British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST performed their new song "Rising From Ruins" live for the second time ever on June 7 at Rockfest in Hyvinkää, Finland. They also played the classic track "Night Comes Down" — which originally appeared on the "Defenders Of The Faith" album — for the second time since 1984. Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

The "Firepower" trek is PRIEST's first since guitarist Glenn Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. He is being replaced on tour by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago — after being stricken by the degenerative condition at least half a decade earlier — but only recently announced he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live.

Asked how JUDAS PRIEST came to choose Sneap to step in for Tipton on the band's tour in support of "Firepower", Hill told veteran Japanese rock journalist Masa Itoh: "It probably came from during the recording of the album. Andy is a very good guitarist, an excellent guitarist in his own right, and I think Glenn got to know Andy and got to trust Andy, which is very important. We wanted someone who we knew as well, if at all possible. The last thing you want is somebody coming in with their own baggage, if you know what I mean. And we can trust Andy to do a good job, and I think he'll do justice to the songs. And that was the main thing — I think it was the familiarity with Andy. We had great respect for him — before we met him, we had great respect for him. But with the work he did on the album — I mean, it sounds phenomenal; he did a tremendous job with that. We're doing songs off the new album, which he is totally familiar with, and he knows a lot of the parts anyway from that. And he's also a PRIEST fan — he's been listening to us for years — and he fits the slot perfectly. I think he'll fit in and I think he'll do a tremendous job."

"Firepower" was released on March 9 via Epic. The follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" was recorded by Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.

DEVILDRIVER will release its full-length album of outlaw country-gone-metal anthems, "Outlaws 'Til The End: Vol. 1", on July 6 via Napalm Records. Pre-orders are available now in multiple physical (click "official store") and digital/streaming formats via this location. Merch bundles are also available via the official store. Additional merchandise such as t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, flasks, keychains, and more are also available here.

After weeks of anticipation from fans, DEVILDRIVER has dropped a second track from the album — the band's metallicized, aggressive cover of the outlaw classic "Ghost Riders In The Sky". The track features the talents of album guests John Carter Cash (son of country music legend Johnny Cash), Ana Cristina Cash, and renowned LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe.

A music video featuring exclusive in-studio footage below can be seen below.


DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara says: "It was both an honor and a privilege to work with these three great artists. Watching John Carter Cash and Ana Cristina Cash track vocals at the Cash Cabin was a highlight of my career. Meeting such down-to-earth and incredibly talented people and having them come on board 'made' the project for me, personally. Tracking with Randy was another highlight. He's a brother and watching how he tracked, and vice versa, was a learning process for both of us that we both spoke highly about and enjoyed immensely. All of us on this song gave 110% to make sure it was done right! Enjoy!"


John Carter Cash adds: "All my life I have loved the power and eerie quality of the song 'Ghost Riders In The Sky'. Since I was nine years old, I have lived and breathed heavy metal music. I am grateful to have had the chance to work with Dez Fafara, Randy Blythe, DEVILDRIVER and others, in the upcoming release of what I believe is the consummate metal version of this musical masterpiece."


Ana Cristina Cash says: "I am so proud to have been a part of 'Outlaws 'Til The End: Vol. 1' and to have sung on the metal version of 'Ghost Riders In The Sky' with my husband John Carter Cash, Dez Fafara, Randy Blythe and DEVILDRIVER. This whole album pushes boundaries and merges the outlaw country and the metal genres in a masterful way."


Randy Blythe offers: "I am a huge fan of moody songs with narrative lyrics employed to tell a dark story — they really make the listener visualize what the song is about. I can't think of many tunes where this was done more effectively than Johnny Cash's version of 'Ghost Riders In The Sky'. Long before heavy metal had been invented, the original Man in Black wasn't afraid to explore the dark side with his music. Truly great songs never die — they just shape-shift through the years. Singing with Dez, John Carter and DEVILDRIVER is keeping those undead riders alive in a whole different genre. Crank this up and look to the sky at night..."

"Outlaws 'Til The End" was produced, mixed and recorded with Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, EVERY TIME I DIE, SEPULTURA, THE CURE), with DEVILDRIVER guitarist Mike Sprietzer also lending recording talents. The album was mastered by renowned engineer Alan Douches.

Completing this unprecedented project is a host of metal and country luminaries providing unforgettable cameos: horror metal icon Wednesday 13 lends his incensed rasp to George Jones's "If Drinking Don't Kill Me", 36 CRAZYFISTS frontman Brock Lindow brings fire and soul to Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road", and FEAR FACTORY's Burton C. Bell helps to turn Richard Thompson's anti-war classic "Dad's Gonna Kill Me" into a brooding gothic metal extravaganza. Meanwhile, LAMB OF GOD members Randy Blythe and Mark Morton contribute to an exhilarating decimation of Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River".

"Outlaws 'Til The End" track listing:

01. "Country Heroes"

Written by Hank Williams III

Performed by Hank3 & Dez Fafara

02. "Whiskey River"

Written by Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud; recorded by Willie Nelson

Performed by Randy Blythe, Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD & Dez Fafara

03. "Outlaw Man"

Written by David Blue; recorded by the Eagles

Performed by Dez Fafara & Neal Tiemann of DEVILDRIVER

04. "Ghost Riders In The Sky"

Written by Stan Jones

Performed by John Carter Cash, Ana Cristina Cash, Randy Blythe & Dez Fafara

05. "I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)"

Written by Bobby Bobby Borchers, Wayne Kemp, Mack Vickery; recorded by Johnny Paycheck

Performed by Dez Fafara & DEVILDRIVER

06. "If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)"

Written by Harlan Sanders, Rick Beresford; recorded by George Jones

Performed by Wednesday 13 & Dez Fafara

07. "The Man Comes Around"

Written by Johnny Cash

Performed by Lee Ving of FEAR & Dez Fafara

08. "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere"

Written by Dwight Yoakam

Performed by Dez Fafara & Neal Tiemann of DEVILDRIVER

09. "Copperhead Road"

Written by Steve Earle

Performed by Brock Lindow of 36 CRAZYFISTS & Dez Fafara

10. "Dad's Gonna Kill Me"

Written by Richard Thompson

Performed by Burton C. Bell of FEAR FACTORY & Dez Fafara

11. "A Country Boy Can Survive"

Written by Hank Williams Jr.

Performed by Dez Fafara & DEVILDRIVER

12. "The Ride"

Written by J.B. Detterline Jr., Gary Gentry; recorded by David Allan Coe

Performed by Lee Ving of Fear & Dez Fafara

DEVILDRIVER is:

Dez Fafara - Vocals

Mike Spreitzer - Guitar

Neal Tiemann - Guitar

Diego Ibarra - Bass

Austin D'Amond - Drums

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the landmark concept album "Operation: Mindcrime", original QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate and his band, OPERATION: MINDCRIME, are performing the platinum-selling album (released May 3, 1988) from beginning to end in its entirety, along with a set full of greatest hits including "Silent Lucidity" and "Jet City Woman".

Fan-filmed video footage of the U.S. tour's kick-off, which took place last night (Thursday, June 7) at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, can be seen below.

The "Mindcrime" set covers all fifteen songs from the album including such fan favorites as "Revolution Calling", "Operation: Mindcrime", "I Don't Believe In Love" and the closing track, "Eyes Of A Stranger". As fans might remember, Geoff performed the album in its entirety on tour in 2013 to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

"Operation: Mindcrime" — one of the most iconic concept albums of all-time — was the album that thrust Geoff Tate's unique social consciousness, style and expertly crafted lyrics into the international spotlight.

Proving the music has stood the test of time, in 2006, Geoff and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates brought the theatrical interpretation of the "Mindcrime" saga to audiences all over the world. In October of that year, an epic performance was filmed and recorded, resulting in "Mindcrime At The Moore", an album/DVD set released in July of 2007 that would debut at #1 on the Billboard Music DVD chart. It would mark the band's first #1 chart debut, quickly selling over 50,000 units, achieving gold status.

In all, Geoff Tate has sold more than 25 million albums at the helm of QUEENSRŸCHE, the band he fronted for 30 years from their inception through 2012, earning three Grammy nominations, five MTV Music Video Award nominations and one MTV Music Video Award along the way. One of those Grammy nominations was for "I Don't Believe In Love" (1990, in the new category of Best Metal Performance), a song that appears on the "Operation: Mindcrime" album.

As for Geoff's current musical endeavor, his band OPERATION: MINDCRIME has released three albums in three years as part of a trilogy: "The Key" (September 2015), "Resurrection" (September 2016) and "The New Reality" (December 2017).

The band currently on tour features Kieran Robertson from Scotland on guitar, Bruno Sa from Brazil on keyboards, Jack Ross from Scotland on bass, Scott Moughton from Canada on guitar, Josh Watts from England on drums and Geoff Tate's daughter Emily, who is singing the parts of Sister Mary. She's also in the band TIL DEATH DO US PART, who are special guests on this tour.

The U.S. tour comes hot on the heels of the band's European trek that began earlier this year, hitting venues in such countries as Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Formed in 1987 in Hamilton and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Sven Gali brought the '80s and '90s hard rock / metal wave home to Canada. They delivered their high-energy live show from St. Johns to Victoria, and across the US and Europe for the next nine years. Back in March the band announced they had reunited; the 2018 lineup includes all three remaining original members: Dave Wanless (vocals), Andy Frank (guitar), Shawn Maher (bass) and new drummer Dan Fila (Varga). Former Slik Toxik guitarist Kevin Gale was initially on board but has since stepped down. He has been replaced by Sean Williamson. 

Sven Gali have released an official lyric video for their brand new single, "Kill The Lies". Check it out below.

The band has announced a string of dates for the summer, including a return to the UK in September. The band's schedeule is as follow:

July 
20 - Norma Jean's - London, ON
21 - This Ain't Hollywood - Hamilton, ON
27 - The Music Hall Night Club  - Oshawa., ON

August
9 - The Asylum - Sudbury, ON
10 - The Brass Monkey - Ottawa, ON

September
14 - Hull Metal Heaven Festival - Kingston upon Hull, UK

Sven Gali built a name fast with their live shows; drawing growing crowds on the Canadian and US circuit while building their songwriting chops and a wild reputation. David Bendeth (Paramore, Breaking Benjamin) signed the band to BMG Music Canada in 1991 and produced the self-titled debut, released in 1992.

The album included singles and videos for "Under The Influence", "Tie Dyed Skies", "In My Garden", and the ballad, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (#6 CanCon song of 1993). It included a cover of Teenage Head’s "Disgusteen" featuring guest vocals by Frankie Venom. The video for "Under The Influence" won the MuchMusic Best Metal Video award in 1993. The band was nominated for Hard Rock Album of the Year and Most Promising Band at the Junos. Sven Gali went gold in Canada.

Sven Gali toured extensively throughout Canada and the USA, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the UK, headlining and on the bill with acts including: April Wine, Foreigner, Candlebox, Pearl Jam and Def Leppard.

Their follow up album, Inwire (1995), recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, was produced by Kelly Grey (Candlebox, Brother Kane, Dokken) and featured guest musicians Christopher Thorn of Blind Melon, and Candlebox's Kevin Martin and Scott Mercado.

The band toured for the next year before disbanding in 1996.

Look for Sven Gali in 2018. Booking inquiries can be directed to blackmoonent@rogers.com

Singer/guitarist Zach Slaughter (frontman for Skull Fist) has released the debut album for his new project, Freedumb. The musical style includes punk, acoustic, doom and traditional metal all combined with a cheeky sense of humour. The debut album Skate N Die was released on May 18th via Boonsdale Records. The album is available at this location.

Check out the acoustic track "Grand Canyon" below.

Freedumb’s debut release unleashes nine tracks of high energy punk/metal in the vein of Candlemass, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, Skull Fist, trademarked with Zach’s unique vocal style along with metal elements and virtuoso guitar solos, plus the lyrical humour of NOFX / Frank Zappa. Skate N Die offers an alternate approach to mainstream music that can give attention to the counter culture of today’s social circles.

Tracklisting:

"Punch Patrol"
"S.O.S."
"Shark Attack"
"Grand Canyon"
"Jerkathon"
"Skate N Die"
"Anarchy Will Prevail"
"Street Surfing Man"
"Finding Emo"

"S.O.S."

"Punch Patrol"

Having originated as a cathartic music outlet for Corky Gainsford (formerly of the Century Media signed outfit Otherwise), Code Red Riot are ready to take audiences by storm with their full-length debut Mask, scheduled for release on June 29th via Red Music/Sony.

While known primarily to fans for his career as a drummer, Gainsford has been involved in various aspects of the industry over the past decade working behind-the-scenes as a producer, songwriter and engineer. After his departure from Otherwise - whose career included five Top 20 singles, two full-length albums and relentless touring including being featured on every major rock festival in the US - Gainsford used his motivation to succeed to focus on crafting a collection of hard rock songs that featured anthemic choruses, melodic riffs, and soul-searching lyrics balanced on top of a hard-hitting rhythmic groove, thus forming Code Red Riot.

Following in the footsteps of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Sully Erna (Godsmack) and Blake Allison (Devour The Day), Gainsford knew it was time to make the necessary transition from drummer to frontman and played almost all the parts himself  on this debut album (vocals, drums, bass and rhythm guitar). He eventually recruited a fantastic unknown guitar slinger, named Tyler “Taz” Azure, to round out the album’s lead guitar work.

Code Red Riot are excited to reveal the music video for their debut single "Living Low", which can be seen below. Having posted an early demo of the single on Facebook in 2017, the song was quickly picked up by Sirius/XM Octane and several terrestrial radio stations across the US, without any record label, promo team, or industry machine pushing the product.

Gainsford reveals, "“Living Low" was the first song I wrote specifically for Code Red Riot. The chorus became a proclamation, a mantra, and a war cry to bury my emotional pain of the past, and embrace the struggle required to move forward and achieve my next goals in life. Ironically, it was also the song that captured the attention of Sony RED Music, and compelled them to sign the band."

He further notes, "In the 'Living Low' video, we wanted to create a dark underworld, or a virtual "monster under the bed”, that represented the emotional antagonists we all fight against on a daily basis: self-doubt, insecurity, and negativity. Once we started shooting the video, that underworld became referred to as “The Living Low,” which was a room lit only by blacklight and glowing paint. It was dark, hot, and perfectly uncomfortable. During the shoot, Taz got slammed in the eye with flying paint, and I vomited after choking on down feathers I’d been throwing wildly around the room. In the end, we ruined all our instruments, clothing, and props on the set, but we had decided that the material sacrifice was required to adequately purge all those metaphorical demons, and break free of The Living Low."
 
Mask is currently available for pre-order via Red Music/Sony. Receive an instant download of "Living Low" when you pre-order it through any digital service provider. Reserve your copy here.

Mask tracklisting:

"Panic And Pain"
"Killing The Kings"
"Living Low"
"Slide"
"Chaos Calls"
"Ghost"
"Fuel In The Fire"
"Bulletproof"
"Black Hole Hero"
"Handle This"
"7 More Days"
"My Falling Soul"

"Living Low" video:

Lineup:

Corky Gainsford - vocals
Tyler "Taz" Azure - lead guitar
Jon Wozniak - bass
Anthony Raya - drums

(Photo: Fred Morledge - PhotoFM.com)

Chino Moreno from Deftones has released the solo track entitled “Brief Exchange”, inspired by DC Entertainment’s new graphic novel Dark Nights: Metal: Deluxe Edition, available now in comic book shops, bookstores and digitally on Tuesday, June 12th. This also marks Moreno’s first collaboration with DC. Get the song at all digital partners here, and watch a visualizer below.

This deluxe hardcover collects issues #1-6 of the Dark Nights: Metal monthly series and is written and drawn by the best-selling creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. Batman has uncovered an ancient and evil mystery… One that could destroy the very fabric of the DC Universe! A Dark Multiverse has been revealed, full of devastating threats and vile creatures that have been loosed upon the DCU, with only The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes rising to the challenge of defending it!

Produced by Grammy Award-winning icon Mike Elizondo (Eminem, Twenty-One Pilots, The Regrettes) and film composer and former Marilyn Manson guitarist Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & 2, Deadpool), “Brief Exchange” spotlights Moreno.

“Brief Exchange” features Bates on guitar, Elizondo on bass and Gil Sharone from Dillinger Escape Plan, Puscifer behind the drum kit. Its dark lyrics remain befitting of the graphic novel’s themes. “Brief Exchange” showcases yet another facet of one of rock music’s most prolific forces.

Bay Area Metal legends Vicious Rumors have announced a new DVD release and more Digital Dictator 30th Anniversary dates.

What started as a 4-week, 25-show tour has grown now to 45 dates booked in America and Canada with a European leg of dates for November in the works.

A special edition DVD, 666 Years Of Blood, Sweat & Cheers, from last year's crushing show at the Bang Your Head Festival in Germany will be available directly from the band starting August 31st at the first show of the tour in Santa Rosa, CA at the University Of Rock.

The DVD will be available only at the shows and online through the Vicious Rumors social media sites. This will be a limited edition filmed with 20 cameras, high def audio and video masterful edited by Bernhard Baran. This full force footage and audio of the bands intense live power has been captured and will now be released with the 30th Anniversary Of Digital Dictator Tour.

Vicious Rumors will perform one of the most iconic metal albums Digital Dictator live in it's entirety. Old photos and videos are great to go down the memory lane but don't miss your chance to see and feel the power of Vicious Rumors live on this historic tour.

Dates:

August
31 - Santa Rosa, CA - University of Rock

September
1 - Red Bluff, CA - Statix Motorsports
2 - Bend, OR - Domino Room
3 - Spokane, WA - The Pin
4 - Portland, OR - Dante's
5 - Everett, WA - Tony V's Garage
6 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
7 - Lewiston, ID - Third Wheel
8 - Columbia Falls, MT - Silver Bullet Bar
9 - Calgary, AB - Distortion
10 - Edmonton, AB - Rendezvous pub
11 - Regina, SK - Cloud 9 Live
12 - Winnipeg, MB - Park Theater
13 - Moorhead, MN - The Garage Bar
14 - Sioux Falls, SD - Biggs Bar
15 - Minneapolis, MN - Lee's Liquor Lounge
16 - Madison, WI - The Anexx / Red Zone
18 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
19 - Des Moines, IA - Gas Lamp
20 - Dubuque, IA - The Lift
21 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
22 - Akron, OH - Empire Concert Club
23 - Wilmington, DE - Bar XIII
24 - Chesapeake, VA - The Riffhouse
25 - Charlotte, NC - The Milestone
26 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
28 - Tulsa, OK - The Vanguard
29 - Wichita, KS -  The Elbow Room
30 - Lakewood, CO - Silver Music Hall

October
1 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
2 - Idaho Falls, ID - The Gem
3 - Bosie, ID - The Shredder
5 - Sacramento, CA - Holy Diver
6 - Ventura, CA - Frost n Fire Festival
7 - Mesa, AZ - ed Club
8 - Tuscan, AZ - House of Barbs
9 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse
10 - Odessa, TX - Gabby Doo's
11 - North Richland Hills, TX - The Hideout
12 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
13 - San Antonio, TX - Bonds Rock Bar
14 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
16 - Albuquerque, NM - Leo's Upstairs Bar
17 - Flagstaff, AZ - The Orpheum Theatre
19 - Los Angeles, CA - Wherehouse Huntington Park

Beyond The Black are ready to catapult, with full force, into the Heart Of The Hurricane. Their new album and title track prove to be promising masterpieces, courtesy of charismatic singer Jennifer Haben. Heart Of The Hurricane will be released on August 31st via Napalm Records (GSA via Airforce1). A lyric video for the title track can be found below.

The band on Heart Of The Hurricane: "Can you feel the thunder? After a turbulent phase in the short history of BtB we can say that we came out stronger than ever! Witness to that is our first single 'Heart Of The Hurricane', which takes you through a sonic thunderstorm to be reckoned with! We absolutely cannot wait to unleash this storm upon old and new fans alike, as we are sure that this new chapter will take us on a beautiful journey through dark and light!"

Available formats:

- 1 CD Digipack
- 2 LP Gatefold Black
- 2 LP Gatefold Gold
- Digital Album

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Hysteria"
"Heart Of The Hurricane"
"Through The Mirror"
"Million Lightyears"
"Song For The Godless"
"Escape From The Earth"
"Beneath A Blackened Sky"
"Fairytale Of Doom"
"My God Is Dead"
"Dear Death"
"Scream For Me"
"Freedom"
"Breeze"
"Echo From The Past" (Bonus)
"Parade" (Bonus)

"Heart Of The Hurricane" lyric video:

Tour dates:

June
16 - Cologne, Germany - Metaltörn
22 - Kiel, Germany - Kieler Woche

July
7 - Novokuznetsk, Russia - Heroes Of World Rock

August
30 - Hartenholm, Germany - Werner Rennen

September
20 - München, Germany - Backstage Werk
21 - Hamburg, Germany - Metal Dayz
22 - Köln, Germany - Live Music Hall
23 - Berlin, Germany - Kesselhaus

October
14 - Mallorca, Spain - Full Metal Holiday

(Photo - Heilemania)

Maximum violence has been Jungle Rot‘s battle-cry since their inception and it’s proven again on "Fearmonger", the lead track from their tenth and most vicious album to date, the self-titled Jungle Rot, set for release on July 20th. “Expect a beatdown if you aren’t prepared,” promises bassist James Genenz.

As the album hits shelves, Jungle Rot will hammer audiences as they return to the road with Havok and Extinction AD starting July 23rd in St. Paul, MN.

"Fearmonger" (available for streaming below), features Destruction vocalist/bassist Schmier lending his shrieking throat as Jungle Rot vocalist/guitarist Dave Matrise lays down a counter-guttural growl lower than Dante’s Gates of Hell.

Matrise explains the song's origin: “We covered the Destruction classic ‘Invincible Force’ some years ago and Schmier told me ours is his favorite Destruction cover he has ever heard from any band. Years later we toured together and right away Schmier approached me to start singing the song with him in concert. His trademark style and my vocals worked so well together that when I began writing this new record, the idea immediately came up to have him as a guest vocalist. He loved it and was honored to be a part of it. That’s how we created ‘Fearmonger'."

In January 2018 Jungle Rot entered Belle City Sound with engineer Chris Djuricic behind the board. Mixing and mastering was done by the legendary Dan Swanö (Dark Funeral, Marduk). Jaded death metal purists looking for fresh kills need to add Jungle Rot to their must-listen list. The album blasts off with "Send Forth Oblivion", an audible equivalent to stainless steel medical devices in your eardrum. Another track, "Glory For The Fallen", shows Genenz pounding away at his woofer as he explains the track was written for his close friend Jeff, who was murdered in 2017.

“I definitely needed to put something on the album for my fallen brother, and another track directed at the cowardly scumbag who took his young life, which is ‘Pumped Full Of Lead.’ I’ve had a lot of pain to write with, so that is my message - life is pain.” Jungle Rot closes with a crushing cover of Kreator’s 1987 classic ‘Terrible Certainty.’ “I love this song and it’s one I’ve always wanted to cover. I remember seeing them for the first time, saying to myself I want to start a band,” Matrise confesses.

As the hype surrounding Jungle Rot points that this is their most dynamic and diverse release to date, Matrise states the band has never measured their success by tailgating other acts. “We are Jungle Rot. This is Jungle Rot. Bands may want to call it a day, hang up their axes and go to bed, that is their call, but that is of no consequence to us or our plotted course. By the early 1990’s, the death metal revolution was ready to overthrow the stagnant metal scene and 20+ years later, our job has not changed.”

Delivering what could be the most ambitious drumming of the year is long-time Jungle Rot skin-thrasher Jesse Beahler. The cover art for Jungle Rot was again helmed by the masterful and brutal mind of artist Gyula Havancsak.

Jungle Rot pre-orders are available now and feature all new t-shirts, long sleeve, baseball tee, 46” x 46” flag, zip-up hoodie, limited-edition colored vinyl, CD and a gore-proof cassette tape limited to only 75 copies. All pre-orders include an instant download of “Fearmonger”.

Jungle Rot tracklisting:

"Send Forth Oblivion"
"Delusional Denial"
"A Burning Cinder"
"Triggered"
"Fearmonger" (featuring Schmier)
"Stay Dead"
"Glory For The Fallen"
"Pumped Full Of Lead"
"Twisted Mind"
"Terrible Certainty" (Kreator)

"Fearmonger" (featuring Schmier):

Tour dates:

June
16 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s Rock Club

July (with Havok, Extinction A.D.)
23 - St. Paul, MN - Amsterdam Bar & Grill
24 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s Rock Club
25 - Lansing, MI - The Loft
26 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
27 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
30 - Philadelphia, PA - Voltage Lounge
31 - Brooklyn, NY - St. Vitus

August (with Havok, Extinction A.D.)
1 - Indianapolis, IN - Emerson Theater
3 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe’s Oasis
4 - Omaha, NE - Lookout Lounge
5 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based metallers The Agony Scene have dropped another track from their new album Tormentor, out July 20th via Outerloop Records/Cooking Vinyl. The album is available for pre-order here.

A lyric video for "The Submissive" can be seen below.

"The song is about the abuse of power and trust," the band said. "More specifically - authority figures preying on naivety and using fear as a means to control and manipulate."

Tormentor is the band's first album since 2007's Get Damned (Century Media), which was preceded by 2005's The Darkest Red (Roadrunner) and 2003's self-titled release (Solid State).

The band will appear on the annual Summer Slaughter Tour with Between the Buried and Me, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, and more.

Back from war... the German melodic-death newcomers Parasite Inc. are set to unleash their second album,Dead And Alive on August 17th via Reaper Entertainment Europe. To celebrate the release of the new album the band has confirmed an exclusive release show at the big Summer Breeze Open Air in Dinkelsbühl, Germany.

Today the band presents the cover artwork of the upcoming album, created by Parasite Inc.'s drummer Benjamin Stelzer.

The band states: "Conception and design were once again done by ourselves. The result is a pretty cool visualization of the new songs on our upcoming record."

Tracklisting:

"Countershock"
"Once And For All"
"This World"
"Fall Of The Idealist"
"Headfuck Rollercoaster"
"Flesh Decadence"
"Red Wine Collider"
"Sunset Overdrive"
"Cold Silent Hell"
"Dead And Alive"
"Empty Streets" (Cover)
 
The first single "Headfuck Rollercoaster" will be released on June 22nd together with the start of the pre-orders. More info coming soon.

Parasite Inc. are:

Kai Bigler -  vocals / guitars
Dominik Sorg - guitars
Stefan Krämer - bass
Benjamin Stelzer - drums

St. Louis metal act Black Fast has released a second new single titled "Silhouette Usurper", streaming below.

"'Silhouette Usurper' was one of the first songs we finished for this new record," says frontman and guitarist Aaron Akin. "Compared to our other songs, this is most song-liest of songs we have written. One of the riffs is called 'Jammer.' Jam it immediately."

The band released a music video for "Cloak Of Lies" last month to kick off the new album cycle. Both "Cloak Of Lies" and "Silhouette Usurper" are available as iTunes instant gratification tracks meaning when fans pre-order the new LP on iTunes, they will receive both songs as instant downloads. "Cloak of Lies" and "Silhouette Usurper" are also available on all streaming platforms starting today.

Black Fast will release Spectre Of Ruin on Friday, July 13th via Entertainment One. Album opener “Cloak Of Lies” sets the stage for Spectre Of Ruin with a heaping helping of everything Black Fast represents, a locomotive of riffs barreling down the tracks with determined speed and aggression.

Like its predecessor, Black Fast’s Spectre Of Ruin was summoned into sharp focus at Mana Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida, with Erik Rutan, the Hate Eternal frontman and ex-Morbid Angel guitarist who has produced albums by genre titans like Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, and Six Feet Under. It’s all killer, no filler, demonstrating the destructive force of focused neo-thrash and progressive death-infused heavy metal at its finest.

Black Fast follow the roadmap laid down by the great bands with “Angel” and “Death” in their names, swearing off the trappings of the mainstream with a steadfast dedication to their chosen craft. As vocalist/guitarist, Aaron Akin once summarized, “We’ve pushed our chips all-in since the beginning. We threw caution to the wind. We’re playing metal. We don’t really give a shit about ‘making it.’”  

This music is a vibrant soundtrack to society’s collapse and a celebration of defiant resolution. The Black Fast mission is ruthlessly simple: champion musical aggression, bark at the moon, raise a fist and headbang like there’s no tomorrow.

Pre-order digital copies of the album here, or physical copies here.

Tracklisting:

"Cloak Of Lies"
"Silhouette Usurper"
"Scarecrow And Spectre"
"Phantom I Am"
"Mist Of Ruin"
"Temple Of Leviathan"
"Famine Angel"
"Crescent Aberration"
"Husk"

"Silhouette Usurper":

"Cloak Of Lies" video:

Black Fast will hit the road this summer in various stops across the eastern half of the United States. The band kicks it off with a performance at the 17th Annual ShowcaseSTL presented by The Riverfront Times followed by a batch of support dates with Exmortus on the Summer Of Steel tour. Black Fast will then head out with Ringworm until they reach Cincinnati,OH where they'll participate in the first Annual Transplant Fest with Ringworm and Incantation on July 21st.

(Photo - Kenny Williamson)

Guitarist Ralph Santolla (Death, Obituary, Deicide, etc.) suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, May 29th and fell into a coma. He was taken off life support at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, FL on June 6th. He was 48 years old.

Santolla's former Obituary bandmates have posted a slideshow tribute to him, which can be viewed below.

Santolla’s mother, Sue Santolla-Rocha, checks in with the following:

“Good morning. Just so we all start to heal, Ralph Santolla is not laying on that bed at St Joseph Hospital. He has gone, and he is happy and at peace in heaven. I want to start your day with a little humor. My wonderful mother and Ralph’s grandmother passed away three years ago. One of my friends was trying to console me, Fred Parker, and had the comment that Ralph would be playing music for his Nannie. It just made me laugh to visualize Ralph playing heavy metal for his Nannie. OMG....it would be so funny... His Nannie was an amazingly strong woman and she would tell him, cut it down, and play something decent. I (love) my son more than anyone can imagine, my heart is broken. But I know he loved me unconditionally and will always be with me. It is the same with all of us, he will be with you everyone, everyday and his love will surround us now and forever. I wanted to tell everyone that I have thousands of messages...I just can’t deal with it right now but I love each of you.”

Santolla can be heard on the Deicide albums The Stench Of Redemption and To Hell With God, Memorain’s Evolution, Millenium’s Millenium, Angelfire, Hourglass, and Jericho, Obituary’s Xecutioner’s Return and Darkest Day, Iced Earth’s The Glorious Burden and lots of other releases.

He performed as a live guitarist for Death (1993), Iced Earth (2003-2004), Melechesh (2013), and Vital Remains (2006).

Burial Invocation from Turkey are set to unleash their debut full-length album, Abiogenesis. After years of silence the band has returned with a new lineup and five lumbering tracks of subhuman death metal.

Abiogenesis will be available July 6th on limited edition vinyl, with CD and digital release dates set for August 17th via Dark Descent Records. The album track "Phantasmogoric Transcendence" is streaming via the YouTube clip below.

Burial Invocation exploded onto the underground scene in 2010 with their debut EP, Rituals Of The Grotesque. Coincidentally, this was the first release under the newly-formed Dark Descent Records banner. The initial pressing of this CD sold out quickly as the band's brand of doomy, crypt-dwelling death metal was as infectious as it was blistering.  

Mixing elements of Finnish death metal among other influences, Burial Invocation followed up the debut EP the next year on a split 7" with Japan's Anatomia. This split, also released on Dark Descent Records, quickly sold out. The band eventually followed these releases with some live appearances including the initial version of Copenhagen's legendary Kill Town Death Fest.

In the years since, the band was inactive as members pursued other projects and interests.  There were rumblings from the band including small European tour runs and we were largely left to wonder what happened to Burial Invocation?  

In 2017, the fires were lit once more as the band were said to be working on a new album.  Once again under the Dark Descent Records banner (vinyl via long-time ally Me Saco Un Ojo), Abiogenesis sees this Turkish crew reign once more.  No longer will we be left wondering... Burial Invocation has returned and the wait has been well worth it.

Tracklisting:

"Revival"  
"Abiogenesis"
"Visions Of The Hereafter"  
"Phantasmagoric Transcendence"  
"Tenebrous Horizons"

 

Georgia bred metal newcomers Machinist! have released a new music video for their song “The Infant”. The song is featured on the band’s recently released, second studio album Closer To Death, which is available now from Innerstrength Records here.

The new video for “The Infant” was directed and shot by Matt Zagorski and sets an eerie scene that syncs perfectly with the song’s sonic brutality.

"I've always been a fan of films that leave you questioning the whole time. So when we were starting to work a video for The Infant, that's where my mind went to. Creepy, dark, and puzzling." - Matt Zagorski (Director)

“I’m so stoked on this video. It really turns the creep factor up. Matt took a vision that he and I hammered out and turned it into a weird fanciful nightmare thing. It really makes me think about beginnings and ends and whether they’re interchangeable. Shit is strange and I love it.” - Jeff Hill (vocals)

Phill Rocker has released a lyric video for his new song “How Can I Try”, which features the following special guest musicians:

Phill Rocker – vocals
Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake) – lead guitar
Devon Pangle – rhythm guitar
James Lomenzo (White Lion, Megadeth) - bass
Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, The Dead Daisies) – drums
Rui Rocha – keyboards

Phill Rocker issued his debut album, Hard To Bleed, in January 2015. The album is full of special guest musicians including:

Doug Aldrich (Dio, The Dead Daisies) - guitar
James Lomenzo (White Lion, Megadeth) - bass
Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, The Dead Daisies) - drums
Richard Fortus (Guns N' Roses, The Dead Daisies) - guitar
Dizzy Reed (Guns N' Roses, The Dead Daisies) -  keyboards
Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force) - vocals
Dusty Watson (Lita Ford, Rhino Bucket) - drums

The album was written and produced by Phill Rocker, co-produced by Ricardo Fernandes and Swedish producer Tobias Lindell. Mixed by Tobias Lindell. Mastered by Thomas Plec Johansson.

For further details, visit PhillRocker.com.

 

North Carolina-based Violent Life Violent Death made their mark in late 2016 with the release of their first studio offering, V-EP - a vicious, nostalgic effort summoning influences reminiscent of Zao with an in-your-face, chaotic Every Time I Die-like edge.

On June 29th, Violent Life Violent Death - which features former members of Deception Of A Ghost (Trustkill/Bullet Tooth), A Stained Glass Romance (Torque/Victory), and Aria (Tribunal) - will return with a refreshed and even more ruthless contribution in the form of their second release, entitled Come, Heavy Breath. The band utilizes gritty, gut-punching production - led by producer Kyle Dameron at Rareform Recordings in Hickory, NC-to generate a wall of unrelenting hardcore, metal, and even punk-edged aggression (often blended with a southern-fried flavor displayed on tracks like "Lovers/Deceivers") that doesn't stop until the last second of the record.

In a band statement, Violent Life Violent Death offers, "Our goal was to create a piece of music that had nostalgic qualities to it but with a new-school edge. Having spent some time in other bands has definitely helped create the sound we have adapted with this band, as we took a good look into what we feel has worked and not worked for us in the past and narrowed it down."

Sample Come, Heavy Breath with the lyric video for "Lovers/Deceivers" and the video for the album's title track, both streaming below.

Physical pre-orders for Come, Heavy Breath + merch are available now via the Violent Life Violent Death Big Cartel page, and digital pre-orders are available via Bandcamp.

Come, Heavy Breath tracklisting:

"Come, Heavy Breath"
"Backbiter"
"Rot"
"Mourn"
"Lovers/Deceivers"
"Narcissist"

"Lovers/Deceivers" lyric video:

"Come, Heavy Breath" video:

 
They add, "With Come, Heavy Breath, we really wanted to illustrate moments of fervor that draw a gasp, or, a heavy breath, as the title depicts. These are the moments of awe that we each experience in life, whether they be conjured through excitement, joy, sadness, loss, lust, love, wonder, etc., while bringing them each to life through our music in as straight forward of a manner possible, demanding the attention of the listener."

Live dates:

June
30 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground w/ Never I, Reflect//Refine, Abhorrent Deformity, Black Ritual

July
14 - Greenville, SC - The Firmament w/ Black Plague, Amnesis, Blackwater Drowning
21 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre w/ Hopesfall, Greyhaven, Never I

August
11 - Asheville, NC - The Odditorium w/ Heretics, Divisive, I, The Supplier

September
7 - Greensboro, NC - New York Pizza w/ Abhorrent Deformity, Swarm, The Stygian Complex
8 - Wilmington, NC - Calico Room w/ Abhorrent Deformity, The Abstractionist, Dear Mother War

October
20 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern - Bonfires and Beatdowns Fest

Violent Life Violent Death is:

Scott Cowan (Vocals)
Joseph Benham (Guitar)
Joey Park (Guitar)
Justin Campbell (Bass)
David Holquin (Drums)

Black Stone Cherry performed for Rockpalast (Rock Palace), the German music TV show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), back in 2009. Professionally filmed video of the band's full set can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Rain Wizard"
"Backwoods Gold"
"Shooting Star"
"Cowboys"
"Yeah Man"
"Blind Man"
"Hell And High Water"
"Please Come In"
"Soul Creek"
Drum Solo
"Peace Is Free"
"Mannish Boy" / "Hoochie Coochie Man"
"Maybe Someday"
"Lonely Train"
"Can't You See"
"We Are The Kings"
"Voodoo Chile"

Black Stone Cherry's new album Family Tree is out now via Mascot Records. Family Tree is the follow-up to 2016’s Kentucky. Like Kentucky, Black Stone Cherry opted to self-produce and track Family Tree at David Barrick's Barrick Recording in Glasgow, KY, the same studio where the four-piece recorded their eponymous debut. BSC also opted to not over-rehearse upfront of the album sessions, instead preferring the immediacy and spontaneity of in-the-moment takes. The band also entrusted frontman Chris Robertson to mix the songs, which perfectly fit the loose, creative process that birthed Family Tree.

Family Tree boasts BSC’s tried-and-true lucky number with its 13 songs, and like all BSC releases, features songwriting contributions from each member. Drummer John Fred tells us, “Family Tree showcases all of our collective musical influences and how we have taken those to create something that is truly our own unique Southern American rock ‘n roll sound.” Two special guests appear, one bringing the concept of family full circle. Chris’ 5 yr old son contributes backup vocals on the swaggering 'You Got The Blues', while the other, revered jam-band musician Warren Haynes (Allman Bros / Gov’t Mule) offers a guitar cameo and vocals on the delta stomp of 'Dancing In The Rain'. The band first met Warren 17 years ago as freshly-signed youngsters on their first visit to New York City.

The concept of family looms large in the world of Black Stone Cherry’s four band members. Sticksman John Fred Young's father Richard and his uncle Fred, are founding members of the Grammy Award-winning country rock n’ roots band, The Kentucky HeadHunters. BSC’s four high school-aged friends - Young, plus frontman/guitarist Chris Robertson, guitarist Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon - grew up honing their craft in the Headhunters’ Practice House, an abandoned property on the Young family’s farmland. John Fred says, “We grew up in the Kentucky Headhunters’ rehearsal space, looking up at posters of Cream, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, the Stones, Montrose, and the Faces. We were like kids someone took in a time capsule and put in the woods.”

Tracklisting:

"Bad Habit"
"Burnin’"
"New Kinda Feelin"
"Carry Me On Down The Road"
"My Last Breath"
"Southern Fried Friday Night"
"Dancin’ In The Rain" (featuring Warren Haynes)
"Ain’t Nobody"
"James Brown"
"You Got The Blues"
"I Need A Woman"
"Get Me Over You"
"Family Tree"

"Southern Fried Friday Night":

"Bad Habit" video:

"Burnin’" lyric video:

Earlier this month, Cannibal Corpse released exclusive, limited LP reissues of their classic albums Bloodthirst and Gallery Of Suicide via Metal Blade Records. A full stream of Gallery Of Suicide, as well as the previously released Bloodthirst stream, can be found below.

See below for an overview of all versions; order your copies now at Indie Merch, EMP, or eBay.

Bloodthirst LP reissue:

- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- opaque pale lilac marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- viole(n)t marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- opaque red / white&purple splattered vinyl (Ebay exclusive - limited to 120 copies)
- opaque skin pink/red marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- red/black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

Gallery of Suicide LP reissue:

- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- clear grey-brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- opaque "dead gold" marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- transparent / red splattered vinyl (Ebay exclusive - limited to 120 copies)
- ochre/clay-col marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- red/black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)

Silence has been reigning in the camp of Swedish adventure metallers Twilight Force since they conquered European stages once again as support to Dragonforce last autumn. Whilst secretly working on new anthems for their next output, the band has extensively been searching for a new singer and is pleased to finally unveil their new bard today - Alessandro Conti, known from LT's Rhapsody, Trick Or Treat and more.

Says the band: "Hear ye! Hear ye! We are overjoyed, elated and proud to finally present to you, our brave and patient Knights, the new singer of Twilight Force. Please welcome Alessandro Conti! He has now joined our alliance, and will be a beacon of glory, hope and inspiration to us all. His astounding musicality and delivery of emotional and star-spangled vocals is in our opinion, without a shadow of a doubt, paralleled within the genre today. And his radiant persona and wonderful character was a perfect match for everyone. We are honoured and delighted to henceforth raise our swords, bows, daggers and staffs by his side in the adventures to come.

"So now, join us, in a future illuminated by the fire of eternal light! And may the power of the dragon guide you all."

Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss the band at the following gatherings.

June

7 - Hyvinkää, Finland - Rockfest

July
11 - Balingen, Germany - Bang Your Head!!!

(Photo - Fotograf Heléne)

Belfast-based metallers Stormzone have released a video for "Cushy Glen" the second video release from their latest album Lucifer's Factory. Like the first video from the new album for "Dark Hedges" the new video was filmed in Northern Ireland and directed by the same Game Of Thrones technical crew with camerman Jim Crone at the helm.

The story of the outlaw and highwayman Cushy Glen is embedded in Irish folklore, but his lethal tale is not a myth, it is a real story! He terrorized residents and travellers around the Coleraine area of Northern Ireland for many years just over two centuries ago. Cushy's particular forte was to lie in wait as men left the regions pubs in a drunken state, choosing a victim who looked likely to still have money left in his pockets before pressing ahead with his deadly attack, cutting the throat of the poor soul, robbing him and then making a very hasty exit. This all took place along a stretch of road notoriously known as the 'Murder Hole'. It is said that he may well have carried out his dastardly deeds assisted by a band of five rogues, 'Cushy's Gang'. The highwayman was eventually shot and killed during an attempted robbery, but Cushy's men await his return unaware of his fate, and this video introduces you to them and lets you inside their hideaway!

Watch the previously released "Dark Hedges" video below:

Manchester's Leeched have announced details of their debut full length, You Took The Sun When You Left. The dark, bleak and brutal tracks are set atop of today’s despairing and desolate industrialized landscape. The album will be released on August 24th via Prosthetic Records. Pre-order here.

"Guilt", the first track to be taken from the album is available for streaming below, and will be available across all streaming and digital platforms from tomorrow. The band have also just confirmed a number of shows supporting Employed To Serve, to add to their ever-growing list of live dates.

Barely a year after they formed, and with an incessantly intense EP - Nothing Will Grow From The Rotten Ground - already under their belts, Leeched are taking a fast-paced swipe at the world around them. Bands sharing a distaste for the status quo, or a dissatisfaction for the world around them may not be something new, but few bands are doing it with the vitriol and vehemence that is offered up on You Took The Sun When You Left.

Tracklisting:

"Cripple The Herd"
"Rope"
"The Stone And The Steel"
"By The Factories"
"Guilt"
"A Mouth Full Of Dirt"
"Born In Sand"
"Raised By Lead"
"Hollow-Point Weddings"
"Harrow The Pastures"
"You Took The Sun When You Left"

"Guilt":

Taking influence from every dark and dingy corner of extreme music, Leeched may be moving at break-neck speed, but they're a band who are quickly finding their feet - both in the studio and out on the road.

Currently finishing up a run of shows in mainland Europe, Leeched return to the UK to play The Black Heart in London this weekend, and will be kept busy up to and beyond the album release with further live appearances - including new dates with Employed To Serve.

Tour dates:

June
7 - Gerber - Weimar, Germany
8 - Jugendzentrum - Crailsheim, Germany
9 - Revelation Fest - Aarschot, Belgium
10 - The Black Heart - London, UK
 
July
6-8 - UK Tech Fest - Newark, UK
23 - Think Tank - Newcastle, UK *
24 - Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton, UK *
25 - Sticky Mike's - Brighton, UK *
26 - The Anvil - Bournemouth, UK *
27 - Borderline - London, UK *

August
20 - Asylum 2 - Birmingham, UK ^
21 - Trillians - Newcastle, UK ^
22 - Rough Trade - Bristol, UK ^
23 - The Underworld - London, UK ^
24 - The Green Door Store - Brighton, UK ^
25 - Break The Chains Festival - Leeds, UK

* - With Employed To Serve
^ - With Full of Hell

Leeched is:

Laurie - Bass/Vocals
Judd - Guitar
Tom - Drums

(Photo - Polarise Photography)

Montréal based melodic death metallers recently unleashed their 13th studio album Meditations via Nuclear Blast Records. Check out "The Resurrected" live video from the bonus DVD A Moment In Time:

Order Meditations in various formats at this location.

Produced by the band's own guitarist J-F Dagenais and drummer Oli Beaudoin, the new album was mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour). Mastering duties were handled by Paul Logus (Pantera).

The Meditations cover artwork, which can be seen below, was created by Ocvlta Designs by Surtsey, who also crafted the artwork for Kataklysm's previous record, Of Ghosts And Gods.

Meditations tracklisting:

"Guillotine"
"Outsider"
"The Last Breath I'll Take Is Yours"
"Narcissist"
"Born To Kill And Destined To Die"
"In Limbic Resonance"
"And Then I Saw Blood"
"What Doesn't Break Doesn't Heal"
"Bend The Arc, Cut The Cord"
"Achilles Heel"

"Outsider" video:

"Narcissist" video:

"Guillotine" playthrough video:

"Guillotine" lyric video:

Track-by-track Pt. 1:

Track-by-track Pt. 2:

Kataklysm have announced that they will be teaming up with Swedish death metal legends Hypocrisy for a European co-headline tour.

The tour's special name traces back to Nuclear Blast's popular sampler series and promises nothing but evenings of moshpits and endless devastation. Don't miss out on this outstanding tour and secure your tickets now.

Maurizio Iacono states: "It's been in talks for over two years and finally both Kataklysm and our brothers in Hypocrisy can make the schedule work to join forces once more. It's been almost 15 years since we toured together and the last time we did the tours became instant classics. It‘s that time again folks... Kataklysm & Hypocrisy team up once more for a world tour beginning with Europe this fall. To make things even greater our record label Nuclear Blast has come on board and baptized the tour Death... Is Just The Beginning, a homage to the old classic compilations that made so many fans discover both bands back in the day. This will mark the return of this classic compilation with this tour and maybe give other artists the chance to get discovered like we did. DO NOT MISS THIS TOUR, YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE!"

Hypocrisy's Peter Tägtgren adds: "I hope that you are just as excited as we are, because we are very happy to announce that we are finally warming up the Hypocrisy engine again and that we will be back on the road in fall! We will be touring Europe together with our friends in Kataklysm! The tour will be an overview of the chaos and confusion created by Hypocrisy over the years. See you out there!"

Tour dates:

October
18 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
19 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
20 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
23 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
24 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
25 - Wrocław, Poland - Zaklęte Rewiry
26 - Geiselwind, Germany - MusicHall
27 - Milan, Italy - Live Music Club
28 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
29 - Lyon, France - Ninkasi Kao
31 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Mon

November
1 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
2 - Limoges, France - CC John Lennon
3 - Paris, France - La Machine du Moulin Rouge
4 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
5 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
6 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Trädgår'n
7 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fryshuset
9 - Helsinki, Finland - The Circus
10 - Tampere, Finland - Pakkahuone
12 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
13 - Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Neushoorn
14 - Berlin, Germany - Kesselhaus
15 - Dresden, Germany - Eventwerk
16 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle 2
17 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser

More Kataklysm live dates:

June
14-16 - Gräfenhainichen, Germany - With Full Force
21 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
22 - St. Goarshausen, Germany - Rockfels
23 - Clisson, France - Hellfest

July
6 - Bucarest, Romania - Metalhead Meeting
7 - Barcelona, Spain - Rockfest Barcelona
21 - Bertingen, Germany - R.U.D.E
25 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metaldays

August
16 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze
17 - Moravsky Krumlov, Czech Republic - Rock Heard Festival
18 - Essen, Germany - Turock OA

Kataklysm is:

Maurizio Iacono - Vocals
Jean-Francois Dagenais - Guitar
Stephane Barbe - Bass
Oli Beaudoin - Drums

Haken are set to release their first ever live album, L-1VE, on June 22nd. Watch "The Endless Knot" live in Amsterdam below.

The band comments: "The Endless Knot is one of our Live favourites; the crowd reaction when the opening riff kicks off always sends goose bumps, knowing we're all in for a wild ride of brutal riffing, mosh-friendly dub-step and epic sing-a-longs! It's just a chance for everyone to let their hair down while simultaneously showcasing one of our shorter, yet more complicated tunes to play."

The previously released clip for "In Memoriam" can also be found below.

L-1VE will be released as a 2CD/2DVD Digipak package and as digital download. The DVD will include four bonus tracks filmed at ProgPower USA 2016 that also includes Mike Portnoy’s cameo appearance on gong, as well as all of the official videos from the Affinity album. The main show and the bonus material on the DVD are also mixed in 5.1 surround sound.

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"affinity.exe/Initiate"
"In Memoriam"
"1985"
"Red Giant"
"Aquamedley"
"As Death Embraces"
"Atlas Stone"
"Cockroach King"
"The Architect"
"The Endless Knot"
"Visions"
 
DVD Bonus Material:

"Falling Back To Earth"
"Earthrise"
"Pareidolia"
"Crystallised"

- Also includes music videos for "Initiate", "Earthrise", and "Lapse"

"The Endless Knot" live video:

"In Memoriam" live video:

Following the release of the bands much-acclaimed fourth studio album Affinity, they embarked upon their 10th anniversary tour across Europe & North America. Recorded and filmed on April 13th, 2017, at the legendary Melkweg venue on the Amsterdam stop of that tour, this represents the band’s first ever live document with tracks from across the bands discography.

“The release of official live material is a project that is long overdue and we know our existing fans have been crying out for this for some time now. Whilst we have filmed and recorded many shows in the past we have always felt there were elements of our shows that could be improved 'visually' before we documented and immortalized this for the world to see and that the timing for a live release  never felt right for us. This is just our nature as creative people to be so extremely self-critical and constantly strive for perfection. It is largely due to the will of the people that the idea of this project became a reality. Both the band and the label were inundated with emails requesting a live release in some shape or form, and it was actually rather flattering, so giving the people what they wanted just felt like the right thing to do.”

Artwork was once again produced by long-time collaborators Blacklake, who continued the love of 80’s culture that they demonstrated on artwork for Affinity. The live audio was mixed by Neal Morse & Winery Dogs alumni Jerry Guidroz.

The band have also revealed they have started work on their fifth studio album. They comment: “We’re currently getting our teeth stuck into the writing process for Album 5 and great ideas are forming and evolving as we speak. It’s still early days but there is a sense among us that Haken may take a darker path with this one. However, the playing field is still wide open and the direction this record takes could alter at any point. One thing is certain: We will endeavour to stick to our mandate of strong melodies and Killer riffs!”

Look out for more news in the coming weeks.

TRILLIUM, the metal project launched by American-born, Dutch-based singer/songwriter Amanda Somerville, has just released its sophomore album, "Tectonic", via Frontiers Music Srl.

The official lyric video for the disc's new single, "Full Speed Ahead", can be seen below.

Amanda's husband and musical collaborator Sander Gommans (AFTER FOREVER, HDK) stated about "Tectonic": "Writing, producing and mixing this album together with Amanda Somerville was an intense (three kids were born in between) but very fulfilling experience. Having AFTER FOREVER's André Borgman back on drums was a huge bonus for me!"

Added Amanda: "Where [TRILLIUM debut album] 'Alloy' was rather dark and moody and restless, 'Tectonic' is on the whole more uplifting and full of strength and character, though it's just as full of emotion.

"My life was shaken up by figurative earthquakes through several elements shifting in recent years and that's what this album represents. It's a challenge to make an album that's musically heavy without being dragged down by melancholy, but that's what Sander and I set out to do from the beginning and it worked out beautifully!"

Amanda continued: "The core and essence of 'Tectonic' is very personal and comes, basically, from the hearts and minds of a singer and a guitar player and I think that's very apparent when you listen to the songs. Sander and I didn't want to overthink things and over-complicate the songs. There's definitely some bombast in there because we both have a love of keyboard arrangements, but they don't rule the roost here. Also, the only guest performances are by good friends from my hometown in Flint, Michigan who also played live with me solo and with TRILLIUM, and also some great mates and colleagues of Sander's, so it's really a 'family' kind of album. We tried to keep things simple, and yet I think it's anything but low key!"

Somerville is well known for her collaborations with various high-profile European metal bands like AVANTASIA, EPICA, KAMELOT and AFTER FOREVER, to name a few. And let's not forget her musical partnership with HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske under the KISKE/SOMERVILLE banner. With a vocal range from tenor to soprano and a stylistically diverse singing ability, Somerville's voice is well suited for multiple styles, but TRILLIUM is firmly in the metal genre.

"Tectonic" track listing:

01. Time To Shine

02. Stand Up

03. Full Speed Ahead

04. Hit Me

05. Fighting Fate

06. Nocturna

07. Fatal Mistake

08. Shards

09. Cliché Freak Show

10. Eternal Spring

Recording lineup:

All vocals by Amanda Somerville

All guitars and bass by Sander Gommans, except:

Track 3: bass by Mark Burnash, second guitar solo by Paul Owsinski

Track 11: Guitars by Paul Owsinski, keyboards by Erik van Ittersum, drums by André Borgman

TRILLIUM released its debut album, "Alloy", in November 2011 via Frontiers. The CD was described in a press release as "a collection of songs that's charged with emotion and exploration and a very personal statement from Amanda."

"The Man In The Ivory Tower", the new video from REFUGE, the band comprised of current and former RAGE members Peavy Wagner, Manni Schmidt and Christos Efthimiadis, can be seen below. The song is taken from REFUGE's debut album, "Solitary Men", which is being released today (Friday, June 8) via Frontiers Music Srl.

REFUGE marks the reunion of the original, and probably most successful, lineup of the German metal band RAGE. After 1994, when the three originally parted ways, they moved on to work in different bands and follow their own musical path. Peavy kept on with RAGE, Manni went to GRAVE DIGGER, and Christos off to TRI STATE CORNER. After a long period during which they did not have much contact, the three guys met up again in 2014 and decided to play a secret show in their hometown Herne (Germany), under the moniker TRES HOMBRES. The show was never promoted, apart from word of mouth and social media rumblings and as a result, this show became one where you had to be "in the know", but more than 1,200 fans found their way to the gig anyway. The band performed all the hits from their time together in RAGE and loved every second of that gig, getting hungry for more, thus the idea of REFUGE was born.

REFUGE played a couple of hugely successful festival shows all throughout Europe in the summer of 2015. The audiences' reactions to the RAGE songs of 1988-1993 were truly overwhelming and exceeded all expectations the band had. So, more shows were played in 2016, including three in Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka), exactly 20 years after they had played their last shows together, coincidentally also in Japan.

"The band sounds nearly the same like back then, maybe a bit more relaxed, mature, with more individual experience," says Wagner. "But the general vibe is still the same. We know each other blindly. In order to write the songs, we created the same set-up we had 30 years ago. We rented the same rehearsal room and jammed together in a live situation and the magic was back! I'm glad that we could use and finalize some of our ideas from back then, stuff that we couldn´t use in that days for several reasons. The song 'Waterfalls', for example, was always one of my unfinished favorites. I'm proud we were able to bring it to light now finally!"

What started out as a "fun thing" in 2014 has turned into a real band again. “We want to continue doing this together as long as possible," says Peavy. "It is a manifestation of our reborn old friendship and it is a 'coming from the heart' thing for us to do it."

"Solitary Men" track listing:

01. Summer's Winter

02. The Man In The Ivory Tower

03. Bleeding From Inside

04. From The Ashes

05. Living On The Edge Of Time

06. We Owe A Life To Death

07. Mind Over Matter

08. Let Me Go

09. Hell Freeze Over

10. Waterfalls

11. Another Kind Of Madness (bonus track)

"Rev Up", the new video from New York hardcore veterans MADBALL, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "For The Cause", which will be released on June 15 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "Hardcore Lives" was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (RANCID), who is also featured on one song on the album. It was mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, SICK OF IT ALL) at Antfarm Studios in Denmark. Former MADBALL guitarist Matt Henderson laid down the guitar tracks in the studio, but will not join the group on tour.

MADBALL recently revealed that legendary rapper, actor and frontman Ice-T (BODY COUNT) guests on one track on "For The Cause".

Commented Ice-T: "It's an honor to record with the legendary MADBALL. BODY COUNT draws its closest similarities to New York hardcore. This is a natural."

Added singer Freddy Cricien: "It's truly an honor to have Ice-T on our record! I grew up on his music from his early hip-hop stuff till now. He's an iconic figure but also a 'class act'; you don't always get both at once. Ice has a great respect for New York hardcore and MADBALL, means the world. This was meant to happen.... real recognizes real."

Last October, MADBALL parted ways with longtime guitarist Brian "Mitts" Daniels. The New York outfit called the split "a very hard and heartbreaking decision for all involved."

"For The Cause" track listing:

01. Smile Now Pay Later

02. Rev Up (feat. Sick Jacken)

03. Freight Train

04. Tempest

05. Old Fashioned

06. Evil Ways (feat. Ice-T)

07. Lone Wolf

08. Damaged Goods

09. The Fog (feat. Tim Timebomb & Steve Whale)

10. Es Tu Vida

11. For You

12. For The Cause

13. Confessions (bonus track; CD and LP only)

The original version of the "For The Cause" title track was released last September via the "Family Biz" split seven-inch single, which saw the Cricien-fronted outfit joining forces with Pennsylvania's blue-collar-core heroes WISDOM IN CHAINS.