Alice Cooper has paid tribute to Chris Cornell, saying the SOUNDGARDEN frontman "had the best voice in rock and roll."

Chris co-wrote and performed on Alice's songs "Stolen Prayer" and "Unholy War", which appeared on Alice's 1994 album "The Last Temptation".

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Wednesday night (May 17) and was found dead in his hotel room at midnight. His death has since been ruled a suicide.

In a statement released on Thursday, Cooper said: "Chris Cornell, in our circle, was known as 'The Voice' because he had the best voice in rock and roll.

"I was lucky enough to write and record two songs with him. His death comes as a total shock to all of us. 'Black Hole Sun' will live on as a classic, and his is a true legacy of rock and roll."

In 2007, Cooper presented Cornell with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for Chris's "dedication and support of the MusiCares MAP Fund and his devotion to helping other addicts with the recovery process." The MusiCares MAP Fund provides financial and other assistance to musicians in need of addiction recovery services, regardless of their ability to pay.

STONE SOUR paid tribute to Chris Cornell by performing a cover version of SOUNDGARDEN's "Outshined" Thursday night (May 18) at the Rock On The Range Kick-Off Party at Express Live! (formerly LC Pavilion) in Columbus, Ohio.

Prior into launching into the song, STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor addressed the crowd, telling them: "We lost a rock and roll brother today. As you know, we lost Chris Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN today, sadly. He was one of my favorite singers, he was one of my favorite fucking all-time songwriters, and the fact that he's gone makes this world a little bit smaller. So one time, make some fucking noise for Chris Cornell. I had the pleasure of hanging out with him, and he was, honestly, one of the coolest motherfuckers I have ever met in my fucking life. So we decided that we were gonna pay a little tribute to Mr. Cornell tonight. We learned this song today. In fact, I'm not completely sure we've learned it. But goddamn it, we're gonna give it our fucking best. I'm gonna do my best."

Fan-filmed video footage of STONE SOUR's "Outshined" performance can be seen below.

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Wednesday night (May 17) and was found dead in his hotel room at midnight. His death has since been ruled a suicide.

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

LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington has paid tribute to SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell in a heartfelt open letter.

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Wednesday night (May 17) and was found dead in his hotel room at midnight. His death has since been ruled a suicide.

In a post on Instagram, Bennington wrote: "I dreamt about THE BEATLES last night. I woke up with [BEATLES song] 'Rocky Raccoon' playing in my head and a concerned look on my wife's face. She told me my friend has just passed away. Thoughts of you flooded my mind and I wept. I'm still weeping, with sadness, as well as gratitude for having shared some very special moments with you and your beautiful family."

Bennington continued: "You have inspired me in many ways you could never have known. Your talent was pure and unrivaled. Your voice was joy and pain, anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one. I suppose that's what we all are. You helped me understand that.

"I just watched a video of you singing 'A Day In The Life' by THE BEATLES and thought of my dream. I'd like to think you were saying goodbye in your own way.

"I can't imagine a world without you in it. I pray you find peace in the next life. I send my love to your wife and children, friends and family. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life."

The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office has completed the autopsy on 52-year-old Chris Cornell, the Soundgarden frontman who died last night, May 17th, in Detroit, Michigan. The cause of death has been determined as “hanging by suicide.” Cornell's body was discovered in a hotel room following a concert. Soundgarden were currently on a North American tour and had played Wednesday night at the Fox Theatre.

Cornell was a native of Seattle, Washington, as are Heart. The Wilson Sisters have since commented on this unbelievable tragedy:

Ann Wilson: "It's important now to keep thoughts of Chris positive. He is on his way. We loved him well, now wish him well on his journey. He was and is a beautiful soul."

Nancy Wilson: "No one is ever prepared to hear about a death in the family.  And today Chris Cornell my brother from my Seattle music family is gone. I thought his voice would forever grace the world of music. Devastating."

The video below was filmed backstage at the 28th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2013. The RNRHOF chats with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, and Chris Cornell, who be inducted the group. In this interview, Ann and Nancy Wilson talk about being inducted, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and their setlist for the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, while Chris Cornell shares why Heart's music continues to resonate with him and how they helped inspire him and the Seattle music scene.

In the following video, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart play their classic rock hit "Barracuda" with Seattle rockers Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, live at the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles.

 

 

 

Fan-filmed video footage of METALLICA's May 17 performance at The New Coliseum Presented By NYCB in Uniondale, New York can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hardwired02. Atlas, Rise!03. For Whom The Bell Tolls04. Ride The Lightning05. The Unforgiven06. Now That We're Dead07. Moth Into Flame08. Harvester Of Sorrow09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)10. The Four Horsemen11. Sad But True12. One13. Master Of Puppets14. Fade To Black15. Seek & Destroy

Encore:

16. Blackened17. Nothing Else Matters18. Enter Sandman

A review of the concert can be found at Newsday.com.

METALLICA was joined in Uniondale, as they will be on most of the rest of the trek, by VOLBEAT and AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

The North American run will hit stadiums in 21 more cities before ending in mid-August. METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that the band was genuinely surprised to learn they could still play stadiums, saying, "It was like, 'Holy fuck, people really still care about this band in ways that you stopped taking for granted literally decades ago. It was very inspiring and kind of eye-opening."

He added: "Full stadium runs can sometimes be a little intimidating. There's all these things to worry about like, 'You should really try to play maybe only on the weekend,' and, 'Where do you play on Tuesday?' and some of those practicalities can get a little bewildering. We just threw caution to the wind. Doing a stadium run seemed like the perfect thing on the back of how well this record has been received and all the good will that's out there in METALLICA's world right now."

The next stop on the tour is Gillette Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday (May 19).

