Two months after revealing their resurrection and reformation, Chicago metallers DIRGE WITHIN are ready to make new "Memories" with the release of their comeback single, available today on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and other digital outlets.

"Things have been moving slow and steady in our camp since reuniting this spring," said founding guitarist Shaun Glass. "After announcing our first show back, we jumped into the studio to record a new version of 'Memories', tapping the mighty Joel Wanasek (MACHINE HEAD, RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA) to mix the improved single. We appreciate all of the kind words we've received since announcing our resurrection and will keep everyone posted on our next steps."

DIRGE WITHIN will perform at Route 20 in Sturtevant, Wisconsin on August 5. More show announcements will follow soon.

Prior to the hiatus, DIRGE WITHIN's recorded works included "Force Fed Lies" (eOne), the "Absolution" EP (BTR) and "There Will Be Blood" (Rocket Science Ventures). All three releases are available to stream on Spotify, or to purchase at major retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. Live activities included tours and one-offs with the likes of TRIVIUM, FEAR FACTORY, DEVILDRIVER, DOPE, KITTIE, WHITECHAPEL, STATIC-X, GWAR, PRODUCT OF HATE, ALL THAT REMAINS and more.

In the time since, members of DIRGE WITHIN performed alongside vocalist Travis Neal as THE BLOODLINE, releasing one album, "We Are One", via Another Century/Century Media. That project is now retiring to the shadows as DIRGE WITHIN readies for the next chapter. As time has proven, doors can open, close and reopen once more.

DIRGE WITHIN is:

Jeremy "Jerms" Genske - VocalsShaun Glass - GuitarFrankie Harchut - DrumsMike Sylvester - BassChuck Wepfer - Lead Guitar

Canadian hardcore/punk outfit, Comeback Kid, have signed with New Damage Records for Canada and Nuclear Blast for the rest of the world. Alongside the signing announcement, Comeback Kid have released a killer new track featuring Canadian legend and label mate, Devin Townsend.

Titled “Absolute”, the track will appear on the band’s follow-up to 2014’s Die Knowing. Details on the new LP will be announced in the coming weeks.

Of the signing, new track and the band’s forthcoming record, vocalist Andrew Neufeld had this to say, “Here in Canada we are joining up with long-time friends at New Damage/Dine Alone. We have worked closely with them before, so we know it will be a great fit and fresh start in our home country.”
 
“Our new album is going to be the most diverse and interesting record yet in my opinion,” Neufeld continues. “There are a few collaborations and we stepped outside of our comfort zone a lot on this one. I've worked with Devin Townsend on another project before, so to have him sing on "Absolute" was awesome for us. I was conjuring up his vocal style anyways when laying down the guide vocals before we knew he was on board for the song. When we asked him to be a part of it, he was open and willing, so we thank him for that. He definitely put his unique stamp on it.”

“Absolute” is available now via iTunes and all streaming services. Listen to the track below:

(Photo - Avi Dhillon Photography)

Wayward Sons’ debut album, Ghosts Of Yet To Come, will be released on September 15th. The band is set to release four videos to support single releases. The videos together will make one short film. You can see the first video, for debut single “Until The End”, below.

Wayward Sons is a UK guitar act made up of Toby Jepson (vocals, guitar), Sam Wood (guitar), Nic Wastell (bass), Dave Kemp (keys) and Phil Martini (drums). They have an impressive resume of groups they have previously worked with - Little Angels, Gun, Spear Of Destiny, Treason Kings and Chrome Molly to name a few - which is reassuring in terms of the band as players, but doesn’t really hint at their sound. Wayward Sons sound nothing like the sum of their parts. The music is hard rock but mixed with a vitality and energy - both musically and lyrically.

Ghosts Of Yet To Come is a hugely accomplished debut album - as might be expected. From the staccato riffing of “Give It Away” to the melodic intro of first single “Until The End”, from the hard rock of “Ghosts” to 4/4 rock of “Don’t Wanna Go”, the album sounds familiar yet of its own. Toby Jepson had the basis of songs written when the band formed. Together they then took these rough song ideas and forged their own sound. Lyrically the album sees Jepson treading a far more personal line than some of his previous output.

“I feel I have unfinished business, stories still left to tell, points to make, noise to create, all of the above... besides, it wasn't a choice, more of a need. My intention is very simple. I want to write about what makes me tick; about what I believe in. Hopefully you will believe in it too. It will be warts and all,” says Jepson.

The album was produced by Wayward Sons (Toby Jepson’s previous credits as a songwriter and producer include the likes of Katie Melua, The Virgin Marys, The Answer and Toseland) and Chris D’Adda (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds).

Tracklisting:

“Alive”
“Until the End”
“Ghost”
“Don't Wanna Go”
“Give It Away”
“Killing Time”
“Crush”
“Be Still”
“Small Talk”
“Something Wrong ”

“Until The End” video:

Wayward Sons have a series of dates through 2017, with more to follow.

July
26 - Bristol, UK - Louisiana
28 - Derbyshire, UK - Rock And Blues Custom Show Festival
29 - Kent, UK - Ramblin’ Man Fair Festival
30 - Ebbw Vale, UK - Steelhouse Festival

Secret Sphere have released a video for “Kindness”, a track from the band’s ninth studio album, The Nature Of Time, out now. The new clip is available for streaming below.

The Nature Of Time tracklisting:

Chapter I - Genesis
“Intermission”
“The Calling”

Chapter II - The Seven Virtues
“Love”
“Courage”
“Kindness”
“Honesty”
“Faith”
“Reliance”
“Commitment”

Chapter III - The New Dawn
“The Awakening”

Chapter IV - The Way
“The New Beginning”

“Kindness” video:

“Courage” lyric video:

“Faith”:

“The Calling” video:

Secret Sphere lineup:

Michele Luppi - Vocals
Aldo Lonobile - Guitars
Andrea Buratto - Bass
Gabriele Ciaccia - Keyboards
Marco Lazzarini - Drums

Swedish extreme metallers NECROPHOBIC will release a new two-song EP, "Pesta", digitally and as a limited seven-inch single on August 11.

"Pesta" gives you a glimpse into NECROPHOBIC's upcoming studio album, which is due in early 2018. The exact release date of the yet-untitled disc will be revealed in the upcoming weeks.

The "Pesta" title track is a brand new song, offering NECROPHOBIC's typical trademarks with its evil vocals, battering drums and the wicked guitar harmonies from the notorious guitar duo of Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck. The second song is a re-recorded version of the classic demo track "Slow Asphyxiation".

The seven-inch version is on pre-order in various online stores as of now. As it is limited to a total of 1,000 hand-numbered copies, you'd better be fast and grab this nice little gem of real Swedish blackened death metal in one of the following vinyl colors:

* Black vinyl: limited to 600 copies* Silver vinyl: limited to 200 copies* White vinyl: limited to 100 copies - exclusively available at CM Distro * Clear vinyl: limited to 100 copies - exclusively sold at the Cudgel stand at Party.San Open Air

NECROPHOBIC recently signed a deal with Century Media for the world excluding USA and Canada.

Formed in 1989, NECROPHOBIC belongs to the first wave of Swedish death metal bands. Ever since the release of its classic debut album, "The Nocturnal Silence" (1993), the band has issued a total of seven studio LPs, among them timeless masterpieces as "Darkside" (1997), "Bloodhymns" (2002) or the brilliant 2009 album "Death To All".

NECROPHOBIC was recently rejoined by guitarists Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck following the band's split with its axeman of five years, Fredrik Folkare.

NECROPHOBIC 2017 is:

Anders Strokirk - VocalsAlexander Friberg - BassJoakim Sterner - DrumsSebastian Ramstedt - GuitarJohan Bergebäck - Guitar

JANE'S ADDICTION will release "Ritual De Lo Habitual - Alive At Twenty-Five" on Blu-ray, DVD, CD and vinyl on August 4. It is presented by Rock Fuel Media in association with Sonic Films, Cleopatra Records and MVD Entertainment Group.

Captured live in stunning 4K resolution using twenty cameras, the set sees JANE'S ADDICTION — Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins and Chris Chaney — performing its multi-platinum alt-rock masterpiece album in its entirety, along with the bands biggest hits. The effort was filmed by director Mark Ritchie (Kanye West, Madonna) on September 23, 2016 at the now-demolished Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, the birthplace of Lollapolooza twenty-five years ago, at the final show of the band's "Silver Spoon Anniversary" tour celebrating groundbreaking LP that changed the rock music landscape forever. Included are classic songs "Stop!", "No One's Leaving", "Been Caught Stealing", "Classic Girl", "Three Days" featuring FOO FIGHTERS' Taylor Hawkins, along with JANE'S hits "Ted, Just Admit It…" and "Jane Says", performed before a packed house of 15,000 fans.

"Twenty-five years — what a beautiful milestone for both 'Ritual De Lo Habitual' and Lollapalooza," says JANE'S ADDICTION vocalist Perry Farrell. "As both were great achievements in our lives that also helped change the course of music history, we really sought to come up with a special show for this tour so that the fans could celebrate it with us."

JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro told Billboard: "In preparing for the tour, I had to re-learn quite a bit of the album. It was inspiring to undo some of the rules we have become used to in our later years and get back in touch with a more expansive and unorthodox approach. Staying in this mindset made for an extra special celebration tour and we were oddly able to become our own inspiration... The students teaching the masters."

The songs on "Ritual De Lo Habitual" fully embrace JANE'S ADDICTION's psychedelic and progressive side. Tracks like "Three Days" and "Then She Did..." exceed the eight-minute mark, becoming elegant aural tapestries with mystique a la LED ZEPPELIN. The album reached 3x-platinum in the U.S. with two #1 singles, "Stop!" and "Been Caught Stealing", the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Performance".

In the heady musical atmosphere of the early 1990s, HELMET's 1992 breakthrough album, "Meantime", stood out for its uniquely dynamic approach. Often described as a thinking person's heavy metal band, the New York foursome merged the influence of leader Page Hamilton's avant-garde background with a hard-rocking sensibility to create some of the era's most innovative and influential music. "Meantime"'s distinctive mix of inscrutable lyrics, bludgeoning guitar riffs and jarring stop-start rhythms scored with fans and earned respect from multiple generations of musicians. On June 23, 2017, UMe celebrates the 25th anniversary of "Meantime"'s original release with a special vinyl reissue of this modern classic. The anniversary edition will be available in a limited-edition colored vinyl pressing, as well as a standard black vinyl version. Having cut his teeth playing with avant-garde guitar icon Glenn Branca and indie stalwarts BAND OF SUSANS, Page Hamilton launched HELMET in 1989, and the band released its debut album, "Strap It On", on the independent Amphetamine Reptile label the following year. HELMET soon became the subject of an unprecedented major-label bidding war, ultimately signing with Interscope and releasing "Meantime" in June 1992. Produced mainly by the band members, "Meantime" finds HELMET — the classically trained Hamilton on guitar and vocals plus guitarist Peter Mengede, bassist Henry Bogdan and drummer John Stanier — creating music that's fiercely aggressive yet hypnotically precise, with such tracks as "Unsung", "Role Model", "Give It" and the Steve Albini-produced "In The Meantime" showcasing Hamilton's staccato riffs, jazz-influenced chords and ominous vocals. The New York Times called HELMET "a band that made important connections between indie-rock and metal." As Allmusic observed" "Arguably one of the most influential and overlooked rock records of the '90s, 'Meantime' threw the rule book out the window. Led by the classically trained Page Hamilton, HELMET's bludgeoning riffs combined with their stop-go-stop-go minimalist attack changed the face of aggro-rock. Its importance cannot be overstated."

Although HELMET disbanded in 1997, Hamilton revived the band in 2004, and the group has continued to tour and record. Even while he band was absent from the spotlight, HELMET continued to exercise considerable influence on multiple generations of bands. Their songs have been covered by the likes of CHEVELLE, DEFTONES, FAITH NO MORE, PIG DESTROYER and SOULFLY, and the band inspired a 2016 HELMET tribute album titled "Meantime Redux". HELMET has also been cited as a key influence on such bands as GODSMACK, KORN, MARILYN MANSON, MASTODON, PANTERA, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SEPULTURA, SLIPKNOT, STAIND, SYSTEM OF A DOWN and TOOL. HELMET is currently on tour in support of its latest album, "Dead To The World", released this past October on earMUSIC.

Singer Lou Gramm has confirmed that he and the other founding members of FOREIGNER will join the group's current lineup to perform "half a dozen songs" at several concerts on the band's upcoming tour.

FOREIGNER's 40th-anniversary summer tour will see group founder Mick Jones reuniting with original members Gramm, Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood at a few as-yet-undisclosed dates.

During an appearance on the "Trunk Nation" show on SiriusXM channel Volume (106), Gramm stated about the prospect of playing with his former bandmates again: "Mick and I have talked about it at length. I think there's a number of the original bandmembers that still play their instruments, and I think that if I make an appearance, it will be with the rest of the band, the original band. And we'll do half a dozen songs and then maybe do some things with his band."

Although Gramm said that he would be open to doing "a song or two" with only the current FOREIGNER lineup, he added that he "would feel a lot better with the original members around me. I just would think it's appropriate, given what we're celebrating."

Pressed for more details about which concerts he and the other original FOREIGNER members might appear at, Gramm said: "I think it's basically supposed to happen a few shows in the summer and a few in the fall. I think we're talking about maybe six shows, seven shows total. And they'll all be in the States, as far as I know. And the original members, [including] myself and Mick, of course, will perform thirty-five, forty minutes, maybe we'll do seven or eight songs, and then that will end, and [Mick's] current band will go on and finish the night. And I think for the encore, there might be some sort of a jam session with all the members on stage."

He continued: "We haven't locked in a particular amount of shows, but we're starting to zero in on a few shows that we know that we'd like to work this package together. And I know that the dates are gonna be places that we used to play back in the day and that were really big for us. So that's about all I can say now. I'd love to tell you the names of the cities and stuff, but I was asked not to get too specific."

Gramm, who learned two decades ago that he had what he called an "egg-sized tumor with tentacle-like appendages" in his frontal lobe, said that his health was "very good" at the moment "considering what I went through back in 1997." He explained: "I take care of myself explicitly. I've let go of all the alcohol and the drugs and that kind of life. And the life I'm leading now is probably what I should have been doing for all those years too. But I'm doing it now. And all my numbers are good, thank God. And after something like that, you can live a good, healthy life, but you have to really be serious about maintenance."

Gramm's tumor turned out to be benign and he recovered, but it took years to retrain himself as a singer. He told "Trunk Nation" that adhering to a healthier regimen has helped him keep his voice in shape while out on the road. "Huge! Big time!" he said. "I drink a lot of water and try not to drink sugar-loaded things or things that will create phlegm, like milk and stuff. There's just certain things that you can do to help yourself. I warm up extensively before a show — my voice, that is — singing scales and little pieces of our songs and such. I get a short massage to loosen up shoulders that are tight and shoulder blades and neck muscles that I'll have to really depend on to hit the high notes. It's just a number of things that I do for myself that are good, instead of like the old days, when I was young, I'd do anything I could that was bad for me [laughs], as long as it felt good."

Gramm and Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair has performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Kelly Hansen has fronted the group since 2005. Jones is the sole remaining founding member in FOREIGNER's current lineup.

FOREIGNER's 40th-anniversary tour — with support from CHEAP TRICK and JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE — kicks off July 11 in Syracuse and runs through through September 9 in Auburn, Washington.

"Stand Your Ground", the long-awaited new studio album from U.S. power metal act JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR, will be released on August 25 via High Roller Records. The effort, which is almost 80 minutes long, was produced by Bart Gabriel (with whom the band already worked on the previous album, "Land Of The Dead"), recorded and mixed by Kevin Burnes (DOKKEN, RAVEN), and mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony Studio. The release will be available as CD, double LP, and digital download. Like in case of previous two BURNING STARR albums, its cover artwork was painted by Ken — legendary artist known from his iconic works for bands such as RAINBOW, KISS and MANOWAR. JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR was formed in 1985 by and founding member of VIRGIN STEELE, Jack Starr. After releasing four albums in the '80s — "Rock The American Way" (1985), "No Turning Back!" (1986), "Blaze Of Glory" (1987) and the self-titled one (so-called "orange album" from 1989) — the band returned with a new lineup featuring Starr, Ned Meloni (bass; JOE LYNN TURNER, DEVIL CHILDE, PHANTOM LORD), Kenny "Rhino" Earl (drums, MANOWAR, ROSS THE BOSS) and Todd Michael Hall (vocals; RIOT V), and released the well-received comeback album titled "Defiance" in 2009. Two years later, the band released their next studio album, titled "Land Of The Dead", which was met with great reviews by critics and fans alike.

Southern Lord has announced the label's new partnership with legendary New York City-based noise rock group UNSANE for the September 29 release of the band's eighth studio album, "Sterilize". The disc closes a five-year gap since the 2012 release of UNSANE's "Wreck" LP through Alternative Tentacles.

UNSANE makes a vicious return with "Sterilize", a record that recalls the most defining elements of the band's seminal "Scattered, Smothered, And Covered" and "Occupational Hazard" albums, surging with the band's unrelenting singular sound created by guitarist/vocalist Chris Spencer, bassist/vocalist Dave Curran and drummer Vinnie Signorelli. "Sterilize" showcases the group sounding as dense and damaging as ever, and sees them remaining as necessary as ever, nearly three decades since they began.

"Sterilize" was produced by UNSANE, recorded by Dave Curran at Gatos Trail Studios in Yucca Valley, California, mixed by Andrew Schneider at Acre in New York City, and mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago.

Since 1988, UNSANE has been delivering caustic grooves and foundation-crumbling riffs. As a power trio, they honed in on their hammering, power-press rhythm section, searing Telecaster howl, and distorted vocals that resemble a chainsaw cutting a steel beam. The band's gnarled blend of punk, metal, noise, and hardcore assisted in pioneering a more aggressive, less studied version of noise rock, one that blended the scum/art industrial sturm und drang of FOETUS, THE SWANS, EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN and SONIC YOUTH with a decidedly more straightforward hardcore idiom. While developing the blueprint for noise bands to follow, UNSANE cut a remarkable swath through underground music, inspiring a devoted, cult-like following around the globe, and helped to define the "AmRep sound" alongside other forerunners of the style, TODAY IS THE DAY, THE JESUS LIZARD, HELMET, TAD, COWS, HALO OF FLIES and MELVINS. Ahead of the the release of "Sterilize", UNSANE has announced a run of U.S. tour dates from July 15 through August 3, booked around the band's performance at AmRep Bash 17 in Minneapolis, with FASHION WEEK providing support for the trek. UNSANE is:

Chris Spencer - guitar/vocalsDave Curran - bass/bocalsVinnie Signorelli - drums Photo credit: Dan Joeright

Punk/hardcore pioneers BAD BRAINS played a surprise set last night (Thursday, June 8) at the opening of an art gallery curated by the band's bassist, Darryl Jenifer.

The "Mind Power" art show at Okayplayer's Okay Space in Williamsburg saw Darryl joined by his bandmates Paul "H.R." Hudson, Gary "Dr. Know" Miller and Earl Hudson — along with keyboardist Jamie Saft and guitarist Chogyi — for a short performance consisting of "Jah Love", "Youth Are Getting Restless" and "Re-Ignition".

After H.R. left the stage, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe took over on vocals for "Big Take Over" and "Banned From D.C." His high-energy delivery was followed by the surprise appearance of BAD BRAINS' original singer Sid McCray, who finished out the set with a low-key version of "Regulator".

Check out photos at OkayPlayer.com.

H.R. underwent a successful brain operation in February to alleviate the excruciating pain associated with the SUNCT headaches the singer has endured over the past ten years, caused by a blood vessel pressing into the trigeminal nerve that is primarily responsible for transmitting sensations from the face to the brain.

A book about H.R.'s life, titled "Finding Joseph I: An Oral History Of H.R. From Bad Brains", was recently released via Lesser Gods. There was also an accompanying documentary, "Finding Joseph I", directed by James Lathos and produced by Small Axe Films with executive producer Jay Mohr.

Dr. Know is still recovering from near-fatal cardiac arrest in 2015 in which he suffered multiple organ failure and was on life support.

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

BLIND GUARDIAN guitarist André Olbrich reveals why the time is right to release "Live Beyond The Spheres": "There's several different reasons why it's about time to release a live album. We've had a new rhythm section in the band — Frederik and Bahrend — for a couple of years now. Our interaction improved a lot by their joining and our songs developed a better groove and became more dynamic. The appearance of digital amp profilers and digital recording techniques also made it possible to create a fairly similar sonic image in different venues and to fulfil our image of what a perfect live album should be. Last but not least, we released three studio albums since our previous live album, and we didn't have any live recordings from our relatively current studio material. By compiling a three-disc package, we were able to create a very extensive and varied set list to reflect our thirty-year career with an optimal performances.

"We compiled one 'show' out of the best tracks from more than forty live performances, recorded during our European tour in 2015. That's how we pinned down the most beautiful and atmospheric moments on this medium," he adds.

The official video for the song "Prophecies", taken from "Live Beyond The Spheres", can be seen below. BLIND GUARDIAN vocalist Hansi Kürsch speaks about the difficulties to create such an ambitious album: "In general, I would say that we've had a really good run on this tour and that nearly every show was perfect. But at the end of the day, after every bandmember has checked each and every song and concert of those 30 shows again and again. There were only like two or three versions of each song being suitable to be used for an album. We then had to decide between those last remaining versions, which would have been the most impressive one. This was a nearly endless task!"

He continues: "The songs finally chosen reveal such an energy that poissible smaller mistakes appeared to be totally unimportant for the evaluation. As soon as you have listened to the songs, you will know what I mean. They feel alive."

But the end result is well worth the effort. Hansi sums it up: "There is always something happening at each show, let's call it 'magic,' that is giving us all creeps. We are really satisfied when the people sing with us, have a good time and go back home happy."

"Live Beyond The Spheres" track listing:

CD1

01. The Ninth Wave02. Banish From Sanctuary03. Nightfall04. Prophecies05. Tanelorn06. The Last Candle07. And Then There Was Silence CD2

01. The Lord Of The Rings02. Fly03. Bright Eyes04. Lost In The Twilight Hall05. Imaginations From The Other Side06. Into The Storm07. Twilight Of The Gods08. A Past And Future Secret09. And The Story Ends CD3

01. Sacred Worlds02. The Bard's Song (In The Forest)03. Valhalla04. Wheel Of Time05. Majesty06. Mirror Mirror

"Reload", the new video from PROJECTED, the band featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric Friedman (a.k.a. E-Rock; TREMONTI), can be seen below. The clip was produced, directed and edited by Jamie Brown for Smoking Gun Productions.

"Reload" is taken from PROJECTED's sophomore album,"Ignite My Insanity", which will be released on July 21 via Rat Pak Records. The two-disc collection is currently available for pre-order in various configurations at this location.

The follow-up to 2012's "Human", "Ignite My Insanity" features twenty-one all-new tracks from PROJECTED and continues to build upon the sound the band established with its debut. It is an album designed to resonate with fans from the members' original projects and guaranteed to garner new fans along the way. From the melodic piano interlude of the opener "Strike" to the raucous ending of closer "Battlestations", the new album takes the listener on a journey inside the minds of the band. Songs like "Six Feet Below", "Gomorrah", "Inhuman" and "Upside Down" are infectious rockers. The first single, "Reload", is a frenetic composition that showcases the musicianship of these accomplished performers. ALTER BRIDGE/TREMONTI songwriter Mark Tremonti co-wrote "Rectify" and "Call Me The Devil" and SEVENDUST's Morgan Rose co-wrote "Concede" with PROJECTED. On the subject of PROJECTED's new record, Connolly comments: "There are four very strong personalities in this band. Everyone has been in the business doing various things, from ALTER BRIDGE to CREED to SEVENDUST to TREMONTI, and it took all those elements and sounds to make this album what it is!" Phillips adds: "We're all part of other bands that we've put our heart and soul and life into and this was just a chance to extend that into somewhat of a different direction." Friedman comments: "When I think PROJECTED, the first words that come to my mind is a very raw and honest band. Things aren't overthought. It's very organic." Hornsby says: "We've been playing so long together, you know it's kinda like a marriage to a certain degree. It really warms my heart to be able to play with my friends and these great musicians."

"Ignite My Insanity" track listing: Disc 1

01. Strike02. Reload03. Six Feet Below04. Vain05. Rectify06. Faith07. Gomorrah08. Heaven Above09. 10 Years Gone10. Only

Disc 2

01. Fire02. Ignite03. Call Me The Devil04. Concede05. Inhuman06. Better07. Hate You Back08. Upside Down09. Seconds10. Inside The Sun11. Battlestations

VENOM INC., the new band featuring original VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (guitar) and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray (drums) alongside ex-VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, will release its debut album, titled "Avé", on August 11 via Nuclear Blast. The official video for the disc's first single, "Dein Fleisch", can be seen below. VENOM INC. was born during an impromptu live set at 2015's Keep it True festival in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. The onstage reunion was a rousing success amongst VENOM fans and music industry personnel alike, and although it was originally only set up for fun, Dolan began receiving numerous show offers for VENOM INC. from booking agents around the world. What started as a live set to celebrate VENOM's legacy immediately turned into a serious reunion discussion. While unexpected at the outset, the end result of this reunion is an album that true VENOM fans will gladly add to the top of their playlists. Dolan says: "We tried to shape 'Avé' so that it comes at you dark, then it gets bright and heavy and just keeps growing into some kind of monster." "Avé" track listing:

01. Ave Satanas 02. Forged In Hell 03. Metal We Bleed 04. Dein Fleisch 05. Blood Stained 06. Time To Die 07. The Evil Dead 08. Preacher Man 09. War 10. I Kneel To No God 11. Black N Roll Going in to writing "Avé", VENOM INC. realized their live performance was the key to creating an album that would be a metal classic. It was clear that any songs the trio came up with had to have the intensity, the honesty and the aggression that was happening for VENOM INC. in a live situation. Simply put, they needed to translate what they do on stage onto a record. Not once did they look back on the VENOM catalogue and think, "We have to write another 'Black Metal' or another 'Schizo'..." The focus is on VENOM INC. and everything the rejuvenated three-piece do in the here and now. Dolan adds: "Expect 100% pure, honest, solid, hard, dark, thought-provoking metal... like it was, is and forever shall be. Classic old-school, but with the ferocity and energy that we display in our live show. We are proud of this album and our new home at Nuclear Blast, as well as our whole team — management, PR, agents, sponsors and most of all, YOU. Thank you! See you somewhere on this blood-stained Earth!" VENOM INC. will kick off the "Blood Stained Earth" headline tour, featuring support from GOATWHORE, TOXIC HOLOCAUST and THE CONVALESCENCE, on September 1. In addition to the tour, VENOM INC. is set to perform dates in Europe throughout 2017, including stops at MetalDays, Heavy Metal Cauldron and others. The band will perform classic VENOM songs and new tracks.

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released three albums as VENOM between 1989 and 1992 — "Prime Evil" (1989), "Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

The classic lineup of VENOM — Lant, Dunn and Bray — is often credited with kickstarting the whole black metal movement, but is more accurately seen an early example of extreme metal.

VENOM's second album, 1982's "Black Metal", was a major influence on on the early Norwegian black metal scene.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

According to Billboard, singer, screenwriter and director Rob Zombie has moved his film and television business from UTA to CAA.

In addition to making several albums with WHITE ZOMBIE, five solo studio records and a handful of compilation, remix and live sets, plus scripting and directing seven feature films, Zombie has also directed almost all his own videos, run his own record label at one point and written his own line of comic books.

When asked by The Pulse Of Radio if there was anything that he hadn't done yet that he still wanted to do, Zombie said he wasn't sure. "I mean, I never really look at it that way. I don't know. I mean, you know, there's always something, something always comes up that you're like, 'Wow, never thought of that, that's cool.' Even if it's just with music and movies, I mean, every movie is the new challenge and there's always a new, exciting thing that goes with it. Every record is a new challenge and that's what's great about it. I'm happy with that. It's not like I'm always looking for a completely new thing I have to do. Both those things are still pretty exciting."

Zombie's latest movie, "31", premiered at Sundance last year. His previous films include "The Lords Of Salem", "The Devil's Rejects", the 2007 remake of "Halloween" and "House Of 1000 Corpses".

Tomorrow - Friday, June 9th - Bay Area death cult Necrot will drop their second LP, Blood Offerings, via Tankcrimes. In celebration of its release, the album is now streaming in full via the YouTube clip below.

The eight-tracks comprising Necrot's Blood Offerings were captured by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer (Vastum, Graves At Sea), mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Nails, Gatecreeper), the album completed with unholy cover art by Marald Van Haasteren (Bolt Thrower, Baroness). Blood Offerings will see release on CD, LP, and digitally via Tankcrimes, and on cassette through Sentient Ruin Laboratories. The limited vinyl edition comes as a foil-stamped, gatefold deluxe LP available in four color variants: 150 in purple splatter, 350 in gold splatter, 500 in black, and 1000 in gold.

Tracklisting:

“The Blade”
“Rather Be Dead”
“Shadow And Light”
“Blood Offerings”
“Empty Hands”
“Beneath”
“Breathing Machine”
“Layers Of Darkness”

Two weeks following the release of Blood Offerings, Necrot will embark on the month-long Make America Death Again Tour with Denmark-based death metal tyrants, Undergang, running from June 30th through July 29th. The band will also make their way to Europe this fall for a journey that will include stops at Bloodshed and Graveland Fests. Further details to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Necrot Make America Death Again Tour with Undergang:

June
30 - Thee Parkside - San Francisco, CA

July
1 - 5 Star - Los Angeles, CA
2 - Tower Bar - San Diego, CA
3 - Yucca Tap Room - Phoenix, AZ
4 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
5 - Sidewinder - Austin, TX
6 - Satellite Bar - Houston, TX
7 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
8 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
9 - The Brass Mug- Tampa, FL
11 - Slim's - Raleigh, NC
12 - The Camel - Richmond, VA
13 - Sidebar - Baltimore, MD
14 - Gooski's - Pittsburgh, PA
15 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY
16 - Dusk - Providence, RI
17 - Stamps - Buffalo, NY
18 - Corktown Tavern - Detroit, MI
19 - The Summit - Columbus, OH
20 - Quarters - Milwaukee, WI
21 - Reggie's - Chicago, IL
22 - Lookout Lounge - Omaha, NE
23 - Hi Dive - Denver, CO
24 - Club X - Salt Lake City, CO
26 - The Highline - Seattle, WA
27 - High Water Mark - Portland, OR
28 - Starlite - Sacramento, CA
29 - Eli's - Oakland, CA
 

 

SERIOUS BLACK announced new cover artwork (by Jan Yrlund) for their upcoming album "Magic" to be released on August 25th 2017 via AFM Records.

"Magic" will be released in following Editions:

Special Fan Box ( Ltd. to 500) :
- Ltd. Digipak (The limited 2-CD Digipak contains the bonus CD "Live in Atlanta".)
- exclusive acoustic CD "First Light" - only available in this boxset
- witchboard with planchette (exclusive design)
- 22 tarot cards (exclusive design)
- Listener's companion written by Urban breed
- certificate of authenticity

CD Jewelcase: Magic

CD Digipak Ltd. (2 CD´s) :
- Magic
- Live in Atlanta

Vinyl Black Ltd. to 250
Vinyl White Ltd. to 250

In March 2018, symphonic metal legends NIGHTWISH will begin their nine-month-long "Decades: World Tour 2018" starting with 34 shows in North America.

The band will have a very special setlist for the tour, featuring rarely heard material from the earlier era, and excitingly for both band and fans, they will revisit the old songs with some new twists.

This setlist will be a "one-off" and only performed on this "Decades: World Tour 2018".

To accompany the tour, Nuclear Blast will release a 2CD compilation, "Decades", on March 9.

"Decades: North America 2018" tour dates:

Mar. 09 - Atlanta, GA - TabernableMar. 10 - Charlotte, NC - The FilmoreMar. 12 - Norfolk, VA - The NorvaMar. 13 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric TheaterMar. 14 - New York, NY - Playstation TheaterMar. 16 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric FactoryMar. 17 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium Mar. 18 - Albany, NY - The EggMar. 20 - Montreal, QC - MetropolisMar. 21 - Toronto, ON - Massey HallMar. 23 - Niagara Falls, NY - Rapids TheatreMar. 24 - Cleveland, OH - Agora TheaterMar. 25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AEMar. 26 - Covington, KY - Madison TheaterMar. 28 - Kalamazoo, MI - State TheatreMar. 29 - St. Louis, MO - Touhill Performing Arts CenterMar. 30 - Minneapolis, MN - The MythMar. 31 - Chicago, IL - Aragon BallroomApr. 02 - Omaha, NB - Sokol AuditoriumApr. 03 - Denver, CO - Paramount TheatreApr. 05 - Edmonton, AB - Northern Alberta Jubilee AudApr. 06 - Spokane, WA - Knitting FactoryApr. 07 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth TheaterApr. 08 - Portland, OR - Roseland TheaterApr. 10 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn BowlApr. 12 - Ventura, CA - The Majestic Ventura TheatreApr. 13 - San Jose, CA - City National CivicApr. 14 - Anaheim, CA - City National GroveApr. 15 - Tempe, AZ – Marquee TheatreApr. 17 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb FactoryApr. 18 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood HallApr. 19 - Mobile, AL - Saenger TheaterApr. 21 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus LandingApr. 22 - Miami, FL - Olympia Theater

NIGHTWISH's latest DVD/Blu-ray, "Vehicle Of Spirit", was released in Europe in December and followed in the U.S. in January. It features not only two full concerts, but also plenty of bonus material.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has released its cover version of "Malagueña Salerosa" — also known as "La Malagueña" — a well-known son huasteco or huapango song from Mexico, which has been covered more than two hundred times by various recording artists.

The song's lyrics were written about a man telling a woman (from Málaga, Spain) how beautiful she is, and how he would love to be her man, but that he understands her rejecting him for being too poor.

The official video for AVENGED SEVENFOLD's version of "Malagueña Salerosa" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Rafa Alcantara and produced by TWENTYFOURCORE.

"Malagueña Salerosa" is the first new AVENGED SEVENFOLD recording to arrive since the release of the band's seventh album, "The Stage", which was released at the end of October with almost no promotion beforehand.

The surprise release of the disc, which was announced the night it went on sale, earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED album in 11 years. It sold 76,000 copies in its first week, 73,000 of which were physical.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows recently confirmed to Kaytie of the Razor 94.7 radio station that the band will embark on a full North American headlining tour in January and February 2018. The trek, which will be announced after the completion of AVENGED's current stadium run as the support act for METALLICA, was originally "supposed to happen this summer until we got that call from METALLICA, so we decided to put it on hold," the singer explained.

DEF LEPPARD will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its seminal album "Hysteria", one of the best-selling and most influential releases in music history, with the release of "Hysteria (Remastered 2017)". Set to debut on August 4, the remastered anniversary edition will be released in various formats via Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/Ume — Super Deluxe Edition, Deluxe Version, 1 CD Vanilla Version, 2-LP Black Vinyl Version, and limited-edition 2-LP Colored Vinyl Version. The reissue boasts B-sides and live tracks, plus the audio for "In The Round In Your Face (Live)" on CD for the first time.

Frontman Joe Elliott says: "It's hard to believe that it’s been thirty years since the release of 'Hysteria'. In some respects, it really does seem like only yesterday. So, to mark this milestone, we wanted to do something very special for our fans and give them the definitive version of the album, one that incorporates all of the memories and milestones that we caught on tape and some of the madness that we got up to on the road. We hope it means as much to you as it does to us."

Adds guitarist Phil Collen: "I look back at the whole 'Hysteria' experience with excitement along with fond and tragic memories. It was our commercial zenith, thanks to Mutt Lange's insistence that we create an artistic hybrid between hard rock and pop Top 40 music using every genre available as an inspiration. It was a rock album that would garner seven hit singles. Mission accomplished."

Essential listening for fans across the board, "Hysteria" indisputably ranks as one of the most decorated and revered rock albums of all time. As the group's second consecutive RIAA Diamond-certified record (10 million sales in the U.S.), it would go on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and 12 million in the U.S. Moreover, the record staked a spot in the U.S. Top 40 for 96 weeks matched only by "Born In The U.S.A." Rolling Stone touted it on the prestigious "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, and a poll in Q placed it among the "100 Greatest Albums of All Time". Dominating multiple charts, it captured No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and U.K. album charts, bolstered by immortal Top-5 anthems such as "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Animal", "Love Bites", "Hysteria", "Rocket" and "Armageddon It". "Hysteria" left an indelible mark on rock 'n' roll. Powered by stadium-filling drums, rapturous guitars, and unshakable choruses, the record saw DEF LEPPARD rightfully claim their place among rock's divinities forever. As a result, its influence now reverberates through three generations of artists to follow. It also historically marked their third straight collaboration with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

Among the new versions, the Super Deluxe Edition boasts 5-CD/2-DVDs including four books — "Story Of"; a Ross Halfin photo book; Discography; Hysteria Tour Program and Tour Poster. The Deluxe Version features 3 CDs, the Vanilla Version is 1-CD, and the Vinyl Version is 2 Black LPs. In addition, there will be a limited-edition, 2-LP Colored Vinyl available via D2C channels for the first time.

"Hysteria 30th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition" track listing:

CD One (Remastered "Hysteria")

01. Women02. Rocket03. Animal04. Love Bites05. Pour Some Sugar On Me06. Armageddon It07. Gods Of War08. Don't Shoot Shotgun09. Run Riot10. Hysteria11. Excitable12. Love And Affection

CD Two

01. Tear It Down (B-side)02. I Wanna Be Your Hero (Retro Active)03. Ride Into The Sun (Retro Active)04. Ring Of Fire (B-Side)05. Women (Radio Edit)06. Rocket (Lunar Mix) (Radio Edit)07. Love Bites (Radio Edit)08. Hysteria (Radio Edit)09. Pour Some Sugar on Me (Radio Edit)10. Armageddon It (Radio Edit)11. Release Me (Stumpus Maximus)12. Classic Album – Hysteria (BBC Radio Documentary)

CD Three

01. Rocket (The Lunar Mix - Extended Version) (B-Side)02. Armageddon It (The Nuclear Mix) (12" Single)03. Animal (Extended Version)04. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Extended Version)05. Excitable (The Orgasmic Mix) (B-Side)06. Rocket (Lunar Mix) (B-Side)07. Rock Of Ages (Live) (B-Side)08. Love And Affection (Live) (B-Side)09. Billy's Got A Gun (Live) (B-Side)

CD Four: "In The Round, In Your Face" (Live)

01. Stagefright02. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)03. Women04. Too Late For Love05. Hysteria06. Gods Of War07. Die Hard The Hunter

CD Five: "In The Round, In Your Face" (Live)

01. Bringin' On The Heartbreak02. Foolin'03. Armageddon It04. Animal05. Pour Some Sugar On Me06. Phil Solo07. Rock Of Ages08. Photograph

DVD One

01. Rocket (Top Of The Pops)02. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Top Of The Pops)03. Animal (Top Of The Pops)04. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Brit Awards)05. Women (Promo Video)06. Animal (Promo Video)07. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Promo Video)08. Pour Some Sugar On Me (U.S. Version Live)09. Hysteria (Promo Video)10. Love Bites (Promo Video)11. Rocket (Promo Video)12. Armageddon It (Live) (Promo Video)

DVD Two ("Classic Albums")

01. Introduction02. Animal03. Hysteria04. Rocket05. Love Bites06. Pour Some Sugar On Me

Bonus Material

07. Initial Recordings Of Animal08. Rick Gets Hysterical09. Hysteria (Acoustic Performance)10. Drumming - Return To The Status Quo11. The Album According To Joe12. Sugar Stripped Down13. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Acoustic Performance)14. Guitars, Guitars, Guitars15. Windmill II And The Gods Of War16. Mutt's Vocals In The Mix17. The Album Is Finally Released

Swiss folk metallers ELUVEITIE will release their next album, the long-awaited second part of their acoustic concept effort "Evocation", on August 18 via Nuclear Blast.

The band has launched a pre-order for "Evocation II - Pantheon" and the first single off the new record, "Epona", is now available for purchase digitally as well.

ELUVEITIE mastermind Chrigel Glanzmann states: "'Evocation II' is a journey back to the source of it all: Antumnos, the otherworld. Join us on this wayfare through the Celtic pantheon, the world of the gods of our ancestors! The album cover expresses nothing less but exactly this! It's full of symbolism and meaning and depicts things of deepest meaning and importance in Celtic mythology. The symbol contains the 'great wheel', symbolizing the wheel of the year with the four seasons and the equinoxes — forming the foundations of Celtic mythology. The great wheel is framed by a tripartite Enneagram; while three is an important number in Celtic mythology in general, we also face trinity in the Celtic pantheon! While the inner circle contains the initials of the names of the deities revered on this album — arranged tripartitedly according to their relations within the pantheon and place in the mythology — the outer circle utters an invitation as well as a blessing, a magical benediction for the one to dare to enter and set forth on this journey. The core of the symbol implies triune symbolism. The depiction shows the god Lugus, who was sometimes also adressed in the plural — Lugoves — since he's a triune god, as well as a tricephalos. The 'one with the skillful hand' and 'artisan of all skills' is depicted and a combination of two important symbols: On the one hand he's shown as 'high king' (and druid of druids), a typical gallic symbolism of an essential meaning and sigificance. On the other hand, he's framed by the gallic 'lord of the animals/lord of life' symbolism: The character surrounded with diverse animals, but being strongly connected with all of them at the same time. So after all, the album cover vibrantly and mystically expresses the content of 'Evocation II'! Join and let the journey begin!"

"Evocation II" conjures another time travel to eras long gone. As the title already reveals, the concept of the first opus will continue and is entirely dedicated to the Celtic mythology. Even more, "Evocation II" takes you into the Gallic pantheon and bows down to the Celtic Gods after which the song titles are named. Anyone who will join ELUVEITIE on this journey will quickly notice that the character of each song is equal to the one of the god the song is about — and there is a lot more to discover!

ELUVEITIE in May 2016 announced the departure of drummer Merlin Sutter, vocalist Anna Murphy and guitarist Ivo Henzi.

The band's latest album, "Origins", was released in August 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was once again recorded at New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, a municipality in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland, with producer Tommy Vetterli (a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron; CORONER/ex-KREATOR guitarist).

ELUVEITIE is:

* Jonas Wolf (guitar)* Matteo Sisti (whistles, bagpipes, mandola)* Nicole Ansperger (fiddle)* Alain Ackermann (drums)* Chrigel Glanzmann (vocals, whistles, mandola, bagpipes, bodhran)* Fabienne Erni (vocals, celtic harp, mandola)* Kay Brem (bass)* Michalina Malisz (hurdy gurdy)* Rafael Salzmann (guitar)

The new lineup of ELUVEITIE made its live debut at the Eluveitie & Friends festival in January at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland.

Photo credit: Manuel Vargas

ANTHRAX will return to European shores later this month in support of its current album, "For All Kings", which was released more than a year ago. To mark the occasion, the band has released a digital two-track single titled "Leftoverthrax", including cover versions of KANSAS's "Carry On Wayward Son" and THE WHITE STRIPES' "Black Math".

ANTHRAX upcoming shows:

Jun. 17 - D - Hockenheim - MatapalozJun. 18 - D - Saarbrücken - GarageJun. 19 - D - Wiesbaden - SchlachthofJun. 21 - H - Budapest - Barba NegraJun. 22 – SRB - Kragujevac - Arsenal FestJun. 23 - I - Natz - Alpen FlairJun. 25 - F - Strasbourg - Festival des ArtefactsJun. 26 - D - Regensburg-Obertraubling - Eventhall AirportJun. 27 - D - Osnabrück - Hyde ParkJun. 28 - B - Liège - Reflektor *SOLD OUT*Jun. 29 - NL - Alkmaar - VictorieJul. 01 - DK - Roskilde - Roskilde FestivalJul. 02 - NL - Uden - De PulJul. 04 - E - Pamplona - ZentralJul. 05 - P - Corroios - Cine TeatroJul. 06 - E - Viveiro - Resurrection FestJul. 13 - Cadott, WI - Chippewa Music FestJul. 14 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Open AirJul. 15 - Oshkosh, WI - Rock USAOct. 29 - Nov. 02 - MEX - Cancun - Metal Maya

ANTHRAX's cover version of "Carry On Wayward Son" is a bonus track on the new expanded vinyl edition of "For All Kings".

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante told The Aquarian Weekly that he had long been a fan of the KANSAS cut, and frequently drummed to it as a teen. "I had to go back into the hard drive of my brain and remember how to play the song. We wanted to do it justice," he said.

The "For All Kings 7-Inch Box Set" includes a removable lenticular cover and contains ten seven-inch vinyl discs featuring twenty songs — the eleven finished album tracks, two brand new covers (THE WHITE STRIPES' "Black Math" and " Carry On Wayward Son"), six demos from the "For All Kings" track listing, and "Vice Of The People", previously released as a bonus track only in Japan. The original album cover art sketch by Alex Ross is also part of this package, as well as a download card enabling the holder to access the box set's track listing for free.

Each seven-inch disc features gorgeous, double-sided four-color artwork designed by Douglas Heusser with additional art by Stephen Thompson, as well as band photos by Jimmy Hubbard. The tracks are pressed onto different-colored vinyl discs — red, green, blue, maroon, orange, most with a two-color swirl design.

"Doing a box-set edition of 'For All Kings' was something that we've always wanted to do," said Benante, who worked closely with Heusser and Thompson on the box set's artwork. "We wanted to do something special, something that was so much more than the original release, and have it be fun for our audience when they open it up, just be floored by the different colored vinyl, the artwork, everything that's inside. And we think we've done that."

On July 28th, earMUSIC will release Paranormal - Alice Cooper's new studio album; and his first in six years, in 2CD Digipak, 2LP, Limited Box Set, and Digital formats. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting:

"Paranormal"
"Dead Flies"
"Fireball"
"Paranoiac Personality"
"Fallen In Love"
"Dynamite Road"
"Private Public Breakdown"
"Holy Water"
"Rats"
"The Sound Of A"

Studio recordings with the original Alice Cooper band:

"Genuine American Girl"
"You And All Of Your Friends"

Live in Columbus, Ohio, May 6th, 2016 with the current Alice Cooper band:

"No More Mr. Nice Guy"
"Under My Wheels"
"Billion Dollar Babies"
"Feed My Frankenstein"
"Only Women Bleed"
"School’s Out"

The album was recorded in Nashville with long-time collaborator Bob Ezrin and features a very special bonus CD - consisting of two brand new songs written and recorded together with the original Alice Cooper band members Dennis Dunaway, drummer Neal Smith, and guitarist Michael Bruce, alongside carefully selected live recordings.

Paranormal also features special guest appearances by: U2's Larry Mullen Jr., ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and Deep Purple's Roger Glover.

Alice Cooper is on tour throughout 2017. A full list of North American tour dates can be found below.

Tour dates:

June
9 - Mankato, MN - Vetter Stone Amphitheatre
12 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theater
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kingsbury Hall
16 - Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Amphitheatre
17 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Ampitheatre
18 - Airway Heights, WA - Pepsi Outdoor Summer Concert Season at Northern Qu
20 - Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Theatre
21 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Theater
22 - Tucson, AZ - AVA Amphitheater
24 - El Paso, TX - KLAQ Streetfest

August (with Deep Purple, Edgar Winter)
12 - Las Vegas, NV - The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan
13 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
15 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
16 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
18 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
19 - Dallas, TX - Starplex Pavilion
21 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre
23 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
24 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion
26 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
27 - Boston, MA - Xfinity Center
28 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
30 - Indianapolis, IN - Klipsch Amphitheater

September (with Deep Purple, Edgar Winter)
1 - Pittsburgh, PA - KeyBank Pavilion
2 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
3 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
6 - Chicago, IL - Tinley Park
8 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
9 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
10 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center

Hard rockers Dangerous Toys, who formed in Austin, TX in 1987, celebrate 30 years as a band in 2017, and EMP Label Group is celebrating with “Dirty Thirty” Remastered CD and LP reissues of the back-half of the band’s catalog including: Pissed, The Rtist 4merly Known As Dangerous Toys, AND XX: Live.

Formed in 1987, with Watchtower vocalist Jason McMaster, Dangerous Toys released their classic self-titled release, and the follow up Hellacious Acres, via Columbia Records, before going independent for their follow up 1994’s Pissed, and 1995’s The Rtist 4merly Known As Dangerous Toys.

The band has since remained active for 30 years, playing shows and releasing a string of independent and live releases. Meanwhile McMaster also stayed busy in several other projects including Broken Teeth, Ignitor, and Evil United, who all have current and pending releases via EMP (Broken Teeth’s 4 on the Floor hit stores in April.)

Said vocalist Jason McMaster, “This stuff never came out on vinyl, I am blown away that it will finally happen. Pissed and R-tist never really get the push they deserved. We were proud of the material and this worth celebrating. I can’t wait to get these myself.”

EMP’s Thom Hazaert adds, “I’m a huge fan of Dangerous Toys, and so is David (Ellefson), so we’re super stoked to be able to reissue some of these landmark releases from their catalog. I’ve worked with Jason off and on and for over a decade, with Toys and Broken Teeth, and he truly is one of the hardest working guys in show-business, and nowhere is that more apparently than in Dangerous Toys. These new versions look and sound great, with updated art and packaging, but still staying true to the vibe of the original.”

The first reissue, the seminal 1994 LP Pissed will hit stores September 8th, in Deluxe Gatefold Double LP and CD formats.

Jackyl celebrate 25 years of rockin' out with their chainsaws out! Scheduled for release on July 28th is Jackyl - 25 Years - 1992 - 2017. The cover art and 18-song tracklisting, featuring a pair of previously unavailable cuts, are as follows:

"I Stand Alone"
"Down On Me"
"When Will It Rain"
"The Lumberjack"
"Push Comes To Shove"
"Secret Of The Bottle"
"Dumbass Country Boy"
"Cut The Crap"
"Kill The Sunshine"
"My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine's Ass"
"Just Like A Negro" (featuring DMC)
"Screwdriver"
"Encore"
"Favorite Sin"
"Rally"
"Just Because I'm Drunk"
"Redneck Punk" (live) - previously unreleased
"Hot And Nasty" - previously unreleased

For $40, you can pre-order the Jackyl 25 Bundle with a black bag with the Jackyl cover artwork, in it will be the CD, T-Shirt and two bumper stickers; get yours at this location. You can also pre-order the CD alone for $13.98 by clicking here. Puh-Pow!

Catch Jackyl live in concert:

June
22 - Hoots Pub - Amarillo, TX
23 - Pikes Peak International Raceway - Fountain, CO
24 - El Paso Downtown Street Festival - El Paso, TX
25 - River Road Ice House - New Braunfels, TX

September
2 - Harley Davidson Museum - Milwaukee, WI
8 - Grand Casino Hinckley - Hinckley, MN

Experimental prog-rock/metal group, In The Presence Of Wolves, will release of their new EP, Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage, on June 30th. The EP is available for pre-order now via Bandcamp.

Today, the band gives fans an up-close look at the guitar techniques behind their single "The One Who Fell to Earth" via a brand new guitar playthrough video, featuring lead guitarist Chris Capitanio. Watch the video below:

In The Presence Of Wolves are undoubtedly a band to watch in 2017. Tight live and recorded performances plus mind-boggling technical precision describe only the tip of the iceberg.

With the release of their previous album, Thalassas, ITPOW began turning heads far beyond their stomping grounds of Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Their addictive blend of classic progressive rock, modern prog-metal, experimental, post-hardcore and jazz rock influences leaves the listener wanting more, and Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage quenches that thirst.

The new EP - musically influenced by the likes of Rush, Coheed and Cambria, Queen, The Mars Volta and Between The Buried And Me - pushes beyond the limits of these predecessors, creating a fresh auditory offering you have to hear for yourself.

Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage is a two-in-one part EP in an eventual multi-release story that explores ITPOW's personal confrontations with mental illness, emotional struggle and the five stages of grief. The EP tells the story of twin brothers, one with paranoid schizophrenia and one without. The sane brother deals with the first two stages of grief as he investigates the reasons behind his twin taking his own life.

At the helm on Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage was producer Kevin Antreassian of Backroom Studios, otherwise recognized as guitarist for kings of metallic chaos, Dillinger Escape Plan. The album was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.

Of Two Minds, Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage tracklisting:

“As We Speak Pt. 1”
“The One Who Fell To Earth”
“White Noise”
“The Ape And The Cage”
“M.U.A. (Manipulation Under Anesthesia)”

"The One Who Fell To Earth”:

Finnish AOR hopefuls, The Nights, will release their self-titled debut album on August 4th. A video for the album track, “Juliette”, is available for streaming below.

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

“Juliette” video:

“Welcome To The Show”:

(Photo - Iris Haubold 2017)

Metal Hammer magazine has announced that metal's founding fathers, BLACK SABBATH, will be the recipients of the Golden God award, the most prestigious award of the night, at this year's Metal Hammer Golden God Awards in association with Orange Amplification. The awards take place at the IndigO2 at The O2, London on Monday, June 12.

Founding member and metal legend Tony Iommi will be on hand to collect this coveted award of behalf of the band, following in the footsteps of the likes of IRON MAIDEN, SLAYER, MOTÖRHEAD and more.

In 2016, BLACK SABBATH began their monumental "The End" world tour that saw original members Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler, along with Tommy Clufetos and Adam Wakeman, play an incredible 81 shows in all corners of the globe. The tour and BLACK SABBATH's incredible 49-year career came to a close in February 2017 with two glorious shows in their hometown of Birmingham.

BLACK SABBATH's Geezer Butler says: "Thank you for this award. It's good to know that after almost 50 years, SABBATH is still relevant, and has its importance in the history of music. I want to thank our fans who have been with us along the way. Without them, there would be no SABBATH."

BLACK SABBATH is without doubt one of, if not the, most important and influential bands in rock music. They were the pioneers of metal, and albums such as 1970's "Paranoid" and 1971's "Master Of Reality" saw them define the genre. They have sold more than 75 million albums, been inducted into the U.K. Music Hall Of Fame and U.S. Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2005 and 2006 respectively, and won countless accolades, but it's the plaudits from their fellow musicians that really brings the band's influence and importance into perspective.

Musician quotes:

James Hetfield (METALLICA): "SABBATH got me started on all that evil-sounding shit, and it's stuck with me. Tony Iommi is the king of the heavy riff."

Slash (GUNS N' ROSES): "There's just something about that whole record ['Paranoid'] that, when you're a kid and you're turned onto it, it's like a whole different world. It just opens up your mind to another dimension. 'Paranoid' is the whole SABBATH experience; very indicative of what SABBATH meant at the time. Tony's playing style — doesn't matter whether it's off 'Paranoid' or if it's off 'Heaven And Hell' — it's very distinctive."

Scott Ian (ANTHRAX): "I always get the question in every interview I do, 'What are your top five metal albums?' I make it easy for myself and always say the first five SABBATH albums."

"BLACK SABBATH are, quite simply, the Ground Zero for metal," says Metal Hammer editor Merlin Alderslade. “Without them, heavy music wouldn't exist as we know and love it today, and it only seems right that in a year where we're celebrating the power of our scene, we acknowledge the influence of the Mac Daddies themselves. We can't wait to blow the roof off the O2 on Monday June 12 for the biggest party of the summer."

As well as honoring the great and good of metal, the Golden God Awards will see live performances from MASTODON, CLUTCH, AVATAR and ORANGE GOBLIN. With a capacity of just 2,000, this will be one of MASTODON's most intimate performances in years.

FOZZY frontman and WWE megastar Chris Jericho — who also appeared at this year's Wrestlemania event in front of 70,000 people — will be coming straight from playing this year's Download festival to host.

Danish composer and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Myrkur, will release the follow-up to her masterful debut M, this fall via Relapse. The album will be titled Mareridt, and the new song, “Två Kongunbarn”, is available for streaming below.

Myrkur recently revealed Randall Dunn as the producer for the new album, who is known for his work with Marissa Nadler, Earth, Sunn O))), Boris, Wolves In The Throne Room and more. Recording took place in Copenhagen's Black Tornado studio and at Dunn's own Seattle studio.

Myrkur discloses "I have spent the last year writing songs for this record and choosing which ones should make it. It has been a very different approach as well as process, compared to my debut album. I am mixing Kulning into the melodies, an ancient Scandinavian herding call and the lyrics are in different languages. I am very happy to have Randall Dunn produce the album here in Copenhagen, even though he is American, he seems to have Nordic blood and music running in his veins. It's a very exciting juxtaposition for me."

The album will include special guests (to be announced shortly) and an array of special instruments including Nyckelharpa, violin, mandola, folk drums and Kulning as previously mentioned. Stay tuned for more details.