Swedish heavy metal heroes, Sabaton, have announced a "History Channel Edition" of their upcoming album, The Great War.

Says the band: "In honour of our highly valued Patreon Supporters, we have created a special version of the upcoming Sabaton album, The Great War, and called it the 'History Channel Edition'. In this video, Joakim and Indy walk you through the contents of this edition, which is exclusively available to anyone who supports us on Patreon as a Sabaton Hussar tier or higher."

Sabaton recently launched the pre-order for their new studio album, out this summer. This ninth full-length record, The Great War, which will see the light of day right in time for the band's 20th anniversary, will be a concept album based on events during the First World War.

The Great War will be available in different formats:

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

The Great War tracklisting:

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

"Bismarck" video:

"Bismarck" video "making of" footage:

Artwork trailer:

Sabaton will make their triumphant return to North American this fall for The Great Tour. The headline excursion will feature support from special guest Hammerfall, and will begin in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on October 4 and will end in Silver Spring, MD on November 3. General ticket on-sale will begin May 3.

Says Sabaton: “North America, prepare for a Swedish invasion! We will reach your shores in early October with our new album The Great War, a bigger production than before & the templars of steel in Hammerfall as special guests! Get ready for a damn good dose of Swedish heavy metal!”

Sabaton's trek to North America coincides with the band’s upcoming 20th Anniversary and their highly-anticipated ninth full-length record, The Great War, which will be released on July 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. Keeping with their tradition of metallic battle hymns about the feats of man in wartime, the new record will be a concept album dedicated entirely to the World War I.

Tour dates:

October
4 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
5 - Tampa, FL - Jannus Landing
6 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
8 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
11 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
12 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency
14 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
15 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
16 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theater
18 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
19 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theater
21 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
23 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theater
25 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
26 - Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre
27 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Ballroom
29 - Toronto, on - The Danforth Music Hall
30 - Montreal, QC - M Telus

November
1 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
2 - New York, NY - PlayStation Theater
3 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore




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MetallicaTV has uploaded footage of Metallica performing the ...And Justice For All album track, "Harvester Of Sorrow", at Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal on February 1. Watch below:

Metallica recently announced the second annual All Within My Hands Day Of Service with message below.

"Last year over 1,000 of you participated in our first Day Of Service by volunteering at your local food banks. Thanks to all of you, hundreds of thousands of pounds of food was packed and distributed to those in need... way to make a difference in your communities! We’re thrilled to be back with the details of our second annual Day Of Service on Wednesday, May 22nd as we once again invite Metallica fans across the U.S. to join us in volunteering for a day with our friends at the community food banks we supported during our recent North American tours.

"In cooperation with Feeding America we’ve been proud to make contributions to their local partners in each city we performed in during the ’17, ’18, and ’19 WorldWired Tour dates and we’re asking you to give a few hours of your time on May 22nd supporting the fight against hunger in your neighborhoods. Check the list below to see the participating food banks and for more information about how to sign up to pitch in that day. Over 50 food banks will be partaking in the activities this year, more than twice as many as last year! Each registered volunteer on May 22nd will receive a special All Within My Hands t-shirt commemorating our united day of service and a special thanks goes out to our friends at Salesforce for helping to make that happen. Please note that space is limited and you must register; unfortunately we will not be able to accept walk-ins.

"If you do not live near one of the food banks listed on the site or you are unavailable on this day, we encourage you to visit FeedingAmerica.org to find a food bank in your community. We’re so inspired by the work that all of these amazing people do day in and day out that we hope you’ll join us to give them a hand whenever you can.

"Thank you for supporting All Within My Hands and the local organizations we’ve been honored to assist. See you on May 22nd and make sure to use the #MetallicaGivesBack and #AWMH hashtags for a chance to be featured on Metallica.com.

"Please register with one of the food banks listed here; unfortunately, they will not be able to accept anyone who is not registered and confirmed. Space is limited for all volunteer shifts."




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Michael Schenker has commented on the passing of Paul Raymond. The UFO guitarist/keyboard player died on April 13 after suffering a heart attack. He was 73 years old.

Schenker, who first joined UFO in 1973 and last played with the band in 2003, spoke about Raymond's death during a brand new interview with the "Talking Metal" podcast. Asked if he had been in contact with Raymond in recent years, the legendary German guitarist said (hear audio below): "Well, UFO has been doing their own thing for quite a while now. And once in a while, I helped Paul out. He came and jammed with us quite a few years ago. I think I hadn't seen him, really, for, like, six years or something like that. But I knew he was living in Germany, which was a surprise. But we lost [MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP drummer] Ted [McKenna] on the 19th of January, and then on the 13th [of April], in the morning, I get a message that Paul Raymond passed away. You don't really know who is next, and it's often people you don't think. And then there was Elliott [Rubinson] from Dean Guitars, who looked so healthy and was really fit, and then he died out of the blue [in February 2017]. And so it's crazy. But I guess as soon as you're born, you're subject to death, and that's a part of life. I just say to myself that they are going beyond where we are gonna be following. We're gonna meet them later."

Raymond was recruited by UFO in 1976 to replace the band's first keyboardist, Danny Peyronel. When Michael Schenker left UFO, Raymond joined Schenker's MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and later hooked up with Pete Way in WAYSTED.

Raymond appeared on more than a dozen of UFO's albums, including "Lights Out" and the live classic "Strangers In The Night".

MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST's 2018 debut album, "Resurrection", reunited Schenker with former MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) vocalists Gary Barden and Graham Bonnet, plus Robin McAuley of the MCAULEY-SCHENKER GROUP, as well as Doogie White of Schenker's TEMPLE OF ROCK. A follow-up album titled "Revelation" is due on August 23 through Nuclear Blast.

MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST kicked off a new North American tour leg earlier in the month at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood. The run continues through May 18 in Austin, Texas. Joining Michael for this leg of dates are Barden, Bonnet, McAuley and White, Chris Glen (bass) and Steve Mann (guitar/keyboards) and former MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP drummer Bodo Schopf.

HELIX drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz will rejoin his bandmates for their upcoming Canadian shows in early June. The concerts will mark his first appearances with the group since he sustained serious injuries in a November 2018 fall.

Earlier today, HELIX singer Brian Vollmer issued the following update on Hinz's condition: "I just got off the phone with Fritz and here's the scoop! He is progressing well in his recovery and we are expecting him to be back in the saddle in June. Fritz and [his girlfriend] Tracey would like to thank you all for you love, support and donations through this difficult time. YOU ROCK."

Fritz was injured after going out to the front of his home to fix some shingles on the roof. When his girlfriend's sister went out to check on him, he was laying on the front lawn, having fallen from the roof. He had a seizure on the front lawn and then another on the way to the hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

A GoFundMe page has been launched by to help relieve the stress of having to pay Fritz's bills.

Hinz joined HELIX in 1982 and stayed in the band until 1996, before returning to the group 13 years later.

HELIX's latest studio album, "Bastard Of The Blues", came out in 2014.

Bands mixing subgenres in underground metal often do so with mixed and inconsistent results. Not so with Chicago's Immortal Bird who wield their eclectic savagery with meticulous cohesion and sharpened ferocity. Returning with Thrive On Neglect, the band's second LP, and first for 20 Buck Spin, Immortal Bird takes the perilous road of musical diversity and command it with a bloodthirsty rage. First single, “Anger Breeds Contempt”, is streaming below.

With a multi-layered sound running the gamut from pummeling grind and death metal to dissonant blackened metal, angular noise, and complex hardcore, Immortal Bird defy simple categorization. The band's compositions fuse into strikingly savage songs, vast in their scope and more than the sum of their disparate parts, merging the progressive and destructive into a maelstrom of raging fire. Rae Amitay's seething vocal exorcisms and targeted lyrical aggression provide the connective tissue holding the stylized violence together. 

Aided and abetted by the incomparable Dave Otero (Archspire, Cattle Decapitation, Khemmis) Thrive On Neglect features a punishingly heavy production ideally suited for Immortal Bird's tumultuous arrangements and orchestrated chaos. Nearly four years in the making, Thrive On Neglect is a blistering statement of intent from a band ascending into full bloom. 

Immortal Bird's Thrive On Neglect will see release on CD, LP, and digital formats. Physical preorders available soon.

Tracklisting:

“Anger Breeds Contempt”
“House Of Anhedonia”
“Vestigal Warnings”
“Avolition”
“Solace In Dead Structures”
“Quisquillian Company”
“Stumbling Towards Catharsis”

“Anger Breeds Contempt”:

Immortal Bird will take to the streets on near-two-week US tour next month that includes an appearance at Northwest Terror Fest as well as performances with Gadget and Cloud Rat on select shows.

Immortal Bird tour dates are as follows:

May
24 - Denver, CO - Syntax*
25 - Colorado Springs, CO - Triple Nickel*
27 - Tempe, AZ - Yucca Tap Room*
28 - Los Angeles, CA - Catch One
29 - Sacramento, CA - Blue Lamp
30 - Oakland, CA - Elbo Room JL*
31 - Eugene, OR - Old Nick's

June
1 - Seattle, WA - Northwest Terror Fest
2 - Portland, OR - High Water Mark
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
6 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar

* w/ Gadget & Cloud Rat




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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.

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. Preorders 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 Horse And Sparrow Theory” video:




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The phrases “melodic” and “death metal” don’t necessarily go hand in hand, but Fragmentum are one of the few bands that take the unique approach of combining both factions together - as heard throughout their debut album, Pugnacity,’which will be released on May 10 via Into Records. Pre-order here.

The band - which is led by band members Jan Bruggeman and Gunnar Nopens - hails from Belgium, and was originally formed in 2015. Connected in previous metal projects Mental Shadow, Octahedron and Bellator they now fully represent Fragmentum, a musical, graphical and philosophical synergy.

As the group explains, “We have this ‘special bond’, being able to be straight forward to each other makes it easy to take decisions, not only about music.”

Gunnar is resolute in his rhythm guitar playing, vocals, composing songs, web site development and programming, as Jan takes up the lead guitar, grunt vocals, songwriting and design. This alliance of musical creativity resulted in an EP, D!verge, containing three agitating songs with rousing melodies and a diverging Daft Punk cover.

“Our song ‘Losing The Balance’ is about losing faith in someone or a situation where you lose confidence it will end in a positive way. As a result of that you doubt about yourself, of what you see, what you feel or even what you think. The (second) chorus reveals the possible cause for the awkward situation you’re in. First you realise your own conscience isn’t clean, so this could be kind of revenge, but who’s that vicious tongue?”

“Pugnacity is more like the inner struggle people sometimes have to deal with, than to be aggressive in a physical way. More specific, it’s the unexpected reaction you have to unexpected situations you don’t even know you are able to conjure up. It’s unpredictable. Beside this ‘struggling’ I also like to write about the natural instinct to survive. To write lyrics for a song I imagine dismal circumstances where we as humans need to find a way out.”

In December 2018, Herwig, being part of the Bellator-project with Gunnar, joined the band on keyboards, and in February 2019 Frederik enforced the band on drums for a more decisive live performance.

Fragmentum have in recent weeks completed an incredible tour throughout the US with Finnish death metal legends Children Of Bodom. This was Fragmentum’s debut US tour which received rave response and reviews from industry, fans and the whole touring team - setting the stage perfectly for the arrival of their debut full-length almost exactly one month later.

Tracklisting:

"Losing The Balance"
"Pugnacity"
"Attuning Life"
"Solemn Affliction"
"Undo My Crown"
"Abolished"
"Tremendously"
"Slippin' Away"
"Reckless"
"Rescinded By Mistake"
"Entangled By Pain"




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According to SurreyLive, DEEP PURPLE's former accountant was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for stealing £2.2 million (approximately $2.87 million) from two companies that managed the band's royalties.

Dipak Rao, who worked for the band between 1992 and 2014, diverted large sums of money from from the accounts of Deep Purple Overseas Ltd and HEC Enterprises Ltd into his personal accounts. He covered his tracks by excluding them from the financial accounts and restricting access to the companies' bank statements. He then invested the cash into a number of money-making schemes, all of which later turned out to be scams and resulted in Rao losing the money.

Deep Purple Overseas Ltd and HEC Enterprises Ltd were established in the 1970s to manage the copyright of the PURPLE songs, but also became responsible for the rights of RAINBOW and WHITESNAKE, bands formed by former DEEP PURPLE members Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale.

Rao's scheme reportedly came to light when Blackmore launched a lawsuit against the group's management companies in 2016, demanding £750,000 in unpaid royalties.

Rao was later sued by DEEP PURPLE members Ian Gillan, Ian Paice and Roger Glover for the return of up to £4 million in royalties.

Sepultura were banned from entering Lebanon earlier this month, after they were accused of being "devil worshippers", according to organizers, forcing them to cancel a planned gig in Beirut's Hamra district on Sunday (April 28).

Lebanon's General Security denied the group artist visas and "banned" them from entering the country, according to a statement made by Skull Session, a regular organizer of metal events in Beirut who had organized for the band to come to Lebanon. "We are as outraged and angry as all of you will be," read the statement.

Skull Session told The New Arab that they had not been allowed to see the group's "ban order" but had been given information by officers who had seen the document. "Basically what we learned is that they are considered devil worshipers, that they have disrespected Christianity, and that they have performed in Israel," Skull Session said. "All of which are of course not true."

Sepultura have since taken to social media with the following statement:

"On behalf of Sepultura and staff, we would like to express to our public in Beirut our deep dissatisfaction with the situation to which we were submitted by the general security office which resulted in the cancellation of our show that would take place Sunday, April 28th at The Palace.

"In 35 years of history, it was the first time we had our entry blocked in a country by a false interpretation of our purposes and values since our intention has always been to promote unity and freedom of expression through music, without making any political, racial or religious distinction.

"To try to compensate everyone who, like us, are frustrated with what happened, we would like to invite you to watch the live broadcast of our upcoming Dubai concert on May 2 in honor of all Sepultura Lebanese fans who could not watch us in person.

Live Streaming Information:

Link: YouTube.com/Sepultura
Date: May 2, 2019
Time: Lebanon - 22:00, Europe - 21:00, Brasil - 16:00, USA 3 PM, ET

"We’d like to thank Skull Session, Sepulnation around the world, all media that has published anything related to this subject, and Embassy of Brazil in Beirut for all the support." - Andreas, Paulo, Derrick, Eloy and the Sepultura team




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The family of Phil McCormack, the frontman for rock band MOLLY HATCHET, has called him "a multi-layered person" who "left us too soon."

Phil died Friday night (April 26), according to close friends and bandmates. No cause of death has been revealed. He was 58 years old.

On Sunday, Phil's siblings Dan McCormack, Kathi McCormack, Pat McCormack and Barry McCormack issued the following statement regarding his passing:

"The McCormack family wishes to share the news of Phil's death with the MOLLY HATCHET family.

"Phil has been a member of MOLLY HATCHET for more than 20 years, having performed in exotic locations such as Dubai, Munich, Sturgis, Okinawa, as well as smaller stages. Wherever he performed he gave his all.

"Phil loved his audiences and they loved him. MOLLY HATCHET fans know how much time Phil spent with them before and after each show. He loved meeting people and sharing time with them.

"Being on stage was where Phil felt at home. He connected with his audiences, fully tuned into the moment he was sharing with them. He was living his dream, a dream he never took for granted.

"Phil was amazed at how many loyal fans he saw year after year. That meant a lot to him. You meant a lot to him. Beyond the stage, he was a multi-layered person — free spirit, high-octane social presence, nonstop jokester, kind person who made time for others, self-destructive tendencies but a generous spirit… he was an open book. What you see is what you get.

"He left us too soon, but his legacy lives on in his music, his friends, his fans and the friends he didn't get the chance to meet.

"As Phil's siblings, we have loved the journey we've shared as a family. Seeing Phil live his dream has been a blessing for us. We already feel the loss and will miss him every day.

"We also thank the MOLLY HATCHET family — the bandmembers, the crew and especially the fans — for being such a big part of his life. You brought so much joy to Phil. Words cannot express our appreciation.

"Life goes on. Phil's legacy goes on as well through his music, his loved ones, the moments he shared and thee friends that he made."

McCormack officially joined the band in 1996 but stood in for the late and former MOLLY HATCHET frontman Danny Joe Brown many years prior.

Formed in 1975 in Jacksonville, Florida, MOLLY HATCHET has released a dozen studio albums — 2010's "Justice" being the latest — plus several other live and greatest-hits compilations.

Known for hits "Flirtin' With Disaster", "Whiskey Man" and "Gator Country", the band has undergone numerous changes in its nearly four-and-a-half-decade history, including a brief split in the early 1990s. In recent years, fans have mourned the loss of several former bandmembers, including frontman Danny Joe Brown, who died in 2005; original guitarist Duane Roland in 2006; original drummer Bruce Crump in 2015; bassist Banner Thomas in April 2017, original guitarist Dave Hlubek in 2017; and frontman Jimmy Farrar in October 2018.

MOLLY HATCHET released its debut album on Epic Records in 1978, shooting to the top of the charts. "Flirtin' With Disaster" followed, and the title track became a legendary hit for the band.

The most recent lineup of MOLLY HATCHET consisted of McCormack, guitarist Bobby Ingram, keyboardist John Galvin, bassist Tim Lindsey, and drummer Shawn Beamer.


(April 28, 2019), XENIA, OHIO -

The McCormack family wishes to share the news of Phil’s death with the Molly Hatchet...Posted by Official Molly Hatchet on Sunday, April 28, 2019

Phil McCormack, the frontman for rock band MOLLY HATCHET, has died, according to multiple sources. No official cause of death has yet been revealed, but the 102.7 WSNR radio station has reported that it "looks like a heart attack." He was 58 years old.

McCormack officially joined the band in 1996 but stood in for the late and former MOLLY HATCHET frontman Danny Joe Brown many years prior.

Formed in 1975 in Jacksonville, Florida, MOLLY HATCHET has released a dozen studio albums — 2010's "Justice" being the latest — plus several other live and greatest-hits compilations.

Known for hits "Flirtin' With Disaster", "Whiskey Man" and "Gator Country", the band has undergone numerous changes in its nearly four-and-a-half-decade history, including a brief split in the early 1990s. In recent years, fans have mourned the loss of several former bandmembers, including frontman Danny Joe Brown, who died in 2005; original guitarist Duane Roland in 2006; original drummer Bruce Crump in 2015; bassist Banner Thomas in April 2017, original guitarist Dave Hlubek in 2017; and frontman Jimmy Farrar in October 2018.

MOLLY HATCHET released its debut album on Epic Records in 1978, shooting to the top of the charts. "Flirtin' With Disaster" followed, and the title track became a legendary hit for the band.

The most recent lineup of MOLLY HATCHET consisted of McCormack, guitarist Bobby Ingram, keyboardist John Galvin, bassist Tim Lindsey, and drummer Shawn Beamer.


We are all very saddened to hear of the passing of Phil McCormack of Molly Hatchet. Our thoughts are with his family, bandmembers and friends at this sad time.Posted by Foghat on Saturday, April 27, 2019


RIP to Official Molly Hatchet singer and harmonica frontman Phil McCormack. We have had so many years of sharing stages,...Posted by BLACKFOOT on Saturday, April 27, 2019


Gang, I was told last night by a friend whose name I won't mention that another friend of mine has passed away. No one...Posted by Rickie Lee Reynolds on Saturday, April 27, 2019


Sad News today....

R.I.P. Phil McCormack of Molly Hatchet. the Roadducks, and Jazzbo McMann

I met Phil as a teenager...Posted by Tommy Roxx Douthat on Friday, April 26, 2019


Rest In Peace Phil McCormack. Phil was the lead singer and harmonica player of Molly Hatchet since 1996. Phil was a...Posted by Blue Raven Entertainment on Saturday, April 27, 2019

Italian orchestral-death metal and renaissance revivalists, Fleshgod Apocalypse, will release their new studio album, Veleno, on May 24 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band have released this official live video for the song "Healing Through War", taken from the An Evening In Perugia Blu-ray, included with the CD digipak edition of Veleno.

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:

Trailer:

(Photo - Dave Tavanti)




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Brazilian band Shadowside has released a lyric video for the song "The Fall", opening track for their fourth studio album Shades Of Humanity.

The lyric video of "The Fall" was produced by Tiago Lima and features images of the band's latest American tour, in 2018 alongside Canadian legendary act Anvil. The quartet formed by Dani Nolden (vocals), Magnus Rosén (bass), Raphael Mattos (guitars) and Fabio Buitvidas (drums) went on their longest ever North American run and played 29 shows in 20 states in 46 days.

The band is currently working on new material and will soon announce July tour dates in Brazil.




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The Missouri-based extreme black/death group Nevalra – who will support Carach Angren on a six-week European summer tour that kicks off on June 9th – has unveiled the first official taste of their forthcoming full-length debut, Conjure The Storm. Check out a lyric video for the song “...Of Ruination,” which was designed by Rafael Ortega of Ecliptic Visions, below.

"Nevalra is very pleased to release our first new single from the upcoming album Conjure The Storm. ‘...Of Ruination’ was chosen as the first single because we wanted to give the fans a glimpse into what to expect from the new era of Nevalra,” explains singer/guitarist Scott Eames.  "...Of Ruination" does that perfectly. The new lyric video shows the level of aggression and devastation the band is ready to bring to listeners. Both in music and in imagery. Nevalra has many tours set to reach all corners of the world, and we're out for blood. So the stage has been set. Just as the new single "...Of Ruination" utters, “No better time than now."

Conjure The Storm – which was mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano (Asphyx, Incantation, Marduk) – is the follow-up to Nevalra's debut 2015 EP, The Black Flame. Check out a short teaser:

The cover art for Conjure The Storm was designed by Seth Siro Anton of Septicflesh, who has previously collaborated with the likes of Decapitated, Belphegor and Nile. The artwork for the CD and digital versions of the album will differ slightly from the art for the limited-edition vinyl release. Pre-orders are available here. More information about the album will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Nevalra on tour with Carach Angren, Wolfheart, Thy Antichrist:

For further details, visit Nevalra on Facebook.

 




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Witness Cellar Darling's haunting progressive concept album The Spell live on the Swiss release shows, in Europe with Katatonia and in South America. More dates to be announced soon..

Cellar Darling’s concept album, The Spell, saw the light of day on March 22nd and immediately catapulted the Swiss trio into ‘album of the year’ candidate territory. Now they are bringing this tale of a girl who falls in love with death on tour. Unmissable shows carried by Ivo Henzi’s groovy riffs, the energy of Merlin Sutter’s powerhouse drumming, and the unforgettable voice of Anna Murphy who takes you through enormous highs and deepest lows as she sings the chapters of The Spell. Experience the new tracks as well as your favorites from the debut album This Is The Sound live.

Watch the exclusive clip of "Death" from the London YouTube studio:

Order The Spell as a 2 CD-digibook (featuring 13 songs + an audiobook of Anna Murphy telling the story behind the concept), black vinyl or digitally at this location.

"Freeze" video:

"Drown" video:

"Death" video:

"The Spell" video:

"Insomnia" video:

Tour dates:

May
2- Winterthur, Switzerland - Salzhaus
4 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kulturfabrik Kofmehl

June
13 - Interlaken, Switzerland - Greenfield Festival




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Rotting Christ released their new album, The Heretics, back in February via Season Of Mist. The band have released this animated video for the album track, "The New Messiah":

The Heretics was recorded by Rotting Christ guitarist George Emmanuel at his studio Pentagram and mixed by Jens Borgen (Amon Amarth, At The Gates, Arch Enemy).

Tracklisting:

"In The Name Of God"
"Vetry Zlye"
"Heaven And Hell And Fire"
"Hallowed Be Thy Name"
"Dies Irae"
"I Believe"
"Fire, God And Fear"
"The Voice Of The Universe"
"The New Messiah"
"The Raven"
"The Sons Of Hell" (bonus track)

"Hallowed Be Thy Name" video:

"In The Name Of God" animated video:

"I Believe" lyric video:

"The Voice Of The Universe" featuring Ashmedi:

"Dies Irae" lyric video:

"The Sons Of Hell" lyric video:

"Heaven And Hell And Fire" lyric video:

"Fire, God And Fear" lyric video:

Deluxe CD box unboxing:

Rotting Christ 2019 tour dates:

May
11 - Vienna Metal Meeting - Vienna, Austria

June
21 - Road Patrol Bikers Festival - Timisoara, Romania
23 - Kilkim Zaibu - Varniai, Lithuania

July
6 - Chania Rock Fest - Chania, Greece
27 - Uwolnic Muzyke Festival - Sroda Slaska, Poland

August
8 - Bloodstock Open Air - Derbyshire, UK
10 - Brutal Assault Festival - Jaromer, Czech Republic
11 - Alcatraz Metal Fest - Kortrijk, Belgium




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Brothers Of Metal, one of Scandinavia’s most promising new bands, have released a music video for "The Mead Song", a track from their debut album, out now via AFM Records. Watch the clip below, and order the album here.

The 8-piece, hailing from Falun, Sweden consists of three vocalists (two male, one female), three guitar players, a bass player and a drummer. Their sound: A thunderous, catchy mixture of power metal, irresistible melodies, heavy riffs and some folkish elements; or as they used to call it - “True Heavy Metal”.

The band comments: “Wimps and posers beware, for true metal is here. Brothers and sisters you fear - for true warriors are everywhere. Be you tiny and frail or large as the giants, be you faint of heart or brave in soul. Be your spirits light and swift, or dark as the night, fear not, for together we will conquer all… together we fight - together we rise - we ride into battle and into the night!”

Tracklisting:

"Death Of The God Of Light"
"Son Of Odin"
"Prophecy Of Ragnarök"
"Defenders Of Valhalla"
"Concerning Norns" (Digipak & Vinyl only)
"Yggdrasil"
"Tyr"
"Siblings Of Metal"
"Gods Of War"
"Freya"
"The Mead Song" (Digipak & Vinyl only)
"Sleipnir" (Digipak & Vinyl only)
"Fire, Blood And Steel"
"We Believe In Metal" (Digipak & Vinyl only)

"The Mead Song" video:

"Fire, Blood And Steel" 360° video:

"Yggdrasil" video:

"Prophecy Of Ragnarök" video:

"Prophecy Of Ragnarök" lyric video:

Lineup:

Ylva Eriksson - Voice of the Valkyries
Joakim Lindbäck Eriksson - Battle Cries
Dawid Grahn - Guitar
Pähr Nilsson - Guitar
Mikael Fehrm - Guitar
Emil Wärmedal - Bass
Mats Nilsson - Tongue of the Gods
Johan Johansson - Anvil and War Drums

(Band photos - George Grigoriadis Photography)




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Australian deathcore masters THY ART IS MURDER will release their fifth album, "Human Target", on July 26 via Nuclear Blast and Human Warfare (Australia and New Zealand). The disc was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, New Jersey. The artwork was once again painted by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

The official music video for the "Human Target" title track can be seen below.

Pre-order "Human Target" in various digital and physical formats from www.thyartismurder.net.

"Human Target" track listing:

01. Human Target

02. New Gods

03. Death Squad Anthem

04. Make America Hate Again

05. Eternal Suffering

06. Welcome Oblivion

07. Atonement

08. Voyeurs Into Death

09. Eye For An Eye

10. Chemical Christ

THY ART IS MURDER's North American tour with ARCHITECTS and WHILE SHE SLEEPS will kick off on April 26 in Anaheim, California and end on May 25 in Chicago, Illinois.

THY ART IS MURDER vocalist CJ McMahon left the band in 2015 over financial woes and substance-abuse issues. The frontman has since returned to the fold for 2017's "Dear Desolation" album.

Last year, CJ McMahon told Exclaim! that he hates it when THY ART IS MURDER is lumped in with the "cliché hashtag" of deathcore music.

"We all listen to so many different styles of music," he said. "That's what makes us unique; that we're so in touch with music as a whole.

"We're just writing music that we want to play and hear," he explained. "If people aren't going to give us a chance because they've heard someone call us a deathcore band, I really don't give a fuck. It is mindblowing that people will put shit on you without listening to your band just because of a genre's name. It's just a strange thing, man. I really don't get it."

Immolation's Ross Dolan and Alex Bouks recently guested on the Fantasm podcast, revealing that a new album is in the works and there are plans to have it out by the end of 2019, which will be a very busy year for the band.

Dolan: "We've got a lot of stuff going on in Europe this year, a lot of festivals. We'll be over there in May. We're gonna do a quick run in Scandinavia with Marduk, a couple of festivals. Then we're gonna be doing South America in July. We're gonna be doing Asia at the end of the year, Australia, Japan. These are - Asia and Japan - new places we haven't been before, some different places. So, yeah, a lot of cool stuff lined up."

This September, death metal legends Broken Hope will directly support death metal gods Immolation for a mini-tour of Japan. Legendary Japanese death metal band Defiled will also join the trek.

Immolation says: "Immolation is very happy to announce that we will be performing for the first time in Japan this coming September! We are excited to finally bring our live show to all our fans in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo in September. We are also very excited to announce that joining us on this trip will be our close friends and longtime brothers in Broken Hope! Support on these shows will come from our brothers in Defiled, making this a death metal event to be remembered! We look forward to bringing our music to all the Japanese maniacs and meeting you all in September!"

Broken Hope says: "It's always been a dream for Broken Hope to tour Japan and play for everyone there. Now it's finally coming true! We're extremely happy to announce that Broken Hope will tour Japan for the first time in our existence, and to make it even better, we're going to be direct support to our very good and longtime friends in Immolation - who are also playing Japan for the first time - and we have Japan's sickest band, Defiled on board with us. We can't wait to meet you all and deliver 1000% pure death metal!"

Dates:

September
10 - Osaka, Japan - Pangea (Tickets)
11 - Nagoya, Japan - Imaike Three Stars (Tickets)
12 - Tokyo, Japan - Cyclone (Tickets)




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METALLICA and the San Francisco Giants held the seventh annual "Metallica Night" Friday (April 26) at Oracle Park — formerly AT&T Park — in San Francisco as the Giants took the field against the New York Yankees.

As in previous years, METALLICA guitarists Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield performed the national anthem before drummer Lars Ulrich threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The guitars used for national anthem were autographed by the entire band, which includes bassist Robert Trujilo, and raffled off.

Hetfield said about the yearly event: "We're blessed to be doing this every year and being a part of the vibe here. You know, when times are good, when times are bad, they need the support."

Hammett added: "It's great. It's a lot of fun. It's a good opportunity for us to interact with our home team, hometown, and interact with the people of the Bay Area in San Francisco. And for me, it's a lot of fun to be able to play the national anthem."

Hammett told ESPN.com that he feels the version of the national anthem he plays is "really unique and different," and it's great that he can play it for his home team and hometown audience.

METALLICA has always kept strong ties to the Bay Area sports scene: the band has also performed before Golden State Warriors basketball games and San Jose Sharks hockey games.

GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna joined STITCHED UP HEART on stage on April 22 at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota to perform the latter band's new single "Lost". Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

"Lost" will be included on STITCHED UP HEART's forthcoming sophomore album, tentatively titled "Darkness". The 13-song follow-up to 2016's "Never Alone" was produced by produced by Matt Good of FROM FIRST TO LAST and D.R.U.G.S.

Singer Alecia "Mixi" Demner told Billboard that she became friends with Erna some years ago, and he actually did some songwriting with her for the album. "We didn't end up using those songs, but he agreed to be on ['Lost'] when we wrote it at the end of the record," she said. "I just think he put a really cool spin on this song. His take on the bridge portion is just great; He's that evil entity in your head that tells you that you can't do this or you're not good enough, that you're not worth anything, all the horrible things you can spin out of control without realizing it's just your thought processing."

STITCHED UP HEART has just finished playing five U.S. dates with GODSMACK and VOLBEAT and has kicked off a Canadian tour leg with the same two bands.

"We can't thank Sully enough for going to bat with us on that and for what he's doing," Demner said. "He really wants to help us out and pay it forward and give us a break. This is the biggest thing we've ever done. I'm having every emotion I can have. I can tell my grandchildren one day that, 'Back in the day, when I was your age, I was rockin' and rollin' with GODSMACK on this arena tour.' It's just a mind-blowing opportunity."

Demner performed as a vocalist in various bands before starting STITCHED UP HEART in 2010. She previously told Spokesman.com that her influences are appropriately and wildly eclectic: PANTERA, GLASSJAW, DEFTONES, Louis Armstrong.

"I really like mixing those elements," Demner said, "the heavy, drop-tuned guitars with something that catches your attention and that you can remember."

Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice spoke to Stryper frontman/guitarist Michael Sweet about his upcoming solo album, his upcoming Stryper Greatest Hits & Covers That Influenced Our Generation tour, how new bassist Perry Richardson is fitting in and Oz Fox's health. Listen below.

When asked about his upcoming new solo album, Ten, Sweet reveals: "It's finished, it's called Ten, it's being mastered right now and then we're gonna start laying out a plan for videos and and songs. I've got to do a photo shoot in about five weeks, I think it is six weeks. The album's now going to come out September 2019, we were shooting for a little earlier, June or July release, but that just wasn't in the cards for a number of reasons. We don't want to rush anything but I can tell you this, it's called Ten because it's my tenth album and because there is a title track on there about the 10 commandments, a really really powerful song, real heavy, it smacks you in the face and it ends like kicking you in the gut. It's really cool man. I've got a different player on every song and it started out where I was gonna have just a few players and then I thought you know it would be really interesting to bring in a different guy on every song. I started putting names out there and reaching out to people and they started agreeing to do it and then I had guys reaching out to me."

On Oz Fox's health: "He's doing good he changed his diet in his lifestyle and he's feeling better, he's lost some weight, he's in a good place right now. Obviously they're still keeping tabs on the situation has a couple spots on his brain and they're just keeping an eye on it."

Guest musicians who will appear on Sweet's new disc include guitarists Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger), Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore), Marzi Montazeri (Exhorder, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals), Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) and Andy James.




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Video footage of Scott Stapp's April 8 acoustic performance at Brother John's in Tucson, Arizona can be seen below (courtesy of Rock 102.1 KFMA).

Scott's first album in six years, "The Space Between The Shadows", will be released on July 19 via Napalm Records. The disc is powered by Stapp's introspective lyrics and his pitch perfect delivery that has consistently brought anthems of gratitude and optimism to music's darker side.

"The Space Between The Shadows" was co-produced by Scott Stevens and Marti Frederiksen, with additional production on "Purpose For Pain" by Kevin "Thrasher" Gruft. The album was recorded at Sienna Studios and Poppy Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and The Cabin in Los Angeles. It was mixed by Chris Baseford and mastered by Howie Weinberg and features ten original songs and two original bonus tracks.


Stapp is known as frontman for CREED (over 50 million albums sold worldwide), and for his work as a solo artist who released the platinum-certified "The Great Divide" (2005) and "Proof Of Life" (2013), which featured his first solo Billboard No. 1, "Slow Suicide".

Stapp went through a highly publicized, drug-inflamed meltdown in 2014, after which he entered into an intensive rehab program. Stapp also lost custody of his three children during this period, while also missing a court hearing and allegedly threatening to kill President Obama.

Stapp is now sober and in intensive therapy. He takes medication for bipolar disorder — a condition that causes unexpected shifts in mood, energy and activity levels — works through a 12-step program, and meets with a sponsor, saying, "Nothing is more important than my sobriety."

Scott will embark on a cross-country summer tour in late June.

ARCH/MATHEOS, the project featuring founding FATES WARNING members John Arch (vocals) and Jim Matheos (guitar), will release its second album, "Winter Ethereal", on May 10 via Metal Blade Records. The disc's second single, "Wanderlust", can be streamed below.

In progressive metal circles, the names of Jim Matheos and John Arch are spoken with due reverence. With the former having been a driving force in FATES WARNING for 35 years, and the latter the original frontman of that band, they also have a single seminal work under the ARCH/MATHEOS banner, 2011's "Sympathetic Resonance". In 2019, they have reunited to follow that record up with "Winter Ethereal", a more stylistically varied and perhaps deeper collection that explores a lot of sonic territory over the course of nine immersive tracks. "This stems from both of us trying to step out of our comfort zones a bit, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes being pushed," states Matheos. "Having worked together so many times, it would be easy to fall into the same way of doing things, and I think we were both interested in exploring some new areas." Arch concurs and adds: "Each song is notably different from the next, and nothing sounds repetitive. It is not a concept album, but somehow after a full listen from start to finish, there does seem to be continuity between the songs that I can't describe. At over an hour long, I think the fans will agree that it is a full listening experience."

Upon completion of "Sympathetic Resonance", the duo neither declared it a one-off work nor planned on making a follow-up, and rather than force anything, they waited for the right timing to present itself, opening the door for a sophomore release. Having commenced writing for the record in the spring of 2017, nothing included was at any point destined for a FATES WARNING record, and everything was penned specifically for ARCH/MATHEOS. This contributes to the record's distinctive feel, and had it not come so naturally, there would be no "Winter Ethereal".

"The way we work together is no pressure, no deadline, at least until we get close to recording," says Matheos. "We allow ourselves a lot of time and flexibility to see if we even have anything to say. That's first and foremost. We start by writing, and if things start shaping up and we're excited and inspired, we keep going until we're confident that we'll be able to do a whole record."

Rather than reform the full lineup of the first record — made up entirely of FATES WARNING members — this time around, the duo favored mixing things up with a variety of contributing musicians.

"We decided that it would be a good idea to use a different lineup and hopefully avoid a lot of the confusion created around the first record," Matheos says. "At the same time, we didn't want to give the impression that we were forming a new 'band' that would be touring/recording beyond this current record. With that in mind, I thought it might be an interesting idea to have a few different rhythm sections across the record, to give things a different feel and sound under the familiar top layer of vocals and guitars by John and I."

This lineup comprises both present and former FATES WARNING drummers and bassists — Joey Vera, Bobby Jarzombek, Joe Dibiase and Mark Zonder — plus other noted musicians, such as Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH, TESTAMENT), CYNIC's Sean Malone, and renowned drummer Thomas Lang.

While not a concept album, Arch asserts that "anyone who takes the time to read the lyrics will probably connect with a recurring theme touching on the mysterious weight or flight of human emotion that leaves us with more questions than answers." In the context of the title, rather than referring to the season, "Winter" was chosen for having "certain connotations sometimes associated with it, such as isolation, a withering to rebirth", and with "Ethereal" meaning "not of this world, or otherworldly", there came a "meaningful marriage between the two words that best summed up the theme of the album". For the most part, Arch's lyrics come as a reaction to the music Matheos presents him with, letting the thoughts and feelings evoked dictate the direction. Enjoying listeners making their own interpretation of his lyrics, he typically does not go into detail about specific tracks, but as an example of the direction he was drawn, he references "Pitch Black Prism" and the many influences that went into shaping it.

"The impetus for this song started with seeing images of dolls left behind at the schools and homes near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster," he says. "Many weeks of research into the personal accounts and survivors' testimonies led me deeper into curiosity. I was halfway into the song when I stumbled across a documentary called 'The Russian Woodpecker', which inspired a larger twist on the direction of meaning. However, it wasn't until I saw a post from a Chernobyl survivor named Yuri, who was one of the musicians employed by the Russian government sent with his bandmates and a ballet dancer into the heart of the disaster to entertain the dying, that the song became complete."

Making the most of contemporary technology, almost all collaborators tracked their parts in their respective home studios, while guitars and vocals were laid down at Matheos's studio, with him handling the production. Working this way was conducive to creativity and a process that was most agreeable to both Arch and Matheos.

"For me, having the freedom and drive to work in isolation is one of the things I like best about recording," says Matheos. "It allows me to experiment, and often fail, without feeling inhibited or constrained. That said, John offered a lot of encouragement, whether remotely or in person, and pushed me into directions I wouldn't normally go."

Matheos was similarly supportive when it came to Arch laying down his parts. "I really enjoy the studio situation, mainly because it feels like home," the vocalist states. "It is a low-key relaxing environment, Jim is behind the console, and I'm behind the mic, and no one is pushing anyone. Whatever creative differences we have, we work out with compromise. I appreciate Jim's patience while I'm tracking vocals because it can be brutal at times. It's also cool because I get a front row seat watching Jim track his guitars, sometimes late into the night till we both run out of gas. We are longtime friends, and a couple shots and laughs at the end of a long day make for some good memories."

One thing is certain, with "Winter Ethereal", fans of ARCH/MATHEOS will feel that the long wait endured for new music has been worth it. The natural manner in which it all came together makes it all the more special.

"Sometimes after being away from something for a while and having life experiences to draw from, you feel you have something to say or offer. Music has always been the best medium for me to express what sometimes words alone cannot, and the timing for this record was just right," Arch asserts. When it comes to the words he would most readily apply to the album, he immediately goes to "unpretentious, emotionally driven, and, sometimes, the hard truth. 'Sympathetic Resonance' had many of these elements, but I think 'Winter Ethereal' does it with more breathing room, giving the listener time for reflection."

"Winter Ethereal" track listing:

01. Vermilion Moons

02. Wanderlust

03. Solitary Man

04. Wrath Of The Universe

05. Tethered

06. Straight And Narrow

07. Pitch Black Prism

08. Never In Your Hands

09. Kindred Spirits

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has released the official lyric video for a brand new song called "Dead Promises". The track is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", due later in the year via earMUSIC. It's a first look at the new disc and combines the stunning power of Tarja's voice with thunderous guitars.

"I really like how the guitar sounds: in your face," she says. "If I'm singing powerfully, I need something powerful behind me so that I don't feel like I am left alone."

The aggression she speaks of is brought to the front, not threatening to shatter something fragile, but reinforcing its power.

Fans will find that the album includes an amazing duet version of the song with guest vocals by Björn "Speed" Strid of SOILWORK.


More details on "In The Raw" including release date, formats and pre-order will be revealed on Friday, May 3, the same day that "Dead Promises" will be available for download and streaming.

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

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH mainman Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to split with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

The German-American power / thrash metal band Them release their new single together with an epic video for the song "As The Sage Burns" today. The song is taken from their latest studio album, Manor Of The Se7en Gables.

Singer KK Fossor says about the song: "After the raven brings horrific news of Peter Thompson's imminent arrival, Sarah, the scullery maid, assembles the coven from the manor in order to perform a cleansing of KK's body and expel the evil spirit known as the Crimson Corpse." 

Manor Of The Se7en Gables was released through SPV/Steamhammer in October 2018.

Them live 2019:

May
2 -Stockholm, Sweden - Pub Anchor
3 - Trollhättan, Sweden - Backstage Rock Bar
4 - Motala, Sweden - Bomber Bar
7 - Bad Friedrichshall, Germany - Lemmy's
8 - Mannheim, Germany - 7er Club
9 - Kassel, Germany - Goldgrube
10 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore
12 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Little Devil

June
6 - Zaragoza, Spain - C.C. Delicias
7 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana 27
8 - Madrid, Spain - We Rock
9 - Valencia, Spain - Paberse Club
10 - Barcelona, Spain - Razz 3




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Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of an exciting new project featuring legendary former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME singer Geoff Tate on lead vocals, dubbed SWEET OBLIVION on June 14. The second single from the album, "Sweet Oblivion", can be streamed below.

SWEET OBLIVION sees Tate teaming up with a stellar cast of Italian musicians led by Simone Mularoni, the mastermind of prog metal masters DGM. Musically, this album marks a return to the more melodic metal style for Tate and showcases a fine collection of songs highlighting the great talents of Mularoni and his cast of musicians.

Tate says: "I was approached by Frontiers to do this record and am pleased I took this chance. It's an album filled with fun and I believe a lot of the fans who dig the old QUEENSRŸCHE sound will enjoy this one."

Mularoni adds: "I grew up listening to the '70s and '80s rock and metal bands and, of course, QUEENSRŸCHE's classic albums are among my favorites ever. Having the opportunity and luck of working together with a musical giant like Geoff Tate has been a real blessing on both the human and the artistic side. I asked a few amazing musicians and friends to help me out and together we delivered a bunch of classic heavy rock songs in which I tried to fuse a more contemporary approach with a classic QUEENSRŸCHE vibe… The performances are amazing!"

"Sweet Oblivion" track listing:

01. True Colors

02. Sweet Oblivion

03. Behind Your Eyes

04. Hide Away

05. My Last Story

06. A Recess From My Fate

07. Transition

08. Disconnect

09. The Deceiver

10. Seek The Light

Produced by: Simone Mularoni

Lineup:

Geoff Tate - Vocals

Simone Mularoni - Guitars, Bass

Emanuele Casali - Keyboards

Paolo Caridi - Drums

Legendary German guitarist Uli Jon Roth says that he hasn't checked out any new music for a number of years. "I was never a great listener, except for at the very beginning," he told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station in a new interview (hear audio below). "I self-taught music – like, buckets full — with THE BEATLES and [Jimi] Hendrix and CREAM and all that, and then classical music afterwards. But ever since then… I stopped listening to music a long, long time ago, because I feel like I've got enough making it myself. It seems enough music."

According to Uli, he was "very guitar driven" when he first started playing music. "The stuff that interested me were always the bands that had great guitar players in their bands," he explained. "If there wasn't a [great] guitar player, then I wasn't interested back then. I guess I wasn't mature enough yet. But that was certainly, at that moment, when I started out, I was very guitar driven."

Roth has been fairly vocal in the rock press about his lack of interest in the current state of music. He has stated there is a lack of creativity and originality in today's bands.

"Everybody has to find their own influences," he told The Southington Observer. "They should look to the past to find out what’s good in their mind and "always learn from it."

"I found my way early on and still find myself reinventing myself so I don't get bored," he said.

Roth was in the SCORPIONS for five years before leaving the group in 1978, following the release of the live double album "Tokyo Tapes".

In recent years, Roth has revisited the early music of his period with the SCORPIONS, which resulted in the "Scorpions Revisited" double CD and "Tokyo Tapes Revisited" DVD/Blu-ray releases.

The North American leg of Uli's 50th-anniversary tour kicked off on March 20 at Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles and will run through May.

Bret Michaels says that it is an "honor" to see Corey Taylor covering the POISON classic "Nothin' But A Good Time".

The SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer has played the song several times at various concerts over the years, including at his April 13 solo show at Q Casino And Hotel in Dubuque, Iowa.

Over the weekend, Michaels took to his Facebook page to share a video of Taylor's rendition (see below), along with the following caption: "How awesome & what an honor to have the incredible Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT covering #NothingButAGoodTime Corey and the band are absolutely amazing - check them out in the video from [the April 13] show at the Q Casino!"

Taylor's solo concerts regularly include covers of such artists as GUNS N' ROSES and VAN HALEN.

His recent show in Green Bay sold out within an hour after tickets went on sale back in February.

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 as-yet-untitled new album is scheduled for release on August 9.


How awesome & what an honor to have the incredible Corey Taylor of Slipknot covering #NothingButAGoodTime ?? Corey and the band are absolutely amazing ? - check them out in the video from tonight's show at the Q Casino!

#Coreytaylor #Slipknot #livemusic #concert #bretmichaels #singersongwriterPosted by Bret Michaels on Sunday, April 28, 2019

Veteran U.K. thrashers XENTRIX will release their new album, "Bury The Pain", on June 7 in Europe and June 21 in North America via Listenable Records. The disc was produced by Andy Sneap and mastered by Russ Russell. The cover artwork for the album was created by Dan Goldsworthy.

The disc's first single, "Bleeding Out", can be streamed below.

XENTRIX made its live debut with new guitarist/vocalist Jay Walsh (BULL-RIFF STAMPEDE) in August 2017 at the Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Hall, Walton-On-Trent, West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Walsh joined XENTRIX as the replacement for Chris Astley, who left the band at the end of 2015.

Originally thrust into the public eye in the late '80s after their demo received a five-K review in Kerrang!, which in turn caught the attention Roadrunner Records, XENTRIX soon found themselves in the studio making "Shattered Existence".


Of course, their now-infamous cover of "Ghostbusters" remains a firm favorite with fans old and new as does the band's phenomenal second album, "For Whose Advantage?", which is regarded as a bonafide thrash classic.


The band went onto enjoy a short-but-successful career that saw them share stages with SLAYER, TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA, ANNIHILATOR, SABBAT, TANKARD and SKYCLAD before calling it a day in 1996, having become disillusioned with the U.K. metal scene.

XENTRIX released four albums on Roadrunner Records: "Shattered Existence" (1989), "For Whose Advantage" (1990), "Dilute to Taste" (1991) and "Kin" (1992). They also issued "Scourge" (1996) on Heavy Metal Records with Simon Gordon on vocals and Andy Rudd on guitar.

XENTRIX — with Chris Astley on guitar and vocals — played its first show in almost seven years in April 2013 at the Moses Gate in Bolton, England.

Prior to that, XENTRIX had reunited with its original lineup in 2006 for two gigs in the band's home country.

XENTRIX 2019 is:

Kristian Havard - Guitar

Chris Shires - Bass

Jay Walsh - Vocals/Guitar

Dennis Gasser - Drums