According to The Pulse Of Radio, frontman Billy Corgan says that bassist D'arcy Wretzky will never return to SMASHING PUMPKINS.

In an interview with Baltimore's 98 Rock, Corgan commented on all the recent reunion drama and said: "We spent two years trying to rebuild the bridge with her, and, at the end of the day, she chose not to be involved. We made every effort to involve her, including offering her the ability that she does not even have to be on the tour. She could show up at any time, she could play as much as she wanted to play."

Corgan went on to say: "She insisted that even though she hasn't been on stage in 19 years, that she should play every song... And we were, like, 'This is just an unrealistic thing for somebody who hasn't been on stage for 19 years — to expect you to play a three-hour show.'"

In the end, Corgan said: "What it came down to is that she didn’t really wanna be involved. It was like a game of chicken and, eventually, we called her bluff and we made a decision to move on."

Earlier this year, Wretzky spoke to The New York Times about her failed return to SMASHING PUMPKINS, claiming that Corgan misled her about the reunion. She revealed: "He was stringing me along and using me to be able to say that it was, in fact, a reunion of all the members. Billy can be incredibly charming and funny and fun, but when it comes to money and giving credit where credit is due and any kind of work situation, it's not pretty."

Wretzky said there were disagreements about how the members would be paid, with Corgan making twice as much as the others. She added: "I really wanted to do this tour for the right reasons. If everybody was doing it for free, I would have done it for free."

The "Shiny And Oh So Bright" North American arena tour is SMASHING PUMPKINS' first in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Corgan, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Longtime SMASHING PUMPKINS guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Jack Bates, and keyboardist Katie Cole are also taking part, as the band moves to a three-guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums.

Epic death/black metal formation Bleeding Gods have announced that they have found their new 'Metal Queen'. As of today Yessica Otten will handle all the brutal and heavy bass parts.

Yessica states: "I have known Bleeding Gods for quite some time now, and they are a fascinating mixture of different people and unbelievably excellent musicians. I feel honoured to be asked to join Bleeding Gods, and I couldn't be more excited about it. I look forward to being involved in the future of the band and to meeting you all on the road!"

The band has already started rehearsals for the first live shows with Yessica and is highly motivated. At the moment, they are writing the successor of Dodekathlon, so stay tuned for further info.

(Photo and editing by Cristel Brouwer and Dimitris Tzortzis of Immensa Artis)

Hailing from Boston Massachusetts, regressive metal quartet Chuggernaut puts a modern twist on classic riff-driven metal songwriting, blending elements of doom, thrash, groove and post-hardcore into a massive, organic sound all their own. The band are now ready to unleash their Kodiak EP on August 24th. A video for the track "Stranglehold" can be found below.

Kodiak is available for pre-order in multiple formats:

- Physical Packages
- Digital Pre-Order

Formed in 2013 by guitarist Dave Cohen and vocalist Jeff Gard, Chuggernaut was born out of a mutual need for raw, irreverent and fundamentally heavy music. With the addition of Blaize Collard on drums and Eric Alper (Replacire) on bass, Chuggernaut began playing basements and stages across Massachusetts, and quickly became entrenched in the underground New England metal scene.

In late 2014, Chuggernaut entered the now defunct Mortal Music studio in Charlestown, MA to begin pre-production for their debut EP, First Batch, which would be recorded in installments over the course of the following year. Prior to the record's release, however, Alper left the band to focus on other projects and in winter of 2015 was replaced with Berklee College of Music professor and former Ice Nine Kills bassist David Marvuglio. First Batch was released in May of 2016, followed by an east coast tour.

Once the summer touring had ended, Chuggernaut traveled down to Providence, RI and tracked a reinterpretation of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" in the old Columbus Theater and adjacent studio, Eyeland - produced, mixed and mastered by Andrew Nault (Arms & Sleepers / Lesser Glow / Long Time.) The band loved the vibe of the studio and working with Nault such that they returned to Eyeland in April 2017 to record their sophomore EP. However, due to mounting tensions between Gard and the rest of the band leading up to the studio session, Jeff and Chuggernaut parted ways shortly afterward. In the months that followed; Cohen, Collard and Marvuglio held vocal auditions and by July, they welcomed pyrotechnic vocalist and performer David Benites into the fold. In November 2017, Cohen, Collard and Marvuglio re-entered Eyeland studio with Benites to record vocals and finish what they started back in April.

Now with their new EP Kodiak available everywhere on August 24th, and an electrifying stage show Chuggernaut is primed and excited to share the next chapter with fans everywhere.

Kodiak EP tracklisting:

"Stranglehold"
"Control Burn"
"Disposable Moments"
"Black Lung"
"Aftermath"

"Stranglehold" video:

In support of the release, Chuggernaut will be hitting the road starting in August on a short record release tour.  A complete list of dates can be found below.

August
23 - Cambridge, MA - Hardcore Stadium
25 - Philadelphia, PA - The Nail
29 - Chicago, IL - Underground Lounge
31 - Lafayette, IN - North End Pub**

September
1 - Nashville, TN - Spring Water Lounge
2 - Greensboro, NC - New York Pizza
5 - Baltimore, MD - The Depot
8 - Connecticut - TBA

Connecticut heavy metal frontrunners Dead By Wednesday have announced their upcoming US Road To Revival Tour, kicking off on September 5th in Clifton, NJ. The tour will visit several states in the east and Midwest, coming to an end on September 16th in Long Island, NY. See below for a full listing of tour dates.

On this upcoming run, Dead By Wednesday will be joined by their new full-time guitarist, Dave Sharpe, formerly of Blood Has Been Shed featuring Howard Jones, and End Time Illusion.

Dead By Wednesday recently wrapped up the recording process on their upcoming self-titled full-length album, coming this year via Combat Records. The album is being produced by Nicky Bellmore (Dee Snider, Jasta) and mastered by the one and only Zuess (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed, Suffocation). Watch an album promo video, including a snippet of new music, below.

Drummer Opus says, "I am super pumped to be hitting the road again in September with our new kick ass guitarist Dave Sharpe. We can't wait to see our fans and people out there, and hopefully see some new faces too! Make sure you come out to a city or town near you and give Dave a warm welcome. It feels great to finally have a very tight and solid team working again. Also, we're getting stoked on the release of our new upcoming self-titled full-length album. Next step is the making of our killer music video for our single, "You & Die"!"

Tour dates:

September
5 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
6 - Chesapeake, VA - RiffHouse Pub
7 - Covington, KY - Madison Live!
8 - Maple Park, IL - The REVIVAL 2018
9 - Mishawka, IN - Smith's Downtown
11 - Westland, MI - Token Lounge
12 - Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH - Music Lynxx
13 - Scranton, PA - The Irish Wolf Pub
14 - Rochester (Gates), NY - Pineapple Jack's
15 - Oneida, NY - American Legion Hall
16 - Long Island, NY - Revolution Bar

Dead By Wednesday is:

Mike Modeste - Bass & Vox
Dave Sharpe - Guitar
Rob Roy - Vox
Opus - Drums & Vox

(Photo - Anthony Frisketti)

Bordeaux, France based technical death metal group Exocrine have released a music video for their song "Backdraft". The track is from their new album Molten Giant, which will see an August 17th release via Unique Leader.

The band commented on the video, "Backdraft is a brand new track from our upcoming third album Molten Giant. The song ranges from melodic cinematic riffs to some of the most brutal material we have ever written and definitely shows our full sonic spectrum. We really love this track!"

Watch the video below. Physical pre-order bundles for Molten Giant are available here. Digital pre-order bundles are available here.

Molten Giant was tracked by Mathieu Pascal at Bud Studio, Sylvain Octor Perez at Tricerapod Studio, and sees Exocrine pushing their jaw dropping technical abilities and song writing maturity to their absolute limit.

Tracklisting:

“Scorched Human Society”
“Hayato”
“Backdraft”
“Molten Giant”
“Flamewalkers”
“Lavaburst”
“Behind The Wall”
“The Shape Of New World”

"Backdraft" video:

Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio recently conducted an interview with Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked about the title of his latest solo album, "Fearless", Gus said: "It was just one of those titles that I had that I liked, probably because that instrumental piece was so demanding that I was writing, so I was, like, 'Well, I shouldn't hold back and just do it.' Overall, it's a good thing to live by, because this is what keeps us people behind from having some success in whatever we choose to do in life. People are, basically, scared of failing, I guess, they're scared of failure, so a lot of people don't even actually get to try to do what they wanna do in their life. So that's kind of the general meaning behind it."

Gus also talked about the importance of social media when it comes to promoting your music. "Social media is everything; that's all there is," he said. "Of course, you have to do press and reach through other avenues as well, but on a daily basis, that's how you reach your audience, that's where your audience is. If you wanna say something and reach your fanbase, that's the way to do it in 2018. That's the way it has been for the last at least six or seven years. And that's really cool. Hopefully you have enough of an audience where you can go out there and promote your music and let 'em know where you're playing. Especially for younger artists, I would say it's the most important thing, because that's how you build an audience these days as well. [There's] a big metal community on all social media platforms — Instagram… It's pretty crazy on Instagram, actually; that's where it's at. Facebook too, but Facebook is considered for old people; that's what the younger generation is saying. And by older people, they mean people [over] 30, like me. [Laughs] But that's how fast it's moving."

"Fearless" was released on April 20 via AFM Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Brand New Revolution" marks Gus's first release since exiting Osbourne's band in 2017.

On "Fearless", Gus joined forces with vocalist/bassist Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69, UNISONIC) and drummer Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE).

Heavy metal doomsters Castle have announced the release of their new album, Deal Thy Fate, via Ripple Music on October 19th. Recorded at Hallowed Halls Studio in Portland, OR by longtime producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis), Deal Thy Fate is Castle's fifth album and follows 2016's critically-lauded Welcome To The Graveyard. A lyric video for the new song "Wait For Dark" can be found below.

Building on the stripped-down sound of its predecessor, Deal Thy Fate sees Castle continue to push the envelope of classic heavy metal, crafting epic and memorable songs that hearken back to fuzzier times while keeping the pedal down on their own hard-edged, modern sound. Guitarist Mat Davis' penchant for riffs that worm their way into your brain and singer/bassist Liz Blackwell's haunted melodies soar out of the depths across the album's 36 fist-banging minutes.

Written over the last year in the band's current Mojave Desert location of Joshua Tree, CA, Deal Thy Fate's nine tracks are woven with tales of folklore, dark Americana, serial killers and cult leaders, while the album's striking cover art, inked by Patrick Zoller, reflects the title track's no compromise, choose-your-own destiny rally cry. The striking album art and full tracklisting can both be found below.

Commenting on the writing and recording of Deal Thy Fate, which was rounded out on drums by previous touring member Chase Manhattan, Blackwell adds, “We were able to spend a couple months in a jam room honing these songs and for the first time, record the entire album live in the studio – it definitely shows in its energy and intensity and sounds more like live Castle than anything else we've ever done.”

Pre-order Deal Thy Fate direct from the band here and via Ripple Music here. Each pre-order platform offers different limited editions of the vinyl LP.

Tracklisting:

"Can't Escape The Evil"
"Skull In The Woods"
"Prelude"
"Hexenring"
"Wait For Dark"
"Deal Thy Fate"
"Haunted"
"Red Phantom"
"Firewind"

"Wait For Dark" lyric video:

Teaser:

Castle has also announced a run of Canadian tour dates and a full European tour including European festival appearances to coincide with the new album's release. These special shows include Desertfest Belgium (October 14), Malta Doom Metal Fest (October 19), Doom Over Vienna (November 10) and Dutch Doom Days (November 24).

Tour dates:

September
27 - Toronto, ON - Coalition
28 - Ottawa, ON - House Of Targ
29 - Moncton, NB - The Caveau
30 - Halifax, NS - Gus' Pub

October
1 - Fredericton, NB - Capital Complex
2 - Quebec City, QC - Le Bateau de Nuit
3 - MontreaL, QC - L'Escogriffe
4 - London, ON - Call The Office
14 - Antwerp, Belgium - Desertfest Belgium (w/ Enslaved, YOB, Crowbar)
15 - Frankfurt, Germany - dasBett (w/ The Skull)
16 - Munich, Germany - Backstage (w/ The Skull)
17 - Freiburg, Germany - Slow Club (w/ The Skull)
18 - Cologne, Germany - Sonic Ballroom (w/ The Skull)
19 - Siggiewi, Malta - Malta Doom Fest
20 - Cottbus, Germany - Blue Moon Fest
22 - Gottingen, Germany - Freihafen
24 - Dresden, Germany - Chemiefabrik
25 - Osnabruck, Germany - Bastard Club
27 - Vallet, France - Westhill Music Fest

November
2 - Karlsruhe, Germany - KoHi
3 - Siegen, Germany - Vortex
4 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore
7 - Furstenwalde, Germany - Parkclub
8 - Berlin, Germany - Tief
9 - Leipzig, Germany - Black Label
10 - Vienna, Austria - Doom Over Vienna Fest
24 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Dutch Doom Days

PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix spoke to Andy Hall of the Lazer 103.3 radio station about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2017's "Crooked Teeth" album. He said (hear audio below): "Right when we got done with 'Crooked Teeth', writing and recording that record, we were supposed to go out on tour with OF MICE & MEN, but Austin [Carlile], the singer [of OF MICE & MEN], was really sick at the time. And so instead of going out on tour, we were, like, 'Let's just go back in the studio and start writing.' So we started our first sessions for this album we're working on early last year, and then we went and toured on 'Crooked Teeth', and then we came back and jumped in the studio June and July of this year with all fresh ideas. We have, like, 13 or 14 songs written and recorded, and we feel we have a lot of really great material."

As for the musical direction of the new PAPA ROACH songs, Jacoby said: "I think 'Crooked Teeth' was kind of, like, 'Here's the reintroduction of who P. ROACH is,' and with this new album that we're working on and writing, it really feels like we're making a pretty bold evolution of the band again. And it's a little frightening in a sense at times — like, 'Oh, man. Are people gonna get it?' But then we still have the core sound of the band on the record as well. There's a few songs that we're challenging our fans, like, 'Hey, are you gonna come down this road with us?' And the material we're writing we just feel is just great — it's so inspiring and just unique and different and rocking and anthemic and passionate. It's, like, undeniable.

"I feel like when we wrote the album 'Getting Away With Murder' [2004], it was a pretty bold evolution for the band, especially with a song like 'Scars' at the time for our band," he continued. "Now when you think of 'Scars' and PAPA ROACH, that's like the norm; that's who we are. So I'd say the evolution is comparable to that."

PAPA ROACH is continuing to tour in support of "Crooked Teeth", which was released in May 2017 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc was written and recorded in a cramped North Hollywood studio with producers Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Colin Brittain, with the exception of "Born For Greatness", which saw the band collaborate with writer/producer Jason Evigan (Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Zedd, MAROON 5).

Author & Punisher delivers his sixth full-length recording and Relapse debut Beastland on October 5th. Watch the official performance video for “Nihil Strength” below.

Author & Punisher's mastermind Tristan Shone comments: “I built new machines for this album to make more aggressive and dynamic music. These devices are compact and powerful, made from robotic components, intended for high energy repetition. I, as do many others, feel rage against the Beasts of our era: those who horde, who poison, or who discriminate. We need aggressive music to make an aggressive statement. Beastland is an introspection of who we are as a human race.  At a time when we have the tools, the intellect, and the history to remind us how to treat each other and the earth, we go far out of our way to feast on the less fortunate and vulnerable, disregarding the atrocities and lessons of the past.”

Additionally, Author & Punisher returns to Europe in October after the release of Beastland, including select concerts with Godflesh, Conan and more. Also, he recently announced the first leg of fall US tour dates with the Uniform & The Body collaboration. Finally, Author & Punisher will perform at Cold Waves Festival throughout September in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. All confirmed tour dates are available below and more announcements to come in the near future.

Author & Punisher’s sixth studio album Beastland is due out on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available for pre-order here and Digital Downloads / Streaming here.

Beastland was recorded at K Street in San Diego, CA and engineered by Tristan Shone & John Cota (Death Eyes). Additional recording was done in Las Cruces, NM with Jason Begin (vytear). The album was co-produced with Braden Diotte (Faust, EXO//ENDO, Neurosis, Pinback, Tarantula Hawk), mixed by Kurt Ballou at God City and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.

Drawing inspiration from his career as a mechanical engineer, Tristan Shone (the creator and sole artist behind Author & Punisher) forged a relationship with design, sound, and fabrication that ultimately yielded his hand-built “Drone Machines” which mapped the journey away from traditional instrumentation towards custom made "precision machinery." A robotic experimentation in industrial metal, noise, doom and drone, Author & Punisher recalls Nine Inch Nails channeling Godflesh, traversing through dark, uncompromising, and often disturbing soundscapes with occasional detours into rich melodies and splinters of light. Armed with newly built “Drone Machines” and a new label, Beastland is Author & Punisher’s career-defining statement and a powerful listening experience that further blurs the line between man and machine.

Beastland tracklisting:

"Pharmacide"
"Nihil Strength"
"Ode To Bedlam"
"The Speaker Is Systematically Blown"
"Nazarene"
"Apparition"
"Night Terror"
"Beastland"

"Nihil Strength" video:

Tour dates:

September
14 - New York, NY - Cold Waves NY @ Irving Plaza
22 - Chicago, IL - Cold Waves VII @ Metro
27 - Los Angeles, CA - Cold Waves LA @ 1720

October
12 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - RVLT Festival
13 - Helsinki, Finland - Blowup Vol. 4
14 - Tallinn, Estonia - Sveta Baar
15 - St. Petersburg, Russia - LES
16 - Moscow, Russia - Model T
17 - Malmo, Sweden - Plan B (w/ Conan)
18 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset (w/ Godflesh)
19 - Oslo, Norway - Bla
20 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Sticky Fingers (w/ Godflesh)
24 - Lisbon, Portugal - MusicBox
25 - Porto, Portugal - Maus Habitos

November (with The Body, Uniform)
8 - Cambridge, MA - Sonia
9 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa
10 - Toronto, ON - Baby G
11 - Detroit, MI - El Club
12 - Oberlin, OH - Dionysus Disco
13 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit Hall
16 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA
17 - Brooklyn, NY - Market Hotel

(Photo - Auge Arredondo)

The Icelandic Viking metal heroes Skálmöld strike back with their fifth full length album Sorgir. The album title (eng.: sorrows) gives the headline for this concept album that is divided in two parts: The first four songs tell four short stories about tragedies and death. It is called Sagnir (tales). The second chapter called Svipir (ghosts) thickens the plot by telling the same four stories from a different perspective.

Sorgir is a dark, cold and tragic album dealing with Icelandic myths of superstition, shadows, spectre and despair. Look elsewhere for something light, warm and comforting. Soaring melodies, folk elements and harsh outbursts remind of the chilly beauty of Skálmöld's home country - Iceland, the eternal and awe-inspiring source of inspiration for neck breakers such as "Gangari" and the gripping epic "Mara".

Due for release on October 12th via Napalm Records, the album is available for pre-order in the following formats:

- 1 CD Digipak + Bonus Track
- 2 LP Gatefold in different colors

Tracklisting:

"Ljósið"
"Sverðið"
"Brúnin"
"Barnið"
"Skotta"
"Gangári"
"Móri"
"Mara"

From August 22nd til August 25th, Skálmöld will play four special shows together with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra in their hometown Reykjavik. Three shows are already completely sold out.

Skálmöld are:

Baldur Ragnarsson - Guitar/Vocals
Björgvin Sigurðsson - Vocals/Guitar
Gunnar Ben - Keyboards/Vocals/Oboe
Jón Geir Jóhannsson - Drums/Vocals
Snæbjörn Ragnarsson - Bass/Vocals
Þráinn Árni Baldvinsson - Guitar/Vocal

(Photo - Gupbi Hannesson)

In the official video below, Light The Torch (formerly known as Devil You Know) perform "The Safety Of Disbelief" at their very first live show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, NY on July 9th:

Previously posted footage of the band performing "Calm Before The Storm" and "The Bitter End" at the same show can be seen below:

 
Light The Torch will be touring with Trivium and Avatar in October and November.

October
3 - Tampa, FL - The Ritz Ybor
4 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
5 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
6 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
8 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts
9 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
11 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
12 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
13 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
14 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
16 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
17 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
19 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
20 - Sauget, IL - Pop's Nightclub
21 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
22 - St. Paul, MN - Myth Live
23 - Fargo, ND - Sanctuary
25 - Edmonton, AB - The Ranch Roadhouse
26 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theater
28 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
29 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
30 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
31 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory

November
2 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
3 - Berkeley, CA - UC Theatre

In 2014, Montreal's vibrant and collaborative metal scene gave rise to a new progressive death metal duo called Samskaras. The band was founded by multi-instrumentalist Eric Burnet who honed his skills in the now-defunct tech-death outfit Derelict. Burnet rounded out Samskaras' lineup by enlisting drummer Alexandre Dupras of Teramobil and Unhuman fame. The project started off small, releasing two standalone singles in 2014 before kicking into high gear with the 2017 release of their highly praised four-song effort, Asunder.

Now only one year after the release of Asunder, Samskaras is back and proud to announce a new EP, Lithification. Samskaras - Lithification is set for official release on Friday, October 26th. Lithification consists of four prime death metal cuts fuelled by cascading shifts between progressive death metal, black metal, and technical death metal realms. The band once again partnered with Cryptopsy's Chris Donaldson at The Grid Studio in Montreal to ensure Lithification received top-notch production matching the high-quality of the music.

On Lithification, Samskaras have notably melded their experimental tech death with additional doses of black metal, doom, and even deathcore. On certain passages, Burnet has introduced haunting pitched screams that sit somewhere between his familiar brutal vocals and the occasional clean singing heard on Asunder. “Beyond simply putting out new music, I get a huge kick out of upping my game”, comments Burnet. “It's technically challenging to learn new skills, but adding new tools to my repertoire also means more possibilities for expression and exploration.”

Samskaras - Lithification will strongly appeal to fans of fellow Québécois artists such as Gorguts, Neuraxis, Quo Vadis, Cryptopsy, and Despised Icon. Inspiration is drawn from other far-flung corners of the extreme music spectrum as well, with bands such as Anaal Nathrakh, Converge, Wood Of Ypres, Cattle Decapitation, and Enslaved casting shadows on the compositions.

You can find an extended teaser below.

Samskaras multi-instrumentalist Eric Burnet had the following to say about the upcoming release of Lithification: “This EP is mostly about the struggle between anger and self-control. “It's direct and vicious, but also intensely emotional. The title itself is the geological process by which rock is created through heat and pressure. The question I'm pondering is, how hard do our life experiences make us, and when does that stop being a healthy way to cope?”

Lithification EP tracklisting:

"Reconciliation"
"As Warriors"
"Alignment"
"À Deux Mains"

Teaser:

Samskaras is:

Eric Burnet - Vocals, Guitar, Bass (Unburnt, Derelict)
Alexandre Dupras - Drums (Teramobil, Unhuman)

(Photo - Mat Barbeau)

Guitarists David Andersson and Sebastian Forsland of Swedish classic/progressive rock supergroup The Night Flight Orchestra have recorded a rehearsal room video of them improvising a new track called "Race Towards Bremen On A Floridian Highway". 

Commented Andersson: "Me and Sebastian had planned to meet in his studio to do a play through of one our new songs for my endorser, ESP guitars. But when we got there it felt quite boring to just mime along to a pre-recorded track, pretending to be excited about it. And it doesn't really represent the spirit of The Night Flight Orchestra . So, knowing that Sebastian is a one man band all in himself, we thought it would be much more fun to improvise a new track live in the studio instead, with us doing everything ourselves in real time.

'Race Towards Bremen on a Floridian Highway' is a tribute to all the 80's soundtracks we grew up with, and the unknown always growing inside us."

Watch the video below.

The Night Flight Orchestra recently released an unpacking video for their new album Sometimes The World Ain't Enough, out now via Nuclear Blast. Watch below:

Sometimes The World Ain't Enough was again produced by the band themselves and was recorded at Handsome Hard Music / Larsson Music Studio as well as Nordic Sound Lab in Skara, Sweden. Mixing duties were taken on by the band's guitarist/percussionist Sebastian Forslund and mastering was done by Thomas ”Plec” Johansson at The Panic Room.

The limited first edition digipack CD as well as the vinyl feature an exclusive bonus track. The Japanese version also features an additional bonus track. Order here.

Just like 2017's Amber Galactic, Sometimes The World Ain't Enough features two different cover artworks (see below) for the regular and limited editions.

Main cover

Sometimes The World Ain't Enough tracklisting:

"This Time"
"Turn To Miami"
"Paralyzed"
"Sometimes The World Ain't Enough"
"Moments Of Thunder"
"Speedwagon"
"Lovers In The Rain"
"Can't Be That Bad"
"Pretty Thing Closing In"
"Barcelona"
"Winged And Serpentine"
"The Last Of The Independent Romantics"
"Marjorie" (Limited edition digipack CD & vinyl bonus track)
"Pacific Priestess" (Japanese bonus track)

Limited Edition cover

"Turn To Miami" video:

"Lovers In The Rain" video:

"This Time" video:

Soon, The Night Flight Orchestra will descend from their extraterrestrial orbit and take over your hometown. The place you thought you knew will for one very special night become a palace of sin, where the champagne hits you harder, the stakes are higher and all the women are undercover space commanders. And on top of all that, the band will put on the rock show of the year, guaranteed to blow your mind. Can you handle it?

The Night Flight Orchestra lineup:

Björn Strid - vocals
Sharlee D'Angelo - bass
David Andersson - guitars
Richard Larsson - keyboards
Jonas Källsbäck - drums
Sebastian Forslund - guitars, percussion, special FX
Anna-Mia Bonde - backing vocals
Anna Brygård - backing vocals

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have signed Virginia's old school death metal beasts Archaeobeast and are set to release their new EP, Manifesting The Antichrist September 7th on CD and Digital formats.

Manifesting The Antichrist features four evil tracks of crushing brutality that is not for the faint of heart... no posers, fakes or wimps! Preorders can be found on  Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Manifesting The Antichrist”
“Dark Covenant”
“Talisman Of Deceit”
“Iniquitous Sepulchre”

“Talisman Of Deceit”:

Chicago thrashers WRATH have signed with Combat Records for the release of their new abum, "Rage". Due on October 5, the disc was produced by Chris Djuricic and WRATH, and mixed and mastered by Bill Metoyer (SLAYER, SACRED REICH, HELSTAR), with cover art created by Ipoet Poetra/Five Mlligrams and WRATH.

The incredible perseverance of WRATH is driven by the fact that the band remains wildly relevant through three decades and counting. From the 1985 breakout debut "Fit Of Anger" and the twisted 1987 sophomore cult favorite "Nothing To Fear", original vocalist Gary Golwitzer is back at the helm, and WRATH is truly firing on all cylinders.

Originally written as the follow up to 1990's "Insane Society", some tracks from "Rage" originated as far back as 1989. With a fresh approach, and a new record deal with David Ellefson and Thom Hazaert's revived Combat Records, the rock-solid lineup of Golwitzer on vocals, bassist Gary Modica, the dual-guitar attack of Scott Nyquist and Rob Noon, and powerhouse drummer Jake Fromkin dove head first into "Rage" with a renewed sense of power, angst, and purpose.

The album also features a cover of the MOTÖRHEAD classic "Ace Of Spades", a tribute to the late Lemmy Kilmister, featuring a guest appearance by ARMORED SAINT guitarist Jeff Duncan.

"Rage" track listing:

01. Conflict

02. What You Crave

03. Draw Blood

04. Tension On High

05. My Rage

06. Feeding The Host

07. Clearing My Soul

08. Unholy Alliance

09. Mother's Hell

10. Ace Of Spades (feat. Jeff Duncan)

Says Combat's Thom Hazaert: "When me and David relaunched Combat, our goal was to faithfully bridge the past, present, and future of thrash and underground metal. And WRATH, to me, was always one of the unsung heroes of the genre, putting out indisputable classics like 'Nothing To Fear' and 'Fit Of Anger' that are still so highly regarded by fans. So it made perfect sense when the opportunity came to add them to the Combat roster, especially with the reunited lineup with Gary back in the fold. 'Rage' is an amazing record that I think fans, new and old, will talk about for years to come."

WRATH, alongside Combat labelmates GREEN DEATH, will support Ellefson on the Midwest dates of his "Basstory" tour, including shows in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

A day after a photograph of longtime AC/DC members Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd was posted online, purportedly taken outside Vancouver's Warehouse Studios — where the band's last three albums were recorded — a picture of Stevie and Angus Young has emerged, apparently showing the pair at the same location.

Like the first photo, the new picture was taken by hardcore AC/DC fan Crystal Lambert, who has an apartment located near the studio, and shows Angus and Stevie having a cigarette.

Canadian journalist Steve Newton, who broke the news of AC/DC's presence at the studio, writes in his latest blog that there might not be any newer photos to come, because word got out that the legendary rockers were being spied on, and now there's a big umbrella on the deck blocking the sight of any of them hanging out.

The assumption is that AC/DC is in the midst of making — or at least planning — another album, with Rudd and Johnson both back in the lineup.

Ever since AC/DC completed the tour cycle for its 2014 album "Rock Or Bust" nearly two years ago — a turbulent trek that weathered the forced retirement and eventual death of co-founder Malcolm Young, plus the departures of Johnson, Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams — fans have wondered whether sole remaining founding member Angus Young would keep the band going or decide it was time for AC/DC to pack it in.

Johnson was forced to leave AC/DC mid-tour due to a dangerous level of hearing loss, and was eventually replaced on the road by GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose, while Williams decided to retire at the end of the cycle.

Rudd's spot behind the kit for AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" world tour was taken by Chris Slade in 2015 after Rudd was arrested for drug possession and threatening to kill an employee.

Angus has not said publicly what he has planned for the future of AC/DC.

The Warehouse has been AC/DC's studio of choice for the band's last three albums: 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip", 2008's "Black Ice" and the aforementioned "Rock Or Bust".

Angus Young and Stevie Young spotted. And then there was one...https://t.co/lvns4oHpQNhttps://t.co/RoVFF7WZiP#ACDC pic.twitter.com/Y4egHYragp— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) August 9, 2018

Viking metal veterans EINHERJER have carried out their vision for more than two decades. The band was there when Norwegian extreme metal grew forth and took shape as an enormous cultural export.

Only four years after their masterpiece "Av Oss, For Oss" and two years after "Dragons Of The North XX", the band will release its ninth full-length album, titled "Norrøne Spor", on November 9. The disc's first single and music video, "Spre Vingene", can be seen below.

EINHERJER's Norse heritage is a phenomenon that reaches far beyond what one can hear alone. It is an amalgamation of the mystique and sagas of old, of songs and poems, of woodcutting and sword grinding and the vikings merciless way of life. It's a cultural patchwork that fills the consciousness with the brutal majesty of the Nordic nature, the elemental strain, of mighty longships plowing the black seas to reach unknown shores. The wisdom of the gods and their Valhalla. Of cultural encounters and trade. Of violence and brutality. Of tough men in a tough time. Their hometown Haugesund also rings with historic sound, and from their own shores on the west coast of Norway the influence of the Vikings stretched towards the sea and the world beyond. The adventurers, pioneers, poets and craftsmen have inspired EINHERJER to go their own way. The Vikings' courage and boldness have inspired us to never compromise EINHERJER's vision, a vision that is a unique, self-made, original and modern interpretation of our mighty Nordic heritage.

EINHERJER vocalist and bassist Frode Glesnes commented: "Classic EINHERJER meets the future and the past. No, we have not returned to our roots. That's a way overused cliché and it always calls for bullshit. We have simply written and arranged more stuff together.

"On our last few albums we have written songs separately; this time we've looked at what happens when Gerhard and me are in a room together.

"We still have a firm grip on what EINHERJER is all about. That will never change.

"Here is 10 new songs that any heathen metalhead should be able to love and appreciate. No bullshit, just 10 great metal songs."

He added about the single: "New EINHERJER single. It always feels good to release something new, but this time we've fuckin' nailed it! Can't wait to present the whole album."

Track listing:

01. The Spirit OF A Thousand Years

02. Mine Våpen Mine Ord

03. Fra Konge Te Narr

04. Kill The Flame

05. Mot Vest

06. Spre Vingene

07. The Blood Song

08. Døden Tar Ingen Fangar

09. Tapt Uskyld

10. Av Djupare Røtter

EINHERJER is:

Frode Glesnes - guitar, bass, vocals

Gerhard Storesund - drums, samples

Aksel Herløe - guitar, backing vocals

Ole Sønstabø - lead guitar

"Fired Up!", the new video from FRAGILE MORTALS, the band that combines hip-hop legend Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (RUN-D.M.C.) with the metal group GENERATION KILL — featuring vocalist Rob Dukes (ex-EXODUS) and bassist Rob Moschetti (ex-PRO-PAIN, M.O.D.) — can be seen below.

FRAGILE MORTALS released its debut album, "The Dark Project", last October on Digital Launch via Entertainment One Music. It was produced by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES, SONS OF APOLLO), who also loaned his musical talents to the full-length album, adding additional guitars, backing vocals, and a string quartet to round out and complete this original, diverse, experimental mash-up of many musical styles.

With members of the legendary hip-hop and metal powerhouses, FRAGILE MORTALS isn't just another supergroup. This new band offers the listener an intellectual look into real world issues, as the music takes you on a journey, serving as the soundtrack to this all too real story.

"Having been the first hip-hop group to collaborate with a rock band with AEROSMITH and 'Walk This Way', this genre has always been special to me," says McDaniels. "Collaborating with two musical geniuses in Moschetti and Bumblefoot, and a great frontman like Dukes, makes FRAGILE MORTALS everything I hoped for."

While combining the rap style vocals of DMC and the raw power of Rob Dukes and GENERATION KILL, "The Dark Project" is not your typical rap rock, or rap metal project. It pushes the limits lyrically and musically, and challenges the listener to rethink what real art is. Each member is encouraged to present his musical influences without restriction or ridicule, making it a representation of the truest freedom of artistic expression. It's also an album that must be listened to from beginning to end, to understand and fully appreciate the listening experience.

Stemming from a chance meeting between Dukes and DMC, an initial one-track collaboration for a DMC solo album turned into a full-on force, as FRAGILE MORTALS was born. The band then recruited the ear of Bumblefoot as producer, and their combined creative vision has allowed the band to grow further than expected. Lending the occasional guitar riff and solo to the tracks, his contributions earned him the title of unofficial seventh member.

Addressing issues ranging from suicide, drug abuse, prostitution, life and death, and racism, "The Dark Project" also offers a glimmer of hope and light at the end of a gritty tunnel, exposing the darker side of humanity without glorifying it in any way.

"The Dark Project" track listing:

01. Whispers Of Death

02. The Big Lie

03. Bitch

04. Underneath The Skin

05. Lot Lizard

06. Suicide

07. Fired Up!

08. Bad Man

09. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)

Florida five–piece, Wage War, are celebrating the one–year anniversary of their statement-making sophomore album, Deadweight (Fearless Records), by releasing a reworked acoustic version of the single, Gravity. It’s a beautiful rendering that shows the versatility of the track and is a striking testament to the band’s songwriting skill.

"To celebrate the one-year mark of Deadweight, we're pleased to release the stripped version of Gravity," said singer, Cody Quistad. "This record has changed our lives and we're so thankful for the love and support we've received. We were overwhelmed at the response to the stripped version of Johnny Cash, and it seemed to make sense to break down another one of our favorites. We're hard at work writing what we think will be the best Wage War record yet — making sure we give you nothing but our best."

The track was released on Saturday, August 4th, which marked a year to the day that the album was released. It's available for purchase at the following DSPs.

Upon release, Deadweight was met with near-universal praise, with the metal scene calling out the band's dynamics and its DNA-distinct approach to their genre. Gravity (Stripped), is further evidence of the band's ability to do different things with their sound while wholly remaining true to who Wage War are.

Following a wildly successful appearance on final US Vans Warped Tour this summer the band will be touring Europe later this year with labelmates August Burns Red. Tickets are available now.

Original version of “Gravity”:

Thy Antichrist have released a lyric video for "The Great Beast", a track from their new album Wrath Of The Beast, out now via Napalm Records. Watch the clip below.

Wrath Of The Beast is available in jewel case CD, gatefold LP, and digital formats. Order at this location.

Wrath Of The Beast tracklisting:

"Desolation"
"Metal To The Bone"
"The Great Beast"
"A World Burnt To Ashes"
"No Place Like Hell"
"Nightmares"
"Crown Of Lies"
"Skeletons Of Disgrace"
"Walking Through The Soul"
"The Last Breath" - Instrumental Outro

"The Great Beast" lyric video:

"Nightmares" lyric video:

"The Great Beast" video:

"Metal To The Bone" lyric video:

Thy Antichrist is ready to return state side for a handful of US shows and festival appearances including Full Terror Assault Open Air in Cave In Rock, Illinois and Force Fest in Mexico.  Headline shows will see support provided by Nevalra.

Dates:

September
6 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar (Full Terror Assault Pre-Party)
7 - Cave-In-Rock, IL - Full Terror Assault Festival*
8 - Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall
9 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Roomie

October
6-7 - Teotihuacan, Mexico - Forcefest*

*Festival appearance

Thy Antichrist lineup:

Antichrist 666: Terryfying Vocals of Tragic Existence and Tragic Poetry
Abyssus: Six Strings of Human Suffering
Frost Giant: Bassist of Cold and Tragic Whisperings
Oricuss: Apocalyptic Thunders of Chaos. Drums

Northern Ireland based power metal band Ravenlight have announced their debut EP End Of The World will be released worldwide on September 28th following their debut single “Where The Stars Grow”.

Guitarist John Connor says ""The End of the World" is definitely a special release for us, it is always a nervous time launching a new band and making a good first impression, but we couldn't be happier with the collection of songs we have prepared for the EP, it showcases a wide range of styles and moods which make Ravenlight what it is"

To mark the occasion, Ravenlight are also streaming their brand-new single from the EP called “The Wild Hunt”. Preorder the EP on Bandcamp.

Ravenlight was formed in January 2018 with members Rebecca Feeney on vocals and John Connor (ex-Selene) handling all instruments.

Tracklisting:

“Words Unspoken”
“The Wild Hunt”
“End Of The World”
“Where The Stars Grow”

“The Wild Hunt”:

End of The World (EP) by RavenLight

“Where The Stars Grow”:

Downfall Of Gaia have entered the studio to work on the successor to their 2016 album, Atrophy. The currently untitled fifth studio album will be recorded at Hidden Planet Studio in Berlin with Jan Oberg and at Backroom Studios New Jersey with Kevin Antreassian (Dillinger Escape Plan). This time around, the mix and master will come from V. Santura (Triptykon/Dark Fortress). The band is aiming for a release in early 2019. Stay tuned for more news coming soon. 

Downfall Of Gaia comments: "We couldn't be more satisfied to have all of these talented people on board for our next release! Looking forward to share some new piece of music with you very soon."

Live dates:

August
24 – Spital am Semmering, Austria – Kaltenbach Open Air

September
21 – Osaka, Japan – Shovel
22 – Tokyo, Japan – Space Odd

October
5 – Bayern, Germany – Way Of Darkness Festival
6 – Paderborn, Germany – Metal Inferno Festival

(Photo by: Florian Fassbinder)

SHINEDOWN's new single, "Get Up", has quickly found its way into the hearts and minds of many people and for good reason — the moving, uplifting track offers hope and encouragement in the face of personal struggles, whatever they may be. For frontman Brent Smith, the song was born out of watching his friend, SHINEDOWN bassist Eric Bass, deal with depression. Offering a light in a time of darkness, especially with mental health issues, is something Brent is deeply connected to after battling his own personal demons. While writing for the new album, "Attention Attention" — the first album he has written totally sober — he put pen to paper in the most open and honest creative place he's ever been, and a beautiful, universal song rooted in Brent and Eric's raw vulnerability took shape. Reaching far beyond any genre or label, "Get Up" speaks to the human spirit in a time of need, and it's a song that has already resonated with the masses — becoming a fan favorite at arena shows on tour where the crowd response is palpable, and racking up more than five million total streams totally organically. Today, the rock band releases the stunning, cinematic video for "Get Up", directed by Bill Yukich (Beyoncé's "Lemonade", Marilyn Manson, Wiz Khalifa).

"We don't want people to feel ashamed about what they're going through... You're not going to be defined by your failures. You're going to be defined by the fact that you didn't give up," says Smith.

"Attention Attention" was released May 4 via Atlantic Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival" marks SHINEDOWN's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by Bass.

"Eric probably got 100 or so gray hairs from producing the album," SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch told the Lexington Herald-Leader. "He put a lot of pressure on himself and we put a lot on pressure on him. A lot of people say it’s the death knell when you self-produce. But he knew how to do the job. He's produced bands before, many different styles of bands — rock 'n' roll bands, metal bands. So we had full faith and trust in him. But we also had full faith and trust in each other because we still get along. We still like each other. We still have fun together. We're friends, and we love each other like brothers. That made it a lot easier. For me, it was fun just to watch him work with the talent that he had."

SHINEDOWN is on the road this summer for a co-headlining U.S. tour with GODSMACK. The band recently announced a European headlining tour, set to kick off October 29, with tickets going on sale this week.

Two-time-Grammy-nominated blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa has released the music video for his track "King Bee Shakedown", taken from his upcoming studio album, "Redemption", which is due on September 21 via his own record label J&R Adventures.

According to a press release, "King Bee Shakedown" "is reminiscent of high-energy swing and jump-blues, styles artists like Brian Setzer helped to revive throughout the '80s. The song is a high-tempo boogie complete with booming backbeats from the drums, blaring horn stabs, a red-hot solo from Joe."

If the stylistic exploration wasn't courageous enough, Joe decided to play "King Bee Shakedown" as the opener to the majority of his 2018 live performances. With the fans twisting in their seats and the band having a blast on stage, the decision seemed to pay off as it has quickly become a fan favorite on this leg of Joe's tour.

"Redemption", Bonamassa's 13th solo studio album and third in a row of all-original material, sees him at his most ambitious yet as he continues to redefine and push the barriers of blues-rock. It features a staggering collection of 12 songs that weave effortlessly through an assortment of genres and reflect the artistic rebirth that he is currently experiencing.

"I'm going through some other stuff in my life I didn't expect to be going through," he explains. "It's a rising, it's contrition, it's acceptance, it's everything. It's painful, but knowing that there's a rising coming."


The album reunites Bonamassa with some of Nashville's finest music minds such as Tom Hambridge, James House, Gary Nicholson as well as Richard Page and American rock and roll legend Dion DiMucci (THE WANDERER, RUN-AROUND SUE) who adds his songwriting expertise to the title track. Joe also continues his long creative relationship with Kevin Shirley and together create an album bigger than ever before. "From a producer's perspective, this is far and away the most challenging and diverse album that Joe has ever made, " says Shirley.


The album was recorded at various locations, including Blackbird Studios in Nashville, The Cave Australia in Sydney, Studio At The Palms in Las Vegas, Criteria Hit Factory in Miami and Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville. It was once again recorded with a remarkable collection of musicians, including drummer Anton Fig (DAVID LETTERMAN BAND), bassist Michael Rhodes, keyboardist Reese Wynans, horn players Lee Thornburg and Paulie Cerra, harmony vocalist Gary Pinto, background singers Mahalia Barnes, Jade McRae, Juanita Tippins, and Kevin Shirley introduced two additional guitar players, Kenny Greenberg and Doug Lancio. "It was interesting, because having two extra guitar players involved, allowed me to play a certain way," Bonamassa adds.

The album opens with a tip of the hat to LED ZEPPELIN on "Evil Mama" that burrows into a deep groove before ripping into the rockabilly-tinged boogie blues of "King Bee Shakedown". Next, Bonamassa dips into his BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION influence to tell a tragic tale with timeless hard rock riffs for "Molly-O" and "Deep In The Blues Again" changes the course yet again with a driving rhythm meant for the car stereo.


"Self-Inflicted Wounds" is most telling of Bonamassa's progression as a true singer-songwriter, and Joe claims it as his best songwriting yet. "Pick Up The Pieces" channels Tom Waits for a late night after hours while "The Ghost of Macon Jones" sees Joe trade vocals with Nashville country singer Jamey Johnson as they recount a cautionary tale of a rural renegade. "Just Cos You Can Don't Mean You Should" channels Gary Moore for an upbeat taste of blues-rock euphoria before Bonamassa makes light of his trials and tribulations on "I've Got Some Mind Over What Matters".


Then Joe strips it down to only acoustic guitar and vocals on the heart-breaking tale of "Stronger Now In Broken Places", which promises that things will be better over time and features MIDNIGHT OIL's Jim Moginie providing soundscapes and Kate Stone on the hand pan. After this intense musical journey, Joe wraps it all up with a traditional blues rock tune with "Love is A Gamble".


There is a resounding theme of redemption and salvation on the album, but also very much a sense of strength and empowerment. "We all need to be redeemed at some point in our lives. It's this yearning to redeem yourself after just this tremendous loss and this tremendous feeling of pain," explains Bonamassa.

Bonamassa is at his ultimate creative peak with "Redemption", which follows the recent release of his last live masterpiece, "British Blues Explosion Live", that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues chart and marked his 20th No. 1 album. Bonamassa's fire is unstoppable both in the studio and live on the road.

TotalRock Radio conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, which was held last weekend in Wacken, Germany. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked which JUDAS PRIEST album is his favorite, Hill replied: "It's always the new one, isn't it? But in this case, it's true — I love this new album [2018's 'Firepower']. It's got a bit of everything — the light and the shade and the dark and the fast and the slow, the heavy and the light — that we've become known for; that variety, sort of music that we've always been known for. And this album's got all of that. From the other albums, my favorite is probably 'Defenders Of The Faith', 'cause that was the last of that line, if you know what I mean. It started off probably with 'British Steel' and really stopped there. Then we went into 'Turbo', just tried to look for something different, basically."

Regarding how "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap is fitting in as the replacement for PRIEST's Parkinson's disease-stricken guitarist Glenn Tipton on the current tour, Hill said: "He's fitting in great now. Obviously, he was weary at first, but he's been at it now for a few months, and his confidence is growing, and he's performing really, really well. He always played well, but the performance is getting there as well now. He's fitting right in. He's one of the gang."

PRIEST will return to the United States at the end of August for a co-headlining run with fellow classic heavy rockers DEEP PURPLE.

Tipton was diagnosed with 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 album since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live.

On September 7, Metal Blade Records will release "Cruel Magic", the new album by NWOBHM legends SATAN. The cover artwork for the disc was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT, HATEBREED, SOULFLY and KATAKLYSM, among many others.

For a preview of "Cruel Magic", listen to the second single, "Into The Mouth Of Eternity", below.

SATAN comments on the new single: "Playing this song in rehearsals is such a rollercoaster, and it's obvious already that it's going to be part of the SATAN live show for some time to come. This song has been in the making since 2014 and we are so excited to finally unleash it on the new record. It's our album opener, so turn up the volume and hold on!"

Bearers of the NWOBHM movement and responsible for '83's seminal "Court In The Act" and '87's "Suspended Sentence", SATAN makes it abundantly clear with its upcoming album that in 2018, it is not interested in simply capitalizing on past glories. Comprised of 10 tracks of searing metal, it is blatantly and profoundly the work of the Newcastle upon Tyne natives at their very best, infusing their signature sound with a more raw, wild and spontaneous vibe than they showcased on 2015's mighty "Atom By Atom" — and in the process, displaying more passion and energy than slews of bands half their age.

Tracking the album at First Avenue Studio, they further demonstrated their trust and rapport with past collaborators, recruiting engineer Dave Curle and Dario Mollo to handle the mix, letting them handle the technical side of things so the quintet could focus all of their energies on giving the best performances. Confident in the songs they had written and how they wanted them to sound made the process a very easy one, walking out of the studio with a record of which they are understandably proud, and will reign supreme in the speakers and headphones of metalheads the world over when it drops in September.

"We truly feel we've got it 100 percent right this time, the balance between considered content and reckless performance," SATAN says. "We always break loose on stage so why not on record?"

"Cruel Magic" track listing:

01. Into The Mouth Of Eternity

02. Cruel Magic

03. The Doomsday Clock

04. Legions Hellbound

05. Ophidian

06. My Prophetic Soul

07. Death Knell For A King

08. Who Among Us

09. Ghosts Of Monongah

10. Mortality

In support of "Cruel Magic", SATAN will head out on the road this October for a USA tour, which includes an appearance at the Frost And Fire IV festival in Ventura, California.

EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan) recently spoke to U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine about the early years of Norwegian black metal and its effect on the recording of the band's 1997 album, "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk". Check out the five-minute clip below.

Earlier this year, Ihsahn talked to Metal Wani about EMPEROR's status as one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene. "The first two EMPEROR albums were absolutely slaughtered by major metal media," he said. "Ten, twenty years passes, and suddenly, I see these albums next to BLACK SABBATH's debut album and 'most influential and important album of the last 50 years.' Stuff like this. It goes up and down like a yo-yo."

He continued: "As you can imagine, I've said this many times, in 1991, we did not start an obscure black metal band to make it. [Laughs] There was no scene, there was no 'making it.' There was a very, very small, underground scene, kind of pushing the envelope of the extremes in music. We were teenagers. There were purely artistic ambitions, no commercial ambitions at all. I like to think that was the only reason we ended up having a career in the first place because by doing so, you created something that was exotic and unique enough not to really compete with anything that already existed."

Ihsahn's new solo album, "Ámr", was released on May 4 via Candlelight/Spinefarm.

On July 23, former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent filed two applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the word mark "Vinnie Vincent's Kiss". If granted, the registrations will protect the use of the standard character mark of "Vinnie Vincent's Kiss" for entertainment services, specifically "live performances by internationally known musical artist and guitarist Vinnie Vincent," as well as for goods and services, including "compact discs featuring music."

As previously reported, Vinnie, whose real name is Vincent Cusano, will perform live for the first time in 30 years on December 7 at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. The event will consist of an acoustic set featuring KISS and VINNIE VINCENT INVASION songs, with a special guest appearance by former VINNIE VINCENT INVASION singer Robert Fleischman.

Vincent has made several public appearances this year after spending the past two decades out of the public eye. He recently addressed rumors about his gender identity but declined to answer the question directly, explaining that he wanted to keep a mystique about the subject. He also said that he hopes to complete his autobiography "within a year."

Vinnie joined KISS in 1982, replacing Ace Frehley. As the "Ankh Warrior," he toured with the group in support of "Creatures Of The Night", on which he played lead guitar on six songs prior to becoming an official member of the band. He was also a member of KISS when the band publicly "unmasked" in 1983.

After Vincent sued Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons for "Lick It Up" royalties, a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled against the guitarist and awarded the KISS defendants about $66,400 in attorney's fees and $15,400 in costs.

In June 2010, Vincent lost his 6th Circuit appeal of an order barring him from seeking bankruptcy protection from paying more than $81,000 to his former bandmates.

Vinnie joined Gene in April at the KISS bassist/vocalist's "Vault Experience" event in Nashville, Tennessee. The reunion took place just a couple of months after Vincent said that reconnecting with Simmons was "probably the nicest thing that's happened" to him in recent years. "I love Gene," he said. "In the early days, he treated me so supportive."

(Thanks: Johnthan Roberts)

Vinnie has registered a trademark for

"VINNIE VINCENT'S KISS"

File Date: July 23, 2018.Posted by KISSmania on Tuesday, July 31, 2018

After six long, harsh years of absence, the mighty PIG DESTROYER have reassembled to eradicate eardrums and split skulls with their highly anticipated sixth full-length opus, titled "Head Cage" (named after a grisly medieval torture device). "Head Cage" is due out September 7 via Relapse Records.


The official music video for "The Torture Fields", directed and edited by Frank Huang and featuring live footage from Decibel Metal & Beer Fest and Southwest Terror Fest, and live photos by Mark Valentino, can be seen below.

A visceral vortex of animalistic rage and extreme sonic brilliance, "Head Cage" is a true work of extreme metal art, that with the addition of a bass player, is hands down their most dynamic and heaviest recording to date. Across twelve tracks, PIG DESTROYER weave together harrowing tales of philosophical dualities, touching on mortality and depression, fear and violence, and the darkest complexities of the human condition, all told through the distorted lens of delightfully transgressive vocalist/lyricist JR Hayes. Musically, the band continues to push the boundaries of metal, grindcore, noise and punk, ramping up the intensity and leaving you bludgeoned in a state of utter shock, all in less than 33 minutes.


"Head Cage" was recorded by guitarist Scott Hull at Visceral Sound Studios, mixed and mastered by Will Putney (EXHUMED, EVERY TIME I DIE, BODY COUNT) and features striking artwork by Mark McCoy (FULL OF HELL, NOTHING) along with guest vocal appearances by AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED's Richard Johnson and Kat Katz plus FULL OF HELL's Dylan Walker.


The "Head Cage" cover artwork was created by Mark McCoy and can be seen below.


"Head Cage" track listing:


01. Tunnel Under The Tracks

02. Dark Train

03. Army Of Cops

04. Circle River

05. The Torture Fields

06. Terminal Itch

07. Concrete Beast

08. The Adventures Of Jason And Jr

09. Mt. Skull

10. Trap Door Man

11. The Last Song

12. House Of Snakes

Photo credit: Joey Wharton

On October 12, 2018, Eagle Vision will release EVANESCENCE's "Synthesis Live" on DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD and digital formats.

Recorded late last autumn during the band's critically acclaimed "Synthesis" tour, the concert was captured in state-of-the-art 4K by director P.R. Brown and produced by Craig Ziogas of CTGS Productions.

The songs span EVANESCENCE's 20-year history to now, reinvented with full orchestra over a deep electronic landscape. "Synthesis" is a soulful and sweepingly grandiose event to witness live. Seated at the piano, Amy Lee opens the set with a single note that builds into the instrumental "Overture", seamlessly leading into the crushing wave that is "Never Go Back". "Bring Me To Life", the anthem that brought most people to discover EVANESCENCE in the first place, reaches a new level of power and emotion with a pounding, electric heartbeat and soaring orchestral accompaniment, while songs like "My Immortal", "Lithium" and "Lost In Paradise" feel like heartbreaking scenes from a beautiful, timeless film.

Amy Lee's incredible vocal range and the group's expressive, multi-layered music naturally lends itself to orchestral accompaniment, shining a light on the singular beauty of the arrangements by composer David Campbell and conducted by Susie Seiter — creating a truly dynamic, cinematic sound. Lee has called this "a passion project," which undoubtedly shines through. The sense of occasion is not lost on the band or audience alike in this unique and highly emotive show.

EVANESCENCE recently brought its "Synthesis" live tour around the world, delivering highly-acclaimed performances throughout Europe, North America and Australia. This summer, the band teamed with violinist Lindsey Stirling on a tour of North American amphitheatres, one of Live Nation's Top 10 tours of the summer.

"Synthesis Live" track listing:

01. Overture

02. Never Go Back

03. Lacrymosa

04. The End Of The Dream

05. My Heart Is Broken

06. Lithium

07. Bring Me To Life

08. Unravelling (Interlude)

09. Imaginary

10. Secret Door

11. Hi-Lo

12. Lost In Paradise

13. Your Star

14. My Immortal

15. The In-Between (Piano Solo)

16. Imperfection

17. Speak To Me

18. Good Enough

19. Swimming Home