Dutch metal titans, Epica, have released a lyric video for "Kingdom Of Heaven", which is taken from the band’s upcoming re-release of Design Your Universe - Gold Edition. Watch below.

Mark Jansen comments: “'Kingdom of Heaven' is very dear to me. This song was dedicated to my grandmother after she passed away. The lyrics are dealing with near-death experiences and the bridge between spirituality and science. Up until today it’s the EPICA song I’m most proud of and even though we cannot perform it that often live due to its length, we will perform it soon during the Design Your Universe 10th Anniversary shows. Enjoy this lyric video!”

Design Your Universe - Gold edition contains a remastered and remixed version of the album and a newly recorded acoustic bonus disc and will be released October 4. The album and exclusive merchandise bundles are now available for pre-order, here.

Tracklisting:

CD1: Album

"Samadhi - Prelude"
"Resign To Surrender - A New Age Dawns - Pt IV"
"Unleashed"
"Martyr Of The Free Word"
"Our Destiny"
"Kingdom Of Heaven - A New Age Dawns - Pt V"
"The Price Of Freedom - interlude"
"Burn To A Cinder"
"Tides Of Time"
"Deconstruct"
"Semblance Of Liberty"
"White Waters"
"Design Your Universe - A New Age Dawns - Pt VI"
"Incentive" (bonus)

CD2: The Acoustic Universe / Bonus CD

"Burn To A Cinder"
"Our Destiny"
"Unleashed"
"Martyr Of The Free Word"
"Design Your Universe"

"Kingdom Of Heaven" lyric video:

To coincide with this release, Epica will perform a number of exclusive Design Your Universe 10th anniversary shows around the globe. Details and tickets here.




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Saigon Kick guitarist Jason Bieler has released a new four song EP, The Grand Design. Check it out below.

The Grand Design EP by Jason Bieler

The tracklist is as follows:

"Grand Design"
"Death Rattle Blues"
"I'm A Rhinoceros"
"Russia" (writing demo in progress)

Bieler recently announced a free guitar clinic, due to take place in Tampa in October, as only he can. Check out his invitation below.

"Does the world really need another guitar clinic? Another dude or dudette showing off 13 finger tapping in 72/32 time sig at 430BPM? No…damn it, NO! Why then, should you attend my clinic at Replay Guitar Exchange on Oct 17th... aside from the fact that it is one of the coolest stores on the planet and the clinic is FREE? Well, thanks for asking.

The time we spend together will be focused on how to build a career playing guitar, bass…or even worst-case scenario, drums :-), songwriting, production, and most importantly getting out of the bedroom both literally and mentally. How to not to be the 10 millionth YouTube guitar player to discuss economy sweep picking and the use of essential oils to increase knuckle flexibility.

Of course, we can do guitar stuff as well, talk gear, tone and more. I'll demo my Victory Amps, but I would like this to be about inspiring you to think, to get to the next level creatively and career-wise. No matter how fast you play there is a 4-year-old girl in Guam…even faster. If that is what you are about, awesome, and I wish you great happiness, but you probably don’t need to come out for this. On the other hand, if you are all about creating music, finding your own voice, playing live, recording, producing and getting to the next level, I think you are going to be chuffed to bits and I'd be happy to share what I know both the mistakes and the glory!

Hope you can make it out!"

For information on the guitar clininc and Replay Guitar Exchange in Tampa, FL, go to this location.

Bieler's updated live schedule is as follows:

August
22 - Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV (free show)
23 - Liquid Joe's - Salt Lake City, UT

September
21 - Smith's Olde Bar - Atlanta, GA

October
17 - Replay Guitar Exchange - Tampa, FL (guitar clinic)
18 - The Attic - Ybor City, FL

Bieler recently released the new four-song Things & Stuff EP, featuring an acoustic version of the Saigon Kick track "One Step Closer", which was originally recorded for the band's 1993 album, Water.

Things & Stuff EP by Jason Bieler




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Primitive Race have released the video for “Turn It Up" (Dave Lombardo Mix)”. The skateboard-themed clip arrives as the band prepares to release the remix album Cranial Matter on Friday via Metropolis Records.

The 11-song remix album, which also features remixes by Butthole Surfers’ Paul Leary, former Melvin, Kevin Rutmanis and superstar industrial producer Dave Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails), is a natural extension to the band’s 2017 album, Soul Pretender. Soul Pretender saw the studio project transform, bringing in both Chuck Mosley and Melvins’ drummer Dale Crover to work on the collection. Tragically, Mosley passed away within a week of the November release.

The clip for “Turn It Up" (Dave Lombardo Mix) is an homage to female skateboarders, particularly Hall of Famer Cindy Whitehead, who was Chuck Mosley’s sister-in-law.

“The first time I met Chuck he was playing here in Los Angeles - it must have been about 1993 and I really had no idea what type of music he played when my then boyfriend dragged me off to hear him,” explains Whitehead. “When I walked into the venue it was super loud, and he was larger than life, screaming lyrics at the audience, who were going nuts in response. Even though I wasn't familiar with his rock/metal/punk background, I knew that his intense stage presence was something special. What I didn't learn until many years later was that my brother-in-law was also the sweetest, most supportive guy around. In recent years he would rock one of our ‘It's Not About Pretty’ vintage flannels that supports girls in skateboarding on stage at almost every show he did. And if someone admired it, he'd give it away to spread the message and I'd get a call asking if I could ship yet another couple out. He may have been a hardcore musician and legend, but to me he was so much more.”

“It felt very natural when conceptualizing a video to involve Cindy and her skating team,” explains Primitive Race founder and bass player Chris Kniker. “Chuck was extremely proud of Cindy's accomplishments and his passion for skating can be traced back decades as well. This was the perfect backdrop to honor him in a cool but personal way."




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Long-running visionary French black metal entity, Blut Aus Nord, has unveiled the details on the act's impending new album, Hallucinogen. Now scheduled for October release through Debemur Morti Productions, the record's cover artwork and other details have been unveiled.

Hallucinogen begins a new era for Blut Aus Nord, ending the cycle of clandestine industrialized dissonance that culminated with previous transmission Deus Salutis Meæ and moving skyward into freshly melodic territories of progressive clarity. Interweaving dreamlike choirs, inimitable harmonic developments, reflective clean guitars, palpable organic drumming, and a welcome rock and roll swagger, Hallucinogen is a spacious, emotionally wide-ranging record that finds Blut Aus Nord more open than ever, full of life, and reveling in the element of surprise.

Hallucinogen is yet another coherent universe from a band who have moved away from familiar tropes, aesthetics and comfort zones to unite - with Dionysian spirit - under/overland, surface/void, metropolis/mountain, and the vastness of the mind's eye into an indispensable addition to their unparalleled body of work.

"Hallucinogen marks a new stage in our process of perpetual regeneration," Blut Aus Nord architect Vindsval offers. "Music is a fascinating quest without end... and it would be a mess to express the same range of emotions, a mess to remain frozen in the same aesthetic, the same energy, a mess to compose and release the same thing again and again... and again."

Hallucinogen was recorded and mixed at Earthsound Studio, mastered by Bruno Varea at Upload Studio, and completed with incredible, psychedelic cover artwork by Dehn Sora.

Hallucinogen will see release on digitpak CD, 2xLP, cassette, and all digital formats worldwide through Debemur Morti Productions on October 11th. The vinyl edition will be available in four variants; black vinyl, a Debemur Morti exclusive variant, a North American exclusive variant, and a Season Of Mist exclusive variant.

Find pre-orders at the label's US webshop here, European webshop here, and Bandcamp here. Watch for audio previews and more on Hallucinogen to see release over the weeks ahead.

Hallucinogen trackisting:

"Nomos Nebuleam"
"Nebeleste"
"Sybelius"
"Anthosmos"
"Mahagma"
"Haallucinählia"
"Cosma Procyiris"




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According to Digital Music News, KORN and TOOL are among the artists who have have submitted a new filing to aid LED ZEPPELIN in the "Stairway To Heaven" copyright lawsuit.

