SEPTIC TANK, the long-running project featuring vocalist Lee Dorrian (CATHEDRAL), guitarist Gary Jennings (CATHEDRAL) and bassist Scott Carlson (REPULSION), will release its debut album, "Rotting Civilisation", on April 13 via Rise Above Records.

The song "Death Vase", taken from "Rotting Civilisation", can be streamed below.

If ever there were a point in history that demanded angry, scathing, explosive music, then this is it. With eerie-but-exhilarating echoes of Reagan's '80s and the bilious, hyper-aggressive hardcore punk scene that erupted in response, the world of 2018 is more than ready for the blistering return of SEPTIC TANK. This band of weather-beaten underground veterans have existed since the early '90s, more as a whispered enigma than a full-time band, but the decisive moment of deafening reality has arrived with the unveiling of "Rotting Civilisation", the first full-length SEPTIC TANK record and the ugly, rampaging rebirth of the subversive hardcore spirit.


Originally formed in 1994 as a low-key outlet for doom metal standard bearers CATHEDRAL's love for DISCHARGE, SIEGE and other pioneering hardcore luminaries, SEPTIC TANK's original lineup featured Dorrian, Jennings and drummer Barry Stern (ex-TROUBLE) alongside Carlson. A handful of jaw-shattering, snot-spraying anthems were swiftly thrown together and the impromptu crew jammed together on a few occasions, but thanks to a combination of logistics, geography and life getting in the way, SEPTIC TANK lay dormant for nearly two decades.


"We talked about doing it again many times, but it took us 20 years to make a record," Dorrian explains. "BLACK SABBATH were doing their so-called last-ever show in Birmingham and Scott wanted to come over for that, so I suggested we got together and did an album while he was here," Lee recalls. "He stayed over for five days. 14 of the songs were already roughly written but not rehearsed, another eight or so came up on the spot and were recorded straight away, and that was it. It took us over 20 years but I'm really happy we did it."


With all the vitality and venom we demand from the best hardcore, "Rotting Civilisation" is an obscenely thrilling rollercoaster ride that takes in everything from numerous bursts of flagrant DISCHARGE worship ("Walking Asylum", "Victimised") to MOTÖRHEAD-style snot'n'roll ragers ("Divide And Conk Out", "Digging Your Own Grave"), FROST-fuelled doomcore ("Death Vase", "Living Death") and even a skewed homage to Japanese punk legends G.I.S.M. ("You Want Some?"). Musically diverse but unrelenting in its belligerence, it's also an album full of brutally direct declarations on the state of the world today, the idiocy of the social media age and the general stupidness and selfishness of humanity in the 21st century. With his incensed worldview vividly reflected in artist Stewart Easton's idiosyncratic cover art, Dorrian has never written with such sledgehammer accuracy or righteous fury.


No longer a shadowy side-project that existed more in the minds of its participants than in the ears of the masses, SEPTIC TANK has blossomed — or, perhaps, mutated — into one of the most invigorating musical fists to the face of our times. The perfect soundtrack to the collapse of society, "Rotting Civilisation" proves that legends never die, the best ideas are always worth another go and, above all, we the people will not go fucking quietly.


"Rotting Civilisation" track listing:

01. Septic Tank

02. Who

03. Victimised

04. Social Media Whore

05. Divide And Conk Out

06. Treasurers Of Disease

07. Fucked

08. Whitewash

09. Death Vase

10. You Want Some

11. Digging Your Own Grave

12. Danger Signs

13. Walking Asylum

14. Lost Humanity

15. Never Never Land

16. Self-Obsessed

17. Living Death

18. Rotten Empire

Derek Smalls, the bass force formerly of the fabled heavy metal band formerly known as SPINAL TAP, returns with the release of his first full-length solo venture, "Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing)", out globally April 13 via Twanky Records/BMG on digital, CD and vinyl.

The entire album can now be streamed at NPR.org.

Smalls launches his U.S. tour, "Lukewarm Water Live: An Adventure In Loud Music", on April 14 in concert with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the Saenger Theater, New Orleans. Subsequent dates include June 29 in Atlanta at the Atlanta Symphony Hall with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and a special appearance with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (additional details to be announced soon).

"Smalls Change" is a poignant and oftentimes furious contemplation on aging that explores the passing of time and all things loud. With styles that cross the gamut of musical genres, the album possesses the edgy rawness and rock god sensibility that was always shared by Derek and his fellow former bandmembers Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins. The album also features some of the greatest talents of rock and roll music and beyond, including Peter Frampton, Donald Fagen, Dweezil Zappa, Rick Wakeman, Richard Thompson, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, Waddy Wachtel, Michael League, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Paul Shaffer, Steve Vai, Larry Carlton, Judith Owen, Jane Lynch and The Hungarian Studio Orchestra. "Smalls Change" is produced by CJ Vanston (SPINAL TAP, RODNEY CROWELL).

Smalls describes "Smalls Change" as "halfway between 'rage against the dying of the light' and trying to find the light." When asked how he managed to round up so many world-class rockers to join the project, Derek's terse response is "Pity fuck."

"Smalls Change" track listing:

01. Openture - Derek with The Hungarian Studio Orchestra

02. Rock 'N' Roll Transplant - Derek with Steve Lukather (guitar, TOTO), drum legends Jim Keltner (George Harrison) and Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS)

03. Butt Call - Derek with Phil X (guitar, BON JOVI) and Taylor Hawkins (drums, FOO FIGHTERS)

04. Smalls Change - Derek with The Hungarian Studio Orchestra, Judith Owen (vocals) Danny Kortchmar (guitar, Don Henley) and Russ Kunkel (drums, James Taylor)

05. Memo To Willie - Derek with Donald Fagen (vocals), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Larry Carlton (guitars, STEELY DAN) and The Snarky Puppy Horns

06. It Don't Get Old - Derek with Peter Frampton (guitar, vocals) and Waddy Wachtel (guitar Keith Richards).

07. Complete Faith - Derek with The Hungarian Studio Orchestra

08. Faith No More - Derek with The Hungarian Studio Orchestra and Todd Sucherman (drums, STYX)

09. Gimme Some (More) Money - Derek with Paul Shaffer (piano and organ), Waddy Wachtel (guitar) and David Crosby (vocals)

10. MRI - Derek with Dweezil Zappa (guitars)

11. Hell Toupee - Derek with The Hungarian Studio Orchestra

12. Gummin the Gash - Derek with Steve Vai (guitar), Gregg Bisonnette (drums, Ringo Starr) and Jane Lynch (vocals)

13. She Puts The Bitch In Obituary - Derek with Richard Thompson (guitar) and Jane Lynch (vocals)

14. When Men Did Rock - Derek with Michael League (bass), Joe Satriani (guitar), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and The Hungarian Studio Orchestra

Photo credit: Rob Shanahan

Century Media and Legacy Recordings have announced the 2018 deluxe reissue of MEGADETH's classic debut album, "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!", due on June 8.

"Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good - The Final Kill" has been completely restored to Dave Mustaine's intended vision. Remixed by veteran metal mixer Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL) and remastered by Ted Jensen for an optimal listening experience, the 2018 version reveals unheard parts and performances throughout the record.

This rare gem includes the full album along with seven live audio tracks from VHS tapes found in Dave Mustaine's own attic. In addition to the bonus live tracks, the 2018 reissue also features MEGADETH's 1984 three-track demo and the once-removed cover of Lee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" that has been added back to the record with recut vocals intended to maintain the integrity of both the original song and MEGADETH's own snarling rendition. The package is further enhanced by a new album cover featuring a fully executed sculpture of the iconic skull that has been lost over the many years since the album's initial release. The packaging also includes classic flyers and band photos pulled from their archive of timeless metal moments from MEGADETH's storied 35-year history.

"The Final Kill" is the complete vision of Mustaine, who has contributed liner notes delving into the struggles during that time period as well as some of the surprising moments during the remixing sessions.

"I am just as much amazed at the music we made as I am at the pure fact that we survived it all," Mustaine said.

Track listing:

01. Last Rites / Loved To Deth (Remastered)

02. Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! (Remastered)

03. The Skull Beneath The Skin (Remastered)

04. Rattlehead (Remastered)

05. Chosen Ones (Remastered)

06. Looking Down The Cross (Remastered)

07. Mechanix (Remastered)

08. These Boots (Remastered)

09. Last Rites / Loved To Deth (live) (1987 London, UK)

10. Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! (live) (1986 Denver, CO)

11. The Skull Beneath The Skin (live) (1990 London, UK)

12. Rattlehead (live) (1987 Bochum, Germany)

13. Chosen Ones (live) (1986 Denver, CO)

14. Looking Down The Cross (live) (1986 Denver, CO)

15. Mechanix (live) (1986 Denver, CO)

16. Last Rites / Loved To Deth (demo) (Remastered)

17. The Skull Beneath The Skin (demo) (Remastered)

18. Mechanix (demo) (Remastered)

The official lyric video for "Someone Like You", a brand new song from WITHIN TEMPTATION frontwoman Sharon Den Adel's solo project, called MY INDIGO, can be seen below. The track is taken from MY INDIGO's self-titled debut album, which will be released on April 20.

The singer announced the new project's existence via a video message on Facebook in which she described the MY INDIGO material as "very personal" and revealed that composing the songs was a therapeutic experience that helped he deal with an undisclosed family "crisis."

She said in a statement: "For many years, we've been touring and every time we came home, I used to start writing songs almost immediately and was happy to do so. After the last tour, I tried to do the same, but it wasn't the same. Eventually I found myself in a crisis which was bigger than just not being able to write songs. The years of touring and working under a certain pressure took its toll and besides that there were things in my personal life I had to deal with.

"I really took time off, but when I started writing again, it was something totally different than WT, but this was what I needed and I embraced it. One song led to another and it turned into a whole album. I gave it a name and it's called MY INDIGO. MY INDIGO is about my journey these last few years and I would like to share it with you.

"MY INDIGO is not at all like WITHIN TEMPTATION and it wasn't meant to be that at all. I wrote it first of all for myself, but nevertheless I hope you'll enjoy it as well!"

"My Indigo" track listing:

01. My Indigo

02. Indian Summer

03. Out Of The Darkness

04. Star Crossed Lovers

05. Crash And Burn

06. Someone Like You

07. Black Velvet Sun

08. Lesson Learned

09. Safe And Sound

10. Where Is My Love

"Not Original", the brand new video from SEVENDUST, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", which will be released on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

SEVENDUST's new disc will be the group's first for Rise Records, the Oregon-based metal and hard rock label which was purchased by BMG in 2015.

"All I See Is War" track listing:

01. Dirty

02. God Bites His Tongue

03. Medicated

04. Unforgiven

05. Sickness

06. Cheers

07. Risen

08. Moments

09. Not Original

10. Descend

11. Life Deceives You

12. The Truth

In a recent interview with "Good Company", SEVENDUST singer Lajon Witherspoon stated about the band's upcoming effort: "We've done so much [more] in 33 days recording this than I've ever done in my life. I sang 14 days in nine days to make up for some time that was lost. But it was because I felt good too, so some days I did two songs a day. And it was an experience working with Elvis and [engineer] Jeff [Moll]. Not to take anything [away] from any other producer, but, for me, it was the best [recording] experience in my life. Maybe it [was] due to me being older and more seasoned with what's going on, but the way that he worked and the things that he knows about music was completely different — I'd never seen anyone [like that] before."

According to Lajon, Baskette had the music for 60 new SEVENDUST songs to choose from prior to the making of the new album. "For me, I felt stronger as a singer — he made me a better singer, working with him," Witherspoon said. He went on to describe his working relationship with Elvis as "a partnership. I hated leaving the house, and I can't wait to do another album with him, and I would like to do it even longer than 33 days," he said.

SEVENDUST will head out on a headline tour this spring in support of "All I See Is War". The trek will kick off on April 20 in Tempe, Arizona and will wrap up at Rockfest in Kansas City, Kansas. The tour will make stops in Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Clifton Park, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, among others. MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, FIRE FROM THE GODS and MADAME MAYHEM will join SEVENDUST on the run.

In 2016, SEVENDUST received its first-ever Grammy nomination after two decades together as a band. "Thank You", the debut single from "Kill The Flaw", got the nod for "Best Metal Performance".

Canadian thrash metal veterans AGGRESSION will release their fourth album, "Feels Like Punk, Sounds Like Thrash", on May 25 via Dissonance Productions.

AGGRESSION was formed in the spring of 1985 in Laval, Quebec. They recorded the album "Forgotten Skeleton" in 1986 (which didn't see release until 2004). The "Full Treatment" album came out in 1987 via Banzai Records. During this time, the band regularly played with the likes of VOIVOD, ANVIL, D.B.C., SACRIFICE and CELTIC FROST, among others. The band was quietly put to rest in 1989. AGGRESSION guitarist Denis "Sasquatch" Barthe got the band together for two shows for a 20-year reunion in 2005.

In 2014, now calling Vancouver, British Columbia home, Barthe enlisted help from vocalist Brian Langley (INFERNAL MAJESTY), bassist Martin Meyer (DISCIPLES OF POWER), guitarist Dave Watson (ENTROPIA) and drummer Ryan Idris (EXPAIN) to breathe new life into AGGRESSION. Since reforming, the band has been playing festivals and touring all over North America and Europe. In 2016 they released their first new full-length album in 29 years.

Polish black/death overlords BEHEMOTH will release their new DVD/Blu-ray, "Messe Noire", on April 13. The set includes the band's victorious shows in Warsaw, Poland on October 8, 2016 and Brutal Assault 2016 as well as "The Satanist" cinematic archive featuring all official videos associated with the band's globally successful record of the same name.

A performance clip of the song "Messe Noire", taken from the DVD/Blu-ray, can be seen below.

Commented singer, guitarist and mainman Adam "Nergal" Darski: "'Messe Noire'. Well, that is everything that the BEHEMOTH live magick represents, and we're stoked that we have a true representation on record for everyone out there to enjoy. 'Messe Noire' captures the true intensity of what we do as a band and the energy we share with our fans. This is also an exclamation mark, the perfect way to conclude 'The Satanist' cycle which has been an overwhelming experience and amazing chapter in BEHEMOTH's career and our lives so far! By the release of 'Messe Noire' we would like to hail our legions all around the world for undying support! Now let the art speak..."

"Messe Noire" includes the band's victorious shows in Warsaw, Poland on October 8, 2016 and Brutal Assault 2016 as well as "The Satanist" cinematic archive featuring all official videos associated with the band's globally successful record of the same name.

DVD/Blu-ray track-listing

Live Satanist (Warsaw 2016)

01. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

02. Furor Divinus

03. Messe Noire

04. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer

05. Amen

06. The Satanist

07. Ben Sahar

08. In The Absence Ov Light

09. O Father O Satan O Sun!

10. Ov Fire And The Void

11. Conquer All

12. Pure Evil And Hate

13. At The Left Hand Ov God

14. Slaves Shall Serve

15. Chant For Ezkaton 2000

Live Assault (Brutal Assault 2016)

16. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

17. Furor Divinus

18. Messe Noire

19. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer

20. Amen

21. The Satanist

22. Ben Sahar

23. In The Absence Ov Light

24. O Father O Satan O Sun!

25. Ov Fire And The Void

26. Conquer All

27. Chant For Ezkaton 2000

"The Satanist" cinematic archive

28. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

29. Messe Noire

30. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer

31. The Satanist

32. Ben Sahar

33. O Father O Satan O Sun!

CD track listing

Live Satanist (Warsaw 2016)

01. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

02. Furor Divinus

03. Messe Noire

04. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer

05. Amen

06. The Satanist

07. Ben Sahar

08. In The Absence Ov Light

09. O Father O Satan O Sun!

Vinyl track-listing

Live Satanist (Warsaw 2016)

Side A:

01. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

02. Furor Divinus

03. Messe Noire

04. Ora Pro Nobis Luficer

Side B:

01. Amen

02. The Satanist

03. Ben Sahar

04. In The Absence Ov Light

Side C:

01. O Father O Satan O Sun!

02. Ov Fire And The Void

03. Conquer All

04. Pure Evil And Hate

Side D:

01. At The Left Hand Ov God

02. Slaves Shall Serve

03. Chant For Ezkaton 2000

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI will release their 10th studio album, "Kulkija" ("Wanderer"), on September 7 through Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork was designed by Jan Yrlund (BATTLE BEAST, MANOWAR), who previously worked with KORPIKLAANI on several albums and singles.

Founding member Jonne Järvelä commented: "We've never been as satisfied with a final result as we are with 'Kulkija'. We tried to keep it very natural, and that's what you'll soon be able to hear clearly. Like the wanderer, this album is a journey, one that makes you feel good. Stay tuned!"

Accordionist Sami Perttula added: "'Kulkija' isn't just a collection of songs, it's a 'real' album with a unique atmosphere guiding the listeners through a long journey. All songs were well prepared in advance and nothing needed to be arranged in the studio. Tuomas [fiddle] and I had lots of space to develop and play the folk arrangements."

Järvelä told The Moshville Times that "Kulkija" cannot be compared to any of KORPIKLAANI's previous records. "It is actually a totally new kind of KORPIKLAANI album," he said. "We have a new producer and a new guy who mixes the album. There are 14 songs, so the format will be completely different but maybe there'll be something similar on some songs as well."

Added violinist Tuomas Rounakari: "It will have the music of KORPIKLAANI, it will sound like KORPIKLAANI and it will feel like KORPIKLAANI, but I feel there's a clear continuation from 'Manala' [2012] to 'Noita' [2015] and from 'Noita' to this album. It's really a feel-good album. There's the strong feeling of the stories on most of the songs, which is really important, and I guess that from playing, it's a much more natural feel-good. It's less produced but more musical. That's one way to look at the music. To me, a lot of albums are over-produced. They are over-produced to the point that the music is not alive anymore. Like you can put in the song everything so that it'll be exact technically, in the intonation and all… It ends up sounding like a machine."

KORPIKLAANI will celebrate the album's release with a Russian tour, which will take them through 13 cities in 16 days.

The official lyric video for "A Dying Machine", the title track of the fourth album from TREMONTI, the band comprised of Mark Tremonti on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars, and Garrett Whitlock on drums, can be seen below. Due on June 8 via Napalm Records, the disc was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has helmed all previous TREMONTI albums along with ALTER BRIDGE's last four long-players.

From the militant drum assault of the album opener "Bringer Of War" to the instrumental closer "Found", "A Dying Machine" is TREMONTI's most-diverse musical offering to date. Songs like "From The Sky", "Throw Them To The Lions" and "A Lot Like Sin" are signature TREMONTI that fans have come to love from the trio. Tracks like "Trust", "The First The Last" and "Desolation" take the listener to new places sonically, all backed by Tremonti's signature vocal style.

"A Dying Machine" is the first concept album of Tremonti's career and the music is inspired by a story that came to Mark while on the last ALTER BRIDGE tour. During that time, the epic title track "A Dying Machine" was born. The story, which is being turned into a full-length work of fiction authored by Mark Tremonti and John Shirley, takes place at the turn of the next century where humans and fabricated beings called "vessels" are trying to co-exist. Tremonti and Shirley are working on finishing the novel to release alongside the record.

The track listing for "A Dying Machine" is:

01. Bringer Of War

02. From The Sky

03. A Dying Machine

04. Trust

05. Throw Them To The Lions

06. Make It Hurt

07. Traipse

08. The First The Last

09. A Lot Like Sin

10. The Day When Legions Burned

11. As The Silence Becomes Me

12. Take You With Me

13. Desolation

14. Found


TREMONTI will play a record-release show in Orlando on May 12 at the Social. They are also confirmed for Carolina Rebellion on May 4, the Lunatic Luau on May 5 and headline shows in Savannah on May 2 and Atlanta on May 7. The band heads over to Europe in mid-June for seven weeks of touring that includes dates as direct support for IRON MAIDEN alongside headline shows and European festival appearances.

TREMONTI's third album, "Dust", was released in April 2016 via Fret 12.

"Dust", which was recorded during same sessions as 2015's "Cauterize", featured Tremonti on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars, Wolfgang Van Halen on bass and Garrett Whitlock on drums. Baskette produced "Dust".

Although Wolfgang Van Halen was part of TREMONTI's touring band in 2013 and played on "Dust" and "Cauterize", he sat out TREMONTI's tour schedule because of commitments with VAN HALEN.

TREMONTI recruited Tanner Keegan to play bass on its most recent tour.

The official music video for "Bad Habit", a brand new song from Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Family Tree", which will be released on April 20 via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group.

"Family Tree" is the much-anticipated follow up to 2016's "Kentucky". As was the case on "Kentucky", the BLACK STONE CHERRY members opted to produce and track the new disc at David Barrick's Barrick Recording in Glasgow, Kentucky, the same studio where the four-piece recorded its eponymous debut. BLACK STONE CHERRY also chose to not over-rehearse upfront of the album sessions, instead preferring the immediacy and spontaneity of in-the-moment takes. The band also entrusted frontman Chris Robertson to mix the songs, which perfectly fit the loose, creative process that birthed "Family Tree".

"Family Tree" boasts BLACK STONE CHERRY's tried-and-true lucky number with its 13 songs, and like all BLACK STONE CHERRY releases, features songwriting contributions from each member.

Drummer John Fred Young says: "'Family Tree' showcases all of our collective musical influences and how we have taken those to create something that is truly our own unique Southern American rock 'n' roll sound."

Two special guests appear, one bringing the concept of family full circle. Chris's five-year-old son contributes backup vocals on the swaggering "You Got The Blues", while the other, revered jam-band musician Warren Haynes (GOV'T MULE) offers a guitar cameo and vocals on the delta stomp of "Dancing In The Rain". The band first met Warren 17 years ago as freshly signed youngsters on their first visit to New York City.

The concept of family looms large in the world of BLACK STONE CHERRY's four band members. Young's father Richard and his uncle Fred are founding members of the Grammy Award-winning country rock 'n' roots band THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's four high school-aged friends — Young, plus frontman/guitarist Chris Robertson, guitarist Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon — grew up honing their craft in the HEADHUNTERS' Practice House, an abandoned property on the Young family's farmland. John Fred says: "We grew up in THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS' rehearsal space, looking up at posters of CREAM, LED ZEPPELIN, URIAH HEEP, THE [ROLLING] STONES MONTROSE, and THE FACES. We were like kids someone took in a time capsule and put in the woods."

"Family Tree" track listing:

01. Bad Habit

02. Burnin'

03. New Kinda Feelin

04. Carry Me On Down The Road

05. My Last Breath

06. Southern Fried Friday Night

07. Dancin' In The Rain (feat. Warren Haynes)

08. Ain't Nobody

09. James Brown

10. You Got The Blues

11. I Need A Woman

12. Get Me Over You

13. Family Tree

Swedish metallers BULLET have released a new digital single and video for the song "Fuel The Fire". The track is also available as a limited seven-inch vinyl single with a cover version of ANGEL WITCH's "Dr. Phibes" on Side B.

"Fuel The Fire" is taken from BULLET's new album, "Dust To Gold", which will be released on April 20 via Steamhammer/SPV.

If you want to understand how BULLET works, you only have to take one look at the ancient tour bus that the five musicians have been conquering the world with for years. The black, white and red 1964 Volvo B63508, lovingly referred to as the "Bullet Bus," with its indestructible six-cylinder engine and countless miles under its frayed seats, the band's mobile hotel. Mind you: perhaps hotel isn't quite the operative word, (youth) hostel would be more to the point, the van's interior having accumulated an attractive odour composed of petrol, sweat, beer and a diverse range of tobacco blends in its interior.

"In the years that we've been travelling from show to show in our van and have visited countless festivals, our Bullet Bus has never let us down," guitarist Hampus Klang phrases a kind of declaration of love to the vintage vehicle that features on the cover of the group's latest album "Dust To Gold" for a good reason. "The Volvo has more than earned its place on the front cover, because in its own way it's just like we are: hard as nails, resilient and full of priceless memories."

The Bullet Bus as a synonym for a band philosophy that could hardly be more compelling. BULLET from Växjö has been on the metal scene since 2001, released five excellent studio albums to date, toured most European countries several times, opened for AC/DC in front of 55,000 people in 2009 and played some of Europe's most prestigious festivals, such as Rock Am Ring, Graspop Metal Meeting, Sweden Rock, Bang Your Head!!!, Rock Hard, Keep It True, Headbangers Open Air and Wacken Open Air (twice!). The band has eaten dirt in the true sense of the word and transformed it into musical gold, as their programmatic album title hints.

"Our new songs are about life on the road, about freedom, adventure and the endless fun that passionate metal bands have," Hampus Klang explains. Their love of their lives as musicians oozes from every single note, be it the fast-paced opener "Speed And Attack" in classic NWOBHM style, the powerful singalong anthem "Fuel The Fire" or the cool, grooving midtempo track "Wildfire" that AC/DC couldn't have done better.

"Dust To Gold" was mixed and produced from August to December 2017 at the Pama Studios in Torsås, Sweden by BULLET and Mankan Sedenberg, who consciously used an analogue tape machine to give the recording a warm sound. Hampus is extremely happy with the result. "We spent much more time on the songwriting than we did with previous albums," he says. "The whole production took a bit longer this time but we think it was worth it. We wanted an album where every song is a great one, totally without fillers. We also worked hard to make the sound as honest and authentic as possible and it sounds a lot more like we do live."

"Dust To Gold" track listing:

01. Speed And Attack

02. Ain't Enough

03. Rogue Soldier

04. Fuel The Fire

05. One More Round

06. Highway Love

07. Wildfire

08. Screams In The Night

09. Forever Rise

10. The Prophecy

11. Hollow Grounds

12. Dust To Gold

BULLET is:

Alexander Lyrbo (guitars)

Hampus Klang (guitars)

Gustav Hector (bass)

Hell Hofer (vocals)

Gustav Hjortsjö (drums)

"Never Forget, Never Repeat", the new video from the Brazilian all-female thrash group NERVOSA, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's third full-length album, "Downfall Of Mankind", which will be released on June 1 via Napalm Records. The disc was recorded at Family Mob Studio in São Paulo with Argentinian producer Martin Furia, who worked as a sound engineer on some of NERVOSA's European tours, as well as for bands like DESTRUCTION and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, and produced recordings for EVIL INVADERS and SISTERS OF SUFFOCATION, among others.

Bassist/vocalist Fernanda Lira comments: "This song has a little bit of all the elements in the album, so it represents it well and also the lyrics are about something worth debating and thinking about, so we think it's a good first single to show fans."

Lira previously stated about "Downfall Of Mankind": "We're really happy about this new album. It's a way more mature and aggressive record and we can definitely say it's our favorite so far!"

"Downfall Of Mankind" features guest appearances by João Gordo (RATOS DE PORÃO), Rodrigo Oliveira (KORZUS) and Michael Gilbert (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM).

"Downfall Of Mankind" track listing:

01. Intro

02. Horrordome

03. Never Forget, Never Repeat

04. Enslave

05. Bleeding

06. ... And Justice For Whom?

07. Vultures

08. Kill The Silence

09. No Mercy

10. Raise Your Fist!

11. Fear, Violence And Massacre

12. Conflict

13. Cultura Do Estupro

14. Selfish Battle (bonus track)

NERVOSA is currently touring Europe with VENOM INC. and SUFFOCATION.

In a 2016 interview, Fernanda told AntiHero Magazine that NUCLEAR ASSAULT was "the band that made me want to have a thrash metal band. I don't think I was even born when they were released," she said. "I was born into a very metal environment, because my dad was a metalhead. My earliest memories involved metal. When I was six or seven, I had collections that my dad used to record on tape. He would put on from KISS to SUICIDAL TENDENCIES to WARLOCK. So since I was very young, I was used to listening to metal. And because my dad is older, he was really into the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. So I started listening to metal from these bands of the 1980s. That's my favorite school. All the bands I love, and my favorite albums, are from the 1980s. It's something natural. My dad showed me them, and when I started looking for bands' discographies, I would start from the beginning, and naturally the albums from the 1980s. And, of course, with the exception of death metal, my favorite albums are from the 1990s. But it was just sort of natural, it's just that sound, probably because I'm very influenced by what my dad used to listen to. All the classic albums are from the old school, and I'm really influenced by these schools."

She added: "What I think we do is we take these influences we have from the bands of the 1980s, which are the bands that made me want to have a thrash metal band, and taught me how to write metal songs, we take that and mix… like the quality of technology of today and new albums from old bands like TESTAMENT and CANNIBAL CORPSE, and put it all together."

NERVOSA is:

Fernanda Lira - Vocals, Bass

Prika Amaral - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Luana Dametto - Drums

Swedish classic rock connoisseurs GRAVEYARD have released the official music video for "Please Don't", the first single from the band's eagerly anticipated comeback album, "Peace". The disc was recorded at Park Studios in Stockholm with producer Chips Kiesbye (THE HELLACOPTERS, MICHAEL MONROE, THE NOMADS) and engineer Stefan Boman (BURT BACHARACH, ALICE COOPER, DEF LEPPARD, KENT).

Commented the band: "As you may know, we've been doing some traveling lately. In many ways and on many levels. The good thing is that we brought back a few things for you all. Here's a first souvenir from the road to 'Peace'."

"Peace" is now available for pre-order in various formats. The Nuclear Blast mailorder edition will feature the CD as well as a red seven-inch vinyl containing two exclusive and previously unreleased non-album tracks ("Headache City" and "Something Else"). The album will also be available as digipack CD as well as on black, yellow, mint, beige and clear vinyl.

"Peace" will be released on May 25 via Nuclear Blast.

The disc will contain the following tracks:

01. It Ain't Over Yet

02. Cold Love

03. See The Day

04. Please Don't

05. Del Maniac

06. The Fox

07. Walk On

08. Bird Of Paradise

09. A Sign Of Peace

10. Low (I Wouldn't Mind)

GRAVEYARD announced its return in January 2017, only four months after saying that the band was calling it quits. The group's new lineup does not include drummer Axel Sjöberg, who is apparently focusing on his new outfit called BIG KIZZ. He has since been replaced by Oskar Bergenheim.

GRAVEYARD released four full-length albums, the latest one being 2015's "Innocence & Decadence".

GRAVEYARD's breakup in September 2016 was attributed to "the all-so-classic reason 'differences within the band.'" The group explained at the time: "This is the unfortunate final decision we've had to make after going through a period of struggling and juggling with personal issues. Things have gone out of hand and now our energy is very low."

GRAVEYARD 2018 is:

Joakim Nilsson - vocals, guitar

Truls Mörck - bass

Oskar Bergenheim - drums

Jonatan Ramm - guitar

Spinefarm Records will releases Kalmah’s new album, Palo, on April 6th. A video for the album opener "Blood Ran Cold" can be found below. The album will be released on vinyl, CD, and digital formats. Pre-order here.

Antti Kokko states: “Almost 30 years of swamp madness and here we are today representing our 8th album with fishing tridents sharpened shiny. The album stands strongly on the very roots of Kalmah sound yet introduces fresh breath from the Swamplord’s tar-stained lungs. 'Evil Kin' as first single gives you riffs written back in 1991 blended with melodies of Kalmah today. It’s a perfect statement to show where we were and are right now.”

In a time when others in the melodic death metal genre increasingly lap up influences from more commercial and contemporary genres of music, Kalmah stays true to its roots of death metal, Finnish melodic heritage, cantankerous never-say-die attitude and themes of Northern nature and the folly of mankind. Palo presents its listeners with a set of songs that with their web of melodies and in-your-face aggression exemplify the band’s ongoing evolution towards becoming an international death metal powerhouse. Cover art by Niklas Sundin.

Tracklisting:

"Blood Ran Cold"
"The Evil Kin"
"The World Of Rage"
"Into The Black Marsh"
"Take Me Away"
"Paystreak"
"Waiting In The Wings"
"Through The Shallow Waters"
"Erase And Diverge"
"The Stalker"

"Blood Ran Cold" video:

"Evil Kin" lyric video:

Lineup:

Veli-Matti Kananen - keys
Timo Lehtinen - bass
Pekka Kokko - vocals & guitars
Antti Kokko - guitars
Janne Kusmin - drums

Ghost have released a new video teaser entitled Chapter 2: Introducing The Cardinal, along with the following message:

"We wish to inform you our new leader has arrived."

A previous message from the band states: "We wish to inform you that we have new blood..."

Ghost has announced a tour that will kick off on May 5th in Riverside, CA, and visit US cities throughout the spring. Tickets and VIP packages for the Rats On The Road Tour will go on sale on this Saturday, March 3rd at this location.

Last December, Ghost release the live double-album Ceremony And Devotion, which was recorded during their critically exalted Popestar tour during the summer of 2017, and features fan favorites spanning the band's entire catalogue from Opus Eponymous (2010) to Infestissumam (2013) to Meliora (2015) to the Popestar EP (2016). The album documents Ghost's unforgettable live show in pursuit of becoming the world's next great arena band.

Ceremony And Devotion is available digitally via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Google Play, and physically on double CD and double LP. Exclusive, limited edition "translucent tigers eye" colored vinyl and bundles including a lenticular poster, limited edition 8-track, and t-shirt, are available exclusively in the Ghost Shop here.

Ghost's most recent studio album, Meliora, and its accompanying EP Popestar, elevated the Swedish rock band into the pantheon of the greatest rock bands on earth and resulted in a Grammy Award for 'Best Metal Performance'. Meliora debuted at #1 at Independent Retail, #2 at Rock, and in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart, selling over a quarter million copies globally. Popestar debuted at the #1 position on Billboard's Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums chart and produced an Active Rock chart topper with "Square Hammer".

Along the way Ghost have racked up both widespread critical acclaim and adoration from a legion of fans across the globe. Stay tuned for new music from Ghost to arrive later this year.

Tour dates:

May
5 - Riverside, CA - RMA
6 - Tucson, AZ - Tucson Music Hall
8 - Houston, TX - Revention
10 - Chattanooga, TN - Tivoli
11 - Cincinnati, OH - The Taft Theatre
12 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
13 - Columbus, OH - Express Live
15 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
16 - Syracuse, NY - Crouse Hinds Theater
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Benedum Center
19 - Philadelphia, PA - WMMR BBQ
20 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
22 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
23 - Nashville, TN - Tennessee PAC
25 - St. Louis, MO - Peabody Opera House
26 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
27 - Memphis, TN - Cannon Center
29 - Ft. Wayne, IN - The Clyde Theater
31 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater

June
1 - St. Paul, MN - The Palace Theater

Legendary US progressive rockers Spock’s Beard have announced the release of their 13th studio album, Noise Floor, for May 25th. As announced previously, for this album Ted Leonard, Alan Morse, Dave Meros and Ryo Okumoto are joined in the studio once again by drummer and original member Nick D’Virgilio.

The band have launched the first single from the album, its storming opening track "To Breathe Another Day", and you can watch the video below.

The band comments: "This is the most awesome video for the most awesome song 'To Breathe Another Day'. I dare anyone to write a song more awesome than this, or be more awesome than Ted, Ryo, Al, Dave, or Nick. Plus, it is from the most awesome album ever recorded. Not just the most awesome prog rock album ever, but the most awesome album of any genre, ever. ‘Noise Floor’. Be a part of history, pre-order your copy today!"

Spock's Beard is a band that is in a continual state of evolution, as is always the case with genuinely creative musicians. And their new album, Noise Floor, fits perfectly into this process.

“We are always about evolution, not revolution. But what we have done this time is make the songs more melodic,” believes vocalist/guitarist Ted Leonard. “We still love our crazy prog, but now appreciate how important it is to grab people's attention early on.”

As with all Spock's Beard songs, most of the new album was written by the individual members, and then brought to the rest of the band as high quality demos. “We all do this type of thing in our home studios,” adds Leonard. “So, by the time they reach the stage where the entire band get to judge them, they are really developed, and therefore everyone can make a reasoned judgement.”  Much of what you will listen to here is very much the product of fresh inspiration from the Californian band.

One key change on this album sees the return of drummer Nick D'Virgilio, who originally left in 2011. There are also two violinists, a cello player, a viola player and an English horn featured on the album, thereby giving the sound a slightly more evocative and persuasive twist.

The album was once again engineered by long-time collaborator Rich Mouser and will be released as a 2CD digipak (featuring an EP of material from the same sessions), gatefold 2LP + 2CD & as digital download.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1 - Noise Floor

"To Breathe Another Day"
"What Becomes Of Me"
"Somebody’s Home"
"Have We All Gone Crazy Yet"
"So This Is Life"
"One So Wise"
"Box Of Spiders"
"Beginnings"

Disc 2 - Cutting Room Floor

"Days We’ll Remember"
"Bulletproof"
"Vault"
"Armageddon Nervous"

(Photo - Kat Mueller)

While waiting for their new studio album Lizard Secrets - Part One: Land Of The Living to be released worldwide on May 15th via Fighter Records, Italian power metal trailblazers Airborn have dropped the lyric video for the second single, "Wolf Child".

The promotional plan started on March 1st with the release of the first single "Defenders Of Planet Earth" and will continue with news and announcements until the record comes out (already available in Japan and Asia via Spiritual Beast).

Emerged in 1995 in Torino (Italy), Airborn have released four albums: Against The World (2001), D-Generation (2003), Legend Of Madog (2009) and Dark Future Rising (2014), plus a live album Dinosaurs: 20 Years Live (2016). Having played tours, shows and festivals with bands like Iron Savior, Fates Warning, Freedom Call, Masterplan, Paragon. Korpiklaani, Tankard and many others, Airborn have been building a solid reputation within the european power/heavy metal scene during their 23-year career.

Lizard Secrets is the band's 5th full length studio album and it's the first installment of a trilogy of albums. Here we can find many international guests, including Claudio Ravinale (Disarmonia Mundi), Jan Bertram (Paragon), Alexis Woodbury (Instanzia) and Marius Danielsen (Marius Danielsen's Legend of Valley Doom, Darkest Sins).

​Cover artwork by British concept artist Trevor Storey.

"Wolf Child" lyric video:

Inter Arma performed live at Brooklyn, NY's Saint Vitus Bar on March 10th. Quality video of the band's set, filmed by Maximum Volume Silence, can be seen below.

Setlist:

"The Long Road Home"
"An Archer In The Emptiness"
"The Paradise Gallows"
"Transfiguration"
"The Survival Fires"
"'sblood"

Inter Arma has announced US headlining tour dates with Earthling and Bruce Lamont. The tour begins May 31st and ends June 9th including performances at Doomed and Stoned Festival & Raleigh Deathfest. The band continues to support 2016's Paradise Gallows full-length. A full list of confirmed tour dates is available below.

May
31 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar

June
1 - Chicago, IL - Doomed and Stoned Festival *
2 - Lansing, MI - Mac’s +
4 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop +
5 - Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox +
6 - Columbus, OH - Ruby Tuesday +
7 - Nashville, TN - The End +
8 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn +
9 - Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Deathfest *

All dates May 31st - June 8th with Earthling
+ with Bruce Lamont
* Inter Arma only

Lineup:

T.J. Childers - Drums, guitars, lap steel, keyboards, synthesizers, noise, vocals
Trey Dalton - Guitars, keyboards, vocals
Joe Kerkes - Bass
Mike Paparo - Vocals
Steven Russell - Guitars

(Photo - Tony Lynch)

Hailing from Örnsköldsvik in the cold northern section of Sweden, Perfect Plan is a new AOR combo founded in late 2014. Since their inception, the guys have had the vision to come up an with exciting musical blend of classic Scandinavian AOR (think Work of Art, Treat, early Europe) with nods to genre (and rock 'n roll) legends like Giant, Foreigner, and Journey.

All Rise, due for release on April 20th, is an incredibly skilled and mature release for being a debut album. Truly, and simply, a magnificent example of what “classic” AOR Music is. The album track "Never Surrender" is available for streaming below.

Singer Kent Hilli says, “We're really thrilled and excited to release our debut album All Rise together with Frontiers. We have strived for a dynamic variation and I think all the songs on the album are unique with a strong identity that you can hear. Every song sounds like us, Perfect Plan. We hope you have bought tickets to Frontiers Rock Festival cause we're gonna rock hard and kick some ass April 29th in Milano! See you there!"

The band features the extraordinary singer Kent Hilli together with the equally talented Rolf Nordström on guitar, P-O Sedin on bass, Fredrik Forsberg on drums, and Leif Ehlin on keyboards.

All Rise tracklisting:

"Bad City Woman"
"In And Out Of Love"
"Stone Cold Lover"
"Gone Too Far"
"What Goes Around"
"Too Late"
"Can't Turn Back"
"Never Surrender"
"1985"
"What Can I Do"

"Never Surrender":

"Gone Too Far" video:

"In And Out Of Love" video:

Swedish death metallers Lik have released a video for the new song "Dr Duschanka", featured on their new album Carnage, out on May 4th via Metal Blade. Pre-order the album here, and find the video below.

Says the band about the video: "'Dr Duschanka' is a gruesome piece about what can go down if you happen to book yourself into the appointment of your nightmares. We were looking for a video that necessarily didn't need to depict what happens in the lyrics, but reflects the dark and gritty story. At an early stage it was decided to do a classical performance video inspired by old classics like Pantera's 'I'm Broken'. Together with crew of "The Happy Creative" we achieved this and the visual distortion goes well with the sonical!"

Tracklisting:

"To Kill"
"Rid You Of Your Flesh"
"Celebration Of The Twisted"
"Dr Duschanka"
"Left To Die"
"Cannibalistic Infancy"
"Death Cult"
"The Deranged"
"Only Death Is Left Alive"
"Embrace The End"

"Dr Duschanka" video:

"Rid You Of Your Flesh":

Lik has no passage as this entity is devoted to make a permanent mark on those who lay down their souls to rock'n'roll. The possessed souls to carry out the sonics are Tomas Akvik (guitar, vocals), Niklas Sandin (guitar, bass) and Christofer Barkensjo (drums).

(Photo - Michaela Barkensjo)

Austin, TX sci-fi stoner metal band From Beyond will release its new LP, The Band From Beyond, on May 11th via Candlelight Records / UMG. Recorded with producer Bryan Richie of The Sword, the album delivers 14 tracks that pulse with dark synths and doomy hooks and brim with booming guitars and Lovecraftian, vintage horror film feels.

The Band From Beyond is the follow-up to From Beyond's EP, The Color Out Of Space, and its 2014 Scion AV split with ASG. Two tracks from the new album are available for streaming below.

Formed in 2010, From Beyond plays heaving heavy music through towering stacks of amps while adding suspense-generating synthesizer segways that create atmospheres and moods that are both a throwback and oddly timeless. Segueing between eerie drones and heavy rock, the band's tracks offer a multiplex worth of possibilities, spanning moments of action, horror, discovery, and victory in its suite-like sweeps.

With a tour history that includes gigs with The Sword, Purson, Truckfighters, and Saint Vitus, and festival shows alongside enigmatic acts such as Aphex Twin, John Carpenter, S U R V I V E and Squarepusher, From Beyond touches on multiple musical pressure points and makes new fans and believers the minute they step on the stage. It wouldn’t be surprising to catch them playing either The Mos Eisley Cantina or Coachella and totally tripping out everyone in the audience.

“When the original idea for the band came to fruition, I wanted to do something that was steeped in psychedelic horror," says bandleader Rob McCarthy. "Horror from the late sixties and early seventies was of particular interest to me. Films like Simon King Of The Witches, Psychomania, and the work of Coffin Joe (Brazilian filmmaker José Mojica Marins) come to mind. At the same time, I love the scores for Escape From New York and Halloween. I got really into that sparse and minimal approach to synthesis. I wanted to bring those elements to music inspired by Queens Of The Stone Age, Sleep, and the writing of H.P. Lovecraft.”

Pre-order The Band From Beyond here.

Tracklisting:

"Invocation"
"The Fall To Earth"
"Blooming Sun"
"The Slip"
"Lost Way"
"The Color Into Space"
"The Color Out Of Space"
"Synthro"
"At Midnight"
"Laura"
"Machine Gun"
"White Marble"
"Black Mirror"
"Synthia"

"Laura":

"The Slip":

From Beyond features Rob McCarthy (vocals, guitar, synth), Dave Grooman (guitar, effects), Brooks Willhoite (bass, synth, vocals) and Anthony Vallejo (drums, vocals).

A music video for the title track of the upcoming Ross The Boss album, By Blood Sworn, is available for streaming below.

Ross "The Boss" Friedman left a huge mark on the scene as co-founder and songwriter of Manowar in the 1980s. Between 1982 and 1988, the band released one classic album after another and became the epitome of epic  heavy metal. In 1989, Ross left the band and indulged in other projects, in 2008 the cult guitarist launched his solo band under the banner Ross The Boss - again clearly geared towards traditional heavy metal. The debut New Metal Leader was succeeded two years later by Hailstorm.

But now the time has come: Ross The Boss is back - and this time taking no prisoners! With a new, hungry band consisting of vocalist Marc Lopes, Mike LePond (Symphony X), drummer Lance Barnewold, and Ross on guitar, Ross The Boss played a set of early Manowar classics on their Discipline Of Steel tour recently. But now it's finally time for a new album: By Blood Sworn shows the true metal icon in impressive shape: a thunderous, powerful opus, with which Ross and his band will delight all metal fans.

As a tribute to his eventful past, the limited digipak version of By Blood Sworn features "Hail And Kill", "Each Dawn I Die" and "The Oath" - all three Manowar classics in re-recorded versions.

By Blood Sworn will be released on April 20th (CD, digipak (3 bonus tracks), vinyl) via AMF Records.

Tracklisting:

"By Blood Sworn"
"Among The Bones"
"This Is Vengeance"
"We Are The Night"
"Faith Of The Fallen"
"Devil's Day"
"Lilith"
"Play Among The Godz"
"Circle Of Damnation"
"Fistful Of Hate"

Bonus tracks digipak:

"Each Dawn I Die"
"The Oath"
"Hail And Kill"

"By Blood Sworn" video:

"This Is Vengeance":

Ross The Boss tour dates (performing a Manowar set) can be found here.

Wolvhammer has released a video for "Law Of The Rope", the latest single from the band's impending fourth LP, The Monuments Of Ash & Bone, out on May 4th via Blood Music. The disturbing new video was directed by David Hall of Uneasy Sleeper. Check it out below.

The Monuments Of Ash & Bone was recorded and mixed by Jarrett Pritchard (Goatwhore, Exhumed) at his own New Constellation Studios in Orlando, Florida, and mastered by Ken Sorceron (Abigail Williams, The Faceless) - both of whom provide additional guitar tracks to the album - and completed with artwork by Brian Sheehan.

Blood Music will release the album on CD, LP, and digital formats; find pre-order options here.

Tracklisting:

“Eternal Rotting Misery”
“Call Me Death”
“Law Of The Rope”
“Bathed In Moonblood And Wolflight”
“The Failure King”
“Dead Rat Rotting Raven”
“Solace Eclipsed”

"Law Of The Rope" video:

"Eternal Rotting Misery":

Wolvhammer has announced new summer tour dates in support of The Monuments Of Ash & Bone. Leading with a performance at Stygian Rites Festival in Rapid City South Dakota, Wolvhammer will tour throughout the Western US and Canada from June 22nd through July 16th, supporting Uada alongside The Black Moriah. Directly after, Wolvhammer will headline shows in Indianapolis and Chicago July 20th and 21st with support from Doomsday, containing members of Wolvhammer. The band's performance at Psycho Las Vegas following in August will also be joined by additional tour dates. Stand by for more updates in the weeks ahead.

(Photo - Margaret McMakin)

One of the most theatrical rockers today, Granny 4 Barrel, is about to prove to be one of the most fearless and thought-provoking artists as well, as evidenced by the music video for the song “She Likes Guns”. Kicking things off with a spin on a famous Mae West quote, “Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” The Quentin Tarantino-esque song and video is about unabashed women who take down villains.

Directed by adult film star Stormy Daniels (and featuring adult film stars Lily Lane, Casey Calvert, and Arya Fae) the video was filmed in one day in June of 2017 on location at CIA (California Institute Of Abnormalarts). Known for its underground band scene, burlesque and freak shows, CIA was the perfect venue to enhance and bring out the best parts of G4B.

Granny explains, “Stormy and I were on the same page from the outset. We discussed matching the songs’ provocative theme and double meaning innuendo with back-and-forth footage of the band interlaced with sexy women with guns. There’s always negative press associated with guns and we wanted another perspective. The gun represents a metaphor for empowerment and respect for women, courage and inner strength. Never underestimate the power of a woman, she can be very dangerous!”

Granny continues “It was an honor and a pleasure working with Stormy. Stormy and her crew worked tirelessly and efficiently capturing so many magical and intense moments! We wanted to use real weapons for the shoot, so the models were posing with real guns - from our outstanding gun wranglers Nabil Khattar (of Angeles Armory) and Sean Myers. These guys brought an arsenal to the video shoot. Everything from pistols including a .500 S&W Magnum, Derringer, assorted revolvers, Thompson Submachine gun, and an AK-47...just to name a few. And of course, at the end of the video, Lily Lane riding our insane CGI cannon!”

Tour dates (with Texas Hippie Coalition and Kobra And The Lotus):

April
19 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
20 - Denver, CO - Hermans Hideaway
21 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunshine Studios
22 - Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room
25 - Johnson City, TN - MarX The Spot
26 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
30 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage

May
3 - Louisville, KY - Trixies
5 - Winchester, VA - Blue Fox
7 - Providence, RI - Alchemy
8 - Watertown, NY - Exhibition Hall
9 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
10 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
11 - New York, NY - Kingsland
12 - Harrisburg, PA - Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
13 - Warrendale, PA - Jergels
15 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
16 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
17 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
18 - Battle Creek, MI - The Music Factory
19 - Racine, WI - Route 20
20 - St Louis, MO - Fubar
23 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
24 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
25 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
27 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720
30 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater

June
1 - Fort Worth, TX - The Rail Club
2 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
3 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live

SHINEDOWN's video for the song "The Human Radio" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's sixth studio album, "Attention Attention", which will be released on May 4 via Atlantic Records.

"Attention Attention" is available for pre-order at all DSPs and each pre-order includes an instant download of "Devil". Deluxe album bundles are available at the official SHINEDOWN webstore, including the limited transparent yellow colored double vinyl, a 3' x 5' flag and exclusive "Attention" and "Devil" t-shirts.


The 14-track album, SHINEDOWN's most raw and personal to date, is a mental, emotional and physical journey that follows an individual from life's lowest lows to the highest highs as anxieties dissipate and demons disappear. The ominous album opener and lead single "Devil" is a rush of unpredictable rhythms and roaring guitars that sets the stage for what's to come. The story that unfolds as the album progresses is a powerful and enduring statement about the resolve of the human spirit, our will to overcome struggles, and the importance of respecting and leaning on one another. On "Kill Your Conscience", a percussive march and a snarling refrain are instigated by the pitfalls of social media. Elsewhere, "Get Up" is an encouraging lyrical ode set to lush piano chords that speaks to struggles with depression. The energized distortion of "The Human Radio" is a rousing call to action to keep fighting together for survival and truth. Album closer "Brilliant" packs a punch as fears finally evaporate and strength returns. Given the deeply personal nature of the record, SHINEDOWN went in-house for production for the time ever, enlisting bassist Eric Bass to produce and mix the album in its entirety. "Attention Attention" ushers in SHINEDOWN's biggest and boldest chapter yet, as they once again uproot convention and deliver a cinematic and poignant body of work.

SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith told CrypticRock.com about "Attention Attention": "For us personally, where we are right now and how we've arrived at this record, one of the things that is different is we self-produced it. Eric Bass, who is our bass player, who is way more than just a bass player, really took the captain's chair in regards to the production on the album. He also mixed the record as well. The record is also not a traditional album [in the sense where] you write a hundred songs, you pick the 10 best, you wrap it up, and present it to the world. This is a concept record in a lot of different details and points of view in this album are very, very unique.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a traditional concept record in regards to when I think of 'The Wall' (1979) by PINK FLOYD, or 'Operation: Mindcrime' (1988) by QUEENSRŸCHE or 'Tommy' (1969) by THE WHO," he continued. "This is an album that is definitely a psychological, emotional, and physical journey. You kind of have an understanding of what you are getting ready to experience with the first single being 'Devil', because it is the beginning of the story. Also, with the video out now as well, it really does allow the listener, from a sonic and visual side, to see what is getting ready to happen. It is taking the listener on a journey, everything happens in this room. It is really a record about not being afraid to fail."

Regarding the lyrical themes covered on "Attention Attention", Brent said: "There is definitely an expression on 'Attention Attention' about humanity. About understanding, I don't want people to forget how to be human beings. What I mean by that is I think sometimes, because of technology, and because there is such a wealth of information, that is a really great thing at times. We are living in a world where everyone has a smartphone, and if you have a question about something, you can just look it up and find the information that you need. I think that is invaluable in a lot of different scenarios. When it comes to the human spirit, I don't want people to forget how to talk to each other, face to face, and not through a text. Also, because of where we are in society, and not only in America, but all around the world, everybody has an opinion now. Everybody does see things in their own way and they want their opinion voiced. You can do that now with certain social media and what have you. At the end of the day, we are all human beings. We all have feelings, emotions, and drive. We have fears. We have things that concern us.

"I told this to a friend of mine, because they were trying to understand a little more of the record. They said, 'Can you give me an example?' I said, 'Tomorrow morning, when you get up and go about your day, if you see somebody, and for whatever reason, maybe they don't look completely there, and I am not saying you have to see it tomorrow, just in your mind, be conscious of this — have you ever gone up to someone just because you noticed maybe they weren't having a good day? As a total stranger walking up to them and asking, 'Hey, are you alright? Can I help you? Do you need anything?' I think you would be blown away at the people that would probably look at you and said, 'You know what, I'm not okay.'' Just to have someone to talk to, even if it's a stranger. That is what I am trying to say. That humanity. I don't want to lose that. In a lot of ways, 'Attention Attention' is a warning to people and society. Don't lose your human side. Technology is great, but don't lose the fact that you are a human being."


"Attention Attention" track listing:

01. The Entrance

02. Devil

03. Black Soul

04. Attention Attention

05. Kill Your Conscience

06. Pyro

07. Monsters

08. Darkside

09. Creatures

10. Evolve

11. Get Up

12. Special

13. The Human Radio

14. Brilliant

STONE SOUR has released a music video for the song "St. Marie". The clip was directed by Marc Klasfeld, who has helmed over two hundred music videos for artists such as Katy Perry, Jay-Z, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Nelly, FOO FIGHTERS, Kelly Clarkson, Shakira, Avril Lavigne and AEROSMITH.

"St. Marie" is taken from STONE SOUR's latest album, "Hydrograd", which came out at the end of June and features the chart-topping rock radio hit "Song #3". The disc was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

Singer Corey Taylor recently that Josh Rand will rejoin his STONE SOUR bandmates on the road on April 27 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Jacksonville, Florida.

The guitarist most recently performed with STONE SOUR on the ShipRocked cruise before it was announced that he had entered treatment for unspecified issues. STONE SOUR enlisted a temporary replacement for the January/February tour, which included dates with HALESTORM, IN THIS MOMENT and RED SUN RISING.

Corey told the Regina rock radio station 104.9 The Wolf that Josh "is not just somebody who I've been in a band with for a while; we've been best friends since we were 15 years old — I mean, we go way back. For me, it's not just the worry of my cohort, my partner, my songwriting guy, my lead guitarist, it's about worrying about my friend, my brother, somebody who let me sleep on his floor when I was homeless," he said. "So, for me, that's the biggest thing — worrying about him. But he seems to be doing really, really well. And we just support him as much as we absolutely can. And when it comes to being a friend, that's all you really can do — just be there for them. The best way to be a friend is just to stay right where you are and just let somebody lean against you if they need it, and that's what we're trying to do."

STONE SOUR will support Ozzy Osbourne on the initial North American leg of the legendary vocalist's "No More Tours 2" tour, which kicks off August 30 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new song "Fake can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's seventh album, "And Justice For None", which will be released on May 18. The disc is available for physical pre-order in the following formats: standard physical CD (13 tracks), deluxe physical CD (13 tracks + 3 bonus tracks + deluxe artwork), vinyl (13 tracks + 3 bonus tracks + deluxe gatefold artwork). The band is also offering fans a variety of new CD/merchandise bundles.

"And Justice For None" (standard album) track listing:

01. Fake

02. Top Of The World

03. Sham Pain

04. Blue On Black

05. Fire In The Hole

06. I Refuse

07. It Doesn't Matter

08. When The Seasons Change

09. Stuck In My Ways

10. Rock Bottom

11. Gone Away

12. Bloody

13. Will The Sun Ever Rise

"And Justice For None" (deluxe album) track listing:

01. Trouble (Bonus Track)

02. Fake

03. Top Of The World

04. Sham Pain

05. Blue On Black

06. Fire In The Hole

07. I Refuse

08. It Doesn't Matter

09. When The Seasons Change

10. Stuck In My Ways

11. Rock Bottom

12. Gone Away

13. Bloody

14. Will The Sun Ever Rise

15. Bad Seed (Bonus Track)

16. Save Your Breath (Bonus Track)

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory told Detroit's WRIF radio station about the delay in getting "And Justice For None" released after being embroiled in a lawsuit with the band's record company, Prospect Park: "Everybody knows we were in this crazy situation last year, and actually, that's how the album title came about. When you're in a lawsuit, the only people that win [are] pretty much the lawyers. There was this back-and-forth forever, and finally when we settled, I think Ivan [Moody, vocals] was the one who said, 'Well, I guess that's justice for none.' And we were, like, 'Let's call the album 'And Justice For None'.' Even though we all know there's METALLICA album [called '…And Justice For All'], obviously, out there. And [those] lyrics, actually, METALLICA's '…And Justice For All', make a lot of sense to me. The same crap 30 years later, right?"

Asked if FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH went back and touched up any parts of "And Justice For None" after the original version of the album was completed in December 2016, Zoltan said: "The thing about music today and the technology today is you can kind of keep polishing things, working on things up until the last day — up until the very last day that you have to submit the record, you still can change things, so you can still touch things up and move things around. The music kind of stayed almost as is — there were just a couple of things that we did — and we ended up recording a couple of more songs that was part of the agreement with the label; we recorded three more songs for the album that was part the settlement. And we ended up shaking hands and everybody's fine. It just kind of took a year out of our schedule."

Regarding the musical direction of "And Justice For None", Zoltan said: "You pick any band — let's say IRON MAIDEN. IRON MAIDEN has a sound, and anytime [a new] IRON MAIDEN [album] comes out, you're gonna get an IRON MAIDEN record; it's never gonna sound anything else but IRON MAIDEN. And I think, not to compare us to IRON MAIDEN, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH kind of have a sound; you hear it on the radio and you know it's us. So we have a sound, and we're not gonna really go far away from that. We sometimes experiment, but we have a sound. And for us, it's always about writing the song — the song is what matters the most to us. If you stick with your instrument and you practice all day, you're gonna be great at it — mechanically, you're a good musician. But that's not songwriting. Songwriting is when you can write a song that becomes the soundtrack to people's lives. Music affects you in a certain way; there are songs that you listen to and you know where you were when you heard it the first time. Or what was the summer when this was the song on the radio; you remember those things. There are only a handful of those songs in the world that have that impact on you: 'Yeah, I remember, and I know how I felt. I remember how life was when this song was on the radio.' And if you, in your career as a musician, can write one of those songs, then I think you succeeded, 'cause that's what matters. Can I write a song that really means something to people? And that's what it is about. And I think this record has three or four, probably, of the biggest songs we ever wrote, and that's what matters to us. When you're listening to this album, there are some songs that, in my opinion, are just massive songs that are really going to hit some chords with a lot of people."

Photo credit: Kenneth Baluba Sporsheim / @kenspo



Standard cover:



Deluxe cover:

SAXON frontman Biff Byford has confirmed in a new interview with "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he is continuing to work on material for his upcoming solo album. Asked how the record will be different from the music he has released with the legendary British heavy metal band, Biff said (hear audio below): "I think it's probably gonna be a bit more rock and roll, a bit more classic rock. I mean, I've got seven songs, and it's quite mixed, really. But I'll have to wait and see."

Byford added that he doesn't compose music with a specific direction in mind. "The way I write is I write individual songs — I don't write albums, per se," he said.

"People say, 'What's the concept behind the album?' I go, 'There's no concept,'" he explained. "The concept is write as many great songs as possible and see if our fans like it."

With regards to when he expects to see his solo album completed, Biff said: "Well, I'm writing on the road already. I'm writing some stuff with Nibbs [Carter, SAXON bassist], I'm writing a bit of stuff on my own. We [SAXON] finish [touring] here in May, in America. I think we've only got two weeks off, and we start again. So I'm gonna try to get some time. It's the writing that takes the time, not the recording. You can record things really quickly."

Biff went on to say that his solo album will probably feature a number of guest musicians. "I'm gonna ask various people [to appear on the record]," he said. "It's not easy for guitarists to work with you, because they just smack down their signature solo and off you go. Singers, I might do some duets and things. We'll see. I wanna get the songs written first, and then see who wants to work on them. I'll probably have a nucleus of a drummer and a bass player, although I might play bass myself. I've still got my Rickenbacker."

Asked why he just doesn't use the extra material for a future SAXON album instead of setting it aside for his solo disc, Biff said: "Well, I did. Actually, 'Roadie's Song' [off SAXON's 2018 album 'Thunderbolt'] was a solo album project. And I do move them across all the time. And actually, originally, 'They Played Rock And Roll' was a solo-album idea [that also ended up on 'Thunderbolt']. So I do that all the time. And I do have songs that me and Nibbs have written for SAXON that I didn't think were right for SAXON that might end up on my solo album."

"Thunderbolt" was released on February 2 via Militia Guard (Silver Lining Music). The follow-up to 2015's "Battering Ram" was once again helmed by producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH, ACCEPT and TESTAMENT, among others. The disc features original artwork by longtime SAXON collaborator Paul Raymond Gregory.

SAXON is supporting JUDAS PRIEST on the North American leg of the "Firepower" tour, which kicked off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

Reunited California metallers BLEEDING THROUGH will release a new full-length album, "Love Will Kill All", on May 25 via SharpTone Records.

The official music video for the disc's first single, "Set Me Free", can be seen below.

Commented BLEEDING THROUGH vocalist Brandan Schieppati: "After five years away, we realized the heartbeat of BLEEDING THROUGH is still beating.

"We feel one of the best things that we could have done was to step away and concentrate on other aspects of our lives and let the dust settle on BLEEDING THROUGH, as people knew us.

"Our motivation to write the record was purely because of our passion for our music — the creative blood that runs through our veins, which hasn‘t changed since 1999.

"I feel that our creativity and passion is being put on display in this new record, 'Love Will Kill All'. We feel music is the ultimate expression and whether people want it or not we felt the need to express ourselves again. The beauty is that no one can stop it from happening.

"'Set Me Free' is a song that speaks of new beginnings.

"For so many years, I felt that BLEEDING THROUGH was a band that was held back because of other people interests in the band, whether it was business or personal. I just felt trapped by the business of the industry and outside perception.

"BLEEDING THROUGH is all about the music and the people who enjoy it. That was lost for a while and now it's found.

"'Set Me Free' is about a rebirth of purity of BLEEDING THROUGH. The video is dark, frantic and strong. I think it personifies what BT is and what we will always be. Time to rise."

BLEEDING THROUGH's last album, "The Great Fire", was released in January 2012 via Rise Records.

"Save Yourself", a brand new song from BREAKING BENJAMIN, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming sixth studio album, "Ember", which will be released on April 13 via Hollywood Records.


Speaking about the disc, BREAKING BENJAMIN founder/frontman Ben Burnley noted: "People have always really liked the heavier side of the band. I think that's what they sort of gravitate towards. But we also make sure to explore our melodic and softer side too." On "Ember", he explained, "we just tried to make it more extreme — the softer side on this album is really soft, and the heavy side is really heavy. We decided to give everybody what they want to the furthest degree."

Produced by BREAKING BENJAMIN, "Ember" is the follow-up to the band's 2015 release "Dark Before Dawn", which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 chart and spun off three No. 1 rock radio tracks, "Failure" (2015's most played Active Rock track), "Angels Fall" and "Never Again". The first single from "Ember", "Red Cold River", was released on January 5 and the accompanying video has more than seven million views.

"Ember" track listing:

01. Lyra

02. Feed The Wolf

03. Red Cold River

04. Tourniquet

05. Psycho

06. The Dark Of You

07. Down

08. Torn In Two

09. Blood

10. Save Yourself

11. Close Your Eyes

12. Vega

BREAKING BENJAMIN will hit the road this summer for co-headlining dates with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. A few of the shows will be part of Live Nation's "Ticket To Rock" program.

Photo credit: Chris Yankton