Samantha Bennington, former wife of late LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington, has released a statement reflecting on her ex-husband's death.

Samantha and Chester Bennington were married from 1996 until 2005. They had one child together, Draven Sebastien Bennington, who was born on April 19, 2002.

"Words cannot express the devastating loss that my son and I both, along with the rest of our families, are feeling over my ex-husband and son's father's recent passing," Samantha wrote in a message posted to Facebook. "Unreal, to stay the least! I pray from my soul that he is at peace and no longer suffering.

"My son and I are extremely spiritual and would like to share our beliefs with you in hopes it brings a little comfort.

"We do not believe there is a hell. We believe that we as souls make 'soul contracts,' we agree to come into this world with the knowledge of our destiny, and when it's fulfilled, we move on to a higher vibration of energy, meaning 'the next level.'

"He fulfilled his destiny while helping others every step of the way through his music, a handshake, a conversation or even a hug. No matter if you saw him on stage, had an opportunity to meet him anywhere, he truly touched everyone in a positive way. He absolutely loved singing for each and every one of you and for all of his friends and family at home all the time. I have always missed him singing throughout our home and loved it when he would visit. He would sing for us every time we ask[ed], or just spontaneously . He absolutely had a God-given talent!

"We are all created the same and connected, so, Chester, you are never 'gone.' Our souls and energy are forever connected.

"Chester, as one of my best friends of the age of 19, a husband, father to my son, business partner, and all we created together, I'm truly honored to have completed our soul contracts together, build all we did together, and thank you for giving me the greatest gift ever, our beautiful son Draven. I promise to continue to raise a great man who has integrity, humility, kindness and, most of all, compassion and love.

"I do feel your presence as a guardian angel watching over us and Im extremely filled with gratitude.

"Thank you to Draven's godparents Uncle Stefie and Moni, along with friends and family for joining us in with a raw ruby crystal that we shared a prayer, we all kissed the stone and prayed to Chester to find peace and fill his heart with love. Then our son threw it in the ocean as an offering to God/Source. We also want to thank our family and friend who traveled close and far for their support and continuous love.

"We will always love you, Chester."

The statement was signed by Samantha and Draven Bennington.

Chester married his second wife, Talinda, shortly after his divorce from Samantha.

In a 2009 interview with Bullz-Eye, Chester discussed how Talinda helped him overcome the depression that he felt after the split with his first wife.

"My divorce was one of the worst and best things to ever happen to me in my life," he said. "Everything I had worked so hard for was gone after we were through. Everything! I was wiped out and it was tough on my ego to let go of all of that. I went from living in a huge house to a tiny apartment in Santa Monica. I was so drained and bitter during that time. But I eventually learned from it and moved on," he added, "I then fell in love again and I got help facing my demons… When I met Talinda, I knew she was the one pretty instantly. She moved into my place after a week and a half or something like that."

Chester and Talinda had three children together, Tyler Lee, 11, and Lila and Lilly, both of whom are 6.

Planet Rock's Paul Anthony conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN and BRITISH LION bassist Steve Harris earlier today (Saturday, July 29) at the Ramblin' Man Fair, which is being held at Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the status of the previously announced BRITISH LION live album, Harris said: "It all got put on the backburner for a little while, unfortunately, because… Well, it's not 'unfortunately,' [but] the dayjob comes first, so something else cropped up with MAIDEN [that] needed to be done. So I did all that. It is what it is. So it's just been put back a bit later. But I will get around to doing it, but it's just not… [I'm not] doing it when I thought I was gonna be doing it. So, yeah, it'll still happen. And straight after this tour, we're going in to do some backing tracks for the next [BRITISH LION] album as well — studio album — so at least we'll get some of that done. And we'll just get it done bit by bit. I've just gotta try to cram things in, really."

Harris told Mammoth Metal TV last year that the sophomore BRITISH LION disc would sound slightly different from the band's 2012 self-titled debut. "The band has been evolving anyway, just live naturally," he explained. "The second album will be a lot more like we are now. It's just the vibe, the sounds, the guitar stuff, some of Graham's [Leslie] guitar sounds on a couple of songs were that sort of sound. I'd still like to keep that element in there because the band is evolving. It's what we started with, so it's important."

He added: "[Of the new BRITISH LION songs] I think 'Bible Black' in particular, is pretty heavy, even though it has very melodic verses. I don't think there's too many bands out there at the moment playing this kind of stuff that is heavy and with this much melody in it. Maybe there is, but I don't know about it. We've played on some festival-type bills and we've been very different as to who else is on the bill, which I think is quite interesting."

BRITISH LION's debut album sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 3 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.

"British Lion" was released in the U.S. on September 25, 2012 via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). Mixed by Kevin Shirley — whose credits include IRON MAIDEN as well as LED ZEPPELIN, JOURNEY and RUSH, among many others — the CD featured Harris alongside singer Richard Taylor, guitarists Graham Leslie and David Hawkins and drummer Simon Dawson.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION the Anglo-American rock group comprising vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE), drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN, FOREIGNER), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, release their long awaited and highly anticipated fourth album, "BCCIV", via Mascot Records on Friday, September 22. This is the band’s first studio album since 2013's "Afterglow".

Just like its three predecessors, "BCCIV" was overseen by Kevin Shirley, whose catalogue of hit records for LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH, JOURNEY and THE BLACK CROWES has made him one of the hottest producers that rock music has to offer. Shirley, who originally had the idea of putting Hughes and Bonamassa in a band after seeing them jamming together onstage in Los Angeles back in November 2009, is the group's unofficial ‘fifth member’.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION is an earth-shattering combination of American and British rock influences — a bona fide super group that conveys to the world a simple but important message: classic rock is alive and well, and in good hands in the 21st century. Their communion together forms something that is greater than the sum of its parts, creating a legacy being cemented within the halls of music history.

The initiative for the new album came from Joe Bonamassa, who contacted the band in 2016 to see if they would be up for going back into the studio to write and record a fourth album.

Says Joe: "I just felt the time was right for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION to go back into the studio and write and record a new album. When I contacted Glenn, Derek and Jason, they immediately agreed to give it shot. The timing was right."

During October 2016, when news first broke about the band getting back together, things on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, started blowing up and fan reaction was overwhelming. It was clear to see that BCC fans were hungry for another album. "BCCIV" is destined to become one of the biggest hard rock albums of 2017.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's inception took place when frontman and bass guitarist Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa fused their styles on stage in Los Angeles in November 2009 for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King Of The Blues event. With the help and guidance of producer Kevin Shirley, they further added to their rock lineage by recruiting drummer Jason Bonham and keyboardist Derek Sherinian.

Taking their name from the industrial area in Britain, and the birthplace of both Hughes and Bonham, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION released their self-titled debut album in 2010, and with that, unleashed their brand of take-no-prisoners hard rock to a world thirsting for music with substance.

Following the release of another two studio albums, 2011's well-received "Black Country Communion 2" and 2012's equally impressive "Afterglow", plus a smoldering live CD released in 2011, "Live Over Europe", the band has firmly established themselves as one of hard rock's premier acts. The band took a hiatus in 2013 and focused on their successful solo careers.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has cultivated a reputation not only as amazing songwriters, but as a powerful live act, is only exceeded by their dedication to their craft, and a willingness to challenge and motivate each other to make the best music they can.

Now, seven years on from its inception, Bonamassa feels the time is right to bring the original BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION lineup back for album No. 4.

"We had around four months to write this album, and I think the results speak for themselves," comments Glenn Hughes. "All four of us wanted to make a record that stood up to the first three albums. However, the new album is more of a progression, as we wanted to be careful not to repeat the previous albums. A lot has happened since we last recorded the 'Aferglow' album in 2013, so, in many ways, the new album shows BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION with a much harder, riffier and bigger and bolder sound. If you're looking for a folk album, this ain't the one."

The band assembled to record "BCCIV" at Cave Studios in Los Angeles in December 2016. The album was mixed at Cave Studios in Sydney in March 2017. The songs on "BCCIV" will appeal to all fans of high quality hard rock, also those that admire singers of distinction. Hughes is not known as The Voice of Rock for nothing.

In terms of content, "BCCIV" expands upon the progression that took place between the first three albums. With an abundance of heavy riffs, undeniable hooks, melodic flair and infectious choruses, "BCCIV" is a spectacular album that gets bigger and bolder with repeated spins.

"I wanted the new album to physically shake your soul. It’s a wake-up call." explains Hughes.

All songs on the new album were co-written by Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa. Glenn wrote all the lyrics on the album except for the song "The Last Song For My Resting Place", which was written by Joe.

"BCCIV" track listing: 01. Collide (4:07)02. Over My Head (4:06)03. The Last Song For My Resting Place (7:57)04. Sway (5:24)05. The Cove (7:11)06. The Crow (6:00)07. Wanderlust (8:18)08. Love Remains (4:53)09. Awake (4:42)10. When The Morning Comes (7:56)11. With You I Go (bonus track on vinyl edition only)

The first single taken from the new album will be "Collide". BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has announced two exclusive concerts in Europe during January 2018 to support of "BCCIV". The band will play Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Tuesday, January 2 and London Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday, January 4.

These will be the only two concerts the band will play in Europe. Planet Rock will run a 48-hour ticket pre-sale from 9 a.m. on Wednesday, August 2.

Tickets will then go on sale to the general public from 0844 844 0444 and can be booked online from Ticketmaster.co.uk and Eventim.co.uk.

LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington was laid to rest in a private funeral Saturday (July 29) near his home in Palos Verdes, California.

According to TMZ, the ceremony at South Coast Botanic Garden was attended by a couple of hundred people, including bandmates, friends and family members. A full stage, including a drum kit, was set up for musical tributes to be performed.

Among the attendees were members of Chester's side project DEAD BY SUNRISE, former OF MICE & MEN singer Austin Carlile, hip-hop artist Blackbear and Chris Cornell's mother-in-law Toni Karayiannis.

Each guest was provided with a yellow wrist band featuring Chester's name and a pass — similar to the types of VIP passes fans and press would obtain for a concert.

DEAD BY SUNRISE's Julien-K wrote: "Julien-K & Dead By Sunrise stand with @linkinpark & the Bennington family as we go to honor our sweetest and dearest friend. Chester we love you so much. Our thoughts, love, and prayers to Talinda, the kids, and the LP family. We love you….."

Carlile wrote: "The service today was beautiful. Thank you Linkin Park, thank you Chester. For everything ❤❤❤."

Karayiannis wrote: "I'm not ready to let one more of my loved ones go,not now not ever! Chester and Talinda stood by us 24/7 I can't give Chester up today ! It's unfair that god wants them both! Its just double the pain! Unthinkable, unbearable! Black Saturday!"

Blackbear wrote: "Beautiful ceremony.. a lil piece of u has & will be in every song i sing on stage forever. @chesterbe @linkinpark #chesterbennington."

Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes, California by one of his employees shortly before 9:00 a.m. on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

LINKIN PARK has canceled plans for a North American tour, with the future of the group unclear at this point.

Several days ago, Bennington's bandmates released a statement honoring their frontman, writing, "the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal … After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place."

The second part of the DEF LEPPARD mini-documentary "Step Inside: Hysteria At 30" can be seen below.

DEF LEPPARD will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its seminal album "Hysteria", one of the best-selling and most influential releases in music history, with the release of "Hysteria (Remastered 2017)". Set to debut on August 4, the remastered anniversary edition will be released in various formats via Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/Ume — Super Deluxe Edition, Deluxe Version, 1 CD Vanilla Version, 2-LP Black Vinyl Version, and limited-edition 2-LP Colored Vinyl Version. The reissue boasts B-sides and live tracks, plus the audio for "In The Round In Your Face (Live)" on CD for the first time.

Frontman Joe Elliott says: "It's hard to believe that it’s been thirty years since the release of 'Hysteria'. In some respects, it really does seem like only yesterday. So, to mark this milestone, we wanted to do something very special for our fans and give them the definitive version of the album, one that incorporates all of the memories and milestones that we caught on tape and some of the madness that we got up to on the road. We hope it means as much to you as it does to us."

Adds guitarist Phil Collen: "I look back at the whole 'Hysteria' experience with excitement along with fond and tragic memories. It was our commercial zenith, thanks to Mutt Lange's insistence that we create an artistic hybrid between hard rock and pop Top 40 music using every genre available as an inspiration. It was a rock album that would garner seven hit singles. Mission accomplished."

Essential listening for fans across the board, "Hysteria" indisputably ranks as one of the most decorated and revered rock albums of all time. As the group's second consecutive RIAA Diamond-certified record (10 million sales in the U.S.), it would go on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and 12 million in the U.S. Moreover, the record staked a spot in the U.S. Top 40 for 96 weeks matched only by "Born In The U.S.A." Rolling Stone touted it on the prestigious "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, and a poll in Q placed it among the "100 Greatest Albums of All Time". Dominating multiple charts, it captured No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and U.K. album charts, bolstered by immortal Top-5 anthems such as "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Animal", "Love Bites", "Hysteria", "Rocket" and "Armageddon It". "Hysteria" left an indelible mark on rock 'n' roll. Powered by stadium-filling drums, rapturous guitars, and unshakable choruses, the record saw DEF LEPPARD rightfully claim their place among rock's divinities forever. As a result, its influence now reverberates through three generations of artists to follow. It also historically marked their third straight collaboration with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

Among the new versions, the Super Deluxe Edition boasts 5-CD/2-DVDs including four books — "Story Of"; a Ross Halfin photo book; Discography; Hysteria Tour Program and Tour Poster. The Deluxe Version features 3 CDs, the Vanilla Version is 1-CD, and the Vinyl Version is 2 Black LPs. In addition, there will be a limited-edition, 2-LP Colored Vinyl available via D2C channels for the first time.

"Hysteria 30th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition" track listing:

CD One (Remastered "Hysteria")

01. Women02. Rocket03. Animal04. Love Bites05. Pour Some Sugar On Me06. Armageddon It07. Gods Of War08. Don't Shoot Shotgun09. Run Riot10. Hysteria11. Excitable12. Love And Affection

CD Two

01. Tear It Down (B-side)02. I Wanna Be Your Hero (Retro Active)03. Ride Into The Sun (Retro Active)04. Ring Of Fire (B-Side)05. Women (Radio Edit)06. Rocket (Lunar Mix) (Radio Edit)07. Love Bites (Radio Edit)08. Hysteria (Radio Edit)09. Pour Some Sugar on Me (Radio Edit)10. Armageddon It (Radio Edit)11. Release Me (Stumpus Maximus)12. Classic Album – Hysteria (BBC Radio Documentary)

CD Three

01. Rocket (The Lunar Mix - Extended Version) (B-Side)02. Armageddon It (The Nuclear Mix) (12" Single)03. Animal (Extended Version)04. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Extended Version)05. Excitable (The Orgasmic Mix) (B-Side)06. Rocket (Lunar Mix) (B-Side)07. Rock Of Ages (Live) (B-Side)08. Love And Affection (Live) (B-Side)09. Billy's Got A Gun (Live) (B-Side)

CD Four: "In The Round, In Your Face" (Live)

01. Stagefright02. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)03. Women04. Too Late For Love05. Hysteria06. Gods Of War07. Die Hard The Hunter

CD Five: "In The Round, In Your Face" (Live)

01. Bringin' On The Heartbreak02. Foolin'03. Armageddon It04. Animal05. Pour Some Sugar On Me06. Phil Solo07. Rock Of Ages08. Photograph

DVD One

01. Rocket (Top Of The Pops)02. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Top Of The Pops)03. Animal (Top Of The Pops)04. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Brit Awards)05. Women (Promo Video)06. Animal (Promo Video)07. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Promo Video)08. Pour Some Sugar On Me (U.S. Version Live)09. Hysteria (Promo Video)10. Love Bites (Promo Video)11. Rocket (Promo Video)12. Armageddon It (Live) (Promo Video)

DVD Two ("Classic Albums")

01. Introduction02. Animal03. Hysteria04. Rocket05. Love Bites06. Pour Some Sugar On Me

Bonus Material

07. Initial Recordings Of Animal08. Rick Gets Hysterical09. Hysteria (Acoustic Performance)10. Drumming - Return To The Status Quo11. The Album According To Joe12. Sugar Stripped Down13. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Acoustic Performance)14. Guitars, Guitars, Guitars15. Windmill II And The Gods Of War16. Mutt's Vocals In The Mix17. The Album Is Finally Released

Kiiara, the singer featured on LINKIN PARK's song "Heavy", paid tribute to Chester Bennington at New York City's Panorama festival.

Kiiara performed the first few songs of her gig at the festival's indoor Parlor Stage on Sunday before addressing the LINKIN PARK singer's passing.

"It's been… a pretty rough week," she began. "I don't know what to say and there's nothing really to say to make it better, but these next two songs are for Chester." She then sat down as "Battle Symphony", a track off LINKIN PARK's latest album, "One More Light", played.

Soon after, "Heavy" began to play — its video airing in the background — with Bennington's recorded vocals, and Kiiara and her band filling in their parts live.

When it ended, Kiiara offered a simple, "Thank you, New York," and left the stage.

Kiiara last week wrote an emotional note to Bennington, saying that she could not stop crying every time she was reminded that he was "no longer here." The 22-year-old singer added: "Chester, you brought an energy to every room and somehow made every moment, no matter what it was, seem carefree. You brought this lightness with you. There was never a dull moment. You'd find a way to make everyone laugh. Like that day in rehearsals, you sang 'Heavy' in pretty much every accent I can think of."

"Heavy" was the first single from "One More Light", which came out in May. The track featured Kiiara trading verses with Bennington over what was described by Rolling Stone magazine as "a sparse but nimble pop groove of swirling synths and rapt percussion."

"One More Light" featured a major shift in direction toward a pop sound from a band which had previously been known for harder music.

Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes, California by one of his employees on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

Bennington struggled with drugs and alcohol for years. He had said in the past he had considered committing suicide because he had been abused as a child by an older male.

LINKIN PARK bassist Dave Phoenix Farrell has thanked fans for the "outpouring of love and kindness" he has received since the band's lead singer, Chester Bennington, passed away more than a week ago.

Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes, California by one of his employees shortly before 9:00 a.m. on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

"It goes without saying, this last week has been extremely difficult. The outpouring of love and kindness I've received from friends and from all over the world has been incredible," Farrell wrote in a series of tweets.

"I wish I could personally thank every one of you for your love and support," he continued. "A huge part of Chester's legacy will be the memories we hold of him in our hearts. He was an enthusiastic, playful father, an honest, passionate musician, and a loyal friend."

The 40-year-old musician also said that he has been "touched to see memorials that have been held worldwide" — and asked his fans to share pictures of events they have attended in Bennington's memory so he can repost them.

LINKIN PARK has canceled plans for a North American tour, with the future of the group unclear at this point.

Several days ago, Bennington's bandmates released a statement honoring their frontman, writing, "the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal … After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place."

Fan-filmed video footage of SLAYER's July 28 performance at the Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, Maryland can be seen below.

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

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King was asked if there are any plans in place for the band to begin working on a follow-up to 2015's "Repentless" album. He responded: "Funny thing is, 'Repentless' isn't even two years old yet, though it seems like it is. But from that session, there are six or eight songs that are recorded — some with vocals, some with leads, but all with keeper guitar, drums and bass. So when those songs get finished lyrically, if the lyrics don't change the songs, they'll be ready to be on the next record. So we already have more than half a record complete, if those songs make it."

He continued: "This is actually the most prepared we've ever been for the next record in our history; there's no reason to not do more work, because it's already more than halfway done. Just write four or five new songs, and give the others some attention, and we'll be good to go. If we get a down period of time, which I know is coming at the end of this year, maybe we'll focus on that and get to it."

Pressed about whether it's "conceivable" that we could see a new SLAYER record next year, Kerry said: "It's conceivable — but I'm certainly not gonna promise it, because every time I do, I make a liar of myself! [Laughs]"

"Repentless" was released on September 11, 2015 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated "World Painted Blood" was produced by Terry Date, who has previously worked with PANTERA, DEFTONES and SOUNDGARDEN. The artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with Tom Araya and Kerry King.

"Repentless" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 50,000 equivalent album units in the week ending September 17, 2015.

During their July 29th show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, Metallica broke out a brief tribute to Van Halen with a cover of "Runnin' With The Devil" as "a little homage to the Pasadena boys" according to frontman James Hetfield. Check out pro-shot footage of the minute-long jam below.

Upcoming Metallica North American tour dates are listed below. Find the band’s complete live itinerary at this location.

August
4 - Phoenix, AZ - University of Phoenix Stadium*+
6 - San Diego, CA - Petco Park*+
9 - Seattle, WA - Centurylink Field*+
11-13 - San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands
14 - Vancouver, BC - BC Place*+
16 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium*+

* With Avenged Sevenfold
^ With Volbeat
+ With Gojira

Limited edition Metallica concert posters went on sale Thursday, July 27th at 1 PM, PDT via Metallica.com.

The official screen printed concert posters from every stop on the third leg of the North American WorldWired Tour. These seven posters featuring artwork by Jeff Soto (Orlando, Montréal), Mark 5 (Miami), Munk One (Atlanta), Ames Bros (Detroit, Québec City), and Acorn (Toronto).

“We have a limited number available, so mark your calendars and be in the Met Store at 1 PM, PDT on Thursday, July 27th to get yours while you can!”

* Posters are exclusive to Fifth Members. Limit one (1) of each product per customer.

Brian Johnson's car took a tumble while the AC/DC frontman was qualifying for the Celebrity Challenge Trophy race at this weekend's Silverstone Classic. As a result, he was unable to start the race at the world's biggest classic motor racing festival in which up to thirty Austin A30/A35s battled for honors on the full 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit. Thankfully, Johnson emerged unscathed in the incident after being tended to by medical personnel .

Johnson was one of the celebrities who were split into five teams representing their professions, and each team was mentored by a renowned racing driver.

The celebrities and their team leaders qualified and raced on Saturday, and had the opportunity of winning the charity prize fund of £10,000 for the event's official charity, Prostate Cancer UK.

The Celebrity Challenge Trophy was one of twenty-two races at the the Silverstone Classic, putting the spotlight on more than eighty years of glorious motor sport history.

Johnson is a longtime race car driver who won a sports car enduro at Daytona in November. The singer, who forced into a premature retirement due to a hearing impairment, has previously said that his most critical hearing issues weren't rock related, but rather a burst eardrum suffered in his race car.

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its North American tour last year after doctors told Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. AC/DC completed the tour last summer, with GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist" and Johnson apparently not returning to the group.

Johnson said in an open letter to fans that he intends to solve his hearing problem and continue recording and touring, although he pointedly did not say whether he would be rejoining AC/DC.

This is AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson and he got more than he bargained for when he drove a vintage Austin A35 at Silverstone... ? pic.twitter.com/Txccejqo8O

— Nick DeGroot (@ndegroot89) July 29, 2017

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose joined Billy Joel on stage this past Friday (July 28) at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota to sing two songs: a cover of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" and Joel's own "Big Shot".

About ninety minutes into the show, Joel announced, "I'm going to bring out a friend of mine … please welcome Axl Rose." And with that, Joel strapped on a guitar and handed the microphone to Rose, who took over on lead vocals for "Highway To Hell". Axl returned during the encore for "Big Shot".

Rose will return to Minneapolis tonight (Sunday, July 30) to headline U.S. Bank Stadium with GUNS N' ROSES.

Joel has frequently performed "Highway To Hell" during his concerts in recent years, often recruiting his roadie Chainsaw to sing lead vocals.

Rose did a string of European and North American concerts with AC/DC in 2016, mostly to fan and critical acclaim.

It is unknown whether Rose will continue singing with AC/DC. The band's future remains in doubt after the band completed its world tour in support of 2014's "Rock Or Bust", a cycle that saw a massive turnover in the group's personnel. Guitarist and sole original member Angus Young has not yet indicated whether the group will continue recording and touring.

In March 2016, AC/DC's singer of 35 years, Brian Johnson, had to leave the band's North American tour after doctors told him he might lose his hearing, while 40-year bassist Cliff Williams announced his retirement at the rescheduled trek's conclusion.

The lineup that completed the tour consisted of Williams, Angus Young, Rose, Chris Slade on drums and Angus's nephew Stevie Young on guitar.

Having just released the brand new video for their single “Unbroken” this July and embarking on a 10 date tour with former Queensrÿche founder Geoff Tate at the beginning of the year, Voices of Extreme are gearing up to hit the road once again with Tesla.

 Voices of Extreme is a power trio hailing from New York, and is currently planning their summer touring schedule. The band's history dates back to 2004 with it's inception and now proudly lists its members as Don Chaffin (lead vocalist/guitarist), Steven G. Knight (bass) and Bobby Marks (drums).

Check out their latest video for the track “Unbroken” below:

Tour dates with Tesla:

July
28 - Verizon Center, Mankato, MN
29 - Orpheum Theater, Madison, WI

August
1 - Gillioz Theater, Springfield, MO
3 - Embassy Theater, Fort Wayne, IN
4 - Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, OH
5 - 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids, MI
8 - The Palace Theatre, Greensburg, PA
9 - Centennial Terrace, Toledo, OH
11 - House of Blues Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, SC
12 - The Ritz, Raleigh, NC
14 - The Fillmore Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
15 - The Fillmore Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD
16 - The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH

 
For more information visit VoicesofExtreme.com.

Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction, The Cursed) recently teamed up with Nathan Opposition (Ancient VVisdom) to form a musical project called Vessel Of Light. Lorenzo has checked in with the following update:

"I can't believe how smoothly everything went with our first recording. Nathan and I only jammed twice previously last month. When we started to record Friday it was literally only the third time we'd ever met and we finished half of the songs in one take. Connor (Metsker) and Noah (Buchanan) from Brainchild got us great sounds quickly which is how I like to do things. Most of the songs sound sort of like Non-Fiction with Nathan singing, but the song 'Meant To Be' is really different for me. Nathan came up with the catchiest vocal part and that repeats itself at the end of the song with me playing five different guitar tracks. Noah is going to make a lyric video for 'Meant To Be' before he leaves to go on tour with Nunslaughter."

The duo plan to shop for a label, but have stated they will release their debut "soon" with or without label support. 

The tracklist is as follows:

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

Lorenzo previously stated: "I really haven't played guitar too often over the decade since Blitz (Overkill) and I released The Cursed Room Full Of Sinners CD in 2007. I've had a few bands ask me to join them, but that has never really interested me.

“Back in December, I went to Austin and before I arrived I was Googling 'Stoner rock' or 'Doom bands from Austin' or something like that and I came upon the video for Ancient VVisdom's "The Opposition". I literally watched the video about twenty times over the next couple of days. I have a Jesus tattoo. I met the Pope. I go to church and the lyrics were not what I'm into, but I couldn't deny it was one of the catchiest vocal lines I'd ever heard in my life. Then I listened to their song "Deathlike" multiple times.

“I decided to write about the band  in NJ's Steppin' Out magazine) and I mailed Nathan Opposition (Ancient VVisdom's singer) a magazine and I think an old Hades CD. We started communicating by email and then on the phone. I had no intentions of asking him to write with me because my musical career is long over. I'm considerably older than him and I honestly wasn't playing guitar much, but when Nathan asked me if I wanted to write together I couldn't say no."

Nathan Opposition says, "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."

Lorenzo handles all guitars and bass on the recordings and Opposition plays drums and sings all vocals.

Sir Elton John has paid tribute to Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, calling them "lovely guys" who created "wonderful music that has entertained millions."

The LINKIN PARK frontman committed suicide on July 20, just two months after the SOUNDGARDEN singer hanged himself.

Sir Elton, who felt deep grief when his bass player Bob Birch also committed suicide in 2012, said on his Beats 1 radio show: "It has been a sad few weeks. We lost Chris and then we lost Chester. I met them both briefly and they were two lovely guys.

"You know, artists are prone to being a little destructive, whether you are an actor or singer or visual artist.

"Sometimes, as Jim Carrey said when Philip Seymour Hoffman committed suicide, 'the noise just gets too much.'

"It is so awful for someone to be so depressed that they commit suicide, especially when they have families. I just wanted to pay tribute to them, as there by the grace of God go all of us.

"Just remember them fondly and the music they left. It is totally different music to the one I create but still wonderful music that has entertained millions, including me."

After Cornell died two months ago, Bennington wrote a letter thanking him for inspiring him and hoping he would find peace in "the next life."

Chester died on July 20, which would have been Cornell's 53rd birthday.

The two singers bonded when they toured together nearly a decade ago.

In the new video below, Papa Roach performs an acoustic version of “American Dreams”, off of their new album Crooked Teeth.

Crooked Teeth is available digitally and physically, as a standard (10 tracks) and deluxe (10 tracks + 3 brand new tracks + 16 live tracks Live at the Fillmore Detroit) editions (see details below).

Crooked Teeth tracklisting:

Standard Edition (Digital, CD, Vinyl)

“Break the Fall”
“Crooked Teeth”
“My Medicationv
“Born for Greatness”
“American Dreams”
“Periscope” (Feat. Skylar Grey)
“Help”
“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)
“Traumatic”
“None of the Above”

Deluxe Edition (Digital + CD Only)

Disc 1
“Break The Fall”
“Crooked Teeth”
“My Medication”
“Born For Greatness”
“American Dreams”
“Periscope” (Feat. Skylar Grey)
“Help”
“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)
“Traumatic”
“None Of The Above”
“Richochet” (Bonus track)
“Nothing” (Bonus track)
“Bleeding Through” (Bonus track)

Disc 2
“Intro” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Face Everything And Rise” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Getting Away with Murder” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Between Angels and Insects” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Where Did The Angels Go?” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Broken Home” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Burn” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Forever” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Scars” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Lifeline” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Infest” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Kick In The Teeth” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Broken As Me” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Still Swingin'” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“…To Be Loved” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Last Resort” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)

“Periscope” (feat. Skylar Grey) video:

“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly):

“None Of The Above” lyric video:

“American Dreams” lyric video:

“Born For Greatness” (lyric video):

“Help” lyric video:

“Crooked Teeth” video:

(Photo - Bryson Roatch)

Lunatic Soul, the solo project of Riverside leader Mariusz Duda, will release their fifth album, Fractured, on October 6th via Kscope. A video for the title track, created by Sightsphere, can be found below.

Mariusz Duda, the architect behind Lunatic Soul, comments: “Lunatic Soul has changed and if I were to describe this music, I’d call it dark melancholic trance with more electronics and more powerful sounds. But there will also be some lyrical fragments, and a couple of tracks will feature a symphonic orchestra I have worked with for the first time in my career. The new Lunatic Soul album will be brave, rich and musically very intense, a beginning of a new style rather than a continuation of the previous releases. I am under the impression that all my music experiences have led me to this place and that it will be one of the best albums I have ever made.

“Although I’m still a conscious prisoner of my own aesthetic, this time you can really hear some differences. My soul and body demanded that I settle accounts with the recent past, piece together what had been scattered, glue up the broken bits, stitch up the tears. Tell a story of how it felt when everything shattered into smithereens.”

Fractured will be released worldwide on Kscope and on Mystic Production in Poland. Pre-order options here.

Tracklisting:

“Blood On The Tightrope”
“Anymore”
“Crumbling Teeth And The Owl Eyes”
“Red Light Escape”
“Fractured”
“A Thousand Shards Of Heaven”
“Battlefield”
“Moving On”

“Fractured” video:

Teaser:

(Photo - Radek Zawadzki)

Roskilde, Denmark-based hard rockers, Junkyard Drive, have released a video for the song “B.A.D”, featured on their new album, Sin & Tonic, released back in February via Might Music. The new clip is available for streaming below.

The album was mixed and produced by Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp, Dead Dasies, Electric Guitars), recorded live in Medley Studios in Copenhagen.

Tracklisting:

“If You Wanna Rock Me”
“Bone Dry Jessie”
“Drama Queen”
“Natural High”
“Take It All”
“B.A.D”
“Danger Zone”
“Stone Cold Lady”
“Geordie”
“Slave To Technology”

“B.A.D” video:

“Geordie” video:

”Drama Queen" video:

Junkyard Drive lineup:

Kris - Lead Vocal
Birk - Lead Guitar/Backup Vocal
Benjamin - Rhythm Guitar/Backup Vocal
Mikkel - Bass
Claus - Drums/Cowbell

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of ELO’s top-selling double album, Out Of The Blue, Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release the first-time-ever picture disc edition of the ELO classic, available everywhere on Friday, September 29th.

This 2LP collector's picture disc edition of Out Of The Blue was remastered from the original master tapes and includes a digital download of the album. Out Of The Blue is available for pre-order now here.

ELO was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on April 7th, 2017.

One of the indisputable masterpieces - and most commercially successful titles - in the ELO canon, Out Of The Blue, the group's seventh studio album, was originally released in October 1977. The musical and conceptual brainchild of Jeff Lynne, who wrote and produced the entire album, Out Of The Blue is among the most ambitious double albums in classic rock history, a complex and visionary work that included, as the album's complete Side 3, Lynne's Concerto For A Rainy Day, a coherent song suite comprised of four movements and authentic ambient weather effects recorded by Lynne and incorporated into the soundscape of the record.

Out Of The Blue was the first ELO album to feature the group's logo as a three-dimensional flying saucer/space station, a visual motif central to ELO's live shows. The album, which peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 has gone on to sell upwards of 10 million copies worldwide. Out Of The Blue is the first double album in UK chart history to spawn four Top 20 singles.

“Forty years on, I would never have imagined that this music would take on a life of its own,” says Lynne.

Formed in Birmingham, England in 1970, ELO was designed to create progressive modern pop music combining classical and rock elements. Lynne has consistently been ELO's guiding light and driving force, writing virtually all of the group's original material while producing the albums.

From 1972 through 1986, the golden era of recording and touring, ELO racked up more combined UK and US Top 40 hits than any other band on the planet while selling more than 50 million records worldwide. During the same period, ELO scored twenty Top 20s on the UK Singles Chart and fifteen Top 20s on the US Billboard Hot 100.

More recently, recording and touring as Jeff Lynne’s ELO, saw the 2015 release of the critically acclaimed album Alone In The Universe on Columbia Records, the first album of all-new music released by the band in over a decade. The band also just played a sold-out Wembley Stadium show in London on June 24th.

"Out Of The Blue 2LP Picture Disc tracklisting:

Side A
“Turn To Stone”
“It's Over”
“Sweet Talkin' Woman”
“Across the Border”

Side B
“Night In The City”
“Starlight”
“Jungle”
“Believe Me Now”
“Steppin' Out”

Side C (Concerto For A Rainy Day)
“Standin' In The Rain”
“Big Wheels”
“Summer And Lightning”
“Mr. Blue Sky”

Side D
“Sweet Is The Night”
“The Whale”
“Birmingham Blues”
“Wild West Hero”

According to Billboard.com, eleven LINKIN PARK songs have landed on the Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart in the week since the passing of the band's lead singer, Chester Bennington.

Included on the chart are three tracks each from 2000's "Hybrid Theory", 2003's "Meteora" and this year's "One More Light" albums, with the other two ("What I've Done" and "Numb/Encore") coming from 2007's "Minutes To Midnight" and 2004's collaborative EP with Jay-Z, "Collision Course", respectively.

"In The End" debuts at No. 5 on chart dated August 5, and is followed in the Top 10 by "Numb" (No. 6) and "Heavy" (No. 8).

LINKIN PARK's latest single, "Talking To Myself", enters the chart at No. 27. The track's official video was released hours before Bennington's death was reported.

In related news, TMZ has reported that Bennington's family will hold a private memorial for the singer.

No decision has yet been made about how fans will be allowed pay their respects and say goodbye to Chester, who was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes by one of his employees on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

While there has been a suggestion that Bennington could be laid to rest next to his good friend, late SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell, at the Hollywood Forever cemetery, TMZ claims it's too public.

Bennington bought the home just two months before he committed suicide there. The singer paid $2.4 million for the five-bedroom, four-bathroom resident in June and moved into the two-story, 3,956-square-foot house about seven weeks ago.

LINKIN PARK has canceled plans for a North American tour, with the future of the group unclear at this point.

Norwegian progressive metallers LEPROUS will release their fifth studio album, "Malina", on August 25 via InsideOut Music. The official video for the disc's second single, "Stuck", can be seen below. The clip was directed by Troll Toftenes. The band checked in with the following comment about "Stuck": "'Stuck' is LEPROUS in a new package! It's straight to the point, groovy and has probably the guitar and bass sound on the album that we're most happy with! Doing a performance video to enhance the special edit version of this song felt like an obvious choice and the footage captured by Troll Toftenes supports the dynamics of the music in a great way!"

Following a hugely successful European tour as support to labelmates DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, LEPROUS started recording the follow-up to 2015's "The Congregation". Frontman and keyboard player Einar Solberg comments: "This album is the perfect example of how you can start with a vision and end up with a result that has nothing to do with the original idea.

"The writing of the album started out with the idea to perfect the sound and working method we began with on 'The Congregation'.

"While the writing process was actually pretty similar (30 sketches, elimination process etc etc) we gradually started noticing stuff with the sound and the songwriting on the previous album that we wanted to sound different. Gradually we realized what needed to be done. This album needs to sound more alive, more organic and more dynamic."

The band entered the studio with David Castillo at Ghostward in Sweden, while mixing duties were once again taken care of by Jens Bogren.

"David immediately understood where we wanted to go," Solberg says. "We spent probably four times as many days in the studio as with any other recording we've done, for we've come to learn that if you want to sound unique that is primarily done during recordings, not the mix. We wanted it to sound like it sounded. We did not want to 'digitalize' the sound." With "Malina", LEPROUS has made every effort to try new ways of working, and push the boundaries of their sound in ways they had not originally set out to do.

"We feel with 'Malina' that we've managed to achieve a natural-sounding organic album with great songs that still sounds modern," says Solberg. "Organic doesn't necessarily equal 'retro'. While we still very much sound like LEPROUS, I believe that with this album we more accurately define as a rock band than a metal band.

"We're insanely proud of this album, and can't wait to share it with you all."

This feeling is reflected in the stunning cover artwork too, which you can see below. Einar continues: "We wanted to try something new this time, and work with a new artist. Some good musician friends of ours recommended Corey Meyers. I checked him out, and damn he's good. This is the first time we've ever received the perfect cover on the first attempt. It represents the album perfectly and looks pretty amazing!"

"Malina" track listing: 01. Bonneville02. Stuck03. From The Flame04. Captive05. Illuminate06. Leashes07. Mirage08. Malina09. Coma10. The Weight Of Disaster11. The Last Milestone "Malina" will be available as jewelcase CD and digital download, but also as limited-edition mediabook CD (with extended booklet and the bonus track "Root") and as a gatefold 2LP on 180-gram vinyl (with a poster, the bonus track "Root" and the entire album on CD).

Paul Stanley says that he has no idea why Gene Simmons attempted to trademark the so-called "devil's horns" hand gesture.

The KISS bassist/vocalist withdrew his application to trademark the symbol late last month — 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 the Loudwire Podcast for his thoughts on Simmons's trademark attempt, Stanley said: "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."

The second part of an official video recap of the European leg of GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" tour can be seen below.

The 2017 North American leg of the trek kicked off July 27 in St. Louis, Missouri and will include eleven newly announced dates in cities across the U.S., including Newark, D.C., Hartford, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, Sacramento, and San Diego. They have also added a second stop in Toronto, and third dates in both New York and Los Angeles.

New GUNS N' ROSES 2017 concert dates:

Oct. 12 - Prudential Center - Newark, NJOct. 16 - Madison Square Garden - New York ,NYOct. 19 - Verizon Center - Washington D.C.Oct. 23 - XL Center - Hartford, CTOct. 30 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ONNov. 03 - KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KYNov. 07 - Bradley Center - Milwaukee, WINov. 13 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TNNov. 18 - Golden 1 Center - Sacramento, CANov. 28 - Valley View Casino Center - San Diego, CA

Get tickets for the above shows at this location.

Tickets for the Los Angeles show November 29 at The Forum will be available to the general public beginning on Friday, August 4.

GUNS N' ROSES recently made Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100" list of the world's top-earning entertainers for the first time. The band landed at No. 12 with earnings of $84 million in the past twelve months, before taxes and fees for managers.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour has grossed more than $230 million since launching in April 2016, according to Billboard.

That figure includes a $38 million haul from eight concerts in Australia and New Zealand, but does not account for earnings from seven Asian markets that the band visited during the first quarter of 2017.

One of the stops on the Australian trek, a two-night stand in Sydney, was the fourth biggest of the entire tour, pulling in $9.2 million from a total of 84,277 tickets sold.

The top earner on the tour remains a two-night stop in New York City, where 100,177 fans forked over $11.6 million.

Last summer's North American leg, which featured 25 stadium shows in 21 cities, grossed a whopping $116.8 million with over one million tickets sold.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic GUNS members Slash on guitar, Duff McKagan on bass and Axl Rose on vocals, backed by drummer Frank Ferrer, guitarist Richard Fortus, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion trek in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

Talinda Bennington, the widow of LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington, has released a statement, eight days after she lost her husband to suicide.

"One week ago, I lost my soulmate and my children lost their hero-their Daddy," she wrote. "We had a fairytale life and now it has turned into some sick Shakespearean tragedy. How do I move on? How do I pick up my shattered soul? The only answer I know is to raise our babies with every ounce of love I have left.

"I want to let my community and the fans worldwide know that we feel your love. We feel your loss as well."

She continued: "My babies are so young to have lost their daddy. And I know that all of you will help keep his memory alive. He was a bright, loving soul with an angel's voice. And now he is pain-free, singing his songs in all of our hearts.

"May God Bless us all and help us turn to one another when we are in pain. Chester would've wanted us to do so.

"Rest in peace, my love."

Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes by one of his employees shortly before 9:00 a.m. on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

Chester married Talinda shortly after his divorce from his first wife, Samantha Marie Olit. In a 2009 interview with Bullz-Eye, Bennington discussed how Talinda helped him overcome his depression at the time.

"My divorce was one of the worst and best things to ever happen to me in my life," he said. "Everything I had worked so hard for was gone after we were through. Everything! I was wiped out and it was tough on my ego to let go of all of that. I went from living in a huge house to a tiny apartment in Santa Monica. I was so drained and bitter during that time. But I eventually learned from it and moved on," he added, "I then fell in love again and I got help facing my demons… When I met Talinda, I knew she was the one pretty instantly. She moved into my place after a week and a half or something like that."

The couple had three children together, Tyler Lee, 11, and Lila and Lilly, both of whom are 6.

Bennington bought the home just two months before he committed suicide there. The singer paid $2.4 million for the five-bedroom, four-bathroom resident in June and moved into the two-story, 3,956-square-foot house about seven weeks ago.

LINKIN PARK has canceled plans for a North American tour, with the future of the group unclear at this point.

Alaska's 36 CRAZYFISTS will release their new album, "Lanterns", on September 29 through Spinefarm Records. It is their second release for the label and the follow-up to 2015's "Time And Trauma". Music often functions as that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and provides shelter during any storm and calm in the middle of tumult. 36 CRAZYFISTS understand this phenomenon firsthand. In fact, the Anchorage quartet — Brock Lindow (vocals), Steve Holt (guitar), Mick Whitney (bass), and Kyle Baltus (drums) — finds catharsis within chaos on its aptly titled seventh full-length. The band has shared the first track from the record in the form of "Death Eater". Listen to the song below. Lindow said about the track: "It's a reflection of self and the dwellings of rock bottom, discovering the tools to dig yourself out, and refusing to let yourself free fall into the abyss of hopelessness. Love, forgive, and never give in. In fact, 'Lanterns' is about the fight within us all... forever refusing to sink." "Lanterns" track listing:

01. Death Eater02. Wars To Walk Away From03. Better To Burn04. Damaged Under Sun05. Sea And Smoke06. Where Revenge Ends07. Sleepsick08. Bandage For Promise09. Laying Hands10. Below The Graves11. Old Gold12. Dark Corners

Sebastian Bach is selling a pair of his "pre-owned" boots. The "size-12-to-13" brown leather boots were worn on stage "hundreds of times for hundreds of concerts" by the former SKID ROW singer, and are said to be "literally proven to kick ass on stage the world over!!"

Says Bach: "It takes me a long time to find a pair of boots that were really made for rockin'. These are those boots. I have worn these on stage for years, all over the world, during hundreds of concerts.

"I bought these originally at Boot Star in Hollywood, California years ago and I have worn them out through countless shows on the stages of rock 'n' roll the world over. There are holes in the soles, but that did not stop me from doing shows in them. These fit like a glove or would look cool in your man cave in your rock 'n' roll memorabilia section. I will sign these if you would like. Rock on."

The boots are available on eBay with their current bid set at $1000. They come with an autographed signed document of provenance from Sebastian Bach.

New Jersey heavy metallers Overlorde have released three new demo recordings and the band is excited to share new music with the metal world. The songs are “Awaken The Fury”, “The Madness Within”, and “Destroy Us All”. The tracks are available on the band’s newly revised website Overlorde.com.

Check out a lyric video for “Awaken The Fury”:

The band comments: “This is just the first solid step in bringing more Overlorde to the masses. Interested record labels, music festival promoters, etc, are encouraged to contact the band to see how we can work together to get a full new Overlorde album out and some metal festival performances arranged.”

The French true heavy metal outfit Lonewolf will release its new album Raised On Metal on September 22nd via Massacre Records. It will also be available as limited edition digipak with exclusive bonus tracks, as well as limited edition vinyl LP.

The 9th studio album was mixed and mastered by Powerwolf's guitarist Charles Greywolf and comes with a killer artwork created by Peter Sallai (Mortpaintgraphics), the vocalist/bassist of Bornholm.

The new album is full of straight, uncompromising heavy metal; fast songs with catchy choruses meet mid-tempo tracks and epic songs, among others. Raised On Metal will especially please fans of Grave Digger, Running Wild and Accept.

Copenhagen-based modern hardcore group Psy:code has teamed with Pavement Entertainment for the release of MØRKE. A 360o video of album track “Loosen The Tight” is streaming below. MØRKE will be out August 4th.

Psy:code is a band driven by a desire to reach beyond its own boundaries.

The band's first two releases, Delusion and Cause and Neglect, were met with critical acclaim by critics worldwide. The praise was not met with complacency and Psy:code set the bar higher when writing their third album.

MØRKE is a natural progression, but remains grounded in the roots planted by its predecessors.
 
Over the years Psy:code has supported several major acts, including Slayer, Mastodon, Amon Amarth, Trivium, Gorefest, Illdisposed and Artillery. The band has toured extensively in their native Denmark and throughout Europe. 

Psy:code has a series of videos planned in the months following the release of MØRKE. Tour dates in support of the album will be announced soon.

Finnish folk metal superstars Korpiklaani will release their first ever live Blu-ray/DVD+2CD package titled Live At Masters Of Rock, on August 25th through Nuclear Blast. The band have unveiled another musical appetizer from this upcoming live release. Check out a brand new live clip for“Erämaan Ärjyt” below:

Pre-orders are live at Nuclear Blast and digital preorders receive “Pilli On Pajusta Tehty” (live) plus “Erämaan Ärjyt”(live) instantly.

After hearing the title of the package, it's easy to conclude that it was recorded at the identically named festival in Vizovice, Czech Republic. But there's even more to be excited about, this release doesn't just include Korpiklaani's show from 2016, it even has a second full show from 2014 as bonus feature. The 2016 concert features guest appearances from Tero Hyväluoma (additional fiddler) as well as Toni Perttula (additional accordion player), Sami's identical twin brother. Mixing and mastering of  Live at Masters of Rock were handled by front man Jonne Järvelä himself.

Jonne comments, "This our first ever DVD release, which we are quite proud of. It has no backing tracks, no choirs, no samples, all the mistakes are included. It is just us, Korpiklaani, pure live rock 'n' roll."

He also adds, "I spent a lot of time during the mastering process with Svante Forsbäck who recently handled the Rammstein mastering and we worked hard to achieve the right ambience and crowd sound. So when you turn it up loud, it feels like you are right there in the middle."

Sami adds, "For us, our bigger shows means more folk musicians, which are much cheaper than pyro, for example my brother agreed to this show for a few beers and he doesn't even drink much!"

Tracklisting:

Blu-ray/DVD
2016
“Intro (Tanhuvaara)”
“A Man With A Plan”
“Journey Man”
“Pilli On Pajusta Tehty”
“Erämaan Ärjyt”
“Lempo”
“Sahti”
“Ruumiinmultaa”
“Vaarinpolkka”
“Viima”
“Metsämies”
“Kultanainen”
“Kipumylly”
“Ämmänhauta”
“Rauta”
“Kylästä Keväinen Kehto”
“Wooden Pints”
“Vodka”
“Beer Beer”

2014
“Intro (Tanhuvaara)”
“Tuonelan Tuvilla”
“Ruumiinmultaa”
“Metsämies”
“Kantaiso”
“Juodaan Viinaa”
“Petoeläimen Kuola”
“Sumussa Hämärän Aamun”
“Vaarinpolkka”
“Kultanainen”
“Uniaika”
“Louhen Yhdeksäs Poika”
“Uni”
“Vodka”
“Ievan Polka”
“Rauta”
“Wooden Pints”
“Pellonpekko”
“Happy Little Boozer”

CD1 (2016)
“Intro (Tanhuvaara)”
“A Man With A Plan”
“Journey Man”
“Pilli On Pajusta Tehty”
“Erämaan Ärjyt”
“Lempo”
“Sahti”
“Ruumiinmultaa”
“Vaarinpolkka”
“Viima”
“Metsämies”
“Kultanainen”
“Kipumylly”
“Ämmänhauta”
“Rauta”
“Kylästä Keväinen Kehto”
“Wooden Pints”
“Vodka”
“Beer Beer”

CD2 (2014)
“Intro (Tanhuvaara)”
“Tuonelan Tuvilla”
“Ruumiinmultaa”
“Metsämies”
“Kantaiso”
“Juodaan Viinaa”
“Petoeläimen Kuola”
“Sumussa Hämärän Aamun”
“Vaarinpolkka”
“Kultanainen”
“Uniaika”
“Louhen Yhdeksäs Poika”
“Uni”
“Vodka”
“Ievan Polka”
“Rauta”
“Wooden Pints”
“Pellonpekko”
“Happy Little Boozer”