In the video below, courtesy of Guitar Interactive, Black Stone Cherry give an exclusive performance inside Jimi Hendrix's 1960s London Mayfair flat of "Tired Of The Rain" and their current single, "Bad Habit" from the brand new album, Family Tree, released April 20th via Mascot Records.

Family Tree is the much-anticipated follow up to 2016’s Kentucky. Like Kentucky, Black Stone Cherry opted to self-produce and track Family Tree at David Barrick's Barrick Recording in Glasgow, KY, the same studio where the four-piece recorded their eponymous debut. BSC also opted to not over-rehearse upfront of the album sessions, instead preferring the immediacy and spontaneity of in-the-moment takes. The band also entrusted frontman Chris Robertson to mix the songs, which perfectly fit the loose, creative process that birthed Family Tree.

Family Tree boasts BSC’s tried-and-true lucky number with its 13 songs, and like all BSC releases, features songwriting contributions from each member. Drummer John Fred tells us, “Family Tree showcases all of our collective musical influences and how we have taken those to create something that is truly our own unique Southern American rock ‘n roll sound.” Two special guests appear, one bringing the concept of family full circle. Chris’ 5 yr old son contributes backup vocals on the swaggering 'You Got The Blues', while the other, revered jam-band musician Warren Haynes (Allman Bros / Gov’t Mule) offers a guitar cameo and vocals on the delta stomp of 'Dancing In The Rain'. The band first met Warren 17 years ago as freshly-signed youngsters on their first visit to New York City.

The concept of family looms large in the world of Black Stone Cherry’s four band members. Sticksman John Fred Young's father Richard and his uncle Fred, are founding members of the Grammy Award-winning country rock n’ roots band, The Kentucky HeadHunters. BSC’s four high school-aged friends - Young, plus frontman/guitarist Chris Robertson, guitarist Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon - grew up honing their craft in the Headhunters’ Practice House, an abandoned property on the Young family’s farmland. John Fred says, “We grew up in the Kentucky Headhunters’ rehearsal space, looking up at posters of Cream, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, the Stones, Montrose, and the Faces. We were like kids someone took in a time capsule and put in the woods.”

Tracklisting:

"Bad Habit"
"Burnin’"
"New Kinda Feelin"
"Carry Me On Down The Road"
"My Last Breath"
"Southern Fried Friday Night"
"Dancin’ In The Rain" (featuring Warren Haynes)
"Ain’t Nobody"
"James Brown"
"You Got The Blues"
"I Need A Woman"
"Get Me Over You"
"Family Tree"

"Southern Fried Friday Night":

"Bad Habit" video:

"Burnin’" lyric video:

 

Five Finger Death Punch have released the new song “Sham Pain”, off their long-awaited seventh studio album And Justice For None, due out May 18th. The new song marks the second of three brand new pre-order tracks and follows last week’s release “Fake” which generated just under 1 million streams in the US during its first week and made the viral chart on Spotify in multiple countries. Fans can expect one more additional song to be revealed on May 4th. Listen to “Sham Pain” below.

Above: Photo still from the forthcoming video for “Sham Pain”.

“’Sham Pain’ is a lyrical snapshot of probably the biggest, yet most chaotic year of this band’s career,” says guitarist Zoltan Bathory. “Everyone has a different way of dealing with the moments when life hands them lemons... some complain and some make lemonade. Us, we pour gasoline on it and then hit it with a rocket launcher. Sarcasm has always been our ‘Art of War’ (if from naming the band ‘Five Finger Death Punch’ you haven’t figured it out yet), but just wait until you see the video we made for this song.”

And Justice For None, out on May 18th, is available for physical 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.

Fans who pre-order the new album will also receive an exclusive ticket pre-sale code for Five Finger Death Punch’s just announced 32-date North American summer co-headlining amphitheater tour with Breaking Benjamin.

Tracklistings and artwork for standard and deluxe editions of And Justice For None follow.

Standard Album:

"Fake"
"Top Of The World"
"Sham Pain"
"Blue On Black"
"Fire In The Hole"
"I Refuse"
"It Doesn’t Matter"
"When The Seasons Change"
"Stuck In My Ways"
"Rock Bottom"
"Gone Away"
"Bloody"
"Will The Sun Ever Rise"

Deluxe Album:

"Trouble" (Bonus Track)  
"Fake"
"Top Of The World"
"Sham Pain"
"Blue On Black"
"Fire In The Hole"
"I Refuse"
"It Doesn’t Matter"
"When The Seasons Change"
"Stuck In My Ways"
"Rock Bottom"
"Gone Away"
"Bloody"
"Will The Sun Ever Rise"
"Bad Seed" (Bonus Track)
"Save Your Breath" (Bonus Track)

"Fake":

"Gone Away" video:

Find Five Finger Death Punch's complete live itinerary here.

Joe Perry says AEROSMITH will hit the road to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The guitarist told Atlantic City Weekly that he and his bandmates may play additional one-off shows following their previously confirmed appearance at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival on May 5.

Asked about AEROSMITH's touring plans, Joe said: "I think the way things are going, we are going to try and and take it easy. We may do a couple more one-offs — maybe some festivals over the next six or eight months. In 2019, we will be closing in on our 50th anniversary, so we are planning some dates and a tour to celebrate that. Right now, we are pretty much laying low and finishing up some solo things before we start that."

In 2017, AEROSMITH announced a run of dates called "Aero-Vederci Baby!", but stopped short of calling it a final tour.

"We're always thinking about what to do for a tour," singer Steven Tyler explained. "And so many bands have said 'This is our last tour' to generate tickets and all that stuff — bands that have been around as long as we have. So we figured, we're going to Europe, we're gonna do whatever we're doing here, and people haven't seen us for a while, so how about throwing that kind of mysticism out? And 'Aero-Vederci' says it but it doesn't say it. It's like 'hello goodbye' in one beautiful — where Joe and I came from — Italian saying."

"I don't actually feel like we're gonna be shutting the whole thing down at the end of it," guitarist Brad Whitford later said. "I think there's a lot more life in the band. But I guess you've got to start somewhere. So we're just starting to put the farewell label on things."

AEROSMITH hasn't released a new studio album since 2012's "Music From Another Dimension!"

Perry issued a solo disc, titled "Sweetzerland Manifesto", on January 19.

STONE SOUR will "Hydrograd Acoustic Sessions" on Record Store Day, the annual celebration of the annual celebration of independent record stores, which takes place this year on Saturday, April 21.

"Hydrograd Acoustic Sessions" is a 12-inch vinyl EP of acoustic versions of selected songs from STONE SOUR's 2017 album, "Hydrograd". The effort will be made available on solid silver vinyl accompanied by digital download at participating record stores.

"Hydrograd Acoustic Sessions" track listing:

Side A

01. Song #3

02. Mercy

Side B

01. Rose Red Violent Blue

02. The Witness Trees

A trailer for "Hydrograd Acoustic Sessions" can be seen below.

For more information on Record Store Day 2018 participating stores, go to this location.

"Hydrograd" was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand revealed in a statement issued on Sunday (April 15) that he sought treatment earlier this year for "an alcohol and Xanax dependency" which forced him to sit out the band's last tour. Rand wrote: "As many of you may already know, in January of this year I made the difficult decision to step away from the Canadian leg of the STONE SOUR tour. "I hit a personal breaking point and it was imperative that I address it."

Rand continued: "My high anxiety and desire to feel comfortable in my own skin over the years led to an alcohol and Xanax dependency. That, along with aggression issues, made me feel miserable and I just could not continue to live that way. Thankfully, with the support of my band, family, and friends I was able to come home and seek help. Now [three months later], I'm doing well, but still a work in progress."

Rand last performed with STONE SOUR on the ShipRocked cruise in mid-January before stepping away for what were at the time unspecified issues.

STONE SOUR enlisted a temporary replacement for its Canadian tour, with singer Corey Taylor later saying that Rand would rejoin his bandmates on April 27 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Jacksonville, Florida.

STONE SOUR will support Ozzy Osbourne on the initial North American leg of the legendary vocalist's "No More Tours 2" tour, which kicks off August 30 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Which tracks are you stoked to hear acoustic? 'Hydrograd Acoustic Sessions' LP is out this Saturday, April 21. #RSD18

Tracklisting:
Song #3 - Acoustic
Mercy - Acoustic
Rose Red Violent Blue - Acoustic
The Witness Trees - Acoustic pic.twitter.com/4AUpTwZKNS— Stone Sour (@stonesour) April 18, 2018

Danish thrash/death metal act HATESPHERE has signed a new deal with Scarlet Records. To honor the band's sights on old-school values and the roots that got them started 18 years ago and to also close the circle of a successful and productive business relationship, HATESPHERE and Scarlet decided to join forces together again for the band's upcoming 10th full-length studio album.

Formed in Aarhus, Denmark by guitarist Peter "Pepe" Hansen in 2000, HATESPHERE is one of a handful of bands reigniting the flame of '80s speed metal by way of the so-called Scandinavian neo-thrash movement (spearheaded by the likes of ARCH ENEMY and THE HAUNTED). The band quickly overpowered the Danish metal scene, while concurrently setting an immeasurable new standard for thrash metal domestically and abroad.

HATESPHERE's first three albums, all of them under the leadership of the Italian label Scarlet Records, upgraded the band's status from local sensation to Europe’s hottest up-and-coming thrash quintet.

Having released six more highly praised sophomore albums via SPV, Napalm and Massacre in the following years and having been able to support those musical jewels by numerous successful tours throughout Europe, Japan, China and the U.S., plus having gathered a number of award nominations, HATESPHERE undeniably did manage to make a stand within the international metal scene.

Even though the band has undergone several lineup changes over the years, it never stopped them — quite the contrary: it motivated them even more to progress both musically and personally.

HATESPHERE is currently recording its new album at Antfarm studios under the direction of longtime collaborator Tue Madsen.

HATESPHERE is:

Esben "Esse" Hansen - Vocals

Peter "Pepe" Lyse Hansen - Guitar

Kasper Kirkegaard - Guitar

Jimmy Nedergaard - Bass

Mike Park - Drums

Progressive metal pioneers FATES WARNING will release a new live album, "Live Over Europe", on June 29 via InsideOut Music.

Captured during the most recent European headlining run for FATES WARNING's acclaimed latest studio album, "Theories Of Flight", in January 2018, "Live Over Europe" includes recordings from eight different cities (Aschaffenburg, Germany; Belgrade, Serbia; Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece; Rome and Milan, Italy; Budapest, Hungary and Ljubljana, Slovenia) and a total of 23 songs in over 138 minutes of playing time, spanning 30 years of the group's seminal career.

"Live Over Europe" was mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, KREATOR, SYMPHONY X) and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden and will be available as limited 2CD mediabook, gatefold 3LP + bonus-2CD or as digital album.

FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder stated: "We would like to thank each and every one of our fans that helped us make 'Live Over Europe'. We had a great time making this album and we hope that you enjoyed the shows as much as we did playing them."

"Live Over Europe" track listing:

CD 1:

01. From The Rooftops

02. Life In Still Water

03. One

04. Pale Fire

05. Seven Stars

06. SOS

07. Pieces Of Me

08. Firefly

09. The Light And Shade Of Things

10. Wish

11. Another Perfect Day

12. Silent Cries

13. And Yet It Moves

CD 2:

01. Still Remains

02. Nothing Left To Say

03. Acquiescence

04. The Eleventh Hour

05. Point Of View

06. Falling

07. A Pleasant Shade Of Gray, Pt. IX

08. Through Different Eyes

09. Monument

10. Eye To Eye

FATES WARNING 2018 is:

Bobby Jarzombek - Drums

Joey Vera - Bass and Vocals

Ray Alder - Vocals

Jim Matheos - Guitars

Mike Abdow - Guitars and Vocals

Asked how he feels being attached to the "progressive" tag, Matheos told Goldmine in a 2016 interview: "I understand the need for labels. We all use labels. I use them if I have to describe something I'm listening to… I'll use whatever label comes to mind. That's the one that fits in general. It doesn't bother me. I just think that whole term doesn't mean that much anymore. The stuff that people give to me to listen to all the time — 'Oh, this is great prog stuff. You're gonna love it.' But, to me, if I even bother to listen to it, it sounds like something I've heard a hundred times before."


Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Lunatic Soul, the solo project of Riverside leader Mariusz Duda, will release their new album Under The Fragmented Sky on May 25th via Kscope. The album track "Untamed" is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album here.

Under The Fragmented Sky'is the follow-up to 2017's Fractured. The album takes its name from the lyrics of the 12-minute epic "A Thousand Shards Of Heaven" from Fractured, and marks the 10th anniversary of Lunatic Soul.

"Untamed" is the first single to be taken from the new album and represents the multi-dimensional songwriting talent behind Lunatic Soul, with its uplifting nature and accessible elements.

Following on from Fractured, which covered content about grieving, hope and a separated society, Under The Fragmented Sky rebuilds Lunatic Soul as we know it, with dark and haunting atmospheres coming to the forefront.

Duda explains: "Fractured is not a full picture of the latest Lunatic Soul recordings. These more classical pieces have been waiting for their own time which has now come. Under The Fragmented Sky will be both a supplement to Fractured and an artistically independent release with its own character and identity.

