Vinnie Paul's HELLYEAH bandmates have commented on the drummer's passing, saying that the drummer "will be and is greatly loved and missed."

Paul, co-founder of PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN, died Friday (June 22) in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 54. No cause of death has been announced.

HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell, who has played with Vinnie Paul since the band's inception in 2006, said in a statement: "Just so broken-hearted and in shock. I'm struggling to write this but we want to thank you all for your kind words and support in this tragic time.

"We don't have much info to give you other then Vinnie is now with Dime and they are together in a better place.

"Sadness, shock, confusion, anger, despair. We feel it all together.

"Hug your loved ones and keep them close.

"Thank you all again for all your love.

"Vinnie will be and is greatly loved and missed but his music will live forever.

"Crank it loud today and scream to the heavens so he can hear you."

HELLYEAH's fifth album, "Unden!able", came out in 2016.

Not long before his death, Vinnie laid down the drum tracks for HELLYEAH's sixth album at The Hideout recording studio in Las Vegas. It is not presently clear when those recordings will see the light of day.

Vinnie Paul and his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage. He was 38 years old.

Just so broken hearted and in shock. I’m struggling to write this but we want to thank you all for your kind words and...Posted by HELLYEAH on Saturday, June 23, 2018

Vocalist Jesse Leach spoke to Graspop Metal Meeting about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's next album, tentatively due in early 2019 via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world.

"I do have a bunch of lyrics for songs [ready to go]," he said (see video below). "We've got about maybe four, I think, we're really happy with, but we have, like, 21 songs altogether. So, yeah, in between [KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's current European tour as the support act for IRON MAIDEN], 'cause we go home for a little while and we go back out with MAIDEN in the U.K., I'm doing some studio sessions. And then after the U.K. run, we'll wrap that thing up, hopefully, pick the best songs and put out a great record, hopefully, for 2019."

Asked if KILLSWITCH ENGAGE is able to work on new music while on the road, drummer Justin Foley said: "We don't do very much writing at all when we're on tour. It's sort of, like, tour and then writing when we're home. Two separate things."

Added Jesse: "It's tough to be creative out here. Usually, you're just tired all the time."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's upcoming album will feature a guest appearance on one song by the band's former lead singer Howard Jones.

The follow-up to 2016's "Incarnate" will mark KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's third full-length effort since the return of Leach, who rejoined the group in 2012.

Leach appeared on KILLSWITCH's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the band. Jones took over on vocals for "The End of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from the group six years ago.

GUNS N' ROSES members Slash and Duff McKagan have paid tribute to former PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who died on Friday (June 22) at the age of 54.

Slash wrote on Twitter: "Tragic news about Vinnie Paul today. He was one of the warmest people I knew. A truly good & fun friend. We're going to miss you more than you could possibly have known. RIP buddy."

Duff added in his own tweet: "RIP Vinnie Paul. Friend. Humorist. Badass drummer. All-around good man. Condolences to the family. You will be missed bro..."

In a 2016 interview with Meltdown of Detroit, Michigan's WRIF radio station, Vinnie spoke about the impact GUNS N' ROSES' classic debut album, "Appetite For Destruction" had on him at the time of its release. "It was huge, man," he said. "Before PANTERA got a record deal, that album came out, and we covered just about every song on that record, man, and it was before that band blew up. We were such fans of the music. And it took that record about a year before it caught on, and then it caught on. Man, it's one of my all-time favorite records. To this day, [ the song] 'Welcome To The Jungle', you hear it in front of every football game, in front of [every] hockey game; it won't go away. And that's a great thing, man, when there's a song that has that kind of life. And then, of course, they're back doing it and they're touring. I saw them the other night at the big, gigantic [AT&T Stadium] here in Dallas, and I thought it was amazing."

He continued: "I would really love to see them be able to get [Steven] Adler [drums] back in the band and, of course, Izzy [Stradlin, guitar], but, you know, seeing Slash [guitar] and Axl [Rose, vocals] and Duff [McKagan] up there together was pretty amazing. And those songs… People go because they wanna hear those songs; those are some of the greatest rock songs ever. And I think I kind of equate it to when the people that were older than us came up with THE BEATLES or LED ZEPPELIN in the '70s; GUNS N' ROSES was that band for us. So I love that record, man."

Vinnie went on to say that seeing GUNS N' ROSES perform during the "Not In This Lifetime" stadium tour exceeded his expectations. "I've seen GUNS many, many times, and I'm telling you, man, this is the best, I think, I've ever seen Axl, man," he said. "He's really spot-on, and he's really singing great. And Slash doing his solo thing for so long, he's always had his chops up to par. So it's great to see those two really at their 'A' game with these songs again."

Photo credit: Katarina Benzova

Tragic news about Vinnie Paul today. He was one of the warmest people I knew. A truly good & fun friend. We're going to miss you more than you could possibly have known. RIP buddy. https://t.co/yQqruY4tio— Slash (@Slash) June 23, 2018



RIP Vinnie Paul. Friend. Humorist. Badass drummer. All-around good man. Condolences to the family. You will be missed bro...— Duff McKagan (@DuffMcKagan) June 23, 2018

FOZZY singer and WWE wresting superstar Chris Jericho has shared the last picture he received from his friend, late PANTERA and HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott.

In a caption accompanying the picture, Chris wrote: "May 20th was the last time I texted with my bro, Vinnie Paul. His Vegas Golden Knights had just eliminated my NHL Winnipeg Jets from the playoffs and we were exchanging 'the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat' pix. Now that he's gone, this picture he sent me sums him up to a tee. I'm so, so sad... I love you, Big Vin. This one hurts."

In a 2014 interview with The Weeklings, Jericho drew a parallel between FOZZY and PANTERA in the way both bands evolved from playing covers to performing at some of the biggest music festivals on the planet.

"I always compare FOZZY to PANTERA," Jericho said. "What I mean by that is that if you look at PANTERA, their original incarnation was different from what they became. They were doing 'Metal Magic' and 'Power Metal' and they were wearing makeup, they had a different singer and were doing more of a JUDAS PRIEST or VAN HALEN-type generic thing. Suddenly they get a new singer, they change their look, they change their vibe and they become the legendary PANTERA. It's kind of the same with FOZZY. Not like we're legendary like PANTERA is, but we started out doing covers. We were the original STEEL PANTHER. About two years into that, we decided we wanted to do more — we wanted to do something different. That was in 2002, so it took a long time to change people's perceptions of our band."

Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) has released the following statement regarding the passing of legendary PANTERA and HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott:

"God bless Vinnie Paul - 1964-2018. Father Vinnie, your compassion for others and your love of seeing everyone around you happy I will never forget. Your heart of gold made the world a better place. Go be with your beloved brother as I'm sure he's holding the door open to greet you at god's tavern. I love you, my brother."

Wylde was a close friend of Vinnie's brother, late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was shot and killed onstage in 2004 when he was just 38 years old.

Due to his relationship with the Abbott family, Zakk was consistently mentioned as the most natural and logical fill-in for Dimebag in a hypothetical PANTERA reunion.

Wylde told HardDrive Radio in a 2016 interview that he was "truly honored" that he was being talked about as someone who could step in for Dime.

"People, when they talk about it being a PANTERA 'reunion,' [it would be a] reunion in sorts of that Vinnie and Phil [Anselmo, PANTERA singer] and Rex [Brown, PANTERA bassist] are all buds and hanging out and everything's good… in the 'reunion' regard. But, I mean, obviously, Dime… there's only one guy that can do [what he does], and that's Dime."

He continued: "To me, I'd look at it as it's a PANTERA 'celebration,' is what it is, and all the mountains they conquered and all the greatness they achieved. And it would be me, if I'm playing guitar, honoring Dime's greatness, 'cause I love him. To me, that's what it is.

"To me, the way I look at it is, if Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding asked Eric Clapton if he would play and sing Jimi's stuff, and Eric and Jimi were buddies, so, of course, Eric would do it. You know what I mean? 'Cause what you're doing is celebrating Jimi's life and Jimi's greatness. To me, it's a PANTERA celebration and Saint Dime celebration of his awesomeness. I mean, that's the way I always look at it. I mean, I do it every night when I'm… When I was touring with the Boss [Ozzy Osbourne], we celebrate Saint Rhoads every night. You know what I mean? We celebrate Randy's greatness and what he created. So that's the way I look at it."

Vinnie passed away Friday (June 22) in Las Vegas, where he owned a home. No other details of his death were immediately available. He was only 54 years old.

GOD BLESS VINNIE PAUL - 1964-2O18 - FATHER VINNIE,Your Compassion for Others & Your Love of seeing everyone around you...Posted by Zakk Wylde on Saturday, June 23, 2018

HELLYEAH's record label Eleven Seven Music has released a statement regarding the passing of Vinnie Paul Abbott, calling him "an iconic fixture in the metal and hard rock community, a pioneer and an absolute legend."

The HELLYEAH drummer, who was a founding member of the influential metal band PANTERA, died on Friday in Las Vegas, where he owned a home. He was 54 years old. No cause of death has yet been revealed.

Eleven Seven Music's statement reads as follows: "Vinnie Paul Abbott wasn't just a drummer, he was an iconic fixture in the metal and hard rock community, a pioneer, and an absolute legend. He was a self-taught drummer who went on to win many awards for his impeccable skills throughout his career.

"A founding member of PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN and his current band HELLYEAH, Vinnie was a vital force for bands and millions of fans worldwide. Whether fans were turning their volume to 11 or headbanging their hearts out at live shows, Vinnie was an inspiration.

"His most recent release, HELLYEAH's 'Unden!able', contained three hit singles, thanks to support from SiriusXM's Octane. 'All of us at Octane are so broken hearted to hear of the passing of our brother Vinnie Paul. We sent love to his family, band members and fans. You will be missed. Thinking of you reunited and rockin' with Dime… Rest in peace, Vinnie Paul Abbott,' Octane released in a statement.

"Today, the world not only lost a legend, but also a genuine human being who lived to put a smile on the faces of everyone he met. May he be reunited with his brother as we all strive to continue his legacy.

"Eleven Seven Music is heartbroken. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, bandmates, friends, and fans through this difficult time."

Shortly before his death, Vinnie laid down the drum tracks for HELLYEAH's sixth album at The Hideout recording studio in Las Vegas. It is not presently clear when those recordings will see the light of day.

Randy Blythe has paid tribute to Vinnie Paul Abbott, saying that the former PANTERA drummer "always treated" him and the rest of LAMB OF GOD "like family."

Vinnie Paul died on Friday in Las Vegas, where he owned a home. He was 54 years old. No cause of death has yet been revealed.

The LAMB OF GOD frontman, who spent five weeks in a Czech Republic prison in 2012 on charges of manslaughter for killing a fan (he was later acquitted), took to his Instagram late last night to express his sadness over Vinnie Paul's death and to thank the drummer for doing him "a very solid favor" when he was "in some very serious legal trouble."

Randy wrote: "Very sad news this evening. This man always treated me and the guys in my band like family. From the very first time we ever met him with his brother at a DAMAGEPLAN gig in Texas — whether backstage at a show, on his crazy tour bus, at his club, at his house, he was always a gracious host to us. He just wanted people around him to be happy.

"I didn't see Vinnie much the last time we played a gig together because I heard he was in a very foul mood; this was highly unusual for him. Why was he in a foul mood? Because we were playing a big festival in Chicago, he had bought a TON OF FOOD to grill in the parking lot for everyone (as usual) and the fire marshall came and shut him down before he could start the barbeque. That's the type of dude he was — he just wanted to make sure people were having a good time, and he took steps to make that happen. He also did me a very solid favor when I was in some very serious legal trouble a while back by writing a detailed letter to a judge explaining what had happened to his brother and the need for good stage security. That wasn't an easy thing for him to do, but he did it anyway because he was a true friend and knew I needed some help. I'll never forget that, and I made sure he knew I appreciated it. He also never minded when I got in his face with my camera — I took this photo with a 50mm fixed lens at a festival we were playing with HELLYEAH in Iowa in 2016 — that means I was basically inside his drum kit. When he saw me poking my head in there, he just turned, flashed me this grin and kept on rocking.

"I love this photo — Big Vin smiling and doing what he did best.

"Rest in peace, Vinnie Paul. You'll be missed. BIG LOVE."

On September 14th, Germany-based progressive power metallers Blind Guardian will re-release their first four studio albums via Nuclear Blast. The back catalogue has been remixed and remastered, and will be available as 2CD-Digi and black vinyl formats, as well as individual coloured vinyl for each album. There will also be a vinyl box available, including all re-issues exclusively available via the Nuclear Blast Mailorder (see details below). The vinyl box can be also purchased separately as an empty slipcase without vinyls.

At the end of this year and also in early 2019, more re-issues are due to follow, so in total there will be 10 Blind Guardian re-releases. The previously mentioned re-issues due for September 14th, which can be pre-ordered now, are available in the following formats:

Battalions Of Fear (1988), remixed 2007/remastered 2018
- 2CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD+original CD)
- black LP in gatefold
- NB MAILORDER ONLY violet LP in gatefold

Tracklist:
"Majesty"
"Guardian Of The Blind"
"Trial By The Archon"
"Wizard’s Crown"
"Run For The Night"
"The Martyr"
"Battalions Of Fear"
"By The Gates Of Moria"
"Gandalf’s Rebirth"

Follow The Blind (1989), remixed 2007/remastered 2011
- 2CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD+original CD)
- black LP in gatefold
- NB MAILORDER ONLY green LP in gatefold

Tracklist:
"Inquisition"
"Banish From Sanctuary"
"Damned For All Time"
"Follow The Blind"
"Hall Of The King"
"Fast To Madness"
"Beyond The Ice"
"Valhalla"
"Don’t Break The Circle"
"Barbara Ann"

Tales From The Twilight World (1990), remixed 2012/remastered 2018
- 2CD-DIGI (remixed/remastered CD+original CD)
- black LP in gatefold
- NB MAILORDER ONLY gold LP in gatefold

Tracklist:
"Traveler In Time"
"Welcome To Dying"
"Weird Dreams"
"Lord Of The Rings"
"Goodbye My Friend"
"Lost In The Twilight Hall"
"Tommyknockers"
"Altair 4"
"The Last Candle"

Swiss hard rock/metal band, Maxxwell, have announced the release of their fourth album Metalized on September 21st. Metalized says it all - many concerts have left their mark. On the new record, the band rocks harder, catchier and a lot more edgy than on their earlier releases.

The lyric video for the title track “Metalized” will be released on June 29th. The song is a homage to the band's big influences, with a bit of a wink.

Sometimes it takes a little longer for a work to reach completion. This is what happened with Maxxwell, who have taken a full four years to produce their fourth release, Metalized. Thanks to the strength of the band's last album, Tabula Rasa, they played support on tours with Michael Schenker's Temple Of Rock, Doro, Kissin' Dynamite, Rage & Shakra and support slots for Within Temptation, Extreme, Gloryhammer - just to name a few. In the almost 10-year career of Maxxwell, they have performed a total of over two hundred shows.

Tracklisting:

“Hurricane”
“Back Again”
“P.U.T.V.”
“She’s Mine”
“Scars”
“Metalized”
“Monsterball”
“Burn”
“Done With You”
“Given It All”
“The Temple”
“Raise Your Fist”
“Independent” (Bonus Track)
“Queen Of The Night” (Bonus Track)
“Schizophrenia” (Bonus Track)

“Metalized” lyric video teaser:

Following is a message from drum legend Mike Portnoy:

"Merci beaucoup, France! You made Sons Of Apollo’s first show EVER in Europe an amazing experience!"

Sons Of Apollo - featuring former Dream Theater members Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses), Billy Sheehan (The Winery Dogs, Mr. Big, David Lee Roth) and Jeff Scott Soto (ex-Journey, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force) - kicked off their first ever European live dates, starting at Hellfest in France yesterday (June 22nd). To celebrate, the band have launched a video for the track "Signs Of The Time", filmed during the band's recent North American tour.

Mike Portnoy comments: “The ‘Signs Of The Time’ video was shot on the recent US tour and is a good taste of what the band is like on stage. We are about to embark on the band’s first tour of Europe and the UK and can’t wait to bring this 5-headed musical monster to our fans overseas all throughout the summer.”

Sons Of Apollo tour dates:

June
23 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium
24 - Teatro Degli Arcimboldi - Milan, Italy
26 - Futurism Music Bar - Prague, Czech Republic
27 - Hellraiser - Leipzig, Germany
28 - Neushoorn - Leeuwarden, Netherlands
30 - Be Prog! My Friend - Barcelona, Spain

July
1 - Ramblin Man Fair - Maidstone, UK
2 - Motherwell Concert Hall - Motherwell, UK
3 - Limelight - Belfast, UK
4 - Tivoli Variety Theatre - Dublin, Ireland
6 - Helgeåfestivalen - Knislinge, Sweden
7 - The Haunt - Brighton, UK
8 - Rescue Rooms - Nottingham, UK
14 - Dynamo Metalfest - Eindhoven, Netherlands

August
3 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany
18 - Prog in the Park 2018 - Warsaw, Poland
19 - Barba Negra Track - Budapest, Hungary

The band have further live dates planned for later in year, including an appearance at ProgPower Festival in the US, the band’s first Japanese shows, and more live appearances in Europe including a very special performance at the Roman Theatre in Plovdiv Bulgaria alongside the orchestra of Plovdiv State Opera.

After four years of silence, the Arctic black-metallers Iskald finally return to the battlefield with more fierce and power than ever before. Iskald will release their fifth studio album Innhøstinga (Norwegian: ‘the Harvest’) on August 31st. With this album, Iskald continues their art of cold, intense, yet melodic black metal.

The album track “Innhøstinga” is available for streaming below.

The band has commented: "Finally the day has come and with great pride we will raise our glasses and present Innhøstinga to you, our first album in over 4 years. Thanks for waiting, and thanks for your passion and dedication. We promise it was worth the wait. Enjoy our new single and music video dropping soon, while bracing for the harvest to come...As you sow so shall you reap!"

Tracklisting:

“The Atrocious Horror”
“No Amen”
“Offer Av Livet”
“Even Dawn Drew Twilight”
“Resting…Not In Peace”
“De Siste Vintre”
“From Traitor To Beast”
“Lysene Som Forsvant”
“Innhøstinga”

“Innhøstinga”:

“The Atrocious Horror” video:

St. Louis metal act Black Fast recently released a second new single titled "Silhouette Usurper" (streaming below). The band have now released this artwork timelapse video:

"'Silhouette Usurper' was one of the first songs we finished for this new record," says frontman and guitarist Aaron Akin. "Compared to our other songs, this is most song-liest of songs we have written. One of the riffs is called 'Jammer.' Jam it immediately."

The band released a music video for "Cloak Of Lies" last month to kick off the new album cycle. Both "Cloak Of Lies" and "Silhouette Usurper" are available as iTunes instant gratification tracks meaning when fans pre-order the new LP on iTunes, they will receive both songs as instant downloads. "Cloak of Lies" and "Silhouette Usurper" are also available on all streaming platforms starting today.

Black Fast will release Spectre Of Ruin on Friday, July 13th via Entertainment One. Album opener “Cloak Of Lies” sets the stage for Spectre Of Ruin with a heaping helping of everything Black Fast represents, a locomotive of riffs barreling down the tracks with determined speed and aggression.

Like its predecessor, Black Fast’s Spectre Of Ruin was summoned into sharp focus at Mana Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida, with Erik Rutan, the Hate Eternal frontman and ex-Morbid Angel guitarist who has produced albums by genre titans like Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, and Six Feet Under. It’s all killer, no filler, demonstrating the destructive force of focused neo-thrash and progressive death-infused heavy metal at its finest.

Black Fast follow the roadmap laid down by the great bands with “Angel” and “Death” in their names, swearing off the trappings of the mainstream with a steadfast dedication to their chosen craft. As vocalist/guitarist, Aaron Akin once summarized, “We’ve pushed our chips all-in since the beginning. We threw caution to the wind. We’re playing metal. We don’t really give a shit about ‘making it.’”  

This music is a vibrant soundtrack to society’s collapse and a celebration of defiant resolution. The Black Fast mission is ruthlessly simple: champion musical aggression, bark at the moon, raise a fist and headbang like there’s no tomorrow.

Pre-order digital copies of the album here, or physical copies here.

Tracklisting:

"Cloak Of Lies"
"Silhouette Usurper"
"Scarecrow And Spectre"
"Phantom I Am"
"Mist Of Ruin"
"Temple Of Leviathan"
"Famine Angel"
"Crescent Aberration"
"Husk"

"Silhouette Usurper":

"Cloak Of Lies" video:

Black Fast will hit the road this summer in various stops across the eastern half of the United States. The band kicks it off with a performance at the 17th Annual ShowcaseSTL presented by The Riverfront Times followed by a batch of support dates with Exmortus on the Summer Of Steel tour. Black Fast will then head out with Ringworm until they reach Cincinnati,OH where they'll participate in the first Annual Transplant Fest with Ringworm and Incantation on July 21st.

On October 13th, 2017, Marillion played at the Royal Albert Hall for the very first time. The concert was sold out in a split second and the audience, travelling from all over the world, was rewarded with an incredible Marillion show.

In two parts, All One Tonight: Live At The Royal Albert Hall firstly showcases the band’s acclaimed 2016 studio album F*** Everyone And Run (F E A R) in full. Accompanied by an awe-inspiring light show and films, Marillion perform their incisive and era-defining zeitgeist with unparalleled passion and power. The second half introduces In Praise Of Folly and guests, a string quartet with flute and French horn that throughout the rest of the show inject an extra depth and emotion to some of Marillion’s best-loved live material.

Marillion, founded in 1979, have become one of the most commercially successful neo-progressive rock bands of the 1980s and are still one of the most outstanding representatives of their genre. Throughout a celebrated career that has spanned almost four decades they have released 18th studio albums and sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

The concert film All One Tonight: Live At The Royal Albert Hall was directed and edited by Tim Sidwell and recorded and mixed by Michael Hunter. The Blu-ray comes with exclusive bonus material such as a 35mins documentary and the sensational screen media. Marillion’s landmark performance at London’s iconic concert hall will be released in stores worldwide on a series of formats via earMUSIC on July 27th, and is available to pre-order now.

Watch "White Paper" from the upcoming release below:

Trailer:

Bloodguilt, the upcoming new EP from Montreal’s Depths Of Hatred blends ferocious vocals with aggressive riffs and relentless drumming in a tour-de-force of technical death metal. Set for official release on July 20th, watch the new video for the harrowing album track “An Infidel's Dissent” below.

"We released our last single 2 years ago. In those two years, a lot has changed. New lineup, new label, new EP and finally, a new single. We couldn't be more stoked with what we've done and what is to come. Enjoy our brand new music video for ‘Infidels Dissent’ from our upcoming EP Bloodguilt”, comments the band on the new release.

Tracklisting:

“My Penance Beheld”
“An Infidel’s Dissent”
“Covenant Curse”
“The Nail Remains”
“Throes Of Desperation”
“Bloodguilt”

"An Infidel's Dissent" video:

Just before the release of Bloodguilt, the band will embark on a two and a half week Canadian run with Hideous Divinity.

Dates:

22 - Windsor, ON - The Beer Exchange
23 - St. Catharines, ON - Warehouse
24 - Toronto, ON - Coalition
25 - Sudbury, ON - The Asylum
26 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub
27 - Winnipeg, MB - The Handsome Daughter
28 - Regina, SK - Cloud 9 Live
29 - Edmonton, AB - The Forge
30 - Grand Prairie, AB - Better Than Fred’s
31 - Calgary, AB - Distortion

August
1 - Vernon, BC - Record City
2 - Kamloops, BC - The Duchess
3 - Vancouver, BC - Astorial
04 - Victoria, BC - Victoria Event Centre
5 - Nanaimo, BC - The Cambie

Depths Of Hatred first burst upon the Montreal scene with the 2012 album, Aversionist, released on Canadian artist-breaking, Galy Records. They toured with Beneath The Massacre, Blind Witness, and more and in 2014, self-released Hellborn, which showcased a more technical, more developed sound. They followed that up with a single in 2016 and hit the road again with Aegaeon, Alterbeast, Virvum, Vale of Pnath and more. Depths Of Hatred deliver a ruthless sound that keeps their listeners on the edge of their seats. They blend vicious, ferocious vocals, aggressive guitar riffs, and fast, relentless style drumming to result in a sound that some would call unforgiving.

More details on Bloodguilt will be made soon.

Depths Of Hatred is:

Nico Monette. - Vocals
Martin Trottier - Guitar
Felix Demers - Guitar
Karl Desjardins - Drums
Antoine Millette - Bass

Vancouver death/thrash act Codex: Factoria have released their debut full-length album Cause Destruction Through Tyrants. Stream and download the album on Bandcamp.

Cause Destruction Through Tyrants is nine tracks of thundering audio warfare. Produced and engineered by Dan Yakimow (Nylithia), and mastered by Greg Reely (Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory), the album also boasts guest appearances by Rob Urbinati (Sacrifice), Dave Padden (Annhilator, Third Ion), Adam Tranquilli and CJ Scioscia (Blood Feast), and Dave Carlo (Razor).

The follow-up remix album, tentatively entitled Satan Except, None Higher, is slated to be released fall/winter of 2018. Featuring radically deconstructed versions of material from Cause Destruction Through Tyrants, this remix album boasts contributions from some of the most legendary names in electronic/industrial/dark ambient! Included in that list will be Dave "Rave" Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie), Chris Peterson (Frontline Assembly, Decree), dark-ambient legend Lustmord, and industrial-metal pioneers 16 Volt.

Tracklisting:

“Crown Of Thorns”
“Ritual Of Three” (feat. Tranquilli and Scioscia)
“Cause Destruction Through Tyrants”
“Divine Will Fail” (feat. Carlo)
“Murderer”
“Splatter” (feat. Padden)
“Warborn” (feat. Urbinati)
“Dying Like A Slave”
“Black Metal” (Venom cover)

(Photo by: Lee Tebb)

Former PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott has died. He was 54 years old.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Vinnie passed away Friday in Las Vegas, where he owned a home. No other details of his death were immediately available.

The drummer's passing was confirmed on both his personal and PANTERA's Facebook pages, where an identical announcement appeared Friday night.

"Vincent Paul Abbott aka Vinnie Paul has passed away," the statement read. "Paul is best known for his work as the drummer in the bands PANTERA and HELLYEAH. No further details are available at this time. The family requests you please respect their privacy during this time."

Vinnie Paul and his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by Nathan Gale. He was 38 years old.

Since his brother's murder, Vinnie Paul released several Dimebag-related items through his Big Vin Records label, including DVDs and the paperback book "He Came to Rock". Vinnie later said that the Dimebag-related releases weren't an attempt to cash in on his brother's tragic end but rather a way to keep Dimebag's legacy alive and well.

Up until his death, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with former PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo.

Vinnie and Anselmo's relationship got more acrimonious when Vinnie indirectly blamed Philip for Dimebag's death, suggesting that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Vinnie Paul has consistently shot down persistent calls for a PANTERA reunion with Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) filling in for Dimebag on guitar, telling Metal Hammer: "I'm not interested because there's no Dime, and, to me, if there's no Dime, there's no PANTERA. That's my reason. It's behind me. I've moved on. I play in a band called HELLYEAH and I really love doing it. I'm looking forward to moving forward; I don't wanna live in the past."

For the past decade, Vinnie has been touring and recording with HELLYEAH, whose fifth album, "Unden!able", came out in 2016.

Shortly before his death, Vinnie laid down the drum tracks for HELLYEAH's sixth album at The Hideout recording studio in Las Vegas.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

On June 29th, Guns N' Roses will reissue their 1987 debut album Appetite For Destruction via Universal Music Group. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Available for streaming below is the previously unreleased “Move To The City" (1988 Acoustic Version) from the GN’R Lies sessions:

The Appetite For Destruction: Locked N’ Loaded box is the one true GN’R Holy Grail. The box includes the Super Deluxe Edition with 4 CDs featuring the album newly remastered for the first time ever; B-sides N’ EPs newly remastered; the previously unreleased 1986 Sound City Session N’ More recordings; a Blu-ray Audio disc with the album, bonus tracks and music videos in brand new 5.1 surround sound along with the unearthed music video for “It’s So Easy” originally shot in 1989 but never finished; and a 96-page hardcover book showcasing unseen photos from Axl Rose’s personal archive and a wealth of memorabilia.

In addition, the Locked N’ Loaded box contains high quality collectables including seven 12-inch 180g audiophile vinyl discs, seven 7-inch singles on yellow vinyl, a dozen lithos newly visualizing each song on Appetite, 5 custom hand-made metal-cast band skull face rings, 5 hand-made metal-cast band skull face lapel pins, buttons, patches, replica concert tickets and gig flyers, 5 metal skull face and signature-stamped guitar picks, a turntable mat, wall posters, replica ‘85/’86 club days banner, a Robert Williams painting litho, never-before-seen band lithos, a numbered certificate of authenticity and more.

Check out a piece-by-piece unboxing video below:

Check out the official unboxing video:

Get yourself a Limited Numbered Edition - only 10,000 units are available worldwide. They include:

Simulated-Leather & Wood Cabinet with Embossed GN’R Logos

Handmade 3D Cross

96-page Hardcover Book with Unreleased Photos from Axl’s Personal Archive and a Bombardment of Memorabilia - Simulated-leather Wrapped Slipcase and Book Cover with Embossed GN’R Logos

4 CDs

73 Total Tracks - 49 Tracks Previously Unreleased
First Ever Album Remaster from Original Analog Tapes
12 Tracks from B-sides N’ EPs Newly Remastered from Original Analog Tapes
25 Unreleased Recordings from 1986 Sound City Session
2 Unreleased Recordings from Mike Clink Sessions:

“Shadow Of Your Love” - from December 1986 Mike Clink tryout session
“Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)” - from GN’R Lies sessions

1 Blu-ray Audio Disc

New 96kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound Mixes from Original Analog Multi-tracks
Original Album Mixed by Elliot Scheiner
5 Bonus Tracks Mixed by Elliot Scheiner & Frank Filipetti
All songs feature brand new animations
4 Original Music Videos in 5.1
Unreleased 1989 “It’s So Easy” Video in 5.1

Seven 180-gram Audiophile 12-inch LPs

All Vinyl Cut from 192kHz 24-bit Remastered High-Resolution Audio
Original Album Expanded to 2-LPs for Maximum Audiophile Playback

Limited Edition Foil Art Slipcase
Side 4 Extra Bonus: Hologroove Hologram of GN’R Logo

Live Like A Suicide EP (1-LP) with Extra Track “Shadow Of Your Love”
B-Sides N’ EPs (1-LP)
1986 Sound City Session N’ More (3-LPs)

6 Replica 7-inch Singles + New 7-inch for “Shadow Of Your Love” on Yellow Vinyl

“It’s So Easy” b/w “Mr. Brownstone”
“Welcome To The Jungle” b/w “Whole Lotta Rosie (Live)”
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” b/w “Out Ta Get Me”
“Paradise City” b/w “Used To Love Her”
“Patience” b/w “Rocket Queen”
“Nightrain” b/w “Reckless Life”
“Shadow Of Your Love” b/w “Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version)”

32GB Metal Cross USB Stick with High-Resolution Audio Formats from All 4

192kHz 24-bit AIFF Files
96kHz 24-bit AIFF Files
44.1kHz 16-bit AIFF Files

12 New Illustration Lithos - Visualizing Each Song on the Album
5 Metal Band Skull Face Rings
5 Metal Band Skull Face Lapel Pins
5 Metal Guitar Picks with Band Skull Faces & Signatures
5 Previously Unseen Band Member Lithos
5 GN’R Logo Buttons
Robert Williams Painting Litho 12”x24”
Replica ‘85/’86 Gig Banner 27”x40”
“Welcome To The Jungle” Video Invite Flyer - Originally Drawn by Slash
Turntable Mat
Microfiber Vinyl Cleaning Cloth
7-inch Large Hole Adapter
6 Replica Early Years Gig Flyers
6 Iron-on Stitched Logo Patches
2-inch Collectable Coin
Bandana with Silver Metallic Ink
2 Wall Posters 24”x36”
Temporary Band Member Tattoos
3 Replica Ticket Stubs
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity

CD 1 - Appetite For Destruction: Remastered

“Welcome To The Jungle”
“It's So Easy”
“Nightrain”
“Out Ta Get Me”
“Mr. Brownstone”
“Paradise City”
“My Michelle”
“Think About You”
“Sweet Child O' Mine”
“You're Crazy”
“Anything Goes”
“Rocket Queen”

Produced by Mike Clink

Mixed by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero

CD 2 - B-Sides N’ EPs: Remastered

“Reckless Life”
“Nice Boys”
“Move To The City” (Live)
“Mama Kin”
“Shadow Of Your Love” (Live)
“You’re Crazy” (Acoustic Version)
“Patience”
“Used To Love Her”
“You’re Crazy”
“It’s So Easy” (Live)
“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” (Live)
“Whole Lotta Rosie” (Live)

CD 3 - 1986 Sound City Session

All Previously Unreleased

“Welcome To The Jungle” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Nightrain” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Out Ta Get Me” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Paradise City” (1986 Sound City Session)
“My Michelle” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Think About You” (1986 Sound City Session)
“You’re Crazy” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Anything Goes” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Rocket Queen” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Shadow Of Your Love” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Heartbreak Hotel” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1986 Sound City Session)

CD 4 - 1986 Sound City Session N' More

All Previously Unreleased

“Shadow Of Your Love”
“Move To The City” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Ain’t Goin’ Down No More” (Instrumental Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
“The Plague” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Nice Boys” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Back Off Bitch” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Reckless Life” (1986 Sound City Session)
“Mama Kin” (1986 Sound City Session)
“New Work Tune” (1986 Sound City Session)
“November Rain” (Piano Version - 1986 Sound City Session))
“Move To The City” (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
“You’re Crazy” (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
“November Rain” (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
“Move To The City” (1988 Acoustic Version)

DISC 5 - Blu-Ray Audio

96kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound & Remastered Stereo

5.1 Surround Sound mixed by *Elliot Scheiner and **Frank Filipetti

All Previously Unreleased

Appetite For Destruction*

“Welcome To The Jungle”
“It's So Easy”
“Nightrain”
“Out Ta Get Me”
“Mr. Brownstone”
“Paradise City”
“My Michelle”
“Think About You”
“Sweet Child O' Mine”
“You're Crazy”
“Anything Goes”
“Rocket Queen”

Produced by Mike Clink

Stereo mixed by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero

Bonus Tracks:

“Shadow Of Your Love”**
“Patience”*
“Used To Love Her”**
“You’re Crazy”**
“Move To The City” (1988 Acoustic Version)**

Music Videos*:

“Welcome To The Jungle”
“Sweet Child O’Mine”
“Paradise City”
“Patience”
“It’s So Easy” - Brand New Video From 1989

"Shadow Of Your Love" lyric video:

A performance clip of the song "Alma Mater", taken from MOONSPELL's upcoming "Lisboa Under The Spell" release, can be seen below.

A unique and solemn spell seems to shroud every spot as soon as Portuguese alchemists MOONSPELL enter the stage — and it was a very special evening indeed when the band played an exceptional show at the Campo Pequeno arena in their hometown Lisbon on February 4, 2017. That inimitable bond between the gothic metal act and 4,000 of its fans in the sold-out venue is pure electricity, captured for all eternity on the massive live DVD/Blu-ray/3CD package "Lisboa Under The Spell", which will be released on August 17 via Napalm Records.

Commented the band on the release: "We are thrilled to announce the release of our brand new live DVD/Blu-ray/3CD live album, entitled 'Lisboa Under The Spell'! It was recorded live on our breathtaking capitol city of Lisbon and it's nothing short of an epic trek of more than three action-packed hours! We have played 'Wolfheart', 'Irreligious' plus 'Extinct' in full, invited a bunch of guests, summoned our biggest strength to be up to the task, and it feels awesome to unleash a long-awaited live release from MOONSPELL. This edition will be full packed with amazing material, bonus CDs from the shows, a in depth documentary about the band, top sound, dramatic flair and a human picture of thousands of Portuguese witches and wolves under the spell. A great document of what we are on and off stage. Don't miss out and visit Lisbon through the eyes of MOONSPELL fans and the genius work of director Victor Castro."

It was definitely time, since MOONSPELL aficionados have been thirsting for a new live release ever since "Lusitanian Metal" (2008)! Thus, "Lisboa Under The Spell" is not simply a visual testimony to the success of Portugal's biggest metal band — it is a celebration of the unbound creativity and pure magic that is MOONSPELL.


Track Listing:


I - Rockumentary- band documentary by Victor Castro


II – "Wolfheart" Show - full album played live

01. Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)

02. Love Crimes

03. Of Dream And Drama

04. Lua D'inverno

05. Trebaruna

06. Ataegina

07. Vampiria

08. An Erotic Alchemy

09. Alma Mater


III – "Irreligious" Show - full album played live

01. Perverse Almost Religious

02. Opium

03. Awake!

04. For A Taste Of Eternity

05. Ruin & Misery

06. A Poisoned Gift

07. Raven Claws (feat. Mariangela Demurtas)

08. Mephisto

09. Herr Spiegelmann

10. Fullmoon Madness


IV – "Extinct" Show - full album played live

01. All Gone From The Wild (intro)

02. Breathe (Until We Are No More)

03. Extinct (feat. Carolina Torres)

04. Medusalem

05. Domina

06. The Last Of Us

07. Malignia

08. Funeral Bloom

09. A Dying Breed

10. The Future Is Dark


V - Making Of - show day


VI – Gallery - live and backstage pics

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has revealed the second song from her brand new live-art-album and video "Act II".

"Undertaker" was recorded live in Milan, Italy and showcases a slightly different side of the Finnish queen of symphonic rock.

Filmed during Tarja's world tour "The Shadow Shows", during which the influential heavy rock singer circled the world 7.5 times with over 300,000 km travelled and played over 200 shows in 40 countries in front of 1 million people, "Act II" consists of the singer's very intimate 75-minute set filmed and recorded live at the Metropolis Studio in London, England and the breathtaking live performance of one of her shows in Milan, Italy, and previously unreleased interviews and photo galleries.

The theatrical rock adventure "Act II" combines two incredible-yet-slightly-different live performances on video: The first chapter, "Metropolis Alive", has been filmed two months prior to the release of Tarja's 2016 success "The Shadow Self". Twenty winners from all over Europe were lucky to witness Tarja's set at Metropolis Studios in London, where the singer performed songs from her then unreleased album — for the first time in front of an audience.


"Act II" is the second chapter and was recorded on November 29, 2016 at the magnificent Teatro della Luna Allago in Milan, Italy and includes numerous hits from all four Tarja albums such as "Innocence", "Die Alive", "Until My Last Breath", as well as an incredible cover of MUSE's classic "Supremacy". That night's setlist also enchants the soprano's long-time fans with a medley consisting of the distinctive NIGHTWISH evergreens: "Ever Dream", "Slaying The Dreamer" and "The Riddler". It was all topped off with a remarkable acoustic set, which presented Tarja classics in a brand new way.


Even though the shows deliberately differ in look, sound, approach to the music and adrenaline, both have one thing in common: from the very first to the very last tune, the state of the art production displays Tarja's energetic performance and her graceful, charming presence.


"Act II" will be released on July 27 on earMUSIC as 2CD digipak, 3LP gatefold (180g, black), DVD, Blu-ray, limited mediabook 2CD+2BD (including two full live shows filmed at Hellfest in France and Woodstock Festival in Poland as bonus) and digital.

"Act I", Tarja's first-ever live release, charted Top 10 all over Europe as well as almost all over the world, with a sensational No. 5 in Germany. The video version even remained for over two months at the peak of the Finnish music video charts.

A true spectacle to be witnessed, Lords Of The Trident is a daring adventure metal quintet that has been delighting their audiences and fans all over the world for ten years. To continue on their epic quest of bringing spectacular and entertaining metal to global fans these power metal warriors will be unleashing their seventh album Shadows From The Past and are excited to share the artwork plus track listings for its North American and Japan release plus an exclusive bonus track "Fire And Sand" for Patreon supporters. The album will be released digitally and on physical CD in North America on Friday, August 24th along with it being performed for the first time ever the following day at Mad With Power festival on Saturday, August 25th.

Vocalist Fang VonWrathenstein comments: “This album is our most ambitious musical work to date, and the first album with our new members Baron Helleshaar and Master Herc. Fans who have been with us for a while will notice that our new songs are a bit more complex, and our songwriting continues to mature. The new songs are definitely still Lords songs, but explore some new musical themes. I believe the new album will be our strongest offering yet, and contain some songs that are sure to be fan favourites going forward.”

North American tracklisting:

"Death Dealer"
"Zero Hour"
"Tormentor"
"Burn It Down (With Fire)" Feat. Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers)
"Figaro"
"The Party Has Arrived"
"Brothers Of Cain"
"Reaper's Hourglass"
"Chasing Shadows"
"The Nameless Tomb"
"The Gatekeeper"

Japanese bonus tracks:

"Cross The Line"
"Desolation (Haze Of The Battlefield Pt. 2)"

And Patreon backers will receive an extra exclusive track entitled "Fire And Sand".

In addition to the upcoming release of Shadows From The Past, Lords Of The Trident started a kickstarter campaign that went live on June 1st. The band has now reached their objective of $6,000 plus 1st stage stretch goal, which will now gives those who pledged for a physical copy of the album to receive multi-color Shadows From The Past custom guitar picks.

The band are still asking fans to answer the call to help them make their extra stretch goals, which includes a red blood double vinyl (included in any over $100 pledge or $25 added to any already made pledge) and full color zip up hoodies (design TBA) (for any pledge of over $250 or $50 added to any already made pledge).

Visit the Lords Of The Trident Shadows From The Past kickstarter ahere to view rewards that include merch, lessons from band members, festival tickets, private concerts and a copy of the video game Coffee Crisis that the band has partnered with to feature one of their songs for one of the levels along with band members as NPCs (non-playable characters).

(Photo - Mary Sweeney)

Back from war... the German melodic-death newcomers Parasite Inc. are set to unleash their second album Dead And Alive on August 17th via Reaper Entertainment Europe. To celebrate the release of the new album the band has confirmed an exclusive release show at the big Summer Breeze Open Air in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.

The band has released the first single entitled "Headfuck Rollercoaster" just in time for the pre-order start today. Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.

The band states: "Five years of waiting has an end: Here it is, the first single off our new album. Get in, crank up, go postal. Up and down it goes."

Tracklisting:

"Countershock"
"Once And For All"
"This World"
"Fall Of The Idealist"
"Headfuck Rollercoaster"
"Flesh Decadence"
"Red Wine Collider"
"Sunset Overdrive"
"Cold Silent Hell"
"Dead And Alive"
"Empty Streets" (Cover)
 
"Headfuck Rollercoaster" lyric video:

Parasite Inc. are:

Kai Bigler -  vocals / guitars
Dominik Sorg - guitars
Stefan Krämer - bass
Benjamin Stelzer - drums

On August 10th, German metal a-cappella masters Van Canto will release their seventh studio album, Trust In Rust. A lyric video for the album's opening track "Back In The Lead" can be seen below.

About the first single, the band said, “It's been more than 2 years after our last tour, this song wraps it up - we want to sing and are just happy to be Back In The Lead!"

Trust In Rust is available in the following formats:

- 2 CD Digipack
- 1 CD Jewel Case
- Deluxe Bundle (Cardboard Box, DP, Pendant, Flag, Sticker, Photocard)
- Digital Album
- Deluxe Digital Album

Pre-order here.

Trust In Rust tracklisting:

"Back In The Lead"
"Javelin"
"Trust In Rust"
"Ride The Sky" (feat. Kai Hansen)
"Melody"
"Neverland"
"Desert Snake"
"Darkest Days"
"Infinity"
"Hells Bells"
"Heading Home"

CD 2: Best Of - Orchestral Versions (available in the Digipack):

"The Mission" (Orchestral Version)
"Rain" (Orchestral Version)
"Hero" (Orchestral Version)
"Take To The Sky" (Orchestral Version)
"Water Fire Heaven Earth" (Orchestral Version)
"My Voice" (Orchestral Version)
"If I Die In Battle" (Orchestral Version)
"The Higher Flight" (Orchestral Version)
"Unholy" (Orchestral Version)
"The Other Ones" (Orchestral Version)

Lineup:

Hagen Hirschmann: Lead Vocals
Inga Scharf: Lead Vocals
Ross Thomspon: Higher Rakkatakka Vocals
Stefan Schmidt: Lower Rakkatakka Vocals
Jan Moritz: Pad and Bass Vocals
Ingo Sterzinger: Bass and Backing Vocals
Bastian Emig: Drums and Backing Vocals

(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

Dutch symphonic metal giants Epica have teamed up with the highly successful Attack On Titan to release a very special EP. With their legion of fans, Attack On Titan have conquered both the print world with over 70 million copies, and anime sector with an adaption that is currently airing worldwide. The EP entitled Epica Vs. Attack On Titan will be released worldwide - outside of Japan - on July 20th via Nuclear Blast Records featuring metal covers of the anime’s theme songs.

Today, Epica releases the second single from the EP, "If Inside These Walls Was A House".

Mark Jansen comments: "'If Inside These Walls Was A House' is my favorite track on the EP and it sounds most like an Epica song. We have played this track together with some other tracks from the EP in Japan live in front of a thousand enthusiastic fans, I will never forget that. Enjoy :)"

Watch the track video below:  

Epica Vs. Attack On Titan will be available in the following formats:

- CD Jewel case
- Vinyl - Violet, Yellow, Black

Pre-order your copy here.

Epica Vs. Attack On Titan was recorded during the summer of 2017 at Sandlane Recording Facilities by Joost van den Broek. The original songs, which were influenced by the music of Epica, were composed by Revo of popular Japanese band Linked Horizon. For the EP, tracks were adapted by Epica and produced by Joost van den Broek. The choir arrangements and scoring were completed by keyboardist Coen Janssen who also handled the orchestral arrangements with Joost van den Broek.

Tracklisting:

"Crimson Bow And Arrow"
"Wings Of Freedom"
"If Inside These Walls Was A House"
"Dedicate Your Heart!"
"Crimson Bow And Arrow" (Instrumental)
"Wings Of Freedom" (Instrumental)
"If Inside These Walls Was A House" (Instrumental)
"Dedicate Your Heart!" (Instrumental)

"Crimson Bow And Arrow":

Trailer:

After two years of literally non-stop touring worldwide, this summer Epica will perform their last batch of festivals of their current touring cycle. With performances on the legendary Wacken Open Air in Germany or at Slovenia’s magical Metaldays, among other festivals, Epica will give all metal fans one last party before their well-deserved touring break.

Tickets and info here.

Roadrunner Records group Coheed And Cambria have announced details of their long awaited new album and label debut, The Unheavenly Creatures. The sprawling fifteen track, self-produced, 78-minute epic finds Coheed And Cambria returning to the conceptual narrative of The Amory Wars.

Today the band has launched pre-ordersfor the album’s deeply immersive Vaxis - Act 1: The Unheavenly Creatures Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set. Pre-orders for The Unheavenly Creatures standard album will begin Friday, June 29th, with new music from the forthcoming LP arriving next week.

Set for release on October 5th, the box set (packaging shot below) includes an exclusive eighty-plus page hardcover illustrated sci-fi novel with strikingly realistic color imagery by Chase Stone, as well as the complete Act 1 novella written by frontman Claudio Sanchez and his wife, Chondra Echert. The set also houses a fully-wearable hard-plastic mask of the main character in The Unheavenly Creatures, a CD copy of the album, as well as the exclusive bonus album, The Crown Heights Demos, showing the songs in their original written form. Additional items include a 3-panel fold out poster of expanded album cover art, and the Unheavenly Creatures Black Card which will allow all card holders early access to tickets and early entry to Coheed And Cambria headline dates (including this summer’s tour).

Coheed And Cambria recently released The Unheavenly Creatures’ 10-minute prog manifesto “The Dark Sentencer” (streaming below), which was leaked to fans by frontman Claudio Sanchez along with the opening paragraphs from the album’s aforementioned novella.

Furthermore, Coheed And Cambria celebrated the 60th anniversary of NASA earlier this month by joining the National Symphony Orchestra as guest performers at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The event - NSO Pops: Space, The Next Frontier - featured music inspired by space - both fact and fiction - and saw Coheed And Cambria deliver a poignant performance of their song “Here To Mars” backed by the NSO Pops. The performance has quickly garnered over 700K views on The Kennedy Center’s Official Facebook.

This July Coheed And Cambria will set out on a US co-headline mostly-outdoor tour with Taking Back Sunday and special guests The Story So Far. The 28-city US tour, produced mostly by Live Nation, will begin on Friday, July 6th in Miami, FL and make stops in Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cleveland, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas and more. The summer tour will culminate in a performance at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, AZ on Sunday, August 12th. Tickets for all dates are on sale now. For tickets and more information visit CoheedandCambria.com.

 
Tracklisting:

"Prologue"
"The Dark Sentencer"
"Unheavenly Creatures"
"Toys"
"Black Sunday"
"Queen Of The Dark"
"True Ugly"
"Love Protocol"
"The Pavilion (A Long Way Back)"
"Night-Time Walkers"
"The Gutter"
"All On Fire"
"It Walks Among Us"
"Old Flames"
"Lucky Stars"

"The Dark Sentencer":

(Photo - Manual Casanova)

 

Nozomu Wakai’s Destinia are streaming the track "The End Of Love", featured on the new album Metal Souls, out now in Japan and due elsewhere in July. Listen below.
Pre-order Metal Souls here.

Japanese guitar hero Nozomu Wakai will blast his way onto the world stage with his project Nozomu Wakai’s Destinia, featuring music composed, written, and produced by Nozomu himself.

Nozomu Wakai, hailed in Japan and abroad as an artist who could bring forth a rebirth of authentic and melodic heavy metal in the 21st century, has already released two albums, Requiem For A Scream (2014) and Anecdote Of The Queens (2015), with his project Nozomu Wakai’s Destinia. He has been recognized in the Japanese hard rock and heavy metal scene for his contributions on guitar, compositions, and sound directions on releases by the country's leading musicians and anime's.

In 2016, during his quest for a new musical direction for Destinia, Nozomu witnessed a performance by Lords Of Black, featuring vocalist Ronnie Romero, at Loud Park​ 16, a metal festival in Japan. Though Nozomu was well aware of Ronnie's abilities, he was hit hard by the new Ritchie Blackmore Official Site's Rainbow singer. A direct offer was made and accepted with Ronnie joining Nozomu to participate as the vocalist in his Destinia project.

Having set his course for the direction of the new compositions, Nozomu made the decision to offer Marco Mendoza and Tommy Aldridge, a rhythm section hugely influential to him, the bass and drum positions, respective to add extra strength to the music. It was an obvious choice for Nozomu's music as these positions would demand the presence of two musicians with a vast knowledge of the history of hard rock and heavy metal. Upon listening to Nozomu's music, Marco and Tommy were thrilled to get involved.

Nozomu describes the musical direction and aspiration of Destinia as 'classic modern' heavy metal. "The music goes beyond the authentic hard rock and heavy metal in the same vein as Rainbow, Whitesnake and Ronnie James Dio - it is completed with the contemporary, modern sound styles. I am confident that I can create exciting new music with these musicians," says Nozomu.

Praising his talents, Ronnie, Marco and Tommy were excited to join forces with Nozomu. "I was impressed the moment I listened to his tracks," says Ronnie. "Nozomu is an incredibly talented guitar player and an amazing composer. In addition to that, my vocals fit in really well."

The emotional guitars by Nozomu and soulful vocals by Ronnie complement each other and are made all the more powerful with the backing by the powerful grooves of Tommy Aldridge and Marco Mendoza.

Nozomu sees a long-term potential in Destinia, claiming there are "songs that need to be written, developments that need to be made". Behold the new guitar hero, the shape of things to come in the new world of hard rock and heavy metal.

Tracklisting:

"Metal Souls"
"Rain"
"The End Of Love"
"Promised Land"
"Take Me Home"
"Raise Your Fist"
"Be A Hero"
"Metamorphosis"
"Cross The Line"
"Judgement Day"
"Ready For Rock"

"The End Of Love":

"Take Me Home" video:

"Metal Souls" video:

Lineup:

Nozomu Wakai: Guitar
Ronnie Romero: Vocals
Marco Mendoza: Bass
Tommy Aldridge: Drums

With an impressive track record of eight critically acclaimed studio albums, including Total 13 and Making Enemies Is Good, and extensive touring around the world, Backyard Babies have earned their reputation as a true force of nature.

It’s been a long wait since the release of their latest album, Four By Four, in 2015, but now Backyard Babies are back stronger than ever with their new single ”Shovin’ Rocks” as a part of the forthcoming album Sliver And Gold, which is scheduled for an early 2019 release.

The band comments, “We will soon enough celebrate 30 years as Backyard Babies, with the original lineup intact, and ‘Shovin’ Rocks’ is in full covering that fact. This is our first single in a major since ‘Look At You’, our breakthrough single from 1998. If you don’t’ love this, then you don’t love rock’n’roll.”

Watch the video for “Shovin’ Rocks”, directed by the band’s drummer Peder Carlsson, below. Follow this link to direct you to the single on all streaming and download platforms.

Jens Prueter, Head of A&R Century Media Europe comments on signing Backyard Babies, “It’s no surprise that you meet twice if both a label and a band are already around for almost 30 years. It’s 12 years ago when we worked together on the People Like People Like People Like Us album and it feels great to welcome back the Backyard Babies to celebrate their 30th anniversary of rock’n’roll with a new album in early 2019. And the new single is a perfect way to invite the guests to a party that won’t end soon. Some people don’t get older but just stronger. People like us.”

Lineup:

Nicke Borg - lead vocals / guitar
Dregen - lead guitar / vocals
Johan Blomquist - bass
Peder Carlsson - drums

American/Finnish sensations Tornado have returned with their third release, aptly titled Commitment To Excellence, 11 songs of highly catchy and in-your-face thrash metal.

With Commitment To Excellent, Tornado continue to do what they do best: writing songs that you can actually remember, with their own original recipe consisting in a blend of thrash, sleazy and glam.

This time around, the band also brought along some friends to help out in certain places: Nile’s Karl Sanders, Immolation’s Ross Dolan and Pro-Pain’s Adam Phillips, as well as Glen Drover (former Megadeth member).

Produced by Ben Varon (ex-Amoral/Oceanhoarse), mixed/mastered and engineered by AK, Chris Paccou (FOH Engineer of Slayer) Commitment To Excellence is set to be released via Extreme Metal Music / Rockshots Records on August 31st.

Tracklisting:

"A Minute Of Nothing"
"White Horse Of The Apocalypse" (Solo: Karl Sanders/Nile. Additional Vocals: Niko Kalliojärvi/ex-Amoral)
"Global Pandemic"
"Spirit And Opportunity" (Additional Vocals: Ross Dolan/Immolation)
"The Flight Of Yuri Gagarin"
"Endless Forms Of Torment" (Additional Solo: Adam Phillips/Pro-Pain)
"Through Difficulties To Victory"
"Supremacy
"Chaos Among The Ruins"
"United Forces (S.O.D. Cover)
"At The Chapel Of Rest” (Additional Solo: Glen Drover/ex. Megadeth)

“Global Pandemic” video:

WILSON will release a new album of original material, "Tasty Nasty", on August 24 via RED Music. Produced by the band alongside Scott "The Ninja" Stevens, the disc is currently available for pre-order here.

Comprised of Chad Nicefield (vocals), Jason Spencer (lead guitars), Kyle Landry (rhythm guitars), James Lascu (bass) and Matt Puhy (drums), WILSON is back with an album of eleven new tracks that showcase the band's latest musical direction that was built the members' love for the '90s and hip-hop.

"I just kind of realized who we are as people and our DNA was that of a bunch of lovable, silly dudes, that love to make music," says Nicefield. "That needs to be transparent in our music."

From the infectious chant of album opener "Dumptruck" to the reflective introspection of closer "Everyone Gets A Round On Me", it is apparent that WILSON has not lost its ability to tell a great story. Songs like "My Hustle", "Summertime Treat (Tasty Nasty)" and "Fuck Up My High" all showcase the diverse musical styles WILSON incorporates in to their latest album. The debut single, "Like A Baller", is sure to become an instant classic among the devoted faithful. The video for the song, produced and directed by Raymond Rivard and Chad Nicefield for Tradesmen Films, follows the adventures of a parking valet as he travels the journey of life and can be seen below.

"Tasty Nasty" track listing:

01. Dumptruck

02. Wrong Side Of History

03. Like A Baller

04. My Hustle

05. Summertime Treat (Tasty Nasty)

06. Act My Age

07. Spanish Coffee

08. Money (Money Money Money)

09. Fuck Up My High

10. House Of Fuckery

11. Everyone Gets A Round On Me

WILSON will open for THEORY OF A DEADMAN on a U.S. tour throughout July and August.

WILSON formed in 2010 when the members came together in Detroit, Michigan. After two previous full-length releases — "Fullblast Fuckery" in 2013 and "Right To Rise" in 2015 — the band is back in 2018 with an all-new album, record label, outlook on its career and musical direction.

Los Angeles, California based hard rock band Void Vator has announced their Southwest 2018 Tour. Launching July 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada the tour will churn through Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico before winding down in Phoenix on July 28th. The band has also released the official music video for "Until It's Gone", off of their 2017 debut EP, Dehumanized.

Catch Void Vator live at the following shows:

July
19 - Count's Vampd - Las Vegas, NV
20 - The Quarry - Bisbee, AZ
21 - Rockin Cigar Bar - El Paso, TX
22 - Dirty Dog - Austin, TX
23 - Metal Monday At The Mix - San Antonio, TX
24 - Rudyard's - Houston, TX
25 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
26 - Blue Note - Oklahoma City, OK
27 - El Patio - Las Cruces, NM
28 - Yucca Tap Room - Phoenix, AZ

Void Vator is:

Lucas Kanopa - vocals, guitar
Erik Kluiber - guitar
Sam Harman - bass
German Moura - drums

For further details, visit Void Vator on Facebook.