According to an update from Bay Area thrash legends Death Angel, recordings for their ninth studio album are well underway...

A post shared by Death Angel (@deathangelofficial) on Oct 2, 2018 at 12:47pm PDT

Exodus return to Europe in November and December to headlline the 2018 edition of the MTV Headbangers Ball Tour, which will lead them through 17 cities and venues in nine countries. The outstanding lineup will be completed by newly restructured Ruhr Area thrash heroes Sodom, US metal act Death Angel, plus Greek underground champions Suicidal Angels. Watch a video message from Death Angel below:

Exodus frontman Zetro commented: "We are absolutely excited about coming to Europe for MTV's Headbangers Ball Tour in late November, and in December! Europe has always been considered our second home and our tour this summer was amazing, from all the festivals, to the headlining shows, horns way up to all those who attended, and all of you we will see when we come back across the pond once again! And what a great line up: Suicidal Angels, our brothers from the Bay Area, Death Angel, Germany’s Sodom, and Exodus! I can hardly wait for this metal onslaught! See you maniacs in the pit!!!!!"  

Tour dates:

November
30 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser

December
1 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Hala Euronics
2 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
3 - Wroclaw, Poland - A2
4 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
5 - Tilburg, Netherlands - O13
6 - London, England  - The Electric Ballroom
7 - Oberhausen, Germany - Ruhrpott Metal Meeting
8 - Geiselwind, Germany - Christmas Bash
9 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
10 - Ravensburg, Germany - Oberschwabenhalle
11 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
12 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
13 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Rockfabrik
15 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks
16 - Munich, Germany - Backstage

For more information go to this location.

A new three-minute video in which "Mr. Robot"'s Rami Malek talks about how he prepared to play QUEEN lead singer Freddie Mercury, the iconic British vocal artist known for his extravagant performance style and his incredible vocal range, in 20th Century Fox's QUEEN biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" can be seen below.

In the featurette, Malek revealed that he spent more than two days over the course of the production just trying on costumes to become Mercury.

"We had about 50 hours of costume fittings, with heels that were four-inch platforms, the tightest-fitting satin pants, an entire Lycra outfit," he said.

"When you dress as Freddie, it makes every day feel like it's going to be a good time."

b>Malek also worked extra hard to capture the way Freddie moved, explaining: "You don't want to mimic Freddie; you want to be able to understand why he did what he did. I needed a movement coach."

Due in theaters on November 2, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a foot-stomping celebration of QUEEN, the band's music and Mercury, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury's lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illness, leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music — in the process cementing the legacy of a band that were always more like a family, and who continue to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.

Greg Brooks, QUEEN's official archivist, was part of this process and he worked with the band and the movie production team on a daily basis for months to recreate every tiny detail of each scene and to make it as authentic as possible.

"My role was to give the Fox 'props' team access to authentic QUEEN tapes, notes, handwriting, memorabilia, costumes and photographs — anything and everything remotely useful — which they could then create replicas of, to dress various sets," Brooks said.

"Like QUEEN, the Fox team were obsessed with detail; getting every aspect of every scene perfectly right. With costume, for example, they didn't just cover the basics; it meant sourcing precisely the right pair of blue denim jeans for 1972, with the correct belt, socks and footwear. And thus, from us, they needed every photograph we had of QUEEN relaxing off stage. 'What photos do you have of Roger's socks, Greg?' is the type of question that came at me, and that wasn't even one of the strangest," he added.

"Working on this project with such a brilliant gathering of dedicated talented people was a rare privilege. Fox have created a QUEEN universe that is scarily convincing. It is real in every way that it could reasonably be."

According to Screen Rant, Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Whishaw were set to play Freddie Mercury at different stages in the movie's development, prior to Malek's casting. Cohen's vision for the film was reportedly very "adult" in tone and clashed with what the surviving members of QUEEN had in mind, leading to the actor's departure.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" began production with "X-Men" director Bryan Singer behind the camera, but the filmmaker was fired from the movie after he disappeared from set and caused production delays. Dexter Fletcher, best known for making "Eddie the Eagle", stepped in to replace Singer in the director's chair.

To celebrate 25 years of unparalleled influence, SKUNK ANANSIE has announced the release of a new live album, "[email protected]", showcasing their incomparable live presence over a career-spanning collection, to be released on January 25, 2019 via Republic Of Music.


Featuring recordings of the band's incendiary live sets over the years, and sequenced as one unique concert set by Jeremy Wheatley, a longtime collaborator with the band, "[email protected]" is both a celebration of SKUNK's unmatchable career and their importance as a musical and cultural force. Their exhilarating live shows are a hurricane of energy, noise and personality, an exhortation to become part of something much bigger that's impossible to resist.


Along with the announcement, the band have shared a brand new video for their 1996 hit single "Weak". In theme with the album, it features a collage of live footage from various stadiums, arenas, festivals and clubs they have performed at during their remarkable career, capturing the extraordinary spirit of SKUNK ANANSIE's live shows.


Formed in 1994, the band exuded a strong sense of individuality from the start, shunning the Britpop mould of white 20-something men with guitars for a glorious mix of race, gender, sexuality, culture and music influences. Untethered by any scene allegiances, they powered ahead, forming their own wild sound and image: agile, gritty, politically-charged "clit rock"; a throw-away term coined by Skin.


As a black female singer, it was hard to get accepted in many ways," says Skin. "And then I was onstage, doing exactly what I envisioned in my dreams. And I felt for the first time that I was accepted."


"London in the 1990s was a mish-mash of people," adds guitarist Ace, "But bands weren't — it was always four blokes with identical haircuts. We were a band of people who were real. That's why we were radical."


Their notorious live presence earned them a record deal on just their second gig, and later on saw them become the first international multi-racial band to tour South Africa, where they played three sold-out arena shows. Their first Glastonbury slot came just over a year since formation, and only four years later the band were invited back to headline the festival.


Establishing themselves as one of the most unique rock bands of the past three decades, their career has seen them score numerous Top 40 singles and Top 10 albums, sell millions of albums around the world, share stages with David Bowie and U2, and sing "Happy Birthday" to Nelson Mandela with Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Michael Jackson.


While scenes rise and fall, and sounds come and go, outsiders like SKUNK ANANSIE have continued to enjoy a special kind of longevity, standing the test of time as a thrillingly singular act, enjoying a spectacular international career as trailblazing, multi-platinum-selling, award-winning Brit rockers.


Twenty-five years after they exploded from the backrooms of London, SKUNK ANANSIE are more potent and more essential than they've ever been.


"Everything that is good that has come out of SKUNK ANANSIE has come out of being a live band," says drummer Mark Richardson. "We've always thought that nobody could defeat us. 'Come on, try and beat us. You won't.'"


"We come alive onstage," agrees bassist Cass. "That's where we bare our teeth."


And "[email protected]" is a living, breathing, in-your-face document, proving that there is and always will be only one SKUNK ANANSIE.


"[email protected]" track listing:

01. Charlie Big Potato

02. Intellectualise My Blackness

03. Because Of You

04. I Can Dream

05. Charity

06. My Love Will Fall

07. Death To The Lovers

08. Twisted

09. My Ugly Boy

10. Weak

11. Hedonism

12. I Hope You Get To Meet Your Hero

13. Love Someone Else

14. This Is Not A Game

15. God Only Loves You

16. (Can't Get By) Without You

17. Secretly

18. Over The Love

19. Spit You Out

20. Yes It's Fucking Political

21. Selling Jesus

22. Little Baby Swastikkka

23. Tear The Place Up

24. Squander

25. You Saved Me

26. You'll Follow Me Down (bonus track)


The album can be pre-ordered in a variety of collector's editions — signed deluxe CD, colored vinyl box-set, a deluxe multi-format bundle, on cassette, with exclusive merchandise and more.

The Graham Bonnet Band has released a live video for "Long Island Tea", a track from their new album Meanwhile, Back In The Garage. Watch the clip below, and order the album on CD/LP/MP3 here, and on Limited Edition 2xLP Silver Colored 180g Vinyl here.

This new studio album offers 13 new songs where Bonnet lays down his inimitable vocals over a selection of tunes full of great hooks and melodies. Includes a bonus live DVD captured at a Live From Daryl’s House (yes, THAT Daryl of Hall & Oates) performance in early 2018.

Tracklisting:

CD:
"Meanwhile, Back In The Garage"
"The Hotel"
"Livin’ In Suspicion"
"Incest Outcest U.S.A."
"Long Island Tea"
"The House"
"Sea Of Trees"
"Man On The Corner"
"We Don’t Need Another Hero"
"America…Where Have You Gone?"
"Heading Toward The Light"
"Past Lives"
"The Crying Chair"
"Starcarr Lane" (Live From Daryl’s House 2018)

DVD (Live From Daryl’s House 2018):
"Night Of The Shooting Star" (Intro)
"Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live"
"All Night Long"
"Night Games"
"California Air"
"God Blessed Video"
"Stand In Line"
"Island In The Sun"
"Desert Song"
"Starcarr Lane"
"Jet To Jet"
"S.O.S."
"Into The Night"
"Samurai"
"Skyfire"
"Since You Been Gone"
"Assault Attack"
"Eyes Of The World"
"Hiroshima Mon Amour"
"Lost In Hollywood"

Recorded & Produced by: Jimmy Waldo & Giles Lavery
Mixed & Mastered by: Andy Haller

"Long Island Tea" live video:

"Livin’ In Suspicion" video:

"Sea Of Trees":

"Meanwhile, Back In The Garage":

Lineup:

Graham Bonnet - Vocals
Kurt James - Guitars
Beth-Ami Heavenstone - Bass
Jimmy Waldo - Keys
Mark Benquechea - Drums

Finnish cinematic metal band Dark Sarah have released a video for "Golden Moth", featured on their new album, The Golden Moth, out now via Inner Wound Recordings. Watch the clip below.

The Golden Moth is the last part of the first Dark Sarah trilogy (The Chronicles). The trilogy tells about Dark Sarah's travel through three worlds: The Middle World (Behind The Black Veil album), The Underworld (The Puzzle album) and The Upper World (The Golden Moth album).

On The Golden Moth album Dark Sarah has to face the final test and find her way to the gods in the Upper World. After she had solved the puzzle in The Underworld and found the three keys, the Iron birds came there for her and took her to the Upper World, a deserted waste land where the gods rule. But also a trespasser, The Dragon,  came with her. In the heat of the desert they meet again and there is something The Dragon wants from her.

JP Leppäluoto (Charon) has joined the official lineup as The Dragon for the upcoming album. Also in the roles of The Gods you will hear featuring artists as Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus In Musica) and Marco Hietala (Nightwish).

The Golden Moth tracklisting:

"Desert Rose"
"Trespasser"
"Wheel"
"My Beautiful Enemy"
"I Once Had Wings"
"Pirates"
"Sky Sailing"
"Wish"
"The Gods Speak"
"Promise"
"Golden Moth"
"The Gate Of Time"

"Golden Moth" video:

"Sky Sailing" video:

"The Gods Speak" lyric video:

"Trespasser" video:

Album preview:

Dark Sarah official lineup:

Heidi Parviainen (as Dark Sarah) - vocals
JP Leppäluoto (as Dragon) - vocals
Erkka Korhonen - guitar
Sami Salonen - guitar
Rude Rothstén - bass
Thomas Tunkkari - drums

On the heels of their massive, sprawling Permian, The Ocean Collective is unleashing another piece of their highly anticipated upcoming album: "Devonian: Nascent" makes its debut today. Check it out below.

Proving again why they are one of the most respected groups in the contemporary prog-metal world, "Devonian" takes a completely different turn than their previous single, in part due to the vocals of Jonas Renkse, of Swedish metal giants Katatonia. The collaboration has long been in the making, explains Renkse:

"Robin approached me for a guest spot already in 2005, and I really wanted to be part, but at that time we were in the studio ourselves recording The Great Cold Distance, so I felt I had too much on my mind. We have met after that and talked a little about doing something and now it finally happened. 'Devonian: Nascent' became a mammoth track without ever losing its initial melancholy."

Adds The Ocean Collective mastermind, Robin Staps: "We sent Jonas the track, and what we got back as a 'demo' was almost identical with what ended up as the final version on the record. Jonas has a perfect and intuitive understanding of our music, there was no need to explain anything. He came up with his own vocal parts and lyrics, and everything just fit perfectly from the start. Katatonia's The Great Cold Distance was an important album for me and for The Ocean, it was one of the first albums where heavy, low-tuned guitars and clean vocals next to one another were actually working out for me, personally. It was an album that made me reconsider my opinion about clean vocals in metal, and that forged my own desire to look for a vocalist for The Ocean who could also deliver cleans."

The band recently released a first vlog in support of the new album. Watch below:

The Ocean marks their rebirth with "Permian," a nine-minute epic about The Great Dying. Explains guitarist and primary songwriter Robin Staps, "About 90% of all life on Earth was wiped out during this mass extinction event at the end of the Permian period, 250 million years ago. The most probable scenario is that The Great Dying was caused by increased volcanic activity inducing a global warming of about five degrees, which led to widespread ocean anoxia and the release of large amounts of methane gas from shallow seabeds into the atmosphere. This fast release of methane, a greenhouse gas, caused even further warming."

All of this occurred long before humanity appeared on the map, yet the effects of this global warming cannot be ignored. Says Robin, "There is no reason to assume that the results of the current human-caused warming would not be, at best, similarly devastating. The same increase in global temperatures that happened over the course of at least 150,000 years at the end of the Permian is likely to happen in just a few hundred years now. Looking at the five mass extinction events during the Phanerozoic eon reminds us that even without human impact, Earth has the power and potential to wipe out humanity in its entirety, at any given moment in time."

Ebbs and flows of proggy melodies, crushing guitars, swelling strings and powerful vocals match the heavy lyrical themes The Ocean Collective has made its signature. Phanerozoic I is now available for preorder, along with meticulously designed merch bundles, something for which they've become known, and will be released November 2nd via Metal Blade Records (CD / digital) and the band's own Pelagic Records (vinyl). Pre-order at Metal Blade Records.

Tracklisting:

“The Cambrian Explosion”
“Cambrian II: Eternal Recurrence”
“Ordovicium: The Glaciation Of Gondwana”
“Silurian: Age Of Sea Scorpions”
“Devonian: Nascent”
“The Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse”
“Permian: The Great Dying”

“Permian: The Great Dying”:

U.S. doom lords Northern Crown will release their self-titled sophomore album on October 12th. The band has sharpened the approach on the forthcoming full-length, combining more dirty rock organ and chunky guitar riffs with their trademark doom-isms. Following up on their debut album The Others, their self-titled sophomore release maintains the smoke and mirrors of the first EP In The Hands of The Betrayer but leans more in the direction of the first record and the band's oldest rock influences - Dio, Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. New track "Righteous & Pure" is streaming below.

Northern Crown handled mixing on their own again, but brought in the mastering talents of Tony Lindgren from Sweden's Fascination Street Studios (Witchcraft, Enslaved, Amorphis) for the final touches. Artwork by prolific artist Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia, Death) captures the album's winding atmosphere, rounding out the release.

Reflecting the uncertainty of the dark times we exist in at the moment, Northern Crown tackles the difficult subject of how well we really know ourselves and how that shapes what we do and become. Echoing their previous releases' indulgent 10-minute+ epics, the track, "The Desert and The Wind," nods to the prog-heads, while the band also includes a glowing tribute to My Dying Bride with a full cover of "Your River." The record also introduces a lineup change, with vocalist and guitarist Frank Serafine handling drums. Weaponlord's mighty Leona Hayward returns on bass, backing Zachary Randall's guitar alchemy and harsh vocals. Solos from Nightfall/Dark Hound lead shred-monster Evan Hensley punctuate the record.

Tracklisting:

“I Am Your Slave”
“Merciless, They Let You Suffer”
“Forged From Nothing”
“Chasing The Sun”
“The Desert And The Wind”
“Righteous & Pure”
“By Demons Bidden”
“Your River”

"Righteous & Pure":

Northern Crown by Northern Crown

On November 30th, Metal Blade will release a 30th Anniversary Edition of one of the most popular Riot albums, Thundersteel. Originally released in 1988, the album is getting the full Metal Blade treatment including a bonus DVD with exclusive footage.

Surf over to EMP, or the Metal Blade eBay store to secure your copies. The following formats are available:

- 2-Digi-CD/DVD
- 180g black vinyl
- pale thistle grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- midnight blue purple marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear lavender marbled (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- opaque violet marbled (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- picture disc (limited to 500 copies)

Tracklisting

CD:

"Thundersteel"
"Fight Or Fall"
"Sign Of The Crimson Storm"
"Flight Of The Warrior"
"On Wings Of Eagles"
"Johnny's Back"
"Bloodstreets"
"Run For Your Life"
"Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)"
"Bloodstreets" - Alternate Ending Version
"Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)" - Alternate version
"On Wings Of Eagles" - Live 1988
"Flight Of The Warrior" - Live 1988
"Johnny's Back" - Live 1988
"Thundersteel" - Live 1988

Remastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in January 2017. Additional work in September 2018

DVD:

1. Thundersteel Live in Halletsville, Texas, 1988

"Fight Or Fall"
"Fire Down Under"
"Sign Of The Crimson Storm"
"On Wings Of Eagles"
"Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart)"
"Flight Of The Warrior"
"Outlaw"
"Bloodstreets"
"Run For Your Life"
Drum Solo
"Johnny's Back"
"Swords And Tequila" / Blues Jam
Guitar Solo
"Thundersteel"

2. Thundersteel Anniversary Shows (recorded October 24th and 25th, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan)

"Narita"
"Fight Of Fall"
"Sign Of The Crimson Storm"
"Swords And Tequila"
"Dance Of Death"
"Warrior"
"Flight Of The Warrior"
"Thundersteel"
Documentary & Interview footage with Masa Itoh, Japan 1989

3. Production Videos

"Bloodstreets"
"Born in America"
"Restless Breed"

Australia’s Caligula's Horse released their fourth studio album, In Contact, last September via InsideOut Music. The album can be ordered on CD and 2LP+CD (including exclusive colored versions) here. A new video for the album track “The Hands Are The Hardest” is available for streaming below.

Jim Grey (vocalist) comments: “'The Hands Are The Hardest’ is one of my favourite tunes from In Contact - it was the first we completed for that album and for that reason it holds a special place in my heart. The story of struggle within this song resonates with me personally, so it only felt right to make this tune a focus for our first headline tour in Europe, the biggest tour we’ve ever embarked upon. We’re taking a 27-show journey across Europe, and night after night we’ll be sharing this song’s story with all of our people - it’s going to be something truly special.”

Find the band's tour itinerary here.

Tracklisting:

“Dream The Dead”
“Will's Song (Let The Colours Run)”
“The Hands Are The Hardest”
“Love Conquers All”
“Songs For No One”
“Capulet”
“Fill My Heart”
“Inertia And The Weapon Of The Wall”
“The Cannon's Mouth”
“Graves”

“The Hands Are The Hardest”:

“Songs For No One” video:

“Will's Song (Let the Colours Run)”:

Florida death metal legends Hate Eternal will release their new album, Upon Desolate Sands, on October 26th via Season Of Mist. Pre-order the album via the following links, and listen to the new song "All Hope Destroyed" below.

- North America
- Europe
- Bandcamp

The album artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (Testament, Atheist).

Tracklisting:

"The Violent Fury"
"What Lies Beyond"
"Vengeance Striketh"
"Nothingness Of Being"
"All Hope Destroyed"
"Portal Of Myriad"
"Dark Age Of Ruin"
"Upon Desolate Sands"
"For Whom We Have Lost"

"All Hope Destroyed":

"Nothingness Of Being":

"What Lies Beyond":

Catch Hate Eternal live with Cannibal Corpse this winter in the US. The tour will run from November 2nd through December 6th with additional support provided by Harm's Way.

Dates:

November
2 - The Music Farm - Columbia, SC
3 - Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
4 - Shaka's Live - Norfolk, VA
5 - Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA
7 - Higher Ground - Burlington, VT
8 - Fete - Providence, RI
9 - White Eagle Hall - Jersey City, NJ
10 - Anthology - Rochester, NY
11 - Skully's - Columbus, OH
13 - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, MI
14 - Civic Music Hall - Toledo, OH
15 - The Castle Theater - Bloomington, IL
16 - Durty Nelly's - Palatine, IL
17 - The Majestic Theater - Madison, WI
18 - Wooly's - Des Moines, IA
20 - The Waiting Room - Omaha, NE
21 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
23 - House of Rock - Corpus Christi, TX
24 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
25 - The Varsity Theater - Baton Rouge, LA
27 - Cosmic Charlies - Lexington, KY
28 - Mr. Smalls Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA
29 - The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN
30 - Delmar Hall - St. Louis, MO

December
1 - The Blue Note - Columbia, MO
3 - Growlers - Memphis, TN
4 - Georgia Theater - Athens, GA
5 - The Abbey - Orlando, FL
6 - The Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Lineup:

Erik Rutan - Guitars /Vocals
J.J Hrubovcak - Bass / Vocals
Hannes Grossmann - Drums

(Photo - Alex Morgan Imaging.com)

On November 16, AMON AMARTH will release its new documentary and supporting live album(s), "The Pursuit Of Vikings: 25 Years In The Eye Of The Storm" — which includes a retrospective documentary that features a wealth of live and behind-the-scenes content and extensive band interviews. This film tells the Swedish quintet's history, through both their own eyes and those of the fans that have supported them along the way. It is a thrilling collection that pays respect to the faithful, as well as making for a detailed and riveting introduction for those new to their inspiring story. Paired with this documentary is the live video/audio, which contains two different sets at 2017's Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, capturing the unit at their very best.

The second trailer for "The Pursuit Of Vikings: 25 Years In The Eye Of The Storm" is available below.

Having played the German festival numerous times over the years, and loving the family vibe they have always experienced there, AMON AMARTH leapt at the chance to appear twice in the same year. Playing a secret, smaller scale set that focused primarily on older material, and then headlining the main stage with full production — including their giant sea serpent and lots of fire — allowed them to showcase their songs at their best, though putting together setlists from such a mighty catalog was not the easiest of tasks.

"For the first night, we wanted to write a set that the fans would enjoy by wholly diving into our back catalog but also keeping it interesting," explains guitarist Olavi Mikkonen. "But putting the two shows together also made us realize that we have a lot of songs to choose from!"

or the band, producer Alexander Milas (who contributed to Kerrang! and was an award-winning editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer, before starting his own creative solutions company, Twin V Ltd.) and director Phil Wallis, "The Pursuit Of Vikings" has been a true labor of love.

"I think I first became conscious of AMON AMARTH around the release of 2002's 'Versus The World'," Milas states. "It was a really transitional time for metal, and it seemed there wasn't a credible band on the heavier end of the scale that hadn't in some way responded to or been influenced by the pioneering sounds of the Swedish death metal scene, but I distinctly remember thinking that there was something unique about these guys: the artwork, the thematic underpinnings, even that curiously timeless logo."

While their sound certainly displays strong echoes of the nation that birthed them, AMON AMARTH arguably wield a unique aura, a "lusciously crafted escapism" that Milas likens to the classic bands he grew up with: DIO, IRON MAIDEN and others who exist on a spectrum of their own making.

For a preview of "The Pursuit Of Vikings", a trailer can be viewed now below.

The DVD/live album can be pre-ordered in the following formats via Metal Blade Records in the USA:

* CD/2DVD 8-Panel Digipak

* Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Main Stage Show)

* special edition hardcover book with 6 discs (3DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus amulet and patch - (import - limited to 500 copies)

* transparent orange vinyl (U.S. retail exclusive — limited to 500 copies)

* clear with black splatter vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive - limited to 250 copies)

* transparent yellow with orange marble vinyl (U.S. webstore exclusive — limited to 250 copies)

CD track listing (Main Stage Show: August 17, 2017):

01. The Pursuit Of Vikings

02. As Loke Falls

03. First Kill

04. The Way Of Vikings

05. At Dawn's First Light

06. Cry Of The Black Birds

07. Deceiver Of The Gods

08. Destroyer Of The Universe

09. Death In Fire

10. Father Of The Wolf

11. Runes To My Memory

12. War Of The Gods

13. Raise Your Horns

14. A Dream That Cannot Be

15. Guardians Of Asgaard

16. Twilight Of The Thunder God

DVD Digipak and Blu-ray track-listings:

- Documentary

T-Stage Show: August 16, 2017

01. Twilight Of The Thunder God

02. Free Will Sacrifice

03. With Oden On Our Side

04. The Last With Pagan Blood

05. For The Stabwounds In Our Backs

06. Thousand Years Of Oppression

07. Gods Of War Arise

08. Versus The World

09. Asator

10. Under The Northern Star

11. Fate Of Norns

12. Varyags Of Miklagaard

13. Live For The Kill

14. Victorious March

Main Stage Show: August 17, 2017

01. The Pursuit Of Vikings

02. As Loke Falls

03. First Kill

04. The Way Of Vikings

05. At Dawn's First Light

06. Cry Of The Black Birds

07. Deceiver Of The Gods

08. Destroyer Of The Universe

09. Death In Fire

10. Father Of The Wolf

11. Runes To My Memory

12. War Of The Gods

13. Raise Your Horns

14. A Dream That Cannot Be

15. Guardians Of Asgaard

16. Twilight Of The Thunder God

**Note: special edition hardcover book contains all of the above, plus audio from T-Stage Show: August 16, 2017**

The official trailer for "Circles", the upcoming album from San Diego, California-based rockers P.O.D. (PAYABLE ON DEATH), can be seen below. The band's 10th studio disc will be released on November 16 via Mascot Label Group.

On "Circles", P.O.D. collaborated with the Los Angeles-based production duo called the Heavy (Jason Bell and Jordan Miller), who ensured the album is contemporary sounding without losing any of the band's core sonic signifiers. The rap-driven "Rockin' With The Best" has an old-school P.O.D. sound that nods to the BEASTIE BOYS, while "Always Southern California" is a reggae-inflected rocker and the groove-heavy "Soundboy Killa" is a hip-hop/metal hybrid. The dynamic title track even boasts moody electronic flourishes, glassy piano, and laid-back rapping verses.

"On 'Circles', we didn't limit ourselves and say, 'Hey, we need to please the metal crowd, or the hardcore crowd, or the punk crowd,'" says frontman Sonny Sandoval. "We just wanted to play and write songs that we hope are relevant and catchy to a new audience, while, at the same time, still being true to ourselves."

From a lyrical standpoint, P.O.D. kept a similar open mind, while turning to optimism for inspiration. The title track addresses trying to get out of an unhealthy cycle in which someone feels stuck, while "Dreaming" envisions seeking out a brighter future even if the present day is tough. Other songs grapple with how to navigate life's biggest challenges. "Home" emerged after Sandoval suddenly lost a close friend who was more like a brother to him. "Fly Away", meanwhile, acknowledges that all of us sometimes struggle, and need to rely on others for help.

We're looking for answers — and we're going to people to help us get through things — but at the same time, no one's perfect," Sandoval says. "Everybody's going through stuff, and we're all kind of on this same level and the same journey of experience and just trying to figure out our course of life."

The idea of searching for a bright side has been a constant theme for P.O.D. over the years, both on newer songs such as "Lost In Forever" and "Beautiful" and on early hits "Alive", "Youth Of The Nation" and "Boom". Through it all, the members of P.O.D. — Sandoval, lead guitarist Marcos Curiel, bassist Traa Daniels and drummer Wuv Bernardo — have leaned on one another for support and creative inspiration.

"We are touring and making music because it still means something to the people that are coming out to see us, and people that are still listening to our music," Sandoval says. "We're humbled, we're grateful, and we're thankful for people that still enjoy what we're doing."

"Circles" track listing:

01. Rockin' With The Best

02. Always Southern California

03. Circles

04. Panic Attack

05. On The Radio

06. Fly Away

07. Listening For The Silence

08. Dreaming

09. Domino

10. Soundboy Killa

11. Home

Over the span of two decades, P.O.D. has released 10 studio albums, including the triple-platinum "Satellite". They have had several hit songs, including "Southtown", "Alive", "Youth Of The Nation" and "Boom", and most recently with their Active Rock singles "Higher", "Beautiful" and "Lost In Forever", which reached No. 1. The band has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, racked up four #1 music videos, and contributed songs to numerous major motion picture soundtracks.

The members of P.O.D. are also active members of a tight-knit music community, having collaborated with a diverse list of artists including Katy Perry, H.R. (BAD BRAINS), Mike Muir (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES), Sen Dog (CYPRESS HILL), and more. The band's tenth studio album, "The Awakening", was released in 2015.

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

Earlier in the year, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda told The Metal Voice that the band's next effort would be "aggressive" and "in your face," but that it would retain the musical variety of "The Evil Divide". "We always have our own little subtle nuances that we throw in that other thrash bands just don't do, and I think that's what separates us from them," he explained. "I don't know if it's a better thing, but it's an original thing, and that's what we always strive for."

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

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

Rammstein guitarist Paul Landers says band are looking to release their highly anticipated new studio album early next year.

Rammstein are looking to the spring of 2019 to release their highly anticipated new studio album, according to guitarist Paul Landers.

Last month, the band checked in from the studio where they’ve been working on the follow-up to 2009’s Liebe ist für alle da and reported in the summer that the as-yet-untitled record was entering its “final phase” of production.

Landers has spoken with Music Radar about the album in a new interview, where he also gives an insight into how they’ve been working together behind closed doors.

Asked about how the new material is progressing, Landers replies: “Right now, it looks like this new record will be coming out next spring, and what we’ve been mainly doing is playing together in a circle, with all the guys in one room.

“We all go into the mixing desk and I had my PL1 prototype going direct. Same for the some of the other guys – our drummer Christoph Schneider has these electronic drums, so we’ve been using that to play a bunch of ideas together.

“It hasn’t been like a pre-production where each member is alone – it’s been more of an all-together kind of thing. We liked the sound of it so much that we’ve decided to make the record more of a band-unit recording than a bunch of guys playing separately.”

Landers adds: “We’ll have to see how it all ends up on the record, but the basic idea is you are hearing a band playing – you could say it’s inspired by our live sound.”

Landers and fellow guitarist Richard Kruspe previously told Metal Hammer that their goal for their seventh studio album was to “try unusual methods, new ideas, and change the path that one usually has” and make it a “milestone” in their career.

Walk Among Us, the 1982 full-length classic from the Misfits, will be reissued on vinyl by Earache Records on November 30th, with six different colours of vinyl available, limited to 300 each, exclusively from Earache’s webstore.

Officially licensed from Warner Music, the audio for this vinyl is taken from the original master tapes, which have been supplied directly from Warner. Coming in a brand new sleeve variant, with a green logo and a pink sky, the vinyl will be pressed on 180g heavyweight vinyl, 350gsm heavyweight sleeve and will surely be considered the definitive vinyl edition of this punk classic.

For years, many long-time Earache fans have wondered what would be given the highly coveted MOSH666 catalog number. The answer is here, and it's hard to think of a more fitting and appropriate album for this release.

As an added bonus, we have 1500 deluxe 12" x 12" art cards featuring 'Cave Silhouette #2', an alternate image that was considered for the original cover of Walk Among Us, taken by Eerie Von during the Cave Session in upstate New York, August 1981. Originally unused due to the low light and slightly out of focus shot, it has now been restored by Laura Jay for Eerie Von's upcoming book of photography, Misery Perfectum. These art cards will be included for free with the first 1,500 orders.

Vinyl colours - limited to 300 each:

• ’20 Eyes’ Clear
• ‘Martian’ Green
• ‘Devil’s’ Purple - SOLD OUT
• ‘Hatebreeder’ Red
• ‘Hell’ Orange
• ‘Skull’ White

Tracklisting:

Side A:

"20 Eyes"
"I Turned Into A Martian"
"All Hell Breaks Loose"
"Vampira"
"Nike-A-Go-Go"
"Hatebreeders"
"Mommy Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight" - Live

Side B:

"Night Of The Living Dead"
"Skulls"
"Violent World"
"Devils Whorehouse"
"Astro Zombies"
"Braineaters"

Trailer:

Swedish wretchlords Vanhelgd have launched a stream for "Profaned Is The Blood Of The Covenant," taken off the band's forthcoming fifth full-length album, Deimos Sanktuarium. 

Deimos Sanktuarium features seven tracks of crushing, yet cold old school death metal. The album will be out October 12th on LP, CD and digital formats through Dark Descent Records in North America, and Pulverised Records in Europe. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows: 

Tracklisting:

"A Plea For Divine Necromancy"   
"Så Förgås Världens Härlighet"
"Vi Föddes I Samma Grav"
"Profaned Is The Blood Of The Covenant"
"The Ashes Of Our Defeat"
"The Silent Observer"
"Här Finns Ingen Nåd"

Order your copy now at this location.

 

Eastern Sierra black / death metal quartet Valdur are streaming "Divine Halls Of Obscurity: Part II," a new song from their forthcoming album Goat Of Iniquity, set for release October 19th on Bloody Mountain Records. 

The band released this statement concerning the forthcoming album: "Valdur - Goat Of Iniquity: another chain of songs containing deep extremities and primitive, suffocating atmospheres. This is not a continuation of our previous release; this album moves backwards in a far more violent structure and sound; like a death metal cassette from 1988. Goat Of Iniquity was recorded by us and us alone in the Bloody Mountain Bunker, with no triggers or other redundant studio shortcuts. Vicious underground metal recorded in a live setting. Not for trendy ears! For Valdur, Goat Of Iniquity is another step deeper into the obscure halls of integrity."

Goat Of Iniquity will be available in digipack format as well as digital download, along with a new t-shirt design exclusive to this release. Order now at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Divine Halls Of Obscurity Pt. I"
"Goat Of Iniquity" / "Devouring The Whore Of Darkness"
"Divine Halls Of Obscurity Pt. II"
"Spiritual Exhaust (The Beyond)"
"Inhale The Floodgates Open"
"(Iniquitous)"

"Divine Halls Of Obscurity: Pt. I" video:

Promo video:

Recorded at the Bloody Mountain bunker by Valdur, winter 2018
Mixed by Matthew at Canyon Lodge studio
Cover art by FarronLoathing
Mastered by Dan Klein at Iron Hand Audio in Chicago, IL

Canadian metal band Entropy are currently in the writing / pre-production phase in Montreal for their fourth studio release.

The new EP, titled Force Convergence, is scheduled to be recorded early in the new year by Kevin Jardine at Uplift Studios in Montreal. The EP is targeted for release on various formats in the Spring of 2019.

Entropy will announce live performance dates in support of the new release. Watch this page for details.

Original artwork created for Force Convergence, by Yan Sek, can be seen below.

 

French blackened death metal unit The Order Of Apollyon are streaming the new single "Grey Father", featured on their upcoming new studio album Moriah, out on October 26th via Agonia Records. Listen below.

Replete with artwork from Vincent Lécuyer, the band's third instalment - cut by a reconfigured lineup - will include eight new songs.

Co-founder, guitarist, vocalist and producer, BST, commented: "This third full-length release is without a doubt the most coherent and mature work we've ever put out. The fact that we have had for the first time in the band's history a stable line-up of devoted individuals with similar goals made this possible, and filled the production process with powerful creative energy."

The Order Of Apollyon was formed in 2008 by then Aborted members, guitarist BST (ex-Aosoth, VI) and drummer Dan Wilding (Carcass). Over the course of two studio albums, The Flesh (2010) and The Sword And The Dagger (2015), the band forged themselves a distinct path through death and black metal soundscapes, that evoke of Behemoth or Mgła, but with and edge towards French black metal in the vein of Aosoth or VI. After a lineup reconfiguration, forced by Wilding's transition to Carcass and conflicting schedules amongst remaining members, the band's French roots gained the upper hand. BST started off new and recruited veterans of his native black metal scene, including members of Temple Of Baal, Hell Militia and Merrimack. The new album Moriah is a testament to the new lineup, which introduced stability and evoked deeper levels of teamwork within the band. It is, without a doubt, the most coherent, mature and creative work the band put out.

Moriah was recorded, mixed and mastered at BST Studio, except for drums which were recorded at Studio de Saint-Loup.

Album formats:

- Digipack CD
- Black LP
- Red LP
- T-shirt
- Digital

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"The Lies Of Moriah"
"Rites Of The Immolator"
"Grey Father"
"The Cradle"
"The Original Cries Of Jerusalem"
"Trident Of Flesh"
"Soldat"
"A Monument"

"Grey Father":

"Trident Of Flesh" video:

"Rites Of The Immolator" lyric video:

Recording video:

Lineup:

BST - guitars and vocals
SR - guitars and vocals
AK - bass and vocals
JZ - drums

Nordic epic metal masters Sirenia have released a full album audio preview for their upcoming Arcane Astral Aeons release, out on October 26th via Napalm Records. Check it out below, and pre-order the new album here.

Band leader Morten Veland about the artwork and the album: “We are very pleased to present the artwork for our new album Arcane Astral Aeons. Once more we have worked with designer Gyula Havancsák to create an artwork that renders and adorns the heart and soul of our music. The album was recorded in Audio Avenue Studios (Norway), and Sound Suite Studios (France), while the mixing and mastering took place in Hansen Studios (Denmark) with mixing engineer Jacob Hansen. This album is something unique to us as it is the first one we have made together with our fans, everyone who have supported our pledge campaign has directly contributed to the funding of the album and to make it what it has turned out to be. We are very proud of what we have achieved together and we're very eager to share it with you, hoping that you all will find it as special as we do."

Tracklisting:

"In Styx Embrace"
"Into The Night"
"Love Like Cyanide"
"Desire"
"Asphyxia"
"Queen Of Lies"
"Nos Heures Sombres"
"The Voyage"
"Aerodyne"
"The Twilight Hour"
"Glowing Embers"

Album teaser:

"Love Like Cyanide" lyric video:

"Into The Night" guitar solo playthrough:

Sirenia are going to return to the European stages. In November, Morten Veland and his bandmates are heading South for a headlining tour. Supported by their fellow Norwegians Triosphere, Sirenia will bring their epic melancholic symbiosis of orchestral opuses and raw heavy metal sounds to the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Italy.

Tour dates:

November
4 - London, England - The Dome
5 - Paris, France - La Boule Noire
6 - Nantes, France - Ferailleur
8 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
9 - Madrid, Spain - Mon Live
10 - Lisbon, Portugal - RCA Club
14 - Musigburg, Switzerland - Aarburg
15 - St-Maurice, Switzerland - Le Manoir Pub
16 - Bologna, Italy - Alchemica Club
17 - Milan, Italy - Legend Club

Morten Veland about the upcoming tour: "We are excited to announce the first tour dates in support of our upcoming album to be released the 26th of October. We will return to some countries we have not been to for some time. We intend to announce further dates later on, covering more countries and territories. Stay tuned for more news and we are looking forward to see you on the road again soon."

They're back! Germany's Hate Squad will release their new album, Reborn From Ashes, on December 7th via Massacre Records. The album will be available as CD Digipak, limited vinyl LP, stream and download.

The album was produced, mixed and mastered by Eike O. Freese at Hamburg's Chameleon Studios. Hiko Kramer is responsible for the cover artwork.

But don't let the cover artwork fool you: Reborn From Ashes is a monster of an album, and exactly the massive hate-bomb that all Hate Squad supporters worldwide hoped for over the last few years.

Tracklisting:

"Against All Odds"
"Death List"
"Amok"
"Reborn From Ashes"
"Retaliation Promise"
"Until I Die"
"Regain The Strength"
"Know Your Enemy"
"Hate Factory"
"2 Miles Behind Enemy Lines"
"Fuck Cancer!"

Live dates:

November
3 - Hannover, Germany - Béi Chéz Heinz (Hannover Metal Fest)

August
24-28 - Palma De Mallorca, Spain - Full Metal Cruise

(Photo - Rene Budde)

Old school thrashers Exumer took no prisoners inside Bullhead City Circus at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2015. Professionally filmed footage of the band's full performance can be found below.

Setlist:

Intro
"Winds Of Death"
"Journey To Oblivion"
"The Weakest Limb"
"Fallen Saint"
"Vermin Of The Sky"
"A Mortal In Black"
"A New Morality"
"I Dare You"
"Fire And Damnation"
"Possessed By Fire"

Icelandic classic rock trio The Vintage Caravan released their fourth studio album Gateways back in August, and will be touring the EU and UK in support of their latest offering.

Vocalist and guitarist Óskar has recorded an acoustic version of their new track "Reflections" in celebration of their mammoth EU + UK tour, which can be viewed below:

States the band, "We are super excited about our return to Europe, it's great to see how well Gateways was received in the European press! We always have fun on the road, our fans are very supportive and nice. See you guys soon, let's party!"

A complete listing of EU / UK dates for The Vintage Caravan can be found at this location, and in the official tour poster:

 

Marty Friedman's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar, and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His 14th solo album, One Bad M.F. Live!! - set for release October 19th on Prosthetic Records - is an all-out celebration of his music in its rawest form. Recorded live during his 2018 Wall Of Sound tour on its final show in Mexico City at Centro Cultural on April 14th, 2018, One Bad M.F. Live!! is chock full of his own brand of “feelgood aggression.”

Check out "Dragon Mistress" from the album, below:

Friedman will celebrate the release of One Bad M.F. Live!! in Los Angeles, CA at the Viper Room on October 21st. It's the only US show he will do in 2018, but at this show, he will officially announce the details of a full scale 2019 US and Europe tour. Tickets are now on sale here.

As seen in the first live music video “Whiteworm” (watch below), Friedman and his band - Kiyoshi (bass), Jordan Ziff (guitar), Chargeeee (drums) - are all smiles and are in constant interaction with the audience, pouncing on the rhythms and playing such addictive melodies that one doesn't miss a vocalist for a moment.

“This live album is a tip of the hat to the live albums that blew my mind when I was a kid,” explains Friedman, “the musical content itself is modern and atomic-powered, but the presentation is decidedly old school. The pacing of the show, the audience participation stuff, the special live arrangements of the songs, these are the things that got me all jacked up as a kid. I like to give the audience the feeling that they are really getting something unique, something that only happens at THEIR show, not just a recital of the songs exactly as they know them. There are lots of happy accidents, once in a lifetime ad libs, things that could have only happened because we were high on that particular audience's energy.”

One Bad M.F. Live!! is the follow-up to Wall Of Sound, which was released in 2017 on Prosthetic Records, and debuted on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart at #12. “I've had albums that have charted higher, sold more, and got more attention over my career, “says Friedman, “but Wall Of Sound is the album I've been striving to make ever since I picked up a guitar. I have an almost unhealthy amount of pride towards that album. The thrill I get from playing the Wall Of Sound stuff live is something that I wanted documented, and that's what One Bad M.F. Live!! is.”

Fluent in Japanese, Friedman's overwhelming love of Japanese music and the Japanese language found him moving to Tokyo in 2003. It is there where his career took off in very unexpected ways. His appearance as the star of a new TV comedy, Hebimeta-san (“Mr. Heavy Metal”) and its spinoff, Rock Fujiyama, which ran for six seasons, propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. Currently he is a constant fixture on Japanese television (appearing on hundreds of network programs of all types, and as the face of long running campaigns for Fanta/Coca Cola, Sumitomo Bank, Suntory etc.), as well as appearing in major motion pictures. He is also the author of two hardcover books in Japanese detailing his unusual views on the current Japanese music scene, as well as two best-selling manga-related books, which are both in their eighth editions now.

Despite Marty Friedman's flourishing television career, he still considers his music his “only real job,” often performing at the Tokyo Dome, Budokan, Ajinomoto Stadium, the Saitama Super Arena and other top venues with his own music, as well as guesting with other artists. Friedman has not only held top charting positions with his own albums in Japan, but has also collaborated on and produced several chart topping hits with the biggest names in J-pop and J-rock (Momoiro Clover Z, Sound Horizon, Man With A Mission, Crossfaith, SMAP, AKB48, NEWS, and several others).

In 2017, the Japanese Government appointed Marty Friedman as an Ambassador of Japan Heritage, for a term of three years through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Along with J-pop icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, baseball legend Hideki Matsui, and four others, he’s the first foreigner ever to receive this title. He performed the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Marathon in both 2017 and 2018, again the first foreigner to do so. His most recent collaboration with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra is the government sponsored Japan Heritage Theme Song he released in 2018. In 2018, Young Guitar Magazine honoured him with a 175-page special edition devoted only to Friedman and his inimitable playing style.

Not one to slow down and take any breaks, Friedman is also currently in the fourth year of filming a documentary, and his biography is set to be published soon.

Now with the release of One Bad M.F. Live!!, the combination of his other worldly experiences culminate into an avalanche of emotion, in his immediately recognizable style. “I like to lose myself in giving energy to the audience,” Marty Friedman continues. “I want everyone to go home feeling like they were injected with a shot of positive vibes. I think we captured that on the record.”

The album will be available on all digital platforms, compact disc, and as a 2LP gatefold set with glow-in-the-dark wax as one variant and black sparkle with clear splatter as the other. Pre-order here.

One Bad M.F. Live!! tracklisting:

"Street Demon"
"Elixir"
"Amagi Goe"
"Inferno"
"Self Pollution"
"Devil Take Tomorrow"
Mutation Medley (featuring "Asche zu Asche", "My Oh My", "Forbidden City", "Tornado Of Souls")
"Ripped"
"Whiteworm"
"Undertow"
"Dragon Mistress"
"Kaeritakunatta Yo"

Bonus tracks, Digital only:

"Hyper Doom"
"Stigmata Addiction"

"Mutation Medley":

"Whiteworm" video:

(Photo - Maria Debiassi)

Finland's Corpsessed will break a four-year silence this fall with the release of Impetus Of Death. Featuring eight crushing tracks of obscure death metal, Impetus Of Death is due out November 23rd on Dark Descent Records. 

Many things have changed since the 2014 release of the band's first full-length album, Abysmal Thresholds. Main composer and guitarist Matti Mäkelä finally found some time to resurrect his funeral doom project Tyranny and release one crusher of an album (also on Dark Descent) in 2015. A year later, Corpsessed found a new bassist in Tuomas Kulmala (Lie In Ruins, Perdition Winds). And over the course of four long years, Corpsessed completed their second full-length Impetus Of Death, an album that manages to top it its predecessor in terms of heaviness and brutality while taking their epic sound a step further. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

"Impetus Of The Dead"
"Sortilege"
"Endless Plains Of Dust"
"Graveborne"
"Paroxysmal"
"Forlorn Burial"
"Begetter Of Doom"
"Starless Event Horizon"

"We've never been that fast composers" admits Mäkelä. "But the atmosphere must be there, the riffs must be killer and everything has to be top notch. Plus, we knew we needed to raise the bar this time. So all the band members contributed and we had three separate demo sessions of almost all the songs. It was quite time consuming but invaluable while thinking of the big picture, even more, so we've once again recorded the album ourselves."

The recordings took place from November 2017 to February 2018 in their rehearsal place, with extra help from their label-mates Lie In Ruins and Desolate Shrine, Dan Lowndes from Resonance Sound Studio took care of the mastering last April. 

The album's title was inspired by the impression that, indeed, it is "death itself that sets things in motion, be it the fear or lurking presence of your own demise, or the death of a loved one. It can be seen as a force that moves us and sets a timeline for our very existence. This you can view as either something very grim and nihilistic, or on the contrary, the very thing that gives your life a meaning or the power to do anything. To create you must also destroy - 'solve et coagula' right? - where death gives birth to something new.... This is life, and death is an essential part of it. And the music we play, is death metal so what's more fitting than this?"

Impetus Of Death is completed by a fitting and disturbing artwork by Mattias Frisk from Vanhelgd whom Matti met in 2015 in Copenhagen while playing the Heavy Days In Doom Town fest with Profetus. 

"We told him to do what he felt would fit the music, but devoid of the usual clichés like mystic figures in robes, goat-headed priests and nude girls on altars," recalls Mäkelä. "We also wanted it to be in colors this time around as all our previous covers were in black and white." 

Simply put, the second full-length from Corpsessed is brutal; although it doesn't feel the need to break the 250 BPM barrier to show how tough it is. Still rooted in the classic sound of the early 90's yet with its own doomy touch, it's really Impetus Of Death's uncanny ability to bring forth a quite unique form of creepiness, almost cinematic in places and quite claustrophobic that sets them apart. As Matti puts it best, "What can I say? We like to keep things evil and ominous."

 

KISS frontman Paul Stanley spoke to the "Rolling Stone Music Now" podcast about the band's recent announcement that it will embark on its "farewell" tour, dubbed "One Last Kiss: End Of The Road World Tour", in 2019. Asked if there was an actual discussion where he and Gene Simmons sat down and said, "Listen, it's time to talk about how to close the book," Stanley responded: "[It happened] just like that. [Laughs] Just like that. At some point, maybe you want to address the elephant in the room, you know? It only makes sense because of the nature of what we are. We're not a band of guys in jeans and sneakers, standing on stage, playing. We're athletes. We're Superman playing a guitar. So, yeah, at some point you look at each other and go, 'How long can we do this the way we want to do it, and how long can we do it, and love it?' If you're smart, you plan so that you can make the most of something, rather than just kind of say it off into the sunset. I didn't want that to happen. I don't want to suddenly, after a tour, go, 'Let's call it a day,' or have a year go by and we go, 'Nah,' and another year goes by and we go, 'Nah.' No, I'd rather take the victory lap. We beat the odds. We kicked everybody's ass. We outlived the naysayers. We want to go around and high-five everybody around the world. And that'll take a while."

Asked what he would like the last song that he plays on stage with KISS to be, Stanley said: "I'd like it to be really long. I would imagine the last song we'll play is 'Rock And Roll All Nite'. That is so anthemic, and it connected to us in that it really became a rallying cry and a battle cry, so I will imagine that will be it, and one minute I'll be smiling, and the next minute I'll be crying, and that's the meaning of bittersweet. It will touch all the emotions and press all the buttons."

Stanley also talked about his previous claim that KISS can one day carry on without any original members, including him and Simmons. "I can imagine a KISS show, because I think at some point, KISS transcends its members, and already has, so could I see that happening at some point?" he said. "I could, but nothing that I can foresee in the near future. But why deny the world something that’s that awesome?"

Rumors of KISS's final run of live shows gained strength several months ago following the news that the band was attempting to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed in February to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band."

b>Simmons recently told Sweden's Expressen newspaper that KISS's next tour will last three years. Calling it the band's "most spectacular tour ever," the bassist/vocalist added that the trek will make stops on "all continents."

San Francisco Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD have announced that their upcoming U.S. tour will be the last one to feature the band's current lineup: Robb Flynn (guitar, vocals), Phil Demmel (guitar), Dave McClain (drums) and Jared MacEachern (bass).

Flynn broke the news of MACHINE HEAD's plans in a 10-minute Facebook Live video in which he revealed that Demmel left the band on Wednesday (September 26), followed by McClain's exit a day later. "Jared kind of quit, but didn't know if he was quitting for sure," Robb added.

According to Robb, the fall 2018 MACHINE HEAD tour "is still going to go on." He explained: "We have all agreed to all make this a celebration of our music and this era of the band.'

As for what caused Demmel and McClain to want to leave MACHINE HEAD, Flynn said: "We have grown apart as people. Musically, we've grown apart. I have held on too tight to the reins of this band, and I have suffocated those guys.

I've got some rough edges," he admitted. "I'm kind a barnacle. And those rough edges have given us the success we have, but they've also hurt the people around me.

"I've got a lot of drive, but I've got a lot of anger and rage. And that drive of mine has alienated folks in the band."

Flynn, who is the sole remaining original member of MACHINE HEAD, insisted that he doesn't hold any grudges against his soon-to-be-former bandmates.

"I ask that you respect Phil and Dave's decision, as I respect their decision," he said. "I wanna say that I'm honored and grateful for everything that they've contributed to MACHINE HEAD, which is a lot. 15 years with Phil, 23 years with Dave."

Flynn went on to say that he doesn't "know what the future holds." He added: "We're all a little scared. I'm scared, and they're scared. But if you're looking for a drummer or a guitar player, you can find no better people to have."

Personally, Flynn plans to "do a little bit of soul searching here in my life and take a long, hard look at myself, as I've done in the past. I've done 20 years of therapy at this point, and apparently it wasn't enough," he laughed. "I guess I need to do about 20 more."

According to Flynn, MACHINE HEAD's upcoming tour will be "a celebration of this era of music and this lineup. And that may be the best era of MACHINE HEAD ever, and may be the best lineup ever, and may be the best lineup that this band ever has. And we're gonna end it on a positive note, and we're gonna end it on a classy note."

He continued: "It's the end of an area. I did a lot of crying yesterday and kind of felt like I got ran over by a truck."

Robb said that he spoke to Jared this morning, and that the bassist "actually says now that he's gonna stick around, and he wants to continue on, which made me happy."

MACHINE HEAD's final tour with the current lineup will kick off on October 4 in Sacramento, California and conclude on November 24 in Santa Cruz, California.

The band's latest album, "Catharsis", was made available in January via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "Bloodstone & Diamonds" was produced by Flynn and was recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Zack Ohren (FALLUJAH, ALL SHALL PERISH) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California.



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https://soundrink.com/#/tour/machine-headPosted by Machine Head on Friday, September 28, 2018

The official lyric video for the song "Low Velocity Blood Spatter" from German thrash metal veterans DARKNESS can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "First Class Violence", which will be released on October 12 via Massacre Records. The disc was recorded and mixed by Rambado Recordings studio and mastered by Dennis Köhne. Timon Kokott was recruited to take care of the album artwork.

Jürgen "Ventor" Reil (KREATOR) and Thomas "Angelripper" Such (SODOM) have contributed guest vocals to a song that's featured on the album.

According to a press release, "First Class Violence" "is another missing piece in the puzzle that helps you to see the world through the angry and desperate eyes of DARKNESS!"

"First Class Violence" track listing:

1. Prelude In E (intro)

02. Low Velocity Blood Spatter

03. Neoprimitive

04. Hate Is My Engine

05. See You On The Bodyfarm

06. Zeutan

07. The Autocrazy (Autocracy) Club

08. Born Dead

09. First Class Violence

10. I Betray

Formed in 1984, DARKNESS has released a number of demos and albums so far.

"The Wretchedness Inside", the new video from Florida metallers TRIVIUM, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "The Sin And The Sentence", which was released in October 2017 via Roadrunner. The disc was recorded with producer Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA) at Santa Ana, California's Hybrid Studios. The LP features the band's first recordings with new drummer Alex Bent, who joined the band in 2016.

TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy spoke to the "That's Not Metal Podcast" about the fact that it has been difficult for the band's core trio — Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto — to keep a drummer in the last few years, prior to the addition of Bent.

"The drumming is what the band is built upon, it's the foundation for which all the music is built upon, and if you don't have a strong foundation for a house or a building, it eventually collapses," Matt explained. "And I'm so thankful that the stars finally aligned, after eight records, to find the guy that we needed to find. And I think that when people hear Alex, it's not a question of 'Why?' It's more like an observation, like, 'Oh, I see you did it again, but I know why.' Because he's that freakin' good."

TRIVIUM will continue its successful "The Sin And The Sentence" world tour with another leg of North American dates this fall. The bill will feature very special guest AVATAR and LIGHT THE TORCH. The 25-date trek kicks off on October 3 in Tampa, Florida and runs through November 3 in Berkeley, California, with several stops in Canada.

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