KAMELOT is at a studio in Wolfsburg, Germany putting the finishing touches on its new album with producer Sascha Paeth. The follow-up to 2015's "Haven" will be released in early 2018 via Napalm.

KAMELOT singer Tommy Karevik wrote in a new Instagram post: "[I am] very excited about making these songs come to life as we are taking some of them on the road for the U.S. tour in April. There are definitely some very solid, atmospheric soundscapes coming your way! Sascha and the rest of the guys are really bringing their 'A' game on this one. Fresh KAMELOT out of the box. Can't wait to share it with all of you and hopefully hear you guys sing along to the new songs. That is really the best feeling."

KAMELOT guitarist and main songwriter Thomas Youngblood recently told Rock Overdose that the band's new material was harkening "back to the 'Ghost Opera' days a bit with 'Haven' elements."

KAMELOT will return to North America in April/May 2018 to support the upcoming album. The first tour behind the disc will see the band performing in the United States and Canada, bringing their biggest production and package in the group's history. The tour will venture north and into Canada before extending through the Midwest, ultimately reaching the West Coast before circling back to the South, capping it off with a huge Orlando and Fort Lauderdale finale.

Joining KAMELOT and bringing their unique brand of symphonic metal to the tour are very special guests DELAIN from The Netherlands. Rounding off the package for a metallic triple punch are Finland's own BATTLE BEAST.

"Haven" sold around 7,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was made available in May 2015 via Napalm Records as part of an exclusive licensing deal through the band's Kamelot Music LLC.

Produced by Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen, "Haven" featured guest appearances by Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY, ex-THE AGONIST), Troy Donockley (NIGHTWISH) and Charlotte Wessels (DELAIN). The cover artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.

According to The Spokesman-Review, all four members of the Polish death metal band DECAPITATED have been released from jail as they await trial for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman on their tour bus three months ago.

35-year-old guitarist Waclaw Kieltyka, who was charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape, was released on Monday, while 27-year-old drummer Michal Lysejko, 31-year-old singer Rafal Piotrowski and 30-year-old bassist Hubert Wiecek were released on November 22.

Piotrowski was charged with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape, Wiecek was charged with first-degree kidnapping and third-degree rape, and Lysejko was charged with first-degree kidnapping and third-degree rape.

As part of their release conditions, the musicians were ordered to stay in Washington and were required to turn in their passports. In the event that they do 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 will 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."

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."

Dave Mustaine makes a guest appearance on the new album from Canadian country singer/songwriter Brett Kissel, "We Were That Song", which came out on December 8. The MEGADETH leader can be heard in the song "Damn!", available for streaming below.

Kissel, who is represented by Garth Brooks's manager Bob Doyle, and his family moved to Nashville in 2012. The 27-year-old Alberta-born musician is the reigning CCMA "Male Artist Of The Year."

Back in November 2013, MEGADETH played at the tribute concert honoring the late Country Music Hall Of Famer George Jones at Nashville, Tennessee's Bridgestone Arena.

MEGADETH was joined by Jamey Johnson for a performance of Jones's song "Wild Irish Rose".

Mustaine and his family moved to Tennessee in October 2014 after living in Fallbrook, California for many years.

Mustaine told Rolling Stone India that his family's relocation to Nashville was prompted largely by his daughter's decision to launch a country music career. Asked if he had met any country singers around town, Mustaine said: "Well, through her, yeah. It's interesting to me, because I'd have never thought that I'd have country singers who were MEGADETH fans. If you think about it, all the great guitar players that are in country bands are metal guys, believe it or not. It's funny, if you go to a restaurant here and somebody who serves you food is probably as good at guitar as you are. They just haven't had that break. There are so many talented people out here, it's mind-blowing."

He continued: "The country music scene is so different from metal. Like, Steven Tyler [AEROSMITH] moved out here and he had done a songwriting session with somebody and did it the way that we do it. He has the same background that I do — a rock background. When you write songs, you keep writing. Out here in the country thing, you have a three-hour session. You sit down with some guy and another guy and usually there's three people — one does the music, one does lyrics and another does melody. And in three hours, they've got a song. I'm thinking, 'Fuck me!' If I could write a song in three hours, my life would be so easy. [Laughs] If I was that good where I could put together a song that's exceptional in a matter of three hours, it would certainly change my life a lot."

Acclaimed heavy metal singer Warrel Dane, who achieved fame with the bands SANCTUARY and NEVERMORE, died on Wednesday (December 13) in São Paulo, Brazil. The 48-year-old American, who was in the process of making his second solo album, had a heart attack during the night and could not be revived.

Guitarist Johnny Moraes, who was a member of Dane's solo band, was with the singer around midnight when Warrel started to feel bad.

"He died in the night. He had a heart attack," Moraes told Brazil's UOL. "He was in the apartment where he stayed during the recording of the album when it happened. I gave him cardiac massage and we called the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU), who came very fast, but when they arrived, he was already dead."

According to Moraes, Dane had a history of addictions and health issues. "His health was already very weak because of his diabetes and his problems with alcoholism," he said. "He was already facing a lot of health problems."

The instrumental parts for Dane's second solo album were almost completed and he had begun laying down his vocals shortly before his death. The musicians are thinking about finishing the record with guest singers as a posthumous tribute, but no decision has yet been made.

In a 2016 interview with Brazil's Imprensa Do Rock, Dane alluded to his alcoholism while answering a question about how he takes care of his voice. "The most important thing for a singer is you have to get a lot of rest, a lot of sleep," he said. "You have to drink a lot of water. You have to hydrate yourself. And you… I know I have a bad reputation about alcohol, but you kind of have to stay away. So I'm a little better now these days than I was. I know I have a bad reputation for drinking too much, but I don't so much anymore. And you just… you just have to realize your instrument and know your limitations and know your strengths. I used to, when I was younger, sing in the stratosphere — very high. As you get older, and I will completely admit this, I can't sing that high anymore. So now I focus on my strengths. And it's no secret that I'm a fan of goth music, so I love singing low."

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."

Dane told "The Jasta Show" last year that "rarely" talked to Jeff, who is now in ARCH ENEMY. But, he insisted, "we don't hate each other. We're not enemies. We're still friends — friends that rarely speak to each other, unfortunately."

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has officially announced next year's inductees: BON JOVI, DIRE STRAITS, THE MOODY BLUES, THE CARS and Nina Simone will all join the class of 2018. Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be given an Early Influence award.

Passed over were British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST, who have been eligible since 1999 but were only nominated for the first time this year.

The 33rd annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will be held at Cleveland's Public Hall on April 14, 2018. An edited version will air later on HBO and there will be a radio broadcast on SiriusXM. Ticket details will be announced in the near future.

"It's a Christmas miracle," BON JOVI keyboardist David Bryan told Rolling Stone on Wednesday. "[We were] guys living the dream, getting on a bus with no guarantees in any way shape or form or anything. It was, 'Let's go out and make this happen.' And we actually did."

The induction ceremony this year will feature a BON JOVI reunion: guitarist Richie Sambora left the group in 2013 under less-than-amicable circumstances. Jon Bon Jovi later told "Today" that he had moved on, though he insisted that he still had a special place in his heart for his former bandmate.

Drummer Tico Torres told Rolling Stone that Sambora and original bassist Alec John Such "are a huge part of us. We'd love it if they played with us." David Bryan agreed. "The idea is that it's a celebration of what we were and what we are," he said. "You'll see the current lineup and then see the original. It should be a fun night."

Ballots were sent to a voting group of more than 1,000 artists, historians and music-industry professionals.

The public was invited to participate again this year in the fan vote, which drummed up record numbers with more than 6.8 million votes cast. (Of those, 1.1 million were for BON JOVI.) The top five artists made up a fan's ballot, which counted as a single vote.

"Clearly the enthusiasm of the fans was mirrored by the larger body (of Rock Hall voters)," said Greg Harris, CEO of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum. Overall, "this is a really fantastic group because they span from the 1950s all the way up until today."

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible 25 years after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Despite being eligible for induction since 1999 — 25 years after the release of its first disc — KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until last year.

Profound Lore Records has partnered with Denver death metal cult Of Feather And Bone for the March 2018 release of the band's second full-length, Hymns Of Perversion.
 
Emerging from their Rocky Mountain crypts, Of Feather And Bone spreads their virulent strain of enigmatic death metal on Bestial Hymns Of Perversion. Bassist/vocalist AS and guitarist/vocalist DG herald the endtimes with a dual guttural onslaught atop an ever flowing stream of grime-caked riffs and PW's whirlwind of blasts and d-beats. Invoking the claustrophobia of Autopsy and the visceral disgust of Incantation and Bolt Thrower, Of Feather And Bone's relentless death assault serves as the soundtrack to mankind's fall.
 
After garnering substantial praise for their long sold-out 2016 demo, Of Feather And Bone returned to Goldberg Studios during the summer of 2017 with Steve Goldberg (Cephalic Carnage) at the helm. Mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound and featuring stunning cover art courtesy of Stefan Todorovic, Bestial Hymns Of Perversion's seven tracks of unrelenting death metal portend the destruction of the modern age.
 
Of Feather And Bone's Bestial Hymns Of Perversion is due March 9th, 2018 through Profound Lore Records; stand by for the cover artwork, audio premieres, and more in the weeks ahead.

(Photo by: Brittany Drinnon)

Dani Filth, frontman for UK-based black metallers Cradle Of Filth, has issued the following update:

"Hi there pop pickers! I am spending the next couple of days working with Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios deep in the heart of the Suffolk countryside - in frostbitten melancholia - on the Cruelty And The Beast anatomical remix. That's a total remix, not a remaster!
 
The album - which will be released next year to honour it's 20th anniversary - is sounding utterly killer. Waaay better sounding without losing any of its dark, magickal atmosphere. And the weather couldn't be any more perfect for it, save maybe it were to thunder and lightning...."

Cradle Of Filth's new record, Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay, was recorded at Grindstone Studios, Suffolk, UK by the very honourable Scott Atkins, esq. who has been the resident go-to producer for Cradle Of Filth for several albums. Dani sat in during the mix, serving up flaming mugs of teas, making the studio couch his own and lending his ears when necessary.

Artūrs Bērziņš is the mastermind behind the new record’s artwork, photography and videography - best known for his defiant neo-symbolism raster graphics and oil paintings; postmodern interpretations of classic myths. He has been proclaimed as a “sacred monster of Latvian postmodernism”.

Tracklisting:

“Exquisite Torments Await”
“Heartbreak And Seance”
“Achingly Beautiful”
“Wester Vespertine”
“The Seductiveness Of Decay”
“Vengeful Spirit”
“You Will Know The Lion By His Claw”
“Death And The Maiden”
“The Night At Catafalque Manor”
“Alison Hell”

“Achingly Beautiful” lyric video:

“You Will Know The Lion By His Claw” lyric video:

2018 sees Swedish Viking/folk metallers Grimner celebrate their 10th anniversary with the release of a new full-length album Vanadrottning (Despotz Records) on February 9th.
First single “En Fallen Jätte” will be out December 15th and showcases everything that makes Grimner such a unique musical force.

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.

“Vanadrottning translates to ‘queen of the Vanir’, referring to the goddess Gullveig from the Norse mythology. She is known mostly from the tale of the war between the Aesir and the Vanir, when she was captured and burned alive by Oden and his herd. Each time they burned her she would be born anew, dying three times and resurrected three times, each time in immense agony. This album has been an absolute joy to create, but like the goddess Gullveig, we have also endured a great deal of pain for it. We hope you will love the album as much as we ourselves do!” says the band.

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.

Whitesnake revisited the music that singer David Coverdale recorded with Deep Purple in the 70s when they released The Purple Album two years ago. The album, and the tour that followed, offered fans new modern interpretations of Purple classics like “Burn” and “Mistreated”. Highlights from the historic tour will be featured in a new live collection, including double-disc versions that feature audio, video and a selection of bonus material.

The Purple Tour (Live) will be available on January 19th as CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray sets. Additional formats include a double-LP, single CD, and digital version. Four video trailers and pre-order links can be found below.

On The Purple Tour (Live), Whitesnake puts their distinctive spin on several songs from Coverdale’s studio albums with Deep Purple - Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), and Come Taste The Band (1975). Highlights include: “You Fool No One,” “The Gypsy” and “Soldier Of Fortune.” The double-disc collection also includes video footage of the concert mixed to 5.1 Surround Sound, plus a new music video for “Burn,” band interviews, and a number of bonus performances not available on the CD or vinyl versions.

The Whitesnake lineup that appears on The Purple Tour (Live) includes: singer David Coverdale, guitarists Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra, bassist Michael Devin, drummer Tommy Aldridge and keyboardist Michele Luppi.

Coverdale says there was never any intention to compete against the original recordings. “We just wanted to play the damn songs. Each member of the band. brought their incredible individual talents and a real band identity to this music. We’ve all done the best we can with this project with respect to the music, and the legacy of Deep Purple Mk3 and Mk4.”

In addition to songs originally recorded by Deep Purple, The Purple Tour (Live) also features performances of killer Whitesnake tracks like “Fool For Your Loving” from Slip Of The Tongue (1990), “Love Ain’t No Stranger” from Slide It In (1984), plus “Still Of The Night,” “Bad Boys,” “Is This Love” and the #1 smash “Here I Go Again” from Whitesnake (1987).

CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray tracklisting:

“Burn”
“Bad Boys”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”
“The Gypsy”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”
“Is This Love”
“Fool For Your Loving”
“Here I Go Again”
“Still Of The Night”

DVD/Blu-ray Contents:
Concert Video in 5.1 and Stereo
“Burn” – Music Video
Band Interviews

Bonus 5.1 High Resolution Live Audio:
“You Keep On Moving”
“Lay Down Stay Down”
“Lotsanotes”
“Stormbringer”

CD tracklisting:
“Burn”
“Bad Boys”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”
“The Gypsy”
 “Give Me All Your Love”
“Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”
“Is This Love”
“Fool For Your Loving”
“Here I Go Again”
“Still Of The Night”

LP tracklisting:

Side One
“Burn”
“Bad Boys”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”
“The Gypsy”

Side Two
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”
“Mistreated”

Side Three
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”
“Is This Love”
“Fool For Your Loving”

Side Four
“Here I Go Again”
“Still Of The Night”
“You Keep On Moving” - LP Bonus Track

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

Trailer #4:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metal, classic metal, thrash metal... NWOBHM! These are the defining genres that best describe Avenger. Not a random stab at a description, but an archive of metal styles the band have molded themselves to and related to since their NWOBHM founding over three decades ago, by three members of the cult band Blitzkrieg. During this time, Avenger honed their playing skills and built up a worldwide fan base, enjoying rapturous receptions at festivals and concerts from the Eastern seaboard of America, to the metal hungry fanatics of Europe and down to the tropics of Latin America. From the word go, Avenger always had this mission statement: get out and put on as intense and as professional show as possible.

 
No wonder that Avenger became one of the most respected British heavy metal bands, and that both of their albums released back in the day - Blood Sports from 1984, and Killer Elite from 1985, have a legendary status today, and are demanded by new generations of headbangers. Thanks to Dissonance Productions and Back On Black Records, both classics will be available on both CD and LP format on May 18th, 2018, and it’s safe to say, that these will be the “ultimate editions”. The albums got dynamic mastering by Bart Gabriel (who recently mastered reissues of bands such as Cirith Ungol, Sortilege, and the new Pagan Altar and Crystal Viper albums), both of them include previously unreleased bonus tracks, and include previously unseen photos from band’s archives. But that’s not all: stay tuned, as Avenger haven’t said their last word yet. 

(Photo by: Marta Gabriel Photography) 

Dead Soul Communion – the band led by former Devilment guitarist Daniel Finch – are gearing up to release a new album in mid-2018.

Finch says in an update, “We’ve just finished writing for our 2nd album which we hope to release in mid-2018. I never plan how an album is going to sound or feel, I just start writing and see what comes out. It’s taken on a heavy sound for this one, maybe a little more aggression than our debut. But it’s sounding good. We wrote around 17 songs for this, and have a bunch of ideas already for our third album. 

“We are getting ready to take a break for Christmas, but we will be hitting the studio in January with Simon (Dawson, drummer) to start drums, and we can’t wait. Everyone is buzzing about the new songs, and buzzing even more about being able next year to do some shows. I know many of you have been hoping for that.

“We have one confirmed show booked on June 30th at the B2 in Norwich when we play Pow3rFest 2018. We’re working hard on getting more shows booked for the rest of year.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that checked out and brought our debut album, we were so happy how well it sold, and the reviews have been nothing but positive. You normally expect a few bad reviews, but we didn’t get one which is awesome.

“More updates to follow from us, and 2018 is going to be a busy year. SO I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.”

Dead Soul Communion is:

Daniel Finch – guitars
Dan Jackson – guitars
Kev Jackson – bass
Simon Dawson – drums
Edwin Mascorn – vocals
Paul Jensen – vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards

On January 19th, 2018, Edenbridge’s first five albums will be released in a limited cardbox and will only be available for a limited time. An autographed set can be preordered at the Edenbridge webshop.

Included in the set is 2000 debut Sunrise In Eden, 2001’s Arcana, 2003’s Aphelion, 2004’s Shine, and 2006’s The Grand Design.

Austrian symphonic metal act, Edenbridge, will join forces with Amberian Dawn for a string of European dates in February. American Dawn have posted the trailer video below.

Tour dates:

February
9 - Regensburg, Germany - Eventhalle Obertraubling
10 - Markneukirchen, Germany - Framus&Warwick Music Hall
11 - Erfurt, Germany - From Hell
12 - Vienna, Austria - Viper Room
13 - Frankfurt, Germany - Nachtleben
14 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
15 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion Complex
16 - Cologne, Germany - The Jungle
17 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Dynamo
18 - Würzburg, Germany - Posthalle

Trailer:

L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns is streaming his instrumental version of the Christmas standard, "Silent Night". Listen via the YouTube clip below:

L.A. Guns' The Missing Peace album lands at #23 on BraveWords annual BravePicks list. Check out the feature here.

Upcoming L.A. Guns live dates:

December
14 - Houston, TX - Proof Bar
31 - Los Angeles, CA - The Whisky (with Faster Pussycat)
 
January
27 - Anaheim, CA - The Parish - HOB Anaheim (Namm Event)

February
10 - San Juan, Puerto Rico, - Shannan's (with Loudness)
11-16 - Miami, FL - Monsters of Rock Cruise
16 - Jacksonville, FL - 80's In the Park at Lexington Hotel
17 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room

Having released his latest full-length, Inverted Grasp Of Balance, last year via Metal Blade Records, Monte Pittman is now launching a new video for the album track, "Be Very Afrain”, by Travis Colbert.

Pittman comments: "'Be Very Afraid' was filmed in Colorado & New Mexico by Travis Colbert from Bravo Tip Or Pay. I've been using their app to sell tickets and merch at shows. It's a way to send money to anyone at any time without exchanging information. They recently brought me with them to demonstrate their app on Shark Tank and got a deal with Mark Cuban & Lori Greiner."

Catch Monte Pittman live across the US this winter:

December
21 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky A GoGo

January
12 - Shreveport, LA - Strange Brew
13 - Dallas, TX - Three Links
19 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
26 - Anaheim, CA - Randy Rhoads Remembered (NAMM) @ Yost Theater

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. Chicago's Americana metal outfit, Huntsmen, are carrying the torch for heavy bands to be added to that list and have 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."

The band is streaming the introduction to American Scrap. Watch a video for the song "Bury Me Deep" below.

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"

"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

US progressive metal/rock group Thought Chamber are not only working on a new, third studio album to follow up 2003's Psykerion effort, but are also launching a video clip for the track "Psykerion: The Question" off the previous release. Watch below:

Thought Chamber are currently at work in the studio for their upcoming new album release, expected for later in 2018 via InsideOutMusic and the band checked in with the following comment:

"Thought Chamber is hard at work in the studio recording their as yet untitled 3rd album. Although not a concept album like their previous Psykerion release, it may include the continuation of that record's storyline. New songs include "Myst Of Lyriad", "Rainless", "Identity Theft", "Blinded", "A Modern Tragedy", and yet another instrumental in the continuing saga of "Mr. Qwinkle". In the meantime, a video for the band's song, "Psykerion: The Question", has popped up out of nowhere!"

A first teaser for the new song "Rainless" can be seen below:

Thought Chamber lineup:

Ted Leonard - Lead vocals
Michael Harris - Guitars, keyboards, harmony vocals
Jeff Plant - Bass
Bill Jenkins - Keyboards
Mike Haid - Drums

TSHIONG tells the story of a man from the countryside, A-tek (Tsai Chang-hsien), who decides to go to Taipei to seek help from Chthonic when his village faces a malicious development project. Along the way, he becomes Chthonic’s driver. Being a naïve fan of Chthonic, he believed the band members were akin to superheroes and would fight the injustice befalling his village, but gradually he discovers that they are not as courageous as he thought.

Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God plays himself in the film. In the story, he comes to Taiwan for musical collaboration with Chthonic, but becomes good friends with A-tek. They take part in street protests side-by-side, and clash with the police several times.

“It's a comedy. Although it might not be easy for foreigners to understand the Taiwanese humour in the film,” says Chthonic vocalist, Freddy Lim. “I'm sure it's still lots of fun watching bunch of metalheads crashing against cops and fooling around...”

Chthonic and Lamb Of God became good friends at Ozzfest 2007. In 2011, Chthonic invited Randy to appear as a special guest in its Final Battle at Sing Ling Temple concert. In 2014, Randy came to Taiwan again to film TSHIONG.

“It was wonderful to have our friend in this film with us. Randy did a great job in his role,” says Chthonic vocalist, Freddy Lim.

A DVD for the movie with English subtitles is in the works. The movie’s soundtrack (in which Randy sings the theme song), is available for pre-orders online here.

The movie’s theme song, "Souls of the Revolution", can be heard below:

TSHIONG trailer:

Chthonic is preparing for its new album, which is expected to be released worldwide in 2018.

Formed in 2016 by keyboardist Adrian Benegas (Pergana), symphonic power metal act Tragul features a powerhouse of guest musicians that includes vocalist Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus In Musica), guitarist Steve Conley(Flotsam and Jetsam), bassist Oliver Holzwarth (ex-Blind Guardian, ex-Rhapsody Of Fire, ex-Tarja) and drummer Alex Holzwarth (ex-Rhapsody Of Fire). Having unleashed three singles "Bennu", "The Message" and "Into The Heart Of The Sun" earlier this year, the band has revealed their latest video for their fourth single "The Tree Of Life" being premiered on BraveWords.

Band founder Adrian Benegas comments:

"Our latest single 'The Tree Of Life' is about hope, we wanted to give the fans a song they can relate to when they have had hard times. From its flowing melodies, powerful choruses, and a nice blend of the instrumental parts. We like to introduce a pleasant listening experience: nice sounds and beautifully executed vocals."

“The Tree Of Life” is available for download and streaming on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.

The sophomore album from Finland’s Shiraz Lane, Carnival Days, will be released on February 23rd. The album's title track is available for streaming below.

Says the band: "Carnival Days is a record we are sincerely proud of and feel like this is a step closer to the core of our spirit as a band. We think this album portrays Shiraz Lane in a new light demonstrating musical maturity and growth, while simultaneously redeeming the potential and expectations of our fans as well as ourselves. We entered the album construction process well prepared, and with the help of our producer Per Aldeheim (Def Leppard, Soilwork, Lambretta) we found a perfect working rhythm and style to progress and make our material shine both compositionally and production wise. In addition, we have drawn inspiration from a wider range challenging ourselves to look beyond the conventional boundaries and traditional frameworks of rock music to create a package of high variety with surprising twists and turns and still being able to fabricate a uniform and symbiotic album. Hopefully this spectrum of emotion will be appreciated and cherished dearly by the large audience, as we certainly think it is worthy of."

Pre-order the album here. The band has also launched a PledgeMusic campaign with album pre-orders and rarities, here.

Tracklisting:

"Carnival Days"
"The Crown"
"Harder To Breathe"
"Tidal Wave"
"Gotta Be Real"
"People Like Us"
"Shangri-La"
"War Of Mine"
"Shot Of Life"
"Hope"
"Reincarnation"

"Carnival Days":

"Harder To Breathe”:

An album release show and party will take place in Helsinki at Nosturi on March 3rd. Tickets available here.

Nuclear Blast will release Dutch epic death/black metallers Bleeding Gods' new album, Dodekathlon, on January 12th. A third album trailer, in which the band discuss the music, can be found below.

Physical copies of Dodekathlon can be pre-ordered here. Pre-order the album digitally and receive “From Feast To Beast” instantly.

The twelve songs on the new album represent the twelve labours of Hercules, the greatest of the ancient Greek heroes, who had to serve his cousin king Eurystheus for twelve years and to perform these twelve labours to concern a penance for his terrible actions.

The album was recorded at Pitch Note Productions and Hal 5 Studio; mixed and mastered at Soundlodge Studio. The cover artwork was created by Dimitris Tzortzis from Immensa Artis.

Dodekathlon tracklisting:

“Bloodguilt (Nemean Lion)”
“Multiple Decapitation (Lernaean Hydra)”
“Beloved by Artemis (Ceryneian Hind)”
“From Feast To Beast (Erymanthian Boar)”
“Inhuman Humiliation (Augean Stables)”
“Birds Of Hate (Stymphalian Birds)”
“Saviour Of Crete (Cretan Bull)”
“Tyrannical Blood (Mares Of Diomedes)”
“Seeds Of Distrust (Belt Of Hippolyta)”
“Tripled Anger (Cattle Of Geryon)”
“Hera’s Orchard (Apples Of The Hesperides)”
“Hound Of Hell (Cerberus)”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

“From Feast To Beast” behind-the-scenes:

“From Feast To Beast” video:

The Swedish/American melodic hard rock supergroup W.E.T., which features vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (SONS OF APOLLO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, TALISMAN), guitarist/vocalist Erik Martensson (ECLIPSE, NORDIC UNION, AMMUNITION) and guitarist Robert Säll (WORK OF ART), will release its third studio album, "Earthrage", on March 23 via Frontiers Records Srl. The first single from the album, "Watch The Fire", can be streamed below.

W.E.T. — whose moniker is an acronym of the names of the acts that the group's core members are best known for (WORK OF ART, ECLIPSE, TALISMAN) — released its acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2009. The band's sophomore effort, "Rise Up", surfaced in 2013, followed by the live CD/DVD "One Live - In Stockholm" in 2014.

Now, the group — which also features drummer Robban Bäck (MUSTASCH) and guitarist Magnus Henriksson (ECLIPSE) — returns with an album that label owner Serafino Perugino claims is "by far one of the best records in Frontiers's history."

"Earthrage" track listing:

01. Watch The Fire
02. Burn
03. Kings On Thunder Road
04. Elegantly Wasted
05. Urgent
06. Dangerous
07. Calling Out Your Name
08. Heart Is On The Line
09. I Don't Wanna Play That Game
10. The Burning Pain Of Love
11. The Never-Ending Retraceable Dream

A music video for "Watch The Fire" will premiere in the coming weeks.

Soto told 100 Percent Rock Magazine last month that W.E.T. is "a project. It's not a band in the sense of touring and we get together and do the things that bands do. That's why we only have a handful of dates under our belts to date. We've never actually done a tour together, because it's three completely different bands that are just so busy all the time. And Erik is as bad as I am — Erik Mårtensson. He's in several bands and he's always producing and writing and jumping from one to the next. We've never tried to actually follow up as a band."

British heavy metal act, Savage Messiah, have released a video for their song “Eat Your Heart Out”, taken from the recently released album Hands Of Fate.

Frontman David Silver comments, “When we were asked if we wanted to produce a ‘live’ video as our next project, we in the band jumped at the idea. I’ve always felt that the best way to communicate with people is for them to get an idea of what we’re about in a live setting. This video however goes a little deeper than that, as the camera crew decided to follow us around for almost the entire day, and so what you have is a really cool snapshot into a day in the life on tour! I’m really pleased with the outcome, and 'Eat Your Heart Out’ is the perfect song for this type of video as the song talks about what life is like if you’re in a band in 2017, the ups, the downs, the highs and the lows! It’s a call to arms! We hope you will enjoy watching it, as much we enjoyed making it!"

Savage Messiah have also announced another run of UK headline shows in April. See below for the exact dates.

The band comments on the tour, “We’re really excited to announce these UK shows touring in support of our new album Hands Of Fate. We’ve done a lot of support work over the last few years with a really wide range of great bands from Amon Amarth, Trivium, Testament, Armoured Saint, Cradle Of Filth and more, so now we’re really looking forward to getting out and playing a full Savage Messiah headline set! Make sure you get your tickets early, so you don’t miss this! As we promise this is going to be one hell of a show! See you at the front!”

Tour dates:

April
13 - Nottingham, England - Rock City Basement
14 - Manchester, England - Academy 3
15 - Glasgow, Scotland - Cathouse
17 - Newcastle, England - O2 Academy 2
18 - Birmingham, England - O2 Academy 3
19 - London, England -  Underworld

Savage Messiah is:

David Silver - lead guitar, vocals
Sam S Junior - lead guitar, backing vocals
Mira Slama - bass guitar
Andrea Gorio - drums

The official music video for the song "Echoes Of An Ugly Past" 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, 2018 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

Florida-based death metal veterans OBITUARY have released a brand new music video for "Brave", the opening track off their critically acclaimed, self-titled 10th studio album. The clip, which depicts the band enjoying a day of practice and backyard shenanigans at their home studio outside of Tampa, Florida, was directed by Shaun Egger.

Additionally, OBITUARY has announced a month-long spring 2018 European headlining tour. The trek begins March 3 in Cologne, Germany and ends April 1 in Schijndel, Netherlands at Paaspop festival.

OBITUARY commented on the tour: "We are super excited to be back on a headlining tour in Europe. We have had great opportunities as direct support these past few years for CARCASS, CANNIBAL CORPSE and KREATOR, but it's time to get back to that final slot and the full power of a headlining tour. 45-, 50-minute spots are just not enough for OBITUARY to cover all albums from the past three decades and our fans expect and deserve to see more... and more is what they will get from us on these dates.

"We can't wait to bring our full production and full-length concert to Europe. We will be performing many songs from the self-titled and 'Inked In Blood' releases along with showcasing all the classics that everyone loves and is eager to hear.

"We are working on the setlist right now and want to hear from our fans which songs they want to hear so we encourage you to give us your ideas, thoughts and suggestions.

"Hang on to your asses because shit's about to get real... real heavy!!"

After parting ways with Roadrunner following the release of 2005's "Frozen In Time", OBITUARY released two albums via Candlelight Records — 2007's "Xecutioner's Return" and 2009's "Darkest Day" — before signing with Relapse Records in 2014.

OBITUARY's second Relapse release — the group's self-titled tenth studio album — came out on March 17.

"Dio Returns: The World Tour" — featuring Ronnie James Dio reuniting via hologram with his DIO bandmates — played its third show this past Saturday, December 9 at Progresja in Warsaw, Poland. The Ronnie hologram performed throughout the show, treating fans to an alternating setlist that featured songs such as "Rainbow In The Dark", "We Rock", "Neon Nights", "King Of Rock And Roll", "Man On The Silver Mountain", "Heaven And Hell", "Holy Diver" and more.

Fan-filmed video footage of the Warsaw concert can be seen below.

The "Dio Returns" tour features Ronnie's actual live vocals, with the DIO band playing live, consisting of Craig Goldy on guitar, Simon Wright on drums and Scott Warren on keyboards, along with Bjorn Englen on bass. Veteran metal vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST) is also performing, with singer Oni Logan (LYNCH MOB) also joining on select dates.

"Dio Returns: The World Tour" will also make stops in Spain, Romania, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Belgium before the end of 2017.

Dates initially announced for Finland, Sweden and Norway are being rescheduled for a larger run through Scandinavia in 2018. The "Dio Returns" tour will also make stops throughout Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, United States, Venezuela and other countries, with more dates to be announced.

The hologram of Ronnie James Dio made its debut at last year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. The surprise appearance of the heavy metal icon during DIO DISCIPLES' set closed out the massive metal event which was attended by more than 75,000 fans.

In a recent post on the DIO DISCIPLES Facebook page, Goldy defended DIO DISCIPLES' decision to tour with Ronnie's hologram, calling it "a gift to the fans" which will be "given in the same spirit in which Ronnie gave."

He explained: "People don't remember, but Wendy [Dio, Ronnie's wife and manager] was a big part of how that whole 'Sacred Heart' stage set was built, put together and without hiking up the ticket prices too. Same thing for the 'Dream Evil' tour, with a giant metal spider that came down out of the rafters and I shot it with lasers out of my guitar and then wherever I pointed my guitar, an explosion would occur. It was magical days with magical people behind that magic. This hologram is just that."

According to Goldy, DIO DISCIPLES' performances with the Ronnie James Dio hologram will serve an opportunity for people who "never got to see Ronnie on stage with BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW" to experience some of the original magic.

"This is something that is done in the name of love, honor, missing him and respect — nothing else," he said. "And that is the truth. People's opinion does not alter the truth. It only alters the perception of truth. So this hologram tour is meant to honor the man and his music in the same spirit in which that man gave to this world... so we now give. And people will be missing out on an incredible experience if they let bad comments make that decision for them."

Craig added that "Ronnie would approve of this hologram being done in the way it is being done. I'm sure that anyone who has worked as hard as he did, and has made as big of a worldwide impact as he did, would like their name and memory carried on by those people that he loved and surrounded himself with by choice."

Englen told "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" in October that "Dio Returns" will see him and his bandmates perform "quite a few songs with the hologram — probably, I would say, about half or maybe more than half. And then the rest of them are gonna be without the hologram, with 'Ripper' Owens and Oni Logan singing," he said. "So it's gonna be the DIO DISCIPLES. And the hologram is gonna be in the middle of the stage, but I don't wanna reveal too much. It's quite a large… it needs quite a bit of space onstage, so hopefully most of the venues are gonna be able to accommodate that, as far as the places that haven't been booked yet. But we're excited about it. It's gonna be great."

According to Englen, the tour will consist of shows "at theaters and large clubs. And as long as the stage is big, we can do it. It has to have a certain width," he explained.

Regarding what is involved in planning a tour like this, Englen said: "We have to do some choreography, as far as where to be and what song and all that stuff. All the music is live, and we obviously have to play to a click track — or Simon does — so that we're synced with Ronnie's vocals. Other than that, we play the songs like we normally play them. We've just gotta make sure the arrangements are the same, and they usually are — we haven't done many changes to the songs since the DIO days. So they're the same anyway."

Asked if he finds it "haunting" to perform with a Dio hologram, the bassist said: "You know, we're not really looking at it while we're playing. Looking at it after, I think it's just a nice thing. Some people wonder, 'Is it creepy?' or that kind of a thing. We're excited. We feel good about it. It's done really well, and it's with live vocals — you know, you get that live feel and everything — and they've done a really nice job as far as the content and the photography and all that stuff. I think a lot of people are gonna be — even the people that have been negative about it, or pessimistic — are gonna be positively surprised."

MONSTER MAGNET will release its 11th album, "Mindfucker", on March 23, 2018 via Napalm. According to a press release, the disc "is different, a step forward and a step back at the same time to the almighty roots of hard rock music, kindled by the unpretentious proto-punk era. Up-tempo, savage in both sound and spirit, 'Mindfucker' is the real deal! The album has the potential to surprise and to whip up the love for the genre, while still giving the sludgies and stoner freaks exactly what they wish for in a new MONSTER MAGNET album."

Commented MONSTER MAGNET leader Dave Wyndorf: "'Mindfucker' is a fuzzed out, headbangin' celebration of hard rock and 21st Century paranoia. Ten fuel-injected, nitro-burning tracks of fiery rock 'n' roll and garage psych madness, all done MONSTER MAGNET style. It's also an album that gets right to the point: the world is out of its fucking mind and I'm livin' it…. for better or worse. It's simple, really. In these crazy times, I've been wanting to just drive my car at 100 miles per hour and howl, you know what I mean? So I wrote songs I can do that with. And with lyrics that don’t deny the times we're living in. Feels good, feels right. Rock is alive, baby!"

MONSTER MAGNET guitarist Phil Caivano told Metal Express Radio in May that the band's follow-up to 2013's "Last Patrol" was "very aggressive, very straight-ahead, very 'Detroit.' Once again, [it's] back to some of our American roots. We did the 'space rock' thing on the last couple of records. Being the huge HAWKWIND fans we are, AMON DÜÜL fans, GROUNDHOGS fans… that whole thing. 'Last Patrol' was very, very influenced by space rock, and there'll always be elements of space rock in MONSTER MAGNET stuff, but we brought it back to what we were influenced by as kids, which would be the Detroit thing: STOOGES, MC5, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. Very punchy, American… That's really what it is. All I can say is the word 'Detroit' always keeps coming to mind."

"Mindfucker" track listing:

01. Rocket Freak
02. Soul
03. Mindfucker
04. I'm God
05. Drowning
06. Ejection
07. Want Some
08. Brainwashed
09. All Day Midnight
10. When The Hammer Comes Down

MONSTER MAGNET performed the "Mindfucker" title track during its European tour last spring. Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

MONSTER MAGNET's last release was "Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)", which came out in October 2015. The album was dubbed an "alternative listening experience" to the band's 2010 effort "Mastermind". The approach was similar to what MONSTER MAGNET did in 2014 when they took "Last Patrol", pulled the songs apart and rebuilt them as "Milking The Stars: A Re-Imagining Of Last Patrol".

MONSTER MAGNET is:

Dave Wyndorf (vocals, guitar)
Garrett Sweeny (guitar)
Phil Caivano (guitar)
Chris Kosnik (bass)
Bob Pantella (drums)

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

Former Leaves' Eyes vocalist Liv Kristine performed at Under The Doom 2017 in Lisbon, Portugal on December 1st. fan-filmed video is available below. Her setlist is available below, and it's worth noting she played nothing from the Leaves' Eyes catalogue.

"Vervain"
"Venus" (Theatre of Tragedy cover)
"Silence"
"Image" (Theatre of Tragedy cover)
"Siren" (Theatre of Tragedy cover)
"Rooting For You" (London Grammar cover)
"Panic"
"My Wilderness"
"Love Decay"
"Changes" (Black Sabbath cover)

Liv recently issued the following update after months of silence:

"Greetings from Mosbach, Germany! Recorded five songs for Midnattsol’s upcoming album! Stay tuned for further brilliant news..."

Midnattsol features Liv's younger sister and vocalist Carmen Elise. The band is currently recording their as-yet-untitled fourth album, the follow-up to The Metamorphosis Melody from 2011.

In her first interview since her controversial split from Leaves' Eyes in early 2016, vocalist Liv Kristine spoke with Spain's Empire Zone in November 2016 about the situation and the aftermath, as well as plans for a new album. Following is an excerpt from the discussion.

Empire: What did you think when, from Mastersound Entertainment, published the private papers of the band on Facebook?

Liv: "I really disliked that. What’s the meaning of this? First of all, I found it utterly unprofessional to post a band protocol I had never seen. It was neither signed by me, nor does it tell the whole truth. What the hell is going on? This is the property of the band, not of the rest of the world. Yes, it really hurt. I never thought any of my ex-band members would find it reasonable and cool to talk about my son and my private situation in interviews, and then post the bullshit on all Leaves’ Eyes’ pages. This doesn’t make the situation for the band and their new singer any better. To me it was a shock. I wonder what’s the point in attacking me privately? The most important thing is the safety of my son. That’s why it upset me so much. I have stayed away from press for months now. This is my first interview after the breakup on both personal and professional level early this year. Leaves’ Eyes should concentrate on their career and be professional instead of being destructive. I just had to stop caring, the best way is to ignore the negative, to accept the past and concentrate on the positive. I love Leaves’ Eyes music, what we once had together, however, I will be moving on for sure and I am not taking negative influences from anybody. This is also what I can say to any singer being a replacement for somebody who was there first."

Empire: What do you think about the reaction of your fans following these weeks of crisis and confusion? Even some of them have been blocked from Leaves’ Eyes Facebook profile.

Liv: "This situation could have been handled in a much more professional way. First rule: don’t post private property like an unsigned band protocol on all your pages if you want to keep calm and act peacefully with the world (fans) around you."

Read the complete interview here

In an interview with Russia's Rock Cor, Leaves' Eyes guitarist Thorsten "Tosso" Bauer discussed the Liv Kristine's departure. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Tosso: "The contact with Liv has become very difficult. Since January 2016, Liv’s departure from the band has been in discussion. When Liv and Alex split up personally early January, Liv wanted to leave the band right away. But Alex convinced her to stay with the band and they both made a very good agreement with each other for their private life and business. So the band situation seemed to be solved at that point of time. But since February her new fiancee / therapist tried to interfere in a lot of band matters. He talked very bad about Leaves' Eyes and that shows, tours and interviews  shouldn’t happen without him anymore. Her fiancee / therapist even told Liv to step aside from the band. In March things went far beyond after Liv moved to her engaged therapist and it became very clear to everybody in the band that we will go separated ways in the future. Liv also wanted to be involved in picking the new singer for Leaves' Eyes. We told her that we want to decide ourselves who will be our new singer in the band. So there has nothing been happening behind anybody's back.

Beginning of April we had a band meeting to talk about how things go on. In the meeting we decided together to go separate ways immediately. Liv told us she is not able to fulfill her touring commitments with the band anymore for personal reasons. Moreover, Liv’s lawyer wrote in a letter to Alex that a further cooperation including the live shows with the band is not possible for Liv anymore. So Liv was relieved not having to play any future shows with Leaves' Eyes. As a result of the meeting, we also set up a press statement together with Liv, to inform the fans and media. To the surprise of everybody this first press statement we set up together was attacked soon after by several additional posts and statements from Liv. Suddenly other people and 'trolls' started to spread nasty rumors and lies on the internet. That was the reason for the confusion and anger in April. For myself I can clearly say, if anyone in the band would have treated Liv in the way some trolls in the internet tell, I wouldn’t be part of this band anymore.

Also I can say that Alex is a single father at the moment and since Liv and Alex separated from each other their son lives at his place."

Go to this location for the complete interview. Click here for a play-by-play of the unfortunate conflict between Leaves' Eyes and Liv Kristine.

Pittsburgh heavy metal heroes Lady Beast have released the official video for the title track from recently released Cruz Del Sur Music album Vicious Breed. Those with a hankerin' for scorching U.S. heavy metal are strongly encouraged to check it out:

Stocked with soaring twin-guitar harmonies, headstrong vocals, pounding tempos and would-be classic metal anthems, Vicious Breed is Lady Beast's coming out party. With the support of Cruz Del Sur, it's only appropriate Lady Beast have their sights set on conquering the international metal scene. Preorders can be found at Cruz Del Sur.

Tracklisting:

“Seal The Hex”
“Lone Hunter”
“The Way”
“Always With Me”
“Get Out”
“Every Giant Shall Fall”
“Sky Graves”
“Vicious Breed”

“Every Giant Shall Fall” lyric video:

(Photo - Jake Reinhart)