Following its initial release in February, investigative death metal trio, Sunless, will now release their acclaimed Urraca debut album on vinyl through Aural Music in early 2018.

Delivering a relentless onslaught of complex and dissonant death metal, Urraca was hailed as a thought-provoking and engaging album by countless respected metal outlets. The band self-released the album on CD, cassette, and digital platforms in conjunction with a US tour, and now prepares to reintroduce the album in a deluxe vinyl package.

Sunless commented, "We are thrilled to announce the upcoming vinyl release for our debut album Urraca through Aural Music. The gatefold jacket and double-sided insert feature beautifully reimagined designs by our close friend and former bandmate Andrew Notsch (Hollow Dusk) that naturally expand upon the hazy, desolate atmosphere put forth by the record's original layout and music itself. Urraca tells a story of the ascension and untimely death of an ancient tribe woven throughout nine mind-bending tracks of abstract, dissonant death metal. We are incredibly proud of our first full-length release and cannot wait to share it across the world for the first time in vinyl format."

Urraca will be pressed on purple vinyl, limited to just 300 copies in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, and released in Europe on January 18th, and in North America on February 9th; find pre-orders here.

Tracklisting:

“Wishes Fallen On Deafened Ears”
“Gathering At The Skull’s Eye”
“Aberrant Clime”
“Born Of Clay”
“Obsidian Wing”
“Windswept Rock”
“The Ancient Ones”
“Magpie”
“Disintegration Of Man”

Album stream:

Sunless has planned several new shows, playing two shows in Wisconsin this month - Madison on December 15th and Milwaukee on the 16th - and a show in Winnipeg on January 13th. These will be likely their final shows until spring to focus on writing their follow-up album.

Live dates:

December
15 - The Wisco - Madison, WI (with Northless, Aseethe, Corridoré)
16 - Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI (with Northless, Aseethe, Pig's Blood)

January
13 - The Handsome Daughter - Winnipeg, MB (with Inverted Serenity, Sphygmus, Necrotic Liquefaction)

See a recent full live set below:

Sunless lineup:

Mitch Schooler - bass
Ben Iburg - drums
Lucas Scott - guitar, vocals

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES has completed work on its new EP for a tentative early 2018 release. The effort was helmed by British producer Paul Northfield, who first worked with the band back in 1992 when he was the engineer for "The Art Of Rebellion" album. He has since collaborated with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES on many other releases, including last year's "World Gone Mad" full-length.
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES frontman Mike Muir told Finland's Kaaos TV this past summer that the band's upcoming EP would be "a little more specifically a statement of the time" and an effort that "could be interpreted as political."
"World Gone Mad" was released in September 2016. The follow-up to 2013's "13" disc was SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' first to feature former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo and guitarist Jeff Pogan, who replaced Nico Santora in May 2016.
In an interview with Metal Wani earlier this year, Lombardo said that he really hoped there would be more SUICIDAL TENDENCIES records. "I feel like that guy [Mike Muir] has a lot more creativity in him and a lot more energy than to throw in the towel," he said. "I feel Mike is on top of his game, and he's got a great band and great history with this band and I think that we should keep going, and I hope he does. And I'm not gonna stop asking him to record. I'm going to make sure that I keep bugging him: 'Man, we've gotta record. Let's do some recording. C'mon, let's record another album. Why not?' I try to motivate the musicians I'm with because there's no reason to stop. You've gotta keep recording, you've gotta keep creating. It's what we do for a living."

GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Dizzy Reed will release his debut solo album, "Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy", on February 16 on digital, CD and purple vinyl via Golden Robot Records.
The first single from the disc, "This Don't Look Like Vegas", can be streamed below.
Written by Reed, Ricky Warwick (THIN LIZZY, THE ALMIGHTY, BLACK STAR RIDERS) and Del James, "This Don't Look Like Vegas" features Warwick and Mayuko Okai on guitar, with GUNS bandmate Richard Fortus (PSYCHELIC FURS, THIN LIZZY, THE DEAD DAISIES) providing the guitar solo. Mike Dupke (W.A.S.P.) is on drums, with Mike Duda (W.A.S.P.) on bass, while Reed handles lead vocals, piano, shaker and tambourine, with backing vocals from Nadja Reed, Chela Johnson and Del James.
"Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy" is 12 tracks (or 13, if you download the digital version) of rock with Reed uniting with fellow members of GUNS N' ROSES, along with some other greats, including players from W.A.S.P., QUIET RIOT, PSYCHEDELIC FURS, THIN LIZZY, NO DOUBT, THE REPLACEMENTS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, and more.
Reed is the longest-serving member of GN'R after singer Axl Rose. He joined the band as a touring member in 1990, during the "Use Your Illusion" era, and has played with most of the original members as well as in all the later editions of the group and the current reunion lineup.
The Pulse Of Radio asked Reed how he's managed to stay in the band for so long. "I get asked that a lot and it's really just, I just never really thought about doing anything else, you know, on sort of a permanent basis," he said. "You know, I kind of feel like I'm in GUNS N' ROSES and that's where I was meant to be."
In the world of music, GUNS N' ROSES need no introduction. Few bands in history have achieved the level of success and recognition that GN'R has. The addition of Reed marked a stylistic turning point in the band's maturity, incorporating piano and the epic tones of the Hammond B-3 into their aggressive hard rock sound.
In 2012, Dizzy was inducted into the the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of GUNS N' ROSES. He has toured with the PSYCHEDELIC FURS and has toured, recorded and written with supergroup THE DEAD DAISIES whose lineup has featured members of THE CULT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE, THE ROLLING STONES and THIN LIZZY. He also sings lead vocals with his side project HOOKERS 'N' BLOW. On surviving and flourishing in rock's 'sharky' waters, he says: "Never stop learning and exploring, but don't forget what you do best. Stick to your guns."
"Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy" track listing:
01. This Don't Look Like Vegas02. Mother Theresa03. Cheers 2 R Oblivion04. Fragile Water05. Dirty Bomb06. Mystery In Exile07. I Celebrate08. Understanding09. Crestfallen10. Forgotten Cases11. Reparations12. Rock 'N' Roll Ain't Easy

WHITESNAKE has set "Flesh & Blood" as the tentative title of its long-awaited next album, due in early 2018 via the band's new deal with the Warner Music Group Worldwide and Rhino Entertainment.
WHITESNAKE's David Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock earlier in the year that the band has "never had such an immense amount of positive material" for a new release. "I've worked, for the first time as writers, with [WHITESNAKE guitarists] Reb Beach and with Joel Hoekstra," he said. "Because when Joel came in, we were doing 'The Purple Album', of course. And not only do we have great Coverdale/Hoekstra and Coverdale/Beach songs, but we have the three of us combining [as writers]."
He continued: "The songs are fucking excellent. We have eighteen or nineteen extraordinarily positive, potent, juicy classic WHITESNAKE songs, from balls-to-the-wall [rockers] to blues, to epics to ballads. It's kickass. It's definitely got me fluffed up."
WHITESNAKE will celebrate the release of "Flesh & Blood" by embarking on the "Juke Box Heroes Tour" next summer with FOREIGNER and Jason Bonham.
According to Coverdale, another project that is in the works is a DVD that was filmed during WHITESNAKE's tour in support of the group's latest disc, "The Purple Album". That effort, which was released in May 2015 via Frontiers Music Srl, was billed as "a re-imagination of classic songs from Coverdale's time as the lead singer for DEEP PURPLE's Mark III and Mark IV studio albums." Coverdale was DEEP PURPLE's frontman from late 1973 to early 1976 and sang on the albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band".
Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock about the upcoming DVD: "It's fucking fantastic. It's kickass. To promote it, we've put together WHITESNAKE as you've never seen them before on a video for 'Burn'. It is un-fucking-believable. It's a full-production video. The people at Warners who have seen it, they're mindblown by it. We worked with a young, hip gunslinger Canadian director called Tyler Bourns. And he's kick-fucking-ass. He did all of the videos with us on 'The Purple Album'. He's the head of our video creative ops and a great guy as well."
WHITESNAKE's self-titled album, also known in some countries as "1987", which was certified multi-platinum and featured the smash single "Here I Go Again", turned 30 this year and Rhino celebrated the occasion by releasing four new versions, including an expansive boxed set.

German power metallers, Circle Of Silence, will release their new album, The Crimson Throne, in April via Massacre Records. Pre-order the album here, and check out a lyric video for the new song, "Lionheart", below. You can also stream the track via Spotify.

Tracklisting:

"Conquer The Throne"
"Race To The Sky"
"Destroyers Of The Earth"
"The Chosen One"
"Lionheart"
"The Crimson Throne"
"Into The Fire"
"A Kingdom Divine"
"Endgame"
"Possessed By Fire"
"Wild Eyes"

"Lionheart" lyric video:

(Photo - The Sound Of Pictures

LINKIN PARK will release a concert album titled "One More Light Live" on December 15. Recorded on the band's "One More Light" world tour, it features 16 songs, including "Crawling", "Numb", "What I've Done", "Heavy" and the title track from the group's latest studio album, "One More Light". The live set will arrive five months after the passing of singer Chester Bennington, who died on July 20t at his Los Angeles area home after committing suicide at the age of 41.
To promote "One More Light Live", LINKIN PARK has just released a performance clip of the song "Crawling". Check it out below.
The band said in a statement: "We dedicate this live album to our brother Chester who poured his heart and soul into 'One More Light'. After we finished recording the album, we joked with Chester that — since he had delivered so many stunning performances in the studio — he had set the bar extra high to produce that alchemy on stage each night. Not surprisingly, he welcomed the challenge."
The statement added: "The shows we played together during the early summer of 2017 were extraordinary. Chester shared with us that he felt this was the best tour we had ever done. The camaraderie and joy we experienced on stage reflected our deep connection with each other, with our fans, and with the music."
The band concluded: "For those of you who attended this tour in person, we thank you. For those who could not, we hope this live album gives you a glimpse into how magical these shows were for the six of us."
Bennington himself told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he always wanted to give fans a different experience when they came to see the group. "There's one of two ways that bands get perceived when they're seen live," he said. "I think that one way is 'Wow, that is something like they do on the record.' And it can be disappointing. And the other is the music is actually a little better or different than I thought it was. And I like it more. And I think that's the way people view what we do live."
LINKIN PARK paid tribute to Bennington on October 27 with an emotional three-hour show that featured numerous guests joining the band onstage at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Among the artists who performed with the band were BUSH's Gavin Rossdale, Jonathan Davis of KORN, Alanis Morissette, the instrumental members of NO DOUBT, Oli Sykes of BRING ME THE HORIZON, BLINK-182, M. Shadows and Synyster Gates of AVENGED SEVENFOLD and many more.
LINKIN PARK has yet to announce whether the band intends to continue without Bennington.

Fan-filmed video footage of the HELLOWEEN's November 20 concert at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands as part of the band's "Pumpkins United" world tour can be seen below. The trek features former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen alongside current singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Dani Löble.
The "Pumpkins United" tour marks the first time Kiske has played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, has been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set features several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sings a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)" .
Grosskopf told Brazil's Heavy Talk about how the "Pumpkins United" reunion came about: "That's actually a couple of years ago, when the two guys who are doing the pumpkins [animation] tonight on the screen [David López Gómez and Carlos Vicente León of EasyRabbit CreArtions], they are two great friends of ours, they started the book, the 'Hellbook'. Also within the 'Hellbook', we were thinking of the great old times with the pictures and the stuff in there, bringing in some emotions [coupled with] Kai and Michael Kiske playing in a band together at the time, UNISONIC. So we gave it some time and the time was right. We just thought, 'Let's give it a go.' It turned out to be a great, great idea. Shows, we're still working on bits and pieces to find together, but it's getting better and better every day. I like it a lot."
Regarding the most difficult aspect of putting together the reunion, Markus said: "It was getting together the rehearsals. As HELLOWEEN without them, we had a certain routine going on, but then having two guys working totally different, we had to destroy those workflows and create a new workflow with two new members in. Therefore, we took a lot of time to rehearse and get together, not only playing, but the way we work together and all that. We did this song in between the rehearsals, that 'Pumpkins United' song to see what it's like, to see how it feels. It wasn't that easy, because it was in between writing the song and rehearsing for the big tour, but, it's the only way you can find out how things are working out. So far it's worked well. It wasn't always easy, to finding a base to work on was the hardest thing so far, but we're still working on it. But it's getting better; we've found a way. The two singers are together, they're matching perfect. It's nice. I like it a lot."
On the topic of choosing which songs to play live, Markus said: "That was pretty tough to choose what songs we're going to play. We got to keep in mind, being together longer for only for this tour and if we do more tours, then we can always change the set with a couple of new tracks or a couple of old tracks or a couple of very different tracks and very old tracks. We had two weeks of rehearsing, so we had five blocks of rehearsals and in between, we had some time off to think about things. It was pretty well arranged. If you go for more than two or three or four weeks rehearsing, then your mind gets so fed up with it, so we had two weeks' break in between, which makes your head free again."
The North American leg of the "Pumpkins United" tour will kick off on September 7, 2018 in Las Vegas and conclude on September 15, 2018 in New York.

AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young has been remembered as a "humble man" and "musical mastermind" at a private funeral service at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia reports Nour Haydar of ABC News.

Mourners were given guitar picks with their programs at the service. In his eulogy, friend David Albert said Young's impact on the music industry was nothing short of momentous.

The rocker died in November aged 64 after suffering from dementia for several years. Young's beloved Gretsch guitar, "the beast", rested on top of his coffin during the service.

A video compilation of Malcolm Young moments has surfaced on YouTube and can be viewed below.

Audio/Video Details:

"Rocker" (1978-07-15 – Fresno, 1978-10-28 – Colchester). 
"Bad Boy Boogie" (1979-10-16 – Towson)
"Go Down" 
"Down Payment Blues"
"Thunderstruck" (2000-09-13 – Arizona)
"Problem Child" 
"It’s A Long Way To The Top" (1976-07-08 – London)
"Live Wire"
"Rising Power" 
"Let There Be Rock" (Malcolm)
"Live Wire" (1976-07-08 London)
"Soul Stripper" (Malcolm)
"Rock N Roll Singer" (Malcolm)
"Hard As A Rock" 
"Squealer" solo (Malcolm)

After the traditional Catholic service to mark Young's passing, the cortege made its way down College Street led by the Scots College Pipes and Drums band which played a medley of songs including the guitar solo from "It's A Long Way To The Top", "Waltzing Matilda" and "Road To Gundagai".

Read more and view photos at this location.

 
Guitar picks are being handed out with programs at the funeral service for AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young in Sydney. pic.twitter.com/KjUm7Z7ncg

— Nour Haydar (@NourHaydar) November 28, 2017

Additional coverage, courtesy of Kathy McCabe and The Daily Telegraph, can be seen here.

AC/DC issued the following statement upon Malcolm's passing: "Today it is with deep heartfelt sadness that AC/DC has to announce the passing of Malcolm Young. Malcolm, along with Angus, was the founder and creator of AC/DC. With enormous dedication and commitment, he was the driving force behind the band. As a guitarist, songwriter and visionary, he was a perfectionist and a unique man. He always stuck to his guns and did and said exactly what he wanted. He took great pride in all that he endeavored. His loyalty to the fans was unsurpassed."

Young struggled with the onset of dementia for a period of time prior to being admitted to full-time nursing care in Sydney, Australia beginning in 2014.

Angus Young: "As his brother, it is hard to express in words what he has meant to me during my life, the bond we had was unique and very special. He leaves behind an enormous legacy that will live on forever."

Swedish/British death metal supergroup BLOODBATH, which features in its ranks KATATONIA's Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, along with OPETH's Martin Axenrot and PARADISE LOST's Nick Holmes, is planning to enter the studio in early 2018 to begin recording the follow-up to 2014's "Grand Morbid Funeral" album.
Speaking to Metal Wani, Holmes stated about BLOODBATH's next disc (hear audio below): "The [rest of the] guys are working on it now, so I think we're looking at recording in the end of January. We're looking at doing it maybe early February. So, yeah, we'll definitely do another album. But we'll see what happens. The guys in KATATONIA have been busy touring as well, so they're pretty much winding up now — I think they're playing Russia next week and then they're finished for the year. So, yeah, at the end of January, I think, we're gonna start now."
According to Holmes, there are no plans for BLOODBATH to book any long tours that may conflict with touring and recording commitments by the invidual members' main bands.
"With BLOODBATH, we're not gonna do any extensive touring," he said. "We've just done seven weeks in Europe with PARADISE LOST. We wouldn't do that with BLOODBATH. We're doing a short U.S. tour [in May 2018]; we're only playing, like, about eight dates in both places. So anything we do with BLOODBATH is a short, in-and-out kind of quick couple of gigs. We don't wanna do any long tours with BLOODBATH; we wanna keep it quite kind of special in a way. I mean, we only planned on doing 13 shows when we started playing live anyway, and then we ended up doing, like, 30 shows. But it's good fun to do — meet the guys and do it now and again through the year. But, yeah, we wouldn't do anything that's gonna impact on PL or KATATONIA or OPETH for that matter; we just do it in between."
Holmes made his BLOODBATH debut on "Grand Morbid Funeral", which was released in November 2014 via Peaceville. The effort featured guest appearances by Chris Reifert and Eric Cutler from AUTOPSY.
"Grand Morbid Funeral" was recorded once again at Ghost Ward Studios and the City Of Glass Studios in Stockholm, and mixed by David Castillo. Formed in 1998 with a mutual fascination for horror and the glory days of death metal (especially the old Florida and Stockholm "Sunlight" scenes), BLOODBATH has remained a leading light of extreme metal since its "Breeding Death" EP was unleashed back in 2000, and a formidable force for more than 15 years, further cemented by the devastating — and most successful album to date — "The Fathomless Mastery" in 2008.
Band photography by Ester Segarra

A trailer for STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet's new solo DVD, "Sole: Songs And Stories From A Life In Music", can be seen below. The set was filmed on June 2 at the Narrows Center For The Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts and will be made available at Sweet's official webstore.
With a running time of 102 minutes, "Sole: Songs And Stories From A Life In Music" will include the above-mentioned acoustic performance, a brand new interview and never-before-seen archive footage.
The track listing for the acoustic performance is as follows:
01. You Know What To Do02. Honestly03. Always There For You04. All For One05. Someday06. Real07. Save Me08. I'm Not Your Suicide09. Strong10. Dying Rose11. Calling On You12. To Hell With The Devil
Sweet's seventh solo album, "One Sided War", was released in August 2016 via Rat Pak Records. Backing Michael on the record were WHITESNAKE guitarist Joel Hoekstra, EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt, bassist John O'Boyle and East Coast shred-master Ethan Brosh.
Sweet told Screamer Magazine last year that "One Sided War" turned out to be "the heaviest album I've ever done. A lot of times, STRYPER fans expect heavy and when STRYPER doesn't do it, that's really a big issue. But when I don't do it, it's not as big an issue because fans typically expect a lighter side of Michael Sweet when I do solo albums, and they say that all the time. This is the album that I kind of wanted to put all those remarks to rest and I wanted to do something that was edgier and that compares to STRYPER on that level. It holds its own against anything STRYPER's done, for sure."
In a 2016 interview with The Aquarian Weekly, Sweet said that he enjoyed making solo albums "because it's an opportunity to free myself up a little bit more, experiment a little bit more, and try some things that STRYPER may not be able to try. So I just enjoy doing it. I love it. I've got a lot of music, a lot of solo music that I'd like to go out and play live that I think a lot of people would like to hear."
STRYPER recently finished recording all the basic tracks for its new album for an early 2018 release. The follow-up to 2015's "Fallen" will be the band's first disc since the addition of former FIREHOUSE bassist Perry Richardson. Perry joined the band as the replacement for STRYPER's longtime bassist Tim Gaines, who was fired from the group earlier this year.

Swedish satanic sacrificers Necrophobic will release of their eighth studio album, Mark Of The Necrogram, on February 23rd via Century Media Records.

Following the path of true Satanic death metal ever since their genesis in 1989, Necrophobic look back on a discography filled with classics, be it the band’s infamous debut album The Nocturnal Silence (1993), the sinister Bloodhymns (2002) or the all-engulfing beast Death To All (2009).

Mark Of The Necrogram is Necrophobic’s first album on their new label home Century Media Records, and it marks another step up on the staircase to the death metal throne, delivering sorrow-laden melodies of musical mastermind Sebastian Ramstedt, furious riffs of rhythm guitarist Johan Bergebäck, the pounding bass of Alexander Friberg, battering war drums by the band’s heart and soul Joakim Sterner and the demonic voice of Anders Strokirk who reunited with the band more than 20 years after the release of The Nocturnal Silence.

Mark Of The Necrogram comes with an eerily monumental cover artwork of Kristian “Necrolord” Wåhlin, with whom the band hasn’t been working together since the release of the second album Darkside.

The pre-order for Mark Of The Necrogram will start on December 15th. Keep your eyes open for some very limited vinyl versions.
 

Necrophobic lineup:

Anders Strokirk - vocals
Sebastian Ramstedt - guitars
Johan Bergebäck - guitars
Alex Friberg - bass
Joakim Sterner - drums

A performance clip of the song "Children Of The Grave", taken from BLACK SABBATH's "The End" concert film, can be seen below.
Almost five decades ago, the toll of a bell and rolling thunder marked the conception of an ear splittingly monolithic riff. In that moment, BLACK SABBATH and the sound of heavy metal were forged. The band embarked on what vocalist Ozzy Osbourne describes as the most incredible adventure you could think of, a journey that would go on to define a genre.
"The End" is a celebration of BLACK SABBATH's final hometown concert at Birmingham's Genting Arena on February 4, 2017. This unforgettable farewell show from one of the biggest bands in the world was released by Eagle Vision on November 17, 2017.
With a hit-packed set list including "Iron Man", "Paranoid", "War Pigs" and many more, the high production values, visual effects, and pyrotechnics wowed fans, as the band delivered the most emotionally charged show in their history.
All visual formats feature special bonus material of the band playing a selection of their favorite songs not played on tour. These intimate live sessions at Angelic Studios were recorded in the days after their final live performance.
"The End" captures a once-in-a-career performance, an essential snapshot of musical history, and a fitting farewell to true innovators and original heavy metal icons, BLACK SABBATH.
Track listing:
Live at Birmingham's Genting Arena on February 4, 2017
01. Black Sabbath02. Fairies Wear Boots03. Under The Sun / Every Day Comes And Goes04. After Forever05. Into The Void06. Snowblind07. Band Intros08. War Pigs09. Behind The Wall Of Sleep10. Bassically / N.I.B.11. Hand Of Doom12. Supernaut / Sabbath Bloody Sabbath / Megalomania13. Rat Salad / Drum Solo14. Iron Man15. Dirty Women16. Children Of The Grave17. Paranoid
The Angelic Sessions
01. The Wizard02. Wicked World03. Sweet Leaf04. Tomorrow's Dream05. Changes
Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that he's glad that SABBATH has come full circle. "BLACK SABBATH has been through the mill over the years, but to come back and be friends with my buddies who I started off with all those years ago, it's a closure for me, a chapter of my life which I can say, 'Well, we came, we saw, we had a good time and now it's over,'" he said. "I'm glad we ended up happy. Whatever axes we had to grind between us over the years, we got rid of all that and we're friends again."
Guitarist Tony Iommi said that he wouldn't rule out the possibility of doing one-off shows or even more recording, saying, "I wouldn't write that off, if one day that came about. That's possible. Or even doing an album, 'cause then, again, you're in one place."
The band decided to make this tour its last because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.
The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Osbourne, Iommi, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.
They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after a few months over financial issues. SABBATH has used Ozzy's regular touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on the album "13", which came out in June 2013.
Iommi and Butler haven't announced any specific post-SABBATH plans yet, but Osbourne will embark on a two-year "farewell" tour in 2018, after already playing a few solo shows this summer.

Swedish death metal veterans GRAVE have parted ways with drummer Ronnie Bergerstål.
The band said in a statement: "To set the record straight. There has been circulating rumors about our drummer and why he has not been with us on all shows this year.
"We are unhappy to inform you that we have parted ways with our drummer Ronnie Bergerstål. After being a part of GRAVE for more than 10 years, he will surely leave a big hole that needs to be filled.
"This is not the place to discuss or speculate about why we have decided to part ways.
"We wish you all the best, Ronnie."
GRAVE's latest album, "Out Of Respect For The Dead", was released in October 2015 via Century Media. The CD's eerie artwork was again created by Costin Chioreanu, who was responsible for the band's previous three albums as well as the "Morbid Ascent" EP. Chioreanu is also known for his collaborations with such acts as AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST and ARCH ENEMY.

Fan-filmed video footage of DIAMOND HEAD performing the songs "Helpless" and "Am I Evil" on December 2 at the HRH NWOBHM 2 The Xmas Rocka festival at Academy in Sheffield, England can be seen below.
DIAMOND HEAD's latest, self-titled album was released in June 2016 via Dissonance Productions. The effort was the band's first to feature Rasmus Andersen on vocals and its release ended an eight-year silence for the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal icons.
Asked in a 2016 interview with Swirls Of Noise why now was the right time for a new DIAMOND HEAD album, guitarist Brian Tatler said: "I think it was our new singer Ras coming in fresh that gave the band a new energy and some new ideas. Once I had heard him sing live a few times, I thought we should try and write some songs together just to see if we can. We discussed this in various dressing rooms and hotels on the 2014 European tour. Then in December 2014 I gave Ras two CDs with about forty-five pieces of music on that I had been working on since 2007, Ras listened to them and picked out songs that he liked and that he could work on but we had a brief this time. We all said, 'It should sound like DIAMOND HEAD.' It's partly the way I write and the riffs and chords progressions I come up with that make it sound like DIAMOND HEAD. We actually rejected a few things that did not fit 'the brief.' Once the songs sounded good in rehearsal, I knew they would work live and on record. Some of the songs had a brilliant vibe in rehearsal, then it was just a question of recording them."
Formed in 1976, DIAMOND HEAD influenced a slew of early '80s thrash metal bands, in particular METALLICA, who recorded the band's "Am I Evil" as a B-side to their 1984 "Creeping Death" single and again included on the band's multi-platinum 1998 covers album "Garage Inc." METALLICA would record three additional DIAMOND HEAD songs: "Helpless" ("Garage Days", 1987), "The Prince" ("One" single B-side, 1989), "It's Electric" ("Garage Inc.", 1998).
DIAMOND HEAD is putting the finishing touches on a new studio album for a 2018 release.

In a recent #AskJohn5 question, John exclusively let fans know he was working on a Creatures live album.

The album, titled It’s Alive!, is the first live album released by The Creatures. It is also the first album released by John 5 to be featured on vinyl. John 5 notes he is “very excited” to be releasing the album.

It’s Alive! will be available on double LP coloured vinyl, and CD. You can pre-order the album at the official John 5 store now. It will be released on January 25th and on the same day on digital formats (streaming and purchasing).

There will also be available to purchase separately, an amazing 24-page full-color tour book covering the tour journeys so far.

Tracklisting:

"Guitars, Tits And Monsters"
"Flight Of The Vulcan Kelly"
"Six Hundred And Sixty Six Pickers In Hell, CA"
"Here’s To The Crazy Ones"
"This Is My Rifle"
"Jiffy Jam"
"Hall Haw"
"Season Of The Witch"
"The Nightmare Unravels"
"Portrait Of Sydney Sloan"
"Triple D"
"Black Grass Plague"
"Behind The Nut Love"
"Making Monsters"
"Beat It"
"Now Fear This"
"Medley"

It’s been one of the most asked questions of late, “when are John 5 And The Creatures next touring?”. Well, wait no more. The Creatures will be touring from February to April with 40 dates to cover. The It’s Alive! tour will go from Florida to Washington and a lot of places in between; confirmed dates are as listed:

February
1 - Orlando, FL - The Social
2 - Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music Hall
3 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
5 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6 - Greensboro, NC - Blind Tiger
7 - Virginia Beach, VA - Shaka’s
8 - Richmond, VA - Broadberry
9 - College Park, MD - Milkboy
10 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
11 - Stanhope, NJ - Stanhope Theater
12 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
13 - Boston, MA - Middle East
14 - Syracuse, NY - Lost Horizon
15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock
16 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland
17 - Westland, MI - Token Lounge
18 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
20 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
21 - Indianapolis, IN - Vogue
22 - Newport, KY - Southgate House
23 - Lexington, KY - Manchester Music Hall
24 - Chattanooga, TN - Songbirds

March
29 - San Antonio, TX - Rock Box
30 - Dallas, TX - Trees
31 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar

April
2 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
3 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole
4 - Mesa, AZ - Club Red
5 - San Diego, CA - Brick x Brick
6 - Los Angeles, CA - Whiskey
7 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp’d
8 - Fullerton, CA - SlideBar
12 - San Jose, CA - Ritz
13 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
14 - Fresno, CA - Full Circle Brewery
15 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
18 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
20 - Portland, OR - Rock Hard PDX
21 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Guitar Festival

Get your VIP Great Pumpkin Upgrade Package at this location.

 

 

After having released details of their forthcoming Heidevolk album including the title, artwork, tracklisting and release date, it’s time to get a first listen to the new record.

The first track of the record as well as first single to be released is “Ontwaakt” (awaken), the band gives a deeper insight of the track and story behind: "Awaken, the Roman Empire is falling! The internal battle for power tears the Empire apart. Legions turn against each other, emperors bleed and Rome burns. It is time for the tribes of the Northern lands to unite and rise against the tyrant. To take back what is theirs and drive the invaders back to Rome. Every battle that is fought by my people resounds in Rome. With sword and shield the Empire will be banished and the voice of my people will be heard!"

Furthermore songwriter Rowan Roodbaert comments: “Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, we proudly present the first single of our new album. This is “Ontwaakt” (“Awaken”), the opening track of Vuur Van Verzet. An in-your-face metal song that tells the ageless story of revolt and resistance set against the backdrop of the historic collapse of the Roman empire. Heavy guitars, thundering drums and Heidevolks’ trademark dual vocal harmonies will catapult you back in time. Imagine a battlefield where Romans are being pushed back by Germanic warriors. Well, this is the soundtrack. Now awaken, the Pagan Metal Brotherhood is on the rise!!!”

Heidevolk are the true definition of Pagan metal brotherhood. These Dutchmen hold up the flag for intelligent and perfectly balanced Pagan folk metal like no other. It's time to unveil the info on their brand new release, Vuur van Verzet, set to be released on January 12th.

The band states: “We are excited to announce our long-awaited new album Vuur van Verzet ("Fire of Resistance"). An album that catapults you to a battlefield where a failing Roman empire is retreating and Germanic tribes are on the rise to claim back what is theirs. It will guide you through the great migrations and tell the tale of early traditions, gods and nature. We've fitted these stories in 11 songs that emphasize the characteristic Heidevolk sound but also underline the progression of our songwriting. Fast metal riffing combined with a our trademark dual male vocals, a 24 piece male choir, various folk musicians, a string ensemble and the raw guest vocals of Primordials' Nemtheanga make Vuur van Verzet an album that shows its teeth… in a bombastic way. Join us, the Pagan metal brotherhood is on the rise!"

Album artwork by Awik Balaian, full tracklisting and available formats below.

Vuur van Verzet tracklisting:

“Ontwaakt”
“A Wolf In My Heart”
“Onverzetbaar”
“Yngwaz Zonen”
“Britannia”
“The Alliance”
“Tiwaz”
“Het Oneindige Woud”
“Gungnir”
“Woedend”
“Het Juk der Tijd”
“Drink op de Nacht” (Bonus Track)
“Een Wolf in mijn Hart” (Bonus Track)

Available formats:

- 1 CD 6-pages Digipack incl. 24 pages booklet
- 1 LP Gatefold, black and limited golden vinyl
- Ltd Edition Album Bundle incl. 6-pages Digipack, Leather wristband, flag, patch
- Digital Album Download
 
Get your hands on your exclusive pre-order here.

Heidevolk will be hitting the road for an European tour run together with their label mates in Arkona as well as Finish folk metal outfit Korpiklaani in 2018. Check out all dates below and make sure to grab your tickets soon.
 
February
15 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
16 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
17 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinehalle 2 *
18 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg *
19 - Saarbrucken, Germany - Garage **
20 - Paris, France - Elysee Montmartre
21 - Nantes, France - Stereolux
22 - Toulouse, France - Le Bikini
23 - Madrid, Spain - Sala But
24 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1
25 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
26 - Vevey, Switzerland - The Rocking Chair **
27 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
28 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theater

March
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - Meet Factory
2 - Munich, Germany - Backstage *
3 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA *
4 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
5 - Milano, Italy - Magazzini Generali
6 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse **
7 - Graz, Austria - Orpheum
8 - Vienna, Austria - Simm City
9 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser *
10 - Geiselwind, Germany - Musichall *
11 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol
 
* extended shows with Black Messiah, Evertale & The Privateers
** no Arkona
 
Heidevolk lineup:

Lars - Vocals
Jacco - Vocals
Kevin Vruchtbaert - Guitar
Kevin Storm - Guitar
Rowan Roodbaert    - Bass
Joost Vellenknotscher - Drums

(Photo - Kevin Storm)

For Lee Aaron fans, an update from guitarist Sean Kelly:

 

Nick Kozub caught this cool pic of Lee Aaron closing out the #montrealjazzfestival this summer...new album is in the can, and set to drop in Spring of 2018. In my opinion, Lee Aaron ranks among the best rock vocalists ever. This new album is gonna prove it!

A post shared by Sean Kelly (@seankellyguitar) on Dec 2, 2017 at 5:36am PST

Lee Aaron capped off her short summer tour of Germany with a show at the Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen. Fan-filmed video is available below.

She also performed a couple new songs and some covers on tour which are due to appear on her new album. Check out "Diamond Baby" and a cover of Deep Purple's "Mistreated" below.

Photo by Rockingham Festival

Symphonic metal masters VISIONS OF ATLANTIS will release their seventh studio album, "The Deep & The Dark", on February 16, 2018 via Napalm Records.
Says the band: "This is the album we have always dreamed of making. It is everything fans of this genre love and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS was founded for. This is the heart and soul of this band and symphonic metal. We are proud and excited that after over four years we put out the best 10 tracks the band has to offer. This is VISIONS OF ATLANTIS — this is symphonic metal!" "The Deep & The Dark" track listing:
01. The Deep & The Dark02. Return To Lemuria03. Ritual Night04. The Silent Mutiny05. Book Of Nature06. The Last Home07. The Grand Illusion08. Dead Reckoning09. Words Of War10. Prayer To The Lost
The scenic video for the track "Return To Lemuria" can be seen below.
"The Deep & The Dark" will be made available as a deluxe box set, CD digipak and digital download.
Hauntingly beautiful duets between vocalists supreme Clémentine Delauney and Siegfried Samer meet classic power metal infusions, embodying the symphonic metal cake: a must-have for all genre-fans and beyond! With "The Deep & The Dark", VISIONS OF ATLANTIS created its most powerful and perfectly executed magnum opus to date, waiting to be performed live at the "Symphonic Metal Nights" in February 2018.

"Freight Train", the new video from KING'S X guitarist Ty Tabor, can be seen below. The song is taken from Tabor's upcoming solo album, "Alien Beans", which will be released on January 12, 2018 via Rat Pak Records.
"Alien Beans" is a double-disc album that features 10 new studio tracks and a "best-of" compilation disc. The "best-of" disc is comprised of 11 remixed and remastered tracks personally selected by Tabor from his previous releases.
"I wanted to do a rock album and put some new, heavier stuff together," explains Tabor. "Along the way, we also decided to remix some of the older stuff and make it a double album. Everything just fits together like it should."
"Alien Beans" is now available for pre-order in various configurations at www.ratpakrecords.com/ty-tabor. Fans can order the new release in physical CD, vinyl formats and cassette as well as autographed copies, t-shirts and an ultimate fan bundle that will include a phone call from Tabor himself. All fans that pre-order "Alien Beans" will automatically be entered in to a grab bag raffle where they can win a custom Ty Tabor guitar, handwritten lyrics, an exclusive Select-A-Head wall display, and Ty Tabor's personal Orange amplifier, among other prizes.
From the melodic instrumental album opener "Alien Beans" to the brooding lyrics of closer "Deeper Place", Ty combines his unique songwriting and sense of melody that made him famous in KING'S X with his individual vocal style. Songs like "Freight Train", "Johnny Guitar" and "Somebody Lied" showcase Ty's rockier side while "So Here's To You" and "This Time" show his softer sensibility.
On the subject of songwriting, Ty states: "When it comes to what I write for solo material, I don't really think about bands or anything like that. I just write music that makes me happy, and I've ended up with an album I really love!"
"Alien Beans" track listing:
Disc 1
01. Alien Beans02. Freight Train03. Johnny Guitar04. So Here's To You05. Back It Down06. Somebody Lied07. This Time08. Heavily Twisted09. Until This Day Is Done10. Deeper Place
Disc 2
01. 'Cause We Believed (Blame It)02. Free Yourself03. Ride04. Senseless Paranoia05. Money Mouth06. Fast Asleep07. Politician's Creed08. Play09. Bring It On Back10. Nobody Wins When Nobody Plays11. Change
Tabor burst on to the music scene 30 years ago when he partnered up with Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill to form KING'S X. The band released acclaimed albums together, including "Out Of The Silent Planet", "Gretchen Goes To Nebraska", "Faith Hope Love" and "Dogman". These records have been cited as influential by some of the biggest names in rock music today. Ty's love for recording and musical gear would eventually lead to him opening his own studio in Kansas City in 1996. In 1997, he released his first solo album, "Naomi's Solar Pumpkin", and much of that album would eventually become his second solo album, "Moonflower Lane". He has released seven solo albums to date as well as projects with his other side band, THE JELLY JAM. Ty spends his time between the studio and playing on the road with KING'S X.

Finnish alt-rockers THE RASMUS have released a Vesa Manninen-directed music video for their new single, "Silver Night". The track is the latest song to be made available from the band's long-awaited new album, "Dark Matters", which was released October 6 via Playground Music Scandinavia. The disc was produced by the Swedish team The Family (Iggy Azalea, FIFTH HARMONY). "The thinking behind our new songs was to create the kind of music we would like to listen to," THE RASMUS singer Lauri Ylönen explains. "We haven't abandoned our signature northern melancholy, but you can hear a wide range of influences in our new compositions.
"The new album is like a roller coaster with many different emotions and personal feelings. Our music is at times dark, speculative, melodic and sometimes even sad."
THE RASMUS released its first new single, "Paradise", in March after a five-year hiatus. The band also announced a PledgeMusic campaign, allowing access to an exclusive fan-only area, featuring album pre-order deals, updates from the band, behind-the-scenes footage and a variety of bonus content.
In 2012, after releasing three more albums, and multiple world tours, THE RASMUS members Ylönen, Pauli Rantasalmi, Eero Heinonen and Aki Hakala, took a break from their busy band schedule. During this period, Ylönen moved to Los Angeles, a change that resonates in many of the songs he has written since.

British rockers THE DARKNESS have released the official music video for the song "Happiness". The clip was created by Vitamin Pictures in Chicago, Illinois and was directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio.
Said THE DARKNESS frontman Justin Hawkins: "'Happiness' is about seeing only the golden sand and overlooking the broken glass. Hearing the waves crash and filtering out the grotesque cries of mating gulls. Smelling the distant odour of fresh chips and ignoring the stench of nearby dog shit. Happiness is a choice. Choose THE DARKNESS." "Happiness" is taken from THE DARKNESS's latest album, "Pinewood Smile", which came out on October 6. The disc finds THE DARKNESS on electrifying form, delivering some of the most sharp-witted, infectious and downright brilliant songs of their career, and was greeted with rave reviews, including four stars in issues of Q, Planet Rock and Mojo magazines.
THE DARKNESS guitarist Dan Hawkins (Justin's brother) told Portsmouths's The News that humor has always been an essential part of the band's DNA.
"My brother said it one day, 'We're at our best when we're right on the edge and you can't tell if we're being serious or not.' If it's all-out silliness and too jokey, then it's not us, so the guessing part is good. We play the same game — we can play the same song one night and feel really angry and full of attitude, and then the next we're laughing to ourselves."
Justin told the Press Association that it was important for THE DARKNESS to go on a three-year hiatus following the band's 2006 split.
"We were so busy back in the day that we never really had a chance to sit down and take stock of how we sounded and what we were going through — I think that's part of the reason why we had to have a break," he said.
"People assumed that we weren't coming back, and then when we came back, we didn't make enough impact for people to realize that we had done so, so that has been an issue for the last two albums."

By now, the story of teenage metal trio UNLOCKING THE TRUTH (who walked away from a seven-figure deal with Sony) is well known. After years of media excitement, late-night TV appearances, and breakout sets at Coachella and Bonnaroo, the band's debut album, "Chaos", was finally released independently last year. The Brooklyn, New York-based band is now back with a new music video for their latest single, "My Chains". The clip — directed by JP Brasca — cuts through much of the hype surrounding the group and shows a different side of the band.
"We wanted the video to show that UNLOCKING THE TRUTH has more to offer than just a good song," says guitarist/vocalist Malcolm Brickhouse. "The video and song both push the envelope for 'the norm' in metal music. It's fresh. It's new. It's 'My Chains'!"
The track is a soulful metal hybrid, co-produced by Brickhouse (and Kenta Yonesaka of Germano Studios in New York), who says: "The meaning of 'My Chains' will be different for everyone, but there's a line in the song for everyone. Think about it. We all have chains in life. It could be somebody or something we use as a crutch to help us get through life and loosen those chains."
UNLOCKING THE TRUTH is Malcolm Brickhouse (vocals/guitar) Alec Atkins (bass), and Jarad Dawkins (drums). Founding members Brickhouse and Dawkins met each other at a birthday party in 2005. Sharing similar tastes in music, they decided to create a band. As the metal duo's street performances started gaining attention, Brickhouse and Dawkins felt they needed a bassist but none of their friends were musicians, so they taught their pre-school friend, Alec Atkins, how to play the bass guitar from scratch. These street performances in Times Square and around New York City led to people recording and uploading videos of them to YouTube, which garnered a lot of attention through social media. The trio have since appeared on national television, including NBC's "The Tonight Show", ABC's "The View", CNN, Fuse, BET, Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" and more. In 2014, they were the youngest group to perform at Coachella. They've performed at the Afropunk Fest, SXSW and were the youngest band to play at the 2014 Vans Warped Tour. They have also performed at the high-profile music festivals Heavy Montreal and Bonnaroo. The trio have supported music legends such as GUNS N' ROSES, MOTÖRHEAD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, LIVING COLOUR, MARILYN MANSON and more while also earning spots in commercials for Airheads, AT&T, Beats by Dr. Dre, Maybelline and Verizon. In 2014 the band signed a contract for five albums with Sony Music Entertainment, but in 2015, they successfully negotiated their release from the contract. Their full-length debut album, "Chaos", was released on June 17, 2016 via TuneCore, and a feature-length documentary film about the band, titled "Breaking A Monster", came out in 2016.
Photo credit: Chinx Photography

The official lyric video for the song "Radio Starlight" from FREEDOM CALL founder and frontman Chris Bay can be seen below. The track is taken from Bay's first solo album, "Chasing The Sun", which will be released on February 23, 2018 via Steamhammer/SPV.
It's a well-known predicament that Bay shares with many other composers: occasionally, his wealth of inspiration goes beyond the stylistic and thematic scope of his own band.
"I permanently write songs and am constantly working on ideas in the studio," he explains. "That's why I've collected a whole lot of tracks over the years that on the one hand don't really suit FREEDOM CALL and on the other are just too good to gather dust in my archive." The solution to his "luxury" problem: "Chasing The Sun", committing himself in his very own, unmistakable way to the music that has inspired him since the very early days of his career. And although the songs on the album were created over a long period of time, Bay produced the whole material in spring 2017 at his own studio.
Which must be one of the reasons why "Chasing The Sun" — despite the diversity of the individual tracks — sounds cohesive. Alongside a number of rock songs in characteristic Chris Bay style, he has skilfully blended in modern sound elements on the opening track "Flying Hearts", added Wurlitzer piano touches, which bring to mind the currently trendy 1970s, on "Hollywood Dancer" and risked a song with a slow shuffle groove, a consciously dark atmosphere and an avant-garde flair in "Where Waters Flow In Heaven".
In stark contrast to this is the first single release "Radio Starlight", with its obvious airplay potential, which will be released digitally on December 1 and to which there will be also a video clip, which triggers with tantalizing images wanderlust and will definitely makes you hungry for more.
This title once again underscores the boundless ease with which Bay moves in his world of music. As the album title "Chasing the Sun" already suggests, Bay casually processed the desires and wishes that probably each of us holds in this dark season.. sun, freedom, warmth and harmony ... a "summer hit" in winter, a matter of interpretation.

"Anunnaki - Patterns Of Light", the new video from the Los Angeles progressive rock group PERFECT BEINGS, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Vier", which will be released on January 19, 2018 via InsideOut Music. The band's current lineup includes Ryan Hurtgen (vocals, piano), Johannes Luley (guitar, bass, production) and Jesse Nason (keyboards) alongside new drummer Sean Reinert (ex-CYNIC, DEATH).
"Vier" track listing:
Guedra - 18:23
01. A New Pyramid02. The Blue Lake Of Understanding03. Patience04. Enter The Center
The Golden Arc - 16:47
05. The Persimmon Tree06. Turn The World Off07. America08. For A Pound Of Flesh
Vibrational - 18:17
09. The System And Beyond10. Mysteries, Not Answers11. Altars Of The Gods12. Everywhere At Once13. Insomnia
Anunnaki - 18:42
14. Lord Wind15. Patterns Of Light16. A Compromise17. Hissing The Wave Of The Dragon18. Everything's Falling Apart
Hurtgen originally met Luley as a client in Luley's Los Angeles-based recording studio My Sonic Temple. Luley, who was instantly impressed with his personality, song-crafting skills, and voice, asked Hurtgen to join him on a new project. This new group was going to continue the path Luley's former band MOTH VELLUM had set out on. The two became fast friends and soon put together a full band which would also include founding member Jesse Nason on keyboards. After releasing "Perfect Beings" (2014) and "II" (2015) to critical acclaim, a few personnel changes occurred that left the band without a rhythm section. The guys decided they wouldn’t be deterred, even by such a major setback. Instead, they hired Minneapolis transplant Ben Levin to play the drums on their next album, with Luley taking over the bass spot in addition to playing guitars. The result is the exhilarating double album, "Vier". As the group got closer to completing the record, they approached InsideOut, whose label chief Thomas Waber had shown interest a couple of years earlier. The parties agreed to join forces and release the record in early 2018. Levin dropped out and progressive rock drumming phenom Sean Reinert joined the band to add even more life force to an already powerful and highly skilled group.
PERFECT BEINGS 2017 is:
Ryan Hurtgen - vocals, pianoJohannes Luley - guitars, bassJesse Nason - keyboardsSean Reinert - drums, percussion

ESCAPE THE FATE's sixth full-length album, "I Am Human", will be released on February 16, 2018 via Better Noise Records.
A lyric video for the track "Do You Love Me", taken from "I Am Human", can be seen below.
"I Am Human" sees ESCAPE THE FATE at its most raw, real, and relatable. Helmed by Grammy Award-nominated super producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, IN FLAMES, ALL THAT REMAINS), this record sees an evolution of ESCAPE THE FATE's sound that brings the band back to the excitement of their roots.
"We're getting older, and we're changing — so our music should change with us," singer Craig Mabbitt says. "At the same time, we rediscovered what made us who we are. I felt like I was 17 years old again. I haven't been this excited to release something since I first joined the band and we put out 'This War Is Ours'."
"I Am Human" track listing:
01. Beautifully Tragic02. Broken Heart03. Four Letter Word04. I Will Make It Up To You05. Bleed For Me06. Do You Love Me07. I Am Human08. If Only09. Empire10. Recipe For Disaster11. Riot12. Digging My Own Grave13. Resistance14. Let Me Be
ESCAPE THE FATE will be touring throughout Europe in January and February 2018.
Photo credit: Sean Edwards

Myles Kennedy, one of rock music's most distinct voices, will release his debut solo album, "Year Of The Tiger", on March 9, 2018 via Napalm Records.
The acclaimed singer/songwriter known for his work with ALTER BRIDGE as well as SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS recently completed the highly anticipated record, which is available for pre-order in various bundle configurations at this location. The effort was helmed by ALTER BRIDGE's longtime producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette.
On "Year Of The Tiger", Kennedy embarks on his first venture as a solo artist by embracing musical elements and influences he hasn't explored until this point in his career. His appreciation for the blues and acoustic based music can be heard throughout the 12-song concept record inspired by the loss of his father when he was a child.
The multi-instrumentalist played lap steel, mandolin, banjo and bass in addition to the guitar on the record. This shift in instrumentation helped create a new sonic canvas that some might consider a departure from the high gain wall of sound Kennedy has been associated with. Examples of this can be heard throughout the record, from the hypnotic drone of the title track, to the intricate finger style approach of "Haunted By Design" and "Ghost Of Shangri La".
"Year Of The Tiger" is a personal story framed in a new context from an artist willing to take chances. It's also a story that took decades to summon up the courage to tell.
"Year Of The Tiger" track listing:
01. Year Of The Tiger02. The Great Beyond03. Blind Faith04. Devil On The Wall05. Ghost of Shangri La06. Turning Stones07. Haunted By Design08. Mother09. Nothing But A Name10. Love Can Only Heal11. Songbird12. One Fine Day
"Year Of The Tiger" was described by Kennedy in a recent interview with Metal Wani as "probably the closest thing to a full-on concept record that I've ever written. I mean, the story is congruent throughout the entire... It basically tells a story from start to finish, and it documents when my father passed away when I was a kid and basically what happened after that with my mom, my brother and I — it tells that story," he said. "So it's a full-on concept from start to finish."
"Year Of The Tiger" is actually the second solo album Kennedy recorded, having previously completed a full-length record's worth of material over a several-year period beginning in 2009. Although that album was mixed in early 2016, Myles "decided not to move forward" with the project because "I'm kind of a firm believer that songs can have a shelf life with an artist," he told Metal Wani. "And what happened was I'd been chipping away at the solo record for quite a while when I had time. Obviously, I was very busy playing with ALTER BRIDGE and touring with that, but in my spare time, I was chipping away at this record, so when I actually documented it and finished it, I had to step back and look at it with a fresh perspective and say, 'You know what? You've gotta be honest with yourself as a writer. Is this where you are now? No. And is this what you want to represent where you are now? No.' That was a hard decision for me to make, because there was a lot of work that went into it. Not just work, but time and money, and I just felt like, regardless of that, I had to scrap and start over. So I started writing again late last year, early this year, and, fortunately, I had plenty of ideas to draw from."
Kennedy eventually wrote a fresh batch of music for "Year Of The Tiger" but ended up "totally re-recording" one song from his scrapped first solo album. "I basically just used the demo [version of the track] and rebuilt around it," he said. "So a few people [close to me] were happy to hear that, 'cause it was one of their favorites from that record. The content suited the record that I just completed, the 'Year Of The Tiger' record, perfectly, so it definitely will see the light of day this time."
Asked how "Year Of The Tiger" compares to the musical direction of Kennedy's abandoned first solo disc, he said: "'Year Of The Tiger' definitely has much more of a blues-based vibe. Though I started the first record wanting to keep it more acoustically based… Sometimes you get in a studio and you have all these… With multi-tracking, with Pro Tools and all the toys available, it's kind of like the sky is the limit as far as what you do from a production standpoint. So songs that started out very acoustic-based and very stripped down then grew into something different. So what I tried to be very aware of on 'Year Of The Tiger', and Elvis as well, my producer, was to kind of tie our hands and keep things limited as far as how many tracks we could use. We went straight to tape for the majority of the record. So it was really just the idea of 'less is more' and trying to take that approach to making the album."
Saying that "Year Of The Tiger" sounds like "Myles Kennedy," the ALTER BRIDGE frontman went on to reiterate that people "who've heard it have commented that there's definitely more of a blues-based vibe on it. The instrumentation is certainly somewhat of a departure. I tried to veer away from any sort of high-gain wall of sound. There's plenty of resonator guitar, mandolin… there's even banjo, a lot of lap steel. So it's definitely different from what I've done."
"Year Of The Tiger" will feature a guest appearance by drummer Zia Uddin of THE MAYFIELD FOUR, a group Myles descries as his "first real national touring band" back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
ALTER BRIDGE is continuing to tour in support of its fifth album, "The Last Hero", which came out in 2016.
The group is expected to take most of 2018 off from the road while the bandmembers focus on other projects.
Writing for the follow-up to "The Last Hero" will begin next year, with tentative plans to release the effort in 2019.

Swedish black metal band Grafvitnir have announced the December 15th Carnal Records release of new album Keys To The Mysteries Beyond. A promo video for the album's opening track, "Nidhögg," is available below.

The driving force behind the band is, and has always been, Occultism and the never-ending quest for the enigmatic emerald of Lucifer. Just like razor sharp claws of a Werewolf move and twists against whirling moonlit Night Skies, the ice-cold blades of Occultism will tear the illusion of the demiurg's false Creation apart and fiercely widen the cracks and crevices to the ancient kingdom of Beyond. 

With the band's fifth album, Grafvitnir are back from the frostbitten shadows of Scandinavia to eternally ignite the concealed spiritual Fire of the descendants of the Serpent, and to obtain the ancient Keys To The Mysteries Beyond.

Tracklisting:

“Nidhögg”
“Keys To The Mysteries Beyond”
“Vargavinter”
“Crossing The Abyss”
“Eternity’s Glistening Black”
“Journey Into Storms”
“Unleash The Storm Of Nothingness”
“Eye Of Lucifer”
“Whispers Of The Primordial Sea”
“Glimpses Of The Unseeable”

“Nidhögg”:

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released a lyric video for its cover verion of "Gone Away", originally recorded by THE OFFSPRING in 1997. The track is the second single from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's compilation album, "A Decade Of Destruction", which is being released today (Friday, December 1).
In other news, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is celebrating the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) platinum certifications of its "American Capitalist" (2011) and "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell, Vol. 1" (2013) albums.
"War Is The Answer", the band's 2009 album, and its hit single "Bad Company" previously went platinum in 2016 and 2013, respectively.
The first single from "A Decade Of Destruction", a brand new song called "Trouble", has already seen great success as it hit #1 on the iTunes Metal and top 5 positions on the Rock charts around the globe. Additionally, the song has racked up over two million streams worldwide in just a few weeks making it the band's biggest streaming debut for a lead track.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has amassed a total of over two billion streams worldwide to date and is currently overseas co-headlining this fall's biggest European arena rock tour with IN FLAMES and special guest OF MICE & MEN. The tour is headed over to Germany, Austria, Spain Belgium and Holland next before concluding at Wembley Arena in London, U.K. on December 21, just in time for the holidays.
Drummer Jeremy Spencer told Razor 94.7 that he was unsure about doing a greatest-hits LP at first, saying, "I was, like, 'Do we even have enough hits?' And then we looked and we have, like, thirteen or fifteen radio hits. It just seems like it just started, even though it's been ten years. We're always wrapped up in our vacuum, in our cocoon of our daily life, so you don't pay attention to that stuff. And now we're, like, 'We have a greatest hits.' And the label thought it was the right time, so we were, like, 'Cool. Let's put some new songs on it, though.' We don't wanna make… 'Cause people can pretty much… You know, they have the records already. But now this is a cool package with different stuff on it. The artwork's really rad. It's cool."
The hits collection and an already-completed new studio album are part of a deal to settle a legal dispute and close out the band's contract with its label, Prospect Park.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's seventh full-length LP, which was finished a year ago, will follow up 2015's "Got Your Six" and will be released in spring 2018.

"Resurrection", the new album from legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker's MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST project, will be released on March 2, 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The disc, which was produced by Michael Voss-Schön, was recorded in four different locations over a five-month period and features guest appearances by METALLICA's Kirk Hammett, Wayne Findlay and Michael Voss-Schön along with contributions from three original MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) singers — Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley — plus Doogie White, who plays with Michael in MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK. Also appearing on the album are musicians Steve Mann (guitars, keyboards), Ted McKenna (drums) and Chris Glen (bass).
The official video for MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST's new digital single, "Warrior", featuring impressions of the studio recording process, can be seen below.
"Warrior" is one of two album tracks on which all of the four lead singers appear. It was composed by Schenker while the lyrics were written by Michael Voss-Schön.
"When Michael Voss-Schön showed me his lyrical and vocals ideas, it instantly came to my mind that all four singers should be involved," Michael Schenker looks back and adds: "I'm really fascinated by the result. It's really interesting how the different voices complement each other. 'Warrior' is really heavy but at the same time ear-friendly and catchy!"
"Michael Schenker played the basic riff of the track to me and I immediately had the expression 'Warrior' pop into my mind," says Michael Voss-Schön. "On the next day, the first raw version of the song was created; my vision was to let the four voices sound like the four musketeers!"
According to Schenker, "Resurrection" contains all brand new songs, including "Warrior", which he previously described as "really, really good and really powerful."
The studio album will follow the release of "Michael Schenker Fest Tokyo", a concert recording filmed in August 2016 at Tokyo, Japan's International Forum, which was made available this past March via Inakustik.
"It was so funny when [Gary, Graham and Robin] all had to sing their lines and we were shooting behind-the-scenes footage, to see them how they get on," Michael recalled. "You can actually see it on the ['Michael Schenker Fest Tokyo'] DVD already, but it just continues to be as if these people have been together forever."
Michael added that he is celebrating his music career and life itself with MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST. "It seems like everybody's celebrating their life and their career at the same time," he said. "But it's all the most popular music of Michael Schenker, and the best I can do at the moment is to have Gary and Graham and Robin and now [with the addition of] Doogie White."

Frontiers Music Srl has just released the new album from PRETTY BOY FLOYD, titled "Public Enemies".
The official music video for the song "Feel The Heat" can be seen below. "Public Enemies" is exactly what'd you expect from these seasoned Sunset Strip veterans — a fun record meant to be played at maximum volume to help you forget about your worries, of which we all have plenty these days. PRETTY BOY FLOYD's Kristy Majors says: "Staying loyal to our 1980s roots, 'Public Enemies' is a true follow-up to the classic 'Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz'." Not too long ago, when rock was about having a good time, letting your hair down and creating chaos and anarchy, four guys got together in Hollywood and formed a band. New York City guitarist Kristy Majors hooked up with West Coast frontman Steve Summers and laid the foundation for their dream band. They worked, wrote songs and played and played and played. The band chose the name PRETTY BOY FLOYD because it seemed to describe them — four tough teens armed with guitar licks and teenage angst who set out to conquer the world.
As the new millennium rolled in, new music fans began to wonder what they had missed back in the heyday of '80s and early '90s sleaze rock. A whole new breed of young fans who weren't born when the band first emerged began to discover their music. The original fans from back in the day and the new fans found common ground — a love of PRETTY BOY FLOYD's music, sleazy shows, and fun times. Never mind what the critics think, or what trends may have come and gone. Having outlasted many of the critics who cried "they'll never make it," PRETTY BOY FLOYD continues to record and tour the world winning over news fans both young and old. "Public Enemies" track listing:
01. S.A.T.A.02. Feel The Heat03. High School Queen04. Girls All Over The World05. American Dream06. We Can't Bring Back Yesterday07. We Got The Power08. Do Ya Wanna Rock09. Run For Your Life10. Shock The World11. Paint It On12. 7 Minutes In Heaven13. Star Chaser14. So Young So Bad PRETTY BOY FLOYD is:
Kristy Majors - Guitar, Background VocalsSteve Summers - Lead VocalsJK Famous - Bass, Background VocalsJimmy Mess - Drums, Background Vocals