Duke TV has uploaded professionally filmed video footage of British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley's (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) March 11 concert at Petit Bain in Paris, France. Watch Bayley perform the songs "Futureal" (IRON MAIDEN), "Blood" and "Kill & Destroy" below. The clip was directed by Laurent Hart and Antoine de Montremy.

The 54-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to join MAIDEN. He recorded two studio albums with the Steve Harris-led group — 1995's "The X Factor" and 1998's "Virtual XI" — before Bruce Dickinson returned to the band.

Bayley's ninth solo album, "Endure And Survive", was released on March 3 via Blaze Bayley Recording. The disc was recorded at Birmingham, England's Robannas Studios and said to be "an exciting and enthralling sequel" to his 2016 release "Infinite Entanglement", which was the first of a trilogy of releases following a sci-fi concept and storyline.

Throughout the "Endure And Survive" world tour, Blaze is being backed by his main recording and touring musicians, picked from British metal band ABSOLVA and including Chris Appleton (guitar, backing vocals), Martin McNee (drums), Karl Schramm (bass, backing vocals).

Old-school classic heavy metal power trio THE RODS was joined onstage by legendary MANOWAR co-founding guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman during the band's June 18 headline show at St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York.

THE RODS drummer Carl Canedy said: "The first time Ross and I played together in MANOWAR, it was like we'd been playing together for years. It was the same feeling being on stage again with him at St Vitus Bar. Ross jumped in as if he'd been a member of THE RODS from day one. The crowd went nuts... they love him! I can never say enough about how honest, kind and amazingly talented Ross The Boss is. The guy is a legend! "

Ross added: "When Carl asked me to sit in with THE RODS at St Vitus Bar, it took me a nanosecond to say yes. THE RODS are a great band and Carl is my longtime friend and original MANOWAR drummer. Needless to say, it was a great night!"

THE RODS recently inked a worldwide deal with Steamhammer/SPV. The group — consisting of original members David "Rock" Feinstein (guitar, vocals), Carl Canedy (drums) and Garry Bordonaro (bass) — will release its new album, "Louder Than Loud", later this year.

THE RODS is a classic heavy metal trio that rocked its way through the '80s with classic albums like "The Rods", "Wild Dogs" and "In The Raw", featuring a powerful, raw energy that led them to share the stages with some of today's greatest metal bands, including JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich will dedicate this weekend's episode of his Apple Music Beats 1 radio show "It's Electric" to his fifteen favorite heavy metal and hard rock records of all time.

The list, which he initially prepared for Rolling Stone magazine, covers a wide spectrum of styles, from the Satanic lyricism of MERCYFUL FATE's "Melissa" to the politically charged rap-metal sounds of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "The Battle Of Los Angeles".

"For each artist that's part of my ultimate metal or hard-rock albums, I went for what you would call the definitive moment in their catalogue," Ulrich told Rolling Stone. "And for a lot of these bands, they went through a kind of evolution, a kind of a growth and a lot of them have a lot of great records. So what I picked is a combination of what that album represents from the artist and what impact it had on me."

Lars Ulrich's Top 15 metal and hard rock albums, presented in alphabetical order.

* AC/DC - "Let There Be Rock" (1977)* ALICE IN CHAINS - "Dirt" (1992)* BLACK SABBATH - "Sabotage" (1975)* BLUE ÖYSTER CULT - "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" (1975)* DEEP PURPLE - "Made in Japan" (1972)* DIAMOND HEAD - "Lightning To The Nations" (1980)* GUNS N' ROSES - "aPPETITE FOR dESTRUCTION" (1987)* IRON MAIDEN - "The Number Of The Beast" (1982)* JUDAS PRIEST - "Unleashed In The East" (1979)* MERCYFUL FATE - "Melissa" (1983)* MOTÖRHEAD - "Overkill" (1979)* RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - "The Battle Of Los Angeles" (1999)* SYSTEM OF A DOWN - "Toxicity" (2001)* UFO - "Strangers In The Night" (1979)* WARRIOR SOUL - "The Space Age Playboys" (1994)

You can read Ulrich's commentary on each of his fifteen picks at RollingStone.com.

METALLICA's latest album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", came out last November, eight years after "Death Magnetic".

METALLICA is currently on a short break from its first North American tour in more than seven years, which resumes on July 5 in Orlando, Florida.

This tour marks the first time that METALLICA has offered "enhanced" or "VIP" experiences for fans, with some willing to cough up as much as $2,500 for personal meetings, photos and autographs from the group.

Although a number of media outlets reported last week that the Rock Am Ring festival's evacuation earlier in the month was caused a spelling mistake, police later emphasized that this wasn't the case, and that it had concrete reasons to suspend the German music festival.

According to Pollstar, police had come across three suspects during a routine check, which led to searches prior to Rock Am Ring. During those searches, Rock Am Ring wristbands were found on two suspects, whose names did not match the employees list of promoter Live Nation but were reportedly similar.

On June 2, the Rock Am Ring's opening night, police asked organizers to evacuate the 87,000 festival-goers.

The festival, which has been running since 1985 and is the biggest in Germany, resumed early the next morning.

"The names of the suspects were written incorrectly, but they exhibited a phonetic similarity to the actual names," Johannes Kunz, chief of police in Rhineland-Palatinate, told the Allgemeine Zeitung.

"At the time, the situation was very serious — we couldn't rule out that an attack was being prepared."

A misleading police statement made it appear that the simple spelling error led authorities to believe radical islamists were threatening the festival, but this wasn't the case. "It wasn't a spelling mistake that led to the evacuation of the festival site. Actual connections of one festival employee to the Islamic realm were indeed the reason," a more recent police statement reads.

Police have since urged organizers to "provide personal documents ahead of time" in future.

The organizers announced last month that backpacks would be prohibited at this year's Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park following the "horrendous attack in Manchester."

As was the case with last year's Wacken Open Air, the German sister festivals are rucksack-free zones this summer, with keys, wallets, mobile phones and bum bags/fanny packs the only personal items allowed into the main festival arena.

This headliners of this year's Rock Am Ring festival included RAMMSTEIN and SYSTEM OF A DOWN.

BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch has confirmed that he and ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer are working on material for the long-awaited third album from their side project DEMONS & WIZARDS.

DEMONS & WIZARDS was launched in 1997 and has released two full-length albums so far: 2000's self-titled effort and 2005's "Touched By The Crimson King". The latter was partially based on the "The Dark Tower" series of books (written by Stephen King) in which the Crimson King is the main antagonist.

In a brand new interview with That Drummer Guy (a.k.a. Josh Rundquist), Kürsch revealed that songwriting sessions for the follow-up to "Touched By The Crimson King" have officially begun. "We exchanged first ideas," he said (hear audio below). "And we just had to make a stop in being creative for the moment because Jon… ICED EARTH just started a new touring route; their [new] album ['Incorruptible'] has just been released last week, so he will be very for the rest of the year, while for me, it's more of a creative act which is first priority. But we are continuing exchanging ideas over the next, let's say, eight months, and then we will see how far we can get. But once he's finished with his touring for ICED EARTH, I'm pretty sure we will spend some very realistic and very valuable time together either finishing the songwriting of DEMONS & WIZARDS or even doing the whole production. That depends. Usually we're very quick once we're together. And it's just great to work with such a gifted person which I call a very, very close friend of mine."

As for what fans can expect from the next DEMONS & WIZARDS album, Hansi said: "You will be surprised, I'm sure. These first two [songs] we've worked on, they are quite interesting. I'm really looking forward to spend some more time and getting deeper into the subject. Because even though ICED EARTH and BLIND GUARDIAN are quite similar in many ways, Jon and I are, songwriting-wise, different persons and by coincidence and pure luck and probably by friendship, the chemistry is pretty good once we are together. And what comes out is a blend of these two bands, which [one] would expect, but there's something more. And I like to go for this something more."

Hansi also sounded very optimistic about the possibility of DEMONS & WIZARDS live performances in support of the upcoming album. He said: "That really depends on how fast we are with BLIND GUARDIAN, obviously, and how the schedules will be worked out. But it would be a shame not to do so, at least being on the road for a festival season and doing some smaller club shows, for example, just in between… There should be a gap, and we are working on this gap. It would be a waste not to do so."

According to Kürsch, the main motivation for him and Schaffer to work on new DEMONS & WIZARDS material and prepare for possible live shows is "the need to do so and for the fun to do so. And this is always a very good starting point. We don't have to do it, there is no pressure behind us in doing so," he said. "Obviously, there can't be any pressure, because the last album is, I think, twelve years old already. And we just did some minimal touring for the first album and did not even do any proper touring for the second album. So I could imagine that just the performance will be so different from what either BLIND GUARDIAN or ICED EARTH is doing that this might attract a lot of people. I'm curious myself to figure out what we would come up with this time, because there's a long time between our last show which we played together, which is probably seventeen years ago, eighteen years. And we have to find the right people and the right moment, but the whole thing, once it is built up, will be, I think, very skillful."

"Touched By The Crimson King" was released in Japan in September 2005 with the following bonus tracks: "Lunar Lament", "Wicked Witch" (slow version) and "Spatial Architects". The CD also included the "Terror Train" video. The disc featured an appearance by HALFORD and SEBASTIAN BACH drummer Bobby Jarzombek.

Schaffer said in a 2009 interview that he felt "Touched By The Crimson King" was a bit rushed and he was determined to do things differently next time around. "We had this window of opportunity where we had to get it done and we kind of let time dictate the schedule instead of our feelings, and that was probably a mistake," he explained. "I mean, I'm proud of that record and it sold killer and it's a good album, but I think Hansi and I are capable of a lot more, especially when we get back to the root reasons of why we did this thing together."

"Incorruptible" was released on June 16 via Century Media. The cover artwork for the disc (as well as additional illustrations to every song) was created by David Newman-Stump from Skeleton Crew Tattoo (pencil illustrations) and Roy Young (colors).

BLIND GUARDIAN will release a new concert album titled "Live Beyond The Spheres" on July 7 as a 3-CD and 4-LP box via Nuclear Blast. The set will include material recorded at various shows during the band's European tour in 2015. It will contain old classics, new tracks as well as songs that were very rarely performed during BLIND GUARDIAN's live shows.

Professionally filmed video footage of RAMMSTEIN performing the song "Sonne" on June 4 at the Rock Im Park festival at Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg, Germany can be seen below.

RAMMSTEIN guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" album.

Kruspe said: "It really depends on our singer Till [Lindemann], that he can finish the mysterious ideas we have. At the moment we have 30 ideas, some with lyrics, and some not.

"We're working on the vocals, and then we might consider another producer. There's all those question marks that we haven't answered yet."

Landers added: "Our goal right now is to write really good songs and maybe even try unusual methods, new ideas, and change the path that one usually has.

"It might be that when grandmother hears the album, she thinks it's the same as the other ones. But for us, we really want it to be another milestone."

RAMMSTEIN last year played a number of concerts where the band opened each show with a brand new song, presently only known as "Ramm 4". The track contains lyrics that seem to be a combination of various titles of previous RAMMSTEIN songs.

RAMMSTEIN released a new concert DVD and Blu-ray, "Paris", on May 19. The set was recorded in March 2012 at the then-named Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris (now AccorHotels Arena) during RAMMSTEIN's "Made In Germany" tour, and was helmed by the band's longtime collaborator, Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund.

The first part of an official video recap of the European leg of GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" tour can be seen below.

GUNS N' ROSES recently made Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100" list of the world's top-earning entertainers for the first time. The band landed at No. 12 with earnings of $84 million in the past twelve months, before taxes and fees for managers.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour has grossed more than $230 million since launching in April 2016, according to Billboard.

That figure includes a $38 million haul from eight concerts in Australia and New Zealand, but does not account for earnings from seven Asian markets that the band visited during the first quarter of 2017.

One of the stops on the Australian trek, a two-night stand in Sydney, was the fourth biggest of the entire tour, pulling in $9.2 million from a total of 84,277 tickets sold.

The top earner on the tour remains a two-night stop in New York City, where 100,177 fans forked over $11.6 million.

Last summer's North American leg, which featured 25 stadium shows in 21 cities, grossed a whopping $116.8 million with over one million tickets sold.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic GUNS members Slash on guitar, Duff McKagan on bass and Axl Rose on vocals, backed by drummer Frank Ferrer, guitarist Richard Fortus, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The band, with this same lineup, will come back to North America for at least another 15 stadium dates this summer, starting on July 27 in St. Louis and ending on September 8 in San Antonio.

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion trek in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the release of GUNS N' ROSES' classic debut album, "Appetite For Destruction", which arrived on July 21, 1987.

A foreboding storm is gathering overhead. Bells toll, lighting cracks, rain falls…something dark and sinister is heading this way. It's 1970 and four guys from Birmingham, with the release of their debut self-titled album, have single-handedly created what would become known forever as heavy metal. It was a singular moment of crushing heaviness that would define the genre for years to come.

The sixties were over. Charles Manson and his knife wielding followers had put a violent end to peace and love and the optimism and hope of the decade had vanished. As the seventies came down like a dark cloud, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler welcomed these uncertain times with open arms and riffs of thunder. And so "The Ten Year War" began.

Fresh from receiving the "Golden God" icon award at this year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods , BLACK SABBATH has announced "The Ten Year War" — a limited edition vinyl box set, released September 29 via BMG, that brings together their eight Ozzy-fronted albums, plus a swathe of other rarities, all housed within exclusive artwork created by renowned street artist, graphic designer and activist Shepard Fairey.

Despite BLACK SABBATH's multi-million selling albums and rabid fan base throughout the seventies, this adulation wasn't always mirrored by the music press at the time. The band received more than their fair share of criticism, prompting them to publish "The Ten Year War" brochure; a playful dig at journalists with the witty tagline "more good press than most — more bad press than any." The brochure is reproduced in full for the box set and is one of the many exclusive items held within that also includes:

8 x vinyl LPs meticulously reproduced in their original sleeves, remastered by renowned mastering engineer Andy Pearce from the original tapes and pressed on 180 gram splatter-colored vinyl, each LP with unique and individual colouring.

* Black Sabbath* Paranoid* Master Of Reality (including original fold-out colour poster)* Vol. 4* Sabbath Bloody Sabbath* Sabotage* Technical Ecstasy* Never Say Die!

2 x rare 7" singles, reproduced in their original sleeves:

* Japanese version of "Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)" / "Black Sabbath".* Chilean version of "Paranoid"/"The Wizard" (only 100 copies of the original radio promo were pressed).

Crucifix-shaped BLACK SABBATH USB stick, exclusive to this box set, which can be worn round the neck and contains MQA high definition audio of the first eight BLACK SABBATH albums.

The extremely rare "The Ten Year War" brochure, reproduced from the original publication.

Hardback book, featuring accolades from the cream of rock royalty, coupled with official and candid iconic photography of the band during their 1970s tours, recording sessions and photo shoots.

"Tenth Anniversary World Tour" 1978 official program, impeccably reproduced.

Reprinted tour poster from the 1972 Seattle Centre Arena show.

Box set is individually numbered.

A new SLIPKNOT documentary brought to you by MusicScreen will be premiered in more than a thousand screens across the world as a one-night-only cinematic spectacle on September 6.

Directed by SLIPKNOT's own M. Shawn Crahan, a.k.a. Clown, "Day Of The Gusano" documents the Iowa band's first-ever visit to Mexico in December 2015 and features exclusive interviews with SLIPKNOT's members talking about the importance of their fanbase and the band's long-awaited first-ever show in Mexico City.

A performance clip of the song "Vermilion", taken from "Day Of The Gusano", can be seen below.

Confirmed cities and ticketing for the screenings will be announced in July.

Talking about the movie, Clown says: "SLIPKNOT still has dreams for itself. Finally playing Mexico was one of them. It's been a surreal life of rock and roll for SLIPKNOT and the fact that the dreams still go on for us is simply incredible. Thank you." Guitarist Jim Root adds: "We had such a great time at Knotfest Mexico... Not only with all the friends and bands that were there, but with the fans and the crowd we had to document it with. Now we get to share it with the world." The 90-minute documentary also chronicles the rabid devotion of the Mexican maggots and sees the band hearing personal, emotive stories from some of their fans, all interspersed with footage from SLIPKNOT's incendiary live show at the inaugural Knotfest México. The film features a full surround soundtrack, so you'll not only hear the show, but you'll 'feel' it as if you were actually there. SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor told the 97.1 The Eagle radio station last month that the band was "not really doing anything right now." He explained: "I know we're kind of slowly starting to write some music. Other than that, we're just kind of taking some time off. Clown's gonna direct some movies, Sid's gonna do some stuff… We're all kind of doing our own thing… But that's it. I mean, really. Next year is everybody kind of doing their own thing, and then probably after that, we will slowly but surely start to get together to do some SLIPKNOT stuff."

SLIPKNOT's touring cycle in support of ".5: The Gray Chapter", ended in November, with Taylor returning to his other band STONE SOUR this year.

".5: The Gray Chapter" was released following a six-year hiatus during which founding SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray died and drummer Joey Jordison was dismissed.

One of last gigs of "The Gray Chapter" touring cycle saw SLIPKNOT performing its 2001 second LP, "Iowa", live in its entirety for the first time during the band's set at their annual Knotfest.

".5: The Gray Chapter" sold around 132,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores in October 2014 via Roadrunner.

Gray died in 2010 from a drug overdose, while Jordison was let go in December 2013, just before SLIPKNOT began recording the last album.

Maryland rockers CLUTCH will release a box set titled "Psychic Rockers From The West Group" tomorrow (Friday, June 23) via Weathermaker Music. "Psychic Rockers From The West Group" is a five-CD-and-one-DVD package that contains "El Rojo" from CLUTCH's instrumental blues jam side project THE BAKERTON GROUP, "Strange Cousins From The West", "Earth Rocker Deluxe" (two CDs + one DVD) and the latest CLUTCH release, "Psychic Warfare". This is a limited release, handnumbered and signed by all band members on the back. "The 'Psychic Rockers From The West Group' is a well-priced little box set of our three last releases and also includes THE BAKERTON GROUP's 'El Rojo', our instrumental jam record from 2009," states CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon. "The boxes are handnumbered and signed by all the band members. Any little smudges you might encounter on the package are proof that signing and drying before stacking is an artform unto itself." As previously reported, CLUTCH has written "handful of tunes" for the follow-up to 2015's "Psychic Warfare", with plans to enter the studio later in the year.

CLUTCH and PRIMUS will join forces for "An Evening With Primus And Clutch" tour this summer.

The 24-date trek will launch on July 17 in Charlotte, North Carolina and wrap on August 18 in Berkeley, California.

Both bands will play full sets during the tour, which will feature no support acts.

"Psychic Warfare" debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart after shifting 26,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015. The disc was released via CLUTCH's own label Weathermaker Music.

Metallica performed at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL on Sunday, June 18th. Check out the Master Of Puppets classic "Battery" live from the show in Chicago:

Metallica recently issued a recap video from Chicago, thanking their fans for their support, and now Tuning Room and interview footage with James Hetfield from the band's Chicago stop can be viewed below.

Metallica’s upcoming WorldWired live dates are as follows:

July
5 - Orlando, FL - Camping World Stadium*^
7 - Miami, FL - Hard Rock Stadium*^
9 - Atlanta, GA - Suntrust Park*^
12 - Detroit, MI - Comercia Park*^
14 - Quebec City, QC- Festival D'Ete
16 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre*^
19 - Montreal, QB - Parc Jean-Drapeau*^
29 - Los Angeles, CA - Rose Bowl*+

August
4 - Phoenix, AZ - University of Phoenix Stadium*+
6 - San Diego, CA - Petco Park*+
9 - Seattle, WA - Centurylink Field*+
11-13 - San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands
14 - Vancouver, BC - BC Place*+
16 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium*+

* With Avenged Sevenfold
^ With Volbeat
+ With Gojira
# With Local H

Gigan emerges once again, with their fourth full-length Undulating Waves Of Rainbiotic Iridescense, another monolithic sci-fi death metal release that pushes the genre forward with planet shattering ferocity! 

Tracked at Big Bad Sound Studios by engineer Sanford Parker (Minsk, Nachtmystium), Undulating Waves Of Rainbiotic Iridescense is the next chapter in the decade plus lifespan of Gigan’s constant evolution, yet the mission statement has always remained the same: to focus on imagination, creativity and originality-as opposed to the standard tropes of colorless technicality, violence, and  anger that are so common place in the realm of standard death metal today.

Gigan sole-songwriter/lyricist and founding member Eric Hersemann, had this to say about the new album: "Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence is the culmination of over ten years of imagination and vision; a colorful and maddening exercise in vibrant technical proficiency and unbridled passion. This newest Gigan record has all the familiar feelings and spectrums that have occurred in the past; within the Gigan Universe, along with a razor-sharp and deadly approach facilitated by a new writing and recording environment. Created naturally as always-without computer trickery and with natural drums, guitars and other instruments, "Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence" is not just an arrangement of sweeps and scales thrown together and delivered at high velocity or a random hodgepodge of dissonant wankery. It is instead the next evolutionary step towards heavy music's inevitable future, encompassing a full palette of mind-bending musical extremism. Open your minds and experience wherever Gigan may take you."

Undulating Waves Of Rainbiotic Iridescense will be available on September 15th via Willowtip records on CD, 2LP, and digital format.

Tracklisting:

“Wade Forward Through Matter And Backwards Through Time”
“Elemental Transmography”
“Plume Of Ink Within A Vacuum”
“Ocular Wavelenghts’ Floral Obstructions”
“Hideous Wailing Of The Ronowen During Nightshade”
“Hyperjump-Ritual Madness”
“Clockwork With Thunderous Hooves”
“In Between, Throughout Form And Void”

Indie Recordings has announced the signing of Fleshkiller. Founded by Ole Børud, Fleshkiller saw the light of day as a result of Extol’s return to hiatus after their last album in 2013. The upcoming debut album entitled Awaken was recorded and mixed between late 2015 and early 2017 at multiple locations around the world. Also written by Ole Børud, the style of music mixes old school death metal aesthetics with rich harmonic prog fusion elements. Compared to his previous efforts in the genre these new compositions spark a new level of intensity.

First single and preorder start on June 30th with release of the debut album Awaken in September.

"We’re so happy to be part of the Indie Recordings family, it really feels like a great match for Fleshkiller! The people at Indie appear to be genuinely into music which makes for a great dialogue and we look forward to future achievements in collaboration with them! Can’t wait to share the upcoming album with all of you!" - Ole Børud, Fleshkiller

“With their jawdropping mix of pure metal brutality and mesmerizing hooks, Fleshkiller make an astonishing entrance to the stage of metal. Their debut record stand short of none, and is a testament to the fantastic musicianship and songwriting capabilities embodied by the band. It`s a great honor to welcome them to the Indie Recordings family!” - Erlend Gjerde, Managing Director at Indie Recordings

Facedown Records will release the album in the US and Canada, while it will be available in the rest of the world via Indie Recordings. 

Fleshkiller line up:
Ole Børud: guitar/vocals (Extol)
Elisha Mullins: guitar/vocals (The Burial, A Hill To Die Upon)
Ole Vistnes: bass (Shining, Tristania)
Andreas Skorpe Sjøen: drums (Umpfel)

Iconic Bay Area Metal Band, Vicious Rumors new 18-year-old lead guitarist and Dean Guitars artist, Gunnar DüGrey, has released a new video with his band, Chronological Injustice. After founding the band at 12 years of age he has racked up many big endorsements and played shows with almost every big metal name in the business. 

Now 6 years later he's released "Pendulum", a crushing death metal follow up to last year’s release A Collection Of Atrocities.

 
Gunnar claims to now have his dream lineup featuring:
Gunnar DüGrey - Lead Guitar
James Sumner - Lead Vocals
Cody Green - 2nd Guitar
Alex McDonald - Drums
Gabe Wright - Bass

On August 25th, Swedish heavy metallers Portrait will release their new full-length, Burn The World, worldwide via Metal Blade Records. The band is streaming the title track below. The album can be preordered on Metal Blade in the following formats:

--CD
--180g black vinyl
--pale violet red marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies) 
--pastel rose marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies) 
--mahogany brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies) 
--multi-coloured splatter vinyl (eBay exclusive - limited to 150 copies) 
--orange red marbled vinyl (USA exclusive - limited to 150 copies) 
--box-set (limited to 500 copies) with the album on pale pink clear vinyl and digipak CD, plus a patch, slipmat, photo card (signed by all members), and Mother Sun 12" featuring a cover of Judas Priest's "Mother Sun" as well as two exclusive demo versions on side B
* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available!

Portrait comments: "Burn The World is our fiercest one to-date, holding all aspects of Portrait within it, yet in an even more dynamic, empowered and elevated form than its predecessors. Expect nothing else than sheer heavy metal rage dedicated to all forces that seek to end this world through their fires of adversity."

Burn The World contains guest appearances by Set Teitan (Dissection) and Kevin Bower (Hell).

Tracklisting:

“Saturn Return (Intro)”
“Burn The World”
“Likfassna”
“Flaming Blood”
“Martyrs”
“Further She Rode”
“The Sower’s Cross” (CD bonus track)
“To Die For”
“Pure Of Heart” 

"Burn The World":

Sebastian Bach has uploaded footage performing the track “American Metalhead” live from Portland, OR on Halloween 2016. “American Metalhead” is a track taken from Bach’s 2007 debut solo album, Angel Down.

Lineup:

Guitar: Brent Woods
Bass: Rob DeLuca
Drums: Bobby Jarzombek
Sound: Dave Hart 
Monitors: Brian Laffin
Techs: Richard Diaz De Leon / Randy Figerova
Camera: Suzanne Le Bach

Bach's tour schedule is as follows:

June
21 - Reverb - Reading, PA
23 - Taylor Sumer Festival - Taylor, MI
24 - 20 Monroe Live - Grand Rapids, MI
25 - The City Center - Champaign, IL

Bach has posted another clip from his show at Planet Live Music Factory in Battle Creek, Michigan on November 17th, 2016. Watch him perform the Skid Row classic “Youth Gone Wild” below, along with some more previously posted clips from the concert.

Ritualistic, apocalyptic noisemakers Atriarch are back with their fourth offering of mind-altering, doom-soaked, deathrock, entitled Dead As Truth.

Recorded and mixed by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios (Om, Graves At Sea, Vhol) and featuring artwork by Stevie Floyd (YOB, Dark Castle), Dead As Truth sees Atriarch venture deeper into the blackened abyss with haunting incantations, exotic drones, and crushing aural experimentations that boldly embrace death's cold heart. Fragments of post-punk, gothic doom, black metal, sludge, and noise complement the band's desolate universe and further supplement their most immediate and formidable release to date. Atriarch prescribe the order that there is but one truth and that is death.

Listen to the opening track “Inferno” below, and at all streaming services.

Dead As Truth is set for release on August 11th on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages and digital order are available via Relapse.com here and Bandcamp here.

Dead As Truth tracklisting:

“Inferno”
“Dead”
“Devolver”
“Void”
“Repent”
“Hopeless”
“Void” (Demo) (Digital Bonus Track)
“Dead” (Demo) (Digital Bonus Track)
“Repent” (Demo) (Digital Bonus Track)

“Inferno”:

Additionally, the band is set to open for label-mates Inter Arma on a short run of West Coast dates this August. More dates will be announced shortly.

Tour dates with Inter Arma:

August
11 - Vancouver, BC - The Cobalt
12 - Seattle, WA - Barboza
13 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
17 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside

Atriarch is:

Lenny Smith - Vocals
Joshua Dark - Guitar
Andrew Stromstad - Bass
Maxamillion Avila - Drums

(Photo - James Rexroad)

There are bands which are sorely missed once they disappear from the scene. An example is Swedish melodic metal masters, Nocturnal Rites, who released their latest album, The 8th Sin, in 2007 and afterwards slowly slipped into a hiatus situation.

Nocturnal Rites are back! The band has just put finishing touches on their brand new album, Phoenix, which will be released on September 29th via AFM Records.

The band states: “We can’t wait to share this new album with everyone. It’s been long overdue. Needless to say, it feels great to finally be back."

Stay tuned for updates.

Nocturnal Rites lineup:

Jonny Lindqvist - Vocals
Nils Eriksson - Bass
Per Nilsson - Lead Guitar
Fredrik Mannberg - Guitar
Owe Lingvall - Drums

Season Of Mist has announce the signing of Deathwhite. The enigmatic bringers of darkness will release their debut album, For A Black Tomorrow, via the label.

The band comments: “We are incredibly honoured to join the Season Of Mist roster. Deathwhite started in 2012 as a basic studio project with the aim of playing dark metal in the vein of some of our most beloved bands. To have one of metal’s leading independent labels take an interest in us is far beyond our expectations. We now turn our attention to the proper release of our first full-length, For A Black Tomorrow, and look forward to among other things, our first live performances, and a strong as well as enduring partnership with Season Of Mist.”

Formed in 2012, Deathwhite were created in part to follow on the path first explored by dark metal torchbearers such as Anathema, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, and Paradise Lost.

The band’s Ethereal EP (2014) successfully established a template of melodic, clean vocals alongside melancholic, but heavy riffing. Their debut created an early buzz within the metal underground that grew significantly with the following Solitary Martyr EP (2015), which was hailed by critics as “thick with emotion” and “wonderfully engrossing.”

Backed by such praise, Deathwhite spent 2016 writing and recording their first full-length under the supervision of producer and engineer Shane Mayer. For A Black Tomorrow was originally scheduled for release in March of 2017, but after signing to Season Of Mist the release has now been slated for early 2018.

Kevin Goocher recently parted ways with Omen due to differences within the band. "I will always be honored by the time I spent with Omen. I love that music very much. It just wasn't going to work out. I wish the band nothing but the best,” Kevin states.

Goocher has since announced a new project, Of Gods & Monsters. OGAM will be releasing a full-length album, A Tale Of Ten Kings, in winter 2017, which will include Kevin's friends and favourite musicians.

A single will be released in September and will feature Simon Wright (Dio, AC/DC) on drums, Stevie Benton (Drowning Pool) on bass, and Joey Tafolla (Jag Panzer, Black Sabbattack, Leatherwolf) on guitar.

When asked about this concept, Kevin Goocher stated, "There's so many great musicians out there. I just thought it'd be tremendously exciting to record with some of my friends and colleagues on different songs. It'll be great to see how each musician influences each song. I really wanted the fun put back in music for me and this... this will be fun!"

Stay tuned for updates, and find Of Gods & Monsters on Facebook.

In This Moment have released a new trailer for their forthcoming sixth album Ritual, out everywhere on Friday, July 21st. Watch the new clip below:

The band’s sixth studio album will be released by Atlantic Records in partnership with Roadrunner Records and is available for pre-order now.

All pre-orders will be joined by an instant grat download of the album's first single, "Oh Lord”, with additional instant grat downloads becoming available in the weeks leading up to the album's release. Exclusive pre-order bundles, which include custom In This Moment branded rosary beads, are available now at the band's webstore.

Produced by longtime collaborator - and multiple Grammy Award nominee - Kevin Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, Ozzy Osbourne), Ritual sees In This Moment pushing their inimitably dark sound forward with a provocative sense of pervading doom and metallic blues power.

Highlights include a dramatic reimagination of Phil Collins' classic "In The Air Tonight" as well as "Black Wedding," a walk down the aisle of musical madness that sees lead singer Maria Brink sharing the mic with legendary Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford.

"It's like we're going into the next realm," says Brink. "I had a conviction of feeling empowered in my life and with myself. I always write from a personal place, and I needed to share that sense of strength. I've never been afraid to hold back. Sometimes, I can be very suggestive. However, I wanted to show our fans that this is the most powerful side of myself and it's without overt sexuality. It's that deeper serious fire inside of my heart."

"When fans hear this, I want them to feel the music, whether they take away sadness, anger, or happiness," adds lead guitarist Chris Howorth. "As a kid, I remember listening to records and putting them on repeat over and over again. I'd love for the world to listen and absorb this as a piece of work."

Ritual tracklisting:

“Salvation”
“Oh Lord”
“Black Wedding” (feat. Rob Halford)
“In The Air Tonight”
“Joan Of Arc”
“River Of Fire”
“Witching Hour”
“Twin Flames”
“Half God Half Devil”
“No Me Importa”
“Roots”
“Lay Your Gun Down”

“Roots” lyric video:

“Oh Lord” video:

"Oh Lord” live video:

Trailer:

In This Moment recently launched a video trailer (streaming below) for their summer tour dates. The band launched a major North American tour on June 20th featuring support by such like-minded bands as Motionless In White, Vimic, Little Miss Nasty, and Starset.

Tour dates:

June
21 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall #
23 - El Paso, TX - Streetfest  &
24 - Lubbock, TX - Lonestar Pavilion #
25 - Abilene, TX - Abilene Civic Center #
27 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom %
28 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

July
1 - North Myrtle Beach, SC - House Of Blues
2 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
3 - Lancaster, PA - Freedom Hall %
5 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
7 - Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Park Convention Hall
11 - Rockford, IL - Coronado Theatre
12 - Cedar Rapids, IA - McGrath Amphitheater
14 - Mansfield, OH - Ink in the Clink
15 - Inwood, WV - Shiley Acres Farm ^
19 - Little Rock, AR - Metroplex %
21 - Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street Amphitheatre
22 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
23 - Midland, TX - La Hacienda Center
25 - Wichita, KS - The Cotillion
26 - Des Moines, IA - 7 Flags Event Center
28 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
29 - Rochester, MN - Mayo Civic Auditorium
30 - Fargo, ND - Fargo Civic Auditorium

August
1 - Bismarck, ND - Bismarck Event Center
3 - Billings, MT - Shrine Auditorium
4 - Sturgis, SD - Ironhorse Saloon
5  - Lincoln, NE  - Centennial Mall & M Street

* Supporting Avenged Sevenfold
# Starset Direct Support, No MIW
& Supporting Papa Roach
% With Vimic, LMN
^ No Vimic, No LMN
$ No Vimic

“Mankind Will Have No Mercy”, a track from Goatwhore’s upcoming Vengeful Ascension full-length, is available for streaming below. The album is out worldwide this Friday, June 23rd, via Metal Blade Records.

The band's seventh full-length and second recorded reel-to-reel, Vengeful Ascension was captured at Earth Analog in Tolono, Illinois near Champaign, Illinois with longtime soundman and comrade Jarrett Pritchard (1349, Gruesome), breaking a four-album tradition of working with Erik Rutan.

"Working with Rutan was awesome," says Goatwhore frontman Ben Falgoust. "We did some great records with him. But you come to a point where you're like, 'All right. Let's try something new.' It was part of trying to remove ourselves from a comfort zone and a risk thing we needed to take. Plus, we really wanted to hit the essence of where we are live and what better way to harness that than by having our live sound guy involved. Jarrett is knowledgeable with the studio stuff. He also knows how we sound coming out of a PA and we really wanted to get closer to that."

The resulting ten-track, forty-one-minute production - mixed by Chris Common (Tribulation, Pelican) and mastered by Maor Applebaum (Faith No More, Halford, Today Is The Day) - marches in, clutches its listeners by the throat and refuses to loosen its grip until the abrupt conclusion of "Those Who Denied God's Will”. A sonic manifestation of war, chaos, desolation, and emotional conflict, seamlessly bridging twenty years of the band's signature brand of audio venom, it's a record that finds its members at their most accomplished both individually and as a cohesive unit. Guitarist Sammy Duet's dense, sub nuclear riff work and possessed solo blitzes are at their most devastating, spiraling flawlessly and instinctually around drummer Zack Simmons' and bassist James Harvey's hammering rhythms, while Falgoust's distinctly commanding roar, his acidic prose, more enunciated than ever before, complimenting the apocalyptic proceedings.

"Each song is a representation of Goatwhore. From day one until now. It really shows our evolution as a band," the front-man reflects."I don't think that this band has reached its peak yet. I mean, I think we're closer now than ever but we're still growing; we're still evolving."

Vengeful Ascension will be available on CD, vinyl (in multiple limited color variations), and digital formats. Various pre-order options are currently available at this location.

Vengeful Ascension format options:

- Digipak CD
- Limited "spell book" edition including two CDs (limited to 3000 copies)
- 180g black vinyl
- clear/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- sepia/white-splatter vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- violet-red marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
- Clear with black and white swirls (limited to 1500 copies - US exclusive)
- sepia-marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies - US exclusive)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available.

While hardly a concept record in the traditional sense, Vengeful Ascension loosely revolves itself around Luciferian notions in title and spirit where the symbol of Lucifer serves not as a fiendish, all-destroying demon but rather an emancipator or guiding light. It's a theme of struggle and transcendence derived from John Milton's Paradise Lost epic, and one that has appeared, whether directly or indirectly, within Goatwhore works of the past.

"There's that whole idea of Lucifer being the anti-hero," elaborates Falgoust. "He's cast out from this place in Heaven to the depths of nothing. He keeps trying to ascend to the top again but no matter what, there's always this significant force trying to destroy him at any point and banish him back to Hell. If you look at it from an everyday aspect in life, it's the idea of people, hitting the bottom of the barrel or you know, things just aren't going right in life... emotion plays a huge part in how people react. Whether it's based on love or hatred or sadness or whatever, there's always an aspect of emotion that drives people to an extent. So the whole idea of a 'Vengeful Ascension' is built on being at the bottom, working your way to the top, and realizing along the way that there are other facets to the journey aside from just pure retribution. Within negativity there can exist a positive angle as well."

Vengeful Ascension serves as the soundtrack to that luciferious rise straight off with the combative, ritualistic drum onslaught of opening hymn, "Forsaken." Wholly immersive, each track is alarmingly palpable in subject and corresponding execution. The tense, clandestine battery of "Chaos Arcane," based on HP Lovecraft's book Nyarlathotep - a story which attempts to recount the inexplicable sense of fear in expectancy of an unknown evil - conveys that sensation of impending doom through sound in a way only Goatwhore can. "Mankind Will Have No Mercy," a pseudo tribute to Bolt Thrower, seethes under the weight of its own wartime sentiment, while the rapid-fire, punkish urgency of "Under The Flesh, Into The Soul," a first person account of irrepressible resentment, sounds utterly enraged. And with an average runtime of just four minutes, no one song ever overstays its welcome.

Vengeful Ascension tracklisting:

“Forsaken”
“Under The Flesh, Into The Soul”
“Vengeful Ascension”
“Chaos Arcane”
“Where The Sun Is Silent”
“Drowned In Grim Rebirth”
“Abandon Indoctrination”
“Mankind Will Have No Mercy”
“Decayed Omen Reborn”
“Those Who Denied God's Will”

“Mankind Will Have No Mercy”:

“Chaos Arcane” lyric video;

“Vengeful Ascension”:

Goatwhore are currently on a short North American tour with support from Vancouver metallers, Anciients. Remaining dates are listed below.

June (with Anciients):
21 - Distortion - Calgary, AB
22 - Brixx Bar & Grill - Edmonton, AB
23 - Riddell Center - Regina, SK
24 - Windsor Hotel - Winnipeg, MB
25 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, MN
26 - The Metal Grill - Cudahy, WI
27 - Frankies - Bryan, OH
29 - George's Majestic Lounge - Springdale, AR
30 - Vino's Brewpub - Little Rock, AR

July (with Anciients):
1 - Maggie Meyers Irish Pub - Huntsville, AL

Goatwhore recording lineup:

Louis B. Falgoust II - Vocals
Sammy Duet - Guitars, Vocals
Zack Simmons - Drums
James Harvey - Bass

Goatwhore touring lineup:

Louis B. Falgoust II - Vocals
Sammy Duet - Guitars, Vocals
Zack Simmons - Drums
Robert "TA" Coleman - Bass

“We’d like to thank everyone who came to see us at Sweden Rock Festival!,” says Swedish metallers Corroded. “Thanks to you we broke the audience record for the 4Sound stage!”

Check out a recap video below, courtesy of Rockbladet.se:

Upcoming Corroded live dates:

July
15 - Kristianstad Rockfest - Kristianstad, Sweden

August
4 - Skogsröjet - Rejmyre, Sweden
5 - Metal Park - Edsbyn, Sweden
18 - Sabaton Open Air Festival - Falun, Sweden
26 - Eksjö Stadsfest - Eksjö, Sweden

Saxon leader Biff Byford discusses the upcoming 14 disc box set, Solid Book Of Rock (available on August 4th), in a new video available for streaming below.

Solid Book Of Rock contains Saxon’s nine studio albums from 1991 to 2009 with eight bonus tracks, plus two bonus CDs (Classics Re-Recorded originally issued with the initial pressings of Killing Ground, and Lionheart -  Rough Studio Mix originally issued on the 2006 limited edition) and three bonus DVDs (the limited edition DVDs originally released with Lionheart, The Inner Sanctum and Into The Labyrinth. It all comes in a 12” x 12” casebound book featuring a stunning brand new cover painting by Paul R. Gregory and includes a 24-page booklet with all the lyrics and credits, plus photos.

If that wasn’t enough, you can get this fabulous cover art as a print signed by Biff with the Amazon Exclusive Edition. These are limited to just 500 copies so be quick. Order here.

Tracklisting:

Solid Ball Of Rock:

“Solid Ball Of Rock”
“Altar Of The Gods”
“Requiem (We Will Remember)”
“Lights In the Sky”
“I Just Can’t Get Enough”
“Baptism Of Fire”
“Ain’t Gonna Take It”
“I’m On Fire”
“Overture In B-Minor / Refugee”
“Bavarian Beaver”
“Crash Dive”

Bonus tracks:
“Requiem (We Will Remember)” [single version]
“Reeperbahn Stomp”

Forever Free:

“Forever Free”
“Hole In The Sky”
“Just Wanna Make Love To You”
“Get Down And Dirty”
“Iron Wheels”
“One Step Away”
“Can’t Stop Rockin’”
“Nighthunter”
“Grind”
“Cloud Nine”

Bonus tracks:
“Princess Of The Night” [live]
“Forever Free” [live]

Dogs Of War:

“Dogs Of War”
“Burning Wheels”
“Don’t Worry”
“Big Twin Rolling (Coming Home)”
“Hold On”
“The Great White Buffalo”
“Demolition Alley”
“Walking Through Tokyo”
“Give It All Away”
“Yesterday’s Gone”

Bonus tracks:
“The Great White Buffalo” [live]
“Denim And Leather” [live]

Unleash The Beast:

“Gothic Dreams”
“Unleash The Beast”
“Terminal Velocity”
“Circle Of Light”
“The Thin Red Line”
“Ministry Of Fools”
“The Preacher”
“Bloodletter”
“Cut Out The Disease”
“Absent Friends”
“All Hell Breaking Loose”

Bonus tracks:
“Crusader” [live]
“Solid Ball Of Rock” [live]

Metalhead:

“Intro”
“Metalhead”
“Are We Travellers In Time”
“Conquistador”
“What Goes Around”
“Song Of Evil”
“All Guns Blazing”
“Prisoner”
“Piss Off”
“Watching You”
“Sea Of Life”

Killing Ground:

“Intro”
“Killing Ground”
“Court Of The Crimson King”
“Coming Home”
“Until Hell Freezes Over”
“Dragon’s Lair”
“You Don’t Know What You’ve Got”
“Deeds Of Glory”
“Running For The Border”
“Shadows On The Wall”
“Rock Is Our Life”

Classics Re-Recorded [Bonus CD]:

“Princess Of The Night”
“Crusader”
“Wheels Of Steel”
“Motorcycle Man”
“Strong Arm Of The Law”
“Denim And Leather”
“Dallas 1pm”
“And The Bands Played On”

Lionheart:

“Witchfinder General”
“Man And Machine”
“The Return”
“Lionheart”
“Beyond The Grave”
“Justice”
“To Live By The Sword”
“Jack Tars”
“English Man O’War”
“Searching For Atlantis”
“Flying On The Edge”

Lionheart Studio Audio - Rough Mix [Bonus CD]:

“Witchfinder General”
“Man And Machine”
“The Return”
“Lionheart”
“Beyond The Grave”
“Justice”
“To Live By The Sword”
“Jack Tars”
“English Man O’War”
“Searching For Atlantis”
“Flying On The Edge”
“Beyond The Grave” [single version]

The Inner Sanctum:

“State Of Grace”
“Need For Speed”
“Let Me Feel Your Power”
“Red Star Falling”
“I’ve Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)”
“If I Was You”
“Going Nowhere Fast”
“Ashes To Ashes”
“Empire Rising”
“Attila The Hun”

Into The Labyrinth:

“Battalions Of Steel”
“Live To Rock”
“Demon Sweeney Todd”
“The Letter”
“Valley Of The Kings”
“Slow Lane Blues”
“Crime Of Passion”
“Premonition In D Minor”
“Voice”
“Protect Yourselves”
“Hellcat”
“Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)”
“Coming Home” [bottleneck version]

Lionheart DVD:

Lionheart - making of
“Lionheart - live clip
“Beyond The Grave” - promo video
5.1 96k high end sound mix of the album

The Inner Sanctum DVD:

A Night Out With The Boys
“To Hell And Back Again”
A Night Out With Boys - The Idea
A Night Out With Boys - Not Really
“See The Light Shining”
A Night Out With Boys - Now It Started
“Redline”
“Suzie Hold On”
“Stand Up And Be Counted”
“Frozen Rainbow”
“Never Surrender”

Into The Labyrinth DVD:

“Perceval” - Biff plays King Arthur in this Spanish film, directed by Pablo Aragues Millan
“Let There Be Light” - documentary about the live staging and lighting
Audio interview with Biff Byford - Biff talks about the songs on “Into The Labyrinth”

German heavy metal trio, Rage, have released a third official video trailer for their upcoming 23rd studio album, Seasons Of The Black, out on July 28th via Nuclear Blast. Three trailers are available for streaming below.

Seasons Of The Black is available for pre-order. You can purchase it in the following formats:

- 2CD-Digibook
- CD
- 2LP (black) in gatefold

NB Mailorder Exclusive:
- 2LP (NB anniversary green) in gatefold
- Digibook + belt bag

Get your copy here, or get the digital version of the new album here.

Tracklisting:

“Season Of The Black”
“Serpents In Disguise”
“Blackened Karma”
“Time Will Tell”
“Septic Bite”
“Walk Among The Dead”
“All We Know Is Not”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Gaia”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Justify”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Bloodshed In Paradise”
“The Tragedy Of Man - Farewell”

Avenger Revisited (Bonus CD):
“Adoration”
“Southcross Union”
“Assorted By Satan”
“Faster Than Hell”
“Sword Made Of Steel”
“Down To The Bone”

These bonus tracks originate from the time when Rage was still called Avenger.

Peavy comments: "It was really nice to re-record the songs from my first years of being a musician! I remember quite well how the songs were created. I always thought that it's a pity that most of the people don't know these songs, just because they were released with another band name. For me it was always clear that these songs are kind of timeless and when we played them together it was really awesome! Back then, we couldn't realise our ideas as good as today. When you listen to the new recordings you will recognize how fantastic these songs really are!"

Seasons Of The Black was recorded in February / March 2017 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). Its production was handled by Rage, whilst the renowned Dan Swanö (Marduk, Opeth, Katatonia) took care of the mix and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany).

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

“Blackened Karma” video:

Studio trailer #1:

Studio trailer #2:

Studio trailer #3:

Rage live dates:

June
29 - Gardelegen, Germany - Metal Frenzy

July
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Rock Fest
6 - Ballenstedt, Germany - Rock Harz Open Air
16 - Vizovice, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock
21 - Ternopil, Ukraine - Faine Misto Festival

August
3-5 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
10 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
12 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
13 - Königs Wusterhausen, Germany - Zombie Rock Festival

September
2 - Zons, Germany - Zons Rockt (RAGE meets REFUGE)

December
23 - Burglengenfeld, Germany - VAZ, X-Mas Dynamite Night

Rage lineup:

Peter "Peavy" Wagner - lead vocals, bass
Marcos Rodriguez - guitars, vocals
Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos - drums, vocals

Los Angeles-based Mexican-Italian-American solo artist Diamante brings a new (and blue) fire to rock music with the release of her single “Coming In Hot”, out now via Better Noise Records. The single is the title track of her forthcoming debut album, and is available on all digital streaming and retail platforms.

Swinging between an arena-filling chant and a robust and raucous riff, “it’s essentially a super fun weekend summer anthem,” says Diamante. “I picture people leaving their day jobs in the car on a Friday, cranking this, and getting ready to go nuts on the weekend. It’s also a metaphor for me coming in hot into the industry. I want to bring this style back and take over rock.”

In conjunction with the release of “Coming In Hot”, Diamante has premiered the official music video for the track. Filmed at a Calabasas mansion, the lighthearted, cheeky video captures Diamante and friends crashing a senior social gathering and turning it into a wild summer house party.

Produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Chris Cornell, Halestorm), Coming In Hot brings to light Diamante’s signature sound that she has been meticulously working at since age 13. “Diamante is the only true heir to the female rock throne that has been vacant since Joan Jett’s heyday,” says Benson. Having an edgy style, sultry vocals, and pop sensibility to her music, and drawing influences from '80s female rock icons, including Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, and Debbie Harry, the now 20-year-old singer aims to breathe new life into rock with Coming In Hot. Stay tuned for more information on the album. 

 

Finnish AOR hopefuls, The Nights, will release their self-titled debut album on August 4th. The album track “Nothing But Love” is available for streaming below.

The Nights is a dynamic duo formed by two well known members of the melodic rock scene in Finland. Ilkka Wirtanen handles guitars, production, and songwriting and Sami Hyde is on vocals and handles songwriting duties too.

Both Sami and Ilkka have established careers in music in both Finland and abroad. Sami has been a singer for a variety of acts and projects, including the Tony Mills Band (Shy, TNT) which also included Geoff Nicholls (Black Sabbath) on keyboards and Neil Hibbs (SHY) on guitar. Additionally, he has written songs for many artists, including The Magnificent ("If It Takes All Night", "Lost", and "Drive"). Ilkka Wirtanen is best known for his work as a producer with international acts like glam rockers Reckless Love, for whom he has produced four albums and co-written many of their more well-known songs, including "Hot" and "Night On Fire". He has sat in the producer’s chair for several other rock bands (Baton Rogue Morgue, Hellcity Punks) and has worked as a mixer for international acts (S.E.X. Department).

The band also recently appeared at two exclusive shows supporting Brother Firetribe last April to rave reviews.

With a lineup completed by Jan-Erik Iivari on drums and percussion and Harri Kokkonen on electric, acoustic and fretless bass, The Nights are going to provide the soundtrack to your late summer days.

Tracklisting:

“Welcome To The Show”
“Nothing But Love”
“Juliette”
“I Will Never Stop Loving You”
“In A Blink Of An Eye”
“Hold On”
“Elegy (You Should Be Here)”
“Take Me To Heaven”
“You Belong To Me Tonight”
“I Wanna Be Your Superhero”
“We Can Rule The World Tonight”

“Nothing But Love”:

“Juliette” video:

“Welcome To The Show”:

(Photo - Iris Haubold 2017)

The self-titled debut album from POWERFLO — the new band featuring BIOHAZARD's Billy Graziadei and former FEAR FACTORY bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers alongside Sen Dog from CYPRESS HILL, Rogelio Lozano from DOWNSET, and Brazilian drummer Fernando Schaefer — can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. The disc will be released on June 23 via New Damage Records. Those who preorder the album digitally will receive "Resistance" and "Victim Of Circumstance" as instant-grat tracks. Both New Damage and PledgeMusic pre-orders include bundle options with various exclusive limited items, including snapback caps, rolling papers, signed vinyl, test presses, exclusive performances and more.

Melding hip-hop, metal, punk, and rock into a potent offering, POWERFLO draws on its powerhouse resume to collectively smash boundaries. The album is produced by Josh Lynch and Billy Graziadei, mixed by Jay Baumgardner (GODSMACK, PAPA ROACH, HELMET) and mastered by Maor Applebaum (FAITH NO MORE, HALFORD, ADRENALINE MOB) at Maor Applebaum Mastering. The origins of POWERFLO can be traced back over more than two decades as the members of the band would collaborate on numerous occasions. In addition to both CYPRESS HILL and BIOHAZARD appearing on the landmark platinum-selling "Judgment Night" soundtrack, Sen Dog delivered a cameo on BIOHAZARD's "State Of The World Address" in 1993, while Christian both guested on CYPRESS HILL's chart-topping 2000 double-album "Skulls & Bones", which Roy also guested on, and 2001's "Stone Raiders" in addition to performing with the group countless times. In 2015, longtime friend Roy played demos for Sen on a ride to the airport. The music immediately spoke to the rapper and thus POWERFLO was born.

Regarding how the name for the new project came about, Christian told The New American Media: "Basically, Sen Dog was spitting his game on some of the heavy riffs and shit. And he was, like, 'Do you like this?' And Roy, the other guitar player, said, 'Yeah. A power flow. That's good.' So that's where it kind of came from."

POWERFLO's "Victim Of Circumstance" video was directed by Graziadei, who has described the band's musical direction as a cross between IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and CYPRESS HILL.

Sen Dog explains the track's inspiration: "I wrote the song after watching a few episodes of one of my favorite TV shows, 'The First 48', which is a show about people getting caught up in street life and eventually getting twisted up by the Feds or local law enforcement. This show depicts how fucked up most of the kids in America’s inner cities got it… the loss of innocent life along with outright cold-blooded murderers who have chosen to kill at will. The result of their offenses affects not just their victim's family but whole communities."

POWERFLO has been confirmed for a West Coast run of dates as support for P.O.D.

Band photo credit: Travis Shinn

Less than two weeks after KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons filed an application for a trademark on the so-called "devil's horns" hand gesture, he appears to have had a change of heart. On June 20, Simmons expressly abandoned the application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

In his original request, which was filed on June 9, Simmons described the sign as consisting "of a hand gesture with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular." He paid $275, seeking to use the hand signal symbol for "Entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist."

The KISS bassist/vocalist claimed the gesture was first used in commerce on November 14, 1974, which corresponded to KISS's "Hotter Than Hell" tour. He wrote in his signed declaration that he believes "no other person, firm, corporation or association has the right to use said mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance."

Simmons's version of the gesture is actually "I love you" in American Sign Language, with the thumb extended, rather than the thumb holding two middle fingers close to the palm.

Most music fans slammed Simmons for the trademark request, saying the symbol has become ubiquitous and means different things to different people.

Trademark attorney Michael Cohen with Cohen IP Law Group in Beverly Hills, who deals with trademark, patent and copyright infringement cases, told the Los Angeles Times that it would have been very difficult for Simmons's application to be approved because the gesture has become "genericized."

In issue 196 of Classic Rock magazine, Simmons revealed where he got the idea for the gesture, explaining it was inspired by Spider-man and the way he shoots webs from his wrists.

Simmons told Classic Rock: "We laid down the templates. When you see bands rocking out in sync, that's us. When you see bands putting up that two-fingered devil horn salute, that started with KISS."

When asked if it was Ronnie James Dio who actually started it, Simmons replied: "Well, I've heard Ronnie say that to my face and I said, 'God bless you.' I mean him no ill will, but I think he's wrong. Mine came from Spider-man doing his hand signal, as a homage to him. If you see me in photos, I'm sticking out my thumb. That's the sign in sign language which means 'I love you.'"

Ronnie James Dio's widow Wendy also criticized Simmons for attempting to trademark the hand sign. She told TheWrap: "To try to make money off of something like this is disgusting. It belongs to everyone — it doesn't belong to anyone. It's a public domain, it shouldn't be trademarked."

"Seven Enemies", the new video from Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "The Concrete Confessional", which was released in May 2016. The CD was produced and mastered by longtime collaborator Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, SUICIDE SILENCE, WHITECHAPEL) and mixed by Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH). Artwork was created by Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER).

Asked by Grasser Production if there are any plans for HATEBREED to return to the studio to begin work on the follow-up to "The Concrete Confessional", drummer Matt Byrne said: "Right now, it's touring. We have so much planned for the rest of the year. We talked about maybe doing some stuff, like, in December — maybe start throwing some ideas around. But nothing set in stone about going in the studio and doing a new record. I mean, right now it's [all about] touring. We have so many dates lined up through the rest of the year. We have some ideas for some other stuff. It's the twentieth anniversary of [HATEBREED's debut] album 'Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire', so maybe do a couple of shows for that, something special. Right now, it's just all about shows and touring."

Added guitarist Frank Novinec: "We're not one of these bands that records stuff on the road. I feel there's too many distractions. And it's not the '70s or the '80s where bands are putting out sometimes two records a year, or one record a year. We're a band that does that every three years. I think we tour the entire world per record, and by the time we've done all that, three years have gone by. So it'll probably be at least another year before we get back in the studio, I think, it's safe to say."