"None Of The Above", a brand new song from PAPA ROACH, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's ninth studio album, "Crooked Teeth", which will be released on May 19 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc will be available digitally and physically, as a standard (10 tracks) and deluxe (10 tracks + 3 brand new tracks + 16 Live tracks Live at the Fillmore Detroit) editions (see details below).

Written and recorded in a cramped North Hollywood studio, "Crooked Teeth" was produced by first timers Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Colin Brittain, with the exception of "Born For Greatness", which saw the band collaborate with writer/producer Jason Evigan (Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Zedd, MAROON 5) for this positive, pulsating anthem. Furlong and Brittain, who grew up listening to PAPA ROACH, inspired the band to revisit some of the traits that personally endeared the band to them, most notably singer Jacoby Shaddix's remarkable rapping technique and the band's intense live energy.

"The first time we met up with RAS and Colin, they said that [2000's] 'Infest' was on constant rotation when they were growing up and they wanted to bring back some of that fire," says Shaddix. Adds Furlong, "The whole idea was to take the classic elements of PAPA ROACH that everyone loved and revamp them into a modern version of the sound through the creative process, and we ended up with a bold, courageous and more adventurous version of PAPA ROACH."

The Furlong/Brittain production team worked to bring in elements of music from different genres and parts of the world, and pockets of rhythm people associate more with rap or reggae, while still staying true to PAPA ROACH's sound. "The people who have wanted to hear me rap for years are gonna love some of the viciousness on this record," Shaddix proclaims.

From the instantly infectious nature of the title track to the atmospheric sheen of the moody ballad "Periscope" (featuring Skylar Grey) and the acoustic/ hip-hop rock mashup of "Sunrise Trailer Park" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly adding a verse to Shaddix rap) "Crooked Teeth" displays the various sides of PAPA ROACH and illustrates why they've managed to remain relevant while other musical trends ebb and flow. "We didn't go into this album with the intention of trying to write radio singles," guitarist Jerry Horton explains. "This collection of songs was really about bookending everything that we’ve done prior to this album and reintroducing PAPA ROACH to people who didn't realize the depth that we have," says drummer Tony Palermo.

In many ways making "Crooked Teeth" reminded Shaddix of the band's earliest days, well before they sold millions of albums and became a household name. "When we were in the rehearsal space I wasn't thinking about who I needed to impress, I was thinking about how much I love making music with the guys in this band." "It [the album] feels honest and pure and that’s all we could hope for," adds bassist Tobin Esperance.

"Crooked Teeth" track listing:

Standard Edition (Digital, CD, Vinyl)

01. Break The Fall02. Crooked Teeth03. My Medication04. Born For Greatness05. American Dreams06. Periscope (feat. Skylar Grey)07. Help08. Sunrise Trailer Park (feat. Machine Gun Kelly)09. Traumatic10. None Of The Above

Deluxe Edition (Digital + CD Only)

Disc 1

01. Break The Fall02. Crooked Teeth03. My Medication04. Born For Greatness05. American Dreams06. Periscope (feat. Skylar Grey)07. Help08. Sunrise Trailer Park (feat. Machine Gun Kelly)09. Traumatic10. None Of The Above11. Richochet (bonus)12. Nothing (bonus)13. Bleeding Through (bonus)

Disc 2

01. Intro (Live at Fillmore Detroit)02. Face Everything And Rise (live at Fillmore Detroit)03. Getting Away With Murder (live at Fillmore Detroit)04. Between Angels And Insects (live at Fillmore Detroit)05. Where Did The Angels Go? (live at Fillmore Detroit)06. Broken Home (live at Fillmore Detroit)07. Burn (live at Fillmore Detroit)08. Forever (live at Fillmore Detroit)09. Scars (live at Fillmore Detroit)10. Lifeline (live at Fillmore Detroit)11. Infest (live at Fillmore Detroit)12. Kick In The Teeth (live at Fillmore Detroit)13. Broken As Me (live at Fillmore Detroit)14. Still Swingin' (live at Fillmore Detroit)15. To Be Loved (live at Fillmore Detroit)16. Last Resort (live at Fillmore Detroit)

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

Less than three years after his departure from the British rock act THE DARKNESS, original drummer and founding member Ed Graham is back with a new alternative rock band, PUPPETS TO THE SUPREME COMMANDER, and the release of their debut single, "Ball & Chain". The single, from the band's new four-track EP, was released on April 28 on the Ashwood Music label and reveals an exciting new sound which Ed has been working on with the multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Angus Duprey since January 2015.

Talking about PUPPETS TO THE SUPREME COMMANDER, Ed said: "After leaving THE DARKNESS, I took some time out to put together the right formula for my next project and I'm very excited about the PUPPETS and the music we're making.

"Angus and I started out with the philosophy that there are no rules. If we want to write a rock, song we'll do that; if we want to write a pop song, we'll do that; if we want to write a punk/grunge/new wave song, we'll do that.

"Angus is brilliant at composing songs and can just pick up an acoustic guitar and spontaneously sing a song about the things around him from the people in the room to what's happening in his life.

"One thing I've learnt from my 17 years in the music business is the importance of good songwriting. You can have the best musicians in the world, but without great songs, there is little point.

"It's wonderful to be back playing great rock music with great musicians.

"We're very lucky to have compiled a band of talented players who can interpret the music and produce the exact sound we're trying to make."

With no shortage of talented musicians in the East Anglian region, there were plenty of offers and artists to work with, and several options were tried before the current lineup for PUPPETS TO THE SUPREME COMMANDER was finalized.

Joining Ed and Angus are musicians who have played with a diverse range of artists. On bass is multi-instrumentalist David Donley (SEX PISTOLS' Glen Matlock, Adam Ant), on keys is another multi-instrumentalist Rebecca Waller (The National Symphony Orchestra, WU TANG CLAN's GhostFace Killah), and David Miles (BJORN AGAIN) on lead guitar.

Owner of Ashwood Music, Sotos Yiasimi commented: "We believe that the PUPPETS have the vital ingredients to be successful in the music business today and are really proud to be part of the next bit of Ed's musical journey."

Ed said that he was thankful for the support of Ashwood Music and is enjoying having more artistic input into the musical output and video concepts than in his previous work.

Ed played an active role in the production of the DVD to accompany the single, which was filmed at a 1940s disused radar base on the cliffs of Hopton-on-Sea on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

The name PUPPETS TO THE SUPREME COMMANDER came from the title of a song Angus performed with a previous band, GOID, and is a reference to the classical composer Arnold Schoenberg, who was quoted as saying, "When a musical idea unexpectedly pops into your head, it's a gift from the supreme commander.'

During a five-year period THE DARKNESS took a break from the business, Ed formed and played with the heavy metal band STONE GODS until THE DARKNESS's reunion in 2011. Since leaving THE DARKNESS, Ed has been working on personal creative projects, been the subject of a fine art photographic documentary by rock art photographer Nick Elliott.

Originating from Oulton Broad in Lowestoft, Suffolk, Ed has returned to East Anglia and now resides in Norwich. Band photo credit: Trevor Fuller

Fans of one of classic rock's all-time great acts FOGHAT have a lot to look forward to this year: the 40th anniversary of the band's double-platinum album "Foghat Live!" To celebrate the occasion, these veteran rockers are releasing "Live At The Belly Up", yet another great live performance from last year's show at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California. And for the 2017 tour, these road warriors will be playing the entire 1977 "Live" album in their set to continue the party!

Formed in 1971 in London, England, FOGHAT has amassed eight gold records, one platinum, and one double-platinum record. They've scored hits with the songs "Slow Ride", "Fool For The City", a cover of "I Just Want to Make Love To You", "Stone Blue" and "Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was a Fool)", all of which are still in regular rotation on classic rock radio.

2016 was a fantastic year for the band as their studio album "Under The Influence" was released both on vinyl and CD to great acclaim. And now, in 2017, fans of one of classic rock's all-time great acts have not only a new live release to look forward to but also a very healthy and interesting tour schedule.

"Live At The Belly Up", issued in February digitally, will drop on June 30 on Foghat Records as a CD version.

In anticipation of the June 30 physical release, FOGHAT is launching a campaign through PledgeMusic for fans to pre-order the CD along with exclusive "Foghat Live At The Belly Up" custom merchandise and experiences for purchase.

Recorded on August 11, 2016, "Live At The Belly Up" opens with the one-two punch of "Fool For The City" and "Eight Days On The Road" and doesn't let up until the last note of the raucous 10-minute, no-holds-barred set closer "Slow Ride". The setlist is a solid representation of the band's body of work to date. Three tracks from "Under The Influence" make their live recording debut as well: "Under The Influence", "Knock It Off" and "Hot Mama".

