OTEP, the band led by singer, poet, illustrator, author and activist Otep Shamaya, has signed with Austria's Napalm Records. Famed producer Howard Benson will helm the band's new album, due in 2016. Shamaya commented on joining the Napalm Records roster: "Signing with Napalm Records is one of the most exciting alliances I've ever made. I haven't felt this excited to write a new album since 'Sevas Tra'. There's a lot of work to do, a lot of music to write, a lot of things to say, a lot of injustices to confront and a lot of madness to summon and capture. To be able to forge this sacred alchemy with the dark brilliance of producer Howard Benson is a dream come true." Napalm Records A&R Demetri Benoist said about the signing of OTEP: "Beyond excited to be working with such a polarizing artist who stands for something and is not afraid to speak their mind.

"This is a new beginning in OTEP's history and Napalm Records is committed to making it the most successful! Let the OTEP revolution begin."

OTEP's sixth full-length studio album, "Hydra", sold around 2,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 155 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was issued in January 2013 via Victory Records.

OTEP was formed in Los Angeles in 2000 and immediately signed to Capitol Records, an achievement based solely on the strength of its live performance. They were selected to appear at Ozzfest after Sharon Osbourne witnessed one of these incendiary performances. Their debut at Ozzfest was only their ninth live show, a major achievement for any band. It would be the kick-off for a career spanning 15 years.

Founding GUNS N' ROSES members Slash and Duff McKagan reunited this past Saturday (September 12) to perform at a benefit event for the Wonderland Avenue School in Los Angeles, California. They were joined by their VELVET REVOLVER bandmate Dave Kushner, APOCALYPTICA singer Franky Perez and drummer Bill Burr for a cover version of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell". Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

Founded in 1927, Wonderland is a public kindergarten through fifth grade campus nestled in the Hollywood Hills above Los Angeles.

Slash recently revealed that he and GUNS N' ROSES lead singer Axl Rose had repaired their estranged relationship after nearly 20 years, immediately leading to a storm of speculation about a possible reunion of the classic GUNS lineup.

VELVET REVOLVER has never found a new singer following its April 2008 split with Scott Weiland and is more or less on hiatus, although it reunited with the former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman for a short one-off performance at a benefit concert in January 2012.

All the members of VELVET REVOLVER insist that the band is not dead, and the four instrumental players have periodically held quiet auditions for a new frontman.

At one point it was reported that VELVET REVOLVER was going to team with STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor, but the idea was ultimately vetoed by Slash. The group and Taylor recorded demos of 10 songs together.

The official lyric video for "King Of Kings", the title track of the new album from LEAVES' EYES — the German/Norwegian band formed by ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull and members of ATROCITY — can be seen below.

"King Of Kings" was released on September 11 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded in Germany, Norway, England, Netherlands, Belarus and Switzerland and was produced by Liv's husband, ATROCITY singer and LEAVES' EYES co-vocalist Alexander Krull, at his Mastersound Studio in Germany.

"King Of Kings" features a guest appearance by the London Voices Choir ("Lord Of The Rings", "Star Wars", "The Hobbit", "Harry Potter"). The artwork was once again created by Stefan Heilemann (LINDEMANN, NIGHTWISH, EPICA, KAMELOT).

Said Kristine about "The Waking Eye" video: "It was filmed at several locations in Norway and Germany. Moreover, our son Leon plays the role of the child king Harald, while Alex performs as the grown-up Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway. I’m proud of my two Vikings!"

Added Krull: "For the battle, we recruited a horde of Vikings from several Viking groups: Værjaborg, Franci Saravi, Blodorn, Blodhvitnir and Ziu Zynir. As the battle was going on, Rainer 'ZIPP' Fränzen and his team filmed in rain and mud. It was epic fun to be one of the Viking warriors!"

Kristine previously stated about the lyrical themes covered on "King Of Kings": "With our [new] album, we would like to take you on a journey through a highly interesting chapter in Scandinavia's history.

"Hafrsfjord, Norway's west-coast. A.D. 872. Did you hear what happened?

"Harald Hårfagre (c.850-932), remembered by medieval historians as the first king of Norway. The battle of Hafrsfjord is described in the Saga of Harald Hårfagre (Harald Fairhair) in Snorri's Heimskringla. Harald defeated several petty kings and the battle is considered decisive in the unification of Norway. The seabed in Hafrsfjord hides many secrets and many traces. Moreover, Hafrsfjord is my birthplace."

Multi-camera video footage of Marty Friedman's (ex-MEGADETH) September 15 performance in Cleveland, Ohio can be seen below.

Friedman recently embarked on his first tour of North America since 2003 — a 21-date headlining run that kicked off September 9. The trek marks the latest leg of Friedman's ongoing world tour in support of "Inferno", his solo album that so far has seen him complete a record-breaking tour across South America; perform extensively in Europe with acts such as Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE), ARCH ENEMY and KREATOR; and play multiple high-profile gigs in his current home country of Japan, including a set at the country's largest heavy metal festival, Loud Park.

Friedman commented on his return to his home continent: "On the rare occasion that I stop and think I about it, I realize I've done an insane thing: I left a successful international band to concentrate my efforts on the domestic music scene of a country thousands of miles from my home. Different culture, different language, different planet. Since I went to Japan, so many Americans have supported me, and while many doubted I would ever play live in my homeland again, now it's happening. Choosing the setlist and doing prep for this tour has been a blast. Words can not describe how excited I am about finally touring North America!"

The North American leg of the "Inferno" tour started in Friedman's former hometown of Baltimore and will wrap up on the West Coast on October 3.

California heavy rock veterans MOTOGRATER will enter the studio in January 2016 to begin recording their long-awaited sophomore album. Ahrue Luster (ILL NIÑO, TERROR UNIVERSAL, MACHINE HEAD) will handle production and all engineering duties. This marks MOTOGRATER's first official full-length release since the band's 2003 self-titled album, "Motograter", released through Elektra/No Name. That effort featured former MOTOGRATER vocalist Ivan Moody, who left the band in 2006 to front FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

MOTOGRATER now features James Anthony Legion on vocals, formerly of THE BREATHING PROCESS and DEADFORM. Luster says: "As a producer, I plan to help them make the best record of their careers, something they'll be proud of for the rest of their lives, and something that will bring them to the next level." MOTOGRATER guitarist Matthew "Nuke" Nunes states: "We are all really fucking proud of this new material... proud and grateful for the opportunity to finally see the second official MOTOGRATER record come to light." MOTOGRATER has launched a $10,000 crowdfunding campaign through GoFundMe.com as part of an online pre-order. MOTOGRATER recently released a new demo song called "Portrait Of Decay". MOTOGRATER is:

Matthew "Nuke" Nunes (guitar)Mylon Guy (bass)Joey Vice (smur drums/samples/backing vocals)Noah "Shark" Robertson (drums)

"Ruptured Perpetually", the new video from German thrashers DEW-SCENTED, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Intermination", which was released on June 30 in North America. The CD was mixed by Dan Swanö (Unisound Studio) and features cover artwork by Gustavo Sazes (Abstrata.net).

The "Ruptured Perpetually" video was directed and produced in Germany by Philipp Hirsch (AMON AMARTH, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, TRIPTYKON) of Film-M.

Says DEW-SCENTED guitarist Marvin Vriesde: "For the video for 'Ruptured Perpetually', we reached out to Philipp from Film-M. Philipp also directed our first video, 10 years ago, for the song 'Turn To Ash'. During the shoot, I painfully remembered how Philipp makes you push the envelope with the performance for the video. It was a long day of shredding and headbanging, but judging by the end result, it was definitely worth it!"

Vriesde further elaborates on the clip's meaning, stating: "In short, the song is about someone who devotes his life to religion and finds out right before the end that there is no afterlife. It just ends. I love how the video captures the dark atmosphere of the lyrical and musical concept. The devotion towards the light in a world filled with darkness. The riffs in the song symbolize religion. They all are variations based on the main riff in the song. Constantly shifting in perspective and posing a constant threat, building up to a climax and all returning to the uniform beginning at the end. The alpha and the omega, ending in silence. Nothingness."

All formats of "Intermination" include a cover of REPULSION's "Radiation Sickness", while the digital edition and the limited-edition gatefold vinyl (dark green and 180-gram black variants) include two bonus tracks, "Those Who Will Not See" and "Survival Reaction" (SOLSTICE cover).

"Intermination" track listing:

01. Declaration Of Intent (1:00)02. On A Collision Course (3:49)03. Scars Of Creation (3:46)04. Affect Gravity (3:56)05. Means To An End (4:41)06. Ode To Extinction (4:05)07. Demon Seed (3:48)08. Power Surge (3:53)09. Ruptured Perpetually (3:35)10. Living Lies (4:19)11. Atavistic (3:38)12. Reborn (3:32)13. Radiation Sickness (2:05) (REPULSION cover)

Bonus tracks (only available on vinyl and digital versions)

14. Those Who Will Not See15. Survival Reaction (SOLSTICE cover)

DEW-SCENTED will embark on a European tour dubbed "Thrash Mercenaries" in October with ANGELUS APATRIDA from Spain and NO RETURN from France.

"Fast Worms", a brand new song from the post-metal progressive powerhouse INTRONAUT, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's fifth studio album, "The Direction Of Last Things", which will be available November 13 via Century Media in the following formats; CD digipak, digital download, and limited-edition first-run LP. The disc was mixed by Devin Townsend.

The initial LP run of "The Direction Of Last Things" will be limited to 2000 copies worldwide and presented in an awe-inspiring package. This double LP piece will be housed in a matte-finished gatefold with a spot UV print over highlighted art elements. Collectors will also be treated to a rarely utilized packaging element, a printed inner-gatefold tube, which not only houses the LP's, but also a 12"x24" poster, showcasing the full cover art in all it's glory. Just when you thought it was over, LP's will be pressed on mint green-and-black splatter, red-and-black marble, solid dark green or standard black wax with an etching, which surrounds the music grooves, on side D. Actual color-run numbers to be announced at a future date.

"I don't care how cliché it is to say; this is our best record yet!" states INTRONAUT frontman Sacha Dunable. "This is INTRONAUT at our most technical, brutal, catchy, and straight up fearless. I haven't been this proud of an album since we recorded our first demo 10 years ago. We took a somewhat unusual approach and tracked most of it live over the course of four days, then handed it off to Devin Townsend to mix. The result is pure magic. Prepare your earholes for fornication."

On the heels of the new album release, INTRONAUT will hit the road on "The Coma Ecliptic Tour III", alongside BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, ENSLAVED and NATIVE CONSTRUCT.

"It's been over a year since our last North American tour. What better way to dust it off than with these three amazing bands. These shows are going to be insane, and we can't wait to play some new songs for you guys!" adds Sacha.

Candlelight Records has set a November 13 as release date for "Razed To The Ground", the new album from New York's VISION OF DISORDER. Produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, DEMON HUNTER, ROB ZOMBIE), it is the band's second recording for Candlelight. In conjunction with the release, the band has confirmed a special November 14 Long Island performance at Revolution Music Hall in Amityville, New York. Tickets for the show will go on sale Friday, September 18. Official pre-orders for "Razed To The Ground" are set to launch October 9. Recorded during July and August, "Razed To The Ground" contains ten hearty and provocative new songs from the hardcore luminaries. Vocalist Tim Williams notes: "We are very excited for our fans to hear this record. We believe it offers everything VOD does well. I am especially excited about the growth of the songs; the brutality, the melody, and the overall sound of the record." Bassist Mike Fleischmann adds: "As a band, VISION OF DISORDER strives to evolve musically with each album. Having Zeuss as producer really allowed us to achieve that goal. 'Razed To The Ground' contains some of this band's finest moments and we are extremely grateful to Candlelight that we have been given the opportunity to demonstrate that we are still at the top of our game." The album's first single, "Hours In Chaos", is set to premiere in early October. Questioned about the track, Williams stated, "Upon hearing the first riffs of the song, I knew it was gonna be a monster and needed strong vocals and lyrics to bring it where it needed to be. It is a song to awaken people to what is going on around them; the unrest, the guns, the utter disregard for human life. The world has become a dangerous place. I feel I have illustrated the feelings of anxiety and insecurity that is so prevalent today." Guitarist Mike Kennedy asserts: "This song embodies everything that is VOD. Politically relevant and musically explosive, 'Hours In Chaos' is one of the most raw and powerful tracks VOD has ever written. Lyrically, it is a stark reflection of the state of the world today. The frenetic pace of the song mirrors the chaos we see on the streets. The vilification of the police by media and citizens alike is simply the status quo today. 'Hours' shines a harsh spotlight on these events and the tragedies surrounding them." "Razed To The Ground" comes three years after the release of "The Cursed Remain Cursed", the first newly recorded material by the band in over ten years.

"Razed To The Ground" track listing:

01. Heart Of Darkness02. Hours In Chaos03. Electric Sky04. Razed To The Ground05. The Craving06. Cut My Teeth07. Red On The Walls08. Nightcrawler09. Severed Wing10. Amurdica: A Culture Of Violence VISION OF DISORDER is guitarist Mike Kennedy, drummer Brendon Cohen, vocalist Tim Williams and bassist Mike Fleischmann.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS have posted a previously unreleased demo version of a song called "Running For The Plane", written and recorded during the "Blackout" sessions in 1982. The song thrills with a classic SCORPIONS guitar riff on a groovy backbeat and shows why Klaus Meine is one of the best singers in heavy rock. "Blackout" is, for sure, a masterpiece in rock music and the demo of "Running For The Plane" is a rare piece from the band's heaviest era.

1965 marks the starting point of one of the most successful rock bands of our time. Hailing from Hannover, Germany, SCORPIONS embarked on a journey that would lead them around the globe and would establish them as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

With the November 6 release of the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Editions, the SCORPIONS celebrate their impressive achievements and open their vaults to unleash hitherto unreleased songs, alternative versions of big hits, rough mixes and rare live concert footage.

In addition to dozens of unheard studio tracks and live recordings, all CD releases are equipped with extended booklets featuring rare photos and, single covers, backstage passes and additional liner notes by Edgar Klüsener, a former editor in chief of Metal Hammer who has followed the band's career closely over several decades. Five of the eight albums are accompanied with a DVD that contains live concert footage from the respective period, together with TV performances and in-depth interviews with the band. In these interviews, they talk about the background history and the creative process of each of these albums: "Lovedrive", "Blackout", "Love At First Sting", "World Wide Live" and "Savage Amusement".

The remastered LP formats are released on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating the first pressing. They also come with an audio CD, featuring the original track listing and the same bonus audio as the CD formats. A limited and numbered Deluxe Box Set will contain all remastered vinyl discs.

SCORPIONS said: "It's hard to summarize 50 years in words, but listening back to all those songs — many of them them previously unreleased — recorded in one of our most creative periods, really took us back in time. This was a very heartfelt project for all of us. It brought back great memories whilst we rediscovered our musical DNA by listening to the archives, selecting dozens of unreleased songs and early versions of well-known SCORPIONS anthems. We really worked on the material to improve the sound quality, but always taking great care to preserve its original feel."

"Blackout" track listing (CD+DVD):

Disc 1:

BlackoutCan't Live Without YouNo One Like YouYou Give Me All I NeedNow!DynamiteArizonaChina WhiteWhen The Smoke Is Going DownBlackout (Unreleased demo)Running For The Plane (Unreleased demo song)Sugar Man (Unreleased demo song)All My Love (Unreleased demo song)Searching For The Rainbow (Unreleased demo song)

Disc 2:

No One Like You (Video clip)Arizona (Video clip)Blackout (Rock Pop In Concert)Loving You Sunday Morning (Rock Pop In Concert)Coming Home (Rock Pop In Concert)Always Somewhere (Rock Pop In Concert)Holiday (Rock Pop In Concert)Can't Live Without You (Rock Pop In Concert)Dynamite (Rock Pop In Concert)Can't Get Enough (Rock Pop In Concert)Make It Real (Not broadcasted/ Rock Pop In Concert)The Zoo (Not broadcasted/ Rock Pop In Concert)Interview special with R. Schenker, K. Meine, M. Jabs, H. Rarebell

"Love At First Sting" track listing (2CD+DVD)

Disc 1:

Bad Boys Running WildRock You Like A HurricaneI'm Leaving YouComing HomeThe Same ThrillBig City NightsAs Soon As The Good Times RollCrossfireStill Loving YouComing Home (Unreleased demo)Living At Night (Unreleased demo song)First Sting Jam No. 1 (Unreleased demo)Anytime (You Want It) (Unreleased demo song)Still Loving You (Unreleased demo)

Disc 2 (Live At Madison Square Garden, New York City (June 7, 1984)

IntroComing HomeBlackoutBad Boys Running WildLoving You Sunday MorningBig City NightsHoliday (Acoustic)Still Loving YouRock You Like A HurricaneThe ZooDynamite

Disc 3:

Rock You Live A Hurricane (Video clip)I'm Leaving You (Video clip)Big City Nights (Video clip)Rock You Like A Hurricane (TV Show Germany 1985)Still Loving You (TV Show Germany 1985)Still Loving You (TV Show Germany 1984)Big City Nights (Monsters Of Rock Germnay 1986)Interview special with R. Schenker, K. Meine, M. Jabs, H. Rarebell

"World Wide Live" tracklisting (CD+DVD):

Disc 1:

CountdownComing HomeBlackoutBad Boys Running WildLoving You Sunday MorningMake It RealBig City NightsCoast To CoastHolidayStill Loving YouRock You Like A HurricaneCan't Live Without YouAnother Piece Of MeatDynamiteThe ZooNo One Like YouCan't Get Enough (Part 1)Six String StingCan't Get Enough (Part 2)

Disc 2:

Coming Home (Originally only available on VHS)BlackoutBig City NightsLoving You Sunday MorningNo One Like YouHolidayBad Boys Running WildStill Loving YouRock You Like A HurricaneDynamiteInterview special with R. Schenker, K. Meine, M. Jabs, H. Rarebell

"Savage Amusement" track listing (CD+DVD):

Disc 1:

Don't Stop At The TopRhythm Of LovePassion Rules The GameMedia OverkillWalking On The EdgeWe Let It Rock…You Let It RollEvery Minute Every DayLove On The RunBelieve In LoveTaste Of Love (Unreleased demo song)Edge Of Time (Unreleased demo song)Don't Wait Too Long (Unreleased demo song)Fast And Furious (Unreleased demo)Dancing In The Moonlight (Unreleased demo)Living For Tomorrow (Unreleased demo song)I Can't Explain

Disc 2:

Rhythm Of Love (Video clip)Passion Rules The Game (Video clip)Believe In Love (Video clip)I Can't Explain (Video clip)* Documentary with clips and live material To Russia With Love* Interview special with R. Schenker, K. Meine, M. Jabs, H. Rarebell

Check out a trailer below.

Fan-filmed video footage of W.A.S.P. performing the title track of the band's new album, "Golgotha", on September 12 at O2 Academy in Leeds, United Kingdom can be seen below.

"Golgotha" will be released on October 2 via Austria's Napalm Records.

"Golgotha" track listing:

01. Scream02. Last Runaway03. Shotgun04. Miss You05. Fallen Under06. Slaves Of The New World Order07. Eyes Of My Maker08. Hero Of The World09. Golgotha

Lawless previously stated about the making of the "Golgotha" CD: "The rehearsals for this album started in the spring of 2011. A lot of time was spent just talking about the direction of the songs and really trying to turn the songs inside out to see exactly where they wanted to go.

"One thing you learn over the years in the songwriting process is that after the songs begin to take shape, they will eventually start to talk back to you and they will tell you where they wanna go. The trick is learning to listen when they speak.

"This process of writing and arranging and the demos went on for several months before we even began to record the album for real.

"One of the first tracks we recorded was 'Miss You'. It's interesting because, ironically, it was the first song ever written for [1992's] 'The Crimson Idol' [album].

"There were three songs that were originally supposed to be on the 'Idol' [CD] but never made it and 'Miss You' was one of them. When you see the lyrics, you'll understand that Jonathan is clearly talking to his brother Michael, as he kneels at his graveside."

Regarding the song "Last Runaway", Lawless said: "Forty years ago I came to Hollywood as a teenager. Terrified and scared out of my mind, I had no idea what waited there for me. The song 'Last Runaway' is an intensely personal account of what happened to me, not only then but over the years and the success that followed after. Be it a kid looking for success in the music business or any life-challenging endeavor that someone would 'run away' from in life, I'm certain that everyone can relate to this story one way or another. It's another kid 'chasing the dream' and trying to survive it in the process. We've all been there."

At the 2014 edition of the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden, Lawless stated about the lyrical inspiration for the new W.A.S.P. CD: "'Golgotha' is Hebrew for place of the skull, and it's the hill where Christ was crucified. And it's interesting, when you see a lot of bands going around using Satanic images or images of death and things like that, and I'm thinking, all they need to do is look at the source, 'cause it's right there. I mean, if you want death, there's enough to go around there."

Drummer Mike Dupke recently left W.A.S.P. after a nine-year stint with the band. He has since been replaced on the road by YNGWIE MALMSTEEN drummer Patrick Johansson.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Live At Finsbury Park" on DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats on October 16.

Filmed in high definition at London's Finsbury Park on June 6, 2010, this concert, which includes "Killing In The Name", "Bulls On Parade", "People Of The Sun", "Guerrilla Radio", "Bullet In The Head", "Bombtrack", "Sleep Now In The Fire" and a cover of THE CLASH's "White Riot", comes with an interesting back story… In late 2009, a successful campaign was launched by English DJ Jon Morter and his wife Tracy to promote an alternative to the omnipresent "X-Factor" winner being the Christmas No. 1 hit in the U.K. singles chart. The track they nominated was RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Killing In The Name". The band supported the campaign, donated the proceeds from the sales to charity and lead singer Zack de la Rocha promised that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE would perform a free concert in the U.K. to celebrate the achievement. This is that concert. As bonus features, "Live At Finsbury Park" includes the "Behind The Scenes At Finsbury Park" feature and an interview with Jon and Tracy Morter. Sonically blending elements of heavy metal, punk and hip-hop with social consciousness, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE earned acclaim as the thinking man's rock band. With de la Rocha's vicious lyrical delivery and guitarist Tom Morello's guitar innovations (at times "scratching" riffs akin to a DJ) backed by heavy bombastic rhythms, RAGE delivered scathing commentary about corporate America, government oppression, and other problems of the world at large, amassing a rabid fan following in the process.

"Live At Finsbury Park" track listing: 01. Testify02. Bombtrack 03. People Of The Sun 04. Know Your Enemy 05. Bulls On Parade 06. Township Rebellion 07. Bullet In The Head 08. White Riot 09. Guerrilla Radio 10. Sleep Now In The Fire 11. Freedom 12. Killing In The Name

The "Bulls On Parade" performance clip from "Live At Finsbury Park" can be seen below.

Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA have canceled the remaining dates on their North American headlining tour.

The band says in a statement: "A couple of days ago, Simone [Simons, vocals] had to fly back to the Netherlands to be with her family due to an emergency. Sadly there has been no major improvement in that situation, so it is impossible for Simone to return to the tour at this moment. Therefore, we have no other option than to cancel the remaining dates. However, the Revolver tour will carry on as scheduled with ELUVEITIE, THE AGONIST and Martina Edoff.

"We will again be rescheduling the North American tour in support of 'The Quantum Enigma' for the beginning of next year.

"If you wish to refund your tickets, you can do this through the venue. VIP tickets purchased through Soundrink will be refunded automatically. Tickets for this tour will not be valid for the rescheduled dates.

"We want to thank all our fans and partners for their understanding and support in this difficult situation."

EPICA's current run was supposed to mark the band's long-awaited return to North America after their tour with MACHINE HEAD in late 2014 got canceled. It was also to be the group's first North American trek in support of their latest album, "The Quantum Enigma", which hit the charts all over Europe and beyond.

Simons and her husband, KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai, welcomed their first child, Vincent G. Palotai, in October 2013.

Germany's Rebellious Spirit have released the second video for their second album, Obsession, scheduled for release on September 19th in Germany, September 22nd in Europe, and September 30th in North America via SPV/Steamhammer.

Singer and guitar player Jannik Fischer says about the meaning of the "In My Dreams" clip: "Life is full of setbacks. Rock n' roll can be a way to get over them and continue!"

Rebellious Spirit, who caused a stir on the scene last year with their debut Gamble Shot, presenti themselves as even more confident and accomplished on Obsession. The four musicians - Jannik Fischer (vocals, guitars), his brother Jens (bass), Silvio Bizer (drums) and Corvin Domhardt (guitar) - have recorded twelve new tracks, a full dozen haunting rock numbers which document one thing first and foremost: this quartet has evolved to an amazing degree.

“The events of recent years, the production of our debut album Gamble Shot, the shows, the tours with Axel Rudi Pell, UFO and Freedom Call, all those things have helped us” explains vocalist Jannik Fischer. Obsession sees Rebellious Spirit take the logical second step, going even further in terms of toughness and dynamism. “You’ve got to bear in mind that Jannik was just 15 and I was 18 when we recorded the first demos for Gamble Shot,” Jens Fischer recalls. “Now, four years later, we’re all even better and more accomplished on our instruments, and Jannik’s voice in particular has audibly matured, which of course benefits the new material enormously.”

 

 

Video teaser:

The "Lost" video below was directed by Tim Assmann (Kingdom Come) and is the first single from Obsession and is available in digital form on all platforms from today onwards.

Bass player Jens Fischer says: "The video's and the song's message: Every low-pressure zone is soon followed by a high-pressure zone. Every new day may change your life positively!"

Rebellious Spirit will go on tour in October with The Poodles and later in the year they play several shows together with Bonfire and as a headliner.
 

For tour dates visit 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this year, Norwegian bashers Susperia announced they were parting ways with vocalist Athera (Pål Mathiesen). It is an amicable split and he will play his last show with the band on October 3rd at the Trondheim Metal Fest in Trondheim, Norway. The band has now checked in with the following update:

"Finally, we are ready to reveal who the new singer of Susperia is! It is no other than the great Bernt Fjellestad from Guardians Of Time! We have known Bernt for a long time and he has stepped in as a vocalist for Susperia on several occasions over the last years. We know that this talented singer and good friend will fit perfectly in the Susperia family, and we will now let you listen to a few snippets from the pre-production of our new album. Hope you like it!"

Athera announced his departure back in May, issuing the following statement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you farewell. At least for a good while. Considering my health situation and lack of progress contributing anything to my beloved band the last few years I have decided to pull myself out of the mix and let the guys continue on without me. We remain the best of friends and this is not a breakup due to any bad circumstances. It's simply me realizing I cannot deliver what you as fans and the band expects of me anymore. And I do not want to hold this brilliant band back anymore. They deserve better and you guys deserve to hear more new music. It is with regret and sadness I now do this, but trust me, it is the best for all parties involved. 

I am left with a strange feeling. Susperia has been with me for almost half my life and it is my family. So this hurts. But for me staying in the band any further would hurt you guys and the band even more. I don't know what will happen in the future, if they will get a new inspired vocalist or if Memnock will do the vocals (I vote YEAH!!) But something good will come of this in the form of a new album, or maybe even two! Maybe I'll pull the Bruce Dickinson/Rob Halford and make a return one day to the band. But for now I am out guys. I thank you so much for all the support through the years. From the bottom of my broken heart. Sorry we've been away for so long. Susperia will be back. One way or another. All my love and gratefulness."

Fan-filmed video footage of ANGRA's September 12 performance at the ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta, Georgia can be seen below.

ANGRA's latest album, "Secret Garden", was released on January 16 via earMUSIC. The CD, which was pre-produced by Roy Z (JUDAS PRIEST, BRUCE DICKINSON, HALFORD) and recorded and produced in Sweden by Jens Bogren (KREATOR, ARCH ENEMY, OPETH, DRAGONFORCE), was the band's first to feature Italian vocalist Fabio Lione following the 2012 departure of Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi.

ANGRA guitarist and co-founder Rafael Bittencourt recently revealed that the band will eventually have to "find a substitute" for their guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was recently named the new axeman in MEGADETH. He told Revolver magazine: "As a brother-in-life and friend, we're proud of/for [Kiko]. I think he's worked his way into something bigger from the beginning. He deserves it. He earned it with his hard work."

He continued: "At this moment, [Kiko] is managing to finish the 'Secret Garden' world tour with us, coupled with the first touring with MEGADETH. Soon, that won't be possible, so he will be taking MEGADETH as a priority, most probably as his exclusive band. So, since we won't be able to count on having him with us very soon, the solution will be to find a substitute for him."

"Secret Garden" "brings together everything that has established ANGRA as one of biggest bands in its style: contemporary sound combined with inspired compositions," according to a press release. It shows the maturity of a band that, after 23 years on the road, continues with the same motivation and passion for music that drove the glorious beginning of the group. The compositions mend together elements that made the band known around the world, foregrounding the unity of seemingly distinct styles and combining in a unique way styles such as rock — in its various forms, classical music and Brazilian music.

One of the great strengths of the album is the variety of great guest musicians: Simone Simons from the Dutch band EPICA divinely interprets the song "Secret Garden" while the great metal diva Doro Pesch sings an exciting vocal duet with Rafael Bittencourt on "Crushing Room". Actually, the various appearances of Rafael's lead vocals make for some of the strongest moments on this album, causing a contrast in tone and interpretation in comparison to Fabio. This also becomes evident in the cover that the band chose to record, "Synchronicity II" by THE POLICE.

In the making for years, Songs From A Different Room is Lars Eric Mattsson’s first all acoustic vocal album, very different from anything you have heard from him before. The songs were written in 2008 and most of the backing tracks were also recorded at that time. Originally another singer was scheduled to record them but things didn't work out and finally in 2014 Lars decided to do them by himself, something he feels very good about now. A new track "Just Let It Rain" is streaming below.

Lars says: "I am very proud of this album, I think these ten songs are really great and they do present another very personal side of me, both as a person and as a musician. I put a lot of work into the guitar playing and the singing as well as the actual writing of the songs. I think there is no other album out there that sounds like this one, so it's quite unique stuff in an over saturated world where there are too many artists sounding the same.”

"Releasing an all acoustic album might be something of a challenge, but something I always wanted to do" Lars recalls. Currently Lars is performing with Roadhouse a blues/rock band for which he has made some fresh arrangements of some cool rock and blues classics.

Songs From A Different Room tracklisting:

“All We've Got”
“Keep Pushing Me On”
“Hold On”
“I Feel Your Spirit”
“Temporary State of Confusion”
“Just Let It Rain”
“Shadow of Doubt”
“Keep On Burning”
“Sweet Taste of Mystery”
“Remain Unsolved”

"Just Let It Rain":

Guitar legend Steve Vai recently checked in with the following announcement:

"Hey Folks, Steve here. We are thrilled to be posting The Space Between The Notes one leg at a time (nine in total) once a week over the next nine weeks, in full resolution! This bonus footage was culled from multiple sources including pics and vids from fans, band, crew, family, and myself. It’s a chronological video diary that has bits from each of the 253 engagements and 52 countries we visited on the last tour, The Story Of Light tour. It was a glorious life experience for us and we are stoked that we can present it here for you. Enjoy!"

Story of Light Tour: The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief) runs down as follows:

Leg 1 (Rehearsals/USA)
Leg 2 (Europe/Eastern Europe)
Leg 3 (Vegas/Netherlands/Russia/Ukraine/Europe)
Leg 4 (Australia/NZ/Indonesia/China/S. Korea/Japan/Taiwan/Thailand)
Leg 5 (Europe...again)
Leg 6 (USA...again)
Leg 7 (Mexico/South America/China)
Leg 8 (Vegas/Singapore/Malaysia/Israel/Europe/Russia/Ukraine)
Leg 9 (USA/St. Barths/Japan/France/Poland)

Leg 1:

Leg 2:

Leg 3:

Leg 4:

 

Leg 5:

 

Leg 6:

Leg 7:

Leg 8:

Back in April, Vai released  a video for the song “The Story Of Light” from the Stillness In Motion DVD. This selection opens The Space Between The Notes – a fascinating tour diary and video montage of life on the road with Vai and the band.

Vai states: “This is the piece that took the most time and the one I’m most happy with.”

An exclusive full performance of guitar legend Steve Vai's "Weeping China Doll" from the 2DVD release, Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. can be viewed below:

The double album and DVD, was released April 7 through Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, were recorded October 12, 2012, at L.A.’s Club Nokia. It was the 49th show from Vai’s Story of Light World Tour.

 



 

 

A new episode of Dream Tour has been uploaded by Digital Tour Bus and each episode features a touring act discussing who they would put on their ideal tour if there were no limits. In this episode, the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura reveals their dream tour lineup, during their recent 30th Anniversary North American tour with Destruction, Arsis, Boris The Blade, The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, Starkill and Micawber.

Bassist Paulo Jr. says his dream tour would be Sepultura and Rush.

Upcoming Sepultura tour dates include:

November
11 - Tallinn, Estonia - Tapper
12 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Siemens Arena
13 - Wroclaw, Poland - Stary Klasztor
14 - Weissenhäuser Strand/Ostsee, Germany - Metal Hammer Paradise
15 - Osnabruck, Germany - Rosenhof
17 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
18 - Glasgow, UK - Classic Grand
19 - Bristol, UK - Marble Factory
20 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom

 

After a year of honing their malefic craft, North Carolina blackened thrashers, All Hell, will release a volatile offering entitled The Red Sect on October 16th via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. The new track "Blood For The Baron" is streaming below.

The Red Sect marks a crossroads for the band; the straightforward aggression of their debut blends with a seething, menacing atmosphere-further enhanced by the mixing and mastering skills of Toxic Holocaust main man Joel Grind, creating an album that is dark, vicious, and compelling. The record's ten tracks weave a frightful narrative of ritual possession, vengeance, and revolt. The band has further explored and defined their sound, once again drawing influences from a wide array of genres such as thrash, black metal, deathrock, and punk.

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

"Blood For The Baron":

“Venomous”:

Formed in Asheville, North Carolina in 2013, blackened thrash fiends All Hell began carving a name for themselves through their early performances and released their debut record, The Devil's Work, in 2014.

Since their 2014 debut release, All Hell have been busy sowing chaos through live performances while crafting their sophomore record. Playing and touring throughout the Southeast, the band has quickly developed a following and earned a reputation as one of the most intense and lethal live acts in the region, having shared the stage with bands like 1349, Black Tusk, Ghoul, Skeletonwitch, and Toxic Holocaust.
 
With their relentless drive, growing support, and two albums under their belt, All Hell pushes forward, intent on spreading their hellish music and intense live experience to as many people as possible

All Hell is currently booking dates for winter and spring tours in support of The Red Sect.

All Hell is:

Jacob Curwen - Guitar and Vocals
Kurt Henderson - Drums
Erik Ballantyne - Bass Guitar

Progressive/avant-garde death metal legion, Contrarian - which unites the musical prowess of drummer George Kollias (Nile), guitarists Brian Mason (Sulaco) and Leon Macey (Mithras), vocalist Cody McConnell (Goemagot), and guitarist Jim Tasikas and bassist Ed Paulsen, both from the New York-based progressive metal fusion act Delirium Endeavor - will release their debut full-length this fall via Willowtip Records.
 
Titled Polemic, the eight-track offering was captured at Watchmen Studios (US), Dreaming Studios (UK) and Soundtrap Studios (Greece) with all mixing and mastering done by Macey also at Dreaming Studios. 

A press release states: “A departure both musically and ideologically from most bands within the genre today, the record is essentially just that - a polemic. A smorgasbord of original and authentic death metal riffs, layered with blistering solos and mind-blowing percussion, Contrarian never sticks to any one thing for too long. Perpetually changing and evolving, the band's layered sound and technical wizardry is not to be misconstrued as senseless noodling. Instead, the songs on display delve into avant-garde, latter-day, Schuldinerian-style riffage, with atmospheric variations proving a wholly enticing listen to all those willing to take in its eccentricity.”

 
Tracklisting:

“Polemic”
“Need For Apathy”
“Retrieval”
“Foreknowledge”
“Predestined”
“Libertarian Manifesto”
“Diogenes At Delphi”
“Nothing Is Everything”

“Polemic” video:

Contrarian's Polemic will see release on CD and digitally via Willowtip Records on November 20 with preorders and additional track teasers to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

North Carolina death metal new-comers Abhorrent Deformity have premiered the title track off the band's upcoming debut full-length, Entity Of Malevolence. 

Entity Of Malevolence stands out as a convergence of brutality, complete with the boundless onslaught of crushing riffs, unmerciful drumming and bloodthirsty vocals. This unforgiving vortex of obliteration is poised to rise from the deepest depths of Hell. Artwork for Entity Of Malevolence done by the creative Italian mastermind Marco Hasmann.

Comatose Music will release Entity Of Malevolence on October 30.

Tracklisting:

“Crown Of Worms”
“Manifested Filth”
“Skeleton Carver”
“Buried Beneath Human Remains”
“Stench Of The Decomposed”
“Boundless Suffering”
“Entity Of Malevolence”
“Enshrined In Putrid Decay”
“Baptized In Embalming Fluid”
“Casket Maker”

“Entity Of Malevolence”:

Lyric video “Baptized In Embalming Fluid”:

Epiphone, UDR Records and Annihilator are offering fans an exclusive free MP3 download of "My Revenge", from Annihilator's new album, Suicide Society, out September 18. Suicide Society is the band's 15th studio album and guitarist, songwriter, and longtime Epiphone Signature Artist Jeff Waters wants to let Epiphone fans to be the first to hear some Epi-made metal riffs and shredding. Download “My Revenge” at Epiphone.

Waters recently posted the following update.

"Well, it is almost tour time for yet another Annihilator studio CD, Suicide Society... a pretty killer one. A lot of thrash and a lot of melody! Very proud of this one. Usually, Annihilator tours/live shows are pretty raw; lots of fun, smiling, running around and making mistakes, no real emphasis on lights and pyro, image, stage props, etc. A pretty raw and real show. But this time around, I think we will step it up a bit. Many of the venues we play now are getting bigger (well, not the actual venues, but the one's they put us in! hehe!) and we will be giving you much more of a show this time! Still fun, still real but now with a bigger crew, bigger lightshow, bigger! We cannot wait to see our fans again and we have one wicked set-list we will be rehearsing soon. Killer merchandise at the shows, too, thanks to our CD cover/booklet artist Gyula Havancsák .Tell all your metal friends that this is the Annihilator tour to see. We won't let you down!

On a completely opposite note, here is a short low-res set of clips from our "totally raw" (basically like jamming in the rehearsal room with some friends hanging out; just 80,000+ of them!) Annihilator at Wacken 2015.....hi-quality coming soooooooooon!"

As usual, guitar wizard Jeff Waters handles all songwriting duties, plays all guitar & bass, engineers, produces, mixes and masters Suicide Society… and Waters is also back commanding lead vocal duties, as he did on the critically acclaimed King Of The Kill (1994), Refresh The Demon (1996), Remains (1997) and other Annihilator albums over the years.

Waters on his return to vocal duties: “Dave (Padden/vocalist from 03-14) and I have, essentially, been Annihilator since 2003 but he resigned last December, citing having had enough of touring, being away from home and other commitments. I thank him for his 11 years with Annihilator. That said, Annihilator and I are known for never giving up and, occasionally, coming up with something even better than its former offering(s): this is undeniably the case with Suicide Society!”

Waters later elaborated on his initial statement: "Those who expect a King Of The Kill vocal are in for something interesting! I intentionally tried to avoid the cliché metal vocal/rock stuff I did then (but didn't realize I was doing it then!) and weed out the bad in my voice and style; try to find the good stuff and only do those things! I guess you will be the judge but I am stoked!"

With Suicide Society, Annihilator goes headfirst into some of the most technically perfect, crisp, and crushingly taut, riffage Waters has ever produced. Although Waters’ vocals keep traces of stylings from his King Of The Kill album, they now evoke a surprising blend of legends such as Staley, Osbourne, Hetfield and Mustaine. This, in a twisted way, mirrors Waters’ signature blend of riffing, drums grooves and bass; all drawing from multiple sources and genres.

Waters has built a worldwide reputation as being a premier guitarist and songwriter; the conciseness and arrangement of “Creepin’ Again” is both an air-guitarist’s dream and a sharp reminder of this. The gloriously-brutal thrash of “My Revenge” calls up a vintage of ’85 with the technical chops of 2015. The neo-classic title track defiantly expresses anger at the state of world affairs, while offering up hope in closing. With the multi-layered power of the anthem “Snap”, Waters illustrates the diversity of Annihilator’s sound, without sacrificing one decibel of attack.

“Metal fans will likely sport evil, satisfied grins on their faces, when they hear this record”, chuckles Waters, “but in the words of Joe Perry: “Let the Music Do the Talking”!”

Tracklisting:
"Suicide Society"
"My Revenge"
"Snap"
"Creepin’ Again"
"Narcotic Avenue"
"The One You Serve"
"Break, Enter"
"Death Scent"
"Every Minute“

EPK:

"Creepin' Again" lyric video:

“Suicide Society”:

Audio clips:

Mono and The Ocean. Two bands from very different cultural origins, Japan and Germany, yet spiritually akin and connected by many similarities: a cinematic approach to music, based on lengthy, escalating compositions, the fact that both bands have existed for more than 15 years and released multiple albums since their inception; that they have toured many times around the globe, visiting off-the-beaten-track territories like Siberia, New Zealand, South East Asia and South America; and finally their shared passion for double albums, such as The Ocean's Heliocentric / Anthropocentric, and Mono's The Last Dawn / Rays Of Darkness.

It only makes sense that these two bands will now tour together - and release new music just in time for their extended European run, in form of a split LP. Two songs, only one by each band – but 24 minutes of new music altogether.

The Ocean have gone through lineup changes since the release of their 2013 opus Pelagial: Drummer Luc Hess was replaced by Paul Seidel, and Australian guitarist Damian Murdoch took Jonathan Nido's place. This recording is the band's first output featuring these new members, as well as cello player Dalai Theofilopoulou and piano player Vincent Membrez, who already played on Pelagial. The band will take this extended lineup to the stage on the upcoming tour.

The Ocean's contribution, a 13 minute song entitled “The Quiet Observer”, was inspired by Gaspard Noe's controversial movie Enter The Void. The movie tells the story of a drug dealer getting shot in a Tokyo toilet while tripping on DMT, and entering what is referred to as the "intermediate state" according to the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book Of The Dead: the book, which has been a source of inspiration for many writers, artists and musicians from John Lennon to Aldous Huxley, describes a state immediately after a person's death, when the intellect of the dead person must face its own illusions, in the form of peaceful and wrathful deities, in a protracted psychedelic experience. Only if it manages to expose these horrifying guises as products of its own imagination, can it escape the eternal cycle of rebirth. Noe leaves it open as to whether protagonist Oscar's death and the following metaphysical experience are actually happening - or whether he is simply tripping…

Mono, who have toured relentlessly since the release of 2014's double release The Last Dawn / Rays Of Darkness, address similar topics with their contribution, an 11-minutes song entitled “DeathIin Reverse”. The song serves as a trailer for the upcoming 9th Mono album, which is scheduled for an early 2016 release through Pelagic Records.

Guitarist and main song writer Takaakira Goto comments: "The theme of this track is life and death and regeneration. Even when our bodies decay and decompose our souls will prevail unchanged. Our bodies will act as seeds for the next generation, while our souls will journey together into our new eternal life. This is the story we want to explore with our next album, a portrayal of our journey through life towards death; from living out our lives proud and high, to bodies immolating, infused with precious memories… and through the vast, noisy tunnel of space, we become pure souls - a single drop of water in the fountain of life."

LA-based German cover artist Florian Bertmer was commissioned to transform these themes into cover art. The split EP will be released on a single 12" slab of vinyl in different colors, matching Bertmer's lucid illustration, as well as on CD and digitally worldwide through Pelagic Records.

Stratovarius members Timo Kotipelto and Jens Johansson performed three acoustic songs on Spain’s Rock Palace TV Show, including "Shine In The Dark" from their brand new album, Eternal. Watch below:

Coinciding with the release of the band’s new studio album Eternal, Stratovarius recently premiere the official music video for their single “My Eternal Dream”. Directed by Mariano Biasin, the video clip deals with one of the world’s recent burning issues realized in stunning cinematic visuals, as well as a powerful performance from the band filmed in Argentina and Finland.

Stratovarius releases their new album, Eternal, on September 11th (Europe). It will be available on September 18th in North America via earMUSIC. The symphonic metal masters offer a guided and intimate tour of the album via this behind-the-scenes mini-documentary.

It's 12-minutes long and allows fans and viewers to take a deep dive and to experience the birth of Eternal. The mini-doc spotlights the band in the studio recording, along with interviews. It's in-depth and intriguing. Watch this keyhole view of Stratovarius while making Eternal below:

Eternal will be released in three formats: Standard CD Jewelcase, Limited Deluxe Edition (CD + DVD mediabook incl. live video tracks recorded at Loudpark Festival 2015 in Japan) and Double Vinyl Gatefold.

Tracklisting:

“My Eternal Dream”
“Shine In The Dark”
“Rise Above It”
“Lost Without A Trace”
“Feeding The Fire”
“In My Line Of Work”
“Man In The Mirror”
“Few Are Those”
“Fire In Your Eyes”
“Lost Saga”

“Shine In The Dark” lyric video:

Stratovarius confirms Gloryhammer and Divine Ascension as support for their upcoming European Tour.

Main support joining Stratovarius in Europe will be Gloryhammer, the heroic fantasy power metal warriors led by Christopher Bowes of pirate metal legends Alestorm. Gloryhammer return in 2015 with the follow up to their debut album Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife. The new album from Gloryhammer entitled Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards catapults the listener at warp speed into the distant future, with epic power metal tales of intergalactic warfare and transdimensional conquest in outer space. Expect more orchestral bombast, more cosmic soundscapes, more terrifying narration, and more epic battles than you've ever heard before. Out on September 25th.

The band completing the line is Divine Ascension. After a successful Australian headliner tour, Divine Ascension is now set to conquer Europe, as support act for Stratovarius. Divine Ascension played alongside symphonic metal masters Kamelot in Australia before as well as were joining Blind Guardian, for their entire Beyond The Red Mirror Australian Tour. Now it's time for them to conquer Europe.

“We can't wait to be back on tour and see all our fans again”, states Timo Kotipelto. “And it's great to have yet again bands on the road with us, that are as passionate as us!”

Eternal World Tour:

October
5 - Tallinn, Estonia - Factory
6 - Riga, Lithuania - Melna Piektdiena
7 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Galaxy Event Hall
9 - Fabryka, Poland - Cracov
10 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
11 - Berlin, Germany - C-Club
13 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
14 - Budapest, Hungary - Club 202
16 - Geiselwind, Germany - Musichall
17 - Lindau, Germany - Vaudeville
20 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
21 - Milano, Italy - Live Club
23 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana
24 - Madrid, Spain - Sala BUT
25 - Sevilla, Spain - Custom
27 - Valencia, Spain - Koh-Tao
28 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
30 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z-7
31 - Besancon, France - La Rodia

November
1 - Paris, France - Trabendo
3 - London, UK - O2 Islington Academy
4 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
5 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
6 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
7 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
10 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
11 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
12 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
13 - Kufstein, Austria - Kulturfabrik

Relapse presents the first ever fully authorized reissue of Behind The Realms Of Madness, the landmark debut from legendary UK band Sacrilege.

Originally released in 1985, Behind The Realms Of Madness was one of the first albums of the 80s that both punks and metalheads rallied behind, establishing Sacrilege as a unique and pivotal player in the 80s' extreme metal scene. Propelled by singer Lynda "Tam" Simpson's ferocious vocals and politically-charged lyrics, Behind The Realms Of Madness blended crust, thrash, hardcore, doom and death-metal to create a timeless album that has directly influenced scores of punks and heshers alike.
 
The album's first single, "Lifeline”, the debut track from the reissue and an old fan favorite, is streaming below.
 
Now fully remastered by Brad Boatright (Sleep, Hooded Menace, Obituary) with seven previously unreleased bonus tracks and expanded art and liner notes.

Behind The Realms of Madness tracklisting:

“Lifeline”
“Shadow From Mordor”
“At Death's Door”
“A Violation Of Something Sacred”
“The Closing Irony”
“Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”
“The Captive”
“Flight Of The Nazgul”
“Sight Of The Wise”
“Feed”
“Dig Your Own Grave”
“The Closing Irony” (Live)
“Bloodrun” (Live)

“Lifeline”:

Pre-order at this location.

Sacrilege is:

Lynda “Tam” Simpson – Vocals
Damian Thompson – Guitar
Frank Healy – Bass
Spike T. Smith – Drums

One of the nameless ghouls from GHOST says that he was not offended by SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's recent comments about the Swedish occult rock outfit, explaining that GHOST "is not for everybody."

In an interview with Artisan News, King stated about GHOST: "Dude, I love the imagery… I love it. I just hate the fucking music. I like them [as people]. You know, they've been on many tours with us. I just… I can't [get into their music]. And I tried. I wanna like 'em, and I can't. I got their CD from Brian Slagel from Metal Blade. It was when Gary Holt [EXODUS guitarist] first started playing with us, and I picked up Gary. And I'm, like, 'Brian said this is awesome, man.' So we put it in, going to practice. It wasn't awesome. It wasn't awesome for me. It wasn't awesome for [Gary] either. I'm, like, 'Well, maybe the first song sucks.' [Laughs] And we went to the next one. It's just not for me. I know GHOST is hugely popular, and I'm very happy for their popularity. And, like I said, [they're] the nicest guys you'll ever meet. It's just not my music. And I've tried so hard. [Laughs]"

Asked by Metal Injection what his response is to Kerry's comments, a nameless ghoul from GHOST said (see video below): "We've toured quite a lot with SLAYER, actually. So, I mean, we're mates… I don't even think that what he said was negative. He just said that he didn't like the band… or he didn't like the music."

He continued: "We're not for everybody. We've never tried to please everybody. So it's, like… I didn't even see the negative element in what he was saying… I mean, it doesn't change my opinion of SLAYER. I've been a SLAYER fan ever since I was a kid, and I still love several of their records with all my heart. For me, it wasn't changing anything."

King later said that the way the metal media covered his original comments about GHOST was overblown. He told DigBoston: "The problem with doing interviews is that whoever you're doing the interview with may or may not have bad intentions. They didn't see the part where I said they were wonderful dudes. I said I love the imagery. I tried to like their music, but it's just not my thing. Somehow that became 'Kerry King hates fucking GHOST.' Whatever I say is just taken out of context for the furthering of whatever crappy web site they write for."

GHOST's third album, "Meliora", was released on August 21 via Loma Vista Recordings.

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