SEPULTURA's official documentary, "Sepultura Endurance", will tentatively be released on DVD and Blu-ray this fall. The film, which received its world premiere in May 2017 at the Regent theater in Los Angeles, shows the journey from SEPULTURA's humble rural beginnings to decades spent on the international stage, giving an in-depth look into how the band continues to thrive in a changing metal landscape. Crammed full of rare archival footage, and featuring interviews with legends like Lars Ulrich (METALLICA) and Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), and younger artists influenced by SEPULTURA, like SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor, "Sepultura Endurance" is the definitive document of the band's myths, struggles and heart.

Speaking to Mammoth Metal TV, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser said: "We have plans to release the SEPULTURA movie, 'Sepultura Endurance', together in a package with the Rock In Rio concert we did last year, which was a very complete concert around 'Machine Messiah', where we presented a special new stage and invited violinists, musicians and stuff. It was really cool and it was really interesting. And the plan is to put all that together in a CD, DVD, Blu-ray package, to be released in October [or] November. That's the plan. But now we actually also started… we're talking, trying to get to Netflix and other type of platform like that before the movie [comes] out [on DVD and Blu-ray], but let's see what happens. We have really good possibilities for that. And it is a great documentary — we're very happy with it, besides all the difficult aspects of doing a documentary like that. But it came out great."

Former SEPULTURA members Max and Igor Cavalera denied permission to the makers of "Sepultura Endurance" to use the group's early music in the film. Director Otávio Juliano told Brazil's Folha De S. Paulo that he could not even use footage of early SEPULTURA songs being performed by the current version of the band, which includes singer Derrick Green and drummer Eloy Casagrande alongside two members of SEPULTURA's "classic" lineup, Kisser and Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. (bass).

Juliano said last year that nothing was off limits during the making of the documentary. "The band gave me complete access, every door was open, I was never asked to leave," he explained. He went on to describe the film as "a testament to the endurance required to make a documentary for almost seven years," pointing out that "800 hours of footage" was shot for the movie.

SEPULTURA is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Machine Messiah", which was released in January 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine says that SLAYER will "go out on a bang" with its upcoming "farewell" tour.

Back in January, SLAYER, one of metal's most popular and influential bands of the past four decades, announced its "final world tour" via a 30-second video. The group also confirmed that the first leg of its last-ever North American run of dates would feature support from LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, BEHEMOTH and TESTAMENT.

Speaking to Metal Hammer, Mustaine said that he has "tremendous respect for what SLAYER's done," explaining that he "got to watch them grow into who they are" in the years after their two bands first played together.

"I don't think that SLAYER will be winding down," Mustaine said. "That band ain't gonna be 'winding down' for nothing. They're gonna end, but they're gonna go out on a bang. The good thing is the fact that they've contributed so much to metal, to thrash, and just because SLAYER is ending, I don't think Kerry King [SLAYER guitarist] will."

Despite the fact that he has "had a very up-and-down relationship" with King in the last three decades, Mustaine insisted that the SLAYER guitarist "has been a great friend." The MEGADETH leader added that SLAYER has earned its rightful place in rock history alongside other acts that make up the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal.

"As far as metal is concerned, if there is a gauge, and the gauge stops at some point under 'extreme', that's where SLAYER lie," Mustaine said. "There's always going to be someone faster, someone who can write songs about war and killers and the occult and stuff like that, and there are always going to be songs that have breakneck pace, killer drumming and stuff like that, but not like them. That's what makes SLAYER so great. That's what sets those motherfuckers apart."

In a 2004 interview with Guitar World magazine, King spoke about the time he spent in MEGADETH as the band's touring/live guitarist. Asked how he thinks MEGADETH would have turned out if he had stayed in the group, Kerry replied: "I played their first five shows, and if I had stayed I probably wouldn't have lasted more than a year, because Dave Mustaine is such a dictator and had much poppier ideas than me. It never would have worked. Jeff [Hanneman, late SLAYER guitarist] and I used to go see METALLICA and be blown away by how awesome Mustaine was, so I was honored when the call came asking me to help him. But after five shows, I was like, 'I'm in SLAYER and that ain't going to change." That didn't go over too well."

King later described his time with MEGADETH as "a gigantic learning situation." He said: "I thought people would see me and know me from SLAYER. 'Cause, I mean, we only went to the Bay Area; we only got up there. So I think if people saw me, it would at least make 'em think, 'SLAYER.' So I had SLAYER's best intentions in mind. I didn't go and say, 'Hey, I wanna be in MEGADETH.' I don't know how anybody can be in MEGADETH for more than a couple of hours, 'cause that guy's crazy."

Five years ago, SLAYER frontman Tom Araya said that the only thing that was standing in the way of further "Big Four" shows was "the politics of character in one particular band," with some fans speculating that he was talking about Mustaine and MEGADETH.

In his autobiography, "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir", Mustaine addressed the issue of where his band fit in the "Big Four" order. According to The New York Times, he assured the reader that he was not offended by being put behind SLAYER. But he added an interior monologue: "O.K., we'll play ahead of you guys on this trip, and God willing we'll do it again sometime in the near future and we can flip things around."

SLAYER will kick off the first leg of its farewell world tour with a May 10 concert at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center, with dates running through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center.

Austin, Texas metal luminaries THE SWORD kicked off their 2018 "Used Future" tour earlier today (Wednesday, March 21) at the Mohawk in their hometown. The entire performance was streamed live worldwide on YouTube and can now be seen below.

THE SWORD's sixth studio album, "Used Future", will be released on March 23. The disc was recorded in Portland, Oregon with producer Tucker Martine (MY MORNING JACKET, THE DECEMBERISTS, FIRST AID KIT).

Multiple pre-order bundles are available from both the band's webstore and the label's store. This includes an exclusive "eight-track" version featuring a USB drive containing the full album and visualizer, housed in an authentic eight-track cassette shell, and a vinyl version with bonus 12-inch "Serpent Weather" single featuring art by Thomas Hooper.

THE SWORD's live album "Greetings From..." , was released last May via Razor & Tie. The band recorded all of the shows on its fall 2016 tour with OPETH and chose nine songs to make up the track listing on the disc.

Photo credit: Jack Thompson

AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows has told ABC Radio that the band could start working on the follow-up to 2016's "The Stage" album this fall. "Maybe October, November we'll start thinking about getting together and just throwing ideas around," the singer said. "We usually don't even write anything the first few weeks, we just kinda talk and show each other things: 'Here's some chords, here's some ideas, what do we want this thing to sound like?' So that's still in the early stages. But it's exciting."

Shadows recently revealed that AVENGED SEVENFOLD's legal battle with its former label, Warner Bros. Records, is not yet resolved, saying that the group wants to settle the matter before it begins work on a new LP. "We have a couple things we're looking at, but right now we're still dealing with the label situation, we're dealing with the lawsuit still and just — a couple of things that we just got to kind of clean up before we move on to the next record," he told Billboard.

Warner Bros. sued AVENGED SEVENFOLD in late 2015 after the band left the label by citing the California Labor Code's "seven-year rule."

The rule allows for parties to exit contracts after seven years if certain unfavorable conditions exist. But a provision in the rule allows labels to collect money that would have been made on undelivered albums.

Warner Bros. is seeking damages based on the fact that AVENGED SEVENFOLD had one album left on its contract, while the band has argued that extensive turnover in the label's staff led to an unsatisfactory working relationship.

While that case was originally expected to go to trial in December of last year, it appears to have since been delayed to an as-yet unspecified date.

The band has since moved on to Capitol, which issued "The Stage" as a surprise release in October 2016.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD will tour North America this summer with PROPHETS OF RAGE and THREE DAYS GRACE.

SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS will return this fall with its as-yet-untitled third studio album. The group — Slash (guitar), Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals) — has entered the studio with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette (ALTER BRIDGE, IGGY POP, INCUBUS). Expect the group to announce a full North American tour for the fall.

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

Slash adds: "GUNS N' ROSES will be headlining European festivals this summer, it's going to be a 110 percent performance and a huge blast. I love doing European fests and this is the first time we've done any proper festivals over there on the 'Not In This Lifetime' tour. It's indescribable to explain these shows. I'm looking over and seeing Axl, Duff and Dizzy whom I've known forever, but it also feels like an entirely new experience with Richard, Frank and Melissa. It's like being in a new band, except there's a chemistry that is established from days of old, so it's a natural thing that’s always been there."


Rumors of a new CONSPIRATORS disc were started last December when Slash's girlfriend Meegan Hodges told a fan on Instagram that the guitarist was in the studio with Kennedy recording the next CONSPIRATORS album. But Kennedy claimed in a radio interview a short time later that there were no concrete plans for him to reunite with Slash and work on new music. The vocalist, who also fronts ALTER BRIDGE, went on to say that he would spend most of 2018 touring in support of his solo album, "Year Of The Tiger", with 2019 likely to be dominated by his commitments to ALTER BRIDGE.

After a fan reached out to Meegan on Instagram asking her to clarify her previous comments following Kennedy's remarks, she responded, "Maybe you should ask the band guys," and followed it up with a smiley face.

Kennedy has said in various interviews that he and Slash had about half an album's worth of new material in the works toward the end of the "World On Fire" touring cycle, but Slash's touring commitments with GUNS had prevented him from becoming involved in any other projects.

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

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

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

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

"Year Of The Tiger" was released on March 9 via Napalm Records.

Take the following update with a grain of salt, but according to Rose Tattoo frontman Angry Anderson during a new interview with The Rock Pit, AC/DC's Angus Young is working with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose on a new AC/DC album.

Anderson: "I was talking to Angus earlier last year when we were opening for Guns N' Roses - Angus and I were asked to do the encores and I said to him, 'What are you going to do?' and he said, 'Mate I'm writing a new album.' I thought, 'Cool,' so I asked him who was in the band and he said, 'Axl.' Brian's not there, Phil's not there, Cliff's not there, sadly Malcolm's not there. And yes, it's sad that the original lineup aren't there anymore but it's the songs, people who have supported them all the way through their career - they want to hear the songs. And in a sense we owe that to people, so really it's a debt of gratitude and what we're saying is you've stood by us, we'll stand by you. So Angus - and let's face it he doesn’t need the money - he acknowledges that there are still millions of people around the world that want to hear AC/DC songs played live."

Read the complete interview here.

According to a February 2017 Vintage Vinyl News report in submitted by Paul Cashmere at Noise 11, the chemistry between AC/DC guitarist Angus Young and Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose, who replaced an ailing Brian Johnson to finish the Rock Or Bust tour, "has inspired Young to start planning another AC/DC record, but Guns N’ Roses touring commitments throughout 2017 will make it difficult to finalise the project. As all of the AC/DC shows were filmed it is possible fans may be treated to a live album with Rose from the Rock Or Bust tour prior to the new studio album. Despite the departure of Johnson and the retirement (at age 66) of bass player Cliff Williams after 40 years with the band, Angus has vowed that AC/DC will continue."

The above details were, of course, unconfirmed at the time they were reported. Stay tuned for updates.

Young hit the G'N'R stage on February 10th, 2017 in Sydney, Australia minus his trademark school uniform for a guest appearance. Check out the footage below featuring the AC/DC hits "Whole Lotta Rosie" and "Riff Raff".

Thy Antichrist have released a lyric video for "Nightmares", a track from their new album Wrath Of The Beast, out now via Napalm Records. Watch the clip below.

Wrath Of The Beast is available in jewel case CD, gatefold LP, and digital formats. Order at this location.

Wrath Of The Beast tracklisting:

"Desolation"
"Metal To The Bone"
"The Great Beast"
"A World Burnt To Ashes"
"No Place Like Hell"
"Nightmares"
"Crown Of Lies"
"Skeletons Of Disgrace"
"Walking Through The Soul"
"The Last Breath" - Instrumental Outro

"Nightmares" lyric video:

"The Great Beast" video:

"Metal To The Bone" lyric video:

Thy Antichrist lineup:

Antichrist 666: Terryfying Vocals of Tragic Existence and Tragic Poetry
Abyssus: Six Strings of Human Suffering
Frost Giant: Bassist of Cold and Tragic Whisperings
Oricuss: Apocalyptic Thunders of Chaos. Drums

The clip below - shot by Dennis Henson at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, GA on March 11th  - features CyHra during their last show supporting Sabaton and Kreator. They are joined on stage by Sabaton guitarist Tommy Johansson.

Antihero Magazine had the chance to sit down with Jake E and Euge Valovirta of CyHra during their recent North American tour with Sabaton and Kreator. They discussed the band’s first major tour since the release of their debut record, Letters To Myself, their instant on-stage chemistry, plans for the summer, and the possibility of new music later this year.

CyHra, the band featuring former Amaranthe singer Jake E. and ex-In Flames guitarist Jesper Strömblad, are currently on the road in North America supporting Sabaton and Kreator. The clip below is the live stream from CyHra's show at The Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wisconsin on February 24th. The setlist was as follows:

"Dead to Me"
"Letter to Myself"
"Here to Save You"
"Heartrage"
"Closure"
"Karma"

CyHra have released a video for "Heartrage", a track from their debut album, released last October via Spinefarm Records. Watch below.

Letters To Myself tracklisting:

"Karma"
"Heartrage"
"Here to Save You"
"Muted Life"
"Closure"
"Letter to Myself"
"Dark Clarity"
"Holding Your Breath"
"Rescue Ride"
"Black Wings"
"Inside a Lullaby"
"Dead to Me"

"Heartrage" video:

"Letter to Myself”:

"Karma" video:

Find the band's tour schedule here.

CyHra are:

Vocals: Jake E (ex-Amaranthe)
Guitar: Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames)
Bass: Peter Iwers (ex-In Flames)
Drums: Alex Landenburg (ex-Annihilator)
Guitar: Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining)

"Chaos Manifesto", the fifth studio album from Swedish old-school death metal tyrants DEMONICAL, can be streamed in its entirety below. The disc will be released on March 23 in Europe and April 27 in North America via Agonia Records.

DEMONICAL arose from the ashes of formerly disbanded CENTINEX in 2006, and in comparison to its older sibling, executes death metal in a far more impetuous and melodic manner. "Chaos Manifesto" is a testament to that statement. After nearly five years since the release of the last full-length album "Darkness Unbound" (2013), the Swedes — now led by a new prominent death growler Alexander Högbom (OCTOBER TIDE, CENTINEX) — continue the traditional DEMONICAL path with fierce HM-2-driven death metal of utter brutality, yet return in a partially new, yet fully fit five-piece lineup.

From the violent album opener "A Void Most Obscure", via melodic mid-tempo anthems "Towards Greater Gods" and "Välkommen Undergång" (the band's first ever track is Swedish), all the way to the final song "Nightbringer", DEMONICAL once again prove that they're a force to be reckoned with in the extreme metal scene. The five-year gap between albums has not made the band become stale in ideas either.

"'Chaos Manifesto' features some new elements and streaks the band hasn't explored before," comments bassist Martin Schulman. "We have tapped an award-winning Swedish producer and we are confident that the album — which summons bits and pieces from all our previous releases — will become an improved quality-related chapter for DEMONICAL, and push our Swedish death metal darkness to a new level".

"Chaos Manifesto" was recorded in 2017 and both mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (TERRA TENEBROSA, CULT OF LUNA, KATATONIA). The album artwork was designed by Karmazid (URFAUST, WOLFBRIGADE, BLAZE OF PERDITION). Pehr Skjoldhammer of ALFAHANNE guest appears on vocals.

"Chaos Manifesto" track listing:

01. A Void Most Obscure

02. Towards Greater Gods

03. Sung To Possess

04. Välkommen Undergång

05. Torture Parade

06. From Nothing

07. Unfold Thy Darkness

08. Death Unfaithful

09. Nightbringer (digipack CD exclusive)

DEMONICAL is:

Alexander Högbom - Vocals

Martin Schulman - Bass

Johan Haglund - Rhythm Guitars

Eki Kumpulainen - Lead Guitars

Kennet Englund - Drums

Industrial metal pioneers MINISTRY have once again recruited Derek Abrams to play drums on their upcoming North American tour, which kicks off Thursday night (March 22) at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. Abrams originally joined MINISTRY last year and sat behind the kit for the band's fall 2017 run of dates.

Says Abrams in a statement: "I'm super excited to get back out on the road with MINISTRY for the 2018 North America tour that kicks off [Thursday] in Anaheim. I can't express enough gratitude to the band and crew to be able to be a part of this family. I look forward to seeing you at a show. If we don't hit your city this time, there is a chance we will in the fall."

Although it was announced last month that Joey Jordison would join MINISTRY on the road in North America this spring and he took part in some of the early rehearsals for the trek, the former SLIPKNOT drummer is no longer taking part in the tour.

The rest of the tour's guest lineup will feature vocalist Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY), and live scratcher DJ Swamp (BECK, THE CRYSTAL METHOD), who will join longtime bandmembers Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto on guitars, Tony Campos (FEAR FACTORY, STATIC-X, ASESINO, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY) on bass, and keyboardist John Bechdel (KILLING JOKE, FEAR FACTORY).

For these dates, MINISTRY's will present a whole new set list that will include more new songs from "AmeriKKKant". Said Al Jourgensen, "Old friends, new music... Dream lineup, nightmare world. Get your ass to this show...this one will be memorable."

With his "P.T.-Barnum-meets-RAGE-AGAINST-THE-MACHINE" ringmaster style, Jourgensen will front this motley crew of killer musicians, along with giant inflatable Trump chickens, video screens projecting politically imbued images to compliment the music, and a couple of Antifa soldiers.

"I am very honored to be part of MINISTRY's 'all-star' crew for the upcoming 'Amerikkant' tour," said Burton C. Bell. "Working with Al over the years has been a blast and a dream come true, and to be part of another MINISTRY album was another milestone in my career. Hanging, laughing, playing with Al, JB, Sin, Cesar and Tony is always a good time. I've known all these characters for some time, and they will never get old! I expect this tour to be super fun. Like the songs goes, 'my whole life is making music with my friends, and I can't wait to get on the road again...'"



Full production rehearsals have begun for the US/Canada AmeriKKKant Tour! It all starts on Thursday, at the House Of Blues in Anaheim...get your tickets here: http://ministryband.com/shows/Posted by Ministry on Sunday, March 18, 2018

Chaostar, the Athens, Greece-based band led by Septicflesh guitarist Christos Antoniou, will release a new album, The Undivided Light, this Friday (March 23rd) via Season Of Mist. Pre-order the album here, and listen to the album in advance below.

Tracklisting

"Tazama Jua"
"Blutbad"
"Stones And Dust"
"The Undivided Light"
"Mέμνησο"
"Silent Yard"
"Ying & Yang"

Album stream:

(Photo - Lambros Mentzos)

Axel Rudi Pell has released this new teaser video for his upcoming Knights Call album, out this Friday, March 23rd:

“I’d rather have long-term success than the hit album everybody is always referring to.” Axel Rudi Pell knows exactly what he is talking about. His solo career has lasted for almost three decades now. In the international hard rocking universe, Pell is nothing short of a phenomenon: a musician who flies under the radar, but certainly isn’t invisible. He’s an honest worker who has learned his skills from scratch. He’s never experienced writer’s block, has never followed trends or fashions. You know what to expect from him.

So, what’s new? Game Of Sins from 2016 was a huge success and peaked at #11 in the German charts. Its successor is called Knights Call and studio album #17 (in words: seventeen). That’s a fact and more than a symbol of steadily releasing albums on SPV / Steamhammer, Pell’s tried and trusted label since 1989. More than 1.5 million people worldwide have bought Pell’s albums. What an impressive number! But there is no reason for the axeman to rest on his laurels. “Why should I retire?” asks the 57-year-old. And answers his own question: “As long as I can do what I like I’m the happiest man in the world.”

Basically Pell is living his very own dream: He has turned his hobby into a profession. But there’s also a lot of determination involved. His ongoing passion drives him all the time, he’s always on the lookout for a better chorus, a better solo, a better bridge, a better song. “Writing songs is like a lot of things in life: It’s my way or the highway!” His confidence in his abilities is enormous, but he also knows that he can rely on his German-American dream team featuring singer Johnny Gioeli and drummer Bobby Rondinelli. And of course, his fans are very important to him. “For me, direct feedback is essential. Playing only in the studio would be boring. Who would sign up for that?”

Axel Rudi Pell 2018 is about more grooves, more melodies and more diversity. The mix between medieval mysticism and fantasy folklore is still there, but there’s been a bit of fine tuning.

Tracklisting:

"The Medieval Overture (intro)"
"The Wild And The Young"
"Wildest Dreams"
"Long Live Rock"
"The Crusaders Of Doom"
"Truth And Lies"
"Beyond The Light"
"Slaves On The Run"
"Follow The Sun"
"Tower Of Babylon"

Knights Call will be released March 23rd through SPV / Steamhammer in the following configurations:

-  Ltd. DigiPak incl. Poster
-  Jewel Case Clear Tray Edition
-  2LP Gatefold, 180 g, red vinyl with black swirls, printed inner sleeves, CD in paper sleeve
-  Download
-  Streaming
-  Ltd Boxset incl.: CD Digi, 2LP, Stainless Steel Skull Beer Mug , A1 Poster, Sticker, Photocard, Patch (Europe only)

Lineup:

Johnny Gioeli - lead and backing vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Ferdy Doernberg - keyboards
Volker Krawczak - bass
Bobby Rondinelli - drums

Axel Rudi Pell 2018 tour dates are listed in the poster below.

The official lyric video for the song "I'm God" from MONSTER MAGNET can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's 11th album, "Mindfucker", which will be released on March 23 via Napalm. The disc "is different, a step forward and a step back at the same time to the almighty roots of hard rock music, kindled by the unpretentious proto-punk era," according to a press release. "Up-tempo, savage in both sound and spirit, 'Mindfucker' is the real deal! The album has the potential to surprise and to whip up the love for the genre, while still giving the sludgies and stoner freaks exactly what they wish for in a new MONSTER MAGNET album."

Commented MONSTER MAGNET leader Dave Wyndorf: "'Mindfucker' is a fuzzed out, headbangin' celebration of hard rock and 21st Century paranoia. Ten fuel-injected, nitro-burning tracks of fiery rock 'n' roll and garage psych madness, all done MONSTER MAGNET style. It's also an album that gets right to the point: the world is out of its fucking mind and I'm livin' it…. for better or worse. It's simple, really. In these crazy times, I've been wanting to just drive my car at 100 miles per hour and howl, you know what I mean? So I wrote songs I can do that with. And with lyrics that don’t deny the times we're living in. Feels good, feels right. Rock is alive, baby!"

MONSTER MAGNET guitarist Phil Caivano told Metal Express Radio in May 2016 that the band's follow-up to 2013's "Last Patrol" was "very aggressive, very straight-ahead, very 'Detroit.' Once again, [it's] back to some of our American roots. We did the 'space rock' thing on the last couple of records. Being the huge HAWKWIND fans we are, AMON DÜÜL fans, GROUNDHOGS fans… that whole thing. 'Last Patrol' was very, very influenced by space rock, and there'll always be elements of space rock in MONSTER MAGNET stuff, but we brought it back to what we were influenced by as kids, which would be the Detroit thing: STOOGES, MC5, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. Very punchy, American… That's really what it is. All I can say is the word 'Detroit' always keeps coming to mind."

"Mindfucker" track listing:

01. Rocket Freak

02. Soul

03. Mindfucker

04. I'm God

05. Drowning

06. Ejection

07. Want Some

08. Brainwashed

09. All Day Midnight

10. When The Hammer Comes Down

MONSTER MAGNET's last release was "Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)", which came out in October 2015. The album was dubbed an "alternative listening experience" to the band's 2010 effort "Mastermind". The approach was similar to what MONSTER MAGNET did in 2014 when they took "Last Patrol", pulled the songs apart and rebuilt them as "Milking The Stars: A Re-Imagining Of Last Patrol".

MONSTER MAGNET is:

Dave Wyndorf (vocals, guitar)

Garrett Sweeny (guitar)

Phil Caivano (guitar)

Chris Kosnik (bass)

Bob Pantella (drums)

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

"Muerte", the sixth full-length album from noise metal legends WILL HAVEN, can be streamed in its entireyt below. The disc will be released on March 23 via Minus Head Records.

The origins of WILL HAVEN can be traced back to 1995, when they first emerged as a staple in Sacramento, California's storied underground. For over two decades, they've existed on the fringe of extreme music — championing an apocalyptic amalgam of metal, noise, hardcore, and alternative all their own.


WILL HAVEN breathes entirely new life into its sound with "Muerte" (Spanish for "death"), taking notes from the past but incorporating modern tones to create a chaotic, haunting auditory attack.

"All said and done, we spent two years on this record," said WILL HAVEN guitarist Jeff Irwin. "We had more time than ever to fine tune the music. We really benefitted from that. We're also more in tune with who we are. It's the first time I walked away going, 'There's nothing else I could've done to make this better.'"


Throughout 2017, the members of WILL HAVEN secretly recorded "Muerte" at Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento with Joe Johnston engineering and co-producing alongside Irwin. They pieced together a corrosive, chaotic, and cohesive vision that never relents over its 11 tracks. Mastering was handled by Logan Mader (DEVIL YOU KNOW, FEAR FACTORY, PERIPHERY).


Irwin added about recording "Muerte": "It felt like a rebirth. It sounds like a whole new band. There's a chemistry that only the four of us can achieve. Who knows what's next, but this is everything we were always meant to be on a record."

Asked how Stephen Carpenter of DEFTONES ended up making a guest appearance on the last song of the album, "El Sol", Irwin told Metal Temple: "I have been friends with Stephen for a very long time. He was one of my close friends before WILL HAVEN was even thought of, so before I really played music, I watched Stephen play guitar. He was a huge influence on me, not just musically, but personally. He is just a super-awesome guy and I was always blown away by his talent. He didn't play guitar like other people — no solos, no silly riffs; he was all about the song, making it sound big and giving it emotion. I loved that about his playing. So when I started WILL HAVEN, everything I had learned from Stephen I put into my playing and songwriting. I have always wanted to collaborate with him but just never did it. I have no idea why, so when I started working on this record, I called him up and I was, like, 'Hey, would you like to write a song with me for our new record?' And he said, 'I would love to. I'll send you something in a few days.' and 'm thinking it would take a while to get something because he is a super busy guy. Three days later, he sent me an eight-minute song full of riffs. I was so stoked when I listened to it because he captured that WILL HAVEN vibe but put his spin on it — it was perfect. After I got it, I just went in and kind of chopped it up a bit and added my guitar parts to it. It actually came really easy. I think we have a lot in common songwriting-wise and in some ways, we still influence each other, so we just gelled really easy. I had a blast working on it, and we talked about doing more stuff in the future. I'm excited to see what we can come up with. For me, it was time to do something with him. He and the DEFTONES have been a huge part of my and WILL HAVEN's development, so for me, this had to happen at some point. We have a family vibe between our two bands, and that's how it felt when working on this song."


"Muerte" track listing:

01. Hewed With The Brand

02. Winds Of Change

03. Kinney

04. The Son

05. 43

06. No Escape (feat. Mike Scheidt of YOB)

07. Unit K

08. Ladwig No. 949

09. Bootstraps

10. Now In The Ashes

11. El Sol (feat. Stephen Carpenter)


WILL HAVEN will perform at four California shows and one Oregon show this spring, including a May run with FAKE FIGURES.

WILL HAVEN is:

Grady Avenell - Vocals

Jeff Irwin - Guitar

Adrien Contreras - Bass

Mitch Wheeler - Drums

Photo credit: Rockin Ryan Richardson

"This Is Vengeance", a brand new song from former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, can be streamed below.

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

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

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

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

"By Blood Sworn" track listing:

01. By Blood Sworn

02. Among The Bones

03. This Is Vengeance

04. We Are The Night

05. Faith Of The Fallen

06. Devil's Day

07. Lilith

08. Play Among The Godz

09. Circle Of Damnation

10. Fistful Of Hate

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

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

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

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has posted a short video clip of him performing a piano cover version of AUDIOSLAVE's "Getaway Car" as a tribute to late SOUNDGARDEN and AUDIOSLAVE singer Chris Cornell. "A little tribute to a sorely missed artist. #cornell," Taylor wrote in an accompanying caption.

Taylor said last year that his "one regret" was that he never got to tell Cornell how much he inspired him. "[Chris] was truly an inspiration for me as a songwriter, as a singer, as a performer, because he wrote what he wanted," Corey said. "He didn't care about anything. He didn't let genres get in his way, he didn't let styles get in his way, and he was like that from the very beginning, whether it was stuff like 'Badmotorfinger' or the solo stuff that he put on the 'Singles' soundtrack, like 'Seasons'. It was amazing! He could go back and forth and all over the place musically, and that inspired me so much. And my one regret is that I never got to tell him… [Pauses and gets choked up] We love you, Chris."

STONE SOUR honored Cornell by performing a cover version of SOUNDGARDEN's "Outshined" at last year's Rock On The Range Kick-Off Party at Express Live! (formerly LC Pavilion) in Columbus, Ohio. Taylor stated about his band's decision to play the track: "It was important, you know. Chris's impact can never probably ever be really encapsulated and spoken about enough. So us playing 'Outshined', and playing it with heart, and not just because we wanted to, but because we needed to, it came off really well, and the audience loved it."

Chris was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city's Fox Theatre. The death was ruled a suicide.

Taylor and STONE SOUR recently finished a string of North American dates in support of that band's sixth studio effort, "Hydrograd".

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

A little tribute to a sorely missed artist. #cornell A post shared by Corey Taylor (@coreytaylor) on Mar 21, 2018 at 9:27am PDT

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, philanthropist, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and iconic music legend Steven Tyler will take over Nashville starting Thursday, May 10, as Nashville mayor David Briley proclaims the day "Steven Tyler Day" in Music City. The honor will be bestowed upon Tyler prior to the world premiere of the new documentary film "Steven Tyler: Out On A Limb", which opens the 49th annual Nashville Film Festival that night.

In addition, Tyler will perform with Nashville-based THE LOVING MARY band at The Woods at Fontanel on Saturday, May 12. This 4,500-seat natural outdoor amphitheater is rooted in music history as it is situated on the old estate of country music legend Barbara Mandrell. Tickets for this public show will go on sale through Ticketmaster on March 16.

"Nashville is a key part of my musical journey and has had an influential place in my career, so this recognition from the city is a tremendous honor," says Tyler. "I'm also so touched that the Nashville Film Festival selected 'Steven Tyler: Out On A Limb' to kick off opening night of this year's event with our world premiere."

Ted Crockett, CEO of the Nashville Film Festival, added, "It is an honor to have music icon Steven Tyler kick off an exciting 10 days of film premieres, VIP events and industry panels at the 49th annual Nashville Film Festival and indicative of the quality of talent participating in this year's festival."

"Steven Tyler: Out On A Limb" is an intimate portrait of rock icon Steven Tyler as he embraces the challenges of shifting gears, both as a solo performer and in a new genre of music. Uncovering a side of Tyler many fans have never seen before, this inspiring story looks at the passion, drive and search for creative fulfillment that keeps artists pushing boundaries throughout their careers. Casey Tebo directed the documentary and also served as producer alongside Steven Tyler, Rebecca Warfield and Todd Thompson of Vermillion Entertainment, a Cross Creek Media company. Momentum Pictures will release the film on VOD and digital HD on May 15.

"Premiering 'Steven Tyler: Out On A Limb' at the Nashville Film Festival couldn't be any more perfect for us," said the film's director Casey Tebo. "Nashville is like a second home to me and it welcomes everyone with open arms. We're thrilled that the festival, city of Nashville and our distribution partners Momentum Pictures are sharing the film with Music City first."

A 2010 inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of THE STOOGES, James Williamson is now set to make his most stylistically diverse musical statement to date with his new group, JAMES WILLIAMSON & THE PINK HEARTS. Fronted by Los Angeles-based vocalists Frank Meyer (THE STREETWALKIN' CHEETAHS) and Petra Haden (THAT DOG, THE HADEN TRIPLETS), THE PINK HEARTS' repertoire encompasses everything from feral rockers to soul-searching balladry. "Behind The Shade By James Williamson & The Pink Hearts" will be released on LP+CD, standalone CD, and digitally by Leopard Lady Records on Friday, June 22.


Recorded last year in Berkeley (instrumentation) and Los Angeles (vocals), "Behind The Shade" is a thoroughly modern rock album which also evokes the most stirring elements of '70s rock 'n' roll. "You Send Me Down" is an exuberant party starter with keyboards funky enough to have been lifted from the Billy Preston songbook, while "Pink Hearts Across the Sky" (a sure-fire favorite at AAA Radio) is resilient Americana with a crystal-clear vocal performance by Haden worthy of Linda Ronstadt. The lonely, late-night afterglow of Alejandro Escovedo's "Died A Little Today" (the album's sole cover and a CD-only bonus track) features a plaintive vocal by Haden accompanied by swooning lap steel. "Destiny Now" pairs melodic rock guitar with vocals reminiscent of '90s college rock favorites Madder Rose and Bettie Serveert. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Meyer's raw, rabble-rousing vocals throw kerosene on the riff-driven assault of "Riot On The Strip" and "The Revolution Stomp". Meyer also has room to get contemplative on the buzzing underground strut of "Miss Misery" and the tough-as-nails rocker "Judith Christ".


Meyer, a consistently impressive songwriting force on the album, penned all of the lyrics and co-shares the lead vocals. Haden's violin graces five tracks and her voice appears throughout the album, either singing lead, on duets with Meyer, or providing harmonies. Williamson supplies all of the riffs, guitar parts, and most bass parts. In addition, "Behind The Shade" features a wide array of talented accompanists. Michael Urbano (SMASH MOUTH, BOURGEOIS TAGG, TODD RUNDGREN, JOHN HIATT) provides inventive percussion and driving drum patterns. Gregg Foreman, Hervé Salters, Paul Roessler, Nick Hart and Audrey Vera guest on keyboards and piano. Additional musicians on the sessions are Jason Carmer (bass), Don Rooke (lap steel), Geoff Yeaton (saxophone), Tony Peebles (saxophone) and Steffen Kuehn (trumpets).


The origins of the PINK HEARTS stretch back to 2012 when Williamson was searching for backing singers to appear on what would become the final STOOGES album, "Ready To Die" (2013). Latter-day STOOGES bassist Mike Watt suggested his friend Petra Haden to Williamson. "Petra came in with her violin and blew me away with her playing and singing," recalls Williamson. "Months later when we recorded the basic tracks, I included her on what would become 'Ready To Die''s closing track, 'The Departed'."


By that point, Haden — the daughter of jazz bassist Charlie Haden, and sister of bassist-singer Josh Haden of Spain — was already a music veteran. In 1994, she was a founding member of THAT DOG, a rock quartet signed to Geffen Records that included one of her triplet sisters, bassist Rachel Haden, in its core lineup, as well as guest appearances by the remaining triplet, cellist Tanya Haden. Petra, Rachel and Tanya have also recorded and performed as THE HADEN TRIPLETS. Throughout her career, Haden has recorded a string of acclaimed solo albums and has collaborated with Bill Frisell, THE DECEMBERISTS, TITO & TARANTULA, THE TWILIGHT SINGERS, Beck, LUSCIOUS JACKSON, FOO FIGHTERS, GREEN DAY, Victoria Williams, SUNN O))), and many others.


THE PINK HEARTS' main vocalist and lyricist Frank Meyer took a more circuitous route in joining the band. Williamson picks up the story: "The last full-length album I released was 'Re-Licked' (2014); it was a proper recording of songs Iggy and I had demoed for the follow up to 'Raw Power'. The album featured 14 different vocalists so it was pretty impossible to tour, although I did appear on 'Last Call With Carson Daly' alongside several singers who appeared on the album. When I eventually booked a handful of West Coast concerts to support the album, I was lacking a male vocalist for 'I'm Sick Of You' so I asked my friend Cheetah Chrome (THE DEAD BOYS) for suggestions. He recommended Frank Meyer, singer/guitarist with THE STREETWALKIN' CHEETAHS, which happened to be Cheetah's touring band at the time. Frank killed it on the live show. I was very impressed by his singing and stage presence."


Fast forward to 2017. In the years since "Re-Licked", Williamson had recorded various collaborative singles with a range of artists, and an EP, "Acoustic K.O.", with fellow high-energy Michigan rocker Deniz Tek of RADIO BIRDMAN fame. He was considering the idea of embarking on a new album but was stuck for a lyricist with whom to work. Remembering the strong impression Meyer had made, Williamson reached out to him. "Once I approached Frank to collaborate, I instantly knew he was right for the project as he not only said 'Yeah,' he said, 'Hell yeah!', recalls Williamson. "Frank is very quick in writing lyrics. As quickly as I could turn out riffs and tunes, he would turn them around with fully developed lyrics. It was kind of amazing, really."


For his part, Meyer was thrilled at the idea of collaborating with Williamson and Haden. "The idea of being able to sing with Petra was very exciting and a little intimidating, as she is an absolute master vocally," Meyer recalls. "But after the first batch of songs, she and I clicked and things got real comfortable. After that, James said I should start writing some songs with her in mind as lead vocalist. It really opened up the whole process because now I knew we could do anything or go anywhere creatively. A lot of people who are familiar with James's work with THE STOOGES are going to want to hear a rough-and-tumble male vocalist, but people that want to hear how James is growing as a songwriter and musician will be interested in this new twist. By teaming us up he got the best of both worlds."


Haden concurs: "I loved working with James and Frank. They're both wonderful guys and such great musicians. It was so cool to be in the studio and witness their creative process. The magic definitely comes through on this record."


James Williamson is best known for co-writing with Iggy Pop, and playing all the guitars on, 1973's seminal "Raw Power" album by IGGY & THE STOOGES. That album's lead track, "Search And Destroy", has become a rite of passage for any self-respecting rocker and has been covered by PEARL JAM with MUDHONEY, DEF LEPPARD, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Sid Vicious, THE DEAD BOYS, and countless others. Commenting on "Raw Power"'s ferocity, James has said "I am a very emotional guitar player, so I always played that way. That's how we felt, so that was what it sounded like."


Dropped by CBS Records, THE STOOGES disbanded in February 1974, although Williamson continued to work with Pop, off and on, throughout the 1970s. This period yielded the demo collection "Kill City" (1977), the infamous live album "Metallic K.O." (1977), and produced a pair of Pop solo albums, "New Values" (1979) and "Soldier" (1980, pre-production). After a long break during which Williamson lived in Silicon Valley and worked as a technological developer, he reunited with Pop, in a version of the "Raw Power" lineup of THE STOOGES, in 2009. Following several tours which played on multiple continents, THE STOOGES released a final studio album, "Ready To Die" (2013), produced and co-written by Williamson. Although THE STOOGES played their final live dates in September 2013, it wasn't until June of 2016 that Williamson released an official statement on behalf of the band saying that THE STOOGES were no more.

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS has premiered a new track and accompanying music video for "Just Another Ghost". The track is the second single from the band's upcoming album, "Bad Frequencies", which is due out April 27 via Pure Noise Records.

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS singer and guitarist JT Woodruff states: "'Just Another Ghost' is a song about floating through life, and the anxiety that comes with the feeling that life is passing you by. One second you are having the time of your life, and the next second you feel all alone. Your mood can go from euphoria to panic, until you eventually feel you aren't even there, or you are invisible."


Directed by Benny Gagliardi, the video features the band performing in two extremely different locations to create the feeling of being in different worlds. Woodruff says: "We wanted to have a video that matched that feeling and emotion, which is why we shot in two entirely different locations. We put flyers on the wall at Slidebar from life-changing shows that each member of HH personally went to when we were growing up. Then to capture the sadness and loneliness, we drove out to Slab City, California in a location that was perfectly isolation, like in a dream. We wanted it to look like two entirely different worlds, because that's how life can feel sometimes. Anxiety is powerful, and we wanted to capture that raw feeling."

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

"Bad Frequencies" track listing:

01. In Gloom

02. Pink Hearts

03. Crimson Sand

04. The Perfect Way To Fall Apart

05. Just Another Ghost

06. Bad Frequencies

07. Skylark

08. Edge Of Town

09. Starlighter (Echo, Utah)

10. Push Me Away

11. The Suicide Mile

12. Straight Down The Line

13. Pills

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

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

"Fistful Of Misery", the new video from Danish power and progressive metal masters ROYAL HUNT, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 14th studio album, "Cast in Stone", which was released in Japan on February 7 by King Records and in the rest of the world on February 21 by NorthPoint Productions.

"Cast in Stone" track listing:

01. Fistful Of Misery

02. The Last Soul Alive

03. Sacrifice

04. The Wishing Well

05. Cast In Stone

06. A Million Ways To Die

07. Rest In Peace

08. Save Me II

Formed in 1989, ROYAL HUNT is the brainchild of keyboardist and main songwriter André Andersen, whose goal was to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements.

Says Andersen: "This album took a while to complete… mind you, between the very first idea and until the final mix, we did two tours and released two live albums… so this one's been in the making for quite some time. In a way, it's been very practical: you could work on it for a while, than go on doing something else and then come back later to re-evaluate what's been done before. As a result, all songs on the album are solid and well crafted, showing every aspect of ROYAL HUNT today: originality, catchy hooks, strong melodies, great musicianship and larger-than-life production. On that — the production — we definitely did quite a job: all the vital recorded parts were done in analog as well as the final mixing/mastering so there're no 'loudness wars' in sight; no brickwall limited, over-compressed, lifeless wall of sound… the album breaths just like a real rock album should. I could also go on for hours praising everybody's contribution — musicians and singers alike — but as my opinion will inevitably be very biased, I would prefer to leave the final judgment to you… after all this album's been made for you to enjoy (although we're enjoying it immensely ourselves at the moment)."

ROYAL HUNT is:

André Andersen - keyboards

DC Cooper - vocals

Andreas Passmark - bass

Jonas Larsen - guitar

Andreas HABO Johansson - drums

Escape The Fate have released a lyric video for the new track "Digging My Own Grave", which is available for fans to download as an instant grat when pre-ordering the new album I Am Human, out March 30th via Better Noise Records/Eleven Seven. Watch the clip below. Pre-order the album here.

I Am Human sees Escape The Fate at their most raw, real, and relatable. Produced by Grammy Award-nominated super producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Adam Lambert), this record sees an evolution of Escape The Fate’s sound that brings the band back to the excitement of their roots.

“We’re getting older, and we’re changing - so our music should change with us,” singer Craig Mabbitt says, “At the same time, we rediscovered what made us who we are. I felt like I was 17-years-old again. I haven’t been this excited to release something since I first joined the band and we put out This War Is Ours.”

Tracklisting:

"Beautifully Tragic"
"Broken Heart"
"Four Letter Word"
"I Will Make It Up To You"
"Bleed For Me"
"Do You Love Me"
"I Am Human"
"If Only"
"Empire"
"Recipe For Disaster"
"Riot"
"Digging My Own Grave"
"Resistance"
"Let Me Be"

"Digging My Own Grave" lyric video:

"Broken Heart" lyric video:

"I Am Human" lyric video:

"Do You Love Me" lyric video:

“Empire” lyric video:

(Photo - Sean Edwards)

Almost 10 years have passed since Munich-based Commander released The Enemies We Create. On April 13th they will return with a new album featuring nine brand new songs, Fatalis (The Unbroken Circle). The album was mastered in November 2017 at Temple Of Disharmony by Patrick W. Engel. Artwork was created by Remy Cooper (Headsplit Design), who is also responsible for works with Kreator, Cryptopsy and Arch Enemy. More album details will be released soon.

Fatalis (The Unbroken Circle) will be released via Black Sunset / MDD. Go to this location to pre-order.

Commander have announced the following live dates for 2018:

March
31 - München, Germany - Backstage (Dark Easter Metal Meeting 2018)

April
28 - Aalen, Germany - Rock It (Death Celebration 2018)

September
22 - Schrobenhausen, Germany - Metal im Woid V Festival

December
28 - München, Germany - 8Below Friday Madness Party

For information and updates on Commander go to this location.

Helix vocalist Brian Vollmer has uploaded this new video, Brian's Blast From The Past: 1981 Red Deer.

Original footage from 1981 shot by Brian Vollmer, just before the band was signed to Capitol/EMI in 1983. Shows the Windsor Hotel (a VERY rough place), Kenny Heague's comments walking down the street (Ken was the band's sound man who went on to work for Green Jelly, Bette Midler, Fleetwood Mac, Live, and the Indianapolis Colts). The last scene is Brian and Mike Uzilac (bass player on No Rest For The Wicked) playing a funny song called "Oh Billy Billy Why Did You Send Us Here?" The "Billy" they are singing about is manager Bill Seip.

Catch Helix live in concert at the following shows:

April
19 - Club Regent Event Centre - Winnipeg, Manitoba

May
17 - Blyth Theatre - Blyth, Ontario (acoustic show)

July
29 - Parc Jean-Drapeau - Montreal, Quebec

August
11 - Rock The Plaza - Windsor, Ontario
17 - Rockin' The Rock - Little Current, Ontario

Brazilian blackened death metal power trio Crucifixion BR have released an official video for their cover of the Motörhead classic, "Bomber". This song is featured on the Motörhead tribute Going To Brazil, released in 2017 via Secret Service Recs. from the UK, which includes other renown names from the Brazilian metal scene.

"Bomber" will also be available as a bonus track on the band's upcoming album, Human Decay, scheduled for release sometime in 2018.

The animated cartoon was created by Mike Hell Poloni & Square Design Studio, same creator of the official video for "Eternal Judgement", a track from the album Destroying The Fucking Disciples Of Christ, released via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

In this new video, the band pays homage to the memory and the legacy of the power trio Lemmy Kilminster, Phil "Animal" Taylor and "Fast" Eddie Clark, while revisiting scenes from their first European tour in 2015, and also paying homage to their favourite soccer team, the Intercontinental winner Gremio.

Crucifixion BR lineup:

Marcio "Maxx" Guterres - Vocals/Guitars
Beto "Factus" - Bass
Juliana Novo - Drums

Former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young has launched his new East Meets West Project featuring Japanese vocalist Maki Oyama. Back in February they posted their long distance cover of One Ok Rock's "Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer". Check it out below.

Young recently checked in with the following update:

"We recorded the full sketch arrangement of the new/first East Meets West Project original song today. Even more than I hoped for... don't ya just love it when a plan Finally falls together? Everyone on the team was cool and things flowed real groovy. Much thanks to all involved!

Studio excerpts coming to Patreon asap. This tune is a barn burner!"

Maki Oyama - Vocals 
Jeff Young - Guitar 
Jeff Tortora - Drums

Vocalist Maki Oyama out of Japan can be seen and heard below covering the Loudness classic "In The Mirror" with an acoustic backing band.

The rare video streaming below features Deep Purple having a little fun with the press at their infamous 1987 Wembley show. The band were on tour supporting The House Of Blue Light album. They are being helped out by their friend, Don Bernstein from The Hard Rock Cafe. Ritchie Blackmore refused to play the encore and the band played "Smoke On The Water" without him.

In these days where everybody seems to want to show off at every given occasion, Don Airey is without a doubt One Of A Kind.

It is hard to find a name amongst all those that over the last 30 years have left their mark in the history of rock that has not utilized Don's keyboard skills at some point. Amongst them Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Judas Priest, Gary Moore, Brian May, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and, obviously, Deep Purple, the band of which Don Airey has been a full time member for over 15 years.

But Don Airey has never been a session player. Bands and artists work with him for his unique musical vision, for the twist he gives to songs. It is with the same passion, the same energy, the same talent that Don Airey approaches his very own songwriting.

One Of A Kind is a true classic hard rock gem with melodies, great riffs and solos and a unique band unity. To top it all, his new solo album has been written and recorded using the spirit of a band featuring the following talented musicians: Carl Sentance (from the current lineup of British legends Nazareth) is a singer that all fans of metal voices like those of Rob Halford and Graham Bonnet will love; Bassist Laurence Cottle, who has played with everyone from Black Sabbath, to Gary Moore, to Chick Corea, forges a great rhythm section with the thunderous talent of Jon Finnigan, apparently as loud on stage as he is at the after show parties. Last but definitely not least, there is the incredible talent of Simon McBride, who has no fear of being compared to the many incredible guitar players Don has worked with before.

One Of A Kind is one song after the other for the delight of every hard rock fan, who would be making a big mistake were they to overlook this album. It will be released on May 25th via earMUSIC as 2CD (including a bonus live CD) as well as on vinyl and digitally.

It is not difficult to see Don Airey playing one day with Deep Purple in front of 15,000 people, and the next day, playing the organ in the church of his beloved local village with the same concentration and respect for the music and the audience.

It is with the same spirit that Don shows no discernible effort moving from the glories of the last two Deep Purple albums (NOW What?! and inFinite both having benefitted from his ever present talent) to playing in clubs with his own band. And always with a big smile on his face as soon as the guitar roars in, waiting to reply with his Hammond.

One Of A Kind tracklisting:

"Respect"
"All Out Of Line"
"One Of A Kind"
"Everytime I See Your Face"
"Victim Of Pain"
"Running Free"
"Lost Boys"
"Need You So Bad"
"Children Of The Sun"
"Remember To Call"
"Stay The Night"

Bonus CD (Recorded live at Fabrik, Hamburg on March 14, 2017):

"Pictures Of Home" (originally by Deep Purple)
"Since You've Been Gone" (originally by Rainbow)
"I Surrender" (originally by Rainbow)
"Still Got The Blues" (originally by Gary Moore)

German thrashers Pripjat will release their second album, Chain Reaction, on April 27th via NoiseArt Records. The album will be available on CD digipak and 2 LP black vinyl in gatefold. Today sees the release of the first single off the album, "Survival Of The Sickest", just in time for the launch of the album pre-order. The official video for the song can be found below.

The band states: "So here we go again, friends - the first single of our upcoming release Chain Reaction is called 'Survival Of The Sickest'. It is a straightforward thrasher with a catchy and tense main-riff that should leave no doubt about where Pripjat is heading 2018. The lyrics are a pissed reflection on the status quo of our world and the ridiculous events that recently became normal. If we head on the same direction there is just one answer to our problems: A Nuclear Solution!"

Pre-order Chain Reaction digitally and receive "Survival Of The Sickest" instantly, or stream the song here.
https://goo.gl/cxJoxi

Pre-order Chain Reaction physically via the following links:

- Napalm Records
- EMP
- Amazon

Chain Reaction tracklisting:

"Just a Head"
"Take The Law"
"The Seed"
"Bowed, Yet Unbroken"
"Kiev Burns!"
"28.04."
"Brick By Brick"
"Survival Of The Sickest"
"Chain Reaction"
"Returnless"

"Survival Of The Sickest" video:

The official video for "It's Just Another Day", a brand new song from the classic lineup of DOKKEN — Don Dokken (vocals), George Lynch (guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass) and Mick Brown (drums) — can be seen below. The clip was filmed in January with director Jamie Brown, who has previously worked with LYNCH MOB and KXM.

In October 2016, the classic lineup of DOKKEN reunited to play the Loud Park festival in Japan. Fortunately for fans outside of Japan, cameras were there to capture the performance and now Frontiers Music Srl is set to issue "Return To The East Live 2016" on April 20. In addition to the Japanese performance, this set will feature footage from the classic lineup's only U.S. show in September 2016 at Badlands in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.


"Return To The East Live 2016" will be available in the following formats:


* CD/DVD* Blu-Ray

* Collector's Box (CD/DVD + T-Shirt) [Comes with XL tee in the U.S., L tee in EU]

* 2xLP Standard 180g Black Vinyl

* 2xLP Limited Edition 180g Green Vinyl (Exclusive to Frontiers' U.S. Store - Limited to 150 worldwide)

* 2xLP Limited Edition 180g Red Vinyl (Exclusive to Frontiers' EU Store - Limited to 150 worldwide)

* MP3 (audio only)


If the release wasn't amazing enough, the package includes "It's Just Another Day" and two acoustic re-workings of classic tracks.


Don Dokken says: "After 25 years, it was great to reunite with George and Jeff and Mick and do a couple shows for the fans. We hope you like this album and video. There's a lot of great bonus footage of us having fun, so enjoy it."


Pilson adds: "I'm so thrilled this piece of the DOKKEN story is hitting the streets. What a magical experience it has been and this CD/DVD captures a lot of that wonderful manic energy that has always made DOKKEN so vital! I remain extremely grateful to have been a part of such a vibrant voice in the world of heavy rock. Thanks to the fans and to George, Don and Mick for being the musicians, writers and friends that you are!"


Track listing:

CD

01. It's Another Day (new studio track)

02. Kiss Of Death

03. The Hunter

04. Unchain The Night

05. When Heaven Comes Down

06. Breakin' The Chains

07. Into The Fire

08. Dream Warriors

09. Tooth And Nail

10. Alone Again (intro)

11. Alone Again

12. It's Not Love

13. In My Dreams

14. Heaven Sent (acoustic studio bonus track)

15. Will The Sun Rise (acoustic studio bonus track)


DVD

01. Tooth And Nail

02. Unchain The Night

03. When Heaven Comes Down

04. Breakin' The Chains

05. Into The Fire

06. Alone Again

07. It's Not Love

08. Paris Is Burning

09. Kiss Of Death

10. The Hunter

11. Dream Warriors

12. In My Dreams

13. Behind The Scenes


Don recently told the "The Classic Metal Show" that he didn't know "why it took a freaking year" to complete the DVD. He said: "We had almost two hours of just backstage, goofing around, on the train, going to Osaka, Nagoya, on the train, having fun backstage, screwing around. That took forever to edit. So on the new live DVD, there's gonna a lot of bonus footage — a lot of just candid, messing around, having fun. 'Cause, you know, George and Jeff hadn't been in DOKKEN for over 20 years."

As for the musical direction of the new song, Don said that it is "very DOKKEN-sounding" and "very classic '80s" with "big harmonies. It's just like 'Paris Is Burning' meets 'In My Dreams'," he said. The track is the first new song to be recorded by the classic DOKKEN lineup since the 1997 "Shadowlife" album.

Don also talked about his current relationship with George and Jeff, both of whom he had previously traded verbal barbs with in the press. "I would say that I had some trepidation [about playing with them again], obviously," Dokken said. "We've been getting offers for years and years and years to do a reunion, quote-unquote, tour, and I said, 'Guys, I'm not interested. DOKKEN, to me, is Chris McCarvill, 'Wild' Mick Brown and Jon Levin, who's been in the band for 22 years. That's DOKKEN.' I don't see why I need to go back in time and do this. What's the point? If it's just for money, they know how I feel about that. And there's more to life than money. You can live in a mansion and drive a Ferrari and be miserable. And I said, 'I'm not interested.' So I had some trepidation. We only rehearsed with Jeff and George for three days when we did the South Dakota one show only in America, where we filmed. But they showed up, we rehearsed, went to Japan, we filmed the show, we did these huge arenas, sold out. And it was great. George and I shot the shit for hours and hours every day over sake and beer on the bullet trains and we talked about everything from politics to spirituality and it was all good. And Jeff is such an addict, he's almost maybe worse than me when it comes to music. I mean, every day, Jeff's on the bullet train looking at the footage from the night before and he's looking at this, he's looking at that. 'Check this out. How about that? This is a good shot.' He's mixing the songs, he's trying to figure out what's the best takes. So it was a band effort. That was nice."

Fan-filmed video of Gene Simmons and his solo band performing the KISS classic "Dr. Love" with fan Brian McCauley, who is blind, surfaced on YouTube in February. It was shot at the Lynn Auditorium in Lynn, MA on February 16th. 

According to an IHeartRadio report, Simmons said "We did not rehearse with him. We didn’t know that Brian was a graduate of a school for the blind, originally started by Helen Keller. All we knew was that he was relentless." 

Simmons continued saying McCauley contacted every member of the band, including the club promoter, before barging into Simmons' dressing room.

"He told me he would be on stage to sing 'Dr. Love.' In G flat, no less."

Topping charts worldwide this past weekend, Bad Wolves’ cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie” has hit #1 in multiple countries around the globe. The track will appear on the band’s debut album Disobey, coming out May 18th on Eleven Seven Music.

Stateside the song hit the trifecta, going #1 iTunes overall, rock, and metal. It also hit #1 Rock and #1 Metal on iTunes in The Cranberries’ home country of Ireland, The UK, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia.

The global numbers are undeniable: the video, which can be seen below, has garnered more than 14 million views in 18 days across YouTube and Facebook, and the track has gone #3 on Spotify’s Viral Global Top 50 and #4 on Spotify’s Viral US Top 50.

The unstoppable hit single was first released by The Cranberries in 1994, the original track, which can be enjoyed below, hit #1 across the globe, including the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. The song returned to the Top-Ten on the US Rock Charts shortly after news of singer Dolores O’Riordan’s passing earlier this year.

O’Riordan was slated to record vocals for Bad Wolves’ cover of the track (which she described as “killer”) on the day of her passing. The band decided to release the song in her honor with all Bad Wolves’ proceeds going to her children.

As a new generation discovers “Zombie” thanks to Bad Wolves, the track shows itself as a timeless hit with staying power that reaches across the ages.

Bad Wolves will tour extensively in 2018. Dates below, with more TBA.

April
20 - UFEST 2018 - Mesa, AZ
21 - Las Rageous - Las Vegas, NV
27 - Welcome to Rockville - Jacksonville, FL
28 - Fort Rock Festival - Fort Lauderdale, FL

Supporting Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown:

May
6 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
8 - Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY
10 - BOK Center - Tulsa, OK
11 - Westfair Amphitheatre - Council Bluffs, IA
12 - Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI *
14 - Salem Civic Center - Salem, VA
16 - Legacy Arena - Birmingham, AL
17 - Ford Center- Evansville, IN
18 - Mark of the Quad - Moline, IL
20 - Alerus Center - Grand Forks, ND
30 - Casper Events Center - Casper, WY *

* FFDP and Bad Wolves only

Bad Wolves is comprised of: vocalist Tommy Vext (ex-Divine Heresy), drummer John Boecklin (ex-DevilDriver), guitarist Doc Coyle (Vagus Nerve, ex-God Forbid), guitarist Chris Cain (Bury Your Dead), and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-In This Moment).