Last September, a federal appeals court decided unanimously to overturn a jury's decision that LED ZEPPELIN's 1971 classic was not a rip-off of SPIRIT's song.

Michael Skidmore, the trustee of "Taurus" songwriter Randy "California" Wolfe's estate, had brought the claims more than four decades after "Stairway To Heaven" appeared on LED ZEPPELIN's untitled album, better known as "Led Zeppelin IV".

In an amicus brief filed on July 30 at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, more than a hundred artists explained they "have a significant interest" in the case.

The briefing reads: "[We], whose music entertains and enriches the lives of countless people worldwide, will therefore undoubtedly be affected by…the outcome of this critically important case."

"There was no evidence presented at the LED ZEPPELIN trial that the otherwise unprotected elements that appeared in 'Taurus' were presented in such an original pattern or compilation as to garner copyright protection. Instead, the 'evidence' of the purported 'selection and arrangement' in 'Taurus' that also appeared in 'Stairway To Heaven' merely consisted of random similarities of commonplace elements, such as the existence of a descending chromatic scale and two-pitch sequences in different melodies that were scattered throughout the beginning of the songs. After filtering out the generic elements or musical commonplaces identified in 'Taurus' under the extrinsic test, what remains are two completely different songs. More specifically, both songs start with chords that, according to both sides' experts, are 'commonplace.' In fact, both songs include an 'arpeggio,' which means 'breaking' chords so their constituent pitches are heard separately rather than simultaneously, which, again, both sides' experts agree is 'commonplace.' Both experts also agree that these 'broken' chords' pitches are played in a different order in 'Taurus' than in 'Stairway To Heaven', which makes the two songs' melodies different. In fact, the two songs' melodies' lowest pitches are a descending chromatic scale, which is nothing more than the white and black keys of a piano, played in order, right to left. This is not original."

In June 2016, a Los Angeles jury deliberated for about five hours before deciding unanimously in favor of LED ZEPPELIN.

The verdict in the LED ZEPPELIN case came down within 15 minutes of the jury's request to re-listen to both SPIRIT's "Taurus" and "Stairway To Heaven". They wanted to hear a section of each song twice, alternating from one to the other. They decided that what they heard wasn't substantially similar enough to call it copyright infringement.

Skidmore appealed, and in September, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided a new trial was needed because the judge who presided over a 2016 trial had given erroneous and prejudicial instructions to the jury.

The court said the judge erred by telling the jury that common musical elements, such as "descending chromatic scales, arpeggios or short sequences of three notes," were not protected by copyright. The court also said the jury should have been permitted to hear the album recording of "Taurus".

In the July 30 briefing, the artists argued against this, writing: "In addition to the prejudicial nature of the mandate to play the sound recording for the jury on the issue of access, there is no probative value whatsoever in such an exercise. 'Taurus' was recorded and released in November of 1967. 'Stairway To Heaven' was written in approximately November of 1970. Because the members of LED ZEPPELIN denied having 'access' to 'Taurus' when they wrote 'Stairway To Heaven', access was definitely an issue in the case (to establish 'copying'). However, the only 'access' at issue in this case is whether the members of LED ZEPPELIN had access to 'Taurus' between November of 1967, when it was released, and November of 1970, when they wrote 'Stairway To Heaven'.

"Clearly, it is irrelevant whether or not LED ZEPPELIN had access to 'Taurus' in the almost five decades after 1970, including at the time of trial. It is inconceivable that the defendants — even if they did not hear the sound recording for the prior four decades — did not listen to the recording during the litigation, and prior to the time of trial. In fact, at the very least, by the time of the trial, every defendant would have heard the sound recording multiple times while conducting discovery and preparing for trial. Accordingly, the only thing that playing the sound recording to the defendant in front of the jury would demonstrate is how the defendant reacts to hearing a sound recording that he or she necessarily may have heard a thousand times prior to the trial. It certainly does not provide any evidence whatsoever that any such defendant heard the song at any time prior to the creation of the allegedly-infringing work, which is the only relevant time period for purposes of access in a copyright infringement case. Such a mandate also would not have any realistic bearing on any of the defendants' credibility regarding their testimony concerning lack of access. Notwithstanding the district court's observation that the defendants' reactions to hearing 'Taurus' were relevant, there truly is no relevance whatsoever to a defendant's reaction to hearing a song for the thousandth time, 46 years after an allegedly-infringing song is written — and any minimal relevance would certainly be outweighed by the extreme prejudice to the defendants.

"In light of the foregoing, if the panel's decision is adopted by this en banc court, artists and songwriters who are sued for copyright infringement in cases that involve songs that were written prior to 1972 will be at an extreme disadvantage, and suffer severe prejudice, because the plaintiff will be able to play the otherwise unprotected sound recording to the jury under the guise of proving (somehow) that the defendant had access to the song when he or she wrote the allegedly-infringing song."

Immediately following the June 2016 verdict, LED ZEPPELIN's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant released a statement saying that they were glad to see the issue resolved.

"We are grateful for the jury's conscientious service and pleased that it has ruled in our favor, putting to rest questions about the origins of 'Stairway To Heaven' and confirming what we have known for 45 years," they said. "We appreciate our fans' support, and look forward to putting this legal matter behind us."

Plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy later claimed he lost his case on a technicality, insisting that it was unfair the jury was unable to listen to the sound recording of "Taurus" and instead was limited to hearing an expert performance of the registered sheet music.

Malofiy received over a hundred sustained objections and "multiple admonishments" during the ZEPPELIN trial, with the band's publishing company Warner/Chappell Music filing documents asking the judge to order the plaintiffs to pay over $613,000 in costs for defending against the lawsuit.

After nine strong albums, Italian folk power metal band, Elvenking takes the next step in their career: Reader Of The Runes - Divination will be released on August 30 via AFM Records. A video for the song "Divination" can be found below.

With this album, the group creates a complete new world embracing and containing the essence of Elvenking, the concept of their message and the atmospheres of their music. Built as a concept, Reader Of The Runes - Divination is an adventurous journey into a mystic world of runes, magic and ancient powers far away from the visible.

The band about their new album: "Expect big melodies, folk tunes, lots of acoustic breaks and heavy stuff in an album that those who already listened to it already consider (one of) our best ever."

Reader Of The Runes - Divination will be available on digipak, ltd. gatefold vinyl and boxset. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Perthro"
"Heathen Divine"
"Divination"
"Silverseal"
"The Misfortune Of Virtue"
"Eternal Eleanor"
"Diamonds In The Night"
"Under The Sign Of A Black Star"
"Malefica Doctrine"
"Sic Semper Tyrannis"
"Warden Of The Bane"
"Reader Of The Runes - Book I"

"Divination" video:

"Silverseal" video:

"Under The Sign Of A Black Star" lyric video:




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Steel Panther have released a video for the new song, "Always Gonna Be A Ho", featured on their upcoming  fifth studio album, Heavy Metal Rules, out on September 27.

The new clip is a companion video to previously released “All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)”. The first video depicts vocalist Michael Starr’s journey to the wedding chapel alongside bandmates guitarist Satchel, bassist Lexxi Foxx and drummer Stix Zadinia. That video ends with Starr’s bride to be running off with bandmate Satchel. The new video for “Always Gonna Be A Ho” goes deeper into the relationship between the bride (played by Syd Wilder) and the band. Frankie Nasso returns as the director of touching video showcasing Starr’s heartbreak at losing his bride and the end shows what happens to cause the love to go south. Both videos can be found below.

The new album is available for pre-order in various bundle configuration here.

“Heavy Metal Rules is the ultimate party album. Anthem after anthem and hook after hook, the songs will provide the soundtrack to your new bitchin’ heavy metal life. The first single, 'All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)', is the ultimate song about self-love and having a positive personal self-image. It is the kind of song you put on to get yourself in the mood whether you’re getting ready to have sex with yourself or 17 girls in a row,” explains Steel Panther.   

From the opening track “Zebraman” (which is audio taken from the classic film Heavy Metal Parking Lot) to the emotional album closer “I Ain’t Buying What You’re Selling,” Steel Panther have created 36 minutes of audio eargasms. Songs like “Let’s Get High Tonight,” “Fuck Everybody” and “Gods Of Pussy” are destined to become natural additions to the band’s setlist. “I’m Not Your Bitch” is an anthem for all acknowledged genders and sexual orientations worldwide. The video for the first single “All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)” was shot in Las Vegas and features cameos from numerous celebrities from music, comedy, YouTube and more.

Tracklisting:

"Zebraman"
"All I Wanna Do is Fuck (Myself Tonight)"
"Let's Get High Tonight"
"Always Gonna Be A Ho"
"I'm Not Your Bitch"
"Fuck Everybody"
"Heavy Metal Rules"
"Sneaky Little Bitch"
"Gods Of Pussy"
"I Ain't Buying What You're Selling"

"All I Wanna Do is Fuck (Myself Tonight)" video:

“Always Gonna Be A Ho” video:

Hide your women, children and your pets. Steel Panther are heading out on a headline tour of North America. The tour, called the Heavy Metal Rules Tour, kicks off in early October and runs through mid-December.

The tour will be in support of the band’s new studio album, Heavy Metal Rules. The 27-date trek will make stops in markets such as Orlando, FL; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Detroit, MI; and Chicago, IL to name a few.

Steel Panther live is always the ultimate party and has developed them a loyal fanbase around the globe. More information on all shows can be found here.

Dates:

September
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky A Go Go (Album release show)

October
8 - Mobile, AL - Soul Kitchen
9 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
12 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live
13 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre
15 - Richmond, VA - The National
16 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
18 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
19 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance Theater
20 - Portland, ME - State Theatre

November
24 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
26 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
27 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
29 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
30 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe Live

December
2 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Rebel
3 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
4 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s
6 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
7 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
8 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
10 - Madison, WI The Sylvee
11 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
13 - Wichita, KS - The Cotillion
14 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
15 - Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
22 - Suquamish, WA - Clearwater Casino




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When gnarly punk, pure metal and the swagger of hard rock meet, it can only mean one thing: the unholy rebirth of Helhorse. The Danes love to rock out with riffs heavier than Godzilla's balls. Be part of one of the loudest, dirtiest and also most melodic riff fests of the year.

Helhorse have just released the second single, "Avalanche" from their new record, Hydra, due out August 23 on Rodeostar Records, distributed by Napalm Records.

Says the band: "This song represents the changes that this band has gone through and it shows the development in our song writing. And though the initial idea for the lyrics was political, it ended up revolving around Mikkel's own personal growth. Once again we’ve collaborated with the talented Andreas Benthien and he has created a video that is a great testament to the magic that happens at live shows. A great mix of what we do best combined with the sound of Helhorse in 2019."

Watch the video below, and pre-order Hydra  on LP, CD and digital formats via Napalm Records, all outlets.

Helhorse are no strangers on the international scene sharing stages with acts such as AC/DC, Rammstein, and Slayer, while touring Europe with Karma To Burn and Phil Campbell to name a few.

The new album Hydra is set to elevate this excellent four-piece even further into the minds and hearts of heavy metal fans all over the world. Hydra has everything you need as a fan of heavy music. Riffs are ripping, the choruses are bigger than Trump’s ego, and the energy is authentic as it is infectious. The lyrical theme of the album is focused on seizing the day, and not to letting triviality drag you down.

Or in Mikkel Wads words: “The perpetual rage feeds desire - that sums up pretty well how I felt writing the lyrics for this album. I have channeled my restlessness, my anger and my disdain for triviality and overall bullshit."

Hydra was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Gojira, Messhugah). Staying clear of the modern music worlds compressed and very undynamic master, Hydra aims at giving you that crisp you’ve been missing, and showcasing that quality of spending time on refining the smaller details, to give you a spacious Sound.

Tracklisting:

"Overboard"
"Avalanche"
"Outcome: Ruin"
"Cycle of Vain Attempts"
"Northern Lights"
"Hydra"
"Crystal Blades"
"Scarlet Meadow, Scarlet Brook"
"Under a Bad Moon"
"War Drums"

"Avalanche" video:

"Overboard" video:

(Photo - Mikkel Laumann)




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Norwegian death metallers Blood Red Throne have released their new lyric video for “Requiem Mass”; exclusively through BraveWords! “Requiem Mass” is a no frills death metal track from start to finish!

Blood Red Throne needs no introduction in the death metal world. But in case you need one: they've killed it since 1998, when guitar player Død (ex-Satyricon) formed the band. Since then, they've become a death metal legend and one of the hardest working names in the Norwegian scene, having released eight studio albums, done countless tours and played in major festivals worldwide.

Now it's time for album No. 9. Fit To Kill has nine songs of pure Norwegian death metal, a cover artwork designed by Giannis Nakos and sees Blood Red Throne at the peak of their form. 

Død states: "We keep climbing the Throne. Fit To Kill is by far our most old-school release since 2003's Affiliated With The Suffering. Back to the roots. Death metal never dies.”

Fit To Kill will be released on CD, vinyl LP (transparent and green versions) and digital through Mighty Music on September 13th. Preorders are available at this location.

Lineup:

Daniel “Død” Olaisen - guitar
Ivan “Meathook” Gujic - guitar
Freddy "the Shred" Bolsø - drums
Stian "Gunner" Gundersen - bass
Yngve "Bolt" Christiansen - vocals




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German thrashers Destruction have released an official visualizer for the song "Inspired By Death", featured on their 17th studio album, Born To Perish, out now via Nuclear Blast. Oder the album here, and watch the new clip below

Born To Perish was recorded in January and February 2019 with VO Pulver at Little Creek Studios in Switzerland and is the first Destruction album featuring Randy Black on the drums and new second guitar shredder Damir Eskic! .

The stunning cover art was created by acclaimed artist Gyula from Hungary, who has also created artwork for Annihilator, Grave Digger, Stratovarius, Tankard and many more.

Tracklist:

"Born To Perish"
"Inspired By Death"
"Betrayal"
"Rotten"
"Filthy Wealth"
"Butchered For Life"
"Tyrants Of The Netherworld"
"We Breed Evil"
"Fatal Flight 17"
"Ratcatcher"

Bonus:

"Hellbound"

"Inspired By Death" visualizer:

"Betrayal" video:

"Born To Perish" visualizer:

(Photo - Liné Hammett)




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"The power of the internet," laments unholy Swedish deathrace kings The Crown. "An idea was to release this gig as a bonus 'something' with the next album. But since it’s already out there, let’s settle with this YouTube release. Enjoy this pro-recorded Wacken 2019 gig!"

The Crown's setlist at Wacken 2019 was comprised of the following 13 songs:

"Destroyed By Madness"
"Iron Crown"
"Blitzkrieg Witchcraft"
"Under The Whip"
"Deathexplosion"
"Executioner - Slayer Of The Light"
"House Of  Hades"
"Crowned In Terror"
"In The Name Of Death"
"Face Of Destruction - Deep Hit Of Death"
"Total Satan"
"1999 - Revolution 666"
"Zombified"

 




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Greek death metal group, Murder Made God, are streaming the new track, "World Defect", featured on their forthcoming third album and Unique Leader debut, Endless Return, to be unleashed onto the world on September 20. Listen to the song below.

With an ominous, reverb drenched intro setting the tone, the song shows the band expanding on their frantic, relentlessly bleak, and relentlessly bludgeoning sound by delving further into the dark, doom drenched atmospherics and stunning ferocity that they have become known for. Watch the clip below.

The merciless and jaw droppingly technical 10-track album was recorded at Stelthsound Studios in Thessaloniki, Greece and features artwork by Dixon Jong of Intuitive Designs.

Murder Made God commented, "Endless Return sees us achieving a new level of sophisticated, intense and atmospheric low tuned Modern Brutality. It is everything that the band is all about.”

Tracklisting:

"Alive"
"World Defect"
"Darkness Thy Gift"
"Gates of No Return"
"Trials and Enemies"
"Cognitive Dissonance"
"A Final Conflict"
"The Sword"
"Love of Fate (Amor Fati)"
"Victa Morte"

"World Defect":

"Alive" lyric video:

Murder Made God was formed in 2011 and saw the members hugely refining the sound that they had developed in their previous bands. They wasted no time getting into the studio and before the year’s end they had released a 3-song demo which was met with praise from both fans and critics alike. The band continued to build their momentum with the release of their debut full length Irreverence in 2013. Many shows and a tour with Hour of Penance and Abhorrent Decimation later the band released their second album Enslaved in 2016 on Comatose Music.




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The Sabaton History Channel has released Episode 027 - "Purple Heart" - US Military Decoration.

A message states: "The Purple Heart is arguably one of the most iconic military decorations in the American military. The Sabaton song 'Purple Heart' is about the origins and story behind the famous medal."

With their new album, The Great War, Sabaton have reached fantastic chart results all over the world, including the #1 top position in Germany and Switzerland, as well as their home country Sweden.

”All these fantastic numbers show a few things! First that we still can write songs that you guys want to hear! But more important that you are the best fans in the world and that metal is stronger than any other genre. We really look forward to tour with this album and perform many new songs all over the world", comments Pär Sundström.

All chart entries so far:

#1 - Germany
#1 - Sweden (#1 Rock/Metal, #1 Physical, #1 Vinyl)
#1 - Switzerland
#3 - Austria Top 75
#3 - Belgium
#3 - Finland Top 100 (#1 Physical)
#3 - Canada Top album  (#2 Hard Music)
#3 - Poland
#4 - Norway
#5 - USA Billboard Top album sales (#1 Hard Music, #1 Rock)
#6 - Scotland Top 100
#7 - Australia Aria Top 100 (#1 Metal, #1 Rock)
#7 - Czech Republic
#7 - Ireland Indie
#11 - UK (#1 Rock, #3 Indie)
#12 - Spain
#13 - Netherlands
#40 - France Top 200 (#4 Physical)
#48 - Slovakia
#50 - Italy Top 100 (#19 Physical)

The Great War is available in various formats:

- CD-Digi (History Edition) incl. narrated parts in addition to the album tracks
- CD (Album Edition)
- 2CD Earbook (Album + History Edition)
- 180g LP in various colors (History Edition)
- 180g LP in various colours (Album Edition)
- 3CD/3LP Box (The Great Box Edition) includes: Earbook incl. “The Soundtrack To The Great War” CD,  regular, History & Soundtrack LPs [180g, green], one out of 11 Great War propaganda posters [chosen at random], postcards, emblem, poem on sheet) – limited to 1000

The Great War tracklisting:

"The Future Of Warfare"
"Seven Pillars Of Wisdom"
"82nd All The Way"
"The Attack Of The Dead Men"
"Devil Dogs"
"The Red Baron"
"Great War"
"A Ghost In The Trenches"
"Fields Of Verdun"
"The End Of The War To End All Wars"
"In Flanders Fields"

"Great War" video:

"The Red Baron" lyric video:

“Fields Of Verdun” video:

"Bismarck" video:

(Photo - Tallee Savage)




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Legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker's MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST project will release its second studio album, "Revelation", on September 20 through Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by Michael Schenker and Michael Voss and was recorded and mixed by Voss at Kidpool Studio Greven & Kidwood Studio in Münstertal, Germany between December 2018 and March 2019.

The official video for the disc's second single, "Sleeping With The Light On", can be seen below.

Schenker comments: "Many people in my interviews expressed how much they like this song and I tell them: wait till you see the video. It brings it to a whole other level. By the way, the making of the video was a lot of fun and sometimes even spooky. I hope you enjoy it."

"Revelation" will be released on a variety of different formats and is ready for pre-order now. It will be available as CD-digipak, 2LP (different colors) as well as a limited box set including CD-digipak, 2LP (red+black splatter), puzzle, poster 60x30, photo cards.

"Revelation" track listing (CD-digipak, 2-LP, digital)

01. Rock Steady

02. Under A Blood Red Sky

03. Silent Again

04. Sleeping With The Light On

05. The Beast In The Shadows

06. Behind The Smile

07. Crazy Daze

08. Lead You Astray

09. We Are The Voice

10. Headed For The Sun

11. Old Man

12. Still In The Fight

13. Ascension

Bonus:

14. Armed And Ready (live)

15. Bad Boys (live)

16. Rock Bottom (live)

"Michael Voss is a fantastic musician with great input as a co-producer," Schenker said. "Our chemistry is something else. We have a way of working together that is extremely creative."

The follow-up to 2018's "Resurrection", "Revelation" was mastered by Christoph "Doc" Stickel for CS Mastering in Vienna, Austria. Additional recordings were completed as follows: Simon Phillips's drums were recorded by Jason Mariani at Brotherynstudios in Ojai, California. Bodo Schopf's drums recorded by Rolf Munkes at Empire Studios in Bensheim, Germany. Graham Bonnet's and Robin McAuley's vocals were recorded by Jimmy Waldo at Where's That Track Studio in Los Angeles, California.


"Based on the fun that we had recording 'Resurrection', the success of the album and the surrounding tours we undertook that were just fantastic, I was deeply inspired to make a start on writing new songs for a new MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST album," said Schenker. "It is even a step up from 'Resurrection', with amazing input from all singers and all musicians. I could not ask for a better result. The songs are blazing, snappy, energetic, melodic and with drummers like Simon Philips and Bodo Shopf, we got amazing results. This time we even managed to record three great mid-tempo songs with all singers involved, singing their hearts out."


Regarding the "Revelation" title, Schenker said: "The album title and cover concept expresses things that have happened in my past as well as what is still happening at the present time. It's about passion and purity versus greed and corruption. There is much to say. It's about time I let people know about some of this."

Besides the four vocalists — Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley and Doogie White — Schenker also reveals a guest singer on one track. "An incredible thing happened; we had this song that was ready to be worked on and Michael Voss suggested Ronnie Romero from Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW, who Voss had worked with in the past, to sing on this song as a guest," Michael said. "What came out of it was classic. Amazing vocals with blazing music that absolutely rocks!"

He continued: "We are ready to present this unique album to the world and I am very much looking forward to getting this album out there. Our label Nuclear Blast is totally happy with this record and I was especially happy getting a message from Markus Staiger, the founder of Nuclear Blast, saying how much he loves this album."

"Agree To Disagree", the new music video from SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's fifth full-length album, "How It Feels To Be Lost", which will be released on September 6 via Sumerian Records. The follow-up to 2017's "Gossip" was recorded at MDDN Studios in Los Angeles and produced by Zakk Cervini (YUNGBLUD, GOOD CHARLOTTE) and Matt Good (ASKING ALEXANDRIA).

SLEEPING WITH SIRENS singer Kellin Quinn told Alternative Press last year that the band's new LP was "all about depression and anxiety. It's something that I think needs to be talked about, and it's something that I struggle with and deal with all the time," he said. "I wanted to make a record that was just purely honest about it, and I think that it's for those people that need that record."

Since emerging in 2010, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS has tested the boundaries of rock by walking a tightrope between pop, punk, metal, hardcore, electronic, acoustic, and even a little R&B. This high-wire balancing act attracted a faithful fan base known as "Strays," generated global album sales in excess of 1.5 million, ignited over half-a-billion streams, and achieved a trio of gold-selling singles: "If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn", "If You Can't Hang" and "Scene Two-Roger Rabbit". They launched two albums — "Feel" and "Madness" — into the Top 15 of the Billboard 200. Additionally, they collaborated with MGK on "Alone" and PIERCE THE VEIL on the gold-certified "King For A Day". Beyond selling out shows worldwide and receiving acclaim from The New York Times, Alternative Press crowned them "Artist Of The Year" at the Alternative Press Music Awards, proclaimed "Kick Me" the 2015 "Song Of The Year", and featured them as cover stars a whopping seven times.

"How It Feels To Be Lost" track listing:

01. Leave It All Behind

02. Never Enough

03. How It Feels To Be Lost

04. Agree To Disagree

05. Ghost

06. Blood Lines

07. Break Me Down

08. Another Nightmare

09. PS Missing You

10. Medicine

11. Dying To Believe

Photo credit: Joshua Halling

The official video for "Tears In Rain", the new single from former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, can be seen below. The song is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", which will be released on August 30 via earMUSIC.

The clip finds the golden-voiced singer engaging in some roller derby. While training to film, Tarja sustained a coccyx injury but she remained undeterred.

In the video, Tarja plays the roller Black Leijona of the all-female team Killer Crows. The Killer Crows are on the edge of losing the ultimate and decisive game of the season. However, by facing and overcoming her insecurities, Black Lejona is restored to her status as the team leader.

"For my third single, 'Tears in Rain', I was looking for a strong video," explains Tarja. "I didn't want to get into a cliché of tears and rain or a breakup story. The song is about overcoming difficulties that could apply to any aspect of life. The instruction I gave to director Florian Kaltenbach ('Victim Of Ritual', '500 Letters') was to avoid the obvious. I wanted an action video where I could take part. He proposed the roller derby idea and I loved it."


Naturally, the video presented a huge challenge to Tarja, as it was the first time she tried the sport. Unfortunately, her first foray into roller derby was not without injury. During training, she dislocated her coccyx.


"I haven't been on skates too much and I have been ice skating in my youth," Tarja says. "But I realized immediately that skating with rollers is a totally different thing. I had to learn, and I only had three days before the video shooting that took place in London!! I knew I was in trouble. It's already common for me to get hurt in my videos, and this was not an exception. I had an accident in a skatepark near my home and dislocated my coccyx — I broke my ass! Despite the terrible pain, I did two shows and the video shoot with a broken butt.

She finishes: "So, as in the story of the video, I myself overcame difficulties. If you see me in pain in some parts of the video, that is not acting. The roller girls and the video team took good care of me and I enjoyed the experience, despite my condition. I had a lot of fun! When I recover, I wish to take my daughter to skate with me. We both got hooked on roller skating!"


The very emotional, highly personal lyrics of "Tears In Rain" stand in stark contrast to the musical rendition. Heavy guitars, an impulsive melody, and Tarja's crystal clear voice make for one of the most powerful, catchiest songs of "In The Raw" — if not the core song.

The song is also inspired by the famous monologue at the end of the sci-fi classic "Blade Runner".


"Johnny Andrews can make me fly with his ideas for new songs," Tarja explains. "It has always been a pure pleasure to write with him. After years, he also understands my voice and music taste better, so the writing process is easier in every way. Even though this time we didn't sit in the same room while the song was shaped, still, I have to say this one makes me very happy and proud. When we had finished writing the song, I already felt it as one of the strongest songs from the album. It just has the energy that drives me onward."

She furthers: "We used a very famous quote from Ridley Scott's film 'Blade Runner' — a classic that sets the tone for the story in the song 'All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.'"


As the saying goes, not all that glitters is gold. But then again, not all that is gold necessarily glitters. It was this idea that struck Tarja as she began work on "In The Raw".

Three years on from her last album, 2016's "The Shadow Self", "In The Raw" finds Tarja and her beautiful voice sounding as stunning as ever. Working with many of the same musicians and production team as before, the intention was to bring out the idea of rawness to match the feelings Tarja was having from the very beginning of the process.

"In The Raw" sees Tarja tapping into raw emotion and going to personal places in her lyrics. Opening herself up more than ever before, she says she was left feeling naked by her honesty, but also pleased at where she had gone with her words.

"Gold, we think, is something polished and perfect, sophisticated, a luxury. But in its natural state, it's a raw element," explains the singer. That sentiment encompasses the music on her upcoming album: a combination of sophisticated and refined orchestration, choir, and her classically trained voice with a raw, dark heavy musical core. Simply put, "In The Raw" is a gold-plated work of wonder.

The concept of gold and its raw state extends to the album's artwork. It finds Tarja in St Michael's Cave, Gibraltar, framed in vivid color and golden sheen.

"In The Raw" track listing:

01. Dead Promises (with Björn "Speed" Strid)

02. Goodbye Stranger (with Cristina Scabbia)

03. Tears In Rain

04. Railroads

05. You And I

06. The Golden Chamber: Awaken / Loputon Yö / Alchemy

07. Spirits Of The Sea

08. Silent Masquerade (with Tommy Karevik)

09. Serene

10. Shadow Play

Last year, Tarja told Bloodlines that her new album would be "darker" and "a bit heavier" than 2016's "The Shadow Self". But she added that she would never forget "the symphonic side of mine, as my first love of music was classical music, so I will never get away from that."

Corey Taylor has told Ireland's Overdrive in a new interview that he doesn't ever see SLIPKNOT phasing out the masks like KISS did with the make-up in the '80s. "It's such a part of our art," the singer explained. "It's also part of the reason why we change the masks with every album. Unlike KISS, they have always used the same make-up and it never evolved. For us, we've changed with every album and not only the masks but also the outfits. You can totally tell every album by the uniform. I think things like that have kept SLIPKNOT relevant, it's kept the music vibrant, it's kept the live shows different and it's kept us from stagnating. So, no I could never see us losing the masks. If we ever got the notion to do SLIPKNOT unmasked, I think I'd be, like, 'Well… eh. No.'

"We are all in our 40s now and we still very much have a love-hate relationship with what we do, but every time we step on stage, we're absolutely prepared to give it everything we've got," he continued. "So, for me personally, when that feeling stops, when we start trying to cut corners and try to make things easier just so we can 'get on with it,' that's when it's gonna be time to call it a day."

Taylor also spoke about SLIPKNOT's willingness to experiment musically on its upcoming album, "We Are Not Your Kind", which is due on August 9. "I guess we started to push boundaries with [2004's] 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' but on this album, I feel it falls somewhere between 'Vol. 3' and [2001's] 'Iowa'," he said. "There is the rage and the urgency of 'Iowa' with the experimentation and exploration of 'Vol. 3'. We were heading that way to being, but with all the inner band peril, we really went off track over the last few albums. Everything that was happening during [2008's] 'All Hope is Gone' has been very well documented and '.5: The Gray Chapter' was more of the approach of, 'Let's see if we actually want to keep doing this.' I'm really happy that we've been able to get back to this creative place and show the world that we are actually doing it really well. This album shows that we were all able to come together again and create something very special, and you know what? We really need to to do that for ourselves if anything. When it came time to lay this album down, we were so ready to do it. We were excited about making the album as we were about the content we were going to put into it. So, really, the whole experience was awesome and I'm really happy with it all."

"We Are Not Your Kind" was once again recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Greg Fidelman, who engineered and mixed SLIPKNOT's 2004 album "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" and helmed 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter".

SLIPKNOT's "Knotfest Roadshow" North American headline tour kicked off late last month. VOLBEAT, GOJIRA and BEHEMOTH are providing support on all dates.

Prior to CRADLE OF FILTH's performance in San Antonio, Texas on April 15, vocalist Dani Filth spoke with "Robb's MetalWorks". The full conversation can be viewed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how the group's latest album, "Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay", was received:

Dani: "It's been great. We've had a phenomenal response to this record, hence why we're on this second touring cycle of the U.S. The response is amazing to this and the previous album, 'Hammer Of The Witches', which is a byproduct of having a great lineup."

On the group's next steps:

Dani: "We're going to be re-releasing 'Cruelty [And The Beast]' this year — remixed and remastered, totally from the original tapes. It took us quite a lengthy amount of time. [We] had some legal issues for a bit, so it would have been on the 20th anniversary, which was last year, but it's going to be at some point this year via Sony. We've got a live album in the works, and we're also currently writing toward a successor to 'Cryptioriana'... Obviously, it's a little bit difficult on the road, but I think we've got the beginnings of about four [or] five tracks. Those all sound really good. The studio is destined for early next year, with a release date either before or after the summer, depending on the live album and the reissue of 'Cruelty'. We're going to experiment a little bit, see what happens really. At the moment, it's in its infancy... The autumn will see us fine tune the stuff and finish writing."

On the forthcoming "Cruelty And The Beast" re-release:

Dani: "It does sound great now – it sounds awesome. It's the whole album, plus 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'."

On covering ANNIHILATOR's "Alison Hell":

Dani: "We've been wanting to do it since the 'Cruelty' album. We just didn't get around to doing it for I don't know what reason. We met up with Jeff Waters on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. In fact, we met up with him several times, so we mentioned in passing that we've been wanting to do that track for ages, and he kind of gave us his blessing — 'Man, you've got to do it.' Since having done it, he's got back and said he loves the track and thought we did a really good job on it. We like it. I think it's just very reminiscent of the rest of the material on 'Cryptoriana' — it just has that very ornate, mythical, spooky metal vibe to it."

On the band being in a "good place" at present:

Dani: "We're really enjoying life, enjoying our time as a band, enjoying our time out on the road... The creativity is flourishing under this new — I was going to say regime, but it's far from that. Under this new lineup."

On how he collaborates with his band mates:

Dani: "You choose people [and] get to know people who are good at their jobs, and let them get on with it. We're a unit — we live together; we live, breathe, bleed this music. When you live it together for that amount of time, you become family. You take the rough with the smooth and deliver the goods... You don't just jump anybody in off the street to be a part of the band, and we're such a prolific, very hard-working band that even a year on the road with the band, you're talking about a huge amount of shows, a huge amount of work, a huge amount of close proximity to one another. Like I said, you become family."

On guesting with acts such as BRING ME THE HORIZON and THE 69 EYES:

Dani: "It keeps the creative juices flowing. I don't just do everything — I've been offered to be part of quite a few things that I've turned down, depending on whether I like it and the accessibility. I can't really do anything from out on the road. The BRING ME THE HORIZON thing was a lot of fun. I really did that for my daughter, and the fact that Oli Sykes is a good guy. I thought that would be quite a good collaboration. It's very different. Obviously, there were a few naysayers who went, [makes unpleasant face / sound] — fuck you."

On DEVILMENT:

Dani: "It's on hiatus at the moment. We did a show like a sort of... it wasn't a departure show, but I can't see us doing anything for a few years. There's just too much going on with CRADLE OF FILTH. I've literally got barely time to spend with family and girlfriend, let alone pursuing other musical careers."

CRADLE OF FILTH continues to tour the world in support of "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay", released in 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury has told LA Weekly in a new interview that the band is "long overdue" to release new music. "We do have some stuff we've been working on, but it's yet to see the light of day," he said. Astbury also cited David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Iggy Pop as some of his inspirations — artists who were never content to rest on the glories of their pasts, instead striving to create something new and exciting.

"You can't get up and put on the same clothes you wore when you were 24 and try to recreate the mindset," he explained. "To me at least, probably more so with individual artists than bands, they've produced some of their best work in their later years. Iggy Pop is one of the artists Billy [Duffy, guitar] and I bonded over. We opened for him in '87 and he appears on 'Sonic Temple', guest vocals on 'New York City'."

In a separate interview with Global News, Astbury was asked how the songwriting process has changed since he and Billy first met and started DEATH CULT over 35 years ago. He responded: "Well, when we first met, we were living in his flat in Brixton; I'd sleep on the couch. [Laughs] So yeah, you could say it's very different. We spent a lot of time together and we were immersed in each other every day. We were always exchanging ideas but now we have very separate lives. We both have different lifestyles so when we do come together, we bring whatever it is that we've been musing on outside of that. Then we come into an intensive writing period. It's a different way of writing as opposed to like a gradual thing when we were younger because as you get older, your life takes over. But we've been managed to maintain a relationship over 10 studio albums and three decades so it's still there; there's still a chemistry that works.

THE CULT's last collection of new material, "Hidden City", was released in February 2016 via Cooking Vinyl. The follow-up to 2012's "Choice Of Weapon" was written by Astbury and Duffy and was produced by Bob Rock, who has previously worked with METALLICA and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Last month, THE CULT kicked off a North American tour in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its "Sonic Temple" album.

Melodic death metallers The Final Sleep, which includes Jay VanDervoort and Mike Stack of Burning Human (eONE Music), Kevin Maloney of Withstand (Fierce/Mayhem Records), and Mike Van Dyne, original drummer/co-founder of Arsis (Nuclear Blast and Willowtip Records), have reissued their debut album, I. The album has been remixed and remastered for maximum audio destruction.

The Final Sleep are currently in the studio recording their as-yet-untitled new release.

The Final Sleep is rounded out by singer/guitarist Jeff Andrews, and has built a reputation successfully headlining their own shows, as well as sharing the stage with many renowned metal acts, including Fates Warning, Sanctuary, At The Gates, Intronaut, All That Remains, Misery Index, Flotsam & Jetsam, Katatonia, Moonspell, Rivers Of Nihil, and more.

Tracklisting:

“As We Leave The Flesh”
“Catatonic”
“Disbelief”
“My Eyes Bleed”
“Feeding The Night Sky”

“My Eyes Bleed”:




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Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have signed Delaware's extreme thrash trio Descendency and are set to release their new album entitled Generate The Genocide June 28th on CD and Digital formats.

Hailing from central Delaware, Descendency formed in 2007 and are an all-out aggro speed assault of thrash metal, death metal and crossover. Generate The Genocide is the third full-length album from this extreme thrash trio, showcasing seven tracks of unrelenting brutality, featuring pummeling riffs and an intense fist-to-the-face vocal assault. Album track “Opaque” is streaming below. Find preorders at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Human Birth”
“Opaque”
“Necrotizing Minds”
“Arduous March”
“Hate Prop 1.98-4”
“Extinguish”
“Island Off The Coast Of Earth”

“Opaque”:




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"Perfect", a brand new song from HELLYEAH, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", which will be released on September 27 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marks the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than a year ago.

"Welcome Home" track listing:

01. 333

02. Oh My God

03. Welcome Home

04. I'm The One

05. Black Flag Army

06. At Wick's End

07. Perfect

08. Bury You

09. Boy

10. Sky And Water

11. Irreplaceable

HELLYEAH's May 11 concert in Las Vegas was the first time the band has taken the stage since Vinnie's passing and the debut of STONE SOUR member Roy Mayorga as Vinnie's replacement.

HELLYEAH's 18-city headlining summer outing kicked off on July 23 in Atlanta, and will culminate in a special celebration on Saturday, August 17 in Dallas, Texas.

Like the last two records, 2016's "Unden!able" and 2014's "Blood For Blood", "Welcome Home" was recorded at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with producer Kevin Churko.

Vinnie Paul died in June 2018 at the age of 54 in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. The official cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease.

HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell recently paid tribute to Vinnie on the first anniversary of the drummer’s death. Maxwell wrote in part: "I'm writing you this letter to tell you how much I miss and love you. Never could I have imagined you not being here with us anymore. There's so much all of us lost when you left us. Your smile, your infectious laugh, your always steadfast care of all those around you. Everything has changed now.

