Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett played a cover version of A-HA's "Take On Me" during METALLICA's May 2 concert " at Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway. Professionally filmed video footage of their performance can be seen below.

METALLICA has played 21 shows in Europe since early February and has another four dates booked between now and mid-May.

METALLICA recently announced the details of the 2018-2019 North American leg of of its "WorldWired" tour in support of the band's latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

The 34-date trek kicks off September 2 in Madison, Wisconsin and runs through March 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each ticket purchase will be accompanied by a physical or digital copy of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

METALLICA's "WorldWired" trek was the fifth-highest grossing tour of 2017, with 1.5 million tickets sold and $153 million earned. The band was also the top-selling rock act of the year and had the third best-selling rock album.

EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project will release a new studio album, "Moonglow", in January 2019. A world tour in support of the disc will launch at the end of March in Germany.

AVANTASIA in 1999 and celebrated its live premiere in 2008. With over 3.5 million records sold, he is one of the most successful musicians of Germany and has worked with Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS), Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer (KISS), Eric Martin (MR. BIG) as well as many other stars from the international music business. For a long time, Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA has been considered an insider tip. But after countless headline performances at some of the world's largest rock festivals (Sweden Rock Festival, Quebec Music Festival, Barcelona Rock, etc.), gold awards and several top 10 positions in the world charts, the upcoming "Moonglow" world tour can only be considered one of the biggest rock events of the year.

Sammet states: "I've been trying to calm things down for the last 18 months, but apparently my best way of relaxing is to be creative! During this phase, tons of ideas have been coming to my mind, that literally demanded to be realized in AVANTASIA's epic style. I was so convinced of the songs that I realized very quickly: if ever there is to be a new chapter of AVANTASIA, then it has to happen with this material — past all the trends and rules of the music industry, hand-made and personal, with epic 10-minute pieces alongside catchy rock songs! Everything was created for only one reason: to write great music without any businessmen shaping it into bite-sized pieces for the modern entertainment landscape.

"'Moonglow' will be the most lavish album of my career, the biggest, most colorful thing and the best and most unreasonable luxury, I have ever created in my life.

"I can't wait to release the album in January and then take the 'Moonglow' world tour on a journey around the globe, where you will witness the biggest show AVANTASIA has ever put on stage!"

"Moonglow" world tour 2019:

Mar. 30 - GER - Kaufbeuren, All Karthalle

Mar. 31 - IT - Mailand, Alcatraz

Apr. 02 - CZ - Prague, Forum Karlin

Apr. 03 - GER - Berlin, Huxley´s

Apr. 05 - GER - Ludwigsburg, Arena

Apr. 06 - GER - Bamberg, Brose Arena

Apr. 08 - GER - Fulda, Esperanto Halle

Apr. 09 - GER - Saarbrücken, Saarlandhalle

Apr. 10 - FR - Paris, Olympia

Apr. 12 - GER - Osnabrück, Stadthalle

Apr. 13 - GER - Hamburg, Mehr! Theater

Apr. 14 - GER - Oberhausen, Koenig Pilsener Arena

Apr. 16 - UK - London, The Forum

Apr. 18 - GER - Offenbach, Stadthalle

Apr. 19 - CH - Pratteln, Z7

Apr. 20 - CH - Pratteln, Z7

Apr. 24 - ES - Bilbao, Santana 27

Apr. 26 - ES - Barcelona, Razzmatazz 1

Apr. 27 - ES - Madrid, Palacio Vistalegre

More dates will be announced soon.

Fan-filmed video footage of STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER, the revamped version of the cult '80s British metal act GRIM REAPER, peforming on April 27 at the Keep It True XXI festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany can be seen below.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER lead singer Steve Grimmett had his right leg partially amputated in Janaury 2017 after an infected wound on his foot spread to the bones in his leg part way through the group's five-week tour of South America.


The life-saving surgery was carried out in Ecuador and the 58-year-old singer was in hospital for just over a month while fans raised $14,000 to bring him home after his insurance company refused to pay because of the type of work he was doing.

"It was tough but throughout it all I have kept a positive attitude," Steve told the Swindon Advertiser.

"Throughout the two operations, for which I was given epidurals, I was thinking of the soldiers who come back from war far worse than me.

"I am a big war bird buff and I thought of Sir Douglas Bader and what he achieved without either of his legs.

"While I was in hospital, I felt a bit down because I missed [my wife] Millie and my family, but not because I had lost a leg.

"At times, it could be amusing: fans were coming in to see me and I could tell when the medical workers were using the Internet to check me out because I'd hear them playing my songs."

Grimmett told the Swindon Advertiser: "What's happened has been very humbling, especially when I consider the number of people who have helped me. I now look on life a bit differently. What's happened has taught me not to be impatient and to make the most out of life."

Grimmett reformed GRIM REAPER in 2006 as STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER following an amicable decision between the singer and original GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott, who both agreed that using the original name minus the other members of the classic lineup wouldn't be a proper reunion.

Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA have released a brand new music video for the song "Universal Love Squad". The clip was filmed at the band's recent sold-out 1000th-show-anniversary concert at 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands in front of 3,000 ecstatic fans.

"Universal Love Squad" shows a different and more intimate side to the band, as it is the acoustic version of another EPICA track, titled "Universal Death Squad", released in 2016 on the album "The Holographic Principle".

In celebration of its 1000th-show anniversary, EPICA performed this track for the very first time live, which resulted in in this astonishing music video.

EPICA's Mark Jansen, band founder and guitarist, comments: "At the 1000th show, we performed for the first time ever the acoustic version of 'Universal Death Squad', which became 'Universal Love Squad'.

"As many fans kept asking us to play something acoustic live, we couldn't resist any longer. We want to thank our fans from all over the world for all these fantastic shows and hopefully there will be a 1000 more to come!"

After two years of non-stop touring worldwide, EPICA will perform the last batch of festivals of its current touring cycle this summer.

EPICA's latest release was "The Solace System" EP, featuring six songs which were created during the sessions for "The Holographic Principle".

