Polish death metal squadron, Hate, is preparing to head to the studio in December to record the follow-up to 2017's Tremendum. The new opus, bearing the working title Salve Ignis, is tentatively slated for summer 2019 and will be the band's debut collaboration with Metal Blade Records.

Details are still surfacing, but the band has so far released two raw pre-production tracks: "Path to Arkhen" and "In The Shrine Of Veles", and have confirmed that production on the finished record will be handled by the talented Wiesławski brothers at Hertz Studio, Poland (Behemoth, Vader, Decapitated). Stay tuned for more info coming soon.

Check out the pre-production for the new Hate song "Path To Arken" below:

Hate have been praised by press and fans alike for years for creating lacerating and dark music, proven best on their current album Tremendum (2017). The album saw ATF Sinner (vocals, guitars) utilize the dark aspects of the mystic and arcane Slavonic folklore to explore themes both personal and impersonal. It is an album that is relatable at first listen, but that is hard to fully know.

Live dates:

December
1 - Krakow, Poland - FOAD Festival
7 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Narauti
8 - Kaunas, Lithuania - Klubas "Lemmy"
28 - Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic - IFA Party

May
2 - Kopervik, Norway - Karmoygeddon Festival

July
19 - Nova Bana, Slovakia - Gothoom Open Air Fest

August
3 - Saint-maurice-de-gourdans, France - Sylak Open Air

Hate lineup:

ATF Sinner - vocals, guitars
Pavulon - drums
Apeiron - bass (session)
Domin - guitar (session)

(Photo - Daniel Rusilowicz)

Metal Blade Records will reissue the first two albums by Swedish death metal legends, Vomitory, on January 11th. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the band - expect more releases and live shows next year.

Both albums will be remastered and released on spinesleeve vinyl in the best quality possible - as well as on digipak CD with bonus tracks.

Vomitory comments: "Originally released on a small underground label in 1996, Raped In Their Own Blood marked the end of the demo years and the start of a new era of Vomitory. And Redemption (1999) showed a remarkable increase in brutality and progress towards what was about to come. It feels great to have these two death metal classics released by our long-time partner, Metal Blade Records, in time for our 30th Anniversary Reunion in 2019!"

Pre-order your copies here. See below for an overview of all versions.

Raped In Their Own Blood:

- Digipak CD
- 180 g black vinyl
- Red/black marbled vinyl (ltd. 300 copies; EU exclusive)
- Silver-grey/black marbled vinyl (ltd. 200 copies; EU exclusive)
- Crystal-clear/red splattered vinyl (ltd. 100 copies; EU exclusive)
- Clear/red & black splattered vinyl (ltd. 300 copies; USA exclusive)

Tracklisting:

"Nervegasclouds"
"Raped In Their Own Blood"
"Dark Grey Epoch"
"Pure Death"
"Through Sepulchral Shadows"
"Inferno"
"Sad Fog Over Sinister Runes"
"Into Winter Through Sorrow"
"Perdition"
"Thorns"

CD bonus (Through Sepulchral Shadows - demo 1994)
"Through Sepulchral Shadows"
"Thorns"
"Sad Fog Over Sinister Runes"

Redemption:

- Digipak CD
- 180 g black vinyl
- Opague turquoise/black marbled vinyl (ltd. 300 copies; EU exclusive)
- Clear blue/black marbled vinyl (ltd. 200 copies; EU exclusive)
- Silver / blue&black splattered vinyl (ltd. 100 copies; EU exclusive)
- Crystal clear/turqoise / white splattered vinyl (ltd. 300 copies; USA exclusive)

Tracklisting:

"The Voyage"
"Forty Seconds Bloodbath"
"Forever In Gloom"
"Heaps Of Blood"
"Embraced By Pain"
"Redemption"
"Ashes Of Mourning Life"
"Partly Dead"

CD bonus (10" picture disc - mini-LP 1999)
"The Art Of War"
"Undivulged"
"Extremity Retained"
"Dead Cold"
"Christ Passion"

Professionally filmed footage from Behemoth's performance at this year's edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival has been released.

Watch the band perform "Wolves Ov Siberia" from their new album I Loved You At Your Darkest, and "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" from the 2014 release The Satanist, below.

Behemoth's new album, I Loved You At Your Darkest, is available via Metal Blade Records (North America) / Nuclear Blast (Europe).

A crushing salvo of black metal majesty replete with hellish riffs, thundering drum cannonades and soaring liturgical choirs reminiscent of classic horror cinema, I Loved You At Your Darkest is the group's most dynamic record yet: extreme and radical on one hand, but also more rock-oriented than any other Behemoth release.

Produced by the band themselves, with drum co-production by Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames), mixing by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Children Of Bodom) mastering by Tom Baker (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson), and a 17-piece Polish orchestra arranged by Jan Stoklosa, I Loved You At Your Darkest can be ordered here.

I Loved You At Your Darkest tracklisting:

"Solve"
"Wolves ov Siberia"
"God = Dog"
"Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica"
"Bartzabel"
"If Crucifixion Was Not Enough..."
"Angelvs XIII"
"Sabbath Mater"
"Havohej Pantocrator"
"Rom 5:8"
"We Are the Next 1000 Years"
"Coagvla"

"Bartzabel" video:

"Wolves ov Siberia" video:

"God = Dog" video:

Find the band's complete tour itinerary here.

Behemoth lineup:

Nergal - vocals & guitars
Orion - bass & vocals
Inferno - drums & percussion

Prophecy Productions have just shared "Voidless", an exclusive new song from the special edition of Nachtmystium’s comeback EP, Resilient, which comes out tomorrow, Friday, November 30th.

This composition is only available as part of the limited edition 2XCD artbook, and will not be released for streaming elsewhere for the time being.

"Voidless" was the first track written and recorded after the Resilient session. It features lead vocals and lyrics written and performed by bass player Martin van Valkenstijn (also of Empyrium and Sun of the Sleepless fame) - revisiting the rehab phase of Blake Judd, who was last heard saying the following about his new music on February 24th, 2018: “The Resilient EP is the first sounds any of you have heard from me in a number of years. This period of time included some wonderful and terrible experiences alike and my journey through these parts of my life is revisited here.”In tow with this release, Prophecy Productions are re-issuing Nachtmystium’s seminal 2008 album Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1 as digisleeve CD, on vinyl, and as 2XCD artbook with three bonus tracks and additional graphic content. Order both titles here.

Forged in the northern plains of Manitoba, emerges Dyrewolf, who are set to release their self-titled album independently on CD, December 1st, at The Handsome Daughter in Winnipeg. Dyrewolf was created in 2014 by ex-Evil Survives members Sean Oko (guitars), Derrick Kroll (drums), and Alphakill frontman Justin Stear (guitars/backing vocals). Dyrewolf acquired the talents of Jordan Gosselin on bass guitar in the middle of 2016. After a few vocal tryouts which turned out fruitless, Jordan recommended Kyle Freeman (vocalist) who joined the band in early 2017. Dyrewolf’s debut album is the culmination of years of writing and rearranging pieces to create the songs on display.

According to a press release, “the work at hand has catchy guitar hooks, shredding solo sections, memorable vocals, and a unified rhythm section which sets them apart from their contemporaries. The debut features nine tracks that are diverse, and multifaceted, going beyond conventional genre classifications. For fans of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Dio, Racer X among others.”

Dyrewolf has opened a web store to take pre-orders for the upcoming album. “Heretic” and “Silver Spoon” off the album have recently been released as singles on YouTube below.

For more details visit Dyrewolf on their Facebook page.

 

February 8th, 2019 sees Downfall Of Gaia release their anticipated new album, Ethic Of Radical Finitude. Ethic Of Radical Finitude is the international quartet's most melodic, most structured and most dynamic release to-date, once more building upon the epic and unique sludgy, crusty, exploratory metallic sound that has organically evolved with every release. "It combines elements from our earlier releases with the path we took on Atrophy (2016)," states guitarist/vocalist Dominik Goncalves dos Reis. "There are long atmospheric parts with enough time to breathe, enough time to unfold, and on the other side there are harsh and melodic blastbeats. Each song is some kind of journey, with emotional ups and downs."

First single, “As Our Bones Break To The Dance”, is streaming below. Find preorders at MetalBlade.com.

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

“As Our Bones Break To The Dance”:

(Photo by: Florian Fassbinder)

American metal band Westfield Massacre has released the new video for "Taking The Fall,” the latest single from the band’s new album Salvation. The video by Caio Macbesserra features animated graphics fused with behind-the-scenes live performance footage of the band. Regarding the song choice for the new video, Westfield Massacre frontman Seann Nicols stated, "We love all the tracks on the new album, but a lot of fans were reacting strongly to ‘Taking The Fall’, so we decided to make a video for it. We love how the video came out and we’re excited for people to see it.” “Taking The Fall” is the band’s fourth music video from their sophomore album.

Westfield Massacre’s Salvation was released on October 26th by Nerve Strike Records. Salvation topped multiple Billboard charts, debuting at #1 Heatseekers - Pacific, #5 Heatseekers - South Atlantic, #7 Heatseekers Albums, #11 Hard Rock Album Sales, #27 Independent Albums, and #31 Rock Album Sales.  The album also debuted at #9 on the iTunes Metal Chart, #29 on the iTunes Rock Chart, and #130 on the iTunes All Genres Charts. 

Salvation was mixed and mastered at The Mouse House Studio in Altadena, California by veteran producer/engineer Rich Mouser, known for his work with Robert Trujillo (Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne), Chris Vienna (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Tweaker), Chris Cornell, Weezer, and Dream Theater.

Seann Nicols took over as the lead vocalist for Westfield Massacre in June 2017 when the band parted ways with Tommy Vext, the current singer for Bad Wolves. Rounding out Westfield Massacre's current lineup are Stephen Brewer on guitar, Erik Tisinger on bass, Dio Britto on drums, and Luis Kalil on guitar.

Westfield Massacre has a sound that can be described as a bridge between modern American and European metal. With aggressive growls, high soaring vocal melodies, impossibly fast drums, classically inspired passages and harmonized guitar leads, Westfield Massacre aims to make their modern metal accessible to fans of all music genres.

(Photo - Kaelan Barowsky)

Roine Stolt, known as the guitarist, singer, writer and at times band leader of the groups The Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Agents Of Mercy, Kaipa DC, as well as from his work with prog icon Jon Anderson and the new super-group The Sea Within, has released Manifest Of An Alchemist, his brand new studio album. Check out an unboxing video of the album below:

Under the moniker Roine Stolt's The Flower King,, this album offers 10 songs and almost 70 minutes of playing time celebrating the style Roine is most revered for: progressive rock, richly orchestrated with all the trademark elements from four decades of the genre.

To celebrate he is pleased to launch a stream of the new track "High Road", which you can listen to below.

Roine comments: “Today marks the day, Manifesto Of An Alchemist is released worldwide and I’m glad to be able to celebrate this and The Flower Kings’ music with our fans in Guadalajara, Mexico. It is a truly special ‘release day’ for me and I hope you will all enjoy this album as it offers an extensive prog rock journey that I consider a wonderful contrast to the haste and hectic pace of this age. So, enjoy the 12 minutes of ‘High Road’ on this day, get the album and see you on our European tour with Spock’s Beard kicking off November 30!”

Manifesto Of An Alchemist features stunning artwork from Shaun Beyond, and is available as a limited edition CD digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP + CD & as digital download.

Tracklisting:

"Rainsong"
"Lost America"
"Ze Pawns"
"High Road"
"Rio Grande"
"Next To A Hurricane"
"The Alchemist"
"Baby Angels"
"Six Thirty Wake-Up"
"The Spell Of Money"

"Lost America" lyric video:

As previously announced, Roine will take The Flower Kings catalogue on tour later this year, as well as playing tracks from this new album. He comments: “I am excited that the album will be released in November this year and at the same time will be in South America playing The Flower Kings music with a band that also includes Hasse Froberg & Jonas Reingold and also introduces two younger friends; Zach Kamins on keyboards and Mirko DiMaio on drums - both fabulous musicians. We will also bring this to Europe where we join forces with legends Spocks Beard.”

