SHINEDOWN has announced "An Evening With Shinedown" live dates — an intimate, limited run of shows kicking off May 6 in New Orleans. These nine special shows will offer fans an exclusive, up-close-and-personal live experience amidst the 2019 "Attention Attention" world tour, which will see SHINEDOWN pack arenas backed by its biggest, most eye-popping production yet. Following the high demand for tickets to SHINEDOWN's three intimate, year-end shows at the House of Blues in Orlando on December 27-29, the band is thrilled to be bringing "An Evening With Shinedown" to select cities around the country.

Fan club pre-sale tickets will be available December 4 at 10 a.m. local time, venue and radio pre-sale tickets will be available December 6 at 10 a.m. local time. General on-sale begins December 7 at 10 a.m. local time.


Additionally, SHINEDOWN will return to their roots in Jacksonville, Florida for an epic set at Welcome to Rockville on May 4 at Metropolitan Park. Tickets go on sale December 7 at noon ET.

"An Evening With Shinedown" tour dates:

ay 06 - New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore

May 07 - Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy Theatre

May 08 - Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy Theatre

May 10 - Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues

May 11 - Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues

May 13 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium

May 14 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium

May 21 - Madison, WI @ The Sylvee

May 22 - Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre

"Attention Attention", SHINEDOWN's sixth studio album, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums chart back in May. The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival" marked SHINEDOWN's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by bassist Eric Bass. The 14-song release that tells the story of a character who starts out defeated and slowly overcomes pain and personal struggles and becomes confident at the end. The album also lyrically touches upon singer Brent Smith's former drug addiction and Bass's depression.

Smith told Classic Rock magazine that "Get Up" is "one of the quintessential songs on the record. I wrote the lyrics to 'Get Up' about Eric, who produced and mixed the record," he said. "Eric faces what is considered to be clinical depression on a daily basis. Some days everything is great, some days the sky is falling in. Often he'll tell me he wishes he could unscrew part of his skull, reach into his brain and take that part of him out and throw it away. But it is a part of him, and he has to work with it. He doesn't have to like it, but he has to respect it. And as a band, we all respect him because of it. It was one of the songs that took the longest to write because I was afraid what Eric was going to think. So this is the part of the record when a person has to have a heart-to-heart chat with themselves in that chair. It's a very conversational piece."

SHINEDOWN will embark on a U.S. headlining tour in February. Support on the trek will come from PAPA ROACH and ASKING ALEXANDRIA.

Greek melodic power metallers The Silent Rage have announced the addition of singer Michalis Rinakakis to the fold.

The band says in a statement: “It’s finally time to announce that a new Stormwarrior has joined our legion. We are more than happy to announce the arrival of Michalis Rinakakis (Event Horizon X, Revile, Dragonrider, ex-Air Raid) as the new frontman of the band. So please welcome him aboard!

“The band is currently working on the follow up of The Deadliest Scourge album. The pre-production has already begun and we are more than happy with the new material, which sounds really impressive. Some great shows has been scheduled and will be announced soon.”

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Mighty Music has announced the signing of GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS, the new U.S. progressive metal sensation featuring former NEVERMORE and GOD FORBID members. The band's sophomore LP, titled "Delirium", will be released on February 22, 2019, and is a must-have for all NEVERMORE, KAMELOT and PAIN OF SALVATION fans.


Formed in 2012 by guitarist Matthew Wicklund (GOD FORBID, HIMSA), drummer Van Williams (NEVERMORE) and vocalist/guitarist Adōn Fanion, GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS began writing what would become their critically acclaimed 2015 self-titled debut release. With foundations in progressive metal, GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS is forging a fresh pathway in the metal genre by exploring emotional and melodic writing firmly founded in technical playing and memorable hooks with a common theme of darkness, hope and ghostly imagery with chilling, arctic elements throughout. "Delirium" sees GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS raising the bar in both technical ability and emotional depth and color and marks the beginning of a new record label partnership with Mighty Music.

"We are beyond pleased to announce joining forces with Mighty Music, bringing forth a new and exciting chapter for GSO worldwide," said GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS.

Added Michael H. Andersen, Mighty Music CEO: "GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS is one of the most promising and professional artists I ever signed to Mighty Music. Their 'Delerium' album is a 10/10 in my personal fanzine."

Looking to strike while the iron is hot, Canadian up and coming true metal force Gatekeeper will release the Grey Maiden EP on February 22nd via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Featuring two brand-new compositions, a cover song and a track re-recorded from their first demo, Grey Maiden picks right up where the band's acclaimed East Of Sun first full-length left off. The groundswell of support in North America and abroad - including the selling out of the vinyl and CD pressing of East Of Sun within six months - spurred Gatekeeper to satiate their ever-growing fanbase with a new release.

"We've been working harder and faster than ever since all of this started happening," says guitarist and founding member Geoff Blackwell. "If there's one thing I've learned from spending the past ten-plus years in bands, it's that momentum is your greatest resource and you've gotta pour gasoline on the little fires that pop up in your career."

According to Blackwell, Gatekeeper (who are rounded out by vocalist Jean-Pierre, lead guitarist Kenny Kroecher, bassist David Messier and drummer Tommy Tro) has performed more shows in 2018 than all other years of the band combined, which has started to influence their songwriting. While East Of Sun is considered by many fans to get only better with each passing listen, the songs on Grey Maiden are some of the band's most immediate compositions to date. However, there are some twists afoot.

"The title track might be our best song yet," notes Blackwell. "It's got a massive chorus, intricate vocal lines and catchy, pummelling riffs. We re-recorded the song 'Tale Of Twins', which is an old favorite that we've been playing lately. It's finally gotten the recording and performance quality that the song deserves! JP did a great job with the singing on this one.

"'Moss' is a big departure from our other material," he continues. "It's a soft, finger-picked acoustic ballad featuring a lilting guitar pattern inspired by traditional folk music with fantasy-tinged lyrics. We also brought in a guest violinist to fill in the gaps. It's much different than anything else we've done, but I think it makes perfect sense for Gatekeeper. Lastly, we covered an obscure Nwobhm song by a band named Tredegar called 'Richard III'. They're a very cool, but forgotten band from Wales who had ex-members of Budgie in their ranks. They were a very early example of epic metal and we decided that it would be a good match for us. Kenny and I took some liberties with the guitar arrangement."

Gatekeeper's future plans include a tour of Europe in support of Grey Maiden, including spots on key festivals such as Hell Of Hammaburg, Swordbrothers and Up The Hammers. In addition to more live dates in their home territory of Canada, Gatekeeper will buckle down and get to work on their second LP, which, according to Blackwell, will feature material contributed by the entire band. But, before the calendar jumps over to 2019, some reflection of 2018 is warranted, a year that saw Gatekeeper emerge as one of the best new traditional metal hopefuls in recent memory.

"Obviously we all hoped the album would do well and I figured that we'd make a few sales and play some fun shows here and there," closes Blackwell. "But, I absolutely never expected us to sell out the first vinyl and CD pressing so quickly. That's the kind of stuff that usually happens to other people. The outpouring of support from our new friends and fans on social media and streaming platforms like YouTube has been huge, too."

Tracklisting:

“Grey Maiden”
“Tale Of Twins”
“Moss”
“Richard III”

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider has released a music video for the title track of his latest solo album, "For The Love Of Metal".

Says Dee: "'For The Love Of Metal' — the song and the new video — is a love letter from me to the music and fans that have lifted me up and been my life for the last 45 years. To still be able to perform for audiences like the 40,000 plus at Forcefest in Mexico (shown in the video) is truly an honor and a privilege. I thank you all! Heavy metal forever!"

"For The Love Of Metal" was released on July 27 via Napalm Records. The disc, which was produced by HATEBREED vocalist Jamey Jasta, features contributions from Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD), Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY), Joel Grind and Nick Bellmore (TOXIC HOLOCAUST), and Charlie Bellmore (KINGDOM OF SORROW).

Speaking to Chris Annunziata of the New Jersey radio station 90.3 WMSC-FM, Snider said about "For The Love Of Metal": "This is a really exciting album I did not expect to make, especially at this point in my life. I was doing Jamey Jasta's podcast, and he challenged me to make a contemporary rock record. And I was, like, 'Who's producing?' He said, 'I am.' And so we went in the studio [with] no record deal, and people started flocking [to appear on the LP]. It just amazed me, the enthusiasm and excitement that these younger musicians — younger than me, at least — had for working with Dee Snider and being a part of this project."

b>Dee went on to say that "the album turned out phenomenal," so much so that "we had a bidding war from all the major metal labels," he said. "As Jamey would say, it is hard. It harkens back to my earliest work with TWISTED SISTER, but it's very contemporary sounding with my voice. And people are astounded, actually, that I still have a very strong, very powerful, and as Jamey says, an important, iconic rock voice. So I'm very excited about this album."


Jasta previously described the LP as a "full-on metal album," adding that "people are gonna lose their minds when they hear this." He also called Dee "one of the best vocalists of our time" whose "voice is up there with Ozzy [Osbourne], [Ronnie James] Dio, [Bruce] Dickinson and [Rob] Halford to me. "And it's as powerful as ever!" he said.

TWISTED SISTER called it quits in 2016 after completing a farewell 40th-anniversary tour.

Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, says that she was surprised by the death of her THE STARBREAKERS bandmate Jill Janus.

Janus, who was also the frontwoman for the California heavy metal band HUNTRESS, passed away on August 14. A longtime sufferer of mental illness, she took her own life outside of Portland, Oregon.

In a recent interview with "Chasing Glory With Lilian Garcia", Strauss said about Janus's decision to commit suicide: "She was my sober sister, and the weight of the world just seemed very heavy on her."

Asked if she saw Jill's death coming before it happened, Nita said: "I did not see it coming. I think people closer to her than me may have.

If you had told me this news about Jill two years ago when we were both still… I guess I wasn't partying at that time, but she was still drinking, doing drugs, partying, I would have said, 'Yeah, that makes sense,' 'cause she was a party girl," Strauss continued. "But she was really happily sober. She had gotten sober on New Year's Day of this last year, of 2018, and she had confided in me so many times. And when I would tell her how hard it was for me [to stay sober], she would go, 'I don't feel that. I don't feel that it's that hard, because I love how I feel being sober.' So it came as a surprise when it happened, yeah."

Nita said that losing Jill in such a tragic way has been "hard" on her. "She was a trailblazer in the music industry," the guitarist explained. "She played in a heavy metal band. She had this super-rebellious attitude. She had a four-octave, incredible vocal range, so she could sing anything from opera to crazy heavy metal — crazy highs, crazy lows. She would do four octaves in our show — easily.

"When I first met her on tour in 2008 or 2009, they were the first band on the bill — the first band out of six, so they were going on at 6:30 in the afternoon every day," she recalled. "And she was going around directing everyone, 'By the way, you guys can't smoke in here. I have a four-octave range. I need to save my voice.' And by the time we got to a band together, she had learned that she had to tell people that she had asthma. 'I have asthma, so you can't smoke.' And the last show we played together was at The Viper Room, here in Hollywood, and she went off on the owner of the club and said, 'It says very clearly on the door: no smoking.' And everybody would look at her, 'cause she was a beautiful little blonde. When she got in her zone, she would say, 'Look, it says on the door. I have asthma. If this doesn't stop right now, we're not going on stage.' And everyone was, like, 'Yes, ma'am.'"

In addition to fronting HUNTRESS and THE STARBREAKERS, Jill was the vocalist for female metal/hard rock cover bans CHELSEA GIRLS and was the co-composer and creator of an upcoming rock opera with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA's Angus Clark. She also had a decade-long career as New York City DJ Penelope Tuesdae. Her musical career began in childhood.

Janus has been open over the years about her battles with not only mental illness, in the form of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder and alcoholism, but also physical illness in the form of cancer.

Janus was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2015 while HUNTRESS was working on its third album, "Static". She was eventually declared cancer-free after undergoing a hysterectomy.

"Static" was released in 2015 via Napalm Records.

METALLICA's December 2 concert at the at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington shattered the venue's nearly 20-year attendance record with a crowd of 13,184 fans on hand.

The show broke a record that had been in place since August 17, 1999, when 12,526 people turned up at a Neil Diamond gig.

"To break an almost 20-year attendance record was amazing," said Matt Gibson, general manager of the Spokane Arena. "But doing it with a crowd of all ages coming to see a band like METALLICA makes it all that more special."

According to Gibson, room for the additional 658 people was found on the venue's floor.

We had seats in place for Neil Diamond, and we did not have seats in place for METALLICA," he told Spokesman.com. "It was a GA (general admission) show, so we had more capacity on the floor. And anytime we have a stage in the round, we always have more room because of infrastructure that we don’t need when we have an end-stage show."

The METALLICA production featured 52 video cubes that moved up and down above the stage, setting another Arena record: for most weight hung from the venue's rigging grid: 230,000 static pounds and 320,000 dynamic pounds distributed along the steel beams of the venue.

"I'm still wondering how we got through it," Gibson said. "It was a huge, huge show. We had never hung that kind of weight on the grid before, and it was the first time in almost 20 years of doing that that my folks came back and said, 'Yeah, sorry, we can't do this.' … This was the first time we had to stop and take a step back and figure out how we were going to do it."

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".

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

Former KYUSS frontman John Garcia returns with his next incarnation of Desert Rock, JOHN GARCIA AND THE BAND OF GOLD. The group's self-titled debut album will be released on January 4, 2019 via Napalm. None other than KYUSS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE producer Chris Goss gave this new groovy piece of dust its finishing touches.

The official music video for the disc's latest single, "Jim's Whiskers", can be seen below.

Garcia takes the next step in his almost 30-year career by combining the strengths of his musical past with the achievements of modern times. It's once again a distinctive John Garcia album.

John told Under The Radar about the lyrical themes covered on "John Garcia And The Band Of Gold": "I'm a family man — I'm a husband, I'm a father — and there's a lot of appreciation and a lot of love and a lot of inspiration that comes from family and keeping your eye on the ball. What's the ball? What's important? Family's important. I don't mean my family, but [Garcia's bandmates] Mike Pigmie's family, Greg Sainz's family. If you've got a family, or if your family's tight. Y'know, I'm not singing about love, as far as 'oh I love my family.' It goes deeper behind that. There's deeper meaning behind some of these lyrics. The theme is keeping your eye on the ball and knowing what's important in life. And two: keeping a simple rock record. Don't get too bitchin'. Keep the drums, keep the bass, keep the guitar and don't finger-fuck this thing. Just make a simple, classic, rock record. And that's what we made out to do... with me singing over this thing. So it's not a love record, it's a rock record stripped down, and sometimes being simple is hard to do. Especially with music. That's the theme."

fter starting the stoner rock movement by establishing KYUSS together with Josh Homme, Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri in 1990, Garcia became one of the most heard voices from the desert in rock history. No doubt that he had massive impact on the desert rock movement by singing in bands like HERMANO, SLO BURN, UNIDA and VISTA CHINO. Since his debut album as a solo artist in 2014 via Napalm Records, he has further established his very own trademarks.


Garcia will embark on a European tour with BAND OF GOLD in late January.

Greek/Swedish extreme metal stalwarts NIGHTRAGE have released a new single, "By Darkness Drawn". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Wolf To Man", which will arrive on March 29, 2019 via Despotz Records.

Says the band: "With 'By Darkness Drawn', we wanted to combine our trademark NIGHTRAGE guitar melodies with a straightforward thrash metal drive clashing straight into groovy-yet-hooking chorus. A straightforward NIGHTRAGE song, so to say. And that is what we think 'By Darkness Drawn' is! A kick-ass thrasher!

"The lyrics for this song pretty much sum up the concept and theme of the album and it handles the fact we are all doomed and we know it. Unable to learn from our mistakes, we are all now standing at the edge of our abyss, paralyzed by fear of our inevitable leap towards our own extinction.

"The lyrics on the previous album was all about our journey towards our end. This song is about being there right now, and just having to accept that as a fact."

b>NIGHTRAGE's latest, seventh album, "The Venomous", was released in March 2017 via Despotz Records.

NIGHTRAGE is:

Marios Iliopoulos - Guitar

Ronnie Nyman - Vocals

Magnus Söderman - Guitar

Dino George Stamoglou - Drums

Francisco Escalona - Bass

Symphonic deathcore merchants CARNIFEX have released a brand new EP, "Bury Me In Blasphemy". The effort was mixed by Jason Suecof (DEATH ANGEL, CHELSEA GRIN, JOB FOR A COWBOY) and artwork was created by Zack Dunn.

The official music video for the "Bury Me In Blasphemy" title track can be seen below.

"Bury Me In Blasphemy" EP track listing:

01. Bury Me In Blasphemy

02. Head Like A Hole (NINE INCH NAILS cover)

03. The Heretic Anthem (SLIPKNOT cover)

04. Head Like A Hole (GOST remix)

b>CARNIFEX's latest album, "Slow Death", was produced and recorded by CARNIFEX and Jason Suecof and co-produced by Mick Kenney (ANAAL NATHRAKH, BLEEDING THROUGH). It was mixed by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. Cover art for the album was created by renowned artist and longtime collaborator Godmachine.

CARNIFEX began carving out a bond with the audience way back in 2005. Over the course of four albums — "Dead In My Arms", "The Diseased And The Poisoned", "Hell Chose Me" and "Until I Feel Nothing" — the band attracted a diehard following. Engaging a hiatus in 2012, they returned a year later with a vicious and vigorous vitality. It's only grown since and is on full display on "Slow Death".

"Under Grass And Clover", the new music video from Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's tenth album, "Hexed", which will be released on March 8, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.

CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman, guitarist, and mastermind Alexi Laiho comments: "'Under Grass And Clover' is the sound of COB on fire and has been my favorite song since it was written. It's fast, melodic, heavy and dark but also short and sweet. Someone told me that it's kinda like old-school DIMMU BORGIR and AWK and that's pretty damn cool in my books, so we must've done something right."

"Hexed" saw the return to Finland's Danger Johnny Studios where COB was reunited with Mikko Karmila ("I Worship Chaos", "Halo Of Blood", "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll") who recorded everything except keyboards and also produced the album with the band. Janne Wirman recorded keyboards at Beyond Abilities Studios. The album was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

For this album, the band enlisted Deins Forkas to create the album artwork. Bassist Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith) commented on the cover: "For some years I've wanted to try a different approach with our cover art. We are so used to digital art, so it's really hard to do something else. Doing it completely with a computer is somewhat safe and convenient. This time we all agreed to try going old school. We found this cool dude and gave him simple instructions — the cover has to be purple and the reaper has to be central. Half a year later, we got his work, and with little tweaking, we now have the cover of 'Hexed'. It is very different from what we are used to, even the Reaper looks different, but at the same time very spooky."

b>Laiho said: "People have said that this album is generally catchier. So I started thinking about that; perhaps the song structures are easier to grasp on initial listen. But there's some crazy shit in there — almost progressive or at least technical. There are certain melodies across the album that could have come from jazz songs, although they're completely metal with us, of course. [Laughs]"

"For me, it has always been very hard to describe our new music," commented Seppälä. "In a way, it always feels familiar, but the new stuff also always surprises me. Here we have something that's very BODOM, but somehow we haven't done this kind of stuff, possibly ever. Then again, someone said that there's a somewhat similar vibe to what 'Follow The Reaper' had. I don't know. Anyway, we had a really hard time choosing the songs for the videos. I guess that's a positive problem to have."

"Hexed" track listing:

01. The Road

02. Under Grass And Clover

03. Glass Houses

04. Hecate's Nightmare

05. Kick In The Spleen

06. Platitudes And Barren Words

07. Hexed

08. Relapse (The Nature Of My Crime)

09. Say Never Look Back

10. Soon Departed

11. Knuckleduster

12. I Worship Chaos (live)

13. Morrigan (live)

14. Knuckleduster (remix)

"Reason To Believe", the new music video from extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY, can be seen below. The clip was once again directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, AMARANTHE and KAMELOT, among others.

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!"

Released today (Friday, December 7) is a strictly limited, hand-numbered seven-inch single and a digital single for "Reason To Believe" through Century Media Records. Both formats, physical and digital, feature the cover song "Shout" (TEARS FOR FEARS) as a B-side.

The seven-inch 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)

On January 18, 2019, ARCH ENEMY will release a compilation, "Covered In Blood", of all cover songs the band has recorded throughout its career.


This past summer, Amott spoke to Hayley Leggs about the band's decision to record a near-ballad, "Reason To Believe" — complete with clean vocals — for its most recent studio album, 2017's "Will To Power".

"I wrote the music for that song with my brother [former ARCH ENEMY guitarist Christopher Amott], and it was obviously a ballad, and we thought, 'Well, if we use it for ARCH ENEMY, it's gonna be weird to just growl and scream on that music,'" he said. "So I talked to [ARCH ENEMY frontwoman] Alissa [White-Gluz] about it, and we came up with the arrangement and everything.

"But it's actually gone down very well with the fans," he continued. "And it's always been my ambition anyway… I've never been a diehard, 'It's gotta be all extreme or nothing.' A lot of my favorite music… I grew up with thrash and death metal, but also I'm a big fan of SCORPIONS and JUDAS PRIEST. All those great bands — SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST, MANOWAR, BLACK SABBATH — they've all got ballads as well. So I think this makes us more of a complete metal band in a way."

According to Michael, White-Gluz's addition to ARCH ENEMY following the 2014 departure of Angela Gossow has "opened up a few doors for me as a songwriter, because she's got more things she can do with her voice. So now we're gonna explore that a bit," he said.

In a 2017 interview with Revolver, Alissa said that some ARCH ENEMY fans were "really surprised" to hear her sing "different ways. But I've been doing that since high school and in my other bands, [such as THE AGONIST], so that's nothing new to me," she explained. "In the ARCH ENEMY world, it seems like there were only a few people who knew that. When I posted the video I did with KAMELOT for 'Liar, Liar', a lot of people were, like, 'Um, what is going on?' And I was like, 'Wait, you don't know about this? [Laughs] From that point on, a lot of people were like, 'Wow, we want to hear clean singing in ARCH ENEMY, too. And actually, Michael had been dying to write sort of like an extreme-metal ballad. So it was perfect."

The official lyric video for "Hail & Row", a brand new song from former ACCEPT guitarist Herman Frank, can be seen below. The track is taken from Frank's upcoming fourth solo album, "Fight The Fear", which will be released on February 8, 2019 via AFM.

Frank has been an integral part of the German metal scene since the early '80s, from ACCEPT to VICTORY to his solo project and his work as a producer.

Featuring MASTERPLAN frontman Rick Altzi, guitarist Heiko Schröder, former RAGE drummer André Hilgers and JADED HEART bassist Michael Müller, Frank's new album contains razor-sharp riffs, sublime, hell for leather solos, consistently delivered high-class vocals between melody and heaviness, and a rhythm section, that drives every single song forward like a clockwork.

Track listing:

1. Until The End

02. Fear

03. Terror

04. Sinners

05. Hatred

06. Hail & Row

07. Hitman

08. Stay Down

09. Rock You

10. Don't Cross The Line

11. Are You Ready

12. Wings Of Destiny

13. Waiting For The Night

14. Lost In Heaven

Recording lineup:

Vocals - Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN)

Drums - Andre Hilgers (ex-RAGE)

Bass - Michael Müller (JADED HEART)

Guitars - Heiko Schröder

Guitars - Herman Frank

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Stefan Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with new singer Mark Tornillo and appeared on the reunited group's first three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Shortly before his exit from ACCEPT was made official in December 2014, Herman gave an interview to Metalholic in which he spoke about his frustrations at being unable to contribute to the band with his songwriting. He said: "[I've been writing] songs [for] 30 years, since I began my music career [in] a school band. And it's a shame that I can't show my talent [by] writing a couple of ACCEPT songs. I really would like to write some songs [for ACCEPT], but Peter [Baltes, ACCEPT bassist] and Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] decided, 'We are ACCEPT and we wanna do it [on] our own.' So why should I stop, 'cause I'm playing in ACCEPT, to write songs? I wrote songs for VICTORY, for HAZZARD, for MOON'DOC, for my two solo albums… for so many bands, you know. It's normal that I don't stop [writing songs]. PANZER and all these other bands give me a chance to just put out my music, which is in my head, you know?!"

Rising stars of Japan's metal scene LOVEBITES have just released their sophomore full-length album, "Clockwork Immortality", via Arising Empire. The official track video for the disc's latest single, "Pledge Of The Savior", can be seen below.

LOVEBITES leader and bassist Miho says: "'Clockwork Immortality' features the strongest, most powerful elements of our second EP, 'Battle Against Damnation', with the speedy and melodic elements of our debut album, 'Awakening From Abyss'. This is the evolution of LOVEBITES so far. I would be happy if you can feel the power overflowing from each song."

"Clockwork Immortality" includes ten new recordings and sees Finnish engineer supremoes Mikko Karmila and Mika Jussila return to mixing and mastering duties, respectively. It is the same team responsible for working on releases from CHILDREN OF BODOM, NIGHTWISH and STRATOVARIUS, among many others.

The album's spectacular artwork, featuring a wolf smashing through an hourglass, also sees the return of Spanish creative forces David López Gómez and Carlos Vincente León. The pair had worked on the cover art of LOVEBITES' previous two releases, as well as HELLOWEEN's 30th anniversary book "Hellbook" and single "Pumpkins United".

b>LOVEBITES consists of Asami (vocals), Miho (bass), Haruna (drums), Midori (guitars) and Miyako (guitars/keyboard). The LOVEBITES sound owes a debt to the many great overseas heavy metal bands that have directly influenced their writing. Coupled with their own unique take on music, taking a piece from each member's eclectic background and experiences, everything has culminated into forging a truly formidable group.

Last fall, Asami, Haruna, Midori, Miho and Miyako performed their first overseas live show in London. On the heels of this success, the all-female band won the "Best New Band" award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in June 2018. LOVEBITES released its second mini album, "Battle Against Damnation", that same month, and followed it up with appearances at Wacken Open Air in Germany and Bloodstock Open Air in the U.K.

LOVEBITES' first European tour kicked off on November 13 and included stops in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the U.K.

Gene Simmons says that he is "heartbroken" over the death of his mother, who passed away at the age of 93.

The KISS bassist/vocalist took to his Instagram to share a picture of him as a boy with his mom, and paid tribute to the person that raised him as a single mother in Israel.

Gene wrote: "I lost my Mother. My mentor. My moral compass. And I am heartbroken. My Mother, Flora Klein, passed away at 93 years of age. No illness. No pain. She simply went quietly, went to sleep. My Mother will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. Today. And Forever. And I would urge all of you, to run over, put your arms around your mother, kiss her and tell her how much you love her. Do this every day!"

Simmons's wife, Shannon Tweed Simmons, called Flora "the best grandma and mother in law I could ask for."

b>Gene's KISS partner and bandmate Paul Stanley posted a touching tribute to Florence on Twitter, writing: "She was his inspiration to live up to being worthy of the sacrifices she made in a very difficult and, at time, horrific life. A holocaust survivor, she fought for all she had, and her fierce protection and pride in Gene made her someone to be feared, admired and loved. I will miss her laugh and smile."

A Hungarian Jew, Florence and her brother Larry were the only members of their family to survive internment at Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust.

Earlier this year, Gene told The Sydney Morning Herald that his mother was his "hero. She was sent to a Nazi concentration camp at the age of 14 and survived, but all the members of her family were wiped out — she saw her mother walk into a gas chamber. Despite the tragedy, she is a positive person who sees the goodness in people's hearts. I wouldn't be that forgiving if I had lived her life."

In September, KISS announced its "End Of The Road" farewell tour on NBC's "America's Got Talent", and a month later, the band revealed the first set of dates and cities in North America, produced by Live Nation. International markets were announced simultaneously.

The first North American leg of "End Of The Road" will launch January 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at Rogers Arena and will hit an additional 43 cities.

View this post on Instagram I lost my Mother. My mentor. My moral compass. And I am heartbroken. ? My Mother, Flora Klein passed away at 93 years of age. No illness. No pain. She simply quietly, went to sleep. My Mother will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. Today. And Forever. And I would urge all of you, to run over, put your arms around your mother, kiss her and tell her how much you love her. Do this every day! A post shared by Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) on Dec 6, 2018 at 9:22pm PST

Dutch death metallers SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION will release their second studio album, "Humans Are Broken", on March 1, 2019 via Napalm Records. The official music video for the disc's title track can be seen below.

Says the band: "We are very excited to present to you all: The official video for our new single, 'Humans Are Broken'! This song is representative of our new album (also entitled 'Humans Are Broken') in many ways: The mix of brutality, melody and different genres music-wise, and the engagement with issues in contemporary society lyric-wise. The video functions as a visual counterpart to our reflection on who we are as humans, how we interact with each other and our place in this world.

"We are very happy with how this video turned out and hope you guys enjoy watching it as much as we did making it. Special thanks for recording and producing this track goes out to our friend Martin Furia (check out his solo in our vid!), to V.O. Pulver for mixing and mastering, to Gideon Kessler (Kesslr Motion) for again making an awesome music video, Kelly Thans for being a dystopian survivor for a day, and the people at metal business G.v.Gool who indulged all our fancies for recording. And let's not forget a cuddle for our canine buddies in the vid. And thanks to everyone else who helped us out in any way to make this possible."

"Humans Are Broken" track listing:

1. Humans Are Broken

02. Wolves

03. War In My Head

04. The Machine

05. What We Create

06. Liar

07. Little Shits

08. The Next Big Thing

09. Blood On Blood

10. The Objective

11. Burn

12. Every Little Fibre (bonus track)

13. For I Have Sinned (bonus track)

Founded in 2014 in Eidhoven, SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION managed very quickly to establish an amazing live reputation and got lots of invitations from venues and smaller festivals. This was noticed by Eindhoven Metal Meeting, who gave them a chance to present themselves for a bigger audience.

It has always been a dream of vocalist Els Prins to start an all-female death metal band, but she didn't seem to be able find the right group of girls to make this dream reality — that is, until she met guitarist Simone van Straten. They released their first single, "Boundaries", in July 2014 and played their first show one month later.

Regarding what inspires her to write music, Els told Robex Lundgren: "Seeing other bands live and all of my favorite bands, of course. I get inspiration from almost everything in my daily life."

Asked for her opinion on illegal music downloading, Els said: "We will just have to get over that. We can't fight it. Of course, I don't support it, because, in my opinion, it is stealing. But I have done it as well. It has become a part of the modern world. I just hope that true supporters will still buy records from the bands they adore."

SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION lineup:

Els Prins - Vocals

Simone van Straten - Guitars

Emmelie Herwegh - Guitars

Puck Wildschut - Bass

Kevin van den Heiligenberg - Drums

Photo credit: Emmelie Herwegh

The official music video for "Untethered Angel", a brand new song from progressive music titans DREAM THEATER, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming 14th studio album, "Distance Over Time", which will be released on February 22, 2019. The disc showcases a newfound creativity for DREAM THEATER while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band's new label InsideOut Music. The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "Distance Over Time" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

"During the writing and recording process of 'Distance Over Time', 'Untethered Angel' was known as 'Song 4' to all of us as it was the fourth song written during the sessions," explains Petrucci. "However, there has always been something about this track that just begged for it to be the album opener, even long before all of the songs were written.

"Fear is something that rears its ugly head at some point or another in all of our lives. Fear of the unknown, fear of taking chances, fear of making mistakes. If we are not careful, it can be debilitating and sadly prevent us from realizing our true potential. The world we live in can be a scary place and the thought of an uncertain future a terrifying notion, especially for today's young people. Untethering from that fear and giving yourself up to the future's countless possibilities is what will ultimately set you free."

"Distance Over Time" will be available as: standard CD jewel case, special edition digipak (including one bonus track), 180g gatefold 2LP edition (including one bonus track, an eight-page-LP-booklet and the entire album on CD), limited-edition artbook (including one bonus track, 5.1 mix with video animations, instrumental mixes and high-res files of the album, stems for "Untethered Angel", extended liner notes, additional artwork, including photos from the writing session and additional video content), as deluxe collector's box set (including lenticular cover card, artbook, 180g 2LP gatefold edition with exclusive artwork and exclusive white vinyl, exclusive picture 7", 60 x 60 cm poster, 10 art cards, slipmat, patch, pin and a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity) and as digital album (including one bonus track).

b>"Distance Over Time" track listing:

01. Untethered Angel (6:14)

02. Paralyzed (4:17)

03. Fall Into The Light (7:04)

04. Barstool Warrior (6:43)

05. Room 137 (4:23)

06. S2N (6:21)

07. At Wit’s End (9:20)

08. Out Of Reach (4:04)

09. Pale Blue Dot (8:25)

10. Viper King (4:00) (Bonus)

"Distance Over Time" is available for pre-order at this location.

Says Petrucci: "When I listen back to the album, I can distinctly recall every moment of the writing process; where I was standing in the room, what inspired us in that instant and the meaning behind each song. As a producer, my goal was to try and create the best-sounding DREAM THEATER record we've ever made so that listeners can just be enveloped in the music. I really wanted this recording to truly reflect the spirit, joy and passion that went into making the album and for people to walk away feeling some of the organic nature, personality and raw energy that the band captured while together in the studio. For me, I think it accomplishes that and I hope that other people will feel the same way."

In June 2018, the members of DREAM THEATER secluded themselves in a private location in upstate New York to begin writing for the new record. While spending the summer living together in the property's adjacent residence, the band spent their days and nights crafting the music that would make up the new album in the "Yonderbarn"; a beautiful and spacious barn that had been meticulously transformed into a state-of-the art film and recording studio. Following an intense and extremely productive period of group writing sessions and wanting to retain the magic that was captured in this scenic and inspiring location, they decided to record the album in the very room they had all convened to write together in. Living together during the writing and recording for "Distance Over Time" marked another first for the band's 33-year career. The result is a heavier collection of songs that showcases the early roots of the band while exploring new territory as musicians and as friends.

"It was like going back to summer camp," says singer James LaBrie. "Being around each other the whole time made it that much more of a profound experience. I think the songs reflect the energy. It was a lot of fun to have a situation so powerful at this point in our career."

It has been three years since DREAM THEATER released new music. To announce the details of the brand new album, DREAM THEATER enlisted the help of one lucky contest winner to break the news of the record to the loyal fans of the band. An Alternate Reality Game was launched that encompassed a "treasure hunt" whereby fans were able to search for clues hidden in various photos, videos, social media posts, and more. Ultimately, one lucky winner was given access to content before everyone else including the release date and cover artwork, and the winner would be the one to share the first taste of never-before-heard music.

DREAM THEATER is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The "Distance Over Time" tour of North America was recently announced and kicks off on March 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at DreamTheater.net.

"Moonglow", the next album from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project, will arrive on February 15, 2019 (pushed back from February 1) via Nuclear Blast. Comprising 11 tracks, the new opus once again features several guest vocalists. This time around, Tobias worked not only with such well-known faces as Ronnie Atkins (PRETTY MAIDS), Jørn Lande (MASTERPLAN), Eric Martin (MR. BIG), Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE), Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN) and Bob Catley (MAGNUM) but also with new collaborators like Candice Night (BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN) and Mille Petrozza (KREATOR). The cover artwork was created by Alexander Jansson.

The first trailer for "Moonglow" is available below.

Comments Sammet: "I really can't wait to unleash 'Moonglow'. First reactions by press and friends are the most enthusiastic comments I have ever gotten in my whole career of 27 years. No bullshit; it's the truth. Sascha and I are overwhelmed!

"In order to avoid boredom, in the middle of promotion and tour preparations, I was getting myself involved in every detail of the album sleeves, booklets and packaging, to make sure the album drags the listener into a different world. I wanted 'Moonglow' to be an overall experience for escapists like myself.

My favourite edition is the giant super strictly limited art book edition with bonus track and a bonus CD. A massive coffee table book with photos, interview, liner notes and illustrations of Victorian painter Grimshaw who has been very inspirational to me. This book edition is everything it takes to invite the listener into the world of 'Moonglow' and its productional process. There is also a smaller digibook version that features one bonus track and that is limited and beautiful as well. And, of course, there are also vinyl editions to hug, feel, watch, smell and caress.

"I am extremely proud of all these little treasures and can't wait to unleash them!"

"Moonglow" track listing:

01. Ghost In The Moon

02. Book Of Shallows

03. Moonglow

04. The Raven Child

05. Starlight

06. Invincible

07. Alchemy

08. The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

09. Lavender

10. Requiem For A Dream

11. Maniac

12. Heart (bonus track)

Regarding Petrozza's contribution to "Moonglow", Sammet said: "He is evil and he kicks ass. He is a great guy, and a legend! And really cool."

According to Tobias, Candice delivered "a killer performance" in the studio — "very soulful, a lot of feeling, enchanting... Amazing voice show has!"

Sammet has called Martin "one of the funniest and most soulful singers I have ever shared the stage with."

Tate previously guested on AVANTASIA's seventh album, "Ghostlights", which was released in 2016. He was also one of the guest vocalists for AVANTASIA at several European shows in the summer of 2017, including Rock Fest Barcelona, where his former band, QUEENSRŸCHE, also appeared on the bill.

"Late", a new song from ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE, the project featuring ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello and MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, can be streamed below. The track is taken from ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE's debut album, "Get It Out", which will be released on January 18, 2019 via Megaforce. The follow-up to ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE's 2014 self-titled EP was once again produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, STONE SOUR), with Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, ASHES DIVIDE) returning behind the kit.

The official lyric video for the disc's first single, "Out Here", created by by Melody Myers of Designed By Melody, can be seen below. The track, which features a guest appearance by ANTHRAX guitarist Jon Donais, will be available on Spotify starting tomorrow (Friday, October 12).

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," he says. "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."


oasting a deep bench of guest stars, including Ace Frehley (ex-KISS; the track "Late"), Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND), Nita Strauss (ALICE COOPER), Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) and Satchel (STEEL PANTHER), 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."


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 "ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE 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 okay 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 has several shows booked in early 2019, including on the ShipRocked cruise in late January.

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, DEAFHEAVEN, HIGH ON FIRE, TRIVIUM and UNDEROATH are among the "Best Metal Performance" nominees at the 61st annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and will broadcast live on the CBS television network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

GRETA VAN FLEET's "Black Smoke Rising", GHOST's "Rats" and BRING ME THE HORIZON's "Mantra" were also nominated in the "Best Rock Song" category, while ALICE IN CHAINS' "Rainier Fog", GHOST's "Prequelle" and GRETA VAN FLEET's "From The Fires" were nominated in the "Best Rock Album" category.

CHRIS CORNELL's "When Bad Does Good", GRETA VAN FLEET's "Highway Tune" and HALESTORM's "Uncomfortable" were nominated in the "Best Rock Performance" category.

Best Metal Performance

b>BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - "Condemned To The Gallows"

DEAFHEAVEN - "Honeycomb"

HIGH ON FIRE - "Electric Messiah"

TRIVIUM - "Betrayer"

UNDEROATH - "On My Teeth"

Best Rock Song

GRETA VAN FLEET - "Black Smoke Rising"

TWENTY ONE PILOTS - "Jumpsuit"

BRING ME THE HORIZON - "Mantra"

ST. VINCENT - "Masseduction"

GHOST - "Rats"

Best Rock Album

ALICE IN CHAINS - "Rainier Fog"

FALL OUT BOY - "Mania"

GHOST - "Prequelle"

GRETA VAN FLEET - "From The Fires"

WEEZER - "Pacific Daydream"

Best Rock Performance

ARCTIC MONKEYS - "Four Out of Five"

CHRIS CORNELL - "When Bad Does Good"

THE FEVER 333 - Made an America

GRETA VAN FLEET - "Highway Tune"

HALESTORM - "Uncomfortable"

Earlier this year, the Recording Academy announced several changes to the awards process, most notably to the "General Field" categories — record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist — where the number of nominations will increase from five to eight.

The Grammys are voted on by approximately 13,000 Recording Academy members, who are comprised of artists, songwriters, producers and engineers. More than 21,000 recordings were submitted for Grammys consideration this year. For 2019 awards, music must have been released between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018 in order to be eligible.

U.K.-based blackened death metal group HECATE ENTHRONED will release "Embrace Of The Godless Aeon", its first album in five years (and its debut for new label M-Theory Audio), on January 25, 2019. The LP — which features cover artwork by Nestor Avalos (BLOODBATH, ROTTING CHRIST, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) — can be pre-ordered now on CD and red splatter vinyl at this location. A limited-edition deluxe box set that includes exclusive purple vinyl and cassette editions of the album, a signed photo card and other collectibles is also available.


The official lyric video for a new song from the album, "Temples That Breathe", can be streamed below.


One of the U.K. underground's longest-running and most respected acts, HECATE ENTHRONED has been praised by the likes of Terrorizer for its "mixture of death metal aggression with black metal atmosphere." "Embrace Of The Godless Aeon" — the band's first recording with vocalist Joe Stamps, who joined the band in 2015 — sees the group continue to deftly mix black with death, modern with classic and extreme with symphonic. The album, which features guest vocals on three songs by Sarah Jezebel Deva (CRADLE OF FILTH, THERION, MORTIIS), was co-produced by Dan Abela (VOICES, THE ANTICHRIST IMPERIUM).


Says bassist Dylan Hughes: "This album with its epic sweeping orchestration and heavy aggression represents a new chapter for us cementing the chemistry of the current lineup and our partnership with M-Theory. A welcome return from Sarah Jezebel Deva hints to the grandiose flavor of earlier releases, but this time, it's tempered with a guitar and drum sound forged from solid steel and then edged by a razor-sharp production from Dan Abela. The summoning of unholy flame and terror that is the cover art is an oil painting commissioned from in-demand satanic artist Nestor Avalos and begins your visceral journey through cold bleak landscapes, crushing tormented seas and searing shards of heavy metal."


riginally co-founded in Wales by guitarist Nigel Dennen in the mid-1990s, HECATE ENTHRONED is dedicated to delivering their own brand of evil metal with little regard to politics or the trends of popular demand. The group's 1997 debut, the Andy Sneap-produced "The Slaughter Of Innocence, A Requiem For The Mighty" (Blackend Records), was a seminal release in the then-burgeoning orchestral black metal movement. Since then, several full-lengths and EPs and numerous live performances have firmly established the band as one of extreme metal's most important voices, a sentiment that "Embrace Of The Godless Aeon" firmly reinforces.


HECATE ENTHRONED's next live performance will take place on December 14 with Altar at De Verlichte Geest in Roeselare. The group plans to tour extensively throughout 2019.

The annual Hall Of Heavy Metal History's Metal Hall Of Fame gala will take place on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at Marriott Delta Garden Grove in Anaheim, California. The event will be hosted by iconic television, radio personality and heavy metal champion Eddie Trunk, and will feature appearances by heavy metal greats of today and years past.


Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and a red carpet will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The induction ceremony will begin at 8:00 p.m. with a performance by Los Angeles heavy rock/metal group BUDDERSIDE.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are available for $30 via www.thehallofheavymetalhistory.org.


2019 Hall Of Heavy Metal History inductees include:

Jon and Marsha Zazula (founders, Megaforce Records)

* Lita Ford (with 2018 inductee Doro Pesch presenting)

* Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS)

* David Ellefson (MEGADETH)

* Special BLIZZARD OF OZZ (OZZY OSBOURNE) band induction: Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake (accepting via video; John Sykes accepting on their behalf in person)

* Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, SONS OF APOLLO)

* KLOS FM - 50th Anniversary

* SAXON (with Nigel Glockler accepting)


Hall Of Heavy Metal History inductees Carmine Appice and Vinny Appice will also take part in a special live performance.


More guest appearances will be announced soon.


Pat Gesualdo, Hall Of Heavy Metal History founder/CEO, says: "We are looking forward to another amazing year at the 2019 Metal Hall Of Fame gala, and following up on last summer's amazing live induction of JUDAS PRIEST and 'The Metal Queen' Doro Pesch in conjunction with our festival partners Wacken Open Air.

"As with last year, several iconic bands, industry executives and artists will be inducted in 2019. We are grateful for all the hard work they've done over the years to keep rock and metal relevant.

"I also want to take this opportunity to praise metal fans all over the world. They are an important part of the Hall Of Heavy Metal History. With their support, they are helping us keep rock and metal alive for generations to come."


2019 inductee Bob Daisley says: "I'm very pleased and feel honored to be inducted into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History after all these years. I'm pleased for Lee Kerslake too. He's been a major player in the genre. Thank you to John Sykes for accepting our awards; I'm grateful and honored to have you do it."


Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST, who was inducted this past summer at the 2018 Wacken Open Air festival, says: "JUDAS PRIEST are thrilled and honored to accept induction into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History and be amongst so many of our friends. This also sends a great message of inclusion for the metal community around the world, and keeps us defending the metal faith together."


Inductees awarded in previous years include Ronnie James Dio, Randy Rhoads, Lemmy Kilmister, SCORPIONS, Bill Ward, Billy Sheehan, Jordan Rudess, Nick Menza, Munsey Ricci, EXODUS, and many more.


The Hall Of Heavy Metal History is a non-profit organization dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making rock and metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they continue to inspire fans throughout the world, from generation to generation.


The Hall Of Heavy Metal History hosts the annual Metal Hall Of Fame awards gala, in addition to an onstage induction ceremony at Wacken Open Air.

The Hall Of Heavy Metal History is part of the D.A.D. program to help children fight disabilities on a global basis, and is partnered with the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

"Untethered Angel", a brand new song from progressive music titans DREAM THEATER, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming 14th studio album, "Distance Over Time", which will be released on February 22, 2019. The disc showcases a newfound creativity for DREAM THEATER while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band's new label InsideOut Music. The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "Distance Over Time" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

"Distance Over Time" track listing:

01. Untethered Angel (6:14)

02. Paralyzed (4:17)

03. Fall Into The Light (7:04)

04. Barstool Warrior (6:43)

05. Room 137 (4:23)

06. S2N (6:21)

07. At Wit’s End (9:20)

08. Out Of Reach (4:04)

09. Pale Blue Dot (8:25)

10. Viper King (4:00) (Bonus)

Says Petrucci: "When I listen back to the album, I can distinctly recall every moment of the writing process; where I was standing in the room, what inspired us in that instant and the meaning behind each song. As a producer, my goal was to try and create the best-sounding DREAM THEATER record we've ever made so that listeners can just be enveloped in the music. I really wanted this recording to truly reflect the spirit, joy and passion that went into making the album and for people to walk away feeling some of the organic nature, personality and raw energy that the band captured while together in the studio. For me, I think it accomplishes that and I hope that other people will feel the same way."

n June 2018, the members of DREAM THEATER secluded themselves in a private location in upstate New York to begin writing for the new record. While spending the summer living together in the property's adjacent residence, the band spent their days and nights crafting the music that would make up the new album in the "Yonderbarn"; a beautiful and spacious barn that had been meticulously transformed into a state-of-the art film and recording studio. Following an intense and extremely productive period of group writing sessions and wanting to retain the magic that was captured in this scenic and inspiring location, they decided to record the album in the very room they had all convened to write together in. Living together during the writing and recording for "Distance Over Time" marked another first for the band's 33-year career. The result is a heavier collection of songs that showcases the early roots of the band while exploring new territory as musicians and as friends.

"It was like going back to summer camp," says singer James LaBrie. "Being around each other the whole time made it that much more of a profound experience. I think the songs reflect the energy. It was a lot of fun to have a situation so powerful at this point in our career."

It has been three years since DREAM THEATER released new music. To announce the details of the brand new album, DREAM THEATER enlisted the help of one lucky contest winner to break the news of the record to the loyal fans of the band. An Alternate Reality Game was launched that encompassed a "treasure hunt" whereby fans were able to search for clues hidden in various photos, videos, social media posts, and more. Ultimately, one lucky winner was given access to content before everyone else including the release date and cover artwork, and the winner would be the one to share the first taste of never-before-heard music.

DREAM THEATER is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The "Distance Over Time" tour of North America was recently announced and kicks off on March 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at DreamTheater.net.

KREATOR's December 16 concert at the Roundhouse in London, England will be professionally filmed. According to the band, there is "something very special in the works" for the footage, which will presumably be released at a later date.

The London show will close out the German thrash metal group's European co-headlining tour with DIMMU BORGIR. Also appearing on the bill are HATEBREED and BLOODBATH.

KREATOR will take 2019 off from touring to focus on writing the material for the follow-up to 2017's "Gods Of Violence" album.

"Gods Of Violence" entered the official chart in Germany at position No. 1. The cover artwork for the album was created by renowned artist Jan Meininghaus, who also made the limited-edition artwork for "Phantom Antichrist" and has lent his talents to bands like BOLT THROWER, ACCEPT and OVERKILL in the past.

n a recent interview with Finland's Rauta, KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza was asked how he maintains his energy level considering he's not 25 anymore. He responded: "I guess the music keeps you young and fresh. And being disciplined about poisoning your body anymore; I don't do that anymore — I used to, when I was really young. Nowadays it's all yoga and health food and veganism. I wanna keep doing this until I'm very old. I guess that's the key — just try to focus; focus on what's important. And to me, the older I get, the more clear it becomes that the reason why I started this was the music and not abusing your body, not doing anything that's unhealthy and not overdoing the partying and just focus on the music. And that, to me, was what always was the most fun anyway. So I'm totally happy."


London Hordes! We are excited to announce ‘London Apocalypticon’ – filmed live from the Roundhouse, 16th December....Posted by Kreator on Thursday, December 6, 2018

On January 25, KING DIAMOND will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", via Metal Blade Records.

There is only one King Diamond, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn't want to hear 1987's seminal "Abigail" in its entirety, and "Songs For The Dead Live" captures this, twice, and in very different locales. Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows — Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015 — features a brace of classic KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE tracks, including "Welcome Home", "Halloween" and "Eye Of The Witch" before launching into "Abigail". The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.

For a preview of "Songs For The Dead Live", a video for "Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)" can be viewed below.

"Songs For The Dead Live" can be pre-ordered in the following formats:

2DVD/CD 6-Panel Digipak

* Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Philadelphia Show)

* special edition box set with 5 discs (2DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus poster, flier, laminate, setlist, ticket, sticker, and guitar pick (limited to 3000 copies)

* opaque blue with white splatter vinyl (U.S. retail exclusive - limited to 600 copies)

* opaque red with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* opaque white with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)

* transparent amber marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 700 copies)

* clear ghost white vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)

* orange-brown/black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

* black/purple melt vinyl (Nuclear Blast exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* orange/red marbled vinyl (Napalm exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

* clear lavender marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* clear ash grey marbled vinyl (Bengan exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* pink blue marbled vinyl (Ebay exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Studios, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to "Out From The Asylum" at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of "Abigail" opener "Funeral", which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with KING DIAMOND is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.

While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the KING DIAMOND devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame. "Songs For The Dead Live" gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.

Graspop Metal Meeting track listing

01. Out From The Asylum

02. Welcome Home

03. Sleepless Nights

04. Halloween

05. Eye Of The Witch

06. Melissa

07. Come To The Sabbath

08. Them

09. Funeral

10. Arrival

11. A Mansion In Darkness

12. The Family Ghost

13. The 7th Day Of July 1777

14. Omens

15. The Possession

16. Abigail

17. Black Horsemen

18. Insanity

The Fillmore track listing

01. Out From The Asylum

02. Welcome Home

03. Sleepless Nights

04. Eye Of The Witch

05. Halloween

06. Melissa

07. Come To The Sabbath

08. Them

09. Funeral

10. Arrival

11. A Mansion In Darkness

12. The Family Ghost

13. The 7th Day Of July 1777

14. Omens

15. The Possession

16. Abigail

17. Black Horsemen

18. Insanity

VLTIMAS, the three-piece extreme metal formation consisting of David Vincent (ex-MORBID ANGEL), Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen (ex-MAYHEM, AURA NOIR) and Flo Monier (CRYPTOPSY), will release its debut album, "Something Wicked Marches In", on March 29, 2019 via Season Of Mist. The first single from the disc, "Praevalidus", can be streamed below.

Eriksen comments on the track: "In my personal opinion, any one of the songs on 'Something Wicked Marches In' could be a potential single. We ended up choosing 'Praevalidus' as the first one, mostly due to its immediacy and intensity but also as it feels like a suitable way of showcasing what this band and this album is all about. Let the celebration of the wicked commence!"

The cover for "Something Wicked Marches In" was created by renowned Polish artist Zbigniew M. Bielak (GHOST, PARADISE LOST, BÖLZER, ZHRINE) and can be seen below.

The foundation for VLTIMAS was laid when Rune, after collecting a handful of riffs, presented Mounier with the idea of forming a band together. For the two musicians, having composed and recorded numerous songs together in the past, the musical chemistry was already tried and tested. However, one thing was still missing. This extraordinary musical project needed an extraordinary voice and Eriksen got in touch with Vincent, with whom he had been in contact for years, to finalize the lineup.


b>Vincent had just exited MORBID ANGEL and was ready for a new chapter in his long spanning career. Everything fell into place, and VLTIMAS came into being.


During the Noize Factory sessions (Georgetown, USA), the musicians started writing a substantial amount of music. The sessions proved to be a fruitful endeavor and the first ideas and song skeletons were later fleshed out by Rune at his home studio in Portugal, then finalized when Mounier and Eriksen returned to Texas, in order to put the final touches to the material at David's home studio. In a more controlled surrounding the songs started to unveil themselves and the studio was booked.


The band entered Orgone Studios in Woburn, England in May 2018 with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano. While there, the three-piece recorded nine crushing tracks that will appear on the full-length debut album.


The new record offers a vast array of influences, but most notably the distinguished symbioses of these three respected and talented musicians. A dark and sinister ambiance meets a majestic and a commanding death metal energy.

"Something Wicked Marches In" track listing:

01. Something Wicked Marches In (4:28)

02. Praevalidus (3:39)

03. Total Destroy! (2:57)

04. Monolilith (5:25)

05. Truth And Consequence (3:42)

06. Last Ones Alive Win Nothing (5:29)

07. Everlasting (3:40)

08. Diabolus Est Sanguis (3:27)

09. Marching On (5:34)


Vincent is also involved with I AM MORBID alongside fellow former MORBID ANGEL member Tim Yeung (drums), plus guitarists Bill Hudson (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) and Ira Black (METAL CHURCH, LIZZY BORDEN).

Formed in 2016, I AM MORBID plays material from MORBID ANGEL's "Altars Of Madness" (1989), "Blessed Are The Sick" (1991), "Covenant" (1993) and "Domination" (1995) albums.

Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015.

Former MACHINE HEAD and VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel played his second show with SLAYER Wednesday night (December 5) at Hovet in Stockholm, Sweden. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Demmel is filling in for SLAYER's guitarist of the past eight years, Gary Holt, who announced on Sunday that he would miss the rest of the current SLAYER European trek in order to return home and be with his dying father.

On Monday, Demmel posted the following message on his social media sites: "Full circle. Karma. It's so crazy how things work out. I got a text less than 24 hours after I played my last MACHINE HEAD note.

"11 years ago (almost to the day), I had to leave a tour to fly home and be with my family when my father passes away. Some amazing dudes stepped in to cover for me and to help the band out.

I am filling in for a legend who has replaced a legend in a legendary band on their farewell tour.

"Despite the fact that SLAYER is the reason I wanted to play heavy music, it's beyond my utmost honor to [be] asked to do this. Learning 19 songs (not just songs — SLAYER songs) has been a daunting task and I have worked very hard to do Gary and the entire camp proud.

"As we all here send our love and support to Gary Holt as he goes through a life-altering time, the rallying this camp has done is amazing.

"Thank you all for your support as I grab the baton for a few shows and fly the Bay Area flag high on stage right.

"And lastly, the biggest hero is Marta [Phil's wife] for being so selfless after having her partner home for two days, sends him off to follow this crazy dream. All hail the Queen."

Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS.

Demmel landed in MACHINE HEAD a decade after his previous band, VIO-LENCE, broke up; VIO-LENCE being the group that he launched as a teenager and in which he was later joined by Robb Flynn, MACHINE HEAD's lead singer and guitarist. Robb went on to form MACHINE HEAD in 1992, with Phil coming into the group in 2003.

Demmel announced in October that he would leave MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour, explaining in a statement that it was "simply time" for him "to step away and do something else musically."

KISS frontman Paul Stanley will release his second book, "Backstage Pass", on April 30, 2019 via HarperOne, HarperCollins's San Francisco-based unit that specializes in publishing books in religion, spirituality, and personal growth.

Stanley told Philadelphia's WTXF that the follow-up to his 2014 autobiography, "Face The Music: A Life Exposed", "is almost, in a sense, a companion to the first [book], and maybe what it goes into more is how I accomplished what I've accomplished and what my approach is," he said. "I'm certainly not preaching to people and telling people, 'Do this,' but I think people can get some insight into what's possible for them by seeing what I've done. I don't think we accomplish much by telling people, 'If I were you, I would do…' Because when you do that, first of all, well, you're not me — you've never lived a moment in my shoes — so [it's] much more important that you figure out for yourself. But I think we can all learn something from what other people do. So what I've tried to do in the book is express my point of view and how I got from point A all the way to point Z."

Official "Backstage Pass" book overview: "The New York Times bestselling author and legendary frontman and rhythm guitarist of KISS offers grants fans an all-access backstage pass to his personal life, and shows them how to pursue a royal rock 'n' roll lifestyle of their own, offering hard-won advice and rules to live by from a rock 'n' roll legend.

"In this follow-up to his popular bestseller 'Face The Music', the Starchild takes us deeper into his personal life and his home today, life on and off the stage, revealing what he eats, drinks, and does with his friends and family, [what] he's learned from a lifetime at the frontman of the iconic band KISS, and how he brings his unique sensibility not only to his superstar music career but to every area of his life — from the business to parenting to health and happiness. kitchen and the bar to the gym and the office.

Showcasing his unique lifestyle, 'Backstage Pass' is a rare look at the man beneath the modern rock god persona. Paul shares fascinating details about his life — his fitness routine, philosophy, business principles, how he finds inspiration, passion, and joy after nearly 50 years filling arenas and selling out shows, and even his favorite meals, and includes recipes from friends such as Anthony Bourdain, Rocco DiSpirito, Mario Batali, and other star chefs.

"'Backstage Pass' divulges more true stories of the rock legend's relationships, hardships, and wild nights, contains intimate four-color, never-before-seen photos from Paul's personal collection, and offers surprising lessons on the discipline and hard work that have made him one of the healthiest and most successful rock 'n' roll frontmen in history — and a model superstar for the modern age.

"This is the book for fans who love living large, but also want to kick ass at everyday life. From doing shots at the bar to enjoying a glass of red on the patio, Paul shows you how you can rock 'n' roll all night and party every day — without missing a beat or looking like you do."

Released in April 2014, "Face The Music: A Life Exposed" debuted at No. 2 on The New York Times' Best Sellers list for Print Hardcover Non-Fiction. On top of that, "Face The Music" debuted on the Times' Combined Print and E-Book best seller list and E-Book best sellers list at No. 3 and No. 13, respectively.

In the "Face The Music", Stanley talked frankly about his early struggles with hearing — he was born with Level 3 Microtia and is deaf in his right ear. Microtia is a congenital deformity of the cartilage of the outer ear that can affect normal hearing.

"Martyrs", the new video from SOEN, the progressive heavy rock group featuring world-renowned drummer Martin Lopez (formerly of AMON AMARTH and OPETH), can be seen below. The track is taken from SOEN's fourth album, "Lotus", which will be released on February 1, 2019 via Silver Lining Music.

Driven by the contrast of different moods, and fuelled by vocalist Joel Ekelöf's powerful vocals, sustained by heavy, progressive, and frantic riffs and, ultimately, bonded by the sturdy and cohesive rhythmic section, "Martyrs" is the perfect way to showcase the whole record in one song. The video fiercely depicts an uncensored portrait of contemporary society, underlining the concept behind both the lyrics and the whole album.


Ekelöf notes: "The video and the song reflects the importance to stand up for yourself and not be trapped in other peoples' expectations of you. People are going to try to push you down and they want you to conform to the prevailing ideals, but as long as you follow your own path, you are never wrong."


In a world filled with brutality, stigma, and indifference, there is still hope, because, as Ekelöf sings, "we are the ashes and the seeds."

aving spent the last six months digging deep into the muddy depths of their emotions, the nine songs comprising "Lotus" are intoxicating, addictive aural therapies, questioning much of today's darkness while juxtaposing them with moments of great escape and hope.


"We are all very fortunate to have this place where we can go and explore thoughts, perspectives and emotions which everyday life maybe does not have the room for," says Lopez, one of SOEN's founding members. "There are definitely things that we say, and places we go, in SOEN which would be very hard to express without us coming together and creating music."


Produced by David Castillo and Iñaki Marconi at Ghostward Studios and Studio 6 between July and October 2018, the album marks the first recorded SOEN work of new Canadian-born guitarist Cody Ford, whilst the center-point of the album remains those trademark, snap-heavy, progressive SOEN riffs. Songs such as "Rival", "Covenant" and "Martyrs" are dissertations on modern societies, fraught with poetic, finitely designed confusion and chaos, yet as the name "Lotus" suggests, there is still strength, beauty, and purity to be extracted from what at times seems like an endless cycle of human regression.


"The world right now is undeniably a very strange, tense place," says Lopez. "I think the songs clearly reflect that, but they also reflect that we must now be stronger than ever in challenging, confronting, and dealing with the pandemonium life throws at us all."


The lavish "Lotus" artwork features nothing other than an enigmatic and engaging copper-reflective pyramid, offering elements of the sixth sense and greater consciousness before gate-folding open to reveal a girl touched by the copper aura.


"We each have our own personal ideas as to what it means," says Lopez, "but we'd much rather discuss what others think, what our audience thinks, what the media thinks... I think it's extremely important that we all communicate with each other and take the time to fully conceive our own meanings and interactions with life and creativity."


"Ultimately," concludes Ekelöf, "'Lotus' is about rising from whatever darkness, or dark places, you might find yourself. And its inspiration comes from a deep motivation to not just settle for the situation you might find yourself in. 'Lotus' is about changing life — both your own and your surroundings for which we must all take responsibility — and make them better rather than letting darkness pacify you and take you down."

"Lotus" track listing:

01. Opponent

02. Lascivious

03. Martyrs

04. Lotus

05. Covenant

06. Penance

07. River

08. Rival

09. Lunacy


SOEN will bring "Lotus" on the road as it tours Europe starting in March 2019.

SOEN is:

Joel Ekelöf - vocals

Martin Lopez - drums

Lars Åhlund - keys, guitar

Stefan Stenberg - bass

Cody Ford - lead guitar

Bruce Dickinson has once again expressed disdain for some of the media outlets that suggested he may have gotten tongue cancer from performing oral sex on women.

The IRON MAIDEN singer, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, has stated in the past that it might have been caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV).

Dickinson, who got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy, didn't specifically blame his cancer on oral sex but acknowledged that HPV is considered to be something of a social blemish, with many people still uncomfortable talking about sexually transmitted viruses and oral sex.

"It's silly why there's such a stigma about it," Dickinson told Finland's Syöpäjärjestöt in a new interview (see video below). "Because if [someone asked you], 'What cancer did you get?' if you said, 'I've got squamous cell carcinoma,' people go, 'Oh, what's that?' And you say, 'It's cervical cancer.' 'Oh, it's the same thing.' 'Yup. So I've got cervical cancer of the throat.' There you go. 'Cause the cells are the same."

e continued: "If a woman gets cervical cancer — which is a terrible thing — but if a woman did get cervical cancer, nobody goes around saying, 'Aha! It's because you are a woman and you are a bad person,' or, 'You were naughty,' or, 'You are having sex.' Duh! It's what people do. Otherwise the human race would be extinct. So it's kind of hypocritical of the press — certain elements in the press — to go on about it. They're like kind of pathetic schoolboys. 'Oral sex? Uhhh.' It's pathetic. Probably 80 percent of the human race has been exposed to human papillomavirus. And what everybody should be doing is saying, how can we find out more about why, first of all, it can cause cancers in some people and not in others?; why in men over 40 suddenly there's an epidemic; and why there's no test in men — simple, easy test, like the smear test in women."

According to Bruce, throat cancer has a high survival rate, and those diagnosed can continue treatment to prolong their life and slow the progression of the disease.

"Almost a hundred percent, I would say, of throat cancers in guys aged over 40 are HPV," he said. "And the good news is it's very treatable. The good news is it's almost a different disease to any other kind of throat cancer, or even any other kind of cancer — it's really specific. The bad news is by the time you get diagnosed, it's probably Stage 3 and you went in to the doctor because you had a lump in your lymph node, and so it's already spread a little bit. But that's kind of almost everybody — almost everybody."

He continued: "As my oncologist said to me… 'Cause I went on Google and researched everything. It was, like, 'Ahhh! My God! It's Stage 3! Next thing is Stage 4 and then it's a coffin.' And he went, 'Calm down. It's an academic way of classifying cancers.' He said, 'Honestly, I'd rather have Stage 3 of your cancer than Stage 1 of lung cancer.' And I went, 'Oh, okay.' I mean, my father died of lung cancer, and it wasn't very pleasant in his last days, although he was still up and about and functioning up to the last two or three days, really.

"The advances now, particularly in something like cancer, are incredible in terms of gene therapies and specific therapies now. So, I think, over the course of the next five to 10 years, the advances are going to be immense for those difficult-to-treat cancers."

Bruce previously told iNews that he wanted to cover his cancer battle in his 2017 autiobiography, "What Does This Button Do?", to raise awareness of the condition, which affects people who often have no or minimal history of tobacco or alcohol abuse. The individuals with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer who undergo treatment have a disease-free survival rate of 85 to 90 percent over five years.

While most strains of HPV clear up on their own, the sexually transmitted virus is responsible for an array of cancers.

The Huffington Post reported in 2013 that oral sex is an avenue through which a person can contract HPV and especially the strains HPV-18 and HPV-16, the latter of which is responsible for half of oral cancer cases, according to the National Cancer Institute. HPV-16, HPV-18 and some less-common strains can also cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and penis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV and approximately 14 million people become newly infected each year, making it the most common sexually transmitted infection in the nation.