Asked in an interview with Metal Wani if there are any plans for EPICA to commence the songwriting process for the group's next full-length album, Mark said: "We're gonna keep touring till September and then we're gonna take a little time off. We have been touring for 16 years constantly — recording and touring — and now we feel like it's time to do a little break — not too long — a little break to recharge the batteries, and then during the break, we will probably already start composing for the next album. But that little break will give us some opportunities for the side projects — like, Simone [Simons, vocals] wants to do something, I have MAYAN, Rob [Van Der Loo, bass] has some side project, Ariën [Van Weesenbeek], the drummer, is also in MAYAN. So everybody will fill in that little break in a different way. But I'm already feeling like wanting to write new music. So it won't take long."

Former IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers has announced his departure from CYHRA, the band featuring vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE), guitarist Jesper Strömblad (ex-IN FLAMES), guitarist Euge Valovirta (ex-SHINING), and drummer Alex Landenburg (LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY).

CYHRA will continue as a four-piece but Peter's bass lines will still be heard at the band's upcoming shows. Instead of being on stage, his tracks will be reproduced by a computer, "Mr. ASUS."

"It's sad to part ways with Peter as a member, but we are still very good friends and will always be," CYHRA said in a statement. "He has our full support in this decision and we wish him nothing else than the best in the future."

In other news, CYHRA has released the official music video for "Here To Save You", taken from the band's debut album, "Letters To Myself", released last October via Spinefarm Records. The clip was filmed during CYHRA's successful North American tour opening for SABATON and KREATOR this past spring.

Jake E said: "Releasing 'Here To Save You' as a live video was something that we thought of already after finishing up the song in the demo studio. And as we got the possibility to open up for SABATON and KREATOR a couple of months back it was a no-brainer to just make sure to put it on film.

"I love how we were able to capture all the positive response, both within the band but also all the love we got for our newfound fans in the U.S. and Canada. Every time I watch it, I just want to go back out on the road! I hope you will like it as much as we do!"

Strömblad said: "With this video we show that CYHRA is here to stay. I am so proud to show what a blast we have on stage and that CYHRA is an amazing live act. I have never felt this good on stage in my whole career and I can't wait to get back on the road soon!"

"Letters To Myself" was recorded at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.

CYHRA made its live debut in October at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland.

MR. BIG has released a new live video for the song "Alive And Kickin'", taken from the band's upcoming release, "Live From Milan".


"Live From Milan" will be released July 13 via Frontiers Music Srl on 2CD+Blu-ray combo pack, 3xLP, and MP3 (audio only).

Following the release of their 2017 album, "Defying Gravity", MR. BIG set out on a trek that took them all over the world to promote the new release in a live setting. Anyone who has ever had the distinct pleasure of seeing the band live knows that the virtuoso musicianship and incredible vocals are on full display in this setting. By this time, drummer Pat Torpey's battle with Parkinson's Disease had been made public, but Pat toured with the band regardless and sat behind the drum kit for select songs, while also providing background vocals and percussion on other tracks when Matt Starr was taking his turn on the kit. Captured at a stop in Milan, Italy, "Live From Milan" has a track listing that will surely satisfy long-time and newer fans of the band, and of course contains bass and guitar solos from the always entertaining and awe-inspiring Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert, respectively.


Sadly, this would be one of Torpey's last performances with the band as he passed away from complications due to Parkinson's in early 2018.


The set captures a special moment in time for the band and also serves as a "greatest hits" of sorts as they hit on all their classic songs from the early albums as well as revered material from newer releases.


Singer Eric Martin says: "The gig was packed, really no room to breathe and it was steaming hot in there, but the energy and vibe that I was feeling from the guys in the band was that we were going to lean into it... Ha! I know that sounds cliché coming from me, but it was true; there was no holding back. I've seen the video of this concert dozens of times now and it's us... hard and heavy and still kicking out the jams."


MR. BIG, formed in 1988, have produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres — be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock. Their hits include, but are not limited to, "Alive And Kickin'", "Just Take My Heart" and the chart-topping ballad "To Be With You".


Track listing:


Disc 1:

01. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy

02. American Beauty

03. Undertow

04. Alive And Kickin'

05. Temperamental

06. Just Take My Heart

07. Take Cover

08. Green-Tinted Sixties Mind

09. Everybody Needs A Little Trouble

10. Price You Gotta Pay

11. Paul's Solo

12. Open Your Eyes

13. Wild World

14. Damn I'm In Love Again


Disc 2:

01. Rock And Roll Over

02. Around The World

03. Billy's Solo

04. Addicted To That Rush

05. To Be With You

06. 1992

07. Colorado Bulldog

08. Defying Gravity


Blu-ray

01. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy

02. American Beauty

03. Undertow

04. Alive And Kickin'

05. Temperamental

06. Just Take My Heart

07. Take Cover

08. Green-Tinted Sixties Mind

09. Everybody Needs A Little Trouble

10. Price You Gotta Pay

11. Paul's Solo

12. Open Your Eyes

13. Wild World

14. Damn I'm In Love Again

15. Rock And Roll Over

16. Around The World

17. Billy's Solo

18. Addicted To That Rush

19. To Be With You

20. 1992

21. Colorado Bulldog

22. Defying Gravity


Recorded by: Alessandro Del Vecchio, Andrea Seveso and Michel Assalini

Mixed by: Jay Ruston

Assistant engineer: John Douglass

Mastered by: Alessandro Del Vecchio


Band members:

Eric Martin: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Paul Gilbert: Guitar, Vocals

Billy Sheehan: Bass, Vocals

Pat Torpey: Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Matt Starr: Drums, Vocals

JUDAS PRIEST performed its classic song "Tyrant" live for the first time since 1983 this past Tuesday, May 1 in San Antonio, Texas. The concert marked the final show of the band's spring 2018 "Firepower" North American tour.

Notably, only singer Rob Halford and bassist Ian Hill remain in PRIEST's current touring incarnation from the lineup that recorded the studio version of "Tyrant" back in late 1975. The track is featured on PRIEST's classic second album, "Sad Wings Of Destiny", which is considered the LP on which the band consolidated its sound and image. It is the only PRIEST album to feature drummer Alan Moore.

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.

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Century Media Records has announced the signing of ULTHA.


Hailing from Cologne, Germany, the five-piece black metal band has built up an excellent reputation in the worldwide extreme metal underground scene. ULTHA's debut album, "Pain Cleanses Every Doubt", and especially the 2016 successor, "Converging Sins", have had a massive impact not only in the worldwide black metal scene, but also on many fans of many different genres interested in extreme music beyond the usual patterns. ULTHA's intense live shows, their visual approach and lyrical concept, their rampant sound cascades, mesmerizing riffs and bleak atmosphere separate them from the common black metal sounds.


ULTHA's Ralph Schmidt comments on the signing: "We're excited to collaborate with such a prolific and important label that has been dedicated to pushing boundaries of the extreme metal underground for such a long time. We, both as fans of their work and as musicians in a band, feel this is a perfect fit for this next step of our journey."


ULTHA is about to enter the studio to record its third, yet-untitled studio album, which is planned for release in October 2018. The band's European headline tour in support of the new album is currently being booked by Doomstar Bookings. Tour dates will be announced soon.

The third trailer for "Queen Of Time", the upcoming studio album from Finnish melancholic progressive metallers AMORPHIS, can be seen below. Due on May 18 via Nuclear Blast, the follow-up to 2015's "Under The Red Cloud" will include the use of real strings, flutes, orchestral arrangements and even choirs. In addition, this will be the first time that people will be able to hear their lyricist Pekka Kainulainen on the album as he contributes a speech in Finnish.

"Queen Of Time" was once again produced by Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, KREATOR), who is well known for challenging and motivating artists during the recording process. He isn't afraid to push them to their limits.

The "Queen Of Time" cover artwork, which was created once again by French artist Jean "Valnoir" Simoulin from Metastazis, captures the feeling of the lyrics and the music. With Pekka Kainulainen's (lyricist) words, the lyrical theme is universal: "Cultures rise, flourish, and are destroyed. The story of man is the story of searching, finding, and forgetting. A single spark can set the world afire, a single idea can give birth to a new culture. The greatest can stagnate into insignificance, the smallest can hold the power for change. The lyrics on this album are distant echoes of ancient forest peoples, from a time when meaning was proportioned by the cosmic forces that govern birth and death. If the connection was lost, they sought for a strand of knowledge, found a new direction, and a new age began."

"Queen Of Time" will be also the first AMORPHIS album to feature the band's old/new bass player Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine following the departure of Niclas Etelävuori in 2017. Oppu was one of the founding members of AMORPHIS in 1990 and recorded the first seven records with the band before he exited the group in spring 2000.

"To be honest, 'Oppu' was the only guy we could imagine being in AMORPHIS," says Esa. "It was funny — when we started to play our first shows together again last summer, it all felt so familiar. He was involved with arranging songs and he also even brought some new songs to the table… really good ones, too!" Oppu adds: "Even though the last year with AMORPHIS has been exciting, nostalgic and fun, it's also been truly comfortable to be with the guys again. As a clichéd expression, it's been like returning home from a lengthy odyssey. After 18 years, it feels like we are picking up where we left off from the good ol' days! I'm really looking forward for the upcoming tour. The new album itself is a really strong package, the only hard thing will be picking which songs to play live! It's safe to say we are set to pull off some killer shows over the next few years. After that, I'm predicting a long and fruitful career for the band in its current form..."

"Queen Of Time" track listing:

01. The Bee

02. Message In The Amber

03. Daughter Of Hate

04. The Golden Elk

05. Wrong Direction

06. Heart Of The Giant

07. We Accursed

08. Grain Of Sand

09. Amongst Stars

10. Pyres On The Coast

Bonus tracks (digi, 2LP, and mail-order edition only)

11. As Mountains Crumble

12. Brother And Sister

Holopainen comments: "I guess 'Queen Of Time' turned out as a massive surprise to all of us. During the rehearsing and pre-production, we didn't have any idea that Jens had this huge picture inside of his head about the landscape of the album. It's a very natural continuation to 'Under The Red Cloud' but with steroids. The songs are more aggressive but there's more dynamics, harmonies and orchestral arrangements present. The result is AMORPHIS as something you've never heard before! Essentially, working with Jens worked really well. As a person, he is very similar to us — we share the same kind of weird humor and we all like to work hard."

Myles Kennedy has completed recording his parts for the forthcoming third album from SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS. The follow-up to 2014's "World On Fire" was once again tracked with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE, IGGY POP and INCUBUS, among many others.

During a brand new interview with Meltdown of Detroit, Michigan's WRIF 101.1 FM radio station, Myles stated about SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS: "We just finished a record. Actually, I just finished my vocals for that last week, so there's another record in the can. And it'll probably come out later this year."

In addition to Kennendy and Slash, SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS features Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

Back in March, Slash said that he was "excited" about the material that was written for the upcoming SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album. "It's got some cool songs and it's got a great live feel," he said.

"I've been working with Myles, Brent and Todd for about eight years now. It's been an amazing ride so far; as a band we continue to get better which is great. With the addition of Frank since the 'World On Fire' tour, I feel we have hit a great, creative stride which I definitely think shows on this next record."

SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS will embark on a full North American tour in the fall.

After Slash and the CONSPIRATORS toured "World On Fire", rumors about the long-awaited GUNS N' ROSES reunion tour began to circulate and were confirmed in early 2016.

The current GUNS trek — which features Slash and fellow original members Axl Rose and Duff McKagan — launched in April 2016 and has since grossed more than $400 million, with more European dates coming this summer.

GUNS N' ROSES has been off the road since November when it completed the North American stadium and arena run leg of the "Not In This Lifetime" reunion tour with three shows in Los Angeles.

Despite the success of the tour, there has been no indication that GUNS intends to record a new album anytime soon. The last GUNS studio album, "Chinese Democracy", came out in 2008 and featured only Axl Rose from the band's classic lineup. The last album on which Rose, McKagan and Slash appeared together was 1993's covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Kennedy's debut solo album, "Year Of The Tiger", was released on March 9 via Napalm Records.

On May 1, GHOST played a three-song acoustic set inside the 200-capacity Clive Davis Theater at Los Angeles's Grammy Museum. Pictures from the performance (credit: Rebecca Sapp) appear below.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Rats

02. Cirice

03. Jigolo Har Megiddo

Although no cameras or cell phones were allowed inside the venue, brief snippets of each song can be seen below.

During the performance, frontman Tobias Forge — dressed as his newest incarnation, Cardinal Copia — was backed by three Nameless Ghouls on acoustic guitar. He encouraged crowd participation during the chorus of current single "Rats", playfully boasted about "Cirice" earning the group a Grammy Award and said that "Jigolo Har Megiddo" — the ending of which saw one Nameless Ghoul break a string — was written about "getting down."

GHOST will release its new album, "Prequelle", on June 1 via Loma Vista Recordings. The record was tracked last year at Artery studios in Stockholm with producer Tom Dalgety (OPETH, ROYAL BLOOD) and mixed in January at Westlake Studios in West Hollywood, California with Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, SLAYER).

GHOST kicks off its first tour in support of "Prequelle" on May 5 in Riverside, California.

Photo credit: Rebecca Sapp for BB Gun Press

The official lyric video for "Devil's Day", a brand new song from former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, can be seen below.

Friedman's stature in the history of hard rock and heavy metal has been well-solidified for decades by this point — with a resume including some of the most influential and hardest-hitting bands of all-time, particularly both THE DICTATORS and MANOWAR. And he continues to rock — as a member of the group DEATH DEALER, and also as the leader of his own solo outfit, which has issued such stellar releases as "Hailstorm", "New Metal Leader" and his latest offering, "By Blood Sworn".

Joined by Marc Lopes on vocals and keys, Mike LePond on bass, and Lance Barnewold on drums for the sessions (Steve Bolognese will beat the skins on the album's tour), "By Blood Sworn" was produced by Dean Rispler and was released on April 20 via AFM Records.

"The main thing is that my band all live nearby me instead of in Germany," explains Ross. "So, we were able to really work the tunes up. Mike LePond and I started going through riffs and tunes in July, worked up the tunes, and started forming them. It was a very satisfying process."

And as evidenced by such standout tracks as title track, "Among The Bones", "Devil's Day" and a reworked version of MANOWAR's "Hail And Kill", "By Blood Sworn" is certainly as hard-hitting and heavy as Ross's previous classics. "Actually, I know what direction the songwriting should go, and we go," he says. "As for my guitar playing, whatever the song needs, the songs get! The record is more old school, but with a fresh attack — the songs are not repetitive, and this record is also not a 'drum-machine recording' like most these days." Also featured is extremely eye-catching album cover artwork. "Marc and I had this concept for the cover art by Stan W. Decker. It was a knight kneeling after battle — holding his mighty sword and my eagle behind him."

"By Blood Sworn" track listing:

01. By Blood Sworn

02. Among The Bones

03. This Is Vengeance

04. We Are The Night

05. Faith Of The Fallen

06. Devil's Day

07. Lilith

08. Play Among The Godz

09. Circle Of Damnation

10. Fistful Of Hate

Ross was one of the pioneers of both punk rock and heavy metal. First crashing on the scene with THE DICTATORS and with such classic albums as 1975's "Go Girl Crazy!", 1977's "Manifest Destiny" and 1978's "Bloodbrothers", Ross helped trailblaze punk rock (just to put it all in perspective, "Go Girl Crazy!" arrived a full year before the RAMONES' debut, and two years before THE CLASH's and SEX PISTOLS' debuts). After exiting the band, Ross then co-formed one of heavy metal's all-time great bands, MANOWAR, which showcased exceptional six-string work on such classic albums as 1982's "Battle Hymns", 1983's "Into Glory Ride" and 1984's "Hail To England", among countless other titles.

By the end of the '80s, Ross had reconnected with his DICTATORS bandmates in MANITOBA'S WILD KINGDOM, which served as a bridge between his love of punk and metal, as heard on the group's popular 1990 debut, "…And You?" Throughout the remainder of the decade, Ross also played with such groups as THE HELLACOPTERS and THE SPINATRAS, before THE DICTATORS reunited, which resulted in several new releases starting from the late '90s all the way through the early 21st century. Also around this time, Ross joined forces with former of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT drummer Albert Bouchard in the band BRAIN SURGEONS.

With Ross's main focus turning to metal music at this time, two additional projects were launched — DEATH DEALER and his solo outfit, ROSS THE BOSS. Thus far, DEATH DEALER (which is comprised of vocalist Sean Peck, guitarists Stu Marshall, bassist Mike Davis and drummer Steve Bolognese, in addition to Ross) has issued a pair of releases, "Warmaster" and "Hallowed Ground".

A performance clip of the song "Urgent" from FOREIGNER's "Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus" DVD can be seen below.

In May 2017, FOREIGNER performed two sold-out shows in Lucerne, Switzerland, together with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Ernst Van Tiel. "Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus" represents this year-long collaboration between FOREIGNER founding member and lead guitarist Mick Jones and Grammy-nominated composing/arranging team Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer, exploring the deep symphonic potential of these classic and iconic songs. Eggar, Juilliard protégé and cellist/pianist/composer, and Palmer, producer/writer/percussionist, have toured, performed and recorded with artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, Patti Smith, COLDPLAY and many more.

Says Mick Jones: "I could never have imagined when I set out to create FOREIGNER 40 years ago, that we'd still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later. Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer's orchestral arrangements have shown us a new symphonic dimension of our music, which I hope our fans will enjoy."

"Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus" CD track listing:

01. Overture

02. Blue Morning, Blue Day

03. Cold As Ice

04. Waiting For A Girl Like You

05. Say You Will

06. When It Comes To Love

07. That Was Yesterday

08. Feels Like The First Time

09. Starrider

10. Double Vision

11. Fool For You Anyway

12. Urgent

13. Juke Box Hero

14. I Want To Know What Love Is

"Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus" DVD track listing:

01. Overture

02. Blue Morning, Blue Day

03. Cold As Ice

04. Waiting For A Girl Like You

05. Head Games

06. When It Comes To Love

07. Say You Will

08. The Flame Still Burns

09. That Was Yesterday

10. Juke Box Hero

11. Starrider

12. Double Vision

13. Fool For You Anyway

14. Hot Blooded

15. Urgent

16. Feels Like The First Time

17. I Want To Know What Love Is

Photo credit: Karsten Staiger

DEAD CROSS, the Southern California hardcore outfit featuring Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, TOMAHAWK), Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), has released a self-titled, four-track EP via Ipecac Recordings.

"I think part of DEAD CROSS's motives are to bridge gaps between useless genres and definitions," explained Pearson. "Part also might be to just burn that shit down. It's in our collective DNA. Either way, as long as people love it or hate it, we succeed."

News of the EP arrives as the band premieres a video for "My Perfect Prisoner". The clip was produced by Eric Livingston, who also created the cover art for both the band’s full-length debut and this EP.


"Dead Cross", which is also the title of the band's 2017 full-length debut, is available digitally, with a limited 10-inch black/green swirl vinyl version set for a June 29 release.

"Dead Cross" track listing:

01. Skin Of A Redneck

02. My Perfect Prisoner

03. Shillelagh (Panicker Remix)

04. Church Of The Motherfuckers (Planet B Remix)

DEAD CROSS embarks on its debut European tour on June 2, kicking off the six-week trek at Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival and making stops at several other festivals, including Download, Novarock, Graspop Metal Meeting, Roskilde and Dour.

The self-titled debut album from DEAD CROSS was released in August 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.

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

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

Photo credit: Adam DeGross

THE HEARD, the new Swedish rock band featuring former CRUCIFIED BARBARA guitarist Klara "Force" Rönnqvist Fors, bassist Ida "Evileye" Stenbacka and drummer Nikki Wicked (a.k.a. Jannicke Lindström) alongside DEATHSTARS bassist Jonas "Skinny Disco" Kangur (on lead guitar) and burlesque performer, model and singer Pepper Potemkin, has released the official lyric video for its new single, "Sirens". The song is available on iTunes, Spotify and other digital platforms.

THE HEARD made its live debut at the Where's The Music festival in Norrköping, Sweden on February 10.

THE HEARD's Facebook page describes the group as being about "heavy riffs, misty songs, dark waters and a death supreme."

THE HEARD is:

* Klara Force (CRUCIFIED BARBARA) - Guitar

* Ida Evileye (CRUCIFIED BARBARA) - Bass

* Nikki Wicked (CRUCIFIED BARBARA) - Drums

* Jonas "Skinny Disco" Kangur (DEATHSTARS) - Lead Guitar

* Pepper Potemkin - Vocals

CRUCIFIED BARBARA announced its breakup in June 2016, two years after the release of the band's fourth album, "In The Red". The group explained at the time that "our lives have parted and we need to move on. The last years have taken its toll on all of us and the joy of playing together got lost somewhere along the way."

The official lyric video for "Old Fashioned", a new song from New York hardcore veterans MADBALL, can be seen below. The track 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.

Video footage of WOLFPACK BLACK, the new band featuring former ANTHRAX singer Dan Nelson, performing the song "Low" on April 21 at the United Ink No Limits Tattoo Expo in New York City can be seen below.

Joining Nelson in WOLFPACK BLACK's current lineup are bassist Pat Foote (STEEL REIGN) and drummer Dan Mintzer (PULL, BREAKAGE RISING). The group's sound is described as "metal through and through" with songs that are "both brutal and catchy."

Nelson in 2012 settled a lawsuit he filed against ANTHRAX over the fallout from his departure from the veteran metal group. Details of the settlement were not made public.

The singer filed a lawsuit in November 2011 claiming that Charlie Benante (drums), Frank Bello (bass) and Scott Ian (guitar) falsely stated in "numerous interviews" that he had "abruptly resigned" after getting sick, forcing a cancelation of a tour. The $2.65-million suit also alleged that Benante told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that Nelson "was a bully."

The Long Island native said his ex-bandmates' "intentional defamation" caused him a loss of income and damaged his reputation.

Before reaching the deal, ANTHRAX attorney Brian Caplan told the judge that Nelson had been offered a "fairly small dollar amount" and co-authorship of eleven ANTHRAX songs that the band recorded for "Worship Music", according to the New York Daily News.

Dan told "The Jim Chinnici Show" that he isn't disappointed by the fact that his stint with ANTHRAX didn't last longer. "Hey, listen, I look at it like this: everything that's happened to me, good or bad, led me to where I am now," he explained. "I've got these guys" — referring to his bandmates in WOLFPACK BLACK — "which is the best thing that could have happened to me musically and friendship-wise. I've got the best little boy in the world as a son — my son Benjamin — and you couldn't ask for a more killer wife than my wife. So everything is all good."

In advance of Led Zeppelin’s 50th Anniversary celebration, slated to commence this September, the band issued their first ever release for Record Store Day, back on April 21st. And now, Led Zeppelin are back on top of the UK Vinyl Singles chart with the release. The single bested releases from David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Def Leppard, Motörhead and others to land at #1 on the official chart.

The limited edition 7" single, produced by Jimmy Page and pressed on yellow vinyl, features two previously unheard studio mixes, handpicked by Page to appear on the release: the “Sunset Sound Mix” of “Rock And Roll” b/w the “Olympic Studios Mix” of “Friends”.

The previously unreleased version of “Rock And Roll” provides an additional peak into the fabled “Sunset Sound Mixes” of Led Zeppelin IV. Only two previous “Sunset Sound Mixes” have been released, the first being the well-known version of “When The Levee Breaks” on the original album and the second the “Stairway To Heaven” mix that debuted on 2014 companion disc in the deluxe edition. The previously unheard “Olympic Studios Mix” of “Friends” is a stripped-down version, without the orchestration of the final mix.

DEVILDRIVER's long-awaited full-length album of outlaw country-gone-metal anthems, "Outlaws 'Til The End", will be released on July 6 via Napalm Records. The disc is described in a press release as "both a startling curveball and a ferocious statement of individuality from a band who have been a constant and effective force in the heavy metal world for the best part of two decades now."


DEVILDRIVER's haunting rendition of Hank3's "Country Heroes", featuring Hank3 himself on vocals, can be streamed below. The track kicks in with an ominous classic outlaw/country western intro, instantly careening into a heavy assault accented by Hank3's Ozzy Osbourne-influenced vocal approach. Quickly veering towards full heavy metal with a grooving double bass foundation, the track travels into heavy-hitting signature DEVILDRIVER territory, wrapping up with a hair-raising, whiskey-soaked solo by guitarist Neal Tiemann.


"This record would not have meant as much to me without having Hank3 on board," says DEVILDRIVER vocalist Dez Fafara. "He is one of the most authentic and real outlaw country artists out there right now. I chose to record 'Country Heroes' because the lyrics are extremely well-written, and using the names of all the outlaws within the song really does the song justice. 'I'm drinking some George Jones and little bit a Coe...' etc., that is genius writing from Hank3 and should be recognized as such.


"I've heard this song as 'heavy' in my head for a very long time, so to re-track it and have Hank3 appear only to sing almost Ozzy-ish is just an over-the-top treat to the ears! Enjoy," adds Dez.

"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" before Randy makes a second appearance on DEVILDRIVER's version of cowboy standard "Ghost Riders In The Sky"; the latter featuring the son of Johnny Cash himself.

"I knew right away that I wanted to have guests on this record, and the first guest I wanted was John Carter Cash," Fafara recalls. "I didn't want this thing to exist without John, without Hank 3 or without Randy. Basically, there were a certain amount of guests that I definitely wanted on it, but as I kept asking people, everyone kept saying yes!

"Randy and Mark are both from the country and they were immediately on board. With John, we wound up talking for two hours when we first met, all about his love of heavy metal and my love of outlaw country and my love of his dad's music. All he wanted to do was talk about metal and all I wanted to do was talk about outlaw country. It was the craziest thing."

Not only just content with a collaboration with John Carter Cash, the album also features the iconic voice of FEAR, U.S. punk rock legend Lee Ving. "Lee has a country band called RANGE WAR and when he first started in music, his mother gave him her mandolin to play, so he played country music before he ever did punk rock," Fafara notes. "I've been fortunate enough in my career to do songs with Ozzy [Osbourne] and some of the greats, but doing a song with Lee Ving? What can I say… he's my ultimate hero in life. I had a FEAR shirt on the first time I ran away from home, you know?"

"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

Miracle have released a video for "Night Sides", a track from their new album The Strife Of Love In A Dream, out now via Relapse Records. Watch the clip below.

This is the union of two artists with rich and unique trajectories in music. Steve Moore as one half of the progressive post-rock duo Zombi, composer of contemporary horror soundtracks including The Guest and The Mind’s Eye and solo producer of masterful synthesizer music cruising the hinterland of new-age kosmische, galactic disco and bakelite infused techno. Multi-instrumentalist Daniel O’Sullivan has explored the omniverse with a myriad of art rock luminaries including Ulver, Grumbling Fur, Æthenor, Sunn O))), Guapo, Mothlite and This Is Not This Heat. His solo career has seen him embark upon a bricolage of neo-classical composition, electroacoustic music, and luminous psychedelic songcraft.

On The Strife Of Love In A Dream (a title borrowed from the early renaissance allegorical novel ‘Hypnerotomachia Poliphili’), a haunted jukebox plays the soundtrack to a silvery universe of sulphurous canyons, lunar gardens and prismatic megastructures. A gothic psychodrama drawing on visions of the distant past and near future. Reconciling polarities of the arcane and the hypermodern, the sacred and the profane, the small and the infinite, the phantasmic and the familiar, paranoia and clarity.

Physical orders are available via Relapse.com here and digital downloads are available here.

Tracklisting:

"The Parsifal Gate"
"Light Mind"
"Night Sides"
"Sulfur"
"The Seventeen Nineties"
"Dreamours"
"Mind Environment"
"Angelix"

"Night Sides" video:

"Light Mind" video:

Album stream:

(Photo - Alexander Brown)

"The news many of you have been waiting for... as of June 1st, my album will be available on CD & purple vinyl all over (US, Europe, UK, etc)," says Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed.

Dizzy's debut solo album, Rock ‘N Roll Ain’t Easy, was initially issued only in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan in February 2018. The cover art and tracklisting can be found below.

Tracklisting:

"This Don’t Look Like Vegas"
"Mother Theresa"
"Cheers To R Oblivion"
"Fragile Water"
"Dirty Bomb"
"Mystery In Exile"
"I Celebrate"
"Understanding"
"Crestfallen"
"Forgotten Cases"
"Reparations"
"Rock ‘N Roll Ain’t Easy"

An audio preview can be enjoyed at this location.

Fan-filmed video of Dizzy performing "Rock ‘N Roll Ain’t Easy" live at Frankies Pizza By The Slice in Sydney, Australia on February 18th 2018 has surfaced on YouTube.

 

 

STRYPER played its first show with new bassist Perry Richardson (ex-FIREHOUSE) Saturday night (April 28) at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet stated about the gig: "Although we had a few technical difficulties, it was an amazing night!! The people of Italy are beautiful and we hope to return soon. We want to thank everyone who traveled so far to see the show as well!!

"The band did an outstanding job and specifically Perry. He had an entire set to learn (20 songs) and he absolutely nailed it!! The harmonies, the playing and the vibe.

"We're looking forward to hitting the road in a few days in support of our new album. We hope to see all of you at the shows coming up. It's going to be the best year yet."

STRYPER's new album, "God Damn Evil", was released on April 20 via Frontiers Music Srl. The follow-up to 2015's "Fallen" marks the band's first effort since the addition of Richardson. Perry joined the band as the replacement for STRYPER's longtime bassist Tim Gaines, who was fired from the group last year.

Perry did not play bass on STRYPER's new album due to scheduling constraints. The bass tracks on "God Damn Evil" were laid down by John O'Boyle, who played bass on Sweet's last two solo albums.

Sweet told AXS about how Richardson came to join STRYPER: "Perry's name came on our radar from Dave Rose, who co-manages us. We flew him out and instantly fell in love with him. He's the real deal. A nice, humble guy who brought something into the band that hadn't been there in a while. He has such a high level of joy and peace. Then, when we heard him play and sing, we were floored. We're so blessed to have him. We're excited about Perry performing on the next album and singing as well."

Guitarist Glenn Tipton rejoined his JUDAS PRIEST bandmates on stage Saturday night (April 28) at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas to perform the concert's three-song encore: "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Tipton — who revealed in February that he has Parkinson's disease — previously played the same three songs with JUDAS PRIEST at several other stops on the band's current tour, including in Newark, New Jersey; Uncasville, Connecticut; Worcester, Massachusetts; Kent, Washington; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Los Angeles, California. It marked his first public performances since announcing his retirement from touring. He told BUILD Series about the experience of once again sharing the stage with his bandmates: "It's just amazing to get, first of all, support from the band. The texts and e-mails from all over world, and to hear the audience was very emotional. You don't like to see a grown man cry, but we did."

Asked if he is planning on making more live appearances with the group, Glenn told 105.7 WAPL: "I think so, yeah. As long as I'm capable of going on stage and doing my parts and doing it well. I love it — I love to be on stage with PRIEST, and I'll do it for as long as I can."

Tipton found out he had Parkinson's 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 PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower". The guitarist, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST LP since the band's 1974 debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the band, but simply cannot handle the rigorous challenges of performing live. 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.

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the "Firepower" world tour on March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

"Firepower" was released on March 9 via Epic.

The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.











Phenomenal Metal show in Dallas! ?@judaspriest #JudasPriest #RobHalford #GlennTipton #IanHill @RichieFaulkner @mr_scotttravis @bombfactorydfw #MetalGods pic.twitter.com/sJDG4y31xi— R1cK (@Hel1raz0r) April 29, 2018



A few pics from the Judas Priest show from The Bomb Factory, Dallas. Part two ?? Yeah,That’s Glenn Tipton. He played three songs in the encore. pic.twitter.com/9I97m9JqgW— ÑoWäyJêff ???? (@nowayjeff) April 29, 2018

Reunited 1980s New York metal band HITTMAN played its first comeback concert last night (Tuesday, April 24) at Blackthorn 51 in Elmhurst, New York. The group played a selection of cuts from its classic 1988 self-titled debut album as well as two new songs that will be included on HITTMAN's new CD, to be released soon.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

HITTMAN's first LP was reissued last October via No Remorse Records. Also included as bonus material was the original 1985 HITTMAN demo, remixed and remastered faithfully to the original, making this the first time it will have been released officially in the digital medium — a real treat for fans who have most likely only have heard it as a copied cassette, widely traded through the metal tape trading underground, often duplicated many generations, with tons of tape hiss, and degraded audio quality.


The release boasted cleaner, more vivid re-imagined cover art (yet still a hundred percent faithful to the original) and was accompanied by a generous booklet of twenty-four pages containing never-seen photos, articles and other anecdotes, as well as liner notes by the underground press's first real champion of the band, Kerrang! and Metal Forces journalist Dave Reynolds. Dave took to the band early on, and was always an ardent supporter.


HITTMAN will next perform at the the Keep It True festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany with a lineup including all four surviving original members: Dirk Kennedy (vocals), Jim Bacchi (previously known as Bachi; guitar), Chuck Khoury (previously known as Kory; drums) and John Inglima (previously known as Kristen; guitars). Joining them on bass is Greg Bier.

HITTMAN bassist Mike Buccellato (previously known as Buccell) passed away tragically in 2013 and the band, still a tight-knit family, decided to reunite, partially, to pay tribute to his honor, but also to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the release of "Hittman". The album (and demo), still coveted by many fans of traditional, classic and power metal, has been kept alive by unofficial bootlegs, and social media, and the band decided now was time to do an official re-release and present the best possible result.

Who Brought The Dog, the solo project launched by The New Black guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz featuring BraveWords scribe Carl Begai and The New Black drummer Philipp Klinger, are streaming a new song entitled "Freakshow". They have issued the following update: 

"This is the big rock song complete with an infectious chorus and blazing guitar solo. Basically, Nickelback will wish they wrote it when they hear it. If anybody has Chad's number let us know....

Lyrically, 'Freakshow' takes a shot at the talent-free morons we see on television every week who sacrifice their self respect and integrity as entertainment industry puppets rather than doing any actual work to become famous. It's a cautionary tale told from the point of view of the Suit And Tie Guy who makes a living off the wannabe superstars that, as we all know, disappear when the cameras stop rolling."

Who Brought The Dog recently released a cover of the song "Eisbär" (German for polar bear). Fabs issued the following update:

"I know this song has been covered a million times before, but who cares. This is my version, with a little black metal twist. Love this song."

"Eisbär" is a 1980 "cult" favourite written by the Swiss Neue Deutsche Welle band Grauzone. It first appeared on the 1980 compilation album Swiss Wave - The Album. The shorter single version later appeared on the Grauzone album, Die Sunrise Tapes in 1998.

Who Brought The Dog have released two songs for free via Bandcamp. "I'm With The Banned" is an anti-bullying, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-Trump rant, "Three Days" is a cancer survivor song, lyrics written by Carl and Canadian rocker Bif Naked.

The download is free, but anyone interested in supporting Deutsche Krebshilfe / German Cancer Aid (www.krebshilfe.de) can make donations on Bandcamp. Please add the code AK 49006511 to your PayPal transaction.

The Singles by Who Brought The Dog

Bill Hudson has exited U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER — the two groups fronted by former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider — after only a year.

The American-based guitarist and the German bands decided to go their own separate ways "due to a difference in their individual visions for the future," according to a statement released by Dirkschneider. The statement adds that there is no "negative feelings on either side."

Hudson made his live debut with DIRKSCHNEIDER on June 4, 2017 at the Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

He hooked up with DIRKSCHNEIDER and U.D.O. as the replacement for Finnish guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen.

U.D.O.'s follow-up to 2015's "Decadent" album is tentatively due in August.

Dirkschneider has spent the last two years touring under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner. The trek, which was originally supposed to conclude with the band's North American run in January/February 2017, has now been extended through the fall of 2018.

In addition to Udo and his son Sven (drums), the DIRKSCHNEIDER and U.D.O. bands include bassist Fitty Wienhold and guitarist Andrey Smirnov.

DIRKSCHNEIDER released "Live - Back To The Roots - Accepted!" last August as a DVD/2CD, Blu-ray/2CD and gatefold triple vinyl in two different colors.

Joys Of Wasteland (founded in 2014) is a five piece metal act from Finland signed to Inverse Records. Even though their music is diverse, there still is recognizable sound to be found. Each band member bring their own vision to a song, causing songs to variate from easy going rock riffs to progressive, complicated parts. In the music you can find influences from melodic death metal, progressive metal, groove metal and black metal.

The band has released a two song single for "Grab By The Neck", featuring the B-side "Joys Of Wasteland". Listen via Spotify and Deezer. 

"We chose these two songs to represent the diverse of our music. The other one is all about melodic death metal and the other one makes you jump around like a maniac. It was time to start recording our own music and we made the greatest decision to go to the Fantom studio leading Samu Oittinen. Songs were recorded, mixed and mastered by Samu," says guitarist Juha-Matti Vinkka.

Check out the "Grab By The Neck" lyric video below.

For information and updates on Joys Of Wasteland visit their official Facebook page here.

Tesla's Frank Hannon will release the second instalment of his solo cover series, From One Place… To Another Vol. 2 on Friday, May 18th. As with Vol. 1, the album features a number of special guests, this time including Roger Fisher of Heart, Graham Whitford (son of Aerosmith's Brad Whitford), Duane Betts (son of Allman Brother's Dickey), Randy Hansen and Jared James Nichols.

The album is now available for pre-order at PledgeMusic in all formats plus gain access to exclusive merchandise including two instant song downloads of "Sing Child Song" (featuring Roger Risher) and "Lord Of The Thighs" (featuring Graham Whitford). Pre-order here.

"This volume  is definitely a step up for me as an artist,” declares Hannon. “I chose to sing some of my favorite songs from very different genres ranging from Aerosmith, Chaka Khan, Black Sabbath to Seal. I am proud of Volume 1 but Volume 2 came out a lot edgier and with some heavier tones.”

While Volume 1 was more roots and acoustic focused, From One Place… To Another Vol. 2 is all electric with full backing band, recorded in various locations with a portable recorder and eventually assembled back in Hannon's home studio.

“As it turns out, singing is becoming a lot of fun for me,” Hannon admits. “I’ve left the smoking guitar duties to some very special guests including the Jimi Hendrix tribute master Randy Hansen, Heart founder Roger Fisher, Jared James Nichols, as well as other guest artists who contributed flavors.”

Randy Hansen and Roger Fisher have always been heroes of Frank’s. “Known for his ‘Magic Man’ guitar sounds, Roger and I recorded a Heart classic ‘Sing Child'; which is almost as funky a song as the man himself."

A chance meeting south of the border led to the recording of a classic Aerosmith cut. "I ran into guitarist Graham Whitford in Mexico while on tour and asked him if he'd be interested in recording guitars on his Dad's song and he graciously obliged. Six months later we put it together via the internet and 'Lord of the Thighs' became a highlight for me."

The biggest surprise of the album is Frank's take on Seal's "Kiss From A Rose". "It's a vocal melody that has haunted me for years," he says. "When I decided to record it, I spent weeks researching Seal and learned how he wrote the song with no instruments, using only his voice as the music background. This really opened my eyes and ears to the power of a vocal melody that drives a song and I recorded it similarly on my portable 8-track in a dressing room on tour."

From One Place… To Another Vol. 2 tracklisting:

"Hush" (featuring Randy Hansen)
"Lord Of The Thighs" (featuring Graham Whitford)
"You Can’t Always Get What You Want" (featuring Duane Betts)
"Tell Me Somethin’ Good"
"Kiss From A Rose"
"Sing Child Sing" (featuring Roger Fisher)
"I Can See Clearly Now"
"Spanish Castle Magic" (featuring Randy Hansen)
"I Can Help"
"Sweet Leaf" (featuring Jared James Nichols)

Frank has a run of solo dates this week starting tomorrow on Long Island before he heads out on the road with Tesla in the middle of the month.

Frank Hannon solo dates:

May
2 - Amityville, NY - Revolution Bar & Music Hall
3 - Columbia, MD - Union Jack's
4 - Columbia, MD - M3 Festival
5 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Loft at The Chance Theatre
19 - Folsom, CA - Out of Bounds Bar

Chicago sludge band Pale Horseman and Illinois craft brewery Soundgrowler Brewing Co. will release their signature double dry hopped American Pale Ale, Mashing Of Teeth, on Friday, May 4th. The release will be commemorated with performances in the taproom by Pale Horseman and fellow local sludge outfit These Beasts.

Mashing Of Teeth, named for Pale Horseman's song "Gnashing Of Teeth" off The Fourth Seal (Black Bow Records), is a 5.6% ABV ale brewed with Citra, Simcoe, Columbus, and Equinox hops. All four members of Pale Horseman were involved in the brewing process, working with head brewer Larry Hough and assistant brewer Jake Hutcheson to create this special libation.  

Soundgrowler, a metal-themed brewery that plays the likes of Eyehategod and Sleep over the sound system, reached out to Pale Horseman in early 2018 to collaborate. The greater Chicago area will soon be able to drink the fruits of their labor, both on tap at the brewery and in 16-ounce cans for available carry-out sale.

Soundgrowler is located at 8201 183rd Street, Suite P, Tinley Park IL. Not only is the brewery known for playing great music, but also for serving authentic Mexican cuisine made in-house from family recipes. For release party details, visit the Facebook page here.

Lunatic Soul, the solo project of Riverside leader Mariusz Duda, will release their new album Under The Fragmented Sky on May 25th via Kscope. A new trailer video is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album here.

Under The Fragmented Sky'is the follow-up to 2017's Fractured. The album takes its name from the lyrics of the 12-minute epic "A Thousand Shards Of Heaven" from Fractured, and marks the 10th anniversary of Lunatic Soul.

"Untamed" is the first single to be taken from the new album and represents the multi-dimensional songwriting talent behind Lunatic Soul, with its uplifting nature and accessible elements.

Following on from Fractured, which covered content about grieving, hope and a separated society, Under The Fragmented Sky rebuilds Lunatic Soul as we know it, with dark and haunting atmospheres coming to the forefront.

Duda explains: "Fractured is not a full picture of the latest Lunatic Soul recordings. These more classical pieces have been waiting for their own time which has now come. Under The Fragmented Sky will be both a supplement to Fractured and an artistically independent release with its own character and identity.

Tracklisting:

"He av en"
"Trials"
"Sorrow"
"Under The Fragmented Sky"
"Shadows"
"Rinsing The Night"
"The Art Of Repairing"
"Untamed"

Trailer:

"Untamed":