Finnish winter metal band Wolfheart has released their 3rd album. Just released album carries the name TYHJYYS (Finnish meaning: emptiness) and it is released worldwide via Spinefarm Records.

With its eight tracks TYHJYYS is even more darker, colder, faster and versatile Wolfheart giving the listener a brutal scent of the Finnish blizzard! 

Wolfheart has also released a new music video “World On Fire” amongst the release of TYHJYYS. The video is the last single of the new album and it ends the story what was started in the previous video “The Flood”.

Tracklisting:

“Shores Of The Lake Simpele”
“Boneyard”
“World On Fire”
“The Flood”
“The Rift”
“Call Of The Winter”
“Dead White”
“Tyhjyys”

"World On Fire" video:

“The Flood” video:

“Boneyard” video:

(Photo - Valtteri Väyrynen)

“Cursed”, the title track of Righteous Vendetta’s upcoming full-length album is available for streaming below. Cursed is set for release March 17th via Century Media Records. Pre-order the album via Indie Merch, iTunes, and the Amazon widget below.

Speaking on the creative journey behind the making of Cursed, the band states: "After two years of writing and recording we are beyond excited to finally release this album with Century Media. For anyone that follows us, they know this has been a long process. But patience has paid off, because we feel that we have crafted the best album we possibly can."

Tracklisting:

“War Is Killing Us All”
“Cursed”
“Weight Of The World”
“Daemons”
“A Way Out”
“Defiance”
“Psycho”
“Never Say Never”
“Doomed”
“Burn”
“Halfway”
“Become”
“Strangers”

“Cursed”:

“War Is Killing Us All”:

"Weight Of The World":

Teaser:

 

Hailing from Turin, Italy, 8-member symphonic metallers Aevum recently signed with Canadian label Maple Metal Records to release their sophomore full-length album Dischronia on March 17th worldwide. A new lyric video for the track "The Vitruvian Condition" is streaming below. The video was created by Erick Vaghi of OneBlindEye Design, along with a partnership from the Ronin Agency, Italy.

As part of the deal Maple Metal Records will re-distribute the band’s 2014 debut album Impressions, plus previously released material from the band’s two EPs Celestial Angels (2008) and Nova Vita (2012). Aevum was established in 2007.
 
Dischronia was recorded and produced at Aurora Recording Studio by Hannodamalj Production. The album was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni (Vision Divine, Ancient Bards, ElvenKing) at Domination Studio, in the Republic of San Marino.

The artwork for Dischronia was also created by Erick Vaghi of OneBlindEye Design, along with a partnership from Ronin Agency, Italy.
 
Aevum are known for their theatrical live shows, and have toured all over Europe with Haggard, Vision Divine, Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden), and performed at various Metal Festivals in Italy, since their inception.  Aevum also performed at last year’s Metalhead Meeting Festival in Bucharest, Romania, that included such bands as Eluveitie, Delain, Dragonforce, Rotting Christ and Kreator.

Tracklisting:

“Sturm Und Drang”
“Death Of The Virgin”
“The Vitruvian Condition”
“Winterreise”
“Beltade”
“Inner Fire”
“The Elements”
“Memento Mori”
“Lord Of Dreams”
“Inferno Blu”
“Sleeping Venus Tarantella”
“Aremu Rindineddha” (bonus track)
“The Elements” (English version – bonus track)

"The Vitruvian Condition" lyric video:

Teaser:

The Doomsday Kingdom will release their self-titled debut album on March 31st via Nuclear Blast. A lyric video for the album track, “Hand Of Hell”, is available for streaming below.

With this first studio masterpiece, including eight epic doom metal tracks and a pinch of NWOBHM, Leif Edling (Candlemass, Avatarium) and his bringers of darkness will invoke the spirits of the catacombs and prove that doom has never been so alive.

The Doomsday Kingdom tracklisting:

“Silent Kingdom”
“Never Machine”
“A Spoonful Of Darkness”
“See You Tomorrow”
“The Sceptre”
“Hand Of Hell”
“The Silence”
“The God Particle”

“Hand Of Hell” lyric video:

“A Spoonful Of Darkness” lyric video:

“The Sceptre” lyric video:

Trailers:

The band will play their first ever live performance together on the stage of the legendary Roadburn Festival in April, so be ready to dive into this new era of doom metal.

UK rock trio, RavenEye, have announced that they have been invited to tour Europe as special guests of KISS. They have also been added as special guests on the Hellyeah UK tour in April. The band were recently added to the Download festivals in Spain and France, as well as Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Festival.

Since releasing their Breaking Out EP and debut album, Nova, RavenEye has toured globally, supporting Slash, Deep Purple, The Darkness​ and Halestorm amongst others. The band has headlined their own tours through Europe and America as well as performing at major international rock festivals such as Download Festival​ (UK), Hellfest Open Air Festival​ (France), Azkena Rock Festival ARF​ (Spain), Rock For People (Czech Republic), Louder Than Life​ (US), Aftershock Festival​ (US), Maximus Festival (Brazil and Argentina) and most recently the Shiprocked Cruise 2017. Their incendiary live shows have captivated crowds and put them on the map as a ‘must see live’ band.

Tour dates:

April
7 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy *
8 - Glasgow, UK - The Garage *
10 - Leeds, UK - Leeds University Stylus *
11 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront *
13 - London, UK - O2 Islington Academy *
14 - Bristol, UK - Thekla *
15 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City *

May
1 - Moscow, Russia - Olympiski **
4 - Helsinki, Finland - Hartwell Arena **
6 - Stockholm, Sweden - Tele2 Arena  **
7 - Oslo. Norway - Spektrum **
10 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Scandinavium **
12 - Dortmund, Germany - Westfallenhalle **
13 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle **
15 - Torino, Italy - Pala Alpitour **
16 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena  **
18 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle **
20 - Brno, Czech Republic - Bvv- Outdoor **
21 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle  **
23 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle  **
24 - Rotterdam, Holland - Ahoy **

June
9 - Download Festival, Paris France
22 - Download Festival, Madrid, Spain
30 - Plovdiv Music Fest, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

* Special Guests of Hellyeah
** Special Guests of KISS

RavenEye are:

Vocals, Guitar - Oli Brown
Bass, Synth, Vocals - Aaron Spiers
Drums - Adam Breeze

(Photo - Rob Blackham)

Ross The Boss, featuring former Manowar guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman, will embark on a European tour today. To celebrate the tour kickoff, the band has released a cover version of the Manowar classic, "Blood Of My Enemies”. Check out an official audio video below:

European dates:

March
3 - Zlin, Czech Republic
5 - Vienna, Austria
6 - Mannheim, Germany
8 - Hamburg, Germany
9 - Stadskanaal, Netherlands
10 - Essen, Germany
11 - Andernach, Germany
12 - Helmond, Netherlands
13 - Utrecht, Netherlands
16 - Barcelona, Spain
17 - Zaragoza, Spain
18 - Erandio, Spain
19 - Madrid, Spain
20 - Cangas Do Morrazo, Spain
21 - Lisbon, Portugal
24 - Brescia, Italy
25 - Torino, Italy
26 - Prato, Italy
28 - Diest, Belgium

UK dates:

March
30 - London, England
31 - Evesham, England

April
1 - Swansea, Wales
2 - Dublin, Ireland
4 - Glasgow, Scotland
5 - Edinburgh, Scotland
6 - Milton Keynes, England

European summer festival dates:

May
26-27 - Up The Hammers XII Festival - Athens, Greece

June
2-4 - Rock Hard Festival - Gelsenkirchen, Germany

British hard rockers, Inglorious, will release their new album, Inglorious II, on May 12th. A new music video for the album cut, “I Don’t Need Your Loving”, can be found below.

Produced by the band and mixed by the legendary Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith), Inglorious II is set to further enhance the standing of this remarkable band. From the body blow riffs of “Read All About It”, to the beautiful melodies of upcoming first single “I Don’t Need Your Loving”, from the groove of “High Class Woman” to the classic feeling ballad “Making Me Pay”, this is an album that shows the bands influences stem from iconic rock and roll shrine of rock albums from the 1970s - many years before the band members were born - merged with a truly contemporary feel. Driving riffs and instant melodies all overlaid with the unique and powerful vocals of Nathan James.

“We are so excited to release our second album. This one is very special to us and we had so much fun writing it in Somerset and recording it in Liverpool! I still cannot believe Kevin Shirley mixed it. We hope everyone enjoys listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it and can't wait to hear people singing these new tunes at our upcoming shows and festivals!” - Nathan James, Inglorious.

Tracklisting:

“I Don't Need Your Loving”
“Taking The Blame”
“Tell Me Why”
“Read All About It”
“Change Is Coming”
“Making Me Pay”
“Hell Or High Water”
“No Good For You”
“I Got A Feeling”
“Black Magic”
“Faraway”
“High Class Woman”

“I Don’t Need Your Loving” video:

“Read All About It” lyric video:

The album will be released as a standard CD and also as a Deluxe 2CD/DVD edition. The DVD will feature a previously unavailable live performance from Download Festival 2016 plus extra bonus content, including videos for "I Don't Need Your Loving" and "Taking The Blame".

DVD Content:

Live At Donington:
“Until I Die”
“Breakaway”
“High Flying Gypsy”
“No Good For You”
“Holy Water”
“Warning”
“Unaware”

Special Features:
Inglorious EPK
“Taking The Blame” Music Video
“I Don't Need Your Loving” Music Video
Behind The Scenes

A vinyl release will also be made available.

Consummate live performers the band already have a number of high profile shows confirmed, with more to follow through 2017. Dates listed below.

June
16 - Clisson, France - Hellfest Festival
18 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Festival
22 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Festival
24 - Vitoria, Spain - Azkena Rock Festival 2017

August
19 - Tilford, UK - Weyfest Festival

2016 was a stunning year for UK five-piece Inglorious. Their eponymous debut album was released in February. The album received widespread critical acclaim at press, multiple A lists at radio and a lauded performance on Vintage TV. The band toured across the world, with numerous high profile shows in the UK and Europe - including show stopping performances at Download Festival 2016 and Ramblin' Man Fair 2016, support slots for The Winery Dogs and The Dead Daisies, and culminating with a support slot for Steel Panther's European Arena tour in October and a co-headline UK tour with labelmates Last In Line in November 2016.

Formed in February 2014, the band is fronted by Nathan James, who made a name for himself having sung for the multi-platinum selling Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Scorpions guitar legend Uli Jon Roth. Nathan was looking for like-minded musicians that desired to make incredible rock music in a very honest fashion. The band's lineup on Inglorious II was completed by rhythm guitarist Wil Taylor, lead guitarist Andreas Eriksson, bassist Colin Parkinson and drummer Phil Beaver.

The band have also announced the departure of album guitarist Wil Taylor right after the end of the new album's recording. They are delighted to announce that for 2017 and moving forward they are reuniting with original member Drew Lowe on guitar, who is joining the band as a permanent member. Full details in the clip below:

As Lions, featuring vocalist Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson), released their debut full-length album, Selfish Age, on January 20th via Better Noise Records. A new lyric video for the album’s title track is available for streaming below.

Selfish Age is the follow-up to As Lions’ debut EP Aftermath. Produced by award-winning producer David Bendeth (Of Mice & Men, Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon) and Kane Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, Disturbed, In This Moment), Selfish Age is an illustration of the band’s mission to create “the biggest, baddest hard rock we could, and on an almost cinematic scale.”

The album’s 11 dynamic tracks are a study in contrasts, with the epic and evocative “Aftermath”, the crushing “Deathless” which targets the internet culture’s obsession with image, “Bury My Dead”, a hard-hitting personal statement complemented by stately piano tinklings, and the electro-tinged title track, “Selfish Age”.

Comprised of Austin Dickinson on vocals, guitarist and keyboardist Conor O’Keefe, guitarist Will Homer, bassist Stefan Whiting and drummer Dave Fee, As Lions showcase an evolution in British rock.

Selfish Age tracklisting:

“Aftermath”
“The Suffering”
“Bury My Dead”
“Deathless”
“Selfish Age”
“White Flags”
“Pieces”
“World On Fire”
“One By One”
“The Fall”
“The Great Escape”

“Selfish Age” lyric video:

"Bury My Dead" lyric video:

“Aftermath” video:

As Lions have announced a 10-date US tour this spring with US metallers Shinedown. They have also announced their first UK festival appearance of the year at Bristol's Fat Lip Festival in July, along with Young Guns and will be playing a number of US festivals including Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and Northern Invasion.
 
Tour dates:

April
1 - Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ (supporting Shinedown)
4 - House Of Blues - San Diego, CA (supporting Shinedown)
5 - Fox Theater - Bakersfield, CA (supporting Shinedown)
7 - Belasco Theatre - Los Angeles, CA (supporting Shinedown)
8 - Blaze Fest Paul Paul Theater - Fresno, CA
10 - Medford Armory - Medford, OR (supporting Shinedown)
11 - Eureka Municipal Auditorium - Eureka, CA (supporting Shinedown)
13 - Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Sacramento, CA (supporting Shinedown)
14 - Silver Dollar Fairgrounds - Chico, CA (supporting Shinedown)
15 - Grand Sierra Resort & Casino - Reno, NV (supporting Shinedown)
17 - House Of Blues - Anaheim, CA (supporting Shinedown)
29 - Rockville Festival - Jacksonville, FL

May
5 - Carolina Rebellion - Charlotte, NC
13 - Northern Invasion - Somerset, WI
19 - Rock On The Range - Columbus, OH

June
17 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium
29 - Fat Lip Festival - Bristol, UK

Long-running Japanese brutal death metal faction Vomit Remnants will unleash a new full-length next month via Unique Leader Records. Fittingly titled Hyper Groove Brutality, the band's first studio output in twelve years was produced by Darren Cesca (Arsis, Vile, Goratory) of House Of Grind Studios and features guest appearances from vocalist Henrik Cranz of Soils Of Fate, guitarist Craig Peters of Deeds Of Flesh and Destroying The Devoid, and guitarist Paul Masvidal of Cynic/ex-Death.
 
Hyper Groove Brutality will see release on April 21st worldwide via Unique Leader and comes wrapped in artwork by Phlegeton of Phlegeton Art Studio (Braincasket, Korpse, Whoretopsy etc.) with preorder bundles to be announced soon.

Tracklisting:

“Burning All Inside”
“Hi-Fi The Art Of Rapture”
“Die Fast And Blasting”
“Extinction Of Worthless Humanity”
“Inflicted Artificial Intelligence”
“Wire Rope Strangle”
“Despairing The Atmosphere”
“Supreme Indeterminate Power”

“Wire Rope Strangle”:

Hyper Groove Brutality by Vomit Remnants

Cruz Del Sur Music has announced the upcoming 7" split release from epic metal legends Omen and Battleroar. The 7" will feature two previously unreleased tracks, Omen's "Up From The Deep" and Battleroar's "Stronghold." It will be released as a deluxe edition during Omen's April/May European tour; specifically at Keep It True 2017, where the band will play alongside with Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, and Atlantean Kodex, among others.

Battleroar's "Stronghold" is in the same style as the fastest and heaviest songs on their last album, Blood of Legends (Cruz Del Sur, 2014). The song features a massive rhythmic punch to go along with great leads and Gerrit's classic, epic/melodic vocals. 

Omen's "Up From The Deep" sounds as if it was taken directly from 1984's Battle Cry. War cries introduce the legendary Omen sound, with Kenny Powell painting a majestic tapestry of guitar notes above which Kevin Goocher delivers a brazen, complementary vocal performance.

 

Both bands have faced line-up changes in recent months and the 7''offers the opportunity to demonstrate the new line-ups' power and chemistry. Battleroar just announced the addition of Greg Vlachos (ex-Marauder) on drums, and Michael Kontogiorgis (ex-Spitfire, Exoristoi, etc) on guitars as permanent members.

Omen just announced on their Facebook page the addition of two new members. Both are Kenny Powell's and Kevin Goocher's long-time partners in crime: Roger Sisson wrote many of the Battle Cry riffs but was never actually part of the line-up. Now after 30 years he's the official bassist. And the new drummer, Reece Stanley, was in the Phantom X line-up together with Kevin.

(Top photo: Omen, bottom photo: Battleroar)

In the wake of the news that original Ratt members Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Juan Croucier (bass) and Warren DeMartini (guitar) have reunited, YouTube user AmericanJackassI has posted live bootleg footage of the original Ratt line-up performing in Pasadena, CA at Perkins Place in 1983. Check out the complete show below.

Pasadena, CA (1983)

 

Setlist:

"You Got It"
"In Your Direction"
"Ain't Gonna Lose" 
"Round & Round" 
"You're In Trouble" 
"Wanted Man" 
"Back For More" 
"Walkin' The Dog" 
- Warren DeMartini solo - 
"Tell the World" 
- Bobby Blotzer solo -
"Sweet Cheater"

Ratt was:

Stephen Pearcy - vocals
Warren DeMartini - guitars
Robbin Crosby - guitars
Juan Croucier - bass
Bobby Blotzer - drums

Ratt, featuring classic lineup members Stephen Pearcy, Juan Croucier and Warren DeMartini along with former Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo, will play their only European dates this summer at Sweden Rock Festival, scheduled for June 7th to 10th in Sölvesborg.

Ratt have also announced a string of dates in Japan in May. Find the band’s current live itinerary below.

April
26 - The Paramount - Huntington, NY
27 - Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
28 - The Sherman Theater - Stroudsburg, PA
29 - M3 Rock Festival - Columbia, MD

May
10 - Zepp Nagoya - Nagaoya, Japan
12 - Zepp Osaka - Osaka, Japan
14 - Tokyo Makuhari Messe Event Hall - Tokyo, Japan
28 - Rocklahoma - Pryor, OK

June
1 - Limelight - Peoria, IL
2 - Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL
3 - Rockfest - Kansas City, KS
7-10 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden

July
7 - Uncle Sam Jam - Woodhaven, MI
12 - Rock Fest - Cadott, WI

On February 11th, Ratt performed at the Treasure Island Casino in Welch, Minnesota. Quality fan-filmed video can be viewed below. The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Wanted Man"
"Dangerous But Worth the Risk"
"You Think You're Tough"
"Walkin' the Dog" (Rufus Thomas cover)
"Way Cool Jr."
"I'm Insane"
"In Your Direction"
"Lack of Communication"
"Lay It Down"
"You're in Love"
"Lovin' You's a Dirty Job"
"Nobody Rides for Free"
"Body Talk"
"Back for More"
"Round and Round"

West Coast metal veterans METAL CHURCH will release "Classic Live" via Rat Pak Records on April 28. Produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof, this special edition release features nine classic METAL CHURCH songs recorded live on the band's 2016 tour and also includes a special bonus track, a powerful new studio version of "Fake Healer" that features a duet with QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Todd La Torre. Comments guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof: "This album not only commemorates the reunion between [singer] Mike [Howe] and the band, but it also pays tribute to some of the more popular songs of that era. It's really cool to see so many old fans and new fans of all ages enjoying these classics as we perform them live, so it only made sense to release this". Howe adds: "It’s an honor to be back and it makes me very happy to see that almost 3three decades later, fans are still enjoying these songs!" On the subject of the "Fake Healer" duet with Todd, Howe comments: "The idea came from the owner of our label Rat Pak Records (Joe). It was his idea to record this as a duet with Todd. It's an amazing version and I think fans will be very surprised at how good it sounds!" La Torre says: "Having been a fan of METAL CHURCH since my early teens, never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that the great Mike Howe would rejoin the band! Getting the opportunity to record a duet to the track 'Fake Healer' was beyond amazing!" "Classic Live" is available for pre-order via the Rat Pak Records web site in various bundles including vinyl, signed CDs and t-shirts. "Classic Live" track listing:

01. Beyond The Black02. Date With Poverty03. Gods Of A Second Chance04. In Mourning05. Watch The Children Pray06. Start The Fire07. No Friend Of Mine08. Badlands09. Human Factor10. Fake Healer (bonus studio track) (feat. Todd La Torre)11. Badlands (2015 studio version) (vinyl version only)

METAL CHURCH's latest album, "XI", debuted at No. 57 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 11,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 31, 2016.

"XI", was released on March 25, 2016 via Rat Pak Records. Produced by Vanderhoof and co-produced by Chris "The Wizard" Collier, the band's eleventh studio release marked the return of Howe.

US bashers Adrenaline Mob recently checked in with the following update:

"To all the AMOB fans/friends, we are extremely excited to announce that we have officially handed in the new Adrenaline Mob album to our label Century Media Records/Sony Music Entertainment! Release date, album title and all information coming real soon! Thank you for all the great continued support & we look forward to seeing you all out on the road... THE MOB IS BACK!"

Following 2015's Dearly Departed, the forthcoming release was recorded by Adrenaline Mob guitarist Mike Orlando once again at his own Sonic Stomp Studio.

Mike checked in with the following update prior to recording the new album: "Myself and Russell are hard at work finishing up the writing and are heading into the studio to track the new Adrenaline Mob album in a few weeks time. The album is coming out great and we're both very excited on the sound and direction. We're extremely thrilled to be releasing our 3rd studio album on Century Media Records! Our expected release time will be early 2017.”

Stay tuned for more album details to be announced soon.

Adrenaline Mob lineup:

Russell Allen - Vocals
Mike Orlando - Guitar
Erik Leonhardt - Bass
Jordan Cannata - Drums

Century Media Records and Sanctuary recently released Inception, the official prequel to 1988’s classic debut, Refuge Denied. Inception contains presumed lost 1986 studio recordings, which guitarist Lenny Rutledge discovered recently and which were magically restored, remixed and remastered by Zeuss (Queensrÿche, Hatebreed). “Soldiers Of Steel” from the new release is available for streaming below.

Inception is available as gatefold LP on 180 gram vinyl and comes with a 12-page LP-sized booklet, poster, and the album on CD as additional extra. Apart from that it is released as Special Edition CD digipak with a 28-page booklet, and digital album.

Apart from rare photos, flyers, artwork sketches, the booklet also offers detailed liner notes by Lenny Rutledge covering Sanctuary’s early history.

See below for a list of coloured vinyl limitations:

Red vinyl – limited to 100 copies
Gold vinyl - limited to 200 copies
Dark green vinyl - limited to 200 copies
Clear vinyl – limited to 200 copies
Black vinyl – not limited

Recorded in March of 1986 (“Soldiers Of Steel”, “Battle Angels”) at Triad Studios in Redmond, Washington and Studio One in White Center between April and July 1986, Inception offers such previously unreleased highlights as “Dream Of The Incubus” and “I Am Insane” as well as several classic Refuge Denied songs allowing you to delve deep into the Seattle legend’s beginnings.

With several festivals already booked for next year, a new album in the works, Inception being released, 2017 shall be the year when past and future of Sanctuary unite. Look forward to the next assault of the soldiers of steel.

Inception tracklisting:

“Dream Of The Incubus”
“Die For My Sins”
“Soldiers Of Steel”
“Death Rider / Third War”
“White Rabbit” (Jefferson Airplane cover)
“Ascension To Destiny”
“Battle Angels”
“I Am Insane”
“Veil Of Disguise”

“Soldiers Of Steel”:

“Dream Of The Incubus”:

“Die For My Sins”:

Inside Inception #1: Auburn Jam Room

Inside Inception #2: Ancient Merch

Inside Inception #3: The Guitars

Sanctuary live:

June
15-17 - St. Goarshausen, Germany - Rockfels, Loreley
16-18 - Clisson, France - Hellfest

July
12 - Balingen, Germany - Bang Your Head!!!, Messegelände
14-15 - Gavle, Sweden - Gefle Metal Festival
24-28 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metaldays
27-29 - Brande-Hoernerkirchen, Germany - Headbangers Open Air

Ian Anderson and The Carducci Quartet have just released "Loco (Locomotive Breath)" from the new album Jethro Tull: The String Quartets. "Loco" is a string quartet arrangement of "Locomotive Breath", Jethro Tull's 1978 hit off the group's album Bursting Out.

The String Quartets' version of "Locomotive Breath" is an instrumental that features violin, viola, cello, and bass, with Ian Anderson on flute.  It was arranged by Ian’s keyboardist John O’Hara, whose mission was to “delve deeper and offer a new imagining of each piece. An orchestrator’s job is to arrange and compose a new version of an existing work.” O’Hara also felt “a responsibility to the Jethro Tull listeners who cherish this material and may not welcome a radical rendition of a beloved song.”

The track "Loco" is available now for download and streaming. Jethro Tull: The String Quartets will be available in The United States on March 24th.

Tracklisting:

“In The Past (Living In The Past)”
“Sossity Waiting (Sossity: You’re A Woman / Reasons For Waiting)”
“Bungle (Bungle In The Jungle)”
“We Used To Bach (We Used To Know / Bach Prelude C Maj)”
“Farm, The Freeway (Farm On The Freeway)”
“Songs And Horses (Songs From The Wood / Heavy Horses)”
“Only The Giving (Wond’ring Aloud)”
“Loco (Locomotive Breath)”
“Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song)”
“Velvet Green (Velvet Green)”
“Ring Out These Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells)”
“Aquafugue (Aqualung)”

Formed in 1968, Jethro Tull has released 30 studio and live albums, selling more than 60 million copies worldwide. With nearly 50 years’ history, the band has performed more than 3,000 concerts in 40 countries, playing 100+ concerts each year. Now, Ian Anderson, John O’Hara, and the Carducci Quartet are set to release Jethro Tull: The String Quartets, a collection of 12 re-imagined Tull classics, allowing Tull fans and classical music connoisseurs to enjoy the band’s vast catalog in a new way.

After the album’s release, Ian Anderson will return to the United States this May, June, and August to present multi-media Jethro Tull by Ian Anderson concerts in the Mountain States, Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, the Midwest, Florida. He will be accompanied by Tull members David Goodier (bass), John O'Hara (keyboards), Florian Opahle (guitar), and Scott Hammond (drums). See below for dates:

May
26 - Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, CO (with the Colorado Symphony)
27 - Route 66 Casino - Albuquerque, NM
28 - Plaza Theatre PAC - El Paso, TX
30 - Smart Financial Centre - Houston, TX
31 - ACL Live at The Moody Theater - Austin, TX

June
1 - Choctaw Casino - Durant, OK  

August
13 - Bethlehem MusikFest - Bethlehem, PA
15 - Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands PAC - Canandaigua, NY
18 - Meijer Gardens Amphitheater - Grand Rapids, MI
19 - Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL Theater
22 - First Niagara Presents Tuesday In The Park - Lewiston, NY

“Ring Out These Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells)” video:

“Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song)”:

METALLICA has uploaded video footage of the band's dress rehearsal with pop superstar Lady Gaga for their performance at this year's Grammy Awards.

METALLICA said: "Perhaps you've heard by now that we experienced a slight bit of a technical difficulty when we hit the stage at the Grammy Awards with Lady Gaga a little over [two weeks] ago … hmm, would that qualify as an understatement?!? For those of you who missed it, we've posted the live broadcast version.

"We've had so many of you ask and wonder 'what if,' so we thought it might be fun to also share with you what happened just a few hours earlier that day at the dress rehearsal with all cylinders firing just right. Collaborating, hanging and performing with Gaga was easily one of the most exciting, inspiring and enjoyable experiences of our career — she BRINGS IT every single time!! All we have to say is that we absolutely cannot wait until next time!"

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said that he knew right from the start that the band's collaboration with Lady Gaga at the Grammy Awards would be a huge success. He told The A.V. Club: "Listen, I knew this was going to work. I mean, Gaga is a metal chick at heart. There was no way this was not going to work. It was totally in her DNA. It was totally in her wheelhouse. This was not not going to work. The only question was at what level it was going to work."

He continued: "We did one run-through. The way her and James's [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] voices worked, it jelled so well together we all kind of stood there like, 'Huh?' It was really fucking next-level. I think we rehearsed it twice, maybe three times on Friday night. And it was just dialed. There was no sort of, 'Oh, my god, what are we doing here?' This was as natural and organic as you could imagine this type of stuff being. This was a home run from the get-go."

Ulrich also elaborated on his previous prediction that METALLICA's collaboration with Gaga at the Grammy Awards would end up being just the beginning for the unlikely combo.

"As you spend 72 hours with somebody, and there's this connection and this intimacy, part of it is that maybe you don't want it to end," Ulrich explained. "When these moments work, you always leave them open to reconnection. So obviously, we're not sitting in a recording studio today writing songs for a record or anything. I think that our weekend together was so seamless and so authentic and such a natural fit that the idea of revisiting this at some point down the road… As we were walking off one of the soundchecks, she said to me, 'We gotta do something again together. This is just too good to leave.' And I said, 'I agree with you. It's just too real.'"

The drummer added: "Obviously, we haven't sat around and talked about this yet. But if there was ever an opportunity to revisit something like this, this is about as pure as it could get. So we'll see."

Ulrich previously told Rolling Stone about the technical problems that left Hetfield without a mic for the bulk of the song: "There was a slight technical snafu, but that's not really something you can do much about. You just learn to live with that side of it. It happened to Adele last year; I guess this year it was our turn."

The performance on this year's Grammy Awards show was marred by the incident, which was reportedly caused by a stagehand accidentally unplugging Hetfield's mic.

That forced the frontman to share Gaga's mic for almost the rest of the song. A visibly Hetfield knocked down his mic stand at the end of the performance and threw his guitar offstage.

METALLICA and Gaga may not be able to get together for an encore anytime soon, as both are heading out on world tours. METALLICA announced last month the details of the North American leg of its "WorldWired" 2017 tour in support of the band's new album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct".

The trek kicks off on May 10 in Baltimore, Maryland and will hit stadiums in 25 cities before winding down in mid-August. Support will come mainly from AVENGED SEVENFOLD and VOLBEAT, with GOJIRA taking over for the latter group for the last six shows.

Although vocalist Seann Nicols - who previously fronted Adler's Appetite under the name Sheldon Tarsha - sang on the entirety of the forthcoming Quiet Riot album Road Rage, scheduled for release April 21st via Frontiers Music, he has been relieved of his duties after performing only five shows with the band.

Seann Nicols has been replaced by American Idol finalist James Durbin, who recently partnered with Quiet Riot guitarist Alex Rossi under the moniker Maps To The Hollywood Scars. The pair issued a five-song EP last month via New Ocean Media.

German website Rocks-Magazine.De broke the news via an interview with Quiet Riot drummer and sole original member Frankie Banali. The translation reads as follows:

"Seann has done a great job on the record, but a band is not just talented - you have to get together."

According to Banali, the customary artistic and personal differences have led to the unanimous decision that an amicable separation is in the interest of the band. "We had to make the best decision for Quiet Riot. If there are problems so early in the co-operation, it's better to pull the emergency brake." Over the last six years, the group has worn four singers - including Love / Hate frontman Jizzy Pearl.

As a successor to Seann Nichols, Quiet Riot have already committed James Durbin. The 28-year-old has been known in North America since his final participation at the American Idol talent show, where he joined Judas Priest in 2011. According to Banali, Durbin had long been his first choice for the singer post: "When I wrote the material for Road Rage with my songwriting partner Neil Citron, James was my favorite. Because he had other commitments, I had to look for a replacement, and Seann Nichols was the third on my candidate list. Of course, I would prefer James to be heard on Road Rage - but you can only work with the people who are currently available."

The plans for a video clip have been rejected by Quiet Riot as a result of these recent developments: "The dilemma is that I should ask James to move his lips to the vocals of another. I do not want to put him in an unpleasant situation, which could give the fans a wrong impression. But I've already started writing new songs for an album with James, which will be released next year."

Prior to this bombshell dropping, Canadian music journalist Mitch Lafon interviewed Quiet Riot guitarist Alex Grossi for episode 308 of his One On One With Mitch Lafon podcast. The pair discussed Grossi's Hollywood Scars project with former American Idol contestant James Durbin, his time with Beautiful Creatures, Quiet Riot and their new album Road Rage, Hotel Diablo, his work as a booking agent and much more. Listen to their chat via the YouTube clip below.

Road Rage tracklisting:

“Nothing But Trouble”
“Let It Go”
“Snake Charmer”
“Hey Lil' Sister”
“I Don't Need You Anymore”
“Sledge Hammer”
“Never You Mind”
“Empty Rooms”
“Dirty Money”
“The Seeker”
“Road Rage”

“The Seeker” with Seann Nicols on vocals:

Fan-filmed video footage of FIREWIND's March 1 performance at Rockpalast in Bochum, Germany can be seen below.

FIREWIND's eighth studio album, "Immortals", was released on January 20 via the band's longtime label partner Century Media Records in Europe.

The disc marks the first time FIREWIND used an outside co-producer, having worked with Dennis Ward (UNISONIC, PINK CREAM 69), who not only engineered, mixed and mastered the album, but also co-wrote it together with Gus G.

"Immortals" is FIREWIND's first release to feature singer Henning Basse (METALIUM, SONS OF SEASONS), who previously toured with the band on various continents in 2007 and was most recently the singer in Gus's solo touring group.

Gus told Canadian rock journalist Mitch Lafon about the concept behind "Immortals": "Doing a concept record with the guys is something we talked about for years. It's not something new, but you need to have the right kind of material for that. You need to be in the right mindset, and of course, you have to decide what it's going to be about. For us, since most of us are Greek, we thought it would be cool to talk about our heritage, or some part of Greek history."

He continued: "In 2013, we took a break from touring and recording and I went on to do solo stuff. When I started gathering all this material over the years, I realized the character was very epic and more focused, like into power metal, and this epic style, so I thought it would be a good idea to do the concept record we talked about now. I needed a co-writer for this, so I reached out to Dennis Ward. To make a long story short, we decided to do a record about the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis during the second Persian invasion in 480 B.C."

New Jersey's Midnite Hellion is preparing for a tentative spring release of their new album Condemned To Hell. Following the release of 2014's Hour Of The Wolf 7" single, the new album will be available on CD and vinyl formats through Germany's Witches Brew. Check out the cover art below.

In live news, Midnite Hellion has confirmed the following shows:

March
10 - Bar XIII - Wilmington, DE
11 - Norfolk Taphouse - Norfolk, VA
18 - Hot Shots Bar & Grill - Westville, NJ

April
28 - Dingbatz - Clifton, NJ

May
5 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ (with Yngwie Malmsteen)

June
23 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ (with Dark Sky Choir)

 

 

Swedish hair metal outfit, Crazy Lixx, will release their new studio album, Ruff Justice, on April 21st. The new record celebrates Crazy Lixx’s 15th anniversary as a band and offers 10 hair/sleaze/80s metal gems that harken back to the height of the hard rock era. Listen to the album track, “XIII”, available for streaming below.

The new songs draw inspiration from not only music, but also from 1980’s horror and action flicks and stand as a glowing reminder that pretty much everything was better in the 80s. With its big choruses, memorable hooks and riffs, impressive guitar solos, and a massive production by Danny Rexon and Chris Laney, this album is sure to resonate with old fans and new listeners alike.

“We’ve tried the same ‘all killers-no fillers’ approach that we’ve gone for on our previous albums, but this time, more than ever, I think we’ve come close to that vision,” says lead singer and producer Danny Rexon.

Ruff Justice will be the first Crazy Lixx album to feature the new lineup with Chrisse Olsson and Jens Lundgren handling axe duties.

“It does bring a certain feel to the album that I think we’ve been missing since the days of New Religion (2010). Once again the whole band pulls in the same direction and the end result, I believe, will be very well received among those who hold New Religion in high regards. If I would compare Ruff Justice to any of our previous albums, that would have to be the one,” Danny Rexon concludes.

The album also includes three songs which appear on the Friday The 13th video game soundtrack: “XIII”, “Killer“ and “Live Before I Die”. Friday the 13th: The Game is an upcoming survival horror video game developed by Gun Media and IllFonic, and published by Gun Media. It is scheduled for release in early 2017 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, and Playstation 4.

Ruff Justice tracklisting:

“Wild Child”
“XIII”
“Walk The Wire”
“Shot With A Needle Of Love”
“Killer”
“Hunter Of The Heart”
“Snakes In Paradise”
“If It's Love”
“Kiss Of Judas”
“Live Before I Die”

“XIII”:

Lineup:

Danny Rexon - vocals
Joél Cirera - drums
Jens Sjöholm - bass guitar
Chrisse Olsson - guitar
Jens Lundgren - guitar

According to Billboard, NIRVANA's iconic "Nevermind" album has returned to The Billboard 200 chart this week with 5,000 equivalent album units in the week ending February 23. This marks the LP's landmark 350th nonconsecutive week on the tally — the eighth-most total weeks on the chart in its nearly 61-year history. The longest run on the list continues to belong to PINK FLOYD's "The Dark Side Of The Moon", with 927 weeks.

"Nevermind" was reissued in 2011 in both standard and deluxe editions to commemorate its 20th anniversary.

The album is often credited for eliminating "hair metal" and introducing the world to the heavy rock sounds emanating from the Pacific Northwest that came to be known as grunge.

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx told SPIN about "Nevermind": "I announced the album before its release on [MTV's] 'Headbangers Ball'. I said, 'Here is an important rock album.' I never understood bands saying NIRVANA had anything to do with derailing their career. Maybe those bands just didn't have the goods. You can't pee like a puppy if you wanna run with the big dogs."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen commented: "At the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, we were the sacrificial lamb — it was NIRVANA, PEARL JAM, CHILI PEPPERS, and DEF LEPPARD. People were quite hostile towards us, which I thought was a joke — a new kind of music comes out that's about you not wanting to be like anyone else and then you're narrow-minded? Unfortunately, we got lumped in with these awful hair bands, which we didn't really think we were part of anyway. So when NIRVANA came on, it was, like, 'Yeah, it's gonna fuck us a bit,' but it was also great music."

L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns said: "Pop metal at the time was getting so shallow and watered down. NIRVANA just reminded people how ballsy rock is supposed to be. I got a copy of 'Nevermind' from a friend a few months before it came out — it didn't immediately grab me, but after about a week, I was completely sucked in. [U.K.'s] Kerrang! [magazine] ran a photo of me wearing a NIRVANA T-shirt onstage with a caption saying something like 'Uh oh, is this the new trend?' I really don't care what my hair-metal peers thought or think."

Czech Republic-based band, Root, have released a video for “Moment Of Fright”, a track from their new album, Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion, out now via Agonia Records. Watch the new video below.

In contrast to Bathory and Venom, Root took the black metal genre in a more refined direction, featuring Big Boss' chartacteristic clean vocals, dark sound and an epic approach altogether. Nowadays, Root is often recognized as an epic heavy/black metal act, or as the band simply puts it - a dark metal band.

The new album, Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion, is different from their 2011's offering, Heritage Of Satan, says the band: "As always in our history as a band, we aim to deliver a unique album, something that will stand out and shine its own light in our discography. Expect dark metal at its best, along with some surprising elements. We've recorded one fully acoustic song and one entirely instrumental. Overall, the album will include ten new tracks that will differ from our previous records.”

Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion is Root's tenth full-length album. Lyrically, it’s a concept album, and looked at from that perspective, it continues the story begun by their 1996 release under a similar yet shorter title, Kärgeräs, that presents a tale of a proud nation.

The album artwork was hand-painted by Thomas Bruno. The painting started off as a portrait at first, but after the band's decision to use it as cover, the mystical tree, ravens and other elemnts where added. Recording, mixing and mastering took place at Shaark Studio in South Moravia. Big Boss produced the album.

Tracklisting:

“Life Of Demons”
“Osculum Infame”
“Moment Of Fright”
“The Book Of Death”
“Black Iris”
“Moment Of Hope”
“The Key To The Empty Room”
“New Empire”
“Up To The Down”
“Do You Think Is It The End?”

“Moment Of Fright” video:

“Black Iris” video:

Available formats:

- Digipack CD with 28 pages booklet
- Black LP
- Red LP with A2 poster*
- Transparent red/black splatter LP with A2 poster and patch**
- T-shirt (2 versions)

* handnumbered and limited to 222 copies
** handnumbered and limited to 100 copies

Since 1987, Root is led by founder and vocalist Big Boss - a controversial, yet valued musician, producer, writer and lyricist. He's one of the oldest and most characteristic black metal singers; one of the very few, who possesses an operatic range of vocals. Over the years, Root has maintained a strong underground following, while Big Boss rose up to become a cult figure in the black metal genre, guesting on albums by leading metal artists, most notably Moonspell and Behemoth. Root has performed hundreds of shows worldwide, sharing the stage with bands such as Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Cradle Of Filth, Apocalyptica, Moonspell, Behemoth, Impaled Nazarene, Nifelheim, Anathema, Sodom, Desaster, Pungent Stench, Master, Destroyer 666, Master´s Hammer, Enslaved, Testament, Marduk, Napalm Death, Krabathor, Hypnos and many other.

Norwegian black metallers, Endezzma, have released a teaser video for their upcoming album, The Arcane Abyss, which is set for release via Pulverised Records on March 31st in CD digipak, gatefold LP and digital formats. The video can be seen below.

Endezzma's distinctive sound has all the aggression of old school black metal with icy overtones that merge together to create what the band describes as "Nekro Requiems". Formed in 2006 by Morten Shax and the late Trondr Nefas (Urgehal, Beastcraft, Vulture Lord), Endezzma's lineup comprises Shax on vocals, Malphas (Beastcraft, Carpathian Forest, Svarttjern) on lead guitar, Nihil on rhythm guitar, Skriu (ex-Blood Red Throne live) on drums and Aske (Byrdi) on bass.

The Arcane Abyss will be Endezzma's second full-length album, and the follow up to the band's 2012 debut album, Erotik Nekrosis. Recorded at Gravlund Studio, and mastered by Tore Stjerna at the Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Repugnant, Tribulation, etc.), the album features artwork by Remember The Fallen Artworks.

Tracklisting:

“Malferno”
“The Arcane Abyss”
“Gates Of Mephisto”
“Morbus Divina”
“Sick Kulta Lucifer”
“Serpent Earth”
“Esoterisk Mystagon”
“A Grave So Deep”

Old school thrash/death band, Downfall, will release their new album, Punishment For The Infidels, on March 17th in physical and digital formats via Memorial Records. A video for the track “Pleasure For Murder” is available for streaming below.

Regarding "Pleasure For Murder" the band says: "Is our first music video and we are so proud of the result. We had lot of ideas and Filippo Pesaresi (the videomaker) find the right way to make it very simple but with an incredible impact. The video it's a good example of the lyric concept of the song, with a good dose of anger, violence and frutration.”

Mixed and mastered by Adriano Quaranta (Sawthis) at Under Room Studios, the new album is a good mix between old and new generation of thrash metal music, influenced by death metal and punk/hardcore.

The band says: "Punishment For The Infidels shows anger, violence and frustration, resulting from the desire to not be submitted to a society that works for omologation and annihilation".

Punishment For The Infidels tracklisting:

“The Torture”
“Pleasure For Murder”
“Corrupted In Black”
“God's Hand”
“Slaughterism”
“Misanthropic Solution”
“Feeding The Beast”
“Abyss”
“Last Prophecy”
“Mass Homicide”
“Machination Of Revolution”

“Pleasure For Murder” video:

(Photo - Downfall Facebook)

The first trailer for "Forces Of The Northern Night", the highly anticipated double DVD from Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR, is available below. Due on April 14 via Nuclear Blast, the set will contain two of the band's live performances: their legendary show in Oslo, presenting DIMMU BORGIR on stage with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and a bombastic choir, as well as their entire performance at Wacken Open Air festival in 2012 in Wacken, Germany with almost a hundred musicians on stage. Both concerts present a spectacular sound scenario of raging black metal in front of an epic orchestral landscape plus the band's unique visuals.

DIMMU BORGIR's remarkable and atramentous stage show has long seemed like a natural evolution for fans, but much time, arrangements and commitment were necessary to put this gigantic production into reality and fill the stage with 90 minutes of mindblowing aural delight per night. The shows guide the fans through classics from the band's discography — from the majestic finisher "Mourning Palace" — which can be seen below (footage from the Wacken show) — to the stomping manifesto "Puritania" and the haunting "Gateways". "For us, this is the pinnacle of our career so far," says DIMMU BORGIR frontman Stian Thoresen (a.k.a. Shagrath). "As a band, we've always used a lot of symphonic elements in our music. But we haven't been able to use a real orchestra. We've had to use samples, synthesizers and so on, so this was a huge, awesome experience for us." In addition to the two concerts, "Forces Of The Northern Night" will include a bonus documentary feature.

DIMMU BORGIR's May 28, 2011 concert at the Oslo Spektrum in Norway, which is included on "Forces Of The Northern Night", featured a special setlist with 53 members of KORK (the Norwegian Radio Orchestra) and 30 members of the Schola Cantorum choir, who were musical guests on the band's ninth studio album, 2010's "Abrahadabra". The show was professionally filmed and was broadcast as part of a one-hour documentary in June 2011 on NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation), the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company and the largest media organization in Norway.

In an interview with Scuzz TV, DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) stated about the experience of performing with an orchestra: "It was, of course, really special, especially since it was in Oslo, and a lot of people traveled in for the show from all over the world. And everything went great on stage for once. When you have a hundred people on stage, the percentage of something going wrong is definitely there, but it was really, really good."

He added: "You think your band is professional, then you play with an orchestra, and then you know, 'Oh, we're not so professional after all.'"

DIMMU BORGIR last year extended its partnership with Nuclear Blast.

The band's tenth album is tentatively due before the end of 2017.

DIMMU BORGIR's most recent touring lineup included Geir Bratland (APOPTYGMA BERZERK, THE KOVENANT) on keyboards and Terje Andersen (a.k.a. Cyrus; SUSPERIA) on bass.

Roadrunner recording group MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has unveiled its new single, "Loud (F*ck It)", which is taken from their anticipated label debut album, "Graveyard Shift". The track, which debuted on SiriusXM Octane, is streaming now accompanied by an official music video. "Graveyard Shift" is available for pre-order today at all DSPs and MotionlessInWhite.net, with all pre-orders receiving an instant grat download of the new single, "Loud (F*ck It)", as well as the powerful previously released tracks "570" and "Eternally Yours". "Graveyard Shift"'s striking artwork was selected from over two thousand contest entries from fans and designers in partnership with Creative Allies. The contest's winner, Crystal Johnson, created the album's cover as well as other elements in the album package. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE will celebrate "Graveyard Shift" with nearly non-stop touring, beginning with a lead support slot on Atlantic recording group IN THIS MOMENT's upcoming "Half God Half Devil Tour". The dates begin Friday, April 7 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Eagles Ballroom and then continue through mid-May.

Founded in 2005, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has won over audiences worldwide with their aggressive music and arresting imagery. The band – currently comprising lead singer Chris Motionless, guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror, bassist Devin "Ghost" Sola and drummer Vinny Mauro – has proven a ferocious and inventive live act, earning an increasingly fervent fan following via countless headline shows, festival sets, and tours alongside such iconic acts as SLIPKNOT, KORN and BREAKING BENJAMIN. "Graveyard Shift" track listing: 01. Rats02. Queen For Queen03. Necessary Evil (feat. Jonathan Davis)04. Soft05. Untouchable06. Not My Type: Dead As F*ck 207. The Ladder08. Voices09. Loud (F*ck It)10. 57011. Hourglass12. Eternally Yours

Norway's Vreid performed at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2014. Video footage of the band’s entire performance is available for streaming below.

Vreid’s setlist:

“Arntor, Ein Windir”
“The Spiritlord”
“Det Som Var Haukareid”
“On The Mountain Of Goats”
“Eldast, Utan å Gro”
“Stigmatized”
“The Profound Power”
“The Reap”
“Svartesmeden Og Lundamyrstrollet”
“Pitch Black”
“Journey To The End”

Inner Wound Recordings has announced the signing of Italian folk/power metal band, Wind Rose, to the label. Their new album, Stonehymn, is scheduled to be released later this spring and more details will be revealed later this month.

Having toured with bands like Wintersun, Eluveitie and Ensiferum, and with two successful albums under their belt, Wind Rose are ready to take things to the next level with the release of their third album, Stonehymn, an album filled by the epic, powerful and folk inspired brand of power metal the band is known for.

Wind Rose lineup:

Francesco Cavalieri - Vocals
Claudio Falconcini - Guitars
Federico Meranda - Keyboards
Daniele Visconti - Drums
Cristiano Bertocchi - Bass

ARCH ENEMY will release a new live DVD, "As The Stages Burn!", on March 31 via Century Media. The set contains video footage of the band's largest stage production to date from their performance last summer at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany. This performance marks the pinnacle of a highly successful album campaign in support of "War Eternal". It all began in March of 2014 when the band announced new vocalist Alissa White-Gluz as well as the video for the album title track, "War Eternal". This debut track went on to become the bands most successful video in their career, surpassing 20 million views on YouTube. The release of the "War Eternal" album also saw ARCH ENEMY reaching their highest U.S. and German chart positions to date while going on to play over 200 shows in over 40 countries around the world. In late 2014, Jeff Loomis (ex-NEVERMORE) joined ARCH ENEMY during the world tour with KREATOR and in 2015 they played arenas as direct support for NIGHTWISH.

A performance clip of the song "Nemesis", taken from "As The Stages Burn!", can be seen below.

ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott told Spark TV about "As The Stages Burn!": "I think this is the perfect album cycle to document. It's a fresh new ARCH ENEMY, and we just spent two years on the road or more, and, yeah, we just wanna put it out there kind of as a document of this time. And the show at Wacken was really special as well. We put a lot of effort into the production and had our biggest show to date. And that'll be the main part of the DVD, I guess, but there's gonna be a lot of other stuff as well, and it'll be like a live album, DVD, Blu-ray and all that stuff. We have a lot of other cool shows filmed as well, and parts of those might very well be a part of the DVD. But, you know, Wacken was just a great opportunity; it's the biggest heavy metal festival in the world."

ARCH ENEMY will celebrate the release of "As The Stages Burn!" with a number of European shows with special support from LACUNA COIL and THE HAUNTED.

Amott told Rock Hard magazine that ARCH ENEMY's new album is completely "written" and already "partially recorded." A September 2017 release is expected.

Regarding the musical direction of the new ARCH ENEMY material, Michael said: "It's very diverse, I think, the material. It's got a lot of trademark ARCH ENEMY elements, I guess. I can think a song is really, really different, but then we're gonna play it, it's gonna be us playing it, Alissa [White-Gluz] singing, it's gonna sound very, very ARCH ENEMY. So it's not like a huge departure, but it's definitely the next… I think we're more relaxed, maybe, than on the last album… 'Cause Alissa's been with us for three years, and it's not as tense, maybe, as it was the last time around. [Before we released 'War Eternal'] we were, like, 'We don't even know if people are gonna like this, if people are gonna accept us, ARCH ENEMY, with a new singer.' We didn't really know, which made the songs maybe more… To me, 'War Eternal' has a very kind of dark and very angry and claustrophobic feel to it, which is really cool. But I think the new one is gonna be more open and probably more powerful, actually."

Michael also confirmed that ARCH ENEMY's new guitarist, Jeff Loomis (ex-NEVERMORE), has not contributed to the songwriting on the band's new disc but "he's gonna be playing on the album, of course."

Sólstafir will release their new album Berdreyminn on May 26th via Season Of Mist. The album track, “Ísafold”, is available for streaming below.

Sólstafir are not like any other band. Their sixth album, Berdreyminn, underscores this statement. As its title "a dreamer of forthcoming events" aptly describes, the four Icelanders have taken their already impressive evolution one step further. The band has continued to amalgamate haunting melodies, psychedelic phases, as well as strong undercurrents of classic rock and hard rock with echoes of their metal past. Yet Sólstafir’s focus is not on style but pure emotion.

Berdreyminn is eclectic by a conscious choice to make feelings audible and transform taste as well as texture to sound. Genre borders are not broken but simply ignored. Musical influences are gathered from a wide range of sources, re-arranged, and woven into new patterns. Melancholy, longing, anger, joy, pleasure, pain, and other emotions are fuelling and fulling this album.

Tracklisting:

“Silfur-Refur”
“Ísafold”
“Hula”
“Nárós”
“Hvít Sæng”
“Dýrafjörður”
“Ambátt”
“Bláfjall”

“Ísafold”:

(Photo by: Falk-Hagen_Bernshausen)