Italian death metal act Mechanical God Creation has signed to Goatmancer Records.

The band comments:

"We are very pleased to start this collaboration with the label Goatmancer that after listening to the new album they believed in the band. Talking to them we found out we had the same goals and it was natural for us to find interest in them. We can’t wait to start the work with the label and spread our music all around the world."

Their third album, The New Chapter, will be released in 2019.

The heavy metal and comic lunatics Frenzy have joined forces again with the German heavy metal heroes Underground Power Records to release their first LP Blind Justice on CD and vinyl in early 2019.

Blind Justice was recorded and mixed by Angel Muñoz at Traste Cero Studios and mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony.

The artwork illustrations were done by comic artist Mike Mora (Heavy Metal Magazine) and the layout and design by Javier Pastor at Evil Rite.

Tracklisting:

“Blind Justice”
“From Hell”
“Killing With A Smile”
“Save Me”
“Twilight Of The Sapiens”
“We Are The Future”
“Velocity”
“Mad Ball”
“Waiting On Your Call”
“Annihilated By My Sound”
“Shred Or Die”

(Photo by: Antonio Sicre)

Canadian metallers All Else Fails are ready to release their new album The False Sanctuary, coming 2 years after the last critically-acclaimed full-length The Forever Lie. Keeping with their tradition of crushingly heavy and progressive metal they have composed two new songs for this album and included five B-sides from The Forever Lie, which were never released digitally.

To accentuate this album they have also released a music video for the first single “A Dream of Names”. Technical guitar parts are juxtaposition against melodic vocals in the band’s 10th music video, a moody visual for the thought provoking lyrics that address the current state of the world. 

“In a lot of ways this album is at a state of the union address. It's been 2 years since the release of The Forever Lie, and already the themes of financial corruption, abuse of religious power, and political scandal seem tame. I wrote this one half with a sarcastic smirk, half with a crippling sense that we are well past the point of return,” says Barrett Klesko (vocals, guitar).

Tracklisting:

“A Dream Of Names”
“Wolves”
“Thrice Broken”
“The Pause”
“Love In The Gloom”
“Bones” (2015 Demo Version)
“The Forever Lie” (2015 Demo Version)

“A Dream Of Names” video:

Uinuos (established in 2015) is a Finnish folk project, making dark and mysterious music in its native tongue, influenced by the Finnish mythology and soul scenery.

Now Uinuos is releasing their debut album Walakiat on December 21st. Preorder the album on  Bandcamp and check out a video below.

After the release the album will be available on all major digital music services.

(Photo by: Mika Latvala / Flexfoto)

"New Salem", a brand new video from MISERY INDEX, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Rituals Of Power", which will be released on March 8, 2019 via Season Of Mist.

MISERY INDEX comments on the track: "'New Salem' sums up perfectly the lyrical vitriol and musical dynamics featured across 'Rituals Of Power'. We wanted to introduce the album not just with a straight-ahead ripping tune, but with a smack to the face; it's a wake-up call for any concerned citizen and a code red for civilization. Ugly times call for stark and uncomfortable statements, and 'New Salem' castigates the faults and ineptitudes of our broken media system and the Crucible-esque, witch-hunt culture it fuels."

The artwork for "Rituals Of Power" was created by Raphael Gabrio and can be viewed below.

The band comments: "'Rituals Of Power' is a disavowal and warning against the consequences of our so-called 'post-truth' age. Each of the nine songs revolves loosely around this theme, yet each track also stands very much on its own. As an album, however, they are all brought to life as one 'reanimated' monster; it's roughly 35 minutes of unhinged-yet-cohesive riff-driven aural ballistics. We were pissed off and on fire during both the writing and recording, and we think it shows in spades. We set out to write the best album we could, based on what we would want to hear first as fans of this music, and we could not be happier."

b>"Rituals Of Power" track listing:

01. Universal Untruths (2:35)

02. Decline And Fall (4:36)

03. The Choir Invisible (4:26)

04. New Salem (3:24)

05. Hammering The Nails (3:46)

06. Rituals Of Power (5:20)

07. They Always Come Back (5:08)

08. I Disavow (4:21)

09. Naysayer (2:26)

MISERY INDEX has announced new European dates together with WORMROT and TRUTH CORRODED in the spring of 2019. The "Rituals Of Power: Phase 1" tour sees the band traveling through eight countries with a final curtain at the Turock in Essen, Germany.

RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe recently spoke to Revolver magazine about the fact that his band is still holding the blowtorch high for theatrical rock and roll at a time when rock performances can be pretty stripped down and straightforward. "We're just doing what we like," he said. "But there's just nothing to say so much anymore. Rock is dead. It's sad, I know it is. But sometimes you kind of have to make peace with the facts of reality. Every time I'm listening to what's new and it's definitely not rock."

When the interviewer pointed out to Kruspe that bands like METALLICA, TOOL, SLIPKNOT and, of course, RAMMSTEIN are still doing great business on the touring circuit, the guitarist responded: "There are always going to be these old dinosaurs that have a certain kind of performance that will survive. I'm talking about the new generation rock. What happens at the moment is that kids these days don't have that feeling when they play their favorite rock tracks to annoy the parents. Guitars are not annoying anymore, so what they're using, especially in Germany, they're using their voice, the lyrics, which basically mostly happens in hip-hop. They start to rebel against everything, and hip-hop is the soundtrack. It's all about hip-hop at the moment, which is hard to me because hip-hop was always kind of a music that I couldn't relate to. If I got to a festival and see a hip-hop group play, I'm so bored. That's one advantage rock still has over hip-hop. There's a visual and sonic connection between the band and the audience."

The whole "rock is dead" debate has popped up again and again throughout the years, most recently after MAROON 5 lead singer Adam Levine told Variety magazine that "rock music is nowhere, really. I don't know where it is," he said. "If it's around, no one's invited me to the party. All of the innovation and the incredible things happening in music are in hip-hop. It's better than everything else. Hip-hop is weird and avant-garde and flawed and real, and that's why people love it."

A few years ago, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told Esquire magazine that "rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed and now it won't because it's that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs. No one will pay you to do it."

number of hard rock and heavy metal musicians have weighed in on the topic in a variety of interviews over the last couple of years, with some digging a little deeper into Simmons's full remarks and others just glossing over the headline.

Kruspe's EMIGRATE project released its third album, "A Million Degrees", on November 30 via Spinefarm Records.

According to The Blast, lawyers representing Vince Neil in his assault lawsuit are accusing the MÖTLEY CRÜE singer of refusing to pay their invoices.

On December 6, Neil's lawyers at Howard & Howard Attorneys, PLLC filed court documents claiming that they are owed $187,364.01. They are requesting the judge allow them to hit Vince with a lien in that amount.

Despite Neil's alleged failure to pay his attorneys, they say they have continued to work on the lawsuit, which was filed back in 2016 by a woman who said Neil attacked her outside the Aria hotel in Vegas. Neil's alleged assault resulted in "substantial medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress," according to the lawsuit. She was seeking $75,000 in compensatory damages in addition to $75,000 in punitive damages and legal fees.

Neil has demanded the case be thrown out, denying the allegations of wrongdoing and accusing the woman of only seeking publicity.

his wasn't Vince's first brush with the law. Back in 2011, he served 10 days of a 15-day DUI sentence in connection with a June 2010 incident when he was speeding and weaving between lanes on Desert Inn Road west of Paradise Road, near the Las Vegas Strip, authorities said.

In 1984, Neil smashed his car into another vehicle in Redondo Beach, California, killing HANOI ROCKS drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley and seriously injuring two other occupants.

Neil was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol level was 0.17, which was over the legal limit.

Neil served half of a 30-day jail sentence, received five years probation and had to pay $2.6 million in restitution, as well as perform 200 hours of community service.

Peaceville recently issued the long awaited remix of Mayhem's cult classic, Grand Declaration Of War. The release can be ordered in various formats at this location, and a full album audio stream can be found below.

Completely reworked from the original master tapes by producer Jaime Gomez at Orgone Studios (Solstafir, Paradise Lost, Primordial, Ghost, Ulver, etc), this experimental black metal milestone sounds like you never heard it before.

Tracklisting:

"A Grand Declaration Of War"
"In The Lies Where Upon You Lay"
"A Time To Die"
"View From Nihil, Pt. 1"
"View From Nihil, Pt. 2"
"A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun, Pt. 1"
"A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun, Pt. 2"
"Crystalized Pain In Deconstruction"
"Completion In Science Of Agony, Pt. 1"
"To Daimonion"
"Untitled I"
"Completion In Science Of Agony, Pt. 2"

Album stream:

In other news, on December 14th, Mayhem are releasing a unique box, containing not only both LP versions of Grand Declaration Of War, but also the 12" LP's of Chimera (2004) and Ordo ad Chao (2007), the 10" EP of Wolf's Liar Abyss (1997), and two 10" EP's containing never released bonus tracks all bound together in a very special leather box.

Watch an unboxing video below, and order here.

Finland's Arion have released a video for "Through Your Falling Tears", a track from their new album, Life Is Not Beautiful, out now via AFM Records. Order the album here, and watch the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

"The End Of The Fall"
"No One Stands In My Way"
"At The Break Of Dawn" (Feat. Elize Ryd)
"The Last Sacrifice"
"Through Your Falling Tears"
"Unforgivable"
"Punish You"
"Life Is Not Beautiful"
"Last One Falls"

"Through Your Falling Tears" video:

"Punish You" lyric video:

"At The Break Of Dawn" video:

"Unforgivable" video:

Lineup:

Lassi Vääränen (Vocals)
Iivo Kaipainen (Guitars)
Arttu Vauhkonen (Keyboards)
Georgi Velinov (Bass)
Topias Kupianen (Drums)

Devin Townsend's Eras - Vinyl Collection Part III is out now. An unboxing video can be found below. Order the set here.

After the tremendous success of the first two LP box sets, now comes box number three. This one includes the albums Accelerated Evolution (2LP + etching), Epicloud (2LP), Transcendence (2LP + etching), Sky Blue (2LP) and Live At The Royal Albert Hall (2LP). All five albums come in Gatefold sleeves and on 180 g vinyl. Sky Blue and Live At The Royal Albert Hall have specifically been mastered for vinyl for this box to guarantee the best possible sound and listening experience.

The five albums come in a sturdy box, which also includes an extensive LP-booklet with complete lyrics, liner notes and comments from Devin Townsend. As the two previously released box sets, Eras - The Vinyl Collection Part III is also worldwide limited to not more than 2,500 copies.

Live At The Royal Albert Hall is the second part of the live album Ziltoid Live At The Royal Albert Hall and has never been released on vinyl before.

Find Me have announced that their third album, Angels In Blue, will be released on February 22nd via Frontiers Music Srl. The band has also released the first single and video from the album, "No Tears In Paradise". Watch a lyric video for the single below. Pre-order the album and stream the single here.

Vocalist Robbie LaBlanc on the new album: "I really like our first album, but I like Dark Angel better than the first one. I have to say that I love our new one the best of all three so far. I hope everyone else agrees, haha. There are some really amazing songs on this record and Daniel stripped the production down a bit on this one, which I really like. I had a lot of fun on this album vocally and I think you’ll hear that in the tracks. They were a joy to sing and there wasn’t one key change on any demo that was presented. It was like the songs were written right for me to sing them. Really, really cool!"

Songwriter, drummer, and producer Daniel Flores adds, "Like always, everything is built around Robbie's voice and range. Carefully structuring all arrangements around the melodies, crafting a powerhouse for every song. I think we have nailed down what that means for Find Me's melodic rock approach. Third time's the charm!"

Of tracks from the album they are particularly fond of, Flores says, "As a producer I tend to fall in love with all songs on the records we do, but the songs 'Desperate Dreams' and 'No Tears In Paradise' are two favorites." With LaBlanc adding, that "'Waiting For A Lifetime' and 'Show Me What You’d Die For' are two that quickly stand out in my mind as favorites. 'No Tears in Paradise' as well. I love our cover of 'Desperate Dreams' by Survivor, I thought it came out really nice and hopefully a great tribute to Jimi Jamison."

Find Me is an ongoing collaboration between Swedish musician, songwriter and producer Daniel Flores (Issa, The Murder of My Sweet) and singer Robbie LaBlanc from Blanc Faces. The partnership was put together by Frontiers President, Serafino Perugino with a vision to unleash yet another AOR behemoth from the label. Mission accomplished! Find Me’s debut album, Wings Of Love, and the follow-up release Dark Angel were greeted with rave fan and critical reviews, with fans left begging for more music from the duo. No demand could have been easier to fulfill as Daniel and Robbie simply love working together. The result of their latest collaboration is Angels In Blue. Once again, a delightful and massive melodic rock album full of mighty, anthemic AOR songs with Robbie’s soaring lead vocals and amazing performances from Daniel Flores and guitarist Philip Lindstrand. Sonically, this powerhouse album sits in between the classic sound of Journey and Giant and newcomers like W.E.T and Eclipse. Yet another unmissable album for the Melodic Rock/AOR crowd from Frontiers.

