REVOCATION, which has been part of the Metal Blade Records roster since 2014, has re-signed with the label. Vocalist/guitarist Dave Davidson comments: "We've been on quite a journey since we signed with Metal Blade and dropped 'Deathless' back in 2014. We've released three full-length albums in just five years and each one has taken us to the next level. That's why today I'm very excited to announce that REVOCATION is re-signing with Metal Blade Records. We look forward to what this future partnership will bring and we can't wait to unleash another barrage of ripping tunes upon the metal masses."

Metal Blade founder and CEO Brian Slagel adds: "We are super excited to continue our great relationship with REVOCATION. Very happy to keep them in the Metal Blade family."

REVOCATION released its latest album, "The Outer Ones", last year to critical acclaim. The is now touring the USA with WHITECHAPEL, DYING FETUS, FALLUJAH, SPITE, UNCURED and BURIED ABOVE GROUND.

Produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, QUEENSRŸCHE, WHITECHAPEL), "The Outer Ones" saw REVOCATION pushing both the death metal and progressive elements of its signature sound harder than ever.

"I knew that I wanted to go in a darker direction, and this is our most death metal album to date," Davidson said. "Sometimes when death metal bands go down the prog route, they lose some of that edge, but we wanted to keep the aggression at the forefront of what we do while still pushing our boundaries."

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern, along with "Burn My Eyes"-era MH members Chris Kontos (drums) and Logan Mader (guitar), recently went into Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California and re-recorded the debut album in its entirety.

A video playthrough of the track "A Thousand Lies" can be seen below.

MACHINE HEAD announced last month that it will celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Burn My Eyes" with a special anniversary tour. The shows will see Kontos and Mader join the band onstage again to play "Burn My Eyes" in full.

Flynn told Kerrang!: "This 'Burn My Eyes' tour is happening, but it's still six months away. As Kerrang! have speculated, we are recording new music. We are getting to release new music. In fact, the lineup that'll be going out on tour have actually gone and re-recorded 'Burn My Eyes' live in the studio. We plan on dripping that out song by song. It'll probably be digital-only — just something cool to help celebrate. We filmed ourselves doing it, so there'll probably be some playthrough videos too."

He added: "It's so cool seeing us playing those songs again for the first time, like, 'How does that riff go?' or, 'What was that lyric again?' There are mistakes, but we just left them in. It was just part of this really special, fun, positive moment."

The first leg of MACHINE HEAD's 25th-anniversary tour for "Burn My Eyes" will kick off in Germany on October 5 in Freiburg, and continue across Europe, wrapping in Dublin, Ireland on November 8. The U.S. leg will take place in November and December.

Building on MACHINE HEAD's "An Evening With…" format, these shows will be a three-hour musical extravaganza, comprised of two parts: Part one will feature a battery of MACHINE HEAD's modern classics, such as "Imperium", "Halo" and "The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears", featuring Flynn and MacEachern performing alongside two soon-to-be-announced musicians on guitar and drums. Part two will feature "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with Kontos and Mader joining in.

Kontos left MACHINE HEAD before the release of the band's second album, 1997's "The More Things Change", and was replaced by Dave McClain.

Mader contributed to two MACHINE HEAD albums, the aforementioned "Burn My Eyes" and "The More Things Change", before exiting the group and being replaced by Ahrue Luster and, later on, Phil Demmel.

McClain and Demmel both left MACHINE HEAD last fall.

Progressive metal masters Ne Obliviscaris will be embarking on a string of tour dates in Australia on May 9th along with labelmates Beyond Creation. In conjunction with the upcoming trek, the band has shared pro-shot live video footage from their concert in Montreal from October 10th, 2018. The clip, which was recorded and edited by Dr. Light Productions, was originally shared exclusively to the band's Patreon subscribers, but can now be viewed publicly below.

Vocalist / violinist Tim Charles comments: "Our live show is to us is such a vital part of what we do. That chance to really feel the connection between you and the audience through the music is something so special. It's what we live for. When performing in Montreal last October we had the chance to film the show and are pleased to release this live video of two songs - 'Libera Pt 1/Urn Pt 2.' We are excited to get back on the road playing here in Australia in a couple weeks time alongside some amazing bands for what is going to be our biggest ever headline shows anywhere in the world, before heading back to Europe for a festival tour in June as well. We hope you enjoy the video and that we see you at a live show sometime soon!"

Additionally, Ne Obliviscaris has been nominated for an Indie Music Award in the Metal / Hardcore song category for the track "Intra Venus." Fans can vote for the song here and can view the nominees at this location.

Ne Obliviscaris tour dates:

May
9 - Adelaide, Australia - Lion Arts Factory
10 - Melbourne, Australia - 170 Russell
11 - Sydney, Australia - Manning Bar
12 - Brisbane, Australia - The Triffio 

The band will be touring in support of their latest release, Urn, which can be streamed below.




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THREE DAYS GRACE's Randy Edwards-directed video for the song "Right Left Wrong" can be seen below.

The internationally acclaimed and multi-platinum certified Canadian band with over a billion streams on Spotify recently extended its record for the most No. 1s in the 38-year history of Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart, with "Right Left Wrong" its 15th No. 1 single on the tally. With this latest achievement, the band pushed further ahead of runners-up SHINEDOWN and VAN HALEN, each with 13.

"Right Left Wrong" is featured on "Outsider", THREE DAYS GRACE's sixth full-length album and fifth consecutive Top 40-charting LP on the Billboard Top 200.

THREE DAYS GRACE's other No. 1 singles include "Misery Loves My Company", "Chalk Outline", "World So Cold", "Never Too Late", "Just Like You", "Animal", "Pain", "Home" and "Infra-Red".

The Canadian act also consistently averages 3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify, remaining one of the most listened-to rock bands in the world.

THREE DAYS GRACE drummer Neil Sanderson said a while back why he thinks the band continues to connect with listeners. "One thing that hasn't changed with us is that we write about real things in our lives and the lives of people around us, and observations of just sort of life itself, you know," he explained. "And I think THREE DAYS GRACE fans have attached themselves to that and I think that sometimes, you know, that's a powerful thing if you can put into words what other people are thinking."

Jack Osbourne says that Ozzy Osbourne is "doing really well," less than a month after health struggles forced the BLACK SABBATH singer to cancel all of his live appearances through the end of the year.

In early April, Ozzy postponed all his 2019 tour dates, both in North America and Europe, as he recovers from an injury sustained while dealing with his recent bout of pneumonia. The BLACK SABBATH frontman fell at his Los Angeles home, aggravating years-old injuries from his 2003 ATV accident that required surgery last month. Ozzy will remain under doctor's care in Los Angeles as he recovers.

Jack, who is currently promoting his paranormal investigation show "Portals To Hell", which airs on the Travel Channel, was asked for an update on Ozzy's health status during an appearance on "The Jenny McCarthy Show". Jack responded (see video below): "He's doing really well. He's good. He's getting back on his feet, so he's good."

In a separate interview with People, Jack said about his father: "He's doing good. He's back to being his cynical old self, [which] is always a good sign. When he's complaining about mundane things, you know he's good. Yeah, he's back to normal. When everything on TV sucks and everything in the house is broken, he's in a good spot."

Most of the 2019 shows on Ozzy's last full world tour will be rescheduled beginning in February 2020. Fans are being asked to hold on to their original tickets, as they will be honored for the rescheduled dates. Because some of the 2019 dates were festival appearances, not all will be rescheduled.

Los Angeles-based heavy/power metal legends, Steel Prophet, are back with their new massive sounding album, The God Machine, out on April 26th via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. A music video for the track "Thrashed Relentlessly", can be found below.

Five years after the release of Omniscient, the band recruited the all-star heavy metal singer/producer R.D. Liapakis of Mystic Prophecy/Devil's Train and his uniquely ranged vocal skills to perfectly match the songs on The God Machine. R.D. Liapakis is not just the man behind the microphone though since he, alongside Steve Kachinsky is responsible for the songwriting and production process of the album.

You can pre-order the album in Ltd. Digipack CD (incl. logo patch) and Ltd. Red/Black Splatter Vinyl (500 copies worldwide) here, or here.

The voice of R.D. Liapakis sounds tough, bluesy and strong, with wide range, power and style. The high notes come effortlessly, and the lead vocals make you want to stand up and wail along with his singing. The drums sound huge and perfectly combine that old-school punch feeling you get in classic heavy metal albums while sounding fresh and up to date at the same time. The guitar work on the album sounds like all the hallowed marks of heavy metal classics with speedy licks and fast, furious and melodic riffs and solos complimented by fat bass lines that anchor all instruments into a magnificent combo highlighting the amazing vocal lines.

Each song is a delight by itself and elements of thrash, doom, and even some Scorpions-tinged melodicism can be found in the band's US power metal. If you live and breathe the spirit of heavy metal you will be astonished by The God Machine in its entirety.

Produced by Steve Kachinsky and R.D. Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy, Devil’s Train, Suicidal Angels, Firewind, Eldritch, Silius, FireForce and many more). Mixed and mastered by “Best Producer 2017-Heavy Music Award” winner Henrik Udd at Henrik Udd Recording Studios (Architects, Bring Me The Horizon, Hammerfall, Powerwolf etc), who gave The God Machine a smooth and polished, yet brutally heavy sound.

The album starts with the absolute banger album title song, “The God Machine”, featuring furious rhythms, fast riffing and catchy arena choruses preparing the ground for “Crucify” which along with “Dark Mask / Between Love And Hate” will catapult the listener back to the best NWOBHM years while “Thrashed Relentlessly” is the definition of US power metal riffing! Songs like “Damnation Calling” and “Lucifer / The Devil Inside” will bring in mind the mighty “Headless Cross” Black Sabbath, Tony Martin era. The album’s multidimensional yet classic heavy metal mark is ultimately revealed to the listener as soon as the power ballad “Buried And Broken” kicks in! The God Machine is a high quality metal album that will become an instant classic among Steel Prophet’s catalogue.

Tracklisting:

"The God Machine"
"Crucify"
"Thrashed Relentlessly"
"Dark Mask / Between Love And Hate"
"Damnation Calling"
"Soulhunter"
"Buried And Broken"
"Lucifer / The Devil Inside"
"Fight, Kill"
"Life = Love = God Machine"

"Thrashed Relentlessly" video:

"The God Machine" video:

Steel Prophet is:

R.D. Liapakis - Lead & Background Vocals (Mystic Prophecy, Devil’s Train)
Steve Kachinsky - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
Jon Paget - Lead Guitar
Vince Dennis - Bass (Body Count, ex-World in Pain, ex-Dia de los Muertos, ex-Tourniquet, ex-Prong (live), ex-Obscene Gesture)
John ‘JT’ Tarascio - Drums




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"Dead To Me", a new song from Cleveland's metallic hardcore legends RINGWORM, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Death Becomes My Voice", which will be released on May 3 via Relapse. The disc was recorded at Mercenary Studios and Spider Studios, mixed by Taylor Young (NAILS, TWITCHING TONGUES, CANNABIS CORPSE) and mastered at Audiosiege (INTEGRITY, FULL OF HELL, IRON REAGAN).

"Dead To Me" is the second single from "Death Becomes My Voice", and it follows the release of the official video for "Acquiesce", which was directed by Don Tyler and RINGWORM vocalist James "Human Furnace" Bulloch.

Bulloch said: "The 'Acquiesce' video is a sequel to the 'Shades Of Blue' video, and actually a third act of an ongoing story that started with our very first video for 2005's 'Justice Replaced By Revenge'. It's another small piece of a larger story, that we're planning on telling in its entirety, soon, as its own stand-alone short film, this fall. We'll have a longer director's cut of the video shortly. It'll let you in on more of the story told over the course of the three videos, complete with storyboard to scene side-by-side comparisons, and a brief outline of the story."

RINGWORM is:

James "Human Furnace" Bulloch - Vocals

Matt Sorg - Guitar

Ed Stephens - Bass

Ryan Steigerwald - Drums

Mark Witherspoon - Guitar

Photo credit: Barb Merritt

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the return of TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON with the release of the long-awaited third chapter in his metal opera, "Return To Eden", on June 14. Today, the first single and video, "Promises", featuring Todd Michael Hall (RIOT V) on lead vocals, has been released. Check it out below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Return To Eden" track listing:

01. Enlighten

02. Promises (feat. Todd Michael Hall)

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

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

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

06. Miles Away (feat. Zachary Stevens)

07. Limits (feat. Eduard Hovinga)

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

09. Godsend (feat. Mariangela Demurtas)

10. Give Me Hope (feat. Eduard Hovinga)

11. Wasted Dreams (feat. Zachary Stevens)

12. Guiding Star (feat. Mariangela Demurtas)

Timo Tolkki - Lead Guitar, Bass

Andrea Buratto - Bass

Antonio Agate - Piano, Keyboards

Giulio Capone - Drums, Piano, Keyboards

Jami Huovinen - Drums

Aldo Lonobile - Guitar

Santtu Lehtiniemi - Additional Guitars

Allegaeon released their new album, Apoptosis, via Metal Blade Records on April 19th. A near-perfect symbiosis of technical, progressive, and melodic death metal, Apoptosis is a record that is as crushingly heavy as it is inventive, lithe and intelligent, and marks a significant leap forward in the band's songwriting. Check out the video for "Colors Of The Currents" featuring Christina Sandsengen below.

Guitarist Greg Burgess comments: "As long-time fans know, I love putting classical guitar tracks on Allegaeon records. The reason is twofold: first I want to give the listeners a chance to catch their breath. Ear fatigue when listening to extreme music is an unfortunate side effect.  Secondly is to promote the instrument itself, and my love of classical music.

"The ‘Colors Of The Currents’ is my first foray into duet composition. Its conception was the result of being recognized by the classical community for my work in Allegaeon. This was both shocking and humbling for me. Having works played alongside the likes of Bach at doctoral recitals seemed like goals from a life I thought I left behind when I decided to devote my life to Allegaeon.

"For the ‘Colors Of The Currents,’ I had the honor of performing with the venerable Christina Sandsengen from Oslo, Norway. Her album Shades And Contrasts caught my attention while on the US leg of our tour with Ne Obliviscaris. Her interpretations, use of dynamics and colors, are all laudable, and what I strive to achieve in my own playing.  They are heartfelt, moving, and quite frankly an amazing example of the emotional range of the instrument. 

"The piece itself was composed knowing that it would be paired with ‘Tsunami And Submergence.’ I wanted to capture the feeling of water moving around the listener. As currents in real life ebb and flow so does the intensity of the piece. The idea to separate the tracks ‘Tsunami And Submergence’ from the ‘Colors Of The Currents’ was made right before we went into the studio, for ease of the listener to navigate where they wish on the album."

The album can be ordered here in the following formats:

- jewelcase-CD
- opaque grey vinyl (US retail exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- black / white A/B side vinyl (US webstore exclusive - limited to 250 copies)
- oxblood / milky clear A/B side vinyl (US webstore exclusive - limited to 250 copies)
- clear w/ black smoke vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- silver w/ oxblood splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- transparent purple w/ white and black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 100 copies)

Tracked at Flatline Audio in Denver with long-serving producer Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Cephalic Carnage), Apoptosis is Allegaeon's fifth full-length, and the first to feature bassist Brandon Michael. "Musically, Brandon brings a huge new dimension," vocalist Riley McShane enthuses. "He has this wide breadth of music knowledge and stylistic proficiency that he draws from with excellent taste, and this makes a lot of the songs on 'Apoptosis' come to life."

The record also features a guest appearance by classical guitarist Christina Sandsengen, who duets with guitarist Greg Burgess on "Colors Of The Currents". "On this record, I was more open to new ideas that we might not have used in past," states guitarist Michael Stancel. "Rather than deleting something because 'it's not Allegaeon-y enough', I would take a step back and see if that idea fit the song and decide if it was worth keeping. With that mentality came some of my favorite songs, because I was less worried about if it fit into our old sound."

This statement is borne out across the whole album, which while very much embodying the core Allegaeon sound that has drawn fans in over the course of their impressive career, it pushes into new territory, and does so with unerring confidence. "Thematically, this record is all about contrast, and the music reflects that perfectly," says McShane. "The vocals are heavier than ever, but there are also more clean sections. The drums are faster than ever but also more dynamic, and the guitar playing is lower and slower than on most previous albums, but also provides long, melodic and beautiful sections throughout."

Apoptosis tracklisting:

"Parthenogenesis"
"Interphase // Meiosis"
"Extremophiles (B)"
"The Secular Age"
"Exothermic Chemical Combustion"
"Extremophiles (A)"
"Metaphobia"
"Tsunami and Submergence"
"Colors of the Currents"
"Stellar Tidal Disruption"
"Apoptosis"

"Exothermic Chemical Combustion":

"Extremophiles (B)" video:

"Stellar Tidal Disruption" video:




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Epic classic metal goes head-to-head with blazing Scandinavian black metal on Lunar Shadow’s firebrand sophomore effort, The Smokeless Fires. The album will be released June 21st on Cruz Del Sur Music. Album track "Hawk Of The Hills" is now streaming.

The period after the release of Lunar Shadow’s 2017 Far from Light studio album was turbulent for the young German quintet. The band changed vocalists, but more intrinsically, band leader, guitarist and main songwriter Max Birbaum was going through a series of personal problems that made him question his own mortality: Why do humans get up after they fall? What are the things that keep us going in a world filled with greed and deceit? Above all else, what keeps his own fire burning when circumstances suggest otherwise? Birbaum eventually zeroed-in on the word “passion” and made it the lyrical foundation for the band’s second full-length, The Smokeless Fires.

Recorded with Max Herrmann at Glooven Studios in Leipzig between November 2018 and January 2019 and featuring cover art courtesy of Adam Burke, the man responsible for Lunar Shadow’s debut Triumphator EP, The Smokeless Fires marks the introduction of vocalist Robert Röttig, who replaced Alex Vornam last year. Since Röttig hails from the same region of Germany as Lunar Shadow (who are rounded out by second guitarist K. Hamacher, bassist S. Hamacher and drummer J. Zehner), his entrance into the band was seamless. Röttig’s easy-going nature, not to mention sterling vocal capabilities, has added a new dimension to Lunar Shadow’s sound, one that now includes moments of post-punk to go along with the band’s pronounced, if not very unique classic metal-meets-Scandinavian black metal sound.

The seven cuts on The Smokeless Fires are the result of Birbaum’s ceaseless work ethic and commitment to producing an album that would not only complement Far from Light, but present new elements to sit alongside their firebrand twin guitar harmonies and labyrinthine song arrangements. Birbaum oversaw every note, lyric and drum beat, often burning the candle at both ends during marathon studio sessions that he could not drag himself away from. And whereas Far from Light was a noticeably dark and foreboding album that Birbaum often noted as having “no hope,” The Smokeless Fires presents a more humanistic touch, glancing upon subjects of sorrow, love, loneliness, sex, perseverance and power.

In a scene that occasionally prides itself on uniformity and towing the line, Lunar Shadow present an affront to some of metal’s current norms on The Smokeless Fires. An album born from moments of long introspection, The Smokeless Fires is a testament to human perseverance and an unbowed, unbending will.

Tracklisting:

“Catch Fire”
“Conajohara No More”
“Roses”
“Pretend”
“Laurelindórenan”
“Red Nails (For The Pillar Of Death)”
“Hawk Of The Hills”

“Hawk Of The Hills”:




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Long-running Italian groove thrash metallers, Extrema, will release their seventh studio album, Headbanging Forever, on May 10 via Rockshots Records. The album will be available in CD digipack deluxe or vinyl gatefold limited coloured edition. Pre-order here.

New single, “Pitch Black Eyes”, is streaming below.

Frontman Tiziano Spigno states: “The lyrics are inspired by Lovercraft’s prose poem ‘Nyarlathotep’. The poem itself is a bleak view of human civilization in decline: Nyarlathotep is a tall and swarthy man, whom wanders the Earth, demonstrating his magical powers. In every city he gets, he brings terror and destruction, announcing the world’s collapse.”

For this album, the band enlisted Gustavo Sazes to create the album artwork. Guitarist Tommy Massara commented on the cover, “We had a list of artists in mind with which we would like to work with, in the end we decided for two. With one it didn’t work, with Gustavo, after some emails and some ideas exchange, we decided to leave him blank paper to let his own vision and concept free,  and the result is awesome! A cover with a strong impact.”

Headbanging Forever was produced by Tommy Massara and Gabriele Ravaglia. Recorded and mixed by Gabriele Ravaglia and Maxx Canali at the Fear Studio in Italy, it was mastered by Alberto Cutolo at Massive Arts studios in Milan.

Headbanging Forever tracklisting:

"The Call"
"Borders Of Fire"
"For The Loved And The Lost"
"Heavens Blind"
"Pitch Black Eyes"
"Headbanging Forever"
"Believer"
"Invisible"
"Paralyzed"
"The Showdown"

"Pitch Black Eyes":

Album trailers:

Extrema’s original lineup was established between 1985 and 1986 in Milan, Italy. In a very short time, the band led by guitars player Tommy Massara achieved a huge success. Tommy is the only remaining member of the original lineup, and over the years he also played the role of artistic and executive producer.

Hundreds of concerts made the band more and more close-knit and open towards a constant growth path, capable from the beginning of welcoming influences external to heavy metal, a consistent choice within an evolutionary framework which saw Extremas tart from the rebellious attitude of Motörhead to later incorporate the style of Californian thrash metal, a scene with which the band shared the utmost care for the technical side of music and a devastating presence on stage.

The band’s reputation as musicians and performers kept growing in a perpetual live context, with extensive tours and the participation to prestigious festivals with the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Motörhead, and Korn, among many others.

Extraneous from the beginning to political and ideological implications of any kind, Extrema’s lyrics have always strived to alternate challenging and contemporary themes with lighter subjects, true to rock 'n' roll form.

In May 2017 the band welcomed the new frontman Tiziano Spigno. Thanks to his entry, Extrema can finally release all the creativity repressed in recent years: a violent, direct and engaging approach which is -at the same time- also varied, courageous and experimental, resulting in the new album Headbanging Forever.

Lineup:

Tiziano “Titian” Spigno - Vocals
Tommy Massara - Guitars
Gabri Giovanna - Bass
Francesco “Frullo” Larosa - Drums




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Vulture Industries are releasing a special 7” single with the brand new track, “Deeper”. Listen at this location.

Front man Bjørnar comments on the track: "'Deeper' tells the story of man's insatiable greed for more, as symbolized by the miners digging all the way to Hell. Starting out with a haunting trumpet solo, the track mixes a Spaghetti Western vibe with the rhythmic and melodic drive of a large-scale rock opus. Musically, 'Deeper' nods in the direction of such diverse acts as Ennio Morricone, Type O Negative, The Beatles, and Lee Hazlewood, but at the same time there is also a solid dose of rock and metal, in the signature form of Vulture Industries.

"It was one of those scorching summer days of 2018. The grass in the fields had all turned the colour of old paper, and the sun, at its zenith, was mercilessly searing our skin. Thirsty, hungry, and with tongues swelling, we had just missed the ferry crossing and could taste our hopes turn to ashes in our mouths. Trying to remain calm, but steadily feeling the building pressure of desperation, as a boiler ready to blow, we waited in line. Then suddenly the one year old in the back seat broke the silence chanting AHUM, AHUM, AHUM, AHUM! Overcome by what felt like divine inspiration but might very well have been sent from the depths of Hell, I started drumming on the dashboard. DUM, DADADUM, DADADUM, DADADUMDADUMDADUM."

Lineup:
Bjørnar E. Nilsen: vocals, percussion & keyboard
Øyvind Madsen: guitars
Eivind Huse: guitars and vocals
Kyrre Teigen: bass and vocals
Tor Helge Gjengedal: drums




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Black metal veterans DARKTHRONE will release their new album, "Old Star", on May 31 via Peaceville. The band's first studio album since 2016's "Arctic Thunder" sees the Norwegian legends cut through six new epic tracks, taking in the best of the old school of heavy and extreme metal plus a large dose of doom-laden riffing, and channelling it through the grime of the underground.

The song "The Hardship Of The Scots", taken from "Old Star", can be streamed below.


Fenriz enthuses: "'Old Star' — again we are here with the riffs! A while after our previous 'Arctic Thunder', album it became apparent that we would continue in that same style, black old heavy metal with slow thrash, classic doom and slow death metal.


"As many have focused on the '70s sound over the last 20 years, the mix on our new album has ended up being more '80s than ever. The songs are more metal than ever! Ted's songs have alot of black metal in them, faster and slower but also doomier parts and reocurring parts. My songs are more linear written. It's an ancient '80s underground trick, with breaks, all slow heavy or slow thrash, classic doom or slow death."


He continues, "All in all, it is our most '80s album so far and our most metal one to date with drum sound typical for the '80s USA/German market and damned lyrics, which are all written by me. We feel that 'Old Star' is the big brother of 'Arctic Thunder'. More solid and with even better riffs."


"Old Star" was recorded at the band's Necrohell 2 Studios, with engineering and production duties carried out by vocalist/guitarist Nocturno Culto, complemented with a perfectly organic mix courtesy of Sanford Parker (VOIVOD) at Hypercube Studios and mastered once more by Jack Control at Enormous Door. The stellar cover artistry comes courtesy of Chadwick St John, titled "The Shepherd of the Deep."


Over the course of 30 years, DARKTHRONE has become a staple of the global black metal genre, forging a legacy as one of the most renowned and influential bands in its illustrious and often infamous history. In the formative years following its 1987 inception, DARKTHRONE started with a strong concoction of thrash and then death/doom metal experimentation, with broader musical influences spanning from the '60s to the '80s, before the debut album, "Soulside Journey", was unleashed in 1991. Never ones to follow convention or stand still even then, the band soon embraced a much darker, more primitive form of expression with the now iconic second album, "A Blaze In The Northern Sky", the rest became history.


"Old Star" track listing:

01. I Muffle Your Inner Choir [06:26]

02. The Hardship Of The Scots [07:36]

03. Old Star [04:28]

04. Alp Man [05:27]

05. Duke Of Gloat [06:49]

06. The Key Is Inside The Wall [07:24]


DARKTHRONE is:

Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell - drums, songwriting, lyrics

Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum - strings and vocals, songwriting


HI ALL OF YOU! As you may know we have a new album coming out (I am not on social media at all anymore so I don't know what you've seen or heard so far) and Ted said that this time our fans will hear a new song first. So guys here it is - our new track, “The Hardship Of The Scots” and since Ted and me always write our own songs, one song could not fully represent Old Star, but let’s start with this one

Normally the journalists and other scenesters get to check out new albums 2-3-4 months before fans get to hear it, but not this time .. you are first!

FENRIZ

You can pre-order Old Star here: darkthrone.lnk.to/OldStarFAPosted by Darkthrone on Tuesday, April 23, 2019

California-based progressive / technical death metal trio Inanimate Existence recently announced their upcoming fifth full-length album, Clockwork. The album is set for release on May 10th via The Artisan Era. It is the follow up to the group's fourth album, Underneath A Melting Sky, which was released in 2017. Active since 2011, the band has yet to slow down in between regular extended touring on a near yearly basis.

Continuing the group's evolution found on 2017's Underneath A Melting Sky, Clockwork delves ever deeper into cerebral progressive death metal depths while buoyed by the group's established penchant for merciless full-throttle brutality and frenetic tech-death driven terrain. The stunning cover artwork for Clockwork was created by Justin Abraham (Equipoise, Oubliette, A Loathing Requiem) and the recording was handled by both the band itself and with usual collaborator Zack Ohren (Fallujah, Continuum, Alterbeast) who mixed and mastered Clockwork at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California.

Tracklisting:

"Clockwork"
"Voyager"
"Apophenia"
"Desert"
"Solitude"
"Diagnosis"
"Ocean"
"Liberation"

"Desert":

"Ocean":

"Voyager":

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Catch Inanimate Existence live on the upcoming Clockwork North America tour with a rotating cast of support bands on various parts of the tour from May 10th to June 23rd. Dates and information here.




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WINGER frontman Kip Winger has confirmed to Daily Boom that there are tentative plans for the band to work on new material this summer. The disc will be the follow-up to "Better Days Comin'", which came out in 2014.

"Reb [Beach, guitar] and I are going to start writing and we'll try to knock something out in August," Kip said. "He's out with WHITESNAKE now and I'm very busy, so we've got some time set aside in August for us to get together and try to do something. I don't know what we're going to do and I don't like to pre-plan it. I like to sit down with Reb and see what the mood of the day is. It's impossible for Reb and I not to sound like WINGER because the combination of us is the sound of the band, no matter what song we do."

Kip spoke about the WINGER songwriting process during a recent interview with CantonRep.com. "Me and Reb sit down with a drum machine and knock out a bunch of riffs, and then we do lyrics and cut drums," he said. "It's a very basic formula. The writing process is really where it's all important. It's Reb and me sitting down in front of the gear and going for it. I never start with any ideas. I just let them come as I'm writing. I usually know within seconds if I can turn it into something good."

WINGER formed in the late 1980s and soared to immediate success with its 1988 self-titled release. The album spawned the hit singles "Seventeen" and "Headed For A Heartbreak" and achieved platinum sales status. "Winger" also stayed on The Billboard 200 chart for over 60 weeks where it peaked at #21. Their next album, "In The Heart Of The Young", also achieved platinum status behind the singles "Can't Get Enuff" and "Miles Away". The change in musical climate of the mid-'90s, compounded with unprovoked ridicule on MTV's popular "Beavis And Butt-Head" show, led the band to go on hiatus in 1994. In 2001, WINGER reunited and has not looked back since.

Kip also earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for the classical album "C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations With Nijinsky", recorded with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.

Richmond’s Inter Arma, reigning masters of the slow build, performed at Atlas Brew Works in Washington on February 2. Pro-shot video, filmed by Frank Huang (Maximum Volume Silence), can be seen below.

Setlist:

"An Archer In The Emptiness"
"Howling Lands"
"Sulphur English"
"Transfiguration"
"Citadel"

Inter Arma's new album, Sulphur English, is available now via Relapse.com. Digital Downloads / Streaming Services are available here. A full album stream can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“Bumgardner”
“A Waxen Sea”
“Citadel”
“Howling Lands”
“Stillness”
“Observances Of The Path”
“The Atavist’s Meridian”
“Blood On The Lupines”
“Sulphur English”

Album stream:

"Howling Lands" video:

Inter Arma have announced US headline tour dates throughout May and June with Thantifaxath, and will see additional support by Ken Mode and Wayfarer on select dates. A full list of confirmed tour dates are available below.

Tour dates:

April
12 - Philadelphia, PA - Decibel Metal & Beer Fest
13 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus - 8th Anniversary

May (with Thantifaxath)
14 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight
15 - Nashville, TN - Drkmttr
16 - Memphis, TN  - Hi Tone
17 - Little Rock, AR - Vino's
18 - St Louis, MO - Fubar
21 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
22 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive
23 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Bar
24 - Flagstaff, AZ - Green Room
25 - Phoenix, AZ - Yucca Tap Room
26 - San Diego, CA - Space Bar
28 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Metro #
29 - Eugene, OR - Old Nick's #
30 - Portland, OR - High Water Mark #
31 - Seattle, WA - Northwest Terror Fest

June (with Thantifaxath)
1 - Boise, ID - Bump HQ * + #
2 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court * + #
4 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
5 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
6 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
7 - Lexington, KY - Cosmic Charlie's

* with Ken Mode
# with Wayfarer




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Tickets are now on general sale for this year's blockbuster heavy metal exhibition, "Home of Metal: Black Sabbath - 50 Years". The exhibition opens to the public on June 26 through September 29 at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

From the humble beginnings of 1960s Aston, Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward created BLACK SABBATH, in turn forging a new sound, a new aesthetic, and a new musical culture — heavy metal. With the full support of the original founders of BLACK SABBATH, the exhibition will detail the history of this iconic band, and their links to Birmingham, as the early pioneers of heavy metal, in a show that will celebrate their significant contribution to British music heritage and their unique relationship to their fans.

Ozzy spoke of his pride in Birmingham in a new trailer for "Home of Metal: Black Sabbath - 50 Years", saying that he has never tried to escape his Birmingham roots and urging fans to follow their own dreams.

He said: "Well, whatever people think about me — and I don't get the chance to go and see Birmingham very often — I've never ever tried to hide my accent, and I've never denied that I'm from Birmingham.

"I'm absolutely so proud with what I've done with my life; it's unbelievable. Just hold on to your dreams, because you know what? Every once in a while they come true."

He added: "It's an honor to be a part of the 'Home Of Metal'. I am just a guy from Birmingham who's been blessed to have had such dedicated fans throughout my career."

Iommi said: "Fans are our lifeblood; they've always been there to support us."

Butler added: "I've always maintained that SABBATH fans are the most loyal and honest and most independently minded of all. I thank each and everyone of them for their incredible support over the years."

Iconic artefacts and personal items such as photographs, fans' gifts, stage costumes and jewelry, plus more, will be on loan from the band members themselves. In addition, demonstrating the extraordinary scale and diversity of their global fan base, the show will include BLACK SABBATH memorabilia stretching back to the '70s, ranging from gig tickets and mixtapes to motorbikes and battle jackets. The exhibition will also showcase BLACK SABBATH's links to Birmingham with photographs, posters, tickets and programs from local venues that were instrumental in the band 's early success. Also, a collection of 3,000+ commissioned portraits of Metal fans from countries as far afield as the USA, Botswana, Eygpt, Indonesia and Japan will throw light on this huge global community, one which Spotify recently identified as the most loyal across all music genres.

Home Of Metal is conceived and produced by Capsule, under the leadership of its founder and artistic director, Lisa Meyer, and is presented in partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust. In collaboration with Capsule, Morag Myerscough and Luke Morgan, one of the U.K.'s most acclaimed designer duos, will design "Home of Metal: Black Sabbath - 50 Years" for the Gas Hall within Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, the largest exhibition space in a museum or gallery outside of London.

The exhibition is at the centerpiece of six shows being staged this summer by Home Of Metal, each devoted to the music that was born in and around Birmingham. Music that turned up the volume, down-tuned the guitars, and introduced a whole new meaning to the word "heavy" that has reached into all corners of culture.

For details, go to www.homeofmetal.com.

Swedish Viking metallers, Månegarm, have released a lyric video for "Ett sista farväl", a track from their upcoming studio record, Fornaldarsagor. Watch below:

Due for release on April 26th via Napalm Records, Fornaldarsagor will contain eight furious tracks that breathe new life into sagas and tales from a pre-christianized, pagan era that made Scandinavia into what it is today - and those sagas have now been wrapped in exciting viking metal. Månegarm give furious details to all tracks via their socials. Head over to their Facebook to get deep insights to each and every track individually.

Special versions will also include two exclusive bonus tracks - available digitally and with the strictly limited CD Deluxe Box. Take a look at the full tracklisting below and make sure to check out all available formats and special bundles.

Available formats:

- 4 Page Digipack
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- 1LP Gatefold Gold - limited to 300 units
- CD Deluxe Box incl. 4 Page Digipack, 2 CD Single, Pendant & Album cover Flag - limited to 500 units
- Digital Album
- Shirt + Digipack
- Shirt + 1LP Gatefold Black

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Sveablotet"
"Hervors arv"
"Slaget vid Bråvalla"
"Ett sista farväl"
"Spjutbädden"
"Tvenne drömmar"
"Krakes sista strid"
"Dödskvädet"

Bonus tracks:
"(Don’t Need) Religion" (Motörhead cover)
"Day Star, Son Of Dawn" (Re-recorded song from 1995, never before released)

"Hervors arv" video:

"Sveablotet" lyric video:

Månegarm lineup:

Erik Grawsiö - Vocals, bass
Markus Andé - Guitar
Jakob Hallegren - Drums

(Photo - Jens Ryden)




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Dark Sky Choir performed last night to a sold out audience in Columbus Ohio with new guitarist Ira Black (I Am Morbid, Lizzy Borden, Vicious Rumors, Metal Church) and Bjorn Englen (Dio Disciples, Yngwie Malmsteen. Englen is currently on tour with Dark Star Choir, filling in for Percy Trayanov.

Dark Star Choir features former Vicious Rumors vocalist Brian Allen, Ira Black, Madame Mayhem’s Percy Trayanov and Mike Sakowski on drums. The band are currently on a Midwest US tour with Bobaflex through the end of May, with summer festival dates booked in Europe. Dark Star Choir is expected to release their new video and single, "Static Death", later this month.

Video courtesy of Jessica Chase Social Media Management and Promotions for Dark Star Choir:

(Photos - Annie Atlasman)




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Video footage has surfaced of Borknagar performing "Colossus" with their Vintersorg lineup upon the Party Stage at the 20th edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2009. Watch below:

Borknagar recently announced that vocalist Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund has left the band. They issued the following statement: "Due to personal reasons, Andreas 'Vintersorg' Hedlund has decided to step down as the lead vocalist of Borknagar. The decision is based on mutual understanding, respect and in a friendly manner with the rest of the band. Borknagar would like to express their sincere gratitude for the musical brotherhood we have shared throughout the years and wish Andreas the very best in his future endeavours. There is no drama to this situation, and our friendship will remain. No one should be too surprised if Vintersorg reappears as a guest vocalist on a future record. As a natural consequence, I.C.S Vortex will take a step forward into the role as the band´s lead vocalist, and will, together with Lars Nedland, carry on Borknagar's legacy of vocal brilliance."

Founder / mastermind Øystein G. Brun comments: "It is with a lot of respect, gratitude and good memories I see one of my brothers in music set sails for new shores. Times are changing, and we both saw this coming for a while. Even though we are splitting as partners in Borknagar, I am happy to say that we have decided to carry on our musical brotherhood in Cronian. A new album will be released whenever time allows for that."

Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund issued the following statement: "Time has come to make some tough decisions and let reality set the rules. It is with both a light and heavy heart I leave Borknagar as the lead vocalist. The light part is that it´s done in an amicable way and that this is the right thing to do for me, in respect for the fans and Borknagar. The heavy part is that it’s hard to leave something this meaningful and beautiful. My situation after the accident makes it hard to tour, and my job situation complicates things further. So in a way I’m not 'leaving' as such, it’s more like I’m putting some oil into the Borknagar machinery so the band can keep their busy schedule, get out on the road and meet you guys. Borknagar will always have a special place in my heart and mind, and I hope that I can do some guest performances further down the road. The guys in the band are fantastic musicians and persons and I wish them the best of luck. However, Cronian is not dead and may shake its head before you know it."

Øystein G. Brun has since checked in with the following update: "The new Borknagar album is finally done. I am so proud of what we have achieved musically this time around. Hard work always pays off, and this time we all pushed it to the extreme."

Stay tuned for updates.




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Sammy Hagar & The Circle, comprised of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson, launched their North American tour on April 19th at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. Fan-filmed video from the show can be seen below.

Setlist:

“Trust Fund Baby”
“There’s Only One Way To Rock”
“Three Lock Box”
“Poundcake”
“I Can’t Drive 55”
“Can’t Hang”
“The Seventh Seal”
“Finish What Ya Started”
“Right Now”
“Devil Came To Philly”
“Full Circle Jam (Chump Change)”
“Rock Candy”
“Why Can’t This Be Love”
“Rock And Roll”
“Heavy Metal”
“Mas Mezquila”

Encore:
“Eagles Fly”
“When It’s Love”
“Affirmation”

Tour dates:

April
22 - Warnors Theatre - Fresno, CA
23 - Rabobank Theatre - Bakersfield, CA
26 - Rio Vista Outdoor Amphitheatre - Laughlin, NV
27 - Route 66 Casino - Albuquerque, NM
30 - ACL Live at The Moody Theater - Austin, TX

May
1 - Smart Financial Centre - Sugar Land, TX
3 - Winstar Casino - Thackerville, OK
4 - Paradise Cove at River Spirit Casino - Tulsa, OK
17 - Mystic Lake Casino Amphitheater - Prior Lake, MN
18 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - Maryland Heights, MO (with Vince Neil)
20 - Rose Music Center at The Heights - Huber Heights, OH (with Vince Neil)
22 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI (with Night Ranger)
23 - Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn - Indianapolis, IN (with Night Ranger)
25 - XCite Center at Parx Casino - Bensalem, PA
26 - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion - Gilford, NH (with Night Ranger)
28 - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA (with Night Ranger)
30 - Foxwoods Resort Casino - Mashantucket, CT (with Night Ranger)
31 - Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts - Vienna, VA (with Night Ranger)

June
4 - Artpark - Lewiston, NY (with Night Ranger)
5 - Highmark Stadium - Pittsburgh, PA (with Night Ranger)
7 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - Tinley Park, IL (with Vince Neil)

Sammy Hagar & The Circle's debut album of original material, Space Between, can be pre-ordered here and will be released on May 10th through BMG.

Space Between tracklisting:

"Devil Came to Philly"
"Full Circle Jam [Chump Change]"
"Can't Hang"
"Wide Open Space"
"Free Man"
"Bottom Line"
"No Worries"
"Trust Fund Baby"
"Affirmation"
"Hey Hey [Without Greed]"

"Can't Hang" video:

"Trust Fund Baby" video:

"Trust Fund Baby" lyric video:

(Photo - Leah Steiger)




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Japanese pop metal act BABYMETAL will release a new single, "Elevator Girl", on May 10. The track, which the band has already performed live (see video below), will appear on BABYMETAL's next album, due later this year.

BABYMETAL has also announced a headlining concert the the Forum in Los Angeles, California on Friday, October 11. Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m.

BABYMETAL's upcoming disc will be the follow-up to 2016's "Metal Resistance". Right after the release of this second disc, they performed at London's prominent venue SSE Arena, Wembley and became the first Japanese act to have ever headlined there, breaking the all-time merchandising sales record at the venue. BABYMETAL also had successful back-to-back performances at the massive Tokyo Dome thereafter, playing to 110,000 people over two nights.


"Metal Resistance" debuted at No. 15 on the official U.K. chart, the highest rank for a Japanese artist in recorded history. The album was very well-received in all other territories as well, including another record-breaking position for a Japanese artist in the U.S. with a No. 39 position on the Billboard chart.

Last fall, BABYMETAL digitally released a new song called "Starlight". It marked the rebirth of the band in which Su-Metal and Moametal form the core.

BABYMETAL spent all of 2018 touring without Yuimetal, who was formerly one of the members of the group's core trio. She later exited the band, explaining in a statement that she would go on to pursue a solo career as Mizuno Yu.

Over the last few years, BABYMETAL has established itself as the most globally successful J-pop group of the past decade.

The band describes itself as kawaii metal, kawaii meaning "cute" in Japanese.

Swedish metallers SABATON have released the official music video for a new song called "Bismarck". The clip, which was directed by Matthias Hoene and produced by Wargaming, can be seen below.

SABATON said in a statement: "The most requested topic for a SABATON song ever!

"The fate of the ship Bismarck is a fascinating story we wanted to write about for a long time, but could not fit into any album. So we decided to make it as a single release, and as a gift from us to you for being fantastic fans for the past 20 years.

"Thanks to our friends at Wargaming and World Of Warships, we can also present it with a truly impressive video, well worthy of this song. The talented team at Wargaming could ensure the historical accuracy of the scenes thanks to the models from their award-winning game World Of Warships, and the director Matthias Hoene, who won a Golden Lion at Cannes, were able to bring the band and story together.

"The song 'Bismarck' was written over a year ago and we recorded it last summer in Black Lounge studios with Jonas Kjellgren, who has also recorded and mixed our upcoming album, 'The Great War'.

"Bismarck was a German battleship and one of the biggest ever built in Europe. Commissioned in August 1940 and sunk in May 1941 after an intense hunt in the North Atlantic. Though he now rests beneath the waves, players of World Of Warships can still take this iconic ship into virtual battles.

"For now, the song is available at YouTube so you can enjoy this great video for free. At a later stage, it will also be available on your favourite digital platform.

"You wanted us to write this song, we heard you, and here is our tribute!"

"The Great War" will be released on July 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band's 20th-anniversary record will be a concept effort covering stories from the First World War.

"The Great War" track listing:

01. The Future Of Warfare

02. Seven Pillars Of Wisdom

03. 82nd All The Way

04. The Attack Of The Dead Men

05. Devil Dogs

06. The Red Baron

07. Great War

08. A Ghost In The Trenches

09. Fields Of Verdun

10. The End Of The War To End All Wars

11. In Flanders Fields

SABATON started recording "The Great War" exactly 100 years after the end of the First World War (November 11, 1918) and took three months of intensive work to complete the album with longtime producer and collaborator Jonas Kjellgren at Black Lounge studios. The disc was mastered by Maor Appelbaum and the artwork was once again created by Peter Sallaí.


"This is not the first time we sing about stories from this period in time, but now we felt the timing was right to make a full concept album about this war," the band said.

Side by side with the album, the Swedes have worked hard to make their 20th year anniversary a very exciting year, and also started the SABATON History Channel — a unique collaboration between the band and multimedia historians Indy Neidell and Timeghost, capturing the power of social media to tell stories about the wars, battles and heroes behind SABATON's songs.

"This is the biggest album we have taken on so far. There is so much depth and story around the songs that we never had before," bassist Pär Sundström states. "Expect many surprises as we have tried new things and we also went back in time to a concept we know a lot of you love. 'The Great War' has been created side by side with the SABATON History Channel to make 2019 the most exciting year in our 20-year history.”

SABATON's next disc will be the group's first with guitarist Tommy Johansson (GOLDEN RESURRECTION, REINXEED), who replaced Thobbe Englund in 2016.

SABATON's 2012 album, "Carolus Rex", was recently certified quadruple platinum in the band's home country of Sweden. The concept effort — which is the group's biggest success to date — charts the rise and fall of the Swedish Empire, in particular the life of Charles XII ("Carolus Rex") who ruled it for 21 years. In an amazing coincidence, the album's quadruple platinum certification came exactly 300 years after the king's death in 1718.

To celebrate the album's success, and to commemorate the Swedish king who inspired it, SABATON released a special 300th-anniversary edition of "Carolus Rex" on November 30, which is the date Carolus Rex was killed in Norway.

New to the Vancouver rock scene, Getaway Van has been maneuvering through venues to bring their slightly out of control punky blues stoner fuzz rock to entertained audiences for the past year. Collectively, the band shares a broad taste in music and using that to their advantage it's translated into a record full of different styles and influences that they released back in February. A video for the single "Lord I’ve Been Running" can be seen below.

Tracklisting:

Intro
"Branches"
"Comin' Back"
"Follow Me"
"Ugh"
"Blacktop Mistress"
"You Make Everything"
"Lord I've Been Running"
"So Long"
Outro

"Lord I've Been Running" video:

(Photo - MarkBell Photography)




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BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi says that he has "found" about 500 riffs while recently spending time with QUEEN's Brian May.

Iommi made the revelation while captioning a new Instagram photo, in which he can be seen hanging out with the QUEEN guitarist, who is holding a small boombox. "Hard at work! In search of riffs — and finding about 500," Tony wrote.

Back in 2013, Iommi told the Birmingham Mail that he was discussing a possible collaboration with May.

The idea of working together came about when Iommi and May met up shortly after the BLACK SABBATH guitarist was diagnosed with cancer.

"When I was first ill, Brian May came to visit me at my house in Lapworth," Iommi said. "I played him some of my stuff, rock riffs that I'd never quite got round to developing, or decided not to use. He said I ought to do something with them.

"It's early days yet, and all my attention in on SABBATH for the foreseeable future, but we may well find some way of working together on them, and making them available in some shape or form.

"One of the ideas we had is that we could make the riffs available, get fans to use them in songs of their own, and see what they come up with. That way they'd effectively be recording with Brian and myself."

May elaborated on the idea: "I heard some of the hours of unreleased guitar jams Tony has on tapes and hard drives. I thought it would be great to make a compilation out of them.

"The idea was to put all these riffs out in some form so that people could build their own songs from them. You could make your own music with Tony Iommi on guitar. How great is that?"

SABBATH completed its last major tour in February 2017 with two shows in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

The trek was the band's last because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in late 2011 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time. But he has said he would not rule out special events or one-off shows.

Last year, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing BLACK SABBATH's 1995 album "Forbidden" for a 2019 release. The LP, which features singer Tony Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as the band's worst studio recording.

View this post on Instagram Hard at work ! In search of riffs - and finding about 500 ! A post shared by Tony Iommi (@iommi099) on Apr 20, 2019 at 9:19am PDT

As part of this week's Top 10 "Rules Of Rock" from Topgolf, TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider was asked what it takes to be a great frontman. He responded (see video below): "On the list of job requirements for a frontman are three essentials. It says 'narcissist,' 'self-absorbed' and 'egomaniac.' If you've got those three things, and a voice — you're in."

In a 2016 interview with The Village Voice, Snider admitted that his combustible personality destroyed TWISTED SISTER at the end of the 1980s, just a few years after the band landed a record deal with Atlantic and released its multi-platinum 1984 album "Stay Hungry".

"I [was] absolutely a narcissistic megalomaniac," Dee said. "And once I broke through, after all these years of struggle and people telling me no, now I was going to tell everybody: I was right, you were wrong. Fuck you. Shut your mouth, I don't want to hear from you. Nobody talk to me. You just will listen. Because the Dee is talking. The Dee is speaking. The Dee knows."

By late 1987, Snider had quit TWISTED SISTER, Atlantic had dropped the group a mere five years after it was signed, and the quintet had disbanded. "When the band fell apart and my career completely dissolved, it humbled me and made me a better person," Snider said. "To get knocked down is a healthy thing."

Snider is among the celebrity judges on the second season of "Who Will Rock You?" The show spotlights unsigned bands in a weekly, elimination-style program. The winning group will be selected by the celebrity judges and an audience of Topgolf guests.

The show's second season premiered on March 28 on Topgolf's digital channel (available on streaming platforms like Amazon Fire and Roku) and features 12 bands vying for a $50,000 prize. The winner will also have a chance to be featured on a concert tour of Topgolf's 57 venues across the country and sign a label development deal with BMG.

Topgolf produced "Who Will Rock You?" in partnership with Matador Content (Paramount Network's "Lip Sync Battle", ABC's "Boy Band"). The deal for "Who Will Rock You?" was brokered by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

THERION singer Thomas Vikström and TNT frontman Baol Bardot Bulsara have united with Spanish vocalist Joaquín Padilla (Legado de una Tragedia), in the new  track “Y Judas traicionó al Señor” (“And Judas betrayed the Lord”), belonging to the rock opera El Secreto de los Templarios (The Secrete of the Templars). The song also features Carlos Exposito (Leo Jimenez, Stravaganzza) on the drums, Jose Pineda (Snakeyes) on bass, Manuel Seoane (Burdel King) on guitar and pianist Javier Lúcia (Ldut).

El Secreto de los Templarios involves betrayals, death, mysteries, occultism, secrets, relics and curses, during the Middle Ages. Recorded at Espartanos Studios in Madrid, the album features more than 20 singers, 15 musicians and symphonic orchestrations with classical musicians.

“Without a doubt, 20 songs that complete the most epic and Wagnerian of the saga,” the band states

“Y Judas traicionó al Señor” official video from the studio:




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Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood has pointed the band's fans in the direction of a four-harp cover of the song "Static", found on YouTube, which can be viewed below. "Static" appears on Kamelot's latest album, The Shadow Theory.

Kamelot, who recently wrapped up the second leg of their European tour in support of The Shadow Theory album, recently checked in with the following update:

"The second leg of the European Tour was a blast! Thanks to the support bands, the crew and amazing KAMFANS!! Also tons of exciting concerts coming up and also work continues on the new DVD/Blu-ray, release date to be announced soon.

"In addition, we are very happy to bring our good friend and drummer extraordinaire Alex Landenburg into the fold now officially! Alex is not only a great guy but also a master clinician, teacher and master at his craft. After filling in several times in the last two years, he proved to be an amazing addition and youthful energy to the band. He will also continue as the drummer for Cyhra. If you haven’t met him yet, please make sure you say hello, he is a great guy and his smile is infectious."

Kamelot tour dates are listed below:

June
15 - Zamora, Spain - Z! Live Rock Fest

July
13 - Cremona, Italy - Luppolo in Rock
16 - Belval, Luxembourg - Rockhal
18 - Peurunka, Finland - John Smith Rock Festival
20 - Trondheim, Norway - Byscenen

September
10 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
11 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA
13 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
14 - New York. NY - Terminal 5
15 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda
16 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial
18 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix
19 - Detroit, MI - Harpo's
20 - Cleveland, OH - Agora
21 - Chicago, IL - Patio Theatre
23 - Minneapolis/St. Paul. MN - Amsterdam
24 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
25 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
26 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
28 - Edmonton, AB - The Ranch
29 - Calgary, AB - The Gateway

October
1 - Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub
2 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
4 - San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts
5 - Anaheim, CA - City National Grove
6 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
8 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
9 - St. Louis, MO - The Ready Room
11 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
12 - Tampa Bay, FL - Jannus Live




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Jason Bonham has apologized to his father's LED ZEPPELIN bandmate Jimmy Page for claiming that the guitarist introduced him to cocaine.

During a recent chat with Howard Stern, the now 52-year-old drummer, who fronts JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING, recalled an alleged incident involving drugs which was said to have taken place in hotel while LED ZEPPELIN on tour. "We got called to his room," Jason said. "I was 16 at this point, and there was a woman on the floor with a collar on, meowing, and he had this grinder thing and he turned it over and he went, 'Here you go,' and I went, 'Thanks.' He's like, 'You've done this before, right?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, of course I have.' So he handed it over and I just did all of it, and he went, 'Just like your father — y'know, that was supposed to be for all of us.'"

But Jason, who subbed for his late father during LED ZEPPELIN's 2007 reunion show and got his break drumming for Page on his 1988 "Outrider" tour, has now retracted those comments and issued a personal apology to Page.

In a statement on his web site, Bonham wrote: "On or about 9 April 2019 I, Jason Bonham, gave an interview on radio with Howard Stern. In that interview I made certain untrue and derogatory statements concerning Mr James Page of the legendary band LED ZEPPELIN.

"I unconditionally retract all derogatory and defamatory comments relating to Mr J Page that I made in that interview. In particular it is wholly untrue that Mr J Page offered me any illegal substances either when I was a minor or at all.

"I apologise to Mr Page, unreservedly, for making these unfounded and untrue comments about him.

"Out of my long held respect for Mr Page I will make no further comments on the interview and I agree to make no further comments which Mr Page might view as disparaging, either now or in the future."

During the Howard Stern chat, Jason went on to remember: "I would be doing blow, and they found out, so Jimmy cut his guitar solo short. I was halfway down into the dressing rooms and I suddenly hear [that] I'm supposed to come in now... So we ran back and Jimmy's just standing there. He was angry because we didn't offer him any!"

Jason Bonham, who lost his father when he was only 14 years old, felt as though his whole life had been building up to drumming for ZEPPELIN on December 10, 2007 in London. "But for me, as I said, it was a huge, huge honor to play," he said. "And all I was concentrating on the night, 'cause I knew there was that many people there — I was just concentrating who was on the stage. I just wanted to impress my mates here, my dad's friends."

On May 10, THE CIRCLE — featuring Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson — will release its first album of all original material, titled "Space Between". The band kicks off its next string of dates on April 19 at Reno, Nevada's Grand Theatre.

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends, Vio-lence played in Oakland, CA on April 14th. Video of the band performing the Exodus classic "A Lesson In Violence" with Gary Holt of Exodus / Slayer courtesy of Capital Chaos TV can be viewed below. 

Vio-lence performed their debut album, Eternal Nightmare, in its entirety on Saturday, April 13th in Oakland. Fan-filmed video is available below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out soundcheck footage below.

 

 

 

 

The lineup for the show was as follows:

 

 

Sean Killian - Vocals
Phil Demmel - Guitar
Ray Vegas - Guitar
Deen Dell - Bass
Perry Strickland -Drums

 

 

Vio-Lence and Sacred Reich are joining forces for a May 31st concert at The Regent in Los Angeles, California. Support on the night comes from Excel and Sworn Enemy.

 

 

Get tickets here.

 

 

 




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