According to Best Classic Bands, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry has revealed that the band will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year with a Las Vegas residency.

Perry broke the news of AEROSMITH's residency last night (August 8) during a live interview on the weekly "Fab Fourum" program on SiriusXM's Beatles Channel.

Asked if he could offer a hint of the announcement that AEROSMITH will make during its upcoming appearance on NBC's "Today" show, Perry said: "We're going to be doing a residency in Vegas starting next spring. What we want to do is something that I haven't seen before… just downsizing our live show, just playing in a smaller place. We want to do something different. We're in the middle of the production now. What we're talking about is having an experience that you wouldn't be able to see on a regular AEROSMITH tour."

He continued: "I feel like we've been out of the wind for a while and it seems like it would be a really cool thing to bring some of the history back, so the production is gonna look like that. But without losing what we are: a hardcore rock and roll band.

"We're having almost weekly conversations about the production and how we're gonna keep it true and honest to the heartbeat of the rock and roll that we play but still add an element that people will want to see. I haven't been this excited about a project with AEROSMITH in quite a while."

The full details of AEROSMITH's Las Vegas residency are expected to be revealed next Wednesday, August 15 when the classic rock legends perform on the "Today" show.

AEROSMITH officially formed in Boston in 1970 and last performed on May 5 at the New Orleans Jazz Fest.

In 2017, AEROSMITH announced a run of dates called "Aero-Vederci Baby!", but stopped short of calling it a final tour.

AEROSMITH hasn't released a new studio album since 2012's "Music From Another Dimension!"

Perry issued a solo disc, titled "Sweetzerland Manifesto", on January 19.

The "censored" version of BEHEMOTH's music video for "God = Dog" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Polish extreme metal band's longtime visual collaborators Grupa 13.

"God = Dog" is taken from BEHEMOTH's new album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", which will be released on October 5 via Nuclear Blast.

While it certainly seems an unlikely title for a black metal band, its origin might surprise fans even more than the words themselves. "It's a verse from the Bible," frontman Nergal reveals. "It's actually a quote from Jesus Christ himself. For BEHEMOTH to use it as the basis of our record, it's sacrilege to the extreme."

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

Photo credit: Grzegorz Gołębiowski

Influential hardcore veterans TERROR will release their seventh full-length album, "Total Retaliation", on September 28 via Pure Noise Records. The band gives fans a taste of the new record today, with the debut of their first single, "Mental Demolition".


Also announced today, TERROR will unleash "Total Retaliation" on fans across North America on their forthcoming tour, which will feature support from HARM'S WAY, BACKTRACK, YEAR OF THE KNIFE and CANDY. Dates listed below. Tickets on sale Friday, August 10 at 10:00 a.m. local time.


Known for their unrelenting, furious style of metal infused hardcore, Los Angeles's homegrown TERROR holds nothing back on "Total Retaliation", which features FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY's Will Putney (THY ART IS MURDER, BODY COUNT, KNOCKED LOOSE) in the producer's chair and is the band's first new material since last year's "The Walls Will Fall" EP. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, "Total Retaliation" is a succinct yet intense message of resistance within a world that can inspire little else. It's a helping hand for the disillusioned and a firm middle finger to the authorities that are tearing apart society as we know it. As the band's seventh full-length studio album it serves as yet another example of why TERROR have not only endured, but remained at the top of their game for over 15 years.


"I really proud of this record," said vocalist Scott Vogel.

"I'm happy that after 16 years, we still have the urgency and aggression , and our youthful spirit is still kicking.

"Everything — from the lyrics to the riffs to the overall energy — on this album feels right.

"People that have heard the record keep telling me it's the terror record they have been wanting for, and it's our best in a while, so I'm super exited for this thing to come out in late September and we have a great team releasing this. Pure Noise in the States, Nuclear Blast in Europe and Triple B working on the vinyl."


TERROR tour dates:

Sep. 28 - San Diego, Ca @ Soma Sidestage

Sep. 29 - Berkeley, Ca @ Gilman Street

Sep. 30 - Los Angeles, Ca @ 1720

Oct. 01 - Tucson, Az @ House Of Bards

Oct. 03 - San Antonio, Tx @ Alamo City Music Hall

Oct. 04 - Fort Worth, Tx @ Ridgela

Oct. 05 - Houston, Tx @ Secret Group

Oct. 06 - New Orleans, La @ Howlin’ Wolf

Oct. 07 - Atlanta, Ga @ 529

Oct. 08 - Greensboro, Nc @ Blind Tiger

Oct. 09 - Louisville, Ky @ Riot Skatepark

Oct. 10 - Chicago, Il @ Subterranean

Oct. 11 - Detroit, Mi @ The Sanctuary

Oct. 12 - Toronto, On @ Hard Luck

Oct. 13 - Montreal, Qc @ Théâtre Fairmount

Oct. 14 - Worcester, Ma @ The Palladium

Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, Ny @ Brooklyn Bazaar

Oct. 16 - Philadelphia, Pa @ Voltage Lounge

German epic melodic death metallers NOTHGARD will release their new album, "Malady X", on October 26 via Metal Blade Records. The official music video for the disc's title track can now be seen below.

Bandleader Dom R. Crey states: "With 'Malady X', we have created an album that is both dark and serious, but on the other hand rife with catchy melodies — while not compromising our individual sound at all. On the contrary, I am sure we have defined the NOTHGARD style more clearly than ever on this album. This is why we are really happy to present our first new material to you in the shape of a music video!"

The clip for "Malady X" was recorded in one take, meaning without interruptions and based on a specific choreography to make an authentic impression. The result is nothing less than breathtaking.

Dom R. Crey adds: "Of course, 'Malady X' takes on an important role because it's the title track. It represents everything that we, deep inside, find disturbing about society and current ways of thinking. We consciously address it in the lyrics — no-go's and issues in daily life which should actually be perceived as such, but instead, we have lost awareness of them. Rather than standing in for our convictions, we choose to live according to false values."

"Malady X" was recorded at Def-Creation and Southern Deathcult studios and was mastered by Jens Bogren (AMON AMARTH, ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR, OPETH).

"Malady X" track listing:

01. Voyage To Decay (intro)

02. Malady X

03. Shades Of War

04. Guardians Of Sanity

05. Epitaph

06. Deamonium I

07. Serpent Hollow

08. Devil Will Know

09. Fall Of An Empire

10. Herald Of Death

11. Black Horizon

12. Eye For An Eye (limited digi-CD bonus)

13. Ninja (limited digi-CD bonus)

NOTHGARD will join forces with Finnish epic melodic death metallers OMNIUM GATHERUM and WOLFHEART for the "Burning Cold Over Europe 2018" tour this November.

NOTHGARD is:

Dom R. Crey - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Studio Keyboards

Skaahl - Guitars

Nico Kolja - Bass, Backing Vocals

Felix Indra - Drums

Photo credit: Andreas Richter

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MISFITS and DANZIG frontman Glenn Danzig has signed a feature film agreement with Cleopatra Entertainment, a division of the Los Angeles independent record label Cleopatra Records. Danzig will pen, direct and compose music for the feature film which will be structured as an anthology splitting its running time between three individual characters/storylines based on Danzig's own popular Verotik comic book characters.

Brian Perera, owner and CEO of Cleopatra Records/Cleopatra Entertainment, says of the partnership: "Glenn has a fantastic track records of building brands, including Verotik. We're excited to bring his vision and passion to the screen."

Verotik is Danzig's long-running brand of mature horror comic books and related material. The comics, featuring mostly deadly femme fatales, have been in print since 1994.

Principal photography for the anthology film will begin fall of 2018.

"Never Fade", a brand new song from ALICE IN CHAINS, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Rainier Fog", which will be released on August 24.

"Rainier Fog" marks a few firsts for ALICE IN CHAINS: in addition to being their first album in five years, it's their first album for BMG and their first time recording in their hometown of Seattle in more than 20 years (worth noting that the album title is a tribute to Seattle). They recorded at Studio X, the same facility where they tracked 1995's self-titled "Alice In Chains" album (back when the studio was known as Bad Animals). The "Rainier Fog" recording process also saw the band spend time at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles and at the Nashville studio of producer Nick Raskulinecz. "Rainier Fog" is the third straight ALICE IN CHAINS album recorded with Raskulinecz and engineer Paul Figueroa. The album was mixed by Joe Barresi (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, TOOL).

"Rainier Fog" track listing:

01. The One You Know

02. Rainier Fog

03. Red Giant

04. Fly

05. Drone

06. Deaf Ears Blind Eyes

07. Maybe

08. So Far Under

09. Never Fade

10. All I Am

Guitarist and co-vocalist Jerry Cantrell told Guitar World about the upcoming LP: "It's not that we were keeping it a secret — we just didn't want to say a whole lot about it until we had something to say. And we certainly have something to say with this one. It's a fucking strong record."

As for the musical direction of the new ALICE IN CHAINS material, Cantrell said: "It's a record we haven't done yet, I can tell you that. But it's also a record that has all the elements of anything you would expect from us. It's got our fingerprint. And we're really proud of the material that we wrote and the performances we captured. There's some really heavy shit, some really ugly stuff, some real beautiful stuff, some weirdo trippy shit… it's good!"

Cantrell also addressed the fact that it has been five years since the release of ALICE IN CHAINS' last album. "It's a lot of work doing a record," he said, "and I think it gets harder the older we get. But we just wait until we're ready and until we have enough material that's up to the ALICE IN CHAINS standard, and then we do what we do. This is just the racket that we make when we get together."

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" was the band's second disc with singer William Duvall, who joined in 2006 following the death of Layne Staley.

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" sold 62,000 copies in its first week of release. It followed up 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue".

The first two singles from "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", "Hollow" and "Stone", both hit No. 1 on the rock radio airplay charts, while the album itself debuted on the Billboard album chart at No. 2.

Photo credit: Pamela Littky

Norwegian metallers VREID will release their new album, "Lifehunger", on September 28 via Season Of Mist. The disc's new single, "Black Rites In The Black Nights", can be streamed below.

VREID comments: "Sometimes everything is so dark that you only see life.

"This album is all about the primordial hunger that keeps us marching forward. It's a celebration of the creative spirit, and a big fuck off to every obstacle on the way."

"Lifehunger" track listing:

01. Flowers & Blood (1:50)

02. One Hundred Years (5:39)

03. Lifehunger (5:36)

04. The Dead White (4:59)

05. Hello Darkness (4:39)

06. Black Rites In The Black Nights (6:26)

07. Sokrates Must Die (3:29)

08. Heimatt (6:01)

VREID has announced a string of Norwegian tour dates with ENSLAVED and GAAHLS WYRD.


VREID was formed in 2004. The Norwegian metal brigade rose from the ashes of WINDIR after the tragic perishing of the "Sognametal" legends with the declared mission of exploring new musical paths.


The Norsemen proved true to their words and have so far delivered seven albums and one DVD, each of which received high praise from critics and fans alike. VREID chose a course of constant evolution that is marked by thematically denoted phases regarding their often historically inspired lyrics.


This became particularly clear with albums "I Krig" (2007) and "Milorg" (2009), which both revolved around concepts dealing with resistance and liberation of Norway during World War II. With their following three records, VREID returned to their Norse roots, especially on latest full-length, "Sólverv", which received high critical acclaim in 2015.


VREID has hammered out its success partly by being a heavily touring band. The four-piece performed more than 500 shows in 25 countries so far. Their everlasting march to conquer new territories has led the Norwegians to headline tours in Europe, North America, Japan, and India.


VREID's style is often referred to as black 'n roll and Metal Hammer described their music as "a unique time travel in metal" as elements of '70s rock, '80s classic metal and Norwegian black metal are all clearly audible.

Finnish melodic death metal masters Omnium Gatherum have released their new single “Refining Fire”, taken off their upcoming album The Burning Cold, which will be released on August 31st.

Frontman Jukka Pelkonen comments, "The new video song ‘Refining Fire’ is a story about not giving up and the power of staying clear-headed inside oneself, as well as in the outside world too within all the chaotic turbulence. It is the never-ending stream, the river that carries us and it is the fire that refines us. Stay strong and hold your head up high. You deserve it! ...Musically speaking, this is maybe the most OG old schoolish song on the new album!"

“Refining Fire” is available as a digital single on all streaming and download platforms and as an Instant Grat Track on Amazon and iTunes. All physical formats of the new album The Burning Cold can be pre-ordered. Head here for all physical and digital formats.

The cover artwork for the album was once again created by Olli-Pekka Lappalainen, who has been responsible for every single artwork for the band since the very first demo. The Burning Cold was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö and produced and engineered by Teemu Aalto.

The Burning Cold tracklisting:

"The Burning"
"Gods Go First"
"Refining Fire"
"Rest In Your Heart"
"Over The Battlefield"
"The Fearless Entity"
"Be The Sky"
"Driven By Conflict"
"The Frontline"
"Planet Scale"
"Cold"

"Gods Go First" video:

Lineup:

Jukka Pelkonen - Vocals
Markus Vanhala - Guitar
Tuomo Latvala - Drums
Aapo Koivisto - Keyboards
Joonas Koto - Guitar
Erkki Silvennoinen - Bass

Bon Jovi have released another official live video, shot in Philadelphia, PA on the 2018 This House Is Not For Sale tour. Watch the band perform "Bed Of Roses" below:

Live clips for "It's My Life", "I'll Be There For You" and "Livin' On A Prayer" can be seen below:

A series of videos recapping the North American tour leg of Bon Jovi's This House Is Not For Sale can be seen below:

Episode #1:

Episode #2:

Episode #3:

Episode #4:

Episode #5:

Professionally filmed video footage of Metallica performing "Fade To Black" at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, WA on August 9th, 2017 can be seen below:

Metallica are currently taking a break from the road. The band launch a North American arena tour on September 2nd at Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Find their live itinerary here.
 
Support Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation and you could win a Wherever I May Roam Black Ticket - the one ticket that will allow you floor access to as many shows as you want to attend on the 2018/2019 North American tour (festivals and special events excluded from promotion). That's up to 35 gigs! You pick the shows, register no less than 48 hours before the gig, and you're in.

Find complete details and enter now at this location.

AWMH is a non-profit philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. 100% of donations go to support the organizations that work with the Foundation. Please visit allwithinmyhands.org for more information.

World Of Warplanes has teamed up with Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson to produce a series of educational videos on World War II combat aircraft. Episode #9 of the Warplanes Diaries: P51 Mustang NA-7, as well as previous episodes, can be found below.

Why enlist a heavy metal vocalist to talk about a video game, you ask? Well, Bruce happens to be not only a well-known World War II aviation aficionado, but he's also a pilot. Plus, his band did that song "Aces High", too. In fact, developer Wargaming has actually cobbled together a new World Of Warplanes video set to the track, which features in-game combat footage spliced with actual gun camera action from the conflict.

"We are all delighted that Bruce has brought his enthusiasm and expertise to World Of Warplanes with these informative videos which he has delivered in his own inimitable style," commented Wargaming's Global Marketing Director, Al King. "As well as the diaries and the "Aces High" tribute, we are also introducing a renovated hangar subtly branded with iconic Iron Maiden imagery. It’s unlike anything the game’s ever had before and we hope Maiden fans will have fun spotting the various Easter eggs hidden throughout!"

Warplanes Diaries Episode #1 - Hawker Hurricane:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #2 - Messerschmitt BF 109:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #3 - Focke-Wulf FW 190:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #4 - De Haviland Mosquito:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #5 - Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #6 - Hawker Tempest:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #7 - Stuka JU87:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #8 - Spitfire:

Warplanes Diaries Episode #9 - P51 Mustang NA-73:

"Aces High":

Classical guitar virtuoso Thomas Zwijsen will release his seventh solo album, Nylon Metal, on September 3rd. The double CD contains 26 acoustic arrangements of metal and rock songs by Iron Maiden, KISS, Metallica, Deep Purple, Helloween, Led Zeppelin, Dream Theater, and many more. A new preview video featuring Thomas and Blaze Bayley performing an acoustic rendition of the Iron Maiden song "Lightning Strikes Twice" can be found below.

Zwijsen states: “My mission is to bring heavy metal to the classical guitar world and vice versa, combining the greatness of heavy metal compositions with the beautiful tone of the classical guitar. I can’t wait to present this album to guitar fans around the world.”

Guest musicians on the album are (ex)members of KISS and Iron Maiden, respectively Bruce Kulick and Blaze Bayley.

Tracklisting:

CD 1:
"The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" (Ennio Moricone)
"Future World" (Helloween)
"2 Minutes To Midnight" (Iron Maiden)
"Forever" (KISS) ft. Bruce Kulick
"Eye Of The Tiger" (Survivor)
"Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" (Iron Maiden)
"Hollow Years" (Dream Theater)
"Renegade" (Hammerfall)
"The Unforgiven II" (Metallica)
"Four Lanes Of Chaos" (Original)
"Twisted Mind" (Avantasia)
"Soldier Of Fortune" (Deep Purple)
"The Final Countdown" (Europe)

CD 2:
"Where Eagles Dare" (Iron Maiden)
"Temple Of The King" (Rainbow)
"Lightning Strikes Twice" (Iron Maiden) ft.Blaze Bayley
"Enter Sandman" (Metallica)
"The Wickerman" (Iron Maiden)
"All My Love" (Led Zeppelin)
"Want You Bad" (The Offspring)
"Space Oddity" (David Bowie)
"Living After Midnight" (Judas Priest)
"Definitely Doable" (Original)
"Smoke On The Water" (Deep Purple)
"Eagle Fly Free" (Helloween)
"Detroit Rock City" (KISS)

"Lightning Strikes Twice" video:

Preview:

Trailer:

All songs are arranged by Thomas Zwijsen in his characteristic style, playing all essential melodies simultaneously on his Ortega signature guitar.

With his arrangements Zwijsen obtained over 20 million YouTube views and is now close to reaching 100,000 subscribers. He has played over 500 concerts in Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

The release of the Nylon Metal album will be followed by a European tour in September with Anne Bakker, a European tour in November with Blaze Bayley, and three shows in Israel in 2019 followed by an extensive South American solo tour.

The Book Of Tabs - Together with the album, Zwijsen will release his second tab book, The Book Of Tabs. The book includes tabs & standard notation of 11 Iron Maiden songs and includes online video lessons for each song.

Table of contents:

"If Eternity Should Fail"
"The Wickerman"
"Afraid To Shoot Strangers"
"2 Minutes To Midnight"
"Iron Maiden"
"Lightning Strikes Twice"
"Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son"
"Hallowed Be Thy Name"
"Children Of The Damned"
"Where Eagles Dare"
"Alexander The Great"

More info and pre-ordering at here.

A lyric video for "Manimalized", a track from Manimal's upcoming Purgatorio album, is available for streaming below.

A band needs plenty of exceptional compositional talent to record an album that sounds monolithic despite the fact that the individual songs ooze a wide range of different details and special features. Since its foundation in 2001, Manimal from Gothenburg have successfully mastered this feat for the third time.

Despite their loyalty to traditional influences their previous albums, The Darkest Room (2009) and Trapped In The Shadows (2015), were prime examples of modern and trend-setting power metal characterized by musical enthusiasm and new ideas. Their latest recording Purgatorio sees the four-piece take their outstanding qualities to the brink of perfection: Throughout their nine new songs the musicians pull out all the stops, presenting a number of different tempos and atmospheres and impressing with chorus parts that have true anthem potential.

“Our goal has always been to write songs that we love and believe in. The challenge is to make a song with strong hooks without being too predictable. It's just a bonus when we realize that people around the world seem to have the same good taste in music that we have,” jokes frontman Samuel Nyman.

As usual, Nyman is at the epicentre of this amazing album that features one highlight after the other. Inspired by Rob Halford, Geoff Tate and Michael Kiske, among others, his voice oozes aplomb and pure passion, blending perfectly with the intelligent songwriting, courtesy of guitarist Henrik Stenroos, a true riff icon whose hooks and licks provide the foundation for Manimal’s songs. Equally important for the group’s typical flair are drummer André Holmqvist and bassist Kenny Boufadene. Holmqvist has a tight, powerful drum style that comes surprisingly close to paragons such as Tommy Lee and Mike Portnoy and he also co-wrote the lyrics on Purgatorio with Nyman, while Boufadene was in charge of mixing the new album and also produces his band’s videos.

Blessed with such diverse talents, it’s hardly surprising that Manimal took the most important studio parameters into their own hands again during the production of Purgatorio. “Just like our previous two albums, we produced this one ourselves. Mainly because we like to have full control of the production. We’re control freaks to the bone and the thought of putting our creations into the hands of an external producer simply scares us,” Nyman confesses.

