The self-titled debut album from ARCADEA can be streamed in its entirety below. The disc is being released today (Friday, June 16) via Relapse Records.

ARCADEA was born when drummer-vocalist Brann Dailor of MASTODON teamed up with guitarist and keyboardist Core Atoms (ZRUDA) to create a synth-laden progressive, heavy psych band. Adding guitarist Raheem Amlani (WITHERED) on synth, the three recorded their visionary, ten-song synth odyssey at Orange Peel Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Unlike their other bands, ARCADEA uses only keyboards in a unique blend of crushing, organic drums and psychedelic synthesizers. The music is at once electronic but not electronica, synthetic but not processed, heavy but not metal.

The album envisions a future five billion years from now, where the impending collision of galaxies creates a new order of planets. Where cold, distant moons pledge alliance to new suns and expanding gas giants implode into black holes. Ancient drones, forever adrift, record toxic tales of love between dying stars. Where lifeforms in suspended animation, dream among the ice rings of Saturn and cosmic war wages among gods and planets. It is in this universe that ARCADEA reign supreme as the last surviving space wizards since the final extinction.

"Arcadea" track listing:

01. Army Of Electrons02. Gas Giant03. Rings Of Saturn04. Neptune Moons05. Infinite End06. Electromagnetic07. Motion Of Planets08. The Pull Of Invisible Strings09. Through The Eye Of Pisces10. Worlds Can Go On11. Magnificent Facade

Photo credit: Ashley Bishop

The official lyric video for the song "Roots" from IN THIS MOMENT can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Ritual", which will be released on Friday, July 21. The group's sixth studio effort 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 "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 the 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." IN THIS MOMENT will herald "Ritual" on a major North American tour, beginning June 20 at Peoria, Illinois's Limelight and featuring support by such like-minded bands as MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, VIMIC, LITTLE MISS NASTY and STARSET. As if that weren't enough, IN THIS MOMENT is also set for two exciting support dates, joining AVENGED SEVENFOLD on June 19 at Mt. Pleasant, Michigan's Soaring Eagle Casino and PAPA ROACH on June 23 at El Paso, Texas's Streetfest. The upcoming dates follow the just-wrapped "Half God Half Devil Tour", the nearly sold-out trek marking IN THIS MOMENT's first full-scale live assault since serving as special guest on last year's blockbuster "Return Of The Dreads" tour with KORN and ROB ZOMBIE. The band's own hugely successful "Black Widow" headline tour included a wide range of sold-out shows and stage-stealing festival appearances.

"Ritual" track listing:

01. Salvation02. Oh Lord03. Black Wedding (feat. Rob Halford)04. In The Air Tonight05. Joan of Arc06. River of Fire07. Witching Hour08. Twin Flames09. Half God Half Devil10. No Me Importa11. Roots12. Lay Your Gun Down

Fan-filmed video footage of SCOUR — the new extreme metal "supergroup" featuring Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN, SUPERJOINT) alongside members of CATTLE DECAPITATION and PIG DESTROYER — performing the PANTERA classic "Strength Beyond Strength" on June 14 at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York can be seen below.

The self-titled debut EP from SCOUR was released last July via Anselmo's Housecore label. The six-track effort was mixed by Dave Otero (CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATTLE DECAPITATION, COBALT, KHEMMIS) and was made available on CD and vinyl formats.

SCOUR recently officially recruited Adam Jarvis (MISERY INDEX, PIG DESTROYER) as its drummer.

Anselmo previously stated about his involvement with from SCOUR: "Doing the SCOUR project was a blast. The track 'Dispatched' was the first one I attacked, as it was the first one sent to me. Lyrically, I leave it to the listener to evaluate, as usual. The way I saw it, the songs were short, and extremely straight-forward, so I didn't want to clutter 'em up with too much. Therefore, I had to pick particular lyrics that seemed provocatively absurd enough, and to perform them as raw as deemed fit."

SCOUR is:

* Phillip H. Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN, SUPERJOINT) - Vocals* Derek Engemann (CATTLE DECAPITATION) - Guitar* Chase Fraser (ANIMOSITY) - Guitar* John Jarvis (PIG DESTROYER) - Bass* Adam Jarvis (MISERY INDEX, PIG DESTROYER) - Drums

SOULFLY — the long-running band led by former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera — has confirmed dates for its upcoming North American tour during which it will perform the NAILBOMB album "Point Blank" in its entirety. The 31-date trek begins October 6 in San Diego, California and wraps up November 8 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Support on the trek will come form CANNABIS CORPSE and HARMS WAY on select dates in addition to NOISEM and LODY KONG.

The sonic love child of Max and FUDGE TUNNEL's Alex Newport, this 1994 one-off album from their NAILBOMB union showcased dense, industrialized heaviness, seething with all-out punk aggression. In 13 tracks, the revered duo — crediting SEPULTURA alumns Andreas Kisser and Igor Cavalera, as well as FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares as players on the final product — managed to make an angry masterpiece that meets in the middle of what both SEPULTURA and FUDGE TUNNEL were doing at the time. But as for the visual representation of "Point Blank", the war-time photo of a Viet Cong woman with a gun to her head proves just as striking as the devastatingly heavy music within its sleeve.

Max told TeamRock last year about "Point Blank": "It's just such a pissed-off album! Me and Alex were pissed at everything and decided to make a real fuck-the-world 'hate project.' It is one of the most 'fuck-you' albums of all time; it aims at everything, and destroys everything. So, that'd be cool — to be remembered as a person who came here to fuck shit up, NAILBOMB's perfect!"

"Point Blank With Soulfly" tour dates:

Oct. 06 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CAOct. 07 - Whiskey - Los Angeles, CAOct. 08 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CAOct. 09 - Dantes - Portland, OROct. 10 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WAOct. 11 - Diamondz Event Center - Jerome, IDOct. 12 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UTOct. 13 - Marquis Theater - Denver, COOct. 14 - The Riot Room - Kansas City, MOOct. 15 - Deluxe at Old National Centre - Indianapolis, INOct. 16 - The Forge - Joliet, ILOct. 17 - Agora Ballroom - Cleveland, OHOct. 18 - The Token Lounge - Westland, MIOct. 19 - Opera House - Toronto, ONOct. 20 - Les Foufounes Electriques - Montreal, QCOct. 21 - Brighton Music Hall - Brighton, MAOct. 22 - The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NYOct. 23 - Voltage Lounge - Philadelphia, PAOct. 24 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VAOct. 26 - Baltimore Soundstage - Baltimore, MDOct. 27 - Hooligans Music Hall - Jacksonville, NCOct. 28 - The Warehouse - Clarksville, TNOct. 29 - The Masquerade Heaven - Atlanta, GANov. 01 - Orpheum Theatre - Tampa, FLNov. 02 - Vinyl Music Hall - Pensacola, FLNov. 03 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TXNov. 04 - Gas Monkey - Dallas, TXNov. 05 - Come And Take It Live - Austin, TXNov. 06 - The Rock Box - San Antonio, TXNov. 07 - Tricky Falls - El Paso, TXNov. 08 - Sunshine Theatre - Albuquerque, NM

Former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens is collaborating with SAVATAGE and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA guitarist Chris Caffery on a new project.

The duo is currently writing material with producer Roy "Z" Ramirez (BRUCE DICKINSON, HALFORD) for an album that will be released through Frontiers Music Srl.

Regarding how his collaboration with Caffery came about, Owens told Metal Express Radio: "Chris and I have been friends for years, and he wrote a song ['The Shadows Are Alive'] with me on my solo CD [2009's 'Play My Game'], and we've always wanted to write together and do something. And he gave me a shout and we've signed a deal with Frontiers. It's gonna be like a cross between SAVATAGE and JUDAS PRIEST kind of stuff. [Frontiers] is a fantastic label, so we're looking forward to it."

Owens also talked about the current status of PROJECT ROCK (formerly ROCKSTAR), the project he formed several years ago with guitarist Keri Kelli (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ALICE COOPER, RATT), drummer James Kottak (SCORPIONS, KINGDOM COME), bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE, DIO) and keyboardist Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (GUNS N' ROSES). He said: "Keri Kelli is the main one in the band that spearheaded it. We wrote a record and it's finished and ready to go. We were gonna release it, but at the last minute we were gonna change the name and James didn't wanna change it so we pulled the record… [we took] the deal off the shelf. But it's really good. It's straightforward rock, and I really like it a lot, actually… It's sitting there, ready to go."

Owens added that it's frustrating not being able to release the PROJECT ROCK album after spending so much time putting it together. "Especially for Keri and myself, 'cause we are the ones who did all the work, especially Keri — he really worked his tail off," he said. "But him and I went back and forth with the songs forever and I flew out there and met with him and we did some stuff. We did a lot of it, so it's a shame that it's sitting there."

"Here's To Us", the first-ever original song written and recorded by PROJECT ROCK, was premiered in 2013 on Russia's "Drive Time Morning Show with Evgeny Shtoltz". It was expected to appear on the band's debut album, for which the group had reportedly signed a deal with Cleopatra.

Owens recorded two studio albums with JUDAS PRIEST — "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before the band reunited with Rob Halford.

"Mean To Me", a brand new song from MR. BIG, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's ninth studio album, "Defying Gravity", which will be released on July 7 via Frontiers Music Srl. The effort will be available at traditional retail and all digital service providers, as will a deluxe edition version with CD and bonus DVD that features music videos and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new album. The album will also be made available on vinyl in the coming months.

"Defying Gravity" deftly showcases that patented MR. BIG blend of crunch and melody, from the freight-train ride of opening cut "Open Your Eyes" to the harmony-laden wonderment of "Damn I'm in Love Again" to the grateful/wistful nostalgia of "1992" (recalling the days when the band was flying high atop the singles charts with their international No. 1 smash "To Be With You") to the barnburning slide-blues closer, "Be Kind". Overall, "Defying Gravity" is prime evidence that the only thing MR. BIG remains tethered to is their ongoing pursuit of achieving creative excellence. Original members Eric Martin (lead vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitars), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Pat Torpey (drums) reunited with producer Kevin Elson (who was behind the boards for the band's 1989 self-titled debut, 1991's "Lean Into It" and 1993's "Bump Ahead") for an intensive six-day recording session in Los Angeles. While Torpey was unable to perform some of the songs on "Defying Gravity" due to a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, Matt Starr has been filling in for him on a majority of the album. Starr also been touring with the band for the past couple of years, with Torpey able to play a couple of songs at each stop. "It was great to get back in the studio with our original producer, Kevin Elson," says Gilbert. "Kevin recorded all of our original classic albums from the '80s and '90s, and we immediately felt that magic chemistry with him on 'Defying Gravity'. We basically played live in the studio.

"Over the years, we've all had a chance to experiment with every recording technique possible, but it's still always the best just to play together as a band. Most of my guitar solos were tracked live with the band. I've worked hard on my improvisation in the last few years, and it really paid off on this record… both melodically and on the face-melting stuff." MR. BIG is gearing up for the launch its latest worldwide tour, which starts May 31 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Potowatami Casino. "2017 is filling up quickly with tour dates all around the world," proclaims Gilbert. "I can't wait to play the new songs, and, of course, our favorites from the old days, like 'Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy', 'Just Take My Heart', 'Green Tinted Sixties Mind', 'Wild World' and 'To Be With You'." "Defying Gravity" track listing: 01. Open Your Eyes02. Defying Gravity03. Everybody Needs A Little Trouble04. Damn I'm In Love Again05. Mean To Me06. Nothing Bad (About Feeling Good)07. Forever And Back08. She's All Coming Back To Me Now09. 199210. Nothing At All11. Be Kind

Photo credit: William Hames

JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT, the new band featuring singer Josh Todd and guitarist Stevie Dacanay (a.k.a. Stevie D.) of Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY, has unveiled the powerful new music video for the title track off its debut album, "Year Of The Tiger", due out September 15 on Century Media Records. The clip, directed by the renowned Chris Cuffaro (PEARL JAM, GEORGE MICHAEL), is the first of three videos shot as a mini-concert this past May in the band's hometown of Los Angeles. The other two videos will be released over the next few months. "Year Of The Tiger" was co-produced by Dacanay and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz. The aforementioned new disc is also now available for pre-order (see below) and anyone pre-ordering "Year Of The Tiger" will also automatically receive an instant-grat track of the title song.

Speaking about the first single and title track off the upcoming record, Josh states: "The album's title track, 'Year Of The Tiger', was one of the first songs we wrote for the record and also became one of my favorite songs I have ever written. Like most good songs, it came together very quickly. As soon as Stevie sent me the music, the lyrics and melodies poured out of me.

"I'm a huge fan of 'Hannibal' and the show 'Narcos', while also being into the big cats. In 'Hannibal', they had a character that would feed despicable people to his pigs and I thought that was pretty demented and interesting. Also, I am always fascinated with people that have the balls to choose a life of crime, so this track is about a guy living on the edge with a manhunt going on for his life ending in death by tigers."

Regarding the motivation to start this new project, Josh adds: "I have a lot of story telling in me and I always wanted to start another band. Something more reckless and off-the-beaten rock path.

"A lot of changes had taken place in BUCKCHERRY and I didn't want to go another year without making new music.

"BUCKCHERRY is in a great place; we have a great new lineup and we have a handful of dates to complete this year. However, my full attention is on JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT and the record dropping on September 15th. We're gonna do a worldwide tour behind this. My goal is to give each band a break, so I can stay consistently making music without over touring and build both situations into something really cool."

He continues: "It was time for me to make a record. It has been two years since I put out new music and that's a long time for me. I am a student of the game and this was an opportunity to not just make a traditional-sounding rock record like I have been doing in the past. THE CONFLICT stuff is heavy, melodic and honest, with a lot of risk taking, and these are the records that bring out the best in me."

JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT is:

Josh Todd - VocalsStevie D - Guitars/Back-Up VocalsSean Winchester - DrumsGreg Cash - Bass

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "Atlas, Rise!" on June 11 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas can be seen below.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame band is touring in support of its tenth studio album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", which features the current single "Now That We're Dead".

The North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" trek will hit stadiums in eighteen more cities before ending in mid-August. METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that the band was genuinely surprised to learn they could still play stadiums, saying, "It was like, 'Holy fuck, people really still care about this band in ways that you stopped taking for granted literally decades ago. It was very inspiring and kind of eye-opening."

He added: "Full stadium runs can sometimes be a little intimidating. There's all these things to worry about like, 'You should really try to play maybe only on the weekend,' and, 'Where do you play on Tuesday?' and some of those practicalities can get a little bewildering. We just threw caution to the wind. Doing a stadium run seemed like the perfect thing on the back of how well this record has been received and all the good will that's out there in METALLICA's world right now."

The next stop on the tour is San Antonio, Texas on June 14.

Support on the quartet's first North American trek since 2009 is coming mainly from AVENGED SEVENFOLD and VOLBEAT, with GOJIRA taking over for the latter group for the last six shows.

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" was certified platinum on April 12 by the RIAA (Recording Association Of America). The platinum certification reflects a million equivalent album units, which blends traditional album sales, tracks sold from an album and on-demand audio and video streams.

The recent gain in "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" sales is owed mostly to a concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the band's stadium tour that went on sale on February 17. Redemptions of albums included with the purchase of a concert ticket register as a sale in the week the customer redeems/receives the album.

Australia's incendiary musical export THY ART IS MURDER will release its new album, "Dear Desolation", on August 18 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Check out the music video for the first single, "Slaves Beyond Death", below.

"Dear Desolation" was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, New Jersey. Artwork was created by Eliran Kantor (HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

"Dear Desolation" will mark THY ART IS MURDER's first full-length release since vocalist C.J. McMahon rejoined the band this past January.

McMahon blamed his drug addiction for his departure from the group and has vowed to move forward as "a new man."

He said: "I feel the strongest I've ever felt going into a record. Coming back to the fold of our band has reinvigorated me. I missed my brothers, touring, and, of course, all our dedicated fans around the world who have always given us their all.

"This new record is going to shape our future; we gave it everything we could and then some. In the past, I was the weakest link and now that I have re-built myself, we are stronger than ever and nothing can stand in our way."

Adds guitarist Andy Marsh: "Hate, War, Desolation; the trilogy series of the path mankind has laid out before himself. We are prouder than ever of our efforts on this record. A lot of time, planning, creativity and teamwork has culminated in what we think is our most completed vision yet: 'Dear Desolation'."

THY ART IS MURDER's third album, "Holy War", entered the official Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) chart at position No. 7 — the highest-ever position for an Australian extreme metal act.

Swedish death metal supergroup THE LURKING FEAR will release its debut album, "Out Of The Voiceless Grave", on August 11 via Century Media. Recorded at Welfare Sounds in Gothenburg, Sweden, the disc will be available as special-edition digipak CD, gatefold LP on 180-gram vinyl with a poster and as a digital download. The album's LP edition will be available on classic black vinyl as well as on limited colored runs as follows: silver vinyl (200 copies; CM Distro Europe), clear vinyl (200 copies, Sweden) and golden vinyl (300 copies; CM USA).

The cover artwork for "Out Of The Voiceless Grave" was designed by Stefan Thanneur and can be seen below. "Out Of The Voiceless Grave" track listing:

01. Out Of The Voiceless Grave02. Vortex Spawn03. The Starving Gods Of Old04. The Infernal Dread05. With Death Engraved In Their Bones06. Upon Black Winds07. Teeth Of The Dark Plains08. The Cold Jaws Of Death09. Tongued With Foul Flames10. Winged Death11. Tentacles Of Blackened Horror12. Beneath Menacing Sands

THE LURKING FEAR vocalist Tomas Lindberg checked in with the following comment about the album's intense artwork: "Stefan Thanneur understood the vision I had for 'Out Of The Voiceless Grave' straight away. He has portrayed the exact same nightmare vortex of interstellar death and terror that I envisioned when I wrote the lyrics and came up with the concept. Pure cosmic evil. Even more twisted madness than my imagination could portray. I have been very happy to work with yet another great talent. You can never get enough tentacles." Featuring members/ex-members of illustrious and influential acts like AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED, SKITSYSTEM, DISFEAR and GOD MACABRE, THE LURKING FEAR is not just another retro all-star project, but a real band of five death metallers who organically got together in order to celebrate the metal breed closest to their roots as well as their hearts. THE LURKING FEAR is:

* Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES) - Vocals* Jonas Stålhammar (THE CROWN) - Guitar* Fredrik Wallenberg (SKITSYSTEM) - Guitar* Andreas Axelsson (DISFEAR, TORMENTED, EDGE OF SANITY) – Bass* Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED) – Drums

Citing common inspiration by bands like AUTOPSY, POSSESSED, early DEATH, REPULSION, early MORBID ANGEL, SLAUGHTER, BATHORY, early SLAYER and MASTER/DEATH STRIKE, THE LURKING FEAR previously stated about the band's formation: "We are a death metal band. Not your average new wave of old-school death metal band. We play death metal from the heart with pure emotional impact and a focused artistic vision. This is the music we live and breathe. Always have, always will. "We have all played in various other bands for over 25 years and we just want to spew out the music that we want to hear. When we get together, this is what comes out of naturally, because we share the exact same reference points. We love 'Seven Churches' and 'Mental Funeral' for the exact same reasons. "We want our death metal ugly, twisted and possessed. We miss the urgency, intensity and 'realness' in a lot of the modern death metal. Therefore, it is natural for us to stray away from the streamlined sounds of today, but rather focus on bringing sheer, natural weirdness and horror back to the table…"

Dark Essence Records have announced details of the upcoming album from one of their latest signings, Atrox.  Set for release on September 8th, and titled Monocle, this will be the sixth full-length studio album from the veteran Norwegians.
 
With Monocle, the first album from the band since 2008's Binocular, Atrox are back stronger than ever, having fine-tuned their sound so that what was once an atmospheric mix of death and doom metal has become much more progressive, experimental and industrial.  It is an album that shows a darker side to the band, with more epic and atmospheric elements than before.  Consolidating the unique Atrox sound within the album are catchy and upbeat sections. 
 
Artwork for Monocle is by Rune Folgerø and Erik Paulsen.

Today's Atrox lineup comprises Rune Folgerø on vocals, viNd on Guitars, Rune Sørgård on guitars and technology, Tor Arne Helgesen on drums and Erik Paulsen on bass, and they recently had some very interesting things to say about Monocle:
 
"Monocle is our darkest album so far. During the process of creating and recording it we explored, and were exposed to, our darker selves, and what we encountered during this process almost killed us.  It left us in a dystopian vacuum and all worn out, but with one hell of a piece of music to present to the world.
 
"Musically speaking Monocle contains poisons that'll blind you, and poisons that'll open your eyes. As William Gibson says in his novel  Neuromancer: ‘The future is already here. It’s just unevenly distributed’.”

Tracklisting:

“Mass”
“Vacuum”
“Heat”
“Finger”
“Suicide Days”
“For We Are Many”
“Movie”
“Target”

VIXEN's Janet Gardner has revealed to All Music & All Bands: National & Worldwide that the band's August 12 concert at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois will be recorded for an upcoming live album. According to the singer, the disc "will also include a couple of bonus surprises."

VIXEN recently parted ways with guitarist Gina Stile and replaced her with Britt Lightning. The band also welcomed a new keyboardist, Tyson Leslie.

Lightning and Leslie made their live debut with VIXEN on March 25 at the Rock The Arena II festival at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

Stile originally played with VIXEN in 1997-1998 and returned to the band in 2013 as the replacement for the group's deceased founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund.

In a recent interview with Antihero Magazine, Gardner stated about her decision to take a break from VIXEN during most of the 1990s and early 2000s: "Obviously, in the early '90s and most of the '90s, we were looked as passé, the whole scene that we were involved in. So, you know, it wasn't very appealing to throw yourself out there and get people going, 'Eww, we don't want to hear that.' So, you know, it was kind of a good time for me to, you know, do the family thing. And do other things that were important to me at the time and spend some time with my family. And you know, I would always sit down with a guitar. I always had things to say, but it wasn't necessarily what people wanted to hear. So, I wanted to spend some time doing other things in life."

Gardner will release her debut solo album on August 18 via Pavement Entertainment in conjunction with Pavement's cohorts Eternal Sound Records for Europe. All songs were written, performed and produced by Gardner and her husband of one year, Justin James, a guitarist, songwriter and producer who has previously worked with STAIND, COLLECTIVE SOUL and TYKETTO.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will return to Tilburg, The Netherlands next Monday, June 19 to play a free show for any ticket holders from the now-infamous 013 performance a week prior.

Said FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory: "Last Monday's show was an avalanche of events largely out of our control. We could sit here all day and apologize, but our fans in the Netherlands deserve better than that. They've stuck with us all these years and helped get us to where we are today. So, we managed to re-route our tour and come back to Tilburg and play a free show on our day off — because actions speak louder than words."

This show will take place in the same venue, the 013, in Tilburg. Ticket holders of last week's show will promptly receive an e-mail from the venue with instructions to obtain their free guaranteed priority tickets. This e-mail will include a link to directly download e-tickets for the show.

Other fans interested in attending this unique show should closely follow the announcements on the venue's web site, www.013.nl, on Friday morning to get access. After the original ticket holders get their priority tickets, a link will be made available where people can order free tickets while stock lasts.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced on Wednesday that singer Ivan Moody will sit out the remainder of the band's European tour due to his battles with alcohol. Former DIVINE HERESY and current BAD WOLVES vocalist Tommy Vext is filling in for Moody, who threatened to quit the band onstage at Monday's concert in Tilburg.

Vext, who has been traveling with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on their current European tour, sang the first song of the band's set in Tilburg, because Moody arrived on stage several minutes late. As previously reported, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and IN FLAMES will join forces for a European co-headlining tour in November and December.

REVOLUTION SAINTS, the band featuring Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY, BAD ENGLISH), Doug Aldrich (THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, DIO), and Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES), will release its second album on Friday, October 13. The disc was recorded in Italy with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, who also helmed the band's debut album.

Castronovo, Aldrich and Blades laid down a scorching set of songs written by Doug and Alessandro between the end of 2016 and early 2017.

REVOLUTION SAINTS played its first full electric show on April 29 at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan, Italy. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

One day earlier, REVOLUTION SAINTS made its live debut at the Frontiers Rock Festival VIP acoustic party.

REVOLUTION SAINTS was initially the vision of Frontiers president Serafino Perugino, who for years had hoped to work on a project where Deen would be the lead vocalist. Having previously worked with all three artists on different projects on Frontiers, getting Deen, Jack and Doug together was a dream come true for the president of the label. With production overseen by in-house Frontiers man Del Vecchio, the recording process for REVOLUTION SAINTS' debut happened in Portland, Oregon during the summer of 2014.

Aldrich told CrypticRock.com about REVOLUTION SAINTS: "We definitely have a chemistry together. When we got together to do some videos as well as recording together up in Portland, it was undeniable that we had a chemistry, and it sounds like that on the record. Spending time with those guys is super fun and we all fell into our own zone. For example, Deen is a frontman and the drummer with Jack, but he is like the young kid that has way too much energy, bouncing off the walls. I am kind of the quiet guy; I really do not have much to say. I just want to play. Jack is kind of the general; he took over, and in a good way, because you need somebody to be the boss. You need somebody to organize stuff or else you are wasting time or going down long paths. Jack keeps you focused. Then we all have our creative side, but the energy that Deen has is just infectious. I hope to be able to put it together where we will be able to do some shows."

The New RS Album will be released on Friday 13th October. More info to follow@DeenTheDrummer @Douglas_Aldrich @JackBlades @lightandrhythm pic.twitter.com/Z825lqpWRo

— Revolution Saints (@RevoSaintsPage) June 15, 2017

The Fright, hailing from Leipzig, Germany have inked a worldwide deal with Steamhammer / SPV. The new album by the German dark rockers is already recorded and was produced by Waldemar Sorychta (Lacuna Coil, Sodom, Tiamat, Moonspell, The Gathering), who created a top-notch sound for the band. The release is targeted for autumn this year. More information will follow soon.
 
Lon Fright (vocals) on the signing: "This band started as a vision, a dream of 12 year old kids. Now, fifteen years later you can look forward to an album that will beat the previous ones without any problems. Such a dark Diamond should be recognized. That's why we are very happy to be part of the Steamhammer family now who can look back on decades of experience in the rock biz and believes in us as much as we do. The night belongs to us!"
 
Georg Schröder (A+R Steamhammer): "I'm really looking forward to our co-operation with The Fright. The new album of the band can easily keep up with international productions and it spreads a dark and arty atmosphere which nevertheless leaves you with an smile on your face. It will attract fans of dark sounds as well as rock fans."

For more information and updates check out The Fright's official Facebook page here.

Photo by Liss Eulenherz Photographie

Bay Area power thrashers Hexx will release their comeback album, entitled Wrath Of The Reaper, on September 15th via High Roller Records. The cover artwork, which can be seen below, was painted by Italian artist Roberto Toderico (Sinister, Asphyx, Tygers Of Pan Tang).

The album was produced by Bart Gabriel (Crystal Viper, Burning Starr), recorded and mixed by Tim Narducci (Forbidden, Militia), and mastered by Patrick W. Engel (Destruction, Agent Steel). Wrath Of The Reaper will be available as CD, vinyl LP and digital download.

Wrath Of The Reaper showcases the band's return to their roots, and the style they are known for from their early classic albums Under The Spell and No Escape. Hexx, led by founding member and guitarist Dan Watson, features amazing new vocalist Eddy Vega and Bob Wright (Brocas Helm) on second guitar. The lineup is completed by Mike Horn (who joined Hexx in 2013) on bass guitar, and John Shaffer (who played in Hexx between 1986 and 1995, and returned in 2014) on drums.

In 2016, Hexx released the "Tyrants Of Steel" split single (with Ruthless), and reissued their early albums Under The Spell and No Escape in the form of a 30th Anniversary 2CD/DVD box set via Metal Blade Records, and the 1991 technical epic Morbid Reality via Dark Symphonies Records.

 

NWOBHM legends Saxon performed at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2016. Quality video of the band performing the songs “Power And The Glory”, “Heavy Metal Thunder”, and “Princess Of The Night” is available for streaming below:

In a new interview with Red Carpet News TV, Saxon leader Biff Byford reveals the first details for the band’s next studio album.

In regards to the follow-up to 2015's Battering Ram album, Biff reveals: “Well I can tell you what it’s called. It’s called Thunderbolt. It’ll be out in January and we’ll be touring on a World Tour.”

Saxon are recording Thunderbolt with UK-based producer Andy Sneap. Stay tuned for further updates.

Iconic Canadian rockers Headstones, led by frontman Hugh Dillon, have issued the following heartfelt message:

"We are deeply saddened to say that Mark Gibson, the original drummer and co-founding member of the Headstones, passed away on Tuesday (June 13th).

Mark was there from the very beginning - before albums, studios or record deals, postering the streets when we were just a little unknown band playing around town. He co-wrote many of the songs on the debut album Picture Of Health. Together we toured relentlessly, coast to coast.

Not only were his drum parts brilliant, but he was a solid creative force as well... the guy who would always push for more interesting parts than the 'standard bullshit' as he called it - because he knew that being in a real rock band meant something, and he wanted the music to reflect that.

Our heartfelt condolences to his family."

 

Canadian melodic-hardcore band Counterparts have announced that they will release their fifth studio album, You’re Not You Anymore, on September 22nd through New Damage Records in Canada. Additionally, the band has debuted the video for lead track, “Bouquet” (streaming below), and has launched a pre-order for the record here.

"YNYA is the perfect blend of every record we've released prior. I feel like we did a great job at capturing the best parts of Counterparts. Not to sound like a broken record, but these are definitely the coolest songs we've ever written. I really do hope you enjoy it. If not, I'm sorry and I guess we'll try harder next time." - Brendan Murphy (vocals)

Counterparts’ forthcoming record follows the band’s 2015 release, Tragedy Will Find Us. The news comes just a few days before the band kicks off their summer-long run on the Vans Warped Tour. For a complete list of dates, head here.

You're Not You Anymore tracklisting:

“Walk Away Slowly”
“Bouquet”
“Arms Like Teeth”
“No Servant Of Mine”
“Haunt Me”
“Swim Beneath My Skin”
“Thieves”
“Rope”
“A Memory Misread”
“Fragile Limbs”
“You’re Not You Anymore”

“Bouquet” video:

Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Counterparts formed in 2007 and currently features Brendan Murphy on vocals, Adrian Lee and Blake Hardman on guitars, Kyle Brownlee on drums and Tyler Williams on bass. To date, the band has released four studio albums and an EP, including their 2013-breakout album The Difference Between Hell and Home, which debuted at #49 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.

(Photo - Trey Hales)

Greek metal/rock band, Raw In Sect, have released a music video for “Therion”. The song is taken from the upcoming third album, Kitro, due in September. The video can be viewed below.

Filmed in London's Black Island studios by director Peter Lee Scott, the band says the video is mean to reflect the transformation into Therion, which is to "find inner power in a primitive way getting in touch with your instincts."

The song's unique blend of traditional Greek music with rock 'n' roll is, according to Raw In Sect, meant to "redefine what aggressive/rock music is through a totally different approach than the one that has been known in the music scene.

"Really though, it's about doing something new and artistic instead of repeating the same old patterns of established bands in hopes of securing a career in a declining music industry. Changing the language of the lyrics in Greek, recording live, and not setting on the sound of previous records that was somewhat accepted, are among the risks we took willingly in order to express something new and reach wider audiences."

Raw In Sect is:

Kostas Diamandis - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Dimitris Alexiou - Drums, Backing Vocals
George Ioakeimidis - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ilias Platanitis - Bass, Backing Vocals

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH will release their twelfth full-length album, "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay", on September 22 via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork, photography and videography was created by Artūrs Bērziņš, best known for his defiant neo-symbolism raster graphics and oil paintings; postmodern interpretations of classic myths. He has been proclaimed as a "sacred monster of Latvian postmodernism."

"Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" was recorded at Grindstone Studios, Suffolk, U.K. by the very honorable Scott Atkins, who has been the resident go-to producer for CRADLE OF FILTH for several albums. CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth sat in during the mix, serving up flaming mugs of teas, making the studio couch his own and lending his ears when necessary.

Commented Dani: "The album is deeply infused with Victorian gothic horror and thus the title is a reflection of that. 'Cryptoriana' implies the Victorian's infatuation with the supernatural, the grave and the ghoulish. And the subtitle 'The Seductiveness Of Decay' further cements this attraction to death and the glittering lengthy process of self-annihilation."

The first single off "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" will be released on July 5, the same day that the album pre-order will become available.

CRADLE OF FILTH has also announced its first full-scale U.K. and Ireland tour in years, starting in Belfast, Northern Ireland on October 30.

Added Dani Filth: "We, as a band, are incredibly excited about hitting the U.K. and Ireland for a full run of dates around All Hallows Eve, as playing the band's home country is always great fun and the audiences here are very receptive. And nuts. The dates will be the first in a long line of shows that will extend throughout the rest of the world throughout 2018. We aim to be very prolific on the live front, delivering a show worthy of our fans' exalted expectations and more."

All 41, featuring Terry Brock on lead vocals (Giant, Strangeways), Robert Berry (Three, Alliance) on bass and lead vocals, Gary Pihl (Boston, Sammy Hagar, Alliance) on guitar, and Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) on drums, will released their debut album, World's Best Hope, on July 7th. A lyric video for the album track “Who Knows” is available for streaming below.

All 41 is a project very close to the hearts of each musician involved. All 41 is a project born of passion and fire.

Guitarist Gary Pihl says, “It started with some great sounding songs in a rough "demo" form, but every time I got a new version with each musician's real performance on it, I got stoked! We're all bringing our "A Game" to the band. I can't wait to do some gigs with these guys! Robert and I go way back, and Terry and Matt are like the best players ever!"

Bassist and co-vocalist Robert Berry adds: "So many times musicians get together and struggle to find common ground in style and substance. When Serafino, president of Frontiers, called me with the line up for All 41 I had no idea that he had put together perfectly matching musical pieces. From playing bass to Matt's solid drums, trading vocals with Terry's soaring voice, to the warmth and feel of Gary's own style of powerful, yet melodic guitar playing, this band came together like missing puzzle pieces. I can't wait to get it on to the concert stage."

"What a great bunch of musicians to work with and such talented, classy guys. I am proud to be associated with this project and i am so proud of my great friend and collaborator Alessandro Del Vecchio for his incredible work!!!! Thank you Serafino, Mario, and Frontiers for ANOTHER amazing opportunity....GRAZIE MILLE AMICI," says vocalist Terry Brock, with drummer Matt Starr adding, "I had a lot of fun making this record. There are some amazing songs and everybody really played great!"

Musically, these guys gel incredibly well and have come up with a superb debut album which mixes Mr Big's most melodic moments together with the more keyboard-laden years of Van Halen along with obvious nods to Strangeways and Alliance. The duel lead vocals are an amazing plus for this absolutely beautiful record, not to mention the excellent production which highlights the unforgettable melodies. An AOR highlight of the year.

Tracklisting:

“After The Rain”
“Cyanide”
“Down Life's Page”
“Mother Don't Cry”
“Show Me The Way”
“Walk Alone”
“Don't Surrender (To Love)”
“Hero In Your Life”
“Never Back Down Again”
“Who Knows”
“The World's Best Hope”

“Who Knows” lyric video:

“After The Rain” video:

EPK:

“Cyanide” playthrough:

"After The Rain" playthrough:

Athens, Georgia-based melodic metal band, Theocracy, are streaming the track “Stir The Embers”, featured on their new album, Ghost Ship, available now via Ulterium Records.

Theocracy and Ulterium Records recently announced the "Ghost Ship" YouTube contest.

Record a video of yourself playing or singing the track "Ghost Ship" and upload it to YouTube. Send a link to the video to contest@ulterium-records.com to be included in the contest.

The contest will be open until June 20th, and then Theocracy and Ulterium Records will decide two winners: the best performance as well as the most creative submission. Below you can see the prizes for the winners:

#1 Winner (the best performance)
- Ghost Ship CD [signed]
- Ghost Ship 2LP vinyl edition with black discs [signed]
- a Theocracy t-shirt of your choice
- contest video posted at the official Theocracy website and Facebook page

#2 Winner (the most creative performance/video)
- Ghost Ship CD [signed]
- a Theocracy t-shirt of your choice
- contest video posted at the official Theocracy Facebook page

Visit this link for more info about the contest and for files.

Ulterium Records has announced the release of a limited red transparent vinyl 2LP edition of the classic Theocracy album, As The World Bleeds. The edition is strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide and the release date is set for June 30th.

Tracklisting:

Side A
“I Am”
“The Master Storyteller”

Side B
“Nailed”
“Hide In The Fairytale”
“The Gift Of Music”

Side C
“30 Pieces Of Silver”
“Drown”
“Altar To The Unknown God”

Side D
“Light Of The World”
“As The World Bleeds”

Theocracy live dates are listed below:

June
24 - Reggies - Chicago, IL

July
28 - BFE Rock Club - Houston, TX
29 - O’Rileys - Dallas, TX

November
11 - The Maywood - Raleigh, NC

Tau Cross, the multinational punk/heavy metal collective featuring Amebix bassist/frontman Rob "The Baron" Miller, Voivod drummer Michel "Away" Langevin, and members of cult crust outfits Misery and War//Plague, have shared the official music video for the second single off their impending Pillar Of Fire full-length album. Watch the Jakub Moth-directed video for "Killing The King" below.

Issues bassist/vocalist Rob "The Baron" Miller, "It is a time for dismantling the apparatus of authority and control. We live within the landscape of T.S. Elliot's Waste Land, within the age of the Hollow Men and the new Crisis of cultural disintegration in the West. It is a time for 'Killing The King’.”

Pillar Of Fire is due out July 21st on CD, 2xLP, and digital formats via Relapse Records.

Comments Tau Cross on the new album: "Pillar Of Fire is the continuation of some of the ideas that were explored on our first album. This time we have managed to share the songwriting more equally and introduce some other textures to the songs. This should help to establish Tau Cross as less of a one-off phenomenon and more of an ongoing musical collective producing our own distinctive sonic environment."

Pillar Of Fire was recorded across three different countries and co-produced by "The Baron" in the same manner as their eponymous debut. The drums were tracked in Montreal, guitars in Minneapolis, bass in Seattle and Minneapolis, and vocals on the Isle Of Skye in Scotland.

Physical pre-orders and exclusive bundles are currently available via Relapse.com at this location.. Digital preorders are available via Bandcamp here.

Pillar Of Fire further expands the group's unique musical approach ranging from dark folk witchery to industrial punk metal brutalism; a moody melting pot of Killing Joke's metallic post-punk and Motörhead's anthemic, hard rock with flourishes of traditional instrumentation and an infusion of 16th century English mysticism. Pillar Of Fire is a musical unearthing of Tau Cross' philosophical preoccupations: mythological motifs, ultra-terrestrial hypotheses, surreal, social political landscapes, and the endless search for meaning in a controlled universe.

Pillar Of Fire tracklisting:

“Raising Golem”
“Bread And Circuses”
“On The Water”
“Deep State”
“Pillar Of Fire”
“Killing The King”
“A White Horse”
“The Big House”
“RFID”
“Seven Wheels”
“What Is A Man”
“Three Down” (Vinyl + Digital Bonus Track)
“We Are The Terror” (Vinyl + Digital Bonus Track)
“In Time” (Vinyl + Digital Bonus Track)

“Deep State” video:

Tau Cross has confirmed a European headlining tour from July 29th in Finland through August 8th in Denmark. See all confirmed dates below.
 
July
29 - Puntala Rock Festival - Lempaala, Finalnd
30 - Street Bar 95- Turku, Finalnd

August
1 - Kraken - Stockholm, Sweden
2 - Revolver - Oslo, Norway
3 - Truckstop Alaska - Gothenburg, Sweden
4 - Hafenklang - Hamburg, Germany
5 - Baroeg - Rotterdam, Netherlands
6 - Disintegrate Your Ignorance Fest - Giavera del Montello, Italy
7 - Badehaus - Berlin, Germany
8 - Beta Dirty Days of Summer - Copenhagen, Denmark

Formed in 2013 across two continents and three countries, Tau Cross is the natural evolution of Miller's work in Amebix. The band's self-titled debut was recorded in 2014 and released via Relapse Records in May 2015. Tau Cross may have set a high standard for its first record, but if the band has proven anything so far, it's that it's incredibly skilled at meeting - and exceeding - expectations.

Tau Cross made their live debut performance in 2016 in North America, followed by a special mainstage performance at the legendary Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands. Now in 2017, Tau Cross return with their sophomore full-length, Pillar Of Fire.

Tau Cross:

Rob "The Baron" Miller - bass/vocals
Andy Lefton - guitar
Jon Misery - guitar
Michel "Away" Langevin - drums
Tom Radlo - bass
James Adams - keyboards

Queens Of The Stone Age are streaming the new song, “The Way You Used To Do”, from their upcoming Villains album. Listen to the track below.

Produced by Mark Ronson and co-produced by Mark Rankin and mixed by Alan Moulder, Villains is the first full album offering from Queens Of The Stone Age since 2013’s …Like Clockwork. Out on August 25th via Matador Records, the album is available across three formats. Pre-order here.

“The title Villains isn’t a political statement. It has nothing to do with Trump or any of that shit. It’s simply 1) a word that looks fantastic and 2) a comment on the three versions of every scenario: yours, mine and what actually happened… Everyone needs someone or something to rail against - their villain - same as it ever was. You can’t control that. The only thing you can really control is when you let go." - Joshua Homme

Tracklisting:

“Feet Don’t Fail Me”
“The Way You Used To Do”
“Domesticated Animals”
“Fortress”
“Head Like A Haunted House”
“Un-Reborn Again”
“Hideaway”
“The Evil Has Landed”
“Villains Of Circumstance”

“The Way You Used To Do”:

Mareridt (translation: Nightmare) is the sophomore full-length from renowned Danish composer and multi-instrumentalist Myrkur. Recorded between Copenhagen and Seattle with producer Randall Dunn (Marissa Nadler, Earth, Sunn O))), Boris, Wolves In The Throne Room), Mareridt is a rich juxtaposition of the dark and the light; the moon and the mother earth; the witch and the saint.

Myrkur explores deeper into the mysterious and the feminine with compositions that further progress her visionary blend of metal with gorgeous, stirring melodies, dark folk passages, choral arrangements and superb, horrific beauty. Today Myrkur gives us a glimpse behind the scenes and of what is to come this fall in the album trailer for Mareridt.

Further taking Myrkur to new artistic heights are lyrics in multiple languages and an array of special instrumentation including violin, mandola, folk drums, nyckelharpa (an ancient Swedish key harp), and Kulning (an ancient Scandinavian herding call). Myrkur was recently captured at home in Copenhagen playing Scandinavian Folk on her nyckelharpa.

Mareridt is a profound manifestation of nightmares that demonstrates Myrkur as one of the truly exceptional artists of our time. In August she will perform her first ever North American headlining show in NYC at Saint Vitus before heading to this year's Psycho Las Vegas Festival. Tickets and more info are available here and stay tuned for more details to come on Mareridt.

Live dates:

June
22 - Halden, Norway - Tons of Rock 2017
24 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
25 - Bucharest, Romania - Metalhead Meeting

July
21 - Katowice, Poland - Metal Hammer Festival
22 - Sheffield, UK - Tramlines Festival

August
17 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
18 - Las Vegas, NV - Psycho Las Vegas

October
26 - Stockholm, Sweden - Close-Up Baten Cruise

November
4 - Leeds, UK - Damnation Festival

(Photo - Daria Endresen)

With song titles like "You're A Fucking Dick”, "Busted, Broke & American" and "All Out Of Bubblegum" you would think that M.O.D. - shorthand for Method Of Destruction - and their founder and fearless leader (the artist formerly known as the legendary Billy Milano), aren't masking their intentions on their new album. In fact, it would be a logical assumption that Milano and co. are putting their unabashed and unedited thoughts and feelings out there for all to see and hear with their new album Busted, Broke & American - self-righteous and politically correct social justice warriors be damned!

Busted, Broke & American will be released July 7th via Megaforce Records. "You're A Fucking Dick” is available for streaming below.

As to be expected, Busted, Broke & American is fast, it's furious, and it makes no apologies. It also mixes hardcore, punk rock, and thrash and the end result is a thoroughly combustible collection of songs. The words "I'm sorry" are not a part of the album's vocabulary. At the center of the sonic storm remains Milano, who has never been known to shy away from speaking his mind.

Billy Milano, a voracious reader, avid cook and a Proud and Loud Republican, inadvertently resurrected his hardcore punk rock band in a time when he needed it most. You'd be mistaken to assume anything when it comes to Billy Milano. For M.O.D. and their new album, which finds the band returning to original label home Megaforce Records after two decades, there was no pre-determined mission. At all. It was born of love.

"I had taken off time with M.O.D. in 2009," Milano recalls. "We had done 100 shows for [2007's] Red, White & Screwed. I needed a break. My dog Buster, an American bulldog, got sick with cancer and I started to play guitar again while staying home with him. I started jamming again, anticipating something quick, but it wasn't."

Buster was a huge part of Milano's life, having toured with the frontman. As anyone that truly has forged a deep bond with a canine can relate to, Milano turned to his trusted instrument to help him endure the pain of watching his friend wind down his life. "I just started playing guitar, while sitting there, looking at him, giving him medicine," he says. "I wanted to run and play with my dog, and I couldn't. The only way to be with him was to sit there and play guitar. I had no goal to do a record. I just wrote all the material."

While Milano may be older and wiser these days, he's not any softer. He's admittedly still cynical, but has learned to temper it by being more caring and forgiving. Still, music remains something he loves doing and he still operates off the zero fucks given principle. "I don't give a fuck, but I like playing," he reasons. "I like making records. It's like cooking - it's an extension of me."

Busted, Broke, & American tracklisting:

“Eisenhower Was Right”
“The Final Declaration”
“You're A Fucking Dick”
“Busted, Broke & American”
“Fight”
“Hooligan”
“Billy Be Damned”
“Shattered Dreams & Broken Glass”
“They”
“All Out Of Bubblegum”
“Go Go Revolution”
“Kennedy Speaks”

"You're A Fucking Dick”:

“Busted, Broke & American”:

Fan-filmed video footage of Maryland rockers CLUTCH performing two new songs — "How To Shake Hands" and "We Love A Good Fire" — on June 14 at The Limelight 1 in Belfast, Northern Ireland can be seen below.

As previously reported, CLUTCH have written "handful of tunes" for the follow-up to 2015's "Psychic Warfare", with plans to enter the studio later in the year. CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster told Metal Wani at last weekend's Download festival in the U.K.: "We took a good bit of time off [from touring]. We were off [the road] for nearly four months, and so for us, that's quite a long time; we hadn't taken that much time off in… I don't remember how long. So we spent a good portion of that writing new songs, working out in the jam room, working on new arrangements, working on concepts. And at this point, we have a handful of tunes that have vocal ideas. We've been putting them into the set."

Gaster added that it is "super important" for CLUTCH to test out some of the new material in a live setting, because it "really gives us the opportunity to hear the song for what it is." He explained: "As a drummer, I'm always trying to find the pulse of that tune. And most recently, I'm really making an effort not to just superimpose what I think the pulse should be of that tune; the tune will tell you what to play. It's a matter of actually playing the song and listening to the way the guys interact with the music, watching the crowd and seeing what the crowd reacts to — all this stuff goes into it. So it's an exciting time for us right now; it's very sort of… [We're] in a very creative mindspace right now."

Asked if it gets easier to write new CLUTCH music as the years pass, the drummer said: "Yeah, I think it does, actually. In a lot of ways, we get together and there's very little vocal communication sometimes. We might be in the room for a half hour or forty-five minutes playing the whole time and creating this thing, but no one ever actually says anything… It's like we've gotten to the point where we sort of share a brain, you know. And there's a lot of beer and stuff in that brain, but there's a brain; it's a collective brain."

Gaster also talked about CLUTCH's longevity despite the band's refusal to follow musical trends. "I think part of that has to do with the fact that when we got the band together, the intention was not to make a million dollars and it wasn't to be a huge band and it wasn't to be on the radio," he said. "It was really just to… We just wanted to play some cool shows and make some records that we were proud of, and that was really the beginning and the end of it. And I think because of that, even in the times that were tough, whether it was financial times or dealing with the label, we always went back to that. It was really about the music, and it's still about the music. And so that makes it easy as well."

He added: "It's amazing. I still enjoy doing what we do, I enjoy being with the guys, I enjoy making music with them, being creative and challenging ourselves."

As previously reported, 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.