove that we are one of the most devastating bands in the scene today."

Cazares doesn't accept second best. As you'd expect from the man who co-founded both FEAR FACTORY and BRUJERIA, his new band isn't about to tread well-worn primrose paths. Meet DIVINE HERESY — not so much a metal band for the modern era as crimson innovators ready to transcend time and place. You see, when you've already made your mark with bands like those mentioned above, there are two things you can do. "I could have carried on being successful in Latin America with BRUJERIA, and my other band, ASESINO," admits the guitarist. "But that wasn't enough. I wanted to do something that would go beyond what I've achieved before. Something to take metal into the 21st century."

He continues, "I know that my fans expect something special from me. "And I would never let them down. With every project that I've done, what's been important is to ensure that I deliver music that doesn't just meet people's expectations, but goes beyond them. That's important to me. I know that I could coast along and do well on the back of my reputation, but that would be to cheat everyone — including myself. I really do believe that with DIVINE HERESY, I'm once again setting the highest standards."

German death metal lunatics HACKNEYED have completed work on their new album, "Burn After Reaping", at Weltraumstudios in Munich with producer Corni Bartels (DIE ÄRZTE, KILLERPILZE, END OF GREEN, MEGAHERZ etc.). An August 14 release via Nuclear Blast Records is expected.

Commented drummer Tim Cox: "After long and hard work, we just finished the studio work for 'Burn After Reaping' and I can assure you that the songs will kick major ass!! It will be louder and more brutal than anything you’ve heard before! Our producer, Corni Bartels, pushed us to the limit and made the album what it is right now — a fucking killer! We have done a lot of crazy things and tried a lot to pimp the album. 'Burn After Reaping' will differ from 'Death Prevails' if it comes to songwriting and sound, but of course all known HACKNEYED trademarks have been kept. Björn Goosses of Killustrations (DEW-SCENTED, ABORTED) created the artwork [see below] which matches our expectations perfectly. It fits the album like every single song!"

"Burn After Reaping" (cover) track listing:

01. Burn...
02. Weed Flavoured Meat
03. Deatholution
04. Kingdom Of Thoughts
05. March Of The Worms
06. Bloodshed
07. Redying
08. Finger On The Trigger
09. Home Meat Home
10. Putrid
11. Last Man On Earth
12. ...After Reaping

HACKNEYED recently announced the departure of their longtime friend and guitarist iX. A permanent replacement has just been found in the shape of Juan Sierra.

Italian/German gothic black metallers GRAVEWORM will release their seventh album, "Diabolical Figures", on June 16 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at Stage One studios in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen (DEW-SCENTED, CALLENISH CIRCLE, TANKARD, OCCULT). It contains 10 songs and features a guest appearance by Karsten "Jagger" Jäger from DISBELIEF. The cover artwork (see here) was created by the Italian digital artist Daniel Hofer of Archetype Design.

"Diabolical Figures" track listing:

01. Vengeance Is Sworn
02. Circus Of The Damned
03. Diabolic Figures
04. Hell's Creation
05. Forlorn Hope
06. Architects Of Hate
07. New Disorder
08. Message In A Bottle
09. Ignoreance Of Gods
10. The Reckoning

The song "Vengeance Is Sworn" is now available for streaming at this location.

GRAVEWORM will be joined by Sweden's ARISE and Finland's SCORNGRAIN on their upcoming European headlining tour, which will take place between September 4 and September 20. Exact cities and dates will be announced soon.

German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION are currently putting together a double live album, "The Curse Of The Antichrist - Live In Agony", to be released sometime this summer. Check out the cover artwork here.

More information will be made available soon.

DESTRUCTION recently completed the "D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. - 25 Years Of Total Destruction" North American trek with KRISIUN and MANTIC RITUAL.

"D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.", the new album from DESTRUCTION, last year entered the Media Control chart in the band's home country at position No. 65. The CD was released on August 22, 2008 via AFM Records and features guest appearances by Gary Holt (EXODUS), Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR) and Vinnie Moore (UFO).

Former THE GATHERING and current AGUA DE ANNIQUE singer Anneke van Giersbergen has issued the following update:

"Here I am in Canada, working with Devin Townsend for our new album and... for his new album ('Addicted') as well. A very interesting week indeed.

"Though we had the idea of doing something together, we had no specific thoughts yet, only the distinct feeling that we would hit it off because of mutual respect for one another and a nice phone conversation.

"I came up here with a blank piece of paper and good faith in my suitcase and we were right, we're doing some great stuff here!

"In the daytime, we record vocals for Devin's album. He pretty much knows what needs to be done so I am at his service to provide him with the necessary vocal stuff. In the evenings, we jam, write new songs and demo them for my new album. It's a classic case of win-win, don't you think?

"I am shooting all this good stuff for our weekly video blog at the AGUA VIP Area of our website (watch a little clip here). We'll put a new video up today for you with some nice footage of this past weeks shows and the first day in Devin's studio. Next week you'll be able to watch the further progress that we're about to make here in beautiful Canada.

"For those who are not a member of the AGUA VIP Area yet: you're more than welcome to join and keep track of our adventures towards making our brand new AGUA DE ANNIQUE album, every week, until it's finished in September. Go to www.aguadeannique.com and click on the VIP Area button."

Anneke van Giersbergen staged two unique shows in February — at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, Holland (Feb. 12) and at the Oosterpoort in Groningen (Feb. 13). At these intimate performances, Anneke shed some light on her compositions through personal stories. Anneke was also joined on stage by Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Niels Geusebroek (SILKSTONE) and singer-songwriter Marike Jager. These artists also perform on Anneke's new acoustic album, "Pure Air".

As well as acoustic versions of songs from her solo debut, "Air", Anneke's "Pure Air" album contains some great collaborations. Besides Sharon den Adel, Niels Geusebroek and Marike Jager, Anneke is joined by Danny Cavanagh (ANATHEMA), John Wetton (KING CRIMSON, ASIA) and Arjen Lucassen (AYREON).

Guitarist Oz Fox of reactivated Christian hard rockers STRYPER will marry Annie Lobért, a 41-year-old former call girl who founded the international Christian ministry Hookers for Jesus, on June 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lobért (pictured here) worked for 11 years as a prostitute and escort in Las Vegas, which included catering to celebrities and professional athletes.

Lobért gives lectures in both secular and religious communities on the effects of the adult entertainment industry. Additionally, she has been heard on talk radio and interviewed in major news publications throughout the world, including the U.K., France, Spain, Germany, Japan, Australia and Africa. She is the author of "Hooker for Jesus", a soon-to-be-released autobiography targeting both secular and religious audiences.

According to Spinner.com, NINE INCH NAILS mastermind Trent Reznor has slammed one-time protégé, Marilyn Manson, in a new interview with U.K.'s Mojo magazine, calling the shock-rocker "a malicious guy and will step on anybody's face to succeed and cross any line of decency." Reznor added, "Seeing him now, drugs and alcohol now rule his life and he's become a dopey clown. He used to be the smartest guy in the room. And as a fan of his talents, I hope he gets his shit together."

Trent continued, "During the ['Downward Spiral' tour in '94 and '95] we propped them up to get our audience turned on to them and at that time a lot of the people in my circle were pretty far down the road as alcoholics. Not Manson. His drive for success and self-preservation was so high, he pretended to be fucked up a lot when he wasn't."

"Things got shitty between us and I'm not blameless," Reznor admitted. "The majority of it though was coming from a resentment guy who finally got out from under the master's umbrella and was able to stab him in the back."

Taiwan is a country where history and folklore work very much hand in hand, and both of these elements are central to the latest studio album from that country's premier metal outfit, CHTHONIC (pronounced "Thonic"). "Mirror of Retribution" (cover) will be released August 10 on Spinefarm Records UK.

Formed in 1995, CHTHONIC (a name deriving from a Greek word signifying spirits of the underworld) has delivered an 11-track body of work that touches on both the spirit and mortal worlds, with loss of national identity and the sometimes turbulent history of their homeland recurring themes.

With ANTHRAX guitarist Rob Caggiano at the production and mixing helm, "Mirror Of Retribution" sees the award-winning musicians further developing a style that started with the 1999 album "Where The Ancestors' Souls Gathered", blending full-on metal of the darker persuasion with traditional Taiwanese instruments such as two-string violin, the hena.

"The story behind this album combines true historical fact with an ancient myth of hell," explains bassist and band spokesperson Doris Yeh. "Amongst other things, we make reference to the famous '228 Massacre,' which was the biggest ever massacre in Taiwanese history. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese were killed by the Chinese army. The final battle of the event occurred in the middle of Taiwan, where 40 local militia attempted to resist 2,500 soldiers from the Chinese army. In the end, the militia lost their lives near the Sing-Ling Temple.

"Musically, we tried to move the band to a whole new level," continues Doris. "In the past, we've been described in various ways, as 'symphonic black metal' or 'melodic death,' the word 'folk' has also been applied at times, but this was our chance to establish a new place for ourselves in the extreme metal genre."

Never ones to shy away from a just cause, CHTHONIC — in particular frontman Freddy Lim — have been consistently active on the political front at home, whilst away from their hometown of Taipei they have appeared at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and toured as part of the Ozzfest in the U.S., the first Asian extreme metal band to make such a mark.

CHTHONIC is:

Freddy Lim - vocals
Doris Yeh - bass
Jesse Liu - guitar
Dani Wang - drums
CJ - piano/synthesizer

Norway's THEATRE OF TRAGEDY recently entered Room 13 studios in Oslo to resume recording its seventh album for a tentative September release via AFM Records.

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY's new album is being produced by Alexander Møklebust, who has previously worked with ZEROMANCER, SEIGMEN, GÅTE, MONOMEN and DELAWARE, among others.

Commented the band: "All the basic recordings are finally done and the final and most important part of the album making process has started.

"Alex started mixing the album on June 1 and will spend the better part of the month making the album as great as possible.

"Some songtitles are 'Frozen', 'Deadland', 'Illusions', 'Hide and Seek', 'Forever is the World', 'A Nine Days Wonder' and 'Hollow'. As of now, no one really knows which songs will be on the 10-track album."

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY recently posted a couple of new demo clips on the band's MySpace page.

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY's latest album, "Storm", was released in March 2006 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Rico Darum and mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, FEAR FACTORY, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, SKINNY PUPPY, etc.) at The Green Jacket studios in Richmond, B.C., Canada. The album was the group's first to feature singer Nell (THE CREST), who replaced Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (currently in LEAVES' EYES) in early 2004.

Finnish four-piece ALTARIA, known for its traditional but yet catchy heavy metal, has inked a new record deal with Escape Music. The band's new album, "Unholy", will be released this summer.

ALTARIA's fourth longplayer introduces the fourth lead vocalist during their nine-year long career. Charismatic and multi-talented vocalist Marco Luponero has vaulted the band's stage presence up to a completely new level and participated in composing some of the hardest-rocking ALTARIA material ever. Says drummer and band founder Tony S.: "For the first time ever the new songs have been written together as a band. All of us have contributed to the songwriting.

He adds, "'Unholy' is more guitar-oriented and grooving harder, yet sounding a bit 'dirtier' than the previous ALTARIA works. But don't worry, we haven't forgotten the honest, melodic heavy rock ALTARIA is all about — the catchy choruses are still there."

"The recording, mixing and mastering of the album took almost half a year, so we want to thank our fans for the patience and offer a full song from 'Unholy' available immediately after the album got its final touch.

"'Warrior' is groovy piece of heavy metal, served with a memorable chorus. The song is a true appetizer for the forthcoming album 'Unholy'."

"Unholy" (cover) track listing:

01. Alterior Motive
02. Warrior
03. Unholy Invasion
04. Pride & Desire
05. The Lake
06. Danger Zone
07. Steal Your Thunder
08. Wind Beneath My Wings
09. We Own The Fire
10. Ready!
11. Never Wonder Why
12. Underdog

The song "Warrior" is available for download at this location.

Previous ALTARIA albums, including a compilation album, "Divine Invitation", were released by the German label Metal Heaven.

ALTARIA has toured excessively in Finland and all over Europe with fellow Finns SONATA ARCTICA and German metal queen DORO.

Ozzy Osbourne has filed a lawsuit against his BLACK SABBATH bandmate Tony Iommi, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Osbourne is suing Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name.

The Manhattan federal court suit also charges that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996.

In a statement released this afternoon (Friday, May 29), Ozzy says about his decision to sue Iommi, "It is with great regret that I had to resort to legal action against my long-term partner Tony Iommi, but after three years of trying to resolve this issue amicably, I feel I have no other recourse.