"Robbie and I really hope you can hear the sweat and tears we have endured during the making of this record. Every finished record is a miracle in the making and this one in particular was hard to make. Thank God it all came through in the end. This is for you guys, the fans who make my work feel like a walk in the park everyday," says Flores.

"I’m really excited Find Me's third album is coming out. I hope the fans love it and I want to express my great respect to all the guys in the band: Phil, Michael, Daniel, Johnny, Rolf, Soren, and all the great writers like Alessandro Del Vecchio and Michael Palace. What a great bunch of musicians and talented, talented people. I am very lucky to be involved with such beautiful and talented people. God bless you all," concludes LaBlanc.

Tracklisting:

"No Tears In Paradise"
"Chain Of Love"
"True Believer"
"Straight For Eternity"
"Can’t Let Go"
"One Last Kiss"
"Living A Lie"
"Angels In Blue"
"Show Me What You'd Die For"
"Waiting For A Lifetime"
"You Are The Only One"
"Desperate Dreams"
"Only The Lonely"

"No Tears In Paradise" lyric video:

Lineup:

Robert LaBlanc - Lead vocals and backing vocals
Daniel Flores - Drums, percussion and additional keyboards
Sören Kronquist - Keyboards
Philip Lindstrand - Rhythm guitars
Johnny Trobro - Bass
Micael Palace - Lead guitars and rhythm guitars on “Can't Let Go” and “Only The Lonely”

Altitudes & Attitude, a collaboration between Anthrax’s Frank Bello and Megadeth’s David Ellefson - two virtuosic bass players who’ve anchored some of the fiercest thrash records of all time - will release its debut album, Get It Out, on January 18th via Megaforce. A testament to the expressive strength of rock songcraft, Get It Out reaches far beyond the boundaries of an all-star metal outing.

Get It Out is available for pre-order here, and a lyric video for the track "Out Here" can be found below.

A kind of rock ‘n’ roll primal-scream therapy, Get It Out is the result of nearly four years of writing and recording sessions - and decades of touring, searching, striving and living.

“I’ve learned that writing songs is very cathartic,” says Bello, who has long made songwriting a daily practice. When Anthrax is off the road, he tries out new material at open mics around New York City. “A lot of these lyrics are about the inner struggles of my life, and about the rage that has built up from my life experiences - my brother’s murder; my father abandoning my family when we were young, leaving us with no funds to pay the bills. The ups and downs of life in general. I’ve always had an anger inside that music really helps me deal with.”

“The album has the perfect title,” Ellefson adds. “This is music that has been living inside of us for so long.  There’s a big musical part of each of us that doesn’t get heard anywhere else.”

Boasting producer Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour, Steel Panther), drummer Jeff Friedl (A Perfect Circle, Devo, Filter) and a deep bench of guest stars including Ace Frehley (the track “Late”) and Gus G., the record also represents the fulfillment of a lifelong but little-known ambition for two uniquely gifted artists.

As Bello puts it, “All I ever wanted to do was write good songs. I’ve always been a melody guy. I love hooks; I love catchy songs with a good riff.”

Tracklisting:

"Get It Out"
"Late"
"Out Here"
"Part Of Me"
"Slip"
"Talk To Me"
"Leviathan"
"Cold"
"Another Day"
"All There Is"
"Booze And Cigarettes"
"Tell The World"
"Here Again"

"Out Here" lyric video:

The Altitudes & Attitude story begins in 2010, when Bello and Ellefson started touring together to lead bass clinics for the amp manufacturer, Hartke. In need of backing tracks to support their demonstrations, they embarked upon some writing sessions and discovered their chemistry.

Bello and Ellefson debuted Altitudes & Attitude in early 2014, with a self-titled three-song EP that earned the duo airplay on SiriusXM and an appearance on VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show. Those tracks - “Booze And Cigarettes”, “Tell The World”, “Here Again” - are included on Get It Out as bonus cuts, in remixed and remastered form.

Ellefson explains that “A&A could have only happened at this moment in time” - when the titans of thrash metal’s Big Four are older, wiser, kinder and more open creatively. “When you’re still climbing up the hill,” he says, “there’s no room for friendly competition. But once you’ve been to the top of the hill and you’ve seen the view - which all of the Big Four have - it’s OK to break bread, hang out, have a drink.”

Or, in the case of Altitudes & Attitude, delve into hard-rock songwriting in a profound way. “To hear other sides of us as artists - not just as musicians and performers, but as artists.”

Altitudes & Attitude have announced 2019 UK/European tour dates including six shows with Slash f/Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators in support of their debut album.

Dates:

February
7 - Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
9 - Academy 3 - Manchester, UK
10 - Underworld - London, UK
12 - Waterfront - Norwich, UK
14 - 013 - Tilburg, Netherlands
15 - Bett - Frankfurt, Germany
16 - Backstage - Munich, Germany
17 - Zeche - Bochum, Germany
22 - Zenith - Paris, France*
23 - Cirque Royal - Brussels, Belgium - SOLD OUT*
24 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, Netherlands - SOLD OUT*
27 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, Norway - SOLD OUT*
28 - Annexet - Stockholm, Sweden*

March
3 - Sporthalle - Hamburg, Germany*

*with Slash

Toy maker Funko will release Pop! vinyl figures of AC/DC guitarist Angus Young in January.

Young figures will be made available in three separate combinations of hats and schoolboy outfits: a black suit and cap, or a navy blue suit with a blue hat featuring both an "A" and the "Highway To Hell" devil horns; and an FYE-exclusive variant featuring a red suit and the blue "A" cap, minus the horns.

Since they were first released in 2011, Funko Pop! figures have quickly taken over the market of collectible pop culture icons and events.

Funko recently crafted a special Pop! vinyl figure in the likeness of the cover artwork for METALLICA's 1988 album "…And Justice For All". Previously, all four members of the legendary heavy metal band were turned into Funko Pop! figures.


b>AC/DC is rumored to be in the midst of making — or at least planning — another album, with drummer Phil Rudd and singer Brian Johnson both back in the lineup. Online reports have also indicated Angus Young will dedicate the new AC/DC album to his late brother.

View this post on Instagram Coming Soon: AC/DC Pop! https://www.funko.com/blog/article/28560621614/coming-soon-ac-dc-pop A post shared by Funko (@originalfunko) on Dec 10, 2018 at 9:03am PST

French melodic death metal outfit, Temnein, have released a video for “White Stained Inferno”, the title track of the band’s latest album, available via Massacre Records. Watch below.

The album was produced by Frederic "El Mobo" Motte at Conkrete Studio. All artwork by Ibay Arifin Suradi.

Tracklisting:

“Impending Outbreak”
“Ataxia”
“Denying The Threat”
“Bad Omen”
“Knowledge As A Burden”
“White Stained Inferno”
“Against The Waves”
“The Seal”
“Wrong Escape”
“A Momentary Peace”
“Dawn Of A New Day”

“White Stained Inferno” video:

“Against The Waves” video:

"Denying The Threat" lyric video:

Napalm Records welcomes Sojourner to the label family. Sojourner is a folk-influenced atmospheric metal band with members from New Zealand, Sweden, and Italy. Their sound combines epic, ethereal elements with the aggression of black metal, evoking the sweeping, melancholic atmospheres of nature.

Formed in 2015, their first album, Empires Of Ash, was well received in the underground metal scene for its driving guitars, blackened rasps and ethereal female vocals. In 2018 the band released their second album, The Shadowed Road, building on their epic, fantasy atmosphere, and made their debut live performance to fans from across the world in Glasgow.

Since then Sojourner have been playing at festivals in the UK, Germany, and Italy, and will be embarking on their first European tour in January 2019 with Draconian and Harakiri For The Sky. Continuing the progression of their diverse sound, the band will be releasing their third album in late 2019 on Napalm Records.

The band states: “We're incredibly proud to be working with Napalm Records, a label that we've all listened to and respected for years! We'd like to thank Sebastian for reaching out to us, and all of our supporters both old and new. We're hard at work on the follow up to The Shadowed Road and we can't wait to share it with you all through this new partnership!”

Sojourner on tour with Draconian and Harakiri For The Sky:

Lineup:

Mike Lamb - Guitars, Keyboards, Piano
Chloe Bray - Tin whistle, Vocals, Guitars
Emilio Crespo - Vocals
Mike Wilson - Bass
Riccardo Floridia - Drums

(Photo - Gavin McLaughlin Photography)

Progressive power metallers, Blind Guardian, have re-released three more classic titles from their back catalogue. The remixed and remastered versions of Imaginations From The Other Side, Nightfall In Middle-Earth and A Night At The Opera are out now on 2CD digipack and 2LP gatefold vinyl format, in a variety of limited edition colours.

Singer Hansi Kürsch comments: "So great that Imaginations From The Other Side, Nightfall In Middle-Earth and A Night At The Opera will finally be re-released on vinyl and as limited-edition CDs. I really love the bonus material for each album. Always great to re-visit these albums. Have fun."

Today, the band launches the official documentary series, A Night At The Opera Revisited. Watch Part 1 below:

Order the reissues here.

Imaginations From The Other Side (1995), remixed 2011/2012,  remastered 2012

- 2 CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD+original CD)
- LP in gatefold

Tracklisting:

"Imaginations From The Other Side"
"I’m Alive"
"A Past And Future Secret"
"The Script For My Requiem"
"Mordred’s Song"
"Born In A Mourning Hall"
"Bright Eyes"
"Another Holy War"
"And The Story Ends"

Bonus:
"The Wizard"
"System’s Failing"

Imaginations Revisited Documentary, Part 1:

Imaginations Revisited Documentary, Part 2:

Nightfall In Middle-Earth (1998), remixed 2011/2012,  remastered 2012

- 2 CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD + original CD)
- LP in gatefold

Tracklisting:

"War Of Wrath"
"Into The Storm"
"Lammoth"
"Nightfall"
"The Minstrel"
"The Curse Of Feanor"
"Captured"
"Blood Tears"
"Mirror Mirror"
"Face The Truth"
"Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)"
"Battle Of Sudden Flames"
"Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)"
"The Dark Elf"
"Thorn"
"The Eldar"
"Nom The Wise"
"When Sorrow Sang"
"Out On The Water"
"The Steadfast"
"A Dark Passage"
"Final Chapter (Thus Ends…)"

Bonus:
"Doom"
"The Tides Of War"

Nightfall In Middle-Earth Revisited Documentary, Part 1:

Nightfall In Middle-Earth Revisited Documentary, Part 2:

A Night At The Opera (2002), remixed 2011/2012,  remastered 2012

- 2CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD+original CD)
- LP in gatefold

Tracklisting:

"Precious Jerusalem"
"Battlefield"
"Under The Ice"
"Sadly Sings Destiny"
"The Maiden And The Minstrel Knight"
"Wait For An Answer"
"The Soulforged"
"Age Of False Innocence"
"Punishment Divine"
"And Then There Was Silence"

Bonus:
"Age Of False Innocence" (demo)
"Under The Ice" (demo)

Arch Enemy have released a strictly limited, hand-numbered 7" single and digital single for their song, “Reason To Believe”, via Century Media Records. An unboxing video for the 7" vinyl can be seen below:

Guitarist and founding member Michael Amott comments on the motivation behind writing “Reason To Believe”: “Growing up, I guess I was what would be considered the “different kid”, the odd one out at school etc. I fled into my own shell and the music that I loved. Not having a lot friends and not being popular made me who I am today. My passion for music is really where I found my identity and also the strength to pull through those not always so easy times as a young teenager. Luckily, I was always obsessed with music, I had a lot of ideas for starting a band even before I hit puberty! When I finally saved up enough money to buy my first guitar at the age of thirteen I started creating my own songs immediately and started my first band soon thereafter. I haven’t stopped since. Music has been with me every step of the way through life and is still, to this day, my best friend and greatest passion. I’m sure a lot of people out there feel the same way. 'Reason To Believe' is a song that was born out of reminiscing about my own youth and also the stories from our fans around the world. This one’s for you... Always keep on fighting my friends!”

Both formats of the "Reason To Believe” single, physical and digital, feature the Tears For Fears cover “Shout” as a b-side.

The 7" single is available in the following vinyl colors:

- Black vinyl (limited to 300 copies)

- Clear vinyl (limited to 100 copies, only available at CMDistro EU)

- White vinyl (limited to 200 copies)

- Silver vinyl (limited to 200 copies, only available at Nuclear Blast)

- Red vinyl (limited to 200 copies, only available at EMP)

Order here.

On January 18th, Arch Enemy will release a compilation of all cover songs they have recorded throughout their career, entitled Covered In Blood. More details will follow soon.

Metal Blade Records welcomes Fractal Universe to its worldwide roster.

