Canadian metal maniacs, Skull Fist, have released a video for "Better Late Than Never", a song from  their third studio album, Way Of The Road, out now via NoiseArt Records (Europe), Napalm Records (North America), and Spiritual Beast (Asia). Watch the clip below.

Tracklisting:

“You Belong To Me”
“No More Running”
“I Am A Slave”
“Witch Hunt”
“Way Of The Road”
“Heart Of Rio”
“Better Late Than Never”
“Don’t Cross Me”
“Stay True”

"Better Late Than Never" video:

"No More Running" lyric video:

"Stay True" lyric video:

"You Belong To Me":

(Photo - Stefanie Meyer)

On December 13th, 2017, Warrel Dane passed away in São Paulo, Brazil while recording the follow-up to 2008’s Praises To The War Machine. In essence, a tribute release, Shadow Work contains over 40 minutes of music with Warrel’s voice tracked during pre-production, demo and recording sessions. The album’s booklet was completed with Travis Smith providing artwork based upon concepts he had previously discussed with Warrel, thorough reconstructions of all lyrics from Warrel’s notebook, personal testimonies by his Brazilian band, and very moving photos.

While recording the album, photographer Renan Facciolo visited the group in the studio to capture footage documenting the creation of Shadow Work as the band further explains: "This documentary was shot mostly during Warrel's final days, in late 2017. Although he was frail and his body was showing signs that it would eventually fade, at that time, he was still putting his heart and soul in every part of Shadow Work. We hope this stays as a testament to his artistic commitment and good will, when it came to producing an album in the studio."

Ultimately, his band members completed the documentary in 2018 to offer you an insight into the promising beginning and tragic end of Shadow Work.

Jens Prueter (Head of A&R, Europe) and Stefan Franke (Product Manager) add: “It is nearly impossible to watch this documentary with probably the last footage recorded of Warrel without getting emotional since at some point in our lives, we and his fans were witnesses to his grandeur and failure, his strength and his frailty. The latter is obviously present in this moving video and we are grateful Warrel's family agreed on its public release. There is no glamour, no stardom in this video, it just depicts the shadow of a man passionately and endearingly being busy with Shadow Work, and a band being torn apart between ambition and tragedy. So, while we are glad to share it with you all, it is almost a relief to not have to watch it again.”

Watch the documentary below:

Shadow Work is out today as Special Edition CD Mediabook offering a 44-page booklet, as Gatefold LP plus CD and 12-page LP booklet and on all digital platforms. An unboxing video can be found below.

Shadow Work tracklisting:

"Ethereal Blessing"
"Madame Satan"
"Disconnection System"
"As Fast As The Others"
"Shadow Work"
"The Hanging Garden" (The Cure cover)
"Rain"
"Mother Is The Word For God"

Unboxing:

"As Fast As The Others":

“Disconnection System”:

"Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millenia", the new video from Ihsahn, can be seen below. The song is taken from his seventh solo album, "Ámr", which was released in May via Candlelight/Spinefarm.

True living legends are few and far between, but Ihsahn has long since earned the right to be regarded as one of metal's all-time greats. As frontman and chief songwriter with legendary Norwegian black metal pioneers EMPEROR, he swiftly cemented a formidable reputation as one of the underground's most idiosyncratic creative forces. Classic albums like 1995's "In The Nightside Eclipse" and 1997's epoch-shattering "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" ensured that the young band were among the most respected the most popular of Norway's many black-hearted exports. Their imperious rise to prominence came to an unexpected end after the release of 2001's wildly intricate and grandiose "Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise", but it was an album that suggested that Ihsahn's compositional journey was far from over.


Reincarnated as a solo artist for 2006's "The Adversary", Ihsahn has spent the last 12 years forging a second path through artistry's darkest shadows; one that is making more and deeper connections than any of his past endeavours. With a sound that still retains strong links to his black metal roots while embracing everything from skewed art rock and avant-garde jazz to experimental electronica and dark ambient, each successive album has presented a brand new manifestation of the Norwegian's unique craft: from the muscular and haughty riff sculptures of "Angl" and "After"'s haunting, saxophone-driven mirage to the tech-metal explorations of "Eremita" and on to the wild, avant-metal splurge of "Das Seelenbrechen", Ihsahn's catalogue speaks of a restless creative spirit with ideas to burn.


In keeping with that spirit, 2018 brings the arrival of Ihsahn's seventh solo album, "Ámr". Another immersive and frequently disorientating eruption of refined and absorbing progressive extreme metal, it echoes the meticulous precision and structural simplicity of 2016's widely acclaimed "Arktis" album while taking Ihsahn's music somewhere entirely new, where the hiss and throb of old school analogue synths dominate and the atmosphere is airless and oppressive. Once again percussively propelled by longtime drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and with a blistering guest solo from OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson on "Arcana Imperii", "Ámr" is another evolutionary leap from one of metal's most remorselessly forward-thinking protagonists.


It's just lovely to work with Tobias," says Ihsahn. "I know that he can technically handle anything I throw at him. But more importantly, when I say like; 'I want this to feel like the vacuum between words in a conversation with Hannibal Lecter,' he will say, 'Yeah, I get that!' [Laughs] So for him, it's not about showing off, it's always about relating to the vibe. With Fredrik, we met first time in Oslo, when I did my debut solo show as support to OPETH and later we've hung out on different festivals when we happen to play the same day. Last time in Japan when we played there with EMPEROR and OPETH. We were talking about guitars and I said, 'Not to kiss up to you or anything, but you're absolutely one of my favourite players, so some day I might call you for a guest solo…' and he says, 'I'm in!' He did a fabulous job."


As with all of Ihsahn's solo albums to date, "Ámr" possesses its own unique atmosphere; a palpable sense of tension and unease that infuses even the album's most melodic moments with heightened drama and otherworldly menace. But despite its often-claustrophobic feel, this is very much an album of beautifully crafted and shrewdly arranged songs. Although as dark and intense as anything he has conjured before, both the depth of sonic texture and the clarity of his overarching vision are more impressive than ever.


"Knowing that the form would be somewhat similar to what I did on the previous album, and given that I write stuff in a certain way, I wanted to change the wrapping this time," Ihsahn notes. "So instead of going with my go-tos of strings and orchestration, I focused on analog synths and more in-your-face sounds. It goes back to the beginning of EMPEROR, when we brought in strings and horns inspired by orchestral movie scores by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith, but at the same time we loved all those eerie synth soundtracks of, for example, John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. I've also been listening to some contemporary R&B and hip-hop stuff with those deep, deep 808s. It's just somehow darker than a lot of metal or black metal. It has a depth and an energy to it that I find captivating, so I wanted to explore those arrangement styles as well."


Another bold stride into uncharted territory, Ihsahn's seventh solo album is the legendary Norwegian's most eclectic and challenging to date. Morphing fluidly from mellifluous art rock ambience to vicious extreme metal, covering all points in between, the likes of grandiloquent opener "Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millennia" and the wild, melodic melancholy of "Sámr" blend seamlessly with ornate, progressive metal monoliths like "In Rites Of Passage" and the immaculate, climactic "Wake". Drenched in evocative synthesizers and brimming with skewed-but-irresistible riffs, "Ámr" is both Ihsahn's most accessible record to date and his most extreme departure from his black metal roots.


"Every album I intend to make the darkest album ever," Ihsahn says. "I never set out to make anything more melodic or accessible. However, growing up on '80s metal, plus having a rather wide range of musical influences, I often end up with quite contrasting elements. This is my seventh solo album, so in the end it really comes down to methods and perspectives that keep me exited and fired up about what I'm working on. If I'm not excited about it, I can't expect anybody else to be!"

