THE APOCALYPSE BLUES REVUE will release its new album, "The Shape Of Blues To Come", on July 20 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group.

The second single from the disc, "Open Spaces", can be streamed below.

Following 2016's self-titled debut, GODSMACK's Shannon Larkin (drums) and Tony Rombola (guitar) return with some more bone-shaking blues with Brian Carpenter (bass) and the shamanistic frontman Ray "Rafer John" Cerbone.

Larkin discovered Cerbone at a biker bar. The singer had no idea that he was speaking to the drummer from GODSMACK; it was just a couple of guys hanging out. "It wasn't a recruitment at all," Larkin says. Just two guys who liked to ride, and enjoy music. "It wasn't like I was a guy in a big band, and he was starstruck at all. I went over to Ray's house with my wife to have dinner, and I happened to see his guitar sitting in the corner. I didn't know what he did, so I asked him to play a song, and I really loved his voice."

Grizzled "Rafer John" may be no spring chicken, but the truth is that this is his first band, though he has for years worked as an acoustic blues troubadour. He picks up the story. "Next thing you know, Shannon calls and says that he and Tony are down the road in a recording studio working on a blues song, and they needed someone to sing it," he recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, I know a few guys who could sing that for you, and he said, 'No. I want you to sing it!' I got in there, sang that song, and the rest is history."

This is more than a side project. "We're very excited about this second record," affirms Larkin. "I've never seen four wills join so strongly with one intent as I have in this band. That's something special."

Larkin tells of a pre-production meeting with producer Dave Fortman (GODSMACK, EVANESCENCE, ANTHRAX) at The Vibe Recording Studios in Southwest Florida (Fort Myers), in which the two settled into the control room, ingested certain mind-expanding compounds, and they then proceeded to listen to many hours of the records they loved the most. The phrase Larkin comes back to again and again are, "it has to be real, it has to be genuine." This record is exactly that. It drips with the existential stew of four guys playing together in a small room, in fact, that is exactly much of what we are hearing — the band laid the basic tracks in just one long day, but they captured it all with the cinematic vision and clarity of a great filmmaker.

Larkin continues: "Our mission is to see if APOCALYPSE can reshape the shape of blues to come. We're a different shade of blue. Our approach is to write and play as a traditional blues band. Our original influences came from [LED] ZEPPELIN, Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan. We came to the blues later in life, and we've found our groove and sound, and it sounds unique and original to us. We don't try to hide our rock influences, it comes through creating a new shade of blue."

The band again wrote together for this record, but in a strange twist of coincidence, the tracks selected were all lyrically from the pen of Shannon Larkin. In terms of lyrical content, he reveals that his lyrics are often spiritual in nature, but he hesitates to define his meanings as he defers to the imaginations of the listener to find their own meanings.

Somewhere there is a kid who has been listening to GODSMACK, who will now come to know THE APOCALYPSE BLUE REVUE, and from this revelation of the blues they will back pedal to discover the long and honorably trod path that leads to Robert Johnson, the Kings (B.B., Albert, and Freddie), all the way forward to THE DOORS and the British blues rock boom, which finally leads straight to today.

Rombola provides the six-string fireworks with tight, tough riffs and incendiary solos, while Larkin brought a sheaf of lyrics that are straight ahead reflections of the biker's blues life. As close as they get to metal mythology is on the sultry, "Sincere", in which Cerbone intones, "Some say I worship the devil, I say he worships me." These songs are about walking the walk of life. Somewhere between Larkin's metal alter-ego and Cerbone's Americana roots there lies a place where passion, the roots of the blues, and the combined experience of everyone in the room work together to create a tantalizing path.

Sonically, "The Shape Of Blues To Come" covers a lot of ground, from the traditional blues changes of "Sincere" to the more cerebral textures found on the FLOYD-ian "What A Way To Go" with Rombolo's evocative late-night Strat tones, Larkin's soft, musical touch on the drums, sweet background choirs, and Cerbone's sung-spoken recitation of "What a way to go, when the wind's never at your back." "Open Spaces", which opens the album with a nod to Jimi's blues, then gradually ups the ante as the band's rock blood begins to boil and cast about with heavily flanged guitars and vocals is an ideal way to get a panoramic view of what is to come. The beauty lies in the fact that this band has been six years in the making, and while the album lies rooted in very traditional blues structures and sounds, Rombola, Larkin and Carpenter's rock roots do shine through. The album's closing number, "Noumenal Blues", finds Cerbone duet with Nancy Koerner, whose silky tones match Ray's earthy baritone alongside Carpenter's languidly loping bass line and some fingerpicked acoustic guitar before Larkin, Carpenter and Rombola put the record to sleep with a bit of unabashed rock.

There is a healthy dose of psychedelia that infuses the record, filtered through the blues of Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and Billy F. Gibbons, and guitarist Tony Rombola runs the gamut from earthy comping to explosive shards of metallic but no less bluesy slide guitar on "We Are One". Rombola's riffing, writing, and soloing is a beautiful blend of chops and taste. This is a great guitar record, and Rombola displays a lifetime of woodshedding, listening, learning, and his playing is a thrill from beginning to end. Another important piece of the puzzle here is the rhythm section of Larkin and Carpenter. Carpenter's huge, gritty tones are a perfect complement to the dynamic drum work, and together they have the feel and sound of a classic blues rock engine room.

"The Shape Of Blues To Come" track listing:

01. Open Spaces

02. We Are One

03. Hell To Pay

04. Have You Heard?!

05. To Hell With You

06. Nobody Rides For Free

07. Sincere

08. What A Way To Go

09. Noumenal Blues

"Our good friend from right here in our hometown, Alex Smith, did an acoustic cover of this song at a local show and we loved it," says Blacktop Mojo. "So we asked him if he'd like to come to the studio and record it with us backing him up. Hope you guys enjoy it.. if you do, go find more of his music here."

Blacktop Mojo with Alex Smith covering "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac:

Catch Blacktop Mojo live at the following shows: 

July
12 - Rock Fest - Cadott, WI
14 - The Machine Shop - Flint, MI
15 - Outpost Concert Club - Kent, OH
18 - Hooligans Music Hall - Jacksonville, NC
20 - Georgia Theatre - Athens, GA
21 - Soundbar - Orlando, FL
27 - Crowbar - Tampa, FL
28 - Southport Music Hall - New Orleans, LA
 
August
11 - Piere's - Fort Wayne, IN
 
September
22 - River City Rock Fest - San Antonio, TX
 
October
6 - Rock Allegiance - Camden, NJ

 

Tacoma, Washington natives Aethereus recently announced the upcoming Friday, August 10th release of their debut album Absentia through The Artisan Era. It is the follow up to 2015's Ego Futurus EP which featured Oblivion/ex-The Zenith Passage drummer Luis Martinez. Absentia is the group's first release with new members Matt Behner on drums (ex-Fully Consumed/ex-Year of Desolation) along with Vance Bratcher (Vocalist) and Scott Hermanns (Bassist) who play in the highly praised Seattle symphonic death metal outfit The Devils of Loudon. The new line-up rounds out an already strong musical foundation set by founding guitarists Kyle Chapman and Benjamin Gassman who have been writing together since their early days in 2008 and onwards in their previous project known as Seker. 

Right from the get-go, Sam Nelson's (Allegaeon, First Fragment, Vale Of Pnath) ethereal cover artwork draws you into the richly textured and often beautiful world Aethereus creates musically on Absentia. The group's take on progressive death metal deftly combines elements of atmospheric death metal, ferocious technical death metal, and more overtly melodic death metal focused ends of the spectrum into a sound all their own. Aethereus cites influences ranging from Obscura, Spawn of Possession, Cynic, and Gorod which rightly shows in the ambitious and smartly crafted songs found on Absentia. Aethereus - Absentia is a prime death metal experience fans of the genre will go crazy for.

Guitarist Kyle Chapman comments on the upcoming release of Absentia:

“Work on Absentia started back in January of 2016 shortly after the release of Ego Futurus. Shaun and Kyle had already been working on mapping out new songs and developing potential lyrical concepts. However, because of Shaun’s untimely passing, the album became something completely different. It went from a sort of weird self-indulgent sci-fi story to be about depression and loss, becoming both a point of frustration and catharsis. Absentia is loosely structured around the Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance). Musically, lyrically, and conceptually, the album follows the stages of grief and describes the experience of losing a loved one and the lasting impact that person’s absence has on an individual, a group, and life as a whole. It begins in a chaotic and bombastic manner, goes into some somber places, but ultimately ends on a somewhat hopeful note."

Tracklisting:

“Cascades Of Light”
“Writhe”
“Mortal Abrogation”
“Fluorescent Halls Of Decay” (feat. Brody Uttley of Rivers Of Nihil)
“Absentia”
“That Which Is Left Behind”
“The Black Circle”
“With You, I Walk”
“The Pale Beast”

“The Pale Beast” lyric video:

Profane Records has announced the signing of Reign Of Bullets (NL) for the release of their upcoming debut album. The debut album does not have a title yet and the recordings are still in full swing. Later this year more details will be announced around the band and the album.

However, the album will be released in early 2019.

The band comments: “Over the past weeks we have been making a lyric video that we are really proud of! The song we chose is ‘Spread My Wings’, since this is the most requested song at our shows by you guys. We`re currently working on our first full-length studio album. And for that one we’ve got a big announcement as well. From now on we`re going to combine forces with Profane Records. We`re going to release the record with their help, and they`re going to help us to bring the album to an even bigger audience!"

“See you guys soon at a place near you!”

SAXON vocalist Biff Byford spoke to Finland's Kaaos TV about the progress of the songwriting sessions for his upcoming solo album. He said (see video below): "I'm writing with a few friends… We're just writing songs at the moment. I'm writing a song with Fredrik [Åkesson] from OPETH, the guitarist, and a few other people. We've just got ideas going backwards and forwards."

Asked which musicians he would like to work with, if he could, on the upcoming record, Biff said: "It'd have to be someone like Tony Iommi [BLACK SABBATH] or Eddie Van Halen [VAN HALEN] or something. I'm a bit of a guitar buff, so I like guitarists."

Regarding whether his solo effort will be a musical departure from SAXON, Biff said, "It'll sound like SAXON, 'cause I'm singing — you know, it'll be my voice. But it'll be a more diverse album — not quite so focused on heavy metal, but more diverse."

Byford told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" in April that he had seven songs written for his solo disc, adding that the record will probably feature a number of guest musicians. "I'm gonna ask various people [to appear on the record]," he said. "It's not easy for guitarists to work with you, because they just smack down their signature solo and off you go. Singers, I might do some duets and things. We'll see. I wanna get the songs written first, and then see who wants to work on them. I'll probably have a nucleus of a drummer and a bass player, although I might play bass myself. I've still got my Rickenbacker."

Asked why he just doesn't use the extra material for a future SAXON album instead of setting it aside for his solo disc, Biff tod "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon": "Well, I did. Actually, 'Roadie's Song' [off SAXON's 2018 album 'Thunderbolt'] was a solo album project. And I do move them across all the time. And actually, originally, 'They Played Rock And Roll' was a solo-album idea [that also ended up on 'Thunderbolt']. So I do that all the time. And I do have songs that me and Nibbs have written for SAXON that I didn't think were right for SAXON that might end up on my solo album."

SAXON's latest album, "Thunderbolt", was released in February via Militia Guard (Silver Lining Music).

ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott joined MEGADETH on stage on June 24 at Hellfest in Clisson, France to perform the song "Symphony Of Destruction". Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

In 2018, MEGADETH is celebrating its 35th anniversary all year long, with special releases, exclusive merchandise items, and one-of-a-kind events and opportunities for fans worldwide.

The band is tentatively scheduled to enter the studio before the end of the year to begin recording its new album for a 2019 release.

2016's "Dystopia" was MEGADETH's first album with guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA.

The 2018 deluxe reissue of MEGADETH's classic debut album, "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" was released on June 8 via Century Media and Legacy Recordings. "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good - The Final Kill" features the original album remixed by veteran metal mixer Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL) and remastered by Ted Jensen.

ARCH ENEMY will embark on the "Will To Power" U.S tour this fall. Support on the trek will come from GOATWHORE and UNCURED. The 22-city tour kicks off on September 28 in Providence, Rhode Island, hitting major markets along the way, before culminating at the iconic Starland Ballroom in New Jersey on October 27.

Former TYPE O NEGATIVE drummer Johnny Kelly says that he is "crushed" by the passing of Vinnie Paul Abbott.

The former PANTERA drummer passed away on Friday (June 22) at the age of 54. Vinnie Paul apparently died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. No cause of death was given at press time, but sources close to the drummer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he suffered a "major heart attack."

Kelly told the Dallas Observer: "I'm crushed. Vinnie was a great friend for many years. He was first class with a heart of gold. He was loved by all who knew him as [well as] those who had just met him for a minute. This isn't even addressing how incredibly talented of a drummer he was. He had a big impact on my playing. The tour that TYPE O did with PANTERA in 1995 was absolutely incredible. Those memories will last a lifetime, and I'm honored to have them."

Abbott's brother, guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, was shot to death in December 2004 while performing onstage. The Abbotts founded the bands PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN together. After Dimebag's death, Vinnie Paul joined singer Chad Gray and other members of MUDVAYNE and NOTHINGFACE in HELLYEAH, who have released five albums.

Vinnie's body had been turned over to the medical examiner to determine an official cause of death, after which his body will be flown to Texas to be buried between his mother and brother.

Fan-filmed video footage of LACUNA COIL's June 23 performance at the RockFels festival at Freilichtbühne Loreley in St. Goarshausen, Germany can be seen below.

LACUNA COIL celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut by playing a very special show, dubbed "Nothing Stands In Our Way", on January 19 at London, England's O2 Forum Kentish Town. The unique extravaganza, which included visual effects, circus artists and enhanced stage production, was professionally filmed and recorded for future release.

LACUNA COIL is working on its first-ever book, also titled "Nothing Stands In Our Way", which is scheduled to be published later in the year.

"Nothing Stands In Our Way" is described as "the full 20-year story of the Italian gothfathers as told by the band in their own words. Illustrated throughout with rare and candid photographs, memorabilia and personal artefacts, it will see founding members Scabbia, Andrea Ferro and Marco Coti Zelati sifting through the birth, growth and full flowering of the band to tell 20 years of LACUNA COIL.

"Nothing Stands In Our Way" will be available around the world in two editions, the Classic and the limited-run Signature set.

Ferro told the Impact metal channel last year that LACUNA COIL fans will have to wait until at least 2019 for the follow-up to 2016's "Delirium" album.

It turns out that the time away from the music scene has not dulled the appetites of hard rock fans for Lizzy Borden, as his new album My Midnight Things has already left a deep impression on five different Billboard charts. These placings include #11 on Top New Artist Albums, #17 on Current Hard Music Albums, #43 on Top New Artist Albums Consumption, #46 on Independent Current Albums, and #148 on Top 200 Current Albums. Additionally, the album also made the Canadian charts - hitting #84 on Top Hard Music Charts.

“We live in a streaming world now, where everyone gets their music for free,” explains Lizzy. “But I want to personally thank all the great Lizzy Borden fans out there who shopped online or drove down to your local mom and pop music store and actually paid for my new album. You guys got Lizzy Borden back on the charts! And the fact that you've all embraced My Midnight Things in such an amazing way is the icing on the cake. Thanks again, and I will see you all soon on the My Midnight Things tour!”

My Midnight Things can be ordered here in the following formats:

- limited first edition digipak CD (includes bonus tracks)
- jewelcase CD
- 180g black vinyl
- clear pacific blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear burgundy marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- olive/black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- opaque cool gray marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available.

Having signed a new contract with Metal Blade on the strength of three demo tracks, Borden opted to produce My Midnight Things himself, with Joey Scott as co-producer, who also handled all the drumming duties. "I knew what I was going for and had doubts that I could find a producer who would understand that," Borden explains. "My approach is very different than what is happening in today's current sound."

The album was also mixed by Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Black Sabbath, Adele, U2) and mastered by Tom Baker (David Bowie, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Tom Petty).

My Midnight Things tracklisting:

"My Midnight Things"
"Obsessed With You"
"Long May They Haunt Us"
"The Scar Across My Heart"
"A Stranger To Love"
"The Perfect Poison"
"Run Away With Me"
"Our Love Is God"
"My Midnight Things" (Reprise)
"We Belong To The Shadows"

Album stream:

"Long May They Haunt Us" video:

"My Midnight Things" lyric video:

Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson spoke about the passing of Pantera founder Vinnie Paul, recalling their memories of touring with the Texan band during their 1992 Countdown To Extinction tour. The Megadeth members made their comments while talking to eonmusic during the band’s press conference at Hellfest, France on Saturday, June 23rd.

Most recently a member of Hellyeah, Vinnie Paul passed away unexpectedly on Friday, June 22nd, reportedly suffering a heart attack at his home in Las Vegas.

Speaking about the drummer and his role in Pantera, David Ellefson said; “Vinnie was like the fun warrior, he was the business guy in the band, so he was a dear friend, so very much missed.”

Going on to talk about his memories of the 1992 European trek, which saw Pantera opening for the Big Four thrashers while promoting their breakthrough Vulgar Display Of Power release, Ellefson said; “They were a fun band to bring over. They would make backstage videos, and they were a very united force. Phil [Anselmo] and Dave [Mustaine] were always on magazine covers together, Megadeth was at our real strong point on Countdown To Extinction, and it was fun to bring Pantera out."

He added; “In a large way, Megadeth helped break Pantera here in Europe, and even in the United States, so we had a long friendship with them, especially Vinnie.”

Dave Mustaine meanwhile, fondly recalled that it was during the run that the Pantera band mates invented their signature drink" “That’s where the ‘Black Tooth Grin’ came from,” he said. “They made a drink from one of our lyrics in ‘Sweating Bullets’, and you know, it’s a little different from the way I would make a drink; it’s supposed to be a splash of Coke and a glass of Jack Daniels, which is..." [mimes passing out]

Mustaine also took the opportunity to explain why the band have added "The Conjuring" back into their set. When asked why the song had unexpectedly returned after having vowed never to play it again, Dave said; “Well, you guys may or may not know that Dave [Ellefson]’s a Pastor, so I figured if I’m going to get hit by lightning, I’ll be covered!"

Adapting a more serious tone, the singer went on to reveal that the decision to play it again had been a very personal one. Said the frontman; “The lyrics have parts in it that’s from a hex from black magic and witchcraft, and I’ve changed, I’ve turned my life around. I’m a Christian, I believe in Jesus; I don’t push that on anybody - that’s my thing, so doing ‘The Conjuring’ for me, was something I had to come to terms with."

Read the full story at eonmusic.

FOREIGNER's first-ever ticketed reunion concert featuring all original members will take place on August 4 at The Sturgis Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, South Dakota. Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, Ian McDonald and Rick Wills will join Mick Jones and FOREIGNER to rock through some of the best-selling songs from the band's 10 multi-platinum albums and 40 years of enduring top ten hits. While FOREIGNER's original members have joined the band for surprise appearances in the past, never before have they announced a ticketed reunion where fans can join in for the ultimate soundtrack of summer.

For tickets to FOREIGNER's performance on Chip's Wolfman Jack Stage as part of the nine-day annual event known as "The Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling," please visit www.buffalochip.com.


Says Mick Jones: "It's been incredible to have Lou, Dennis, Al, Ian and Rick join us for some surprise appearances throughout the past few years. It always brings back special memories. But now, for the first time, we are letting our fans know we'll be making history together at The Buffalo Chip on August 4th with a FOREIGNER reunion concert, and we hope they'll come on down to Sturgis and join us!"


This announcement comes on the heels of the 40th anniversary of FOREIGNER's best-selling album, "Double Vision", and the band is working on a very special release to celebrate the momentous occasion.


FOREIGNER is also charting new territory on the album charts, as their latest album, "Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus", has topped the Billboard Classical Albums chart for multiple weeks, and continues to sell out tour dates across the world. This album has also inspired a new 60-minute concert special airing on PBS TV stations across the country in June and July, "Foreigner Live At The Symphony".

Brazilian band Heaven: choir metal, that mixes the tender sounds of a classic choir to the pressure of heavy metal, has just released a music video for its first original single, entitled “Sacred Blood”.

The song has many influences from power metal and classical music, with references to the Two-Voice Invention in B flat major (BWV 785), by Johan Sebastian Bach. The lyrics are based on baroque themes and describe, without religious associations, a ritual of fertility and prosperity present in many different cultures, which refers to the blood and sacrifice coming from the continuity of life.

The music video shows behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions, which happened between April and May 2018 on Whatafolk-Studio (S?o Paulo, Brazil), and bridges the public to the day-by-day work of the band members.

Roger Waters, Ellie Goulding and George Ezra are among the winners of this year’s O2 Silver Clef Awards, reports Lucy Mapstone of Independent.ie.

Pink Floyd’s Waters will be honoured with one of the lead prizes, the O2 Silver Clef Award, at the ceremony, held in association with music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.

The Silver Clef Award is awarded for outstanding contribution to music, and has previously been won by the likes of: Iron Maiden, Jimmy Page and Annie Lennox.

The O2 Silver Clef Awards are held to recognise and celebrate the talent of the winning artists who touch the lives of people through their music, and the event helps to raise vital funds ensuring that Nordoff Robbins is able to continue to deliver its brand of music therapy to support vulnerable people across The UK.

The ceremony will take place on July 6th at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, England and will be hosted by broadcaster Edith Bowman. Learn more at this location.

Leverage have released a lyric video for the new single "Wheels From Hell", taken from their forthcoming digital EP The Devil’s Turn, out on August 27th. Watch the video below.

Leverage landed on the scene in 2006 with the release of their debut album Tides. With their blend of symphonic and progressive metal and melodic hard rock, Leverage generated a buzz amongst rock and metal fans and released their second album Blind Fire in 2008. The band's third album Circus Colossus was released via Spinefarm in 2009, but the band became inactive not too long afterward.

Now, after a near decade of hibernation, Leverage is back with an amazing new singer, Kimmo Blom (Urban Tale, Raskasta Joulua) and a new guitar player, Mikko Salovaara. The forthcoming digital EP, The Devil’s Turn will serve as an introduction to the new Leverage lineup as well as an appetizer for the band's forthcoming fourth album.

In producer and main songwriter Tuomas Heikkinen words, “[t]he songs on the EP were written over a period of several years, with 'Dead Man’s Hand' being the oldest song and 'Children Of Skyfall' the most recent. With those two and 'The Unicorn' plus 'Wheels From Hell', the EP covers a pretty wide range musically, but were chiseled into a sound and form we feel good about. It’s all heavy rock, not any form of power metal. Not that there’s anything wrong with prog metal or power metal or whatever, but right now we feel that we want to capture something that is recorded with a live feel, with no exaggerated choirs or orchestrations all over the place, etc., so that we can deliver the stuff live also without using background tapes, etc. and to be able to have some freedom too.”

On “Wheels From Hell”, Tuomas says the "way we’ve been writing with new guitarist Mikko (Salovaara) is that we’ll come up with a ”theme”, like let’s write a song about this or that. With this one we aimed to write a fast paced rock song about a herd that steamrolls over anything in its way. And also, we wanted it to be an old school band thing with double guitar solos and all that. It just started taking shape pretty fast. We had a great time with this one right from the get go, the thing’s got a great drive, and Kimmo nailed the vibe perfectly with the aggressive and somewhat over the top (in a good way) vocals. This song will be great live too.”

Leverage’s new lineup will make their live debut on July 21st at John Smith Festival in Laukaa, Finland.

The Devil’s Turn tracklisting:

"Dead Man’s Hand"
"Wheels From Hell"
"The Unicorn"
"Children Of Skyfall"

"Wheels From Hell" lyric video:

Lineup:

Kimmo Blom - vocals
Mikko Salovaara - guitars
Tuomas Heikkinen - guitars
Sami Norrbacka - bass
Valtteri Revonkorpi - drums
Marko Niskala - keyboards

On September 7th, Metal Blade Records will release Cruel Magic, the new album by English NWOBHM legends Satan. For a preview of Cruel Magic, watch the video for the first single, "The Doomsday Clock", below.

Satan comments: "Not everyone believes in magic but you all better believe in Cruel Magic. This album is going to change everything, and we are ready for it. Satan is calling you!"

Bearers of the NWOBHM movement and responsible for '83's seminal Court In The Act and '87's Suspended Sentence, Satan make it abundantly clear with their upcoming new album that in 2018, they are 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% right this time, the balance between considered content and reckless performance. We always break loose on stage so why not on record?"

Pre-order the album here in the following formats:

- ltd. Boxset (incl. Digipak-CD, excl. bonus-CD, excl. dead gold-marbled vinyl w/excl. bonus-LP, 75x75 cm flag, circular 12" back patch, five A4 art prints, A4 photo card, numbered certificate)
- Digipak-CD (EU exclusive)
- CD
- 180g black vinyl
- clear vinyl (limited to 500 copies - EU exclusive)
- red/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- water blue-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- steel grey-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - US exclusive)
- yellow/ochre-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - US exclusive)

Cruel Magic tracklisting:

"Into The Mouth Of Eternity"
"Cruel Magic"
"The Doomsday Clock"
"Legions Hellbound"
"Ophidian"
"My Prophetic Soul"
"Death Knell For A King"
"Who Among Us"
"Ghosts Of Monongah"
"Mortality"

"The Doomsday Clock" video:

In support of Cruel Magic, Satan will head out on the road this October for a US tour, which includes an appearance at the Frost and Fire IV festival in Ventura, CA. See below for all dates.

October
5 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
6 - Ventura, CA - Frost And Fire IV
7 - Los Angeles, CA - Whiskey
8 - San Francisco, CA - Elbo Room
9 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
10 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
11 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
12 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
13 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
14 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage Lounge

Satan lineup:

Brian Ross - Vocals
Russ Tippins - Guitars
Steve Ramsey - Guitars
Graeme English - Bass
Sean Taylor - Drums

(Photo - Stefan Rosic)

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of Australian progressive metal band Voyager. The band will release a new album next year via Season Of Mist worldwide.

Regarding their signing, the band comments, "We are very excited to be joining forces with Season Of Mist! Not only will we be working together to produce and release new music in 2019, but also to reissue our entire back catalogue for the first time. Season Of Mist have a long history of strongly supporting unique acts, and working with them to nurture their creativity and help them reach a wider audience. Danny, Ash, Simone, Scott and Alex believe there couldn't be a better fit for Voyager and are stoked for what the future brings for the band and label."

Season Of Mist released Voyager's fourth and fifth albums, The Meaning Of I, and V, on June 22nd. Both albums are streaming here.

Voyager have toured the world outside North America extensively, as both a headliner and support to the likes of: Deftones, Coheed & Cambria, Opeth, and Between The Buried & Me, among others. These tours have included festival performances at such festivals as: Bloodstock, Prog In The Park, Tech Fest, ProgPower, EuroBlast, and more.

Voyager have been announced as the headliner for the first night of Progpower USA XIX in September. Progpower USA is the longest-running and most influential festival of its kind in North America. 

The band will also bring their live show to the UK, Japan, and Mexico in the coming months. A full list of confirmed tour dates can be found on Facebook.

"Everybody Knows How To Fly", a track from the recently released Rick Partitt album Over And Out (earMUSIC), is now available for streaming below.

When the awful news broke on Christmas Eve 2016 that legendary rocker Rick Parfitt of Status Quo fame had passed, fans around the world were devastated that one of rock's most iconic performers had been silenced. However, unknown to almost anyone, Parfitt had, in fact, virtually completed his first solo album whilst undergoing a period of recuperation after his heart attack in July.

Featuring 10 brand new songs, including the title track that broke hearts anew when it was played at Parfitt's funeral, this is an album of depth and passion. Created by Parfitt and producer Jo Webb, the record is a true labor of love and showcases the softer side of Parfitt as a writer, artist, and performer away from the Quo maelstrom, as well as the purest rock 'n' roll sound of earlier Status Quo records.

Despite the fact Parfitt had finished recording his guitar and vocal parts, a recording session was planned for February 2017. Certain tracks were not totally finished when Parfitt died. The call to help ensure that his work could be completed, so that the world could hear it, was answered by musicians of the caliber of Queen's Brian May and Muse's Chris Wolstenholme, both of whom were close to Parfitt.

His son, Rick Parfitt Jr., was also involved in the creative process, as were John "Rhino" Edwards and Alan Lancaster, amongst many others. All of those involved in completing the songs that Parfitt had written for Over And Out have done him proud in bringing his vision to fruition.

Parfitt's music always featured two elements - the raw rock 'n' roll sound and a great passion for melodies. Over And Out offers the best of both worlds: It has been recorded and written with a band's spirit between Parfitt and Webb. They shared various mixes, reflecting the sound of the sessions and the spirit that was present in the "room."

The album has also been mixed by top producer Ash Howes, offering a different view on the songs but also leaving a dilemma open for interpretation: Which one would Parfitt prefer? The polished, big sounding mixes or the original band mixes, raw and full of musical honesty? Those who were close enough to him over the years would probably say: "Both."

This is why the album will be available in its "finished" form, but also as a raw and pure version, for the fans of the rockier side of Parfitt's music in special collector's editions.

Tracklisting:

"Twinkletoes"
"Lonesome Road"
"Over And Out"
"When I Was Fallin' In Love"
"Fight For Every Heartbeat"
"Without You"
"Long Distance Love"
"Everybody Knows How To Fly"
"Lock Myself Away"
"Halloween"

"Everybody Knows How To Fly":

"When I Was Fallin' In Love":

"Lock Myself Away":

"Lonesome Road":

"Twinkletoes":

"Over And Out":

"Long Distance Love" lyric video:

"Without You":

This album is the record that Parfitt had been itching to write. His forced departure from Quo's live performance circuit, whilst very hard for him to take, did at least free up the time that was needed to create Over and Out.

The album is but the latest element of the incredible legacy and body of work that Parfitt leaves. A testament to his talent, his winning way with words, an incredible joie de vivre, and a spirit that never flagged. He'll be missed but Over and Out is a great way to remember him - gone but not forgotten.

Greek death metallers Gravewards will release full-length debut album Ruinous Ensoulment July 27th through Unspeakable Axe Records (the album will be available through international distribution channels on August 31st).  New track "Sworn in Denial - Omega Syndrome" is streaming below.

Appearing almost completely from thin air, Greek death metallers Gravewards made a small but intense impression with their 2017 demo Subconscious Lobotomy.  That independently-released 4-track tape was the kind of death metal too rarely heard in recent years, having the spirit of the original bands but not married to any particular influence or scene.  Rather than emulating an album or style they loved, Gravewards paid some homage to the sounds of the 1990s while finding their own way forward.

Now their debut full-length Ruinous Ensoulment is here, and it delivers thoroughly on the promise and the mission statement of their demo.  Seven bludgeoning tracks and one intro deep, this album has the band reaching a very early peak in their young career.  Songs are technical without descending into wankery, often utilizing the kind of backward, nightmare-logic riffs that initially separated death metal from thrash, but which many bands now have either discarded in favor of straightforward Slayerisms or pushed to an incomprehensible extreme.  Gravewards finds fertile ground in between, delivering one line after another that is somehow incredibly catchy but also very unique.  These passages often give way to either groovy mid-tempo parts or bursts of full-on melody, without ever becoming saccharine - again, a degree of good taste is shown that is too rare in a genre where bands like to find what works and then double or triple down on it.  Over these well-developed compositions, vocals are less growls than the shouts of a crazed demon choking on the blood of its enemies.  Nothing about Ruinous Ensoulment is rote or easily expected; instead Gravewards marks out their own territory with the creativity and fearlessness that was more prevalent when the genre was still new.

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Sworn In Denial – Omega Syndrome”
“Souls Twisted Beyond Recognition”
“Crypt Spawned Psychosis”
“Deconstruction Of Logic”
“Thresholds Of Lunacy”
“Abyssal Soul Devourment”
“Devoid Of Life”

“Sworn In Denial – Omega Syndrome”:

Dreamborn, a melodic/power metal band formed in Osijek, Croatia, released a new music video for the song “Heart of Steel” taken from their first album Seven Deadly Sins.

“Heart Of Steel” is a song that shows metal music is no stranger to themes about love and romance. However, don't let that fact fool you. “Heart Of Steel” has enough heaviness and guitar riffs to remind you that you are listening to metal.

All work on the video was done by the members of the band and their friends and with a budget of less than what you would spend on a morning cup of coffee.

Fun fact about the music video is that it was recorded in only one day. Due to time limitations of the person who filmed the video, all the scenes had to be recorded in less than a single day, so there was no room for error or do-overs. 

Hiss From The Moat - the Italian/US black/death metal band founded by acclaimed drummer James Payne (Vital Remains, Hour Of Penance) - has signed with M-Theory Audio. The group is currently recording its second full-length album at Milan's SPVN Studio for a planned early 2019 release. Sound/studio engineer Stefano Orkid Santi, who previously worked as live engineer for bands such as Origin, Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, and produced the last Cripple Bastards album, is tracking all the instruments in his studio. Mixing and mastering will happen at Studio Fredman in Sweden.

US-based Payne formed Hiss From The Moat with two Italian friends - bassist/vocalist Carlo Cremascoli and guitarist Giacomo Poli - when he was just 18 years old. In 2009, the group self-released their debut EP, The Carved Flesh Message, which they supported by performing alongside the likes of Psycroptic, Skeletonwitch and The Black Dahlia Murder.

Four years later, Hiss From The Moat released their debut full-length, Misanthropy, via Lacerated Enemy/Nuclear Blast. The band's intense use of both extremes of death and black metal produced an album that stood alongside the delivery of acts such as Behemoth and Belphegor.

Following the release of the album, Hiss From The Moat embarked on an extensive tour across Russia, Europe and Asia, delivering an intense and visually engaging performance backed by the blackened intensity of the band's new material. During this period, drummer James Payne left the legendary death metal act Vital Remains - a group he joined following a two-year stint with Italian death metal powerhouse Hour of Penance - to focus full-time on Hiss From The Moat, and the band extended from a three to four-piece act with the addition of Max Cirelli (guitar/vocals).

Over the past two years, the band has toured extensively worldwide while writing their sophomore album. Working between the US and Italy, Hiss From The Moat aim to unleash another sonic onslaught that captures the band’s range of death and black metal inspiration while creating a unique and intense presence in the world of extreme music.

"Last year, Andrew Knudsen from Empyrean Throne gave me a list of bands they would like to tour with, and Hiss From The Moat's name was the only unknown to me. Unfamiliar with the band, I checked them out and quickly became a fan of their debut album Misanthropy," explains M-Theory Audio president Marco Barbieri. "Earlier this year, I was pleasantly surprised to find their manager Greg Shaw shopping the band. Immediately we expressed our interest in working together, and I feel fortunate we were able to work out a deal and begin our collaboration with this young and promising extreme band."

Adds Payne, "We are super-excited to sign a worldwide deal with M-Theory for the release of our new album! We've been looking for the right people to help us spread our music, and we're confident that working with a person like Marco, who has an extraordinary background with labels like Century Media and Metal Blade, will be the perfect fit for us. The album is almost ready, as we've tracked all the instruments and are working on the final steps towards mixing and mastering. We can't wait to share all the new material with everybody and start this path surrounded by all these amazing people that we're working with."

More information on Hiss From The Moat's new album will be revealed in the coming months.

Hiss From The Moat are:

Massimilano Cirelli - Guitar/Vocals
James Payne - Drums
Carlo Cremascoli - Bass/Vocals
Giacomo Poli - Guitar

Holiday rock ensemble the Wizards Of Winter - featuring former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rainbow and the bands of Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent - are thrilled to add another former member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to their talented midst. The Wizards Of Winter are pleased to welcome drummer John O. Reilly to the ensemble performing on their upcoming 2018 tour.

John O. Reilly has recorded, performed live, and appeared on video with some of the best, including Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh (Eagles), Richie Cannata (Billy Joel), John Anderson (Yes), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Blackmore's Night, West World, Jane Mangini (O'2L), Joe Lynn Turner, Blue Oyster Cult, Al Pitrelli (Megadeth), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Randy Coven (Yngwie Malmsteen), Zack Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne), TM Stevens (Steve Vai), Steve Morse (Kansas/Dixie Dregs/Deep Purple), Alan Holdsworth, Stanley Jordan, Reb Beach, Jeff Watson (Night Ranger), Rod Price (Foghat), Peter Noone, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Bobby Sherman, Yoko Ono, Richie Havens and more. Reilly performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for over 15 years.

John O. Reilly says, "I'm proud and excited to be joining the Wizards Of Winter this coming holiday season and beyond! There are great things ahead for this band, and I am truly honored to be a part of it and looking forward to seeing you on the road!"

Wizards Of Winter founder and keyboardist Scott Kelly adds, "Besides being a really nice person, John is the consummate professional. His long list of credentials speaks for itself. We are extremely excited and honored to have John join the band and greatly look forward to what the future is going to bring."

The Wizards Of Winter are an ensemble performing classical and progressive-influenced rock music woven throughout a theatrical holiday-themed show, performed in an intimate setting.

Each night on tour, the Wizards Of Winter evoke the spirit of Christmas, weaving a story entirely based on their latest full-length album, The Magic of Winter, and new music. Each Wizards Of Winter performance showcases soaring vocal harmonies, precision string instrumentation, outstanding guitar leads, powerful percussion and stunning keyboard work - taking the listener on a musical "sleigh ride", covering many genres from pop to progressive rock. Previous tours have seen the Wizards Of Winter performing their brand of theatrical yuletide rock to tens of thousands of attendees and has grabbed the attention of mainstream media such as Entertainment Weekly and Yahoo Music.

Stay tuned for more information coming soon on the Wizards Of Winter's 2018 touring schedule, and listen to their latest single, "A Christmas Dream" - an enchanting medley featuring segments of the classic holiday tunes "My Favorite Things" and "Carol of the Bells" - below.

The Magic of Winter, which features the unforgettable single "The Spirit of Christmas" (watch the music video below), can be ordered in physical format here. or purchased digitally via iTunes.

Wizards Of Winter lineup:

Scott Kelly - Music Director, Keyboards
Sharon Kelly - Flute, Vocals
Fred Gorhau - Guitar
TW Durfy - Guitar
John O. Reilly - Drums
Greg Smith - Bass
Guy LeMonnier - Vocals
Vincent Jiovino - Vocals
Shawna Mehall - Vocals
Tony Gaynor - Narration

The Heretic Order have released a lyric video for "The Forest Of The Impaled", a track from the band's new album Evil Rising, out on June 22nd via Massacre Records. Order the album here, and watch the video below.

Evil Rising was recorded by Will Maya (The Answer, Breed 77), who already worked with the band on the debut album All Hail The Order. The cover artwork was once again created by Five Miligrams Artworks (Napalm Death, Shadows Fall, etc.).

Tracklisting:

"Prelude"
"Evil Rising"
"Unholy War"
"Hate Is Born"
"Omens"
"Mortification Of The Flesh"
"Under The Cross"
"Straight Down (To Hell)"
"The Mask"
"The Forest Of The Impaled"
"The Scourge Of God"
"Visions"

"The Forest Of The Impaled" lyric video:

"Evil Rising" video:

Danish all-female doom/death metal band KONVENT has inked a deal with Napalm Records.

Last year KONVENT released a demo, which quickly became the beginning of a warm welcome into the Danish underground scene, and since then they have played all over Denmark with great reviews.


Commented the band on the signing: "We are extremely proud to be teaming up with Napalm Records on our coming releases, that we a currently working on. This collaboration will give us the help and support we need to take our music further and we can't wait to show you all of it next year, when we release our debut album through Napalm Records."

Slowly but insistently, resounding bass riffs and a brutal death vocal will pierce through your body, as KONVENT make you feel their love of heavy and simple old-school doom.

At the moment, the band is focusing on making new material to release. Be on the lookout for a brand new studio album in 2019.


KONVENT is:

Heidi Withington Brink - Bass

Julie Simonsen - Drums

Rikke Emilie List - Vocals

Sara Helena Nørregaard - Guitar

Wisconsin’s vicious heavy metal band Rig Time! has released their new single and video for “Deserve”. The video’s track is featured on the band’s recently released album, War, which is available now from Innerstrength Records.

“The video was filmed/edited entirely by vocalist/drummer Bryan W. Fleming. Lyrically, ‘Deserve’ addresses reaching a point of being powerless as civilians under the government. We are represented to the world by an organization that has more interest in profit and control tactics, than it's citizens basic needs. The song is spoken from an angle of tragedy and accepting consequence declaring ‘We should have never let them speak for us’ and ‘We deserve the worst, and now it's coming full force’. It's meant to provoke thought and paint a dystopian landscape.” - Rig Time!

Rig Time! is an angry, caustic and vehemently heavy trio based in La Crosse, WI. Their full length album War was released on October 20, 2017 via Innerstrength Records, following the self-released full-length Sick of It (2016) and two EP’s (2014’s Awful and 2015’s Devout). Featuring a sound that is the audio equivalent of a tank column entering a besieged city, the crunch and clangor of War is a game-changer. Forged in the fires of hardcore, sludge, and powerviolence, War epitomizes Rig Time!’s scorched-earth tactics and demonstrates the natural chemistry of the band.

War was recorded/mixed by Pete Grossman at Bricktop Recording in Chicago, IL (Weekend Nachos, Harm’s Way). The album was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege in Portland, OR.

"Today we would like to announce a member change in Seven Kingdoms," says the band. "We have parted ways with Aaron. It's obviously not easy choice to make, but this decision is what we found necessary to continue moving forward. We wish him the very best with his other projects and want to thank him for the last 8 years of dedication and hard work! You can check out his other band here: Soulmass.

"As one door closes, another opens. We would like to welcome John Tyler McDaniel, who will be stepping in as a full time replacement on bass. Tyler has been a dear friend of the band for a very long time and he will keep that low-end fat and tight for the foreseeable future. You may know him from his other band Monotheist (Prosthetic Records). We are very excited to get this new lineup on the road and will be announcing new North American dates soon!"

Tyler's statement: "When I first learned about the band in 2011 I thought what a pro band! I wish I could only be in something as legitimate as Seven Kingdoms one day. Over the next years, I was lucky enough to become very close friends with everybody in the band. They helped me through a rough time and took me out under their wings in 2013 on the Stratovarius and Amaranthe European Tour. It really showed what kind of amazing people they are. I immediately wanted to return that feeling. Over the years I've been involved from everything from the backyard BBQs all the way to being an assistant engineer on Decennium. When the time came for change, I don't think there was any hesitation on mine or the bands part to ask me to step in. I have some big shoes to fill and I plan to give it all I got, on and off stage. I think it's a new chapter for everyone and I know I'm super excited to see what we can do!"

(Photo - Kyle Evans Photography)

German web site Mothergrid has uploaded behind-the-scenes footage from the European leg of METALLICA's 2018 "WorldWired" tour, featuring interviews with the band's crew, including lighting director Rob Koenig and audio engineer Mick Hughes. Check out the four-part report below.

METALLICA recently landed on Pollstar's Global Concert Pulse chart with concert grosses of more than $2 million per market appearance on the band's recent European tour.

The San Francisco-based metal giants averaged 20,451 tickets per market, at an average ticket price of $104.

The 19 market reports included a two-night stand at Stuttgart, Germany's Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle, which grossed $3.3 million. Both shows were sold out, with an attendance of 14,695 per concert.

METALLICA is currently home on a three-month break before launching a North American arena tour on September 2 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Touring in support of its latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", that arrived in November 2016, METALLICA launched the world tour in Latin America a month before the disc's release. In early 2017, prior to the North American stadium tour, the band made festival appearances and headlined concerts at venues in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Although METALLICA played U.S. stadiums last summer, the band was mostly indoors for the first leg of its European tour last fall.

METALLICA's European tour included the first drone swarm for a major touring act. It consisted of 120 autonomous micro drones that emerge from the main-stage prop lifts during the song "Moth Into Flames" and swarm into several formations over the band's heads, according to Pollstar.

The 2017 dates on the "WorldWired" tour, which included stadium shows across the U.S., grossed $110.3 million in North America and $152.8 million worldwide.

W.A.S.P. has recruited renowned drummer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Tichy, known for his tours of duty with WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER and OZZY OSBOURNE, to sit behind the kit for the band's current run of European festivals.

Fan-filmed video footage of Tichy performing with W.A.S.P. on June 23 at the Copenhell festival in Copenhagen, Denmark can be seen below.

W.A.S.P. completed a European tour last fall with te help of Brazilian drummer Aquiles Priester.

Drummer Mike Dupke left W.A.S.P. in 2015 after a nine-year stint with the band. He was initially replaced on the road by YNGWIE MALMSTEEN drummer Patrick Johansson and, later, by Randy Black (PRIMAL FEAR).

On February 2, W.A.S.P. released the critically acclaimed 25th-anniversary edition, "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)" , of the band's iconic hit album "The Crimson Idol".

Aaron Lewis held a moment of silence in honor of Vinnie Paul Abbott during his June 23 concert at at Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The STAIND frontman then moved the microphone to the back and performed a very raw, acoustic version the band's song "Intro" as a tribute to the former PANTERA drummer, who died one day earlier in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In a 2011 interview with the Dallas Observer, Lewis said that he was greatly affected by the 2004 death of PANTERA guitarist — and Vinnie's brother — "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. "He is a dear friend who is no longer with us," he said. "Every show that I can ever remember playing in Dallas, Vinnie and Darrell were there. I have found it strange playing in Dallas and feeling like someone was missing."

Vinnie Paul passed away on Friday (June 22) at the age of 54. The former PANTERA drummer apparently died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. No cause of death was given at press time, but sources close to the drummer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he suffered a "major heart attack."

Vinnie's body had been turned over to the medical examiner to determine an official cause of death, after which his body will be flown to Texas to be buried between his mother and brother.

The official video for the song "I Am Night" from veteran Swedish metallers TAD MOROSE can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth album, titled "Chapter X", which was released on June 15 via GMR Music.

After the release of "St. Demonius", the quintet took to the road to do what they do best, destroy clubs, theatres and festival stages all across the European continent. "2015 and 2016 was the same as always with these guys — lots of fun touring and collecting souls, or, as most people call it, 'gaining new fans,'" says singer Ronny Hemlin.

TAD MOROSE spent much of 2017 holed up at Hemlin's Studio Claustrophobic and working at the pace of "freedom." There was no pressure or time restraints so the five worked when they wanted and how they wanted. "The actual recording process was the same as for the two previous albums," says guitarist Christer Krunt Andersson. "Kenneth recorded his guitars at his place and I recorded mine at my studio. The drums, bass and vocals were recorded at Studio Claustrophobic. This way we all can record whenever we want. Then we meet up and listen through everything at Studio Claustrophobic and add some bits and pieces. Then when we are satisfied it goes into mixing. The mixing was done yet again by Ronny and his studio partner Johan."

"Chapter X" opens with the powerful "Apocalypse", a semi-proggy, symphonic melodic metal tune loaded with a chorus that kicks the listener in the ass while "Deprived Of Light" is straight-up double bass melodic power metal with a stench of '80s Germany yet very modern at the same time. "I Am Night" is a fist to the face with a chorus that screams for an audience sing-along and album closer, "… Yet Still You Preach" calms things down with an atmospheric feel.

Signing with GMR Music in the spring of 2018, TAD MOROSE has a new home to tie to their new chapter. "It feels great to have signed with GMR!" Andersson declares. "We are really looking forward to see how this will evolve. We've got some shows booked for the summer and more to come. It feels great to get back on the stage again since playing live is the fuel in our engine."

Mastering of "Chapter X" was handled by Jonas Kjellgren at Black Lounge Studios and the band turned to an old friend, Rainer Kalwitz ("A Mended Rhyme") to take care of the album's artwork.

TAD MOROSE is:

Ronny Hemlin - Lead Vocals

Christer Krunt Andersson - Guitar

Kenneth Jonsson - Guitar

Johan Löfgren - Bass

Peter Morén - Drums

BATTLE BEAST singer Noora Louhimo spoke to A&P Reacts about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's fifth album, tentatively due in early 2019. "We have been working on it since the beginning of this year," she said (see video below). "But the busiest times are now when we are doing also the festivals around Europe and also doing the recordings and also songwriting still during this summer. But we are definitely gonna release the album next year."

Louhimo said that she doesn't mind BATTLE BEAST's hectic schedule, explaining: "Well, of course, it doesn't fit for everyone, but for myself, this kind of lifestyle — being on the road all the time or recording or something — it's something that I really love to do. And I don't really feel that I would need more time to have a vacation or anything. Because, for example, when we get this album done, until the end of this year, then we have about half a year of spare time to do whatever we want to do, and then we go on, of course, with the new album around the world again. And then when we have the break with BATTLE BEAST, I can't stay still — I have to do other stuff. I'm teaching vocals and performing and doing my own gigs, my own music. So it's constant doing. Of course, I love to have my own home too. I live in Tampere, in Finland, and I have my cats there, I have my home there. It's good to have a place also to go back to and a place where you feel that, 'Okay, this is the place where I have my den going on, and no one is disturbing me.' Of course, everyone needs their own space and time sometimes."

BATTLE BEAST's fourth album, "Bringer Of Pain", was released in February 2017 via Nuclear Blast Records. The ten-track disc was recorded and produced at JKB Studios by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, was mixed by Björkroth alongside Viktor Gullichsen and Mikko Karmila, and was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. The cover artwork was crafted by Jan Yrlund.

"Bringer Of Pain" was BATTLE BEAST's first album to feature guitarist Joona Björkroth, who joined the band in 2015.

BATTLE BEAST in February 2015 parted ways with lead guitarist and main songwriter Anton Kabanen due to "insurmountable disagreements" with the other members of the band.

Photo credit: Natalia Enemede