Vulgar Devils will release their debut album Temptress Of The Dark on December 2nd via Pure Rock Records. New single "Devil Love" is streaming below.

Vulgar Devils is the latest signing of Pure Rock Records, but the members of the band are not unknown. The trio was founded by singer and guitarist Dave Overkill, known to be the head of the Cleveland power/thrash legend Destructor. As Vulgar Dave Overkill he has also been able to win an old bandmate, Matt Flammable, for the position of the drummer. The bass position finally is filled with Erin Lung (Venomin James).

Together they worship to the spirit of old times and open the gate to the early ‘80s, when the music and the musicians were still young. And so they play early ‘80s metal, that has been touched by ‘70s hard rock, and a lot of groove in a rough and rolling way. Mixed and mastered by Michael Kusch from the QuSound Studio Hagen Germany.

Tracklisting:

“Devil Love”
“Come And Get It”
“For The Kill”
“Forget About Tomorrow”
“Worlds End”
“Slump Buster”
“Temptress Of The Dark”
“Vulgar Devils”

"Devil Love":

Swedish heavy metal quintet, Lancer, will release their new album, Mastery, on January 13th via Nuclear Blast. A second video trailer for the album has been released, and can be found below.

The cover artwork was created by Dimitar Nikolov (Ross The Boss, Majesty). The final layout was done by Marcelo Vasco (Slayer, Machine Head).

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

“Iscariot” lyric video:

Hard rockers Monster Truck premiere their brand new music video for "For The People”, a politically empowering yet non-partisan track from their recent album, Sittin’ Heavy. Check out the animated companion video for the classic roots rock-inspired song advocating power to the people below.

Of the "For The People" video, Monster Truck lead singer/bassist Jon Harvey commented, "We wanted the video to capture a certain vibe. The song was intended to be a pseudo-protest and very roots rock and the 70s animation seem to speak to that. Besides nothing is cooler than hand-drawn animation. The illustrators and animators executed it perfectly."

The "For The People" video is illustrated by Brett Lamb, Leslie Supnet and Eric Kim and is animated by David Mayzis, Les Solis and Greg Zajac. The director is Kyle Griblin.

 
Monster Truck will return to the United States early next year and is already confirmed to tour their native Canada supporting Billy Talent beginning in February, 2017 and then to headline the United Kingdom in late March, 2017.

Tour dates:
 
February
16 - Abbotsford, BC - Abbotsford Centre
18 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Event Centre
21 - Edmonton, AB - Shaw Conference Centre
22 - Regina, SK - Brandt Centre
23 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
26 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
27 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

March
1 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
2 - Quebec City, QC - Centre Videotron
3 - Ottawa, ON - The Arena At TD Place
5 - Moncton, NB - Casino New Brunswick
6 - Halifax, NS - Scotiabank Centre
13 - Belfast, Northern Ireland - Limelight 2
14 - Dublin, Ireland - Academy 2
15 - Bristol, England - Marble Factory
17 - Birmingham, England - O2 Institute 2
18 - Manchester, England - Club Academy
19 - Glasgow, Scotland - King Tuts
21 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
22 - London, England - Electric Ballroom

Four years on from the release of their Anomalia album, Norwegian prog/black metal band, Khonsu, are set to release their new album, The Xun Protectorate, on November 18th. Listen to the second single from the album, “The Observatory”, streaming below.

The Xun Protectorate tracklisting:

“Desolation City” (Prologue)
“A Jhator Ascension”
“The Observatory”
“Liberator”
“Death Of The Timekeeper”
“The Tragedy Of The Awakened One”
“Visions Of Nehaya”
“A Dream Of Earth”
“Toward The Devouring Light”
“The Unremembered” (Epilogue)

“The Observatory”:

“Visions Of Nehaya” video:

“Making Of” footage:

In regards to the new album, the band states: “Hundreds of hours of work, resulting in 10 new experimental, progressive, and industrial tracks. And it sounds incredible!”

French heavy metal pioneers, Nightmare, will release their new album, Dead Sun, on November 25th via AFM Records. A music video for the album track “Serpentine” can be found below.

The album has been arranged in France by the band’s long time friend and producer Patrick Liotard together with Joost Van Den Broek (The Gentle Storm, Epica), produced and mixed by Joost Van Den Broek at Sandlane Studios in The Netherlands, and recorded at Noise Factory Studio in Belgium with Gerald Jans behind the desk.

Cover artwork for Dead Sun was created by Julien Spreutels (Epysode).

Tracklisting:

“Infected”
“Of Sleepless Mind”
“Tangled in the Roots”
“Red Marble & Gold”
“Ikarus”
“Indifference”
“Dead Sun”
“Seeds of Agony”
“Inner Sanctum”
“Serpentine”
“Starry Skies Gone Black”

“Serpentine” video:

“Ikarus” video:

STARSET's new album, "Vessels", is due on January 20, 2017 via Razor & Tie. The sophomore release from the band, helmed by frontman Dustin Bates, is a data-stream rendered in sound where Bates becomes the deus-ex-machina in an age of information overload that is increasingly complex yet ultimately human. Fans received their first taste of the new album with the single "Monster" recently. Today, the song is available at all digital retailers and streaming outlets.

Last Friday, October 28, "Monster" made its debut via SiriusXM's Octane channel. The track was also posted to YouTube, and in less than a week amassed over 450,000 views in addition to the 550 million views they have already garnered from songs off the first album, supporting great anticipation for new music from STARSET. Look for its official video to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Produced by Rob Graves (HALESTORM, RED) and mixed by Ben Grosse (BREAKING BENJAMIN, FILTER), "Vessels" is the follow-up to STARSET's 2014 Razor & Tie debut, "Transmissions", a landmark album which sold in excess of a quarter million combined albums, streams and downloads, and propelled by singles including the unforgettable "My Demons" (which spent an unprecedented 43 weeks scaling rock charts). Bates approached "Vessels" with a singular intent on pushing boundaries, taking a bold step forward.

With over 300 shows logged to date, Bates and his helmeted-and-pressure-suited crew (bassist Ron DeChant, guitarist Brock Richards and drummer Adam Gilbert) have distinguished themselves touring with the likes of BREAKING BENJAMIN and IN THIS MOMENT, playing major U.S. rock festivals and four sold out performances in planetariums, becoming the first rock band to play live in the full dome entertainment environment. The band plans to tour extensively throughout 2017 with dates to be announced soon.

Thomas Zwijsen and Ben Woods have released this video, in which they cover Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson’s “Tears Of The Dragon”, arranged for two acoustic/classical/flamenco guitars by Thomas Zwijsen. The clip was recorded live at Edgetip Studio in Arnhem, Netherlands during the Master Guitar Tour 2016.

Remaining tour dates:

November
4 - The Guitar Villa - St. Niklaas, Belgium
6 - 't Schallemaaj - Ossenisse, Netherlands

(Photo - Robert Hucko)

AC Angry will release their new album, Appetite For Erection, on November 25th via Steamhammer / SPV worldwide. It will be available as a CD version (digipak) and a fine vinyl version - limited edition of only 500 copies. Watch a video for the title track, streaming below.

Alan Costa (AC Angry) comments: "After our well-received debut record, we decided to step up the game and deliver an even better, high-explosive monster of an album. We were absolutely happy with Black Denim, but we knew we could do better and top it! We focused on stripped down, catchy heavy rock 'n' roll tunes that will stick in your head forever by the first time you'll hear them! This album gives you the attitude to kick everyone's ass at any provocation. Convince yourself, put it on in your car, hit the gas pedal and feel the rush! The dirt is back in rock 'n' roll!"

 

 

Tracklisting:

"I Hate AC Angry"
"4TW"
"No Way To Go But Down"
"I Wanna Hurt Somebody"
"Appetite For Erection"
"Son Of A Motherfucker's Son"
"The Balls Are Back In Town"
"Take You Shake You Break You"
"Cry Idiot Cry"
"Testosterone"

"Appetite For Erection” video:

“Rosenkreuz (The Rose And The Cross)”, from the upcoming Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody release, Prometheus, The Dolby Atmos Experience + Cinematic And Live, is streaming below:

The latest album from Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, Prometheus, Symphonia Ignis Divinus, was chosen to be the first studio album in music history to be remixed in Dolby Atmos. Renowned producer/mixing engineer Chris Heil (Scorpions, David Bowi) mixed the entire masterpiece in Dolby Atmos - the mindblowing result will be submitted for the 2017 Grammy nominations. Prometheus, The Dolby Atmos Experience + Cinematic And Live will be released December 9th via Nuclear Blast.

Check out a video trailer:

Luca Turilli, responsible for composition and orchestra- and choir-arrangements states: "The new Dolby Atmos sound fits perfectly with Luca Turilli's Rhapsody music just as the Rhapsody music - emotional, visionary and cinematic in its nature - is perfect to showcase the potential of an amazing technology destined to revolutionize the field of immersive audio's experience. From a composer's point of view, Dolby Atmos is like the advent of a canvas with colors in three dimensional space. It enables me to place the band, orchestra and choir around me like I would in a real life situation, granting to the listener an emotional and breathtaking journey in a parallel dimension. Every instrument can finally breathe and live in three dimensions, turning the Dolby Atmos version of Rhapsody's music into a divine, musical experience of transcendence. No limits for creativity anymore. This new Dolby technology allows my heart and soul to finally express themselves with complete freedom and exciting force!"

But what actually is Dolby Atmos?

Cinemas discovered this new format and integrated loud speakers in their ceilings to place the listener into an 'acoustic honeycomb’.

"This novelty has now reached the home technology and we at Yamaha wanted to support the project of Luca Turilli's Rhapsody with an audio blu-ray-disc in Dolby Atmos“, Michael Geise from Yamaha explains. "It's a very thrilling challenge and makes this release a vivid and new experience. And since we are always looking for new contents, the cooperation with Luca Turilli was a great idea for us. Dolby Atmos is already included in our receivers and the customer can immediately use it - but so far only few releases support this new format and usually it is only available for films, not for music blu-rays. But now it is and we created a medium that could easily bring instruments to life, without any artificial effects. We had the know-how to turn this performance into a real live experience with our loudspeakers, receivers and the new sound bar that brings the musicians almost right into everyone's living room!"

Producer and mixer Chris Heil found Luca Turilli's Rhapsody almost by accident: "I heard excerpts from Prometheus, Symphonia Ignis Divinus in the studio right next to me and knew immediately that this was the material I wanted to use to showcase the potential of Dolby Atmos to the world. This kind of music is made for this format with its combination of band,orchestra and choir arrangements. I called Luca Turilli immediately to ask his permission to use the material and he immediately agreed.

The result of their two months long cooperation is a vivid combination of metal, filmscore and a wide variety of ethnic elements. "It is incredibly entertaining and inspiring to listen to the result. It's the first album in my 36-year career where I had to leave longer pauses between the tracks because you really need time to digest that bombastic sound. It's mindblowing," states Chris Heil. And Luca Turilli agrees: "Dolby Atmos will bring a revolution to the world of films and music and allows you to enjoy every release even more!"

Prometheus - The Dolby Atmos Experience (Audio Blu-ray) tracklisting:

“Nova Genesis (Ad Splendorem Angeli Triumphantis)”
“Il Cigno Nero”
“Rosenkreuz (The Rose And The Cross)”
“Anahata”
“Il Tempo Degli Dei”
“One Ring To Rule Them All”
“Notturno”
“Prometheus”
“King Solomon And The 72 Names Of God”
“Yggdrasil”
“Of Michael The Archangel And Lucifer's Fall Part II: Codex Nemesis”

This unique package will be completed by two brand-new live CDs, which were produced by Luca Turilli and Alex Landenburg, mixed by Christian "Moschus" Moos at Spacelab Studio (Grefrath, Germany) and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio (San Marino).

"Cinematic And Live is the first live product to be released by my Luca Turilli's Rhapsody band and represents the live album I always dreamed of. It was recorded in Italy, France, Germany and Spain in 2012 and 2016 and it almost includes all the songs played by Luca Turilli's Rhapsody until now. We recently played our show number 100 and this important release represents the perfect celebration for these last years of live activity around the world. Cinematic And Live features songs from both the »Ascending To Infinity« and the »Prometheus« cinematic tours and it includes over 120 minutes of Rhapsody music: the newest songs, the old classics and some titles from my solo discography, too. The mix of Christian "Moschus" Moos and the mastering of Simone Mularoni were the cherry on the cake for this live album sounding really powerful, soulful and emotional like no others, with the important live atmosphere adding a new and exciting dimension to Luca Turilli's Rhapsody's cinematic music!"

Cinematic And Live tracklisting:

CD1
“Nova Genesis”
“Il Cigno Nero” [Reloaded]
“Rosenkreuz (The Rose And The Cross)”
“Land Of Immortals”
“Aenigma”
“War Of The Universe”
“Of Michael The Archangel And Lucifer's Fall” [Extract]
“Excalibur”
“The Ancient Forest Of Elves”
“Son Of Pain”
“Prometheus”
Drum Solo
“Knightrider Of Doom”
“Warrior's Pride”

CD2
“The Astral Convergence”
“The Pride Of The Tyrant”
“Tormento E Passione”
“Demonheart”
Bass Solo
“Warrior Of Ice”
“Of Michael The Archangel And Lucifer's Fall Part II - Of Psyche And Archetypes”
“Dark Fate Of Atlantis”
“Dawn Of Victory”
“Quantum X”
“Ascending To Infinity”
“Emerald Sword”
“Finale”

Prometheus, Symphonia Ignis Divinus was composed and produced once again by Luca Turilli, responsible as always of all the orchestral and choral arrangements. It was recorded and mixed at the Backyard Studios of Sebastian Roeder (Bonfire a.o.) and mastered by Christoph Stickel (Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock a.o.) at MSM studios.

Seven months of composition, three months of production, over 50 days of mix, two choirs, several special guests, including Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Dan Lucas (Karo) and David Readman (Pink Cream 69). Including 70 minutes of epic music, sounding cinematic, bombastic and dramatic as never before, the new Rhapsody masterwork will lead the listener to an emotional and memorable journey between quantum gates, parallel dimensions, myths and legends hiding cosmic truths, ancestral secrets and spiritual revelations.

Riveting hard rockers The Dead Daisies have lined up the release of their captivating new single “A Song And A Prayer”, for today, November 4th on Spitfire Music / SPV. A short film, reflecting the poignant story behind the lyrics of “A Song And A Prayer”, the new single to be taken from The Dead Daisies’ much acclaimed new album Make Some Noise, which crashed into the album charts worldwide in August is streaming below.

Says John Corabi: “This song turned out to have a special vibe to it, very accessible, which is really cool. But the lyrics are rather dark. In the end it's about hope, it talks about all the troubles we're all going through - and that you have to be hopeful, that you will come out of it. Always look on the positive side, that's the message.” 

The Dead Daisies, who were recently special guests on KISS’ entire Freedom To Rock US tour, have just played their first ever USO headline tour for Servicemen and –women in South Korea. 

Today, November 4th, they commence performing with KISS on the KISS Kruise in Cozumel, Mexico, until November 9th.

The Dead Daisies, will then fly in to the UK to perform sold out shows starting November 12th.

The Dead Daisies are: Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy), Brian Tichy (Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner) and David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink).

   

TWISTED SISTER played what was being billed as the final U.S. concert of the band's career-ending round of dates, dubbed "Forty And Fuck It - The Final Tour", on October 22 at Badlands Pawn Guns Gold And Rock 'N' Roll in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Professionally filmed video footage of the "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" performance from the Sioux Falls show can be seen below.

"Having a band like TWISTED SISTER do their final U.S. show is unbelievable and we could not be more excited," said Chuck Brennan of Badlands Pawn. "Badlands Pawn is the perfect match for these types of shows as the sound, lights, video and intimacy is unparalleled."

Most of TWISTED SISTER shows in 2016 are featuring the core lineup of Dee Snider (vocals), Jay Jay French (guitar), Mark Mendoza (bass) and Eddie Ojeda (guitar), along with drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER).

During a recent interview with Goldmine magazine, Jay Jay French talked about TWISTED SISTER's decision to call it quits. He said: "Whether you like it or not, once you reach a status of 'classic,' you really start to understand people — if you really truly want to understand why people like you. You can make new product, it's all well and good, but when someone spends 200-300 bucks for a ticket, they expect certain songs, they expect the songs played correctly, they expect you to be proficient, on time and professional — that's what an entertainer is. And I will tell you that the club scene taught us an enormous amount of discipline."

He continued: "You know, I can't emphasize it enough. Dee [Snider, TWISTED SISTER singer] became one of the greatest frontmen in the world because he learned how to do it on the club scene. We learned how to be great entertainers in the bars and we followed through. And I think the band just wants to say that we reached a point where we can't do it anymore in the manner that we feel we need to do it and we should probably be respected for that. Because I don't want to takes someone's money that I don't earn. And it's hard for some people to understand that. They want to keep you hermetically sealed in a jar with their memories forever. Which I get. I do get it. But I think at some point this year will be our last show, and I'll turn around to the other guys in the band and that'll be it."

TWISTED SISTER's movie, "We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!", was released on February 23 on DVD, Blu-ray, VOD, and digital formats, with an included two hours of bonus material and director commentary.

The official lyric video for the song "Love Falls" from HELLYEAH can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's fifth album, "Unden!able", which was released on June 3 via Eleven Seven Music. The effort marks the first time HELLYEAH's current lineup — vocalist Chad Gray, guitarists Tom Maxwell and Christian Brady, drummer Vinnie Paul and bassist Kyle Sanders — has recorded together as a unit.

HELLYEAH's previous album, 2014's "Blood for Blood", was the album metal fans and critics were waiting for HELLYEAH to make, based on the revered metal pedigree of the individual members. Such an artistic achievement — the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock album chart — meant the band set the bar incredibly high. HELLYEAH does not disappoint with "Unden!able". "We turned a corner with 'Blood For Blood' and we wanted to continue that path," Paul states. "It's much heavier and darker, and we take it to another extreme." The album also fosters a sense of community and the notion that "We're all in this together" among the metal community we are part of. The upside down "i" in the title is an exclamation point — a subtle indicator of how metal fans live their lives against the grain for their entire daily existence. "It doesn't matter how old you are — you are always a metal kid," Chad Gray declares, referencing himself and fans as one. With the 2007's self-titled debut, HELLYEAH broke the ice, introducing the world to a band comprised of familiar faces who played in influential bands with signature sounds. 2010's "Stampede" showed off a more pleasure-seeking side of HELLYEAH. 2012's "Band Of Brothers" was marked by internal change and further experimentation, while "Blood For Blood" found the band reaching the summit of brutality, creativity, and artfully mined piss and vinegar. "Unden!able" is the logical next step and it's frontloaded with songs that crackle with a palpable industrial aggro energy. As guitarist Maxwell succinctly says, "It's belligerent and brutal, with peaks and valleys that bring you up and down, emotionally and lyrically." One reason it's so belligerent and brutal? The time crunch that came along with crafting the album. The band spent 18 glorious but grueling months on the road in support of "Blood For Blood" and was given exactly two weeks (!!!) off before it had to start working on "Unden!able". The pressure and lack of recess awakened a sleeping giant within Maxwell. There was literally no time to waste and he marshalled his emotions for inspiration. Without any time to decompress, Maxwell, came out of the gates in sniper mode, admitting there was "no time for demo-itis!" He confessed, "I was pissed, agitated, and distraught. In the long run, it helped. There was so much intensity in the frustration." Paul notes that the band "took no time off so that we didn't get complacent. We knew there was a window of opportunity." It may not have been optimal at the time, but it yielded a maximized result. "We know we did great, broken ankles and all," he states. HELLYEAH's usual formula remained unaltered when it came to the recording process. They demoed at Paul's home studio in Dallas, Texas before writing and recording with Kevin Churko in Las Vegas. "Unden!able" hosts redemptive, but throttling songs that will "scratch your soul," according to Gray. "X" is fast, furious and "over the top," says Paul. "It is something that metal fans need." It's expected to become an instant fan favorite. Meanwhile, the more contemplative "Human" is HELLYEAH's version of a power ballad, with an emphasis on "power." It's moving yet it's monstrous. The title track surges with raw energy and industrial crunch. "Love Falls" is a rhythmic and sultry departure for the band, which measures pain and anger equally, while "STARTARIOT" is nothing short of a fist-pumping, fuel-burning heavy metal epic. "Unden!able" is a complete work, including the cover artwork inspired by Chad Gray and designed by William "Wombat" Felch, who the band discovered by his artistic interpretations of HELLYEAH songs on YouTube, and whom Paul labeled "like a new member of the band," is a definitive visual matching the album's sonic wrath. It's also emblematic of the metal community and the kids who find their kindred spirits in HELLYEAH. The eyes are the portal to the soul," Gray says. "There is more extremity, so I wanted it to represent looking into the eye of someone who is a member of the metal community being cast out. You always feel like a fighter. So we created this eye and the exclamation point [in the title] as the stamp on this madness. You are looking into the soul of a metalhead." Overall, there's a surging current of hunger in "Unden!able". The members have had success in the past, but they're not satisfied with all they have done. "It's all I know," Paul muses about what keeps him manning the kit and making new music, despite a career so illustrious that no one would fault him if he chose to hang up the sticks. "I could have quit and could be playing golf. Being a traveling musician? That fuels me. I have a true passion and belief in HELLYEAH and heavy metal music." Gray concludes, "We're all in this together. We are metal fans first and foremost. We play off each other every night with our metal family. As a metal kid, I'd go to shows because I needed the release. Being on the other side now, I need this as bad as the fans do. I need to hit that deck every day and give everything I can."

"Unden!able" track listing:

01. X02. Scratch A Lie03. Be Unden!able04. Human05. Leap of Faith06. Blood Plague07. I Don't Care Anymore08. Live Or Die09. Love Falls10. STARTARIOT11. Grave

TEMPLE OF THE DOG — the Seattle supergroup featuring SOUNDGARDEN's Chris Cornell, PEARL JAM's Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Mike McCready, and drummer Matt Cameron (who plays drums with both SOUNDGARDEN and PEARL JAM) — kicked off a sold-out run of live dates Friday night (November 4) at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

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

TEMPLE OF THE DOG came together from the ashes of MOTHER LOVE BONE following the death from a drug overdose of its frontman Andrew Wood, Cornell's close friend and roommate. Cornell wrote future TEMPLE OF THE DOG songs "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Reach Down" to help process his grief, "but the songs didn't have any destination," he said. "I was compelled to write them and there they were — written in a vacuum as a tribute to Andy. My thought was that maybe I could record these songs with the remaining members of MOTHER LOVE BONE and that maybe we could release them as a tribute."

TEMPLE OF THE DOG's setlist for the Upper Darby concert included several MOTHER LOVE BONE songs, as well as Cornell's first-ever solo single, "Seasons", from the 1992 "Singles" soundtrack. There were several other covers, including BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs", LED ZEPPELIN's "Achilles Last Stand", David Bowie's "Quicksand", THE CURE's "Fascination Street", Harry Nilsson's "Jump Into The Fire", FREE's "I'm a Mover" and original PINK FLOYD frontman Syd Barrett's "Baby Lemonade".

The group will also perform shows throughout November in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, marking the first time the band has toured since forming in 1990. All dates sold out immediately. This is the first time the band has toured since they released their storied and groundbreaking self-titled album over 25 years ago.

Setlist for Upper Darby concert:

01. Say Hello 2 Heaven02. Wooden Jesus03. Call Me A Dog04. Your Savior05. Stardog Champion (MOTHER LOVE BONE)06. Stargazer (MOTHER LOVE BONE)07. Seasons (Chris Cornell solo song)08. Jump Into the Fire (Harry Nilsson)09. Four Walled World10. I'm a Mover (FREE)11. Pushin Forward Back12. Hunger Strike13. Quicksand (David Bowie)14. Heartshine (MOTHER LOVE BONE) / Holy Roller (MOTHER LOVE BONE)15. Reach Down

First Encore:

16. Man Of Golden Words (MOTHER LOVE BONE) / Comfortably Numb (PINK FLOYD)17. Times Of Trouble18. Achilles Last Stand (LED ZEPPELIN)19. Baby Lemonade (Syd Barrett)20. Fascination Street (THE CURE)21. War Pigs (BLACK SABBATH)

Second Encore:

22. All Night Thing

MOTHER LOVE BONE's Gossard and Ament began playing with McCready, and they brought in SOUNDGARDEN's Cameron to drum on demos. Because this was a collaboration, and a tribute, there was no commercial expectation for the TEMPLE OF THE DOG album. It would be, Gossard would later observe, "the easiest and most beautiful record that we've ever been involved with." Added Cornell: "TEMPLE was about making an album simply for the joy of doing it. We weren't concerned what anyone outside of our group of friends would think of it. It was the first and maybe only stress-free album that we all made." Gossard, Ament, and McCready were also simultaneously forming a new band, which more than six months later would be known as PEARL JAM. A singer from San Diego named Eddie Vedder, who was vying to lead the project, came into the studio to sing background vocals on three of the TEMPLE songs. When Cornell thought another song, "Hunger Strike", needed a duet, Vedder was enlisted. "Hunger Strike" became a hit single, peaking at No. 4 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

TEMPLE OF THE DOG performed live only a handful of times, most notably in Seattle, in November and December of 1990. Those shows have become some of the most legendary Seattle concerts of all time. Their 2016 shows mark the first time the band has ever toured. (Cornell joined PEARL JAM in 2014 at the Bridge School show and for two nights at PJ20 in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, and the TEMPLE lineup played "Reach Down" and "Call Me A Dog" at Seattle's Benaroya Hall in January 2015.)

Video footage of DELAIN's November 3 performance at Le Metronum in Toulouse, France can be seen below.

As previously reported, DELAIN and HAMMERFALL will join forces for a co-headline North American tour in the spring of 2017.

DELAIN will be touring on the heels of their recently released and critically acclaimed album, "Moonbathers". This tour will be the first time that DELAIN has played selections from the new album. Fans can expect all the DELAIN classics that they have come to love over the years as well. This will also be the first time that fans will be treated to a proper DELAIN headline show.

"Moonbathers", mastered by Grammy Award winner Ted Jensen, will satiate your hunger for the symphonic greatness, catchy hooks and a solid dose of metal that the band is known for. It showcases DELAIN from both their most extravagant and sensitive sides as they explore all things nocturnal through an especially varied set of tracks, including a surprising cover of classic rock legends QUEEN as well as a reappearance of Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY) as a special guest on opening track "Hands Of Gold".

Asked what inspired the "nighttime" theme for DELAIN's "Lunar Prelude" EP and "Moonbathers" album, frontwoman Charlotte Wessells told Distorted Sound: "Even before we thought of the EP 'Lunar Prelude', we already knew the full album was going to be called 'Moonbathers', so for the EP we derived it out of that, as we knew we were going to do a selection of songs that are from the full album, and since we knew it was going to be called 'Moonbathers', that was the easy one. As for 'Moonbathers' itself, we had a lot of tracks on this record that were very dark, depressing, and even morbid on some tracks, and I always told myself as a lyricist… I always get really inspired to write songs when I'm really sad. If you listen to the tracks, it might sound like I'm a very depressed person, but that's not even true, I get inspired when I'm in a bad mood. When I'm happy, I'll go outside or run out, work out, you know? Different moods inspire me to do different things, but my general attitude to lyrics is that even when I'm writing about things that inspire me most, your darkest emotions, my approach has always been that if people listen to that, and have the same kind of emotions, they can relate to that. I want the lyrics to be a reflection of how that feels. However, I don't want to strengthen that negative emotion."

She continued: "For me, I've always told myself it's fine to write about difficult things and sad things, but there should always be a light at the end of the tunnel, a resolution or a way out, and to not make it hopeless. And the thing for myself is whenever I feel bad and I listen to music of artists I really like, listening to sad tracks actually makes me feel better, you know? It's a very funny thing, that you can find such comfort in such a dark place. I was kind of looking for a metaphor for that, and I was hesitant about 'Moonbathers', as the moon has been used so much for so many cultural outlets but for me the moon kind of remains the ultimate symbol of finding the light in the dark, the comfort in the night. So for me, thinking about the themes of the songs being dark and morbid, I thought that 'Moonbathers' was a good title for that. Yes, that's where it comes from. But, on the other hand, it's also about that comfort in the darkness."

DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li joined guitar legend Tony MacAlpine on stage on October 28 at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro, California to perform two songs: "Tears Of Saraha" and "The King's Cup" from Tony's 1987 album "Maximum Security". Video footage of Li's appearance can be seen below.

Tony's band features Brazilian drumming powerhouse Aguiles Priester and bassist Bjorn Englen.

MacAlpine is widely known as a guitar virtuoso who is just as skilled on the keys. "Edge Of Insanity", one of his fourteen solo albums, is still considered as one of the top ten shred guitar albums of all time. Aside from his solo work, Tony has also been part of several rock supergroups, including PLANET X with Derek Sherinian and Virgil Donati, PSMS (Portnoy / Sheehan / MacAlpine / Sherinian), as well as the Grammy-nominated CAB with bassist Bunny Brunel and drummer Dennis Chambers. MacAlpine also spent seven years playing guitar and keys in Steve Vai's touring band.

Earlier this year, DRAGONFORCE began recording the follow-up to 2014's "Maximum Overload" album at Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK and SYMPHONY X, to name a few.

DRAGONFORCE released a comprehensive career-spanning "best-of", "Killer Elite - The Hits, The Highs, The Vids", in July through Spinefarm. The 22-track set contains two hours and 30 minutes of music, featuring both studio and live material, with promo clips added to the deluxe set.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman is one of seven people who were named Japan Heritage ambassadors to spur visits to regional cities ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

The ambassadors will promote history, culture and sites in regions registered by the agency as Japan Heritage through blogging and TV appearances.

The newly appointed ambassadors also include J-pop singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and kabuki actor Nakamura Tokizo.

A photo of Friedman at today's (Friday, November 4) press conference in Tokyo — where his ambassadorship was announced — can be seen below.

In July 1999, Friedman was onstage performing at Woodstock '99 in front of a sea of fans as the lead guitarist for MEGADETH. Since joining the band in 1990, Marty played a crucial role in their rise to stardom with his unorthodox style of virtuoso guitar playing, selling millions of records worldwide, and being nominated for multiple Grammy Awards. Just six months after Woodstock, in an unexpected move that shocked his friends, family, and especially his bandmates, despite platinum albums and sold-out tours, for reasons unknown, he suddenly quit the band and walked away from it all. Unbeknownst to his U.S. fans, Marty moved to Tokyo to pursue his love of Japanese pop music, and in the process, reinvented himself as a wildly successful Japanese TV celebrity! Marty has appeared on 700-plus television programs, commercials and motion pictures since then, and become was dubbed "the Ryan Seacrest of Japan" by Billboard magazine in the USA.

Friedman in 2014 spoke to Wondering Sound about his decision to leave MEGADETH in order to make the kind of music that he was passionate about: Japanese pop music, or J-Pop, which Friedman calls "embarrassingly happy."

"I found myself touring with MEGADETH, and in my hotel room I'd be blasting this Japanese music all the time. What's wrong with this picture?" he said.

As his interest in J-pop grew, Friedman started enjoying MEGADETH less. "I thought I was doing myself a disservice just playing the same old stuff and not really enjoying it," he told Wondering Sound. "Making money from fans who want to see you play when you're not into it didn't really sit right with me."

According to Marty, he simply outgrew metal, explaining that MEGADETH's music began to bore him, and he singled out the band's popular ballad "A Tout Le Monde" as an example.

"The melody's like duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh. It's kind of the same thing over and over again," he told NPR in a separate interview. "I'd go play the show at night with MEGADETH. And I'd be like, you know, what what I'm listening to is just so much more exciting than what I'm playing as my gig."

Friedman told his MEGADETH bandmates that he would leave the group at the conclusion of a 16-month-long tour, but "only stayed three more months." He explained to Wondering Sound: "It was just too much. I'm the kind of guy who can't fake it that well. It wasn't very nice, but I just couldn't go on anymore."

Focusing on the J-Pop genre, Friedman noted that going for the opposite of metal was the whole point.

"There's not a whole lot of happy music going on," he told NPR. "Especially in the heavy metal world, where everybody's just trying to out-lame each other, you know, with darkness and monsters and crap like that."

Marty's latest solo album, "Inferno", sold around 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 186 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on May 26, 2014 via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album was made available through Universal Music).




Today, I was inaugurated by the Japanese Government Agency of Cultural Affairs as an Ambassador of Japan Heritage. I`m...

Posted by Marty Friedman on Friday, November 4, 2016

"All Through The Night", the new video from IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC, the Swedish rock band led by THE HELLACOPTERS architect and ENTOMBED drummer Nicke Andersson, can be seen below. The song is the title track of IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC's fifth album, "All Through The Night", which was released on September 23 via Psychout Records. The follow-up to last year's "Honk Machine" was recorded in Andersson's studio The Honk Palace and was mixed by Frans Hagglund (SAMLING, LAST DAYS OF APRIL, THE HIVES).

A single featuring the new track "Read Me Wrong" was released as a 12-inch vinyl on May 13. It included two exclusive tracks, "I Know You Well" and "Just A Little Misunderstanding" (a THE CONTOURS cover).

The limited time period between "Honk Machine" and "All Through The Night" poses the question, and rightly so: how has the band found time and creativity to record yet another album? Nicke's answer is clear: "We play rock 'n' roll music. If it takes four years to make a rock 'n' roll record, then you have most likely over analyzed an art form that is more about gut instinct. It should feel and this record feels good."

According to a press release, IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC proves on "All Through The Night" "that they have raised their game another notch. Sure, they subscribe to the school of 'less-is-more' greats like CHEAP TRICK, THE CLASH, Tom Petty and the RAMONES, but somehow they manage to make this fresh and vital as opposed to retro and overdone. On 'All Through The Night', the band is everything and a little more than what you can ask of a rock album, whether the year is 1967, 1978 or 2016."

In a recent interview with RockYourLife.gr, Nicke stated about the songwriting process for "All Through The Night": "I write songs all the time. Not just for a specific album. The songs on 'All Through The Night' are the ones we decided would make a pretty decent album. Some songs are older and some were written a day before recording them."

He added: "I always write songs the same way: I sit down with a guitar and usually something comes out of it. I never try to write a certain type of song. I can't force it in any direction. You can, however, produce the song in certain ways. That's what we did with the title track, for instance, when we added strings and stuff. I like a lot different types of music and all of that gets filtered through my head, so to speak."

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES will release their twelfth studio album, "Battles", on November 11 via Nuclear Blast in all territories excluding North America and Scandinavia and Eleven Seven Music Group in the U.S. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson, who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD, BODY COUNT and SEPULTURA, among others.

"Battles" track listing:

01. Drained02. The End03. Like Sand04. The Truth05. In My Room06. Before I Fall07. Through My Eyes08. Battles09. Here Until Forever10. Underneath My Skin11. Wallflower12. Save Me13. Greatest Greed14. Us Against The World

The song "Save Me" can be streamed below.

IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte talked about how the recording process for "Battles" compared to that of its predecessor, 2014's "Siren Charms".

"'Siren Charms' had a very dark vibe to it," he explained. "We recorded it at a cold, damp and dark time during the year in Berlin so it gave it a certain melancholy to the record. Now recording in L.A. with the sunshine, it's a different energy. The writing process was different this time, too — that I would like for us to continue to explore. Also, working with Howard and his team was great. I got stressed taking a break for even five minutes because they were always ready to go for the next take and kept my energy up."

"I think being in California really affected this album in the sense that we had a studio in the house that we were staying at and the vibe was really relaxed which lent itself to productivity," added vocalist Anders Fridén. "It really helped having a producer who could make us focus on what we needed to accomplish and keep us on track."

"This was a very new approach for us because we've never let anyone else in the way we did with Howard," said Gelotte.

"Battles" sees the band making the hooks sharper, the riffs tighter and honing the overall attack in a way that parallels their legendary live shows in an unparalleled fashion.

"When people hear this album I think they're going to instantly know that it's the new IN FLAMES without us repeating the same song over and over, and that's something I'm incredibly proud of," Fridén said. He went on to downplay the changes in the band's sound, calling "Battles" "guitar driven, melodic… it's like they know what to expect. It's not like we're coming out with something completely different, but at the same time it's still new. If they already like IN FLAMES, they will like it — and if they don't like IN FLAMES already, they still might like it."

IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced last fall that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life. He has since been replaced by Joe Rickard, who played on "Battles".

Florida metallers TRIVIUM have released a the song "The Storm", which is featured on the upcoming reissue of their debut album, "Ember To Inferno". Check it out below.

TRIVIUM has spent the past decade-plus building its reputation and steadily rising to prominence, becoming one of the main torchbearers of heavy metal in the modern era. With millions of albums sold globally and numerous world tours (from Ozzfest, Mayhem and Download to opening for METALLICA, BLACK SABBATH, and IRON MAIDEN to extensive headline treks), TRIVIUM began their journey in 2003 with their debut album, "Ember To Inferno". The record quickly captured the attention of the band's earliest fans as well as the ears of A&R reps at Roadrunner Records, who rapidly signed the band and went on to release their watershed album "Ascendancy" in 2005. "Ember To Inferno" was the catalyst for what was to come and it has been out of print for several years… until now.

The band and 5B Artist Management have partnered with Cooking Vinyl to re-release the album, along with a deluxe edition that includes 13 additional tracks that have never been previously available yet have earned evasive legend status among the diehards, on December 2. It's a true treasure trove of material that will delight the staunchest TRIVIUM fans and beyond.

"The purpose of this release is to show the very early beginnings of TRIVIUM — perhaps an era unbeknownst to most listeners of the band," said TRIVIUM vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy. "To look back at 'Ember' as the starting point of TRIVIUM becoming recognized worldwide is a staggering thought for me, considering I was 16-17 years old during the writing and recording of the record.

"As a kid, I always said the 'goal' was to be in a massive metal band. I don't think I actually knew what it would mean to have fans in different parts of the world, and I still can't believe people care so much that they actually want to hear the music that pre-dates our Roadrunner years. To this day, I am still completely blown away that people are singing words to songs I wrote when I was 16 years old. It's an amazing feeling."

"Ember To Inferno" will be released in four configurations, with the deluxe editions containing the band's early demos "Ruber" (a.k.a. the Red Demo), "Caeruleus" (a.k.a. the Blue Demo) and "Flavus" (a.k.a. the Yellow Demo). Fans can pre-order all formats online here.

The formats available are:

* "Ember To Inferno" — Standard CD.

* "Ember To Inferno" — Standard Vinyl LP, which is the original album in a 2LP gatefold on orange/black marble vinyl.

* "Ember To Inferno: Ab Initio" — Deluxe CD, which is the original album with new artwork, plus 13 bonus tracks and expanded booklet in a digipak. The 13 bonus tracks are the band's early demos — "Ruber" (a.k.a. the Red Demo), "Caeruleus" (a.k.a. the Blue Demo) and "Flavus" (a.k.a. the Yellow Demo).

* "Ember to Inferno: Ab Initio" — Deluxe 5LP Box, which is five colored LPs in a special box including the original album in a 2LP gatefold on orange/black marble vinyl, the expanded booklet, a poster, a stencil, and 13 bonus tracks over three LPs. The 13 bonus tracks are the band's early demos — "Ruber" (a.k.a. the Red Demo) on transparent red vinyl, "Caeruleus" (a.k.a. the Blue Demo) on transparent blue vinyl, and "Flavus" (a.k.a. the Yellow Demo) on transparent yellow vinyl.

"Ember To Inferno" standard edition track listing:

01. Inception: The Bleeding Skies02. Pillars Of Serpents03. If I Could Collapse The Masses04. Fugue (A Revelation)05. Requiem06. Ember To Inferno07. Ashes08. To Burn The Eye09. Falling To Grey 10. My Hatred11. When All Light Dies12. A View Of Burning Empires

"Ember To Inferno: Ab Initio" deluxe-only bonus tracks

Ruber (on transparent red vinyl for box set)

01. Pain02. Thrust03. Lake Of Fire

Caeruleus (on transparent blue vinyl for box set)

04. To Burn The Eye05. Requiem06. Fugue07. My Hatred08. The Storm09. Sworn10. Demon

Flavus (on transparent yellow vinyl for box set)

11. Like Light To The Flies12. Blinding Tears Will Break The Skies13. The Deceived

TRIVIUM is currently wrapping its latest U.S. headline tour in support of "Silence In the Snow". The band returns to Europe for headline dates February-March 2017.

Latin American metal group DE LA TIERRA will release its second studio album, "II", on November 18 via Sony Music Latin. DE LA TIERRA is comprised of some of Latin America's most talented metal musicians, including Brazilian guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), Argentine singer/guitarist Andres Gimenez (A.N.I.M.A.L.), Argentine bassist Sr. Flavio (LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS) and Cuban/Mexican drummer Alex Gonzalez (MANÁ). "II" follows the band's 2014 self-titled debut which received rave reviews and support from critics and fans. The upcoming record's first new song, "Puro", can be streamed below. Speaking with Billboard.com, Gimenez says: "This song talks about how life can take us in different directions, good or bad. Our soul is unbreakable. It's up to us to understand if it's time to be born, to grow, or to die. The payoff is always there. Nothing is easy, but nothing is impossible as long as you keep the pure power inside your heart." DE LA TIERRA found massive success following the release of their debut album in 2014. The record allowed the band to tour and share the stage with bands like METALLICA and SLIPKNOT and perform at festivals such as Rock In Rio, Santiago Gets Louder and Vive Latino as well as gain a strong following of fans throughout North and South America. For their follow-up record, DE LA TIERRA worked with renowned producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES, THE CURE, SEPULTURA) who helped the band craft a furious set of songs for one of the year's most dynamic, heavy rock/metal albums. "Our first album was self-produced," says drummer Alex Gonzalez. "This second album we had the awesome opportunity, honor and privilege to work with Ross Robinson. He produced and really captured and brought out the best of all of us. It was very positive and challenging, but at the same time he made us work hard and give 100% all the time. He really helped us to find our sound and voice." "II" was recorded in Los Angeles, where DE LA TIERRA laid down the music live to analog tape machines. Each of the band's members has a unique, individual style that Robinson helped blend and balance with their influential roots for a rich music experience that transcends language barriers. "All four of us listen to so much music and different styles that all of that information brings a lot to the table once we start writing music," Gonzalez adds. "It's so awesome that a band like DE LA TIERRA, that is a heavy/metal band, can bring so many different styles and sounds of heavy metal to our music, but at the same time we include rhythms, melodies and lyrics from Latin America."

After celebrating over 40 years together with the same trio line-up, UMe continues the celebration of the RUSH catalog with the release of three 40th-anniversary expanded editions of the band's classic 1976 album "2112".

On December 16, 2016, "2112 - 40th" will be released in three distinct variations. The 2CD/DVD edition will include a newly remastered CD of the original "2112" album by Abbey Road Studios, and an additional CD of rare, live and previously unreleased material, including newly recorded tracks from "2112" featuring Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of FOO FIGHTERS along with Nick Raskulinecz, BILLY TALENT, Steven Wilson from PORCUPINE TREE, Jacob Moon and ALICE IN CHAINS. The set's third disc is a DVD featuring a newly restored vintage 1976 RUSH concert recorded at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, plus bonus videos of the Grohl/Hawkins/Raskulinecz track and BILLY TALENT track, and a new 25-plus-minute interview featuring RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson and longtime producer and engineer Terry Brown. The new "2112" remaster originally appeared on the much-acclaimed 2015 hologram vinyl edition of the album; this marks the Abbey Road Studios master first time on CD.

UMe is also releasing a three-LP 200-gram vinyl edition incorporating all of the aforementioned audio material, plus a special laser-etched LP side, the 2015 hologram on "2112"'s side B and a unique turntable mat featuring the band's iconic Starman character. Fans will also have the option of purchasing a Super Deluxe edition of "2112", incorporating both CDs, the DVD, all three LPs plus its bonus items, and several exclusive collectable items including two 12-inch x 12-inch lithos, one featuring Hugh Syme's original Starman pencil sketching, the second showcasing a 1976 Massey Hall ticket stub; a reprint of the 1976 Massey Hall handbill and three buttons featuring each band member, all housed in a box lined with velvet flocking. For the first 1,000 Super Deluxe pre-order purchases at Rush.com, us.udiscovermusic.com and udiscovermusic.com, the purchaser will receive a limited-edition seven-inch pressing of the album's first single, "The Twilight Zone" (b/w "Lessons") and a custom red star 45 large hole adapter ring, both newly designed by Hugh Syme.

All three versions of "2112 - 40th" feature extensive liner notes by renowned rock historian Rob Bowman, and newly designed artwork by longtime RUSH art director Hugh Syme. The set's rare recordings include "Solar Federation", spotlighting the isolated Neil Peart vocals that close the song "2112" in "Grand Finale", two outtakes from the 1976 Massey Hall concerts, including "Something For Nothing" and a nearly complete 15-plus-minute performance of "2112", as well as a recently rediscovered live version of the album track "The Twilight Zone", which has only been performed twice in the band's long history.

The epic "2112" album which guitarist Alex Lifeson described as "the first record where we sounded like RUSH," is widely regarded as a crucial landmark in RUSH's body of work. Although it was the band's fourth album, it's generally considered to be the one on which the band's epic sound and ambitious conceptual approach blossomed. Resisting record-company pressure to focus on shorter, more radio-friendly songs, the band stuck to its guns and constructed the album's seminal seven-part, 20-minute title piece, a conceptual suite set in a dystopian future.

In addition to its status as a creative landmark, "2112" was also RUSH's commercial breakthrough, becoming the band's first album to reach the Billboard LP chart and the first RUSH album to achieve gold sales status in the U.S. (it was subsequently certified platinum). "2112" was also RUSH's first platinum album in Canada, spawning a now-legendary Canadian tour that culminated in a three-night stand at Massey Hall in Toronto, which was recorded for RUSH's first live album, "All The World's A Stage".

"2112" is one of two RUSH albums listed in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", and it ranked second on Rolling Stone's 2012 readers' poll of “Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time.” In 2006, the non-profit Audio-Visual Preservation Trust Of Canada chose "2112" as a culturally significant example of Canada's audio-visual heritage.

For more information, including the complete track listing for "2112 - 40th", visit Rush.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH performing the song "Deceiver Of The Gods" on November 2 at Vicar Street in Dublin, Ireland can be seen below.

AMON AMARTH recently announced the addition of Jocke Wallgren as the band's new permanent drummer. Jocke has been sitting behind the kit for all shows on the group's current "Jomsviking" world tour.

In an interview with EMP Rock Invasion, AMON AMARTH vocalist Johan Hegg stated about the departure of drummer Fredrik Andersson and AMON AMARTH's decision to enlist a session drummer, Tobias Gustafsson (VOMITORY, CUT UP), during the recording sessions for "Jomsviking": "Tobias was helping to write the album and record the album. We asked him to help us write and record the album, 'cause we didn't wanna go out and find a complete replacement, start working on a new album and then realize halfway through that, 'All right. This is not working out. We need to find someone else.' That wouldn't have been good at all. So we decided to work with someone we know really well. Tobias is an old friend and a great drummer. I mean, he's been playing for years in VOMITORY and now, obviously, he's in CUT UP. I think he contributed a lot to the end result of the album. I think it would not have turned out as great as it did without him."

AMON AMARTH's tenth studio album, "Jomsviking", debuted at No. 19 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 21,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 31.

"Jomsviking" was released on March 25 via Metal Blade in North America and Sony Music internationally. The first concept record in AMON AMARTH's storied career tells a tragic tale of love and revenge, backed by the Swedes' trademark melodic, anthemic metal, which was produced and mixed once again by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, ACCEPT). The epic original story is set in the world of the Jomsvikings, the legendary order of mercenary Vikings.

Official video footage of METALLICA's October 26 performance at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death02. For Whom The Bell Tolls03. Wherever I May Roam04. Harvester Of Sorrow05. The Memory Remains06. The Unforgiven07. Moth Into Flame08. Ride The Lightning09. Sad But True10. One11. Master Of Puppets12. Battery13. Fade To Black14. Seek & Destroy

Encore:

15. Hardwired16. Whiskey In The Jar17. Nothing Else Matters18. Enter Sandman

As previously reported, METALLICA plans to make a video for every song on its new album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct". Drummer Lars Ulrich said in an interview with The Strait Times: "Now that YouTube is the world's biggest television station, we figured we may as well knock a video out for every song," adding, "The practicality of shooting 12 music videos is kind of crazy, especially when you're trying to promote your record, and you're all over the place, and trying to make sure it doesn't leak. It's crazy but, at the same time, fun."

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett told The Pulse Of Radio that the band has to be in better than average shape physically to play the songs on the new record. "There's a physicality to our music that we cannot ignore, so we just kind of have to keep ourselves in a certain sort of physical sort of state where that, you know, we can't let ourselves get to a point where we can't play these songs, you know," he said. "That's just not allowed. You know, when we write this music, we have to make sure that we can play it and play it, you know, when we need to play it."

So far the band has revealed clips for the title track, as well as the tracks "Moth Into Flame" and "Atlas, Rise!"

The long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" is out November 18 and consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

Ulrich also said that METALLICA has done its best to keep up with the shifting fortunes of the music industry, explaining: "20 to 30 years ago, there was a right way and wrong way to do things, but now it's just what suits you the best because it’s a whole new game out there."

METALLICA is on tour at the moment in South America and plays in Guatemala City on Thursday (November 3).

Ozzy Osbourne spoke about to SiriusXM host Jose Mangin about the possibility of a new solo album from the BLACK SABBATH singer once the legendary heavy metal band has completed its "The End" tour in early 2017. Ozzy said: "I'm not retiring, I'm gonna carry on. I've been writing with Billy Morrison [who currently plays guitar in Billy Idol's band and co-wrote songs on Idol's latest album] and [Idol] guitarist] Steve Stevens. [Steve is] not gonna be in my band, he's with Billy Idol. But he's a friend of [Morrison's] and [Morrison] plays with Billy Idol. I said, 'I've got some ideas,' and we worked it out. There's one song that right now is called 'Crack Cocaine'. It's like a bluesy thing."

Asked when fans can expect to see his next solo album, Ozzy replied: "I don't wanna say when [it will be out]. I can't be working the SABBATH thing and my own thing at the same time. I tried that with the Ozzfest; it didn't work."

Ozzy told Metro back in August that he was "playing around with some song ideas" for his next solo album. He added: "Once BLACK SABBATH is off the road, I will be heading into the studio with my band to get the songs recorded. Once it's all in the can, you can be sure to see me back on the road again."

Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne recently told Rolling Stone that the 67-year-old singer will carry on as a solo artist after BLACK SABBATH's farewell tour comes to an end. "We'll continue until Ozzy finishes, and Ozzy won't be long behind them when he calls it a day," she said.

"It's not going to be within the next year, but it's coming up," she said. "I don't want Ozzy singing 'Crazy Train' at 75. I think it's best you go out before you hit that 70 and go out on top."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he wanted to keep performing for fans as long as he could. "I don't wanna stop, you know," he said. "It's been the biggest love affair of my life. When you reach a certain age in rock 'n' roll, people think, 'Well, this has got to be his last tour,' or 'This has got to be his last tour,' or 'You've got to come next Tuesday 'cause he ain't gonna do it after that.' You'll know when I've come off the road permanently. I mean, you'll know!"

Ozzy has not released an all-new solo album since "Scream", having spent the last few years touring with BLACK SABBATH and recording that band's "13" album.

Epic Records president Sylvia Rhone told Billboard in August 2015 that Osbourne was working on a "really special album." She added, "It's going to be amazing. It's something Ozzy has never done before that he's always wanted to do."

HammerFall will released their new album, Built To Last, tomorrow (Friday, November 4th) via Napalm Records. The clip streaming below features the unboxing of the wooden box edition of the album, strictly limited to 1,000 copies and exclusively available through the Napalm Records mailorder, here.

Guitarist Oscar Dronjak previously stated: "Built To Last is our 10th studio album in 19 years, incredibly enough, but I think we sound more alive and vibrant than ever before! We have worked our asses off to make sure this album is a worthy successor to (r)Evolution, and I have no doubt in my mind that we have created one of the strongest records we have ever done. I am immensely proud and excited about this album, and I am confident all our Templars of Steel will agree once they hear it in November."

The album artwork, designed by Andreas Marschall, and tracklisting can be seen below.

Built To Last tracklisting:

“Bring It!”
“Hammer High”
“The Sacred Vow”
“Dethrone And Defy”
“Twilight Princess”
“Stormbreaker”
“Built To Last”
“The Star Of Home”
“New Breed”
“Second To None”

Track-by-track video:

“Hammer High” video:

“The Sacred Vow” lyric video:

HammerFall will embark on another celebrated tour over Europe, beginning on January 12th, 2017 in Bremen, Germany. Now the band announce that special guests Gloryhammer will be joining HammerFall on their extensive European Tour, and the support will come from Lancer.

”We got exactly the support bands we wanted”, says guitarist Oscar Dronjak. ”There is no doubt in my mind that Lancer will be thoroughly enjoyed by all our fans, and Gloryhammer's mighty and epic music will be the perfect lead-in to the HammerFall show that will follow. The World Wide (r)Evolution was a resounding success on every level with half of the shows sold out, and we can’t wait to get back on stage again to have a gigantic heavy metal party every night with all our Templar friends!”

HammerFall and Delain have joined forces for a co-headline North American tour, set for spring of 2017. Tickets and VIP packages for all shows are available now at this location.

HammerFall’s Built To Tour 2017 dates can be found here (with ticket links).

(Photo - Tallee Savage)

British heavy metallers Tank have released the video for the title track from their most recent album, Valley Of Tears. The digital deluxe release of the album is slated for December 1st.

Tank will be performing at Austria’s Full Metal Mountain Festival 2017. For more info go here.

Tank lineup:

Cliff Evans – guitars
Mick Tucker – guitars
ZP Theart (Dragonforce) – vocals
Bobby Schottkowski (Sodom) – drums
Barend Courbois (Blind Guardian) – bass guitar

INVIDIA, the new band featuring former and current members of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, IN THIS MOMENT and SKINLAB, has signed a worldwide deal with SPV (eOne distribution) for the release of its debut album, "As The Sun Sleeps". Based in Las Vegas, INVIDIA's style embraces everything from industrial sludge to Bay Area thrash and delivers with the musical mastery and ferocity to dominate 2017. With a target drop date of April 2017, "As The Sun Sleeps" bursts through sub-genre walls and embodies INVIDIA's multifaceted sound.

SPV's A&R Manager and head of international licensing, Gero Herrde, revealed his reactions to the partnership: "Working with a band consisting of high-level experienced and skilled musicians like these guys is not only an honor, it is also a great pleasure — and it's bound for success as well. We're really proud that it's us they picked!"

INVIDIA bassist Matt Snell (formerly of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) shares Herrde's enthusiasm. "Everyone in INVIDIA is beyond excited that we found a home with SPV and we are looking forward to our partnership working together," said Snell. "When you surround yourself with the right people there are truly no limits to what could be."

INVIDIA's manager Shawn Barusch, president of Music Gallery International, helmed this game changing deal between INVIDIA and SPV. "I'm so happy to be working with SPV!" Shawn said. "I feel we have found the right home for INVIDIA. With the debut release of INVIDIA's album, 'As The Sun Sleeps', in 2017, I feel no fan will be safe from this rapture."

"As The Sun Sleeps" was produced and co-written by Logan Mader (ONCE HUMAN, MACHINE HEAD). "I loved working on this album!" he said. "INVIDIA's sound has huge balls while maintaining a great sense of mass appeal with big hooks and heavy grooves. The guys are dead serious about making it all happen and very self-sufficient. Producing records like this makes my job fun and inspiring." And on the SPV deal, co-manager Mader had this to say: "We made a solid deal for the band. It took awhile to negotiate but it ended up right. Excited for 2017!"

Regarding the vibe and feel of "As The Sun Sleeps", Mader said: "I would call it hard rock/metal with big balls. It's got big choruses. It's got big hooks. It also has a serious 'metal energy,' which is where we all come from in our musical backgrounds. There are some songs that fit the American active rock radio format. There are some songs with a modern-industrial-type feel mixed with a kind of a pop sensibility and big chorus. The other end of the spectrum is more of a groove metal which draws a little bit from that classic PANTERA vibe. It gives it that sort of heavy testosterone metal feel."

In a recent interview with Rich Inzinna and Paula Noto from "The S.I.R.E.N." radio show on iRadioUSA.com, Travis stated about how INVIDIA was formed: "This all came together super fast and super flawless. I guess stars kind of aligned, really. I put something up online and Brian hit me up. He said, 'Dude, I'd be totally down t do some work together,' and that kind of thing. And I was, like, 'You know what? I totally miss singing. And I'm totally down for that.'"

He continued: "The funny thing is, everybody that's involved in this project as of now has worked together at different times except for me and Brian. So it's almost funny. It was like this circle that was just missing a piece for it all to connect. So once me and Brian got together, the whole circle came together, and within six weeks, this whole record's done, completely recorded, everybody's in place. And it's almost super ironic the way it all came together."

Travis, who still plays bass in IN THIS MOMENT, added: "We're all super excited about this project. I'm stoked to be singing again. I love playing bass, obviously, but I've been a singer for a long fucking time. I just took a huge break, so it's good to be able to kind of get back into it and kind of have my cake and eat it too, and be on both sides."

INVIDIA is:

* Matt Snell (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) - Bass* Travis Johnson (IN THIS MOMENT) - Vocals* Brian Jackson (SKINLAB) - Guitar* Darren Badorine - Drums* Marcos Medina (SKINLAB) - Guitar

Photo credit: Fred Morledge / PhotoFM.com

In August 2014, Maria "Tristessa" Kolokouri, leader of Athens-based all-female black metal band Astarte, lost her battle against leukemia. The band's final album, Blackdemonium, will be released worldwide through Sleaszy Rider Records. Fans can expect something more extreme, raw and black. A 7'' vinyl will be released before Blackdemonium is unleashed. 

More details will be revealed soon.

Maria's husband Nick and son Antonios issued the following statement upon her passing: 

"Maria she's left from this world. You are leaving a lot behind and my soul is in pain.You are a special person. You are my wife. I will always adore you, our son and everybody that they love. I will always honour you and you will never be forgotten. Until we meet again my love, I will will kiss you from inside of my soul."

With the release of Anti Cosmic Art, the fourth full-length album from Norwegian black metallers Sarkom, a month away, Dark Essence Records have debuted a track from the album.

Titled "Mind-Abscess", one of the track's features is a striking guitar interlude performed by three separate guitarists.  The first guitar part is performed by Thrawn, the second by Shining’s Peter Huss, and the third by Galaaen. 

As well as Peter Huss, the seven-track album also features guest appearances from Alfahanne's Pehr Skjoldhammer, and guitar virtuosos Ronni Le Tekrø (TNT, Roquefire) and former Sarkom member Sagstad (Trollfest).  

Artwork by Spectrvm Lvsitani:

Anti-Cosmic Art tracklisting:

“Previous Associates, Now As Targets For The Gun”
“Mind-Abscess”
“Ruiners Of Our Family Tree”
“Seen Through The Eyes Of A Paedophile Priest”
“Come, Dear Cancer”
“Black Metal Necrophilia”
“Sodomy And Lust” (Sodom cover)

"Mind-Abscess":

Founder and frontman Unsgaard (So Much For Nothing), Sgt V (ex-Svarttjern) on bass, Thrawn (ex-Dødheimsgard) on guitar and Defest (Svarthaueg) on drums, have made full use of the unique, crushingly dark sound that is Sarkom’s trademark, and have come up with an album that ranges from icy, old school black metal, to more experimental tracks. Brutally catchy, guitar-driven, and featuring blast beats from hell, Anti-Cosmic Art demonstrates perfectly that Sarkom have no problems stepping out of their comfort zone, or of appealing to a wider audience.

To mark the release of Anti-Cosmic Art, Sarkom will play the following two Norwegian dates:

December
3 - Good Omens - Trondheim, Norway
17 - Revolver - Oslo, Norway

On November 4th, Dark Tranquillity will release their 11th album, Atoma, worldwide through Century Media Records. The band have released a medley of the two tracks, “The Absolute” and “Time Out Of Place”, taken from the bonus disc of the Deluxe CD edition of the album.
 
The band explains, "A lot of our songs start out as pieces of music written on piano/ keyboards before getting transformed into guitar driven metal. With this recording, we wanted to explore what would happen if we instead let the material take another direction, and we're extremely thrilled by the result."

Atoma was recorded at Rogue Music in Gothenburg, the studio owned by D.T. keyboardist Martin Brändström. Mixing duties were handled by David Castillo, known for his work with bands such as Katatonia, Opeth and Candlemass. The striking cover artwork was once again created by the band's guitarist Niklas Sundin.

Atoma tracklisting:

“Encircled”
“Atoma”
“Forward Momentum”
“Neutrality”
“Force Of Hand”
“Faithless By Default”
“The Pitiless”
“Our Proof Of Life”
“Clearing Skies”
“When The World Screams”
“Merciless Fate”
“Caves And Embers”

“Forward Momentum” video:

"Atoma" animated video:

“The Pitiless” video:

A limited edition double CD will be available as a digipak in North America and as a Mediabook in Europe. The bonus disc features the songs “The Absolute” and “Time Out of Place” that showcase a very different side of the band. Recorded and mixed by Anders Lagerfors at Nacksving studios, these tracks are among the darkest and most brooding ever from the band - but their experimental nature make them far removed from the usual metal territory.

The band explains, "A lot of our songs start out as pieces of music written on piano/ keyboards before getting transformed into guitar driven metal. With this recording, we wanted to explore what would happen if we instead let the material take another direction, and we're extremely thrilled by the result."

These songs will exclusively be available on the physical deluxe edition of Atoma and won't appear on the digital edition of the album. A vinyl 7” is planned for early 2017.

The gatefold vinyl LP will contain the 12 track CD and is available in different vinyl colors:

Black vinyl: worldwide
Blue vinyl: limited to 400 copies exclusive through Bengans in Sweden
Dark Green: limited to 200 copies exclusive through CDon in Scandinavia
Clear vinyl: limited to 400 copies in North America
Transparent Blue vinyl: limited to 300 copies exclusive through cmdistro.com in North America
Transparent Red vinyl: limited to 200 copies exclusive available through cmdistro.com in Europe

Dark Tranquillity will launch their North American tour on November 4th in New York City. A new tour trailer is streaming below.

Tour dates:

November (with Swallow The Sun, Enforcer and Starkill)
4 - The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
5 - Palladium Upstairs - Worcester, MA
6 - Trocadero Theater - Philadelphia, PA
7 - The Filmore - Silver Spring, MD
8 - Upstate Concert Hall - Clifton Park, NY
9 - Foufonues Electriques - Montreal, QC
10 - Le Cercle - Quebec, QC
11 - Mavericks - Ottawa, ON
12 - The Opera House - Toronto, ON
13 - Token Lounge - Westland, MI
14 - The Altar Bar - Pittsburgh, PA
15 - The Agora Theatre & Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
16 - Park Street Saloon - Columbus, OH
19 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, MN
20 - Fubar - Saint Louis, MO
22 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
25 - Rickshaw Theatre - North Vancouver, Canada
26 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
27 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
28 - PBJ's - Reno, NV
29 - Slim’s - San Francisco, CA
30 - City National Grove - Anaheim, CA

December (with Swallow The Sun, Enforcer and Starkill)
1 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
2 - LVCS - Las Vegas, NV
3 - Club Red - Mesa, AZ
5 - Trees - Dallas, TX
6 - Cine El Rey - Mcallen, TX
7 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX

(Photo - Dirk Behlau)