North Carolina riff-rockers ASG re-emerge with their sixth-full length and first new album in five years, Survive Sunrise. Watch a video for the track “Execution Thirst” below.

Survive Sunrise is due out June 15th on CD/2xLP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available via Relapse.com here and Digital Downloads / Streaming Services at this location.

Recorded, mixed and mastered with longtime producer Matt Hyde (Deftones, Slayer, Monster Magnet), Survive Sunrise further expands upon ASG’s trademark blend of heavy, southern-fried, alt-rock fury and infectious, hook-centric accessibility. With unabashedly hooky vocals, evocative lyrics and well-honed musical chops, ASG create soaring, melodic rock anthems with a sunny, colorful vibe that are reminiscent of the album’s electrifying cover art, designed by Malleus (Queens Of The Stone Age, Foo Fighters, The Melvins). Survive Sunrise is the perfect summertime hard rock album, one that rocks with wild abandon and will burrow into your head for years to come.

Album art by Malleus.

Survive Sunrise Tracklist:

"Survive Sunrise"
"Execution Thirst"
"Up From My Dreams"
"Lightning Song"
"Hawks On The Run"
"The Heaven Moon"
"Kubrick Colors"
"God Knows We"
"Heavy Scars"
"Weekend Money"
"Lamb Song"
"Florida Sleep On"
"Tongues Tied" (Digital Bonus Track)

"Execution Thirst" video:

"Survive Sunrise":

ASG dates (with Lo Pan & Beitthemeans)"

June
15 - Wilmington, NC - Reggies (ASG only)
19 - Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor
20 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
21 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
22 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo
23 - Kent, OH - Outpost Bar
24 - Chicago, IL - Reggies Rock Club
26 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
27 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
28 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
29 - Chesapeake, VA - Riffhouse
30 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight

July
1 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 (ASG only)

(Photo - Wynne Harrington)

U.S. power metal act Artizan has extended their contract with Pure Steel Records. Their new album will be released sometime this year. More news will be revealed soon. As part of the deal, Pure Steel will rerelease their debut, Curse Of The Artizan on CD and vinyl.

Vocalist Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer, Satan’s Host, Titan Force) and bassist Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint) have been confirmed to guest on the new album.

The band states, “It's a pleasure to extend our contract with Andreas and the family at Pure Steel. They believed in us from the beginning, and we know great things will happen with the new album!"

Pure Steel comments, “We are very glad about the further cooperation with the awesome Artizan. The band is well-known for excellent songs, excellent solo artists and more as excellent sound. The new album is again a perfect symbiosis between the classic US metal, NWOBHM influences and of course some progressive roots. Welcome back!”

Studio Diary #1:

Studio Diary #2:

Studio Diary #3:

Studio Diary #4:

Studio Diary #5:

Founded by drummer Ty Tammeus in 2008, Artizan crafts powerful, traditional metal. Dynamic arrangements, dominant rhythms and soaring melodies are key ingredients to the Artizan formula. The band has released three critically acclaimed albums via German record label Pure Steel Records, all produced by legendary producer Jim Morris (Iced Earth, Death, Jag Panzer, Crimson Glory): Curse Of The Artizan (2011), Ancestral Energy (2013) with guest vocalist Matt Barlow (Iced Earth), The Furthest Reaches (2015) - an epic sci-fi rock opera featuring guest vocalists Sabrina Cruz (Seven Kingdoms) and Matt Barlow (Iced Earth). Artizan was honored to be direct support for Fates Warning on their 2013 tour and recently performed at the legendary Keep It True festival in Germany.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl admitted in a new interview with GQ that he still finds it difficult to listen to the music of NIRVANA, the band that gave him his first commercial success but ended with the suicide of singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain in April 1994. Grohl explained: "When Kurt died, every time the radio came on, it broke my heart. I don't put NIRVANA records on, no. Although they are always on somewhere. I get in the car, they're on. I go into a shop, they're on."

Grohl added that his memories of making the NIRVANA albums he played on are as vivid as ever, saying: "I remember everything about those records; I remember the shorts I was wearing when we recorded them or that it snowed that day."

Although he has achieved vast success on his own terms with FOO FIGHTERS, Grohl remarked that he could not have done it without the experiences he went through in NIRVANA. He said: "I was 21... I thought I knew everything. And being in NIRVANA showed me how little I really knew. They were some of the greatest highs of my life, but also, of course, one of the biggest lows. Those experiences became a footing or a foundation on how to survive."

Grohl launched FOO FIGHTERS in late 1995, a year and a half after Cobain's death, and has recorded nine albums with the group.

FOO FIGHTERS will resume their current North American tour in support of the band's 2017 LP, "Concrete And Gold", on July 6 in Columbia, Maryland.

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

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

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

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

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

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

TAD MOROSE is:

Ronny Hemlin - Lead Vocals

Christer Krunt Andersson - Guitar

Kenneth Jonsson - Guitar

Johan Löfgren - Bass

Peter Morén - Drums

The third trailer for "For The Cause", the upcoming album from New York hardcore veterans MADBALL, can be seen below. Due on June 15 via Nuclear Blast, the follow-up to 2014's "Hardcore Lives" was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (RANCID), who is also featured on one song on the album. It was mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, SICK OF IT ALL) at Antfarm Studios in Denmark. Former MADBALL guitarist Matt Henderson laid down the guitar tracks in the studio, but will not join the group on tour.

MADBALL recently revealed that legendary rapper, actor and frontman Ice-T (BODY COUNT) guests on one track on "For The Cause".

Commented Ice-T: "It's an honor to record with the legendary MADBALL. BODY COUNT draws its closest similarities to New York hardcore. This is a natural."

Added singer Freddy Cricien: "It's truly an honor to have Ice-T on our record! I grew up on his music from his early hip-hop stuff till now. He's an iconic figure but also a 'class act'; you don't always get both at once. Ice has a great respect for New York hardcore and MADBALL, means the world. This was meant to happen.... real recognizes real."

Last October, MADBALL parted ways with longtime guitarist Brian "Mitts" Daniels. The New York outfit called the split "a very hard and heartbreaking decision for all involved."

"For The Cause" track listing:

01. Smile Now Pay Later

02. Rev Up (feat. Sick Jacken)

03. Freight Train

04. Tempest

05. Old Fashioned

06. Evil Ways (feat. Ice-T)

07. Lone Wolf

08. Damaged Goods

09. The Fog (feat. Tim Timebomb & Steve Whale)

10. Es Tu Vida

11. For You

12. For The Cause

13. Confessions (bonus track; CD and LP only)

The original version of the "For The Cause" title track was released last September via the "Family Biz" split seven-inch single, which saw the Cricien-fronted outfit joining forces with Pennsylvania's blue-collar-core heroes WISDOM IN CHAINS.

Behing-the-scenes footage from the making of "Love Will Kill All", the new album from reunited California metallers BLEEDING THROUGH, can be seen below. The disc will be released on May 25 via SharpTone Records.

"Love Will Kill All" track listing:

01. Darkness, A Feeling I Know

02. Fade Into The Ash

03. End Us

04. Cold World

05. Dead Eyes

06. Buried

07. No Friends

08. Set Me Free

09. No One From Nowhere

10. Remains

11. Slave

12. Life

Commented BLEEDING THROUGH vocalist Brandan Schieppati: "After five years away, we realized the heartbeat of BLEEDING THROUGH is still beating.

"We feel one of the best things that we could have done was to step away and concentrate on other aspects of our lives and let the dust settle on BLEEDING THROUGH, as people knew us.

"Our motivation to write the record was purely because of our passion for our music — the creative blood that runs through our veins, which hasn‘t changed since 1999.

"I feel that our creativity and passion is being put on display in this new record, 'Love Will Kill All'. We feel music is the ultimate expression and whether people want it or not we felt the need to express ourselves again. The beauty is that no one can stop it from happening.

"For so many years, I felt that BLEEDING THROUGH was a band that was held back because of other people interests in the band, whether it was business or personal. I just felt trapped by the business of the industry and outside perception.

"BLEEDING THROUGH is all about the music and the people who enjoy it. That was lost for a while and now it's found. "

With nearing an hour's worth of new music on "Love Will Kill All", the band emerges from its slumber with renewed energy, aggression and musical precision. Effortlessly blending scathing, skin-peeling metallic elements with hard-hitting hardcore and jaw-dropping symphonic elements with a brash take-no-prisoners attitude, BLEEDING THROUGH inflicts pain and awe in equal amounts with every razor-sharp cut their forthcoming effort has to offer. Coupled with a new label, BLEEDING THROUGH has been granted a new lease on life — and the ears of the heavy-music loving masses — as "Love Will Kill All" is a collection of coming-home anthems from heavy music's prodigal sons returned to retake their throne.

BLEEDING THROUGH's last album, "The Great Fire", was released in January 2012 via Rise Records.

AVATAR's video for the song "The King Welcomes You To Avatar Country" can be seen below. The clip was directed by the Swedish band's longtime collaborator Johan Carlén.

"The King Welcomes You To Avatar Country" is taken from AVATAR's latest album, "Avatar Country", which was released on January 12 via Entertainment One in North America and Century Media Records in the rest of the world. The disc was produced by Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER) last summer at Spinroad Recording Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.

AVATAR vocalist Johannes Eckerström told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show about the more positive lyrical approach of "Avatar Country" compared to 2016's "Feathers & Flesh": "In one way, I think it's a very natural thing for any band to do. Once you did A, you want to do B, once you paint something blue, the next painting you want it to be red because you're done with blue for a while. I think that is part of, if not all bands, many band's journey, go forward, whatever you end up doing, you don't want to do what you just did. But in this case, also, because 'Feathers & Flesh', it was a story about failure, fear, loss, death. It was very dark and very sad, really. Sadness was a big part of it and it was a piece of fiction. So, this is a reaction against all that. Instead, we decided to speak the truth and open the borders to Avatar Country; tell people the truth of the nature of our king and since the album is a celebration of our king, it naturally becomes, as you said, about hope, strength, life, really. It's a heavy metal celebration this time around, at least compared to what we done in the past. It has some heavy messages anyway. In the name of the king, let's celebrate."

Asked why every songtitle on "Avatar Country" has the word "king" and whether the word is significant to the overall concept of the album, Johannes said: "I think it speaks for itself: That we are celebrating our mighty king of Avatar Country, who is a glorious king indeed, so glorious that he has seven solos in the first song. There are so many aspects to this king and there are so many different ways of telling his story and so many aspects of him, that you do need a full album. So, that is why yes, you're right, we have 'Glory To Our King', 'Legend Of The King', 'King After King', 'King's Harvest', 'The King Speaks', or my personal favorite title, 'Silent Songs Of The King Part 1 - Winter Comes When The King Dreams Of Snow', because there's so much to him."

Avatar will embark on a stretch of European dates this summer including some notable festivals along the way.

METALLICA's James Hetfield can be seen playing the GHOST song "Cirice" in a new video.

The footage, which can be seen below, was filmed at METALLICA's headquarters in San Rafael, California and shows the guitarist/vocalist playing the opening riff from the track, which originally appeared on GHOST's 2015 album "Meliora".

"Cirice" earned the Swedish-based band the 2016 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance."

Back in 2011, James told Sweden's SVT that he was "in [GHOST's] fan club." He added: "I had no idea what they looked like until I saw the video. I heard the music first and I thought it was very great very unique, very melodic and a breath of fresh air for metal. It reminded me a bit of '70s kind of rock that I liked as well. So yeah, I love the band."

GHOST lead singer and founder Tobias Forge told BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show With Daniel P. Carter" that some of his "first really big shows" were seeing METALLICA." He added: "That also set a standard. So now, being mentored by [them] and being close to them and close to their crew and watching that operation, it's, for me, very, very inspiring, and I'm happy that I have the luxury of seeing that. METALLICA was also one of my brother's favorite bands, so there's definitely moments where — because he passed away, basically, just before GHOST happened — so there's definitely moments there where it's… You have that feeling of, 'Look at this. I'm here watching this. Being asked to… I just played on this stage now. There's James Hetfield playing that song.'"

GHOST's new album, "Prequelle" will be released on June 1 via Loma Vista Recordings.

Phoenix, AZ based death metal band Lago have released a new song called "A Broken Barrier". The track is off their new album Sea Of Duress which comes out on June 8th via Unique Leader. The album features eight monstrous slabs of atmospheric, blackened, old school influenced death metal brilliance and shows the critically acclaimed act further refining their already formidable song writing prowess while maintaining their monolithic, unearthly heaviness.

Bassist Garrett Thomas said of the tracks meaning, “This song is about interpersonal relationships and the potential harm that can be inflicted by outside parties.  It addresses the reactionary process when dealing with a personal bond that has come into conflict; the choice to redeem, dismantle or discard.” and guitarist and vocalist Cole Jacobsen added, “This is probably the most straightforward song on the album.  Our Tampa Bay death metal influence really bleeds out on this track.”

Find preorders at this location.

The eight track effort was recorded by Ryan Butler at Arcane Digital Recording in Chandler, AZ, mixed and mastered by Ken Sorceron (Abigail Williams), and features artwork by Nate Burns. 

Vocalist and guitarist Cole Jacobsen said of the album, "Sea Of Duress is the next step for Lago in terms of how we're writing. Though the Tampa Bay death metal influences can still be heard, we have definitely stepped outside of our box so to speak. We love and appreciate the pioneer death metal acts, however, we have never approached our lyrics the way a lot of the others have. We tend to write about depression, isolation, and the fear of, and necessity of coping with tyranny. We currently live in a country entrenched in turmoil.  I think a lot of that can be felt in this album. We're thrilled to be releasing this album on Unique Leader Records, and cannot wait for a broader audience to hear what we've created."

Tracklisting:

“Day Of Wrath”
“A Broken Barrier”
“Sepulcher”
“Dead Sun”
“Soiled Is The Crown”
“Haze”
“Effigy”
“Providence”

"A Broken Barrier":

"Soiled Is The Crown" video:

Set to unleash their new album Saviours on May 25th, Ottawa thrashers Infrared are streaming the whole album ahead of its release.

Vocalist / guitarist Armin Kamal comments:

"Infrared is extremely excited to release our sophomore album Saviours to the world today. This has been in the works for about 2 years now and is something we are very proud of. Saviours has fulfilled a goal of ours to create some brand new music the way we know how, with an old school ‘80s thrash feel along with a contemporary sound that encompasses our influences beyond the ‘80s. 

“While not explicitly a concept album, the album is heavily themed on the idea of false "Saviours" who claim to do good for others but are really self-serving in their intentions. We like to inspire independent thought and a cautious view of the intentions of those who promote themselves as leaders. This message has been captured with eight brand new songs that highlight the diversity in which this band makes music. While all songs stay true to our roots, they each offer a piece of what Infrared has to offer our fans. From fast and thrashy to melodic and dramatic, Saviours" delivers a punch from start to finish.

Tracklisting:

“Project Karma”
“The Demagogue”
“Saviour”
“The Fallen”
“All In Favour”
“They Kill For Gods”
“Father Of Lies”
“Genocide Convention”

"All In Favour":

Teaser:

(Photo Credit: Gord Weber)

In a posting on Facebook, Flotsam And Jetsam vocalist Eric AK has revealed their new album will be titled The End Of Chaos and is due for release on November 9th via AFM Records.

AK says, “Are you ready for this? I don't think you are. November 9th. You'll have to pull up your big girl pants, and prepare yourself.”

Flotsam And Jetsam recently welcomed Ken Mary (Alice Cooper, Accept) as their permanent drummer. Mary, who began touring with the group last year after Jason Bittner was invited to join Overkill, joins the band on all of their upcoming tour dates. He will also perform on the group's in-progress new album, due to be released via AFM Records later this year.

“It’s always awesome to play with the mighty Flotsam And Jetsam,” Mary says. “The music is super-challenging and at the same time a great deal of fun to play. With such great musicians in the band that are also great guys, it’s going to be a blast!”

"We're excited to announce that Ken will be our new drummer,” adds the band. “Ken has already tracked all the drums for our upcoming album slated for release later this year, and we're all looking forward to the fans experiencing a new chapter in the history of Flotsam And Jetsam.”

A complete list of Flotsam And Jetsam's upcoming tour dates appears below. More information on the group's new album will be revealed in the coming months.

May
23 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero *
24 - New York, NY - Gramercy *
25 - Worcester, MA - Palladium *
26 - Clifton Park, NY - Upstate Concert Hall *
27 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial *
28 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques *
29 - Toronto, ON - Opera House *
30 - Amprior, ON - John St. Pub
31 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater *

June
1 - Cleveland, OH - Agora *
2 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub and Billiards *
3 - Detroit, MI - Harpos *
4 - Joliet, IL - The Forge *
5 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze *
7 - Calgary, AB - Dickens *
8 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room *
9 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre *
10 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon *
11 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater *
12 - Sacramento, CA - Holy Diver
13 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel *
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky A Go Go *
15 - Anaheim, CA - City National Grove *
16 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee *
18 - Dallas, TX - Trees *
19 - San Antonio, TX - Rock Box *
20 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar *
21 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street Collective
22 - Denver, CO - Herman's Hideaway
23 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunshine Studios
24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Liquid Joe's
25 - Las Vegas, NV - Beauty Bar
26 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick

* with HammerFall

March
22 - North Wales, UK - Hammerfest XI

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has released the official music video for the song "Voices", which is featured on the band's 2017 album "Graveyard Shift". Directed by Travis Shinn and Jeremy Danger (A PERFECT CIRCLE, MARILYN MANSON), the clip can be seen below.

Having recently wrapped the North American leg of its headline "Graveyard Shift" tour, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE is set to hit the road again this June for the final cross-country run of Vans Warped Tour. The trek is set to get underway way June 21 in Pomona, California and continue through the top of August. Furthermore, vocalist Chris Motionless will be hosting workshops with The Entertainment Institute at each stop of the tour, discussing with fans the universal hardships of finding your voice and your identity in life.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE recently parted ways with longtime bassist Devin "Ghost" Sola. Filling in for him at the band's current shows is the group's former guitarist, TJ Bell.

Founded in 2005, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has won over audiences worldwide with its aggressive music and arresting imagery. The band has proven a ferocious and inventive live act, earning an increasingly fervent fan following via countless headline shows, festival sets, and tours alongside such iconic acts as SLIPKNOT, KORN and BREAKING BENJAMIN.

One of progressive metal’s most ground-breaking and innovative artists is unquestionably Between The Buried And Me, who after 15 years as a band continues to push themselves to new dimensions with their songwriting. The newest accomplishment, adding to their vast catalog, is the conceptual, two-part, epic album, Automata, which now has Part II officially slated for a July 13th release through their new label Sumerian Records.

Automata II pre-order bundles can be found here.

Tommy Rogers (vocals) states: "Holding our tongues for Automata II was challenging. We worked so hard on these songs and finally we get to release the other half of this material to the world! I think this is some of the best material we’ve ever released. It’s a result of everything we’ve been striving for up to this point. There are plenty of twists/turns and bizarre moments, but there is also a lot of beauty in the music and the story. Automata is now complete and our antagonist found his version of home and peace. We are all in this together."

Dan Briggs (bass) further adds: "Automata II sees us at our most dynamic and most creative. It feels like turning a page into a whole new terrain and us working all these years together to arrive at this point. It's quirky, adventurous, melodic, dark and full of theatrics."

Automata II tracklisting:

"The Proverbial Bellow"
"Glide"
"Voice Of Trespass"
"The Grid"

BTBAM will also headline this year's Summer Slaughter tour. Says the band: "We are very excited to get on the road this summer in support of Automata II. To be part of Summer Slaughter for the second time in our careers is beyond humbling. Their lineups hold a vast history of extremes and interesting music, something we strive to do with our own music. We hope to meet new bands and make new fans, and present the world the next evolution of BTBAM.

Dates:

July
13 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz Raleigh
14 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
15 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
17 - Lynchburg, VA - Phase 2
18 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Ssound Stage
19 - New York City, NY - Irving Plaza
20 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
21 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts
24 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
26 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
30 - Columbus, OH - Express Live

August
2 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
3 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
5 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
9 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
10 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theater
11 - Los Angeles, CA - The Novo
12 - Anaheim, CA - Grove of Anaheim
14 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
17 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live!
18 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
19 - Austin, TX - Empire Garage

Nozomu Wakai’s Destinia have released a video for "Take Me Home", featured on the new album Metal Souls, out now in Japan and due elsewhere in July. Watch the video below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

"Take Me Home" video:

"Metal Souls" video:

Pre-order Metal Souls here.

Lineup:

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

On June 1st, Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/UMe fires the first salvo in Def Leppard’s projected four-volume career-spanning box set series, when the appropriately dubbed Volume One appears in multidisc LP and CD collections. The band have released a new lyric video for the hit "Hysteria". Check it out below:

This first volume of the band’s complete recorded output comes in both limited-edition 180-gram heavyweight vinyl and CD box sets, each featuring Def Leppard’s first four studio albums - along with some choice bonus live and studio material - all spread across 8LPs and 7CDs, respectively.

The Volume One collection includes bonus material including Live At The LA Forum 1983, originally released as a bonus disc in the deluxe CD version of Pyromania, making this the first-ever vinyl offering of the complete show. This 2LP version comes with a new sleeve and inner bags.

Rarities Volume 1 has been specially compiled by Joe Elliott, containing rare B-sides and recordings from Def Leppard’s early years, all in a newly commissioned sleeve. Finally, rounding out this collection is the 7-inch vinyl single and 3-inch CD of Def Leppard’s original, self-titled EP.

The fiery Volume One collection contains all of Def Leppard’s iconic 1980s recordings with reproductions of the original packaging in both formats, plus the added bonus of a replica 7-inch single and 3-inch CD of the band’s original independent EP, the self-titled The Def Leppard E.P.

Each album in the box set was mastered by longtime band producer/soundmaster Ronan McHugh and cut by Greg Moore.

Housed in rigid boxes, the Volume One collection also contains a hardback book with rare photos by longstanding band confidant Ross Halfin and liner notes by Classic Rock’s Paul Elliott.

Def Leppard bandmembers Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, drummer Rick Allen, and guitarist Phil Collen have all also contributed their personal introductions to the collection.

Volume One is an extraordinary early chronicle of a band whose global impact only continues to grow. Def Leppard have a cumulative sales tally of over 100 million albums worldwide, not to mention putting on consistently sold-out world tours. Def Leppard recently authorized their entire recorded catalog for access on streaming and download platforms, a move that resulted in a nearly 400 percent surge in catalog sales on the first day alone, as well as appearances in the iTunes Top 10 charts in over 30 countries worldwide.

Volume One kicks off with Def Leppard’s 1980 debut album On Through The Night, which immediately put the rock world on notice that the band were destined for big things, having charted at #15 in the UK and #51 in the US. Produced by Tom Allom (Judas Priest, Black Sabbath), On Through The Night features many of the band’s live favorites (“Rock Brigade,” “Hello America”), along with updated versions of early singles (“Rocks Off”). The album achieved platinum status in 1989, and the version included here is the rare Australian gatefold-sleeve version.

Released in 1981, High ’N’ Dry was Def Leppard’s second platinum album and the first to be produced by Robert “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Foreigner). It reached #26 in the UK and #38 in the US, having garnered much impactful FM airplay with the propulsive “Let It Go” and one of the band’s most popular signature tunes to this day, “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak.”

Pyromania, released in 1983, saw the band become indisputable rock legends. It was the first record to feature guitars by Phil Collen, who had replaced Pete Willis. The album contains massive MTV hits “Photograph” and “Rock Of Ages,” as well as fist-pumper “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop),”. Pyromania reached #2 in the US and went Diamond, with over 10 million album sales.

Def Leppard released Hysteria in 1987, the band’s best-selling record to date having sold over 25 million copies worldwide. It went to #1 in the UK, US, and Australia, and is also the band’s second album to achieve Diamond status in the US. Notes Collen, “Not many people even get Platinum albums anymore! Going Diamond is going 10 times Platinum in America, which is a huge deal - and we’ve got two of those. We’re really pleased that we got them. It’s pretty cool that we’ve achieved that.”

Produced by Mutt Lange, Hysteria took over three years to make, ultimately featuring seven charting singles (including #1 smash “Love Bites” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”), and has been rightly nicknamed as “heavy metal’s Thriller.” Clocking in at just over 62 minutes, Hysteria was then one of the longest albums ever issued on a single vinyl record - but for this special box set release, it has been made into a double LP for maximum sound-quality purposes.

Def Leppard’s collective vocal prowess is but one of the many things that helped cement their unparalleled standing in rock history, as Joe Elliott explains: “The way we did our harmonies was based on the multitracking abilities of a band like Queen, but we took what they did to the next level. Queen maybe tripled or quadrupled their backing vocals - but we did it like 20 times! We wanted it to sound like the quality of Queen but have the size of Slade. The way we did it gave us a unique sound. And that’s the whole point of an album, really - capturing a band’s unique dynamics.” Adds Phil Collen, “The American bands had beautiful vocals, with all those wonderful harmonies. But we added a bit of a punk ethos in there with ours, where it became a bit more charming and anthemic with screaming and shouting. And that was a very British thing, I think, that made us different from a lot of the American bands.”

Def Leppard’s Volume One is but the first hot, sticky-sweet taste of an impressive career that remains ever on the rise. Can you feel it, do you believe it?

Pre-order The Vinyl Box Set: Volume One here. Pre-order The CD Box Set: Volume One here. Full tracklisting here.

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" lyric video:

Def Leppard is bringing their Hysteria + More Tour to Australia and New Zealand this November with special guests Scorpions. Tickets on sale now.

Dates:

November
2 - Perth, Australia
4 - Adelaide, Australia
6 - Brisbane, Australia
8 - Melbourne, Australia
10 - Sydney, Australia
12 - Auckland, New Zealand

Def Leppard and Journey have teamed up for a massive co-headlining North American tour. The trek is composed of both stadium and arena concerts, with half of the shows being closed by Journey and half by Def Leppard. The tour features complete sets and all-new production from both bands.

Def Leppard / Journey dates:

May
23 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
25 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
26 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center
28 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
30 - Cincinnati, OH - U.S. Bank Arena

June
1 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre
2 - Pittsburgh, PA - PPG Paints Arena
5 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
6 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena
8 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
9 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center
11 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
13 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
15 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
16 - Baltimore, MD - Royal Farms Arena

July
1 - Atlanta, GA - SunTrust Park
3 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
4 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
6 - Memphis, TN - FedExForum
7 - North Little Rock, AR - Verizon Arena
9 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
11 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center
13 - Detroit, MI - Comerica Park
14 - Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field
16 - Wichita, KS - INTRUST Bank Arena
18 - Sioux Falls, SD - Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
19 - Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
21 - Denver, CO - Coors Field
23 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
25 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
27 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Field
28 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome

August
11 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park
13 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
15 - Columbia, SC - Colonial Life Arena
17 - Ft Lauderdale, FL - BB&T Center
18 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena
20 - Birmingham, AL - Legacy Arena @ The BJCC
22 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center
24 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium
25 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
27 - New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center
29 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
31 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center

September
1 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
5 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
7 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Arena
8 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena
21 - San Francisco, CA - AT&T Park
23 - San Diego, CA - Petco Park
25 - Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena
26 - Nampa, ID - Ford Idaho Center Arena
28 - Portland, OR - Moda Center
29 - Seattle, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre

October
1 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena
4 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center
6 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum

"Lock Myself Away", 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"

"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.

Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has posted this new video featuring a spontaneous performance of Iron Maiden's "Aces High" with Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper, ex-Iron Maidens).

Nita is playing her Ibanez signature guitar, while Thomas is playing his Ortega signature guitar. The footage was recorded at Thomann "The Gearhead University 2018" (TGU18).

In the video below, Thomas Zwijsen performs a renaissance/baroque-style version of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matter" on classical guitar.

Says Thomas: "What if Metallica lived 500 years ago? And what if Metallica wrote the famous Spanish Romance (or Romance Anonimo or Jeux Interdits)? 'Nothing Else Matters' would have sounded something like this."

Zwijsen performs an acoustic rendition of Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" on classical fingerstyle solo guitar below.

Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden) and Thomas Zwijsen recently performed an intro of "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly", followed by Iron Maiden's 1996 single "Virus", live in Istanbul, Turkey. Check out the video below:

Germany's Primal Fear will release their new studio album Apocalypse on August 10th. A lyric video for the single "Hounds Of Justice" can be seen below.

Apocalypse will be available in the following formats:

- CD
- CD/DVD
- Box Set (includes CD/DVD + T-Shirt) [T-shirt size L in EU/UK edition, size XL in N.A. and AU edition]
- LP
- LP Red Colored Vinyl (Exclusive to US indie retail stores. Fans can visit www.recordstoreday.com to find their local store or an indie store they can order album online from)
- LP Blue Colored Vinyl (Exclusive to Frontiers' EU webstore)

Pre-order here.

Apocalypse is Primal Fear's 12th studio album and another milestone release in keeping with the consistent growth the band has shown through their career. Primal Fear, through years of hard work and a steady stream of increasingly powerful albums, have become one of the most beloved and respected heavy metal bands around the globe, a true metal institution. Their last two studio albums, Delivering The Black and Rulebreaker, saw them climbing the charts in several territories and receiving even more critical praise than previous releases. Truly, especially in recent years, the band has continued to raise the bar in terms of quality and musicianship with each release, constantly pushing themselves to find new ways to best themselves.

Production of the record started at the end of 2017 and was wrapped by Spring 2018 at Hansen Studios is Denmark with producer Mat Sinner and engineer/mixer Jacob Hansen.

"My personal highlight of recording the album was the fantastic teamwork. Peaceful, focused and really creative," says Mat Sinner. "No big discussion, no heated arguments. Everybody did a fantastic job and the performances were top notch. This was the key to improve every little detail of the songs, from old school to epic, from modern to symphonic, from fast to slow - you will hear it all on Apocalypse."

The guitars on the album are truly outstanding. Each of the three guitar players of the band - Magnus Karlsson, Tom Naumann and Alex Beyrodt - shine in their own respective right. Thanks to the fantastic mix provided by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Delain, Pretty Maids, Amaranthe, etc.), each player is highlighted.

And finally, what to say about the performance of Ralf Scheepers, one of the truest and most outstanding vocal metal heroes of our times?

"Ralf is more motivated and ambitious than ever before," relays Sinner. "The band vibe is extremely peaceful and creative these days and this really elevates Ralf. He had the opportunity to try different things on the songs and even some extreme ideas, which are always welcomed. Ralf sounds good in every pitch from a very deep sonor voice, to a mid-range power vocal to extreme high-pitched screams, so we could fool around with all different scales and scenarios. For example, I think the vocal performance on the song 'Supernova' speaks for itself. The result on Apocalypse is utter satisfaction paired with maximum enthusiasm and we're really happy about the final result - I hope the fans will enjoy the record as much as we do!"

