Fight Or Fall is a multi-part documentary telling the complex tale of Riot and follows Riot V as they tour the USA, Canada with festivals in Japan and Europe. Part 1 is streaming below, released on founding guitarist Mark Reale's birthday, June 7th, by The Metal Voice.

Part 1 covers the formation of Riot, Rock City, Narita-eras and the demise and resurrection of the band for their most popular album, Fire Down Under. The first instalment also covers Riot V in rehearsals and preparation for their US dates and their trek into Chicago and Detroit.

Guests included in Part 1:

Steve 'Lips' Kudrow - Anvil
Martin Popoff - Rock Author
Anthony Reale - Mark Reale's Father
Mike Flyntz - Riot V and Riot guitarist
Donnie Van Stavern - Riot V and Riot bassist
Frank Gilchriest - Riot V and Riot drummer
Todd Michael Hall - Riot V vocalist
Lance Barnewold - Riot V touring guitarist in July 2017
Lou A Kouvaris - Riot guitarist (1976-1978)
Rick Ventura - Riot guitarist (1978-1983)
Phil Feit - Riot bassist (1974-1976) (1979-1980), Billy Idol, Joan Jett
Peter Bitelli - Riot drummer (1972-1980)

Filmmaker Jimmy Kay had this to say about the project, "This is a reality/documentary, the viewer gets to watch the band travel in the first person from city to city, see them perform their music, tell their stories and interact with themselves and the fans. It captures the brotherhood, the continuation of Riot V and bridges the two entities together. The documentary also aims to explain the Riot back story and legacy."

Giles Lavery co-producer concluded, "The story of Riot is one of the most unique and inspiring in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, the story has many twists and turns along the way, but the songs were and are always at forefront as some of the best in hard rock and heavy metal."

Calgary, AB progressive death metal band Divinity have posted new lyric videos for "Manhunt" and "Atlas", which are the two first tracks on their new album The Immortalist that was unleashed on May 26th.

"Manhunt":

"Atlas":

Orders of the album are at Divinity.ca, iTunes, and Amazon plus an exclusive digipak CD available on their website for those who want to support the band directly.

The Immortalist is a culmination of 5 years of hard work and dedication to their craft.  The album features 12 tracks that include their two previous EP releases The Immortalist, Pt. 1 – Awestruck and The Immortalist, Pt. 2 –Momentum with their 3rd EP The Immortalist Pt. 3 - Conqueror now finished completing the trilogy series for one huge full length album. All the tracks on the album are remixed and remastered by the talented Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy, The Grid Productions) to make the songs more cohesive and work as a full-length album experience. This album also features Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid of Soilwork on vocals for the song “D.M.T.”. Divinity is also offering fans an exclusive digipak CD available on their website for those who want to support the band directly.

The bands comments on release:

"Closure is such great thing! We’ve finished our third EP for The Immortalist trilogy concept and have decided to take all three EP’s and turn it into a full-length album."

Tracklisting:

“Manhunt”
“Atlas”
“Hallowed Earth”
“D.M.T.”
“PsyWar”
“Distorted Mesh”
“The Dead Speak From Behind”
“Lucid Creator”
“The Reckoning”
“All Seeing Eyes”
“Momentum”
“Conqueror”

"Atlas" video:

“Manhunt” video:

Album teaser:

Texas metal titans Warbeast will release their long-waited new full-length, Enter The Arena, this August via Philip H. Anselmo's own Housecore Records. Captured at Anselmo's Nodferatu's Lair, mixed by Mike Thompson at the Riff Factory and mastered by Lee Russell, Enter The Arena 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."

Enter The Arena will see release on August 4th. Preorder bundles are currently available at Housecore Records.

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 27th at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Additionally, the band's previously-scheduled CD release party will be taking place on Friday, July 14th 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 visit this location.

Tracklisting:

“Centuries Of Poisoned Soil”
“Punishment For Gluttony”
“Orchestration Of Violence”
“Maze Of The Minotaur”
“Hitchhiker”
“Chemicals Consuming”
“Enter The Arena”
“The Scalping”
“Conjuration With The Devil”
“Ancient Hate”

Mighty Music has announced the signing of Malta’s Forsaken to the family. Forsaken was formed in 1990 and is considered one of the true survivors of the epic doom metal genre.

Albert Bell, founder, lyricist and bass player of Forsaken comments: "Signing with Michael (Anderson, Mighty Music President) and Mighty Music is a crucial step forward for the band. I have personally known Michael since the earliest days of the band. He is both a fan and a close friend of the band. His support and friendship are two important qualities that tipped the scale in Mighty's favor in the process of deciding on a new home for Forsaken. Moreover, from a business perspective, Mighty possesses all the requisite qualities we were looking for this time round.  Mighty Music has grown considerably in stature and reputation and hosts some really awesome bands, and we are all really elated to be in such great company.  Fans can expect our first full-length release with Mighty Music this fall. Pentateuch has all the ingredients epic doom maniacs have come to expect from the band - killer songs laced with soaring, passionate vocals from Leo, raging, fret-shredding solos from Sean, and head crushing riffs built on a very solid rhythm section. Combining with Simeon to build this foundation for the band is something that comes natural to us and is always a real pleasure.  I am also really happy with the lyrics for this album....I really poured my soul into them. Every band member left no stone unturned into making this release a most worthy addition to our long history and discography.  It has really been a long time coming, but the wait will be worth it and we are really chuffed that a label of Mighty Music's caliber has taken Forsaken and our new spawn Pentateuch on board, with the prospect of further releases in the future as our alliance with Mighty continues to grow".

Michael H. Andersen, Mighty Music says: "Ever since I visited Albert Bell on Malta back in 1996, I regret not having signed Forsaken to my label earlier. I've been a huge fan of the band since I heard the doom cult classic Where Angels Have Fallen for the first time in 1992-1993. The fact that Forsaken now is a part of my family, makes my old doom heart so proud".

Forsaken are currently doing the final touches on their first album in six years. Pentateuch is the title and it will be released on October 13th on LP, CD and digital. A release concert will be held in Malta on October 14th in a new venue called The Garage in Zebbug and afterwards the band will be heading on European tour.

Crusty death/doom outfit, Vallenfyre, have unveiled a horror-themed music video for the single "The Merciless Tide". Directed and filmed by Ash Pears (Paradise Lost, The Sisters of Mercy), the video is now available for streaming below.

