Tom Araya says that SLAYER is still working out "the business aspects of things" in the aftermath of the passing of the band's co-founding guitarist Jeff Hannemann.

Hanneman died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Asked by the Chilean radio station Futuro if there are plans for SLAYER to release a follow-up album to 2015's "Repentless", Araya said: "I don't know. I know that when we recorded the album itself, there was a lot of music [left over that didn't make the final product].

"Once we get done with what we're doing, we'll have to sit down and discuss it and talk it out.

"Me and Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] are still trying to put the final touches on the business aspects of things, as far as the band goes. 'Cause of Jeff's passing, we still haven't put closure to all of that, so we're still working on that, and we'll see. We'll see how things go and we'll see if there's a new album."

Araya also spoke findly about his late bandmate, just a couple of weeks before the fourth anniversary of Hanneman's death. "I miss him," he said. "Every now and then, I think about him. We were collaborators; we worked together on… He allowed me to work with him on his ideas. I think about what he probably went though the last two years. I wish he was out here with us. I wish he was here, period. I feel that he was a big part of the band. I wish he was here. It would make what I'm doing a lot easier."

Gary Holt, who is still a member of San Francisco Bay Area thrash icons EXODUS, has been the touring guitarist for SLAYER since January 2011 when Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard.

Holt did not contribute to the songwriting process on "Repentless", although he did lay down guitar solos on most of the album's twelve tracks.

DEAD CROSS, the Southern California outfit featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), and singer Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE), will release its debut album in late summer via Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.

Asked what it has been like working with Patton on the DEAD CROSS album, Lombardo told "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie (hear audio below): "Well, we haven't really worked together except through e-mails. [Laughs] What we did was… We had all the music recorded... We recorded it early last year, and then, of course, the opportunity came up to look for a new singer. So, we really didn't have to work together. We just sent Patton the music and he recorded [all the vocals] himself. But there was a lot of e-mails going back and forth between us — a lot of communication."

Regarding whether DEAD CROSS will do any touring following the album's release, Lombardo said: "Yes. I am very excited. I didn't know that that was gonna happen. We didn't know if we were gonna do any touring, if it was just an album that we put out, but, no, Mike is into it; he's really excited."

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

Asked how Patton's addition to DEAD CROSS has changed the band's sound, Pearson told the Faith No More Followers web site: "It's hard to explain. The band is still finding its own skin to fit into. No matter whom you bring into a band, the sound becomes who all are part of it. Let's revisit this question after the album comes out, after we play shows with the new lineup, and after we can reflect on things."

Pearson also talked about DEAD CROSS's collaboration with Robinson. He said: "Ross is one of the most amazing people I've worked with. I'm so grateful for his involvement with the things I have been able to do with him. He has certainly helped me grow and opened my eyes and mind to so many things, musical and non-musical. And the non-musical aspects are as important as the musical, if not more. However, he didn't track Patton's vocals. The music was tracked and produced with Ross when we were working with Gabe. Once Gabe left the band, there was a shift and since then, Patton has tracked the vocals on his own."

"Whiplash" airs every Sunday night from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the Los Angeles radio station 95.5 KLOS. The show can be heard on the KLOS web site at 955klos.com or you can listen in on the KLOS channel on iHeartRadio.

A teaser for "Learn To Live", the first single and video from BAD WOLVES, is available 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."

"World Gone Mad", the new video from reactivated Brooklyn hard rock veterans LIFE OF AGONY, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's comeback album, "A Place Where There's No More Pain", which will be released on April 28 via Napalm. The band's fifth studio LP marks LIFE OF AGONY's first release since singer Mina Caputo (formerly known as Keith Caputo) came out as transgender in 2011.

"The message behind 'World Gone Mad' could not be more relevant to what's going on all over this planet right now," says LIFE OF AGONY bassist Alan Robert. "People are more divided than ever, and if we continue to ignore the fact that this world is busting at its seams and just continue to 'stick our heads underground,' like the lyrics suggest, we will see a madness in our lifetime like we've never experienced before."

"A Place Where There's No More Pain" track listing:

01. Meet My Maker 02. Right This Wrong 03. A Place Where There’s No More Pain 04. Dead Speak Kindly 05. A New Low 06. World Gone Mad 07. Bag Of Bones 08. Walking Catastrophe09. Song For The Abused 10. Little Spots Of You

Regarding the recording process for "A Place With No More Pain", Robert told United Rock Nations: "It was a completely different experience for us. First of all, we brought in the producer, Matt Brown, instead of some big name that's recorded METALLICA or anybody else we had in the past. That was a big change to work with someone that we knew, someone that knew us very well, someone that we respected his ears and his skills and abilities to capture sound from a technical standpoint. He's also a great guitar player in his own right. He was kinda the fifth member of the band throughout the whole process. The whole writing process was pushing each other to get the most out of each other and making sure that every part in every song was at its full potential. We had one rule that if someone in the band didn't like a part, we would work on it to make it better or we wouldn't use it. That's why we're so happy with the album because everyone got to voice their opinion on every single part and every single vocal line. I think halfway through the recording process, we had so much faith in each other and confidence in each other, and things just went so smoothly as opposed to records where there was a lot of label pressure to sound a certain way, or concern of 'Do we have enough radio singles?' Things we shouldn't concern ourselves with being creative with more business-minded ideas."

Asked why LIFE OF AGONY reformed in 2014, Alan said: "We stopped playing in 2011, I think that was our last show. Mina had come out [as transgender] and I think we all needed time to process us that. It was a shock to us. We just needed to reassemble our friendships because we needed to get back to a place where we were honest with each other. Once we reconciled, our booking agent had asked us if we'd be interested in playing more shows because the Alcatraz [Hard Rock & Metal] Festival in Belgium had offered the opportunity for us to play with MARILYN MANSON and that interested us. We decided that would be the first show back and that was 2014. It was fantastic. It was a completely positive experience and overwhelmingly positive to the point that we were having so much fun, we didn't want to stop. We just continued to play all over, including Hellfest, which we had a great time. Then we were offered a record deal from Napalm [Records]. We weren't really looking to do a new album. We were just having fun playing live and touring around. They let us record and produce on our own terms. That excited us. They gave us the freedom and respect to do what we do and be the artists that we are. They had a lot of faith in us because they never even heard a demo for the material. The first time they heard the album was when it was completed."

Photo credit: Tania Gomez

Late MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza's long-awaited memoir, "Megalife: Nick Menza - The Book", will finally be released in late 2017. The book, which was written with J. Marshall Craig, was delayed after being drastically reworked in the months following Nick's passing.

Says J. Marshall Craig: "I spent a year living with late, great, heavy metal drummer Nick Menza at his home in Studio City, California, trying to get the enormously private and proud man to open up and let me write his story. A story of the heights of rock and roll stardom, dreams come true and dreams shattered.

"We spent a lot of time talking, listening to music, playing music, and even began filming a drum-clinic video that comprises the final chapter of his book.

"On May 23 of 2016, Nick was preparing to visit me here at my Cape Cod home and publishing offices for the final round of interviews on a project that was nearly four years in the making. Tragically, Nick didn't make it. He died two days before, almost instantly from a massive heart attack, while on stage at the Baked Potato with Chris Poland and Robert Pagliari in their band OHM: "But the book is still coming late 2017.

"A normally extremely private man, Nick decided to hold back nothing in telling his story. He revealed the most exciting moments in his career, taking the reader right on stage with him before more than 100,000 screaming fans. And he humbly revealed the lowest depths of a depression that nearly cost him everything before he earned his career back in his final years.

"It's a book celebrating great times, great music, great friends. It's a book of honesty. It's a book of wit. And it's even a book, sometimes, of wisdom!"

Menza's longtime manager Robert Bolger says the book will reveal how poorly Nick was being treated by MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine and the brutal truth of why there was never a MEGADETH reunion with the band's "Rust In Peace" lineup.

Nick rightfully earned his place as heavy metal's fiercest drummer during MEGADETH's ten-year peak at the top. With "Megalife: Nick Menza - The Book", music fans are going to be thrilled to discover his candor just as fierce as his drumming.

The highlight of his career, Nick said, was playing Rock In Rio before more than 100,000 people. The lowest point was being fired by Mustaine while he was still in a hospital bed after surgery to remove was doctors feared was a cancerous growth.

Excerpt from "Megalife: Nick Menza - The Book":

Nick Menza was still groggy from the anesthesia but elated when the doctors told him the scary growth on his knee was benign and that he'd soon be back at work — as the thunderous drummer for one of the world's greatest thrash metal bands, MEGADETH.

"I was so relieved," he says, "I didn't think I had a worry in the world."

So when band leader Dave Mustaine called two days later, Nick was expecting great news about returning to the Ozzfest '98 tour.

Instead, Mustaine said, "We're letting you go."

Nick thought it was a joke. "Where? Disneyland? Stop fucking around, Dave. Now's not the time."

Mustaine wasn't joking. "I don't think you're hearing me clearly."

A decade and a half later, Nick leans back in his chair in front of the console at his Los Angeles Menzanation Studios and reflects. "That was it," he says with a shrug. "My run with one of heavy metal's top bands at the top of its career was done. It came crashing down and it was bad. Very bad."

Only a few gray hairs gave away the passage of time: Nick was fit as ever — not just from drumming but from his obsessive mountain-biking habit. "Yeah, I admit it, I sank into a pretty dark place. I survived, come out the other side with purpose and spirituality, and I want to make play more than ever now. I have fallen in love with music again.

"Fans ask me all the time if I wish I was still in MEGADETH. It took a long time to realize the answer, which is..." [End of book excerpt]

On May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of natural causes. The cause of Menza's death was listed as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

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

Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY, BAD ENGLISH), Doug Aldrich (THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, DIO), and Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES) will record a scorching set of songs written by Doug and Alessandro between the end of 2016 and early 2017.

In between recording sessions, REVOLUTION SAINTS will make its official live debut at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Trezzo (Milan, Italy) where it will perform songs from its first album plus a few surprises. 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."

Alice Cooper will ne rejoined by three members his original band — bassist Dennis Dunaway, drummer Neal Smith and guitarist Michael Bruce — for a special performance in Nashville next month. The legendary rocker's May 14 concert at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's Andrew Jackson Hall will include what's being described as a "mini-set" by the quartet who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011. Glenn Buxton, the band's original guitarist, died in 1997.

Dunaway, Smith and Bruce have contributed to and appear on Cooper's forthcoming album, produced again by longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin and due this summer.

"We've recorded much of my last album and my new one in Nashville and it's such a great music town," said Alice Cooper. "With so many musician, songwriter and producer friends here, as well as great rock fans who come to our concerts, it's special to be performing with Neal, Michael and Dennis in Nashville for them."

Tickets are on sale now at TPAC.org, by phone at 615-782-4040, and at the TPAC Box Office, 505 Deaderick St., in downtown Nashville. VIP packages are available through the TPAC Box Office for a limited time.

Cooper last year released a special seven-inch single containing two songs he sang in 2015 with the surviving members of the original ALICE COOPER band. The set, which took place in October 2015 at Dallas music store Good Records, brought Cooper together onstage with Dunaway, Bruce and Smith for the first time since 2011, when they staged a pair of performances coinciding with their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as well as their appearance on Cooper's "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" LP. Guitarist Ryan Roxie, a member of Cooper's current band, stepped in for Buxton.

HUGE NEWS: Original Alice Cooper band members reunite with the legendary shock-rock performer for a special set ONLY IN NASHVILLE May 14th! pic.twitter.com/x0b6WcFzI1

— TPAC (@tpac) April 17, 2017

BLACKFINGER, the band led by former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner, will release its new album, "When Colors Fade Away", this summer via M-Theory Audio. Renowned and still cherished for the classic material he recorded with Chicago's TROUBLE for over two decades, Wagner has in recent years been focusing on a couple other promising new bands in a similar vein, including BLACKFINGER. Now relocated to Pittsburgh, Eric is joined in the new BLACKFINGER lineup by another respected name in doom metal circles, guitarist Terry Weston of DREAM DEATH/PENANCE.

M-Theory Audio is the new label recently launched by Marco Barbieri, the former president of Century Media Records, whose previous experience includes Nuclear Blast and Metal Blade. Joining Marco in this adventure are colleagues whose past experience includes work for labels like Century Media, Prosthetic, Victory and Epitaph. The label's roster includes Bay Area thrash outfit CULTURAL WARFARE, Las Vegas prog/power metal band SICOCIS, Sacramento headbangers BLESSED CURSE, Southern California's pagan death metallers HELSOTT, nomadic folk metal band TENGGER CAVALRY, female-fronted symphonic metal band GRAVESHADOW and Nor Cal's death/metalcore band APOTHESARY. "I'm extremely excited to announce that BLACKFINGER has signed with M-Theory Audio," says Wagner. "It is an honor and a pleasure to work with Marco Barbieri again after all these years.” "Eric, the pleasure is all mine," responds Barbieri. "Eric Wagner is a true artist, talent and storyteller. I've spent the last 34 years listening to classic tales weaved by this man; and he is truly one of my favorite vocalists. Along the way I've had the pleasure of working with Eric and TROUBLE while at Century Media during their 'Plastic Green Head' album cycle and even had his other band, THE SKULL, headline one of the Doom In June festivals. Now our co-operation and friendship continues and I am fortunate to release the new and phenomenal BLACKFINGER album." Photo credit: Mark Kadzielawa

METALLICA's latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", was certified platinum on April 12 by the RIAA (Recording Association Of America).

The platinum certification reflects a million equivalent album units, which blends traditional album sales, tracks sold from an album and on-demand audio and video streams.

The recent gain in "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" sales is owed mostly to a concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the band's stadium tour that went on sale on February 17. Redemptions of albums included with the purchase of a concert ticket register as a sale in the week the customer redeems/receives the album.

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted as expected at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart last November, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release. Both of the band's previous outings, 2008's "Death Magnetic" and 2003's "St. Anger", sold more copies in shortened sales weeks. "Death Magnetic" moved 490,000 copies in a three-day window, while "St. Anger" shifted 418,000 copies in a similar frame.

"Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

The North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" 2017 tour kicks off on May 10 in Baltimore, Maryland and will hit stadiums in 25 cities before winding down in mid-August. Support on the quartet's first North American trek since 2009 will come mainly from AVENGED SEVENFOLD and VOLBEAT, with GOJIRA taking over for the latter group for the last six shows.

Tye Trujillo, the 12-year old son of METALLICA's Robert Trujillo and member of NorCal group THE HELMETS, made his live debut with KORN last night (Monday, April 17) at Gran Carpa de las Américas in Bogota, Colombia. Fan-filmd video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Tye is filling in for KORN's regular bassist, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, who is unable to make the band's South American tour due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Said KORN in a statement: "We are bummed Fieldy can't join us on this run but excited to do a few gigs with a young player like Tye. We look forward to welcoming our brother Fieldy back when we return to the States in May."

Remaining KORN shows with Tye Trujillo on bass:

April 19 - Espaço Das Américas - São Paulo, BrazilApril 21 - Live Curitiba - Curitiba, BrazilApril 23 - Pepsi On Stage - Porto Alegre, BrazilApril 25 - Estadio Malvinas Argentinas - Paternal, ArgentinaApril 27 - Teatro Caupolican - Santiago, Chile

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

The 52-year-old METALLICA bassist told The Huffington Post about Tye: "My son is 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. We even listen to bands like QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and TOOL. 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 reportedly started picking up the guitar when he was about six or seven years old. "He's great. He has his own ideas, and if I help him through a song, it's usually with arranging," Robert told Today Online. "It's a beautiful thing to see him confident in what he does... and when he has an exciting idea. It makes me happy. I am always there to advise him, but it's perfect because the strength of the songs he writes are the strength of his ideas."

THE HELMETS cite their influences as TOOL, ALICE IN CHAINS and METALLICA. And they're quite vocal about their hatred of pop music. "We hate pop, we despise it," Tye Trujillo told Billboard last year. "It's all the same sound."

PROJECTED, the project featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric Friedman (a.k.a. Erock; TREMONTI), will release its sophomore album later in the year via Rat Pak Records.

A teaser video for the new disc is available below.

PROJECTED's debut album, "Human", was released in September 2012 on Connolly's own Yaya Papu LLC label. At the time, Connolly stated about how the band came together: "The idea behind this project originally started as nothing more than a group of us who were friends already, going into the studio to just record some tunes we had laying around and basically just have a good time with it. No pressure from labels or any pre-conceived notions or expectations. Just making music and having a good time."

Added Phillips: "John, Vinny, Eric, and I have shared many miles and many stages together over previous years. We've always talked about collaborating and now it's finally come to fruition. I might possibly be one of the biggest SEVENDUST fans ever, and to get the opportunity to work with a few of my favorite musicians on the planet, and some of my best friends, means the world to me. We wholeheartedly believe in these songs...believe in John's vision... and couldn't be happier about the future of PROJECTED!"

Asked how difficult of a transition it is to be the frontman of PROJECTED, Connolly told Zoiks! Online in 2012 interview: "You know, it's hard to describe. I think the first thing that you go through is the acceptance that there's no one to hide behind. With SEVENDUST it's, like, let LJ [Witherspoon] do his thing and I'll duck in back there and stay out of the way a little bit. With PROJECTED, all of the sudden, it's, like, 'Wow, the sound of your voice is what is going to carry this whole deal.' Coming to terms with that is an interesting thing. First of all, you have the fact that you've never done it. Then throw in the fact that we're going to record at home, too. Let's do it in probably the worst environment we could possibly be doing it in. [Laughs] It's nice and convenient to be able to do it when you want to do it, but you have the UPS guy unloading stuff, you've got lawnmowers in the background, dogs barking, 'Just Dance 3' blending in a little bit. You throw all those things in the mix and you hang on and ask, is it doable? What do we have here that works? But yeah, it's tricky, it's a lot of different learning processes, but it's definitely a cool experience to actually step out and say where is my voice, what is my voice."

Michigan's Greta Van Fleet have released a music video for their single “Highway Tune”, available for streaming below. The band’s four-song debut EP, Black Smoke Rising, will be released this Friday, April 21st (Lava Records), and the band will hit the road on May 12th with The Struts.

“Highway Tune”, the debut track from Greta Van Fleet, is a tasty slab of rock n' roll the way it was always meant to be - loaded with bravado and flair, a righteous attitude of defiance, of love, and a simultaneous kinship with alienation and belonging.

"Greta Van Fleet is the future of real Rock & Roll," said Jason Flom, President of Lava Records, who personally signed the band. "They've got the chops, the swagger and the songs to make their mark as the band of their generation."

Greta Van Fleet - four young men, two are 18, two are about to turn 21; three are brothers, two of them are twins, and one best friend, all from the idyllic Michigan village of Frankenmuth (pop. 5000). They write all of their own music; influences are varied, much of it rooted in their parents' vast vinyl collections - Jimi Hendrix, Tchaikovsky, Robert Frost, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Who, The Lord Of The Rings. And, in order to play those dates with The Struts, two of the members will have to miss their high school prom.

Upcoming dates with The Struts are as follows:

May
12 - Austin's Fuel Room - Libertyville, IL
15 - Deluxe at Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN
16 - The Machine Shop - Flint, MI
18 - The Rapids Theatre - Niagara Falls, NY
19 - Rams Head Live - Baltimore, MD
21 - Bottle & Cork - Dewey Beach, DE

(Photo - Ford Fairchild)

Vesperia frontman Morgan Rider has posted an acoustic cover video performing one of his favourite tracks from Katatonia - “Idle Blood” from the Night Is The New Day album.

"I recorded this cover in my home studio and filmed it in the crown lands near my house. I am a big Katatonia fan and have been wanting to record an homage to them with a slightly altered arrangement for awhile now,” comments Rider.

Vesperia are currently completing the recording of their new album to follow to 2015’s The Iron Tempests EP. The album is being recorded at Blue Sound & Music Studios in Toronto, Canada with engineer/ producer Russ Mackay (Mastodon, Iron Maiden, Styx) and will feature an array of famous Canadian guest musicians with the art created by Juno award-winning artist Hugh Syme (Rush, Nevermore, Dream Theater).

Vesperia launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise over $5,000 to record the new album giving fans many special and unique perks for their contributions, including mead made by the band’s front man Morgan Rider, drinking horns, album pre-releases, the bands stage banners and much more. For all details on contributions, head here.

Indian metal veterans, Demonic Resurrection, have released a video for “Narasimha – The Man-Lion”, a track from their fifth full-length album. The video was made Guilherme Henriques Silva.

 

The new album is Dashavatar, which translates to 'the ten avatars of Vishnu', who is the 'the god of preservation' in Hindu mythology. The album released on March 15th independently.

The band's vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Demonstealer comments, "Our previous album, The Demon King, was born from the idea of writing about 'Ravan' who is a demon king from Hindu mythology and while we wrote our own story from scratch it did kind of set the tone of where we want to go from there. My fiancé was the one who told me the rather gruesome tale of Narasimha the 'man-lion' avatar of Vishnu which really made me look at mythology rather differently and it made for a great idea to write a song about each of the avatars of Vishnu, since they were very interesting stories. It was pretty obvious then that the album had to be called Dashavatar."

 

“Kurma - The Tortoise” lyric video:

“Matsya - The Fish” lyric video:

Lineup:

Demonstealer - Vocals/Guitars/Keys
Nishith Hegde - Lead Guitars
Ashwin Shriyan - Bass
Virendra Kaith - Drums

Melodic metal band PYRAMAZE will release its fifth album, "Contingent", on April 28 in Europe and North America through Inner Wound Recordings.

The official video for the song "A World Divided", taken from the new disc, can be seen below.

With "Contingent", PYRAMAZE has grown and matured into a band that is capable of satisfying their fans while simultaneously continuing to break new ground. The incorporation of modern cinematic film score elements mixed with progressive metal riffs and melodies will leave the listener breathless!

Huge, sweeping, hard-hitting, and poignant, "Contingent" is an epic post-apocalyptic conceptual piece inspired by current events, the human spirit to overcome struggle and diversity, and the brotherhood that lies therein.

The album was produced, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, who has previously worked with VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, EPICA and EVERGREY, among others.

"Contingent" track listing;

01. Land Of Information02. Kingdom Of Solace 03. Star Men 04. A World Divided 05. Nemesis 06. Contingent - Part I: The Campaign 07. 20 Second Century 08. Obsession 09. Heir Apparent 10. Contingent - Part II: The Hammer Of Remnant 11. Under Restraint 12. The Tides That Won't Change 13. Symphony Of Tears

PYRAMAZE is: Terje Harøy - Vocals Jacob Hansen - Guitar, Bass Jonah W. - Keyboards Toke Skjønnemand - GuitarMorten Gade Sørensen - Drums

AYREON, the highly acclaimed project from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer Arjen Lucassen, has released the official lyric video for the song "Star Of Sirrah", taken from the upcoming album "The Source". Check it out below.

"The Source" is an exciting new chapter in the AYREON saga, with contributions from renowned vocalists like James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER), Simone Simons (EPICA), Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH), Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Tobias Sammet (EDGUY, AVANTASIA), and Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X). "The Source" will be released on April 28 through AYREON's new label Mascot Label Group/Music Theories Recordings.

While AYREON's "Forever/Planet Y" saga seemed to have reached its conclusion with the album "01011001", it's clear that Lucassen's creative muses had other plans. The new AYREON album "The Source" revisits the "Forever" saga, adding a whole new chapter to Lucassen's impressive body of work. With its top-flight cast of singers and musicians, compelling songs, overwhelming sound, and intriguing story, "The Source" offers everything that has gained Lucassen dedicated fans worldwide since he laid the foundations of AYREON back in the mid-'90s.

The story of "The Source" is set six billion years in the past relative to Earth. It begins on Planet Alpha, a world in the Andromeda system where computer intelligence has far surpassed that of humanity. Alpha is facing a massive global crisis, with ecological and political catastrophes threatening all human life. The Alphans (our human ancestors) try to save their planet by entrusting the global computer mainframe — The 'Frame — to find a solution. Given total control of the planet, the 'Frame reaches the logical conclusion that its creators are the cause of all the trouble. The only way to solve Alpha's problems is to exterminate humanity. This leaves the Alphans no other option than to try and escape their horrific fate. But their escape comes at a terrible price. It's the beginning of a story that contains everything that has made the Ayreon epics so endlessly fascinating all these years.

The international status of AYREON enables Arjen Lucassen to write his characters with some of the most respected singers in rock in mind: James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER), Tommy Giles Rogers (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME), Simone Simons (EPICA), Mike Mills (TOEHIDER), Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH), Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Michael Eriksen (CIRCUS MAXIMUS), Tobias Sammet (EDGUY, AVANTASIA), Nils K. Rue (PAGAN'S MIND), Zaher Zorgati (MYRATH), Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT) and Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X). Special contributions were offered by guitarists Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG), Guthrie Govan (THE ARISTOCRATS, ASIA, STEVEN WILSON), Marcel Coenen and keyboard player Mark Kelly (MARILLION).

Watch the epic 12-minute video for album opener "The Day That The World Breaks Down" below.

Just as on his previous albums, "The Source" has Arjen Lucassen playing a wide variety of instruments, while the inimitable Ed Warby (ELEGY, GOREFEST, HAIL OF BULLETS) once again masterfully handles the drums.

2017 will be a particularly exciting year for AYREON fans thanks to a unique chance to actually see AYREON live. Limited to three exclusive performances, "The Ayreon Universe" will take place in September in the prestigious 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. This unprecedented live event features the best of twenty years of AYREON music, brought to life by a top cast of musicians such as Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH), Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X), Damian Wilson (THRESHOLD), Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT), Jonas Renkse (KATATONIA), Anneke van Giersbergen, and various others. The reclusive Arjen Lucassen himself is also expected to make a rare appearance on stage. The tickets for all concerts — 9000 in total — sold out within a day, proving once again that the AYREON magic is still very much alive and kicking.

"The Source" track listing:

CD1

Chronicle 1: The 'Frame

01. The Day That The World Breaks Down02. Sea Of Machines 03. Everybody Dies

Chronicle 2: The Aligning Of The Ten

04. Star Of Sirrah 05. All That Was 06. Run! Apocalypse! Run! 07. Condemned To Live

CD2

Chronicle 3: The Transmigration

08. Aquatic Race 09. The Dream Dissolves 10. Deathcry Of A Race 11. Into The Ocean

Chronicle 4: The Rebirth

12. Bay Of Dreams 13. Planet Y Is Alive! 14. The Source Will Flow 15. Journey To Forever 16. The Human Compulsion 17. March Of The Machines

Frontiers Music Srl will release JORN's brand new studio album, titled "Life On Death Road", on June 2. A trailer for the disc can be seen below. Easily one of the greatest rock singers of the 21st century, Norway's very own giant Viking warrior Jorn Lande's vocals are resoundingly strong once again on his ninth original studio album, "Life On Death Road". This absolutely brilliant new album sees Lande attacking the microphone with rejuvenated vigor, accompanied by a new band and a bigger and stronger sound. "Life On Death Road" took several months of hard work for the songwriting vision to come together. Jorn needed to take the music to a new level to push the concept of the band further than it has ever gone before. The result is a record that is deep, strong, full of groove and powerful with anthemic songs aplenty. Songs like "Man Of The '80s", "Love Is The Remedy", "Life On Death Road", "Insoluble Maze (Dreams In The Blindness)", and "The Slippery Slope (Hangman's Rope)" capture the essence of Jorn as a singer, songwriter and lyricist. Jorn says: "It's easily one of the best albums I've ever recorded. This was all about putting the right people together for the right result, and about taking the necessary time to work more thoroughly and in depth with the material we chose for the album.

"The older I get, the more I feel it is necessary to listen to my heart and look for that genuine and honest feeling that made me take interest in music in the first place.

"Back in the '70s and early '80s when I grew up, people and music were more free and so the presence of feeling and soul came more naturally and was expected from an artist or a band. This is the energy and craftmanship we've been looking for, but still keeping a pulse on the modern times we live in.

"'Life On Death Road' is an original album that is pretty much summing up the last 40-50 years of rock and metal and has become a hybrid modern heavy rock album without losing those tasty elements of a good aged wine. Regardless, we're all products of our time, and the feeling, soul and symbioses we've achieved for this album is a rarity in today's music world, so in that sense this album is a true old school sailors' 'tall ship adventure.' From start to finish, it took us nearly three years to finalize and I'm really proud to say that this album is the proof that classic albums can still be made." The album also marks the debut of a new lineup of very experienced and gifted musicians around the Norwegian singer. On bass is Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER, KISKE/SOMERVILLE) who needs virtually no introduction to European heavy metal fanatics. On keyboards and production is Alessandro Del Vecchio (HARDLINE, REVOLUTION SAINTS), who already joined JORN for the recording of his last covers album, "Heavy Rock Radio" and was the glue that helped Jorn to create the feel and the direction for the new album. Francesco Iovino (PRIMAL FEAR) is on drums and Alex Beyrodt (PRIMAL FEAR, VOODOO CIRCLE) handles guitar. Truly a recipe for a roaring success! Jorn had no desire to do "just another" JORN record. The aim was to do the best record possible and it took almost two years of writing, arranging, and producing before wrapping this all up. The performances are thunderous across the board and you can hear the urgency of these songs in Jorn's singing! Jorn's catalogue is getting too long to include in brief overviews and his innovative and creative skills as a vocalist and music visionary have led to him selling millions of albums worldwide while being a frequent entrant on sales charts around the world, including Billboard. Worth a mention here though are his years fronting MASTERPLAN, whom he recorded three albums with. He has also recently collaborated with the world's biggest online gaming company, Riot Games, providing vocals for the virtual band "PENTAKILL" in the game "League Of Legends". Claimed to be the biggest-selling Norwegian musical export since the pop band A-HA, Jorn continues his rock crusade and there are no signs of him slowing down and "Life On Death Road" is a magnificent testament to his abilities! "Life on Death Road" track listing:

01. Life On Death Road02. Hammered To The Cross (The Business)03. Love Is The Remedy04. Dreamwalker05. Fire To The Sun06. Insoluble Maze (Dreams In The Blindness)07. I Walked Away08. The Slippery Slope (Hangman's Rope)09. Devil You Can Drive10. The Optimist11. Man Of The '80s12. Blackbirds JORN is:

Jorn Lande - VocalsAlex Beyrodt - GuitarsMat Sinner - Bass Alessandro Del Vecchio - KeyboardsFrancesco Iovino - Drums

Frontiers Music Srl will release SNAKECHARMER's sophomore album, "Second Skin", on May 12.

The song "Punching Above My Weight", taken from "Second Skin", can be streamed below. The British hard rock supergroup SNAKECHARMER was originally founded in 2011 by former WHITESNAKE members Micky Moody and Neil Murray along with the perfect mix of high-caliber musicians, including Laurie Wisefield (WISHBONE ASH), Harry James (THUNDER, MAGNUM), Adam Wakeman (OZZY OSBOURNE), and Chris Ousey (HEARTLAND). The band's debut self-titled album was released in 2013 and musically the record showed a finely crafted hard rock style mixed with blues and melodic overtones, akin to Micky and Neil's former band and BAD COMPANY, with hints of early FOREIGNER as well. SNAKECHARMER played live shows regularly in support of the album's release and built a solid fanbase in Europe. In 2016, Moody left the band and was replaced by the Irish-born Simon McBride on lead guitar. Simon was hailed "among the best blues-rock players anywhere in the world" by Guitarist magazine and has built up an impressive resume playing with outstanding rock, soul, and blues artists. "Second Skin" is the hotly anticipated second effort from SNAKECHARMER and brings the listener straight back to the good old days of real rock n' roll played with heart and soul. Slightly harder edged compared to the debut, but with roots still firmly planted in the classic hard rock vibe with a hint of late '70s AOR, this new record sounds fresh and crisp. Murray says: "It's been a rather long journey, but finally I'm very pleased to announce that SNAKECHARMER are soon to release our new album, 'Second Skin'.

"The band has now found its own unique musical identity and in particular Laurie Wisefield and Chris Ousey have contributed some very powerful and melodic songs, which still have the SNAKECHARMER blues-rock distinctive trademarks.

"The band works in a very democratic and collaborative way, which means that sometimes there is a lot of discussion before decisions are finally made, and it was great to have a more objective viewpoint from producer Gary Stevenson, who also fired the band up with his ideas, enthusiasm and sonic skills.

"We can't wait to get out on tour and play some of the new songs, together with the best of our established classics, both SNAKECHARMER and WHITESNAKE, and showcase our new virtuoso guitarist, the brilliant Simon McBride." Track listing:

01. Sounds Like A Plan02. That Kind Of Love03. Are You Ready To Fly04. Follow Me Under05. I'll Take You As You Are06. Hell Of A Way To Live07. Fade Away08. Dress It Up09. Punching Above My Weight10. Forgive & Forget11. Where Do We Go From Here SNAKECHARMER is:

Chris Ousey - vocalsLaurie Wisefield - guitarSimon McBride - guitarAdam Wakeman - keyboardsNeil Murray - bassHarry James - drums

Atmospheric doom metallers, Trees Of Eternity, featuring Fredrik Norrman and Mattias Norrman (ex-Katatonia, October Tide) and Kai Hahto (Wintersun, Swallow The Sun), have released a lyric video for “Eye Of Night”, a track of their new album, Hour Of The Nightingale, out now via Svart Records. Watch the new clip below.

Hour Of The Nightingale tracklisting:

“My Requiem”
“Eye Of Night”
“Condemned To Silence” (feat. Mick Moss of Antimatter)
“A Million Tears”
“Hour Of The Nightingale”
“The Passage”
“Broken Mirror”
“Black Ocean”
“Sinking Ships”
“Gallows Bird” (feat. Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost)

“Eye Of Night” lyric video:

“Hour Of The Nightingale” lyric video:

“A Million Tears” lyric video:

“Broken Mirror” lyric video:

Sampler:

German alcohol-soaked thrash metal act, Tankard, will celebrate their 35th anniversary with the release of their 17th studio album, One Foot In The Grave, to be issued on June 2nd via Nuclear Blast. In the new trailer below, the band discuss the album title and artwork:

A recent message from Tankard about the cover artwork: “With this, our iconic mascot, the Tankard-Alien, celebrates his return after about 13 years of absence. The alien was born in 1989 with the Alien EP and has already graced five album covers. Our fan club, Maniac Aliens, is named after it also. The artwork was brought to life by Patrick Strogulski, who is a student of Sebastian Krüger, the former Tankard cover artist. He also created the cover artworks for A Girl Called Cerveza and R.I.B..”

Tracklisting:

“Pay To Pray”
“Arena Of The True Lies”
“Don’t Bullshit Us!”
“One Foot In The Grave”
“Syrian Nightmare”
“Northern Crown (Lament Of The Undead King)”
“Lock ‘Em Up!”
“The Evil That Men Display”
“Secret Order 1516”
“Sole Grinder”

“Arena Of The True Lies” lyric video:

Listening session impressions:

Behind-the-scenes with song snippets:

Upcoming Tankard tour dates are listed on the flyer below:

Colorado-based black metal band, Nightbringer, have released “Serpent Sun”, featured on the band’s new album, Terra Damnata, out now via Season Of Mist. The track is available for streaming below.

Recorded once again with Dave Otero (Cobalt, Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire), Terra Damnata is a truly explosive take on metal's most orthodox sub-genre. On tracks such as "As Wolves Among Ruins", "Serpent Sun" and "Misrule" violent, breakneck speeds collide with whirling, pitch-black riffs and melodies as Nightbringer explore the darkest depths of true evil.

Tracklisting:

“As Wolves Amongst Ruins”
“Misrule”
“Midnight's Crown”
“Of The Key And Crossed Bones”
“Let Silence be His Sacred Name”
“Inheritor Of A Dying World”
“The Lamp Of Inverse Light”
“Serpent Sun”

“Serpent Sun”:

“Of The Key And Crossed Bones”:

The revamped version of RAINBOW recently entered the studio to record band's first new music in more than two decades.

Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT last year to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.

Although Ritchie initially said that he had no plans to make a new RAINBOW album — explaining in early 2016 that he wanted to "just get back to playing the old songs one more time" — he appears to have changed his mind. He told Japan's Burrn! magazine for its May 2017 issue that the current incarnation of RAINBOW — which includes singer Ronnie Romero, originally from Chile but now settled in Madrid, Spain — is in the process of recording two tracks. "I wrote one new song, and also recorded one of the old ones," he said, according to The Highway Star. "Ronnie, who is in Madrid now, added his vocals and sent it back. Rather than make an album, we may release as singles."

Blackmore was also full of praise for Romero, who spends some of his time fronting the Spanish metal band LORDS OF BLACK and is a member of a new project called THE FERRYMEN. "When I heard him, he seemed like the right guy to sing the [Ronnie James] Dio-era songs of RAINBOW," Ritchie said. "He is versatile, he can sing like Freddie Mercury or Ronnie James Dio or Graham Bonnet.

"The reason I did not ask [former RAINBOW singer] Joe Lynn Turner [to get involved in the RAINBOW comeback] is because I thought European fans wanted to hear the Dio lineup of RAINBOW.

"I was very surprised that tickets [to the first RAINBOW comeback shows] sold out in 15 minutes. It was nice to know so many people wanted to hear RAINBOW at this time."

Joe Lynn Turner last year slammed Blackmore for the guitarist's decision to go out and perform classic DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW material with a new group musicians instead of reforming RAINBOW with a more "authentic" lineup.

Less critical of the new RAINBOW lineup was former DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who admitted to Metal Express Radio earlier this year that he had watched some YouTube clips of the new RAINBOW lineup performing in 2016. "Singing Ronnie's [James Dio] songs needs a special kind of singer and I think the young chap did a reasonably good job and I think Ritchie may well have found the guy for him," Hughes said of Romero. "He was certainly a good fit for RAINBOW."

In addition to Romero, Blackmore was joined at last year's RAINBOW gigs by STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.

The two shows RAINBOW played in Germany last June were caught on camera to produce "Memories In Rock - Live In Germany", which was released in November via Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, and digital formats.

After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.

MR. BIG has set "Defying Gravity" as the title of its new album, tentatively due this fall via Frontiers Music Srl. The follow-up to 2014's "...The Stories We Could Tell" is being produced by Kevin Elson, who helmed all of MR. BIG's early LPs, including "Mr. Big" (1989), "Lean Into It" (1991) and "Bump Ahead" (1993).

"Defying Gravity" will feature MR. BIG's original lineup — Paul Gilbert on guitar, Eric Martin on lead vocals, Billy Sheehan on bass and Pat Torpey on drums — with a special guest appearance by drummer Matt Starr. Starr has been filling in on the road for Torpey, who has had limited involvement with MR. BIG on the road since he was told he had Parkinson's disease in 2014.

The 57-year-old drummer told CrypticRock.com about his diagnosis: "What was really great about it is that I found out how many people really care about me and the great support system I have around me with the guys in the band, our management, and especially my wife. My wife is my guardian angel; she basically saved me. It was tough, but I am doing much better. I found a way, and I'm trying to do it every day."

"…Stories We Could Tell" was produced by Pat Regan, known for his work with DEEP PURPLE, WARRANT and KEEL. Formed in 1988, MR. BIG forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark "shredding" musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original lineup produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres, be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock. Their hits included "To Be With You" (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), "Wild World", "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind" and "Just Take My Heart".

According to The Pulse Of Radio, MASTODON bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders and guitarist Bill Kelliher explained in a new interview with Noisey that the band doesn't let online trolls and haters — and even some of their own fans — get to them with criticism about their sound or the way it's changed. Kelliher said, "Our fucking fans are nuts. They pick apart every fucking note, every fucking word, who's singing what, why this song doesn't sound like the last song, why this song sucks because it's different."

Kelliher added: "I read these comments on the internet of people saying we sold out by playing songs like 'Show Yourself'. Who the fuck are you? What do you mean we sold out? I'll play whatever music I want to play! I'll put out a goddamn pop record if I want to. I don't have to answer to anybody but my bandmates — and my wife."

Kelliher offered his perception of who some of these alleged fans are, saying: "There's people that follow the MASTODON Facebook page and then they talk shit. Are you just trying to be cool? I think of a pimply-faced 14-year-old in his underpants sitting on his computer. Where's your band that you've had for 17 years? Where are your three-time Grammy loser certificates?"

MASTODON has been nominated for a Grammy three times in the "Best Metal Performance" category over the years, losing all three times.

"Show Yourself" is currently No. 8 on the rock radio chart, the biggest single of MASTODON's career.

The track is taken from the group's seventh studio album, "Emperor Of Sand", which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart last week, making it their third Top 10 album

MASTODON has just kicked off a spring U.S. headline tour that brings the band to San Francisco on Tuesday (April 18).

Swedish/Danish melodic metal act, Amaranthe, performed at Germany’s Wacken Open Air in the summer of 2012 with their three singers. Footage of the full performance is available for streaming below.

Setlist:

“Leave Everything Behind”
“Enter the Maze”
“1,000,000 Lightyears”
“Serendipity”
“Amaranthine”
“Rain”
“Call Out My Name”
“Automatic”
“Hunger”

Los Angeles-based hard rockers, Edge Of Paradise, have released a lyric video for "Dust To Dust" from their new Alive EP, check it out below:

Check out BraveWords’ Edge Of Paradise feature here.

“Alive”
“Dust To Dust”
“Mystery”
“Shade Of Crazy”
“Humanoid”

“Alive” video:

Catch Edge Of Paradise live in concert:

April
21 - The Soundbox Tavern - Simpsonville, SC
22 - The Drunk Horse - Fayetteville, NC 
   
June
7 - Viper Room - West Hollywood, CA  
  
July
28 - Funhouse - Seattle, WA  
29 - Rock Hard DPX - Portland, OR

August
8 - DiPiazza's - Long Beach, CA
9 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
  
September
23 - Female Metal Event - Eindhoven, Netherlands

(Photo - Kevin Estrada)

Finnish symphonic metallers Nightwish have checked in with the following update:

The book Marco Hietala - Ruostumaton will tell the story of Marco Hietala with all its joys and sorrows, successes and adversities. Finnish edition is now available for pre-order at this location. All pre-ordered books will be autographed. Information about the English edition will follow."

2016 was a triumphant year for Delain with the release of their EP Lunar Prelude, their latest full length Moonbathers, relentless touring and the celebrations of their 10 year anniversary in a sold out Paradiso, which will appear on live DVD/Blu-ray.

Celebrating what has been an incredible year and making 2017 a worthy successor, Delain announce a very special run of shows for October 2017, dubbed the Danse Macabre tour.

Joining the band for this exclusive set of dates is long-time friend and collaborator, Nightwish lynchpin Marco Hietala. Having contributed to most of Delain's records with guest appearances and after worldwide requests from fans, Delain and Hietala will now storm the stage together on the Danse Macabre tour.

These shows will feature a specially selected set list of rarely heard Delain songs, a sneak preview of new material, special effects and much more. Danse Macabre promises to be a spectacular evening with Delain!

Dates:

October
26 - Paris, France - Alhambra
27 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
28 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche
29 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
31 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli

November
1 - London, UK - Koko  

Legendary British guitarist and composer Allan Holdsworth has died at the age of 70. In a short statement his daughter Louise said on Facebook: "It is with heavy hearts that we notify everyone of the passing of our beloved father. We would appreciate privacy and time while we grieve the loss of our dad, grandad, friend and musical genius. We will update close friends and family when service arrangements have been made and will notify the public of an open memorial service, which all would be welcome. We are undeniably still in shock with his unexpected death and cannot begin to put into words the overwhelming sadness we are experiencing. He is missed tremendously. Louise, Sam, Emily & Rori."

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has posted a tribute to Holdsworth aong with the following message:

"Losing the one of a kind incredible guitarist, Allan Holdsworth is devasting to the music world. His playing was remarkably unique and influenced everyone I make music with. He left behind so much great music. If you are not familiar with his work, go explore and have your mind expanded! 
This GeoShred clip was made as a tribute to him." 

Other members of the rock and metal community took to social media to express their condolences and admiration for Holdsworth in the wake of his death.

 
 
Alan Holdsworth...RIP...Stunning Guitarist. Thoughts & Prayers To His Family, Friends & Fans... pic.twitter.com/tTDmObQwun

— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) 16 April 2017

 
 
I'm very saddened to hear about the death of Allan Holdsworth today. He was a huge influence on my playing as... https://t.co/gUzIYxlEjd

— John Petrucci (@JPetrucci) 16 April 2017

 
 
Rest in peace, my brother Allan pic.twitter.com/drfLxTCev1

— Tony MacAlpine (@tonymacalpine) 16 April 2017

 
 
Very sad to hear about the loss of Allan Holdsworth. We were just at NAMM together for ISP! A brilliant guitarist & innovator. God Bless you

— MichaelSweet Stryper (@michaelhsweet) 16 April 2017

 
 
R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth. pic.twitter.com/ubyzaV6JXH

— Michael Amott (@Michael_Amott) 16 April 2017

 
 
Huge loss, true genius. His music went over heads at times (mine 2 admittedly) but brilliant uncompromising & impactful RIP#AllanHoldsworth pic.twitter.com/6H6tiKe2gn

— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) 16 April 2017

 
 
R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth. You remain an enormous inspiration to me. Your beautiful music will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/UEpuqCTm8s

— Joe Satriani (@chickenfootjoe) 16 April 2017

Holdsworth, born in Bradford, England in 1946, embarked on a solo career as composer and bandleader exclusively in 1979. Holdsworth’s career as producer, bandleader, and lead composer is documented in a new box set called The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever, featuring a 28-track selection of favorites on his label Eidolon Efformation featuring material from 1982 through 2003.

Holdsworth has been recognized by many of the world’s most accomplished and unique rock and jazz guitar virtuosos. Luminaries including Eddie Van Halen, Carlos Santana, Frank Zappa, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Joe Satriani, Tom Morello universally expressed reverence and astonishment at Holdsworth’s pioneering approach to his playing and vast vocabulary of “uncommon” chord voicings.

He further expanded the guitar’s orchestral potential with a range of electronic effects, then moved on to become one of the early innovators of guitar-based synthesizer controllers. In the nearly five decades Holdsworth has been touring, collaborating, and recording, he has created an immense sonic and musical legacy.

In the ‘70s he played with legendary Miles Davis drummer, Tony Williams and Cream bassist Jack Bruce as the band Lifetime, and toured with Soft Machine. He worked with former Yes and King Crimson drummer, Bill Bruford’s first solo project, Feels Good To Me, and subsequent recordings with Jean-Luc Ponty, and Gong. Bruford suggested Allan for the progressive-rock “supergroup,” U.K., which, along with Bruford, also featured John Wetton and Eddie Jobson.

This new episode of the Digital Tour Bus series, Bus Invaders, takes you inside the touring vehicle of the heavy metal musicians Max & Iggor Cavalera (ex-Sepultura):

In November/December, Max & Iggor Cavalera will be back in Europe on the MTV Headbangers' Ball Tour 2017, with support from Overkill, Insomnium and Deserted Fear. A trailer video can be found below.

Tour dates:

November
26 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
27 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
29 - Hamburg, Germany - Große Freiheit
30 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys

December
1 - Geiselwind, Germany - Christmas Bash
3 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
4 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
7 - Pratteln, Switzerland -  Z7
8 - Oberhausen, Germany - Ruhrpott Metal Meeting
9 - Gießen, Germany - Hessenhallen
11 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage