This Friday, July 28th, Byzantine will release their new album, The Cicada Tree, via Metal Blade Records. Heralded as the most underrated band from the New Wave of American Heavy Metal Movement, Byzantine has slowly gained a cult-like following after releasing five genre-bending albums. 16 years underground, it's finally time for the world to hear Byzantine.

For another preview of The Cicada Tree, a video for the new single "Vile Maxim" (directed/edited by Holly Mollohan, and produced by Screaming Butterfly Entertainment), can be seen below.

The new album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- CD
- 180g black 2LP + etching (limited to 150 copies - USA exclusive)
- peach orange marbled 2LP + etching (limited to 350 copies - USA exclusive)
- clear pastel rose 2LP + etching (limited to 100 copies - EU exclusive)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available

To state that The Cicada Tree is "classic Byzantine" in no way implies that this is an album solely rooted in the band's past. Certainly, all of the hallmarks that have made their sound so compelling for close to two decades are present and correct: muscular yet lithe riffs and fluid leads play against gripping, dynamic and at times unpredictable rhythms, while rich melodies and lyrics that are both involved and intelligent wind their way through every track. But, once more, the groove metal unit has continued their steady evolution - the interplay between their members organic and natural, imbuing the record's sixty-two-minute running time with a freshness and urgency.

Founding member Chris "OJ" Ojeda states, "The first few albums, you're trying to find your sound, and sometimes you tend to not see the forest for the trees. Now, on album number six, it seems a calmness took hold during the songwriting process, possibly from just having more confidence in our sound. At this point, our fans expect us to experiment and push our boundaries, which is an extremely liberating feeling."

The Cicada Tree tracklisting:

“New Ways To Bear Witness”
“Vile Maxim”
“Map Of The Creator”
“Dead As Autumn Leaves”
“Trapjaw”
“The Subjugated”
“Incremental”
“The Cicada Tree”
“Verses Of Violence”
“Moving In Stereo” (The Cars cover)
“Servitude” (Fishbone cover)

“Vile Maxim” video:

“Trapjaw” lyric video:

“New Ways To Bear Witness” video:

To celebrate The Cicada Tree's release, the band will have an official album release party on July 29th at The V Club in Charleston, WV (where the "New Ways To Bear Witness" video was filmed). Dream The Electric Sleep and Against will also perform with Byzantine at the event; for more details, head here.

Byzantine tour dates (headlining shows):

July
29 - Charleston, WV - The V Club (The Cicada Tree Release Party)

August
5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo
19 - Johnson City, TN - Capone's

September
1 - Baltimore, MD - Sidebar
2 - Richmond, VA - The Canal Club

Byzantine tour dates with Sacred Reich:

September
14 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory w/ Hirax, Yidhra
15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre w/ Hirax, Yidhra
16 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's w/ Yidhra
18 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
20 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
21 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
22 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes Electriques
23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
24 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
25 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage
27 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
28 - New Orleans, LA - Southport Hall
29 - Dallas, TX - Trees
30 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar w/ Slim

October
1 - San Antonio, TX - Rock Box

Produced by Mark Ronson and co-produced by Mark Rankin and mixed by Alan Moulder, Villains is the first full album offering from Queens Of The Stone Age since 2013’s …Like Clockwork. Out on August 25th via Matador Records, the album is available across three formats. Pre-order here. Check out a  new video trailer below.

“The title Villains isn’t a political statement. It has nothing to do with Trump or any of that shit. It’s simply 1) a word that looks fantastic and 2) a comment on the three versions of every scenario: yours, mine and what actually happened… Everyone needs someone or something to rail against - their villain - same as it ever was. You can’t control that. The only thing you can really control is when you let go." - Joshua Homme

Tracklisting:

“Feet Don’t Fail Me”
“The Way You Used To Do”
“Domesticated Animals”
“Fortress”
“Head Like A Haunted House”
“Un-Reborn Again”
“Hideaway”
“The Evil Has Landed”
“Villains Of Circumstance”

Trailer:

“The Way You Used To Do”:

Queens Of The Stone Age recently released a video trailer in support of their Villains World Tour 2017. Watch the clip below, and find the band’s tour schedule at this location.

Widowmaker have released a music video for “The Nihilist”, the opening track of their self-titled debut album, released earlier this month via SharpTone Records. Watch the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

“The Nihilist”
“Paragon”
“Spineless”
“Regression”
“Dissonance”
“Quarantine”
“The Illusionist”

“The Nihilist” video:

“Dissonance” video:

Spanish female-fronted death metallers, Bloodhunter, are streaming the new track “Let The Storm Come”, featured on their upcoming second album, The End Of Faith, out on October 16th through Xtreem Music. Listen to the track below.

Formed back in 2008, Bloodhunter is one of Spain's leading death metal forces. Led by virtuoso guitarist Fenris and vocalist Diva Satanica, the band released their debut album, Bloodhunter, back in 2014, where they started to create a solid fanbase around the country thanks to their strong live performances and high-quality death metal with a melodic & brutal edge.

Bloodhunter has now finished recording their second album, The End Of Faith, whose lineup is completed with bassist Éadrom and magnificent session drummer Marcelo Aires. The result is fantastic and will definitely put Bloodhunter on the map as a force to reckon. Just imagine if Arch Enemy would play death metal - yes, death metal, not aggressive modern heavy metal - with a much more brutal approach.

Tracklisting:

“The Forbidden Zone”
“The End Of Faith”
“Eyes Wide Open”
“Still Standing Up”
“Death & Rebirth”
“The Queen Beast”
“All These Souls Shall Serve Forever”
“Spirits Of Sin”
“Let The Storm Come”
“Possessed By Myself”
“Crystal Mountain” (Death cover)

“Let The Storm Come”:

(Photo - Javier Bragado)

Northwest Indiana’s Cloakroom have released a video for “The Sun Won’t Let Us”, a track from their upcoming second album, Time Well. The new clip is available for streaming below.

Grandiose and deeply insular, Time Well is a work that transcends simple genre descriptors as the trio prove dually capable of conjuring lumbering walls of sound as well as forlorn Americana (as predicted by a recent Songs: Ohia cover the band posted to Bandcamp). Cloakroom occupies a space between worlds, crafting its unique brand of thoughtfully heavy music, something Relapse has long specialized in.

Time Well will be released worldwide August 18th on CD/2xLP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical pre-orders and exclusive bundles are currently available via Relapse.com at this location and digital pre-orders are available via Bandcamp here.

For the new album, the trio (consisting of vocalist-guitarist Doyle Martin, bassist Robert Markos, and drummer Brian Busch) opted to explore their shared creative space by building their own studio, transforming their practice space into a sonic laboratory in which they could immerse themselves in every aspect of the creative process. Once the studio had completed its transition it became a workspace that was essential to the creation of Time Well, sheltering the band from the outside world as they immersed themselves in the songs and pushed sounds to their furthest limits.

“We could work at all hours of the night and pick up where we left off days later,“ said Doyle Martin. “We vaulted the ceiling, amassed some gear with a little help from Relapse, and, after laying a rat's nest of cables through the place, we started to record.”

Cloakroom first materialized back in 2012 with a couple songs that appeared on a Bandcamp page with the succinct description: “Cloakroom consists of three factory workers from the Region.” As far as biographies go it’s about as terse as they come, but it conveys simple facts that speak to greater truths. Cloakroom is still a trio and still resides in the Region, a unique amalgam of cities and towns in Northwest Indiana that’s equal parts industrial and rural, a sense of space that leaves a distinctive sonic imprint across all the band’s recorded works. With Time Well, Cloakroom shows itself untethered from the present moment. It’s a record that’s flanked by contradictory ideas that are always running parallel; growth begets destruction begets death. It’s an unending cycle, and Time Well is the soundtrack to that unending, awe-inspiring momentum.

Time Well tracklisting:

“Gone But Not Entirely”
“Big World”
“Concrete Gallery”
“Seedless Star”
“Sickle Moon Blues”
“Hymnal”
“The Sun Won’t Let Us Go”
“Time Well”
“52Hz Whale”
“The Passenger”

“The Sun Won’t Let Us Go” video:

“Seedless Star” video:

Additionally, Cloakroom have announced a run of fall tour dates throughout North America. The band will kick off the fall with a record release show in Chicago before venturing east in October.

September
1 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s *Record Release Show*
29 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Brewery
30 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison

October
1 - Montreal, QC - La Vitrola
3 - Boston, MA - Middle East
4 - Brooklyn, NY - St. Vitus
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Philamoca
7 - Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong
8 - Cleveland, OH - Mahall’s

(Photo: Colin May)

Shaman’s Harvest have released a video for “The Come Up”, a track from the band’s new album, Red Hands Black Deeds, out this Friday, July 28th, via Mascot Label Group. The new clip can be found below.

Produced by Keith Armstrong, the new album pre-meditatively took on a more organic approach, utilizing vintage gear. Nathan Hunt offers, “We used analog effects pedals and vintage amps. It was kind of like trying to find the melting point between Midwest and L.A. It still has the Shaman's Harvest Midwest vibe to it, but it definitely has organic L.A. written all over it."

Guitarist Josh Hamler adds, “Goat toes are the new cowbells. We'd tell Keith we wanted a certain sound, and he'd pull stuff out that we never thought of, like the goat toes we used on “Blood Trophies” and "A Longer View” or sandpaper on ‘Scavengers’.”

The band - singer Nathan Hunt, bassist Matt Fisher, rhythm guitarist Josh Hamler, lead guitarist Derrick Shipp, and drummer Adam Zemanek - simply didn't want to use anything digital, and when a certain effect was needed they approached the process creatively, coming up with solutions to reach a realized vision. As Hamler shares, “We had been so stuck in our way of writing and recording, but Keith had a different, more interesting approach to coming up with that sound. He really helped us find a fresh new creative path."

Red Hands Black Deeds is a darker, visceral, and more layered sound than past repertoire offered on the band’s first five studio albums. The album ranges from the ominous, haunting vibes of the title track prelude, "A Longer View," "The Devil In Our Wake," and "Scavengers" - which could fit just as easily on a horror film soundtrack as it does on this rock band's album - to quieter, more vulnerable moments as heard on "Tusk And Bone" and "Long Way Home”.

Lyrically, the band also ventured into new territory, taking on the current political, social, and economic struggles we're facing as a nation under the new administration. "Red Hands Black Deeds touches upon the darker nature inside all of us,” says Hunt. “The whole record has a contrast and push and pull tension - a juxtaposition of good and bad or questioning what is right and wrong. The record ended up having a concept, though we weren’t intending it to," says Hunt.

The writing of the record began in November 2016 at the time of the presidential election, so it's no wonder there are social and political undertones to many of the songs. "The tension in the record kind of speaks for itself. There's a dark anxiety, tension-filled feeling that reflects what’s going on in the world," says Hamler.

"The Come Up," the album’s first single, is an upbeat song that juxtaposes a Motown backbeat with classic Rolling Stones rock and roll swagger, and that delves into depression. "There's so much negativity on social media today ‑ a lot of people struggling with real issues and with where we're at as a nation," says Hunt.

But, "The Come Up" is also an acknowledgment of the singer's own battle with depression. "It's therapeutic for myself," he says. "It's just about sometimes when you just can't change shit, you got to realize you can't mold everything in your life and you kind of just have to roll with the punches," says Hunt, who overcame throat cancer in 2014 that could've derailed the band, but didn't.

"A Longer View" is a song that touches on civil unrest we face today and global race issues. "When you step back, you see we're all just humans. That's the longer view. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we all just want love and to be understood," says Hunt.

On a similar note, "The Broken Ones" touches on immigration issues, as well as anyone who feels disenfranchised, such as Hunt's own Native American ancestors. "My father's family is part of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, which is made of a lot of different races and regions, and because of that they don't get all of the benefits that federally recognized tribes have. The song is a cynical look at society today," says Hunt, whose heritage inspired the band's name.

"The Devil in Our Wake" tackles the topic of war. "I'd go to bed with CNN on to some bullshit at the White House, or the heartbreaking situation in Syria. I'd see what's going on in the world and think, 'Shit, how did we get so divisive?'" says Hunt.

"Soul Crusher," a funky rocker about fighting through tough times, shows off the band's musical versatility. "It mixes a lot of genres musically. You can’t help but want to dance and bob your head. It touches on that old Motown vibe. But it also has some Texas blues to it," says Hunt.

Even through the singer's battle with cancer, and other trials and tribulations every band goes through, the band has persevered. Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Shaman's Harvest released their first album, Last Call for Goose Creek in 1999, followed by Synergy (2002) and March of the Bastards (2006) before having their break-through moment with 2009's Shine. Shine featured the standout track, "Dragonfly," which hit #9 on Billboard's Heritage Rock chart and #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was also featured on the soundtrack to the major motion picture, Legendary, and the video has garnered more than 4.5 million YouTube views.

The band followed that success with their Mascot Records debut, Smokin' Hearts & Broken Guns in 2014, which has garnered more than 31 million streams. The album's "In Chains" peaked at #11 on the Media Base chart after a run of 22 weeks at Active Rock radio. It also spent over four months in the Top 10 of iTunes Metal Songs Chart. The song's video has more than 3 million views on YouTube, while the band has a cumulative 8 million YouTube views.

Shaman's Harvest has had equal success on the touring front. They've toured or shared the stage with major artists like AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Godsmack, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, In This Moment, Daughtry, Cheap Trick, Theory of a Deadman, Hinder, and others, and played major festivals like Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, Rock Fest, KRockathon, Rockin' The Rivers, Texas Mutiny, Rock Carnival 2016, High Elevation Rock Festival, and Midwest Rock Fest.

The key to the band's longevity is threefold: Staying in Missouri, which gives the band a Midwestern authenticity. "Our music wouldn't be what it is if we weren't from a hillbilly kind of a state," notes Fisher. Second, knowing the gift of distance and being open to change. "It's been 21 years for us," Fisher continues, "so it's a brotherhood and there are fights, but I think over all it's just keeping some distance in between tours when we need it."

And, third: "Growing musically as a band each time. I think this record, with how differently we approached it and how we expanded our sonic palette, is a good step toward a new future for us," adds Fisher.

Tracklisting:

“Red Hands Black Deeds” (Prelude)
“Broken Ones”
“The Come Up”
“A Longer View”
“Soul Crusher”
“Off The Tracks”
“Long Way Home”
“The Devil in Our Wake”
“Blood Trophies”
“So Long”
“Tusk and Bone”
“Scavengers”

“The Come Up” video:

“Broken Ones”:

“Red Hands Black Deeds”:

Trailer:

Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

Paradise Lost have released the third official trailer for their upcoming studio album, Medusa, out on September 1st via Nuclear Blast. Watch three trailers below.

The pre-order for Medusa is underway and you can purchase the full-length release in several formats:

- Standard jewelcase CD
- Digibook including 2 bonus tracks
- Various coloured 180g LP (black / clear / copper / grey+red bi-coloured / gold / NB anniversary green)
- Collector’s box including the digibook, gatefold picture disc, an exclusive 7'', a candle, poster, band photo card and poster flag.
- Mailorder edition Collector’s box including the digibook, gatefold picture disc, a 7'' featuring the tracks 'Shrines' and 'Symbolic Virtue', a candle, poster, band photo card, poster flag and exclusive cover artwork

Pre-order the physical editions of the new album, including special merchandise here, or get the digital versions here and receive 'The Longest Winter' as instant grat, or in the band shop, here.

Tracklisting:

“Fearless Sky”
“Gods Of Ancient”
“From The Gallows”
“The Longest Winter”
“Medusa”
“No Passage For The Dead”
“Blood & Chaos”
“Until The Grave”

Bonus tracks:
“Frozen Illusion”
“Shrines”
“Symbolic Virtue”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

“The Longest Winter” lyric video:

In addition to the pre-order announcement, the band has revealed that they will perform an exclusive release show on September 1st at the LKA Longhorn in Stuttgart. For one night only, Paradise Lost will perform their new album in its entirety as well as playing a very special setlist created by the fans. Click here to select your eight favourite songs that you want to hear in that set and discover one out of 10 song snippets from the new album once you cast your vote.

For those who just can’t wait, a special 7'' vinyl single will be released on August 8th for the song “Blood & Chaos”, available in four different colours listed below:

- 7” black
- 7” clear+red splatter (mailorder only)
- 7” white+red bi-coloured (mailorder only)
- 7” clear (mailorder only)

Shortly after the release, Paradise Lost will embark on an extensive European tour and with label mates and US doomsters Pallbearer, as well as Sinistro from Portugal. To drown in beautiful sorrow, visit the tour on one of the following dates:
 
September
1 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn (Album release show)
8 - Dubai, UAE - The Music Room (Majestic Hotel)

September (with Pallbearer, Sinistro)
27 - Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg - Kulturfabrik
28 - Herford, Germany - X
29 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset

October (with Pallbearer, Sinistro)
1 - Oslo, Norway - John Dee
3 - Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi
7 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
10 - Brno, Czech Republic - Fleda
11 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Randal
13 - Belgrade, Serbia - Dom Omladine
14 - Zagreb, Croatia - Boogaloo
15 - Budapest, Hungary - Dürer Kert
18 - Nuremberg, Germany - Hirsch
19 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
20 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
21 - Geneva, Switzerland - L‘Usine
28 - Fontaneto D'Agogna, Italy - Phenomenon
29 - Munich, Germany - Theaterfabrik
30 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7

November (with Pallbearer, Sinistro)
3 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
4 - Leeds, UK - Damnation Festival
6 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Pandora
7 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013
8 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
9 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theater
10 - Weissenhäuser Strand / Ostsee, Germany - Metal Hammer Paradise (Paradise Lost only)

December
14 - Brisbane, Australia - The Triffid
15 - Sydney, Australia - The Metro Theatre
16 - Melbourne, Australia - Corner Hotel
17 - Adelaide, Australia - The Gov
18 - Perth, Australia - Capitol

Summer Festival dates:

August
3-5 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
11 - Graz, Austria - Metal on the Hill
13 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
18-20 - Saint-Nolff, France - Motocultor Festival
25-26 - Wörrstadt, Germany - Neuborn Open Air

SnakeyeS, the band started by José Pineda, Justi Bala, and Carlos Delgado (from the former Spanish band Sphinx) together with Romanian singer Cosmin Aionita (9.7 Richter), have released a new animated lyric video for "Sign Of Death,” the first single off their next album, due for release in early November.

The video, created by graphic artist Leo Traverso, mixes the song's lyrics with an animated story developed around the fate of an astronaut, who faces a lot of challenges while trying to fulfill his mission: the exploration of new galaxies.

The "Sign Of Death" single is also available for download and streaming through all major music digital distribution platforms. There is also a very limited physical CD edition (featuring the single "Sign Of Death”, "Mask Of Reality," and the SnakeyeS version of "Metal Heart”, the classic anthem from metal legends Accept), packed together with a brand new t-shirt. This limited edition pack is exclusively available from the band's official website or Facebook page.

SnakeyeS recently released a studio diary focusing on the recording sessions for the band's new album, as well a short trailer for this next full length disc. Watch below:

Australia’s Ne Obliviscaris will release their new album, Urn, on October 27th via Season Of Mist. A video for the new track “Intra Venus” is available for streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“Libera (Part I) - Saturnine Spheres”
“Libera (Part II) - Ascent of Burning Moths”
“Intra Venus”
“Eyrie”
“Urn (Part I) - And Within The Void We Are Breathless”
“Urn (Part II) - As Embers Dance In Our Eyes”

“Intra Venus” video:

Composed of some of L.A.'s most recognized studio and songwriting talents - Billy Sherwood, Guy Allison, and Bruce Gowdy - World Trade will release their third album, Unify, on August 4th. The album track “Lifeforce” is available for streaming below.

Lead vocalist and main songwriter, Billy Sherwood has been a fixture of the L.A. studio and recording scene since the mid-80's. Billy's talents range from producing a Grammy nominated album for Paul Rodgers to being the current bass player of YES, handpicked by Chris Squire to replace him before his untimely death. He also recently joined up with Asia as a replacement for John Wetton after his passing for the band's current US tour with Journey.

"World Trade was always a very special band, with a unique sound. It's amazing all these years later to be able to make another record and have it feel just as special as the first," says Sherwood.

Guy Allison and Bruce Gowdy, a pair of musicians also known for being behind the awesome melodic rock band Unruly Child, and drummer Mark T. Williams (son of famed composer John Williams and brother of Toto singer Joseph) round out the lineup.

"World Trade was always one of my favourite bands that I had the pleasure to be involved in. We are a real bunch of creative souls. Our debut record had such a great vibe and our new CD Unity does as well!  To our fans, we hope we can come out and play for you soon," says Bruce Gowdy.

"If I had heard World Trade back when I was an impressionable young man (one who fell in love with the band U.K. on the very first listen), they would have made a lifelong impression on me. I'm very proud to have been a part of that musical journey with some of my very best friends," adds Guy Alliison.

No doubt that World Trade is a world-class band in every sense. Unify is a mature sounding recording reflective of the years of experience within the band. With great songwriting, excellent vocals, and immense production values, this album will appeal to fans of Toto 's most recent releases and 90125/Big Generator-era Yes, as well as fans of other progressive rock bands who value musicianship and songwriting craft.

Unify tracklisting:

“The New Norm”
“Where We're Going”
“Pandora's Box”
“On Target On Time”
“Gone All The Way”
“Unify”
“For The Fallen”
“Lifeforce”
“Same Old Song”
“Again”

“Lifeforce”:

“Unify” lyric video:

“Gone All The Way”:

“The New Norm”:

World Trade lineup:

Billy Sherwood - bass and lead vocals
Bruce Gowdy - guitars
Guy Allison - keyboards
Mark T. Williams - drums

This fall, HarperNonFiction will publish "What Does This Button Do?", the hugely anticipated memoir from IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson.

Heavy metal pioneers since their formation in 1975, IRON MAIDEN have sold over ninety million albums and played over two thousand shows in sixty-three countries, making them one of the most successful and globally influential bands of all time. One of the world's most storied musicians, Dickinson has been the band's internationally acclaimed lead singer for more than thirty years, and quite aside from the decades spent delivering high-octane performances with his larger-than-life persona, Bruce has lived an extraordinary off-stage existence too. A true polymath, Bruce is, or has been, an airline pilot and captain, an aviation entrepreneur, a beer brewer, motivational speaker, film scriptwriter, twice-published novelist, radio presenter, TV actor and a world-class fencer.

Over the last couple of years, and throughout MAIDEN's "The Book Of Souls" world tour, which has covered thirty-nine countries and one hundred and seventeen shows since February 2016, Bruce has turned his unbridled creativity to writing his memoirs, longhand (in seven A4 notebooks no less).

In "What Does This Button Do?", Bruce (a man who famously never gives interviews about his personal life) shares, for the first time, the most fascinating recollections, including his thirty years with MAIDEN, the early days, his childhood within the eccentric British school system, going solo, realising his dream of flying jumbo jets and his recent battle with tongue cancer. Dickinson is so much more than the frontman of one of the biggest bands on the planet. A rock icon, a true renaissance man, Bruce has been, and remains, a man of legend.

Bold, honest, intelligent and very entertaining, "What Does This Button Do?" is the long-awaited window into the life, heart and mind of one of our most adventurous and multifaceted sons. The global publication on October 19 will be accompanied with a commensurate international book tour. More details to come soon.

Bruce said: "It was flattering to be approached to write a book about my experiences and it seems an appropriate time to do this."

Publishing director Jack Fogg negotiated world rights with Adrian Sington at Kruger Cowne, Dave Daniel at Celebrity Speakers and MAIDEN's management, Phantom Music Management, and will publish in conjunction with Denise Oswald, senior editor at Dey Street in HarperCollins U.S.

Fogg said: "There's no one like Bruce. Which other rock musician can fly a 747, or fence at an international level? He's a total one-off; engaging, funny, warm, self-deprecating — a British eccentric in its very best form. His book will be outstanding and I am so delighted we get to publish it and work with him."

Oswald said: "Bruce Dickinson might quite literally be the world's most interesting man. He's a true Renaissance man, and being one of the greatest rock singers of all time is merely the beginning. His memoir, like his voice, is sure to set a new gold standard and we're thrilled to be working with him on it."

Anette Ekström, MD HarperCollins Nordic, said: "We are so very pleased to be the publishing house for this exciting book! The Nordic countries have a steady fan base for heavy metal, and IRON MAIDEN in particular. Our aim is to publish the memoir in all four Nordic languages, as close to the English release as possible as we understand the fans will be anxious for it."

The first print-run of the U.K. hardback will have black sprayed-edges and will be available to pre-order ahead of publication.

Finnish epic metallers Wintersun finally released their third studio album The Forest Seasons, last Friday through Nuclear Blast. Additionally, Wintersun live at Tuska 2013 is purchasable on vinyl as well. To give their fans another taster of this brand-new masterpiece, the band has launched a lyric video for “The Forest That Weeps (Summer)”.

 

Order The Forest Seasons via the band’s IndieGoGo page.

Tracklisting:

“Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring)”
Part I - The Dark Slumber
Part II - The Awakening
“The Forest That Weeps (Summer)”
“Eternal Darkness (Autumn)”
Part I - Haunting Darkness
Part II - The Call Of The Dark Dream
Part III - Beyond The Infinite Universe
Part IV - Death
“Loneliness (Winter)”

“Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring)” lyric video:

“Eternal Darkness (Autumn)” guitar playthrough:

“The Forest That Weeps (Summer)” guitar playthrough:

“Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring)” guitar playthrough:

Formats trailer:

Bay Area band Cultural Warfare has announced the addition of guitarist Shawn Bozarth (Defiance) to the band as their second guitar player. He will make his debut with the band this Saturday, July 29th at Toots Tavern.

Cultural Warfare performed at Cafe Colonial in Sacramento, California on April 29th. Their full 40 minute set is available below courtesy of Capital Chaos TV.

Cultural Warfare are a unique combination of traditional metal and aggressive, melodic thrash metal topped by the powerful vocals of Jacques Serrano (Taunted). They recently released a lyrc video for the Future Kill EP’s title track, following up on the popular “Defy The Blade” lyric video that initially caught the M-Theory Audio label’s attention

“We are very excited to release our next video, ‘Future Kill’, from our EP of the same name,” explains drummer Kevin Doughty. “‘Future Kill’ is essentially a spin on a futuristic World War 3. The apocalypse or the almighty Cultural Warfare! Politics, division, false media, and corruption will lead us to this if we do not take a stand. This song is also a precursor to our full-length that we will release by the end of the year. That album will have songs that describe our world in a post-apocalyptic environment and what the human condition will be. It will also show the perseverance of humanity to rebuild the human race. Enjoy the new clip. The Future Kill is upon you!”

London, England's ORANGE GOBLIN has commenced the songwriting process for a brand new album, to be released around May/June 2018. The new record will be their first for the Candlelight label since being acquired by Spinefarm/Universal and will be recorded early next year at Orgone Studios, U.K. with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, CATHEDRAL, PARADISE LOST, ANGEL WITCH). It is the band's first album since 2014's "Back From The Abyss", and although there is no information on the album title or track listing, the band can reveal that the record will feature a guest appearance by the legendary MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell. As well as working on the new album, the band is currently enjoying a massive year, having played the main stage at Download festival, Resurrection Fest in Spain and receiving a nomination for "Best UK Band" at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. The remainder of 2017 sees ORANGE GOBLIN continue to play across Europe at the likes of Woodstock in Poland, Wacken Open Air in Germany, Desertfest in Greece, and Up In Smoke and HRH Doom V in the U.K. On top of this, they have been invited to open the main stage at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest in California in November.

Alice Cooper made a surprise appearance with members of his touring band last night (Tuesday, July 25) at the Sticky Fingers club in Gothenburg, Sweden. The legendary rocker joined Nita Strauss (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), Tommy Henriksen (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass) and Glen Sobel (drums) on stage to perform four songs: "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Under My Wheels", "Lost In America" and "School's Out". Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

Cooper is scheduled to perform at Liseberg in Gothenburg later today (Wednesday, July 26).

Alice's new album, "Paranormal", will be released on July 28 via earMUSIC. The disc features two songs written and recorded with the original members of the ALICE COOPER band and also has guest appearances by ZZ TOP guitarist Billy Gibbons, U2 drummer Larry Mullen and Roger Glover of DEEP PURPLE.

In addition to the twelve new tracks on "Paranormal", the singer has included a bonus disc of his current band playing live versions of some of his greatest hits, such as "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Billion Dollar Babies" and "School's Out".

Cooper told the Star Gazette last year about his current setlist: "We throw some total left curves in there. I understand that I have to do at least fifteen songs — 'Poison', 'School's Out', 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', 'Under My Wheels', all the ones that people hear on the radio. And then I know that there are the real dyed-in-the-wool Alice fans who love to hear something they never thought they'd hear — a really obscure song off of an album where they say, 'Are you kidding me? They're playing that?' I know that that works because when I go to see THE ROLLING STONES or THE WHO and all of a sudden they play an album track that's one of my favorite album tracks that never got played on the radio, I say, 'Oh, that's so cool to hear that! I never thought they'd play that!' So we do find a couple of really deep cuts, and I can see the appreciation of the audience in that."

Photo credit: Niklas Nilsson

In the new video below, guitarist Thomas Zwijsen performs “Children Of The Damned” from Iron Maiden’s The Number Of The Beast album, arranged for acoustic, classical, flamenco, fingerstyle solo guitar.

In the previously posted video below, Zwijsen offers a classical fingerstyle guitar performance of the Iron Maiden classic “2 Minutes To Midnight”, originally featured on the 1984 album, Powerslave.

Zwijsen’s "Thomas Zwijsen Signature Model" will be in stores soon via Ortega Guitars. In the video below, former Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley interviews Zwijsen about the signature guitar. Check it out and stay tuned for more details.

Live music's premier hologram production company Eyellusion today revealed initial dates for "Dio Returns: The World Tour", featuring a hologram of Ronnie James Dio 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. It marks the first tour of its kind, breaking new ground just as Dio did throughout an accomplished career as a lead singer and songwriter in defining bands such as RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH and DIO. 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 tour 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. In August 2016, Eyellusion surprised fans when it debuted the Ronnie James Dio hologram at the Wacken Open Air heavy metal festival in Germany. The hologram was also tapped to open the 2017 Pollstar Awards, wowing bookers and promoters in attendance and creating excitement for the forthcoming tour. The "Dio Returns" tour will feature Dio's actual live vocals, backed by a live band consisting of former DIO 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.

"Working with Eyellusion over the past year and a half to turn our dream of this tour into a reality has been absolutely incredible," said Wendy Dio, who managed Ronnie James Dio throughout his career and is overseeing every aspect of the "Dio Returns" tour. "No one has ever been able to put together a show and tour like this and we like to think of Ronnie smiling down as we continue to find new ways to share his music with all generations of fans. We cannot wait to be able to finally bring this incredible experience to Ronnie's fans around the world." "We've really only given DIO fans a small taste of what they're going to see on this tour," said Jeff Pezzuti, CEO and founder of Eyellusion. "We are creating a completely new hologram of Ronnie, designing an amazing light show and continuing to add more dates around the world to make sure that as many fans as possible get an opportunity to take part in this experience." Eyellusion's holograms and live productions are supported by a team of live music and special effects veterans, including Wendy Dio, who leads industry relations, veteran rock manager Todd Singerman, who supports artist relations, and Kenny Aronoff, world renowned live and studio drummer, who supports business development and technical live production efforts. Chad Finnerty at Digital Frontier FX is Eyellusion's exclusive content creation partner, working directly with clients to bring every project vision to the live stage. Legendary Hollywood digital effects executive Scott Ross advises Eyellusion on overall content creation for all productions. Eyellusion is actively raising funding to secure additional artist rights and finance projects and tours in its growing pipeline.

"Dio Returns" tour dates

Nov. 30 - Helsinki, Finland @ The CircusDec. 03 - Stockholm, Sweden @ FryshusetDec. 04 - Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller Music HallDec. 06 - Warsaw, Poland @ ProgresjaDec. 13 - Barcelona, Spain @ BikiniDec. 15 - Santander, Spain @ Escenario SantanderDec. 17 - Bucharest, Romania @ Arelene RomaneDec. 20 - Antwerp, Belgium @ TrixDec. 21 - Tilburg, Netherlands @ 013

DEVIL YOU KNOW, the band fronted by former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones, has changed its name to LIGHT THE TORCH. The group says: "A full statement will be made soon and a new album is very close to being completed. It's a new beginning and we couldn't be more excited."

It is speculated that DEVIL YOU KNOW's name change was prompted by a dispute with the band's former drummer, John Sankey, who left the group in June 2016.

In addition to Jones, LIGHT THE TORCH features guitarist Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH).

DEVIL YOU KNOW released two albums through Nuclear Blast Entertainment: 2014's "The Beauty Of Destruction" and 2015's "They Bleed Red".

Hundred Suns - the trio featuring Cory Brandan (Norma Jean), Ryan Leger (Every Time I Die) and Chris LeMasters (Dead & Divine) have released a video for “Amaranthine”, the second track from their debut album, The Prestaliis (New Damage Records). The clip can be seen below.

The band is donating a portion of the track’s sales to THORN, an organization that creates and supports tech initiatives that disrupt predatory behaviour and work to make the internet a more hostile environment for those who seek to exploit children. Click here for more information.

Brandan discussed the song and video, saying, "'Amaranthine' is one of our favorite songs. It switches between two different time signatures and we experimented with a lot of dynamics. Chris and Legs have a very balanced writing and rhythmic chemistry on this track, which gave me a lot of room to be vocally versatile. I feel like the song has a very shadowy, almost 'street' vibe to it, matching its dark lyrical content, which was inspired by human trafficking - a very serious problem that deserves way more attention than it gets. At times, it feels like the world is in a perpetual cycle, talking about the same topics over and over but trafficking is a real crisis taking place in all of our communities, cities and states. I had a conversation with a border agent, who told me that they intervene to help young girls and boys almost every day. According to the US State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, which is an insane stat. But raising awareness is meaningless without action, so we're donating a portion of profits from 'Amaranthine' to THORN, an organization that focuses primarily on preventing the sexual exploitation of children. They were founded in part by Ashton Kutcher and I've seen him talk about this subject and found it to be very inspiring. Those that want to join us in supporting this important cause can do so by downloading 'Amaranthine' on iTunes. You can also visit wearethorn.org for more information."

“Amaranthine” follows the release of first track “Last Apology” (listen below). Both songs are available as instant downloads by clicking here to pre-order The Prestaliis ahead of its August 11th release date.

In support of their forthcoming LP, Hundred Suns will be touring across North America this summer. The month-long tour kicks off in Dallas, TX on August 5th and wraps up with three Canadian shows in Ottawa (August 24th), Toronto (August 25th) and St. Catharines (August 26th). Tickets for the tour are on-sale now.

Hundred Suns is the convergence of darkness, intention, and emotion, summoning an enrapturing dreamscape of haunting songs that are multilayered yet delivered with urgent immediacy. Tastemaker media outlets like Revolver, Alternative Press, and BBC1 with Daniel Carter have already taken notice. The response from fans is no less exciting, with a crowd-funded campaign that easily surpassed its initial goal.

Armed with the support of campaign backers, Hundred Suns conjured their debut full-length, together with producer/engineer Sam Guaiana (Like Pacific), vocal engineer/producer Jeremy SH Griffith (Norma Jean, Underoath), and producer/mixer (and Saosin guitarist) Beau Burchell (Blaqk Audio, The Bronx). The Prestaliis explores catastrophe, elemental power, primitive anxieties, and complex struggles within songs that are straightforward and structured, free and invigorating, yet deceptively focused on details. Hundred Suns meditates on the unspoken sentiments that hang in the air, the conversations that often are never had, yet exist on the tip of the tongue for so many that often feel the same conflict.

Multidimensional stories intersect with colorfully vibrant music, shrouded and cloaked in introspective fog ‘though they may be. Hundred Suns is an invitation to artistic indulgence, to creative alchemy, and to drink in each shared experience.

Tracklisting:

“The Prestaliis I”
“Partner/Predator”
“Bedburner”
“Last Apology”
“Fractional”
“Reversal”
“December”
“Hellelujah”
“Infinite Winter”
“Amaranthine”
“The Prestaliis II”

“Last Apology”:

(Photo by: Jay Perry)

Due to contractual obligations, vocalist Toby Rand (Rand, Juke Kartel, Rock Star: Supernova) was unfortunately unable to continue with The Fell. The band wish him all the best for the future.

"However, we are thrilled to announce our new frontman, Anthony De La Torre. Anthony (pictured above) is an amazing vocalist who you may also know as Young Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. We are incredibly excited to welcome Anthony into The Fell family and look forward to touring in September. See you there."

Standing alongside Anthony De La Torre in The Fell is guitarist Mike Krompass, drummer Randy Cooke, and last, but not least, bassist Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, Winery Dogs), who needs no introduction. This is not typical of any of their past projects, It's a new fresh direction, but uses their influences to create a more modern sound, with heavy guitars, powerful riffs, crushing grooves and huge vocals.

Check out The Fell's debut video, "Footprints", featuring original vocalist Toby Rand:

For further details, visit The Fell on Facebook.

Metalshop TV has uploaded video footage of EVANESCENCE's July 6 performance at the Rock For People festival in Czech Republic. Check it out below.

EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee recently spoke to Graspop.be about the band's forthcoming album, "Synthesis", which will reimagine some of the band's past catalog with full orchestration and electronic backing.

"It's different in a way that it's still coming from the roots of what EVANESCENCE was conceived to be," she said. "It's really a beautiful project. A lot of our old songs are getting a whole new life in a way where we're getting to experience the focus being this beautiful, full orchestra. It's also a lot of electronic, cool elements — parts that have always been part of our music. It hasn't been full orchestra before — it's just been mainly strings — but just taking it to very beautiful, classical and epic and groovy place. Oh, it feels so good. There's some new stuff on it too, but it's mostly old stuff [reimagined]."

Lee also talked in more detail about the making of "Synthesis", explaining: "As far as the conception, basically, you work in demo land first and just create the arrangements of songs. I went through all the master sessions of, say, 'Bring Me To Life', and [I would] pull out all the stuff and listen to it and then chop it up and decide, 'Oh, maybe this part needs to be longer. Maybe this part at the beginning will be just strings and piano.' Just figure out what you're gonna do and build a map. And working with David Campbell, who has done all the string arrangements for EVANESCENCE for all three albums now doing full orchestra, just going back and forth with him and our producer Will and then each other, just throwing ideas in a Dropbox and basically just playing tennis back and forth for months. We finally recorded the orchestra right before this tour. It sounds just gorgeous. I can't wait to finish the thing."

In support of "Synthesis", EVANESCENCE will embark on a special tour this fall which will see the band performing with a "full orchestra."

EVANESCENCE debuted a previously unheard song called "Take Cover" during its North American tour last fall.

Lee also released a solo single called "Love Exists" in February, while a second solo song, "Speak To Me", appears on the soundtrack for the supernatural thriller "Voice From The Stone", which came out on April 28.

Deleted scenes from the latest episode of AXS TV's popular original music series "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar", featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil at his new home in Nashville, Tennessee, can be seen below.

The second season of "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar" resumed on July 9. Remaining episodes in this season will see Sammy Hagar in an intimate dinner at "Supermensch" superstar Shep Gordon's home in Maui, featuring an all-star jam with Hagar, Mick Fleetwood, Willie K., and more (July 30); a front row seat to the world's biggest music festival, SXSW, where Hagar is honored as a keynote speaker, and performs an unforgettable rock-rap jam with hip-hop pioneer and RUN-D.M.C. founder Darryl McDaniels (August 6); and a season finale event that finds Hagar sitting down with the multi-talented Adam Levine to talk about his eclectic career (August 13). "One of the things I love most about interviewing my favorite artists is asking them about things you won't get when you Google them," said Hagar about his interviewing style. "I try to make it more personal and in the moment than about the things we all already know." The upcoming episodes are the conclusion to Season 2 which premiered March 5 and featured interviews and performances with James Hetfield, John Mayer, Melissa Etheridge, Toby Keith, John Mellencamp, Rick Nielsen, Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham, Vic Johnson, Billy Gibbons and more.

The "Carpool Karaoke" episode featuring LINKIN PARK — filmed less than a week before singer Chester Bennington's death on July 20 — is expected to air this fall.

On July 14, LINKIN PARK shared a picture on Twitter with actor Ken Jeong for their episode of the TV spinoff of James Corden's "Late Late Show" sketch. The photo was captioned, "Fun day with [Ken Jeong] [Carpool Karaoke] [Apple Music] — stay tuned."

After Bennington's death six days later, Jeong paid tribute to the singer on Twitter, writing, "I am in shock and heartbroken. All my thoughts and prayers go out to Chester and his family and friends at this time."

"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" — a 16-episode standalone show executive-produced by Corden — is set to premiere on August 8 on Apple Music.

Other celebrities scheduled to appear on the program include John Legend and Alicia Keys, Billy Eichner and METALLICA, and Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Corden has promised he will appear in at least two episodes, alongside Will Smith and LeBron James.

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

A half-full bottle of alcohol was found in the room, but it was reportedly not near the body.

LINKIN PARK canceled plans for a North American tour and the band's future at the moment remains unclear, while fans and musicians worldwide reacted to the death of the singer.

Bennington had been candid about mental health battles in numerous interviews over the years, saying he grappled with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse.

LINKIN PARK released its seventh studio album, "One More Light", in May. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Fun day with @kenjeong @CarpoolKaraoke @AppleMusic - stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/v8tSBG1cwF

— LINKIN PARK (@linkinpark) July 14, 2017

I am in shock and heartbroken. All my thoughts and prayers go out to Chester and his family and friends at this time.

— Ken Jeong (@kenjeong) July 20, 2017

After playing at the world's largest rock festivals followed by concerts across Europe, Japan, South America and Mexico, THE DEAD DAISIES are returning home for the last leg of their world tour, playing twelve shows in support of their critically acclaimed new live album, "Live And Louder".

A live rendition of the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD classic "We're An American Band" was released on July 4 in celebration of the nation's independence and its video was created to remind the world of what's great about America. The clip has already been viewed more than one million times on YouTube and Facebook.

THE DEAD DAISIES lead singer John Corabi states: "We first performed the song for our troops in South Korea. We wanted to bring a little bit of something 'American' to our men and women in uniform, and give them a taste of home. The song went over so well we decided to keep playing it and then recorded it for the album."

Dubbed "The Dirty Dozen Tour", THE DEAD DAISIES' invasion, with special guests THE DIVES, kicks off on August 10 in Chicago and wraps on August 27 in Las Vegas.

In addition to these headline shows, the band will be playing some of the largest motorcycle rallies in the country, with performances at the Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis on August 9, The EasyRiders Rodeo Tour in Chillicothe, Ohio on September 1 and at The National H.O.G. Rally at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee on September 2.

THE DEAD DAISIES lineup:

Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO) - GuitarJohn Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM) - VocalsDavid Lowy (RED PHOENIX, MINK) - GuitarsMarco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE) - BassBrian Tichy (OZZY OSBOURNE, FOREIGNER) – Drums

Photo credit: Oliver Halfin

Robb Flynn, frontman of San Francisco Bay Area metal titans Machine Head, celebrated his 50th birthday at the Oakland Metro on July 22nd with a plethora of special guests.

The video below features a cover of the Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty classic, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, performed by the following:

Marta Demmel - Vocals
Craig Locicero - Guitar
Dave McClain - Drums
Brad Barth - Keyboards
Robb Flynn - Vocals
Jared MacEachern - Bass
Harald O, Andy Galeon - Backing Vocals

Robb brought Australian super Head Case MC BBQ onstage for a little "TNT" by AC/DC and insanity ensued. The guys also cover Alice In Chains’ "We Die Young". Watch below:

Robb and friends also covered Temple Of The Dog's "Hunger Strike" at the bash. The following lineup were on stage:

Tony Malson - Vocals
Andy Galeon - Drums
Craig Locicero - Guitar
Robb Flynn - Vocals, Guitar
Jared MacEachern - Bass
Brad Barth - Keyboards

American progressive metal act, The Contortionist, are streaming the new track, “Absolve”. The song is the second piece of music we've heard from the new LP. The music video for "Reimagined" was released last month and can be seen below.

"'Absolve' was one of the first songs written for Clairvoyant," says guitarist Robby Baca. "We honestly didn't know what to think of this track until nearing the end of our recording sessions, it became a favorite for everyone. The song represents a few sides of songwriting and the kind of mood that we wanted to explore. It is still a very unique track when listened to in context of the whole album."

The Contortionist will release Clairvoyant on September 15th via Entertainment One Music / Good Fight Music. The new LP is the follow-up to Language, the genre defying LP that continues to garner critical acclaim. Clairvoyant, which reunited the band with producer Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, Through The Eyes Of The Dead), takes the best elements of The Contortionist’s past and reshapes them as the band follows their individual creative muses toward the future.

Pre-order the new album at the following links: Digital, Official Band Store, Good Fight Store.

Tracklisting:

“Monochrome (Passive)”
“Godspeed”
“Reimagined”
“Clairvoyant”
“The Center”
“Absolve”
“Relapse”
“Return To Earth”
“Monochrome (Pensive)”

“Reimagined” video:

Click here for all tour dates.

Audio samples of all the tracks that are set to appear on Alice Cooper's new album, "Paranormal", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. Due on July 28 via earMUSIC, the disc features two songs written and recorded with the original members of the ALICE COOPER band and also has guest appearances by ZZ TOP guitarist Billy Gibbons, U2 drummer Larry Mullen and Roger Glover of DEEP PURPLE. There will also be a limited run of blood-red vinyl available at indie retailers across the country. The guitar-driven "Paranoiac Personality" is a perfect entry point to Alice's searing rock record, an album that explores the fringes of society, the end of the world, encounters with the devil and more. "Paranormal" was produced by longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin (PINK FLOYD, DEEP PURPLE). In addition to the new studio album and the two new recordings from the original ALICE COOPER band, fans will receive a bonus of six live tracks recorded at one of Cooper's 2016 shows in Columbus, Ohio.

"Paranormal" track listing:

01. Paranormal02. Dead Flies03. Fireball04. Paranoiac Personality05. Fallen In Love06. Dynamite Road07. Private Public Breakdown08. Holy Water09. Rats10. The Sound Of A

New studio recordings with the original ALICE COOPER band:

11. Genuine American Girl12. You And All Of Your Friends

Live in Columbus, Ohio, May 6, 2016 with the current ALICE COOPER band:

13. No More Mr. Nice Guy14. Under My Wheels15. Billion Dollar Babies16. Feed My Frankenstein17. Only Women Bleed18. School's Out

"My definition of paranormal is something that is 'other than normal' or 'alongside of normal,'" says Cooper. "You could say my whole career has been that. I would look at what was normal and step left of it. That's what gets people's attention. They'd listen to our music and see our show and say, 'That's so strange...oh yeah, that's so Alice." In keeping with his passion for the unexpected, the singer decided to steer clear of writing another concept album like 2011's "Welcome 2 My Nightmare", and focused on creating an explosive collection of unforgettable standalone songs. "Bob Ezrin and I wanted to break the mold," says Alice. "I said, let's get 20 different ideas from 20 different places, put our spin on them, and go with whatever turns out the best." Out of the 20 tunes, they picked a dozen to immortalize, each played for thrills, chills and even a few laughs. "Dynamite Road" tells the story of a band that has a deadly encounter with the devil. In "Fireball", the singer has a bad dream about the end of the world, only to wake up in time to see it happening in real life. "Genuine American Girl" is about a tough guy who is transgender and not afraid to let the world know about it, and the title track is the tender story about a girl and her best ghoul friend. "Alice doesn't have a problem being scary," Cooper says about his rock and roll alter ego. "He likes to be a villain, but he also has a slapstick side. He'll threaten to slit your throat, and then slip on a banana peel." Banana peels aside, perhaps the biggest surprise on "Paranormal" is the historic two-song mini-reunion with his former bandmates, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith. "When the original band broke up in 1975, there was no bad blood," explains Cooper. "There were no lawsuits — we had just burned out the creative process. We had gone to high school together and had recorded something like five platinum albums in a row. We were never out of sight of each other for 10 years. Everybody just went their own way. Neal, Dennis and I always stayed in touch. Mike disappeared for a while and Glen Buxton passed away in 1997, which was a big blow."

"But last year Neal called me up and said, 'I have a couple of songs.' I said, 'Great. Bring 'em over.' Then he said Mike was stopping by, so I had them come to my house and we just worked on a few things for a week. Then Dennis called up and said, 'I got a couple songs.' So, I thought, 'Hey, let's do this!' When you listen to record, it just fits right in." One could argue that the two songs, "Genuine American Girl" and THE WHO-inspired "You And All Your Friends", do more than fit in. They stand out, as in their iconic sound being instantly recognizable. Like any great entertainer, Alice Cooper is compelled to over deliver. In addition to the 12 new tracks on "Paranormal", the singer has included a bonus disc of his current band playing killer live versions of some of his greatest hits, such as "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Billion Dollar Babies" and "School's Out". Think of it as a taste of what to expect at an ALICE COOPER concert circa 2017, including a summer co-headline North American tour with the equally legendary DEEP PURPLE. "This album is like the sideshow at a circus," Cooper concludes. "It's a little creepy. There's a three-headed monkey and the snake woman, but you're intrigued. That's where Alice lives, and it's been the place to go for 50 years."

SWEET & LYNCH — the band featuring guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet of STRYPER, legendary guitarist George Lynch (DOKKEN, LYNCH MOB), bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, WHITE LION, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Brian Tichy (THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE) — will release its sophomore album this fall via Frontiers Music Srl. The first song from the new disc, "Promised Land", will be made available this Friday, July 28.

Says Sweet: "I'm blessed and honored to be a part of what many are calling the most anticipated rock release of 2017! SWEET & LYNCH is back and our first song is coming this Friday, July 28th. Are you ready? Man, we are!"

Michael previously said that SWEET & LYNCH was formed when Frontiers president Serafino Perugino approached him "to sing and write for what [Serafino] was referring to as a 'supergroup' project — (one of the first) that Frontiers would be putting together and releasing. I was, of course, not only intrigued by the idea but also humbled that he would ask me! Jon Levin [DOKKEN] was suggested as the possible guitarist and I suggested to Serafino getting the man himself, Mr. Scary [George Lynch] involved. Serafino was, of course, excited about the idea. Frontiers has told me how happy they are with my production on the new STRYPER albums, so I immediately suggested producing as well. Serafino also agreed. I contacted George [as soon as possible] and he quickly agreed to be a part of this exciting project. It was decided that he and I would co-write everything together and that I would produce."

Sweet, who is a devout Christian, also talked about his working relationship with George, who considers himself to be a freethinker/atheist.

"You may ask how does an atheist and a Christian work together in a band situation? The answer is respect. Although I don't agree with George's spiritual/religious views (and he doesn't agree with mine, assumedly), we respect each other as musicians, friends and human beings.

"I'm free to do many things with the hope that maybe, just maybe, my life might have a profound effect on people I come in contact with.

"I've spoken with George many times over and he always strikes me as a genuine soul and someone who cares for and loves people. Bottom line? He's a great guy and I'm proud to be a part of this with George.

"Although we don't see eye to eye in our beliefs, we respect each other enough to not let that come between us."

Lynch concurred, telling Antihero Magazine: "There could potentially be a conflict there between Michael and I, and we've talked about that. I'm sort of a freethinking atheist, and he's a born-again Christian. I've been through that in my life; I was a born-again Christian at one point. I was the guy knocking on your door handing out tracks. I played in a Pentecostal charismatic band that did revivals… tent revivals in black neighborhoods in South Central L.A. — yeah, all kinds of stuff. I definitely have something to say about all that, but I don't know how effective I am at it. I'm not RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. I wish I was."

SWEET & LYNCH's debut album, "Only To Rise", was released in January 2015 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Lynch told Guitar World about the sound of "Only To Rise": "There are so many elements to it. Even though we're both legacy players who have influences that go so far back, the album doesn’t sound dated. At the same time, we've also matured as writers, and that really comes out in our music. If you can construct really great songs, it doesn't matter what era or what genre it's from. In the end, a good song is a good song. One of the examples on this album is 'Dying Rose', which has a country-esque, Nashville element to it. I could hear a modern country outfit do it as well as a rock band. It's a beautiful melody and chorus with a nice hook. There's also some showing off and old-school metal kind of stuff on this album as well."