Canadian hard rockers Thunderbird are releasing their anticipated self-titled third album on Delinquent Records on April 25th. Thunderbird was recorded in Vancouver BC, produced by Marc LaFrance and Kelly Stodola and mixed by famed engineer Mike Fraser.

Says lead singer & producer Marc LaFrance, “The album is like a collection of short stories. I am singing the songs as different characters, or telling their tales. A gallery of rogues from the dark side!”

Musically, the songs are inspired by classic hard rock. Heavy guitars, blistering solos, driving rhythms.

The songs were written during 2016, after the band finished their last album Heavyweight. Recording began for a third album late 2016 at Vancouver's Armoury Studios with famed engineer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Van Halen). Sessions continued through the first half of 2017 at several Vancouver studios with other veteran engineers including Ken Burke, Kris Siegers and Mick Dalla-Vee. The finished album was mixed by Mike Fraser at The Armoury and mastered by Adam Ayan (Def Leppard, Foo Fighters, Queen) at Gateway Mastering.

The band's former guitarist Rod 'Doc' Coogan was unable to take part this time due to other commitments, and rising young talent Brice Tabish joins Thunderbird on guitar. Rod still makes a welcome appearance with the guitar solo on opening track “Liar (Fool's Gold)”. Guest musicians on the new album include jazz pianist Chris Gestrin, and a string section on closing track “Vampire” arranged and conducted by film composer Peter Allen.

Tracklisting:

“Liar (Fool’s Gold)”
“Little Jenny”
“Star”
“Rain”
“Into The Sun”
“Painted Lady”
“Revolution”
“Man Of Clay”
“I’m With You”
“On The Brink”
“King Rat”
“Vampire”

Century Media Records has announced the signing of heavy rockers LUCIFER. The band's second studio album, "Lucifer II", will be released on July 6.

Apart from a new label home, the follow-up to 2015's "Lucifer I" also marks the first studio release of the new LUCIFER incarnation now consisting of vocalist Johanna Sadonis, guitarist Robin Tidebrink, and multi-instrumentalist Nicke Andersson, who plays drums and also took over bass and guitar when recording "Lucifer II". The band's live lineup also features Martin Nordin (DEAD LORD) on guitar and bass player Alexander Mayr.


"Lucifer II" was recorded at the Honk Palace in Stockholm. It was mixed by Ola Ersfjord (DEAD LORD, TRIBULATION, PRIMORDIAL) at Cuervo Recording Service in Madrid.


Sadonis comments: "We are beyond thrilled to roll our heavy rock tank to the monster fortress of Century Media. What better place to kick off the new chapter! This should go together like Buck Dharma and his mustache. Here's to an unholy union!"


Jens Prüter, head of A&R at Century Media in Europe, adds: "We are very proud to support LUCIFER's next chapters. I met Johanna a couple of times and was always impressed about her strong vision for LUCIFER. The addition of Nicke Andersson makes it even more interesting, because he always contributed the highest level of rock 'n' roll to every band he has been involved in. Looking forward to see LUCIFER rising!"


Originally, LUCIFER formed in Berlin back in 2014 consisting of Sadonis and members of CATHEDRAL, ANGEL WITCH and LADYTRON. The first seven-inch single, "Anubis", and debut album, "Lucifer I", were released by British label Rise Above Records, quickly establishing the group as a promising new act offering excellent 1970s hard rock with a good dose of proto metal and doom added to the mix. Citing BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, LUCIFER'S FRIEND, STEPPENWOLF, 70's HEART and FLEETWOOD MAC as inspiration, LUCIFER corrupted the souls of many and achieved international recognition on tours through Europe, USA, Canada and Japan.


With a shift of constellation within the band in 2016 and Sadonis moving from Berlin to Stockholm, LUCIFER is now ready for an exciting new chapter in its career. With Nicke Andersson, Sadonis found a congenial new songwriting partner, and "Lucifer II" turns out to be a strong sonic statement.


As a first glimpse at what is to come, the doomy single "Faux Pharaoh" was released in December 2017 and can be heard below.

Next up is the launch of the album's opening track and first video, "California Son". The song will be released as a seven-inch via U.S. label Electric Assault and digital single via Century Media Records on May 4.

LUCIFER is already booked for a number of international festivals and concerts, like Psycho Las Vegas, Hellfest, Desertfest and Germany's cult TV show "Rockpalast".

Despite a run of legendary hit singles in the 1970s, BLACK SABBATH and the seven-inch single format didn't always sit well together. After the release of their debut single, "Evil Woman", in 1970, followed by their ultimate explosive chart success with "Paranoid", the band was not comfortable with the confines of the mainstream pop format and the audience it brought to the group, leading to their now-legendary self-imposed ban on releasing singles in the early '70s.

"We didn't intend to make a single in the first place," said Tony Iommi to the Disc And Music Echo in 1971. "But after we'd completed the album, the 'Paranoid' track was sufficiently short to be a 'trailer' for the LP. We really didn't expect it to do anything at all. We don't go into the studio to make singles. We make LPs only. But if there is anything suitable as a result of the recordings, it would be considered, of course."

BLACK SABBATH's music was vast, expansive and heavy; not the kind of vision that can be easily shackled to the three-minute pop format. Record Mirror ran a story in November of 1970 stating that "SABBATH have decided to place a 'ban' on singles in the future. Their hit, 'Paranoid', as far as they are concerned is their first and last single. They will also oppose any attempt to draw singles material from future albums."

BLACK SABBATH's 'ban' on singles in their own country lasted for more than two years, and good to their word, no singles were issued from 1971's "Master Of Reality", but in 1972, as a harbinger from fourth LP, "Vol 4", "Tomorrow's Dream" was issued as a 45 and from then on a steady run of singles followed that showed that, despite SABBATH's initial dislike, many of their songs did lend themselves well to the format.

"Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set", released June 8 through BMG, documents the band's run of hit singles as never before and features an array of unique content.

* This limited-edition box set includes five rare single edits: Iron Man / Sabbath Bloody Sabbath / Am I Going Insane (Radio) / Hard Road / Symptom Of The Universe.

* 10 unique color picture sleeves from around the world, either ultra-rare or exclusive to this box set.

* Remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce.

* New liner notes booklet detailing the rarities contained within the box set, along with the story behind the birth and evolution of the most culturally important genre of all time.

The box set features the following singles:

Disc 1: Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me) / Wicked World - 1970

Disc 2: Paranoid / The Wizard - 1970

Disc 3: Iron Man (Single Edit) / Electric Funeral - 1970

Disc 4: Tomorrow's Dream / Laguna Sunrise - 1972

Disc 5: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Edited Version) / Changes - 1973

Disc 6: Am I Going Insane (Radio) (Single Edit) / Hole In The Sky - 1975

Disc 7: Gypsy / She's Gone - 1976

Disc 8: It's Alright / Rock 'N' Roll Doctor - 1976

Disc 9: Never Say Die / She's Gone - 1978

Disc 10: Hard Road (Single Edit) / Symptom Of The Universe (German Single Edit) - 1978

Pre-order "Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set" here.

Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett performed a cover of CELTIC FROST's "Procreation Of The Wicked" during METALLICA's concert earlier tonight (Wednesday, April 11) in Geneva, Switzerland. Fan-filmed video footage of their rendition can be seen below.

Former CELTIC FROST bassist Martin Eric Ain died last October after suffering a heart attack at the age of 50.

METALLICA has played 16 shows in Europe since early February and has another eight 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.

The official video for "Under Fire" from MISS MAY I can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "Shadows Inside", which was released last June via SharpTone Records. The disc was co-produced by Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, EMMURE, CROWN THE EMPIRE) and Nick Sampson (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, BORN OF OSIRIS). Andrew Wade (A DAY TO REMEMBER, THE WORD ALIVE, NECK DEEP) handled all mixing duties.

MISS MAY I vocalist Levi Benton stated: "Traveling to South East Asia honestly changed my life. The culture, the people, the religions and the atmosphere really made me see the world in a whole new way.

"I can't believe this chaotic tour with 21 flights in 20 days made such a badass video.

"Some of these shows were the biggest MISS MAY I headlining shows in our career.

"We have always wanted to do a music video showing fans the behind-the-scenes part of our lives and who we are not on stage.

"I am so thankful we get to travel to so many exotic new places and share our journey with the world! We can't wait to go back."

According to a press release, "Shadows Inside" "doubles as monster riff-fest and forcefully vocal driven statement shaped by changes both within and without. Make no mistake, this isn't an about-face album full of contrived sentiment or glossy emptiness. It's a record where the band challenged each other to work from outside of their comfort zone, to really hone in on what makes MISS MAY I vital, and deliver something fully authentic and raw."

MISS MAY I is:

Levi Benton - Vocals

BJ Stead - Guitar

Justin Aufdemkampe - Guitar

Ryan Neff - Bass

Jerod Boys - Drums

TRILLIUM, the metal project launched by American-born, Dutch-based singer/songwriter Amanda Somerville, will release its sophomore album, "Tectonic", on June 8 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The official video for the disc's first single, "Time To Shine", can be seen below.

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

"'Time To Shine' gives you a good idea of what the new album is about: energetic metal songs with lots of melodies, riffs, solos and, of course, Amanda on vocals."

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

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

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

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

"Tectonic" track listing:

01. Time To Shine

02. Stand Up

03. Full Speed Ahead

04. Hit Me

05. Fighting Fate

06. Nocturna

07. Fatal Mistake

08. Shards

09. Cliché Freak Show

10. Eternal Spring

Recording lineup:

All vocals by Amanda Somerville

All guitars and bass by Sander Gommans, except:

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

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

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

"The Purple Sky", the new video from MIDNATTSOL, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Aftermath", which will be released on May 25 via Napalm Records. The band's current lineup includes former LEAVES' EYES and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY frontwoman Liv Kristine Espenæs alongside Liv's younger sister, Carmen Elise Espenaes.

"The Aftermath" relies much more heavily on folk influences lending atmospheric density to the melancholic symphonic metal compositions. It is a sumptuous and sensual affair and a shimmering highlight in the discography of this German/Norwegian team.


"The Aftermath" track listing:

01. The Purple Sky

02. Syns Sang

03. Vem Kan Segla

04. Ikje Glem Meg

05. Herr Mannelig

06. The Aftermath

07. The Unveiled Truth

08. Evaluation Of Time

09. Forsaken

10. Eitrdropar (bonus track)

MIDNATTSOL released its promising debut album, "Where Twilight Dwells", back in 2005. The band quickly gained fans around the gothic, metal and rock scenes and played numerous shows and summer festivals like Summer Breeze, Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Mera Luna, as well as opening for IN EXTREMO. Their second studio album, "Nordlys", was released in 2008, followed up by "The Metamorphosis Melody" in 2011. After that, the band decided to take a creative break.

MIDNATTSOL announced Liv's addition to the band last December. The group said in a statement: "Some time ago, we discussed with Liv that she would support us on our upcoming album as a special guest. Working together, we found out that not only the result is awesome — we also have a lot of fun together. The logical consequence was that we pick up Liv as a permanent member of the band. So she is now the official second singer in MIDNATTSOL.

"As Liv is now a permanent band member, we plan to play upcoming concerts together with her. We are very happy and it means a lot to us to have such an amazing singer and fantastic person in our MIDNATTSOL family."

More recently, Carmen was involved in a project called SAVN, also featuring two members of THE SINS OF THY BELOVED.

Liv was fired from LEAVES' EYES in early 2016 and was replaced by Elina Siirala. Liv was previously married to LEAVES' EYES' co-vocalist Alexander Krull.

MIDNATTSOL 2018 is:


Carmen Elise Espenæs - Vocals

Liv Kristine Espenæs - Vocals

Alex Kautz - Guitar

Daniel Fischer - Keyboard

Stephan Adolph - Guitar

The second 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 disc's opening song, "The Bee", can be streamed below.

Guitarist Esa Holopainen states about the new track: "This song is a very powerful opener and gives a nice picture of what the whole album is all about. You can already hear some new elements like choirs and orchestral arrangements in it."

Adds vocalist Tomi Joutsen: "Of course, the lyrical inspiration is a bee, also in a metaphoric way. The tiniest thing can sometimes be the most important thing. A bee can bring life or if we destroy all the bees, life will stop here. It's a very beautiful animal, that's why you can find it on the album cover too. The track itself is a kind of progressive and I'm sure that it will surprise some fans in a positive way. We love it!"

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."

Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett played a cover of Peter Schilling's "Major Tom" during METALLICA's April 9 concert at Schleyerhalle in Stuttgart, Germany. Professionally filmed video footage of their performance can be seen below.

METALLICA played 15 shows in Europe since early February and has another nine 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.

GHOST played a short acoustic set at a private event in Chicago Friday night (April 6) premiering the band's upcoming album. The three-song performance included the debut airing of the disc's first single, "Rats", which opens the album and is expected to be made available later this month. It was also the first time GHOST performed with its new frontman, who is named Cardinal Copia and apparently isn't a part of the Papa Emeritus bloodline.

A brief video clip of the "Cirice"performance from last night's event can be seen below.

The last Papa, Papa Emeritus III, was forcibly taken from the stage during the final show of the band's "Meliora" tour cycle last fall, with Papa Zero arriving to announce the beginning of "the Middle Ages." Of course, all the Papas — except the elder Zero — and Cardinal Copia are the same man, GHOST founder and vocalist Tobias Forge.

Forge's new alter ego will make his official live debut on May 5 as the Swedish band kicks off a run of North American dates in Riverside, California.

The "Rats On The Road" trek, as it's called, will be in support of the group's fourth studio LP, which is tentatively due in June via Loma Vista Recordings. The disc was recorded last year at Artery studios in Stockholm with producer Tom Dalgety (OPETH, ROYAL BLOOD) and was mixed in January at Westlake Studios in West Hollywood, California with Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, SLAYER). Other songtitles set to appear on the LP include "Life Eternal", "Faith" and "Dance Macabre".

Forge told Revolver about the upcoming album: "It is loosely themed around the concept of death and doom. It's a themed album around medieval times, but it's definitely clinging onto a lot of very current things. The Black Death [plague] is a great example of a turning point for a whole civilization. Complete villages were annihilated. Most people knew very little, so all of it was God or the Devil — and about their faith being questioned: Why are we being stricken down by this great scourge? It must be because of our not fearing God enough and all this superstitious bullshit.

"There's a lot that you would recognize today in online mannerisms," he continued. "In many ways, we've gone back a few steps because now it's closer to how it was back in the old days when people were standing at the square and all of a sudden, it's like in Monty Python's 'Life Of Brian': 'Stone him! Ra! Ra! Ra!' Public trials are very unsupervised and extremely swift and speak to the most primordial parts of us."

In a separate interview with Metal Hammer, Forge talked about the musical direction of GHOST's new album, saying: "It's a very bright-sounding record. And it's a very heavy record, I'd say, but not from a Metal Hammer point of view, meaning all metal through and through. But it's a heavy record with a heavy theme. I think the overall ambience is very serious.

"Technically, a GHOST song could just be piano and vocals but it could also be full pounding, heavy-thrashing hard rock," he added. "I'm not in any way comparing us to them but I guess our modus operandi is a little like what QUEEN did — just decide to play really good songs and not focus too much on sticking to a recipe."

Forge last year revealed his identity while responding to a lawsuit filed by four former members of GHOST, who accused him of cheating them out of their rightful share of the profits from the group's album releases and world tours.



Cardinal Copia made his debut tonight at a special acoustic show in Chicago. Along with a couple of Nameless Ghouls ? ・・・ Picture taken by @timothysonoftimothy ・・・ #Ghost #GhostBC #TheBandGhost #GhostTheBand #GhostBand #PapaEmeritus #PapaEmeritusII #PapaEmeritusIII #PapaNil #CardinalCopia #Cardinal #NamelessGhouls #NamelessGhoul #OpusEponymous #Infestissumam #IfYouHaveGhost #Meliora #Popestar #CeremonyAndDevotion #LomaVista #LomaVistaRecordings #ReaktorRecordings #SpinefarmRecords #ChildrenofGhost #ChildrenofGhostDotCom #CoG A post shared by Children of Ghost (@childrenofghost) on Apr 6, 2018 at 11:04pm PDT

GONE IS GONE, the project featuring MASTODON's Troy Sanders, AT THE DRIVE-IN's Tony Hajjar, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen and guitarist-keyboardist Mike Zarin, has released the video for "Phantom Limb". It's a visual feat, like a watercolor painting come to life and set to the beautiful, dirge-like music. It was directed and edited by Bryan Bankovich and produced by Meredith Kooi.

"'Phantom Limb' is a tale of seek and find," says Sanders. "The song explores a cause of sensation and is inspired by one's ability to overcome what was once there."

He continues: "We shot this in one beatiful day amongst the ruins of Fort Dade on the isolated island of Egmont Key in the Gulf of Mexico. It was filmed with our good friends at Newmerica, which was once again a most pleasurable experience."

GONE IS GONE released "Phantom Limb" last November as part of a seven-inch red vinyl single for Record Store Day's Black Friday.


GONE IS GONE's debut album, "Echolocation", entered Billboard's Heatseekers Chart at No. 3.


Hailed by Clash as "a crisp, compact document, one laced with energy and sweeping songwriting," "Echolocation" was produced by the band and mixed by Ken Andrews (BECK, A PERFECT CIRCLE).


GONE IS GONE was formed by multi-instrumentalist Mike Zarin and Hajjar, who previously collaborated on various film trailer projects for Sencit, Zarin's music production, licensing and supervision company. Together they've put together a wildly diverse sound production resume that includes trailers for the Internet-breaking television series "Stranger Things", Christopher Nolan's 2010 sci-fi thriller "Inception", multi-Emmy-winning television series "Game Of Thrones" and the Marvel Comics blockbuster film "X-Men Apocalypse", to name but a few. They brought in Troy Van Leeuwen, known for his work with QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, FAILURE, A PERFECT CIRCLE, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and SWEETHEAD, who, in turn, brought in Troy Sanders from multi-Grammy nominees MASTODON.

The second trailer for "Eonian", the new album from Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR, can be seen below. In the clip, singer Shagrath and guitarist Silenoz discuss why it took them a little longer to forge the monumental vision they had for the disc into reality.

The songwriting core of DIMMU BORGIR still consists of Shagrath and guitarists Silenoz and Galder. They are joined in the band's current lineup by drummer Daray and keyboardist Gerlioz.

Due on May 4 via Nuclear Blast, "Eonian" contains 10 new tracks, produced by the band itself and engineered by Jens Bogren. Emerging from the dark minds of the three songwriters, "Eonian" follows a philosophical concept, dealing with the illusion of time.

Silenoz told Metal Shock Finland about DIMMU BORGIR's long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "Abrahadabra": "We feel that we're sitting on the best album that we could possibly do at this time, and personally, I think it's definitely our best album to date. Obviously, that's something that everybody says, but if I didn't believe that we would do our best album, there wouldn't really be any point doing a new one. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it, and I know that quite a few fans will probably be positively surprised."

As for the musical direction of DIMMU BORGIR's new effort, Silenoz, said: "I think it's safe to say that [the parts that are] more epic and majestic are more epic and majestic, and the same goes for the brutal sound of DIMMU and also the primitive and more black metal sound of DIMMU is more black metal this time around. So you will have the more extremes of each part that we are known for."

"Eonian" track listing:

01. The Unveiling

02. Interdimensional Summit

03. Ætheric

04. Council Of Wolves And Snakes

05. The Empyrean Phoenix

06. Lightbringer

07. I Am Sovereign

08. Archaic Correspondence

09. Alpha Aeon Omega

10. Rite Of Passage

POP EVIL recently stopped by the 99.7 The Blitz radio station in Columbus, Ohio to play a short acoustic set. Check out video footage below.

The song "Waking Lions" is taken from POP EVIL's fifth, self-titled album, which was released on February 16 via Entertainment One. "Pop Evil" marks the recording debut with the band of British drummer Hayley Cramer, who joined POP EVIL in 2016 following the departure of Josh "Chachi" Marunde. The disc was helmed by veteran producer Kato Khandwala.

"As soon as we saw [Hayley's audition] video, we were, like, 'Oh my goodness. She's the one,'" singer Leigh Kakaty says. "Her first tour with us was in packed arenas opening for ROB ZOMBIE and DISTURBED. It was crazy, but when things work, they work. She's been like the big sister we never knew we wanted but we're so glad we have. And she's so passionate about the music. Songs that we'd been playing for years suddenly came to life in a different way and then she came in and killed it on this record. It was a rejuvenation for us. She's nothing short of a blessing."

Lyrically, songs like "Colors Bleed" cover new ground for POP EVIL. Instead of being about dysfunctional relationships, self-empowerment or mortality, Kakaty digs into today's headlines and addresses what he feels about capitalism, hypocrisy and violent confrontation.

"It was important for me to document things that we're going through right now, such as what happened in Charlottesville, what's going on with North Korea and where the government is at," he says. "As a lyricist, I need to address all sorts of subjects and emotions and politics is a part of that. I felt I needed to write about the things I'm feeling as a mixed American — someone whose mom and dad came to this culture with big dreams, hopes, and aspirations because this is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Anyone who comes to America is a native of this country, so it's so important that we all come together. When we join together, everyone wins.

"With a band name like POP EVIL, we felt like the 'evil' has always been de-emphasized just because of the situations we were in," Kakaty continues. "It always seemed like the people around us wanted to focus more on radio play or writing more mainstream, melodic stuff. That's definitely a part of what we like to do, but this time we made a rock album for rock fans. And, in general, rock fans are real Middle American, middle or lower-middle class people who get forgotten about. Secular music has pretty much told the world that rock and roll and metal music don't matter anymore. Having lived that life and thrived as a rock band, it's hard not to take offense to that, but it's important to try to be a part of the solution rather than the problem. And we're doing that by turning up the amps and saying, "Look, we can make heavy songs that really rock and we can also write catchy songs that someone who likes PEARL JAM or LED ZEPPELIN can get into."

In February, POP EVIL embarked on the "Music Over Words" tour, which served as the official kick-off for the new LP.

UK rockers City Of Thieves will release their new album, Beast Reality, on October 12th. Pre-order the album here, and check out a music video for the first single "Buzzed Up City" below.

The buzz has been spreading about City Of Thieves - no frills, no messin' around, no gimmicks - it is heavy rock in it's purest form and will send you running straight to the front of the stage with no-nonsense sledgehammer riffs, hooks and melodies.

Working with acclaimed artist and producer Toby Jepson (Little Angels, The Answer, Wayward Sons), City Of Thieves frontman/bassist Jamie Lailey knew at an early stage the band wanted to take rock by the scruff of it's neck and give it a good shake. "We knew what we wanted to do, we'd been devouring the songwriting and if we were inclined, we could have released a ton of material out of the gate. Toby took what we had and refined it. I'm glad we sat back and digested things with him, it was a major turning point for the band."

With producer Toby Jepson at the helm, Mike Fraser on mixing duties and mastering by Simon Francis (Kodaline, Kaiser Chiefs, Primal Scream) the presentation of this new material was in the best of hands.

When asked what he thought about City Of Thieves, Mike Fraser simply replied, "Killer band... killer songs". This is not a throwaway comment, this is from a true craftsman who has worked on albums for Metallica, AC/DC, Slipknot, Aerosmith, and more.

So what about the songs? "The new material has bags of groove, different speeds and attitude. We mix it up but keep it genuine and made sure everything flows. Why play something that's monotonous, I'm not saying we're reinventing the wheel but if you think your own music is boring, why inflict that on your audience?" says Will Richards (drums). "We can't wait to unleash the other tunes and get on the road to play live," chips in Lailey.

Tracklisting:

"Reality Bites"
"Fuel And Alcohol"
"Buzzed Up City"
"Lay Me To Waste"
"Control"
"Incinerator"
"Animal"
"Right To Silence"
"Born To Be Great"
"Damage"
"Give It Away"
"Something Of Nothing"

"Buzzed Up City" video:

Lineup:

Jamie Lailey - Bass/Vocals
Ben Austwick - Guitar
Will Richards - Drums

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS' new song "Starlighter (Echo, Utah)" can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Bad Frequencies", which is due out April 27 via Pure Noise Records.

"Bad Frequencies" was produced by HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS along with Nick Ingram, and mixed by Cameron Webb (NOFX, SOCIAL DISTORTION). The band previously worked with Ingram on the "Hurt" EP as well as Webb for "Push Me Away" which was released last summer ahead of their full run on the Vans Warped Tour.

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS frontman JT Woodruff told Rock Sound about "Starlighter (Echo, Utah)": "I wrote the lyrics to 'Starlighter' after the worst drive of my life, in the mountains of Utah. There was snow pouring everywhere, the van I was driving didn't have heat or defrost, and the passenger was wiping the window frantically with the sock he was wearing, so I could see the road. It was 14 miles till the next exit, and our lives kept flashing before our eyes. When we eventually made it safely to an exit, we left the van in the middle of the parking lot, checked in to a room, and when I stopped trembling, I wrote lyrics about summer. I needed to get my head out of the snow and think about how this situation would be different if it was in June. So while my mind was racing, I crafted a story about a group of friends whose entire lives are ahead of them, and they just want to have one last weekend blow out. There are laughs, arguments, adventure, and everything that makes a summer weekend great. But the overlying theme is that I thought I was going to die that night, with my friends, just so I could sing and play guitar. Pretty crucial. [Laughs]"

Woodruff added that "Bad Frequencies" "represents some of the best times of our lives set to music. I wanted to capture the emotion of your favorite summer growing up, when you just had the best time of your life, but now it's all over," he said. "I wanted to capture the sadness that comes after extreme happiness. The beauty and isolation that comes with the end of excitement is something that is truly special. We spend our lives mired in the highs and lows, but we should really focus on the the in between. We have always just continued to move forward in HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, and I think that this proves that. We don't let the bad times get us down, and we don't let the party last too long. We try to convey that message to our fans at all times."

"Bad Frequencies" track listing:

01. In Gloom

02. Pink Hearts

03. Crimson Sand

04. The Perfect Way To Fall Apart

05. Just Another Ghost

06. Bad Frequencies

07. Skylark

08. Edge Of Town

09. Starlighter (Echo, Utah)

10. Push Me Away

11. The Suicide Mile

12. Straight Down The Line

13. Pills

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS is composed of JT Woodruff (vocals, guitar), Mark McMillon (guitar, backing vocals), Matt Ridenour (bass, backing vocals), Chris Popadak (drums).

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS will be hitting the road for a 50-city USA headlining tour this month. With support from LISTENER, HOTEL BOOKS, SIENNA SKIES and HEAVY THINGS, the "Bad Frequencies" tour will kick off in Albany, New York on April 18 and travel to cities like San Antonio, Columbus, San Diego, Boise, Seattle and Honolulu before wrapping up in Fairbanks, Alaska on June 30.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release B.A.C.K., the fourth studio album by Danish thrash metal legend Artillery, in a new digipack edition with four bonus tracks.

Denmark’s Artillery is one of Europe’s earliest exponents of thrash metal and the band’s contribution to the burgeoning genre is difficult to ignore. Due to Artillery’s demos being well distributed, the band gained worldwide recognition even before the release of their first official album; and the band’s first three studio albums, Fear Of Tomorrow, Terror Squad and By Inheritance, all assumed the status of classics in the thrash genre.

B.A.C.K. is their fourth studio album from 1999. The material was produced by Bo Lund and Artillery, and mixed by Andy Sneap. It was their first full-length album since By Inheritance, which came out nine years earlier. After the release of B.A.C.K., Artillery would break up again, but eventually reformed for a second time in 2007.

Expanded edition of B.A.C.K. is scheduled for worldwide release on June 8th.

Tracklisting:
 
"Cybermind"
"How Do You Feel"
"Out Of The Trash"
"Final Show"
"Www"
"Violent Breed"
"Theatrical Exposure"
"B.A.C.K."
"The Cure"
"Paparazzi"
 
Bonus tracks:
"Fly"
"Jester"
"Cybermind" (Rough Mix)
"Cybermind" (Live In Copenhagen 2008)

Anneke van Giersbergen's VUUR have released a guitar playthrough for "Freedom - Rio", a track from the band’s debut album, In This Moment We Are Free - Cities, out worldwide via InsideOutMusic. The footage was recorded at VanderMeij Gutiars, Amsterdam.

Each track on the new album is named after a city that made an impression on Anneke while touring the world. Order the album at this location.

Tracklisting:

“My Champion - Berlin”
“Time - Rotterdam”
“The Martyr And The Saint - Beirut”
“The Fire - San Francisco”
“Freedom - Rio”
“Days Go By - London”
“Sail Away - Santiago”
“Valley Of Diamonds - Mexico City”
“Your Glorious Light Will Shine - Helsinki”
“Save Me - Istanbul”
“Reunite! - Paris”

In May, Residentie Orkest The Hague will host an encounter with Anneke van Giersbergen. Both nights will feature a career-spanning concert with orchestral arrangements. The song selection will even include material from her yet to be released VUUR album.

Anneke comments: "It's such an honor to be backed by these grand classical musicians with strings and brass interpreting my music. The material will be an interesting cross-section of my career. Some reworks will be a contrast from the original and some, for instance like the song 'Travel', will be given a treatment that is a logical extension of the The Gathering's original album arrangement."

May
18 - 013 - Tilburg, Netherlands
19 - Paard - The Hague, Netherlands

The first trailer for "Meditations", the new album from Montréal, Quebec, Canada-based melodic death metallers KATAKLYSM, can be seen below. Due on June 1 via Nuclear Blast, the 10-song disc was produced by the band's guitarist Jean-François Dagenais and drummer Oli Beaudoin, and was mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR). Mastering duties were handled by Paul Logus (PANTERA).

The "Meditations" cover artwork was created for Ocvlta Designs by Surtsey, who also crafted the artwork for KATAKLYSM's previous record, "Of Ghosts And Gods".

Singer Maurizio Iacono said: "This is a very personal album to me with old wounds being revisited — I felt a big urge to pour my soul into this release. The boys and I were isolated under the same roof during the writing process, just like we did in the early days... with no worries except having fun, being honest and delivering a serious album that represents us today but respects our past. Our new story is coming and we are eager to share it with you!"

"Meditations" track listing:

01. Guillotine

02. Outsider

03. The Last Breath I'll Take Is Yours

04. Narcissist

05. Born To Kill And Destined To Die

06. In Limbic Resonance

07. And Then I Saw Blood

08. What Doesn't Break Doesn't Heal

09. Bend The Arc, Cut The Cord

10. Achilles Heel

Dagenais told That Drummer Guy about KATAKLYSM's decision to work with Ruston: "It was kind of a gamble for us because you never know because our music is so extreme and needs a certain type of process to it, to be able to be delivered right and we weren't sure if going with a guy like Jay Ruston, who is more of a traditional heavy metal/rock producer, that it could work. We all knew that, 'Okay, if this works, it's going to be really awesome. If it doesn't, it could be such a mistake.' No, it wasn't. We got our mixes and we were, like, 'Fuck yeah!' All of us together. We made the right call there and it was perfect. But, we worked really hard on the tracking, me and Oli. We spent months on recording the drums and guitars and the bass tracks and making sure Maurizio delivers the right energy with the vocals. We really polished the thing and we sent it to Jay Ruston and he totally brought it up to another level. So, that's really exciting."

X JAPAN has recruited Wes Borland (LIMP BIZKIT) to play guitar for the band at this month's Coachella festival in Indio, California. Borland is filling in for X JAPAN's regular guitarist Sugizo, who is unable to make the gig due to visa issues.

Sugizo told Oricon News: "Since they haven't finished processing my visa application yet, there's a chance it won't be ready in time for Coachella. "I'm still not giving up on going to the USA. I'm banking on the chance until the very last minute, but these visa problems don't resolve themselves according to my wishes. If worst comes to worst and the band has to use a support guitarist, I think the positive side is that fans will get to see a special X JAPAN they could only see on that day. I'll be happy if fans can take that positive attitude. Regardless of what happens, fans will get the very best X JAPAN can give."

X JAPAN leader and drummer Yoshiki, who underwent spinal surgery last May to insert an artificial disc in his neck, said that he was anxious about returning to the stage. "I'm in a bit of a panic," the drummer said. "Since I still can't play the drums perfectly, these past few days I've been more worried than I expected about how far I can really push myself. Since I absolutely can't move my neck to feel the rhythm like I used to, it's like playing a completely different instrument."

X JAPAN will play Coachella this Saturday, April 14.

The group played two warm-up shows in Japan on April 10 and April 11, the first since its March 2017 performance at SSE Arena, Wembley, London.

Borland previously performed with X JAPAN at three reunion shows at the Tokyo Dome in March 2008.

Next up in the series of METALLICA reissues is "The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited", to be made available in stores on April 13 in time to celebrate Record Store Day. The long-out-of-print EP included five songs that were later released as a part of the "Garage, Inc." double album, but METALLICA thought it would be fun to bring them back now in the original format straight from 1987.

Keeping with the '80s theme, the remastered EP will not only be released as a CD and download, but also as several vinyl versions including a picture disc, as a cassette, and in a longbox (you youngsters can search the web for that term!). All Metallica.com pre-orders will receive an instant-grat single of the remastered version of "The Wait".

A new trailer for "The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" can be seen below.

"The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" track listing:

01. Helpless (originally recorded by DIAMOND HEAD)

02. The Small Hours (originally recorded by HOLOCAUST)

03. The Wait (originally recorded by KILLING JOKE)

04. Crash Course In Brain Surgery (originally recorded by BUDGIE)

05. Last Caress / Green Hell (originally recorded by MISFITS)

"The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited" was remastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, California.

It will be available in the following formats:

* CD

* Limited Edition CD with a Lenticular Longbox

* LP (180-gram black vinyl)

* Limited-Edition Colored LP (180g red-orange vinyl — only available at Metallica.com and at Indie Retail)

* Limited-Edition LP Picture Disc (Metallica.com Exclusive)

* Limited-Edition Cassette (with the entire EP on both sides, just like the original)

* Streaming & Download

Marty Friedman's April 14 "Guitarfest 2018" concert at Centro Cultural Roberto Cantoral in Mexico City will be professionally recorded for a live album.

Friedman is continuing to tour in support of his latest solo LP, "Wall Of Sound", which was released last August via Prosthetic Records. Produced by Friedman, engineered by Paul Fig (GHOST, RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS) and mixed by Jens Bogren (KREATOR, OPETH, SEPULTURA), the disc "expands and destroys any conventional notions of instrumental music," according to a press release. Legendary QUEEN producer Mack came on board to handle the mixing on two tracks, "Streetlight" and "For A Friend", which Friedman proclaimed was "an honor for me, for sure."

Marty's new CD was recorded in part at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in California with engineer Paul Fig (ALICE IN CHAINS, RUSH, DEFTONES) and was previously described by Friedman as "a way more intense version" of its predecessor: "deeper, sadder, happier and more aggressive."

Like "Inferno", Friedman's new album features several guests, including prog-thrashers MUTOID MAN, Jørgen Munkeby of the Norwegian avant-garde jazz-metal outfit SHINING and Jinxx of Los Angeles theatrical rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES.

In an interview with the Cleveland Scene, Friedman said that his unique style of playing "just kind of happened. A very important part of my playing is to never repeat myself," he explained. "That becomes more and more challenge after you release 13 albums. I'm constantly challenging myself and that forces you to come up with stranger and more exotic things. I'm lucky I have that motivation. By nature, I'm kind of a lazy bastard. That motivation makes me want to explore the music I want to make. That's why there are different facets to my playing that thankfully people pick up on and enjoy."

2018 marks the 30th anniversary of VICIOUS RUMORS' critically acclaimed "Digital Dictator" album. To celebrate this epic milestone, the band has decided to perform its metal magnum opus in its entirety on a world tour in a city near you. The "Digital Dictator World Tour" starts September 6 and goes through the month of October in America, presented by Metal Thunder Entertainment, as well as a European tour to follow in October/November, presented by Eternal Rock Agency.

Back in 1988, VICIOUS RUMORS only did a few festivals and hand full of tour dates. Who could have guessed that 30 years later, the band would embark on a full three-month world tour, exposing this landmark album to a whole new generation, as well as a gift for the long time fans.

Like a fine wine, "Digital Dictator" has only gotten better in the last 30 years since its release In 1988. "Digital Dictator" is one of the defining albums of the U.S. power metal genre, which influenced hundreds of bands, and thousands of fans, according to worldwide press and music industry insiders. At the time of its release, the metal experts at german acclaimed Rock Hard magazine voted this album as the "album of the month" over legendary artist like MÖTORHEAD, RUSH, DEF LEPPARD, MSG, BLACK SABBATH, and countless others.

Dates and venues will be announced soon.

VICIOUS RUMORS 2018 is:

Brian Allen - vocals

Geoff Thorpe - guitar

Gunnar DüGrey - guitar

Tilen Hudrap - bass

Larry Howe - drums

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider returned to Broadway on Monday, April 9, joining the company of "Rocktopia" at the Broadway Theatre. Last seen in "Rock Of Ages", Snider will bring down the house through April 15 as he sings his band's classic "We're Not Gonna Take It". In keeping with the theme of "Rocktopia" — a seamless blending of classical music and face-melting rock — Snider's tune is also given an instrumental twist performed by violinist Máiréad Nesbitt and guitarist Tony Bruno. TheaterMania was on hand for his first performance and has posted the video clip below.

An explosive concert event that fuses the most iconic 20th-century rock with world-renowned classical masterpieces, "Rocktopia" features the works of musical innovators across centuries — including JOURNEY, Mozart, QUEEN, Beethoven, AEROSMITH, Handel, LED ZEPPELIN, Tchaikovsky, U2, HEART, Puccini, THE WHO and more — performed by an elite lineup of vocalists, a five-piece rock band, a 30-person choir, and a 20-piece orchestra.

Known for his glam-rock style and larger-than-life persona, Snider became lead singer of the metal band TWISTED SISTER in 1976 and wrote the massive hits "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It". He returns to Broadway following his lead performance as "Dennis" in the Tony-nominated smash "Rock Of Ages", which featured both of the above hit songs. His film acting credits include the cult horror movie classic "StrangeLand", which he also wrote, and VH1's "Warning: Parental Advisory", with Jason Priestley and Mariel Hemingway. His many television appearances include three seasons of "Celebrity Apprentice", CMT's hit reality show "Gone Country" and his own A&E reality show "Growing Up Twisted". His eclectic music career began in high school when he was selected as one of the three hundred best voices on the Easter Seaboard and made a member of the All State Choir. It has also spawned a nationally syndicated radio show "House Of Hair" which is heard on more than 200 stations in North America as it celebrates twenty years on the air; "Van Helsing's Curse", a concert that features a five-piece rock band, a six-piece choir, and six-piece string section; and the original musical "Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale".

Snider joins "Rocktopia"'s diverse lineup of celebrated rock, Broadway, and opera vocalists: co-creator Rob Evan (Broadway: "Les Misérables", "Jekyll & Hyde"; TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA); Chloe Lowery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, Chris Botti, Yanni's Voices); Tony Vincent ("American Idiot", "We Will Rock You", "Rent"); Kimberly Nichole (NBC's "The Voice"); and Alyson Cambridge ("The Merry Widow At The Met Opera", "Madame Butterfly", "La Boheme", "Show Boat"). As previously announced, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Robin Zander, lead singer of CHEAP TRICK, will perform the final week of the run, April 23–29.


The world-class musicians featured in the "Rocktopia" band include Grammy- and Emmy Award-nominated violinist Máiréad Nesbitt ("Celtic Woman", "Lord Of The Dance"); acclaimed guitarist Tony Bruno (MD and guitar for Enrique Iglesias and Rihanna, "America's Got Talent"); pianist Henry Aronson ("Rock Of Ages", THE WHO's "Tommy"); bass player Mat Fieldes (THE GORILLAZ, "Book Of Mormon"); and drummer Alex Alexander (David Bowie, Jimmy Cliff, Ritchie Blackmore), under the baton of "Rocktopia" co-creator Maestro Randall Craig Fleischer (San Francisco Symphony).

An inaugural performance of the show, "Rocktopia: Live From Budapest", produced by Two Hands Entertainment/Jeff Rowland, was recorded in front of a live audience in June 2016 at the 19th century Hungarian State Opera House for PBS. It was performed with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra with six vocalists, a five-piece rock band, the Hungarian State Opera Chorus, and the Jazz And More Choir. "Rocktopia" has since toured over 20 cities in the United States, featuring local symphonies and choirs across the country.

"Rocktopia" is produced by Rocktopia Broadway LLC (William Franzblau, executive producer and Maggie Seidel-Laws, associate producer) in association with Hughes Wall LLC.

Swedish progressive metal band SEVENTH WONDER, which features in its ranks current KAMELOT singer Tommy Karevik, will release its fifth studio album, "Tiara", on October 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. It contains SEVENTH WONDER's first batch of new material since "The Great Escape", originally issued in 2010. Having previously released the live album and longform video "Welcome To Atlanta" (recorded at the ProgPower festival in 2014), the group is now ready to "unleash the beast."

Says bassist Andreas Blomqvist: "It has been many years in the making, but it is finally done and we couldn't be happier with it. 'Tiara' is everything you have come to expect from SEVENTH WONDER, but I also hope there are some new flavors in there to keep it interesting. We really didn't think too much about what sound we were going for, nor did we have to force it, it all came natural, albeit slow this time around…We are super proud of this album and we are so much looking forward to sharing it with you!"

Continues Andreas: "'Victorious' was the first song on the album that was completed. It wasn't written first, but it was the first one we sat down and wrote the lyrics for, so it is special to us. I am thrilled to finally be able to share a song off of 'Tiara' with you!"

Originally formed in Stockholm in 2000, SEVENTH WONDER debuted in 2005 with "Become". The second album, "Waiting In The Wings", and first to feature Karevik on vocals, followed in 2006. Two more successful records, the concept album "Mercy Falls" (2008) and "The Great Escape" (2010), followed before the band went on a hiatus of sorts following Karevik being chosen to take Roy Khan's place in KAMELOT.

"Tiara" track listing:

01. Arrival

02. The Everones

03. Dream Machines

04. Against The Grain

05. Victorious

06. Tiara's Song (Farewell Pt. 1)

07. Goodnight (Farewell Pt. 2)

08. Beyond Today (Farewell Pt. 3)

09. The Truth

10. By The Light Of The Funeral Pyres

11. Damnation Below

12. Procession

13. Exhale

SEVENTH WONDER is:

Bass: Andreas Blomqvist

Guitar: Johan Liefvendahl

Vocals: Tommy Karevik

Keys: Andreas Söderin

Drums: Stefan Norgren

New York hardcore veterans MADBALL will release their new album, "For The Cause", on June 15 via Nuclear Blast.

Commented singer Freddy Cricien: "We are beyond excited to finally drop 'For The Cause'. To say we're happy with the end result of all that we put into this is an understatement. This record accurately defines the current state of our band... our sound, our state of mind, our ambitions, our flaws and our attitude!"

The follow-up to 2014's "Hardcore Lives", "For The Cause" 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.

Commented MADBALL singer Freddy Cricien: "Tim and us go way back. He's an old friend and super-talented guy... across the board! A legend in his own right. He invited us to come record with him and it all fell into place very organically. He's respected our band from day one and was excited to be a part of this. We're honored to have him on board."

Bass player Hoya Roc stated: "We got a real good album. It feels like the movie 'Pulp Fiction'. We've got every style of hardcore in there. It feels like we've got something special."

MADBALL also 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 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."

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.

Germany's Lord Of The Lost are set to release their sixth studio album, Thornstar, on August 3rd via Napalm Records. The band have also announced European tour dates in October.

Lord Of The Lost are a multi-talented, modern metal band whose music presents itself far beyond genre stereotypes: a solid metal base featuring industrial parts or other dark rock elements - nothing is impossible. This band takes a flying leap beyond genre parameters - better than ever! Their previous releases topped the German album charts already, while the upcoming release Thornstar will in no way be inferior to past efforts. This, their sixth studio album, reveals even more sonic facets of the band, all the while remaining hard and forceful.

The deep and emotional concept behind the album follows the story of a doomed high civilization - Thornstar is a record unique in both sound and concept.

Singer Chris Harms on this concept: “From the beginning it has been a big vision we had with Thornstar - the concept demands a lot of responsibility. And the final result overtook us completely.”

Pre-order Thornstar here.

Tracklisting:

CD1
"On This Rock I Will Build My Church"
"Loreley"
"Black Halo"
"In Our Hands"
"Morgana"
"Haythor"
"Naxxar"
"Cut Me Out"
"The Mortarian"
"Under The Sun"
"In Darkness, In Light"
"Forevermore"
"Ruins"

CD2
"Abracadabra" (feat. Dero Goi)
"Voodoo Doll"
"The Art Of Love"
"Lily Of The Vale"
"Penta"
"Free Radicals"
"Live Pray Die Repeat"

Lord Of The Lost tour dates are listed below. Buy tickets here.

October
4 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
5 - Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum
6 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theater
11 - Nuremberg, Germany - Hirsch
12 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
13 - Dresden, Germany - Alter Schlachthof
18 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
19 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
20 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
26 - Leipzig, Germany - Werk 2
27 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
31 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1

November
1 - Toulouse, France - Rex
2 - Nantes, France - Ferrailleur
3 - Paris, France - Boule Noire
21 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK - The Cluny
22 - Glasgow, UK - Ivory Blacks
23 - Manchester, UK - The Ruby Lounge
24 - London, UK - Electrowerkz
25 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece Bristol

(Photo - Franz Schepers)

Hollywood based rockers Salems Lott have released a new video for the track Royal Desperado from their new album "Mask Of Morality" released on April 6th.

Check out the brand new music video directed by Ian Moore, produced by UWOWI with photography by Hector Puig:

Salems Lott guitarist Jett has checked in with the following comment:

"Mask Of Morality is the story of the individual vs the bloodthirsty mob. ‘Royal Desperado’ is one of the songs that embodies this tale the most and in the story section of the video we see the elements of re-emerging and rabid tribalism vs individualism. If you're paying attention to western society and it's affinity towards consuming repetitive & tranquilized art with little sign of counter movements in addition to our predilection towards mob justice, you should be very alarmed by our increasing tendency towards resentful, robotic and self-enslaving herd-like behavior that risks demolishing the cornerstone of our society (the individual)."

Test Your Metal Records has announced they will unleash North Carolina sci-fi metallers Xael's debut album The Last Arbiter on May 18th.

Combining elements of extreme metal with orchestrations and folk music to create soundscapes for the imagination, the sci-fi inspired band's music focuses on the endeavors of its members in a science fantasy epic.  From the wastelands of war torn planets to the pits where the fallen gods dwell, Xael paints an odd and fantastic world musically and visually.  The band was founded by Nassaru of Rapheumets Well as well as Sorgiem “Daniel Presnell,” Tuurm “Alex Rush”, and Xolotl “Fernando Ortega and is joined by musical artist is Rei Haycraft, Firran “Joshua Morse” and Zabrûz “Chris Hathcock.” 

Nassaru comments:

"Xael started out as a personal project that evolved into a unity of like-minded musicians. The music derives inspiration from extreme metal, folk and tribal music, as well as ‘80s synth and sci-fi textured scores.  We are very excited to for people to see the handwork and detailed time we put into this album given the limited resources we had. Xael The Last Arbiter is not just a musical regurgitation but a unique experience that follows an intrinsic story.  Our characters, emotions, and trials of life are woven throughout the album as we aim to bring a very diverse and immersive album to our growing fan base."

Tracklisting:

“The Last Arbiter”
“Srai ‘The Demon Of Erring’”
“The Wayfarer Of Tymeer”
“Watchers Of Xan”
“Apathy Of The Immortal”
“I Am Pestilence”
“In The Hollows Of Pathos”
“Secrets Of The Third Tribe”
“Harvesting The Elders Genome”

“Apathy Of The Immortal” video:

Crystal Viper's latest studio album Queen Of The Witches is still hot, but the band waste no time and strikes back with a special, limited edition EP entitled At The Edge Of Time, which will be released on June 22nd, on AFM Records. 

The effort, which will be available as a 10" vinyl and digital download, includes five new recordings of those Polish heavy metal stalwarts: three brand new Crystal Viper songs (the title track in both English and Polish version), alternate version of the fan favorite "When The Sun Goes Down", and "Tell Me Why" - previously unreleased cover of the NWOBHM hard rockers Quartz. The cover artwork, once again painted by the amazing Andreas Marschall (Blind Guardian, Running Wild, Kreator), is matching the lyrics which are based on the works of the legendary British fantasy writer Michael Moorcock.

“When The Sun Goes Down”:

(Photo by Danuta Chmielewska)

Buried Above Ground deliver a savage and unrelenting music video for the blistering new track “Sin Eater", which can be viewed below. This is the new face of deathcore, embracing more "aggressive" Americanized heavy metal blended with extreme metal roots.

DJ (guitars) states: "We are extremely excited to share this video with everyone. We have never worked harder or spent more time on a video before. We hope that it is a good visual representation of what we’ve done musically on the album.

"We are currently in Albuquerque NM, and join up to start the Chaos And Carnage Tour tomorrow. Getting to tour with some of the bands we’ve grown up looking up to, is a huge honor to us. We aren’t just on this tour to try and fit in, we want to blow everyone away, and we hope that this tour is just a seed in that process."

The band’s first national tour will be alongside Carnifex, Oceano and Winds of Plague (among many others) on the first annual Chaos And Carnage tour, kicks off today. Dates and additional information can be found here.