Tracklisting:
 
CD
"Apocalypse"
"New Rise"
"The Ritual"
"King Of Madness"
"Blood, Sweat, & Fear"
"Supernova"
"Hail To The Fear"
"Hounds Of Justice"
"The Beast"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Cannonball"
"Fight Against Evil" (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)
"Into The Fire" (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)
"My War Is Over" (Bonus Track - Deluxe Version)
 
Bonus DVD (Deluxe Edition & Limited Edition Box Set only)

+ "King Of Madness" (video)
+ "The Ritual" (video)
+ Making of Apocalypse Mini-Documentary

"Hounds Of Justice" lyric video:

 Lineup:

Ralf Scheepers - Lead Vocals
Tom Naumann - Guitars
Alex Beyrodt - Guitars
Magnus Karlsson - Guitars & Keyboards
Francesco Jovino - Drums
Mat Sinner - Bass & Vocals

In this new video, Paradise Lost's Nick Holmes (vocals) and Greg Mackintosh (lead guitar) discuss their albums Host and Believe In Nothing being released during the nu metal era, and how the music scene shifted after that.

On June 29th, Paradise Lost will release a new version of their eighth full-length album Believe In Nothing that initially saw the light of day in 2000. The band was never really satisfied with the overall production and artwork of this record, Jaime Gomez Arellano remixed and remastered the twelve tracks and Branca Studio designed a dark and moody new cover artwork, to bring it closer to the initial vision that the band once had for their gothic rock album.

"It's no secret that we were never entirely happy with the production on this record, despite really liking the songs," states Nick Holmes. "It's been a long time coming, but we finally found the right moment to go back into the studio with Gomez and play around with it. We hope you all enjoy the remixed version so you can hear how the songs were meant to sound."

Believe In Nothing - Remixed & Remastered will be available in the following formats:

- Digipack CD
- Bi-coloured LP
- White LP
- Standard Black LP
+ T-Shirt Bundles

Pre-order via the following links:

- Official Omerch Store
- Nuclear Blast Mailorder
- Digital

New artwork by Branca Studio.

Tracklisting:

"I Am Nothing"
"Mouth"
"Fader"
"Look At Me Now"
"Illumination"
"Something Real"
"Divided"
"Sell It To The World"
"Never Again"
"Control"
"No Reason"
"World Pretending"

Bonus tracks:
"Gone"
"Leave This Alone"

"Mouth" lyric video:

Metallica performed on May11th at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland. It was the final show of their European tour. Professionally filmed video of "Creeping Death" can be viewed below. 

Metallica previously uploaded the entire gig, which can be seen below. The setlist was as follows:

"Hardwired"
"Atlas, Rise!" 
"Seek & Destroy" 
"The Four Horsemen" 
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" 
"Now That We're Dead" 
"Dream No More" 
"For Whom The Bell Tolls" 
"Halo On Fire" 
- Rob & Kirk doodle - ("Rappiolla" by Hassisen Kone) 
- Rob doodle - "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth"
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover) 
"Creeping Death" 
"Moth Into Flame" 
"Sad But True" 
"One" 
"Master Of Puppets" 
"Fight Fire With Fire" 
"Nothing Else Matters" 
"Enter Sandman" 
"The Frayed Ends Of Sanity"

Word has come down that Metallica, who recently completed a 24 date European tour, will return to Europe in May 2019 for a stadium tour. The band has issued the following update:

"WOW! As another amazing run of European shows comes to an end, we are a little speechless (when does that happen?) and stunned by the overwhelming response and outpouring of love you have all shown us! After 39 shows in 29 cities in front of 650,000 of you crazy die-hard ‘Tallica fans, we'll be packing up our gear and heading home for the summer.

Along the way, you helped us break attendance records across the continent 29 times, sometimes breaking the record from show number one in a venue just two days later with the second show! It is staggering to us that all of this is still happening after 37 years as a band, and we could not be more honored.

Lucky for us, we’ll be back!! Look for info here in September about our return in May of 2019 for a run of stadiums through August. And already we cannot wait! Until then, THANK YOU!!"

Andee Blacksugar, guitarist for industrial metal pioneers KMFDM (and former onstage foil for postpunk gothfather Peter Murphy) has released a new album under his Black Sugar Transmission initiative (whose past efforts have featured cameos from Vernon Reid of Living Colour and Dug Pinnick of King's X). It is a song-for-song re-imagining of Motörhead's imperishable 1979 album Overkill.

Andee made the album in five days and brought his friend and sparring partner Jason Bieler (Saigon Kick) into the mix for a scorching solo on "Damage Case".

Overkill can be streamed and downloaded on Black Sugar Transmission's Bandcamp page here, or check it out using the player below.

 

Overkill by Black Sugar Transmission

 

Following the release of their debut single “Collide” earlier this month, Repentance - featuring guitarist Sean Glass (ex-Soil, Dirge Within) and Stuck Mojo frontman Robby J. Fonts - is back to deliver another crushing slab of metal with “Born To Choose".

Says the band: “First off, we would like to thank everyone for the kind words and the excitement on display following the release of our first song, ‘Collide’. The response has been overwhelming - truly epic beyond words. That said, we felt it was time for another taste of Repentance with “Born To Choose'!"

“Born to Choose” was recorded at Mercenary Digital Studios with engineer Scott Creekmore (Dirge Within, Lionheart, Broken Hope) and was mixed and mastered by Chris Collier (Prong, Last In Line, Riot V). Stream the new track below:

Repentance will make their live debut on May 23rd at The Forge in Joliet, Illinois supporting Trivium and Toothgrinder.

"Collide":

(Photo - Steve Zywica Photography)

Less than four short years into their career, Gruesome (featuring current and former members of Exhumed, Possessed, Malevolent Creation, etc.) return with their second full-length sermon, Twisted Prayers. Twisted Prayers follows Death's paradigm shift during the Spiritual Healing era, incorporating more cerebral, melodic instrumentation with elements of thrash and thought-provoking, socially conscious lyrics.

Gruesome’s second studio album Twisted Prayers is due out June 1st on CD/LP/DLX LP/CS/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available via Relapse.com here and Digital Downloads / Streaming Services here.

An official NSFW video for "Fatal Illusions" off the impending full-length can be seen below.

Issues vocalist/guitarist Matt Harvey, "'Fatal Illusions' is a track that was truly co-written by Dan, Gus and myself musically and it was a lot of fun to arrange everyone's riffs while we put the song together. One of the coolest things about this new record, for me personally, is that the writing has become more and more of a team effort, which is invigorating and keeps things interesting for us. When looking at Spiritual Healing for inspiration, one of the more depressing realizations that I came to as far as the lyrics, was that many of the topics that Death were addressing back in 1990 are still major issues today. As everyone knows, mass shootings have reached epidemic proportions in this country and we felt that it was a very 'death metal' appropriate topic to tackle. This tune is more about the delusions that lead someone to commit this kind of violence; the mindset that would make someone take such a drastic and tragic course of action. Before anyone starts projecting their own politics on the song, this is not an anti or pro-gun song. This is an anti-mass shooting song. And if you think that there's anything controversial about that, you can fuck right off."

Recorded with producer Jarrett Pritchard (Exhumed, 1349, Goatwhore) at New Constellation Studios in Orlando, FL, Twisted Prayers features Gruesome doing what they do best across eight songs and 40+ minutes of unholy hymns with lurid melodies and vulgar atmospheres. The band has once again teamed up with the legendary Ed Repka (Death, Atheist, Massacre) for the album’s blasphemous cover art in addition to legendary Death guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Testament) for a pair of special guest guitar solos. Bow your heads and worship at the altar of Gruesome.

Twisted Prayers tracklisting:

"Inhumane”
"A Waste Of Life”
"Fate”
"Lethal Legacy”
"Fatal Illusions”
"Crusade Of Brutality”
"At Death’s Door”
"Twisted Prayers”

"Inhumane” video:

“A Waste Of Life” lyric video:

The band has announced two exclusive shows in Florida with label mates Exhumed before kicking off a European headlining tour this summer. Beginning July 19th, the trek will travel through two dozen cities and includes appearances at Obscene Extreme 2018, Wacken Open Air, Partysan Open Air and more. See all confirmed dates below.

July
14 - Tampa, FL - Crowbar (with Exhumed)
15 - Orlando, FL - Will's Pub (with Exhumed)
19 - Trutnov, Czech Republic - Obscene Extreme 2018
20 - Warzawa, Poland - Hydrozagadka
21 - Chorzow, Poland - Red & Black
22 - Prague, Czech Republic - Modra Vopice
23 - Munich, Germany - Free & Easy Festival
24 - Budapest, Hungary - Durer Kert
25 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metaldays
26 - Wien, Austria - Viper Room
27 - Ernsthausen, Germany - Master of the Unicorn
28 - Steenwijk, Netherlands - Stonehenge Festival
29 - Osnabruck, Germany - Bastard Club
30 - Wurzburg, Germany - Immerhin
31 - Volmerange-les-mines, France - Nomansland

August
1 - Mannheim, Germany - 7er Club
2 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
3 - Jonkoping, Sweden - Klubb Dissonans
4 - Linkoping, Sweden - The Crypt
5 - Valby/Copenhagen, Denmark - Underwerket
7 - Desden, Germany - Chemiefabrik
8 - Berlin, Germany - Musik und Frieden
9 - Schlotheim, Germany - Partysan Open Air
10 - Frankfurt, Germany - Das Bett
11 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete
12 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Open Air

Gruesome are:

Matt Harvey ­- Guitar, Vocals
Daniel Gonzalez ­- Guitar
Robin Mazen ­- Bass
Gus Rios ­- Drums

(Band photo - Ryan Tamm, Cover art - Ed Repka)

Relapse Records has announced the vinyl reissues of Amorphis’ legendary albums Tales From The Thousand Lakes and The Karelian Isthmus. The vinyl reissues will be released on July 20th and are available for pre-order here. A video trailer can be found below.

The Karelian Isthmus - Originally released in 1992, Amorphis' classic debut full-length is a crushing crusade of majestically moving atmospheric death metal. Available on vinyl for the first time in 7 years.

Tales From The Thousand Lakes - Originally released in 1994, the longstanding Finnish metal masterpiece that forever took the genre to new heights.

2018 vinyl reissue pressing info:

The Karelian Isthmus LP:

- Blood Red and Aqua Blue Merge with Silver and Bone White Splatter (Relapse.com Exclusive) * Ltd. to 200
- Kelly Green (Nuclear Blast Exclusive) * Ltd. to 300
- Aqua Blue (UK Indie Store Exclusive) * Ltd. to 150
- Blood Red (Germany Indie Store Exclusive) * Ltd. to 300
- Black Std Gram

Tales From The Thousand Lakes LP:

- Swamp Green and Aqua Blue Merge with Silver and White Splatter (Relapse.com Exclusive) * Ltd. to 200
- Kelly Green (Nuclear Blast Exclusive) * Ltd. to 300
- Aqua Blue (UK Indie Store Exclusive) * Ltd. to 150
- Swamp Green (Germany Indie Store Exclusive) * Ltd. to 300
- Black Std Gram

Stream Amorphis’ classic Relapse discography here.

Fan-filmed video footage of LYNCH MOB's May 12 performance at The Rose in Pasadena, California can be seen below (courtesy of Jim Antera Ross).

LYNCH MOB was rejoined by singer Robert Mason for a number of shows this spring, including appearances on the Monsters Of Rock cruise and at the '80s In The Park festival. He came back to the band following the departure of Oni Logan.

During an interview with Eddie Trunk, LYNCH MOB guitarist George Lynch declined to get into specifics about Oni's decision to exit the band in January, explaining: "We have tremendous respect for each other on the musical level, and I'll just leave it there and wish him well. I'm sure he's going to do fine. He's one of the great ones. Maybe he hasn't been recognized like I feel he should be. To me, he's a modern-day Paul Rodgers. We made a lot of fantastic music together, including the latest record, 'The Brotherhood' — which didn't turn out to be such a brotherhood after all [laughs], but it's a beautiful, beautiful record. I'll have a soft spot in my heart for these guys and wish it had continued on, but it didn't, so..."

LYNCH MOB's current lineup also includes returning drummer Scot Coogan. "I played with Scot off and on in various projects over the years, and he was in LYNCH MOB a number of variations, most recently up to a few years ago," the guitarist told Trunk. "Scot's wonderful. He brings so much to the table. He's one of those multitasking guys. He's a great singer; he's a great songwriter; and he plays everything a little bit. He's very tuned in with drum programming and the recording side of it, so that always helps. He's like a Swiss army knife, plus his drumming, it's got a great R&B feel. LYNCH MOB has that — LYNCH MOB has this blues-based, R&B-based, heavy rock thing. He really brings a lot to the table. He's a great fit, and we're great friends."

Logan first hooked up with LYNCH MOB in 1990, but exited the group after the release of its first album, only to rejoin the George Lynch-led outfit in the late 2000s.

"The Brotherhood" was released last September via Rat Pak Records.

This June, Harm's Way will head back out on the road for their Posthuman Pacific Northwest Tour, featuring special guests Soft Kill, before joining the final, full cross country Vans Warped Tour later that month, with Every Time I Die, Hatebreed, and many more. For a preview of their captivating live show, fans can watch the video for "Last Man" (shot at the Subterranean in Chicago, IL) below.

Harm's Way will be touring in support of their new album, Posthuman. Having grown with each subsequent release, Posthuman is a devastating addition to the band's catalog. "We've always stayed true to who we are and allowed the songwriting process to take shape organically from record to record, and as the band has progressed, our sound has become more refined with metal and industrial influences," states drummer Chris Mills, while guitarist Bo Lueders succinctly sums up what people can expect when they first spin the record: "To a Harm's Way fan, I would describe Posthuman as a blend of Isolation (2011) and Rust (2015), but it's sonically way more insane. To anyone else, I would simply say it's full on heavy and full on aggression."

Dates:

June
14 – Spokane, WA – The Pin
15 – Seattle, WA – Highline
16 – Vancouver, BC – The Astoria
17 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater

Veteran Norwegian dark metallers Aeternus have completed work on what will be the band's eighth full-length album.  Titled Heathen,  the seven-track album was recorded at Bergen's Conclave & Earshot studios and  produced by Herbrand Larsen, and  is set for release on Dark Essence Records later this year. 

One of the pioneers of the dark metal genre, Aeternus was formed in 1993 by guitarist and frontman Ares.  The band's sound is one that combines features from both black metal and death metal, interspersed with haunting, melodic interludes, all topped off with skilled musicianship.
 
Commenting on what fans can expect from Heathen, an album which will also mark Aeternus' 25th Anniversary, the band had this to say:

"We feel we’ve produced seven great songs for Heathen, all with Aeternus' trademark sound, which is a mix of complex extreme music along with heavy riffs, and of course some great melodic features.  You could say that we are more than satisfied with the results".

Aside from Ares, Aeternus' lineup is composed of Phobos (Gravdal) on drums and Krakow's Eld on bass, and sharp-eyed fans will notice that guitarist Specter is missing. As the band explains:

"Before having fully completed the composition part of Heathen, Specter felt that he had little more to offer the band, and that his long search for music was not only taking up too much of his own time, but it was also slowing down Aeternus' progress, and as a result, he decided that it was best for all concerned that he quit the band.  He did however compose several terrific riffs which we feel are outstanding, and they have been included in the album. We would like to thank Specter for all his work with Aeternus, and wish him all the best for the future. 

"This of course means that once again Aeternus has recorded an album where Ares' considerable skills have been put to good use, and he has composed and played all the guitar leads on Heathen. We're sure that having read this, fans are wondering what is going to happen as far as live performances go.  No problem there! We have hired Gorm, from the Norse metal band Thyruz, to play live with us, and he has been busy rehearsing our material. He will be more than ready when Aeternus hits the stage again.”

Death metal heavyweights Down Among The Dead Men return with their third full length album …And You Will Obey Me, out on June 15th via Transcending Obscurity Records. New track "The End Of Time" is streaming below.

David Ingram (ex-Bolt Thrower, Ursinne, Echelon) and Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Eye Of Purgatory, Necrogod) team up to create a new chapter of the heaviest form of death metal/crust you'll hear. With both members being in top form following the resounding success of Ursinne and Paganizer on the common label, they do something outstanding for Down Among The Dead Men, taking the unique sound forward without betraying the roots. The third album is the best one in their acclaimed discography where bludgeoning death metal meets the spunk of crust and leaves something unforgettable in its wake. Immaculately produced and executed as a fully functioning band, ...And You Will Obey Me will go down as one of the strongest albums of this period.

Artwork by Turkka G. Rantanen (Demilich, Demigod, Darkrypt).

Tracklisting:

“Destroy The Infinite"
“Axis Of Insanity"
“…And You Will Obey Me"
“The End Of Time"
“Omega"
“House Of Blue Fire"
“The Age Of Steel"
“Eye Of Harmony"
“Darkness Of Glass"
“Panopticon"

"The End Of Time":

“…And You Will Obey Me":

Album lineup:

Rogga Johansson - Guitars/Bass (Also in Paganizer, Echelon, Necrogod, Rogga Johansson)
Dave Ingram - Vocals (Also in Echelon, Ursinne and ex-Benediction, ex-Bolt Thrower, ex-Hail of Bullets)
Kjetil Lynghaug - Session Leads (Also in Paganizer, Echelon, Stass)
Erik R. Bevenrud - Session Drums (Also in Stass)

Psychedelic doom rockers, Motorowl, will release their new album Atlas on July 27th through Century Media Records.

The band comments on the songwriting and recording process:

“We started writing Atlas right after the release of Om Generator to stay in the flow. Also we played a lot of concerts during the process of writing, so we were constantly playing the old songs live while we were writing the new material at the same time. We realized that the live feeling is an essential part of our music, so we decided to record the whole album live altogether as a full band in the studio.

“And when you do such live recordings, you need the perfect partner, engineer and a place where you feel comfy. We found all that at Off The Road Studios in Leipzig. It’s a marvelous place with a big library in the main studio, a fireplace and a lot of room. We met there with our friend Charlie Paschen (who works with bands like Coogans Bluff or Rotor) to record the album within ten days. The decision to let Mr. Dan Swanö do the mix and mastering again was easy. He simply knows how we have to sound like.

“Atlas combines the pain in our chests with the indestructible force that we have as a band to make this music together. We wanted to mash the power of synth driven ‘80s rock hymns with the deep crushing slowness of a doom riff.  Atlas was written by the whole band and that’s the deep essence of our music: Five very different guys who work together like a clockwork.”

The artwork was created by Pol Abram (Branca Studio).

Tracklisting:

“Infinite Logbook”
“The Man Who Rules The World”
“Atlas”
“To Give”
“To Take”
“Cargo”
“Norma Jean”

Motorowl is: 
Max Hemmann - Guitar/Vocals
Vinzenz Steiniger - Guitar
Martin Scheibe - Drums
Tim Camin - Bass
Daniel Dettlev - Keys