According to the Hartford Courant, Connecticut police are treating the death of ALL THAT REMAINS guitarist Oliver "Oli" Herbert as suspicious.

The state medical examiner's office ruled this week that the 44-year-old musican drowned in a pond behind his Stafford Springs home last month and called the manner of death "undetermined." Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Gill said Herbert's case will remain undetermined unless new information is developed.

Sources told the Hartford Courant investigators are compiling a timeline of Herbert's last 24 hours, reviewing his medical history and searching for people who may have been in contact with him on or before October 16 when his body was found in Hydeville Pond.

Oli and his wife have lived in a home that borders the pond since 2014, town records show. That house was reportedly in pre-foreclosure at the time of the guitarist's death for lack of payment.


ver the weekend, Elizabeth Herbert, who had reported her husband missing, released a statement via his official Facebook page in which she revealed that Oli drowned after apparently ingesting antidepressant medication and sleeping pills. She also addressed the sudden cancelation of the public memorial service for Oli, which was supposed to be held on Sunday, November 11 at the Worcester Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. She wrote: "As far as why the memorial was cancelled; concern for my personal safety and home due to numerous threats to both is the reason."

ALL THAT REMAINS singer Philip Labonte said last week that he was "shocked" by Oli's death. "He was 44 years old, and he wasn't really a big partier," Labonte told Meltdown Of Detroit's WRIF radio station. "He would go hang out with people and stuff, but he didn't really do a lot of drinking… He didn't do drugs, he didn't really drink a lot. He would smoke pot once in a while, but that was the extent of it."

Herbert began playing guitar at 14. He co-founded ALL THAT REMAINS with Labonte in 1998.

ALL THAT REMAINS has released nine studio albums, a live CD/DVD, and has sold more than one million records worldwide.

The surviving members of ALL THAT REMAINS — Labonte, Mike Martin (guitar), Jason Costa (drums) and Aaron Patrick (bass, backing vocals) — will embark on the previously scheduled European tour with SEVENDUST this December. Guitar virtuoso and YouTube personality Jason Richardson (ALL SHALL PERISH, CHELSEA GRIN, BORN OF OSIRIS) has come on board and will fill in on the upcoming trek.

METALLICA played a rare acoustic show on November 3 at the Masonic in San Francisco. The evening, dubbed the "All Within My Hands Foundation Helping Hands Concert And Auction", celebrated the first full year of METALLICA's All Within My Hands non-profit foundation, which was launched in 2017 to help creating sustainable communities by tackling the issues of hunger and workforce education and encouraging volunteerism.

In addition to acoustic versions of some of METALLICA's classic songs, the band performed covers of DEEP PURPLE's "When A Blind Man Cries", NAZARETH's "Please Don't Judas Me", BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" and Bob Seger's "Turn The Page".

Bandmembers James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich were joined by a quartet of backing musicians who provided additional percussion, keyboards, strings and vocal harmony.

Profesionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "All Within My Hands" at "All Within My Hands Foundation Helping Hands Concert And Auction" can be seen below. Additional musicians in the clip are Avi Vinocur on mandolin and background vocals, David Phillips on pedal-steel, Henry Salvia on keyboards, and Cody Rhodes on percussion.

ays METALLICA: "The event raised $1.3 million which will be used to work with our partners at Feeding America and the American Association of Community Colleges as All Within My Hands continues to tackle the issues of hunger and workforce education and work to create sustainable communities."

The setlist for METALLICA's performance was as follows:

01. Disposable Heroes

02. When A Blind Man Cries (DEEP PURPLE cover)

03. The Unforgiven

04. Please Don't Judas Me (NAZARETH cover)

05. Turn The Page (Bob Seger cover)

06. Bleeding Me

07. Veteran Of The Psychic Wars (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT cover)

08. Nothing Else Matters

09. All Within My Hands

10. Enter Sandman

11. The Four Horsemen

12. Hardwired

Along with unplugged performances from METALLICA and CAGE THE ELEPHANT, the night offered attendees an opportunity to bid on one-of-a-kind auction items.

In its first six months of operation, the Foundation donated more than $750,000 to local food banks around the world — a practice the band and the Foundation have continued on METALLICA's current North American tour. They've donated $10,000 to local food banks in every city and met dedicated people who focus their daily lives on helping others.

Swiss folk metallers Eluveitie have released a second trailer for the 10th anniversary edition of their Slania album. Find the clip below.

A message from the band: "In February 2008 we were rather unknown Swiss folk-metal newcomers. Yet we published an album which is now heralded as one of the most important reasons for our break-through: Slania.

"What Eluveitie achieved with that album is not something you could call a phenomena. It‘s much more the product of hard, passionate work; the kind of work you put into something you love with all your heart. Even though we went quickly from being an underground act to being internationally successful, we had to fight our way to the top, shedding blood, sweat and tears! Euphoric reactions, sold-out shows and a newfound respect the world over were the well-earned rewards for their hard work. For the band and also for the fans, Slania still has a special place in Eluveitie's discography."

Chrigel Glanzmann comments: “How time flies - hard to believe that it’s already 10 years since we’ve released this album! These last ten years have been incredibly intense, they led us through many a trial and brought us a myriad of blessings. They’ve led us to countless places all around this earth. And all through the years, the songs of this album were with us and we’re still playing them live today! So we're proud of Slania and we're really happy with this re-release and also pretty excited about the bonus goodies it comes with! We hope you'll enjoy as much as we do! Cheers!”

Tracklisting:

"Samon"
"Primordial Breath"
"Inis Mona"
"Grey Sublime Archon"
"Anagantios"
"Bloodstained Ground"
"The Somber Lay"
"Slania’s Song"
"Giamonios"
"Tarvos"
"Calling The Rain"
"Elembivos"

Bonus material:

"Samon" (Acoustic Version)
Interview With Slania
"Samon" (demo)
"Primordial Breath" (demo)
"Inis Mona" (demo)
"Bloodstained Ground" (demo)
"Tarvos" (demo)

Trailer #2:

Trailer #1:

Canada-based mantra doom act Zaum has signed a multi-album deal with Listenable Records. 

Zaum is a passage toward the dark realizations of the old world; a monolithic, doomy mantra-based meditative experience forged by bass and drums interwoven with sitar, woodwind, string, and synth textures. Based in New Brunswick, observers experience a tranquil resonance whereby the astral and physical planes can coexist and be understood from a natural perspective.  

Zaum's most recent full-length musical chapter, Eidolon, was released in October of 2016 via I Hate Records. In their few years as an active, touring band Zaum has performed over two-hundred shows including support stints for Voivod, Cauldron, Mars Red Sky, and Bison as well as showcases at Roadburn, Haywire Festival, and Incubate.

Zaum is currently composing new material for their next full-length, slated for a spring 2019 release via Listenable.

(Photo by Pierre Morin)

Nightwish have unveiled a breathtaking live video for the song "Sleeping Sun", taken from their upcoming End Of An Era reissue. Watch the clip below:

October 21st, 2005 is a historic date for every Nightwish fan - many tears flowed, yet the foundation was laid for a new beginning and the ongoing continuity of the band. What subsequently appeared as the DVD titled End Of An Era was not only the final show of their mega-selling Once tour, but also the very last joint performance with their singer Tarja Turunen.

Due to all of these facets and more, the DVD will give you goose bumps many times over, yet it crowns the end of the Tarja chapter with a unique show that could hardly have been better or more spectacular. The setlist is stunning and contains 18 hymns, such as the opening "Dark Chest Of Wonders", "Sleeping Sun", "Nemo" and "Bless The Child" through to the final "Wish I Had An Angel". If you do not already own this live masterpiece, you can now look forward to the extensive new edition.

On December 7th, End Of An Era will be re-released as 3LP and Earbook formats including BluRay, 2CD and 3LP. Pre-order here, or via the Nightwish webshop, here.

For another impression of the show, watch the live clip for "Nemo", below.

Tracklisting:

BluRay

"Dark Chest Of Wonders"
"Planet Hell"
"Ever Dream"
"The Kinslayer"
"Phantom Of The Opera"
"The Siren"
"Sleeping Sun"
"High Hopes"
"Bless The Child"
"Wishmaster"
"Slaying The Dreamer"
"Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan"
"Nemo"
"Ghost Love Score"
"Stone People"
"Creek Mary’s Blood"
"Over The Hills And Far Away"
"Wish I Had An Angel"
Documentary “A Day Before Tomorrow”

CD1

"Dark Chest Of Wonders"
"Planet Hell"
"Ever Dream"
"The Kinslayer"
"Phantom Of The Opera"
"The Siren"
"Sleeping Sun"
"High Hopes"
"Bless The Child"
"Wishmaster"

CD2

"Slaying The Dreamer"
"Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan"
"Nemo"
"Ghost Love Score"
"Stone People"
"Creek Mary’s Blood"
"Over The Hills And Far Away"
"Wish I Had An Angel"

3LP (33 RPM)

Side A
"Dark Chest Of Wonders"
"Planet Hell"
"Ever Dream"

Side B
"The Kinslayer"
"Phantom Of The Opera"
"The Siren"

Side C
"Sleeping Sun"
"High Hopes"
"Bless The Child"

Side D
"Wishmaster"
"Slaying The Dreamer"
"Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan"

Side E
"Nemo"
"Ghost Love Score"
"Stone People"

Side F
"Creek Mary’s Blood"
"Over The Hills And Far Away"
"Wish I Had An Angel"

"Nemo" live video:

Since their latest album Retaliation, Obscenity has gone through many changes. The most obvious being the additions of their new vocalist Manuel Siewert (December Flower) and their new bass axe man David Speckmann (Burial Vault). Both are now presenting their recording-debuts with Obscenity on Summoning The Circle, accompanied by the band’s veterans Hendrik Bruns (guitar) and Sascha Knust (drums) as well as guitarist Christoph Weerts. Listen to new track "Invocation Obscure":

The recordings for the new songs took place at the Soundlodge Studio (Anvil, God Dethroned, Dew-Scented) with longtime-partner Joerg Uken and in guitarist Christoph Weerts’ own studio while mixing and mastering were done by Christoph Brandes in his Iguana Studio (Necrophagist, Spheron, Maladie). The result speaks for itself and delivers punchy and brutal classic death metal at its meanest. This is the perfect start into 2019, which marks the band’s 30th year in history.

"Summoning The Circle":

Vicious Toronto, ON/Manhattan, NY based brutal death/hardcore group Brand Of Sacrifice have released a new music video for the song "Eclipse". The track comes from their relentlessly bludgeoning new EP The Interstice which was released on November 9th through Unique Leader.

The group said of the track, “'Eclipse' is the first song we ever wrote as a band and to this day is still one of our absolute favourites so we felt it was more than fitting to produce an energy-filled, punishing music video.  This also marks the first appearance of new members Liam Beeson (Guitar) and Dallas Bricker (Bass). We hope you enjoy."

Although the group is less than a year old the EP shows a fully realized vision of unbelievable sonic violence and songwriting prowess formed through years of playing in their past bands - The Afterimage and Ascariasis.

Physical bundles for The Interstice are available here. Digital bundles are available here. UK/EU physical orders are available here.

The Interstice EP tracklisting:

"Eclipse"
"Casca"
"Conviction"
"Millenium"
"Crimson"

"Eclipse" video:

With an arsenal of technical skills ready to unleash upon the world, Bay Area natives Aenimus announce their upcoming sophomore album, Dreamcatcher, will be released on February 22nd via Nuclear Blast Records. To celebrate, the band offers fans a music video for the single, "Before The Eons". Watch below.

Frontman Alex Green comments, "We are happy to announce our new album, Dreamcatcher, will be out worldwide February 22, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-orders are now available at the Nuclear Blast Web store with some fantastic bundle options and a limited vinyl pressing. To celebrate the release, we present you all our new music video for 'Before The Eons'.”

Dreamcatcher is a concept album that draws inspiration from horror novels and movies,such as It, The Shining, Hannibal Lecter, and The Dead Zone. The album was recorded by the band while mixing and mastering were handled by Jamie King. The album features guest appearances from Mike Semesky (Intervals, The Haarp Machine), Jamie Hanks (I Declare War), Brian James (Fallujah), Sims Cashion and Leonardo Guzman.

Dreamcatcher will be available in the following formats:

- CD jewel
- Vinyl – black, purple w/ black splatter, blue w/ white splatter
- Album Cover Long sleeve
- Album Cover Hoodie
- Album Cover T-shirt
- CD + Web Design T-shirt + Poster Bundle
- Vinyl (purple w/ black splatter) + Web Design T-shirt + Poster Bundle

Pre-order your copy of Dreamcatcher and receive a download for "Before The Eons" instantly.

Dreamcatcher tracklisting:

"Before The Eons"
"Eternal"
"The Ritual"
"My Becoming"
"The Dark Triad"
"Between Iron And Silver"
"The Overlook"
"Caretaker"
"Second Sight"
"Day Zero"
"Dreamcatcher"

"Before The Eons" video:

Aenimus will embark on the Death… Is Just The Beginning 2019 North American tour as direct support for co-headliners and label mates Hypocrisy and Fleshgod Apocalypse. The tour kicks off on March 15th at the The Regent in Los Angeles and will make stops in Richmond, Toronto and New York before concluding in Oakland, CA on April 15th.

March
15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent
16 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
17 - Mesa, AZ - Club Red
19 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
20 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
21 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
22 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
23 - Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live!
24 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
26 - Orlando, FL - The Haven
27 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
28 - Raleigh, NC - The Maywood
29 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club
30 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
31 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre

April
1 - Montreal, QC - Théâtre Corona
2 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
3 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
5 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
6 - Minneapolis, MN - Studio B
7 - Winnipeg, MB - Park Theatre
8 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
9 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
10 - Calgary, AB - Dickens Pub
12 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
13 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
14 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
15 - Oakland, CA - Metro Opera House

Aenimus is:

Alex Green - Vocals
Sean Swafford - Guitar
Jordan Rush - Guitar
Seth Stone - Bass
Cody Pulliam - Drums

2018 couldn’t have been better for Lord Of The Lost: big headliner tour, impressive festival shows and the release of their sixth studio album Thornstar, which debuted #6 of the German album charts.

To finish the year properly the band has a special gift today: the live DVD, Confession (Live At Christuskirche). Here, Lord Of The Lost celebrate their unpredictable variety once again and present old songs in a new classic guise - including a live ensemble and an impressive location.

Recorded in the Christuskirche Bochum during their Swan Songs Tour 2017, stunningly arranged dark rock symphonies can be found between dramatic chamber orchestra arrangements with gentle strings and piano. The well known hard sound yields to leave some room for intense goosebumps.

Confession (Live At Christuskirche) can be ordered here. Available as limited DVD + 2-CD DVDPack, Deluxe Box and Digital Audio Album. Watch a video for "Fists Up In The Air" below.

Tracklist:

CD 1:
"Raining Stars"
"Wander In Sable"
"Dry The Rain"
"The Devil You Know"
"The Love Of God"
"Ribcages"
"The Sands Of Time"
"Six Feet Underground"
"Beyond Beautiful"
"Waiting For You To Die"

CD 2:
"Fall Asleep"
"Drag Me To Hell"
"Prison"
"See You Soon"
"Full Metal Bawl (The True Story About Her Death)"
"Fists Up In The Air"
"My Better Me"
"Annabel Lee"
"The Broken Ones"
"Credo"
"Lost In A Heartbeat"
"Lighthouse"

"Fists Up In The Air" video:

"Prison" video:

(Photo - Franz Schepers)

Wolcensmen’s debut album from 2016, Songs From The Fyrgen, will be reissued by Indie Recordings on November 30th. Listen to the track "The Fyre-Bough" below.

Dan Capp (Wolcensmen) has commented: "‘The Fyre-Bough’ has become one of Wolcensmen's biggest and most iconic songs, and was composed quite effortlessly. The theme is that of how the natural and 'supernatural' weave into one another, and how respecting these eternal, hidden patterns is the path to contentment."

Founded upon a passion for dark acoustic music and folklore, Wolcensmen began life in 2013. Dan Capp, a guitarist from England (who went on to join black metal band Winterfylleth) undertook the work of resurrecting old acoustic ideas he'd written since the late '90s, inspired largely by Scandinavian bands who had pioneered the inclusion of folk and neo-classical elements within their sound. Wolcensmen became the vehicle for expressing spiritual philosophies and a specific musical atmosphere.

A self-produced demo captured the imagination of underground music fans, and Dungeon Synth label Deivlforst Records assisted in making the demo available again after its limited initial run. In 2015 work began on the debut album, which was released in November of the following year by the name Songs From The Fyrgen. The CD pressing sold out within six months and the album received widespread acclaim, with some quickly considering it a classic of the genre.

In 2017, Wolcensmen was brought to the attention of Norwegian label Indie Recordings who saw the need for a reissue of Songs From The Fyrgen; remixed and remastered, and with proper marketing and distribution. The album will be re-released on November 30th with a bonus disc of brand new songs, including a rendition of the Bathory classic, "Man Of Iron".

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

Songs From The Fyrgen:
"Withershins"
"The Fyre-Bough"
"Sunne"
"Hoofes Upon the Shymmeringe Path"
"'Neath a Wreath of Firs"
"The Mon o' Micht"
"Snowfall"
"The Bekens are Aliht"
"Yerninge"

Songs From The Mere EP bonus disc:
"The Ferryman"
"Lady of the Depe"
"The Greene Wall"
"Beholdinge, He..."
"Man of Iron" (Bathory cover)

"The Fyre-Bough":

Wolcensmen is part of the revival of interest in old European spirituality; a sincere expression of mysticism and superstition, and an approach to songwriting which aims to bring near-forgotten things back from the mists of time.

Vintage rock duo, The Alligator Wine, have just signed with Century Media Records and present the title track off their upcoming EP The Flying Carousel, to be released on January 25th. Watch the video for “The Flying Carousel”  below.

“The Flying Carousel” marks an introduction to a band that creatively fuses the old and new. With sounds that bridge decades, The Alligator Wine invite you into an electronic yet analogue world that peaks in incredibly catchy hooks and choruses.

The Alligator Wine throw you into a mix of psychedelic moog sounds, distorted organs and thick synth basses that fuse together in a fresh sounding danceable package. The electronic soundscapes that the band explores throughout this EP are solely created by analogue equipment that notably features an illuminated Leslie speaker as a centerpiece on stage and in the studio.

Jens Prueter, Head of A&R, Century Media Records Europe: “The White Stripes wasn’t the first duo in rock music and with The Picturebooks we already have one on Century Media Records. But I can’t think of too many duos even without guitar. Billy Joel’s short-lived Attila came to my mind who rocked really heavy on their only album in 1970. Jimi Hendrix was impressed by the Swedish duo Hansson & Karlsson and covered “Tax Free” from their 1967 debut. And The Alligator Wine transfer these vintage sounds with a heavy groove. It is not about the novelty of a duo as such but The Alligator Wine deliver simply good, unique music and are not afraid of taking risks. Hope you’ll like it as much as we do!”

The band comments: "We are more than stoked to become a part of the Century Media family! A label lead by passionate people that has released so many kick ass albums in the past! Our new single 'The Flying Carousel' is a catchy tune about losing yourself in a surreal disco somewhere decades ago! We all have been there: One foot on the dancefloor, one foot down in hell! Enjo!"

The Flying Carousel EP will be released exclusively on 12" vinyl and digital platforms. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"The Flying Carousel"
"Dream Eyed Little Girl"
"Reptile"

"The Flying Carousel" video:

Lineup:

Thomas Teufel - (Drums / Vocals / Percussion)
Rob Vitacca - (Vocals / Organ / Synthesizer)

(Photo - Bjoern Gantert 2018)

Italian death metal veterans Gory Blister have released a video for "No Shadow", a track from the band's new album, 1991. Bloodstained, out now via Mighty Music. Watch below.

Vocalist Raff Sangiorgio comments about the single: "When you are in the dark... when you think you are alone... and you feel safe... that the monsters come... and dance by the light of the candle... but you can't see them, 'cause they are those who have NO SHADOW".

1991.Bloodstained now exists. It’s an album with a self-congratulatory title, because it recalls the birth date of Gory Blister, even if the lyrics, as in the past, deal with a poetic and visionary perceiving of tragedies and disasters caused by the human race on Earth.

Tracklisting:

"Trails Of Lies"
"1991.Bloodstained"
"Mutable Past"
"Anthropocene"
"No Shadow"
"The Frailty Of Life"
"Mother"
"My Insanity"
"The Last Call"
"Damage Inc." (Metallica cover)

"No Shadow" video:

"Trail Of Lies" lyric video:

“The Last Call” video:

Lineup:

Paolo Quaglia (John St. John): Vox
Raff Sangiorgio: Guitar
Fabiano Andreacchio: Bass
Joe Laviola: Drums

The official lyric video for the song "Raise Your Banner" from Dutch metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION can be seen below. The second single from the band's forthcoming studio album, "Resist", features a guest appearance by IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén.

"Resist" will be released on December 14. It is the band's first release through Spinefarm Records, the specialist hard rock label of Universal Music Group.

"Resist" will also feature PAPA ROACH's Jacoby Shaddix and ARID's Jasper Steverlinck on guest vocals.

"Resist" track listing:

1. The Reckoning (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)

02. Endless War

03. Raise Your Banner (feat. Anders Fridén)

04. Supernova

05. Holy Ground

06. In Vain

07. Firelight (feat. Jasper Steverlinck)

08. Mad World

09. Mercy Mirror

10. Trophy Hunter

"Resist" marks a departure from the WITHIN TEMPTATION's past. The record is armed with 10 anthemic tracks, driven by grand melodies and dark hooks. It brings a futuristic take on metal to the table — both instrumentally and thematically.

"'Resist' is a true milestone for us. If it wasn't for 'Resist', WITHIN TEMPTATION wouldn't be here anymore," the band stated.


"With this record, we've taken inspiration from modern music and gave it a face — a very dark one," Sharon said. "Sometimes, it feels that today's pop music lacks a rebellious edge. Our main goal was to collect pieces from sounds we did like and roughen it up as much as we could, resulting in a surprisingly new musical world that is heavier, dirtier and more futuristic than we've ever created before. 'Resist' is our take on metal in a new way: to give modern music its rebellious edge."

Regarding the nearly five-year gap between "Hydra" and "Resist", singer Sharon Den Adel told Poland's Interia.tv: "It took me a long time because of several reasons. We had a heavy touring schedule with 'Hydra', and we toured a long time. We've been together as a band for such ages, and so when I came back, I didn't have any inspiration. There was a lot of things happening in my personal life, so all that came together and I just couldn't write music. I was very much blocked. I needed for myself to discover if I still wanted to do the touring and also writing music for WITHIN TEMPTATION, if I still wanted to be in the band, because it didn't bring me any joy at the time. I was just not in a very good place at that time. Now, I'm feeling a bit — a lot better, actually, and the strange thing is that I couldn't write because I didn't feel the music. I didn't know where to go. Not just me, but also the guys that I work with find it very difficult to write for WITHIN TEMPTATION, because we didn't have any inspiration. It was not just me, but I had a lot of other issues besides not being able to write. That's why it took a long time, and when I did start writing again, I wrote [a] different kind of music — I wrote singer-songwriter kind of songs, and that's not really WITHIN TEMPTATION material. I needed to get that out of my way, so I made a solo album, and when it did start again — when I did feel the songs coming back again to us, and the inspiration and everything — we wrote this album and recorded it in one year. Last summer until this summer, we recorded it, wrote the songs and produced everything."

Two decades ago, APOCALYPTICA's first and most important album, "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos", was released, selling over 1.5 million copies to date and leading to a carefully remastered, critically acclaimed new album version with three bonus tracks in 2016.

In celebration of the trailblazing album's 20th anniversary, the avowed live band is honouring their career-defining release with the extensive "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos" world tour since early 2017.

The highly emotional, all instrumental shows across the continents feature four cellos and a drum set and METALLICA covers only, taking audiences back to the sound and track listing of the original album as well as thrilling them with more METALLICA songs APOCALYPTICA covered over the years.

Show stopping highlights are cello versions of hits such as "Enter Sandman", "Master Of Puppets" and "Seek And Destroy", as well as incredibly dense encores like "Nothing Else Matters" and "One".

ust in time for the tour break, APOCALYPTICA has announced the much-anticipated live recordings, "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos - A Live Performance", to be released as a 2CD+1DVD digipak as well as a digital album version on December 7.

The DVD delivers the band's full two-hour concert at the renowned Finnish Savonlinna Opera Festival in the breathtaking scenery of Olavinlinna Castle, featuring previously unreleased METALLICA covers. The accompanying CD/digital (and later vinyl) formats present the band's slightly heavier rock flavor, displayed at one of the band's three sold-out shows at the iconic Tavastia club in Helsinki in September.

This year's release will be followed by a lavish 3LP+1DVD+download code package dropping in 2019.

VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS have released a stripped-back version of "Sailing Ships". The track comes from their new record, "Rugged And Unplugged", which will be released on November 23 via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group.

Originally from WHITESNAKE's 1989 album "Slip Of The Tongue", "Sailing Ships" has a delicate beauty to it that makes the hairs on your arm stand up and has become a favorite and regular in the MOONKINGS' live shows.

"Rugged And Unplugged" is a beautifully stripped back acoustic album which features songs from across Adrian Vandenberg's career. From his first band TEASER as a 20-year-old, he has always used an acoustic guitar in his recordings, which along with the electric guitar creates the light and shade dynamic that is the cornerstone to all of his records.


"For me, the sign of whether a song is good or not, is whether it still stands up when it's completely stripped down to the bare essence of it," says Vandenberg. He continues: "What I find with acoustic versions of songs you already know is that they can touch you in a different way than the full band and even orchestral versions. You don't get 'impressed' by big guitars, drums and even orchestras. As a performer, you can't hide behind all that, so what's left is the emotional content of the performance and the actual song."


his project created the opportunity to strip down the big orchestral arrangements on songs such as "What Doesn't Kill You" and "Breathing" to just Vandenberg on acoustic guitar and the voice of Jan Hoving.

"My favorite singers ever since my teens have always been guys like Paul Rodgers and David Coverdale," Vandenberg says. "Since I wrote this song in 1981, I've always pictured it sung by a singer with such a tone of voice and vocal abilities. Jan is absolutely such a singer as you can hear." "One Step Behind" has a graceful warmth and "Walk Away" feels both intimate and anthemic.


"Out Of Reach" is the only song that features drums, bass and violins and has a warm cascading elegance. The album closes with a new song, the instrumental "Sundown". Adrian says: "It was one of those beautiful early evenings in the late summer, the light turning pink, it was quiet and I was doodling away on my acoustic guitar. The melody that pretty much rolled off of my fingers really matched the vibe of that moment so I decided to record it and end the album with it. It felt like a very natural thing to do."


Like the two MOONKINGS albums, "MoonKings" (2014) and "MK II" (2017), "Rugged And Unplugged" was produced by Adrian Vandenberg himself. It was recorded between Vandenberg's home studio and Jan Hoving's farm which gives it the relaxed, intimate and natural feel, away from the clinical studio environment. It is Vandenberg and Hoving doing what they do and love the most, playing music straight from the heart.

"Rugged And Unplugged" track listing:

01. What Doesn’t Kill You

02. Sailing Ships

03. Out Of Reach

04. One Step Behind

05. Burning Heart

06. Walk Away

07. Breathing

08. Sundown

"Bring Out Your Dead", a new song from black metal pioneers VENOM, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming 15th full-length studio album, "Storm The Gates", which will be released on December 14 through Spinefarm Records. The follow-up to 2015's "From The Very Depths" will be made available on CD and digital formats, with vinyl and cassette versions to arrive in early 2019.

Frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant commented: "Get ready for another killer album, packed full of awesome riffs and screaming mayhem.

"We've been hard at work for over two years to make sure this new release raises the bar, to deliver a demonic mix of old and new.

"Get ready to lay down your souls, legions!"

b>"Storm The Gates" track listing:

01. Bring Out Your Dead

02. Notorious

03. I Dark Lord

04. 100 Miles To Hell

05. Dark Night (Of The Soul)

06. Beaten To A Pulp

07. Destroyer

08. The Mighty Have Fallen

09. Over My Dead Body

10. Suffering Dictates

11. We The Loud

12. Immortal

13. Storm The Gates

Last year, Cronos spoke to Metal Rules about the evolution of VENOM's songwriting. "The thing is we, as a band, we are evolving the black metal thing," he explained. 'Because, for me, it has to be exciting, it has to be new, it has to be dangerous. It has to stay in motion. It has to make me excited to do it. I couldn't just do the 'Welcome To Hell' night after night; it would be too boring. So, they know I like to be challenged. I need to create new shit, and I like to twist VENOM a lot and cut and pull it. I like to create an album that people kind of go, 'That wasn't expected.'

"For a band that's been going this long, if we're not going to continue to evolve, I think we're dead," he continued. "But you don't want to forget where you came from. [You want] to be able to play songs from back in the day, so that the people in the audience can hear them and hear the song that they love — played the way that it was played. I think it is special."

Cronos went on to say that his current VENOM bandmates — guitarist Rage, a.k.a. Stuart Dixon, and drummer Danté, a.k.a. Danny Needham — "have got two [VENOM] albums under the belt now [2011's 'Fallen Angels' and 'From the Very Depths'] that they can call their own. So, when they play their songs up on that stage, they can push and pull the bits they want, and they can play them in their style. But when we play the old songs, we kind of try to play them as near to the original we possibly can so, that the people in the audience hear a great version of the song rather than a changed version of the song. Because why change a great song?"

VENOM is not to be confused with VENOM INC., the band featuring original VENOM guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn alongside ex-VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan.

"From The Very Depths" was released in January 2015 via Spinefarm.

Italian progressive metal band LAST UNION has released a music video for the song "President Evil". The track, which features a guest appearance by DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie, is taken from the group's debut album, "Twelve", which will be released on December 21 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records.

"Twelve", which also features Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X) on bass, Uli Kusch (HELLOWEEN, MASTERPLAN) on drums, was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, best known for his work with ARCH ENEMY, SYMPHONY X, DEVIN TOWNSEND, ANGRA and OPETH, to name a few. The cover artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard (AVANTASIA, RAGE, THRESHOLD).

The quiet city of Tolentino in the Marche region of Central Italy not only boasts a rich historical background, it is also the place progressive metal band LAST UNION calls home. Founded by vocalist Elisa Scarpeccio, guitarist Cristiano Tiberi and keyboardist Claudio Feliziani in 2007, the band — originally known as BLAZING ICE — embarked on their journey in the pursuit of sharing their thoughts and feelings about life, and ultimately their art, with the world. With the assistance of professional session bassists and drummers, the trio established themselves on the Italian scene with a string of shows that helped them evolve and refine their craft. Over the course of 20 shows, LAST UNION presented songs that would eventually make the final cut for their debut album.

Strong and positive reactions to their music spurred Scarpeccio and Tiberi on to take the first of many bold steps. The first was to reach out to Kusch, who, after hearing the music, expressed interest in joining the band as a full member rather than just a touring drummer. A similar scenario played out with LePond and LAST UNION was officially born. The icing on the cake, however, was getting LaBrie to sing on three tracks.

rack listing:

01. Most Beautiful Day

02. President Evil (feat. James LaBrie)

03. Hardest Way

04. Purple Angels

05. The Best Of Magic

06. Taken (feat. James LaBrie) (radio edit)

07. 18 Euphoria

08. A Place In Heaven (feat. James LaBrie)

09. Ghostwriter

10. Limousine

11. Back In The Shadow

12. Taken (feat. James LaBrie)

13. President Evil (feat. James LaBrie) (video version)

The official video for the song "Bitter" from RED DRAGON CARTEL, the band led by former OZZY OSBOURNE and BADLANDS guitarist Jake E. Lee, can be seen below. The track is taken from RED DRAGON CARTEL's sophomore album, "Patina", which was released on November 9 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The follow-up to RED DRAGON CARTEL's eponymous 2014 debut, "Patina" marks the group's first release with drummer Phil Varone (SAIGON KICK, SKID ROW) and bassist Anthony Esposito. The band's current lineup is rounded out by singer Darren James Smith.

RED DRAGON CARTEL's new album was recorded at Esposito's Obscenic Arts studio in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania and was mixed by legendary producer Max Norman, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, SAVATAGE and LOUDNESS, among others.

In addition to being the new bassist for RED DRAGON CARTEL, Esposito co-produced the album alongside Lee.

I think we had a great production partnership," says Jake. "He never discouraged me from trying things that were a bit outside the box; in fact, he encouraged it. His attention to detail in the recording of everything was exceptional. Much more than I alone would have toiled over. He has an incredible work ethic that kept me from lapsing into complacency. If we disagreed on how something should be, we'd find a perfect marriage of the two sides, or completely reimagine it. We didn't settle on anything unless we both agreed it was perfect. If I do another album, I'd love it to be with him again."

Another new member to RED DRAGON CARTEL is drummer Phil Varone, whose style Lee really appreciated. "Phil is a very solid and groove-oriented player, who is not afraid to turn things upside down to give the song a more unique flavor," explains Lee.

"Patina" marks a change of style from the debut RED DRAGON CARTEL album, featuring a more bluesy hard rock direction as opposed to its predecessor's heavier leanings.

Lee says: "The first album was more of a piecemeal production with some of the song ideas being 10 years old and never having more than one player in the room at any time. I wanted to do this one from scratch with all the songs originating and worked on with everyone in the room, on their instruments. It felt much more organic, like the way I used to do it for the first 20 years of my career — more honest to my roots."

When asked about his musical inspirations for the record, Jake says: "My inspirations for 'Patina' are from the artists I loved during my youth. Robin Trower, Santana, BLACK SABBATH, CAPTAIN BEYOND, THIN LIZZY, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, David Bowie… I could go on and on, but let me also say that there are also hints of SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, Dick Dale, psychedelia and even some George Benson. Don't let any of that scare you — it all makes sense!"

"Patina" is a definitive statement of Jake's unbelievable skills with a monster production from Esposito and a perfect mix, courtesy of Norman, whose relationship with Jake dates back to the guitarist's days with OZZY OSBOURNE.

The track listing for the disc is as follows:

01. Speedbag

02. Havana

03. Crooked Man

04. The Luxury Of Breathing

05. Bitter

06. Chasing Ghosts

07. A Painted Heart

08. Punchclown (bonus track)

09. My Beautiful Mess

10. Ink & Water

The official music video for "Havana" can be seen below.

"I chose 'Havana' as the first song to be released from the new album for a few reasons," Lee told Guitar World. "First off, it begins with a lone guitar playing the riff, promoting the idea that this is a guitar-heavy record. The song's production is about as straightforward and basic as it gets on this album and I wanted it to be apparent that, overall, it's more of an old school approach, as opposed to its predecessor [RED DRAGON CARTEL's self titled, 2014 debut album.] And, it's just a cool riff I couldn't wait to share with anyone interested in what I'm doing!"

Back in September 2015, RED DRAGON CARTEL was rejoined by Darren James Smith after a period of several months during which the band played shows with a number of other vocalists, including former JONES STREET frontman Shawn Crosby, Canadian singer Paul D'Eath (CITIZENS UNITE, MUSHROOM TRAIL), Chas West (Jason Bonham, LYNCH MOB, 3 LEGGED DOGG) and Michael Beck.

Issued in January 2014, RED DRAGON CARTEL's debut CD sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 69 on The Billboard 200 chart.

According to TMZ, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry is back home, six days after he was hospitalized following an appearance with Billy Joel.

Sources close to Joe tell the site that Perry was released from the hospital Thursday and is now resting.

Only minutes after guesting with Joel on stage on Saturday night (November 10) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Perry experienced shortness of breath and was treated by paramedics. The legendary rocker, who's now 68, was taken out of the Garden on a stretcher after paramedics worked on him in his dressing room, reportedly inserting a tracheal tube down his throat at one point.

According to TMZ, doctors ran a series of tests and determined that Perry was suffering from a combination of allergies and fatigue.

b>Joe, who has reportedly had breathing issues his whole life, tweeted on Tueday that he was "doing well" and thanked fans "for all the love and support."

As most fans will remember, back in July 2016, Perry collapsed during a HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES gig at Brooklyn, New York's Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk.

Alice Cooper, who fronts the all-star covers band, recalled to CBS News at the time that he was unaware that Perry was perhaps not geared up for such a rigorous schedule. "I didn't realize AEROSMITH only did two shows a week. Honestly, I just figured everybody was like me. I do five shows a week, and very physical shows. We were on our eighth show in 10 days. It was pretty brutal. I think [Joe] was dehydrated and basically exhausted. I talked to him before the show and he said, 'I don't think I've eaten anything in three days.' I went, 'Well, that's not smart.'"

Cooper went on to squash the rumors that Perry had collapsed due to a coronary, explaining: "It wasn't his heart, though, and it wasn't anything vital, because four or five days later, he was on stage with us and I'd never seen him look so good."

Perry is scheduled to kick off a solo tour on November 30 in support of his most recent solo album, "Sweetzerland Manifesto".

POISON frontman Bret Michaels was released from the hospital on Wednesday, November 14 after undergoing a medical procedure known as lithotripsy. He says: "[It] was painful, but worth it. I'm not 100%, but I will be soon. The staff and doctors were incredible. Your well wishes and prayers helped as kidney stones are one of the most painful things to experience."

Lithotripsy is a procedure that helps to break the process of urolithiasis. Urolithiasis is the process of forming stones in the kidney, bladder, and/or urethra. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones occur in 1 in 20 people at some time in their life.

As a result of his medical condition, Michaels was forced to cancel his November 11 concert at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, Tennessee.

Earlier this year, POISON toured for the first time since 2012, a hiatus largely due to Michaels's frequent tours as a solo artist, during which he typically performs a setlist that differs little from what POISON plays.

b>Michaels said during POISON's "Nothin' But A Good Time" tour that while the band will take the year off in 2019, he'd like POISON to tour again and release something new in 2020. "I think one or two songs, singles route, 100,000 percent," he told Loudwire. "We've already written one song on the road that we've been jamming at soundcheck. It really sounds good — it's a very modern song with a great feel and great hook."

Photo credit: Mark Mazzanti

BORN OF OSIRIS will release its new album, "The Simulation", on January 11, 2019 via Sumerian Records. A music video for the song "The Accursed" can be seen below.

Guitarist Lee McKinney states: "The first single and video for 'The Accursed' plays exactly off of the album titles and themes. People are stuck and addicted to machines, social media, virtual realities and anything that creates a life or reality that's not their own. Our phones have become an extension of ourselves, a body part. We play games or throw on virtual headsets that literally suck us out of the reality we live and into a fantasy. What's the future going to look like, a simulation? Could the simulation have already begun?

"Also, this new album keeps the integrity high across the board. I want to make the best songs I could for the people who are listening (and myself), and I want to perform them to their best ability on stage to give the people attending our shows those ‘wow' moments. We want to give them those concert memories that'll last a lifetime."

Vocalist, keyboardist and synth player Joe Buras adds: "We welcome the incorporation of steel, or have we already? It's hard to prove we are not already in a simulation with the development of AI, advances in brain mapping technology and the inevitable singularity. We now see an age that is either here or on the horizon."

b>"The Simulation" track listing:

01. The Accursed

02. Disconnectome

03. Cycles Of Tragedy

04. Under The Gun

05. Recursion

06. Analogs In A Cell

07. Silence The Echo

08. One Without The Other


BORN OF OSIRIS's U.S. tour with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and CROWBAR will start on November 16 and run through December 9.

"By The Numbers", the new video from West Coast metal veterans METAL CHURCH, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming 12th full-length studio album, "Damned If You Do", which will be released on December 7 via Rat Pak Records. The effort will also be available in Europe via Nuclear Blast and Japan via King Records. The latest release is the follow-up to 2016's "XI", which saw the return of legendary frontman Mike Howe.

In a case where art imitates life, the "By The Numbers" clip tells the story of a successful businessman who also plays double duty as a rock star lead singer, something Howe knows all too well.

"Damned If You Do" is described in a press release as "a cross between the band's iconic 'Blessing In Disguise' and 'The Human Factor'. This new offering features ten fully charged, classic-metal-influenced songs that showcase the sound that has garnered the band a solid fanbase for over three decades," the press release adds.

Guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof comments: "I feel this album is a very powerful statement to what METAL CHURCH has always been about. A tough and aggressive old-school metal album while maintaining a level of musicality and melodic sensibilities."

b>"Damned If You Do" also features Stet Howland (ex-W.A.S.P., LITA FORD), who joined METAL CHURCH as the replacement for longtime drummer Jeff Plate. Soon after hooking up with the group, Stet was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Miraculously, his treatments for the aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma worked and he was able to begin recording the new album.

Speaking of the new album, Stet said: "From the minute we started tracking this new CD, I had the feeling that it was going to be something special. I knew that I was going to do my best to deliver a top drum performance, not only because of the high standard set by past METAL CHURCH drummers, but also because this is my first CD release after being sick. I'm beyond happy with all aspects of this CD — great songs, great performances, great production; just an overall great CD! I love it!"

"Damned If You Do" is something truly unique and special. The songs are powerful, precise, and METAL CHURCH's musical vision is unified. From the haunting opener "Damned If You Do" to the final hard-edged track "The War Electric", this new album is sure to resonate with fans from the band's early years while garnering new ones. Songs like "By The Numbers", "Guillotine" and "The Black Things" are sure to become instant favorites!

Howe comments: "I'm very excited about the new release. It all came together way better than I even imagined. It's a great feeling to work really hard on a musical project pouring your heart into it and hoping it comes out as something you can be proud of in the end. I have been listening to it every day and loving it! I hope our fans do as well!"

"Damned If You Do" is available in various formats and bundle configurations, including a limited blue, black and white vinyl pressing with an alternate track sequence also an Ultimate Fan Bundle that includes a personal "thank you" phone call from Howe.

"Damned If You Do" track listing:

01. Damned If You Do

02. The Black Things

03. By The Numbers

04. Revolution Underway

05: Guillotine

06. Rot Away

07. Into The Fold

08. Monkey Finger

09. Out Of Balance

10. The War Electric

METAL CHURCH is:

Mike Howe - Vocals

Kurdt Vanderhoof - Guitar

Stet Howland - Drums

Steve Unger - Bass

Rick Van Zandt - Guitar

Photo credit: Melissa Castro

A brand-new QUEENSRŸCHE song, "Man The Machine", can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Verdict", which will be released on March 1, 2019 via Century Media Records. The disc was produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, ICED EARTH, HATEBREED) at Uberbeatz in Lynwood, Washington; Planet-Z in Wilbraham, Massachusetts; and Watershed Studio in Seattle, Washington.

Says QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre: "We are excited to reveal the first full song 'Man The Machine' from our upcoming album, 'The Verdict'. This is just a small taste of what is to come, and we look forward to unveiling more tracks and videos as we approach the official album release date."


He adds: "I'm extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish on this record. The relentless dedication and hard work of everyone involved has been very rewarding. I am excited and looking forward to it no longer just belonging to us, but belonging to the world. We hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!"


Michael "Whip" Wilton (guitar) adds: "'The Verdict' is the most metal and the most progressive record we have made in a long time. I couldn't possibly be more excited for everyone to hear this."


b>QUEENSRŸCHE's spring U.S. headline tour with special guests FATES WARNING will kick off on March 2 in Orlando, making stops in major markets such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and will wrap on April 3 in Seattle. THE CRINGE will be joining both bands on select dates.

Todd spoke about "The Verdict"'s musical direction with Eclectic Arts, saying: "It's got more driving songs on this record than the last one… I think there's elements that are more progressive — some different time signatures. It's a good-flowing album. There's some slow, kind of haunting, creepy, cool stuff on this record," he continued. "Like I say, there's more progressive elements on this one, I think — certainly more, I think, than the last one. The song 'Condition Hüman' was kind of progressive in QUEENSRŸCHE's standards, so there's kind of some of those elements going on. Really good lyrical content — thought-provoking stuff. Certainly never trying to tell anyone what to think, but to think. Again, a lot of it deals with things that are happening in the world that everyone can identify with and relate to. I tried to have some really good vocal acrobatics on this [album]. There's not a ton of high singing, but there's some high stuff on there vocally. I mean, it just sounds like a great QUEENSRŸCHE album to me. But you never know until you put it out to everyone, and then it's not yours anymore."

For the past 19 months, drummer Scott Rockenfield has been taking time off from QUEENSRŸCHE's touring activities to spend time with his young son, who was born in early 2017. Filling in for him is former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo. However, QUEENSRŸCHE has not yet indicated if Rockenfield was involved with the making of "The Verdict", although it did confirm that Grillo did not play on the record.

"The Verdict" will mark QUEENSRŸCHE's third full-length release with La Torre, following the departure of Geoff Tate in 2012.

"No one can destroy this MALEVOLENT CREATION" is a legendary line by the late, great Bret Hoffmann, who passed away on July 7, 2018. Renowned and revered for his vicious vocal style and unique onstage presence, Hoffmann is impossible to replace, but co-founder Phil Fasciana decided to face the challenge and affirm the truth behind this lyric from the group's 1991 debut "The Ten Commandments".

Now, MALEVOLENT CREATION has confirmed January 18, 2019 as the release date for "The 13th Beast", which introduces a new lineup consisting of Phil Cincilla (drums), Josh Gibbs (bass), Phil Fasciana (guitar) and vocalist/guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger (THRONE OF NAILS, IMPERIAL EMPIRE).

"This is the biggest honor I could ever be given," says Lee Wollenschlaeger. "The opportunity to front one of my all-time favorite bands, and an even bigger pleasure of jamming with such great people.

"We have created one of the most relentless albums of MALEVOLENT CREATION's history. As a fan, I know we are going to shock a lot of people at how intense this new album is. Done in a way only MALEVOLENT CREATION can.

I can't wait to see all you guys on the road in 2019 and beyond, playing songs from all the albums, including our new album, 'The 13th Beast'!"

"Lee was the missing link when I was searching for a new vocalist and guitarist," adds Fasciana. "Each new member is a solid musician and songwriter sharing the same passion for extreme music MALEVOLENT CREATION has been striving for since 1987.

"I'm very proud of this album and look forward to present it live as well as songs from our massive back catalog, including stuff that hasn't been played live in a long time or ever."

Musically, "The 13th Beast" expands upon 2014's "Dead Man's Path" yet also incorporates a brutality known from albums such as "The Will To Kill" and "Eternal", which is further accentuated by Wollenschlaeger's understandable-yet-deeper vocal tone and songwriting contributions. Just like "Dead Man's Path", the record offers artwork by German Latorres, and was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound.

A first song from the album will be released on November 30.

"The 13th Beast" will be released as black and limited colored LP plus four-page LP booklet, CD, and digital album.

Track listing:

01. End The Torture

02. Mandatory Butchery

03. Agony For The Chosen

04. Canvas Of Flesh

05. Born Of Pain

06. The Beast Awakened

07. Decimated

08. Bleed Us Free

09. Knife At Hand

10. Trapped Inside

11. Release The Soul

MALEVOLENT CREATION is (from left to right in photo):

Lee Wollenschlaeger - vocals / guitars

Phil Fasciana - guitars

Phil Cincilla - drums

Josh Gibbs - bass

California alternative-rock quartet PAPA ROACH will release its 10th studio album, "Who Do You Trust?", on January 18, 2019 through Eleven Seven Music. The 12-track disc features the band's signature heavy rhythmic guitars and catchy hooks on "Who Do You Trust" and "Renegade Music", with "Not The Only One" supplying melody and emotionally charged lyrics. The album is produced by Nick "RAS" Furlong and Colin Cunningham except for "Top Of The World", which is produced by Jason Evigan.


Said bassist Tobin Esperance: "Our goal for our 10th album was to push ourselves even further into genres that inspire us most. We have reached the place where we always wanted to be, creating new and exciting music."

The official lyric video for "Not The Only One" can be seen below. The song follows last month's release of new tracks "Renegade Music" and "Who Do You Trust?", which were lauded by fans and critics alike. The official music video for "Who Do You Trust?" has already surpassed two million views.


"Who Do You Trust?" track listing:

1. The Ending

02. Renegade Music

03. Not The Only One

04. Who Do You Trust?

05. Elevate

06. Come Around

07. Feel Like Home

08. Problems

09. Top Of The World

10. I Suffer Well

11. Maniac

12. Better Than Life

Asked why PAPA ROACH decided to work on new music so soon after the release of 2017's "Crooked Teeth", guitarist Jerry Horton told the Milwaukee radio station 102.9 The Hog: "Normally, we give it a couple of years to two and a half years, just because the touring cycles usually take a pretty long time. And then six months we'll do [in the studio] for the record. This time it was, like, a year on tour and maybe three months [in the studio]. We got in with the same guys [producers Nicholas 'RAS' Furlong and Colin Brittain] that we did 'Crooked Teeth' with, and we have this flow together, and it just went really quick."

He continued: "We've been doing this for so long that we kind of know if we get to a certain point with a song that it's not happening naturally, then we just kind of set it aside and move on to something else and then maybe come back to it later. But we don't try and sit there and force it for days on end like we used to."

According to Jerry, the new PAPA ROACH album will include some material that was left on the cutting-room floor during the "Crooked Teeth" sessions. "Yeah, there's a couple of songs that didn't make it on the last record, mostly because they didn't get finished," he explained. "We took a fresh ear to a couple of the jams and came out with songs. Some bands would look at some of these things and say, 'Oh, well, it didn't happen right away. It must not be good.' Sometimes it just takes a little time for it to kind of click in our heads. But we don't necessarily throw anything away — we're kind of hoarders that way. You never know — something could be sitting in there that's great; we just weren't in that headspace at the time."

Horton previously told Morgan Richards Interviews that PAPA ROACH's new material sees him and his bandmates "really trying to explore more dynamics and not just be a wall of guitars all the time."

Frontman Jacoby Shaddix described the musical direction of the new PAPA ROACH songs to the Lazer 103.3 radio station as "a pretty bold evolution," saying that the tracks that have been laid down so far are "so inspiring and just unique and different and rocking and anthemic and passionate."

PAPA ROACH has announced a special run of five shows in its home state of California to celebrate the "Who Do You Trust?" release. The group will close out this run with three very special shows at the landmark West Hollywood venue The Roxy, presented by SiriusXM.

PAPA ROACH will set out on a December tour to various military bases in Asia. The band will also join SHINEDOWN and ASKING ALEXANDRIA on the 2019 North American leg of the "Attention! Attention!" world tour.

"Love The Ones You Hate", a new song from A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, titled "When The World Becomes Undone", which will be released on January 18, 2019 via Long Branch Records/SPV.

Singer and guitarist Sal Abruscato said: "'Love The Ones You Hate' is one of my favorite songs. Brings back the early '90s alternative goth metal that inspired us back then. The song is about moving on from friends that have intentionally hurt or betray you and it's time to forget them, let go of the grudge and the hate towards them. I wrote this song at my home in upstate New York and finally had the fuel to finish the lyrics this past year."

Led by founding TYPE O NEGATIVE and LIFE OF AGONY member Sal Abruscato, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH released its debut, "And Hell Will Follow Me", in 2011 and firmly implanted its roots in the metal scene with the sophomore album, "Lay My Soul To Waste", in 2013. Both records were selected as part of Revolver magazine "Top 20 Albums Of The Year" lists in the years they were issued.

Besides Abruscato on guitars and lead vocals, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's lineup includes Joe Taylor and Eddie Heedles on guitars and Eric Morgan on bass. Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE) is also back in the band on drums.

b>"When The World Becomes Undone" will be made available via SPV's Long Branch Records imprint. The first single, "Love The Ones You Hate", will be released on November 16.

"It's our signature combination of seemingly depressing and dark musical tones with unexpectedly pretty melodies," says Abruscato. "There's a hypnotic phenomenon that happens when you take super heavy riffs and add a harmonic sensibility. It allows you to drift off and zone out."

"When The World Becomes Undone" was mastered by Maor Appelbaum (FAITH NO MORE, MEAT LOAF, YES, SEPULTURA, HALFORD) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering while the artwork was once again created by Sam Shearon (ROB ZOMBIE, FEAR FACTORY, CRADLE OF FILTH).

"When The World Becomes Undone" track listing:

01. As It Begins

02. When The World Becomes Undone

03. Love The Ones You Hate

04. Fell In My Hole

05. Succumbing To The Event Horizon

06. Vultures

07. End Of Days

08. The Woods

09. We All Break Down

10. Lay With The Wicked

11. Splinters

12. Dreams Of The End

13. Closure

"The phrase 'When The World Becomes Undone' came to me in 2014," Abruscato explains. "You could see what was beginning to happen in the world at large. Just turn on the news or look around. At the same time, there were a lot of crazy things happening in my personal life. Those struggles all became fuel for the music. It was like I had this partial sketch a while ago, and we finally filled it out this year. It evolved into what we have here."

"When The World Becomes Undone" is available for pre-order here.

A five-year gap preceded "When The World Becomes Undone" as Sal rejoined LIFE OF AGONY, which he co-founded, for a triumphant comeback tour and contributed musical arrangements to the 2017 album "A Place Where There's No More Pain".

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

Having 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

BILLYBIO, the solo project of BIOHAZARD and POWERFLO guitarist Billy Graziadei, will release its debut album, "Feed The Fire", on November 30 via AFM Records.

The official 360-degree music video for the "Rise And Slay" single can be seen below.

Says Graziadei: "I love the beginning of a band's career when the spirit is raw and unbridled, the fire still burning strong in their hearts. You know the feeling — when everything is new and fresh AF! I wanted to capture this moment of the group and preserve that early live intensity in 360 degrees, like you are there with us.

"I always drive directors insane with my ideas, but in the end, Reinout Hellenthal helped me capture the high-powered live experience and bring you on stage with us during the chaos. You can watch this video 100 times and still find new details. Don't forget to look up!"

b>"Feed The Fire" can be pre-ordered at this location.

Music has always been the central, unifying force in Graziadei's life. Early musical training took place on the Graziadei family's old, forever out-of-tune upright piano and he began studying music under the guidance of his grandfather and uncle, both of whom he had always admired. So he expanded his musical vocabulary while growing up, finding inspiration in so many forms of music but it wasn't until he stumbled into the underground world of punk-rock music that his musical taste was really sparked into growth.

Immersing himself in the sounds, perspective, and culture of the punk underground, Billy's desire to create new, innovative music led him to the late-'80s hardcore scene in New York City, from Sunday-matinee hardcore shows at CBGBs to Friday-night metal shows at Brooklyn's L'Amour metal/rock club. It was here that he found his musical home and it was here that Billy helped form a band that would take the metal/hardcore scene by storm. It was the birth of BIOHAZARD. As one of the first bands they combined the urban sounds of hardcore, metal and rap with scorching lyrics describing the forces at work in our modern urban lives.


With an audio-engineering degree and years of experience recording BIOHAZARD, Graziadei opened Firewater Studios. This studio became an incubator for Billy's creativity, where he continues to cultivate his talent while producing upcoming bands. During the years of touring with BIOHAZARD, Graziadei collaborated with many different musicians. As a result of this, the friendship with CYPRESS HILL singer Sen Dog turned in 2016 into the supergroup POWERFLO along with bassist Christian Olde Wolbers (ex-FEAR FACTORY) and guitarist Roy Lozano (DOWNSET). While Graziadei continues to work on new POWERFLO songs as he tours around, he decided that the time finally has come for his solo venture.


Billy states: "I've always wanted to do a solo release and the timing of everything that I have been working on just seemed to fall in place.

"I always let the creative juices flow, I don't try and restrict them to fit a certain genre.

"With BILLYBIO, it's 100% me. No influence from anyone else. This is who I am and what I've become. I'm a product of everyone I've met, talked with, shared my stories with… and a bit of their stories as well.

"Anyone who's a fan of what I've done, especially with BIOHAZARD, will love this! There's something there for every fan of heavy underground music!"


According to Billy, "Feed The Fire" is "heavy, fast, groovy and full of energy. I couldn't have it any other way," he says. "It's full of my roots but modern."

Producer Tue Madsen, who worked on "Feed The Fire", agrees. "When I was brought in to mix this record, it was with big expectations, and boy, were they met," he says. "These songs keep the energy level so high and have so much to say. Great deliverance, great songwriting and now me mixing the whole thing. I couldn't be happier."

Photo credit: Melissa Hummel

JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES — comprised of world-renowned guitarist John 5, bassist Ian Ross and drummer Logan Miles Nix — are following up on this year's live album, "It's Alive!", with a brand-new full-length studio record coming in 2019. The new disc, titled "Invasion", will be teased on New Year's Day 2019 by way of a brand new music video for the new track "Zoinks!", inspired by "Scooby-Doo!" Directed by Matt Zane with animation from Disney animator Brett Broggs ("Frozen", "Wreck-It Ralph"), the video will also feature the voice acting talents of Nikki Sixx, Susan Olsen (known for her role as Cindy Brady on "The Brady Bunch"), and Fred Coury. Coury also is credited for scoring the video alongside John 5. The video will be premiered via John 5's YouTube channel.


The official release date for "Invasion" will be announced in 2019.


"Invasion" was produced and mixed by Barry Pointer, and will be released via a series of music videos, just as John 5 released his 2017 studio album, "Season Of The Witch".


In celebration of the upcoming album, JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES will kick off the second leg of his North American "Invasion" tour on February 23, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tour will feature support from blues-rock guitarist Jared James Nichols.


b>John 5 says: "Get ready for the 'Invasion' tour! I will be playing some songs from my new record, 'Invasion', a brand new medley, and much more. I'm really excited to have Jared James Nichols out with us. This tour is something you're not going to want to miss!"


Jared James Nichols adds: "As a young budding guitarist, I grew up with a Guitar World cut-out picture of John 5 on my bedroom wall. He was always one of my 'guitar heroes'. He is the total package... insane technique, amazing musicality, with a style and look all of his own. Needless to say, when I got the call for this tour, my jaw dropped. I'm absolutely honored to warm up the stage for him every night across America and Canada. I'm getting my chops ready to tear it up!"


JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES "Invasion" tour dates:

Feb. 23 - Las Vegas, NV @ Count's Vamp'd

Feb. 24 - San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

Feb. 26 - Mesa, AZ @ Club Red

Mar. 01 - Lubbock, TX @ Jake's

Mar. 02 - San Antonio, TX @ Rock Box

Mar. 03 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar

Mar. 05 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

Mar. 06 - Dallas, TX @ Trees

Mar. 07 - Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street

Mar. 09 - Indianapolis, IN @ HiFi

Mar. 10 - Akron, OH @ Empire Concert Club

Mar. 12 - Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater

Mar. 13 - New York, NY @ Iridium

Mar. 14 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft @ The Chance

Mar. 15 - Teaneck, NJ @ Debonair Music Hall

Mar. 16 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally's

Mar. 18 - New Bedford, MA @ Vault at Greasy Luck

Mar. 20 - Quebec City, QC @ L'Anti Bar & Spectacles

Mar. 21 - Montreal, QC @ Piranha

Mar. 22 - Ottawa, ON @ The Brass Monkey

Mar. 23 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace

Mar. 24 - London, ON @ Rum Runners

Mar. 26 - Thunder Bay, ON @ Crocks

Mar. 27 - Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramids

Mar. 28 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange

Mar. 29 - Calgary, AB @ Dickens

Mar. 30 - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite

Mar. 31 - Vancouver, BC @The Rickshaw Theater

Apr. 02 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe

Apr. 03 - Portland, OR @ Dantes

Apr. 05 - Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver

Apr. 06 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Whisky

Tickets are available now via individual venues, and VIP packages will be available soon exclusively via www.john-5.com/store.

John 5 has worked with a varied range of artists, performing as guitarist for some of the biggest headlining rock bands in the world such as ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON, as well as playing session with Paul Stanley, Rod Stewart, LYNYRD SKYNYRD and more. Slash has called John 5, "one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around" and Rob Zombie has dubbed him "a fucking shredder." John 5 has released seven solo albums to date, as well as a remix album, and has written music for the likes of Avril Lavigne, GARBAGE, Ricky Martin and others.

The official music video for the song "Hold On To Love" from Jason Becker can be seen below. The track is taken from the guitarist's new album, "Triumphant Hearts", which will be released on December 7 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group.

Becker's story is one of brilliance, talent, determination, adversity, and, ultimately, triumph. A child prodigy on guitar, Jason rose to prominence as a teenager when he was one half of the technical guitar duo CACOPHONY, with his great friend Marty Friedman. In 1989, at only 19 years old and after wowing audiences all over the world, the young virtuoso became the guitarist for David Lee Roth, following in the huge footsteps of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. He wrote and recorded on Roth's third solo album, "A Little Ain't Enough", and was poised for superstardom when a nagging pain in his leg was diagnosed as Motor Neurone Disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease, the same condition Stephen Hawking lived with for over five decades. It is a fatal condition with a life expectancy of maybe five years. Maybe.


That was 29 years ago. He lost the ability to play guitar, walk, talk, and breathe on his own. But never lost his will to live or his desire to create music. Communicating through a series of eye movements with a system developed by his father, Jason spells out words as well as musical notes and chords. He imparts his musical vision to his team who then can input the notes into a computer, edit the parts to his exacting standards, and then generate charts for session musicians. His inspiring music and life story have been the subject of countless news articles, magazine cover stories, and an award-winning documentary, "Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet".


The album's 14 tracks showcase Jason's gift for melody and his deep knowledge of classical composition and orchestral arrangement. Many of the guitar parts are performed by a who's who of six-string gods, including Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Neal Schon, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert, Joe Bonamassa, and many others. And, in what will absolutely delight his fans, Jason's amazing guitar playing — recorded in the '80s and '90s — features throughout.


he first song to be released from the album is the beautifully mesmerizing nine-minute-and-five-second instrumental "Valley Of Fire" that features The Magnificent 13 — Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Neal Schon, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Mattias IA Eklundh, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G., Steve Hunter and Ben Woods. A phenomenal cast to feature on a single song.


The album opens with the title track, featuring Jason's old bandmate Marty Friedman and an astounding violin performance. "I wrote 'Triumphant Heart' and it made me feel triumphant," says Becker. "When Marty found out I was making this album, he told me he would play anything I needed. I sent him this, and his wife, Hiyori Okuda, who is a cellist, also offered to play on it. The great violinist Glauco Bertagnin recorded my violin parts in Italy. That fast solo section I wrote is way too hard; I don't know how Glauco pulled it off. He put so much soul in the whole song."


"Hold On To Love" is the first vocal song on the record, although it didn't start out that way. "It was going to be an instrumental," explains Jason, "but after I wrote the chorus with lyrics, I knew I had to tell my story, to explain how I can continue living without feeling hate. I hadn't written many lyrics before." In addition to its beautiful, gospel-tinged choir, the heartfelt song features Bay Area singer Codany Holiday on lead vocals.


"Fantasy Weaver" displays the four-string magic of world-renown ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro and harp arpeggios that were written back in Jason's CACOPHONY days. "Once Upon A Melody" not only features two Jason Becker guitar solos from his CACOPHONY era, but also audio of him as a three-year-old. The full-circle nature of having little boy Jason, guitar virtuoso Jason, and modern-day composer Jason all on the same song is a breathtaking accomplishment while "We Are One" features soulful FLIPSYDE vocalist Steve Knight, and more Becker guitar delights.


Uli Jon Roth appears on "Magic Woman", along with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick who counts both Uli and Jason as big influences. Fans of Jason's work with David Lee Roth will be thrilled by the inclusion of two previously unreleased outtakes from the "A Little Ain't Enough" sessions, the hard-rocking "Taking Me Back" and the blues-infused "Tell Me No Lies". There are also performances by Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse, Trevor Rabin, and many others.


"Some people feel sorry for me," he concedes, "and I understand that. I really feel lucky though. I don't miss playing guitar anymore. I'm sure that's out of necessity, but I am grateful for so much more. I am surrounded by loving people, and I can still make music."


"Triumphant Hearts" track listing:

01. Triumphant Heart (ft. Marty Friedman, Gluaco Bertagnin, Hiyori Okuda)

02. Hold On To Love (ft. Codany Holiday)

03. Fantasy Weaver (ft. Jake Shimabukuro)

04. Once Upon A Melody

05. We Are One (ft. Steve Knight)

06. Magic Woman (ft. Uli Jon Roth, Chris Broderick)

07. Blowin' In The Wind

08. River Of Longing (ft. Jon Satiriani, Aleks Sever, Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse)

09. Valley Of Fire (ft. The Magnificent 13)

10. River Of Longing (ft. Trevor Rabin)

11. Taking Me Back

12. Tell Me No Lies

13. Hold On To Love (ft. Codany Holiday) [Chuck Zwicky Remix]

14. You Do It