However, they took renowned support on board for some aspects: The drums were recorded by Jakob Herrmann (Anthrax, Europe, Machine Head, Evergrey) at the Top Floor Studios, the album was mastered by Tony Lindgren at Jens Bogren's famous Fascination Street Studios, and the cover artwork was designed by Claudio Bergamin (Judas Priest).

So Purgatorio impresses in every respect, from the first note of the opener "Black Plague" to the final sound of the last track, "The Fear Within". The title song and "Edge Of Darkness" see the band present their typical mélange of haunting melodies, classy grooves and that latent melancholia that is one of their typical trademarks. On the other hand there are a number of tracks which are unusual for Manimal, such as "Denial" featuring a riff that brings Rammstein to mind and "Spreading The Dread" with its remarkable rhythm.

Remains only one question to be answered: Why did Manimal decide on an Italian title? Nyman: “First, it’s the title of one of the strongest songs of the album. Second, it’s a powerful word that fits perfectly as the title of a metal album in general and this recording in particular. For me, it reflects the state of mankind and the world today - the general, ongoing decay which we seem to lack the ability to stop. Many of the lyrics on the album circle around that kind of theme. Purgatorio is also the original title of the second part of great Dante Alighieri’s masterpiece The Divine Comedy. It’s not the first time that we’ve found inspiration in that specific work of literature.”

Purgatorio will be released on September 7th via AFM Records.

Tracklisting:

"Black Plague"
"Purgatorio"
"Manimalized"
"Spreading The Dread"
"Traitor"
"Behind Enemy Lines"
"Denial"
"Edge Of Darkness"
"The Fear Within"

"Manimalized" lyric video:

"Black Plague":

Death metal icons Deicide return with Overtures Of Blasphemy, which sees the band return to their roots to create a stellar and uncompromising extreme metal masterpiece. The effort was produced by the world-renowned Jason Suecof (The Black Dahlia Murder, Trivium) at Audio Hammer Studios and will be released through Century Media worldwide on September 14th. The song "Seal The Tome Below" is available for streaming below.

You can pre-order the album at this location in the following formats:

- Standard CD Jewelcase
- Ltd. box with CD, metal pendant, sticker set and woven patch
- LP with 180 gram vinyl
- Digital album

The LP version is available in these vinyl colours:

- Black vinyl - unlimited
- Silver vinyl - limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at CM Distro Europe
- Clear vinyl - limited to 200 copies, available at various online stores
- White vinyl - limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast
- Transparent-red vinyl - limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at EMP

Cover art was created by Zbigniew M. Bielak (Ghost, Paradise Lost, Mayhem). Bielak comments: “If you experienced the death metal boom of the early 90s first hand, you know why Deicide's flaming logo was the ultimate threat in the sanity department. Working with Glen Benton was a great honour and a throwback to the time, when death metal aesthetics were at their vilest. Satan Spawn the Caco Deamon is alive and well.”

Benton states: "This album came together over time, meaning we didn't want to rush it. A few people might remember an interview where Steve Asheim (original member, drummer/songwriter) said 'the material is done, but it's just not there yet.' Well, that was the jumping off point of when this album truly started taking shape and the songs became what they are now... complete, compact and effective. As the band pushed forward, so did the writing process and a few other processes which made the record and the band stronger. The result is Overtures Of Blasphemy, perhaps the group’s strongest release to date. Jason Suecoff lended his considerable talents and attention to detail in making the tracking of the songs as great as they can be and the final mix as sonically brutal, yet as listenable as possible. An arduous process, but one well worth the time and effort."

Tracklisting:

"One With Satan"
"Crawled From The Shadows"
"Seal The Tomb Below"
"Compliments Of Christ"
"All That Is Evil"
"Excommunicated"
"Anointed In Blood"
"Crucified Soul Of Salvation"
"Defying The Sacred"
"Consumed By Hatred"
"Flesh, Power, Dominion"
"Destined To Blasphemy"

"Seal The Tomb Below":

"Excommunicated" lyric video:

Lineup:

Glen Benton (vocals, bass)
Steve Asheim (drums)
Kevin Quirion (guitars)
Mark English (guitars)

As Beyond The Sky - the forthcoming full-length from La Chinga - draws ever closer to its September 7th release via Small Stone, the band has unveiled a visual companion to "Wings Of Fire".

Notes director R. D. Cane, "La Chinga.... When they asked me to shoot a video, I had to really think about how to pay all due respect to their guitar heavy forefathers and still visually knock the socks off of a whole new generation of young rockers. We knew we wanted to make it colorful and exciting but simple enough to not get in the way. 'Wings Of Fire' just rocks. La Chinga knows their thing and they do it so well. This was a blast to shoot and hanging out was very cool, I really can't wait to do more..."

A hard rock power trio with psychedelic powers based in Vancouver, British Columbia, La Chinga draws from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, MC5, and their own bad habits to conjure the 45 minutes of sublimely confident freedom rock that comprises Beyond The Sky. Sometimes meaty and beaty ("Mama Boogie", "Death Rider"), sometimes glam-handed ("Killer Wizard"), and occasionally even dirtbag pretty ("Keep On Rollin'"), when it all melts into a puddle of phased goo in the final bars of "Warlords," the listener has been rolled, boogied, and otherwise supernaturally conveyed well beyond the sky.

The follow-up to La Chinga's 2016 Freewheelin' full-length was captured at Vancouver's fabled Warehouse Studio with no-less-fabled producer Jamey Koch (DOA, Copyright, The Tragically Hip).

Tracklisting:

“Nothin’ That I Can’t Do”
“Wings Of Fire”
“Mama Boogie”
“Black River”
“Beyond The Sky”
“Keep On Rollin’”
“Killer Wizard”
“Death Rider”
“Feel It In My Bones”
“H.O.W.”
“Warlords”

“Killer Wizard” video:

“Nothin’ That I Can’t Do”:

Beyond The Sky by La Chinga

 

With only a month remaining before their album release, German doom band Owl has issued a video for their latest single “Anamnesis”. The video was directed by Costin Chioreanu and the track is featured on the forthcoming record, Nights In Distortion, that’s due out on September 7th from Temple of Torturous Records.

Owl’s founder and primary songwriter Christian Kolf, who’s also a member of the metal band Valborg (Prophecy Productions) and founder of the label Zeitgeister, created the band in the mid-2000’s as a necessity to further explore and challenge his musical creativity. What began as a death metal project has evolved over the years, incorporating Kolf’s eclectic tastes and influences that’s resulted in an amalgam of death and doom that conjures memories of Type O Negative, Jesu, Neurosis, Anathema and Meshuggah among others. 

