EMMURE has inked a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast/SharpTone. The band's seventh studio album is tentatively due in early 2017.

EMMURE's new single, "Torch", can now be streamed below.

The new lineup of EMMURE made its live debut on April 22 in Oberhausen, Germany. Joining vocalist Frankie Palmeri in the band's latest incarnation are guitarist Josh Travis (GLASS CLOUD, ex-THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA), bassist Phil Lockett (ex-THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA) and drummer Josh Miller (ex-GLASS CLOUD).

EMMURE pulled out of a series of U.S. shows in October last year "to focus on other things," which was then followed by bassist Mark Davis, lead guitarist Jesse Ketive, rhythm guitarist Mike Mulholland and drummer Adam Pierce leaving the band. Davis later told AltPress.com about his departure from the group: "There is no time or room for negativity in life. If someone is bringing you down or holding you back from your full potential, it's time to cut them out, no matter how much you may love them."

Palmeri released a statement earlier in the year in which he said he regretted saying "a lot of stupid shit" in the past. He said: "Over the years, specifically the last decade, I have done a pretty good job at painting myself as an egotistical, psychotic, moronic douche. I did and said a lot of stupid shit, a good portion of which I look back [on] with embarrassment and regret. I have grown so much as person and I like to think there is still chance for people to understand that everyone grows differently and at their own pace. I am still growing, but I am not the person people have made me out to be. I look forward to reconnecting with all the fans who have stuck with EMMURE through the years and just over all excited about the future."

EMMURE's last full-length album, "Eternal Enemies", was released in April 2014 via Victory Records.

"Ruin You", a brand new song from former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo's SUPERJOINT RITUAL project — now known simply as SUPERJOINT for legal reasons — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Caught Up In The Gears Of Application", which will be released on November 11 via Anselmo's Housecore record label. The disc was recorded at Philip's New Orleans-area studio, Nodferatu's Lair and was produced by Anselmo and Stephen Berrigan. The effort was mastered by Scott Hull (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, PIG DESTROYER) at Visceral Sounds.

SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD), drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).

"The minute we started writing, I knew this record would be brutal," reflects Bower.

"Sticking to our true hardcore roots and signature SUPERJOINT sound, we accomplished a record that needed to happen in today's underground. It's pissed off!

"After being on hiatus for eleven-plus years, the chance at a new SUPERJOINT record wasn't something we took lightly.

"With newcomers Steven and Joey, we were psyched and eager to get in the Lair and start writing and after two tours with the new lineup, we were able to hit the writing hard! Didn't take long to accomplish, and we stood and smirked at the playback of what would be the new SUPERJOINT record.

"With songs like 'Receiving No Answer To The Knock' and 'Sociopathic Herd Delusion', we had everything to smirk about!

"This record brings our viscous style of hardcore back to life.

"Pissed off with everything to prove, SUPERJOINT is back!"

Adds Anselmo: "The overall theme [of the album] means many things, or no things, but there is an underlying message regardless, about how modern technology — computers and all that comes with them, mainly — has affected our lives. As a musician, it has affected my life both negatively (music being stolen) and positively (being in touch with fellow musicians around the world and staying visible). But when looking at the broader spectrum, computer-land has given everyday people a platform in which to bellow like carnival barkers about anything and everything, humdrum or political, whether qualified or not, some with good intentions, some with disingenuous intentions, and some with ideas that lay somewhere in the middle, creating a mishmash of results."

"Caught Up In The Gears Of Application" track listing:

01. Today And Tomorrow02. Burning The Blanket03. Ruin You04. Caught Up In The Gears Of The Application05. Sociopathic Herd Delusion06. Circling The Drain07. Clickbait08. Asshole09. Mutts Bite Too10. Rigging The Fight11. Receiving No Answer To The Knock

According to Anselmo, the direction of SUPERJOINT's new material is very similar to that one the band's first two albums, 2002's "Use Once And Destroy" and 2003's "A Lethal Dose Of American Hatred". "It won't sound any different, because myself, Jimmy and Kevin have always been the main writers in SUPERJOINT anyway, so, really — for the most part, really, me and Jimmy. So it shouldn't sound much different at all," he told Full Metal Jackie back in July 2015.

In a separate interview with the Phoenix New Times, Anselmo was asked why he feels that SUPERJOINT's current live shows are so much better than those that he played with the band more than a decade ago when the group was known as SUPERJOINT RITUAL. He responded: "So-briety! [Laughs] Simply put. Sobriety."

He continued: "You know, originally we were plugging along with SUPERJOINT, truth is, and I'm not a bit embarrassed or ashamed to admit it at all, I really don't remember much about SUPERJOINT from back then except for little pieces. I was fucked up out of my fucking mind on heavy drugs … and the overindulgence of booze. These days, don't get me wrong, I like my suds and I like a bit of the white grape…. But I think every damn one of us has a much clearer mind. A much more stable support system within that realm. And we're all veterans now, man. We've been through the lowest of times together, and this group of people — specifically, Jimmy Bower and Kevin Bond — when it was time to say 'fuck this road to destruction,' we all kind of did that together. We all came off of heavy drugs at the same time. So I think there's this strength with knowledge there about what not to do. So really it just happened from our clear minds and fresh blood there. It's a positive thing. It feels like it's fun again, and isn't that the point? If you're going to make music and you're having fun while you're doing it, nothing in this world cane deter from that."

Anselmo also talked about how SUPERJOINT approaches its live performances. He said: "I would just say, as far as energy goes, we know from being in the scene for 20, 30 years that we don't have to get up there and jump around and dance around for the kids anymore. All we need to do is throw our amps and drums up on stage… And play the music as tight as possible with no bullshit, man. Just lay it on them."

Long-running Canadian metallers INFERNAL MAJESTY have inked a deal with High Roller Records for the release of their fourth album, "No God". The CD's title track will be made available for download and streaming on October 15.

Commented INFERNAL MAJESTY vocalist Christopher Bailey: "We are extremely excited to be working with High Roller Records and are honored to have them release 'No God'. We put a lot into it physically and mentally and feel it has a classic INFERNAL MAJESTY undertone while artfully expanding into episodes of mayhem. [It was] recorded at our studio in Vancouver, Canada and produced by Steve Terror, Chris Bailey and Ken Hallman. We enrolled the masterfull mixing skills of Chris ''Hollywood' Holmes and believe this to be our best works since 'None Shall Defy'. The album will make INFERNAL MAJESTY history spanning three decades of metal cacophony. An official release date announcement will be coming."

INFERNAL MAJESTY's video for the song "House Of War" — taken from "No God" — can be seen below. Bailey stated about the track: "'House Of War' is a prophetic vision into the apocalyptic modernity awaiting human kind.

"We wanted to write a song and make a video that was relevant to the apocalyptic modernity we are marching towards. It is as much an observation as it is a prophetic declaration."

INFERNAL MAJESTY's current lineup:

Christopher Bailey - vocalsKenny Hallman - guitarSteve Terror - guitarKiel Wilson - drums

INFERNAL MAJESTY performed "None Shall Defy" in its entirety with special guest vocalist George "Corpsegrider" Fisher from CANNIBAL CORPSE on August 20, 2011 at Rickhaw Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Asked in an interview why INFERNAL MAJESTY was dropped by Roadrunner Records after the release of "None Shall Defy", Steve Terror said, "At the time Roadrunner was just starting out in the States so they didn't have the clout that they have now. There have been many bands that have been unhappy with Roadrunner and I don't think we are any different. I think what really happened was, [former INFERNAL MAJESTY drummer] Rick [Hughes] went to New York to the label and told them that we didn't want to tour, but to put out a second album instead. The rest of us didn't find this out for about five years after the fact. The label wanted bands that wanted to tour so they became disinterested with us. You have to remember that at the time labels where signing everyone in sight and not really paying much attention to each band."

A teaser video for "A Place Where There's No Pain", the first new album from LIFE OF AGONY in over a decade, can be seen below (courtesy of Rolling Stone). The band's fifth studio LP, which will arrive in the spring of 2017 via Napalm Records, will mark LIFE OF AGONY's first release since singer Mina Caputo (formerly known as Keith Caputo) came out as transgender in 2011.

LIFE OF AGONY bassist Alan Robert previously stated about the upcoming effort: "I think our fans know that our music comes from a very real place of suffering, from all of us in the band.

"Many of our fans have told us over the years that sharing our personal struggles has been cathartic for them in healing the pain in their own lives. That uplifting energy we share at the shows gives us hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel. And for us and hopefully our fans, that short time when we're all together is a place where there's no more pain."

LIFE OF AGONY returned to the stage and performed on multiple festival dates in Europe over the summer of 2014. The band's famed "River Runs Red" lineup, consisting of vocalist Mina Caputo, guitarist Joseph Zampella (a.k.a. Joey Z), bassist Alan Robert and drummer Sal Abruscato, was excited to take the stage together once again after a three-year hiatus.

Asked in a December 2015 interview with The Aquarian Weekly how LIFE OF AGONY's music is still relatable and influential to the hardcore the scene today, Alan said: "Well, I think there is something to be said about the message and the music. When a lot of those songs were written, especially lyrically — you know, 'River Runs Red'… I was probably in my late teens writing those songs. It was all about dealing with depression and struggles growing up, and you know… just taking in everything that we were all going through in our families, and also dealing with troubles socializing things. And these are all common themes even now. Kids today, I think, are still going through these problems — maybe even more so, because you know, now that technology is in everyone's hands, it almost isolates you even more in a way. And these are common themes in all of our records, especially on the 'Ugly' record. Themes like feeling out of place and feeling like the ugly duckling, basically, and, 'We are the black sheep.' These are just common issues with growing up, and I think that some of these personalities gravitate towards hardcore music and metal music because it's still kind of on the outskirts of mainstream, and it's kind of going against the grain of what's expected, and I think they find community there. I know I did growing up, and going to shows to let out some angst, and anger, and turn it into positivity — I think that's been the whole message of LIFE OF AGONY from the start."

He continued: "Whether we realize it or not, we started out as these angry, depressed [laughs] kids, and by venting through our music, we created a community we're accepted in, and we can bond with people who were going through the same emotions. That is the 'hardcore' aspect of the music. There's a lot of 'metal' type of sounds and guitar riffs, but as far as the 'hardcore elements' in LIFE OF AGONY, the honesty and the purity of the message that we were trying to communicate was trying to basically lift someone up when they're feeling down, and let them know that you're not alone out there."

Alan added: "Time and time again, we have fans coming up to us from all over the world thanking us for making the music that we do because it saved their lives, and that means the world to us because we knew how it felt to be alone when no one was listening. Here are these kids listening to our music, knowing that they're not alone, and that no one else feels the same way that they do."

Regarding LIFE OF AGONY's future plans, Alan said: "I think ever since the summer of 2014 when we kicked this back up again, it's been so much fun and the energy has been so good between us and the people everywhere we go that we want to keep it going; we absolutely do. We're having a great time. And I think now that Mina has come out, she is free as a bird, and there is no holding back. It's just so great to see, not just as a bandmember, but as a longtime friend, to see her really comfortable in her own skin. I'm just really proud of her for her bravery, and everyone's been so accepting and so positive that it's really encouraging to see."

Photo by Jeremy Saffer

KING DIAMOND's November 2015 concerts in Philadelphia and Detroit during the "Abigail In Concert 2015" tour were filmed for the band's forthcoming DVD. The massive, multi-camera shoot was directed by Denise Korycki, who has previously worked with CANNIBAL CORPSE and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE).

In a brand new update on KING DIAMOND's Facebook page, the band's singer and namesake wrote: "[KING DIAMOND guitarist] Andy La Rocque and our sound engineer Pontus Norgren have begun work on the sound files from the shows we recorded on the U.S. 2015 'Abigail' tour. Andy said he was surprised by how good it all sounds. I have personally seen a rough cut of the song 'The Possession', which was put together for us as a pre-taster by Denise Korycki who is in charge of the video project, and I can tell you it sounded and looked amazing!

"Everything has taken a little longer than we initially thought it would, but we now also have footage from our 2016 European summer festivals and we're reviewing that as well for inclusion in the DVD set.

"I can't tell you a release date at this moment, but we're definitely sticking our heads full time into this project now.

"Once we have finished work on the DVD, it will be time for writing and recording the next brand new KING DIAMOND studio album.

"2017 will be spent mostly on writing and recording, and we will also try to fit in a few special festival shows, performing the same set as on the 'Abigail' tour. We might even hit a few places we haven't been in a million years.

Fan-filmed video footage of KING DIAMOND's November 13, 2015 performance at the Aztec Theater in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque told Artisan News about the making of the "Abigail" album: "I've actually got some great memories [from the recording sessions for the LP]. I remember the whole studio thing pretty well, actually. Back in… I think we started back in December 1986 to record it, after we got back from some touring and stuff, and some writing too, and rehearsing, of course. [It was a] very cold winter back in Copenhagen, you know. We spent about two months, I think, with the recording and the mixing. And the whole recording process, I thought, was very, very creative, and I think we just captured an amazing atmosphere on the whole album, which still, when you listen to it today, is, like, 'Wow!' You get back to the feel you had for it while you recorded it. So it's still a very cool and special album to me."

KING DIAMOND in 2002 released an album called "Abigail II: The Revenge", which was said to feature a storyline that was the sequel to the original "Abigail" LP.

Denmark-based black metal band Gespenst will release a CD version of the debut album Forfald on October 14th via Hellthrasher Productions and Duplicate Records.

Gespenst (translated as "Phantom") is a new Danish two piece act featuring (ex) members of Glorior Belli, Woebegone Obscured, and Horned Almighty. On their debut album Forfald, they create an otherworldly atmosphere by fusing Scandinavian black metal with funeral doom and touches of dark ambient. The record was tracked, mixed and mastered at Sol Ater studio in 2015 with session drums performed by Andreas Joen.

Originally issued on vinyl in August 2016 via Duplicate Records, Forfald will be re-released in a limited digipak CD edition with a bonus track "L'Appel du vide" (a tribute song to Stephanie "Deathanie" Allouche, previously featured on a vinyl-only compilation, showcasing emerging bands from the Danish city of Aarhus).

Tracklisting:

“Sorgens Taage”
“Revelation Of Maggots”
“Min Sjæl Raadner”
“Life Drained To The Black Abyss”
“L’Appel Du Vide”

Stream the album via the Bandcamp player below:

Forfald by GESPENST

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's new single called "The Stage" has just been released and can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The song, which is also available on Spotify, is expected to appear on the band's long-awaited new album, rumored to be titled "Voltaic Oceans" and possibly slated to drop on December 9.

The band has launched a new web site which features a Deathbot to which fans can address questions. According to The Pulse Of Radio, typing in "Voltaic Oceans" gets this response: "I bet you feel like the smartest ape." But if you enter "new album," the Deathbot reveals that the official answer will be revealed during a special live event on October 27.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has definitely been building up to some kind of announcement or event, as the band's mascot, the Deathbat, has been mysteriously appearing around the world.

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance told The Pulse Of Radio that AVENGED SEVENFOLD is always looking ahead to the next project. "Our sights are always set so far in advance, you know, we're always looking at what the future holds for us and how to put on an even better show, a bigger show...I want generations of fans," he said. "I want fans to someday be bringing their children. We still have a lot of work to do and a long way to go, in our humble opinion."

The band's seventh studio album will be released through Capitol Records, following the band's termination of its contract with Warner Bros. Records earlier this year.

The label sued the group in January for breach of contract, claiming the band owed it another studio effort and a live set on its existing deal.

AVENGED's previous two releases, 2013's "Hail To The King" and 2010's "Nightmare", both topped the Billboard album chart.

The band will perform at Knotfest Mexico in Mexico City this Saturday (October 15).

Photo credit: Rafa Alcantara of TWENTYFOURCORE

Fair Warning have released a teaser video for their new album, Pimp Your Past, to be released worldwide (ex-Japan) on October 28th via Steamhammer/SPV. Guitarist Helge Engelke and bassist Ule W. Ritgen give more info on the album in a very humorous way.

The current album by the band from Northern Germany features 2016 versions of the most important tracks from their first three studio albums - Fair Warning, Rainmaker and Go!, originally released between 1992 and 1997. Every single note sees Fair Warning underline the motto which they have chosen for themselves: a good song will always remain a good song (at this point we will save ourselves a decisive “full stop” as an expression of absolute conviction). At the same time, it’s an integral part of the Pimp Your Past concept that the arrangements of some of the new versions differ significantly from the originals.

As bassist Ule Ritgen puts it so aptly: “When our Japanese record company approached us with the request for this kind of album, we were skeptical to start with. But once we had made up our minds to not simply rerecord the material but furnish it with a few fresh arrangements, the project gained momentum and we were gripped by a kind of eagerness to explore the possibilities. Especially since the new recording are very energetic and sound excitingly different in parts while their essence has remained the same. You can tell that the originals have a lot of substance and that their quality is extremely robust.”

So it comes as no surprise that the unmistakable spiritedness of this band, which has been on the scene for 25 years and is now throwing a new light on the beginning of their career with Pimp Your Past, is also reflected in the album’s unusual cover artwork.

“We’ve run out of dragons, unfortunately they’re extinct,” jokes Helge Engelke and gets to the serious core of the matter: “Of course people may wonder what this ‘arty stuff’ is all about. In view of the term ‘pimp’, a cover featuring old cars would probably have been the logical thing to go for. But honestly: who wants something normal? And after all, monkeys also stand for an early stage of the evolution of man, so the album title and the cover fit together really well. To put it in a nutshell: we played with our origins on Pimp Your Past, which was not only a lot of fun but is also expressed in this particularly humorous artwork.”

Tracklisting:

“Longing For Love”
“One Step Closer”
“Out On The Run”
“When Love Fails”
“Long Gone”
“Burning Heart”
“Picture Of Love”
“Angels Of Heaven”
“Rain Song”
“Save Me”
“Don't Give Up”

Ektomorf leaves it all out on the EMGtv stage with this performance of "Souls Of Fire". Once again, the band shows off their aggressive music and lyrical content with lead singer, Zoltán Farkas, using his EMG 81-8X and EMG 85-8X to keep a tight low end on his eight string guitar. Tamás Schrottner rounds out the guitar tones with the EMG 808X. Keeping it all together is Szabi Murvai on the bass using the EMG 35DC bass pickups.

After completing their US tour and playing major festivals, Ektomorf will be on the road again in Europe with a killer set consisting of songs from the band’s latest album Aggressor and all their classic hits. Confirmed support acts are Hemlock from the US, Hot Beaver from Hungary and Arise In Chaos from the US.

Dates:

October
26 - Vienna, Austria - Das Bach
27 - Debrecen, Hungary - Roncsbar
28 - Zagreb, Croatia - Hard Place
30 - Brno, Czech Republic - TBA
31 - Nový Jičín, Czech Republic - TBA

November
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - TBA
2 - Frankfurt, Germany - Das Bett
3 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
4 - Wiesloch, Germany - Rock Und Pop Verein
6 - Hannover, Germany - Mephisto
7 - Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
8 - Trier, Germany - Mergener Hof
9 - Sion, Switzerland - Le Port Franc
10 - Lenzburg, Switzerland - Met-Bar
11 - Reutlingen, Germany - Franz K
12 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete
15 - Dresden, Germany - Puschkin
16 - Berlin, Germany - Nuke
18 - Freiburg, Germany - Crash
22 - Kromeriz, Czech Republic - TBA
23 - Karlovy VavyCarsbad, Czech Republic - Slash Bar
24 - Strasskirchen, Germany - Plutonium
25 - Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic - Dead End Festival
26 - Bayreuth, Germany - Winter Invasion Festival

From punk to thrash to "first wave" black metal to 80's deathrock and beyond - All Hell have relentlessly churned out their stygian works while spreading their volatile live show to eager audiences. The band’s album, The Red Sect, will be available for the first time on limited edition red vinyl LP through Prosthetic Records on October 21st. Order at this location.

The Red Sect tracklisting:

“Crossroads”
“Mass Possession”
“Venomous”
“Blood For The Baron”
“Graveyard Dust”
“In My Command”
“Blackshape”
“The Unseen”
“Funeral Feast”
“The Red Sect”

“Graveyard Dust” video:

In the video below, Blackberry Smoke perform the track “Ain't Got the Blues” live at Google/YouTube HQ. The track is featured on the band’s 2012 studio album, The Whippoorwill.

Blackberry Smoke will release their brand new studio album, Like An Arrow, on October 14th via Earache Records. A full album preview can be found below.

Like An Arrow follows the band's 2015 album, Holding All The Roses, which landed in the Top 50 on album charts around the world upon release, including the UK, US, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands, as well as taking the top spot in the UK Rock Chart and the US Country Chart.

Like An Arrow features 12 rocking new hits, including a track featuring The Allman Brothers Band’s very own Gregg Allman. The album was recorded and mixed by Billy Joe Bowers at The Quarry Recording Studio in Kenneshaw, Georgia, and was produced by Blackberry Smoke with sleeve artwork created by Alex Hagen.

Pre-order Like An Arrow now on limited edition signed CD and coloured vinyl, as well as regular CD, vinyl, and various merch bundles at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Waiting For The Thunder”
“Let It Burn”
“The Good Life”
“What Comes Naturally”
“Running Through Time”
“Like An Arrow”
“Ought To Know”
“Sunrise In Texas”
“Ain't Gonna Wait”
“Workin' For A Workin' Man”
“Believe You Me”
“Free On The Wing” (feat. Gregg Allman)

Album preview:

“The Good Life”:

“Let It Burn”:

“Waiting For The Thunder”:

Finnish female fronted metal group, Evil Drive, have released a video for the new single from their still untitled upcoming second album, to be released via Mighty Music worldwide in early 2017. The new video can be found below.

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Äänilaitos studio in Kotka with Juuso Elminen (Domination Black) “Anti-Genocide” presents Evil Drive’s melodic metal reinforced by Viktoria Viren’s over-the-top growling with one of the tightest guitar sections in the scene. The video was shoot and filmed by the bands long time trusted man Tino-Viljami Vanhala.

Viktoria Viren comments: “‘Anti-Genocide’ has a totally different theme and feeling compared to our debut album The Land Of The Dead, which was all about the current world politics and war. The new track is about the history of the American Indians and about the fate they had to face when the white men came and took over their land.”

“Anti-Genocide” also presents the band’s updated lineup, which now features guitarist Juha-Pekka “J-P” Pusa who recently replaced the band’s original guitarist Niko Huusari.

Ville Wiren comments: “The new line-up makes the band sound better than ever. J-P definitely brings us a lot of new energy and ideas and helps the band to find a completely new level. We've finally found ourselves, our musical style and finally have access to all the musical tools we've ever wanted: strong growling vocals, two great guitarists, and a great rhythm section. We trust that our upcoming album will be a turning point for Evil Drive, and we are excited to be with Mighty Music for this new chapter.”

Singaporean grindcore trio Wormrot are streaming the new track “Hollow Roots”, featured on their new album, Voices, out worldwide this Friday, October 14th. Listen to the new song below.

The new album is the first to feature Wormrot’s new drummer, Vijesh, who brings a fresh and fitting sound to one of the most original bands in the grindcore scene. Combined with Rasyid's godlike grind riffage and Arif's distinct vocals switching effortlessly between deep guttural growls and rasping screams, the band's third full-length goes far beyond expectations from a band that already can seemingly do no wrong.

Tracklisting:

“Blockhead Fuck Off”
“Hollow Roots”
“Exit Fear”
“God’s In His Heaven”
“Oblivious Mess”
“Descending Into The Unknown”
“Dead Wrong”
“Fallen Into Disuse”
“The 1st Syndrome”
“Shallow Standards”
“Fake Moral Machine”
“Forced Siege”
“Take Aim”
“Still Irrelevant”
“Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Grind”
“Compassion Is Dead”
“Buried The Sun”
“Defaced”
“The Face Of Disgrace”
“Outworn”

“Hollow Roots”:

“God’s In His Heaven”:

"Fake Moral Machine":

"Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Grind":

“Fallen Into Disuse” video:

Studio video:

Wormrot will be touring in support of the new album. The Voices EU/UK tour kicks off on February 22nd in Antwerp, Belgium, marking the band's long-awaited return to the continent.

Wormrot guitarist Rasyid comments: "We're excited for our first tour in years and it feels like returning to where it all started.  We'll be playing most of Voices and some old ones, and we hope to see the same crazy crowd as before."

Tour dates:

February
22 - Antwerp, Belgium - Het Bos
23 - London, UK - The Underworld
24 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion
25 - Leeds, UK - Temple of Boom
27 - Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
28 - Berlin, Germany - Cassiopeia

March
1 - Vienna, Austria - Viper Room
3 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Netherlands Death Fest

On November 11th, Downfall Of Gaia will release their fourth full-length, Atrophy, via Metal Blade Records. A video trailer for the album can be found below.

Recorded in June 2016 at Hidden Planet Studio Berlin with Jan Oberg, Atrophy was mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden Studio in San Francisco, CA, and is a record about the absurdity of life and human existence - an album about the constant dialog between life and death.

Downfall of Gaia is a dark wall, moving forward relentlessly, enveloping the listener, absorbing one's spirit to take one into the realm of the band's potent sound. Founded in 2008 and having undergone several line-up changes, the quartet is now comprised of the two founding members Dominik Goncalves dos Reis (guitar and vocals) and Anton Lisovoj (bass and vocals), plus Marco Mazzola (guitar) and Michael Kadnar (drums), who are located respectively in Berlin, Hamburg, and New York City. Although the group's roots lie within the DIY / crust scene, Downfall of Gaia has expanded their sound to incorporate elements of black, doom, and sludge metal. For their efforts, the band has earned many "album of the year" accolades - and with their upcoming release, Atrophy, they will surely earn praise from media and fans alike, once again.

Atrophy tracklisting:

“Brood”
“Woe”
“Ephemerol”
“Ephemerol II”
“Atrophy”
“Petrichor”

Trailer:

“Woe”:

The record can also be pre-ordered here.

Available formats:

- CD
- 180g black vinyl
- black/white vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- clear vinyl (limited to 200 copies)
- yellow marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies)

* an exclusive t-shirt bundle, plus digital options are also available

Downfall Of Gaia lineup:

Dominik Goncalves dos Reis - vocals/guitars
Marco Mazzola - guitars
Anton Lisovoj - vocals/bass
Michael Kadnar - drums

(Photo - Downfall Of Gaia)

Hevidence will release their debut album, Nobody’s Fault, on December 2nd. Check out the band’s new video for the track “Dig In The Night”, streaming below.

Hevidence is the brainchild of Italian guitar player Diego Reali, founding member of prog metal masters DGM. After he left the band in 2006, he started dabbling in some different musical styles, but his heart called for him to get back to metal. Thus Hevidence were born and Diego joined up with DGM bass player Andrea Arcangeli, singer Corrado Quoiani and drummer Emiliano Bonini.

"This band is highly inspired by the classic hard and heavy sounds from the '70s and '80s, that's why we worked hard to make this album sound the most vintage that was possible,” says Diego. “We are convinced that a huge dose of improvisation during the recording sessions is needed for the success of an original product. Everyone of us has many different musical influences and they came out in a very spontaneous way within the song writing process, we just believe in the word "ROCK"!”

Hevidence offer a mature and personal vision of hard rock and metal with a style reminiscent of the classic Official Yngwie Malmsteen albums mixed with power metal and melodic hard rock influences (think early Europe). An EPK where you can learn more about the band and hear song samples is streaming below.

The band will be launching the album with a special Release Party show in Roma at the Jailbreak LiveClub on December 1st. More info here.

Nobody’s Fault tracklisting:

“Dig In The Night”
“Nobody' Fault”
“Miracle”
“So Unkind”
“Ave Maria”
“Overdrive”
“I Want More”
“Out Of This Time”
“Pack Your Bags”
“All I Ever Needed”
“Note”

“Dig In The Night” video:

EPK:

Hevidence is:

Corrado Quoiani - Vocals
Diego Reali - Guitars
Andrea Arcangeli - Bass
Emiliano Bonini - Drums

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA released a special EP titled "Under My Skin" last year. The EP's cover was created around images of different tattoos that the band's fans sent in.

To show the band's fan base more about the creation of this release, the first part of the documentary "Sepultura Under My Skin - The Mediator UK Tour 2015", edited and directed by D.O. Blackley (Her Name Is Murder Productions), has been launched. Check it out below.

SEPULTURA played a new song called "I Am The Enemy" during their July 2 appearance at the Rock Al Parque festival at Parque Simón Bolívar in Bogota, Colombia. The track will be featured on the band's new album, due in the coming months via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2013's "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" was recorded at at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH, among others.

Regarding how SEPULTURA ended up working with Jens Bogren on the new CD, guitarist Anderas Kisser told SVT.se: "We did like a small research on different producers that we didn't work [with] before; we wanted to work with somebody new. And the Swedish music and scene and the bands like MESHUGGAH, OPETH and many others inspired us to come here and to work with him. He also worked with KREATOR, a band from Germany, and ANGRA, another band from Brazil, friends of ours, and I was really impressed with the way he worked [with] both bands."

According to SEPULTURA singer Derrick Green, the band's next record will see him and his bandmates continuing to take their sound in new, previously unexplored directions, something that has become somewhat of a SEPULTURA trademark.

"This album, it's exciting, because I think a lot of fans don't have any idea what to expect, but they know that a SEPULTURA album is always different from the last," Derrick said. "I think that makes us better musicians, and I think that's what our fans expect."

Multi-platinum rock band Stryper kicked off their 30th Anniversary To Hell With The Devil Tour in late September, with record crowds in attendance for the first eight shows. With 28 cities to go before the band takes an indefinite hiatus from the road, tickets and VIP Meet & Greet packages are selling out fast.

“We’re only eight shows in and it’s incredible,” said frontman Michael Sweet. “The fan response has been overwhelming. It’s amazing that thirty years later, we’re still here. And it’s even more amazing that the fans are still here. We’re totally humbled by it.”

Stryper has resurrected their trademark yellow and black costumes for this tour, which includes two live sets, multi-media and their largest sound and lighting production in nearly two decades. Paying tribute to the hit album that made MTV history, Stryper takes the stage to perform the iconic To Hell With The Devil album in it’s entirety, followed by a second set of hits and fan favorites from other albums.

Fan-filmed video from Stryper's September 30th show at the House Of Blues in Orlando, FL is available below.

Go to this location for Stryper's complete tour schedule.

Released by Enigma Records on October 24, 1986, the Grammy-nominated To Hell With The Devil is the band’s third studio album and the first Christian metal album to achieve platinum status. Throughout 1987, the music videos for "Free" and "Honestly" ranked #1 on MTV’s list of most requested videos, and the video for "Calling on You" reached #2. Stryper was the first band to ever have two songs in MTV’s Top 10 simultaneously.

On October 21, Finnish rockers HANOI ROCKS will see their early albums compiled into two collector's edition box sets, one a 5CD set and the other a 6LP vinyl set, both to be released by Cleopatra Records. Titled "Strange Boys", these collections offer the band's first four studio albums, plus the live album "All Those Wasted Years". These are the complete albums and include several of the group's signature tunes, such as "Tragedy", "Motorvatin'", "Don't You Never Leave Me", "Malibu Beach Nightmare", "Back To Mystery City" and a ton more! These gorgeous sets re-create all of the band's original artwork and come with a glossy full-color booklet, which contain rare photos and extensive excerpts from the band's official biography, "All Those Wasted Years", which will be released for the first time in English this year.

HANOI ROCKS was formed in Helsinki, Finland in 1979 by Michael Monroe (Matti Fagerholm) and his friend, guitarist Andy McCoy (Antti Hulkko). The band saw major success in the early '80s, having sold over a million albums while touring the world. However, heartbreak struck the band when drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley was killed in a drunk-driving accident after a day of partying with fellow glam rockers MÖTLEY CRÜE. HANOI ROCKS broke up a year later in 1985, only to resurrect themselves in the early '90s with a reunion tour and several more studio albums. Now, decades later, Cleopatra Records keeps the legacy of HANOI ROCKS alive with this superb reissue that fans will absolutely love!

Track listing:

Disc 1

01. Tragedy02. Village Girl03. Stop Cryin'04. Don't Never Leave Me05. Lost In The City06. First Timer07. Cheyenne08. 11th Street Kids09. Walking With My Angel10. Pretender

Disc 2

01. Motorvatin'02. Don't Follow Me03. Visitor04. Teenangels Outsiders05. Sweet Home Suburbia06. M.C. Baby07. No Law Or Order08. Oriental Beat09. Devil Woman10. Lightning Bar Blues11. Fallen Star

Disc 3

01. Love's An Injection02. I Want You03. Cafe Avenue04. Nothing New05. Kill City Kills06. Self Destruction Blues07. Beer And A Cigarette08. Whispers In The Dark09. Taxi-Driver10. Desperados11. Problem Child12. Dead By X-Mas

Disc 4

01. Strange Boys Play Weird Openings02. Malibu Beach03. Mental Beat04. Tooting Bec Wreck05. Until I Get You06. Sailing Down The Tears07. Lick Summer Love08. Beating Gets Faster09. Ice Cream Summer10. Back To Mystery City

Disc 5

01. Pipeline02. Oriental Beat03. Back To Mystery City04. Motorvatin'05. Until I Get You06. Mental Beat07. Don't Never Leave Me08. Tragedy09. Malibu Beach Nightmare10. Visitor11. 11th Street Kids12. Taxi-Drivers13. Lost In The City14. Lightning Bar Blues15. Beer And Cigarette16. Under My Wheels17. I Feel Alright18. Train Kept A Rolling

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH will enter the studio in December to begin recording their follow-up to 2015's "Hammer Of The Witches" album for a tentative September 2017 release.

"The songs have been [musically] finished, actually," CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth told Metal Wani in a new interview (hear audio below). "I'm far from finished [writing the lyrics]; I've written two songs so far. So we're working hard, and everybody's contributing."

Filth described CRADLE OF FILTH's new material as "very Victorian, gothic horror" with songs that "are seven, eight minutes" in length and that are "a bit proggy [and] fast."

The writing sessions for CRADLE OF FILTH's next album were held in Brno, Czech Republic, which was chosen as a location for several reasons aside from the draw of its elegance and rich architecture; drummer Marthus and second guitarist Ashok live there, plus Brno is also home to Europe's second largest Ossuary, which is essentially a medieval charnel house filled with fifty thousand skeletons, second only in size to the catacombs in Paris.

Among the tracks that are being considered for inclusion on the upcoming CRADLE OF FILTH CD is "Achingly Beautiful", which was originally composed during the sessions for "Hammer Of The Witches" but didn't make the final cut. Dani previously described the song as "very old-school CRADLE OF FILTH, featuring a haunting middle section full of soaring female vocals and choir very akin to 'A Gothic Romance' from the album 'Dusk... And Her Embrace'."

"Hammer Of The Witches" marked the first release with CRADLE OF FILTH's new lineup, which includes new guitarists Ashok (of Czech groups ROOT and INNER FEAR) and Richard Shaw (of English acts EMPEROR CHUNG and NG26).

"Rockabye Dreamland", a brand new song from ENUFF Z'NUFF, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Clowns Lounge", which will be released on December 2 via Frontiers Music Srl.

"Clowns Lounge" is a collection of rarities and early demos that have been reworked and re-recorded by the band. This exceptional collection also features a guest appearance from the late Jani Lane (WARRANT) as well as an appearance from James Young of STYX. As people have been clamoring for a new release from ENUFF Z'NUFF, the band just happened to receive a call from Derek Shulman, and the rest was history: "We had unfinished, unreleased material in the vault, and I went back into the studio in Chicago and started working on all the songs," said Chip Z'nuff. "Guitars, bass, vocals, it all needed to be tweaked, and with help from Chicago Recording Company and Chris Steinmetz of Stonecutter recording studios, we were able to create another rock-solid record. It is basically an archival record featuring original band and ENUFF Z'NUFF as it is today. The record showcases the best elements of ENUFF Z'NUFF in the early days: in-your-face glitter rock with pop overtones. This is a true must have rock record for the diehard ENUFF Z'NUFF fans worldwide." Chip on how the songs came about: "Donnie and I wrote the songs in the later part of 1988-89. They were recorded in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, on two-inch analog tape, during the time of our debut. The tracks were never finished, as we were very prolific and focused on laying down as many ideas as possible. Through the resources provided to us — recording studio, production, etc.— we had a plethora of songs during that era and, for one reason or another, this batch slipped through the cracks.

"To restore the record we returned to the studio to record guitar, bass vocals, etc. which took us about six weeks in my studio and at CRC (Chicago Recording Company) along with Stonecutter studio in downtown Chicago. The skeleton of the song was already in place and we wanted to make sure the record had the feel of where the band is today. We also added a bonus single track ('Dog On A Bone') that we plan on releasing as the first single." Of course, a huge contributing member to this release was Donnie Vie. "Donnie and I wrote the songs together, as we have on all the ENUFF Z'NUFF albums," Chip continued. "In 2013, Donnie left the band, disillusioned by the business and facing related health issues, and although he will not tour with the band, he still shares in our vision of putting out great music. As he is dealing with his medical condition, we have his blessings on the record and moving forward with me as lead singer.

"When Peter Gabriel left GENESIS, Phil Collins took over lead vocal duties. That is exactly the template we used here as now I front the band and look forward to moving it into the future."

"Clowns Lounge" track listing:

01. Dog On A Bone 02. Runaway 03. Back In Time 04. She Makes It Harder05. Rockabye Dreamland 06. The Devil Of Shakespeare (feat. Jani Lane and James Young)07. Radio 08. Good Luv 09. Round And Round 10. Nothing 11. Backstreet Kids 12. One More Hit ENUFF Z'NUFF is:

Chip Z'nuff - Vocals, electric bass, guitarTony Fennell - Electric guitar, vocalsTory Stoffregen - Lead guitar, vocalsErik Donner - Drums, percussion, vocals

Roadrunner recording group THE AMITY AFFLICTION has debuted the official video for "All Fucked Up", the latest single from its new album, "This Could Be Heartbreak". The full-length disc arrived on August 12. The clip was directed by the band's frontman, Joel Birch, along with Ryan Mackfall, and it follows the band's two-part epic laid out in the videos for "I Bring The Weather With Me" and "This Could Be Heartbreak". THE AMITY AFFLICTION is currently celebrating "This Could Be Heartbreak" with a truly epic world tour, highlighted by their ongoing North American headline trek. The dates — which feature special guests including BEING AS AN OCEAN, HUNDRETH, TROPHY EYES and DEADSHIPS — are set to conclude on October 22 at San Diego, California's Soma. In addition, the band will be performing a festival set the following day, October 23, at Monster Energy Aftershock. Deeply personal and emotionally wrenching, "This Could Be Heartbreak" is THE AMITY AFFLICTION's most transformative and revealing record yet. Recorded by producer and longtime collaborator Will Putney at Melbourne's Holes And Corners with additional drum tracking done at Sing Sing Studios, the album finds THE AMITY AFFLICTION evolving their signature powerful and cathartic song craft. Both ambitious and grand, album standouts "This Could Be Heartbreak" and "All Fucked Up" are equal parts heavy and hopeful, fueled by frontman Joel Birch's desperation which achieves extraordinary transcendence through radical honesty and absolute power. "This Could Be Heartbreak" track listing:

01. I Bring The Weather With Me02. This Could Be Heartbreak03. Nightmare04. Tearing Me Apart05. O.M.G.I.M.Y.06. All Fucked Up07. Fight My Regret08. Some Friends09. Wishbone10. Note To Self11. Blood In My Mouth

Robert Plant and the SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS will be featured on "Austin City Limits" this coming weekend, marking his first time on the "Austin City Limits" stage in more than a decade. Plant's performance on the show, the longest-running live music television series, premieres this Saturday, October 15 on PBS stations across the United States. The full-hour set, which he taped at the end of his "Southern Journey" tour of the American South in March, includes songs from his 2014 Nonesuch debut album, "Lullaby And... The Ceaseless Roar" — "Rainbow", "Turn It Up" and "Little Maggie" — as well as LED ZEPPELIN favorites, like "Black Dog"; you can watch that performance below.

Plant joins Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, THE MILK CARTON KIDS, and more on their recently launched "Lampedusa: Concerts For Refugees" tour, starting at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on October 12, and making stops in Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, before culminating at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on October 21. Funds raised by "Lampedusa" will support Jesuit Refugee Service's educational programs for refugees around the world.

Plant told The Pulse Of Radio that he works hard to maintain a certain level of quality control in everything he does. "Well, you set the bar at a certain height in performance and in mending with your fellow man," he said. "You can’t drop too far down below that. Still, we labor on, but the bar must be kept high and you can't… I don't wish to do anything that's anything below the bar. I keep the bar really high. And the responsibility is, to keep in my own heart, to make sure that I don't waste my gift."

"Lullaby And… The Ceaseless Roar" features elven new recordings, nine of which are original songs he wrote with the band. "It's really a celebratory record," said Plant, "powerful, gritty, African, trance meets ZEP." Q calls it "his best solo album yet … a beautifully moving, soul-stirring, bravely genre-blurring album."

Plant spoke to Relix magazine about his current music and how it connects to his early days in LED ZEPPELIN, explaining, "I want people to know I'm pulling points of reference from other times and other places — incongruous and out of step and kilter — into another world. I've done it with ZEPPELIN lyrics, as well — 'if the sun refused to shine' and 'the road remains the same' and all the shit. There's so many bits like that, because I like the idea of spinning the bottle. And if one or two people pick up on it, that's the justice — that's about right."

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH's October 11 performance at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

MEGADETH's tour with AMON AMARTH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, METAL CHURCH and BUTCHER BABIES kicked off on September 20 in Casper, Wyoming, with dates booked through October 16 in Camden, New Jersey.

MEGADETH is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Dystopia", which came out in January.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine recently stated about the band's latest additions, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA, and former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren: "Well, these guys are some of the best at what they do in the business, so it's really made me re-evaluate my playing. And usually I would not warm up before I would go out and play, because I know what I'm doing, and it's kind of like… I'm just a natural at it; for whatever reason, God blessed me with this gift. And seeing them now, they're just so fierce, it makes me wanna be the best I can be at what I do. Even if I am self-taught, even if it is something that I just was born with, I wanna be the best I can at it."

He continued: "You know, after I had the surgery on my neck, when my neck [was] broken, I had a plate stuck in my neck and it touched my vocal box so my voice changed, and it's made it so that my voice is a little lower. And that's kind of a bummer, because a lot of songs in the past we had to just skip because the register was so high. But with working through it and exercising and practicing and warming up and stuff like that, I've been able to return a lot of my vocal range, and that's been good for us, because we've been able to have more songs [to choose from]."

TRIUMPH legend Rik Emmett and his new band, RESOLUTION9, will release their electrifying new album, "Res 9", worldwide on November 11 via Mascot Label Group. "Res 9" features contributions from RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson, DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie, and Rik Emmett's onetime TRIUMPH bandmates, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore.

The track "I Sing", featuring a guest appearance by LaBrie, can be streamed below.

"This album represents a journey through my life," Emmett observes, "and the idea behind a lot of these songs is me trying to figure out who I am, and why I'm doing what I'm doing. There's a common thread of positivity here that ties into the records I was making 30 years ago. What did I learn from making them? You'll hear all of that echoed in the grooves of this album."

Indeed, the scope of the eleven deeply heartfelt songs on "Res 9" covers a lot of exciting aural ground, from the out-of-the-gate gallop of "Human Race" (which also features a driving 12-string contribution from Lifeson) to the testifying tones of "My Cathedral" to the whispering blues of "The Ghost of Shadow Town", not to mention the cutting-heads guitar duels on "End Of The Line" and the touching album-closing bonus track "Grand Parade". which reunites Emmett with Levine and Moore. The RESOLUTION9 band itself is comprised of Rik's touring quartet, with Dave Dunlop on guitar, Steve Skingley on bass and keyboards, and Paul DeLong on drums. Dunlop and Skingley also co-produced "Res 9" with Emmett.

Emmett is a strong believer in teamwork, and to him, the overall vibe of "Res 9" is clearly reflected in the brotherhood and camaraderie shared amongst all the artists who made this special music together. "You can't accomplish this kind of project 100 percent by yourself," Emmett believes. "It takes a lot of things working together to make something like this happen. I come back to the old saying that goes, 'Success has many fathers, and failure is an orphan.' I knew that I had to spread it all around. It's important I keep the guys in my band pretty happy."

Lead track "Human Race" masterfully sets the positivity table for what's to come. "I've been around the block a few times, and one of the things I like about the lyrics in 'Human Race' is when we get to the last verse where it says, 'I am still this guy. I still live this.' That's very true," Emmett acknowledges. "There's also a line in there about raising a joyful noise — and I still want to do that too."

Lifeson added some period-perfect 12-string guitar alongside Emmett and Dunlop to buttress the impact of "Human Race", and he says he found it quite an honor to play with and for his lifelong friend. "When Rik asked me to play on his new album, I didn't hesitate for a second," Lifeson reports. "He's the consummate musician, a wonderful guitarist, and a terrific person, and it's always my pleasure to work with him any chance I can get. There is a rock purity in his songwriting and performance, and it's just so much fun to get together and throw ideas around. He's always so up and open for anything — even a notoriously uncooperative Rickenbacker 12-string!" Dunlop points out the way RESOLUTION9 meshed with Lifeson "stands as a great example of the collective efforts of the brotherhood."

Another one of "Res 9"'s honored guests, LaBrie, lent his own considerable talents to a pair of tracks, "I Sing" and "End Of The Line" (the latter of which also features Lifeson taking the third guitar solo), and he jumped at the chance to record with his fellow Canadian.

"I've been extremely blessed and fortunate to meet so many great musicians and beautiful people throughout my career, and to have the opportunity to collaborate and record with some of them is really icing on the cake," LaBrie notes. "What a thrill it was to record with Rik, who is such an incredible musician and overall down-to-earth cool guy." About the slow-build manifesto of "I Sing", Skingley enthuses, "James sang his ass off on that song!" Adds Dunlop, "I enjoyed tracking the guitars on 'I Sing' the most because I got to go crazy with several layers of guitars — and I also got to channel [PINK FLOYD's] David Gilmour on the outro."

A fair amount of the album was recorded and mixed at Mississauga, Ontario's MetalWorks Studios, a location where Emmett, Levine and Moore (who owns the studio) recorded many of TRIUMPH's greatest works — and it's also where the trio convened to tackle "Grand Parade". Clarifies Emmett, "The TRIUMPH song is a bonus track. That's the best way to position it. It's like 'Suitcase Blues' [the last track on TRIUMPH's 1979 million-seller, 'Just A Game'] — or 'Her Majesty' at the end of Abbey Road!"

Having TRIUMPH involved on "Res 9" to some degree was always on the table. "I play 'Suitcase Blues' as the last song of the night in the encore for my acoustic shows. I dedicate it to Mike and Gil and the fact that they gave me the latitude to do the crazy things that I do," Emmett laughs. "As I was developing the lyrics for 'Grand Parade', I started thinking, 'Wouldn't it be great if I could get Mike and Gil to play on it? Wouldn't that just bring everything full circle?' One thing led to another, and there we were, recording in MetalWorks. Things just lined up perfectly."

Levine had a great time in the studio with his former bandmates. "We rocked it up a bit, and Gil made the drums heavier than they were on the demo," the bassist notes. "Once I paid deeper attention to the lyrics, I really got into the 'let's wrap up this late night' kind of feel to it. I think it turned out really fantastic. I told Rik I felt it was a really cool tune, one that was very personal for all of us. I'm really, really proud of it, and it was great to work with both Rik and Gil on it. It was really neat."

Moore wholly enjoyed the "Grand Parade" experience. "It was really a pleasure to have Rik and his band at MetalWorks, and getting to see him there every day was just like the old days," the drummer recounts. "I always liked how Rik was able to bring another dimension and another color palette to what we were doing, and I like the spacious bass and drum tracks we did together. That's what's always been in my wheelhouse, as far as my playing is concerned. I'm really happy with how this song turned out. I hope we get to do it again."

Emmett's ultimate goal for "Res 9" is to connect with as many people as possible. "The context of this entire album for me was, 'Wow, somebody tossed me a lifeline,'" he concludes. "I still want to make positive music and offer people something that's motivating and inspiring — and I want to do it for myself too. I need music, and music can provide that lifeline for me." Mission accomplished: "I've got a thirst for life," as Emmett sings on "Human Race". And you'll find that thirst being quenched quite handily in the very heartbeats that percolate within all eleven tracks of "Res 9". Drink up.

"Res 9" track listing:

01. Stand Still02. Human Race (feat. Alex Lifeson)03. I Sing (feat. James LaBrie)04. My Cathedral05. The Ghost Of Shadow Town06. When You Were My Baby07. Sweet Tooth08. Heads Up09. Rest Of My Life10. End Of The Line (feat. Alex Lifeson & James LaBrie)11. Grand Parade (feat. Gil Moore & Mike Levine) (bonus track)

Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt has revealed that he is in a "metal gentleman's club" with members of Entombed AD and Grand Magus.

The vocalist says he and Opeth bandmate Fredrik Akesson regularly meet up with Entombed AD guitarist Nico Elgstrand and Grand Magus frontman Janne 'JB' Christoffersson to drink and discuss topics ranging from music to their childhood teddy bears.

Akerfeldt tells Metal Hammer: "I love to have people over, and so we’ve started a gentleman’s club. It’s me, Fredrik, Nico from Entombed AD and JB from Grand Magus.

"We go out to have a drink, or we come to my place and we listen to music. We have a group email thing where we discuss the topics we’re going to talk about at the next dinner. Like, if you had a teddy bear when you were a kid, what was it called? Things like that.

"It’s very metal. We were talking about a name, and the one we came up with was The Swallowers, because we’re always eating. I’m planning to get some rings made, because I know a silversmith, so it’s a serious business.”

The Swallowers also enjoy some gentle ribbing, with JB usually on the end of it.

Akerfeldt adds: “With JB, it’s heavy metal or nothing, so he’s very easy to wind up! When he’s been to my place, I’ve played stuff almost exclusively for him – things he can’t get his head around, like Scott Walker or Magma.

"I love the guy. He’s very bright, very down-to-earth… and I’m making new friends, and that feels good.”

The official 360-degree visualizer for the song "Stronghold" from San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's twelfth album, "Brotherhood Of The Snake", which will be released on October 28 via Nuclear Blast. The cover was once again created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor, who also handled the art for the TESTAMENT's last album, 2012's "Dark Roots Of Earth", and also worked with bands like HATEBREED, SOULFLY and KATAKLYSM in the past.

"Brotherhood Of The Snake" track listing:

01. Brotherhood Of The Snake02. The Pale King03. Stronghold04. Seven Seals05. Born In A Rut06. Centuries Of Suffering07. Neptune's Spear08. Black Jack09. Canna-Business10. The Number Game

"Brotherhood Of The Snake" was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga (EXODUS, HEATHEN, MACHINE HEAD), guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy and was mixed and mastered by British metal producer Andy Sneap (ACCEPT, ARCH ENEMY, CRADLE OF FILTH, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, MEGADETH).

Regarding the lyrical themes covered on "Brotherhood Of The Snake", Chuck told Metal Wani: "Well, it's kind of like a concept record. I know, going into it, the past records, I was writing songs that were more personal and there were topics that were kind of real — losing a family member or anything that's real; that's what we were kind of writing. And Eric really wanted to kind of get back to, 'Let's write some cool stories and cool words and cool lyrics.' And so I was, like, 'Okay, that's cool.' And then, I kind of, at the time, was watching a TV series; it was a show called 'Ancient Aliens' that was on once a week. And it showed a lot of the connection between aliens and religion. And it kind of got my attention, because there was different religions all around the world, different spots in the world, where there was always the same alien being with big heads and strange bodies and flying objects in the sky. And it kind of made me realize, wow, how, that many thousands of years ago, did they communicate and see these same things unless it was real, unless there's something about it. So it really made me think, maybe there is something to these aliens and our existence and religion and everything. And then I stumbled on to the 'brotherhood of the snake' and the story of that. And that was about a secret society over six thousand years ago that were out on a crusade just to dig down religions. And there was an alien king, Anu, who basically created mankind as a slave for them to mine the minerals and gold from our planet earth. So it was kind of, like, 'Wow!' From an 'Ancient Aliens' show to this… There's something there that we can kind of run on and get the lyrics going and tell the storyline about. So that kind of got the ball rolling."

Peterson told Kaaos TV about "Brotherhood Of The Snake": "The only difference on this one is we're trying to be a little bit more organic, and getting away from Andy's perfection sound, and get more of a looser… you know, still keeping the slickness of it, but trying to get a little bit more raw. So it's kind of a hard way to describe it. But we don't want it too perfect. And I didn't record four guitars; I did two this time. So there's a lot more air going on with the rhythms and stuff like that."

Asked whether the musical direction of TESTAMENT's new material is a throwback to the band's early albums or if it's more similar to the recent TESTAMENT records, Eric said: "More like the modern [TESTAMENT sound], but, you know, like I was saying earlier, having that more raw feeling. Of course, our influences have changed a lot. For me, I always get accused of listening to older stuff [and I am told that] I need to listen to more new stuff. But I always like to go back and listen to records from the '70s and the '80s. And I won't name the bands I listen to, but I listen to a lot of different stuff that has nothing to do with metal, because I hear things differently. I don't hear it, like… You know, like if I listen to [American blues rock guitarist] Joe Bonamassa or something, I'm not, like, 'Wow, I wanna sound like that.' I just kind of get ideas of key changes and the way he hits certain notes or whatever and apply it to what we're doing. And that's the same thing with anything."

TESTAMENT will promote "Brotherhood Of The Snake" by teaming up with AMON AMARTH for a European tour this fall.

PANTERA's "The Great Southern Trendkill: 20th Anniversary Edition" will be released on October 21. This two-disc set includes the original album remastered, plus a dozen previously unreleased mixes, instrumentals, and live recordings. Also being released on October 21 is a single LP titled "The Great Southern Outtakes" featuring ten of the unreleased tracks.

More details on previously unreleased material: The companion disc that accompanies the original album features an unreleased version of every album track, including two versions of "Suicide Note Pt. 1" — a rough mix of the track, along with a separate version of the introduction, which spotlights "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott on 12-string acoustic guitar. The second disc also features a newly remixed version of the title track, rough mixes for "Drag The Waters" and "The Underground In America", as well as instrumental takes for "13 Steps To Nowhere" and "Living Through Me (Hell's Wrath)" . In addition to the studio recordings, the anniversary collection features three live tracks recorded at the Dynamo festival in Holland in 1998: "War Nerve", "Suicide Note Pt. II" and "Sandblasted Skin".

One of the album's previously unreleased cuts — an early mix of "Drag The Waters" — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

"That solo was thought out in a more orchestrated fashion than some of the others I play where I just start ripping right off the bat," Dimebag told Guitar World at the time of the album's release. "The thing that really makes the 'Floods' solo come across like it does is [bassist] Rex's [Brown] playing behind it. He's using his fingers and he plays a whole bunch of cool licks and shit in there. He definitely adds to the vibe and feel of my lead because I'm playing off his part a lot — it was a great foundation for me to build on, man.

"I picked up the idea of doubling from Randy Rhoads. It seemed appropriate to start off in a slow, melodic fashion and then build and build and build to the climax with the big harmonic squeals at the end."

"The Great Southern Trendkill: 20th Anniversary Edition" track listing:

Disc 1

01. The Great Southern Trendkill02. War Nerve03. Drag The Waters04. 10 s05. 13 Steps To Nowhere06. Suicide Note Pt. I07. Suicide Note Pt. II08. Living Through Me (Hell's Wrath)09. Floods10. The Underground In America11. (Reprise) Sandblasted Skin

Disc 2

01. The Great Southern Trendkill (2016 Mix)02. War Nerve (Live 98)03. Drag The Waters (Early Mix)04. 10 s (Early Mix)05. 13 Steps To Nowhere (Instrumental Version)06. Suicide Note Pt. I (Intro) *07. Suicide Note Pt. I (Early Mix) *08. Suicide Note Pt. II (Live 98)09. Living Through Me (Hell's Wrath) (Instrumental Version)10. Floods (Early Mix)11. The Underground In America (Early Mix)12. Sandblasted Skin (Live 98)

In the June 1996 issue of Guitar World magazine, Dimebag stated about how "The Great Southern Trendkill" compared to PANTERA's previous efforts: "It's almost like a 'best of,' man. Some of the riffs on it date back to our 'Cowboys From Hell' and 'Vulgar Display Of Power' periods. Hell, a couple of ideas even go back to before we got signed. For example, when we were still playing small clubs, I used to play a 20-minute solo that consisted of everything from Eddie's [Van Halen] 'Eruption' to Randy's [Rhoads] '(Revelation) Mother Earth' — plus whatever else I felt like throwing in. A regular part of my solo featured a long-assed, 'sing-along' type lead section, which has ended up in a song called 'Floods'."

Dimebag also talked about his lead-guitar-playing approach on "The Great Southern Trendkill". He said: "There's definitely quite a few solos on this motherfucker! But beyond quantity, I think that I'm developing more of my own identity, lead-wise. My solos are more focused. Some of 'em even have a melodic, theme-like vibe in places — like the one in 'Floods'. Also, I've gotten into doubling my leads, like Randy Rhoads used to do. I'm not panning them right and left in the mix: it's two right on top of each other. To a lot of people's ears it might sound like I'm using a chorus or a similar type of effect, but it's just me doubling my parts."

He continued: "Yeah, there's definitely some guitar playing on this bitch, and once again, man, there's a real live vibe in my rhythm work. If anybody wants to learn how to play these songs right, you can't just learn the main riffs and then merely repeat 'em, you've gotta listen real close to catch all the little techniques, slurs and bends that I put in there. I think it's the subtleties that really add to the depth of our material, much more so than having some outrageous lead guitar jack-off in every damned song!"

In a 2010 interview with ARTISTdirect, singer Philip Anselmo stated about his lyrical inspiration for "The Great Southern Trendkill": "I was very aware of what was going on around us at the time. We were a heavy metal band that had created our own heavy metal niche and that was PANTERA. I saw everyone jumping on a bandwagon that was destined to die and, sure enough, it did—like anything else. As a matter of fact, make that like three or four little movements in music there that were fleeting. That happened. That's history. Follow the leader for a little while until it gets burned out then bingo, right back to the basics. I called out all of the little fucking trendy things, and I bashed them and lambasted them. That's where my head was at the time."