Founded in 2014, Fractal Universe is a progressive death metal band from Nancy, France. They released their first EP, Boundaries of Reality, in February 2015, and played numerous shows in support of it, opening for bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder, Exodus, Monuments, and many more. With the release of their first full-length, Engram of Decline, in April 2017 via Kolony Records, Fractal Universe received even more exposure in international press, before touring throughout Europe and appearing at various festivals. Soon after, Metal Blade Records offered the band a worldwide deal.

Fractal Universe comments: "We're thrilled to announce our collaboration with Metal Blade Records for the release of our upcoming album. The label has put out a countless amount of great albums over the years, that shaped our tastes in metal and contributed to making us the musicians we are today. Signing to them has been one of our main objectives since we started the band, and is really a dream come true. We couldn't be more excited about the months to come, and we can't wait to share the first tracks of the album with you!"

Fractal Universe's sophomore album - and Metal Blade Records debut - is entitled Rhizomes Of Insanity. Set to be released in spring 2019, Rhizomes Of Insanity was recorded between May and July 2018, with drums recorded at Ghost City Recordings with Nikita Kamprad, and mixing and mastering handled once again by the band's long-time engineer Flavien Morel of Boundless Productions Studios. Stay tuned for more news about the album coming soon.

Fractal Universe tour dates:

January
12 - Audincourt, France - Le Moloco

April
19 - Nilvange, France - Le Gueulard+
20 - Limours, France - Asylum Fest

Fractal Universe lineup:

Vince Wilquin - Guitar / Vocals
Hugo Florimond - Guitar
Valentin Pelletier - Bass
Clément Denys - Drums

(Photo - Vilvain Pictures)

Tasmanian extreme metal stalwarts, Psycroptic, have released a guitar playthrough video for the title track of the the band's new studio album, As The Kingdom Drowns, out now. Watch the new video below.

Formed by brothers Dave and Joe Haley, Psycroptic have always lived in that very small space between technical and metal. The over the top insanity peaked with their third album, 2006’s Symbols Of Failure. From there the band looked to smooth things out a bit, whether it was with some ambience or industrial elements in 2008’s Ob(Servant) or focusing in on the groove on 2012’s, The Inherited Repression. 2015’s Psycroptic seemed to encompass all that the band had done, so where does one go from there? For the band, it was somewhat easy.

The self-titled album gave the band a new and solid platform to launch off of, making experimentation easier. The hard part was where to go and just how far to take it. Singer, Jason Peppiatt comments, “As always with this band we wanted it to have the distinctive sound of a Psycroptic album but wanted to push ourselves further with adding new elements and having a darker vibe than on previous releases. I think we achieved our goal and this is something we are all very proud of!”

The new album was once again produced by J. Haley and was mixed and mastered by Will Putney. Artwork was handled by Mariusz Lewandowsky.

Tracklisting:

"We Were The Keepers"
"Frozen Gaze"
"Directive"
"Deadlands"
"As The Kingdom Drowns"
"Beyond The Black"
"Upon These Stones"
"Momentum Of The Void"
"You Belong Here, Below"

"Frozen Gaze" video:

"Directive" video:

"We Were The Keepers":

"We Were The Keepers" guitar playthrough:

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing "Fight Fire With Fire" on November 30 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah and "Seek & Destroy" on December 2 at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington can be seen below.

The second North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" features in-the-round production and a few firsts, including a "Light It Up" pre-show party hosted by the band's friend, comedian Jim Breuer; and a "Wherever I May Roam Black Ticket" that gives a limited number of fans floor access to any show on the tour.

The "WorldWired" set and stage design, designed by the show's director, Dan Braun, features an immersive concert experience with a 44' x 44' square main-stage equipped with several prop lifts located in the center of the arena.

The "WorldWired" show features the touring industry's first autonomous indoor drone swarm, with 99 micro drones dancing like fireflies for the song "Moth Into Flame".

b>METALLICA kicked off the 2018/2019 U.S. leg of the "WorldWired" arena tour on September 2 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of Mind Key, whose new album, MK III - Aliens In Wonderland, is planned for release in 2019.

Mind Key is a progressive metal band formed in Napoli, Italy in 1999 by Dario De Cicco (keyboards) and Emanuele Colella (guitars). The two wanted to create a band that melded the sound of bands like Dream Theater, Symphony X, Evergrey, and Pain of Salvation with a songwriting approach inspired by '80/'90s hard rock style.

Mind Key issued the album Journey Of A Rough Diamond in July 2004 on Frontiers. The lineup also included Mark Basile (currently of DGM) on vocals, Raffaele Castaldo on bass, and Andrea Stipa on drums. The band played various gigs in support of the album’s release, including shows with Dream Theater, Vision Divine, and Pendragon, among others. Mind Key then began recording their second album, Pulse For A Graveheart. Released in 2009, the album saw the band simplifying their songwriting and introducing new singer Aurelio Fierro. Fierro was able to showcase his immense vocal potential on the album, which can be described as a powerful mix of Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, and Jorn Lande.

Pulse For A Graveheart - out via Frontiers - grew the band's fanbase. MK toured for many shows to support the album and played live with awesome bands like Edguy, Vanden Plas, Europe and Hammerfall. But unfortunately, life got in the way and it was necessary to wait a few years before Mind Key could regroup. When they were able to reconvene, it was with new members: bassist Lucio Grilli (ex-Soul Secret) and drummer Mirko De Maio (The Flower Kings, Hangarvain). Work commenced on the writing and recording for their new record then.

Keyboardist Dario De Cicco says, “I think MK III - Aliens In Wonderland can be considered our most mature album. Song-writing is more melodic, hooks are stronger, and the album is more song-oriented than ever. However, we certainly have not forgotten about our beloved instrumental interweaving, in perfect prog-metal style! This is the key third album, and I am confident this record will bring us back with our best musical material ever.”

Guitarist Emanuele Colella adds, "I think that we have finally found our sound and path. In terms of genre, heaviness and melody, this album is, in my opinion, a balanced mix and a fine link of the previous ones. If I should define it, I would call it like melodic prog metal with a strong hard rock flavour.”

The label tentatively plans to release the album in the early summer of 2019.

Lineup:

Elio Fierro Jr. - vocals
Dario de Cicco - keyboards
Emanuele Colella - guitars
Lucio Grilli - Bass guitar
Mirkko De Maio - drums

Following a series of social media teasers, THE UNDERGROUND THIEVES — Nick Perri's new, eclectic band — released its sixth single, "Fall", today, with accompanying music video. This release follows Perri and THE UNDERGROUND THIEVES' heavy summer and fall touring schedule that saw them supporting acts like Slash, GRETA VAN FLEET and BLACK STONE CHERRY.

"Fall" blends elements of psychedelic rock, soul, and blues, set to a down-tempo waltz that features Perri's signature, fierce guitar playing and haunting lead vocals. "This was the kind of song that almost wrote itself," said Perri. "It's honest emotion. Once I got into the groove it was done in a matter of minutes."

The track also features fellow THIEVES members Justin DiFebbo (K-FLOOR) on Hammond organ and synth, Jimmy Gnecco (OURS) and Hannah Gernand on background vocals, and Kevin Rice (Christina Perri, Mike Posner) on drums. The single follows a plan laid out by Perri last January, for yearlong music releases: chapters of a 12-part story showcasing the singing and songwriting talents of its various collaborators.

"I don't like the idea of asking people to wait for music anymore, especially for long periods of time," said Perri. "With this project, we can share our music as it comes to fruition, bringing our fans along on the journey in real-time."

he hallucinatory music video sees Perri teaming up again with Orange County filmmaker Austin M Bauman, for an erie performance silhouetted against a prism of colors and shapes. The video also features beautiful acrobatics from Dana Point residents Nathan Brouwer and Madisen Clanton.

"I wanted the sonic and visual aspects to line up and become one, and I think we achieved that and more," said Perri. "It was an honor to work with such incredible performers who brought this music video to life."

Perri said THE UNDERGROUND THIEVES will continue releasing one new single, or "chapter," as often as possible until all 12 songs are complete. At that time, the band will compile the chapters into a full-length album to be distributed both physically and electronically.

"Fall" is now available on iTunes, Spotify and other major music networks. It was mixed and mastered by Marc DiSisto, whose credits include PINK FLOYD, Joe Cocker and Don Henley, among other classic rock and pop icons. DiSisto also engineered SILVERTIDE's "Show & Tell" album, on which Perri was lead guitarist and co-songwriter.

THE UNDERGROUND THIEVES will perform at The Ardmore Music Hall in Philadelphia on December 23, a concert which will be recorded for a forthcoming live album.

Photo by Derek Brad

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley celebrated the 40th anniversary of his acclaimed solo debut by performing the album for the first time in its entirety on the final day of the New Jersey Kiss Expo 2018, which took place December 7-9 at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey.

His setlist was as follows:

01. Rip It Out

02. Speedin' Back To My Baby

03. Snowblind

04. Ozone

05. What's On Your Mind?

06. New York Groove

07. I'm In Need Of Love

08. Wiped-Out

09. Fractured Mirror

Other guests that appeared at the event included Lita Ford, Bobby Rock (VINNIE VINCENT INVASION, NELSON), Lydia Criss and artist Ken Kelly ("Destroyer", "Love Gun").

o-produced with frequent KISS collaborator Eddie Kramer, "Ace Frehley" is widely hailed as the best of the four KISS solo albums released simultaneously in 1978. It peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and outsold the solo efforts of his three bandmates.

Regarding how the decision to perform all of "Ace Frehley" came about, the guitarist told BUILD Series: "It came from the people putting the event together and some of the people who work for me. They all said it would be a great idea, and I said, 'Yeah, I think it would be,' so we're going to make it happen."

In addition to a trio of songs ("Snow Blind", "Ozone", "Wiped-Out") that reflect Frehley's extracurricular interests at the time, the album includes a cover of HELLO's 1975 song "New York Groove", which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and remains a staple of the guitarist's live performances today.

During a recent "live conversation" at Hollywood's Musicians Institute, Frehley discussed his goals for the album. "I just wanted to make the best record possible," he said. "I had a revelation after all four albums came out and mine became the most successful — pretty much there's this voice in my head going, 'Ace, you know you're a lot more creative away from those guys than you are with them.' That was kind of the beginning of the end for me, because I realized that I could make a lot better music away from Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] and Peter [Criss] than I could with them. But I was also drinking and doing a lot of drugs, so that could have affected my decision-making."

Frehley's latest solo album, "Spaceman", was released on October 19 via eOne.

CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Patrick "Pat" O'Brien appeared in a Florida court Tuesday morning (December 11), one day after being arrested for breaking into a home and assaulting a police officer.

O'Brien was clad in an anti-suicide vest, with his wrists and ankles chained together, when he was told by a judge at the Hillsborough County Courthouse that had to be tested for drugs if he is able to bond out of jail.

A short video report from WFLA News Channel 8 on O'Brien's court appearance can be seen below.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, O'Brien broke into a house near the Northdale Golf and Country just before 7:00 p.m. on Monday (December 10) and ignored orders from the two people inside the home to leave. O'Brien didn't know anyone at the house and didn't have permission to be there, an arrest report states. A sheriff's office supervisor says O'Brien shoved a woman to the ground and then went into the backyard.

eputies responding to the burglary found O'Brien hiding behind a fence near the house, which was less than half a mile from his own home. They say O'Brien "would not obey his lawful commands and ran towards" one of the deputies "with a knife in his right hand." Deputies then shot O'Brien with a Taser and arrested him.

O'Brien is charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. His bond was set at $50,000.

"The investigation is ongoing," said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cristal Nunez.

While O'Brien was being arrested, firefighters were battling a massive fire at a home where officials say the guitarist was living. Hillsborough County firefighters were able to get the fire under control after about an hour but had to contend with suspected live ammunition going off inside the house.

Officials say two military-style flamethrowers inside the home, making the fire much harder to battle for firefighters.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the house fire.

CANNIBAL CORPSE announced Monday that it would be part of the next North American leg of SLAYER's farewell tour.

THE CARDS, a brand new blues/rock trio featuring British guitarist Paul Quinn (SAXON), American singer and bassist Harrison Young (ex-DORO, ex-U.D.O.) and Dutchman Koen Herfst (ex-DEW-SCENTED, ex-I CHAOS) on drums, will release its self-titled debut album on January 18, 2019. The disc mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö and features cover artwork by Dutch artist Sophia Den Breems.

After meeting backstage at a German metal festival, Paul and Harrison bonded over a shared set of musical influences which became apparent in their early songwriting process. With the addition of drummer Koen, they find themselves branching out into new territory beyond the metal world with the creation of this album.

From classic blues stompers to full on rock and roll burners, this album leaves no territory unchartered.

Says Young: "This album was born out of friendship and camaraderie over the music making process, but it has become so much more."

b>"The Cards" track listing:

01. No Soul

02. Bandit On The Run

03. Rock & Roll Rocketship

04. The Process

05. Pitfalls

06. Ride The Freight Train

07. Sweet Lowdown Dirty Love

08. If I Had You

09. Agent Orange

10. Long Way To Go

11. For You

THE CARDS made its live debut in May 2018, headlining the prestigious Arkangelsk Blues Festival in Russia and will announce live dates for 2019 soon.

A performance clip of the song "For Evigt", taken from VOLBEAT's upcoming live album and concert film, "Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken", can be seen below.

On August 26, 2017, VOLBEAT became the first Danish band to headline and sell out its hometown venue, Denmark's Telia Parken, setting the record for the biggest show by a domestic artist in Denmark ever, with over 48,250 people in attendance. To commemorate and immortalize the record-breaking event, the band will release "Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken" on December 14 via Republic Records.


Lead singer Michael Poulsen said about the historic show: "Headlining Telia Parken was a dream come true, and we're humbled and honored that so many members of the VOLBEAT family came from far and wide to celebrate with us. We're thrilled to be able to share what was a milestone night for us with everyone."

The 26-track "Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken" includes live versions of VOLBEAT's chart-topping hits "Still Counting", "For Evigt", "The Devil's Bleeding Crown" and "A Warrior's Call", as well as a live performance of a new song, "The Everlasting". Special guests on the album (in order of appearance) include Mille Petrozza (KREATOR), Johan Olsen, Mark "Barney" Greenway (NAPALM DEATH), Lars Ulrich (METALLICA), boxer Mikkel Kessler and Danko Jones. The album and concert film will be available in the following configurations: Blu-ray/2CD, DVD/2CD, 2CD, 3LP vinyl and digitally.

b>"Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken" track listing:

01. The Devil's Bleeding Crown

02. Heaven Nor Hell

03. Radio Girl

04. Lola Montez

05. Let It Burn (feat. Mia Maja)

06. Doc Holiday

07. Sad Man's Tongue

08. 16 Dollars

09. 7 Shots (feat. Mille Petrozza and Rod Sinclair)

10. Fallen

11. Slaytan

12. Dead But Rising

13. Goodbye Forever

14. Maybellene I Hofteholder

15. The Everlasting

16. For Evigt (feat. Johan Olsen, Mia Maja and Rod Sinclair)

17. Evelyn (feat. Mark "Barney" Greenway)

18. Lonesome Rider

19. Seal The Deal

20. The Garden's Tale (feat. Johan Olsen)

21. Guitar Gangsters And Cadillac Blood (feat. Lars Ulrich)

22. Enter Sandman (feat. Lars Ulrich)

23. A Warrior's Call (feat. Mikkel Kessler)

24. Black Rose (feat. Danko Jones)

25. Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza

26. Still Counting


Special guests (in order of appearance):

* Mia Maja - Vocals on "Let It Burn", "For Evigt"

* Rod Sinclair - Banjo on "7 Shots" and "For Evigt"

* Mille Petrozza - Vocals on "7 Shots"

* Johan Olsen - Vocals on "For Evigt" and "The Garden's Tale"

* Barney Greenway - Vocals on "Evelyn"

* Lars Ulrich - Drums on "Guitar Gangsters And Cadillac Blood" and "Enter Sandman"

* Mikkel Kessler - Special Appearance on "A Warrior's Call"

* Danko Jones - Vocals on "Black Rose"

According to the Tampa, Florida television station WFTS-TV, CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Patrick "Pat" O'Brien has been breaking into a home and then running toward a deputy with a knife.

The 53-year-old musician reportedly went in the house without permission just before 7:00 p.m. and ignored orders from the family to leave. A sheriff's office supervisor says O'Brien pushed a woman down inside the house then went into the backyard.

Deputies responding to the burglary found O'Brien hiding behind a fence near his home. They say O'Brien charged at them with a knife. Deputies then took O'Brien down by using an electronic control device and arrested him.

O'Brien is charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

ust as O'Brien was arrested, a massive fire broke out at his nearby home with exploding ammunition inside. Hillsborough County firefighters were able to get the fire under control after about an hour but struggled due to the ammunition inside exploding due to the flames. Crews remained at the scene throughout the night and kept the road blocked long off after the fire was put out.

Officials say there were military-style flamethrowers inside the home, making the fire much harder to battle for firefighters.

CANNIBAL CORPSE announced Monday that it would be part of the next North American leg of SLAYER's farewell tour.

This is the story of how an Irish nuclear construction safety inspector brought 10 former members of BLACK SABBATH together to produce a tribute album to one of the greatest bands ever.

The "Ninth Star" album by EMERALD SABBATH is an ambitious epic rock and classical music tribute to BLACK SABBATH.

"Ninth Star" features 10 former members of BLACK SABBATH and much more, including:

* Adam Wakeman (BLACK SABBATH, OZZY OSBOURNE)

* Bev Bevan (BLACK SABBATH, ELO)

* Neil Murray (BLACK SABBATH, WHITESNAKE)

* Terry Chimes (BLACK SABBATH, THE CLASH)

* Laurence Cottle (BLACK SABBATH, THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT)

* Ron Keel (BLACK SABBATH, KEEL)

* Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL)

* Dave Walker (BLACK SABBATH, FLEETWOOD MAC)

* Bobby Rondinelli (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW)

* Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH, HEADLESS CROSS)

* Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE)

* The English Chamber Choir

ther EMERALD SABBATH contributors include Will Malone and Mike Lewis ("Sabotage", "Technical Ecstasy"), Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST), Skaila Kanja (Royal Academy Of Music) plus BLACK SABBATH album graphic designers Richard Manning and Colin Elgie ("Technical Ecstasy") and Hugh Gilmour ("Born Again").

EMERALD SABBATH founder/producer Michael Suilleabhain states about "Ninth Star": "I have been a BLACK SABBATH fan since 1983, when I heard them for first time. Like a lot of fans, it was BLACK SABBATH's debut album I heard first, and as they say, the rest is history. Over the years, I have since seen BLACK SABBATH a total of 82 times with every lineup [except with Ray Gillen]. I also have a great passion for classical music, and in May 2015 I decided to mix both of them. Adam Wakeman was the first to contribute to the project, with keyboards on 'Changes', and then it snowballed into this final product.

"I decided to re-record BLACK SABBATH tracks and instrumentals with as many as ex-members of BLACK SABBATH as possible. A lot of the artists also played on the originals (such as Vinny Appice, who joined SABBATH on drums for the 'Heaven And Hell' tour, and The English Chamber Choir on 'Supertzar'). I then brought in a string quartet along with various classical players.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be able to do this, but my persistence paid off.

"I would like to thank all the ex-BLACK SABBATH guys for helping me with this, as well as the former BLACK SABBATH graphic designers, string arrangers and producers.

"I hope that everyone will enjoy this album.”

"Ninth Star" will be released on February 15, 2019 via Plastic Head Distribution.

Track listing and credits:

"Embryo"

Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

Bev Bevan: Percussion

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Anneka Sutcliffe: Violin

Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

"Die Young"

Ron Keel: Vocals

Vinny Appice: Drums

Rudy Sarzo: Bass

DC Cothern: Guitar

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

Ellen Morgan: Keyboards

"Fluff"

Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

Ardeton String Quartet

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

"Trashed"

Ron Keel: Vocals

Vinny Appice: Drums

Bev Bevan: Percussion

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

"Stonehenge"

Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

Sarah Tobias: Flute

"She's Gone"

Dave Walker: Vocals

Neill Murray: Bass

Bill Dwyer: Drums

Ardeton String Quartet

Lisa Ljungberg: Backing Vocals

"In For The Kill"

Tony Martin: Vocals

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Bobby Rondinelli: Drums

Pete Rinaldi: Guitars

Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

"Orchid"

Neil Murray: Bass

Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

Ardeton String Quartet

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

"Hole In The Sky"

Ron Keel: Vocals

Bobby Rondinelli: Drums

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

"Changes"

Michael Suilleabhain: Vocals

Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Bev Bevan: Percussion

Queenie May: Backing Vocals

Annela Sutcliffe: Violin

Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

"Supertzar"

English Chamber Choir

Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

Terry Chimes: Drums

Laurence Cottle: Bass

Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

Skaila Kanja: Harp

Elen Morgan: Glockenspiel

"Down In Flames", the first video from DEADLAND RITUAL, the new band featuring bassist Geezer Butler (BLACK SABBATH), guitarist Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL, VINCE NEIL), drummer Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) and singer Franky Perez (APOCALYPTICA), can be seen below. The song, which was produced by Greg Fidelman (METALLICA, SLIPKNOT) was released via Sonik Riot Records/AWAL powered by Kobalt.

"Down In Flames" features the lush and powerful vocals of Perez, alongside Stevens's signature thundering guitar conjugating with the hard-driving tribal rhythm section of Butler and Sorum.

Drawing inspiration from the ritual symbolism of desert badlands paired with Sorum's love of the idea of a "ritualistic forgotten space," the name DEADLAND RITUAL felt appropriate for the darker tone of the music the group was making. "Obviously, we've been through some stuff," Perez says. "If you're being honest artistically, all the turmoil of love, loss, happiness and pain in life makes its way into the music."

Sorum's longtime friendships with Stevens and Perez helped to form the initial core of the lineup, but it was a pivotal moment when Butler agreed to join. Butler admits there was a lot to think about when he got the invitation. "I had to get used to the idea of starting from scratch again, which is good," he says. "But I really liked the music I was hearing. It's not your typical hard rock or metal stuff."

or Stevens, it was a revelation the first time he found himself recording with Butler. "There's a lot of times in the studio as a guitar player, you get a guitar sound and you're trying to make it work, tweaking it," Stevens says. "There was none of that bullshit. It just fit against his bass sound and it was really exciting to me. I get to hear my guitar against a bass guitarist that I've idolized forever."

Sorum was determined to take things to the next level. "I wanted to get the best drum sound I've ever gotten, and play the best I've played," he says. "I think I've achieved that. As a drummer I've morphed through a lot of decades of rock and roll."

The initial recordings are only the beginning of what fans can expect in the coming months. The band is focused on quality vs. quantity and letting the muse carry them in the appropriate direction. With festival appearances booked and headline dates in the works, they'll use the time leading up to that trek to continue writing and recording, releasing singles along the way and perhaps an LP.

DEADLAND RITUAL will make two European summer festival appearances next June — Download in the U.K on June 14 and Hellfest in France on June 22.

DEADLAND RITUAL promises the live shows will be something special, mixing the original material with deeper cuts from their collective past. "Not the typical songs you would expect," according to Sorum.

After BLACK SABBATH played its final show in February 2017, Butler admitted: "I felt relief that it was all over, that it was done with, that we'd done a good show, and quite sad in a way to think that we’d never do it again. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, actually. It just felt right. We've been around for 49 years now, and it's time to call it a day."

In a 2017 interview with Billboard, Butler spoke about his post-BLACK SABBATH plans, saying: "I'm not in a hurry to do anything… I'm traveling a lot, seeing the places [the band] only stayed for one night and going back and spending some time there. We've recently moved house this year and I'm going to be building my home studio, but it's taken me ages. Next year I'll see if I can get back into music."

Last year, Butler told Rolling Stone that he had "about 120 riffs written down" for his next musical project, adding that he just needed "to pick a guitarist and sort through them."

Butler's last solo album, "Ohmwork", which was released under the band name GZR, sold less than 900 copies during its first week of release back in May 2005, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Geezer's first project under the GZR banner was 1995's "Plastic Planet". 1997's "Black Science", which was credited to GEEZER, featured vocalist Clark Brown, who also performed on "Ohmwork".

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Butler is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.

"Bohemian Rhapsody", the iconic single by British rock legends QUEEN, has become most-streamed song from the 20th Century, as well as the most-streamed classic rock song of all time.

On Monday (December 10), Universal Music Group (UMG) announced that the song has garnered more than 1.6 billion global streams — a figure that takes into account all registered streams on global on-demand streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer, as well as streams from official song or video streams on YouTube.

In taking the top spot, the song pulled ahead of NIRVANA's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", GUNS N' ROSES' "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "November Rain", and A-HA's "Take On Me".

"Bohemian Rhapsody"'s popularity has been boosted by the recent success of the QUEEN movie "Bohemian Rhapsody", which became the highest-grossing music biopic in history five weeks after its release. The film has already grossed more than $596.1 million at the global box office.

b>QUEEN guitarist Brian May said in a statement: "So the River of Rock Music has metamorphosed into streams! Very happy that our music is still flowing to the max!"

Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said: "'Bohemian Rhapsody' is one the greatest songs by one of the greatest bands in history. We are so proud to represent QUEEN and are thrilled to see the song still inspiring new fans around the world more than four decades after its release. My congratulations to QUEEN and [longtime manager] Jim Beach on an incredible achievement that is a testament to the enduring brilliance of QUEEN."

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was first released as a single on October 31, 1975. Despite its unconventional structure and exorbitant length for a single, it became QUEEN's first Top 10 hit in the U.S. In the U.K., it went to No. 1 for nine consecutive weeks, a record at the time. The song revisited the charts 16 years later, when it appeared in the 1992 comedy "Wayne's World", starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey.