Renowned Dutch vocalist Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-THE GATHERING) joined Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend on stage on March 10 at Melkweg in Amsterdam, The Netherlands to perform several tracks from Devin's vast catalog. Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below.

In a 2016 interview with OneMetal, Anneke stated about her ongoing collaboration with Devin on his albums: "I am surprised how he can make even better stuff then he already did, and it's a gift from god when you have this endless inspiration. He works hard for it, and he leaves a lot of things undone because of his music — he goes through a lot for it. I think you can hear just how honest it is. I'm just proud to be on it."

Anneke also revealed that she thinks "all the time about asking Devin to write me an album, but I don't think he ever could because he's always working on something. So I never have the guts to ask him — but that would be my ultimate thing if Devin wrote me an album." She added: "We have such a good chemistry and working relationship — I learn a lot from him. You learn about music and you learn about life. I always think I know about vocals but I learn so much from Devin; and that makes me a richer person. So that would be the ultimate thing — one day I'll have the guts to ask him."

Devin told Noisefull in a 2014 interview that his relationship with Anneke "is peculiar because I never planned to continue it after 'Addicted!'." He explained: "The way that it works with her and I is: I write the music, she flies to Vancouver for literally two or three days, and then she's gone... So it's like a very open relationship that we have with each other — if you are looking it that way — and it doesn't require a lot of effort... And it's fun! I mean, we get along really well; it's like we kinda have a brother-sister thing that's fun. And it just works out that way. For me, I write so much music with female vocals in mind that it's great to have someone I could rely on to do that. So, I don't think too much about the involvement with Anneke. She's just one of the most pleasurable parts of the process."

On March 10th, Children of Bodom played the third show of their current 20 Years Down & Dirty European Tour at Den Atelier in Luxembourg. The tour sees the band dusting off material from their first two albums, Something Wild (1998) and Hatebreeder (1999). "In The Shadows" had never been performed live prior to this tour, "Black Widow" hadn't been played since 2000, "Red Light in My Eyes: Part 2" was last heard on the COB stage in 1999, and "The Nail" has been put back into the set after almost 20 years.

Fan-filmed video is available below. The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Deadnight Warrior" 
"In The Shadows" 
"Needled 24/7"
"Black Widow" 
"Bodom After Midnight"
"Warheart" 
"Angels Don't Kill"
"Red Light in My Eyes: Part 2" 
"Hate Me!"
"Downfall"
"Everytime I Die"
"Lake Bodom"
"Bed of Razors" 
"Children of Decadence"

Encore:
"The Nail" 
"Towards Dead End"

 

 

 

 

Remaining tour dates:

March
14 - Le Cargo - Caen, France
15 - L’Echonova - Vannes, France
16 - La Nef - Angouleme, France
17 - Disney - Le File 7 - Magny-Le-Hongre, France
18 - Le Metaphone - Oignie, France
20 - Komplex - Zurich, Switzerland
21 - Theaterfabrik - Munich, Germany
22 - Live Club - Milan, Italy
23 - Tvornica Kulture - Zagreb, Croatia
25 - Arena - Vienna, Austria
26 - Strasse E - Dresden, Germany
27 - Astra - Berlin, Germany
30 - Pustervik - Gothenburg, Sweden

April
1 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen, Denmark
2 - KB - Malmö, Sweden
3 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
4 - Debaser Strand - Stockholm, Sweden

September
14 - Bingo Club - Kiev, Ukraine
15 - Re:public - Minsk, Belarus
16 - Yotaspace - Moscow, Russia
17 - Cosmonaut - St. Petersburg, Russia

Stryper frontman Michael Sweet has checked in with the following update:

"Diving back into new Sweet & Lynch songs. Really sounding great! I'm ready for this and a new Stryper album as well. Gonna be a great year. Right now we're looking at a 2017 Fall release for the new S&L album and a 2018 late spring release for the new Stryper album."

Sweet & Lynch - featuring Stryper frontman Michael Sweet and legendary guitarist George Lynch of Lynch Mob/Dokken - released their debut album, Only To Rise, in January 2015 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The video for the song "Dying Rose" can be seen below. "Dying Rose is the perfect representation of this album. It's heavy yet dynamic with a riff and melody that reminds you of the greatest era in rock. George and I are proud of this song and excited that you all have the opportunity to finally hear it in it's entirety and to see it as well!" exclaims Michael Sweet.

"When I was approached to help put together an all-star lineup, instantly I thought of George Lynch,” explains Sweet. “George is one of the most talented guitarists out there and a ‘bucket list’ player for me. George wrote riffs/basic ideas and I wrote melodies, lyrics and arranged and completed the songs. I knew that we would compliment each other's style. When you add the amazing rhythm section of Brian Tichy and James Lomenzo, you just can't go wrong with this line-up. It really is a special project and I'm honored to be a part of it!"

From the opening notes of “The Wish” to the drum solo finish on the album-closer “Only To Rise,” it is evident that this musical partnership between Michael Sweet’s unmistakable voice and George Lynch’s signature guitar tone has yielded incredible results. Songs “Like A Dying Rose,” “Me Without You” and “Strength In Numbers” showcase the diversity that permeates throughout the entire album.

Sweet & Lynch released a lyric video for the 9/11 inspired track “September” which can be seen below. An EPK featuring Michael and George discussing this new project can also be found below. Only To Rise was produced by Michael Sweet who also produced the last Stryper album, No More Hell To Pay, which received massive fan praise and critical acclaim alike.

Only To Rise tracklisting:

"The Wish"
Dying Rose"
"Love Stays"
"Time Will Tell"
"Rescue Me"
"Me Without You"
"Recover"
"Divine"
"September"
"Strength In Numbers"
"Hero-Zero"
"Only To Rise"

"September" lyric video:

EPK:

Long-running Boston-based power metallers Meliah Rage have announced that they’ve reunited with singer Paul Souza, the vocal powerhouse that can be heard on the their Barely Human (2004), The Deep And Dreamless Sleep (2006) and Dead To The World (2011) albums. The band are currently working on the follow-up to 2014’s Warrior, with an expected release date later this year via Metal On Metal Records. The as-yet-untitled opus will feature nine new songs and is being produced by Pete Rutcho. It is the first record since leader/guitarist Anthony Nichols broke his wrist and it was uncertain if he’d play guitar again after three serious surgeries. Meliah Rage will be playing a handful of shows later this year through the US North East, the first live shows since 2010.

Paul Souza says about rejoining his former bandmates: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to making some loud music and doing some long overdue live dates with the band.”

Meliah Rage cover the Alice Cooper classic “Halo Of Flies”:

Check out the 2016 reissue of Barely Human at this location.

Original Y&T rhythm guitarist Joey Alves has died. He was 63 years old. His passing leaves frontman Dave Meniketti as the only surviving member of the Y&T lineup — then known as YESTERDAY AND TODAY — that recorded the band's self-titled debut album.

Two founding Y&T musicians — drummer Leonard Haze, 61, and bassist Kennemore, 57, who both had left the lineup — died from complications of lung cancer: Kennemore on January 7, 2011, and Haze on September 11, 2016.

The news of Alves's passing was broken by Meniketti on Facebook. He wrote: "It's with great sadness that I write this today. Y&T's original rhythm guitarist, Joey Alves, passed away at 7:10 this morning. He suffered from ulcerative colitis and other complications that led to his passing.

"Joey was one of the finest rock rhythm guitarists, and I'll always remember playing next to him chunking out those monster chords with his classic red double cutaway '59 Les Paul Jr.

"As Ronnie Montrose once said about Joey, 'There are rhythm players, then there's Joey. A class of his own.....'

"He was a fun guy who always played with attitude and conviction, and was responsible for writing some memorable riffs for Y&T over the years. His friendship and presence will be missed.

"This is a great loss for all the Y&T family and faithful. He now joins Phil and Leonard in rock and roll heaven."

Speaking about Kennemore and Haze's absences, Meniketti told the Stockton Record back in January: "It was incredibly disheartening and emotionally wrenching. Anything I can say just doesn't come up to describing it. When you lose your best buddy [Kennemore] you've been standing next to for 37 years, the best word is 'time.'

"You come out of it. When you've gone through all those hard times so often, losing him — on all of us — was not an easy thing. His spirit's still here. Regardless."

As previously reported, Y&T is putting the finishing touches on its documentary, "On With The Show", to be released before the end of the year. The film is expected to be built out of the hundreds of hours of personal footage shot over the years. It is set to cover the band's earliest days of rehearsing in Haze's grandmother's house, then move through the first two albums, touring with JOURNEY, BOSTON and QUEEN, to their big breaks with AC/DC, OZZY OSBOURNE and DIO.

Y&T's current lineup is rounded out by guitarist John Nymann, drummer Mike Vanderhule and bassist Aaron Leigh.

Y&T's live album, "Live At The Mystic", was released in November 2012 via Frontiers Records.

The band's first studio album in 13 years, "Facemelter", came out in Europe on May 21, 2010 via Frontiers.




It’s with great sadness that I write this today. Y&T's original rhythm guitarist, Joey Alves, passed away at 7:10 this...

Posted by Dave Meniketti on Sunday, March 12, 2017

It was reported back in March 2013 that German/Norwegian folk metallers Midnattsol were working on new material, but the band hasn't been heard from since. They recently broke the silence with an update:

"Hey Folks,

If you can`t believe what you`re reading right now, we fully understand you, it has been years since the last album. Despite this, we can assure you that it`s true: Midnattsol is alive!

Lots of things have happened in our personal lives. There were new jobs, new loved ones and a lot of little 'sols' have entered in our lives. Still, we always kept on writing songs and just waited for the right moment to shine again.

We appreciate your everlasting support deep within our hearts – thank you for never stop believing in us! A new era for Midnattsol has started, and we are more than ever eager and excited for the following time. More special news is waiting for you, and we`re pretty sure that at last one will blow you away. Stay tuned!"

Vocalist Carmen Elise Espenaes has now checked in with the following:

"Time for some really special news! After sending a current demo to our label Napalm Records it`s official: Midnattsol will make a fourth album together with Napalm Records!  The release will be at the beginning of 2018, and there will be live gigs next year. We are so excited!"

Midnattsol's third album, The Metamorphosis Melody, was released in April 2011.

 

For information and updates on Midnattsol go to this location.

The flagship of the Belgian metal scene, After All, released their new thrash metal hammer, Waves Of Annihilation, on June 10th, 2016 via NoiseArt Records. The band has checked in with the following update:

"Fellow metal maniacs, the wait is finally over! We are beyond excited to announce our new powerhouse singer: Mike Slembrouck. Check out Mike’s amazing voice on the brand new lyric video for 'Restore To Sanity'.

And that’s not all... both 'Restore To Sanity' and 'Target Extinction' – originally from the Waves Of Annihilation album – were given the Mike Slembrouck treatment and are scheduled for release through NoiseArt Records as digital single (April 10th) and as limited edition 7 inch vinyl single (April 28th). 

Team After All is complete again and we look forward to thrash as many stages as possible. The first show with Mike in our ranks is scheduled for May 27 at dB’s in Utrecht (Holland). And yes, we are also writing new tunes. The best is yet to come…

No retreat! No surrender!"

 

Waves Of Annihilation is After All’s ninth full-length album. As on the previous two, Dan Swanö once again delivered a crushingly heavy, yet open production. No loudness war on this one.

Saigon Kick performed on the 2017 edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise, which set sail February 2nd - 6th on board Royal Caribbean’s luxurious Independence Of The Seas, leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to an all new Caribbean dream destination: Labadee, situated on the northern coast of Haiti, featuring pristine beaches, coral reefs and lagoon-like bays surrounded by forested mountains. Fan-filmed video of the band's complete show is available below.

The setlist was as follows:

"New World"
"I.C.U."
"Suzy"
"Down by the Ocean"
"All I Want"
"Coming Home"
"World Goes Round"
"Peppermint Tribe"
"Ugly"
"God of 42nd Street"
"Month of Sundays"
"The Lizard"
"Hostile Youth"
"Love Is On The Way"

 

 

 

Saigon Kick recently updated their live schedule with three shows in Texas over the summer. It is now as follows:

April
6 - The Studio at Webster Hall - New York, NY
28 - The Viper Room - West Hollywood, CA

June
29 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
30 - Trees - Dallas, TX

July
1 - Fitzgerald's - San Antonio, TX

In addition, guitarist Jason Bieler has issued the following update:

"Reworking a bunch of music for some upcoming solo shows which are being announced on Monday. It will be both comedic and musical... not to be confused with music that sounds unintentionally comedic. That would be tragic and more like Shakespeare and who has the time for that?"

Bieler's solo shows will feature Saigon Kick, Owl Stretching and Supertransatlantic material as well as some cover songs. Stay tuned for more information.

Original members of Junkyard have reunited to deliver their first album of new material in decades. Combining equal parts Southern rock, boogie-woogie and self-destruction, High Water is a bad-ass collection of raw, punk rock blues that picks up where the band left off.

Scheduled for release on April 21st via Acetate Records, High Water is Junkyard's first full-length release of original material since 1993's Sixes, Sevens and Nines. It features 11 tracks, including "Cut From The Same Cloth" (which can be heard via the Soundcloud audio player below), "Styrofoam Cup", and "W.F.L.W.F".

The cover art for the retail version of High Water can be seen below; pre-orders are available now at this location.

Only 500 copies of High Water will be available in a Limited Edition CD Gatefold cover (pictured below), printed on thick cardboard stock, numbered and signed by members of Junkyard; including five bonus tracks. Get yours now - before they're all gone - by clicking here.

In live news, catch Junkyard at the following shows:

April
13 - The Dive Bar - Las Vegas, NV
14 - Whisky-A-Go-Go - West Hollywood, CA
29 - M3 Rock Festival - Columbia, MD

May
19 - Blackthorn 51 - New York, NY (with Little Caesar)
20 - Jewel Nightclub - Manchester, NH
22 - The Brass Monkey - Ottawa, ON
23 - The Rockpile - Toronto, ON (with Little Caesar)
25 - Phat Headz - Green Bay, WI

Peaceville Records presents the early works of Rotting Christ, commencing with the 1993 classic album Thy Mighty Contract from the Greek black metal legends, on 180gm heavyweight vinyl, featuring an eight page booklet with thoughts and reflections from the band penned by Cult Never Dies author Dayal Patterson, and including rare images. Also available will be a special old school shirt design from the early era of the band, featuring the iconic Satanas Tedeum demo artwork.

Release set for April 21st. Preorders available here.

Tracklisting:

Side A
“The Sign Of Evil Existence”
“Transform All Suffering Into Plagues”
“Fgmenth, They Gift”
“His Sleeping Majesty”

Side B
“Exiled Archangels”
“Dive The Deepest Abyss”
“The Coronation Of The Serpent”
“The Fourth Knight Of Revelation”

Swedish melodic death metallers The Crown recently went into the studio to work on some new songs. In the video below, check out some highlights from the demo recordings and receive a taste of the new tracks.

 

When you talk about the second wave of Swedish death metal that started in the mid-‘90s there is no way to get around The Crown from Trollhättan.

The Crown released nine longplayers to date and it's the albums Hell Is Here (1999) and Deathrace King (2000) that turned events for the band. Before The Crown was a relentless underground act with a solid fanbase and a few gigs here and there. With their new partners Metal Blade and the release of Hell Is Here, The Crown became a worldwide touring band without losing a single bit of their driving force. The Crown remained raw and belligerent, shown best on Deathrace King, an epic yet roaring manifest.

Due to growing demand, both albums are reissued now for the first time since their initial release.

The vinyl are part of the Metal Blade Originals series that started in early 2016 with the reissues of the Slayer titles Show No Mercy, Hell Awaits, Haunting The Chapel and Live Undead!

Both albums were released with 400g heavy cardboard spine sleeves (inside out print), 60x60cm two-sided artwork posters and 250g inserts. 'Hell Is Here' has been given a vinyl mastering from Patrick W. Engel.

Hell Is Here
--180g black vinyl
--orange/red-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
--red/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies)

Deathrace King
--180g black vinyl
--white/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
--clear white vinyl (limited to 200 copies)

Swedish death metallers Sarcasm have returned with Within The Sphere Of Ethereal Minds. The album will be released April 28th on Dark Descent Records. A lyric video for new song "In The Grip Of Awakening Times" is available below.

Following the unearthing of their first proper full-length, Burial Dimensions (originally recorded in 1994 and officially released in 2016), the new long player is in a sense the payoff of a long, bumpy history that included demos, compilations, and an EP (Scattered Ashes in 2000). Indeed, it is the full realization of Sarcasm's blackened Swedish death metal sound, yet with an identity all its own.

While the music of all eight tracks was written by guitarist Peter Laitinen, he somehow did find that perfect balance in between that very specific sense of melody that could only be summarized as “typically Swedish” (fans of the early No Fashion records catalogue will know exactly what we mean here), raging speed and brutality. With one foot firmly planted in the mid-‘90s and another in the present, Sarcasm is no nostalgia trip, but a genuine return to form to that specific mix of black and death-metal. Moving from the melancholic leads of "Embodiment Of Source," they answer with the blast-o-thon that is "Scars Of A Land Forgotten" or the epic-to-kill-all-epic that is the eight-minute-plus "A Black Veil For Earth."

Tracklisting:

“Bloodsoaked Sunrise”
“From The Crimson Fog They Emerged”
“Embodiment Of Source”
“Scars Of A Land Forgotten”
“In The Grip Of Awakening Times”
“Silent Waves Summoned Your Inner Being”
“A Black Veil For Earth”
“The Drowning Light At The Edge Of The Dawn”

“In The Grip Of Awakening Times” lyric video:

New Jersey metal act, Fit For An Autopsy, have released a video for “Black Mammoth”, featured on their upcoming new album, The Great Collapse.

"We were recording the new record when the shit hit the fan in North Dakota, and I felt compelled to write a song that would address it," says guitarist and producer Will Putney. "This short clip we pieced together gives a little insight into the events that have transpired over the past few months throughout the protests."

"It got bad, then it got better, then it got worse, and now the natives of North Dakota need more help than ever, so we're launching an additional CD/Shirt bundle in conjunction with the single.  All the profits from this sale will go directly to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe - Dakota Access Pipeline Fund.  No one in this country should have their rights denied or their homes taken from them."

The Great Collapse will be the the band's fourth full length record, continuing the momentum gained from a solid 200+ days of worldwide touring backing the buzz-worthy release of Absolute Hope Absolute Hell in late 2015, as well The Depression Sessions, a split release with The Acacia Strain and Thy Art Is Murder in 2016. “It’s going to be the strongest record in our catalog. The overall mood and atmosphere of this album feels fully realized and emotionally stirring.”

The Great Collapse is set to release on March 17th via Entertainment One (eOne) / Good Fight Music in North America, Long Branch Records in Europe, and SPV overseas. Artist Adam Burke was tapped to create the visually stunning cover art seen below.

Tracklisting:

“Hydra”
“Heads Will Hang”
“Black Mammoth”
“Terraform”
“Iron Moon”
“When The Bulbs Burn Out”
“Too Late”
“Empty Still”
“Spiral”

“Iron Moon”:

“Heads Will Hang” video:

The crushing music of Fit For An Autopsy is for any fan of extreme metal, as it’s devoid of preachy politics or grandstanding soapboxing, but its sound and fury is absolutely unflinching in purpose. The band expertly blends excessive-force fueled death metal with atmospheric groove and impassioned personal diatribes, reflecting back the dark state of current events. Their fourth album, The Great Collapse, doesn’t waste time with fantasy bullshit or cliché gore horror. Fit For An Autopsy are metal guys, to be certain, but they grew up in the hardcore scene. They embrace the responsibility to put as much devoted purpose into their lyrics and message as they do into their dense, heady, songs, forging a magnificently powerful new post-deathcore.

“When I write a song, I’m trying to feel emotionally connected to it. I really don’t like saying things that don’t matter over music that I want to matter,” says Putney, guitarist, principal songwriter and cofounder. “We’ve always addressed serious topics going back to our first album. We aren’t a politically charged band up on a podium yelling at people – anybody can relate to the aggression, anger, frustration, and sadness often communicated in our music. But we absolutely raise important questions in the lyrics. Those themes are there to discover.”

Putney’s fellow guitarist/cofounder, Patrick Sheridan, strongly agrees. He emphasizes that while the music of Fit For An Autopsy may evolve it will always be aggressive and will always have purpose. “We think it's important to carry that torch. Somebody's got to say something about the shit that's going on. If you're not using your music, which is a great platform, for something meaningful that you care about on some level, then you're kind of wasting it.”

The six-men of the New Jersey based group - which includes vocalist Joe Badolato, bassist Peter Spinazola, third guitarist Tim Howley, and drummer Josean Orta - put maximum intentionality into everything they do. They are constantly challenging themselves as musicians, adding to the band’s overall creative arsenal, connecting with audiences around the world, and supporting one another in the band as individual people.

Fit For An Autopsy are taking part in the Carry The Flame Tour featuring After The Burial, Emmure and Fit For A King. Remaining dates can be found here.

(Photo - Bobby Bates)

Today Is The Day has released two tracks from the forthcoming reissue of Temple Of The Morning Star. This marks the 25th anniversary of the band, as well as the 20th anniversary of the band’s seminal album. Temple Of The Morning Star: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, set for release March 24th, is remastered and available on digital, CD/DVD, and 2LP formats, featuring exclusive, never-before seen and heard bonus material from the band's deep archives.

You can now listen to the re-mastered live audio of "Miracle" from the band's 1997 show at the legendary Whisky A Go-Go, as well as the re-mastered acoustic demo of the title track "Temple Of The Morning Star”, both available for streaming below.

The pre-order for the album is now live.

The CD/DVD package includes:
Disc 1 - Newly remastered album plus bonus tracks*
Disc 2 (DVD) - Today Is The Day live at The Whiskey A Go-Go (1997)

*Bonus Tracks:
“Miracle” (Demo)
“Pinnacle” (Demo)
“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” (Demo)
“Temple of The Morning Star” (Demo)

The 2LP package includes:
LP 1 - Newly re-mastered album
LP 2 - Bonus demos plus live audio from The Whiskey A Go-Go (1997)

Tracklisting (Included in all three package options):

“Temple Of The Morning Star” (Acoustic)
“The Man Who Loves To Hurt Himself”
“Blindspot”
“High As The Sky”
“Miracle”
“Kill Yourself”
“Mankind”
“Pinnacle”
“Crutch”
“Root Of All Evil”
“Satan Is Alive”
“Rabid Lassie”
“Friend For Life”
“My Life With You”
“I See You”
“Hermaphrodite”
“Temple Of The Morning Star”
“Miracle” (Demo)
“Pinnacle” (Demo)
“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
“Temple Of The Morning Star”

Live At The Whiskey A Go Go (1997)
“Crutch”
“High As The Sky”
“Pinnacle”
“Hermaphrodite”
“Kai Piranha”
“Bugs (Death March)”
“Willpower”
“My First Knife”
“The Man Who Loves To Hurt Himself”
“Blindspot”
“Miracle”

“Miracle” (live):

“Temple Of The Morning Star” (demo):

“Blindspot”:

Florida-based metallic doom trio, Weltesser, have released a video for “Terminal”, a track from their new album, Crestfallen, which was released via Prosthetic Records on February 10th. Watch the new clip below.

Self-produced and engineered by Dan Byers, Crestfallen is available now on limited-edition CD,  LP and digital download at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Regret”
“Guide”
“Living To Try”
“Terminal”
“Rats”
“Crestfallen”

“Terminal” video:

“Guide”:

“Living To Try”:

“Rats”:

During a recent interview with Psycho Babble TV, RATT singer Stephen Pearcy briefly touched upon the legal battle the band has been embroiled in with drummer Bobby Blotzer over the rights to the group's name.

"It's water under the bridge," Stephen said. I really don't like to dwell on it, because, you know… Somebody should when they're doing something right or wrong, and it just so happened that we just had enough — the three remaining guys — and respect to Robbin [Crosby, late RATT guitarist] and the integrity in our songs to say 'enough is enough.'"

Describing RATT as a "dysfunctional family," Pearcy acknowleged that keeping the group together can sometimes be a formidable task, especially when it comes to making sure that the bandmembers are working smoothly toward a unified goal. "We haven't been let out of our cage in a few years, so it's still delicate," he explained. "It's, like, we need therapists around us to get us through everything."

But Pearcy was quick to point out the main reason RATT is still around three and a half decades after the band's formation. "That's the most important thing — the music," he said. "That's the still the one thing that keeps us — no pun [intended] — [going] back for more: the music."

RATT, featuring three members of the band's classic lineup —Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini — will embark on a more proper tour next year after spending most of 2017 making select festival appearances and playing one-off shows.

Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini played their first official show as the reunited RATT on February 11 at Treasure Island in Welch, Minnesota. They were joined on stage by former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

A completely different version of RATT — led by Blotzer and featuring a revolving door of members — has been hitting stages across the country since the fall of 2015.

CHASTAIN singer Leather Leone has announced the formation of her solo band, dubbed simply LEATHER. Joining the vocal powerhouse in the new formation are Vinnie Tex (guitar), Daemon Ross (guitar), Thiago Velasquez (bass) and Braulio Drumond (drums).

LEATHER is putting the finishing touches on its debut album, to be released later in year.

The band has nine dates confirmed in Europe between end of April and beginning of June, with more to be confirmed soon.

CHASTAIN's latest album, "We Bleed Metal", was released in November 2015. It was the follow-up to the band's 2013 reunion CD "Surrender To No One".

Leone has long been considered one of the originators of the female power metal vocal style, having appeared on the classic CHASTAIN albums "Mystery Of Illusion", "Ruler Of The Wasteland", "The 7th Of Never", "The Voice Of The Cult" and "For Those Who Dare".

The Leather-fronted version of CHASTAIN recorded five CDs in the mid-to-late 1980s: 1985's "Mystery Of Illusion", 1986's "Ruler Of The Wasteland", 1987's "The 7th Of Never", 1988's "The Voice Of The Cult" and 1990's "For Those Who Dare". After the "For Those Who Dare" tour, David and Leather amicably went their separate ways but kept in touch over the years before reuniting in 2013.

Leather in 2012 released the debut album from her SLEDGE LEATHER project, "Imagine Me Alive". The CD was inspired in 2010 when Leather called Sandy Sledge to collaborate on the Ronnie James Dio track "Egypt" for a demo tribute recording. Due to the overwhelming response for more material, SLEDGE LEATHER was born and performed at Germany's Keep It True festival in April 2011.

Nova Collective (featuring members of Between The Buried And Me, Haken, Trioscapes, Cynic) have released their debut album, The Further Side, via Metal Blade Records. A full album stream is available below

Nova Collective's music can be described as fusion, weaving progressive rock influences with world music, jazz and classical, to create something entirely new that is pure aural candy for prog/jazz fans.

The album can be ordered here in the following formats:

- CD
- Black 180g LP
- Clear-red marble LP (limited to 200 copies)
* digital options are also available

Album stream:

"Ripped Apart And Reassembled" playthrough video:

"Dancing Machines" performance video:

Nova Collective began in 2014 when bassist Dan Briggs (Between the Buried and Me, Trioscapes) and guitarist Richard Henshall (Haken) began exchanging emails about music; before long, a few demos were fleshed out into full arrangements. Drummer Matt Lynch (Trioscapes, Cynic) and keyboardist Pete Jones (ex-Haken) came on board shortly after to finish writing the album. The Further Side was written on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, with Briggs and Lynch in America and Henshall and Jones in England, sharing session files until the group could get together at the beginning of 2015 to record with engineer Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist). Mixed by Rich Mouser (Neal Morse, Transatlantic), it is immediately clear that The Further Side is a labor of love for all involved, and that enthusiasm shines throughout.

Nova Collective lineup:

Dan Briggs - Bass
Matt Lynch - Drums
Pete Jones - Keyboards
Richard Henshall - Guitar

Canada’s Dead Tires has announced their Vol. Two EP will be released on April 7th via New Damage Records. The EP will be available digitally and on 7” vinyl and features a guest appearance from Damian Abraham from Fucked Up on “Here Comes The Fall”.

The vinyl pressing is limited to 300 (colour green) and will be available here as of April 7th. A limited run of 50 special bundles including an enamel pin will also be available April 7th at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Complicated Pleasures”
“Hedonic Adaptations”
“Here Comes The Fall” (ft. Damian from Fucked Up)
 
Dead Tired have also announced EP release shows in Hamilton and Toronto. Tickets for the Hamilton date are available at Dr. Disc, Cheapies and online here. More dates will be announced when available. See below for more details.

April
7 - Hamilton, ON - This Ain’t Hollywood (with Sinner, Hounds, Mountain Dust)
15 - Toronto, ON - Hard Luck (with Hounds)
 
Formed at Martin's Bowling Alley in Hamilton, Ontario, Dead Tired is comprised of Alexisonfire vocalist George Pettit, Franz Stefanik, Chris Whetstone, Nick Ball and Marco “Sparky” Bressette. More information and tour dates will be announced when available.

(Photo - Nick Ball)

Barcelona, Spain’s Moonloop have released a video for “Medusa”, a track from their upcoming Devocean album, to be released on March 24th through Listenable Records. . The video can be found below.

Originally formed in 2001, Moonloop have kept on impressing the press and local fans with their own mix of progressive and death metal. Often tagged as a non mimicking but challenging combination of Opeth’s catchy arrangements and musical sensibilities and Gojira / Death heavy menacing yet melodic powerful guitar grooves and bashing drums.

Moonloop is a band with the broadest opportunities for evolution, consistently forward thinking yet retaining the death metal roots in their songwriting. Devocean is undoubtedly the band 's most accomplished adventure.

Devocean will be available in limited edition transparent blue vinyl of 300 copies worldwide and digipack. Pre-order now at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Megalodon”
“Zeal”
“Gallery Of Dminished Nightmares”
“Expired Kings”
“Medusa”
“Oceans”
“Interglacial”
“Origin”

“Medusa” video:

“Zeal”:

Lineup:

Eric Baulenas: Vocals, lead & rhythm guitars
Juanjo Martin: Rhythm guitars & background vocals
Raul Payan: Drums
Vic Granell: Bass

Tainted Lady is a hard-hitting, unadulterated, energetic rock band from Denmark consisting of five passionate musicians in their early twenties. Learning their craft from bands of different eras of rock like Deep Purple, Skid Row and even The Beatles, they are determined to write original music of real substance, always seeking unique ways to arrange and refine their old-school style of playing. Fueled by a passion to make rock music dangerous again, the five members strongly voice their opinions through their lyrics and are never afraid to speak their minds - Soren Andersen even calling the music “rebel-rock”.

After being joined by British singer Michael Catton in 2015, Tainted Lady has been collaborating with musician and producer Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Electric Guitars, Mike Tramp), and now they are ready to release their debut album, How The Mighty Have Fallen, on May 26th 2017 through Mighty Music. With a pure live production, the band’s renowned energetic live performances and attitude has been captured for all to experience.

Anders Frank, Tainted Lady: "We are happy and proud to have signed with Mighty Music, and we're looking forward to collaborating on the release of our debut-album out in May. So far they've been really cool and ambitious on our behalf. Our first single "Ampburner" provides a good example of what we're about as a band musically. The song was written in the weeks after the terror attacks on the Bataclan in Paris in 2015, and it's about finding peace from whatever is going on in the world, by turning up our amps and being as loud as possible. We can't wait to reveal all the different sides to our band in the coming months."

“Ampburner” video:

Tainted Lady has been touring all over Denmark in recent years, including playing major Danish festivals such as Jelling Musikfestival and Rock Under Broen. The band also got the chance to support acts like Deep Purple, Pretty Maids, and Electric Guitars. At the moment Tainted Lady is planning extensive touring in Denmark and Europe throughout 2017-2018, and following the release of their album,this band is truly set to make a real impact on the rock scene today.

Lineup:

Michael Catton - Vocals
Jon Roxx - Guitars
Anders Frank - Guitars
Daniel Bach - Bass
Fred Over - Drums

Melbourne, Australia-based rockers, Mammoth Mammoth, have released a lyric video for the new song “Spellbound”, from the upcoming Mount The Mountain album. Find the video below.

Over the course of their career, Mammoth Mammoth have already left a stamp on the music scene and have proved to be one of Australia’s hottest and heaviest rock exports. Now the 4-piece band, well-known for their unique and energetic live shows which are fronted by the charismatic vocalist Mikey Tucker, unveil first details about the bands upcoming fourth studio album, titled Mount The Mountain, set to be released April 28th via Napalm Records.

Eleven power tracks that threaten to blow your mind, Mammoth Mammoth yet again deliver stompers that will lead us blindfolded into a hellish inferno of psyched-out riffs and debauched, fist-pumping anthems.

“We consider the writing of our albums not unlike working on a top fuelling drag car. We tinker around a bit, we strip the engine down to rebuild it by adding a couple new parts whilst taking some out, always trying to make it run faster and sounding louder, this time though we've added a bigger exhaust system and a shitload of nitrous… and a cup holder,” comments frontman Mikey Tucker on the upcoming release.

Mount The Mountain tracklisting:

“Mount The Mountain”
“Spellbound”
“Hole In The Head”
“Kickin’ My Dog”
“Procrastination”
“Sleep Walker”
“Epitome”
“Hard Way Down”
“Wild And Dead”
“Cold Liquor”
“I Cant Get You Out Of My Head” (Bonus Track)

“Spellbound” lyric video:

Mount The Mountain will be available as a CD Digipack, Digital Download and LP Gatefold.

Guitar virtuoso and rock legend Steve Hackett (formerly of Genesis) has released a video for “Behind The Smoke”, the lead track from his new album, The Night Siren, to be released on Friday, March 24th via InsideOut Music (Sony). The video is available for streaming below.

The Night Siren showcases Steve’s incredible guitar as strongly as ever, along with musicians from several different countries, who Steve invited to join him in celebrating multicultural diversity and unity. This includes singers from Israel and Palestine, who both actively campaign to bring Jewish and Arabic people together. There are also instrumentals from the USA and Iraq, and a multiplicity of sounds, including the exotic strains of Indian sitar and Middle Eastern tar and oud, the ethnic beauty of the Peruvian charango, and the haunting Celtic Uilleann pipes.

Steve is widely travelled, making friends everywhere he goes, and has always embraced multicultural diversity. In these times of unrest, he has been inspired to express his belief that the world needs more empathy and unity. His wish to involve a range of musical sounds, instruments, musicians and singers from different parts of the world is both a development of his eclectic approach to music and shows how people can be brought together, even from war-torn regions.

Talking about his latest work, Steve says, “This latest waxing represents a bird’s eye view of the world of a musical migrant ignoring borders and celebrating our common ancestry with a unity of spirit, featuring musicians, singers and instruments from all over the world. From territorial frontiers to walled-up gateways, boundaries often hold back the tide. But while the night siren wails, music breaches all defences. To quote Plato, ‘When the music changes, the walls of the city shake’.”

The musical journey takes us from “Behind the Smoke”, focusing on the plight of refugees throughout the ages, to the penultimate track “West To East” which reflects on the damage of war and the hope for a better world. From personal to universal, the themes celebrate the life force, breaking free from chains of repression.

Tracklisting:

“Behind The Smoke”
“Martian Sea”
“Fifty Miles From The North Pole”
“El Niño”
“Other Side Of The Wall”
“Anything But Love”
“Inca Terra”
“In Another Life”
“In The Skeleton Gallery”
“West To East”
“The Gift”

“Behind The Smoke” video:

“In The Skeleton Gallery”:

In addition to singers Kobi and Mira (Israeli and Palestinian), also featured on the album are Nick D'Virgilio (drums) from the USA, Malik Mansurov (Tar) from Azerbaijan & Gulli Breim (drums and percussion) from Iceland, along with regular Hackett collaborators: Roger King, Nad Sylvan, Gary O'Toole, Rob Townsend and Amanda Lehmann. Additional musicians who add to the rich flavour of the album are Christine Townsend (violin and viola), Dick Driver (double bass) and Troy Donockley (Celtic Uilleann).

The Night Siren will be released in the following formats:

* Special Edition CD/Blu-Ray Digipak featuring 5.1 surround sound mix & "Making of...” feature
* Standard Jewel case CD
* Digital Download

Pre-order the album here.

Hackett’s complete live itinerary can be found at this location

(Photo - Tina Korhonen)

Dan Reed Network has released a new video for the track “B There With U”, featured on the new album, Fight Another Day, out now. Watch the new clip below.

Fight Another Day marks the return of one of the most infectious and gifted bands to come out in the melodic rock world in the second part of the 80's. The new album was recorded primarily in the home town of members of DRN, Portland, Oregon, while most of the writing process took place in Dan Reed's private studio in Prague in the Czech Republic, where Reed currently resides with his family. Demos were sent back and forth between Derek Shulman (A&R for Frontiers), Brion James, Melvin Brannon Jr. and Rob Daiker, making notes and refining the songs over great distances via the internet. This process was not unlike with DRN composed songs back in the late 80's and early 90's as Dan Reed used to demo out songs on his Akai 12 track machine and bring the songs into rehearsals where the band members would then arrange and flesh out the band's classic 'funk rock' sound.

After the tracking was completed, band's keyboardist Rob Daiker went to work editing and mixing each track alongside Shulman and Reed, sending mixes back and forth, making notes and shaping and moulding the album to best represent what DRN sounds like currently, while paying respect to what brought the band to the world's attention back in the late 80's.

Fight Another Day tracklisting:

“Divided”
“The Brave”
“Infected”
“Champion”
“Ignition”
“Give It Love”
“B There With U”
“Save The World”
“Eye Of The Storm”
“Reunite”
“Heaven”
“Sharp Turn”
“Stand Tall”

“B There With U” video:

“Champion” video:

“The Brave” video:

“Divided” video:

Dan Reed Network is:

Dan Reed - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Piano, Synth Programming, Moog Bass
Brion James - Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Synth Guitars, Synth Programming, Drum Programming
Dan Pred - Drums, Percussion, Videographer
Melvin Brannon II - Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Bass, Electric Contra Bass, Synth Bass
Rob Daiker - Vocals, Keyboards, Synth Programming, Drum Programming

YouTube user AmericanJackassI continues to post rare live bootleg footage online, this time releasing video of Bon Jovi's show on Oklahoma City, OK at the Myriad Convention Center on April 11th, 1989. Check out the complete show below.

Oklahoma City,OK (1989)

 

Setlist:

"Lay Your Hands On Me"
"I'd Die For You"
"Wild in the Streets" 
"You Give Love A Bad Name" 
"Tokyo Road" 
"Born To Be My Baby"
"Let It Rock" 
"I'll Be There For You" 
"Blood On Blood" 
"Runaway"
"Livin' On A Prayer" 
"Ride Cowboy Ride" 
"Wanted Dead or Alive" 
"Bad Medicine" 
"Shout"

Bon Jovi was:

Jon Bon Jovi - vocals, guitars
Richie Sambora - guitars
Alec John Such - bass
Tico Torres - drums
David Bryan - keyboards

Fan-filmed video footage of former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME frontman Geoff Tate performing on March 11 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, California during his "The Whole Story 'Rÿche' Acoustic Tour" can be seen below (courtesy of California Rock News).

Tate's current acoustic tour sees him performing songs from all 17 albums he has done throughout his illustrious 35-year career. Geoff is backed during the show by a seven-piece acoustic band of musicians from the United States and Ireland and features three guitar players, mandolin, cello, saxophone, violin and multiple percussion instruments to produce high-energy acoustic versions of some of the Tate's former band's most recognized songs, including "Silent Lucidity", "Jet City Woman", "Empire", "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Eyes Of A Stranger".

Tate told Centre Daily Times about his acoustic tour: "I've done acoustic tours before, but nothing quite like this. This is a storytelling tour and I've got 35 years of music, touring and stories to accompany all of that. I thought that it would be kind of interesting to tell stories about the songs and what was going on at the time when they came out, either with me personally, with the band or what was going on in the news at the time and how they influenced the albums."

According to Tate, stripping down songs involves so much more than just replacing the electric guitar with an acoustic.

"An acoustic presentation goes back to the roots of the song," he explained. "Every song I've ever written has either started on an acoustic guitar or a piano and with this tour, I am just reverse engineering the song back to where it started. I think that a song is a song, and you can take just about any song and reformat it with different instrumentation. As long as you have a vocalist, it's going to be identifiable to the audience.

"It's been really fun reworking the music to fit acoustically," he continued. "You have to approach it differently and figure out what the song's strength is. Is it the melody? The rhythm? And then, how do you showcase those things? It really is a different way of thinking and presenting the music."

"Resurrection", the second album from OPERATION: MINDCRIME, was released last September via Frontiers Music Srl. The album is the second part of Tate's musical trilogy.

Original KORN drummer David Silveria has resurfaced in a new band called CORE 10. He is joined in the group by Duncan Nisbet on vocals/guitar, Sean Lenhoff on vocals, Chris Dorame on bass and Joe Taback on guitar.

Asked by BackStage360 why CORE 10 opted to have two singers instead of one, Lenhoff said (see video below): "Well, it's trying to create your own sound, something original. Duncan had CORE 10 going for a little bit before I got involved. I left the previous band I was in, and he was, like, 'Sean, do you wanna come in and try this? Let's see how it works. Let's try and do a metal/punk rock fusion thing with two singers.' He's very much a high-end, I'm very much a lower-end power singer. And it just ended up blending really well, and it's done nothing but grow from that point."

According to Lenhoff, CORE 10's sound has been described as a fusion of metal, rock and punk. "From doing different styles like that, we've been able to open up for KMFDM, FEAR FACTORY, MISFITS… And that's pretty much some of the heaviest — in FEAR FACTORY — metal you can get, and KMFDM is completely electronica and you know what the MISFITS are," he explained. "And it's gone over really well. So we never wanted to pigeonhole ourselves into one genre. It's so hard to make a living as a band and a musician now, you just take your influencces and you just run with it. Why not create something for everybody but having continuity still in what you're doing?"

Although Lenhoff is perfectly aware CORE 10 is not for everybody, he believes that the band's music will have a lasting impact on those that give it a chance.

"One thing I've heard that I loved was music is supposed to be disruptive," he said. "It disrupts your being — emotionally, physically — it makes you wanna move, it makes you wanna cry. And that's what's highly important. That's kind of where we're at with it. It's gotta affect you.

"If people don't have an opinion about you, whether they hate you [or] love you, then you're dead in the water," he continued. "So they have to love or hate what you do, and as long as you get a reaction, that's all that matters."

Asked how he first got involved with CORE 10, Silveria said: "I've known Sean for about… probably fifteen, twenty years from downtown Huntington Beach days. And he kept sending me MP3s of songs, and the more I listened to it, it was kind of, like, you either love it or hate it. I was kind of conflicted when I first heard it. And I would show it to my wife and said, 'What do you think about this?' 'Cause I didn't really understand it at first. And the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Now they come over and play, and I come out and my wife is all giddy and excited going, 'I love that song. It's one of the best songs you guys have ever done.' And now I'm just in love with the music. So I'm all in now."

CORE 10 will make its live debut on April 1 at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California.

CORE 10 is:

Duncan Nisbet - Vocals/GuitarSean Lenhoff - VocalsChris Dorame - BassJoe Taback - GuitarDavid Silveria - Drums

Silveria, who left KORN in late 2006, sued his former bandmates in February 2015, claiming that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. Silveria said he still had ownership interest in KORN and was asking a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share. Silveria was said to be especially upset over the fact that KORN welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch four years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

KORN singer Jonathan Davis told The Pulse Of Radio that he believed Silveria had lost his passion for playing music, saying, "The first two albums, I think, he really enjoyed playing drums and then after that he just lost his love for playing drums. It happens."

Silveria told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."




Core 10 sneak peak !

Posted by David Silveria on Wednesday, March 8, 2017

French black metal cultists, Merrimack, are streaming the new track “Apophatic Weaponry”, to be featured on their new album, Omegaphilia, to be released on June 9th via Season Of Mist. Listen to the new song below.

Says the band: “For this song, as on the whole album, we wanted to come back to something more rooted in the 90's. With a less complex structure, and a sound not as modern and claustrophobic as on our latest albums, 'Apophatic Weaponry' still has our characteristic moody atmosphere with some crawling mid-tempos riffs. This is especially noticeable on the second half of the track. Our lyrics are dealing with the special connection between beings and their faith, even though it is constructed on a void trying to fill in another vacant space of nothingness. The divine cannot be observed, demonstrated, except by its consequences. In the end, this is the definition of faith as opposed to reason. This concept of negative theology is a mystical approach towards the divine that attempts to describe it through the impossibility of describing it. Eckhart. Jacob Böhme and most of the German mystics tried to increase their faith with such notions."

Pre-order the new album at this location.

Merrimack were founded by guitarist Perversifier in 1994 with a clear vision to keep the black metal flame burning as an act of aesthetic terrorism – adamantly based in the underground as opposed to any attempts to co-opt or commercialize.

With a number of demo recordings under their belt in the mid '90s, the French gained recognition and respect in the scene for being true to their words. Following the release of three well-received full-lengths, the Parisians remained dedicated to their roots firmly lodged in dirty, grime, and fanatical passion. The band's daft combination of harsh soundscapes with epic songwriting appealed to critics and fans alike, allowing the band to embark on their celebrated first US-tour with Marduk and Nachtmystium in 2009.

Following the recording of their last album, (The Acausal Mass, 2012) at the legendary Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Destroyer 666), Merrimack embarked on a European tour with Norwegian genre icons Mayhem and accepted invitations to prestigious festivals such as Hellfest in their native France, Germany's Party-San Open Air and Summer Breeze and Montreal's Messe des Morts in Canada.

(Photo - Alizée Adamek)

Progressive rock band, Pendragon, return with their brand new live release, entitled Masquerade 20. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of the most successful albums in their career - an album that won them near-overwhelming acclaim and made them one of the highest-selling bands unsigned to a major label at that time - the band returned to the Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland in May 2016 to record a special show, consisting of all the classics from The Masquerade Overture as well as a number of fan-favourites from their other releases. A video for the track “Faces Of Light” is available for streaming below.

Nick Barrett, guitarist and vocalist comments: "This DVD is probably the most cohesive performance from the band so far captured on film. Just as we have been together for so many years as musicians it shows us as friends as well, even with new boy, Vinnie our drummer and Verity and Tina on backing vocals who appear for the first time with us on DVD. The overall feel of the music and performance is fantastic and the sound is amazing."

The cover artwork was done by Björn Gooßes – Killustrations, know also for the band’s previous artworks: Pure, Passion, Men Who Climb Mountains and Out Of Order Comes Chaos DVD.

The DVD will also include an interview with Peter Gee and Jan-Vincent Velazco, photo gallery and other extras. Masquerade 20 DVD is scheduled for release on April 7th via Metal Mind Productions (May 5th in North America). Also available as a double CD.

Tracklisting:
 
“The Masquerade Overture”
“As Good As Gold”
“Paintbox”
“The Pursuit Of Excellence”
“Guardian Of My Soul”
“The Shadow”
“Masters Of Illusion”
“King Of The Castle”
“Schizo”
“Beautiful Soul”
“Faces Of Light”
“Nostradamus”
“Explorers Of The Infinite”
“Come Home Jack”
“This Green And Pleasant Land”
“Breaking The Spell”
“Indigo”

Extras:

Interview with Peter Gee and Jan-Vincent Velazco
In Bardo in Sri Lanka
Photo gallery
Discography
Desktop images

“Faces Of Light” video: