British extreme metal pioneers BOLT THROWER have paid tribute to their drummer Martin "Kiddie" Kearns, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 38 in September 2015.

In a March 7 post on the band's official web site, the group wrote: "Today would have been Kiddie's 40th birthday. It's a day of sadness, but also of great memories, and we hope you'll join us and raise a glass to an absent friend.

"We take comfort in the knowledge that his bloodline, and legacy as a father, will live on through his sons Leon and Max, his legacy as a man lives on in the hearts and minds of everyone who had the honor and privilege to call him their friend, and his legacy as an amazing drummer will live on through his music.

"But, sadly, due to various circumstances, Kiddie only ever got to release two albums with BOLT THROWER, despite being in the band for twenty years and playing hundreds of shows, and we owe his unswerving loyalty and drumming legacy so much more.

"This is a debt we'll start to pay off soon...

"Here's to you, Kiddie!"

BOLT THROWER confirmed last September that they had officially split up following Kearns's death a year earlier. The band's frontman, Karl Willetts, told Metal Hammer: "Yes, I can confirm that BOLT THROWER are definitely over for good. There will be no reunion tours etc... no compromise."

Prior to Karl's confirmation, BOLT THROWER had issued a statement to pay tribute to Kearns, who died peacefully in his sleep after becoming ill at rehearsal. The statement indicated that BOLT THROWER wouldn't ever replace Kearns, but it didn't make it clear whether that meant BOLT THROWER would disband.

"When we carried his coffin to his final resting place, the BOLT THROWER drummer position was buried with him," the statement read. "He was, and will now forever remain 'the' BOLT THROWER drummer, our powerhouse and friend Martin 'Kiddie' Kearns."

BOLT THROWER released eight albums during its three-decade existence, the most recent being 2005's "Those Once Loyal".

Willets recently formed a new band called MEMORIAM alongside former BOLT THROWER bandmate Andy Whale and BENEDICTION members Frank Healy and Scott Fairfax.

Influential hardcore band TERROR will release a new EP, titled "The Walls Will Fall", on April 28 via Pure Noise Records. In support of the new record, the band will hit the road this spring for a U.S. headline tour with GOD'S HATE and ABUSE OF POWER. "The Walls Will Fall" follows TERROR's most recent full-length, 2015's "The 25th Hour", and features some of the most vicious tracks the band has ever recorded. Additional details about the record will be revealed in the coming weeks. Since forming in 2002, TERROR has become one of the hardcore genre's most notorious and successful acts. Over the years, the band has released six classic albums, their latest being "The 25th Hour", which was issued by Victory in 2015. Their signature sound, a punishing blend of hardcore, punk and thrash, has attracted a legion of diehard fans around the world and anyone who's witnessed the sheer power of TERROR live and lived to tell about it can attest to the band's authenticity and intensity.

LINKIN PARK's video for the song "Heavy" can be seen below. The track is the first single from the band's seventh studio album, "One More Light", which will be released on May 19 through Warner Bros.

LINKIN PARK debuted "Heavy" on Los Angeles radio station KROQ on February 16, followed by a performance of the track later in the day on Facebook Live. The track features guest vocals from Kiara Saulters, who is best known for recording stop-motion, hip-hop-inspired electro-R&B under the name Kiiara and who performed with the band during the Facebook event.

LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington told Music Choice about the "Heavy" video: "What's funny is, like, this song is, like, not a heavy song, but I destroyed more stuff making this [clip] than, like, any other song. It was more violent and more intense making this video than any other video. Like, I got into like fistfights with myself, fistfights with other people, breaking a bunch of stuff. I got to take a lamp and throw it through a television set. Like, I've wrecked so much stuff, it was awesome."

"Heavy" sees LINKIN PARK teaming up with pop songwriter Emily Wright, who has worked with artists like Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Flo Rida. Vocalist Mike Shinoda told The Pulse Of Radio about the concept behind the song and its very different sound: "The question popped into my head, what would it be like, first of all, to write with people outside the band? What would it be like to really approach things with our arms kind of wide open, wrapped around a larger audience? And still make it a hundred percent LINKIN PARK and a hundred percent true to what we do. Almost a year and a half later, this is the first taste of what that sounds like."

Asked what the rest of "One More Light" is like, Shinoda told Billboard: "One of the reasons why we chose 'Heavy' as the first single is because it is really the core sound of the album. This wasn't a scenario where the whole album sounds one way and the single sounds different. This is how the album sounds. So we wanted to go out with a song like that, where everybody can get a sense of the direction of this body of work."

Shinoda also talked about LINKIN PARK's decision to collaborate with other writers this time around.

"The thing that really drove this album was we kind of flipped our writing process backwards," he said. "Historically for us the (instrumental) track usually comes first, like we'll make a body of music and the music will inspire the lyrics. In this case, we actually flipped that around and the very first thing we'd do each day is we'd get into the studio and say, 'What's on my mind? What do I want to sing about and write about?' and that defined a whole different kind of writing. It builds a wonderful foundation to put everything else on top of. And the soundmaking is actually one of the most fun parts for me, so then it's like icing on the cake. I know I've got a strong song, a strong foundation and then it's just icing to put on top of it."

Other tunes on the new CD include "Nobody Can Save Me", "Good Goodbye", "Talking To Myself", "Battle Symphony", "Invisible", "Sorry For Now", "Halfway Right", "Sharp Edges" and the title track.

LINKIN PARK has already started booking dates in Latin America, Europe and Asia, but has yet to announce North American dates.

Photo credit: James Minchin

Berlin, Germany-based heavy metal blues rockers LUCIFER have parted ways with guitarist Gary "Gaz" Jennings and drummer Andrew Prestige.

Commented the band in a statement: "It is true, the 'Lucifer I' chapter is closed. LUCIFER has parted ways amicably with guitarist Gaz Jennings and drummer Andy Prestidge. It's been quite a miraculous ride.

"The stars have aligned once again: [Lead vocalist/founder] Johanna [Sadonis] has teamed up with Nicke Andersson [IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC, THE HELLACOPTERS, ENTOMBED, etc.] to work on the next album, 'Lucifer II'. Nicke, Johanna and Robin [Tiderbrink, guitar] will meet up in Sweden this month to record a few first songs that will hopefully see the light of day very soon. A little taste of what's to come. Nicke is also joining LUCIFER on drums. Stay tuned."

LUCIFER's debut album, "Lucifer I", was released in June 2015 via Rise Above Records.

Back in 2015, Sadonis told Jimmy Cabbs about LUCIFER's musical direction: "The original idea was to kind of take a bow towards the great bands of the '70s that are kind of the forefathers of heavy metal. And, I mean, all of us have been in many bands over many years and explored all the different extreme subgenres of metal. And things get more bottom-endy and heavier and heavier. But, I think, for music to be heavy, it doesn't necessarily have to be defined by the sound — being heavy. And I also think that, once you go through all these phases, and I think every heavy metal or rock fan, or whatever, can say this, you listen to all these different things and go through phases, and so on, but in the end, you always kind of, after filtering through it, realize that there's a reason why these great bands, like [BLACK] SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE and so on, they are timeless because they are just that good. And there's a reason why everything that came after is kind of based on that core, that original spirit of that music. I mean, by now I'm listening to the music my parents have listened to. I never thought that would be the case. I had a phase where I was listening to death metal and black metal for many years. But it always comes back to the classics, right?"

The official video for "Ten Miles Wide", a brand new song from RATT singer Stephen Pearcy, can be seen below. The track is taken from Stephen's fourth solo album, "Smash", which was released on January 27 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Speaking about the songwriting process for his solo material, Pearcy told Music Existence: "RATT's music is its own entity and animal, and it has its own schematics. With my solo stuff, I tend to do whatever I like — an acoustic song, a really heavy song — and go places and talk about things that I want to. It's my freedom of speech. That's one thing I like about it, and I'm always writing, so what else can I do, you know? Just try to get it out and get it heard! I don't care if it sells ten million or nil million; it's just what I do. You do the best that you can."

Pearcy also talked in more detail about the musical inspiration for "Smash", saying: "It's just my guitar player Erik [Ferentinos], who I co-wrote most of the stuff with. We'd just come up with songs and take them through a journey. That's pretty much how it happens. I don't think about anything. If it sounds like something that's an influence, and if it's a good one, that's even better! I don't really think about emulating anybody; it's more of an influential thing that just came out. That's a compliment to both of us, how I respect them. And I'm sure they'd say, 'Woah, that sounds pretty good!' But that's about it — the light and the dark of the things, you know?"

He continued: "I wanted this record to be diverse. The subject matter's very different than what was expected, and what would be expected. And there's some personal stuff in there — a song I wrote for my daughter, 'Rain'. I'm able to do whatever I want with my solo stuff, so this is what you get."

Stephen will be supporting "Smash" with live dates in the U.S. and internationally. "It took long enough to finish the new record 'Smash' and it is well worth the patience taken, giving every song as much attention as the next," said Pearcy. "Erik Ferentinos (lead guitarist and co-writer), Greg D'Angelo (drummer) and Matt Thorne (bassist, keyboardist) and myself didn't settle on any first, second or third takes. We let some songs grow if needed, then go back and complete it. We're very happy with the outcome, that we were able to experiment and grow with the new songs."

"Smash" track listing:

01. I Know I'm Crazy02. Ten Miles Wide03. Lollipop04. Dead Roses05. Shut Down Baby06. Hit Me With A Bullet07. Want Too Much08. What Do Ya Think09. Jamie10. Rain11. Can't Take It (album version)12. Summer's End13. Passion Infinity Credits:

Stephen E. Pearcy - Lead Vocals, Back-up Vocals

Musicians:

Erik Ferentinos - Rhythm & Lead Guitars, Back-up VocalsGreg D'Angelo - Drums, PercussionMatt Thorne - Bass GuitarChris Hager - Guitars, Lead Guitars on track #3

Spanish goregrind stalwarts, Haemorrhage, have completed recordings for their first album in over six years and follow-up to 2011’s Hospital Carnage.

The band’s seventh studio album was recorded at Mpire Studio in Madrid by Alfredo and Javi Ustara and is set to be mastered by Brad Boatright (Obituary, Nails, Skinless). The new album will contain 14 tracks of Haemorrhage’s pathological gore, perfect for listening to in mortuaries and mausoleums everywhere.

The album is entitled We Are The Gore and is set for release in late-2017 via Relapse Records. Additionally, numerous guest musicians and friends have contributed to the record including Carlo Regadas from Monstrance (ex-Carcass), Ross Sewage and Sean McGrath from Impaled, Jaro from Meat Spreader (ex-Dead Infection), Peter Svoboda, Cremator and Digestor from Ghoul, Dany from Dead, and Noel Kemper from Gruesome Stuff Relish.

Guitarist Luisma commented on the new album: “Musically, We Are The Gore is our best (de)composed album yet. The tracks are 100% classic Haemorrhage, but on a new level as we have never worked so hard on an album before. The addition of Erik (drums) has given us the chance to create music we couldn’t do before. He is one of the most talented young drummers out there. We Are The Gore is dedicated to all the people who work in the “dark side of reality”, the people who deal with everyday death and sickness that help us avoid suffering. They are the real “Gore”.”

Stay tuned for additional albums details and more news from Haemorrhage.

Haemorrhage lineup:

Luisma - Guitar/Vocals
Ana - Guitar
Lugubrious - Vocals
Ramon - Bass
Erik - Drums

Hailing from Florida, female fronted power metal five-piece, Seven Kingdoms, has already made its way up since their forming in 2007. After numerous tours around US and Canada, three full length studio albums, it’s now ready to take the next step and join forces with Napalm Records.

A band started for fun, found that hard work and dedication to their craft has major pay offs... Seven Kingdoms is carving its own path in metal history creating something genuinely unique, yet undeniably power metal.

Seven Kingdoms on the signing and their new home at Napalm Records: “We are really happy to announce that we signed a deal with Napalm Records! We were able to pinpoint a deal that will help the band reach many more fans at home and overseas. Along with the newest album Decennium and the In The Walls EP, Napalm will also be repressing our earlier albums, Brothers Of The Night, The Self Titled and The Fire Is Mine. Bands such as HammerFall, Kamelot, Delain, Powerwolf and Devildriver have made this label home and we are again, just very happy to join those ranks. Napalm has been an undeniable tool in many bigger artist's careers. Thomas and the gang have been really receptive to the material and we are looking forward to getting the band on the next level with the help of Napalm Records."

Seven Kingdoms’ new and upcoming album, Decennium, will be released worldwide via Napalm Records and is already scheduled for a 2017 release. Stay tuned for many more exciting news to come.

The band will be out supporting Evergrey in May and June this year on a massive US and Canadian tour. Check all dates listed below:

May
6 - The Haven - Orlando, FL
7 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
9 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
10 - Gas Monkey - Dallas, TX
11 - The Rock Box - San Antonio, TX
13 - Joe's Grotto - Phoenix, AZ
14 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
15 - Adrenaline bar - Las Vegas, NV
17 - The Viper Room - Los Angeles, CA
18 - TBA - San Francisco, CA
19 - TBA - Portland, OR
20 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
21 - The Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, BC
22 - Dickens Pub - Calgary, AB
23 - Exchange - Regina
25 - The Cabooze - Minneapolis, MN
26 - Reggie's - Chicago, IL
27 - The Token Lounge - Detroit, MI
28 - Mod Club - Toronto, ON
30 - L'Anti - Quebec City, QC
31 - TBA - Montreal, QC

TBA - New York, NY
TBA - Philadelphia, PA

More dates will be announced shortly.

Seven Kingdoms lineup:

Sabrina Valentine - Vocals
Camden Cruz - Guitar
Kevin Byrd - Guitar
Keith Byrd - Drums
Aaron Sluss - Bass

Royal Hunt are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of a brand new live 2CD/DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital set, entitled 2016, on May 12th.

Following a tradition established after two successful anniversary long form video releases - 1996 and 2006 - it is time for a third one: 2016. Recorded with 9 HD cameras and top-notch audio equipment in Moscow's Izvestiya Hall during last year's world tour, the video shows “all-fab-things-Royal”: a high energy show in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, an excellent set list, the band in top form, and a stunning stage production. Add a stellar audio recording and this package, celebrating Royal Hunt's 25th anniversary, is any hard rock fan's delight.

In keyboardist André Andersen’s own words: “25 years later Royal Hunt's still going strong… who could have imagined that? Not me, that's for sure… a quarter of a century?! Absolutely unreal. 13 studio albums, lots of special EPs and compilations, 5 live albums, literally countless shows/tours, and now the 4th DVD release. Lots of ups and downs along the way, yet we're still around, still able to do what we love doing the most - making music. I always felt that if you do it from your heart, if you stay true to yourself and work hard you'll be granted this sort of staying power…and yes, we're all extremely grateful to our fans for giving us an opportunity to create, to improve and to continue our musical journey. So, once again, push that “play” button, enjoy this video and rest assured, the best is yet to come!”

2016 tracklisting:

CD1:

Medley: “So Right So Wrong” / “Martial Arts”
“River Of Pain”
“One Minute Left To Live”
“Army Of Slaves”
“Lies”
“Wasted Time”
“Heart On A Platter”
“Flight”

CD2:

“May You Never (Walk Alone)”
“Until The Day”
“Half Past Loneliness”
“Message To God”
“Stranded”
Medley: “A Life To Die For” / “Epilogue”

DVD / Blu-Ray:

Medley: “So Right So Wrong” / “Martial Arts”
“River Of Pain”
“One Minute Left To Live”
“Army Of Slaves”
“Lies”
“Wasted Time”
“Heart On A Platter”
“Flight”
“May You Never (Walk Alone)”
“Until The Day”
“Half Past Loneliness”
“Message To God”
“Stranded”
Medley: “A Life To Die For” / “Epilogue”

Lineup:

André Andersen - keyboards
DC Cooper - vocals
Andreas Passmark - bass
Jonas Larsen - guitar
Andreas Johansson - drums

German power metallers, Thunder And Lightning, have posted a new video, featuring a performance of Amon Amarth’s “Deceiver Of The Gods”. Watch below:

Footage of Thunder And Lightning performing the new track “Welcome To The Darkside” late last year in Berlin, Germany, can be seen below. The track is featured on the band’s new album, The Ages Will Turn, and the video was shot by Jan Henrik Bauer.

Orders for The Ages Will Turn can be placed here.

Tracklisting:

“The Ravaging Overture”
“Welcome To The Darkside”
“Silent Watcher”
“Black Eyed Child”
“Eternally Awake”
“Columbia”
“One Blood”
“The Ages Will Turn”
“Hysteria”
“Mary Celeste”
“The Ravaging Overture” (Extended Orchestral Version) (Pre-order bonus track download)

"One Blood" video:

“Eternally Awake”:

“The Ages Will Turn”:

For more on Thunder And Lightning, visit the band’s website, here.

Canadian melodic metal band, Borealis, will see their Fall From Grace album reissued on April 7th via AFM Records.

Says the band: “We proudly announce the reissue of our 2011 album, Fall From Grace. AFM Records will release it on April 7th. This new edition comes with slightly changed artwork (see our new logo used on the cover, for example) and a bonus track called "The Journey (Prologue)”. You might be familiar with the song as we uploaded it to YouTube (but only there) a while ago.”

The above mentioned bonus track is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Finest Hour”
“Words I Failed To Say”
“Fall From Grace”           
“Where We Started”   
“Breaking The Curse”   
“Regeneration”        
“Watch The World Collapse”
“Take You Over”
“Forgotten Forever”
“The Journey (Prologue)” (Bonus Track)

“The Journey (Prologue)”:

Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records announce the worldwide signing of Barcelona, Spain’s Syberia. Currently in writing mode, the instrumental rock quartet will release their third album in 2018, as the follow-up to their previous works: 2012's Drawing A Future and 2016's Resiliency.

Syberia comments: "We are very proud to be part of the Metal Blade family. It is a reference record label for all good metal-heads and a dream come true for us. Since we started the band, we have worked very hard to get here. We want to thank everyone in the label for the confidence they've placed in us, and especially to Chef Santos for recommending us. We can't wait to start working on our new album and to put our whole heart in it."

Interspersing influences from across the full spectrum of instrumental rock/metal, dream pop and shoegaze, Syberia juxtaposes order and grace with notions of cathartic freedom ‐ finding liberation in beautiful, uplifting melodies that never lapse into over-sentimentality. For their efforts, Syberia has received much praise from fans and media alike, resulting in European tours with bands such as Caspian, SleepMakeWaves, The Chameleons, Heirs, Constants, among many others. With their signing to Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records, the group aims to reach new heights and deliver their unique brand of rock to audiences around the world.

Stay tuned for more news coming soon.

Syberia lineup:

Oscar Linares - guitar
Kandro Ruiz - bass
Jordi CE - guitar
Oscar Caselles - drums

(Photo - loveingreen.com)

Spanish atmospheric metal band, Foscor, are streaming the new track, “Ciutat Tràgica”, to be included on the band’s new album, Les Irreals Visions, out on June 9th via Season Of Mist. Listen to the track below, and pre-order the new album at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Instants”
“Ciutat Tràgica”
“Altars”
“Encenalls De Mort”
“Malfiança”
“Espectres Al Cau”
“De Marges I Matinades”
“Les Irreals Visions”

“Ciutat Tràgica”:

(Photo - Raquel Garcia)

The new video below features guitarist Thomas Zwijsen performing “God Gave Rock And Roll To You”, arranged for classical, acoustic, flamenco or fingerstyle guitar. "God Gave Rock And Roll To You" was originally written by Argent and covered by Petra and KISS. The KISS version was titled "God Gave Rock And Roll To You II", and was used for the film Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and later included on the KISS album Revenge.

The video below features Thomas Zwijsen and Ben Woods performing an acoustic version of Europe’s “The Final Countdown”. The clip was shot all over Europe during the Master Guitar Tour 2016. This fingerstyle/acoustic/flamenco/classical guitar arrangement was made by Thomas Zwijsen and Ben Woods especially for the tour.

In another video, Zwijsen performs a cover of the Judas Priest classic, “A Touch Of Evil”, alongside vocalist Laura Guldemond. Laura is the singer of Shadowrise, but you may also know her from Idols, or from performing with Dutch metal opera Ayreon.

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 have now broken 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!"

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

For information and updates on Midnattsol go to this location.

Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault recently conducted an interview with vocalist Noora Louhimo of Finnish metallers BATTLE BEAST. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal Assault: I guess the main change you have this time is that your main songwriter and guitar player Anton Kabanen is no longer in the band, and you got a new guitar player. Was "Bringer Of Pain" written before that change happened, or after?

Noora: "No. We actually wrote this new album with the whole band this time. That was actually part of the reason why we had to go different ways from Anton, because Anton wanted to do all the songs and make decisions on everything, and we weren't willing to do that. We wanted this band to be involved, and have everyone write songs if they want to. We did that with this album. This was really an interesting and exciting and nice experience because we could learn so many things about each other as bandmembers and friends. Of course, it wasn't like dancing with the roses but it was definitely something I want to experience again. [Laughs]"

Metal Assault: So, it must have been a very different process to write this album, with everybody involved.

Noora: "Right. On the previous albums, Anton did all the songs. I wouldn't say that we have always appreciated him as a songwriter, and he is a very talented one. But some of the other stuff didn't work with him. But yeah, this time we actually had our new guitar player, Joona [Björkroth], also write songs. I think he did four songs on the new album, and our keyboard player, Janne [Björkroth], did seven. There is one song that I wrote with Joona together, and it's actually the title song 'Bringer Of Pain'. And then our bass player Eero [Sipilä] did two songs for the album, and one song was written by Juuso [Soinio], our other guitar player."

Metal Assault: I think your music is very catchy and that's what I like about it most. Is that something you do purposely, or does it happen on its own?

Noora: "[Laughs] I think it might be part of the BATTLE BEAST magic. As you can see, the music doesn't get done just by one person now, it's done by several persons. But we still actually understand what is the BATTLE BEAST sound, and I think the sound comes from the band, and the way that we are thinking together. I guess our attention has always been to do good music, and that is the basic thing. So, let's just do good music that we like, and if someone else likes it too, it's just bonus, you know. [Laughs]"

Metal Assault: Obviously, there was already an album which the band released before you joined the band. I was always curious, and just for readers who may be don't know the band as well, how did you come in contact with the band and how did you become the singer?

Noora: "Long story short, and I'm really bad at short stories [laughs], but I'll try my best. But yeah, the BATTLE BEAST guys actually found me on YouTube, singing Janis Joplin. I started my singing career singing Janis Joplin's music, and someone had put this clip on YouTube. By accident, Anton saw this clip and suggested the guys to take me into the band. Then Anton called me and asked if I wanted to join the band, and told me the situation that we had about a month's time to rehearse because we were going on a tour with SONATA ARCTICA, and they had already started recording a new BATTLE BEAST. So, you could say it was pretty hectic times back then. [Laughs] And on top of that, I had never sung heavy metal before BATTLE BEAST, so it was a totally new area for me, even though I had been listening to heavy metal music since I was 15 or 16 years old. But it was new for me as a singer to do heavy metal."

Read the entire interview at Metal Assault.

Swedish metallers DREAM EVIL will release their sixth album, aptly titled "Six", on May 26 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2010's "In The Night" was once again produced by DREAM EVIL guitarist Fredrik Nordström at his own Studio Fredman facilities, which is the birthplace of many modern metal masterpieces by such bands as IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, HAMMERFALL, AT THE GATES, DIMMU BORGIR, POWERWOLF, ARCHITECTS and BRING ME THE HORIZON. DREAM EVIL checked in with the following comment about the upcoming release: "Finally, six years after the release of 'In The Night', we started to record our new album titled 'Six', which is DREAM EVIL's album number six. We know it took us a while to get our thumbs out of our asses, but now the wait is over and we are sure the new material has made the waiting time worthwhile. On May 26, the time is here, it's time for 'Six'."

While DREAM EVIL is currently busy shooting video clips for the new album with longtime partner in visuals Patric Ullaeus (IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY, WITHIN TEMPTATION), the first trailer for "Six" can be seen below.

The "Six" cover artwork, which can be seen below, was again created by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, AMARANTHE, FIREWIND). In related news, May 26 will also see the release of the third DREAM EVIL album, "The Book Of Heavy Metal", for the first time ever on vinyl. Considered a modern heavy metal classic by many, 2004's "The Book Of Heavy Metal" will be available on 180-gram black vinyl with the entire album on CD as a bonus.

DREAM EVIL is:

Niklas Isfeldt - Lead VocalsFredrik Nordström - Lead Rhythm GuitarsMark U Black - Lead Lead GuitarsPeter Stålfors - Lead BassPatrik Jerksten - Lead Drums

STONE SOUR has completed work on its new album, "Hydrograd", for a June release via Roadrunner Records. The disc was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor told the BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" that the band "destroyed it" during the recording sessions for "Hydrograd". He explained: "Everyone is saying the same thing — not only are the songs good but the energy is incredible, because it has that live vibe. This is not beat detected, Auto-Tuned, pitch-corrected — nothing. It is so badass, it's not even funny."

Regarding Ruston's involvemenet in the project, Corey said: "He mixed not only the two 'House Of Gold & Bones' albums [from STONE SOUR], but he also mixed the 'Burbank' covers with us. And he's just been a good friend of mine for a really long time. This is like a co-production for us. So it's, like, big, big, big time. It's unreal. People are freaking out."

Asked when fans can expect to hear some of the new STONE SOUR music, Corey said: "Hopefully soon. We have a tune that we're probaby going to leak. It's gonna be a heavier anthem tune, but not in a way that is usual. I mean, that's kind of the cool thing about this whole album — the heavy stuff is heavy, but not in a typically mediocre, normal heavy way. It just has such a different vibe to it that it's really infectious; people are really catching on to it. So the first tune, it could have very easily been a single. But we have six singles on this album as well. And you know what? We're just gonna come out and bust people and see what happens. I'm really, really excited."

Taylor also spoke about the new disc's musical direction, saying: "This album is great because it's got elements of everything. It's got the heavy energy of the '80s, there's punk moments, there's hard rock moments, all the great amalgam of music. There's even jazz and hip-hop moments. It's really, really cool. It's probably the coolest album I've made since the first SLIPKNOT album, let's put it that way. It's dope, dude. And, hey, I feel very confident making that statement, because it's so good."

Taylor recently told The Pulse Of Radio that the new STONE SOUR disc is a natural progression from the band's last studio efforts. "All the promise that we showed on the 'House Of Gold & Bones' albums, we are really trying to kind of push even further with this, and it's exciting, man," he said. "Style-wise, it'll feel like it's kind of all over the map, but it'll be very, very unifying when everybody hears it. I'm really excited."

STONE SOUR's last full set of new material was the "House Of Gold & Bones" double album, which was released in two parts in 2012 and 2013. The band also released two EPs of cover songs in the last couple of years, "Meanwhile In Burbank..." and "Straight Out Of Burbank".

Taylor returned to the STONE SOUR fold this year after his other band, SLIPKNOT, completed the touring cycle for its 2014 album, ".5: The Gray Chapter".

Sebastian Bach has confirmed that he is preparing to make the follow-up to his 2014 album "Give 'Em Hell". The former SKID ROW singer told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast: "I'm about to start on a new record, and my goal is to totally make a 'vinyl' album, as far as the sound and everything. I'm gonna concentrate on that. Whatever process that entails, I'm going to make a record like [a classic] APRIL WINE record, that I can drop the needle and have these kind of sound qualities. That's what I wanna do. I can do whatever I wanna do. That's what I wanna do. That's what I'm gonna try as hard as I can to do. I wanna make an album that sounds like the albums that I love, production-wise."

Bach also hinted that the classic lineup of SKID ROW was once being considered for a support-act slot on the GUNS N' ROSES "Not In This Lifetime" tour. "I don't know if I can get into that," he said. "But there was talk of all that. And it's a crazy situation."

According to Bach, it makes perfect sense that he would continue to get asked about the possibility of a reunion of the classic SKID ROW lineup, more than two decades since his exit from the group. "I know why" people keep inquiring about it, he said. "Because we're five human beings on a planet that are still alive that have this opportunity sitting in front of us that we are just collectively not taking. And people are, like, 'What a bunch of fucking idiots?' [Laughs] I include myself in that — okay? — 'cause I'm part of it, but I don't know what else I can do [to make the reunion happen]. I don't know what else… I can't do… I don't know what else to do. All I know is that I have a manager, Rick Sales. He deals with them [the other members of the classic SKID ROW lineup], and that's the only way it's gonna happen."

Bach said in a 2015 interview that he was "really dying to make a record that sounds like the records of the '70s that I always listened to." He told the "Iron City Rocks" podcast: "What I mean [by that] is recording it in a way that… Like, when I listen to 'Women And Children First' by VAN HALEN, the guitar's all the way on the left, and the vocals are in the middle, with the drums who knows where, and it's just very different sounding, recording-wise, than the way albums are made today. So I think the next time I make an album, that's really what I'm gonna be going for."

He continued: "BLACK SABBATH's '13' sounds like a '70s BLACK SABBATH album, as much as it could in 2014. So whatever the fuck they were doing, I just would love to have an album of mine that sounds like that.

"I love 'Give 'Em Hell'… 'Give 'Em Hell' is like 'Star Wars'; it's, like, 'Holy shit!' I mean, it's a very modern-sounding record. And when it really got that sound was when it went to mastering with Tom Baker; he made it sound so fucking 'spacey,' and I totally love it. But my taste, as a fan, a rock fan, the next one I do, I'm gonna be going for, like… If I could have a BLACK SABBATH '13' kind of production, that's what I'll be looking for."

Sebastian Bach's autobiography, "18 And Life On Skid Row", came out on December 6 via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Former Primal Fear Randy Black has checked in with the following update:

"And now for something completely different...

I’ve always had a huge respect for Jeff Porcaro and what he created with Toto and other artists. He was and still is such an inspiration, and in honour of the 25th. anniversary of his passing, this is my humble tribute to the iconic track 'Rosanna'."

 

Black announced his departure from Primal Fear in August 2014, citing irrecocilable differences with vocalist Ralf Scheepers. His last show with the band took place on August 15th at the Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. Black contacted BraveWords in the aftermath and released the following official statement:

"It is with mixed emotions that I confirm my decision to leave Primal Fear. This was not an easy choice but one that was unavoidable.

I have nothing to add to the original statement made August 11th by the band regarding the reasons why. I consider this an amicable parting of ways and wish no ill will to any of the members and hope that they have continued success.

It was a poignant goodbye, as my first official show and last show with the band were both played at the Summer Breeze Festival, first in 2003 and now in 2014.

To all the fans around the world that have supported me during my time with Primal Fear, I thank you all with a huge heart. You created some of the most memorable moments during the 11 years I was in the band.

I’m proud of all the music I recorded with Primal Fear and I’m thankful for the platform it gave me to further my drumming career.

I am now ready to take on the next challenge and start a new chapter in my musical journey. For any inquiries please see the contact page on my website at www.randyblack.de

Until our paths cross again, cheers!"

Randy Black

Deep Purple shot to international fame with their hit single “Hush” in 1968. The band performed live on the Playboy Show that year. Check them out as you have never seen them before.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover talked about how much the band still has left in the tank.

"No one wants to stop," says Glover. "But we know that I'm 71 now, [singer Ian] Gillan is 71, we're all about late 60s, early 70s, and bodies have a way of not keeping up with your brain or your career. We're all sort of approaching that point where I can't imagine another eight years to do an album."

Glover continues: "The time is approaching when it will end, but we don't want to face that. We don't actually want to make a date or a final tour or anything. We just want to carry on as long as nature allows or is kind of dignified. If we can't do what we do anymore, then yes, it's time to stop. But we're still doing it, and we're still enjoying it very much. So all we're saying is the door is closing, but it's not closed yet."

Deep Purple will release their new album, inFinite, on April 7th via earMUSIC.

On April 28, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, "Coma Ecliptic Live", via Metal Blade Records, in association with Good Fight Entertainment. The concert, which features the band performing their latest album, "Coma Ecliptic", in its entirety, was filmed live on location October 4, 2016 at The Observatory North Park in San Diego, California.

Bassist Dan Briggs comments: "The genesis of the 'Coma Ecliptic' filming was based around capturing the look and feel of the show our lighting director Chris Hill produced for the full album set. It's such an important record for us and our progression as a band and the visual representation captures the moods of our tragic tale so well. It's the perfect way to wrap up the last two years we've been living with this album day in and day out!"

"Coma Ecliptic Live" available formats:

- CD/DVD/Blu-ray- 180-gram black 2LP- golden yellow marble 2LP (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive) - ultra violet marble 2LP (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive) - purple/black marble 2LP (limited to 300 copies - USA exclusive)

Hailed as "a 68-minute cosmic opera" (Rolling Stone), "Coma Ecliptic" was released in July 2015, debuting at #12 on The Billboard 200.

The upcoming DVD/Blu-ray for "Coma Ecliptic Live" will surely please fans once again, with the must-see visual component added to the already acclaimed album. Directed by Vince Edwards and edited by Blake Faucette and Justin Reich, "Coma Ecliptic Live"'s audio was mixed by Jamie King at the Basement Recording NC, with live GoPro camera placement by the band's own Blake Richardson (drums).

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME lineup:

Tommy Rogers - Vocals, KeyboardsDan Briggs - BassBlake Richardson - DrumsPaul Waggoner - GuitarDustie Waring - Guitar

Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL have set "1755" as the title of their Portuguese-language album about the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, which occurred in the Kingdom of Portugal. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost totally destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas. The band is currently in pre-production with John Phipps at its home studios (Inferno) in Portugal and has recently posted online some pictures of videos of their daily work.

What was supposed to be just a four-song bonus for the "Lisboa Under The Spell" DVD and Blu-ray (recorded last February in Lisbon with four thousand wild fans attending, to be released in 2018) evolved into a full-length album that will be produced by Tue Madsen (of Denmark's Antfarm Studios) who worked with the band in a few previous releases ("Under Satanae", "Night Eternal", "Alpha Noir"/"Omega White").

MOONSPELL vocalist Fernando Ribeiro said: "We fell in love with the concept and made perfect sense to sing it in our national language, Portuguese. I guess we were just waiting for the right opportunity to work on such an album. Musically, it will be heavier than 'Extinct'. It will be earthshaking but also very detailed with orchestrations and percussion as we want people to relive the Lisbon of the 18th century. Singing it in Portuguese allowed me to find a different expression as a vocalist and my job is to be the survivor of the earthquake, roaming the ruins and telling you all about it."

In a 2016 interview with Spark TV, Ribeiro stated about the new MOONSPELL album concept: "I always was very fascinated about the apocalypse, the end of things, and we had this experience in the 18th Century, in 1755, and it really affected not only by the destruction and the death toll — it was very high, and it was probably one of the biggest earthquakes ever to occur on European soil — but it also influenced the way people looked at Gods, at religion, the way Europe changed. And it was tragic and traumatic, but the earthquake was the birth of a more modern Portugal, a Portugal that actually would enjoy a period of prosperity after, and the Portugal that was, before the earthquake, just going down and lost in vice and corruption and greed. So I think it makes for an interesting subject, and it makes it even more interesting if I do it in Portuguese, because it happened there."

Regarding the musical direction of the material that will appear on the new MOONSPELL LP, Fernando said: "It's not that gothic, I have to say. I think it's a more metal album. As the subject is an earthquake, it's definitely a little bit more brutal. But it still has the touch of MOONSPELL and it also has a more symphonic touch here and there. I'm not even really singing with my melodic vocals, just screaming."

Asked whether MOONSPELL would once again incorporate some of the oriental music elements — like they did on "Extinct" — on the upcoming LP, Fernando said: "I think it's a big influence in our music. And also, the idea behind this EP is to capture a certain feeling and a certain spirit of that time — people in the streets of Lisbon and people living their lives. And Lisbon, at the time, was a big metropolis, and it was populated by a lot of people — from Muslim people to people from Africa, new people from Brazil, Portuguese people, English people, French people… a lot of people, because Lisbon was the epicenter of many of the maritime dealing and commerce. So we are using these oriental things, because that was the stuff that people listened to in the streets as well, and that's important. We will not work with the same people as on 'Extinct', 'cause 'Extinct' is a full-on album, so we had more money to invest, etc. It's an EP, so it's lower budget, more modest production. But sometimes you just use your imagination. So I think that part, it's totally covered and it's going to be a bit different from 'Extinct', but it will have these feelings, definitely, on these new songs, because it's the feeling of the Portugal at the time as well."

"Extinct" was released in March 2015 via Napalm. The CD was completed at Fascination Street Studio in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with KATATONIA, AMON AMARTH, OPETH and PARADISE LOST, among others.

Working on the new album with Mr. orchestralmetal.com.. #moonspell #moonspellofficial #orchestralmetaldotcom #infernostudios #portugal

Posted by Moonspellofficialband on Thursday, March 2, 2017

DOPE is hinting at its upcoming album, "Blood Money Part 2", by releasing a brand new video for their cover of MINISTRY's industrial metal classic "Thieves" featuring Andy Leplegua of COMBICHRIST.

The two bands are currently co-headlining the Black Craft Whisky-sponsored "Blood Lust Death" tour.

"To celebrate the release of 'Thieves', we are inviting our fans to rob us," says DOPE frontman Edsel Dope.

The pointed-yet-hilarious video takes shots at a number of leaders throughout our history and ultimately climaxes with a ridiculous parody of Donald Trump grabbing Hillary Clinton by the pussy, followed by the two having sex while chugging wine and eating a well-done steak..

"Like many people, I wasn't pro Hillary, nor was I pro Trump," says Edsel. "I'm pro America and all of the politicians appear to be crooked in one way or another. As a result, we had a good time throwing all of them under the bus in this video."

Released In October 2016, DOPE's "Blood Money Part 1" debuted at No. 27 on The Bilboard 200 chart.

The release date for "Blood Money Part 2" has yet to be announced, but this new track is a sign that it might be coming sooner rather than later…

"I'm not a fan of cover songs," says Andy. "When Edsel reached out to me about doing 'Thieves' together, I was really skeptical — but in the end, I think we do the mighty MINISTRY justice... and I'm sure Uncle Al will love the video!"

Having completed an extremely comprehensive worldwide touring campaign in support of their comeback album, "At War With Reality", Swedish melodic death metal pioneers AT THE GATES have announced the departure of their co-founding guitarist Anders Björler.

Says the band in a statement: So, it is now official that Anders Björler is no longer a part of AT THE GATES. He will always be part of the AT THE GATES family, of course, but he will no longer write, record or play with us live.

"This is something that we, the rest of the band, have felt was on its way for quite some time, as that special spark was no longer with him the last year. We are grateful for all we have experienced together with him, all the records, all the songs, all the gigs, all the laughs and good times.

"The rest of us have, in the meantime, started the work on the follow-up to 'At War With Reality'. We already have three songs written, and the direction is set for an intense, hungry follow-up album.

"Jonas [Björler, bass] has always written a considerable part of the band's material and we are fully confident that the new material will live up to the standards set by our previous records. It is ripping.

"The four of us still have the burning urge to create death metal together, and we love playing live in front of our fans, so we will go on, with an even stronger intent.

"While writing the new record that we intend to record in the beginning of 2018, we are trying out Anders's replacement. Some auditions are being held as we speak, and we will get back to you with news on the matter as soon as we know more."

Anders Björler added: "Just a quick note to let everybody know that I am leaving AT THE GATES permanently. The passion is just gone. There might be a more lengthy statement in the future, but at the moment I feel no need to explain further.

"This is a personal decision, and it has 100% to do with the music side of things.

"The reunion in 2008, and the subsequent tours, as well as the comeback album, 'At War With Reality', really helped revisiting our friendship, and it brought us together in a way I will always remember and cherish.

"I would also like to thank all the people that supported us throughout the reunion shows as well as the 'At War With Reality' album. Thanks a lot!"

"At War With Reality" was released on October 28, 2014 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media. The CD, which sold 7,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 53 on The Billboard 200 chart, was recorded at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg and was mixed at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK, PARADISE LOST, KREATOR).

AT THE GATES completed a short U.S. tour after its appearance on the 2016 edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. The trek also featured THE HAUNTED and DECAPITATED (direct support) and HARMS WAY.

"A Lesson In Vengeance", a brand new song from Florida death metal veterans OBITUARY, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's self-titled, tenth studio album, which will be released on March 17 via Relapse.

Picking up where 2014's "Inked In Blood" left off, OBITUARY show no signs of slowing down as they continue to reign as kings of death metal. Recorded at the band's home studio in Tampa, "Obituary" is a ten-track tour de force of bone-pulverizing death metal that is as heavy, uncompromising and infectious as anything they've released in the group's historic, nearly 30-year career.

"Obituary" track listing:

01. Brave02. Sentence Day03. A Lesson In Vengeance04. End It Now05. Kneel Before Me06. It Lives07. Betrayed08. Turned To Stone09. Straight To Hell10. Ten Thousand Ways To Die

The cover art was created by Andreas Marschall and can be seen below.

Commented OBITUARY vocalist John Tardy: "When writing records the songtitles and album titles are always the last things on our minds. We know that the songs themselves are the most important thing, so with this our tenth studio album and nearly three decades as a band, we thought it was the perfect time for a self-titled release. It always helps to have a killer album cover so we worked with Andreas Marschall, gave him our ideas and thoughts and asked him to break out the big guns to create an epic logo and he delivered like he always has for OBITUARY." Added the band in a collective statement: "We could not be any more excited about this new album. We had a blast writing and recording it and having Ken [Andrews, guitar] and Terry [Butler, bass] as part of the writing process was a very cool experience for all of us.

"We really took our time with the writing process of these new songs, recording riffs and ideas as we went along and recording them as rough mixes then listening back and making necessary changes to help mold them into the songs that we are extremely proud of. "It's always a challenge in the studio to get the song ideas out of your head onto the recording the way you want but we made sure we were comfortable with the songs and the sounds we were getting before we even hit the record button and it made it a great experience.

"It's hard to believe it's been two and a half years since the release of 'Inked In Blood' and we are so excited to get this new album into the hands of our fans.

"Can't wait for everyone to hear it. Hang on to your ass!!!!"

OBITUARY will hit the road this spring as part of the 2017 Decibel Magazine Tour with KREATOR, HORRENDOUS and MIDNIGHT. The tour kicks off on March 17 in Charlotte, North Carolina and runs through April 15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Photo credit: Ester Segarra

"Andromeda", a brand new song from Atlanta heavy rock icons MASTODON, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's eighth studio album, "Emperor Of Sand", which will be released on March 31 via Reprise Records. The follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun" is available for pre-order at www.mastodonrocks.com. The deluxe pre-order package will contain the album on double 180-gram vinyl housed in a gatefold jacket along with a bonus Color-In-Your-Own vinyl jacket, plus an exclusive box of MASTODON colored pencils. In addition, fans will receive a digital copy of the entire album on March 31, along with an instant download of the album track "Sultan's Curse". "Emperor Of Sand" will also be available digitally and on CD.

The typically stunning "Emperor Of Sand" album artwork was created by Alan Brown, a.k.a. Medusawolf, who is also responsible for the inside gatefold images.

"Emperor Of Sand" finds MASTODON returning to a deeply imaginative and complex conceptual storyline that ponders the nature of time. Threading together the myth of a man sentenced to death in a majestically malevolent desert, the band conjures the grains of a musical and lyrical odyssey slipping quickly through a cosmic hourglass.

"'Emperor of sand' is like the grim reaper," says drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor. "Sand represents time. If you or anyone you know has ever received a terminal diagnosis, the first thought is about time. Invariably, you ask, 'How much time is left?'"

"We're reflecting on mortality," adds bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders. "To that end, the album ties into our entire discography. It's 17 years in the making, but it's also a direct reaction to the last two years. We tend to draw inspiration from very real things in our lives."

"Emperor Of Sand" was recorded at The Quarry Recording Studio in Kennesaw, just outside MASTODON's hometown of Atlanta, with producer Brendan O'Brien (PEARL JAM, NEIL YOUNG, AC/DC, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE), who first worked with MASTODON on their seminal 2009 album "Crack The Skye".

Over the course of MASTODON's career, the band members have fearlessly continued to push themselves towards greater creative heights on their recorded output. Each studio album has united an ever-expanding worldwide legion of fans who have come to expect the unexpected twists and turns that have elevated MASTODON to become one of the most respected and influential creative forces in rock music.

MASTODON kicks off a spring U.S. headline tour in support of "Emperor Of Sand" on April 14 in Missoula, Montana, with support from EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and RUSSIAN CIRCLES. The tour also includes stops at several festivals, including the Carolina Rebellion on May 5.

Each pair of tickets purchased online for MASTODON (excluding festival dates and the May 6 Philadelphia show) includes a choice of a physical or digital copy of "Emperor Of Sand". Ticket purchasers will receive instructions via e-mail on how to redeem the album on March 31. Tickets are on sale now.

"Emperor Of Sand" track listing:

01. Sultan's Curse02. Show Yourself03. Precious Stones04. Steambreather05. Roots Remain06. Word To The Wise07. Ancient Kingdom08. Clandestiny09. Andromeda10. Scorpion Breath11. Jaguar God

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell has posted a clip online of him in the studio singing a new solo track called "The Promise", with Cornell indicating that the full tune will arrive this Friday (March 10). The song is the title track from the upcoming film starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale and French-Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon, a love triangle drama set against the Armenian genocide.

"The Promise" premiered last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival and opens in theaters April 21.

Cornell's most high-profile musical contribution to a movie was "You Know My Name", his theme to the 2006 James Bond film "Casino Royale". Cornell has also contributed songs or title themes to films such as "Great Expectations", "Machine Gun Preacher" and "12 Years A Slave".

The singer told The Pulse Of Radio he prefers to make his solo material sound as different as possible from SOUNDGARDEN. "Writing any of my solo records, there's always this effort to try to make it different than the band that I'm known for," he said. "Mainly just 'cause I've never — as a music fan, never really liked when those two lines get kind of smeared."

SOUNDGARDEN last month announced a North American tour that will kick off on May 3 in Atlanta, winding down on May 27 at the Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma.

Support on selected dates will come from THE PRETTY RECKLESS and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. This will be SOUNDGARDEN's first trek since a summer 2014 co-headlining run with NINE INCH NAILS.

SOUNDGARDEN has reportedly been working on material for its seventh studio album, which will follow up 2012's "King Animal".




In the studio recording my song “The Promise", which will be released this Friday, March 10. #KeepThePromise

Posted by Chris Cornell on Monday, March 6, 2017

Alt rockers Lullwater have built their careers on their ability to convey their passion, talent and raw emotion to the masses. After all, as one of the industry’s hardest-working bands, they’ve literally earned each and every fan the good old fashioned way – through touring, touring and more touring. Which is why it’s no surprise that the band’s fifth video from their sophomore album Revival is, by far, their most controversial, “in-your-face”, commentary on today’s current political climate.
 

Described by lead vocalist and guitarist John Strickland as a “visual representation of our frustration with what's been happening in our society”, the video for “American Glutton” was directed by acclaimed photographer and director John Thrasher, who has worked with such artists as Drive-By Truckers, R.E.M., Against Me! and more.
 
The video was shot on location in Lullwater’s hometown of Athens, GA and is, by far, the band’s most incendiary examination of the U.S. political system.
 
“This song is the battle cry for everyone who feels let down and lied to,” said Strickland. “The video was our creative way to visually say ‘enough is enough’ and that something must change or we are all destined to be an ‘American Glutton’".

 

Los Angeles based industrial band 3Teeth has unveiled plans to release their second full-length album, shutdown.exe , on May 19th via OMF Records. Today, the band reveals the album title, release date, artwork and track listing for the upcoming record. Additional details and music will be disclosed in the coming weeks.

3Teeth’s shutdown.exe, the follow-up to their self-titled, 2014 album, was self-produced by the band, mixed by Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, A Perfect Circle) and mastered by Howie Wienberg (Deftones, Nirvana, Pantera, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden). The album features 13 songs that push their sound into new, undiscovered realms of orchestrated chaos and divine carnage with their signature fusion of experimental industrial, metal and synth driven rock that the band has become known for over the last several years.

"3Teeth are more than the sum of their influences. They are the sound of inevitability. A storm of rage and reason, man and machine, metal and bone.” - Sean Beavan (producer/mixer Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, A Perfect Circle)
 
Discussing the concepts behind the new record, frontman Alexis Mincolla says, “The album centers around the idea of shutting down consensus reality tunnels, which is a way to describe the generally agreed-upon perspectives of what is considered real."
 
Formed in 2013 in Los Angeles, 3Teeth is a transgressive artistic collaborative consisting of Alexis Mincolla (vocals), Xavier Swafford (keys), Andrew Means (drums) and Chase Brawner (guitars). Inspired by the early ‘90s industrial scene and acts like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, the four-piece boasts a unique amalgam of aggressive sound and compelling visual art that, combined with their cynical humor and provocative propaganda, ultimately ask fans to join their assault on consensus based reality.
 
Following a monumental, 2016 tour of the U.S. with legendary rock band Tool, 3Teeth is riding a wave of momentum and anticipation leading up to the release of shutdown.exe. Stay tuned for more details regarding one of the year’s most awaited releases.

Tracklisting:

“Divine Weapon”
“Pit Of Fire”
“Atrophy”
“Oblivion Coil”
“Shutdown”
“Degrade”
“Tower Of Disease”
“Tabula Umbra”
“Voiceless”
“SlaveGod”
“Insubstantia”
“B.O.A.”
“Away From Me”

“Atrophy” video: