DREAM CHILD, a brand new band featuring former members of DIO, AC/DC and QUIET RIOT, will release its debut album, "Until Death Do We Meet Again", on September 14 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The fist single from the album, "You Can't Take Me Down", can be streamed below.

DREAM CHILD is:


* Craig Goldy (DIO, GIUFFRIA): Guitar

* Wayne Findlay (MSG): Guitar, Keyboards

* Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, OPERATION: MINDCRIME): Drums

* Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, DIO): Bass

* Diego Valdez (HELKER): Vocals

Goldy stated about "You Can't Take Me Down": "It's about when all the people, circumstances, obstacles and so forth that life can throw at us take a turn for the worst and that no matter what, we can and will prevail!"

The guitarist previously said about DREAM CHILD's formation: "The band DREAM CHILD was conceived during a brainstorming session with Serafino (president of Frontiers) and I one day while discussing other matters.

"I had been listening to my favorite bands a lot recently, DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW's 'Rising' album, among others in that style, and had noticed that many people who also love those bands often have the very same comments as one another: 'They don't make music like that anymore!' Even though I said that in passing, Serafino asked me a question that would forever shape my future. He simply asked, "Well, can you?" and I said, 'Yes!!!'


"During the very first public memorial for our most beloved Ronnie James Dio, I had mentioned that whenever I do start writing original material again that I would utilize everything that I had learned from working side by side with the Master for so many years in such a way that I would hope to make him proud... and here it is! The name is inspired by one of his lyrics on the 'Dream Evil' album and the nickname he gave me at the time, Dream Child!


"We are so very fortunate to have bassist Rudy Sarzo as a featured guest, Simon Wright on drums, Wayne Findlay on guitars and keyboards, and a surprise vocal discovery from Argentina, Diego Valdez, whose voice will send shivers up your spine!


"This album will bring back memories of the days most people have thought were long gone and never to return, yet it is also new and fresh enough to be unique with some unexpected twists and turns!! No more 'same old, same old' here, no fillers. Every song is an oasis in the desert and a rare gem in the coalmines of life in this new world that thinks the past greatness of rock would remain in the past. We've brought it back to life once again!!


"I am very proud of this album and all who have made this become a reality. There are some big names who've lent a hand in the writing and I am amazed at the new and aggressive sound that producer Alessandro Del Vecchio has brought to these songs! I hope you all agree...."


"Until Death Do We Meet Again" track listing:

01. Under The Wire

02. You Can't Take Me Down

03. Game Of Shadows

04. It Is What It Is

05. Playin' With Fire

06. Light Of The Dark

07. Midnight Song

08. Until Death Do We Meet Again

09. Washed Upon The Shore

10. In A World So Cold

11. Weird World

12. One Step Beyond The Grave

Japanese metal juggernauts CROSSFAITH have shared a brand new single, titled "The Perfect Nightmare". Fans can check it out below.

"The Perfect Nightmare" is taken from CROSSFAITH's forthcoming fifth album. The follow-up to 2015's critically acclaimed "Xeno" will be released later in the year.

Said vocalist Kenta Koie: "Welcome to our new chapter! It's one of the heaviest tracks we've ever made. This song got full of chaos and brutality so we wanted to make this video with sickness and strangeness too. Watch this and let you have a huge expectation for upcoming album! See you soon!"


CROSSFAITH is Kenta Koie (vocals), Kazuki Takemura (guitar), Hiroki Ikegawa (bass), Terefumi Tamano (keyboard) and Tatsuya Amano (drums).


Since its inception, CROSSFAITH has been on the edge of a fusion of rock, metal, electronica and big ideas on its albums; and the edge of euphoria with its live shows.

Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi has been announced as a special guest at the upcoming Whitley Bay Film Festival, reports Chronicle Live.

Iommi will be making an exclusive appearance in the North East to headline a rock weekend during the summer festival and will be attending a screening of The End Of The End, the landmark documentary about the band.

Iommi will also be interviewed on stage by local music historian and author Chris Phipps.

Festival director Ema Lea said: “We’re hugely honoured to welcome such a legend as Tony Iommi.

“His music has been massively influential and popular, particularly to people in the North East.”

She added: “Tony will be talking about his life and times and the importance of the documentary which captures the band’s homecoming final gig.”

Black Sabbath will release Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set on June 8th. The limited edition 7” vinyl box documents the band’s run of hit singles as never before and features an array of unique content.

From Black Sabbath’s debut single to their ultimate chart success with "Paranoid" and legendary ban on releasing singles, the Supersonic Years Box Set documents the band’s run of hit singles as never before. This limited edition 7” box set includes five rare single edits:

• "Iron Man"
• "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
• "Am I Going Insane" (Radio)
• "Hard Road"
• "Symptom Of The Universe"
• 10 unique colour picture sleeves from around the world, either ultra-rare or exclusive to this box set. Remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce.
• New liner notes booklet detailing the rarities contained within the box set, along with the story behind the birth and evolution of the most culturally important genre of all time.
• Lift-off lid box.
• Dinked 7” vinyl holed for authentic reproduction.
• Spot UV treatment on box lid outer
• The exclusive ‘Henry Devil’ spider-dink seven-inch adapter that can also be used as a keyring! Exclusive to pre-orders here.

