"Blood Moon Fever", the new single from Swedish metal act Liv Sin - fronted by the towering vocals of Liv Jagrell (former Sister Sin singer) - is out now. Stream the song here, and watch a music video below.

“‘Blood Moon Fever’ is a catchy and heavy melody driven song that will make you wanna both headbang and dance! The single represents a new beginning, about leaving old stuff behind you and go out in the world as a reborn creature. We thought that the concept suited well with a new album on its way, which might sound a bit different from the first one. Some of our sinners out there might be surprised by the sound of this one where our producer Emil Nödtveidts influence really shines through. Prepare to get this tune spinning in your head for a long time to come!” - Liv Sin, 2019

Following on from the Follow Me album, Liv Sin  return with the powerful and hard-hitting album, Burning Sermons. Channelling their love of classic heavy metal with a bruising modern edge, Burning Sermons is a riff-heavy collection; showcasing the band’s innate ability to match melody with aggressive metal with ease. Jagrell is in particularly fine form throughout, with a voice equally capable of capturing your heart as it is knocking buildings to the ground.

Produced by Emil Nödtveidt (Deathstars) in Black Syndicate studio, Liv comments on their decision to work with Emil; "We wanted to explore a more modern sound with some synthesizers on this album. I think that this album might surprise a lot of our fans. I have known Emil for many years, so it was really fun to reconnect. The first moment he sent us his ideas of our demos I was delirious!"

Burning Sermons will be released September 6.




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Soto, the modern heavy metal/hard rock group featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen/Talisman/ex-Journey, Sons Of Apollo, TSO, etc.), will release their third studio album, Origami, on May 24 via InsideOutMusic.

A video for the album opener, "HyperMania" - directed by Thiago Kiss / Conceitual Films - can be seen below.

Says Jeff: "'HyperMania' is the first music video from Origami, there is a double entendre to the lyrics that actually became a triple one for the video itself, it will be fun to see how it is interpreted by viewers! Our Brazilian friend and director Thiago Kiss truly delivered the balance of frightening, erotic and artsy into this video. We are extremely proud to present to you, HYPERMANIA!”

Origami will be released as a limited digipak CD with a set of three stickers and a bonus track, 180g vinyl LP including the entire album on CD, and as digital download. The album comes packaged with classy artwork by Gustavo Sazes (Machine Head, Amaranthe, Arch Enemy). Pre-order here.

Origami tracklisting:

"HyperMania"
"Origami"
"BeLie"
"World Gone Colder"
"Detonate"
"Torn"
"Dance With The Devil"
"AfterGlow"
"Vanity Lane"
"Give In To Me"
"KMAG" * (Bonus Track)

"Origami" lyric video:

"BeLie" lyric video:

EPK, Part 1:

Soto started in 2015 derived from the ideal of Jeff Scott Soto wanting to return to his heavier roots. So far they released two albums, Inside The Vertigo (2015) and DIVAK (2016), taking a short break while Jeff embarked on the supergroup Sons Of Apollo, alongside Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan and Bumblefoot.

Now Soto are returning under the same umbrella as Sons Of Apollo, signing with InsideOutMusic. The new album Origami contains material that continues to expand and move the band towards new heights whilst following up with their brand of power rock.

Soto will hit South America for live dates in May and intend to be touring worldwide throughout 2019 following the release of the new album.

Lineup:

Jeff Scott Soto - Vocals
Jorge Salan - Guitar
Tony Dickinson - Bass
BJ - Keys/Guitar
Edu Cominato - Drums




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German heavy metal act, Majesty, lead you into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The band have released the second single and first official video from their new album, Legends, out on June 28.

Majesty, centered around mastermind Tarek Maghary, deliver a new single that expresses everything they stand for: Going your own way, living your dream and stay true to yourself without any compromises.

Singer Tarek commented: "This song was written to be an anthem for all people who are ready to live a life of freedom and break out of their daily routine. The time is now to stand tall against the world, experience some adventures and become a wasteland outlaw!"

I will stand tall
And live my dream

The video for “Wasteland Outlaw” was directed, filmed and edited by Paul Sydow.

Watch "making of" footage below:

The brand-new majesty hoodie worn by the guys in the video can be exclusively purchased in the band's online shop at metalentertainment.de for a very special price when you use the coupon code: wastelandoutlaw

Tarek Maghary on the new record: "We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with Legends because we kept the essence of Majesty but at the same time got rid of all blinkers. Legends by all means is our most honest album to date and perfectly displays our lifestyle musically and lyrically. Be free and live every day to its fullest. Life is too short to do what others want so throw away all the bullshit that gets in your way and become a legend! To put it another way, Legends is the next level shit in Heavy Metal because it burns all the bridges behind you and leads you into a world of freedom!"

Find pre-order options at this location.

Tracklisting:

“The Will To Believe”
“Rizing Home”
“Burn The Bridges”
“We Are Legends”
“Wasteland Outlaw”
“Church Of Glory”
“Mavericks Supreme”
“Words Of Silence”
“Last Brigade”
“Blood Of The Titans”
“Stand As One”

“Burn The Bridges” lyric video:




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KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch was recently interviewed by Australia's New Hope Church Brisbane. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked what he would tell people who are struggling with addiction and are trying to get sober, Welch, who left KORN in 2005 after becoming a Christian and returned to the band eight years later, said: "I usually tell 'em that you just open your heart. You come and you tell God, 'If you're real, then show me.' And you do that every day, and you seek him, you will find him. If you look for him, he will reveal himself to you. If you stop and quit a week or two later, then you won't find him. It says in the Bible that his eyes roam throughout the earth looking for a heart that's completely his. The thing is, when people give up after one week, that's not a heart that's really searching. He's about the heart."

Welch also talked about his personal relationship with Christ, saying: "People try to look and do and act and behave so much, and all that can be good and everything, but it's about the inner reality of Christ dwelling inside of you and you interacting with that relationship inside and being passionate about it and putting the things of the world aside and letting that be your biggest passion. You can have other passions — look at me; I'm in a rock band, I travel the world, and he's given me back wealth and I'm doing business deals and everything — but he knows my heart and when he looks for a heart that's completely his, he knows mine's completely his. I'm not perfect — I make mistakes — but the inner reality of the Christ relationship is so real."

Both Welch and KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu have had highly public, though separate, conversion experiences, ones that have been greeted with a certain amount of skepticism.

Welch rejoined KORN for a handful of live performances in 2012 before officially becoming part of the lineup again in early 2013.

RAINBOW has released a new digital single, "The Storm", via Minstrel Hall Music. The song, which can be streamed below, is said to be "a rocked-up remake" of an old BLACKMORE'S NIGHT track from the album "Fires At Midnight", which was issued back in 2001.

Last month, RAINBOW issued a newly recorded version of its song "Black Sheep Of The Family".

The original recording of "Black Sheep Of The Family" — a cover of a track by the band QUATERMASS from 1970 — was included on RAINBOW's debut album, 1975's "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow".

The first new RAINBOW single since 1996, "Waiting For A Sign", was released in March 2018. The song was penned by Ritchie Blackmore, with lyrics by his wife Candice Night and vocals from RAINBOW's current singer, Ronnie Romero, who is originally from Chile but is now settled in Madrid.

The latest incarnation of RAINBOW released two new studio recordings in 2017, but they weren't original compositions; one was an instrumental song called "Land Of Hope And Glory", which was a reworking of the 1902 British patriotic song of the same name from Edward Elgar's "Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1", while the other was a re-recording of the RAINBOW classic "I Surrender", which was written by Russ Ballard and was first released by RAINBOW in 1981.

"Waiting For A Sign" is included on "Memories in Rock II", which was released in April 2018 via Minstrel Hall/Soulfood. The set also contains a double CD of the June 2017 U.K. RAINBOW concerts, a DVD containing over 80 minutes of interview footage with the band and crew, an additional backstage clip and a video for the 2017 studio version of "I Surrender".

Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT in 2016 to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.

Although Ritchie initially said that he had no plans to make a new RAINBOW album — explaining in early 2016 that he wanted to "just get back to playing the old songs one more time" — he revealed to Japan's Burrn! magazine that he changed his mind.

In addition to Blackmore and Romero, the current incarnation of RAINBOW includes STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.

The two shows RAINBOW played in Germany in June 2016 were caught on camera to produce "Memories In Rock - Live In Germany", which was released in November 2016 via Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, and digital formats.

After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST brought their classic song "Tyrant" back into the setlist during last night's (Wednesday, May 15) concert at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

A little over a year ago, JUDAS PRIEST played "Tyrant" live for the first time since 1983 in San Antonio, Texas. The concert marked the final show of the band's spring 2018 "Firepower" North American tour.

Notably, only singer Rob Halford and bassist Ian Hill remain in PRIEST's current touring incarnation from the lineup that recorded the studio version of "Tyrant" back in late 1975. The track is featured on PRIEST's classic second album, "Sad Wings Of Destiny", which is considered the LP on which the band consolidated its sound and image. It is the only PRIEST album to feature drummer Alan Moore.

The "Firepower" trek is PRIEST's first since guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease five years ago — after being stricken by the degenerative condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in February 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 71 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live.

Asked how JUDAS PRIEST came to choose Sneap to step in for Tipton on the band's tour in support of "Firepower", Hill told veteran Japanese rock journalist Masa Itoh: "It probably came from during the recording of the album. Andy is a very good guitarist, an excellent guitarist in his own right, and I think Glenn got to know Andy and got to trust Andy, which is very important. We wanted someone who we knew as well, if at all possible. The last thing you want is somebody coming in with their own baggage, if you know what I mean. And we can trust Andy to do a good job, and I think he'll do justice to the songs. And that was the main thing — I think it was the familiarity with Andy. We had great respect for him — before we met him, we had great respect for him. But with the work he did on the album — I mean, it sounds phenomenal; he did a tremendous job with that. We're doing songs off the new album, which he is totally familiar with, and he knows a lot of the parts anyway from that. And he's also a PRIEST fan — he's been listening to us for years — and he fits the slot perfectly."

"Firepower" was released in March 2018 via Epic. The follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" was recorded by Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.

Southern rock legends BLACK OAK ARKANSAS will release "Underdog Heroes", their first full-length album of all-new recordings in more than 30 years, on May 24. Founding members Jim "Dandy" Mangrum (vocals) and Rickie Lee Reynolds (guitar) have been keeping the spirit of BOA alive and their songwriting partnership makes this album an essential release in the band's much-heralded catalog.

"Underdog Heroes" includes a very special recording of virtuoso guitarist Shawn Lane, regarded by many as one of the fastest guitar players to ever live, and a member of the BOA clan since 1978 until his passing in 2003.

"Underdog Heroes" will be made available from Purple Pyramid Records on both CD and a special limited-edition gold vinyl pressing (only 300 made).

Track listing:

01. Don't Let It Show

02. Underdog Heroes

03. Channeling Spirits

04. Ruby's Heartbreaker

05. The Wrong Side Of Midnight

06. The Devil's Daughter (feat. Sammy B. Seauphine)

07. Arkansas Medicine Man

08. Do Unto Others (feat. Shawn Lane)

09. You Told Me You Loved Me

10. Love 4 Rent

11. The 12 Bar Blues

12. Johnnie Won't Be Good

In their long musical history, the BLACK OAK ARKANSAS boys have shared a stage with the likes of KISS, THE WHO, THE ROLLING STONES, BLACK SABBATH, FOGHAT, BAD COMPANY, TED NUGENT, ALICE COOPER and DEEP PURPLE. Warner Bros. released a DVD on the early years of the band, and then charged forth with another release of a BLACK OAK ARKANSAS DVD live at Royal Albert Hall in London.

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS has donated many hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities in its career, and both the mayor of Little Rock and the governor of the State of Arkansas even declared a "Black Oak Arkansas Day" on October 6. There is now a permanent display in the Arkansas State Museum and the Barton Coliseum in Little Rock, Arkansas dedicated to the band.

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS continues to tour around the U.S. to enthusiastic audiences.

Brazil-based animator Val Andrade has released his new Iron Maiden cartoon clip, based on “Satellite 15... The Final Frontier”, featured on Maiden’s 2010 album, The Final Frontier. Watch below:

Andrade's previously released cartoons can be seen below:




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"So finally we have arrived," begins a statment from Danish metal band Konkhra. "After a multitude of turmoil the new album is coming; Alpha And The Omega. What is both the beginning and the end must be eternal. The songs have been around for ages, demanding their purest form taking ages to achieve. They demanded the most acute simplicity. No trickery but forged in the mantel of the Earth's core by molten stardust from extinguished supernovas of the ancient past."

Konkhra will release their upcoming album, Alpha And The Omega, in October on Hammerheart Records. Konkhra's last album, Nothing Is Sacred, was released ten years ago in 2009 via ChopShop Records.

Konkhra's current lineup consists of:

Anders Lundemark - vocals / guitar
Hakim - guitar
Martin Kristensen - bass / backing vocals
Johnny Nielsen - drums

(Photo by Jan Grarup)




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Norwegian rock trio, Bokassa, have released a video for "Mouthbreathers Inc.", from their upcoming new album, Crimson Riders, out on June 21, via Brighton-based record label, MVKA. Pre-order the album here.

The video was shot earlier this month by Video Ink. The director comments, “'Mouthbreathers Inc.' was filmed in the same building as Captain America, Sherlock Holmes, and Peaky Blinders - a large crumbling Victorian building in Manchester city centre. Shot over one day, we captured a punked up police raid and a crazy death cult featuring some of Manchester’s best actors.”

Bokassa frontman Jørn adds, “The video takes part in a not so distant future where suicide cults start popping up all over the world as the comet ‘Reaper’ makes its way towards Earth and a certain impending doom. We follow both the ‘4th Wall’ cult, police, and the media’s perspective while the comet comes closer to impact.”

Bokassa fuse stoner rock riffs and groove with the energy and volatility of punk and hardcore, into their own unique brand of stoner punk. Crimson Riders was recorded back home in Trondheim’s Brygga Studio, with production by the band together with Yngve Andersen (Blood Command), mixing by Simon Jackman, and mastering by the legendary Brian ‘Big Bass’ Gardener. The record is set for a 21st June release on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.

Bokassa enthuse, “We are very excited to release Crimson Riders. Nine songs which revolve around everything from cults, religion, and border patrols to beer-drinking anti-heroes and immortal space pirates! Sonically, the album gives the listener everything from classic stoner-punk tracks, groovy desert songs, and high speed thrash metal, to hardcore-oriented sing-a-longs. This time we also played around with both cellos and saxophone in the studio so expect a few curve-balls here and there.”

Tracklisting:

"Brologue"
"Charmed & Extremely Treacherous"
"Vultures"
"Mouthbreathers Inc."
"Wrath Is Love"
"Crimson Riders"
"Captain Cold One"
"Blunt Force Karma"
"Immortal Space Pirate 2"

"Mouthbreathers Inc." lyric video:

Catch the band at the following dates supporting Metallica:

June
8 - Dublin, Ireland - Slane Castle
11 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Johan Cruiff Arena
13 - Cologne, Germany - Rheinenergiestadion
16 - Brussels, Belgium - Koning Boudewijnstadion
18 - Manchester, England - Etihad Stadium
20 - London, England - Twickenham Stadium

July
6 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
9 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi
11 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Telia Parken
13 - Trondheim, Norway - Granasen
16 - Hämeenlinnam, Kantolan Tapahtumapuisto
18 - Raadi, Estonia - Airfield
21 - Moscow, Russia - Luzhniki Stadium

August
14 - Bucharest, Romania - Arena Nationala
16 - Vienna, Austria - Ernst-Happel-Stadion
18 - Prague, Czech Republic - Airport Letnany
21 - Warsaw, Poland - PGE Narodowy
23 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
25 - Mannheim, Germany - Maimarktgelande




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In the clip below, Coheed And Cambria guest on Auto-Capella and perform their song "The Gutter" a capella. This is the first take.

Coheed And Cambria have announced a major tour across North America in support of their new album, The Unheavenly Creatures. The 26-city The Unheavenly Skye Tour will see the band performing across a range of venues from large theaters to outdoor amphitheaters this summer. Special guest Mastodon will join the band, performing their renowned Crack The Skye album in its entirety. Every Time I Die will support on all dates.

Produced by Live Nation, the rock outing kicks off May 28th in Louisville, KY at the Iroquois Amphitheater and will make stops in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping July 3rd in Irving, TX at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.

Tour dates:

May
28 - Louisville, KY - Iroquois Amphitheater*
29 - Columbus, OH - Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre*
31 - Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy

June
1 - Simpsonville, SC - CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park Simpsonville
2 - Baltimore, MD - MECU Pavilion
4 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony Summer Stage
6 - Boston, MA - Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
7 - New York, NY - Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk
8 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion
10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE – Outdoors*
11 - Detroit, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
13 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah's Council Bluffs - Stir Cove*
14 - Chicago, IL - Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
15 - Minneapolis, MN - The Armory
18 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre
19 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Great Saltair
22 - Seattle, WA - Marymoor*
23 - Portland, OR - Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center
25 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
26 - San Diego, CA - Petco Park - Park at the Park
28 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
29 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
30 - Phoenix, NV - Comerica Theatre

July
2 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater / Austin360 Amphitheater
3 - Irving, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

* not a Live Nation date




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HELLYEAH's official music video for "Welcome Home", the title track of its sixth studio album, can be seen below. The clip was directed by William "Wombat" Felch and Sebastien Paquet.

"Welcome Home" will be released on September 27. The disc contains the final recordings by late HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who died in June 2018 after laying down his drum tracks for the LP.

HELLYEAH singer Chad Gray and guitarist Christian Brady told Kilpop in a new interview how it felt to play live again last weekend, nearly a year after Vinnie Paul's death.

Brady remarked: "Why don't you just take all of the emotions that you think someone can feel, and that's where we're at right now... We're happy and excited to play together again, happy and excited to be on stage together again, terrified to be on stage together without our fucking brother, even though we know he's here [in spirit]."

HELLYEAH played its first show since Vinnie's passing last Saturday (May 11) in Las Vegas, with STONE SOUR drummer Roy Mayorga making his debut as the former PANTERA drummer's replacement.

Gray said about Mayorga's involvement: "He's been rehearsing six hours a day for a month and a half... He's just helping us carry this torch for Vin. And that's his job. He's such a brother, though, man — he's such a beautiful human being. We had a very short list of people, and it was just, like, nobody can sit on that kit that didn't respect who Vinnie Paul [was] and vice versa. And we nailed it."

HELLYEAH will kick off an 18-city headlining tour on July 23 in Atlanta and wrap it up on August 17 with a "special celebration" in Dallas, the area where Vinnie and his late brother, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, spent their formative years.

Bassist Kyle Sanders stated: "While Vinnie Paul is obviously irreplaceable, one thing we can't not do is tour. As easy as it would be to say we're not going on the road, we have to. Vinnie would be extremely disappointed in us if we didn't promote this record properly. He'd be pissed off at all of us... and we know that."

Emerging from the shadows of eastern Poland back in 2015, black metal band Batushka have established themselves as one of the modern era's most powerful and evocative bands. Harnessing the fire and fury of arcane black metal and channeling it through the reverberant grandeur of ancient rituals of worship, the band's debut album Litourgiya stood apart from the extreme metal hordes: a monument to originality, depth and dark mysticism that swiftly cast its spell over the metal underground and beyond. 

The band will release its sophomore album Hospodi through Metal Blade Records on July 12th.

Named after an Old Church Slavonic word for "God," Hospodi enhances all the unique qualities that made the band such an instant phenomenon, while offering an entirely distinct and fresh sensory experience. The album boasts the most ferocious and bewitching songs the band has penned to date - along with a newfound sense of rock swagger. 

The band has shared the first new track and video for "Polunoszcznica."

Fiercely conceived and audaciously executed, Hospodi takes the epoch-shattering essence of Batushka's debut to a new level of idiosyncratic intensity. From the mesmerizing chants of the opening "Wozglas" to the blazing bombast of "Dziewiatyj Czas" and the pulsing, dark rock melodrama of "Wieczernia," this is an album full of wildly dynamic, divergent moments, wherein the band's otherworldly, inspirational fervor meets the whip-crack precision of 21st century brutality. Perhaps most importantly, Batushka's deft conjuring of religion's synaptic shock 'n' awe looms large over every scything riff and bellicose scream. By the time fans reach the overpowering climax of the closing Liturgiya, a true Damascene conversion is practically guaranteed. 

"The whole album is a concept based on the Liturgy Of Death, the prayers for the dead, and Orthodox funeral rites and dirges," said the band. "It's all about a ritual that involves the dead and the mourners. We also used a lot of old folk songs and elegies from our homeland. These are sung during the wake, around the casket, in the deceased person's home. Nowadays only a few older people know them and still sing them accordingly in our region. We decided to cherish that tradition and I'm glad that with our album these songs and rites will survive."

Find preorder options here.

Hospodi will be available in several configurations, listed below: 
-Limited edition digibook CD
-Deluxe box set (wooden box, digibook CD, clear/black marbled vinyl, DVD, hard cover book, incense box, candles, pin, guitar pick - limited to 800 copies) 
-Deluxe box set (EU Webshop exclusive - wooden box, digibook CD, blood splatter vinyl, DVD, hard cover book, incense box, candles, pin, guitar pick - limited to 200 copies) 
-180g black vinyl (EU exclusive) 
-Amber marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies) 
-Dead gold marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies) 
-Blood-red black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies) 
-Clear/red/black splatter vinyl (EU Webshop exclusive - limited to 100 copies) 
-Gold / black split vinyl (US retail exclusive - 500 copies) 
-Cream w/ black splatter vinyl (US webstore exclusive - 500 copies) 
-Black w/ gold haze vinyl (US webstore exclusive - 500 copies)

Tracklisting:

“Wozglas”
“Dziewiatyj Czas”
“Wieczernia”
“Powieczerje”
“Polunosnica”
“Utrenia”
“Pierwyj Czas”
“Tretij Czas”
“Szestoj Czas”
“Liturgiya”

“Polunosznica” video:




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Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "The Thing That Should Not Be" on May 5 at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain can be seen below.

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

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

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

With dates already locked in through the fall, Ulrich was asked if he is tired of touring yet. He replied: "We have the luxury, and we are very fortunate, to be able to set a touring schedule that works really well for us. We kind of set boundaries. We have a two-week rule, so that after two weeks we come home and see our families and kids and get a sense of San Francisco. So, for about a decade, we've had a really good setup in terms of how we balance all of it. It takes longer to play the same amount of dates. But the good news is that our chances for not losing our minds — or for playing all the shows, physically, mentally — are much higher, because we have a pace that we feel is at the right level for us. So, it's good. We still have to go to Australia. We still have to go to Japan. We have a couple of other things planned after Europe."

Pressed about whether there is any chance the tour will reach into 2020, Lars said: "This may just dip into the beginning of 2020."

 “Circle The Drain” is the latest single from the new album Margin Of Error by Meridian. Margin Of Error was released March 22nd on CD, LP, and digital through Mighty Music. Check out the BraveWords premiere:

Margin Of Error is the bands third album. It’s recorded at Death Island Studio and is produced by guitarist Marco Angioni. It includes songs from the digital EP The Fate Of Atlantis released last year, including the single “Fragments Of A Life”.

Musically the album displays a varied landscape of melodic hard rock, hard hitting metal anthems and slow-paced heavy monsters. Songs with strong melodies and memorable choruses you can sing along to. It's the most coherent and well-crafted collection of songs from a band that's better than ever.

Meridian is heading out on the road in 2019 to support the album




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The new, self-titled album from the godfathers of American doom metal SAINT VITUS can be streamed in its entirety below. The disc will be released on May 17 via Season Of Mist.

"Saint Vitus" track listing:

01. Remains (6:23)

02. A Prelude To... (3:20)

03. Bloodshed (3:04)

04. 12 Years In The Tomb (5:24)

05. Wormhole (5:22)

06. Hour Glass (5:23)

07. City Park (4:01)

08. Last Breath (6:38)

09. Useless (1:32)

Total: 41:07

Formed in 1979, SAINT VITUS were largely influenced by BLACK SABBATH, whose song "Saint Vitus Dance" obviously inspired the moniker. Since their debut album, "Saint Vitus", came out in 1984, the Americans have released seven more full-lengths and two EPs that are summarily considered to be classics of their genre.

SAINT VITUS released a live album, "Live Vol. 2", in September 2016 via Season Of Mist. The set was recorded during the tour for "Lillie: F-65" on March 19, 2013 at the Kulturfabrik in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

Last fall, it was revealed that original SAINT VITUS bassist Mark Adams is suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Adams has been absent from some of SAINT VITUS's recent tours. Playing bass for the group has been former CROWBAR and current DOWN bassist Pat Bruders.

SAINT VITUS's current lineup:

Dave Chandler: guitar

Henry Vasquez: drums

Scott Reagers: vocals

Pat Bruders: bass

British hard rock five-piece, The Treatment, released their new album, Power Crazy, on March 22via Frontiers Music Srl. A video for the song "Luck Of The Draw" can now be seen below.

Power Crazy is the band’s fourth full-length album and continues their successful formula of coupling sonic power with a taste for infectious riffs. With this record, The Treatment are firing on all cylinders with their slice of no frills hard rock. A quick listen will instantly reveal the essential ingredients of a classic hard rock album: riffs, huge choruses, catchy licks, and straight to the point songs.

Power Crazy is also The Treatment’s first album to feature new singer Tom Rampton. With his raspy voice reminiscent of the classic Bon Scott tone, you can rest assured he knows how to ride high on the guitar attack from guitarists Tao and Tagore Grey.

"Luck Of The Draw" video:

"Hang Them High" video:

"Bite Back" lyric video:

The Treatment will hit the road in the UK this month on the headlining Power Crazy Tour. with special guests Bigfoot.

Dates:

May
22 - Wolverhampton - The Slade Room
23 - Swansea - Hanger 18
24 - London - The Underworld
25 - Norwich - The Waterfront
27 - Cambridge - The Portland
29 - Sheffield - Corporation
30 - Manchester - Rebellion
31 - Glasgow - Stereo

June
1 - Carlisle - The Brickyard
2 - Newcastle - The Cluny




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Sólstafir have premiered the dark and intense new music video for the track "Bláfjall," which is taken from their latest released full-length, Berdreyminn. The video tackles heavy subject matter such as death and grief.

Sólstafir comment: "Here it is, our 3rd video by the almighty Bowen Staines. After we did our last video with Bowen, 'Lágnætti,' we talked about for years to make another video together. As usual, adventures are like magnets when we join up forces, and this one was no different. We are super proud of the result, and yet again, Bowen shows that he is the master of this game. Enjoy, 'Bláfjall.'"

Director Bowen Staines adds: "'Bláfjall' was produced and filmed in Iceland from August – October 2018, and edited until April 2019 at the Don’t Panic Films studio in Massachusetts. While originally shot in 4K, the finished product was then scanned in its entirety onto 35mm film. ‘Bláfjall’ tells the story of a mind overtaken with grief, and the mental gymnastics often employed to circumvent grief in order to avoid confronting it. 

"Everyone has their secret sorrows which the world knows not; wounds that never show on the body. In ’Bláfjall,’ these wounds take the form of memories relived in the present, yet altered by the knowledge of what will come in the future. If grief were sentient, it would attack these memories with the voracity of a virus slowly destroying a computer hard drive, or an illness ravaging a body. 

"Pre-production for ‘Bláfjall’ started almost two years ago, and the first day of principal photography began in Hvalfjörður, Southwest Iceland. Predictably, it was so windy (a 115kg dolly track blew over), that I had to rewrite that day’s five-page shotlist in the trunk of Addis’s Jeep.

"The rest of the video came together wonderfully, thanks to our cast of Flosi Þorgeirsson (HAM, Glerakur), Bella Morgan, Palli Banine, and Minerva Geirdal. The only other notable thing that happened during this production were the days leading up to crashing that infamous Mercedes. 

"The car was an automatic, and the transmission slipped like butter. The momentum from the slightest forward acceleration, say, at a stoplight, would send the gearshift flying back into first gear, and the engine redlining; there is no sound quite like doing 40 on the highway in first gear. I was heading to pick up Flosi in Reykjavík, when suddenly I was doing 60kph in reverse while still going forwards, with the whole car transforming into an industrial noise album. 

"The day we filmed the crash, we’d spent hours lining the car up, bracing the steering wheel properly, and closing the roads. It looked like it was dead-on, and then it wasn’t. It missed the other car by centimeters, veered off the road, hit an embankment on the side of someone’s driveway, cleared the entire driveway, went through a fence, and crashed into a rock in front of a horse stable. The next try was dead-on. 

"A heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to everyone who was involved with the making of Sólstafir’s ‘Bláfjall.’ To the guys in the band: thank you for trusting me so unconditionally, and allowing me to tell this story with your music. As always, it is a true pleasure to create with you.

"We hope that you enjoy watching this as much as we enjoyed making it. 
Takk fyrir okkur.




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On May 24th, NYC's Tanith will release their debut full-length, In Another Time, via Metal Blade Records. Taking their name from a character in the classic Hammer Horror The Devil Rides Out, Tanith play vintage hard rock that harks back to the glory days of Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy and Uriah Heep. However, while such influences resonate through their music, they are never derivative, having a strong musical identity and forging their own sound.

For a preview of In Another Time, the new single, "Eleven Years", can be heard below.

To celebrate In Another Time's release, Tanith will be hosting a special record release show at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, NY on May 26th. Presented by Revolver Magazine, the event will also be filmed, so that fans worldwide can tune in later to this exclusive performance.

Preorder the album at MetalBlade.com.

The record will be available in the following formats:

-jewelcase CD
-limited edition jewelcase CD (EU exclusive - includes patch)
-180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
-translucent red vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
-blue / black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
-white vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 120 copies)
-light blue marbled vinyl (High Roller exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
-white / black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
* exclusive bundles with shirts, plus digital options are also available!

The origin of Tanith lies in Cindy Maynard (Bass, Vocals) and Satan's Russ Tippins (Guitars, Vocals) playing covers in clubs and pubs in Tippins' native UK, but it soon became obvious that they wanted to create content of their own, and form a full band. Deciding to locate the act in New York, they recruited close friend Charles Newton on guitar and drummer Keith Robinson to realize this. "Let me just say upfront that this is no solo project, but a four-piece band where each member has an equal say," Tippins says. "If I even wanted to call the shots these guys wouldn't let me! Collectively, we have a dynamic that really works. Not only are we friends who hang out as a matter of course, but musically the pieces all fit to make a picture. It's a rare thing and I appreciate it more than most, having played in so many bands previously." The manner in which the four musicians combine is indeed a special thing, and every contribution is essential. "Russ brings most of the substance, spirit and lyrics to the band," Maynard enthuses. "He's a visionary, so easy to work with creatively, and just loves getting together and playing with his friends. Charlie is a natural complement to Russ on the guitar, I would say technically and creatively, and he has a way of explaining things with a clarity that makes technically tricky things somehow simpler to execute. Then we have Keith, who is a great, flexible and tasteful drummer, and his grounded nature and playing really anchors everything we do." Tippins likewise enthuses about Maynard's contributions, heralding her as "an inspirational person who leads by example in every way. There is no one else I'd rather have beside me on stage, while off stage she is an orchestrator with the vision to keep things on point."

A home demo of the song "Citadel" - made by just Maynard and Tippins - marked the official birth of the band, and the subsequent 7" recorded with the whole unit demonstrated what happens when the four of them work together. Selling out of physical copies of the two-track 7" in ten weeks, the songs continue to sell on Bandcamp and have been purchased by fans in Thailand, Russia, Greece, Japan, Australia and numerous other territories - the band feeding on the enthusiasm garnered from around the world. Now, they're following it up with their debut full-length, In Another Time, which Maynard aptly describes as, "great riffs, lots of melody, interwoven parts, and twin fucking guitars! I think the record is refreshingly different from so many other records being put out now, and the analog warmth of the recording definitely adds to the feel and experience." Lyrically, they eschew the angry, cocksure, nihilistic, or occult-based subjects common to a vast amount of contemporary rock and metal bands, and instead come from a more positive place - Tippins asserting, "With Tanith we wanted to offer more of a message of hope, and an escape to the realms of fantasy. Broadly speaking, it's optimism over pessimism." All the tracking of the record was handled at Excello Studios in Brooklyn, NY, and owner Hugh Pool engineered and mixed the entire collection. "The analog equipment we tracked with affected not only the mood but also the creative process. Real analog equipment from the ‘60s and ‘70s has a distinct sound, feel and even smell," says Newton - and this only adds to the organic, old school feel of the record.

Tracklisting:

“Citadel (Galantia Pt. 1)”
“Book Of Changes”
“Wing Of The Owl (Galantia Pt. 3)”
“Cassini’s Deadly Plunge”
“Under The Stars”
“Mountain”
“Eleven Years”
“Dionysus”
“Under The Stars (Reprise)”

"Eleven Years":

"Under The Stars":

“Citadel (Galantia Pt. 1)”:

(Photo - Chris Shonting)




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Bruce Dickinson says that he "didn't want to go back to the past" when he returned to IRON MAIDEN 20 years ago.

Dickinson joined MAIDEN in 1981, replacing Paul Di'Anno, and made his recording debut with the band on the 1982 album "The Number Of The Beast". He quit the group in 1993, pursuing several solo projects, and rejoined in 1999.

In a recent interview with Spain's RockFM radio station, Dickinson said that he had no interest in reconnecting with MAIDEN if it meant only focusing on nostalgia.

"Well, all I needed to know was that we were not gonna come back as some sort of a reunion-type thing," he explained (hear audio below). "I didn't want to go back to the past. This was gonna be about putting a band together that was looking ahead to the future — to do a great new album and to really restart the whole impetus and direction of the band. And Steve [Harris, MAIDEN bassist and leader] said that's what he wanted to do, and I was, like, 'Okay. Let's do it.' And, of course, the first album we came out with after that was [2000's] 'Brave New World' — I think one of the best MAIDEN albums that we've ever done."

During Dickinson's absence from MAIDEN, the band released two albums with his successor, former WOLFSBANE singer Blaze Bayley — 1995's "The X Factor" and 1998's "Virtual XI" — which saw MAIDEN relegated to playing small theaters in America for the first time in years.

Dickinson has spent the last few months making a string of speaking appearances on the back of his recently released autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?". At each show, Dickinson has been reading excerpts from his book, delivering slides and hosting a question-and-answer session in which fans can ask all the questions they have been dying to know about what it's like to front one of music's most iconic bands.

Dickinson has several other interests beyond music. He is a licensed commercial pilot and owns an aviation company. He has written other books, done some acting and brewed beer.

In 2015, he completed a round of chemotherapy for a tumor on the back of his tongue and was given a clean bill of health.

The concept for MAIDEN's current "Legacy Of The Beast" tour was inspired by the band's mobile game and comic book of the same name and the stage set design features a number of different but interlocking "worlds" with a setlist covering a large selection of 1980s material with a handful of surprises from later albums to add diversity.

Canadian noise rockers, KEN mode, will kick off their previously announced North American tour on Tuesday, May 21 in Regina, SK and will conclude on June 3 in Denver, CO. The tour will include  some festival appearances as well as two opening slots for Inter Arma. The full itinerary can be found here.

Additionally, KEN mode have been nominated for an Independent Music Award for Best Album in the Metal/Hardcore category for their latest effort, Loved, which was also nominated for a JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy) earlier this year. KEN mode previously won the JUNO in 2012, and have a total of four nominations under their belt.

KEN mode will be touring in support of their JUNO-nominated album, Loved, which was released in August 2018 via Season Of Mist.

(Photo - Brenna Faris)




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SLIPKNOT has set "We Are Not Your Kind" as the title of its new album, due on August 9 via Roadrunner. Today the band has shared the album's first single "Unsainted", which is available at all DSPs along with an official music video. Directed by the band's own M. Shawn Crahan, the "Unsainted" video, and the track itself, offer a glimpse at the future of one of rock's most popular, and deeply enigmatic bands.

Guitarist Jim Root noted: "This is most time we've had to write a record, and work stuff out together. One of my inspirations this time around was those artists that recorded full length albums — not just songs. While the industry is moving toward singles, SLIPKNOT wanted to make an album experience, front to back."

"We Are Not Your Kind" is available for pre-order today with exclusive bundles available at Slipknot1.com. The disc was once again recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Greg Fidelman, who engineered and mixed SLIPKNOT's 2004 album "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" and helmed 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter".

"These days the art we are making comes with the highest reward, because it's taken the most time," added Crahan. "Almost four years to create this emotion and temperature, and the reward now is nothing short of salvation."

"We Are Not Your Kind" track listing:

01. Insert Coin

02. Unsainted

03. Birth Of The Cruel

04. Death Because Of Death

05. Nero Forte

06. Critical Darling

07. Liar's Funeral

08. Red Flag

09. What's Next

10. Spiders

11. Orphan

12. My Pain

13. Not Long For This World

14. Solway Firth

SLIPKNOT's sixth album does not include the song "All Out Life", which was released last October. The track's accompanying video was also directed by Crahan.

Singer Corey Taylor recently said that "All Out Life" is not representative of the type of music fans can expect to hear on SLIPKNOT's long-awaited new LP. "It's a great tune, it's a heavy tune, but it's not a good representation of the darkness that is involved with the music," he told 95.5 KLOS's Full Metal Jackie. "We are taking some really cool risks musically. We're dipping into some evil we haven't played with in a long time, let's put it that way. It's got little hints of everything we've ever done, but it's got some of the heaviest stuff we've ever done as well."

Asked what it was like for him to go back to some of those darker lyrical themes, Taylor said: "It's been very cathartic. I've got a lot I've gotta say and a lot I wanna say, and this feels like the right time to do it."

Some of SLIPKNOT's new album also deals with Taylor's depression that led to a divorce and forced him to "figure out who I was" without relapsing into substance abuse.

"All I was doing was giving and I found myself absolutely, completely tapped," he told the Des Moines Register. "You could see it in my skin. You could see it in my eyes. That's basically the journey I'm going to take people on this album … show them what happens to depression when you have no chemicals to fall back on."

".5: The Gray Chapter" was released following a six-year hiatus during which founding SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray died and drummer Joey Jordison was dismissed.

SLIPKNOT's "Knotfest Roadshow" headline tour will take place in North America this summer. VOLBEAT, GOJIRA and BEHEMOTH will join as special guests on all dates.

Produced by Live Nation, the 29-city outing will kick off July 26 in Mountain View, California at Shoreline Amphitheater and continue through September 8 where it will conclude with a performance at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas.

"Isäni Ääni", the new video from NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala (a.k.a. Marko Hietala), can be seen below. The song is taken from his solo album, "Mustan Sydämen Rovio", which will be released on May 24 via Savonian Rooster.

Asked by Kaaos TV when he started to think about releasing a solo album, Marco said (see video below): "It's a lot of stuff, lyrical, musical stuff and some of them started somewhere like 10, 15 years back, little tidbits of ideas that I hadn't used. I had been waiting and it's really a load of years. Some are from the couple of years behind some ideas when we started working on this album with the guys. Like I said, even back 15 years some ideas that developed into songs or got parts in songs. It's all kinds of stuff. Of course, I've been writing a lot for TAROT and quite a few pieces of music and some lyrical stuff with NIGHTWISH, too, but these things were kind of more personal. Like I said, this album — people think of heavy metal immediately when they see me, but I figured the right term for this album would be 'hard prog.' There's some very metallic elements, but there's also a lot of acoustic and atmospheric stuff that I've been writing a lot of. It's a wide variety of items, musically."


Regarding whether he enjoyed being able to do what he wanted with his solo album versus writing for TAROT or even NIGHTWISH, Marco said: "In a way, you don't have to justify your songs to a band who already has its own line and vision and all that. Then again, also being responsible for everything that is written, is also a heavy thing. I'm really happy the guys, Tuomas [Wäinölä, guitar] and Vili [Ollila, keyboards] really got into the music that much themselves. They really worked on doing the arranging. For instance, all the string quartet arrangements, they wrote them down on paper and gave them to the players when we were recording that. I don't know…in this case, the pressure and the responsibility have been greater because you're in the line yourself even though you have friends helping you. But the responsibility is heavier, therefore the pressure, also. In NIGHTWISH or TAROT, NIGHTWISH, especially since Tuomas [Holopainen] writes almost everything, it's kind of easier not to carry that much responsibility."


On the topic of when he decided now was a good time to release a solo album, Marco said: "It was when we had the sabbatical with NIGHTWISH that I figured it's time to ask the guys if they want to start working with me. We started, but then, of course, we originally planned for the release for the year and it didn't happen. Just way too much with everyone. So, then it took this much time to kind of finish, then I already did last year in between and recording some stuff here and there, some demo things and obscure German backstages with some vocals being sent over to Finland: 'What do you guys think of this?'"


Asked if it was important for "Mustan Sydämen Rovio" to reflect him properly as a solo artist, Marco said: "As a matter of fact, it doesn't have that kind of ego-based thinking at all. Of course, it might present me and I'm writing the whole thing in Finnish and in English. It's not something many people have done. I just had an ambitious plan for it and I started to realize it. Of course, if it gets me some respect and liking, I don't mind it, but I've been in the business for quite a while to know not to be dependent on what the world thinks of me."

"Mustan Sydämen Rovio" track listing:

01. Kiviä (05:14)

02. Isäni Ääni

(04:37)

03. Tähti, Hiekka Ja Varjo (05:01)

04. Kuolleiden Jumalten Poika (04:42)

05. Laulu Sinulle (07:09)

06. Minä Olen Tie (05:05)

07. Juoksen Rautateitä (03:50)

08. Vapauden Kuolinmarssi (05:02)

09. Unelmoin Öisin (05:38)

10. Totuus Vapauttaa (05:43)

Fan-filmed video footage of SLAYER's May 14 concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Repentless

02. Evil Has No Boundaries

03. World Painted Blood

04. Postmortem

05. Hate Worldwide

06. War Ensemble

07. Gemini

08. Disciple

09. Mandatory Suicide

10. Chemical Warfare

11. Payback

12. Temptation

13. Born Of Fire

14. Seasons In The Abyss

15. Hell Awaits

16. South Of Heaven

17. Raining Blood

18. Black Magic

19. Dead Skin Mask

20. Angel Of Death

On May 2, SLAYER kicked off Leg Five: North America of its final world tour to say goodbye and thank the fans for more than three decades of great times. LAMB OF GOD, AMON AMARTH and CANNIBAL CORPSE are providing support on all of these 16 dates. Leg Six will see SLAYER saying farewell to its fans for the last time across Europe, from early June to early August.

SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: "At 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. [Laughs] This is a career move." He continued: "I'm grateful that we've been around for 35 years; that's a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you're young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we're at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn't able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they're both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that." Araya added: "Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time."

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: "There's things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can't headbang anymore. And that was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I'm grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that's changed a little for me."

SLAYER has been touring in support of its latest album, "Repentless", which was released in September 2015 via Nuclear Blast. That effort marked the band's first release since the death of SLAYER's co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman.

Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, in January 2011 from a spider bite in his backyard. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman eventually died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was effectively fired from the band after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of SLAYER. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band.

The official music video for the song "Ögoblick Av Nåd" from Swedish melodic death/doom metallers OCTOBER TIDE, featuring ex-KATATONIA members Fredrik and Mattias Norrman, can be seen below. The track is taken from OCTOBER TIDE's sixth studio album, "In Splendor Below", which will be released on May 17 via Agonia Records. The follow-up to 2016's "Winged Waltz" was mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén at Tri-Lamd studios (BLOODBATH, KATATONIA, BREACH, CRAFT). It was produced by Alexander Backlund from Nailvillage Studio (THENIGHTTIMEPROJECT, LETTERS FROM COLONY) and OCTOBER TIDE. Tomarum av Christine Linde created the cover artwork.

With a history tracing back to the epicenter of melodic death metal in Sweden, OCTOBER TIDE has come a long way and has generated a spark that is strongly felt in the energy of the scene. "In Splendor Below" is the latest addition to the band's vibrant discography of guitar-driven, emotive death/doom metal art. It packs some of the most authentic and unique compositions from the capable hands of founding member and longtime KATATONIA guitarist Fredrik Norrman, his brother and guitarist Mattias Norrman (ex-KATATONIA), vocalist Alexander Högbom (DEMONICAL), bassist Johan Jönsegård (LETTERS FROM THE COLONY) and drummer Jonas Sköld (LETTERS FROM THE COLONY, THENIGHTTIMEPROJECT). While Fredrik prefers for the music to speak for itself, he finds the new album "a bit more aggressive, a bit more death metal, and with an overall colder feeling than previous records."

The band is planning a tour in support of the new album in November and December of 2019. In the meantime, they will perform at In The Grip Of Winter Festival (NL), Exit Festival (SRB) and MetalDays Festival (SI).

"In Splendor Below" track listing:

01. I, The Polluter

02. We Died In October

03. Ögoblick Av Nåd

04. Stars Starve Me

05. Our Famine

06. Guide My Pulse

07. Seconds

08. Envy Of The Moon

OCTOBER TIDE is:

Alexander Högbom - vocals

Fredrik Norrman - guitar

Jonas Sköld - drums

Johan Jönsegård - bass

Mattias Norrman - guitar

According to CBS 5, three men have been arrested for allegedly stealing guitars from LAMB OF GOD while the band was in Phoenix earlier this month.

The three guitars were stolen from the group's trailer on Thursday, May 2, between midnight and 4:30 a.m., according to Sgt. Vince Lewis of the Phoenix Police Department. LAMB OF GOD was in town to perform at Phoenix's Ak-Chin Pavilion as the support act for SLAYER.

Lewis said: "Someone entered the trailer where musical equipment belonging to a band was being held and removed three unique and valuable guitars. Phoenix Police detectives located one of the guitars for sale on an online app. Another suspect attempted to pawn one of the guitars, but was turned away. Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified and located three suspects."

62-year-old William Widener and 51-year-old Michael Blakeslee were arrested on Wednesday, May 8 in Mesa. 34-year-old Justin Petersen was arrested the following day. All three were booked on theft and trafficking in stolen property charges.

"All three guitars are still outstanding and this portion of the investigation is ongoing," Lewis said.

On May 5, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler's "Warbird" guitar had reportedly been offered up on OfferUp by someone calling themselves "Clash With." After exchanging a few notes with a potential buyer, the seller changed his profile photo and was no longer responding to inquiries. OfferUp lets users buy and sell directly without giving out their personal information.

Last week, Live Nation Entertainment, owner of Phoenix's Ak-Chin Pavilion, put out a message via marketing director Danielle Engel that the venue was "cooperating fully with local law enforcement."

LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe weighed in on the suspected thieves in the comments sections below HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta's Instagram post about the arrests. He wrote: "Well, I must say that their, ahem, 'aesthetic' doesn't really surprise me- just kinda makes me sad. But on the 100% serious tip- these men are innocent until proven guilty, & I hope they are given due process and a fair trial. Then, whatever happens after, I hope they get some help. That one Alfalfa looking dude needs a sandwich, about a week's worth of sleep, and a multivitamin. Jesus. #drugskill #dontdodrugskids"

LAMB OF GOD's current North American tour with SLAYER kicked off in Phoenix and will culminate at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts on May 25.

Police booking photos courtesy of Maricopa County Sheriff's Office




It’s sad to see America’s young people so full of promise get mixed up with the law like this. ?‍♂️ https://t.co/F1R5PFALbJ— Joe Bonamassa (Official) (@JBONAMASSA) May 15, 2019

SHINEDOWN has released the official music video for the stunning new piano version of its anthemic single "Get Up", which has become a crossover hit and is about to break into the Top 30 at Hot AC after spending several weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The new stripped-down version, propelled by the undeniable power of frontman Brent Smith's voice, shines a light on the song's urgent and universal message of hope, empathy and encouragement in the face of struggle.


Reaching far beyond any genre or label, "Get Up" quickly became a beacon of light for listeners around the globe, connecting with both those going through hardships of all types and those supporting loved ones who may be struggling. Speaking to the human spirit in a time of need, "Get Up" was born from a very personal and vulnerable place, inspired by Brent watching his friend, SHINEDOWN bassist Eric Bass, deal with clinical depression.

The song has racked up more than 38 million streams, landed the band on "Live With Kelly And Ryan", and was heard during the Walter Payton Award during the Super Bowl pregame show, among other television spots. Garnering praise fromthe likes of Huffington Post, Salon, Rolling Stone, Consequence Of Sound, Buzzfeed, Parade, Grammy.com, No Depression and more with key playlisting on Spotify and Apple Music, "Get Up" broke a new record for SHINEDOWN, giving the band the most Rock Airplay Top 10s ever and their 13th No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart (the second most in the history of the chart, tied with VAN HALEN).

SHINEDOWN's "Attention Attention" world tour has been selling out arenas and receiving rave reviews, backed by the band's biggest, most eye-popping production yet. On June 21, SHINEDOWN kicks off a summer headlining run with support from BADFLOWER, DINOSAUR PILE-UP and BROKEN HANDS on coast-to-coast dates produced by Live Nation, and will headline WNOR Lunatic Luau 2019 on May 17 in Virginia Beach, Virginia; MMRBQ on May 18 in Camden, New Jersey; Rocklahoma on May 24 in Pryor, Oklahoma; Inkarceration Festival on July 12 in Mansfield, Ohio; and Riff Fest on July 13 in Detroit, Michigan.

SHINEDOWN has announced new fall tour dates, produced by Frank Productions, beginning September 17 through October 19. PAPA ROACH, ASKING ALEXANDRIA and SAVAGE AFTER MIDNIGHT will support on select dates.

Photo credit: Sanjay Parikh

"Throw Me An Anchor", the new single from BARONESS, can be streamed below. The song is taken from the band's fifth album, "Gold & Grey", which will be released on June 14 via Abraxan Hymns. The bulk of the disc was recorded at producer Dave Fridmann's (THE FLAMING LIPS, MOGWAI) upstate New York Tarbox Road Studio.

"The term I kept using was that I wanted to create something that was more kaleidoscopic than our former records," says guitarist/vocalist John 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."

BARONESS recently announced a five-week U.S. "Grey & Gold Tour", kicking off on July 11. A European tour with VOLBEAT will follow in the fall.

BARONESS released its Grammy-nominated fourth album, "Purple", in 2015.

The band is Baizley, Gina Gleason (guitar), Nick Jost (bass) and Sebastian Thomson (drums).

Photo credit: Pam Strohm

The official music video for the song "King Of Fools" from HEAVY AS TEXAS, the aggressive metal project featuring acclaimed guitarist Marzi Montazeri and vocalist Kyle Thomas — otherwise recognized as members of Louisiana-based metal pioneers EXHORDER — can be seen below. The track is taken from HEAVY AS TEXAS's self-titled album, which was released on April 19 via Crunchy Western Records.

Montazeri says about the track: "In 'King Of Fools', we find the reigning despot accompanied by mirth and sensuality even though his march finds him in the complete wreckage of his metaphorical kingdom. His once powerful domain is now a crumbling shadow, his rule now over no one but his diminished acolytes. Truly, he is a King of Fools as he fades away from us to face the inevitable nothingness of his being."

Adds Thomas: "Although I always feel lyrical meaning is subjective, we all fear being taken advantage of and made to look like a fool. This song captures the insecurity of what it's like to be greatly valued or admired in public, but thieves and detractors have their way behind the scenes. Sometimes only his queen can make the king feel safe."

For the album, HEAVY AS TEXAS tapped renowned drummer Anup Sastry (Marty Friedman, Jeff Loomis, SKYHARBOR) and notable engineer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Collier (KORN, PRONG, WINDS OF PLAGUE) on bass. Currently, the Houston, Texas-based band's lineup is rounded out by full time members Lenwood Sonnier on bass, and James Goetz on drums.


The HEAVY AS TEXAS album was produced by Montazeri, with mix and mastering duties by Collier.


Montazeri says: "I started this project simply because I wanted to perform new music but wasn't able to sing and play complex rhythms at the same time. So I thought, I'll stick to my strengths — the guitar and writing songs! I brought in a vocalist that would fit it perfectly — the one and only Kyle Thomas! As soon as Kyle joined, everything musically fell into place."


Heavy metal fans may also recognize Montazeri for his contributions to various projects featuring Philip Anselmo throughout the years, as well as his performances with the annual "Randy Rhoads Remembered" events at NAMM. Vocalist Kyle Thomas is also recognized for his time with TROUBLE and ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY.


"Heavy As Texas" track listing:

01. To Keep a Promise

02. It's On

03. Death of a Prodigy

04. Blind

05. Reality Check

06. King of Fools

07. From This Day On

08. Love Gets Us All