Tracklisting:

"He av en"
"Trials"
"Sorrow"
"Under The Fragmented Sky"
"Shadows"
"Rinsing The Night"
"The Art Of Repairing"
"Untamed"

"Untamed":

PEARL JAM bassist Jeff Ament will release his third solo album, titled "Heaven/Hell", on May 10. Ament is the second member of the group to issue a solo effort in the past year, following drummer Matt Cameron's solo debut, "Cavedweller", in late 2017.

"Heaven/Hell" was recorded between June and October 2017 by John Burton and Josh Evans at Horseback Ridge, Litho, Studio X and Warehouse.

01. The Noise The Noise

02. The Door

03. Safe In The Car

04. Hyperphagia

05. Drugs

06. Moment Of Impact

07. The Voices

08. Somewhere

09. Are You Truing?

10. Choose Your Color

11. Only One

The video for "Safe In The Car", which is set entirely in Ament's vehicle, can be seen below.

"I was seeing Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road' — you're driving to the coast and you're trying to get away from the nuclear winter and you have your dogs in the car and you're just trying to escape this horrible apocalypse that just happened," Ament told Rolling Stone about the clip.

"[The directors] asked me what I wanted [the video] to look like and the first thing that came to mind was grindhouse," the PEARL JAM bassist added. "I always loved the super high-contrast, dark look of that. It's the world coming to an end and trying to have a sense of humor about it."

"Safe In The Car" features Ament on vocals and bass, Matt Cameron on drums, Mike McCready on guitar, Angel Olsen on additional vocals, and Brianna Atwell, Jordan Voelker, April Cameron and Alex Ho on strings.

PEARL JAM has been writing its 11th studio LP and is heading out on European and North American tour dates this spring and summer.

In addition to a full month of European dates, PEARL JAM will play two shows apiece at Seattle's Safeco Field, Chicago's Wrigley Field and Boston's Fenway Park, as well as a gig in Missoula, Montana.

Ihsahn - the founding frontman of Norwegian black metal legends Emperor - met a loyal crowd inside Bullhead City Circus at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2016. Professionally filmed video of his performance can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Pressure"
"Until I Too Dissolve"
"Hiber"
"Pulse"
"Frozen Lakes On Mars"
"My Heart Is Of The North"
"Mass Darkness"
"Celestial Violence"

Ihsahn will release his new solo album, Ámr, on May 4th via Candlelight/Spinefarm. A deluxe version of the album will come with digi book packaging and the bonus track "Alone". The album track "Wake" is now available for streaming via Apple Music and Spotify.

True living legends are few and far between, but Ihsahn has long since earned the right to be regarded as one of metal’s all-time greats. As frontman and chief songwriter with legendary Norwegian black metal pioneers Emperor, he swiftly cemented a formidable reputation as one of the underground’s most idiosyncratic creative forces. Classic albums like 1995’s In The Nightside Eclipse and 1997’s epoch-shattering Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk ensured that the young band were among the most respected the most popular of Norway’s many black-hearted exports. Their imperious rise to prominence came to an unexpected end after the release of 2001’s wildly intricate and grandiose Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise, but it was an album that suggested that Ihsahn’s compositional journey was far from over.

Reincarnated as a solo artist for 2006’s The Adversary, Ihsahn has spent the last 12 years forging a second path through artistry’s darkest shadows; one that is making more and deeper connections than any of his past endeavours. With a sound that still retains strong links to his black metal roots while embracing everything from skewed art rock and avant-garde jazz to experimental electronica and dark ambient, each successive album has presented a brand new manifestation of the Norwegian’s unique craft: from the muscular and haughty riff sculptures of Angl and After’s haunting, saxophone-driven mirage to the tech-metal explorations of Eremita and on to the wild, avant-metal splurge of Das Seelenbrechen, Ihsahn’s catalogue speaks of a restless creative spirit with ideas to burn.

In keeping with that spirit, 2018 brings the arrival of Ihsahn’s seventh solo album, Ámr. Another immersive and frequently disorientating eruption of refined and absorbing progressive extreme metal, it echoes the meticulous precision and structural simplicity of 2016’s widely acclaimed Arktis. Album while taking Ihsahn’s music somewhere entirely new, where the hiss and throb of old school analogue synths dominate and the atmosphere is airless and oppressive. Once again percussively propelled by long-time drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and with a blistering guest solo from Opeth’s Fredrik Akesson on Arcana Imperii, Ámr is another evolutionary leap from one of metal’s most remorselessly forward-thinking protagonists.

“It’s just lovely to work with Tobias. I know that he can technically handle anything I throw at him.  But more importantly, when I say like; ‘I want this to feel like the vacuum between words in a conversation with Hannibal Lecter`, he will say ‘Yeah, I get that!’ (laughs) So for him it’s not about showing off, it’s always about relating to the vibe.  With Fredrik, we met first time in Oslo, when I did my debut solo show as support to Opeth and later we've hung out on different festivals when we happen to play the same day.  Last time in Japan when we played there with Emperor and Opeth. We were talking about guitars and I said ‘Not to kiss up to you or anything, but you’re absolutely one of my favourite players, so some day I might call you for a guest solo…’ and he says ‘I’m in!’ He did a fabulous job.”

As with all of his solo albums to date, Ámr possesses its own unique atmosphere; a palpable sense of tension and unease that infuses even the album’s most melodic moments with heightened drama and otherworldly menace. But despite its often claustrophobic feel, this is very much an album of beautifully crafted and shrewdly arranged songs. Although as dark and intense as anything he has conjured before, both the depth of sonic texture and the clarity of his overarching vision are more impressive than ever.

“Knowing that the form would be somewhat similar to what I did on the previous album, and given that I write stuff in a certain way, I wanted to change the wrapping this time,” Ihsahn notes. “So instead of going with my go-tos of strings and orchestration, I focused on analog synths and more in-your-face sounds. It goes back to the beginning of Emperor, when we brought in strings and horns inspired by orchestral movie scores by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith, but at the same time we loved all those eerie synth soundtracks of f.ex John Carpenter's Halloween. I’ve also been listening to some contemporary r’n’b and hip-hop stuff with those deep, deep 808s. It’s just somehow darker than a lot of metal or black metal. It has a depth and an energy to it that I find captivating, so I wanted to explore those arrangement styles as well.”

Another bold stride into uncharted territory, Ihsahn’s seventh solo album is the legendary Norwegian’s most eclectic and challenging to date. Morphing fluidly from mellifluous art rock ambience to vicious extreme metal, covering all points in between, the likes of grandiloquent opener "Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millennia" and the wild, melodic melancholy of "Sámr" blend seamlessly with ornate, progressive metal monoliths like "In Rites Of Passage" and the immaculate, climactic "Wake". Drenched in evocative synthesizers and brimming with skewed but irresistible riffs, Ámr is both Ihsahn’s most accessible record to date and his most extreme departure from his black metal roots.

