Children Of Bodom will release their tenth album, Hexed, on March 8th via Nuclear Blast Records. In the clip below, frontman Alexi Laiho unboxes teh vinyl LP version of the album to do some quality control.

Hexed will be available in the following formats:

- CD Digipak
- Pink w/ Black splatter vinyl – Limited to 300
- CD Digipak + T-Shirt + Poster

Pre-order your copy here.

Hexed tracklisting:

"The Road"
"Under Grass and Clover"
"Glass Houses"
"Hecate’s Nightmare"
"Kick in the Spleen"
"Platitudes and Barren Words"
"Hexed"
"Relapse (The Nature of My Crime)"
"Say Never Look Back"
"Soon Departed"
"Knuckleduster"

Bonus tracks:
"I Worship Chaos" (live)
"Morrigan" (live)
"Knuckleduster" (remix)

"Under Grass And Clover" video:

Trailers:




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After recording more than 50 albums, Mats Levén is one of today's most-sought-after vocalists in the hard rock and metal world. Now he teamed up with Napalm Records to release his very first solo album under the name SKYBLOOD.

From a first small tour with SWEDISH EROTICA in 1989 to TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA's massive U.S. tour in 2018, Mats has been delivering the goods around the globe with acts such as YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION, CANDLEMASS, GUS G., TREAT, ADAGIO, KRUX, FIREWIND, AT VANCE and many more.

2019 marks the 30th year for Mats as a recording artist and Napalm Records is proud to release the legend's very first solo album this year.

Levén comments on the signing: "A few days after the split with CANDLEMASS in September 2018, I was contacted by Napalm Records regarding my solo material. The timing was perfect, and today I'm thrilled to announce our partnership and the release of SKYBLOOD in the fall of 2019! SKYBLOOD is who I am and where I'm at after 30 years in this weird business. A special thanks to Sebastian Münch at Napalm. Let's do this!"

Sebastian Münch, A&R at Napalm Records, states: "With absolute pleasure and honor, Napalm Records would like to announce the signing of Mats Levén's SKYBLOOD. Over the years, Mats's distinguished vocal works have created various masterpieces; in particular for CANDLEMASS, KRUX and THERION! The new songs from the SKYBLOOD debut sound amazing and we are looking forward to a very successful album release. Mats, welcome to the Napalm family!"

Among the guest musicians who are expected to appear on SKYBLOOD's debut album are Martin "Axe" Axenrot (BLOODBATH, OPETH, WITCHERY), Nalley Påhlsson (TREAT, THERION), Snowy Shaw (ex-KING DIAMOND) and Petter Karlsson (ex-THERION, DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA).

Mats, who was in CANDLEMASS for six years, began his professional musical life with SWEDISH EROTICA from Gothenburg, Sweden in 1989. In 1990, Mats got an offer from TREAT and moved to Stockholm where he still lives with his wife and two kids.

After recording albums with ABSTRAKT ALGEBRA and AB/CD, Mats as approached by Yngwie Malmsteen to join the guitarist's band in 1997-98 and to lay down his vocal tracks on the "Facing The Animal" LP.

Over the past couple of decades, Levén has been involved with a number of different bands and projects, including SOUTHPAW, DOGFACE, ESSENCE OF SORROW, AT VANCE and KRUX.

In 2004, Mats supplied lead vocals for THERION's two albums "Sirius B" and "Lemuria". This led to some 150 shows with the band over the course of the next four years. THERION's 2007 album "Gothic Kabbalah" saw Mats co-writing six of the tracks, including the epic "Son Of The Staves Of Time". In 2010-2011, Mats toured with ADAGIO and FIREWIND before joining CANDLEMASS as the replacement for Robert Lowe.

Since 2016, Mats has been touring with rock theater sensation TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, whose 20th-anniversary trek visited 65 cities across North America, for 100-plus performances, before concluding on December 30.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "Dream No More" on January 22 at The BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama can be seen below. The band's set lasted more than two hours and included 18 tracks.

The second North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" features in-the-round production and a few firsts, including a "Light It Up" pre-show party hosted by the band's friend, comedian Jim Breuer; and a "Wherever I May Roam Black Ticket" that gives a limited number of fans floor access to any show on the tour.

The "WorldWired" set and stage design, designed by the show's director, Dan Braun, features an immersive concert experience with a 44' x 44' square main-stage equipped with several prop lifts located in the center of the arena.

The "WorldWired" show features the touring industry's first autonomous indoor drone swarm, with 99 micro drones dancing like fireflies for the song "Moth Into Flame".

METALLICA kicked off the 2018/2019 U.S. leg of the "WorldWired" arena tour back in September in Madison, Wisconsin.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine has dropped another $325,000 from the asking price of his Fallbrook, California estate.

Mustaine put his house on the market in October 2015 for $5.375 million — more than five times what he paid for it three years earlier — but that price came down in June 2016 by almost a million and a half to $3.895 million, in January 2017 by another $700,000 to $3.195 million, in June 2017 by $20,000 to $3.175 million, in December 2017 by $375,000 to $2,800,000 and in July 2018 to $2,650,000. The home now sits at an even lower price of $2,325,000.

Mustaine and his family moved to Nashville in October 2014 after living in Fallbrook for a couple of years.

Speaking to MetalIreland.com, Mustaine stated about his California house: "Property like that, it's hidden, it's a bit off the beaten path, and we're not in a hurry to sell it. We want the right buyer too. We're obviously still quite attached to it. When we got it, it was abandoned, so we've completely restored it from the ground up. I mean, it has a vineyard on it, and that alone is worth the price of admission… It has a sort of 'Lord Of The Rings'… well, actually, no... more like 'The Hobbit' feel to it, with the thatched roof and everything."

On the topic of his move to Nashville, Mustaine said: "I've lived there four times before, because we did records there. So I've lived there for several months at a time… I want [my daughter] Electra to pursue her [country music] dreams. I can do my job anywhere, really… It's good for me, because my daughter is happy, and I think, if you love your children, you'll always want to protect and provide for them. And, like I said, I can pretty much do my job anywhere."

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mustaine's 9.5-acre country English-style home in the northern San Diego community was built in 1990 and includes vineyards, pastureland and a pond.

The 5,345 square feet of living space includes a paneled media room/den, a bar, an office, a gym, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two powder rooms. There is also a state-of-the-art sound and recording studio, a control room, a reception room and a producer's boarding room.

Public records published by Trulia.com indicate the home was last sold in December 2012 for $995,000.

In March 2017, Mustaine's Fallbrook house served as the "Megadeth Boot Camp" where diehard MEGADETH fans — who spent between $999 and $5,499 each — had the opportunity to take guitar, drum and bass lessons, witness an acoustic concert by the band, taste wine with Mustaine and jam in a studio on the group's 1992 classic "Symphony Of Destruction".

DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse says the band will work on its 21st studio album later this year. The effort will be the follow-up to 2017's "InFinite", which was recorded with legendary producer Bob Ezrin.

Speaking to Andertons Music Co. at last weekend's NAMM show about his plans for 2019, Morse said (see video below): "We're starting two albums — one with FLYING COLORS and one with DEEP PURPLE. And I know there's more DEEP PURPLE gigs that they haven't announced yet, so don't tell them that I told you so… This year, I think it might be U.S., but there's nothing booked for sure. I'm running on rumor power."

"InFinite" came out in April 2017 via earMUSIC. The disc's arrival was followed by "The Long Goodbye" tour, which started in May 2017 in Europe and included a North American leg with ALICE COOPER and EDGAR WINTER as well as another summer run with JUDAS PRIEST.

Last fall, DEEP PURPLE's Roger Glover said that he was not looking forward to the completion of "The Long Goodbye" tour. The bassist, who is 73 now, told Music Radar: "DEEP PURPLE has been such a presence in our lives for 50 years that none of us want it to end, but the realization is there that sooner or later we are going to have to stop. I'd love to go on and make another album. Emotionally, we're not ready to stop, so we could carry on for another four or five years."

DEEP PURPLE — which had been eligible for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for two decades — finally entered the Rock Hall as part of the class of 2016. The band's first three lineups were inducted, including drummer Ian Paice, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, late keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans; Ian Gillan and Roger Glover; and David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes.

FLYING COLORS is the "prog/pop" supergroup featuring Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE), keyboardist Neal Morse (THE NEAL MORSE BAND, TRANSATLANTIC, ex-SPOCK'S BEARD), bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS), drummer Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER) and vocalist Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV).

Legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen will release a new album, "Blue Lightning", on March 29 via Mascot Label Group. On the disc, Yngwie pays homage to those from the blues world who have fuelled his artistic spirit for so long.

"Blue Lightning" track listing:

01. Blue Lightning

02. Foxey Lady

03. Demon's Eye (DEEP PURPLE)

04. 1911 Strut

05. Blue Je.an Blues (ZZ TOP)

06. Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)

07. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (THE BEATLES)

08. Sun's Up Top's Down

09. Peace, Please

10. Paint It Black (THE ROLLING STONES)

11. Smoke On The Water (DEEP PURPLE)

12. Forever Man (Eric Clapton)

The official lyric video for "Sun's Up Top's Down" will be released on Friday, February 1.

Yngwie took part in the 2018 edition of the "Generation Axe" tour alongside Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi.

Yngwie's last album, "World On Fire", came out in June 2016 via King Records.

Last fall, Yngwie said that he chose to handle lead vocals himself on "World On Fire" because he "always thought that singers have the Elvis Presley syndrome — they think they're Elvis Presley. They're not Elvis Presley," he said. "Because I write the music, I write the lyrics, I write the vocal melody lines — I write everything. Just because I let somebody sing something doesn't mean they're more important than the bass player or the keyboard player or the drummer. Because I write all the parts — I write the drum parts, the bass parts, the keyboard parts, the guitar parts and the vocal parts — like a classical composer. And I really kind of got tired of dealing with their bullshit, really. So I decided to sing myself."

Fan-filmed video footage of LAST IN LINE's January 20 concert at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California can be seen below.

LAST IN LINE will release its sophomore album, "II", on February 22 via Frontiers Music Srl. As with 2016's "Heavy Crown", the new disc was produced by DOKKEN and FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson.

The official music video for the album first single, "Landslide", was released in November.

"'Landslide' was the first song we wrote for this record," vocalist Andrew Freeman says. "It was really easy to write as all of the parts fell into place quickly. The title 'Landslide' is a metaphor relating to the day-to-day struggles that we all go through as people. Trying to keep on course when dealing with adversity, manipulation through media and leadership. It's meant to inspire strength and resolve."

LAST IN LINE was formed in 2012, when Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain and Vivian Campbell — Ronnie James Dio's co-conspirators and co-writers on the "Holy Diver", "Last In Line" and "Sacred Heart" albums — teamed up with esteemed vocalist Andrew Freeman. The debut album "Heavy Crown" was released in February 2016, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release had been preceded by tragedy when bassist Jimmy Bain unexpectedly passed away at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016. LAST IN LINE, honoring what they knew would be Bain's wish to keep the band moving, brought in renowned bassist Phil Soussan (ex-OZZY OSBOURNE) and committed to sustained touring in support of the album, hitting festivals, headlining clubs, and sharing the stage with metal luminaries such as SAXON and MEGADETH.


In late 2017, the band gathered in Los Angeles to start the recording of the second album, which was produced by the band members and Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, DOKKEN), who also helmed the debut album. Having really jelled as a band while touring in support of the first disc, the songwriting came readily to the members. They've created a record that shows a big progression in sound, while immediately being recognizable as LAST IN LINE thanks to Appice's rhythms, thunderous bass from Soussan, amazing vocals from Freeman, and the roaring guitars of Campbell.

"The musical style of 'II' is different from 'Heavy Crown', but it wasn't something that we planned to do," explains Campbell. "Phil is a more intricate player than Jimmy was and that, together with the natural growth and development of the band led us to the songs on the album. As always, we simply started to jam on ideas and see where they led us. But it's fair to say that the songs on this album sound more developed, with more parts and more experimentation than the songs on 'Heavy Crown'. The first album set a tone, but on 'II' we developed that idea and took it to the next logical stage."


Appice, on the sound of the new record and songwriting process, says: "I always sound like me. Viv and I have been playing together for years and have the same feel and pulse and attitude. Now with Phil on bass, he allows a more melodic approach on the bass parts making the songs even more interesting. He fits in perfectly being from the same musical family and time as me and Viv. Mr. Freeman sings from his soul and completes the band's sound with his melodies and amazing range."


He continues: "The songwriting process was the same as DIO's 'Holy Diver'. First, we have fun writing together. We get in a room and jam on riffs and chords until we hit on something good, then continue to build it into a song. Andy puts his magic on it and it all works out very well."


Soussan says about how it was joining LAST IN LINE and the development of the songs: "It was refreshing to be able to write songs in such an organic fashion — by jamming and developing ideas as a group, without bringing in preconceived songs — something I haven't done for ages. The result was a true collaboration, a concept that is so rare these days! Vinny has a unique style of drumming that, beyond keeping beats, inspires riffs and arrangements and Vivian has a way of playing that has a conviction to every note. He is able to turn every riff into a signature. Andrew was creative and unrestricted, focusing his contemporary influences into vocal stylings and hooks that are outside the classic rock clichés. He is very much a perfectionist. Beyond trying to remain true to Jimmy's playing and to the heritage of the relationship between Viv and Vinny, everyone was completely open to exploring any possible idea. I am honestly prouder of our efforts on this album than anything in which I have been involved in for a very long time. With 'II', I would like to think that we have stretched out from 'Heavy Crown' to test some uncharted waters.... the evolution of LAST IN LINE!"

Bain was reportedly suffering from lung cancer at the time of his death.

"Don't Tread On Me", the new video from Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, can be seen below. The song is taken from Gus's latest solo album, "Fearless", which was released in April 2018 via AFM Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Brand New Revolution" marks his first release since exiting Osbourne's band in 2017.

On "Fearless", Gus joined forces with vocalist/bassist Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69, UNISONIC) and drummer Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE).

"Dennis and I have collaborated very closely for a number years; he produced the current FIREWIND album, 'Immortals', among other things," Gus described his relationship with the multitalented German-American. "We're on the same musical wavelength and simply continued our cooperation after the FIREWIND production. I sent him demos of and ideas for my new songs and once we had enough material and started to think about vocalists, Dennis suggested recording the album as a trio.

"A lot of people don't realize that Dennis is not only a brilliant songwriter, bassist and producer, but also an excellent singer. I immediately liked his suggestion because this would be very different from everything else I've done before."

It was only a short step from the enlistment of drummer Will Hunt. Gus said: "Will was at the very top of my wish list. Fate smiled on me because we played at the Frankfurt music fair 2017 during my tour with Steve Stevens, and Will stayed at the same hotel. So I approached him, we talked for a while and he agreed. He came to the studio and recorded the drum parts for the whole album within two and a half days. A real pro with a great groove and an awesome punch."

Which applies not only to Hunt and Ward, but of course also to Gus himself, who once again proves to be a phenomenal guitarist on "Fearless", presenting technical skills which exclude all possibility of doubt and a compositional talent that allows his fellow musicians to shine.

Hard-as-nails metal tracks such as the opener "Letting Go", "Mr. Manson", which is driven by a dark bass/guitar riff, and the subsequent melodic "Don't Tread On Me" immediately propel the new album into the desired direction. At the same time, the three instrumental songs give listeners an idea of the outstanding talent of the 38-year-old who is easily on a par with George Lynch ("Mr. Scary") and Michael Schenker ("Into The Arena").

"A lot of fans have asked me to record more instrumental tracks. Voilà, here they are," grins Gus. Last but not least, the successful cover versions of the DIRE STRAITS classic "Money For Nothing", which surprises with an unusual change of key after the noteworthy intro, deserves a mention.

POISON singer Bret Michaels will release a new song, "Unbroken", on March 15. The track was co-written by his 13-year-old daughter, Jorja Bleu, who did an "amazing job," he told Digital Journal. "She played piano on it and she sang the harmonies with me. It was a great bonding experience. The song is about overcoming adversity."

An audio sample of "Unbroken" is available at this location.

In other news, Bret's eldest daughter, 18-year-old Raine Michaels, was announced as one of six finalists in the 2019 Sports Illustrated model search competition. This means that she has a one-in-six chance of shooting a spread for this year's edition of the iconic magazine issue.

"This blonde beauty is so much more than the daughter of a rockstar," the site's description of Raine said. "Since graduating high school last summer, Raine has started classes at Belmont University, where she balances a busy schedule of music classes and modeling."

Her father expressed his joy on Instagram. "So incredibly proud of @rainee_m! She works hard while being the kind & humble soul she’s always been," the rocker wrote. "I know she's beyond excited to work with @si_swimsuit and is grateful to be a top 6 finalist! Congratulations to her and all the other finalists who worked so hard to get to this point!"

Raine and Jorja, along with their mom and Michaels's on-off love Kristi Gibson, appeared in the short-lived 2010 reality show "Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It".

In 2017 and 2018, POISON toured for the first time since 2012, a hiatus largely due to Michaels's frequent tours as a solo artist, during which he typically performs a setlist that differs little from what POISON plays.

Michaels said during POISON's "Nothin' But A Good Time" tour that while the band will take the year off in 2019, he'd like POISON to tour again and release something new in 2020. "I think one or two songs, singles route, 100,000 percent," he told Loudwire. "We've already written one song on the road that we've been jamming at soundcheck. It really sounds good — it's a very modern song with a great feel and great hook."

Photo credit: Mark Mazzanti

Burzum mastermind Varg Vikernes has once again released a video offering his thoughts on Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund's horror-movie biopic on Norway's notorious Mayhem, Lords Of Chaos.

According to Consequence Of Sound, Vikernes, who was found guilty of killing Mayhem guitarist Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth, insists that the movie is “just a lot of made-up crap” while also offering some seemingly anti-semitic thoughts on the actor portraying him.

Vikernes, who was a member of Mayhem from 1992 through 1993, says in the video: “So, you just watched the Lords of Chaos, the film where they have a fat Jewish actor play the role of me. I’m Scandinavian, by the way. Do I have a few things to say about that? Let's find out. So, the fat Jewish actor said things in that film that I never said in real life; he did things that I never did. He did things for reasons that I never had, and well, by and large, the whole film is just made up."

He continues: "As you probably know, the whole film is just a character murder and they completely ignore the facts."

An official video trailer for Lords Of Chaos can be found below.

The film, being released by Gunpowder and Sky, is co-produced by VICE Studios, 20th Century Fox, Scott Free Productions and Insurgent Media, opens in theaters February 8th and On Demand February 22nd.

Drawing from personal experience - Åkerlund was for a drummer for the Swedish extreme metal band Bathory for a short time in the early 80s - his adaptation of Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind's book Lords Of Chaos details of the group's rise and fall via Mayhem's co-founder/guitarist Øystein Aarseth, aka Euronymous (Rory Culkin) and his relationship with two volatile collaborators: Per Yngve Ohlin aka Pelle aka Dead (Jack Kilmer), the band's ultra-melancholic first singer who killed cats and then himself; and Varg Vikernes, aka the Count (Emory Cohen), a fellow outcast and Aarseth's eventual murderer.

Visit the official Lords Of Chaos website here.




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Hailing from the cold, unforgiving wastelands of Hollywood, California, Ashen Horde is a two-piece band that strives to embrace a multitude of extreme metal sub-genres, without being bound to any one of them. Drawing influence from metal’s crème de le extreme, from Enslaved and Devin Townsend to Ihsahn and Opeth, Ashen Horde (aka Trevor Portz and Stevie Boiser (Vale of Phath, Inferi)), may have a sound rooted in death and black metal, but can’t truly be called either.

Originally launched as a one-man project in 2013 by writer and multi-instrumentalist Trevor Portz, Ashen Horde has released two albums, as well as several EPs, over the past three years. Beginning with the ambitious Sanguinum Vindicta trilogy, Portz has worked tirelessly to develop a sound that is both challenging and unique.

The band has just completed its third album, Fallen Cathedrals and has signed with Extreme Metal Music/Rockshots Records for its release on CD and vinyl in Europe and North America on March 22nd.

The duo has unleashed the concept album's first single and video "Profound Darkness".

The band explains the track:

"We slow things down a bit for this one, it is a song that is much grimmer and dark. The power has gone out across the entire poor part of the city, and the inhabitants—wary and distrusting of their wealthy neighbors—have decided that it must surely be the fault of the rich. Thus, they determine that the peace between the two sides is over and that they must get revenge."

A concept album in the vein of J.G. Ballard’s dystopian novel High Rise, Fallen Cathedrals explores class warfare and a society’s descent into primitive, warring tribes. Musically, the album expands further on the complexities of the band’s earlier releases, but with even more emphasis on progressive and melodic elements, even incorporating clean vocals for the first time. It will appeal to fans of the more progressive side of extreme metal, from Ihsahn and Borknagar to Opeth and Enslaved.

Portz states: "The forthcoming album, Fallen Cathedrals, is the perfect illustration of what Ashen Horde is all about. Musically, it draws influence from across the metal spectrum. There is hyper speed, blast-beat-fueled black metal that runs alongside pummeling death metal riffs; clean-sung melodic passages juxtaposed against face-melting screams, and headbanging beats intermixed with progressive odd-time signatures."

Tracklisting:

"Parity Lost"
"Profound Darkness"
"Retaliation-Regret"
"The Vanishing"
"Atavism"
"Cages"
"Final Ascent"
"Face Of The Enmity"
"Primal" (bonus track on CD only)

"Profound Darkness" video:

- Music and lyrics by Trevor Portz, with additional lyrics by Stevie Boiser
- Recorded and mixed by Trevor Portz at La Maida Vale Studios, Hollywood, CA
- Mastered by Dan at Mammoth Sound Mastering




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Black Oak County will release its second album, Theatre Of The Mind, on April 26th via Mighty Music. The record was produced by Jacob Hansen (Amaranthe, Pretty Maids, Volbeat), with the mixing and mastering being handled by Jonas Haagensen. A new single of the track "Wasted Life", will be released in early March. It follows the first taste of the album, "Pretty Pistol", released last year, together with the video below.

The band comments: "We feel that the making of this album have made us the band we want to be: focusing on the songs, and always working harder to achieve new goals. This album is a milestone for us, after the band became a trio. We are so happy about it and can’t wait to let people hear it. We hope they love it as much as we do!"

Theatre Of The Mind will be released by Mighty Music and will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats.




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British musician and progressive rock pioneer Steven Wilson says that Brexit will "make it very difficult" for bands to tour, explaining that paying additional taxes on merchandise he sells on the road will make him think twice about playing shows in Europe in the future.

A public vote — called a referendum — was held in June 2016 when voters were asked just one question: whether the U.K. should leave or remain in the EU, a group of 28 countries which trade with each other and allow anyone to easily move between the countries to live and work. The "Leave" side won (by nearly 52% to 48%) but the exit didn't happen straight away — it is slated to take place in March 2019.

The Brexit vote has thrown the U.K. into a period of uncertainty, with some economists warning that it may lead to a downturn in the British economy while other people have claimed that it will help the U.K. negotiate better terms with the EU. A poll showed that many voters opted for Brexit because they "wanted the U.K. to regain control over EU immigration."

Asked by GoetiaMedia.com's Jorge Fretes for his opinion of Brexit, Wilson said (hear audio below): "It's going to affect touring, if it happens. At the moment, honestly, I have no idea what's going on — I have no idea. I mean, I read the news every day and I don't understand what's going on. It may not even happen. It seems to me there's actually a strong possibility now that it may not even go ahead. So right now, I'm waiting. I'm not trying to pre-judge or make any decisions about the future, because it simply may not happen. And if it doesn't happen, I think that would be a wonderful thing for… Most artists certainly feel that way, I think. If it does go ahead… I haven't thought a lot about it, but I think it's going to make it very difficult. Just simple things, like selling merchandise and t-shirts… I mean, I survive on that. I spend all the money I make, I spend it on the show, so I have to rely on selling t-shirts. If suddenly I'm gonna be taxed heavily on that kind of stuff, just those little things… You start to think, 'Well, you know what? Is it even worth me going on tour in Europe?' And I think that's going to be a really big issue — if it happens. But let's wait and see."

Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May was defeated in a landslide vote in Parliament, where lawmakers rejected her Brexit deal by a vote of 432 to 202 — leaving Britain's future relationship with the European Union unclear.

Photo credit: Hajo Müller

Former FLYLEAF singer and current Christian rock solo artist Lacey Sturm will fill in for SKILLET drummer and female vocalist Jen Ledger on five dates during the latter band's upcoming tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN. Lacey will not play drums at these shows, but will lend her vocals to the group in Jen's absence.

Ledger is forced to miss the SKILLET concerts because they overlap with the "Winter Jam Tour Spectacular", on which Ledger is a featured artist this year.

This isn't the first time Sturm has collaborated with SKILLET. She sang on the group's recent single "Breaking Free", which appeared on the deluxe version of SKILLET's latest album, "Unleashed Beyond".

Ledger released her first solo EP, titled "Ledger", in April 2018 through Hear It Loud, a label imprint launched by SKILLET frontman John Cooper and his wife, SKILLET keyboardist Korey Cooper.

Jen told Audio Ink Radio about her debut solo EP: "It was six years ago when I felt drawn to write my own songs and start expressing myself that way, and I've kind of been under an apprenticeship with the Coopers. They've really taken me under their wings and have been training me and teaching me how to write, so it's been a six-year journey now. It's been such a journey, because to start, I can't believe I've gotten to play drums in a band for 10 years."

Sturm will appear with SKILLET on the following dates:

March 15 - Saginaw, MI @ Dow Event Center

March 21 - Milwaukee, WI. @ Eagles Ballroom

March 23 - La Crosse, WI. @ La Crosse Center Arena

March 29 - Mankato, MN @ Verizon Center

March 31 - Bismarck, ND @ Bismarck Event Center

Veteran all-girl British hard rockers GIRLSCHOOL have parted ways with bassist Enid Williams.

Tracey Lamb, formerly of ROCK GODDESS and GIRLSCHOOL (1987-1991 and 1993-2000), will help GIRLSCHOOL out on upcoming dates until a permanent replacement is secured.

Says the band: "GIRLSCHOOL would like to wish Enid all the best in all her future ventures.

"Thank you for standing by us all these years and we will see you at all the shows. We're also looking forward to recording new material soon."

A founding member of GIRLSCHOOL, Williams left the band in 1982, at the height of the group's success. She rejoined GIRLSCHOOL in 2000 after the departure of Kelly Johnson and Tracey Lamb, taking back her backing vocalist slot and introducing lyrics about social and political matters.

GIRLSCHOOL's 13th studio album, "Guilty As Sin", was released in November 2015 in North America via UDR Music. The disc was produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY) at the Ecology Room Studios in Kent, England.

In a 2018 interview with YesterdazeNews, Williams spoke about how the music business has changed in the 40 years since GIRLSCHOOL was formed: "Everything changes, and you can't avoid that," she said. "And some things are better and some things aren't. So, for example, certainly 40 years ago, 30 years ago, maybe 20, you had to kind of move to London or New York or L.A. and you had to wait for an A&R guy — and it would be a guy, generally — to sign you up. And, to some extent, people were treated like kids in the '60s and '70s… But if you look at the bands that were coming through before, you'd have loads of bands but only a few would get signed up, and if somebody didn't get signed up after a few years, then maybe they'd go and get steady jobs or whatever, whereas now anybody can play music anywhere in the world. So you do get… For example, you've got a couple of Scandinavian singers breaking through and… it's more egalitarian; it's that DIY attitude going back to punk, to a certain degree, so that's a really great thing…. But some of it's become more corporate as well. Some of the bigger tours, it's much more run like a business. And sometimes one misses the sex, drugs and rock and roll kind of… Not that those things don't exist, but it's not quite the same."

Image courtesy of Decibel Geek

On January 18th, Last Union performed at Florentia Rock Live in Porto D'Ascoli, Marche, Italy. They have posted a full multi-angle live clip of the song "Ghostwriter", taken from their full length debut, Twelve. Previously released footage of "Back In The Shadow" and "Purple Angels" from the same gig is also available.

Last Union recently released a new music video and single for "President Evil". The track is taken from their debut album, Twelve, released on December 21st, 2018 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. Watch the clip below.

The album was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, best known for his work with Arch Enemy, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Angra, and Opeth, to name a few. The album artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard (Avantasia, Rage, Threshold).

The quiet city of Tolentino in the Marche region of Central Italy not only boasts a rich historical background, it is also the place progressive metal band Last Union calls home. Founded by vocalist Elisa Scarpeccio, guitarist Cristiano Tiberi and keyboardist Claudio Feliziani in 2007, the band - originally known as Blazing Ice - embarked on their journey in the pursuit of sharing their thoughts and feelings about life, and ultimately their art, with the world. With the assistance of professional session bassists and drummers, the trio established themselves on the Italian scene with a string of shows that helped them evolve and refine their craft. Over the course of 20 shows, Last Union presented songs that would eventually make the final cut for their debut album.

Strong and positive reactions to their music spurred Scarpeccio and Tiberi on to take the first of many bold steps. The first was to invite drummer Uli Kusch to join the fold, who expressed interest in joining the band as a full member rather than just a touring drummer after hearing the music. A similar scenario played out with Symphony X bassist Mike LePond and Last Union was officially born. The icing on the cake, however, was getting Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie to sing on three tracks.

Tracklisting:

"Most Beautiful Day"
"President Evil" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"Hardest Way"
"Purple Angels"
"The Best Of Magic"
"Taken" (Feat. James LaBrie) - Radio Edit
"18 Euphoria"
"A Place In Heaven" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"Ghostwriter"
"Limousine"
"Back In The Shadow"
"Taken" (Feat. James LaBrie)
"President Evil" (Feat. James LaBrie) - Video Version

"President Evil" video:




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The masked mutants of Creepsylvania, Ghoul, are pleased to undrape their hilarious, animated visual accompaniment to "Shred The Dead". The track comes by way of the band's Dungeon Bastards full-length, released in 2016 via Tankcrimes.

Director Zak Kirwin comments, "When I talked to whoever runs Ghoul's social media, I was itching to animate a Ghoul song. The music and aesthetic are right up my alley. When they came back with the idea of doing 'Shred The Dead', things really kicked off. Skateboarding, zombies, riffs, and grievous injury... what more could you want? After that, I was chained to a desk in a Creepsylvanian 'animation' studio, drawing till my fingernails cracked and bled, subsisting on nothing but corpse juice and old hot fries. I lost two fingers and partial vision in my right eye. Do I regret it? Of course not! Do I wake up screaming every night? Yes, but I always did that; it's just louder now."

Ghoul's Dungeon Bastards is out now on CD and digital formats. Tankcrimes recently repressed the LP edition (now available limited-edition splatter or blue vinyl) which includes a gatefold jacket that opens into the Dungeon Bastards board game. Players take turns advancing through a Creepsylvanian map; the first one to get to end of the map and jump the Wall Of Death wins. CD orders are available here, with vinyl at this location.

 




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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based technical/progressive death metal project Equipoise recently announced the upcoming release of their debut full-length, Demiurgus. The album is set for release on March 8th through The Artisan Era. It is the follow up to the group's 2016 heavily praised EP, Birthing Homunculi, whose material makes its way onto Demiurgus in a re-worked fashion far beyond their initial form. New lyric video, "Alchemic Web Of Deceit", is streaming below.

Equipoise features an amalgamation of well-respected musicians within the technical death metal community from Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, Denver, and Quebec. The band's members play in established well-known acts including Beyond Creation, First Fragment, ex-The Faceless, Inferi, Wormhole, NYN, and more.

Having banded together as a multi-national collective of renowned death metal musicians, Equipoise then undertook the task of furthering their initial vision on 2016's Birthing Homunculi into the standout new heights reached throughout their upcoming full-length, Demiurgus. The end product, while exploding with endless guitar solos and incredibly complex songwriting throughout, remains the same as when the project began, to offer a death metal experience that's both fun to listen to and memorable. Bandleader Nick Padovani comments on Equipoise as "Playing a melodic brand of technical/progressive death metal, we like to make frequent use of orchestral elements and flamenco guitar, as we feel good music shouldn’t be pigeonholed by any one sound."

Tracklisting:

“Illborn Augury”
“Sovereign Sacrifices”
“Alchemic Web Of Deceit”
“A Suit Of My Flesh”
“Shrouded”
“Sigil Insidious”
“Reincarnated”
“Dualis Flamel”
“Eve Of The Promised Day”
“Waking Divinity”
“Ecliptic”
“Squall Of Souls”
“Cast Into Exile”
“Ouroboric”

"Alchemic Web Of Deceit" lyric video:

“Waking Divinity” lyric video:

Equipoise - Demiurgus Lineup: 
Stevie Boiser (Inferi, Tethys, Ashen Horde, Ex-Vale of Pnath) - Vocals/Lyrics
Phil Tougas (First Fragment, Chthe'ilist, Zealotry, Serocs) - Guitar, Nylon Guitar
Nick Padovani - Guitar, Nylon Guitar
Sanjay Kumar (Wormhole, Perihelion) - Guitar
Hugo Doyon-Karout (Beyond Creation, Brought by Pain) - Fretless Bass
Jimmy Pitts (Eternity's End, NYN, The Fractured Dimension) - Piano
Chason Westmoreland (Ex-The Faceless, Ex-Hate Eternal) - Drums




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Legendary drummer Carmine Appice has re-released his Guitar Zeus project, a compilation album featuring a who’s who list of the best and world-renowned guitarists on the planet backed by his core band featuring Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder) on bass, Kelly Keeling (T.S.O., M.S.G) on vocals / keys / rhythm guitar, and Appice on drums.

Originally released as two separate albums in 1995 & 1997, this new re-mastered album (by Stephen DeAcutis - Vanilla Fudge, Corey Glover, Overkill, Cyndi Lauper) combines both releases as one complete version for the first time ever, and feature five brand new songs with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Pat Travers, John Norum, and top Japanese guitarists RaiZi and Char. Select songs are also be available on a special limited-edition vinyl and CD. Order here.

A lyric video for the album opener “Mothers Space” can be seen below. Carmine loved working with current Sons Of Apollo/ former Guns N’ Roses’ guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal. Carmine praises Bumblefoot for his mastery of the fretless guitar, and how easy he is to work with, “He is one of the nicest people I know. Talented singer player writer. Love to create good music. Always helpful to others, and he gets the job done quick. And does it great."

Bumblefoot has mutual respect: “Carmine and Tony (Franklin, bassist) are such a killer team. They take the song from trippy vibes to solid, heavy grooves. Love playing this song!”

The video features visual affects such as distortion and cuts between a recording studio and our polluted planet. It asks the question, “What are we doing to our planet? What does it take to communicate with what’s we’re doing to our planet?”

In addition to smoke stacks and trash in our water, the video includes lyrics to make sure the message comes through. “We’re counting on you, Don’t look away,” and “Are we too late?”

Carmine Appice’s Guitar Zeus showcases the complete and prolific talents of many world-renown rock guitarists including Brian May, Slash, Neil Schon, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Kulick, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Paul Gilbert, Mick Mars, Richie Sambora, Zakk Wylde, Bob Daisley, Dweezil Zappa, Vivian Campbell, Leslie West, Warren DeMartini, Steve Morse, Ty Tabor (Kings X), Ted Nugent, Dug Pinnick, John Norum and others.

“The Guitar Zeus project, for me, was an amazing experience that has never been done before by a drummer ,especially with so much talent on one album! You get your money’s worth! Writing all the songs with my band (Tony & Kelly) and then picking out songs for each guitarist was a fun and time-consuming process, especially coordinating everybody’s schedules and recording sessions.

"From the opening note, one can tell this is going to be something special. I consider these drum tracks to be some of the best performances in my career, topped off with working with so many great guitarists and singers.  The combination of players and song selection is something special with some of the tunes is out of the ordinary and ahead of their time!” - Carmine Appice

“As soon as I heard the track, I thought it had a very haunting quality, evoking the ‘60s, but with a very modern slant. I also found the backing track very powerful and appealing, driven by Carmine’s very recognizable style; so I was keen to play on the track straight away” - Brian May

Tracklisting:

“Mothers Space” (feat. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal) + **
“Gonna Rain” (feat. Richie Sambora) + **
“4 Miles High” (feat. Steve Morse) +
“Nobody Knew” (feat. Brian May) + **
“Where You Belong (feat. Slash) +
“Out of Mind” (feat. Neal Schon) + **
“This Time Around (feat. Yngwie Malmsteen & Dug Pinnick) + **
“Nothing” (feat. John Norum) +
“Doin’ Fine” (feat Vivian Campbell) +
“Under the Moon and Sun” (feat. Mick Mars / Edgar Winter) + **
“Code 19” (feat. Zakk Wylde) + **
“Days Are Nights” (feat. Ted Nugent) + **
“Do Ya think I'm Sexy” (Sung by Carmine, feat. Pat Travers)
“Angels” (feat. Char)
“Guitar Zeus, Pt. 1” (feat Jennifer Batten)
“Safe” (feat. Neal Schon)
“Dead Wrong” (feat. Dweezil Zappa)
“Trippin’ Again” (feat. Ty Tabor)
“Even Up the Score” (feat. Ted Nugent)
“Dislocated” (feat. Paul Gilbert)
“Stash” (feat. Stevie Salas / John McEnroe)
“Perfect Day” (feat. Warren DeMartini)
“Killing Time” (feat. Ty Tabor)
“So Long” (feat. Doug Aldrich)
“My Own Advice” (feat  Kenji Kitajima)
“Time to Set Alarms” (feat Elliot Easton / Bob Daisley)
“GZ Blues” (feat. Seymour Duncan / Steven Seagal)
“Guitar Zeus, Pt. 2” (feat. Leslie West / Jennifer Batten)
“Where you Belong” (feat Paul Gilbert)
“Cruzin” (feat. Denny Laine)
“Couldn’t Be Better” (Feat. RaiZi)
“Score” (Feat. Ted Nugent)
“Snake” (feat. Bruce Kulick)

+ CD Release
** Vinyl Release




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February 8th sees Downfall Of Gaia release their new album, Ethic Of Radical Finitude. The song "Of Withering Violet Leaves" is available for streaming below.

The band comments: "Today we're excited to present the third single of our upcoming album Ethic Of Radical Finitude! 'Of Withering Violet Leaves' gives another insight into our new record, showing another side of what to expect. We are extremely looking forward to share our new album with you guys very soon! Thanks for listening!"

Ethic Of Radical Finitude is the international quartet's most melodic, most structured and most dynamic release to-date, once more building upon the epic and unique sludgy, crusty, exploratory metallic sound that has organically evolved with every release. "It combines elements from our earlier releases with the path we took on Atrophy (2016)," states guitarist/vocalist Dominik Goncalves dos Reis. "There are long atmospheric parts with enough time to breathe, enough time to unfold, and on the other side there are harsh and melodic blastbeats. Each song is some kind of journey, with emotional ups and downs."

Find pre-orders at MetalBlade.com.

Tracking for the album was handled at Hidden Planet Studio, Berlin by Jan Oberg, and Backroom Studios in New Jersey by Kevin Antreassian of Dillinger Escape Plan, and proved an entirely drama-free process, with everyone on the same page. A handful of guests also contributed their time, including some faces familiar to longtime followers of the band - rejoined by guitarist Peter Wolff, one of the founding members of Downfall Of Gaia, on "Seduced By..." and the drones on the songs "The Grotesque Illusion Of Being" and "We Pursue The Serpent Of Time" come courtesy of their former drummer Johannes Stoltenburg, aka Hidehidehide. "Working together and creating something new with former bandmates is a very special thing. Even if our ways had to split at some point, it's a true pleasure to get together again, with everyone bringing in their own new influences," Goncalves dos Reis enthuses. Furthermore, they collaborated with Nikita Kamprad from Der Weg Einer Freiheit, who added vocals to "We Pursue The Serpent Of Time", and spoken words for the song "Guided Through A Starless Night" were supplied by their friend Mers Sumida of Black Table.

Unlike its predecessors, Ethic Of Radical Finitude is not a concept album per se, but there is a core theme that unites the songs: discontented minds and the never-ending pursuit for more. "I guess everyone in life is trying to find this special 'warm' and safe place, their special place. To feel 'home', to feel 'safe', to feel satisfied. But maybe at some point you need to accept that it may never come, that you will never 'arrive'," Goncalves dos Reis asserts.

When the band hits the road next year, fans can expect to hear most of the tracks, marking the beginning of an exciting new phase in the life of Downfall Of Gaia. "Everyone was absolutely focused on this record, and I think this is something you can really hear in every song. All of us are more than satisfied with the result, and we're extremely looking forward to playing these songs live, and sharing it with the audience."

Album formats:

- Hardcover Digipak-CD
- 180 g black vinyl
- Dead gold marbled vinyl (ltd. 300 - EU-exclusive)
- Grey marbled vinyl (ltd. 200 - EU-exclusive)
- Pic-LP (ltd. 200 - EU-exclusive)
- White/Black split vinyl (ltd. 100 - Evil Greed exclusive)
- Red/black marbled vinyl (ltd. 200 - US-exclusive)
- Clear vinyl (ltd. 100 - US-exclusive)

Tracklisting:

“Seduced By…”
“The Grotesque Illusion Of Being”
“We Pursue The Serpent Of Time”
“Guided Through A Starless Night”
“As Our Bones Break To The Dance”
“Of Withering Violet Leaves”

"We Pursue The Serpent Of Time" video:

“As Our Bones Break To The Dance”:

(Photo by: Florian Fassbinder)




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Swedish/German heavy rockers, Lucifer, performed at the Crossroads Festival in Bonn, Germany on October 10th, 2018. WDR Rockpalast has posted footage of the band's full set. Watch below.

Setlist:

"Faux Pharoh"
"Abracadabra"
"Eyes In The Sky"
"Phoenix"
"Dancing With Mr. D"
"Aton"
"Purple Pyramid"
"Morning Star"
"Take Me Away (Together As One)"
"Reaper On Your Heels"
"Anubis"
"California Son"




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Inter-dimensional space metallers, Gloryhammer, are about to return from another epic quest, and they come bearing their new album, Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex, due this spring via Napalm Records. Today we receive the cover of the third chapter of the mighty Gloryhammer saga.

The galaxy waits in fear for the return of Angus McFife XIII, who fought the greatest battle the galaxy has ever heard of, against the evil sorcerer Zargothrax. All hope of the Kingdom of Fife lies in the strong arms and the infinite wisdom of their young prince.

In late spring, Gloryhammer's new album will tell us the whole story of the most gigantic battle of all time. Until then, we expect to receive more parts of what will end as the best power metal album the galaxy has ever seen. Keep your eyes and ears open.

Zargothrax on the new album: “Oh wow! I know a lot of people have been waiting on this album for what seems like centuries. For the last three years we've been working non-stop on it in absolute secrecy, and now it is finally complete! We can't wait for y'all to hear it... this is the greatest power metal album of all time. HOOTS!"




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MetallicaTV has uploaded footage of Metallica performing the Hardwired... To Self-Destruct album opener, "Hardwired", at Verizon Arena in Little Rock, AR on January 20th. Watch below:

Previously posted footage of Metallica performing "Moth Into Flame" during the same show can be seen below:

Metallica's complete tour schedule, which stretches into August, can be found at this location.

Metallica frontman James Hetfield tops off the coveted ensemble cast of the upcoming thriller, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile (Voltage Pictures). The film follows the relationship between notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron, and his longtime girlfriend, played by Lily Collins, who at the time, had no knowledge of the crimes. The movie had it's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival  on Saturday, January 26th. An official teaser video can be found below.

Hetfield portrays Officer Bob Hayward, a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran who was the first law enforcement officer to arrest Bundy in 1975 after pulling the killer over and discovering burglary tools in his car but wisely suspecting much worse. While James has played himself in other films and television productions, this will be his first dramatic role taking on a different character.

Academy-award nominee Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost) directs. Hetfield and Berlinger have crossed paths before when the latter directed and produced the seminal rock-doc Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster along with the late Bruce Sinofsky. Berlinger also penned a book about his experiences with the band, Metallica: This Monster Lives.

"Having spent hundreds of hours behind the scenes with James and the rest of Metallica, I have experienced his charisma and powerful presence close up," says director Joe Berlinger. "It seemed only natural that he would bring that same power and magnetism to a dramatic role, so when he agreed to my pitch that he be in the movie, I was thrilled."

Movie synopsis:

“1969. Ted (Zac Efron) is crazy-handsome, smart, charismatic, affectionate. And cautious single mother Liz Kloepfer (Lily Collins) ultimately cannot resist his charms. For her, Ted is a match made in heaven, and she soon falls head over heels in love with the dashing young man.

“A picture of domestic bliss, the happy couple seems to have it all figured out … until, out of nowhere, their perfect life is shattered. Ted is arrested and charged with a series of increasingly grisly murders. Concern soon turns to paranoia—and, as evidence piles up, Liz is forced to consider that the man with whom she shares her life could actually be a psychopath.

“This is the story of Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. Collins shines as Liz, while Zac Efron gives a performance that could redefine his career. Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger, best known for his true-crime documentaries, proves to be the perfect match to bring this Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Viletrue story to the screen.”




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Classical guitar virtuoso Thomas Zwijsen has released this new video, in which he performs a classical/flamenco arrangement of "Twisted Mind" by Tobias Sammet's Avantasia. The track is featured on Zwijsen's Nylon Metal album, available here.

Zwijsen  has joined forces with former Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley for a new classical acoustic album, entitled December Wind. A video for the title track can be found below, and 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)

"December Wind" video:




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Modern classic rock outfit, N’Tribe, have announced the release of their Root 'N' Branch EP, on April 19th via NorthPoint Productions.

N'Tribe (yes, short for the Nordic Tribe) is a living and kicking example of that: this new band was founded in 2018 by three highly esteemed professionals - André Andersen, Jonas Larsen, Henrik Brockmann - initially bonded through their original band Royal Hunt; all participated in numerous bands/projects, all received various accolades from the industry, sold tons of albums and toured the world countless times.

Message from the band: "We're very proud to be able to announce April 19th as the release date for our first EP, Root 'N' Branch. Hope you'll enjoy our take on “contemporary classic rock”, because if you will - we have a plethora of songs, just waiting for the chance to pound on your eardrums."

Tracklisting:

"Staring Down The Barrel"
"Down On My Knees"
"What Goes Around Comes Around"
"Paint It Black"

Soundbites are available at ntribe.dk.




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Frontiers Music Srl recently signed Sascha Paeth's Masters Of Ceremony, a new project masterminded by none other than one of the most talented writers, musicians, and producers of the German heavy metal scene, Sascha Paeth.

Sascha has put together this video to let you know more about the band and the upcoming album:

To label Sascha Paeth a multi-talented producer, engineer, musician, and songwriter might not quite cover his full set of skills and achievements. The Wolfsburg-born German multi-musician has produced countless bands including Avantasia, Kamelot, Rhapsody, Epica, and more. Having worked on, produced, and engineered over 200 albums since 1988, it’s fair to say he has a reputation for being at the forefront of shaping the European melodic power metal sound. Now, Paeth is taking the next step in his artistic journey by releasing his new project, Sascha Paeth’s Masters Of Ceremony.

Sascha says, “Finally, I am putting my energy into a metal project of my own. It is the sum of my experiences over the years and a bit of a revival of what I was doing in the past.”

As a 15 year old teenager, you might have found Paeth playing a more bluesy style, or Van Halen-meets-Accept style hard rock, but it wasn’t long before Paeth joined Heaven’s Gate, where the music was harder and heavier. The experience was where he learned to enjoy inspiration from adapting, from new styles, and from new collaborations. It was the start of a long journey through the music business, a journey that is far from over!

“It took a few years of nice, and ambitious, talks about a possible collaboration with Frontiers,” says Sascha. “It’s my very first metal solo album and I am looking forward to sharing the progress on the production and revealing the band members over the next weeks and months."




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Germany-based neo-classical power metallers Eternity’s End featuring members of Necrophagist, Symphony X, Obscura, Hibria, First Fragment and Alkaloid are gearing up to release their new album, Unyielding. They have signed with Ram It Down Records.

Unyielding will be the follow up to the internationally acclaimed 2016 debut, The Fire Within. This album features several line-up changes for the band, most notably Brazilian vocalist Iuri Sanson (ex-Hibria) and the addition of second guitarist and songwriter Phil Tougas (First Fragment), as well as bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X). Still on board are original guitarist Christian Muenzner, keyboardist Jimmy Pitts and drummer Hannes Grossmann. The album will feature 10 songs of technical, speedy and catchy power metal with a strong emphasis on intense riffing, huge choruses, over the top solo duels and harmony leads and the neoclassicisms found on the debut album.

The album is set to be mixed and mastered in September 2018 at Powerhouse Studios in Hamburg by Piet Sielck (Iron Savior). 

Band founder Christian Muenzner comments: “I’m extremely happy about the new line up and how the new material turned out. As opposed to the debut album, I’m not the sole composer of the new material anymore, but wrote this album together with our new guitarist Phil Tougas. The songs for Eternity’s End have always been written for a two guitarist situation, so the addition of a second guitarist was the next logical step for this band. Phil and me share many of the same influences, besides our shared background in extreme metal we are both influenced by neoclassical guitar players like Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, Bruce Bouillet, Joey Tafolla, Jason Becker, Tony Fredianelli, Michael Romeo and James Byrd among many others. We also share the love for '80s US power metal and mid to late '90s German power/speed metal, which will all be evident in the new material.

The writing process for the new album felt very natural, in many occasions one of us had the basis for a song and the other guy would come up with the exact riff or section that was the missing link to complete the piece. Our first collaboration had been on the debut album, Dasein, of Phil’s neo-classical tech death band First Fragment, on which I guested on one of the songs, and we did intense solo trade offs and harmony leads. This worked so well that many people went 'You guys have to do more of this', so here we are. There will be many harmonized solos in the vein of Racer X and Cacophony on this album, as well as triple harmonies and three part solo trade offs with our keyboard player Jimmy Pitts, so all the guitar nerds and shred freaks should watch out for this release.

Phil and me have been fans of Iuri Sanson’s vocals since we first heard the Hibria debut album Defying The Rules many years ago, to us he is the best metal vocalist currently around. The new material is a lot more aggressive, technical and in your face than the songs of our debut album, and Iuri’s voice fits the new material just perfectly.

The contact to bassist Mike LePond from Symphony X came through our keyboard player Jimmy Pitts. We are all big fans of Symphony X and Mike plays the exact style we were looking for on the new songs, going over the top and matching the shredding skills of the guitars where needed in places and providing a solid, locked in heavy metal groove with the drums in others.

The drums will be provided once more by my long time partner in crime Hannes Grossmann with whom I have been making music since more than 15 years now. I can’t think of a more perfect match for my songs.

We faced a little bit of bad luck with the situation with our old label Power Prog for The Fire Within, but we hope to get some better promotion and distribution the second time around.”

Guitarist Phil Tougas comments: "Becoming a part of this band and helping write the album has been a surreal experience. Not just because the members all played in bands I've been worshiping for many years, but I'd say it's also mainly because of how it all came together. The moment Christian asked me to join, we simply churned out riffs non-stop, day and night, as if our lives depended on it. It was so productive that we already have song ideas for another album. Our writing styles mashed together instantly, and being given the chance to contribute full songs to the band was very fulfilling. Sure, we do share the same influences and taste and all that, but it's this drive that we all have in common as well as this unquenchable thirst to write truly empowering and epic hymns that made us into the cohesive unit that we are now. I don't see Eternity's End as a side project. There is too much passion in these riffs for this band to just be something like that. I look forward to releasing this album and playing this material live."




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German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN have posted a slideshow of photos from what appears to be a video shoot for their long-awaited new album. Among the Instagram pictures is one featuring two actresses dressed as nuns, and a shot of a clapperboard in front of singer Till Lindemann's face with the title "Black Dog, Big Fish" and director Jonas Åkerlund's name on it.

Longtime RAMMSTEIN collaborator Åkerlund is the original drummer of BATHORY, one of the first black metal bands, who made his mark directing music videos for artists from Madonna and THE ROLLING STONES to MAROON 5 and Beyoncé. These have won the Swedish director a host of awards, including several Grammys, an MTV VMA, MVPA Hall Of Fame award and more. Åkerlund has also directed a number of feature films, including cult favorite "Spun" starring Jason Schwartzman, Mickey Rourke, Brittany Murphy and John Leguizamo. He also helmed the upcoming film "Lords Of Chaos", based on true events in the Norwegian black metal music scene in the early 1990s, which will open in theaters February 8 and on demand on February 22.

RAMMSTEIN's first studio album since 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" is tentatively due this spring. The effort was mixed at a Santa Monica, California studio with Rich Costey, an American producer who has previously worked with MUSE, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and FRANZ FERDINAND, among others.

RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Kruspe told Metal Wani about the making of the band's new album: "Well, when I thought to do another RAMMSTEIN record, I was like, 'No, I'm going to do that. I'm not going through more suffering,'" he said. "That was four years ago. But what we did in the beginning is we said 'Let's get together and try to come up with three or four songs.' We didn't really put any pressure on us, which was very important at this time. While we were starting to rehearse and stuff and getting ideas, I thought, 'Wow, it's actually very good. Things have changed.' All of a sudden, there's a certain kind of respect that I always missed a little bit. We just had good chemistry, which reminded me of the first time when we started. Then I felt, like, 'What would interest me on a new RAMMSTEIN record?' I thought, 'Every time people talk RAMMSTEIN, it's about fire. It's all about the show.' Nobody talks about the music anymore for RAMMSTEIN, and it kind of bothered me. I was thinking, 'I want to do another record. It has to be musical in a way that can really stand out from other records.' That was my goal, or our goal."

As for the disc's musical direction and how it compares to the band's previous efforts, Kruspe said: "It's so hard to say it, because I'm working four years on the record, I'm so close. I think when I listen to the record — we're still in the process, but it's almost 'RAMMSTEIN 3D' is how I describe it. We have written a lot of stuff, but we recorded, I think, 16 songs right now. We're probably going to mix 11 songs because we're running out of time right now. I think it's going to be out in April, which will be the release date. Then, we'll be on our first stadium tour, which is very exciting."

RAMMSTEIN recently announced a batch of summer 2019 European tour dates. The run of stadium and arena shows will kick off on May 27 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany and end of August 23 in Vienna, Austria.

View this post on Instagram ... no fire, but nuns! A post shared by Rammstein (@rammsteinofficial) on Jan 30, 2019 at 6:30am PST

A previously unreleased recording of WHITESNAKE performing the song "Ready An' Willing (Sweet Satisfaction)" live in Glasgow, Scotland in 1984 can be streamed below. The track is featured on the upcoming 35th-anniversary edition of the band's 1984 album, "Slide It In".

WHITESNAKE scored its first platinum-selling album with "Slide It In", a release that has sold more than four million copies worldwide thanks to hard-rocking songs like "Love Ain't No Stranger", "Slow An' Easy" and the title track. The classic album turns 35 this year and Rhino is celebrating with several new versions, including an enormous seven-disc box set.

"Slide It In: The Ultimate Special Edition" will be available on March 22. The 6CD/DVD collection includes newly remastered versions of both the U.K. and U.S. mixes of the album, plus unreleased live and studio recordings, music videos, concert footage, and a new interview with WHITESNAKE founder and lead singer, David Coverdale. The music comes with a 60-page hardbound book that's filled with rare photos and memorabilia from the era.

Three other versions of "Slide It In" will also be available the same day. A double-CD "Deluxe Edition" includes the newly remastered U.K. and U.S. mixes expanded with a selection of bonus tracks. The double-LP "Deluxe Edition" features the newly remastered U.K. and U.S. mixes. And finally, a single-disc version includes the newly remastered U.S. mix. The music will be available digitally as well.

After releasing "Saints & Sinners" in 1982, WHITESNAKE reconvened the following year in Germany to begin recording songs for what would become the band's sixth studio album, "Slide It In". At the time, band members included Coverdale, guitarists Micky Moody and Mel Galley, bassist Colin Hodgkinson and keyboardist Jon Lord. The album was initially released in 1984 in the U.K., where it climbed into the Top 10.

Soon after, the band's lineup changed. Lord left to rejoin DEEP PURPLE and Moody and Hodgkinson were replaced by guitarist John Sykes and Neil Murray, who was WHITESNAKE's original bassist. Prior to its U.S. release in 1985, "Slide It In" was remixed while newly recorded parts by Sykes, Murray and keyboardist Bill Cuomo were added, resulting in two distinct versions of the album, both of which are included in this set.

"Slide It In: The Ultimate Special Edition" features unreleased versions of every album track, including 35th-anniversary remixes made this year, as well as monitor mixes recorded in 1983. The set boasts more than a dozen unreleased live recordings from 1984 that feature an entire concert from Glasgow, Scotland, plus several songs from Lord's final show with WHITESNAKE in Sweden. The collection's final disc unearths 30 tracks that cover original demos and early mixes for album tracks, as well as unfinished song ideas.

Coverdale says: "'Slide It In' was always meant to be a structured, more electric modern take on the classic blues-based hard rock that WHITESNAKE were famous for — but our new hook city hooligan, mixer extraordinaire Christopher Collier, has hand-tooled this classic record for the 21st century.

"Hearing all the performances so fresh and so clear after 35 years was amazing. Mel, Cozy and Jon's playing on the record is as vital now as it was all those years ago. All the featured players shine.

"Not only did Christopher get the best out of the recording, but he gives the album a fresh coat of sonic paint bringing it right up to date. I'm personally thrilled with it."

The complete track listing can be found at Whitesnake.com.