UK-based melodic power metal band, Power Quest, will release their sixth album, Sixth Dimension, on October 13th via Inner Wound Recordings in Europe/US and on October 11th in Japan via Marquee/Avalon.

Sixth Dimension was mastered by Jens Bogren (Dragonforce, Symphony X, Arch Enemy) and the artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Rhapsody Of Fire, Iced Earth). The album includes guest appearances by Anette Olzon (ex-Nightwish), Andrea Martongelli (Arthemis, ex-Power Quest) and Lars Rettkowitz (Freedom Call).

Steve Williams commented "We are all so excited about this record, probably more so than ever before. I think it has the classic PQ stamp and then some!"

The album, the first PQ album since 2011, will contain nine songs (plus a bonus track for the limited edition CD and for the Japanese market).

Sixth Dimension tracklisting:

“Lords Of Tomorrow”
“Starlight City”
“Kings And Glory”
“Face The Raven”
“No More Heroes”
“Revolution Fighters”
“Pray For The Day”
“Coming Home”
“The Sixth Dimension”

The album will be available in standard jewel case CD, limited edition digibook (500 copies, includes bonus track) and also limited edition vinyl (500 copies - 200 on gold disc and 300 on black disc). The standard jewel case CD edition is available for pre-order via the links below:

- UK
- Germany
- North America

The band have announced that they will be touring the UK as special guests of power metal legends Dragonforce in October, taking 11 shows up and down the country.

Keyboardist and founder member Steve Williams commented "It’s going to be a real blast touring the UK with my mates Sam, Herman and the rest of the DF lads. Can’t wait to get started and I think it’s a package that all UK power metal fans have wanted to see for a long time..and now it’s here! See you on the road!"

Power Quest tour dates:

September
1 - Evoken Festival - Tokyo, Japan
2 - Evoken Festival - Tokyo, Japan
3 - Evoken Festival - Osaka, Japan
6 - PPUSA Festival - Atlanta, GA

October (with  Dragonforce)
4 - The Garage - Glasgow, UK
5 - Riverside - Newcastle, UK
6 - Fibbers - York, UK
7 - Corporation - Sheffield, UK
8 - Sound Control - Manchester, UK
11 - O2 Academy - Birmingham, UK
12 - Globe - Cardiff, UK
13 - Electric Ballroom - London, UK
14 - Wedgewood Rooms - Portsmouth, UK
15 - Forum - Tunbridge Wells, UK
16 - Booking Hall - Dover, UK

October (headline shows)
26 - Trillians - Newcastle, UK
27 - Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton, UK
28 - Fuel - Cardiff, UK
29 - Underworld - London, UK

“Eight years ago we did an arena tour on the east coast with Metallica,” says Gojira. “This August we did a stadium tour with them through the gorgeous states of Nevada, Arizona, Washington, California and Canada. Thanks to all of the new and old fans for sharing this incredible experience with us.”

Gojira have announced details of a US headline tour with special guests Torche and Code Orange which is set to get underway October 2nd at the House Of Blues in Cleveland, OH. For tickets and more information on the upcoming tour, head here.

This fall, Gojira will make an array of US festival appearances with performances set for Louder Than Life (9/30), Rock Allegiance (10/7), Houston Open Air (10/14), Aftershock (10/21) and more. The upcoming fall dates will also include a very special one night only performance with Converge at Brooklyn, NY’s recently opened Brooklyn Steel on September 28th.

Tour dates:

September
15 - La Courneuve, France - La Fête de l’Humanité #
28 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel +
30 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life #

October
1 - Janesville, WI - JJO Sonic Boom #
2 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues *
3 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe Live *
5 - Albany, NY - Upstate Music Hall *
6 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theatre *
7 - Camden, NJ - Rock Allegiance #
10 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall *
11 - St. Louis, MO - Pops *
13 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill *
14 - The Woodlands, TX - Houston Open Air #
15 - San Antonio, TX - Alamo City Music Hall *
16 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls *
17 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theatre *
19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park *
21 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock #

* With Torche and Code Orange
+ With Converge
# Festival Date

Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction, The Cursed) and Nathan Opposition (Ancient VVisdom) have joined forces in Vessel Of Light, and have signed to Argonauta Records.

Says Argonauta Records: “We’re excited to announce we inked a deal with supergroup Vessel Of Light, formed by Dan Lorenzo and Nathan Opposition.

Dan Lorenzo states: “For the last decade since I recorded The Cursed CD (with Bobby Blitz from Overkill), I haven't really felt the desire to jam music with anybody. I've had offers to join a few bands, but I've always considered myself more of a songwriter than a "real" musician. I never wanted to join somebody else's band. A few months ago that all changed when I heard the songs "The Opposition" and "Deathlike" by the band Ancient VVisdom.”

Says Nathan Opposition: "Lorenzo and I became friends due to my inability to not be susceptible to flattery. Turns out he's a really cool guy who writes awesome riffs too. Randomly one day I ask him about the band we are starting in joking fashion. I guess it was the right timing and the right person because we immediately agreed we should actually start a project. Before I knew it he was sending me CDs of riffs and I had lyrics flowing like a faucet."

The tracklisting of songs recorded by the duo are:

“Where My Garden Grows”
“Dead Flesh And Bone”
“Meant To Be”
“Descend Into Death”
“Vessel Of Light”
“Living Dead To The World”

Lorenzo on the record deal: “Although we conceded to the fact that signing to a label was improbable, I sent music to one of my former record labels and an Italian label I found that I thought was right for us: Argonauta Records. When Gero from Argonauta replied I knew it was the right call. The right label. Somebody who knew and respected my past and Nathan's currency. I am so happy that thanks to Argonauta the world will soon hear the magic Nathan and I have captured with Vessel Of Light.”

The debut EP will be released on CD/DD and available from November 3rd. A lyric video will be posted by the end of this month.

The Metal Voice out of Canada has produced a North American tour report in Montreal, Quebec on former Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley and his backing band, Absolva. You can watch the Endure And Survive Tour Report below.

On why this Canadian tour will be different from all the other tours he has done:

Blaze: "I can bring my own band Absolva from Europe. They are a band in their own right and they have been working with me on the last four tours I have done. I have written songs with the guys, these are the men that have played on  the first part of the Infinite Entanglement trilogy and thy Endure and Survive Album. Its great to bring the guys who played on the album."

On when the fans can expect the third part of the Infinite Entanglement trilogy album: 

Blaze: "On or around March 1st, 2018. When we started and we looked at the first album and it was too much there to do one album. We thought it was not one big album, it's three albums because one of the songs you are going to hear on part three is something that we have ready for part 1. But when you looked at the lyrics and when you looked at the music and what it said this is where he is in Part 3. And there was another song and this is where he is in part two, so it just makes sense. I'm very lucky I am the record company, I can actually say when the release date will be. So I thought, first of March 2016, March 2017 and March 2018 and we will do one album a year and it's really worked."

On Part 3 of the Trilogy:

Blaze: "Part 3 he have about seven songs that we think are good enough at the moment we have a little bit of time before we get to the main pre-production where we have flashes of inspiration. I'm working on the lyrics in my spare time. Part 3 we have the skeleton and now we have to find all the other bits. I have an idea where he will be at the end of the story. Then of course after we have this conclusion we tour everywhere again full world tour with part 3. At the end of that I'm going to do a live album DVD of the set list that we do on tour. After that the first of March 2019 I hope I will have my book complete because the trilogy is based on the book that I am writing as I go along. So you will have all the answers of the three albums, you will have the back story of the characters everything. "

Executive Producer, Editor & Camera - Jimmy Kay
Camera - Orlando Rush
Interviewer Power Play Magazine - Mark Hoaksey

Absolva / Blaze Bayley Band
Chris Appleton – guitars
Karl Schramm – bass
Martin McNee – drums

Blaze Bayley tour dates are listed below.

Tour dates:

August
21 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
23 - Newport, KY - Southgate House Revival
25 - Janesville, WI - Backbar
26 - Bolingbrook, IL - Tailgators
27 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar
30 - Ft. Worth, TX - Rail Club
31 - Austin, TX - Come and Get it Live

September
1 - Houston, TX - Concert Pub North
2 - San Antonio, TX - Rockbox
4 - Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
5 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
7 - Eugene, OR - Old Nick’s   
8 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
9 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon

For more information, visit blazebayley.net.

Zach Slaughter, frontman for Canadian bashers Skull Fist, has posted the following update:

"My voice is getting better, we will announce the recording date for the next album very soon. In the meantime I am releasing a solo record.
The Zach Slaughter solo record Nature Never Lies is out September 17th. Although it isn't heavy metal I'm sure some of you understand the reasons why.
A truly sane person would go insane in this world. Thanks Mama Nature for helping me breathe. This one's for her."

Slaughter released his solo Nowhere EP in 2016. Check out the tracks below.

Toronto rockers Modified, who dropped out of sight in 2012, are gearing up to make a return in late 2017. According to guitarist Anthony Xander, also with Six Side Die, the trio are currently working on new music and plan to release a few songs along with a new video. More on their progress as things develop.

Along with this news, audio engineer Mark Brewer has posted a live off the floor six song performance by Modified. It was shot in Hamilton, Ontario in August 2011 at Platinum Entertainment's ImageFM tracking studio. 

Modified is:

Tricia Stanley - vocals
Anthony Xander - guitars 
James "Jones" Rose - drums

In anticipation of the September 22nd release of their second album, Forged By Fortitude, Sons Of Texas has premiered the video for their debut single off the forthcoming album, “Beneath The Riverbed”. The video was shot in the band’s hometown of McAllen, Texas.

Forged By Fortitude is currently available for pre-order on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and at Merch Now. The Merch Now pre-order features multiple bundles including exclusive t-shirt and hoodie designs, a flask, a dog tag bottle opener, and a knit cap. All bundle orders will have the option at checkout to buy a limited edition seven-inch vinyl single featuring the album track "Beneath The Riverbed" and a B-side of the Social Distortion song "Ball And Chain".

Tracklisting:

"Buy In To Sell Out"    
"Feed The Need"    
"Down In the Trenches"   
"Cast In Stone"   
"Beneath The Riverbed"    
"Expedition To Perdition"    
"Turnin’ The Page"   
"Jaded Eyes"   
"Wasp Woman"   
"Forged By Fortitude"    
"Slam With The Lights On" 

Check out the lyric video of the album track “Feed The Need”. Those pre-ordering the album will receive the song as an instant grat track.

Sons Of Texas will kick off the Forged By Fortitude tour cycle by supporting Seether throughout Europe and The UK from September 15th through October 18th. This will be the band’s second tour in those territories following their 2016 jaunt supporting Soil. The group will continue to tour throughout the remainder of 2017 and well into 2018. US tour plans will be announced soon. Dates for the Seether tour are as listed:

September
15 – Oslo, Norway – Conrad Sohm
16 – Stockholm, Sweden – Debaser Strand
18 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Ameger Bio
19 – Hamburg, Germany – Markthalle
20 – Cologne, Germany – Live Music Hall
22 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg Max
23 – Groningen, Netherlands – De Oosterpoort
24 – Tilburg, Netherlands – O13
26 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys Neue Welt
27 – Warsaw, Poland – Progresja
29 – Prague, Czech Republic – Lucerna Music Bar
30 – Brno, Czech Republic – Fleda

October
1 – Budapest, Hungary – Durer
3 – Vienna, Austria – Arena Wien
4 – Linz, Austria – Posthof
6 – Munich, Germany – Backstage Werk
7 – Dornbirn, Austria – Conrad Sohm
9 – Zurich, Switzerland – Xtra
10 – Frankfurt, Germany – Batschkapp
11 – Stuttgart, Germany – LKA-Longhorn
13 – Paris, France – Le Bataclan
15 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
16 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz Manchester
17 – Glasgow, UK – O2 ABC Glasgow
18 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute Birmingham

For further details, visit the official Sons Of Texas Facebook page.

(Band photo by Lindsey Byrnes)

 

Metal Wani's Fernando Bonenfant recently conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz. You can listen to the full interview below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the current state of ARCH ENEMY:

Alissa: "It's great. We're all really excited. We've been working really hard this year. We had 'As The Stages Burn!' come out earlier this year, which was our live DVD and we just completed our next album, which is called 'Will To Power'. We've been working really hard on those two things and doing some shows here and there, doing a couple of festivals. We're just gearing up now to start the next cycle for ARCH ENEMY, which is the 'Will To Power' cycle, so it's going to be even more busy, which is great. [Laughs] We've been working really hard. We've poured a lot of energy and a lot of our heart and mind into this album and we're just happy that we have it complete now. We're just really excited to share it with the world."

On their biggest challenge while writing "Will To Power":

Alissa: "I think one of the things that makes ARCH ENEMY so unique is that we're five musicians who are all super self-critical, but also super-driven. So we always outdo ourselves. We never settle for 'This is good enough.' It always has to be amazing because that's the kind of music we'd want to listen to and that's the kind of music we want to give to other people. Because we have such a solid team of all five of us doing that, I think it makes it so that we're able to work really well with one another and we're able to continually release music that's timeless in a way. We don't follow trends; I don't think we even set trends. We just do our own thing. We just do what we love. That's why ARCH ENEMY sounds like that. I think that maybe for this album the biggest challenge was to not focus too much on trying to outdo 'War Eternal' or anything like that. Even still for me, I think 'War Eternal' — if I'm allowed to say it — for me, it's a masterpiece. Even if someone else released that album, I would be, like, 'Yeah! That's a killer album.' Not even just because it's my album. I just really love those songs. We didn't want to go in and be, like, 'Okay, we have to make something that's better than 'War Eternal'. It was more, like, 'Are we ready? Do we have songs in our heads? Do we have ideas in our hearts? Do we have this music in our blood?' When the answer was yes to all of that, we started writing and recording. Yeah, it was an interesting process. I think it's an interesting album."

On the band's mindset during the creation of "Will To Power":

Alissa: "Michael Amott is the brain behind the whole band. It all starts and ends with Michael. A lot of those riffs that you would sing along to live, they're all Michael's doing. It's Michael who writes those riffs and who delivers them with his signature style. You can always tell when it's Michael playing something. Even if he's playing somebody else's song, you can hear it's Michael playing it. I think it's just what we're feeling. We write directly from the heart. We didn't say we wanted it to sound like this or sound like that; it's however it feels right. Michael's musicianship speaks for itself. I totally trust anything… If he's, like, 'I have this great idea.' I just know it's going to be good. Before I even hear it, I know it will be good. The guitars in ARCH ENEMY are obviously a huge, huge, huge part of the band. That's what a lot of people love listening to in ARCH ENEMY, me included. It's cool that we're able to have that. Maybe not all bands have that where you can play a show and the audience will be singing with the guitar. [Laughs] That's pretty cool and I love when the audience does that. They just sing along with what the guitar is playing. It makes for a very melodic show, actually."

On ARCH ENEMY not trying to write another "War Eternal":

Alissa: "Yeah, I think we took some risks with the album, I guess. We just felt like it's the tenth studio album for ARCH ENEMY, that's not including any 'other than' studio releases. ARCH ENEMY has released a ton of stuff over the decades, but just in terms of actual albums, this is tenth one. I feel like we're all, like, 'We've earned the right to go outside of the box a little bit here.' That's why some of the songs like 'Reason To Believe' or 'Dreams Of Retribution' came about. We're just not afraid. We believe in the music so much that we're going into it totally fearless. I love it. I love every single song on this album. I think another thing that makes this album really unique and interesting is that there are some different-sounding things on there. Some things that maybe you wouldn't think were ARCH ENEMY at first, but the more you listen to it, the more you can hear it's definitely ARCH ENEMY. I feel with every listen you hear more little things and you understand the lyrics a little bit more and it gets deeper and deeper."

On guitarist Jeff Loomis's (ex-NEVERMORE) contributions to "Will To Power":

Alissa: "Jeff is such a great guitar player and he's such a great dude. Live, Jeff obviously contributes by playing up until now, anyway, he was playing the solos [former guitarist] Chris Amott played on the albums or that [former guitarist] Nick Cordle had played on the albums. He's playing the sort of, complementary guitar to Michael's guitar playing. On this album, his solos are just, like, so Jeff Loomis and so good. I feel like they just balance Michael's guitar playing style super-well. Jeff's a huge part of the album. I think people will hear that, too. They will be able to hear his influence on the album. When it comes down to it, Michael is the primary songwriter. That's still true now, but it sounds different and you can definitely hear where Jeff is on the album."

"Will To Power" is due out September 8 via Century Media Records. Co-produced by Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, the disc was mixed and mastered by longtime collaborator and friend Jens Bogren (OPETH, AT THE GATES, DIMMU BORGIR). The album's captivating cover artwork was designed by Alex Reisfar.

"Will To Power" marks the second ARCH ENEMY album since the departure of longtime singer Angela Gossow and addition of White-Gluz. It will also be the first ARCH ENEMY disc to feature Loomis, who joined the band in late 2014.

Former DIO bassist Jeff Pilson believes that Ronnie James Dio "would have approved" of the legendary singer's hologram, which made its debut at last year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Created by Eyellusion, the surprise appearance of the heavy metal icon during DIO DISCIPLES' set closed out the massive metal event which was attended by more than seventy-five thousand fans.

Eyellusion recently announced initial dates for "Dio Returns: The World Tour", featuring the Ronnie James Dio hologram reunited with the late rock star's former bandmates from the DIO band. The tour will make more than eighty stops around the globe, kicking off in Helsinki, Finland on November 30.

Asked by the "Music Mania" podcast for his opinion on the Dio hologram, Pilson — who was a member of DIO from 1993 to 1997 and again from 2004 to 2005 — said (hear audio below): "I haven't actually seen it in person, but I've seen some pretty interesting pictures and I saw a video for a moment, and it actually looked really cool to me. I thought they did a great job on it. Again, I haven't seen it in person, but from what I've seen, it looks pretty amazing."

He continued: "Ronnie loved technology, and I think, deep down, he would have loved the thought that that could have happened. And knowing him, 'cause he was quite an imaginative guy, he probably did imagine that something like that could happen. And honestly, I think Ronnie would have approved."

The "Dio Returns" tour will also make stops throughout Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, United Kingdom, Venezuela and other countries, with dates to be announced. The trek is expected to come to the United States in spring 2018 and play festivals globally during the summer. The Ronnie James Dio hologram will perform for the majority of the show, treating fans to an alternating set list that will feature songs such as "Holy Diver", "Rainbow In The Dark", "We Rock", "King Of Rock And Roll", BLACK SABBATH's "Neon Knights" and "Heaven And Hell" and RAINBOW's "Man On The Silver Mountain" and more. The "Dio Returns" tour will feature Dio's actual live vocals, backed by a live band consisting of former DIO and current DIO DISCIPLES members Simon Wright (drums), Craig Goldy (guitar) and Scott Warren (keyboards) alongside bassist Bjorn Englen (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN). Veteran metal vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) will also perform, with singer Oni Logan (LYNCH MOB) also joining on select dates.

Danny B. Harvey, the guitarist who played with Lemmy Kilmister for seventeen years in the rockabilly supergroup HEADCAT (formerly THE HEAD CAT), has just released a new CD collaboration with Annie Marie Lewis.

Niece of Jerry Lee Lewis, daughter of Linda Gayle Lewis and cousin of Mickey Gilley, Annie Marie Lewis is a great singer who continues to perform with Jerry Lee. On the CD, she does a duet of an early Elvis Presley song "Trying To Get To You", featuring Lemmy on vocals and Danny on guitar and bass.

Harvey told BLABBERMOUTH.NET about how the recording came about: "Lemmy and I first discussed doing this duet about a year before he died when we were talking about how 'Trying To Get To You' would make a great country/ rock and roll duet because it's a rockin' love song. HEADCAT had recorded and released the song twice but there was also a third version that Lemmy loved his vocal take on but didn't like our backing track as much. I told him I could fix it up and add Annie's vocal. As a lark, I did a rough mockup of it and played it for him during our second to last HEADCAT show in January 2015. He loved it and told me to 'proceed with caution' and laughed. He never got to hear the final version because he passed away before I could play it for him. I had it with me the last time I hung out with him, at his seventieth-birthday celebration two weeks before he died, but because of the circumstances of the birthday celebration, with all his friends [there], his being tired and not feeling well, we discussed it briefly but I never got to play it for him. Two weeks later, he passed without me getting to play it for him. After a year of deciding what to do with the duet, I decided to release it in time for the fortieth anniversary of Elvis's passing. Since it came out two weeks ago, it's been well received and I know Lemmy would have loved it, him being such a big fan of Jerry Lee and Elvis.

"Interesting note: On December 13, 2015, as Lemmy, Annie, his girlfriend and myself got up to leave the Rainbow to return to his birthday celebration at the Whisky, I snapped a picture of the three of them. It not only turned out to be the last picture of Lemmy at the Rainbow but also the last known photo of him taken while he was alive. When he passed away, all over Europe they posted that photo of Lemmy, Annie and Cheryl as his 'last pic.' It's a weird irony that I took the last photo of Lemmy and Annie Marie in the photo."

Danny B. Harvey and Annie Marie Lewis's 14-song CD, "Reckless, Wild & Crazy", can be purchased at www.dannybharvey.com.

HEADCAT, which also features Slim Jim Phantom (THE STRAY CATS) on drums, recently recruited former MORBID ANGEL frontman David Vincent as the replacement for Lemmy.

LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell told The Salt Lake Tribune that he felt trepidation the first time he heard the title track of last year's "The Duke" EP. The song marked only the second time in the band's history that frontman Randy Blythe used "clean vocals" — actual singing rather than growling or screaming.

"They played it back for me and said, 'Hey, I just wanna tell you something — Randy's singing on this.' And my heart dropped — I've heard him singing on the bus, just goofing off, and it's not good! But obviously, that's just him joking around," he said. "So my heart sank, I was a little nervous, and then the track came on and I was completely blown away. He completely nailed it and effectively used that in his palette for doing vocals."

When asked if more LAMB OF GOD songs down the road might also feature clean vocals, Campbell replied: "There is no telling, but I would imagine yes, probably."

The bassist acknowledged that some LAMB OF GOD fans "still have a hard time with [it]. But we're always trying to evolve and come up with new ways to present heavy music," Campbell said. "Not that it gets boring, but, you know, we don't want to go out there and play the same songs every night, or play the same set and have every song be exactly the same. It's nice to have some different emotions, some different dynamics to the set."

Blythe made his LAMB OF GOD "cleaning singing" debut on "Overlord", a track that appeared on the band's 2015 album "VII: Sturm Und Drang".

"I figure we're about eight records deep at this point so if I wanna try my hand at some clean singing, I can," Blythe said of "Overlord" prior to the record's release. "There are a lot of people that are gonna be mad about it, but fuck them."

Randy told VH1 in a 2015 interview that recording "Overlord" was "the most fun I've had in the studio in a long time. Because, dude, sitting there screaming for four to six hours a day, that shit hurts your head," he said.

LAMB OF GOD's tour with SLAYER and BEHEMOTH kicked off on July 12 in Bemidji, Minnesota and will run through August 20 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Blythe recently told the "Sixx Sense" radio show that it will be "time to take a break for real" after the completion of LAMB OF GOD's current touring cycle and "concentrate more on writing and being at home with the family."

In a brand new interview with The Salt Lake Tribune, AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance defended the band's decision to evolve again with its latest album, 2016's "The Stage", knowing full well that it wouldn't appeal to everyone.

"It was kind of our punk rock, heavy metal, progressive 'Dark Side Of The Moon', if you will," he said. "And there's been people who've praised it as the greatest album that they've heard, and there's been fans and people that, just truly, it's over their heads and they don't get it. And that's what making music's all about. I can't honestly say with a straight face that every AVENGED SEVENFOLD album is my favorite. But I see the beauty in all of it. You always have to try new things, and that's the one thing that we've learned from all the greats — every album isn't gonna be every fan's favorite, but as long as you keep switching it up and making new fans, it's really about being persistent."

According to Zacky, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has never paid much attention to its detractors, many of whom lambast the band for everything from "looking like Hot Topic catalog model rejects to "not really even being metal at all."

"From Day One, we've always gotten backlash for certain outlandish ideas that we've had and presented," Vengeance told The Salt Lake Tribune. "That's also kind of been the driving force that’s pushed us forward. A lot of people have ideas and opinions on what AVENGED SEVENFOLD should be or what we should do, and I think our No. 1 rule is to always make sure we never listen to any of that and to always do what we believe."

"The Stage", a concept album based on Artificial Intelligence, was released last October with almost no promotion beforehand. Even though debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 — and No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts — the band has since acknowledged that the unconventional rollout has made for something of a struggle ever since.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows recently confirmed to the Razor 94.7 radio station that the band will embark on a full North American headlining tour in January and February 2018. The trek, which will be announced in September, was originally "supposed to happen this summer until we got that call from METALLICA, so we decided to put it on hold," the singer explained.

Tim "Ripper" Owens says that he would rejoin JUDAS PRIEST if asked, but he doesn't believe that it will ever happen.

The Ohio-based singer recorded two studio albums with the British heavy metal legends — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before the band reunited with Rob Halford.

Asked by Metal Temple if he would return to JUDAS PRIEST if Halford decided to retire from the band and the rest of the group wanted to carry on, Owens said (hear audio below): "Well, there's no doubt I would, if the timing was right. It's not gonna happen — it's never gonna happen. It'll never, ever happen; Rob's not ever gonna leave JUDAS PRIEST. They'll retire and I think that'll be it. But, yeah, I'll tell you the reason I would is because of the friendship. Financiallly, I don't know if it could be any… it's not gonna be any better than what I do now. But the friendship with those guys is really great. They are great guys and I had an absolute blast with them. That's probably the thing I miss the most — hanging out with them and the friendship."

Owens said in a 2014 interview that he liked the material PRIEST has released since he left but that he felt his work with the band was stronger. "I preferred 'Jugulator' but Rob's going to prefer what he did," Tim said. "Rob and I are good friends — we're still all good friends and we can always joke about that. But 'Redeemer Of Souls' is getting back to their roots. What's great is they're a band that can release an album like 'Nostradamus'. When they released 'Turbo', people didn’t like that. They've always experimented throughout their career."

In a separate interview, Owens defended himself against accusations by some JUDAS PRIEST fans of changing the band's sound to a more brutal, modern direction on "Jugulator". He explained: "Every record JUDAS PRIEST puts out is different. I mean, 'Nostradamus' sounds nothing like JUDAS PRIEST ever wrote, ever. 'Turbo' sounded nothing like JUDAS PRIEST. You know, JUDAS PRIEST changes. They wrote 'Painkiller', and 'Jugulator' was a transition; it was kind of following what was going on."

He continued: "You've gotta remember, JUDAS PRIEST always went with the times a little bit. Glenn [Tipton, guitar] started playing arpeggios. PANTERA was really big [at the time]. [On the] 'Painkiller' [tour], they toured with PANTERA; PANTERA opened for JUDAS PRIEST. 'Painkiller' was a heavy record, and this was a natural progression. The difference is I probably had a few more different layers to my voice that they could tap into — some deeper, death metal kind of undertones to do backups and some different types of voices that they might be able to try. But it was JUDAS PRIEST."

The first-ever official IRON MAIDEN comic book series is coming from leading U.S. science fiction, fantasy and horror publishers Heavy Metal Publishing. The comic books are based on the band's hit mobile role playing game Iron Maiden: Legacy Of The Beast, where players battle as Eddie across the many worlds of IRON MAIDEN's discography, from the ancient sands of "Powerslave" to the far flung future of "The Final Frontier".

Comprising five fantastic issues, with an overarching narrative and incredible illustrations, Iron Maiden: Legacy Of The Beast is written by Llexi Leon and Ian Edginton, with art from Kevin J. West, Jason Gorder and Santi Casas. The first issue goes on sale worldwide from comic retailers everywhere on October 11, but is available to pre-order online now.

The comic book series expands on the video game narrative. As dark forces conspire to corrupt the fabric of reality, Eddie's immortal soul is shattered and strewn across the cosmos — leaving a weakened, primal Eddie to battle across space and time facing off against the twisted legions of The Beast, seeking out the lost shards of his soul, and bringing order to the realms. With each victory, and with the aid of old friends, Eddie will restore his fearsome powers as he draws ever closer to facing the Unholy foe behind his fall… and thwarting a plot to unravel all of Creation!

Jeff Krelitz, CEO of Heavy Metal says: "As a lifelong fan of IRON MAIDEN, it is a privilege to publish the first official comic giving a narrative to their iconic mascot, Eddie. Heavy Metal's near-half-century-long history of either working with or launching the careers of only the most accomplished artists continues here with the amazing team IRON MAIDEN has working on this series."

Llexi Leon, interactive creative director at Phantom Music Management, says: "After forty years of unbridled creativity, innovation, and attitude, Heavy Metal has always been a home to the greatest talent in sequential storytelling and fantasy art. With a natural affiliation to the heavy music genre, it's a nexus point for counter culture and alternative arts. I can think of no better partner to explore IRON MAIDEN's mythology and expand the Legacy Of The Beast!" Iron Maiden: Legacy Of The Beast volume 1 release schedule:

Issue #1 - October 11, 2017Issue #2 - November 15, 2017Issue #3 - December 13, 2017Issue #4 - January 17, 2018Issue #5 - February 14, 2018

10 YEARS returns with the new studio album "(How To Live) As Ghosts", and welcomes back band members Brian Vodinh (guitar, drums) and Matt Wantland (guitar). The band's eighth studio album was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (ALICE IN CHAINS, FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES, KORN, MASTODON) and will be released on October 27 via Mascot.

Sometimes when band members reunite, it's as if no time has passed and nothing has changed. That couldn't be further from the truth for 10 YEARS. When Vodinh and Wantland returned to the Knoxville, Tennessee alt-metal/post-grunge band for their eighth album and Mascot debut, they burst through their comfort zones to create something new. Something better. Something career-defining. Singer Jesse Hasek reflects: "It's funny. I named our last record 'From Birth To Burial' (2015) because I thought it was our final record. It just didn't feel like 10 YEARS without Brian and Matt, and having them back is really a reunion of the core writing team. This new record actually feels like a real rebirth for the band."

While Vodinh handled drums and guitar on the new album, he's switching to just guitar for the live shows, moving Chad Huff from guitar to bass, while Kyle Mayer stays on drums. "We're bringing it back the way they should be," says Vodinh, who left the band due to family commitments in 2013. "It feels great to be back with these guys and we're in such a better place musically and creatively than ever before."

Talking about the first single "Novacaine", Hasek offers: "Six albums and a hundred songs in, I wondered if I've already written my best stuff. But at some point, you start to get real adult problems. Life has such a numbing to it. You see people go from such optimism in their 20s to having life just beat them down later. I think we all kind of get desensitized and numb to life on some level. That's what this song is about." That better place stems, in part, from a more collaborative writing process. "It used to be that just Jesse and I would write the full song, and the other guys would add a little spice to it. This time, we're starting the writing process as a full band. Sometimes it starts with a riff. Sometimes it starts with a vocal. Our formula is no formula, and it kind of works. And, we work together in a more constructive and healthier environment now," explains Vodinh. The sixth collaborator was Raskulinecz. "Nick made us step outside our comfort zone," explains Hasek. "It made for a different-sounding record. The one thing we never wanted to do is recreate the same thing over and over. We have always been musicians that love to explore and venture into new horizons." The result is 10 YEARS' most dynamic and multi-dimensional record to date. Raskulinecz encouraged the band to strip away some of the vocal production they've grown accustomed to in order to reveal a more intimate side of Hasek. "Historically, we like to orchestrate a lot of vocal parts. We'll have harmonies and layers. This time around, Nick had us strip a lot of that away. There are a lot of moments where the only vocal is just Jesse, and not this big freaking epic thing. It makes Jesse more human. And I think the more human Jesse comes across, the more relatable his lyrics are," says Vodinh. Raskulinecz also helped Hasek be more straightforward in his lyrics and message. Hasek offers: "In the past, I've written a lot of songs that were pretty ambiguous. But on this record, I'm more comfortable being direct and talking about things that are important to me. I'm older and find myself reflecting on the world more especially after having travelled the world and talk to people and really see what's going on." The title track, "(How To Live) As Ghosts", is one such song. "After traveling the world and seeing all the political, social, and religious turmoil, it had me thinking about how many people are judging and preparing for death, but are actually missing life. And, instead of using spirituality for good, a lot of people use it to point fingers and judge. Instead of worrying where we end up in the end, we need to focus on the now and the humanity." "Burnout" is another observation on mankind. "It's about a person that's right there in the limelight, has every opportunity to see the greatest things in life that are right in front of them, but they are too inside themselves to see it," says Hasek. "Blood Red Sky" was originally from a solo EP Vodinh had recorded. "The song grabbed my ear the first time I heard it because it had such a different vibe," says Hasek, "but I had a different vocal idea for it so we changed it up. It's about the struggle of maintaining everyday life and how fast your existence just flashes before your eyes. But, it also says that we are surviving and will make it through — that we will always fight through." "(How To Live) As Ghosts" might be the band's eighth album but, to them, it feels like a new start. "There was a heavier, darker tone to our last record because we weren't in a good place," adds the singer. "'Ghosts' has a brighter side to it because we're all in a really happy, optimistic, and excited place about music and life. We're ready to see how the world embraces it."

"(How To Live) As Ghosts" track listing:

01. The Messenger02. Novacaine03. Burnout04. Catacombs05. Ghosts06. Blood Red Sky07. Phantoms08. Vampires09. Halos10. Lucky You11. Insomnia

Former Pantera bassist Rex Brown recently sat down with Music Radar and revealed the 10 albums that changed his life. Following is an excerpt from the rundown.

The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

Brown: “Revolver was one of the first records that really grabbed me. I don’t why know I keep going back to that album. People say, ‘Dude, the White Album!’ But Revolver is so good. Listening as a kid it had so many great tracks. Everything seems to go back to The Beatles. I can see that even though I lean more towards The Stones because I like the dirty grit. But when it comes to pure songwriting since I have been alive, it’s always been The Beatles. Without The Beatles a lot of these records on this list wouldn’t have been made.”

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life (1976)

Brown: “If I don’t say this record then I’m not a real musician. That record is just over the top. I remember listening to that and you could hear the joy coming out of Stevie. It is pure. It is such a wonderful record. I would listen to all kinds of stuff back then. We were making the transition to the big city to Arlington when I met the Abbott brothers. Before then, I lived in a small town in Texas with a population of like 1,000 people and all we had was AM radio. That changed everything because on the AM radio we would just listen to America and Bread.” 

Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (1991)

Brown: “I’ve always been the rock ‘n’ roll guy in the band. One that struck me was Badmotorfinger. When that came out, we were still playing clubs and you had to wear the fuckin’ poofy shirt. That record came along, and I had heard the EP, but when I heard that record that was it. There’s been some great records that have come since then, I have been part of a few, but I don’t look to toot my own horn. I’m still trying to get over what happened to Cornell. That voice, my god.” 

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Brown released his debut solo album, Smoke On This, on July 28th via Entertainment One Music (eOne Music). Brown stopped by the Guitar World studio to play along to "Train Song" from the upcoming album. Check out the video below:

Brown’s solo debut strips away any boundaries and preconceived notions, reveling in a newfound freedom to express all of the various shades of the man whose name is out front. The song “Fault Line” helped him find his voice. “That was the very first one I sang. After I got that one, I knew that I could do it, and Lance was my biggest motivator in finding that voice. Up until that point I just wasn’t sure.”

From there, there’s the brilliantly straightforward “Lone Rider,” the monstrous In Through The Out Door vibe of “Crossing Lines”, the Pink Floyd reverence of “Best Of Me”. “Get Yourself Alive” is something of an ode to “Strawberry Fields Forever”, but with a swift-kick of rock n’ roll. It’s rich in nuance, with Indian tandoori and layers of vocals. The extremely catchy “Grace” is “something you would never expect to hear off a Rex Brown record and that’s exactly why I did it. It’s just a really great song, period. Bottom line.”

Rex’s solo album is full of mojo and the force of character, determination, and nerve. He tracked lead vocals, rhythm guitars, and bass, working with his primary collaborator and old friend, Lance Harvill, a Nashville-based guitarist and songwriter, on the album’s songs. “Lance was & is, my main man on this. Everything we did was finely tuned, both musically & brotherly.”

Drums were tracked by Christopher Williams, himself no stranger to diverse tastes, from funk music to punk. His talent has been utilized by country music star Lee Greenwood, the reconstituted Blackfoot and most recently, power metal legends Accept. The album was produced by New Yorker turned Nashville transplant Caleb Sherman, a multi-instrumentalist with work on records by Little Big Town and Porter Block, among others. “Caleb produced the project from a musician's standpoint,” adds Brown. “Not just a typical producer’s standpoint, which was something I definitely needed. Between Caleb and Lance, we were a force to be reckoned with. They really pulled out the best in me.” Peter Keyes, known for his work with Lynyrd Skynyrd can also be heard on a few tracks. All bass tracking came from Rex himself as well.

Who is Rex Brown? To the industry, fellow musicians, and a legion of fans around the world, he’s the bassist for Pantera, one of the biggest hard rock and metal acts of the past few decades, alongside Nirvana and Metallica. They had Number One albums with minimal support from traditional commercial outlets and went platinum several times over. Pantera rode a groundswell of underground loyalty, earned through several years of blood, sweat, and road beers. Five major label albums, countless international tours, and a series of carnage-filled home videos cemented a legacy as large as their massive riffs and the band’s insatiable appetites for mayhem, authenticity, and brotherhood.

“My motto these days is ‘Shake some shit up,'" Brown declares about the new LP. “I’ve had my ups and downs, like anybody in this business. I wanted to feel like a true artist again, where I can write and record songs without worrying about any of the bullshit.”

Tracklisting:

“Lone Rider”
“Crossing Lines”
“Buried Alive”
“Train Song”
“Get Yourself Alright”
“Fault Line”
“What Comes Around...”
“Grace”
“So Into You”
“Best Of Me”
“One Of these Days”

"So Into You" teaser:

“Train Song” video:

“Crossing Lines” lyric video:

In celebration of the band's legendary sold-out performances at Wrigley Field on August 20 and August 22, 2016 during the Chicago Cubs' historic World Series championship season, PEARL JAM is set to release documentary film "Let's Play Two" and accompanying soundtrack album. "Let's Play Two" is directed by renowned director/photographer Danny Clinch and produced by Monkeywrench Productions, Tourgigs Productions, Universal Music Publishing Group, Republic Records, FOX Sports and Major League Baseball in collaboration with Milkt Films and Polygram Entertainment.

With Chicago being a hometown to Eddie Vedder, PEARL JAM has forged a relationship with the city, the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field that is unparalleled in the world of sports and music. From "Ten" to "Lightning Bolt", the feature film shuffles through PEARL JAM's ever-growing catalog of originals and covers — spanning the band's twenty-five-year career. Through the eyes of Danny Clinch and the voice of PEARL JAM, the film showcases the journey of the special relationship — using the past and present of both the band and the Chicago Cubs through the music, the sweat and the eternal hopes of being both a Cubs fan and PEARL JAM fan.

"In my films and photographs, I love to explore the relationship between a band, their fans and the location," Clinch explains. "When it happens that the main characters of your film are PEARL JAM, the Chicago Cubs, their fans, and Wrigley Field during a historic moment, you know it's going to be epic. Our instincts were correct to follow the story and it took us to a historic Game 7 of the World Series ending a hundred-and-eight-year drought for the Cubs. I have learned to welcome the unexpected and it always pays off if you're ready for it."

Serving as the film's theatrical premiere, Ten Club will host special members-only screenings of "Let's Play Two" at Metro in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood on Wednesday, September 27 and Thursday, September 28. In partnership with Abramorama, "Let's Play Two" will then enjoy week-long worldwide theatrical engagements in select markets starting on September 29 in addition to special one night only theatrical events beginning on October 3. The soundtrack and home video of the film will be released globally by Republic Records, with the soundtrack released simultaneous to the film on September 29 and home video following with a release on November 17. The soundtrack is available for pre-order now at PearlJam.com and will be available for pre-order via all digital retailers on August 25. The home video will be available for pre-order on September 29. The film's U.S. television premiere airs on FS1 on Friday, October 13 immediately following Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

Clinch and Milkt executive producer Lindha Narvaez have been a director/production team on film projects for fifteen years, including PEARL JAM live concert film "Immagine In Cornice" (2007) and various PEARL JAM EPKs throughout the years.

Danny, Lindha and "Let's Play Two" cinematographers Vance Burberry and Josh Goleman as well as editor Taryn Gould collaborated with PEARL JAM to produce content for the release of 2013's "Lightning Bolt", including a short film and music video for "Mind Your Manners".

Abramorama will release "Let's Play Two" theatrically kicking off with week-long engagements in select markets worldwide starting on September 29. Additionally, over two hundred and fifty cities worldwide will host special one-night-only theatrical events starting on October 3.

For a full list of cities, to purchase tickets and to sign up for more details on events to come, visit letsplaytwofilm.com.

This marks the third time that Abramorama and PEARL JAM have collaborated on a theatrical release. In 2007, Abramorama released "Immagine In Cornice" — Danny Clinch's live concert film documenting PEARL JAM's 2006 tour of Italy — and in 2011, Abramorama released Cameron Crowe's retrospective documentary "Pearl Jam Twenty".

Republic Records will release the "Let's Play Two" soundtrack on September 29 in conjunction with the film's theatrical release. The soundtrack will be released in vinyl, CD and digital formats. It is available for pre-order now at PearlJam.com and will be available for pre-order via all digital retailers on August 25.

Track listing:

01. Low Light02. Better Man03. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town04. Last Exit05. Lightning Bolt06. Black Red Yellow07. Black08. Corduroy09. Given To Fly10. Jeremy11. Inside Job12. Go13. Crazy Mary14. Release15. Alive16. All The Way17. I've Got A Feeling

EVANESCENCE guitarist Jen Majura is working on her second solo album, "InZENity". The disc, which is tentatively due in early 2018, will feature guest appearances by Mattias IA Eklundh (FREAK KITCHEN), Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR) and Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT).

Said Jen: "With all the EVANESCENCE touring and recording the new project album 'Synthesis', I am overwhelmingly happy that I have managed to be in the studio with my second album in August this year — to record my own and very Jen-like album! Creating music followed by recording an album is a very emotional special thing and I am really looking forward to it."

Majura has launched am Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for "InZENity" where fans have a chance to "get the most personal items that had toured with me the last trillion years all over the world," she said.

Jen's self-titled debut solo album was released in 2014. It was recorded at Gernhart Studios in Germany with producers Dennis Hormes and Martin Buchwalter (PERZONAL WAR) and it featured guest appearances by Tobias Kersting from ORDEN OGAN, Manni Schmidt from REFUGE, and Marco Wriedt from 21 OCTAYNE.

Earlier this year, Majura spoke to Greece's Rock Overdose about what it has been like to join EVANESCENCE in August 2015 as the replacement for Terry Balsamo. She said: "[To be] honest, I've never been, like, one of those insane EVANESCENCE fans. Of course, I knew the music — everybody does — and I love the music, and I bought the CDs, and I listened to the songs, and I sang along… But being able, and thankful for being able, to be one part of this band is… It's hard to describe it in words, because… I do not see it as a job. Of course it's work, but, for me, mainly, after I got to know all the guys really [well], [it's] mainly fun, because we really get along very good. Even if we're not on the road touring, we keep texting each other and talk on Skype and stuff, and it's really a very, very mature, friendly relationship that we have, with a lot of respect for each other. And playing those shows… One can never understand the feeling f how it is to stand on stage together with those guys, because they're just so talented, creative, great musicians, and we're just having so much fun on stage, andI think the people can see that. It has nothing to do with, 'Oh, we've gotta work now?', 'Oh, we've gotta deliver music?' It's more like, 'Come on! Let's do a rock show and have fun and have a great time!' And I really appreciate that, because this is something that is not happening within every band. I know bands [where] hardly the singer talks to the guitar player, and they have different hotels, and so many issues and stuff and… I was looking for a band my entire life where I can say that everybody is friends, everybody is honest, everybody is talented and working on the same thing, which always should be... Do a really cool rock show, enjoy yourself and make fans happy. And I think that is something I found in EVANESCENCE, because… it's just cool! [Laughs]"

Due this fall, EVANESCENCE's new album, "Synthesis", will reimagine some of the band's past catalog with full orchestration and electronic backing.

JASTA, the solo project of HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, has released the official music video for the song "The Same Flame". The clip was shot by Paul McGuire of Obscenery Films.

"The Same Flame" is taken from JASTA's latest album, "The Lost Chapters", which came out in March.

Jamey states: "I'm really excited to launch the video for the JASTA track 'The Same Flame', directed by my friend Paul McGuire.

"Those who listen to my podcast know I've been talking about doing a project completely DIY style with JASTA for months and this video, along with two others, are the outcome of that. In addition to a nine-song album that was partially fan-funded! Not only did I get to work on every aspect of the recording, packaging and producing the album, but I got to help direct and scout locations. Now we have a cool visual to go along with one of my favorite songs off the JASTA album.

"Since I released the album in the spring, JASTA had a successful tour with ANTHRAX and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. After that, I got busy touring on Warped with HATEBREED, but I was able to shoot three JASTA videos in three days on a short break. Now I get to hit the road with JASTA in Europe for a short tour and then I'll be back doing a homestate show October 7 with JASTA before HATEBREED hits the road again."

"The Lost Chapters" track listing: 01. This Is Your Life02. Parasitic03. The Same Flame04. Back To What Matters05. Until We Bleed Again06. Chasing Demons (feat. Howard Jones)07. Deadly Business08. The Immortal09. Buried Alive (BLACK SABBATH cover)

Jamey's debut solo album, "Jasta", sold around 4,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 133 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 1 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Jasta" was released in North America on July 26, 2011 via eOne Music and in Europe one day earlier through Century Media Records.

The second trailer for "The Solace System", the forthcoming EP from Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA, can be seen below.

With their latest masterpiece, EPICA set new standards. 2016's "The Holographic Principle" is the most epochal, multi-layered, courageous and successful record of the band, reaching top 10 chart position entries in the German, Dutch and Swiss album charts. Accordingly, all the tracks written for the album process are high quality, but not all songs have been put on the album. "This is only based on the fact that the record should not exceed 76 minutes," explains guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen. Since the band didn't like the idea of a double CD, they finally decided to release an EP with six brand-new numbers, which were created during the creative phase of "The Holographic Principle". "The Solace System" EP will be released on September 1 via Nuclear Blast.

The track listing is as follows:

01. The Solace System02. Fight Your Demons03. Architect Of Light04. Wheel Of Destiny05. Immortal Melancholy06. Decoded Poetry

Mark states about the songs: "The listeners can expect a high-quality EP — with songs that are far too good to use them only as bonus tracks. We wanted to publish these songs together in a context. It is always hard to decide at the end of a recording process which songs will be on the album, because this means that you have to miss some songs with best quality, just because they do not fit quite well into the overall flow of the record or because there are other songs that are more suited to the lyrics." The video for the title track, "The Solace System", can be seen below. The clip was produced by anime master Davide Cilloni. The splendid artwork is once again by the hand of Stefan Heilemann.

"The Solace System" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Joost van den Broek and Jacob Hansen.

EPICA vocalist Simone Simons comments on the EP: "During the early writing process of 'The Holographic Principle', we found out that we were blessed with a huge amount of songs. The songs that didn't fit on our album are now available for you on this special EP! I hope you guys will enjoy these songs as much as we do!"

And if that wasn't enough, you'll be also able to purchase the new EP, "The Solace System", together with the CD of their recent studio album, "The Holographic Principle" as a box set. It will be called "The Holographic Principle - The Ultimate Edition".

In other news, Nuclear Blast will re-release two ancient albums of EPICA, "Design Your Universe" and "The Divine Conspiracy", on vinyl on August 18. Each album is available in two different colors.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe

Fan-filmed video footage of LOUDNESS's August 2 concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Oslo, Norway can be seen below.

LOUDNESS will release its new album, "Rise To Glory", on January 26, 2018. The follow-up to 2014's "The Sun Will Rise Again" will be made available in Japan via Ward Records and throughout Europe and America via earMUSIC, home to other world-class acts such as DEEP PURPLE, ALICE COOPER, STATUS QUO, DEF LEPPARD and THUNDER.

LOUDNESS has released twenty-six studio albums, five of them in the U.S. The band's lineup has changed multiple times since 1981, with the current incarnation consisting of three original members — lead singer Minoru Niihara, guitarist Akira Takasaki and bassist Masayoshi Yamashita — along with drummer Masayuki Suzuki, who joined the group in 2009.

Original LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi died in 2008 after a year-long battle with liver cancer.

LOUDNESS released a special thirtieth-anniversary edition of its classic "Thunder In The East" album in Japan in November 2015 in several different versions, featuring demo recordings, bonus DVDs with live footage from their 1985 U.S. tour, a documentary about the making of the LP and other things.

Asked by Metal Rules to recall some of the highlights from the "Thunder In The East" days, Niihara said: "We opened for MÖTLEY CRÜE and we played Madison Square Garden. I was told by my manager, and I don't know if it is true or not, that you have to take a huge limo to get into Madison Square Garden. We were in this limo and the views reminded me of a LED ZEPPELIN movie. We thought, 'We made it!' because Madison Square Garden is such an important place. I know there are bigger places in the States, but that place is so important and so many bands have played there, it gave me goose bumps."

In The Loop magazine has uploaded video footage of VIXEN performing the song "Edge Of A Broken Heart" on August 12 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois. The concert was recorded for an upcoming live album. According to singer Janet Gardner, the disc "will also include a couple of bonus surprises."

VIXEN recently parted ways with guitarist Gina Stile and replaced her with Britt Lightning. The band also welcomed a new keyboardist, Tyson Leslie.

Lightning and Leslie made their live debut with VIXEN on March 25 at the Rock The Arena II festival at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

Stile originally played with VIXEN in 1997-1998 and returned to the band in 2013 as the replacement for the group's deceased founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund.

In a recent interview with Antihero Magazine, Gardner stated about her decision to take a break from VIXEN during most of the 1990s and early 2000s: "Obviously, in the early '90s and most of the '90s, we were looked as passé, the whole scene that we were involved in. So, you know, it wasn't very appealing to throw yourself out there and get people going, 'Eww, we don't want to hear that.' So, you know, it was kind of a good time for me to, you know, do the family thing. And do other things that were important to me at the time and spend some time with my family. And you know, I would always sit down with a guitar. I always had things to say, but it wasn't necessarily what people wanted to hear. So, I wanted to spend some time doing other things in life."

Gardner released her debut solo album on August 18 via Pavement Entertainment in conjunction with Pavement's cohorts Eternal Sound Records for Europe. All songs were written, performed and produced by Gardner and her husband, Justin James, a guitarist, songwriter and producer who has previously worked with STAIND, COLLECTIVE SOUL and TYKETTO.

"Get Off Your Ass", the title track of the new album from veteran Los Angeles hard rockers AUTOGRAPH, can be streamed below. The disc will be released on October 6 via EMP Label Group, the U.S.-based label of MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson. It will be issued on CD and digital, with a limited-edition vinyl LP version available in November.

"Get Off Your Ass" is the first official studio LP from the revamped quartet, featuring original/founding members guitarist Steve Lynch and bassist Randy Rand, alongside new vocalist/rhythm guitarist Simon Daniels and drummer Marc Wieland.

Lynch, an iconic guitarist, revered worldwide as a bona fide guitar hero (known for his signature eight-finger hammer-on technique), reactivated the band in 2013 with bassist Randy Rand after reconnecting at the NAMM show. After approaching original vocalist Steve Plunkett, who was unavailable for the reunion due to other business interests, with his blessing, the newly resurrected AUTOGRAPH recruited former JAILHOUSE vocalist Simon Daniels, the rest, as they say, is history.

"Get Off Your Ass" features an updated, hard-edged (and keyboard free) sound for the band, featuring down-tuned guitars, and the fiery, blues-soaked delivery of Daniels, as evidenced on tracks like "Every Generation", "I Lost My Mind In America", and the first single, edgy title track "Get Off Your Ass". The album also features an updated live version of the band's classic rock staple "Turn Up The Radio", performed by the current lineup.

Says Lynch: "'Get Off Your Ass' definitely sets a new direction for the band, with an updated, heavier sound, while still retaining the signature melodic hooks people have come to expect from AUTOGRAPH. This record is bound to get the attention of old AUTOGRAPH fans as well as the new. So put your ears on and turn this one up!!"

Adds Daniels: "We are so excited about this record! This is a lineup of brothers with a vision and the perfect chemistry. We wanted the record to be musically timeless, and translate a heavier sound featuring the melodies and harmonies, but with heavier guitars and a more 'in-your-face' attitude. The lyrics come from the heart and are directed to people of our current era, with uplifting messages and positive energy. It's AUTOGRAPH on steroids."

On their partnership with EMP, Daniels adds: "EMP is the perfect match for us. They understand what we're doing, they have the same vision and we are grateful to work with such great experienced humble focused achieving people!" Drummer Marc Wieland concurs: "EMP shares and supports the same vision we had for our new album, 'Get Off Your Ass'. We are stoked to be part of their family!"

Ellefson expresses a mutual admiration. "When I first moved to L.A. to go to MI (then known as GIT), Steve Lynch was the guy everybody went there to learn from. As far as guitar players in L.A. went, he was the guy. I never did end up at GIT, we formed MEGADETH and obviously went down an extremely different path, but Steve truly is an iconic guitar hero of the highest caliber, and I am so proud for EMP to be able to partner with him and the re-imagined AUTOGRAPH to release this killer album."

Forming in 1983, AUTOGRAPH gave the world the perpetual rock anthem "Turn Up the Radio", which still commands nearly constant airplay on classic rock stations around the world, and has become an iconic piece of pop culture, making appearances in mass media classics like "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and more recently in the film "Hot Tub Time Machine".

With seminal albums "Sign In Please" (1984), "That's The Stuff" (1985) and "Loud And Clear" (1987), as well as years of touring alongside legendary artists, including MÖTLEY CRÜE, DIO, VAN HALEN and AEROSMITH, AUTOGRAPH left an everlasting imprint on rock 'n' roll. Now this undeniable rock legacy is reclaimed with "Get Off Your Ass".

Gene Simmons says that he has no regrests about attempting to trademark the so-called "devil's horns" hand gesture.

The KISS bassist/vocalist withdrew his application to trademark the symbol in late June — less than two weeks after filing with the federal copyright office.

Most music fans slammed Simmons for the trademark request, saying the symbol has become ubiquitous and means different things to different people.

Asked by Windsor Star if he regrets trying to trademark the "metal horns" or "rock on" hand sign, Simmons replied: "I regret nothing. Wake up every morning and let your conscience be your guide.

"Did you know I own the money bag logo?" he continued. "The dollar sign with the bag of money. I own all kinds of things. I own 'motion pictures' as a trademark. Anyone who thinks that's silly — the silliest thing I've ever done is wear more makeup and higher heels than your mommy. People said, 'You can't do that.' Actually, bitch — I can. I can do anything I want to do."

Gene's KISS bandmate Paul Stanley recently said that he had no idea why Simmons attempted to trademark the "devil's horns" hand gesture. Stanley told the Loudwire Podcast: "Well, you know, Gene elicits some very strong reactions from people. And what he does he does for the reasons that only he knows. So I can't really say that I have really any thought about it. It was really something that he wanted to pursue, and the reaction was how people felt about it. So I don't know why he pulled it, and I don't know why he started it. I really have no… I haven't asked him."

In his original request, which was filed on June 9, Simmons described the sign as consisting "of a hand gesture with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular." He paid $275, seeking to use the hand signal symbol for "Entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist."

Gene claimed the gesture was first used in commerce on November 14, 1974, which corresponded to KISS's "Hotter Than Hell" tour. He wrote in his signed declaration that he believed "no other person, firm, corporation or association has the right to use said mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance."

During a recent edition of her show "The Talk", Sharon Osbourne slammed Simmons for the trademark request, accusing the rocker of "trying to make money from posters and t-shirts." She said: "He's crazy. He's trying to get money from the merch where you see this [gesture] on merch, but actually this [symbol], in Italian, which has been going for hundreds of years, means 'the devil.' That's what it means. And so kids at concerts have been doing it for years and years and years. And in '74? Where were you in the '60s when they were doing it, kid, because they've been doing it forever."

It's unclear why Simmons suddenly withdrew his application to trademark the gesture but it's unlikely he would have succeeded anyway.

Copyright lawyer Ronald Abrams told Forbes that such hand gestures can't be trademarked unless they are part of a logo. Trademark attorney Michael Cohen with Cohen IP Law Group in Beverly Hills, who deals with trademark, patent and copyright infringement cases, concurred, telling the Los Angeles Times that it would have been very difficult for Simmons's application to be approved because the gesture has become "genericized."

Simmons's version of the gesture is actually "I love you" in American Sign Language, with the thumb extended, rather than the thumb holding two middle fingers close to the palm.

Ronnie James Dio's widow Wendy also criticized Simmons for attempting to trademark the hand sign. She told TheWrap: "To try to make money off of something like this is disgusting. It belongs to everyone — it doesn't belong to anyone. It's a public domain, it shouldn't be trademarked."

Bill Ward has once again fired back at his former bandmates in BLACK SABBATH, insisting that it is "inaccurate" of Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne to suggest he was physically unable to play full shows with the group.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Ozzy, Tony and bassist Geezer Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him. The final BLACK SABBATH tour, which concluded in February in Birmingham, saw the founding member replaced by session drummer Tommy Clufetos.

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed late last month during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's forthcoming "Ten Year War" box set.

"It would have been nice to do these last shows with Bill, but it just didn't happen," Iommi said. "And it's silly, really, because it was over nothing. Even if he'd have played a couple of shows, it would've been great."

Iommi continued: "I don't think he quite realizes how hard it would have been on him. So we wanted to bring another drummer just in case Bill ended up saying 'I can't do it' for a couple of days or whatever. It's too risky to go out and then have Bill say 'I can't do it,' and you have to cancel [a show] on seventy thousand people, or whatever it might be. It's very hard, and it's not fair on the fans and it's not fair on him."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

Earlier tonight (Friday, August 18), Ward released a statement via his Facebook page in which he disputed his former bandmates' suggestion that he was not physically capable of touring and performing.

Bill wrote: "Again I feel in a position where I'm compelled to defend my actions in the period of 2011 up to, I suppose, today.

"Tony Iommi's comments and some of Ozzy's, remain in a place of disparaging remarks, which bring fault to my character as a person and a musician.

"I completely disagree with their comments. What they believe is quite opposite from my experience, especially in 2011 when no one spoke to me of being alarmed by my playing or my health. If they kept the info, which they so readily share now, to themselves in 2011, then let that be their shortcoming.

"How can I be judged that I could not do a tour when we were working on an album? How can I be judged in 2011 on health issues when none existed that would endanger a long-term tour? They all know very clearly how well I prepare to tour. I did not know I was being judged in 2011, if that is indeed their truth.

"Tony's comment (and I'm assuming it was in reference to me touring) was, 'I don't think he quite realizes how hard it would have been on him.'

"How can Tony say that? I know what it takes to tour. I've helped to set the physical and playing bar that was metal then and today. What an undermining, self-centered thing for Tony to say. What an inaccurate thing for Tony to say.

"I had played all the Ozzfests and SABBATH tours after the reunion. Keep in mind, they did one tour without me first, I think just to see if it could work without me.

"I'm sorry and mean no malice in saying this, but it was their fear, their mistrust, and their rationale that put back-up drummers on the stage at the reunion and other tours. I disliked that they did that, but understood they wanted to. I got on with my work, playing drums in SABBATH. Never once was a back-up drummer required, and no, I did not validate the fears of those who had fears.

"I missed a European tour after my one and only heart attack in 1998. I can appreciate that BLACK SABBATH's interests needed to be protected for the sake of future commitments to the fans, promoters, and all involved.

"Ozzy said 'the saddest thing is that he [Bill] needed to own up to that.' Own up to what in 2011? What was I supposed to own up to, when I felt exhilarated, confident, and strong? Own up to, I'm not up to this, I'm sick and can't play; those failings didn't exist in me, they still don't exist today. I had nothing to own up to, nothing to confess. The fact that Oz had reacted with sadness tells me he was already sold on his own judgement of me. And that is very sad to know.

"Tony commented, 'and it's silly, really, because it was over nothing.' I have to confront that statement. I can't let that wash into my life and my family's life, and the lives of all those affected by an original band failure.

"It was something. It meant everything to thousands of people, including me. It will always be something and it will always ring with truth, and actual correct accountability. By saying it was nothing dishonours the credibility of our fans, and insults the very heart of what we all clung to, BLACK SABBATH.

"I will have my experience in the time period of 2011 and Tony and Ozzy will have theirs. And, it's plain to me we're as opposite and opposing as ever.

"I won't forget Ozzy's last phone call of January 23rd or so, 2012 asking when I would arrive in England to commence rehearsals. Why would he say that if my performance level of 2011 had already been judged?

"I regret the loss of Ozzy's friendship.

"I regret the loss of Tony's friendship.

"Finally, and I've defended this many times, I couldn't play one gig or a couple of gigs here or there with a back-up drummer or no back-up drummer. To do that one gig would put me in an elitist position, and I can't do that for all the other fans who couldn't see that one gig.

"I'm honoured to have been a part of BLACK SABBATH, and to have played with Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler.

"Long live BLACK SABBATH."

Back in June, Ward told Rolling Stone magazine that he had "gone through a lot of tears" over his split with SABBATH. "I've grieved the loss of three of my best friends," he said. "I've grieved the loss of their company, their words, their laughter, their joy, and above all, their music... I've grieved the loss of the fans, and I've grieved the pain of what all this has created."

But he claimed at the time to have come out the other side. "I can't afford to have resentment," he explained. "I can't afford to be angry. I can't afford these things spiritually or physically. So I knew I had to be rid of them."




STATEMENT ABOUT BLACK SABBATH - RESPONSE TO TONY IOMMI

Hi Everyone,

I hope this day finds you all in good spirits and...

Posted by Bill Ward on Friday, August 18, 2017

P.O.D. has released a brand new song called "Soundboy Killa". The track, which can be streamed below, is the first fresh music from the Southern California outfit since the arrival of its ninth studio album, "The Awakening". That disc came out in August 2015 via T-Boy/UMC and was produced by the band's longtime collaborator and friend Howard Benson, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES and ALL THAT REMAINS, among others.

P.O.D. frontman Sonny Sandoval stated about "Soundboy Killa": "Rock and roll has become entertainment that just says what the consumer wants to hear. There's no more edge or rebellion that sets it apart from the norm. 'Soundboy Killa' is classic P.O.D. guitar-riff power, headbanging groove with the lyrical attitude and edge missing in today's rock and roll."

In early September, P.O.D. will embark on the "Soundboy Killaz" fall tour with special guests ALIEN ANT FARM, POWERFLO and FIRE FROM THE GODS.

With three more weeks to go until ALTER BRIDGE's long-awaited album "Live At The O2 Arena + Rarities" (out on September 8 worldwide via Napalm Records) will finally be released, the band has released another live track from the upcoming three-disc collection. The live version of one of the band's most popular tracks, "Metalingus", can be streamed below. Fans who pre-order the digital version of the album will receive an instant download of the track as well.

The studio version of "Metalingus" was originally recorded for ALTER BRIDGE's debut album, "One Day Remains". The song reached a whole new audience when it was selected as the official entrance theme of WWE superstar Edge back in 2004. Edge used the track until the day he retired in 2011.

"Live At The O2 Arena + Rarities" is available for pre-order worldwide now. The new release is being offered in different formats from a regular three-CD digipak up to an incredible deluxe cardboard box limited to a thousand units, including a three-CD digipak, DVD in slipcase, O2 laminate + lanyard, guitar strings from Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy, guitar picks, a patch and buttons. Any of these configurations can be ordered here.

"Live At The O2 Arena + Rarities" was recorded at London's famous O2 Arena on November 26, 2016. That landmark performance was captured in its entirety. The two-CD, nineteen-track recording documents what an enormous presence ALTER BRIDGE have become on concert stages around the world. In addition, this latest release includes an exclusive full-length rarities CD sure to excite fans everywhere. The disc features the never-before-released tracks "Cruel Sun" and "Solace" that were recorded during the "One Day Remains" sessions, as well as the song "Breathe" from the same time which has only ever been available as a U.S. retail exclusive via Best Buy. These tracks join seven other songs that have only been released in Japan until this collection.

"Live At The O2 Arena + Rarities" track listing:

CD1

01. The Writing On The Wall02. Come To Life03. Addicted To Pain04. Ghost Of Days Gone By05. Cry Of Achilles06. The Other Side07. Farther Than The Sun08. Ties That Blind09. Water Rising10. Crows On A Wire11. Watch Over You (solo acoustic)

CD2

12. Isolation13. Blackbird14. Metalingus15. Open Your Eyes16. Show Me A Leader17. Rise Today18. Poison In Your Veins19. My Champion

CD3

01. Breathe02. Cruel Sun03. Solace04. New Way To Live05. The Damage Done06. We Don't Care at All07. Zero08. Home09. Never Borne To Follow10. Never Say Die (Outright)11. Symphony Of Agony (The Last of Our Kind)

"Puppet Master", the new video from Australian extreme metallers THY ART IS MURDER, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "Dear Desolation", which is being released today (Friday, August 18) via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

"Dear Desolation" was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, New Jersey. Artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

"Dear Desolation" marks THY ART IS MURDER's first full-length release since vocalist C.J. McMahon rejoined the band this past January.

McMahon blamed his drug addiction for his departure from the group and has vowed to move forward as "a new man."

Asked what has changed for him since he rejoined THY ART IS MURDER, McMahon told Decibel magazine: "Basically, I'm trying to support myself and my wife as best as I can. I work with my father-in-law as a stone mason… I have my clothing line, and the band's making a little bit of money as well. Financially, I'm working my ass off and I'm literally busting my ass and hustling as much as I can to be able to have somewhat of a normal life. Sydney is extremely expensive to live in and, unfortunately, it wasn't my choice to live here. [I was] born and raised here, I fucking hate it. My family and my life is here. Also, not really big on drugs anymore. I was smoking copious amounts of marijuana every day and I was using a lot of cocaine most days. There was a couple of close calls in the U.S. on tour when I thought I was going to die and I possibly did a couple times. Now I've cleaned my life up and I have a different outlook on things. Trying to manage my anger management a bit better and try to be a little bit more calm in life because it negatively impacts my family and my band."

McMahon also spoke about what fans can expect from "Dear Desolation". He said: "I think you can expect it to be slightly different to a lot of our releases. It's a record that I feel is like a breakthrough record for us where we've really found our sound. It's something that we feel will be able to push us further in our musical careers in the future rather than just having to stem out of being in this genre of deathcore. I really don't care what people pigeonhole us as, but, for some reason, the name 'deathcore' kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth after saying it. We're showing our strengths and variety. We can kind of move into a more modern metal phase of our lives now where we're not going to be — not that we ever were — this generic deathcore-sounding band. This record will be more appealing to people that are into more of a modern metal, modern death metal sort of element and style of music. I think we've broken down the actual content of the music and instead of having ten or twelve riffs in a song, having the listener try to pick up on a few different riffs, we've broken the structures down so there's less riffs but the riffs are better. The structures are not as complex as older material. It's like taking out all the great things we've always liked about our band and trying to figure out what works for us in the best way and not having to add filler to everything else to make it more technical or more crazy or more interesting. We've kind of broken down the way that our band writes and try to write the best of the best, rather than just writing the craziest, the heaviest, the craziest breakdown, the techiest riff. Instead of doing those things, we just try to take out what works and what we like and incorporate that into having a more modern sound that’s not so deathcore. We're evolving on this record and it'll be interesting to see what the listeners think of it, that's for sure."