Finnish AOR hopefuls, The Nights, will release their self-titled debut album on August 4th. The album track “Hold On” is available for streaming below.

The Nights is a dynamic duo formed by two well known members of the melodic rock scene in Finland. Ilkka Wirtanen handles guitars, production, and songwriting and Sami Hyde is on vocals and handles songwriting duties too.

Both Sami and Ilkka have established careers in music in both Finland and abroad. Sami has been a singer for a variety of acts and projects, including the Tony Mills Band (Shy, TNT) which also included Geoff Nicholls (Black Sabbath) on keyboards and Neil Hibbs (SHY) on guitar. Additionally, he has written songs for many artists, including The Magnificent ("If It Takes All Night", "Lost", and "Drive"). Ilkka Wirtanen is best known for his work as a producer with international acts like glam rockers Reckless Love, for whom he has produced four albums and co-written many of their more well-known songs, including "Hot" and "Night On Fire". He has sat in the producer’s chair for several other rock bands (Baton Rogue Morgue, Hellcity Punks) and has worked as a mixer for international acts (S.E.X. Department).

The band also recently appeared at two exclusive shows supporting Brother Firetribe last April to rave reviews.

With a lineup completed by Jan-Erik Iivari on drums and percussion and Harri Kokkonen on electric, acoustic and fretless bass, The Nights are going to provide the soundtrack to your late summer days.

Tracklisting:

“Welcome To The Show”
“Nothing But Love”
“Juliette”
“I Will Never Stop Loving You”
“In A Blink Of An Eye”
“Hold On”
“Elegy (You Should Be Here)”
“Take Me To Heaven”
“You Belong To Me Tonight”
“I Wanna Be Your Superhero”
“We Can Rule The World Tonight”

“Hold On”:

“Nothing But Love”:

“Juliette” video:

“Welcome To The Show”:

(Photo - Iris Haubold 2017)

Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have recruited Ken Mary (FIFTH ANGEL, ALICE COOPER, HOUSE OF LORDS, TKO, CHASTAIN) to play drums for the band at their upcoming shows. He steps in as the replacement for Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL), who recently left the group to join OVERKILL.

"We're looking forward to seeing our European friends and fans one last time this year before we start production work on our upcoming album," FLOTSAM AND JETSAM says in a statement. "And we're just as excited to get a chance to play a few shows with a drum legend like Ken Mary. Good times ahead."

Back on May 8, FLOTSAM posted on its Facebook page an e-mail address for drummers to request audition songs to send videos to the band, generating numerous submissions from around the world. The band is working through the audition videos to narrow down and then select a drummer after the summer tour dates are complete. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM summer tour dates: Jul. 20 - The Rock - Tucson, AZJul. 21 - Club Red - Mesa, AZJul. 22 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CAJul. 23 – Malone's - Santa Ana, CAAug. 02 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, GermanyAug. 05 - Hypothalamus - Rheine, GermanyAug. 06 - Moonlight Music - Diest, BelgiumAug. 10 - Nueshoorm - Leeuwarden, NetherlandsAug. 11 - Into The Grave Festival - Leeuwarden, Netherlands FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's self-titled album was released in May 2016 via AFM Records.

The band in 2014 parted ways with guitarist Edward Carlson and bassist Jason Ward and replaced them with Steve Conley and Michael Spencer, respectively. The group also recruited Bittner after Kelly Smith left the group in November 2014 to focus on caring for his family.

DYNAZTY's Nils Molin has joined AMARANTHE as the replacement for the recently departed singer Joacim "Jake E" Lundberg.

Having previously used Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye from the band SMASH INTO PIECES as a stand-in for Jake on some of the shows in 2016 and earlier this year, AMARANTHE recruited Molin for three Swedish concerts in March and he has been part of the group's live appearances ever since.

AMARANTHE guitarist Olof Mörck said in a statement: "Great news! The AMARANTHE lineup is once again complete — and what an addition Nils Molin is! He was at the very top of the list for the male-vocals position, and has already proved his worth on a number of shows with AMARANTHE across Europe.

"Nils is a born rock star in every aspect yet with a natural sense of humility, and is certain to leave no fan disappointed! He has gathered a vast amount of experience together with DYNAZTY, and as such has honed his performance skills to perfection; since stepping in, he is already a natural part of the lineup.

"Catch Nils on our upcoming European tour, or any of the planned shows for 2017 — and expect great things to come out of this soon!"

AMARANTHE frontwoman Elize Ryd previously told Roppongi Rocks that Nils was "a cool and great guy. He's awesome. His voice fits us really well. He can even reach the high octaves together with me. That [is] cool!"

Ryd also revealed that she was not expecting Jake's departure from AMARANTHE. "No!" she said. "The way I feel for the band, this was shocking. I would never want to leave my baby. But I understand that if he has other musical ideas. It's up to him. No one's forcing anyone to do anything. It's like everything in life — you take risks. If you feel that you're prepared to go for it, then that's what you should do. If you feel that you have nothing to lose, then it is nothing to dwell on."

Jake E announced his departure from AMARANTHE in February, explaining at the time that he began to feel that "my place both on the albums and live was reduced; I felt like I was superfluous… I started to feel more like a backing singer." He has since launched a new band called CYHRA with former IN FLAMES members Peter Iwers (bass) and Jesper Strömblad (guitar) alongside LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY drummer Alex Landenburg,

AMARANTHE's latest album, "Maximalism", was released last October via Spinefarm Records. The disc was produced once again by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA, DELAIN) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (RAMMSTEIN, APOCALYPTICA, DRAGONFORCE).

South Carolina-based extreme technical death metallers NILE have written five songs so far for the follow-up to 2015's "What Should Not Be Unearthed" album. The upcoming effort, which is tentatively due in early 2018, will mark NILE's first release with new guitarist/vocalist Brian Kingsland, who replaced Dallas Toler-Wade earlier in the year.

Speaking to Metal Wani, NILE founding member Karl Sanders stated about the band's next disc (see video below): "I think this next record we're gonna be using [producer] Erik Rutan [MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE], so it'll be something new for us. I don't know exactly how that'll work out, but I think it's time for a change."

Sanders also confirmed that Kingsland will be part of the songwriting team for NILE's upcoming record. "He already is," Karl said. "We've already been writing songs for the new record, and I think Brian has elevated the level of composition. He has a lot of influences; besides just metal, he's got a lot of classical influences. He and I share a love for THE BEATLES. THE BEATLES were incredible songwriters. Things like taking a chord that's not necessarily in the key, but you use it and you use it right, it becomes beautiful. That's something that Brian is really in-depth at. I'm really excited about the future of this band."

According to Karl, NILE's forthcoming album will feature vocals from him and bassist Brad Parris in addition to those of Kingsland.

"Brian is a very talented vocalist," Sanders said. "Right now, we have more of the triple vocal attack [which is something] that had kind of fallen off in recent years. But now we're doing that, where all three of us are sharing. It's more equally balanced. I find it more interesting. I'm really happy about that too."

Karl previously descrbed Kingsland as "a seriously talented extreme metal guitar shredder" with "a great brutal metal voice [and] a very versatile range." He added that "Brian is also a genuine, down-to-earth, hard-working and motivated guy who has helped reignite and re-establish a sense of team work back into NILE." NILE's latest album, "What Should Not Be Unearthed", was released in August 2015 via Nuclear Blast. Produced by NILE and mixed by Neil Kernon, the CD's artwork was handled this time by Michal "Xaay" Loranc.

"Maze Of The Minotaur", a brand new song from Texas metal titans WARBEAST, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Enter The Arena", which will be released on August 4 via Philip H. Anselmo's Housecore Records. Captured at Anselmo's Nodferatu's Lair, mixed by Mike Thompson at the Riff Factory and mastered by Lee Russell, the disc features newest WARBEAST recruits, guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud, and stands among the band's most potent, volatile, and unrepentantly powerful offering yet. "We recorded 'Enter The Arena' exactly a decade after we formed WARBEAST," notes vocalist Bruce Corbitt. "The nucleus and founding members of this band [guitarist Scott Shelby, drummer Joey Gonzalez and Corbitt] provided the essential veteran leadership that was vital for us to reach our goal of creating our magnum opus. The three of us also contributed our unique individual styles to guarantee that we still sound like WARBEAST. But with the addition of our two newest members — guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud — who I call the 'Youngbloods,' it was like adding a breath-of-fresh-air to our chemistry. We definitely sound like a well-oiled-machine on this album. So get prepared for the upcoming onslaught of pure, fresh, and quintessential Texas thrash!" "'Enter The Arena' is WARBEAST at its finest in performance, writing and tone quality," adds Shelby. "I'm confident that it will please any rivethead out there! I believe it's mine and our best work to date." The release of WARBEAST's "Enter The Arena" follows Corbitt's recent and tragic announcement that he's been diagnosed with esophageal cancer — a treatable though rarely curable disease — facing the likelihood that he will never be able to sing again. In a recent Facebook message to fans, Corbitt revealed: "After much discussion with the doctors and specialist, they've told me there's no chance within any reasonable time that I'll ever be able to perform again. So it breaks my heart at this time that I'm forced to announce my retirement from singing.

"I'm sorry to all of my bandmates for letting them down. I'm devastated with all of this hitting me so fast. I'm still in shock.

"Thanks for all of the great support all these years," he continues. "You're the best fans and I love all of you! We at least have a great WARBEAST album and music video coming soon.

"I can't even begin to explain my feelings. You guys have given me the strength I need to even prepare for this fight. Honestly, I was close to losing hope that there was any good to come out of this. Of course, I'm scared for my life like any normal human being would be. Those moments when I can get on Facebook and scroll through all of your messages, the emotion takes over. I cry, I get stronger, I also realize what all of you mean to me. I do believe in the power prayer and positive vibes. And I have all of you to thank for that." Corbitt, who recently began an intensive schedule of radiation treatments, played his final show on Saturday, May 27 at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Additionally, the band's previously scheduled CD-release party will take place on Friday, July 14 at The Rail Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. Vocals will be handled by Anselmo, Edwin Neal ("Texas Chain Saw Massacre"), and Wayne Abney of HAMMER WITCH. A special fund to help with the Corbitt family's escalating medical expenses has been set up. To donate, go to this location. "Enter The Arena" track listing:

01. Centuries Of Poisoned Soil02. Punishment For Gluttony03. Orchestration Of Violence04. Maze Of The Minotaur05. Hitchhiker06. Chemicals Consuming07. Enter The Arena08. The Scalping09. Conjuration With The Devil10. Ancient Hate

Photo by Eric Younkin Jr.

Canadian cult metal act ANVIL is partnering with PledgeMusic yet again. Following their last successful campaign, the group is inviting fans to be a part of their forthcoming album, "Pounding The Pavement". The new campaign will bring back several popular items to the PledgeMusic platform, plus new and exciting options and opportunities just for ANVIL fans.

"Pounding The Pavement" is slated to release in early 2018.

Pledgers can pre-order the album now on ANVIL's campaign page. The leaders in direct-to-fan platforms, PledgeMusic allows artists to get more personal with their fans, offering pledgers updates straight from the band and items not available anywhere else.

Recording of the new album will begin in Germany this August.

ANVIL's seventeenth studio album, "Pounding The Pavement" marks forty years of the band's illustrious career. The band is also celebrating their history with the Netflix release of the ANVIL movie "Anvil! The Story of Anvil".

"'More' is what life is about," says Steve "Lips" Kudlow of ANVIL. "We all want it, crave it, work for it, demand it... so here comes more of ANVIL!" Fans who pre-order via PledgeMusic will get the AccessPass, which will give them early access to digital downloads, artist updates, and more. Pledgers will also be able to pledge on exclusive merchandise and experiences direct from the band. These include: a signed CD; your name in the "Pounding The Pavement" liner notes; a handwritten lyric sheet to the song of your choice; a private viewing of Robb Reiner's art collection with the artist himself; a one-hour drum lesson with Reiner via Skype; a Skype guitar lesson with Lips; the opportunity to be a roadie for a day with the band on their U.S. Or European tour; drumsticks signed by Robb; the chance to sing backup on a track on the new album; dinner with the band; and much more.

Sharon Osbourne says that Gene Simmons was "crazy" to attempt to trademark the so-called "devil's horns" hand gesture.

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

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 (see video below): "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."

Sharon added: "C'mon! Stop trying to make money from posters and t-shirts. You've got enough."

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."

Shavo Odadjian says that a new studio album from SYSTEM OF A DOWN is "not happening" right now.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan revealed in a 2016 interview with Kerrang! magazine that the band had written more than a dozen new songs for a possible follow-up to "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize", which came out in 2005.

The band went on hiatus in the fall of that year, although they have toured most summers since 2011.

On July 2, Odadjian took part in a video question-and-answer session with fans, and was asked about the status of the new SYSTEM disc. "I'm waiting for a new album too," he responded (see video below). "It's not happening. I don't know. I don't know when it's gonna be. Not right now."

Dolmayan said in a recent interview that it's "very disheartening" that SYSTEM hasn't released a new album in nearly twelve years. Speaking to Las Vegas radio station X107.5, Dolmayan said: "In our band, the difficulty really isn't, 'Is one of us gonna fall off the wagon or get into a bad situation?' It's really a matter of, 'Are we gonna come together and make something happen?' It's been about twelve years since we've put out an album."

He continued: "I don't know why we aren't coming out with an album. It's very disheartening, because it seems like we all get along, we all have a great time touring, we still are putting together really good music. I think that we can put out a fantastic album."

Singer Serj Tankian — long speculated to be the holdout on recording — not long ago said that a new album was not on the radar. "As far as a SYSTEM record, there's nothing in the plans right now," he said. "It's something that we'll do down the line when it's the right time. I've got a lot of stuff going on right now on my own, and trying to get all those releases out and work on them. But we've really been enjoying playing together on tour and having a blast, and I think our performance is actually better than it's ever been in our heyday."

Dolmayan maintained that music for a new SYSTEM album does exist, and that he feels it can "match or beat anything we've done in the past... It's a matter of getting together and putting aside whatever differences, or whatever problems people have — which don't seen to surface when we're together, by the way."

The band is spending June and July in Europe playing summer festivals and select headline dates.

Renowned Dutch vocalist Anneke Van Giersbergen paid tribute to Chris Cornell by performing a cover version of AUDIOSLAVE's "Like A Stone" during her acoustic set on June 30 at the 20th-anniversary edition of the Tuska festival in Helsinki, Finland. You can watch video footage of the performance below.

Anneke's new band, VUUR, will release its debut album, "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities", on October 20 via InsideOut Music.

VUUR was created as a vehicle for the heavy progressive metal side of Anneke's career.

The name VUUR — translated from Dutch as "fire", which can also be interpreted to mean "passion" or "drive" — was chosen as a moniker to represent Anneke's metal side, with the idea that when fans buy a ticket with the VUUR name on it they will be getting her heavy progressive music, while an Anneke Van Giersbergen show will be entirely different.

Cornell was pronounced dead on May 18 after being found unresponsive in his Detroit hotel room the previous night. SOUNDGARDEN had played a show earlier that evening.

The 52-year-old had sedatives and an anxiety drug in his system on the night he died by hanging himself. According to a completed toxicology report released by Michigan's Wayne County Medical Examiner, the drugs didn't contribute to the cause of death.

In addition to SOUNDGARDEN, Cornell sang with AUDIOSLAVE and TEMPLE OF THE DOG, while also recording four solo studio albums and one live set on his own.

Chris was laid to rest on May 26 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Legendary US Bay Area thrash gods Hirax recently concluded their successful European tour with Raven And Kill Ritual, performing at Hellfest in Clisson,  France on June 18th. Video footage is available below.

Upcoming Hirax shows:

July
29 - Chicago, IL - Reggies

September (with Sacred Reich)
14 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy

England’s Ewigkeit will release their new album, Cosmic Man, on July 13th via Svart Records. A lyric video for the album track, “Death Is The Portal”, is available for streaming below.

Fresh from helping to resurrect In The Woods…, prolific underground metal artist James Fogarty then immediately began to reconstruct his long-running solo effort Ewigkeit and record the new album Cosmic Man. With a history of creating novelty, James’ newest Ewigkeit release is not without its own enigma.

Lyrically melding the motifs of Terence McKenna and the psychedelic counter-culture with the music of the various rocks, metals, and alloys, Cosmic Man takes you from the haze of the early ’70s via a NWOBHM detour, followed by a refuel and oil-change at extreme metal. From then on, it’s out with the star-charts for a left turn at Alpha Centauri and straight down the inter-galactic highway toward the transcendental object at the end of time.

Ewigkeit’s Cosmic Man is a potential psycho-pomp for the discerning existential metal fan: a musical journey through the kaleidoscopic and carnivalesque and, ultimately, piercing the veil of physical death in a confrontation with the unknown.

Tracklisting:

“Quantum Eraser”
“Cold Souls”
“Death Is The Portal”
“Neon Ghoul Ride”
“Space Horse”
“Running Away From The Circus”
“Thief In The Sky”
“Time Travelling Medicine Man”
“Back To Beyond”
“Two Minutes To Midnight”

“Death Is The Portal” lyric video:

“Cold Souls”:

Italian deathcore/death metal band, Insane Therapy, are streaming the new track “United We Stand”, from their upcoming second full-length album, Fracture. Listen below.

Insane Therapy has just one simple goal, playing extreme music as loud as possible. Despite being usually labeled as a deathcore band, their music encompasses many aspects of the metal genre. Breakdowns and fast groovy riffs along with gloomy melodies and a massive sound, different types of growl and scream along with fast metrics and  parts that get stuck in your head, are the main features that set them apart from other bands.

Their sound stems from both many hours spent in rehearsing and a steady live activity. Their lyrics want to open the mind’s eye of their listeners talking the importance of keeping your own identity in order to not conform to the masses. Insane Therapy addresses many issues that affect our everyday life such as racism, corruption and bigotry.

Swedish melodic rockers, The Grand Masquerade, have released their first official music video for “By My Side,” which is the opening track from their debut EP MMXVI. The video is available for streaming below.

“By My Side” was originally written by future bandmates John Sebastian and Freddy Claye back in 2006, although initially it had a different sound and feel to it. The song was revisited again in 2010, when it was completely rearranged and began to form the finalized version that was eventually released on MMXVI on August 26th, 2016. “By My Side” laid the foundation of the sound that The Grand Masquerade would utilize in their music.

The video is produced by Owe Lingvall of DreamDay Media, who has previously worked on music videos for bands such as Eclipse, Hammerfall and Kamelot.

According to vocalist/bassist Freddy Claye, the band chose Owe, “because his previous videos have a darker vibe to them, both his reputation and completed works are excellent and he creates everything in 3D, so we are able to get the environment we want.”

The Grand Masquerade takes their musical inspiration from the 80’s glam rock era, integrating the romantic image and mystique of the Venetian Masquerade. The music is a fusion of melodic and high energy hard rock, combined with the positive and bouncy vibes of pop-rock, resulting in a fresh sound that leaves their unforgettable hooks stuck in your head, while other notes linger with an almost hauntingly ethereal undertone.

Fans in Sweden may recall a series of commercials that ran in 2016 for ATG Sverige, featuring the flamboyant rock band Vinnie And The Dreamers. While the music and image of each band are completely independent of one another, you will recognize that these are the same talented musicians, transformed and now performing in their most memorable and proficient manifestation.

“The Sentinel”, the first single from Adimiron’s upcoming Et Liber Eris album is available for streaming below. The album will be released on November 3rd via Indie Recordings. You can also listen to the single via the streaming services listed here.

The opening track of Adimiron's coming album will take you back to the golden days of progressive and atmospheric death metal, perhaps resembling the likes of Opeth on one end and Porcupine Tree on the other - this in a very much vibrant and unique manner.

Adimiron’s founder and composer Alessandro Castelli about the new track: “Our new journey starts with a jump into the darkest depths of the human consciousness, evoking memories, unspoken thoughts that connect us inextricably with the intangible. The Sentinel is there, ready to accompany us on our psychedelic trip, through reflections of what we feel but cannot touch. Enjoy these first minutes from Et Liber Eris, where the extreme soul of the band comes out and dissolves in a progressive, dramatic scenario.”

Et Liber Eris can be pre-ordered via iTunes.

Tracklisting:

“The Sentinel”
“Zero-Sum Game”
“Joshua Tree 37”
“The Coldwalker”
“As Long As It Takes”
“The Unsaid”
“Stainless”
“Zona Del Silencio”

“The Sentinel”:

The band's self-awareness has pushed them to create a work purely uninhibited by any outside influences and literally in its own sphere. Fuelled by primitive emotions, the eight tracks lead the listener into the darkest depths of the human consciousness, evoking memories, unspoken thoughts that connect us inextricably with the intangible. Abandon yourself, disconnect from the chaos and Adimiron’s new release.

Swedish death metal band, Feral, has signed to Transcending Obscurity Records for the release of their upcoming, still-untitled, album which is to be recorded later this year.

Vocalist David Nilsson comments on the signing: “We are thrilled to announce that Feral has signed to Transcending Obscurity Records, one of the fastest growing labels around right now. Their passion for the music and dedication to each undertaking convinced us immediately and we can’t wait to reveal our next release through them. The new material we have prepared is some of our strongest to date, and we are sure that it will be in the right hands with Transcending Obscurity Records. At this point we have more than enough material written and plan to start recording later this year, a raging death metal onslaught is soon in the making.”

Label MD comments: "Transcending Obscurity Records is proud to have another stellar Swedish death metal act in its ranks. Feral are going from strength to strength and their latest EP was gnarly, aggressive and yet redolent of the classic Swedish sound. We believe the best from them is yet to come. We're happy to work with David Nilsson and the band and have signed a two-album contract, starting with a full length that will be unleashed first. They're taking the Swedish death metal sound ahead and that's what's most appealing about this hardworking band."

Feral is:

David Nilsson - Vocals
Viktor Klingstedt - Bass
Markus Lindahl - Guitar
Roger Markström - Drums

Sweden’s The Pete Flesh Deathtrip have released a lyric video for “The True Salvation”, featured on the band’s new 2-track digital single, which features two different guest singers. The new clip can be found below.

"The True Salvation" features Rogga Petersson from the Swedish thrash/death metal band, Merciless (also singer in 100 Years). "White Faced Devil" features Mr. Dim from Swedish acts like Harm’s Way and Trash Amigos, also the solo project A Nation On Fire. Once again, Henrik Borg (100 Years) is behind the drums.

The single was released back in February via Critical Mass as a digital download from the label webshop and Bandcamp page.

Recording lineup for Through Dungeons: Chapter 1:

"The True Salvation"
Rogga Petersson - vocals/lyrics
Pete Flesh - guitars/bass/music
Henrik Borg - drums

"White Faced Devil"
Mr. Dim - vocals/lyrics
Pete Flesh - guitars/bass/layers/music/lyrics
Henrik Borg - drums/layers

All material was recorded in Studio Lyhört. Mixed & mastered by Henrik Borg.

German metallers, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, will release their new album, Der Rote Reiter, on August 25th via Nuclear Blast Records. A first video trailer for the upcoming release can be found below.

Der Rote Reiter was produced by the band and co-producers Alexander Dietz (Heaven Shall Burn) and Eike Freese (Deep Purple, Kai Hansen) at Chameleon Recording & Chemical Burn Studios.

Tracklisting:

“Wir Sind Zurück”
“Der Rote Reiter”
“Auf Und Nieder”
“Folgt Uns”
“Hört Mich An”
“The Great Experience Of Ecstasy”
“Franz Weiss”
“Die Freiheit Ist Eine Pflicht”
“Herz In Flammen”
“Brüder Auf Leben Und Tod”
“Ich Bin Weg”
“Ich Nehm Dir Deine Welt”
“Ich Werd Bleiben”

Trailer:

Finnish bashers, Wintersun, have released a guitar playthrough video for “The Forest That Weeps (Summer)”, a track from their new album, The Forest Seasons, out on July 21st via Nuclear Blast. Pre-order via the band’s IndieGoGo page, and check out the new video below.

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)”

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

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

Formats trailer:

The band recently commented on the new album: “Yes, you guessed it! This album is our version of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, but it hasn't got anything to do with Vivaldi musically or with classical music. It is 100% original and solid Wintersun material! It is something new and different. Let's just say it has a bit more darker tone overall.”

Wintersun recently have announced that their new second guitarist is is 27-year old Asim Searah. Asim was born in Pakistan and moved to Finland at the age of 18 to pursue a career in music and has been playing in several bands and projects since then.

Says the band: “We've known him for a long time and we knew he is a great singer, but we didn't realize how talented and skillful guitar player he is. Asim was actually the first who sent us an audition video, which surprised us very positively. After the video auditions and two rounds of live auditions we realized he was exactly what we were looking for. He is very motivated and passionate with a good heavy metal attitude - a great guitar player and vocalist to improve the live sound of Wintersun even further!”

Asim comments: "It's an honour to be a part of a band that I have looked up to for many years. It's definitely a dream come true and I'm super excited to share the stage with Wintersun!"

Chastain's We Bleed Metal 17, due for release on August 28th via Pure Steel Records, is the next generation of the band's 2015 CD, We Bleed Metal.

Guitarist David T Chastain explains the new release: "As everyone knows I don't tour any longer and spend all of my time in the studio. So I experiment a lot with both new and old material. We Bleed Metal 17 has the same drums and vocals as the original We Bleed Metal but it has 100% new and completely different music. A totally different sound and feel from the original version. Also on most Chastain albums there are always at least five guitar tracks per song. However on We Bleed Metal 17 there is only one guitar track per song. So this is a very live sounding release with actually more lead guitar than the original. This is as close as anyone is ever going to get to a high quality live Chastain album. There is one guitar, bass, drums, lead vocal and a couple of harmony vocals. Also We Bleed Metal 17 has a very live sound with more drum room mics incorporated into the mix. You can hear Stian Kristoffersen's drums more as they are front and center on this release without a massive wall of rhythm guitars taking up space in the mix."

Returning vocalist Leather Leone adds: "This is my favorite Chastain release since Mystery Of Illusion!"

David continues, "As time goes on I have learned to enjoy the more stripped down sounds. In the early days sometimes there would be 20 guitar tracks on a song. Needless to say it was impossible to replicate that live and a major reason I never liked to tour. To me there was too much missing from the recorded versions for me to enjoy myself."

Vocalist Leather Leone was the vocalist on the classic Chastain albums Mystery Of Illusion, Ruler Of The Wasteland, The 7th Of Never, The Voice Of The Cult and For Those Who Dare. Leather rejoined the band in 2013 with the release of the impressive Surrender To No One. She has just recently toured Europe as a solo artist with her new Brazilian backing band being billed as Leather Leone: The Voice Of Chastain. Leather is putting the finishing touches on her new solo album that should be out later in 2017.

Leather adds, "The response has been fantastic on my live concerts! I have been signing autographs for 20-year-old boys whose parents had turned them on to us. They come up to me crying. The boys from Brazil are so blown away by our fans. Spain, Germany and Sweden were crazy. I feel like I'm 20. The female fans are so hot and the boys in the band are loving it!"

Also returning for We Bleed Metal 17 is original Chastain bassist Mike Skimmerhorn who once again lays the foundation so that the rest of the band can explore and create.

Guitarist David T. Chastain states, "This one live guitar sound is something I have been use to most of my professional life in concert situations but never recorded a metal record in that format. We still have a foot in the past but we are also embracing the future. I have my style of writing metal and it isn't ever going to change to any major degree. Leather proves she hasn't lost anything from her glory days. Stian's kicks the band to the next level, as he is the youngest member with the most modern influences. For me this album is one of my favorite Chastain releases in the catalog because it could be replicated100% in concert. I find myself being able to listen to We Bleed Metal 17 over and over."

As the title track declares: "We will sacrifice and we will pay the price cause WE BLEED METAL!"

The Midnight Ghost Train have released a lyric video for “The Watchers Nest”, a track from their upcoming fourth opus, Cypress Ave., set to be released July 28th via Napalm Records. Watch the new clip below.

Cypress Ave. tracklisting:

“Tonight”
“Red Eyed Junkie Queen”
“Glenn's Promise”
“Bury Me Deep”
“The Watchers Nest”
“Break My Love”
“Lemon Trees”
“The Boogie Down” (feat. Sonny Cheeba)
“Black Wave”
“The Echo”
“I Can't Let You Go” (Bonus Track)

“The Watchers Nest” lyric video:

"Red Eyed Junkie Queen" video:

The band's organic and authentic sound lives in the musics throaty vocals, deep lyrics, melancholy melodies and forceful, shaky riffs. Honest, straight-forward and peppered with woefulness.

Cypress Ave. is an absolute must for every blues and rock fan. Be prepared, for the return of The Midnight Ghost Train with their most diverse and uniquely sounding album to date.

MEGADETH will join SCORPIONS on a North American tour which will kick off on September 14 in Reading, Pennsylvania and conclude on October 15 in Tampa, Florida. The 16-date trek, dubbed the "Crazy World Tour", celebrates SCORPIONS' 1990 LP of the same name.

Asked by the "Lamont And Tonelli Show", which airs on the Bay Area rock station 107.7 The Bone, how the SCORPIONS-MEGADETH pairing came about, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said (hear audio below): "It was a suggestion by our agent, from New York, of course. We know MEGADETH well since a long time. In Europe, we played together certain festivals — in Portugal, in Spain and in other countries — years and years ago. And so they're nice guys, they make great music, and I think it's a great package."

Two of the SCORPIONS' best-known songs, "Winds Of Change" and "Send Me An Angel", both appear on "Crazy World".

"When our album 'Crazy World' was released back in '91, right at the end of the cold war, we toured around a world that was pretty crazy back then, but there was so much hope in the air for a more peaceful future," SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine said. "Now, 26 years later, things are getting more crazy every other day. After all these years, 'Crazy World' is still a good motto for our upcoming world tour."

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson told Roppongi Rocks in April that "it is really a cool bill to play with SCORPIONS. We have played festivals with them over the years and it's a really good fit musically between the two bands and our fans. Plus I think every metal fan loves a SCORPIONS song. Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] and I have always been fans and they are one of Kiko's [Loureiro, MEGADETH guitarist] favorites, too. They are a real guitar player's kind of band. In fact, when Dave and I first met in 1983, we had a friend who was attending the school Musicians Institute in Hollywood and would come over to our place and jam early SCORPIONS songs. We always studied a lot of the European guitar players, because they had a different influence that worked well in metal…mostly classical inspirations. In a way, those jam sessions were inspiring in the development of the earliest MEGADETH compositions, especially the complexity in the solos and riffs. It was a really creative and innovative period that defined some of those earliest songs for 'Killing Is My Business…' and even 'Peace Sells…'. I think the tour is going to see a lot of us reliving some cool memories from over the years."

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis has revealed that he will ill appear on a new album that features poems written by Johnny Cash set to music. The project is titled "Johnny Cash Forever Words: The Music" and is the creation of Cash's son John Carter Cash, who is also producing the set. The younger Cash published a book of his father's previously unavailable poems last year, titled "Forever Words: The Unknown Poems".

Speaking to RockBandReviews.com, Lewis said (hear audio below): "Just last week, I was lucky enough to be one of the singer-songwriters chosen by John Carter Cash to get one of the Johnny Cash poems that hadn't been turned into a song yet and turn it into a song. And so I did that last week in Johnny Cash's cabin in Nashville, where he recorded all of his later stuff. And in the room that was the original recording room, we recorded the song. It was pretty amazing. [I was] so honored."

Asked if he could feel any ghosts in the room, Lewis responded: "There was definitely energy in the room that was tangible and noticeable by everyone involved."

"Johnny Cash Forever Words: The Music" will also feature late SOUNDGARDEN vocalist Chris Cornell, country artist Jamey Johnson, Brad Paisley, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett, Dailey & Vincent, Kacey Musgraves and more.

Johnson told the Kentucky Country Music blog: "John Carter has a good number of poems that Johnny wrote. I say poems because they don't have music to them. He's working on an album where he's pairing up these songs with songwriters from our day to finish up these Johnny Cash songs. One of them that I know he's most proud of and you can't get it anymore — he's got Chris Cornell having finished one of these songs and then recorded it. I'm excited for it to come out. I got to do a couple of them."

Cash himself covered SOUNDGARDEN's "Rusty Cage" on his 1996 album "Unchained", and Cornell began performing Cash's arrangement of it on his 2015 solo tour.

A release date for "Johnny Cash Forever Words: The Music" has yet to be announced.

British rock legends Iron Maiden and independent family brewers Robinsons have revealed a brand new Belgian-style beer: Hallowed.

This new ale follows on from the success of the original Trooper, which has sold over 15 million pints since its launch in 2013, and previous limited edition beers Trooper 666 and Red ‘N’ Black.

Once again, the dynamic duo of Robinsons’ Master Brewer Martyn Weeks and Iron Maiden’s lead vocalist and ale aficionado Bruce Dickinson have teamed up to create something very special for beer and music fans alike.

Bruce Dickinson explains: “What makes this brew pretty special is that we’re adopting a Belgian yeast for the first time. I’m a big fan of Belgian beers, so I jumped at the chance to brew my own. While I get very excited about experimenting with new formulas and ingredients, the thing about Belgian beer is that it’s as much a way of life as it is a drink. We’ve tried to bottle that philosophy in Hallowed, albeit with a British twist.”

At 6.0% ABV in a 330ml bottle, Hallowed is a Belgian inspired beer that’s brewed in England. It is also one of the first beers to be brewed by Robinsons Brewery that uses Belgian yeast. Robinsons haven’t changed the yeast used in their beers since 1942, which makes Hallowed even more special.

Martyn Weeks, Head Brewer at Robinsons Brewery, continues;“It’s all in the yeast. Belgian yeast yields a very distinct taste and presentation. You can sniff out a Belgian beer simply from its aromas: fruity, spicy and earthy. Belgian yeasts withstand higher alcohol levels, they attenuate well and create an array of phenolics and esters… put simply, this means more flavour and I think Hallowed drinkers are in for a treat.”

Hallowed’s innovative bottle label pays tribute to Belgian beer, presenting Iron Maiden’s iconic mascot Eddie, robed in traditional monk’s clothing: a nod to the Trappist monastic brewing tradition in Belgium.

Hallowed will be available from October 2017 for a limited period of four months. Information on exactly where the beer will be available will be released on Iron Maiden Beer’s and Robinsons Brewery’s social media accounts in due course.

The Montebello Rockfest, the largest rock festival in Canada, was held June 22nd-25th, 2017 in Montebello, QC. Fan-filmed video of headliners Rammstein's complete show is available below.

Rammstein's setlist was as follows:

"Ramm 4"
"Reise, Reise"
"Hallelujah"
"Zerstören"
"Keine Lust"
"Feuer Frei!"
"Seemann"
"Ich Tu Dir Weh"
"Du Riechst So Gut"
"Mein Herz Brennt"
"Links 2-3-4"
"Ich Will"
"Du Hast"
"Stripped (Depeche Mode cover)

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine says that it's just a matter of time before he is inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Mustaine, who was a member of METALLICA for less than two years, from 1981 to 1983, before being dismissed and replaced by Kirk Hammett, was not inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band during the April 2009 ceremony at Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium. Despite this, he has found some solace in the fact that he is credited on the first two METALLICA albums and co-wrote half a dozen or so songs with the band which, inarguably, helped launch their career.

"I'm basically in there with the METALLICA thing; that was basically just a diss those guys pulled," Dave told The Columbus Dispatch in a new interview. "But it would nice to be in there on my own two feet. I'm sure at some point it will happen. You can't create a whole frickin' music style and not be recognized for it."

After twelve nominations in the past twenty-six years, MEGADETH finally won a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" earlier this year.

Even so, Mustaine told The Columbus Dispatch that he won't be fully satisfied until he has a Grammy with his own name on it.

"As crazy as I am, I was thinking about the Grammy the other day and [how] it was given to MEGADETH," Mustaine said. "I was thinking it would surely be a lot better if it was given to Dave Mustaine and not to MEGADETH. I guess you've got to keep the fire burning."

Mustaine told Noisey last year that he was "hoping" to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but added that "if they don't want me in there, it's okay. I mean, I am in there vis-à-vis METALLICA, and no matter what those guys say or what anybody believes about their induction ceremony, they wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me being in the band, because I was there in the beginning, so I have some satisfaction."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich later explained to The Plain Dealer that Mustaine was not included because "you've got to kind of cap it somewhere. Dave Mustaine never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days. We thought . . . the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record."

He added: "Dave Mustaine was in the band for 11 months, predominantly in 1982. . . . I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."

METALLICA invited Mustaine to attend the Rock Hall induction. He declined, citing European tour commitments, but issued a statement congratulating the band. He later explained his absence in an interview, saying: "I'm not gonna sit in the audience and watch the band I started with these two guys get inducted and me not be a part of it."

He added: "There's ten million people that agree [I should have been inducted]. . . You know what [Lars] said to me?! He said, [imitating Lars' Danish accent] 'Only the people that are on the fucking record can be at the Hall Of Fame, man.' And I was like, 'Well, Hooked On Phonics worked for me; I can read my name; it's all over [the first METALLICA album]. [Laughs] But you know what?! It's okay, 'cause if I'm gonna get into the Hall Of Fame, there's nothing he can do to stop me."

Melodic rock band GIANT reunited for an appearance at "The Thrilla For Toddzilla" benefit concert to aid Nashville musician Todd "Toddzilla" Austin, who lost most of his belongings as well as pets in a recent house fire.

The original GIANT lineup of Dann Huff, David Huff, Mike Brignardello and Mark Oakley was joined by Tyson Leslie on keys and Bryan Cole on vocals for the performance, which took place this past Saturday, July 1 at Basement East in Nashville, Tennessee.

Fans and friends have, as of press time, contributed more than $38,000 to a GoFundMe account set up to aid Todd in recovering.

Originally formed by brothers Dann and David Huff, together with the experienced jazz-rock keyboardist Alan Pasqua and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello, GIANT would soon become, with the release of their debut album, "Last of The Runaways" (A&M Records, 1989), one of the most respected trademark bands of the melodic hard rock scene. Following countless live performances, the band recorded the follow-up "Time To Burn" (Epic, 1991), an album still regarded as a main source of influence for many melodic and hard rock bands nowadays. GIANT resurfaced in 2000 minus Alan Pasqua and released the album "III" in late 2001.

A revamped GIANT lineup, consisting of founding members David Huff on drums and bassist Mike Brignardello, along with singer Terry Brock (STRANGEWAYS, SEVENTH KEY) and John Roth (WINGER) on guitar, released another album, "Promise Land", in 2010. Dann Huff co-wrote seven songs on the disc and guested on guitar on two.

Swiss folk metallers ELUVEITIE will release their next album, the long-awaited second part of their acoustic concept effort "Evocation", on August 18 via Nuclear Blast.

The band has just released the official music video for the first single off the new record, "Epona". It was shot in and around the city of Avenches, in the south west of Switzerland. This city is, especially for ELUVEITIE, very rich in history as it was once called Aventicum, the capital of the Celtic Tigurini (who were part of the Helvetii tribe) and therefore also the home of one of the most iridescent characters of Celtic history: The mighty sovereign Divico who was brave enough to conquer the Roman emperor Gaius Julius Cäesar. His actions often appear in songs from ELUVEITIE. The clip was produced by Jason Sereftug-Borruso (writer, director) and Alexis Gudinchet (assistant director).

"We're super happy and proud to present you 'Epona' — the first single of our upcoming album, 'Evocation II - Pantheon'!" states ELUVEITIE frontman Chrigel Glanzmann. "The song is an ode to the riding goddess queen of the Celtic pantheon! And this not only lyrically. Also musically, for even though 'Epona' is an acoustic track, the song surges ahead with verve, power and speed and dashes like a galloping horse! It is a good song to give you a first glimpse of the raw, wild, honest, very folky and thoroughly Celtic character of 'Evocation II - Pantheon'!"

"Evocation II" conjures another time travel to eras long gone. As the title already reveals, the concept of the first opus will continue and is entirely dedicated to the Celtic mythology. Even more, "Evocation II" takes you into the Gallic pantheon and bows down to the Celtic Gods after which the song titles are named. Anyone who will join ELUVEITIE on this journey will quickly notice that the character of each song is equal to the one of the god the song is about — and there is a lot more to discover!

Glanzmann stated about the new CD: "'Evocation II' is a journey back to the source of it all: Antumnos, the otherworld. Join us on this wayfare through the Celtic pantheon, the world of the gods of our ancestors! The album cover expresses nothing less but exactly this! It's full of symbolism and meaning and depicts things of deepest meaning and importance in Celtic mythology. The symbol contains the 'great wheel', symbolizing the wheel of the year with the four seasons and the equinoxes — forming the foundations of Celtic mythology. The great wheel is framed by a tripartite Enneagram; while three is an important number in Celtic mythology in general, we also face trinity in the Celtic pantheon! While the inner circle contains the initials of the names of the deities revered on this album — arranged tripartitedly according to their relations within the pantheon and place in the mythology — the outer circle utters an invitation as well as a blessing, a magical benediction for the one to dare to enter and set forth on this journey. The core of the symbol implies triune symbolism. The depiction shows the god Lugus, who was sometimes also adressed in the plural — Lugoves — since he's a triune god, as well as a tricephalos. The 'one with the skillful hand' and 'artisan of all skills' is depicted and a combination of two important symbols: On the one hand he's shown as 'high king' (and druid of druids), a typical gallic symbolism of an essential meaning and sigificance. On the other hand, he's framed by the gallic 'lord of the animals/lord of life' symbolism: The character surrounded with diverse animals, but being strongly connected with all of them at the same time. So after all, the album cover vibrantly and mystically expresses the content of 'Evocation II'! Join and let the journey begin!"

ELUVEITIE in May 2016 announced the departure of drummer Merlin Sutter, vocalist Anna Murphy and guitarist Ivo Henzi.

The band's latest album, "Origins", was released in August 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was once again recorded at New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, a municipality in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland, with producer Tommy Vetterli (a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron; CORONER/ex-KREATOR guitarist).

ELUVEITIE is:

* Jonas Wolf (guitar)* Matteo Sisti (whistles, bagpipes, mandola)* Nicole Ansperger (fiddle)* Alain Ackermann (drums)* Chrigel Glanzmann (vocals, whistles, mandola, bagpipes, bodhran)* Fabienne Erni (vocals, celtic harp, mandola)* Kay Brem (bass)* Michalina Malisz (hurdy gurdy)* Rafael Salzmann (guitar)

The new lineup of ELUVEITIE made its live debut at the Eluveitie & Friends festival in January at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland.

Photo credit: Manuel Vargas

Former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME singer Geoff Tate just played two shows as one of the guest vocalists in EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project.

Fan-filmed video footage of AVANTASIA's June 28 concert at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland can be seen below.

Tate was one of the featured singers on AVANTASIA's seventh album, "Ghostlights", which was released last year via Nuclear Blast. Geoff could be heard in the song "Seduction Of Decay", which was described by Sammet as "a seven-and-a-half minute-monster." He added about Tate's performance in the track: "I am speechless! Geoff has made it a killer; [it] reminds me of his 'Rage For Order' era.

"I grew up with QUEENSRŸCHE," he continued. "Geoff influenced a lot of us singer people, and listening to that track, I know why."

Sammet previously said about his decision to enlist Tate to sing on the latest AVANTASIA album: "I have been fortunate enough to meet many amazing classic metal vocalists. Whenever we've talked about our influence as vocalists, the name Geoff Tate was brought up.

"Throughout his incredible career of more than thirty years, Geoff has constantly explored new territory as an artist and vocalist, while he has always managed to maintain this distinctive signature vocal sound that makes him stand out.

"His contribution [to 'Ghostlights'] sounds nothing but amazing, and you will immediately know why the man had such a huge impact on vocalists and fans around the globe! Enchanting, unique, amazing, progressive in the purest sense of the word!"

Tate told Amps And Green Screens about his appearance on "Ghostlights": . "That was a fun project that just came together. I wasn’t expecting any of that, and then boom! There it was, you know?"

He added: "I'm very honored that [Tobias] invited me to sing on his song. It really was a treat and I enjoyed it."

Norwegian progressive black avantgardists ENSLAVED have completed work on their fourteenth full-length album. The follow-up to 2015's "In Times" was recorded at Duper & Solslottet Studios in Bergen and was once again mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

The new disc is described in a press release as "a spectacular sound chimera of experimental prog filled with majestic melodies, epic sound landscapes and harsh black metal moments — all united in a massive storm that will reach the coast this autumn."

"I'm always psyched and proud when we have finished an album recording, and this is no exeption!" states ENSLAVED singer Grutle Kjellson. "It was a really exciting process this time, with the line-up change and everything, so although it wasn't a dramatic change, the band dynamics were suddenly different. But, it was like a little re-boot, a fresh start so to speak. The studio sessions were great, and we all feel that we have done something truly amazing. We hope you'll enjoy it. Ugh!"

The eye-catching cover and artwork is once again being created by renowned designer and painter Truls Espedal.

ENSLAVED mastermind Ivar Bjørnson recently stated about the band's new album: "I have never worked this hard to put together music for an album before. We are a tighter unit than ever before, which is obvious sonically. The concept conjured by myself and old war-brother Grutle is the strongest we have worked with. Finally, I am proud that we have taken more risks than ever before, and one in particular — and it is yielding awesome results. What does that mean? Stay tuned to find out!" More info on ENSLAVED's next album will be revealed on August 11. ENSLAVED's thirteenth studio album, "In Times", came out in 2015.