HOWLING SYCAMORE, the extreme progressive ensemble featuring Davide Tiso, Jason McMaster and Hannes Grossmann, has returned with its sophomore album, "Seven Pathways To Annihilation". Due on June 21, the disc features over 50 minutes of music and will be available on gatefold 2LP, compact disc and on all digital outlets.

The album's first single, "Initiation", can be streamed below.

"Seven Pathways To Annihilation" was mixed and mastered by Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, THE CONTORTIONIST) and features the recurring contributions of Kevin Hufnagel (DYSRHYTHMIA, GORGUTS) on lead guitars, Bruce Lamont (YAKUZA, BRAIN TENTACLES) on baritone saxophone and Fabian Vestod (SKINLAB, GOSPEL OF THE WITCHES, RED SERPI) on additional drums plus the very special guest appearances of Marty Friedman and Matt Baldwinson (TANGAROA, DREAM TRÖLL, II II II) on lead guitars.

Lyrically, "Seven Pathways To Annihilation" is linked to shamanic and metaphysical principles displayed with crude and sometimes brutal imagery. The album title in particular is tied to the idea of the necessity of the self-destruction of one's ego in order to achieve a more enlightened existence. The seven songs in the album aim to the same annihilating purpose.

The album art was masterfully executed by French visionary artist Dehn Sora (AMENRA, BLUT AUS NORD, TREHA SEKTORI) and displays again the HOWLING SYCAMORE tree, this time upside down and in the form of a lightning strike. The lighting aims towards a hooded figure that symbolizes who looks inward to get the answers.

On the arrival of the new song and album announcement, Tiso says: "I consider 'Initiation' the perfect track to introduce the second HOWLING SYCAMORE album. Among the most epic and adventurous songs in the lot, 'Initiation' features some of the guitar riffs I'm most attached to, like the guitar waltz mid song that I play over an insane blast beat by Hannes Grossmann. The song features a beautiful performance by Jason McMaster; I get goosebumps when he's singing the double vocal melodies on the very last riff. 'Initiation' features also wailing guitar solos by Kevin Hufnagel, who returns as a guest in this album, since our very different guitar playing styles match so well. Lyrically, I feel that the song has the same mood and colors of the stunning album's cover artwork by Dehn Sora. As Jason McMaster sings, 'Initiation' is 'an ode to dark times,' and I'm thrilled to offer it for you today, may it charge your day like a lightning."

"Seven Pathways To Annihilation" track listing

01. Mastering Fire

02. Departure

03. Initiation

04. Second Sight

05. Raw Bones

06. Tempest's Chant

07. Sorcerer

HOWLING SYCAMORE's self-titled debut came out in January 2018 and received immediate and continuous praise by both the press and the public for its bold artistic direction and ingenuity.

"I consider our debut album a solid introduction to the band's sound: in only 38 minutes we were able to display HOWLING SYCAMORE's vast range of influences and our strong will to not fit in," remarks Tiso. "With our second album I wanted things to be slightly more challenging for the listener and we ended up with a much denser collection of songs."

VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth was asked by Hollywood Life in a new interview if he would ever join the list of A-list artists flocking to Las Vegas for residencies in the city. "Oh, I just pursued this," he responded. "I was over at the House of Blues yesterday. There's lots and lots of people requesting." As for what a David Lee Roth residency would entail, he said: "I kind of am the patron saint of midnight when everybody's guilty of all ages. It'd transcend neighborhoods. You can be wearing a cowboy hat or you can be wearing five-inch clogs out there with sparkles in your hair. You can have dreadlocks or a crew cut, you can wear a military uniform to work or you can wear a bikini to work and you know what David Lee Roth brings to the proceedings, okay?"

If Roth decides to do a Vegas residency, it won't be the first time he has set up shop in Sin City. Back in 1995, Roth completed a Las Vegas engagement at Bally's Hotel and Casino and another short run at MGM Grand. In its review of the opening-night concert, the Las Vegas Sun noted that around 700 people showed up to see the singer's Strip debut in a venue that seated 1,400.

In his book, Roth blamed his agent and the powers that be at the casinos for not sticking with the show and letting it build an audience.

VAN HALEN has been inactive since it completed its U.S. tour in October 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

The trek was VAN HALEN's first since an aborted North American run three years earlier in support of its then-new studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth".

Roth recently launched Ink The Original, a skin-care line specifically made to preserve, protect, and highlight tattoos and keep them from fading.

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the June 14 release of Jorn's brand new live album and video, Live On Death Road. Pre-order here, and watch a live video for "Stormcrow" below.

2018 was a significant year for Jorn Lande. He celebrated his 50th birthday with the release of a comprehensive 12-album box set and played a few selected shows in the spring and summer which presented the most diverse and exciting setlists ever of his storied career. Picking forgotten gems from early albums, selected covers and choice cuts from collaborative releases, all in all those shows presented the true and ultimate legacy of Jorn as an artist and Jorn as a band.

Jorn’s headlining set at Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, in late April 2018 was recorded in it’s full glory and will now be released on 2CD+DVD and Blu-Ray formats. For fans who weren’t able to attend, you can now enjoy the epic concert performance, Live On Death Road. Jorn shines in every way possible in this monumental set.

One of the most prolific metal vocalists of the modern metal era, Jorn’s immense vocal talent has earned him a status as one the last pioneers of true classic hard rock and heavy metal. Jorn's voice is one of the finest and most powerful you will find in metal. Besides focusing on his main band Jorn, Lande has fronted various bands, among them Ark, Beyond Twilight and Masterplan. Jorn has also participated on several projects, such as the Nostradamus and Dracula Rock Operas, the Allen/Lande albums with Symphony X vocalist Russell Allen, the Ayreon and Avantasia projects.

Tracklisting:

CD1
"My Road"
"Bring Heavy Rock To The Land"
"Life On Death Road"
"Blacksong"
"World Gone Mad"
"Stormcrow"
"Sunset Station"
"Ride Like The Wind"
"Out To Every Nation"

CD2
"Shot In The Dark"
"Walking On Water"
"Traveller"
"Rock And Roll Angel"
"The Mob Rules"
"Rainbow In The Dark"
"Lonely Are The Brave"

DVD:
"My Road
"Bring Heavy Rock To The Land"
"Life On Death Road"
"Blacksong"
"World Gone Mad"
"Stormcrow"
"Sunset Station"
"Ride Like The Wind"
"Out To Every Nation"
"Walking On Water"
"Traveller"
"Rock And Roll Angel"
"Man Of The 80’s"
"The Mob Rules"
"Rainbow In The Dark"
"Lonely Are The Brave"

"Stormcrow" video:

"The Mob Rules" video:

Lineup:

Jorn Lande: lead vocals
Tore Moren: guitar
Alessandro Del Vecchio: Keyboards
Sid Ringsby: Bass
Beata Polak: Drums
Francesco Jovino: Drums




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Stockholm-based hardcore crust-punk veterans Victims make their Relapse Records debut with their new album, The Horse And Sparrow Theory, coming June 28th. Watch a video for the track "The Sea And Poison" below.

Recorded by producer Karl Daniel Lidén (Bloodbath, Katatonia, Craft), The Horse And Sparrow Theory clocks in at twenty-eight minutes of relentless insurrection. Victims' uncompromising take on d-beat and hardcore is a definitive statement of intent, as the band is set to deconstruct the current socio-political climate, mass class division, industrialization, and the self-absorbed pursuit of greed and corruption. The track "We Fail" features a sample from speaker Brigadier General Stephen Cheney from the Swedish Institute of Internal Affairs, UI Podcast, episode "The Climate Change and Security - Nexus."

Issues the band: "We're really happy to release our new record through Relapse, a label we have great respect for. It feels like the perfect partnership for us, especially with this new record, which we feel is our most expansive yet in terms of sound and concept. We're very much looking forward to releasing this latest chapter in the band's history.”

The Horse And Sparrow Theory will see release June 28th on CD, LP, and digital formats. Pre-orders are available at Relapse.com.

Tracklisting:

“The Horse And Sparrow Theory”
“The Birth Of Tragedy”
“There’s Blood On The Streets”
“We Fail”
“Fire Below”
“The Sea And Poison”
“Hell Is Full Of Good Intentions”
“Revenge Of Our Fathers”

“The Sea And Poison” video:

“The Horse And Sparrow Theory” video:




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On June 14, Hate will release their 11th full-length, Auric Gates Of Veles, via Metal Blade Records. The band has launched the new single, "Seventh Manvantara", which can be heard below.

The new album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- jewelcase-CD
- limited edition digipak-CD (EU exclusive - includes 2 bonus tracks)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- slate blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- white / black marbled vinyl (Napalm exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- black / white splatter vinyl (EMP exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- black / white split vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- grey / black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

* exclusive bundles with shirts, plus digital options are also available

Since 1991, Hate have lived up to their name, responsible for some of the angriest and most ruthless death metal unleashed upon the world. With 2017's Tremendum, they took a step toward a darker, more atmospheric, black metal-oriented style and began exploring Slavonic mysticism, and new album Auric Gates Of Veles boldly continues in that direction.

"We wanted to go deeper into the subject, both musically and lyrically," asserts vocalist/guitarist ATF Sinner. "We also wanted to record a sharper and better defined rhythm section, a more death metal-oriented one. When it comes to guitar sound, it was meant to be a wall of sonic destruction with dark ambient elements in the background."

To say that they achieved that which they set out to create is an understatement, for Auric Gates Of Veles is a titanic record that is both more organic and dynamic sounding, and may well be the finest of their storied career.

With the ominous rumble that heralds the commencement of opener "Seventh Manvantara" giving way to a squall of guitars and blastbeats, it is clear that Hate are playing at the top of their game. Progressing through the rampant thrashing and wide open spaces of "The Volga's Veins", the haunting, crushing grooves of the title track, the equally sinister and tragic sounds of "Salve Ignis" and concluding with the raw black metal of closer "Generation Sulphur", it is a diverse record, not content to rehash the same idea eight times. The centerpiece of the album is arguably the six and a half minute epic thunder of "Sovereign Sanctity", which demands the full attention of the listener from start to finish.

"We wanted the songs to sound like anthems, and 'Sovereign Sanctity' is a perfect example of such a song. I think it's also one of the best we have written in years," Sinner states.

Auric Gates Of Veles tracklisting:

"Seventh Manvantara"
"Triskhelion"
"The Volga's Veins"
"Sovereign Sanctity"
"Path To Arkhen"
"Auric Gates Of Veles"
"Salve Ignis"
"Generation Sulphur"
"In The Shrine Of Veles" (Pre-Production) *ltd. digi bonus track
"Path To Arkhen" (Pre-Production) *ltd. digi bonus track

"Sovereign Sanctity" video:

Before the release of Auric Gates Of Veles, Hate will be touring across North America with Belphegor, Dark Funeral, and Incantation as part of the annual Devastation ON The Nation trek, in addition to appearing at various European festivals. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

Hate lineup:

ATF Sinner - vocals, guitars
Pavulon - drums
Apeiron - bass (session)
Domin - guitar (session)

(Photo - Daniel Rusilowicz)




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Obituary bassist Terry Butler recently had to leave the second leg of Obituary's tour with Hatebreed, after learning that his daughter, Jona Wright, had been killed in a car crash.

Capita Chaos TV has uploaded footage of the band performing as a 4-piece on May 20 at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California. Watch below:

Obituary issued the following message: "As some of you know, a horrific tragedy occurred the night of our first show on the second leg of this U.S. tour, Terry Butler’s family is devastated. Donate if you can and please share this fundraiser link below to help provide a lifetime of care for their young grandsons."

Find the GoFundMe page here.

Obituary's next show is tonight, May 21, at House of Blues in Las Vegas, NV. Find the band's live itinerary here.




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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.

Citizen: In The Next Life is out on July 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-order here. The album opener, "The Partisan", can be heard below.

Tracklisting:

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

"The Partisan":




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In a brand new interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked why he hasn't worked with an outside singer on any of his albums following the release of 2010's "Relentless". "Well, that's how I did it in the beginning when I started out, when I was a kid," he said. "And then when I came to the States in the 1980s, I was in STEELER, I was in ALCATRAZZ, and they had singers. In 1984, I started my solo career, so from that point on, it was never a band. And it's very important to remember that, because a lot of people don't seem to understand what I'm doing. They think that I'm putting bands together and I fire them, and I don't do any of those things. I write everything, and then I say, 'Here's your paycheck. I give you so much money a week. You've gotta sing this. These are the lyrics. These are the melodies.' Or, 'You've gotta play this on the keyboard.' 'You've gotta play this on the bass.' Or the drums. So, basically, I would finance the whole thing and I would give them a salary. So it's never been a band per se.

"A lot of times, the bass player and the drummer and the keyboard player, they would just be happy — they'd play their parts and they'd get their salary — but the singers would always cause trouble; they would always be acting like they were special and they had something different to say or whatever," he continued. "So I said, 'Listen, this is great. God bless you, man. Why don't you go and write your own songs somewhere else? Thank you. I'm not stopping you to do that, but you can't do it here.' The singers always think that they're better than the keyboard player or they're better than the drummer.

"The thing is I've designed the situation so that I would not have a producer breathing down my back, I would not have a co-writer breathing down my neck or someone else that would tell me, 'Let's do it this way,' or, 'Let's do it that way.' Because I have a clear vision — very, very clear vision — of what I want and what I hear, so there's no confusion there.

"There's a lot of bands, a lot of artists that are very talented and they're great, but they don't have a vision per se; they're just very good, but they need other people to lead them along," Yngwie said. "And that's great, and God bless 'em for that. I don't need that. I have a very, very clear [vision] — since I was a little kid. That's why I called my book 'Relentless', because that's what I am — I'm completely fucking relentless.

"All these other guys, God bless 'em — all the best. I wish you all the luck in the world. But I'm doing what I'm doing, and you should be doing what you're doing. And that's the problem. And they always go out and they play my songs on tour and stuff like that, which is weird. But the thing is I don't really care, because life's too short for that kind of shit.

"You're a creative person," Yngwie added. "If you put something like paintings or books or, in my case music, if you put that out for everyone to see and hear, it's very important for the creator and the artist — in this case me — to make sure this is a legacy. Let's say Da Vinci or Rembrandt or Michelangelo, they don't let someone else paint in their painting. They paint their painting and they have a vision. 'Can I come and help you with the painting?' 'No. I don't need that.' Or a cellist in a baroque ensemble does not say to Johann Sebastian Bach, 'That C-sharp there, can I play C instead?' No, they don't. Because it's the one person's visions. Or Stephen King, or whoever, or an author, or people that create something that's not a group effort, whereas in rock and roll, that's very unusual. It's 99 percent of the time guys like Jagger and Richards, which I love, by the way — I love those guys. I love Brian Johnson and Angus Young, and I love the Van Halens and Dave Lee Roth — I love 'em all. I think they're fucking amazing. They're awesome, and they worked great together — Page, Plant. They're all awesome. I don't do that. And that's what people [don't understand]: 'Why you don't do it like everyone else?' Because that's now what I do. And that causes a lot of problems sometimes. 'Cause people just don't understand. It's not like [I tell them], 'Yeah, come in my band and write songs with me,' and then I say, 'No, you can't.' I don't say that. I never said that. It's not a band. You don't write songs."

Two years ago, Jeff Scott Soto, who sang on Yngwie's first two albums, 1984's "Rising Force" and 1985's "Marching Out", engaged in a war of words with the Swedish guitarist over the fact that Malmsteen claimed in an interview that he "always wrote everything," including the lyrics and melodies, and simply hired various vocalists to sing his material.

In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's former singers — including Soto, Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: "It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."

Yngwie released a new album, "Blue Lightning", on March 29 via Mascot Label Group. On the disc, Yngwie pays homage to those from the blues world who have fueled his artistic spirit for so long. "Blue Lightning" also includes four original tunes that bring to the fore Malmsteen's love for the blues.

Among the songs Malmsteen tackles on "Blue Lightning" are classics by THE BEATLES ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps"), Jimi Hendrix ("Foxey Lady", "Purple Haze"), THE ROLLING STONES ("Paint It Black"), ZZ TOP ("Blue Jean Blues"), DEEP PURPLE ("Demon's Eye", "Smoke On The Water") and Eric Clapton ("Forever Man").

(Special thanks to Sakis Fragos for providing the audio file containing the original English-language Yngwie Malmsteen interview from which the above words were transcribed)

Fan-filmed video footage of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor performing a cover version of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream" on Sunday, May 19 at Gardenamp in Garden Grove, California can be seen below.

Taylor's solo set also includes covers of such artists as GUNS N' ROSES and VAN HALEN.

In addition to working on SLIPKNOT's new album, Taylor has kept busy in recent months guesting on tracks by FALLING IN REVERSE and U.K. rapper Kid Bookie.

SLIPKNOT will embark on a European tour this summer before launching the "Knotfest Roadshow" across North America.

The band's new album, "We Are Not Your Kind", is scheduled for release on August 9.

Taylor said in a 2016 interview that it would be "super greedy" of him to launch a solo career — at least for now. Speaking with RockSverige.se, Taylor explained: "I've been getting questions about solo stuff forever. But it's a good problem to have. But, at the same time, I'm in two fantastic bands. Why would I ever?"

He added, "Unless I wanted to get super greedy, why would I try to split off and do something else. I'm very fulfilled by the music that I get to make with both bands. Is there a solo album in me? Yes. But it's not gonna be for a few more years."

Taylor spoke a while back about what he thought a solo album from him might sound like. "For me, the stuff that I write is, it would be like a cross between the [FOO FIGHTERS], SOCIAL [DISTORTION] and THE REPLACEMENTS, you know," he told The Pulse Of Radio. "I mean, real Midwestern rock. Real, just open chords, good time rock, you know. And damn the critics, basically. That's the stuff I write and that's the stuff I've always tried to write."

Listenable welcomes death metal war machine  Berzerker Legion into their ranks.

Berzerker Legion is a five-member coalition of European death metal veterans. Formed in 2016 by guitarists Tomas Elofsson (Hypocrisy) and Alwin Zuur (Asphyx) with a vision to create death metal of the highest quality, they recruited a lineup of solid, well-known musicians consisting of James Stewart (Vader) on drums, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on vocals and Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral) on bass to complete the Legion.

Saying the songs transpire massively produced invigorating heavy death metal would be an understatement. Berzerker Legion knock out with warlike triumphant, powerfully addictive harmonies that will turn them into an unstoppable beast in a live situation and on record.

Berzerker Legions’s full-on metal banger debut album is scheduled for an early 2020 release. Watch out!




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CHEVELLE is preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its new album. "We go in in [about] a week to start tracking," frontman Pete Loeffler told Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station at this past weekend's Sonic Temple festival. "So it's been about a year and a half of writing. And we've only played 13 shows in a year and a half."

According to drummer Sam Loeffler, CHEVELLE has written more than a dozen songs for the follow-up to 2016's "The North Corridor", with plans to include "probably 10" on the final product.

Last October, Pete told Billboard magazine that he wanted "to stretch a little bit more" on CHEVELLE's next album. "That doesn't always go over well with everybody, but we have to do it," he said. "We're creative beings. I think I could play five of these demo tracks that I have and fans would be into it, and the other four or five, I'm not sure. It will be interesting to see what people think."

CHEVELLE's album of rarities from 2002-2016, "12 Bloody Spies: B-Sides And Rarities", was released in October via Epic.

CHEVELLE's 2014 album, "La Gargola", gave the band its highest chart debut (No. 3) and produced a No. 1 single on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart in "Take Out The Gunman".

"The North Corridor" debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart and produced another No. 1 Mainstream Rock single, "Joyride (Omen)".

Photo credit: Christian Lantry

See Demons & Wizards work on backing vocals for their upcoming 2019 live shows.

Founded in 1999 by Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth), Demons & Wizards released two albums, Demons & Wizards (1999) and Touched By The Crimson King (2005). The band is currently working on their highly anticipated third studio album, which is scheduled to be released in early 2020. Prior to that, Demons & Wizards will celebrate a massive return to stages worldwide!

“We are finally starting to get set up for the big stages,” Hansi Kürsch and Jon Schaffer reveal. “Rehearsals have just started and everything is proceeding perfectly well. Check out our backing vocal session from the other day and don’t miss our kick off shows in two weeks from now. See you on the road!”

On June 7th, the two highly acclaimed albums - Demons & Wizards (2000) and Touched By The Crimson King (2005) - are going to be released physically again. Now, Demons & Wizards present a lyric video for the track “Heaven Denies“, taken off the remastered album Demons & Wizards, created by Scott Rudd. Watch below.

Streaming and pre-ordering options are available below:

- Demons & Wizards

- Touched By The Crimson King

(Please note: Both remasters are available digitally already on all relevant streaming and download platforms.)

Remastered by Zeuss (Iced Earth, Queensrÿche, Rob Zombie), these two records will be released as expanded deluxe editions. The expanded editions will feature liner notes by Hansi Kürsch & Jon Schaffer as well as bonus material and will be released as Limited Edition Digipak, Deluxe 2LP with Etching & LP-booklet as well as digital deluxe editions.

This summer, Demons & Wizards will celebrate a massive return, playing some of the most renowned European Festivals alongside a few, selected club shows.

Tour dates:

May
31 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage

June
1 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
2 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
8 - Sölvesborg, Sweden - Sweden Rock Festival
10 - Moscow, Russia - Red Club
20 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell Festival
21 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
22 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
28 - Dokkum, Netherlands - Dokk’em Open Air
30 - London, United Kingdom - Islington Assembly Hall

July
4 - Barcelona, Spain - Barcelona Rock Fest
6 - Chania,Greece - Chania Rock Festival
25 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metaldays

August
1-3 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
20 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
21 - Vancouver, BC - The Commodore
22 - Portland, OR - Roseland
24 - Denver, CO - The Summit Theater
26 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
28 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
29 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
31 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall

September
1 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
4 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
5 - New York, NY - The Playstation Theater
7 - Atlanta, GA - Progpower

For further details, visit Demons & Wizards on Facebook.

 




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Robotic Empire is teaming up with Hyperrealist Records once again to offer Baroness' First and Second EPs. The EPs are freshly repressed with a silver foil stamped jacket this time around and a clear colored vinyl option along with standard black. Set for release on June 7th, preorders are being taken at this location.

Baroness' now-classic, formative material sees a proper reissue, combined together as one deluxe LP. A bit dirtier, punker and more metal than their current rock-infused catchy weirdness, First & Second is an important document in the lineage of this awesome band, and all 38 minutes of music have been completely re-mixed and re-mastered for a much fuller sound than ever before.

Housed in a beautiful gatefold jacket with guitarist/vocalist John Dyer Baizley's elaborate and intricate artwork (spread through the exterior, interior and printed dustsleeve), this silver foil-stamped beauty is available once again.

Baroness will release their new album, Gold & Grey, on June 14th via Abraxan Hymns. New track, "Throw Me An Anchor", is available below.

"The term I kept using was that I wanted to create something that was more kaleidoscopic than our former records," says Baizley of the band’s approach to the new album. "We were trying to say something new with our instruments, with our sound intact, with the spirit of the band intact, but not applying the typical conventions when possible.

Album pre-orders are available now with various limited-edition vinyl and merch bundles available as well as digital pre-orders that include an instant download of “Borderlines” and "Seasons". Pre-order here.

“Our goal is, was, and will always be to write increasingly superior, more honest and compelling songs, and to develop a more unique and challenging sound,” offered Baroness founder, guitar player and vocalist John Baizley. “I’m sure we have just finished our best, most adventurous album to date. We dug incredibly deep, challenged ourselves and recorded a record I’m positive we could never again replicate. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to know Sebastian, Nick and Gina as both my bandmates and my friends. They have pushed me to become a better songwriter, musician and vocalist. We’re all extremely excited for this release, which includes quite a few ‘firsts’ for the band, and we’re thrilled to be back on tour to play these psychotic songs for our fans. Expect some surprises.”

While Gold & Grey found the outfit once again working with Purple producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Mogwai), sequestering themselves at Fridmann’s remote upstate New York Tarbox Road Studio, the 17-track album ushered in two significant changes: a decidedly different recording process and guitar player Gina Gleason’s debut on a Baroness recording. The band, who tracked portions of the vocals, guitars and overdubs in Baizley’s home-basement studio, another first for the band, eschewed their normal routine of entering the studio with meticulously detailed plans and instead opted for a looser, more improvisational approach that resulted in the band’s most collaborative and emotionally evocative release to date.

“On Gold & Grey we have taken some unexpected paths on a labyrinthine sonic adventure. We accepted sounds and styles that have not appeared on previous Baroness albums, and I’m excited to welcome our fans into our new lair,” added drummer Sebastian Thomson.

“Having the chance to create music without any preconceived boundaries was both liberating and intimidating,” explains guitar player Gina Gleason. “As we pushed past our fear and comfort zone, the four of us connected in a way that allowed us to create freely, uplift one another and build the unique sonic world that is Gold & Grey. As a longtime Baroness listener, it is exciting to have created something new while still maintaining a deep love and understanding of the band’s roots. To say that the making of this record was quite a journey would be an understatement. We are beyond excited to share this experience and music with everyone!”

Gold & Grey tracklisting:

"Front Toward Enemy"
"I’m Already Gone"
"Seasons"
"Sevens"
"Tourniquet"
"Anchor’s Lament"
"Throw Me An Anchor"
"I’d Do Anything"
"Blankets Of Ash"
"Emmett-Radiating Light"
"Cold Blooded Angels"
"Crooked Mile"
"Broken Halo"
"Can Oscura"
"Borderlines"
"Assault On East Falls"
"Pale Sun"

"Throw Me An Anchor":

"Borderlines" video:

Baroness, who are in the final few days of their current co-headlining run with Deafheaven, have also announced a five week US Grey & Gold Tour, kicking off on July 11. Tickets are on-sale this Friday, April 12, at 10 AM, local time.

Find the band's complete tour itinerary here.

(Band photos - Pam Strohm)




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UK-based psychedelic rockers Raptor, who have previously opened as main support for Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), Mick Ralphs (Bad Company) and The Groundhogs have released their debut album, Escapism. They have issued the following update:

"Our new album, Escapism, has just been released! We've put our a cool new video to showcase the full album. It's a constantly changing psychedelic visual animation.

Raptor have had a great response to the album and had a very successful laugh gig at Rough Trade Bristol. The (release) gig at Rough Trade was filmed and sound recorded, we are going to be working on the footage and releasing it soon on YouTube.

Dim the lights, press play, and drift off into Escapism."

Tracklist:

Side A:
"Dynamite Is Freedom"
"Escapism" 
"Ultraviolet"

Side B:
"Haight Street"
"Deaf Letter"
"Satori"
"Queen Bee"

Described as an assault of fuzz driven guitar grooves and hard hitting drums, Raptor have been stunning the UK with a barnstorming wash of heavy psychedelia from the moment they hit the scene in 2015. Comprised of brothers Kurt Fletcher, Adam Fletcher & Nick Osborne, the trio's mind-bending stage performance has seen them open for artists including Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), Mick Ralphs (Bad Company / Mott The Hoople), The Groundhogs, Dr Feelgood and John Bonham's sister, Deborah.

Having signed with Brighton-based Don't Tell Anyone Records in 2018 (who released King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's Polygondwanaland) and touring the UK, Raptor will be releasing their debut album this May 17th at Rough Trade Bristol.

For information and updates on Raptor go to their official website here.




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Redemption / Lux Terminus keyboardist Vikram Shankar has posted the following update:

"Genuinely can't believe Game Of Thrones is over. So, this morning I felt inspired to play this iconic theme. Such a wonderful piece of music out of the mind of the master Ramin Djawadi."

In the video below, watch as Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn and Game of Thrones creator and show runner D.B. Weiss talk through the Fender Custom Shop Game of Thrones Sigil Collection. Featuring a Game of Thrones House Stark, Telecaster a Games of Thrones House Lannister, Jaguar and a Game of Thrones House Targaryen, Stratocaster. This limited-edition series is hand-built to order in the Fender Custom Shop.

Performers: Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt, Ramin Djawadi, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Prophets Of Rage’s Tom Morello, and Dan Weiss.




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Capital Chaos TV has posted footage of Dark Funeral performing live in Oakland, CA on May 18th at the Oakland Metro Operahouse. This was the second date on the Devastation Of The Nation tour.
 

Dark Funeral Belphegor is currently on a co-headlining tour alongside Belphegor. Joining them are Incantation, Hate, Vale Of Pnath, and Nightmarer. Watch a tour trailer below.

"Hail! What a lineup," commented Belphegor vocalist/guitarist Helmuth. "This will be one of the most brutal tours throughout North America in 2019. An honour - this horror!“

Tickets can be purchased here. Dates are listed below.

May
21 - Seattle, WA  - El Corazon
23 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
24 - Denver, CO - The Roxy Theatre
25 - Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room
26 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
28 - Cleveland, OH - The Phantasy Nightclub
29 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
30 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks
31 - Quebec City, QC- Imperial Bell

June
1 - Boston, MA - Middle East
2 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bazaar
4 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
5 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
6 - Atlanta, GA - The Loft at Center Stage
7 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
8 - Birmingham, AL - Zydeco
9 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
10 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
11 - Dallas, TX  - Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
13 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
14 - Mesa, AZ - Club Red
15 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720




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THE DARK ELEMENT, the project featuring former NIGHTWISH vocalist Anette Olzon and Finnish guitarist and songwriter Jani Liimatainen, has completed work on its second album. The follow-up to 2017's "The Dark Element" was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT) and will tentatively arrive this fall via Frontiers Music Srl.

Joining Olzon and Liimatainen in THE DARK ELEMENT's current recording lineup are Jonas Kuhlberg on bass and Rolf Pilve on drums.

This past Thursday, Olzon wrote on Instagram: "It's with great joy and pride me and Jani today celebrate that our new album is all ready. Master came today and it sounds amazing. Now I just long for you all to hear it. Kiitoksia ystävä @janiliimatainen for giving me such songs to sing — I loved every single note I sang on the album. And Kiitos to @jonaskuhlberg @rolfpilve who play incredible on the album. And to @hansen_jacob for the hard work with the mixing. And of course a big thanks to @frontiersmusicsrl for standing by us in our music endeavors."

Last fall, Liimatainen stated about the musical direction of the new THE DARK ELEMENT material: "I think the album picks up where the last album left off. It's very heavy, but still hyper melodic, and this time we are even exploring new musical territories we didn't on the previous album. Now that me and Anette have one album together under our belts, we have found the style we want to pursue and also the ideal way of working together. Given all this, I think it's safe to say that with the next album you'll get even more of what made the first album so good, only it's gonna be bigger, better and bolder!"

Anette is widely known for being the immaculate voice on the hit albums from NIGHTWISH, "Dark Passion Play" and "Imaginareum". Jani has been busy in CAIN'S OFFERING alongside STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto, but left a deep mark on the minds of all power metal fans thanks to his time in SONATA ARCTICA.

THE DARK ELEMENT made its live debut in June 2018 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden. The band also completed a short Japanese tour and performed at the Frontiers Rock Sweden festival in October at Fryshuset Klubben in Stockholm.

View this post on Instagram It’s with great joy and pride me and jani today celebrate that our new album is all ready❤️ master came today and it sounds amazing? now I just long for you all to hear it? kiitoksia ystävä @janiliimatainen for giving me such songs to sing - I loved every single note I sang on the album⭐️ and Kiitos to @jonaskuhlberg @rolfpilve who play incredible on the album ? and to @hansen_jacob for the hard work with the mixing? and of course a big thanks to @frontiersmusicsrl for standing by us in our music endeavors ? #anetteolzon #thedarkelement #janiliimatainen A post shared by Anette Olzon (@thechosenone665) on May 15, 2019 at 12:38pm PDT

Gabrielle, the 22-year-old daughter of SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown), died on Saturday, May 18 at the age of 22. No cause of death has been revealed.

Crahan announced his daughter's passing in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "It is with a broken heart, and from a place of the deepest pain, that I have to inform all of you that my youngest daughter, Gabrielle, passed away yesterday - Saturday May 18th, 2019. She was 22 years old. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. My family and I ask that our privacy be respected moving forward. Thank you."

Corey Taylor, SLIPKNOT's lead singer, offered his condolences.

"My heart has broken for my brother," he tweeted. "Please keep the Crahan family in your thoughts and love. She will be missed."

Gabrielle was one of four children Crahan had with his wife, Chantel, whom he married in June 1992 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Crahan's son Simon addressed the passing of his sister via social media:

"Today is the hardest day ever," he wrote. "I'm confused, I'm angry, I’m sad and I'm just sad, just really sad. Gabri, I miss you so much. I miss you like no other. We were best friends. We had a good bond and now you're not here anymore. I love you, Gabri, and I know you'll know that forever."

Shawn's daughter Alexandria wrote on Instagram: "Yesterday my little sister Gabrielle passed away. I am in shock and have no idea how to process the wave of emotions I am experiencing. The comforts I have in these moments are my family, friends, and cats. Please put good energy out for my parents and my brothers. This loss leaves the biggest hole and our lives will never be the same. 22 is too young to die."

Alexandria later discouraged people from speculating on her sister's cause of death, posting text over a screengrab of a Reddit thread in which people were talking about the topic. She also wrote in the comment secion below her original post: "Everyone can wonder all they want. There hasn't been an autopsy yet. We don't have all the answers. You can wonder but don't fucking ask me or talk about it with others on the Internet as if any of you know my family."

Gabrielle and Chantel joined Crahan on the red carpet of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California back in January 2014. Photos can be found at this location.

In September, Crahan paid tribute to his daughter on her birthday by sharing a throwback picture of a young Gabrielle. He wrote: "We love you Gabri."

Gabrielle's death came just one day after SLIPKNOT performed two new songs on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

The band's sixth album, "We Are Not Your Kind", will be released on August 9 via Roadrunner.

SLIPKNOT is scheduled to go to Europe next month before embarking on the "Knotfest Roadshow" headline tour in North America this summer.


It is with a broken heart, and from a place of the deepest pain, that I have to inform all of you that my youngest...Posted by Slipknot on Sunday, May 19, 2019

My heart has broken for my brother. Please keep the Crahan family in your thoughts and love. She will be missed.— confirm: 0-0-0... DESTRUCT... 0 (@CoreyTaylorRock) May 19, 2019



View this post on Instagram Today is the hardest day ever, I’m confused, I’m angry, I’m sad and I’m just sad just really sad. Gabri I miss you so much I miss you like no other we were best friends we had a good bond and now your not here anymore. I love you Gabri and I know you’ll know that forever. A post shared by Simon Crahan Official ? (@simon_crahan) on May 19, 2019 at 12:31pm PDT

View this post on Instagram Yesterday my little sister Gabrielle passed away. I am in shock and have no idea how to process the wave of emotions I am experiencing. The comforts I have in these moments are my family, friends, and cats. Please put good energy out for my parents and my brothers. This loss leaves the biggest hole and our lives will never be the same. 22 is too young to die. A post shared by Alexandria Crahan-Conway (@alexandriacrahan) on May 19, 2019 at 12:22pm PDT

Tommy Vext has confirmed that BAD WOLVES have completed work on their second album, tentatively due before the end of the year.

"This process of recording this record was seamless," the singer told Nudge of Cincinnati's 102.7 WEBN radio station at this past weekend's Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio (see video below). "We all knew what we wanted to do, and we went in and we kind of nailed it. John [Boecklin] went to Nashville and crushed the drums out there, we did [Las] Vegas and L.A., so we were all over the country recording. I'm just really happy with it, and I'm really excited for people to hear the new record. If 'Disobey' was our 'Cowboys From Hell', then this new record will be our 'Vulgar Display Of Power'. That's a PANTERA reference. If you don't know the reference, walk on home, boy."

Vext also revealed that BAD WOLVES have recorded another cover, following the band's massive breakout success last year with its rendition of the 1993 CRANBERRIES classic "Zombie". But he added: "I don't know if it's gonna be on the record."

Originally scheduled to feature a guest appearance from late CRANBERRIES frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan, "Zombie" launched shortly after her death in January of 2018 and went on to top the rock radio chart and sell a million copies.

"Zombie" surfaced on BAD WOLVES' debut LP, "Disobey", which came out in May 2018 and has also yielded the follow-up single "Hear Me Now", featuring Diamante, which reached No. 2 on the rock chart.

Guitarist Doc Coyle recently spoke to Australia's Loud about the musical direction of the band's second album. He explained: "It's diverse. There's stuff that's probably heavier, as or more heavy than the last record... And then there's some really catchy, kind of more mainstream stuff to cover that end of it, and a lot of stuff in the middle."

BAD WOLVES was formed in 2017, comprised of former members of DEVILDRIVER, GOD FORBID, DIVINE HERESY and IN THIS MOMENT.

A couple of photos of Vinnie Paul Abbott's soon-to-be-installed headstone can be found below. (Note: The headstone **has not yet been installed** at Vinnie Paul's gravesite.)

A message engraved on the headstone reads: "Don't ever think it's not a good time, if you do think it's not a good time. A good time is a good time, a bad time is a bad time, and a wonderful time is irreplaceable. Hellyeah!"

The PANTERA and HELLYEAH drummer was buried on June 30, 2018 next to his brother, PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, and their mother, Carolyn, at Moore Memorial Gardens cemetery in Arlington, Texas. He was laid to rest in a custom "Kiss Kasket" provided by KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The casket was offered as a gift at Vinnie's family's request. Vinnie was also buried in some of his trademark clothes, including his hat, shoes and flannel.

Speakers at the service included former GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott and SiriusXM DJ Jose Mangin. Also appearing at the event were original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, DISTURBED's David Draiman, NICKELBACK's Chad Kroeger, ANTHRAX's Charlie Benante, FOZZY's Chris Jericho and ROUGH CUTT's Paul Shortino.

Vinnie's brother was buried in the original Kiss Kasket prototype in 2004 after his untimely death. The coffin featured the faces of the four founding members of KISS, the KISS logo and the words "Kiss Forever." Both Abbotts were huge fans, especially Darrell, who was shot dead by a gunman in December 2004.

A public memorial for Vinnie Paul was held on July 1, 2018 at Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Not long before his death, Vinnie laid down the drum tracks for HELLYEAH's sixth album, "Welcome Home", which will be released in September.


Vinnie's Headstone!Finally Vinnie now has a grave plate like his brother! ??Posted by Dimebag Darrell Universal Fans United on Saturday, May 18, 2019

Finally!!! Forever Vinnie Paul!!! Forever in our hearts. ❤ \m/ pic.twitter.com/ydIwECled2— Tony (@Tony59527429) May 17, 2019

According to Classic Rock, Eric Moore, frontman for cult Ohio biker band The Godz, has died at the age of 67. Management released the following statement:

"Eric Moore, the lead singer of the hard rock band The Godz passes away after a long battle with bladder cancer.

It is with great sadness and heavy heart that John Gard Management and FnA Records announce the passing of a true rock-n-roll legend, Eric Moore of The Godz. Eric has been battling bladder cancer for many years. The official date of Eric’s passing was on May 17, 2019 in the early hours of the day – just after midnight. Eric was 67 years old.

Eric was known by his legions of fans as a beer-drinking, pistol carrying, blue collar rock-n-roller and the leader of the Godz fans worldwide known The Machines. Eric Moore was the lead singer of The Godz here on earth and he has now embarked on a triumphant return to the one and only God in heaven. Eric will be sorely missed.”

On March 18th, 2014, Eric Moore released a box set titled Godzology on Gard Dog Records. The boxset contains the first two releases of The Godz, and Nothing Is Sacred, in all new remastered forms and also has support shows included: Live from Laredo Texas 1978 and The Agora in Cleveland Ohio from 1979. Also included in the set is a bonus DVD. It is limited to 500 copies.




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"More Than Bones", the new Andy Maier-directed video from the Christian metal band DEMON HUNTER, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album "Peace", which was made available alongside a companion LP, "War", on March 1.

Frontman Ryan Clark told Kerrang! about "More Than Bones": " I was thinking of what an amazing thing music is, and the idea of preserving someone's life beyond their death. There have been a lot of musicians' deaths over the last few years that I'd started thinking about, whether that was Bowie or Prince or Waylon or Chris Cornell, and I thought, despite how tragic it is to lose those people, how awesome it is to have this catalog of music from each of those people. There might be people generations from now who listen to this music, and it really helps them and changes their life in some positive way. So 'More Than Bones' is basically saying that when I leave this earth, I'll leave you more than bones — I'll leave you all of my thoughts and all of my hopes and dreams and my desire to connect and resonate with people through this music."

Clark told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show that releasing two separate albums "with the polarized styles" that DEMON HUNTER is known for — "heavy and the super-melodic 'ballad'-style songs" — is something he and his bandmates have "talked about doing for a long time." He explained: "We didn't want to do it too early in our career just because it felt like a lofty sort of endeavor. So we didn't want to get carried away too early. So now kind of rounding out our albums at No. 9 and No. 10, seems like a really good time to do it."

Ryan said that DEMON HUNTER decided not to package the two LPs together because "double albums are too hard to digest. Of the ones that have been released from bands that I really like, I never really found myself diving into them and fully really soaking them in just because it's quite an undertaking," he said. "So I wanted this to almost be two autonomous things that are meant to be listened to. And I know, coming out on the same day and everything, they might as well be packaged together, but the idea of them being separate is that they… it might not be so burdensome to consume."

DEMON HUNTER formed in Seattle in 2001. The lineup features Clark alongside co-founder Jonathan Dunn (bass), drummer Tim "Yogi" Watts (drums, since 2004), lead guitarist Patrick Judge (since 2008) and guitarist Jeremiah Scott (since 2011). Clark remains the primary songwriter, with increasing contributions from Judge.

Dark Star Records in association with Boonsdale Records have debuted “La Llorona”, the new epic music video from Canadian symphonic metal band Operus.

Operus will be performing at Wacken Open Air 2019 in Germany. The festival is sold out and will be from August 1st-3rd, 2019, and will have an audience of more than 50,000.

Operus released their debut album Cenotaph on October 13th, 2017 via Dark Star Records in association with MVD Entertainment and The Orchard/Sony.

"Cenotaph is a commemoration of writers and poets who never gained the recognition and or lived to see the impact of their work," explains the band. "The concept and inspiration for the title of the album is taken from a statue in Budapest located opposite of Vajdahunyad Castle, Anonymous, the unknown chronicler at the court of King Béla III. The lyrical concepts are not that of any one specific idea but rather a mosaic of different stories and legends which are meant to paint images in the minds of the listener, much like the tales laid by the quills of writers long ago."

Operus is:

David Michael Moote (Vocals)
Rob Holden (Guitar)
Oscar Rangel (Guitar/Backing vocals)
Robin Howe (Cello/backing vocals)
Wojciech Sokolowski (Bass/Backing vocals)
JJ Tartaglia (Drums)




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The Offering from Boston are thrilled to announce the release of their debut album, HOME, on August 2nd , 2019. The foursome have warmed crowds for diverse acts such as Primal Fear, Rhapsody Of Fire, Prong, 36 Crazyfists, and have been a fan-favorite at the main stage of the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival. They’ve completed several national US tours, most recently a 2018 fall run with industrial shock-rock outfit Genitorturers and dance rock outfit Echo Black.

The Offering’s fearless exploration of expression takes the listeners to the extremes of the human condition and down the well to honesty.

Furious, vengeful, and self-loathing. The Offering’s endless emotional meat grinder of musical malice and lyrical intention forces the band into versatile and unexplored corners of extreme music. Borrowing from every corner in the metal world, the band effortlessly travels between all styles of heavy music: thrash and power, nu and hardcore, black and death, classic and modern, all while refusing to compromise the intricacies of songwriting. The band’s focus is made clear; to rise above genre and to focus on the only thing that matters for metal in this era: evolution.  

Gathering together from every corner of the United States the band features Alexander Richichi on vocals, Nishad George on guitar, Spencer Metela on bass, and Steve Finn on drums. The Offering partly tracked HOME at Carriage House Studios in Stamford CT, a place where diverse pop, rock and metal artists recorded influential albums including Pantera, Fates Warning, Overkill, Deftones, BoySetsFire or Sugar. HOME was then mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman (Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Bring Me The Horizon, Architects and many more).

Fredrik Nordström about HOME: “This is the most crazy and insane music I ever worked with, I love it!”

Tracklisting:

“Waste Away”
“Lovesick”
“Ultraviolence”
“A Dance With Diana”
“Failure (S.O.S.)”
“Hysteria”
“Glory”
“Home”

A first taste of HOME including a lyric video will be released shortly and the band is currently looking into European touring, so stay tuned for more news.




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The wait is almost over as Italian orchestral-death metal juggernauts Fleshgod Apocalypse are about to unleash their 5th record, Veleno, this Friday through Nuclear Blast Records. To give fans another taster of the forthcoming release, the group has unveiled a live video of "The Fool," which can be found on the album's bonus Blu-ray entitled An Evening In Perugia.

Fans can pre-order the Veleno album in various formats here.

Italian for venom, Veleno marks Fleshgod Apocalypse’s first record in three years, since the release of their critically acclaimed record King (2016). The “metal part” of Veleno was recorded in Rome, Italy at Bloom Recording Studio and Kick Studio with long-standing collaborator Marco Mastrobuono, while the “orchestral part” - the ensembles - were tracked at Musica Teclas Studio in Perugia. Fleshgod Apocalypse then took the effort over to Grammy-nominated Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios in Denmark for mixing and mastering. The entire production of Veleno took, according to Paoli, about three months. Artwork for the album was created by Travis Smith.

Veleno tracklisting:

"Fury"
"Carnivorous Lamb"
"Sugar"
"The Praying Mantis’ Strategy"
"Monnalisa"
"Worship and Forget"
"Absinthe"
"Pissing On The Score"
"The Day We’ll Be Gone"
"Embrace The Oblivion"
"Veleno"

"Carnivorous Lamb" lyric video:

"Sugar" video:

(Photo - Dave Tavanti)




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"Taste Like", the new video from Sacramento, California rockers TESLA, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's eighth studio album, "Shock", which was released on March 8 via UMe. Produced and co-written by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, the follow-up to June 2014's "Simplicity" is available on CD, digital, black vinyl, and limited-edition translucent blue vinyl formats.

"Shock" track listing:

01. You Won't Take Me Alive

02. Taste Like

03. We Can Rule The World

04. Shock

05. Love Is A Fire

06. California Summer Song

07. Forever Loving You

08. The Mission

09. Tied To The Tracks

10. Afterlife

11. I Want Everything

12. Comfort Zone

Collen previously co-wrote and produced the TESLA song "Save That Goodness", which was released in August 2016 and included on the "Mechanical Resonance Live!" album.

TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon told The Metal Voice about "Shock": "It definitely has an '80s kind of polished production... but there is no real direction. I always quote '[This Is] Spinal Tap', when Nigel [Tufnel] says, 'Changing our style is our style.' We don't really pigeonhole ourselves into one sound. We've got elements of metal, country, Americana, a lot of these different directions... This new album, it has the big production, but every song sounds different. Each guy in the band has a different influence. I'm influenced by southern rock a lot, so you're going to hear some slide guitar riffs on there, but there's also, like, [bassist] Brian Wheat, who's influenced by QUEEN and THE BEATLES, so you're going to hear these big Beatle vocals. Phil Collen obviously, you're going to hear some DEF LEPPARD-style influence... It's a combo pizza, man. It's got everything on it."

Regarding Collen's involvement in "Shock", Frank said: "Phil came to us and wanted to produce an album for us... Phil really, really helped us. I'll be honest — we were at a low point after we did [2014's] 'Simplicity'. We were really frustrated, and we were probably not going to make another album. Phil had a bunch of song ideas, and a lot of the writing on the new album is co-written with Phil. He interjected a lot of positive energy for us and helped us get back on our feet. He's bringing production quality and details that we would have not done and haven't done in the past. Some fans may not like it; some fans are probably going love it. This is something that we wanted to try, we've never worked like this before. Mutt Lange is a producer that really has techniques that are very detailed in the studio, and Phil obviously has experienced all that, and he brought that type of approach into making a TESLA record, which we'd never done before. There's a lot of killer sonics. The sound of this new record is really... I don't know how to describe it. It's just awesome; it's produced; and, like, really powerful."

TESLA's current lineup includes four of the five original members: Jeff Keith (vocals), Frank Hannon (guitars), Brian Wheat (bass) and Troy Luccketta (drums). Guitarist Dave Rude joined in 2006 as the replacement for Tommy Skeoch.

"A Herd Of Turtles", the new video from Paul Gilbert, can be seen below. The song is taken from his latest album, "Behold Electric Guitar", which came out on May 17 via Music Theories.

"How do you know when you've gained your producer's trust?" Gilbert says. "You ask him this question: 'Hey John, can you set up a vocal mic? I want to recite a poem about turtles in a Ringo Starr accent, and then launch into a ferocious groove with the band, and then back to the Ringo part, and then back to the ferocious part a few more times. We'll cut it all live too.' To which John, the producer, replies, 'Sure!'


"I waited until the end of the 'Behold Electric Guitar' recording sessions to record 'A Herd Of Turtles', as I knew the unusual arrangement might raise some eyebrows. But, as I had hoped, the band, my producer John Cuniberti, and I were a tight musical unit by that time, so I knew that a wild experiment might have a chance.


"'A Herd Of Turtles' is the only song on 'Behold Electric Guitar' that is not strictly instrumental. But instead of singing, I am reciting a poem. My poem is about overcoming challenges. The turtles want to escape a tedious lifestyle. The rabbits want not to be eaten by the fox. And the musician (me!) wants to find a way to play music, even when faced with severe hearing loss. In my poem, we all find a way.


"I tried reading the poem in my normal speaking voice, and it just didn't feel right. My instincts told me that 'Ringo' was the solution. And after I put myself in a Liverpudlian frame of mind (and voice), everything worked much better.


"The music is the most relentless rhythm groove I could think of. Normally, I can get through a whole show with one guitar pick. But this song destroys a pick in three minutes!


"On a more serious note, my challenges with hearing loss are certainly an interesting journey. The surprising upside is that my difficulties in hearing have motivated me to know my guitar fretboard better. My playing has become much more melodic and intentional as a result. My

'Inner Melodic Generator' is the best that's it has has ever been! As I say in the poem, 'I listen to the music that I can hear INSIDE.'"

After his recent move to Portland, Oregon, Paul set out to connect with the best and grooviest musicians in the area, and record an album in his brand new hometown. Brian Foxworth (drums) and Asher Fulero (keyboards) were both obvious choices to play Paul's mix of rock, blues, jazz, and pop flavors. When Paul's regular Portland bassist Kelly Lemieux was unavailable (due to his touring with BUCKCHERRY), Paul reached out to New Orleans bass legend Roland Guerin. Roland came to Portland weeks before the recording dates for intense rehearsing and arranging sessions.


With the band complete, Paul enlisted legendary producer and engineer John Cuniberti. John is well known for his work with Joe Satriani, but Paul was primarily interested in John's expertise with "one mic" recording. Paul explained: "It's so easy to make albums with overdubbing and editing these days, but I really prefer playing live and just getting the music to sound right because the musicians, the songs, and the performances are good." After hearing Paul's band, John recommended a few more mics, but still agreed that the music worked best as live performances with no overdubs. "There is not one overdub on the record," he said. "Everything you hear is four guys jamming, listening to each other, and making room for each other. The music almost mixes itself that way! And it's just a great mindset to have. When you know that you won't be fixing or adding parts later... It keeps your mind very active to get things right!"

"Behold Electric Guitar" track listing:


01. Havin' It

02. I Own A Building

03. Everywhere That Mary Went

04. Love Is The Saddest Thing

05. Sir, You Need To Calm Down

06. Let That Battery Die

07. Blues For Rabbit

08. Every Snare Drum

09. A Snake Just Bit My Toe

10. I Love My Lawnmower

11. A Herd Of Turtles

12. Things Can Walk To You

Paul will be touring with his band this year to support "Behold Electric Guitar".

SATANS TAINT, the band featuring former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson, will release its new album, "Destruction Ritual", this summer via Megaforce Records.

In addition to Gustafson's signature sound and razor-sharp riffs, "Destruction Ritual" features various friends and musicians with whom Gustafson has worked and whose work he has admired. The new release includes contributions from longtime drummer Jim McCourt and singers Dan Ortega and Paolo Velazquez.

"Destruction Ritual" was recorded at Powerstation Studios, with Gustafson taking on all guitar and bass duties.

"I am just looking to concentrate on writing the best music possible," he says. "Looking to bring back some old-school thrash with some new twists. Good songs always rise to the top."

"I am very excited to be working with Bobby again after all of these years," says Megaforce's Missi Callazzo. "His early work has been the benchmark for all thrash artists to follow. He continues to innovate with his newest album and I am glad to be a part of getting it to the fans."

Themes of religion, war, Nordic culture, history and revenge combined with roughly hewn thrash metal provide the solid foundation upon which Gustafson built SATANS TAINT. Named with tongue implanted firmly in cheek, Gustafson challenges the establishment and those who take themselves way too seriously with the project.

SATANS TAINT was formed in 2014 in South Florida by Gustafson, who was also a featured player and performer with CYCLE SLUTS FROM HELL and SKREW.

SATANS TAINT's debut, "Axe To The Head Of My Enemies", was released independently in 2017.

Gustafson joined OVERKILL in 1982 and played on the group's first four albums — "Feel The Fire" (1985), "Taking Over" (1987), "Under The Influence" (1988) and "The Years Of Decay" (1989) — before departing in 1990 amid growing tension between him and OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni.

Founded in 2017 by guitarist Jeremy Perkins, Montreal's Wykan plays a blend of psychedelic doom, heavy blues, stoner rock and black metal in the classic format of bass, drums, and guitar. Their experimental and massive sounding music is best described as Pink Floyd meeting Black Sabbath meeting Mayhem for those who have never heard the band.

Set to release their sophomore EP Brigid: Of The Night on June 7th, 2019, to follow their 2018 debut EP Solace, Wykan is revealing their first single "Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess)" through BraveWords.

"We want to give fans a trip for the mind, without barriers and hooks, just plain vibes and atmosphere. This next EP overall hits more classic riffing to go with each genre we touch in each of the songs. As a story, Brigid: Of The Night is about the Celtic Goddess known as Brigid. The whole thematic and three songs are a historical take on ceremonies and festivities based on her deity representation and relationship with the Celtic peoples of Ireland pre-Christianity," says Perkins.

The band's line up for the EP features guest drummer Simon McKay of The Agonist rattling his talents on track #3 Reul-Iuil Bride (Star of Brigid) along Wykan and Eohum founder Jeremy Perkins on guitar, vocalist Barrie Butler (Eohum, ex-Tard), bassist Corey Thomas, best known for his own Jazz ensemble Backwater Township and drummer Dug Kawliss (ex-Tempete) who is on tracks #1 Imbolc (The Cleansing) and #2 Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess).

Brigid: Of The Night also follows the band's plan of releasing an EP every six to ten months and keep fans on a ceremonial run of emotion and space.

The EP will be available on Bandcamp as a $1 EP or as a Pay-What-You-Want download.

Tracklisting:

“Imbolc (The Cleansing)”
“Breo-Saighead (Triple Goddess)”
“Reul-Iuil Bride (Star Of Brigid)”

EP Lineup:
Guitars: Jeremy Perkins 
Vocals: Barrie Butler 
Drums: Dug Kawliss 
Bass: Corey Thomas 
Featuring guest drummer : Simon McKay (The Agonist ) on Track 3




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Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the return of TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON with the release of the long-awaited third chapter in his metal opera, "Return To Eden", on June 14. Today, the lyric video for the second single, "Hear My Call", featuring Anneke Van Giersbergen on lead vocals, has been made available. Check it out below.

Five years in the making, "Return To Eden" marks a new return for the legendary ex-STRATOVARIUS guitarist and composer Timo Tolkki. Following a few personal issues which forced him to take a step back from the spotlight, Timo started the writing process for the new album and, with the help of the Italian producer Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE), completed this outstanding comeback album. A convincing and inspired release, Timo's hunger to create is stronger than ever. As with previous releases, a slew of heavyweight guest vocalists were brought in to handle lead vocal duties. "Return To Eden" features appearances by renowned Dutch singer Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-THE GATHERING), Zak Stevens (ex-SAVATAGE), Todd Michael Hall (RIOT V), Mariangela Demurtas (TRISTANIA, ARDOURS), and Eduard Hovinga (ex-ELEGY).

"I would like to say… Tolkki is back!" exclaims Timo. "I feel that this is one of my best works to date and I believe the whole cast of singers and musicians truly went above and beyond the call of duty. We managed to create a really great record. I hope the fans will like it."

Tolkki has traveled a hard road to get to today, but he is back and more determined than ever to take back his rightful place in the metal scene that he so much deserves after all these years.

Formed in the autumn of 2012, TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON released its debut album, "The Land Of New Hope", in May 2013. A follow-up effort, "Angels Of The Apocalypse", was issued in May 2014.

Although AVALON has been described by the media as a metal opera, it really is a vehicle for former STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkki to express his music in various formats using high-quality musicians. It doesn't have a permanent lineup except for Tolkki.

The project's name comes from the film "The Mists Of Avalon", which tells the story of King Arthur. The film describes Avalon as a place likened to "heaven" that normal mortals cannot see and it is divided by mist. It is one of Tolkki's favorite films.

"Return To Eden" track listing:

01. Enlighten

02. Promises (feat. Todd Michael Hall)

03. Return To Eden (feat. Mariangela Demurtas, Zachary Stevens, & Todd Michael Hall)

04. Hear My Call (feat. Anneke Van Giersbergen)

05. Now and Forever (feat. Todd Michael Hall)

06. Miles Away (feat. Zachary Stevens)

07. Limits (feat. Eduard Hovinga)

08. We Are The Ones (feat. Anneke Van Giersbergen)

09. Godsend (feat. Mariangela Demurtas)

10. Give Me Hope (feat. Eduard Hovinga)

11. Wasted Dreams (feat. Zachary Stevens)

12. Guiding Star (feat. Mariangela Demurtas)

Timo Tolkki - Lead Guitar, Bass

Andrea Buratto - Bass

Antonio Agate - Piano, Keyboards

Giulio Capone - Drums, Piano, Keyboards

Jami Huovinen - Drums

Aldo Lonobile - Guitar

Santtu Lehtiniemi - Additional Guitars