After a long and intensive work period at the Drudenhaus Studio, Alcest can finally announce that they have finished the recordings of their sixth studio album. The first long-player to appear under their new label, Nuclear Blast, is titled Spiritual Instinct and will see the light of day on October 25, leading the band into darker yet still dreamy and spiritually profound soundscapes.

Today, the two French blackgaze pioneers also present the cover artwork, which was once again created in collaboration with Førtifem.

Frontman Neige comments: "Alcest's sixth album is called Spiritual Instinct and will be released on the 25th of October on Nuclear Blast. The recording of Spiritual Instinct has been a long and challenging process, but we feel really proud of it and can't wait to share our new music with all of you. The artwork has been made by the Parisian duo Førtifem and represents a sphinx, as a reference to the symbolism art movement. The sphinx is the ultimate figure of the enigma, which embodies both the spiritual and feral sides inside us."

The first single off Spiritual Instinct, as well as the pre-order date, will be revealed soon

Alcest are:

Neige - vocals, guitars, bass, synths
Winterhalter - drums

(Photo - William Lacalmontie)




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Torche will release Admission, the band’s fifth album, and first new music since 2015’s Restarter, on July 12 via Relapse Records. The title track is available for streaming below.

“This album is more revealing of who we are. I think the core of the band is happier and more inspired than we have been in some time, and we’ve got somebody new who’s excited to be a part of it. It’s just refreshing. It feels right. It feels real,” says guitar player Jon Nuñez, referencing the band’s new lineup which includes a shift from bass to guitar for Nuñez and the addition of bass player Eric Hernandez (Wrong). Steve Brooks (guitar/vocals) and Rick Smith (drummer) round-out the band.

Admission pre-orders are available now via Relapse’s webstore. The 11-song album is available in various formats (CD/LP/CS/Digital) with several highly-limited colored vinyl options on-sale now.

The album artwork was created by Richard Vergez, a Cuban-American visual artist, who is known for his handmade collages that highlight the meeting of human and technological elements in our modern society. His work has been shown at No Romance Galleries (TriBeCa), Urban Arts Society (Chicago) and Kids of Dada (London).

Admission tracklisting:

"From Here"
"Submission"
"Slide"
"What Was"
"Times Missing"
"Admission"
"Reminder"
"Extremes Of Consciousness"
"On The Wire"
"Infierno"
"Changes Come"

"Submission":

"Times Missing":

"Slide":

Torche have announced their first wave of tour dates, including performances at this year’s Levitation, The Fest and Sled Island festivals. Tickets for all non-festival dates are on-sale this Friday at 10 AM, eastern.

Tour dates:

July
26 - Tampa, FL - The Crowbar
27 - Jacksonville, FL - The Justice Pub
28 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
31 - Washington, DC - Black Cat

August
1 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
2 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bazaar
3 - Allston, MA - Great Scott
4 - Pawtucket, RI - The Met
5 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom
6 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
7 - Wilmington, NC - Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern
8 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
9 - Orlando, FL - Henao Center
10 - Miami, FL - Las Rosa's

September
21 - Asheville, NC - Heavy Mountain

November
1-3 - Gainesville, FL - The Fest
9 - Austin, TX - Levitation

(Photo - Dan Almasy​​​​​​​)




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Last August, Status Quo release a pair of ‘twin’ live albums, Down Down & Dignified At The Royal Albert Hall and Down Down & Dirty At Wacken, via earMUSIC. You can now watch "Softer Ride" from the Down Down & Dirty At Wacken release. Check it out below:

On September 6, Status Quo will release Backbone through earMUSIC / Edel; the band’s 33rd studio album - the LP will be their 33rd 33rpm.

Some doubters said Backbone was a record that could not be made, but the 2019 lineup of Status Quo has been through a lot, they have chalked up 130 shows as a unit and travelled tens of thousands of miles. This is a group of musicians that is strong, that back each other up and are tighter than ever. Backbone features of a trio songs drawn from the classic partnership of Rossi / Young as well as contributions from all of the rest of the band.

The eleven track album was recorded at Francis' studio in the late months of 2018 and into this year. The sessions were initially just to keep the juices flowing, improvise and have fun. As the hours rolled on, songs stacked up, everyone began to believe that something special was happening. And so it proved. Even from within the group, there had been some resistance to creating a new record.

As Francis says, "This new material had to be seriously good. Quo have achieved so much and meant so much to too many people for the quality to slip now. Also, let’s face it, things have changed and we’re an easier target than ever.

"Losing Rick was hard to bear but, through Richie Malone, who was inspired to pick up a guitar by him, we can not only keep going but actually pick up the pace. The energy that he and Leon bring to Quo can’t be underestimated. I wasn’t sure I had another album in me but I couldn’t be more proud of ‘Backbone’. I hope the fans love it, but you can’t please everyone and I’m not going to start trying to now."

To have Backbone means to stand firm, to stand up for what you believe in. The title fits. The hundreds of songs recorded by Quo over half a century still resonate today, and the tracks on this album are a worthy addition to that incredible catalogue. A new Quo studio album is a cause for celebration, especially when it kicks like this one. And for the doubters? A Backbone is also a support, a unifying element that keeps things in shape. Underlying this new record are the core desires to keep creating, to be the best and to keep playing: these are the qualities that have kept Quo at the top for so long. Backbone will ensure that Francis Rossi and Quo keep standing proud. And, by naming the album Backbone, they’re ready for the 'Spinal Tap' headlines too!

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Waiting For A Woman"
"Cut Me Some Slack"
"Liberty Lane"
"I See You're in Some Trouble"
"Backing Off"
"I Wanna Run Away With You"
"Backbone"
"Better Take Care"
"Falling Off The World"
"Get Out Of My Head"
"Running Out Of Time"




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The Contortionist have announced a new EP and the release of a new single and music video, titled “Early Grave”. Produced and directed by Corey Norman and produced and edited by vocalist Michael Lessard, this is the first music video and original song we’ve seen from the progressive group since the release of Clairvoyant in 2017. Watch the video below.

The Contortionist will release Our Bones on August 9 via Entertainment One / Good Fight Music. Crafted in the compound owned by producer/engineer John Douglass (Coheed & Cambria, Bad Wolves, Carnifex), where the guys were able to live and work, Our Bones began with some ideas Robby Baca would regularly run through at the band’s sound checks.

“Once I was finally able to get Robby to record that riff we started piecing together the song in the back of the van, while on tour in Europe,” Lessard recalls. The result was lead single “Early Grave,” an expression of gratitude to the fans who’ve shared their stories of heartbreak, loneliness, and depression, and found new strength in the music of The Contortionist.

The band’s blistering new EP sees The Contortionist step outside the atmospheric storytelling of their critically-lauded conceptual masterpiece Clairvoyant (2017) to indulge an aggressive shadow side. More an anthology of standalone bursts of intensity, Our Bones isn’t a mere stopover between albums. It’s both a definitive look back and an ambitious leap forward.

“We try to do something different with everything we create,” explains Lessard. “With our albums, we tend to work with overarching interconnected themes. 'Our Bones' is a departure. It offered an opportunity to dive into some things we haven’t had a chance to explore, and the shorter EP format allowed us to be hyper-focused on each song.”

Our Bones was mixed and mastered by longtime collaborator Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, Through The Eyes Of The Dead), who worked on Language and Clairvoyant.

While The Contortionist ultimately has proven themselves masters of psychedelic-enhanced experimentation and trippy melodicism, endearing them to fans of later period Enslaved and Sigur Ros alike, they have never entirely forsaken the urgent impact of tech-leaning extremity.

“From The Beatles to Pink Floyd to Mastodon, all the great rock bands in history have clear, non-linear musical trajectories,” Metal Sucks observed. “It’s great to see a band taking chances and moving forward. The result is a fully formed band, four albums in, to which no other bands compare. Literally: no one else sounds like The Contortionist even a little.”

Pre-order/save here.

Tracklisting:

"Follow"
"Early Grave"
"All Grey"
"1979"

"Early Grave" video:

The Contortionist will be on tour with Between The Buried And Me on their North American Summer tour 2019. Tour dates here.




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London purveyors of cathartic existential outrage Damin (ex-Dam) have dropped a creepy sci-fi horror inspired video for the new track, "Rising Of The Lights", taken from their forthcoming debut album, A Fine Game Of Nil, out this Friday, June 28 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings.

Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here (Digital), or here (Vinyl/CD).

Damim's album was mixed by Neil Kernon (Nile, Cannibal Corpse, Judas Priest, Nevermore etc.) and the artwork was created by visual artist Ingram Blakelock (A Forest Of Stars, My Dying Bride).

Tracklisting:

"In A Language They Understand"
"Descendant Of Amalek"
"Beyond The Call Of Emptiness"
"Something For The Weakened"
"NecroKino "
"Body Is Broken"
"Rising Of The Lights"
"Existential Epiphany Within A Waking Dream"
"All I Want To Know Is How It Ends"

"Rising Of The Lights" video:




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"We Shall Ride Again", a song from Billy Sherwood's new album, Citizen: In The Next Life, is available for streaming below. The album is out on July 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-order here.

Citizen: In The Next Life is Billy Sherwood’s second release in the Citizen series, which follows the concept that he started with the Citizen album released in November 2015. The songs describe the individual experiences in a journey through time and space of a character, “The Citizen” through his own eyes: from an appearance in the Berlin bunker as Adolf Hitler in the final days of WWII to the Impressionist painter Monet, then as Stephen Hawking exploring the depths of the mind and the universe, Wyatt Earp, the legendary sheriff of Tombstone, Christopher Columbus, Romeo Montecchi and Mata Hari, among other real and fictitious characters.

Of the first single "The Partisan" and other songs on the album, Sherwood says, "The song is about Adolf Hitler and follows his rise to power and eventual fall. 'Sophia' is about the first ever A.I. to be formally recognized and declared a citizen of a nation, Saudi Arabia. The song explores the notion that perhaps this isn't such a great idea and "just because we can does not mean that we should". 'Monet' finds the citizen as the famous impressionist painter and expresses the beauty within the paintings themselves, "painting for all our eyes". 'We Shall Ride Again' has the citizen as the famous lawman Wyatt Earp as he takes care of business, along with his brothers Virgil, Morgan and comrade Doc Holiday. 'By Design' is a song where the soul of the main character is Romeo, expressing his love for his Juliet. 'Mata Hari' is about the infamous spy who used her seductive ways to get vital information to the governments she worked for. The double agent would eventually find herself in front of a firing squad after being found out."

For the first album in the Citizen series, Billy amassed an impressive list of guests, including the last recorded performance of original YES bass player Chris Squire, this time he wanted and managed to work on the concept on his own. The result is another splendid ride in human history, with an exceptional storyteller like Billy who is bringing us on a fascinating musical ride through the centuries. The album also includes an impersonation of the character “The Citizen” as Chris Squire. "Amazing Grace" is a famous bass solo that Chris used to do on stage and so it seemed a fitting tribute to him.

"I'm looking forward to this record coming out and having people take these jumps through time. The citizen is your guide and there are many interesting places this lost soul appears. I think of it as a sort of movie for your ears. I recommend a good set of headphones and let the stories take you on a journey," continues Sherwood.

Billy Sherwood is a current member of YES, handpicked by original founding member Chris Squire, before his untimely death in June 2015, to fill in for him. Billy was also asked by legendary progressive icon John Wetton to replace him in Asia. Billy started his career in the band Lodgic and then World Trade, with whom he released two albums. He joined YES for the first time as touring member on the Talk tour in 1994, before becoming a full time member from 1997 to 1999. He also recorded two albums with Chris Squire on the Conspiracy project and released six albums with Circa, the band he formed with another former YES member, Tony Kaye.

Tracklisting:

"The Partisan"
"Sophia"
"Monet"
"Skywriter"
"We Shall Ride Again"
"Via Hawking"
"By Design"
"Sailing The Seas"
"Mata Hari"
"Hold Quite"

"We Shall Ride Again":

"The Partisan":




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Hamburg-based sludge metal unit, High Fighter, returns with their sophomore album this summer on Argonauta Records. Today the band is sharing with us, not only the release details, but also a first single.

After the group's debut EP The Goat Ritual, released end of 2014, followed by numerous shows all over Europe and the UK, as well as countless gigs on tour with bands alike Ahab, Conan, Elder, Downfall Of Gaia, Crowbar, Mantar, Corrosion of Conformity, Mammoth Storm, Brant Bjork, The Midnight Ghost Train and Earth Ship to name just a few, High Fighter released their first full-length album Scars & Crosses in June 2016 on Svart Records. The band's second studio album, Champain, is set for a release on July 26 via Argonauta Records.

It seems life on the road has impacted High Fighter in a huge way. As their new album has a heavier and fast-paced sound compared to their first records. The best way to describe High Fighter in 2019 is PISSED OFF! This is a different band that announced their arrival in 2014 with their debut EP followed by Scars & Crosses. Champain isn’t for the faint hearted and the band may actually surprise a lot of their established fanbase with this album.

"We finally present you the cover art and details for our second album, we have named Champain. This album tells an anti-hero story, and we have probably never sounded that focussed and brutal on a record before," vocalist Mona Miluski explains. "Champain has been recorded, mixed and mastered by our dear friend Jan Oberg at Hidden Planet Studio in Berlin, and the clear, classy but epic album artwork has been designed by the talented Johnny Doe. This record is definitely not Scars & Crosses part 2, we tried to evolve our sound to a new level and this time, introducing the even more heavier side of High Fighter."

Check out the band's new single "Dead Gift" below.

Dead Gift (Single, 2019) by High Fighter

Tracklisting:

"Before I Disappear"
"Shine Equal Dark"
"Interlight"
"Dead Gift"
"Another Cure"
"Kozel"
"I Will Not"
"Interdark"
"When We Suffer" (feat. Anton Lisovoj of Downfall Of Gaia)
"A Shrine"
"Champain"

"Before I Disappear":

Lineup:

Mona Miluski - vocals
Christian Pappas - guitar
Ingwer Boysen - guitar
Constantin Wüst - bass
Thomas Wildelau - drums & backing vocals

(Photo - Basti Grim)




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Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will release their new album, "Atonement", on August 16 via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world. The disc's first single, "Unleashed", can be streamed below.

"'Unleashed' is about inner passion and rage coming up to the surface," said singer Jesse Leach. "We all have that wild within that often stays dormant until a tragic event triggers and awakens it. This song is about that awakening within. I feel we were able to capture something raw and intense on this song and I'm stoked for everyone to hear it! The new album 'Atonement' is a reflection of perseverance and passion through the trials and suffering of our existence."

Indeed, "Atonement" is the culmination of a trying and turbulent two-year period. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE started kicking around ideas for the album as early as 2017. The band recorded the bulk of the material separately on both coasts. However, in the middle of the process, a polyp developed scar tissue in Leach's throat, forcing him to undergo surgery. The intense three-month recovery ended with speech therapy, vocal therapy, and scream therapy. The band ultimately emerged with an album that is further evidence of their undeniable legacy as one of the most enduring metal bands of the last two decades and beyond.

The elaborate illustration on the "Atonement" album cover was created by none other than talented U.K.-based artist Richey Beckett (METALLICA, MASTODON) with the band's own Mike D'Antonio handling art direction and layout duties.

"Atonement" features guest appearances by the band's former lead singer Howard Jones and TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy. It marks the band's third full-length release since the return of Leach, who rejoined the group in 2012.

"Atonement" track listing:

01. Unleashed

02. The Signal Fire (feat. Howard Jones)

03. Us Against The World

04. The Crownless King (feat. Chuck Billy)

05. I Am Broken Too

06. As Sure As The Sun Will Rise

07. Know Your Enemy

08. Take Control

09. Ravenous

10. I Can't Be The Only One

11. Bite The Hand That Feeds

Leach recently said that he "wouldn't change a thing" about the follow-up to 2016's "Incarnate". "At first, I was a bit crestfallen that a few songs I truly loved didn't make the cut," he wrote on Instagram. "Now after time has passed (and I've not listened to it for a while), I listened with fresh ears today. I gotta say I am quite satisfied! The messages, the tones, the track listing order, the artwork, the overall feel of this album, it just feels fresh!

"I feel there is something for everyone on this one. It captures the wide range of styles and topics that are part of our history as a band as well as pushing things just a touch. It is a pretty amazing feeling as a very picky and perpetually unsatisfied (and fairly insecure) artist to feel accomplished."

Leach appeared on KILLSWITCH's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the band. Jones took over on vocals for "The End Of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from the group seven years ago.

"Incarnate" debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 35,000 equivalent album units. In terms of pure album sales, it opened with 33,000 copies.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's last release was the "Beyond The Flames: Home Video Part II" two-disc, Blu-ray and CD package.

Former VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar says he is "afraid" to contact Eddie and Alex Van Halen because he doesn't want them to think that he wants to get back in band.

Hagar, who plays with ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony in THE CIRCLE and CHICKENFOOT, hasn't made music with Eddie or Alex Van Halen since his final tour with VAN HALEN back in 2004.

Speaking to Classic Rock, Hagar said: "I'm afraid if I ever reached out and really tried to contact Ed and Al, they would think that I was trying to get back in the band or I was trying to do a reunion. And I'm not. I am so content with [current band] THE CIRCLE — we play the VAN HALEN songs that I wrote with Ed as good as anybody, but I’m happy to have just five or six VAN HALEN songs in my set. It's almost like I don't want to be asked to do it because I'd feel like I had to do it, but I don't really want to. I'm sorry I don't."

VAN HALEN reunited with original singer David Lee Roth in 2007 after a 23-year gap, touring several times and releasing an album called "A Different Kind Of Truth" in 2012.

Anthony was left out of the reunion, replaced by Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang.

This past April, Hagar revealed that the VAN HALEN camp is frequently dangling reunion offers in front of him and Anthony. The Pulse Of Radio asked him if he's heard anything from the band recently. "Nothin' — are you kiddin'?" he said. "It's, like, every now and then they throw — y'know, management throws — something at me or something at Mike, sayin'. 'Hey, what are you guys doin' next summer? Y'know, Ed and Al are talking about maybe doin' this or maybe doin' that.' And I'm goin', 'I'm workin' next summer.' [Laughs] I mean, they wanna talk to me? Talk to me. Mikey — same thing: 'He said, 'Yeah, let me know.' And then you don't hear nothin'. So, it looks to me like it's a rumor. I'm not the one that can honestly say it's official, but in my world, we're going out and tourin' this summer and nobody's tellin' us we can't."

HALESTORM bassist Josh Smith has told The Sound Lab that the band is "constantly working" on new material. "We've been touring now for about a year on [2018's 'Vicious'] album, and we'll continue through this year," he said at this year's Download festival (see video below). "And as far as next year, we really don't have a lot planned for touring, and I would imagine the reason is that we wanna get back in the studio and make some more music. That's our loose plan right now."

As for what the new HALESTORM material might end up sounding like, Josh said: "['Vicious'] was different from our other ones. This album, for us, was not a departure, but a return to the HALESTORM of old. Throughout our records, we finetuned this way of getting songs prepared and ready for the studio, and this, we went back to the days of jamming it out in the basement and figuring it out as we go along. It took a lot longer, but we re-found parts of ourselves that I think we haven't had in some time. So I'm really looking forward to continuing down that hole and seeing what we come up with to make HALESTORM more HALESTORM and more us individually. Yes, I think everyone knows we have a really great singer, and we have a fucking amazing drummer, but I think this last record really showed each of us… kind of spotlighted each of us a little bit more. So we wanna do that."

He added: "I don't know… We've talked about a lot of things, but I'm not gonna give them away. You're just gonna have to wait, with everyone else."

"Vicious" was released last July via Atlantic. The disc was recorded at Nashville, Tennesse's Rock Falcon recording studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz.

HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable".

In 2012, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". According to the Grammy web site, singer Lzzy Hale became the first woman to earn a Grammy in the category.

In a brand new interview with Metal Casino, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt offered an update on the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out" album.

"I've been writing the new album for a long time, Tom Hunting [drums] and I," he said. "And we're just taking our time. We're in no hurry. It's been four years, and if it takes two more, we're gonna spend the time and do it right.

"The new material is just savage," he continued. "It should be illegal, it's so heavy. It's fucking criminal. Brutal — fast as fuck."

Holt joined EXODUS in 1981 shortly after the band's formation, and has been its main songwriter ever since. Holt has performed on every EXODUS album, and is considered highly influential in the world of thrash metal. In 2011, he began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. In October 2014, EXODUS released its tenth studio album, "Blood In Blood Out", on the Nuclear Blast label.

In January 2018, SLAYER announced that it would do one last concert tour around the globe to thank their fans for all of their support over the years, for making the last three and a half decades so packed with good times and unforgettable experiences, and then move on.

"It's only on certain moments when it really hits me that it's the final tour," Holt told Metal Casino. "For the most part, I don't even realize it. I'm starting now to take a little moment at the end of each show to kind of soak it in a little bit.

"I don't know," he added. "I'm not retiring, I'm not quitting, so maybe it's 'cause there's no finality in it for me. I don't have any other job skills. I play fucking guitar."

"Blood In Blood Out" marked EXODUS's first album since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

PROPHETS OF RAGE, the supergroup featuring members of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, PUBLIC ENEMY and CYPRESS HILL, has released a new single called "Made With Hate".

In addition to bassist Tim Commerford, drummer Brad Wilk and guitarist Tom Morello, who all played together in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE, the band features PUBLIC ENEMY's Chuck D and DJ Lord along with CYPRESS HILL's B-Real.

Last July, PROPHETS OF RAGE released a new song called "Heart Afire". The track came just a few days after Commerford and Wilk revealed in an interview with Finland's Kaaos TV that the band had already finished its second album.

Morello told The Pulse Of Radio that PROPHETS OF RAGE started as one thing and took off in a way no one anticipated. "In PROPHETS OF RAGE, there's both a fury and a joyfulness," he said. "Like, this band started as an idea that responded to an emergency, a societal emergency, and it became a band that — it became a real band."

Commerford said about the new LP's sound: "It's a different direction, it's not the same, and I love that... We're growing and we're creating and we're going in a new territory and I feel really good about it."

Fan-filmed video footage of DEVILDRIVER performing a cover of COAL CHAMBER's "Loco" on June 23 at Aztec Theatre in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

Earlier this year, DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara said that the band's co-headlining tour with STATIC-X would see his outfit performing material from COAL CHAMBER, the band that put him on the musical map and gave him his first and only gold-certified album in the shape of the group's 1997 debut.

COAL CHAMBER existed for ten years before disbanding in 2003 to pursue other musical projects. They reunited in 2011 for touring purposes but it wasn't until 2014 that the band began work on a new studio album of original material, 2015's critically acclaimed "Rivals". Several months of touring activity followed before Dez returned to DEVILDRIVER to make a new record, 2016's "Trust No One".

In January, Fafara took to Twitter to confirm that DEVILDRIVER would finally start playing songs from COAL CHAMBER during its live set on the STATIC-X tour.

He wrote (edited for clarity): "So, yes, for the first time ever DEVILDRIVER is playing a bunch of COAL CHAMBER songs, and when you hear this shit with double kick and two guitars, there's no going back — trust that! I waited years and tried to keep 'em separate, but it's time for me to embrace all that I am as a singer.

"I might also add that unlike other cats like [Rob] Zombie, etc., when I left COAL CHAMBER, I never hung my hat on playing those songs with DEVILDRIVER. In hindsight, and as I waited for things to reform, it was a mistake and apologies to all who waited almost 20 years for one short-lived COAL CHAMBER run and record, so here I go into the future embracing all that's ever been me as a vocalist. [Keep] in mind this will ONLY BE SELECT SHOWS, so I would get tickets fast as I'm seeing already tons of venues are gonna sell out!

"There's times you fucking lay in bed and go, 'When is the right time?' And that's for anything. Or what if someone passes away, etc.? then what then when. And that pertains to everything as well, so I thought it out and talked it out.

"COAL CHAMBER MUSIC is YOURS, not mine, so why wait, why hold people off, why make people wait, the older generation, the new generation that want to hear [COAL CHAMBER] songs sung by the guy who fucking recorded 'em.

"Now, think DEVILDRIVER. Now think that band doing these [COAL CHAMBER] songs. Now think, 'Holy fuck! How is the stage not gonna fucking implode?'"

Fafara painted a bleak picture of COAL CHAMBER's future during a 2016 interview with Revolver magazine. He stated at the time: "I had a lot of fun doing that record and playing shows with them again. But there were some circumstances that were not ideal and that's why that thing is not continuing as of right now. If something comes up and I have time and want to make a record and the members have their shit together, I'll do it. But as of now, there's some deep-seated shit that certain dudes in the band still need to work out. And if they work it out and want to tour or make another record, they can come back and give me a call. But right now, everyone in DEVILDRIVER is stoked. No one's fighting. And I feel lucky to be where I am."

Dez had stated in previous interviews that COAL CHAMBER's original split happened because "I did not want to be around the band's hard drug use and I realized that going onstage every night that the money was feeding their habit, so I walked to save my friends." He added that his COAL CHAMBER bandmates were "clean" as of 2012, which made him realize that "it was the right thing to walk [away from the group back in 2003]."

Fan-filmed video footage of STATIC-X's June 22 concert at Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas can be viewed below (courtesy of YouTube user "GuitarVfxHeaven").

STATIC-X kicked off its reunion tour on June 18 in Tempe, Arizona. The North American trek, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of STATIC-X's platinum-certified "Wisconsin Death Trip" album and pays homage to late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static, features co-headliner DEVILDRIVER and support from DOPE.

While the identity of STATIC-X's touring singer has not been officially revealed, strong rumors suggest that DOPE frontman Edsel Dope is pulling double duty during the trek and performing with drummer Ken Jay, guitarist Koichi Fukuda and bassist Tony Campos.

"Project Regeneration", featuring the last recordings of Static, will be released later this year. The rest of the group's original lineup will also be featured on the album and in the music videos.

STATIC-X is currently focused on finishing 12 tracks for "Project Regeneration", with almost all of them set to feature Wayne's lead vocals.


STATIC-X is in the process of finalizing a label partner in order to ensure that "Project Regeneration" will be promoted and distributed worldwide, just like all of the band's previous albums.

Last fall, STATIC-X released a teaser featuring clips from a brand-new music video, as well as five new STATIC-X tracks — "Road To Hell", "Something Of My Own", "Terminator Oscillator", "Hollow" and "Disco Otsego" — along with a personal message from Campos about the inspiration behind "Project Regeneration".


Wayne Static died in November 2014 after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

In this new video, Def Leppard takes you behind the scenes at their performance in Prague on June 17, 2019.

Def Leppard performs next on June 27, at Trondheim Rocks in Trondheim, Norway. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

Def Leppard's new limited edition box set, Def Leppard - Volume Two, is out now. You can order the set here, and watch a video trailer below.

This is the second of four volumes of the complete recorded output of Def Leppard available as both a 10-LP, 180gm vinyl box and a limited edition 7-CD set featuring all the recordings from the band in the 1990’s with their original packaging. The albums were re-mastered by Ronan McHugh at Joe’s Garage and cut by Greg Moore.

Def Leppard - Volume Two features 1992’s Adrenalize, which topped the charts in 23 countries, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the UK chart, and features songs such as “Let’s Get Rocked,” “Make Love Like A Man,” and “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad,” 1993’s Top 10 release Retro Active, the bands first compilation featuring B-sides and previously unreleased recording sessions from 1984 to 1993, Def Leppard’s sixth studio album Slang, released in 1996 and the first full album to feature guitarist Vivian Campbell, and, making its vinyl debut, 1999’s Euphoria, which also went Top 10 on the US and UK charts and marked the bands return to their signature sound and features the hit “Promises.”

Also included are Rarities Vol. 2 and Vol. 3, both specially compiled by Joe Elliott containing more rare B-sides and live recordings from the 90’s, complete with newly commissioned artwork.

Housed in rigid boxes, Def Leppard - Volume Two also contains a 40-page hardbound book packed with rare photos by Ross Halfin and introductions written by the entire band.

For complete tracklistings, head here.




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German metallers PRIMAL FEAR have parted ways with drummer Francesco Jovino and have replaced him with Michael Ehré (pictured; GAMMA RAY). Michael will join PRIMAL FEAR on the group's summer festival tour and will record the new PRIMAL FEAR album later this year.

Said PRIMAL FEAR in a statement: "Welcome, Michael, to the Metal Commando and we're proud to have you! Thanks to Francesco Jovino for four years rocking hard with us and traveling the world. Cesco, we wish you and your family only the best and good luck for your next projects."

Added Ehré: "I'm super happy to join PRIMAL FEAR! From the beginning, I followed their career, know the guys in the band for years and was always a big fan of their music! I'm really excited and can't wait to hit the stage at the Rock Fest in Barcelona."

Said singer Ralf Scheepers: "What a drummer! I know Michael since quite a while now and I have always followed his great work for the bands he was drumming. I'm more than excited to share the stages of the world with such a talent and the wonderful person that he is. It's fantastic to have you on board, Michael!"

PRIMAL FEAR's latest album, "Apocalypse", was released in August 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Last fall, PRIMAL FEAR announced its return to Nuclear Blast Records. The relationship between the band and the label from southern Germany goes back over 20 years, since PRIMAL FEAR released its self-titled debut in February 1998 via Nuclear Blast. They later released classics such as "Jaws Of Death" (1999), "Nuclear Fire" (2001), "Black Sun" (2002), "Devil's Ground" (2004) and "Seven Seals" (2005) before parting ways with Nuclear Blast for a while and releasing another six very successful albums, including "Apocalypse".

Dave Mustaine has thanked his family, friends and fans for their support in the week since he announced he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

The 57-year-old MEGADETH leader revealed his cancer diagnosis on June 17 on social media. He said that he has already begun treatment as part of a plan that his doctors feel has a "90% success rate."

Earlier today, Mustaine released a brief video message in which he said: "Hi. I wanted to take a moment real quick and thank my family, my friends and the best fans in the world for all of your support and love the last few days. We're gonna beat this thing together."

Also today, MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren posted a new photo of Mustaine in recording studio, along with the caption: "Dave Mustaine working on #megaalbum16 like a true warrior. Let's keep Dave and his family in our thoughts. #davemustaine #megadeth"

Although most of MEGADETH's previously announced 2019 tour dates have been canceled as Mustaine undergoes treatment, the MEGADETH-curated Megacruise — which is set to take place October 13-19 — will still depart as scheduled, and the band will be a part of it in some form.

Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson are the two remaining original members of MEGADETH, which was formed in 1983, following Mustaine's dismissal from METALLICA. Rounding out MEGADETH's current lineup is Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA.




Dave Mustaine working on #megaalbum16 like a true warrior. Let's keep Dave and his family in our thoughts.

#davemustaine #megadethPosted by Dirk Verbeuren on Monday, June 24, 2019

DELAIN frontwoman Charlotte Wessels has confirmed that the band is putting the finishing touches on its new album for an early 2020 release. "We are recording," she told Metal Wani at the U.K.'s Download festival (hear audio below). "This whole [summer] festival season for us is recording, performing, recording, performing, recording, performing. And it's kind of peak time now. I think we've got three-quarters of it done. But in the fall, we're going on tour a lot, so we've got to take that into account. So let's say I hope that by the time we hit the U.K. in February [2020] that there'll be a new album."

DELAIN's latest release was "Hunter's Moon", which came out in February via Napalm Records. The effort consisted of new studio tracks accompanied by a live Blu-ray from the band's sold-out "Danse Macabre" 2017 European tour.

"Hunter's Moon" is the final in the trilogy, and follows on from DELAIN's EP "Lunar Prelude" and the full-length album "Moonbathers".

Last week, guitarist Merel Bechtold announced that she was leaving DELAIN to focus on different musical ambitions. Her final performance with DELAIN took place on June 23 at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

Frontiers Music Srl will release Hollow Haze's new album, Between Wild Landscapes And Deep Blue Seas, on July 12. Pre-order the album here, and watch a video for the album opener, "Destinations", below.

Hollow Haze is the Italian melodic metal band put together by guitarist Nick Savio after he quit Eternal Idol, the band he had put together with famed Italian metal vocalist Fabio Lione (Angra, Rhapsody). Hollow Haze had previously released six studio albums before Nick started Eternal Idol, but the “new” Hollow Haze features a revamped lineup and a fresh, new sound. Along with longtime bassist Davide Cestaro, Hollow Haze now features Fabio Dessi (Arthemis) and Paolo Caridi (MLB) as vocalist and drummer, respectively.

“In the past few years, we were all involved in other projects, but now I am back to my first creation, Hollow Haze,” says guitar player and main composer Nick Savio. "Here I can play with amazing musicians without compromise. The new album is a natural evolution of the band's sound. Of course, the new singer Fabio and the new drummer Paolo bring something fresh, which is the perfect connection with my songwriting.”

The new album is melodic, heavy, and symphonic and was the result of very dedicated teamwork that involved everyone in the production process. The 12 songs lyrically touch on the meaning of life and great adventures, while being delivered with tremendous musical passion.

Hollow Haze offers a hard and heavy sound featuring a screaming, warm, melodic voice and deep intense hooks. The listeners can find many different musical influences taken from classic metal glories as well as more modern rock. Thanks to their passion and hard work, the group has delivered a crown jewel in the Hollow Haze discography with their new album Between Wild Landscapes And Deep Blue Seas.

Tracklisting:

"Destinations"
"Oblivion"
"It’s Always Dark Before The Dawn"
"Through Space And Time"
"I Will Be There"
"The Upside Down"
"New Era"
"A Different Sky"
"Resurrection"
"Your Are My End And My Beginning"
"Behind The Wall"

"Destinations" video:

"It's Always Dark Before The Dawn":

"Oblivion" video:

Lineup:

Nick Savio: Guitars, Keyboards And Orchestral Arrangements
Fabio Dessi: Lead And Backing Vocals
Paolo Caridi: Drums
Davide Cestaro: Bass

(Photo - Annalisa Russo)




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August 23 will see Dutch alternative rock outfit, Nemesea, return with their new studio album, White Flag, via Napalm Records.

Combining the finest rock licks with modern metal riffs and electronica to stir up a dark and strangely addictive brew - Nemesea have fine-tuned the musical combination to perfection on their fifth album White Flag. The guitars and Sanne Mieloos outstanding vocals continue to be the driving force behind the band, which has several surefire hits up its sleeve and it's impossible to not be enthralled by the all-encompassing balance between driving rock and soothing ballads. This record offers intense and soulful alternative rock complete with a subtle breath of goth and loudly demands the attention the band undoubtedly deserves. White Flag is a gem that reveals its many-splendored colors more and more each time you press play.

To shorten your wait for its official release, Nemesea have just unleashed a first, and surprisingly shocking single from White Flag. Listen to the track, "Kids With Guns", below.

Says vocalist Sanne Mieloo about "Kids With Guns": “Be the change you wanna see in this world. The world is full of people incapable of change. The song is about the struggle if you can be a change in this world? Throwing your middle finger in the sky and not giving a shit about our next generation. Then waking up in the morning, rolling off your yoga mat and praying for the children whilst wearing your cheap 2 dollar shirt with an inspirational quote and posting it on insta...”

Guitarist HJ continues: "Fight or surrender? Probably a question raised daily all over the world and certainly applicable when it comes to Nemesea in many ways!”

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"The Storm"
"Kids With Guns"
"White Flag"
"Sarah"
"Don't Tell Me Your Name"
"Fools Gold"
"Ratata"
"Nothing Like Me"
"Lions"
"Heavyweight Champion"
"Rise"
"Let This Be All"
"Sayonara"
"Dance In The Fire"

"Kids With Guns":

Lineup:

Sanne Mieloo - Vocals HJ - Guitars/Vocals
Sonny Onderwater - Bass Steven Bouma - Drums
Mathijs van Til - Keys




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Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "St. Anger" on June 18 at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England can be seen below.

"St. Anger" is the title track of METALLICA's 2003 album, which was released at the end of a turbulent two-year period in which bassist Jason Newsted left the group, frontman James Hetfield went for a lengthy stay in rehab, and the entire band threatened to break apart. The album's raw, lo-fi production, lack of guitar solos and unorthodox sound were not well-received by many of the group's fans, who still often cite it as METALLICA's worst record. "St. Anger" has nevertheless sold more than six million copies worldwide, although fans have generally not warmed up to it in the 16 years since its release.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich admitted to The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band was surprised by the hostile reaction to "St. Anger". "It threw us a little bit, sure, 'cause the whole thing was to just keep it as raw as possible," he said. "And I'd like to think that we accomplished that [laughs], to the point of obviously a little too raw for some people, and that's okay. I mean, it is what it is. I have not one regret about it. I'm proud of it, proud that we had the balls to see it through."

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

Last November, 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.

Last August, Status Quo release a pair of ‘twin’ live albums, Down Down & Dignified At The Royal Albert Hall and Down Down & Dirty At Wacken, via earMUSIC. You can now watch "Rain" from the Down Down & Dirty At Wacken release. Check it out below:

On September 6, Status Quo will release Backbone through earMUSIC / Edel; the band’s 33rd studio album - the LP will be their 33rd 33rpm.

Some doubters said Backbone was a record that could not be made, but the 2019 lineup of Status Quo has been through a lot, they have chalked up 130 shows as a unit and travelled tens of thousands of miles. This is a group of musicians that is strong, that back each other up and are tighter than ever. Backbone features of a trio songs drawn from the classic partnership of Rossi / Young as well as contributions from all of the rest of the band.

The eleven track album was recorded at Francis' studio in the late months of 2018 and into this year. The sessions were initially just to keep the juices flowing, improvise and have fun. As the hours rolled on, songs stacked up, everyone began to believe that something special was happening. And so it proved. Even from within the group, there had been some resistance to creating a new record.

As Francis says, "This new material had to be seriously good. Quo have achieved so much and meant so much to too many people for the quality to slip now. Also, let’s face it, things have changed and we’re an easier target than ever.

"Losing Rick was hard to bear but, through Richie Malone, who was inspired to pick up a guitar by him, we can not only keep going but actually pick up the pace. The energy that he and Leon bring to Quo can’t be underestimated. I wasn’t sure I had another album in me but I couldn’t be more proud of ‘Backbone’. I hope the fans love it, but you can’t please everyone and I’m not going to start trying to now."

To have Backbone means to stand firm, to stand up for what you believe in. The title fits. The hundreds of songs recorded by Quo over half a century still resonate today, and the tracks on this album are a worthy addition to that incredible catalogue. A new Quo studio album is a cause for celebration, especially when it kicks like this one. And for the doubters? A Backbone is also a support, a unifying element that keeps things in shape. Underlying this new record are the core desires to keep creating, to be the best and to keep playing: these are the qualities that have kept Quo at the top for so long. Backbone will ensure that Francis Rossi and Quo keep standing proud. And, by naming the album Backbone, they’re ready for the 'Spinal Tap' headlines too!

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Waiting For A Woman"
"Cut Me Some Slack"
"Liberty Lane"
"I See You're in Some Trouble"
"Backing Off"
"I Wanna Run Away With You"
"Backbone"
"Better Take Care"
"Falling Off The World"
"Get Out Of My Head"
"Running Out Of Time"




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US thrash outfit, Hatriot, will release their new album, From Days Unto Darkness, on July 26 via Massacre Records. It's the first album with Cody Souza on the microphone, who stepped into the shoes of his father Steve "Zetro" Souza, who left the band a few years ago.

The band have released a lyric video for the new single, "Organic Remains", which can be found below.

Paolo Girard created a very symbolic album cover by featuring themes based upon the horrors around the end of the world, the hypocrisy that surrounds religion and corrupt world leaders, and the carnage bestowed on the final days of humanity.

You can look forward to an album with grim, nefarious lyrics dealing with subjects like the end of the world, conspiracy theories, horror icons, and a new world order, among others.

The album will be available as CD Digipak, limited edition vinyl LP as well digitally, and is available for pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"One Less Hell"
"Daze Into Darkness"
"Carnival Of Execution"
"Organic Remains"
"World, Flesh & Devil"
"Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed"
"In The Mind Of The Mad"
"Delete"
"Ethereal Nightmare"

"Organic Remains" lyric video:

Hatriot live:

August
24 - Anderson, CA - Anderson River Park (Iron Mountain Metal Massacre)

(Photo - Jen Cash/Calibree Photography)




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Old school death metal veterans, Memoriam, have released a video for "The Veteran", a track from their third album, Requiem For Mankind, out now via Nuclear Blast Records. Order the album here, and watch the new clip below.

The songwriting and recordings for the new album were immortalized through the awesome production work of Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir, At The Gates, Amorphis, etc.) at Parlour Studios, giving the record raw production values, whilst providing the perfect scenario to showcase the musicianship so beautifully displayed on the album.

The album's impressive artwork was created again by Dan Seagrave (Benediction, Dismember, Suffocation, etc.).

Requiem For Mankind tracklisting:

"Shell Shock"
"Undefeated"
"Never The Victim"
"Austerity Kills"
"In The Midst Of Desolation"
"Refuse To Be Led"
"The Veteran"
"Requiem For Mankind"
"Fixed Bayonets"
"Interment"

"The Veteran" video:

"Undefeated" lyric video:

"Shell Shock" lyric video:

Find the band's tour schedule here.




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SPREAD EAGLE will release its first album in over 26 years, "Subway To The Stars", on August 9 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The latest single from the album, "Grand Scam", can be streamed below.

Founder and bassist Rob De Luca states about the disc: "Our primary intention was to go back to the egg. Not to the debut album, but even before then. When we were unsigned, rehearsing in the East Village NYC and just putting our first songs together. We worked every day and night on our dream. We were a gang and no one could tell us we couldn't accomplish something. That's when we were at our rawest and nastiest and the intensity was completely off the meter. Of course, you can never truly go back in time, everyone learns and evolves; however, I wanted to remember that feeling of writing razor riffs in those basement spaces in 1989, then add it to current experiences."

SPREAD EAGLE burst upon the hard rock scene of the late '80s/early '90s playing a brand of rock that hailed straight from the mean streets of New York City. When Paul DiBartolo (guitar), Rob De Luca (bass), and Tommi Gallo (drums) moved to New York City and met up with Ray West (vocals), East Coast Streetmetal was born. The group was quickly snatched up and signed to MCA/Universal Records, then sent straight into the legendary Record Plant studios to record their debut album. The self-titled debut was produced by Charlie Gambetta and featured a gritty and dangerous sound, wailing vocals and razor-sharp guitar, demonstrated through songs such as "Switchblade Serenade", "Scratch Like A Cat" and "Broken City". Four years later, after the release and touring of their second album, "Open To The Public" (also produced by Gambetta), the band took an extended break and went about their own personal projects.

SPREAD EAGLE reformed in 2006 under the direction of Ray West and Rob De Luca (who has also worked with UFO and Sebastian Bach) along with two new members, Ziv Shalev (guitar) and Rik De Luca (drums). The band has been together ever since and decided to start production on a new album.

Songs for "Subway To The Stars" were put together in the Music Building in NYC, which is the exact same place where the songs for their debut album were rehearsed and written. Recording took place at Studio E in Brooklyn, New York with Grammy Award-winning engineer Tom Camuso.

"Subway To The Stars" track listing:

01. Subway To The Stars

02. 29th Of February

03. Sound Of Speed

04. Dead Air

05. Grand Scam

06. More Wolf Than Lamb

07. Cut Through

08. Little Serpentina

09. Antisocial Butterfly

10. Gutter Rhymes For Valentines

11. Solitaire

SPREAD EAGLE lineup:

Ray West - Lead Vocals

Rob De Luca - Bass, Vocals

Ziv Shalev - Guitars

Rik De Luca - Drums, Percussion

The pirate label El Puerto Records has signed Australian crushers Envenomed in Australia. Active since 2005, the band is now making the leap from Melbourne to Europe. The band has released their first official single and video for the forthcoming album, The Walking Shred. Check out "Abandon Hope" below.

Envenomed are a melodic thrash metal four piece from Melbourne. They have released previously a debut album, Evil Unseen, which was released under Italian label 18 Punishment Records and 2 EPs. They combine the riff heavy elements of Megadeth, Metallica and Testament with the expansiveness of Iron Maiden and Symphony X. They have played a number of shows around Australia and are planning their overseas tour. Recently, they supported The Iron Maidens, Loudness, Dragonland and Anvil.

Tracklist:

"The Walking Shred"
"Abandon Hope"
"The Dead"
"Aware"
"Fate Closes The Door"
"Rebellion"
"Through The Cold"
"The Haunting"
"All That Remains"
"Sacrifice"
"Are You Gonna Go My Way"
"Metal United"




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Australian brutal death metal titans Disentomb have released a play through video showcasing guitarist Jake Wilkes tearing through the crushing, dissonant, and highly atmospheric title track from their forthcoming new album, The Decaying Light. The eviscerating record will see a July 12th release date via Unique Leader. 

The Decaying Light is the follow up to Disentomb's 2014 album Misery, and contains 13 slabs of uniquely obliterating extreme metal. The album shows the band truly coming into their own and cements their place as one of the most singular and exciting bands in the genre.

Guitars for The Decaying Light were tracked by band guitarist Jake Wilkes, drums and bass were recorded by Joe Haley (Psycroptic), and vocals were tracked by Dan Field at Sledgehammer Studios. Mixing and reamping for the effort were done by Disentomb bassist Adrian Cappelletti, and mastering was done by Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering (Deeds of Flesh, Devourment).

Artwork for The Decaying Light comes from the incredible Nick Keller with the layout and design coming from Steve Crow of Condemned.

The band commented on the effort, "These 13 tracks combined make up an album we have always wanted to write and have been on the path to writing since the birth of Disentomb 10 years ago. The Decaying Light solidifies a unique sound we have worked to carve out, 13 tracks of dissonant Brutal Death that we feel is our most personal and accomplished work to date. The addition of Adrian on bass has helped Disentomb reach new levels of songwriting and cemented our sound. We understand five years is a long time between albums, especially for touring bands, and we thank our fans for their patience."

Tracklisting:

“Collapsing Skies”
“Your Prayers Echo Into Nothingness”
“Indecipherable Sermons Of Gloom”
“Undying Dysphoria”
“Centuries Of Deluge”
“The Decaying Light”
“The Great Abandonment”
“Dredged Into Existence”
“The Droning Monolith”
“Dismal Liturgies”
“Invocation In The Cathedral Of Dust”
“Rebirth Through Excoriation”
“Withering”

Dates have been revealed for the Bloodletting North America Tour. Now in its thirteenth year, the trek, which covers a large portion of the US and Eastern Canada, will see Unique Leader artists Disentomb headlining with support coming from Visceral Disgorge, and label mates Signs Of The Swarm, Continuum, Organectomy, and Mental Cruelty.

Unique Leader Records commented, "We are beyond excited to unveil the lineup for the 13th Bloodletting North America Tour! We are incredibly happy to have the mighty Disentomb headlining alongside so many of our artists. This is definitely one of the most insanely brutal lineups of the year so don't miss out!"

September
13 - Los Angeles, CA - Catch One
14 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Metro
15 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
16 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
18 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
19 - Denver, CO - The Roxy Theatre
20 - Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room
21 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
22 - Minneapolis, MN - Amsterdam Bar
24 - Milwaukee, WI - Club Garibaldi
25 - Chicago, IL - Cobra Lounge
26 - Indianapolis, IN - The Citadel
27 - Detroit, MI - Sanctuary
28 - Toronto, ON - The Rockpile
29 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques
30 - Quebec City, QC - L’Anti Bar

October
1 - Manchester, NH - Bungalow
2 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus Bar
3 - Stanhope, NJ - Stanhope House
4 - Frederick, MD - Cafe 611
5 - Spartanburg, SC - Groundzero
6 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
8 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
9 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
10 - Fort Worth, TX - Tomcats West
11 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar
12 - Mesa, AZ - Club Red
13 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick

Discover "Your Prayers Echo Into Nothingness" by Disentomb:




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Iron Maiden has introduced the new look for Trooper Light Brigade. Keep your eyes peeled as it will be hitting the shelves in July and, as always, 5p from the sale of every bottle goes directly to Help For Heroes - drinking beer and helping a worthy cause - not a bad gig!

Building on its popularity, from beer lovers internationally as well as in the UK, Robinsons Brewery and British rock legends Iron Maiden have announced a brand redesign for their golden ale, Light Brigade. Continuing its support for Help For Heroes - the British charity dedicated to improving the lives of injured servicemen and women - the refreshed design further reflects the taste credentials of the golden beer brew and follows Help For Heroes’ own brand refresh from earlier this year.

Thanks to fundraising efforts and sales from the beer, Robinsons and Iron Maiden have helped raise nearly £90,000 since partnering with Help For Heroes in early 2018. The redesign launch also follows Armed Forces Week (June 24th - 30th), reinforcing Light Brigade’s alignment to the cause. New look Light Brigade will be available in cask and bottle across the on and off trade from July 2019.

The refreshed look will further drive the charity mechanic of 6p from every pint sold and 5p from every bottle sold being donated to Help For Heroes. Light Brigade beer, a unique interpretation of a sessionable golden ale at 4.1% ABV will remain the same. The new look and design will feature Iron Maiden’s iconic mascot Eddie silhouetted on horseback riding across the horizon against the background of a stirring battlefield sunset, and holding a flag bearing Help For Heroes’ colours.

As with every Trooper beer, Robinsons’ Head Brewer, Martyn Weeks, and Iron Maiden lead vocalist and ale aficionado, Bruce Dickinson, worked closely to create a bespoke brew tapping into ongoing beer trends and offering something distinctive to the loyal Trooper beer fanbase. Receiving final tasting sign off from Help for Heroes, in Autumn of 2017, Light Brigade was born and subsequently launched for national and export distribution in January 2018.

Bruce Dickinson, said “We are very proud of our partnership with Help For Heroes and of Light Brigade itself, which has been received extremely well by ale lovers around the world and is now well into its second year as a fully-fledged member of the Trooper family. I’m delighted with the new look which artfully reflects the golden qualities of the beer and all of its military connotations. We hope that it will continue to generate a meaningful contribution toward the Force For Good campaign in supporting the thousands whose lives have been affected by their service.”

Sam Kennerley, Trooper Brand Manager said, “Since its launch in 2018, Light Brigade has been very well received, including in international markets such as the Americas and Europe, and we are delighted to be maintaining our commitment to the fantastic charity that is Help for Heroes with this further investment in the brand.”

Mandy Lloyd, Head of Partnerships at Help For Heroes said “We have already had amazing support from Robinson’s Brewery and Iron Maiden who have done so much to raise vital funds for us to help those affected by their service in the Armed Forces. The launch of Light Brigade’s new look is really exciting and is perfectly timed to quench thirsts this summer.” 

 




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Canada's Crimson Shadows put all their energy into their performance at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2013, and in the end were crowned the winners of Wacken Metal Battle 2013. Watch the band's performance below.

Setlist:

"Lost In A Dark Forest"
"Maidens Call"
"Beyond The Mountain Wasteland"




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After four years since Dogbane's last album, When Karma Comes Calling, the North Carolina traditional heavy metal band has finally completed work on their third full-length album, entitled Idylls Of Woe.

Since 2010, Dogbane have continued to stay active in the North Carolina metal scene, releasing two albums of solid doom laced traditional heavy metal. Dogbane stay faithful to the foundations of traditional heavy metal while forging a sound of their own.

Heaven And Hell Records will release Idylls Of Woe on July 19 on both CD and vinyl in a very limited quantity. Pre-order the album here, and listen to the song "The One I Was Waned Of", below.

Tracklisting:

"The One I Was Warned Of"
"Devil's Tramping Ground"
"Blood In The Snow"
"Riddle Of Steel"
"Land Of Shadows"
"Now You Know"
"Winter Of Man's Demise"
"Sin Eater"

"The One I Was Warned Of":

Lineup:

Mitchell Allred - Guitars
Kevin D. Davis - Bass, Backing Vocals
Jeff Neal - Vocals
Jerry Cloer - Drums, Percussion
Jeff Rinehart - Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals




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