This fall, Profound Lore Records will unveil the sophomore full-length from psychedelic thrash unit, Vhöl. Titled Deeper Than Sky, the record finds the band - vocalist Mike Scheidt (Yob), guitarist John Cobbett (Hammers Of Misfortune, ex-Ludicra), bassist Sigrid Sheie (Hammers Of Misfortune, ex-Amber Asylum) and drummer Aesop Dekker (Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, ex-Ludicra) - at their most absorbing.

The seven-track follow up to 2013's self-titled debut was captured at Light Rail Studios and mastered at Trakworx Studio, both in San Francisco, and boasts the cosmic cover creation of Brandon Duncan which unites some of Cobbett's sketches and concepts with Duncan's original art, the results of which accurately encapsulate the mind-altering vibe of the music contained within.

"We recorded this album at Light Rail Studios, in a huge room on a beautiful 1970 Trident console onto Jerry Garcia's 2" tape deck. One cannot escape the Grateful Dead in San Francisco recording studios - their gear is all over town," elaborates the band of the recording process. "The mixing was rather primitive with no plug-ins and all effects were done by old pedals, tape echo, and large reverb plates. Another thing that was large and huge during recording was our bass player who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time."

Deeper Than Sky tracklisting:

“The Desolate Damned”
“3AM”
“Deeper Than Sky”
“Paino”
“Red Chaos”
“Lightless Sun”
“The Tomb”
 
Vhöl was forged from the ashes of Pentagram cover band, Parallelogram, which featured Mr. Hate of Noothgrush on vocals, Cobbett on guitar, Sheie on bass, and Dekker on drums. They disbanded when the real Pentagram arose from the grave. Finding themselves unable to keep the tempos under control anyway, they took to thrash and started penning originals. Eventually, Scheidt came on board to take over vocals. When their self-titled debut album was released in 2013, the effort was a surprise to many who didn't expect what Vhöl would initially sound like from their pedigree alone.

With Deeper Than Sky, Vhöl picks up from their debut crafting something totally next level, pushing their already-singular sound to the outer-realms of sonic exploration within the paradigm of old school speed metal. Vhöl’s Deeper Than Sky will be released via Profound Lore on October 23rd, with pre-orders and teaser tracks to be revealed in the weeks to come.

 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has released Lullaby Versions Of Bon Jovi via Roma Music Group. “Livin’ On A Prayer” can be heard streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“Bed Of Roses”
“Wanted Dead Or Alive”
“Always”
“Livin’ On A Prayer”
“You Give Love a Bad Name”
“It’s My Life”

Sweden’s Dead Lord released their new album, Heads Held High, via Century Media Records on August 21st. A full album stream can be found below

Heads Held High is released in the following formats:

1. Limited CD Digipak (matte cardboard, bonus track, logo patch)
2. Standard CD
3. Deluxe LP (180 g vinyl, inside-out print, inlay, double-sided poster)
4. Digital download / stream

Here is the colour split of the LP version:

Orange vinyl: 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro Europe)
Red vinyl: 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro US)
Clear vinyl: 200 copies (exclusively available at High Roller Records)
Black vinyl: unlimited

The album’s artwork was created by Pol Abran / Branca Studio and can be seen below.

Heads Held High tracklisting:

“Farewell”
“Ruins”
“Mindless”
“No Regrets”
“Cold Hearted Madness”
“Strained Fools”
“When History Repeats Itself”
“The Bold Move”
“Don't Give A Damn”
“With Heads Held High”
“Burnin' For You” *

* Cover of Blue Öyster Cult classic, only available on limited Digipak version

Album stream:

“When History Repeats Itself” video:

Dead Lord have announced a special hometown release performance for Heads Held High, to take place on Saturday, August 29th at Geronimo’s FGT in Stockholm, Sweden with FREE ADMISSION. More details here.

Right in time for the release of the album, Dead Lord will conquer European stages together with Audrey Horne and Dead City Ruins. Dates can be found on the flyer below.

Dead Lord lineup:

Hakim Krim - Guitar and vocals
Olle Hedenström - Guitar
Martin Nordin - Bass
Adam Lindmark - Drums

A Bone Case For Papery Skin, the second album by the Danish experimental act Picture Ann, was released on CD by 9th Meridian Records on August 19th. The album is streaming in its entirety below.

The album is the second full-length assault following the 2010 debut album, Blaspheme 2009, and contains eight haunting and strangely unsettling songs of a lo-fi nature that will flush your day right down the toilet. The CD version contains a 12-minute bonus track entitled "Hjemkomst" that will drag all you moody suckers out there through the mental mud.

A Bone Case for Papery Skin tracklisting:

“Sanguinary Light”
“Last Ditch Believers”
“Rituals Of Decay”
“Shore Sermons”
“Ugly Siren”
“The Devastating Loneliness of Dante”
“The Surrender Of Four”
“Missings And Captures”
“Hjemkomst” (CD bonus track)

Album stream:

A Bone Case for Papery Skin by PICTURE ANN
 
The burden that is Picture Ann was conceived in 2009 by J.N. and is primarily inspired by raw black metal, lo-fi ambient, and the dark romantic writings of old ala Edgar Allan Poe.

American black metal legion, Abigail Williams, will release their first new full-length in three years via Candlelight Records on October 30th. Titled The Accuser and now featuring the punishing lineup of founding vocalist/guitarist Ken Sorceron (ex-Lord Mantis), guitarist Jeff Wilson (Wolvhammer, Chrome Waves, Doomsday, La Chant Funebre), and drummer Charlie Fell (Cobalt, ex-Lord Mantis, ex-Avichi) with recording bassist Will Lindsay (Indian, Lord Mantis, Anatomy Of Habit), the diseased offering was recorded, mixed and mastered in just five days by Sorceron at the band's home studio in Olympia, Washington, boasts a guest appearance by Neill Jameson (Krieg, Twilight) and includes the tripnotic cover renderings of Portland-based illustrator/tattoo artist, Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle, Taurus).
 
Corrosive and grim, Abigail Williams' The Accuser will quickly be viewed as the band's best effort since their genesis in Los Angeles in 2004. The eight hymns comprising The Accuser are bleak, dark, and infinitely engrossing.

 "It took three years to make this because I'm an indecisive bastard and I didn't want to make the same record again," confides Sorceron of the lengthy gap between full-lengths. "It felt unnatural to try and reproduce what I did on [2012's] Becoming," he continues, "which, up to that point I felt was our strongest album. So once again we are covering new ground with this release. The songs are the most personal to date with the themes mostly being about living shitty, addictions, sex, loss and failure all through the eyes of a nihilistic occultist shithead."

The Accuser tracklisting:

“Path Of Broken Glass”
“The Cold Lines”
“Of The Outer Darkness”
“Will, Wish And Desire”
“Godhead”
“Forever Kingdom Of Dirt”
“Lost Communion”
“Nuummite”

Abigail Williams has announced a fall tour with Today Is The Day. Set to begin September 11th at Metro Bar in Salt Lake City, the tour will visit 30 cities before it concludes October 16th in San Francisco.  Vocalist/guitarist Sorceron recently noted, "after a year off from touring, we are looking forward to getting in the van again”

Tour dates with Today Is The Day:

September
11 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar
12 - Denver, CO - Roxy Theater
13 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar
15 - Columbia, MO - The Social Room
16 - Milwaukee, WI - Hideout Bar
17 - Chicago, IL - Red Line Tap
18 - Detroit, MI - The Pike Room
19 - Toledo, OH - Iggy’s
20 - Lakewood, OH - The Foundry
22 - Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
23 - Toronto, ON - Hard Luck
24 - Ottawa, QC - Maverick’s
26 - Long Branch, NJ - Brighton Bar
27 - Brooklyn, NY - Bowery Electric
28 - Baltimore, MD - Club Orpheus
30 - Raleigh, NC - Southland Ballroom

October
1 - Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero
2 - Tampa, FL - Epic Problem
3 - Margate, FL - O’Malley’s
4 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
5 - Pensacola, FL - Handlebar
7 - San Antonio, TX - Korova
8 - Ft. Worth, TX - Rail Club
9 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog Bar
10 - Abilene, TX - Rose Park Activity Bldg.
11 - Albuquerque, NM - Blu Phoenix Venue
13 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe’s Grotto
14 - W. Hollywood, CA - The Whiskey
15 - Las Vegas, NV - Dive Bar
16 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge

One of the forerunners of the currently thriving Portuguese black metal scene, Onirik, will release its long-awaited fourth album, Casket Dream Veneration, on October 23d as a split release between Altare Productions an Iron Bonehead Productions.

Onirik's first recordings in six years, Casket Dream Veneration represents a rebirth for mainman Gonius Rex. Long gone are the days of unapologetically raw production, sloppy performance, and mostly improvised songwriting. Instead, the characteristically wandering textures are thoroughly composed, dotted with detail and simmering, subtle nuance; joined by Soul Reaper on drums and The Heretic on bass, Gonius Rex leads a confident, compact performance, each player possessed and attuned to vibrations from beyond; and the production itself emits the foul stench of the crypt, but in rich, vivid tones that are as full-bodied as they come, and daresay even more than a bit "professional."

Indeed, Casket Dream Veneration is a trawl through the crypt, nameless and ancient, out of time eternal, heaving and breathing a medieval melancholy that gives way to utter madness. It is reverent of ageless black metal tradition, yet not shackled to tired tropes or meaningless reiteration; it makes no concessions to be anything more than a black metal record, but stresses the importance of its content regardless of how it is labelled. Simply, Casket Dream Veneration is every bit of its title, and Onirik is the guide through these catacombs of the mind, soul, and spirit.

CD artwork and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting:

“Requiem For A Profane Liberation”
“Invocation And Defiance”
“Reverent To The Flames”
“Casket Dream Veneration”
“Ascension And Descent”
“I Am Him But He's Not Me”
“Disputant By Enlightenment”
“Versos De Um Ritual”
 
CD version to be released first, with the vinyl edition to follow before the end of the year. The vinyl cover is as follows (same tracklisting):

As Gonius Rex explains, "This is an eight-song album, and its concept is truly related to this Onirik rebirth. Here, I assume my devotion and sing about the relations between my earthly being and the dreams that intoxicate my views. I observe the past and present and conjure the essential perceptions that led me to understand and pursue the fall, the separation between herd and free thinking. This album deals with a figurative Lucifer and the representation of an utter dark genesis that seems to regulate the whole spectre of existence, evil, relentless and astray from the concept of a goodwill and just 'god,' this infection that parts the sentiment of true immersion and beguiles the senses that should lead us through light and darkness when our real essence is the flame. This album is an offering. It serves as a key and my own entrance in the true Hell, where everything is clear, where strength prepares you for subsistence, where you dance with the flames that elaborate, where reality is a dream and dreams are reality. This is an object that guides my passage and prepares me to understand the seizing of this earthly existence - an object that represents everything, and that presents itself everywhere."

Further, he says, "The altar of which I commonly speak in the poetry was thought of in dreams, but as many other dreamlike predictions, it came to life and I was able to perform the initiation ritual in the place I'd written about. It was there, silently waiting for me. The photo session was taken in that place, hidden from the world and surrounded by the smell of death. This strong and fantastic coincidence allowed me to prove that Onirik serves the right of elucidation. It allows me to see beyond the common understanding and helps my dreams become reality some time after. This album reeks of anticipation, and as time goes by, it gains even more essence. It is actually like this; when you clear your thoughts and let your inner feelings flow freely, the object of your doing will only reflect your true self and true aspirations. Thus, I am curious to see what this album will tell me in the future. I will hold it dearly in my casket, venerating in dreams the essence that shone a light through this vessel, my body."

Metal Blade Records recently announced the signing of Australian thrash metal act, Harlott. Forged in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Harlott are the finest example of the thrash metal genre in recent years. Taking their influence from the 80's Bay Area thrash scene, and blending it with the Teutonic melody and grit, they focus on high energy, up tempo music with lyrical influence from war, religion, chaos, and the human condition. Unrivaled live concerts, an aggressive recognizable sound, clinical musicianship, and a classic 'Aussie' sense of humour have earned Harlott a strong and dedicated fan base, which continues to grow day to day.

Harlott's debut release Origin blew audiences away with its unrelenting speed, ferocious sound, and hook driven riffs, and did much to solidify Harlott as an up and coming force to be reckoned with. The four piece thrash outfit followed with a national tour, a string of Australian Heavy Metal Festival performances and a handful of support positions, including Germany's Accept and Megadeth's very own Dave Ellefson.

Their follow up release Proliferation only proves that the band means business, and could not only match their own fury, but even surpass it.

Check out the track “Cross Contamination”, streaming below. Pre-order Proliferation on CD, vinyl, or digitally at this location.

The band comments: "Harlott are extremely excited to be signing on with Metal Blade for the worldwide release of Proliferation. Metal Blade have worked with some of the most important and influential heavy metal bands of all time, and we feel absolutely privileged to have the opportunity of engaging with such dedicated persons from a record company that has been so vital to the history of our music."

Proliferation tracklisting:

“Proliferation”
“Denature”
“Systematic Reduction”
“Restless”
“The Fading Light”
“Lord Of War”
“Civil Unrest”
“Hellbent”
“Bloodlust”
“Cross Contamination”
“Legion”
“Means To An End”

“Cross Contamination”:

“Denature”:

Harlott are hungry for the world, and in October 2015 they will be dominating Europe with Canada's Annihilator, the first step in what is to be a long and grueling career in total devastation.

 

 

 

UK-based rockers, Federal Charm, will release their new album, Across The Divide, on October 2nd via Wire-Sound/Cargo Records. The follow-up to 2013’s debut album is being produced by Jon Green and Federal Charm. The blistering lead-off track, “Hercules”, will lead the charge and is to be released as a digital download on September 14th.

Drawing from a deep well, spanning the classic rock curve from the Allman Brothers to Zeppelin, with the indie blues of The Black Keys and the contemporary bluster of Rival Sons, Federal Charm are full of melodic twin-guitar twists and stop-start rhythms. Their fresh direction has turned many an industry head, describing the band as having the most cutting-edge sound in recent years.

Across The Divide tracklisting:

“Master Plan”
“Guess What”
“No More”
“These Four Walls”
“Hercules”
“Give Me Something”
“Silhouette”
“God, Forsaken”
“Push”
“The Thrill”
“Walk Away (Time & Time Again)”

Federal Charm will be extensively promoting Across The Divide throughout the fall of 2015 and on into 2016. Initially, in September and October, as special guests on the Joanne Shaw Taylor UK outing. 20 plus dates culminating in two sold-out shows at The Jazz Café, London. Thereafter, Federal Charm go it alone, headlining club dates and making festival appearances.

Federal Charm is:

Nick Bowden - Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica
Paul Bowe - Guitars, Banjo
L.D. Morawski - Bass
Danny Rigg - Drums, Percussion

Ulterium Records announce the signing of the US heavy metal band Millennial Reign to the label. Their new album, Carry The Fire, will be released on October 30th in Europe and North America on CD, LP and digital. The vinyl edition of Carry The Fire is strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide.

Millennial Reign was formed as a solo album project by Aska bassist Dave Harvey, and the self-titled debut album was released independently in 2012. After new members joined Millennial Reign the decision was made to make Millennial Reign a full band, rather than just a recording project.

Carry The Fire was mixed and mastered at Nomad Studio (King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus, Absu) and the artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Theocracy).

Carry The Fire tracklisting:

“Forever Changed”
“Way Up High”
“Millennial Reign”
“Men Stand Alone”
“Save Me”
“This Day”
“Will You”
“Innocent Cry”
“Not On My Own”
“I'll Try”

Album teaser:

Carry The Fire (CD/LP) can be pre-ordered at the Ulterium Records Store, here.

Millennial Reign is:

James Guest - Vocals
Dave Harvey - Guitars
Jason Donnelly - Guitars
Daniel Almagro - Bass
Wayne Stokely – Drums

In a new interview with MyGlobalMind.com, Firewind/Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Gus G. talks about the current situation of those two projects.

“Ozzy was doing some gigs this year. We were in South America last month or a few months ago and we have a few gigs in Mexico. We are doing Japan in November. However, I don’t think there is gonna be a lot coming out of Ozzy because he is going back to Black Sabbath to make another one I heard. That’s what they have been talking about so, you never really know with them, so I don’t make those kinds of plans with Ozzy.”

Read the interview at MyGlobalMind.com.

 

Progressive death metal legends, Sadist, have revealed the cover artwork and tracklisting for their new, long-awaited album, Hyaena.

Produced and mixed by Tommy Talamanca at Nadir Music Studios in Genova, Italy, Hyaena is a compelling mix of the band's traditional death metal and progressive influences with ethnic and tribal sounds, centred around an intriguing concept about one of Africa's most fascinating predators, whose legend says is ridden by the devil.

This is without any doubt the band's most mature, diverse and experimental album to date, in which every detail has been meticulously looked after, musically and visually (the beautiful front cover by painter Luca Orecchia and booklet design by Manuel Del Bono are both top notch).

Hyaena features a very special guest appearance by percussionist Jean N’Diaye, who will also follow the band on stage on the next tour, and will be available starting from October 16th on Scarlet Records.

Tracklisting:

“The Lonely Mountain”
“Pachycrocuta”
“Bouki”
“The Devil Riding the Evil Steed”
“Scavenger and Thief”
“Gadawan Kura”
“Eternal Enemies”
“African Devourers”
“Scratching Rocks”
“Genital Mask”

A video for the first single, “The Lonely Mountain”, will be released soon.

(photo - Svetlana Fomina)

Japanese symphonic death metal outfit Serenity In Murder, signed to Spiritual Beast, released a new studio album, The Highest Of Dystopia, on March 18th. They have released a video for the song "Await Me Your Oath", which can be viewed below.

The tracklist and audio samples for The Highest Of Dystopia is available below:

"Overture"
"Noticed This Is The Betrayal"
"All Behind You Are Enemies"
"Hurt Of Virtue"
"Martyr For An Age"
"Nocturnal Damned"
"Malefic Religion In Our Abyss"
"Await Me Your Oath"
"Under The Spell"
"The Highest Of Dystopia"

"The Rule"

Shaking up the Canadian Prairies with their heavy riffs, hooky vocals and speed demon double kicks, Alberta's Arrival Of Autumn has posted a new lyric video for their track "The Court Of Owls" in support of their latest album Shadows, check it out below.

Since early 2011, the band's versatile headbanging tunes has made them accessible to fans of rock to the most hardcore death metal moshpit. A band name inspired by Opeth lyrics (thanks to drummer Ty Fox) and influenced by various genres ranging from melodic death to groove metal to progressive to rock n’ roll, AOA’s catalogue has grown rapidly with two self-releases in 2014. First it was their debut EP Endless Nights in March followed by their ten track full length Shadows in September.

Touching on personal issues to triumphing demons as a band, Shadows with a dash of dark lyrics and tracks such as "The Court Of Owls" to "There’s No Angels Here" to the infectious chorus of "Like Fire" demonstrates AOA are not just evolving, but  are a live force raging to be discovered by the masses.

“We are just trying to make a record that’s a little different than what’s going on at the moment. It’s no secret there is an abundance of the exact same thing floating around and we would never add to that. We wanted to give them something exciting and different to listen to. The good thing about our album is you can take any 3 songs put them together and it’s great. Our CD doesn’t rely on having only a few good songs. Every song has the potential to be a single. It can be received any way and people will get what AOA is all about,” comments AOA vocalist Ty Fox.

Tracklisting:

“DanmnedNation”
“Selfish Sanity”
“Labryinth”
“Forget Me Now”
“Endless Nights”
“Like Fire”
“The Court Of Owls”
“Shadows”
“There’s No Angels Here”
“Fall In Ashes”

“Like Fire” lyric video:

Album stream:

Shadows by Arrival Of Autumn

 

 

 

VOCALIST BRUCE DICKINSON TO CAPTAIN AND PILOT A BOEING 747-400 JUMBO JET TO PLAY IN SIX OF THE SEVEN CONTINENTS TRAVELLING OVER 55,000 MILES (88,500km) AROUND THE GLOBE

“THE BOOK OF SOULS WORLD TOUR” IS EXPECTED TO VISIT AROUND 35 COUNTRIES
INCLUDING FIRST EVER CONCERTS IN CHINA AND EL SALVADOR

NEW STUDIO ALBUM “THE BOOK OF SOULS” IS RELEASED WORLDWIDE ON SEPT 4

IRON MAIDEN, whose new studio album The Book of Souls, their first for 5 years, will be released worldwide next week on Sept 4, are taking touring to a new level using a Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet (aka Queen of the Skies) for their World Tour next year. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson is currently in training for his licence to fly the massive four engine jet, which is almost twice the size and over three times the weight of the Boeing 757 used on previous tours in 2008/9/11 (see the comparison grid below of the Evolution of Ed Force One). The new Ed Force One will take the band, crew and over 12 tons of equipment more than 55,000 miles (88,500km) around the planet with concerts in six of the seven continents (Australasia, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe) with The Book of Souls World Tour 2016 expected to visit around 35 countries.

Details of the precise schedule are currently being finalised and we will commence announcements of specific dates for the different territories in a few weeks’ time. However we can reveal that The Book Of Souls World Tour will open in the U.S.A in late February with Ed Force One flying in for three shows before, in early March, heading into Central America visiting MEXICO, followed by a much anticipated first ever concert in EL SALVADOR and a return to COSTA RICA. Ed Force One then proceeds into South America for concerts in ARGENTINA, CHILE and a number of shows in BRAZIL before flying back to the USA at the end of March for ten more cities covering the USA and, of course, CANADA in the first two weeks of April.

A long awaited return to JAPAN follows later in April, and then the band are delighted to be playing their first ever shows in CHINA before heading to NEW ZEALAND and AUSTRALIA for a comprehensive tour during the first half of May. Shows in SOUTH AFRICA, Maiden’s first visit there with Bruce, will be the last port of call before Ed Force One heads to EUROPE for a very extensive tour starting in late May and finishing in early August. This will the first time Ed Force One has ever been used on any European Tour dates (other than Bruce’s Fan Club trips to shows) and will provide transport there for at least for the first few weeks.

Bruce Dickinson comments,
“When the opportunity arose from my friends at Air Atlanta Icelandic to lease a 747 for The Book of Souls World Tour, of course we jumped at the chance, who wouldn’t? The greatest benefit of travelling in a 747 is that because of its colossal size and freight capacity we can carry our stage production and all our stage equipment and desks in the cargo hold without having to make any of the immense structural modifications needed to do this on the previous 757, the extent of which fans will have noted on the Flight 666 DVD. Although in reality we cannot carry much more gear the savings in complexity, time and cost make using the 747 even more practical. All we will need to do is “paint” it and move a few seats around, with the added advantage that there is much more room for band and crew – our Krew can almost get a row of seats each to catch up on sleep on the flights! Furthermore, it is marginally faster 0.85 MACH and the range of around 7000NM (13,000 km) is much greater which means we will not have to make the refuelling stops we needed to with the 757.

“However, even though we have worked out the logistics of taking a plane of that immense size out on tour, I still have to learn to fly it before we can go anywhere! So, I’m currently doing my training to qualify as a pilot and Captain on a Boeing 747. I’m doing this at Cardiff Aviation, my aircraft maintenance facility in Wales, where we recently took possession of a rather splendid 747 simulator which I can’t wait to get practising on!

“We’re all really excited at the thought of bringing our brand new tour to fans who have never seen us play live before, and of course re-visiting all our old friends again too. You can rest assured we are all working hard to put together a spectacular show for our fans.”

The 747 is the world’s most recognisable airliner on account of its distinctive hump. With its impressive dimensions of 70.7m (232ft) length, 19.4m (63.6ft) height and a jaw-dropping wing span of 64.4m (211ft) this double-decker aircraft has a range of 13,450km (7,262nm).

Final dates, venues and ticket on sale times, along with full details of what Maiden fans can expect from The Book Of Souls World Tour, will be announced by territory starting in a few weeks’ time. As usual, where feasible, IRON MAIDEN Fan Club members will have exclusive access to purchase tickets before they go on general sale. Also, wherever possible, the Fan Club will again be running the First To The Barrier draw for privileged, early access to the venue to secure the best standing positions by or close to the barrier.

The Book Of Souls is Maiden’s 16th, and first ever, double studio album and is released 4 September through Parlophone Records (BMG in the US)

Fly-on-the-wall footage of METALLICA's August 20 performance in Bergen, Norway can be seen below. The 17-minute clip, which was shot by a MetOnTour reporter, includes soundcheck footage, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo in the meet-and-greet, pre-show tuning-room footage, and "The Day That Never Comes" from the show.

METALLICA currently has six dates on its calendar between now and mid-September, including two shows in Quebec City, Canada and an appearance at the Rock In Rio festival.

The band has reportedly been working on its tenth studio album, which will follow up 2008's "Death Magnetic".

METALLICA has made available for purchase a limited-edition box set containing 50 CDs that chronicle the band's tours of Australia and New Zealand in 2010 and 2013. The set features recordings of 62 different METALLICA originals and covers from 25 different shows, each on two discs, and retails for a hefty $395.

Despite insisting that work has been proceeding on a new CD, METALLICA has spent a lot of time outside the studio in the last year, with activities that included a string of European all-request shows last summer, a week-long residency on "The Late Show With Craig Ferguson", and a Rock In Rio USA stint.

METALLICA has not revealed when it plans to begin recording or tentatively release the new album.

Legendary guitarist Tony MacAlpine has announced the postponement of his previously scheduled tours in Asia and Australia. He explains in a statement: "Last week I was taken to the hospital with severe stomach pains. Following blood work, multiple MRI scans and various procedures, medical doctors discovered a large mass in my intestine, and it seems likely that we are dealing with cancer. My doctors have advised me that this will need to be dealt with immediately, and I am scheduled for surgery this week. Recovery from this surgery will take a month — right when I was scheduled to tour the Australasian region."

He continues: "Providing all goes well, it is our understanding I should be well enough to perform on the coming European tour.

"For Australia and Asia, we are working on rescheduling the shows. We will advise you as soon as possible when the new dates are booked."

MacAlpine adds: "We apologize for any inconvenience these tour postponements have caused, but I'm determined to make these dates up, and rock your city soon!"

In his 29-year career, MacAlpine has redefined instrumental hard rock, jazz-fusion and heavy metal for a generation of progressive-minded music fanatics. Whether it's been as a solo artist, or with the progressive supergroup PSMS (with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian); the mind-bending metal fusion band PLANET X (with Derek Sherinian and Virgil Donati); the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group CAB; or in the band of another guitar hero Steve Vai, MacAlpine has continued to evolve and set the bar exceedingly high.

On April 21, Tony released his highly anticipated opus "Concrete Gardens" (SunDog Records), featuring 12 tracks of complex, intricate, yet hook-laden melodies, blinding solos and crushing 7- and 8-string guitar riffs, complemented by his own equally exceptional keyboards. This is built atop a formidable rhythmic foundation laid down by Brazilian drum sensation Aquiles Priester (PRIMAL FEAR, HANGAR, ANGRA).

Rounding out the rhythm section is bassist Pete Griffin (SHINING, GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA, ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA), along with guest appearances by bassists Sean Delson (FOZZY, STUCK MOJO), Lucky Islam and MacAlpine himself. Guitar virtuoso Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, CONQUERING DYSTOPIA, ex-NEVERMORE) guests for an extended guitar solo trade.

"Concrete Gardens" was mixed by Brazilian producer and engineer Adair Daufembach, and mastered by Seva David Ball.

Written and recorded in his Pasadena, California home studio (with drums recorded in Brazil), MacAlpine has blended metal, prog, jazz-fusion and rock into a tightly wound trip that is reflected in the album's title — both brutal and beautiful. "Concrete Gardens" is available in both standard and special edition versions — the special edition version includes a bonus DVD of Tony and band performing the album live at EMGtv. Featured is Aquiles Priester (drums), Pete Griffin (bass) and Nili Brosh (guitar), plus a special appearance by Jeff Loomis.

Metal XS conducted an interview with Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) at this year's Hellfest, which took place in late June in Clisson, France. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about the possibility of a reunion of the classic SEPULTURA lineup, Max said: "I can't waste my time thinking [about] SEPULTURA. I don't think there's gonna be a reunion. I don't think so. And I think it's for the best. Because maybe it wouldn't be the same as it was in the '90s, you know. It was really good, and you don't wanna ruin that. You can't force it. And you [don't wanna] get on a stage and it's not the same; it's shit. And it's like… There's no 'rewind' buttom. [Laughs] So it's better not [to] do it. I think it's better not to touch it."

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band fired Cavalera's wife Gloria as their manager.

Max's brother Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." Igor's departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).

SOULFLY's tenth studio album, "Archangel", was released on August 14 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced by Matt Hyde, who has previously worked with SLAYER and CHILDREN OF BODOM. The cover artwork was created by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

Victoria Purcell of RAMzine conducted an interview with vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida and guitarist Mark Heylmun of California deathcore masters SUICIDE SILENCE at the 2015 edition of the the MetalDays festival, which was held on July 19-25 in Tolmin, Slovenia. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether making an entire album available for streaming on YouTube, as is the case with SUICIDE SILENCE's "You Can't Stop Me", is good promotion:

Eddie: "At the end of the day, if people wanna listen to the stuff you put out, YouTube does a really good job of keeping counts, and if you get enough people to watch your stuff, YouTube might wanna give you some cash, but, really, that's not why you make to begin with. And if you are making music for that reason, then you're a fucking idiot."

"It's the quintessential answer, ever since Napster and all the bullshit, ever since the Internet was capable of putting your art out there, and it basically showed the world that, at the end of the day, it's, like, art you can find wherever the hell you want, you can make art wherever the hell you want, and there's always gonna be somebody that outdoes you. Making an industry out of it is the most ass backwards thing that could ever happen to humanity."

On the fact that using iTunes to transfer music from your CDs is now illegal under U.K. copyright law:

Eddie: "Hey, man, guess what: it was illegal for me to make mixed tapes and give it to my girlfriend back in fucking… when I was doing that, and making ripped CDs and mixed CDs for people too, and I still did it."

Mark: "It's illegal to smoke weed in most places, and I still do that too."

Eddie: "I do the fuck out of that. I think there's a video on YouTube of me fucking showing some Chinese people how to smoke weed. I'm pretty sure they're all in jail now. Sorry, guys!"

On whether the music industry is doomed:

Eddie: "Let those idiots who are trying to fucking squeeze every penny out of an art die… There are people who are willing to give their money to an artist who is kicking his own ass out there, trying to show the world what love is, or trying to show the world what fear is — however you wanna document whatever an art is. There are gonna be people who are willing to support it. And the fact is that there's too many people out there trying to stick their fingers, and their hands, in our pockets, and that's where the industry is failing. And it's gonna fail, because greed is never gonna win."

"You Can't Stop Me", SUICIDE SILENCE's first album to feature Hermida and their first since the tragic loss of singer Mitch Lucker, was released in July 2014 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

"You Can't Stop Me" was produced and mixed by Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN), who worked with the band not only on "The Black Crown", but also on some instrumental demos for the new CD just prior to Lucker's death in the fall of 2012.

Mitch Lucker died November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach that Halloween night.

RAMzine conducted an interview with guitarist Wolf Hoffmann of German/American metallers ACCEPT at the 2015 edition of the the MetalDays festival, which was held on July 19-25 in Tolmin, Slovenia. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the changes in the music industry since ACCEPT first started out:

Wolf: "Well, where do you wanna start? The whole recording industry, for one thing — it's completely different. But the thing that has not changed is going out there and do[ing] your thing on stage — that's pretty much like it was back in the day; that really hasn't changed. You go out and play your songs and the audience gets into it. That whole thing is still exactly the same. The whole touring part of the business is pretty much exactly the same. But, of course, making the record, selling the record and all that kind [of stuff]… distributing… that has all changed dramatically. Everybody knows that."

On heavy metal fans buying physical product in greater numbers than is the case with fans of other genres of music:

Wolf: "Metal is still a little different in that respect, because people really wanna… A lot of 'em are collectors, they wanna have the physical album and they wanna get it signed by the band. And you can't sign an MP3. So we're very lucky in that regard, that a lot of people still buy the actual product. [And vinyl is] making a huge comeback. As a matter of fact, we're releasing our albums, or our records, in all kinds of different colors of vinyls and the good, heavy-duty-quality vinyl that the collectors like. And I have to say, there's something to be said… I mean, I'm not a collector or record fanatic by any means, but I love looking at the big artwork, I love handling these big, old vinyl records."

On the shift in consumer habits toward streaming music rather than buying physical product or downloading albums:

Wolf: "Well, it seems like the signs of the time that it's going in that direction — nobody can deny that — but I hope it's never gonna go completely to that point where people just give away everything, because that would be the death of a lot of bands and artists, because you can't live just… It's very expensive to make a record and it takes a long time, and you can't just expect people to give it away because it's not working; the business model is just not there."

On ACCEPT's plans for the immediate future:

Wolf: "We will continue for a few more weeks, this run of touring, and then we'll take a little break and come back in the fall, but we're pretty much wrapping up the 'Blind Rage' tour at this point; it's the very last phase of this whole cycle. And then the next album will have to be written and to be recorded, and how long that's gonna take and when that's all gonna happen, who knows? But it'll happen; that's all I know."

ACCEPT in April announced the addition of guitarist Uwe Lulis (GRAVE DIGGER, REBELLION) and drummer Christopher Williams to the group's ranks.

ACCEPT parted ways with guitarist Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann last December. The band explained in a statement at the time: "We and the fans all knew that [Herman and Stefan] had their own careers and that eventually we would run into scheduling and other conflicts beyond our control."

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with new singer Mark Tornillo and have appeared on their last three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Frank and Schwarzmann are playing in PANZER, a new project also featuring vocalist and bassist Schmier, best known as frontman of DESTRUCTION.

UK-based Moshville recently caught up with Children Of Bodom keyboardist Janne Wirman to discuss the band's forthcoming album, I Worship Chaos. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

Q: Have you decided how much of the new album you’re going to be playing on tour?

Janne: "We really want to play quite a lot of the new stuff as we’ve been getting some great reactions to it. We hope to put a lot of the new stuff into the set. But then again, we need to include old stuff too. It’s going to be a balance."

Q: Think back eighteen years and then look at all the experience you’ve gained since. What advice would you give to a new band today who are in the position you were then?

Janne: "Well, none of that applies any more as the whole music business is shit now! There’s no physical sales, just that streaming shit and there’s no money in streaming for the artists. Everything we got to do when we were kids when records were still selling… that was awesome. But nowadays young bands are in a whole different world. There’s no support from a label for touring or anything if there’s no money in it any more. It’s just way different. Way, way different."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Pre-orders for I Worship Chaos are underway. The album will be available in following formats:

- CD + DVD digibook (incl. bonus DVD and three bonus tracks!)
- CD
- 2LP (black, clear, silver, yellow, picture)
- digibook + canvas (mail order edition)

Pre-order your copy at this location.

COB frontman, guitarist, and mastermind Alexi Laiho commented on the new album: “We are close to putting the finishing touches on the new COB record I Worship Chaos and as much fun (but most importantly raw, literally bloody knuckled hard work) it has been making it, I’m more than happy and even more anxious to share this chaos with the rest of the world.  So people, put your shades and helmets on, it will get very dark and it might hurt, in a perfect COB fashion of course!”

Returning to Finland’s Danger Johnny Studios (located at a top secret, undisclosed location in Helsinki) to record I Worship Chaos, the album was produced by COB and Mikko Karmila, who worked with the band on their earlier albums Halo Of Blood, Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper and Hate Crew Deathroll. The album was mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

Tracklisting:

“IHurt”
“My Bodom (I Am The Only One)”
“Morrigan”
“Horns”
“Prayer For The Afflicted”
“I Worship Chaos”
“Hold Your Tongue”
“Suicide Bomber”
“All for Nothing”
“Widdershins”

*The deluxe version of I Worship Chaos will include bonus tracks.

“Morrigan”:

Trailer Part 1:

Trailer Part 2:

Trailer Part 3:

In support of I Worship Chaos, Children Of Bodom will join forces with Lamb Of God to tour Europe this fall.

COB fronter Alexi Laiho comments: “We're all super psyched to hit the road with Lamb Of God this fall as we have a long history of touring and kicking some serious ass all over the globe with those guys! This is something you might not wanna miss, trust me!“

Opening support will come from Sylosis. For a few dates in the UK and Ireland, this touring package will team up with mighty Megadeth.

Tour dates:

October (with Sylosis)
25 - Gdansk, Poland - B90
26 - Krakow, Poland - Fabryka
27 - Brno, Czech Republic - Club Fleda
29 - Marseille, France - Espace Julien

November
4 - Bordeaux, France - LeRocher De Palmer
5 - Lyon, France - Le Transbordeur
6 - Paris, France - Le Bataclan
7 - Strasbourg, France - Le Laiterie

November (with Megadeth, Lamb Of God, Sylosis)
9 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena

SonicAbuse.com recently conducted an interview with former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

SonicAbuse.com: You're doing a conceptual trilogy [with your new band OPERATION: MINDCRIME], I believe, of which "The Key" is the first part. It sounds like it's a matter of recording [the other two parts] rather than writing now?

Tate: It's actually… The second album is recorded, so we're just getting ready to mix that right now, and the third album is mostly recorded; we've still got a couple of tracks left to do. We're still in the development stage with that record. But we'll wrap up… We'll be done with the whole project by October. That's my plan.

SonicAbuse.com: You're no stranger to the world of concept records, but a trilogy seems to be a really grand, ambitious way to start this new chapter in your musical career.

Tate: Yes, it's been really challenging and fun to make the record, definitely. It's a lot of music. But I had a lot of stuff, a lot of things that I'd been collecting and working on over the years. Little bits and pieces that have found their way into these recordings. And I have a lot to say… musically, at least, so it was a good time to do it.

SonicAbuse.com: I love the idea of "the album." I grew up with music like PINK FLOYD and I like the idea of albums taking the listener on a journey. But it seems the industry has changed. Do you have any reservations about how such a large conceptual work might be received by, say, a younger fan base?

Tate: I have no idea. I have no idea how people interpret the music or how they feel about it, until, of course, I get feedback which, typically, is when I tour. That's when I have lots of interesting conversations with people about the music and what they think of it, or how it affects them, or, in this case, in the case of this album and the [QUEENSRŸCHE] "Mindcrime" albums, there's lots of speculation as to what's going on within the framework of the story and that kind of thing, and I find that kind of thing really interesting to talk about. As a writer, you have an idea about what you're trying to say, but the people always take it differently; they'll put their own spin on it. They'll interpret it, typically, based upon their own life experiences, or, in the case of music, with regard to their musical palette, what they've been exposed to. You never really know how your stuff is going to go over with an audience, with a group of people or even an individual. You just have to carry on with your vision and your convictions and your song craft and follow your muse, as they say, and then it takes on a life of its own, really, that you have no control over. I don't know if I want control of it. Music is… it's a personal journey for people. They plug into it and find something about it that is intriguing or interesting to them, or they don't. It's kind of the way it works.

Read the entire interview at SonicAbuse.com.

"The Key" will be released on September 18 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Joining Tate on "The Key" are a hard-hitting cast of familiar faces and new collaborators: bass players David Ellefson (MEGADETH) and John Moyer (DISTURBED, ADRENALINE MOB), drummers Simon Wright (AC/DC), Scott Mercado (CANDLEBOX) and Brian Tichy (BILLY IDOL, OZZY OSBOURNE), guitarists Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE) and Scott Moughton (Geoff Tate's solo band), keyboardist Randy Gane (MYTH) and vocalist Mark Daly (THE VOODOOS). "The Key" track listing:

01. Choices02. Burn03. Re-Inventing The Future04. Ready To Fly05. Discussions In A Smoke Filled Room06. Life or Death?07. The Stranger08. Hearing Voice09. On Queue10. An Ambush Of Sadness11. Kicking In The Door12. The Fall

Fan-filmed video footage of Swedish occult rockers GHOST performing on August 22 at Sound Garden in Baltimore, Maryland as part of their "Unholy/Unplugged" tour can be seen below.

GHOST's third album, "Meliora", wasreleased on August 21 via Loma Vista Recordings. The follow-up to 2013's "Infestissumam" was helmed by Klas Åhlund, a prolific songwriter, producer and guitarist who is also a member of the Swedish rock band TEDDYBEARS, and was mixed by Andy Wallace (SLAYER, NIRVANA, SEPULTURA, LINKIN PARK, GUNS N' ROSES).

GHOST will embark on the "Black To The Future" North American headlining tour in the fall. The procession will begin at The Fillmore in Washington, D.C. on September 22.

Regarding what fans can expect to see from the upcoming tour, one of GHOST's nameless ghouls told Loudwire: "We are definitely trying to step it up this time in terms of production. There is always a growing pain. I think that most bands experience that. It might not be very apparent for bands that have just a big drum kit in the middle and a wall of Marshall amps on each side of the drum kit, because when you have your T-shirts and your beards, it doesn't really matter what kind of stuff you have around of you. Whereas we've always been very keen on having theatrics, and so far, what we've done to date is definitely very little of the things we have on the list that we want to do in the future as we grow bigger."

He continued: "As long as you're not headlining Madison Square Garden everywhere, there's always a little risk that everybody in New York and Pittsburgh and Detroit, Montreal, Boston will see this whole thing and then all of a sudden we come to some other place and it's, whoops — half of that. All of a sudden, you can't do the big theatrical thing, unfortunately.

"As I said, it's a growing pain. Fortunately, we don't rely totally on the theatrics — it usually works quite well without the big scenery too, because we're also entertaining the people. It's not just the big screen in the back that you're supposed to look at. But definitely the intention is to step it up and I think most people will understand that when we start our U.S. tour."

Israel's Progstage Productions has announced the addition of three more participants to its first annual "Titans Of Metal" event, set to take place on December 17 at Hanger 11 in Tel Aviv. They are guitar virtuoso Tony MacAlpine, legendary ex-RAINBOW vocalist Graham Bonnet and RHAPSODY OF FIRE and ANGRA singer Fabio Lione.

"Titans Of Metal" participating musicians:

* Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT)* Sean Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER)* Anette Olzon (ex-NIGHTWISH) * Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, ex-GAMMA RAY) * Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH)* Mats Levén (CANDLEMASS, ex-THERION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN * Christopher Amott (ARMAGEDDON, ex-ARCH ENEMY) * Hannes Grossmann (ALKALOID, ex-OBSCURA) * Uli Jon Roth (ex-SCORPIONS) * Hank Shermann (MERCYFUL FATE) * Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE) * Oliver Holzwarth (ex-BLIND GUARDIAN) * Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) * Olaf Lenk (AT VANCE) * George Kollias (NILE) * Dean Rispler (THE DICTATORS) * Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH) * Roland Grapow (MASTERPLAN, ex-HELLOWEEN) * Ross The Boss (DEATH DEALER, ex-MANOWAR)* Tony MacAlpine* Graham Bonnet (ex-RAINBOW)* Fabio Lione (RHAPSODY OF FIRE, ANGRA)

The event will see these artists performing some of the songs they played and sang in in the past, along with several surprising renditions of other heavy metal classics. Tickets are available at Rock Stage.

P.O.D. released its ninth studio album, "The Awakening", on Friday (August 21). The concept record follows the good and bad choices of a central character, exploring the consequences of his decisions. Bassist Traa Daniels told The Pulse Of Radio that the band doesn't want to spell out the story too much. "There is a specific storyline, but I think the whole thing is that we don't want to kind of let that cat out of the bag," he said. "I think that we really want people to like dig into the record and kind of figure out. I mean, I think that's the fun part of having a conceptual record is not really giving away the whole thing, you know what I'm saying? There definitely is a character and there's a specific storyline that, you know, was the inspiration for the songs and the writing and everything."

"The Awakening" features guest appearances by Maria Brink from IN THIS MOMENT and Lou Koller from legendary hardcore punk act SICK OF IT ALL. The disc was recorded with longtime producer Howard Benson.

The San Diego-based band has been churning out music since 1994 while the lineup has remained almost entirely the same since the band's formation.

The first single from the set, "This Goes Out To You", is currently No. 18 on the rock airplay chart. The video was shot in the band's hometown of San Diego and features local musicians, skaters and artists.

P.O.D. will start touring behind the new disc next month, starting on September 10 in Portland, Oregon.

After waiting nearly a year, legendary rocker Sammy Hagar has finally gotten the keys to his brand new, custom-made $1.4 million Ferrari LaFerrari that he custom-ordered in white with black and beige accents while touring the Maranello factory for the first time.

Only 499 units of the LaFerrari — which boasts a whopping 950 horsepower — are being made every ten years.

Hagar said: "The car looked better than I ever imagined when I saw it. My anticipation to drive it was driving me crazy.

"When I finally took possession of the car today after all the red tape involved in a special car like this, [my wife] Kari and I put 100 miles on it. And what a crazy fun hundred miles it was! The car is much faster than I ever imagined. It sounds like a monster of some kind. It gets way more attention than I want. I'm getting used to it slowly before I really try to push I push it to my limit, which is way below the car's limit, I'm sure of that after today!

"I feel really special getting in and out of that car. I just want to look at it sometimes. I'm very close to being speechless. After chasing that Ferrari for a year finally taking possession, I'm humbled."

A video report from California ABC affiliate 7 News can be seen below.

Ferrari's first gasoline-electric hybrid model, LaFerrari has been described as "the most powerful street-legal Ferrari ever built."

Three days after the car's debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, more than 1,000 people had put in requests to purchase the vehicle.

Ferrari said LaFerrari will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in less than 3 seconds and from 0 to 124 mph in less than 7 seconds.

According to Music Business Worldwide, Century Media, one of the best-known independent heavy rock labels in the world, will be acquired for $17 million by Sony Music Entertainment.

The company, which has more than 50 staff across the U.S. and Europe, was said to be valued somewhere between $15 million and $20 million.

Century Media was instrumental in the careers of heavy music acts like IN THIS MOMENT, SUICIDE SILENCE, SHADOWS FALL, LACUNA COIL and many more.

Century Media's parent company, The Century Family, includes several other labels: Another Century (rock), InsideOut Music (progressive), People Like You (post-punk, alternative) and Superball (alternative, modern progressive).

Robert Kampf founded Century Media in 1988, with co-owner Oliver Withöft coming onboard roughly a year and a half later.

Withöft passed away in January 2014 at the age of 49 after a long period of illness.

Former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe will release his new studio album, "Blackout States", on Friday, October 9 via Spinefarm Records. The 13-track follow-up to 2013's "Horns And Halos" was produced by Chips Kiesbye (HELLACOPTERS, NOMADS) in Gothenburg, Sweden, and mixed by Petri Majuri in Helsinki, Finland.

"Blackout States" track listing:

01. This Ain't No Love Song02. Old King's Road03. Goin’ Down With The Ship04. Keep Your Eye On You05. The Bastard’s Bash06. Good Old Bad Days07. R.L.F.08. Blackout States09. Under The Northern Lights10. Permanent Youth11. Dead Hearts On Denmark Street12. Six Feet In The Ground13. Walk Away14. Break The Noose (vinyl LP bonus track) With "Blackout States", Monroe's current touring and recording outfit — comprised of bassist Sami Yaffa (ex-HANOI ROCKS, NEW YORK DOLLS), guitarist Steve Conte (ex-NEW YORK DOLLS, COMPANY OF WOLVES), guitarist Rich Jones (ex-BLACK HALOS, AMEN), and drummer Karl Rockfist (ex-CHELSEA SMILES, DANZIG) — provided strong creative support for a groundbreaking artist whose reputation continues to flourish. Many of rock's most noted performers, including Dave Grohl and Slash, have cited Monroe's unwavering drive and three-decade-plus career as a genuine source of inspiration. As with "Horns And Halos", the new recordings see Monroe both toasting the future and honoring the past, occasionally giving the nod to glam punk pioneers HANOI ROCKS, the group with which he forged his name in the early-to mid-'80s. Says Monroe: "I'm extremely excited about our new album, 'Blackout States'. It has all the ingredients of a perfect rock 'n' roll record: strong melodic songs with great meaningful lyrics that defy all clichés, delivered with a punky, ballsy attitude by a killer band. I highly recommend 'Blackout States' to anyone who's even a little bit interested in what real, authentic, high-energy rock 'n' roll at its best sounds like today." Monroe will hit the road this fall for a co-headlining tour with Sweden’s sleazemongers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR and some very special U.K. shows with ALICE COOPER.

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has revealed that one of the songs on the band's upcoming album, "The Book of Souls", pays tribute to late comedian Robin Williams.

Speaking with Italy's Corriere Della Sera, Bruce explained that the track — which was penned by guitarist Adrian Smith and bassist Steve Harris — was inspired by Robin's sudden, tragic death.

Dickinson said: "My favorite song is one I didn't write. It's 'Tears Of A Clown', which talks about Robin Williams. I ask myself how could he be so depressed when he always seemed to be so happy."

Robin Williams committed suicide on August 11, 2014 after a long history of depression and health issues.

"The Book Of Souls" is due on September 4 through BMG in the USA. (Parlophone Records in the rest of world). The band's first-ever double studio album was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year. However, the band decided to delay its release so that Dickinson, who was recently given the all-clear from the tumor, would have time to recuperate sufficiently to join in the preparations for the album's launch.

On August 15, Sally Steele of Vegas Rocks! Magazine conducted an interview with CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer at the Cathouse Live At Irvine Meadows festival in Irvine, California. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler's recent statement that "country is the new rock and roll":

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. I live in Nashville, so I'm surrounded by it. I think that I see a lot of influence, fashion-wise, and some of the intensity of the '80s rock, a lot of those styles, and some of the production elements and stuff on the records, I see some of that stuff being incorporated into country records these days and country live shows. But it's still not rock music; it's a… You know, they're just kind of bringing in an element of music that, possibly, they grew up on or liked or admired, and I think it's very cool. But I wouldn't say it's the new rock. I mean, there's still rock bands out there that are playing rock music, and I think country's bringing in a rock element to it. So, that would be my take on it."

On Tyler's country solo single, "Love Is Your Name":

"Well, I think that… I heard the song and the video, and I think it's a beautiful song, and I think that he's suited to that, because AEROSMITH have so much roots in their music. Particularly, a lot of people don't realize how much of that mountain bluegrass kind of harmony and melody is in a lot of AEROSMITH's music. So, to me, when I listen to the song, it sounded very natural for Steven Tyler. So, he's definitely a talented person and someone who can pull that off. I think it's great."

Keifer's debut solo album, "The Way Life Goes", sold 5,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 78 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on in April 2013 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group).

"The Way Life Goes" was described in a press release as "a raw, introspective look at the roller coaster ride" that has been Keifer's life for the past 25 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord, to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will, when combined with a true love of music.