Tommy Lee is apparently contemplating taking legal action against Travis Scott after finding out that the rapper's new stage design includes a roller coaster the drummer claims is too similar to the one he used on MÖTLEY CRÜE's last few tours between 2011 and 2015.

Lee's grievances center around Scott's "Astroworld" tour, which features a moment where Travis can be seen performing while taking a ride on a slow-rolling-but-functional roller coaster.

"Just found out this fucking idiot @travisscott or someone on his team ripped off the 360 and the Crüecifly!" Lee wrote on Instagram. "WTF!! Get an original idea bro ...(swipe to see who did this shit first). BRB there's more ..."

That was soon followed by: "ANNNNND not one rip off but TWO. DOPE. I get copying is a form of flattery, but this is just straight ripping off my shit. What do you guys think???"

fter posting videos of Scott's and Lee's stage performances, Tommy tweeted: "Hey @trvisXX lawyer up!"

Dubbed "The Crüecifly", Lee's drum stunt saw him bolted to a platform that moves on a roller coaster-type track near the arena ceiling, passing the band's inverted-pentagram lighting rig and spiked disco ball and spinning him 360 degrees vertically, rendering him upside-down.

Lee told Music Radar in a 2011 interview how the idea of mounting his drum kit on a giant roller coaster came about. He said: "Every tour we do, everybody's always wondering, 'What's Tommy Lee going to do next? What new, wild and crazy thing is he going to come up with?' And what's funny is, the thrill-seeker and the amusement park fan in me took over this time. Whenever I go on a roller coaster, I always say the same thing: 'Man, I have got to find a way to take the cars off this ride and put my drums on the track!' That's basically where it all started. One day, I drew a design for the whole thing on a cocktail napkin."

Asked how long it took him to get used to riding the roller coaster while performing a drum solo, Lee laughed: "I still don't know if I'm used to it! Everything to do with this is absolutely wrong. Playing upside down is insane. It's two or three times more difficult than what's normal. Your feet want to come off the pedals, your arms want to drop down — all of your body is fighting gravity. The only time it's comfortable is when you're in the down position; the rest of the time, everything's fucking out of control. The drum roller coaster is wild! [Laughs]"

Lee's 360-degree roller coaster drum kit was officially "retired" in May 2013 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The kit, which was introduced during the band's 30-year anniversary tour with POISON and the NEW YORK DOLLS in 2011, was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "a revamped version of the percussive light show Lee used in tours during the late 1980s. The 360, also known as The Loop, had a passenger seat for one lucky fan to ride shotgun with Lee at each show. Lee usually performed one or two complete rotations on the roller coaster himself, along with numerous half-rotations as teasers, before taking on an audience member for an additional two or three turns."

According to Billboard, SHINEDOWN has landed its 13th No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart with "Get Up", the second single from the Florida band's sixth studio album, "Attention Attention".

Only THREE DAYS GRACE has had more Mainstream Rock No. 1s — 14.

"Attention Attention", SHINEDOWN's sixth studio album, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums chart back in May. The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival" marked SHINEDOWN's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by bassist Eric Bass. The 14-song release that tells the story of a character who starts out defeated and slowly overcomes pain and personal struggles and becomes confident at the end. The album also lyrically touches upon singer Brent Smith's former drug addiction and Bass's depression.

Smith told Classic Rock magazine that "Get Up" is "one of the quintessential songs on the record. I wrote the lyrics to 'Get Up' about Eric, who produced and mixed the record," he said. "Eric faces what is considered to be clinical depression on a daily basis. Some days everything is great, some days the sky is falling in. Often he'll tell me he wishes he could unscrew part of his skull, reach into his brain and take that part of him out and throw it away. But it is a part of him, and he has to work with it. He doesn't have to like it, but he has to respect it. And as a band, we all respect him because of it. It was one of the songs that took the longest to write because I was afraid what Eric was going to think. So this is the part of the record when a person has to have a heart-to-heart chat with themselves in that chair. It's a very conversational piece."

b>SHINEDOWN will embark on a U.S. headlining tour in February. Support on the trek will come from PAPA ROACH and ASKING ALEXANDRIA.

Symphonic metal masters VISIONS OF ATLANTIS will release their first live album, "The Deep & The Dark Live @ Symphonic Metal Nights", on February 22, 2019 via Napalm Records. With focus on songs from the band's latest studio album, "The Deep & The Dark", this live opus pushes the mystical adventure of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS to another level — powerful and perfectly executed.

Track listing:

01. Intro

02. The Deep & The Dark

03. New Dawn

04. Book Of Nature

05. Ritual Night

06. Lost

07. The Silent Mutiny

08. The Last Home

09. Words of War

10. The Grand Illusion

11. Passing Dead End

12. Return To Lemuria

"The Deep & The Dark" was released in February via Napalm Records.

ocalist Clémentine Delauney 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."

In a separate interview with Distorted Sound, Clémentine spoke in more detail about the songwriting process for "The Deep & The Dark". "I feel more comfortable when I am writing lyrics when I have a melody because as a singer, it's easier to have a melody so you can let the words come out," she said. "Depending on the notes, I can see which one is more natural to sing an 'a,' another vowel or a specific word that contains a letter like a 'c' or a 't' where I know to project the sound. So, you have singing tricks that someone doesn't normally think about and sometimes, not necessarily in our music, in general the words match so well with the melody because they were created together. I like to make sure the words match the melody so it's easier for me to know the strength of the melody first and then I can shape the words and lyrics nicely to the melody rather than have a text that gets put on top of a melody, as that is difficult."

Photo by Emilie Garcin

JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill has commented on the popular theory that "rock is dead," or that it will never be what it once was.

The 67-year-old rocker was asked to weigh in on the topic during an interview with The Korea Times.

"I don't agree with the idea that rock is dead or anywhere near," he said. "In my experience, the festivals that we play at are better attended than ever and there are more young faces in the audience than old ones, so there is a great future for rock and heavy metal.

He also advised young musicians to "keep improving where you can and be patient. If you've got something good going, someone will notice sooner or later," he said.

few years ago, Hill's bandmate Rob Halford told Canadian journalist Mitch Lafon that he also disagreed with the notion that rock was dead. "I've heard that statement a number of times through the decades that I've been in metal," the singer said. "I don't think it is. I think it's absolutely in incredible shape right now. [It's] never been stronger."

He continued: "I think we're surrounded constantly by new talent and the enthusiasm that surges from new bands of all kinds keeps rock alive and strong, and I think it'll always be that way. So, for me, when I check out the metal sites that I do every day — I check out a dozen metal sites from different places around the world — I see the strength and the power there, and it's tremendously exciting. It's a different world now, for sure, in terms of the way the industry side of the business works. That is a whole new perspective compared to how it was even twenty years ago, with the advent of the Internet, which created an enormous amount of… a change of perspective. It affected everybody in a great way.

"So what I'm saying is rock isn't dead. It's alive, it's thriving, and it's exciting."

At the end of 1997, during a period when he was pursuing other projects after leaving PRIEST, Rob famously told then-Metal Edge magazine editor Gerri Miller that metal was "dead" and told others that he would never return to the band. "Metal is dead and I am done with it," he was quoted as saying.

Rob later recanted his quote about the state of heavy metal, telling Metal-Rules.com in a 2008 interview, "That was an absolutely fucking stupid thing for me to say. I was just so emotional that day. I can remember I was sitting on my tour bus outside of the Hollywood Palladium in L.A. and I think the TWO band was working with RAMMSTEIN that night and I was just in a bitch mood. [Laughs] I said something which I…. you know, everybody has the freedom to be stupid and I was completely stupid that day. I've made amends in recent years about making that ridiculous comment. I think I was probably just reflecting on my own situation, frustrations that come with what you do and I think it was probably a Monday night; I don't particularly like Monday that much. [Laughs] Had it been Friday or Saturday, I'd have been in a different frame of mind. But I was just being a bit of a petulant rock star bitch that afternoon, so there you go. It's all water under the bridge now."

HALESTORM has released a new virtual reality video featuring performances of the songs "Black Vultures" and "Vicious".

The interactive clip, which was filmed over the summer during HALESTORM's show at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, was shot with a multi-rig VR camera system with director Craig Ziogas and producers Mike Mushok (STAIND, SAINT ASONIA) and Charlie Callahan.

"Black Vultures" and "Vicious" are both taken from HALESTORM's latest album, "Vicious", which was released on July 27 via Atlantic. The disc was recorded last year at Nashville, Tennesse's Rock Falcon recording studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz.

HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale spoke to Consequence Of Sound about "Black Vultures", which starts with an epic scream.

That particular scream was kind of a whim, because the first version of that particular song, 'Black Vultures', didn't have any of that in it," she said. "It just started off with the riff. And, I remember, I think it was Nick, our producer, he [said], 'Hey can you just like do something vocally, in the beginning, so I did that as a couple of layers just on a whim in the studio, and then we ended up attaching it to the beginning. From there, I think it was the decision, like, 'Oh, I think we should open the record with this.'

"Nick definitely challenged me to be, like, 'You can get intense, right?' And I was like, 'Sure, let's do it.' So, that was a cool experience.

"But that particular song … Nick was working on an ALICE IN CHAINS record on the West Coast, but he kept his studio open for us, so that we can we can keep writing and rehearsing. And one of our good friends from 10 YEARS, Brian Vodinh, ended up hanging out in Nashville one night, and he was like, 'Hey, I want to come to the studio,' and we ended up jamming on this idea, and it was, 'Hey, let's just write a song. We're here.' And he's a great songwriter. So on the way to the studio, I had written down 'vultures,' because I thought it was a cool name. On the way to the studio, there were at least 20 vultures blocking the road, because there was something they were picking at, and I'm, like, 'Ooh, vultures!'

"And so when we got to the studio and Brian showed up, I was, like, 'I have a title.' So, we did this instrumental jam, and then I took it home and I wrote to it, and ended up writing 'Black Vultures'. I didn't realize that the song was kind of about survival until after I finished it."

San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL have posted a video recap of the November 24 launch event for the Caster Of Shame IPA, their collaboration with Oakland, California's longest-running active brewery Ale Industries.

DEATH ANGEL recently entered AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida to begin recording its ninth album. The follow-up to 2016's "The Evil Divide" is once again being produced by Jason Suecof, who previously worked on DEATH ANGEL's last disc, as well as 2010's "Relentless Retribution" and 2013's "The Dream Calls For Blood".

DEATH ANGEL's new LP will be the band's fourth to feature its current lineup: Mark Osegueda (vocals), Rob Cavestany (guitar), Ted Aguilar (guitar), Will Carroll (drums) and Damien Sisson (bass).

"The Evil Divide" was released in May 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

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Progressive music titans DREAM THEATER have launched the third and final in-the-studio video interview, where the entire band sat down and discussed how their upcoming 14th studio album, "Distance Over Time", came together. In the third clip, which can be seen below, the bandmembers talk about touring and setlists.

"Distance Over Time" will be released on February 22, 2019. The disc showcases a newfound creativity for DREAM THEATER while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band's new label InsideOut Music. The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "Distance Over Time" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

Says Petrucci: "When I listen back to the album, I can distinctly recall every moment of the writing process; where I was standing in the room, what inspired us in that instant and the meaning behind each song. As a producer, my goal was to try and create the best-sounding DREAM THEATER record we've ever made so that listeners can just be enveloped in the music. I really wanted this recording to truly reflect the spirit, joy and passion that went into making the album and for people to walk away feeling some of the organic nature, personality and raw energy that the band captured while together in the studio. For me, I think it accomplishes that and I hope that other people will feel the same way."

In June 2018, the members of DREAM THEATER secluded themselves in a private location in upstate New York to begin writing for the new record. While spending the summer living together in the property's adjacent residence, the band spent their days and nights crafting the music that would make up the new album in the "Yonderbarn"; a beautiful and spacious barn that had been meticulously transformed into a state-of-the art film and recording studio. Following an intense and extremely productive period of group writing sessions and wanting to retain the magic that was captured in this scenic and inspiring location, they decided to record the album in the very room they had all convened to write together in. Living together during the writing and recording for "Distance Over Time" marked another first for the band's 33-year career. The result is a heavier collection of songs that showcases the early roots of the band while exploring new territory as musicians and as friends.

It was like going back to summer camp," says singer James LaBrie. "Being around each other the whole time made it that much more of a profound experience. I think the songs reflect the energy. It was a lot of fun to have a situation so powerful at this point in our career."

It has been three years since DREAM THEATER released new music. To announce the details of the brand new album, DREAM THEATER enlisted the help of one lucky contest winner to break the news of the record to the loyal fans of the band. An Alternate Reality Game was launched that encompassed a "treasure hunt" whereby fans were able to search for clues hidden in various photos, videos, social media posts, and more. Ultimately, one lucky winner was given access to content before everyone else including the release date and cover artwork, and the winner would be the one to share the first taste of never-before-heard music.

DREAM THEATER is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The "Distance Over Time" tour of North America was recently announced and kicks off on March 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at DreamTheater.net.

The godfathers of American doom SAINT VITUS have finished recording their new album. The follow-up to 2012's "Lillie: F-65" will be released in 2019 via Season Of Mist.

To promote the new disc, SAINT VITUS will embark on a European tour in April. Support on the trek will come from DOPELORD.

Formed in 1979, SAINT VITUS were largely influenced by BLACK SABBATH, whose song "Saint Vitus Dance" obviously inspired the moniker. Since their debut album, "Saint Vitus", came out in 1984, the Americans have released seven more full-lengths and two EPs that are summarily considered to be classics of their genre.

SAINT VITUS released a live album, "Live Vol. 2", in September 2016 via Season Of Mist. The set was recorded during the tour for "Lillie: F-65" on March 19, 2013 at the Kulturfabrik in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

ast month, it was revealed that original SAINT VITUS bassist Mark Adams is suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Adams has been absent from some of SAINT VITUS's recent tours. Playing bass for the group has been former CROWBAR and current DOWN bassist Pat Bruders.

SAINT VITUS tour dates:

Apr. 03 - Gothenburg (SE) Sticky Fingers

Apr. 04 - Stockholm (SE) Debaser Strand

Apr. 06 - Jyväskylä (FI) Lutakko

Apr. 07 - Helsinki (FI) On The Rocks

Apr. 09 - Oslo (NO) Bla

Apr. 10 - Copenhagen (DK) Pumpehuset

Apr. 11 - Berlin (DE) So36

Apr. 12 - Hamburg (DE) Headcrash

Apr. 13 - Bomal-Sur-Ourthe (BE) Durbuy Rock Festival

Apr. 14 - Dortmund (DE) Junkyard

Apr. 15 - Cologne (DE) Luxor

Apr. 17 - Birmingham (UK) Mama Roux

Apr. 18 - Leeds (UK) Brudenell

Apr. 19 - Glasgow (UK) Audio

Apr. 20 - London (UK) The Underworld

Apr. 21 - Paris (FR) Petit Bain

Apr. 23 - Nantes (FR) Le Ferrailleur

Apr. 24 - Toulouse (FR) Le Rex

Apr. 25 - Barcelona (ES) Boveda

Apr. 26 - Madrid (ES) Copernico

Apr. 27 - Barroselas (PT) Swr Metalfest

Apr. 28 - Bilbao (ES) Kafé Antzokia

Apr. 30 - Fribourg (CH) Fri-Son*

May 01 - Milan (IT) Circolo Magnolia

May 02 - Zürich (CH) Dynamo*

May 03 - Karlsruhe (DE) Dudefest

May 04 - Leipzig (DE) Utc Connewitz

* No DOPELORD

Industrial metal pioneers MINISTRY will enter the studio in early 2019 to begin recording the follow-up to this year's "AmeriKKKant" album. Al Jourgensen told Consequence Of Sound in a new interview: "This [fall] tour pretty much closes out our touring on 'AmeriKKKant', and then we immediately, as of the first of the year, go into starting to record the new MINISTRY record. I have a studio in my house that is currently under construction to make it ready for next year. So when I go back, we'll go right into production on a new MINISTRY record and just record for, like, the next six months — very similar to what we did for [1988's] '[The Land Of] Rape And Honey' — and just record a bunch."

Jourgensen added that the recording of the next MINISTRY album might take even longer, because he could "sidetracked" making new music with REVOLTING COCKS or LARD. He said: "My neighbor right down the street is Gary Numan, so we may hook up together on some stuff. We just talked about that the other day. That may happen, so who knows, it may take a full year, maybe two years before the MINISTRY record comes out, but we start recording January 1st."

As for his plans for LARD, the industrial collaboration with DEAD KENNEDYS legend Jello Biafra, Jourgensen said: "I have a feeling that next year, me and Jello Biafra are gonna do a couple of LARD songs. As a matter of fact, it's not a feeling. I know that as a fact. So, we’re gonna kind of resurrect that."

Earlier this month, Jourgensen told Billboard that he was back on speaking terms with his former MINISTRY bandmate Paul Barker. "We're actually talking about doing something in the very near future," Jourgensen said, "so who knows what may pop up on the next MINISTRY album. That's really gonna get the old-school crowd going."

b>Barker was with MINISTRY from 1986 to 2003 and was the sole other constant member of the band through that time. He left after touring to support the "Animositisomina" album.

Released this past March, "AmeriKKKa" was produced by Jourgensen and was recorded at Caribou Studios in Burbank, California. The artwork was created by Mister Sam Shearon.

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL will release their 19th studio album, "The Wings Of War", on February 22, 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Gear Recording Studio in New Jersey, SKH Studio in Florida and Jrod Productions with engineering handled by bassist D.D. Verni and guitarist Dave Linsk. The album was produced by the band while Chris "Zeuss" Harris took care of the mixing and mastering. Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH) was again enlisted to create the artwork for the album.

"The Wings Of War" marks OVERKILL's recording debut with drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM), who joined the band last year.

Vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth comments: "It was a blast making 'The Wings Of War'! It is something old feeling new again, as our chemistry was altered by the addition of Jason Bittner. I was curious from the get-go, how would it pan out? I think what we accomplished here is a new, upgraded OVERKILL that embraced the new chemistry, while taking our roots into the present. The new formula produced not only more raw power, but more places to go with melody, a win, win. The key is being not only interested in the change, but part of it. I'll tell you what, it's still fun as hell making OVERKILL records.

"The Wings Of War" track listing:

1. Last Man Standing

02. Believe In The Fight

03. Head Of A Pin

04. Bat Shit Crazy

05. Distortion

06. A Mother's Prayer

07. Welcome To The Garden State

08. Where Few Dare To Walk

09. Out On The Road-Kill

10. Hole In My Soul

Earlier this year, Ellsworth told Brian Aberback of Patch.com about the musical direction of OVERKILL's new material: "What I notice about it is that there are parts of it that delve into really classic heavy metal that are spawned off the riff. There's kind of a brutal metal riff and then there's a heavy metal riff. The brutal riff being more in the modern sense of OVERKILL but the classic riff goes back into the feel of 'Feel The Fire', 'Taking Over', 'The Years Of Decay' kind of influence.

"I think what we're doing is staying with that classic riff but adding the brutality after," he continued. "So it has the vibe of classic heavy metal with that spawned aggression off of it. Obviously, we're not going to be progressive or off the tracks with where we're going. It's OVERKILL. But the internal end of that is really exciting because we notice every little different nuance in it. So I think it's going to be interesting."

Asked what Jason has brought to the band, Ellsworth said: "He's put a lot of work into the album and his excitement has spread to all of us. He's the first person in this band who's deeply, technically trained. That's one of the most exciting things about this project. This guy is pretty close to a virtuoso when hitting the skins."

OVERKILL released the "Live In Overhausen" DVD and Blu-Ray on May 18 via Nuclear Blast. The set was recorded more than two years ago in Oberhausen, Germany, where OVERKILL celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Horrorscope" and 30th anniversary of "Feel The Fire" by performing both albums in their entirety.

OVERKILL is:

Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth - Vocals

D.D. Verni - Bass

Dave Linsk - Lead Guitar

Derek Tailer - Rhythm Guitar

Jason Bittner - Drums

DEF LEPPARD's official music video for the cover of DEPECHE MODE's "Personal Jesus" can be seen at Billboard.com.

Guitarist Vivian Campbell said: "'Jesus' is the sort of classic song that can be interpreted in many ways, and as DEF LEPPARD has always been the kind of band that can blend genres, it was an easy choice for us. It was that or ABBA!"

DEF LEPPARD's version of "Personal Jesus" is featured on the band's brand new greatest-hits collection titled "The Story So Far - The Best Of", which will be released on November 30. It will be available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD set comprised of 17 tracks, 2-LP vinyl, and digital. Among a blockbuster tracklisting loaded with timeless smashes, all four versions feature three new songs, including "Personal Jesus", "Rock On (Remix)" and the original holiday song "We All Need Christmas". As a bonus for collectors, the first pressing vinyl copies of "The Story So Far" feature an exclusive seven-inch single of "Personal Jesus" and "We All Need Christmas".

"The Story So Far" track listing:

isc 1

01. Animal

02. Photograph

03. Pour Some Sugar On Me

04. Love Bites

05. Let's Get Rocked

06. Armaggedon It

07. Foolin'

08. Two Steps Behind

09. Heaven Is

10. Rocket

11. Hysteria

12. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad

13. Make Love Like A Man

14. Action

15. When Love & Hate Collide

16. Rock of Ages

17. Personal Jesus

Disc 2

01. Let's Go

02. Promises

03. Slang

04. Bringin' On The Heartbreak

05. Rock On (Radio Remix)

06. Nine Lives (feat. Tim McGraw)

07. Work It Out

08. Stand Up

09. Dangerous

10. Now

11. Undefeated

12. Tonight

13. C'Mon C'Mon

14. Man Enough

15. No Matter What

16. All I Want Is Everything

17. It's All About Believing

18. Kings Of The World

Fan-filmed video footage of Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi performing the DEEP PURPLE classic "Burn" on November 27 at the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania stop of the "Generation Axe" tour can be seen below.

Vai recently told the Wichita, Kansas radio station 89.1 KMUW that the inaugural "Generation Axe" tours in 2016 were "fantastic." He explained: "It was one of those things where we got into and we didn't quite know what to expect, but it turned out so much better than we could have expected. We did the Asia run, and we tried to do a Europe run, but the biggest challenge with 'Generation Axe' is everybody's schedule lining up. We couldn't do that but hopefully, maybe, at one point we will. We decided a good time has passed to do another U.S. tour, and I'm actually working on a live record that was recorded from those Asian shows. It's turning out so great. I had no idea. Well, I had an idea."

According to a press release, the "Generation Axe" experience goes way beyond simply gathering five guitar greats on one stage. Much of the time when multiple rock guitarists join in jamming, the results are conventional and often even a mess. But the arrangements of some of the classic tracks performed by these five players makes for a magnificent cacophony of organized chaos unlike anything ever presented before.

Vai said the idea behind "Generation Axe" was "to create a seamless show with one backing band and five completely accomplished and astonishing guitarists that take to the stage in various configurations, performing some of their solo music and merging together as cohesive co-creators of lushly orchestrated guitar extravaganzas."

b>Vai described "Generation Axe" as "pure controlled chaos." "My favorite thing about 'Generation Axe' is the tour bus," he said. "Between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., when we're all hanging out in the lounge just rapping. I wake up in the morning [and] my jaw hurts from laughing so much. These guys, they're out of their minds."

"Generation Axe" is currently in the midst of its second North American tour, which wraps up in Los Angeles on December 18.

William Shatner's first-ever holiday album, "Shatner Claus", is out now, featuring a truly eclectic roster of vanguards, icons and misfits that join him on this collection of reinterpreted classics. Today he's unveiled the first music video from it: a rocked-out rendition of "Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer" featuring ZZ TOP's Billy Gibbons on guitar. In the video, Shatner, clad in a gold cheetah-print suit, turns a wholesome fireside reading into a rock and roll dance party.

"Shatner Claus" is a holiday album unlike any that have come before it, and includes duets and appearances by Brad Paisley, Judy Collins, Billy Gibbons, Rick Wakeman, Todd Rundgren and more.

"Shatner Claus" was just deemed an essential holiday album by the Los Angeles Times, calling it "a delightfully dramatic outing." The Los Angeles Times also ran a feature on William tied to this album over the weekend, and Associated Press says: "One thing is for sure — this is one of the most unique albums for the holiday season."

Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 50 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, and horseman. He is one of Hollywood's most recognizable figures and a major philanthropist. He released his first studio album in 1968. In 2018 alone he has published a book and released an album of country music. "Shatner Claus" is William's third album for Cleopatra Records, following 2011's "Seeking Major Tom" and 2013's "Ponder The Mystery".

rack listing:

01. Jingle Bells (feat. Henry Rollins)

02. Blue Christmas (feat. Brad Paisley)

03. Little Drummer Boy (feat. Joe Louis Walker )

04. Winter Wonderland (feat. Todd Rundgren & Artimus Pyle)

05. Twas The Night Before Christmas (feat. Mel Collins)

06. Run Rudolph Run (feat. Elliot Easton)

07. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. Rick Wakeman)

08. Silver Bells (feat. Ian Anderson)

09. One for You, One For Me

10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (feat. Billy Gibbons)

11. Silent Night (feat. Iggy Pop)

12. White Christmas (feat. Judy Collins)

13. Feliz Navidad (feat. Dani Bander)

Bonus track:

14. Jingle Bells (feat Henry Rollins) (punk rock version)

Glenn Danzig spoke to Revolver magazine about the reunion of the classic-era lineup of the horror punk outfit MISFITS — Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein.

MISFITS played two historic comeback concerts in 2016 at Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago that drew rabid fans in droves from all over the world and shattered attendance records at the festivals. More recently, MISFITS played two shows in December 2017 in Los Angeles and in Las Vegas, and in May 2018 in New Jersey.

Regarding how the MISFITS reunion came about, Danzig said: "Jerry and I resolved a lot of legal issues we had with each other. This just happened about two and a half years ago. And I'm seeing all these people die unexpectedly: [David] Bowie, Chris Cornell and Prince, really out of the blue. And I'm just like, if we're going to ever do this, we should do it now while we're still healthy and we still look good and can run around onstage. I take care of myself, man. And we're all in pretty good shape. And who knows how long we're going to be like that. I don't want to be onstage with crutches or a cane singing. Fuck that shit. That's not the MISFITS. MISFITS are fucking take no prisoners. It's in your face, right to the front of the stage — smash your head against the wall until we're done and we say goodnight. That's what it needs to be."

He added: "I don't want to go on tour. A show here, a show there, keep it special. I don't want people to think we're just milking it. We should just be selective and let people see what it really was. And so far it's been insane."

sked if he is enjoying doing that material again, Glenn said: "I just go out there and enjoy the interaction with everybody. People are just losing their minds, so it's a lot of fun. I try to do what I normally do. I'm just me, singing the songs I wrote, going crazy onstage and running all over. I'm enjoying having Dave [Lombardo, ex-SLAYER] drumming because he's one of my favorite drummers of all time and it's just so much fun."

Prior to the Riot Fest concerts, Glenn, Jerry and Doyle last performed together on October 29, 1983.

Joining Glenn, Jerry and Doyle at all the reunion shows so far have been Lombardo and second guitarist Acey Slade.

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.

Sabaton's special platinum edition of Carolus Rex celebrates the album going quadruple platinum and commemorating 300 years since the death of the Swedish king who inspired it. Watch a new video trailer below:

The concept album - which is the band's biggest success to date - charts the rise and fall of the Swedish Empire, in particular the life of Charles XII ("Carolus Rex") who ruled it for 21 years. In an amazing coincidence, the album's quadruple platinum certification comes exactly 300 years after the king's death in 1718. The band will be presented with their quadruple platinum disc later this year, when Carolus Rex will take its place as one of Sweden's most successful home-grown rock albums.

Bass player Pär Sundström said: "Over the past few years we've been traveling around the world to perform, while expanding Sabaton's empire into new countries and meeting incredible new fans along the way. There's no place like home though, and it’s humbling to know that people in our native Sweden are still so amazingly supportive of us after all these years. Thank you to everyone who played a role in making Carolus Rex one of the most successful Swedish rock albums ever!"

Sabaton will release Carolus Rex: Platinum Edition on November 30th, which is the date Carolus Rex was killed in Norway.

Carolus Rex (Platinum Edition) will be available in the following formats:

- 2 CD-Digi

- 2 LP

- 3 CD + 2 Blu-ray Earbook

- Award Edition

- Digital

Pre-orders and more details here.

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM will release their tenth album, "Hexed", on March 8, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.

CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman, guitarist, and mastermind Alexi Laiho comments: "People have said that this album is generally catchier. So I started thinking about that; perhaps the song structures are easier to grasp on initial listen. But there's some crazy shit in there — almost progressive or at least technical. There are certain melodies across the album that could have come from jazz songs, although they're completely metal with us, of course. [Laughs]"

"For me, it has always been very hard to describe our new music," comments bassist Henkka Seppälä (a.k.a. Henkka T. Blacksmith). "In a way, it always feels familiar, but the new stuff also always surprises me. Here we have something that's very BODOM, but somehow we haven't done this kind of stuff, possibly ever. Then again, someone said that there's a somewhat similar vibe to what 'Follow The Reaper' had. I don't know. Anyway, we had a really hard time choosing the songs for the videos. I guess that's a positive problem to have."

"Hexed" saw the return to Finland's Danger Johnny Studios where COB was reunited with Mikko Karmila ("I Worship Chaos", "Halo Of Blood", "Hatebreeder", "Follow The Reaper" and "Hate Crew Deathroll") who recorded everything except keyboards and also produced the album with the band. Janne Wirman recorded keyboards at Beyond Abilities Studios. The album was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

or this album, the band enlisted Deins Forkas to create the album artwork. Henkka commented on the cover: "For some years I've wanted to try a different approach with our cover art. We are so used to digital art, so it's really hard to do something else. Doing it completely with a computer is somewhat safe and convenient. This time we all agreed to try going old school. We found this cool dude and gave him simple instructions — the cover has to be purple and the reaper has to be central. Half a year later, we got his work, and with little tweaking, we now have the cover of 'Hexed'. It is very different from what we are used to, even the Reaper looks different, but at the same time very spooky."

"Hexed" will be available for pre-order starting December 7.

"Hexed" track listing:

01. The Road

02. Under Grass And Clover

03. Glass Houses

04. Hecate's Nightmare

05. Kick In The Spleen

06. Platitudes And Barren Words

07. Hexed

08. Relapse (The Nature Of My Crime)

09. Say Never Look Back

10. Soon Departed

11. Knuckleduster

12. I Worship Chaos (live)

13. Morrigan (live)

14. Knuckleduster (remix)

Last In Line - Vivian Campbell, Vinny Appice, Andrew Freeman and Phil Soussan - will release their sophomore album, II, on February 22nd via Frontiers Music Srl. A music Video for the first single, "Landslide", can be found below.

Pre-order the new album here, or in various exclusive merch bundles via PledgeMusic.

Vivian, Vinny, Andrew, and Phil have been writing and recording their brand new studio album for the past two years and now are extremely excited to unleash their sonic assault. Produced by Last In Line and Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner), their sophomore album delivers 11 blistering songs that follow up the musical journey where their debut album, Heavy Crown, left off.

Since inception of the band in 2011 when the original Dio band consisting of Vivian Campbell, Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain rejoined forces along with esteemed vocalist Andrew Freeman to perform the classic Dio songs they originally wrote and recorded, the band has come a long way and taken a life of its own fueled by the support of the fans around the world.

Last In Line have overcome hardships with the unexpected passing of Jimmy Bain in 2016 and other various members changes, but have soldiered on along with renowned bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne) and have built this band into a heavy contender today.

Tracklisting:

"Intro"
"Black Out The Sun"
"Landslide"
"Gods And Tyrants"
"Year Of The Gun"
"Give Up The Ghost"
"The Unknown"
"Sword From The Stone"
"Electrified"
"Love And War"
"False Flag"
"The Light"

"Landslide" music video:

Accept's founding bassist Peter Baltes has announced his exit from the band. He said in a statement: "To all Accept fans: I hereby announce my departure as bass player from Accept. I have been with the band from the very beginning. Many of you were there as well. I‘d like to thank you all for the great years we shared together. Keep it metal."

Accept's founding guitarist Wolf Hoffmann commented: "We spent four decades together through thick and thin, ups and downs and I remember some incredible moments on stage. There was a blind understanding between us, personally and musically, which is very rare in this business! Looking back, I will forever cherish the carefree early years, the countless hours we spent writing songs, goofing around or roaming cities together on tour - just having a good ol’ time! Especially these last 10 years, after the revival of Accept being so much fun and so successful that I thought we would continue forever and sail into the proverbial sunset together - maybe until one of us would drop dead on stage. But I guess I was wrong, it wasn’t meant to be. To see Peter leave Accept now saddens me immensely but there’s nothing I can do but to wish him well - hoping that this is the right decision for him and that he will find whatever he is looking for… I will certainly miss my musical brother! One thing is certain, however: Accept will continue full steam ahead!”

Drummer Christopher Williams says: "I want to wish Peter nothing but the best in his future endeavors. Peter simply needed a change in his personal life. It has been an absolute blast sharing the stage with him over the last four years. He is one of the most solid rock and roll bass players I've had the pleasure of working with, and I've worked with many. One thing is for certain: I will miss my friend! Thank you Peter for the great memories and the great music. Cheers!

"To the fans: I'm sure this is a shocking moment for many of you. As a diehard fan of many bands myself, I understand that transitions like these are never easy, especially with the legacy someone like Peter has with their band. From one fan to another, thank you all for your continued support.
Love and best wishes to all of you! Accept and the Metal Heart will continue beating.”

The group added in a separate statement: "We are all heartbroken! Peter needed a change in his life and we wish him all the best. He will always be part of the Accept family and to honour his tribute to music history, we should all wish him well. Gaby, Wolf, Mark, Uwe & Christopher…indeed ACCEPT WILL KEEP IT METAL!”

Last Friday, Accept released their new live masterpiece, Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017. "We are so glad we recorded this unique show - this very special concert at Wacken will always stay in our memories“, states Wolf Hoffmann. And because what started as a premiere at Wacken caused a sensation and gained recognition worldwide, the Symphonic Terror will hit cities live in April 2019. The band have already revealed the first tour dates for Germany.

April
20 - Wuppertal, Germany - Stadthalle
21 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auesee
22 - Hamburg, Germany - Mehr!Theater
23 - Fürth, Germany - Stadthalle

May
25 - Saarbrücken, Germany- Congresshalle
27 - München, Germany- Circus Krone

Pre-order for these very special Symphonic Terror shows has started. Get your tickets here.