Finnish rockers THE 69 EYES have released a music video for their song "Christmas In New York City". The clip was filmed and directed by Ville Juurikkala, known from his previous work with THE 69 EYES, HIM, NIGHTWISH and AMORPHIS.

"This is about the last thing we haven't done yet — so it's our time to release a Christmas song!" says THE 69 EYES singer Jyrki 69. "This is also our tribute to the RAMONES and New York which both have been our main influences."

He added: "I wish nobody has to feel alone this Christmas. This song is all about that. The best feedback would be if Jesse Malin wrote and recorded a song called 'Christmas In Helsinki'!"

The Finns are currently working on the follow-up to their 2016 album "Universal Monsters".

Edged Circle Productions has set January 5th, 2018 as the international release date for Magick Touch's second album, Blades, Chains, Whips & Fire. A music video for the album track "The Great Escape" is available for streaming below.

Magick Touch are a power trio - with the emphasis on power - from the southwestern coastal town of Bergen, Norway. The band - HK Rein on guitar and vocals, Bård Nordvik on drums, and Christer Ottesen on bass and vocals - formed in 2014 and released their debut album, Electrick Sorcery, through Edged Circle in 2015. The album went on to reap worldwide acclaim for its simple-yet-profound pleasures.

As the trio encompasses at least two singers and three songwriters, Magick Touch is almost like getting several bands for the price of one. Even more so than their celebrated debut, Blades, Chains, Whips & Fire plays this out with absolute (and absolutely addicting) aplomb. The vocals are characterful indeed, blending into slick harmonies on infectious choruses whilst Rein’s wah-drenched solos are splendidly delivered. Once again, this is that rich 'n' rewarding middle point between hard rock and heavy metal, and Magick Touch finesse it with a truly magickal touch.

Tracklisting:

"Under The Gun"
"The Great Escape"
"Midnite Sadusa"
"Believe In Magick"
"Polonium Blues"
"Siren Song"
"Lost With All Hands"
"After The Fire"
"Electrick Sorcery"
"Blades, Chains, Whips & Fire"

"The Great Escape" video:

"Under The Gun" video:

Swedish progressive hard rockers Nightingale are streaming the track "Black Tears" from their first-ever live album, Rock Hard Live, out on December 8th. Listen below.

Following Nightingale’s latest studio album, Retribution, which was released in 2014 via InsideOutMusic, Rock Hard Live, was recorded at Germany’s Rock Hard Festival in 2016.

Nightingale’s Dan Swanö checked in with the following comment about Rock Hard Live: “After eight Nightingale studio releases the time had come for a proper live album!

“When we were invited to perform at the prestigious Rock Hard Festival in May 2016 we felt that this could be the right time and place to capture the energy of a Nightingale live performance.

“Once we listened back to the recordings of the gig it became obvious that there was a special vibe both on stage and in the audience that day. In order to capture that we decided to mix the album with a very high percentage of the sound coming from the two audience microphones. This approach gives the listener the sensation of actually being there at the gig when you listen to it, but this also means that you have the occasional out-of-time and tune-notes here and there since there is no way to fix anything in the studio once you mix an album this way.

“So, Rock Hard Live indeed is a genuine sonic snapshot of what Nightingale sounds like on stage, warts and all!”

While InsideOutMusic is handling digital release for Rock Hard Live, its CD and LP (black or colored vinyl) formats will be issued via Spain’s Alone Records, who are also launching an LP version of Nightingale’s latest studio album Retribution on December 8th.

Tracklisting:

“Nightfall Overture”
“A Raincheck On My Demise”
“Hideaway”
“Forevermore”
“Into The Light”
“Chasing The Storm Away”
“Revival”
“Steal The Moon”
“Black Tears”

“Black Tears”:

“Chasing The Storm Away”:

U.K. hardcore punk legends DISCHARGE have released the official music video for the song "The Broken Law". The clip was shot in the fall of 2017 in London by Stuart Sterling.

"The Broken Law" is taken from DISCHARGE's latest album, "End Of Days", which was released in April 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

The band states: "So what do we have to say about this video? Nothing. The words and the images in the video speak for themselves... this is the world we are living in."

DISCHARGE vocalist Jeff "JJ" Janiak told Metal Forces that "End Of Days" is "more like the [band's] earlier" material, which is "just really short. Yeah, I think it stands up against a lot of the stuff. DISCHARGE did have a run of bad albums in the mid-to-late '80s, and even into the early '90s. It's not the most memorable stuff, and so I definitely think this stands above that period of DISCHARGE."

In a separate interview with Distorted Sound, Janiak admitted that there was "a bit" of pressure on him to deliver on "End Of Days", being that it was his first album with DISCHARGE since he joined the band in 2014. "It was a hard decision for me," he said. "Because I know when Rat [former vocalist Tony 'Rat' Martin] was singing, he got a lot of shit off people, basically just because he wasn't Cal [former vocalist Kevin 'Cal' Morris], really. And I really didn't want to put myself in that situation at first. So I was asked to join, they had some gigs lined up already and they asked me to join and that first gig was, like, two weeks later, and it was in front of 20,000 people at this massive festival over in Europe. So I had two weeks to learn the songs and I learned them, and I wasn't really sure whether I was going to make it a permanent thing at that point, I was just kind of doing a favor and filling in. But once all the videos went up and once the word got out there and whatnot and people actually heard it, all the feedback from it was great. I was literally getting messages off DISCHARGE fans from around the world saying, 'Please stay in the band!' so that kind of made the decision for me, really. How can I say no to that for a band that's been going for so long? It is hard to replace, especially being a singer, it is hard to replace original singers, but luckily, I've been accepted, so happy days."

Photo credit: Fabiola Santini

German progressive rockers, Long Distance Calling, will released their new album, Boundless, on February 2nd via InsideOut Music.

Says the band: "We are happy to announce our new album Boundless, which will see the light of day on February 2nd, 2018. This time around the four of us locked ourselves in a room over a couple of months and pretty much got back to where we started as a band to catch this “go with the flow” feeling. This is probably the purest LDC album ever, no guests, no vocals, purely instrumental. We're stoked how it turned out and this album got a lot of energy, heaviness, melodies and twists, we hope you will enjoy it as much as we do."

Boundless will be released as a special edition digipak CD, Gatefold 2LP + CD (incl. etching on side D) and as digital download. Pre-order here.

Special bundles are available in LDC's official band store (first button in the pre-order link above), featuring strictly limited vinyl colour (200 copies, sun yellow) as well as an exclusive shirt, hardtickets, etc.

Tracklisting:

"Out There"
"Ascending"
"In The Clouds"
"Like A River"
"The Far Side"
"On The Verge"
"Weightless"
"Skydivers"
"Flashback" (Bonus Track)

Teaser:

Overdrive recently caught up with Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, whi discussed the band's stylistic changes over the years. An excerpt is available below.

Overdrive: Here you are with album number 12 (Sorceress) and finally having your very own label (Moderbolaget Records) to work under. Did this give you a sense of creative freedom in any way mentally or was it just business as usual?

Mikael: "Yes, I agree for sure. That’s another aspect of the need to adopt new sounds. I bet Rob Halford (Judas Priest) is thinking 'Fuck, why did I do some much high-range singing back in the day?' (laughing) I can only guess that it’s not easy to do the older you get. I’m fortunate enough that I can still do the screams when I need too and I enjoy doing them when it’s right for the music. My biggest concern is that I’m going to get bored with music you know? My dream, when I was a young child, was to do this for the rest of my life and the last thing I want to do is ruin it by playing it safe? Hell no!"

Overdrive: It’s widely reported that you are a fan of the '60s, '70s bands due to the experimental element of the music back then. Do you find that the entire business has become homogenized and ultimately bland to a degree?

Mikael: "I think people back in the day were complaining about categories being slapped on them more than they are today. I personally used to like the philosophy of categories and used to have so much fun with it back in the day with fanzines interviews. I used to invent completely fabricated genres such as 'Forest Metal' or 'we play dark medieval metal' (laughing). I have a lot of problems with music today and how people consume it. There is no value left anymore and very little appreciation for the creativity and time process involved in creating music. The fact that you can just shuffle through an album in the wrong sequence of tracks that were carefully picked in that order just amazes me. Would you watch the end of a new movie the first time and skip the beginning? It’s the same thing in my opinion. When people ask us these days what kind of band Opeth is, I just say we are a rock band (laughing). I’ve lost interest in making up new genres to describe what we do."

Read the complete interview here.

Opeth guitarist Fredrik Akesson was interviewed on November 19th at Rock City in Nottingham, England. The complete chat can be viewed below; an excerpt has been transcribed as follows:

What's the plan after this tour? Are you in the process of making news music?

"In a way, yes, I would say. This is the last run we do (in support of Soreceress), and then we have a break. We might play some festivals during the summer, but before that, there's no gigs. So it's a bit of a break, but also starting to write for a new album, absolutely. So we'll see how that goes. But nothing is… no direction is settled yet or anything like that."

Is there always writing going on?

"For me personally, I sit around and play a lot of guitar during the day, and sometimes you come up with a little melody or a little riff or something, and I just record it in my voice memory in the phone. So small stuff like that. But it's not… working on a song kind of thing rarely happens on the road. Especially for Mikael (Akerfeldt - vocalist / guitarist), I know he needs to be in his bubble, you know. So that's why we wanna take a break now as well, because for him, also, it's important to don't have to think about the shows or anything like that, just focus on coming up with new material."

Cormac Neeson of Irish rockers THE ANSWER will release his first solo album, "White Feather", in 2018. The disc will be recorded in Nashville starting in January with producer Blue Miller, who played in the pop group JULIA and performed and recorded with Bob Seger before recording three solo albums and creating Emmy-winning music for various television documentaries.

"This is obviously a first for me and means I have to take a short break from THE ANSWER activity," Neeson said. "I have had the great opportunity to write with some of Nashville's finest writers and artists over the last 12 months and these collaborations have added a vibrancy and focus that will give this album its own unique identity."

"White Feather" will feature a music style influenced by Americana, country, Irish folk and Delta blues. Through a series of well-crafted, introspective songs, Neeson will deliver a fantastic new sound, drawing heavily on his deeply personal experiences of upheaval and seismic change over the last number of years.

A demo version of Neeson's solo song "Whole Again" can be streamed below. The singer stated about the track: "I wrote this song with my good friends Lisbee Stainton and Blue Miller on my very first day in Nashville. With regards to the subject matter, Lisbee and Blue were kind enough to let me take the lead and talk about my son's first days and weeks of his life spent fighting for his life in a Belfast hospital. The session quickly evolved into a very emotional but infinitely rewarding date for all of us. The perfect start of my time in Tennessee."

In addition to Miller, "White Feather" is expected to feature Neeson's collaborations with many of the leading Nashville country songwriters, including Corey Lee Barker, Steve O'Brien, James Elliott and Allen McKendree Palmer.

ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy has signed with Austria's Napalm Records for the release of his debut solo album, "Year Of The Tiger". The 12-song effort was helmed by ALTER BRIDGE's longtime producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette and will arrive in the spring.

Myles states: "I'm excited to announce I'm teaming up with Napalm Records for the release of my first solo record, 'Year Of The Tiger'. This record is something I've always wanted to make and I'm grateful to Napalm for believing in me enough to get behind it."

"Year Of The Tiger" was described by Kennedy in a recent interview with Metal Wani as "probably the closest thing to a full-on concept record that I've ever written. I mean, the story is congruent throughout the entire... It basically tells a story from start to finish, and it documents when my father passed away when I was a kid and basically what happened after that with my mom, my brother and I — it tells that story," he said. "So it's a full-on concept from start to finish."

"Year Of The Tiger" is actually the second solo album Kennedy recorded, having previously completed a full-length record's worth of material over a several-year period beginning in 2009. Although that album was mixed in early 2016, Myles "decided not to move forward" with the project because "I'm kind of a firm believer that songs can have a shelf life with an artist," he told Metal Wani. "And what happened was I'd been chipping away at the solo record for quite a while when I had time. Obviously, I was very busy playing with ALTER BRIDGE and touring with that, but in my spare time, I was chipping away at this record, so when I actually documented it and finished it, I had to step back and look at it with a fresh perspective and say, 'You know what? You've gotta be honest with yourself as a writer. Is this where you are now? No. And is this what you want to represent where you are now? No.' That was a hard decision for me to make, because there was a lot of work that went into it. Not just work, but time and money, and I just felt like, regardless of that, I had to scrap and start over. So I started writing again late last year, early this year, and, fortunately, I had plenty of ideas to draw from."

Kennedy eventually wrote a fresh batch of music for "Year Of The Tiger" but ended up "totally re-recording" one song from his scrapped first solo album. "I basically just used the demo [version of the track] and rebuilt around it," he said. "So a few people [close to me] were happy to hear that, 'cause it was one of their favorites from that record. The content suited the record that I just completed, the 'Year Of The Tiger' record, perfectly, so it definitely will see the light of day this time."

Asked how "Year Of The Tiger" compares to the musical direction of Kennedy's abandoned first solo disc, he said: "'Year Of The Tiger' definitely has much more of a blues-based vibe. Though I started the first record wanting to keep it more acoustically based… Sometimes you get in a studio and you have all these… With multi-tracking, with Pro Tools and all the toys available, it's kind of like the sky is the limit as far as what you do from a production standpoint. So songs that started out very acoustic-based and very stripped down then grew into something different. So what I tried to be very aware of on 'Year Of The Tiger', and Elvis as well, my producer, was to kind of tie our hands and keep things limited as far as how many tracks we could use. We went straight to tape for the majority of the record. So it was really just the idea of 'less is more' and trying to take that approach to making the album."

Saying that "Year Of The Tiger" sounds like "Myles Kennedy," the ALTER BRIDGE frontman went on to reiterate that people "who've heard it have commented that there's definitely more of a blues-based vibe on it. The instrumentation is certainly somewhat of a departure. I tried to veer away from any sort of high-gain wall of sound. There's plenty of resonator guitar, mandolin… there's even banjo, a lot of lap steel. So it's definitely different from what I've done."

"Year Of The Tiger" will feature a guest appearance by drummer Zia Uddin of THE MAYFIELD FOUR, a group Myles descries as his "first real national touring band" back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

ALTER BRIDGE is continuing to tour in support of its fifth album, "The Last Hero", which came out in 2016.

The group is expected to take most of 2018 off from the road while the bandmembers focus on other projects.

Writing for the follow-up to "The Last Hero" will begin next year, with tentative plans to release the effort in 2019.

Pictured in photo below (left to right): Billie Klein (Napalm Records), Myles Kennedy, Tim Tournier (manager)

A new trailer video for the Iron Maiden: Legacy Of The Beast game can be seen below. The mobile game is now available on iOS and Android platforms.

Developed in close collaboration with Iron Maiden's management, players take on the role of the band's iconic mascot, Eddie, in his many forms - each with unique abilities. Players explore new worlds, travel through time, and battle a cast of dramatic and engaging characters drawn from the expansive catalogue of Maiden's albums and art. Gameplay is enhanced with a soundtrack using songs spanning the band's entire career, including previously unheard live recordings of Iron Maiden classics adapted for the game by engineer Tony Newton under the close scrutiny of bassist and founding member Steve Harris.

See Ironmaidenlegacy.com for more details.

Going into the last few dates of their North American Rage On The Stage! tour, I Prevail have released their video for "Already Dead", starring Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass. Directed by Samuel Halleen, the video features Gass as a vengeful internet troll creating mayhem in the I Prevail world, intent on harassing them online. The band ultimately turns the tables on the social media evildoer as the story unfolds. Watch the video below.

"We wanted to make a video for 'Already Dead' because it gets a great reaction live and is so much fun to play," lead-guitarist, Steve Menoian, explains. "When Kyle Gass agreed to collaborate with us, it became a bucket list dream come true."

The band is currently on their Rage On The Stage! North American tour, which kicked off in early September. With only seven more shows remaining, the band will start 2018 working on their second full-length follow-up to their debut album, Lifelines. To date, Lifelines has sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.

Tour dates:

November
24 - Masonic Temple - Detroit, MI
25 - Pieres - Fort Wayne, IN
26 - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, MI
28 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
29 - Express Live - Columbus, OH

December
1 - The Cotillion - Wichita, KS
2 - 7 Flags Event Centre - Clive, IA

Greek black metallers Varathron are working on their sixth studio album, Patriarchs Of Evil, and today have released the first video from the recording sessions. Watch drummer Haris record drums at Infinite Loop Music Studio in Ioannina (Greece) and hear fragments of new pre-production songs below.

Varathron commented: "We are very excited to announce that the recordings of our upcoming album Patriarchs Of Evil have come to an end and we are already in the mixing process! Drums were recorded once again at Infinite Loop Music Studio in Ioannina, Greece. In the video you can see some great moments capturing Haris' performance. Rest of the recordings took place at Crown Audio Conspiracies along with the mixing and mastering of the album which is scheduled to be delivered to Agonia Records this December. The cover artwork is in progress by master Juanjo Castellano - well known for his amazing art and previous work with Varathron.

"Patriarchs Of Evil contains eight tracks and we promise that it will be a true heavy, blasphemous and unique masterpiece. 2018 is our 30th year anniversary and we plan to make it really, really special!"

Varathron was formed in 1988. The band's early albums are considered as cornerstones of the Hellenic black metal scene, alongside releases of Necromantia and Rotting Christ, with whom the group shared members and similar fascination towards early style.

Varathron's trademark are mid-paced riffs that have a classic, old-school feel strengthened by a progressive view, as well as epic atmosphere that only few can match.

The bands last studio album, Untrodden Corridors Of Hades, was released in 2014. Listen below:

Lineup:

Stefan Necroabyssious - vocals
Achilleas C - guitars
Sotiris - guitars
Stratos - bass
Haris - drums

Germany's Powerwolf are heavily back at work on their seventh studio album. Set to be released in 2018 via Napalm Records, Powerwolf have finished the songwriting for their follow-up to Blessed & Possessed, and will enter Fascination Street Studios in January to record the album together with producer Jens Bogren (Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Kreator).

"It feels exciting and spurring to have one of our all-time fave producers working with us on this adventure. Can't wait to record a truly epic new chapter of the metal mass - be forewarned!," says guitarist Matthew Greywolf.

Powerwolf's history of success is a metal fairytale: Thanks to lifeblood, passion and talent the band has gathered an enormous amount of followers with until now six albums and uncountable captivating live gigs. With their latest records placed in the Top 3 of the German album charts, a number #1 live DVD, sold-out headliner shows and frenetically celebrated festival gigs all over Europe, Powerwolf prove: metal is religion, and the wolves will continue to lead the holy metal mass. Amen & attack!

Israeli progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND will release their new studio album, "Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs", on January 26, 2018 via Century Media. Jens Bogren once again took over mixing and mastering duties of what turned out to be the band's best and biggest production so far.

"Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs" features a guest appearance of guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett as well as guest vocal appearances by no other than Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN) and Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES). The great album artwork was created by Valnoir.

A teaser for "Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs" is available below.

Singer and frontman Kobi Farhi comments: "Our music has always been a combination of anger, tragedy, protest and joy.

"We can't wait for you to hear the thirteen brand new tracks of this album. As always, it will be very eclectic — no song sounds like the other and the whole album is a one big musical journey.

"We feel that this album takes our feelings to a new level of anger, protest and tragedy.

"The cover speaks for itself and it was made as tribute to the way governments design their money."

"Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs" track listing:

01. The Cave02. We Do Not Resist03. In Propaganda04. All Knowing Eye05. Yedidi06. Chains Fall To Gravity07. Like Orpheus08. Poets Of Prophetic Messianism09. Left Behind10. My Brother's Keeper11. Take My Hand12. Only The Dead Have Seen The End Of War13. The Manifest - Epilogue

The release of "Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs" will be followed by an extensive European tour in early 2018 with IN VAIN, SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE and AEVUM.

ORPHANED LAND is:

Kobi Farhi - VocalsChen Balbus - GuitarIdan Amsalem - GuitarZelcha - BassMatan Shmuely - Drums

Italian power metal band, Arthemis, performed inside the Bullhead City Circus at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2014. Professionally filmed video of the band's full set can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Scars On Scars"
"Still Awake"
"We Fight"
"Blood Of Generations"
"Empire"
"7 Days"
"Vortex"

German true metal outfit Wizard released their new album, Fallen Kings, earlier this year via Massacre Records. A full album stream can be found below.

Fallen Kings was mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler at Indiscreet Audio. The artwork was created by Aldo Requena (Feanor, Black Majesty, Paragon).

Tracklisting:

"Liar And Betrayer"
"We Are The Masses"
"Live Your Life"
"Brothers In Spirit"
"White Wolf"
"Wizard Until The End"
"Father To Son"
"Let Us Unite"
"Frozen Blood"
"You're The King"

Album stream:

“Liar And Betrayer” lyric video:

Finnish cinematic metal band, Dark Sarah, is preparing their third album, The Golden Moth, which is scheduled to be released next year. Check out a short audio teaser below:

The band recently announced the first guest for the album, Zuberoa Aznárez from Diabulus In Musica, who will be singing the role of a fierce goddess called Iron Mask. Watch the video below:

Dark Sarah recently launched a crowdfunding campaign pre-sale for the album.

The band also released the music video for "Trespasser” with JP Leppäluoto, the first single from the upcoming album. Watch the clip here.

The third Dark Sarah album, The Golden Moth, is the last part of the first trilogy (The Chronicles). The trilogy tells about Dark Sarah's travel through three worlds: The Middle World (Behind The Black Veil album), The Underworld (The Puzzle album) and The Upper World (The Golden Moth album).

On The Golden Moth album, Dark Sarah has to face the final test and find her way to the gods in the Upper World. After she had solved the puzzle in The Underworld and found the three keys, the Iron birds came there for her and took her to the Upper World, a deserted waste land where the gods rule. But also a trespasser, The Dragon, came with her. In the heat of the desert they meet again and there is something The Dragon wants from her..

JP Leppäluoto (Charon) has joined the official lineup as The Dragon for the upcoming album. Also in the roles of The Gods you will hear featuring artists as Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus In Musica) and a yet unnamed guest.

Dark Sarah official lineup:

Heidi Parviainen (as Dark Sarah) - vocals
JP Leppäluoto (as Dragon) - vocals
Erkka Korhonen - guitar
Sami Salonen - guitar
Rude Rothstén - bass
Thomas Tunkkari - drums

Crowdfunding campaign video:

The self-titled debut album from Lione/Conti will be released on January 26th. The first video from the album, for the song "Ascension", is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album here.

Alessandro Conti is the voice of the Italian power metal band Trick Or Treat and in 2011 was tapped as the voice of Luca Turilli's Rhapsody (Ascending To Infinity and Prometheus).

Fabio Lione is the original and defining voice of Rhapsody, fronting the band from 1995 until his departure in 2016, having voiced all the band's albums to date, including the classics Legendary Tales, Symphony Of Enchanted Lands, and Dawn Of Victory. Lione is currently reunited with former Rhapsody members Luca Turilli, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth on the Rhapsody Reunion tour. Fabio is also known for his work with Angra, Kamelot, and Eternal Idol.

Now, for the first time the two voices of the Rhapsody universe, and longtime friends, have joined together for the new project Lione/Conti, continuing the show the same power metal passion that has defined each vocalist's career. Teaming up with DGM guitarist/composer, and producer, Simone Mularoni who composed and produced the album, these songs have a heavier and definitive power metal vibe.

"I think that 'Ascension' is the perfect song to introduce the sound of this new project: great melodies and solo and a catchy refrain. It is the opener of the album, so for the first time people can hear me duet with Fabio. We also recorded a video for this one where we spent a day together with Fabio and Simone with a big green screen. When I saw the final result, I just said "WOW!!!" it's really impressive, I'm sure people will like it," says Conti about the song and video.

"I had a very good time in the studio with Simone Mularoni. We have known each other for years and there is a strong connection between us. So everything was cool, relaxed and fluent. Together we have finalized some vocal melodies and ideas and I think we did a great job in the studio. We spent 2 days together recording and thinking about ideas, and then Alessandro came into the studio to work on his parts. In general we are really happy about the result and the sound of the album," says Lione.

Mularoni adds, "It's been really challenging but also very rewarding writing songs for 2 singers like Fabio and Alessandro. But together we crafted a very inspired and fresh melodic album, with epic moments and also fast/in your face stuff! All the process was smooth and working with these great friends and professionals, it was really a blast."

Tracklisting:

"Ascension"
"Outcome"
"You're Falling"
"Somebody Else"
"Misbeliever"
"Destruction Show"
"Glories"
"Truth"
"Gravity"
"Crosswinds"

"Ascension" video:

Band lineup:

Fabio Lione - Vocals
Alessandro Conti - Vocals
Marco Lanciotti - Drums
Filippo Martignano - Keyboards
Simone Mularoni - Guitars, Bass

Guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) of Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR spoke to Metal Shock Finland about the status of the band's upcoming long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "Abrahadabra" album. "Everything is pretty much set to go," he said. We're still in the final stages of getting everything, artwork-wise, ready, [as well as] photos, videos, stuff like that. So, things are taking a bit of time. I guess after seven years, a little bit more waiting doesn't hurt too much, hopefully."

He continued: "We feel that we're sitting on the best album that we could possibly do at this time, and personally, I think it's definitely our best album to date. Obviously, that's something that everybody says, but if I didn't believe that we would do our best album, there wouldn't really be any point doing a new one. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it, and I know that quite a few fans will probably be positively surprised. And, yeah, we can't wait to get this stuff off the ground and get going.”

Asked when fans can expect the new DIMMU BORGIR disc to be released, Silenoz said: "Well, I would say… When we spoke last time, I said something about around this time [laughs] or November of 2017, but now I think it's gonna be the first half of 2018, the way it looks now. We're really looking forward to have it out."

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dimmu-borgirs-new-album-to-arrive-in-early-2018-everything-is-pretty-much-set-to-go.html#RkdbIAdiQSrULYev.99

DIMMU BORGIR's latest release was the "Forces Of The Northern Night" DVD, which was made available in April via Nuclear Blast. The set contains two of the band's live performances: their legendary show in Oslo, presenting DIMMU BORGIR on stage with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and a bombastic choir, as well as their entire performance at Wacken Open Air festival in 2012 in Wacken, Germany with almost a hundred musicians on stage.

"We were lucky that 'Forces Of The Northern Night' was something of a layover, I guess you can call it," Silenoz told Metal Shock Finland. "I was really happy about the response to that; there's been great feedback all over, so we're really happy about that too."

Silenoz told Rock 'N' Roll Journalist this past summer that all the writing on the new DIMMU BORGIR album was done by the core trio of Silenoz, vocalist Shagrath and guitarist Galder. "We had a little bit of assistance from the keyboard player, but it was less on this album than it was on the previous one," Silenoz said. "That seems to be working best and it means there's less cooks in the kitchen. [Laughs]"

As for the musical direction of DIMMU BORGIR's next effort, Silenoz, said: "I think it's safe to say that [the parts that are] more epic and majestic are more epic and majestic, and the same goes for the brutal sound of DIMMU and also the primitive and more black metal sound of DIMMU is more black metal this time around. So you will have the more extremes of each part that we are known for."

Shagrath concurred, telling Antihero magazine earlier in the year that DIMMU BORGIR's new disc will contain "a lot of the elements which DIMMU BORGIR are known for, so I think the fans will not be disappointed. It also includes a lot of themes and riff ideas that you can link back to '93. So, it's like a combination of different themes throughout the history of DIMMU BORGIR. It also has a lot of symphonic elements and we are using a big choir on this new record, and it's also darker, more atmospheric, more primitive, more black metal."

Shagrath elaborated on the musical direction of the new DIMMU BORGIR album, saying it's "a mixture of everything, but in DIMMU BORGIR you can expect the unexpected. That's how we like to, when we do something we want to, there is no limits for where we can take it, in which direction, and that's how we want it to be, it needs to be. It's progressive also, the new album, but it also includes a lot of atmosphere, as I said. Elements from like the riff atmospheres from 'Enthrone Darkness Triumphant' [1997] album and the 'For All Tid' [1995], the debut record, and all that stuff. So, it's a good combination of it all, but at the same time, it's also progressive, and that's very important for us as artists to stretch the limits and try out new stuff. We are a band, we have never been afraid of going into new directions and as an artist, it's also important to not try to repeat yourself too much, because then it would be boring. But we are not a band like AC/DC, where you buy an album and you know what to expect. But DIMMU BORGIR are quite different, even though I'm a fan of AC/DC."

A five-minute official video recap of LINKIN PARK's tribute concert to the band's late frontman Chester Bennington can be seen below. The performance took place on October 27 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and saw LINKIN PARK return to the stage for the first time since Bennington took his own life this past July.

Proceeds from the concert, which was billed as "Linkin Park And Friends Celebrate Life In Honor Of Chester Bennington", will go to Music For Relief's One More Light Fund in memory of Bennington.

Among the artists that appeared at the show were Jonathan Davis of KORN, Oliver Sykes from BRING ME THE HORIZON, M. Shadows and Synyster Gates from AVENGED SEVENFOLD, all the members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN except Serj Tankian, members of BLINK-182, Machine Gun Kelly, ex-YELLOWCARD singer Ryan Key, pop singer and LINKIN PARK collaborator Kiiara and more.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening was a spine-tingling rendition of LINKIN PARK's 2001 track "In The End", which saw the band encourage fans to sing Bennington's vocal part.

Prior to playing the track, LINKIN PARK's Mike Shinoda addressed the crowd. "Our special guest on this one is our favorite special guest of the whole night," he said. "And that's fucked up to say because of all these great people that have come out tonight, and if I say that, then that makes them look bad. But I do mean our favorite guests — it's you guys."

A speech from Chester's wife Talinda followed the song. She said: "What an incredible show this has been. Chester and I always loved bringing people together and he was filled with joy when our house was full of family, friends, kids, dogs, cats, birds, turtles — the more the merrier. And he would have loved all of this tonight." She went on to thank her late husband, management, family members, the band and fans across the world for their support, saying: "And to you LINKIN PARK's fans, thank you. Chester always said LINKIN PARK fans were the best, and you know what? He was absolutely fucking right. In the past fourteen weeks, you have lifted each other up. You have lifted me up. You have lifted our children up. From memorials around the world to supporting every day as our family on Twitter, and spreading the love with the hashtags #MakeChesterproud and #fuckdepression."

She continued: "Two of the things that brought Chester the most joy in life were spending time with his family and doing whatever he could to help others. He was incredibly proud of the work done through Music For Relief — he knew it saved lives. And saving lives is exactly what we plan to do in Chester's memory.

"It is time we recognize that mental health is as important as our physical health. It is my mission to make it easier to have access to mental health resources."

Bennington was found dead on July 20 after committing suicide at his home in Palo Verdes Estates, California.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/linkin-park-official-video-recap-of-memorial-concert-for-chester-bennington.html#3lF6Os0YkDPjMIua.99

Italian symphonic power metal veterans, Dark Horizon, have released a lyric video for the song "Future World", the first single taken from the band’s new album, Aenigma. Jonny Lindqvist, vocalist of Swedish melodic metallers Nocturnal Rites, is a very special guest on the track.

Watch the video, realized by Jahnvision, below:

Aenigma is produced by Daniele Mandelli (Forgotten Tomb, Tragodia, Adramelch) and mastered by Jacob Hansen (Kamelot, Epica, Amaranthe) and will be available next month via Underground Symphony Records / Tanzan Music in digital download, digipak and 150 copies of a limited edition boxset with a DH symbol pendant.

More details to follow.

German thrash titans Kreator partnered with Record Store Day to release a Black Friday exclusive. On November 24th, a limited edition (1,000 copies) of “Hail To The Hordes” on picture disc vinyl will be available exclusively at your local indie record stores.

In celebration of the release, the band offers a music video for “Hail To The Hordes" which highlights the bands hometown show at Grugahalle in Essen, Germany from last March. The video was directed by Matthias Kollek of Vault Video. Watch the clip below.

To find a participating retailer in your area, check out the following websites:

- US
- Canada

"Hail To The Hordes" is off the bands highly-acclaimed 14th album, Gods Of Violence. It was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Jens Bogren, who also mixed the record at renowned Fascination Street Studios. Mastering was also completed at Fascination Street Studios by Tony Lindgren.

Angry Robert Plant fans complained of overcrowding after some members of the audience collapsed at a Midland gig, reports Birmingham Mail.

Officials confirmed a “small number” of people fainted due to the heat during the West Bromwich-born Led Zeppelin frontman’s performance at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in Wolverhampton, England on Monday night, November 20th.

The city council said ventilation and heating improvements were planned at the 80-year-old venue.

Read the full story at birminghammail.co.uk.

Robert Plant will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Americana Music Association UK. It is the group's highest honor and goes to a UK artist for outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of a career.

The UK Americana Awards show will take place on February 1st, 2018, at the Hackney Empire in East London. The AMA-UK is a professional trade association representing and advocating for the voice of American Roots music in the UK.

Plant's new album Carry Fire is out now via Nonesuch/Warner Bros. at all music retailers and streaming services. You can order the album here.

Robert Plant tour dates:

November
22 - Llandudno, UK - Venue Cymru
24 - Newcastle, UK - City Hall
25 - Liverpool, UK - Olympia
27 - Glasgow, UK - SEC Armadillo
28 - Perth, UK - Concert Hall
30 - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo

December
2 - Belfast, Ireland - Ulster Hall
6 - Sheffield, UK - City Hall
8 - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall
11 - Portsmouth, UK - Guildhall
12 - Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall

February
9 - Raleigh, NC - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
11 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
12 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
14 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
16 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
17 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
20 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
22 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
24 - Denver, CO - Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
26 - Phoenix, AZ - Symphony Hall
28 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater

March
2 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre

Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and Firewind mastermind Gus G. has signed a worldwide deal with AFM Records; for his solo band, Gus G.

“I'm very excited & happy to confirm that I've signed a worldwide solo record deal with one of Europe's premier record labels, AFM Records! In my opinion, AFM is one of the few labels today that care for artist development, their team is really passionate about what they do and they have fresh and exciting ideas. We briefly worked together on Firewind's Immortals album for the North American territory and now I'm looking forward to the full scale collaboration on my next solo album”, Gus G. states.

A brand new studio album is in the making currently and will be released in April 2018.

But before, Gus G. will play a North American tour with Vinnie Moore, kicking off on November 28th in Derry, New Hampshire - presenting a surprising, brand new power trio line-up for the very first time: Gus will be joined by Dennis Ward on bass / vocals and Richie Monica on drums.

“Metal fans might know Dennis as the bass player from the bands Unisonic and Pink Cream 69”, says Gus. “What people might not know about him is that he's a multi-talented songwriter, producer AND singer. Since me and Dennis have been working on songs for Firewind's latest album release but also now on my upcoming solo record, I only felt it was natural to invite him to play this music with me on stage. So, obviously forming a power trio is a new setup and we're really looking forward to rocking the US crowds this Winter but also with my upcoming album tour cycle.”

AFM Records A&R Timo Hoffmann: “After releasing Firewind’s latest studio album Immortals in North America earlier this year, we are beyond excited that Gus decided to make AFM the new label home for his solo career as well. No words needed to praise the man’s qualities - Gus was a household name and highly acclaimed musician/songwriter long before he joined Ozzy’s band. Ever since its inception, he is the driving force behind Firewind and in addition has established a solo career, delivering outstanding up-to-date hard rock with finesse. Fans can look forward to a fantastic new Gus G. album which will see the light of day in April 2018.”

Tour dates:

November
28 - Derry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall
30 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom

December
1 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
2 - Joliet. IL - The Forge
3 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall     
6 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
7 - Brooklyn, NY - St Vitus  
8 - Stanhope, NJ - Stanhope House
9 - Somerville, MA - Once Ballroom

AC/DC guitarist and co-founder Malcolm Young will be farewelled by family and friends at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday, November 28th, reports NEWS.com.au.

Young died peacefully on Saturday, November 18th at age 64 after years of suffering with dementia. It is believed his family, who have always shunned the public spotlight, has requested the funeral not be broadcast so they can mourn the rocker privately.

Young’s funeral will be held at 11 AM on the same day as the annual celebration of Australian music, the ARIA Awards. The funeral is expected to be attended by the extended Young family, who had to farewell Malcolm’s older brother George, the co-founder of the Easybeats, only last month.

Read more at NEWS.com.au.

AC/DC issued the following statement upon Malcolm's passing: "Today it is with deep heartfelt sadness that AC/DC has to announce the passing of Malcolm Young. Malcolm, along with Angus, was the founder and creator of AC/DC. With enormous dedication and commitment, he was the driving force behind the band. As a guitarist, songwriter and visionary, he was a perfectionist and a unique man. He always stuck to his guns and did and said exactly what he wanted. He took great pride in all that he endeavored. His loyalty to the fans was unsurpassed."

Young struggled with the onset of dementia for a period of time prior to being admitted to full-time nursing care in Sydney, Australia beginning in 2014.

Angus Young: "As his brother, it is hard to express in words what he has meant to me during my life, the bond we had was unique and very special. He leaves behind an enormous legacy that will live on forever."

DEF LEPPARD has commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2015's self-titled album.

"Def Leppard" was the band's first studio effort since "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" in 2008.

During a brand new interview with Classic Rock Revisited, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen stated about the band's plans for the next LP: "We've started writing. We have three songs on the go. Rick Savage [bass] has one, a verse that he sent me. I was messing around with some melodies for that too, and Joe [Elliott, vocals] has this amazing idea and I have this one that's kind of finished. I have melodies, a chorus and all the guitar parts. So we've started, officially, without even knowing it, the next DEF LEPPARD album."

According to Collen, DEF LEPPARD has "already started recording" material for its next release. "That takes a lot of the pressure off it," he explained. "I never get writer's block because I always stay busy. The great thing about music now is you can do it anytime with your computer. It's going to be awesome."

Collen added that the new DEF LEPPARD music will "come out in drips and drabs. It'll probably be a traditional album, but you never know," he said. "If someone says we need a new DEF LEPPARD song, we'll put it out. It's great to have every option available."

"Def Leppard" entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 10 with first-week sales of just over 30,000 units — nearly all from pure album sales.

Shred lord Michael Angelo Batio, who rose to fame in the '80s with Nitro, pays tribute to Eddie Van Halen in a new video showcasing his DV 250 Little M. Check it out below.

Batio also paid tribute to Metallica in a video clip, this time showcasing his DV Mark Multiamp:

Reactivated ‘80s rockers Nitro have released their first new song since 1992 with “It Won’t Die”. Alongside original members Jim Gillette (vocals) and Michael Angelo Batio (guitars), Lamb Of God drummer Chris Adler and bassist Victor Wooten are also in the fold. Check out the track below.

Joining Team Nitro is multi-Grammy Award nominee, Kane Churko, who's songwriting, producing and engineering credentials are second-to-none. Churko has worked with Ozzy Osborne, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Hellyeah, Papa Roach and more.

In addition to producing the new Nitro album, Churko will also be contributing his songwriting talents.

"It's exciting to be part of Nitro's evolution and the opportunity to record a legendary vocalist such as Jim Gillette was not one I wanted to pass up. We've had a lot of fun working on new music together at The Hideout Recording Studio. I really think it's going to please old and new fans alike. With such a phenomenal lineup, it should be evident that Nitro is back and ready to compete with the best-of-the-best.", said Churko.

A release date for the new Nitro album, currently being recorded, is forthcoming.

KISS Kruise VII sailed out of New Orleans to Costa Maya and Cozumel on Norwegian Pearl from November 5th - 10th, 2017. Fan-filmed video of Extreme's entire pool deck set on the Kruise can be viewed below. 

Their setlist was as follows:

"Warheads"
"Get the Funk Out"
"It('s A Monster)"
"Rest in Peace"
"Kid Ego"
"Play With Me"
"Midnight Express"
"More Than Words"
"Cupid's Dead"
"Am I Ever Gonna Change"
"Hole Hearted" / "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
"Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee"
"He-Man Woman Hater"(tease)
"Decadence Dance"

History was made in the world of KISS, arguably the biggest rock band in the world, when brothers Bob and Bruce Kulick joined the KISS Kruise for the first time in the seven years the getaway has taken place.

"Our appearance on Kiss Kruise 7 the first night on the Main Deck (“Sail Away “ Stage) was one of our most exciting and memorable gigs in my life," says Bob.  "And I know my brother feels the same way about it!"  

Just hours after the performance, the internet lit up when Kruise passengers began posting and sharing live video of the Kulick Brothers' show, which overwhelmingly was regarded as the strongest of the week.

The band (also comprised of vocalist / bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz) had one rehearsal and one chance to put a set list together for the show.  "It was a very personal walk down memory lane," Bob states. "Especially with these songs, since we played on the original recorded versions of every one of them."

"It was, of course, also a treat to play with Brent Fitz, who was our anchor for the show as well as bassist and vocalist Todd Kerns, who happens to be the singer on my single, "Rich Man," which just went to radio this week."  

Setlist from KISS Kruise VII:

“All American Man”
“Hide Your Heart”
“Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me”
“Domino”
“Larger Than Life”
“Tears Are Falling”
“Nowhere To Run”
“Tough Love”
“Tonight You Belong To Me”
“Who Wants To Be Lonely”
“Crazy Nights”
“Turn On The Night”
“Goodbye”

Fan-filmed video:

“All American Man”:

“Who Wants To Be Lonely”:

“Goodbye”:

SikTh return on December 1st with an exclusive expansion to their awesome studio album, The Future in Whose Eyes? This edition includes three exclusive live mixes from their massive performance at ArcTanGent 2017, two re-imagined songs and one instrumental. Watch a video trailer below.

Sikth are back! The Watford mathcore sextet that stumbled upon a sound unexplored, who devised their own Morse code of metal – one that mushroomed into labyrinthine detours and tangents, that ultimately lead to the birth of the djent metal, the band’s whose legacy gave the inspiration for bands like Protest The Hero, TesseracT, Animals As Leaders and Periphery after their hiatus in 2007, are back, with one of the finest albums of 2017 - The Future In Whose Eyes?

Released on Millennium Night, the newly created label imprint from Snapper Music, home of Peaceville Records & Kscope.

Dan Weller, SikTh’s guitarist and producer proudly states "Ever since SikTh was formed way back at the turn of the century we've tried to self improve as musicians and as song writers. We take our music very seriously. This record feels like the one we've always wanted to make. We spent over a year writing it and pushed ourselves extremely hard - sometimes too hard. Opacities was the rebirth of SikTh but 'The Future...' is our statement - I want this album to define us. I don't care how over ambitious it sounds - we want this record to be heard by every metal fan on the planet."

Listen / pre-order / pre-save here.

 

Swedish melodic rockers, JoNo, will release their new album, Life, on December 1st. Pre-order the new album here, and listen to the song "On The Other Side", available for streaming below.

The band says: “We are very thrilled and proud about our cooperation with Frontiers Music Srl, a label which is home to so many great artists we truly respect and admire. As a band, this is an excellent opportunity to reach the international markets we've been aiming for. We can't wait to release the coming album, and of course hit the stage to be heard and seen by a wider audience, meeting with old and new fans. See you all out there!'

JoNo started as a solo project of singer Johan Norrby (hence the moniker "JoNo"), who has been singing, writing, and playing music in various bands and projects over the years. This is very much true for all the members of the band. Guitarist Stefan Helleblad is also a member of Dutch symphonic sensations Within Temptation. Drummer Nicka Hellenberg actually played all the drums on Within Temptation's The Unforgiving and has an impressive resume involving bands and recordings. Both keyboard player Johan Carlgren and bass player Janne Henriksson are frequently hired for both live and studio sessions. Leo Olsson - also a busy musician - joined the band in 2015.

JoNo's music is hard to pinpoint. Maybe it's best described as melodic rock with symphonic and progressive elements, always based on strong melodies with bombastic arrangements. Dynamics and a contemporary, fat sound are important ingredients in the JoNo musical recipe. Their music has been said to show the influence of great artists like Queen, Supertramp, Kansas, Journey and Sparks, but above all the band has received a lot of credit and praise because of their unique sound.

Tracklisting:

“Sailors”
“Crown”
“No Return”
“On The Other Side”
“Downside”
“To Be Near You”
“My Love”
“The Magician”
“Trust”
“The March”

“On The Other Side”:

“Crown” lyric video:

“No Return” video:

Lineup:

Johan Norrby - lead vocals
Johan Carlgren - piano/keyboards
Stefan Helleblad - lead guitar, guitars
Leo Olsson - guitars
Janne Henriksson - bass
Nicka Hellenberg - drums