“Every album I intend to make the darkest album ever. I never set out to make anything more melodic or accessible. However, growing up on 80s metal, plus having a rather wide range of musical influences, I often end up with quite contrasting elements. This is my seventh solo album, so in the end it really comes down to methods and perspectives that keep me exited and fired up about what I'm working on. If I’m not excited about it, I can’t expect anybody else to be!”

Pre-order the deluxe edition of Ámr here.

Tracklisting:

"Lend Me The Eyes Of Millennia"
"Arcana Imperii"
"Sámr"
"One Less Enemy"
"Where You Are Lost And I Belong"
"In Rites Of Passage"
"Marble Soul"
"Twin Black Angels"
"Wake"
"Alone" (Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

"Arcana Imperii" video:

Deluxe edition pictured below:

STRYPER's music video for the song "The Valley" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "God Damn Evil", which will be released on April 20 via Frontiers Music Srl. Produced by frontman Michael Sweet, it is STRYPER's most powerful album to date, doubling down on the hard rock/heavy metal sound that earned the group a worldwide fan base.

Asked by All That Shreds what made STRYPER choose such a seemingly provocative title for its follow-up to 2015's "Fallen", Sweet said: "We didn't do it just to shake things up. We have a point to prove in a statement. A few years back we thought about using this title. We didn't go with it because we felt it was a little too much at that time. Now in 2018, with everything that we've seen on the news, the evil we're faced with on a daily basis to new levels and new degrees, it made perfect sense for us to have an album called 'God Damn Evil'. It's a prayer request. It is what it is. It's not a swear, it's not just the shock statement, it's a prayer request, and we're asking God to damn the evil that we see. It should be a prayer for everybody. Some people are freaking out thinking you're taking the Lord's name in vain, and it's not that at all."

In a press release announcing the release of "God Damn Evil", Sweet explained that he and his bandmates "thought long and hard about this title. It was actually considered quite a few years ago and it just didn't feel like the right time. Now, with all the evil in the world that we see around us on a daily basis, it made perfect sense. It's a very bold statement yet a prayer asking God to damn/condemn evil. Nothing more, nothing less.

"We all see and hear the darkness that surrounds us in our society, but with faith and love, we'll always have hope," he continues. "That's what STRYPER is all about: powerful music and a message that builds foundations, not walls. We couldn't be more excited about 'God Damn Evil', as it showcases our undying love for what we do and why we do it."

The follow-up to 2015's "Fallen" marks STRYPER's first effort since the addition of former FIREHOUSE bassist Perry Richardson. Perry joined the band as the replacement for STRYPER's longtime bassist Tim Gaines, who was fired from the group last year.

Perry did not play bass on STRYPER's new album due to scheduling constraints. The bass tracks on "God Damn Evil" were laid down by John O'Boyle, who played bass on Sweet's last two solo albums.

"God Damn Evil" track listing:

01. Take It To The Cross

02. Sorry

03. Lost

04. God Damn Evil

05. You Don't Even Know Me

06. The Valley

07. Sea Of Thieves

08. Beautiful

09. Can't Live Without Your Love

10. Own Up

11. The Devil Doesn't Live Here

STRYPER will return to the road this year, kicking off the "God Damn Evil" world tour in Milan, Italy on April 28 at the Frontiers Rock Festival.

American metal band Homewrecker have debuted a new single and music video, for the song "Bound By Validation". Watch the clip below.

“'Bound By Validation' focuses on another interpretation of HELL," says Matt Barnum. “The chaos that can consume your mind if you are constantly seeking approval and can’t do anything based on your own consciousnesses. Always second guessing and doubting yourself could lead to a downward spiral of mental health issues and create a personal Hell inside your mind. The shadow figures in the video represent those feelings as they lurk over you throughout time.“

Homewrecker will release their third LP, Hell Is Here Now on April 27th, their first one via Good Fight Music. Pre-order the album digitally, or physically.

"Burden Of Self"
"One With Torment"
"Bound By Validation"
"Fade To Oblivion"
"Constant Eyes"
"Buried And Suffering"
"Land Of The Damned"
"Rope Of Skin"
"Growing From Nothing"
"Demons In Disguise"
"Final Rest"
"Perpetrators"

"Bound By Validation" video:

"Land Of The Damned":

"Fade To Oblivion":

The band will hit the road this May in support of their new release with The Black Dahlia Murder on the Nightbringers tour. Dates kick off on May 19th at the Red Carpet Nightclub in St. Cloud, MN and will conclude in Traverse, MI on  June 1st after six dates in Canada.  

Homerecker will also participate in this year's highly buzzed about Psycho Las Vegas festival taking place August 17th - 19th at venues throughout the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The band will share the stage with notables such as Dimmu Borgir, Sunn O))), and High On Fire.

Find the band's tour itinerary here.

(Photo - Errick Easterday)

Progressive metal powerhouse Eldritch have released a video for their new single “Reset”, taken from their new album Cracksleep, out now Scarlet Records. Watch the clip below.

This new album has been described by the band as the most diverse to date, mixing early-era Eldritch with some of their latest influences, technically challenging instrumental parts with dark atmospheres and arrangements, enriched by a lyrical concept that deals with some of the most common causes of insomnia.

Cracksleep was produced by Eugene Simone, with recordings taking place between October and December 2017 at Bigwave Studios in Livorno, Italy, the ES Studios in Rosignano Marittimo, Italy and mixed at Domination Studios in San Marino by Simone Mularoni.

Artwork duties were handled by Federico Mondelli (Be The Wolf).

Tracklisting:

"Cracksleep" (intro)
"Reset"
"Deep Frost"
"Aberration Of Nature"
"My Breath"
"Silent Corner"
"As The Night Crawls In"
"Voices Calling"
"Staring At The Ceiling"
"Night Feelings"
"Hidden Friend"

"Reset" video:

“As The Night Crawls In” lyric video:

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

"Full Denim Jacket" lyric video:

On the live front, Micawber continue spreading their contagious brand of modern death metal on the Spring Party Tour! See dates below.

US Spring Party tour dates:

April
17 - Des Moines, IA - Lefty’s live music
18 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge
19 - Fort Collins, CO - Hodi’s Half Note
20 - Ogden, UT - Kamikazes
21 - Lake Tahoe, CA - Spring Meltdown
22 - Jerome, ID - Diamondz Event center
24 - Billings, MT - Smiling Dog Records
25 - Moorhead, MN - The Garage Bar
26 - Minneapolis, MN - Lee’s Liquor Lounge
27 - Chippewa Falls, WI - Every Buddy’s Bar

Micawber is:

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

Ingested will release their fourth album, The Level Above Human, on April 27th via Unique Leader Records. In advance of this release Ingested has released a lyric video for their song "Purveyors Of Truth". Watch below.

The devastating 10-track album, which was engineered by Stu McKay (Arcania, Dyscarnate) and mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy, Despised Icon), shows the band at the absolute zenith of their 12 year career. The Level Above Human will undoubtedly cement the Manchester, UK group's place at the top of the extreme metal world.

Physical pre-order bundles for The Level Above Human are available here, and digital pre-orders are available here.

Tracklisting:

"Sovereign"
"Invidious"
"Misery Leech"
"Purveyors Of Truth"
"Transcendence Of Gods"
"Better Off Dead"
"Last Rites"
"The Crimson Oath"
"Purge The Parasite"
"Obsolescent"

"Purveyors Of Truth" lyric video:

Ingested are currently in the middle of a monstrous world tour, which includes their first North American headlining tour as well as a stint on this year's Devastation On The Nation Tour, in support of their new album The Level Above Human. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

For decades, Lizzy Borden has been one of theatrical rock's top frontmen. And on June 15, Borden will issue his first album in 11 years, "My Midnight Things", via Metal Blade Records. With the hard-and-heavy tracks of the album opening title cut "Obsessed With You" and "The Scar Across My Heart", the extended layoff between albums has not dulled his desire to rock and shock. "Although we have stayed busy touring all over the world, I missed being a recording artist. I look at the new album as a new beginning, I pushed the restart button on my career," Borden comments.

Having signed a new contract with Metal Blade on the strength of three demo tracks, Borden opted to produce "My Midnight Things" himself, with Joey Scott as co-producer. (Joey also handled all the drumming duties.) "I knew what I was going for and had doubts that I could find a producer who would understand that," Borden explains. "My approach is very different than what is happening in today's current sound."

"My Midnight Things" was mixed by Greg Fidelman (METALLICA, BLACK SABBATH, ADELE, U2) and mastered by Tom Baker (DAVID BOWIE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON, TOM PETTY).

Borden is planning on hitting the road shortly. "I've already started working on the 'My Midnight Things' show, and I really can't wait to play these songs live," he says. "There are so many talented players out there in the world, I know I will find the right musicians to be on stage with me in my touring band in the new show. And just based on what is being talked about so far, it will be the best show I've ever done. I really do feel a new excitement that I have not felt in years. The best is yet to come."

"My Midnight Things" track listing

01. My Midnight Things

02. Obsessed With You

03. Long May They Haunt Us

04. The Scar Across My Heart

05. A Stranger To Love

06. The Perfect Poison

07. Run Away With Me

08. Our Love Is God

09. My Midnight Things (Reprise)

10. We Belong To The Shadows

The album can be pre-ordered at metalblade.com/lizzyborden, where the record is available in the following formats:

* limited first-edition digipak-CD (includes bonus tracks)

* jewelcase CD

* 180-gram black vinyl

* clear pacific blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

* clear burgundy marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* olive/black marbled vinyl (U.S. exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

* opaque cool gray marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available!

"Wake", a new song from Ihsahn, can be streamed below. The song is taken from his seventh solo album, "Ámr", which will be released on May 4 via Candlelight/Spinefarm.

True living legends are few and far between, but Ihsahn has long since earned the right to be regarded as one of metal's all-time greats. As frontman and chief songwriter with legendary Norwegian black metal pioneers EMPEROR, he swiftly cemented a formidable reputation as one of the underground's most idiosyncratic creative forces. Classic albums like 1995's "In The Nightside Eclipse" and 1997's epoch-shattering "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" ensured that the young band were among the most respected the most popular of Norway's many black-hearted exports. Their imperious rise to prominence came to an unexpected end after the release of 2001's wildly intricate and grandiose "Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise", but it was an album that suggested that Ihsahn's compositional journey was far from over.


Reincarnated as a solo artist for 2006's "The Adversary", Ihsahn has spent the last 12 years forging a second path through artistry's darkest shadows; one that is making more and deeper connections than any of his past endeavours. With a sound that still retains strong links to his black metal roots while embracing everything from skewed art rock and avant-garde jazz to experimental electronica and dark ambient, each successive album has presented a brand new manifestation of the Norwegian's unique craft: from the muscular and haughty riff sculptures of "Angl" and "After"'s haunting, saxophone-driven mirage to the tech-metal explorations of "Eremita" and on to the wild, avant-metal splurge of "Das Seelenbrechen", Ihsahn's catalogue speaks of a restless creative spirit with ideas to burn.


In keeping with that spirit, 2018 brings the arrival of Ihsahn's seventh solo album, "Ámr". Another immersive and frequently disorientating eruption of refined and absorbing progressive extreme metal, it echoes the meticulous precision and structural simplicity of 2016's widely acclaimed "Arktis". Album while taking Ihsahn's music somewhere entirely new, where the hiss and throb of old school analogue synths dominate and the atmosphere is airless and oppressive. Once again percussively propelled by longtime drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and with a blistering guest solo from OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson on "Arcana Imperii", "Ámr" is another evolutionary leap from one of metal's most remorselessly forward-thinking protagonists.


"It's just lovely to work with Tobias," says Ihsahn. "I know that he can technically handle anything I throw at him. But more importantly, when I say like; 'I want this to feel like the vacuum between words in a conversation with Hannibal Lecter,' he will say, 'Yeah, I get that!' [Laughs] So for him, it's not about showing off, it's always about relating to the vibe. With Fredrik, we met first time in Oslo, when I did my debut solo show as support to OPETH and later we've hung out on different festivals when we happen to play the same day. Last time in Japan when we played there with EMPEROR and OPETH. We were talking about guitars and I said, 'Not to kiss up to you or anything, but you're absolutely one of my favourite players, so some day I might call you for a guest solo…' and he says, 'I'm in!' He did a fabulous job."


As with all of Ihsahn's solo albums to date, "Ámr" possesses its own unique atmosphere; a palpable sense of tension and unease that infuses even the album's most melodic moments with heightened drama and otherworldly menace. But despite its often-claustrophobic feel, this is very much an album of beautifully crafted and shrewdly arranged songs. Although as dark and intense as anything he has conjured before, both the depth of sonic texture and the clarity of his overarching vision are more impressive than ever.


"Knowing that the form would be somewhat similar to what I did on the previous album, and given that I write stuff in a certain way, I wanted to change the wrapping this time," Ihsahn notes. "So instead of going with my go-tos of strings and orchestration, I focused on analog synths and more in-your-face sounds. It goes back to the beginning of EMPEROR, when we brought in strings and horns inspired by orchestral movie scores by John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith, but at the same time we loved all those eerie synth soundtracks of, for example, John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. I've also been listening to some contemporary R&B and hip-hop stuff with those deep, deep 808s. It's just somehow darker than a lot of metal or black metal. It has a depth and an energy to it that I find captivating, so I wanted to explore those arrangement styles as well."


Another bold stride into uncharted territory, Ihsahn's seventh solo album is the legendary Norwegian's most eclectic and challenging to date. Morphing fluidly from mellifluous art rock ambience to vicious extreme metal, covering all points in between, the likes of grandiloquent opener "Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millennia" and the wild, melodic melancholy of "Sámr" blend seamlessly with ornate, progressive metal monoliths like "In Rites Of Passage" and the immaculate, climactic "Wake". Drenched in evocative synthesizers and brimming with skewed-but-irresistible riffs, "Ámr" is both Ihsahn's most accessible record to date and his most extreme departure from his black metal roots.


"Every album I intend to make the darkest album ever," Ihsahn says. "I never set out to make anything more melodic or accessible. However, growing up on '80s metal, plus having a rather wide range of musical influences, I often end up with quite contrasting elements. This is my seventh solo album, so in the end it really comes down to methods and perspectives that keep me exited and fired up about what I'm working on. If I'm not excited about it, I can't expect anybody else to be!"

"Ámr" track listing:

01. Lend Me The Eyes Of The Millenia

02. Arcana Imperii

03. Sámr

04. One Less Enemy

05. Where You Are Lost And I Belong

06. In Rites Of Passage

07. Marble Soul

08. Twin Black Angels

09. Wake

Wolvhammer is streaming the new song "Dead Rat, Rotting Raven", the latest single from the band's impending fourth LP, The Monuments Of Ash & Bone, out on May 4th via Blood Music. The disturbing new video was directed by David Hall of Uneasy Sleeper. Check it out below.

The Monuments Of Ash & Bone was recorded and mixed by Jarrett Pritchard (Goatwhore, Exhumed) at his own New Constellation Studios in Orlando, Florida, and mastered by Ken Sorceron (Abigail Williams, The Faceless) - both of whom provide additional guitar tracks to the album - and completed with artwork by Brian Sheehan.

Blood Music will release the album on CD, LP, and digital formats; find pre-order options here.

Tracklisting:

“Eternal Rotting Misery”
“Call Me Death”
“Law Of The Rope”
“Bathed In Moonblood And Wolflight”
“The Failure King”
“Dead Rat Rotting Raven”
“Solace Eclipsed”

“Dead Rat, Rotting Raven”:

"Law Of The Rope" video:

"Eternal Rotting Misery":

Wolvhammer has announced new summer tour dates in support of The Monuments Of Ash & Bone. Leading with a performance at Stygian Rites Festival in Rapid City South Dakota, Wolvhammer will tour throughout the Western US and Canada from June 22nd through July 16th, supporting Uada alongside The Black Moriah. Directly after, Wolvhammer will headline shows in Indianapolis and Chicago July 20th and 21st with support from Doomsday, containing members of Wolvhammer. The band's performance at Psycho Las Vegas following in August will also be joined by additional tour dates. Stand by for more updates in the weeks ahead.

(Photo - Margaret McMakin)

Belgian/Chilean up-and-coming doomsters King Heavy will release their second album, Guardian Demons, on June 8th (U.S.) via Cruz Del Sur Music. Featuring six songs of crushing, epic and mid-paced doom, Guardian Demons was recorded at DM6 Studios in Santiago and features artwork by Alec Zalogin, a close friend of the band.

Comments bassist Daniel Perez Saa: "The cover painting represents the demonic menace and guardian's serenity -  a figure that has two appearances depending on the point of view, but always with a sense of impending doom looming at the back. The layout and art vary for every format of the album." 

The follow-up to the band's 2015 self-titled album marks a first for King Heavy: vocalist Luce Veldmark joined the band in the studio instead of recording in his home country of Belgium.

"This truly has been an incredible process," notes Saa. "The sound is a lot more consistent because we had Luce in the studio with us. Plus, it sounds better. Being involved in Luce's vocal recordings where we all could take part made us feel more in control over the entire process. Definitely and without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best King Heavy album to date, from the compositions to the arrangements, details and the sound. The vocal lines are our most epic yet, too. Hard to believe, but it is true! This is one hell of a performance from Luce. I highly value the work he did on his own in Europe, but undeniably, that level of enthusiasm and artistry came through the simple fact of being together - a unique situation for us."

Looking to strike the perfect stylistic balance between their 2014 Horror Absoluto EP and self-titled album, Saa says the organic sound found on Guardian Demons benefits King Heavy's oftentimes complex and flowing arrangements, a trademark of the band. "The sound on Guardian Demons leans a little bit more toward 'Horror Absoluto', probably because the songs are a little more detailed this time. We wanted to create an authentic sound somewhere between pure heavy metal and classic doom." 

King Heavy is already prepping live activity in support of Guardian Demons, with dates planned in Chile and Europe for October and November, as well as an appearance at Austrian's Doom Over Vienna festival, which takes place on November 9th-10th.

"This is doom metal in its essence: No masks, no ornaments, no vestments," states Saa. "We are looking forward to playing the new material live and demonstrating what we achieved from years of hard work. It's really exciting to take part in the album's launch and tour cycle. We hope everyone will not only enjoy the sound of the album, but the artwork as well - Alec really captured who we are as a band and what King Heavy stands for."

Formed in 2012 after a chance meeting between Veldmark and Saa at the Doom Shall Rise festival in Germany, King Heavy signed to Cruz Del Sur Music in 2015. The band also issued the Live In Malta live effort, which was released last year via Hand Dealt Records.

White Wizzard have released a video for "Chasing Dragons", a track from the band's Infernal Overdrive album, released back in January. Order the album at this location, and watch the new video below.

Tracklisting:

"Infernal Overdrive"
"Storm The Shores"
"Pretty May"
"Chasing Dragons"
"Voyage Of The Wolf Raiders"
"Critical Mass"
"Cocoon"
"Metamorphosis"
"The Illusion's Tears"

"Chasing Dragons" video:

“Infernal Overdrive” lyric video:

“Storm The Shores” lyric video:

The official video for "The Deep & The Dark", the title track of the seventh studio album from symphonic metal masters VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, can be seen below. The disc was released on February 16 via Napalm Records.

Says the band: "This is the album we have always dreamed of making. It is everything fans of this genre love and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS was founded for. This is the heart and soul of this band and symphonic metal. We are proud and excited that after over four years we put out the best 10 tracks the band has to offer. This is VISIONS OF ATLANTIS — this is symphonic metal!"


"The Deep & The Dark" track listing:

01. The Deep & The Dark

02. Return To Lemuria

03. Ritual Night

04. The Silent Mutiny

05. Book Of Nature

06. The Last Home

07. The Grand Illusion

08. Dead Reckoning

09. Words Of War

10. Prayer To The Lost

"The Deep & The Dark" was made available as a deluxe box set, CD digipak and digital download.

Hauntingly beautiful duets between vocalists supreme Clémentine Delauney and Siegfried Samer meet classic power metal infusions, embodying the symphonic metal cake: a must-have for all genre-fans and beyond! With "The Deep & The Dark", VISIONS OF ATLANTIS created its most powerful and perfectly executed magnum opus to date.

Clémentine told Metal Underground about the disc: "We all do believe this is the best album the band has ever released. We went back to a more melodic and symphonic metal style with an old-school touch and a production that suits the genre. We wrote diversified songs with rich arrangements using many different influences. {and] I was finally able to take part in the creative process. I wrote many of the vocal lines, most of the lyrics together with Siegfried, and I wrote the last song of the album, 'Prayer To The Lost'. So, for the first time, I'm able to release really personal material and to sing about things that deeply matter to me. I've been waiting for this since I joined my first band in 2010!"

Photo by Moritz Maibaum Photography

North Carolina riff-rockers ASG re-emerge with their sixth-full length and first new album in five years, Survive Sunrise, due out June 15th on CD/2xLP/Digital via Relapse Records. Hear the opening, title track “Survive Sunrise” below, and all digital streaming services here.

Additionally, ASG have announced a US headlining tour surrounding the release of Survive Sunrise. The tour begins June 17th in Raleigh, NC, traverses through the East Coast and ends in Asheville, NC on June 30th. Support provided by Lo Pan and Beitthemeans. ASG will also tour the UK in May for Desertfest and support dates with Weedeater. A full list of confirmed tour dates is available below.

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

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

Album art by Malleus.

Survive Sunrise Tracklist:

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

"Survive Sunrise":

ASG Tour Dates:

April
27 - Wrightsville Beach, NC The Palm Room
28 - Emerald Isle, NC Salt Bar

May
3 - London, UK - Desertfest Pre-Fest
4 - London, UK - Desertfest
5 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Sonic Whip!
6 - Diksmuide, Belgium - 4AD
7 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club *
8 - Cardiff, UK - CLWB *
9 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion *
10 - Glasgow, UK - The Audio *
11 - Bristol, UK - Thekla *

* with Weedeater

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

(Photo - Wynne Harrington)

Swedish melodic power metal outfit Kardinal Sin have released a music video for "Victorious", the title track of their forthcoming album, out on April 27th via Massacre Records. Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here.

Victorious offers a blend of power metal and classic heavy metal with strong melodies. It was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios. Guest musicians on the album include Fredrik Folkare (Firespawn, Unleashed), Magnus Naess (ex-Therion, ex-Kardinal Sin) and Chris Vowden (ex-Opeth, ex-Kardinal Sin, Denied).

Tracklisting:

"Patria (Fatherland)"
"Walls Of Stone"
"Mastermind"
"Victorious"
"Bonaparte"
"S.I.N."
"Revenge Of The Fallen"
"Secrets Of The Pantomime"
"Raven Quote"
"Attack"
"Bells Of Notre Dame" (Revisited)
"For The Heroes" (Bonus Track)

"Victorious" video:

"Mastermind" video:

REFUGE, the new band comprised of current and former RAGE members Peavy Wagner, Manni Schmidt and Christos Efthimiadis, has released "From The Ashes", the first single from REFUGE's forthcoming debut album, "Solitary Men". The disc will be released on June 8 via Frontiers Music Srl.

REFUGE marks the reunion of the original, and probably most successful, lineup of the German metal band RAGE. After 1994, when the three originally parted ways, they moved on to work in different bands and follow their own musical path. Peavy kept on with RAGE, Manni went to GRAVE DIGGER, and Christos off to TRI STATE CORNER. After a long period during which they did not have much contact, the three guys met up again in 2014 and decided to play a secret show in their hometown Herne (Germany), under the moniker TRES HOMBRES. The show was never promoted, apart from word of mouth and social media rumblings and as a result, this show became one where you had to be "in the know", but more than 1,200 fans found their way to the gig anyway. The band performed all the hits from their time together in RAGE and loved every second of that gig, getting hungry for more, thus the idea of REFUGE was born.

REFUGE played a couple of hugely successful festival shows all throughout Europe in the summer of 2015. The audiences' reactions to the RAGE songs of 1988-1993 were truly overwhelming and exceeded all expectations the band had. So, more shows were played in 2016, including three in Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka), exactly 20 years after they had played their last shows together, coincidentally also in Japan.

"The band sounds nearly the same like back then, maybe a bit more relaxed, mature, with more individual experience," says Wagner. "But the general vibe is still the same. We know each other blindly. In order to write the songs, we created the same set-up we had 30 years ago. We rented the same rehearsal room and jammed together in a live situation and the magic was back! I'm glad that we could use and finalize some of our ideas from back then, stuff that we couldn´t use in that days for several reasons. The song 'Waterfalls', for example, was always one of my unfinished favorites. I'm proud we were able to bring it to light now finally!"

What started out as a "fun thing" in 2014 has turned into a real band again. “We want to continue doing this together as long as possible," says Peavy. "It is a manifestation of our reborn old friendship and it is a 'coming from the heart' thing for us to do it."

"Solitary Men" track listing:

01. Summer's Winter

02. The Man In The Ivory Tower

03. Bleeding From Inside

04. From The Ashes

05. Living On The Edge Of Time

06. We Owe A Life To Death

07. Mind Over Matter

08. Let Me Go

09. Hell Freeze Over

10. Waterfalls

11. Another Kind Of Madness (bonus track)

"Desastre", the new video from Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "1755", which was released last November via Napalm Records. The Portuguese-language disc was written about the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, which occurred in the Kingdom of Portugal. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost totally destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas.

"1755" was produced by Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILITY, DIR EN GREY, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER) and features Paulo Bragança supplying the haunting voice of a Fado fallen angel who is a big part of the Portuguese culture. His fascinating vocals are included in the song "In Tremor Dei" (English-language translation: "Fear Of God"). The cover artwork was created by João Diogo.

MOONSPELL vocalist Fernando Ribeiro said: "I have been fascinated with Portuguese history since I can remember.

"The year of 1755 marked the birth of a new Portugal. Much more than just the greatest natural disaster ever to occur on European soil, the great Lisbon Quake, shockwaves cannot be reduced to a dramatic death toll.

"From absolute tragedy, a new city was born, giving way to a new time where Portuguese relied more on themselves than on the crown or the cross, granting us much of the city, the lay country, the free will that we enjoy today.

"This is not just another album from us. It's a musical and lyrical history document, a homage we pay to our legacy and to the amazing skills and resilience of our fellow Portuguese back then, of all mankind when brought down to the knees by the violent forces of nature and reason. Whatever is, is right... yet the earth shakes."

Fernando told Spark TV about the positive reaction to "1755": "Actually, we had a very good response. Sometimes things are a bit more cynical, but, obviously, it's not everything like in black and white. People love it and people didn't think it was that special. I think we had the goal as a band, which was to tell the story of [the Lisbon earthquake of] 1755, the story about Portugal. We can never anticipate it will be a story that for some people, it's almost fiction, but it really happened in our country, 262 or 263 years ago. If you asked me, I would definitely have expected it since it was an album in Portuguese, so you never know. I think the people who liked it, in a way, it validated our effort to tell the story, because it's in Portuguese, so it's not speaking in English. There could have been more of a linguistic barrier, but people understood that it is a concept album that had to be sung in Portuguese. That was probably the biggest question mark. I think it's still a MOONSPELL album. It's very intense, it's very dramatic. Like I said, it's all oriented to storytelling with the music, so I'm very happy people like it."

On May 18th, King Diamond will release LP reissues of the classic albums Abigail, Fatal Portrait, and Them via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at this location..

"You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy." - King

See below for the albums' tracklistings, and stay tuned for more King Diamond reissues coming soon.

Abigail tracklisting:

Side A
"Funeral"
"Arrival"
"A Mansion In Darkness"
"The Family Ghost"
"The 7th Day Of July 1777"

Side B
"Omens"
"The Possession"
"Abigail"
"Black Horsemen"

Fatal Portrait tracklisting:

Side A
"The Candle"
"The Jonah"
"The Portrait"
"Dressed In White"

Side B
"Charon"
"Lurking In The Dark"
"Halloween"
"Voices From The Past"
"Haunted"

Them tracklisting:

Side A
"Out From The Asylum"
"Welcome Home"
"The Invisible Guests"
"Tea"
"Mother's Getting Weaker"

Side B
"Bye, Bye, Missy"
"A Broken Spell"
"The Accusation Chair"
"Them"
"Twilight Symphony"
"Coming Home"

YOB, who recently announced the release of their eighth album, Our Raw Heart, on June 8th via Relapse Records, have shared the new track “The Screen”, as the Oregon trio reveal the album artwork and preorders are made available.

Pre-orders are available at Relapse.com with various physical bundles including a super deluxe 2XLP boxset (limited to 100 copies), a white/gold splattered deluxe version (limited to 300 copies), various merchandise and other formats including cassette and CD. Digital downloads can be found at the same link and include an instant download of “The Screen.”

Our Raw Heart was co-produced by the band and Billy Barnett at Gung Ho Studio in Eugene, Ore., with mastering handled by Heba Kadry (The Mars Volta, Diamanda Galas, Slowdive). 

Tracklisting:

“Ablaze”
“The Screen”
“In Reverie”
“Lung Reach”
“Beauty In Falling Leaves”
“Original Face”
“Our Raw Heart”

“The Screen”:

Dates:

June
14 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street
15 - Austin, TX - Austin Terror Fest
16 - Little Rock, AR - Mutants of the Monster 2018
17 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone
19 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn
20 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
22 - Orlando, FL - Will’s Pub
23 - Wilmington, NC - Reggies
24 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight
25 - Raleigh, NC - King’s
27 - Baltimore, MD - Metro
28 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
29 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
30 - Boston, MA - Middle East

July 
2 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rosa
3 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks
4 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theatre
7 - Detroit, MI - El Club
8 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
10 - St. Paul, MN - Club
11 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge
12 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
14 - Boise, ID - Neurolux

(Photo by: Alyssa Herman)

Check out content from Megadeth’s Dystopia Latin America Tour in 2016. Part 2 is streaming below.

Part 1:

Megadeth will be performing at the Fronterizo Festival on April 29th and the Hell & Heaven Fest on May 5th. 

Century Media and Legacy Recordings recently announced the 2018 deluxe reissue of Megadeth’s classic debut album, Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good, due on June 8th.

Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good - The Final Kill has been completely restored to Dave Mustaine’s intended vision. Remixed by veteran metal mixer, Mark Lewis (Whitechapel) and remastered by Ted Jensen for an optimal listening experience, the 2018 version reveals unheard parts and performances throughout the record.

This rare gem includes the full album, along with 7 live audio tracks from VHS tapes found in Dave Mustaine’s own attic! In addition to the bonus live tracks, the 2018 reissue also features Megadeth’s 1984 3-track demo and the once removed cover of Lee Hazelwood’s, “The Boots” that has been added back to the record with recut vocals intended to maintain the integrity of both the original song and Megadeth’s own snarling rendition.

The package is further enhanced by a new album cover featuring a fully executed sculpture of the iconic skull that has been lost over the many years since the album’s initial release. The packaging also includes classic flyers and band photos pulled from their archive of timeless metal moments from Megadeth’s storied 35 year history. The Final Kill is the complete vision of main man, Dave Mustaine, who has contributed liner notes delving into the struggles during that time period as well as some of the surprising moments during the remixing sessions.

“I am just as much amazed at the music we made as I am at the pure fact that we survived it all!” - Dave Mustaine

Pre-order various formats here. CD and vinyl tracklistings below.

CD tracklisting:

"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (Remastered)
"Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" (Remastered)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (Remastered)
"Rattlehead" (Remastered) - Explicit Content
"Chosen Ones" (Remastered)
"Looking Down The Cross" (Remastered)
"Mechanix" (Remastered)
"These Boots" (Remastered)
"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (live) (1987 London, UK)
"Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (live) (1990 London, UK)
"Rattlehead" (live) (1987 Bochum, Germany) - Explicit Content
"Chosen Ones" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"Looking Down The Cross (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"Mechanix" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (demo) (Remastered)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (demo) (Remastered)
"Mechanix" (demo) (Remastered)

Vinyl tracklisting:

LP1 - Side A
"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (Remastered)
"Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" (Remastered)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (Remastered)
"Rattlehead" (Remastered)

LP2 - Side B
"Chosen Ones" (Remastered)
"Looking Down The Cross" (Remastered)
"Mechanix" (Remastered)
"These Boots" (Remastered)

LP2 - Side A
"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (live) (1987 London, UK)
"Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (live) (1990 London, UK)
"Rattlehead" (live) (1987 Bochum, Germany)
"Chosen Ones" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)

LP2 - Side B
"Looking Down The Cross" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"Mechanix" (live) (1986 Denver, CO)
"Last Rites / Loved To Deth" (demo) (Remastered)
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" (demo) (Remastered)
"Mechanix" (demo) (Remastered)

Danish thrashers Hatesphere have released behind the scenes footage from their tour of Japan in February. Says the band: "As we're getting ready for the last few shows in support of New Hell, we want to share with you all the fun we had in Japan. KANPAI!!"

Upcoming shows:

May
18 - Moonlight Music Hall - Diest, Belgium
19 - Achterhoeks Metalfest 2018 - Eibergen, Netherlands

July
12 - Eistnaflug Festival 2018, Neskaupstaður, Iceland

October
5 - Euroblast Festival 14 / 2018 - Köln, Germany