As a species, humanity has plunged itself into an abyss of displacement, greed, tension and paranoia. Out of the hellish darkness emerges Lebanese extreme death metal band Kaoteon with a savage blackened attack in the form of their new full-length album, Damnatio Memoriae. The album is due for release on February 23rd, and pre-orders are available here.

Kaoteon is an unusual east-west international extreme metal collaboration, originally hailing from the Middle East but now based in Amsterdam. For Damnatio Memoriae, full-time membersAnthony Kaoteon (Death Drive) on guitar and vocalist Walid Wolflust (Ordum, ex-Gothmog) tapped the distinctive talents of bass wizard Linus Klausenitzer of Obscura and drum master Fredrik Widigs of Marduk as guests. After performing with them live for the first time in Beirut in April at the Beirut Metal Fest, Klausenitzer described Kaoteon as, "legends of the Lebanese metal scene".

Take a listen to the band's blackened, blistering new single, the title track "Damnatio Memoriae", available for streaming below.

As a band, Kaoteon has faced censorship at the highest levels in their home country - they have been put in jail for devil worshipping, attacked by religious groups, and raided several times by police trying to use them as scapegoats to mask political and religious problems in the region. It's a terrifying but enthrallingly honest story of a metal band trying to exist, succeed and break out of the Middle East.

In a group statement, Kaoteon says: "Lebanese metalheads are some of the friendliest and most amazing people to hang out with. It is sad to see great potential in this world gone to waste because someone somewhere decided to label people at birth and imprison them into their borders. The scene itself is thirsty for metal, so international bands should expect amazing interaction from the crowd. The Dutch scene - where we exist now - shows strong support for local talent, unlike the Lebanese scene. The Dutch scene love their bands above all, while we feel that the Lebanese metal scene favors the international bands."

Damnatio Memoriae succeeds at portraying the band's justified "f*ck-the-world" outlook with nine poisonous tracks that brim with exhilarating magnetism and needle-sharp riffing. Beginning at track one with "Damnatio Memoriae" - which describes the ancient Latin punishment of eradicating a person or figure from all memory and mention - Kaoteon unleash an all-out ferocious aural assault, attacking the very foundations of their genre with absolute conviction.

Referring to the inclusion of Linus Klausenitzer and Fredrik Widigs on this album, the band adds: "Linus and Fredrik are extraordinary musicians playing with state of the art bands each in their respective genres. Linus is a melodic bass maestro and Fredrik has an amazing delivery that does not lose groove while still being as aggressive as it can get. The best thing about them being a part of this project is that Linus has become a very close friend to us, and that's what really matters at the end of the day."

Damnatio Memoriae was self-recorded by Kaoteon, with mixing and mastering credited to renowned Swedish producer Daniel Bergstrand, who is recognized for his celebrated work with bands such as Behemoth, Dark Funeral, Dimmu Borgir and many more of today's top metal artists.

Damnatio Memoriae is explosive metal at its finest, and is sure to be one of the most buzzed about extreme metal releases of the year.

Damnatio Memoriae tracklisting:

"Damnatio Memoriae"
"Barren Lands"
"Raging HellFire"
"Venom Of Exalt"
"The Will"
"Non Serviam"
"Light Of Compassion"
"Into The Mouth Of Kaos"
"A Breath"

"Damnatio Memoriae":

Introducing Empress... This three-headed beast from Vancouver, B.C. was born after guitarist/vocalist Peter Sacco (Seer) and drummer Chris Doyle attended a show headlined by doom mavens Elder. Inspired by the massive wall of sound and psychedelia they encountered on that fateful night, the pair enlisted bassist Brenden Gunn (Craters) and set out to create their own brand of stoner/sludge metal.

The trio, whose collective history dates back nearly a decade, went immediately to work. Within two months Empress wrote and recorded the five tracks now collectively known as Reminiscence. With this debut EP, Empress harvests a hybrid strain of monolithic groove, over-amped sludge and mutant prog.

Empress will self-release Reminiscence as a digital download on February 12th. Pre-order here, and listen to the track "The Offering" below.

Reminiscence by Empress

Lineup:

Peter Sacco - guitar/vox  
Brenden Gunn - bass  
Chris Doyle -drums  

(Photo - Shimon Karmel)

The Obsessed undrape their acoustic performance video for "Freedom", recorded live at the Gibson Guitar Recording Studio in New York City. The track is taken from the band's self-titled, debut album, which was recently reissued via Relapse Records.

Originally released in 1990 and out-of-print for almost two decades, the now legendary debut album from doom godfathers The Obsessed once again sees the light of day in multiple deluxe formats.

The Obsessed's self-titled reissue is out now on 2CD, LP, 2LP, and digital formats via Relapse Records. Physical bundles and digital orders are available via Relapse Records here and streaming services at this location.

Now completely remastered with previously unreleased bonus tracks, including the highly sought-after Concrete Cancer demo, expanded artwork, never-before-seen photos, and extended liner notes from frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich, this is the definitive edition of The Obsessed's self-titled debut, a true piece of doom history!

Weinrich comments: "This record defines the passion, the pureness, and vibrancy of youth, and the fierce love, loyalty, and dedication to this music. I am happy and proud it lives once again! Thanks to all who believe!”

Tracklisting:

“Tombstone Highway”
“The Way She Fly”
“Forever Midnight”
“Ground Out”
“Fear Child”
“Freedom”
“Red Disaster”
“Inner Turmoil”
“River Of Soul”
“Concrete Cancer” (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette)
“Feelingz” (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette)
“Mental Kingdom” (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette)
“Hiding Masque” (1984 unreleased Concrete Cancer demo cassette)
“Ground Out – Feelingz” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Concrete Cancer” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“No Blame” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Mental Kingdom” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Tombstone Highway” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Iron And Stone” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Rivers Of Soul” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Sittin On A Grave” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Freedom” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)
“Indestroy - Kill Ugly Naked” (live at The Bayou 4-15-1985)

Concrete Cancer Demo:
“Concrete Cancer”
“Feelingz”
“Mental Kingdom”
“Hiding Masque”

Album stream:

Hard rock outfit Audrey Horne are streaming the new song "Satellite", featured on their Blackout album, out tomorrow, Friday, January 12th via Napalm Records.

Blackout is 12 ultra-catchy, fist-pumping songs that will reduce venues in Europe to piles of dust. Find the album artwork by Asle Birkeland, tracklisting with all available formats and upcoming tour dates below.

Blackout will be available in the following formats:

- Ltd Digipack incl 2 Bonus Tracks
- 1LP Gatefold + 7inch incl 2 Bonus Tracks
- Digital Album 10 Tracks

Make sure to get your hands on this beauty with the start of the exclusive pre-order right now.

Blackout tracklisting:

“This Is War”
“Audrevolution”
“Blackout”
“This One”
“Midnight Man”
“Light Your Way”
“California”
“Satellite”
“Naysayer”
“Rose Alley”
“Juggernaut” (Bonus Track)
“The End” (Bonus Track)

“Satellite”:

“Audrevolution” video:

"This Is War" video:

Tour dates:

January
18 - Berlin, Germany - Musik & Frieden
19 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Willemeen
20 - Paris, France - Le Petit Bain
21 - Frankfurt, Germany - Nachtleben
22 - Cologne, Germany - Jungle
24 - Oberentfelden, Switzerland - Börömpömpöm
25 - Munich, Germany - Kranhalle
26 - Dresden, Germany - Beatpol
28 - Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang     
    
Audrey Horne lineup:

Torkjell Rød - Vocals
Arve Isdal - Guitars
Thomas Tofthagen - Guitars
Espen Lien - Bass
Kjetil Greve - Drums

(Photo - Bent René Synnevåg)

TURBONEGRO's ninth studio album, "RockNRoll Machine", will be released on February 2, 20 years to the day since the band began its "Apocalypse Trilogy" with 1998's "Apocalypse Dudes".

First new song shared was the title track, "RockNRoll Machine", a song perfectly hitting the fine line between clever and stupid, without ever turning lukewarm. Everyone has been intrigued and frightened by all the talk about A.I. and robotification of society lately. This one is about bringing that tech-talk into boogie rock territory and stop thinking so much about tomorrow. "RockNRoll Machine" has all the traits you'll find a in a classic rocker: he keeps going all night, telling Tchaikovsky the news, but is still quite cheap and affordable, and, unfortunately a bit unpredictable (according to some reviewers), quickly becoming passé.

Vocalist Tony Sylvester a.k.a. The Duke Of Nothing had this to say about the new material: "We've spent the the past years honing our skills. The music we are releasing now is more distilled, more refined, more pointed, more powerful; we travelled to the future and this is what we heard on the radio!"

Sylvester, who was previously the frontman of U.K. band DUKES OF NOTHING as well as TURBONEGRO's former U.K. press officer, joined the Norwegian rockers in 2011 after the departure of band's longtime singer Hank Von Helvete.

"RockNRoll Machine" track listing:

01. The Rock And Roll Machine Suite Part I: Chrome Ozone Creation
02. The Rock And Roll Machine Suite Part II: Well Hello
03. The Rock And Roll Machine Suite Part III: RockNRoll Machine
04. Hurry Up & Die
05. Fist City
06. Skinhead Rock & Roll
07. Hot For Nietzsche
08. On the Rag
09. Let the Punishment Fit the Behind
10. John Carpenter Powder Ballad
11. Special Education

The track "Hurry Up & Die" can be streamed below.

"Music Is Worth Living For", a brand new song from Andrew W.K., can be streamed below. The track is taken from his upcoming LP, "You're Not Alone", which is scheduled for release on March 2 via RED Music/Sony Music. The front cover image for the disc was painted by legendary artists Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell. These two masters of fantasy worked closely with Andrew over a six-month period, crafting the painting based on their unique vision.

It's safe to say, nobody has partied harder, longer, or more fervently than the undisputed King of Partying himself, Andrew W.K. A one-man music machine possessed of a single-minded, monomaniacal focus to spread a singular message: That to party is to exist. And to exist is to party.

On "You're Not Alone", Andrew W.K.'s first album of new rock songs in nearly twelve years, the party is reborn, delivering everything one would want and expect from an Andrew W.K. record — high-octane, full throttle rock 'n' roll powered by buoyant, infectious, and triumphant melodies. His music, always a music of extremes, is relentlessly upbeat and celebratory, while also exploring contradiction and confusion.

The songs on this album follow a surprising path to self-actualization. They give the listener permission to admit their vulnerabilities, and the encouragement to feel empowered. They're reflections on the push and pull between freedom and restriction. It's a confirmation of everything you are, rejection of all you are not, and at times, a blurring of the difference between the two. Doubt becomes certainty, confusion becomes clarity, and the fear of life becomes the courage to live it completely. The album reveals itself through double meanings, mirrored views, each ringing equally true, even at their most severely discordant.

Andrew W.K. has lived a life built on a belief that to reach a state of grace and acceptance, one must embrace both the shadow and the light, the pain and the joy, all that is known and unknown, the stability as well as the chaos, its speed and torpor. Understanding this, Andrew W.K. suggests, is the foundation of what partying eventually transmits to us. And by harnessing the revelatory power of partying — by celebrating the puzzles and pressures of life - we find the key to change and evolution comes from both inside and out, when we're together and on our own.

That inner voice, the music of our consciousness, becomes our guide. Trust it. Follow it. Through good times and bad, ups and downs, highs and lows. Realize that just being able to hear it conveys something fundamental to your being… you're not alone.

"You're Not Alone" track listing:

01. The Power of Partying
02. Music Is Worth Living For
03. Ever Again
04. I Don't Know Anything
05. The Feeling of Being Alive
06. Party Mindset
07. The Party Never Dies
08. Give Up On You
09. Keep On Going
10. In Your Darkest Moments
11. The Devil's On Your Side
12. Break The Curse
13. Total Freedom
14. Beyond Oblivion
15. Confusion and Clarity
16. You're Not Alone

Professionally filmed video footage of EXIT EDEN, the all-female four-piece ensemble featuring Amanda Somerville, Clémentine Delauney, Marina La Torraca and Anna Brunner, performing a cover version of "Paparazzi", originally recorded by Lady Gaga, on September 22 at the Hamburg Metal Dayz festival in Hamburg, Germany can be seen below.

EXIT EDEN unites all attributes ascribed to the new millennium: cosmopolitan, self-confident-independent and ready to do their very own thing. Despite their diversity, the four singers blend together personally as superbly as they do vocally with their very diverse vocal tones and techniques that go from opera style to raspy rock. This constellation created extraordinary and powerful ideas and finally became their unique plan to raise EXIT EDEN's very own edge: to show the world that almost every classic song can be transformed into a solid metal-rock song.

EXIT EDEN's debut, "Rhapsodies In Black", which was released on August 4 via Napalm Records (worldwide excluding Germany, Switzerland and Austria, where it was made available via Starwatch), is home to a colorful mix of international super hits from Rihanna to Madonna, from DEPECHE MODE to Adele, and many more. Still and all, it's miles away from being just a cover album.

Who the musicians are:

Amanda Somerville: Amanda is a rock-solid authority of the music scene, both as a solo artist and sharing success and the stage with bands like AVANTASIA, EPICA and KAMELOT. Though her American roots are based in pop and rock, she fell in love with the metal scene and made it her home. She has toured with Alice Cooper, Ian Gillan and many more legends with her commanding voice and fronts the projects TRILLIUM and KISKE SOMERVILLE (with HELLOWEEN icon Michael Kiske). All of this, combined with her wide range of experience, grants her a unique edge and a permanent address in the metal world.

Anna Brunner: A natural talent, Anna began singing at a very young age. As a daughter of a German father and an American mother, she grew up bilingual and founded her first rock band as a teenager. Due to a music study that lead her through different parts of the world, she garnered a multitude of experience and it became crystal clear to her: music has to rock — and vocals need to be emotional — just like a passionate scream.

Marina La Torraca: Hailing from Brazil, Marina was born with rhythm in her blood. As the auspicious frontwoman of several metal bands since the age of 15, her path led her to Europe, where she got to perform with AVANTASIA and to found her up-and-coming band PHANTOM ELITE. Since having studied musical theater in New York, the versatile singer and actress can also be seen internationally in musical productions, including the upcoming German tour of the Broadway hit "Rent". For her, being close to the crowd is what counts — no problem for her and her natural convincing character.

Clémentine Delauney: Clémentine was born near Paris 30 years ago. She has been a multi talent since her childhood days — no matter if she was dancing, playing the piano or singing, she enchanted her audience. At the age of 16, she joined her first metal band. She is currently fronting symphonic metal outfit VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and also worked with SERENITY and MELTED SPACE. Another one of her career highlights is her participation on Kai Hansen's (HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY) first solo album, released in 2016. Thus, Clémentine has carved her way into being one of the great performers of the scene.

"Rhapsodies In Black" track listing:

01. A Question Of Time
02. Unfaithful
03. Incomplete
04. Impossible
05. Frozen
06. Heaven
07. Firework
08. Skyfall
09. Total Eclipse Of The Heart
10. Paparazzi
11. Fade To Grey

The official lyric video for the song "Clone Of The Universe" from Southern Californian hard rockers FU MANCHU can be seen below. The track is the title cut of the band's 12th studio album, which will be released on February 9 via the group's own label At The Dojo Records. The upcoming record will be their first in four years, following the 2014 release of "Gigantoid".

Speaking with Billboard, founding guitarist Scott Hill says: "Our song 'Clone Of The Universe' was the last song written for the new record. We had about 13 songs ready to to choose from, and about three weeks before we were to go into the studio, we wrote that song.

"We record all of our songs on cassette four-track and we had the first part of the song arranged/recorded but we still needed an ending to the song. On one of the final days of practice, before going into the studio at the end of practice, as we were packing up our gear, our drummer, Scott Reeder, was doing these fast drum beats/rolls and I thought it sounded great, and as soon as I got home, I still had his drumming in my head and I wrote the ending riffs to his drum beat."

"Clone Of The Universe" marks a new chapter for the "fuzz rock" pioneers as they mix the straight ahead blistering rock with unexpected time shifts, featuring tracks like the roaring cuts "Don't Panic" and "(I've Been) Hexed" and the dynamically complex "Clone Of The Universe" and "Slower Than Light". The centerpiece of the album is "Il Mostro Atomico", an 18-minute-8-second side-long epic featuring a special guest performance by Alex Lifeson, guitarist and songwriter of the legendary band RUSH. Heavier than anything they've ever done and broken into four distinct sections, it's new ground for a band that's been pushing the boundaries of "fuzz and wah" since its formation in 1990.

The band will play two album-release shows in Southern California before hitting the road in Europe in March and returning to the U.S. in May.

"We are excited to get out and play this stuff, especially 'Il Mostro Atomico'," said Scott Hill. "We think it's some the strongest music we've ever done. We really love the overall sound of the album and having Alex play on it is just incredible. It gives it that special validation for the idea that we had to try something like a side long song."

The album was recorded and produced by FU MANCHU and Jim Monroe at The Racket Room in Santa Ana, California, with additional recording by Andrew Giacumakis at Susstudio in Simi Valley, California.

"Clone Of The Universe" track listing:

01. Intelligent Worship (3:08)
02. (I've Been) Hexed (2:48)
03. Don't Panic (2:05)
04. Slower Than Light (3:26)
05. Nowhere Left To Hide (4:19)
06. Clone Of The Universe (2:58)
07. Il Mostro Atomico (18:08)

FU MANCHU is Scott Hill (vocals, guitar), Bob Balch (guitar), Brad Davis (bass) and Scott Reeder (drums and percussion).

Photo credit: John Gilhooley

FOREIGNER legends Mick Jones and Lou Gramm joined Billy Joel on stage Thursday night (January 11) at Madison Square Garden in New York City to perform two of their band's biggest hits, "Urgent" and "Cold As Ice". The reunion took place during the 48th show of Billy's monthly residency at the iconic venue and his 94th overall at the Garden.

Joel brought Jones and Gramm out on stage after pointing out that Mick produced his 1989 studio album "Storm Front" and discussing Jones's role in all of FOREIGNER's classic songs.

Joel previously inducted the FOREIGNER pair into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2013.

FOREIGNER recently announced the 2018 29-city summer "Juke Box Heroes Tour", produced by Live Nation. Support on the trek will come from WHITESNAKE and JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING.

Original FOREIGNER members Gramm, Dennis Elliott (drums), Al Greenwood (keyboards), Ian McDonald (multi-instrumentalist) and FOREIGNER's second bassist, Rick Wills, rejoined Jones on stage last October at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Michigan. This special event was recorded for a forthcoming 2018 TV special, DVD and accompanying album release. Jones is the sole remaining founding member in FOREIGNER's current lineup.

On May 8, 2016, SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor played a sold-out solo acoustic set at Koko in London, England. The full performance can now be viewed for free on YouTube (see embedded clip below).

Taylor stated: "London is a city that holds a special place in my heart and I'm so happy this night was captured for you all to see. It was certainly a show I will always remember."

During his solo performances, Taylor plays a bunch of songs from his catalog, as well as a number of surprising covers, including THE CURE's "Lovesong".

The setlist for the Koko concert was as follows:

01. I'll Be Your Lover, Too (VAN MORRISON cover)
02. Bother (STONE SOUR song)
03. Friend Of The Devil (GRATEFUL DEAD cover)
04. Snuff (SLIPKNOT song)
05. Taciturn (STONE SOUR song)
06. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme (PAINTY THE PIRATE & KIDS cover)
07. Zzyzx Rd. (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
08. Have You Ever Seen The Rain? (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover) (with Christian Martucci)
09. Dying (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
10. Hard Luck Woman (KISS cover) (with Christian Martucci)
11. The Travelers, Pt. 1 (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
12. Tired (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
13. The One I Love (R.E.M. cover) (with Christian Martucci)
14. Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) (BUZZCOCKS cover) (with Christian Martucci)
15. 30/30-150 (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
16. Lovesong (THE CURE cover) (with Christian Martucci)
17. Farm Song (LIFE SEX & DEATH cover) (with Christian Martucci)
18. Name (GOO GOO DOLLS cover) (with Christian Martucci)
19. Folsom Prison Blues / Mystery Train / American Nightmare (with Christian Martucci)

Encore:

20. The Conflagration (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
21. Through Glass (STONE SOUR song) (with Christian Martucci)
22. Take It Easy (EAGLES cover) (with Christian Martucci) (preceded by "Free Bird" tease)
23. Spit It Out (SLIPKNOT song) (preceded by "Never Gonna Give You Up" tease)

Taylor said in a 2016 interview that it would be "super greedy" of him to launch a solo career — at least for now. Speaking with RockSverige.se, Taylor explained: "I've been getting questions about solo stuff forever. But it's a good problem to have. But, at the same time, I'm in two fantastic bands. Why would I ever?"

He added, "Unless I wanted to get super greedy, why would I try to split off and do something else. I'm very fulfilled by the music that I get to make with both bands. Is there a solo album in me? Yes. But it's not gonna be for a few more years."

Taylor explained a while back what he thought a solo album from him might sound like. "For me, the stuff that I write is, it would be like a cross between the [FOO FIGHTERS], SOCIAL [DISTORTION] and THE REPLACEMENTS, you know," he told The Pulse Of Radio. "I mean, real Midwestern rock. Real, just open chords, good time rock, you know. And damn the critics, basically. That's the stuff I write and that's the stuff I've always tried to write."

The singer also expressed interest in collaborations with other artists, noting that he would love to work with rapper Eminem. Taylor said: "I would love to trade some stuff back and forth with him, because I love the way he writes and the way he flows and the attitude, the emotion that's in it. And I'm very, very attracted to that."

In a 2012 interview, Taylor said about his appreciation for other styles of music: "I had a kid ask me the other night, 'What kind of music is your guilty pleasure?' I said I don't have any. I don't feel guilty about the music I love. If you feel guilty about something you dig, then you should stop feeling guilty about it. One of my favorite albums to this day is the tenth anniversary ensemble cast of 'Les Miserables', the ultimate cast recording, and it is still something I love listening to top to bottom."

RED SUN RISING has returned with the music video for its new single, "Deathwish", taken from the band's forthcoming sophomore album, "Thread". The clip was directed by Brad Golowin and can be viewed below. The anthemic single is also available for purchase on iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon.

"Thread" will be released on March 30 via Concord Music/Razor & Tie. Produced by Matt Hyde (DEFTONES, AFI, PORNO FOR PYROS) and mixed by Jay Ruston, the disc continues to expand on RED SUN RISING's concept of mixing different genres and influences to create a unique sound.

Physical pre-orders for "Thread" are available on Merchnow. Digital pre-orders will be available everywhere starting Friday, January 19.

RED SUN RISING lead singer Mike Protich stated about "Thread": "This album feels like a rebirth. Although RED SUN RISING played 140 shows on our last tour, it was not until we made this album that I felt we became a band. The growth and evolution of RED SUN RISING that you will hear in our sound and our songwriting builds on our 'Thread' mentality (songs that people can love and sing with us but don't fit a mold). We aren't chasing trends and never will."

RED SUN RISING made headlines with its debut full-length album, "Polyester Zeal", and earned its own piece of rock radio history with two back-to-back No. 1 hit singles off a debut album on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. This marked the first time in over a decade that a band has achieved back-to-back No. 1s on the Rock chart with its first two singles, "The Otherside" and "Emotionless". Adding to their radio success, the band was nominated in the "Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist" category at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards. RED SUN RISING was also named "New Artist Of The Year" at the 2016 Radio Contraband Awards.

RED SUN RISING has announced a U.S. spring headline tour in support of the forthcoming release. Additionally, RED SUN RISING will perform at all of the major rock festivals this year.

RED SUN RISING is Mike Protich (vocals/guitar), Ryan Williams (guitar), Ricky Miller (bass/vocals), Dave McGarry (guitar/vocals) and Pat Gerasia (drums).

SHINEDOWN has completed recording its new album for a tentative late spring/early summer release via Atlantic. The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival" marks the group's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by bassist Eric Bass.

"The new album is done," SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers told Kaytie of the Razor 94.7 radio station on Friday (January 5). He then clarified: "Our part is done. Not all of our part — Eric is now mixing the record as well. He was just gonna produce it and someone else was gonna mix it. But now he's mixing the record. So Eric is not done, but the [rest] of us are done with our recording parts. So it is done. It's in the can."

According to Myers, SHINEDOWN recorded a total of 16 songs for the new album, out of which "12 or 13" will make the final cut. "It's the hardest album for me — I think for all four of us," he said. "And I'm not just saying this; everybody, when they make [a new album, they say], 'It's the best thing we've ever done.' I'm being honest when I say it's the hardest record for me so far trying to cut a song from."

As for the musical direction of SHINEDOWN's new disc, Myers said: "It's heavier than 'Threat To Survival', but it's fresh, it's new.

"My favorite thing about our band is that we've never made the same record twice," he continued.

"There's so many bands you know on Active Rock radio that have their potion — 'I'm gonna pour this in here, and pour this in here' — and if it's not broke, don't fix it. And I'm, like, I have to be an artist first; all four of us do. I have to be a musician first, so I can't just cookie-cut the same sheet of dough and go, 'Well, here it is. It worked last time.' I'd rather not do that and fail than do that and succeed. And that's truly how I feel."

Myers said that the decision to have Eric produce the entire album was an easy one. "He had already done three Number One songs, so it was, like, why not?" he explained. "Eric owns a studio in Charleston [South Carolina]. He owns a real studio that's not at his house; it's a real studio. That's where we did 'Cut The Cord', that's where we did 'Diamond Eyes', that's where we did a ton of songs. And it just made sense. And it came organically. It wasn't [like] we met with a bunch of producers and we didn't like any of 'em, it was, like, 'Why doesn't Eric do this?'"

Zach went on to say that Eric has always been "the creative guy" in SHINEDOWN. "When we make records, that's the 'Eric time'; that's when Eric is at his best," he said. "I was kind of excited for Eric to produce this entire record, and then I got even more excited once we started making it, 'cause it is my favorite SHINEDOWN record as of right now."

While Zach handles a lot of the tour-related aspects of SHINEDOWN's business, "Eric thrives in that studio; that's his homebase, that's his home field," Myers said. "And it feels really nice to have him produce the record. Because I get 'red light fever' in the studio. On stage, I'm the least nervous person you'll ever meet. In the studio, I get super nervous and I don't remember how I play. Studio is repetition, so you're recording the same part over and over. So I'll forget how I played it the time before, and Eric can literally do something the same way mechanically every time. So that's there he thrives. Barry [Kerch, drums] as well. Me and Brent [Smith, vocals] can come in and out; we've gotta step away from it. But I believe Eric will become a very, very sought-after producer after this record is out."

Smith told the 97.7 WQLZ radio station last summer that SHINEDOWN's new album would likely be "a concept record. That's a very, very deep rabbit hole to go down, but I think we're ready to do it," he said. "The band's never done this before, and taking in that type of an atmosphere sonically is really taking an audience on a journey."

"Threat To Survival" contained the No. 1 rock radio hits "Cut The Cord" and "State Of My Head", along with the Top 10 tracks "Asking For It" and "How Did You Love".

SHINEDOWN last year completed a European tour as the support act for IRON MAIDEN.





Kaytie is live at the Green Bay Distillery backstage with Zach Myers of Shinedown before the SOLD OUT Smith & Myers acoustic show!

Posted by RAZOR 94.7 WZOR on Friday, January 5, 2018

DELTA DEEP, the critically acclaimed blues-based band featuring Phil Collen (lead guitarist of DEF LEPPARD) and Robert DeLeo (bassist for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS), in addition to Debbi Blackwell-Cook (back-up vocalist for such artists as Michael Bublé and Gregory Hines) and Forrest Robinson (drummer for India.Arie, Joe Sample & THE CRUSADERS, TLC), will release a concert CD/DVD, "East Coast Live", on January 26 via Frontiers Music Srl. The set captures a magical night where all the stars fell into place at Daryl's House, the Pawling, New York club owned by Daryl Hall of HALL & OATES.

A performance video for the song "Black Coffee", taken from "East Coast Live", can be seen below.

Collen initially started DELTA DEEP in 2012 after jamming at home over the course of a year with friend and relative Debbi Blackwell-Cook (Blackwell-Cook is the godmother of Collen's wife, Helen). What started as a casual pairing singing Motown and classic blues staples while Debbi frequently visited Collen's home quickly turned into much more. Collen, Helen and Debbi began writing original music which Collen and Debbi recorded in Collen's home studio. Later that year, a chance meeting re-acquainted Collen with Memphis native and enigmatic heavy metal, jazz, and R&B drummer Forrest Robinson. A friend suggested giving STP bassist Robert DeLeo a call. Sharing a loving affinity for soul, funk and the blues, DeLeo was the perfect fit. According to Collen: "We really wanted Robert in this band. He had the added firepower of being the premiere pioneer and most 'badass bass player' to come out of the alternative rock explosion."

Regarding DELTA DEEP's songwriting approach, Collen told OC Weekly: "The great thing about it is just being able to do your own music and not being jaded about things. I still get a buzz out of putting out new music and getting that artistic expression. We touch on everything in our songs, like slavery and other topics people aren't comfortable writing about because we have two black members and two white members. It's really all about artistic expression for us."

"Non Physical Existent", a brand new song from reactivated Dutch death metal veterans PESTILENCE, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Hadeon", which is slated for a March 9 release via Hammerheart.

The new "Hadeon" cover artwork was created by Michal "Xaay" Loranc (BEHEMOTH, NILE, EVOCATION, VADER, NECROPHAGIST), a very talented Polish graphic designer who perfectly turned PESTILENCE mainman Patrick Mameli's visions and concept into art.

The previously released artwork for "Hadeon" was ditched in October amid accusations of plagiarism.

"Hadeon" track listing:

01. Unholy Transcript
02. Non Physical Existent
03. Multi Dimensional
04. Oversoul
05. Materialization
06. Astral Projection
07. Discarnate Entity
08. Subvisions
09. Manifestations
10. Timeless
11. Ultra Demons
12. Layers Of Reality
13. Electro Magnetic

The first single from "Hadeon", a song called "Multi Dimensional", can also be streamed below.

Due to personal circumstances, guitarist extraordinaire Santiago Dobles (AGHORA, CYNIC, DOBLES ENSEMBLE) will not participate in future live performances with PESTILENCE.

Santiago contributed some excellent solos to "Hadeon". For now, this ends Santiago's involvement in PESTILENCE, but don't be surprised to see him guest on a future recording.

Replacing Dobles in PESTILENCE's current lineup is Calin Paraschiv. Calin hails from Romania and also plays in another project (NECROVILE) with current PESTILENCE drummer Septimiu Hărşan.

Mameli stated: "Calin is the right man for the job, a skilled and professional guitarist ready to tour across the world.

"Rehearsing together with Septimiu is a big plus, so the choice was an easy one to make."

PESTILENCE will kick off 2018 at the end of January with a month-long tour under the "Fight The Plague" banner.

"Hadeon" is described in a press release as "an all-out death metal attack, featuring thirteen tracks that combine PESTILENCE's old-school roots, its progressive trademark and a killer production, which will appeal to both old and new fans."

In July 2014, Mameli announced that PESTILENCE was "on a permanent hold" while he concentrated fully on his new NEUROMORPH project, which he said would be "more brutal, more crazy, more tech, more futuristic and more death" than his longtime outfit. Two years later, he revived PESTILENCE, initially claiming that the band would only play live shows and not record any new material.

PESTILENCE is:

Patrick Mameli - Lead guitar/Vocals
Calin Paraschiv - Lead guitar
Tilen Hudrap - Bass
Septimiu Hărşan - Drums

In London, England, on May 28, 2017, Paul Rodgers returned to his roots, bringing fans an extraordinary evening celebrating the music of FREE. This sold-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall was captured for a live CD/DVD set to be released by Quarto Valley Records in spring 2018. The 16-song collection includes inspired performances of rock classics like "All Right Now", "Wishing Well", "Fire And Water" and many deep tracks — some of which were never performed live by the original band, such as "Love You So" and "Catch a Train".

"I have been making music for a long, long, long time, so to get super charged and re-inspired to perform was a revelation", says Rodgers. "I loved the 'Free Spirit' tour and the guys who helped create the magic, Pete Bullick, Rich Newman, Ian Rowley and Gerard 'G' Louis. I hope you feel it too, just lose yourself in the music and let it fuel your soul."

Beginning his iconic music career as a founding member, main songwriter, and front man for FREE, Rodgers is regarded as one of the greatest vocalists in rock history by contemporaries and fans. According to Eric Clapton, "Paul Rodgers is the real deal," while Robert Plant says, "Paul Rodgers [is] the voice of all British voices." Rodgers has sold over 125 million records worldwide with his legendary bands FREE, BAD COMPANY, THE FIRM and as a Grammy-nominated solo artist.

"Quarto Valley Records is thrilled to bring this epic night of music to rock 'n' roll fans," says QVR founder and president Bruce Quarto. "We are extremely honored to welcome Paul Rodgers to the Quarto Valley family."

Rodgers's "Free Spirit - Celebrating The Music Of Free", will be available on CD/DVD, Blu-ray, vinyl, and across digital platforms. In addition, Rodgers will be bringing the "Free Spirit" tour to the U.S. this spring, as well as performing with his solo band and a few select dates with BAD COMPANY in the coming months.

Photo by Christie Goodwin

Singer Oni Logan has once again left LYNCH MOB, the band he has been in and out of for almost three decades.

In a Facebook post headlined "A brother has left the building," Logan wrote: "As a new year shines a light, so do new beginnings. Some that make the heart flutter and some that just have to happen.

"I've been the original vocalist for LYNCH MOB on and off for many years, I've played a lot of great shows and traveled a lot of miles with this band, I'm very proud to have been a part of the recordings and the brotherhood," he continued.

"I'd like to say thanks to the fans who have continued to come to our shows over the years and for all your interest in what we had to say in our new recordings.

"Very excited for 2018! I'll be putting together a new recording and touring project.

"Writing and recording has always been the most satisfying aspect in being a musician.

"I'll be looking forward to writing with other artist and bands.

"2018 is wide open and I'm feeling a sense of new beginnings coming on."

Logan first hooked up with LYNCH MOB in 1990, but exited the group after the release of its first album, only to rejoin the George Lynch-led outfit in the late 2000s.

Asked what it is about his chemistry with Lynch that keeps him coming back to the band after leaving the group several times in the last few years, Logan said in a 2014 interview: "It's [George's] undeniable riffage — the riffage of the sexiness that he supplies to me that I get from no other. I can never get it from any other.

"We have a special thing going on," he continued. "It's been like that forever. And if you were to ask him, [he would tell you] the same thing: it's like no other. It's just the way that it works. Somehow, the energy and the synergy of what it about, it works together. He evokes the riffs that just make me wanna fucking write. That's fine and simple. That's it. He's magical, he's a purist, he's a deep thinker, and I think he acknowledges me as the same.

"When he tells me, 'Oh, man, that was a great lyric,' I take that and run home with it. 'Cause we're acknowledging each other.

"I think we just need to let things happen at this stage. And I'm always gonna be there for it."

LYNCH MOB's latest album, "The Brotherhood", was released last September via Rat Pak Records.

HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale joined AVENGED SEVENFOLD on stage last night (Friday, January 12) in Nashville, Tennessee to perform a cover version of PINK FLOYD's "Wish You Were Here". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below.

The concert at the Bridgestone Arena marked the opening show of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's North American tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.

"Wish You Were Here" is one of several cover tracks featured on the deluxe edition of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "The Stage", which came out last month.

"This is the song that started us down the rabbit hole with our recent cover recordings," said AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows in a press release. "I've always loved this song, and though I felt it would be impossible to capture the somberness of the original, we approached it with another purpose. There's a poignancy to the song that seems appropriate with everything going on in the world today. We put a bit of a modern twist on it to reintroduce it at a time when it might help capture what some of us are feeling."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's headlining tour was originally supposed to happen last summer but the band changed its plans after getting offered a support slot with METALLICA on the latter band's stadium run.

HALESTORM last year entered the Dark Horse Recording studios just outside Nashville to begin recording its fourth album for a 2018 release. Helming the sessions is Nick Raskulinecz, an acclaimed producer who has previously worked with RUSH, KORN, ALICE IN CHAINS and DEFTONES, in addition to having produced HALESTORM's third covers EP, "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP", which came out in January 2017.

Photo credit: Rafa Alcantara of TWENTYFOURCORE Productions

Kilpop has uploaded video footage of ASKING ALEXANDRIA members Ben Bruce (guitar) and Danny Worsnop (vocals) perfoming acoustic versions of the band's songs "Into The Fire" and "Vultures" at a studio in Denver, Colorado. Check out the clips below.

ASKING ALEXANDRIA's latest, self-titled album was released on December 15 via Sumerian. The disc marks the group's first full-length effort with Worsnop since he rejoined ASKING ALEXANDRIA in the fall of 2016.

"Asking Alexandria" was produced by FROM FIRST TO LAST's Matt Good and mixed by Taylor Larson.

Bruce told Metal Wani in a recent interview that the band's new album has "gone above and beyond all my expectations. For me, every time I finish an album, I'm, like, 'Man, I wish I could have done this differently. I would have changed this. This song's not that good, it's kind of an album filler. I wish I had more time to write more hits.' With this album, we had no limitations, we had no time limits or restrictions and were left to our own devices and we did exactly what we wanted to do," he said. "I listen to the final product now and I couldn't be more proud. There's no point on the album where I'm, like, 'Ah, I wish we could have re-recorded this or changed this.' Or 'I'm not too fond of this song.' Every time I listen to the album, I have a different favorite song. I'm definitely more proud of this album than I ever have been of any record before."

The reunion between Danny and ASKING ALEXANDRIA was confirmed in October 2016 following weeks of rumors and speculation regarding the status of his replacement, Denis Shaforostov, who joined the band in 2015.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will release a new EP, "Get Your Fight On!", on March 9. Pre-orders for the EP — named after one of the tracks on the band's 2016 album "World Gone Mad" — start next Friday, January 19.

The second release for SUICIDAL TENDENCIES with former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo, Ra Diaz on bass and Jeff Pogan on guitar, "Get Your Fight On!" will precede a new full-length album, set to arrive in the summer. The ten-song effort includes new tracks, the first-ever cover song from the band — of the classic Iggy Pop song "I Got A Right" — stunning artwork by artist Mike Strachan and much more.

SUICIDAL TENCENCIES singer Mike Muir states: "This EP is different in several ways. Whereas originally this was gonna be the setup to 'World Gone Mad', which was released in September 2016, now it's more of an ending to 'World Gone Mad' and tie-over till 'Still Cyco Punk After All These Years'."

"Get Your Fight On!" will be made available on CD, limited-edition translucent yellow LP with download card and digital. All digital pre-orders will include immediate download of the song "Nothing To Lose".

Muir told Finland's Kaaos TV last summer that the band's upcoming EP would be "a little more specifically a statement of the time" and an effort that "could be interpreted as political."

Santa Ana's Observatory OC will host "Dimebash", a tribute to late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, on Thursday, January 25. The event will be hosted by SiriusXM's Jose Mangin and sponsored by Rock'D Vodka, Dean Guitars, Affliction Clothing, Dunlop and Metal Blade Records. The event is all ages and costs only $33 at the door. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the event starts at 7:00 p.m.. Tickets are available via www.observatoryoc.com.

"Dimebash" will feature an unprecedented all-star jam featuring members of bands such as PANTERA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, ROB ZOMBIE, ALICE COOPER, FEAR FACTORY, ARMORED SAINT, KING'S X, ACE FREHLEY, KYNG, CYPRESS HILL, BIOHAZARD, POWERFLO, FIREBALL MINISTRY, PRONG, ACT OF DEFIANCE, and more to come!

An official afterparty, presented by Affliction, will take place at Affliction Soundstage (1799 Apollo Ct., Seal Beach, CA) with doors opening at 10:30 p.m. and starting at 11:00 p.m. The taco metal afterparty will be 21+ and will feature WHISKEYDICK, KYNG and all-female PANTERA cover band COWGIRLS FROM HELL. The afterparty is sponsored by Modelo, Riazul, QSC, Roland, SiriusXM Liquid Metal, Rock'd Vodka and Monster Energy, and will also be hosted by Jose Mangin.

For both events, all proceeds will benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund, Kitten Rescue LA, and KYNG's GoFundMe campaign set up to help them recover stolen gear and transportation.

Doug Pinnick of KING'S X says,"I love being a part of 'Dimebash'. So many friends and musicians show up and it's like a family reunion. And keeping Dime's party tradition in full bloom." PANTERA's Rex Brown adds: "'Dimebash', to me, is the epitome of celebrating his life and music all in one night! He was always about camaraderie, brotherhood and a killer f*ckin time! 'Dimebash' smokes on."

KYNG's Eddie Veliz says: "'Dimebash' is one of the best shows/parties KYNG has played. One of the greatest memories of my career happened at 'Dimebash' 2016 when I had the pleasure of playing PINK FLOYD's 'Wish You Were Here'. The details to this story are very long-winded, but let's just say it involved a couple of acoustics guitars and Dave Grohl. We are proud once again to play 'Dimebash' 2018 because the proceeds always go to a good cause and a life is celebrated. Dimebag helped me mold the sound of KYNG through his music and I will always have a massive place in my heart for him, Rita Haney and the entire PANTERA family."

OF MICE & MEN has shared another track from its forthcoming and much-anticipated album "Defy", due out January 19 through Rise Records. The song "Money", which is a cover of the PINK FLOYD classic, premiered via SiriusXM's Octane earlier this week and is now available at all DSPs.

Listen to "Money" below.

"Defy" marks OF MICE & MEN's first full-length release without vocalist Austin Carlile, who left the group due to his ongoing battle with Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that afflicts the connective tissue holding the body's cells, organs and tissue together. Handling lead vocals in the band now is bassist Aaron Pauley.

"Defy" was produced by Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THREE DAYS GRACE, SKILLET, THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (GREEN DAY, BREAKING BENJAMIN, SHINEDOWN, RISE AGAINST).

Pauley told Kaaos TV about the songwriting process for "Defy": "The only real difference was, in the past, [Austin] and I would work on vocals together and stuff, and for writing the music, everything else was the same as it's been before, which, for us, felt very good to kind of go back in the studio… That's a really good question — we get asked that a lot: how different was it? And for us, it didn't really feel that much different. I think when it came to doing lyrics and vocals, instead of me bouncing ideas off of Austin, I would bounce ideas off of Tino [David Valentino Arteaga, drums] or off of Alan [Ashby, guitar] or off of Phil [Manansala, guitar]. So kind of the whole way that we've always done things is very group-oriented. And with regards to the music, us being the four musicians that played instruments, that didn't change and the way that we had crafted music and made records and demos in the past didn't change. It was just the vocals and the lyrics — and even that didn't really change other than it wasn't me bouncing ideas off of Austin, it was me bouncing ideas off of Tino and Alan, Phil and our producer. So it felt very similar — probably more similar than it felt different."

Carlile originally left OF MICE & MEN in 2010 after his doctor forbade him from touring to undergo heart surgery tied to complications with Marfan Syndrome. He returned in 2011, but his ailments didn't cease, forcing him to exit the band for the second, and presumably final, time at the end of 2016.

An OF MICE & MEN documentary called "Unbreakable" was released on October 13. The short film, which was directed by Johann Ramos, follows the band across multiple continents on their tour last year.

OF MICE & MEN will embark on a headline tour, which kicks off on January 31 in Berkeley, California, with BLESSTHEFALL, CANE HILL, FIRE FROM THE GODS and MSCW in tow. The trek runs through March 7 in San Diego.

Swedish Viking/folk metallers Grimner have released a video for "En Fallen Jätte", a track from their new full-length album, Vanadrottning, out via Despotz Records on February 9th. Find the video below.

A heavier, more powerful and rhythmic sound, together with a fantastic new voice brought by their latest addition Martin. Expect a dynamic, fresh and thrilling album with the band pushing the boundaries and taking their unique music to a new level. With Vanadrottning and their 10th anniversary celebrations, the Grimner Vikings continue their journey towards new adventures.

Tracklisting:

"Vanadrottning"
"Avundas Hennes Ungdom"
"En Fallen Jätte"
"Kvällningssång"
"En Vilja Av Järn"
"Fafnersbane" feat. Erik Grawsiö (Månegarm)
"Vårt Blod, Våra Liv"
"Dödens Dans"
"Ägers Salar"
"Sången Om Grimner"
"Freja Vakar"

"En Fallen Jätte" video:

Grimner give a unique mixture of folk and metal, incorporating catchy melodies, folk instruments and heavy riffs into their own, yet aggressive metal. With their dynamic and captivating music, with lyrics sung in Swedish, and looking like they have recently arrived from a fantasy world, they have taken enthusiasts of both metal and folk music by storm. Grimner’s lyrics revolve around Norse mythology, folklore, historical adventures of Vikings and life in the same era. With some songs dark and brooding; others fast, jovial and folkish, Grimner’s music is as awesome as it is entertaining.

British rock and rollers The Temperance Movement are streaming the title track of their upcoming album, A Deeper Cut. Listen below.

Due to be released on February 16th, A Deeper Cut features 12 brand new songs which draw from the band's recent triumphs, including two Top 20 albums, touring around the world and sharing the stage with such rock megastars as The Rolling Stones.

A Deeper Cut is available for pre-order on limited edition signed digipak CD, regular digipak CD, regular vinyl, and limited edition signed coloured vinyl. Head to the Earache webstore to reserve your copy. Listen to the album’s opening track, “Caught In The Middle, below.

Tracklisting:

“Caught In The Middle”
“Built-In Forgetter”
“Love And Devotion”
“A Deeper Cut”
“Backwater Zoo”
“Another Spiral”
“Beast Nation”
“The Way It Was And The Way It Is Now”
“Higher Than The Sun”
“Children”
“There's Still Time”
“The Wonders We've Seen”

“A Deeper Cut”:

“Built-In Forgetter”:

“Caught In The Middle”:

Find the band’s tour itinerary here.

Multi-talented guitarist and producer, Davide Tiso (Ephel Duath, Gospel Of The Witches), recently announced the formation and signing of extreme progressive metal outfit, Howling Sycamore, to Prosthetic Records.

Tiso elaborates, "Howling Sycamore was born from the stubborn idea of melting together different styles of heavy music into something powerful, sincere and with a strong identity. I wanted to mix extreme metal drumming, layered down-tuned guitars and old school prog metal singing. I'm so grateful that these amazing musicians helped shape the album into the beautiful weirdness that it became."

The musicians he speaks of are none other than former Watchtower and Dangerous Toys singer, Jason McMaster and drumming sensation, Hannes Grossmann (Necrophagist, Obscura).

The self-titled album will be released on January 26th on all digital platforms, compact disc and a limited edition, silver vinyl LP on Prosthetic Records. You can stream the track "Descent To Light", below. Pre-orders for the album are available here.

It took approximately a year to put the album together. During this time, some very special guest musicians had the chance to contribute to the songs: Bruce Lamont (Yakuza, Brain Tentacles) on baritone saxophone, plus Kevin Hufnagel (Dysrhythmia, Gorguts) and Fester (Burials, Humorous) on guitars.

Howling Sycamore tracklisting:

"Upended"
"Obstinate Pace"
"Let Fall"
"Intermezzo"
"Midway"
"Chant Of Stillness"
"Descent To Light"
"Dysphoria"

"Descent To Light":

"Upended":

Howling Sycamore by Howling Sycamore

Tiso was always fascinated by the symbolism of the sycamore tree, which has special significance in Egyptian religion and that "bridged the world of the dead and the living" in David Lynch's cult TV series. Visually, the sycamore is particularly striking in winter when it gains a ghost like appeal: the bark turns white and it reflects the moonlight in otherworldly ways, bearing not only mystery but also a certain component of solitude and pain. These were the inspirations for Tiso as he assembled his extreme, progressive ensemble, Howling Sycamore.

Chicago-based Americana metal outfit, Huntsmen, have released a video for "Pyre", a track from their upcoming American Scrap album. Watch the clip below.

Storytelling is the great, albeit fading, American pastime. It predated writing and in many instances, was told in song. In modern times, many musicians have approached their music from a storytelling point of view: Dylan, Springsteen and Waits to name a few. Huntsmen are carrying the torch for heavy bands to be added to that list and recently announced their signing to Prosthetic Records.

Huntsmen have released two EPs, 2014's Post War and 2016's The Colonel. When it came time to work on the band's first full length, American Scrap, vocalist/guitarist Chris Kang wanted to tackle the paradox of American nationalism and pride, given we are a country of immigrants.

"I always have conflicting feelings," says Kang, "where I'm really proud of the inclusive and optimistic ideal it represents- my father found opportunity here to carve a life that just didn't exist back home - but I'm really ashamed of so much of its past and present. I wanted to make an album that spent some time with these confusing feelings, and that was American Scrap."

American Scrap will be released on February 23rd on all digital platforms, compact disc, limited edition gold splatter LP and VHS. Pre-orders can be found here.

Huntsmen will have their record release show a day before release date at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. Label mates Livid and Rezn will be joining them.

American Scrap was recorded at Treehouse Analog Studio in Chicago. The opening, mostly acoustic track "Bury Me Deep", is the perfect first chapter to the album; with its ending of feedback and electric guitar, it foreshadows something heavy, but then swiftly goes into the dark, moody "Pyre". "Atlantic City" starts off in a post-rock fury, sure to tell-tale some catastrophic event while the album's epic closer, "The Last President" with guest vocalist, Aimee Bueno, is the perfect ending to the story.

Spoiler alert, if you're the type to open a book and read the ending, continue on, as Kang describes the final track, "the last American President gives a final TV address to the nation then has a nice dinner with her family before euthanizing them and hanging herself before the bombs fall."

American Scrap tracklisting:

"Bury Me Deep"
"Pyre"
"Canary King"
"Interlude A - Shipwrecked"
"Atlantic City"
"Interlude B - Insurrection"
"The Barrens"
"The Last President"

"Pyre" video:

"Bury Me Deep" video:

Tour dates:

February
22 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle (with Livid and Rezn)

Huntsmen lineup:

Chris Kang - Vocals, guitar
Marc Stranger-Najjar - Bass
Kirill Orlov - Guitar
Ray Knipe - Drums

San Diego-based trio Earthless return with the full-length album Black Heaven on March 16th via Nuclear Blast. The band is giving fans an early preview of the six-track, forty-minute album, with a stream of the first track on the album, "Gifted By The Wind". Watch a visualizer below.

“We are proud to drop the first single ‘Gifted By The Wind’ today,” says drummer Mario Rubalcaba. “Something that moves, grooves and wants to shake your brains! We hope you enjoy and of course blast the ‘F’ out of it.”

The song, which kicks off the album, marks a shift for the band, with four of the six songs featuring vocals whereas earlier albums only occasionally had vocals. “It wasn’t a premeditated thing to do a record with vocals,” continues Rubalcaba. “On the older records, Mike [Eginton] was responsible for a lot of the riffs that would start these jams, but on this one Isaiah [Mitchell] really brought his own pizazz and flavor to it. I’d say that’s one of the major differences on this album: It has more of Isaiah’s input. He took a risk bringing these ideas to us, not knowing if we’d like them. But as with everything we’ve done in the past, it felt very organic and natural.”

Black Heaven was recorded at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, CA with Dave Catching (Eagles Of Death Metal) handling production. Pre-order bundles, with digital releases offering an instant download of "Gifted By The Wind", are available here.

Black Heaven tracklisting:

"Gifted By The Wind"
"End To End"
"Electric Flame"
"Volt Rush"
"Black Heaven"
"Sudden End"

"Gifted By The Wind" visualizer:

(Photo: Ed Dominick)

UK’s Feed The Rhino has released the brand new single, "Losing Ground", from the forthcoming studio album, The Silence, which will be released via Century Media Records on February 16th, 2018.

The band commented on the single stating, "As a band, we've been developing the lighter side of our sound since our first album back in 2010, and have always wanted to be able to showcase a different side to the heavy, raucous music we are known for. ‘Losing Ground’ came from an idea that James had been jamming on an acoustic guitar, and when we heard Lee start singing on it, we knew we had something a bit different and that was so exciting to write and play. It also gave us some new avenues to go down with the production, so we had a lot of fun with that in the studio. The song means a lot to us and hopefully shows how much we have grown as a band! The song has so many possibilities in the way we play it too, so we are looking forward to getting to explore that a bit more.”

The Silence will be released on CD (incl. sticker) and digitally. Pre-order the digital album and receive the singles "Timewave Zero", "Heedless" and "Featherweight" immediately.

The Silence tracklisting:

"Timewave Zero"
"Heedless"
"Losing Ground"
"68"
"All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy"
"Yellow And Green"
"Nerve Of A Sinister Killer"
"Fences"
"The Silence"
"Lost In Proximity"
"Featherweight"

"Losing Ground":

"Timewave Zero" video:

Feed The Rhino is:
Lee Tobin - Vocals
James Colley - Guitar
Sam Colley - Guitar
Chris Kybert - Drums
Oz Craggs - Bass

Final Drive provokes your “trust” in their newest lyric video for the track “Built To Break.” 

"We wanted to put together a blend of moving footage and at the same time include the lyrics to follow. Given the subject matter of ‘Built To Break’ we thought it would be funny to set it to footage of US Bill manufacturing. It's LoFi and DIY, yet still turned out fun enough to watch all the way to the end, maybe even twice.” states Jordan Gaw of Final Drive  

The brutal thrash track comes from Final Drive's latest Billboard-Charting album, Dig Deeper.

Final Drive live:

January
13 - Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall 
14 - Wichita, KS - Elbow Room 
15 - Oklahoma City, OK - Special Event
16 - Tulsa, OK - The Vanguard
17 - Wichita Falls, TX - The Deep End
18 - Dallas, TX - Renos Chop Shop 
19 - San Antonio, TX - Bonds Rock Bar 
20 - Big Spring, TX - Desert Flower Art Bar
28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Viper Room

Los Angeles rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES have released the official music video for the song "Wake Up". The track is taken from the band's fifth album, "Vale", which is being released today (Friday, January 12) via Lava/Universal Republic. The follow-up to BLACK VEIL BRIDES' 2014 self-titled effort was produced by John Feldmann at his Southern California studio.

BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack said: "We cannot wait for the BVB army to hear 'Vale' in its entirety!

"In my opinion, this record is the most complete and exciting album we have done to date.

"The opportunity to work with John Feldmann once again over the course of the past two years creating 'Vale' was an incredible experience and I am thrilled with the collection of songs we have put together as a band.

"The Latin translation of 'Vale' is 'be well, be strong!' and central to the message of this record.

"We hope to continue to inspire our fans and friends to embrace their own individuality and inner strength.

"The central narrative once again finds 'The Wild Ones' characters facing the challenge of moving on from the pain and anguish of their past and looking to a new chapter in their lives. This concept is one that is near to my heart and I believe will resonate with those that find themselves cast on the fringe of society.

"From our inception, BLACK VEIL BRIDES have stood up for the outcasts and disenfranchised. With this album, [we] hope to give you hope, fun and most importantly a kickass rock and roll record."

"Vale" track listing:

01. Incipiens Ad Finem
02. The Last One
03. Wake Up
04. When They Call My Name
05. The Outsider
06. Dead Man Walking (Overture II)
07. Our Destiny
08. The King Of Pain
09. My Cow
10. Ballad Of The Lonely Hearts
11. Throw The First Stone
12. Vale (This Is Where It Ends)

During an interview with the Rock Sound Podcast, Biersack said about the overall sound of the new BLACK VEIL BRIDES album: "We made 'Wretched And Divine [The Story Of The Wild Ones]' with John in 2013, and that was, at least commercially, our most successful record to date. A song like 'In The End' is probably our most successful song. And so a lot of times, people point to that record as the sound of the band. But what I think is interesting is that we have evolved significantly, I think, from record to record — from the first record to the fifth record. The previous record that we made with [producer] Bob Rock was a much more straight-ahead, hard rock, heavy metal record. I think that this album — and everybody says this, of course, because you want it to be true — but at least for me, I believe that it's a nice combination of many different eras of the band. I think that it represents all the different places that we've been while retaining that Feldmann thing, that thing about Feldy that I don't think anybody else can even touch or come close to; he just knows how to make things huge."

BLACK VEIL BRIDES has just embarked on a North American co-headline tour, dubbed "The Resurrection Tour", with ASKING ALEXANDRIA. CROWN THE EMPIRE is acting as support on all dates.