"Ámr" track listing:

01. Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millenia

02. Arcana Imperii

03. Sámr

04. One Less Enemy

05. Where You Are Lost And I Belong

06. In Rites Of Passage

07. Marble Soul

08. Twin Black Angels

09. Wake

U.K. death metal veterans CANCER will release their new album, "Shadow Gripped", on November 2 via Peaceville. The disc was recorded at Foel studios in Wales with Simon Efemy (PARADISE LOST, NAPALM DEATH, AMORPHIS) handling production and mixing duties alongside the band, with further recording taking place in Spain.

The song "Garrotte", taken from "Shadow Gripped", can be streamed below.

One of the U.K.'s premier death metal purveyors of the late '80s and early '90s, including a major label spell on East West/Warner with 1995's "Black Faith", CANCER now marks 30 years since its formation by announcing its much-anticipated sixth full length album, reuniting all three original core members — John Walker on guitar/vocals, Ian Buchanan on bass and Carl Stokes on drums — for the first time since 1995.

With fan demand and interest in the rejuvenated band ever increasing, CANCER has been busy playing festivals over the last three years in support of re-releases of the first three albums, delivering their own punishing brand of death metal to fans old and new. This was the much-needed catalyst that spurred the band on to return to their classic inspirational sound when writing new material.

b>"Shadow Gripped" includes a free exclusive bonus track download of "Crocodile Itch", delivered on release date with each CD or vinyl pre-order. The effort features a guest appearance by Anders Nyström of Swedish deathlords BLOODBATH, who comments: "Believe it or not, but KATATONIA used to play a CANCER cover in our early live sets. Yup, that's right — 'Burning Casket'! We then saw ourselves go on and form a little death metal band based on the opening track of 'To The Gory End', and hey, we all know that one, don't we? Last year we ended up recording this song and put it out on a seven-inch EP and I thought it probably won't get any better than this, but it did, as I was given the honor to put down a guest solo on their new ball-cutting album! CFC is back and it has me even more stoked than Carl is Stokes!"

CANCER said in a statement: "We are delighted to have signed a recording deal with such an esteemed label as Peaceville. We have full confidence that they understand this metal and CANCER as a band. Together we want to deliver an album that celebrates our 30-year existence and the old-school death metal sound that we played a part in creating back in 1988 when the band was conceived. So rejoice and hoist the bunting fashioned from flaps of skin, and fill your balloons with the last gasp of a dying man! We are back from the dead. CFC."

"Shadow Gripped" track listing:

01. Down The Steps

02. Garrotte

03. Ballcutter

04. Organ Snatcher

05. The Infocidal

06. Half Man Half Beast

07. Crimes So Vile

08. Thou Shalt Kill

09. Shadow Gripped

10. Disposer

"Out Of Balance", a brand new song from West Coast metal veterans METAL CHURCH, can be streamed 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.

States guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof: "The song is about finding your place in your life and making peace with it. Realizing that your life is a series of choices and at the end of the day being able to accept that fact."

"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.

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

October 21, 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 goosebumps 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 7, "End Of An Era" will be re-released as 3LP and Earbook formats including Blu-ray, 2CD and 3LP.

To get an impression of that breathtaking show, watch the live clip of "Nemo" below.

rack listing:

Blu-ray

01. Dark Chest Of Wonders

02. Planet Hell

03. Ever Dream

04. The Kinslayer

05. Phantom Of The Opera

06. The Siren

07. Sleeping Sun

08. High Hopes

09. Bless The Child

10. Wishmaster

11. Slaying The Dreamer

12. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan

13. Nemo

14. Ghost Love Score

15. Stone People

16. Creek Mary's Blood

17. Over The Hills And Far Away

18. Wish I Had An Angel

19. Documentary: "A Day Before Tomorrow

CD1

01. Dark Chest Of Wonders

02. Planet Hell

03. Ever Dream

04. The Kinslayer

05. Phantom Of The Opera

06. The Siren

07. Sleeping Sun

08. High Hopes

09. Bless The Child

10. Wishmaster

CD2

01. Slaying The Dreamer

02. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan

03. Nemo

04. Ghost Love Score

05. Stone People

06. Creek Mary's Blood

07. Over The Hills And Far Away

08. Wish I Had An Angel

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

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

Dutch singer Floor Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH in October 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

As a member of NIGHTWISH, Turunen released five albums, as well as three live albums, one EP and fourteen singles between 1997 and 2005.

ASHES OF ARES, the band featuring former ICED EARTH members Matt Barlow and Freddie Vidales, has released a video for the song "Let All Despair". The track is taken from the band's second album, "Well Of Souls", which is due on November 9 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records.

Barlow comments on the song: "'Let All Despair' is the first song in the 'Well Of Souls' trilogy. It is the introduction into a world that is on the brink of destruction. This is a time in the life cycle of Mother Earth known as the Purging Time. At this point in Earth's history, the human race is infantile compared to other of Her surface-dwelling life forms. The trilogy is the story of humanity's introduction to the revelations of The Mother's direct connection with all of the life that fall under her care. Also, the understanding that when She enters into dormancy, all life on Earth are vulnerable to outside forces in our universe, that consume all souls left unprotected."

Back in February 2017, ASHES OF ARES parted ways with drummer Van Williams (ex-NEVERMORE). His replacement has yet to be announced.

ASHES OF ARES's self-titled debut album was released in September 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded in part at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida with legendary producer Jim Morris (ICED EARTH, OBITUARY, JON OLIVA'S PAIN, JAG PANZER).

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According to the Chron.com, AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer is selling his home in Boerne, Texas for $3.9 million.

Joey and his wife Linda bought the 7,700-square-foot estate in 2016, made a number of customizations, including expanding the closets, installing state-of-the-art audiovisual components controlled by an iPad, and building a second multi-car garage across from the first one.

Listing agent Megan DiBartolo told Chron.com that the Kramers bought the home after leaving the Austin area in search of a more remote, private spot. But they have once again decided to move to be closer to family elsewhere in Texas.

Check out pictures of the property at Chron.com.

b>Kramer has sat behind the drum kit for AEROSMITH since 1970.

He and his bandmates will launch the "Deuces Are Wild" Las Vegas residency in April 2019 at Park MGM's Park Theatre.

The residency, promoted by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International, features "never-seen-before visuals and audio from AEROSMITH recording sessions" via producer Giles Martin, who crafted the sound for THE BEATLES' "Love" Cirque Du Soleil show in Vegas. The band has also teamed with THX and L-Acoustics, who will deliver "the world’s first THX Certified live performance presented in L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound."

The band's 18 Vegas shows will run between April 6 and July 9. General tickets start at $75.

Tragic themes and a folk-tinged Southern Gothic Americana sound form the basis of The Devil Is My Friend, the haunting full-length solo debut by Henry Derek Elis, with contributions from Aubrey Richmond & John Schreffler Jr. (Shooter Jennings), Jarboe (Swans), Tara Vanflower (Lycia) Neal Tiemann (DevilDriver) and many more.  The Devil Is My Friend is set for an October 26th release. Catch a full album stream:

In a marked stylistic departure from his persona as frontman for heavier rock acts, Henry has crafted a poetic and deeply personal solo debut, steeped in memories of his childhood in Milledgeville, GA, the same place Blind Willie McTell and Flannery O'Connor made their death beds; "the kind of small town with a haunted past that can swallow you up whole if you let it," says Henry.

Dynamic rock arrangements reflect Henry's encyclopedic knowledge of dark folk, classic country, traditional blues and classical music, resulting in an atmospheric, apocalyptic landscape, where lonely sonic highways are littered with the detritus of misfortune and the soft glimmering of something that might be hope.

Henry Derek Elis'origins are about as strange as his career in the music business.  Raised by his grandmother, Henry grew up next to Central State Hospital, once known as the largest psychiatric facility in the world. Throughout his childhood, Henry observed the ravages of illness, addiction and suicide first hand.

Henry came to prominence upon moving to Atlanta, playing in mostly rock and metal bands before joining The Sweet Meat Love & Holy Cult, a folk collective with legendary artist Jarboe (formerly of the influential band Swans). This inspired him to create acoustic-based folk music under the moniker: To The Boy Elis, a reference from the work of Austrian born poet, Georg Trakl.

Henry moved to Los Angeles and recorded demos with various bands, including members of Gorgoroth, Type O Negative and Anthrax. In 2013 he joined the band Scar The Martyr with drummer Joey Jordison of Slipknot fame. After releasing one album on Roadrunner Records, Henry went on to help form the extreme thrash metal band Act Of Defiance, featuring former members of Megadeth and Shadows Fall.

The Devil Is My Friend tracklisting:

"No Skin"
"The Devil Is My Friend"
"What's Left Of Us"
"Sing For The Dead Man"
"Weeping Willow"
"Corpse Carver"
"If It's Not Too Late"
"Only Bones"
"M.O.M."
"Graveyard Country Blues"

"Sing For The Dead Man" video:

Trailer:

Album credits:

Produced By: Steve White & HDE
Recorded in Los Angeles at Red Light Studios
Mastered by: James Murphy at Safehouse Studios
Cover Art & Layout by: Travis Smith at seempieces.com

ICED EARTH mastermind Jon Schaffer has teamed up with his old pals in PURGATORY, the band that he originally founded in 1985, then later became ICED EARTH, to record five tracks that were written between 1985 and 1987, now to be released as the "Purgatory" EP on December 21 through Century Media. All five tracks featured on the EP offer real U.S. metal and perfectly capture the spirit of the mid 1980s with a powerful production, rounded up by liner notes or comments of Schaffer, Gene Adam, Greg Seymour and Bill Owen and fitting cover artwork by David Newman Stump and Roy Young, known from their excellent work on ICED EARTH's latest album, "Incorruptible". The greatest surprise might be Gene Adam, ICED EARTH's original singer who sang on the band's self-titled debut album from 1990, who delivers his best vocal performance ever. The song "Dracula" can be checked out below.

"Purgatory" is dedicated to Richard Bateman, the band's original bass player, who passed away right before the EP went into production.

The "Purgatory" EP can be pre-ordered here.

"Purgatory" track listing:

1. In Your Dreams (4:55)

02. Dracula (6:08)

03. In Jason's Mind (5:03)

04. Jack (4:00)

05. Burning Oasis (5:38)

Jon Schaffer's PURGATORY is:

Jon Schaffer - Rhythm And Lead Guitars, Vocals

Gene Adam - Lead Vocals

Bill Owen - Lead Guitar

Guest appearances by:

Jim Morris - Lead Guitar

Ruben Drake - Bass Guitar

Mark Prator - Drums

In a recent interview with Rockpages, Schaffer defended the prospect of re-recording ICED EARTH's early albums, saying: "It's a lot of work to do. It would be completely different than [the previous re-release of] 'Days Of Purgatory', because the only thing that was was re-recorded vocals. This, we're talking about a ground-up production so that we have it for a set of masters that we actually own and can exploit in our way in the future, and that this band will be able to benefit from financially going forward, because our contracts were terrible back in the old days, so there's very little income from all the years of work. Plus, with my knowledge of production now compared to the very beginning, we can make those records sound amazing. I'm certain of that. But it's not to try to beat them — it's just to create something that we can actually control and have some financial benefit from, instead of a big corporation like Sony. People go, 'Well, you should just focus on new music.' We will do that too. I have my own studio, and we're not in a hurry to do a new record — we just put one out — so if we can take a year and just take the time to spend time in the studio doing re-records, and then work on a new album, and then do more re-records or whatever, we can do whatever the fuck we want. I don't really care if somebody lost their virginity listening to 'I'd Die For You'. It's my fucking song; I'll re-record if it I want to re-record it. That's the way it is."

Kane Roberts will release his new solo album, "The New Normal", on January 25, 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The track listing for the disc is as follows:

01. King Of The World

02. Wonderful

03. Beginning Of The End

04. Who We Are

05. Forever Out Of Place

06. Leave This World Behind

07. The Lion's Share

08. Leave Me In The Dark

09. Above And Beyond

10. Wrong

Says Roberts: "It only took me three years! Fuck! Some might find the artwork a bit edgy, but hey, that's a good thing to my way of thinking. All of you were in my mind during this entire process, so for sure you're all up in it. Thanks for sticking with me, and yeah, I'm one lucky dude! Truly — RTFO!"

b>Kane previously recorded a total of four solo albums (also including the PHOENIX DOWN project released on Frontiers in the late '90s).

Kane's name and abilities first came to prominence on Alice Cooper's "Constrictor" album, which was soon followed by his self-titled debut solo album in 1987. More albums and tours with Alice followed, making Kane a well-known face in the business especially for his guitar skills, but also for his body-builder image and his now iconic machine-gun guitar.

As a solo recording artist, he landed a few Top 40 hits, and his varied musical background includes recording, writing and touring with artists such as Rod Stewart, Alice Cooper Desmond Child, KISS, Diane Warren, ALICE IN CHAINS, BERLIN, GUNS N' ROSES, Garland Jeffries and more. He's also written or recorded music for films like "Light Sleeper", Penelope Spheeris's "Decline Of Western Civilization", "Friday the 13th IV Jason Lives", John Carpenter's "Prince Of Darkness", and more. In 1991, his second solo album, "Saints And Sinners", for Geffen Records included the Top 40 Billboard hit "Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore?", originally written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.

Prior to the recording of "The New Normal", Kane said about his long absence from the music scene: "Once you strap on a guitar and make the hard-coded decision to play music in the face of everything you know and don't know, you find that 'the life' (of a musician) has its way with you no matter what and will tear you up if you try and wander too far away.

"I may have stepped into other enterprises and projects, but I was never far from the jet stream that I was lucky enough to have been a part of in the '80s and '90s. Now, because of the new songs inside of me, my guitar and the fans I'm in contact with, I know the creative fire will burn me down if I don't step back inside the flames. I believe the people at Frontiers Music Srl also feel that creative heat, the need to be an integral part of the music industry (their output is resoundingly prolific) and I don't know of a better place for me to record and release my new album.

"Over the last few years, the songs, the messages, and the fans have been burning a hole on my insides. This new album has been gearing up for a while and the songs and messages I'll be forging will emerge from the fire.

"Sorry it took me so long; all kinds of life happened that will definitely find it's way onto the record, and yeah, I'm gonna hit this one hard."

AFI has released a new song called "Get Dark". It is the first track from a special EP titled "The Missing Man (Ex Noctem Nacimur)", which was produced and mixed by AFI guitarist Jade Puget and is slated for a December 7 release.

"Get Dark" is available as an instant download to those who pre-order "The Missing Man".

"Thanks to the unexpected continuation of 'The Blood Tour', we found ourselves inspired to begin writing," says AFI lead vocalist Davey Havok. "It was during this process that 'The Missing Man' was found."

About "Get Dark", Havok says: "From the initial performance and recording, it had a driving sense of forward movement and penetrating connection. The song's themes of deification and deference, self-loathing and vanity, captivation and release, damage and healing, are posed in a subtle invitation to those inherently compelled to accept."

bout the production, Puget says: "I was aiming for something a little raw for 'Get Dark'. In fact, I used most of the vocal takes from the very first time Davey sang it, as well as some of my guitar parts from when we were writing it. The song is built on the sparseness and simplicity of the verse drum groove and guitar riff that opens up into this big anthemic chorus. For the EP, the same idea of a certain rawness was really important to the overall vibe. I feel like it's easy to turn out a slick, polished set of songs, but to walk that fine line between studio creation and live sound can be difficult. It's been an intense labor of love and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it."

"The Missing Man" follows last year's "AFI (The Blood Album)", which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative and Hard Rock Albums charts and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. It was the band's second consecutive Top 10 Billboard debut following 2013's "Burials".

Since the release of 1995's debut album, "Answer That and Stay Fashionable", AFI (Havok, Puget, drummer Adam Carson and bassist Hunter Burgan) has written and recorded five To 10 hit singles ("Miss Murder", "Medicate", "Love Like Winter", "Silver And Gold", "Girl's Not Grey"), hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, garnered worldwide critical acclaim and amassed a fiercely loyal global following whose members number in the millions.

The official video for the song "Full Moon Shoals" from Swedish metallers SOILWORK, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's 11th studio album, "Verkligheten", which is the first to feature drummer Bastian Thusgaard, who replaced Dirk Verbeuren in 2016.


"Verkligheten" will be released on January 11, 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The first-edition digipack, as well as the vinyl versions, will also contain the exclusive "Underworld" EP, containing four more songs. The digipack version will also feature special artwork with lavish foil print.

The album as well as accompanying merchandise is now available for pre-order in various formats (digipack + t-shirt, digipack, black/orange/purple vinyl as well as digital download/stream).

"Verkligheten" track listing:

1. Verkligheten

02. Arrival

03. Bleeder Despoiler

04. Full Moon Shoals

05. The Nurturing Glance

06. When The Universe Spoke

07. Stålfågel (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)

08. The Wolves Are Back In Town

09. Witan

10. The Ageless Whisper

11. Needles And Kin (feat. Tomi Joutsen)

12. You Aquiver (feat. Dave Sheldon)


"Underworld" bonus EP track listing:

13. Summerburned And Winterblown

14. In This Master's Tale

15. The Undying Eye

16. Needles And Kin (original version)

SOILWORK singer Björn "Speed" Strid told United Rock Nations about the disc. "I'm really, really pleased with it — it's really, really cool. [It's] possibly the most epic and darkest album we've done. And it's also very melancholic, but it's also very sort of uplifting. It's huge. I'm really happy with it."

Asked if the musical direction of the new SOILWORK material is similar to that on the last album, Strid said: "I would say a mixture between 'The Ride Majestic' and [2013's] 'The Living Infinite'."

SOILWORK will embark on an extensive European co-headlining run with labelmates AMORPHIS in January. Support on the trek will come from NAILED TO OBSCURITY and JINJER.

SOILWORK is now a quintet, following the departure of bassist Markus Wibom in late 2016 due to "other commitments." He has since been replaced by touring bassist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE).

In 2016, SOILWORK released a special collection of rarities titled "Death Resonance" via Nuclear Blast.

SOILWORK is:

Björn "Speed" Strid - Vocals

Sven Karlsson - Keyboards

David Andersson - Guitars

Sylvain Coudret - Guitars

Bastian Thusgaard - Drums

Photo credit: Stephansdotter Photography

With her cover of Tom Petty's "Luna" set as the newest song to be released from her critically acclaimed Immortal album (BMG), Ann Wilson of Heart will serve as guest DJ on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio channel where she'll play the track alongside some of her favorite Petty songs like "Room At The Top" and "A Woman in Love," among others. See the dates and times below.

Immortal features 10 musically diverse tracks that pay tribute to some of Ann's influences and friends who've recently passed and whose music poignantly lives on. Other highlights from the album include the Eagles' "Life In The Fast Lane" (in honor of Glenn Frey) and Cream's "Politician" (in honor of Jack Bruce), both of which have placed in the Top Ten of the Mediabase Classic Rock Tracks chart.

"'Luna' is perhaps my favorite Petty song; it's simple, romantic and aching," Ann says. "The words say, 'Luna come to me tonight...I am a prisoner.' Speaking directly to the moon, as romantics will, there is a desire to be free in the moon's metaphysical power. Free from what or whom? Though it's only reflected light, the soul of the moon has inspired countless lovers, dreamers and existentialists for time immemorial. This song is a classic and I have reimagined it in a sultry, unhurried, southern mood with Warren Haynes on guitar as the voice of the moon."

Ann's guest DJ session will premiere Monday, November 5th at 8 AM (ET) and 5 AM (PT) on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio via satellite on channel 31 and through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online. The guest DJ session will rebroadcast throughout the week on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio. SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio features music from Tom Petty's legendary career, including music from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as well as Petty's solo career, and the best in rock, rhythm and blues.

Here's the breakout of days/times.

Monday, November 5th:
8 AM, ET / 5 AM, PT
4 PM, ET / 1 PM, PT

Tuesday, November 6th:
10 AM, ET / 7 AM, PT
8 PM, ET / 5 PM, PT

Wednesday, November 7th:
10 PM, ET / 7 PM, PT

Thursday, November 8th:
12 noon, ET / 9 AM, PT

Friday, November 9th:
3 PM, ET / 12 noon, PT
1 AM, ET / 10 PM, PT

Saturday, November 10th:
1 PM, ET / 10 AM, PT

Sunday, November 11th:
6 PM, ET / 3 PM, PT

Ann Wilson recently sat down to discuss Immortal.

"You Don't Own Me" (Lesley Gore) - "'You Don't Own Me' was originally an early feminist anthem in the 1960's and '70's. Since then the idea of self possession has grown to be more universal...This song is about refusing to be objectified and owned. By anyone."

"I Am the Highway" (Chris Cornell, Audioslave) - "The song is strong, confident, spiritual. It's about a person who refuses to be tied down to the mundane, who is constantly looking for freedom and independence on a more universal scale, not just ordinary everyday reality. It was the cry of a soul, and it's a beautiful song. Chris and I were friends; we had a lot in common, we were both outsiders in a way. He left us with amazing music."

"Luna" (Tom Petty) - "'Luna' is perhaps my favorite Petty song; it's simple, romantic and aching. The words say, 'Luna come to me tonight...I am a prisoner.' Speaking directly to the moon, as romantics will, there is a desire to be free in the moon's metaphysical power. Free from what or whom? Though it's only reflected light, the soul of the moon has inspired countless lovers, dreamers and existentialists for time immemorial. This song is a classic and I have reimagined it in a sultry, unhurried, southern mood with Warren Haynes on guitar as the voice of the moon."

"I'm Afraid of Americans" (David Bowie) - "A sardonic look at Americans through the eyes of a non-American, David Bowie. I love this little prank of a song, and decided to surround the words with the sounds of the rest of the world that is watching; India, Italy, France, Britain, Asia etc etc etc. The rest of the world, as a tribe, ends up engulfing the self important, superficial, vain, materialistic, lo tech 'Johnny' who, in this song is the stereotypical American. It is not a hate message, but certainly a reality check from an outside perspective. I had fun with this one and hope my fellow Americans will too."

"Politician" (Cream) in honor of Jack Bruce - "What are Politicians? They are salesmen...pure and simple. In this old blues grinder by Jack Bruce, I decided to keep it pure and old school. The riff that struts, slinks and slithers throughout this song is as greasy and manipulative as a seduction campaign. Two different guitarists solo on this one; Doyle Bramhall II with his suggestive, slow hand blues moan and Tyler Boley, a progressive brainiac flirting with overheated insanity. The result is a sexy, dangerous game of cat and mouse. I call that politics."

"A Thousand Kisses Deep" (Leonard Cohen) - "Leonard Cohen was a poet, songwriter and thinker for the ages. His deeply wrought, soulfully human words hit home in 'A Thousand Kisses Deep.' This is a dip into the existential pool and the climb out again, bathed in the beauty of love when simple youth and sex have deserted the heart. It is a song by a grown-up romantic that will not die. I chose to make it a journey, starting at your corner bar on open mic night...ending far out on the windswept ocean in the consensual, sensual shipwreck of Love's 'Sturm and Drang.' This one I am very proud of. It features my friend Ben Mink on violins that begin in the bar on the Friday night and end up as elemental orchestra deep in eternity. This one is a real good one for headphones, too."

"Life in the Fast Lane "(in honor of Glenn Frey, the Eagles) - "For 'Immortal' I didn't want to choose just the hits by each artist, but rather those songs that spoke to me the deepest. However, with Glenn Frey and the Eagles, it's almost impossible to not pick a hit. ''Life In The Fast Lane' is the perfect picture of love in the ego-driven, materialistic party culture of the 1970's. This groove is as hot and addictive as the sex, booze, drugs, beautiful, rich young celebs that party 'til dawn every night... 'til the heat is gone, her beautiful face is tired and lined, his energy is spent and the love connection has disintegrated in the chaos. There is a tribal groove here, relentless like a bonfire. This song is for dancers!"

"Back to Black" (Amy Winehouse) - "Without a doubt one of saddest songs I have ever sung; right up there with 'The Man That Got Away' (Judy Garland), 'Back to Black' is a real heart-wrencher. This song honestly exposes the pain in an abandoned lover's heart. It talks about humiliation, bravery, inextinguishable hope, desolation and feeling small. I took this out of the casual R&B groove of Amy Winehouse's version and planted it in a deep, dark, gothic garden with high walls. In this environment the words grow luscious and poisonous; saturated with despair...truly black. The marriage of sadness and toxic smoke deranges the lonely lover's heart in this garden of purple flowers."

"A Different Corner" (George Michael) - "The first time I heard this song I was slow dancing with a partner in a crowded club and we were a 'maybe.' The feeling was magical, breathless ; colored lights dissolving in the air like harmonics, incense making the scene even more mystical and a couple of cocktails radiating through my veins. The feeling was almost like falling in love. Anything was possible...and for that moment, the world was crystalline. I painted the canvas of 'A Different Corner' in the watercolors of that feeling. It whispers and delights with those little currents of euphoria and spectral light. The vocals ride on air and tiny bursts of energy charge the heart and mind. This version is pure optimism. You can close your eyes and lie back as if you are in a warm bath. Relaxed...out of the world, in love...maybe."

"Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty) - "Who hasn't dragged their tired soul home after long days of pounding the pavement in pursuit of some dream; when everything has been tried, everyone talked to, everything possible done, your very best, most complete shots taken...yet still there are no takers? Such moments can be incredibly discouraging and depressing. They can also be cathartic. In this version of Gerry Rafferty's classic, 'Baker Street' I wanted to show the power of realization; that one door has closed but another has opened wide. I chose Townsend-like power chords and high rock energy to describe the moment of knowing it's time to go home. Home...ground zero. The natural place to recharge and figure out what comes next, where you are known and loved. Home, the seat of the soul, the true place of peace."

Ann performed on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 19th, and you can watch her perform her cover of the 1963 Lesley Gore classic, "You Don't Own Me", featured on Immortal, below:

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 music video for the first single from "Feed The Fire", "Freedom's Never Free", can be seen below.

"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.

mmersing 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!

"I'm psyched to release my new music this fall as BILLYBIO. Launching the band in Europe on tour with my family in LIFE OF AGONY couldn't get any better!"


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

The first trailer for "One Last Ride", the fifth and final album from CHROME DIVISION — the Norwegian band featuring DIMMU BORGIR frontman Shagrath (a.k.a. Stian Thoresen) on guitar — is available below. In the clip, lead guitarist Mr. Damage speaks about the songwriting and recording of the single "Walk Away In Shame".

"One Last Ride" will be released on November 30 via Nuclear Blast.


Comments Shagrath: "I think 'Walk Away in Shame' has a different approach and it's one of the happier songs. We wanted to create some interesting breaks in the album that are slightly different, so we invited the pop singer Misssela. She has a great soul voice in the style of Beyoncé and we thought it was a good idea and it turned out to be something cool and different."

Four years after "Infernal Rock Eternal", CHROME DIVISION joins forces again with its first lead singer, Eddie Guz, and brews up a new masterpiece crackling with metallic energy and spinning wheels.

b>CHROME DIVISION fired Guz in August 2009 "due to lack of dedication and commitment to the band." His replacement, Shady Blue (a.k.a. Athera), originally filled in for Guz at the Winterfire Festival at Hessenhallen in Giessen, Germany in February 2009 after Eddie was unable to make the gig.

In 2012, CHROME DIVISION parted ways with bassist Björn "Burn" Luna and guitarist Ricky Black.

CHROME DIVISION 2018 is:

Eddie Guz - lead vocals

Shagrath - guitar, bass, backing vocals

Mr. Damage - lead guitar, bass, backing vocals

Tony White - drums, cowbell, percussion

According to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan has been charged with possessing child pornography.

Logan, 53, was arrested on August 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina and charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor.

Under N.C. General Statute §14-190.17A, "a person commits the offense of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor if, knowing the character or content of the material, he possesses material that contains a visual representation of a minor engaging in sexual activity."

A spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office told The Blast that a warrant was issued back in August for the guitarist's arrest and he was booked into the local jail. The Blast, which was launched last year by former TMZ news director Mike Walters, was the first to report news of the arrest.

b>Logan's bail was set at $35,000 and he has since bonded out.

Karl joined MANOWAR in 1994 as the replacement for David Shankle.

MANOWAR is in the middle of its "The Final Battle" farewell world tour.

Police booking photo courtesy of Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

Former SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison has confirmed that he is working on his first-ever book.

The 43-year-old musician, who is currently touring Europe with the international death metal superground SINSAENUM, revealed that he will tell his life story in book form during an interview with the Impact metal channel.

"I've had a couple of offers from book companies and stuff like that, and I've been so busy, of course, with new music projects and recording and touring that I haven't really gotten down to it," he said during the chat, which took place on October 10 in Budapest, Hungary. "I can't do it on the road, because everything else takes all my time as far as — you've got travel, you've got all these things that you have to do, and, of course, soundchecks and then you've got the show, and then you've got meet-and-greets, and then you've gotta meet the fans, of course, after the show. That takes all of your time.

"But as far as the book is concerned, I already started it, to be completely honest, and it will just take some time to make sure it's absolutely detailed," he continued. "Because I can't complete it without completing the SINSAENUM tour [laughs], 'cause it wouldn't make any sense."

b>Jordison also talked about the state of his health, several years after overcoming the neurological condition acute transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord which damages nerve fibers, which ultimately led to the drummer temporarily losing the use of his legs.

"[My health is] great," he said. "I'm over here on tour; I couldn't ask for anything more. I've still got VIMIC going, a new record, and I'm doing SINSAENUM right now. I'm just glad to be onstage, man. I'm glad to meet fans every day. Every day is a good day above ground, and especially being able to play metal and being able to your craft and everything. You've gotta respect that, because it's something that can be taken away from you really quick. And a lot of people wish they could be in your position, so if you disrespect your position that you've been given, that's when the trouble happens. But as of right now, man, everything's great. Yeah, no complaints."

Asked if reaching the "bottom" while battling health issues served as an inspiration for him to return to playing drums, Joey said: "[it] asolutely was, because that was the test of who I am as a person. And being able to get back from that, and the people that supported me, and my trainers, and especially my lady, Amanda, I got back from it. And also, when we were doing this SINSAENUM record and forming SINSAENUM, that was a huge thing because that was the real test of playing the most extreme metal drumming I've ever done in my life, and still am doing. That's what fuels me, man. It's, like, you never let anything beat you — ever! 'Cause life will hit you crazy. No one's exempt from it. And being able to come back [and play] with SINSAENUM and [secure] new record deals and all that stuff, it's just great to be over here and be able to play. And I can't wait to get onstage tonight and slay."

Jordison and the members of SLIPKNOT had been silent and evasive about the reasons for his dismissal from the band in December 2013, but Joey finally spoke about it in 2016 while accepting an award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London, England.

At the time, Joey claimed that he was fired from SLIPKNOT without a band meeting or "anything from management." He said: "All I got was a stupid fucking e-mail saying I was out of the band that I busted my ass my whole life to fucking create. That's exactly what happened and it was hurtful. I didn't deserve that shit after what I'd done and everything I'd been through.

"They got confused about my health issues and obviously even I didn't know what it was at first," he continued. "They thought I was fucked up on drugs, which I wasn't at all.

"I've been through so many things with those guys and I love them very much. What's hurtful is the way it went down was not fucking right. That's all I want to say. The way they did it was fucking cowardly. It was fucked up."

Despite the circumstances surrounding his dismissal from SLIPKNOT, Jordison praised the band's latest album, ".5: The Gray Chapter", which features his replacement, Jay Weinberg, as well as new bassist Alessandro Venturella. He said: "I listened to the whole record multiple times. And I think it's great. It's fucking cool and I'm glad they moved on."

Back in 2014, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Joey is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are."

Taylor said he could not get into specifics for legal reasons, but admitted, "It's when a relationship hits that T-section and one person's going one way and you're going the other. And try as you might to either get them to go your way or try and go their way, at some point you've got to go in the direction that works for you. This is me speaking in the broadest terms, with respect to Joey. I guess to sum it up, it was one of the hardest decisions we ever made."

Taylor said that the band is "happy right now and we hope that he is . . . he's just in a place in his life, right now, that's not where we are."

The singer would not answer whether drug use played a role in Jordison's dismissal, and confessed that he had not been in touch with his former bandmate. Taylor said, "I haven't talked to Joey in a while, to be honest. That's how different we are. It's not because I don't love him and I don't miss him. And it is painful; we talk about him all the time, but at the same time, do we miss him or do we miss the old him? That's what it really comes down to."

MÖTLEY CRÜE recently recorded four new songs for the film adaptation of the group's biography, "The Dirt - Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band". The movie, which is being helmed by "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" director Jeff Tremaine, was picked up by Netflix after being previously developed at Focus Features and before that at Paramount.

Singer Vince Neil took to Twitter yesterday morning (Monday, October 22) to announce that he was on his way to a studio in Nashville "to sing new MÖTLEY SONG 'The Dirt' with [producer] Bob Rock." He later posted an update, saying, "Me and Bob Rock finished 2 songs today! Great recording with him again."

Earlier in the month, bassist Nikki Sixx described the new MÖTLEY CRÜE recordings as "real and raw. Everybody is playing like mad and the songs crush," he wrote on Twitter. "Bob Rock brought the sounds. Plus we have a surprise that will confirm that we're outta our minds."

In response to a Twitter question from a fan on how the new music will fit in, since the film is based on MÖTLEY CRÜE's past, Sixx responded: "You can trust us these are ball-busters. Everybody can relax. We're soon gonna smack you upside the head with some killer new tracks. Bob Rock is producing. It's our movie. We know what we're doing."

b>Nikki's remarks came just weeks after a picture of the bassist and CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee was posted on the band's Facebook page, along with the caption "28th August 2018." Appearing with them in the photo was longtime CRÜE producer and collaborator Bob Rock. In addition, Lee posted a brief video of himself playing drums on his Instagram, captioning the clip: "It's that new shit!!!"

Back in late 2016, Sixx shot down any possibility of the CRÜE returning as a recording act, telling TeamRock that there was "no chance" of the band making another record. "I want to just leave it intact," he said. "I see no reason. We couldn't be creative as a band, so how the hell can we continue? But I'm glad the way it finished — we did it all, we did what we said we were going to do, and now I'm excited about the future."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.

A tour film about MÖTLEY CRÜE's final shows, "The End", came out in 2016.

In 2015, MÖTLEY CRÜE completed "The Final Tour", closing the book on the band's iconic career after performing a total of 164 shows in 72 markets, grossing over $100 million.

To cement the sense of finality, the four members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in 2014 publicly signed a "cessation of touring" contract that prevents any of them from performing under the CRÜE name in the future.

This morning in my way to a studio here in Nashville to sing new Mötley song “ The Dirt “ with Bob Rock. I’ll share pics later.— Vince Neil (@thevinceneil) October 22, 2018



Me and Bob Rock finished 2 songs today! Great recording with him again. pic.twitter.com/kD0n1TBVTu— Vince Neil (@thevinceneil) October 22, 2018

STATIC-X is back! Featuring the band's original lineup introduced on their 1999 platinum-selling debut full-length album, "Wisconsin Death Trip", bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuda and drummer Ken Jay have joined forces once again to release a new album, "Project Regeneration". Due in the spring of 2019, the effort will be released in conjunction with a world tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of "Wisconsin Death Trip". The band plans to perform the majority of their debut album at each show. Headline dates will serve as memorial events to honor late frontman Wayne Static, who passed away four years ago. More information on the world tour and other dates will be coming soon.


STATIC-X has cultivated a treasure chest of vocal performances and musical compositions left behind by Wayne. Along with the help of STATIC-X's long-time producer Ulrich Wild, the band is in the process of completing their seventh studio album, which will feature between 12 and 15 brand new STATIC-X tracks.


"With the 20th anniversary of 'Wisconsin Death Trip' quickly approaching, it feels like the right time to pay our respects to the band, to Wayne, and to all the fans who have been with us right from the start." says bassist Tony Campos. "We had a lot of material to work with... several demos that Wayne left behind, as well as some really great isolated vocal performances from some nearly finished songs. Together, we have been writing and crafting something very special!"


Check out a new teaser featuring clips from a brand-new music video, as well as five new STATIC-X tracks — "Road To Hell", "Something Of My Own", "Terminator Oscillator", "Hollow" and "Disco Otsego" — along with a personal message from Campos about the inspiration behind "Project Regeneration".


or the unfinished tracks, the band is inviting several of their friends to lend their voices for the completion of this very personal project.


"We have confirmed interest from our friends David Draiman [DISTURBED], Ivan Moody [FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH], Al Jorgensen [MINISTRY], Dez Fafara [COAL CHAMBER, DEVILDRIVER], Edsel Dope [DOPE], Burton C. Bell [FEAR FACTORY], and a few others," says Campos. "Unfortunately, due to everyone's crazy schedules, it is a little early to know how things will shake out. We are more than confident that the album will have some incredible guest vocalists, but it should be noted that it is still too early to count anyone in 100%."


The guest vocalist curation process is being led by none other than SiriusXM programming pioneer Jose Mangin, who is working alongside the band as one of the executive producers for "Project Regeneration".

STATIC-X has created a pre-order campaign allowing fans who purchase "Project Regeneration" in advance to have their name appear in the liner notes of the new album. Additional special pre-order package options are also available, including "Project Regeneration" merch bundles and several old school STATIC-X merch items to commemorate the 20th anniversary of "Wisconsin Death Trip". Pre-orders are available via www.static-x.org.


"This is a celebration of STATIC-X, 'Wisconsin Death Trip', Wayne Static, and all of our fans," adds Campos. "We are very excited about what we have created, so we wanted to involve the fans early, and in a campaign sort of way, so that they can participate with us and help to dictate some of the things that we do."


"Reuniting with the guys has been an amazing experience," says Jay. "It's been so much fun sharing stories and working on new music together. Obviously, it is bittersweet because we all miss Wayne and we wish that he was here with us, doing what he did best... Evil Disco..."


"I am so excited to play STATIC-X songs live again," says Fukuda. "The STATIC-X sound is so big and powerful live! I can't wait to play songs like 'Bled For Days', 'Push It' and 'I'm With Stupid' again."


STATIC-X plans to do multiple video updates and a series of Facebook Live chats over the next few months in order to keep the fans involved as the process continues to unfold.


"We feel very grateful that we have such a loyal fan base that misses the band, and misses Wayne, and I know that Wayne would appreciate all the heart and effort that we are putting into this," says Campos. "I've had some very heartfelt discussions with Wayne's family about doing this. They were very touched by the amount of love and effort that we have put into this new album and they have given us their full support. Having the blessing of Wayne's family means the world to us! I know in my heart that Wayne would be very proud!


Wayne Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Napalm Records will release Warkings' debut album, Reborn, on November 16th. Pre-order the album here, and watch a lyric video for the album track "Hephaistos", below.

On Odin’s order, the Warkings will leave their sanctuary behind to return to the European battlefields! It will be a historical moment, when the four ancient warriors set their foot on the ground in Vienna after an absence for many centuries or even millenniums on December 8th.

In the beginning of 2019, especially the Viking will return to the lands of his forefathers and his own past. Accompanied by Amaranthe, the Warkings will return to the lands of ice and snow and wander through Scandinavia and parts of Germania and Belgica, today called the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
    
Tour dates:

December (with Dragony, Illuminata, Titan Killer)
8 - Vienna, Austria - Szene

January (with Amaranthe, Follow The Cipher)
31 - Nijmegen, Netherlands Doornroosje

February (with Amaranthe, Follow The Cipher)
1 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
2 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
3 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Den  Atelier
4 - Hamburg, Germany - Grünspan
6 - Malmö, Sweden - KB
7 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik
8 - Helsingborg, Sweden - Tivoli
9 - Örebro, Sweden - Frimis
11 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
12 - Uppsala, Sweden - Katalin
13 - Stockholm, Sweden - Klubben

July
3-6 - Ballenstedt, Germany - Rockharz Festival

The Warkings story: Four kings of war were knocking on Valhalla’s door to spend eternity in the realms of the gods. While waiting for admission, they told each other about the heroic deeds they survived in their lifetimes. Secretly listening to their stories, Odin decided that all living human beings on the Earth should know about these true stories of war and heroism. So he is about to send them back with the mission to spread the stories of their battles upon mankind. The Warkings were born and pure and unadulterated heavy metal became their religion.

Odin chose Napalm Records as the perfect platform for the Warkings to spread their stories. We were told to receive new information about these warriors every Wednesday from now on. To follow his order to spread their message, we launched the Warkings-Wednesday. On this day, we will bring Odin’s word to the world.

The first statement from the kings of war is short and not very concisely: “Ready your breakfast and eat hearty... because we‘re coming for you at the Warkings-Wednesday."

Tracklisting:

"Give Em War"
"Never Surrender"
"Hephaistos"
"Gladiator"
"Holy Storm"
"Battle Cry"
"Fire Falling Down"
"Sparta" (feat. The Butcher from Debauchery)
"The Last Battle"
"Die Flut" (Bonus Track)

"Hephaistos" lyric video:

"Gladiator" video:

(Photo - Manuel 'Janus‘ Maier, Janus Photography)

December 7th is the confirmed release date for the sophomore album from Swedish melodic rock quintet, State Of Salazar. Pre-order Superhero here, and watch a video for the song "My Heart Is At War", below.

Sporting a melodic rock/AOR sound strongly inspired by musical giants such as Queen, Survivor, Toto, Journey, Europe, and the Rocky Soundtracks, State Of Salazar opened quite a few eyes with the release of their debut full length, All The Way, four years ago. And while it has been a bit of a wait between albums, work on what would eventually become Superhero actually began soon after the release of the debut album.

"After the release of All The Way, I started right away on writing new songs for a second album,” says singer Marcus Nygren. "We worked together as a band arranging the songs and recording really detailed pre-production demos. On the new album, we've given the instrumental parts a lot of space to capture the feel of the instrumental music that was often found in movies from the '80s. [Bear in mind that the “Training Montage” from Rocky IV is a major influence on the band’s sound.] At the same time, we wanted to show our love for smooth and groovy Westcoast AOR as well. All in all, Superhero consists of great guitar and keyboard riffs, some epic arrangements, and strong melodies, all performed with a heavier sound than last time."

Not too far after the release of All The Way, keyboard player Stefan Mårtenson chose to leave the band. Long-time friend Kevin Hosford took his place as the band's new keyboard player. Kevin wound up contributing not only as keyboard player, but also as lead vocalist and songwriter.

"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the boys, with over the top arrangements, melodic songwriting and killer vocals. The only thing that worries me is that I might have to grow an extra pair of arms when we go out on tour with Superhero,” says Kevin.

"Superhero is more of a pure rock album, lots of guitars and keyboards riffin' it out, which, of course I enjoy,” concludes guitarist Johan Thuresson. "I think that all listeners will enjoy the path we've taken with our new songs, especially since we've been lucky enough to have Alessandro Del Vecchio helping out with the final touches regarding the sound.”

Superhero tracklisting:

"If You Wait For Me"
"My Heart Is At War"
"Hold On Tonight"
"Masquerade"
"She's A Loaded Gun"
"Lie To Me"
"Joanne"
"Someone I Know"
"To The Wire"
"Love Will Find A Way"
"Superhero"

"My Heart Is At War" video:

"If You Wait For Me" video:

Lineup:
 
Marcus Nygren - Lead vocals & backing vocals
Kevin Hosford - Keyboards & lead vocals
Johan Thuresson - Guitars
Johannes Hansson - Bass
Kristian Brun - Drums

Guest appearances:

Kristina Talajic - Lead Vocals on "Lie To Me"
Rasmus Nyvall - Saxophone on "Love Will Find A Way”

(Photo - Nicklas Raab)

German metallers POWERWOLF released their seventh album, "The Sacrament Of Sin", on July 20 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Blessed & Possessed" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with KREATOR, DRAGONFORCE, SEPULTURA and PARADISE LOST, among others.

The official music video for "The Sacrament Of Sin" title track can be seen below.

POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf told Overdrive about "The Sacrament Of Sin": "I would say the approach was to expand the territory a bit. I think 'The Sacrament Of Sin' has become the most diverse POWERWOLF album with the most variation in the music and a lot of new elements in our sound. At the same time, I think it's become a pretty typical POWERWOLF album in terms of atmosphere and power and character."

"The Sacrament Of Sin" also contains POWERWOLF's first ever attempt at a power ballad in the shape of a song called "Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone".

The idea of writing a proper ballad was growing for a lot of years," Greywolf told Overdrive. "I think it was some years ago that on one of the tours, I was confessing to Attila that I was a big fan of those classic rock and metal ballads and he was confessing the same, so we agreed that one day we would write a ballad, no matter what. But it never worked in the past. The fact that we did as a part of 'Blessed & Possessed' showed us we could go for that, and that we were ready for it. Because, I mean, back then we covered 'Edge Of Thorns' from SAVATAGE, where we had those verses based on piano and vocals; and that was the first time we tried that, and it sounded pretty great! So when we started writing 'The Sacrament Of Sin', I had that in mind and I was quite confident that we could realize that long-planned ballad this time. Luckily, it all came together very well and I think, for me personally, it's one of the highlights of the album, definitely."

"The Sacrament Of Sin" track listing:

01. Fire & Forgive

02. Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend

03. Killers With The Cross

04. Incense And Iron

05. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone

06. Stossgebet

07. Nightside Of Siberia

08. The Sacrament Of Sin

09. Venom Of Venus

10. Nighttime Rebel

11. Fist By Fist (Sacralize Or Strike)

12. Midnight Madonna (bonus track; only available at EMP and Napalm Records mailorder)

POWERWOLF will embark on the European "Wolfsnächte Tour 2018" this week. Swedish melodic metal sensation AMARANTHE and Germany's heavy/glam high flyers KISSIN‘ DYNAMITE will be joining in as special guests.

Willy "Lange" Langenhuizen, bass player of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band LÄÄZ ROCKIT, passed away on October 23 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. He was 57 years old.

LÄÄZ ROCKIT vocalist Michael Coons posted the following message on his official Facebook page: "In shock… the important thing is to honor Willy and his family at this time. I will get back to all of you when I'm able to… too difficult right now to do so, please understand."

TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy, who played with Willy in DUBLIN DEATH PATROL, wrote: "Today I lost my best friend. Willy, you have always been the person in my life that has been there for me and I love you for that. I will alway have you in my heart and soul and treasure all the great times we had with you and Kelly in this life. Until we see each other again on the other side and have a great reunion. You rest in peace, my friend."

Former VIO-LENCE and current MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel wrote: "We lost a Dublin legend in shocking fashion. Willy Langenhuizen was taken from his loving family and our town is left with a huge void. One of the nicest, most caring and friendly dudes. Will was someone I looked up to and respected, especially in my early years of playing, as he was already in established bands playing clubs. That helped introduce me into a scene that would become my life. Watching and meeting SLAYER as the opener for Willy's band LÄÄZ ROCKIT. After Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] ripped on LÄÄZ on Rampage Radio, Will waged war on METALLICA, claiming the Dublin Death Patrol doesn't fuck around. Pretty sure Lars called for a truce and then later [Willy] almost got the bass gig after Cliff [Burton] died! I played in a few City Hoops leagues with him and he hated to lose, played hard and shot lights out from downtown. Same with golf — dude was a natural.

All of my heart goes out to Kell and their kids and for them to know how much we ALL care and will be there to support.

"Goodbye, Willy. Thank you and rest in peace."

Former TESTAMENT and current TRAUMA bassist Greg Christian also commented on Willy's passing, writing: "Rest in peace, Willy Lange!! I'm still kind of in disbelief. I haven't seen him in about five years, but I always liked Willy. He was cool. It sucks I won't see him again.

"Also, I want to say, Willy got LEGACY [the band that evolved into TESTAMENT] our first real show back in '84… The Stone with LÄÄZ ROCKIT and SLAYER. I'm thankful and appreciate that Willy did that for us. And never forgot. It was a good thing. Anyway, I'm still stunned here and don't know what to say. Except this is sad news. Truly.

"Rest in peace, metal brother / bass brother!!! Rest in peace!!!"

Lange joined LÄÄZ ROCKIT in 1983 and appeared on the band's first four full-length studio albums — "City's Gonna Burn" (1984), "No Stranger To Danger" (2005), "Know Your Enemy" (1987) and "Annihilation Principle" (1989) — before exiting the group in late 1989. Lange rejoined LÄÄZ ROCKIT for a 2005 reunion performance at the Dynamo Open Air festival in the Netherlands and a new LÄÄZ ROCKIT studio album, "Left For Dead", which came out in 2008.

Lange was also a founding member of DUBLIN DEATH PATROL alongside Billy. DUBLIN DEATH PATROL issued two studio albums, 2007's "DDP 4 Life" and 2012's "Death Sentence".

Lange is not the first member of LÄÄZ ROCKIT to die at an early age. Drummer Victor Agnello passed away on June 1, 2014 following a battle with leukemia. He was 50 years old.

Swedish melodic, brutal death metal tyrants Demonical, have premiered an old-school, VHS style music video for the track "Sung To Possess", taken from the band's latest album Chaos Manifesto, out now on Agonia Records. Watch the video and catch the band live on tour with Lik this November.

Demonical commented: "We are very much looking forward to November and our return to mainland Europe under the Carnage Manifesto banner. As we will be joined by our Swedish brothers in Lik and Of Fire this tour-package will be something special, a total slap of Stockholm-style old-school death metal and a wet dream for every worshipper of the buzzsaw HM-2 sound! Death metal darkness prevails… and then some!"

Dates:

November
6 – Poznan, Poland – Klub U Bazyla
7 – Praha, Czech Republic – Modra Vopice
8 – Mannheim, Germany – MS Connexion Complex
9 – Bitterfeld, Germany – Festung
10 – Hamburg, Germany – Bambi Galore
11 – Osnabruck, Germany – Bastard Club

Chaos Manifesto was recorded in 2017 and both mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (Terra Tenebrosa, Cult of Luna, Katatonia). The album artwork was designed by Karmazid (Urfaust, Wolfbrigade, Blaze of Perdition). Pehr Skjoldhammer of Alfahanne guest appears on vocals.

The full trailer for the upcoming documentary Songs of Injustice: Heavy Metal Music in Latin America has just been released. The film was directed by Dr. Nelson Varas-Díaz (Professor, Florida International University) and explores metal music in Latin America focusing on Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Peru.

The film has already received several laurels from international film festivals. Here is what people are saying bout the documentary, which will see the light on December 2018:

“Songs of Injustice” is not simply a documentary about metal in Latin America, it is a moving testimony to the ways in which metal can act as a source of resistance, fortitude and resilience. All the countries covered in the film struggle with poverty, oppression and violence. The extraordinary interviews in ‘Songs of Injustice’ document the ways in which Latin American metalheads understand the circumstances in which they are living and find in metal a way to survive, endure and prosper.” -Keith Kahn-Harris, Author of Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge

“This film is the most important documentary of the metal scene today. Following on from the documentary on metal in Puerto Rico, Varas and his colleagues have created an essential critical history of the emergence of metal in Latin America.” -Karl Spracklen, Professor, Leeds Beckett University

“A stunning accomplishment—this film roams the vibrant and vast landscape of Latin American heavy metal with the keen eye of a scholar and a soul of a warrior. Nelson Varas-Díaz demonstrates once again that metal music has played a vital role in the region’s centuries-long struggle for human dignity in the face of genocide, colonialism, dictatorship, neo-imperialism, and environmental devastation. The music’s pretty excellent, too! Entertaining and insightful, Songs of Injustice is the crowning achievement in a remarkable trilogy of films on metal culture in Latin America.” Jeremy Wallach, Professor, Bowling Green State University

“Extraordinarily important work. Nelson Varas-Díaz has once again brought us the heart and purpose of metal: the fight of the underdog. Wherever you are in the world, this is the voice that unites us.” Denigrata Herself

Follow the film on Facebook.

US black metal band Imperialist are all set to release their debut full-length album on Transcending Obscurity Records. Their brand of black metal is inspired by the Swedish black metal scene and is furthermore worked upon to exude a thrash vibe. Listen to new track "Splendor Beneath An Ancient Permafrost" below.

Imperialist have conjured up a brilliant sci-fi themed album that stands out both conceptually as well as musically. Rooted in the early Swedish black metal sound of luminaries like Necrophobic, Dissection and Sacramentum, Imperialist hone it up further to suit their futuristic theme by adding touches of thrash metal without diluting the rich aura. Cipher is backed by a visually stunning artwork by Adam Burke (Vektor, Lurk) that extends into a continuous two-panel work depicting the grand theme. It's rare to find bands that have a bold vision and at the same time creating the perfect blend for music that is at once atavistic and forward-thinking. This is one of the finest examples of meticulously written black metal counterbalancing aggression with melodies and thrashy sections.

Cipher release formats:
-LP box set
-Gatefold LP
-Digipak CD box set
-8-Panel digipak CD
-Digital

Tracklisting:

“Continuum”
“The Singularity”
“Advent Anathema”
“Splendor Beneath An Ancient Permafrost”
“Umbra Tempest”
“Chronoclasm”
“Binary Coalescence”
“The Dark Below”
“Mercurian Dusk”

"Splendor Beneath An Ancient Permafrost":

“The Singularity”: