The official video for "Let Me Out", the debut single from former SISTER SIN vocalist Liv "Sin" Jagrell, can be seen below. The track was produced by longtime U.D.O. bassist Fitty Wienhold and will be featured on Liv's debut solo album, "Follow Me", which will be released on April 28 via the Swedish label Despotz Records. The effort was co-produced by longtime ACCEPT and U.D.O. member Stefan Kaufmann.

Liv says of the track: "The song is about what a person is willing to do and sacrifice to take themselves out of a destructive situation, sometimes with fatal consequences. We see it every day, the desperation in the world is spreading out and gets people to behave irrationally.

"It feels incredibly good to release this single and finally show what we've been working on. I've found a really good gang of new band members and we can't wait for the world to hear our songs and to come out and play live."

From the gutters of south Sweden, Jagrell emerged as a major force as the vocalist for hard rockers SISTER SIN. Throughout their 13-year career, SISTER SIN sold thousands of albums and toured the world with high-profile tours supporting the likes of SLAYER and KING DIAMOND on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, as well as being a part of the Revolver magazine "Hottest Chicks In Metal" tour. SISTER SIN toured relentlessly for over a decade across Europe and North America garnering an intensely loyal following of rockers that craved the band's aggressive and melodic brand of hard rock.

When SISTER SIN called it quits at the end of 2015, Liv knew that she had much more to give to her fans. From this, LIV SIN was born. Liv's new music shows the power, sexiness, and attitude that she is known for.

Liv said: "For me, it has never been an option to stop singing. I live for the stage and for my fans. I still miss SISTER SIN, but I am very excited to work on my own project, and I can promise it will not be some soft pop rock. This is going to be metal deluxe, because that's who I am!"

LIV SIN offers a modernized hard rock sound to take Liv into her next phase, a sound that is destined to please both new fans and her longtime fans of SISTER SIN.

"Follow Me" track listing:

01. The Fall02. Hypocrite03. Let Me Out04. Black Souls05. Godless Utopia06. Endless Roads07. Killing Ourself To Live08. I'm Your Sin09. Emperor Of Chaos10. Immortal Sin11. The Beast Inside

Liv recently told East Texas Music Scene about the end of SISTER SIN: "There are no hard feelings, but the parting wasn't exactly mutual. Neither me nor Dave [Sundberg, drums] wanted to end the band. We totally understand that not everyone felt that way and you can't force people to play with you. So it was probably for the best before something got infected 'cause of people touring even if they were too burnt out from it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Emperor Of Sand" track listing:

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

Progressive metallers DREAM THEATER have launched a mobile game based on their 2016 double concept album "The Astonishing".

The collaboration between the band and Turbo Tape Games recites the original story from the album tuned to unique tactical gameplay pitching rebels against oppressors, artists against totalitarians in epic battles to influence the minds and sway the will of the people in The Great Northern Empire of the Americas. It is available on iPhone, iPad and Android.

Game features include a single player campaign, player-versus-player matches on the same device, music from the album and video artwork shown during the band's live sets.

Players may win show tickets, after show passes and autographed records by completing tasks in-game.

"The Astonishing" was released in January 2016 via Roadrunner. The CD was made available in a wide range of distinctive versions, including standard 2-CD set, 4-LP vinyl box set and a limited-edition deluxe box set.

Recorded at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York, with guitarist John Petrucci producing, studio luminary Richard Chycki (AEROSMITH, RUSH) engineering/mixing and legendary arranger, composer and conductor David Campbell orchestrating, "The Astonishing" paints a tale of a retro-futurist post-apocalyptic dystopia ruled by medieval style feudalism. It's a place aching for a Chosen One to rise above the noise and defeat an Empire defined by the endless drone of noise machines and the illusion of safety in bland conformity.

Metalliluola's Ville Krannila recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza and lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö of German/Finnish thrash titans KREATOR. You can listen to the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the band's new "Gods Of Violence" album:

Mille: "Not all the songs are like the title track [which is fast]. There is a very large variety of music on the new record. There's soft bits, there's sad bits. [Laughs] But there's also a lot of brutal bits, and some very melodic, some very nice stuff. A lot of lead guitars, even a harp and a bagpipe; you get to hear that. There's definitely some surprises for some people."

Sami: "Especially the song 'Totalitarian Terror'. There's going to be a video because it's a combination. It's furious, it's angry, it's thrash, and there's some really melodic parts. We have an interesting combination."

Mille: "That was our plan, if there was one. We wanted to continue the path of where we left off with 'Phantom Antichrist', but give it a new twist, and come up with something that's even more exciting, or exciting again."

On if there is an underlying theme throughout "Gods Of Violence":

Mille: "No. That was an idea at first, to make this a concept album, but it felt forced. It didn't feel natural to come up with a concept album. Concept albums, there's certain concept albums where there's moments that are, even on the best concept albums, maybe not with 'The Wall' by PINK FLOYD, but a couple of concepts albums, there are moments that are funny, cheesy, then all the sudden 'Mary Jane walked through the…' What's that?"

Sami: "QUEENSRŸCHE's 'Operation: Mindcrime'."

Mille: "That was also a good concept album. If you do a concept album, we have to find the cool way on how to connect the songs. It has to have a certain storyline… It felt like a limitation in my creativity rather than adding something."

On whether 2001's "Violent Revolution" could be considered KREATOR's "rebirth":

Mille: "That was the kick-off, and also the moment when Sami joined. We haven't changed the lineup since. That tells a lot. We got to a point where we're a good team. I guess 'Violent Revolution' was the kick-off."

Sami: "With every album, there is a progression. If you compared 'Endless Pain' with the new one, there is quite a progression. I'm not saying it's worse or better…"

Mille: "Some people will go ''Endless Pain' is better!' [Laughs] It's hard when you have 14 albums to reinvent. You have to always think 'This is the first album.' You have to reinvent and rethink, not overthink stuff, but really try to give your best every time you put out an album."

On how KREATOR weathered the '90s:

Mille: "It wasn't only a difficult time for metal, but also an exciting time. It seemed like there were no rules. We were developing as artists, as musicians. It was difficult because we had lineup problems, and I think if Sami would have joined in the middle of the '90s, maybe the progression would have been earlier. We would have maybe come up with something completely different. Then again, you never know. We were all busy. He was playing in other bands, I was busy keeping the lineup together, fighting record companies. I was really happy when the '90s were over and we got the new deal with SPV and Sami in the band, and some good tours. From then onward, we just kept it like that."

On if KREATOR will tour with their German thrash contemporaries DESTRUCTION and SODOM again:

Mille: "To give a real answer to your question, it's about scheduling. We would like to play some shows with these other two German bands, but it's not our focus."

On if the band will ever play their classic "Endless Pain" or "Terrible Certainty" albums in full live:

Mille: "There are no plans to do that. I was talking about this… I don't think, Sami, would it be interesting for you to play a setlist with only songs up to 'Coma Of Souls'? This is an official question."

Sami: "Maybe not. Not now. Now, I'm looking forward to playing the new stuff."

Mille: "There's always these questions, and they come up a lot. We can see this happening, but there's no time. We don't overdo things and if we want to focus on the tour for the new album now, when are we going to do a classic tour? Why would we do it? [Laughs]"

Sami: "It would eat time from the next album."

Mille: "I remember when we were on tour with EXODUS in Japan. All of the sudden they played the whole 'Bonded By Blood' album. It was good, but then on the other hand, I was like, 'Okay… it's long.' This is thrash metal. I don't see the reason why. There's also, and I've said it before too, there's also a reason why certain songs never made it into the playlist back in the day. On 'Pleasure To Kill', there are a couple of songs we never played live for a reason. If we try it now, maybe it would be amazing, but maybe it would also suck."

"Gods Of Violence" was released on January 27 via Nuclear Blast.





North American cover (by Marcelo Vasco):



International cover (by Jan Meininghaus):

Singer Myles Kennedy, who has fronted Slash's solo band since 2010, was asked in an interview with journalist Gary Graff if there is a future for the group, dubbed SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, now that Slash is off touring with the reunited GUNS N' ROSES. Kennedy responded: "That's a good question. I mean, the door's certainly open on my end. If it works out again in the future, I'm certainly up for it. I think that we'll just see how it plays out... I think it's just one of those things. We still talk; we just talked the other day, and we do a lot of texting and whatever. But, you know, there's no… I think, because both of us are so busy right now with our other entities, there's no definitive plans in place."

GUNS N' ROSES, with Slash and bassist Duff McKagan rejoining frontman Axl Rose in the band, began touring last year and has already book dates for much of 2017.

There's no word yet on how long GUNS intends to stay on the road or whether they plan to record new music.

Slash's second album with Kennedy and the CONSPIRATORS, titled "World On Fire", came out in September 2014. Their previous effort was 2012's "Apocalyptic Love".

Slash released his first self-titled solo effort in 2010. On that album he employed a different vocalist on each track, before settling on Kennedy for both touring and eventually recording.

Kennedy and ALTER BRIDGE issued their fifth studio album, "The Last Hero", in October.

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST are preparing to enter the studio to begin recording their long-awaited follow-up to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" album.

During an appearance on "Trunk Nation", Eddie Trunk's show on SiriusXM channel Volume (106), PRIEST singer Rob Halford said about the songwriting process for the band's new disc: "Yeah, everything's coming together great. We're excited to be making new material.

"As you know, whenever we go out to play, we like to say that we're there for not only the reason to see our wonderful fans again but to show off what we're doing. And that's what we're doing right now — we're hard at work, and it's all coming together great.

"As you and I have done so many times in the past, Eddie, when the appropriate time arises, I'll be happy to come to New York and sit with you and we'll talk about all the new PRIEST that is being made and ready to release."

Halford also confirmed that there is no set-in-stone timetable for the release of PRIEST's next album. "You know, there is no rush," he said. "There is no rush. We feel great. We're very happy, we're very confident, we're very excited. And so, yeah, we're working with our label and with promoters, and there's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes."

He continued: "When we go out, we want it to be good — we want it to be good, we want it to be well planned, we wanna make sure that everybody's happy. So, again, as things come to the table, I'll let you know."

Halford said last year that JUDAS PRIEST wasn't interested in making "a 'Redeemer Of Souls Part Two'." He explained: "I think it's very important that we make another stand-alone record again, a heavy metal record that's going to have its own legs and just be as different as all of them have been so far."

"Redeemer Of Souls" was released in July 2014. The follow-up to 2008's double-disc concept album "Nostradamus" was billed as a return to JUDAS PRIEST's heavy-metal roots.

"Redeemer Of Souls" sold around 32,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

JUDAS PRIEST's tenth studio album, "Turbo", was recently remastered and will be released via Sony Music on February 3 on three CDs (the original album and two bonus discs) as well as one-LP 150-gram vinyl. Included on disc 2 and 3 of the CD reissue is, previously unreleased, "Live in Kansas City", a live recording from the band's 1986 "Fuel For Life" tour in support of "Turbo".

In a brand new interview with Greece's Rock Overdose, EVANESCENCE guitarist Jen Majura was asked if there are plans for the band to record a new album as a follow-up to 2011's self-titled effort. She responded: "Well, you know, I am the European part of EVANESCENCE. Amy [Lee, EVANESCENCE singer] and the [other] guys are overseas, and… To be honest, from what I can tell, we mainly focus on the touring for this year, which is, first of all South America in spring and Europe in summer… and something else. [Laughs] But I guess… I think Amy said in one of her interviews that she's already working on new music. You never really stop working on music, because you get inspiration from every moment in your life. So it could be, like, you're travelling in your car and then you get a great inspiration or idea, and maybe you just pick that up later — like months later or years later — or you find cool stuff on your computer which you recorded, like, gazillions of ages ago, and that might be something… So you never really stop being creative. And, from what I can tell, I think she's already collecting and working on music. So, we'll see."

Jen also talked about what it has been like to join EVANESCENCE in August 2015 as the replacement for Terry Balsamo. She said: "[To be] honest, I've never been, like, one of those insane EVANESCENCE fans. Of course, I knew the music — everybody does — and I love the music, and I bought the CDs, and I listened to the songs, and I sang along… But being able, and thankful for being able, to be one part of this band is… It's hard to describe it in words, because… I do not see it as a job. Of course it's work, but, for me, mainly, after I got to know all the guys really [well], [it's] mainly fun, because we really get along very good. Even if we're not on the road touring, we keep texting each other and talk on Skype and stuff, and it's really a very, very mature, friendly relationship that we have, with a lot of respect for each other. And playing those shows… One can never understand the feeling f how it is to stand on stage together with those guys, because they're just so talented, creative, great musicians, and we're just having so much fun on stage, andI think the people can see that. It has nothing to do with, 'Oh, we've gotta work now?', 'Oh, we've gotta deliver music?' It's more like, 'Come on! Let's do a rock show and have fun and have a great time!' And I really appreciate that, because this is something that is not happening within every band. I know bands [where] hardly the singer talks to the guitar player, and they have different hotels, and so many issues and stuff and… I was looking for a band my entire life where I can say that everybody is friends, everybody is honest, everybody is talented and working on the same thing, which always should be... Do a really cool rock show, enjoy yourself and make fans happy. And I think that is something I found in EVANESCENCE, because… it's just cool! [Laughs]"

EVANESCENCE released a very special career-spanning vinyl box set last fall encompassing all of the band's studio albums — "Fallen", "The Open Door" and "Evanescence" (with the latter two making their vinyl debut) — and, for the first time ever, the commercial debut for the previously unreleased demo album "Origin". Also included in "The Ultimate Collection" six-LP set is "The Lost Whispers" album, which officially culls the band's legendary bonus tracks and features the studio version of the long sought-after tour intro "Lost Whispers" and the first new EVANESCENCE studio recording in years, "Even In Death (2016)", a song that originally appeared on "Origin". The box set includes a 52-page casebound book featuring art, handwritten lyrics, photos and rarities.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, STYX's Todd Sucherman is being sued by a fan who claims to have suffered injuries in the face after the drummer allegedly "negligently threw a drumstick into the audience" during band's 2015 performance in Georgia.

Sucherman failed to give a "timely and proper warning to allow [the fan] to fully protect herself from injury," the suit alleges.

The fan is seeking to recover damages, including medical expenses and lost income.

Also named in the lawsuit is TMB Productions, which is said to have "owned, operated or managed the band STYX in its musical performances" at the time of the June 2015 incident.

Sucherman joined STYX in 1996 when founding member John Panozzo proved too ill to perform with the band. Sucherman toured with STYX and first appeared on their live album/video "Return To Paradise" (1997), then on the studio album "Brave New World" (1999). Two live albums, "Arch Allies: Live At Riverport" (with REO SPEEDWAGON) and "Styx World: Live 2001", followed. "Cyclorama", another studio album, appeared in 2003. "Big Bang Theory", which consists of cover versions of classic rock songs, arrived in 2005.

A Music Blog, Yea! conducted an interview with vocalist Neil Fallon of Maryland rockers CLUTCH prior to the band's December 30, 2016 show in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about CLUTCH's plans for the coming months, Fallon said: "Well, we'll take a couple of weeks off just to unpack our heads. And then we plan to get right back into it and start working on new material with the idea that we'll probably record a year from now. So knowing what kind of tours we have, we have to start soone rather than later. And do, you know, boring domestic chores that we've been putting off for eighteen months."

Fallon also talked about how CLUTCH manages to keep things fresh during the songwriting process. He said: "Well, we write sort of a surplus of material and then we kind of cut off the fat and dilute it. I think over the years we've become more… I don't know… more skilled at writing efficient rock songs — just cutting to the chase. We've been doing this for twenty-five years and it's easy to kind of get into a… I hesitate to use the word 'rut,' but you can get too comfortable with your own tempos and your own groove. It gets too easy sometimes. To play faster is more challenging. So that's kind of what we're trying to do — just to keep up our momentum."

CLUTCH's latest album, "Psychic Warfare", debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart after shifting 26,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015.

"Psychic Warfare" was released via CLUTCH's own label Weathermaker Music.

CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster told How Was It Detroit? about the band's plans for 2017: "We're gonna write some, and then we're gonna go back on tour. Touring really never ends. We take breaks from time to time. We'll take off the first three months of next year and we'll get down to writing, see what kind of direction that's gonna take us in, and then start making plans to record. Probably what will happen is we will do some shows in the spring, and then, for us, it's really important to play the new songs live, so I have a feeling that wherever we choose to record, we'll do shows on the way out there to work through the material, play the material. You know, for me, as a drummer, those experiences are crucial to recording a record that, at the end of the day, you feel proud of. In the live setting, you can immediately tell where the pulse of that tune is. You gauge by the audience reaction, how they're latching on to whatever groove that is, and you start to tweak things — you might pull stuff back or you might push stuff, change up an approach entirely, maybe. But that's really crucial — it really brings the song to life."

British rock legends DEEP PURPLE will release their new album, "InFinite", the highly anticipated follow-up to their worldwide chart-topping effort "Now What?!", on April 7 via earMUSIC.

"InFinite" was tracked in February 2016 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee and was once again helmed by Bob Ezrin, who has previously worked with KISS, PINK FLOYD, PETER GABRIEL, ALICE COOPER and KANSAS, among others.

Speaking to Vintage Rock at last month's Hall Of Heavy Metal History induction ceremony at the Anaheim Expo Center in Anaheim, California, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey stated about the band's new disc (see video below): "[It was] recorded in the same studio in Nashville [as 'Now What?!'], [and] with the same producer. It's a little heavier than the last one. It's a bit more prog, as we say in England. I think it's gonna surprise a lot of people. It surprised me when I heard it. [Laughs] I mean, it really did."

DEEP PURPLE recently announced their "Long Goodbye Tour", which will bring the legendary live show once again all over the world. The band has not yet answered the many questions received by fans from all over the world who are speculating about the meaning of the title "InFinite" and "Long Goodbye".

Asked if the upcoming tour will mark DEEP PURPLE's farewell to the concert stage, Airey said: "Well, we've got two years of touring coming up. Whether there'll be anything beyond that, time will tell. As Bruce Payne, our manager, said, never say never. But we'll just have to see. I just heard about Ozzy Osbourne not facing up to retirement very well. He's going, 'What am I gonna do?' You know, this is what we do, and if people still want you to do it and you can do it, well, let's do it."

PURPLE drummer Ian Paice suffered a minor stroke in 2015, forcing him to miss the band's shows in Sweden and Denmark — the first time his medical condition prevented him from performing with the group.

DEEP PURPLE — which has been eligible for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for two decades now — finally entered the Rock Hall as part of the class of 2016. The band's first three lineups were inducted, including drummer Ian Paice, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, late keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans; Ian Gillan and Roger Glover; and David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes.

Multi-platinum, chart-topping rock band NICKELBACK is set to hit the road this summer on the colossal headlining "Feed The Machine" tour, announced today. Produced exclusively by Live Nation, the "Feed The Machine" tour will begin on June 23 in Noblesville, Indiana, with 44 dates across North America including stops in Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, and more. DAUGHTRY will join NICKELBACK as their special guest for all of the U.S. dates, as well as Toronto and Montreal, while SHAMAN'S HARVEST will be seen on all dates. Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame icons CHEAP TRICK will be special guests for the western Canadian leg of the tour.

Tickets for the "Feed The Machine" tour will be available beginning with a fan club presale on Monday, February 6 at 10 a.m. local venue time on the Live Nation app and at LiveNation.com. Fans who pre-order the new album today from the band's official store will receive a code for early access to tickets as well as an instant-grat of the first single, "Feed The Machine". General on-sale begins Saturday, February 11, with four-packs available for $80.00 in select cities.

NICKELBACK will offer a limited number of VIP packages for each show with options including premium seating, specially designed NICKELBACK messenger bag, limited-edition guitar-pick set in wood casing, parking, VIP laminate, commemorative VIP ticket, early entry and more. VIP Packages will be available during the pre-sale.

NICKELBACK is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on their ninth album, "Feed The Machine" (BMG)¸ set for release on Friday, June 9. Written by NICKELBACK and co-produced with Chris Baseford (SLASH, SHINEDOWN), "Feed The Machine" is a defiant rock anthem featuring blistering guitar riffs and face-melting rhythm tracks. Watch the lyric video for it below.

In June 2015, NICKELBACK canceled the majority of its tour dates in support of the band's eighth album, "No Fixed Address", so that singer Chad Kroeger could recover from surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal cords.

NICKELBACK filed a $13 million insurance claim with Lloyd's of London after scrapping the tour. But Lloyd's sued to cancel the singer's insurance, alleging that Kroeger already had the throat condition and failed to disclose it before taking out the policy.

Last year, NICKELBACK countersued Lloyd's, claiming that the firm is making false allegations about the band so that it doesn't have to pay out the claim.

"No Fixed Address" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2014.

Photo credit: Richard Beland

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA kicked off their European tour with KREATOR last night (Wednesday, February 1) at La Bam in Metz, France. Fan-filmed video footage of the entire concert can be seen below.

Speaking about the songwriting process for SEPULTURA's new studio album, "Machine Messiah", guitarist Andreas Kisser told the "Heavy Metal Wanaka" podcast: "Well, it has a little bit of everything. Of course, I have so many riffs and ideas, Eloy [Casagrande, drums] has a lot of drum loops and different parts here and there, and that's how we started. But you have to have a direction, you have to have a type of a concept."

He continued: "The name 'Machine Messiah' was there very early on. I passed all the concept to the band, and we all agreed that we could go that direction and really talk about what we see today. It's not like a sci-fi futuristic idea, but rather what we see of our dependency on robots and smartphones, computers, Google glasses and virtual reality, GPS, and all that. And regardless of where we live in the world, we can relate to that — it's something very real and very influential in our daily life. And 'Machine Messiah' talks about this balance."

Kisser added: "Especially me and Derrick [Green, vocals], we discuss topics and talk about different lyrics, suggestions for names for songs and stuff, and as soon as we find that, I think it's much better to find the best sound and the best rhythm to represent what we try to say there. So with a concept, everything is easier, because it's kind of stupid just to do things just to make them, just because we have to do an album. I think we call it a 'new' album, because we have something new to say; it's not only that we're trying to copy stuff that we did so many years ago, or somehow we're locked in our past, trying to repeat something that is not there anymore. I mean, we have that very clear in our mind and in our heads, and that helps at the time of writing."

"Machine Messiah" was released on January 13 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by the band and Jens Bogren (SOILWORK, OPETH, KATATONIA, AMON AMARTH) of Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden. The CD's cover artwork was created by Filipino artist Camille Della Rosa.

"Madness" and "Safe House", two brand new songs from Massachusetts metallers ALL THAT REMAINS, can be streamed below. The tracks will appear on the band's forthcoming eighth studio album, which is due out at the end of April. The effort was recorded at West Valley Studios in Woodland Hills, California with producer Howard Benson, who has previously worked with such acts as MOTÖRHEAD, PAPA ROACH, THREE DAYS GRACE, FLYLEAF, P.O.D. and HALESTORM.

ALL THAT REMAINS singer Phil Labonte told SiriusXM's Jose Mangin that "Madness" was inspired by the way individuals and societies fall into harmful patterns.

"People tend to kind of get into kind of ruts in their lives or into patterns, and they keep doing the same thing over and over, even though it doesn't produce the results they're hoping for," he said. "You can see a lot of societal cycles where nations just keep doing the same kind of stuff over, and it doesn't always have great results. But still, it seems like a good idea. So, that's kind of the idea is like human beings, whether you're talking about individuals or large groups, they get into these kinds of cycles of repetitive things that can be really destructive, and so that's kind of what I'm thinking, that's what 'madness' is."

"Safe House", on the other hand, was inspired by the hit Showtime show "Dexter", with Labonte explaining: "The idea behind it was like, you know, what if like Dexter wasn't a forensic guy for the police but was a dude that just kind of set his house up so that it invited home invasion, and he used that as his excuse for smoking people? Kind of like it leads the character into the house and into a place where [Dexter] can get away with killing people."

Labonte previously told Revolver magazine about ALL THAT REMAINS's approach on the follow-up to 2015's "The Order Of Things": "We wanted to mix it up a little bit and write from a vocal perspective this time. So I went to L.A. and came up with vocal ideas and melodies and then sent those chord progressions back to Oli [Herbert, guitarist] and he wrote riffs in response to that. [Doing it this way] turned the record into a vocal album as opposed to a guitar album. And that affected some things. Like, there might be less intricacy in the riffs because they were written in response to my voice."

Labonte added that the majority of the new ALL THAT REMAINS songs feature "significant programming and electronic sounds. And that's something we wanted to have flowing through the entire record. So you're gonna hear that kind of influence on most of the tracks."

ALL THAT REMAINS in 2015 parted ways with bassist Jeanne Sagan and replaced her with Aaron Patrick, who was previously in BURY YOUR DEAD and DEVILDRIVER.

"The Order Of Things" marked the first time that Labonte collaborated on his lyrics, in that case with producer Josh Wilbur.

"American Idol" finalist James Durbin and QUIET RIOT guitarist Alex Grossi recently announced a collaboration titled "Maps To The Hollywood Scars". The first five-song EP will be released worldwide via New Ocean Media on February 17.

Recorded at Desert Moon Productions in Las Vegas, "Maps To The Hollywood Scars" showcases the darker side of Hollywood and the music industry — as experienced by two people that have taken two different paths yet ultimately found many common themes throughout their respective journeys.

The first of the two EPs features guest appearances by longtime GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Dizzy Reed, as well as programming and engineering by A.J. St. James.

A lyric video for the song "Roads" can be seen below.

Durbin and Grossi will appear and perform live on the Fox and ABC morning shows as well as in Las Vegas on Wednesday, February 22. Later that evening, they will hold a free EP-release party at Count's Vamp'd.

In 2011, Durbin released the album "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster". The LP debuted at No. 36 on The Billboard 200 and went on to sell over 123,000 copies in the U.S. alone. A follow-up effort, "Riot On Sunset", arrived in the summer of 2016.

Grossi has been a member of QUIET RIOT for over a decade, having been chosen by the late Kevin DuBrow and Frankie Banali to fill the guitar slot in 2004. The band recently completed a new studio album for a spring release.

"I have been a fan of James's for a while, and after we got an impromptu chance to jam together in Las Vegas last fall, we kept in touch and the ideas just started flowing back and forth," says Grossi. "I feel that 'Maps To The Hollywood Scars' is a true labor of love and reflects a lot of where we have both been, as well as where we are both going musically outside of what we are both known for."

Durbin adds: "It's not very often that a project like this goes from nothing to something in such a short amount of time, without a slough of industry B.S.

"Alex started sending me instrumental demos and gave me free range to just write! We started churning out songs one after the other and they weren't losing their quality, they were getting better.

"I think that we stumbled upon a winning team and its only fair that we let our collective fans hear what we've been having so much fun making!"

Global Music Award-winning Nomadic Mongolian folk metal group, Tengger Cavalry, have released a cover of the Megadeth classic "Symphony Of Destruction". The official video is available below:

The band previously covered Arch Enemy's "Nemesis". Check out the official video for the track below.

Tengger Cavalry recently released a brand new EP, entitled kAAn. The band showcases the EP's socially-conscious themes by revealing the new music video for the title track, "kAAn", which puts oppression of nomadic cultures under the spotlight.

Much like our country's own Native American community, who are suffering from governmental and corporate oppression (i.e. Standing Rock), nomadic Mongolians have found their culture threatened by surrounding forces for generations. As brothers in nomadic culture, Tengger Cavalry penned "kAAn" as a beacon of support.

Watch the "kAAn" music video below, and read additional commentary from Tengger Cavalry frontman Nature Ganganbaigal regarding the band's cultural background and details behind the track and video at Huffington Post.

Ganganbaigal comments, "This century is the century of machine and industry. Nomadic culture is falling apart everywhere around the world. Grasslands and plains are being exploited and it is becoming more acceptable to step into the sacred land of others and get what we need in the moment. We all saw what happened at Standing Rock. As distantly related brothers of Native Americans (proven genetically), Tengger Cavalry, an international alliance of Mongols, Central Asians and Northern Asians, felt the need to give our public support to them. This video is about the brotherhood of nomadic people. It doesn't matter what ethnicity you are - if you have a nomadic heart and you love nature and sky, you are one of us, and we will support you!"

You can order the kAAn EP here.

New York City sludge/doom/drone trio, Unearthly Trance, are streaming the third single “Scythe” from their new album, Stalking The Ghost, out on February 24th via Relapse Records. Listen to the track below.

An esoteric ritual of seismic doom, Stalking The Ghost taps into the darkest realms of the occult over the course of seven tracks that reek of utter despair. Forming a balance between slow-churning maelstrom and spine-chilling harmony, wrapped beneath a blackened cloud of rumbling feedback, Unearthly Trance sound more powerful and exploratory than ever before.

Recorded at Menegroth/The Thousand Caves Studios by Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts, Panopticon) and featuring cover art by Orion Landau (YOB, Red Fang, Graves At Sea), Stalking The Ghost restores misery to a gentrifying city.

Physical preorders and bundles are available via Relapse.com while digital downloads can be preordered via Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Into The Spiral”
“Dream State Arsenal”
“Scythe”
“Famine”
“Lion Strength”
“Invisible Butchery”
“The Great Cauldron”
“In The Forest's Keep” (Digital Only Bonus Track)

"Scythe":

“Famine”:

“Dream State Arsenal”:

Tour dates:

April
17 - KB18 - Copenhagen, Denmark
18 - Hafenklang - Hamburg, Germany
19 - Magasin4 - Brussels, Belgium
20 - Roadburn - Tilburg, Netherlands
21 - Doom Over Leipzig - Leipzig, Germany
23 - JAZ - Rostock, Germany

(Photo - Jimmy Hubbard)

Oakland, California hard rock hooligans Lecherous Gaze will release their new album, One Fifteen, on February 10th, 2017. Produced by Greg Wilkinson (Eerie, High On Fire) at Earhammer Studios and mastered by Carl Saff (Earthless), One Fifteen is 'The Gaze's third full-length LP and showcases the hyper-talented musicians at the peak of their power. One Fifteen is the follow-up to the band's 2014 album Zeta Reticuli Blues. Listen to the track "Thing Within" below.

Lecherous Gaze features current and former members of such kick ass bands as Annihilation Time, Witch, Saviours and more. The band play, in their own words, "Psycho-delic shred-tastic ultra-hyphened rock-punk heavy jams." ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons more concisely calls the band's sound "heavy". On One Fifteen, searing guitarist Graham Clise deals absolutely ferocious licks while vocalist Zaryan Zaidi and the band spit old school, no bullshit, in-your-face, maximum impact rock straight into your kisser. Mean and greasy riff forward proto-punk is the name of the game! Out of this world cover art from American fantasy and science fiction artist Frank Frazetta adds to One Fifteen's overall awesomeness. If you thought real deal hard rock had no future, Lecherous Gaze has returned to slap some sense into you.

"One Fifteen is the definitive Lecherous Gaze album," comments Clise. "This record is a timeless masterpiece of epic proportions or some shit."

Preorder One Fifteen at Tee Pee Records.

Tracklisting:

“One Fifteen”
“Reptile Minds”
“Cosmos Redshift 7”
“Thing Within”
“The Day The Earth Caught Fire”
“Dark Nebula”
“Malevolent Shroud”
“Blind Swordsman”
“X City”

"Thing Within":

Minneapolis-based technical/avant-garde death metal outfit, Sunless, has completed the blistering Urraca, the band's proper debut album, for independent release this February. Check out the track "Ancient Ones" below.

Formed in 2015, Sunless draws influence from pioneers of extreme, dissonant metal, such as Gorguts, Ulcerate, and Deathspell Omega, reinterpreting the sounds through an abstract lens that is all their own. Comprised of bassist Mitch Schooler (ex-Nerves, Modulus), drummer Ben Iburg (Not From Here, The Eye Unclouded), and guitarist/vocalist Lucas Scott (Australis, Pestifere), the band boasts a prominent rhythm section, a scattered assortment of time signatures, interwoven and complex arrangements, and bellowing death growls, akin to the output of Baring Teeth, Pyrrhon, and Artificial Brain.

Sunless spent most of 2016 performing across the Midwestern US in support of their demo with like-minded bands such as Plebeian Grandstand, Yautja, and Pyrrhon, while writing for their debut album, Urraca. Tracked by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording in their hometown of Minneapolis (Thou, Mutilation Rites, Ambassador Gun), and mixed/mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves in Queens, New York, Urraca delivers a relentlessly engaging onslaught of complex and dissonant death metal, with nine tracks encompassing a dense forty-four minutes. The artwork was handled by friend, lyricist, and former bandmate Andrew Notsch (ex-Youwretch), appropriately presenting the album in a psychedelic, abstract visual manner.

Urraca will be independently released by Sunless with digital, digipak CD, and cassette formats to be made available on February 24th. Pre-orders for the physical formats are live at Bandcamp here.

Tracklisting:

“Wishes Fallen On Deafened Ears”
“Gathering At The Skull’s Eye”
“Aberrant Clime”
“Born Of Clay”
“Obsidian Wing”
“Windswept Rock”
“The Ancient Ones”
“Magpie”
“Disintegration Of Man”

"Ancient Ones":

“Wishes Fallen On Deafened Ears”:

Urraca by Sunless

Sunless will support the release of Urraca with a two-week tour through the central regions of the US alongside Minneapolis cohorts, fungal death-sludge act, Grogus. The tour begins with a hometown record release show the day of the album's release, Friday, February 24th, and runs through Saturday, March 11th, with shows in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Illinois, and Wisconsin before returning to Minnesota.

Tour dates:

February
24 - Reverie Café And Bar - Minneapolis, MN (record release show with Faces Of The Bog, Aziza)
25 - Bar Bar - Denver, CO
26 - Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO
27 - The Underground - Santa Fe, NM
28 - TBA

March
1 - Your Mom's - Oklahoma City, OK
2 - TBA
3 - The Lost Well - Austin, TX
4 - TBA
5 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
6 - TBA
7 - TBA - Nashville, TN
8 - Buccaneer - Memphis, TN
9 - TBA
10 - Underground Lounge - Chicago, IL
11 - Frank's Powerplant - Milwaukee, WI

Sunless lineup:

Mitch Schooler - bass
Ben Iburg - drums
Lucas Scott - guitar, vocals

Greek melodic power metal masters Firewind have released their 8th studio album, Immortals, which has managed to enter sales charts internationally as follows:
 
Greece: # 6
Germany: # 72
Switzerland: # 45
Belgium (Wallonia): # 98
USA / Top New Artist Albums: #22
USA / Current Hard Music Albums: #34

Immortals marks the first time Firewind used an outside co-producer, working 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. Next to the standard jewel case CD and Digital Download formats, “Immortals” is also released as LP on 180gr vinyl with a poster as well as the entire album on CD as bonus. Additionally, there is also a limited edition Mediabook CD with expanded booklet, three stickers and a bonus track.

Immortals tracklisting:

“Hands Of Time”
“We Defy”
“Ode To Leonidas”
“Back On The Throne”
“Live And Die By The Sword”
“Wars Of Ages”
“Lady Of 1000 Sorrows”
“Immortals”
“Warriors And Saints”
“Rise From The Ashes”

“Back On The Throne” lyric video:

Track-by-track video:

“Hands Of Time”:

EPK (Electronic Press Kit) :

Firewind tour dates are listed below.

Europe & UK with special guests Manimal and Scar Of The Sun:

February
15 - Glasgow, Scotlan - Audio
16 - Manchester, England - Academy 3
17 - Sheffield, England - Corporation
18 - Wolverhampton, England - Slade Rooms
19 - London, England - Underworld
21 - Southampton, England - Engine Rooms
22 - Paris, France - Backstage by the Mills
23 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
25 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
26 - Budapest, Hungary - A38
27 - München, Germany - Feierwerk
28 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal

March
1 - Bochum, Germany - Rockpalast
2 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob

European Festivals:

June
16 - Duisburg, Germany - Rage Against Racism

July
13-15 - Balingen, Germany - Bang Your Head

August
9-12 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas del Rock

September
8 - Olen, Belgium - Olensfest

Firewind lineup:

Henning Basse - Vocals
Gus G. - Guitar
Petros Christo - Bass
Bob Katsionis - Keyboards
Jo Nunez - Drums

French gore-grinders, Benighted, have announced the voluntary departure of co-founding member and friend Olivier Gabriel, and welcome Carnival In Coal guitarist Fack as their newest member.

Vocalist Julien Truchan comments: "I now have to face the most difficult episode of our Benighted adventure as my brother Olivier decided to leave the band. He took his decision with all the love and respect that he is known for. I thank him for his limitless friendship and all the good times that we shared in Benighted for 19 years. Olivier is and will continue to be my best friend and brother forever!

“We are ready to welcome Fack (Carnival In Coal, Infected Society) with open arms as our new guitarist. He has already been involved with the band for a year and we cannot wait to present Necrobreed on tour. See you all in the pit and share the sickness with us!"

Olivier Gabriel explains his decision: "Dear friends, I have made the hard decision to close my chapter of more than 18 years with Benighted. Those were pure bliss. I have made friends for life, experienced unforgettable moments with past and present members of the Benighted family, and last but never least with you, the fans, label teams, producers, promoters, bookers, reporters, photographers, and many more.

“Sadly, I can no longer muster the energy that it takes to keep up with the frantic rhythm of Benighted. We have come a long way since our first rehearsals at the Chazelles sur Lyon youth cultural centre and the living room at the place of Julien's father. We have also come a long way since our corpse paint black metal days, Bontempi keyboards, and Cradle of Filth style female vocals.

“It has been such a long road since Julien and I rehearsed at my parents' home with copy/pasted Cannibal Corpse lyrics and recorded demos on cassette tapes. All those years on the road gave me so much hysterical laughter, friendship, and love. As of today, all of this is over for me, but I will never forget and always be grateful. I love you all.

“I want to thank my family and friends for their patience, while I was away so often. These last 30 years, I have shared everything with my brother Julien, whose positive energy I admire. I wish you all the best with the band and our kickass new album! Long live Benighted! See you all somewhere soon!"

Fack comments on his joining the band: "I am extremely glad and proud to have been asked to join the Benighted family and thank all of them for their warm welcome. It was an honour to fill in for Gab on the Abysmal European Tour last year and I feel lucky to keep walking in his footsteps. I have nothing but respect and true friendship for him as a person and musician. Gab, I wish you all the best in the world, bro! See you all on the 'Worship the Necrobreed Tour'!"

Benighted recently released a video for “Reptilian”, a track from their upcoming new album, Necrobreed, to be released on February 18th in Europe, and February 24th in North America via Season Of Mist. Pre-order the new album in various formats at this location.

Benighted deliver total brutality with their new album, Necrobreed. A relentless assault from start to finish, Necrobreed unleashes a torrent of fierce blast beats (courtesy of former Necrophagist drummer Romain Goulon), punishing breakdowns and some of the most savage vocals the genre has ever seen. Necrobreed inflicts maximum aural damage with each and every track, and establishes Benighted as the new face of extreme death metal.

Tracklisting:

“Hush Little Baby”
“Reptilian”
“Psychosilencer”
“Forgive me Father”
“Leatherface”
“Der Doppelgaenger”
“Necrobreed”
“Monsters Make Monsters”
“Cum With Disgust”
“Versipellis”
“Reeks of Darkened Zoopsia”
“Mass Grave”

“Reptilian” video:

Necrobreed by Benighted

French progressive death metal actm Fractal Universe, has unveiled the cover artwork and the tracklisting for their upcoming debut full-length album, Engram Of Decline.

The artwork was designed by local artist Shad, whose idea for this painting was "to layer multiple parts of pictures to make them rise in a full blown intricate design". Shad already collaborated with the band for the 2015's EP Boundaries Of Reality.

Engram Of Decline will be released via Kolony Records on April 14th.

Tracklisting:

“Premiss To Reality”
“Sons of Ignorance”
“Scar Legacy of Hatred”
“Parricidal Ghosts”
“Venomous Coils Of A Holy Fallacy”
“Backworldsmen”
“A Name To Deny”
“Narcissistic Loop”
“Decline”
“Collective Engram”

​Engram Of Decline is a 10-track concept album based on Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathoustra, and it wishes to explore the history of human thought, by delivering nearly 60 minutes of finest progressive death metal. Engram Of Decline also features two mind blowing guest appearance by saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby (Shining) and guitarist Michael Keene (The Faceless).

Fractal Universe will embark on a European tour next April, here's the updated list of confirmed dates (more shows shall be announced soon):

April
14 - Nilvange, France - Le Gueulard
19 - Bielsko-Biala, Poland - RudeBoy
20 - Prague, Czech Republic - Exit-Us
21 - Zug, Czech Republic - Industrie 45
22 - Cassano d’Adda, Italy - The One Metal Live
23 - Borgo Priolo, Italy - Dagda Live Club
25 - San Giovanni Lupatoto, Italy - Il Blocco Music Hall
26 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rock Box
27 - Essen, Germany - Walkabout
28 - Lodz, Poland - Rockowanie

May
25 - Strasbourg, France - TBA
26 - Paris, France - TBA
27 - Audincourt, France - Le Moloco

July
23 - Tolmin, Slovenia - MetalDays Festival

September
2 - Leipzig, Germany - Bandhaus

After their second full-length album Svartnad from last year, Sweden’s The Pete Flesh Deathtrip are back with a new 2-track digital single release with two different guest singers.

"The True Salvation" features Rogga Petersson from the Swedish thrash/death metal band, Merciless (also singer in 100 Years). "White Faced Devil" features Mr. Dim from Swedish acts like Harm’s Way and Trash Amigos, also the solo project A Nation On Fire. Once again, Henrik Borg (100 Years) is behind the drums.

On Friday, February 10th, the single will see a worldwide release via Critical Mass as a digital download from the label webshop and Bandcamp page, as well as streaming through all major actors like Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play, Deezer etc. A vinyl release will be announced on a later date.

Recording lineup for Through Dungeons: Chapter 1:
 
"The True Salvation"
Rogga Petersson - vocals/lyrics.
Pete Flesh - guitars/bass/music.
Henrik Borg - drums.
 
"White Faced Devil"
Mr. Dim - vocals/lyrics.
Pete Flesh - guitars/bass/layers/music/lyrics.
Henrik Borg - drums/layers.
 
All material was recorded in Studio Lyhört. Mixed & mastered by Henrik Borg.

Metal Blade has set March 10th as the release date for The Shadow Archetype, the new album from Swedish death metallers, Evocation. The album track, “Children Of Stone”, is available for streaming below.

Pre-order the new album at this location.

Formats:

- Digipak CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- grey-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- salmon clear vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- clear/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies - USA exclusive)
* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available

Evocation guitarist Marko Palmen comments: "In my opinion, the new album is a step towards the roots of the band, although it also has a footing in the future. I think the sound of the new album in many ways reflect the dynamic of me and Simon, who wrote the music for the album. I'm more of an old-school death metal kind of guy and Simon comes from the younger generation of death metal freaks who enjoy technicality and brutality. Somehow, we just merged those two sides of death metal into the creation that will be known as The Shadow Archetype. But I also have to point out that the album is a creation made by all the members of Evocation and I think we all pushed ourselves to the very limit of what is achievable. I'm certain that we all can stand proud of the album in the future."

Featuring a cover and layout by Xaay (Behemoth, Nile, etc.), The Shadow Archetype was recorded at three different studios. Backing vocals, mixing and mastering were done at Dugout Productions. Daniel Bergstrand handled the recording of backing vocals and mixing. George Nerantzis handled the mastering. Drums were recorded at Crehate Studios together with studio engineer Oscar Nilsson.

The Shadow Archetype also features veteran drummer Per Moller Jensen (ex-The Haunted, ex-Invocator) on session drums. Per sets a new death metal standard on the new Evocation album with his complex, yet groovy drumming, which we know well from his time in The Haunted. Guitars, bass, and lead vocals were recorded by the band in their own studio, Acacia Avenue Recordings.

"We started recording the drums in late June 2015 and did the last recordings with vocals in June 2016. So, we spent roughly a year in the studio with The Shadow Archetype," explains Palmen. "In my opinion, the production is our strongest so far. It has all the elements I want in a production; raw brutality with a distinctive punch!"

Tracklisting:

“Into Ruins”
“Condemned To The Grave”
“Modus Operandi”
“Children Of Stone”
“The Coroner”
“The Shadow Archetype”
“Blind Obedience”
“Survival Of The Sickest”
“Sulphur And Blood”
“Imperium Fall”
“Dark Day Sunrise”

“Children Of Stone”:

Evocation is:

Thomas Josefsson - Vocals
Marko Palmén - Guitars
Simon Exner - Guitars
Gustaf Jorde - Bass

Vicious metal-edged hardcore band, First Blood, are streaming their new album, Rules, ahead of it’s release on February 10th via Pure Noise Records. Listen to the album below, and pre-order the record at this location.

First Blood’s union with Pure Noise Records marks a new chapter for the band as they join the label’s eclectic roster, which includes fellow hardcore acts like Terror, Knocked Loose, Senses Fail and more.

"Not only has Jake (Round) at Pure Noise been there and seen us during our earlier days back in the San Francisco Bay Area, but he has worked hard and created a tremendous record label that continues to make a huge impact in the underground music scene worldwide,” says vocalist Carl Schwartz. “We are proud to join the Pure Noise roster, excited to share our newest album with the world, and thankful for the new life. FIRST BLOOD RULES 2017."

On their first album in seven years, First Blood has come out swinging with a savage third full-length record, Rules. Produced by recording mastermind Will Putney at Graphic Nature Studios (formerly known as The Machine Shop) in Belleville, NJ, Rules features 12 tracks of the band's hardest, yet most inward-looking material to date. Elaborating on the album title, Schwartz adds, "Rules are everywhere. Explicit rules. Unwritten rules. Unspoken rules. The rule of law. Some rules we accept. Others we hate or choose to ignore. Frequently, those who set the rules are found guilty of breaking those rules. Many have become victims of the rules they live by, either by conquest or consent. I hope that, after listening to this album and reading the lyrics, we can revisit and remind ourselves of the very essence of the underground music scene: Living our own lives by our own rules."

That rebellious sentiment can be felt throughout the band’s torrential new song “Rules of Life,” which pushes back against society’s norms and puts a fist in the air for individuality and freedom of thought.

“We are often the product of the rules we are taught to live by,” Schwartz adds. “Growing up, someone I looked-up to once told me, "You wake up everyday. You go to a job you hate. You come home miserable. Then you go to bed. And then you do it again. And again. And again. And then you die. That's life." For a while, I believed this was true. Now that I am older and have a son of my own, I wish for him to see things differently--to live differently. To him, I say "Have courage to stand on your own. Follow what you believe even when you're alone. Be strong. Be proud. Be brave. Be a fucking rebel instead of a slave. See the world and follow your dreams. Wolfgang, this is for you. That's life."

First Blood will tour Europe with Deez Nuts and Comeback Kid in February and are expected to return to the US later this year.

Rules tracklisting:

“Fuck The Rules”
“These Are The Rules”
“Rules Meant To Be Broken”
“Rules Of Life”
“Rules Of Conviction”
“Rules Of Engagement”
“Rules Of Justice”
“Rules Of Survival”
“Rules Of Freedom”
“Rules Of Sacrifice”
“Rules Of Government”
“Rules Of Crisis”

Album stream:

“Rules Of Life” lyric video:

(Photo - Azumi Tomoshige)

Santiago, Chile-based metal band, Half Blood, have released the second single, "Adamas”, off of their debut, eponymous full length EP. Due to release mid 2017, Half Blood is self-produced with vocal production by Logan Mader (Gojira, Cavalera Conspiracy, Fear Factory).

““Adamas" means “unconquerable, invincible,” from ancient Greek, and the song is all about living your convictions, being yourself without compromise. Be honest to yourself and with the people around you.” - Manuel Castillo (Vocals)

Tracklisting:

“Adamas”
“Self Exile”
“Crisis”
“The Choice”
“El Origen”
“Forever”
“No Future”
“Not Your Own”
“Release”
“G.T.F.A.”

“Adamas”:

Half Blood was created in late 2014 when Manuel Castillo (ex-Dissors) and Pablo Abatte (Nueve Círculos) began the search for a new live and studio, professional sound. Javier Contreras (ex-Dissors) later joined the project and together they started composing Half Blood’s first songs.

In the process of finding Half Blood’s sound, Sebastián Aguilera (ex-Wormhole Project) and Francisco Arévalo (electric bass professor from Instituto ProJazz and session musician) joined the band. After writing 15 songs and with the intention of recording they got in touch Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head and producer for Gojira, Cavalera Conspiracy, Fear Factory, etc.) who showed interest in the project and took it on.

The Half Blood debut, self-titled album was recorded at Logan Mader Studio in September 2016. Due to personal differences, Javier Contreras stepped aside, giving way to Ismael Gutiérrez (ex-Sumission and Kitsune Metaru).

Half Blood will be released in mid-2017 and will be available in physical and digital format through iTunes, Spotify, Amazon.

Band lineup:

Pablo Abatte (Drums)
Francisco Arévalo (Bass)
Manuel Castillo (Vocals)
Sebastián Aguilera (Guitar)
Ismael Gutierrez (Guitar)

Melbourne, Australia-based rockers, Mammoth Mammoth, are back to deliver another powerful addition to their impressive list of prior heavy rock’n’roll convictions.

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

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

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

Mount The Mountain tracklisting:

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

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

Belgian/Dutch modern metal outfit, Spoil Engine, have announced the release date and revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming album, Stormsleeper.

The album contains 10 songs (mixed and mastered at Fredman Studios) and will be officially released worldwide on May 5th via Arising Empire/Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork was created by Heilemania (Nightwish, Kreator, Legion of the Damned).

Spoil Engine are currently preparing the release and working on their EU show roster. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

In the meantime, to get a first impression of Spoil Engine, watch a music video for “Stormsleeper”:

The band recently inked a record deal with Arising Empire.

"Spoil Engine is one of the most talented new modern metal bands, we are proud to give them a home!" - Tobbe Falarz, Arising Empire

The band commented: "We are very pleased to announce that we are now part of the Arising Empire/Nuclear Blast family! Arising Empire, the new label imprint of Nuclear Blast for modern metal, punk and metalcore bands is our new label; Nuclear Blast will worldwide distribute & promote our upcoming album.

“Since the EP Stormsleeper scored extremely well in the Benelux, it will be extended to full album and released worldwide. So we will be heading to Oceanside Studio's and Fredman Sweden again soon to record some extra hyperspectral bombs! A release date for the 4th full length album still has to be set and matched with a promotion tour.

“We're looking forward to cooperate with this top quality metal network and we hope to see you soon on one of our shows! And thank YOU for supporting this monster up 'till now! CU soon!”

Spoil Engine is:

Iris Goessens - Vocals
Steven 'Gaze' Sanders - Guitar
Kristof Taveirne - Bass
Matthijs Quaars - Drums
Bart Vandeportaele - Guitar

Polish black/death metal tyrants, Azarath, have signed a new record deal with Agonia Records. Their last release with the label was the 2009 offering Praise The Beast. The band is expected to release a new album, successor to Blasphemers' Maledictions from six years ago, this April.

Azarath's death metal is crisp, black, and while it possesses the charm of their American counterparts, it remains open-minded and organic. This should not come as a surprise, considering the band's impressive lineup and cemented position as one the the best Polish acts of the genre.

Azarath crept from the shadows almost two decades ago, by the will of Inferno (of longtime Behemoth fame) and then-members Bruno and D. Six albums later, the band's line-up is shaped by the said Behemoth drummer, together with Bart (Armagedon, Damnation) on guitars, Necrosodom (Anima Damnata, Deus Mortem, ex-Infernal War) on vocals and guitars, as well as Peter (ex-Lost Soul) on bass.
 
Both the debut album Demon Seed (2001) as well as its follow-up Infernal Blasting (2003) have established Azarath as a medium for ungodly sonic terror. The group caught momentum right away, setting several Polish cities aflame while accompanying Vader on their Revelations 2002 tour and by playing selected headline shows. The year 2006 saw the release of another sulphurous whip, Diabolic Impious Evil. The album was followed by the Blitzkrieg IV and Legions of Death Attack tours with Vader, Trauma, Stillborn and Deception respectively. Azarath's notoriety continued to rise.

2009 was a breakthrough time for Azarath. In May, the fourth full-length, Praise The Beast was unleashed upon the world via Agonia Records. The group has decimated the audiences at such events as Inferno Festival (Norway), Devilstone Fest (Lithuania) and Party.San Metal Open Air (Germany). In October, the horde was part of the Nowa Ewangelia tour on which it spread terror with Behemoth inter alia.

The congregation recorded the “Holy Possession" single and the fifth album entitled Blasphemers' Maledictions in 2011. The latter can easily be perceived as Azarath's most sophisticated work to date. While maintaining the sense of venomous blasphemy, the record adds a multitude of new qualities to the band's sound such as sinister atmosphere and eerie melodies. The Poles supported this effort on the domestic tour with the legendary Bulldozer, Witchmaster and Deus Mortem, as well as Hatefest 2011 featuring Triptykon, Marduk and Kataklysm, and numerous European festivals.

After rejoining forces with Agonia Records, Azarath is ready to shed some blood upon the altar once again in 2017.

Lineup:
Inferno - drums
Bart - guitars
Necrosodom - vocals/guitars
Peter - bass

Germany’s Jaded Heart have released a lyric video for “Godforsaken”, featured on their latest album, Guilty By Design, available via Massacre Records. The new clip can be found below.

The album artwork was created by Thomas Ewerhard and the record was mixed and mastered by Erik Martensson of Eclipse (Sweden).

Tracklisting:

“No Reason”
“Godforsaken”
“Seven Gates Of Hell”
“Remembering”
“Rescue Me”
“Salvation”
“No Waiting For Tomorrow”
“Watching You Die”
“So Help Me God”
“Bullying Me”
“This Is The End”
“Torn And Scarred”
“My Farewell” (Bonus)
“My Own Way Down” (Bonus)

“Godforsaken” lyric video:

“Rescue Me” video:

Album stream:

Lineup:

Johan Fahlberg – vocals
Peter Östros – guitar
Masa Eto – guitar
Michael Müller – bass
Bodo Stricker - drums