"As of the mid-1990s, after constant and numerous changes in band members, the brand of 'BLACK SABBATH' was literally in the toilet and Tony Iommi (touring under the name BLACK SABBATH) was reduced to performing in clubs. Since 1997, when Geezer [Butler, bass], Bill [Ward, drums] and myself rejoined the band, BLACK SABBATH has returned to its former glory as we headlined sold-out arenas and amphitheatres playing to upwards of 50,000 people at each show around the world. We worked collectively to restore credibility and bring dignity back to the name 'BLACK SABBATH,' which led to the band being inducted into the U.K. and U.S. Rock And Roll Hall of Fames in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

"Throughout the last 12 years, it was my management representatives who oversaw the marketing and quality control of the 'BLACK SABBATH' brand through Ozzfest, touring, merchandising and album reissues. The name 'BLACK SABBATH' now has a worldwide prestige and merchandising value that it would not have had by continuing on the road it was on prior to the 1997 reunion tour.

"Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you. I don't have the right to speak for Geezer and Bill, but I feel that morally and ethically the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally. I hope that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way. We've all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old BLACK SABBATH album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright.

"We're all in our 60s now. The BLACK SABBATH legacy should live on long after we have all gone.

"Please do the right thing."

Osbourne added in a separate online post, "I am very saddened that I've had to take legal action against Tony. This is something that I've tried to avoid for years. I am not Geezer or Bill's voice. However, 'till the day I die I will not change my mind on this issue. The BLACK SABBATH trademark should be equally owned by Geezer, Bill, Tony and I as the true BLACK SABBATH lineup is Tony, Geezer, Bill and I. We've all been mates since school. I've always said there is an invisible thread that holds us together.

"Tony, let's get this ridiculous issue sorted and move on with our lives. You're 61, I'm 60. I hope that we've got a good 20 years left in us. But if not, God forbid something happens to you. What's going to happen to the BLACK SABBATH trademark? Who's going to oversee it? Don't you think after we're long gone the rights should stay in your family, my family, Bill's family and Geezer's family?"

Ozzy's suit follows one filed by Iommi in December 2008 against Live Nation. In that filing, Iommi claims the concert giant sold merchandise bearing the band's logo, despite the 2006 expiration of a merchandising deal, reportedly worth nearly $80 million. Soon after that agreement concluded, Iommi reclaimed the band's trademark.

Iommi's suit argues Live Nation continued to sell more than 100 items of merchandise featuring the band's likeness, name and logo, despite the receipt of cease-and-desist orders from the guitarist's camp. Iommi's suit seeks damages in the amount of three times the profits from the merchandise sales, plus a halt to the BLACK SABBATH product sales.

Iommi and Geezer Butler have both said some less than kind things about working with Osbourne in a new interview with Decibel magazine. The pair recently completed a new studio album as HEAVEN & HELL, the post-Ozzy version of SABBATH featuring vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and Butler said that working with Dio was much easier than Osbourne. He explained, "Ronnie's a songwriter in his own right — he's got tons of ideas. Whereas Ozzy . . . in the old days, he'd come up with a vocal line and I'd write the lyrics. Ronnie is 100 percent involved in both the musical side and the vocal side, and he writes his own lyrics as well."

Butler added that Osbourne didn't take him seriously as a songwriter, saying, "If we were with Ozzy and I came in with the killer riff of all time, Ozzy wouldn't even think of doing it because I'm not the guitarist and that's the way he thinks . . . That's why it was so bloody hard to write anything."

Butler said about HEAVEN & HELL's debut CD, "The Devil You Know", "If we'd written this album with Ozzy, we'd still be working on the first track."

Iommi added that there was a sharp difference between the singers live as well, saying, "It was great being with Ozzy on the road . . . but with Ronnie it's a lot different, because we go out and we know exactly what we're gonna be doing. With Ozzy, we didn't really know. It was touch and go sometimes on some of those early shows, whether he was gonna turn up, if he'd be able to sing, if his voice was gone, or what. We'd have to cancel shows, which Geezer and myself really hated. But with Ronnie, we've never canceled a show."

HEAVEN & HELL will tour Europe later this spring and summer, with North American dates scheduled for August.

Ozzy Osbourne is currently working on his next solo album.

Tony Iommi's filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

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