The official lyric video for "An Apathetic Grave", a brand new song from VALLENFYRE, the U.K. death metal band featuring Gregor Mackintosh, songwriter and guitarist of PARADISE LOST, alongside Hamish Glencross, formerly of MY DYING BRIDE, can be seen below. The track is taken from VALLENFYRE's third album, "Fear Those Who Fear Him", which will be released on June 2 via Century Media Records. Recorded by the band's new core lineup consisting of Mackintosh (vocals and guitar), 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, Massachusetts and mastered by Brad Boatright (OBITUARY, BEASTMILK, YOB) at Audiosiege Mastering in Portland, Oregon. The cover artwork was created by Hal Rotter.

Comments Mackintosh: "As a second taster of our new album 'Fear Those Who Fear Him', we would like to present you with the song 'An Apathetic Grave'. By total contrast to the previously released track 'Kill All Your Masters', this one is an extremely miserable, crushing doom song about a man reaching the end of his life and reflecting on the futility of it all."

"Fear Those Who Fear Him" will be released as gatefold LP+CD on limited colored and regular black 180-gram vinyl, as special edition digipak (international version), jewelcase CD (Canada, USA, Mexico only) and on all digital / streaming platforms.

Inspired by the likes of HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST, AUTOPSY, ANTISECT, DISCHARGE, NIHILIST, ENTOMBED, early NAPALM DEATH, early BATHORY and CONFLICT, VALLENFYRE have forged a trademark sound between rotting death metal driven by a chainsaw-like guitar sound, filthy doses of crust and early grind as well as crushing, depraved doom. Onstage, VALLENFYRE performs as a quintet with live members Sam Kelly-Wallace (rhythm guitar) and Chris Casket (bass) completing the lineup.

"Fear Those Who Fear Him" track listing:

01. Born To Decay02. Messiah03. Degeneration04. An Apathetic Grave05. Nihilist06. Amongst The Filth07. The Merciless Tide08. Dead World Breathes09. Soldier Of Christ10. Cursed From The Womb11. Kill All Your Masters12. Temple Of Rats

Mackintosh said: "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!"

Fan-filmed video footage of Chris Cornell's final concert with SOUNDGARDEN, which took place last night (Wednesday, May 17) at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, can be seen below (courtesy of Uncle Sam - Alive in Detroit).

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Ugly Truth02. Hunted Down03. Non-State Actor04. Spoonman05. Outshined06. Kickstand07. Black Hole Sun08. By Crooked Steps09. The Day I Tried To Live10. My Wave11. Been Away Too Long12. Fell On Black Days13. Mailman14. A Thousand Days Before15. Burden In My Hand16. Blow Up The Outside World17. Jesus Christ Pose

Encore:

18. Rusty Cage19. Slaves & Bulldozers

Cornell was found dead Wednesday night at the MGM Grand hotel in Detroit.

A representative for the Detroit Police told Variety that the death of is being investigated as a suicide.

"At 12 a.m. [local time], we received a 911 call from the MGM Grand Casino Hotel," Detroit Police director of media relations told Variety. "It appears as though a family friend was checking up on Cornell at his wife's request. He went to hotel and discovered him unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Police made the location with EMS, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"At present our investigation is leaning toward the possibility of suicide, but we must wait for a medical report to determine the cause of death. At this time we cannot release too much information about what we observed in Cornell's hotel room or what led us to this conclusion."

SOUNDGARDEN has been working on its seventh studio album since 2015, but the band took breaks while Cornell toured his "Higher Truth" solo set and drummer Matt Cameron hit the road with PEARL JAM.

SOUNDGARDEN reunited in 2010 after a 13-year hiatus, first touring and then writing and recording "King Animal", its first new studio album in 16 years.

The band kicked off a North American tour on May 3 in Atlanta, and was scheduled to wrap up the trek on May 27 at the Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma.

#Detroit finally back to Rock City!!!! @soundgarden #nomorebullshit pic.twitter.com/BqXx9veFoD

— Chris Cornell (@chriscornell) May 18, 2017

"Army Of Electrons", the new Core Atoms-animated video from ARCADEA, can be seen below.

Hailing from the fringes of the cosmos, ARCADEA will make its arrival known with the release of its self-titled debut album on June 16 via Relapse Records.

ARCADEA was born when drummer-vocalist Brann Dailor of MASTODON teamed up with guitarist and keyboardist Core Atoms (ZRUDA) to create a synth-laden progressive, heavy psych band. Adding guitarist Raheem Amlani (WITHERED) on synth, the three recorded their visionary, ten-song synth odyssey at Orange Peel Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Unlike their other bands, ARCADEA uses only keyboards in a unique blend of crushing, organic drums and psychedelic synthesizers. The music is at once electronic but not electronica, synthetic but not processed, heavy but not metal.

The album envisions a future five billion years from now, where the impending collision of galaxies creates a new order of planets. Where cold, distant moons pledge alliance to new suns and expanding gas giants implode into black holes. Ancient drones, forever adrift, record toxic tales of love between dying stars. Where lifeforms in suspended animation, dream among the ice rings of Saturn and cosmic war wages among gods and planets. It is in this universe that ARCADEA reign supreme as the last surviving space wizards since the final extinction.

"Arcadea" track listing:

01. Army Of Electrons02. Gas Giant03. Rings Of Saturn04. Neptune Moons05. Infinite End06. Electromagnetic07. Motion Of Planets08. The Pull Of Invisible Strings09. Through The Eye Of Pisces10. Worlds Can Go On11. Magnificent Facade

Photo credit: Core Atoms

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine has paid tribute to Chris Cornell, saying that the world has "lost one of the most beautiful voices in rock."

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday night (May 17) and was found dead in his Detroit hotel room at midnight.

Police in Detroit told Billboard that they are investigating Cornell's death as a possible suicide.

During MEGADETH's May 18 concert in Tokyo, Japan, Mustaine addressed Cornell's passing, telling the crowd (see video below): "Chris Cornell died today. Very sad. Very sad. Chris Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN — he died. Very sad. When I found out, I was so, so sad. Chris Cornell, a friend of mine, a friend of all of us from SOUNDGARDEN, died today and we have lost one of the most beautiful voices in rock and in history. And I don't even know what to say other than we're gonna dedicate this next song to you, our friends in Tokyo, 'cause we're here with you and we love you so much and we wanna celebrate Chris's life today."

He continued: "Now, I don't sing like Chris, I could never sing like Chris, but we're gonna sing a song right now. And if you know the words, sing with me. If you don't know the words, then just make noise.

"I love you, Chris. I'll see you one day up in heaven."

MEGADETH then proceeded to perform a cover of SOUNDGARDEN's "Outshined", with Mustaine handling only lead vocals while accompanied by his bandmates.

Video below courtesy of Josh Chalmers at JCPIX

PRONG will release its new album, "Zero Days", on July 28 via Steamhammer/SPV as a CD digipak, 2LP gatefold, digital download and as a stream.

Musically, "Zero Days" hits home from the first bars of the mighty opener "However It May End" to the last bars of the album's closing track, "Wasting Of The Dawn". Every track is its own emotional roller-coaster ride, chock-full of massive riffage, ironclad grooves and topped off by Victor's ever-improving vocal delivery.

"Zero Days" was once again produced by Tommy Victor, with trusted collaborator Chris Collier as co-producer and engineer.

Victor states about "Zero Days": "I must say a lot of effort was put into this new 'Zero Days' recording. From the minute I would get off tour, I would consolidate ideas from the road and form new ones. Again the focus was on creating good songs. We wanted this record to be modern as well as holding justice to all the previous releases. Again, and maybe even more than normally, I went crazy meticulous with the lyrics. I had built up a lot to say and I wanted to articulate them in the most intelligent way possible.I firmly believe the mission was accomplished all around.

"We are really pleased with the performances on this record as well," he continues. "It's a solid outing. We have the anthems, the bangers, the thrashers, the grooves, everything that makes up a PRONG record. It's definitely a record to listen to start to finish!!"

"Zero Days" track listing - CD digipak:

01. However It May End (3:36)02. Zero Days (3:35)03. Off The Grid (3:18)04. Divide And Conquer (3:16)05. Forced Into Tolerance (3:16)06. Interbeing (3:50)07. Blood Out Of Stone (4:12)08. Operation Of The Moral Law (3:30)09. The Whispers (3:19)10. Self Righteous Indignation (4:13)11. Rulers Of The Collective (3:01)12. Compulsive Future Projection (3:10)13. Wasting Of The Dawn (4:39)14. Reasons To Be Fearful (3:31) (bonus track)

Tracklisting 2LP:

Side 1

01. However It May End02. Zero Days03. Off The Grid Side 2

01. Divide And Conquer02. Forced Into Tolerance 03. Interbeing Side 3

01. Blood Out Of Stone02. Operation Of The Moral Law03. The Whispers Side 4

01. Self Righteous Indignation02. Rulers Of The Collective03. Compulsive Future Projection04. Wasting Of The Dawn

PRONG has also announced the 2017 European "Zero Days" summer tour, featuring some of the most coveted festivals as well as a run of headline shows.

Victor says: "Europe is a special place for PRONG and 2017 is shaping up to be another touring year for the history books. Many great festivals and great clubs are on the agenda and we will be bringing some new music along as well! We are extremely excited!"

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello has paid tribute to Chris Cornell, saying that his former AUDIOSLAVE bandmate's "beautiful voice and beautiful self will always be in my heart."

AUDIOSLAVE featured Cornell alongside Morello and fellow RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE members Tim Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums).

AUDIOSLAVE came together in 2001 following the then-dissolution of both SOUNDGARDEN and RAGE, releasing three studio albums and a historic concert set recorded in Cuba before Cornell exited in 2007, ending the band.

In an Instagram post, Morello wrote about Cornell: "I love you, brother. Thank you for your friendship and your humor and your intellect and your singular and unmatched talent. It was a great honor to know you as a friend and as a band mate. I am devastated and deeply saddened that you are gone, dear friend, but your unbridled rock power, delicate haunting melodies and the memory of your smile are with us forever. Your beautiful voice and beautiful self will always be in my heart. God bless you and your family."

AUDIOSLAVE performed together for the first time in over a decade on January 20, reuniting at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles as part of the Anti-Inaugural Ball, a star-studded concert protesting the swearing-in of Donald Trump as the nation's 45th president. The band played three of its best-known songs: "Cochise", "Like A Stone" and "Show Me How To Live".

A medical examiner has determined that SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell killed himself.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said that Cornell died as a result of a "suicide by hanging."

The Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News both reported that Cornell was found dead in a hotel room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel with "a band around his neck." However, these reports have not yet been corroborated by official police sources.

A full autopsy report, including toxicology results, has not yet been completed.

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday night (May 17) and reportedly appeared to be in good spirits to those in attendance and even talked about "the next place we play" during the show.

SOUNDGARDEN spokesperson Brian Bumbery called the death "sudden and unexpected" and said Cornell's wife and family were shocked by it. In a statement, he said the family would be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause and asked for privacy.

Sources who talked with Cornell's wife, Vicky Karayiannis, Thursday morning told TMZ that she spoke with her husband during soundcheck before he took the stage with SOUNDGARDEN in Detroit and after Wednesday night's show. Vicky was reportedly adamant that Chris was "not in any way, shape or form in a suicidal state. She doubled down and said there were no signs he was at all depressed," according to the site.

During their 13-year marriage, Cornell and Karayiannis became parents to two children — Toni, 12, and Christopher, 11. Cornell was also father to daughter Lillian Jean, 16, from his first marriage to former SOUNDGARDEN manager Susan Silver.

In addition to releasing four solo albums, Cornell fronted AUDIOSLAVE which he formed with RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE members Tim Commerford, Tom Morello and Brad Wilk. The supergroup released three studio albums before disbanding in 2007.

SOUNDGARDEN was set to headline Rock On The Range on Friday, May 19 in Columbus, Ohio. "We are devastated to hear about the sudden passing of Chris Cornell last night," the festival's organizers said in a statement. "He was a true hero to music. The voice of a generation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the entire music community. The voice of an angel, now watching down on us as we celebrate and honor him all weekend long."

HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale has paid tribute to Chris Cornell, saying that his influence "will always show itself in the music we create."

Cornell performed a concert with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday night (May 17) and was found dead in his Detroit hotel room at midnight.

Police in Detroit told Billboard that they are investigating Cornell's death as a possible suicide.

In a post on her Instagram account, Lzzy wrote: "There are no words to describe my feelings about Chris Cornell's sudden passing. His influence on me and the way so many others approached the microphone will always show itself in the music we create. He is survived by his wife and three kids including a beautiful daughter whom I heard also has an amazing voice of her own.

"Chris, we aren't sure what demons or circumstances brought you to your passing at only 52... but we thank you for the loudness, the guts, blood and the sweat you gave us in this life ... we will all carry your legacy forever. #chriscornell ...say hello to heaven."

HALESTORM recorded a version of SOUNDGARDEN's "Fell On Black Days" for its third covers EP, "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP", which came out in January. In addition, the Cornell-penned song "Hunger Strike" by Chris's side project TEMPLE OF THE DOG was covered on HALESTORM's first covers EP, 2011's "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP".

Norwegian progressive metallers LEPROUS will release their fifth studio album, "Malina", on August 25 via InsideOut Music. They have also announced an extensive European tour with Iceland's AGENT FRESCO, Australia's ALITHIA and fellow Norwegians ASTROSAUR. Following a hugely successful European tour as support to labelmates DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, LEPROUS started recording the follow-up to 2015's "The Congregation". Frontman and keyboard player Einar Solberg comments: "This album is the perfect example of how you can start with a vision and end up with a result that has nothing to do with the original idea.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This feeling is reflected in the stunning cover artwork too, which you can see below. Einar continues: "We wanted to try something new this time, and work with a new artist. Some good musician friends of ours recommended Corey Meyers. I checked him out, and damn he's good. This is the first time we've ever received the perfect cover on the first attempt. It represents the album perfectly and looks pretty amazing!" As mentioned, LEPROUS will head out on an extensive European tour this autumn with AGENT FRESCO as special guests, including an appearance at the U.K.'s Damnation Festival. LEPROUS comments: "We're super excited to announce that we're heading out on a European tour this fall to celebrate the new album. And guess what!? We're bringing one of our generations greatest with us: the amazing AGENT FRESCO! In addition to that we're bringing ALITHIA from Australia, as well as ASTROSAUR — the band featuring our great step-in guitarist from the Devin tour. This is a dream tour for us, to be able to perform in all of these great places for our fantastic fans, listen to amazing music every night and also travel Europe with really good friends!"

CELTIC FROST leader Thomas Gabriel Fischer has denounced BMG's recently announced plans to reissue the band's seminal Noise Records catalog on June 30. The reissues include four out of five of the band's Noise-era studio albums: "Morbid Tales", "To Mega Therion", "Into The Pandemonium" and "Vanity/Nemesis". The albums will be reissued on deluxe hardback CD and 180-gram double album sets, complete with posters and 10-inch spine bound book. All tracks have been fully remastered and releases contain previously unreleased and rare tracks.

In a recent blog post, Fischer explained the circumstances that led him to withdraw his endorsement of the project, particularly BMG's insistence on editing his album liner notes out of fear of a potential lawsuit from Noise Records' 1980s management.

Select excerpts from Fischer's blog post are as follows:

"Next to remastering, design, archive materials, and art direction, my contributions also included a number of detailed personal texts specially drafted for this new 2017 edition of the booklets of the individual albums. And this is where the past is once again catching up with CELTIC FROST. It was particularly the album 'Into The Pandemonium' which, in 1987, was created under dramatically detrimental conditions due to the increasingly pronounced disagreements between group and label. But our other albums with Noise Records were affected to some degree as well.

"It is obvious that such decisive occurrences would be part of the narrative of my liner notes, and it is equally obvious that such liner notes would inevitably reflect my very personal view as somebody who was, at the time, a member of the band, wrote the songs, co-designed the visual aspects of each album, and performed and produced in the studio. And it is exactly because of these facts that the powers that be at BMG Rights management objected.

"As part of what was, at all times, an exceptionally friendly and professional correspondence with the legal counsel BMG assigned to assess any potential legal problems, I received from London shortened versions of my liner notes, for review and approval. These were adoringly called 'redlined versions.' In this particular case, however, 'shortened' really amounts to 'grossly censored.' To name but one example, driven by a persistently obvious concern with regard to a potential lawsuit by one of the parties involved in the original 1980s releases, BMG censored and thus slashed my 'Into The Pandemonium' liner notes to approximately a third of their original volume. What remains of my texts is utterly mutilated and thus no longer amounts to a coherent narrative that makes any sense. These pathetic text fragments now fail to convey the full history of the individual albums.

"It is exactly because of the events CELTIC FROST endured during the 1980s that I am a radical opponent of any meddling or censorship by a record company, and that my present-day career is one hundred percent self-determined. Regardless of where one stood on the issue, the conflicts with Noise Records affected most of CELTIC FROST's activities significantly.

"One could be excused for being prompted to ponder that by executing such 'redlined' intrusions, BMG are, to a certain extent, seamlessly reenacting the modus operandi of the label they purchased, Noise Records. As for me, I am of course not inclined whatsoever to agree to have my texts censored. I thus informed BMG that I would rather withdraw my liner notes than to see them published in disfigured guise (a variety of censored drafts had been proposed to me), particularly since the events described therein have been public knowledge for many years and have also been experienced and corroborated by other Noise Records groups.

"And that's exactly what has taken place in the meantime; in early February of 2017, I withdrew all of my dedicated liner notes for the four albums reissued by BMG: 'Morbid Tales', 'To Mega Therion', 'Into The Pandemonium' and 'Vanity/Nemesis', and concluded my cooperation with BMG Rights. I was thus no longer involved when the reissue project arrived at the final review and approval stage.

"Throughout all of these developments regarding the reissues, the co-founder and former bassist of CELTIC FROST, Martin Eric Ain, was constantly kept in the loop with regard to all of these developments.

"Given this state of affairs, I no longer feel that I can endorse and support these reissues, as they no longer reflect the wishes, intentions, and identity of the band.

"It had been our intention for many, many years to finally see these albums reissued in fully complete — and thus ultimate — editions. There had even been (unsuccessful) efforts during the past decade to initiate a collaboration to that effect between our own label, Prowling Death Records, and the current holders of the rights. Unfortunately, due to the failure of this reissue project, it now seems exceedingly unlikely that such ultimate and fully band-endorsed reissues will see the light of the day during my lifetime."

CELTIC FROST's catalog (minus 1988's controversial, hair metal-inspired "Cold Lake") was previously reissued in 1999 by Noise with full involvement from Fischer.

CELTIC FROST reformed in 2001 and released their comeback album "Monotheist" via Century Media/Prowling Death in 2006. The band broke up in 2008, with Fischer going on to form TRIPTYKON.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, NICKELBACK's three biggest albums — 2001's "Silver Side Up", 2003's "The Long Road" and 2005's "All The Right Reasons" — are being reissued on vinyl on July 7. Each copy will be pressed on 140-gram vinyl, which is slightly heavier than the standard used during the original era of pre-CD vinyl album sales and can help prevent the risk of the LP warping. The records will be housed in a standard jacket and this will mark the first time that "The Long Road" and "All The Right Reasons" will be available in the vinyl format.

Guitarist Ryan Peake said: "As a vinyl collector myself, I am elated that Rhino will be releasing three of our albums on vinyl this July. Each of these albums were pivotal for us in so many different ways and to be able to share them in this format, with our supporters, is humbling."

NICKELBACK's ninth studio album, "Feed The Machine", will arrive on June 16. It follows up 2014's "No Fixed Address".

The band has released two singles from the disc, the title track and "Song On Fire".

NICKELBACK will begin a lengthy 44-date North American tour to promote the disc on June 23 in Noblesville, Indiana. Support will come from DAUGHTRY, SHAMAN'S HARVEST and, on selected dates, CHEAP TRICK.

SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell died Wednesday night, his representative has confirmed.

The representative, Brian Bumbery, called Cornell's passing "sudden and unexpected." He added in a statement: "His wife Vicky and family were shocked to learn of his sudden and unexpected passing, and they will be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause. They would like to thank his fans for their continuous love and loyalty and ask that their privacy be respected at this time."

The 52-year-old musician was in Detroit where he performed with SOUNDGARDEN at the Fox Theatre.

SOUNDGARDEN has been working on its seventh studio album since 2015, but the band took breaks while Cornell toured his "Higher Truth" solo set and drummer Matt Cameron hit the road with PEARL JAM.

SOUNDGARDEN reunited in 2010 after a 13-year hiatus, first touring and then writing and recording "King Animal", its first new studio album in 16 years.

The band kicked off a North American tour on May 3 in Atlanta, and was scheduled to wrap up the trek on May 27 at the Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma.

In 2002, Cornell checked himself in to rehab for two months after years of drug and alcohol addictions, forcing his then-band AUDIOSLAVE to cancel what would have been its first tour and leading to Cornell also separating at the time from former SOUNDGARDEN manager and then-wife Susan Silver. He told The Pulse Of Radio a while back what finally led him to check himself into rehab. "I really had to come to the conclusion, the sort of humbling conclusion that, guess what, I'm no different than anybody else, I've got to sort of ask for help — not something I ever did, ever," he said. "And then part two of that is, like, accept it when it comes and, you know, believe what people tell me. And trusting in what I have been told, and then seeing that work."

In a 2015 interview, Cornell weighed in on the controversy of rockers, drugs and who's to blame for their sometimes deadly combination. The singer said he didn't believe that the music industry was responsible for the deaths of rockers Scott Weiland of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER, Kurt Cobain of NIRVANA and Layne Staley of ALICE IN CHAINS. "If you go into a 12-step meeting in any city, and you count 75 people, and you ask how many people are musicians, you're gonna get two, and everybody else is gonna be from every walk of life that you can imagine," he said. "The same as Scott Weiland's mother crying, there are mothers crying who have lost their sons who are construction workers, mechanics — literally anything you can think of — and it's happening every day. And the only difference between a musician that's famous and that other kid is that we don't talk about them on the radio. That's kind of it… They're not somebody that is a public personality that's already been talked about for other reasons."

Ancestral Dawn have released a video featuring their full album, Souldance. This video will be available on YouTube for one week only, then it will be removed.

Mixing ancient South American instruments, international world class guests and an Inca culture-based storytelling, the band turns its first album into a powerful and unique metal opera.

The band was created in 2013 by bassist Jorge Higginson, teaming up with Jorge Segersbol (vocals) and Mark Astorga (management). That year, they released their first single, “Rise Of The Ancestor”, featuring singer Jonas Heidgert from the Swedish band, Dragonland.

Souldance is a powerful and unique metal opera featuring the following guest vocalists: 

“The Traveller” - Fabio Lione (Rhapsody/Angra) 
“Enter The Shaman” - Rick Altzi (Masterplan/At Vance) 
“Rise Of The Ancestor” - Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland/Destiny), Rick Altzi (Masterplan/At Vance) 
“Leading To Nowhere” - Fabio Lione (Rhapsody/Angra), Nahtalie Markoch 
“Souldance” - Mark Boals (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen), Roland Grapow (Masterplan/ex-Hellowen) solo 
“Whispers In The Grey” - Amanda Somerville (Avantasia/Kiske Somerville) 
“StormHaze” - Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) 
“The Eyes Of The Universe” - Rick Altzi (Masterplan/At Vance), Mark Boals (ex-Yngwie 
Malmsteen), Amanda Somerville (Avantasia/Kiske Somerville), Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland/Destiny)

Souldance was released April 28th on FC Metal Recordings (Soulfood) and can be ordered here.

KillSET is the combination of a professional, well-oiled (finely tuned) metal machine and an explosive, super charged charismatic front man - as evidenced by their upcoming album, S.T.F.U. (release date: June 23rd). Having been produced by Eddie Wohl (Fuel, Smile Empty Soul, ill Niño, 36 Crazyfists) and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, ill Niño, Sepultura), this sophomore effort is polished and ready to take over the world. The leadoff single/video, “Killers In The Pit,” serves as the perfect introduction to the unique flavor of the band with crushing riffs, shouted vocals, and heavy-duty rhythms. 

“’Killers In The Pit,’ is simply a song for our fans, the Killers!,” explains the band. “It’s for everyone that supports our music. It’s for everyone that takes the time out of their lives to come down to our shows and tear up the place with us! It's about finding a positive and fun way to get rid of that extra energy and stress that so many people feel in their lives. We decided to drop this single first because music needs some flavor right now and we're bringing that not only with this track, but the whole S.T.F.U. album! As it says in the song...let's show the world!!!”

Other standout tracks include “Get Up” and a cover of Kris Kross’ ‘90s hit, “Jump,” which are among the favorites of the band and singer Luca.

The band: "It's not how many times you fall. It's how many times you get up! We all get knocked down in this life, but the true test of a person is taking those hits and having the strength to get back up. No matter the trials and tribulations that one may face, we must overcome! We must GET UP!”

Luca: "When I suggested ‘Jump’ as a cover, I was really surprised the guys were down.  We started jamming and messing around with it, and it became obvious that this was the cover we needed to do and that we also needed to go all out and shoot a parody music video!  So I wrote the script and then we went to thrift stores and bought the biggest jeans they had, timberland boots, leather woven belts, boomboxes, jerseys, cross colours clothes and I had my mom send out my old pager and the rest is history...haha. The song came out sick and I think it was by far the most fun any of us have ever had shooting a music video!"

KillSET was created when former ARCM members, James "Jas" Dillon (Drums), Mark Baker (Bass), and Dave Comer (Guitars), combined forces with new singer Luca (Choleric). Instantly, there was an addictive atmosphere in the writing process that could not be denied. The contributions and writing styles of each member seemed to perfectly complement one another's individual uniqueness, to create a sound that beautifully kills. 

KillSET then joined forces with renowned producer, Eddie Wohl (Fuel, Smile Empty Soul, ill Nino, 36 Crazyfists) and completed their debut full-length album Know Your Killer, demonstrating their signature sound of pure ferocity and simple beauty. The overwhelming support of the freshman album allowed KillSET the opportunities to share the stage with Fear Factory, Otep, Red, Adrenaline Mob, Flaw, Nothing More, and Saliva.  The band then chose to embark on another musical journey, again collaborating with producer Eddie Wohl, which has culminated in a sophomore effort that will undoubtedly impact anyone who dares to listen. With the ability to transcend the current generic norm, the new album, S.T.F.U. has a diversity and flavor that is simply undeniable - which fans will soon hear for themselves.

Tracklisting:

“Get Up”
“Bully”
“Killers In The Pit”
“Tomorrow”
“Broken Angel”
“Jump”
“How Dare You”
“Animal”
“Not A Love Song”
“Don’t Let Me Die”

S.T.F.U. can be purchased at this location.

American/Canadian power metal band, Insatia, has announced the release of Phoenix Aflame, the follow-up to their 2013 release, Asylum Denied. Produced by Fabio D'Amore (Serenity) and his partner Ivan Moni Bidin (Starsick System, Pathosray, Last Warning), Phoenix Aflame is due to release June 23rd via Pitch Black Records. Order here.

"It's really a more interesting power metal scene in North America than I think most people are aware of, and it's nice to contribute to it with this album that pays homage to the immense history of a genre that's historically thrived in Europe." - Zoe Federoff

Tracklisting:

“Intro (Land Of The Living)”
“Act Of Mercy”
“Memory Of A Sapphire”
“Sacred”
“We Are The Grey”
“Phoenix Aflame”
“Not My God”
“Captor And Captive”
“Velvet Road”
“Healer Of Hatred”

“Phoenix Aflame”:

Crystal Tears have tapped Ryan Roxie to guest on their new album due to later this year. While on a tour break, Alice Cooper, Gibson artist visited Greece for a guest solo on the new Crystal Tears album and an exclusive acoustic show. 

Drummer Chrisafis Tantanozis comments: "Well... Ryan guests on Crystal Tears' album and Crystal Tears guested on his exclusive acoustic show in Thessaloniki... ha! And that WAS a blast! I can't wait until the album is out, Ryan is original and the best-est rockstar buddy someone could ever meet, jam & record with."

But Crystal Tears didn't stop there, they decided to go Asia as well! The band has tapped Filipino shredder and Legator artist Fidel De Jesus (Xeno Devata Project) and Indonesian guitar mastermind Karis (Deadsquad, Republik Gitar Management). 

Chrisafis: "I've been lately digging Asian scene and there are some of the greatest talents out there indeed, combined with great working ethos and genuine personalities. Really wanted to get more connected with these beautiful people in music and mind, I'm so happy and proud about these two collaborations."

June 2nd will mark the release of Global Music Award-winning nomadic folk metal group Tengger Cavalry's new full-length album, Die On My Ride. Tengger Cavalry is introducing a third track into the mix. "Cursed" is a more introspective look at breaking down personal barriers risen by oneself and others.

"'Cursed' is about breaking barriers," says frontman Nature G. "Society has always put up different mental and physical barriers barring individuals just trying to achieve their dreams. You are too short, you are minority, you are a female not a man, you are from somewhere else, you don't look good enough. All these disadvantages that we think we are born with, are like a curse to us. We are cursed for believing these barriers, aren't we? No, we are not. We need to break this barrier of belief. We need to strike it and claim who we are supposed to be. Cursed, or rise above the curse."

The new album expands on the band's celebrated, exotic metal-meets-Mongolian/Central Asian musical influence and lyrical explorations of tradition, history and warfare by delving into more topical themes of personally-experienced racial discrimination, identity conflicts and equal rights issues.

Die On My Ride was self-produced at Nature G's production studio Raiding Media, and is available to pre-order now in both physical CD and vinyl format via M-Theory Audio or digitally via the band's Bandcamp page.

Tracklisting:

“Snow”
“Die On My Ride”
“Independence Day”
“To The Sky”
“Prayer”
“Strike”
“Ashley”
“Cursed”
“The Frontline”
“The Choice Of My Mind”
“Me Against Me”
“We Will Survive” (Bonus)
“Burn” (Bonus)

"Cursed" lyric video:

“Ashley” lyric video:

“Die On My Ride”:

Die On My Ride is Tengger Cavalry's first album available in vinyl format, as well as their first album to be released with M-Theory Audio - the new label recently launched by Marco Barbieri, former president of Century Media Records and Nuclear Blast America. The album is distributed by AISA/RED in North America.

Just a day after the album drops, the band will kick off a 25+ date North American headline tour featuring support from Venezuelan world music/progressive fusion guitarist Felix Martin and pagan folk metal group Helsott.

The tour will begin in Montreal, QC on June 3rd and visit several other major Canadian and US cities before coming to an end on July 8th in Manchester, NH (Helsott will appear June 18th - June 27th). See below for a full listing of dates.

Tengger Cavalry frontman Nature G states: "After so many months off the road, hours and hours of recording in the studio and many intense rehearsals, we are so excited to finally hit the road and raid with Felix Martin and Helsott! Helsott is amazing - they play European-influenced pagan folk metal, and Felix Martin is an absolutely skillful progressive-influenced metal/rock act. We're stoked to play many songs from our brand new album and also to have these awesome fellow world/folk music artists out with us!"

Tour Dates with Felix Martin, Helsott:

June
3 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz
4 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks
5 - Toronto, ON - Hard Luck
6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo
8 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
9 - Indianapolis, IN - Taps Live
10 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
11 - Fargo, ND - Aquarium
13 - Winnipeg, MB - Windsor Hotel
14 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
15 - Edmonton, AB - Brixx
16 - Calgary, AB - Distortion
18 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater*
19 - Seattle, WA - Highline*
21 - Portland, OR - Dantes*
23 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill*
24 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar*
25 - Phoenix, AZ - Club Red*
27 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive*
28 - Kansas, City MO - Riot Room
29 - St Louis, MO - Fubar
30 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone

July
1 - Nashville, TN - East Room
3 - Atlanta, GA - 529
4 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight
5 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Fire
7 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
8 - Manchester, NH - Jewel

* Helsott will appear June 18th - June 27th

Each night on tour, fans can look forward to hearing Tengger Cavalry favorites and new tracks from the band's aforementioned new album, Die On My Ride.

(Photo - Zilan Fan Photography)

Condolences, the new album from Wednesday 13, will be released on June 2nd via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Check out a new album trailer below:

Preorder Condolences in the format of your choice at this location or digitally at iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play.

Condolences was produced, mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (Hatebreed, Rob Zombie). Artwork was created by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia, Nevermore).

Tracklisting:

"Last Rites"
"What The Night Brings"
"Cadaverous"
"Blood Sick"
"Good Riddance"
"You Breathe, I Kill"
"Omen Amen"
"Cruel To You"
"Eulogy XIII"
"Prey For Me"
"Lonesome Road To Hell"
"Condolences"
"Death Infinity"

“Blood Sick” video:

"What The Night Brings" video:

Wednesday 13 will return to the road this summer in support of Condolences. All dates are listed below. Wednesday 13 will be joined by Once Human and Gabriel And The Apocalypse on this run.

Dates:

June
16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
17 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunshine Studios
18 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
20 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
21 - Gallup, NM - Juggernaut Music
22 - Flagstaff, AZ - The Green Room
23 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp’d
24 - Fresno, CA - Fulton 55
25 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
27 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
28 - Mesa, AZ - Club Red
30 - Abilene, TX - My Place

July
1 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
2 - Austin, TX - Grizzly Hall
4 - New Orleans, LA - Southport Music Hall
6 - Dallas, TX - Trees
7 - Tulsa, OK - The Vanguard
8 - Oklahoma City, OK - Oklahoma City Limits
9 - St. Louis, MO - Fuba
11 - Indianapolis, IN - Emerson Theater
12 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar
13 - Berwyn, IL - The Wire
14 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
15 - St. Paul, MN - Amsterdam Bar
16 - Sioux Falls, SD - Bigs Sports Bar
18 - Minot, ND - The “O” Bar
20 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
21 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
23 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven

Wishbone Ash, one of the most influential guitar bands in the history of rock, recently announced a lineup change. After more than a decade of making albums and touring the world with the band, guitarist Muddy Manninen has left to pursue his own musical interests.

“It's been a very rewarding relationship with some great work being laid down, from Clan Destiny to Blue Horizon,” said bandleader Andy Powell (guitar, lead vocals). “We sincerely thank Muddy and wish him good luck on his solo project, currently well under way.”

Jumping into the fray as Muddy's replacement - and the ninth in a long and illustrious line of guitar players that form part of the fabled Wishbone Ash twin-lead section - is Mark Abrahams, who has been preparing for this gig since the tender age of 9, when he first picked up a guitar and started to figure out some of those well-known lines that have inspired generations of guitar players.

“It was the sound of the twin lead guitars that first caught my attention. The sound was different to any other music I had heard up until that point,” Mark said. “A couple of years after my first discovery of Wishbone Ash, my dad had a couple of VHS videos of the reunion gigs, and I would sit and watch them for hours. I was hooked!”

“I'm happy to say Mark's a Les Paul and Strat man; these two guitars have always been an important part of Wishbone's sound,” Powell said. “He also plays Elvidge Custom Guitars.”

The owner of Vision Guitars in Castleford, Yorkshire, UK, Mark has worked in musical instrument retail since leaving Leeds College of Music in 1997. Most recently with Yorkshire band Coyote, Mark has played 100 dates a year, and has toured with Ron Thal (ex-Guns N' Roses) and Graham Oliver, Steve Dawson's version of Saxon.

Mark's debut performance with Wishbone Ash will be at the upcoming Sweden Rock festival (June 9th), alongside the likes of Kings X, Aerosmith and the Scorpions.

“I've been overwhelmed by the response from Wishbone Ash fans, and I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to you all for the positive comments and 'welcomes' to the band,” said Mark. “Thank you! It means a lot to this Yorkshire lad who's just had the dream of a lifetime come true.”

“It's going to be an exciting new phase for Wishbone Ash,” said Powell. “Come and check us out on the road as we welcome Mark Abrahams into the band.”

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

For a first preview of The Cicada Tree, a new video for the single "New Ways To Bear Witness" (featuring a cameo by Skeletonwitch's Dustin Boltjes, as well as ex-Byzantine drummer Matt Wolfe) has been launched online. Directed/edited by Holly Siders, the filming of "New Ways To Bear Witness" resulted in Chris "OJ" Ojeda (vocals, rhythm guitar) suffering a concussion.

OJ comments about the experience: "So, we came up with an idea of having our old drummer do a cameo appearance in the music video. Matt Wolfe left the band right before we signed with Metal Blade and had occupied the drum seat for the last 12 years. We felt it was a perfect opportunity to let fans know that we still love Matt and he’s still welcome and important to our band. What's the best way to have an ousted band member make a cameo? To hit me with a vehicle, of course! We set up the scene and did about 5 or 6 takes of Wolfe hitting me with the vehicle and me rolling off the vehicle. I didn't know until we wrapped shooting the next day that something was wrong and had a very hard time driving home. I contacted an ER doctor friend of mine who told me I needed to come see him ASAP. After a CT Scan and an EKG, he let me know I had a standard sports type concussion from repeatedly hitting my head during the video shoot. I got 3 days off work and a cool story out of it! Rock!"

Watch the new video below.

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

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

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

In conjunction with PledgeMusic, The Cicada Tree can also be pre-ordered here, where you can reserve your copy of the album, signed material from the band, apparel, and more.

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

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

The Cicada Tree tracklisting:

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

“New Ways To Bear Witness” video:

Castro Valley, California, based groove metal act The Power Of Pain have released a new single and video for the track "Tastes Like H8”, a song tackling the subject of teen bullying, featuring Exodus singer Steve “Zetro” Souza. The song, taken from their newly released album, My Dark Secret, was produced by Juan Urteaga (Testament, Exodus, Machine Head) at Trident Studios, with additional tracking done at Green Day's Jingle Town Studio. Video production duties were handled by Wayne Marsala (Testament, Exodus). Watch below.

Formed in 2015 by long time bay area guitarist Mike Roberts (Misery / Bleed The Freaks), The Power Of Pain picked up where Bleed The Freaks left off, keeping fellow Bleed The Freaks guitarist Josh Bailey on board. The two assembled a new band, completed by singer Chris Carlton, bassist Zack Brown, and drummer Steve Rubio, and went straight to the studio.

"Bleed The Freaks went through a bad break up," reflects Roberts. "I felt that everyone had given up on me, but perseverance was my goal. Having a full CD of music ready to go, I just forged on," he states. The result is My Dark Secret, a ten song slab of top shelf groove metal, rounded out by a cover of the UFO classic, "Natural Thing”.”

A guitarist since 1980, Mike Roberts grew up in the heart of the bay area scene, literally watching the beginning of thrash metal unfold. Friends he made in the early years would go onto major stardom, including Steve 'Zetro' Souza, who lent his signature vocal snarl to the new record.

"Zet and I are childhood friends and long time Raiders fans together," says Roberts. "I had written the song with him in mind. Zet is a true professional. He came in the studio and sang the song in one take. We filmed the video on his birthday. I'm very grateful that he is a part of it."

My Dark Secret is available on iTunes and all major digital outlets now.

Tracklisting:

“Severed Ties”
“My Dark Secret”
“Suffocated”
“War Within”
“Preachin To The Choir”
“Tastes Like H8” (featuring Steve 'Zetro' Souza)
“Winters Fall”
“How Well I Know”
“Walk Away”
“Natural Thing” (UFO cover)

“Tastes Like H8” video: