On April 5th, legendary multinational thrash metallers Exumer will release their fifth full-length, Hostile Defiance, via Metal Blade Records.

Hostile Defiance is exactly what its title suggests. A 42-minute full on attack, the thrash faction hold nothing back as they unleash hell as only they can, yet with more variety and dynamics than ever before. "We wanted to sonically progress, incorporating more melodic elements in the music as well as more rhythmic variety," states vocalist Mem Von Stein. "We are a lot braver trying to create an up to date and relevant sound that can easily stand alone in today's thrash landscape without sounding trite or a throwback, and we're challenging the listener not to get too comfortable with one specific feel, tempo or pace."

For a preview of the album, the video for the first single, "Hostile Defiance", can be seen below. The clip was created by renowned cover artist Costin Chioreanu (At The Gates, Voivod, etc.), who also made the album artwork and layout for Hostile Defiance.

Fans can pre-order Hostile Defiance here in the following formats:

- ltd. digipak-CD w/2 bonus tracks
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- orange red marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 400 copies)
- red-brown/black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- pale blackberry marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- orange-black color in color + red splattered (EU exclusive - limited to 120 copies)
- white / blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- clear/red&black splattered vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 120 copies)

Hostile Defiance marks Exumer's third time working with producer Dennis Koehne (Sodom, Melechesh). Tracking the album in studios in Dortmund and Frankfurt, the sessions were marked with "super positive vibes all around with a strong, driven work ethic to create an optimal product." The band plans to tour the record hard, and will be hitting the road in Europe when the album drops, and from that point onward, they will be visiting as many countries as possible. "Our goal is simple: to further establish the band as one of the main German thrash metal acts that began in the 1980s and are now carrying the torch into the 2020s."

Hostile Defiance tracklisting:

"Hostile Defiance"
"Raptor"
"Carnage Rider"
"Dust Eater"
"King's End"
"Descent"
"Trapper"
"The Order Of Shadows"
"Vertical Violence"
"Splinter"
"He's A Woman - She's A Man" (Scorpions cover; CD bonus track)
"Supposed To Rot" (Entombed cover; CD bonus track)

"Hostile Defiance" video:

Exumer will be touring Europe around album release and will present new songs, plus their classics, on the road. See below for all dates.

March
29 - Drachten, Netherlands - Iduna
30 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore
31 - Essen, Germany - Turock

April
2 - Montpellier, France - Secret Place
3 - Irun, Spain - Sala Tunk
4 - Valladolid, Spain - Porta Caeli
5 - Pamplona, Spain - Sala Totem
6 - Oviedo, Spain - Sir Laurens
7 - Madrid, Spain - We Rock
9 - Granada, Spain - Salal Planta Baja
10 - Sevilla, Spain - Sala Even
11 - Malaga, Spain - Sala Trinchera
12 - Murcia, Spain - Sala Gramma
13 - Castellon, Spain - Burbuja
14 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Sidecar

June
7 - Muhlteich, Germany - Chronical Moshers Festival
8 - Berlin, Germany - BiNuu
9 - Oschersleben, Germany - Rock & Metal Dayz
21 - Gardelegen, Germany - Metal Frenzy
22 - Bussfeld, Germany - M.i.s.e. Open Air 2019

August
9 - Lisboa Vagos, Portugal - Metal Festival
10 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault

Exumer lineup:

Mem V. Stein - vocals
Ray Mensh - guitars
T. Schiavo - bass
Matthias Kassner - drums
Marc B. - guitars




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Swedish Viking metallers, Månegarm, have revealed the title, artwork, tracklisting and release date for their upcoming studio record. Entitled Fornaldarsagor the upcoming release turns out to be the most multi-faceted and uncompromising piece of concept art the Swedes have forged so far and will feed the flames of heathen fires for a long, long time.

Due for release on April 26th via Napalm Records, Fornaldarsagor will contain eight furious tracks that breathe new life into sagas and tales from a pre-christianized, pagan era that made Scandinavia into what it is today - and those sagas have now been wrapped in exciting viking metal. Månegarm give furious details to all tracks via their socials. Head over to their Facebook to get deep insights to each and every track individually.

Special versions will also include two exclusive bonus tracks - available digitally and with the strictly limited CD Deluxe Box. Take a look at the full tracklisting below and make sure to check out all available formats and special bundles.

Available formats:

- 4 Page Digipack
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- 1LP Gatefold Gold - limited to 300 units
- CD Deluxe Box incl. 4 Page Digipack, 2 CD Single, Pendant & Album cover Flag - limited to 500 units
- Digital Album
- Shirt + Digipack
- Shirt + 1LP Gatefold Black

 Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Sveablotet"
"Hervors arv"
"Slaget vid Bråvalla"
"Ett sista farväl"
"Spjutbädden"
"Tvenne drömmar"
"Krakes sista strid"
"Dödskvädet"

Bonus tracks:
"(Don’t Need) Religion" (Motörhead cover)
"Day Star, Son Of Dawn" (Re-recorded song from 1995, never before released)

Månegarm lineup:

Erik Grawsiö - Vocals, bass
Markus Andé - Guitar
Jakob Hallegren - Drums

(Photo - Jens Ryden)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

KISS is bringing the curtain down on its epic and storied 45-tear career with the "End Of The Road" tour, which started on January 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer recently sat down with national radio personality Dan Neer to discuss this massive undertaking.

You can now listen to the one-hour "All Access" special, which contains such KISS classics as "Rock And Roll All Nite", "Detroit Rock City", "Deuce" and many others, using the SoundCloud widget below.

Asked by Neer to envision the closing moments of the tour's final show, Stanley said: "I don't wanna say bittersweet, because there's nothing bitter about it. It'll certainly be incredibly emotional, because I have so much to look back on that the band has made possible, that the fans have made possible, and I wanna know at that last show that I gave it everything I could. And I'll walk away proudly."

Simmons added: "I'm a fairly big guy — I'm 6' 2", I'm probably closer to 250 pounds. I'm not a skinny guy, and proud of it. But I know I'm gonna be weeping like a 12-year-old girl who has someone stepping on her feet at that last show. Tears of happiness, I might add.

"How many people on earth get to do what we've done? You've gotta take that perspective," he continued. "Because KISS has always been more than a band. KISS has been a unifying force for different generations... When you see a five-year-old kid at a concert — our concert — who has KISS makeup and is sitting on the shoulders of his dad who's wearing KISS makeup, who's next to his dad, who's 50 or 60, and he's wearing makeup. And that kid does my hand gesture for the first time in his life… It's hit me before. I turn around, and you're in tears, because you realize it's more than a concert and it's more than songs — it's a part of people's lives. They tattoo their bodies with our faces, they name their kids after our songs. It's a culture. It's a nationhood."

The North American leg of "End Of The Road" is set to run through September, ending with a September 16 date at Oakland Oracle Arena. The multi-year run promises dates until at least 2020.

"We're doing the absolute biggest KISS show," Stanley said. "Everybody who goes to see a band, a rap star, a country star, a rock star, you're seeing a KISS show nowadays. … We go out there and raise the bar. We will raise it again."

Although this isn't the first time KISS has embarked on a farewell tour, Simmons insists that this time, it's for real. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he explained that he "cannot continue to perform into his eighth decade wearing 40 pounds of armor and platform boots."

Brutal death metal maniacs ABORTED have released a brand-new video clip for the song "Deep Red", taken from their latest album, "TerrorVision".

After the very successful "Hell Over Europe" tour last year, ABORTED is now bringing the "TerrorVision" to North America.

Vocalist Sven de Caluwé comments: "Since 'Hell Over Europe' was such a good time, we decided to bring the lineup as complete as possible to North America where we will spread the 'TerrorVision' for the first time. We are beyond stoked to be touring again with our good friends in CRYPTOPSY and BENIGHTED, as well to have Stefano [Franceschini, bass] suffer through two sets a day. So you can come on over, enjoy some blastbeats, place your bets on how many kg's or pounds Stefano will weigh at the end, and come have a chat with us all. On top of that, we brutalized the fine people from Panda Productions once more for the third video for 'TerrorVision', this time for the lovely chanson d'amour called 'Deep Red'. This rattling tale of romance enfolds in fields adorned with unicorns and many more politically correct settings. Go live a little people, listen to death metal and bang your damn heads to the power of the Blast! Praise the scroll!"

"TerrorVision" was released last September via Century Media Records. The artwork was created by Pär Olofsson (EXODUS, IMMOLATION, IMMORTAL).

Sven previously stated about the disc: "The album talks about a lot of things that have been happening in the last couple of years where the public opinion is clearly being molded and manipulated. There have been studies in communication showing that 55% of communication is non-verbal impact, 38% is verbal communication and the actual message is only important for about 7% of it. I know retarded figures that don't mean much by themselves, if not telling us that people don't give a fuck about what you're selling, as long as you package it right and the media/politicians know this all too well. The rise of ISIS has a lot to thank to the media as well, bigotry, racism all tools used by media to remove the eye on the actual problems for the human race as a whole and our planet.

"It's not so death metal in itself, but it's all packaged in our depraved little ABORTED sauce of dark humor and gross thesaurus bullshit language while containing a pretty strong message!"

With "The Necrotic Manifesto" and ABORTED's last album, "Retrogore", already showcasing what the band is capable of, "TerrorVision" lifts death metal to a higher level of intensity, atmosphere and brutality. Produced by Kristian "Kohle" Kohlmannslehner at Kohlekeller Studios, "TerrorVision" is not just a new chunk of high-class brutal death metal, it's a piece of art pushing the boundaries of the entire genre by combining over-the-top musicianship with skilled songwriting, a clear yet organic production and inexorable brutality that has no equals.

The new lineup of VIXEN performed this past Saturday, February 9 at Full Throttle in Clearwater, Florida. Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

Last month, VIXEN recruited FEMME FATALE's Lorraine Lewis as its new lead singer following the recent departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN, having fronted the group in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Roxy Petrucci (drums), Share Ross (bass) and Brittany Denaro (guitar) Lewis vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, who released her debut self-titled solo album in 2017, broke the news of her exit from the group on January 16.

"After much soul searching and many sleepless nights, I have decided that it's time for me to step aside and let Roxy and Share pursue their vision for the future of VIXEN," she wrote.

"VIXEN will always have a very special place in my heart and I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of it," she continued.

"I would like to thank everyone for the amazing support over the years, and as Roxy and Share continue to keep the heart and soul of VIXEN alive and well and I continue on my path, your continued support to all would be greatly appreciated."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988), "Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, last year's live album "Live Fire".

A year ago, Gardner underwent surgery to remove blood clots in her brain, a condition known as a subdural hematoma. At the time, she was touring in support of her solo album, which came out in August 2017 via Pavement Entertainment. The disc was a collaboration between the singer, who works days as a part-time dental hygienist, and her husband, guitarist/producer Justin James, who has previously worked with STAIND, COLLECTIVE SOUL and TYKETTO.

Dave Mustaine says that MEGADETH's new album is shaping up to be "heavy as hell."

The follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia", which is tentatively due later this year, will mark the band's first release with drummer Dirk Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK), who joined MEGADETH three years ago.

Speaking to Kerrang!, Mustaine said about the progress of the songwriting sessions for MEGADETH's new disc: "We're trying to keep with that real heavy thing. 'Dystopia' was more of us doing what makes us feel good; there's a lot of super-heavy, fast drumming at the end of some songs.

"My son was in here two days ago, and when we were doing 'Dystopia', he was listening to the songs and making comments, and the ones he commented on were the ones that got the best response. When he came over this time, we were working on a song that has the tentative title 'The Dogs Of Chernobyl', and the intro riff has kind of a Hungarian guitar part, kind of like something MERCYFUL FATE did on 'Into The Coven'. The song comes in super powerful and strong, and my son goes, 'Oh god, that's heavy as hell!' and I just started laughing."

The early sessions for the new disc are being co-produced by Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia", which was described by Record Collector's Joel McIver as a return to form for MEGADETH, and a big improvement over the previous two records.

Dave told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" back in June 2018 that some of the new MEGADETH music is turning out to be more extreme than anything the band has done in the past. "The stuff that Dirk's been playing along to it is scary," he said. "We've never had any of those blast-beat kind of things on our music before, and some of the drumming on this is so mind-blowing. It's making me a better guitar player again, which I love. But I never thought we were gonna be playing this fast or this aggressive again."

MEGADETH will support OZZY OSBOURNE on the next North American leg of the BLACK SABBATH singer's "No More Tours 2" in May, June and July.

The band's first-ever Megacruise aboard the Norwegian Jewel will set sail on October 13 from Los Angeles, California and hit ports of San Diego, California and Ensenada, Mexico before returning on October 18.

"Dystopia" was MEGADETH's first release with guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with the Brazilian melodic metal band ANGRA.

As previously reported, MEGADETH will release a greatest-hits album, "Warheads On Foreheads", on March 22. The disc will feature 35 remastered tracks selected by Mustaine.

Prior to the arrival of "Warheads On Foreheads", MEGADETH will reissue two of its iconic records, 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" and 2004's "The System Has Failed", through BMG on February 15.

Legendary bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK SABBATH) has told Guitar Interactive magazine that there are no plans for him to record a new solo album anytime soon. "I don't see it happening for a while, because I'm so busy touring," he said at last month's NAMM show in Anaheim, California (see video below). "And it's not like I don't wanna do a record. I don't think it's the right time right now."

Hughes, however, did not rule out a new album from BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, which also features drummer Jason Bonham, keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa.

"Joe and I are still very, very [musically] compatible, and we're talking about [recording and releasing] an album next year," Glenn said.

Hughes's latest solo album, "Resonate", was released in November 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl. The record featured Glenn's then-solo band, Søren Andersen (guitars and co-producer), Pontus Engborg (drums) and Lachy Doley (keyboards), in addition to longtime friend Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), who joined them in the studio for the opening and closing numbers.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's fourth album, "BCCIV", was released in September 2017 and marked the band's first studio effort since 2013's "Afterglow".

Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band". More recently, he has been playing various hits and deep cuts from the DEEP PURPLE catalog, including "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Sail Away" and "Smoke On The Water", as part of his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour, which was launched in 2017.

Austrian webzine Stormbringer conducted an interview with guitarist Lee Harrison and drummer Pete Sandoval of American grindcore icons TERRORIZER prior to their January 15 show at Viper Room in Wien, Austria. You can watch the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether Sandoval thought the band's "World Downfall" debut would have such staying power 30 years after its release:

Pete: "Never, never, never, never. It's something that we just think it's phenomenal, it's great. We're just following along and that's why we're here, to continue this legacy and we can push it and move it forward. Plus, we got new music going on with it and mix that with 'World Downfall'. It's great. I think it's a great new beginning. Yes, especially with this killer new album we did with Lee and Sam [Molina, bass/vocals]."

On Sandoval's back issues around the time 2012's "Hordes Of Zombies" was released:

Pete: "I wasn't prepared, actually, to come back when we did 'Hordes Of Zombies'. That was the reason why there was no shows or anything. It was, like, 'Come on, we did 'Hordes Of Zombies' with this other lineup which doesn't exist now, obviously. Then we didn't do anything.' So, what are people supposed to think? What happened to them? What do you think? Why don't they tour? The thing is, I wasn't prepared to tour because I was still recovering from back surgery. I wasn't even thinking about coming back. To be honest with you, I was ready to retire. I barely did the 2012 'Hordes Of Zombies'. I barely went through with it and I did it. I said 'I'm done. I can't even play these songs live.' But at the end of 2013, I met with Lee and we met at some place. We said, 'Hey, let's start jamming more TERRORIZER tunes. I know the songs on the guitar.' We started jamming about five songs. It turned out he knew all the albums. That's how the whole beginning in 2013, 2014, I went, 'Wow, I can do TERRORIZER.' It's not so much like MORBID with so much double bass. That's what ruined my back in the beginning. I go, 'Why not?' I'm a one-footed blaster. That's what TERRORIZER does. Therefore, that was a great beginning with Lee Harrison and then Sam, obviously, completing the team."

On whether TERRORIZER now feels like a regular band instead of a project:

Lee: "Seems like a band to me."

Pete: "We won't take six years either [to release another studio album]. We can do it in two years and not wait six years. The second album, 'Darker Days [Ahead]', there was 17 years. We're not going to wait that long, do you know what I mean?"

On the tape-trading scene that helped build TERRORIZER's name:

Pete: "At the time, it was necessary. During those years, there was no Internet. When was that? Early in the '80s? Come on, '85, '86, '87, we started in '86, '87 when we did those demos. Then, the trade trading. He [deceased TERRORIZER guitarist Jesse Pintado] had a lot of friends all around the world, fanzines and all kind of friends he used to trade tapes with and that's how TERRORIZER was starting to become known in the underground, but still in L.A., we meant nothing. We weren't getting signed; no labels were interested in that kind of music. Back then in 1986, '87, come on, even death metal wasn't really born yet. It was starting to come out and grindcore like REPULSION, those bands were very underground music. In other words, we didn't have a future over there in L.A. All we could do is do shows in L.A., parties, house shows, house parties, pretty much, but that was in backyards. They still do those in L.A. We couldn't get out of L.A. That was the main reason I had to move to Florida for MORBID ANGEL in July 1988 because TERRORIZER wasn't doing much back then."

On whether MORBID ANGEL leader Trey Azagthoth was ever jealous of TERRORIZER:

Pete: "No. I don't know, but Trey mentioned many times when I was in the band, in MORBID, through all the years, that he would love to do TERRORIZER stuff because some of the MORBID shows back in the day, I think 'Covenant' or 'Domination', I can't remember. 'Blessed Are The Sick' or 'Covenant', we did the song 'Dead Shall Rise'. MORBID ANGEL played the song many times in the United States. I don't know if we did in Europe, but in the United States we did it for several tours. Trey always wanted to play that kind of thing, but his band was always MORBID ANGEL. He was always busy with MORBID ANGEL. He was so busy and every album took so long and so many years. That was a band that took forever to write an album."

On whether he has a relationship with Azagthoth or the current members of MORBID ANGEL:

Pete: "I don't even speak to them. I'm not enemies [with them]. They do their lives. They mind their own lives and they mind my own. They don't contact me and I don't contact them. That's the way it is."

TERRORIZER's latest studio album, "Caustic Attack" was released last October via The End Records. The album was produced by Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, ALL THAT REMAINS, KATAKLYSM, BATTLECROSS) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and features apocalyptic cover art of Timbul Cahyono (ROTTING CORPSE, PYREXIA).

KISS has uploaded footage of their performance of "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll" from their recent End Of The Road World Tour date in Sacramento, California. Watch below:

KISS launched the first leg of their massive End Of The Road World Tour on January 31st at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. Speaking with Los Angeles Times, Gene Simmons talked about the trek.

“This is a good time to do one last victory lap,” says Simmons. “You want to go out on top.”

Gene insists these shows will exceed the band's previous spectacles. “It’s by far the largest and most over-the-top we’ve ever done,” Simmons said.

“There’s nothing subtle about what we do,” he said, adding the show will incorporate gravity-defying antics and “more firepower than most Third World countries.”

More pro-shot footage from the tour can be seen below:

A once in a lifetime concert experience like no band has offered before; the KISS ultimate VIPs are rock and roll royalty at their shows on the End Of The Road World Tour.

Ultimate VIP Package Includes:

- Private backstage Meet & Greet with KISS
- Personal Photo Opportunity with KISS
- Watch the whole show from the Pit (no fans have ever had access to the Pit)
- Backstage Tour with your personal KISS Concierge including;
- Your tour will take you to areas that only the band and limited members of the crew can visit!
- Start out by stepping foot on the holy ground that is the KISS stage
- Sit on Eric Singer’s drum stool at his drum kit
- Stand at Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Tommy Thayer’s Microphones
- Hold Paul's legendary Cracked mirror guitar. Gene's classic Axe bass and Tommy's signature Epiphone guitar
- Visit KISS wardrobe where you can see the bands outfits up close and try on the REAL KISS boots
- Along the way we'll visit all areas of the KISS production and you'll meet many members of the crew that keeps the KISS machine going strong
- Autographed "End of the Road" Limited Edition Framed Lithograph, specific to your show. -Hand numbered, 1 of 15, and shipped directly to your home
- Lifetime Membership for the Official KISS ARMY Fan Club
- Exclusive Access to the KISS Army Captain’s Hospitality Lounge including;
- VIP Bar with wine, beer and the KISS "End of the Road" Signature Cocktail
- Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and a dessert bar
- Dedicated VIP entrance
- Commemorative KISS Meet & Greet laminate
- Access to crowd free merchandise shopping
- On Site VIP Host




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Germany's Kommando, featuring members of Endstille and Dysangelium, performed at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2015. Professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Machinegun Punk"
"Untitled"
"Indoctrination"
"Old And In The Way"
"Crush Them To Death"
"Bitching Hair"
"Iron Goat Triumph"
"Kommandojugend"
"One For Your Wife"
"Die Jugend ist unser Unglück"
"Alle gegen alle"

Los Angeles’ All Hail The Yeti have launched a music video for “Highway Crosses” (see below) and will kick off a massive tour with In Flames and All That Remains tomorrow (February 12th).

This specific song and video is quintessential All Hail The Yeti , as it showcases them in a much different light, further expanding their song-writing prowess. It’s catchy, slammin and freaking still heavy as balls. Enjoy and don’t forget to go stream the brand-new album, Highway Crosses, now on all digital platforms via MinusHead Records.

Connor Garritty (vocals) states: “This is an exciting song and music video for us. As artists, you must always take risks and push yourself to try new things. Well, this was our moment. We teamed up with Jorel Decker of Hollywood Undead to write this song. This is the first time in the life of this band that we brought an outside person in to write with us. Jorel has been a supporter since the very beginning, so everything just felt right. Now, flash forward to the video. This was one of the most fun and easy videos we have ever shot. Director, Brain Cox (Gemini Syndrome, Hollywood Undead), took my vision and went with it. The end result is the perfect combination of Sci-Fi and Thriller. It all blends all so perfectly with the music. We are so excited to unleash this on the world! It’s bridging the gap between heavy metal and hard-rock fans. You won’t be disappointed!

"What can be said about In Flames and All That Remains that hasn’t already been said since the beginning. These are two legendary bands. We are beyond honored and grateful to have this opportunity. Our job every night is to set the bar high, so that’s exactly what we plan to do. We have a great set lined up and all new surprises! We hope to see all our friends, fans and family and we are looking forward to meeting so many new people!"

(Photo - Neil Zlozower)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Salt Lake City's traditional metal champions, Visigoth, have released a video for "Traitor's Gate", featured on their sophomore album, Conqueror's Oath. The video features live footage from Visigoth's festival shows at Hell Over Hammaburg, Keep It True and Bang Your Head and was edited by Oliver Bomber Barth for Visions in Fear.

Order the new album in a variety of formats here.

Conqueror's Oath tracklisting:

"Steel And Silver"
"Warrior Queen"
"Outlive Them All"
"Hammerforged"
"Traitor's Gate"
"Salt City"
"Blades In The Night"
"The Conqueror's Oath"

Album stream:

"Warrior Queen" video:

Tour dates:

February
17 - Würzburg, Germany - Metal Assault Festival
18 - Oldenburg, Germany - MTS Records Store
19 - Berlin, Germany - Cortina
20 - Leipzig, Germany - Four Rooms
21 - Wien, Austria - Escape Metal Corner
22 - Innsbruck, Austria - Livestage
23 - Dornbirn, Austria - Schlachthaus
24 - Lünen, Germany - Swordbrothers Festival
25 - Genk, Belgium - Flashback
27 - Barcelona, Spain - Rocksound
28 - Zaragoza, Spain - Sala Lopez

March
1 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Live
2 - Ljungby, Sweden - Turbofest
3 - Niederjossa, Germany - Full Metal Fest
6 - Göppingen, Germany - Zille
7 - Leiden, Netherlands - De Noble
8 - Marburg, Germany - Szenario
9 - Weiher, Germany - Live Music Hall
10 - Hamburg, Germany - Hell Over Hammaburg Festival




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

MetallicaTV has uploaded this footage of Metallica performing "Wherever I May Roam", at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on February 1st:

Metallica performs next on February 28th at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The band's complete tour schedule, which stretches into August, can be found at this location.

"Mark your calendars for the seventh annual Metallica Night!," states a message from Metallica. "On April 26, 2019 - just before we take off for our annual European summer vacation - we'll celebrate one of our favourite hometown traditions, Metallica Night at Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants. Members of the band will be on hand to start things off with the National Anthem and first pitch, sticking around all night to cheer on the team against the New York Yankees. As is customary, we'll take part in some of the between-inning fun and games, as well as an exclusive pre-game VIP event (more on that below).

"Special Event Metallica ticket packages include a ticket to the game and a limited-edition Metallica/Giants reversible knit beanie. A portion of the proceeds from every Metallica Night Special Event ticket sold will benefit All Within My Hands.

"There will also be a pre-game VIP event in Triples Alley as we celebrate the release of our very own Blackened American Whiskey and, in partnership with Stone Brewing Co.’s Arrogant Consortia, Enter Night Pilsner. Lars, Robert, and key players from both companies will be on hand for a Q & A. And of course the Blackened and Enter Night will be flowing out in Triples! Once again, All Within My Hands will benefit from ticket sales to this exclusive event.

"Fifth Members will have a chance to purchase tickets in a special presale on Friday, February 8th at 12 PM, PST; log in to your Fifth Member account and visit the Club News section at that time for a link to purchase tickets to the game and the VIP event early. The presale ends on Friday, February 8th at 11:59 PM PST. Tickets will be available to the general public on Saturday, February 9th at 8 AM PST at sfgiants.com/specialevents

"Visit the Giants’ Special Events page for more information. We look forward to seeing you at the yard for another exciting season of Giants baseball!"




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Photographic evidence has emerged suggesting that bassist Cliff Williams is part of the rumored AC/DC comeback album which is expected to be released in the coming months.

Last August, singer Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd, along with guitarists Angus Young and Stevie Young, were photographed outside Vancouver's Warehouse Studios. Based on the pictures, the assumption at the time was that AC/DC was in the midst of making — or at least planning — another album, with Rudd and Johnson both back in the lineup.

Williams, who announced his retirement from AC/DC more than two years ago, wasn't seen in any of the images from the Warehouse, leading many fans to speculate that he was not involved in the band's latest recording sessions.

But a newly uncovered photo posted on the Instagram account of Canadian personal trainer Scott Frinskie places Williams and Johnson together at a Vancouver hotel while the studio sessions were taking place.

The picture, which can be seen below, appears to have been taken at the Shangri-La Hotel around the same time — September 2018 — that Johnson recorded a video message congratulating Canadian rockers HEADSTONES on the 25th anniversary of their critically acclaimed debut album, "Picture Of Health".

When Williams confirmed his retirement in an emotional video following the end of the group's "Rock Or Bust" world tour, he stated that it was "time" for him "to step out." His decision followed a string of personnel changes for the group that started with co-founding guitarist Malcolm Young's departure in 2014 after he was diagnosed with dementia. In 2015, Rudd was sentenced to house arrest after he was found guilty on a drug charge, while in early 2016, Johnson was forced to step down or face the loss of his hearing.

While Cliff acknowledged the numerous changes that the band had undergone in recent years, he noted AC/DC has been dealing with such tumult since the death of singer Bon Scott.

"Everything changes, so it's not that," he said. "It's just, I'm ready to get off the road and do what I do in between tours."

Ever since AC/DC completed the tour cycle for its 2014 album "Rock Or Bust", fans have wondered whether sole remaining founding member Angus Young would keep the band going or decide it was time for AC/DC to pack it in.

Johnson left AC/DC mid-tour and was eventually replaced on the road by GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose.

View this post on Instagram Brian Johnson & Cliff Williams - AC/DC A post shared by Scott Frinskie (@24eltoro) on Dec 14, 2018 at 2:31pm PST

AC/DC's Brian Johnson
#BrianJohnson #ACDC #PictureOfHealth #POH #ThePictureOfHealthTour #rocknroll

AC/DC HeadstonesPosted by Headstones on Thursday, September 6, 2018

Veteran Arizona thrashers SACRED REICH are currently in the studio recording their highly anticipated new studio album — the band's first in 23 years — titled "Awakening". Due this summer, the disc is being produced by Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, POWER TRIP and CODE ORANGE, among others. "Awakening" will mark SACRED REICH's first release since the return of drummer Dave McClain.

Comments bassist/vocalist Phil Rind: "Recording is in full swing with producer Arthur Rizk at The Platinum Underground in Arizona. We are so excited to be back in the studio after 23 years. Dave is currently killing it on the drums. Sounds sick! Our new record, 'Awakening', is due this summer. Stay tuned! Tour dates across the planet coming your way!"

SACRED REICH has just announced tour dates across Europe and the U.S. The "Awakening" European tour will cover all of Europe and begins in November 2019. Additionally, SACRED REICH has announced a string of dates in North America alongside IRON REAGAN, LEEWAY and ENFORCED for May and European visits for festivals in July and August.

With IRON REAGAN, LEEWAY and ENFORCED:

May 09 - Asbury Park, NJ - House of Independents

May 10 - Pittsburgh, PA Cattivo

May 11 - Baltimore, MD - Metro

May 12 - Boston, MA - Once Ballroom

May 14 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop

May 15 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's

May 16 - Detroit, MI - Sanctuary

May 17 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace

Summer festival appearances:

Jul. 06 - ES - Barcelona - Barcelona Rock Fest

Jul. 07 - IT - Verona - Rock The Castle Festival

Aug. 08 - CZ - Josefov - Brutal Assault Festival

Aug. 10 - NL - Leeuwarden - Into The Grave Festival

Aug. 11 - BE - Kortrijk - Alcatraz Metal Festival

Aug. 12 - DE - Saarbrücken - Garage (w/ TESTAMENT)

Aug. 14 - DE - Regensburg - Airport Obertraubling (w/ TESTAMENT)

Aug. 18 - FR - Saint-Nolff - Motocultor Festival

Oct. 13 - US - Los Angeles - MegaCruise

"Awakening" European tour 2019:

Nov. 08 - DK - Copenhagen - Pumpehuset

Nov. 10 - DE - Berlin - SO36

Nov. 12 - PL - Warsaw - Proxima

Nov. 13 - PL - Kraków - Kwadrat

Nov. 14 - CZ - Praha - Futurum

Nov. 15 - HU - Budapest - Dürer Kert

Nov. 16 - SI - Ljubljana - Orto Bar

Nov. 17 - AT - Graz - Explosiv

Nov. 20 - FR - Lyon - Ninkasi Kao

Nov. 21 - ES - Barcelona - Sala Razzmatazz 2

Nov. 22 - ES - Madrid - Sala Mon Live

Nov. 23 - ES - Bilbao - Santana 27

Nov. 24 - FR - Limoges - CC John Lennon

Nov. 26 - FR - Savigny-le-Temple - L'Empreinte

Nov. 27 - UK - London - Underworld

Nov. 29 - UK - Newcastle - University

Nov. 30 - UK - Glasgow - Classic Grand

Dec. 01 - UK - Belfast - Limelight 2

Dec. 03 - IR - Dublin - Voodoo Lounge

Dec. 04 - UK - Wolverhampton - Steelmill

Dec. 06 - NL - Leiden - Gebr. De Nobel

Dec. 07 - NL - Helmond - Cacaofabriek

Dec. 08 - DE - Essen - Turock

Dec. 10 - DE - Aschaffenburg - Colos Saal

Dec. 11 - DE - Nürnberg - Hirsch

Dec. 12 - DE - Jena - F-Haus

Dec. 13 - DE - Karlsruhe - Substage

Dec. 14 - DE - München - Backstage Halle

McClain was a member of SACRED REICH from 1991 to 1995. He played on the "A Question" EP (1991) and the "Independent" (1993) and "Heal" (1996) albums before leaving to join MACHINE HEAD.

SACRED REICH bassist/vocalist Phil Rind recently said that Dave's return to the band was "the best-case scenario that we could have hoped for. Dave is the best!" he added. "A great drummer and a great person and we are beyond excited to welcome him back to the band."

Dave added: "I'm so excited about rejoining my brothers in SACRED REICH. To have the opportunity to make and play music with one of my favorite metal bands was always something I hoped could happen. I can't wait for everyone to hear the new album that we're recording and to come see us out on the road in 2019-2020."

McClain left MACHINE HEAD in November after completing the band's "Freaks & Zeroes Tour".

Last year, SACRED REICH recruited drummer Tim Radziwill as the temporary replacement for Greg Hall.

Hall announced his departure from SACRED REICH in January 2018, explaining in a statement that he was fired "rather abruptly and by phone."

Formed in 1986, SACRED REICH is part of the second wave of thrash, along with TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, DESTRUCTION and DARK ANGEL. Over the years, SACRED REICH has produced a catalog of politically charged aggressive songs that have stood the test of time.

SACRED REICH's last studio album, "Heal", came out in 1996. The band broke up in 2000 and remained inactive until 2006 when they received offers to play European festivals.

Since coming out of retirement more than a decade ago, SACRED REICH has almost exclusively played the European festival circuit every summer. But that changed in 2017 as SACRED REICH celebrated the 30th anniversary of its classic album "Ignorance". To commemorate this milestone, the band brought its "30 Years Of Ignorance" tour around the world.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Classical guitar virtuoso Thomas Zwijsen has joined forces with former Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley for a new classical acoustic album, entitled December Wind. A music video for the track "The Love Of Your Life", as well as a performance video for "The Crimson Tide", can be found below.

The album is available now at ThomasZwijsen.com with worldwide shipping.

Tracklisting:

"Eye Of The Storm"
"Love Will Conquer All"
"2AM" (Iron Maiden)
"Miracle On The Hudson"
"December Wind"
"We Fell From The Sky"
"The Crimson Tide"
"The Love Of Your Life"
"Stealing Time" (Blaze)
"Russian Holiday"
"Soundtrack Of My Life" (Blaze)
"One More Step"
"Sign Of The Cross" (Iron Maiden)

"The Love Of Your Life" video:

"The Crimson Tide" performance video:

"December Wind" video:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Ozzy Osbourne's debut solo album, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz", has been certified quintuple platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) after accumulating five million certified units. The February 4 recognition comes more than two decades since the LP was certified quadruple platinum (August 15, 1997).

Also certified on February 4 was Ozzy's 2003 greatest-hits album, "The Essential Ozzy Osbourne", which went double platinum after accumulating two million certified units. That collection was previously certified platinum on March 3, 2016.

"Blizzard Of Ozz" was reissued in 2011 in a definitive edition that restored and remastered the original recordings. It was made available separately or as part of a deluxe box set with 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" that featured both albums on CD and vinyl, a 100-page coffee table book, a documentary on DVD and a "full-size detailed replica of Ozzy's iconic cross."

The two albums were recorded soon after Ozzy was booted from BLACK SABBATH and marked his brief but legendary collaboration with late guitar hero Randy Rhoads. Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio that he thought he had a winning combination on his hands. "You kind of know, but then again you don't know, because I mean, you're treading on new territory," he said. "And being as I had been fired from BLACK SABBATH, there was a lot of rivalry between them and me. I had everything to gain and nothing to lose, you know."

Both albums came with previously unreleased bonus tracks and have been restored and remastered from the original analog recordings.

The albums restored the bass and drum tracks played respectively by Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake, which were controversially removed for a 2002 reissue by Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon over a royalties dispute.

The "Blizzard Of Ozz" reissue came with three bonus studio tracks, including an alternate version of "Goodbye To Romance" and a song never previously released in the U.S. called "You Looking At Me, Looking At You".

Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor is featured in a new interview with Rock Sverige, discussing the band's next album which is currently in the beginning stages. Following is an excerpt from the discussion.

Q: What can you tell me about the new album? Is it done or are you still working on it?

Brann: "Nah, it´s far from done. We´re working on it."

Q: There was talk about a song dropping just recently, a brutal, heavy song?

Brann: "We wanted to release it right ahead of this tour and we were trying really hard and we had one foot in the studio and one foot on the airplane coming to Europe and it just didn´t really come together as quickly as we wanted it to. It´s finished, the song is fully finished and it´s mastered and ready to rock but we´ll just have to wait to release it. It would´ve made sense to release it ahead of this tour because we have Scott Kelly (Neurosis) with us and he sings on some of it, so that would´ve been cool. We missed by a week or something and then we were stupid and went and blabbed about it like it was going to be a done deal. We thought it was going to be done sooner, but there were som circumstances that got in the way unfortunately, but it´s still a kickass song and it´s pretty heavy."

Q: The album? Are we looking at a release later this year or early next year?

Brann: "I think next year would be smarter, on our part. We need to let people miss us, maybe."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Mastodon recently released Part 4 of a video series recapping their Emperor Of The Sand tour, stating, "Billy Butterslax keeps busy on the road! We had a blast having our buddy, Danger Ehren on the road for a few days last summer. UK and Europe, has been a great tour so far!"

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Mastodon tour dates can be found here.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

American rock band Lullwater has released the official music video for their single “Empty Chamber”. The song is off of the band's upcoming LP, Voodoo, set for release on February 22nd.

“We all have experienced and been in a moment of excruciating emotional pain and ‘Empty Chamber’ was written during one of those moments,” says Lullwater vocalist and rhythm guitarist John Strickland. “The song has an upbeat tempo and happy melodic vibe, but the lyrics are depressing and filled with anxiety. Sometimes everything in life can be going great, but you still struggle with emotional pain and confusion. I feel ‘Empty Chamber’ embodies that emotion.”

The cover art and tracklisting for Voodoo can be seen below.

"Curtain Call"
"Dark Divided"
"Empty Chamber"
"Similar Skin"
"This Life"
"Godlike"
"Buzzards"
"Fight Of Your Life"
"Into The Sun"
"Yellow Bird"
"Suffer Not"

In live news, Lullwater is currently opening for Sevendust with special guest Tremonti; remaining shows are as listed:

February
10 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
13 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
14 - Boston, MA - House Of Blues
15 - Providence, RI - The Strand
16 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
18 - New Haven, CT - Toad’s Place
19 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
20 - Buffalo, NY - Rapids
22 - Flint, MI - Machine Shop
25 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
26 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
27 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note

March
1 - Wichita, KS - The Cotillion
2 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
3 - San Antonio, TX - Vibes Event Center




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Legendary vocalist Paul Rodgers spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" about his experience fronting QUEEN between 2004 and 2009.

"Well, it was a wild ride, I'll tell you," he said (hear audio below). "And it came out of the blue. When Brian [May, QUEEN guitarist] asked me if I wanted to do a couple of shows just for fun in Europe, I was pretty taken aback. And I must say my first reaction was, 'Well, I really don't see that.' But then I said to myself, 'Well, it's a challenge. Let me see if I can do it. Maybe I'm chickening out here.' So I did it. And it turned into four years, actually. We toured all over the place. We toured the world twice, and we finished off with a studio album of all-original material. So it was a wild and crazy ride, as they say. And we are still friends, and I love the guys."

With Rodgers at the mic, QUEEN embarked on two world tours and released an album, "The Cosmos Rocks", in 2008. They amicably parted ways a year later when Rodgers returned to BAD COMPANY.

"When I sort of joined forces with [QUEEN], they were not touring," Rodgers recalled. "They were doing one-off gigs — they were big one-off gigs, but they weren't touring. And with me, what we did [is] we went out… They wanted to play 50 percent of their music and 50 percent of mine, and I said to them, 'People haven't seen QUEEN live for a long time. We should make it QUEEN heavy.' So we did four or five of my songs… But it was great. It was good."

Rodgers has said in previous interviews that he performed all of the QUEEN songs in the late Freddie Mercury's original keys. "A lot of people drop the keys," Paul said. "But, to me, the challenge was to do this material the way it was done, but in my interpretation of it."

The current incarnation of QUEEN, featuring Adam Lambert, the 2009 "American Idol" runner-up, was created in 2011 and has gone on several tours, including two worldwide runs in 2014-15 and 2017-18.

In a 2014 interview with the Toronto Sun, May and drummer Roger Taylor admitted that their collaboration with Lambert is a better fit than their previous involvement with Rodgers.

"Paul has one of the greatest rock voices but it's more blues- and soul-orientated I would have thought," Taylor told the Toronto Sun. "I would say, with all due respect to Paul, that Adam is more suited to a lot of our material and whereas we had great tours with Paul, I think Adam is more naturally at home with us." May concurred and added that Lambert's remarkable range and flamboyant stage presence are much more in line with those of Mercury. "Yeah, I think the styles match more closely in a sense," May said. "But we had a great time with Paul, no doubt about it, and it kind of stretched it to a new place and, I think, a thoroughly good experience. But Adam is really… Like us, he has many, many colors, so we can explore some of those strange excursions that QUEEN likes to."

Photo by Christie Goodwin

On February 8, ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and his former bandmate Jordan Rudess reunited on stage during the Cruise To The Edge to perform "Instrumedley" from DREAM THEATER / LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT. They were joined by NEAL MORSE BAND guitarist Eric Gillette and HAKEN bassist Conner Green.

On Saturday, Portnoy wrote on Facebook: "My MP & Friends show yesterday aboard Cruise To The Edge was a night to remember!! I can't believe it's been almost 9 years since Jordan and I have played together... and it instantly felt like not a day had passed!"

"Instrumedley" contains excerpts of DREAM THEATER's "The Dance Of Eternity", "Metropolis", "Erotomania", "A Change Of Seasons", "Ytse Jam", "Hells Kitchen" and LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT's "Paradigm Shift" and "Universal Mind".

On Tuesday (February 5), Portnoy tweeted: "Absolutely awesome evening watching my friend @Jcrudess play a wonderful solo concert and then having a great dinner together afterwards! #oncefamilyalwaysfamily @cruisetotheedge"

Back in April 2015, Portnoy and Rudess both joined the British progressive metal band HAKEN on stage in New York City. Three months earlier, they were photographed having what appeared to be friendly banter at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California.

A litte over a year ago, Portnoy posted a photo of him hanging out with DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci in a move that clearly represented a thawing of tensions between the two musicians who had been friends for more than three decades.


On Wednesday, Rudess discussed his latest encounter with Portnoy during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", which is hosted by Eddie Trunk. The keyboardist said: "I think it's really nice. People whose music you love, you wanna see them getting along. So, even from my perspective, I see John and Mike together, and I'm, like, yeah, that makes sense. They were so close. They made so much music together."

He continued: "I told Mike the other night. I said, 'The way I look at our relationship is that we've toured around the world together numerous times, we've written all this music together, we've been on tour buses everywhere. How many people in this lifetime that we're in can you be that close to and have that many experiences with?"

Although Portnoy and his former bandmates in DREAM THEATER engaged in a public war of words following his exit from the group, Rudess says that he harbors no resentment toward his longtime friend.

"When Portnoy left the band, there was tension — natural tension — because it was a big deal," Jordan told "Trunk Nation". "But what's really important to me is finding that… especially somebody who I care about, who I had so much life experience with. And he's a really great guy. There are so many wonderful things about him. So I wanna enjoy that.

"People will say, 'Oh my God! DREAM THEATER is gonna have Portnoy back in the band.' That's not what it's about," Rudess added. "This is about people and people who spent a lot of time together being able to be close together and be friends."

Rudess acknowledged that some of his other DREAM THEATER bandmates have "their own feelings" about maintaining a connection with their former drummer. "But Mike and I enjoyed hanging out and chatting about old times and all the stuff," he said. "So it was really cool."

In November 2017, Mike told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. "[I didn't] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER," he said. "I knew there was way more to what I had to offer."




My “MP & Friends” show yesterday aboard Cruise To The Edge was a night to remember!! I can’t believe it’s been almost 9...Posted by Mike Portnoy on Saturday, February 9, 2019

The 61st Grammy Awards were handed out in Los Angeles, California earlier this evening, Sunday, February 10th.

High On Fire won the Grammy for "Best Metal Performance." Artists nominated in the "Best Metal Performance" category (for new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative metal recordings) included:

Between The Buried And Me - Condemned To The Gallows
Deafheaven - Honeycomb
High On Fire - Electric Messiah - Winner
Trivium - Betrayer
Underoath - On My Teeth

Chris Cornell won the Grammy for "Best Rock Performance." Nominees for "Best Rock Performance" (for new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative rock recordings) included:

Arctic Monkeys - "Four Out Of Five"
Chris Cornell - "When Bad Does Good" - Winner
The Fever 333 - "Made An America"
Greta Van Fleet - "Highway Tune"
Halestorm - "Uncomfortable"

Greta Van Fleet won the Grammy for "Best Rock Album." Nominees for "Best Rock Album" (for albums containing at least 51% playing time of new rock, hard rock or metal recordings) included:

Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog
Fall Out Boy - Mania
Ghost - Prequelle
Greta Van Fleet - From The Fires - Winner
Weezer - Pacific Daydream

Guns N' Roses were nominated in the "Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package," but lost to "Weird Al" Yankovic. Nominees for "Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package" included:

Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (Locked N' Loaded) Box Set
The Decemberists - I'll Be Your Girl
Grateful Dead - Pacific Northwest '73-74': The Complete Recordings
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of "Weird Al" Yankovic - Winner
Johnny Nicholas - Too Many Bad Habits

 




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

German/American heavy metal legends ACCEPT performed with a stand-in bass player, Danny Silvestri, aboard this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which ran from January 31 to February 4. It sailed from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and headed to Labadee, Haiti, where it stayed docked for an entire day, before heading back to Fort Lauderdale.

Silvestri stepped into ACCEPT following the recent departure of ACCEPT's founding bassist Peter Baltes.

ACCEPT wrote on Facebook: "A huge Thank You to Danny Silvestri -(you all know him from our WACKEN SHOW 2017 and LIVE DVD 'Symphonic Terror') for helping us out for the 70000 TONS OF METAL Cruise performances! Danny is a mean Bass Player - always a pleasure to rock with him and a true friend who made our day!"

Baltes announced his exit from ACCEPT in November. He said in a statement: "To all ACCEPT fans: I hereby like to announce my departure as bass player from ACCEPT. I have been with the band from the very beginning. Many of you have been there as well. I like to thank you all for the great years we shared together. Keep it metal."

ACCEPT's founding guitarist Wolf Hoffmann commented: "We spent four decades together and went through thick and thin, ups and downs and I remember some incredible moments on stage. There was a blind understanding between us, personally and musically, that is very rare in this business!

"Looking back, I will forever cherish the carefree early years, the countless hours we spent writing songs, goofing around or roaming the cities together on tour — just having a good ol’time!

"Especially these last 10 years, after the revival of ACCEPT being so much fun and so successful that I thought we would continue forever and sail into the proverbial sunset together — maybe until one of us would drop dead on stage. But I guess I was wrong; it wasn’t meant to be.

"To see Peter leave ACCEPT now saddens me immensely, but there's nothing I can do but to wish him well — hoping that this is the right decision for him and that he will find whatever he is looking for ...

"I will certainly miss my musical brother! One thing is certain, however: ACCEPT will continue full steam ahead!"

The group added in a separate statement: "We are all heartbroken! Peter needed a change in his life and we wish him all the best. He will always be part of the ACCEPT family and to honor his tribute to music history, we should all wish him well... Indeed, ACCEPT WILL KEEP IT METAL!"

In a 2016 interview with Antihero Magazine, Hoffmann stated about his relationship with Baltes: "We've been working together for 40 years and hanging together and we haven't killed each other yet. It's quite amazing. We get along really well for the most part, even on tour, personally. We hang all the time. We go wander the streets when we're on tour. We have breakfast together and all that kind stuff. We meet for dinners even if we don't have to."

He added: "Peter and I really have something like a bond, or whatever you want to call it, that's lasted all these years. That doesn't mean we always get along on every level. There's days when we don't see each other and keep the distance for a little while, but for the most part, it's been working really, really well and we write together really well. That's a rare thing, I know."

ACCEPT recently released a live set, "Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017", via Nuclear Blast. It features a unique ACCEPT show, shot on August 3, 2017 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival, where the band played the biggest and most extraordinary show of its career in front of 80,000, on top of thousands more fans watching via a live stream.

FEAR FACTORY has set "Monolith" as the title of its long-awaited new album, tentatively due later this year.

The effort, which will once again be made available via Nuclear Blast, will mark the Californian band's first collection of new music since 2015's "Genexus" LP.

The news of the new FEAR FACTORY's new album title was broken by singer Burton C. Bell during an interview with SiriusXM's Jose Mangin at this past November's inaugural Headbangers Con in Portland, Oregon. (Note: Video of the interview has just been uploaded to YouTube.)

"FEAR FACTORY, we have a new record," Bell said (see video below). "It's done. It's delivered to the label. And we've got some technical difficulties, and once that's finished, the record's gonna come out. It's gonna be called 'Monolith'. It's a great record."

Burton also revealed the tentative "Monolith" album cover via his smartphone. You can check it out below. (Note: The title and artwork may change before the album's release.)

Back in May 2017, Bell told the Kilpop web site that the positive reaction to "Genexus" has "absolutely" inspired him and his bandmates to try to top it with their upcoming effort. "It was such a great response," he said. "Putting out that record was just positive all the way around, which just makes us drive even further and drive even harder. Now we've been working on a new album. All the new songs, I say, in my opinion, are even stronger than 'Genexus', 'cause it just seems even more tight. We're on a groove, and it's kicking ass."

In 2016, FEAR FACTORY completed a U.S. headlining tour on which it performed its classic second album, "Demanufacture", in its entirety. Asked if playing such an iconic record from beginning to end every night influences the songwriting process for new material, Bell told Kilpop: "Sometimes. It takes you back to your roots, that's for sure… Recapturing your identity — identity within your band is very important. If you have your sound, that's great. But the motivation to move forward and try different things, that is also part of your identity, and you can make it yours as long as it doesn't lose your identity. We can do like some bands have done… Not to name anybody, but metal bands that moved forward and [done] a [very different-sounding] record… Well, FEAR FACTORY has done it once. We have a record called 'Transgression'; it was our rock record. And we totally just, like, alienated [much of our fanbase]. People were, like, 'That was you? That doesn't sound like FEAR FACTORY.' And I'm, like, 'Well, that's what the title 'Transgression' means.' [Laughs]"

FEAR FACTORY was the subject of breakup rumors in May 2017 when the band's former bassist-turned-guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers posted a since-deleted eulogy for FF on his Instagram. He wrote "RIP Fear Factory" and appended that post with the hashtag #GrownAssMenThatCantWorkOutShit.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has announced that a star will be given to AEROSMITH when the band is honored with the 2,657th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Thursday, February 14, at 11:30 a.m. PST. The star will be dedicated in the category of Recording at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Musician's Institute.

The event will be live-streamed exclusively on www.walkoffame.com.

"Finally!" said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. "We have been waiting a long time to honor AEROSMITH with their star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. AEROSMITH is one of the greatest rock bands in the world and we expect many fans will be 'Crazy' excited to see them honored!"

Emcee Rana Ghadban, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, will be unveiling the star.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the popular star ceremonies, encourages people who are unable to attend and fans around the world to tune in to the exclusive livestream, courtesy of our media partner Variety, on www.walkoffame.com.

AEROSMITH — Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (lead guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums) — is a living piece of American music history, having sold more than 150 million albums worldwide and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They are the recipients of countless awards including four Grammys, eight American Music Awards, six Billboard Awards and 12 MTV Video Music Awards, among many other honors. Proving that they can cross genre-boundaries with ease, these rock legends have even taken home a Soul Train Award for "Best Rap Single" for their remix of RUN DMC's "Walk This Way". This year, the legacy continues with the band launching their Las Vegas residency, "Aerosmith: Deuces Are Wild", beginning Saturday, April 6 at the Park Theater at the new Park MGM resort. And in 2020, they will celebrate a milestone, their 50th anniversary as a band.

In addition to their musical legacy, band members have also used their platform to give back. For instance, in November 2015, Tyler founded his philanthropic initiative Janie's Fund, in partnership with Youth Villages, to bring hope and healing to girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. He was honored for this work in 2016 when the United Nations named him the recipient of Humanitarian Award. He is also deeply involved in the fight to protect the rights of established and emerging songwriters as a member of the Grammy Creators' Alliance, and a tireless advocate for raising awareness of addiction issues and recovery solutions. This Sunday, February 10, the members of AEROSMITH will perform together at the Janie's Fund Grammy viewing party in support of the organization.

Photo credit: Zack Whitford

Founded in Ottawa in 2010 with a singular purpose to transform raw aggression into music, Accursed Spawn mixes influences from old and new forms of extreme metal, resulting to date in a renowned energetic live show, and a handful of recorded songs. 

Signed to PRC Music, Accursed Spawn will be unleashing their debut full length The Virulent Host on March 22nd, 2019. With a unique sound and style that stands apart from the crowd, the full length is the next step in the band's evolution of musical expression to follow a mix of demos and EPs since 2010. 

"'he Virulent Host represents a huge step up in all ways for Accursed Spawn: the production is exceptional (thanks to Christian Donaldson and The Grid), the hooks are quite memorable, the string work is phenomenal (between the blistering solos and fretless bass, there’s quite a lot in there for string players), and the delivery is both consistent but also fresh. It’s our first ever “full length” record and fans that have been with the band since our inception should be quite pleased with the delivery. We’ve road-tested most of the songs at this point, and the mosh pits speak for themselves.” says drummer Jay Cross.

The Virulent Host is a fiery and passionate take on modern death metal, influenced by thrash and brutal death that stands head and shoulders above many of their contemporaries. The production quality truly stands among the titans of death metal, thanks to Chris Donaldson, guitarist for legendary death metal unit Cryptopsy applying his talents and experience to mix and master the album at The Grid Studios in Montreal, QC. Donaldson has previously worked on records for high profile names such as Cryptopsy, Beyond Creation, Despised Icon, The Agonist, Beneath The Massacre, and Neuraxis. The artwork was done by highly esteemed artist Remy Cooper of Headsplit Design (Origin, Beyond Creation, Psycroptic, Pig Destroyer, Whitechapel, Thy Art Is Murder, Cryptopsy, Suicide Silence, Arch Enemy).

First single “Bhopal ‘84” can be heard below.

Guitarist Adam Pell adds.

"We want to offer an intense, yet rewarding listening experience for both musicians and non-musicians alike. Fast, dextrous playing coupled with subtly melodic compositions that can be enjoyed by both the trained and untrained ear. Out first single ‘Bhopal '84’ will give a good deal of insight into what people can expect from this record: it kicks off with blistering guitar and drum work, jumps into a catchy verse, and presents a very slamming bridge near the end of the song, followed by tasty solo work. It has a nice ‘Suffocation meets Cryptopsy’ feel but is still uniquely Accursed Spawn."

Tracklisting:

“Bhopal ‘84”
“Bloodforged”
“Interrogated Bludgeonment”
“The Virulent Host”
“Cesium 137”
“The Ageless Curse”
“Shotgun Facelift”
“Mass Glossectomy”
“Dogmatic Affliction”

“Bhopal ‘84” lyric video:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

BLACK SABBATH was honored with a "heavy metal" bench earlier today (Saturday, February 9) in Birmingham, England.

SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi attended the commemorative event organized by Westside Business Improvement District.

The handmade, stainless steel bench was forged in the city by Gateway Steel Fabrications and features images of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward with the words "Geezer. Ozzy. Tony. Bill. Made in Birmingham 1968" etched on it.

According to BBC News, the bench, the idea of "super-fan" and architect Mohammed Osam, was put on the renamed Black Sabbath Bridge over the canal on Broad Street.

Iommi said: "I think it's absolutely great. I was wondering what it was going to look like but it is really fantastic. I really love it."

The presentation took place at St Luke's Church on Gas Street.

The event also saw BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward awarded with his own star on the city's Walk Of Stars, which honors famous people from Birmingham.

This star, along with others already awarded to the other three band members and a fifth star to the band itself, will later be realigned in front of the heavy metal bench on Black Sabbath Bridge in the shape of a cross.

The bench's artwork was created by Egyptian artist Tarek Abdelkawi.

Legendary San Francisco thrash metal act Trauma will issue their new album, As The World Dies, on CD through Pure Steel Records on February 15th. The album was originally issued May 2018 independently.  Find preorders at this location.

Trauma formed in 1981 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It currently consists of members Donny Hillier (vocals), longtime drummer Kris Gustofson, guitarist Joe Fraulob (former member of Danzig), guitarist Steve Robello (former member of Dublin Death Patrol) and bassist Greg Christian, founding member of Testament. The band is known for its association with Cliff Burton, the original bassist of Metallica, who founded Trauma before joining Metallica in 1982.

With an eye on the past but focused on the future, As The World Dies, produced by guitarist Joe Fraulob, is certain to be a landmark third album, staying true to their signature sound that came before but with a very modern edge.

Tracklisting:

“The Rage”
“From Here To Hell”
“As The World Dies”
“Gun To Your Head”
“Last Rites”
“Run For Cover”
“Asylum”
“Entropy”
“Cool Aid”
“Savage”

“The Rage” lyric video:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Norway's finest rock outfit, Pristine, has released the brand-new track, "Sinnerman", as well as the accompanying music video. The track comes off the band's highly anticipated new album, Road Back To Ruin.

Commented singer and main songwriter Heidi Solheim: “We are very excited about releasing the first single from our upcoming album Road Back To Ruin! The song 'Sinnerman' is the first track on the album and we wanted to have a different approach on this video than on our previous releases. Our video producer from Amodei Visual came up with a story filmed in a POV (point of view) perspective and we absolutely loved it! A fun idea and an unusual video for a rock band. The count down to the release date on April the 19th has begun!” 

Road Back To Ruin is slated for release on April 19th, 2019 via Nuclear Blast. Preorders available at this location.

The fifth album by Norwegian rock band Pristine marks a point of evolution as well as diversification in their sound. Heidi Solheim, Tromsö native and driving force behind the band, fuses musical as well as lyrical variety on the eleven songs that are Road Back To Ruin - despite the newly introduced variety this record is still unmistakably Pristine.

The album title, Road Back To Ruin, according to the singer, came out of frustration. It's about social circumstances, in which opinions and values are shifting towards a certain direction. The separation from or the fear of "the others", being used by influential people to gain even more power. Distrust being spread and walls being built - things that have been done over and over in history and still society seems to be walking right into the same trap once again. People lacking nobleness and empathy, but are gaining hatred - something that Heidihas feared. Hence the last line in the album's credits is: “Take care of each other. Be generous, including and kind.”

Road Back To Ruin was recorded at Paradiso Studio in Oslo, together with producer Øyvind Gundersen and technician Christian Engfelt. The song "Sinnerman" was written during last year's tour - a real banger and the perfect opening track. The title track sounds massive and heavy, and the same can be said for "Blind Spot" which features an intro sung in Arabian by Syrian artist Racha Rizk, followed by an almighty riff by Espen Elverum Jacobsen, the band's secret weapon.

At the end of this broad musical spectrum there's "Cause & Effect," which features the The Arctic Philharmonic string orchestra and bears a certain James Bond feeling. The not so typical but amazing "Your Song," was inspired by Neil Young's acoustic recordings. 

Heidi Solheim, Espen Elverum Jacobsen (guitar), Gustav Eidsvik (bass) and Ottar Tøllefsen (drums), as the core of the band, incorporate a wide variety of styles and influences with a great mutual musical understanding. Studio guests Anders Oskal and Hansi Enzesperger add a unique flourish in the form of a Hammond Organ.

2019 will see the band bring back rock to the clubs. After Detoxing (2012) and No Regret (2013) had only been released in Norway, Reboot was the first album to also see a release outside the band's home country. 2017, Ninja marked the debut for Nuclear Blast which is now followed by Road Back To Ruin.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

"Crucified", the new video from former SICK PUPPIES singer Shimon "Shim" Moore, can be seen below. The song is taken from his latest solo album, "Shim", which was released last September via BFD, distributed worldwide by The Orchard.

Moore said: "The video portrays the dilemma that when faced with a life-changing decision, it won't just change your life, it will change the person you become within it. Over the course of the last couple of years of rebuilding and reinventing myself, I had a lot of people try and dissuade me, or attempt to stop me, or attempt to crucify me. How you handle yourself under those circumstances dictates the person you will become.

"This is who I am. I am Shim."

Shim will hit the road on a headline tour with MADAME MAYHEM. The trek begins on March 2 in Colorado Springs, Colorado at The Black Sheep and concludes March 27 in Nashville, Tennessee at The End.

When Moore first began writing solo music, a piece of early career advice stuck with him.

He recalls: "Somebody once told me, 'When you're making music, the difference between good and great is blood. If you bleed on a record, people are going to hear it. If you don't, people are going to hear it too.'"

Truth is, Shim's blood courses through every song he's ever written and recorded. Millions of fans worldwide connected to his songwriting, spirit, and soul across four full-length albums from the RIAA platinum-certified SICK PUPPIES — which he founded in 1997. Following his split from the group during 2015, the Australia-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer did what he does best: write.