Nights In Distortion tracklisting:

"We Are Made For Twilight"
"Transparent Monument"
"Anamnesis"
"Inanna In Isolation"
"Abortion Of Empathy"
"Madness Is The Glory Of This Life"

"Madness Is The Glory Of This Life":

Nights In Distortion by Owl (Ger)

 

"We respect and love the freedom of speech afforded all citizens in The US," says Steel Panther. "We support the right for all people to express themselves no matter where they are in the world. We welcome all races, genders and sexual orientations at our shows - shows that celebrate everyone’s individuality through partying, and of course a love of heavy metal."

As stated by Steel Panther guitarist Satchel when it was originally developed, the sound being created by the Pussy Melter tone pack was intended to bring pleasure to females who heard it. Steel Panther is happy to announce that they are now offering pleasurable eargasms to everyone. This limited edition distortion pedal is made in the USA and will come with a hand numbered certificate of authenticity.

This '80s Sunset Strip overdriven full stack in a box, limited edition pedal will only be available until October 1, 2018, at which point orders will begin shipping. Get yours now at this location.

In live news, Steel Panther return to the stage on August 15th at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. To view their complete tour schedule, click here.

 

 

Groundbreaker, featuring singer Steve Overland of FM and Robert Säll of Work Of Art and W.E.T., will release their self-titled debut album on September 14th. A video for the album track "Something Worth Fighting For" can be found below. Pre-order Groundbreaker here.

The album is simply everything that a melodic rock fan could hope for: soaring hooklines, magnificent melodies, amazing musical performances, and in Overland, a stunning vocalist. Mixing the British and Swedish melodic rock/AOR styles, Groundbreaker is truly the best of both worlds and surely destined to be one of the highlights of the year in an already stellar year for melodic rock.

Groundbreaker came about when a conversation between Frontiers’ President Serafino Perugino and Overland revealed that the latter was eager to collaborate with new and exciting musicians from the European melodic rock scene. The idea was immediately brought up to involve Robert Sall of Work of Art and use Alessandro Del Vecchio’s production abilities. Overland loved the initial material that was submitted and consequently, they all started to work on songs. The process was very smooth and the final result was so good that everyone thought that the name “Groundbreaker” was the right way to describe the power and the vibe of the music.

"I’m the main composer for about half of the songs, but Ale and Steve wrote a lot as well,” tells Robert Sall. “I had to write songs with Steve's voice in mind and that was new, but very inspiring to me. But for any fan of FM or Work of Art, I think they will be very familiar with the sound of this record!"

“The idea for the album was to make a classic AOR album and I think between Robert, Alessandro, Pete Alpenborg and myself, we came up with a great collection of songs,” adds Overland. "I think this is some of the best material I've worked on in a while and all of the musicians on the record are fantastic, not only as players, but to work with. I knew of Robert's writing talents on the Work of Art records, but it really turned out to be a great collaboration and I'm so proud of the results! My personal favourite song on the record is "Will It Make You Love Me”. We’ve shot a video for it and I think it's truly a future classic!"

Tracklisting:

"Over My Shoulder"
"Will It Make You Love Me"
"Eighteen Til I Die"
"Only Time Will Tell"
"Tonight"
"Standing Up For Love"
"Something Worth Fighting For"
"The Sound Of A Broken Heart"
"The First Time"
"The Days Of Our Life"
"The Way It Goes"

"Something Worth Fighting For" video:

"Over My Shoulder" video:

"Making of" video:

Lineup:

Steve Overland - Vocals
Robert Sall - Guitars
Nalley Pahlsson - Bass
Herman Furin - Drums
With Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards

German black/doom/punk chimera Mantar will release their third studio album The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze on August 24th via Nuclear Blast. Pre-order the album here, and check out a video featuring snippets of all tracks on the album below.

Mantar have achieved more in five years than most bands twice their age and size. The product of a twenty year friendship between guitarist/vocalist Hanno Klaenhardt and drummer Erinc Sakarya, theirs is a success story born entirely of one thing: hard work, with three albums, an EP and a live release already to their name. Releasing their 2014 Svart Records debut Death By Burning, an uncompromising clash of stripped-back punk attitude and metal intensity to instant critical acclaim, the band toured relentlessly, gracing stages the world over, including the hallowed likes of Roadburn, Wacken Open Air and Maryland Deathfest. They used 2016’s Ode To The Flame, their Nuclear Blast Records debut, to further build upon their incendiary live reputation, conquering not only Europe and the US, but Russia, Japan and South Africa.

Now, following a brief period of repose which saw Hanno move to Florida, Mantar return with The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze, a short, sharp shock that hones the hungry riffs and breath-taking pace of their previous records. “We skipped the bullshit,” explains Hanno. “I wanted 3 or 4 minute songs; bam, bam, bam. Every song different, catchy - that’s what rock and roll is about.”

Tracklisting:

"The Knowing"
"Age Of The Absurd"
"Seek + Forget"
"Taurus"
"Midgard Serpent (Seasons Of Failure)"
"Dynasty Of Nails"
"Eternal Return"
"Obey The Obscene"
"Anti Eternia"
"The Formation Of Night"
"Teeth Of The Sea"
"The Funeral"

Album snippets:

"Seek + Forget" video:

"Age Of The Absurd" video:

Mantar's metallic genesis is unique in that neither member classes themself as a metalhead. Hanno’s a punk kid that developed a love for black metal later in life. Erinc’s tastes are even further removed, preferring the svelte sadness of the likes of The Sisters OF Mercy. “But we have a metal audience and we are a metal band, I guess!” states Hanno proudly, “I take that as a gift.” He’s never listened to more classic metal records than when writing »The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze«, and it shows in the album’s ceaseless, hook-laden riffs and caustically blackened, nihilistic atmosphere. “Riffs, riffs, riffs are the only hard currency for Mantar - simple as fuck - that’s what I like,” says Hanno. “The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze is way more metal than the previous two records; on the other hand I think the songs speak for themselves, without the need for genre classification.”

The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze is a title in-keeping with Hanno’s symbolic obsession with fire on albums previous; this time disavowing mankind’s tendency to blindly follow those that would lead us into oblivion. This isn’t necessarily a political statement; more a morbid fascination with current smouldering tensions that threaten to set the minds of the masses on fire. The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze is the spark that will ignite the flame - especially onstage. “I’m addicted to those moments up there,” impresses Hanno, “being loud, raw and aggressive - setting the stage ablaze, causing violence; that’s what I live for.”

The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze is a title in-keeping with Mantar's symbolic obsession with fire on albums previous; this time disavowing mankind's tendency to blindly follow those that would lead us into oblivion. This isn't necessarily a political statement; but rather a morbid fascination with current smouldering tensions that threaten to set the minds of the masses on fire.

Mantar live dates:

August
10 - Sonic Blast Moledo - Moledo, Portugal
12 - Bloodstock - Derbyshire, England
24 - Kulturkombinat Bunker - Rostock, Germany
25 - Reload Festival - Sulingen, Germany

Skeletonwitch and Mantar recently announced that they will be hitting the UK and Europe this winter for a co-headline run. Support will come from Belgium thrash outfit Evil Invaders and German deathers Deathrite. Tickets on sale now.

Dates:

November
14 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen, Denmark
15 - Krosset - Oslo, Norway
16 - Sticky Fingers - Gothenburg, Sweden
17 - Markthalle - Hamburg, Germany
19 - Musikzentrum - Hannover, Germany
20 - Hirsch - Nürnberg, Germany
21 - Turock - Essen, Germany
22 - Dynamo - Zürich, Switzerland
23 - KJH Hallschlag - Stuttgart, Germany
24 - Rockhouse - Salzburg, Austria
26 - Backstage - München, Germany
27 - Arena - Wien, Austria
28 - Explosiv - Graz, Austria
29 - Nova Chmelnice - Prague, Czech Republic
30 - UT Connewitz - Leipzig, Germany

December
1 - SO 36 - Berlin, Germany
2 - Biebob - Vosselaar, Belgium
4 - Rebellion - Manchester, UK
5 - Mama Roux´s - Birmingham, UK
6 - Underworld - London, UK
7 - Petit Bain - Paris, France
8 - Schlachthof - Wiesbaden, Germany
9 - Baroeg - Rotterdam, Netherlands

Forever Warriors, Forever United, Doro's upcoming 25-track double album will be released on August 17th via Nuclear Blast. A third official video trailer can be seen below:

"There are some big anthems on the album, countless heavy songs, as well as heart-warming melodies! The album is supposed to give you power and thus contains a lot of energy!", says the metal queen.

The album cover artwork was once again created by Doro's favourite artist, Geoffrey Gillespie. It portrays Doro in the middle of a swarm of wild metal heads exuding attitude, power and positive vibes. "The cover and the title form a perfect unit," Doro explains, "Just as it should be. It all fits perfectly in line with the songs, which also deal with some political themes."

Doro continues: "On Forever Warriors, Forever United, there will be a lot of big rock heroes. Fans might be curious about the many awesome guest musicians involved. There are some big anthems on both albums, countless heavy songs, as well as heart-warming melodies! The records are supposed to give you power and thus contain a lot of energy."

Pre-order Forever Warriors, Forever United here.

An official video for the song "If I Can't Have You, No One Will" featuring Johan Egg of Amon Amarth can be seen below:

Track-by-track videos:

"Tra Como E Coriovallum":

"Black Ballad":

"Be Strong":

"Caruso":

"Backstage To Heaven":

"Lost In The Ozone":

"Fight Through The Fire":

"Love's Gone To Hell":

"Don't Break My Heart Again":

"Living Life To The Fullest":

"Love Is A Sin":

"Turn It Up":

"It Cuts So Deep":

"Soldier Of Metal":

"Heartbroken":

"If I Can't Have You - No One Will":

"Lift Me Up":

"Bastardos":

"All For Metal":

"Résistance":

On September 14th, King Diamond will release LP reissues of the classic albums Deadly Lullabyes, Give Me Your Soul, and The Puppet Master via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be ordered here.

"You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy." - King

Deadly Lullabyes Live tracklisting:

Side A
"Funeral"
"A Mansion In Darkness"
"The Family Ghost"
"Black Horseman"

Side B
"Spare This Life"
"Mansion In Sorrow"
"Spirits"
"Sorry Dear"
"Eye Of The Witch"
"Sleepless Nights"

Side C
"The Puppet Master"
"Blood To Walk"
"So Sad"
"Living Dead" (Outro)
"Welcome Home"

Side D
"The Invisible Guests"
"Burn"
Introductions
"Halloween"
"No Presents For Christmas"

Give Me Your Soul...Please tracklisting:

Side A
"The Dead"
"Never Ending Hill"
"Is Anybody Here?"
"Black Of Night"

Side B
"Mirror Mirror"
"The Cellar"
"Pictures In Red"

Side C
"Give Me Your Soul"
"The Floating Head"
"Cold As Ice"

Side D
"Shapes Of Black"
"The Girl In Tthe Bloody Dress"
"Moving On"

The Puppet Master tracklisting:

Side A
"Midnight"
"The Puppet Master"
"Magic"
"Emerencia"

Side B
"Blue Eyes"
"The Ritual"
"No More Me"

Side C
"Blood To Walk"
"Darkness"
"So Sad"

Side D
"Christmas"
"Living Dead"

Original Human Music, the debut album by Ultraphonix, the new creation of Corey Glover (Living Colour) and George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob), alongside the great rhythm section formed by drummer Chris Moore and Pancho Tomaselli on bass, is out now via earMUSIC. The album opener "Baptism" is available for streaming below.

Original Human Music was co-produced by Bob Daspit (Sammy Hagar) and it displays the magic match between Corey Glover's iconic voice and George Lynch's unique style on the guitar.

The core and value of Ultraphonix lies in the songwriting and the quality of the songs. Original Human Music is an album where Glover's profound and thoughtful lyrics sound loud - together with the warm and heavy wall of sound created by George Lynch. It's all sustained by a rhythm section that can go anywhere musically.

To quote Lynch, "The album sounds like a fusion of early Chili Peppers meets King Crimson meets Judas Priest! It's a super fun band."

Drawing on (very heavy) rock, funk, and jazz influences, the band paints a picture of a band still believing that social consciousness could be celebrated through great rock songs.

Order here.

Tracklisting:

"Baptism"
"Another Day"
"Walk Run Crawl"
"Counter Culture"
"Heart Full Of Rain"
"Free"
"Wasteland"
"Take A Stand"
"Ain't Too Late"
"Soul Control"
"What You Say"
"Power Trip"

"Baptism":

"Another Day" video:

"Free" lyric video:

"Walk Run Crawl" video:

Danish death metallers Baest, whose moniker translates to ‘beast’ or ‘brute’ in the band’s native language, have released "Ego Te Absolvo", the third single from their forthcoming debut album Danse Macabre.

Set for release on August 17th via Century Media Records, Danse Macabre offers an intense Messe Macabre uniting influences from the likes of Bloodbath, Dismember, Bolt Thrower, Entombed and 90’s Morbid Angel with uttermost savagery.

Baest comments: "'Ego Te Absolvo' - I absolve you. (Mortui Vivos Docent. Learn from the dead.) The last track of Danse Macabre frees the human shell from its shackles, and condemns its pathetic remains to eternal solstice. Prophecies and promises crushed by thundering truth. Heresy is forever.”

Filmed by Jens Karlsson and Lasse Rønne at several shows and also edited by Lasse Rønne, the "Ego Te Absolvo" video throws you right into the explosive live shows of Baest, bringing their ferocious Messe Macabre straight to your home. Watch the video below.

Danse Macabre will be released as 180 gram vinyl plus CD, as jewelcase CD, and on all digital platforms. Apart from regular black vinyl, the following limited colours are available:

- 200x transparent green - BAEST exclusive-
- 100x gold - CMDistro.de exclusive-
- 200x silver - also available through CMDistro.de-
- 100x transparent red - Headbangr Edition, available alongside an exclusive t-shirt bundle via Headbangr.dk  

All pre-sales can be viewed here.

Danse Macabre, recorded with Andreas Linnemann at Output Lydstudio and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Obey Mastering (Firespawn, Decapitated, LIK), offers extremely focused (de)compositions perfectly blending Boss HM-2 pedal abusing buzz saw guitars, vicious blasts, deep growls and infectious hooks.

Danse Macabre tracklisting:

"Crosswhore"
"Hecatomb"
"Danse Macabre"
"Atra Mors"
"Messe Macabre"
"Ritual"
"Vortex"
"Ego Te Absolvo"

"Ego Te Absolvo" video:

"Vortex" video

"Crosswhore" video:

Formed in 2015, Baest played over 40 shows within the quintet’s first year of existence, quickly turning heads due to their windmill headbanging skills and ferocious frontman Simon Olsen. Previously, Baest performed at Copenhell, Roskilde, Royal Metal Fest, Eurosonic and supported bands like Hatebreed, Dying Fetus, Entombed A.D. and Illdisposed, in 2018 they will play at Summer Breeze, do a Denmark headlining tour and selected shows supporting Abbath in Germany.

Tour dates:

August
10 - Dirty Days Of Summer - Copenhagen, Denmark
11 - Smukfest - Skanderborg, Denmark
16 - Summer Breeze - Dinkelsbühl, Germany

September (with Abbath)
5 - Leiden, Netherlands - Gebr. De Nobel
6 - Essen, Germany - Turock
7 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion Complex

September (with I’ll Be Damned)
27 - Sønderborg, Denmark - Sonderborg Hus
28 - Randers , Denmark - Turbinen
29 - Aalborg, Denmark - Studenterhuset

October (with I’ll Be Damned)
5 - Vejle, Denmark - Bygningen
18 - Fredericia, Denmark - Tojhuset
19 - Kolding, Denmark - Godset
20 - Odense, Denmark - Kansas City
25 - Roskilde, Denmark - Gimle
26 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Lille Vega
27 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall

Baest is:

Mattias Melchiorsen - bass
Svend Karlsson - guitar
Sebastian Abildsten - drums
Simon Olsen - vocals
Lasse Revsbech - guitar

(Photo - Nikolaj Bransholm / Bransholm Photography)

Nothing have released their most solemn and personal track today from new album, Dance On The Blacktop. "The Carpenters Son" is a dream-like, 7-minute lullaby written by frontman Domenic Palermo that rolls at tranquilizer speed, telling the story of a very personal family tragedy. Listen below.

"My dad was a carpenter for his whole life - he built things and he built me," explains Palermo. "He struggled with addiction and anger and for a long time, and his idea of a fix was to use religion in a very similar, violent way. He left me peppered with too much reality for a young boy and subsequently also left me with an early disdain for Christianity. I often wondered how could I ever forgive a man whose sole purpose was to break everyone down around him.

"I lost him two or three years ago now. He was riding his bicycle in a storm and must have fell off, hit his head, went unconscious and slid into a ditch on the side of the road, face down, where he drowned just 200 feet from his house.

"I've lost many people at this point in my life and this only felt like another- nothing more. I think the song really just speaks of the expectations of existence and how there aren't really many."

"The Carpenters Son" is the most calm and composed song on the new album that sees Nothing rise to new heights following the release of their 2016 album Tired Of Tomorrow. Stories of self-loathing, self-destruction, and a general disdain for humanity and its, "insignificant" role in Domenic Palermo's vision of the universe are met with codeine heavy guitars, expressive feedback and heart pounding rhythms creating the next wave of progressive post rock and shoegaze. Produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Breeders, Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile) to help accentuate the band's love for all sounds 90s, Dance On The Blacktop is from start to finish, a masterpiece formed from an apocalyptic, reverberating wall of shimmering sound.

Dance On The Blacktop will be released on Relapse Records August 24th. There will be a limited run of a 2xLP, deluxe version. The core album will be on LP1, pressed on tri-colored vinyl with an exclusive second 12" picture disc featuring 4 bonus tracks. The album includes artwork directed by Mark Mccoy (Youth Attack Records, Charles Bronson), Domenic Palermo and shot by Ryan Lowry. Order your copies here.

Tracklisting:

“Zero Day”
“Blue Line Baby”
“Plastic Migraine”
“Us/We/Are”
“Hail On Palace Pier”
“I Hate The Flowers”
“The Carpenter's Son”
“(HOPE) Is Just Another Word With A Hole In It”

“The Carpenter's Son”:

(Photo - Ryan Lowry|)

Founding KISS guitarist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Ace Frehley has released a new song today called "Rockin' With The Boys". This is the second song Frehley has made available from his forthcoming all-new "Spaceman" album, due October 19 via Entertainment One (eOne). Frehley previously released the track "Bronx Boy" in April.

"Spaceman", Frehley's eighth solo LP, features nine new original tracks, including a cover of Eddie Money's "I Wanna Go Back", a ripping power pop makeover of the original.

"No need to worry, I'll be home soon, 'cause I'm rockin' with the boys," Frehley sings on "Rockin' With the Boys", which tells the tales of life on the road. Ace says he wrote the original version of the song back in KISS's heyday in the '70s. Both "Rockin With The Boys" and "Bronx Boys" are available on all streaming platforms today, and are iTunes instant-grat tracks for fans who preorder the album.

In addition to Ace's distinctive guitar sound on each track, Ace played bass on all of the songs on "Spaceman" except for two. The listener might recognize the mighty dinosaur growl of a bass tone belonging to Gene Simmons on the album opener, "Without You I'm Nothing", which Gene also co-wrote, and "Your Wish Is My Command". Both songs were recorded at Frehley's home studio in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Ace's reconnection with Simmons and fellow KISS vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley (who joined Ace on a cover of FREE's "Fire And Water" for 2016's covers LP "Origins, Vol. 1") might be chalked up to the fact that Frehley has been sober for more than a decade (he celebrates 12 years of sobriety in September). Ace's clean living no doubt has a lot to do with his productive streak, which began with the release of his top 20 "Anomaly" album in 2009.

"Spaceman" (a title suggested by Simmons himself) serves as the first collection of all new Frehley-penned material since 2014's "Space Invader", which debuted at No. 9 on the Top 200 chart. The LP scored the highest=charting position of any former or current KISS bandmember ever and marked Frehley's first return to the Top 10 since KISS's 1998 "Psycho Circus" reunion album.

Widely known as the original "Space Ace" and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over two tenures) of the multi-platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is arguably the most popular original member. In addition to having the best-selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley's self-titled "Ace Frehley", released in 1978, went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, "New York Groove", from any of the legendary KISS solo albums (peaking at #13).

"Spaceman" track listing:

01. Without You I'm Nothing

02. Rockin' With the Boys

03. Your Wish Is My Command

04. Bronx Boy

05. Pursuit Of Rock and Roll

06. I Wanna Go Back

07. Mission To Mars

08. Off My Back

09. Quantum Flux

Photo credit: Jay Gilbert

French black/death metal band THE ORDER OF APOLLYON will release its third studio album, "Moriah", on October 26 via Agonia Records. The follow-up to 2015's "The Sword And The Dagger" was recorded at BST Studio, except for drums which were laid down at Studio de Saint-Loup.

A video from the "Moriah" recording sessions, featuring unmixed and unmastered snippets of new music, can be seen below.

THE ORDER OF APOLLYON was formed in 2008 by then-ABORTED members BST (guitars and vocals; also ex-AOSOTH, VI) and Dan Wilding. They were joined by guitarist James McIlroy and bassist/vocalist Peter Benjamin, and started working on their debut album, "The Flesh", which was released in 2010 via Listenable Records.

Conflicting schedules caused the lineup to be modified, with drummer Dan Wilding being recruited by death metal legends CARCASS, at the time the band was producing its second full-length, "The Sword And The Dagger". After concluding the recordings, THE ORDER OF APOLLYON started off new, with the additions of members of the French underground black metal scene: SR (HELL MILITIA, TEMPLE OF BAAL) on guitar and vocals, AK (MERRIMACK, VORKREIST, DECLINE OF THE I) on bass and vocals, and JZ on drums.

For the first time in THE ORDER OF APOLLYON's history, "Moriah" has been rehearsed and prepared by a stable lineup, with each member being able to add his own touch.

German black metal duo IMPERIUM DEKADENZ has inked a deal with Napalm Records. The band's new album will arrive in 2019.

With a sound that has been described "between old-school black metal and atmospheric post black metal," IMPERIUM DEKADENZ has established its own style over the course of five albums, with the group's latest release, "Dis Manibvs", raising them to the top of the German black metal scene.

Founded in 2004, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ has proved that the Black Forest, where the band hails from, is the perfect source of inspiration for black metal. If you close your eyes while listening to their music, you can almost see yourself on a journey through these dark woody mountains in the South of Germany.

Napalm Records A&R Sebastian Muench commented: "Categorizing IMPERIUM DEKADENZ simply as 'black metal' would, in my mind, be almost an insult. The 2016 released 'Dis Manibvs' is a masterpiece, and, yes, even though it is technically a black metal album, it holds the depth, talent and beauty in the tradition that only EMPYRIUM or the late AGALLOCH can match. I could not be more proud to work with the guys on the upcoming releases!”

IMPERIUM DEKADENZ added: "A new chapter is about to begin! We are excited to announce that we are now a part of the great Napalm Records roster and we feel really inspired to work with such a renowned label. They offer us the perfect surrounding for our next strikes. At the moment, we are working hard on the songs for the new album to be released in 2019. Stay tuned!"

Japanese metalcore titans CRYSTAL LAKE have released their new single, "The Circle". The track, which features a guest appearance by COLDRAIN's Masato, continues the East Asian band's impressive rise following a mammoth European tour.

The quintet is having a stellar 2018. In February they toured their home country with ATTILA before attending Pulp Summer Slam festival in the Philippines. This was then followed by CRYSTAL LAKE's European headline run.

In October 2017, CRYSTAL LAKE launched its own festival — True North Festival — which included the likes of FIT FOR A KING and COLDRAIN. In 2016, they released their most recent album, "True North", through Cube Records, Artery Recordings (U.S.), and JPU Records (Europe). "True North" debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly indie chart, No. 6 on the iTunes Metal chart (USA), and No. 35 on the Billboard Top New Artist chart.

Guitarist Yudai Miyamoto told Ian Hates about the making of "True North": "We made clear what we really want to express and what kind of music we can be really proud of before we actually start writing songs. As a result, we realized what we wanted to play was what we've been listening and various kinds of music related to the culture around us. This realization made us free to write what we really like."

SOULFLY will release its eleventh album, "Ritual", on October 19 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The follow-up to 2015's "Archangel" was produced, recorded and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KILLER BE KILLED, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA). Cover artwork was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM). Additional booklet art was handled by Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER, HATEBREED, KREATOR), who also handled the package design. The album features multiple guests, including Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD) and Ross Dolan (IMMOLATION).

The first single from the disc, "Evil Empowered", can be streamed below.

Comments guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera: "I am really stoked to be working again with two of my favorite artists, Eliran Kantor and Marcelo Vasco!

"The 'Ritual' artwork is very mystic and captures the vibe of the album perfectly. For this one, we really tried to retain the groove of early SOULFLY as well as my love for the heavy, fast stuff I'm into, like death and black metal and some hardcore.

"Working with Josh Wilbur for SOULFLY this time around has been amazing. He's a huge fan and added a lot to the record. I would fight for the fast songs and he would always push me to add more groove. I think in the end we created a really cool mix of songs that covers a lot of ground in my career. Let the Ritual begin!"

Wilbur adds: "Before I had ever recorded a record, in my formidable years, Max released the holy trinity that was (at least to me) 'Chaos A.D.', 'Roots' and 'Soulfly'. I wanted to make a record that captured what I loved about those when I was growing up! Those records inspired me and introduced me to heavy metal. Fast forward to now and I was given the opportunity to make the record I wanted as a fan! So I set up some mics, recorded some riffs, we banged on some galvanized metal, roto toms, djembes, and anything else we could get, then I told Max to 'BRING DA SHIT'!"

"Ritual" track listing:

01. Ritual

02. Dead Behind The Eyes (feat. Randy Blythe)

03. The Summoning

04. Evil Empowered

05. Under Rapture (feat. Ross Dolan)

06. Demonized

07. Blood On The Street

08. Bite The Bullet

09. Feedback!

10. Soulfly XI

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser has confirmed to TotalRock Radio that the band has commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2017's "Machine Messiah" album. "Already, me, Eloy [Casagrande, drums], Derrick [Green, vocals] and Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr., bass], we have a few ideas, so we have where to start from — a few songs in demo version," he said at this past weekend's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany (see video below). "And we still have to develop [them] and stuff. We don't still have a kind of a direction or a theme or something, but it's getting there. We still like to enjoy a lot the road, and we don't write that much on the road as a band. Yeah, it's going, but it's still early."

Kisser also talked about SEPULTURA's relationship with Nuclear Blast Records, with whom the band has been for nearly a decade. "It's amazing, man," he said. "They are a metal label, and there are people that are on the scene since the beginning, the early days. It's a label that never sold out. Many other labels sold out to bigger companies and bigger labels, you change personnel, you think more on the business side. I think Nuclear Blast has a perfect balance between believing in music — in metal and hardcore and punk — and having the business able to sustain everything… And you see how many artists now are with the label, which is great. It's a great place to be. We have total freedom and support to do our stuff and to work with the producers we want and the artists for the cover — everything. They're very supportive, and they believe in the band, which is everything we need. It's great."

"Machine Messiah" was released in January 2017. The disc was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Swedish producer Jens Bogren. The CD's cover artwork was created by Filipino artist Camille Della Rosa.

SEPULTURA's official documentary, "Sepultura Endurance", will tentatively be released on DVD and Blu-ray this fall.