The guitarist continued: "Our family is just shards of what it used to be. It seemed like every day was harder then the one before it. It's hard just knowing that you're not here to lift everyone up and make everything better with just the simplest things you always used to do. It's hard waking up and trying to navigate through such murky waters. We're doing our best — some better than others, some not so much."

UK metal band, Conjurer, have inked a record deal with Nuclear Blast who will handle all territories apart from the UK and Europe where they remain with Holy Roar Records.

The band comments, "We are beyond excited to be at the forefront of this collaboration between Nuclear Blast and Holy Roar Records. Working with Monte Conner and the team is a real privilege and we're blown away to be joining the likes of Behemoth, Meshuggah, and Pallbearer. We're looking forward to bringing our next record out as soon as possible and with two of the worlds best labels behind us, we've never been in a better position."

Catch Conjurer live at the following dates:

June
14 - Download Festival - Donington, UK
24 - Craufurd Arms - Milton Keynes, UK (w/ Will Haven)
26 - 229 The Venue - London, UK (w/ Will Haven)

July
11 - 2000trees Festival - Cheltenham, UK

August
15 - ArcTanGent Festival - Bristol, UK

Recently, the band announced they would be heading on the road with Revocation and Voivod on their North American Tour. The trek will kick-off September 12 in Quebec City and run until October 12 in Brooklyn. The lineup also feature Psycroptic and Skeletal Remains. Four of the dates will include Municipal Waste, Napalm Death, Sick Of It All, and Take Offense while one date will include Eluveitie and Ensiferum.

September
12 - Quebec City, QC - La Source*
13 - Montreal, QC - Corona*
14 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
15 - Ferndale, MI - The Loving Touch
16 - Chicago, IL - Metro
17 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
18 - Winnipeg, MB - Park Theatre
20 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite
21 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
23 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
24 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
25 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
27 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theater
28 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
29 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
30 - Phoenix, AZ - Club Red

October
1 - Albuquerque, NM - LaunchPad
3 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live **
4 - Austin, TX - Mohawk **
5 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall **
6 - New Orleans, LA - Parish @ House Of Blues
7 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade **
9 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
10 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
11 - Worcester, MA - Palladium / Rock N Shock Festival #
12 - Brooklyn, NY - Bazaar

* - no Voivod
** - plus Municipal Waste, Napalm Death, Sick Of It All, Take Offense
# - with Eluveitie, Ensiferum




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Season Of Mist announces the signing of Polish black metal formation Medico Peste to the Underground Activists sub-label. The band have completed the work on their new full length, The Black Bile, which will be released towards the end of 2019 / early 2020. More details coming soon.

Medico Peste comment: "More than seven years have passed since the release of א: Tremendum et Fascinatio. We can announce the completion of the long awaited successor - The Black Bile. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered at No Solace studio and consists of seven tracks of schizophrenic black metal. The visual nightmare illustrating the music was created by Inside Flesh."

Rather than following the usual approach to the main themes of black metal, Medico Peste choose to explore a different look at death, religion, and the devil by viewing them from the eyes and mind of a tormented, neurotic subject and his schizophrenic visions. It is the topics like madness, religion, and nihilism that form the core part of the band’s lyrics, accompanied by music which emanates psychopathic rage, intertwined with a wide range of non-metal influences like post-punk, avant-garde, and cabaret music.

Recording lineup:

Lazarus - vocals, guitars
The Fall - bass, guitars
Nefar - guitars
Desolator - drums

Live lineup:

Lazarus - vocals
Nefar - guitars
EVT - guitars
The Fall - bass
Desolator - drums




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According to Billboard's Boxscore data, the summer 2019 leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" tour grossed more than $70 million from 13 shows. The highest-earning date ($8,194,075) took place on June 8 in Meath, Ireland, where a near-capacity crowd of 71,122 saw the band perform at the iconic venue Slane Castle. The second-biggest concert ($6,745,329) happened on July 6 in Berlin, Germany, where 68,452 fans were packed into the sold-out Olympiastadion.

Music industry trade magazine Pollstar recently named METALLICA one of the top-earning hard rock and metal tours of the "2019 Midyear" reporting period, which covered the six-month range from November 22, 2018 to May 22, 2019.

The group's 21 North American "WorldWired" arena shows during the reporting period grossed a total of $41.7 million, good for an average per-show gross of $1.99 million. With an average attendance of more than 16,000, the band moved nearly 350,000 tickets altogether.

On a per-show basis, METALLICA did even better internationally, as five of the six European stadium concerts the group performed in May grossed a combined $28 million thanks to an average attendance of more than 58,000. Altogether, the band grossed $69.7 million in the six-month reporting period, making the group the fourth highest-grossing act in the world during that time behind only Elton John, Pink and Justin Timberlake — each of whom sold fewer tickets but had a higher average ticket price.

METALLICA's "WorldWired" tour has played more than 130 shows across the world since its 2016 kick-off.

Last November, drummer Lars Ulrich told The Mercury News that the trek could last through early 2020.

The San Francisco Bay Area metal giants have been touring in support of their latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", which came out in November 2016.

Latest Boxscore data for "WorldWired" tour:

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Slane, Ireland - Slane Castle

Date: June 8, 2019

Gross Sales: $8,194,075

Attendance/Capacity: 71,122 / 78,824

Ticket Prices: $115.21

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Amsterdam, Netherlands - Amsterdam Arena

Date: June 11, 2019

Gross Sales: $5,151,429

Attendance/Capacity: 50,576 / 50,576

Ticket Prices: $101.86

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Cologne, Germany - RheinEnergieStadion

Date: June 13, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,267,243

Attendance/Capacity: 41,460 / 42,021

Ticket Prices: $102.92

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Brussels, Belgium - King Baudouin Stadium

Date: June 16, 2019

Gross Sales: $5,243,080

Attendance/Capacity: 49,039 / 49,039

Ticket Prices: $106.92

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Manchester, UK - Etihad Stadium

Date: June 18, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,510,011

Attendance/Capacity: 40,473 / 42,154

Ticket Prices: $111.43

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: London, UK - Twickenham Stadium

Date: June 20, 2019

Gross Sales: $6,080,657

Attendance/Capacity: 51,819 / 52,244

Ticket Prices: $117.34

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion

Date: July 6, 2019

Gross Sales: $6,745,329

Attendance/Capacity: 68,452 / 68,452

Ticket Prices: $98.54

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadion

Date: July 9, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,668,092

Attendance/Capacity: 63,348 / 63,348

Ticket Prices: $73.69

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Copenhagen, Denmark - Telia Parken

Date: July 11, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,811,332

Attendance/Capacity: 44,944 / 45,698

Ticket Prices: $107.05

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Trondheim, Norway - Granasen Arena

Date: July 13, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,348,793

Attendance/Capacity: 38,794 / 38,794

Ticket Prices: $112.10

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Hameenlinna, Finland - Festival Park

Date: July 16, 2019

Gross Sales: $5,330,615

Attendance/Capacity: 55,519 / 55,519

Ticket Prices: $96.01

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Tartu, Estonia - Raadi Airfield

Date: July 18, 2019

Gross Sales: $4,791,241

Attendance/Capacity: 59,099 / 59,099

Ticket Prices: $81.07

Artist: METALLICA, GHOST, BOKASSA

City, Country, Venue: Moscow, Russia - Luzhniki Stadium

Date: July 21, 2019

Gross Sales: $6,073,606

Attendance/Capacity: 61,546 / 63,505

Ticket Prices: $98.68

To celebrate their 40th anniversary, Bay Area thrash metal legends Exodus recently unleashed a new single entitled “No Love (Live At Day In The Dirt 1984)”. The thrashers have announced that the aforementioned single - featuring a rare demo version of "Death Row" on the B-side, which is only available on this release - can now also be purchased on limited 7" vinyl at this location.

