A brief update from crushers Immortal Bird, fronted by Thrawsunblat drummer Rae Amitay:

"Our mini-live EP from Migration Fest is now available for free (or pay-what-you-like) streaming/download on our Bandcamp!"

Live at Migration by Immortal Bird

The tracklist features the songs "Neoplastic" and "Saprophyte".

New Jersey-based progressive metal quartet Etherius have released their remarkable new instrumental progressive metal EP, entitled Thread Of Life, today.

In celebration of today's release, Etherius have revealed a brand new music video for their barnburner track, "March and Defy", filmed/directed/edited by Michael J Adams of Blackline Studios and recorded at High Tor State Park, NY.

Guitarist Jay Tarantino says about the track and video: "'March And Defy' was the last track that was finished for this EP. When I brought the song to the guys we agreed that it felt incomplete. We worked out a new section for after the intro and made some changes to the arrangement and it really came together. It features some of my most challenging lead work and I love the way the main hook came out."

The new video for "March And Defy" introduces new guitarist Jon Perkins, stepping in for former guitarist John Kiernan. Perkins originally hails from São Paulo, Brazil, and brings a strong a jazz guitar and classical composition background into the fold, accelerated by his studies at both UMiami's Frost School of Music and Columbia University. He came in contact with the members of Etherius after performing with drummer Zaki Ali in guitarist Gus Sinaro's backing band.

Perkins says, "It's been exciting getting to know the members of Etherius and getting a sense of how they interpret musical ideas in a performance setting. I've come to see a strong sense of musical discipline and a shared sense of focus, determination and all around professionalism in everyone. I am greatly looking forward for the album release and what lies ahead for Etherius."

Jay Tarantino adds, "We're excited to have Jon come into the band. We've had the chance to get to know him after he filled in on guitar for us a few months ago for a gig at the last minute. I was impressed with how quickly he picked up the material, because it is not easy music to play. His jazz background makes him a versatile player and his attitude and work ethic fit right in with the chemistry that's been created between Zaki, Chris, and myself."

Etherius recently revealed a new bass playthrough video for the masterful track "Thread Of Life", featuring bassist Chris Targia performing amidst a beautiful forest setting. The video was filmed/directed/edited by Michael J Adams of Blackline Studios and recorded at High Tor State Park, NY.

Bassist Chris Targia says, "'Thread Of Life' starts off with a slower tempo acoustic section, so I used fretless for this part of the song. The rest of the song is fretted and alternates between fingerstyle in the verses and bridge, and slap sections in the chorus, with the final chorus/solo adding more slap variations and fills."

While online, check out the latest Etherius behind the scenes videos detailing the making of Thread Of Life.

Part 1:

In the video, Chris Targia says, "I like to be very varied with my play style, depending on what section of what song needs what. So sometimes I'll be playing with a pick, sometimes I'll be playing with fingers or slap, and I also have a fretless bass I used on the beginning of the song "Thread of Life". Fretless allows you to be more expressive with slides and vibrato."

The concept of Thread Of Life and the album's artwork was inspired by ancient Greek mythology. "The Greeks believed that many aspects of a person's life were determined by the three fates, or Moirai (moy-ray) as they were called," says Tarantino. "The Moirai were three sister goddesses who "spun out" a child's destiny at birth. The sisters determined when life began, when it ended, and the events that occurred throughout one's life. The first sister, Clotho, or spinner, spun the thread, which was a person's life. The second sister, Lachesis, or unbending, measured the thread, which was the length of that life. The third sister, Atropos, meaning inevitable, chose the manner in which life ended, thus cutting the "Thread Of Life". The reason they are depicted as having no eyes on the album cover is because the ancient Greeks described the sisters as "cold" and "unmerciful."

Thread Of Life tracklisting:

"Thread Of Life"
"The Soothsayer"
"March And Defy"
"The Inevitable End"
"Lament"

"The Inevitable End" video:

Thread Of Life was produced and engineered by Jay Tarantino and Zaki Ali with Angel Vivaldi acting as co-producer, was recorded at Backroom Studios in Rockaway, New Jersey (owned by Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Kevin Antreassin), and was mixed/mastered by Mutiny Within vocalist Chris Clancy at Audioworks Productions. Additional tracking was completed with Angel Vivaldi at his home studio.

Tarantino says about the band's writing and recording process, "Whereas a lot of modern bands compose music in pieces, swapping ideas back and forth through email/Dropbox and using modern recording technology to cut and paste it, we write music together in our rehearsal space and arrange the parts as a band. This gives the music a more organic quality that doesn't sound as mechanical or sterile as it does with the former approach. We try to rely on technology as little as possible when composing songs."

With one listen to Thread Of Life it's clear that combined, the four extremely talented musicians of Etherius produce a clean, awe-inspiring sound merging powerful progressive elements that will appeal to not only the most discerning and critical metal fans, but to the heavy music-loving masses as well.

Rivers Of Nihil has launched a video for the title track of their new album, Where Owls Know My Name, exclusively via Apple Music. Subscribe to Apple Music and watch the clip (directed by David Brodsky) here. Fans that aren't currently Apple Music subscribers can sign up for a free trial here.

Where Owls Know My Name debuted on the Billboard and Canadian music charts upon its release in March: #3 Top New Artist Albums (Billboard / USA), #9 Current Hard Music Albums (Billboard / USA), #57 Top 200 Current Albums (Billboard / USA), #61 Top 200 Albums (Billboard / USA), #50 Top 200 Chart (Canada), #10 Top Hard Music Charts (Canada).

Where Owls Know My Name can be previewed and purchased here.

This September/October, Rivers Of Nihil will head out on the road with Revocation, Exhumed, and Yautja. Following this trek, Rivers Of Nihil will join Archspire, Soreption, and labelmates Revocation once again, for a European tour in November/December.

  A very ambitious band passionate about writing and playing extreme music, Ottawa ON's Ominous Eclipse draws their inspiration from a wide variety of genres to create a unique hybrid sound with death metal being the main aspect combined with elements of thrash, groove, black, melodic, etc. Active since 2014, Ominous Eclipse has been making waves on the local scene opening for names such as Revocation, The Agonist, Kalmah, Archspire, Incantation, Vesperia, Beyond Creation, Rivers of Nihil to name a few. In the same year of their conception, they unleashed a four song EP Beyond The Apocalypse with a full-length End Of Days following not long after in 2015. Now in 2018, they return with their sophomore album Sinister due out September 14th and have a new trailer ready to unleash to get fans evil about.

The band comments: "There's no concept or theme on this album so all the songs have different meaning. The title track itself divulges into the inevitable end to humanity and potentially the world with it. It discusses the issues around the globe and also addresses the ignorance and selfishness of those indirectly affected by the chaos. It has a strong "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" theme in regards to how people can turn their backs on those in need in order to save their own skin, which ironically will lead to our end as it causes people to turn on each other. Musically for this album, you will notice we have evolved from the first release and have moved away from thrashy overtones to become more diverse including more heavily stated melodic and technical with a solid groove and death foundation."

Tracklisting:

"Death By Dissection"
"Sinister"
"Spiral Into Insanity"
"Lost At Sea"
"No Redemption For The Damned"
"Breaking The Chains"
"The Horde"
"Eye Of The Raven"

Trailer:

"Sinister" video:

"Spiral Into Insanity" lyric video:

"The Horde":

(Photo - Max Southwood)

Helion Prime and their mascot - the mighty Saibot - return with their sophomore effort Terror Of The Cybernetic Space Monster, out on August 31st via AFM Records. The album consists of nine brand new tracks - with the seventeen minute monster title song marking a stunning finale. Check out a lyric video for "Urth" below, and pre-order the album here.

The Sacramento, California-based power metal band’s new piece of work was mixed and mastered at LSD studio by Lasse Lammert (known for his work with bands like Alestorm and Gloryhammer). Helion Prime continues their theme of blending science fiction with science fact.

Founder Jason Ashcraft comments: "I wasn't sure where I was going when writing this album. As fans who follow us closely know, it's been a bumping two years for us since the release of our debut. We are back and fully inspired. This album focuses more on human nature and our battle with the good and evil within ourselves. I did not plan this when starting the album but that is where it naturally evolved. I am very pleased with the result and hope you are all as equally excited.”

This album will mark the first time the full band lineup is joined together on a release. This also marks the debut of Sozos Michael on vocals.

Sozos remarks on the subject: "Working on this album has been an incredibly rewarding experience. While Jason had a clear vision as to what this album would shape up to be as the principal songwriter, he was always open to my ideas on vocal lines and lyrics. Our collaboration went very smoothly and it definitely shows on the final product."

Jason also comments on the audition of Sozos: "He is the kind of singer I have always dreamed of working with. Not only are his vocal skills top notch but he understands and knows what the music needs. Writing together for this album was a breeze and I hardly had to ask for any rewrites. Often he would send me ideas that was exactly what I was thinking. I am thrilled to work with someone like that and can't wait to see what we accomplish together."

The cover art was once again done by Marc Whisnant, who was already responsible for the artwork of the band’s self-titled debut album, which was released via Divebomb Records in early 2016 before AFM Records signed the band to a worldwide deal and re-issued Helion Prime almost exactly a year after its initial release. Press hailed the album as a breath of fresh air in the power metal scene and called it one of the most innovative power metal records in a long time.

Tracklisting:

"Failed Hypothesis"
"A King Is Born"
"Bury The Sun"
"Atlas Obscura"
"Urth"
"The Human Condition"
"Spectrum"
"Silent Skies"
"Terror Of The Cybernetic Space Monster"

"Urth" lyric video:

"Spectrum" video:

"Silent Skies" video:

Circuitry surges signature electricity into modern heavy music. Years of experimentation in multiple genres have resulted in a potent, debilitating groove to which there is no known antidote. The trio, consisting of vocalist, Joel Monet, guitarist and background vocalist, Christian Colabelli, and drummer, Matt Guglielmo, fuses elements of modern progressive metal with classic metalcore, death, and catchy hooks, into an unmistakable signature sound.

This is immediately apparent on the band's sophomore effort, Untouched By Human Hands, set to be released November 16th.

As an early preview of the album, Circuitry is streaming lyric video “Waving A White Flag”. "Waving A White Flag," delivers devastating drumming firepower, frenetic guitar gymnastics, and tortured vocal carnage rounded out by an infectious earworm of a chorus. This angular anthem offers a glimpse into the inner folds and depth of a noticeably well-crafted, painstakingly original collection of songs. Circuitry is sure to cement their foothold in the heavy music realm with this ambitious sophomore release.

"We matured significantly as a band since our debut release, honed our sound and crafted a collection of songs that we are truly proud of. In the process, we stretched the limits of who we are as musicians. There were times where each of us considered walking away from the project. Had it not been for the overwhelming support and inspiration that we received from fans, both on the road and through social media, we're not sure this album would have come to fruition. This record is the result of three dudes putting everything we had into writing the best songs we were physically capable of at the time, says Circuitry of the new album.
 
Additionally, the artwork and track listing for the album have been revealed today.  The eye-popping, colorful, instantly recognizable album artwork, courtesy of Steven McCorry reflects the sonic content contained within. Genre bending exploration, otherworldly harmony, polished songwriting, and controlled chaos abound on this 11 song maelstrom. The band upped the ante by recruiting Steve Seid of Graphic Nature Audio to mix the album. The depth and clarity of the record is immediately noticeable, with every subtle nuance shining through.

Although relatively young in their existence, Circuitry displays an uncanny musical maturity that will only ripen with age. Garnering comparisons to Periphery, Animals As Leaders, Protest The Hero, Chiodos, Fall Of Troy, Killswitch Engage and Circa Survive, it's apparent that the band is in good company and spurns eclectic tastes. Brightness surely sits on the horizon for Circuitry.

Tracklisting:

“Snake”
“Waving A White Flag”
“The Merit Of An Argument”
“A N G E L”
“Writing History”
“Moment Of Clarity”
“Parasite”
“Lady Parts Of Death”
“Prayers And Curses”
“Kept In A Shallow Grave”

“Waving A White Flag” lyric video:

German power metal band Brainstorm have released a video for the new single "Ravenous Minds", featured on their new album Midnight Ghost, scheduled for release on September 28th. Watch below.

The band‘s 12th studio album is seemingly forging into something very special. Vocalist Andy B. Franck comments: "Midnight Ghost is the album we always wanted to create for our fans - and ourselves. Every song, the sound, the cover artwork… it feels perfect to us! It all has such an incredible power, which is hard to describe. For me it’s definitely one of our best albums and I’m confident that we can reach a new Brainstorm level with Midnight Ghost now. We can’t wait to bring this to the stages!“

Midnight Ghost was produced by Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan, Rhapsody Of Fire), the cover artwork was created by Gyula Havancsak (Annihilator, Stratovarius).

The album will be available as CD, CD/DVD Digibook, blue vinyl (limited to 400 units), yellow/blue splatter vinyl (limited to 100 units and exclusively available in the AFM webshop), and box set.

Midnight Ghost tracklisting:

CD:

"Devil's Eye"
"Revealing The Darkness"
"Ravenous Minds"
"The Pyre"
"Jeanne Boulet (1764)"
"Divine Inner Ghost"
"When Pain Becomes Real"
"The Four Blessings"
"Haunting Voices"
"The Path"

Digibook bonus DVD: Scary Creatures Over Europe 2016 at LKA Stuttgart:

"The World To See"
"Firesoul"
"Fire Walk With Me"
"Highs Without Lows"
"We Are"
"Worlds Are Coming Through"
"Shiva's Tears"
"End In Sorrow"
"How Much Can You Take"
"Falling Spiral Down"
"All Those Words"
"Shiver"

"Ravenous Minds" video:

"The Pyre":

(Photo - Alex Kühr)

"Knievel Has Landed", the new video from STONE SOUR, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's acclaimed 2017 LP, "Hydrograd", which will be released as a deluxe edition on August 31. The two-disc set, "Hydrograd Deluxe Edition", collects unreleased covers, b-sides, live recordings and alternate versions of songs from "Hydrograd". Available for pre-order along with a new exclusive t-shirt at StoneSour.com, the deluxe edition is highlighted by "Burn One Turn One", a previously unreleased b-side from "Hydrograd". "Burn One Turn One" is also available as an instant-grat download with all pre-orders. Fans can also pre-order signed physical copies of "Hydrograd Deluxe Edition" via PledgeMusic. "Hydrograd Deluxe Edition" features 13 rare or unreleased songs including an acoustic version of the No. 1 rock song "Song #3", as well as covers of hits from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, SOUNDGARDEN and VAN HALEN.

"Hydrograd Deluxe Edition" track listing:

Disc 1:

01. YSIF

02. Taipei Person /Allah Tea

03. Knievel Has Landed

04. Hydrograd

05. Song #3

06. Fabuless

07. The Witness Trees

08. Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)

09. Thank God It's Over

10. St. Marie

11. Mercy

12. Whiplash Pants

13. Friday Knights

14. Somebody Stole My Eyes

15. When The Fever Broke

Disc 2:

01. Burn One Turn One

02. Bootleg Ginger

03. Live Like You're On Fire

04. Subversive

05. Unchained

06. Bombtrack

07. Outshined (Live at Sphere)

08. Song # 3 (Acoustic)

09. Mercy (Acoustic)

10. Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I) (Acoustic)

11. The Witness Trees (Acoustic)

12. Mercy (Live at Sphere)

13. Fabuless (Live at Sphere)

"Hydrograd" was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

STONE SOUR drummer Roy Mayorga told Topeka's rock station V100 about the making of "Hydrograd": "It came about pretty natural. It's just a collective of everyone. A lot of it was written together, live at my house. We demoed all of it at my studio at my house and just kind of pieced everything together there. We did five or six songs at a time, and every three months we'd get back together and do it that way. Corey [Taylor, vocals] would bring in some songs; Josh [Rand, guitar] would bring in some songs; Christian [Martucci, guitar] brought in a lot of stuff; I would submit some riffs to Christian and he would put 'em together… We wrote about, I'd say, 28 to 30 [songs], and we whittled it down to what you hear. You write as many as you can, you write the best songs you can, and then just pick from there."

STONE SOUR will support Ozzy Osbourne on the initial North American leg of the legendary vocalist's "No More Tours 2" tour, which kicks off August 30 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

"Mantra", the new video from British rockers BRING ME THE HORIZON, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Amo", which will be released on January 11, 2019 through RCA/Sony.

BRING ME THE HORIZON has been on a rocket of a journey over the last few years, selling over four million albums globally to date, playing sellout shows in over 40 countries, including two sold-out nights at London’s O2 plus wowing a traditionally non-rock crowd at Glastonbury Festival in 2016.

Poised now to release its sixth studio album, the band has spent the summer writing and recording in Los Angeles, with Oli Sykes and Jordan Fish handling production. What has transpired is one of BRING ME THE HORIZON's most exhilarating, genre-crossing albums to date.

Of the new disc, Oli says: "'Amo' is a love album that explores every aspect of that most powerful emotion. It deals with the good the bad and the ugly, and as a result we’ve created an album that’s more experimental, more varied, weird, and wonderful than anything we’ve done before."

On Tuesday, BRING ME THE HORIZON released "Mantra", with Sykes telling BBC Radio 1 about the track: "It felt like the first thing we wanted to show people upon our return."

Sykes said the music he and his bandmates are working on is "completely different" from "That's The Spirit", hinting, "We want to be a heavy band, but not in the way you think of heavy."

Prior to the new song's premiere, BRING ME THE HORIZON launched a mysterious campaign, including a billboard reading "Do You Want To Start A Cult With Me?" — a line that ended up being one of the lyrics in "Mantra".

While "Amo" will have some surprises, it very much sticks to the band's successful fan-pleasing formula of massive stadium-bouncing rock songs with huge singalong choruses. A sound that has earned them five A-list Radio 1 records to date.

The promotional campaign also saw the band starting a web site, joinmantra.org, with an initial message that read: "There are those who will say that only after a lifetime of sacrifice and good doing can the soul be free — that God demands conditions in the freedom and that some have the power of making mankind slaves."

The band's 16-city "First Love Tour" will kick off January 23 in Nashville, Tennessee and see them perform across the country, including stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and more before wrapping February 16 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kyle Pavone, vocalist for the Michigan metalcore act WE CAME AS ROMANS, has died. He was only 28 years old.

Pavone's passing was revealed by his bandmates, who wrote in a statement: "Today, music lost another great with the passing of Kyle Pavone of WE CAME AS ROMANS. Kyle's tragic loss came too early in his life and those of his bandmates. All are devastated by his passing. We will miss his smiles, his sincerity, his concern for others, and his impressive musical talent.

"In lieu of flowers, we will provide information regarding charity donations this coming week.

"The family and the band wish to thank their fans and the music community for all of their love and support as they navigate their grief."

According to TMZ, Kyle was transported to a Michigan hospital last Sunday (August 19) and pronounced dead six days later, the morning of Saturday, August 25.

A cause of death for Pavone is pending a toxicology report, according to TMZ.

Bandmate Joshua Moore commented on the news on Instagram, sharing a picture of him and Pavone.

"I love this picture so much because it shows you how I'll always remember you," he captioned the image. "The craziest, goofiest, most funny and lovable kid. I miss you so much."

WE CAME AS ROMANS' fifth album, "Cold Like War", was released last October through SharpTone Records.

One week ago, Pavone tweeted, "Will i be remembered or will i be lost in loving eyes," a lyric from the song "Promise Me" from "Cold Like War".

Pavone joined WE CAME AS ROMANS in 2008 as vocalist and keyboardist and appeared on all five of the band's albums. Their 2013 LP, "Tracing Back Roots", peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.

WE CAME AS ROMANS was scheduled to embark on a U.S. tour in September as the support act for BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.

pic.twitter.com/AnvpTwZNm4— We Came As Romans (@wecameasromans) August 25, 2018



Will i be remembered or will i be lost in loving eyes— • D O N • S O L O • (@kylepavone) August 18, 2018



I love this picture so much because it shows you how I’ll always remember you. The craziest, goofiest, most funny and lovable kid. I miss you so much. A post shared by @ awesomejoshua on Aug 25, 2018 at 8:33am PDT

The official lyric video for the song "My Only Sin" from WE ARE SENTINELS (formerly SENTINELS), the new project featuring vocalist Matt Barlow (ICED EARTH, ASHES OF ARES, PYRAMAZE) and composer, keyboardist and pianist Jonah Weingarten (PYRAMAZE, STRUCTURE OF INHUMANITY), can be seen below. The track is taken from WE ARE SENTINELS' self-titled debut album, which was released on July 6 in Europe via SAOL.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. From My Tower

02. My Only Sin

03. Life, Death, Rebirth

04. Kingdom In Winter

05. Dreaming In Winter

06. Battle In Winter

07. In Memoriam

08. Sirens of Odysseus

09. Miracle

10. Soul On Fire

11. Holy Diver

The official Chance White-directed video for the song "Kingdom In Winter" can be seen below.

Said Weingarten: "The 'Kingdom In Winter' video tells the epic tale of an infant child who has been prophesied to be the key to the gates. These gates lead to a land of peace, prosperity, and shelter from the cold and bitter winter and are protected by two stoic sentinels. Led by a mighty Shaman priestess, a group of refugees and warriors set out to bring the child to the gates against all odds.

"'Kingdom In Winter' turned into such an epic track that we knew we needed a music video that would truly bring it to life. It blends the fantasy elements of classic '80s movies like 'Willow' and 'Krull' with more modern cinematic visuals like 'Lord Of The Rings' and 'Game Of Thrones'. Director Chance White was able to fulfill this vision."

Combining sweeping motion picture style orchestral arrangements, modern classical piano, thunderous percussions, and the dynamic and powerful vocals of Barlow, WE ARE SENTINELS has set out to create something truly unique and groundbreaking. With musical and thematic elements inspired by the great drama, sci-fi, and fantasy films of the last thirty years — combined with duo's obvious enthusiasm for all things heavy metal — WE ARE SENTINELS works to embody the very essence of the word "epic."

WE ARE SENTINELS is:

Matt Barlow: Vocals, Lyrics, Choirs

Jonah Weingarten: Keyboards, Piano, Percussion, Orchestration

Following up on their critically acclaimed album "A Maze Of Recycled Creeds" and the thrashy EP "Kiss The Freak", French technical metallers GOROD will release their new album, "Aethra", on October 19 via Overpowered Records.

The 10th release from GOROD was produced and recorded by GOROD guitarist/mastermind Mathieu Pascal in his own Bud Studio, mixed at Dugout Studio by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH, DECAPITATED, IN FLAMES) and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Obey Mastering (DECAPITATED, NIGHTRAGE).


In comparison to GOROD's previous albums, the band sees "Aethra" as a profound progression in terms of production, songwriting and arrangements. Pascal says: "We decided that I would be in charge only for the recording in my studio, and chose Daniel Bergstrand for the mixing and mastering, as we love his work for decades. It puts some pressure on me, firstly because I'm used to working alone with the production of GOROD albums. The tracks should be clear and perfect enough to be easily understood and included into the mix the way I imagined. But also, because I still feel like a newbie compared to Bergstrand and I just didn't want to look like an amateur job! Bergstrand and McCrory did an awesome job on this album, the sound is powerful but still natural and balanced."


"Aethra" track listing:

01. Wolfsmond

02. Bekhten's Curse

03. Aethra

04. The Sentry

05. Hina

06. And The Moon Turned Black

07. Chandra And The Maiden

08. Goddess Of Dirt

09. Inexorable

10. A Light Unseen


With "Aethra", GOROD transports the listener to a tragic and melancholic universe — a completely new level of darkness — while preserving what GOROD considers their tried and true core sound: incomparable groove, remarkable dexterity, and relentless technicality. But all the while, the band never sacrifices earworm hooks and unforgettable riffage.


Vocalist Julien Deyres explains the concept behind "Aethra": "The moon: a star, an allegory, a universal symbol that concerns all peoples and eras... this is the central theme of the lyrical concept of this album which is divided into ten texts that follow a form of parity in terms of genres: four titles are devoted to female lunar deities, four to male deities. The remaining two are respectively dealing with the universal symbolism of the owl and the star itself.


"The concept is basically a study of different cults associated with the moon through the ages and peoples. Some themes are treated in a purely narrative way, some others in a more philosophical or poetic way, but generally it remains a personal reading of each myth, which aims to awaken critical thought as much as evasion."


Pascal adds: "The writing process was exceptionally short, only six weeks. I wanted more spontaneous and song-oriented music with clear and efficient structures. For the first time I tried to write the music always thinking stage-wise, always anticipating how every riff or lead would be perceived live, and, of course, how it could be performed."


As a live band through and through, GOROD plans to bring its trademark power and precision to North America on a full tour in support of "Aethra". Before coming to the states, GOROD will tour in Europe with headliners BEYOND CREATION, as well as fellow support acts ENTHEOS and BROUGHT BY PAIN.

GOROD is:

Julien "Nutz" Deyres: Vocals

Mathieu Pascal: Guitars

Ben "Barby" Claus: Bass

Nicolas Alberny: Guitars

Karol Diers: Drums

Finnish cinematic metal band DARK SARAH will release its new album, "The Golden Moth", on September 21 via Inner Wound Recordings.

The official lyric video for the song "The Gods Speak" — featuring guest appearances by Marco Hietala and Zuberoa Aznárez — can be seen below.

"The Golden Moth" is the last part of the first DARK SARAH trilogy ("The Chronicles"). The trilogy tells about Dark Sarah's travel through three worlds: The Middle World ("Behind The Black Veil" album), The Underworld ("The Puzzle" album) and The Upper World ("The Golden Moth" album).

On "The Golden Moth" album, Dark Sarah has to face the final test and find her way to the gods in the Upper World. After she had solved the puzzle in The Underworld and found the three keys, the Iron birds came there for her and took her to the Upper World, a deserted waste land where the gods rule. But also a trespasser, The Dragon, came with her. In the heat of the desert, they meet again and there is something The Dragon wants from her.

JP Leppäluoto (CHARON) has joined the official lineup as The Dragon for the upcoming album. Also in the roles of The Gods you will hear artists like Zuberoa Aznarez (DIABULUS IN MUSICA) and Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH).

DARK SARAH is a music project by Finnish metal band AMBERIAN DAWN's former vocalist Heidi Parviainen. During the years with AMBERIAN DAWN, she released four studio albums and did several European tours. After parting ways with AMBERIAN DAWN in late 2012, she started to build up her solo career and formed DARK SARAH.

DARK SARAH official lineup:

Heidi Parviainen (as Dark Sarah) - vocals

JP Leppäluoto (as Dragon) - vocals

Erkka Korhonen - guitar

Sami Salonen - guitar

Rude Rothstén - bass

Thomas Tunkkari - drums

The music video for "Trespasser" can be seen below.

"The Golden Moth" track listing:

01. Desert Rose

02. Trespasser

03. Wheel

04. My Beautiful Enemy

05. I Once Had Wings

06. Pirates

07. Sky Sailing

08. Wish

09. Gods Speak

10. Promise

11. Golden Moth

12. The Gate Of Time

The legendary death metal compilation "Death... Is Just The Beginning" is back!

Nuclear Blast's involvement with death metal harkens back to the late '80s and early '90s explosion of this heavy and deadly genre. The "Death... Is Just The Beginning" compilations paved the way to the introduction of many soon-to-become-legendary acts such as PUNGENT STENCH, DISMEMBER, HYPOCRISY and KATAKLYSM. While the scene suffered a bit of stagnation somewhere in the mid-to-late '90s, the genre as a whole never went away and Nuclear Blast continued to release quality death metal in the form of bands such as HYPOCRISY, KATAKLYSM, DECAPITATED, etc.


…And just like the undead, they always come back! Nuclear Blast is proud to announce the unearthing of this legendary series simply titled "MMXVIII". Highlights for this latest installment include some re-recordings of classic tracks, Nuclear Blast bands performing covers of classic songs from other Nuclear Blast artists, demos and rarities of previously released and unreleased songs, original cover artwork by Blake Armstrong and layout by Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER, HATEBREED, KREATOR).


"Death... Is Just The Beginning MMXVII" track listing:

01. BENEDICTION - Tear Off These Fucking Wings (unreleased demo of new song)

02. KATAKLYSM - The Awakener (re-recorded)

03. HYPOCRISY - They Lie (THE EXPLOITED cover)

04. THE SPIRIT - Illuminate The Night Sky

05. MEMORIAM - The War Rages On (demo)

06. INSIDIOUS DISEASE - Soul Excavation (unreleased new song)

07. POSSESSED - Abandoned (unreleased demo of new song)

08. THY ART IS MURDER - The Son Of Misery

09. IMMOLATION - Morbid Visions (feat. Max Cavalera) (SEPULTURA cover)

10. NAILED TO OBSCURITY - King Delusion (unreleased new song)

11. BLEEDING GODS - Beloved By Artemis

12. DECAPITATED - Sane (Meshuggah cover)

13. AENIMUS - Before The Eons (unreleased new song)

14. PARADISE LOST - Frozen Illusion (previously released Japanese only b-side)

15. CARCASS - A Wraith In The Apparatus

16. BRUJERIA - Viva Presidente Trump! (previously only available digitally and on vinyl)

"Death… Is Just The Beginning MMXVII" will be available as a CD jewel, limited cassette, colored vinyl, long sleeve shirt, T-shirt + CD bundle and mail-order edition boxset. Pre-order the compilation here.

A new tribute album dedicated to legendary guitarist Gary Moore will be released this fall.

Due on October 26 via earMUSIC, "Moore Blues for Gary - A Tribute To Gary Moore" is the brainchild of Bob Daisley, who had played bass with Gary since the early eighties.

The sky was crying when Moore passed away on February 6, 2011. From THIN LIZZY to COLOSSEUM II, together with his solo hits "Parisienne Walkways" and "Out In The Fields", Gary influenced a whole generation of guitar players and guitar playing.

Daisley is known for suggesting to Gary that he should make a blues album — the rest is history. "Still Got The Blues" was an immense hit, followed by a series of classic modern blues albums. Bob, also known for his contributions to RAINBOW and OZZY OSBOURNE, was the driving force behind "Moore Blues For Gary".

"In my opinion, Gary was one of the best guitarists who ever lived," says Bob Daisley. "It was an honor for me to have worked with him and to have known him so well.

"When Gary passed away in 2011, the world lost one of the all-time greats. I don't think that enough was said or done at the time to acknowledge the loss of such a great player so I took it upon myself to pay personal tribute to the man and record some new versions of his music, mostly from his blues catalog.

"I asked many members of the Gary Moore family tree, and some other great players, to contribute to the project. The response was not only encouraging but very moving. It seems that the name Gary Moore is also synonymous with the words 'respect', 'honour' and 'greatness.'

"I didn't set out to recreate anything that Gary had done, or to compete in any way. These arrangements and performances represent a 'hats off' to Gary and nothing more.

"Long live the memory of Robert William Gary Moore. Yes, he was another 'Bob' — something that I wasn't aware of for all of those years that I worked with him.

"I feel such gratitude towards the people who contributed to this album and I'm honored to have worked with them all."

John Sykes (ex-THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE) makes a triumphant return after a long absence with an uber-emotional rendition of "Still Got The Blues", with the soulful vocals by Daniel Bowes (THUNDER) complementing each other.

"Parisienne Walkways" is played by Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS) and Ricky Warwick (THIN LIZZY, BLACK STAR RIDERS, THE ALMIGHTY), with the unlikely pair resulting in a miraculous chemistry.

Gary's friends are here — his rocking keyboard / guitar / vocal sidekick Neil Carter sings "Empty Rooms", which he co-wrote with Gary. Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW) and Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE) had joined forces with Gary on numerous occasions, together with Eric Singer (KISS) and Darrin Mooney (PRIMAL SCREAM). Brush Shiels, the leader of Gary's first professional band SKID ROW, also makes an appearance.

Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO), Steve Lukather (TOTO), Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW), Jeff Watson (NIGHT RANGER), Damon Johnson (BLACK STAR RIDERS, ALICE COOPER) and Stan Webb (CHICKEN SHACK) also unsparingly pour all their emotions to show their appreciation to Gary.

Gary's sons Jack and Gus are also involved, playing guitar and singing on "This One's For You", showing that the "Blood Of Emeralds" still runs their veins.

During his blues days, Gary made two albums to thank the guitarists that made him who he was: "Blues For Greeny" for Peter Green of FLEETWOOD MAC, and "Blues For Jimi" for Jimi Hendrix. Now, this is his turn to be rewarded with an album full of love and respect. We still got the blues for you.

"Moore Blues for Gary - A Tribute To Gary Moore" track listing and personnel details:

01. That's Why I Play The Blues

Vocals - Jon C. Butler

Guitars - Tim Gaze

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Keyboards - Clayton Doley

02. The Blues Just Got Sadder

Vocals - Joe Lynn Turner

Lead Guitar - Steve Lukather

Rhythm Guitar And Slide Guitar – Tim Gaze

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Keyboards - Clayton Doley

03. Empty Rooms

Lead Vocal, Keyboards – Neil Carter

Bass Guitar, Harmonica, Backing Vocals – Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Guitars - Illya Szwec

Backing Vocals - Rosanna Daisley

04. Still Got The Blues (For You)

Vocals - Danny Bowes

Guitars - John Sykes

Keyboards - Don Airey

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

05. Texas Strut

Vocals - Brush Shiels

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Guitars - Tim Gaze

Drums - Rob Grosser

06. Nothing's The Same

Vocals - Glenn Hughes

Fretless Acoustic Bass – Bob Daisley

Cello - Ana Lenchantin

Guitars - Luis Maldonado

07. The Loner

Guitars - Doug Aldrich

Drums - Eric Singer

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Keyboards - Don Airey

08. Torn Inside

Vocals, Lead Guitar – Stan Webb

Bass Guitar, Riff Guitar – Bob Daisley

Drums - Darrin Mooney

Keyboards - Lachlan Doley

09. Don't Believe A Word

Vocals, Lead Guitar – Damon Johnson

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Rhythm Guitar - Illya Szwec

10. Story Of The Blues

Lead Vocal - Jon C. Butler

Bass Guitar, Riff Guitar, Backing Vocals – Bob Daisley

Lead And Rhythm Guitar – Tim Gaze

Drums - Rob Grosser

Keyboards - Lachlan Doley

Backing Vocals - Rosanna Daisley

11. This One's For You

Vocals - Gus Moore

Lead Guitar - Jack Moore

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Rhythm Guitar - Illya Szwec

12. Power Of The Blues

Vocals - Joe Lynn Turner

Lead Guitar - Jeff Watson

Bass Guitar, Riff Guitar – Bob Daisley

Drums - Darrin Mooney

Rhythm Guitar - Illya Szwec

13. Parisienne Walkways

Guitars - Steve Morse

Vocals - Ricky Warwick

Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley

Drums - Rob Grosser

Keyboards - Clayton Doley

Carlos Denogean, drummer for North Carolina's bastard sons of sludge WEEDEATER, has died.

Denogean joined WEEDEATER in 2017 as the replacement for Travis Owen, who stepped down from the group due to health issues.

Denogean's passing was confirmed by his bandmates, who wrote in a statement: "There is no easy way to say this. Our dear friend and bandmate Carlos Denogean passed away yesterday. It is with a heavy heart and intense sadness that we bring you this unfortunate news. He left this world far too soon and will be missed immensely by all of us.

"Anyone that knew Carlos was enamored by his kindness and his warm personality. He was an incredibly talented musician and a real joy to be around. He brought something truly special to the band and we all loved working with him. We simply cannot express how devastated we are by this loss.

"We don't know any details at this time and we ask that you please leave us to grieve now along with Carlos's family. Thank you for all of your kind wishes. Cherish what you have while you have it."

Prior to joining WEEDEATER, Denogean had played with BEARD OF ANTLERS, SALVACIÓN and ASG.

WEEDEATER's latest album, "Goliathan", was released in 2015.

BLACK VEIL BRIDES singer Andy Biersack (a.k.a. Andy Black) has released his new single, a cover of Frank Sinatra's "My Way", as a companion piece to his 12-page cover feature in the August edition of Alternative Press. This marks his 10th Alternative Press cover.

A video for "My Way" was recently filmed with director Patrick Fogarty and will be made available soon.

"I have always loved this song and the idea of doing my own take on it as an homage to my influences was initially inspired by the [Alternative Press] cover shoot and story," Biersack wrote on Instagram. "I cannot wait for you guys to hear it!"

Andy and longtime producer John Feldmann are putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to Biersack's 2016 critically acclaimed debut solo album, "The Shadow Side", to be released in early 2019.

"The Shadow Side" featured help from members of FALL OUT BOY, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, BLINK-182, ALKALINE TRIO and more.

Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's August 24 performance at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights, Michigan can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Firepower

02. Grinder

03. Sinner

04. Lightning Strike

05. Bloodstone

06. Turbo Lover

07. Rising From Ruins

08. Freewheel Burning

09. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

10. Hell Bent For Leather

11. Painkiller


Encore:

12. Metal Gods

13. Breaking The Law

14. Living After Midnight

JUDAS PRIEST and DEEP PURPLE have joined forces for a co-headlining North American tour. The 25-date trek launched August 21 in Cincinnati and concludes September 30 in Wheatland, California.

JUDAS PRIEST is touring in support of its latest album, "Firepower", which was released in March via Epic.

"Firepower" entered the Billboard 200 chart at position No. 5, making it the band's highest-charting album ever. 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" debuted and peaked at No. 6, while 2008's "Nostradamus" landed at No. 11 and 2005's "Angel Of Retribution" came in at No. 13.

"Firepower" moved 49,000 equivalent album units in first week of release. Of that sum, 48,000 were in traditional album sales, just shy of the 54,000 copies sold by "Angel Of Retribution" in that album's first week. The "Firepower" chart position was bolstered by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer in association with the band's spring 2018 North American tour.

Longtime JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton found out he had Parkinson's disease four years ago — after being stricken by the degenerative condition at least half a decade earlier — but only recently announced he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST LP since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live. He is being replaced on the road by "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap, who is also known as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrashers SABBAT.

Ian Gillan has reunited with his pre-DEEP PURPLE band THE JAVELINS to record the group's debut album. "Ian Gillan And The Javelins" will be released August 31 as a CD digipak, a vinyl LP and a digital download. The 16-track collection features covers of American blues, rock 'n' roll, soul and country tunes, including renditions of rock classics like THE CONTOURS' "Do You Love Me", Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" , Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" and "Rock And Roll Music", Jerry Lee Lewis's "High School Confidential", Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy", Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnin'" and Ray Charles's "What I'd Say".

In the video below, you can listen to audio snippets of the entire "Ian Gillan And The Javelins" album.

Every DEEP PURPLE true lover knows how much their magic and powerful style is the result of many different influences brought in by the single members, all merging into the powerful sound loved by millions of rock fans. Ian Gillan's love for American soul and R&B as well as skiffle and early rock and roll has been well documented in many articles and interviews.

Founded in the early 60s, THE JAVELINS were influenced by pop, soul, country, jazz and blues artists from America. They soaked up the music of their heroes, added their own stamp and went from town to town to perform their favourite songs in front of a small but ever growing audience — becoming local heroes themselves.

This was the time when Ian Gillan discovered himself, broke the chains and "found his voice."


THE JAVELINS paved the way for the Ian Gillan who, only a few years later, wrote music history with DEEP PURPLE, becoming one of the most iconic frontmen of all time and, together with very few others, shaped rock music the way we know it today.

"These contemporary recordings (2018) by THE JAVELINS are drawn from our set lists, circa 1963, when I was 18 years old. Now, a few years later, I have the privilege and joy of working with my old mates from the original group; Gordon Fairminer (lead guitar); Tony Tacon (rhythm guitar); Tony Whitfield (bass guitar); Keith Roach (drums), as we make a long-overdue LP."

Ian Gillan has defined this new studio album as "a collection of catchy rhythms and feel-good melodies". This understating definition shows Gillan's ability to still look at those songs and his whole career with the same eyes of the 18-year-old boy who sang them many years ago.

But there is a lot more to this recordings…

By paying tribute to music legends such as Chuck Berry, THE DRIFTERS, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley, IAN GILLAN & THE JAVELINS have not only managed to do that.

Avoiding the use of any modern technology, the band has managed to find the spontaneity and true sense of freedom of pop and rock and roll music of 50 years ago, probably without completely realizing it themselves.

One world superstar and four friends who have taken very different directions in life (none decided to "turn pro" as they would say it) but still able to capture the essence of what being a performing band is about.

This album is what happened during four days of recordings in a studio in Hamburg, Germany, where instruments, microphones, lyrics sheets and memories were the only tools allowed.

This album is not an act of nostalgia, or a celebration of the purity of the old days versus modernity. This is simply what the Javelins were in 1963… and this is what they are now, if they happen to meet in the studio, embracing their guitars and look at each other with a big smile on their face.

This is where it all started.

"Ian Gillan & The Javelins" has been recorded at the Chameleon Studios during a five-day recording session in Hamburg, March 2018, Germany. It features Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE) as special guest on piano. It will be released on August 31 on earMUSIC as CD digipak, 1LP gatefold (180g, black) and digital.

Gillan told Kaaos TV about THE JAVELINS: "The guys in the band, most of them tickled along at the occasional gig and they practiced, but most of them haven't really played in any progressive way for 50 years or more — 55, 56 years now.

"I prepared all the material with Steve Morris, my old partner from Liverpool — not Steve Morse; Steve Morris. And we sent the tapes, 16 songs, to each of the guys, and said, 'Okay, practice like crazy for six weeks.' And so we all met in the studio in Hamburg and we recorded 10 songs on the first day. And the whole 16 were recorded in two days, and then the solos and extra bits and pieces, a few mistakes, were repaired on a Wednesday, and then we did a video, and that was it. It was unbelievable."

He continued: "I was listening to the rough mixes, before we put on the vocal backings, the girls, and the brass section, because a lot of those old songs, like THE COASTERS and Ray Charles, had brass sections on them, so we're doing it authentically, augmenting the band. But, you know, because they hadn't played professionally for 50 years, they didn't evolve at all — they kept playing in the style which was in 1962, and consequently, when I'm listening to it, I think, 'My God! This is so authentic. It sounds just exactly as it did in those days.' It's not musicians from today trying to do a retro version of those songs, which I've heard plenty of, and they're always high production — there's no breathing space; no nothing. It sounds, to me, just as I remember it.

"Of course, we're all in our 70s, and we're like a bunch of school boys in the studio," he added. "We had a reunion a couple of years ago — at Christmas, we all went on a boat up the river Thames and had a fantastic night. And it was great — the old banter was still there, the jokes and the sense of humor. And it was wonderful — just truly wonderful. A great experience for these guys who have not been in a studio like that before. We did try another project a few years ago and made another set. So I think there were some nerves and some apprehension prior to the session, but by God, they went through it great. After every day's work, we sat down, we had a meal and drank some beers together and just talked about things. It was great. It was certainly a fantastic experience."

METAL ALLEGIANCE — with its four core members: David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER) and Mark Menghi — began as a celebration of heavy metal, powered by the almost tribal bond shared between the extreme music community's most revered trailblazers, armed with a list of contributors onstage (and off) that read like a Wikipedia entry on the genre itself.

The band will release its sophomore album, "Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty", on September 7 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The thrash-worshiping disc merges old-school legends with the modern metallers of the scene to produce groove-driven, adrenaline-soaked anthems while tackling the frustrating state of the world.

With less than two weeks until "Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" is released, METAL ALLEGIANCE is offering a third single. Watch the music video for "Bound By Silence" featuring John Bush (ARMORED SAINT) below.

Alex Skolnick comments: "Bringing in John Bush to sing on 'Bound By Silence' feels like a real coup. He has the perfect voice for this track musically, as well as the ability capture the intensity of the lyrics in terms of storytelling. A great addition the the METAL ALLEGIANCE family."

Mark Menghi states: "'Bound By Silence' tells the true tale of an amazing Vietnam War vet, a brave soul who told me his incredible story with only a few months left to live due to pancreatic cancer. It's a very personal song to me. I've since come to learn he recently passed on while leaving a great legacy behind. Forever bound by silence."

Other guest musicians on "Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" include Trevor Strnad (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), Max Cavalera (SOULFLY), Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL), Mark Tornillo (ACCEPT), Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH) and Johan Hegg (AMON). The album also marks the return of Mark Oseguesda (DEATH ANGEL) and Troy Sanders (MASTODON).

"Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" was produced by Menghi and Skolnick while Mark Lewis of MRL Studios handled the mixing and mastering. The cover artwork was created by renowned artist Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY, HATEBREED) and Rafael Tavares.

"Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" track listing:

01. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)

02. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)

03. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)

04. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)

05. King With A Paper Crown (feat. Johan Hegg)

06. Voodoo Of The Godsend (feat. Max Cavalera)

07. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)

08. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)

09. Power Drunk Majesty (Part I) (feat. Mark Osegueda)

10. Power Drunk Majesty (Part II) (feat. Floor Jansen)

Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD have released the Heath Bradley-directed animated video for their cover version of the MINISTRY song "Jesus Built My Hotrod". The track is taken from LAMB OF GOD's covers album, "Legion: XX", which was released under the BURN THE PRIEST banner on May 18 via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Epic Records in the U.S.

Guitarist Mark Morton says about the track: "This was a benchmark song from the early '90s. We didn't even originally plan on doing it — producer Josh Wilbur and I learned it real quickly and put it together. It turned out to be one of our favorite songs of the album. It features a side of Randy [Blythe, vocals] that people aren't used to hearing. Nothing was planned, so it felt fun, and we just went for it."

LAMB OF GOD may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), John Campbell (bass) and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, BURN THE PRIEST, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met Blythe before adding Chris Adler's brother, Willie Adler (guitar), prior to transitioning to LAMB OF GOD — and the rest is global metal history.


Morton says: "To truly understand the essence of the band BURN THE PRIEST, one must first consider the landscape in which it began: the mid-'90s. Grunge and alternative music ruled the airwaves. Social media and the internet had yet to assume their role as our collective sources for entertainment and cultural exchange. It was a time when DIY 'zines turned us on to new bands and regional scenes, and 'copy and paste' still implied a print shop and a glue stick."


BURN THE PRIEST's self-titled debut album, released via Philadelphia-based Legion Records, documented what was, in essence, a primal punk band performing metal. Ultimately, as they grew in local popularity, the five-piece chose to stray away from their name to avoid being associated with satanic metal, choosing the name LAMB OF GOD.


Morton continues: "As our sound and songs developed, so did our goals… we began playing basement parties and warehouse shows and in doing so, we realized that the energy we were creating was transferable. The shows we played in those squats and warehouses [in Philadelphia] and the people we met there are forever embedded in our collective consciousness and the DNA of our band."


As they enter their 20th year since releasing their first self-titled album as BURN THE PRIEST, the band has released a full-length covers album that reflects on the greatness of classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise — rock subgenres that contributed to what LAMB OF GOD, and indeed, the world, now view as modern heavy metal.


As BURN THE PRIEST, the band presents "Legion: XX" — featuring tracks originally performed by CRO-MAGS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, QUICKSAND, MINISTRY, BAD BRAINS, MELVINS, S.O.D., THE ACCÜSED, BIG BLACK and Richmond punk band SLIANG LAOS. The tracks are performed with the unmistakable precision that has kept the band vital for two decades, but ultimately harks back to the raw, punk-driven sound first explored by four unsuspecting college students and a line cook-turned-vocalist in their formative years. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, "Legion: XX" exhibits BURN THE PRIEST in their true element.


"Our inauspicious beginnings somehow grew into something none of us had ever even imagined possible, let alone aspired to, however, this is the story of BURN THE PRIEST," adds Morton. "The songs we chose to cover on this album reflect that story. They are touchstones from that point in time. The inspiration we gleaned from these bands and these songs carries through our work and our creative pursuits, even to this day. Many thanks to these bands for lighting our fire and endless gratitude to our fans around the world for keeping it lit."


"Legion: XX" track listing:

01. Inherit The Earth (THE ACCÜSED cover)

02. Honey Bucket (MELVINS cover)

03. Kerosene (BIG BLACK cover)

04. Kill Yourself (S.O.D. cover)

05. I Against I (BAD BRAINS cover)

06. Axis Rot (SLIANG LAOS cover)

07. Jesus Built My Hotrod (MINISTRY cover)

08. One Voice (AGNOSTIC FRONT cover)

09. Dine Alone (QUICKSAND cover)

10. We Gotta Know (CRO-MAGS cover)

Bonus song (only on LP!):

11. In The Meantime (HELMET cover)

LAMB OF GOD is supporting SLAYER on the North American leg of the latter band's farewell world tour. The trek kicked off with a May 10 concert at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center, with dates running through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center.

RED DRAGON CARTEL, the band led by former OZZY OSBOURNE and BADLANDS guitarist Jake E. Lee, will release its sophomore album, "Patina", 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 reportedly mixed by legendary producer Max Norman, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, SAVATAGE and LOUDNESS, among others.

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!"

Lee also told Guitar World about RED DRAGON CARTEL's newest members, saying: "Anthony Esposito is on bass. I first met him when he was a part of the original LYNCH MOB. He brings with him not just the solid, groove-oriented style he's known for, but a very lyrical and inventive, not unlike John Paul Jones, presence to the tracks. Phil Varone is the drummer. He was originally in SAIGON KICK (one of the best band names ever) and, like Ant, 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."

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.

It's alive! Inspired by Universal's original cinematic Monsters and the studio that invented the horror film, Universal Studios Hollywood unearths an all-new "Halloween Horror Nights" maze based on the original "Universal Monsters"… with a terrifying contemporary twist on these classic horror icons.

The new maze will also feature an original score produced and composed by celebrated Grammy Award-winning musician and GUNS N' ROSES member Slash, long hailed as one of the 10 best electric guitar players of all time.

"Halloween Horror Nights" begins on Friday, September 14.

At its core, "Halloween Horror Nights" is an extension of the horror film legacy originated by Universal Pictures and introduced to audiences in the 1920s… with a staple of classic Universal Monsters that dominated the silver screen, including "Dracula", "The Phantom Of The Opera", "Frankenstein's Monster" and "The Wolf Man".

"Halloween Horror Nights" continues to pay homage to these creatures of the night in this new maze by reawakening more than a dozen of these iconic classic Monsters. The essence of the maze will underscore each of their unique attributes and reimagine them into terrifying modern-day characters. At a glance, resurrected monsters will include The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Phantom Of The Opera, Dracula, Dracula's Bride, Frankenstein's Monster, The Bride Of Frankenstein and The Mummy, to name a few.

By giving each character a unique, complex composition, Slash's original score will add a haunting dimension to the experience and help define each of the characters.

"As a fan of horror movies and of 'Halloween Horror Nights', I jumped at the chance to once again collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to produce what might be interpreted as a soundtrack for the maze," said Slash. "Similar to the way music affects a film, I wanted to compose a score for the legions of infamous characters featured in the maze to elicit a greater sense of terror for the guests. In the end, the goal is to ultimately make the guests feel as if they are playing an integral role in a classic Monster movie."

"This maze is the ultimate melding of two of history's greatest icons — classic monsters and the top guitar player of all time," said John Murdy, creative director at Universal Studios Hollywood and executive producer of "Halloween Horror Nights". "Slash's intuitive understanding of the characters' struggles brings enormous depth to the maze to epitomize a living-movie experience for our guests.

"This is the second time we've had the great fortune to collaborate with Slash on a 'Halloween Horror Nights' maze," Murdy continued, "and it is a distinct honor to bring his expertise to the event where guests can enjoy a truly exclusive opportunity."

"Halloween Horror Nights" at Universal Studios Hollywood brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes, frightful scare zones and a fully re-imagined "Terror Tram" experience uniquely themed to today's most definitive horror properties, "Halloween Horror Nights" will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions as part of Southern California's most extreme Halloween experience.

Only two weeks are left until Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI release their new studio album, "Kulkija" ("Wanderer"), through Nuclear Blast. To celebrate, the band has unleashed the fourth single from the record, titled "Aallon Alla". It's accompanied by a lyric video, including studio material as well as live footage from their latest show at Summer Breeze (Dinkelsbühl, Germany), filmed by WDR's "Rockpalast". Watch it below.

Founding member Jonne Järvelä commented: "The melody of this song was written first, then I added the chords. First there was too much, but then I fixed that by simplifying it as much as possible. The electric guitar plays no riff of any kind, but it's included with the bass only to support the violin, accordion and vocal melodies.

"This song definitely wouldn't work for Yngwie Malmsteen since this is a prime example of a song where less is more. Of course, there is a slight exception to that rule; it has a bit of a progressive part after the first verse, which is also something new and previously unheard on a KORPIKLAANI album. The drum arrangement however is very complicated through the whole song, although it may seem rather simple at first."

About "Aallon Alla" ("Under The Wave"): A song of the drowning one. The lake and the sea are unpredictable. They are the oarsman's grave. No wings or riches are of help when the drowning man falls into waves. The oarsman in the story cannot hear the cry of the drowning one. The waves can sometimes feel safe: they drift you silently towards eternity.

With 14 tracks and a total running time of over 71 minutes, "Kulkija" is the group's longest album to date. Working with producer Janne Saksa for the first time, the album was recorded at Petrax Studio (Hollola, Finland) and mixed at Sound Supreme Studios (Hämeenlinna, Finland). Mastering duties were handled by renowned engineer Svante Forsbäck (RAMMSTEIN). The cover was designed by Jan Yrlund (BATTLE BEAST, MANOWAR), who has already created several artworks for previous albums and singles for the band.

Jonne commented: "We've never been as satisfied with a final result as we are with 'Kulkija'. We tried to keep it very natural. Like the wanderer, this album is a journey, one that makes you feel good."

Accordionist Sami Perttula added: "'Kulkija' isn't just a collection of songs, it's a 'real' album with a unique atmosphere guiding the listeners through a long journey. All songs were well prepared in advance and nothing needed to be arranged in the studio. Tuomas [fiddle] and I had lots of space to develop and play the folk arrangements."

KORPIKLAANI will return to the U.S. for a 25-date tour dubbed "The Wayfarer" in October and November. Russian pagan/folk metallers ARKONA will be joining them as direct support act.

Photo credit: Peero Lakanen

On October 5, Polish black/death overlords BEHEMOTH will unleash their new album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", upon the world via Metal Blade Records in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.

In the clip below, frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski discusses the disc's first single, "God = Dog". The song's official video was directed by BEHEMOTH's longtime visual collaborators Grupa 13.

Of course, BEHEMOTH is no stranger to blasphemy. Over the course of the last 27 years, they've pushed the boundaries of black metal and heresy alike. While anti-Christian sentiment might seem like stale bread where most metal bands are concerned, for BEHEMOTH such ideas represent a very real threat to their physical freedom. Time and again, the government of their native Poland has charged them with various "crimes" such as tearing up a bible onstage in 2007 and using the Polish coat of arms on a BEHEMOTH t-shirt in 2017. "Obviously, stuff like that can piss you off. But I think it's good to be pissed off," Nergal says with a laugh. "Anger can be a massive driving force, especially when you make extreme music. But politically and socially, Poland is a very disparate country. You can never feel totally safe here. That makes it easier for me to get inspiration. If I lived in Holland or Australia, I don't think I'd be doing what I do now. You can do or be anything you want there. I'm a huge fan of that kind of freedom, but I don't really have it here. Struggling with that on a daily basis makes me who I am, and fuels my passion for this music."

Nergal and his bandmates — Orion (bass) and Inferno (drums) — have channeled that passion into "I Loved You At Your Darkest". A crushing salvo of black metal majesty replete with hellish riffs, thundering drum cannonades and soaring liturgical choirs reminiscent of classic horror cinema, the album is also bejeweled with nimble-fingered rock guitar solos on songs like "God = Dog", "Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica" and "Sabbath Mater".

"I really wanted to redefine ourselves with this record," Nergal explains. "'I Loved You At Your Darkest' is a more dynamic record. It's extreme and radical on one hand, but it's also more rock-oriented than any other BEHEMOTH record."

Nergal doesn't view the heightened rock influence as a conscious creative decision so much as a renewed interest in the historical origins of the music he makes. "We don't give consideration to musical direction, we simply create what naturally comes to us," he says. "But 15 years ago, if you had asked me who I thought was the best band on the planet, I probably would have said MAYHEM or MORBID ANGEL. Today if you asked me, I'd say AC/DC. That should give you a clear indication of why this album is more rock-based. It all comes down to the songwriting."

Lyrically, "I Loved You At Your Darkest" revels in the kind of religious provocation that BEHEMOTH do best. "It's very religion-driven, maybe more than anything we've done before," Nergal offers. "But it's not just cheap goading. I believe this is some deeper metal language. It's art."

Unlike "The Satanist", which was primarily recorded in one studio, "I Loved You At Your Darkest" saw its production spread across Poland and the United States. It was produced by the bandmembers themselves, with drum co-production by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES), mixing by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and mastering by Tom Baker (NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON). Which is to say nothing of the 17-piece Polish orchestra arranged by Jan Stoklosa and engineered by Tomasz Budkiewicz. Or as Nergal sums it up: "Pretty much every instrument was recorded in a different studio, and a lot of amazing people were involved."

"I Loved You At Your Darkest" track listing:

01. Solve

02. Wolves Ov Siberia

03. God = Dog

04. Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica

05. Bartzabel

06. If Crucifixion Was Not Enough...

07. Angelvs XIII

08. Sabbath Mater

09. Havohej Pantocrator

10. Rom 5:8

11. We Are The Next 1000 Years

12. Coagvla

With the release of the previous two live videos for “Addicted To Pain” and “Words Darker Than Their Wings” from Alter Bridge’s career-defining live release Live At The Royal Albert Hall Featuring The Parallax Orchestra, fans have been patiently waiting for something new from those historical concerts. The band has released another rarity from their catalog, a live performance of “The End Is Here” from their 2004 debut release One Day Remains.

“The End Is Here” is the last song on the album that introduced Alter Bridge to the masses and is a track the band hasn’t performed since their first touring cycle. The live performance from Royal Albert Hall also showcases one of the rare moments in an Alter Bridge concert where frontman Myles Kennedy puts down his guitar and his only instrument is the voice that makes him one of the most recognizable performers in rock music. The video for the track can be seen below, and the audio is available via all streaming partners.

After 14 years performing together, five full-length studio albums, and countless sold-out shows around the globe, there aren’t many items left on a band’s bucket list. For Alter Bridge, one of the remaining list items was crossed off in October 2017 when the band performed two sold-out shows at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall backed by the 52-piece Parallax Orchestra led by conductor Simon Dobson. Those career-defining shows were captured and combined in the upcoming Napalm Records worldwide release Live At The Royal Albert Hall on September 7th. An official video trailer can be found below.

“I think out of all the years of doing this [music], this experience is the top two or three highlights without a doubt. It’s something that none of us are going to forgot,” explains Myles Kennedy in a recently released trailer that can be seen below.

Live At The Royal Albert Hall is a 21-song collection that features some of Alter Bridge’s biggest hits, fan favorites and even a couple of rarities including “Words Darker Than Their Wings” - a song the band had never played live previously. Songs like “Before Tomorrow Comes,” “Ghost Of Days Gone By,” “The Last Hero,” and “Broken Wings” all find new life with the unique arrangements presented by Dobson and the Parallax Orchestra performing alongside the band.

The pre-order for the release is live and fans can order various audio and video configurations including Blu-Ray, DVD, CD and Vinyl as well as other unique bundles with exclusive content. Pre-order various audio and video configurations here, or here. A portion of the proceeds from all sales will go to the Future Song Foundation; an organization that Myles Kennedy is closely involved with.

Live At The Royal Albert Hall tracklisting:
    
"Slip To The Void”               
"Addicted To Pain”               
"Before Tomorrow Comes”           
"The Writing On The Wall”           
"Cry Of Achilles”              
"In Loving Memory”             
"Fortress”                  
"Ties That Bind”              
"The Other Side”               
"Brand New Start”               
"Ghost Of Days Gone By”
"The Last Hero”
"The End Is Here”
"Words Darker Than Their Wings”
"Waters Rising”
"Lover”
"Wonderful Life/Watch Over You”
"This Side Of Fate”
"Broken Wings”
"Blackbird”
"Open Your Eyes”

“Words Darker Than Their Wings” video:

“Addicted To Pain” video:

Trailer:

On September 7th, Eagle Vision will release YES - 50th Anniversary Live At The Apollo on DVD, Blu-ray, 2CD & 3LP. Watch a video for "Roundabout" below.

In 2016, Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman combined their incredible talents and the heritage of Yes to take to the road for a series of concerts celebrating the band’s musical legacy from the seventies to the nineties. YES, featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman brought their live show to the UK in early 2017, including this sell-out performance, captured live at the Manchester Apollo.

With a setlist embracing the spectrum of their career, including classics “Roundabout,” “Owner Of A Lonely Heart,” “And You And I,” “Hold On,” “Heart Of The Sunrise,” “Rhythm Of Love,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Awaken” and many more, the band were on superb form. Wakeman’s keyboard sorcery wove its spell alongside Rabin’s masterly guitar skills and founding member Jon Anderson’s unique vocal and lyrical prowess to create a special night of musical alchemy for their fans. This glorious show captures the true, enduring nature of this ever-powerful band.

Grammy Award winners YES have sold more than 35 million albums and have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Tracklisting:

Orchestral arr. "Perpetual Change" (Rabin) / "Cinema" (Rabin/Kaye/Squire/White) / "Perpetual Change" (Anderson/Squire)
"Hold On" (Rabin/Anderson/Squire)
"I've Seen All Good People": (i) "Your Move" (ii) "All Good People" (Anderson/Squire)
"Lift Me Up" (Rabin/Squire)
"And You & I" (i) "Cord Of Life" (ii) "Eclipse" (iii) "The Preacher, The Teacher" (iv) "Apocalypse" (Anderson/Bruford/Howe/Squire
"Rhythm Of Love" (Rabin/Anderson/Kaye/Squire/White)
"Heart Of The Sunrise" (Anderson/Bruford/Squire)

(CD Disc 2)

"Changes" (Rabin/Anderson/White)
"Long Distance Runaround" (Anderson) / "The Fish" (Schindleria Praematurus) (Squire)
"Orchestral Shade" (Rabin) / "Awaken" (Anderson/Howe)
"Make It Easy" (Rabin) / "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" (Rabin/Anderson/Howe/Squire)
"Roundabout" (Anderson/Howe)

"Roundabout" video:

"Rhythm Of Love" video:

Trailer:

Lineup:

Jon Anderson (vocals, guitar, harp); Trevor Rabin (guitar, vocals); Rick Wakeman (keyboards)

With Lee Pomeroy (bass) and Lou Molino III (drums)

Audio Mixed By: Paul Linford and Trevor Rabin

Maryland rockers Clutch have unveiled another new track from their forthcoming album Book Of Bad Decisions, out September 7th. Watch the video for the new song, titled "In Walks Barbarella", below.

Fans can get hold of "In Walks Barbarella" as an instant gratification track via Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify.

In addition, a very limited 7” Picture Disc in a transparent PVC pocket will hit stores today. “In Walks Barbarella” is on the red & blue side and previous new single “Hot Bottom Feeder” on the reverse, green side. To order a physical copy of the new single directly from Clutch go to clutchmerch.com.

“In Walks Barbarella” is two stories woven into one. An adult man talks to a boy, maybe his son, about events that occurred 20 years ago. Now add visions of Jane Fonda as Barbarella, ray guns, and tractor beams. It’s one of Book of Bad Decisions’ signature songs and it includes a horn section that truly turns this song into weaponized funk.

Each of the single releases from Book Of Bad Decisions is accompanied by a Spotify playlist put together by one of the band members. This time around Jean-Paul Gaster is responsible for the playlist: “The playlist contains funk songs. I took some of my favourite songs, stuff that was recorded all the way back from the 50s into the 60s and 70s. These are some songs that I find a lot of inspiration from, both in the drumming and the way that the songs are put together.”

As the September 7th release date of “Book of Bad Decisions” approaches, this weekend is the final weekend to purchase Clutch pre-order bundles directly at clutchmerch.com. Bundle sales will close Wednesday, August 29th, and stand-alone items will then be available.

Book Of Bad Decisions was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN by producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather) and consists of 15 new tracks.

The album cover was designed by renowned photographer Dan Winters.

Book Of Bad Decisions tracklisting:

"Gimme The Keys"
"Spirit Of ’76"
"Book Of Bad Decisions"
"How To Shake Hands"
"In Walks Barbarella"
"Vision Quest"
"Weird Times"
"Emily Dickinson"
"Sonic Counselor"
"A Good Fire"
"Ghoul Wrangler"
"HB Is In Control"
"Hot Bottom Feeder"
"Paper & Strife"
"Lorelei"

"Hot Bottom Feeder" video:

"How To Shake Hands" video:

"Gimme The Keys" lyric video:

Trailers:

Clutch recently announced US/Canada fall tour dates for their Book Of Bad Decisions Tour 2018.

Clutch is making the following special offer for this tour: The price of a ticket when purchased in advance online includes a physical CD copy of Clutch's new album Book Of Bad Decisions. Fans will receive information on how to redeem the album after purchasing the advance ticket online. Offer valid through 10/29/18, open to US residents only. Not valid on resale tickets. Offer only valid for Clutch headline dates. Festivals, Canadian headline dates and the October 13th date with System Of A Down are exempt from this offer.

Tickets are on sale at pro-rock.com and facebook.com/clutchband.
 
Supporting the tour will be Sevendust and Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown.

Dates:

September
16 - Chicago IL - Riotfest **
18 - St Paul, MN - Myth Live
19 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
21 - Houston TX - House of Blues
22 - San Antonio TX - River City Rock Fest **
23 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
25 - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues
27 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
28 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
29 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade *
30 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life **

October
2 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theater
3 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
5 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
6 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
7 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
8 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
9 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
11 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
12 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
13 - San Bernardino, CA - Glen Helen Amphitheater w/SOAD ***
14 - San Diego, CA - North Park/Observatory
15 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
17 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
18 - Sauget, IL - Pop’s Nightclub
19 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe Live
20 - Detroit, MI - The Filmore Detroit
21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
23 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
25 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
26 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
27 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
28 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory

* no Sevendust
** festival date / Clutch and festival bill only
*** date with System Of A Down/ no Sevendust

Clutch recently announced that The Picturebooks and The Inspector Cluzo will support the band on their upcoming UK headline dates.

Dates:

December
18 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
19 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy
20 - Manchester, UK - Academy
21 - London, UK - O2 Academy Brixton
22 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy

Clutch:

Neil Fallon - Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult - Guitar
Dan Maines - Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums/Percussion