German melodic death metallers, Nothgard, will release their third album, The Sinner‘s Sake, on September 23rd via NoiseArt Records. A music video for the album’s title track can be seen below.

Says the band: “Finally it’s done! The last video is unleashed. What a heavy spring and summer… But it was worth it. This video is the visual fulfillment of our title track “The Sinner’s Sake”. I am more than happy because this is no common performance video. This is real art and again it was done by Motion Bakery. Thanks again for your great job! We love it and I am sure our fans will love it, too. Nothing more to say, except the fact that I am more than happy, that our new album will be released in just two days – on September 23rd and it’s gonna be killer! Make sure to check it out.”

Founded in 2008 by singer and lead guitarist Dom R. Crey (from Equilibrium), Nothgard drag along the winning ways since their debut album Warhorns Of Midgard from 2011. The high technical quality of their guitar work and the epic orchestration of their melodic death metal elates fans and critics alike. In 2014, the band released another epic milestone of deadly metal, memorable melodies and influences from both neo-classical and folk music called Age Of Pandora. In the meantime, Nothgard became members of the NoiseArt Records family, who will escort their new masterpiece The Sinner‘s Sake on the band‘s way to the top of the melodic death metal throne.

Starting with an imposing blockbuster intro, The Sinner‘s Sake bestirs itself as a fantastic giant. Deadly rifs meet playful, catchy lead guitars, while the epic orchestration arranges for a cinematic atmosphere that will bring goosebumps to your skin. Completed by Dom R. Crey‘s raw vocals, Nothgard‘s sound is both stormy-spectacular and full of a sublime atmosphere. The top-class guest list on The Sinner‘s Sake adds another special mark to the album. None other than guitar virtuoso Jef Loomis (guest solo on “Iron Sights”), Jen Majura (guest vocals in “Sin Eater” and “Draining Veins”) and Robert “Robse” Dahn (additional growls in “Death Unites”) show up to leave their marks on the respective songs.

With The Sinner‘s Sake, Nothgard set of into the most spectacular chapter in the band‘s history so far. The songs that are spiced with cinematic elements will show Nothgard‘s intoxicating vibe on an entirely diferent level both in the stereo system and live on stage.

Special guests on the new album include Jeff Loomis from Arch Enemy, Jen Majura from Evanescence and Robse from Equilibrium.

Tracklisting:

“Glittering Shades” (Intro)
“From Lambs To Lions”
“The Sinner‘S Sake”
“Iron Sights”
“Death Unites”
“Shadow Play”
“Descendants Of The Sun”
“Last Child Standing”
“Draining Veins”
“When Gods Cry”
“Sin Eater”

Preview Part 1:

Preview Part 2:

“Draining Veins” video:

In support of the upcoming release, the band will tour Europe this fall with German epic metal pioneers Equilibrium, Dutch folk metallers Heidevolk and German Black Forest metallers Finsterforst.

Tour dates:

September
22 - Nürnberg, Germany - Hirsch
24 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
25 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chmelnice
26 - Wien, Austria - Szene
30 - Berlin, Germany - Bi Nuu

October
1 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
2 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Dynamo
11 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
12 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
13 - Colmar, France - Grillen
14 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
15 - München, Germany - Backstage
16 - Dornbirn, Austria - Conrad Sohm

According to MylesKennedy.fr, ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy played an acoustic set at Hard Rock Café in Paris, France on September 8. He was in Europe doing promotion for ALTER BRIDGE's new album, "The Last Hero", and a free gig was planned to finish the day in Paris. ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti was supposed to be there too, but he couldn't make it because of the hurricane in his home state of Florida.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Before Tomorrow Comes 02. Rise Today 03. Show Me A Leader 04. Watch Over You 05. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)

Check out video footage below.

"The Last Hero" is due on October 7 by Caroline Records in the United States/Canada and Napalm Records throughout the rest of the globe.

"The Last Hero" is now available for pre-order via iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. Fans who order the album will receive an instant download of "Show Me A Leader". The album is also available in various fan bundles at www.Alterbridge.com/store.

"The Last Hero" was produced by longtime friend and collaborator Michael "Elvis" Baskette (SLASH, TREMONTI, TRIVIUM) and mastered by Grammy Award winner Ted Jensen. ALTER BRIDGE is heading out on select U.S. headline dates in support of "The Last Hero" and select ticket purchases will come with a digital album. The headline run kicks off September 22 in Destin, Florida. The band will also perform at a few festival dates this fall, including the inaugural Houston Open Air, Sonic Boom, Louder Than Life and the Tulsa State Fair. ALTER BRIDGE is Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums.

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX's September 18 performance at the Rock Allegiance festival in Chester, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

ANTHRAX has sold in excess of ten million units, received multiple gold and platinum certifications, six Grammy nominations and a host of other accolades from the media, industry and fans. In 1991, their music helped break down race and genre barriers when they collaborated with PUBLIC ENEMY on "Bring The Noise". And, of course, along with METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH, ANTHRAX helped pioneer the thrash/metal genre as a member of the "Big Four".

ANTHRAX's latest album, "For All Kings" sold 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart.

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante told The Aquarian Weekly that he was motivated to conjure a vintage ANTHRAX vibe during the early stages of writing "For All Kings".

"The first three or four songs I had for this record were flat-out thrash, a throwback to the old days, and they needed to be written," he explained. "I became possessed by my guitar. It was like my guitar was making me write these songs."

After penning the first few speed-laden tunes, the band chose to get adventurous.

"We wanted to explore different types of songs, and have this musical landscape that takes you somewhere from start to finish," Benante said.

ANTHRAX has joined forces with SLAYER and DEATH ANGEL for a seven-week North American tour. The trek kicked off in Cleveland on September 9.

Hevidence will release their debut album, Nobody’s Fault, on December 2nd. 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”

EPK:

Hevidence is:

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

Italian hard rockers Soul Seller return with their second album, Matter Of Faith, out now via Tanzan Music. Audio samples for all tracks on the album are streaming below.

This new record produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Revolution Saints), is powerful, it's pure hard rock with great melodies. Matter Of Faith features 12 tracks and a brand new lineup.

Tracklisting:

“Neverending”
“Given To Live”
“Tide is Down”
“Memories”
“Get Stronger”
“Echoes From A Distant Future”
“Get Away From The Light”
“Alchemy”
“Wipe Your Tears Away”
“Matter Of Faith”
“Strangers Apart”
“Made Of Stone”

Song snippets:

EPK:

Trailer:

Soul Seller lineup:

Eric Concas - Lead & Backing vocals
Cris Audisio - Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars, Backing vocals
Dave Zublena - Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars, Backing vocals
Mike Zublena – Bass
Simone Morandotti – Keyboards & Programming
Italo Graziana – Drums & Backing vocals

(Photo - Soul Seller Facebook)

ENTOMBED and PledgeMusic today invite fans to be part of the band's special dual performance at Malmö Live in Malmö, Sweden on November 12. The event reunites original ENTOMBED members Alex Hellid (guitar), Uffe Cederlund (guitar) and Nicke Andersson (drums) for a full rendition of their groundbreaking 1991 album "Clandestine". A number of unique and rare items are available in addition to exclusive apparel and a stunning full HD 5.1 sound CD/DVD digibook of the historic performance. The show will follow the band's headline appearance at the now-sold-out Close-Up Båten cruise, leaving Stockholm on board M/S Silija Galaxy on October 27. Hellid comments: "The support that we got from fans around the globe for our first campaign a few years ago still amazes me. Without that support, our idea to make special editions of several of our albums would not have been possible.

"Fans having a deep-rooted connection to ENTOMBED is similar to the way we feel about bands we grew up with. It's a great driving force and motivator for us; it truly means a lot and really makes us happy.” Sitting in first with conductor Josef Rhedin and the 100-plus member Malmö Symphony Orchestra for Thomas Von Wachenfeldt's arrangement of "Clandestine", the band will then perform the treasured album in its entirety for the very first time. Hellid notes: "'Clandestine' is a complex beast. Revisiting it 25 years later is definitely something special."

Decibel magazine will induct the album into its Hall Of Fame series in their December issue. Editor Albert Mudrian says "Clandestine" is "one of the greatest death metal records — Swedish or otherwise — of all time." BLABBERMOUTH.NET first announced the trio's assemblage earlier this year. Since then, fans have questioned the possibility of new material from the death metal pioneers. Cederlund asserts: "We're not going to do big world tours. Right now we have these two shows booked and we're taking it from there. We have been re-recording old stuff to see how we sound today — and we like it. Time is flying faster as I get older and I would love to be part of a new ENTOMBED album. I'm open for it." Andersson notes: "We realized it's been 25 years since 'Clandestine' first came out and we never properly performed it live. It's about damn time! I wanted to be part of the earlier orchestra shows but schedules clashed. This time the stars aligned such that we can do both the eerie cinematic Christopher Young-style ('Hellraiser') set, where we sit in with the orchestra, and then the full-on original performance as a band. It's an awesome way to celebrate." "Just getting into a room with Nicke and Uffe is exciting," notes Hellid. "Getting back on stage will be amazing. We find profound joy in looking for, creating, and shaping ENTOMBED. It is an immense rush making all the bumps along the way well worth it. Fans can view the PledgeMusic campaign here. Additional items are planned to be added as the campaign progresses; fans are urged to revisit regularly as new items are revealed.

The ENTOMBED band that will perform on the Close-Up Båten cruise and in Malmö is not to be confused with ENTOMBED A.D., which features ENTOMBED vocalist Lars Göran Petrov alongside Olle Dahlstedt (drums), Nico Elgstrand (guitar) and Victor Brandt (bass).

Hellid and Petrov have been embroiled in a legal battle over the ENTOMBED name for several years. In 2014, Petrov was awarded the right to use the band name in connection with future recording and touring activities, a decision which Hellid appealed without success. The guitarist then went on to register a trademark for beverage production under the "Entombed" name. This move did not sit well with Hellid's former bandmate, who filed a letter of protest against Alex's registration of the name, claiming that it could be confused with band activities. He also said that Hellid acted in "bad faith" when he registered name and that there was a desire to "deceive the public." Petrov's protest, however, found no favor with the Swedish Patent And Registration Office, which rejected his claims on the issue in a March 8 ruling.

ENTOMBED A.D.'s second album, "Dead Dawn", was released on February 26 via Century Media.

Camerons Brewery has teamed up with legendary rock band MOTÖRHEAD and Global Merchandising Services to create an exciting new collaboration beer. The North East brewer has been working alongside the band to develop the beer over the last few months and are looking to launch later this year.

The beer will be called Road Crew — chosen from the MOTÖRHEAD fan favorite "(We Are) The Road Crew", which appears on 1980's "Ace Of Spades" album and was penned as a tribute to the band's dedicated team of roadies. With lines like "Another beer is what I need," the name fits perfectly for a beer everyone can enjoy.

Road Crew, which will be available in keg, cask and bottle, is based on an American-style session pale ale and will have an ABV of 4.5% (5% in bottle).

Band members Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell have played a key part in the development of the beer.

"I'm proud to have been able to develop this beer with Camerons. The trials we have tasted have been great. We wanted this to be an exciting and refreshing brew which is for you, our Road Crew," Mikkey said.

"It has been great fun working with the guys from Camerons on this beer. This is going to be an excellent beer for all MOTÖRHEAD and rock fans around the world to enjoy," added Phil.

Chris Soley, chief executive at Camerons, said: "We are delighted to work with the guys from MOTÖRHEAD to create a collaboration beer from scratch. We've spent a lot of time working together to brew something innovative and sampled a wide range of different styles to ensure we did justice to the MOTÖRHEAD name. Our primary objective was to create a fantastic tasting beer underpinned by the MOTÖRHEAD branding. Although still in the trial phases of the Road Crew beer, we're confident that what we've started so far will achieve this."

"It's a fantastic partnership for Camerons Brewery and complements our growing Head of Steam pub brand, which we're looking to expand to further cities across the U.K.," Chris added.

Camerons will be celebrating the launch of the beer in a North East and also a London location later this year.

Former ACCEPT guitarist Herman Frank will release a new solo album, "The Devil Rides Out", on November 18 via AFM. It will be made available as a CD, limited digipak (including a bonus track), limited silver vinyl and limited box set. The CD was produced by Frank and mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL, HELLOWEEN). It combines Frank's masterful guitar work with the raspy vocals of Swedish powerhouse Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN, AT VANCE), the powerful drumming of Andre Hilgers (ex-RAGE) and the talent of Michael Müller (JADED HEART) on bass.

Without any doubt, Frank is one of the most prestigious German metal guitarists of the past 30 years. His dynamic compositions with their raging riffs, hooks and intelligent virtuoso solos have graced not only the works of the German cult band VICTORY, which he founded in the mid-Eighties, and MOON'DOC, but also as a member of the legendary ACCEPT in the early Eighties, appearing on a number of important songs on their classic "Balls To the Wall" album before returning to the band in 2005 and staying for another nine years.

Shortly before his exit from ACCEPT was made official in December 2014, Herman gave an interview to Metalholic in which he spoke about his frustrations at being unable to contribute to the band with his songwriting. He said: "[I've been writing] songs [for] 30 years, since I began my music career [in] a school band. And it's a shame that I can't show my talent [by] writing a couple of ACCEPT songs. I really would like to write some songs [for ACCEPT], but Peter [Baltes, ACCEPT bassist] and Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] decided, 'We are ACCEPT and we wanna do it [on] our own.' So why should I stop, 'cause I'm playing in ACCEPT, to write songs? I wrote songs for VICTORY, for HAZZARD, for MOON'DOC, for my two solo albums… for so many bands, you know. It's normal that I don't stop [writing songs]. PANZER and all these other bands give me a chance to just put out my music, which is in my head, you know?!"

The official lyric video for "The Wilde Flowers", a brand new song from Swedish progressive metallers OPETH, can be seen below. The track is featured on the band's highly anticipated twelfth studio album, "Sorceress", which is scheduled for release on September 30 via the band's imprint label Moderbolaget Records with Nuclear Blast.

Speaking with Metal Hammer, OPETH vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt said about "The Wilde Flowers": "This was the first song I wrote for this album. It's kind of an OPETH standard, in a way, like from the last two albums. It's very dynamic. It has a chorus, I guess. Then there's a big QUEEN-sounding bit in the middle just before this massive solo… oh, and harps! They're hidden in the mix but they're there. The title comes from the band CARAVAN – they were originally called WILDE FLOWERS. I always liked those weird spellings."

For "Sorceress", OPETH returned to Rockfield Studios in Wales, also home to pivotal releases from QUEEN, RUSH and JUDAS PRIEST, where the Swedes had tracked "Pale Communion" in 2014 with Tom Dalgety. The band spent twelve days recording at the countryside venue among its serene and inspiring surroundings. The result is nothing short of a powerful and intriguing record that will add yet another layer to the band's celebrated career.

"The new album 'Sorceress' is our twelfth studio album since our beginnings in 1990," said Åkerfeldt. "I find it difficult to understand that we've been going on for twenty-six years, let alone that we've made twelve records now, all of which I am very proud of. 'Sorceress' is no exception.

"I love this album, as does the whole band. I wrote the music during five-six months and we spent only twelve days recording it at Rockfield studios in Wales.

"I find that once again we've taken a step forward. Or sideways, Or backwards. Somewhere!? It's different! It's extremely diverse. And if I may say so myself, extremely good. I feel the right to say that since I like to think I know this band better than anyone on the planet. Also, I always manage to detach myself from the record and listen as a fan.

"It's a fine little record. My favorite in our discography right now. Of course. That's how it should be, right? It's both fresh and old, both progressive and rehashed. Heavy and calm. Just the way we like it. Hopefully there'll be others around the globe sharing this opinion. It was a joy to make it. A fucking joy to record it, and a sheer joy listening to it. So there you have it!" "Sorceress" track listing:

01. Persephone02. Sorceress03. The Wilde Flowers04. Will O The Wisp05. Chrysalis06. Sorceress 207. The Seventh Sojourn08. Strange Brew09. A Fleeting Glance10. Era11. Persephone (Slight Return)

OPETH has announced a North American headline tour, set to kick off with a performance at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest on September 24 in San Bernardino, California. The tour, with THE SWORD as support, will continue through the following month before wrapping up on October 26 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Band photo credit: Stuart Wood

GAMMA RAY drummer Michael Ehré (pictured) will replace Kosta Zafiriou at UNISONIC's last show this year, on September 23 at Bulgaria's Lovech Rock Fest.

Says UNISONIC bassist Dennis Ward: "After Kosta announced his departure from the band and retirement from professional metal drumming early September, we thought Michael is the perfect choice for now: He's a great drummer, a very nice person and Kai's [Hansen] bandmate in GAMMA RAY. We toured together in the past and he is familiar with UNISONIC's live set. During the first rehearsals he already did an exceptional job and we look forward to play the show with him! After this last festival we'll take a longer break and will consider all options for UNISONIC's future."

Kosta announced on September 7 that he would "no longer be performing as a professional drummer anymore." He will continue to be involved with UNISONIC through his Bottom Row management and booking agency, which he runs with two partners.

In addition to Ward and Hansen, UNISONIC features former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Mandy Meyer (ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS).

UNISONIC's second album, "Light Of Dawn", was released in August 2014 via earMUSIC.

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have released the official browser game for the band's upcoming twelfth album, "Brotherhood Of The Snake".

Play up to 666 points to prove you're a worthy prospect for the brotherhood and keep on playing to get inducted and claim your spot in the global high score!

Go to this location to play.

"Brotherhood Of The Snake" 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" 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."

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider performed a special stripped-down version of the band's classic song "We're Not Gonna Take It" on the "Mancow Morning Show" on Chicago's classic rock station 97.9 The Loop. You can now watch video footage of his appearance below.

Snider's re-recorded acoustic version of "We're Not Gonna Take It" will appear on his new solo album, "We Are The Ones", which will be released on October 28 via Red River Records (distributed by BFD/RED). Produced by Grammy-, Emmy- and Oscar-winning songwriter Damon Ranger, the record is described by Dee as "an album that is think part FOO FIGHTERS, part IMAGINE DRAGONS, part THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS." He added: "Forget anything from the past. Most of my heavy metal fans are gonna hate it; I've abandoned my past to move forward."

Asked if there was one song that shaped the sound of this record, Dee told Billboard: "The first song [Damon] brought me was a song called 'We Are The Ones', which is the title track from the album. Thematically, Damon says it's the message of Dee Snider fighting back and rebellion... it's believing in yourself. The 'We're Not Gonna Take It' message is eternal and that should continue on."

Snider also talked about the album's first single, "Rule The World", which he said was "sort of a 'We Are The Champions'; it's a very big studio anthem. When you hear it, it's the kind of thing you can totally see Super Bowl time, the whole stadium lit up and it's an uplifting song about, 'With hands held high, we can rule the world,'" he said. "It's basically about everybody just joining together with love and peace, real positive."

"We're Not Gonna Take It" has been tapped as the official anthem for The Recording Academy's advocacy efforts, including the "Fair Play Fair Pay" act.

Dee is unapologetically energized about where he's going as an artist. "Music inspires that genuine enthusiasm," he said. " I'm not anti the past — I'm just not one of those guys sitting there singing about the glory days. To me, these are the glory days, and the days to come are the glory days. And this new record is the part of my next glory days."

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser performed at the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Sunday evening (September 18) at Maracana Stadium.

The cultural program of the closing ceremony was structured as a concert, headlined by Ivete Sangalo and Gaby Amarantos, joined by Vanessa da Mata, Céu, Saulo Fernandes, Saulo Laucas, Kisser, Armandinho, Jonathan Bastos, the groups NAÇÃO ZUMBI and DREAM TEAM DO PASSINHO, and the funk singer Nego do Borel.

The opening segments featured blind drummers guided by a "visual metronome," a performance by Kisser set to a sequence featuring acrobats in wheelchairs, and a performance by Bastos — who was born without arms, and plays guitar with his feet.

Following the official handover ceremony, a cultural presentation was held to showcase Tokyo, host city of the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

VAMPS, the visually arresting Japanese rock band featuring Hyde (L'ARC-EN-CIEL) and K.A.Z. (OBLIVION DUST), is back! There is a swell of activity surrounding the band, including new songs with major guests, a fall 2016 headline tour across North America and working on their next full-length album.

VAMPS just dropped not one but two songs with blockbuster features: "Inside Of Me" features Chris Motionless from MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, while "Rise or Die" was co-written with EMIGRATE and RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe.

The songs are available via Spinefarm Records now. Get them on iTunes and Apple Music or stream them on Spotify. Also available is the official music video for "Inside Of Me".

Hyde spoke about the new material, which was written and recorded earlier this year in Los Angeles with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson (PAPA ROACH, THREE DAYS GRACE, 3 DOORS DOWN). "The recording session with Howard Benson and his team was very creative," Hyde said. "I truly enjoyed writing and recording these new songs. 'Inside Of Me' contains themes of the forbidden and abstinence. 'Rise Or Die' is a very catchy rock song that gets the audience pumped up when we play it live. I hope everyone likes these new songs."

VAMPS will also crash U.S. soil for November headline dates and bring along special guest CITIZEN ZERO, whose current single "Go (Let Me Save You)" is available through Wind-up Records and has already climbed up to #23 on the rock radio charts.

It's a welcome return to America for VAMPS and the first time they will tour the U.S. since their special guest stint with SIXX:A.M. in spring 2015. The tour kicks off November 7 in Los Angeles and will hit select major markets across the U.S., Canada and Mexico throughout November.

"VAMPS are coming back to the States," enthused K.A.Z. "We will return to some of the cities we performed at with SIXX:A.M. and APOCALYPTICA last year. We will be playing some new songs and this will be a great tour. We are very much looking forward to seeing all the rock fans out there!"

VAMPS just concluded several sold-out shows in their hometown of Tokyo, Japan with support from U.S. rock heavyweights IN THIS MOMENT and Finland's finest, APOCALYPTICA, the latter of which previously collaborated with VAMPS on the 2015 single "Sin In Justice".

The rest of 2016 will see VAMPS working on the follow up album to 2015's "Bloodsuckers" and the band expects to return to the U.S. for more shows next spring.

VAMPS North American tour dates: Nov. 06 - San Francisco, CA @ Social Hall SFNov. 07 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater Nov. 10 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Teatro MetropolitanNov. 13 - New York, NY @ Irving PlazaNov. 14 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's PalaceNov. 15 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

YouTube is once again a worldwide digital streaming partner for the Global Citizen festival and will feature a special livestream of the full concert at YouTube.com/GlobalCitizen, presented by Google's Made With Code movement.

METALLICA, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Demi Lovato and MAJOR LAZER will headline the 2016 Global Citizen festival, the annual free­ ticketed event on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City on Saturday, September 24. The festival will harness actions from millions of global citizens around the world to hold world leaders accountable to the progress made toward achieving the global goals set out by the United Nations last year.

Special guest performances will be given by Usher, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Ellie Goulding, Yandel, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens.

Hosts for this year's festival will include Chelsea Handler, Deborra­lee and Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek Pinault and Seth Meyers.

Global Citizen is a social action platform for the global generation who are passionate about learning and taking action on the world's biggest issues.

Global Citizen works in partnership with and supports some of the most effective organizations working to achieve the global goals and end extreme poverty. Committed to providing the most interesting stories, effective actions and powerful campaigns, Global Citizen aims to reach and recruit the largest possible number of people who care about global issues.

RAINBOW and LORDS OF BLACK singer Ronnie Romero joined AXEL RUDI PELL on stage earlier tonight (Tuesday, September 20) at Hirsch in Nürnberg, Germany to perform the RAINBOW classic "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Originally from Chile and now settled in Madrid, Spain, Romero recently spoke to Metal Shock Finland about RAINBOW's three comeback shows in June. He said: "I feel like in a dream. It's hard to assimilate all that has happened in the last few weeks. Not just living this situation with Ritchie and the other bandmates in RAINBOW, [but also the chance to] meet the fans so close to the stage and backstage and all the people going to the show. And then, all these musicians that I love and that [were] at the shows and [they] talked to me and told me that I [did] a great job. But it's a dream come true."

Asked how he felt about his performances with RAINBOW, Romero said: "I feel really good with my job, because I tried to make justice, not just to the songs, but all these singers — Ronnie James Dio, Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet, Ian Gillan and David Coverdale. I just tried to sing the songs in my own way and my own style, and I think the people appreciate that. I'm not just a copy of the other singers. I prefer to sing like Ronnie Romero singing these songs of Ronnie James Dio and David Coverdale and whatever. And I think the people prefer that, and they really appreciate the situation, because I think the people don't like to see a guy or pay for a ticket to see a guy try to sing like Ronnie James Dio. It's not a good idea. So I feel really good with my job and I know the people and the fans that have sent me messages and told me that they really appreciated [how I interpreted the songs]."

The new lineup of RAINBOW made its live debut on June 17 at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Freilichtbühne in Loreley, Germany. Joining Ritchie in the group were Romero, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT).

LORDS OF BLACK's second album, "II", was released on March 18 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Relapse has announced the vinyl reissue of DEATH's final album, "The Sound Of Perseverance". The reissue has been packaged into a super-limited deluxe vinyl box set containing the album remastered on 2xLP with a bonus third LP featuring demos from 1996 (on vinyl for the first time ever), all housed in an exclusive jacket with expanded art. All three LPs are pressed on an exclusive color of vinyl and come accompanied with an album art slipmat and an 11.75" x 11.75" album art LP flat signed by artist Travis Smith.

A trailer for the reissue is available below.

"The Sound Of Perseverance" reissues are due on November 28 on 2xLP/Deluxe 3xLP boxset via Relapse. Pre-orders are available now through Relapse.com.

Track listing:

LP1

01. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow02. Bite The Pain03. Spirit Crusher04. Story To Tell05. Flesh And The Power It Holds06. Voice Of The Soul07. To Forgive Is To Suffer08. A Moment Of Clarity09. Painkiller

LP2

01. Spirit Crusher (1998 demos; no bass)02. Flesh And The Power It Holds (1998 demos; no bass)03. Voice Of The Soul (1998 demos; no bass)04. Bite The Pain (1998 demos)05. A Moment Of Clarity (1998 demos)06. Story To Tell (1998 demos)07. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow (1998 demos)08. Bite The Pain (1997 demos)09. Story To Tell (1997 demos)10. A Moment Of Clarity (1997 demos)

LP3

01. Bite The Pain (1996 demos)02. Story To Tell (1996 demos)03. A Moment Of Clarity (1996 demos)04. Bite The Pain w/ Paul Payne on vocals (1996 demos)05. A Moment Of Clarity w/ Paul Payne on vocals (1996 demos)06. A Moment Of Clarity w/ Chuck Schuldiner on vocals (1996 demos)07. Story To Tell w/ Chuck Schuldiner on vocals (1996 demos)08. Bite The Pain w/ Shannon Hamm on vocals (1996 demos)09. A Moment Of Clarity (1996 demos; instrumental)10. Bite The Pain (1996 demos; instrumental)11. Story To Tell (1996 demos; instrumental)12. Voice Of The Soul (1996 demos; instrumental)13. A Moment Of Clarity (1996 demos; instrumental)

DEATH's storied catalog has undergone a meticulous reissue campaign via Relapse Records.

The band's mastermind, Chuck Schuldiner, died on December 13, 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.



The Sound Of Perseverance (Deluxe Reissue) by Death

Hardcore punk/metal crossover artist and controversial New York City mainstay Harley Flanagan has been steadily preparing for the release of his upcoming no-holds-barred memoir, titled "Hard-Core, Life Of My Own". In the book, which hits physical and digital retailers next Tuesday, September 27 via Feral House Publishing, Flanagan details his beginnings in the drug- and crime-ridden New York City of the 1970s to the early days of punk rock, hardcore and beyond. As a homeless child prodigy and family friend of Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg, at a young age he became close to many icons of the early punk rock scene such as Joe Strummer of THE CLASH and was taught to play bass by members of the famed punk band BAD BRAINS. He went on to start the notorious hardcore band CRO-MAGS. On its release date, September 27, Harley Flanagan will host a special free "Hard-Core, Life Of My Own" book signing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Manitoba's in New York City (99 Avenue B). Attendees can either purchase a book on site, or can bring their own copy to be signed. Anthony Bourdain — famed chef, author, television personality and avid music fan — has been an outspoken Harley supporter for years. He states: "Harley Flanagan's incredible story is not just the history of New York hardcore, of which he is a founding father, but a history of New York itself. It's all here, an amazing series of unlikely coincidences, catastrophes, accomplishments, and associations. Chances are if it happened in New York and it was important and interesting? Harley Flanagan was somewhere in the room. If you care anything about music history, punk rock, hardcore or just a ripping good story, this is the punch in the face you want and need." Check out an in-depth conversation between Flanagan and Bourdain at NewYorkNatives.com. The New York Times also recently sat down for a chat with Flanagan in preview of his book release, which you can read here. Harley Flanagan also recently released his brand new solo album, appropriately titled "Cro-Mags". The album features twelve all-new tracks, boasting brutality in the vein of the CRO-MAGS' "Age Of Quarrel" and "Revenge", exploding with heavy intensity and pure anger. For more information on "Cro-Mags" and details on the upcoming release of "Hard-Core, Life Of My Own", visit www.harleyflanagan.com.

Photo credit: Drew Stone for "The New York Hardcore Chronicles" film (Facebook page)

According to LA Weekly, L.A. GUNS singer Phil Lewis and the band's co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns will record a new album under the L.A. GUNS moniker, to be released in June 2017 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The disc's release will be supported by a world tour that will kick off with two shows at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood in March.

Guns and Lewis began working on new music together again after playing periodic dates together — billed as "L.A. GUNS' Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns" — around the tour schedule of the other long-running incarnation of L.A. GUNS, which Lewis continues to front.

Regarding the decision to use the L.A. GUNS moniker for the new album, Guns told LA Weekly: "When you put Phil and I together, that's the sound of L.A. GUNS. There's no way around that. As much as I love certain other [former] members of the band, it's hard to say what their contribution to the overall sound of the band was — but Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, the band's gotta be L.A. GUNS. It can't be anything else."

Tracii told radio personality Eddie Trunk last month that he has no intention of ever again playing with drummer Steve Riley, who continues to sit behind the kit for Phil's other version of L.A. GUNS.

"Without going into details, it's just…You're supposed to be brothers in a band like that, and we were in that last crew of… A band of brothers; you fight it out together. You've got each other's back. And when the trust is broken, that's it, man," he said. "Later, dude."

Guns did not elaborate on what caused the relationship between him and the drummer to break down, but added: "Phil and I are like Cain and Abel; we can go at each other day in and day out and still be able to function as brothers and still have each other's back. We're that close. Steve Riley is a hired drummer. And since the awe of him being in W.A.S.P. has worn off, I've played with drummers that are just like so much… a billion times better musicians and more interested in being musicians that I have no reason to ever [play with him again]. He's not a defining factor in a musical unit; he's just a solid drummer. And he would argue that point, but I know. I've played with Brian Tichy and Shane Fitzgibbon and Vinny Appice, and they're in a different league."

Tracii said that the only way he would be willing to reunite with Riley is if he was offered enough money. He explained: "Believe me, I'd love someone to come up to me and say, 'Hey, we can set your kid up and your great grandchildren up for the rest of their lives by getting Steve Riley back with all the original guys of L.A. GUNS, I'm not stupid; I'd be, like, 'Yeah, okay.' But that's in no way a reality in any universe."

Guns also spoke about the musical direction of the next L.A. GUNS album. He said: "We are nostalgia. The fact that we're making a record is killer, and I know that L.A. GUNS fans and people that like our kind of heavier music are gonna love it."

Tracii reiterated his desire to make the strongest L.A. GUNS album possible, explaining: "L.A. GUNS I never looked at as a hobby, so I'm certainly not going to now. If I'm gonna write music with Phil Lewis with the L.A. GUNS name on it, it's gonna be taken very seriously by me personally, and I will strive to make those shows and this record and whatever the future is, you know, what I feel is the best thing for the band and the audience. And this is really the only band I've ever felt that way about — that I've gotta take care of it; I've gotta do what I think is right for it. Especially at this point, because if this is the last record that Phil and I ever do, well, that would be pretty damn good, because it would suck to leave it on a mediocre note."

Guns and Lewis can be heard on several L.A. GUNS albums together, including "L.A. Guns" (1988), "Cocked & Loaded" (1989), "Hollywood Vampires" (1991), "Vicious Circle" (1994), "Cocked & Re-Loaded" (2000), "Man In The Moon" (2001) and "Waking The Dead" (2002).

Tornado frontman Superstar Joey Severance has checked in with the following update:
 
"While recording the first Tornado demo, we had some time to kill and recorded this Mötley Crüe cover which, if you listen real close to the beginning, you can hear I had a lot of fun with this. In the meantime, the producer and studio has been selected for the recording of the next album, Commitment To Excellence early next year. Details on that coming up soon." 

Tornado signed a worldwide deal with Wormholedeath in 2015 for the release of their sophomore album, Black President. To celebrate, the band released their official video for the track "David And Goliath”.

Says Severance: “We are extremely grateful and excited to be a part of the Wormholedeath family and look forward our future cooperation with the label. Lock up your girlfriends, wives and daughters. Sleazy thrash is coming your way!”

Worm stated: "When I got to know Joey I understood that I was in front of someone with a unique attitude and loyalty. Tornado have been pushing so hard during these years ... So hard that they have been able to work with Peter Tagtgren and get a deal with Listenable Records for their debut album Amsterdam. This is just to underline that I was more than honoured when I got their email. Their new album is like a blast and it has this unique sound since they have been able to create a very strong drive with both Scandinavian and bay area thrash elements. By the way, not many words are needed here...This is a real band with a real attitude and everyone should check them out. A fucking Tornado is coming our way, this is what I wanted to say.”

Tracklisting:

“Black President”
“I, Individual”
“911 First Responder (FDNY)”
“Flesh Crawling Nightmare”
“T – Minus 10”
“David And Goliath”
“World Pieces”
“Under The Crimson Moon”
“Stop The Madness (Part I And II)”
“Ghetto Wasteland”

Old-school Finnish thrashers Bloodride will release their third album titled Planet Alcatraz through Inverse Records on November 25th.

On this album anger and frustration has risen to new level which can be seen on lyrical themes. Stupidity and selfishness of mankind gets loads of verbal hits this time. Musically these assaults are also very hard, brutal but sometimes even catchy.

Album was recorded during at Peter´s Cross Studios December 2015-May 2016 by Petteri Lammassaari and was mixed and mastered by Jarno Hänninen at D-Studio. Artwork is done by Niko Bauer from PoorAndStarving.

Tracklisting:

“S.O.B.”
“Planet Alcatraz”
“War In Me”
“Beyond Repair”
“All We Deserve”
“Baptizing Demons”
“Grave Is Calling”
“Rat Racer”
“Storm Under My Skin”
“Marching Off To War”

Everlasting Spew Records have announced the signing of black metal act Gaerea and the release of their furious and intense debut EP. CD and digital versions will be available to the public November 11th while the vinyl version is set for release mid-2017.

“Let’s make one thing clear. We need to stress the fact that our era is lost in a huge void of numbness. We are here to bring and present you what your system could not solve by itself. We’ll cover the daylight with ashes and smash the massive skull that’s blocking your brain and will to evolve. We’re Gaerea.”

Tracklisting:

“Santificato”
“Final Call”
“Pray To Your False God”
“Through Time”
“Void Of Numbness”

Teaser:

Swedish power trio Kamchatka have just released their new single "No One That Can Tell," recorded during the Long Road Made Of Gold sessions. The track was mixed and mastered by Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir, The Wildhearts and more). 

The band says: "Ready for some more Kamchatka music? Wait no longer and take this rockin’ tune for a spin. -We are proud and excited to present this track for you! Rock On folks!”

Kamchatka has been called Sweden's biggest blues rock band and works with a sound that's based on swift turns from swinging to heavy, loud to quiet and bluesy to modern combining elements of blues, stoner and psychedelic rock. The name Kamchatka comes from the volcanically active Russian Kamchatka Peninsula that divides the Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.

Spin the single at Spotify.

German black metallers Heimdalls Wacht will release their new album Geisterseher on October 14th via Trollzorn Records.

The album was produced at renowned Stage One Studio with Andy Classen (Krisiun, Asphyx, Belphegor) and offers the band’s best material to date with a professional sound standard which doesn't conflict with their true old-school underground attitude. Furthermore the new and second singer Skjeld, known from Nytkalgia, pushes the boundaries of the former Heimdalls Wacht sound to a new dimension with his scene known extreme vocals.

Tracklisting:

“Spökenkieke”
“Wir Sind Die Wächter”
“Der Kommende Gott (Treffen Mit Sabazios)”
“Scyomantia - Der Thron Im Schatten”
“Tairach”
“Taedium Vitae”
“Anderswelt”

Chicago's heavy metal veterans Ditchwater have released the official music video for their new track "Heal Me", which was released last week on all major digital platforms. An early preview of the video, posted exclusively to the band's Facebook page, has already amassed nearly 5,000 views. “Heal Me” serves as the first glimpse of their upcoming LP, recently announced to be coming late this year.

The track made an surprise early debut on internet radio stations around the country last month, quickly gaining the attention of both long-term fans and new. "Heal Me" is somewhat of a departure from the band's existing discography, whose most recent offering "Into The Storm" contained songs written over the course of over 5 years.

When asked about the significance of the new single, bassist John Partipilo said "Heal Me is a departure from anything Ditchwater has done in the past. The track is a tease as to what's to come from us."

The writing process has shown no signs of slowing Ditchwater down, however, as the band recently finished a string of dates with the North Carolina's rapidly growing rock act Another Lost Year, as well as an appearance on the 6th annual Illinois music festival The Revival, which features a powerhouse lineup of some of the hottest up-and-coming acts in the Midwest.

In a brand new interview with Metal Insider, Max Cavalera spoke about his decision to form SOULFLY after his departure from SEPULTURA in December 1996.

"Well, looking back now, it was a really hard time in my life, a very difficult period, because I never thought I was going to leave the band," he said. "For the first month, I didn't even want to play anymore, I was, like, 'I'm done with this.' I just wanted to get high and get drunk and not give a fuck. But then, little by little, I started writing some stuff and it started coming out again, and it was cool, because it carried the same elements as what I had been doing before. The riffs, structures, choruses, all of that was very similar. But it was a difficult time and I'm glad it's over — I'd never want to go back to that time."

He continued: "A lot of people really liked the first SOULFLY album, a lot of people say it's their favorite. Maybe that's because there was a little bit of desperation on that record. [Laughs] It's kind of like you lost everything and had to start again with what you have.

"SEPULTURA was really close to my heart;it was like my baby. Now, after all this time passed and I think about it, Igor [Max's brother and then-SEPULTURA drummer] and I should have just fired those two assholes [Editor's note: Max is presumably referring to guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr.] and kept the name; why we didn't do that, I don't know. At that time, we didn't have the vision to do it, so I just quit."

Max also talked about the recently launched "Return To Roots" tour, which sees Max and Igor celebrating the twentieth anniversary of SEPULTURA's classic album "Roots" by performing the LP in its entirety. They are joined on stage by their CAVALERA CONSPIRACY bandmates Marc Rizzo (guitar) and Johny Chow (bass).

Max said: "I think [what makes] this tour is so special [is that] I get to go back to that time to an album where I was very much involved with the ideas of the album — those were almost all of my own ideas, so 'Roots' is very close to my heart. Now, twenty years later, to go back and do this with Igor again is amazing — it's the best thing to come out of this story. It's a happy ending, even though we had to go through all that hardship to get to where we are now."

In a 2013 interview with MTV Iggy, Kisser stated about SEPULTURA's split with the Cavalera brothers: "For SEPULTURA fans, there are many SEPULTURAs in their head. It's not only because Max and Igor [left]. If you [compare] the albums that we did together, from 'Schizophrenia' to 'Roots', they are totally different bands — but the same lineup.

"We all change; we all grow up. The choice to leave the band was their choice. We never fired any musician in the group. We only fired our manager after the 'Roots' tour, and Max chose to leave and stay with her and start a solo career. He didn't care about the name during those days. He didn't fight for the name. He just turned his back and said, 'Fuck you guys; I'm better off myself.' And Igor left ten years later; he didn't care either to fight. It's like many fathers who have children and leave them.

"For [the Cavaleras], SEPULTURA is like an abandoned child. They really turned their back on us and left. But it feels great to be here and keep the SEPULTURA name strong, bringing new stuff to the albums. The SEPULTURA spirit never changed, and that's why we're still here as SEPULTURA."

Marilyn Manson has told Rolling Stone that he has no intention of voting in the upcoming presidential election. "I don't find either candidate to my liking, so I choose to stand out of this one," he said. "And I don't think that's a coward's stance. A lot of people might say that. I just don't really want to be a part of this piece of history. Last time, I did want to be involved in some piece of history as a voter."

Asked for his thoughts on controversial Republican candidate Donald Trump, the shock-rocker said: "You're asking what I think about Trump, and it's a tough call because if you look back at old presidents that have been in the past, and you weren't old enough to know how they lived their lives, and you didn't live in the era that was so media-saturated and internet and just so many opinions swirling around., the world seems a bit chaotic more than it should be. But then when you simplify it, it isn't more chaotic. It just comes down to two things: Who has more charisma, and who are they appealing to. And neither one of them appeal to me."

Manson previously revealed that he voted for president for the first time in 2008, having thrown his support behind then-senator Barack Obama. He also voted for Obama in 2012, telling Time Out Chicago that he "never believed in the authenticity of the two-party system." He added: "Politics in this country is all what happens behind Oz's curtain."

Manson's new album, "SAY10", is tentatively due in February 2017.

Fan-filmed video footage of MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil performing with his solo band on Saturday, September 17 at SiriusXM's Hair Nation Festival at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California can be seen below.

Neil recently explained to GreeleyTribune.com why he continues to play MÖTLEY CRÜE's hit songs during his solo live performances.

"I could play a lot of my solo stuff, and I'd get a lot of people in the crowd saying, 'What is he doing that for?' Neil said. "They'd be saying, 'Play [swear word] 'Dr. Feelgood', you [swear word].

"But I don't want to be that guy," he continued. "I want to be someone who shows appreciation for all our fans. Those people have all the love for the CRÜE stuff, and I was the guy singing those songs. That gave me a great life for 30 years."

Neil was also full of praise for his solo band, which continues to include Dana Strum and Jeff Blando from SLAUGHTER and drummer Zoltan Chaney.

"They're really energetic, and we're friends," Neil said. "There's none of the [bad] blood and the crazy ups and downs with MÖTLEY. We all get along really good."

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx told RiffYou.com last year that his new band, SIXX:A.M., "[doesn't] play MÖTLEY CRÜE music" and will "never play MÖTLEY CRÜE music, explaining that he wanted to make a clean break from touring with CRÜE out of the deep respect he had for all he had accomplished with his bandmates.