The set includes the following singles:

"Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games With Me" (2012 - Remaster) / "Wicked World" (2012 - Remaster)
"Paranoid" (2012 - Remaster) / "The Wizard" (2012 - Remaster)
"Iron Man" (Single Edit) (2017 - Remaster) / "Electric Funeral" (2012 - Remaster)
"Tomorrow’s Dream" (2012 - Remaster) / "Laguna Sunrise" (2012 - Remaster)
"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (Edited Version) (2018 - Remaster) / "Changes" (2012 - Remaster)
"Am I Going Insane?" (Radio) (Single Edit) (2018 - Remaster) / "Hole In The Sky" (2012 - Remaster)
"Gypsy" (2012 - Remaster) / "She’s Gone" (2012 - Remaster)
"It’s Alright" (2012 - Remaster) / "Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor" (2012 - Remaster)
"Never Say Die" (2012 - Remaster) / "She’s Gone" (2012 - Remaster)
"Hard Road" (Single Edit) (2012 - Remaster) / "Symptom Of The Universe" (German Single Edit) (2012 - Remaster)

Pre-order at this location.

Rob Zombie has begun mixing his new album with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris. An early 2019 release is expected.

Last summer, Rob and his bandmates commenced work on the follow-up to 2016's "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser", which was the second consecutive effort to feature Zombie and John 5 alongside bassist Piggy D. and drummer Ginger Fish. In the meantime, the group continued to play sporadic shows, with Zombie's final appearance of 2017 taking place in early November at the Ozzfest Meets Knotfest festival in San Bernardino, California.

This past February, ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 compared the shock rocker's upcoming album to THE BEATLES' groundbreaking LP "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", saying that it is "by far the best Zombie record that he's ever done." He added: "A lot of people say, 'Oh, it's just our greatest record,' and I don't say that. Whatever I say is so honest when I'm doing interviews. So I think it's our best record."

When asked what makes the new Rob Zombie album so special compared to his previous records, John 5 said: "First of all, Rob did incredible with the lyrics and the melody — unbelievable!

"What he did this time around… We did it… I don't even know if he wants me to talk about this, but how we went about it is… We would usually, me and Rob would come up with some music," he said. "He'd be, like, 'I like that music, and let's write to that music. I'm going to write my lyrics and melody to that music that we just created.' So what happened this time is he wrote lyrics and melody to, like, drum beats and sounds, and he came up with, in my opinion, the hookiest, most memorable lyrics and melody that he has ever. And what he did is brought me in and then we worked on the music, and it was un-fucking-believable; it just worked so well."

Several of Zombie's singles from "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser", including "In The Age Of The Consecrated Vampire We All Get High" and "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.", were accompanied by their respective attention-grabbing videos, a trend that is likely to continue with the upcoming effort.

A unique and solemn spell seems to shroud every spot as soon as Portuguese alchemists MOONSPELL enters 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

ENUFF Z'NUFF will release its new album, "Diamond Boy", on August 10.

The first single from the disc, "Metalheart", can be streamed below.

ENUFF Z'NUFF is the living, breathing example of what a rock 'n' roll group should be. Now centered around bass player and vocalist Chip Z'nuff, ENUFF Z'NUFF is still alive and kicking with a legion of loyal fans, who can't get enough of the band's power pop melded with hard rock stylings.

This record is the first ENUFF Z'NUFF release where Chip handles all of the vocal duties, which was quite a task, but one he was certainly up for.

"[Singing on the entire album was] very challenging," Chip says. "I'm taking the place of my brother who I consider one of the greatest singers of our generation. The songs on this record are solid as a boulder."

He describes the album as "a fresh new chapter that should have been written a long time ago. Picture David Bowie and THE BEATLES fighting and CHEAP TRICK comes in to break it up."

In addition to Chip Z'nuff, the band features longtime guitarist Tory Stoffregen, ex-ULTRAVOX singer/guitarist Tony Fennell, and Chicago native Daniel Benjamin Hill on drums. ENUFF Z'NUFF continues to tour and record relentlessly and this new record shows once again what a truly gifted hard/power pop act they are. With no shortage of hooks and awesome songs, "Diamond Boy" is another gem in ENUFF Z'NUFF's crown.

Originally formed in 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, ENUFF Z'NUFF received its big break in 1989 when they to Atco/Atlantic Records. Founding members Chip Z'Nuff and Donnie Vie were joined by guitarist Derek Frigo and drummer Vikki Foxx and they commenced work on their major label debut. The self-titled album was a monster hit and spawned two evergreen singles, "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle". Both received constant airplay on radio and heavy rotation on MTV, spending over 60 weeks in the Top 10. 1991 saw the band release their sophomore album, "Strength". The album had more of a hard rock overtone and sustained the success achieved on the first album. The band made high-profile television and radio appearances through the likes of David Letterman and Howard Stern and were featured in Rolling Stone's Hot Issue as "The Next Big Thing." They soldiered on during the new musical climates of the '90s and went on to release another 12 studio records.

"Diamond Boy" track listing:

01. Transcendence

02. Diamond Boy

03. Where Did You Go

04. We're All The Same

05. Fire & Ice

06. Down On Luck

07. Metalheart

08. Love Is On The Line

09. Faith, Hope & Luv

10. Dopesick

11. Imaginary Man

"My Own Grave", a brand new song from California metallers AS I LAY DYING, has apparently been released via the Japanese iTunes store. You can now listen to a snippet of it at this location. The track is expected to receive a wider release on Friday, June 8.

Prior to the arrival of the new song, AS I LAY DYING hadn't released any new music since it issued its sixth album, "Awakened", back in September 2012.

In May 2014, AS I LAY DYING singer Tim Lambesis was sentenced to six years in jail after pleading guilty to paying a San Diego police officer posing as a hit man $1,000 to kill his wife. Approximately two and a half years later — on December 17, 2016 — he was discharged from a California detention facility and was transferred to the Division of Adult Parole Operations.

Last December, Lambesis released a statement in which he apologized to his former wife and children for his "appalling actions." He also accepted responsibility for being "the sole offender and the only one to blame for everything that happened."

Tim didn't offer any details about his plans for the future, but credited music with getting him "through the darkest parts of [his] journey."

Lambesis was arrested in May 2013 after handing a "hitman" — really an undercover police officer — $1,000 in cash, along with his wife's address and gate security codes.

Prior to the murder plot, his wife had asked a San Diego Superior Court to dissolve their marriage.

The singer in 2015 filed a lawsuit against a California medical team alleging that he was not given a prescribed medication for nearly two months prior to his incarceration, resulting in him developing gynecomastia (enlarged breasts). Public records show that his lawsuit was dismissed in October 2016 with prejudice, possibly because the parties had reached a settlement agreement.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN have released more official footage from their recently launched "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour. Check it out below.

IRON MAIDEN has been opening its concerts on the current trek with "Aces High" and continuing with "Where Eagles Dare". Other notable tracks aired during the set include the Blaze Bayley-era classics "The Clansman" and "Sign Of The Cross", as well as three additional songs that are being performed for the first time in years: "For The Greater Good Of God", "The Wicker Man" and "Flight Of Icarus".

This past March, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson said in an interview that there will be "one or two things" in the "Legacy Of The Beast" setlist "that people are gonna be really surprised by" and predicted that "there'll be social media madness after the first show."

The concept for the "Legacy Of The Beast" tour was inspired by MAIDEN's mobile game and comic book of the same name and the stage set design features a number of different but interlocking "worlds" with a setlist covering a large selection of 1980s material with a handful of surprises from later albums to add diversity.

Texas metalcore band I AM has signed with the New England-based label 1126 Records. The group will enter the studio this summer with Randy LeBoeuf at Graphic Nature Audio to begin recording its second full-length album. The follow-up to "Life Through Torment" is due this fall.

"We are very proud to be signing with 1126 Records," said vocalist Andrew Hileman. "Being a foundation band means everything to us. We couldn't be more excited to be working with Randy Lebouf from Graphic Nature Audio. As far as the album, I think we hit spot on with the concept and sound we wanted. Fast, heavy, in-your-face Texas death."

I AM will be on tour this summer with THE ACACIA STRAIN.

I AM is:

Andrew Hileman - Vocals

Tom Reyes - Guitar

Chris Burgess - Guitar

Ian Scott - Drums

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

SIEGE OF POWER started in 2013 as a project without any expectations. Shortly after releasing a split album, it was left for dead, buried and almost forgotten until the rotten corpse was exhumed in 2017. This resulted in a no-nonsense extreme metal album mixed with several doomdozers. Influences vary from CARNIVORE and STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH to DISCHARGE and AMEBIX, done in their own style.

SIEGE OF POWER is:

* Chris Reifert (AUTOPSY, VIOLATION WOUND, ABSCESS, PAINTED DOLL) - Vocals

* Paul Baayens (ASPHYX, HAIL OF BULLETS, THANATOS) - Guitars

* Theo van Eekelen (HAIL OF BULLETS, HOUWITSER, GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT) - Bass

* Bob Bagchus (ASPHYX, SOULBURN, GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT) - Drums

Comments Chris Reifert on the Metal Blade signing: "Well, this is pretty fucking cool. Metal Blade was one of the early metal labels I discovered as a young teenager while questing for the next heavy thing and I discovered tons of bands through their regular album and EP releases as well as the highly influential 'Metal Massacre' series. My history with MB is deep, whether they know it or not and here we are now working together at last. Hell yeah!"

Bob Bagchus: "The name Metal Blade is metal magic to me. Always has been since my early pubic years. Names such as METALLICA, SLAYER, TROUBLE, HALLOWS EVE are as strongly connected to Metal Blade as to my childhood when I first got into metal. Being signed by them with SIEGE OF POWER is a great feeling and perhaps the crown of my 'musical' career!"

The SIEGE OF POWER debut album, "Warning Blast", will be released in September.

Photo credit: Martijn Peters

Guitarist Ralph Santolla (Death, Obituary, Deicide, etc.) suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, May 29th and fell into a coma. Today, he was taken off life support at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, FL. He was 48 years old.

Santolla’s mother, Sue Santolla-Rocha, checks in with the following:

“Good morning. Just so we all start to heal, Ralph Santolla is not laying on that bed at St Joseph Hospital. He has gone, and he is happy and at peace in heaven. I want to start your day with a little humor. My wonderful mother and Ralph’s grandmother passed away three years ago. One of my friends was trying to console me, Fred Parker, and had the comment that Ralph would be playing music for his Nannie. It just made me laugh to visualize Ralph playing heavy metal for his Nannie. OMG....it would be so funny... His Nannie was an amazingly strong woman and she would tell him, cut it down, and play something decent. I (love) my son more than anyone can imagine, my heart is broken. But I know he loved me unconditionally and will always be with me. It is the same with all of us, he will be with you everyone, everyday and his love will surround us now and forever. I wanted to tell everyone that I have thousands of messages...I just can’t deal with it right now but I love each of you.”

Santolla can be heard on the Deicide albums The Stench Of Redemption and To Hell With God, Memorain’s Evolution, Millenium’s Millenium, Angelfire, Hourglass, and Jericho, Obituary’s Xecutioner’s Return and Darkest Day, Iced Earth’s The Glorious Burden and lots of other releases.

He performed as a live guitarist for Death (1993), Iced Earth (2003-2004), Melechesh (2013), and Vital Remains (2006).

On August 10, German a cappella metal band VAN CANTO will release its seventh studio album, "Trust In Rust", via Napalm Records.

Since 2006, they have brought pure vocal power to the metal world. Now made up of seven members, VAN VANTO's "Trust In Rust" covers a wide stylistic range, from melodic to bombastic, showcasing the band's takes on ballads, hard rock ballbreakers and speed metal anthems. Covers, ranging from HELLOWEEN's "Ride The Sky" (featuring HELLOWEEN's Kai Hansen) to AC/DC's "Hells Bells", give listeners a completely fresh glimpse at the vocal crew. The sound of "Trust In Rust" reflects VAN CANTO's varied experiences on the road with unbroken power and passion for the human voice in heavy metal.

VAN VANTO comments on the new album: "If you release seven albums in 12 years, you aren't able to rust. Nevertheless, the new album is rougher and more metal. It's a composite work of all seven bandmembers, full of new ideas but without losing the good old VAN CANTO style. We are still excited about what we are doing and believe in ourselves — 'Trust in Rust'!"


"Trust In Rust" track listing:

01. Back In The Lead

02. Javelin

03. Trust In Rust

04. Ride The Sky (feat. Kai Hansen)

05. Melody

06. Neverland

07. Desert Snake

08. Darkest Days

09. Infinity

10. Hells Bells

11. Heading Home

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

01. The Mission (Orchestral Version)

02. Rain (Orchestral Version)

03. Hero (Orchestral Version)

04. Take To The Sky (Orchestral Version)

05. Water Fire Heaven Earth (Orchestral Version)

06. My Voice (Orchestral Version)

07. If I Die In Battle (Orchestral Version)

08. The Higher Flight (Orchestral Version)

09. Unholy (Orchestral Version)

10. The Other Ones (Orchestral Version)

Approaching the genre with a blend of heavier and lighter styles, which range from technical metal riffs, to spooky mellow passages, to hardcore breakdowns, Toronto's Vodnik balance their metal between progressive grooves and dark atmospheres to establish a sound that is bizarre and ominous yet catchy and memorable. With this formula the band aspires to grab the attention of a wider audience.

Drawing their name and lyrical themes from the mythological Czech creature, guitarist Jeremy Jackson explains: 

“In Czech, Vodnik roughly translates to ‘of water’. I adopted the name for us because it is a widely celebrated mythological creature from my Czech heritage. Vodnik is gruesome, perfect for metal and what we want to do with it.” 

Vocalist Reinier Vandenbosch adds: 

“Lakes and rivers are its territory where it awaits to trap the souls of drowning victims. He is similar to the boogieman of the English-speaking world that also scares children. I try to write the lyrics largely from the perspective of the Vodnik creature.”

Along with embracing themes centered on the creature, Vodnik is also inspired by science fiction and horror, social and political commentary, dark philosophical ideas, and other mythological stories. Citing a wide variety of musical influences, Vodnik is a legit, no nonsense, heavy band that brings a ferocious energy to the stage.

Unleashing their debut single "Our Dread, Our Joy" off their planned debut EP slated for later release in 2019, this monstrous groove metal four-piece have teamed up with us at BraveWords for the premiere of their new music video.

Album/live band lineup:

Jeremy Jackson (Guitars, Programming)
Reinier Vandenbosch (Vocals)
Brandon Lucking (Bass)
Vince Anastasi (Drums)

(Photo - Alex McFarland of The Trenches Media)

Crossing Eternity has revealed the new single/video "Ghost Of A Storm" taken from new album The Rising World to be released on June 15th, via Rockshots Records.

Crossing Eternity is a Romanian/Swedish symphonic power metal band founded in 2017 by experienced musicians who are truly passionate in the way they approach music. Starting with the recording of their first studio album The Rising World, the band members aimed for an organic, old school sound, rejecting the temptation of an over-produced record. The adventure started in the summer of 2017, when Manu, band’s guitarist and composer, entered the studio with a new band in mind and a lots of good song ideas. On the way, the rest of the band joined the process of recording and producing, working until everything was well done, in January 2018.

Even if the name of the band is new, its members are professional musicians, with 25-30 years of experience on the battlefield. The band’s main purpose is to expand the boundaries and spread some magic.

"There is real magic in this world! The soul is asking for it! We just need to listen with love and courage inside us and what you'll find deep inside, then we will find in the outside world!" - Manu Savu.

The Rising World features outstanding artwork created by the renowned digital artist Gustavo Sazes.

Tracklisting:

“Crossing Eternity”
“Ghost Of A Storm”
“Sand In The Sky”
“High Above The Crown”
“Kingdome Come”
“Embrace Your Voices”
“Journey To The End Of Dreams”
“Winter Poem”
“Haunted”
“Dreams Fall”
“Angles Cry, Rainbows Hide”
“Spirit Of The Forest”
“War Of Gods”

"Ghost Of A Storm" video:

“Crossing Eternity” video:

Progressive dark metallers Dark Millennium will release their new album Where Oceans Collide on August 24th via Massacre Records.

The band has revealed the artwork created by Alexander Freund. The album - which will include 11 songs - was mixed and mastered by the band's guitarist Hilton Theissen at Wide Noise Studio in Arnsberg, Germany.

Dark Millennium continues its unpredictable evolution with the new album Where Oceans Collide. The distinctive guitar work by Hilton Theissen and Michael Burmann as well as the unique voice of Christian Mertens are still dominant and highly recognizable even in a new and experimental setting.

UK-based Diving Bell Publishing is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for their book The History Of Rock (For Big Fans And Little Punks). The campaign launches on May 31st, but you can preview it here.

 
The History Of Rock (For Big Fans And Little Punks) is the first-ever complete and illustrated History of Rock music made into a children's book. The book tells the story of the most influent rock bands and solo artists since the fifties, including more than 150 illustrated bands such as Metallica, Guns N' Roses, U2, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Sonic Youth, Elvis Presley, Nirvana and others across more than 100 fully coloured and illustrated pages.

Rita Nabais and Joana Raimundo are the creators of this book and they have poured their hearts and souls into it. Rita is a teacher, a music researcher and a publisher. She’s also a rock music DJ and music lover and Joana is a published illustrator, animator and designer.

Rita spent four years researching, talking to experts, musicians, music lovers, reading music magazines, websites, books and charts. “Finally, the time came to put this book together and bring all of this Rock characters to life.”, Rita said.

Last December they launched a shorter version of the book in their home country (Portugal) and developed several workshops about rock music for children and families. According to the illustrator, they “thought that was as far as it would go.” But a thumbs up from Iggy Pop himself gave them the inspiration to take this project further.

The amazing feedback and enthusiasm that the book received from children and adults inspired them to write a bigger and better International version in English. Now, they’re launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to help them select more bands, draw more illustrations, expand the texts and translate the book.

In order to do so, the authors teamed up with editors Nuno Matos Valente and Hugo Sousa and formed an independent publisher house based in London, UK, with the sole purpose of publishing what they consider to be a “unique book that begs to be written”.

The plan is to take this book one step closer to being absolutely complete and the author’s dream is to get The History Of Rock on the shelf of every rock lover’s house.

Nothing return with their third installment, Dance On The Blacktop. The next chapter of Nothing's story pulls from all corners of life in its contents. Stories of self-loathing, self-destruction, and a general disdain for humanity and its, "insignificant" role in Domenic Palermo's vision of the universe are met with his poised amusement and tranquil hysteria being one himself. All of this told through the eyes of a recently diagnosed Palermo suggesting he is dealing with the early stages of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a neurodegenerative disease found in people with serious head injuries. And as they packed themselves in a coffin-sized NYC apartment for 23 days to demo songs it became clear that the ripple effect left upon his psyche from dealing with these newfound symptoms would leave its mark on the material.

Nothing sought out celebrated producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Breeders, Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile) to help accentuate the band's love for all sounds ‘90s, from rock to shoegaze to pop realms and on both sides of the pond. The next month was spent tracking at the historical Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, NY with newly appointed bassist Aaron Heard. As days moved by, Palermo spewed songs of heightened confusion, anxiety, paranoia, depression, and chronic battles with physical pain- a result of his unstable past and more recent illness. These themes, spoken in a lush angelic language are juxtaposed against the band's now signature apocalyptic, reverberating wall of shimmering sound, all captured beautifully by Agnello and the open room.

"Zero Day", the album's lead single, debuted today. Palermo further explains "‘Zero Day’ refers to the amount of difficulty a person faces when attempting to close the door on all sense, meaning, or value when thinking on our existence is hard to put in words, but to me it has always been the latter. I've laid awake countless nights contemplating human life, its hostile uselessness, and why I'm one of the few who choose to see it that way yet manage to move onward. So I suppose in that sense ‘Zero Day’ is a song of paradoxical enlightenment.”

Palermo first discovered Dance On The Blacktop's title, taken from ancient prison slang meaning a fight or hit during outside recreation, in the works of urban fiction writers Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim. Known for their popularity throughout the prison system, Palermo became acquainted while he was incarcerated, later finding it to be a symbolic interpretation of the album's philosophy. "I've learned to bask in the absurdity of it all- in the chaos," preaches Palermo. "There's beauty in the confusion if you can learn to hold its hand."

Dance On The Blacktop will be released on Relapse Records August 24th. There will be a limited run of a 2xLP, deluxe version. The core album will be on LP1, pressed on tri-colored vinyl with an exclusive second 12" picture disc featuring 4 bonus tracks. The album includes artwork directed by Mark Mccoy (Youth Attack Records, Charles Bronson), Domenic Palermo and shot by Ryan Lowry. Order your copies here.

Tracklisting:

“Zero Day”
“Blue Line Baby”
“Plastic Migraine”
“Us/We/Are”
“Hail On Palace Pier”
“I Hate The Flowers”
“The Carpenters Son”
“(HOPE) Is Just Another Word With A Hole In It”

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST performed their new song "Rising From Ruins" live for the first time last night (Tuesday, June 5) at the Spektrum in Oslo, Norway at the opening concert of their European tour. They also played the classic track "Night Comes Down" — which originally appeared on the "Defenders Of The Faith" album — for the first time since 1984. Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

The "Firepower" trek is PRIEST's first since guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago — after being stricken by the degenerative condition at least half a decade earlier — but only recently announced he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live.

Asked how JUDAS PRIEST came to choose Sneap to step in for Tipton on the band's tour in support of "Firepower", Hill told veteran Japanese rock journalist Masa Itoh: "It probably came from during the recording of the album. Andy is a very good guitarist, an excellent guitarist in his own right, and I think Glenn got to know Andy and got to trust Andy, which is very important. We wanted someone who we knew as well, if at all possible. The last thing you want is somebody coming in with their own baggage, if you know what I mean. And we can trust Andy to do a good job, and I think he'll do justice to the songs. And that was the main thing — I think it was the familiarity with Andy. We had great respect for him — before we met him, we had great respect for him. But with the work he did on the album — I mean, it sounds phenomenal; he did a tremendous job with that. We're doing songs off the new album, which he is totally familiar with, and he knows a lot of the parts anyway from that. And he's also a PRIEST fan — he's been listening to us for years — and he fits the slot perfectly. I think he'll fit in and I think he'll do a tremendous job."

"Firepower" was released on March 9 via Epic. The follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" was recorded by Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.

Behind-the-scenes footage from SEPULTURA's May 23 concert in Tokyo can be seen below. The show marked the band's first appearance in Japan in 17 years.

SEPULTURA's latest album, "Machine Messiah", was released in January 2017 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Swedish producer Jens Bogren. The CD's cover artwork was created by Filipino artist Camille Della Rosa.

SEPULTURA will hit the road in Europe again this August, playing a mix of festivals and club shows.

SEPULTURA's official documentary, "Sepultura Endurance", will tentatively be released on DVD and Blu-ray this fall. The film, which received its world premiere in May 2017 at the Regent theater in Los Angeles, shows the journey from SEPULTURA's humble rural beginnings to decades spent on the international stage, giving an in-depth look into how the band continues to thrive in a changing metal landscape. Crammed full of rare archival footage, and featuring interviews with legends like Lars Ulrich (METALLICA) and Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), and younger artists influenced by SEPULTURA, like SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor, "Sepultura Endurance" is the definitive document of the band's myths, struggles and heart.

Italian technical death metallers Gory Blister have inked a new record deal with Danish label Mighty Music for the release of their sixth studio album. The new album is entitled 1991 Bloodstained and includes 10 songs of 100% old school and progressive death metal featuring the band's "classic" style , including a cover version of Metallica's "Damage Inc.".

Commented Gory Blister guitarist Raff Sangiorgio: "After more than 20 years of underground activity, we're still on the run 'cause we love metal, and the flame is still high. Making a new record is always a new challenge that keeps us motivated, in growing our music path."

The album will be released worldwide through Mighty Music on September 28th. Updates to follow.

SEETHER's video for an acoustic version of the song "Against The Wall" can be seen below.

SEETHER is continuing to tour in support of its seventh full-length studio album, titled "Poison The Parish", which was released in May 2017. The first release via frontman Shaun Morgan's new label imprint Canine Riot Records was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with Morgan taking the reins as producer. He told Billboard of manning the boards: "Ultimately, at the end of the day, I didn't want anybody else to answer to. For me, it was kind of a liberating experience, because I was making an album where I was getting it to sound like I always wanted it to sound like."

Morgan added that he learned much from SEETHER's previous producers: Jay Baumgardner, Bob Marlette, Howard Benson and Brendan O'Brien. "They're all great in their own right," said Morgan. "Of all the producers I learned the most from, [it was] definitely Brendan O'Brien. I learned from him what to do and I learned from the other guys what not to do, so with that kind of knowledge and having done six albums at that point, I figured I had enough information that I could try it myself."

SEETHER has logged more than twenty top 10 hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart, including the No. 1s "Remedy", "Fake It", "Country Song", "Tonight" and "Words As Weapons". They have also notched four top 10s on the Billboard 200 and have accumulated U.S. album sales of 4.5 million, according to Nielsen Music.

Finnish metallers OMNIUM GATHERUM will release their new album, "The Burning Cold", on August 31 via Cenury Media.

Main songwriter and guitarist Markus Vanhala comments: "Sometimes you can be extra proud of something you've achieved, and I could claim that 'The Burning Cold' has a sense of special chapter for me. I haven't been this excited for a new album of mine for ages!

"I've been extra busy with all the touring in the past year(s) and I truly don't know when and where I got these songs made. They somehow wrote themselves indeed. We got some really good kick-ass songs and fresh tunes made up and 'The Burning Cold' has a really honest feeling in it. Fresh rebirth of OMNIUM GATHERUM!

"We are honored to kick off this album cycle with a pre-release show for the new album at one of our favorite festivals in the field, Summer Breeze. You can hear debut live shots of some of the new songs there, so be sure not to miss all this excitement, new glory and fresh mistakes!"

Singer and frontman Jukka Pelkonen comments on the lyrical themes and concepts: "There are two major lyrical concepts on the new album. Firstly, it touches the great human tragedies and fortunes which are around us — tragedies such as war and the engulfing darkness that follows, and fortunes which are tangled in experiences we all share despite of the seemingly burning world. Secondly, the lyrics speak loudly of the human emotional condition. How do we love? Why do we hate? Why some things are easier to leave behind than others. Why does death terrify us, and if it does why do people act like it does not exist?

"This album is a pinnacle of all the hard work we as a group have done in OMNIUM GATHERUM for a long time. The music comes alive and reaches new perspectives. Still. This is truly melodic death metal. Sharpened polished, brutal."

"The Burning Cold" was once again mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö and produced and engineered by Teemu Aalto.

OMNIUM GATHERUM is:

Jukka Pelkonen - Vocals

Markus Vanhala - Guitar

Tuomo Latvala - Drums

Aapo Koivisto - Keyboards

Joonas Koto - Guitar

Erkki Silvennoinen - Bass

Germany's Mob Rules will release their new album Beast Reborn on August 24th via SPV/Steamhammer.

"Beast Reborn is a great album filled with catchy tunes that will stick with you. Fans of melodic metal should definitely check this one out!" - Jens Bogren (Fascination Street Studios)

Energetic, massive, focussed - that’s how Mob Rules appear on their new album. The success of their previous album Tales From Beyond was the impetus being used by the six rockers  to bundle their energies and produce this new and very straightforward album. With dense sound, straightforward songs and the familiar big melodies, Mob Rules go directly to the listener’s ears. Rough and fast-paced they move across the roots of metal, to haunting, modern compositions, which makes their sound more fresh and up-to-date than ever.

New band member Sönke Janssen also has a hand in this: Being the new second guitarist he expands and completes Mob Rules’ sound spectrum. Not only within the band things are moving, they also get input from outside: Jens Bogren took over mastering. He works with great artists like Kreator and Amorphis at his Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. Bogren is a real guarantor for a punchy sound. Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann (Orden Ogan) is responsible for most of the choirs and yet again accountable for the mix of the album is Markus Teske.

Mob Rules take full advantage of their potential and show their strength precise and focussed. With Beast Reborn, Mob Rules draw the logical consequence of their progress
and at the same time dare to experiment with new things.

Beast Reborn will be released on CD digipak, 2LP gatefold (incl. 1 bonus track), limited boxset (incl. CD, 2LP, towel, hand-signed photo card, 2 track bonus CD, patch, sticker etc.), download and stream.

Tracklisting:

"Beast Reborn"
"Ghost Of A Chance"
"Shores Ahead"
"Sinister Light"
"Traveller In Time"
"Children's Crusade"
"War Of Currents"
"The Explorer"
"Revenant Of The Sea"
"Way Back Home"
"My Sobriety Mind (For Those Who Left)"

Album release shows:

August
24 - Weiher, Germany - Live Music Hall
25 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete Pub

September
8 - Wilhelmshaven, Germany - Pumpwerk

Watch the teaser for the shows below:

New Orleans-based metal band Cane Hill have released a video for "It Follows", featured on the band's second full-length Too Far Gone, available via Rise Records. Watch below.

Tracklisting:

"Too Far Gone"
"Lord Of Flies"
"Singing In The Swamp"
"Erased"
"Why?"
"It Follows"
"Scumbag"
"Hateful"
"10 Cents"
"The End"

"It Follows" video:

"10 Cents":

"Too Far Gone" video:

"Lord Of Flies" video:

Marduk have released two unboxing videos, for the vinyl and limited box set editions of their new album Viktoria, out on June 22nd via Century Media. Watch below:

Viktoria will be available in the following formats:

- Ltd. CD box set (with CD, woven patch, metal pin, three stickers)
- LP (with inlay and 180 gram vinyl)
- Standard CD Jewelcase
- Digital

The LP version will be released in several vinyl colours:

- Black vinyl: Unlimited
- Clear vinyl: Limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold by CDON
- White vinyl: Limited to 200 copies, exclusively offered by CM Distro
- Golden vinyl: Limited to 300 copies, available at various online stores
- Transparent red vinyl: Limited to 100 copies, exclusively offered by Marduk
- Red vinyl: Limited to 200 copies, exclusively offered by EMP
- Silver vinyl: Limited to 300 copies, exclusively offered by Season Of Mist
- Picture vinyl: Limited to 500 copies, exclusively offered by Nuclear Blast and Levykauppa Äx
- Transparent sun-yellow vinyl: Limited to 300 copies, available at various outlets in North America
- Dark green vinyl: Limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at CM Distro US

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Werwolf"
"June 44"
"Equestrian Bloodlust"
"Tiger I"
"Narva"
"The Last Fallen"
"Viktoria"
"The Devil’s Song"
"Silent Night"

"Werwolf" lyric video:

Marduk lineup:

Mortuus - vocals
Morgan - guitars
Devo - bass
Fredrik - drums

Finland's folk metal masters Ensiferum have posted the following:

"Ensiferum is looking for a singer/keyboard player! If you think you have these talents plus:

- You are over 18
- You have some experience of doing gigs/tours
- You can commit to the band’s schedule, which might change very rapidly
- You want to be part of creating new music and help shape the future of the band Then please send your application to ensiferum@ensiferum.com and we’ll check it out.

Please note that Ensiferum is a full-time working band, with global touring meaning weeks in a row on the road. Gigs and travel days exceed 100 days per year and some days are very far from the 'rock ’n' roll glamour,' but the band and the crew love this and that’s what we are expecting from you too.
We are not looking for a session musician but a permanent member to complete and improve our sound and live performance.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer you a million dollars in advance, but some things can’t be measured with money and for us that is composing and playing music live together with awesome people!

Still interested? We are waiting for to hear from you!"

Send the band a personal message via their official Facebook page here.

Finnish groove outfit Profane Omen have released the song "War Boy" from their forthcoming album, Ooka, featuring guest vocals by Markus "Mahi" Toivonen (Ensiferum), Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns (Finntroll), Jonne Järvelä (Korpiklaani) and Ville Sorvali (Moonsorrow). Check out the official video below.

Ooka is now available for pre-order via Levykauppa Äx here. Worldwide delivery is available.

Finnish cinematic metal band Dark Sarah performed The Puzzle album track "Dance With The Dragon" with JP Leppäluoto at The Circus in Helsinki on January 24th, 2018. Video can be seen below:

Dark Sarah will release their new album The Golden Moth on September 21st in Europe and North America via Inner Wound Recordings.

The Golden Moth is the last part of the first Dark Sarah trilogy (The Chronicles). The trilogy tells about Dark Sarah's travel through three worlds: The Middle World (Behind The Black Veil album), The Underworld (The Puzzle album) and The Upper World (The Golden Moth album).

On The Golden Moth album Dark Sarah has to face the final test and find her way to the gods in the Upper World. After she had solved the puzzle in The Underworld and found the three keys, the Iron birds came there for her and took her to the Upper World, a deserted waste land where the gods rule. But also a trespasser, The Dragon,  came with her. In the heat of the desert they meet again and there is something The Dragon wants from her.

JP Leppäluoto (Charon) has joined the official lineup as The Dragon for the upcoming album. Also in the roles of The Gods you will hear featuring artists as Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus In Musica) and Marco Hietala (Nightwish).

The Golden Moth tracklisting:

"Desert Rose"
"Trespasser"
"Wheel"
"My Beautiful Enemy"
"I Once Had Wings"
"Pirates"
"Sky Sailing"
"Wish"
"Gods Speak"
"Promise"
"Golden Moth"
"The Gate Of Time"

"Trespasser" video:

Dark Sarah official lineup:

Heidi Parviainen (as Dark Sarah) - vocals
JP Leppäluoto (as Dragon) - vocals
Erkka Korhonen - guitar
Sami Salonen - guitar
Rude Rothstén - bass
Thomas Tunkkari - drums

US black metallers Hoth will release their new album Astral Necromancy on June 15th. The follow-up to the 2014 release Oathbreaker can be ordered here. Listen to the album track "Vengeance" below.

Fans of the likes of Dissection, Immortal and Thulcandra should take serious note. The culmination of three years of hard work has finally arrived.  

Says the band: "We wanted every piece of the album to match our vision of vile sorcery so powerful and terrifying it could reshape the cosmos."

Tracklisting:

"Vengeance"
"The Living Dreams Of A Dead God"
"The Horrid Truth"
"Passage Into Entropy"
"Citadel Of The Necromancer"
"Ad Inane Precatio"
"The Gathering Of The Accursed Artifacts"
"Ascension"
"Journey Into The Eternal Winter"
"The Void Between The Stars"
"Solitude"

"Vengeance":

"When I Was Fallin' In Love", a track from the recently released Rick Partitt album Over And Out (earMUSIC), is now available for streaming below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

"When I Was Fallin' In Love":

"Lock Myself Away":

"Lonesome Road":

"Twinkletoes":

"Over And Out":

"Long Distance Love" lyric video:

"Without You":

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

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