Vocalist and guitarist Greg Mackintosh states: “”The Merciless Tide” is about the relentless march of time and also wishing you could be in someone else's shoes to save them suffering. In the video we see a man going through immense suffering over a long period of time, never being able to grasp the things he craves, whilst faceless tormentors observe in indifference. This is incredibly grim, so enjoy."

”The Merciless Tide” is featured on the band’s third album, Fear Those Who Fear Him, out now via Century Media Records.

Recorded by the band’s new core lineup consisting of Gregor Mackintosh (vocals and guitar), Hamish Glencross (guitar and bass) and Waltteri Väyrynen (drums), Fear Those Who Fear Him was once again produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge, Nails) at GodCity Studio in Salem, MA and mastered by Brad Boatright (Obituary, Beastmilk, YOB) at Audiosiege Mastering in Portland, OR.

The cover artwork was created by Hal Rotter (rottinggraphics.com).

Greg Mackintosh comments: “Most bands refine their sound over the first two or three albums. Becoming more technically adept and honing their craft. Vallenfyre have done almost exactly the opposite. We have devolved, made things simpler and crush most of the melody under swathes of rotting noise. From A Fragile King to Splinters and now to Fear Those Who Fear Him, we have become more savage, more raw and less compromising!”

Fear Those Who Fear Him is available as Gatefold LP+CD on limited coloured and regular black 180 gram vinyl, as Special Edition Digipak (international version), Jewelcase CD (Canada, US, Mexico only) and on all digital / streaming platforms. Click here to see further selected stores and download/streaming platforms.

The tracklisting of this 39-minute long aural atrocity reads as follows:

“Born To Decay”
“Messiah”
“Degeneration”
“An Apathetic Grave”
“Nihilist”
“Amongst The Filth”
“Kill All Your Masters”
“The Merciless Tide”
“Dead World Breathes”
“Soldier Of Christ”
“Cursed From The Womb”
“Temple Of Rats”

“Nihilist”:

"An Apathetic Grave" lyric video:

“Kill All Your Masters” video:

Onstage, Vallenfyre perform as a quintet with live members Sam Kelly-Wallace (rhythm guitar) and Chris Casket (bass) completing the lineup.

Tour dates:

July
6 - Torgau, Germany - In Flammen Open Air

August
9 - Josefov, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
19 - Saint-Nolff , France - Motocultor Festival

In the leather-bound history of heartfelt rock 'n' roll, not only will Michael Monroe have at least one chapter all to himself. But his name will be colourfully threaded throughout, such has been his impact, his appeal, and his ongoing never-surrender story; a powerful, inspirational tale told in detail on The Best - the first official collection of his (ongoing) solo musical exploits, featuring prime tracks from 1987 right up to 2017. It arrives June 30th via Spinefarm. The tracklisting has been revealed and can be found below.

"This album is a great representation of my 30-year solo career, including four songs from the Little Steven-produced Demolition 23 album, which has been unavailable for over 20 years, plus some special rarities and previously unreleased bonus tracks."

Icon, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist, media personality, flamboyant force of nature, and one of rock's most celebrated and uber-kinetic frontmen, Michael has been a name and a (much-photographed) face on the scene since 1979, when he played a central role in the formation of Hanoi Rocks - the legendary Finnish glam-punk heroes who came within a rolling paper's width of taking the world by glitter-storm.

Were it not for cruel and fickle fate, Hanoi - who disbanded for the first time in 1985, then finally in 2009 - might have ended up as an arena act. But whatever obstacles were thrust in their path, they were never less than the real deal, and major names like Guns N' Roses were ready to acknowledge their influence and their worth. G N' R would go on to issue the European Hanoi catalogue in the U.S. via their Uzi Suicide imprint.

Over his three-decades-plus in the spotlight, Monroe has befriended and performed with a whole host of artists and acts, including the aforementioned Guns N' Roses and Slash; Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Little Steven, and Ian Hunter.

The frontman has shared stages and studios with them all, but since that first break-up of Hanoi in the mid-'80s, he's essentially been pursuing his own path, and it's this solo activity that forms the basis of The Best. It's almost two hours' worth of career-spanning music, re-mastered by Svante Forsback and sequenced by the great man himself.

As well as key, high-profile numbers such as "Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll" (from second solo album, 1989's Not Fakin' It, the promo clip for which features an onstage cameo from Axl Rose) and "'78" (from 2011's Sensory Overdrive), this two-CD set also showcases some "from the vaults" moments for collectors and completists, with bonus tracks and previously unreleased songs strategically placed to make the journey both scenic and surprising.

"There's a couple of extra special tracks like 'It's A Lie,' sung as a duet with Stiv Bators (Dead Boys, Lords Of The New Church) back in 1985, and a never-before-released second version of the Steppenwolf cover 'Magic Carpet Ride,' featuring Slash, left over from the Coneheads soundtrack project that Slash did with me in 1993. And since Slash has the biggest heart of gold in rock 'n' roll, he was kind enough to allow me to use it on this album. God bless him!," said Monroe.

Two other previously unreleased songs are "Fist Fulla Dynamite" and "Simpletown," outtakes from the Blackout States album (2015); plus there's the new single "One Foot Outta The Grave" - an anthem of pure defiance - to bring things nicely up to date, showing the artist's continued commitment to a genre.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:
“Dead Jail Or Rock N Roll”
“Man With No Eyes”
“It's A Lie” (feat. Stiv Bators)
“Nights Are So Long”
“Can’t Go Home Again”
“Nothin's Alright”
“Hammersmith Palais”
“You Crucified Me”
“Deadtime Stories”
“Where’s The Fire John?”
“Make It Go Away”
“Life Gets You Dirty”
“Self Destruction Blues”
“Stranded”
“Telephone Bill’s All Mine”

Disc 2:
“Trick Of The Wrist”
“’78”
“All You Need”
“Ballad Of The Lower East Side”
“Eighteen Angels”
“Stained Glass Heart”
“Old King’s Road”
“Goin’ Down With The Ship”
“Keep Your Eye On You”
“One Foot Outta The Grave”
“Fist Fulla Dynamite”
“Simpletown”
“Get On”
“Magic Carpet Ride” (feat. Slash)

Alice In Chains bassist Mike Inez has revealed that the band will begin recording the follow-up to their 2013 album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, later this month in Seattle with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Studio X.

Inez tells the Let There Be Talk podcast: “We're going back home to do a record, really. The last two were (recorded) in L.A., and they were cool. I just feel in 2017, it's time for Alice In Chains to go back to Seattle… drink that water, breathe that air.”

He continues: “My Heart family's up there. There's just such a history… every street corner for us is a memory; crazy shit happened or some beautiful stuff. Seattle's a really special place, especially this time of year. It's the best."

Listen to the interview below:

Later this month, By Norse will release the debut album, Hydrogen, from BardSpec, the ambient project/band featuring Enslaved composer/guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and Today Is The Day's Steve Austin. A David Hall-directed video for the track “Bone” can be seen below.

Hydrogen will be released on June 23rd across all formats. The six-panel CD digipak is available as a limited first pressing of 1,000 and includes bonus track "Teeth”. The double-gatefold LP is limited to 500 on black vinyl; the digital format will also include the bonus track. Access the "Fire Tongue" radio edits now via iTunes and Apple Music.

Pre-orders for the the limited CD, LP, and shirt are available at the following locations: North America, Europe.

Having launched at Roadburn in 2015, BardSpec has since evolved into a fully-fledged band, with Steve Austin on guitars/effects, David Hall presenting the live visual aspect of the project, with the layout created by Josh Graham (Soundgarden, Neurosis, IIVII, etc.).

BardSpec combines stirring, hallucinatory synth-sounds with mercurial guitar effects and hypnotic rhythms that navigate illusory landscapes. Field recordings, and other found-sounds also drift and evaporate into the ether. Working intuitively with these elements and with sharpened senses, attuned to inner impulses, this is immersive music that can exist anywhere and anytime within the minds of the listener.

Whilst BardSpec might essentially be the same brain and personality making the music, compared to Enslaved, it is a widely different entity. Thematically and sonically, BardSpec is about minimizing, subtracting, and meditating upon the simplest essence of "things;" the single points exemplified through song titles like "Bone," "Salt," and so on, the basic elements and foundations that make up the whole. There is an element of "space" in the music and the artwork, as a representation of the inner workings of the mind and the subconscious.

Inspired by the German masters Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, and Conrad Schnitzler in addition to contemporary ambient music like Norwegian one-man-band Biosphere and abstract modern electronic music like When (Norwegian also), as well as the electronic/industrial-driven metal like Godflesh. Ivar describes the appeal and trance-inducing aspects of such music to him, "I remember listening to Richard Burmer and his album Mosaic from 1984. I thought I fell asleep but I was in a semi-lucid state where I still registered music - but not much else. At the end of side A there's an explosion so violent and extreme that I jumped two feet into the air and was totally shocked. The weird thing is, I couldn't remember it being there. When I revisited the music again it was just a little 'thud.' I was just experiencing a trance so deep into the music that this deviation from the pattern and frequencies in the foregoing half hour of monotony totally shocked me. I loved it!"

Hydrogen tracklisting:

“Intro - Deposition”
“Bone”
“Fire Tongue”
“Gamma”
“Salt”
“Teeth” (bonus track)

“Bone” video:

“Gamma” video:

“Fire Tongue” video:

A special record release show to showcase the album is scheduled for June 29th at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York.

(Photo - Christian Misje)

Swedish death metallers, Entrails, will release their new album, World Inferno, on June 16th via Metal Blade Records. The album’s title track is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album at this location.

Comments Entrails guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist: "I am damn proud to finally unleash this nasty beast, A new chapter is written for Entrails to satisfy all old school maniacs out there. Having new blood in the band, Martin and Tommy, helped making this fifth album the rawest and heaviest to date. Prepare yourself to stretch out your neck in full headbanging!"

The recordings for World Inferno started in December 2016 in Lundqvist's Bloodshed Studio. Dan Swanö once again handled the mixing and mastering for the album.

Dan Swanö comments on World Inferno as follows: "I don't know if I had said this before, but I say it again. Every time I start thinking about putting together some new SweDeath project, Entrails show up at my doorstep with a new album to mix, and every time I think "Fuck!! - What's the point in making my own project when this is so fucking good, and exactly what I wanted to do…" And if I felt there were some details to improve upon from our previous work together, they fix that and then some, and return with an album even stronger than the previous one. What the fuck is going on in Linneryd!? Are Jimmy cloning death metal warriors in some barn over there or what!? To sum it up. Yet another amazing slab of SweDeath coming your way from Entrails! Beyond. Blown. Away!"

Tracklisting:

“World Inferno”         
“Condemned To The Grave”         
“Serial Murder (Death Squad)”         
“The Soul Collector”    
“Dead And Buried”         
“Insane Slaughter”         
“Into Eternal Fire”         
“Suffer”         
“The Hour Of The Casket”         
“The Blood Breed”

“World Inferno”:

“Serial Murder (Death Squad)”:

“The Soul Collector”:

Entrails lineup:

Jimmy Lundqvist: Guitars
Tommy Carlsson: Vocals/Bass
Pontus Samuelsson: Guitars
Martin Michaelsson: Drums

The official 360° visualizer video for the song 'Rites Of The Locust' from legendary blasphemers Incantation has been unleashed (view below).

The song, a weapon of anti-biblical proportions, is one of eleven new tracks engineered to showcase the band's inherent - and unrivaled - musical, lyrical, and visual depravity on their forthcoming 10th studio album, entitled Profane Nexus. The album drops on August 11th via Relapse Records, the very same label that released the band's suffocating-yet-groundbreaking debut effort, Onward To Golgotha, over a half century ago.

Incantation founding father, John McEntee, had this to say regarding the direction of the video: "With the advent of 360-video visualizer technology, we were able to convey the song's powerful imagery alongside the intensity of the music. This song is an example of one of the more aggressive songs on the album. We feel it's the perfect representation of death metal and everything an Incantation fan wants. Rage motherfuckers!"

Embodying a dizzying array of blasphemous tracks - culminating in sacrilegious conquests, crushing dirges, and vile riffing - Profane Nexus is an obliterating-ly heavy execution of disgusting death metal that further solidifies the band as one of extreme music's most influential and consistently hailed artists of the past thirty years.

Recorded at the band's own Incantation Studios in Johnstown, PA and mixed/mastered by Dan Swanö (Bloodbath, Asphyx, Dark Funeral), Profane Nexus is perhaps the finest example of pummeling death metal and disemboweling funeral doom ever conceived.

Order Profane Nexus on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records at this location.

Cover art, titled Draping The Tar Monster, by Eliran Kantor.

Tracklisting:

“Muse”
“Rites Of The Locust”
“Visceral Hexahedron”
“The Horns Of Gefrin”
“Incorporeal Despair”
“Xipe Totec”
“Lus Sepulcri”
“Stormgate Convulsions From The Thunderous Shores Of Infernal Realms Beyond The Grace Of God”
“Messiah Nostrum”
“Omens To The Altar Of Onyx”
“Ancients Arise”

“Rites Of The Locust” video:

See Incantation destroy North America this summer alongside Swedish black metal legends, Marduk. Stay tuned for a full list of dates and locations.

Incantation are also set to appear at this year's edition of Brutal Assault Festival, which takes place August 8th through 12th, 2017 at Old Army Fortress Josefov, Czech Republic.

(Top photo - Scott Kinkade)

 

Kataklysm have released a lyric video for “Illuminati”, taken from the re-release of Shadows & Dust/Serenity In Fire. Watch the new video below:

In celebration of their 25th anniversary in 2017, Kataklysm will perform their albums, Shadows & Dust and Serenity In Fire, on a string of European dates in October.

A Moment In Time tour dates:

October
5 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol
6 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
7 - Antwerpen, Belgium - Trix
8 - Hambrug, Germany - Grunspan
10 - London, England - 02 Academy Islington
12 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
13 - Luzern, Switzerland - Schuur
14 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
15 - Nurnberg, Germany - Hirsch
17 - Prag, Czech Republic - Roxy
18 - Vienna, Austria - Simmcity
19 - Lindau, Germany - Vaudeville
20 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks
21 - Munich, Germany - Backstage

Death Angel have released a lyric video for the track “Breakaway”, featured on the band’s 2016 album, The Evil Divide, available via Nuclear Blast. Watch the new video below:

Upcoming Death Angel live dates are listed below:

July
1 - Parque Simon Bolivar - Bogota, Colombia
9 - Antwerp Metalfest - Antwerp, Belgium
10 - Kulturfabrik - Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
14 - Glasklockorna - Gavle, Sweden
19 - Le Ferrailleur - Nantes, France
20 - Petit Bain - Paris, France
21 - Le Rat's - Puget Sur Argens, France
26 - Musigburg - Aarburg, Switzerland
29 - Vaudeville - Lindau, Germany

August
1 - Hirsch - Nuremberg, Germany
6 - Baroeg - Rotterdam, Netherlands
8 - Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
9 - Audio - Glasgow, United Kingdom
10 - Hobos Music Venue - Bridgend, United Kingdom
11 - The Underworld Camden - London, United Kingdom
12 - Festival Area De Lange Munte - Kortrijk, Belgium
13 - Festival Area De Lange Munte - Kortrijk, Belgium

“Boat”, a track from River Black’s upcoming self-titled debut album is available for streaming below. The album will be released on July 7th via Season Of Mist. Pre-orders are available at this location.

River Black deliver the musical equivalent to a diamond-tipped drill to bore breathing-holes into the crusty rusted armour-plating of the metal-genre in order to let some fresh air into the all too often stale scene. Their powerful self-titled debut album impresses with undiluted aggression, precisely executed and dead on target. Based on an intimate knowledge of thrash metal history, the Americans have found a modern answer to this classic style, incorporating suitable elements of death, hardcore, and other influences. This is boosted by a massive sound that drops the bomb in your face.

The expertise that River Black demonstrate in craft and talent does not come out of the blue. Guitarist John Adubato and drummer David Witte (Municipal Waste) formed their new creative outlet after the dissolution of Burnt By The Sun. The veteran duo felt the need to keep the spirit and energy behind that former collective going, while pushing it a darker and heavier direction. To complete their dream team, Witte and Adubato recruited fellow Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger and former Burnt By The Sun collaborator Mike Olender for vocal duties.

On completion of their line-up, River Black recorded their first album at New Jersey’s Trax East studio with producer Eric Rachel. River Black are now ready to drive a vicious spike into the bubble of metallic complacency. Crank up the volume and let River Black hit home hard. Impact is imminent.

Vocalist Mike Olender comments on behalf of River Black: "Our first track out, “Low” is an expression of horror at how religion can become twisted and manipulated by charlatans and demagogues. It was inspired by a news report, I heard about a journalist, who spent some time with the now-deceased Isis leader 'Johnny Jihad'. It revealed how this man used brutality with the purpose of inspiring others with similarly twisted minds. He used videos of his actions as recruiting tools. I was struck by the thought that there are people out there, who not only wouldn't be repelled by these horrific videos, but actually excited and inspired by the images of this man gleefully sawing off the heads of the orange-clad victims kneeling before him. Faiths have always had these characters throughout history, but it is surreal to realize we are living in such dark historic times."

Tracklisting:

“Jaws”
“Honor”
“Low”
“Shipwreck”
“River Black”
“South by South”
“Boat”
“Move”
“#Victim”
“Haunt”
“Sink”
“Everywhere”

“Boat”:

“#Victim”:

“Low”:

Syteria, the Yorkshire, UK-based rock band featuring Girlschool guitarist Jackie Chambers, have released a video for “When I Get Out Of High School”, a track from their debut full-length album, Rant-O-Bot, released on May 30th. The new clip is available for streaming below.

Rant-O-Bot is available from TuneCore, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and a variety of online music stores. You can also order a CD featuring a booklet containing lyrics and photos directly from the band's official website here.

Rant-O-Bot tracklisting:

“Revolution”
“When I Get Out Of High School”
“Complication”
“Sheeple”
“I'm All Woman”
“Get A Life”
“Stupid Girl”
“Loner”
“Hypocrite”
“Kamikaze”
“If”
“New World Order”

“When I Get Out Of High School” video:

“I”m All Woman” video:

Syteria lineup:

Julia Calvo - Vocals
Jackie Chambers - Guitars/Vocals
Keira Kenworthy - Bass Guitar/Vocals
Pablo Calvo - Drums/Vocals

German heavy metal trio, Rage, have released a first official video trailer for their upcoming 23rd studio album, Seasons Of The Black, out on July 28th via Nuclear Blast.

Seasons Of The Black is available for pre-order. You can purchase it in the following formats:

- 2CD-Digibook
- CD
- 2LP (black) in gatefold

NB Mailorder Exclusive:
- 2LP (NB anniversary green) in gatefold
- Digibook + belt bag

Get your copy here, or get the digital version of the new album here.

Tracklisting:

“Season Of The Black”
“Serpents In Disguise”
“Blackened Karma”
“Time Will Tell”
“Septic Bite”
“Walk Among The Dead”
“All We Know Is Not”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Gaia”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Justify”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Bloodshed In Paradise”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Farewell”

Avenger Revisited (Bonus CD):
“Adoration”
“Southcross Union”
“Assorted By Satan”
“Faster Than Hell”
“Sword Made Of Steel”
“Down To The Bone”

These bonus tracks originate from the time when Rage was still called Avenger.

Peavy comments: "It was really nice to re-record the songs from my first years of being a musician! I remember quite well how the songs were created. I always thought that it's a pity that most of the people don't know these songs, just because they were released with another band name. For me it was always clear that these songs are kind of timeless and when we played them together it was really awesome! Back then, we couldn't realise our ideas as good as today. When you listen to the new recordings you will recognize how fantastic these songs really are!"

Seasons Of The Black was recorded in February / March 2017 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). Its production was handled by Rage, whilst the renowned Dan Swanö (Marduk, Opeth, Katatonia) took care of the mix and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany).

“Blackened Karma” video:

Studio trailer #1:

Studio trailer #2:

Studio trailer #3:

Rage live dates:

June
10 - Starnberg, Germany - Food Rock Festival, Schlossberghalle
17 - Duisburg, Germany - Rage Against Racism (RAGE meets REFUGE)
29 - Gardelegen, Germany - Metal Frenzy

July
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Rock Fest
6 - Ballenstedt, Germany - Rock Harz Open Air
16 - Vizovice, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock
21 - Ternopil, Ukraine - Faine Misto Festival

August
3-5 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
10 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
12 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
13 - Königs Wusterhausen, Germany - Zombie Rock Festival

September
2 - Zons, Germany - Zons Rockt (RAGE meets REFUGE)

December
23 - Burglengenfeld, Germany - VAZ, X-Mas Dynamite Night

Rage lineup:

Peter "Peavy" Wagner - lead vocals, bass
Marcos Rodriguez - guitars, vocals
Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos - drums, vocals

Cellar Darling, the new band formed by ex-Eluveitie members Anna Murphy, Merlin Sutter and Ivo Henzi, have released a second official video trailer for their upcoming album, This Is The Sound, out on June 30th via Nuclear Blast. Watch the clip below.

Tracklisting:

“Avalanche”
“Black Moon”
“Challenge”
“Hullaballoo”
“Six Days”
“The Hermit”
“Water”
“Fire, Wind & Earth”
“Rebels”
“Under The Oak Tree…”
“…High Above These Crowns”
“Starcrusher”
“Hedonia”
“Redemption”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

“Black Moon” video:

“Challenge”:

“Fire, Wind & Earth”:

Studio trailer:

Cellar Darling have announced three festival shows for Europe this summer. Their schedule is currently as follows:

July
14 - Bôle, Switzerland - ParaBôle Festival

August
17 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze
25 - Gränichen, Switzerland - Open Air Gränichen

Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has posted another Iron Maiden cover, performed at the EEF Festival in Holland.

Says Thomas: “I actually didn't want to upload any more versions of “The Trooper”… but this one was particularly fun to play, cause we started it way too fast, so we had to finish it in that tempo... enjoy! On drums we have Nathanael Taekema and on bass Anton Zwijsen.”

Zwijsen previously posted this cover of Iron Maiden's "Dance Of Death”:

 

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has "sent a musical prayer out to London and the world" in the wake of the terrorist attacks on London Bridge this past weekend. Check out the post below.

According to Quartz Media, following a suicide bomber attacking people coming out from an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May and an Islamist extremist attacking people and police outside Parliament in March, another attack took place in the British capital of London on Saturday night (June 3rd) that killed seven people and injured almost 50.

The police were called at 10.08pm local time and told a vehicle had plowed into pedestrians on London Bridge. The van continued to drive south from London Bridge to Borough Market. Witnesses reported seeing the van driving at around 50mph, when it hit five to six people. Three attackers then left the vehicle and stabbed a number of people, including several police officers.

The police shot the three suspects within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call. The police said in a press conference that they fired 50 bullets, “an unprecedented number of rounds,” at the attackers, fearing that they were about to detonate their suicide vests, which turned out to be fake.

 

Ticketmaster U.K. recently conducted an interview with STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist Josh Rand. You can watch the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the meaning of "Hydrograd", the title of the band's forthcoming studio album:

Corey: "It's a funny story, actually. A few years ago, and I was running through an airport, I think it was in Poland, maybe. It was before they upgraded everything, so everything was a little antiquated as far as the gate information, at each gate. It still had the LED, '80s digital watch, box-y numbers, letters and things going by. It switched between English [and something else] and I'm running, trying to find my gate and I kinda happened to look up. You get those subliminal flashes of what's going on. And I saw 'Hydrograd.' I kept going and I was like, 'I wonder what that word is in Russia?' I stopped and I was like, 'I got to know. I have to know where that is.' I go back to the gate and it wasn't even close. There was no word that actually looked like 'hydrograd' or sounded like 'hydrograd.' It was kinda funny; I just chuckled and went on and I just went 'Hydrograd,' huh. That's a cool name.' I tucked it away. Years later, lo and behold, I had written a song that I named 'Hydrograd.' I thought it could be a really cool name for the album. The rest is history."

On whether there is a lyrical theme running through "Hydrograd":

Corey: "Not really. Thematically, it's more about just how the songs feel than anything else. We just wanted to put together a solid album that just felt really good, like almost like a rock playlist. You put your favorites together and let it flow after that. That's kinda what this album has, that flow. Thematically, it's just like any other album, really, where it's talking about life, love, anger and stuff, and all the crap that goes with it."

On the "eclectic" nature of STONE SOUR's music:

Corey: "We've always said that there's cohesion in our eccentricities. This album really allowed us to explore a lot of different types, but at the same time, there was a cohesion that maybe it wasn't as pulled apart as some of our other albums are. It felt really good and linear and song-wise, we were just kicking a lot of ass with that, too."

On recreating STONE SOUR's live sound in the studio:

Corey: "You can't suck and be in this band, let's put it that way. We've always been that band where we've always felt like we haven't been able to capture ourselves on an album yet. We always prided ourselves on being an amazing live band. This album, I feel like is the first time in a long time that we've captured the spirit of where we are live. It's because we recorded it live and really went for it. You can hear that in every listen. It doesn't deteriorate. Every listen it sounds fresh and sounds good. It's exciting."

On whether the band is excited about touring again:

Corey: "Absolutely. Even smells and sights, yeah, dealing with all that crap. You get to a point where you're set in your ways. The road doesn't have a lot of the… I don't even know what the word is."

Josh: "Since I've been removed from it for a while this time, this is the longest break that we've ever had since 'House Of Gold & Bones [Part 1 and 2]'. Part of me is nervous. To go back out there, even doing the interviews, it's, like, 'I haven't done this for four years.' It's like getting back into the swing of things. I'm really excited. I think the record is great. It will be amazing to play some of that stuff live, and go back to all these places [where] it's been years since the band has been there. For me, personally, there's definitely an excitement and I'm kind of nervous at the same time. It's like a rediscovery of just doing this all over again, being able to start over, it's like being a young band. That's how I felt, literally, a couple of days ago. I was like, 'Wow, we've been doing this forever.' I remember back just getting ready to do this press tour, so yeah, I'm stoked. I think the break, obviously in the situation that we are in this band with him [Corey] singing in SLIPKNOT also, so we always have that break. Every time from when the band first started, everybody asks me about 'the break' and what I think of it. I've always really embraced 'the break.' I think every time that it does come back around, it's like starting all over again. It's not that I'm completely burnt out because we've done it ten years non-stop. I can come back to it and it's fresh, then it becomes exciting again."

Corey: "And you can burn out quick, even when you love something, it gets to a point where it can make you feel like this is beating you down. For us, being able to re-discover that energy and re-discover that love for it, you can see it in the live performance. You're so into it. You're just ready to give it everything you got. It never comes off as lackadaisical."

"Hydrograd" will be released on June 30 via Roadrunner Records. The disc was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

The band tracked the album live in the studio, cutting a total of 18 songs from which 15 will make the CD.

STONE SOUR will be special guests of KORN on the latter act's "Serenity Of Summer" trek, which starts on June 16 in Salt Lake City and wraps on August 2 in Cleveland.

To celebrate 50 years of Pink Floyd releasing music that changed the world, The Sword guitarist Kyle Shutt has produced a heavy metal cover of their seminal album, The Dark Side Of The Moon.

Titled, Doom Side Of The Moon, the resulting band and album features Shutt and a host of celebrated musicians including his bandmates from The Sword, bassist Bryan Richie and drummer Santiago Vela III, vocalist Alex Marrero (Brownout / Brown Sabbath), saxophonist Jason Frey (Black Joe Lewis / Hard Proof), and keyboardist Joe Cornetti (Croy & The Boys). Engineered and mixed by Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Rocket From The Crypt), the LP will be released on August 4th, the date which marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the British band's debut album, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

"The idea came to me after getting baked and wanting to hear a heavy version of "Time”, says Shutt. "I thought, why not just cover the whole album? After sitting down and working out some loose concepts, the arrangement for "Money" materialized and I realized that I could totally do this if I assembled the right band. It felt a little strange messing with someone's legacy, but I'm treating it as a celebration of one of the greatest bands to ever rock, a party that everyone is invited to."

A first taste of Shutt's vision can be experienced now. A video for Doom Side Of The Moon's cover of "Money", featuring visuals - created by Ignite Design - meant to replicate the multimedia laser light show that will project during the band's live performance can be seen below.

Because he likes to think big, Shutt just couldn't stop after the recording of the album. On August 5th at Emo's in Austin TX, fifty years to the day after the release of Pink Floyd's debut album, Doom Side Of The Moon will perform their take on the record, in its entirety, along with other Pink Floyd favorites all set to a spectacular laser light visual experience performed by The Mustachio Light Show (Levitation / Desert Daze / NRMAL). Reverend Guitars, with whom Shutt recently released a signature guitar, will sponsor the event. Tickets are on sale now at this location.

Doom Side Of The Moon will be released independently in North America, with physical copies available exclusively from the band's webstore. A deluxe pre-order bundle includes a silk screened poster (designed by Weird Beard 72) signed by the band, an exclusive commemorative baseball t-shirt, CD and LP with download code. Upon ordering you will be shipped a limited edition cassette single for "Money" directly from Shutt himself. Doom Side Of The Moon will be made available digitally via Amazon and iTunes.

Newcomers on the Quebec metal scene, Empress has released their first single "Your Prize".  Led by the cristallin voice of Karina Charbonnier, and epic guitar work courtesy of Fred Riverin and Dave Bergeron, "Your Prize" is a metal ballad meant to please fans of Epica, Evergrey and Tristania. Check out the official lyric video:

Empress began working on their first EP with Jon Howard (Threat Signal, Vise Versa) at Woodward Studios in May 2017.

Visit Empress on Facebook for further details. 

(Photo by Alexis Bourdages-Chabot)

 

In 1983, Star Licks Productions created a series of instructional videos featuring well-known musicians demonstrating their unique musical styles and techniques. The portfolio debuted with a wide-ranging group of players including Steve Lukather of Toto, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, guitarist Albert Lee, and acclaimed guitarist/educator Wolf Marshall.

In one of the videos, Queen’s Brian May discussed his equipment and techniques, and demonstrates a number of his guitar solos. He covers both famous and lesser known Queen songs, including “Brighton Rock”, “Tie Your Mother Down”, “Somebody To Love”, “It's Late”, “Dead On Time”, “Put Out The Fire”, “It's A Hard Life”, “Keep Yourself Alive”, “Jesus”, “Father To Son” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.

Watch a clip featuring “Modern Times Rock ’N’ Roll” below.

The programme was produced and directed by Mark Freed and Robert Decker, and recorded at Sarm West, London, England. The video was originally released in 1983 and later reissued in 1993/4.

Note from Brian: “Mark initially came to me with an idea for making audio cassettes of guitarists explaining their techniques. It seemed a good one and we arranged to meet and make it happen. But I said ... if we’re going to the trouble of recording this stuff, why not film it as well, and make it into a Video Cassette ?! So we made a ‘pilot’ video, and people liked it, and this became the template for a whole collection of videos which, I think, stand up very well to this day. Maybe we should do an update?!”

Subscribe to Brian May’s channel here.

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates 2017:

June
23 - Phoenix, AZ - Gila River Arena
24 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
29 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center

July
1 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
2 - Vancouver, BC - Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
4 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
6 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Arena
8 - Omaha, NE - CenturyLink Arena
9 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
13 - Chicago, IL - United Center
14 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
17 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
18 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
20 - Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
21 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
23 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
25 - Boston, MA - TD Garden
26 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
28 - New York, NY - Barclays Center
30 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
31 - Washington D.C. - Verizon Center

August
2 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
4 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
5 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center

November
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
2 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
4 - Budapest, Hungary - Sportarena
6 - Lodz, Poland - Atlas Arena
8 - Vienna, Austria - Stadhalle
10 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena
12 - Luxembourg, Amneville - Galaxie
13 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
17 - Kaunas, Lithuania - Zalgiris Arena
25 - Dublin, Ireland - 3 Arena
26 - Belfast, Ireland - SSE Arena
28 - Liverpool, England - Echo Arena
30 - Birmingham, England - Barclaycard Arena

December
1 - Newcastle, England - Metro Radio Arena
3 - Glasgow, Scotland - The SSE Hydro
5 - Nottingham, England - Motorpoint Arena
6 - Leeds, England - First Direct Arena
8 - Sheffield, England - Motorpoint Arena
9 - Manchester, England - Arena
12 - London, England - 02 Arena
15 - London, England - The SSE Arena, Wembley

Boston tech-metal quartet, The Summoned, have released the official video for "Faradic”, a song from the forthcoming album, Sessions. The video was directed, edited, and filmed by Stephen Thompson. Check it out below.

The Summoned will release their sophomore full-length, Sessions, on June 16th. Pre-order the album here.

Sessions is a concept album about the journey through the mind of a troubled mental patient who is struggling to confront his own personal demons through a series of sessions with a psychiatrist. Each individual song resembles those sessions. Whether they're spastic (to give the feeling of panic the patient is feeling), or offering triggering the epiphany that is his own reality, Sessions is not just an album... it's an experience. A lyric video for album cut "Fractal Patterns" is also available for streaming below.

Often compared to a plethora of bands and genres, The Summoned are no strangers to pushing the boundaries of traditional heavy metal. With technical riffs, head bobbing grooves, sing-along choruses, jazzy interludes, and epic solos, there is always something for the discerning listener to grasp, resulting in a sound that will appeal to a variety of fans.

Sessions was produced by The Summoned and Evan Sammons. The album was engineered, mixed and mastered by Evan Sammons in Belgrade Maine.

Tracklisting:

“The Pendulum Swing”
“Faradic”
“Fractal Patterns”
“The Grave Mistake”
“Built Of Glass”
“Vertiginous”
“Primogenial Birth”
“Recollection”
“Satori”

“Faradic” video:

“Fractal Patterns” lyric video:

Additional Engineering on "Recollection" by Jarred Sullivan
All songs written and performed by The Summoned
All lyrics written by Stephen Thompson and Shaun Murphy
Clean Vocals on "Fractal Patterns" and "Built of Glass" by Shaun Murphy
Orchestration and Synth by Shaun Murphy and Evan Sammons
Artwork and Concept by Joseph Schmalke
Layout by Joseph Schmalke and Stephen Thompson
Logo design by Adam Cutler at Motionless Visions

Lineup:

Stephen Thompson - Vocals
Shaun Murphy - Guitars and Vocals
Jarred Sullivan - Guitars
Sam Hang - Drums

British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST will release their new album, "Medusa", on September 1 via Nuclear Blast. With this fifteenth full-length release, the legends are returning to their early beginnings, delivering their heaviest record of the past fifteen years, melding crushing doom metal with Nick Holmes's harsh death growls and raw organic sounds, heralding a new era of pure Northern misery.

The artwork was created by Branca Studio and shows the infamous Gorgone Medusa from Greek mythology, carrying venomous snakes as hair and turning anyone into stone who would dare to look into her eyes.

PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh states about the artwork: "Whilst we were writing 'Medusa' and realizing what the new songs were becoming, we had to find an artist to reflect this direction. After searching around for a while, I found Branca Studios. They have a keen eye for design and their modern take on retro artwork really fit the bill. What they have come up with is a blending of colorful-yet-retro styling, whilst maintaining the classic PARADISE LOST feel."

About the choice to make her the figurehead of this new album, Holmes adds: "I was intrigued about a greater meaning and thinking more along the lines of what Medusa represents metaphorically. 'Medusa' as a title works in many ways. From a nihilist perspective, when I read the description of 'Medusa' on the Wikipedia page: 'Attempts to avoid looking into Medusa's eyes represents avoiding the ostensibly depressing reality that the universe is meaningless.' The title was pretty much in the bag!"

In other news, PARADISE LOST has announced a very special release show that will take place in Stuttgart at the iconic LKA Longhorn. Only on this night of September 1, PARADISE LOST will perform its entire new album. A short time later, PARADISE LOST will embark for an extensive European journey and bring their label mates and U.S. doomsters PALLBEARER, as well as SINISTRO from Portugal.

Regarding the sound of "Medusa", Nick told Italy's Linea Rock: "I would say if you've ever heard every album by PARADISE LOST, it's closest to the 'Shades Of God' album, our third album. It's an album carrying on from that, but hopefully it's a lot more sophisticated and it's better produced and better played than that album." Lead guitarist Gregor Mackintosh added: "Style-wise, it's more between 'Gothic' and 'Shades Of God' era, with modern touches to it as well."

The lyric video for "Syrian Nightmare", a new song from the German alcohol-soaked thrash metal act TANKARD, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's seventeenth studio album, "One Foot In The Grave", which was released on June 2 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "R.I.B. (Rest In Beer)" was recorded at Gernhart Studios in Troisdorf with producer Martin Buchwalter (DESTRUCTION, ACCUSER, PERZONAL WAR, SUIDAKRA).

"One Foot In The Grave" track listing:

01. Pay To Pray02. Arena Of The True Lies03. Don't Bullshit Us!04. One Foot In The Grave05. Syrian Nightmare06. Northern Crown (Lament Of The Undead King)07. Lock`Em Up!08. The Evil That Men Display09. Secret Order 151610. Sole Grinder

This time, the album has a serious streak, not only filled with humor but criticizing today's society. Even the traditional beer song "Secret Order 1516" displays some critical elements. But don't worry: fans of the typical TANKARD humor won't be disappointed! With songs like "Sole Grinder", the band hasn't forgotten their raison d'être. This song pays tribute to the band's manager Buffo (Gerre: "The funniest choleric person in Germany") in an ironic way.

The cover artwork for "One Foot In The Grave" was created by Patrick Strogulski, who is a student of Sebastian Krüger, the recent artwork designer of TANKARD. He also created the cover artwork for the "A Girl Called Cerveza" and "R.I.B." albums. With this, the iconic band mascot, the TANKARD Alien, celebrates his return after about 13 years of absence. The alien was born in 1989 with the "Alien" EP and has already graced five album covers. The TANKARD fan club "Maniac Aliens" is also named after it.

States TANKARD vocalist Andreas "Gerre" Geremia: "Mister Strogulski has once again created a real masterpiece and surpassed himself. Our first plan was that I would be on the cover instead of the alien... but, lucky me, it ended up being the alien..."

MOTÖRHEAD, in partnership with developer Haemimont Games, is delighted to announce its own videogame experience, "Motörhead Through The Ages", is available now. Included as part of "Victor Vran: Overkill Edition", "Motörhead Through The Ages" is available for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC and Mac.

Take a journey with "Motörhead: Through The Ages" in the all-rock trailer below.

Conceived in 2014 by longtime MOTÖRHEAD fan Achim Heidelauf, Lemmy Kilmister and the team at Haemimont, "Motörhead Through The Ages" is a videogame experience like no other. An expansion to the critically acclaimed "Victor Vran", "Motörhead Through The Ages" includes some of the band's most iconic tracks as you've never heard them before, uniquely mastered for the game from the band’s original studio recordings and accompanied by a collection of worlds, weapons, special abilities and bosses inspired by MOTÖRHEAD.

"Lemmy was so excited about this game, and when he wasn't having the time of his life, he would always be sending new designs over to the game studio," said MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell. "I'm delighted with the result, as I know Lemmy would have been, and for any MOTÖRHEAD fan, this is another amazing way to connect with the band."

"'Motörhead Through The Ages' lives and breathes MOTÖRHEAD, head to toe!" said Jens Drinkwater, Global Merchandising Services, "The team at Haemimont took incredible care to deliver a truly authentic experience, with the help of the band I have no doubt this has been accomplished."

The track list featured in the game is:

"Motörhead" - "Motörhead", 1977"Overkill - "Overkill", 1979"Stay Clean - "Overkill, 1979"Bomber - "Bomber", 1979"Ace Of Spades - "Ace Of Spades", 1980"Jail Bait - "Ace Of Spades", 1980"Love Me Like A Reptile - "Ace Of Spades", 1980"We Are The Road Crew - "Ace Of Spades", 1980"Killed By Death - "No Remorse", 1984"Iron Fist - "Iron Fist", 1985"End Of Time - "Aftershock", 2013"Paralyzed - "Aftershock", 2013"Queen Of The Damned - "Aftershock", 2013

Fans of the world's greatest band can purchase the Motörhead Collector's Edition — full to the brim with exclusive MOTÖRHEAD swag and enshrined in a stunning Snaggletooth embossed collector's tin – from the official Wired Productions Store.

New York-based death metal behemoths Afterbirth - featuring within its ranks members of Helmet, Artificial Brain, and Buckshot Facelift - will release their brutalizing The Time Traveler's Dilemma debut full-length via Unique Leader Records this summer.  

The Time Traveler's Dilemma - set for release on July 28th on CD, digital, and vinyl formats - was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Joseph Cincotta at Full Force Studios (Suffocation, Dehumanized, Mortal Decay) and comes sheathed in the cover art of Kishor Haulenbeek (Black Harvest). The vinyl edition was mastered by James Plotkin (Old, Scorn, Khanate). As an extra bonus, Frank Rini (Internal Bleeding) performs backing vocals on the track, "Timeless Formless".

Pre-orders for The Time Traveler's Dilemma are currently available at this location. Additionally, you can sample "Maggots In Her Smile" via the Bandcamp audio player below.

The Time Traveler's Dilemma by Afterbirth

Among the earliest purveyors of brutal death metal, Afterbirth was forged on Long Island, New York during the Summer of 1993. The following year, the band released the Psychopathic Embryotomy studio demo which has since become something of a cult-like classic among the extreme metal underground. Due to various issues among its members however, Afterbirth disbanded shortly thereafter the recording.

After a near-20-year hiatus however, the band reunited in 2012 and began composing new material for an unknowable future and a then as-yet untitled debut. It became immediately apparent that the creative magic among the Afterbirth members remained - it had never left - resulting in some of their heaviest and most dynamic material to date.

Not only was the music heavier and far more aggressive than it had been during the band's initial short-lived run, but new elements like progressive metal, space rock, jazz, and noise began to rise to the surface of their song writing. Following a 2014 demo and 2015's Maggots In Her Smile EP, Afterbirth is set to release their debut withThe Time Traveler's Dilemma, an otherworldly combination of sounds that shift between the discordant and the melodious; the alluring and the disfigured; the eccentric and the methodical.

Heavy, complex guitar work; atypically inspired bass rumblings; skillful, fast, and tastefully groovy drums/percussion; otherworldly growls from beyond known dimensions of time and space... All of this and more combine to form the basis of Afterbirth's current musical output. While the subject matter doesn't stray too far from what some might call "typical" of the death metal genre - murderous grotesqueries, pain, and horrors unimaginable still certainly abound - the band's vision has expanded far beyond the classic death metal template to include ideas and archetypes found in philosophical, religious, and scientific fiction/horror literature. "Just as our musical prowess had strengthened and amplified over the years," notes the band, "so had our desires to express ourselves lyrically and conceptually. Gore and mutilated fetuses are always great and rich subject matter but we've all branched out and discovered other avenues of knowledge and inspiration we wanted to explore within the framework of the band."

The Time Traveler's Dilemma tracklisting:

"Eternal Return"
"Maggots In Her Smile"
"Drills And Needles"
"Discarded Astral Body"
"Multiverse Dimentia"
"The Time Traveler's Dilemma I"
"Sifting Through The Sands Of The Unholy"
"Timeless Formless"
"Transcendental Object At The End Of History"
"Devouring The Hungry Ghost"
"Time Travelers Dilemma II"

Afterbirth is:

Cody Drasser - guitars
David Case - bass
Keith Harris - drums
Will Smith - vocals

Video footage of Norway’s Combichrist, performing at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2015, is available for streaming below.

The band performed the following set:

“We Love You”
“Just Like Me”
“No Redemption”
“Zombie Fistfight”
“Can't Control”
“Maggots At The Party”
“Retreat Hell”
“Never Surrender”
“Blut Royale”
“What The Fuck”
“Razorblade”