MASTODON's Troy Sanders spoke to the Atlanta Business Chronicle about the progress of the writing sessions for the follow-up to the band's 2014 album "Once More 'Round The Sun". He said: "We've been working on it for the bulk of this year. We kind of dedicated 2016 to writing a record. We go into the studio in October and plan to have a new record out and on the shelves in early 2017."

He continued: "We're going to record it in the Atlanta area, so we'll get to go home and sleep in our own beds at night. Basically, we are going to play [at the Project Pabst Atlanta festival on] October 1, then the next day we being recording and we will be holed up at an Atlanta studio for the month of October.

"We're excited because we've done lots of touring over the past few years. It's that refreshing cycle of write, record, tour, tour, tour, take a break, write, record, tour, tour, tour. This is one of the many healthy transitions that we do as a band to keep our momentum going. We're excited about recording because we haven't recorded a record in over two years. Positive vibes are in the house."

MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher recently told GuitarMania about the band's upcoming album: "I've already come up with eleven songs, which is probably about an hour's worth of music — like, finished, start to end. It'll change as everybody chimes in and takes the things I wrote and maybe changes them a little bit, or we might take parts out and write a new part."

Regarding what fans can expect to hear on MASTODON's next album, Bill said: "It's a little bit of the same as the last album, but I think it goes even deeper in certain areas — a couple of more psychedelic parts, a little more technical parts. There are a couple of new places we haven't gone before. So it's just kind of a continuation of the last record to me, but even deeper."

"Once More 'Round The Sun" sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 24, 2014 via Reprise Records.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, NINE INCH NAILS mainman Trent Reznor and his frequent collaborator Atticus Ross have been tapped to compose the score for "Patriots Day", a film centered on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. This will be Reznor and Ross' fourth film score, with their previous three — "The Social Network", "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and "Gone Girl" — all movies directed by David Fincher. The pair won both the Oscar and the Golden Globe Award in 2011 for the score to "The Social Network".

Reznor told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that writing music for films has not been that difficult since he thinks in visual terms when writing songs as well. "That idea of starting in a visual place has made it kind of easy," he said. "I find it hasn't been that much of a struggle to start to think in terms of scoring for picture, because now I have the picture to see instead of me creating it in my head and it's not that far of a stretch in terms of the strategy working here."

"Patriots Day" stars Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons and Michelle Monaghan.

The film is directed by "Lone Survivor" and "Deepwater Horizon" director Peter Berg and opens in limited release on December 21, expanding nationwide on January 13.

Reznor indicated late last year that NINE INCH NAILS would return in 2016. The last NIN effort was 2013's "Hesitation Marks", which followed a four-year hiatus.

Reznor is also chief creative officer for Apple Music and is said to be heavily involved in that platform's redesign and relaunch.

Illinois-based symphonic melodeath group, Starkill, have released a trailer video for the band’s upcoming third album, Shadow Sleep,  to be released via Prosthetic Records worldwide on November 4th. The new clip can be found below.

Recorded and mixed at Electrowerks Studio with Chuck Macak (Fall Of Troy, Oceano Letlive) while being sent for mastering by Troy Glessner (August Burns Red, Devin Townsend, Death Cab For Cutie), Shadow Sleep presents 13 tracks of melodic, majestic death metal reinforced by Jameson’s over-the-top shredding paired with one of the tightest rhythm sections in the scene.

"This album was the culmination of many tours, new experiences and knowledge, and in our opinion, marks the starting point of where the true Starkill sound begins" exclaimed ead guitarist and vocalist, Parker Jameson. "We've finally found ourselves, our musical style and finally have access to all the musical tools we've ever wanted: two screamers, two male singers, and newly featured on this record, the addition of a female vocalist. This album marks a critical turning point for Starkill, and we are excited to be with Prosthetic Records for this new chapter."

Shadow Sleep tracklisting:

“Walk Through Fire”
“Burn Your World”
“Through The Darkness”
“Shadow Sleep”
“Cloudless”
“Piece Of Paradise”
“Ruin”
“Into The Grey”
“Razors Edge”
“No Savior”
“Erase Me”
“Farewell”
“Captive Of The Night”

Album trailer:

“Burn Your World” video:

Signing announcement with audio clips:

Starkill have won fans over throughout the country with their solid live performances on stages alongside bands including Epica, Moonspell, Arch Enemy and Ne Obliviscaris. In addition to the release of Shadow Sleep on November 4th, the band will also kickstart an extensive jaunt across North America with Gothenburg melodic death legends Dark Tranquility, Finland doom metallists' Swallow The Sun and Swedish heavy metal outfit Enforcer. Prior to this, the band will be seen at Illinois' Full Terror Assault with Dying Fetus, Belphegor and more.

A full list of their upcoming appearances can be found here.

Starkill is:

Parker Jameson - lead guitar, vocals, keyboards
Spencer Weidner - drums
Tony Keathley - guitar, backing vocals
Shaun Andruchuk - bass guitar

New Zealand death metal innovators Ulcerate are streaming the track “Shrines Of Paralysis”, from their forthcoming fifth full-length album and follow-up to 2013's Vermis. Shrines Of Paralysis is due out via Relapse on October 28th. Preorders here.

Shrines Of Paralysis tracklisting:

“Abrogation”
“Yield To Naught”
“There Are No Saviours”
“Shrines Of Paralysis”
“Bow To Spite”
“Chasm Of Fire”
“Extinguished Light”
“End The Hope”

“Shrines Of Paralysis”:

"Abrogation":

“Extinguished Light”:

Ulcerate have announced a headlining North American tour with Icelandic dissonance-mongers Zhrine and Montreal death metal quartet Phobocosm. Ulcerate will also be performing two exclusive dates in New Zealand at the end of October before the tour's kickoff. A full list of dates is available below.

October
21 - Auckland, NZ - Kings Arms
22 - Wellington, NZ - San Fran

November (with Zhrine and Phobocosm)
2 - Los Angeles, CA - Complex
3 - San Francisco CA - Elbo Room
4 - Portland, OR - Panic Room
5 - Seattle, WA - Highline
6 - Vancouver, BC - Astoria
8 - Oakland, CA - The Golden Bull
9 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
10 - Tempe, AZ - Yucca Tap Room
11 - El Paso, TX - Mesa Music Hall
12 - San Antonio, TX - Limelight
13 - Houston, TX - Acadia Bar
15 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
16 - Gainesville, FL - Atlantic
17 - Tampa, FL - The Brass Mug
18 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
19 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
20 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
23 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
24 - Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar
25 - Toronto, ON - Coalition
26 - Detroit, MI  - Corktown Tavern
27 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
28 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Smiling Moose
29 - New York City, NY - Saint Vitus

Audio samples of all the songs that are set to appear on THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's upcoming album, "Transit Blues", can be streamed below. The CD will be released on October 7 via Rise Records.

The band retreated to both Watertown, Wisconsin and Sawyer, Michigan last winter to write "Transit Blues", for the first time living and creating in a shared, full time space. They re-teamed with "Space" producer Dan Korneff (PIERCE THE VEIL, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE) in the spring of 2016 to record the 11-track effort. Overall, the album reflects themes of transition, separation, and mourning.

Speaking about the direction of "Transit Blues", frontman Mike Hranica told Clrvynt: "When I hear older PRADA recordings and such, this super-clean Auto-Tune bullshit kicks in, and I kind of quiver. Like, 'Why is that there? What's the point?'

"With 2009's 'Roots Above And Branches Below' is where I started writing 'choruses' with all screaming because I liked that in heavier music, and then on 'Space', the singing came out of left field.

"Hopefully with 'Transit Blues', it's a bit more where it's this element that's very organic, as opposed to, 'Here's the pop chorus, ta-da.'"

To support the release, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA — Hranica, Jeremy DePoyster (guitar, vocals), Andy Trick (bass), Kyle Sipress (guitar), joined by Giuseppe Capolupo (drums) and Jonathan Gering (keyboards) — will kick off "The Rise Up Tour" on October 11, co-headlining with MEMPHIS MAY FIRE. SILVERSTEIN and LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES will open all shows.

Photo credit: Anthony Barlich

"Echolocation", the debut album from GONE IS GONE, the new project featuring MASTODON's Troy Sanders, AT THE DRIVE-IN's Tony Hajjar, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen and guitarist-keyboardist Mike Zarin, will be released on January 6, 2017 via their imprint label Black Dune Records in partnership with Rise Records/BMG.

Recorded at Sencit Studios in Los Angeles (with additional tracking at Casa De Leones Studios), "Echolation" was produced by the band and mixed by Ken Andrews of FAILURE (BECK, A PERFECT CIRCLE).

Zarin commented on the new album: "We were able to expand on ideas that were explored early on and really build on them. By the time we got to working on the album, everything had clicked and we knew 'this is what this is going to be.' And that made a huge difference."

"Echolocation" track listing:

01. Sentient02. Gift03. Resurge04. Dublin05. Ornament06. Pawns07. Colourfade08. Roads09. Slow Awakening10. Fast Awakening11. Resolve12. Echolocation

The official lyric video for the song "Sentient" can be seen below.

GONE IS GONE's self-titled debut EP was released on July 8 via Black Dune/Rise.

Asked where the band's name came from, Sanders told NME: "We were honing in on things that were very human, relatable, real, and as far away from anything pretentious as possible. We were discussing subject matter of frailty and things that every human can relate to — love, loss, life, experience and opportunity and all things frail and fragile. The phrase 'what's done is done' or 'what's gone is gone' — you need to seize these opportunities now and make the most of it, reward yourself and fulfill yourself while the time is now.

"We think it's relatable and we're not trying to be anything that we're not. The level of pretentiousness is below zero — it's minus eleven, it's out of the fuckin' picture. This band was organically created and it's formed and has got to where it is now very naturally. It's all from the heart and it means the world to us."

Sanders also called GONE IS GONE "therapeutic." He explained: "I've learned it's a very healthy thing to do to jam with other people. Whether it's sitting for 30 minutes in someone else's practice room and just jamming with somebody, or learning a cover song together, or writing something together — any kind of collaboration I think is a healthy thing. You pull different positives from different people.

"For the bulk of the past 16 years, I've been very fortunate and proud to be in a band called MASTODON that followed the traditional cycle of write, record, tour-tour-tour, write, record, tour-tour-tour. It's worked out fantastic for us and I love every minute of it. However, when I get these brief periods away, and I'm doing something else that's creative musically, it just brings a refreshing feeling over me that hits a reset button. Every time I go back into the MASTODON world, I'm in such a great place mentally to dive headfirst in and give it all I've got."

GONE IS GONE made its live debut on April 27 at the Dragonfly in Los Angeles and completed a handful of dates in July.

For more information, visit www.GoneIsGoneOfficial.com.

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor joined KORN on stage this past Sunday, October 2 at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky to perform the KORN song "A Different World". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

"A Different World" is slated to be the next single from KORN's upcoming album, "The Serenity Of Suffering", following the current Top Five track "Rotting In Vain".

KORN singer Jonathan Davis spoke about getting Taylor to appear on the track. "We were trying to figure out who we wanted to collaborate with, and I'm like, 'You know, that's the one, that's the guy,'" he said. "And I texted him, I'm like, 'Do you want to be on a new KORN track?' He's all, 'Hell yeah! When and where, what do I do?' So he did great on the song. I already did my parts, I'm like, 'Do what you do, man.' And I like the way he did it, the approach: he starts creeping in underneath the song, you can start slowly hearing his voice under mine, and it crescendos up into the middle part where he sings, and then it's just full-on at the end, so the song came out great."

Taylor said that he became involved in "A Different World" after receiving "a phone call, like, 'Hey, do you wanna do this?' And I was on the plane the next day. I flew in, and I hadn't even heard the music. I was, like, 'Yeah.' 'Cause as a fan and as a friend, it was just something that we had been talking about for years. And all the stars aligned and I got to do this track. And it is heavy, dude. It is so righteous. People are gonna lose their minds.

"This whole [new KORN] album, and I'm gonna brag now, because I've heard eleven songs of this, it is such a great throwback to the first three KORN albums and mixed with that maturity that they have now. Like, it's, really, really heavy. People are gonna lose their minds. It's that good."

Due on October 21, "The Serenity Of Suffering" marks the band's return to Roadrunner, which previously released 2010's "Korn III - Remember Who You Are" and 2011's "The Path Of Totality".

The cover art for "The Serenity Of Suffering" was created by acclaimed artist Ron English. It depicts a teenage KORN fan at a dystopian acid-nightmare funfair who is clutching a disembowelled and skeletal version of the doll who adorned 1999's "Issues".

KORN has hit the road this fall with co-headliners BREAKING BENJAMIN for the "Nocturnal Underground Tour". The trek kicked off on September 24 in Fargo, North Dakota and will run through late October.

Fathom Events, ole, Anthem and Zoe are excited to bring "Rush: Time Stand Still" to movie theatres nationwide for a raw, intimate and vivid look into RUSH's "R40" tour for a one-night event on Thursday, November 3. Over 460 theaters will take part in the Fathom event, which is accompanied by an exclusive 20-minute short film "Rush: A Salute To Kings".

In 2015, RUSH went out for a 40th-anniversary tour, rumored to be the last tour of its kind and the end of their life on the road. Narrated by Paul Rudd, "Rush: Time Stand Still" is a documentary event which covers the "R40" tour and the unique relationship RUSH have with their devoted fans. Candid interviews with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart bring "Time Stand Still" to an emotional conclusion for a band who built their career the old-fashioned way: one show at a time.

Lee and Lifeson last month spoke about what it has been like spending most of their time at home after the band completed what could turn out to be its final tour in 2015. Lifeson said: "I don't know. It's been an adjustment, this past year. We've been following up on some other interests that we both have, and we've been learning to get used to the idea, and it's taken a while. But I feel very confident about a lot of things, and music is definitely still one of them. And I'm sure that we'll do something in the future. We can't just stop playing and writing music together."

Asked if he is still keeping the bass fingers ready, Lee said: "Oh, yeah. I play almost every day that I'm around the house. I've been travelling a lot with my wife. We're very big into seeing the world and taking advantage of this break in my career, whatever it may be. But I love playing, and I play a lot. And sooner or later, the right thing will happen."

Lee last December shot down reports that RUSH's drummer, Neil Peart, had retired.

Peart admitted to being "of two minds" about another lengthy run of concert dates, pointing out that having a young child at home makes it difficult for him to be gone for weeks at a time. He said: "I've been doing this for 40 years — I know how to compartmentalize, and I can stand missing her, but I can't stand her missing me and it's painful and impossible to understand for her. How can a small child process that? And there's the guilt that comes with that — you feel guilty about it, of course. I'm causing pain."

RUSH released the "R40 Live" concert film last November.

Swedish melodic metallers AMARANTHE have dropped the video for their latest single, "That Song", a track from their epic and gloriously over-the-top new album, "Maximalism". The record is due out October 21 on Spinefarm Records, and finds the band further expanding its pop-metal hybrid style.

The album is full of songs so catchy that they embed themselves in your brain for hours, and "That Song" is easily one of the most memorable AMARANTHE numbers to date.

The clip, directed by longstanding collaborator Patric Ullaeus, mixes a gripping narrative with performance footage, finding the members of the band playing a variety of roles, as musicians in blue-collar gigs at the crossroads in their respective lives.

Says AMARANTHE guitarist Olof Mörck: "What song? 'THAT song'! Our very first single and video from our brand new album, 'Maximalism', is out now! Representing a fresh take on the AMARANTHE approach, it is part of the wide spectrum of sounds that is 'Maximalism'.

"The video represents the struggle that comes from following your dreams no matter what the cost. Even if you are on the downside of life, one day there will be a turning point when it all becomes clear — to the sound of 'That Song'."

"Maximalism" was produced once again by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA, DELAIN) and mastered by Svante Forsback (RAMMSTEIN, APOCALYPTICA, DRAGONFORCE). Refusing to be pinned down by genre or convention, AMARANTHE have consistently pursued the less travelled path, blending different sounds and styles to create a signature hybrid approach, and "Maximalism" sees their collective wide-angle vision laid out with greater skill and conviction than ever before. From the locomotive power of "Faster" and "Fury" through to the more measured drama of "Limitless" and "Endlessly" (a solo tour de force for singer Elize Ryd), this is AMARANTHE ramping up both the energy and the emotion, and generally pushing everything to the max. In support of "Maximalism", AMARANTHE will embark on a headline European tour in October/November, with SONIC SYNDICATE and SMASH INTO PIECES guesting on all shows.

Fan-filmed video footage of ACT OF DEFIANCE performing a cover version of the METALLICA classic "Seek & Destroy" on September 29 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on in Sioux City, Iowa can be seen below.

ACT OF DEFIANCE is the band featuring former MEGADETH members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar), alongside ex-SCAR THE MARTYR singer Henry Derek Bonner, and SHADOWS FALL's Matt Bachand (bass).

Asked how they feel about the term "supergroup" being thrown around in connection with ACT OF DEFIANCE, Matt told Gear Gods: "We're not a supergroup. We're simply a new band with players that happened to be in other bands. That's all it is. When you say the word 'supergroup,' that usually implies that, you know, you get together, make one record and then it will never happen again. But that is not the case with this. So it's technically not a supergroup, 'cause it's not gonna be a one-off thing. It's a new project that we're going a hundred and ten percent with."

Shawn, who joined MEGADETH in 2004 and played on four of the band's albums, including 2013's "Super Collider", added: "This is a real band, man. This wasn't put together… 'Oh, let's get Matt from that great band.' It wasn't like that at all. Chris [Broderick, ACT OF DEFIANCE and ex-MEGADETH guitarist] and I tried to find the best musicians we could that were available, really. Matt had stopped touring with [SHADOWS FALL], and it was just a matter of coincidence. I found out that Matt wasn't touring as hardcore as he was for twenty years, so I'm, like, you know… Actually, Zeuss was one of the guys… Our producer, Chris Harris — we call him Zeuss — was one of the guys [who said], 'You should maybe talk to Matt.' I was, like, 'Wow! What a great idea. And I just hit him up. But this is a full-on band. We're touring for the record. This is not a one-off thing. With respect to what we've done in the past, we're not living in it. This is a new thing and this is something that we're going forward with. We're not dwelling on what we've done in the past at all."

ACT OF DEFIANCE's debut album, "Birth And The Burial", was released on August 21, 2015 via Metal Blade Records. The CD recording was split between three studios in three different states: Broderick handled vocal and guitar production at his own Ill-Fated Studio in Los Angeles, Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, REVOCATION, MUNICIPAL WASTE) worked with Drover tracking the drums in Dexter's Lab in Milford, Connecticut, while Bachand laid down his bass at ManShark, in Southampton, Massachusetts.

Swedish metallers AVATAR have unleashed another visually stunning music video, with longtime director Johan Carlén at the helm, for their next single, "Night Never Ending". The song is taken from the band's latest concept album titled "Feathers & Flesh", which was released onMay 13 via Another Century in Europe and Entertainment One (eOne) in North America and Canada.

"It's is a special song, being probably the most upbeat and, dare I say, happy piece we've ever released," says AVATAR frontman Johannes Eckerström. "But under the surface of the fragile message of hope and fighting spirit it is little more than a prelude to a tragedy and that is what we set out to capture when we decided to make a video for it."

He continued: "It is very close to my heart for being the one video where there is no 'rocking out' going on and we get to capture a side of AVATAR that is just as integral as the good, headbanging times we love sharing with our supporters all around the world. There are few things in this world as beautiful and fascinating as contrasts and this is what all of 'Feathers & Flesh' is all about. Hope and tragedy."

Eckerström told AXS that the idea of creating a concept album came first and then the journey to find the proper concept became the first leg of that process.

"There was a period of figuring out what would be our story to tell," he said. "I first started with, you know, I'm a clown, and it's horror, and it could be a haunted theme park, and then I fell asleep from my own thoughts because it felt so cliché, boring, lame, stupid. So I moved on and then it was a Swedish novel series, 'The Emigrants' series, and I thought there's some stuff in here that could be turned into something, then I realized that Björn and Benny from ABBA did a musical about it in the '90s, so that one was taken. [Laughs] So I reached the conclusion it needed to be something where we had the same ambition as we do with the music — to do something fresh and original. So I started to soul search for an original story and that led me to researching the concept of fables."

Ipswich, UK-based black metal band, Eastern Front, have released the official video for the song “The Fire Consumes”, taken from third album, EmpirE, which was released on September 30th via Cacophonous. EmpirE focuses on the concept of building an empire through bloodshed and devastation, and is the first record to feature new vocalist Marder.

Guitarist Destroyer: “Signing to the birthplace of UK black metal, and to be a part of this historic relaunch is such an honour. Their mission statement and work ethic really resonates with us and clearly it hasn't changed since the early 90's, their passion to succeed is infectious and with it being such exciting time in the UK extreme music scene the quality of the Cacophonous roster is testament to that. We feel our brand of war torn black metal is a perfect fit and will add to the legacy. Cacophonous has always had a great reputation for pioneering new and established bands, so in our tenth year of existence it’s the perfect place for Eastern Front to launch EmpirE.

EmpirE is our darkest and most conceptual release to date. Its essence is limitless loss, the notion that empires are literally built upon countless sacrifice and slaughter. The bigger the empire the more blood will have been spilt, the more pain endured, the more wounds inflicted. EmpirE is a focused single vision of death as is conveyed throughout the artwork and is our statement of intent as a band redefined. This concept resonates for the members of Eastern Front, pain and loss having been the band’s fifth member for the last few years so this as catalyst certainly affected the writing when research began, that place of introspective honestly is what birthed the album Empire.

We welcome Marder to the vocal parapet, a true ferocious force of nature and now an essential part of our battalion. During the first studio sessions Marder came in as a guest for the record but from the first scream we knew if the job of vocalist for Eastern Front ever became available again she is the one. It did. She is.”

Recorded and produced by Danny B (Lock Up, Pentagram, Criminal) of HVR Studios, Ipswich, EmpirE features guest vocals from black metal titan Dani Filth.

Tracklisting:

“Empire”
“Veiled By Blood”
“The Fire Consumes”
“No Snow Falls For Sorrow”
“Husks Of Kursk”
“Crimson Mourn”
“1000 Winds That Blow”
“Die Reise In Den Tod Pt. II”

French melodic power prog band Eternal Flight have announced that Thibaud Pontet is their new drummer. The band is now rounded off by Gérard Fois (ex-Dream Child) on lead vocals, Jérome Fischer on lead and rhythm guitars, Thibaud Ducrot on lead and rhythm guitars and Arnaud Neri on bass.

Check out an introductory video featuring Thibaud Pontet below:

Eternal Flight are currently recording their fourth album which will feature 12 new songs incuding three with John Macaluso (Ark, TNT, Yngwie Malmsteen). BraveWords recently debuted the new song "Labyrinth" featuring Macaluso. The band remarked: "This could please also more our prog metal fans into bands like Fates Warning, Dream Theater or Evergrey."

 

 

On Tuesday, September 27th Metallica played a special show for their fanclub members at the intimate Webster Hall in New York City. The show marked the 30th anniversary of bassist Cliff Burton's death as well as serving as hype for the band's highly anticipated new album, Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. 

Fan-filmed video from the show is available below. It includes the live debut of Metallica's new song "Moth Into Flame". The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Breadfan"
"Holier Than Thou"
"Battery"
"Harvester Of Sorrow"
"Fade To Black"
"Moth Into Flame"
"Sad But True"
"Orion"
"One"
"Master Of Puppets"
"For Whom The Bell Tolls"
"Enter Sandman"
"Whiskey In The Jar"
"Hardwired"
"Seek & Destroy"

Professionally fulmed video footage of VENOM's entire August 12 performance at this year's edition of the Bloodstock Open Air festival, which was held at Catton Hall in Walton-on-Trent, England, can be seen below.

VENOM is not to be confused with VENOM INC., the new band featuring original VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (guitar) and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray (drums) alongside ex-VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan.

Without directly mentioning VENOM INC., VENOM guitarist Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) told Metal-Rules.com in a November 2015 interview: "Don't be fooled by pale imitations." VENOM bassist/vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant added: "Yes, indeed. Check out the real VENOM. We know that there's been some sites who've been putting our photographs and our VENOM logo up for a whole load of dates that don't have anything to do with us. VENOM play one-off shows, and that's the way we've always done it. And we like to have it as big and as best as we can. We don't do little club tours; that's never been the VENOM way. And we're trying to contact some of these sites to say, 'Look, you're misrepresenting the band. We don't know who this band is that you're talking about, but we're not coming to America to play thirty shows. Please get your shit together and sort it out.' But these web sites must just wanna put any shit on their site."

Cronos also talked about VENOM's musical evolution over the last three and a half decades. He said: "The thing is, the way I've always seen VENOM is… VENOM needs to be a band that evolves. You know, I don't wanna play the same songs fucking year after year after year. I wanna evolve this band. I wanna stay with a slightly commercial… Rock and roll has to be something that you remember, and a lot of the death metal stuff that's all based on the same sort of [fast rhythm], to me, it doesn't have a hook. And I've always found that with songs like 'Welcome To Hell', it's something that stays with you. I know people think 'commercial' is a dirty word with metal, and [they] can fuck off, because commercial just means something that stays with you, that you like, that you enjoy. And that's something that we do well. We come up with songs where you're still thinking about them weeks later, months later after you've heard them. They stick with you. They're not throwaway songs. We don't want any throwaway songs. If the song doesn't move you, and if you don't remember it, you don't wanna keep playing it in the car or wherever, then we throw it away; it's goodbye. We want the stuff that stays hardcore and evolving. You know, still being a bit controversial as well. You know, the song 'Smoke', I'm sure people didn't expect that one out of VENOM; it's a little bit different. But we've always done that. We got shit for '7 Gates Of Hell' back in the day. 'What the fuck? That's not like 'Angel Dust'.' But that's what I love about this band. We have the ability to just keep trying out new ideas and retaining that 'Black Metal' stamp. So fucking long may it continue."

VENOM's latest album, "From The Very Depths", was released in January 2015 via Spinefarm.

Video footage of three members of RATT's classic lineup — singer Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier and guitarist Warren DeMartini — peforming the RATT song "Wanted Man" as the "surprise band" on Saturday (October 1) on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise West, also known as Monsterwood, can be seen below. Joining them on stage at the event were former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

The as-yet-unnamed band notably doesn't feature drummer Bobby Blotzer has been touring the U.S. for the last year with his own version of RATT, featuring a rotating cast of musicians, including vocalist Josh Alan (ex-SIN CITY SINNERS).

DeMartini filed a lawsuit against Blotzer last year, claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing. That dispute is still pending in California state court.

Blotzer and DeMartini are the only remaining shareholders in WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT.

Speculation about Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini forming their own version of RATT to rival Blotzer's gained traction in August after they were photographed hanging out together at a Los Angeles birthday party. Bobby later dismissed the idea, telling Trunk in an interview: "Well, it's absurd. It ain't gonna happen. Warren can't do that. If Warren was to join up in that thing, he would be in competition with his own band and corporation — RATT, WBS… RATT. He would be kicked out on his rear end so quick… They'd have to call it something else; they couldn't call it anything but something else."

Two months ago, Pearcy told Canadian rock journalist Mitch Lafon that he was still friends with DeMartini and Croucier, adding that "Warren and I actually got together and wrote a song a while back, which is phenomenal… Who knows what will happen soon enough? We're just waiting for some dust to settle. I really can't say anything right now, but if the public has any positive message, it's being heard."

Fan-filmed video footage of SUICIDE SILENCE performing a brand new song during this year's Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, which was held September 24-25 a at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore, California, can be seen below. Joining the band on stage during the performance was Jose Mangin, SiriusXM on-air host (Liquid Metal, Ozzy's Boneyard, Octane).

SUICIDE SILENCE will release its new, self-titled album in February 2017 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced by Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, SLIPKNOT, LIMP BIZKIT and SEPULTURA, among others.

In a recent interview with Wall Of Sound, SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Mark Heylmun elaborated on his previous comment that the band's upcoming album would not be what people expect.

"Well, pretty much what I meant by 'people won't expect what it is' was that people won't expect the 'punk rock' attitude that we gave toward this record," he said. "It's the raw, live, everything is us. It's not gonna be full of computer trickery. It's not gonna sound like all the Pro Tools ninjas and Logic ninjas. We got real microphones on real drums and real amps with real performances, real takes, real fucking everything. The record's gonna be natural and raw and fucking pissed. It's gonna be exactly what music needs, which is some fucking heart. Some fucking blood. Some real fucking 'give-a-shit' passion put down onto moments in time. I mean, we recorded with tape on this record. There's real music, it's not samples and a bunch of fucking bullshit like Auto-Tune or whatever the fuck. We just went for it, for a record that speaks for us and really exemplifies where we're at as a band. It's gonna be something else for people to witness. Like a car accident they can't keep their eyes off of."

Heylmun added that SUICIDE SILENCE intentionally took its time making the new album to insure that the record will turn out exactly how the band wanted it to be, without any external influences affecting the process.

"We don't want to compete with music industry bullshit, where everybody's just trying to crank out a record every two years because that's what you have to do," he said. "Or, like, put out this record because this is what people are gonna want. This is the first record that we've fully just put blinders on and we're not looking at anything going on outside of us, just what's in front of us. And what's in front of us is our band. And the music we're gonna make is the music we're gonna make and there's no outside influence other than SUICIDE SILENCE doing what SUICIDE SILENCE wants to do. So it feels good. We're far along in the process, the record won't be out until next year but we're deep in it."

Heylmun also talked about the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2014's "You Can't Stop Me". He said: "I think that overall idea for this record, and the process, is to try everything. If there is an idea, try it. Don't be afraid, you know? Don't let the fear of trying something different stop you from opening up a can that might be the… exact soup you wanna taste, I don't know. [Laughs] There's lots of food metaphors when it comes to music: we're making a sandwich and one person has to show up with the vegetables and another person has to show up with the meat, but some people don't eat meat, so you gotta show up with the right cheese. And some people don't like cheese… [Laughs] I don't know. We always want to work together to encourage everyone to be the best that they can be. So that's especially where we're at, having gone through a lot, and having a new member come in and having to rebuild that whole camaraderie of being creative. We're all just trying to give to the music, and give to each other and give, give, give, give, give. Because we gotta get shit out and give this fucking music, this fiery piece of nothing, this magical thing that doesn't even exist until we create it. Just throw down and give it all you can and encourage each other to give all you can and encourage each other to give it everything you possibly can. So that's what the new record is going to be like."

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

Veteran rockers STRYPER performed at the House Of Blue in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on September 30 as part of their tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of their multi-platinum album "To Hell With The Devil". Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

STRYPER last month announced plans to "take a hiatus" following the completion of the "To Hell With The Devil" 30th-anniversary tour. The group explained in a statement: "Our band and ministry is facing a crossroads for a variety of reasons, including some personal matters affecting our bassist, Tim Gaines, that have affected the unity of our band."

In a recent interview with The Swerve Magazine, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet was asked how it has been working with the same guys in the band for most of the group's three-decade-plus-long career. He responded: "Well, I mean, I'll be honest. I'm not going to lie to anybody. It's not easy. We have our issues. There are four strong personalities in this band. I'm the most boisterous. I'm the guy that talks a lot and people hear from the most, but I think if you heard from the other three guys, you would know exactly what I'm talking about. Everybody has opinions, and we're not on the same page many times. We don't see eye to eye. We have our arguments and our times of frustrations with one another."

He continued: "We made a pact to stay together. When we decide that we shouldn't stay together, that's when STRYPER will end, because I don't want to continue on without Robert [Sweet, drums], or without Tim [Gaines, bass], or without Oz [Fox, guitar]. I think that it's important that the four of us stay together, or it's not STRYPER. At that point in time, if we're not getting along we need to call it quits, and not replace each other.

"I hate it when bands start replacing their band members. You know what? It degrades the band and the brand. It's not fair to fans.

"I understand in a situation where, let's say, somebody passes away, and the other three or four guys want to continue, and they had the blessing of that person. That's a different situation, but what I'm referring to is all the bickering. You've got four guys in the band, and they don't get along, so they all go off and do their own version of that band. I mean, I just think that's a joke, a complete joke."

STRYPER's latest album, "Fallen", entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 43 with first-week sales of just over 10,000 units — nearly all from pure album sales. The set follows the No. 35-peaking "No More Hell To Pay", which was released in 2013.

Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper have released a video for the title track of their new album, Walking In The Shadows. The band's first new recording since 1987's Rock You To Hell was released on September 23rd via Dissonance Productions. Watch the new video below.

Tracklisting:

“Wings Of Angels”
“Walking In The Shadows”
“Reach Out”
“I’m Coming For You”
“From Hell”
“Call Me In The Morning”
“Rock Will Never Die”
“Temptation”
“Thunder”
“Now You See Me”
“Blue Murder”
“Come Hell Or High Water”

“Walking In The Shadows” video:

Ireland's Stormzone has checked in with BraveWords, offering the following update:

"After 10 years of leading from the back, drummer Davy Bates has decided to leave Stormzone. Davy was highly influential on a very young Lars Ulrich when the Metallica drummer witnessed Davy's early band Sweet Savage supporting Thin Lizzy in the early '80s. 

Replacing Davy is the brilliant Gordy Gray who has been playing with Northern Ireland band The Irontown Diehards. Gordy's first task will be to commence working on the drums for Stormzone's sixth album, tentatively entitled Release The Beast. The band are also set to play at DistortionFest 16 in The Limelight, Belfast on October 29th as main support to Warrior Soul. 

To mark this appearance Stormzone will be releasing a remixed and remastered version of their third album, Zero To Rage, featuring all new artwork and bonus tracks. This version, entitled Return To Zero (Zero To Rage Revisited) will be available prior to DistortionFest 16 as an absolutely free download. This is simply to thank all the Stormzone fans who have faithfully stuck by the band over the last 10 years and hopefully to introduce some new ones!"

Stormzone's latest album, Seven Sins, was released on August 3rd, 2015 via Metal Nations Records. Recorded at FireMachine studios and produced by guitarist Steve Moore. Seven Sins combines all the elements expected from Stormzone and the classic heavy metal genre, powerful guitars, soaring vocals and crunching bass and drums wrapped with classic melodies.

Every day for twelve days leading up to the August 3rd release, the band released a daily video with vocalist John Harv Harbinson describing the stories behind the songs. The first thee clips can be seen below.

In another promotional twist, the actual Seven Sins are written in a certain order highlighted within the pages of the new album's booklet. Those armed with the correct order can then go to www.stormzone.tv where they can enter each sin individually onto Dr Dealer's Cursed Ladder. If the Seven Sins are successfully added in the order contained inside the booklet, a key will appear enabling you to download a further four songs not contained on the album. People can have a go even if they haven't bought the album, but if they get it wrong, well, it's not called the Cursed Ladder for nothing. More here.

Set in the 18th century, the album tells the story of the mysterious Dr Dealer, his travelling troupe of various gifted misfits and the Seven Sins Emporium into which he invites men to test their resolve and strength. A story with layers upon layers, it is unarguably the most ambitious Stormzone record to date, unified with a theme, Seven Sins is the very first Stormzone concept album. A difficult feat for most, but a challenge vocalist, lyricist and founding member John ‘Harv’ Harbinson embraced. “It's hard to describe Seven Sins in one paragraph… the story-line is so complex. It's a very dark subject. It’s touch and go at times with regards to how far you can go with it, but at the end of it all there's hope.”

As well as the 12 album tracks there is more. The physical CD booklet includes a code within its pages and fans will have the opportunity to enter it into the official Stormzone website, Stormzone.tv, and if they get the order correct they can download a further four brand new songs not available on the album.

Tracklisting:

“Bathsheba”
“Another Rainy Night”
“Your Time Has Come”
“The One That Got Away”
“I Know Your Pain”
“Seven Sins”
“You're Not The Same”
“Raise The Knife”
“Abandoned Souls”
“Special Brew”
“Master Of Sorrow”
“Born Of The Damned”

Track-by-track Pt. 1:

Track-by-track Pt. 2:

Track-by-track Pt. 3:

Trailer:

Having formed in 2004 Stormzone have gone from strength to strength. On the cusp of releasing their fifth and most ambitious record to date, the band can look back at a series of highlights including appearances on stages across the world and festivals including Sonisphere and Bloodstock Open Air, touring with legendary acts such as Saxon, Stryper, Tesla, etc. and seeing their name spread across the pages of iconic magazines.

Canadian rockers Honeymoon Suite have checked in with the following update:

"Hey Everybody, the new Hands Up CD official release is coming very soon! Can't wait for you to hear the new songs! Here is a snippet of one of them now, 'Never Was A Forever'. You can still order the new CD through Pledge Music for a limited time yet. Also, stay tuned as we will be posting more snippets of the new songs in weeks to come."

According to an update from the band issued back in May, "the new album will actually be a nine song EP with seven new original songs, plus two bonus live tracks. But we are doing something extra special: we are launching our first ever PledgeMusic Campaign, and sharing the album with you as it happens. A pledge makes you a part of the project and you will be helping us finish and mix the EP. Be the first to get a digital download or physical copy of the new album when it's finished, and a lot of other really cool stuff. There will be limited edition items, signed CDs, VIP experiences and more available with your pledge."

Lee Aaron guitarist Sean Kelly recently checked in with the following update:

"Here is another short preview from the new Honeymoon Suite record. So proud to be part of the writing team, working with John Dee and Derry Grehan is truly like taking a masterclass in great songwriting. This is a sample of 'Like The Stars'. Enjoy..."

One Machine have released a lyric video for "New Motive Power", the last single release from their critically acclaimed album The Final Cull, released September 18th, 2015 via Scarlet Records. 

Says Steve Smyth: “We are very proud to release this excellent lyric video for 'New Motive Power', our last single release from The Final Cull, which we have been touring in support of since the release of the album! It’s a fan favorite, and we decided it must be seen as well as heard! Tommy Antonini did a great job capturing the essence of the song with plenty of underlying visuals to bring this beast to life!"

Chris Hawkins states: “'New Motive Power' is a reflection on our insatiable thirst for progress and the reduction of people to mere cogs in a much larger machine. This psychotic obsession with being better, faster stronger is fueled by the sacrifice of human life, figuratively and literally, and is best represented in modern times with our ravenous consumption and production of technology. Ultimately, following this path blindly  leads to our destruction or self-engineered obsolescence. Leading the way, we have those who benefit from this the most, and have the most to lose from it's failure. This song is written from the perspective of one of these authority figures, with a brief interjection from 'The Workers', but you can substitute the character with politicians, your boss, or perhaps the darker parts of your own pysche.”

Smyth continues: “'New Motive Power' was one of those songs on the album that was written in the studio, not just played live in the studio as all of the record was. I had quite a bit of the song already written, but working with the guys in the studio, we were able to breathe even more life into this song by playing together, and make it even heavier than I could have imagined! We hope you’ll enjoy the visual ride along with the song as much as we do!” 

The Final Cull was tracked at Death Island Studios, with Marco Angioni and Tue Madsen helming. Recording lasted for nine days solid, as the band put in 15-18 hour days on this record.

The album art was illustrated by Gustavo Sazes (Gus G. Morbid Angel, Arch Enemy).

Tracklisting is as follows:

Digital Release:

“Forewarning”
“The Final Cull”
“Summoning Of The Soul”
“Screaming For Light”
“The Grand Design”
“New Motive Power”
“Ashes In The Sky”
“Born From This Hate”
“Welcome To The World”

Non-Stop Productions proudly present Consortium Project's Pentalogy, a conceptual sci-fi masterpiece written and produced by vocalist Ian Parry (Elegy) featuring incredible prog rock and metal performances from members of: Halford, Within Temptation, Kamelot, Blind Guardian, Elegy, Jean Michel Jarre and many more.

Parry: "I thought it would be a great way to share our music with everyone and remaster 50 of the best symphonic prog rock, melodic metal tracks from the five Consortium Project albums and release Pentalogy. Essentially, five albums in one download. Hope you like it. Cheers." 

Pentalogy is available exclusively via CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Check out audio samples here.

The players on Pentalogy are as follows:

Consortium Project I - Criminals & Kings (1999)

Ian Parry – lead / harmony vocals (Elegy, Vengeance, Ayreon, Crystal Tears, Eternity's End)

Patrick Rondat – guitars (Jean Michel Jarre/Elegy)

Stephan Lill – guitars (Vanden Plas)

Tamás Szekeres – guitars (Tamas/Omega)

Thomas Youngblood – guitars (Kamelot)

Glenn Barry – bass guitar (Kamelot)

Arjen Lucassen – bass guitar (Ayreon)

Jan Bijlsma - bass guitar (Vengeance)

Barend Courbois – bass guitar (Vengeance)

Tommy Newton – bass guitar (Victory)

Martin Helmantel - bass guitar (Elegy)

Dirk Bruinenberg - drums (Elegy)

Jan Vayne – Grand Piano (Dutch TV celebrity)

Consortium Project II - Continuum In Extremis (2001) 

Ian Parry – lead / harmony vocals (Elegy, Ayreon,Vengeance, Crystal Tears, Eternity's End)

Patrick Rondat – guitars (Jean Michel Jarre/Elegy)

Thomas Youngblood – guitars (Kamelot)

Stephan Lill – guitars (Vanden Plas)

Günter Wernö – organ & keyboards (Vanden Plas)

Jan Bijlsma - bass guitar (Vengeance)

Patrice Guers - bass guitar (Rhapsody)

Dirk Bruinenberg - drums (Elegy/Adagio)

Consortium Project III - Terra Incognita-The Undiscovered World (2003) 

Ian Parry – lead / harmony vocals (Elegy, Ayreon,Vengeance, Crystal Tears, Eternity's End)

Stephan Lill – guitars (Vanden Plas)

Casey Grillo – drums (Kamelot)

Joshua Dutrieux – piano & keyboards (Elegy)

Jan Bijlsma - bass guitar (Vengeance)

Special Guests:

Mike Chlasciak – guitar (Halford)

Sascha Paeth – guitar (Heavens Gate)

Ingeborg Wieten – female vocals (Dutch TV actress)

Consortium Project IV - Children Of Tomorrow (2007) 

Ian Parry – lead / harmony vocals (Elegy, Ayreon,Vengeance, Crystal Tears, Eternity's End)

Joshua Dutrieux – guitar, keyboards (Elegy)

Ivar de Graff – drums (Within Temptation/Kingfisher Sky)

Judith Rijnveld – female vocals (Kingfisher Sky)

Joshua Dutrieux – guitar, keyboards (Elegy)

Special Guests:

Henk van der Laars – guitars (Elegy)

Lou St Paul – guitar (Winters Bane)

Consortium Project V - Species (2011)

Ian Parry – lead &harmony vocals (Elegy, Ayreon,Vengeance, Crystal Tears, Eternity's End)

Stephan Lill – guitars (Vanden Plas)

Niels Vejlyt – guitars (Infinity Overture)

Lene Petersen – female vocals (Infinity Overture)

Casey Grillo – dums (Kamelot)

Kris Gildenlöw - bass (Pain of Salvation)

Special guest:

Markus Teske – keyboards (Red Circuit)

Ani Lozanova – female vocals (Ani Lozanova Project)

Kalin Jechev – piano & keyboards (Ani Lozanova Project/Rock Emporium)

Peter-Jan Kleevens – keyboards (Rock Emporium)

For those who wish to order the complete Consortium Project CD collection, albums 1 through 5, visit ianparry.com  or e-mail info@ianparry.com.

DEAD BY WEDNESDAY have released “The Surgeon”, the new video directed by Jacques Molle' from their guest vocalist album The Darkest Of Angels, via the EMP Label Group Facebook page here.

“The Surgeon” features unexpected flamenco flair courtesy of Soulfly/Cavalera guitarist Marc Rizzo, who was announced earlier this summer had also joined the band as a full time member.

Says Drummer Christian “Opus” Lawrence, “We know we’ll probably take some shit from the ‘metal’ guys for this track, especially while ‘Live Again’ is still going, and most of the stuff that has been put out from this record so far has been heavier. But it’s such a powerful song, especially right in the middle of so many great brutally heavy tracks. The album really is all over the place, but “The Surgeon” is so powerful and real, and is not only a really amazing showcase of what Rob can do, but also shows a whole other side of the band. We can do heavy. But, yeah, we can do this, too.”

Dead By Wednesday, who will play October 15th at Rock and Shock at The Worcester Palladium with Max and Igor Cavalera, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, All Hail The Yeti, Combichrist, and more, have released recent teasers for their upcoming full length LP, the first to feature newest members Roy and Rizzo.

The Darkest of Angels features 11 tracks with 11 heavyweight guest vocalists including, Brian Fair (Shadows Fall), Waylon Reavis (A Killer’s Confession, ex-Mushroomhead), AK (Flotsam and Jetsam), John Arch (Fates Warning), Rob Dukes (Fragile Mortals, ex-Exodus), Carley Coma (Candiria), Sean Danielsen (Smile Empty Soul), Paul Stoddard (Diecast), Kris Keyes (formerly Gargauntua Soul), Antony Armageddon (Armageddon) and Ceschi Ramos (Fake Four, Inc.).

Negură Bunget have released a product presentation video for the artbook edition of their new album, ZI, out today (September 30th( via Prophecy Productions.

ZI (English for 'Day' or 'Say') is the second part of the group's ambitious Transilvanian Trilogy, released on the heels of 2015's celebrated album, TAU (English for 'Your' or 'Thy'), a record accurately hailed as "earthshaking" as it focused on unique native, natural landscapes and the mystique, legends, lore and meanings behind them.

The band recently released a stunning, ten minute long "album film", titled simply, ZI. The artistic short, beautifully shot in the Transylvanian forests, blends excerpts from each of the album’s six tracks. View ZI now, below:

In creating its most luminescent recording to date, Negură Bunget has further immersed itself in the traditions and practices of local Transilvanian inhabitants, exploring their connection with nature, and the way this relationship has shaped spiritual horizons. Within this framework, ZI closely examines the core of the most important traditions and rituals connected with the well-being of this community. Life events such as funeral ceremonies, soil tillage, and human growth and evolution (i.e. youth to teen to man to warrior, through to outcast) are spotlighted, in what is undoubtedly some of the most heady, thinking-man's metal produced in recent memory.

Musically, ZI builds upon the hallmarks of Negură Bunget's impressive catalog; the juxtaposition and interweaving of grim black metal elements, ambient soundscapes and acoustic counterparts based on native Romanian folk music, giving life to panoramic atmospheres, intensity and power unequaled in the band's rich discography.

An impressive musical statement and crucial bridge between root-bearing beginning and impending finale of the trilogy (scheduled to be released in early 2018), ZI is a mystical, tension-building recording that mirrors the size and scope of the deep forest fog for which the band is named.

The album was recorded at Negura MUSIC studio January-June 2016. Produced and mixed by Negură Bunget and Mihai ‘Mtz' Neagoe. Mastering by Alin Luculescu. Cover design by Daniel Dorobanțu. Outfit design by Anita Ramona.

Tracklisting:

“Tul-ni-că-rînd” (Horn-ing)
“Grădina stelelor” (Garden of Stars)
“Brazdă dă foc” (Furrow of Fire)
“Baciul Moșneag” (The Old Shepherd)
“Stanciu Gruiul” (Stanciu Gruiul)
“Marea Cea Mare” (The Vast Sea)

Bonus CD (only artbook)

“Tul-ni-că-rînd” (remixed version by Daniel Dorobanțu)
“Brazdă dă foc” (remixed version by Silent Strike)
“Schimnicește” (remixed version by Tibor Kati & Ionuț Cârja)
“Baciu moșneag” (remixed version by Adrian “Oq” Neagoe & Tragacanth)

Bonus DVD (only artbook)

ZI - album short film
“Tul-ni-că-rînd” - visual
“Stanciu Gruiul” - visual

The album will be available in the following editions:

- CD digipak with extra hard cover
- Gatefold LP (180g vinyl, white) incl. special vinyl mastering, poster, printed inner sleeves and PVD protection sleeve (500 copies)
- 2CD+DVD Artbook, hardcover, 28x28 cm, 72 pages with additional artwork, texts and English translations of the lyrics plus bonus CD with two songs and bonus DVD with three videos (1.000 copies)
- the band are also offering some custom handmade editions through their fundraising campaing, where they build a box on your suggestions

Oders:

- custom editions, signed versions, here.
- regular editions, here.

"Stanciu Gruilu" video:

“Tul-ni-ca-rind” video:

The band will present the new album live, along with a special anniversary set in a complex tour plan that will spread over the second part of 2016 and all over 2017, with some support for the crowdfunding campaign they have set-up in order to help accomplish their goals. They will start in September with a European tour.

Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

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

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

But what actually is Dolby Atmos?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cinematic And Live tracklisting:

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

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

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

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

Cruz Del Sur Music has announced the upcoming release of Hammer King's second album King Is Rising on November 11th.

Recorded at Powerwolf's Studio Greywolf, King Is Rising is once again packed with the truest heavy metal in this and all possible other worlds. It is heavy metal in the tradition of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, crossed with the German power metal of Hammer King's peers.

King Is Rising contains 12 metal anthems literally made for live performances with a nod towards faster paced songs compared to debut album Kingdom Of The Hammer King. Thematically, the second chapter of Hammer King's saga pertains to war and revolt, while the King's battle stories drastically bespeak today's global crises.

For the album's artwork the band decided to again partner with brilliant German artist Timo Würz, and the result speaks for itself. Timo is the kind of artist who guarantees quality in every aspect of his job.

King Is Rising will be available on CD (with one bonus track), vinyl and digital formats. The album's release party will be held on November 12th at Cruz Del Sur Music own's Burn This Town Festival in Rome. Also appearing will be Sacred Steel, Rosae Crucis, Battle Ram andGraal.

Hammer King consists of former Ross The Boss vocalist Titan Fox, former Salatio Mortis’ drummer Dolph A. Macallan rounded out by K.K. Basement on bass and Gino Wilde on guitars.

Swedish adventure metallers, Twilight Force, have released a lyric video for “Riders Of The Dawn”, a track from their new studio album, Heroes Of Mighty Magic, out now via Nuclear Blast.

Heroes Of Mighty Magic tracklisting:

“Battle Of Arcane Might”
“Powerwind”
“Guardian Of The Seas”
“Flight Of The Sapphire Dragon”
“There And Back Again”
“Riders Of The Dawn”
“Keepers Of Fate”
“Rise Of A Hero”
“To The Stars”
“Heroes Of Mighty Magic”
“Epilogue”
“Knights Of Twilight's Might”

“Riders Of The Dawn” lyric video:

“Powerwind” video;

"To The Stars" lyric video:

“Battle Of Arcane Might” lyric video:

The Lore Of Blackwald character video:

The Lore Of De'Azsh character video:

The Lore Of Born character video:

The Lore Of Aerendir character video:

The Lore Of Lynd character video:

The Lore Of Chrileon character video: