Roadrunner recording group MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has premiered "Rats", the latest track to be released from their new album, "Graveyard Shift". The song, which made its premiere via BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show With Daniel P. Carter", is streaming now below. "Rats" follows MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's thunderous single "Loud (F*ck It)", which is currently #19 at Active Rock radio outlets nationwide marking the band's highest charting single to date. Both "Rats" and "Loud (F*ck It)", along with the powerful previously released tracks "570" and "Eternally Yours", are available as instant grat downloads with all preorders of "Graveyard Shift". Furthermore, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE have been announced as lead support on the second leg of IN THIS MOMENT's "Half God Half Devil Tour". The second leg of the summer trek is set to begin June 28 at St. Louis, Missouri's The Pageant and continue through early August. As if that were not enough, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE is also set to light up an array of festivals around the world, including Concord, North Carolina's Carolina Rebellion (Sunday, May 7), Somerset, Wisconsin's Northern Invasion (Sunday, May 14), and Columbus, Ohio's Rock On The Range (Friday, May 19). From there, the band will cross the Atlantic for a European tour highlighted by headline dates and festival performances. "Graveyard Shift"'s striking artwork was selected from over 2000 contest entries from fans and designers in partnership with Creative Allies. The contest's winner, Crystal Johnson, created the album's cover as well as other elements in the album package. Founded in 2005, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has won over audiences worldwide with its aggressive music and arresting imagery. The band — currently comprising lead singer Chris Motionless, guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror, bassist Devin "Ghost" Sola and drummer Vinny Mauro — have proven a ferocious and inventive live act, earning an increasingly fervent fan following via countless headline shows, festival sets, and tours alongside such iconic acts as SLIPKNOT, KORN and BREAKING BENJAMIN. "Graveyard Shift" track listing: 01. Rats02. Queen For Queen03. Necessary Evil (feat. Jonathan Davis)04. Soft05. Untouchable06. Not My Type: Dead As F*ck 207. The Ladder08. Voices09. Loud (F*ck It)10. 57011. Hourglass12. Eternally Yours

Tonight's (Monday, May 1) DEFTONES concert at E-Werk in Cologne, Germany has been canceled after frontman Chino Moreno broke the top of his foot. The band explains in a statement: "He needs to stay off it for the next day or two. No other shows as of now are in jeopardy of being cancelled. We hope to make it back soon to perform for you again. In the meantime, all tickets will be refunded. Thanks for your understanding."

DEFTONES' European tour kicked off on April 18 in Vienna, Austria and is next scheduled to hit Paris, France on Tuesday, May 2.

DEFTONES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Gore", which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 71,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 14, 2016. It was the band's highest-charting effort since their self-titled fourth album bowed and peaked at No. 2 in 2003.

"Gore" serves as the follow-up to 2012's "Koi No Yokan", which featured the Top 15 rock radio hit "Tempest".

The new disc features a guest appearance from ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell.

DEFTONES have released eight studio albums to date and have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. The multi-platinum, Grammy-winning alternative rock band from Sacramento, California is vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, keyboardist/samplist Frank Delgado, drummer Abe Cunningham and bassist Sergio Vega.

Frontiers Music Srl will release HAREM SCAREM's fourteenth studio album, "United", on May 12. The disc offers up eleven tracks of trademark HAREM SCAREM music from Harry Hess (lead vocals, keyboards), Pete Lesperance (guitars, bass, keyboards), longtime drummer Creighton Doane, and backing vocals from original sticksman and current RED DRAGON CARTEL singerDarren Smith (who will be playing live drums for the band on tour dates).

The official video for the song "Here Today Gone Tomorrow", taken from "United", can be seen below. Frontman Harry Hess says: "This year will mark the thirtieth year of HAREM SCAREM and I can tell you that we are just as excited about writing and recording today as we were then. The brand new 'United' album is one of the best collection of songs we have ever put on one release and I can't wait for everyone to hear it!" HAREM SCAREM make it clear they still have something to say right from the start with the title track, "United", a chunky slice of guitar-driven melodic rock nirvana that kicks off their strongest studio outing since the early 2000s. From there, the album lifts off with well-crafted songs featuring big choruses with simple and addictive hook-laden earworms. Each track carries a power-rock-packed punch, swaggering riffs, and hooks to die for. Hess and Lesperance without a doubt show the world that their partnership still works, that they indeed are still "united." With sales of well over a million records in forty-three countries and twelve Top 40 hits around the globe, HAREM SCAREM has returned and is ready to dominate while touring the world in support of "United". "United" track listing: 01. United02. Here Today Gone Tomorrow03. Gravity04. Sinking Ship05. One Of Life's Mysteries06. No Regrets07. Bite The Bullet08. Things I Know09. The Sky Is Falling10. Heaven And Earth11. Indestructible HAREM SCAREM is: Harry Hess - lead vocals, guitarPete Lesperance - lead guitarStan Miczek - bass guitarCreighton Doane - drumsDarren Smith - background vocals, live drummer

"Learn To Live", the first video from BAD WOLVES, can be seen below.

When art can't be pigeonholed or pinned down, it elevates the very medium itself. BAD WOLVES thrives on that sort of unpredictability, standing confidently at a crossroads between anthemic hard rock infectiousness and thought-provoking technically-charged heavy metal. Think a cross between the mind-numbing musical malevolence of MESHUGGAH and SEVENDUST's timeless irresistibility, and you're halfway there… The vision of ex-DEVILDRIVER co-founder and previous driving force John Boecklin (drums, guitars) and vocalist Tommy Vext (SNOT, DIVINE HERESY, WESTFIELD MASSACRE) as well as Doc Coyle (guitar; GOD FORBID), Chris Cain (guitar; BURY YOUR DEAD), and Kyle Konkiel (bass; VIMIC, IN THIS MOMENT), the group's full-length debut represents metallic evolution in its purest form.

The result of a musical journey he kicked off in 2014, Boecklin describes the style best.

"We sound like a heavy-slightly prog rock band that tunes low and cuts off most of the fat," he explains. "Watching FAITH NO MORE on the reunion tour made my thought process change. I was standing there, and it hit me that I don't want to be in a metal band with screaming all the time. We're heavy, yet from track-to-track, things change quite a bit."

"More was revealed, so more was required," adds Vext. "The overall tonality and approach resonated with me as an opportunity to challenge myself and grow as a vocalist. I was given a platform to tap into some musical influences I hadn't yet explored in previous bands. All in all, it was some of the most diverse, original material I've gotten to wrap my hands around."

"In no rush to put together something reminiscent of [his] musical past," Boecklin quietly wrote over the course of 2015. During summer '16, he entered AudioHammer Studios with longtime collaborator Mark Lewis (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS) and tracked what would become the group's debut album.

"Starting from scratch is never easy," admits Boecklin. "Many musical roads were traveled before getting to what you hear today — it's trial and error. I kept reminding myself not to do what I've done before. Eventually, we started to hear what we wanted."

Now, the first single, "Learn To Live", snaps from a chugging polyrhythmic riff into a hummable bridge before colliding with an undeniable refrain that's impossible to shake and the final scream, "You'd better learn to fucking live."

"The aim of the song was to basically challenge listeners to ask themselves, 'Am I willing to take personal responsibility for my own happiness?'," says Vext. "It's a concept I use in my day-to-day life as a sober life coach. It's meant to address situational depression, anxiety, and the disconnect from interpersonal relationships as a byproduct of social media addiction."

Album opener "A Toast To The Ghosts" delivers a searing gut-punch punctuated by sharp succinct fretwork, smart-bomb precise percussion, and another searing vocal performance. Everything culminates on the pensive and punishing "Blood And Bones". Vext adds, "It's like an open letter to an abusive relationship partner that no longer serves you or the opposing counterpart. It's left open to interpretation."

Defined by a push-and-pull between incalculable instrumentation and soaring melodies, BAD WOLVES will keep listeners guessing and thinking on their path to hard rock and metal supremacy.

"This is something new for me," Boecklin leaves off. "It's the most unique drumming I've ever done. Tommy has never sounded so good. The songs are much more diverse than anything from our collective past. I'd love for people to take away some sort of connection emotionally. That's what all of the bands who inspire me do. Everything else doesn't really matter."

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

 

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

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

Hailing out of Oakland, California, Cultural Warfare is made up of four seasoned musicians with one common goal. Former Taunted members vocalist Jacques Serrano and bassist Pete Aguilar join forces with Cultural Warfare alum guitarist Billy Garoutte and drummer Kevin Doughty to form the heaviest lineup of CW to date. All four members having long standing roots in the Bay Area back to the golden age of thrash metal, Cultural Warfare understands as well as anyone the rich history and lineage that bands like Metallica, Exodus, Death Angel, Testament, Forbidden, and Vio-lence started in the '80s.

Swedish traditional heavy metal band, Mean Streak, have released an official video for "Caught In The Crossfire", taken from the upcoming fourth full-length album Blind Faith. Check it out below.

 

Mean Streak revealed the cover artwork and tracklisting Blind Faith, produced by Peter Andersson and Max Norman, mixed by Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Armored Saint, Megadeth, Y&T) and mastered by Thomas “Plec” Johansson (Soilwork, Onslaught, Armageddon, Degradead, Dynazty).

The record is set to be released in Europe via ROAR Rock Of Angels Records on June 2rd, in Japan via Marquee/Avalon including one exclusive bonus track on May 31st and in North America via HighVolMusic on June 16th.

Blind Faith tracklisting:

“Blood Red Sky”
“Animal In Me”
“Retaliation Call”
“Settle The Score”
“Tear Down The Walls”
“Tears Of The Blind”
“Love Is A Killer”
“Come Undone”
“Fire At Will”
“Caught In The Crossfire”
“Gunnerside”
“Smile Of A Clown” (Japan Bonus Only)

Apart from the CD version, Blind Faith will be available on vinyl in Europe via ROAR Rock Of Angles Records on June 2rd.

Mean Streak is a Swedish metal band who manages the legacy of traditional heavy metal. The band was formed in 2008 by Peter Andersson. The general idea was (and still is) to write classic metal straight from the heart.

Mean Streak is:

Peter Andersson - Bass and background Vocals
Andy LaGuerin - Lead Vocals and Guitars
Thomas Johansson - Guitars
Jonas Källsbäck - Drums and Background vocals

(Photo - Joanna-photo)

In the much anticipated Journey reunion 20 years in the making, former vocalist Steve Perry gave an acceptance speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction award. Pro shot-video of Perry's heartfelt speech and the band's performance of "City By The Bay" and "Don't Stop Believin'" featuring current singer Arnel Pineda can be viewed below.

The Rock Hall induction ceremony was broadcast on HBO on April 29th, 2017. 

 

 

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Journey guitarist Neal schon opened up about reconnecting with singer Steve Perry after over a decade at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. Following is an excerpt:

Rolling Stone: It's been four days. Are you still buzzing?

Schon: "Yeah, man. It's really kind of surreal. The whole event was amazing. I really loved seeing Steve Perry, who I haven't seen in a long time, since we did the Hollywood Walk of Fame (in 2005). I went in his room backstage. I think it was one of the reasons I was so highly emotional. I hadn't seen him in a long time and I realized how tight we always were. Looking at the old pictures and listening to the music we made together, I got emotional. Probably had I not been in his room before so I wouldn't have been as emotional, but who knows? Steve and I were very, very tight for so many years.

At the end of Journey, around Trial By Fire (in 1996) or even Raised on Radio (in 1986) we were having a falling out as far as the direction of the band. It was more or less like that. There were a lot of other issues going on that were kind of stupid looking back. I'd hoped we'd put everything aside and get back to our great friendship that we always had, the admiration and respect we had for one another. I felt like that was definitely there. Some of his friends were in the room with my wife and I, and they snapped some photos. People can genuinely see that he was very happy and so was I. Every picture tells a story."

Rolling Stone: What did you and Steve talk about when you were in his room?

Schon: "I looked at him and said, 'Hey man, I really miss you.' There was very good eye contact. It was real. It wasn't just things being said because of the ceremony and to keep things cool. He said, 'Coffee is way overdue for us.' I went, 'Let's do it. Please.'"

Go to this location for the complete interview.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Class of 2017 inductions took place on Friday, April 7th at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY. During the festivities, Rush vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee joined YES for a performance of "Roundabout" featuring former YES vocalist Jon Anderson. Pro-shot video is available below.

 

As the members of YES prepared for their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Class of 2017 drummer Alan White looked back on the band's nearly 50-year history and what's still to come for one of the world's most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock bands.

Q: Congratulations on YES' upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It's an honor that salutes the band's legacy - which you've been upholding via years of consistent touring, the release of new music (including the recent studio album, Heaven & Earth) and the band's annual Cruise To The Edge. To what do you attribute the band's staying power year after year?

A: “I think it comes down to the fact that we made a decision a long time ago to create music that we loved first and foremost. I can't even count how many times we heard from the music business proper that we were crazy for doing what we were doing.

“As a result of following our own hearts and muse, I believe we built a timeless body of work that continues to speak to people. We're very lucky to have such an incredible fan base that commits to every tour and picks up each new album. It started with an honesty between the band members. That translated to the fans. They've hitched along for the ride. We're very thankful for them. They keep us young!”

Q: What does being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame mean to you?

A: “It's a complete honor! Gaining this sort of industry recognition for something we've just naturally done is extremely humbling and satisfying.

“We've put in a lot of work over a long time period. It's nice to know that work doesn't go unnoticed. It's a big deal to all of us. It's funny because I actually received confirmation that we were being inducted for sure while watching The Today Show! We had hints from our management and that sort of thing, but it became real on national television. I can always laugh when that show comes on now.”

Q: Throughout your time in YES and up until his death, you and late bassist Chris Squire were best friends and made music together for over 40 years. Do you have a favorite memory of performing with Chris? What about him inspired (or still inspires) you as a musician?

A: “I have so many memories of Chris. It's almost hard to pick. I can share one that always sticks out... Personally, the standard 4/4-time signature never satisfied me. A while back, Chris came up to me, looked me in the eye, and said, "I've forgotten how to play in four because we do everything in five, seven, and nine! How do we play in four?" It really brought a smile to my face. I was like, "Let me show you."

“What inspires me about Chris is that he always did everything to the utmost extreme. There was no compromise. If he had an idea, he would find a way to make it work, regardless of how insane it might have seemed. I feel like this award is a tribute to him. In many ways, he was like the heart of Yes-a true cornerstone of everything we do.”

Q: How important is it for YES to play for your fans every year? And to continue carrying on the YES name for Chris, who asked that you, his friend and replacement on bass Billy Sherwood and the rest of the band to keep his legacy going?

A: “We love to share this music. The fans keep it alive by showing up. We don't let a year go by without giving them something.

“As far as keeping the YES name going, I don't really feel like there was any other choice after Chris had expressed his wishes so clearly. We had worked together for 43 years. It's unbelievable to think about. I wish he could be here with us for all of these wonderful moments, but it's an opportunity to honor his legacy all the same every time we go on stage. I'm always thinking about him.”

Q: This year marks your 45th year as a member of YES. What were your thoughts back then when you first joined the group?

A: “You're making me feel old [Laughs]. It'll be 45 years in July to be exact that I've been playing with the same band. Can somebody call the Guinness Book of World Records?

“I was actually asked to join the band right before a major tour in America in 1972. I had to learn the entire catalog in three days. It was a really thrilling sort of trial by fire, so to speak. I'm happy I made it out. I was excited and nervous all at once. I'm out on the road and thrown into this incredible world that would become my life forever.”

Q: In the almost 50 years since YES formed, the styles and genres of music have constantly changed. Yet the influence of YES' music is still present and has impacted both established and emerging artists. Can you talk a little about what that means to you?

A: “The band established a style of music that really changed the direction of an entire genre. Because of that, it resonated with a lot of younger musicians. It still does to this day. That's an amazing feeling. There's no endorsement like that of another artist. They're carrying the torch. I'll often listen to music and hear a little bit of what we did here and there. It's really touching and quite impressive to hear how the next generation re-interprets and re-shapes that blueprint.”

Q: Since 2013, YES has been performing albums in full on tour, including The Yes Album, Close To The Edge, Going For The One, Fragile, Drama and Tales From Topographic Oceans, which illustrates that YES has been a true album band. How artistically satisfying has it been for you to perform albums in full?

A: “Artistically, it's very satisfying to revisit the albums on stage. They can be quite challenging. The very exercise itself keeps us all on our toes. Quite recently, we did a pretty extreme set in Japan where we played Drama in its entirety and side one and side four of Tales from Topographic Oceans. It was unbelievable to see the Japanese crowds singing along to every word. That passionate and enthusiastic response really fuels you when you're up there playing. You feel it.

“Sure, it's a lot of music, but I enjoy performing records from top-to-bottom. It becomes more of an immersive experience. I'd liken it to a symphony.”

Montreal's Karkaos are gearing up for the release of their new album, Children Of The Void, which is due to be released on May 26th. They have checked in with the following:

"Karkaos is back with it's brand new single 'Kolossos' featuring guest vocals from Kittie's Morgan Lander (starting at 2:52). The song will be featured on the upcoming album Children Of The Void. 'Kolossos' is a journey to darkness, a struggle to keep up with the hardships of life but also a deep will to keep on fighting and overcoming it all. Releasing this new album became a reason to get back up time and time again for a lot of us and we put our absolute best in it. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do."

During the recordings for Children Of The Void, the band posted behind-the-scenes video clips from the studio. Check them out below.

 

 

 

 

 

Children of the Void official tracklisting:

"Babel"
"Skymaster"
"Kolossòs"
"Let The Curtain Fall"
"Pale"
"Children Of The Void"
"Rêverie"
"Tyrants"
"Where Mushrooms Grow"
"Lightbearer"
"The Beast"
"Bound By Stars"

Karkaos is:

Viky Boyer - lead vocals
Samael Pelletier - guitar
Eddy Levitsky - bass
Sebastien Belanger-Lapierre - keyboards
Vincent Harnois - guitar/vocals
Justine Ethier - drums

For more information and updates go to this location.

Former GREAT WHITE and current JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell joined DOKKEN on stage on April 29 at the M3 Rock Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland to perform the classic DOKKEN song "Alone Again". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

DOKKEN leader Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer "Wild" Mick Brown completed a short Japanese tour last October, marking the first time in twenty-one years the band's classic lineup had hit the road.

A new DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour is tentatively due before the end of the year. The set will feature footage from two of the Japanese shows — including Tokyo — as well as the band's very first comeback gig, which was held on September 30, 2016 at Badlands Pawn Guns Gold And Rock 'N' Roll in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Don told Billboard that the main reason he doesn't want to continue with the classic DOKKEN lineup is that "loves" the band he has now — which features Brown, alongside guitarist Jon Levin and bassist Chris McCarvil.

JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE's debut album, "He Saw it Comin'", was released on January 27 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc features Jack Russell alongside former GREAT WHITE bassist-turned-guitarist Tony Montana (as a guitar player and keyboardist), Dan McNay (MONTROSE) on bass, Robby Lochner (FIGHT) on guitar and Dicki Fliszar (BRUCE DICKINSON) on drums.

JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE is not to be confused with the current touring and recording version of GREAT WHITE, which features Mark Kendall, Scott Snyder (bass), Audie Desbrow (drums), Michael Lardie (guitar, keyboards) and Terry Ilous (lead vocals).

Fan-filmed video footage of IRON MAIDEN's April 29 performance at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. If Eternity Should Fail02. Speed Of Light03. Wrathchild04. Children Of The Damned05. Death Or Glory06. The Red And The Black07. The Trooper08. Powerslave09. The Great Unknown (live debut)10. The Book Of Souls11. Fear Of The Dark12. Iron Maiden

Encore:

13. The Number Of The Beast14. Blood Brothers15. Wasted Years

MAIDEN's European tour consists of a total of sixteen dates, including three shows in Germany, eight in England, two in Scotland and one each in Ireland and Wales. The U.K. leg marks MAIDEN's first full UK arena tour in six years.

The German leg will see MAIDEN also perform in Frankfurt and Hamburg before dates in Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, London, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Cardiff and Dublin.

SHINEDOWN is providing support act on all sixteen dates.

Prior to the tour, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said: "As it's been so long since our last full U.K. arena tour, we really wanted to get to our fans in as many cities as possible. We're really looking forward to it, especially visiting places we haven't been to for a very long time, like Leeds, where we haven't played since 2005, and Liverpool, where we haven't played since 1990.

"The whole band is really enjoying this tour and although we love playing festivals and stadiums, it is terrific to return to the intimacy and atmosphere of arenas.

"The songs from 'The Book Of Souls' album and the new Maya-themed Eddies and stage sets have gone down really well and fan reaction has been amazing. And, of course, we know our fans appreciate us playing a lot of the older songs too, which we will continue to do."

"The Book Of Souls" is MAIDEN's first ever double studio album and their most successful chart-wise to date, debuting at the No. 1 spot in over 40 countries around the world and No. 4 in the U.S.A.

IRON MAIDEN's "The Book Of Souls" world tour will return to North America for an extensive series of arena and amphitheater shows in June and July. Support on the trek will come from GHOST.

METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo joined KORN and his 12-year-old son Tye on stage last night (Saturday, April 29) at the Vivo X el Rock festival in Lima, Peru to perform the KORN classic "Blind". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Tye played bass for KORN during the band's South American tour after the group's's regular bassist, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, was unable to make the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Fieldy will rejoin his KORN bandmates at the Carolina Rebellion festival on May 6.

KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told NME about the band's collaboration with Tye: "He knows, like, seventeen, eighteen KORN songs, and he knows them really well — it's crazy. All the stops, and the breaks… It's crazy to see somebody that young so talented. He's gonna be a professional musician, and to know that at that early of an age is just inspiring."

Speaking of how the union came about, Munky said: "There was a moment when a couple of the guys from METALLICA and Jonathan [Davis, KORN vocalist] and Fieldy kinda bumped into each other in some airline lounge, and Robert was, like, 'Hey, have you checked out my son playing bass?!' They were watching some videos and Jonathan and Fieldy were, like, 'Woah, he's so good!' When we found out Fieldy wasn't gonna be able to come on this trip with us, he suggested Tye. It's not just some replacement — this is the DNA of Robert Trujillo, one of the greatest bass players on the planet! You can see it — it's crazy how much you see his dad in him."

Robert Trujillo told Brazil's Globo Play about Tye: "I never forced him on music. I always felt that if he wanted to embrace an instrument, great; I'd try to help him with it. So initially, at first, it was drums. And then around that same time, when he was one, he had a little plastic guitar, and he would play it all the time, just strumming it — always strumming it everywhere, to the point where the plastic was worn down."

He continued: "It's a beautiful thing, 'cause he's still a 12-year-old, and he still acts wild and crazy, as a twelve-year-old should, but when it comes to music, he's very focused. And with KORN, it's funny, because I haven't shown him anything at all for the KORN stuff — I've been too busy and I've been out of town a lot — and he's taking this opportunity very serious."

Robert Trujillo previously told the Huffington Post that Tye was "an amazing bass player and a really great writer. The bass lines that he's writing and the riffs, I'm like, 'Man, I wish I had written that.' He's coming up with stuff on his own, but he's also been influenced by players like Jaco Pastorius, but also Miles Davis or BLACK SABBATH or LED ZEPPELIN."

Trujillo added: "He's like a sponge. He loves funk. He loves James Brown, he's this little 12-year-old who's soaking up and embracing all this different music and I can tell that it's helping him creatively in what he's writing with his band."

Tye's own band, THE HELMETS, counts TOOL, ALICE IN CHAINS and METALLICA among their influences. Tye told Billboard last year, "We hate pop, we despise it. It's all the same sound."

"Judas", the brand new single from FOZZY — the band featuring WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho alongside members of STUCK MOJO — received its world premiere earlier tonight (Sunday, April 30) on the BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" with Daniel P. Carter. You can now listen to the song at BBC.co.uk, beginning at around the 1:58:20 mark.

"Judas" is the title track of FOZZY's new album, which will be released this summer via Century Media. Jericho told "The Front Row Report" about what fans can expect from the new disc (hear audio below): "It's definitely the next step. It's an extension. It's more of an evolving FOZZY. We really put a lot of stock in bands like U2 and GUNS N' ROSES and METALLICA, and I think the best example might be David Bowie, where there's always different styles, different eras, and we like that too. And we're not completely changing what we do. But there's different more melodies and this is very much a hookier record. There's not as many guitar solos on the record, but it's still heavy and melodic. It's an evolution from 'Do You Wanna Start A War' [2014] as much as 'Do You Wanna Start A War' was an evolution from 'Sin And Bones' [2012]. I think it's a great trilogy of records that shows a lot of growth, but it's still very heavy and very melodic. Like I said, the trilogy of records — from 'Sin And Bones' to 'Judas' — I think they're all very great records that have a little bit different elements to them all, which is a key to longevity for sure."

Jericho also talked about the songwriting process for "Judas", which was composed during late 2015 and most of 2016 while FOZZY took a break from the road.

"We never really sit in a room and write," he said. "In the past, I would write my parts and send them over to [guitarist] Rich [Ward] and Rich would send it back to me. Also, we had Johnny Andrews writing with us for the whole record. He wrote 'Lights Go Out' on the last record, so we wanted him involved. He produced the record, so Rich and him did a lot of sessions [in the studio where they spent many hours] jamming it out… We wanted to give him total control and let him produce the record and make the record that he thought we should make, and we're really happy that we did."

FOZZY recently announced the return of bassist Paul Di Leo. Paul previously played with FOZZY between 2011 and 2014 and appeared on the group's last two studio albums.

After "Do You Wanna Start A War"'s release, Di Leo was replaced on the road by Jeff Rouse and later by Randy Drake.

"Do You Wanna Start A War" sold around 5,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 54 on the Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived on July 22, 2014 via Century Media.

REVOLUTION SAINTS, the band featuring Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY, BAD ENGLISH), Doug Aldrich (THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, DIO), and Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES), made its live debut on Friday, April 28 at the VIP acoustic party of the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

REVOLUTION SAINTS recently entered the studio in Italy to start recording its second album with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, who also helmed the band's debut album.

Castronovo, Aldrich and Blades will record a scorching set of songs written by Doug and Alessandro between the end of 2016 and early 2017.

The band hopes to do more shows to promote the forthcoming album, which is currently set for a release in early October.

REVOLUTION SAINTS was initially the vision of Frontiers president Serafino Perugino, who for years had hoped to work on a project where Deen would be the lead vocalist. Having previously worked with all three artists on different projects on Frontiers, getting Deen, Jack and Doug together was a dream come true for the president of the label. With production overseen by in-house Frontiers man Del Vecchio, the recording process for REVOLUTION SAINTS' debut happened in Portland, Oregon during the summer of 2014.

Aldrich told CrypticRock.com about REVOLUTION SAINTS: "We definitely have a chemistry together. When we got together to do some videos as well as recording together up in Portland, it was undeniable that we had a chemistry, and it sounds like that on the record. Spending time with those guys is super fun and we all fell into our own zone. For example, Deen is a frontman and the drummer with Jack, but he is like the young kid that has way too much energy, bouncing off the walls. I am kind of the quiet guy; I really do not have much to say. I just want to play. Jack is kind of the general; he took over, and in a good way, because you need somebody to be the boss. You need somebody to organize stuff or else you are wasting time or going down long paths. Jack keeps you focused. Then we all have our creative side, but the energy that Deen has is just infectious. I hope to be able to put it together where we will be able to do some shows."

The newly reunited RATT, featuring three members of the band's classic lineup — singer Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini — performed on April 29 at M3 Rock Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

As before, Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini were joined on stage by former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

A completely different version of RATT — led by drummer Bobby Blotzer and featuring a revolving door of members — has been hitting stages across the country since the fall of 2015.

Last November, a California judge ruled against Blotzer with respect to whether Croucier had committed trademark infringement by using the RATT name and logo to advertise his band RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER back in the fall 2015. The judge furthermore decided that the corporation WBS, Inc. — of which Blotzer and DeMartini were thought to be the sole shareholders — did not have ownership interest in the RATT marks and that the name and brand was still owned by the members who were part of the original RATT partnership agreement.

In addition to claiming to have expelled Blotzer from the partnership following the latest court ruling, DeMartini, Croucier and singer Stephen Pearcy said that Blotzer could now only refer to himself as a "former member of RATT," as per the partnership agreement.

Blotzer's most recent lineup of RATT included singer Seann Nicols (QUIET RIOT) alongside guitarists Mitch Perry (TALAS, HEAVEN, STEELER, MSG, LITA FORD) and Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) and bassist Brad Lang (Y&T).

"Help", the new Darren Craig-directed video from PAPA ROACH, can be seen below. The song 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).

"Help" burst on to the radio waves and streaming services last month by debuting as No. 1 Most Added at Active Rock.

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

The last two nights of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's 2016 U.K. tour took place on December 9 and December 10 at the O2 Brixton Academy, with the second night seeing the band playing its debut album, "The Poison", in full on its tenth anniversary year. Both shows were captured by Live Here Now and are set for release as "Live From Brixton: Chapter Two" on July 28. Nights one and two are both available on limited-edition double CDs, plus deluxe 2 x DVD and Blu-ray editions (which include both evenings' performances). Finally, "Night Two: Performing The Poison" in its entirety is also available on triple red LP. All formats are available across specially priced bundles.

Video footage of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE performing the song "Her Voice Resides", taken from from "Live From Brixton: Chapter Two", can be seen below.

In a 2016 interview with Metal Obsession, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE frontman Matt Tuck stated about the the fact that it has been more than a decade since "The Poison" first came out: "Yeah, it's gone in the blink of an eye. The lifestyle of the band has been so hectic. It really has just gone by. When you think of the reality of how long that's passed since then, the journey we've been on since that record is incredible. We've achieved the unachievable in many ways and twelve years later we're still very relevant in heavy metal. Very, very shocked how quick it’s gone."

Asked which song he was most looking forward to performing from that record at the Brixton show, Tuck said: "I don't know. Probably 'Her Voice Resides', the opener. It was the opening soundtrack to our career in a way. Having that intro play at our first headline shows and launch into 'Her Voice Resides'. They were very exciting times in our lives. I think as soon as that intro rolls, we haven't used it since 2006 or 2007. Having that intro in the PA system and people screaming in the background will be a very goosebumpy moment for us."

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE recently commenced work on material for its sixth album, tentatively due before the end of the year. The disc will be released through the band's new label home, Search And Destroy, the imprint launched in 2014 by Spinefarm and international artist management company Raw Power Management.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's latest song, "Don't Need You", was released as a standalone single last November.

The band's last studio album, "Venom", came out in August 2015. The CD marked BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's first release since the departure of longtime bassist Jason James and addition of Mathias (formerly of REVOKER).

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas took a temporary leave of absence from the band last year to spend time with his wife, as they awaited the birth of his first child. He has since been replaced on the road by Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, AXEWOUND).

Original JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Al Atkins has released a new version of the PRIEST classic "Victim Of Changes", featuring a duet with PRIMAL FEAR singer Ralf Scheepers. The track is taken from Atkins's latest solo album, "Reloaded", which was released in January via Gonzo Multimedia. The album is a collection tracks from the last four decades that Al has either written or performed from his days in JUDAS PRIEST to his last band HOLY RAGE. It features additional special guest appearances by Ian Hill of JUDAS PRIEST (who performed on the original recordings of some of these classics, like "Victim Of Changes" from the "Sad Wings Of Destiny" album), John McCoy (ex-GILLAN), a solo from Roy "Z" Ramirez of HALFORD and BRUCE DICKINSON, Japanese guitarist Tsuyoshi Ikedo from UNVEIL RAZE, Australia's Stu "Hammer" Marshall of DEATH DEALER, Chris Johnson from HOLY RAGE, Rob Allen on drums and longtime friend and collaborator, guitarist and producer of many of Al's albums, Paul May. These tracks have appeared in various forms on many albums over the past forty years. "Reloaded" also features a bonus track that is an excerpt of a guitar solo from the very JUDAS PRIEST demo featuring Hill on bass and K.K. Downing on guitar a never-heard treat for all JUDAS PRIEST fanatics.

"Reloaded" was once again recorded at Rock Solid Studios in the U.K.

"Reloaded" track listing:

01. Mind Conception02. Winter03. Coming Thick & Fast04. A Void To Avoid05. Heavy Thoughts06. Cradle To The Grave07. Money Talks08. Never Satisfied09. Love At War10. Victim Of Changes11. Mind Conception (early JUDAS PRIEST demo extract)

Asked how the idea for the album came about, Atkins told PowerOfMetal.dk: "After Paul May and myself [were] asked to record a 'best-of' album by our record company, we recorded the ATKINS MAY PROJECT 'Anthology'. It then got me thinking about recording my own solo 'best-of] album, but set about re-recording all of my fave songs from the last four decades and using guest players."

Regarding how he decided on the guest players for "Reloaded", Atkins told Musciguy247: "With a couple of early JUDAS PRIEST songs like 'Winter' and 'Never Satisfied', I asked bass player Ian Hill if he would help out, which I am very grateful. Ian and myself have remained good friends over all these years and he has always said if I want him for anything just ask, so this time I did and this was a very historic fit. Also German vocalist Ralf Scheepers had said prior to the album that we should do a duet sometime and he was a perfect fit too on 'Victim Of Changes' — awesome vocals! Another friend of mine is bass player John McCoy, and I wanted him on the track 'Coming Thick And Fast', which features a dirty big bass riff and he fitted perfect, so yes, very stylistic and historic too."

Atkins also talked about his approach to revisiting tracks from his past. He said: "I wanted them to be kept pretty much to the original songs but make them heavier so we dropped down the key, bought up the bass and drums in the mix and shredded the fuck out of them."

Atkins is the co-writer of several PRIEST songs which are included on the band's first two albums, "Rocka Rolla" and "Sad Wings of Destiny", both of which eventually went gold. Atkins co-penned the heavy metal classic "Victim of Changes", which was a combination of Rob Halford's song "Red Light Lady" and Atkins' own "Whiskey Woman". He also co-wrote "Winter", "Never Satisfied", "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Caviar and Meths".

JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to Al Atkins's autobiography, titled "Dawn of the Metal Gods: My Life in Judas Priest and Heavy Metal". The book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil's book "The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith" (Omnibus Press) — was released in 2009 via Iron Pages.

The official video for "You Don't Know", a brand new song from Canadian hard rockers KOBRA AND THE LOTUS, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Prevail I", which will be released on May 12 via Napalm Records. The disc was produced by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, EPICA) and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen.

Frontwoman Kobra Paige states about "You Don't Know": "To be alive brings many great things, but among those things includes great suffering. It's painful to feel backed into a corner, judged, misunderstood for who we really are. We can never really know a person until we have seen their point of view, crawled into their skin, and walked a mile in their shoes, but that will never happen. This is the anthem for the man, the woman, the human, navigating their life the best way they can. After all, 'You don't know what it's like to be me!'"

"Prevail I" track listing:

01. Gotham02. TriggerPulse03. You Don't Know04. Specimen X (Mortal Chamber)05. Light Me Up06. Manifest Destiny07. Victim08. Check The Phyrg09. Hell On Earth10. Prevail

Kobra previously stated about the story of "Prevail I", the band's most ambitious effort to date: "When we are born, we are innocent, pure, and unshaped. This mandala signifies a human at the beginning of its journey. Unscathed and beautiful, the mandala is each and every one of us. As this album unfolds, you will notice it's more than just music. 'Prevail I' is a story of visceral truth and I believe, if we're really being honest with ourselves, everyone will find their story within it. After all, the battles may differ, but we all started as the same mandala and we are more relatable than we'd like to admit. Our only wish is that you may enjoy the freaking crap out of this album and find comfort in realizing you're not alone."

Evolution is inevitable and KOBRA AND THE LOTUS has delivered its most powerful album to date, "Prevail I", with "Prevail II" to complete the story in the not-too-distant future.

Led by Kobra Paige, KOBRA AND THE LOTUS has been making a name for itself worldwide since 2010 with extensive touring and three well-received albums.

KOBRA AND THE LOTUS is loaded with exquisite precision, heavy emotion, vocal brilliance and grand-scale dynamics, highlighting the glories of classic heavy metal and rock. Known for their exceptionally strong live shows, they proudly carry the flag for all metal/hard rock fans.

KOBRA AND THE LOTUS is:

Kobra Paige (vocals)Jasio Kulakowski (guitars)Brad Kennedy (bass)Marcus Lee (drums)

Two of the most underrated - but widely respected - heavy metal releases of the late ‘80s were undoubtedly the first pair of albums by New Orleans-based hard rock outfit, Lillian Axe - 1988’s self-titled debut and 1989’s Love + War. And on May 12th, both will be reissued as “special deluxe collector’s editions” via Rock Candy Records - complete with multi-page booklets, essays, and fully remastered audio, shaped from 24 BIT digital technology.

Both albums can be ordered via the following links: Lillian Axe, Love + War.

The band - which been led since their inception by guitarist Steve Blaze - caught the attention of metalheads during an era when bands like Ratt ruled the MTV/radio airwaves. And it just so happened that Ratt’s manager at the time, Marshall Berle, crossed paths with the band, and helped broker a recording deal with MCA Records, and in turn, enlisted Ratt’s late guitarist, Robbin Crosby, to produce the group’s debut album - spawning such standout tracks as “Dream Of A Lifetime”, “Vision In The Night”, and “The More That You Get”.

Lillian Axe came back even stronger with their sophomore set, Love + War, with Tony Platt (who had previously worked with the likes of AC/DC, Def Leppard, and Krokus) serving as producer - which resulted in such rocking tunes as “The World Stopped Turning”, “Show A Little Love” and “She Likes It On Top”.

Soon, rock fans will get the opportunity to rediscover both Lillian Axe and Love + War, thanks to the good folks at Rock Candy.

Lillian Axe tracklisting:

“Dream Of A Lifetime”
“Inside Out”
“Vision In The Night”
“Picture Perfect”
“The More That You Get”
“Misery Loves Company”
“Nobody Knows”
“Hard Luck”
“Waiting In The Dark”
“Laughing In Your Face”

Love + War tracklisting:

“All's Fair In Love And War”
“She Likes It On Top”
“Diana”
“Down On You”
“The World Stopped Turning”
“Ghost Of Winter”
“My Number”
“Show A Little Love”
“Fool's Paradise”
“Letters In The Rain”

(Photo - lillianaxe.com)

The newly reunited RATT, featuring three members of the band's classic lineup — singer Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini — performed at the Theatre Of Living Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 27. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

As before, Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini were joined on stage by former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

A completely different version of RATT — led by drummer Bobby Blotzer and featuring a revolving door of members — has been hitting stages across the country since the fall of 2015.

Last November, a California judge ruled against Blotzer with respect to whether Croucier had committed trademark infringement by using the RATT name and logo to advertise his band RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER back in the fall 2015. The judge furthermore decided that the corporation WBS, Inc. — of which Blotzer and DeMartini were thought to be the sole shareholders — did not have ownership interest in the RATT marks and that the name and brand was still owned by the members who were part of the original RATT partnership agreement.

In addition to claiming to have expelled Blotzer from the partnership following the latest court ruling, DeMartini, Croucier and singer Stephen Pearcy said that Blotzer could now only refer to himself as a "former member of RATT," as per the partnership agreement.

Blotzer's most recent lineup of RATT included singer Seann Nicols (QUIET RIOT) alongside guitarists Mitch Perry (TALAS, HEAVEN, STEELER, MSG, LITA FORD) and Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) and bassist Brad Lang (Y&T).

Former and current members of HALESTORM, SLIPKNOT and SUICIDAL TENENDCIES took part in a tribute show honoring the music of Dave Grohl (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA) last night (Thursday, April 27) at The Basement East in Nashville, Tennessee.

The event, dubbed "Rock N' Grohl: A Tribute To Dave Grohl", saw HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger joined by former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES members Josh Paul and Nico Santora and SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg.

Video footage of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of King Thrust Entertainment).

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 recently told Swedish outlet RockSverige that HALESTORM is continuing to write material for its next album, tentatively 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.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based melodic death metallers THE AGONIST have fired back at their former singer Alissa White-Gluz, accusing her of "slandering" their name openly and as purposely trying to sabotage them within the music industry at any opportunity.

White-Gluz was announced as the new singer of ARCH ENEMY on March 17, 2014. That same day, THE AGONIST revealed that they had recruited Vicky Psarakis as Alissa's replacement, saying in a statement that they wished White-Gluz "all the best with ARCH ENEMY and her future endeavors." A day later, Alissa released her own statement in which she claimed that she "had every intention of (and had even started) writing and recording yet another killer album [with THE AGONIST] this year," but explained that her "former bandmates decided to choose a different path." She also said that "the unfortunate decision" to part ways "was made beyond [her] control" and added that she would "always be proud of the three albums [she and THE AGONIST] created since 2005."

Alissa, who co-founded THE AGONIST in 2004 (then known as TEMPEST), had been largely quiet about the circumstances that led to her departure from the band, choosing instead to focus on the touring activities in support of ARCH ENEMY's 2014 album "War Eternal", which marked her recording debut with the latter group. But during a recent appearance on HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta's official podcast, "The Jasta Show", Alissa aired her side of THE AGONIST split for the first time, saying that she "never in a million fucking years" suspected that she would get kicked out of her own band. She added, "I don't agree with what they did. I don't have respect for what they did," and vowed to never mend fences with her former bandmates. "I'll never talk to them again — ever!" she said. "That was the worst betrayal I've ever felt in my life. They stole a lot from me. It was not right."

But now, in a lengthy statement, THE AGONIST guitarist Danny Marino has responded to Alissa's comments, claiming that "she was playing both sides to have her cake and eat it too" and accusing her of not "factoring in the other four lives in the band and their aspirations."

Marino's statement in full:

"In the years since it became known that we parted with Alissa, we have been committed to keeping private matters private. We did not want to get mired in an online drama, as we have seen with other bands making member changes. However, since 2014 Alissa has slandered our name openly and has purposely tried to sabotage us within the music industry at any opportunity. We had assumed that with time, and as she enjoyed success with ARCH ENEMY, this obsession would subside.

"As much as we have tried to avoid a public debate that just adds drama and negativity, we feel that after her most recent comments we cannot maintain silent. We feel we have no choice but to discuss the deceptive betrayal that occurred, as well as our longtime issues with Alissa's manipulative and unprofessional behavior, her lack of respect for our fans, crew and producer, as well as her frequent freak-outs and instability that affected the band both in the studio, on tour, and behind the scenes that lead to our decision to change singers.

"When Alissa talks about how we betrayed her, she conveniently leaves out the year-long betrayal (or maybe more) that took place before it. She officially accepted to join ARCH ENEMY without telling us. They began to write a record, plan tours and make business plans all prior to saying anything to us. Many months later, she told us that she would be joining another band and that it would not affect THE AGONIST's plans and 'not to worry.' In the months that followed, we pleaded repeatedly for the band's name or any other information, but we were told she couldn't tell us. After a few months, we gave up asking about what band it was and we were simply asking for more information on her availabilities and were still told that she couldn't really say. We were in the dark, frustrated, and made our feelings known to her. We had a serious meeting where it was laid out that the band couldn't go on in the dark about these things anymore. At this point we had tours and festivals already booked for later in the year and she needed to tell us if we are still available for them. She finally agreed that she would ask for more of a timeline from her other mystery band. She came back saying that we needed to cancel all the already booked tours, as well as our first ever European festival tour. It was made clear that we would be at the mercy of this other band's schedule indefinitely.

"Until this point, at her request, we had not told anyone about this other secret band. Our manager, agent, and label were all in the dark. With this new information though, we needed to at least tell the people who work for us what is going on and decide how to proceed. I called our A&R at Century Media and explained everything. I had not spoken with him for some time because our record was now two years old and CM was just waiting for us to write a new one. I apologized that we had been keeping this from him but explained how Alissa had joined some other band that she can't tell us anything about, and now we'd need to delay the recording of our album, cancel our festival tour, and hold off on any tour booking indefinitely. His reaction was utter confusion and shock. 'What do you mean ��mystery band? I thought you guys were in on this whole plan? She told us you guys were fine with this and that you will be taking a break while she does the ARCH ENEMY cycle.' Century Media was not in the dark. In fact, they were instrumental in the entire lineup switch and had been told by Alissa that we were all 100% on board and knew everything about this whole scenario. After getting over the initial shock I asked him how long she would be busy for. He replied, 'Long.' And when I asked if we should wait for her I was told 'I wouldn't.' After calling our manager at the time and filling him in on the details he also agreed that, based on the scenario, we couldn't trust that she would dedicate the time we need to make our band active and successful.

"THIS was the betrayal. She was playing both sides to have her cake and eat it too. She didn't factor in the other four lives in the band and their aspirations.

"Alissa's Instability And The Ultimatum

"Prior to 2014, Alissa quit the band three separate times in 2012 — twice via face-to-face talks on tour and once in email (which we still have.) Because of this, we had already done research on possible fill-in singers prior to this mystery band issue. We had a tour booked in the USA with CRADLE OF FILTH and THE FACELESS in early 2013 and she had her third freak-out, this time by email, saying that she quit the band. After sending it, she went completely M.I.A. and wouldn't respond to calls or messages. This was going to be the biggest USA tour opportunity THE AGONIST had done to date. We began asking around and searching online for possible fill-ins for that tour. After a few weeks and more conversations, she said she actually didn't want to quit, so we told the possible singers there is no need anymore. In the end, that tour was cancelled literally one day before it started because Dani Filth didn't get in the country. Now that we faced with this AE scenario, we re-opened those singer dialogues, which now included Vicky.

"A week after our learning of her plan with ARCH ENEMY and Century Media, we called the final meeting she spoke of. This was our last-ditch effort to see if there was a way to co-exist. As soon as the meeting started, we told her we spoke with CM and we know everything. There was no need to continue to be vague about things. The ultimatum was not threatening one member to leave. The ultimatum was that we were not okay with cancelling all our European festival dates and other 2014 tour dates and we wanted some assurance that we could still get our new record out before 2015. We even said we could cancel the tour dates but could we still do the festivals since ARCH ENEMY is also playing the same festivals? She said she couldn't give us that. So we sat there at a standstill. So even though we had a potential replacement candidate waiting in the wings we still tried to give her one last chance to prove to us that THE AGONIST could still be a priority for her. And she couldn't. None of us were looking forward to the potential shitstorm of a singer-switch so we exhausted every option before pulling the trigger.

"Once Alissa understood that we were serious, she asked, 'What do you guys intend to do? It's not like you can get another singer. I'm sorry if this sounds egotistical but no one can do what I do.' We simply replied that 'We'd just have to see about that.' This was clearly the first time it occurred to her that we were not going to continue to be manipulated. What she said next made us realize we had a serious problem. She threatened, 'I am not okay with someone else singing in THE AGONIST and I will not sit back and allow this to happen!' That's when we realized we could not allow her to access the band's email account or the band's Facebook page. In today's digital era, it is so easy to completely sabotage an entire career with one email or one Facebook post. Or even simply deleting our social media accounts altogether. We did not block her access to her own personal email accounts or her own social fan pages. We couldn't if we wanted to. And the misleading language she has used in her statements to imply this was the case is manipulative and defamatory.

"The Back Story

"Working with Alissa was challenging. Nothing was ever easy, starting with songwriting. Firstly, the instrumental songs were written completely by me and the guys. This was demoed and passed off to Alissa, who then wrote the vocals. However, she would not demo these and she would not rehearse new songs with us. So, in effect, we never had any idea whatsoever what the lyrics or vocal arrangements would be until we heard the final mixed product. I sometimes heard a few things in studio while tracking but over the course of our second album, it went from 'I'd prefer to be alone with [our producer]' to 'I have to be alone' by the time our third album came to be recorded — which we complied with. Recording became a nightmare. Both our second and third albums, 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind' and 'Prisoners', were delayed by more than six months of their original delivery date to Century Media. In both cases, all the instrumentals of the songs were 100% written and recorded with our producer on schedule. In both cases, however, the vocal tracking ended up spanning over many months. Part of this was due to the fact that she showed up to the studio with many tracks unfinished or not started. She will probably swear up and down this is not true but we know it is, our A&R at the time does, and so does our producer. Once again, she did not consider how this was affecting our lives and a label, and now also our producer's life. He was spending entire days in studio and sometimes coming out with half a song if he's lucky. On a lot of days, nothing would be kept. We work on a flat rate with him because we are close friends and no matter how long it took he kept the same rate.

"Touring was also difficult. Alissa made it abundantly clear that she was miserable on tour; in turn the rest of the band was miserable. From our first tour, where she grinded the van to a halt on the highway to give me the ultimatum to either kick out our other guitar player for being 'too annoying' or she would quit (which I eventually had to do), to the tours closer to the end where she ranted furiously backstage about hating us, hating tour, hating fans, and wanting to quit. Shows became embarrassingly affected as well, as any issue with sound would result in her instant anger. Often she would stop singing, glare angrily at crew, or make rude comments into the mic about the soundman or the bad venue quality. One night at a show in Detroit she stopped singing, walked off stage and didn't return, leaving us to finish the set on stage alone without explanation. We became accustomed to walking on eggshells to avoid petty arguments, and routinely had to make excuses or apologize to crew or fans for her rude behaviour. Constantly making these excuses weighed heavily on us, as we value the hard work of crew members and fans immensely.

"Filming videos also became difficult. Our third album only had one music video (filmed live), as Alissa would not cooperate with filming any others. Alissa blew off appointments or show up very late to meetings with the videographer. This behaviour had been 'normal' for years, but became even worse at this time. She blew off band practice (eventually refusing to attend even a single practice before tours) and she was very difficult to get a hold of: she was clearly disinterested and we were already a low priority.

"On Alissa Having Written For Our Fourth Record

"We sent Alissa three instrumental demos in April 2013. She said she would get right on it. As of December 2013, the time of our split, we had not heard one note or seen one lyric. We asked regularly for an update on those songs and were always told that she hasn't had time to dig into them yet but she likes the songs a lot and will get on it soon. Her claims about how she was showing us new vocals and talking to us about it is a fabrication. By December we had eleven instrumental songs demoed. The band was supposed to hit the studio in the first half of 2014, and clearly this was not going to happen. The band couldn't get good touring opportunities without a new record, and the 2014-2015 tours we booked were contingent on the fact that we would have a fresh record to promote. Based on experience, even without adding AE into the mix, we knew she would not have the material ready. Now with AE in the mix, it was beyond impossible, and frankly insulting to expect us to believe it would be the case.

"Credit where credit is due

"Alissa has a way of removing all credit from all the people in and around THE AGONIST. I take nothing away from her: she wrote and arranged all vocals. It was an integral part of the sound of the first three albums. But for Alissa to say that it is 'my band' and 'I built that band from nothing' and to say that THE AGONIST 'is dead' is really telling of her appreciation for the compositions that she sang over and the work that surrounded the band. I would agree if we were in an acoustic folk band playing three basic chords that the vocal IS the song. Listening to our records though, to say that without the vocals the musical arrangement, performance, and composition are nothing is not only insulting to the four of us but all musicians in our genre.

"She said she built this band with 'my contacts.' While Alissa was clearly the face of the band anyone that has ever dealt with us in the industry knows that I am the main point man on behalf of the band dealing with label, management, agent, email and phone exchanges. There is also the not-so-fun work that goes into being in a smaller band that doesn't have a business manager, accounting and tour management firm. Chris Kells and I have always managed all the finances, tax reporting in the USA and Canada, visa applications, tour management, merch orders, online stores, and social media accounts. Alissa did work with our album art designers and photographers in bringing her lyrics to visual, however she did not 'design' them. Again, credit where credit is due. Those artists and photographers did a lot of work and creative input to say that she is responsible for it. Myself and Vicky currently do the same thing with our designers but if I was asked I wouldn't say I designed the album art because I directed the artist.

"Alissa's assertions about THE AGONIST's former manager dropping the band as a result of switching singers are also untrue. He supported our decision 100%. He stopped managing the band in June 2014 (seven months after our split), at the same time as he also stopped working with a few other extreme metal acts in his roster. He suggested alternative management, expressed belief in the band and the quality of our work, dedication, and we remain on good terms.

"Conclusion:

"Being at the mercy of ARCH ENEMY's touring writing, recording, and press schedule is not a great place to be. THE AGONIST is still a growing band, and we do not get to pick and choose when we tour. Support-slot opportunities most often present themselves randomly and you need to make a fast decision on whether you'll accept the tour (sometimes even in the same day before it gets offered to the next band in line!). Anyone in this business knows ARCH ENEMY are known for having one of the most active touring cycles of any band in metal. Just look at how many tours were done since 'War Eternal'. The band, our management, and our label, saw this coming. All this on top of the existing personal and professional problems we had been living with left THE AGONIST with few options.

"Since Vicky joined THE AGONIST, we have released two full-length albums, put out seven music videos and completed more than ten tours, with more to be announced for later this year. On top of this, we are all breathing a lot easier these days, as everyone is getting along much better. The band members are confident we made the right decision with the support of our management and labels past and present."

Former Thor guitarist, Jeff Decker, passed away yesterday (April 27th, 2017) in Omaha, Nebraska, reports The Metal Voice. Possible cause of death is a heart attack, with more information to come.

Jeff played with Canada's Jon Mikl Thor (aka Thor) on the Devastation Tour in 2006, and appeared in the Thor documentary, I Am Thor, in 2015. Jeff also played Gene Simmons in a KISS tribute band called Kissology.

Read more at The Metal Voice.

CELLAR DARLING, the new band featuring former ELUVEITIE members Anna Murphy (vocals, hurdy-gurdy), Merlin Sutter (drums) and Ivo Henzi (guitars, bass), will release its first studio album, "This Is The Sound", on June 30 via Nuclear Blast. "In less than a year, we've formed a new band, written an album and come up with what we believe is our sound. This is who we are and we're looking forward to what happens with it," states Murphy. Adds Sutter: "This is it: this is the result of nearly one year of incredibly intense creativity, of ups and downs, of loss and gain. This is the most personal work of our lives. This Is The Sound." CELLAR DARLING showcased its freshly recorded songs two weeks ago for the very first time.

"We've had the best time at our show in Lucerne earlier this month," the band states. "For the first time, we got to play our brand new and freshly recorded songs live for you. We only wish that all of you who couldn't make it, but who showed us such amazing support in the last year, could have been there with us. It was a magical and unique experience and we can’t wait for more." This was CELLAR DARLING's very first performance after recoding their debut album at New Sound Studio, under the watchful ear of the legendary producer and guitarist Tommy Vetterli (CORONER, ELUVEITIE). After an incredibly successful first show, the band will bring their new material, exclusively pre-release, to a few select clubs in Europe at the beginning of May. This is a unique chance to catch these intimate first shows before the release. And in the fall, the travellers will embark on a journey together with symphonic metallers DELAIN and SERENITY. After their split with ELUVEITIE, Murphy, Henzi and Sutter quickly realised their musical journey was far from over. What quickly developed was a unique and fresh combination of grand and heavy riffs, powerful drumming and a unique voice along with the signature folky, earthy tones of the hurdy gurdy. This, combined with classical elements as well as inherited folk influences, led to the creation of something entirely new, setting CELLAR DARLING on the path of musical innovation.

Two songs, "Challenge" and "Fire, Wind & Earth", were made available in September 2016 and can be streamed below.

Legendary singer Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ, GRAHAM BONNET BAND) has joined forces with Italian axeman and producer Dario Mollo in a new project called EZOO. The band's debut album, "Feeding The Beast", will be released on June 2 via earMUSIC. Grooving and stomping music, with the great feeling straight from the golden days of hard rock, EZOO features the immediately recognizable voice of Bonnet and Mollo's melodic and powerful guitars. While Mollo is well known for his collaboration with Glenn Hughes (VOODOO HILL) and his three albums with former BLACK SABBATH singer Tony Martin, you can claim that probably every rock fan has heard the biting and unique voice of Bonnet before.

The classic hit single "Since You Been Gone" (still played worldwide on the radio) from Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW album "Down To Earth" gave the band which, at the time, also featured two current DEEP PURPLE members Roger Glover and Don Airey, one of its biggest successes. Not to be forgotten, Bonnet also worked with the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and ALCATRAZZ, which launched the careers of Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Drawing on the experience of these two rich rock careers, the two leaders of EZOO obviously know how to rock. Nobody is free from a good dose of nostalgia, but the pair has created an album that catches the charm and the grandeur of the classic hard rock sounds but comes in a modern and contemporary guise.

The first time Mollo and Bonnet worked together was during a tour, as Mollo remembers: "In 2001 I received a call from Don Airey, who I know since the dawn of my career. He asked me to participate to an English tour with Graham Bonnet on vocals and Harry James and Chris Childs from THUNDER on drums and bass. I really enjoyed the tour so much that in 2004 we repeated the same experience with Graham, organizing an European tour with a new band that we called ELECTRIC ZOO. During the tour rehearsals, we recorded three RAINBOW songs."

Out of this very enjoyable experience the idea to record a new album started to grow, but it took quite a while to make it real.

"In 2007, I decided to record a new album with Graham and we started to write new material. This process took a very long time because I was very busy with my projects with Glenn Hughes (VOODOO HILL) and Tony Martin (THE CAGE) and Graham was busy too. A while ago, I received a call from Graham's manager telling me that he had listened to some of the demo songs and that it would have been criminal to not release this awesome material. We decided to add new songs and we recorded the now renamed EZOO album with some members from the ELECTRIC ZOO band, Roberto Gualdi on drums (of Italian prog legends PFM), Guido Block on bass and backing vocals on the RAINBOW songs and a new keyboards and bass player (Dario Patti) for the rest of the album."

As a special treat, "Feeding The Beast" contains new versions of RAINBOW classics "Eyes Of The World" and "Since You Been Gone" (written by Russ Ballard).

"Feeding The Beast" track listing:

01. You Are Your Money02. The Flight Of The Sapini03. C'est La Vie04. Guys From God05. Feeding The Beast06. Eyes Of The World07. Colder Than Cool08. Too High To Be Falling09. Motorbike10. Since You Been Gone11. Don't Look Back12. Coda

Terror has has released their new EP, The Walls Will Fall, via Pure Noise Records (digital, CD) and Triple B (vinyl). Order the EP here, and find a full stream of the release below.

The Walls Will Fall is Terror’s first record with their new label Pure Noise Records. The record follows their most recent full-length, 2015’s The 25th Hour, and features some of the most crushing tracks the band has ever recorded.

The hardcore veterans also recently announced a US headline tour with God’s Hate and Abuse Of Power that will start in May. Dates are listed below.

The Walls Will Fall tracklisting:

“Balance The Odds”
“Kill 'Em Off”
“The Walls Will Fall”
“No Love Lost”
“Step To You” (Madball Cover)

EP stream:

“Kill ‘Em Off” video:

Tour dates:

May
10 - Boston, MA - The Hardcore Stadium
11 - Syracuse, NY - TBA
12 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
13 - Fayetteville, NC - Drunk Horse Pub
14 - West Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
15 - St. Petersburg, FL - Local 662
16 - Jacksonville, FL - Nighthawks
17 - Atlanta, GA - MJQ
18 - Louisville, KY - Spinelli’s Pizza
19 - Erie, PA - Basement Transitions
20 - Waterfront, NY - Dukes Grove
21 - New York, NY - Webster Hall *BNB Bowl

(Photo - Alexander Malecki)

On June 16th, Brooklyn's Tombs will release their fourth full-length, The Grand Annihilation, via Metal Blade Records. Produced once again by Erik Rutan (Cannibal Corpse, Soilent Green, Belphegor, Hate Eternal), The Grand Annihilation remains rooted in the blackened, post-metallic sound that the band has become known for since 2007's self-titled EP, while also being their most experimental record to-date. The album track “Saturnalian” is available for streaming below.

The Grand Annihilation can be pre-ordered in the following formats at this location:

- Digipak CD
- 180g black vinyl
- dark olive-marbled vinyl (limited to 400 copies - EU exclusive)
- ivory/grey-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- orange/brown-marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies - EU exclusive)
- gray/green-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - US exclusive)

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

Tombs front-man Mike Hill is not a man interested in appeasing his existing audience or modifying the music he makes in the hope of luring in a broader one. Letting the songs come as and when inspiration hits him is integral to Hill's process, and this accounts in part for The Grand Annihilation's diversity. The blasting, scathing yet melodic black metal savagery of opener "Black Sun Horizon" and "Way Of The Storm" are very much built to destroy, while wielding a poignancy that is undeniable - both of which stand in strong contrast to the uncomfortable post-punk squall of "Underneath" that showcases Hill's Nick Cave/Ian Curtis-esque singing voice, while the likes of the throbbing "Saturnalian" and unnerving tribal thunder of "Walk With Me In Nightmares" stand in categories all of their own.

While every track on The Grand Annihilation stands separate from those around it, it is still a cohesive collection, and at no point do the stylistic twists and turns undermine its coherence. "If you've been following Tombs, you probably know to expect the unexpected, and I always strive to present a full range of emotion on everything with the band's name on it," Hill explains. "That said, this is a very dark and introspective record that digs deep into the common ideas of mortality, infinity and cosmic mysteries. The lyrics on the new record are a celebration of freedom through embracing the dark side. Once you realize that you follow the dark path - the path of the individual - there is a certain feeling of liberation that accompanies it."

The Grand Annihilation tracklisting:

“Black Sun Horizon”
“Cold”
“Old Wounds”
“November Wolves”
“Underneath”
“Way Of The Storm”
“Shadows At The End Of The World”
“Walk With Me In Nightmares”
“Saturnalian”
“Temple Of Mars”

“Saturnalian”:

“Cold”:

To kick off the album's release, Tombs will embark on a US tour on release date (June 16th) with Fit For An Autopsy and Moon Tooth. See below for all dates.

Tour dates:

June
16 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
17 - Reading, PA - Reverb
18 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
19 - Greensboro, NC - Blind Tiger
20 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
21 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
23 - Austin, TX - Grizzly
24 - Houston, TX - Walters
25 - Dallas, TX - Curtain Club
27 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Half Room
28 - West Hollywood, CA - Roxy
29 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
30 - Chico, CA - Lost On Main

July
1 - Portland, OR - Analog
2 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall (Black Metal & Drag BBQ) *
5 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
6 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
7 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
8 - Cleveland, OH - Foundry
9 - Brooklyn, NY - Knitting Factory

* - Tombs headline show

The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite, the first in a series of special releases from Swiss spiritual black-metal avant-gardists, Schammasch, will be released on June 9th via Prosthetic Records.

Says the band: “With last year's release of Triangle the numerological trilogy I - II - III has been closed. Different territories are about to be explored in the future, beginning with the first work of a series of records entitled The Maldoror Chants. As the title clearly tells, the concept of those records is based on the grand novel Les Chants de Maldoror, one of surrealism's dire fathers and up to this day one of the biggest literary mysteries and outgrowths.

“Having been an inspiration to Schammasch ever since Contradiction, the times have come to give this inspiration the room it deserves. Each record will follow one specific moment of the book, the first one being Hermaphrodite, a short story which appears aside the main story line in the book's first half.

“From a musical point of view these records are to be seen as an artistic experiment, apparently deriving from a different place than what we've done so far. Focus lies on telling instead of singing, atmosphere instead of technique, flow instead of structure. Don't expect anything but explore everything.”

The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite is available in various pre-sale formats here.

 

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST are putting the finishing touches on their long-awaited follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" album, singer Rob Halford has confirmed. Helming the sessions for the new disc are the band's longtime producer Tom Allom, acclaimed British knob-twiddler Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, ACCEPT) and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).

Speaking to Planet Rock's Paul Anthony at the launch of "Hell Bent For Leather", a new exhibition of leather jackets hand-painted by world-renowned tattoo artists, Halford stated about the progress of the recording sessions for PRIEST's new disc (see video below): "Well, we're still tracking. I won't say we're at the end [of the recording process], but we feel like we're coming to some of the final moments. And it's just great to watch how a record comes together, from those early, early days where there was just me and [guitarists] Glenn [Tipton] and Richie [Faulkner] sitting in the studio with a couple of guitars and just, you know, doing what we do. You start the day with nothing, and then at the end of day, potentially, you've got a really great, classic PRIEST song that may live forever."

He continued: "So we're hard at it. We're still doing what we love to do. PRIEST is a working band more than anything else. It's that Midlands ethic, the work ethic of anybody that goes to work… I say it's work, 'cause it is work — you're working with your mind, you're being creative. And now we're moving through into other stages, we're preparing for another big world tour, getting stage designs sorted, lighting designs sorted. So this is the beginning of what's gonna be a very exciting 2018 period."

Allom produced every PRIEST release from "Unleashed In The East" (1979) through "Ram It Down" (1988), along with several live records since then. As a young engineer, he also worked on the first three BLACK SABBATH records under producer Rodger Bain.

During a January 2017 appearance on "Trunk Nation", Eddie Trunk's show on SiriusXM channel Volume (106), Halford said that there was no set-in-stone timetable for the release of PRIEST's next album. "You know, there is no rush," he said. "There is no rush. We feel great. We're very happy, we're very confident, we're very excited. And so, yeah, we're working with our label and with promoters, and there's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes."

He continued: "When we go out, we want it to be good — we want it to be good, we want it to be well planned, we wanna make sure that everybody's happy."

Halford said last year that JUDAS PRIEST wasn't interested in making "a 'Redeemer Of Souls Part Two'." He explained: "I think it's very important that we make another stand-alone record again, a heavy metal record that's going to have its own legs and just be as different as all of them have been so far."

"Redeemer Of Souls" was released in July 2014. The follow-up to 2008's double-disc concept album "Nostradamus" was billed as a return to JUDAS PRIEST's heavy-metal roots.

"Redeemer Of Souls" sold around 32,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

JUDAS PRIEST's tenth studio album, "Turbo", was recently remastered and was released via Sony Music on February 3 on three CDs (the original album and two bonus discs) as well as one-LP 150-gram vinyl. Included on disc 2 and 3 of the CD reissue was, previously unreleased, "Live in Kansas City", a live recording from the band's 1986 "Fuel For Life" tour in support of "Turbo".