Metallica has posted MetallicaTV video of the band peforming "Whiskey In The Jar" live at the Opera House in Toronto on November 29th, 2016. Check it out below.

The show is available for download via LiveMetallica.com here.

The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Breadfan"
"Creeping Death"
"Battery"
"Sad But True"
- Kirk solo -
"Fade to Black"
"Atlas, Rise!"
"Harvester Of Sorrow"
"Moth Into Flame"
- bass solo -
"One"
"Master Of Puppets"
"For Whom The Bell Tolls"
"Enter Sandman"
"Whiskey in the Jar"
"Hardwired"
"Seek and Destroy"

BraveWords’ Martin Popoff was on hand for the Opera House concert. You can read his review of the show at this location. Popoff also interviewed Kirk Hammett during the band’s visit to Toronto. Read the interview here.

In the video below, Banger TV's Sam Dunn, Daniel Dekay and Bradley Zorgdrager check out the scene outside the show:

Korean symphonic black metal group Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy have released their frist official video, culled from their forthcoming album The Lord Ov Shadows, due worldwide via Sliptrick Records on January 22nd, 2019.

The track is the six-and-a-half minute opus "I Am The Lord Ov Shadows" and shows the band in all their dark, heavy and progressive beauty. Classical gothic music is the outstanding essence of Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy, with anguished vocals and brooding instruments performing chapters and poems which evoke nothingness and wholeness, darkness and daylight, beauty and ugliness.

The Lord Ov Shadows is currently available for pre-order at this location. Check out the cover art and tracklisting:

"Creation Of The Alter Self"
"Possession"
"The Annunciation In Lust"
"Acquainted With The Nocturnal Devastation"
"I Am The Lord Ov Shadows"

For further details, visit Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy on Facebook.

In 2016, Within Temptation performed at the 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, as part of their annual Black X-mas show.

A message from the band: "Since we are not doing a Black X-Mas show this year, we do want to give you a Black X-Mas treat: we are wrapping up this year with 12 live videos each day until X-Mas! But that’s not all. We will also look back on all our highlights of 2018! Want to join our feast?"

Watch the band perform their cover of Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" live at Black X-Mas 2016, below:

"Frozen" live at Black X-Mas 2016:

"Stand My Ground" live at Black X-Mas 2016:

Within Temptation recently announced their 2019 North American tour plans. The band will embark on a tour of the US and Canada this coming winter. The tour kicks off February 28th in Baltimore and runs through March 19th in Los Angeles. The trek makes several stops in Canada.

Special guests will be In Flames and Smash Into Pieces. All confirmed tour dates are below.

February
28 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

March
1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
2 - New York, NY - Playstation Theater
3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
5 - Montreal, QC - Olympia
6 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
8 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
9 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater
11 - Denver, CO - The Summit
12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
14 - Portland, OR - Roseland Ballroom
15 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue Theater
16 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
18 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern Theater

The band will now release its new album, Resist, on February 1st via Spinefarm/Universal Music in North America. Pre-order the album here.

Resist marks a departure from the Within Temptation's past. The record is armed with 10 anthemic tracks, driven by grand melodies and dark hooks. It brings a futuristic take on metal to the table - both instrumentally and thematically.

"Resist is a true milestone for us. If it wasn't for Resist, Within Temptation wouldn't be here anymore," the band stated.

"With this record, we've taken inspiration from modern music and gave it a face - a very dark one," said singer Sharon den Adel. "Sometimes, it feels that today's pop music lacks a rebellious edge. Our main goal was to collect pieces from sounds we did like and roughen it up as much as we could, resulting in a surprisingly new musical world that is heavier, dirtier and more futuristic than we’ve ever created before. Resist is our take on metal in a new way: to give modern music its rebellious edge.”

Resist tracklisting:

"The Reckoning" (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)
"Endless War"
"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén)
"Supernova"
"Holy Ground"
"In Vain"
"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck)
"Mad World"
"Mercy Mirror"
"Trophy Hunter"

"Firelight" (feat. Jasper Steverlinck):

"Raise Your Banner" (feat. Anders Fridén) lyric video:

"The Reckoning" video "making of":

"The Reckoning" video:

"The Reckoning" lyric video:

Dutch blackened death doom metallers, Soulburn, have announced a change of member in their ranks, as longtime drummer Bob Bagchus (ex-Asphyx) decided to leave the group.

Says the band: ”Bob Bagchus decided to call it quits and parted ways with Soulburn. It came a bit as a surprise, but we totally respect his decision and wish him all the luck with his other musical and hellish endeavours. We thank Bob for all the effort he put into this band from the start on, and also simply for being this amazing legendary guy he is. Onwards!"

Bob Bagchus added: “A little musical update from my side: I recently decided to leave Soulburn. There is no "big" story behind it or any of that blablabla, I just thought it was time to quit since I did not feel connected with it anymore. I wish the guys all the best in the near future and welcome their new drummer Marc Verhaar. Thanx Eric, Remco and Twan for the great times and praise the Goat!"

Soulburn consequently added Marc Verhaar (Graceless, Nailgun Massacre, ex-Xenomorph) as new drummer to the fold. They commented: “He’s no stranger to the Soulburn camp as he was often present helping out at our shows. He’s a great guy and above all, a more than great drummer and we’re very much looking forward continuing our blasphemous noise together. A new era has arrived..."

Most recently, Soulburn released a 7” EP entitled Carpe Noctem, featuring two brand-new songs via Floga Records, who had previously also reissued the group‘s 1996 demo on 12“ vinyl in 2016. Currently, Soulburn are working on their upcoming fourth album and will also be playing selected shows throughout 2019.

Tour dates:

February
16 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Willemeen

March
23 - Erfurt, Germany - Club From Hell (+ Asphyx)

July
27 - Steenwijk, Netherlands - Stonehenge Festival

Band lineup (from left to right on photo above):

Eric Daniels - guitar
Twan van Geel - vocals/bass
Marc Verhaar - drums
Remco Kreft - guitar

(Photo - Lenn Kralt)

On January 9, 2019, Universal Music Japan will release Conspiracy Series Volume 1 by Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators. This greatest hits collection will feature 13 songs, and can be pre-ordered at this location. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

"World On Fire"
"One Last Thrill"
"30 Years To Life"
"Apocalyptic Love"
"Sahara" (feat.Koshi Inaba)
"Doctor Alibi" (feat. Lemmy Kilmister)
"Watch This" (feat. Dave Grohl and Duff McKagan)
"Bad Rain"
"You’re A Lie"
"Too Far Gone"
"Crucify The Dead" (feat. Ozzy Osbourne)
"Shadow Life"
"Mind Your Manners"

Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators' 2019 Tour Dates:

January
8 - Hard Rock Coliseum - Singapore, Singapore
10 - GMM Live House - Bankok, Thailand
13 - YES 24 Live Hall - Gwangjin-gu, South Korea
15 - Namba Hatch - Osaka, Japan
17 - Studio Coast - Tokyo, Japan
20 - Beijing Exhibition Hall - Beijing, China
22 - Modernsky Lab - Shanghai, China
25 - Baypark Arena - Tauranga, New Zealand
26 - Spark Arena - Auckland, New Zealand
28 - Qudos Bank Arena - Sydney Olympic Park, Australia
30 - Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre - Brisbane, Australia

February
1 - Margaret Court Arena - Melbourne, Australia
3 - RAC Arena - Perth, Australia
7 - Stadthalle - Offenbach, Germany
9 - O2 Arena - Prague, Czech Republic
10 - Gasometer - Vienna, Austria - SOLD OUT
12 - Atlas Arena - Lodz, Poland
16 - O2 Apollo - Manchester, United Kingdom - SOLD OUT
17 - SEC Hall 3 - Glasgow, United Kingdom
19 - The Dome - Doncaster, United Kingdom - SOLD OUT
20 - Eventim Apollo - London, United Kingdom - SOLD OUT
22 - Zenith - Paris, France
23 - Cirque Royal - Brussels, Belgium - SOLD OUT
24 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, Netherlands - SOLD OUT
27 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, Norway - SOLD OUT
28 - Annexet - Stockholm, Sweden

March
3 - Sporthalle - Hamburg, Germany
4 - Verti Music Hall - Berlin, Germany
7 - Samsung Hall - Zurich, Switzerland
8 - Fabrique - Milan, Italy - SOLD OUT
10 - Zenith - Toulouse, France
12 - St. Jordi Club - Barcelona, Spain
13 - Wizink Centre - Madrid, Spain
15 - Campo Pequeno - Lisbon, Portugal

May
5 - Movistar Arena - Bogota, Colombia
7 - Arena Costa Verde - Lima, Peru
10 - Teatro Caupolican - Santiago, Chile
12 - Arena Maipu - Mendoza, Argentina
14 - Plaza de la Musica UNC - Córdoba, Argentina
15 - Metropolitano Rosario - Rosario, Argentina
17 - Teatro Gran Rivadavia - Buenos Aires, Argentina
18 - GEBA - Buenos Aires, Argentina
21 - Pepsi On Stage - Porto Alegre, Brazil
22 - Stage Music Park - Florianópolis, Brazil
24 - Live Curitiba - Curitiba, Brazil
25 - EDA - São Paulo, Brazil
27 - Sabiazinho Arena - Uberlândia, Brazil
29 - Net Live - Brasília, Brazil

June
1 - Classic Hall - Recife, Brazil
3 - Centro de Eventos do Ceará - Fortaleza, Brazil
7 - Rock im Park - Nord, Germany
8 - Rock am Ring - Nürburg, Germany
12 - Ormeau Park - Belfast, Ireland
14 - Download Festival - Castle Donington, United Kingdom
16 - Nova Rock - Kleylehof, Austria
19 - Swiss Life Hall - Hannover, Germany
22 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessl, Belgium
25 - Rockhal - Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg
26 - Volt Festival - Sopron, Hungary
28 - TopFest - Piešťany, Slovakia

July
9 - Bitan 1 - Tel Aviv-yafo, Israel

 

GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" is now believed to be the second-highest-grossing tour of all time, having generated an estimated $562 million since it began two and a half years ago.

According to Pollstar, "Not In This Lifetime" topped $82 million in sales during 2018 alone, having grossed an average of $3.7 million per show over the course of the 24-date run.

At least four other tours have topped $500 million in sales: U2's "360" ($735 million), THE ROLLING STONES' "A Bigger Bang" ($558 million), Ed Sheeran's "Divide" ($555 million) and COLDPLAY "A Head Full Of Dreams" ($523 million) tours.

Sheeran's "Divide" tour resumes in 2019, and with 45 headlining stadium dates already booked, the British singer will likely overtake U2 and claim the title of highest-grossing tour of all time.

b>"Not In This Lifetime", which launched in April 2016, topped the $475 million mark in gross sales with the final show of the band's 2017 touring schedule in November of last year in Los Angeles.

About 70 people travel with the "Not In This Lifetime" show in addition to the truck drivers; that number goes upwards of five hundred, including the local workers, by show date once catering, security, etc. are factored in, according to the GN'R tour's production manager, Dale "Opie" Skjerseth.

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic lineup members Slash (guitar), Duff McKagan (bass) and Axl Rose (vocals) backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

During an appearance on the "Walking The Floor With Chris Shiflett" podcast, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley once again confirmed that he hasn't been asked to take part in the band's "End Of The Road" farewell tour. "When Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] call me up and say, 'Do you wanna do a reunion tour?' and write me a big check, you know, I'll probably be there," Ace said. "If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. What are you gonna do?"

If he does take part in a KISS reunion, his return with come with a stipulation: that the guys apply their makeup together, like the old days. "The last thing I heard is that Paul has his own dressing room, and that completely shocked me, because we always used to put on our makeup together, like four girls in a beauty parlor," Frehley said. "We'd be talking while putting makeup on. It was a ritual... If I was to be asked to come back to the band, I'd want everybody to put on makeup together, like we used to."

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of their first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer has assumed the role of the Spaceman.

Frehley's new solo album, "Spaceman", was released on October 19 via eOne. Simmons co-wrote two tracks on the disc, "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Simmons's bass playing.

hoto credit: Jay Gilbert

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch spoke to Revolver about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity Of Suffering" album. He said: "The new record I'm very stoked on. I can't wait to get that done. There's a lot left to do. What we have is really encouraging. We have been writing and we have tracked most of the drums. But we'll probably write a couple more songs — that always happens. At the beginning of the year, we're going to really focus and get it done.

Asked where the album is being recorded, Welch responded: "We're doing it all over. We've been to Nashville a few times, we've done a lot in L.A. We actually wrote with John Feldmann, too, for the demos. Travis Barker laid the temporary drums for some, and that was cool. We've known John Feldmann since '87 — he was in ELECTRIC LOVE HOGS. So we're writing with different people. We grabbed [producer] Nick Raskulinecz, and he's very hands-on and such a fan of music. It's not a job or a gig to him."

According to Welch, KORN's new album "should be out by next fall." He explained: "We have to get it out, because we want to get back to the fans next year and do our thing. We're working hard. We've been through a lot. Now it's time to get all those emotions and turn them into a positive with music. Jonathan [Davis, KORN singer] is really good at that."

Davis's estranged wife's died in August at the age of 39. The former girl-on-girl porn star suffered with sobriety and substance abuse throughout her life.

b>Welch told Good Company earlier in the year that KORN's next disc would likely be "a combination of maybe both ['The Serenity Of Suffering'] and [2013's 'The Paradigm Shift']. We'll try some new stuff though, but we're gonna definitely focus on guitars again."

Earlier in the year, Davis said that there were "really good ideas" and "cool grooves" in some of the early material that had been written for KORN's next album. The singer also shot down as false Internet speculation that the band is using outside writers for material for its next studio album. "We're writing everything; we're still writing our own music," he said.

"The Serenity Of Suffering" marked the second KORN album since the return of Welch.

Lita Ford says a full reunion of iconic seventies rockers THE RUNAWAYS will probably never happen.

Speaking on Daily Mail at the Las Vegas F.A.M.E Awards last month, Ford outlined in great detail her relationships with former bandmates Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Jackie Fox and Sandy West and the previous attempts to get the band back together.

Lita said: "Joan Jett is very much in 'Joan Jett land,' I guess you could say. Will she ever come out of Joan Jett land? I don't think so. I think her [longtime] manager [Kenny Laguna] controls that and it's really up to him and her. It seems to me like Joan Jett's manager just runs her life in every way, shape, or form. He's very controlling and he has a real problem with me. He has a real issue with me. He sees me as a threat, which is ridiculous, because she's like my sister and I love Joan. It's ridiculous, it's uncalled for, and it's caused a little bit of rivalry between her and I, which is totally uncalled for. It's his fault."

Ford claims that Jett's manager has prevented her from even talking about a RUNAWAYS reunion with Jett.

The hard part is just trying to communicate with Joan without her manager involved," she added.

"We had dinner a couple of years ago, what was supposed to be a girl's night out, and she brought her manager with her.

"So it's like, "Dude, answer the question. I'm trying to ask you a question. Are you interested in putting THE RUNAWAYS back together?' She never answered the question."

Although Ford admits to feeling "pissed off" at not having been able to speak to Jett alone about a RUNAWAYS reunion, she denies being upset. "I have my own life with her or without her, with THE RUNAWAYS or without THE RUNAWAYS," she said. 'I have my own life and I will continue on with my own life, because I have a kick-ass life, but it could be great too with THE RUNAWAYS, you know? Why not?"

Currie told the "White Line Fever" podcast in 2016 that RUNAWAYS came close to reunining more than two decades ago. "Lita had reached out to us to convince us, me and Joan, to do a RUNAWAYS reunion. And we did, with Kenny Laguna basically at the helm, he secured a tour and Lita, she just basically doesn't get along with Kenny and she just walked away from that."

In a 2015 interview with with the WHMH (Rockin' 101) radio station, Lita explained that she decided against a possible RUNAWAYS reunion in the early '90s because "NIRVANA was just kicking in, and it was really bad timing; it wouldn't have worked. People would have just turned their nose up at it."

A movie about THE RUNAWAYS' brief history, starring Dakota Fanning as Currie and Kristin Stewart as Jett, came out in 2010.

Photo credit: Dustin Jack

On February 15, 2019, MEGADETH will reissue two of its iconic records, 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" and 2004's "The System Has Failed", through BMG.

MEGADETH's ninth studio album, "The World Needs A Hero" was originally released in May 2001 and was critically acclaimed as a return to a heavier musical direction for the band. It charted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and received positive reviews across the music press.

Track listing

01. Disconnect

02. The World Needs A Hero

03. Moto Psycho

04. 1000 Times Goodbye

05. Burning Bridges

06. Promises

07. Recipe For Hate…Warhorse

08. Losing My Senses

09. Dread And The Fugitive Mind

10. Silent Scorn

11. Return to Hangar

12. When

13. Coming Home (CD Bonus Track)

The full album has been newly remastered by Ted Jensen (GUNS N' ROSES, MASTODON, MACHINE HEAD, TRIVIUM).

* Includes rare live bonus track "Coming Home" on the CD and digital versions.

* First time ever on vinyl in North America.

* CD has been out of print for five years.

MEGADETH's tenth studio album, "The System Has Failed" was originally released in September 2004. Following the direction set by its predecessor, "The World Needs A Hero", it headed further into the bands thrashier past and was a hit amongst fans and critics alike. Debuting at No. 18 on the Billboard chart, the album received positive reviews across the board stating it as vital and solid.

Track listing

01. Blackmail The Universe

02. Die Dead Enough

03. Kick The Choir

04. The Scorpion

05. Tears In A Vial

06. I Know Jack

07. Back In The Day

08. Something That I'm Not

09. Truth Be Told

10. Of Mice And Men

11. Shadow Of Deth

12. My Kingdom

13. Time / Use The Man (Live) (CD Bonus Track)

14. Conjuring (Live) (CD Bonus Track)

* The full album has been newly remastered by Ted Jensen (GUNS N' ROSES, MASTODON, MACHINE HEAD, TRIVIUM).

* Includes rare live bonus tracks "Time/Use The Man" and "Conjuring" on the CD and digital versions.

* First time ever on vinyl in North America.

* CD has been out of print for five years.

THE NEAL MORSE BAND — Neal Morse (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Randy George (bass), Bill Hubauer (keyboards, vocals), Eric Gillette (guitars, vocals) — will take fans on "The Great Adventure" with its latest double concept album, due out January 25, 2019 on Radiant Records via Metal Blade worldwide. It will be available in three formats: a two-CD package, two-CD/DVD special edition featuring behind-the-scenes video clips of the making of the album, and three vinyl LPs.

The official music video for "The Great Adventure" title track can be seen below.


The follow-up to 2016's critically acclaimed "The Similitude Of A Dream" will be the ninth studio album with Morse, Portnoy and George, and the third as a true collaboration with this current lineup. Together, Morse and Portnoy have launched four bands, but the one that has endured the longest and thus with the most musical output has been THE NEAL MORSE BAND.


"Let the great adventure now begin…" The closing line of "The Similitude Of A Dream" has proved to be strangely prophetic. The new album is exactly that: a perfect companion piece to "The Similitude Of A Dream"'s partial retelling of John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". It has everything that fans would expect from an album by THE NEAL MORSE BAND, and more: rock, metal, classical and jazz elements appear throughout, as well as some killer melodies, all played faultlessly by some of the greatest rock musicians on the planet.


s Neal Morse explains: "This band continues to amaze me! I have to say it was a little daunting to follow up 'The Similitude Of A Dream' as it was such a special album and it delivered every night at our concerts, but I believe that 'The Great Adventure' will have a tremendous impact as well. This new double album is everything that I hoped it would be! I listened through last night and I was in tears at the end!"


Mike Portnoy emphatically agrees. He says: "How do you follow an epic double concept album??? Well, create another epic double concept album!! Hahaha. I always knew topping 'The Similitude Of A Dream' was going to be difficult, if not impossible, as I held it in such high regard, but alas, I am absolutely blown away with what we achieved here! We've created what is the ultimate companion to 'The Similitude Of A Dream'."


"Sometimes there are things that you just can't mess with," Randy George continues. "On 'The Similitude Of A Dream', we tapped into something special. I was sure that the follow up should be something quite different, but you have to follow your heart and follow the music where it wants to go. 'The Great Adventure' is nothing short of a miracle. It's similar to 'Similitude' in concept and form, but yet it's tougher and deeper in its tone! This is a powerful work and I look forward to playing it live!


True to the album's title, the creative process was indeed a "great adventure." Unlike many previous Morse albums, which have often been written and arranged within weeks, this time around these prolific and world-class musicians spent almost a year working on the end result, producing an abundance of top-quality material. This meant some ruthless decision-making: some already completed songs and characters had to go, and — with studio time running out–new links and ideas were being composed and recorded up to the eleventh hour. "A lot of work and re-work has gone into this," says Morse, "but I know that some of the most successful and far-reaching albums I've been involved with have been just like that. 'Sola Scriptura' and SPOCK'S BEARD's 'Snow' album come to mind."


Another key question that had to be addressed in the studio was how to pull all the ideas together into a coherent whole. In the end, what unlocked this "adventure" for Morse was the realization that 'The Great Adventure' needed a new voice and perspective. This time, it is that of the Pilgrim's abandoned son, a younger, perhaps angrier, voice than was heard on "The Similitude Of A Dream".


THE NEAL MORSE BAND will bring "The Great Adventure" to fans worldwide with a new round of headlining tour dates, which begin February 2, 2019 in Nashville at City Winery.

Photo credit: Robert Smith

Century Media Records has announced a partnership with WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM and the band's label Artemisia Records to release their upcoming albums in the world outside of North America. The Olympia, Washington-based group just finished an U.S. tour with BEHEMOTH and its new labelmates AT THE GATES and will conquer Europe with the same package in early 2019.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM comments: "Century Media has brought forth so many killer albums over the years and it's inspiring to become a part of this legendary metal label. We are writing what will become the seventh WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM album now! We have complete faith in Century Media to deliver our music to our beloved European Wolfcult. Onward!"

Jens Prüter, head of A&R at Century Media in Europe, comments: "I'm a fan since I first saw them at the Roadburn festival in 2008. I love how they have developed their own identity of Cascadian black metal. The Pacific North West of Cascadia might bear similarities to the Norwegian origins of black metal but they went their own path to create a musical vision beyond genre definitions — which earns them my biggest respect. I am looking forward to accompany them on their future endeavors!"

Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, THE LURKING FEAR) also wants to welcome his new labelmates. "WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM is a band that I have always respected and held in high regard, due to the amount of ambition that goes into their work," he said. "I feel a real kindred spirit when I dive into their albums, this melancholic desperation that carries a heavy weight of honesty is right down my alley. Having shared stages with them all across North America this winter just made me more of a fan. They put so much effort into everything they do and are very sincere in their art. I was super happy to hear that we have now also become labelmates here in Europe! That means that they are in good hands and also that I can keep easier track of their doings. Congratulations WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, congratulations Century Media Records Europe!"

ounded in 2002 by the brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM re-imagines black metal as an ode to rain storms, wood smoke and the wild energies of the Pacific Northwest. Their first studio album, "Diadem of 12 Stars" (2006), was a genre-dissolving classic that created a melancholy and psychedelic Cascadian atmosphere. Since that time, they have become one of the most potent and highly regarded bands in extreme music. The listener encounters crystalline metal riffs and ritualistic laments that sing of endless rain falling upon ancient cedars. Their music is a doorway into a mythic ethereal heathen landscape entered through music, magic and dreams.

At the dawning of their latest album "Thrice Woven" (2017), longtime touring guitar player Kody Keyworth was welcomed as a full band member. The album received high praise from the press and the band received the 2018 Metal Hammer Golden Gods award for "Best Underground Band."

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM is:

Nathan Weaver - Guitar, vocals

Kody Keyworth - Guitar, backing vocals

Aaron Weaver - Drums

Drummer Jeremy Spencer has announced his departure from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. After sitting out the fall leg of the group's recent co-headlining tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN, Jeremy underwent a second back surgery and will need a significant amount of time to recover; the band fully supports his decision.

Spencer said in a statement: "It's with mixed emotion that I share with you the following news: I regret that I've decided to step down as the drummer of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. This decision has been weighing on me for months. Now the time has finally come. I've been playing drums since I was six years old. After years of the physicality leading to surgeries, I feel it's best to step down.

"As with professional athletes, when the body and mental state don't achieve the standard required to meet the rigorous demands necessary to perform at a high level, the choice is clear. I feel fortunate that my body has provided me with several decades of doing what I love: playing double-bass and shredding the drums. However, the rigorous physical wear and tear has worn down my body to the point where I feel I can no longer deliver a performance you great fans deserve and one that brings me satisfaction and joy. In addition, I feel the band deserves to get someone with fresh fire and energy — capable of delivering DEATH PUNCH music the way fans deserve. I'm confident they will! Like you, I will be cheering on the band to continue making great music as they tour the world and bring exciting shows to all our cherished fans.

"Personally, I have a number of future projects I'm excited about — all of which require that I be physically able to move fluidly and without pain. I hope you'll continue to be part of the next chapter of my life.

I sincerely wish nothing but the very best for my brothers in DEATH PUNCH family. And I encourage our fans to continue supporting whoever replaces me.

"We decided early on to do everything possible to make you fans feel special. As a result, we've always had the most supportive and dedicated Knuckleheads. I know I speak for everyone when I saw we're grateful beyond words. Personally, you have made these years the highlight of my life. Thank you for helping make this dream a reality. Please know I am eternally grateful. Thank you for everything."

For its fall tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH was joined by drummer Charlie Engen.

The 33-year-old Engen, who was previously identified only as "a drum prodigy" called "The Engine", played his first show with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on November 6 in Wichita, Kansas.

The Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Engen has been teaching drums for more than 15 years and currently offers private and Skype lessons at his home studio, along with playing in the bands SCALE THE SUMMIT and IDEOLOGY.

In 2014, Jeremy released his autobiography, "Death Punch'd: Surviving Five Finger Death Punch's Metal Mayhem", which hit the Top 10 on the New York Times Celebrities Best Sellers list.

Spencer told The Pulse Of Radio a while back how his book came about. "I decided to clean myself up and I went into rehab a few years ago, and the day I got out I basically just started writing my whole life as a therapeutic kind of exercise," he said. "I was writing about a thousand to two thousand words a day. I would do it on tour, in the tour bus, wherever we were, and it started to shape up into something kind of interesting."

Spencer said at the time that he'd "received dozens of messages sharing how my story has inspired others to seek help or stay clean."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's latest album, "And Justice For None", debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart back in May. The set launched with 71,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 24, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 60,000 were in traditional album sales.

OPETH vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt recently spoke with Owais "Vitek" Nabi of Metal Wani. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how he's been enjoying OPETH's apparent time off:

Mikael: "I don't think, in retrospect, that I took so much time off, because we went off tour in November last year, and after Christmas, I was already in the studio working [on] new music. I didn't get the break I wanted to have, but it was more or less self-inflicted, because I decided to go down to the studio to see what happens. Since then, we've been working, and we've been putting together this live DVD ['Garden Of The Titans: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre'], so it's really not so much rest, even if it's been away from the touring scene since November [of 2017]."

On the motivation behind releasing "Garden Of The Titans":

b>Mikael: "I'm not the biggest fan of live albums myself, especially not our own, so I'm not sitting around every day playing the live album, like, 'Oh, I'm so good.' But I'm hoping that there's OPETH fans out there who want to hear this and see the DVD and all that stuff. It's our fourth [live] album, and I think it's relevant because it features songs from the last three albums which we haven't recorded before. That's one of the reasons why we decided to put it out — that and the fact that we have been away since the last tour. We wanted to put something out just so people wouldn't forget about us."

On playing Red Rocks Amphitheatre:

Mikael: "I thought [of] U2. That was the first thing that popped into my head when somebody mentioned Red Rocks — 'That's where U2 did the 'Under A Blood Red Sky' album.' Not that I'm a big U2 fan at all, but I knew about the place. There's certain venues around the world that you've heard about, and Red Rocks was, I would say, in the subconscious, I think it was on the bucket list that we wanted to play. It was also one of those unreachable venues because it's so special, and I figured they would never let a band like us play there — but that's also what I thought about the Sydney Opera House and what I thought about Radio City Music Hall in New York, Royal Albert Hall in London. This was one on the bucket list, and I was really happy that we were given the opportunity to play there, and also to make a recording of that night. It was a special night, and I'm really happy that we have it on film now, like proof that we've been there."

On the DVD's visual presentation:

Mikael: "To me, it's almost like live DVDs or TV shows these days, it's like they're made for children with ADHD. There's so many cuts. It's so much information all the time — so many angles — and I'm used to, like, '60s, '70s films where there's long camera takes, that type of stuff. That's my personal favorite. But seeing that we are not one of the more animated bands on stage — we basically just stand there playing the songs — you have to kind of make it a little bit interesting, so I figured maybe that's a good way to make it not as dull. Also, because it was a windy evening — it was freezing cold and windy — I think it makes it more exciting, and it makes it look more turbulent, exactly as it was and how it felt for us."

On the evolving perception of the band's decision to move away from their progressive death metal roots:

Mikael: "I can't dictate the rules of what type of music is good or what type of music people should listen to, but you have to also put it in reverse. Even if we've got fans who like a specific record or a specific string of albums that we've done, they cannot in turn dictate the rules to us of what we should do, because we just do what we want to do. I don't want to compare myself to any other artist, but the artists that I like the most are the ones who developed. I'm not the same guy that I was when I was 19. There are many similarities, but I'm not the same. I've gone through the motions with my own consummation of music and I've developed and widened my taste in music, and it would be strange if I didn't let that infiltrate the sound of the music that I write. In retrospect, I think some of these albums that we put out that got a lot of criticism — bad criticism, like [2011's] 'Heritage', for instance — with time I have met people and you see when we play songs from there now, it's different to what it was when we played it back then. When we played 'The Devil's Orchard' when the album had just come out, people were like, 'What the hell is this?' Now, it's just a song that they like. Some people — I understand not all of them, but some people have embraced 'Heritage', while in the beginning, maybe they thought that they would never play that album again. What happened in the end is that we have fans who come to the show from all fans of life. It's not just metal fans — it's rock fans, prog rock fans or whatever. Some people like this era of the band; some people like that era of the band; some people like everything. That's a good position to be in for me. That's how I am. There was a point in my life where I figured I will never listen to soft music — I will only listen to extreme grindcore, and that's it. Obviously, that wasn't true, because in the end, I discovered Joni Mitchell, and I discovered classical music and jazz music, and now, it doesn't matter what genre it is. If it's good music, I like it. I want to be in a band, in a musical environment that pushes for that — that pushes for musical expression regardless of the genre, and musical freedom. That's how I perceive things, and ultimately for me, as a musician, I am the best judge of what I should do."

On the status of OPETH's next album:

Mikael: "I don't want to rush things. I want to make sure that the music that we have is fantastic. I don't want to [settle for] anything less than fantastic. Once we feel, 'Okay, this is a great, great album,' then we'll record it."

On whether OPETH plans to commemorate the upcoming 20h anniversaries of "Still Life" and "Blackwater Park":

Mikael: "I know that fans love those things, and our manager loves those things, because those shows are a good financial thing, to be honest. I'm going to be completely honest — I don't like those kind of things. We've done that stuff, and I'm not saying I disliked it, but I don't like the idea of going out and playing an album. I'm sure we're going to do it again, and if you go to one of those shows, you might look at me thinking, 'Maybe it looks like he doesn't like it,' and part of that is true, but once I'm up there, it's okay — it's always okay. But it feels a bit like a nostalgia act, and I want to be relevant. I want to play those old songs, but I don't only want to play old songs. I want to play from all the albums."

"Garden Of The Titans: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre" was released on November 2 via Moderbolaget Records / Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

OPETH's latest studio album, "Sorceress", came out in 2016.

Swedish rockers BACKYARD BABIES will release their new album, "Sliver & Gold", on March 1, 2019 via Century Media Records. The disc will contain 10 sizzling new songs following the exact same recipe that has made BACKYARD BABIES one of the most consistent rock bands of our time: a perfect balance between sleazy, punky, all-out party rock 'n' roll on the one hand, and decidedly mature, thoroughly melancholic tunes on the other.

While catchy sing-a-long smashers like the first single "Shovin' Rocks", album opener "Good Morning Midnight", the anthemic "Bad Seeds" or "44 Undead" will have you fist-pumping and foot stompin' along with your left foot in a cowboy boot and your right paw in a Chuck Taylor sneaker, the beautiful ballad-like album closer "Laugh Now, Cry Later" will cause you to shed a tear or two into your Jack and Coke.

"Sliver & Gold" track listing:

01. Good Morning Midnight

02. Simple Being Sold

03. Shovin‘ Rocks

04. Ragged Flag

05. Yes To All No

06. Bad Seeds

07. 44 Undead

08. Sliver And Gold

09. A Day Late In My Dollar Shorts

10. Laugh Now Cry Later

he official music video for "Shovin' Rocks" can be seen below.

According to BACKYARD BABIES guitarist Dregen (real name: Andreas Tyrone Svensson), the "Sliver and Gold" title is a play on words.

"It is going to be a bit like if you cut yourself with a piece of sliver," he told Metal Casino. "It's a bit like our career. It's been golden moments, but it's also been kind of rough times. It's going to be hopefully the greatest BACKYARD BABIES album [yet]."

Regarding "Shovin' Rocks", Dregen said: "Since we're celebrating thirty years together as a band, the single is a bit like... it's kind of like a statement about how it is to play in a band in a three-minute song, which is kind of hard," Dregen said. "I think that the whole next album is going to be like the gold watch then you're at a [job] for a long time. It's going to be our own kind of, like, celebration — not just to our own band, but to the music form of rock 'n' roll."

Dregen said that the group approached the album's recording sessions in an unfamiliar manner. "We've done it for the first time after thirty years in a different way," he said. "Before, we've been writing the whole album, and then when we're ready with the songs, [we] choose the songs, enter the studio and start recording it. Now, we're writing songs, but when we have three or four songs that we think are great, we're entering the studio, we record these three or four songs, and we mix the songs and master the songs and they are, like, totally ready. Then we go back into writing, and we write new songs. We record, like, four EPs, and then we put it together as an album."

He added that he prefers the abbreviated studio sessions to more traditional album-length recording process. "Sometimes when you go into the studio and you have, like, 14 songs, it gets a little bit industrial," he said. "It's almost like going to work — it's like, 'Okay, drums for this song, next...' You lose kind of the heart of the song, because it gets very mechanic [sic]. Recording three or four songs, I always like. I love recording EPs or singles, because you have full control over what you do."

BACKYARD BABIES officially reunited in 2014, five years after they announced that they were going on an "indefinite hiatus." A new album, "Four By Four", arrived in 2015.

BACKYARD BABIES is:

Nicke Borg - lead vocals, guitar

Dregen - lead guitar, vocals

Johan Blomquist - bass

Peder Carlsson - drums

SOTO, the modern heavy metal / hard rock group featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TALISMAN, JOURNEY, SONS OF APOLLO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), has signed a new worldwide deal with InsideOut Music.

Soto commented: "I am proud to have SOTO working with the great InsideOut Music and their partners at Century Media Records and Sony Music. Having seen what we did together with SONS OF APOLLO, I am thrilled to see what we'll do to further my own vanity band SOTO into the future. It's a very exciting time in our lives and career."

Jeff formed SOTO in 2015 as a way to return to his heavier roots. So far they've released two albums, "Inside The Vertigo" (2015) and "Divak" (2016), taking a short break while Jeff embarked on the supergroup SONS OF APOLLO, alongside Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan and Bumblefoot.


A new SOTO album is currently being worked on and its material will continue to expand and move the band towards new heights while following up with their brand of power rock.


b>SOTO also recently announced the newest member of the band, bassist Tony Dickinson, who coincidentally also replaced the late David Zablidowsky in the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. Jeff explains: "It was the one and only natural choice for us after losing our brother David in a horrific accident in 2017. Tony wrote and played on two singles for the first two SOTO albums, 'The Fall' and 'FreakShow'. He is phenomenally talented and a great friend. He'll fit right in with us and I cannot wait to showcase more of his contributions as we move the band forward."


SOTO, which is rounded out by Jorge Salan (guitar), Edu Cominato (drums) and BJ (keys/guitar), will be touring throughout 2019 following the release of the still-untitled new album.


SOTO is:

Jeff Scott Soto - Vocals

Jorge Salan - Guitar

Tony Dickinson - Bass

BJ - Keys/Guitar

Edu Cominato - Drums

Phoenix-based thrash metal veterans SACRED REICH have announced the return of drummer Dave McClain.

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

SACRED REICH bassist/vocalist Phil Rind comments: "It is with great pleasure that we announce that Dave McClain is once again a member of SACRED REICH! This was the best-case scenario that we could have hoped for. Dave is the best! A great drummer and a great person and we are beyond excited to welcome him back to the band. We're headed into the studio in February and can't wait for you all to hear our new record due in the summer of 2019!”

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

b>McClain left MACHINE HEAD last month after completing the band's "Freaks & Zeroes Tour".

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Video footage of Philip Anselmo performing three PANTERA songs — "Slaughtered", "25 Years" and "Strength Beyond Strength" — with his SCOUR project on December 15 at Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California can be seen below.

SCOUR, which also includes members of CATTLE DECAPITATION and PIG DESTROYER, released its second EP, "Red", in November 2017.

Anselmo spoke to Australia's Heavy magazine about his decision to play a number of PANTERA songs during the recent North American tour with his solo band, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS.

"This past year has been pretty rough as far as the PANTERA camp goes," he said. "So, with Vinnie's [Paul, PANTERA drummer] passing, I figure, this past year, why not play some of the old songs that people wanna hear and have been asking to hear for a long time. So that's been a different spin on the set, man. And once again, I can't say enough about my guys around me… Mike DeLeon, my guitar player, is really a death metal player, and Blue [José Manuel Gonzalez], my drummer, he comes from death metal roots, and everybody expands, but to ask them to do this PANTERA stuff, it was big, man — it was really big. So, big props to them, man."

sked if performing classic PANTERA songs brings up good memories or bad memories for him, Anselmo said: "When I'm onstage, it's all good. And I will say there have been some bizarre moments. What freaks me out is the younger audience — the kids whose parents grew up as PANTERA fans in the house. It's amazing. Seeing the youngsters come in and go bananas, man — it's inspiring, man. Yeah, you know, strange feelings here and there, but overall, the payoff's been great."

Up until his death this past June, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for the death of Dimebag, who was his brother.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL will enter the studio on January 7, 2019 to begin recording their new album. Titled "Dominion", the disc will be released on August 16, 2019 via Napalm Records.

HAMMERFALL's last album, "Built To Last", was released in November 2016 via Napalm Records.

Lat year, drummer David Wallin returned to HAMMERFALL — nine months after he left the group in order to focus on his family life.

HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak told Music Life Magazine about Wallin's decision to come back to the band: "[David] had some problems with being away from his kids and stuff, just different things at home that made him not being able to be on the road for as much as we wanted him to be. So he had to step down. We got Johan [Koleberg, formerly of THERION and LION'S SHARE], but we felt kind of like we missed David, because he was such a great fit, and he brought so much life into the band when he came into to replace Anders [Johansson] that we kind of asked him, 'Would you like to come back? Or is there any way [we can make it work]?' And I think he kind of missed it too, because he realized that this is an opportunity for him, of course. Plus we do a lot of tours, a lot of big things that he would like to be a part of. Of course, we pay him well. So, you know, he's just getting taken care of. But for me, more than anything else, it was the connection of five people getting together because HAMMERFALL has never sounded anything as good as we do right now."

b>HAMMERFALL released the 20th-anniversary edition of its second album, "Legacy Of Kings", as a 2-CD/DVD box set on December 7 via Nuclear Blast.

We'll just leave this here. Merry Christmas!
We'll just leave this here. Merry Christmas!Posted by Hammerfall on Tuesday, December 18, 2018

The official lyric video for the song "Heaven And Hell And Fire" from Greek extreme metal veterans ROTTING CHRIST can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "The Heretics", which will be released on February 15, 2019 via Season Of Mist. The artwork for the disc was created by Greek artist Maximos Manolis.

"The Heretics" track listing:

01. In The Name of God (04:14)

02. Vetry Zlye (03:13)

03. Heaven And Hell And Fire (04:52)

04. Hallowed Be Thy Name (05:06)

05. Dies Irae (03:46)

06. I Believe (03:42)

07. Fire God And Fear (04:50)

08. The Voice of the Universe (05:23)

09. The New Messiah (03:07)

10. The Raven (05:23)

With "The Heretics", ROTTING CHRIST is opening a brand new chapter. Sakis, in collaboration with his brother Themis on drums, achieves a perfect balance of amalgamating the band's classic and unique style of riffing and rhythm with exciting new elements sprinkled in to keep its material exciting and fresh. The experience is enhanced by Jens Bogren's equally clear and transparent yet also massive as well as sombre mix and mastering at his widely renowned Fascination Street Studios (AMORPHIS, BORKNAGAR, MOONSPELL, DEVIN TOWNSEND).


ith more than 30 years, 13 studio albums, a dozen EPs, singles and split releases, as well as more than 1,250 shows under their belt, 2018 marked the year of ROTTING CHRIST's "Their Greatest Spells", where the band musically revisited its exciting legacy to connect its past with the present.

Asked in an interview with Pavillon 666 if he thought ROTTING CHRIST would last 30 years upon the band's 1988 formation, Sakis said: "It's a full life. No, of course [not]…you don't start the band to exist for 30 years or to be famous or rich or whatever the fuck. We just started the band because I wanted to sound like my idols back then. I wanted to play only one show and now I'm in a position where I've played 1,500 shows. And, no, I didn't expect something like this, but the spirit remains the same, even if I'm not that young. I still have the spirit and the hope that if we are in good health to keep playing with the band until our death. If health permits, of course. It's not up to me. If health does not permit, then I will not serve."

ROTTING CHRIST is:

Sakis Tolis: vocals, guitar, keys

Themis Tolis: drums

George Emmanouil: lead guitar

Van Ace: bass

On January 25, 2019, UMe will release "Kissworld - The Best Of Kiss" on CD and digitally, with the standard black vinyl and limited-edition color vinyl being released on March 29. The collection was previously made available in the United Kingdom in 2017.


KISS, America's #1 gold-record-award-winning group of all time in every category, has a stunning catalog of rock 'n' roll classics. The release of "Kissworld - The Best Of Kiss" comes in time to mark the anniversary of the band's first show ever performing on January 30, 1973 to no more than 10 people in attendance at Popcorns, a small club in New York, as well as celebrating the global superstar band as they launch their 2019 "End Of The Road" final tour at an 18,000-seat major arena on January 31 in Vancouver. "Kissworld" brings together 20 of KISS's best-loved tracks together on one album. Iconic fan favorites such as "I Was Made For Lovin' You", "Rock And Roll All Nite" and "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II" alongside top 10 U.S. chart hits "Beth" and "Detroit Rock City" on one huge collection.


KISS is one of the most iconic and influential rock acts of all time. The band have released 44 albums and sold over 100 million records worldwide. Consummate live performers, the band's illustrious career is marked by record breaking global tours.


Now, after an epic and storied 45-year career that launched an era of rock 'n' roll legends, KISS announced that they will embark on their final tour ever in 2019, appropriately named "End Of The Road". Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer announced their plans on NBC's "America's Got Talent", which sent the Internet into overdrive with fans hoping their city would get one final KISS show.

b>"Kissworld - The Best Of Kiss" track listing:


01. Crazy Crazy Nights

02. Rock And Roll All Nite

03. I Was Made For Lovin' You

04. God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II

05. Detroit Rock City

06. Beth

07. Lick It Up

08. Heaven's On Fire

09. Tears Are Falling

10. Unholy

11. Hard Luck Woman

12. Psycho Circus

13. Shout It Out Loud

14. Calling Dr. Love

15. Christine Sixteen

16. Love Gun

17. Shandi

18. I'm A Legend Tonight

19. Modern Day Delilah

20. Hell Or Hallelujah

"Freeze", the new video from the Los Angeles based post-metal group DAWN FADES, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's self-titled debut album, which will be released on February 8, 2019 via Metal Assault Records.

Metal Assault has worked with DAWN FADES for a couple of its events in the L.A. area this year, and the band's live performance was mesmerizing and magnetic every single time, striking an unimaginable and often unattainable balance between ferocity and finesse, and always exhibiting a wide spectrum of musical expressions within the finite 30-minute duration typically allotted to it as a support act.

"Dawn Fades" will be made available on limited-edition vinyl (black and gold color variations) and all digital platforms.

Track listing:

1. Lean (5:06)

02. Conceal (6:10)

03. Ashes (5:36)

04. -(pause)- (0:40)

05. Shackle (5:25)

06. See (4:07)

07. Freeze (6:56)

DAWN FADES will celebrate the album's release with a performance at 5 Star Bar in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 16.

DAWN FADES is:

Sam Sherwood (vocals)

Adam El-Gerbi (guitar)

Markus Erren Pardiñas (bass)

Scott Quist (drums)

Nate Hertweck (guitar)

Photo credit: Elizabeth Gore / Lone Wolf Productions

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson's December 14 appearance at Shovelhead in Longwood, Florida can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "hvymtlmom").

The Longwood gig was part of Ellefson's "Basstory" tour, which combines solo bass performance with David's celebrated brand of storytelling, as he recounts intimate details of his struggles and triumphs in the name of rock 'n' roll. "Basstory" also includes special VIP meet-and-greets, exclusive merchandise, and more.

"Basstory" is also the launching pad for Ellefson and partner Thom Hazaert to announce the formation of their new booking agency, ETA — Ellefson Touring Agency — with veteran agent Keith Rowley personally booking the trek.

Prior to the start of the tour, Ellefson said: "I have always done clinics, and a few years ago did an amazing spoken-word tour in Australia to support my book 'My Life With Deth', and have always welcomed the opportunity to be able to meet and connect with fans on a more intimate level. These important parts of my professional life converged to create 'Basstory'. Not only will fans get to hear some of their favorite bass riffs, but the stories behind them. It's not often I get to get into small, intimate rock clubs, the way this all started, and I'm excited for fans to get to experience this show."

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Work has commenced on a forthcoming autobiography from SICK OF IT ALL vocalist Lou Koller and guitarist Pete Koller, to be called "The Blood And The Sweat: The Story Of Sick Of It All's Koller Brothers". Former A&R man and author Howie Abrams ("Finding Joseph I: An Oral History Of H.R. From Bad Brains", "The Merciless Book of Metal Lists..." ) will be compiling the book along with the Kollers. Publishing is scheduled for fall 2019 by Post Hill Press.

In its thirty-third year as a band, SICK OF IT ALL recently released its twelfth album, "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!", to critical acclaim and fan adoration alike. With so many unique experiences under their belts, Lou and Pete, born and raised in Queens, New York, felt the time was right to tell their collective, as well as individual, stories.

This is not a tale of the streets and broken homes similar to that of, say, AGNOSTIC FRONT or CRO-MAGS. It is, however, a tremendous account of struggle and perseverance by any means necessary. One of working-class blood brothers reared on aggressive music; catching the wave of early New York City hardcore and riding it with an unparalleled anger and fury across the globe for nearly three and a half decades — together and separately enduring all of the turbulence which comes along with carrying the flag for disenfranchised youth anywhere and everywhere they were welcome... And even many places they were not.

Lou and Pete have encountered all of it side by side. Decisions each has made throughout their journey has had an effect on the other for better or worse. They've won some battles, and have lost many. In 1992, they were faced with the aftermath of a mass shooting in Massachusetts, carried out by a shooter wearing their tour shirt, and the misguided blame game which followed as their band name was plastered across mainstream media outlets worldwide.

egardless, Lou and Pete Koller have achieved unparalleled success (in hardcore terms), and have taken the volatile sub-culture with them to locales previously assumed unfathomable. The brothers have made the hardcore family larger and more united like no other. To do so, there was certainly a lot of blood and sweat, but to this day, never any tears.

Left to right in photo above: Pete Koller, Howie Abrams, Lou Koller

In a recent interview with the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann spoke about the band's mindset while creating "Fast As A Shark", considered by some to be the first true thrash metal track ever recorded.

"I clearly remember how we wrote the song and how it all came about," Wolf said (hear audio below). "It was really the drummer, Stefan [Kaufmann], who came up with the crazy idea of playing double bass, double kick, all the way through. And we had never done that [before]. So he came up with that basic idea, the concept, and we sort of had the riff — that was fairly easy — and then I wrote that weird middle section for it. But then, at the very end, we wanted to have an intro for it, or something. And I thought about it, and I came up with the idea to put on a record that's completely the opposite of what's about to happen, just to fool people into thinking something else… I thought everybody who buys the record [would think] that they might have bought the wrong record. That was the idea — you go to the store, you buy the new ACCEPT record, you put it on and say, 'What the hell? Somebody put the wrong record in the sleeve.' That was the idea. And I thought, 'Maybe we'll use an opera part,' or something. And then we already had recorded the basic tracks and we were looking for any intro to use, and we went, actually, through the record collection of the studio owner's mother. We recorded at Dierks Studios, where the SCORPIONS used to record and all that, and there was [Dieter Dierks's] mother; she had a record collection. And we [asked her], 'What kind of records do you have that we can possibly steal and abuse, scratch out?' Because we wanted to rip the needle off. And she had some children's records that Dieter Dierks, as a kid, actually sang on. So there was all these German traditional folk songs that everybody heard as a kid. And there was the one song — it's called 'Ein Heller Und Ein Batzen' — that had this middle section where there's no lyrics. Because we thought, 'German lyrics? Nah.' We don't want that. Because we didn't really wanna sound too German; we wanted it to be international. And that little segment is 'Hi De Hi Do Hi Da,' which… that's what we used. So we borrowed that album and put it on and ripped the needle off and kind of destroyed the record for Mama Dierks."

ANTHRAX's Charlie Benante has been vocal about the influence "Fast As A Shark" had on his early drumming style, telling Reverb earlier this year: "At the time [of the song's release in 1982], it was like the fastest double kick that there was. And for me, they set the standard."

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

ast month, ACCEPT's founding bassist Peter Baltes announced his departure from the band. A replacement bassist has not yet been revealed.

Philip Anselmo spoke to Australia's Heavy magazine about his decision to play a number of PANTERA songs during the recent North American tour with his solo band, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS.

"This past year has been pretty rough as far as the PANTERA camp goes," he said. "So, with Vinnie's [Paul, PANTERA drummer] passing, I figure, this past year, why not play some of the old songs that people wanna hear and have been asking to hear for a long time. So that's been a different spin on the set, man. And once again, I can't say enough about my guys around me… Mike DeLeon, my guitar player, is really a death metal player, and Blue [José Manuel Gonzalez], my drummer, he comes from death metal roots, and everybody expands, but to ask them to do this PANTERA stuff, it was big, man — it was really big. So, big props to them, man."

Asked if performing classic PANTERA songs brings up good memories or bad memories for him, Anselmo said: "When I'm onstage, it's all good. And I will say there have been some bizarre moments. What freaks me out is the younger audience — the kids whose parents grew up as PANTERA fans in the house. It's amazing. Seeing the youngsters come in and go bananas, man — it's inspiring, man. Yeah, you know, strange feelings here and there, but overall, the payoff's been great."

Up until his death this past June, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for the death of Dimebag, who was his brother.

b>Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie Paul died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Vinnie was buried on June 30 next to his brother and their mother, Carolyn, at Moore Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Texas.

German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN are tentatively scheduled to release their long-awaited new album in April 2019. The follow-up to 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" is being mixed at a Los Angeles studio with Rich Costey, an American producer who has previously worked with MUSE, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and FRANZ FERDINAND, among others.

RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe spoke to Heavy Consequence about the band's upcoming disc while promoting "A Million Degrees", the third effort from his EMIGRATE side project.

"Everything with RAMMSTEIN takes forever, because there are six people, plus an engineer and a producer, and we all have opinions about it," he said "It's just going very slow, and it's very time consuming, and sometimes frustrating. Eventually, I think it's going to be an album that has a certain kind of potential that RAMMSTEIN hasn't achieved yet. For me, one of the reasons to step back into making records with RAMMSTEIN was to balance the popularity of the band as a live act with the actual music. With RAMMSTEIN, people tend to talk about the fire and all the live stuff. I thought, 'I don't want to be another KISS,' where people talk about makeup and stuff like that and no one talks about the music."

Regarding the musical direction of the new RAMMSTEIN material, Kruspe said: "I wanted to do a record that stands out even more than our past records, and I kind of find when I listen to the [new] record, it's like RAMMSTEIN 3D, if I can summarize it. We're happy to work with my good friend Olsen Involtini, who also worked on EMIGRATE records. He a great friend of mine, and he brought certain kind of harmonies into the world of RAMMSTEIN, which I like."

s for when fans can expect to hear RAMMSTEIN's new album, Kruspe said: "We're finishing up the last mixes, and it's going to come out probably in April of 2019."

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

In 2016 and 2017, RAMMSTEIN played a number of concerts where the band opened each show with a brand new song, presently only known as "Ramm 4". The track contained lyrics that seemed to be a combination of various titles of previous RAMMSTEIN songs.

In a brand new interview with Sweden's RockSverige, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello was asked if he can see his band going on for another decade or longer, especially in the wake of SLAYER announcing its retirement earlier in the year. He responded: "Well, first off, I hope so, and I don't think about it that much. The reaction that ANTHRAX has had for the last two records, I think we're in a good place, writing-wise, and I think we're in a good place with people coming to our shows and our fanbase is growing. It's a really postive thing in ANTHRAX. Let me tell you something, in the band ANTHRAX, we are hungrier now than ever. We have a writing session in January and I can't wait to get into the studio and start writing heavy songs with these guys. I'm looking forward to the next page."

Asked if there has been a time when he felt he wanted to walk away from it all, Bello said: "I've always wanted to play music. I remember when the grunge era happened in the '90s, and that was a rough era for metal, let's face it. It was a rough period and those were tough times, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to play, so I don't think there's ever been a time I didn't wanna play. I enjoy the experience of connecting with people with music. It's why I'm here. I need that energy."

ANTHRAX's latest album, "For All Kings", was released in February 2016. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the band experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the 2010 "Big Four" tour with METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH, and continuing with the 2011 release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE, the project featuring Bello and MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, will release its debut album, "Get It Out", on January 18, 2019 via Megaforce. The follow-up to ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE's 2014 self-titled EP was once again produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, STONE SOUR), with Jeff Friedl (A PERFECT CIRCLE, ASHES DIVIDE) returning behind the kit.

Former JOURNEY singer Steve Perry has released his cover version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", a song written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, and first introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical "Meet Me In St. Louis".

Perry said in a statement: "This has been a big year of firsts for me. In keeping with that spirit, I thought I'd record a little Christmas card song and send it out to you to thank you for all of your kindness in welcoming me back. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. I hope you enjoy it."

Perry's first solo album in more than two decades, "Traces", was released on October 5 via Fantasy Records (a division of Concord Records/UMG).

Perry reunited with JOURNEY for the first time in years as they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2017. The iconic singer appeared onstage with his former bandmates as they each gave speeches, but did not perform with the group later in the event.

uring his speech, Perry praised each of JOURNEY musicians as well as the band's current singer, Arnel Pineda, who was not being inducted into the Rock Hall.

Perry's final full concert with JOURNEY took place in early 1987. He later rejoined his bandmates for a brief performance in 1991 to honor late concert promoter Bill Graham. He also appeared with JOURNEY when they received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2005.