SLAYER kicked off its farewell tour last night (Thursday, May 10) at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Repentless

02. Blood Red

03. Disciple

04. Mandatory Suicide

05. Hate Worldwide

06. War Ensemble

07. Jihad

08. When The Stillness Comes

09. Postmortem

10. Black Magic

11. Payback

12. Seasons In The Abyss

13. Dittohead

14. Dead Skin Mask

15. Hell Awaits

Encore:

16. South Of Heaven

17. Raining Blood

18. Chemical Warfare

19. Angel Of Death

Check out fan-filmed video footage below. Photos of the concert are available at SanDiegoUnionTribune.com.

This past January, SLAYER announced that it would do one last concert tour around the globe to thank their fans for all of their support over the years, for making the last three and a half decades so packed with good times and unforgettable experiences, and then move on.

SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: "At 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. [Laughs] This is a career move." He continued: "I'm grateful that we've been around for 35 years; that's a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you're young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we're at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn't able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they're both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that." Araya added: "Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time."

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: "There's things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can't headbang anymore. And that was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I'm grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that's changed a little for me."

SLAYER has been touring in support of its latest album, "Repentless", which was released in September 2015 via Nuclear Blast. That effort marked the band's first release since the death of SLAYER's co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman.

Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, in January 2011 from a spider bite in his backyard. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman eventually died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was effectively fired from the band after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of SLAYER. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band.

SLAYER has U.S. dates booked through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center. The band will embark on the European leg of its "farewell" tour in the fall. Support on the trek will come from LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and OBITUARY.

The official lyric video for "Bringer Of War" from TREMONTI, the band comprised of Mark Tremonti on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars, and Garrett Whitlock on drums, can be seen below. The song is taken from TREMONTI's fourth album, "A Dying Machine", which will be released on June 8 via Napalm Records. The disc was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has helmed all previous TREMONTI albums along with ALTER BRIDGE's last four long-players.

From the militant drum assault of the album opener "Bringer Of War" to the instrumental closer "Found", "A Dying Machine" is TREMONTI's most-diverse musical offering to date. Songs like "From The Sky", "Throw Them To The Lions" and "A Lot Like Sin" are signature TREMONTI that fans have come to love from the trio. Tracks like "Trust", "The First The Last" and "Desolation" take the listener to new places sonically, all backed by Tremonti's signature vocal style.

"A Dying Machine" is the first concept album of Tremonti's career and the music is inspired by a story that came to Mark while on the last ALTER BRIDGE tour. During that time, the epic title track "A Dying Machine" was born. The story, which is being turned into a full-length work of fiction authored by Mark Tremonti and John Shirley, takes place at the turn of the next century where humans and fabricated beings called "vessels" are trying to co-exist. Tremonti and Shirley are working on finishing the novel to release alongside the record.

The track listing for "A Dying Machine" is:

01. Bringer Of War

02. From The Sky

03. A Dying Machine

04. Trust

05. Throw Them To The Lions

06. Make It Hurt

07. Traipse

08. The First The Last

09. A Lot Like Sin

10. The Day When Legions Burned

11. As The Silence Becomes Me

12. Take You With Me

13. Desolation

14. Found


TREMONTI will play a record-release show in Orlando on May 12 at the Social. The band heads over to Europe in mid-June for seven weeks of touring that includes dates as direct support for IRON MAIDEN alongside headline shows and European festival appearances.

TREMONTI's third album, "Dust", was released in April 2016 via Fret 12.

"Dust", which was recorded during same sessions as 2015's "Cauterize", featured Tremonti on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars, Wolfgang Van Halen on bass and Garrett Whitlock on drums. Baskette produced "Dust".

Although Wolfgang Van Halen was part of TREMONTI's touring band in 2013 and played on "Dust" and "Cauterize", he sat out TREMONTI's tour schedule because of commitments with VAN HALEN.

TREMONTI recruited Tanner Keegan to play bass on its most recent tour.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian spoke to U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine about "Lives", the recently released single and video from his long-dormant side project, SCARS ON BROADWAY. The track marks the first new music from SCARS since the song "Fucking" came out in 2010. The band itself, now rebranded DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY, has undergone a complete overhaul, with none of the members from the group's 2008 debut — including SYSTEM drummer John Dolmayan — appearing on the new song.

"Lives" is taken from DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY's upcoming album, "Dictator", which will be released on July 20. The disc was recorded in 2012 but has remained unreleased — until now.

Daron told Kerrang! that he is a very prolific songwriter. "I don't really write for people, and if no one heard what I wrote, I would still write songs," he said. "It's just what I do. If I'm not writing I feel like I'm not doing what I'm here to do. So I have a lot of music that's still to be released in the future, whether it's with SYSTEM or SCARS. I have a lot of material.”

Malakian added that, in an ideal world, he would be releasing music with both SYSTEM OF A DOWN and SCARS ON BROADWAY. "I think the SCARS stuff tends to take more of a rock direction, even though I would say there's a lot of material on [the upcoming SCARS ON BROADWAY] album that I think has more of a SYSTEM OF A DOWN flavor in it than maybe the first SCARS album did," he said. "As of right now, SYSTEM's not making albums, so this is the project through which I'm releasing my songs."

SCARS ON BROADWAY has just the one LP to its credit so far and last performed in 2012 as the opening act for DEFTONES in Los Angeles.

The group has only played live sporadically over the years: a headlining trek in 2008 was canceled, with Malakian citing his lack of enthusiasm and "his heart not being into touring" as the chief reasons behind the decision.

The guitarist later explained that he thought it was "almost too soon" for him to go on the road after SYSTEM OF A DOWN went on hiatus in 2006, also citing issues in his personal life that "made it impossible" for him to tour.

Regarding the delay in getting "Dictator" released, Daron told Rolling Stone: "I recorded the album, and then around that time, SYSTEM started playing live again. So every time we'd play live, there'd be conversations like, 'Maybe we'll do an album.' So being the guy who wrote the majority of almost all the SYSTEM songs in the past, I was, like, 'All right, let me see what's happening with it. Let me hold on to these songs and let me see how this develops.' We talked about it and we weren't all on the same page. Not everybody was into the idea. But every time we played live, it kept coming up.

"I just got to the point now where a lot of people were asking about the SCARS album — I hear it all the time — so I was. like, 'I'm gonna put this album out.' Not knowing what's happening with SYSTEM has kept me from putting my own stuff out. Too much time has passed, and I'm really excited to finally get some music out finally."

Daron also confirmed that everything on the album is from 2012. "Yeah," he said. "I played everything on it. I went into the studio and recorded an album in less than 10 days. I played all the instruments — the drums, everything — and I've just been sitting on it for six years. [Laughs]"

SYSTEM OF A DOWN, which has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, has some shows coming up this year but has not released new music in 12 years.

SEVENDUST's Caleb Mallery-directed video for the song "Medicated" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which is being released today (Friday, May 11). The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

SEVENDUST's new disc is the group's first for Rise Records, the Oregon-based metal and hard rock label which was purchased by BMG in 2015.

In a recent interview with "Good Company", SEVENDUST singer Lajon Witherspoon stated about the band's new effort: "We've done so much [more] in 33 days recording this than I've ever done in my life. I sang 14 days in nine days to make up for some time that was lost. But it was because I felt good too, so some days I did two songs a day. And it was an experience working with Elvis and [engineer] Jeff [Moll]. Not to take anything [away] from any other producer, but, for me, it was the best [recording] experience in my life. Maybe it [was] due to me being older and more seasoned with what's going on, but the way that he worked and the things that he knows about music was completely different — I'd never seen anyone [like that] before."

According to Lajon, Baskette had the music for 60 new SEVENDUST songs to choose from prior to the making of the new album. "For me, I felt stronger as a singer — he made me a better singer, working with him," Witherspoon said. He went on to describe his working relationship with Elvis as "a partnership. I hated leaving the house, and I can't wait to do another album with him, and I would like to do it even longer than 33 days," he said.

Last month, SEVENDUST kicked off a headline tour in support of "All I See Is War". The trek will make stops in Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Clifton Park, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, among others, before wrapping up at Rockfest in Kansas City, Kansas. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, FIRE FROM THE GODS and MADAME MAYHEM are joining SEVENDUST on the run.

In 2016, SEVENDUST received its first-ever Grammy nomination after two decades together as a band. "Thank You", the debut single from "Kill The Flaw", got the nod for "Best Metal Performance".

Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD will release their covers album as BURN THE PRIEST, "Legion: XX", next Friday, May 18 via Nuclear Blast in celebration of BURN THE PRIEST's upcoming 20th anniversary. "Legion: XX" is a collection of songs reflecting the greatness of the classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise artists that influenced them in their formative years, executed with the band's signature modern sound.

BURN THE PRIEST rocked the music world with the release of its brash, in-your-face "Legion: XX" covers of THE ACCÜSED's "Inherit The Earth" and BIG BLACK's "Kerosene", and today fans can hear another blazing cover — this time of BAD BRAINS' "I Against I". Listen below.

"It's been a super-big honor to recently sing with one of my favorite bands of all time," says LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe.

"Playing with the BAD BRAINS was an unearthly experience — trying to replace the fastest-singing human ever on songs like 'Banned In DC' and 'Pay To Cum'.

"When it came time to choose our cover of 'I Against I', I was trying not to sound like H.R., as he's so unique, but yet also throwing in enough of his style to show respect to his unique voice, through my interpretation.

"To cover the BAD BRAINS can't be a straight-forward cover, we had to nail it, and we did."

In addition to these tracks, "Legion: XX" features other songs originally performed by CRO-MAGS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, QUICKSAND, MINISTRY, MELVINS, S.O.D., and Richmond punk band SLIANG LAOS. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, "Legion: XX" exhibits BURN THE PRIEST in its true element.

LAMB OF GOD may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), John Campbell (bass) and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, BURN THE PRIEST, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met Blythe before adding Chris Adler's brother, Willie Adler (guitar), prior to transitioning to LAMB OF GOD — and the rest is global metal history.


Morton says: "To truly understand the essence of the band BURN THE PRIEST, one must first consider the landscape in which it began: the mid-'90s. Grunge and alternative music ruled the airwaves. Social media and the internet had yet to assume their role as our collective sources for entertainment and cultural exchange. It was a time when DIY 'zines turned us on to new bands and regional scenes, and 'copy and paste' still implied a print shop and a glue stick."


BURN THE PRIEST's self-titled debut album, released via Philadelphia-based Legion Records, documented what was, in essence, a primal punk band performing metal. Ultimately, as they grew in local popularity, the five-piece chose to stray away from their name to avoid being associated with satanic metal, choosing the name LAMB OF GOD.


Morton continues: "As our sound and songs developed, so did our goals… we began playing basement parties and warehouse shows and in doing so, we realized that the energy we were creating was transferable. The shows we played in those squats and warehouses [in Philadelphia] and the people we met there are forever embedded in our collective consciousness and the DNA of our band."


As they enter their 20th year since releasing their first self-titled album as BURN THE PRIEST, the band will release a full-length covers album that reflects on the greatness of classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise — rock subgenres that contributed to what LAMB OF GOD, and indeed, the world, now view as modern heavy metal.


"Our inauspicious beginnings somehow grew into something none of us had ever even imagined possible, let alone aspired to, however, this is the story of BURN THE PRIEST," adds Morton. "The songs we chose to cover on this album reflect that story. They are touchstones from that point in time. The inspiration we gleaned from these bands and these songs carries through our work and our creative pursuits, even to this day. Many thanks to these bands for lighting our fire and endless gratitude to our fans around the world for keeping it lit."


"Legion: XX" track listing:

01. Inherit The Earth (THE ACCÜSED cover)

02. Honey Bucket (MELVINS cover)

03. Kerosene (BIG BLACK cover)

04. Kill Yourself (S.O.D. cover)

05. I Against I (BAD BRAINS cover)

06. Axis Rot (SLIANG LAOS cover)

07. Jesus Built My Hotrod (MINISTRY cover)

08. One Voice (AGNOSTIC FRONT cover)

09. Dine Alone (QUICKSAND cover)

10. We Gotta Know (CRO-MAGS cover)

Bonus song (only on LP!):

11. In The Meantime (HELMET cover)

LAMB OF GOD will support SLAYER on the first leg of the latter band's farewell world tour. The trek will kick off with a May 10 concert at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center, with dates running through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center.

Legendary New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL will release "Live In Overhausen" on May 18 via Nuclear Blast.

Celebrating the band's history, "Live In Overhausen" captured not one but two album anniversaries. Fans assembled on April 16, 2016 at Turbinenhalle 2 in Oberhausen, Germany for the 25th anniversary of "Horrorscope" and 30th anniversary of where it all began, "Feel The Fire".

OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth comments: "From the stage to your eyes and ears! 'Live in Overhausen', celebrating 'Feel The Fire' and 'Horrorscope' in one filmed/recorded concert in Germany, from 2016. A rare two-hour look at what has transpired over three decades in one of the world's hotbeds of metal. Hang on to your hats, kids, it's going to be a 'thrashy-ride'!"

Today, the band has unveiled the third video from the historic show. Check out the "Second Son" performance clip below.

"Live In Overhausen" will be available in different formats:

* 2 CD + Blu-ray Digipak

* 2 CD + DVD Digipak

* LP (Limited edition Splatter, Green, Black)

* Feel The Fire (Live in Overhausen)

* Horrorscope (Live in Overhausen)

* Mail-Order Edition

"Live In Overhausen" track listing:

01. Coma

02. Infectious

03. Blood Money

04. Thanx For Nothin'

05. Bare Bones

06. Horrorscope

07. New Machine

08. Frankenstein

09. Live Young Die Free

10. Nice Day - for a Funeral

11. Soulitude

12. Raise The Dead

13. Rotten To The Core

14. There's No Tomorrow

15. Second Son

16. Hammerhead

17. Feel The Fire

18. Blood And Iron

19. Kill at Command

20. Overkill

21. Fuck You

OVERKILL utilized a stand-in drummer — the band's soundman Eddy Garcia, who is also a member of the El Paso, Texas act PISSING RAZORS — for the Oberhausen show because the group's then-drummer, Ron Lipnicki, was forced to stay home due to undisclosed family issues.

OVERKILL last year announced the addition of drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) to the group's ranks.

OVERKILL recently returned to the studio to resume work on demos for its upcoming album.

Ellsworth told Australia's 3D Radio about the band's songwriting and recording process: "Well, for us, coming from the old school, to some degree, it has to be physical. And what I mean by that is standing in a room with the others, splitting a pizza, splitting a beer, sweating, coming up with some good ideas, occasionally, or even more than occasionally, going, 'Oh my God! That sucked.' And then moving from there into what the modern era offers us, and that's the Pro Tools and trading files back and forth over the Internet, because instantaneous ideas can be traded from home now. So we use kind of a combination of the old 'let's sweat it out and tune the guitars up' to the modern day of 'let's get down with the computers and exchange our ideas.' So it works both ways for us. So it's a combination of the old and the new."

Ellsworth went on to say that OVERKILL has "adapted" to the new writing and recording techniques. "But," he added, "we've never abandoned the studio rehearsal space. That, to us, is necessary. I think it gives us a link to how we started. And I think there's something very humbling about saying, 'Sure, this was still worth it back then.' And to some degree, when you think of this type of music — metal in general, aggressive — I think it needs to be presented as a group, or understood as a group, as opposed to invididuals just coming up with ideas. So the combination really works for us. And I think this keeps us grounded."

OVERKILL's latest album, "The Grinding Wheel", was released in February 2017 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by OVERKILL and mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ACCEPT). The artwork was created again by Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH).

Mascot Label Group has announced the signing of Jordan Rudess, best known as the keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire for progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER.

Rudess's remarkable career began at the age of nine, when he entered the Juilliard School of Music Pre-College Division for classical piano training. By his late teens, he had grown increasingly interested in synthesizers and progressive rock music, and against the counsel of his parents and tutors, he turned away from classical piano and tried his hand as a solo progressive rock keyboardist. After performing in various groups during the 1980s, he was invited to join the DIXIE DREGS, with whom he performed until joining DREAM THEATER in January 1999.

He has been the full-time keyboardist with DREAM THEATER since the recording of 1999's "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory". He has pursued numerous collaborations and solo projects throughout his career, beginning with his solo debut, "Listen" (1993). A relentless innovator, Rudess released "All That Is Now" (2013), a solo acoustic piano recording which works interactively with his app, "Jordan Rudess Explores", and his orchestral album, "Explorations", which features a 50-piece orchestra. "The Unforgotten Path" (2015) was a collection of original tracks as well as a collection of acoustic piano covers of songs that have inspired his musical life.

He owns the successful app-development company Wizdom Music, which has developed numerous award-winning apps. He is also chief music officer at CME Music, creators of the acclaimed XKey mobile keyboard, as well as the director of music experience for the London-based technology company Roli Labs, creators of the Seaboard, and is an active artist in residence at Stanford University's CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics).

"With the Mascot Label Group, I have found the perfect home for myself and my music," Rudess said. "The Mascot team are bright, dedicated, inspired and are clearly passionate about music and the industry. They create a climate of respect and support for the artist and I couldn't be more excited about becoming a Mascot artist."

"Jordan is an incredible virtuoso performer and artist," said Mascot Label Group owner Ed Van Zijl. "I have admired him for a long time and we go back years. He is an exceptional and forward-thinking musician and I am very happy that he is putting his faith in us with his new solo album, which will be released on our Music Theories brand."

Photo credit: Elena Arzani

Two concerts by British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) in Nancy, France will be professionally filmed and recorded for a DVD and CD release. The May 25 and May 25 gigs at the Chez Paulette pub will be very special evenings because the first night will see Blaze and his band play a setlist voted by fans, while the second night will be focused on the three albums of the "Infinite Entanglement" trilogy.

The 54-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to join MAIDEN. He recorded two studio albums with the Steve Harris-led group — 1995's "The X Factor" and 1998's "Virtual XI" — before Bruce Dickinson returned to the band.

The third album in Blaze's "Infinite Entanglement" trilogy was released on March 2. Titled "The Redemption Of William Black", it is the tenth album of Blaze's solo career.

"The Redemption Of William Black" was co-written with Chris Appleton of fellow British metal band ABSOLVA. Chris, who also co-produced the album, is lead guitarist and backing vocalist in Blaze's band for recording and touring, together with his ABSOLVA bandmates Martin McNee (drums) and Karl Schramm (bass and backing vocals).

In a 2017 interview with Spain's EMP Live, Blaze talked about the obstacles he faced while trying to become accepted by MAIDEN fans as Bruce's replacement.

"I think for all of us, if we fall in love with a band and we fall in love with a voice, it is very difficult to make an adjustment to a new voice," he explained. "And for me, I had incredible support from thousands of fans all over the world. But there are some fans that hated me, hated my voice and they still do. And that's okay, because it's not for everyone.

"My style is very different to Bruce, and when [IRON MAIDEN] chose me to replace Bruce, I was very surprised because my voice is so different," he continued. "But it is the most incredible job. As a heavy metal singer, it's perhaps the number one job that you can have — to be the singer of IRON MAIDEN. So my passion and my heart was there, and the music that we made on 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI', which have been re-released now on vinyl, was incredible. And people that perhaps didn't like the change at the time, now they go back and listen differently, with fresh ears, to the records and the music that we made then, and perhaps that's why now I've become more popular than I ever was after IRON MAIDEN. Now, more than twenty years, people really start to take notice of what Blaze Bayley is doing."

According to Blaze, his dismissal from MAIDEN in January 1999 came as a total shock, but he doesn't believe the band was completely to blame for the decision. "The main reason that I was leaving IRON MAIDEN is because of EMI [MAIDEN's record label] and the business," he said. "That is what I believe. At the time, BLACK SABBATH had the reunion with Ozzy [Osbourne], DEEP PURPLE had the original lineup with Ian Gillan reunion, and CD sales worldwire were going down. And I think the record company put a lot of pressure on the band to have a reunion. So, for me, it was a horrible time, but it is still a time I think of very fondly. And Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN bassist] was really like a mentor to me and taught me so much about songwriting. So those values and the things that he taught me are things that I put into my own work now."

Blaze also shot down speculation that there was bad blood between him and Dickinson, insisting that the two singers have always had an amiable relationship. "Bruce Dickinson and I have been friends before [I was in] IRON MAIDEN, and Bruce Dickinson was very supportive of me when I was in IRON MAIDEN and after IRON MAIDEN," Blaze said. "When he had his own radio show, he helped me and played my music on his show. And my newest video, for 'Escape Velocity', was actually filmed at his aircraft simulator. So he had helped me a great deal."

METALLICA's "The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" re-entered the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 18 after a new remastered edition of the effort was released on April 13. Nearly all of its 20,000 units in the week ending April 19 were in traditional album sales: 8,000 copies on vinyl, 8,000 on CD, 2,000 digital albums, and 1,000 on cassette.

The deluxe edition of "The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" was made available in stores in time to celebrate Record Store Day. The long-out-of-print EP included five songs that were later released as a part of the "Garage, Inc." double album, but this release brings them back in the original format.

The remastered EP was not only released as a CD and download, but also as several vinyl versions, including a picture disc, as well as a cassette, and in long-deleted packaging known as a longbox.

All Metallica.com pre-orders received an instant download of the remastered version of "The Wait", originally recorded by KILLING JOKE.

The set also includes METALLICA versions of DIAMOND HEAD's "Helpless", HOLOCAUST's "The Small Hours" and medley of the MISFITS' "Last Caress" and "Green Hell".

The EP also marked the recording debut with the group of bassist Jason Newsted, who replaced the late Cliff Burton in the fall of 1986 and stayed with the band until 2001. Bassist Robert Trujillo took over in 2002.

"The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" track listing:

01. Helpless (originally recorded by DIAMOND HEAD)

02. The Small Hours (originally recorded by HOLOCAUST)

03. The Wait (originally recorded by KILLING JOKE)

04. Crash Course In Brain Surgery (originally recorded by BUDGIE)

05. Last Caress / Green Hell (originally recorded by MISFITS)

"The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" was remastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, California.

Andrew Hagar, son of rock legend Sammy Hagar, has released "Mourning Ritual", the first single from his HAGEN ALTER project. Andrew is joined in the new band by Trevor William Church (son of bass player Bill "The Electric" Church) and Andrew Alejandro Saldate IV.

Says Andrew: "It's an old-school, '60s/'70s rock and roll project with some major garage and psychedelic flavor.

"Trevor and I have known each other since we were fetuses, so we're basically cousins, and, of course, our fathers played in various bands together over the years.

"Andrew Saldate is one of Trevor's best friends, a low-key genius and a fucking fantastic drummer and producer. This collab has been a long time coming, and we're just getting started."

Formed a little over a year ago, HAGEN ALTER is planning to release an EP in the fall, to be followed by more music videos, and most likely a full-length record in 2019.

"My pops has over 50 years of experience in the music industry," Andrew told AXS. "I've learned so much from just being around him, let alone all the actual nuggets of wisdom he has dropped over the years. I could fill a book with all the little bits of knowledge he has shared with me. But the most important thing I have learned is that no matter how good you get as a performer and musician, you're always going to feel like there's so much more to learn. So we have to appreciate the process, not the goal. The journey is never done, and there's always more work to do."

Andrew is currently playing solo acoustic shows, including opening for Sammy Hagar and THE CIRCLE on May 17 at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California and on May 19 at Starlight Theater at Pala Casino in Pala, California.

Sammy said: "I've been so impressed and surprised with Andrew's commitment to writing songs, singing, and learning to play different instruments. It is blowing my mind how he can step up in front of 50,000 hardcore metal rock heads with an acoustic guitar and deliver. He's fearless and a handsome devil, I must say. [Laughs]

"When I asked him if he was nervous, he said, 'A little bit, but it's nothing like walking into the ring with the guy across from you wanting to hurt you really bad.' I guess his mixed martial arts experience is paying off. I'm proud of my boy."

Southern California-based pagan metal group Helsott has begun recording their second full-length album, which will be released this fall. It will serve as the follow-up to the band's M-Theory Audio debut, last year's The Healer EP, which the group supported with a European tour alongside I Am Morbid and Necrophagia, and numerous regional performances alongside the likes of Dark Tranquillity, SepticFlesh and Evergrey.

Helsott's new album will feature two new members, as joining vocalist Eric Dow and drummer Cooper Dustman are guitarist Mark Dow, who appeared on the group's 2014 full-length debut Woven, and bassist Doc “The Healer” Beaulieu, a longtime fan of the band who helped to make The Healer EP a reality.

Says Dustman, “We are stoked to have Mark back in the band, as he is the original songwriter of many Helsott tunes and will continue helping us progress as writers. As for Doc, this is a cool story - he started as a crowd-funder in 2014, and we found out that he is a real doctor in Newberry, Michigan. We then wrote the song 'The Healer' for him as part of the crowdfunding perk, which ended up being the title track of our last EP. From there, he toured with us as crew and we became great friends. Now he is joining the band as our bass player. Don't knock crowdfunding to me!"

Vocalist Dow notes that the group's new album cranks up the volume on their pagan-influenced brand of melodic death. “I think it is going to be a very strong album, as it has all of the old Helsott elements that fans have come to expect, but we also tread a heavier and darker path on this new adventure,” he says. “This album is definitely going to represent Pagan Metal from around the world!"

More information on Helsott's new album will be revealed in the coming months. In other band news, the group recently signed with European management company/booking agency The Flaming Arts. "We are thrilled to be working with The Flaming Arts,” says Eric Dow. “They booked us for our first European tour, so it just feels natural to continue working together. I feel like this partnership will bring forth great things for the band.”

Adds TFA's Jon Knight, "We are pleased to announce pagan metallers Helsott to our roster today. We are planning a number of American tours and their second run in Europe at the moment, so stay tuned for more updates!"

Helsott will perform two-high profile shows in San Diego in the coming weeks - a gig alongside former Paganfest tour mates Tyr on May 21st, and another with Insomnium on June 7th. The group has also been confirmed as the headliner of the fourth-annual Maryland Folk Metal Fest on August 18th. At these shows, the band will be joined by guitarist Rafael Ortega of M-Theory Audio label mates Sicocis.

Inter Arma has entered the studio to record their fourth full-length album and follow-up to 2016’s Paradise Gallows. The yet-to-be-titled album is being recorded at The Tracking Room in Nashville, TN and Dark Art Audio in Madison, TN by Inter Arma’s longtime engineer Mikey Allred. The album is expected to be released in early 2019 via Relapse Records.

Additionally, Inter Arma begin their US headlining tour with Earthling and Bruce Lamont at the end of the month. The tour begins May 31 and ends June 9 including performances at Doomed and Stoned Festival & Raleigh Deathfest.

Inter Arma has also announced a weekend tour in August/September surrounding the inaugural Heavy Mountain Festival in Asheville, NC during Labor Day Weekend. Includes a hometown concert on August 31st with labelmates Valkyrie and Genocide Pact. All confirmed tour dates are available below.

May
31 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar

June
1 - Chicago, IL - Doomed and Stoned Festival *
2 - Lansing, MI - Mac’s +
4 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop +
5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox +
6 - Columbus, OH - Ruby Tuesday +
7 - Nashville, TN - The End +
8 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn +
9 - Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Deathfest *

All dates May 31st - June 8th with Earthling
+ with Bruce Lamont
* Inter Arma only

August
31 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter (with Valkyrie, Genocide Pact & Paint Store)

September
1 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook
2 - Asheville, NC - Heavy Mountain Festival

Lineup:

T.J. Childers - Drums, guitars, lap steel, keyboards, synthesizers, noise, vocals
Trey Dalton - Guitars, keyboards, vocals
Joe Kerkes - Bass
Mike Paparo - Vocals
Steven Russell - Guitars

(Photo - Tony Lynch)

Green Bay-based death metallers Micawber have released a video for "Beyond The Reach Of Flame", the title track of the band's new album Beyond The Reach Of The Flame, out May 25th on digital, compact disc and limited blue and white swirl LP. Pre-Order your copy here, and watch the new video below.

Recorded at Carp Town Studios in Two Rivers, WI by Nick Weyers and Marc Birr and mastered by Ryan Williams (Black Dahlia Murder), Beyond The Reach Of Flame features a diverse slab of US death metal with knuckle scraping growls, sizzling riffs, epic twin harmonious guitar solos and thunderous blast beat drumwork as the bedrock of the album. Each song builds upon this foundation; offering its own unique sprinkling of tech, sludge, black, and progressive elements, making Micawber standout as the leading force in modern death metal.

Beyond The Reach Of The Flame tracklisting:

"Full Denim Jacket"
"Beyond The Reach Of Flame"
"The Starless Sky"
"Icon Of Extinction"
"King Of Ash"
"In Shadow And Light"
"Funeral March"
"The Currents Of Causality"

"Beyond The Reach Of Flame" video:

"Full Denim Jacket" lyric video:

Micawber is:

Leighton Thompson - Vocals/Guitar
Derek DeBruin - Guitar
Tyler Lachowicz - Drums
Marv - Bass

Gioeli-Castronovo have released a "making of" video for their debut album Set The World On Fire. The album will be released on July 13th. Pre-order on CD/LP/MP3 here. The new footage can be found below.

Johnny Gioeli and Deen Castronovo first played together on the debut Hardline album Double Eclipse, which was released in 1992. 25 years later, the two were reunited in Italy to commence work on the debut Gioeli-Castronovo album Set The World On Fire.

"It was so great to work with Johnny again, I've always loved his voice and it was a pleasure to be a part of this collaboration! It was like we'd never left each other," says Castronovo.

"It was like the first day he tried to hold my hand and kiss me in 1992. Ha Ha!!! KIDDING! Seriously, I never left Deen. Deen never left me, so reuniting was easy. Counting our blessings were plentiful. Singing together was magical," says Gioeli about working with Castronovo again.

Both men have continued on their musical paths since they last saw one another, with Gioeli continuing to lead Hardline, while Castronovo spent time with Ozzy Osbourne and had an extended tour of duty with the legendary Journey. Castronovo is currently active with The Dead Daisies and Revolution Saints in addition to Gioeli-Castronovo.

Gioeli's vocal talents combined with Deen's superb drumming abilities (and whom is also a fine vocalist in his own right) has made for a stunning album that is driving a driving hard rock record, while also chock full of uplifting melodies and poignant lyrical messages.

Tracklisting:

"Set The World On Fire"
"Through"
"Who I Am"
"Fall Like An Angel"
"It's All About You"
"Need You Now"
"Ride Of Your Life"
"Mother"
"Walk With Me"
"Run For Your Life"
"Remember Me"
"Let Me Out"

"Making of" video:

"Through" video:

Produced By: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Studio: Ivorytears Music Works Studios, Somma Lombardo, Va, Italy
Recorded By: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Mixed By: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Mastered By: Alessandro Del Vecchio

Band Members:

Johnny Gioeli vocals
Deen Castronovo vocals, drums
Alessandro Del Vecchio keyboards, backing vocals
Mario Percudani guitars
Nik Mazzucconi bass

Bay Area blackened funeral doom collective Barren Altar will release their debut full-length next month. Titled Entrenched In The Faults Of The Earth, the morose offering was captured in the summer of 2017 with Greg Wilkinson (Graves At Sea, Necrot, Vastum) at Earhammer Studios in Oakland, California and delivers five tracks of sonic desolation.

Of the record's overall theme, the band offers, "It's a metaphysical plea for the voluntary end of all human life, pressed to plastic, and added to the ever-growing dumpster fire that is the modern world."

Entrenched In The Faults Of The Earth will be self-released on CD (limited to 300 copies) and digitally on June 12th. Pre-order here, and listen to the opening track "Nexus Of Grief" below.

Tracklisting:

"Nexus Of Grief"
"Submerged"
"Call To The Waves"
"The Great Awakening Of Death"
"Delirium Vivens"
 
"Nexus Of Grief":
 
Entrenched In The Faults Of The Earth by Barren Altar

Live dates:

June
21 - RS94109 - San Francisco, CA
22 - Arlene Francis Center - Santa Rosa, CA
23 - TBA - Reno, NV
24 - Plainovhellhounds - Oroville, CA
25 - Bamboo Room - Medford, OR
26 - TBA - Eugene, OR
27 - TBA - Bend, OR
28 - TBA - Seattle WA
29 - Airport Tavern - Tacoma, WA
30 - Le Voyeur - Olympia, WA

July
1 - Tonic Lounge - Portland, OR
2 - The Siren's Song Tavern - Eureka, CA

The GRAHAM BONNET BAND has confirmed a July 13 release date for its new album, "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage", via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc's title track can be streamed below.


Says Graham: "This is the most important album I have done in 35 years. I think fans of the classic ALCATRAZZ sound will love this record.

"The first single (which is also the title track), 'Meanwhile, Back In The Garage', is about any young band starting today... which is like it was back when I started. As the lyric says, 'take a number, it's a hell of a line'!

"I have had a fantastic career and been very fortunate to play with some great musicians and I hope there is a lot more touring and recording to come."


Bonnet is a hard rock legend with a pedigree to back that statement up. His stints with RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ and IMPELLITTERI prove he is one of the finest rock vocalists of his generation. Fresh off a stint with Michael Schenker Fest, Graham is preparing to return with a new GRAHAM BONNET BAND album, "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage".

Crafted with Joey Tafolla on guitar (Joey performs all lead and rhythm guitars except "Livin' In Suspicion", which is performed by new guitarist Kurt James), Beth-Ami Heavenstone on bass, Jimmy Waldo on keyboards, and Mark Benquechea on drums, "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" sees Bonnet showing why he has been and still is one of the premiere vocalists in hard rock.


This new studio album offers 13 new songs where Bonnet lays down his inimitable vocals over a selection of tunes full of great hooks and melodies. It includes a bonus live DVD captured at a Live From Daryl's House performance in early 2018.


"Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" track listing:


CD

01. Meanwhile, Back In The Garage

02. The Hotel

03. Livin' In Suspicion

04. Incest Outcest U.S.A.

05. Long Island Tea

06. The House

07. Sea Of Trees

08. Man On The Corner

09. We Don't Need Another Hero

10. America...Where Have You Gone?

11. Heading Toward The Light

12. Past Lives

13. The Crying Chair

14. Starcarr Lane (Live From Daryl's House 2018)


DVD (Live From Daryl's House 2018)

01. Night Of The Shooting Star (Intro)

02. Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live

03. All Night Long

04. Night Games

05. California Air

06. God Blessed Video

07. Stand In Line

08. Island In The Sun

09. Desert Song

10. Starcarr Lane

11. Jet To Jet

12. S.O.S.

13. Into The Night

14. Samurai

15. Skyfire

16. Since You Been Gone

17. Assault Attack

18. Eyes Of The World

19. Hiroshima Mon Amour

20. Lost In Hollywood

The long-awaited new studio album from German metal queen Doro Pesch will be released on August 17 via Nuclear Blast.


Doro's 20th LP, "Forever Warriors, Forever United" will be a huge milestone as her first-ever double album, so fans can expect 24 brand new songs, including some stunning surprises.

On "Forever Warriors", Doro channels her inner wild warrior, with tracks like "Bastardos" and the first single "All For Metal" (to be released on June 8) affirming this. Her duet with AMON AMARTH frontman Johan Hegg, "If I Can't Have You..." , is sure to bring any metalhead to his or her knees. This is Doro like you've never heard her before!

"Forever United" takes a more sentimental turn, with lyrical topics covering friendship, love and companionship. Highlights include Doro's tribute to the late and great Lemmy.

"We've been touring a lot during the last years. We collected a lot of impressions and got to meet many amazing people. That inspired me enormously," explains Doro. "The songs and ideas simply bubble out of me. That process didn't even end while being in the studio. We had 50 song ideas in the beginning which turned into 14 concrete album tracks. Suddenly we had 20 songs, and, in the end, it was even 24. I also wanted to record 'Caruso' in the last recording week."

With "Forever Warriors, Forever United", Doro presents two new records, featuring 19 regular tracks and six bonus songs.

This unique songwriting marathon was based on "Living Life To The Fullest" back in January 2016. Says Doro: "I was flying to Lemmy's funeral when the track's melody and lyrics suddenly came to mind. Lemmy was always very important to me. Everything went quickly from this point. As soon as a song was constructed, I headed to the studio — between all those shows and tours — to capture the freshness and live energy of the new tracks."

The result is 25 songs in the form of two fantastic albums, showcasing all of Doro's wonderful and varied facets. "Forever Warriors, Forever United" is another huge chapter added to her long history.

The album cover artwork was once again created by Doro's favorite artist, Geoffrey Gillespie. It portrays Doro in the middle of a swarm of wild metal heads exuding attitude, power and positive vibes.

"The cover and the title form a perfect unit," Doro explains, "Just as it should be. It all fits perfectly in line with the songs, which also deal with some political themes."

Doro continues: "On 'Forever Warriors, Forever United', there will be a lot of big rock heroes. Fans might be curious about the many awesome guest musicians involved. There are some big anthems on both albums, countless heavy songs, as well as heart-warming melodies! The records are supposed to give you power and thus contain a lot of energy."

The first single, "All For Metal", features several metal heroes, who can also be seen in the upcoming music video, which will be released on June 8. "It's a great anthem — I think it could even top [WARLOCK's classic track] 'All We Are' — and everybody's singing on it," Doro said. "And this could be really, really good. It's hooky like hell."

Guitarist Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO, THE DEAD DAISIES) and former WARLOCK guitarist Tommy Bolan, who also contributed to the highly acclaimed LP "Triumph & Agony" in 1987, will be part of the new album.

In the usual Doro tradition, there will also be another German-language song on the album — a midtempo track tackling the topic of a deep friendship, just as in "Für Immer".

The long-awaited follow-up to 2012's "Raise Your Fist" will be the German singer's first release since 2016's "Love's Gone To Hell" single.

Last year, Pesch celebrated the 30th anniversary of WARLOCK's "Triumph And Agony" album by performing the LP in its entirety at select shows around the globe.

Doro was joined on the "Triumph And Agony" 30th-anniversary tour by Bolan alongside bassist Nick Douglas, drummer Johnny Dee, guitarist Bas Maas and guitarist/keyboardist Luca Princiotta.

St. Louis metal act Black Fast has released a brand new music video for their track “Cloak Of Lies”. This is the first bit of music we’re hearing from the band since the releasing Terms Of Surrender in 2015 and the first music video from their upcoming new LP.

“Cloak of Lies” is also available as an iTunes instant grat track, meaning fans who pre-order the LP on iTunes will get the song as an immediate download. “Cloak Of Lies” is also available on all streaming services. Pre-order links and the new video can be found below.

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

"Cloak Of Lies" video:

(Photo - Kenny Williamson)

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl nearly booked himself a return trip to the "rock throne" he used onstage in 2015 after breaking his leg during a concert in Sweden. This time, Grohl got tripped up momentarily during the FOO FIGHTERS' recent set at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Jacksonville, Florida. In footage posted online, Grohl can be seen stumbling over a speaker onstage, but this time he's able to brace himself with his arms instead of hitting the ground below.

Grohl must have flashed back to that moment in June 2015 when he tumbled from a stage in Gothenburg, Sweden, because he returned to the mic and told the Jacksonville crowd: "I almost just broke my fucking leg over there. Here's the way I look at it, when you get that close to breaking your fucking leg, that means it's a good show."

Grohl was unable to walk or run for several months as a result of that injury in 2015, so he performed a large stretch of FOO FIGHTERS shows on a massive light-up throne constructed for him by the band's road crew.

Grohl told The Pulse Of Radio at the time how he came up with the throne. "You know when you're a kid and you're in school, you sit in class and you draw instruments and stages and stuff like that in your notebook. It's the exact same thing," he said. "If you see the photo, it's like, it looks like I did it when I was in seventh grade. And it actually happened."

The FOO FIGHTERS frontman later ended up loaning the throne to Axl Rose after the GUNS N' ROSES singer broke his foot right at the start of that band's "Not In This Lifetime" reunion tour in April 2016, forcing Rose to perform the first portion of the trek while seated.

The Welcome To Rockville date wrapped up the first leg of the FOO FIGHTERS' current North American tour, which resumes again on July 6 in Columbia, Maryland.

Dude ??? . . . . Thanks to Joseph Delsignore for the footage . . . . . . . . . . . . #davegrohl #taylorhawkins #natemendel #patsmear #ramijaffee #chrisshiflett #foofighters #foos #foo #ff #davidgrohl #rockstar #frontman #clumsy #brokenlegtour #concreteandgoldtour #rockville #florida #pleasebecareful #terrifying A post shared by Dave Grohl Fan Page (@discogrohl) on May 6, 2018 at 11:26pm PDT

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's enthusiasm towards authentic metal with all his heart and soul is apparent from the album's title track and first single, “Metal Souls”.

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"

"Metal Souls" video:

Pre-order Metal Souls here.

Lineup:

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

Metallica performed their cover of the Misfits' "Last Caress" on May 2nd at Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway. Pro-shot footage of the performance can be seen below:

Metallica performs next on May 7th at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. Find the band's complete live itinerary, here.

A recent message from Metallica: "In March we kicked off the All Within My Hands eBay auctions including autographed memorabilia, music, and Metallica experiences with all proceeds benefiting the foundation. The first two auctions have blown us away! We are so appreciative of the donations we’ve received from Metallica fans around the world. Now round three is underway!

"This month’s first featured item is a complete set of the Funko POP! Rocks: Metallica, autographed by all four members of the band. We’re also bringing you a classic… the Live Shit: Binge and Purge VHS Set again, autographed by all four members of Metallica. Yes… you read that right: old school VHS set straight from 1993! Both auctions will end Tuesday, May 8th at 1:30 PM PDT.

"Keep an eye out for new auctions on the first Tuesday of each month and stay tuned to AllWithinMyHands.org as well as the AWMH Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for updates and links to each auction. Are you a collector and want to make sure you don’t miss a thing? Auction alerts won’t always come from the Metallica Mailing List, so sign up for the AWMH Mailing List now to receive notifications each time a new auction begins. All funds raised will be donated to a cross-section of national and local charities and as always, we appreciate all your love and support!"

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With SHINEDOWN's sixth studio album, "Attention Attention", just released on Friday (May 4), frontman Brent Smith discussed 10 albums that changed his life in a new interview with Classic Rock. Although it didn't make the list, the first LP Smith ever bought was MÖTLEY CRÜE's 1987 album "Girls, Girls Girls", about which Smith said: "It was the first time I felt like I was doing something dangerous. It was a cassette, I was very young — maybe 10, and I hid it from my parents... I had a Walkman tucked away in a closet in my room, and I'd listen to it at night after my parents went to bed." Leading the actual list was SOUNDGARDEN's "Superunknown", about which Smith said: "It's just one of those records. It was an extension of the learning experience I went through in finding my own voice, from the gravel to the high register… When you go into that album, it's just brilliant. The music's great, the performances are incendiary, but it was the vocals, man. It was effortless."

Smith told The Pulse Of Radio a while back who his biggest single vocal influence was. "Probably the biggest influence was when my father came to me when I was about 14 years old and he said if you wanted to listen, if I wanted to listen to music, that I should listen to this. And he gave me an Otis Redding greatest-hits cassette. And I put it in, and I was pretty much changed from that day forward, after I heard that man sing."

The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival", "Attention Attention" marks SHINEDOWN's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by bassist Eric Bass. The 14-track album, SHINEDOWN's most raw and personal to date, is a mental, emotional and physical journey that follows an individual from life's lowest lows to the highest highs as anxieties dissipate and demons disappear.

Fan-filmed video footage of Ace Frehley's May 5 performance at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland can be seen below.

Ace's setlist was as follows:

01. Parasite (KISS song)

02. Rip It Out

03. Love Gun (KISS song)

04. Rock Soldiers

05. Strange Ways (KISS song)

06. New York Groove (HELLO cover)

07. 2 Young 2 Die

08. Shock Me (KISS song)

09. Cold Gin (KISS song)

10. Detroit Rock City (KISS song)

11. Deuce (KISS song)

Last month, Frehley released a brand new single, titled "Bronx Boy". The single is the first track from an all-new, untitled full-length solo LP to be released this summer.

"Bronx Boy" is available on all digital music services.

Frehley's next studio album is expected to include the two songs he co-wrote last summer with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons.

"Gene came over my house to write — it went fantastic," Ace said. "In a matter of three hours, he and I came up with two new songs for my [next] record. I'm thrilled." The occasion was momentous for another reason. "It was the first time I have worked with him while I was sober," he revealed, "and it was a pleasure."

Frehley's last release was a covers collection "Origins, Vol 1", which received great reviews and landed in the Top 25 on the Billboard album chart. The effort featured a guest appearance by KISS lead singer Paul Stanley on a cover of FREE's "Fire And Water", marking their first collaboration since 1998's "Psycho Circus".

Last September, Frehley released a newly expanded deluxe edition of his 2009 album, "Anomaly", eOne Music. Among the new tracks were two previously unreleased demos: "Hard For Me", which was later reworked into the album's "Foxy & Free", and an early take of "Pain In The Neck", different in tempo and arrangement from the final version. Also included was the previously digital-only "Anomaly" bonus track "The Return Of Space Bear". "Anomaly Deluxe" also featured enhanced album art, a new live poster, and extensive liner notes by rock writer and Ace Frehley historian Ron Albanese (including track-by-track commentary by Frehley).

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released the official music video for the new song "Sham Pain", off the band's upcoming seventh studio album, "And Justice For None". According to guitarist Zoltan Bathory, the track is "a lyrical snapshot of probably the most chaotic, yet the biggest year of our career. So far, we've come out of every bear attack relatively un-scraped, and the band is tighter than ever. Life is not so difficult if you don't take yourself sooo seriously. As long as you can find the humor in everything, you are winning and the winning is strong with this video, as it follows the footsteps of our NOscar-winning masterpiece 'Jekyll And Hyde'. It was a simple process: We lit the set on fire and then made our poor director Rob Anderson's artistic sense into a piñata. Whatever he could salvage became the music video."

"Sham Pain" sees FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH frontman Ivan Moody spitting out such lines as "my label tried to sue me, TMZ tried to screw me, Blabbermouth can fucking suck it, 'cause they never fucking knew me," a reference to a particularly event-filled 2016 during which the band was sued by its record label, Prospect Park, and a woman claiming to be Moody's wife accused the singer of infidelity and being violent during their relationship.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's follow-up to 2015's "Got Your Six" was originally delivered to Prospect Park in December 2016, but a legal battle with the company delayed the LP's arrival.

Last fall, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH settled its lawsuit with Prospect Park and released a greatest-hits collection with two new songs.

Due on May 18, "And Justice For None" is available for pre-order in the following formats: standard physical CD (13 tracks), deluxe physical CD (13 tracks + 3 bonus tracks + deluxe artwork), vinyl (13 tracks + 3 bonus tracks + deluxe gatefold artwork). The band is also offering fans a variety of new CD/merchandise bundles.


Bathory told Detroit radio station WRIF that the title of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new album was inspired by the group's legal battle with Prospect Park. Bathory explained: "There was this back-and-forth forever, and finally when we settled, I think Ivan was the one who said, 'Well, I guess that's justice for none.' And we were, like, 'Let's call the album 'And Justice For None'.'"

Bathory acknowledged that the band picked that title even though METALLICA released an LP called "…And Justice For All". He added, "We all know there's [the] METALLICA album... And [those] lyrics, actually, METALLICA's '…And Justice For All', make a lot of sense to me. The same crap 30 years later, right?"

Asked if the band changed any of the LP during the past year, Bathory replied, "We ended up recording a couple of more songs that was part of the agreement with the label; we recorded three more songs for the album that was part the settlement."

Bathory said about the "And Justice For None" music: "We have a sound, and we're not gonna really go far away from that. We sometimes experiment, but we have a sound. And for us, it's always about writing the song — the song is what matters the most to us."

In May 2016, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced it had signed a new North American recording deal with the BMG-owned rock label Rise Records.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will hit a handful of festivals and play around a dozen dates with SHINEDOWN this spring. The band will then kick off a co-headlining run with BREAKING BENJAMIN on July 16 in Seattle.



Standard cover:



Deluxe cover:

GHOST's Tobias Forge is the featured guest on the on the exclusive 10-inch vinyl version of "House Of Doom", a brand new song from CANDLEMASS. The tune is the soundtrack of the game with the same name, which was co-designed by the legendary Swedish doom metal band.

Forge can be heard on the nine-and-a-half-minute-long version of "House Of Doom", which will be made available as a 10-inch etched vinyl.

The "House Of Doom" soundtrack will be released on May 25 as an EP with three bonus tracks via Napalm Records.

A full-length album will be released in the fall.

Forge, as Papa Emeritus III, previously joined CANDLEMASS on stage in July 2016 at the Gefle Metal Festival in Gävle, Sweden to perform the CANDLEMASS classic "Well Of Souls".

CANDLEMASS singer Mats Levén stated about the "House Of Doom" EP: "We in CANDLEMASS are proud to present four new songs to the world on the new EP 'House Of Doom'! The title track is inspired by the 'House Of Doom' game from Hyperfrost. We're also very happy that our label Napalm Records are with us all the way. 2018 will be a big year for CANDLEMASS!"

"House Of Doom" is a five-reel video slot with 10 fixed paylines. It is a volatile game with a high payout. There are wilds, free(doom)spins and bonus scatter symbols (the Skull). Landing three skulls at the right moment triggers the Skulls Of Abyss bonus game, where hidden prizes can be won…

The "House Of Doom" soundtrack was written by CANDLEMASS bassist Leif Edling, produced by Marcus Jidell, mixed by David Castillo and mastered by Maor Appelbaum.

Edling said last fall that he was working on a new CANDLEMASS song that was "a part of something bigger, something really cool that will take the band on another adventure." He described the process as "very exciting and a new challenge for me as a songwriter."

CANDLEMASS's latest release, "Death Thy Lover", came out in 2016 as CANDLEMASS's special 30th-anniversary EP. The four-track effort featured singer Mats Levén, who joined CANDLEMASS in 2012 following the departure of Robert Lowe.

Yep, Papa Emeritus III is our guest on the exclusive 10” vinyl version of 'House of Doom'! #ghost #ghostbc #heavymetal #candlemassPosted by Candlemass on Thursday, May 10, 2018

A spokesperson for BABYMETAL's American management company has confirmed Yui Mizuno (a.k.a. Yuimetal) remains a member of the Japanese pop/metal group.

After Yuimetal was a no-show at the first two concerts of BABYMETAL's current U.S. tour, fans took to social media to question her absence. The rumor mill went into overdriver after Suzuka Nakamoto (a.k.a. Su-Metal and Moa Kikuchi (a.k.a. Moametal) performed live as a duo (along with two onstage dancers), and no bandmembers appeared in the video for BABYMETAL's new single, "Distortion".

When contacted by Alternative Press for an explanation, a 5B Artist Management representative released a statement saying that "Yuimetal remains a member" of BABYMETAL, despite the fact that "she is not on this current U.S. tour."

The group's spokesperson added: "There is a new narrative for the future of the band which is currently evolving. The storyline has changed. This was the basis of the 'Metal Resistance Episode 7: The Revelation' video."

The representative went on to explain that the seven hooded figures in the bombastic clip represent a new era for the band, with the addition of new characters. "The who, when, where, and how of The Chosen Seven will be presented as the concept unfolds," the spokesperson said.

Last December, Yuimetal was forced to miss BABYMETAL's two shows in Hiroshima after being taken ill.

BABYMETAL's current trek will include appearances at some of the most recognized festivals in the world, among them Rock On The Range (U.S.), Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park (Germany) and Download (U.K.).

Formed in 2010, BABYMETAL is the offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and heavy metal.

"The Fox", the new video from Swedish classic rock connoisseurs GRAVEYARD, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's eagerly anticipated comeback album, "Peace", which will be released on May 25 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Park Studios in Stockholm with producer Chips Kiesbye (THE HELLACOPTERS, MICHAEL MONROE, THE NOMADS) and engineer Stefan Boman (BURT BACHARACH, ALICE COOPER, DEF LEPPARD, KENT).

"Peace" is now available for pre-order in various formats. The Nuclear Blast mailorder edition will feature the CD as well as a red seven-inch vinyl containing two exclusive and previously unreleased non-album tracks ("Headache City" and "Something Else"). The album will also be available as digipack CD as well as on black, yellow, mint, beige and clear vinyl.

The disc will contain the following tracks:

01. It Ain't Over Yet

02. Cold Love

03. See The Day

04. Please Don't

05. Del Maniac

06. The Fox

07. Walk On

08. Bird Of Paradise

09. A Sign Of Peace

10. Low (I Wouldn't Mind)

GRAVEYARD announced its return in January 2017, only four months after saying that the band was calling it quits. The group's new lineup does not include drummer Axel Sjöberg, who is apparently focusing on his new outfit called BIG KIZZ. He has since been replaced by Oskar Bergenheim.

GRAVEYARD released four full-length albums, the latest one being 2015's "Innocence & Decadence".

GRAVEYARD's breakup in September 2016 was attributed to "the all-so-classic reason 'differences within the band.'" The group explained at the time: "This is the unfortunate final decision we've had to make after going through a period of struggling and juggling with personal issues. Things have gone out of hand and now our energy is very low."

GRAVEYARD 2018 is:

Joakim Nilsson - vocals, guitar

Truls Mörck - bass

Oskar Bergenheim - drums

Jonatan Ramm - guitar

SLAYER will embark on the European leg of its "farewell" tour in the fall. Support on the trek will come from LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and OBITUARY.

Tickets for the German leg of the tour go on sale on Thursday, May 17 at 10 CEST and for the U.K. leg on Friday, May 18 at 9:00 a.m. GMT.

The band's Slaytanic Wehrmacht fan club and O2 presales commence at 9:00 a.m. U.K. time on Wednesday, May 16 and Live Nation's presales begins at 10:00 a.m. U.K. time on Thursday, May 17.

SLAYER European tour dates with LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, OBITUARY:

Nov. 01 - IRL Dublin - 3Arena

Nov. 03 - UK London - Wembley Arena

Nov. 05 - UK Cardiff - Motorpoint Arena

Nov. 07 - UK Birmingham - BCA

Nov. 09 - UK Manchester - Arena

Nov. 10 - UK Newcastle - Metro Radio Arena

Nov. 12 - UK Glasgow - The Hydro SSE

Nov. 14 - D Dortmund - Westfalenhalle

Nov. 15 - NL Zwolle - IJsselhallen

Nov. 17 - E Madrid - Palacio Vistalegre

Nov. 18 - E Barcelona - Palau Sant Jordi

Nov. 20 - I Milan - Mediolanum Forum

Nov. 21 - CH Zurich - Halle 622

Nov. 23 - A Vienna - Stadthalle

Nov. 24 - D Freiburg - SICK-ARENA

Nov. 26 - D Hamburg - Barclaycard Arena

Nov. 27 - PL Lodz - Atlas Arena

Nov. 29 - D Munich - Olympiahalle

Nov. 30 - D Erfurt - Messehalle

Dec. 02 - D Berlin - Mercedes-Benz Arena

Dec. 03 - DK Copenhagen - Royal Arena

Dec. 05 - S Stockholm - Hovet

Dec. 06 - N Oslo - Spektrum

Dec. 08 - FIN Helsinki - Helsingin Jäähalli

This past January, SLAYER announced that it would do one last concert tour around the globe to thank their fans for all of their support over the years, for making the last three and a half decades so packed with good times and unforgettable experiences, and then move on.

SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: "At 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. [Laughs] This is a career move." He continued: "I'm grateful that we've been around for 35 years; that's a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you're young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we're at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn't able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they're both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that." Araya added: "Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time."

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: "There's things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can't headbang anymore. And that was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I'm grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that's changed a little for me."

SLAYER has been touring in support of its latest album, "Repentless", which was released in September 2015 via Nuclear Blast. That effort marked the band's first release since the death of SLAYER's co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman.

Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, in January 2011 from a spider bite in his backyard. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman eventually died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was effectively fired from the band after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of SLAYER. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band.

SLAYER kicked off the first leg of its farewell world tour with a May 10 concert at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center, with U.S. dates running through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center.

Reunited California metallers BLEEDING THROUGH will release a new full-length album, "Love Will Kill All", on May 25 via SharpTone Records.

The official music video for the disc's second single, "Fade Into The Ash", can be seen below.

"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.

KORN frontman Jonathan Davis has released the song "Basic Needs" from his upcoming debut solo album, "Black Labyrinth". The disc will be released on May 25 via Sumerian Records.

Diverse and progressive, "Black Labyrinth" represents a natural evolution for Jonathan, whose previous musical contributions have yielded two Grammy Award wins, eight Grammy Award nominations, worldwide sales of more than 40 million, and countless sold-out shows in nearly every corner of the globe. In addition to the album's well-received first single, "What It Is", which debuted as the No. 1 most added single on rock radio, the new album includes "Final Days", a melodic and atmospheric track, accentuated by subtle hints of sitar and tabla, the straightforward arena-rock anthem "Underneath My Skin", and 10 other tracks primarily recorded live to tape, a departure from KORN's heavily calculated, meticulous, studio approach to creation. Longtime fans of KORN will still find the familiarity of the band's unique and unforgettable vocals, synths and commanding guitars in key tracks like "What You Believe" and "Everyone".

Inspired in part by the Ganzfeld Experiment, and the out-of-body experiments and hallucinations that often accompany it, Davis focused on religion, consumerism and apathy throughout the album. "There's a level of enlightenment I want to achieve," he confesses regarding "Black Labyrinth". "With all of the bullshit going, everyone is stuck on their fucking cell phones. This takes us way out of that. No matter how hard you try to fight bad things in your life, life will be what it is. It's up to you to accept that, combat it, and move forward, or it's up to you to be in denial. Then it becomes a thorn in your side until you finally deal with it. This is it. Just deal with it."

"Black Labyrinth" track listing:

01. Underneath My Skin

02. Final Days

03. Everyone

04. Happiness

05. Your God

06. Walk On By

07. The Secret

08. Basic Needs

09. Medicate

10. Please Tell Me

11. What You Believe

12. Gender

13. What It Is

Asked in a recent interview about the sound of the project, Davis explained: "It's completely different. It's a different thing. It's something I've been working on for 10 years. It's just a crazy, different world music hybrid of all kinds of things, and there are all kinds of different players who play on the record. And I'm really proud of it."

Regarding why it took so long to complete the solo album, Davis said: "I did most of it back in… I started it in '07 and '08. I was signed to another record label, and, unfortunately, the people that signed me left. Some other people came in, they wanted to do it, and they ended up not doing it, so I got the record back. And then, [I went through] a few different managers and stuff, so it's just the same thing — they want the KORN machine moving. [Laughs] So finally I've got a break now, and I'm, like, ' I wanna do this now, guys. Let's do this.' So we're doing it."

Davis also talked about why he chose to make a solo record instead of using the material for KORN. "'Cause it's completely different — it's not for KORN," he said. "You've heard 'What It Is' — that's not a KORN song. So this is stuff that's completely different. There's stuff I've brought to KORN before, like from these sessions, the song 'Take Me', on our last record [2016's 'The Serenity Of Suffering'], was one of these songs, but we took it and the guys — [KORN guitarists] Head and Munky — got it, they tore it apart and made it their own. It's totally different. Sometimes it works. But the majority of the stuff wouldn't have worked for KORN."

The singer's solo North American tour was launched on April 6 in Portland, Oregon and will end on May 18 in Boston. KORN drummer Ray Luzier is part of the backing band.

"What It Is" is included on the soundtrack to a film called "American Satan", which came out on January 26.


Davis has recorded and toured on his own intermittently over the years. He has composed music for soundtracks, most notably "Queen Of The Damned", and has toured and DJed frequently over the years as his alter ego JDevil.