The formation of the beast we now call Exodus began in Richmond CA in 1979, and although many started their journey as fans a few years down the line, there is no debating that the early ’80’s was a time for major growth in the world of thrash metal, especially in the Bay Area of California.

Day in the Dirt was perhaps the ultimate example of the Bay Area thrash metal underground scene in 1984. A plywood stage constructed in a Berkeley, California park where Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies and Exodus played to a frenzied crowd of headbangers. It was also evident from this show, and others like it, why Exodus was so influential on the Bay Area scene and thrash metal in general. With the eventual release of their first album Bonded By Blood, the band would take their music and their live show to new heights of insanity in the years that followed.

Take a trip back to that incredible time in thrash metal history with the recently unearthed live recording of "No Love (Live At Day In The Dirt 1984)", and listen to the raw power of the original Bonded By Blood lineup of the band that started it all... Exodus!

Check out the track stream here: 

Gary Holt comments: ”Day In The Dirt was almost like the Bay Area thrash metal Woodstock, our own underground version on the legendary Day On The Green shows we all attended so many times. What happened that day at Aquatic Park in Berkeley has gone down in Bay Area lore as an epic day for the underground Thrash scene. The brainchild of the late great Wes Robinson, we were fortunate to have been a key part of such a great show. It was Rick Hunolt's second Exodus show as well I believe!"

Listen and download here.

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming festivities surrounding the 40 year anniversary as well as their highly awaited eleventh album.

(Photographs by Brian Lew)




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New York-based heavy metal band Damn Your Eyes may seem new to the scene, but they are anything but green. The band - formed by former members of Harley Flanagan's Hard-Core, We Are The Enemy and Bonesmith, plus current members of Black Water Rising - came together in 2015 and immediately hit the ground running. As respected musicians in their local scene with extensive recording experience, the band quickly recorded an EP, released it to local acclaim, and rapidly returned to the studio to record their upcoming international full-length debut, Kill The Outside.

Kill The Outside will hit digital retailers everywhere in full on August 2, 2019, with pre-orders available beginning next week. Kill The Outside will be available in physical CD and vinyl formats upon release.

Damn Your Eyes isn't about clickbait or gimmicky metal. The band performs pure American heavy music - blending influences of ‘90s heavy metal with grunge, stoner metal and sludge to create a potent mixture of candid aggression. 

Regarding "Ascension", guitarist Artie Alexander says: "I wrote this song while in a revolutionary state of mind. It's more or less about how I'm fed up with the nonsense going on in our government, and I also wanted it to parallel the feelings of the colonies - in a subtle way - that were tired of the nonsense they had to endure under British rule. Overtaxing, overspending, buying elections setting the conversation in their favor, etc. Patriots rise up against misrule. It's about not eating the garbage the government is feeding us and doing something about it. Taking the power back to the people."

Kill The Outside showcases a mixture of styles, making for a truly dynamic and emotive collection of tracks. In addition to the metal radio-ready "Ascension", mellow head-bobbers like "Burn" echo grunge and stoner metal influences, while standout track "Low Road" kicks off with a Type O Negative-esque intro riff before quickly transitioning to full-on antagonistic southern groove metal. Slow and low, grooving "Dirty Viper" tells the intense and personal story of a friend who committed suicide by heroin overdose. Tracks like "Punk Fuck" kick it up a notch, while another standout track, the heartfelt "Slower", brings the tempo down while telling the opposite story of "Dirty Viper" - an uplifting tale of wonderful results after making the decision to change oneself.

Artie Alexander adds: "In the bed of all of these songs lies personal experiences. Experiences that every person on this planet can identify with, having either lived through them themselves or watched someone they love go through them. The album is about being human and the images seen through our eyes. Moments of anger, frustration, sorrow, loss, redemption, hope, recovery, revenge, survival and healing."

Tracklisting:

“Ascension”
“Burn”
“Dirty Viper”
“Lions From Lambs”
“Low Road”
“Punk Funk”
“Slower”
“These Are The Things”
“Through It All”
“Tree Line”

“Ascension” video:

(Photo by: Dante Torrieri)




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Massive Slavery is a politically, socially and environmentally engaged modern death metal band from Rouyn-Noranda (northern Quebec, Canada). Their 2010 debut, Global Enslavement, has been reissued digitally on numerous platforms. Order here.

The band is also working on new material. Details coming soon.

Tracklisting:

“MediAssassiNation”
“Shade Of Corruption”
“Global Enslavement”
“The Denial Of Man’s Regression”
“Destroy, Rebuild, Repeat”
“A Cold Interlude”
“Wider We Open Our Eyes”
“Pull The Plug On Modern Civilization”
“Humanity’s Last Hope”
“Generalized Cyberphobia”

“Humanity’s Last Hope” video:




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Veteran Canadian musician, Adam Sewell - former frontman of Monster Voodoo Machine - has just put the finishing touches on his latest project under the moniker he has used on and off for some 20 years, Def Con Sound System. The full-length album, Silver Bullets, will be released via his own Stereo Dynamite Recordings on July 12. The album features a deeply cinematic vibe, with a loosely-themed collection of songs inspired by 1960s spy films and Tarantino-esque soundtracks. To experience Def Con Sound System, check out the first video, “Theme From Silver Bullets", below.

Sewell has checked in with the following update:

"Hi there. I've had a lot of requests for vinyl, so I've decided to try something a bit special. Limited to only 200 copies: first pressing, red vinyl, hand numbered, LP version of the debut Def Con Sound System album, Silver Bullets. All copies come with an autographed + hand numbered Silver Bullets book, stickers, and more. Ships October 1st, 2019."

Pre-order the vinyl LP version here.

Of Silver Bullets, Sewell commented, “I don’t really listen to too many proper “albums”, or “rock records”. I tend to listen to soundtracks, compilation albums, and experimental DJ albums. I wanted to make something that sounded like my own personal record collection mashed up, and filtered through a dark, suspenseful soundtrack compilation album... Sort of like ‘The Walking Dead’, or the ‘True Detective’ compilation albums; a collection of songs that musically covered a lot of territory, and took influences from multiple music genres, but still somehow maintained some sort of vibe or theme that tied the songs together. So I created a fictional film in my mind, ‘Silver Bullets,’ and set about creating the soundtrack for it.”

Since 1996, Toronto-based, Juno Award-winning musician Adam Sewell has used Def Con Sound System as a catch-all band name for miscellaneous musical projects; including soundtracks, one-off live performances, and even a short lived full-on touring band. Sewell  began writing the first Def Con Sound System full-length album in 2008. In 2011, the first single from the not-yet-finished album, "Pistol Whipped", was released. The song featured a Clash-meets-1960s spy soundtrack-sounding vibe which would hint at the direction Sewell and Def Con Sound System were headed musically. Sewell would then find himself sidetracked for a number of years, co-writing and producing the critically-acclaimed retro-soul, debut solo album by former Love Inc vocalist Simone Denny titled The Stereo Dynamite Sessions Vol. 1.

Fast forward to the year 2019 and Sewell has finally completed that full-length album which has become Silver Bullets. Co-produced by Sewell, and Jon Drew (Arkells, Tokyo Police Club, Fucked Up), the album was conceived, and written as a fictional movie soundtrack compilation album which combines radically different sounding songs and soundscapes to take the listener into the fictionally cinematic world of the non-existent film ‘Silver Bullets’, and out of the comfort zone of a traditional rock album format.

Silver Bullets tracklisting:

"Theme From Silver Bullets"
"Pistol Whipped"
"A Moving Target"
"My Crooked, Crooked Teeth"
"Fool’s Gold"
"When I Close My Eyes, All I See Is Fireworks"
"Escape Through The Casino"
"The Killing Floor"
"My Love Is The Dagger"
"Don’t You Come Around My Grave"
"End Credits"

“Theme From Silver Bullets" video:

(Photo - Ashlea Wessel)




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