Death metal pioneers MASTER have inked a deal with Transcending Obscurity Records. The band's new album, "Vindictive Miscreant", will be released later in the year.



Transcending Obscurity Records label owner Kunal Choksi says: "It's truly a dream come true to work with a legendary band in MASTER. Paul Speckmann proved to be a man of rare integrity and signed the contract within two hours of bringing up the topic. Needless to say, I will be doing my utmost best not to let him down and do greater things for his band, now and in the future. This is a very fortuitous signing for the label and I couldn't be happier. Hard work does pay off, it seems, when there was little respite. Thanks to Rogga Johansson of PAGANIZER for highly recommending my label to the band. Here's hoping for a strong partnership with the legends MASTER."



Speckmann comments: "Of course it's an honor and a privilege in these days to sign to a reputable label which comes highly recommended by many excellent musicians! The future of MASTER carries on and we will fight until the end!"



"Vindictive Miscreant" track listing:



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Death metal pioneers MASTER have inked a deal with Transcending Obscurity Records. The band's new album, "Vindictive Miscreant", will be released later in the year.



Transcending Obscurity Records label owner Kunal Choksi says: "It's truly a dream come true to work with a legendary band in MASTER. Paul Speckmann proved to be a man of rare integrity and signed the contract within two hours of bringing up the topic. Needless to say, I will be doing my utmost best not to let him down and do greater things for his band, now and in the future. This is a very fortuitous signing for the label and I couldn't be happier. Hard work does pay off, it seems, when there was little respite. Thanks to Rogga Johansson of PAGANIZER for highly recommending my label to the band. Here's hoping for a strong partnership with the legends MASTER."



Speckmann comments: "Of course it's an honor and a privilege in these days to sign to a reputable label which comes highly recommended by many excellent musicians! The future of MASTER carries on and we will fight until the end!"



"Vindictive Miscreant" track listing:





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01. Vindictive Miscreant

02. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

03. Replaced

04. The Inner Strength Of The Demon

05. The Book

06. Engulfed In Paranoia

07. The Impossible Of Dreams

08. Stand Up And Be Counted



MASTER is:



Paul Speckmann - Vocals, Bass

Zdenek Pradlovsky - Drums

Aleš Nejezchleba - Guitar

In the dirt where fallen icons lay to rest, the maggots and seeds spawned in 2014 a new creation. This took the ugly form of Lik, which fittingly means corpse in Swedish. An un-dead creation which offers a plate of savory old school death metal.

Metal Blade recently welcomed Lik to their roster, and will release their new album Carnage on May 4th. The track "Rid You Of Your Flesh" is available for streaming below, and you can pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"To Kill"
"Rid You Of Your Flesh"
"Celebration Of The Twisted"
"Dr Duschanka"
"Left To Die"
"Cannibalistic Infancy"
"Death Cult"
"The Deranged"
"Only Death Is Left Alive"
"Embrace The End"

"Rid You Of Your Flesh":

Lik has no passage as this entity is devoted to make a permanent mark on those who lay down their souls to rock'n'roll. The possessed souls to carry out the sonics are Tomas Akvik (guitar, vocals), Niklas Sandin (guitar, bass) and Christofer Barkensjo (drums).

(Photo - Michaela Barkensjo)

On September 7, 1968, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant first took the stage together in Gladsaxe, Denmark. Then billed as THE NEW YARDBIRDS, the band would assemble in the studio for the first time later that month to start recording their debut album as LED ZEPPELIN, and rock 'n' roll would never be the same again. Before the band's 50th-anniversary celebration officially begins in September, LED ZEPPELIN will continue its reissue campaign with a new edition of their celebrated live album "How The West Was Won", originally released in 2003, featuring newly remastered audio, which was done under the supervision of Jimmy Page. Details of additional LED ZEPPELIN 50th-anniversary releases and events will be announced later this year.



"How The West Was Won" will be released on March 23 in multiple formats from Atlantic/Swan Song, including the first ever vinyl and Blu-ray Audio editions (with the Blu-ray containing hi-res 5.1 surround sound).



* CD - Remastered audio on three CDs

* Vinyl - Remastered audio on four 180-gram vinyl LPs.

* Blu-Ray Audio - 96kHz/24 bit 5.1 (DTS-HD Master Audio Surround) and stereo mixes (PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo).

* Streaming and Digital Download – Remastered audio.

* Super Deluxe Boxed Set

- Remastered audio on three CDs and four 180-gram vinyl LPs.

- DVD of album in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and PCM Stereo, plus photo gallery.

- High-def download card of all stereo audio content at 96kHz/24 bit.

- A book filled with rare and previously unpublished photos of the band at each of the concert locations, plus memorabilia and ephemera.

- High-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.



"How The West Was Won" highlights the best performances from LED ZEPPELIN's legendary concerts at the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena on June 25 and 27, 1972. Melded together and sequenced to replicate a single concert from beginning to end, the three-CD and four-LP collections capture the band at the height of its formidable powers. Standouts include a 25-plus-minute version of "Dazed And Confused" and a 21-minute medley based around "Whole Lotta Love". The performances also capture the band introducing songs from its then-unreleased album "Houses Of The Holy", which would arrive nine months later.



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On September 7, 1968, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant first took the stage together in Gladsaxe, Denmark. Then billed as THE NEW YARDBIRDS, the band would assemble in the studio for the first time later that month to start recording their debut album as LED ZEPPELIN, and rock 'n' roll would never be the same again. Before the band's 50th-anniversary celebration officially begins in September, LED ZEPPELIN will continue its reissue campaign with a new edition of their celebrated live album "How The West Was Won", originally released in 2003, featuring newly remastered audio, which was done under the supervision of Jimmy Page. Details of additional LED ZEPPELIN 50th-anniversary releases and events will be announced later this year.



"How The West Was Won" will be released on March 23 in multiple formats from Atlantic/Swan Song, including the first ever vinyl and Blu-ray Audio editions (with the Blu-ray containing hi-res 5.1 surround sound).



* CD - Remastered audio on three CDs

* Vinyl - Remastered audio on four 180-gram vinyl LPs.

* Blu-Ray Audio - 96kHz/24 bit 5.1 (DTS-HD Master Audio Surround) and stereo mixes (PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo).

* Streaming and Digital Download – Remastered audio.

* Super Deluxe Boxed Set

- Remastered audio on three CDs and four 180-gram vinyl LPs.

- DVD of album in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and PCM Stereo, plus photo gallery.

- High-def download card of all stereo audio content at 96kHz/24 bit.

- A book filled with rare and previously unpublished photos of the band at each of the concert locations, plus memorabilia and ephemera.

- High-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.



"How The West Was Won" highlights the best performances from LED ZEPPELIN's legendary concerts at the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena on June 25 and 27, 1972. Melded together and sequenced to replicate a single concert from beginning to end, the three-CD and four-LP collections capture the band at the height of its formidable powers. Standouts include a 25-plus-minute version of "Dazed And Confused" and a 21-minute medley based around "Whole Lotta Love". The performances also capture the band introducing songs from its then-unreleased album "Houses Of The Holy", which would arrive nine months later.





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A "How The West Was Won" unboxing video can be seen below.

Brujeria, the multi national supergroup of grindcore lovers, let all hell break loose inside the Bullhead City Circus at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in summer 2017. Professionally filmed video of the band's performance can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Brujerizmo"
"El Desmadre"
"Raza Odiada (Pito Wilson)"
"Colas de Rata"
"La Migra (Cruza la Frontera II)"
"Hechando Chingasos (Greñudo Locos II)"
"Viva Presidente Trump!"
"Seis Seis Seis"
"Angel de la Frontera"
"Satongo"
"Desperado"
"Anti-Castro"
"Marcha de Odio"
"Revolucion"
"Consejos Narcos"
"Matando Gueros"
"Marijuana"

Indian metal veterans, Demonic Resurrection, have released a video for "Vamana - The Dwarf", a track from their fifth full-length album, Dashavatar. Order the album here, and watch the new clip below.

Dashavatar translates to 'the ten avatars of Vishnu', who is the 'the god of preservation' in Hindu mythology.

 

Lineup:

Demonstealer - Vocals/Guitars/Keys
Nishith Hegde - Lead Guitars
Ashwin Shriyan - Bass
Virendra Kaith - Drums

Light The Torch (formerly known as Devil You Know) will release their new album, Revival, via Nuclear Blast Entertainment on March 30th. A new album trailer focuses on the lyrics. Find all trailers below.

Revival is available for pre-order here. The album artwork, pictured below, was designed by Artusato.

Revival tracklisting:

"Die Alone"
"The God I Deserve"
"Calm Before The Storm"
"Raise The Dead"
"The Safety Of Disbelief"
"Virus"
"The Great Divide"
"The Bitter End"
"Lost In The Fire"
"The Sound Of Violence"
"Pull My Heart Out"
"Judas Convention"

"Calm Before The Storm":

"Die Alone" video:

"Die Alone" guitar/bass playthrough video:

Trailers:

The new Canadian metal band featuring members of THREAT SIGNAL, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD has been christened IMONOLITH.



The group was launched following Devin Townsend's announcement that he has put the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT on indefinite hiatus while he works on other projects.



Joining drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen and guitarist Brian "Beav" Waddell (who played bass in DTP) are bassist Byron Stroud, second guitarist Jed Simon and vocalist Jon Howard.



Regarding how IMONOLITH was chosen as the moniker for the new band, Van Poederooyen said: "Jed Simon had a list of over 50 band names he thought of over the years. He sent them to all of us in the band. The word 'Monolith' was one of the band names. It caught my attention and I started playing with the word. At first, I thought of various names with words in front of, or after the word Monolith, then I thought of 'I Monolith.' But it didn't sound right, so I added the letter 'i' to the front of the word 'Monolith' and voilà… IMONOLITH was born. A brand new word used for a band name. The guys dug it when I brought it up to them. It sounds heavy and is easy to say. So we're sticking with it! It still somewhat carries the meaning of Monolith, which is a monumental, black stone of significance. Sounds metal enough for us!"



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The new Canadian metal band featuring members of THREAT SIGNAL, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD has been christened IMONOLITH.



The group was launched following Devin Townsend's announcement that he has put the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT on indefinite hiatus while he works on other projects.



Joining drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen and guitarist Brian "Beav" Waddell (who played bass in DTP) are bassist Byron Stroud, second guitarist Jed Simon and vocalist Jon Howard.



Regarding how IMONOLITH was chosen as the moniker for the new band, Van Poederooyen said: "Jed Simon had a list of over 50 band names he thought of over the years. He sent them to all of us in the band. The word 'Monolith' was one of the band names. It caught my attention and I started playing with the word. At first, I thought of various names with words in front of, or after the word Monolith, then I thought of 'I Monolith.' But it didn't sound right, so I added the letter 'i' to the front of the word 'Monolith' and voilà… IMONOLITH was born. A brand new word used for a band name. The guys dug it when I brought it up to them. It sounds heavy and is easy to say. So we're sticking with it! It still somewhat carries the meaning of Monolith, which is a monumental, black stone of significance. Sounds metal enough for us!"





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IMONOLITH (the first "i" is pronounced like the "i" in the word "impossible") is:



* Jon Howard (THREAT SIGNAL) - Vocals

* Jed Simon (VIMIC, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, SCAR THE MARTYR) - Guitar

* Brian "Beav" Waddell (DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT) - Guitar

* Byron Stroud (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) - Bass

* Ryan Van Poederooyen (DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT) - Drums

German psychedelic, hard rock trio Black Salvation have released a music video for “Breathing Hands”, off the impending full-length album Uncertainty Is Bliss. Watch the Paul Schlesier-directed video below.

Uncertainty Is Bliss is due out April 6th on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available here, and digital downloads / streaming services here.

Black Salvation - featuring Uno Bruniusson formerly of In Solitude and Grave Pleasures and currently of Death Alley - challenges the listener to open wide the doors of perception and slowly drift away among their transcendental compositions and deeply hypnotic tales of magic and mysticism. Across eight tracks and over forty minutes, Black Salvation exquisitely blends hard rock, doom, and psychedelia into an intoxicating synthesis of rock 'n' roll alchemy. Uncertainty Is Bliss is surely one of the most captivating rock debuts in years.

Tracklisting:

“In A Casket’s Ride”
“Floating Torpid”
“Breathing Hands”
“The Eye That Breathes”
“Leair”
“A Direction Is Futile”
“Grey River”
“Getting Slowly Lost”
“The Chapel” (Bonus track)
“Follow Me Down” (Bonus track)

"Breathing Hands" video:

“In A Casket’s Ride”:

Ahead of the release of TESSERACT's new studio album "Sonder", the band has revealed the official video for the new single "King". The emotive and viscerally challenging clip was directed by Kyle Kadow and Steven Cleavland and shot in a snowy Wisconsin following a brutal storm, which all added to the atmospheric footage.



Bassist Amos Williams explains: "We have been very lucky to work with two cinematographers of such vision and quality as Kyle and Steven. We gave them free rein with the creation of the first story board. They chose to explore the theme of claustrophobia and how fear can control our lives — using a luminary figure as a beacon of hope and escape for the characters."




Lyricist and vocalist Daniel Tompkins expands on the song's concept: "Far too often we find ourselves lead into conflict and inner turmoil. Life is surely a battle, history has a bad habit of repeating itself, and when living with the constraints of an onerous life, it's easy to overlook the greatest gift we've ever received: life itself."



"Sonder", due to be released through Kscope on April 20, adds significant firepower to the band's arsenal, blending the harsh abrasiveness of "One" (2011) and progressive ethereal elements of "Altered State" (2013) with the accessibility of "Polaris" (2015).



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Ahead of the release of TESSERACT's new studio album "Sonder", the band has revealed the official video for the new single "King". The emotive and viscerally challenging clip was directed by Kyle Kadow and Steven Cleavland and shot in a snowy Wisconsin following a brutal storm, which all added to the atmospheric footage.



Bassist Amos Williams explains: "We have been very lucky to work with two cinematographers of such vision and quality as Kyle and Steven. We gave them free rein with the creation of the first story board. They chose to explore the theme of claustrophobia and how fear can control our lives — using a luminary figure as a beacon of hope and escape for the characters."




Lyricist and vocalist Daniel Tompkins expands on the song's concept: "Far too often we find ourselves lead into conflict and inner turmoil. Life is surely a battle, history has a bad habit of repeating itself, and when living with the constraints of an onerous life, it's easy to overlook the greatest gift we've ever received: life itself."



"Sonder", due to be released through Kscope on April 20, adds significant firepower to the band's arsenal, blending the harsh abrasiveness of "One" (2011) and progressive ethereal elements of "Altered State" (2013) with the accessibility of "Polaris" (2015).





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"Sonder" is streamlined, honest, and direct, with all the trademark TESSERACT dreamy atmospherics and bending grooves. It was recorded in the U.K. at 4D Sounds, Celestial Sounds and Project Studios, and engineered by the band and Aiden O'Brien, with mastering by Acle Kahney and cover artwork designed by Amos Williams.



"Sonder" will be released on CD and a 2-CD deluxe package featuring a binaural album bonus disc. Also available will be a vinyl LP edition in multiple color variants as well as a picture disc (exclusive to the band's webstores).



For audiophiles, TESSERACT has produced a binaural version which will be available exclusively as part of the 2-CD version. This version is a 360-listening experience designed by Klang: Fabrik for headphones listening.



"Sonder" track listing:



01. Luminary

02. King

03. Orbital

04. Juno

05. Beneath My Skin

06. Mirror Image

07. Smile

08. The Arrow



Building on the phenomenal success with worldwide tours in support of "Polaris" over the last two years, as both headliners and as special guests for the likes of MEGADETH, MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and GOJIRA, TESSERACT is gearing up take "Sonder" to worldwide audiences beginning in North America in April. On this tour, they will be supported by PLINI and ASTRONOID, with the first show in Boston on April 19 and the tour culminating at New York's Irving Plaza on May 24.

"Dirty", the brand new video from SEVENDUST, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which will be released on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.



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



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



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



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"Dirty", the brand new video from SEVENDUST, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which will be released on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.



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



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



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





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SEVENDUST will head out on a headline tour this spring in support of "All I See Is War". The trek will kick off on April 20 in Tempe, Arizona and will wrap up at Rockfest in Kansas City, Kansas. The tour will make stops in Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Clifton Park, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, among others. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, FIRE FROM THE GODS and MADAME MAYHEM will join SEVENDUST on the run.



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

A video clip of L.A. GUNS performing the song "Speed" last year in Milan, Italy can be seen below. The track will be featured in the band's new CD, DVD and Blu-ray, "Made In Milan", which will be released on March 23 via Frontiers Music Srl.



After more than a decade apart, Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis reunited in 2016 under the L.A. GUNS banner and released arguably the most critically praised album of their catalog, "The Missing Peace".



With a newfound energy and the enthusiasm of the then-imminent release of "The Missing Peace", L.A. GUNS stormed onto the stage in Milan, Italy for the 2017 edition of the Frontiers Rock Festival and took absolutely no prisoners, packing the set front to back with stone-cold classics and soon-to-be classics.



"Made In Milan" track listing:




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A video clip of L.A. GUNS performing the song "Speed" last year in Milan, Italy can be seen below. The track will be featured in the band's new CD, DVD and Blu-ray, "Made In Milan", which will be released on March 23 via Frontiers Music Srl.



After more than a decade apart, Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis reunited in 2016 under the L.A. GUNS banner and released arguably the most critically praised album of their catalog, "The Missing Peace".



With a newfound energy and the enthusiasm of the then-imminent release of "The Missing Peace", L.A. GUNS stormed onto the stage in Milan, Italy for the 2017 edition of the Frontiers Rock Festival and took absolutely no prisoners, packing the set front to back with stone-cold classics and soon-to-be classics.



"Made In Milan" track listing:






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CD:



01. No Mercy

02. Electric Gypsy

03. Killing Machine

04. Bow Solo/Over The Edge

05. Sex Action

06. Speed

07. One More Reason

08. Kiss My Love Goodbye

09. Don't Look At Me That Way

10. Malaria

11. Never Enough

12. Jelly Jam

13. The Ballad Of Jayne

14. Rip And Tear




DVD/Blu-ray:



01. No Mercy

02. Electric Gypsy

03. Killing Machine

04. Bow Solo/Over The Edge

05. The Bitch Is Back

06. Sex Action

07. Speed

08. One More Reason

09. Kiss My Love Goodbye

10. Don't Look At Me That Way

11. Malaria

12. Never Enough

13. Jelly Jam

14. The Ballad Of Jayne

15. Rip And Tear



Prior to "The Missing Peace", the last time Lewis and Guns joined forces was back in 2000 with legendary producer Andy Johns for the making of what would become "Waking The Dead".




Speaking with Express & Star, Tracii said: "With Phil and I in particular, we have a certain chemistry that's undeniable. And, you know, when you're at your loneliest, you wanna go home, right? So, we both felt like it was time to go home and be comfortable with that undeniable relationship that we have musically. I mean, right away, the first time we got back together and played, you know, it's so obvious, you can't deny it. At some point in your life, you can't deny what's real."




Regarding the sound of the new L.A. GUNS material, Tracii said: "Phil's vocal style and his way of writing kind of offsets that balance of the heavy music, that's something that's possibly more mainstream or identifiable, so there's a lot of, you know, kind of typical sleazy L.A. GUNS, high-energy riff rock. There's a little bit of sloppy New Orleans, kind of sweaty, kind of bluesier stuff too. It's a big record."




Earlier in the month, guitarist Michael Grant left L.A. GUNS "to pursue other interests, including his solo project, MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS," according to a statement from L.A. GUNS. A replacement guitarist has not yet been announced.

Robert Plant was the featured guest on the season-six premiere of Dan Rather's AXS TV show, "The Big Interview", on March 13. You can now watch the entire episode below.



In "The Big Interview", legendary newsman Dan Rather sits down with some of the most celebrated figures from all across the entertainment spectrum. The current season features 20 all-new episodes, divided into winter and fall cycles. Other guests include Robby Krieger and John Densmore, the surviving members of psychedelic powerhouse THE DOORS; chart-topping country songstress Shania Twain; and singer, songwriter and actor Billy Ray Cyrus.



Plant just wrapped his North American dates behind his latest album, "Carry Fire".



Coming on March 23 is a newly remastered reissue of the LED ZEPPELIN 2003 live collection "How The West Was Won". The set, which features new remastering supervised by guitarist Jimmy Page, marks the first offering from the band in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year.



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Robert Plant was the featured guest on the season-six premiere of Dan Rather's AXS TV show, "The Big Interview", on March 13. You can now watch the entire episode below.



In "The Big Interview", legendary newsman Dan Rather sits down with some of the most celebrated figures from all across the entertainment spectrum. The current season features 20 all-new episodes, divided into winter and fall cycles. Other guests include Robby Krieger and John Densmore, the surviving members of psychedelic powerhouse THE DOORS; chart-topping country songstress Shania Twain; and singer, songwriter and actor Billy Ray Cyrus.



Plant just wrapped his North American dates behind his latest album, "Carry Fire".



Coming on March 23 is a newly remastered reissue of the LED ZEPPELIN 2003 live collection "How The West Was Won". The set, which features new remastering supervised by guitarist Jimmy Page, marks the first offering from the band in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year.





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"How The West Was Won" will be released in multiple formats including triple-CD, the first ever vinyl and Blu-ray Audio editions — with the Blu-ray containing hi-res 5.1 surround sound — and the LP version spread over four discs.

On the March 13th episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, guitarist Buddy Guy, along with bassist Billy Cox and the Experience Hendrix Band, covered the Jimi Hendrix song "Red House". The television appearance was to support the newly issued Jimi Hendrix album, Both Sides Of The Sky. 

Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, have released Both Sides Of The Sky, a dynamic new Jimi Hendrix album featuring 13 studio recordings made between 1968 and 1970 - 10 of which have never before been released. The album is available on multiple formats including CD, digital, and as a numbered 180 gram audiophile vinyl 2LP.

A video for the unreleased song "Lover Man'" can now be seen below:

Both Sides Of The Sky is the third volume in a trilogy of albums intended to present the best and most significant unissued studio recordings remaining in the music legend’s archive. Beginning with Valleys of Neptune (2010), which earned top ten sales rankings in fifteen countries (including a top position of #4 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart), followed by People, Hell and Angels (2013) which peaked on Billboard’s Top 100 album chart at #2. Billboard’s coveted number one singles ranking went to “Somewhere,” the album’s lead track and the legendary guitarist’s highest ever US singles chart achievement. This third release is anticipated to complete the spectacular recording event in epic fashion. “Since Experience Hendrix began its restoration of the Jimi Hendrix music catalog in 1997, our goal has been to present these important recordings to Jimi’s fans in the best possible quality. We are excited about achieving that. We’ve also been intent on generating album releases which present this amazing music in its proper context,” explains John McDermott, one of the album’s co-producers, together with Janie Hendrix and Eddie Kramer.

Order Both Sides Of The Sky here.

Recorded between January 1968 and February 1970, Jimi’s desire to push the boundaries of blues music can be heard throughout. Both Sides Of The Sky additionally highlights Jimi’s mastery of studio production and his increasing use of these facilities as a proving ground for new sounds, material, and techniques. Many of the album’s tracks were recorded by the trio that would come to be known as Band of Gypsys: Jimi on guitar and vocals, Billy Cox on bass, and Buddy Miles on drums. For their first-ever recording session on April 22nd, 1969, Hendrix turned to their shared musical root, delta blues. Their previously unreleased, uptempo reworking of Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy” opens the album and sets the tempo for what follows. “Lover Man” was a favored Hendrix original and the guitarist was determined to realize a finished master. Previous attempts by the original Experience had yet to yield this for Hendrix but this December 1969 effort by the Band Of Gypsys - complete with its homage to the popular Batman theme song - was his strongest effort to date.

“Hear My Train A Comin’” features drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding from the original Jimi Hendrix Experience. This original blues composition had become a staple of Hendrix’s concerts. This previously unreleased April 1969 recording captured the furious power and dynamic tension that made the song so memorable. Previously unheard recordings of “Stepping Stone,” “Jungle,” “Cherokee Mist” (which features Hendrix on both electric guitar and sitar) as well as the January 1968 recording of “Sweet Angel” provide further highlights.

Both Sides Of The Sky also features an assortment of notable guest musicians. Stephen Stills befriended Hendrix at the June 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. In September of 1969 Stills was invited to a Hendrix session at the Record Plant in New York. Stills burst into the session with a song Joni Mitchell had recently composed, titled “Woodstock.” Joined by Hendrix and Buddy Miles, the trio recorded this version first - months before Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released their popular rendition of Mitchell’s song. Stills would also contribute $20 Fine, an original song that featured Hendrix on multiple guitars, Mitchell on drums, Stills on organ and lead vocals and Duane Hitchings (Buddy Miles Express) on piano.

Another of the album’s unique band creations sees Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winter on guitar, backed by Billy Cox and drummer Dallas Taylor of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. An excerpt of their rendition of Guitar Slim’s “Things I Used To Do” was initially heard as part of a 1990 nationally syndicated radio program and accompanying box set, but here it is presented in full, newly mixed by Eddie Kramer for Both Sides Of The Sky. On “Georgia Blues,” Jimi is reunited with his old bandmate Lonnie Youngblood (vocals/sax) from his pre-fame days in Curtis Knight & The Squires. Briefly issued as part of the 2008 Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues series but out of print for nearly a decade, this special recording is once more available to Hendrix fans throughout the world on all audio formats.

Both Sides Of The Sky was produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott, and Eddie Kramer. Kramer served as recording engineer on every Jimi Hendrix album made during the artist’s life. In order to preserve the integrity and continuity of the Hendrix legacy, this same team has produced every Jimi Hendrix audio and visual release since 1996.

Janie Hendrix, President and CEO of Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. commented, “We have a growing commitment to preserve the legacy of Jimi and also to continue to give the worldwide family of Jimi fans quality releases. That’s what Both Sides Of The Sky reflects…our ongoing commitment. In a deeper sense, it’s the keeping of a promise. Jimi and I once made a promise to each other. He said he would take care of me and I told him I would take care him. Through his music and our preservation of his work, my brother and I honor one another. We are now in our third decade of watching over Jimi’s creative works and our resolve to maintain the integrity of what he left us has only grown stronger with time.”

That is also the purpose for Eddie Kramer’s involvement and his devotion to the project. He remarked, “Jimi’s true home was the studio, that’s where the music and the magic happened. He loved everything about recording and it’s been my distinct pleasure and an honor to play a part in that process both then and now.”

Both Sides Of The Sky tracklisting:

"Mannish Boy" *
"Lover Man" *
"Hear My Train A Comin’" *
"Stepping Stone" *
"$20 Fine" *+
"Power Of Soul" ^
"Jungle" *
"Things I Used To Do" #
"Georgia Blues" ++
"Sweet Angel" *
"Woodstock" *+
"Send My Love To Linda" *
"Cherokee Mist" *

* Previously unreleased
^ Previously unavailable extended version
+ Featuring Stephen Stills
# Featuring Johnny Winter
++ Featuring Lonnie Youngblood

Produced by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott for Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.

"Hear My Train A Comin'", featuring commentary from producer Eddie Kramer:

"Hear My Train A Comin'":

"Mannish Boy" featuring commentary from producer Eddie Kramer:

“Mannish Boy”:

In the video below, Brad Tolinski of BackStory Events interviews engineer Eddie Kramer and producer John McDermott about the new release:

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SKILLET drummer Jen Ledger will release her first solo EP, titled "Ledger", on April 13 through Hear It Loud, a label imprint launched by SKILLET frontman John Cooper and his wife, SKILLET keyboardist Korey Cooper. Ledger told Billboard about the project: "I feel I've just been growing and changing over the last few years and I feel the time is now. It just feels like everything is lined up all at once. It's super exciting because it is a little bit of a destiny moment."



Ledger credited the Coopers with mentoring her and helping her develop her own sound, explaining: "Over the last couple of years, the Coopers have really been training me, helping me on my writing and really helping me find my own unique style."



She added: "I'm not just mini-SKILLET. I'm edgy and rocky, but I'm also soft and got a little bit of pop in me too. They've been helping me find out not only who I am musically, but also who I am as a person and what do I want to say."



Over the past decade, Ledger has contributed co-lead vocals to certain SKILLET songs. John Cooper told The Pulse Of Radio a while back how he determines when a song needs a feminine voice. "Some people say, 'You know, that's really cool you do it, you just don't do it enough. You need to do it more,'" he said. "Some people are more thinking of, 'It's really cool, and if you did it all the time, it might get annoying.' I'm kind of more along the lines of, if we're gonna do it, I want to write a song for that purpose, as opposed to we have a song and going, 'Oh, hey, you know what? You can come in and sing that line,' or something like that. That to me seems a little random, so when I do it, it's something that I've written for it."



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According to The Pulse Of Radio, SKILLET drummer Jen Ledger will release her first solo EP, titled "Ledger", on April 13 through Hear It Loud, a label imprint launched by SKILLET frontman John Cooper and his wife, SKILLET keyboardist Korey Cooper. Ledger told Billboard about the project: "I feel I've just been growing and changing over the last few years and I feel the time is now. It just feels like everything is lined up all at once. It's super exciting because it is a little bit of a destiny moment."



Ledger credited the Coopers with mentoring her and helping her develop her own sound, explaining: "Over the last couple of years, the Coopers have really been training me, helping me on my writing and really helping me find my own unique style."



She added: "I'm not just mini-SKILLET. I'm edgy and rocky, but I'm also soft and got a little bit of pop in me too. They've been helping me find out not only who I am musically, but also who I am as a person and what do I want to say."



Over the past decade, Ledger has contributed co-lead vocals to certain SKILLET songs. John Cooper told The Pulse Of Radio a while back how he determines when a song needs a feminine voice. "Some people say, 'You know, that's really cool you do it, you just don't do it enough. You need to do it more,'" he said. "Some people are more thinking of, 'It's really cool, and if you did it all the time, it might get annoying.' I'm kind of more along the lines of, if we're gonna do it, I want to write a song for that purpose, as opposed to we have a song and going, 'Oh, hey, you know what? You can come in and sing that line,' or something like that. That to me seems a little random, so when I do it, it's something that I've written for it."





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Ledger is not leaving SKILLET, saying: "We're all on the same team and we're all kind of mixed into everything... I get to do everything I want and have the best of both worlds."



Ledger, together with a full band, will serve as opening act on SKILLET's upcoming tour and then take her usual place behind the drums for SKILLET's headlining set. The trek kicks off on April 12 in Amarillo, Texas.



SKILLET's latest LP, "Unleashed", was released in 2016. The group's 10th studio effort featured the hit singles "Back From The Dead" and "Feel Invincible".

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST played the second show of their "Firepower" world tour Thursday night (March 15) at Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. The trek is the band's first since guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.



JUDAS PRIEST's setlist was as follows:



01. Firepower

02. Running Wild

03. Grinder

04. Sinner

05. The Ripper

06. Lightning Strike

07. Bloodstone

08. Saints In Hell

09. Turbo Lover

10. Angel

11. Evil Never Dies

12. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll

13. Breaking The Law

14. Hell Bent For Leather

15. Painkiller



Encore:



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British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST played the second show of their "Firepower" world tour Thursday night (March 15) at Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. The trek is the band's first since guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.



JUDAS PRIEST's setlist was as follows:



01. Firepower

02. Running Wild

03. Grinder

04. Sinner

05. The Ripper

06. Lightning Strike

07. Bloodstone

08. Saints In Hell

09. Turbo Lover

10. Angel

11. Evil Never Dies

12. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll

13. Breaking The Law

14. Hell Bent For Leather

15. Painkiller



Encore:





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16. The Hellion / Electric Eye

17. Metal Gods

18. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

19. Living After Midnight



Fan-filmed video footage of the show can be seen below.



Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 10 years ago, but only recently announced he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live.



Asked how JUDAS PRIEST came to choose Sneap to step in for Tipton on the band's tour in support of "Firepower", bassist Ian Hill told veteran Japanese rock journalist Masa Itoh: "It probably came from during the recording of the album. Andy is a very good guitarist, an excellent guitarist in his own right, and I think Glenn got to know Andy and got to trust Andy, which is very important. We wanted someone who we knew as well, if at all possible. The last thing you want is somebody coming in with their own baggage, if you know what I mean. And we can trust Andy to do a good job, and I think he'll do justice to the songs. And that was the main thing — I think it was the familiarity with Andy. We had great respect for him — before we met him, we had great respect for him. But with the work he did on the album — I mean, it sounds phenomenal; he did a tremendous job with that. We're doing songs off the new album, which he is totally familiar with, and he knows a lot of the parts anyway from that. And he's also a PRIEST fan — he's been listening to us for years — and he fits the slot perfectly. I think he'll fit in and I think he'll do a tremendous job."



"Firepower" was released on March 9 via Epic. The follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" was recorded by Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.



The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

The German-American band THEM is described in a press release as "one of the most remarkable and charismatic new metal outfits that Steamhammer/SPV have signed in recent years." The group's masterminds are American vocalist KK Fossor (ex-COLDSTEEL) and German guitarist Markus Ullrich, co-founder of prog metal band LANFEAR and member of speed/thrash metal act SEPTAGON as well as instrumental project A COSMIC TRAIL. American Markus Johansson (SYLENCER, 4ARM) is the second guitarist and the rhythm section features his two fellow-countrymen, bassist Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X, ROSS THE BOSS) and drummer Angel Cotte (DEMOLITION HAMMER). The lineup is completed by German keyboardist Richie Seibel (LANFEAR, IVANHOE). THEM's style consists of gutsy power/thrash metal with distinctly American leanings. The release of their second album, "Manor Of The Se7en Gables", has been announced for October 2018.

THEM was founded in summer 2007 by frontman KK Fossor and started out as a KING DIAMOND tribute band. The arrival of guitarist Markus Ullrich in autumn 2013 marked a change in the group's concept and a move towards their own material. Autumn 2016 saw the arrival of their debut album, "Sweet Hollow", accompanied by a tour through the U.S. and Canada alongside HELLOWEEN. The "Sweet Hollow" concept will now be continued in the twelve songs on "Manor Of The Se7en Gables".

Head of Steamhammer, Olly Hahn, has great confidence in the new SPV signing: "Thanks to their charismatic frontman KK Fossor and their extremely interesting concept it shouldn't take long for THEM to establish themselves at the very top of the metal scene," he says. "We're delighted to support them in achieving their goal."

Markus Ullrich is also thoroughly optimistic: "We're convinced that SPV is the perfect label to take the next steps with and turn THEM into an internationally acclaimed act."

Photo from left to right: Markus Johansson (THEM, guitars), Angel Cotte (THEM, drums), Richie Seibel (THEM, keys), Olly Hahn (head of Steamhammer), KK Fossor (THEM, vocals), Alex Palma (THEM, live bass player), Markus Ullrich (THEM, guitars), Björn von Oettingen (head of promotion, Steamhammer)

MaYaN, the symphonic death metal brainchild of Epica guitarist / vocalist Mark Jansen and his former After Forever bandmate Jack Driessen launched in 2010, are gearing up to record their third album and are asking the fans for assistance. They have issued the following message:

"We're excited to announce our Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with the goal of intensifying the sounds of our 3rd album by recording with a live symphonic orchestra!

With our profound love for epic movie scores, it has been our dream to incorporate real strings, brass and percussion into our music and have written each new track to be amplified with the sounds of an orchestra.

You can help us make this dream come true by pledging to our campaign for the many unique rewards that we have created for you, including exclusive access to our new EP (ONLY available through our campaign) and a chance to attend the orchestra recordings!

Check out our video and visit our campaign page here. We thank you in advance for your support!"

Photo by Victor Peters

In the clip below, Iced Earth perform "Great Heathen Army", "Burning Times" and "Dystopia" at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California on  March 7th. Footage courtesy of Capital Chaos TV.

In a new interview for Capital Chaos TV, Jason Ashcraft of AFM Records recording artists Helion Prime spoke with Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer. Up next for Schaffer is Demons & Wizards, his side project with Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch.

With Iced Earth having released Incorruptible, their final album for Century Media Records, Jon discusses the plan for moving forward: "Haven't made a decision on that yet. There's a lot of labels that are interested, and we're looking at different business models, but there's no hurry for Iced Earth to rush into anything, it's gonna be a while before we do a new record, 'cause this is so new. The next thing on my docket is Demons & Wizards anyway, so that's coming later in the year. That's gonna be the focus of the creative energy this year."

Upcoming Iced Earth live dates include:

March
15 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
16 - New Orleans, LA - Parish @ House of Blues
17 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
18 - Charlotte, NC - Underground
19 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
21 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
22 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
24 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
25 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theater
26 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Theater
27 - Cleveland, OH - Cambridge Room @ House of Blues
28 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall
29 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

"Salvation", the new video from German metallers CREMATORY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Oblivion", which will be released on April 13.



Like all great rock bands, CREMATORY has based its success on the creativity of a well-rehearsed songwriting team. With Germany's leading gothic metal act, it's drummer Markus Jüllich in collaboration with the producer of each individual album that's kept the group's compositions on course for more than 25 years. At the same time, Markus Jüllich has enough experience to know that the band's evolvement depends on fresh ideas and new influences. So, by enlisting guitarists Tosse Basler and Rolf Munkes and, soon after, bassist Jason Mathias he has ensured that the band has remained contemporary and diverse ever since their 2016 release "Monument", reaping the fruits his efforts on "Oblivion".



"In particular, the sound and the selection of songs reflect the impact our three new band members have had," comments Markus Jüllich. "Tosse is a fantastic rhythm guitarist who adds even more diversity to the material with his clean vocals, and our lead guitarist Rolf enhances the record with his solos. Jason has added lots of drive to the deep frequencies, which is why we've consciously opted for a loud mix of the bass parts."



Along with Markus's wife Katrin (keyboards and samples) and vocalist Felix Stass, the three new additions are important factors that ensure that CREMATORY find themselves in a contemporary and forward-looking position in 2018.



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"Salvation", the new video from German metallers CREMATORY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Oblivion", which will be released on April 13.



Like all great rock bands, CREMATORY has based its success on the creativity of a well-rehearsed songwriting team. With Germany's leading gothic metal act, it's drummer Markus Jüllich in collaboration with the producer of each individual album that's kept the group's compositions on course for more than 25 years. At the same time, Markus Jüllich has enough experience to know that the band's evolvement depends on fresh ideas and new influences. So, by enlisting guitarists Tosse Basler and Rolf Munkes and, soon after, bassist Jason Mathias he has ensured that the band has remained contemporary and diverse ever since their 2016 release "Monument", reaping the fruits his efforts on "Oblivion".



"In particular, the sound and the selection of songs reflect the impact our three new band members have had," comments Markus Jüllich. "Tosse is a fantastic rhythm guitarist who adds even more diversity to the material with his clean vocals, and our lead guitarist Rolf enhances the record with his solos. Jason has added lots of drive to the deep frequencies, which is why we've consciously opted for a loud mix of the bass parts."



Along with Markus's wife Katrin (keyboards and samples) and vocalist Felix Stass, the three new additions are important factors that ensure that CREMATORY find themselves in a contemporary and forward-looking position in 2018.





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In fact, the band went one step further on "Oblivion": while Markus Jüllich and producer Kristian Bonifer were busy working on the basics of their new recording at the Kohlekellerstudio, Stefan Glass, Dirk Riegner and Walter Stobbe were asked to contribute additional input to the creative process.



"Dirk comes from the indie genre and helped to add an important new nuance to the characteristic CREMATORY approach," Markus Jüllich explains. "Stefan Glass is a specialist for orchestral arrangements and Walter Stobbe is a real riff virtuoso on the guitar." The result is thoroughly compelling as well as ingenious. CREMATORY's unmistakable style manifests itself on programmatic numbers such as "Ghost Of The Past" and "Revenge Is Mine", but also on the anthemnic "Wrong Side" and the melancholy title track. The Stefan Glass-inspired orchestral arrangements can be heard on the dark opener "Salvation" as well as on "Until The Dawn", "Blessed" and "For All Of Us". Walter Stobbe's penchant for heavy metal features on "Cemetary Stillness" and on the album's impressive finale, "Demon Inside".



CREMATORY has rarely sounded as multi-faceted and timeless as on "Oblivion". The group's classic trademarks, such as Felix Stass's deep growls, are still present, at the same time new influences emphasise their great commercial potential. Markus Jüllich says: "So far we've had a special motto to set the direction of each of our albums, but 'Oblivion' simply combines all our strengths and experience. Over the years we've learned to blend different styles into the typical CREMATORY sound without ever losing sight of the importance of playing in a way that benefits our music. The motto 'less is more' applies to our compositions 100 percent. CREMATORY songs never lose themselves in exaggerated effects but always go the whole hog. That's partly due to the fact that we've remained very much down to earth."



Which is exactly what CREMATORY's countless fans will be able to witness when the band embarks on its 15-show tour of Germany at the end of April. As Markus Jüllich aptly puts it: "Even if we know exactly what matters when you tour, we want to learn something new with every new concert."



"Oblivion" track listing:



01. Expectation (1:27)

02. Salvation (4:36)

03. Ghost Of The Past (3:59)

04. Until The Dawn (4:36)

05. Revenge Is Mine (4:50)

06. Wrong Side (4:12)

07. Stay With Me (4:13)

08. For All Of Us (4:06)

09. Immortal (3:32)

10. Oblivion (4:52)

11. Cemetary Stillness (4:50)

12. Blessed (4:02)

13. Demon Inside (4:06)



CREMATORY lineup:



Felix Stass - vocals

Rolf Munkes - guitar

Tosse Basler - guitar

Jason Mathias - bass

Markus Jüllich - drums

Katrin Jüllich - keyboards

"Dirty", a brand new song from SEVENDUST, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which will be released on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.



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



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



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



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"Dirty", a brand new song from SEVENDUST, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which will be released on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.



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



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



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





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SEVENDUST will head out on a headline tour this spring in support of "All I See Is War". The trek will kick off on April 20 in Tempe, Arizona and will wrap up at Rockfest in Kansas City, Kansas. The tour will make stops in Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Clifton Park, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, among others. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, FIRE FROM THE GODS and MADAME MAYHEM will join SEVENDUST on the run.



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

UK progressive black/death metallers De Profundis will release their new album The Blinding Light Of Faith via Transcending Obscurity on May 10th. New tracks “Bastard Sons Of Abraham” is streaming below.

Long-running death metal band De Profundis have had an illustrious career. Over the years, they've kept perfecting their sound which incorporated progressive as well as melodic elements, and for their fifth full length, they've distilled only the best qualities into a massive death metal slab that's emotive yet powerful. 'The Blinding Light Of Faith' is a bold step forward for the band into heavier territories as they eschew long, winding songs and go straight for the jugular. With a new logo made by Gary Ronaldson (Misery Index, Benighted) and a gnarly album artwork by Alex Tartsus (Sinister, Depravity) depicting the band's anti-religious stance, De Profundis are confident of their direction and this promises to be their best album thus far. It's a quintessential death metal album that manages to showcase diversity without compromising on the heaviness.

Tracklisting:

“Obsidian Spires”
“War Be Upon Him”
“Opiate For The Masses”
“Bastard Sons Of Abraham”
“Martyrs”
“Godforsaken”
“Beyond Judgement”
“Bringer Of Light”

“Bastard Sons Of Abraham”:

The Saints Of Las Vegas - spear-headed by former Faster Pussycat guitarist Brent Muscat - have released a lyric video for their second single, "Panic Room".

"Panic Room" is the follow-up to "Tomeka", the band's debut track, now available digitally on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and Spotify.

Until The Saints Of Las Vegas embark upon their initial North American tour in late summer / early fall, the band is still playing frequently in Vegas. “People can see us. All they have to do is go to The Saints Of Las Vegas on Facebook, you’ll see all of our dates there," says Muscat.

"We’re playing Virgil’s BBQ, its great. We’re playing another place that’s really awesome and romantic, very fun to dance, called The Blue Martini; it’s off the lower south end of The Strip. Then we’re going to be playing outside the T-Mobile Arena prior to every Golden Knights home game, and in front of the New York New York hotel on the Brooklyn Bridge. We’ll do some Faster Pussycat songs for people, and I was in L.A. Guns for a while (2000, 2002 – 2003). I played with (original Guns N’ Roses drummer) Steven Adler, I have so much to reach back into, so much history. I can play a lot of that live, along with the new songs.”

 

The masked splatterthrashers of Creepsylvania, Ghoul, have teamed up with Brooklyn-based MC/Uncle Howie Records owner Ill Bill (Non Phixion, Heavy Metal Kings) with Goretex (Non Phixion), for a sick two-song split. Set for release on May 11th via Tankcrimes, the special 7” comes in four color variants.
 
Comments Ghoul of the upcoming release, "Ghoul is disgusted to announce our split with the dynamic duo of Ill Bill and Goretex! Your ears will hear but your mind will not survive the molten metal and hardcore hip hop served raw on wax by Tankcrimes and Uncle Howie Records! Go forth and ill!"
 
Adds Ill Bill, "Ghoul is one of the few great bands that are next level enough to have birthed this idea in the first place. They saw the potential fun in putting out a record like this and then actually took it from just another sick idea to making it a reality. I'd say the mutual admiration and vibes is why the record came about and why this split speaks the same language even though both genres are very different."

Preorders available at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Pentagram” – Ill Bill featuring Goretex
“Splatterthrash 2: Thrash Damage” – Ghoul 

Florida metal act Yashira has released another new song today called, “Writhe (Embrace)”.

"This track is one of the most contrasting songs we've written," says the band. "It is about accepting the inevitability of pain and confusion but denying their power over your life. It is about staying focused in a world of distractions."

The band continues, "This is some of the most aggressive material we’ve written and we feel the visual ideas Cameron brought to the table really accentuate the mood of the song.”

"Redact (Flood)" and "Writhe (Embrace)" are available as an iTunes instant gratification track. Meaning, fans who pre-order the LP on iTunes will get the single as an immediate download. Pre-order digitally here, or physically here.

Tracklisting:

"Redact (Flood)"
"Writhe (Embrace)"
"Raze (Deject)"
"Shrine (Contra)"
"Surmise (Descend)"
"Ignis (Ascend)"

"Redact (Flood)" video:

The band will hit the road with Axis starting today. Kicking off in Gainesville, FL at The Atlantic, the tour will send the band up and down the east coast before wrapping up in Greensboro, NC at New York Pizza. All tour dates here.

(Photo - Cameron Nunez)

American singer David Reece (Sainted Sinners, ex-Accept, ex-Bonfire) recently signed a multiple album deal with Mighty Music. His solo album will be out late 2018. Check out a studio report below featuring the vocal recordings for the new album.

“I was searching for a record company that would see my vision as a solo artist so I reached out to Mike Tramp and he suggested I speak with Michael H. Andersen at Mighty Music," says Reece. "Michael teamed me up with the Danish producer and song writing team Marco Angioni and Martin Jepsen Andersen, both from the band Meridian. The collaboration we’re working on is exactly where I want to go musically - and Michael H. Andersen and Mighty Music have given me a home to release my new record and given me 100% support and belief in this new record! The album will be recorded at Death Island Studio in Denmark with Marco Angioni as producer, and is expected to be released in late 2018. Touring for the album will follow."

Michael H. Andersen, Mighty Music states: "I know David Reece is so much more, but the Eat The Heat record is one of those albums from the late 80s I still play a lot. Listening to that album on my walkman made life a lot easier being a teenager in suburbia, Denmark in the late 80s. Having said that, it is amazing to witness how much on fire David still is today. His vocal skills are still in another league and this man definitely has the energy to make a great new album. Proud to be welcoming you to my home, David.”

In February, David Reece will release the new Sainted Sinners album, Back With A Vengeance.

In April 2018, Madfish celebrate Wishbone Ash, one of Britain’s most enduring and best-loved rock acts, by releasing a comprehensive deluxe 30 CD box set, The Vintage Years. Loaded with rarities, memorabilia, a new interview and a lavish 156-page hardback book, a third of this new collection features previously unheard & unreleased material. Check out an unboxing video below:

Following decades of being starved of unreleased material from the true vintage years from Wishbone Ash, fans will soon be able to enjoy the long-awaited, remastered anthology from this esteemed and influential band in its pure quality in both musical and printed content.

This box set is strictly limited to 2,500 copies and includes all 16 studio albums between 1970-1991, all of which feature bonus material including rare album outtakes, B-sides and 12 previously unreleased studio tracks. These are presented in mini-gatefold sleeves. Three of the 16 albums are currently out of print on CD (Nouveau Calls, Here to Hear & Strange Affair). The box set will feature brand new cover artwork designed by Colin Elgie, the original designer behind the award-winning Live Dates sleeve artwork.

There are 3 original live albums (Live Dates, Live Dates Volume Two & Live In Tokyo) and 8 previously unreleased live albums (on 11 discs) recorded between 1973 & 1980.

1. Portsmouth Guildhall 1973 (2CD) from the Wishbone Four / Live Dates tour
2. Southampton University 1973 from the Wishbone Four / Live Dates tour
3. Edinburgh Usher Hall 1976 from the New England tour
4. Marquee Club 1977 from the Front Page News tour
5. Newcastle City Hall 1977 from the Front Page News tour
6. Bournemouth Winter Gardens 1978 (2CD) from the No Smoke Without Fire tour
7. Guildford Civic Hall 1980 (2CD) from the Just Testing tour
8. Chelmsford Odeon 1980 from the Blowin' Free tour

All music has been remastered from the original multitrack and ¼ inch tapes, sourced from Martin Turner and Andy Powell's personal collections, and from the Universal Music and Atlantic archives.  

Accompanying this thorough collection of repertoire is a 156-page coffee table hardback book written by Classic Rock's Dave Ling, which includes personal photos, rare posters and flyers and collector's memorabilia.

Fans lucky enough to purchase this set also receive:
 
• 36-page poster book covering the early years through to Here to Hear.
• Four reproductions of original posters for:
Christmas at the Palace Dec 1973
Live Dates European tour – Hamburg Musikhalle 1974
Europe 1975 tour
Front Page News tour – Empire Pool Wembley 1977
• A Facsimile MCA debut album promo pack.
• A 7-inch flexi disc for the single “Blind Eye”, the first of the 11 Japanese singles series
• Individually signed photos of each band member.

Talking about the release, founder member Martin Turner explains, “I looked after most of these tape recordings for decades, wondering when they would ever see the light of day and I am very glad that they will at last be available for everyone to hear. I wanted to mix the live performances myself, but being a busy chap and not famous for my speediness, we decided to give it all to the wonderful Pete Reynolds whom I believe has done a brilliant job of mixing and remastering a massive collection of work. It's almost like having one's whole musical life in one box. It certainly represents the most comprehensive Wishbone collection that I know of and I hope you enjoy it.”

Andy Powell agrees, “It's truly amazing to look back at the musically fertile 70s and 80s and wonder at the sheer amount of incredible creative output from our band. We had great roots and a really strong blue-print for success. I feel blessed to have played my part in it all and I'm truly thankful that it's set the course for my entire life and all the music that's followed, as the band continues to live on into the 21st century.”

Rarely is an anthology of this quality ever released… Wishbone Ash: The Vintage Years is so comprehensive and lovingly-compiled, with such beautiful and quality accompanying material … if ever there was a box set not to miss, this is it!

Alice Cooper will star as King Herod in NBC's highly anticipated special event "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert", to be aired Easter Sunday, April 1 from the Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.



A new trailer for "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" has just been released and can be seen below.



"Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert", a staged version of the original rock musical, will be executive-produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, John Legend, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius and Alex Rudzinski.



Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and 10-time Grammy winner John Legend has been cast as Jesus Christ, with Broadway star and acclaimed recording artist Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. The production will be helmed by esteemed British theatre director David Leveaux.



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Alice Cooper will star as King Herod in NBC's highly anticipated special event "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert", to be aired Easter Sunday, April 1 from the Marcy Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.



A new trailer for "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" has just been released and can be seen below.



"Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert", a staged version of the original rock musical, will be executive-produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, John Legend, Mike Jackson, Ty Stiklorius and Alex Rudzinski.



Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and 10-time Grammy winner John Legend has been cast as Jesus Christ, with Broadway star and acclaimed recording artist Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. The production will be helmed by esteemed British theatre director David Leveaux.





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The "Jesus Christ Superstar" album hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart and made its way to the stage in 1971. It is based on the final week of Jesus's life. The 1971 musical opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway and starred Jeff Fenholt as Jesus and Ben Vereen as Judas. It was nominated for five Tonys, including "Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical" for Vereen. Lloyd Webber won a Drama Desk Award for "Most Promising Composer".



Since then, the musical has been considered a classic and has become a staple of theatre and music organizations throughout the world. It has been performed in nearly 20 countries and translated into 18 different languages. There have been many revivals of "Jesus Christ Superstar" over the 46 years since its debut, including 2000 and 2012 Broadway versions that each earned a Tony nomination for "Best Revival Of A Musical". The 1973 film was directed by Oscar winner Norman Jewison and starred Ted Neeley.

Wrong’s sophomore album, Feel Great, will make you feel the exact opposite of great. On this album, the band has mastered the arts of bludgeoning groove, riff, tone, and grit, creating eleven songs that are faster, heavier, angrier yet also more melodic than their breakout debut album (2016, Relapse).

Today, Wrong has premiered a music video for “Zero Cool”. The director, Frank Huang, “… took the song and ran with it… that’s pretty much what it looks like in our heads,” commented Wrong.  Check out the psychedelic video below.

Self-produced by Wrong and recorded at various studios around Miami (with mixing handled by guitarist Ryan Haft and artwork by Rick Smith of Torche), Feel Great is the perfect follow-up to the band’s self-titled LP.

Feel Great is due out April 13th on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical Packages are available here and digital/streaming is available here.

Tracklisting:

"Errordome"
"Culminate"
"Pustule"
"Nice Job"
"Feel Great"
"Upgrade"
"Crawl Instead"
"Come Apart Mend"
"Zero Cool"
"Gape"
"Anaerobic"

"Zero Cool" video:

"Culminate" video:

Created by Andrew James of Edmonton, AB’s Eye Of Horus and Shotgunner, his new project, one man folk metal band North Hammer is drawing inspiration from the mighty Quorthon; for Andrew is not so much a one-man band as a one-warrior metal machine. Andrew wrote and recorded the guitar, bass, vocals, and orchestration along with drums done by Doug Helcaraxë Nunez for North Hammer’s forthcoming debut album Stormcaller set for release on March 16th, 2018.

Andrew explains the significance of his band’s name: “The ‘north’ part was a representation of the common theme winter that comes up in metal music, including folk metal. It is also a reference to my native Canada. ‘Hammer’ is a reference to Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer!”

Inspired by Wintersun, Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, Aether Realm, Blind Guardian, Stormcaller is a 21st century continuation of the work of Norse bards with its melodic death metal folk riffs.

“The experience I’m trying to give the listeners is that of a fellow fan. I want people to be euphoric for other bands that mean something to them like Ensiferum, Wintersun and Amon Amarth. To connect personally with my music and realize that I love and worship these bands.” explains Andrew.

The album is streaming in full below:

Andrew James adds:

"Stormcaller has been quite an adventure in itself to record, many aspects of music I had never even attempted before. From the creation of an over-arching narrative to satisfy lyric content, to writing guitar solos and orchestration, I finally have been able to come out with something that I am so excited to share with you! I hope you, the fans, enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it for you!"

While North Hammer is a studio project at the moment, Andrew James plans to put together a band of top-notch like-minded musicians for touring in Western Canada and beyond.

Tracklisting:

“Avatar”
“Wanderer”
“Written In The Stars”
“Magic Mead”
“Tip Of The Spear”
“A Soldier’s Song”
“Black Forest Rain”
“Spellbinder”
“North Hammer”
“Lion’s Winter”

“Magic Mead”:

"Wanderer":

“Avatar”:

(Photo: Diego Fernandez, Editing by Eric Dieterich of Soloman Media)