Fan-filmed video footage of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's August 20 performance at the new U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota as the support act for METALLICA can be seen below. The concert marked the band's second appearance with drummer Brooks Wackerman, who joined AVENGED last year after the departure of Arin Ilejay.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows told the WGRD radio station about finding Wackerman: "Well, the process was really easy, because… Well, first off, we had to keep it secret, because we had to respect BAD RELIGION and what he was gonna have to do with telling them that he decided that he wanted to play with us. And we're huge fans of BAD RELIGION; they're one of our favorite bands growing up, and they still are — they still put out such great music. And so, for us, it was about just working with him for a year before we even announced it, 'cause we wanted to make sure he was the right guy. But deep down, we already knew. We've known Brooks for years and years and years, and we knew he was just a phenomenal drummer. We knew that there was no way he was gonna have trouble recreating The Rev's parts and Mike Portnoy's parts. So, basically, for us, it was about writing with him, and writing songs with him, to see how that went, before we decided to pull the trigger. And so, once we did that, we just knew… I mean, you can show that guy a song and he can learn it in three listens; he's that good of a drummer. So he's probably more prepared than we are, honestly, on some of these old songs, especially for the guitar players — they're playing all these duels and all these solos. And then Brooks, he's got it down. You can show him and song and he can learn it within a day, which is cool."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has been recording its seventh studio album, but it's not clear when the disc will be released since the band announced earlier this year that it was attempting to sever its contract with Warner Bros. Records.

M. Shadows stated about the status of songwriting and recording sessions for AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next CD: "We're writing, we've been throwing stuff around. You know, we've been working, and that's all I can really say about it. I think there's a lot of speculation online, and we're just kind of leaving it that way. But when there's something to be heard, we'll let the world know. But right now, we're just still working on stuff."

Warner sued the group in January for breach of contract, claiming the band owed it another studio effort and a live set on its existing deal.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD said at the time that "none of the senior management or A&R executives who were at the company and responsible for signing us are still there."

The band's previous two releases, 2013's "Hail To The King" and 2010's "Nightmare", both topped the Billboard album chart.

Texas metalcore band MEMPHIS MAY FIRE will release its new studio album, "This Light I Hold", on October 28 via Rise Records. The CD features guest appearances by PAPA ROACH's Jacoby Shaddix (on the title track) and former MY AMERICAN HEART vocalist Larry Soliman (on "Not Over Yet").

Speaking about the new record, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE frontman Matty Mullins says: "I feel like we took a giant step forward with this album. Having time off to write and not being rushed in the studio made such a massive difference. Musically, lyrically, sonically, this is my favorite MEMPHIS MAY FIRE album. We can't wait to share with you 'This Light I Hold'!"

Adds guitarist Kellen McGregor: "'This Light I Hold' just has that vibe, sonically speaking, that our fans are going to love. Every song stands on its own, yet the album gels as a cohesive whole. We're really proud of this one!"

"This Light I Hold" track listing:

01. Out Of It02. Carry On03. Wanting More04. Sever The Ties05. The Enemy06. This Light I Hold (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)07. That's Just Life08. Letting Go09. The Antidote10. Better Things11. Not Over Yet (feat. Larry Soliman)12. Unashamed13. Live It Well

The official lyric video for the first single, "Carry On", can be viewed below.

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE's last studio album, "Unconditional" rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts in its first week of release back in 2014, landing at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, and at No. 1 on the Hard Music, Rock and Independent charts.

The impressive first-week showing improved on the No. 16 chart debut of the band's 2012 LP, "Challenger".

Following their successful summer on this year's Vans Warped Tour and a support slot with I PREVAIL, Maryland quartet BAD SEED RISING will release its debut album, "Awake In Color", on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was produced by Drew Fulk, who has previously worked with MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and CROWN THE EMPIRE.

"I Can Feel You", the debut video from "Awake In Color", can be seen below. The clip was shot in Los Angeles by director Patrick Flaherty.

BAD SEED RISING vocalist Francheska Pastor stated about "I Can Feel You": "Nightmares are my favorite dreams. They're the only ones I have — at least what I can remember.

"'I Can Feel You' is an audio and video rendition of one certain dream I had about running away from something terrifyingly familiar on a train with a bag of nails weighing me down. I fall off the train trying to hide in tall grass and I see a snake coming to attack me and ends up strangling me. I remember waking up with scratches on my chest. I guess I thought it was really happening.

"I took some time and reflected that dream to real life and realized that the bag of nails are emotional baggage that's stopping my mental growth. The snake the truth that I've been hiding for years, and it's eventually coming back to bite me. And it did. I just thought that this dream alone was so introspective and somehow clairvoyant that I wanted to write about it. So we wrote 'I Can Feel You'." Since becoming the youngest band ever signed to Roadrunner, BAD SEED RISING has released two EPs and done extensive touring.

Those ordering physical copies of "Awake In Color" will be able to order the CD alone or in a bundle with an exclusive t-shirt. Along with the bundle, fans will receive a commemorative pin. The first 100 people ordering a bundle will receive a signed lyric sheet for the song "Fighting Gravity". Those ordering digitally will receive the instant grat tracks "I Can Feel You" and "Fighting Gravity". During a break in the I PREVAIL tour, the band shot the "Fighting Gravity" video. You can see it below. On September 12, BAD SEED RISING will head back on the road in support of ISLANDER and PALAYE ROYALE.

A SUN TRAVERSE
NEW DOOM METAL BAND FEAT. EX SATURNUS MEMBERS
A Sun Traverse is a Doom metal band from Copenhagen, Denmark.
After departing with SATURNUS, Peter E. Poulsen (guitars), Tais Pedersen (guitars), Nikolai Borg (drums) and Anders R. Nielsen (keyboards) formed A SUN TRAVERSE and was later joined by bassist player Lennart Jacobsen (also ex. SATURNUS). Recently vocalist Michael H. Andersen completed the line-up.
A SUN TRAVERSE is proud to present the first official release. A Journey into classic, melancholic yet beautiful doom/death metal with haunting melodies and deep, roaring vocals. Produced and mixed by KB Larsen (Volbeat, The Kandidate) and mastered by Henrik West/Medley Studio (Artillery, Glenn Hughes).
The Self titled minialbum is self released (with a little help from Mighty Music) on Christmas Eve 2016 on LP format and all digital platforms.
Recently a music video was done for the 8+ minute opus "Dance Darkness Dance" with Kennie Ørsted (The Vision Ablaze, Sea) to be released on October 28th.
Currently the band is booking their shows for early 2017."

"Light Of 1000 Eyes", the new video from U.K./Swedish melodic rockers SEVEN, can be seen below. The song is taken from SEVEN's new album, "Shattered", which will be released on September 23 by U.K. label Escape Music Ltd.

The roots of SEVEN can be traced back to the late '80s/early '90s in South Africa, of all places. At the time, Keith McFarlane and the brothers Simon and John LeFevre were in a band called FACE TO FACE, while Mick Devine was drummer in another band, called UC27. After releasing several singles and one album in a period of 18 months, FACE TO FACE split and the brothers LeFevre returned to the U.K. After a few months, they decided to reform the band and Mick was asked to join them in the U.K. as their drummer. It wasn't before long that the brothers discovered that Mick was actually a better singer than drummer, and so Mick became the band's lead vocalist. A couple of years later, they were joined by Pat Davey on bass and Austin Lane on drums and the band name was changed to SEVEN.

The AOR scene in the late '80s was a thriving hive of activity. At the turn of the new decade, the likes of Mitch Malloy, Paul Laine, FIREHOUSE, TYKETTO and TALISMAN were all signed up and ready to make an impact on the genre. Everybody wanted an AOR band, and Polydor Records was no exception. Having been fairly successful in the U.K with the likes of MAGNUM and LITTLE ANGELS, the label had set their sights on SEVEN, which at the time was a relatively unknown act from Bournemouth.

SEVEN toured extensively supporting an eclectic variety of acts that included the likes of Jason Donovan, Richard Marx, THE MONKEES and BROTHER BEYOND. It's a time period that Mick Devine is keen to reminisce about. "Even though they were out and out pop gigs, we loved the crowds and the noise," he says. "We went from pubs to opening to 3000 screaming fans in Southampton. It is a very addictive adrenaline rush. We got to play all the top venues, which were fantastic — including Wembley Arena, the NEC, BIC, SEC and even the Royal Albert Hall. The Richard Marx tour was definitely the best for us with a more grown up audience we were able to rock it up and truly be ourselves. It went down really well!"

With John Parr as producer, they recorded two very strong singles in the shape of "Inside Love" and "Man With A Vision", both of which achieved moderate success in the U.K. In 2014, the original bass player Pat Davey was working alongside Robert Hart on an Escape Music album when the name SEVEN cropped up in the conversation. It would seem that Khalil Turk was a big fan, as Devine explains. "Yeah, back in the day, Khalil had really loved the band and he got in touch to see if we would be interested in finally releasing an album," he says. Without too much convincing, the project was born.

The production talents of Lars Chriss (the LION'S SHARE guitarist whose repertoire includes albums with Steve Overland, Chris Ousey, LUGNET and RADIOACTIVE) were enlisted to produce the band's debut album, called "7", which was released to critical acclaim and was held up as one of the "albums of the year" on many lists. Following the success of the first album, a passion was rekindled within Devine and McFarlane, who began work on new material, and along with the writing talents of Lars Chriss, Fredrik Bergh (BLOODBOUND, ROB MORATTI, STREET TALK), Andy Loos (LION'S SHARE, GLORY, CHRIS OUSEY), Kay Backlund (LION'S SHARE, NIVA) and Jeff Paris (MR. BIG, Y&T, VIXEN, RADIOACTIVE), that passion was given focus and a place to come to life. What they discovered was a well of untapped creativity that had been hidden for far too long and the songs poured out.

SEVEN's "Shattered" is a collection of wonderfully catchy songs that rely on clean and memorable melodies that allow Devine's distinctive voice to shine through. It was Devine who took the lead in writing the lyrics on this album, matching the intensity and feel of the music to deliver a modern melodic rock album with influences ranging from hints of FOREIGNER in "A Better Life" and "Broken Dream", JOURNEY in "High Hopes" and even traces of MAGNUM in "Light Of 1000 Eyes" and "Last Illusion". The lyrical themes are drawn from a depth of life experience and observations and are heartfelt and real. The production talents of Chriss and the lineup of truly great musicians, deliver an album of depth and variation which ranges from driving guitar-led tracks with memorable riffs to melodic anthems, all backed by stunning keys, bass and standout solos. It is an album that is a worthy follow-up to the critically acclaimed "7".

"Shattered" track listing:

01. Light Of 1000 Eyes02. A Better Life03. Fight04. Shattered05. Live This Life06. Pieces Of You07. Broken Dream08. High Hopes09. I Needed Time10. Taking Over11. Last Illusion12. World Of Make Believe (bonus track)

SEVEN is:

Mick Devine: VocalsLars Chriss: Guitars, DrumsAndy Loos: BassFredrik Bergh: KeyboardsKay Backlund: Keyboards

Produced and mixed by: Lars ChrissMastered by: Mike LindExecutive producer: Khalil Turk

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON will enter the studio in the fall to begin recording their seventh album. Guitarist Bill Kelliher told MikeJamesRockShow.com about the writing sessions for the follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun": "Me personally, I've put together about eleven songs in my own studio, myself, just in my down time. Once we get home from this [European] tour, we're all gonna try to get in and hone in on it and put it into each other's hands so everyone can kind of make it a MASTODON record."

He continued: "With the eleven songs that we've recorded so far, it's mostly been Brann [Dailor, drums] and myself. I mean, he lives down the street from me, we grew up together and we write together.

"Once we get home, we're gonna just pick up where we left off. But we're pretty well ahead of the curve. Like I said, there's about eleven, twelve solid ideas, full songs that are there with vocals and everything. It's just a matter of finetuning [them] and cutting pieces outta here and there."

Kelliher added that MASTODON is hoping to enter the studio pretty quickly in order to capture the vibe of the new material.

"Our plan right now is to start recording in October, November," he said. "So pretty soon. We've gotta keep it fresh. You write something, if you let it sit too long, if it's not completed and recorded… It's not as fresh as when you first come up with the ideas and you record it right away, because that's when you really hit the nail in the head."

Earlier this month, Dailor said that MASTODON's next album would likely be "more proggy" than its predecessor. He said: "It sounds like MASTODON to me but an updated version. We always try to push to hear something new and hear something different, so that's what's going on.

"It's impossible to tell somebody what something sounds like, so I'll spare the details. But so far so good — we go with what we know, play what we like, and if we don't like it, we don't play it."

The last show of MASTODON's European tour will take place tonight (Tuesday, August 30) in Athens, Greece.

Sweden Rock Magazine held a party at Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm on August 26 to celebrate the release of the magazine's new issue about the 100 greatest hard rock/metal guitarists of all time as voted by the readers. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH) came in at No. 1, followed by Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW), Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen and Slash (GUNS N' ROSES).

At the party, TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy, who was in town doing press for the band's new album, gave an introduction speech and W.A.S.P. guitarist Doug Blair (who came in at No. 99 on the greatest-guitarists list) performed a short set that included W.A.S.P.'s "Sleeping In The Fire" (dedicated to former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes), KISS's "Forever" with THERION/ex-CANDLEMASS vocalist Thomas Vikström, and LED ZEPPELIN's "Going To California" with ADRENALINE RUSH frontwoman Tåve Wanning.

Video footage of the event can be seen below.

Dutch symphonic metallers, Delain, released their fifth studio album, Moonbathers, on August 27th via Napalm Records. On August 28th the band held an album release party at Muziek Café Stathe in Utrecht, Netherlands and performed a short acoustic set. Fan-filmed video is available below.

A full Moonbathers audio preview can be found below.

Moonbathers, mastered by Grammy award winning Ted Jensen, will satiate your hunger for the symphonic greatness, catchy hooks and a solid dose of metal that the band is known for. It showcases Delain from both their most extravagant and sensitive sides as they explore all things nocturnal through an especially varied set of tracks including a surprising cover of classic rock legends Queen as well as a reappearance of Alissa White-Gluz as a special guest on opening track, “Hands Of Gold".

The visual counterpart comes courtesy of longtime collaborator and neo-Victorian romantic Glenn Arthur:

Tracklisting:

“Hands Of Gold” (featuring Alissa White-Gluz)
“The Glory And The Scum”
“Suckerpunch”
“The Hurricane”
“Chrysalis - The Last Breath”
“Fire With Fire”
“Pendulum”
“Danse Macabre”
“Scandal” (Queen cover)
“Turn The Lights Out”
“The Monarch”

Bonus CD
“Suckerpunch” - Live In The Netherlands
“Turn The Lights Out” - Live In The Netherland
“The Glory And The Scum” - Live In The Netherlands
“Don't Let Go” - Live In The Netherlands
“The Glory And The Scum” - Orchestra
“Hands Of Gold” - Orchestra

Album preview:

“Fire With Fire”:

Listen to DELAIN – Fire With Fire byNapalmRecords on hearthis.at

“The Glory And The Scum" lyric video:

Delain will celebrate their 10th anniversary with a special show in Amsterdam on December 10th that will also be recorded and filmed for a release on CD and DVD.

The band states: “Happy Birthday to…US! Dear Delainers, as many of you know, 2016 marks a very important milestone for Delain: our tenth anniversary in music! In September 2006, we released our debut record, Lucidity, and YOUR overwhelming response to our first record made us turn Delain: The Project into Delain: The Band. That was 10 years ago, and today, we find ourselves looking back at a decade of rocking stages all over the world. Four albums, two EPs, and ten years later, we feel that we need to celebrate this milestone properly…with you!

“On December 10, 2016, legendary Amsterdam music venue Paradiso Amsterdam is ours to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We are planning to go all out for this one! Best of all, the entire show will be recorded and made available on DVD, Blu-Ray, CD, vinyl, and digital download! We’ve made it as a band for ten years thanks to you, so we turn to you directly to help us make this happen. Please check out our Pledge campaign and get ready for the biggest birthday bash ever! We are incredibly excited about this project and we hope you will join in with us!”

Delain recently announced a fall European/UK tour.

Since the release of their album The Human Contradiction in 2014 on Napalm Records, Delain have been constantly touring all over the world and shared the stages with arena acts such as Nightwish, Within Temptation and Sabaton. Delain ended 2015 headlining and conquering stages in sold out venues all over the world.

In between heavily touring, Delain found the time to release a new EP titled Lunar Prelude (February 2016, Napalm Records), which includes two brand new tracks, exciting live cuts, mastered by Grammy Award winning Ted Jensen, Lunar Prelude leaves the listener with a hunger for more, but shortens the wait for the next full length album.

October
14 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
15 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
16 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
17 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
19 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia-Theater
20 - Cracov, Poland - Kwadrat
21 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
22 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock Club
25 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Majestic Music Club
27 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
28 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
29 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
30 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
31 - Lyon, France - Ninkasi Kao

November
2 - Madrid, Spain - Arena
3 - Toulouse, France - Metronum
4 - Paris, France - Elysee Montmartre
5 - Lille, France - Le Splendid
6 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
8 - Birmingham, UK - Institute
9 - Glasgow, UK - The Classic Ground
11 - Dublin, UK - Button Factory
12 - Manchester, UK - The Ritz
13 - London, UK - Koko
15 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront
16 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
17 - Cardiff, UK - Tramshed

Glenn Hughes claims that he turned down an opportunity to join Ritchie Blackmore for live appearances where the guitarist revisited his past with RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE.

Prior to the three shows Blackmore played earlier this summer with an all-new version of RAINBOW, the legendary axeman hadn't performed an exclusively hard rock concert under the RAINBOW moniker since May 1997. Since that time, the guitarist had focused his efforts on composing and performing renaissance and baroque-inspired music with his wife, Candice Night, in their band BLACKMORE'S NIGHT.

Asked for his opinion on the new RAINBOW, Hughes told HardrockHaven.net: "[Ritchie] asked me to do it with him. And I said no because he wanted to, funny enough, he wanted to use an unknown singer and I said, 'It's not me. It's not me to do that.' I've done that with David [Coverdale, former DEEP PURPLE and current WHITESNAKE singer] and it was good. I don't want to do it again. It was something… I said, I very eloquently said, 'No, thank you. I really would like to see you, but I can't do this at the point where I am right now.'"

Hughes also commented on WHITESNAKE's 2015 release "The Purple Album", which was billed as "a re-imagination of classic songs from David Coverdale's time as the lead singer for DEEP PURPLE's Mark III and Mark IV studio albums."

Glenn said: "Jimmy Page told me 18 months ago, 'Have you heard this? David's album on the PURPLE.' I said, 'Excuse me?' Page is telling me and I'm going, 'Thanks for telling me.' [Laughs] I didn't know about it. So I didn't know about it until it was announced, and then David sent me a copy and wanted my opinion. I got back to him, and blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I guested with him onstage last year in Beverly Hills and it was great.

"David and I, for all intents and purposes… I'm really good friends with David. I mean, really, like as close as you can get, but he didn't want to tell me about 'The Purple Album' for some reason. I never asked him. I wasn't upset at all. I absolutely wasn't. He just put his own spin on it. He just put his own spin on those songs and I gave him my two cents' worth. I said, 'Great, I think you did a good job on changing the stuff up a little bit.' You know?"

He continued: "I think the reason he did it is because we were going to get together with Jon Lord to do a Mach III and, when Jon died, David figured out to get Ritchie in would be impossible and then Ian Paice is with… so I think he just went off on his own and did his own tribute. And I never had a problem with it. People think I did, but I never had a problem with whatever David does…

"I was informed by Jimmy, but I was a little bit surprised, you know? I was quite surprised that I wasn't asked to do something with him on it, because it would have been great, I think, for fans, but I think he wanted to put his own spin on it which I also understand. Like I said, David and I are as close as you can get."

Hughes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year along with Blackmore, Coverdale, Lord, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, has just completed work on a new solo album for an early November release.

Sharon Osbourne says that controversial Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is "disgusting" and "completely insane."

Ozzy's wife and manager, who holds dual American and British citizenship, tells The Sunday Times about the prospect of a Trump presidency: "It's very, very scary. I don't believe he thought he would get this far. He just wanted to build the brand, and now I think he's terrified.

"His wife is gorgeous, I mean, God bless her, she didn't sign up for this. She signed up for Park Avenue and a blowjob every night and the credit card. That's what she signed up for.

"I feel very sorry for her having that big thing on top of you every night. I mean, he's disguuuuusting. Disgusting. He is, like, completely insane."

Sharon previously defended Melania Trump after Donald's wife was accused of plagiarizing a 2008 speech by Michelle Obama.

"I feel badly for her," Sharon said on her talk show. "As a woman, I feel really badly for her. She's in a situation that is so huge.

Sharon added that she was convinced Melania wrote her own speech.

"I'm sure she did write it, and I'm sure she put her heart in it. I'm sure that she researched other candidate's wives' speeches," Sharon said, explaining how Melania might have borrowed segments from Michelle's speech.

"She obviously connected with the words of the First Lady and I think that she being from where she is, she doesn't realize that people hang on your every word. Everything you say is going to be researched. She doesn't know. She's in something with is so huge, so big, she's like doggy paddling to stay above the water."

Sharon, who worked with Donald Trump on "Celebrity Apprentice", told Conan O'Brien that she "would be terrified" if Trump were actually elected president, "because he's a narcissist," she said. "He just is — he knows that about himself.... And if somebody disagrees with him, he doesn't take it well. And to think that this man would have his hand on that button — can you imagine? He's got such a quick, fiery temper."

"Take Me Down", the first single from THE PRETTY RECKLESS's upcoming album, "Who You Selling For", has reached No. 1 on the rock chart after just seven short weeks. This milestone marks the fourth consecutive No. 1 for the band who broke records as the first female-fronted band to have three chart toppers in a row with "Heaven Knows", "Messed Up World" and "Follow Me Down" (all from 2014's "Going To Hell") — a feat that has not been accomplished since THE PRETENDERS in 1984, over 30 years ago. "THE PRETTY RECKLESS are the most exciting new band in rock. Taylor Momsen is a star, and we take a great deal of pride in helping the band break through in a genre largely dominated by male artists," says Razor & Tie co-founder Cliff Chenfeld. "This is just the beginning." THE PRETTY RECKLESS's extraordinary third studio album, "Who You Selling For", is set for release on October 21. Produced by longtime collaborator Kato Khandwala, "Who You Selling For" expands the band's sound to encompass soul, blues and rock and roll. The songs were written by frontwoman Taylor Momsen and guitarist Ben Phillips. Momsen's dark lyrics and raw, charismatic vocals are on full display and the band delivers at full intensity with a level of musicianship that raises the bar.

Despite feeling the physical and emotional demands from their epic two-year run supporting "Going To Hell", Momsen and Phillips jumped right into writing the songs for the new album. "We had so much we wanted to say, it was like shaking a can of soda on tour, and then when we started writing we cracked the seal," said Momsen. "The touring life is very isolating. You look at the world through a bus or airplane window. But music is the healing factor. It's the one thing that is grounding and a true companion through the forest. It saved us — again." With "Who You Selling For", the band continues to take bold steps forward, cementing their place at the forefront of rock. The deeply personal album features a diverse set of standout tracks, from the blistering hard rock of "Oh My God" to the classic southern rock of "Back To The River". Lead single "Take Me Down" features Taylor's distinctively smoky voice rolling over '60s-tinged rock guitar. THE PRETTY RECKLESS hits the road this fall in support of the album, hitting major markets in the U.S. and wrapping on December 6 in Los Angeles. Formed in 2009, THE PRETTY RECKLESS released their debut album, "Light Me Up", in 2010 scoring legions of fans worldwide, but it was their sophomore record "Going To Hell" that positioned the band to become the first new artist to break out of rock in years.

MikeJamesRockShow.com conducted an interview with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Jeremy Spencer at this past weekend's Reading festival in Reading, England. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's follow-up to last year's "Got Your Six" album, Jeremy said: "We've got a few tracks so far that we're really digging on.

"You know, it kind of changes course throughout the whole recording process; it starts one way and it finishes another way."

He continued: "I would prefer if we had more time to be off road and actually record, but we have to kind of fit it in when we can, and it's going well, and we're happy."

According to Jeremy, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will continue working on the new album over the course of the next few months while staying on the road in support of "Got Your Six".

"We'll be back in the studio finishing up [the next] record, but we'll be touring this one up through the end of this year," he said.

"Got Your Six" was officially certified gold on August 8 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

Effective February 1, the RIAA started including on-demand audio and video streams and a track sale equivalent in determining which releases get the coveted album awards, a change that follows a similar tweak in 2013 to include on-demand streams for its digital single award.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH recently signed a North American deal with Rise Records. The band's first album with Rise, the BMG-owned rock label, will be released following the completion of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's obligation to its current label, Prospect Park.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced a new co-headlining arena tour with SHINEDOWN that will kick off on October 18 in Little Rock, Arkansas and run into December. SIXX A.M. and AS LIONS will be along as support.

Canadian progressive metal band, Auras, have released two new tracks today, roughly one month before the release of their all new LP. The music video for "Dream Elixir" can be seen below:

The band also released "Spiral”, another track from their debut LP. The song is now available on Spotify and iTunes as an instant gratification track. Listen to the track below.

Heliospectrum will be released on September 30th via Good Fight Music. Pre-order options can be found at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Waterstone”
“The Ripple Effect”
“Eloquence”
“Stars Abound”
“Cosmic Black”
“Dream Elixir”
“Chronos Fear”
“Spiral”
“Infinite Influence”
“Solar Pulse”

“Spiral”:

“Waterstone”:

Seventh Wonder's first live album, Welcome To Atlanta Live 2014, will be released on September 23rd. Pre-orders are available here. Listen to the bonus track “Alley Cat”, streaming below.

One of the major draws of the fifteenth edition of ProgPower USA, that was the opportunity to get to see Sweden's finest progressive metal band, Seventh Wonder perform their signature album Mercy Falls in its entirety. And judging by the crowd's reaction on that night, it was obvious that the fans had been waiting for this for a long time. Not content, the band played again the following day to a crowd of gold badge-holders and VIPs, including singer Tommy Karevik's mates from his other band Kamelot, and performed a bunch of songs from other albums which were not played the night before.

All in all it was a genuine and raw performance and this live album sums up very well all the best material included in Seventh Wonder's acclaimed first four albums and lets you know what to expect in terms of direction of new material to come. In fact, the band decided to round out this amazing release with two studio tracks. One is the awesome "Inner Enemy", already available on YouTube (streaming below). The other song, "The Promise", is an epic track of almost 10 minutes in length which highlights the multifaceted talents of this band.

Bass player Andreas Blomqvist says, "It has been a dream of mine for many, many years to be able to record and release a solid live product. Fans of music such as ours usually enjoy watching live performances, as the musicianship is often very much in focus. "Mercy Falls" was the perfect album to bring to the live setting, but we just never had a chance to pull it off before. Finally the stars aligned, and we made it happen. As icing on the cake, Frontiers stepped in to release it for us, which we are delighted about. We are very happy with the way it turned out, and the mix is nothing short of amazing! I am thrilled to be able to bring you guys this release and thankful that Frontiers chooses to prioritize this release right away, so that the fans starved for Seventh Wonder releases at last gets something solid to sink their teeth into while waiting for the upcoming studio album!"

This album aptly closes the first chapter of the band's history and works as a tasty appetizer for the new studio album planned for release in early 2017.

Welcome To Atlanta Live 2014 will be available in two physical configurations: a 2 DVD set and a very special, limited edition deluxe digibook containing 2 CDs and 2 DVDs. Final tracklisting below (CD version is only available in the deluxe edition 2CD/2DVD).

DVD1 - Mercy Falls Live
“A New Beginning”
“There And Back” (overture)
“Welcome To Mercy Falls”
“Unbreakable”
“Tears For A Father”
“A Day Away”
“Tears For A Son”
“Paradise”
“Fall In Line”
“Break The Silence”
“Hide And Seek”
“Destiny Calls”
“One Last Goodbye”
“Back In Time”
“The Black Parade”

Encore:
“Inner Enemy”
 
DVD2 - Bonus Tracks
“Taint The Sky”
“Banish The Wicked”
“Alley Cat”
“Walking Tall”
“The Edge Of My Blade”
“King Of Whitewater”
“Seventh Wonder Odyssey”
 
CD1 - Mercy Falls Live (Deluxe Edition only)
“A New Beginning”
“There And Back” (overture)
“Welcome To Mercy Falls”
“Unbreakable”
“Tears For A Father”
“A Day Away”
“Tears For A Son”
“Paradise”
“Fall In Line”
“Break The Silence”
“Hide And Seek”
“Destiny Calls”
“One Last Goodbye”
“Back In Time”
“The Black Parade”
 
CD2 - Bonus Tracks (Deluxe Edition only)
“Taint The Sky”
“Banish The Wicked”
“Alley Cat”
“Walking Tall”
“The Edge Of My Blade”
“King Of Whitewater”
“Seventh Wonder Odyssey”
“Inner Enemy” (new studio track)
“The Promise” (new studio track)

“Alley Cat”:

“Welcome To Mercy Falls”:

Trailer:

“Inner Enemy”:

Seventh Wonder lineup:

Vocals: Tommy Karevik
Bass: Andreas Blomqvist
Guitar: Johan Liefvendahl
Keys: Andreas Söderin
Drums: Stefan Norgren

Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network concert special Blue Öyster Cult airing Friday, September 2nd, at 9 PM, ET/PT (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). The classic rock band stopped by Red Studios in Los Angeles to perform their seminal album Agents Of Fortune in it's entirety live. In the episode, the group sits down with Ted Stryker for an in depth interview spanning their history.

For a preview of the AUDIENCE Network concert special, video of the band performing their classic hit "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" can be found below. Also available are behind-the-scenes clips of the episode (also below).

AUDIENCE Network's new music slate continues to deliver groundbreaking concerts, unique stories and exclusive performances across all genres, plus select programming in ultra high-definition/4K*, to audiences nationwide since multiple series began airing this past January. Recent concert specials include Cheap Trick, Peter Frampton and others. New shows premiere via national broadcast Friday at 8 PM, ET/PT on DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114, as well as streaming on directv.com, uverse.com and on smartphones and tablets, via the DIRECTV and U-verse apps.**

AUDIENCE Network's multiple series of original and exclusive performances give music fans an intimate view of music's most influential artists today. The network collaborates directly with musicians to create a unique show from their perspective.

For over four decades, Blue Öyster Cult has been thrilling fans of intelligent hard rock worldwide with powerful albums loaded with classic songs. Indeed, the Long Island, NY-­based band is revered within the hard rock and heavy metal scene for its pioneering work. Blue Öyster Cult occupies a unique place in rock history because it's one of very few hard rock/heavy metal bands to earn both genuine mainstream critical acclaim as well as commercial success. The band is often cited as a major influence by other acts such as Metallica, and BÖC was listed in VH1's countdown of the greatest hard rock bands of all time.

Upon the release of BÖC's self-titled debut album in 1972, the band was praised for its catchy-yet-­heavy music and lyrics that could be provocative, terrifying, funny or ambiguous, often all in the same song. BÖC's canon includes three stone-cold classic songs that will waft through the cosmos long after the sun has burned out: The truly haunting "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" from 1976's Agents Of Fortune, the pummelling "Godzilla" from 1977's Spectres and the hypnotically melodic "Burnin' For You" from 1981's Fire Of Unknown Origin. The intense creative vision of BÖC's original core duo of vocalist/lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Eric Bloom are complemented by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards, and the longtime rhythm section of bass guitarist  Kasim Sulton, and drummer Jules Radino. For the taping of this special performance, they are joined by former member Albert Bouchard (guitar, percussion, vocals).

* Limited titles available. Requires a Genie HD DVR (model HR54 or later) and a DIRECTV 4K Ready TV, or 4K TV connected to a 4K Genie Mini. Additional & advanced receiver fees apply. ULTIMATE Package or higher and 4K account authorization required. Visit directv.com/4K for complete details.

** Access via computer or app requires qualifying device and data connection. Access to content varies by device, TV plan, and viewing location. Data charges may apply.

(Photo - Aaron Farley, AT&T and AUDIENCE Network)

Grammy nominated Christopher Hathcock has returned with the fourth album from The Reticent. Heaven & Hell Records has announced the October 5th release of On The Eve Of A Goodbye. The album was produced by Jamie King (BTBAM, The Wretched, Scale The Summit), and will be released on limited edition CD with complete lyrics.

Check out the official video for album track "The Girl Broken", as well as "The Comprehension" video below.

This is undoubtedly the most ambitious and intense offering from The Reticent to date. An uncompromising autobiographical concept record, On The Eve Of A Goodbye is certain to exceed all expectations, boasting 73 minutes of stirring progressive metal that must be heard in its entirety to grasp the full magnitude.

On The Eve Of A Goodbye is an autobiographical concept album. All of the tracks serve to detail the day before, day of, and day after the suicide of The Reticent's mastermind Chris Hathcock's childhood friend, Eve. The songs chronicle his concern for her, her deterioration into self-hatred, and culminates with the tragic act and its aftermath. Not only a stylistic contrast to previous releases, this album is also intensely more personal than past Reticent albums (which were already emotional purges). The album is intended to be heard as a single entity rather than a collection of tracks.

Tracklisting:

“24 Hours Left”
“The Girl Broken”
“The Hypocrite”
“19 Hours Left”
“The Comprehension”
“The Confrontation”
“The Apology”
“10 Hours Left”
“The Mirror's Reply”
“The Postscript”
“2 Hours Left”
“The Decision”
“Funeral For A Firefly”
“The Day After”
“For Eve”

"The Girl Broken" video:

"The Comprehension" video:

The album was recorded in order in the span of a few days in the summer of 2015 (with a touch up in November 2015). Producer/Engineer Jamie King (known for previous work with BTBAM, The Wretched, Scale The Summit, etc.) chose to allow Hathcock to do as he needed in the studio as he felt it added greatly to the emotion of the record. In fact, on the song "Funeral For A Firefly" when trying to record the lead vocal part, Hathcock made it only two lines in before sobbing hysterically as memories and the trauma he had held back for a decade came flooding to the forefront. After calming to the point that he could catch his breath, Hathcock told Jamie King that he felt unable to record the song. Jamie encouraged him to try just one more time and if it didn't work, they'd drop it. Hathcock went back into the booth and made it through the entire song with constant tears streaming down his face and his voice cracking and quivering as he went through. Jamie was so affected by the performance he said he wanted to keep the raw performance - as in no edits to the sound so every sniffle and breath could be heard putting the listener in the booth with the despairing singer.

Credits:
 
All music, lyrics, and narration written by Chris Hathcock
 
All instruments and vocals performed by Chris Hathcock except the following:

Narration by Carl Hathcock, Juston Green, and Amanda Caines
Female vocals by Amanda Caines
French Horn by Dr. Nicholas Kenney
Trombone and Trumpet by Matthew Parunak
Tenor Saxophone by Andrew Lovett
 
Produced by Jamie King
Mixed, Mastered, and Engineered by Jamie King at The Basement Studios
 
Executive Producer: Chris Hathcock

The official lyric video for "The End", a brand new song from Swedish metallers IN FLAMES, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming twelfth studio album, "Battles", which will be released on November 11 via via Nuclear Blast in all territories excluding North America and Scandinavia and Eleven Seven Music Group in the U.S. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson, who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD, BODY COUNT and SEPULTURA, among others.

IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte described "The End" as "a fairly straightforward IN FLAMES song. Having said that, it's a really positive vibe [to] the song. It's not a slash-your-wrists kind of vibe; it makes you realize to just make sure you appreciate that moment."

Gelotte also talked about how the recording process for "Battles" compared to that of its predecessor, 2014's "Siren Charms".

"'Siren Charms' had a very dark vibe to it," he explained. "We recorded it at a cold, damp and dark time during the year in Berlin so it gave it a certain melancholy to the record. Now recording in L.A. with the sunshine, it's a different energy. The writing process was different this time, too — that I would like for us to continue to explore. Also, working with Howard and his team was great. I got stressed taking a break for even five minutes because they were always ready to go for the next take and kept my energy up."

"I think being in California really affected this album in the sense that we had a studio in the house that we were staying at and the vibe was really relaxed which lent itself to productivity," added vocalist Anders Fridén. "It really helped having a producer who could make us focus on what we needed to accomplish and keep us on track."

"This was a very new approach for us because we've never let anyone else in the way we did with Howard," said Gelotte.

"Battles" sees the band making the hooks sharper, the riffs tighter and honing the overall attack in a way that parallels their legendary live shows in an unparalleled fashion.

"When people hear this album I think they're going to instantly know that it's the new IN FLAMES without us repeating the same song over and over, and that's something I'm incredibly proud of," Fridén said. He went on to downplay the changes in the band's sound, calling "Battles" "guitar driven, melodic… it's like they know what to expect. It's not like we're coming out with something completely different, but at the same time it's still new. If they already like IN FLAMES, they will like it — and if they don't like IN FLAMES already, they still might like it."

IN FLAMES will release its new concert DVD, "Sounds From The Heart Of Gothenburg", on September 23 via Nuclear Blast. The set was recorded on November 7, 2014 at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden. IN FLAMES last year inked a new management deal with Tenth Street Entertainment, which also looks after MÖTLEY CRÜE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, among others.

The band's last disc, "Siren Charms", sold around 9,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 26 on The Billboard 200 chart.

IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced last fall that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life. He said in a statement: "It's hard to leave what have become my second family, but now it's time for me to take care and spend more time with the most important people in my life — my wife and my three daughters."

IN FLAMES has not yet named a replacement for Svensson.

IN FLAMES is:

Anders Fridén - VocalsBjörn Gelotte - GuitarPeter Iwers - BassNiclas Engelin - Guitar

Houston's Oceans Of Slumber have unveiled a brand new video for "Sunlight”, which comes from their full length album, Winter, released earlier this year. Filmed in a studio while the band performs the song, "Sunlight" perfectly reflects Oceans Of Slumber's raw ethereal power radiating from the studio to the stage.

On September 29th, Oceans Of Slumber joins the Spinning Wheel Ritual tour featuring Enslaved. Tour dates will also include two Euroblast Festival appearances (featuring Intronaut, Port Noir and more) in addition to select show dates with Ne Obliviscaris.  

Tour dates:

September
29 - KiFF - Aarau, Switzerland (with Enslaved)
30 - Club Cann - Stuttgart, Germany (with Enslaved)

October
1 - Euroblast Festival - Cologne, Germany (with Intronaut, Port Noir and more)
2 - Euroblast Festival - Cologne, Germany (with Intronaut, Port Noir and more)
3 - The Dome - London, UK (with Ne Obliviscaris)
4 - O2 Academy 2 - Oxford, UK (with Ne Obliviscaris)
5 - Arts Club - Liverpool, UK (with Ne Obliviscaris)
6 - O2 ABC2 - Glasgow, UK (with Ne Obliviscaris)
7 - Rebellion - Manchester, UK (with Ne Obliviscaris)
9 - On The Rox - Dublin, Ireland (with Ne Obliviscaris)
15 - BiNuu - Berlin, Germany (with Enslaved)
16 - Progresja - Warsaw, Poland (with Enslaved)
17 - Firlej - Wroclaw, Poland (with Enslaved)
18 - Nova Chelmnice - Prague, Czech Republic (with Enslaved)
19 - Backstage - Munich, Germany (with Enslaved)
20 - Szene - Vienna, Austria (with Enslaved)
22 - Club Rockstadt - Brasov, Romania (with Enslaved)
24 - Kino Siska - Ljubljana, Slovenia (with Enslaved)
26 - Bronson - Ravenna, Italy (with Enslaved)
27 - Traffic - Rome, Italy (with Enslaved)
28 - Circolo Colony - Brescia, Italy (with Enslaved)
29 - Jas'rod - Pennes Mirabeau, France (with Enslaved)

November
2 - Metronum - Toulouse, France (with Enslaved)
3 - Antipode - Rennes, France (with Enslaved)
4 - Divan du Monde - Paris, France (with Enslaved)
5 - Damnation Festival - Leeds, UK
9 - Musikzentrum - Hanover, Germany (with Enslaved)
10 - Beatpol - Dresden, Germany (with Enslaved)

Oceans Of Slumber is:

Cammie Gilbert - Vocals
Anthony Contreras - Guitar
Sean Gary - Guitar
Keegan Kelly - Bass
Uaeb Yelsaeb -  Synthesizers
Dobber Beverly - Drums

Subterranean Masquerade has finished the recordings of their new album, and are searching for the right label to release this monster of a prog-release. The band features members of Orphaned Land and Green Carnation, and on this album they welcome a new member: Eliran Wizeman, who is the master-growler on the opus.

At the same time, the band is headed out on a smaller European tour, in conjunction with their performance at the legendary ProgPower festival in Baarlo, The Netherlands, in September. Sharing the headliner status with Votum (Poland) and Chaos Divine (Australia), the dates are listed below.

September
23 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Forbrændingen
24 - Flensburg, Germany - Roxy
25 - Cologne, Germany - Underground
26 - London, England - Garage
27 - Paris, France - La Boule Noire
28 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
29 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
30 - Baarlo, Netherlands - Sjiwa (only Subterranean Masquerade)

Lineup:

Kjetil Nordhus - Vocals
Eliran Wizeman - Growls
Tomer Pink - Guitar
Or Shalev - Guitar
Shai Yallin - Keys
Golan Farhi - Bass
Matan Shmuely - Drums
Ilan Arad - Brass

Prevail delivers groovy death metal directly from the darkest parts of Jutland, Denmark. The experienced 5-piece including former members of Svartsot is a relatively unknown quantity in the Danish metal scene.

Prevail have spent time developing the aggressive tone that is a the steppingstone for their debut album that has received the appropriate title, War Will Reign. The album is a tornado of leg crushing guitar riffs and technical ability. War Will Reign is an inferno of sound that takes no prisoners. There is no doubt that Prevail is "old school" but they are also a band that doesn’t shy away from great melodic choruses inspired the new and alternative metal genres that have gained tremendous popularity all over the world.

The production of the album is thick, chaotic and crystal clear and is recorded and mixed in the legendary Hansen Studios by Jonas Haagensen.

Lyrically, Prevail addresses topics and stories about the darker sides of the human mind, the question of war, pain, worldwide spread of disease, and generally the darkest corners of the human mentality.

They have already shared the stage with bands like Unearth, Ferocity, Corpus Mortale, Artillery, Illdisposed, Konkhra, One Machine and many others. Now Prevail are ready to stand on their own feet and convince the metal community that Denmark have a brand new metal warship that will resonate for several years.

The album will be released on October 15th and will be celebrated with two release parties respectively Von Hatten October 1st and Lygten St. October 15th.

Tracklisting:

“Blood Eagle”
“Exterminate The Weak”
“Face What Remains”
“Betrayer”
“Smiting Your Enemy”
“Parasite”
“Tyrants”
“Voices”
“F.B.M”
“Seven Deadly Sins”
“No Holds Barred”

Rock It Up Records has announced the release of the European Edition of Jetboy’s Off Your Rocker! EP, on September 30th

Jetboy is a San Francisco-based hard ock band founded in 1983 by guitarists Billy Rowe and Fernie Rod. Their 1988 debut album, Feel The Shake, peaked at #135 on The Billboard 200. After parting ways with original bass player Todd Crew in mid-1987, the band was joined by former Hanoi Rocks member Sami Yaffa. In August of 1987 Todd Crew died due to a drug overdose in the hotel room of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash.

The second album, Damned Nation, was released in 1990. In the following years Jetboy released some compilations and live recordings, among other things A Day In The Glamourous Life (1998), Make Some Noise More (1999), One More For Rock 'n' Roll! (2002) and Now And Then (2010). In this time the band played tons of concerts and festivals with bands like Twisted Sister, Warrant, Ratt, Whitesnake, Scorpions, Cinderella, etc.

However, over two decades after releasing their debut album, Feel The Shake,, Jetboy are still on the road for touring and recorded the new mini-album, Off Your Rocker!

At first, Off Your Rocker! was to get a digital release only, the band produced a few copies for the shows. Now the mini-abum will be released for the European fans via City Of Lights Records as the European Edition. Off Your Rocker! - European Edition will also feature the bonus track, “Stolen People".

Off Your Rocker! - European Edition tracklisting:

“Perfectly Wrong”
“Going Down (From Above The Clouds)”
“Dogs Gotta Roam”
“High Gear” - Live
“Crank It Up” - Live
“Losin' Streak” - Live
“Stolen People” - Bonus Track

“Going Down (From Above The Clouds)”:

Jetboy lineup 2016:

Mickey Finn - Vocals
Billy Rowe - Guitars
Fernie Rod - Guitars
Charles Norman - Bass
Ron Tostenson - Drums

"The Last Stand", the eighth studio album from Swedish metallers SABATON, has registered the following first-week chart positions:

#1: Czech Republic#1: Finland#1: Sweden#2: Germany#4: Belgium#11: Netherlands#11: Norway#15: Hungary#17: UK#29: Australia#92: Ireland

"The Last Stand" was released on August 19 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "Heroes" was once again produced by Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, LINDEMANN, HYPOCRISY) and it "marks a brand new chapter in SABATON history," according to a press release.

SABATON bassist Pär Sundström previously stated about "The Last Stand": "We once again worked with Peter Tägtgren in his newly upgraded and top-class Abyss studio in Sweden to record, produce and mix the album. The mastering [was] done by Jonas Kjellgren who also works in the same building in nice Pärlby on the countryside of Sweden. Both 'Carolus Rex' and 'Heroes' were done in the same way and we [felt] very comfortable to return to the same place and people again. Fans will recognize the sound of the album as SABATON, but we really feel we took it a step forward this time."

The artwork for "The Last Stand" was created by Peter Sallaí, who has worked with SABATON since "Carolus Rex". Sundström explained: "We had the idea to make an image reflecting soldiers of different times representing the different historical battles we sing about on the new album. This only reveals a small part of the album topics though."

Stated SABATON vocalist Joakim Brodén: "The concept of a last stand has always fascinated me, and both me and Pär were 'all in excited' about the subject so it was an easy choice to make."

Added Sundström: "We have always several ideas for albums to work with. Since there are countless different views and angles of war, we will, unfortunately, never run out of ideas. We kinda felt that the last stand was something perfect for SABATON. Something we really wanted to do. 'Heroes' was a perfect theme and 'The Last Stand' is right down our alley too. It was exciting to do the research."

"The Last Stand" was made available in the following editions:

- CD+DVD-Digi (including a concert DVD)- CD- Box (including earbook, 2LP Pic, 12" photo card, 12" poster, three plectra)- 2LP (black, clear, gold, yellow/blue)- Special edition (SABATON tank + box)- Digital

"The Last Stand" track listing:

CD+DVD-Digi

CD

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Bonus:

12. Camouflage13. All Guns Blazing

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

CD

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Earbook

CD:

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Bonus:

12. Camouflage13. All Guns Blazing14. Afraid To Shoot Strangers

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France):

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

Live CD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

2LP - 45 RPM

Side A:

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion

Side B:

01. Rorke's Drift02. The Last Stand03. Hill 323404. Shiroyama

Side C:

01. Winged Hussars02. The Last Battle

Side D (Bonus):

01. Camouflage02. All Guns Blazing

New Orleans sludge masters CROWBAR will release their eleventh album, "The Serpent Only Lies", on October 28. The cover artwork was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with bands like HATEBREED, SOULFLY and KATAKLYSM.

Said CROWBAR frontman Kirk Windstein: "I intentionally went back and listened to a lot of old CROWBAR stuff, like the self-titled and 'Broken Glass' albums, to get a feel for what my mindset was 20-plus years ago. I also went back and listened to the bands that influenced CROWBAR in the beginning, like TROUBLE, SAINT VITUS, MELVINS, and the first TYPE O NEGATIVE record. So it was kinda me doing my homework."

The result is an album that stands toe-to-toe with those early CROWBAR classics while maintaining the lumbering hooks of mid-period standouts like 1998's "Odd Fellows Rest" and 2000's "Equilibrium". "Even lyrically, the approach was a little more old-school," Windstein offered. "Some of the songs have less lyrics to let the riffs breathe a little more, which I had kind of gotten away from over the years. It was a conscious thing to go back to that.”"

The tour cycle for "The Serpent Only Lies" marks the return of original CROWBAR bassist Todd "Sexy T" Strange, who left the band back in 1999 but now joins Windstein, drummer Tommy Buckley and guitarist Matt Brunson in forging CROWBAR's future.

"Todd helped start the band, so having him back is important to me and, I think, the fans," Windstein said. "It's a great feeling to be standing onstage next to him. It's a breath of fresh air for the band and makes us stronger.

"Having this be our eleventh record, we're very fortunate because so many bands don't last this long," Windstein added. "My whole outlook on music as a career is the MOTÖRHEAD outlook, which is that slow and steady wins the race. If you continue to put out killer records, continue to kick ass onstage every night and continue to treat your fans with respect, that's the stuff people will remember."

"Face The World", the new video from Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Kingmaker", which will be released on November 4 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. When God Took A Day Off02. Kingmaker03. Face The World04. Humanize Me05. Last Beauty On Earth06. Bull's Eye07. King Of The Right Here And Now08. Heavens Little Devil09. Civilized Monsters10. Sickening11. Was That What You Wanted

PRETTY MAIDS' last release was 2014's "Louder Than Ever", a collection of new songs and re-recorded tracks from the band's past albums. The CD included eight re-recorded classic songs from the 1995-2006 era, plus four brand new songs specially written for this record and a special bonus DVD including archive footage from the '80s and brand new interviews.

Regarding the PRETTY MAIDS lyric-writing process, frontman Ronnie Atkins told Myglobalmind in a 2013 interview: "Well, it's often that the atmosphere of the song sort decides which direction the lyrics will take. I'd always preferred to write about something that most people could relate to, not being political in trying to take people in any direction or inspire them to. But there's so much shit going on in this world that there's plenty to write about. But let me state I'm no, and don't pretend to be some sort of, Dylan or Lennon! [Laughs] After all, we've always seen ourselves and what we do as merely entertainment and not pretending to be highly intellectual."

PRETTY MAIDS is:

Ronnie Atkins: VocalsKen Hammer: GuitarRene Shades: BassAllan Tchicaja: Drums

As first reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on July 21, it has now been confirmed that the classic-era lineup of the horror punk outfit MISFITS has recruited Dave Lombardo (pictured; SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) to play drums for the band for their upcoming shows at the end of the summer.

Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein will reunite for first time since 1983 to headline this year's Riot Fest.

The reunion, billed as "The Original Misfits," will take place at the Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago. The first show is scheduled for September 2-4 at Denver's Riot Fest And Rodeo, while the second will happen at Riot Fest And Carnival, set for September 16-18 in Chicago.

"The MISFITS created the horror punk attitude and had a massive influence on modern rock, punk and metal," Lombardo told Rolling Stone. "It was an easy decision for me to join them for these monumental shows. I was honored to be asked, and am very excited to be playing with the band."

"I first met Dave back in 1988 when DANZIG did four shows with SLAYER in the U.S., before the first DANZIG album was released," Danzig said. "Dave is one of the best drummers around, and I can't wait for everyone to see him pounding MISFITS songs live for these special shows."

Only added: "With the immensity of the two shows we're planning together, the biggest decision we had was who is going to keep time and power this monster machine on drums? When Dave Lombardo's name was thrown into the ring, Glenn and I were immediately on the same page from the very start; a good sign of things to come. I think the darker side of punk we created with the MISFITS spawned the growth and evolution of punk into thrash, and sired bands like METALLICA and SLAYER, just as we inspired countless others in the punk revolution."

According to Only, the reunion came about after a meeting he had with Danzig in January. The pair had gotten together with the MISFITS management in order to discuss the rights to the band's name and merchandising with a view towards avoiding any further litigation between the parties.

Glenn didn't rule out more dates after the Riot Fest shows, saying: "We'll see how it goes. It may lead to some other work, but who knows how it's going to turn out? I mean, I don't think it's going to be a disaster; I think it's going to be incredible."

Regarding what fans can expect to see at the upcoming MISFITS concerts, Danzig said: "I'm just going to do what I normally do, which is to go out there and try and have a great time myself and make sure everybody has a fantastic fucking time. I want them to be so blown away they don't know what the fuck just hit them."

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and bassist Jerry Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.

After the original MISFITS disbanded, vocalist Glenn Danzig went on to form SAMHAIN and then the eponymous DANZIG. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Norwegian-based symphonic gothic metal veterans SIRENIA have set "Dim Days Of Dolor" as the title of their upcoming album. Due on November 11, it consists of eleven brand new songs plus one bonus track. The artwork was once again created by Gyula Havancsák from Hjules Illustration And Design. All recordings have been completed and the album is currently being mixed at Hansen Studios in Denmark.

SIRENIA recently parted ways with their Spanish singer Ailyn Giménez García for "personal reasons." The band said in a statement: "We part ways on good terms and we wish Ailyn the best of luck for her future endeavors. Thanks a lot for the great years we shared in the band and thanks for all your efforts in this period; we are forever grateful. It has been a true delight and privilege working with you. May all your dreams be fulfilled and may your future shine."

The new SIRENIA singer will be officially announced on September 8.

SIRENIA was forced to cancel a recent concert in the Czech Republic after Ailyn's mother died, "a tragic event that had an impact on Ailyn's health as well," the band explained. Another show in Kherson, Ukraine went ahead with the help of a session singer, Emmanuelle Zoldan, who had contributed guest vocals to every SIRENIA album since 2004.

Ailyn released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which she said that her exit from SIRENIA was not her decision.　Ailyn (born: Pilar Giménez García) joined SIRENIA in 2008 as the replacement for Monika Pedersen, who left the group a year earlier after only one album due to "musical differences."

Ailyn was best known as a former contestant on the Spanish version of "The X Factor", the biggest television talent competition in Europe.

She appeared on four studio albums with SIRENIA: 2009's "The 13th Floor", 2011's "The Enigma Of Life", 2013's "Perils Of The Deep Blue" and 2015's "The Seventh Life Path".

JAM Magazine has uploaded video footage of former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley performing the song "Rip It Out", "Toys" and "Rocket Ride" at Gas Monkey Live in Dallas, Texas on August 18. Check it out below.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Frehley recently said that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley's mistreatment of him at KISS's 2014 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction actually inspired him musically. Frehley, who released the covers collection "Origins, Vol. 1" back in April, received great reviews and scored a Top 25 hit with the set. To the surprises of many, Paul Stanley has joined forces with Frehley on the album, taking the lead on a cover of FREE's classic 1970 track "Fire And Water". The recording marked the first time the KISS co-founders appeared on an original album together since the band's 1998 set, "Psycho Circus".

Frehley revealed to The Pulse Of Radio that the impetus for "Origins, Vol. 1" reaching its potential actually came from his treatment by his former bandmates at the Rock Hall induction. "As you probably know, we were asked to perform at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and me and Peter [Criss] were up for doing that and Paul and Gene shot it down, y'know?" he said. "They made some innuendos that maybe me and Peter weren't up for the task, and that just made me do a better record. [Laughs]"

The Pulse Of Radio asked Frehley how his sobriety improved the recording process this time around. "I'm a lot more focused and I think when people listen to this album, they're probably going to say that — in fact, a lot of reviewers have already said that," he said. "I'm a lot healthier than I was ten years ago. Not everybody can say that in their 60s, y'know, that they're healthier than they were in their 50s. So, I mean, it's a big plus. Y'know, I got a beautiful lady that I'm engaged to, who co-wrote two songs on the record with me and, y'know, life's good today."

SOTO, featuring veteran vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, recently parted ways with their label earMuisc after two albums, Inside The Vertigo and Divak. The band is in preparations for additional touring in 2017 beginning February 10th in Wolverhampton, U.K.  The band is also working on their third album while locking in a new home for it.

Coming off a busy year of touring worldwide, SOTO will hit the studio to write, and record much anticipated new music. This third as-yet-untitled album will follow up both Inside The Vertigo and Divak with a much heavier direction than the previous two albums.

A video for the song “Unblame” from Divak is streaming below:

Divak (pronounced "dee-vock") comes shortly after the band's debut release, Inside The Vertigo. It's a mere 15 months later, partly due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's insistence on continuing to create and build a true brand for his new venture.

Once again, the album is produced by Jeff Scott Soto and drummer Edu Cominato. It was mixed by long time JSS engineer/associate John Ellis, as well. The band features Soto on vocals, Cominato on drums, lead guitarist Jorge Salan, bassist David Z, and keyboardist/guitarist BJ. They are heavily featured on Divak, with their writing contributions together.

The first single "FreakShow" was co-produced/written by Tony Dickinson, who also co-wrote "The Fall”, which was the first single from Inside The Vertigo. The track is an extension of the Soto sound created especially for this new band.

Soto, formed in 2014, are the dream band created when Jeff Scott Soto realized how much he missed the "heavier side" of his career after fronting artists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman, and Journey, and even his own solo albums. The band hopes to continue its role as a driving force in today's current hard rock and metal scene.

Tracklisting:

“Divak” (Intro)
“Weight Of The World”
“FreakShow”
“Paranoia”
“Unblame ”
“Cyber Masquerade”
“In My Darkest Hour”
“Forgotten”
“SuckerPunch”
“Time”
“Misfired”
“The Fall From Grace”
“Awakened”

Bonus Tracks (All Digital Retailers):
“Final Say” (live)
“The Fall” (live)
“Break” (live)
“When I'm Older” (live)
“Stand Up” (live)

“Awakened” snippet:

“Fall From Grace” snippet:

“Misfired” snippet:

“Paranoia” snippet:

“Weight Of The World” video:

“FreakShow” lyric video:

Following the 2014 release of Lacey Sturm's widely praised debut book, "The Reason", the former FLYLEAF singer has announced another deeply personal memoir, "The Mystery: Finding True Love In A World Of Broken Lovers" . Due on October 4 from Baker Books, the book touches on the topics of love, relationships, divorce, depression and suicide, inspired by Sturm's own experiences.

In "The Mystery", Sturm guides readers through her own journey and struggles — from childhood through her current marriage — providing personal insight into love and relationships. Reaching out to those who have learned to define love through their own wrecked relationships, shattered romances and dysfunctional families, Sturm offers new, healthy ways to think about and pursue love.

Lacey's debut solo album, "Life Screams", was released on February 12 via Followspot Records with The Fuel Music distribution. Sturm in 2014 opened up about some of the reasons why she quit FLYLEAF in the fall of 2012, shortly before the release of the band's third album, "New Horizons". Speaking in a video to promote her memoir, Sturm said that several events, including getting married, having a baby and enduring the death of the band's sound engineer Rich Caldwell changed her priorities. Sturm explained: "The one that hit the hardest was the death of our sound engineer. We did one last show with FLYLEAF as a benefit for his wife Katy and their son Kirby. And it was really hard to do a show without him, and it was really hard to think it could be our last show. So I remember looking at my son after Rich had passed and just wondering to myself, if this was the last year I had with my son, how would I spend it?"

Sturm added: "It was really amazing to recognize this season changing in my life and the freedom that I was gonna be able to focus on my family. And I'm so thankful for that time. And although it was really hard, I'm thankful. And that's the reason I stepped down from FLYLEAF."

FLYLEAF recruited singer Kristen May as Sturm's replacement and released its fourth album, "Between The Stars", in September 2014. May has since left the group.