On February 9, symphonic metal pioneers THERION will finally release Christofer Johnsson's monumental brainchild "Beloved Antichrist", a sweeping rock opera loosely inspired by Vladímir Soloviov's "A Short Tale Of The Antichrist". The entire piece reaches an impressive length of three hours. The dramatic and epic opus comes to life through 27 different character roles, performed by long-time band members like Thomas Vikström, Lori Lewis and Chiara Malvestiti, amongst many others. The cover artwork was designed by Thomas Ewerhart and can be seen below.

THERION has just unveiled the album's new digital single, "Night Reborn", from the second act of the opera. This uptempo track melds typical THERION metal riffs with symphonic grandeur and gives fans another taste of the three-hour-long drama composed by Johnsson.

Christofer explains: "'Night Reborn' is also one of the more guitar driven scenes in the opera and represents the heavier side of it. In the previous two scenes in Chapter 11, a mystic from the east (Apollonius) arrives to assist Antichrist (Seth). In this scene he shows the crowd some of his miracles."

Act I

01. Turn From Heaven
02. Where Will You Go?
03. Through Dust, Through Rain
04. Signs Are Here
05. Never Again
06. Bring Her Home
07. The Solid Black Beyond
08. The Crowning Of Splendour
09. Morning Has Broken
10. Garden Of Peace
11. Our Destiny
12. Anthem
13. The Palace Ball
14. Jewels From Afar
15. Hail Caesar!
16. What Is Wrong?
17. Nothing But My Name

Act II

01. The Arrival Of Apollonius
02. Pledging Loyalty
03. Night Reborn
04. Dagger Of God
05. Temple Of New Jerusalem
06. The Lions Roar
07. Bringing The Gospel
08. Laudate Dominum
09. Remaining Silent
10. Behold Antichrist
11. Cursed By The Fallen
12. Resurrection
13. To Where I Weep
14. Astral Sophia
15. Thy Will Be Done!

Act III

01. Shoot Them Down!
02. Beneath The Starry Skies
03. Forgive Me
04. The Wasteland Of My Heart
05. Burning The Palace
06. Prelude To War
07. Day Of Wrath
08. Rise To War
09. Time Has Come/Final Battle
10. My Voyage Carries On
11. Striking Darkness
12. Seeds Of Time
13. To Shine Forever
14. Theme Of Antichrist

THERION is currently working on the possibility of bringing the entire production to the stage. And while this monumental undertaking still simmers away in the production halls, the band has announced a pan-European tour taking them to 25 different countries, where they will perform some new and some classic THERION hits.

Salt Lake City's traditional metal champions, Visigoth, will release their sophomore album, Conqueror's Oath, on February 9th via Metal Blade Records. A music video for the new single "Warrior Queen", directed by Brock Gorssl, is available for streaming below.

The new album is available for pre-order in the following formats:

- CD
- 180g black vinyl
- silver vinyl (limited to 400 copies - USA exclusive)
- clear with white/blue smokey swirl vinyl (limited to 300 copies - USA exclusive)
- opaque blue vinyl (limited to 300 copies - USA exclusive)
- cool grey marble vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- white/blue splattered vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- sky-blue marble vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- purple red marble vinyl (limited to 100 copies - EU exclusive)
* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available!

Standing in staunch opposition to any presumptuous notion of "reinventing the wheel" or "redefining the genre", Visigoth instead dedicates themselves to worshipping at the ageless altars of heavy metal with a singular focus on writing music inspired by their favorite records. Whether whipped into a frenzy ignited by classic USPM or NWOBHM anthems, or pensively meditating on traditional epic heavy metal or weighty doom-inspired moments, these Salt City hessians wear their influences proudly on their sleeves.

With their new 2017 long-player Conqueror's Oath, Visigoth stays true to the title and conquers the sophomore slump blues with 8 iron-forged anthems of pure metal magick guaranteed to satiate the hunger of the rock'n'roll hordes! Returning to the depths of the Boar's Nest in their hometown of Salt Lake City to record once again with engineer extraordinaire Andy Patterson (Subrosa, Deathblow, Dreadnought, et al), Conqueror's Oath was hammerforged in a whirlwind month of mayhem and mastered by Dave Otero of Flatline Audio (Satan's Host, Nightbringer, Khemmis, et al).

Immortalized by breathtaking cover art created by none other than underground album art legend Kris Verwimp (whose work has graced records by Absu, Bewitched, Desaster, Horna, Moonsorrow, Skullview, Arkona, and many, many more) in proper swords-and-sorcery fashion, Conqueror's Oath stands tall on the field of battle, serving as a gauntleted fist in the face of non-believers. Prepare for the onslaught of Salt City Steel!

Conqueror's Oath tracklisting:

"Steel And Silver"
"Warrior Queen"
"Outlive Them All"
"Hammerforged"
"Traitor's Gate"
"Salt City"
"Blades In The Night"
"The Conqueror's Oath"

"Warrior Queen" video:

Tour dates:

February
17 - Würzburg, Germany - Metal Assault Festival
18 - Oldenburg, Germany - MTS Records Store
19 - Berlin, Germany - Cortina
20 - Leipzig, Germany - Four Rooms
21 - Wien, Austria - Escape Metal Corner
22 - Innsbruck, Austria - Livestage
23 - Dornbirn, Austria - Schlachthaus
24 - Lünen, Germany - Swordbrothers Festival
25 - Genk, Belgium - Flashback
27 - Barcelona, Spain - Rocksound
28 - Zaragoza, Spain - Sala Lopez

March
1 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Live
2 - Ljungby, Sweden - Turbofest
3 - Niederjossa, Germany - Full Metal Fest
6 - Göppingen, Germany - Zille
7 - Leiden, Netherlands - De Noble
8 - Marburg, Germany - Szenario
9 - Weiher, Germany - Live Music Hall
10 - Hamburg, Germany - Hell Over Hammaburg Festival

Joe Perry of AEROSMITH headlined Monster's annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) concert Wednesday night (January 10). The performance came nine days before the release of his "Sweetzerland Manifesto" album.

This year's concert and awards program, dubbed "The Sound Of Rock", honored Monster's top retail partners and was held at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas.

Perry was joined at the show by his "Sweetzerland Manifesto" collaborator Robin Zander (CHEAP TRICK), along with Gary Cherone (EXTREME, VAN HALEN), and Dean and Robert DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS). The played a 17-song set of AEROSMITH classics, covers, and tracks from "Sweetzerland Manifesto", including "Aye, Aye, Aye", which Joe co-wrote with Zander.

This is not the first time Perry has taken the stage for Monster; he also appeared at the Michael Jackson tribute show at CES 2016. He is a brand ambassador for the audio manufacturer and has been collaborating with Monster for a line of CE devices, slated to debut at this year's CES.

Perry and his all-star band will also perform at the sold-out record-release show Tuesday, January 16 at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California.

Set for release on Perry's own Roman Records imprint (distributed worldwide by AMPED Distribution), "Sweetzerland Manifesto" — which is available for pre-order via iTunes and Amazon — marks Joe's sixth solo album and is comprised of 10 new tracks. They were all written or co-written by Joe (many with the album's guest vocalists), except for a cover of "Eve Of Destruction", with Joe on lead vocals and Johnny Depp on drums. The album features guest appearances from a long list of Joe's friends, colleagues and rock and roll icons. Highlights include "Aye, Aye, Aye" and three collaborations with David Johansen (THE NEW YORK DOLLS), who sings "I Wanna Roll", "Haberdasher Blues" and "I'm Going Crazy", plus as many co-writes with Terry Reid whose lead vocals light up "I'll Do Happiness" (with Zak Starkey on drums), "Sick & Tired" and "Won't Let Me Go".





Live Monster Products stream!!

Posted by Joe Perry on Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Swedish quartet TRIBULATION will release its new album, "Down Below", on January 26 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2015 release "The Children Of The Night" will feature artwork crafted by TRIBULATION guitarist Jonathan Hultén.

The official visalizer video for the song "The World", created by Robert Piel, can be seen below.

"Today we are announcing our third and last single before the release of the new album," said the band. "It is called 'The World' and once again filmmaker Robert Piel has created a visual interpretation for you to enjoy."

"Down Below" track listing:

01. The Lament
02. Nightbound
03. Lady Death
04. Subterranea
05. Purgatorio
06. Cries From The Underworld
07. Lacrimosa
08. The World
01. Here Be Dragons
10. Come, Become, To Be (bonus track)

"Down Below" is preceded by a brand-new seven-inch EP. Titled "Lady Death", it includes the album track "Lady Death" as well as the B-side "Skärselden".

TRIBULATION will commence its touring cycle for "Down Below" with runs across Central Europe and the U.K. supporting ARCH ENEMY and WINTERSUN, as well as dates in the East and South of Europe with INSOMNIUM.

TRIBULATION is:

Johannes Andersson - Vocals, Bass
Adam Zaars - Guitar
Jonathan Hultén - Guitar
Oscar Leander - Drums

Photo credit: Esther Segarra

According to Live Nation, SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT and BEHEMOTH will perform on June 4 at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. The date is expected to part of a full North American tour, which has not yet been officially announced.

TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick told Music & Art Interviews earlier in the month that his band "just signed on to a North American tour that I can't talk about yet, but it will be one of the biggest tours of the year."

SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD and BEHEMOTH hit the road in North America together last summer.

TESTAMENT and SLAYER previously joined forces for a North American tour in early 2016. Also appearing on the bill were British extreme metal pioneers CARCASS.

SLAYER is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Repentless", which was released in September 2015 via Nuclear Blast. The disc debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 50,000 equivalent album units.

ANTHRAX will release its long-awaited live-in-concert DVD, "Kings Among Scotland", on April 27 via Megaforce.
The DVD will be preceded by ANTHRAX's North American co-headline tour with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE — "KillThrax 2018" — set to kick off January 25 in Montreal.

LAMB OF GOD's 2017 tour with SLAYER and BEHEMOTH kicked off on July 12 in Bemidji, Minnesota and concluded on August 20 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's latest release was an EP called "The Duke", which came out in November 2016 via Epic.

The official animated video for MYSTIC PROPHECY's cover version of MIKE OLDFIELD's "Shadow On The Wall" can be streamed below. The track is taken from the German metallers' covers album, "Monuments Uncovered", which will be released on January 12 via Massacre Records.

Singer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis comments: "This album is like a love letter to the music that accompanied so many of us, myself included, in the '70s, '80s and '90s — and believe me, you have not heard the songs like this before! I'm also really excited to show you a new and different side of MYSTIC PROPHECY!"

The album was produced by Liapakis and MYSTIC PROPHECY at the Prophecy Studios, and mixed and mastered by Henrik Udd at Udd Recording Studios (ARCHITECTS, HAMMERFALL, BRING ME THE HORIZON, AT THE GATES, DELAIN). Dušan Markovic created the album's cover artwork.

MYSTIC PROPHECY's "Monuments Uncovered" will also be available as a limited-edition digipak with an exclusive bonus track as well as limited vinyl LP.

"Monuments Uncovered" track listing:

01. You Keep Me Hangin' On (KIM WILDE/THE SUPREMES cover)
02. Hot Stuff (DONNA SUMMER cover)
03. Shadow On The Wall (MIKE OLDFIELD cover)
04. Are You Gonna Go My Way (LENNY KRAVITZ cover)
05. I'm Still Standing (ELTON JOHN cover)
06. Because The Night (PATTI SMITH cover)
07. Space Lord (MONSTER MAGNET cover)
08. Get It On (T.REX cover)
09. Toyko (TOKYO cover)
10. Proud Mary (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover)
11. The Stroke (BILLY SQUIER cover) (digipak bonus track)

The Mutual Admiration Society is a new album from Sterling Ball, John Ferraro and Jim Cox featuring guitar greats Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Albert Lee, Steve Lukather and Jay Graydon. The album track "The In-Crowd", featuring Steve Morse, is available for streaming below.

Featuring 13 classic tracks reimagined by some of the world's greatest guitarists including "Sugar Shack" featuring Steve Vai, "Baby Please Don't Go" featuring Steve Lukather, "The In Crowd" with Steve Morse and a one-of-a-kind Disney Medley performance featuring John Petrucci. The Mutual Admiration Society is available January 19th on Favored Nations and Mascot Records.

Tracklisting:

"Payday Song"
"The In-Crowd" (feat. Steve Morse)
"Checkin’ Up On My Baby"
"Baby Please Don’t Go" (feat. Steve Lukather)
"Treat Her Right"
"Sugar Shack" (feat. Steve Vai)
"Memphis AKA Memphis, Tennessee"
"Cryin' Time" (feat. Albert Lee)
"I Want You Back"
"Disney Medley" (feat. John Petrucci)
"Hey Good Lookin’" (feat. Albert Lee)
"Strip Mall Gourmet" (feat. Jay Graydon)
"Heartbroke"

"The In-Crowd" (feat. Steve Morse):

In the clip below, Sterling sits down with Steve Vai to discuss their musical pasts, long-time friendship, and the road that led to the Mutual Admiration Society album coming to fruition.

The official lyric video for the song "Broken Heart" from ESCAPE THE FATE can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's sixth full-length album, "I Am Human", which will be released on February 16 via Better Noise Records.

"I Am Human" sees ESCAPE THE FATE at its most raw, real, and relatable. Helmed by Grammy Award-nominated super producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, IN FLAMES, ALL THAT REMAINS), this record sees an evolution of ESCAPE THE FATE's sound that brings the band back to the excitement of their roots.

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

"I Am Human" track listing:

01. Beautifully Tragic
02. Broken Heart
03. Four Letter Word
04. I Will Make It Up To You
05. Bleed For Me
06. Do You Love Me
07. I Am Human
08. If Only
09. Empire
10. Recipe For Disaster
11. Riot
12. Digging My Own Grave
13. Resistance
14. Let Me Be

Photo credit: Sean Edwards

"Burnin' The Candle", the new video from SAINTED SINNERS, the band featuring former ACCEPT singer David Reece, can be seen below. The song is taken from SAINTED SINNERS' second album, "Back With A Vengeance", which will be released on February 16 via El Puerto Records.

Says guitarist Frank Pané: "For the video, we went for a very spontaneous approach. Having a day off in Hamburg between two shows, we were happy to have our friend Volker Thiele (who did our previous clips as well) with us. There was no bigger plan what to do; we basically walked through the city searching for cool locations."

Reece adds: "The shooting was a challenge, because firstly the weather was cold and we shot some on the pier in Hamburg, but it was freezing balls and tough to do. We looked behind us and there was Hard Rock Cafe Hamburg, so we asked the manager out of need to warm up if we could shoot some footage and he luckily agreed, before we froze to death, haha!"

Expressing the "pure essence of rock 'n' roll" was the ambition that paired those four well-known and experienced musicians together in early 2016 to create and play the music which is deeply inside their hearts and in their blood. The love for rock legends, such as DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE, UFO, BLACK SABBATH, VAN HALEN and many others, built the cornerstone for the music of the new founded quartet called SAINTED SINNERS.

Fronted by the unique, soul-driven voice of American-born vocalist David Reece and highly gifted guitar player Frank Pané (BONFIRE), SAINTED SINNERS got completed by the dynamic rhythm section of the two former PURPENDICULAR members Malte Frederik Burkert (bass) and the Hungarian drum maestro Berci Hirleman.

"We were aiming for a more guitar-heavy approach this time and also a warmer, more ballsy sound," explains Pané and continues: "This time we already knew where to go. You definitely can hear my huge VAN HALEN and Randy Rhoads influences more than on the previous one. But it also has that DEEP PURPLE touch, even with less keyboards this time. In other songs, you definitely hear a RAINBOW and DIO influence... and it goes on and on. These influences are totally natural and are not planned. So we just go with the flow and that's the essence of rock 'n' roll for us."

The keyboards on "Back With A Vengeance" were handled by guest musicians Angel Vafeiadis and Eric Ragno, who is known for his work with Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley (KISS) and Billy Gibbons (ZZ TOP).

"I'm really happy and satisfied with the end result," summarizes Pané. "Being a new band, it's hard to be recognized nowadays with all the hundreds of releases every month, so we wanted to make a statement that SAINTED SINNERS is a band you should look out for."

SAINTED SINNERS is:

David Reece - Vocals
Frank Pané - Guitar
Malte Frederik Burkert - Bass
Berci Hirleman - Drums

This Friday, January 12 marks the release of the new album from WHITE WIZZARD. Today the lyric video to the disc's title track, "Infernal Overdrive", has been released and can be viewed below.

Fans have long anticipated the return full-length from traditional metal heroes WHITE WIZZARD, who revamped their lineup last year to include the return of their strongest players to date, vocalist Wyatt "Screaming Demon" Anderson and guitarist James J. LaRue. Reviews have been overly positive and critics are recognizing the band firing on all cylinders by not only bringing back all of their expected true metal ingredients but flavoring this hour-plus ride with an expanded repertoire of moods and influences citing comparisons to RUSH, LED ZEPPELIN and METALLICA on certain tracks, all highlighted by the group's seasoned musicianship and proper album production, courtesy of Ralph Patlan (MEGADETH, UFO).

"We're very excited to release yet another song from our new album via this lyric video created by LaRue. The lyrics are a bit of a sarcastic comment on modern times... as we watch technology and idiocy fuse together for one entertaining ride as humanity circles the drain into the abyss," explains Jon Leon. "We bring it a bit heavier here and Wyatt sings his ass off on this one.

"We are really proud of the new album and super excited to finally share it with the fans. We're doing a special run of shows starting Wednesday and are super excited to announce that DEVIL'S CUT axe grinder Will Willner will be joining us on second guitar live. He complements LaRue perfectly and it's a very strong tandem!"

WHITE WIZZARD just shot a proper promo video for a more epic track, "Chasing Dragons", so keep an eye out for that.

"Infernal Overdrive", the band's fourth full-length, will be released on all digital platforms, as well as CD and gatefold double colored vinyl (orange haze retail version or white exclusive from the band and label).

WHITE WIZZARD will play a handful of special shows in the Southwest to kick off "Infernal Overdrive"'s release, as well as a showcase in London on March 31.

Mikio Fujioka, one of the guitarists in the the KAMI BAND, which serves as the backing group for the Japanese pop-metal outfit BABYMETAL, has died at the age of 36.

"The 'Little' Guitar Kami of #BABYMETAL's #Kamiband has passed away in the METAL GALAXIES," BABYMETAL tweeted on Tuesday. "We hope that he is now with his GUITAR MASTER A.Holdsworth and enjoying an epic guitar session with him. We are the one, Together, We’re the only one, You are the one, Forever, #RIP #THEONE."

Mikio was better known to BABYMETAL fans as Ko-Gami, or The Little God.

His wife announced his untimely passing via his official Twitter account, claiming that he fell from a height on December 30 while at an observation deck and died on January 5 after his condition deteriorated.

Fujioka, who graduated from the Musicians Institute of Osaka in 2000, had previously played with TRICK BOX and MMM. He had toured with BABYMETAL since 2013.

Mikio is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Established in 2010, BABYMETAL is the offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and heavy metal.

The “Little” Guitar Kami of #BABYMETAL ‘s #Kamiband has passed away in the METAL GALAXIES. We hope that he is now with his GUITAR MASTER A.Holdsworth and enjoying an epic guitar session with him.

We are the one
Together
We're the only one
You are the one
Forever#RIP #THEONE pic.twitter.com/NMUg3mhmes

— BABYMETAL (@BABYMETAL_JAPAN) January 9, 2018

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION played the second of two exclusive concerts in Europe to support its latest album, "BCCIV", on Thursday, January 4 at London, England's Hammersmith Apollo.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Sway
02. One Last Soul
03. Save Me
04. Wanderlust
05. Song Of Yesterday
06. The Outsider
07. This Is Your Time
08. Cold
09. The Battle For Hadrian's Wall
10. The Crow
11. Over My Head
12. The Last Song For My Resting Place
13. Drum Solo
14. Man In The Middle
15. Black Country

Encore:

16. Collide
17. Faithless
18. Mistreated (DEEP PURPLE cover)

Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's fourth album, "BCCIV", was released on September 22 via Mascot Records. This was BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's first studio album since 2013's "Afterglow".

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION is the Anglo-American rock group comprising vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE), drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN, FOREIGNER), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa.

Just like its three predecessors, "BCCIV" was overseen by Kevin Shirley, whose catalogue of hit records for LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH, JOURNEY and THE BLACK CROWES has made him one of the hottest producers that rock music has to offer. Shirley, who originally had the idea of putting Hughes and Bonamassa in a band after seeing them jamming together onstage in Los Angeles back in November 2009, is the group's unofficial "fifth member."

Frontiers Music Srl will release the debut album from REVERTIGO, a Stockholm, Sweden-based duo formed by Mats Levén (vocals) and Anders Wikström (guitar), on February 23. As close personal and musical friends for nearly 30 years, REVERTIGO is the next chapter in an ongoing collaboration.

The official lyric video for the song "The Cause" can be seen below.

Anders says: "Mats and I always had an idea of creating something that would celebrate the fact that we really enjoy working together, but with busy separate music careers, it wasn't until 2016, we sat down and concentrated on new songs with a firm plan."

Adds Mats: "The fact that we, besides writing for other international artists, hadn't done a proper album together in twenty-five years also gave the writing and recording process of REVERTIGO a purpose."

In September 2016, a three-song demo found its way to Frontiers Music Srl, which decided to sign the band on the spot. In between touring activities with CANDLEMASS, TREAT and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, the pair finalized the eleven songs featured on the debut album. All the instruments on the album are played by Mats and Anders, except for the drums, which were performed by their dear friend Thomas Broman (GREAT KING RAT, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ELECTRIC BOYS).

"Both of us have a strong mutual vision; that's why we choose to play and sing most of the instruments and parts on the album ourselves," says Mats. Peter Mansson is responsible for the mixing duties, which took place at Mir Studios in Stockholm and Svante Forsbäck mastered at Chartmakers in Helsinki.

REVERTIGO's music itself is a blend of heavy-yet-melodic songs paying tribute to their favorite albums and artists from the '70s, '80s and up to present day filtered through the chemistry that comes to life when Mats and Anders join forces.

"I love when you get that teenage excitement together over a song idea, and how you hear a finished gem in your head, hence the band's name REVERTIGO," says Mats.

"We might not be reinventing the wheel, but we're certainly putting on fresh tires," says Anders.

"Revertigo" track listing:

01. Hoodwinked
02. Sailing Stones
03. Symphony Of Fallen Angels
04. The Cause
05. Gate Of The Gods
06. False Flag
07. Unobtainium
08. Luciferian Break Up
09. Joan Of Arc
10. Break Away
11. In Revertigo

Swedish death metal veterans THE CROWN will releae their new album, "Cobra Speed Venom", on March 16 through Metal Blade Records. Produced with Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman, the record promises to be one of the biggest surprises of the year — a return to death metal speed and darkness in full glory!

THE CROWN comments: "We are really looking forward to finally be able to show our fans how damn good this band can be when the circumstances are right. With that, [we] mean to be able to do an album the way we want to do it: creating as a band, rehearsing as a band, recording as a band. You will hear a band performing here, with fierce energy and hunger!"

The video for the album's first single, "Iron Crown", can be seen below.

With their motivation at an all-time high, THE CROWN spent most of 2017 intensely rehearsing 13 new songs. They eventually entered Studio Fredman with Nordström to record what would become "Cobra Speed Venom". The sound is massive, brutal and a real punch in the face. Extreme speed and aggression mixed with classic heavy metal and rock 'n' roll, which really shows that THE CROWN has no boundaries. The apocalyptic theme of the lyrics and music also fits perfectly with the outstanding artwork of Christian Sloan Hall.

"Cobra Speed Venom" track listing:

01. Destroyed By Madness
02. Iron Crown
03. In the Name of Death
04. We Avenge!
05. Cobra Speed Venom
06. World War Machine
07. Necrohammer
08. Rise In Blood
09. Where My Grave Shall Stand
10. The Sign of the Scythe
11. Nemesis Diamond (bonus track)
12. The Great Dying (bonus track)

THE CROWN is:

Johan Lindstrand - Vocals
Magnus Olsfelt - Bass
Marko Tervonen - Guitar
Robin Sorqvist - Lead guitar and backing vocals
Henrik Axelsson - Drums

Canadian metal favorites KILLER DWARFS have signed to EMP Label Group, the U.S.-based label of MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson. The band's long-awaited live set, "Live, No Guff", will be released on April 13. 2018 will also see EMP reissues of the band's recent catalog, including the independently released "[email protected]", the band's previously unreleased studio album from 1993, and "Wireless", the solo acoustic release from vocalist Russ Dwarf. EMP will also release a 2019 new studio album from KILLER DWARFS, and a new studio album from Russ Dwarf.

Recorded live in November 2016 in various exotic Northern locales including Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto, and Whitehorse Yukon, Canada, "Live, No Guff" is a collection of the DWARFS at their vertically challenged finest, powering through blistering performances of three decades of classic tracks, including "Stand Tall", "Keep The Spirit Alive", "Dirty Weapons", "Heavy Mental Breakdown", and more.

"Live, No Guff" track listing:

01. Comin' Through
02. Hard Luck Town
03. Tell Me Please
04. Driftin' Back
05. Union of Pride
06. Doesn't Matter
07. Can't Lose
08. Start @ One
09. Burn It Down
10. Stand Tall
11. Keep The Spirit Alive
12. Dirty Weapons
13. Heavy Mental Breakdown

The cover art was created by Chris "Dwarf" Hale and can be seen below.

A teaser for "Live, No Guff" is available below.

EMP's Thom Hazaert says: "It came down to a lengthy bidding war between EMP, Monster Records Musik and Conglomerate Records, and thankfully we came out on top. So we opened Russ's crate, I held him down while David cut his finger open, and the deal was done. Now we own these guys for the rest of their natural-born lives, or at least until the end of 2022. Whichever comes first."

He adds: "But really, no. I was talking to uber-Canadian journalist Mitch Lafon one day, and we got to talking about KILLER DWARFS, and he knew them (of course, he's from Canada), and I asked about their current whereabouts. He put me in touch with Russ and the rest is history. I personally love the DWARFS and think they were one of the great underrated metal bands of the '80s, and they are honestly still just as awesome today. We are super excited to own their asses for the next decade. JK. Now, back in the crate."

According to Billboard, GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" now ranks as the fourth-highest grossing tour of all time, based on Billboard's Boxscore archives. The trek, which launched in April 2016, topped the $475 million mark in gross sales with the final show of the band's 2017 touring schedule on November 29 in Los Angeles.

"Not In This Lifetime" has surpassed Roger Waters's "The Wall Live" tour that earned $459 million from 2010 through 2013. U2 tops up the all-time list with $736 million from its "360°" stadium tour (2009-2011) followed by THE ROLLING STONES' "A Bigger Bang" at $558 million (2005-2007). COLDPLAY is third with its recently completed "A Head Full Of Dreams" trek that grossed $523 million (2016-2017).

About seventy people travel with the "Not In This Lifetime" show in addition to the truck drivers; that number goes upwards of five hundred, including the local workers, by show date once catering, security, etc. are factored in, according to the GN'R tour's production manager, Dale "Opie" Skjerseth.

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic lineup members Slash (guitar), Duff McKagan (bass) and Axl Rose (vocals) backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Fank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and new second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

GUNS N' ROSES will return in June for a seven-week European jaunt, but the band's plans until then, and beyond that, remain unknown for now. The three core members have not given a single interview together.

The official music video for the song "Turn It Over" from WE SELL THE DEAD can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's debut album, "Heaven Doesn't Want You And Hell Is Full", which will be released on February 23 via earMUSIC.

Revolving around Niclas Engelin (IN FLAMES, ENGEL), DRÖMRIKET's Jonas Slättung, Gas Lipstick (former HIM drummer) and the voice of Apollo Papathanasio (SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, FIREWIND), WE SELL THE DEAD goes beyond the strains of conventional storytelling and create a multi-media experience of premium quality heavy metal music embedded in visually stimulating and atmospheric visuals.

Heavy-yet-melodic sounds transport the listener into a Victorian inspired world that is defined by pompous manors and daunting luxury standing in deep contrast to the harshness and cruelty of the gutter. It is a world that reeks of hysteria, but, above all, a sense of mysticism and dark romanticism. WE SELL THE DEAD's music rises above this, not merely pointing out this injustice, but expanding the narrative into the extreme, playing with themes of ghosts, death or religion.

But not only…

Despite a reference to Victorian times, WE SELL THE DEAD maintains a very modern and ever-so-current approach that translates to the world we live in today.

Explains Slättung: "From the late 1800, an era that has inspired our band enormously, comes one of the greatest and darkest crime mysteries of them all: Jack The Ripper. We don't know 100 percent who he was but we know his horrendous deeds. All the visuals we had in our mind, combined with the sometimes slightly morbid lyrics, made us think that this is what music would have sounded like if heavy metal had existed in the 19th century, or if Jack The Ripper had travelled forward in time to join a metal band. WE SELL THE DEAD would have been his natural choice for a backing band. He probably would have felt right at home with us.

"But, at the same time, the world hasn't exactly evolved into a beautiful place since the 1880s. In the 1979 movie, 'Time After Time', Jack The Ripper escapes justice by, indeed, fleeing in a time machine to 1979. After getting caught by his followers, The Ripper utters this line of wisdom: 'Back in 1893, I was a monster. Today... I'm an amateur.'"

"Heaven Doesn't Want You And Hell Is Full" will be released as a CD, LP and on digital.

Track listing:

01. The Body Market
02. Echoes Of An Ugly Past
03. Leave Me Alone
04. Imagine
05. Turn It Over
06. Too Cold To Touch
07. Trust
08. Pale And Perfect
09. Silent Scream

On March 16, Norwegian extreme, melodic metallers SUSPERIA will return with their long-awaited first full-length studio album since 2009, titled "The Lyricist", via Agonia Records.

The official lyric video for the song "I Entered", taken from "The Lyricist", can be seen below.

The origins of SUSPERIA can be traced back to 1998 when Tjodalv, then occupying the drum seat with DIMMU BORGIR, and longtime friend Cyrus (ex-SATYRICON, OLD MAN'S CHILD) got together to share ideas and write songs. Clearly rooted and seasoned in the Norwegian black metal scene, SUSPERIA elevated its sound into more melodic areas of extreme metal, embracing and exploring a variety of musical avenues with ease.

On "The Lyricist", SUSPERIA has gone back to its black origin in many ways, one of which is a grimmer expression. The characteristic melodic twist the band is known for is still present, and an additional layer of variety has been added thanks to new vocalist, Bernt "Dagon" Fjellestad (whose stage debut with the band was made at last year's 70000 Tons Of Metal). From SUSPERIA's pragmatic point of view, the new album is a "good old-fashioned kick in the head, both old and new fans should find enjoyable".

Track listing:

01. I Entered
02. Heretic
03. The Lyricist
04. My Darkest Moment
05. Day I Died
06. Void
07. Feed The Fire
08. Whore Of Man
09. Come Alive

"The Lyricist" was recorded at three different studios in Norway between February 2015 and May 2016. The album was later mixed and mastered at Strand Studio (CHROME DIVISION, THE WRETCHED END, IN VAIN) by Marius Strand. Cover design and artwork was prepared by Vincent Fouquet. New band photos were shot by Espen Bakken.

The first single together with pre-orders and album formats will be revealed in January 2018.

SUSPERIA lineup:

Dagon - vocals
Tjodalv - drums
Memnock - bass
Cyrus - guitar
Elvorn - guitar

Following the unfortunate loss of one of metal's most revered vocalists, Warrel Dane (SANCTUARY, NEVERMORE), prior to SANCTUARY's upcoming dates supporting ICED EARTH across North America, the band has announced the tour will go forth as planned. The shows will act as a farewell tour in tribute to the life and memory of Dane with guest vocals for SANCTUARY to be performed by Joseph Michael (WITHERFALL).

SANCTUARY guitarist Lenny Rutledge comments: "SANCTUARY has decided to continue on with the ICED EARTH tour to pay tribute to our brother Warrel Dane. We have enlisted the help of our friend Joseph Michael from WITHERFALL. The set will consist of many old and some newer songs performed with the utmost respect and quality to honor our friend. Please join us in this farewell as we celebrate Warrel's musical legacy with SANCTUARY. We look forward to sharing this tribute with all of you."

The dates are as follows:

Feb. 22 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe #
Feb. 23 - CIncinnati, OH - Bogarts #
Feb. 24 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom #
Feb. 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Ballroom #
Feb. 26 - Minneapolis, MN - Music Hall #
Feb. 27 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground #
Feb. 28 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall #
Mar. 02 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room #
Mar. 03 - Calgary, AB - Marquee Beer Market & Stage #
Mar. 04 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater #
Mar. 05 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon #
Mar. 07 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades #
Mar. 08 - Los Angeles, CA - Belasco Theater #
Mar. 09 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues #
Mar. 10 - Anaheim, CA - Parish @ House of Blues #
Mar. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - The Pressroom #
Mar. 13 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre #
Mar. 14 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues #
Mar. 15 - Houston, TX - House of Blues #
Mar. 16 - New Orleans, LA - Parish @ House of Blues #
Mar. 17 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade #
Mar. 18 - Charlotte, NC - Underground #
Mar. 19 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage #
Mar. 21 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen #
Mar. 22 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre #
Mar. 23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall #
Mar. 24 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell #
Mar. 25 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theater #
Mar. 26 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Theater #
Mar. 27 - Cleveland, OH - Cambridge Room @ House of Blues #
Mar. 28 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall #
Mar. 29 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge #

# with ICED EARTH and KILL RITUAL

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

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

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

A memorial for acclaimed heavy metal singer Warrel Dane, who achieved fame with the bands SANCTUARY and NEVERMORE, was held last night (Sunday, January 7) at Studio Seven in Seattle, Washington.

The event was filmed and live videostreamed worldwide by TopLeft TV and can now be seen below.

Dane died on December 13 in São Paulo, Brazil at the age of 56. The American musician reportedly had a heart attack during the night and could not be revived.

According to guitarist Johnny Moraes, who played in Warrel's solo band, Dane had a history of addiction and other health issues. "His health was already very weak because of his diabetes and his problems with alcoholism," he said.

The instrumental parts for Dane's follow-up to 2008's "Praises To The War Machine" solo album were almost completed and he had begun laying down his vocals shortly before his death.

NEVERMORE effectively split up in 2011 when guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams announced their departure from the band due to personal differences with Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard. Warrel later described NEVERMORE in an interview as "the greatest band that alcohol ever ruined."

SANCTUARY, which reformed in 2010 after an 18-year break, has spent recent years touring in support of its comeback album, 2014's "The Year The Sun Died", as well as 2016's "Inception", an album comprised of presumed lost 1986 studio recordings.

SPREAD EAGLE has signed to Frontiers Music Srl for the release of a new album in 2019. The band has started pre-production in the Music Building, located in New York City, which is the exact place where the songs for their debut album were rehearsed and written. Recording will take place at Studio E in Brooklyn, New York with Grammy Award-winning engineer Tom Camuso.

"SPREAD EAGLE are honored to be joining the Frontiers family," says vocalist Ray West. "With Frontiers, we now have a very strong platform to spread the word on our style of rock. I promise our new album will be powerful because we, as brothers, truly believe in each other. Most of all, we want to do right by the fans who have been a tremendous source of inspiration to us."

Adds bassist and producer Rob De Luca: "We're stoked to be recording again after all these years and working hard to make this album just as powerful and spirited as the previous SPREAD EAGLE records. It seems like I've lived nine lives since the last SPREAD EAGLE record, so it'll be great to add all those experiences into the mix on our new album. Frontiers seems to understand who we were and who we can be, so we're very excited to be working with them!"

SPREAD EAGLE is:
Ray West - lead vocals, percussion
Rob De Luca - bass, vocals
Ziv Shalev - guitar
Rik De Luca - drums

German guitarist Axel Rudi Pell will release his 17th album, "Knights Call", on March 23 via SPV/Steamhammer.

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

So, what's new? "Game Of Sins" from 2016 was a huge success and peaked at No. 11 on the German chart. More than 1.5 million people worldwide have bought Pell's albums. What an impressive number! But there is no reason for the axeman to rest on his laurels. "Why should I retire?" asks the 57-year-old. And answers his own question: "As long as I can do what I like I'm the happiest man in the world."

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

"Knights Call" track listing:

01. The Medieval Overture (Intro) (1:43)
02. The Wild And The Young (4:20)
03. Wildest Dreams (5:43)
04. Long Live Rock (5:34)
05. The Crusaders Of Doom (8:01)
06. Truth And Lies (4:48)
07. Beyond The Light (7:45)
08. Slaves On The Run (5:13)
09. Follow The Sun (5:12)
10. Tower Of Babylon (9:50)

Recording lineup:

Johnny Gioeli - Lead And Backing Vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - Lead, Rhythm And Acoustic Guitars
Ferdy Doernberg - Keyboards
Volker Krawczak - Bass
Bobby Rondinelli - Drums

KUTV reports that a video went viral this week featuring a 2012 interview with KISS, who demand the interviewer, identified as Gustavo, remove his Iron Maiden t-shirt, saying "It doesn't show respect."

According to the report, as Gustavo begins the interview, Paul Stanley leans over, points to the Iron Maiden logo on Gustavo's shirt and says, "I have a question to ask. KISS is K-I-S-S. This does not spell KISS, Gustavo. You made a big mistake."

Gustavo expresses that he chose the shirt specially for the interview.

"I don't want him wearing an Iron Maiden shirt," bassist/co-lead singer Gene Simmons says to someone off screen. Simmons then suggests to Gustavo that he turn the t-shirt inside-out or wear it backwards.

"Gustavo is very smart," Stanley jokes. "That's how you get a free KISS t-shirt, you show up with the wrong shirt."

Gustavo fights back, asking "Do you guys want every journalist to wear KISS t-shirts when doing KISS interviews?" The band responds, saying that it's about courtesy.

Read more at KUTV, and watch the video below:

According to The Spokesman-Review, Spokane County prosecutors have dropped all rape and kidnapping charges against the four members of the Polish death metal band DECAPITATED, citing the well-being of the alleged victim.

Less than two weeks before the musicians were scheduled to go on trial for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman on their tour bus four months ago, Spokane County prosecutor Kelly Fitzgerald filed a motion dismissing all rape and kidnapping charges. The motion cites "the well being of the victim" as a reason for dropping the charges without prejudice, meaning the four members of DECAPITATED could be prosecuted in the future.

"We feel it was the result of everyone taking a second look at this matter in light of new evidence," said Steve Graham, attorney for guitarist Waclaw Kieltyka, 35.

"They are headed back home this week," Graham said of the musicians.

The other three bandmembers are 27-year-old drummer Michal Lysejko, 31-year-old singer Rafal Piotrowski and 30-year-old bassist Hubert Wiecek.

Defense attorneys questioned the credibility of the accuser, who in 2014 admitted to lying to police about injuries she sustained during an assault, when her boyfriend was accused of stabbing three people. It was later determined that she was actually injured by her boyfriend during a previous argument.

The musicians were released from jail last month as they awaited trial. As part of their release conditions, they were ordered to stay in Washington and were required to turn in their passports. In the event that they did return to Poland, they were ordered to sign waivers of extradition, meaning they were agreeing to be extradited to the U.S.

The DECAPITATED members were released on their own recognizance and did not have to post a bond.

Their trial was scheduled to begin on January 16.

The woman alleged she was gang-raped by the musicians in their tour bus bathroom after DECAPITATED's August 31 concert with THY ART IS MURDER at The Pin concert venue in downtown Spokane as part of the two bands' "Double Homicide" tour. The woman said entered the bus for drinks with the band before each member forced themselves on her.

Deputies later stated the victim had "significant bruising to her upper arms consistent with being restrained" and "small abrasions on her knuckles that were scabbed over."

Andy Marsh, a member of THY ART IS MURDER, provided testimony for the defense, saying he saw the woman violently dancing in the mosh pit in front of the stage. "She was smashing her hands, arms and body against the metal barricade between the audience and the stage," he said in the court documents.

All four members of DECAPITATED were arrested on September 9 in Santa Ana, California after performing at the Observatory. They were held in Los Angeles County Jail before being extradited to Spokane.

DECAPITATED announced in September that it was canceling all previously announced tour dates. The band also publicly denied the accusations.

In a statement, the DECAPITATED members said that "the original officer who took the complaint from the accuser stated, 'I do not have probable cause that a rape occurred.'" They added that they were "confident that once the facts and evidence have been seen and heard, they will be released and able to return home."

Norwegian black metallers IMMORTAL — now consisting of lyricist/guitarist Demonaz (real name Harald Nævdal) and drummer Horgh (real name Reidar Horghagen) — have completed work on their ninth studio album, to be released later in the year via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by Peter Tägtgren (Abyss Studio), who also helmed IMMORTAL's "At The Heart Of Winter", "Damned In Black", "Sons Of Northern Darkness" and "All Shall Fall" LPs.

Demonaz and Horgh comment: "We have put a massive amount of energy into this, and wanted to deliver our absolutely best. It has been a pleasure to finish the studio process and most of all being stoked about the final result. Peter Tägtgren has done an outstanding job in producing and mixing it. We now look forward to have it released, and are excited to share our ninth full-length with you all."

IMMORTAL's new album will include the following tracks: "Northern Chaos Gods", "Into Battle Ride", "Gates To Blashyrkh", "Grim And Dark", "Called To Ice", "Where Mountains Rise", "Blacker Of Worlds" and "Mighty Ravendark".

Demonaz is now also handling the vocals for IMMORTAL following the 2014 split with frontman Olve Eikemo (a.k.a. Abbath).

In addition to Demonaz (vocals, guitar) and Horgh (drums), IMMORTAL's new disc features Tägtgren on session bass.

IMMORTAL in 2016 said that the delay in getting the new music out to the fans was largely a result of the split with Abbath. "From 2010 until 2014, IMMORTAL wrote all the songs for the successor to 'All Shall Fall', but when ex- member Abbath left the band in 2014, he changed the lyrics, songtitles and recorded these songs for his so-called 'solo album,'" Demonaz and Horgh explained. "We had to focus on making a new album nearly from scratch, which is the main reason why things have taken this much time."

IMMORTAL's core trio consisting of Abbath, Demonaz and Horgh had been together since 1996 and was responsible for crafting the band's last five albums: "Blizzard Beasts" (1997), "At The Heart Of Winter" (1999), "Damned In Black" (2000), "Sons Of Northern Darkness" (2002) and the 2009 reunion album "All Shall Fall".

Legendary rock producer Chris Tsangarides passed away early this morning (Sunday, January 7) after reportedly being taken ill at the start of the year. According to his daughter Anastasia Tsangarides, Chris was battling pneumonia and heart failure at the time of his death. He was 61 years old.

The British Grammy-nominated record producer, sound engineer, and mixer is best known for his work with many heavy metal bands, including JUDAS PRIEST, ANVIL, GARY MOORE, THIN LIZZY, HELLOWEEN, ANGRA, ANTHEM, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and TYGERS OF PAN TANG. Tsangarides also worked with a number of pop and alternative artists, including DEPECHE MODE, TOM JONES, CONCRETE BLONDE and THE TRAGICALLY HIP.

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi said that he was "so saddened to hear" of Tsangarides's passing. "He has been a part of my life since '70 when he worked as tape operator on the SABBATH album 'Sabotage' and he's worked with me on lots of other albums and stuff," he said. "What a lovely bloke he was and we always got on really well and had a great laugh too! He'll be sadly missed. RIP, my friend." SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler added: "Sad to hear of Chris Tsangarides passing away. He worked on the 'Sabotage' album, a thoroughly lovely bloke. R.I.P. Chris."

JUDAS PRIEST said: "We are saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Chris Tsangarides. His contributions to our metal and so many others will forever remain. Love and condolences to his family."

ANVIL frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow said in a statement: "It's with profound sadness I say goodbye to a dear friend... Chris Tsangarides was our beloved record producer who I am grateful to say appeared in [the ANVIL documentary] 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil' with us. He was truly an amazing human being who had a deep passion for music. He understood not only the music but even more so the musicians. He became part of our lives and he will be sorely missed. Rest easy, my friend."

Former BLACK SABBATH and WHITESNAKE bassist Neil Murray called Tsangarides "a lovely man and very talented." He added that Chris will be "sadly missed by all who knew him, I'm sure."

Scottish hard rockers THE AMORETTES also mourned Tsangarides's death, saying they were "utterly devastated" to hear about his passing. "Chris produced our 'Game On' album, the record that pretty much started us on this crazy journey," they said. "Just as we are gearing up to release our newest album, we want to just send our love to all his family and friends. Chris, you were an absolute gentleman, and it was a pleasure. Rest in peace, dark lord."

British alternative rock band BLIND TIGER wrote on its Facebook page: "Chris, you were our mentor, our inspiration and our friend. We'll never forget the things you have taught us over the years. You saw something in us and gave us the opportunity to grow into the band we are today. You are and always will be our hero. We love you, Chris. You will never be forgotten."

Ex-TIGERTAILZ singer Kim Hooker said that Tsangarides "was a legend. The list of greats he worked with speaks for itself," he wrote. "He was up there with the best of them. Above all, he was the one who guided me through my numerous mental episodes at the 'Bezerk' sessions. I love you, Sponka. RIP my dear friend."

TYGERS OF PAN TANG wrote on Facebook: "The band are saddened by the news that legendary rock producer Chris Tsangarides has passed away... A true godfather in the rock music world and will be sorely missed. He worked on 'Wildcat', 'Spellbound' and 2012 album 'Ambush'... The guys would like to send their deepest condolences to his family and friends."

SAXON drummer Nigel Glockler said: "So very sorry to wake up to the news that Chris Tsangarides has passed. A truly fantastic producer and even better person."

THIN LIZZY wrote in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of producer Chris Tsangarides who worked with the band on 'Renegade' and 'Thunder And Lightning'. Our thoughts go out to Chris's wife Jane and family at this time."

Several years ago, Tsangarides spoke about his lengthy and diverse resume during an interview with Tape Op. He said: "I developed such good friendships when I was working at studios. As a 'house dude,' you've got to do whatever the hell is booked in. I liked it. When I started producing, again totally by fluke, I was asked to record a Gary Moore solo record called 'Back On The Streets'. He said to me, 'You can produce this, by the way.' I thought he was joking and realized he wasn't. I said, 'Okay. You play it and I'll record it.' That's basically what we did — with a guitar player as awesome as him and a drummer like Simon Phillips. Then he brought in Phil Lynott and Brian Downey from THIN LIZZY, and we recorded a track called 'Parisienne Walkways', which got released and becomes a fuckin' massive, huge hit. Suddenly I was a successful producer. I did what I always did — made people laugh, we recorded and had a great time. I was very, very fortunate to have that break. People get interested in coming to you after that.

"Anything to do with an 'art' kind of job, whether you're an actor or a musician or whatever, you never know if you're going to be successful or not. Anything that's been really successful for me has never been contrived. We just do it because that's our music.

"One of the biggest records I ever had was CONCRETE BLONDE ['Bloodletting'] and that's hardly heavy metal by any stretch of the imagination. They were into THIN LIZZY, so that's how they got in touch with me. After doing CONCRETE BLONDE, I got to do EXODUS [in part because they] liked CONCRETE BLONDE — go figure."

Tsangarides added: "That's what people don't understand. Just because you might be perceived as one thing, it doesn't mean you don't do anything else. That's the way we like to compartmentalize our lives. 'You're a heavy metal producer.' Well, yeah, I produce heavy metal records, but... I see the merit, the work, the love and the rest of it for everything I do. I've been very lucky in that respect. Another band from Canada, THE TRAGICALLY HIP, are an absolute monster act over there. It's opened up avenues of alternative styles of music, which keeps me working. It wasn't by design. I'm not a guru that looks into some crystal ball, knows what's going to go on and follows the route. It's just that I've been incredibly fortunate in being to able to work with such diverse acts. I've been lucky that people have been open-minded enough to realize there's a lot of things you can learn from heavy metal records, or from country and western records."

I'm so saddened to hear of the passing of the Producer Chris Tsangarides - he has been a part of my life since the 70 when he worked as tape operator on the Sabbath album Sabotage and he's worked with me on lots of other albums and stuff. He'll be sadly missed. RIP my friend. pic.twitter.com/GPWTEilPSe

— Tony Iommi (@tonyiommi) January 7, 2018

Phil Campbell has confirmed that there are plans for the surviving members of MOTÖRHEAD to perform several concerts with as-yet-undisclosed special guests as a tribute to the band's late leader Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister. "It's on the cards, but it's just gonna be a few select shows," the guitarist told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" (hear audio below). "We're not gonna be touring with it. We're gonna get these people involved and [we have to be mindful of] their schedules as well. We'll just do some special shows worldwide, which will be good — a tribute to Lem and to the band maybe, yeah. But it wouldn't be an ongoing thing; everyone's too busy. But [we want to] do something special. We're still trying to work on that now."

Campbell also talked about the status of his long-in-the-works solo album, which will feature guest appearances by Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE), Chris Fehn (SLIPKNOT), Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES), Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER), Joe Satriani and Benji Webbe (SKINDRED).

"I'm gonna try to get my solo record out in 2018," he said. "It's like 60, 70 percent done. I had to put that on the shelf to get [the debut PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS album] 'The Age Of Absurdity' finished. So I'm gonna do that. I've just gotta do a bit more stuff on it now in the new year. I'd like to think, in a perfect world, I can get it out sometime this year, 'cause it's taken me 20 years from inception to do this, and I think that's long enough. And if not, early 2019. But I'm gonna try for this year. There's a few different instruments on it. Hopefully it will surprise people."

As for his previously announced collection of funny anecdotes and stories that happened during his time with MOTÖRHEAD, Phil said: "I stopped the book. I put an end to the book, because I had too much going on this year. The guys that were gonna do it with me, they said, 'When you're ready,' and I just panicked ['cause] I had too much going on this year. I need things to calm down a bit. But it's not gonna be an autobiography, if I do do it. I'm not sure if I wanna do it anymore. I think some things should remain private. I can't really decide at the moment. But there's a lot of funny stuff which people would enjoy, so I'm torn at the moment. Part of me says, 'No.' I want privacy in my life as well; I don't want everyone knowing… I don't even have Facebook. I don't want people knowing exactly what I've done. But on the other hand, there's a lot of funny stuff."

"The Age Of Absurdity" will be released on January 26 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Rockfield Studios and Longwave Studios in Wales and produced, engineered, and mixed by Romesh Dodangoda. The record was then passed over to the acclaimed Abbey Road Studios in London for mastering.

Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on December 24, 2015, learned two days later that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28, 2015, at his home in Los Angeles.

The MOTÖRHEAD frontman had dealt with several health issues over the past few years, including heart trouble, forcing him to cut back on his famous smoking and Jack Daniels habits.

The band canceled a number of shows two years ago, although they did manage to complete one final European tour on December 11, 2015.

MOTÖRHEAD released a covers compilation album, "Under Cöver" — a collection of some of the band's best covers — on September 1.

LEAVES' EYES new album, "Sign Of The Dragonhead", will be released on January 12 via AFM Records. Produced by Alexander Krull at Mastersound Studio, the disc features cover artwork by Stefan Heilemann (LINDEMANN, EPICA, KAMELOT).

The official lyric video for the song "Jomsborg", taken from "Sign Of The Dragonhead", can be seen below.

"Sign Of The Dragonhead" will be the first full LEAVES' EYES album featuring singer Elina Siirala, who joined the band in early 2016 following an acrimonious split with the group's original frontwoman, Liv Kristine. Liv was previously married to LEAVES' EYES' co-vocalist Alexander Krull.

On "Sign Of The Dragonhead", the chronicles of the Vikings is continued and reveals that the band have honed their strengths even further. At the same time, musical surprises have raised their sound to a new level. The title track is a raw number featuring martial choirs and forges a sonic arch to "King Of Kings", continuing the adventurous journey of King Harald I. Frontman Alexander Krull and virtuoso guitarist Thorsten Bauer prove to be ingenious masters when it comes to composing haunting metal hits. Every track has the musicians upping the creative ante, revealing an impressive amount of diversity without neglecting their trademark sound elements. "Across The Sea" evolves into a metal shanty with an irresistible rhythm, bound to be a definite neckbreaker. "Like A Mountain" sets to music a tragic Icelandic love saga and surprises as a bass-heavy goth rock track. An emotional song with plenty of tough elements which allows Elina to reveal the full range of her vocal skills. Confident and autonomous, her classically trained voice takes possession of the songs — gentle at times, powerful at others — lending a highly individual note to her interaction with Alex's growls.

LEAVES' EYES has succeeded in creating compositionally complex yet tangible tracks. Perfectly coordinated instrumentation — never top-heavy, always unconventional. Medieval nyckelharpas, fiddles, uilleann pipes and whistles blend naturally with the metal guise, creating catchy songs such as "Shadows In The Night" and "Völva", which whisks its listeners away to the mythical world of the seeresses and sorceresses of the Northern countries. Nobody expected a song like "Riders On The Wind", which has classic heavy metal and Celtic folk clash to create an acoustic Viking party. These musicians' deep affinity with the Viking era is revealed on "Jomsborg" about the legendary fortress and its Baltic Viking army, where in fact Alex's ancestors hail from.

"Sign Of The Dragonhead" track listing:

01. Sign Of The Dragonhead
02. Across The Sea
03. Like A Mountain
04. Jomsborg
05. Völva
06. Riders On The Wind
07. Fairer Than The Sun
08. Shadows In The Night
09. Rulers Of Wind And Waves
10. Fires In The North
11. Waves Of Euphoria

LEAVES' EYES and Kristine have offered different accounts of the circumstances behind their breakup, with LEAVES' EYES claiming the decision to part ways was amicably made in January 2016 and Liv saying she was dismissed from the group in April 2016.

LEAVES' EYES is:

Elina Siirala - vocals
Alexander Krull - vocals
Thorsten Bauer - guitar
Pete Streit - guitar
Joris Nijenhuis - drums