SOIL frontman Ryan McCombs has told MyGlobalMind that the band is contemplating returning to the studio soon to begin work on the long-awaited follow-up to 2013's "Whole" album. "We go through little phases of interest in writing," he said. "More so probably on this [most recent European] tour. We're five years removed from 'Whole'. Finally, there's been more talk on this tour. The bug to get into the studio and get stuff thrown out is stronger now that it's ever been for everybody."

SOIL's most recent release was last year's "Scream: The Essentials", which featured tracks from the and's humble beginnings, rise to fame, and also included alternate versions and mixes.

"'Scream' is what it was," McCombs told MyGlobalMind. "For us, it was a way to tip our hat to the people that have kept us around for 20 years.

"When we did 'Whole', we hadn't done anything together new, music-wise, in years," he explained. "One of the things that made us realize we were going to do it was when we were on the same page. We wanted to do an album and we wanted to keep control of it. We knew we wanted to work with Pavement Entertainment in their territories and Riot and AFM. We knew who we wanted to work with. We knew even the people within those teams that we wanted to work with. So we were able to handpick the team. There was no contractual obligation, there was no one that there was a contract with. It was something that we just did. It's one of those things. You sit there one day and you go, 'Man, we've been here for 20 fucking years. Huh.' And someone came up with the idea of doing a 20-year anniversary album. But at the same time, we wanted to do something just a little different."

"Scream: The Essentials" also included a cover version of the track "Gimme Some Lovin'", which originally made its onscreen debut in the cult classic motion picture "The Blues Brothers" in 1980. The SOIL members took it upon themselves to add their own personal touch to what was primarily a rhythm-and-blues-based song, and bring the song into a modern hard rock element. Another special track on the album was a version of the song "Give It Up" that featured the late Wayne Static from STATIC-X singing verses, choruses, and a bridge section.

Fan-filmed video footage of SAXON's February 24 performance at Corn Exchange in Cambridge, England can be seen below.

SAXON's 22nd studio album, "Thunderbolt", was released on February 2 via Militia Guard (Silver Lining Music). The follow-up to 2015's "Battering Ram" was once again helmed by producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH, ACCEPT and TESTAMENT, among others. The disc features original artwork by longtime SAXON collaborator Paul Raymond Gregory.

SAXON will be the primary support act for JUDAS PRIEST's "Firepower" tour, which will kick off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas. Additional support on the trek will come from BLACK STAR RIDERS.

SAXON frontman Biff Byford told Dead Rhetoric about the upcoming tour: "I suppose we were out with JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD in 2015 for a few shows in North America — we've done fairly good gigs with them. But there's nothing like having a fantastic package together for the fans. You have to remember that when it comes to SAXON, the fans are the most important thing to us, especially when we are touring. We just feel that this package — especially JUDAS PRIEST and SAXON — is iconic. The first tour we ever did in Europe was with JUDAS PRIEST in 1980, so we've been friends with them ever since. The three bands are a great bill for the fans to see, the people seem really excited about the new album and about the tour, so we are looking forward to it."

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that he never meant to insinuate that producer Andy Sneap played Glenn Tipton's guitar parts during the making of the band's new album, "Firepower".

Two weeks after Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease, Downing released a statement in which he said that he was "shocked and stunned" that he wasn't approached to rejoin the band and suggested that Sneap's "contribution to the new JUDAS PRIEST album was much more than just as a producer." His comments appeared to get a rise out of JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, who fired back that "a lot" of K.K.'s statement was "completely superfluous" and dismissed as "a thousand percent false" the idea that Tipton didn't personally lay down all of his guitar work on "Firepower".

Earlier today, Downing released a follow-up statement in which he said he wanted to "clarify" his original comments as he felt that "parts" of them were "regretfully misinterpreted."

Downing said: "Just to clarify that my complimenting Andy Sneap as I did was no more than I would have said about any other guitar-playing producers that have also contributed much more than expected to our past albums. Great talent such as Chris Tsangarides (R.I.P) and Roy Z both not only produced, but also contributed song ideas, riffs and licks, lyric ideas etc. Consequently, albums like 'Painkiller' and 'Angel Of Retribution' would not have been the same without them. Even George Martin, I believe, provided much more for THE BEATLES than just the role of a normal producer. An extra musician in the studio, like the aforementioned talented producers, really does bring a great benefit."

Tipton, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the group's 1974's debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the outfit, but simply cannot handle to rigorous challenges of performing live. Joining PRIEST for its upcoming dates will be Sneap, who has previously played with HELL and SABBAT.

Downing announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011. He has since been replaced by Richie Faulkner, who was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.

In his statement on Tuesday, Downing said that he knows "now more clearly than ever" that he did the right thing by leaving the band when he did "as it seems that my time spent in the band, and my value in terms of crafting its huge legacy, was and is unappreciated by more than one member."

"Firepower" will be released on March 9 via Epic.

The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour will kick off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

London, England's ORANGE GOBLIN has completed work on its new album, "The Wolf Bites Back", for a June release via Candlelight/Spinefarm. The nine-song disc was recorded at Orgone Studios with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, GRAVE PLEASURES, PARADISE LOST, CATHEDRAL).

Vocalist Ben Ward commented: "We are very excited about this new album. 'The Wolf Bites Back' is our strongest and most diverse collection of songs to date, it's certainly a lot darker both musically and lyrically. It is still definitely a distinct ORANGE GOBLIN album but we have incorporated a lot more variation on this record and there are hints of CAN, CAPTAIN BEYOND, WISHBONE ASH and THE STOOGES nestling amongst the obvious SABBATH and MOTÖRHEAD influences. Lyrically, I have explored everything from alien serial killers to zombie biker gangs, Buddhist warriors through to descendants of the Salem witches!"

He continued: "There was definitely a concerted effort to make sure all the songs could work in a live environment which gives the album a more raw, stripped-back feel — something that I feel has been lacking from good rock and metal in recent years.

"Working with Jaime Gomez Arellano was really productive and a great experience, especially going back to tracking stuff to tape. I feel that he got the best out of all of us as musicians and songwriters and that really comes across in the songs, there is an air of confidence and experience. It was also a real honor for us to have Phil Campbell of MOTÖRHEAD lending his hand to a couple of solos on there, too!"

The full track list and artwork will be released at a later date, but the band has confirmed titles such as "Son Of Salem", "Ghost Of The Primitives", "Burn The Ships", "Zeitgeist" and "Suicide Division". Artwork will be created by Roland Scriver at Familiar Ink.

Virginia Beach, Virginia's ARSIS, a standout in the technical, melodic death metal genre, has inked a record deal with Agonia Records. The agreement excludes North, South and Central America, where the band's product will be released by Nuclear Blast Records.

ARSIS entered AudioHammer Studio in Sandord, Florida in late 2017 with producer Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, CANNIBAL CORPSE) to begin recording its sixth album. The follow-up to 2013's "Unwelcome" will be made available later in the year.

ARSIS co-founder James Malone commented: "We are really excited to have found a label partner outside of the Americas.

"Agonia works with some great bands and we are pleased to be working with them moving forward.

"We look forward to reaching some new ground with a new record in 2018. Stay tuned for details".

ARSIS's current lineup includes THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER guitarist Brandon Ellis.

ARSIS is:

James Malone - vocals, guitars
Noah Martin - bass
Brandon Ellis - guitars
Shawn Priest - drums

On February 26, Seattle metal legends SANCTUARY played at the Music Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota as part of their North American tour with ICED EARTH.

Fan-filmed video footage of the "Die For My Sins" performance from the Minneapolis concert can be seen below.

These shows are acting as a tribute to the musical legacy of SANCTUARY singer Warrel Dane, who passed away last December. Guest vocals for SANCTUARY on the trek are being provided by Joseph Michael (WITHERFALL). Also joining the band on the road is second guitarist Joey Concepcion (ARMAGEDDON, THE ABSENCE).

Prior to the start of the ICED EARTH tour, SANCTUARY guitarist Lenny Rutledge said that the band "decided to continue on" with the shows "to pay tribute to our brother Warrel Dane." He added that the set would "consist of many old and some newer songs performed with the utmost respect and quality to honor our friend" and invited fans to "join us in this farewell as we celebrate Warrel's musical legacy with SANCTUARY."

A year ago, SANCTUARY released the official prequel to 1988's classic debut "Refuge Denied", "Inception", which showcased several previously lost recordings from their 1986 studio session that have now been restored, remixed and remastered by Chris "Zeus" Harris (QUEENSRŸCHE).

Formed in 1985, the band was signed to Epic Records with the help of MEGADETH guitarist Dave Mustaine and released two records, "Refuge Denied" (1988) and "Into The Mirror Black" (1989), which saw them perform with the likes of MEGADETH, FATES WARNING, WARLOCK and DEATH ANGEL. The band disbanded in 1992 as members Dane and Jim Sheppard (bass) went on to form the highly successful metal act NEVERMORE with acclaimed guitarist Jeff Loomis. SANCTUARY reunited nearly 25 years later in 2010 and appeared at several festivals worldwide before returning to the studio to record their acclaimed full-length comeback album, "The Year The Sun Died", for Century Media Records in 2014.

Dane tragically passed away on December 13, 2017 due to a heart attack while recording his second solo album in São Paulo, Brazil.

Photo credit: SANCTUARY's official Facebook page

During yesterday's (Thursday, February 22) appearance on the Los Angeles radio station 95.5 KLOS, KISS frontman Paul Stanley once again reiterated his belief that the band can one day carry on without any original members, including him and fellow KISS co-founder Gene Simmons. "I think so," Paul said (see video below). "I tell you, Eric's [Singer, drums] been in the band 20-something years off and on, and Tommy's [Thayer, guitar] been in 15 years. So the people who initially thought, 'Well, it's gotta be the original four guys,' they're already 50 percent wrong. I think that KISS is a concept, it's an ideal, it's a way of performing and giving to an audience, and that goes far beyond me."

He continued: "I'm a big fan of mine — I think I'm really good at what I do — but it doesn't mean there's not somebody else out there who can bring something to the band. Not a clone, not somebody copying me, but I was influenced by a lot of people, so there's people out there who are influenced by me."

Asked if that means he thinks KISS can continue on with new members, Stanley said: "I really believe it will, I believe it can, and I believe it should. You know, KISS DNA is in every live show — from rap to rock to you call it what it is. Special effects, a way of entertaining an audience — that's what we've always been about: being the band we never saw. Once audiences started seeing what was possible, they wouldn't accept less from a lot of other bands. So I believe that nobody does it better than us, and nobody will continue to do it better than us."

Two years ago, Stanley spoke about how he would go about finding someone to replace him in KISS. He said: "Honestly, I think all the KISS tribute bands are great, but none of them have a good 'Paul.' So I'd like to see somebody who incorporates what I've done with a lot of the things that inspired me. And it's not a matter of a puppet being me; it's somebody who comes in and contributes and adds something new to it while still following the template that's been set."

It was back in 2005 that KISS manager Doc McGhee first told the New York Times that the group had "been toying with the idea of recruiting an entire band to don the band's famous makeup." McGhee said: "KISS is more like Doritos or Pepsi, as far as a brand name is concerned. They're more characters than the individual person. I think [new members] have a legitimate chance to carry the franchise."

In a 2016 interview, Singer said that he wasn't interested in being involved in a version of KISS that featured no original members. "That's not something that I really wanna do, to be honest with you," he said. "I've said it before. I think maybe other people have different sentiments about it, whether it's other guys in the band or Doc or whoever. But for me, if Gene or Paul aren't doing it, to me, it would awkward or difficult. Up to this day, I've always maintained that if one of those guys is done, then, to me, that's when it's done."

KISS fans are speculating that the band will soon embark on a farewell tour following the news that the band is attempting to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed on February 8 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band." As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.

As most fans remember, back in 2000 and 2001, KISS already performed a "Farewell Tour". The trek, which was the last to feature drummer Peter Criss, played 142 shows over five legs, covering North America, Japan, and Australia.

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley said in 2016 that the idea that the band could continue without any original members was "the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard [Stanley and Simmons] make." He added: "I think the only reason they make those statements at this juncture is to try to validate the fact that they have two other guys in the band that aren't the original members. So they're trying to rationalize to the fans, 'Well, you know, we replaced Peter and we replaced Ace, and eventually we're gonna replace ourselves. That's like [THE ROLLING STONES singer] Mick Jagger saying, 'Yeah, after me and Keith [Richards, THE ROLLINGS STONES guitarist] die, THE STONES will continue on with two other guys.' I mean, it's a joke."

Ritchie Blackmore says that the current incarnation of RAINBOW is "the best lineup" the band has ever had.

Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT for the first time in 2016 to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.

RAINBOW's latest formation includes singer Ronnie Romero, originally from Chile but now settled in Madrid, Spain, as well as STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.

Asked by Eclipsed magazine about his more subdued style of playing and less aggressive stage presence compared to RAINBOW's earlier days, Blackmore said: "I think that Ronnie is a very good performer and he gives the rest of us the freedom to concentrate on what we're doing. For some time I thought that it's very important to be very fast on the guitar, and some of the songs need that kind of fast playing, but at some point in my career I knew I don't want to come from A to B with as many notes as possible. Today I think less is more. Looking back on our first [comeback] shows [in 2016], I think that we should have rehearsed a bit more and the shows would have been a lot better. I also think that I didn't really perform every song of the set quite well."

Adding that "playing with unknown musicians is much more inspiring" than sharing he stage with well-established performers, Ritchie said that "it's really a lot of fun to play with this band. The other guys are getting more and more confident. And Ronnie Romero is a fantastic singer. On the other side, I'm happy to play for all the fans that grew up with my old music. The shows in the very big halls or arenas are almost to completely sold out."

Asked how he would compare the current RAINBOW lineup to all the others, Ritchie said: "I will say something now that is probably gonna upset a lot of Cozy Powell and [Ronnie James] Dio fans, but that's really how I think: this lineup is the best lineup RAINBOW ever had. On the other side, I'm always in the now on stage and off stage, which means that I had always loved the current lineup of any band I was in the most."

Former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer Joe Lynn Turner last year slammed Blackmore for the guitarist's decision to go out and perform the two bands' classic material with a new group musicians instead of reforming RAINBOW with a more "authentic" lineup.

Less critical of the new RAINBOW lineup was former DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who admitted to Metal Express Radio last year that he had watched some YouTube clips of the new RAINBOW lineup performing in 2016. "Singing Ronnie's [James Dio] songs needs a special kind of singer and I think the young chap did a reasonably good job and I think Ritchie may well have found the guy for him," Hughes said of Romero. "He was certainly a good fit for RAINBOW."

After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.

Jimmy Page says his first solo release in 30 years will be "a sort of album" that will touch upon all all "the different approaches" that he is known for. The LED ZEPPELIN guitarist told Rolling Stone in a new interview: "I intend to be doing something which obviously will surface as a sort of album somewhere. It'll surface further on down the line; I'm looking forward to doing whatever the project is. But if you think about all the areas that I've attempted, guitar, whether it's acoustic or electric or whatever, all the different approaches that I've done, it's just gonna be an extension of all of that, and that's it. So it's not just acoustic, it's not just electric, it's everything I can muster up."

There's been no release date announced for the upcoming Page album, which will be his first true solo set since "Outrider". That album came out on June 19, 1988 and peaked at No. 26 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

"Outrider" featured LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant co-writing and contributing vocals on the track "The Only One", and Jason Bonham drumming on both the majority of the album and Page's subsequent tour.

LED ZEPPELIN hasn't performed together in more than a decade, having last played London's O2 Arena in December 2007. The concert was part of the Ahmet Ertegun tribute event, which was chronicled on the band's 2012 "Celebration Day" CD and DVD. The set, which featured Jason Bonham subbing for his late father John Bonham on drums, marked Page, Plant and John Paul Jones's first full-scale concert together since John Bonham's 1980 death.

An official LED ZEPPELIN illustrated book, "Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin", will be released in October.

Rob Halford has fired back at K.K. Downing over the former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist's insinuation that producer Andy Sneap was covering Glenn Tipton's parts on the band's new album, insisting that "everything that you hear from Glenn on 'Firepower' is the amazing Glenn Tipton."

Two weeks after Tipton announced that he was retiring from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease, Downing released a statement in which he said that he was "shocked and stunned" that he wasn't approached to rejoin the band and suggested that Sneap's "contribution to the new JUDAS PRIEST album was much more than just as a producer."

During an appearance Tuesday (February 27) on "The Freaks with Kenny & Crash" show on Phoenix's Fox Sports 910 radio station, Halford responded directly to Downing's comments, calling "a lot" of K.K.'s statement "completely superfluous" and dismissing as "a thousand percent false" the idea that Tipton didn't personally lay down all of his guitar work on "Firepower".

Halford said (see video below): "Let me just say that the great joy of JUDAS PRIEST is that we've never gone into this kind of arena of a public dispute. And it's so easy to fall into that trap in social media today. How many people have you seen in sports, for example, that have made a rash comment on Twitter, just on the heat of the moment, emotionally. You know, we're all human, we've all got feelings, and we have a tendency to blurt out the first thing that is on our minds, and rightly or wrongly, things can kind of come back and chase you afterwards in a negative way.

"So, with regards to everything that was made in [K.K.'s] statement today, a lot of it, to me, is completely superfluous," he continued. "But the one point that I would like to clarify and have on record is this insinuation that Andy Sneap was covering Glenn's guitar parts on 'Firepower', and I can categorically state that that is a thousand percent false. Because I was with Glenn for all of his guitar work, and he worked really, really hard. Imagine this guy in the tenth year of Parkinson's. I've never seen anybody so brave in the fact that every song was a challenge for him to make it work, but he did — consistently, day after day. It was just a very powerful thing to experience firsthand. And this just goes to show you about the amazing stories that surround invididuals around the world that are dealing with Parkinson's in their life.

"So, thank you for that opportunity, Kenny," Halford told "The Freaks" co-host Kenny Sargent. "I just wanted to touch on that one issue, because out of everything that was laid out in that statement, that one hit me personally. And so now I've been able to clarify that and make sure that everybody out in the world listening to the show, on the Internet and elsewhere, understands that everything that you hear from Glenn on 'Firepower' is the amazing Glenn Tipton. Oh yeah!"

Tipton, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the group's 1974's debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the outfit, but simply cannot handle to rigorous challenges of performing live. Joining PRIEST for its upcoming dates will be Sneap, who has previously played with HELL and SABBAT.

Downing announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011. He has since been replaced by Richie Faulkner, who was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.

In his statement on Tuesday, Downing said that he knows "now more clearly than ever" that he did the right thing by leaving the band when he did "as it seems that my time spent in the band, and my value in terms of crafting its huge legacy, was and is unappreciated by more than one member."

"Firepower" will be released on March 9 via Epic.

The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour will kick off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.



Rob Halford: “Tipton on Firepower was ALL Tipton”

Judas Priest Frontman Rob Halford joined The Freaks With Kenny and Crash in the FOX Sports 910 studio prior to the release of Priest’s new record “Firepower” and responded to comments made by former bandmate K.K. Downing in regards to guitarist Glenn Tipton’s work on their new release.

Posted by The Freaks with Kenny and Crash on Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that he was "shocked and stunned" that he wasn't approached to rejoin the band following Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from the road.

Tipton, who is now 70 and has performed on every PRIEST album since the group's 1974's debut set, "Rocka Rolla", is not quitting the outfit, but simply cannot handle to rigorous challenges of performing live. Joining PRIEST for its upcoming dates will be the band's co-producer and HELL/ex-SABBAT guitarist Andy Sneap.

In a statement released Tuesday morning (February 27), Downing said that he now knows "more clearly than ever" that he did the right thing by leaving the band when he did because he believes that his contributions to PRIEST's legacy are "unappreciated by more than one member."

K.K. said: "The news that Glenn has finally been forced to come to terms with his unfortunate condition long term came with deep regret and sadness for me. Equally, this ending of our guitar duo era is also something that I have to come to terms with. The insatiable appetite that myself and Glenn had for creating inspired and unique music for the world to enjoy for many decades, is something that can never be erased. However, everyone who has witnessed the evolution of our beloved music must come to terms with the fact that things will inevitably change, or just simply end.

"I have to state with great sadness also that I am shocked and stunned that I wasn't approached to step into my original role as guitarist for JUDAS PRIEST. Whether I could have stepped back into the band or not, the potential for this situation arising never entered my head when I departed — although I too am officially and legally still a member of JUDAS PRIEST. However, I know now more clearly than ever that I did the right thing by leaving the band when I did — as it seems that my time spent in the band, and my value in terms of crafting its huge legacy, was and is unappreciated by more than one member. I sincerely hope, for the fans' sake, that the decision not to approach me was not a financial one.

"I know Andy Sneap — and he is one of the greatest contributors to rock and metal that you will ever have the privilege to meet. To that end, I have no doubt that his contribution to the new JUDAS PRIEST album was much more than just as a producer. All that's left is for you the fans to go out and enjoy the band as it is, in order to complete a part of music history in which every one of you has played such an important role."

Downing announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011. He has since been replaced by Richie Faulkner, who was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.

During a 2015 interview with Guitar International, Downing elaborated on his reasons for leaving PRIEST. He said: "I had lots and lots of reasons for not continuing, as I wasn't content with things as they were. I wasn't happy with the band's live performance. I thought it could have been better; not that the fans would notice. To me, PRIEST was always a stealth machine and that's what I liked about it. Even though you get older, you still need to be able to deliver the goods. People came a long way and paid a lot of money to see us, so you've got to make sure you still give 110 percent. I thought that should be inherent and what it should always be."

K.K. also said that he didn't think his return to PRIEST would "ever, ever happen." He explained: "Obviously I'm quite happy for Richie Faulkner to be in the band. But I really wasn't expecting to have someone who had so many familiarities as me, the looks and everything. At a glance, nothing too much has changed for the fans."

It was announced late last month that Da Capo Press has set a September 18 publication date for Downing's memoir, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest". The book was co-written by the Scottish author and journalist Mark Eglinton, whose previous collaborations include "Official Truth, 101 Proof" with Rex Brown of PANTERA and "Confessions Of A Heretic" with BEHEMOTH's Adam "Nergal" Darski.

PRIEST's new album, "Firepower", will be released on March 9 via Epic.

The North American leg of the "Firepower" tour will kick off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

Legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi willl host a charity lunch to raise funds for the cancer unit where the band's late keyboardist Geoff Nicholls was treated.

Tony will be on hand at Birmingham, England's Opus Restaurant on Friday, April 20 to entertain guests with stories from his life and career with BLACK SABBATH, touring the world with one of the biggest bands of all time.

Tony is Patron of Ward 19, the dedicated cancer ward at Heartlands Hospital and is supporting the charity's campaign to raise £150,000 for an extension of cancer services at Solihull Hospital.

This unit will increase the amount of cancer patients who can be treated by 170 percent, reducing waiting times, reducing stess and creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere for patients.

This prestigious lunch includes a three-course meal and reception drinks. Tickets are £100 each or £950 for a table of ten.

There will also be the chance to win some incredible BLACK SABBATH prizes at a raffle that will be drawn over the course of the afternoon.

The now-sold-out event starts at 12:30 p.m. with arrival drinks.

Tony told Birmingham Live: "The first time I went to Ward 19 at Heartlands was when I went with a friend who was going for chemotherapy for his first treatment. It's something I'd been through before, so he wanted to go along with him for support. You can be anxious going to hospital for treatment for the first time, so it's really important to have a welcoming place to visit. That's when I was approached about being a patron of Heartlands and, after seeing the amazing work they do at the chemotherapy center, I accepted."

Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

Iommi said in 2016 interview that "the lowest moment" for him was being diagnosed. He explained: "You automatically wind yourself up saying, 'That's it then,' but that is not always the case. When they tell you, you think, 'Oh God.' That was a low time. I have had a few low times in my life like everybody has, but that was one that stuck in the head."

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski has joined forces with the Punch Punk Games studio to bring to life "Apocalipsis: Harrry At The End Of The World" game. It's a story of a journey through a world inspired by the Book of Revelation and Danse Macabre aesthetics.

Apocalipsis gameplay, combined with the unique artistic style of 15th-century engravings by artists such as Hans Holbein, Michael Wolgemut and Albrecht Dürer, creates the perfect backdrop for a story about heartbreak and redemption in a new world filled with dread, death, and disease.

Featuring narration by Nergal and atmospheric new renditions of BEHEMOTH's music, "Apocalipsis: Harry At The End Of The World" will be a journey to remember.

What would you do if you lost the one person who meant the world to you? Would you fall into despair, or would you refuse to accept it and risk your soul to save what you've lost? After all, the Apocalypse doesn't have to mean the end of civilization as a whole. In fact, for most of us it's when we lose someone we love.

"Apocalipsis: Harry At The End Of The World" is available on Steam, priced at $6.99 for the regular version of the game and running a special 25 percent discount for the deluxe Wormwood Edition for the first week after launch. Beside the game itself, the Wormwood Edition also includes the game's soundtrack and beautiful digital artbook for download.

Meet Harry, a boy whose world collapsed with the loss of his loved one. Once carefree, he must now venture into strange, unwelcoming lands to recover what's been lost. Joining him on his journey, you will meet fantastical creatures, straight from the minds of 15th-century European artists, and help him overcome his own personal demons.

In "Apocalipsis: Harry At The End Of The World", you will:

* Play a classic point-and-click adventure game with a twist
* See medieval art being brought to life
* Meet creatures straight from 15th-century codices
* Experience a journey through the end of times, and bear witness to one of many possible endings
* Visit more than two dozen unique locations, with puzzles to be solved and hidden meanings to be discovered
* Shake your spirit with a foreboding soundtrack inspired by Danse Macabre aesthetics

And all you metalheads out there will enjoy the new, somber renditions of BEHEMOTH's music hidden in the game, as well as hearing frontman Nergal's dark voice telling you Harry's story.

"Apocalipsis: Harry At The End Of The World" has been developed by Punch Punk Games and is published by Klabater. It is available now for PC and Mac OS.

GODSMACK has set "When Legends Rise" as the title of its first album in four years, due out April 27. The follow-up to 2014's "1000hp" was produced by frontman Sully Erna and Erik Ron, who has previously worked with PANIC! AT THE DISCO and SAOSIN.

"Bulletproof", the first single off the new album, doubles down on GODSMACK's combination of tightly wound riffs, rhythmic fury, naked emotions and pushed-to-the-edge vocals, all fired up with melodic precision and tight songcraft.

"When Legends Rise" track listing:

01. When Legends Rise
02. Bulletproof
03. Unforgettable
04. Every Part Of Me
05. Take It To The Edge
06. Under Your Scars
07. Someday
08. Just One Time
09. Say My Name
10. Let it Out
11. Eye Of The Storm

GODSMACK filmed a video for an as-yet-undisclosed song from "When Legends Rise" on February 7 at a studio in Los Angeles, featuring cameos from country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach in addition to TV personality Chris Jacobs from "Overhaulin'". The clip was directed by the band's longtime visual collaborator Troy Smith.

Erna told FaceCulture in September that the band's new songs "have a lot more of a commercial aspect to 'em. There's some stuff in there that definitely will service the core fanbase of GODSMACK. But we also felt that it's time to expand a little bit."

Erna added that the band is "gonna try to reinvent a little bit more of our sound, our look, our stage show, and come out with a brand new GODSMACK."

The singer said last July in an interview with Los Angeles radio station KLOS: "I'm a lot older now, I have a daughter of my own, I'm in a good place in my life. I don't have a whole lot to really be stressed out about or mad. And so the music has to evolve with that."

GODSMACK is scheduled to perform at several music festivals this spring and summer, including April's Welcome To Rockville and Fort Rock, May's Carolina Rebellion and July's Rock USA.

GODSMACK's last release was a song called "Inside Yourself", which was made available in October 2015 as a free download at the band's official web site.

The new GODSMACK CD will be its first effort for BMG, following a split with the band's label home since 1998, Republic/Universal.

Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA have released the music video for "Decoded Poetry", which is taken from the band's latest EP, "The Solace System". The animated clip was created/produced by anime master Davide Cilloni and completes the video trilogy of EPICA's masterful title track "The Solace System" and "Immortal Melancholy", all taken from "The Solace System", EP which was released worldwide in September 2017 via Nuclear Blast.

EPICA keyboardist Coen Janssen comments: "It has been a great pleasure working with the talented Davide Cilloni on this unique video trilogy.

"In this final part, we finally find out what will happen to our dimension and if the Universal Death Squad will conquer our planet... Let's hope for the best!!

"I hope you enjoy this last part as much as I have enjoyed seeing myself as a cartoon, haha!"

This Thursday, EPICA will kick off "The Ultimate Principle Tour - Latin America" in Montevideo, Uruguay. The trek will include eight shows in Brazil, plus dates in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

"The Solace System" contained six brand-new songs which were created during the sessions for the band's latest album, 2016's "The Holographic Principle".

"The Solace System" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Joost van den Broek and Jacob Hansen.

SEVENDUST will release its 12th studio album, "All I See Is War", on May 11. The follow-up to 2015's "Kill The Flaw" was recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

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

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

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

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

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

The fourth trailer for "Resurrection", the new album from legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker's MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST project, is available below. Due on March 2 via Nuclear Blast, the disc, which was produced by Michael Voss-Schön, was recorded in four different locations over a five-month period and features guest appearances by METALLICA's Kirk Hammett, Wayne Findlay and Michael Voss-Schön along with contributions from three original MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) singers — Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley — plus Doogie White, who plays with Michael in MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK. Also appearing on the album are musicians Steve Mann (guitars, keyboards), Ted McKenna (drums) and Chris Glen (bass).

Asked how Hammett came to be involved with the project, Schenker told Poland's Interia.pl (see video below): "He is a fan. He always wanted to jam with me. He actually did something very nice for me — he put [MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP's] 'Armed And Ready' on [METALLICA's] version of 'Guitar Hero'; they had their own version. Peter Mensch, he used to be the manager of AC/DC, then DEF LEPPARD and then METALLICA, he told me that Kirk Hammett, I'm his Santa Claus. And so that's how it started. So I found out very late in life that he was a fan. And then we met at a guitar magazine, [when we were named two of] the 10 most influential guitarists, we made the cover page for a guitar magazine in America, but we never talked. So he always wanted to jam with me. [Radio personality] Eddie Trunk, from New York, he arranged for Kirk and me to meet and jam. And so we jammed and then we did an interview together. And then, eventually, he even came to a concert and jammed a song with us. So, basically, Kirk was a fan, he became a friend and he plays in the biggest band in the world. And so I said, 'Kirk, you wanna [guest on 'Resurrection']?' And he was more than happy. His management even… 'Cause he wanted to record in Hawaii in his own recording studio, so [METALLICA's] management paid for the ticket for Michael Voss, the co-producer, to fly over there to record [Kirk's solo]. Then they sent me a picture of Kirk [in the studio]. He looked like a teenager, 20 years old, with his casual Hawaiian outfit, baseball hat, and he was happy."

Hammett and Schenker first traded licks during the taping of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" in April 2015 at Metropolis Studios in New York City. Less than a month later, Kirk joined Michael on stage at the RockBar in San Jose, California to perform a couple of songs: UFO's "Natural Thing" and SCORPIONS' "Blackout".

"Resurrection" track listing:

01. Heart And Soul
02. Warrior
03. Take Me To The Church
04. Night Moods
05. The Girl With The Stars In Her Eyes
06. Everest
07. Messin' Around
08. Time Knows When It's Time
09. Anchors Away
10. Salvation
11. Livin' A Life Worth Livin'
12. The Last Supper

MIDNATTSOL will release its new album, "The Aftermath", on May 25 via Napalm Records. The band's current lineup includes former LEAVES' EYES and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY frontwoman Liv Kristine Espenæs alongside Liv's younger sister, Carmen Elise Espenaes.

"The Aftermath" relies much more heavily on folk influences lending atmospheric density to the melancholic symphonic metal compositions. It is a sumptuous and sensual affair and a shimmering highlight in the discography of this German/Norwegian team.

"The Aftermath" track listing:

01. The Purple Sky
02. Syns Sang
03. Vem Kan Segla
04. Ikje Glem Meg
05. Herr Mannelig
06. The Aftermath
07. The Unveiled Truth
08. Evaluation Of Time
09. Forsaken
10. Eitrdropar (bonus track)

MIDNATTSOL released its promising debut album, "Where Twilight Dwells", back in 2005. The band quickly gained fans around the gothic, metal and rock scenes and played numerous shows and summer festivals like Summer Breeze, Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Mera Luna, as well as opening for IN EXTREMO. Their second studio album, "Nordlys", was released in 2008, followed up by "The Metamorphosis Melody" in 2011. After that, the band decided to take a creative break.

MIDNATTSOL announced Liv's addition to the band last December. The group said in a statement: "Some time ago, we discussed with Liv that she would support us on our upcoming album as a special guest. Working together, we found out that not only the result is awesome — we also have a lot of fun together. The logical consequence was that we pick up Liv as a permanent member of the band. So she is now the official second singer in MIDNATTSOL.

"As Liv is now a permanent band member, we plan to play upcoming concerts together with her. We are very happy and it means a lot to us to have such an amazing singer and fantastic person in our MIDNATTSOL family."

A snippet of a new MIDNATTSOL song called "Purple Sky" is available below.

More recently, Carmen was involved in a project called SAVN, also featuring two members of THE SINS OF THY BELOVED.

Liv was fired from LEAVES' EYES in early 2016 and was replaced by Elina Siirala. Liv was previously married to LEAVES' EYES' co-vocalist Alexander Krull.

MIDNATTSOL 2018 is:

Carmen Elise Espenæs - Vocals
Liv Kristine Espenæs - Vocals
Alex Kautz - Guitar
Daniel Fischer - Keyboard
Stephan Adolph - Guitar

"Winds Of Change", a new song from noise metal legends WILL HAVEN, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's sixth full-length album, titled "Muerte" (Spanish for "death"), which will be released on March 23 via Minus Head Records.

WILL HAVEN guitarist Jeff Irwin states about "Winds Of Change": "This is probably my favorite song on the record. It was written somewhat early on and went through a lot of changes before we were ultimately happy with it. I envisioned something chaotic — that stress you might feel when you are about to die, and then I wanted the ending to be epic like you were floating away. So capturing that emotion took some time but I think we did it. It was a lot of fun to make… This was a breakthrough song for us, as far as what we can possibly do with our music."

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", 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," says 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.'"

Spiral down into the heavy, atmospheric thickness of "Muerte" by sampling the the six-minute-plus epic "El Sol", co-written and performed with guest guitarist Stephen Carpenter of DEFTONES, below.

"If WILL HAVEN and DEFTONES had a kid, that's what it would sound like," Irwin says about "El Sol".

"I was in my first band with Stephen. This was really a family thing. While we were in the studio, he sent us an e-mail with an eight-minute song of all riffs. I added the spacey elements. Our vocalist, Grady, is reciting this famous poem about being kind to your fellow man and taking care of each other. Lyrically, it fits the times."

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 adds 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."

"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

Only six months after the Ayreon Universe took to the stage, Mascot Label Group / Music Theories Recordings will release the entire show on a variety of formats on March 30th. Ayreon Universe is the best of Ayreon Live - a unique performance featuring 16 singers, 28 songs, 2+ hour performance, 9000+ fans and a special appearance by Arjen Lucassen. All of this captured by 30 cameras!

Check out "Valley Of The Queens" below:

"I’m extremely proud to present you the first full live video track of the upcoming Ayreon Universe DVD/BD," Arjen Lucassen recently stated. "I picked "Everybody Dies", which is not only a personal favorite, it also features many of the amazing singers and a lot of mayhem and commotion on stage! This is a total bitch of a track to play, but I must say the band totally nailed it! Hope you like it!"

Arjen talks about the upcoming release in the video below:

It’s proof that you should never say ‘never’. After creating rock operas in the studio for more than 20 years, prog mastermind Arjen Lucassen, aka Ayreon, finally took his Universe to the stage in September 2017. Three shows sold out within hours after announcing. 9000+ fans from all corners of the world flocked to the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands to see this long-awaited show live.

This unique performance features 16 singers, 28 songs, an 8 piece band and a special appearance by Arjen. The duration of the show was more than 2 hours. It was filmed with 30 cameras and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray with 5.1 surround audio, with an extensive list of extras, including a behind-the-scenes documentary with interviews with every singer and musician, and a compilation of the try-out show performed a few weeks earlier.

Two years in the making, Ayreon Universe is a full on rock extravaganza, featuring songs from all Ayreon albums, including 2017’s The Source, plus a few fan favorites from Star One. An amazing array of singers appeared on stage to bring the Ayreon Universe to life: Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Damian Wilson (Headspace), Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gentle Storm), Marco Hietala (Nightwish), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Mike Mills (Toehider), Marcela Bovio (Stream of Passion), Irene Jansen, Robert Soeterboek (Star One), John Jaycee Cuijpers (Praying Mantis), Edward Reekers (ex-Kayak), Jay van Feggelen, Maggy Luyten (Nightmare) and Lisette van den Berg (Scarlet Stories).

This is the show every Ayreon fan wants to see and hear! Without further ado, the album cover.

Ayreon Universe will be released on the following formats:

- 5-Disc Earbook with 2CD, 2DVD and Blu-ray
- Blu-ray
- 2DVD
- 2CD
- 3LP (Black vinyl)
- 3LP (Gold vinyl - Ayreon webstore exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- Digital download / streaming

Old-school metal influenced act with modern attitude – this is Eufory, a group from the Slovak Republic led by highly experienced singer, Lubos and backed by their exotic drummer girl, Miriama. Starting out as a Def Leppard tribute band and after spending time searching for the right direction, the decision to write and record their own material was the obvious way ahead. After stabilizing the previously uncertain line-up, Eufory released their debut album Flying Island Eufory and presented it on tour in Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic. The band wasted no time in starting work on their follow up album which will be entitled Higher And Higher and is set for release worldwide via Sliptrick Records in 2018.

Over the coming months, the band plan to perform more shows incorporating most of the new songs from Higher And Higher into their set-list. For their upcoming stage appearances, the band promise more effects, more movement and even more sweat every single night. This band know how to rock.

Eufory are:
Lubos Senko – Vocals 
Stevo Hodon – Guitar  
Peter Drabik – Guitar  
Miriama Hodon – Drums 
Adrian Benca – Bass

SUPERJOINT's new video for the song "The Alcoholik" can be seen below. The clip was shot by Mike Holderbeast in New Orleans, Lousiana during the band's 2017 tour.

SUPERJOINT's latest album, "Caught Up In The Gears Of Application", was released in November 2017 via singer Philip Anselmo's Housecore record label. The disc was recorded at Philip's New Orleans-area studio, Nodferatu's Lair and was produced by Anselmo and Stephen Berrigan. The effort was mastered by Scott Hull (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, PIG DESTROYER) at Visceral Sounds.

SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD), drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).

Anselmo told Decibel magazine that SUPERJOINT was forced to drop the "RITUAL" from its name was "because there's a bloodsucking leech out there who took advantage of a situation. But we're all at fault as well for signing a document that basically has a zero sunset clause, meaning that this person is privy to a cut of any money a 'SUPERJOINT RITUAL' would make. Hence getting rid of the 'RITUAL,' coming back as SUPERJOINT, and cutting out that cancer."

With four albums under his belt as a member of German rockers The New Black, guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz decided it was time to take a shot at releasing a solo album following a potentially life-changing event. As an experienced musician songwriting wasn't an issue, but Fabs was concerned about having strong lyrics and enlisted the help of Carl Begai, Canadian heavy metal journalist at BraveWords.com and long-time supporter of The New Black. This would be no cut / paste project, however; rather than trying to fit lyrics to existing music, Fabs chose to create music written around the lyrics with the idea that no matter how they inspired him it would be rock-based. The only rule was no lyrics about Vikings, dragons and being brothers of metal, and no thrash or black metal riffs, no death metal vocals.

The target was to write 10 songs for the album, dubbed Welcome To The Man Cave, and 11 were coughed up based on an unexpected chemistry between Fabs and Carl. What started as clear-cut rock album evolved to include elements of funk, jazz, blues and punk, and the final result defies being stamped as any one genre. As things developed Fabs decided he needed a solo project name, dubbing it Who Brought The Dog (if you're a nerd, you know where it came from). In addition, a drummer was required for live shows in the future as the songs were too strong to remain a studio work. The New Black's Philipp Klinger was welcomed aboard to fill the requirements of having a flesh-and-blood drummer on stage and at least one person in the line-up with a full head of hair.

Who Brought The Dog have released a new video for the song "Mouth". Check it out below.

Carl: "Here's a fun video for a serious song about the posers out there who live on big talk, big money, big make-up and empty words, with nothing useful to offer anyone. Dedicated to the Donald Trumps and Kylie Jenners of the world."

Fabs: "The video features the last appearance of my gorgeous white guitar, which was severely damaged in a bizarre gardening accident a couple weeks before the shoot. Her final act of awesome was to make a dream of mine come true by throwing a guitar like a real cool motherfucker." 

Who Brought The Dog have released two songs for free via Bandcamp. "I'm With The Banned" is an anti-bullying, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-Trump rant, "Three Days" is a cancer survivor song, lyrics written by Carl and Canadian rocker Bif Naked.

The download is free, but anyone interested in supporting Deutsche Krebshilfe / German Cancer Aid (www.krebshilfe.de) can make donations on Bandcamp. Please add the code AK 49006511 to your PayPal transaction.

The Singles by Who Brought The Dog

Check out the full album teaser for Who Brought The Dog's forthcoming debut. The official Facebook page can be found here.

Pittsburgh, PA traditional metal force Argus have released the official video for "Devils Of Your Time," a track from 2017 Cruz Del Sur Music album From Fields of Fire. The video (the band's first ever) was conceptualized and created by Nick Prezioso.

From Fields Of Fire was released September 8th, 2017 on Cruz Del Sur Music.

Four years after the release of Beyond the Martyrs, the mighty U.S. Heavy Metal torchbearers Argus have returned with From Fields Of Fire on Italy's Cruz Del Sur Music. From Fields of Fire is the defining moment from a band that has delivered the goods album after album. It is the highlight of their career to date and one that will be seen as a highlight in heavy metal circles, not just this year, but for years to come.

Transcending Records has signed Monstrance, the new band led by Carlo Regadas former guitarist of the Swansong era Carcass. The line-up consists of several seasoned metal veterans alongside Carlo.

This line up will be recording the Injustice For All EP for Cosmic Key Creations on limited edition black and gold 12" vinyl and Transcending Records on CD and all digital platforms.

Monstrance's first live performance will be May 20th Eradication Festival in Cardiff, with Wombbath, Hecate Enthroned, Mercyless.

Video for demo “Cerebral Boring Machine”:

Current Line-up: 
Carlo Regadas - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Steven Hargraves - Rhythm Guitar (Ballpein)
Rich Mumford - Bass Guitar (Godthrymm / ex-Malediction)
Rik Simpson - Vocals (Austerymn)
Dan Mullins - Drums (Blasphemer / ex-My Dying Bride / ex-Bal-Sagoth)

Arch Enemy have posted new recap videos from their Will To Power tour. Check out videos detailing their travels to Prague, Zurich, and Milan, Lyon, Barcelona, and Madrid, Toulouse, Paris, and Antwerp, Munich and Stuttgart, and Fukuoka.

Arch Enemy will release their deluxe vinyl box set including all ten studio albums and a bonus gatefold 2LP featuring covers and bonus tracks recorded between 1996 and 2017 on March 9th. The hand-numbered box set also comes with a 36-page-booklet with liner notes. All albums are mastered for vinyl.

It will be available as a picture LP box set and also in the following vinyl colors:

* Black vinyl - limited to 1.500 copies

* Clear vinyl - limited to 100 copies, only available at CMDistro

* Transparent red vinyl - limited to 200 copies, only available at EMP

* Silver vinyl - limited to 100 copies, only available at Nuclear Blast

* Dark green vinyl - limited to 100 copies, only available at ST Records

* Picture vinyl - limited to 500 copies

Pre-order here.

Progressive metal powerhouse Eldritch have released a lyric video of their new single “As The Night Crawls In”, taken from their upcoming new album Cracksleep, which will be released on March 23rd on Scarlet Records.

This new album has been described by the band as the most diverse to date, mixing early-era Eldritch with some of their latest influences, technically challenging instrumental parts with dark atmospheres and arrangements, enriched by a lyrical concept that deals with some of the most common causes of insomnia.

Cracksleep was produced by Eugene Simone, with recordings taking place between October and December 2017 at Bigwave Studios in Livorno, Italy, the ES Studios in Rosignano Marittimo, Italy and mixed at Domination Studios in San Marino by Simone Mularoni.

Artwork duties were handled by Federico Mondelli (Be The Wolf).

Tracklisting:

"Cracksleep" (intro)
"Reset"
"Deep Frost"
"Aberration Of Nature"
"My Breath"
"Silent Corner"
"As The Night Crawls In"
"Voices Calling"
"Staring At The Ceiling"
"Night Feelings"
"Hidden Friend"

“As The Night Crawls In” lyric video:

On March 16th, Britain's cult metallers Paradise Lost will release a remastered version of their legendary seventh studio album, Host, and a first-ever pressing of the songs on vinyl via Nuclear Blast. Watch a trailer video below.

Originally released in 1999, Host earned Paradise Lost their reputation as West Yorkshire's musical chameleon, as it saw the band moving further away from their previous death metal roots to a melancholic and catchier electropop sound. Pre-order the special vinyl edition at this location.

Tracklisting:

“So Much Is Lost”
“Nothing Sacred”
“In All Honesty”
“Harbour”
“Ordinary Days”
“It’s Too Late”
“Permanent Solution”
“Behind The Grey”
“Wreck”
“Made The Same”
“Deep”
“Year Of Summer”
“Host”

Trailer:

“So Much Is Lost” lyric video:

British heavy metal band Monument have announced the release of a new 7" inch vinyl single for “William Kidd” in a limited edition of 500 copies worldwide via ROAR Rock Of Angels Records. It's the first single off their upcoming album Hellhound including the Rainbow cover song “Long Live Rock 'n' Roll”. The song tells the tale of the infamous privateer of the same name and finds the band in incredible form giving some of their best performances yet on record.

Produced and mixed by Tony Newton (Iron Maiden - Book Of Souls Live Chapter) and mastered by Ade Emsey (Iron Maiden) at Table of Tone Mastering.

“William Kidd'=” offers four and a half minutes of blistering, true British heavy metal in the vein of what has so far made Monument a sensation with fans across the world looking for the next great band to come out of the United Kingdom.

Preorders are available at this location.

In a new video from Sick Drummer Magazine, Children Of Bodom drummer Jaska Raatikainen performs "Warheart", from the 1999 album Hatebreeder. Watch below:

Children Of Bodom held a live Facebook chat with fans on February 18th and discussed the recording of the new album along with answering a wide range of questions. Check out the complete Q&A below.Upcoming Children Of Bodom tour dates are listed below:

June
7 - Rockfest - Hyvinkaa, Finland
23 - Hellfest - Clisson, France

July
6 - Metalhead Meeting - Bucharest, Romania
22 - Savonlinnan Oopperajuhlat - Savonlinna, Finland
27 - Metaldays - Tolmin, Slovenia

August
2 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany
8 - Leyendas Del Rock - Villena, Spain