According to lead singer Charlie Huhn, "The band just wants to make sure that after every show, fans are convinced they just got rocked, from the second we start the first song to the end of the show."

The members of FOGHAT just love to play, and their long tradition of relentless touring continues with lots of shows lined up for 2017. The next two will be at two very cool clubs in the Los Angeles area, The Rose in Pasadena on May 25 and The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on May 26. Then on to a very full schedule for the rest of the year.

"Live at the Belly Up" track listing:

01. Fool For City / Eight Days On The Road02. Under The Influence 03. Stone Blue 04. Drivin' Wheel 05. Knock It Off 06. Terraplane Blues 07. Hot Mama 08. California Blues 09. I Just Want To Make Love To You 10. Slow Ride

"Walk Through Fire", a brand new song from Polish extreme black/death metallers HATE, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Tremendum", which is being released today (Friday, May 5) via Napalm Records. The cover artwork was created by Daniel Rusilowicz and can be seen below.

The title "Tremendum" (eeriness and the fear of the holy) refers to an archaic notion of holiness, which is both good and evil. And you will have absolutely no doubt which part of it this band represents.

You will rediscover the band and on a new level, as they seem to reach into different musical resources, including progressive beats, ingenious song structures and a completely new sound, which is still authentically harsh and yet very powerful.

Buszko stated about the album artwork: "The drawing on the cover depicts a nighthawk (Polish: lelek), a nocturnal bird that was treated with great respect by Slavic tribes in pre-Christian times. Nighthawks were believed to bring souls to this world and take them away from dying people. In that case, they gathered in big numbers screeching for long hours. So they were called 'messengers of death.' As this album has different Slavic references, we chose Nighthawk as a symbol that best conveys its meaning."

In a 2016 interview with All About The Rock, HATE leader Adam "ATF Sinner" Buszko stated about the songwriting process for "Tremendum": "What I can tell you is that we took a new direction; we want to renew the whole sound of the band and we have a different approach to writing songs — we are doing it all to the last detail in our rehearsal room. Nothing is created on a computer this time. So when it comes to composing, we are kind of back to the roots. We also changed the studio; it will not be Hertz any more, but Custom 34 in Gdańsk, Poland, where we will be working with Arek 'Malta' Malczewski behind the console.

"It all sounds very fresh, very dynamic and we are back to truly extreme and dark music, which makes me feel great! There are some ethnic vibes in the songs as well as strong industrial-like elements. I plan to write a few lyrics in Polish for the first time as well. There will definitely be some choruses in Polish, so that'll be quite a change too."

"Tremendum" track listing:

01. Asuric Being02. Indestructible Pillar03. Svarog's Mountain04. Numinosum05. Fidelis Ad Mortem06. Into Burning Gehenna07. Sea Of Rubble08. Ghostforce09. Walk Through Fire10. Hearts Of Steel (Bonus Track)

HATE is:

Adam "ATF Sinner" Buszko - Guitar, VocalsPavulon - DrumsApeiron - Bass (live)Domin - Guitar (live)

Southern California’s Empyrean Throne have signed with M-Theory Audio. The group's debut album, Chaosborne - produced by Mick Kenney of Anaal Nathrakh - will be released this summer. More information about the recording will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Over the past five years, Empyrean Throne, who describe themselves as a “clandestine order of Chaos-Gnostic black metal practitioners,” has built a steady regional following through theatrical performances alongside the likes of Nile, Overkill, Kataklysm, Aborted and Cattle Decapitation, as well as two West Coast tours of their own. In addition, their 2013 debut EP Demonseed and subsequent digital singles (including a cover of Behemoth's “Ov Fire And The Void”) have hinted at the promise that's on full display on Chaosborne.

Late last year, the group unveiled a video for the Chaosborne track “Haereticus Stellarum Part II”. Brimming with the venom and hatred one would expect from titans like Watain and reinforced by haunting chants and invocations more akin to bands like Batushka, “Haereticus Stellarum Part II” delivers a sonic flogging from start to finish and shows that Empyrean Throne are able to simultaneously wield the blades of both the raw elements of traditional black metal and experimental orchestral music, a feat few modern bands can accomplish. The video, which offers a glimpse into the ritualistic practices of the Gnostic order, can be seen below:

Featuring a burgeoning roster that includes such notable acts as Nomadic Folk Metal group Tengger Cavalry, Pagan metal warriors Helsott and doom / psychedelic outfit Blackfinger (featuring former Trouble vocalist Eric Wagner), M-Theory Audio is the new label helmed by Marco Barbieri, former president of Century Media Records and Nuclear Blast America.

Says Empyrean Throne vocalist Andrew Knudsen, “Marco is a man of vision, and his continuing hard work and achievements in the music industry are a testament to this. His excitement and enthusiasm for what our Order hopes to achieve and cultivate is what we have been searching for in a label. We are hungry for the growth Marco has planned for us and are ready to carve a path of sonic destruction across the face of the extreme music scene. We’re both honored and humbled to join Marco and the M-Theory ranks for the release of Chaosborne.”

Adds Barbieri, “Empyrean Throne came to my attention when I noticed the 'Haereticus' video. It blew me away that such a promising visual band with top-notch production and a high-quality concept video were planning to self-release their album. After some research and conversations with the band and Mark Muller at Extreme Management Group, I knew I had to join the team and help further spread the good word. I'm very excited about the potential of these guys and look forward towards the future."

In the coming weeks, Empyrean Throne will play several high-profile shows in the Western US. More dates will be announced shortly.

Tour dates:

May
6 - Rites ov Ascension II Festival - Laguna Niguel, CA
19 - Adrenaline - Las Vegas, NV (with Shining, Revenge, Wolvhammer)
20 - Complex - Los Angeles, CA (with Shining, Revenge, Wolvhammer)
26 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA (with Taake)

July
30 - Viper Room - Los Angeles, CA (with Helsott, Apothesary, Sicocis)

According to Courthouse News Service, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Ozzy Osbourne's former songwriting partner and bassist Bob Daisley over unpaid royalties.

The dispute centers around the royalties for Ozzy's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman" albums, which were released in 1980 and 1981.

U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder concluded that Daisley's claims that Osbourne used a sham company, Blizzard Music Limited, to withhold royalty income from him stem from songwriter agreements that require arbitration.

Daisley's complaint states that the firm that conducted an audit at his request in 2014 estimated that at least $2 million in royalty income had been withheld, although it could not determine a precise amount.

Daisley's lawsuit against Osbourne and his company Blizzard Music Limited was originally filed last August in a state court in Nevada , but the case was transferred to federal court.

Osbourne's publicist released a statement shortly after the lawsuit was filed. The statement read: "For the past 36 years Mr. Daisley has been receiving bi-annual royalty statements and checks from Blizzard Music, totaling in the millions of dollars, which have been routinely cashed. Mr. Daisley has audited Blizzard Music accounts over the years using several different auditing firms who found no discrepancies. He has previously filed lawsuits in the U.K. and the U.S. and has lost on each occasion.

"We understand that Mr. Daisley is now in retirement and that these funds are his main source of income, so it is his right to be diligent with his money, but after 36 years, this is tantamount to harassment. We would have hoped that after 36 years that Mr. Daisley would have lost his unhealthy personal obsession and resentment towards Mr. Osbourne's success. Blizzard Music and Mr. Osbourne plan to vigorously defend these proceedings."

Daisley, who played bass on the first two solo albums by Ozzy Osbourne, previously that he was "devastated" and "flabbergasted" by the August 2002 ruling by the Los Angeles Federal Court dismissing the lawsuit over unpaid performance royalties brought by Daisley and ex-Osbourne drummer Lee Kerslake against Ozzy and the singer's wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne.

Daisley continues to get paid his songwriting royalties for the songs he wrote on Ozzy's "Blizzard Of Ozz" album and the follow-up, "Diary Of A Madman". According to the bassist and songwriter, the issue is, and always has been, about performance royalties.

British rock sensation DON BROCO has released "Pretty", which is hands-down one of the most disturbing and darkly funny videos you'll see this year. The clip can best be described as "Face/Off" meets the wedding scene in "The Graduate" (or imagine "Wedding Crashers" as a horror movie). "The guys in DON BROCO are a handsome bunch and we all thought it'd be hilarious if they ripped their faces off," says "Pretty" director Benjamin Roberds of Dominar Films. "It was the first idea I came to and quickly wrote it off as too over the top but kept coming back to it until I finally sent it over to them. I think the guys went through the same struggle because we went through a few other concepts before coming full circle back to this idea. I guess it was an insane idea that was just too tempting to not take all the way."

"When we read the treatment, we were in absolute stitches," says lead vocalist Rob Damiani. "The concept was just so mental we had to do it. Ironically, the lyrics for 'Pretty' are darker than the actual video. It's about reaching the point of inebriation where it doesn't matter that the person you're physically attracted to is a despicable human being. You're still going to try and go home with them."

Laughs Damiani: "I think the most disgusting part of the day was when the make-up department mixed up a load of the leftover lunch to create a batch of fake vomit. Unfortunately, they only made so much, so the guy who pukes in the video had to keep spitting it out then putting it back in his mouth until they got the right take. It was gross." The band teased the video by telling fans that bassist Tom Doyle (a.k.a. the first victim in "Pretty") was getting married, going so far as to create a wedding invite that would enable fans to see a livestream of "the ceremony," which turned out to be the "Pretty" video. "We're currently touring the States and recently played Vegas, so we thought it would be fun to throw Tom a fake bachelor party," says Damiani. "We got a little bit carried away and things kind of took off from there! Everyone's been really nice and happy for Tom. We feel a little bad now for all who were tuning in for the 'live wedding stream,' so please forgive us!"

Since 2015's Top 10 U.K. release "Automatic" propelled the band to mainstream consciousness, DON BROCO (rounded out by guitarist Simon Delaney and drummer Matt Donnelly) has forged a unique path. Having headlined Brixton Academy and played arenas throughout Europe with both BRING ME THE HORIZON and 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER, they signed a brand new, worldwide deal with U.S. indie label SharpTone Records. This led to the release of the 2016 single "Everybody" and a sold-out headline tour of the U.K. where they played consecutive nights in ten cities, performing both "Automatic" and their debut album, "Priorities", in full.

In February of this year, they headed over to Osaka for two arena shows with Japanese superstars ONE OK ROCK, and are currently touring the United States for the first time with pop-punk band STATE CHAMPS. Their international profile is building across Europe too with a number of festival appearances announced, including Main Square and Lollapalooza Paris in France, the Netherlands' Pinkpop and Slam Dunk in the UK.

Legendary rock vocalist Graham Bonnet is back with a new live album and home video captured during his acclaimed performance at Frontiers Rock Festival III in Trezzo (Milan), Italy) on April 24, 2016. Accompanied by a stellar band, featuring founding member Beth-Ami Heavenstone on bass, South American guitar sensation Conrado Pesinato on lead guitar, and Mark Zonder (known for his work with WARLORD and FATES WARNING) on drums, Bonnet masterfully delivered a thrilling "best-of" set which included songs from his stints with bands such as RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ALCATRAZZ, IMPELLITTERI, and, of course, his solo material too. Bonnet says: "It's been a very long time since I last released a live video, 33 years to be exact, with ALCATRAZZ. Myself and the band were very excited to film and record our performance at the Frontiers Rock Festival for a live album and video and are very happy with the final result!” Bonnet has a powerful and distinctive vocal style and, indeed, a distinctive image — preferring to let the music, rather than the conventional heavy metal look, do the talking. The GRAHAM BONNET BAND has spent the last two years touring regularly around the world, and this past winter released an album titled "The Book". With the band and Bonnet finetuned from all their touring when they got to Frontiers Rock Festival, this stellar set that was captured there makes for a new live album that will blow GRAHAM BONNET BAND fans (and heavy rock fans in general) away! Track listing: 01. Eyes Of The World02. All Night Long03. S.O.S.04. Stand In Line05. God Blessed Video06. Will You Be Home Tonight07. Jet To Jet08. Night Games09. Suffer Me10. Dancer11. Desert Song12. Island In The Sun13. Since You Been Gone14. Assault Attack15. Lost In Hollywood

Bonnet told Roppongi Rocks about GRAHAM BONNET BAND's musical direction: "It's aggressive but it's not annoyingly aggressive. It's something you can listen to and sing with it, sing along with. You can listen to the story. There is some hard-hitting stories in there about real life. It's not made up of dragons and dungeons and whips and chains and stuff. It's about real things. I have always made up lyrics about real life and experiences that I've had. People identify with certain songs and that's really good. I can't identify with songs about sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll, if you know what I mean. Those sort of silly lyrics. I won't say who writes silly lyrics. But there are a lot of bands out there, if you read the lyrics, are you kidding me? How old is this person? 12? I like to make up intelligent words along with intelligent arrangements."

Evergrey have released a lyric video for “My Allied Ocean”, a track from their new album, The Storm Within, released back in September via AFM Records. The new clip can be seen below.

The Storm Within album details follow…

The Storm Within tracklisting:

“Distance”
“Passing Trough”
“Someday”
“Astray”
“The Impossible”
“My Allied Ocean”
“In Orbit” (Featuring Floor Jansen)
“The Lonely Monarch”
“The Paradox Of The Flame” (Featuring Carina Englund)
“Disconnect”
“The Storm Within”

“My Allied Ocean” lyric video:

“In Orbit” video (featuring Floor Jansen):

“Passing Through” lyric video:

Evergrey perform next on May 6th at The Haven in Winter Park, FL. Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

Scottish folk/power metallers ALESTORM have released the official music video for their new song "Mexico", taken from the band's upcoming fifth full-length album. Titled "No Grave But The Sea", the disc will be released on May 26 via Napalm Records.

Says the band: "Oh wow! It's Cinco de Mayo, so let's celebrate with a song dedicated to our favorite country in the world — Mexico! Like most of our music, this song is about drinking, pirates, and explosions. And don't worry, it's not a real donkey, it's just Bobo and Elliot in a donkey costume."

"No Grave But The Sea" track listing:

01. No Grave But The Sea02. Mexico03. To the End of the World04. Alestorm05. Bar und Imbiss06. Fucked with an Anchor07. Pegleg Potion08. Man the Pumps09. Rage of the Pentahook10. Treasure Island

No other band in the galaxy creates such epic modern symphonic folk metal anthems with endless hooks that will be stuck in your head until the heat death of the universe. Or in ALESTORM's own words, "stupid songs about getting drunk and stealing treasure." Twisted together with blistering harmonized guitar and keyboard solos, thunderous power metal majesty, and unrelenting modern metal riffing, "No Grave But The Sea" is nothing less than the perfect soundtrack to the most epic battle of your life. "A pirate's life is simple; we drink and steal and kill!" So raise up your tankard into the sky for this brand new treasure of pirate metal.

ALESTORM's last album, "Sunset On The Golden Age", came out in August 2014 via Napalm Records.

POISON frontman Bret Michaels has released the official video for his emotionally charged new single, "Jorja Bleu". The song is new and fresh, yet has the instantly familiar sound that we've all come to love and expect from Michaels. It's also a very personal and real conversation with his youngest daughter, for whom the song is named after. In the new single, Bret recounts an exchange between father and daughter with lyrics like: "She said, 'What if I fall?'…and I said, 'What if you fly?'"

Michaels, who has been described as a "Cultural Touchdown" by former CEO of MTV Judy McGrath (currently on the board of directors at Amazon) has had cross-genre and multi-generational success with songs like the country hit "All I Ever Needed" and the pop duet "Nothing To Lose" with Miley Cyrus; the latter was the most added song to radio the week of its release, topping both BON JOVI and NICKELBACK.

Michaels, the BMI award-winning songwriter states: "This song is as raw and stripped down as it gets. This is a man sharing his trials and tribulations in such a way that he hopes to inspire his daughter to chase her dreams with no apologies, while keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground."

In fact, Bret felt so strongly about the raw, pure emotion in the original demo (engineered on a laptop on his tour bus by longtime friend and music director Pete Evick), that after spending a lot of time trying to recapture it in a multi-million dollar studio, Michaels decided to release the original demo. Evick states: "More times than not, Bret's original untouched ideas are the best stuff. It's amazing watching him work. Bret will beat-box, hum, or sing all the parts from the drums, bass, guitar, keys, and even horns, right down to the vocals. Then go back and do the tracks with the instruments. He pushes my knowledge and the technology as far as it can go. The most special thing about this track is that Bret plays everything himself: all guitars, other instruments, and vocals (except the female harmony) are 100% him."

This is the first single from Michaels since his modern country crossover "Girls On Bars", co-written by two-time CMA award winner Luke Laired. Laired said, "Bret is awesome to write with. Ideas just kept coming nonstop when we were in the studio. He's always ready and willing to push the boundaries and try new things." "Girls On Bars" boasted the highest number of views of any debut single ever on CMT.

"Jorja Bleu", which in many ways is the sequel to his song "Raine", titled after his oldest daughter, is available on iTunes and all other digital retailers and subscription audio formats.

Swedish doom metallers, Avatarium, are back with their third studio album and once again, singer Jennie-Ann Smith and her gentlemen cast a spell over you with a truly magical sound experience. Hurricanes And Halos will be available via Nuclear Blast on May 26th, and today, the band has released the third official trailer for the album, available for streaming below.

The album artwork was once again created by Erik Rovanpera, who already designed the cover art of the band's debut album, and shows a mystical creature inspired by the epic track “Medusa Child”.

"To be asked to do the artwork for the new Avatarium album was an honor," states artist Erik Rovanpera. "And without knowing the lyrics to the title song “Hurricanes And Halos” this is my interpretation of the title. Inspired by art nouveau, comic books and many other things in the current art movement this is my take on the good, the bad, the beauty and the beast. And using a broader color palette than usual and thereby pushing my own borders was great fun to do.”

Hurricanes And Halos tracklisting:

“Into The Fire / Into The Storm”
“The Starless Sleep”
“Road To Jerusalem”
“Medusa Child”
“The Sky At The Bottom Of The Sea”
“When Breath Turns To Air”
“A Kiss (From The End Of The World)”
“Hurricanes And Halos”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

“Into The Fire / Into The Storm” lyric video:

Once again, Avatarium rely on beauty and darkness, heavy guitars and fragile sounds, unique female vocals and the mystic vintage blues sound from the 60s, while still staying on modern ground and trusting into the haunting soul of doom rock. Six out of the eight new tracks were forged by Candlemass wizard Leif Edling, but guitar master Marcus Jidell and singer Jennie-Ann Smith also contributed to the songwriting and formed a worthy successor to The Girl With The Raven Mask.

The new album was produced by Marcus Jidell himself, while David Castillo (Katatonia, Bloodbath, Opeth) recorded and mixed it in the famous Ghost Ward Studios and the mastering was done by Jens Bogren (Soilwork, Sepultura). Together they created an organic and warm sound that sets Hurricanes And Halos apart from the overbred, electronically optimized mass.

"Recording Hurricanes And Halos has truly been an emotional roller coaster for me and I do think that has contributed to a pure and vibrating energy on the album. I am deeply proud of what we have achieved together," states lead singer Jennie-Ann Smith.

Guitar wizard Marcus Jidell adds: "It feels like the two previous albums and the EPs lead us to this one, it's been a natural flow to where we are today, musical and emotional wise.”

US progressive power metal band MindMaze are streaming the new song “Abandon”, featured on their new album, Resolve, out now Inner Wound Recordings. The song is available for streaming below.

Over the span of 68-minutes of melodic and powerful music ripe with recurring themes, the band takes the listener on a whirlwind journey through the scope of human emotion in hopes they will be able to project their own experiences into these intensely personal lyrics inspired by an amalgam of real-life events.

Resolve reprises the band's ever-present influences from bands like Queensrÿche, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Savatage, and a mixture of contemporary power metal and melodic rock hooks and songwriting while moving the band further into progressive and theatrical territory with more atypical song structures used to best serve the concept of the album.

The band continues to forge their footprint as one of the most promising and unique female-fronted bands to come along in recent times.

Resolve tracklisting:

“Reverie” (Instrumental)
“Fight The Future”
“In This Void” (Instrumental)
“Drown Me”
“Sign Of Life”
“Abandon”
“Sanity's Collapse” (Instrumental)
“One More Moment”
“Twisted Dream”
“True Reflection”
“Shattered Self”
“Release”
“The Path To Perseverance”

“Abandon”:

“One More Moment” lyric video:

“Sign Of Life” video:

Upcoming MindMaze tour dates:

May (supporting Arkona and Sirenia)
13 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
14 - Firehouse 13 - Providence, RI
15 - L'Anti - Quebec City, QB
16 - L'Astral - Montreal, QB
17 - Mod Club - Toronto, ON
18 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL
19 - Cabooze - Minneapolis, MN
20 - Riot Room - Kansas City, KN
21 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
23 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
24 - Bossanova Ballroom - Portland, OR
25 - Metro Opera House - Oakland, CA
26 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
27 - Pranksters - Scottsdale, AZ
28 - Rockhouse - El Paso, TX
29 - Curtain Club - Dallas, TX
30 - Grizzly Hall - Austin, TX

June
1 - The Caledonia Lounge - Athens, GA
2 - The Milestone - Charlotte, NC

NWOBHM pioneers, Tygers Of Pan Tang, have released a music video for “Never Give In”, a track from their new self-title album, out now. Watch the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

“Only The Brave”
“Dust”
“Glad Rags”
“The Reason Why”
“Never Give In”
“Do It Again”
“I Got The Music In Me”
“Praying For A Miracle”
“Blood Red Sky”
“Angel In Disguise”
“The Devil You Know”

“Never Give In” video;

“Glad Rags” video:

Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

Lineup:

Robb Weir - guitars
Jacopo Meille - vocals
Micky Crystal - guitars
Gav Gray - bass
Craig Ellis - drums & percussion

BraveWords is premiering Unleash The Archers’ new lyric video “The Matriarch”, from their upcoming album Apex.

The band comments on the track: “This track is chapter three in the story, and in it we are introduced to our antagonist ‘The Matriarch’ in all her malevolent glory.  We call this one our ‘quick banger’ because it's fast, catchy, and fun, and hopefully it won't take long to learn the words!  It is sung from an omniscient point of view, drawing the listener in with tales of The Matriarch's depravity.  The best part is the bridge, because the song is so dark, and then it launches into this flowing wraithlike guitar melody that is so memorable, I sing along to it every time and I think the fans will too!  Absolutely cannot wait to play this one live.”

It has now been 10 years of Unleash The Archers. These heavy metal heroes are celebrating this honour with an exhilarating feast on their upcoming album, Apex, out on June 2nd via Napalm Records.

The band states: “We are extremely excited to release another full on concept album; it's just so much fun to play out a story when you're up on stage. This one has a protagonist that we call 'The Immortal' being forced to serve the antagonist, a.k.a. 'The Matriarch' as she embarks down a very dark path to achieve immortality. We had a great time writing this record, and I think the cohesiveness of the story has really shone through in the music as well. It has a certain vibe throughout, from beginning to end, and we can't wait to hear what our fans have to say about the direction this album has taken. We don't like to write the same record over and over again and we are very happy with the progression of our sound on Apex. We think it will appeal to all of our fans old and new; it has the best parts of our past albums combined into one with just a little more spit and polish.”

Ken Sarafin created the picturesque album artwork for Apex. This album takes nerves of steel; from its opener “Awakening” to the title track that closes the album, the listener will partake in a furious adventure, weaving through elements of the strongest metal genres of our time. You’ll be guided by the shimmering heat of sweeping lead guitars, face-melting solos, deafening growls, pummeling bass lines and of course the thrilling hooks of Brittney Slayes' queen-size voice.

Tracklisting:

“Awakening”
“Shadow Guide”
“The Matriarch”
“Cleanse The Bloodlines”
“The Coward's Way”
“False Walls”
“Ten Thousand Against One”
“Earth And Ashes”
“Call Me Immortal”
“Apex”

"Cleanse The Bloodlines" video:

Lineup:

Brittney Slayes - Vocals
Scott Buchanan - Drums
Grant Truesdell - Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley - Guitar, Vocals
Nikko Whitworth - Bass

Mario Mikeal Maglieri, beloved and respected owner of Los Angeles's famous Sunset Strip establishments Rainbow Bar And Grill, The Roxy Theatre and the Whisky A Go Go, died earlier today (Thursday, May 4) at the age of 93.

Born February 7, 1924 in Seppino, Italy, Mario came to the U.S. at age four. He eventually ran restaurants and clubs in Chicago until he moved to Los Angeles with his family. There he started the legendary clubs, The Rainbow, The Roxy and The Whisky.

His Italian heritage inspired the delicious food served at the Rainbow, especially the pizza, which was known as the best in the city.

Truly a lover of music and the arts, he helped hundreds of artists get their start in Los Angeles. Known as the the King Of The Sunset Strip, hopefuls from all over the world came to Mario's clubs with the desire of being discovered. He was a friend to all, and frequently came across talented musicians who went on to become platinum sellers. Their pictures line the walls of the Rainbow.

Since opening in 1964, the Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles has hosted some of the biggest rock stars in history, including THE DOORS, THE BYRDS, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Smokey Robinson, THE TEMPTATIONS, LED ZEPPELIN, Alice Cooper, VAN HALEN, GUNS N' ROSES, MÖTLEY CRÜE and METALLICA. In 1972, Mario Maglieri, along with Whisky co-founder Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler and others, started the Rainbow Bar And Grill down the street from the Whisky. In its heyday, the Rainbow counted Keith Moon, John Lennon and Alice Cooper among its regulars.

"Yeah, I've seen a lot," Maglieri told The Guardian in a 2015 interview. "Things have changed on Sunset over the years, of course they have. But my business won't change until I die."

Back in 2005, Maglieri remembered Janis Joplin as a "raunchy broad. But she was a good kid. She meant well. Three days before she died, we sat in a booth and she asked for a Southern Comfort. She had this raspy voice and she was stoned and drunk. The girl brought over a glass of Southern Comfort and Janis said, "I wanted a [expletive deleted] bottle of Southern Comfort. She was a great girl. I loved her."

As for Jim Morrison, Maglieri said he was "just a mixed-up kid, but a good kid. I kicked his ass off-stage [when] he screwed around. He would never show up on time. But he was a good kid. He meant well. I tried to straighten him out. I saved his ass so many times."

Maglieri's love for his family was well known. He is survived by his wife, Scarlett, his son Mikeal and grandchildren Mikeal, Cheryl and Gina. A public memorial for Mario Maglieri be held at the the Rainbow Bar And Grill on Sunday, May 28, starting at 1:00 p.m.

RAMMSTEIN guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" album.

Kruspe said: "It really depends on our singer Till [Lindemann], that he can finish the mysterious ideas we have. At the moment we have 30 ideas, some with lyrics, and some not.

"We're working on the vocals, and then we might consider another producer. There's all those question marks that we haven't answered yet."

Landers added: "Our goal right now is to write really good songs and maybe even try unusual methods, new ideas, and change the path that one usually has.

"It might be that when grandmother hears the album, she thinks it's the same as the other ones. But for us, we really want it to be another milestone."

RAMMSTEIN last year played a number of concerts where the band opened each show with a brand new song, presently only known as "Ramm 4". The track contains lyrics that seem to be a combination of various titles of previous RAMMSTEIN songs.

RAMMSTEIN will release a new concert DVD and Blu-ray, "Paris", on May 19. The set was recorded in March 2012 at the then-named Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris (now AccorHotels Arena) during RAMMSTEIN's "Made In Germany" tour, and was helmed by the band's longtime collaborator, Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund.

Lindemann in 2015 released a debut album with his side project LINDEMANN.

Kruspe's EMIGRATE project issued its sophomore album, "Silent So Long", in November 2014 via Spinefarm.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich's Beats 1 radio show, "It's Electric!", will debut Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m. PT with special guest Iggy Pop. An encore episode will air Monday, May 8 at 3 a.m. PT. Ulrich's longtime friend and METALLICA So What! fan magazine editor Steffan Chirazi will serve as co-host.

Unscripted, unfiltered and featuring no "genre-fiction" whatsoever, "It's Electric!" will include music that motivates Lars, as well as interviews with artists who inspire him... all wrapped up in some magnificent mindless banter reminiscent of the good 'ole Lars babble. Each week Lars focuses on music that you may not have heard, occasionally throwing in a deep track, but the key word is great music and great music is not genre specific. Expect lots of musical variation and tall tales from the road along with the occasional reflection on life as we know it.

On the debut episode this week, Lars plays some of his favorite new music that's turning him on, pulls out tracks you may not have heard from his favorite artists, tells stories from the road, and talks with Iggy Pop about their collaborative performance in Mexico City.

Ulrich called his show "my 16-year-old self's wet dream: doing a radio show to a worldwide audience."

He added: "We go all over the world — we look at international bands for an international audience. I'm gonna play you lots of really cool music by mostly bands you don't know; a lot of bands I've just been introduced to. We don't believe in boundaries, and we're open to everything. I have some guests call in on the phone, and they promise me I'm gonna have this show every week."

During an interview with fellow Beats 1 host Zane Lowe, Ulrich said that his new show will be "unfiltered, unscripted and completely all over the place."

"I gotta tell you, since we started this endeavor six weeks ago, I've been turned on to more great music just doing research for my show in the last four to six weeks than I have literally in the past five to 10 years," he said. "I've got so much stuff to share with everybody out there and a lot of stuff that's turning me on. I'm telling you, people that love great music, rock music but also hip-hop and world music, and all the rest of it — there's a lot of people that talk about, 'Well the music business is in sad shape, and it’s dying,’ but there's a ton of fantastic music out there, and I'm reenergized and reinvigorated and ready to share it with the world."

METALLICA begins the North American leg of its "Worldwired" 2017 tour on May 10 in Baltimore.

"California", the comeback album from RIVERDOGS, the band featuring DEF LEPPARD and LAST IN LINE guitarist Vivian Campbell, will be released on July 7 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Featuring original members Campbell, Rob Lamothe (vocals, guitars) and Nick Brophy (bass, vocals), along with drummer Marc Danzeisen, the band's fifth album is RIVERDOGS' first new music since the eight-song mini album, "World Gone Mad", came out in October 2011.

A behind-the-scenes video about the making of the new disc can be seen below. Mixing the soulful vocals of Lamothe with the edgy guitarwork of Campbell and solid rhythmic lines from Brophy and Danzeisen, the album marks a definitive return to the sound of their critically acclaimed 1990 self-titled debut album. On the making of the album, Campbell says: "When my friends at Frontiers suggested a RIVERDOGS album in the spirit of the original debut record, I jumped at the chance to make it. In my opinion, 'Riverdogs' was a highlight of my career with some of my best guitar playing and definitely a record that flew under the radar. Having a clear direction of exactly what kind of record to make really helped the four of us create the music and there was an intense collective focus throughout the entire process that never wavered. I really think that we hit the target in creating a record that has all the hallmarks, the integrity and the emotional strength of the original debut. The fact that we've all remained such close friends throughout all the years only added to the joyous experience that was the making of this record."

Adds Lamothe: "Going into this project, my goal was to enjoy the opportunity of making music with some of my best friends, to share this incredible experience with my family... and to create something that RIVERDOGS fans will probably think is pretty bloody awesome. Big guitars! Beautiful melodies! Words about crazy, complicated, real stuff! I feel like Nick, Viv, Marc and I all brought our 'A' games to the writing and recording sessions. That's way more important than money and awards and fame to me" Brophy sums up the writing process for the album: "In summer of 2016, I found myself in Los Angeles, reunited with three of my closest friends, about to begin a new RIVERDOGS album. Marc had arranged a rehearsal environment at a friend's house, which was to provide the creative atmosphere for writing new material. I stood there with bass in hand thinking, 'Okay, now what?' Little did I know that a few days later we would have six new RIVERDOGS songs and the album 'California' was born. The remaining six songs came, surprisingly, just as easily, a testament to the amazing talents of Vivian, Rob, Marc and the effortless way in which we work as a group. Our clear goal for this album was to remain true to the original RIVERDOGS sound and provide fans with a new set of songs which carry on the legacy of a truly remarkable band." RIVERDOGS formed in Los Angeles at the end of the '80s when flashy, glitzy hard rock ruled the day, but they were determined to avoid clichés and adopted an original sounding blues-rock style. Campbell of SWEET SAVAGE, DIO and WHITESNAKE fame at the time (soon to join and become a long-standing member of DEF LEPPARD and later, founding member of LAST IN LINE as well) was initially brought on board to produce the band's first demo, but was so impressed with the band that he actually became a member and played on the debut album. Soon after the release, Marc Danzeisen joined Rob, Nick and Vivian to complete the lineup. Though fans and critics gave the album a warm reception and high regard, the unfortunate and age old story of change of personnel at their record label came about and eventually led the band members to go their own ways, with Campbell settling into the DEF LEPPARD lineup and Nick Brophy becoming a respected engineer and producer. RIVERDOGS, with a revamped lineup, released two more records in 1993, "Bone" and "Absolutely Live", before going on an extended hiatus. They reconvened, with the original lineup, in 2003 to record new material and play a few reunion shows. Those new songs were recorded as demos, but only completed in the studio in 2011 when their last album, "World Gone Mad", was released.

Now, six years after their last studio album, RIVERDOGS have crafted "California", a record that truly recreates the magical sounds of their early days and that will surely be welcomed with open arms by fans both old and new. "California" track listing:

01. American Dream02. The Revolution Starts Tonight03. Something Inside04. Golden Glow05. You're Too Rock And Roll06. The Heart Is A Mindless Bird07. Searching For A Signal08. Welcome To The New Disaster09. Ten Thousand Reasons10. Catalina11. I Don't Know Anything

AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance was recently interviewed by Meltdown of the Detroit, Michigan radio station WRIF. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked for his opinion on the announcement that Ozzy Osbourne was reuniting with guitarist Zakk Wylde for the first time in more than a decade, Zacky said: "Oh, dude, it's so cool. I love to see all that stuff. Certain bands, you get a couple of people together and it just creates magic. All those guys are extremely talented on their own, but when you put 'em together, it's just something really, really special."

He continued: "We had the privilege of doing Ozzfest back in 2006. And Zakk Wylde, he rules as a guitarist. He's just one of those magical guitar players that just can do stuff that other people can't — much like a Dimebag [Darrell Abbott] or a [Jimi] Hendrix. They just have something really, really spectacular. And Ozzy, he's the master. You put those two guys together and it's just crazy."

Zacky added: "I'm thrilled. I love seeing the original guys get back together. I love seeing the MISFITS get back together, and Slash and Axl [Rose] and GUNS N' ROSES. I mean, that's what it's all about. That's what creates the magic."

Osbourne and Wylde will head out on tour along with the rest of Ozzy's solo band for a series of headlining shows in the U.S. this summer and fall, beginning on July 14 at the Rock USA festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. While Ozzy and Wylde have performed together over the years, this will be their first full tour together since 2006.

The dates also mark Ozzy's first solo tour in the U.S. in years.

Ozzy and Wylde first teamed up 30 years ago when Wylde joined Ozzy's band in 1987 and made his debut on the following year's "No Rest For The Wicked" album. They last collaborated in 2007 on Ozzy's "Black Rain" album.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD will join METALLICA for the latter's "WorldWired" 2017 North American tour. Produced by Live Nation, the summer's hottest ticket kicks off May 10 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland with openers VOLBEAT.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is touring in support of its seventh album, "The Stage", which was given a surprise release at the end of October with almost no promotion beforehand.

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE have finished recording their new album for an October release. The follow-up to 2015's "War Of Kings" was laid down at London, England's legendary Abbey Road studios and was produced by Dave Cobb, who also helmed the band's last disc.

Says EUROPE: "[The new album] turned out so much more exciting than we expected!

"The vibe in this studio is great! The staff and facilities are out of this world.

"Of course, we couldn't resist having some fun with vintage equipment and amazing recording techniques.

"Our producer Dave Cobb really made the songs fly, beautifully engineered by Eddie Spear.

"The album is due out in October, with one or two tracks coming your way ahead of release. Meanwhile, we're getting ready to hit the road again for our 'Electric Summer Tour 2017'. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!"

EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland told FaceCulture last November about the band's songwriting process: "What we try with every new album is to actually not repeat [ourselves], but to look at the back catalog and [go], 'Okay, we did on that album, so maybe we'll go crazy about something else.' So that's good. And it's like having an art gallery with different pictures you can look at, and you get different feelings from different pictures. So I think the next EUROPE album is gonna be probably a bit different from 'War Of Kings', I guess."

EUROPE last year completed a short European tour during which the band played "The Final Countdown" album in its entirety to celebrate the LP's 30th anniversary.

"War Of Kings" was released in March 2015 via UDR Music.




FRIENDS!

We have just finished the recording for our new album at the legendary Abbey Road Studios!

It turned out so...

Posted by Europe on Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Despite widespread rumors to the contrary, "there's no deal in place" to get LED ZEPPELIN's surviving members — Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones — back together for an appearance at this year's Desert Trip festival in Indio, California, according to Billboard.

A cryptic post on Plant's web site — featuring a blackened page with only the white words: "Any time now..." — led to uncorroborated fan speculation that the legendary band may return for a festival performance later this year. In addition, several "industry sources" supposedly told the FeelNumb.com site that Plant — presumably the lone holdout over the past decade — has agreed to team up for the still-unannounced festival and front the band. It was widely reported that ZEP turned down a whopping $14 million to play last year's $160 million-grossing, three-day, two-weekend event, which featured THE ROLLING STONES, Paul McCartney, THE WHO, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters and Neil Young.

Also fanning the flames was Gary Tovar, the founder of AEG's Goldenvoice promotion unit, who told The Guardian in an interview last month that "we'd like to bring up the LED [ZEPPELIN], if you know what I mean," even though Tovar is no longer part of the company.

According to Billboard, the message on Plant's web site "is more likely a tease to a forthcoming album than to an upcoming performance."

LED ZEPPELIN's December 10, 2007 reunion at London's O2 Arena during the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert was chronicled on the band's 2012 "Celebration Day" CD and DVD. The set, which featured Jason Bonham subbing for his late father John Bonham on drums, marked Plant, Page and Paul Jones's first full-scale concert together since John Bonham's 1980 death.

The official video for the song "Dirty Eye" from horror icon Bill Moseley — most notable as Chop Top in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2", and Otis in Rob Zombie's "House Of 1000 Corpses" and "Devil's Rejects" — and extreme music legend Philp H. Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT, SCOUR, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, ARSON ANTHEM) can be seen below. The clip was directed by filmmaker Ryan Oliver of Deathblow Productions.

Oliver stated about the video: "As a three-year alumni of Housecore Horror Fest, it was a special honor to make a video for BILL + PHIL. My crew and I had a lot of fun making this bizarre puppet show over the past winter/spring.

"This opportunity came right on the heels of our last Housecore video for [Housecore labelmates] CHILD BITE's 'Vermin Mentality'. Though different, I think they complement each other quite well. Once again, we were trusted to do what we wanted creatively, and in the end, it seemed best to follow Bill Moseley's lyrical cues and try to interpret them in an entertaining fashion. We're pretty pleased with the turnout and hope it lives up to the uniquely wild music on this record."

"This video [is] down 'n' dirty and comes with no strings attached," says Moseley. "Well, except for the puppets. I can't speak for Phil, but frankly I've never looked better!" Anselmo finds it "very, very, very, very, very interesting."

"Dirty Eye" is taken from Moseley and Anselmo's special collaborative release titled "Songs Of Darkness And Despair".

Released on January 20 via Anselmo's own Housecore Records, the five-track offering was produced and performed by Anselmo and Stephen "The Big Fella" Berrigan (DOWN, SYK, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, EYEHATEGOD, HAARP, CLASSHOLE), and mastered by Scott Hull of Visceral Sound.

"Songs Of Darkness And Despair" includes guest appearances by Kevin Bond (SUPERJOINT) on guitar, Squizzy Squires (KING PARROT) on bass and guitar, and José "Blue" Gonzalez (SUPERJOINT, WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) on percussion.

From preppie journalist to Satanic serial killer, Bill Moseley's taken a long and unusual road to cult stardom, firmly cementing his place in the annals of horror history along the way. Having released his "Spider Mountain" record, and collaborated with Buckethead on their CORNBUGS project, Moseley expands his musical endeavors by teaming up with Anselmo. BILL & PHIL's "Songs Of Darkness And Despair" is a brilliant trip that will give everyone a thrill. Comments Anselmo: "Working with Mr. Moseley was an awesome experience! Bill brought the lyrics and Stephen [Berrigan] and I just improvised directly on the spot, and squeezed out six tunes in three days. All the songs have a different vibe because I wanted the music to represent Bill's lyrical vision(s), and we needed to, because Bill does indeed have a unique, visual element within his choice of words and phrasing. I love Bill Moseley, and can't wait to work on the next one! Be cool and enjoy this one!" "Songs Of Darkness And Despair" track listing:

01. Dirty Eye02. Corpus Crispy03. Catastrophic04. Widder Woman05. Tonight's The Night We Die06. Bad Donut

NICKELBACK leader Chad Kroeger spoke to Music Choice about the band's forthcoming ninth album, "Feed The Machine", which will be released on Friday, June 16 via BMG.

"This album is definitely heavier, as a whole, than a lot of our previous records," he said (see video below). "We've gone back to some pretty crunchy roots, and we're happy about that. I mean, we're always stretching off in different directions and trying different things, but we definitely went with more of an aggressive sound on this record."

Set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future where machines have imprisoned humans (think "The Matrix" and "The Terminator"), the video for the "Feed The Machine" title track sees Kroeger and his bandmates depicted as freedom-fighting revolutionaries who free the enslaved humans from their machine captors.

NICKELBACK is set to hit the road this summer on the colossal headlining "Feed The Machine" tour. Produced exclusively by Live Nation, the "Feed The Machine" trek will begin on June 23 in Noblesville, Indiana, with 44 dates across North America including stops in Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, and more. DAUGHTRY will join NICKELBACK as their special guest for all of the U.S. dates, as well as Toronto and Montreal, while SHAMAN'S HARVEST will be seen on all dates. Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame icons CHEAP TRICK will be special guests for the western Canadian leg of the tour.

In June 2015, NICKELBACK canceled the majority of its tour dates in support of the band's eighth album, "No Fixed Address", so that Kroeger could recover from surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal cords.

"No Fixed Address" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2014.

Photo credit: Richard Beland

The current version of L.A. GUNS — which includes singer Phil Lewis and the band's co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns — will release its new album, "The Missing Peace", on October 6 via the Italian record label Frontiers Music Srl. The disc's cover artwork was created by the Las Vegas portrait painter Kahla and can be seen below.

The last time Lewis and Guns joined forces was back in 2000 with legendary producer Andy Johns for the making of what would become "Waking The Dead". Speaking with Express & Star, Tracii said: "With Phil and I in particular, we have a certain chemistry that's undeniable. And, you know, when you're at your loneliest, you wanna go home, right? So, we both felt like it was time to go home and be comfortable with that undeniable relationship that we have musically. I mean, right away, the first time we got back together and played, you know, it's so obvious, you can't deny it. At some point in your life, you can't deny what's real." Regarding the sound of the new L.A. GUNS material, Tracii said: "Phil's vocal style and his way of writing kind of offsets that balance of the heavy music, that's something that's possibly more mainstream or identifiable, so there's a lot of, you know, kind of typical sleazy L.A. GUNS, high-energy riff rock. There's a little bit of sloppy New Orleans, kind of sweaty, kind of bluesier stuff too. It's a big record." L.A. GUNS' present lineup is rounded out by Shane Fitzgibbon on drums and Johnny Martin on bass with Michael Grant on guitar as a touring member. On the topic of the decision to use the L.A. GUNS moniker for the new album, Guns told LA Weekly: "When you put Phil and I together, that's the sound of L.A. GUNS. There's no way around that. As much as I love certain other [former] members of the band, it's hard to say what their contribution to the overall sound of the band was — but Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, the band's gotta be L.A. GUNS. It can't be anything else." Back in December, Phil announced that he was leaving the L.A. GUNS version that included drummer Steve Riley.

Video footage of L.A. GUNS performing a new song called "Speed" on April 8 at Yost Theater in Santa Ana, California can be seen below.

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes is perhaps best known for the infamous scene in the 1988 movie "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" in which he was interviewed while floating in a swimming pool, fully clothed and visibly quite intoxicated while his mother sat poolside. The interview stood out in stark contrast to the more light-hearted and humorous interviews conducted by director Penelope Spheeris, which mostly portrayed rockers as good-natured, though often dimwitted or deluded, party animals. During the interview, Holmes smiled drunkenly at the camera, deeming himself "a full-blown alcoholic" and "a piece of crap" despite his band's success, and punctuated his remarks by guzzling from three bottles of vodka. At the end of the interview, Holmes upends a full bottle of Smirnoff over his head as he rolls out of his inflatable chair and into the water.

Fast forward to 2017 and Duke TV has posted brand new pool interview with Holmes — conducted by his wife Sarah — which starts out with the same exact questions Chris was asked in the "Decline Of Western Civilization" scene. Check it out below.

Asked if he drinks very much, Chris said: "You've gotta drink something to stay alive. I drink Diet Pepsi, Gatorade, Powerade. I hate the water out of the tap. But I like Sparkletts. If you're asking about alcohol, no, I don't drink alcohol anymore. [I stopped] a long time ago — February 6 of '96. Why do I not drink anymore? After six DUIs, they throw you in jail, and it's really hard to drink in jail. And they'll make you quit, the government, or they'll lock you up."

He continued: "I've learned when somebody's drunk that they don't do really too much that's really constructive. They have a fun time, but they're not that smart. Drinking turns you into an idiot. A lot of people like to be idiots. I used to be one — probably the biggest one there was. But as you get older, things change.

"When I stopped drinking, I'd see all my friends drinking and they'd just turn into idiots. I was the one leading the pack anyway, so I'm not one to talk about being an idiot and drinking."

Asked if he thinks the "rock and roll lifestyle" turned him into an alcoholic, Chris said: "Drinking alcohol gives you something to do when you're on the road. If you don't have alcohol and you do drugs or whatever, you need something to do, something to keep you preoccupied. Drinking's easy, 'cause you've always got alcohol and everybody drinks at shows."

"The Decline Of Western Civilization" received a deluxe box set release in June 2015 from Shout! Factory. The four-disc set was made available in both Blu-ray and DVD formats, and contains Penelope Spheeris's "The Decline Of Western Civilization" (1980), "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" (1988) and "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part III" (1998), a 40-page book containing an essay written by rock historian Domenic Priore ("Riot On Sunset Strip: Rock 'N' Roll's Last Stand In Hollywood"), rare stills, and bonus features, including extended interviews, a commentary recorded by Dave Grohl in February 2015, and more. This was the first-ever official Blu-ray or DVD release of the films.

"The Decline Of Western Civilization" box set features a new 2K high-definition scan of each film, supervised by director Penelope Spheeris. In keeping with the spirit of the rebellious times in which they were shot, the vintage aspects have been respected, and the films retain their original feel.

A couple of years ago, Spheeris spoke to Goldmine magazine about the Holmes scene in "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years". She said: "When I shot Chris Holmes, you know, I thought we didn't get the interview. I remember saying, 'We're going to have to reshoot this.' Because we didn't get anything. The guy's just sitting there screwing off and we didn't get anything. And then I saw Jon and Val [Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris], who are the producers, and I told them, we're going to have to reshoot that interview with Chris Holmes. And they said, 'Well, too bad, because we don't have enough money to reshoot it.' So I tried to cut something together and include it. I would never have imagined it would be the most talked about and kind of most memorable moment of the movie."

Asked what happened in the five or ten minutes after she finished the interview with Chris Holmes, Spheeris said: "I think I was so stunned… You know how when you're in shock and you don't remember what happened? I don't remember! I don't remember him afterwards. Because I was just horrified that I didn't get an interview. I'm sure somebody must've given him a towel and… you know, most of that, [Penelope's daughter] Anna [Fox, who was instrumental in assembling the bevy of extras for the elegant box for the recently released 'The Decline Of Western Civilization' trilogy], when she put the DVD extras together, she pasted together all of the interviews from beginning to end. And so you can see in there the entire progression — or I should say digression — of his interview. And most of that clear liquid was pool water, by the way."

Spheeris offered more details about how the scene was shot during a separate interview with Rolling Stone. She said: "I don't remember if the pool was my idea or Chris's idea, but it was my idea to have his mom come down, 'cause I knew Sandy [Holmes]. She looks like she knows how far she can go with what she says to him. Like, she can't be too critical or he's just gonna go off on her.

"I didn't know he was going to be as drunk as he was. When we finished the interview, I took [cinematographer Jeff] Zimmerman behind a tree and said, 'I don't got this interview. We're gonna have to film him again.' But the great thing about doing documentaries is you just have to let them lead you. It turned out to be the most memorable thing.

"What I liked about the scene is you had all these younger kids talking about how they were gonna make it, but Chris was sort of an example of, 'Okay, I made it. Are you sure you want this?' That's why I liked it just from a filmmaker's standpoint. It counterbalanced all those crazy dreams that those kids had that were not gonna happen. It was a reality check.

"By the way, the first half of the bottle of vodka was real, and after that he was filling it up with pool water."

In a 2014 interview with Metallväktarna, Holmes stated about his appearance in "The Decline Of Western Civilization": "I get a lot [of questions] about that. [People wanna know], 'Was it alcohol? Were you drunk?' Or whatever. Yeah, I was drunk. I'm not known to be a liar. In fact, I was real drunk; I couldn't even talk. So a lot of people ask me, 'How do you feel about that being on TV?' or whatever. The only thing I don't like is where some kid will come up to me and go, 'Man, that's the coolest! I wanna live like that.' And, to me, personally, that's, like, me going down the tubes. And why would somebody wanna live like that?"

STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr told The Verge that the Holmes scene in "The Metal Years" "shaped my whole career, to be quite honest with you. At that point, heavy metal was at its peak. It was awesome to be drunk, floating in a pool. You knew you had a disease and you were going to kill yourself eventually, but that was cool back then. People just looked at that and said, ‘Wow, this guy knows how to party. Everybody knows how to party.'"

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

"Louder Harder Faster", the new video from WARRANT, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's new studio album, which will be released on May 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson, a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others, and was mixed by Pat Regan except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

With a lineup featuring original members Erik Turner (guitar), Jerry Dixon (bass), Joey Allen (guitar) and Steven Sweet (drums) along with singer Robert Mason (LYNCH MOB, CRY OF LOVE), WARRANT is now stronger than ever. Mason's vocals remain a breath of fresh air and his swagger on the songs gives new life and a bright future to the band. "Louder Harder Faster", true to the band's roots, is full of rockers with some classic ballads thrown in and will surely send their faithful fans into a frenzy.

Turner says: "You can hear and feel the emotions of the last twenty-five-plus years of being in this band poured into 'Louder Harder Faster'. The fun and the frustrations, the pleasure and the pain... a whole lot of blood, sweat, tears and beers went into the making of this album. Love it or hate it, it's the real-fuckin'-deal, hundred-percent pure melodic hard rock handcrafted by five musicians who dedicated their lives to music when they were just little kids with big dreams."

Dixon adds: "'Louder Harder Faster' is truly one of our best records to date. It has all the classic WARRANT ingredients that people have come to know, plus a lot of extras that keep it in the modern realm of todays music. It's a perfect mix between balls and ballads.

"When we started this project over two years ago, we wanted to bring the listener back to the days of sitting in the living room and cranking up a record from start to finish.

"Making full records seems to be a lost art, [and] we hope in some small way that this album helps people find that art again."

Regarding how the "Louder Harder Faster" album title came about, Mason told "The Rock Brigade" podcast: "On stage, since probably '09, '10, '11… I don't remember when; maybe it was after our record [was released]. But as a thing to say between… It kind of just came out of my mouth one day — 'louder, harder, faster' — and I screamed it into the microphone and we started the next song. It was kind of one of those dumb things lead singers say to break up the dead air between songs in live shows. And it kind of stuck in my head and I started doing it. It was a thing I kind of started saying. And one day I had a riff in my hands and a guitar in my house, or in a hotel room, and then it turned into, 'Oh, guys, by the way, I wrote this song. It's called 'Louder, Harder, Faster'.' And I think I half-drunkenly said in a hotel bar one night, maybe three or four years ago, 'Oh, by the way, the record should be called 'Louder, Harder, Faster', 'cause I have this fucking song.' And, you know, that's what cocky lead singers say to their guitar players. And I think Joey Allen was, like, 'Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah. I'll believe it when I hear it.' So there you go. When we came up with the songs for this record, it just kind of became obvious that that was the… If you're gonna name it after one of the songs, there you go."

"Louder Harder Faster" track listing:

01. Louder Harder Faster02. Devil Dancer03. Perfect04. Only Broken Heart05. U In My Life06. Music Man07. Faded08. New Rebellion09. Big Sandy10. Choose Your Fate11. Let It Go12. I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink (bonus track available on CD only)

"Grave Slave", a brand new song from DEAD CROSS, the Southern California outfit featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), and singer Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE), can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from DEAD CROSS's debut album, which will be released on August 4 via Patton's Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.

Patton told Rolling Stone that he got involved with DEAD CROSS after reaching out to Lombardo to see if he could release the band's album on Ipecac. After getting a text from the drummer asking him to join the group, "my jaw dropped," the singer said. "I was like, 'Who, me? Hmm …' And I think it took like all of 30 seconds, but in a sarcastic way, I'm like, 'Yeah, of course. I can do this. Are you sure you want me?' So I kind of second-guessed him a little bit. And he said, 'Man, you'd be our dream vocalist.' And then it was just a matter of logistics. I decided to record it here in my basement, which is fitting. It shouldn't sound too polished."

Regarding DEAD CROSS's musical direction, Patton said: "To me, it is a traditional hardcore record. It is very pointed, direct and visceral. Like, I wasn't going to play keyboards, add samples or any kind of orchestration. It was like, 'Yo, just go for it.' In some ways, it reminded me of stuff that we had collectively all grown up with and loved when we were like teenagers — bands like the ACCÜSED, DEEP WOUND or SIEGE, stuff that was just brutal, uncompromising and right to the point. I was listening to all those bands again before this came to be, so it was already back infused in my blood. And now I got a chance to do a pencil-in-your-eye record."

Lombardo concurred, telling Rolling Stone: "The album is only 28 minutes long. And the funny thing is [SLAYER's] 'Reign In Blood' was 29 minutes. This album carries so much anger and frustration. You hear it in my drumming. It was the perfect birth of a hardcore album. It's one of the most brutal albums I've ever done."

DEAD CROSS, which is rounded out by Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX, HEAD WOUND CITY) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), last year parted ways with singer Gabe Serbian.

DEAD CROSS has announced an appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago in September, and is planning two-week West Coast run in August and another one on the East Coast in September.

HALESTORM has unveiled a powerful new video for the song "Dear Daughter" from the band's latest full-length album, "Into The Wild Life". "I'm hoping that through this song, I can spread the inspiration and empowerment that has been instilled in me," said HALESTORM lead singer Lzzy Hale about the clip. "Carve your own path, ladies (and little gents too). I'm living proof that nothing in life is impossible." To celebrate the video launch, Lzzy will perform "Dear Daughter" for fans today via the band's Facebook page at noon Eastern. In honor of Mother's Day, HALESTORM is encouraging fans to post photos of their mothers and/or daughters with their own stories of encouragement and the hashtag #DearDaughter.

In an interview with RockSverige.se, Lzzy stated about "Dear Daughter": "This is a subject that… I mean, obviously, [HALESTORM drummer Arejay and I] grew up with a very supportive mother. We decided to start a rock band, and she actually said, 'Yes! Do that! Go for it!' So, for me, this was… We get to speak to a lot of young girls, and a lot of them do have those supportive parents, but a lot of them don't. So I think this was my way — lyrically, at least — just passing that on… As in, like, if I were… if and when I were to have a daughter, I would be passing these words on to her… I don't know… It's a strange song."

Added bassist Josh Smith: "It's a strange song, but [with] a great message. And although it says 'Dear Daughter', that's just great advice for anyone… be it a young kid, or anyone in a spot where they're, like, 'Man, I'm in just the pits right now. What the hell's my life gonna be like in ten years?' So it's just good sound advice for anyone kind of trying to find their way."

HALESTORM's third covers EP, "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP", was released on January 6 via Atlantic. The effort was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN).

"ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP" follows HALESTORM's previous covers EPs, 2011's "ReAniMate" and 2013's "ReAniMate 2.0".

Lzzy told Swedish outlet RockSverige that HALESTORM is continuing to write material for its next album, tentatively due later this year.

The new record will follow up 2015's "Into The Wild Life", which was criticized by some fans for veering too far into pop music territory.

Legendary New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL have announced the addition of drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) to the group's ranks.

Even though Ron Lipnicki had been part of OVERKILL's lineup for more than a decade, the drummer was absent from the band's last few tours, with OVERKILL's longtime drum tech, Eddy Garcia, stepping in to take his place.

"OVERKILL would like to announce its newest member, behind the kit and steering the ship, Jason 'Sticks' Bittner," comments OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth. "We wholeheartedly would like to thank Eddy 'The Mexicutioner' Garcia for holding down the ship and keeping the momentum up for the band over this past year plus. Eddy has, and always will be, part of the OVERKILL machine.

"Jason is a long time friend of the band and his abilities have always spoke for themselves. Let the touring continue... onward-upward!"

Bittner states, "When my phone rang about two months ago and Blitz said 'Hey, me and D.D. [Verni, OVERKILL bassist] are wondering if you would be interested in joining?' It really didn't take much for me to write back a one-word answer.... ABSOLUTELY! I am extremely excited to be a part, once again, of thrash metal history, and I cannot wait to get out on the road and wreck stages across the world with the 'Mean Green Killing Machine!'"

In a recent interview with HardrockHaven.net, Ellsworth spoke about Garcia's involvement with OVERKILL. He said: "Eddy's been part of our team since Ron's been part of our team, since 2005. He came on very soon thereafter. He was our sound guy. He played for a band called PISSING RAZORS. We had an issue with Ron. He'd broken his wrist, I think it was back in '12. And we were scheduled to do 70000 Tons Of Metal, two shows. We really like Andy [Piller], who puts it together — he's a friend of ours — so we said, 'Hey, here's our situation. We're gonna slide Eddy in.' So Eddy has played with us in the past, filled in for Ron. So when Ron just didn't wanna tour anymore, or just couldn't tour anymore — it seems to be a personal issue that he has — Eddy just was the slide-in. Just, you know, move over… It's kind of cool that he's already part of the team and you know him personally… We know him personally and we know what to expect from what he brings to each day. So he's a good choice for us to have, and we're lucky to have him as part of this team."

OVERKILL's latest album, "The Grinding Wheel", was released on February 10 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by OVERKILL and mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ACCEPT). The artwork was created again by Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH).