Manchester's Leeched have released a video for "By The Factories", a track from their upcoming album You Took The Sun When You Left, out on August 24th via Prosthetic Records. Pre-order here, and watch the video below.

Barely a year after they formed, and with an incessantly intense EP - Nothing Will Grow From The Rotten Ground - already under their belts, Leeched are taking a fast-paced swipe at the world around them. Bands sharing a distaste for the status quo, or a dissatisfaction for the world around them may not be something new, but few bands are doing it with the vitriol and vehemence that is offered up on You Took The Sun When You Left.

Tracklisting:

"Cripple The Herd"
"Rope"
"The Stone And The Steel"
"By The Factories"
"Guilt"
"A Mouth Full Of Dirt"
"Born In Sand"
"Raised By Lead"
"Hollow-Point Weddings"
"Harrow The Pastures"
"You Took The Sun When You Left"

"By The Factories" video:

"The Stone and The Steel" video:

"Guilt":

Taking influence from every dark and dingy corner of extreme music, Leeched may be moving at break-neck speed, but they're a band who are quickly finding their feet - both in the studio and out on the road.

Tour dates:

August
20 - Asylum 2 - Birmingham, UK ^
21 - Trillians - Newcastle, UK ^
22 - Rough Trade - Bristol, UK ^
23 - The Underworld - London, UK ^
24 - The Green Door Store - Brighton, UK ^
25 - Break The Chains Festival - Leeds, UK

^ - With Full of Hell

Leeched is:

Laurie - Bass/Vocals
Judd - Guitar
Tom - Drums

(Photo - Polarise Photography)

Unholy Baptism returns with their sophomore album Volume I: The Bonds Of Servitude, out on October 5th. The album track "Whispers Of Power Eternal" is available for streaming below.

Produced, mixed, and mastered at Black Goat Studios in Flagstaff, AZ, the album has improved on virtually all aspects of the band's debut, ...On The Precipice Of The Ancient Abyss. The album is the first instalment in a trilogy the band is writing, exploring new themes and songwriting techniques. Staying true to their black metal roots, Volume I: The Bonds Of Servitude has cemented the band's signature USBM sound while bringing a more polished production to the table.

Mantus, the band's lead vocalist and bassist, said of the new release: "The album is the beginning of a trilogy exploring the unrepentant darkness of the human condition and the inconceivable power of the gods deep within the farthest reaches of the universe. This album explores the human consciousness and the opening of the mind to the vast, overwhelming power that exists outside of this terrestrial prison."

Tracklisting:

"Intro: The Awakening Of Forgotten Gods"
"...These Scars Are Wounds Unhealed"
"Shattered"
"Withering Woods"
"Whispers Of Power Eternal"
"Peering Into The Flames Of Enlightenment"
"Noctis Maleficarum"
"Baptized In The Majesty Of Satan"

"Whispers Of Power Eternal":

Bay Area rock band Stimuli create thoughtful and heavy rock music about the human condition, delivered through Jimmy Tomahawk's melodic and edgy vocals and spacious and heavy guitar riffing, Tai Hake's solid and snarling bass tones, and Cole Andrew's intricate and powerful drumming. Stimuli will release their first official full-length album titled They Are We in stores and online worldwide on August 17th. The album is a winding 11-track explosion of the trio's dense, ambitious, and fiercely original sound.

In April 2018, the band generated buzz when they released their debut single and music video for the album's title track, “They Are We.” The single knocks out a hard rock, radio-friendly sound that also exposes the introspective themes of understanding and empathy that permeates their new album. They Are We was recorded at the idyllic Russian River Studios on the Ingels Ranch in Talmage, California, where Tomahawk and Hake had previously recorded with their band Yeibichai. Ken Ingels, the owner of the studio, was extremely helpful, and they enlisted Andrew Miller to engineer and mix the album, and Mike Wells for mastering. For the artwork and album layout, the trio had their eyes photographed and then overlaid the irises so that the colors merge and overlap, accomplished thanks to the superb talents of Michael Miller at Digital Realm Productions, who brought their vision to life in a way that represents the music on the album exceptionally well.

Not only do Stimuli masterfully rock the traditional power trio format, the band also incorporates synth atmospherics and eclectic instrumentation that is not often associated with contemporary Hard Rock. Bassist Tai Hake also plays Theremin, and their music features Native American flute, sitar, acoustic guitar and ambient synthesizers. Lyrically, Stimuli's themes possess a rare depth - insightful and meaningful, ruminating on personal experiences and reflections about peace, empathy, destiny, and self-actualization. Combined together, Stimuli are a sort of “Thinking Person's Rock Band.”

While all members are of a shared generation, their influences run the gamut. The heavy, tight and polished sound of Stimuli has been compared to Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Tool, Rush, and Nirvana. The individual and collective history of the band is just as varied and multi-faceted as their music. Comprised of seasoned musicians from around the world (drummer Cole Andrew is from Australia), Stimuli is a collage of three very strong-willed personalities who, like most productive collaborations, happen to have chemistry and work well together.

“Our music contains a strong emotional intensity with personal, social, and philosophical messages about the human experience,” explains guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Tomahawk. “Although there is an undeniably serious disposition in the band's message, as individuals, we don't take ourselves very seriously at all - satire, slapstick humor and wisecracks are the norm when we are together. It's a bit of a collective Jekyll & Hyde scenario, really. We try to remind ourselves that the initial spark of passion and the joy of playing music that caused us to pick up our instruments in the first place is why we do this!”

The formation of Stimuli began following the split of Bay Area rock band Yeibichai, the brainchild of Tomahawk and Hake. When Tomahawk came across a video of Cole Andrew demonstrating his powerful and detail-oriented drumming, he reached out and they began to jam. Tomahawk couldn't imagine any other bass player but Tai in the room with the sounds that he and Cole were creating. In 2013, Stimuli opened up shop in their new studio space at the fabled Soundwave Studios in Oakland. It was here that Stimuli became a band and their deep friendship and musical bond was solidified.

In early 2017 Stimuli found themselves at a crossroads. Things suddenly felt new, vivified, and stronger among the three of them, but a glaring question remained: who would be the voice of the band? Jimmy Tomahawk decided then that nothing was going to stop him from fulfilling his original plan as a young teenager of being the vocalist in his own band. With the encouraging support of his bandmates, Tomahawk began to write, and at some point along the way, singing became as fluid and as much of an unconscious operation for Tomahawk as playing guitar. In just a few short months the band was in the studio tracking drums and bass for the new album.

Stimuli feel an unprecedented sense of optimism and joy with the music they are making. The audiences are reciprocating that energy that is conveyed at their live shows with great fervor. With much more to come from this exciting new Bay Area rock band, it would appear that Stimuli are just getting started!

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"+x-"
"They Are We"
"The New Dream"
"Sandstorm"
"Fire In Disguise"
"Ripple"
"Pill For The Pill"
"Only Liars"
"Prize Of Nothingness"
"How On Earth"
"Pushing The Stone"

"They Are We" video:

Icelandic classic rock trio The Vintage Caravan have released a first official video trailer for their upcoming fourth studio album Gateways, to be released on August 31st through Nuclear Blast.

Gateways can be pre-ordered in various formats here. The album will be available in the following formats:

- Digi
- 2LP (black, white)
- Digital

The band commented on their upcoming record, "We are very proud to present our new album, Gateways! Recorded in the legendary Sundlaugin Studios in Iceland (owned by Sigur Rós). Produced by Ian Davenport. Overall we think this album feels more mature than the previous ones. We really pushed ourselves to make this album sound as great as possible. I won't name any names but some people have been heard saying this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. We can't wait for you all to hear it/taste it."

Gateways tracklisting:

"Set Your Sights"
"The Way"
"Reflections"
"On The Run"
"All This Time"
"Hidden Streams"
"Reset"
"Nebula"
"Farewell"
"Tune Out"

Bonus Track (Digi and 2LP only)
"The Chain" (Fleetwood Mac cover)

"Set Your Sights" visualizer:

"Reflections":

Teaser:

US power metal band Dire Peril, made up of guitarist Jason Ashcraft (Helion Prime) and vocalist John Yelland (Judicator), have released their first single, "Heart Of The Furyan", off their long awaited debut album The Extraterrestrial Compendium, to be released worldwide via Divebomb Records on November 9th.

Jason Ashcraft comments: "I know the album doesn't come out for roughly four more months but we have a few things in the works that I really wanted a song out to showcase how the band sounds now and who we currently are. Also I'm just to excited to not share this album with everyone that I really couldn't wait any longer."

Listen to "Heart Of The Furyan" below.

The album will consist of twelve full length tracks each inspired from a different science fiction movie. It will feature guest performances from Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) and Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers).

The album was mixed by Carlos Alvarez at Dirty Viking Audio Productions and mastered by Brett Caldas-Lima at Tower Studio. Cover art for the album was done by Gwen Vibancos. Cover art for the single was done by Jill Colbert at Manfish Inc.

The single "Heart Of The Furyan" is based on the character Riddick from the The Chronicles Of Riddick series that started in 2000 with the film Pitch Black.

Ashcraft comments, “I have been biting my tongue, mostly, for about three years now that we got Arjen to perform on one of our tracks. Those who know me understand that this is a dream come true for me. Arjen is a huge inspiration to myself and my music, and to have had the honor to work with him is something that will be a main highlight throughout my career. He is very humble and great to work with. I hope everyone is as pleased with the outcome as I am.”

Each of The Extraterrestrial Compendium’s 12 tracks is based on a sci-fi film. “I always loved the idea behind Iced Earth’s Horror Show - making each song based on a famous monster film. If it isn’t obvious from the music, I’m somewhat of an Iced Earth fan,” states Jason, “so when coming up with ideas for this debut, I thought it would be cool to take a similar direction, but with something that I’m passionate about. As you can see by the final result, we get an album based on some of my all-time favorite sci-fi films. It was certainly hard to choose, as I could probably make Dire Peril’s entire career on favorite films alone.”

Together, the duo - through many obstacles - is prepared to present The Extraterrestrial Compendium to the world, as well as the friends and fans who have waited so patiently.

Yelland notes, “Working on this album was a joy. I had always admired Jason’s material, so the opportunity to collaborate with him was irresistible. I am so proud of what we have accomplished, and can’t wait to share this - and more - with the world...”

Stay tuned for further announcements from the band which will include pre-orders of the album.

The Extraterretrial Compendium tracklisting:

"Yautja (Hunter Culture)"
"Planet Preservation"
"Enemy Mine"
"The Visitor"
"Total Recall"
"Queen Of The Galaxy" +
"Roughnecks"
"Blood In The Ice"
"Heart Of The Furyan"
"Altair IV: The Forbidden Planet"
"Always Right Here"
"Journey Beyond The Stars" ++

+ Features Brittney Slayes
++ Features Arjen Anthony Lucassen

"Heart Of The Furyan":

Haken have announced details of their upcoming fifth studio album Vector, out on October 26th. The album was produced by the band themselves, and recorded and mixed by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery, Devin Townsend Project), with the artwork once again being handled by Blacklake.

The band comments: “On the back of celebrating the 10 year anniversary of our conception, all of us here in the Haken camp are extremely excited to begin this new chapter of our career and share Vector with the world.”

The album will be available as limited edition 2CD Digipak (including instrumental versions), gatefold vinyl 2LP + CD, & as digital download.

Tracklisting:

"Clear"
"The Good Doctor"
"Puzzle Box"
"Veil"
"Nil By Mouth"
"Host"
"A Cell Divides"

To celebrate the announcement of the new album, the band are opening up a unique opportunity for one fan’s artwork to be used as the etching on the fourth side of the vinyl LP version of the record. Haken are inviting fans to submit their own version of the Rorschach test ink-blot image which graces the album’s cover, and one winner’s art will be picked by the band to be etched into every vinyl copy of Vector.

Submissions are open now, closing on August 10th, and can be sent to drrex@hakenmusic.com.

Watch a clip of Charlie & Rich from Haken explaining the competition below:

 
Since their inception in 2007, Haken have shown over four previous studio albums, one EP and a live release that they never stand still, merely satisfied to rely on past triumphs. Rather, Haken always look for ways to challenge themselves as musicians and artists, and also to keep the listeners on their collective toes. “We don't like to make simple music,” laughs vocalist Ross Jennings. “We always aim to defy expectations, and I believe we've surpassed what we aimed to achieve with our new album.”
 
Their fifth studio record sees the band going in a heavier direction with the music. “We’ve always had a heavy influence”, explains guitarist Charlie Griffiths, “but it was obvious from the riffs that were naturally coming out of us early in the writing process that this would be a more metal album. These are some of the most riff driven songs we’ve ever written.” As is usual, Haken produced the album themselves, but for the first time they have enlisted Adam 'Nolly' Getgood during the recording and mixing stages. Formerly bassist with Periphery, in the last couple of years he has built a reputation as a fine producer. “We produced the album ourselves, as we always do,” insists Jennings. “But we're fans of what Adam has done with Periphery, Sikth and Devin Townsend. He has a great reputation for the heavier end of our genre”.
 
But if this album is musically heavy, then there's an underlying theme running through the seven songs which is certainly esoteric and fascinating. “The scene is set with the track The Good Doctor, which was a really fun song. Musically it feels like a logical step from 'Affinity', but lyrically it’s a bit more theatrical and about as ‘rock opera’ as Haken has ever got”, explains Griffiths. “It’s about a Doctor with an intriguing, perhaps sinister interest in a particular patient. From there the story enters the point-of-view of the patient - who appears to be catatonic, but his mind is sparking with what could be memories, or delusions brought on by the treatment he’s receiving - we leave this up to the listeners to decide. Although we don’t want to give too much away, people who are familiar with our back catalogue will have fun discovering further clues we’ve planted throughout the album. And that's the challenge for the fans - to find out for themselves their own meaning for 'Vector' as an album”.
 
The band recently announced North American co-headline dates alongside Norway’s Leprous, and label-mates Bent Knee, in what is an all InsideOutMusic bill. These will be the first live shows in support of Vector, and you can find the full list of dates below:

Dates:

October
30 - The Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
31 - Opera House - Toronto, ON

November
2 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA
3 - Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
4 - The Sinclair - Boston, MA
6 - Soundstage - Baltimore, MD
7 - Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC
8 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
9 - Revolution - Fort Lauderdale, FL
10 - The Plaza Live - Orlando, FL
11 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
13 - Gas Monkey - Dallas, TX
14 - Barracuda - Austin, TX
16 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ
17 - Glasshouse - Pomona, CA
18 - August Hall - San Francisco, CA
19 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
20 - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
21 - Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, BC
23 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT
24 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
25 - Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS
26 - Delmar Hall - St Louis, MO
27 - Exit/In - Nashville, TN
29 - Rex Theater - Pittsburgh, PA
30 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

December
1 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL

Tickets available here.

(Photo - Will Ireland)

"A.W.O.L.", a new song from the British progressive metal band MONUMENTS, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the group's long-awaited third album, "Phronesis", which will be released on October 5 via Century Media Records.


"The word 'Phronesis' was a big part of society and philosophy in ancient Greece", explains MONUMENTS. "Phronesis is wisdom, but a really specific type of wisdom to do with oneself. Wisdom on your practical actions, good judgement, being excellent in character, practical wisdom. Learning what to do and what not to do based on experience, being mindful of everything around you. Something that, at times, all of us can be pretty terrible at."

After touring the world heavily in support of its "The Amanuensis" album (2014), the intercontinental quintet needed to take a break and catch a breath for multiple reasons. However, the band kept working on "Phronesis".

"My personal relationship with the meaning of the record starts at 'Stygian Blue', which was the second song I wrote for this back in 2015, and it came to be while I was in the darkest place I've ever been in my 32 years", says guitarist John Browne. "We all had a bunch of issues that needed time to let heal so, in between writing we were, you know, fixing our broken souls."

Writing about topics that would be troubling their minds acted as a catharsis though, so "Phronesis" works as a turning point of the progressive metal band on many levels. The independently produced album was finally recorded between March and July of 2018 in various studios throughout the world: while guitars and bass were recorded by Jim Pinder (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, MACHINE HEAD, WHILE SHE SLEEPS) at Treehouse Studios in Derbyshire, U.K., the drums were played, recorded, tracked and engineered by Anup Sastry (ex-SKYHARBOR). Chris Barretto recorded his vocals with Cristian Machado (ILL NIŇO, LEEWAY) at Soundwars Studios in New Jersey, then everything was mixed and mastered by Joel Wanasek at JTW Music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"Phronesis" is available as standard CD jewelcase, gatefold LP+CD and digital album.


The track listing reads as follows:

01. A.W.O.L.

02. Hollow King

03. Vanta

04. Mirror Image

05. Ivory

06. Stygian Blue

07. Leviathan

08. Celeste

09. Jukai

10. The Watch


MONUMENTS is:

Chris Barretto - Vocals

John Browne - Guitar

Olly Steele - Guitar

Adam Swan - Bass

Daniel "Lango" Lang - Drums

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX performing a snippet of PANTERA's "Cowboys From Hell" during its July 31 concert at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

During an appearance on Eddie Trunk's SiriusXM tribute show to Vinnie Paul Abbott in late June, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante said that he met the former PANTERA drummer for the first time when ANTHRAX made its Texas live debut more than 30 years ago. "And those guys [PANTERA] were there," he said. "We played at this club, and I believe PANTERA were the opening band. A mutual friend of ours, who everybody knows now — Rita [Haney, longtime girlfriend of PANTERA guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] — she kind of was the conduit to grouping us together to become friendly. We've known those guys since 1985, and just the two of them, Darrell and Vinnie, after you met those two, it was like you had a friend in Texas, both of them, and they just made the experience so much better, and you immediately bonded. So throughout the years, we just remained friends."

Benante went on to draw a parallel between PANTERA and another legendary rock band which featured siblings who achieved notability together.

"I always equated Dime and Vinnie as, like, Alex and Eddie from VAN HALEN; I always thought PANTERA was like VAN HALEN reborn," he said. "They had a guitar player, who was a hero. The drummers were fucking awesome, but the thing about Vinnie that, I think, not a lot of people know — maybe they do — but from a technical side of things, Vinnie made those PANTERA records sound like that. He was the guy behind it all who was turning the knobs, EQing shit so that his kick drum wasn't fighting with Darrell's fucking chunky guitar. He was a lot of the brains and the glue that held that band together and, basically, pushed that band."

Vinnie passed away on June 22 at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. The drummer's death "did not appear suspicious," according to the official report of the event recorded by Metropolitan Police officers. Sources close to Vinnie told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he suffered a "major heart attack," but that information has not been corroborated yet by an official source.

RUSH vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee will release "Geddy Lee's Big Book Of Beautiful Bass", a book showcasing his collection of bass guitars and the stories behind them, on December 4 via Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Geddy's love of the bass has been nurtured over a lifetime spent in the limelight as one of the world's premier rock bassists. For the past seven years, he's dedicated himself to studying the history of the instrument thats been so essential to his career, collecting hundreds of basses from around the globe, 250 of which are presented here in breathtaking detail with specially commissioned photography by Richard Sibbald.

Representing every tone in the bass palette, every nuance of the rock and roll genre as well as blues, jazz, pop, and country, this one-of-a-kind collection features so-called "beauty queens" — pristine instruments never lifted from their cases—as well as "road warriors" — well-worn, sweat-soaked basses that proudly show their age and use. Complete with personal commentary from Geddy that showcases his knowledge both as a musician and an aficionado, this luxuriously produced volume is a revelatory look at the heavy hitters in the world of bass — Fender, Gibson/Epiphone, Rickenbacker, Höfner, Ampeg — and lesser known but influential global luthiers such as Antonio Wandr Pioli, Dan Armstrong and Tony Zemaitis.

The book also features interviews with John Paul Jones (LED ZEPPELIN); Adam Clayton (U2); Robert Trujillo (METALLICA); Jeff Tweedy (WILCO); Bill Wyman (THE ROLLING STONES); Les Claypool (PRIMUS); Bob Daisley (RAINBOW); Fender expert and owner of the legendary Gibson Explorer, Bass Ken Collins; veteran guitar tech for THE WHO, Alan Rogan; plus comments from many other great players across three decades of rock and roll.

Written in Geddy's singular voice, this book reveals the stories, songs, and history behind the instruments of his inimitable collection. Complete with an index and a graphically designed timeline of the history of the bass, as well as an up-close look at Geddy's basses on RUSH's final "R40" tour, his stage and recording gear from 1968 to 2017, and forewords by author and respected vintage expert, Terry Foster, and RUSH bandmember Alex Lifeson, "Geddy Lee's Big Book Of Beautiful Bass" is the ultimate compendium for the consummate collector, musician, RUSH fan, and anyone who loves the bass guitar.

"It's not surprising that sooner or later I'd dive down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world of vintage bass guitars," said Lee.

Axl Rose is not ruling out recording new music with the partial reunion of GUNS N' ROSES' classic lineup.

Asked in a rare interview with Iceland Magazine if he has considered putting out new material with the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES, more than two years after the launch of the band's "Not In This Lifetime" tour, Axl said: "Right now our focus is on touring and the shows, but everyone seems to be getting along, so you never know."

Rose also talked about how he and his bandmates manage to deliver such high-quality performances night after night, despite the fact that each concert is more than two hours long.

"Everyone just wants to do their best for the fans, each other and our crew," he said. "Everyone pushes each other with their performance and commitment. And with highlights, every show, every crowd is different with something to remember about each one."

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic lineup members Rose, Slash (guitar) and Duff McKagan (bass) backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Fank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and new second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The last GUNS studio album, "Chinese Democracy", came out in 2008 and featured only Axl Rose from the band's classic lineup. The last album on which Rose, McKagan and Slash appeared together was 1993's covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?"

IN THIS MOMENT guitarist Chris Howorth has told Guitar Interactive magazine that the band will tentatively enter the studio in February 2019 to begin recording its next album.

Regarding how the songwriting process in IN THIS MOMENT works, Howorth said (see video below): "It kind of depends. It could any way. The last two records we've done, we kind of went in with nothing — maybe a couple of ideas, or three or four little ideas, but really not much. The whole idea is to create it in the studio, and it's fresh. And that's what we did last time. And it does literally start from a little thing Maria [Brink, vocals] has in her head, or a guitar idea that Maria is, like, 'Oh, I like that. I can sing over that.' With this next album we're getting ready to do, we're actually working on stuff now so that we have more when we go in — just so that there's a little less pressure. More than we know we like, so we're not, like, 'Eh, I don't like that. Let's start something else.' And then there was two weeks that just went down the drain."

IN THIS MOMENT's latest album, 2017's "Ritual", included an eerie cover of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", and Brink told KLAQ's Lisa Sanchez that there is a good chance the follow-up effort will see the band tackling yet another classic song.

"I don't what we're gonna do yet, but I definitely wanna do [a cover]," Maria said. "I love doing covers. Labels always like 'em anyway, cause they use 'em for other things and stuff too. So I'm actually on the hunt right now [for] what to cover."

"Ritual" was produced by IN THIS MOMENT's longtime collaborator — and multiple Grammy Award nominee — Kevin Churko (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, OZZY OSBOURNE).

BLACK STAR RIDERS guitarist Scott Gorham has confirmed to Planet Rock that the band is planning to enter the studio early next year to begin recording its follow-up to 2017's "Heavy Fire" album. "I've got a few riffs that are coming out," he said at this past weekend's Steelhouse Festival in Wales (see video below). "I've already showed them to the guys, and everybody is jumping all over them. We're due to start recording our fourth album in February. So we're already… I think Ricky [Warwick, vocals/guitar], lyrically, has probably got three-quarters of the album already written. It's just now down to us collaborating [on] the chord sequences and the riffs and whatever, if we're gonna put harmony bits in there and all that. So we're a pretty well-oiled machine on that side."

The 67-year-old rocker, who joined Phil Lynott's THIN LIZZY in 1974, also talked about the decision to form BLACK STAR RIDERS in 2012 and not continue with the THIN LIZZY name out of respect for Phil, who died in 1986.

"I still think that was absolutely the right way to go, the right thing to do," Scott said. "And yes, we were, at one point, thinking about doing another THIN LIZZY album, but, as time rolled on, I just personally became more and more uncomfortable with that whole way of thinking. Especially because it's my buddy Phil, man — he was the guy that introduced me to all of this stuff. And I'm gonna go out and take the name and record another album without him standing in the middle? I just got too uncomfortable with that, and I had to voice that opinion to everybody else who was involved with it at the time. And, to be quite honest, I think everybody was actually relieved, because they didn't want to have to compete with other THIN LIZZY albums. And we knew that probably some of the fans were not gonna like it, so I didn't wanna alienate anybody."

Last year, BLACK STAR RIDERS inked a new worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, the label that has released all three of the band's albums so far: 2013's "All Hell Breaks Loose", 2015's "The Killer Instinct" and "Heavy Fire".


"Heavy Fire" was a worldwide success, reaching position No. 6 on the U.K. chart, No. 11 on the German chart, and No. 91 on U.S. Current Top Albums chart.

"Ravenswood", the new video from THE SKULL, the band featuring vocalist Eric Wagner and bassist Ron Holzner, formerly of metal legends TROUBLE, can be seen below. The song is taken from THE SKULL's sophomore album, "The Endless Road Turns Dark", which will be released on September 7 via Tee Pee Records. The LP was recorded in Chicago's Decade Music Studios with engineer Sanford Parker (YOB, TOMBS) and builds on the foundation laid by THE SKULL's debut album, "For Those Which Are Asleep", a recording that landed at or near the top of a host of 2014 year-end best of lists.

THE SKULL, which also features longtime CATHEDRAL drummer Brian Dixon, guitarist Lothar Keller (SACRED DAWN), and guitarist Rob Wrong (WITCH MOUNTAIN), creates classic SABBATH-ian doom with a psych-tinged metal vision. "The Endless Road Turns Dark" benefits greatly from the pedigree and experience of the band's members and pushes authentic, old-school metal to heavier and more foreboding places, fueled by burly riffing, metallic groove and a crushing punch. Ethereal and wonderfully moody with a heart of heavy metal beating at its center, the record delivers definitive doom metal full of powerful builds and mesmerizing dynamic range. More than a mere throwback, "The Endless Road Turns Dark" is the work of a band that respects their fans, understands their own history, and still has their ears open to the current doom metal landscape. A wicked exercise in heavy metal majesty, "The Endless Road Turns Dark" plays like a natural extension of the musicians exemplary work during their 20-plus years with TROUBLE and cements THE SKULL as modern-day doom metal royalty.

"The Endless Road Turns Dark" track listing:

01. The Endless Road Turns Dark

02. Ravenswood

03. Breathing Underwater

04. The Longing

05. From Myself Depart

06. As the Sun Draws Near

07. All That Remains (Is True)

08. Thy Will Be Done

DEAD CROSS, the Southern California hardcore outfit featuring Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, TOMAHAWK), Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), has unveiled a video for "Church Of The Motherfuckers (Planet B Remix)". The track is taken from the foursome's recently released self-titled EP, available now via Ipecac Recordings.

"This is meant to be an extension to the original 'Church Of The Motherfuckers' video," explains Pearson of the Israel Henshaw- and Jay Strickland-directed clip. "Perhaps an interpretation but a realistic view or organized religion in the real world, and in modern times, which is unfortunate. Are well free in this world? This is Jesus Christ, this is religion."

PLANET B is the project from Pearson and Luke Henshaw (SONIDO DE LA FRONTERA). The duo's music lays somewhere just out of reach of genre, with aesthetics rooted in hip-hop, hardcore punk, turntablism and '70s/'80s horror movie soundtracks, all of which influenced this remix.

"Dead Cross" track listing:

01. Skin Of A Redneck

02. My Perfect Prisoner

03. Shillelagh (Panicker Remix)

04. Church Of The Motherfuckers (Planet B Remix)

The self-titled debut album from DEAD CROSS was released in August 2017 via Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.

Patton told Rolling Stone that he got involved with DEAD CROSS after reaching out to Lombardo to see if he could release the band's album on Ipecac. After getting a text from the drummer asking him to join the group, "my jaw dropped," the singer said. "I was like, 'Who, me? Hmm …' And I think it took like all of 30 seconds, but in a sarcastic way, I'm like, 'Yeah, of course. I can do this. Are you sure you want me?' So I kind of second-guessed him a little bit. And he said, 'Man, you'd be our dream vocalist.' And then it was just a matter of logistics. I decided to record it here in my basement, which is fitting. It shouldn't sound too polished."

Regarding DEAD CROSS's musical direction, Patton said: "To me, it is a traditional hardcore record. It is very pointed, direct and visceral. Like, I wasn't going to play keyboards, add samples or any kind of orchestration. It was like, 'Yo, just go for it.' In some ways, it reminded me of stuff that we had collectively all grown up with and loved when we were like teenagers — bands like the ACCÜSED, DEEP WOUND or SIEGE, stuff that was just brutal, uncompromising and right to the point. I was listening to all those bands again before this came to be, so it was already back infused in my blood. And now I got a chance to do a pencil-in-your-eye record."

Photo credit: Adam DeGross

There is no other true American rock band quite like LYNYRD SKYNYRD. The iconic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees are some of the most influential legends of our time.

"Live In Atlantic City", the band's brand new live release, pays tribute to and celebrates its legacy with the help of three incredible artists.

In the Decades Rock Arena in Atlantic City, LYNYRD SKYNYRD was joined by incredibly talented guest performers to create one uniquely magical night: 3 DOORS DOWN, who rose to international fame with their first single "Kryptonite"; Hank Williams Jr. (yes, the son of the country music singer Hank Williams); and the American singer and songwriter Bo Bice, who was a runner-up to Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of "American Idol".

Newly mixed and mastered, "Live In Atlantic City" celebrates the legend that is LYNYRD SKYNYRD in an energetic, 70-minute show. Each guest artist performs with LYNYRD SKYNYRD — thereof 3 DOORS DOWN's hit "Kryptonite" and Bo Bice's "The Real Thing", the title track to his album. The show peaks with a performance of the LYNYRD SKYNYRD originals — "Call Me The Breeze" and, of course, "Sweet Home Alabama" — performed by LYNYRD SKYNYRD together with all of the special guests.

"Live In Atlantic City" will be released as CD + Blu-ray digipak (limited first print run in fake leather), 2LP gatefold+download, DVD, Blu-ray, and digital on September 21 through earMUSIC.

Track listing:

01. Workin' For MCA

02. Red White and Blue (Love It Or Leave)

03. Gimme Three Steps

04. The Real Thing (feat. Bo Bice)

05. Gimme Back My Bullets (feat. Bo Bice)

06. Down South Jukin' (feat. Hank Williams Jr.)

07. Born To Boogie (feat. Hank Williams Jr.)

08. That Smell (feat. 3 Doors Down)

09. Kryptonite (feat. 3 Doors Down)

10. Saturday Night Special (feat. 3 Doors Down)

11. Call Me the Breeze

13. Sweet Home Alabama

14. Free Bird

DVD and Blu-ray also include "Bonus: Lynyrd Skynyrd Confidential"

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will release their new album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", 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."

As a foretaste for what to expect on the new album, BEHEMOTH has released a video for the first single, "God = Dog", that can be viewed below. The clip was directed by BEHEMOTH's longtime visual collaborators Grupa 13.


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

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

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

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

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

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

"I Loved You At Your Darkest" track listing:

01. Solve

02. Wolves Ov Siberia

03. God = Dog

04. Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica

05. Bartzabel

06. If Crucifixion Was Not Enough...

07. Angelvs XIII

08. Sabbath Mater

09. Havohej Pantocrator

10. Rom 5:8

11. We Are The Next 1000 Years

12. Coagvla

Photo credit: Grzegorz Gołębiowski

Finnish metallers WOLFHEART will release their long-awaited fourth full-length studio album, "Constellation Of The Black Light", on September 28 via Napalm Records.

WOLFHEART's music embraces the sheer force and beauty of Finnish nature with fiery passion. After the success of their first three albums that all hit the Top 10 in the Finnish album charts, among them their last album, "Tyhjyys", which charted in Switzerland as well, the time has come to unleash the next masterpiece of raw winter metal! "Constellation Of The Black Light" comes with seven tracks that dive headfirst into black metal, nordic death metal, soaring melodies and complex arrangements.

Comments WOLFHEART leader Tuomas Saukkonen on the new album: "Determination and perseverance were the key points in the making this album while conquering obstacle after obstacle during the process of recordings while coldness and beauty of winter were the themes where the music was born.

"This is definitely a triumph in WOLFHEART career and one of the biggest battles won in my personal career. I could not be more satisfied with the result, and with new label and management behind us, we are headstrong to stay in the bath of victories."

"Constellation Of The Black Light" track listing:

01. Everlasting Fall

02. Breakwater

03. The Saw

04. Forge With Fire

05. Defender

06. Warfare

07. Valkyrie

WOLFHEART will support CARACH ANGREN on a North American tour beginning in late September.

WOLFHEART is:

Tuomas Saukkonen: Guitar, Vocals

Mika Lammassaari: Lead guitar

Joonas Kauppinen: Drums

Lauri Silvonen: Bass, backing vocals

Photo by Mike Sirèn

American death/black metallers CAST THE STONE have released the official lyric video for the song "A Plague Of Light", taken from their recently announced six-track EP, "Empyrean Atrophy". The disc is due for release on August 31 via Agonia Records.

CAST THE STONE is Mark Kloeppel (MISERY INDEX, SCOUR), Derek Engemann (CATTLE DECAPITATION, SCOUR), Jesse Schobel (LEGEND, SCOUR) and vocalist Andrew Huskey. First formations of the band began in 2002, long before its protagonists departed for their better-known metal-scene mainstays. While such ties leave a clear mark, CAST THE STONE emerge not as some metal supergroup, but as a project of the original and purest intent of its membership.

Each of CAST THE STONE members is involved in writing music, and each has varying tastes. But they all seem to have one acquired taste in common: an appetite for American and Swedish death metal. On "Empyrean Atrophy", one can distinctly hear sounds similar to DISMEMBER, GRAVE, AT THE GATES, and other proponents of the genre. There are also artisan elements one could liken to more dark and progressive Swedish acts such as OPETH, EDGE OF SANITY and DISSECTION. Perhaps this reason alone, Dan Swanö was a clear choice for production (having produced or had been a member of some of the aforementioned bands).

Hybridizing the dark ferocity of Swedish death metal through a lens of American brutality, CAST THE STONE hits a creative stride with "Empyrean Atrophy". Guitarist Mark Kloeppel commented: "The band's sound is a testament to an enduring spirit that's driven us to return to our most organic influences, merge them together, incorporate disparate elements, and forge our own sound. Each person has a distinct sound unto themselves, so it's really cool how smooth and cohesive this stuff comes across. You can immediately hear how different this is from the other things we've been involved in, yet it's still very true to our individual styles. Our bassist Derek progressively weaves my guitars and Jesse's uber-creative drumming style together in a way that only he can. This is all crowned off by Andy Huskey's crazy death metal vocals which are... well, just listen."

"Empyrean Atrophy" was produced by Dan Swanö (KATATONIA, MERCILESS, EDGE OF SANITY) and features cover artwork by Gary Ronaldson of Bite Radius Designs (PRIMORDIAL, KREATOR, NAPALM DEATH). It includes five new, original compositions and "Jesusatan".

Track listing:

01. As The Dead Lie

02. The Burning Horizon

03. Standing In The Shadows

04. A Plague Of Light

05. Empyrean Atrophy

06. Jesusatan

Fan-filmed video footage of LAMB OF GOD's July 31 concert at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

LAMB OF GOD made its live debut with drummer Art Cruz (PRONG, WINDS OF PLAGUE) on July 26 at Gilford, New Hampshire's Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion.

Cruz is filling in for LAMB OF GOD's regular drummer, Chris Adler, who is sitting out the band's tour with SLAYER "due to unforeseen circumstances."

The North American trek, which also features ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT and NAPALM DEATH, is scheduled to run through August 26 in San Jose, California.

LAMB OF GOD said in a statement that Art was recruited for the gig "at the recommendation of Chris." The band added that it expects "to see Chris returning in the very near future."

In addition to LAMB OF GOD, Adler has played drums with a number of metal artists, including MEGADETH, NITRO, BLOTTED SCIENCE and PROTEST THE HERO.

LAMB OF GOD is touring in support of its covers album, "Legion: XX", which was released under the BURN THE PRIEST banner on May 18 via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Epic Records in the U.S.

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

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

Last week, the band released its second single, "Voodoo Of The Godsend", featuring Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, SEPULTURA, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY). A new trailer for the disc in which Cavalera discusses his involvement with the project can be seen below.

Menghi comments: "'Voodoo' turned out to be a tribal crusher ala some other influential tribal metal band that we all know and love whom once featured Max.

"We live in a world of way too much bullshit and hate these days… and, as our drummer would say, it's nice to have a step towards world peace."

Skolnick comments: "One of the most distinct tracks on our new album (and indeed, in the entire METAL ALLEGIANCE catalogue), 'Voodoo' has a hypnotic feel with indigenous percussion, bringing to mind a ritual in the rainforest.

"We're grateful to have the ultimate voice for this track, with a sound that'll ll never be mistaken for anyone else: Max Cavalera."

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

The official video for the first single from the disc, "Mother Of Sin", featuring Ellsworth, can also be seen below.

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

"Volume II - Power Drunk Majesty" track listing:

01. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)

02. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)

03. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)

04. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)

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

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

07. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)

08. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)

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

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

"The Ritual", the new video from Germany's PRIMAL FEAR, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Apocalypse", which will be released on August 10 via Frontiers Music Srl.


"Apocalypse" will be available in the following formats:

* CD

* CD/DVD

* Box set (includes CD/DVD + T-shirt) [T-shirt size L in EU/UK edition, size XL in N.A. and AU edition]

* LP

* LP red-colored vinyl (exclusive to U.S. indie retail stores. Fans can visit www.recordstoreday.com to find their local store or an indie store they can order album online from.)

* LP blue-colored vinyl (exclusive to Frontiers' EU webstore. Fans can visit www.frontiers.shop to order.)


Pre-order here.


"Apocalypse" is PRIMAL FEAR's 12th studio album and another milestone release in keeping with the consistent growth the band has shown through their career. PRIMAL FEAR, through years of hard work and a steady stream of increasingly powerful albums, have become one of the most beloved and respected heavy metal bands around the globe, a true metal institution. Their last two studio albums, "Delivering The Black" and "Rulebreaker", saw them climbing the charts in several territories and receiving even more critical praise than previous releases. Truly, especially in recent years, the band has continued to raise the bar in terms of quality and musicianship with each release, constantly pushing themselves to find new ways to best themselves.


Production of the record started at the end of 2017 and was wrapped by spring 2018 at Hansen Studios is Denmark with producer Mat Sinner and engineer/mixer Jacob Hansen.

"My personal highlight of recording the album was the fantastic teamwork. Peaceful, focused and really creative," says Mat Sinner. "No big discussion, no heated arguments. Everybody did a fantastic job and the performances were top notch. This was the key to improve every little detail of the songs, from old school to epic, from modern to symphonic, from fast to slow — you will hear it all on 'Apocalypse'."


The guitars on the album are truly outstanding. Each of the three guitar players of the band — Magnus Karlsson, Tom Naumann and Alex Beyrodt — shine in their own respective right. Thanks to the fantastic mix provided by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, DELAIN, PRETTY MAIDS, AMARANTHE), each player is highlighted.


And finally, what to say about the performance of Ralf Scheepers, one of the truest and most outstanding vocal metal heroes of our times? "Ralf is more motivated and ambitious than ever before," relays Sinner. "The band vibe is extremely peaceful and creative these days and this really elevates Ralf. He had the opportunity to try different things on the songs and even some extreme ideas, which are always welcomed. Ralf sounds good in every pitch from a very deep sonor voice, to a mid-range power vocal to extreme high-pitched screams, so we could fool around with all different scales and scenarios. For example, I think the vocal performance on the song 'Supernova' speaks for itself. The result on 'Apocalypse' is utter satisfaction paired with maximum enthusiasm and we're really happy about the final result — I hope the fans will enjoy the record as much as we do!"

"Apocalypse" track listing:


CD

01. Apocalypse

02. New Rise

03. The Ritual

04. King Of Madness

05. Blood, Sweat, & Fear

06. Supernova

07. Hail To The Fear

08. Hounds Of Justice

09. The Beast

10. Eye Of The Storm

11. Cannonball

12. Fight Against Evil (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)

13. Into The Fire (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)

14. My War Is Over (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)


Bonus DVD (deluxe edition & limited-edition box set only)

+ King Of Madness (video)

+ The Ritual (video)

+ Making of Apocalypse Mini-Documentary


PRIMAL FEAR lineup:

Ralf Scheepers - Lead Vocals

Tom Naumann - Guitars

Alex Beyrodt - Guitars

Magnus Karlsson - Guitars & Keyboards

Francesco Jovino - Drums

Mat Sinner - Bass & Vocals

The official music video for the song "Another Day" from 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, can be seen below. The track is taken from ULTRAPHONIX's debut album, "Original Human Music", which will be released on August 3 via earMUSIC.


"Original Human Music" was co-produced by Bob Daspit (SAMMY HAGAR) and it displays the magic match between Glover's iconic voice and 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 Lynch. It's all sustained by a rhythm section that can go anywhere musically.


Lynch says: "The album sounds like a fusion of early [RED HOT] 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.


"Original Human Music" track listing:

01. Baptism

02. Another Day

03. Walk Run Crawl

04. Counter Culture

05. Heart Full Of Rain

06. Free

07. Wasteland

08. Take A Stand

09. Ain't Too Late

10. Soul Control

11. What You Say

12. Power Trip

"Choosing Mental Illness", the new video from PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, the project led by the former PANTERA and current DOWN/SUPERJOINT frontman, can be seen below. The clip was inspired by the classic 1975 film "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", which won five Academy Awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director."

"Choosing Mental Illness" is taken from PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS' sophomore album, "Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue", which was released in January via Anselmo's Housecore Records in the U.S. and Season Of Mist in other parts of the world. The disc is the follow-up to PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS' debut, "Walk Through Exits Only", which came out in 2013 to mostly positive reviews.

"This video is based on one of my favorite films about the harshness of mental illness," Anselmo said in a statement. 'Being up close and personal with the struggle, I often feel like R.P. McMurphy, who I play in the clip.

"I've had a lot of questions about the LP title, 'Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue', and songtitle, 'Choosing Mental Illness'," he continued, "but make no mistake, I take mental illness very seriously, especially because it often goes untreated. We've taken some extra steps at the end of the video with information that you, or someone close to you, might need.

"On a lighter note, it's always a blast to do creative things like the video with my band, crew, and family," Anselmo added. "Bringing Michael St. Michaels into the fold was like having your favorite wacky uncle over for the holidays! He did a great job as our version of Nurse Ratched and he's an absolutely lovable and talented guy."

As previously reported, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS will unite with Housecore labelmates KING PARROT this fall for a U.S. live takeover. The trek, previously scheduled for the spring but postponed following Anselmo's recent back surgery, will commence September 6 in New Orleans, Louisiana and includes a stop at this year's edition of Berserker Fest on September 28 in Pontiac, Michigan.

Photo by Jody Dorignac

Hammerheart Records has entered into an agreement with former DEICIDE members Eric and Brian Hoffman to work together on AMON and the classic DEICIDE catalog.

AMON was the band that changed its name to DEICIDE in 1989. When Eric and Brian left DEICIDE, they resurrected AMON and released an album called "Liar In Wait" in 2012. Hammerheart will release a new AMON album, will reissue "Liar In Wait" and also the legendary AMON demos from 1987 and 1989.

Says Hammerheart: "We heard new songs, and they have the classic AMON/DEICIDE crunch/vibe. They are catchy yet brutal, they are quality death metal par excellence."

Hammerheart will also reissue all the DEICIDE albums that were released between 1990 and 2001. All albums will get a deluxe treatment, remastering, 2-CD editions, bonus tracks (tons of never-released recordings), LP editions (first time for some), digital, MC, merchandise. This is a huge undertaking, and the whole project will keep Hammerheart busy for for the next couple of years.

After releasing its second full-length album, AMON will tour worldwide and play a full set of only old-school songs, taken from the first four DEICIDE albums. This will happen in 2019.

AMON recorded two demos — 1987's "Feasting The Beast" and 1989's "Sacrifical" — before signing with Roadrunner Records and changing its name to DEICIDE. After producing two extremely successful albums as DEICIDE, the band chose to make the AMON demos available on CD in 1993 under the title "Amon: Feasting The Beast".

The Hoffman brothers parted ways with DEICIDE in 2004 after becoming embroiled in a bitter dispute with DEICIDE bassist/vocalist Glen Benton over royalties and publishing issues.

Pure Steel Records will release the 2014 debut from Weapon UK, Rising From The Ashes, on vinyl on September 28th. The album will release in a limited edition of 300 black copies with two bonus tracks and insert. Rising From The Ashes is also available as CD and Download.  

Although they deliver the songs with a modern sound, the songs are still full of classical heavy metal, with a slight rock ‘n’ roll edge. Included on the album is a re-recording of a 1980's demo “Killer Instinct” written by vocalist Danny Hynes. This track features the original ‘80s lineup of Hynes/Summers/Downes/Bisland.

Tracklisting:

“Prelude – The Awakening”
“Ride The Mariah!”
“Fountain Of Paradise”
“Warrior”
“Ready 4 You”
“Burning Skies”
“Alamein”
“Wonderland”
“Bloodsoaked Rock”
“Bad Reputation”
“Celebration Time”
“Killer Instinct” (Bonus Track)
“The Rocker” (new track)

"Burning Skies":

Swedish black metallers Blood Of Serpents have revealed the first single from their upcoming album Sulphur Sovereign, out September 25th on Non Serviam Records. "Devil's Tongue" is streaming below.

The band has taken a decided step into an extreme black metal direction, going at full speed with forceful vocals that rip and roar with equal measure. Mixed with dark melodic guitar work, and crushing riffs, Sulphur Sovereign is slated to be a standout black metal release of 2018. 

Sulphur Sovereign is produced by Lars Broddesson (ex-Marduk) and mixed and mastered by Magnus “Devo” Andersson (Marduk). Cover art by Khaos Diktator Designs.

Tracklisting:

“Mater Tenebris”
“In Darkness, Brotherhood”
“Devil’s Tongue”
“Evictor Of Christ”
“As The Temple Burns”
“Canticle”
“As Nocturnal Dimensions Beckon”
“Upon Waters Dark”
“Prophet Of A False Faith”
“A Void Between Worlds”

"Devil's Tongue":

Announcement trailer:

Following last year’s success of Crimson Throne’s self-titled demo EP, the atmospheric UK black metal outfit is now set to release their debut album ‘Of Void & Solitude’ on October 19th  via Apocalyptic Witchcraft.

The album was recorded & mixed by Misha Hering at Holy Mountain Studios and mastered at Audiosiege by Brad Boatright (Beastmilk, Corrosion Of Conformity, Nails, Obituary, Yob).

Whilst the EP delved into subjects such as examples of human history akin to the Hegelian view of history as a slaughter bench, this album focuses on human suffering, pain & oppression, spanning across the ages of various cultures and their people.

 
The band will be joining label mates From The Bogs Of Aughishka on their UK tour in August.

Crimson Throne lineup:
TH - Bass / Vocals
AM - Guitar / Vocals
DT - Guitar / Noise
DM - Drums / Percussion

Crossover metallers Rise Of The Northstar has joined SharpTone Records. The newly minted deal comes ahead of the band’s sophomore album, The Legacy Of Shi, which is due out October 19th. Pre-order the album here.

The Legacy of Shi was recorded with Gojira's Joe Duplantier in his Brooklyn, NY-based Silver Cord Studios.

Over the course of the past four years, the band has become a household name for crossing 90’s metal, rap, hardcore and Japanese culture as well as brutal and intense live shows. After the release of their globally praised debut album, Welcame (2014), the band embarked on countless tours, leaving dropped jaws everywhere. With their new, crushing album in store, the Northstar will rise to unknown heights.

The Legacy Of Shi tracklisting:

"The Awakening"
"Here Comes The Boom"
"Nekketsu"
"Kozo"
"Teenage Rage"
"Step By Step"
"This Is Crossover"
"Cold Truth"
"All For One"
"Furyo’s Day"
"The Legacy Of Shi"

"Here Comes The Boom" video:

(Photo - Berzerker)

Los Angeles-based Fate Destroyed is a commanding new metal force that was formed and fronted by the talented and alluring Franccesca De Struct. In mid-June, the band released their striking single, "Break Free", which has since garnered over 250,000 streams/video views via YouTube, Facebook and Spotify combined.

Today, Fate Destroyed is pleased to reveal the lyric video for their menacing, metallic second single, "We Fall", cut from their upcoming self-titled EP. Check out the lyric video below:

"We Fall" can also be streamed via Spotify now and is currently featured on the New Metal Tracks playlist. Other "We Fall" streaming platforms, including iTunes and Google Play, can be accessed here.
 
Fate Destroyed frontwoman Franccesca De Struct says, "'We Fall' is a warning to those who spend time consumed by regret. It is a song about looking back at the people, places, and choices that we have made and realizing that while we obsess over things we cannot change, the world continues to turn and pass us by."
 
Fate Destroyed's upcoming self-titled EP is co-produced by the band and Carlton Bost (Orgy, Deadsy, The Dreaming). More information regarding the release of the EP will be revealed soon.

Lineup:

Jonni Law - Guitars
Art Diharce - Guitars
Franccesca De Struct - Vocals
Ben Levi - Drums
Nathan Youngblood - Bass

Progressive rock instrumentalists Gösta Berlings Saga from Stockholm, Sweden are not only glad to announce a newly signed worldwide deal with InsideOutMusic, but also the coming of their newest, fifth studio album entitled Et Ex with a release date of October 12th.
 
GBS commented: “We are pleased and proud to announce that we have signed to InsideOutMusic. We're really excited to be part of this long-running label, for several reasons. Not only will we be able to spread our music even further and reach new listeners but we also see this as a great opportunity and a perfect starting point, allowing us to focus even more on what we love - creating, recording and performing progressive music.

"Our first release on InsideOutMusic will be our fifth album, titled “ET EX”, on which we have developed our eclectic instrumental rock even further with more of everything we love. More experimentalism, more contrast, and with more sonic variety than ever. Stay tuned for more details on album information as well as further show announcements.”

The music of Gösta Berlings Saga is an incredibly dynamic Nordic instrumental adventure, tilting from melodic, starkly beautiful lines shimmering like an aurora borealis over the desolate Arctic tundra, to powerful and aggressive riffs reminiscent of glacier calves crashing into rugged Scandinavian fjords. Over the years the band’s music has been compared to King Crimson, Goblin and Radiohead, mixed into their very own and peculiar sonic universe.

Gösta Berlings Saga was formed in 2000 in the Stockholm suburb of Vällingby, taking its bandname from one of the most famous works in Swedish literature, the debut novel of Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, which was published in 1891. To date GBS have released four albums as follows: Tid Är Ljud (translated “Time Is Sound”) in 2006, Detta Har Hänt (translated “This Has Happened”) in 2009, Glue Works in 2011 and most recently Sersophane in late 2016.

While the latest release came out through the band’s own label Icosahedron Music, GBS are now teaming up with InsideOutMusic as new worldwide label partner to launch their upcoming, fifth studio album entitled Et Ex on October 12th. Further details and first sound samples will be revealed soon.

Lineup:

Alexander Skepp - Drums & Percussion
David Lundberg - Fender Rhodes, Mellotron & Synthesizers
Gabriel Tapper - Bass Guitar & Moog Taurus
Rasmus Booberg - Guitars & Synthesizers

(Photo - Mai Nestor)