The last two nights of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's 2016 U.K. tour took place on December 9 and December 10 at the O2 Brixton Academy, with the second night seeing the band playing its debut album, "The Poison", in full on its tenth anniversary year. Both shows were captured by Live Here Now and are set for release as "Live From Brixton: Chapter Two" on July 28. Nights one and two are both available on limited-edition double CDs, plus deluxe 2 x DVD and Blu-ray editions (which include both evenings' performances). Finally, "Night Two: Performing The Poison" in its entirety is also available on triple red LP. All formats are available across specially priced bundles.

Video footage of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE performing the song "Don't Need You", taken from "Live From Brixton: Chapter Two", can be seen below.

In a 2016 interview with Metal Obsession, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE frontman Matt Tuck stated about the the fact that it has been more than a decade since "The Poison" first came out: "Yeah, it's gone in the blink of an eye. The lifestyle of the band has been so hectic. It really has just gone by. When you think of the reality of how long that's passed since then, the journey we've been on since that record is incredible. We've achieved the unachievable in many ways and twelve years later we're still very relevant in heavy metal. Very, very shocked how quick it’s gone."

Asked which song he was most looking forward to performing from that record at the Brixton show, Tuck said: "I don't know. Probably 'Her Voice Resides', the opener. It was the opening soundtrack to our career in a way. Having that intro play at our first headline shows and launch into 'Her Voice Resides'. They were very exciting times in our lives. I think as soon as that intro rolls, we haven't used it since 2006 or 2007. Having that intro in the PA system and people screaming in the background will be a very goosebumpy moment for us."

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE recently commenced work on material for its sixth album, tentatively due before the end of the year. The disc will be released through the band's new label home, Search And Destroy, the imprint launched in 2014 by Spinefarm and international artist management company Raw Power Management.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's latest song, "Don't Need You", was released as a standalone single last November.

The band's last studio album, "Venom", came out in August 2015. The CD marked BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's first release since the departure of longtime bassist Jason James and addition of Mathias (formerly of REVOKER).

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas took a temporary leave of absence from the band last year to spend time with his wife, as they awaited the birth of his first child. He has since been replaced on the road by Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, AXEWOUND).

Edmonton, AB death thrashers Phylactery will release debut album Necromancy Enthroned through Unspeakable Axe Records on August 18th. A promo video for album track "Unholy Empire" is available below.

On Necromancy Enthroned, Phylactery practices a malevolent brand of death/thrash they liken to cult favorites Morbid Saint and their fellow countrymen Sacrifice.  Following just one prior demo, Necromancy Enthroned is their debut full-length, which contains 11 tracks of hammering riffs and demonic vocals that will infect your mind and snap your neck.  With eerie artwork by Paolo Girardi, the album is guaranteed to please any enthusiast of the extreme.

Tracklisting:

“Risen Restless Dead”
“Wisdom Of Heretics”
“Fulminations”
“Morbid Existence”
“King Of Ruin”
“Where I Dwell”
“Enslaved By The Dawn”
“Eyes Of Fear And Flame”
“Bubonic Undeath”
“Unholy Empire”
“Eat Of My Disease”

“Unholy Empire”:

Evil Invaders are back! After touring extensively all over Europe in support of their debut album Pulses Of Pleasure (2015) and their intense follow-up EP In For The Kill (2016), these Belgians have managed to capture the ultimate collection of fucked up adrenaline and compressed violence onto one record. Their second monstrosity of an album is called Feed Me Violence and today release date, tracklisting and album artwork has been unveiled.

Joe and Max state:

"We went through hell for this record but I think we really nailed it on this one. We spat out all our frustrations into this album which will be quite noticeable when you listen to it. This is quite angry shit and out of control. Feed Me Violence will be a whole new chapter for Evil Invaders as it unveils new and quite unexpected sides of our music. Going from fast brain-bashing riffs to slow and clean, almost theatrical compositions. This album will take you on a dark trip through pain, vengeance and insanity!"

Feed Me Violence will be released worldwide on September 29th via Napalm Records. This release will pump up your blood veins and guide you through a relentless and twisted journey, which every extreme metal music fan should and will relate to.

Feed Me Violence will be available as regular Jewel Case edition as well as 1LP Gatefold Edition. An unstoppable roller coaster ride of tempo switches and twists from start to finish. Pre-Order will be available shortly.

Tracklisting:

“Mental Penitentiary”
“As Life Slowly Fades”
“Suspended Reanimation”
“Broken Dreams In Isolation”
“Feed Me Violence”
“Oblivion”
“Shades Of Solitude”
“Anger Within”
“Among The Depths Of Sanity”

"The Dying Embers Of Life", the new video from THE RAVEN AGE, the U.K.-based band led by IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's son George Harris, can be seen below. The song is taken from THE RAVEN AGE's debut album, "Darkness Will Rise", which was released on March 17 via BMG.

George told The Moshville Times about THE RAVEN AGE's musical direction: "We label ourselves as melodic metal. Pretty broad, I know, but it describes us perfectly. We're a modern metal band, which you could say sounds metalcore musically, but we use clean vocals only on top of the low-tuned heavy music, which makes it a different thing. We're also influenced by film score and epic music, which I think is apparent in our songs."

Regarding THE RAVEN AGE's influences, George said: "Luckily, we're generally into similar music. We all have our favorites, but are definitely on the same wavelength when it comes to bands. I think metalcore and modern styles of metal were breaking through at the time when we started getting into rock music, so, naturally, we fell in love with bands such as BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, TRIVIUM, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, AS I LAY DYING, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, PARKWAY DRIVE, etc. These are the bands, I think, we take most influence from musically, even though we're slightly different."

"Darkness Will Rise" track listing:

01. Darkness Will Rise02. Promised Land03. Age Of The Raven04. The Death March05. Salem's Fate06. The Merciful One07. Eye Among The Blind08. Winds Of Change09. Trapped Within The Shadows10. My Revenge11. The Dying Embers Of Life12. Angel In Disgrace13. Behind The Mask

THE RAVEN AGE is a melodic metal band from London, United Kingdom consisting of five individuals who very quickly became friends through sharing a love for heavy music and a passion for songwriting.

In 2009, guitarists Dan Wright and George Harris began establishing their vision of a band that combines contemporary heavy music with powerful melodic vocals to create an epic and unique sound.

After writing their first album, they began searching for likeminded musicians to join the band and make their vision a reality.

Taking on bass player Matt Cox in 2012, with vocalist Michael Burrough and drummer Jai Patel joining in early 2013, the lineup was complete and ready to take their music to the stage.

THE RAVEN AGE is:

Michael Burrough - VocalsMatt Cox - BassDan Wright - GuitarGeorge Harris - GuitarJai Patel - Drums

KORN's music video for the song "Black Is The Soul" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "The Serenity Of Suffering", which came out at the end of October.

Said KORN singer Jonathan Davis: "'Black Is The Soul' is a song about being pulled away from the right path and the video reflects that experience of trying to navigate those conflicting emotions." Guitarist James "Munky Shaffer added: "I feel that this songwriting and production paired with the aesthetic look of the video shows a maturity and growth from the band that is continually evolving."

"Black Is The Soul" was reportedly written on the birthday of KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch's mother. Welch said in a track-by-track video interview: "The working title for that song was 'Mary Ellen Thrash', 'cause her name is Mary Allen and then it turned into 'Black Is The Soul', which is kind of creepy after it being named after my mom."

Welch continued: "Jonathan wrote that as one of the first songs, and he really did a good job on that one. And the lyrics… I love that line, actually: 'Black is the soul that's led astray.' 'Cause we've all been there — we've all been led astray in some in life that is unhealthy."

KORN and STONE SOUR will join forces for a summer tour, set to get underway June 16 at the USANA Amphitheatre in Salt Lake City, Utah and then continue through early August.

Video footage of STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor performing an acoustic version of the band's new track "Song #3" on the Japanese TV program called "Sukkiri!!" can be seen below. The tune is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Hydrograd", which will be released on June 30 via Roadrunner.

"Hydrograd" was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

The band tracked the album live in the studio, cutting a total of 18 songs from which 15 will make the CD.

Taylor recently said about the full-length follow-up to "House Of Gold & Bones": "It is the best stuff that we've ever written. It's got a lot of different directions, but at its core it's very hard rock, almost in a modern/classic sense. There are some hints of punk in there. There's some cool hard rock/heavy metal. There's just all of these really cool elements that we've never maybe allowed ourselves to kind of go to."

Bassist Johnny Chow described the disc as "a straight rock and roll album" in an interview with Detroit radio station WRIF, adding, "It's just very groove-oriented, very melodic (with) big choruses. We've got some mellower songs on there too, which are equally just as amazing and have a lot of groove to them."

Chow called the record a "bit of a departure" from previous STONE SOUR albums.

STONE SOUR will be special guests of KORN on the latter act's "Serenity Of Summer" trek, which starts on June 16 in Salt Lake City and wraps on August 2 in Cleveland.

Metallica performed the Hardwired… To Self-Destruct album track, “Moth Into Flame”, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO on June 4th. Professionally filmed video of the performance can be seen below:

St. Louis recap video:

Metallica’s WorldWired live dates are listed below:

June
7 - Denver, CO - Sports Authority Field*^
9 - Dayton, IA - Iowa Speedway
11 - Houston, TX - NRG Stadium*^
14 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome*#
16 - Dallas, TX - AT&T Stadium*#
18 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field*#

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

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

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

European diabolical death/black metal kings BELPHEGOR will release their new album, "Totenritual", on September 15 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Stage One Studios in Germany and Studio Mischmaschine in Austria and will be mixed by Jason Suecof and mastered by Mark Lewis at Audiohammer Studios in Florida.

The artwork was once again created by Greek artist Seth Siro Anton, who also painted the cover artwork for 2006's "Pestokalypse VI" and 2014's "Conjuring The Dead".

BELPHEGOR singer, guitarist and founder Helmuth Lehner states: "It is the most brutally heavy offering we have consecrated thus far. The drums are precise and very technical with loads of breaks, fills and tempo changes. The bass is like a panzer tank. Also, the rhythm guitars are utterly aggressive and obscure. You don't hear guitars like that anywhere with such a massively low tuning."

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Baphomet02. The Devil's Son03. Swinefever - Regent Of Pigs04. Apophis - Black Dragon05. Totenkult - Exegesis Of Deterioration06. Totenbeschwörer [Instrumental]07. Spell Of Reflection 08. Embracing A Star09. Totenritual

"Something Inside", a new song from RIVERDOGS, the band featuring DEF LEPPARD and LAST IN LINE guitarist Vivian Campbell, can be streamed below. The track is taken from RIVERDOGS' comeback album, "California", which will be released on July 7 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Featuring original members Campbell, Rob Lamothe (vocals, guitars) and Nick Brophy (bass, vocals), along with drummer Marc Danzeisen, the band's fifth album is RIVERDOGS' first new music since the eight-song mini album, "World Gone Mad", came out in October 2011.

Mixing the soulful vocals of Lamothe with the edgy guitarwork of Campbell and solid rhythmic lines from Brophy and Danzeisen, the album marks a definitive return to the sound of their critically acclaimed 1990 self-titled debut album. On the making of the album, Campbell says: "When my friends at Frontiers suggested a RIVERDOGS album in the spirit of the original debut record, I jumped at the chance to make it. In my opinion, 'Riverdogs' was a highlight of my career with some of my best guitar playing and definitely a record that flew under the radar. Having a clear direction of exactly what kind of record to make really helped the four of us create the music and there was an intense collective focus throughout the entire process that never wavered. I really think that we hit the target in creating a record that has all the hallmarks, the integrity and the emotional strength of the original debut. The fact that we've all remained such close friends throughout all the years only added to the joyous experience that was the making of this record."

Adds Lamothe: "Going into this project, my goal was to enjoy the opportunity of making music with some of my best friends, to share this incredible experience with my family... and to create something that RIVERDOGS fans will probably think is pretty bloody awesome. Big guitars! Beautiful melodies! Words about crazy, complicated, real stuff! I feel like Nick, Viv, Marc and I all brought our 'A' games to the writing and recording sessions. That's way more important than money and awards and fame to me" Brophy sums up the writing process for the album: "In summer of 2016, I found myself in Los Angeles, reunited with three of my closest friends, about to begin a new RIVERDOGS album. Marc had arranged a rehearsal environment at a friend's house, which was to provide the creative atmosphere for writing new material. I stood there with bass in hand thinking, 'Okay, now what?' Little did I know that a few days later we would have six new RIVERDOGS songs and the album 'California' was born. The remaining six songs came, surprisingly, just as easily, a testament to the amazing talents of Vivian, Rob, Marc and the effortless way in which we work as a group. Our clear goal for this album was to remain true to the original RIVERDOGS sound and provide fans with a new set of songs which carry on the legacy of a truly remarkable band." RIVERDOGS formed in Los Angeles at the end of the '80s when flashy, glitzy hard rock ruled the day, but they were determined to avoid clichés and adopted an original sounding blues-rock style. Campbell of SWEET SAVAGE, DIO and WHITESNAKE fame at the time (soon to join and become a long-standing member of DEF LEPPARD and later, founding member of LAST IN LINE as well) was initially brought on board to produce the band's first demo, but was so impressed with the band that he actually became a member and played on the debut album. Soon after the release, Marc Danzeisen joined Rob, Nick and Vivian to complete the lineup. Though fans and critics gave the album a warm reception and high regard, the unfortunate and age old story of change of personnel at their record label came about and eventually led the band members to go their own ways, with Campbell settling into the DEF LEPPARD lineup and Nick Brophy becoming a respected engineer and producer. RIVERDOGS, with a revamped lineup, released two more records in 1993, "Bone" and "Absolutely Live", before going on an extended hiatus. They reconvened, with the original lineup, in 2003 to record new material and play a few reunion shows. Those new songs were recorded as demos, but only completed in the studio in 2011 when their last album, "World Gone Mad", was released.

Now, six years after their last studio album, RIVERDOGS have crafted "California", a record that truly recreates the magical sounds of their early days and that will surely be welcomed with open arms by fans both old and new. "California" track listing:

01. American Dream02. The Revolution Starts Tonight03. Something Inside04. Golden Glow05. You're Too Rock And Roll06. The Heart Is A Mindless Bird07. Searching For A Signal08. Welcome To The New Disaster09. Ten Thousand Reasons10. Catalina11. I Don't Know Anything

Fan-filmed video footage of MORBID ANGEL's entire May 29 concert at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Summoning Redemption02. Bil Ur-Sag03. I04. Warped05. Nothing Is Not06. To The Victor The Spoils07. Curse The Flesh08. Prayer Of Hatred09. Covenant Of Death10. Praise The Strength11. Beneath The Hollow12. Ageless, Still I Am

Encore:

13. He Who Sleeps14. Umulamahri

MORBID ANGEL played a brand new song, "Warped", live for the first time on May 23 at the opening show of the band's North American tour at The Beacham in Orlando, Florida.

In a recent interview with Orlando Weekly, MORBID ANGEL's current frontman, Steve Tucker, who is back for his third spell with the group, was asked if the band's current trek — which ends on June 27 in New Orleans — will see the band performing any songs from its recently completed new studio album. "Probably one or two new songs; the album's almost done, but we don't want to put out too much with YouTube putting it up the next day," Tucker explained. "The setlist will be different, too — in the past, we've covered all of MORBID ANGEL's discography, but this time we went with the discography between Trey [Azagthoth, guitar] and I. I'm really excited about the fact that every song we play is a song I was a part of. There are some MORBID ANGEL classics that aren't there, but we made our own classics."

MORBID ANGEL's new disc was recorded at Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer — and former MORBID ANGEL guitarist — Erik Rutan. Tentatively due in the fall via UDR Music, the LP will mark the band's first release with drummer Scott Fuller (ANNIHILATED, ex-ABYSMAL DAWN) who joined MORBID ANGEL last year following the departure of Tim Yeung. It will also be MORBID ANGEL's first album to feature Tucker since 2003's "Heretic".

Tucker told "The Metal Magdalene With Jet" show about MORBID ANGEL's approach on the upcoming album: "It was really just about writing music — it was just about writing a MORBID ANGEL album. Nobody said, 'Hey, we wanna go in this direction,' nobody said anything. I mean, there's obvious things there. I've said it before — I'm a death metal guy, so, for me, it's gonna be a death metal album; if I'm on it, it's death metal. So it was just about making a MORBID ANGEL album. It was really about coming in with something new, something fresh, but yet it still being MORBID ANGEL. Really, honestly, we didn't approach this any differently than any of the other albums I was involved in except for maybe [1998's] 'Formulas Fatal To The Flesh', which 'Formulas', Trey wrote all the music, all the lyrics and things like that. But this was done more similar to maybe [2000's] 'Gateways To Annihilation', where everybody had their contribution. Trey wrote a bunch of songs, I wrote songs, Scotty contributed some ideas. There was a lot of back-and-forth. In the end, it has to become a MORBID ANGEL song. And at this point, I feel that it's very much a MORBID ANGEL album."

MORBID ANGEL in January announced the addition of Dan Vadim Von (guitarist/frontman of the American death metal band VADIMVON) to the band's lineup on second guitar. He joined the group as the replacement for Norwegian guitarist Destructhor (a.k.a. Thor Anders Myhren), who left the band a year and a half ago.

MORBID ANGEL's first U.S. tour of 2017 features support from SUFFOCATION, REVOCATION and WITHERED.

Former MORBID ANGEL frontman David Vincent recently joined forces with several other musicians — including Yeung (drums) — to perform classic MORBID ANGEL songs under the I AM MORBID banner.

MORBID ANGEL's controversial 2011 album, "Illud Divinum Insanus", marked the group's first CD to feature Vincent since "Domination".

Fight Or Fall is a multi-part documentary telling the complex tale of Riot and follows Riot V as they tour the USA, Canada with festivals in Japan and Europe. Part 1 is streaming below, released on founding guitarist Mark Reale's birthday, June 7th, by The Metal Voice.

Part 1 covers the formation of Riot, Rock City, Narita-eras and the demise and resurrection of the band for their most popular album, Fire Down Under. The first instalment also covers Riot V in rehearsals and preparation for their US dates and their trek into Chicago and Detroit.

Guests included in Part 1:

Steve 'Lips' Kudrow - Anvil
Martin Popoff - Rock Author
Anthony Reale - Mark Reale's Father
Mike Flyntz - Riot V and Riot guitarist
Donnie Van Stavern - Riot V and Riot bassist
Frank Gilchriest - Riot V and Riot drummer
Todd Michael Hall - Riot V vocalist
Lance Barnewold - Riot V touring guitarist in July 2017
Lou A Kouvaris - Riot guitarist (1976-1978)
Rick Ventura - Riot guitarist (1978-1983)
Phil Feit - Riot bassist (1974-1976) (1979-1980), Billy Idol, Joan Jett
Peter Bitelli - Riot drummer (1972-1980)

Filmmaker Jimmy Kay had this to say about the project, "This is a reality/documentary, the viewer gets to watch the band travel in the first person from city to city, see them perform their music, tell their stories and interact with themselves and the fans. It captures the brotherhood, the continuation of Riot V and bridges the two entities together. The documentary also aims to explain the Riot back story and legacy."

Giles Lavery co-producer concluded, "The story of Riot is one of the most unique and inspiring in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, the story has many twists and turns along the way, but the songs were and are always at forefront as some of the best in hard rock and heavy metal."

Calgary, AB progressive death metal band Divinity have posted new lyric videos for "Manhunt" and "Atlas", which are the two first tracks on their new album The Immortalist that was unleashed on May 26th.

"Manhunt":

"Atlas":

Orders of the album are at Divinity.ca, iTunes, and Amazon plus an exclusive digipak CD available on their website for those who want to support the band directly.

The Immortalist is a culmination of 5 years of hard work and dedication to their craft.  The album features 12 tracks that include their two previous EP releases The Immortalist, Pt. 1 – Awestruck and The Immortalist, Pt. 2 –Momentum with their 3rd EP The Immortalist Pt. 3 - Conqueror now finished completing the trilogy series for one huge full length album. All the tracks on the album are remixed and remastered by the talented Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy, The Grid Productions) to make the songs more cohesive and work as a full-length album experience. This album also features Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid of Soilwork on vocals for the song “D.M.T.”. Divinity is also offering fans an exclusive digipak CD available on their website for those who want to support the band directly.

The bands comments on release:

"Closure is such great thing! We’ve finished our third EP for The Immortalist trilogy concept and have decided to take all three EP’s and turn it into a full-length album."

Tracklisting:

“Manhunt”
“Atlas”
“Hallowed Earth”
“D.M.T.”
“PsyWar”
“Distorted Mesh”
“The Dead Speak From Behind”
“Lucid Creator”
“The Reckoning”
“All Seeing Eyes”
“Momentum”
“Conqueror”

"Atlas" video:

“Manhunt” video:

Album teaser:

Texas metal titans Warbeast will release their long-waited new full-length, Enter The Arena, this August via Philip H. Anselmo's own Housecore Records. Captured at Anselmo's Nodferatu's Lair, mixed by Mike Thompson at the Riff Factory and mastered by Lee Russell, Enter The Arena features newest Warbeast recruits, guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud, and stands among the band's most potent, volatile, and unrepentantly powerful offering yet. 
 
"We recorded Enter The Arena exactly a decade after we formed Warbeast," notes vocalist Bruce Corbitt. "The nucleus and founding members of this band [guitarist Scott Shelby, drummer Joey Gonzalez, and Corbitt] provided the essential veteran leadership that was vital for us to reach our goal of creating our magnum opus. The three of us also contributed our unique individual styles to guarantee that we still sound like Warbeast. But with the addition of our two newest members - guitarist Drew Shoup and bassist Lyric Ferchaud - who I call the 'Youngbloods,' it was like adding a breath-of-fresh-air to our chemistry. We definitely sound like a well-oiled-machine on this album. So get prepared for the upcoming onslaught of pure, fresh, and quintessential Texas thrash!"
 
"Enter The Arena is Warbeast at its finest in performance, writing and tone quality," adds Shelby. "I'm confident that it will please any rivethead out there! I believe it's mine and our best work to date."

Enter The Arena will see release on August 4th. Preorder bundles are currently available at Housecore Records.

The release of Warbeast's Enter The Arena follows Corbitt's recent and tragic announcement that he's been diagnosed with esophageal cancer --a treatable though rarely curable disease - facing the likelihood that he will never be able to sing again. 
 
In a recent Facebook message to fans, Corbitt revealed, "After much discussion with the doctors and specialist, they've told me there's no chance within any reasonable time that I'll ever be able to perform again. So it breaks my heart at this time that I'm forced to announce my retirement from singing. I'm sorry to all of my bandmates for letting them down. I'm devastated with all of this hitting me so fast. I'm still in shock. Thanks for all of the great support all these years," he continues. "You're the best fans and I love all of you! We at least have a great Warbeast album and music video coming soon. I can't even begin to explain my feelings. You guys have given me the strength I need to even prepare for this fight. Honestly, I was close to losing hope that there was any good to come out of this. Of course, I'm scared for my life like any normal human being would be. Those moments when I can get on Facebook and scroll through all of your messages, the emotion takes over. I cry, I get stronger, I also realize what all of you mean to me. I do believe in the power prayer and positive vibes. And I have all of you to thank for that."

Corbitt, who recently began an intensive schedule of radiation treatments, played his final show on Saturday May 27th at the Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Additionally, the band's previously-scheduled CD release party will be taking place on Friday, July 14th at The Rail Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. Vocals will be handled by Anselmo, Edwin Neal (Texas Chain Saw Massacre), and Wayne Abney of Hammer Witch. 

A special fund to help with the Corbitt family's escalating medical expenses has been set up. To donate visit this location.

Tracklisting:

“Centuries Of Poisoned Soil”
“Punishment For Gluttony”
“Orchestration Of Violence”
“Maze Of The Minotaur”
“Hitchhiker”
“Chemicals Consuming”
“Enter The Arena”
“The Scalping”
“Conjuration With The Devil”
“Ancient Hate”

Mighty Music has announced the signing of Malta’s Forsaken to the family. Forsaken was formed in 1990 and is considered one of the true survivors of the epic doom metal genre.

Albert Bell, founder, lyricist and bass player of Forsaken comments: "Signing with Michael (Anderson, Mighty Music President) and Mighty Music is a crucial step forward for the band. I have personally known Michael since the earliest days of the band. He is both a fan and a close friend of the band. His support and friendship are two important qualities that tipped the scale in Mighty's favor in the process of deciding on a new home for Forsaken. Moreover, from a business perspective, Mighty possesses all the requisite qualities we were looking for this time round.  Mighty Music has grown considerably in stature and reputation and hosts some really awesome bands, and we are all really elated to be in such great company.  Fans can expect our first full-length release with Mighty Music this fall. Pentateuch has all the ingredients epic doom maniacs have come to expect from the band - killer songs laced with soaring, passionate vocals from Leo, raging, fret-shredding solos from Sean, and head crushing riffs built on a very solid rhythm section. Combining with Simeon to build this foundation for the band is something that comes natural to us and is always a real pleasure.  I am also really happy with the lyrics for this album....I really poured my soul into them. Every band member left no stone unturned into making this release a most worthy addition to our long history and discography.  It has really been a long time coming, but the wait will be worth it and we are really chuffed that a label of Mighty Music's caliber has taken Forsaken and our new spawn Pentateuch on board, with the prospect of further releases in the future as our alliance with Mighty continues to grow".

Michael H. Andersen, Mighty Music says: "Ever since I visited Albert Bell on Malta back in 1996, I regret not having signed Forsaken to my label earlier. I've been a huge fan of the band since I heard the doom cult classic Where Angels Have Fallen for the first time in 1992-1993. The fact that Forsaken now is a part of my family, makes my old doom heart so proud".

Forsaken are currently doing the final touches on their first album in six years. Pentateuch is the title and it will be released on October 13th on LP, CD and digital. A release concert will be held in Malta on October 14th in a new venue called The Garage in Zebbug and afterwards the band will be heading on European tour.

Crusty death/doom outfit, Vallenfyre, have unveiled a horror-themed music video for the single "The Merciless Tide". Directed and filmed by Ash Pears (Paradise Lost, The Sisters of Mercy), the video is now available for streaming below.

Vocalist and guitarist Greg Mackintosh states: “”The Merciless Tide” is about the relentless march of time and also wishing you could be in someone else's shoes to save them suffering. In the video we see a man going through immense suffering over a long period of time, never being able to grasp the things he craves, whilst faceless tormentors observe in indifference. This is incredibly grim, so enjoy."

”The Merciless Tide” is featured on the band’s third album, Fear Those Who Fear Him, out now via Century Media Records.

Recorded by the band’s new core lineup consisting of Gregor Mackintosh (vocals and guitar), Hamish Glencross (guitar and bass) and Waltteri Väyrynen (drums), Fear Those Who Fear Him was once again produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge, Nails) at GodCity Studio in Salem, MA and mastered by Brad Boatright (Obituary, Beastmilk, YOB) at Audiosiege Mastering in Portland, OR.

The cover artwork was created by Hal Rotter (rottinggraphics.com).

Greg Mackintosh comments: “Most bands refine their sound over the first two or three albums. Becoming more technically adept and honing their craft. Vallenfyre have done almost exactly the opposite. We have devolved, made things simpler and crush most of the melody under swathes of rotting noise. From A Fragile King to Splinters and now to Fear Those Who Fear Him, we have become more savage, more raw and less compromising!”

Fear Those Who Fear Him is available as Gatefold LP+CD on limited coloured and regular black 180 gram vinyl, as Special Edition Digipak (international version), Jewelcase CD (Canada, US, Mexico only) and on all digital / streaming platforms. Click here to see further selected stores and download/streaming platforms.

The tracklisting of this 39-minute long aural atrocity reads as follows:

“Born To Decay”
“Messiah”
“Degeneration”
“An Apathetic Grave”
“Nihilist”
“Amongst The Filth”
“Kill All Your Masters”
“The Merciless Tide”
“Dead World Breathes”
“Soldier Of Christ”
“Cursed From The Womb”
“Temple Of Rats”

“Nihilist”:

"An Apathetic Grave" lyric video:

“Kill All Your Masters” video:

Onstage, Vallenfyre perform as a quintet with live members Sam Kelly-Wallace (rhythm guitar) and Chris Casket (bass) completing the lineup.

Tour dates:

July
6 - Torgau, Germany - In Flammen Open Air

August
9 - Josefov, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
19 - Saint-Nolff , France - Motocultor Festival

In the leather-bound history of heartfelt rock 'n' roll, not only will Michael Monroe have at least one chapter all to himself. But his name will be colourfully threaded throughout, such has been his impact, his appeal, and his ongoing never-surrender story; a powerful, inspirational tale told in detail on The Best - the first official collection of his (ongoing) solo musical exploits, featuring prime tracks from 1987 right up to 2017. It arrives June 30th via Spinefarm. The tracklisting has been revealed and can be found below.

"This album is a great representation of my 30-year solo career, including four songs from the Little Steven-produced Demolition 23 album, which has been unavailable for over 20 years, plus some special rarities and previously unreleased bonus tracks."

Icon, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist, media personality, flamboyant force of nature, and one of rock's most celebrated and uber-kinetic frontmen, Michael has been a name and a (much-photographed) face on the scene since 1979, when he played a central role in the formation of Hanoi Rocks - the legendary Finnish glam-punk heroes who came within a rolling paper's width of taking the world by glitter-storm.

Were it not for cruel and fickle fate, Hanoi - who disbanded for the first time in 1985, then finally in 2009 - might have ended up as an arena act. But whatever obstacles were thrust in their path, they were never less than the real deal, and major names like Guns N' Roses were ready to acknowledge their influence and their worth. G N' R would go on to issue the European Hanoi catalogue in the U.S. via their Uzi Suicide imprint.

Over his three-decades-plus in the spotlight, Monroe has befriended and performed with a whole host of artists and acts, including the aforementioned Guns N' Roses and Slash; Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Little Steven, and Ian Hunter.

The frontman has shared stages and studios with them all, but since that first break-up of Hanoi in the mid-'80s, he's essentially been pursuing his own path, and it's this solo activity that forms the basis of The Best. It's almost two hours' worth of career-spanning music, re-mastered by Svante Forsback and sequenced by the great man himself.

As well as key, high-profile numbers such as "Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll" (from second solo album, 1989's Not Fakin' It, the promo clip for which features an onstage cameo from Axl Rose) and "'78" (from 2011's Sensory Overdrive), this two-CD set also showcases some "from the vaults" moments for collectors and completists, with bonus tracks and previously unreleased songs strategically placed to make the journey both scenic and surprising.

"There's a couple of extra special tracks like 'It's A Lie,' sung as a duet with Stiv Bators (Dead Boys, Lords Of The New Church) back in 1985, and a never-before-released second version of the Steppenwolf cover 'Magic Carpet Ride,' featuring Slash, left over from the Coneheads soundtrack project that Slash did with me in 1993. And since Slash has the biggest heart of gold in rock 'n' roll, he was kind enough to allow me to use it on this album. God bless him!," said Monroe.

Two other previously unreleased songs are "Fist Fulla Dynamite" and "Simpletown," outtakes from the Blackout States album (2015); plus there's the new single "One Foot Outta The Grave" - an anthem of pure defiance - to bring things nicely up to date, showing the artist's continued commitment to a genre.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:
“Dead Jail Or Rock N Roll”
“Man With No Eyes”
“It's A Lie” (feat. Stiv Bators)
“Nights Are So Long”
“Can’t Go Home Again”
“Nothin's Alright”
“Hammersmith Palais”
“You Crucified Me”
“Deadtime Stories”
“Where’s The Fire John?”
“Make It Go Away”
“Life Gets You Dirty”
“Self Destruction Blues”
“Stranded”
“Telephone Bill’s All Mine”

Disc 2:
“Trick Of The Wrist”
“’78”
“All You Need”
“Ballad Of The Lower East Side”
“Eighteen Angels”
“Stained Glass Heart”
“Old King’s Road”
“Goin’ Down With The Ship”
“Keep Your Eye On You”
“One Foot Outta The Grave”
“Fist Fulla Dynamite”
“Simpletown”
“Get On”
“Magic Carpet Ride” (feat. Slash)

Alice In Chains bassist Mike Inez has revealed that the band will begin recording the follow-up to their 2013 album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, later this month in Seattle with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Studio X.

Inez tells the Let There Be Talk podcast: “We're going back home to do a record, really. The last two were (recorded) in L.A., and they were cool. I just feel in 2017, it's time for Alice In Chains to go back to Seattle… drink that water, breathe that air.”

He continues: “My Heart family's up there. There's just such a history… every street corner for us is a memory; crazy shit happened or some beautiful stuff. Seattle's a really special place, especially this time of year. It's the best."

Listen to the interview below:

Later this month, By Norse will release the debut album, Hydrogen, from BardSpec, the ambient project/band featuring Enslaved composer/guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and Today Is The Day's Steve Austin. A David Hall-directed video for the track “Bone” can be seen below.

Hydrogen will be released on June 23rd across all formats. The six-panel CD digipak is available as a limited first pressing of 1,000 and includes bonus track "Teeth”. The double-gatefold LP is limited to 500 on black vinyl; the digital format will also include the bonus track. Access the "Fire Tongue" radio edits now via iTunes and Apple Music.

Pre-orders for the the limited CD, LP, and shirt are available at the following locations: North America, Europe.

Having launched at Roadburn in 2015, BardSpec has since evolved into a fully-fledged band, with Steve Austin on guitars/effects, David Hall presenting the live visual aspect of the project, with the layout created by Josh Graham (Soundgarden, Neurosis, IIVII, etc.).

BardSpec combines stirring, hallucinatory synth-sounds with mercurial guitar effects and hypnotic rhythms that navigate illusory landscapes. Field recordings, and other found-sounds also drift and evaporate into the ether. Working intuitively with these elements and with sharpened senses, attuned to inner impulses, this is immersive music that can exist anywhere and anytime within the minds of the listener.

Whilst BardSpec might essentially be the same brain and personality making the music, compared to Enslaved, it is a widely different entity. Thematically and sonically, BardSpec is about minimizing, subtracting, and meditating upon the simplest essence of "things;" the single points exemplified through song titles like "Bone," "Salt," and so on, the basic elements and foundations that make up the whole. There is an element of "space" in the music and the artwork, as a representation of the inner workings of the mind and the subconscious.

Inspired by the German masters Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, and Conrad Schnitzler in addition to contemporary ambient music like Norwegian one-man-band Biosphere and abstract modern electronic music like When (Norwegian also), as well as the electronic/industrial-driven metal like Godflesh. Ivar describes the appeal and trance-inducing aspects of such music to him, "I remember listening to Richard Burmer and his album Mosaic from 1984. I thought I fell asleep but I was in a semi-lucid state where I still registered music - but not much else. At the end of side A there's an explosion so violent and extreme that I jumped two feet into the air and was totally shocked. The weird thing is, I couldn't remember it being there. When I revisited the music again it was just a little 'thud.' I was just experiencing a trance so deep into the music that this deviation from the pattern and frequencies in the foregoing half hour of monotony totally shocked me. I loved it!"

Hydrogen tracklisting:

“Intro - Deposition”
“Bone”
“Fire Tongue”
“Gamma”
“Salt”
“Teeth” (bonus track)

“Bone” video:

“Gamma” video:

“Fire Tongue” video:

A special record release show to showcase the album is scheduled for June 29th at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York.

(Photo - Christian Misje)

Swedish death metallers, Entrails, will release their new album, World Inferno, on June 16th via Metal Blade Records. The album’s title track is available for streaming below. Pre-order the album at this location.

Comments Entrails guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist: "I am damn proud to finally unleash this nasty beast, A new chapter is written for Entrails to satisfy all old school maniacs out there. Having new blood in the band, Martin and Tommy, helped making this fifth album the rawest and heaviest to date. Prepare yourself to stretch out your neck in full headbanging!"

The recordings for World Inferno started in December 2016 in Lundqvist's Bloodshed Studio. Dan Swanö once again handled the mixing and mastering for the album.

Dan Swanö comments on World Inferno as follows: "I don't know if I had said this before, but I say it again. Every time I start thinking about putting together some new SweDeath project, Entrails show up at my doorstep with a new album to mix, and every time I think "Fuck!! - What's the point in making my own project when this is so fucking good, and exactly what I wanted to do…" And if I felt there were some details to improve upon from our previous work together, they fix that and then some, and return with an album even stronger than the previous one. What the fuck is going on in Linneryd!? Are Jimmy cloning death metal warriors in some barn over there or what!? To sum it up. Yet another amazing slab of SweDeath coming your way from Entrails! Beyond. Blown. Away!"

Tracklisting:

“World Inferno”         
“Condemned To The Grave”         
“Serial Murder (Death Squad)”         
“The Soul Collector”    
“Dead And Buried”         
“Insane Slaughter”         
“Into Eternal Fire”         
“Suffer”         
“The Hour Of The Casket”         
“The Blood Breed”

“World Inferno”:

“Serial Murder (Death Squad)”:

“The Soul Collector”:

Entrails lineup:

Jimmy Lundqvist: Guitars
Tommy Carlsson: Vocals/Bass
Pontus Samuelsson: Guitars
Martin Michaelsson: Drums

The official 360° visualizer video for the song 'Rites Of The Locust' from legendary blasphemers Incantation has been unleashed (view below).

The song, a weapon of anti-biblical proportions, is one of eleven new tracks engineered to showcase the band's inherent - and unrivaled - musical, lyrical, and visual depravity on their forthcoming 10th studio album, entitled Profane Nexus. The album drops on August 11th via Relapse Records, the very same label that released the band's suffocating-yet-groundbreaking debut effort, Onward To Golgotha, over a half century ago.

Incantation founding father, John McEntee, had this to say regarding the direction of the video: "With the advent of 360-video visualizer technology, we were able to convey the song's powerful imagery alongside the intensity of the music. This song is an example of one of the more aggressive songs on the album. We feel it's the perfect representation of death metal and everything an Incantation fan wants. Rage motherfuckers!"

Embodying a dizzying array of blasphemous tracks - culminating in sacrilegious conquests, crushing dirges, and vile riffing - Profane Nexus is an obliterating-ly heavy execution of disgusting death metal that further solidifies the band as one of extreme music's most influential and consistently hailed artists of the past thirty years.

Recorded at the band's own Incantation Studios in Johnstown, PA and mixed/mastered by Dan Swanö (Bloodbath, Asphyx, Dark Funeral), Profane Nexus is perhaps the finest example of pummeling death metal and disemboweling funeral doom ever conceived.

Order Profane Nexus on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records at this location.

Cover art, titled Draping The Tar Monster, by Eliran Kantor.

Tracklisting:

“Muse”
“Rites Of The Locust”
“Visceral Hexahedron”
“The Horns Of Gefrin”
“Incorporeal Despair”
“Xipe Totec”
“Lus Sepulcri”
“Stormgate Convulsions From The Thunderous Shores Of Infernal Realms Beyond The Grace Of God”
“Messiah Nostrum”
“Omens To The Altar Of Onyx”
“Ancients Arise”

“Rites Of The Locust” video:

See Incantation destroy North America this summer alongside Swedish black metal legends, Marduk. Stay tuned for a full list of dates and locations.

Incantation are also set to appear at this year's edition of Brutal Assault Festival, which takes place August 8th through 12th, 2017 at Old Army Fortress Josefov, Czech Republic.

(Top photo - Scott Kinkade)

 

Kataklysm have released a lyric video for “Illuminati”, taken from the re-release of Shadows & Dust/Serenity In Fire. Watch the new video below:

In celebration of their 25th anniversary in 2017, Kataklysm will perform their albums, Shadows & Dust and Serenity In Fire, on a string of European dates in October.

A Moment In Time tour dates:

October
5 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol
6 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
7 - Antwerpen, Belgium - Trix
8 - Hambrug, Germany - Grunspan
10 - London, England - 02 Academy Islington
12 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
13 - Luzern, Switzerland - Schuur
14 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
15 - Nurnberg, Germany - Hirsch
17 - Prag, Czech Republic - Roxy
18 - Vienna, Austria - Simmcity
19 - Lindau, Germany - Vaudeville
20 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks
21 - Munich, Germany - Backstage

Death Angel have released a lyric video for the track “Breakaway”, featured on the band’s 2016 album, The Evil Divide, available via Nuclear Blast. Watch the new video below:

Upcoming Death Angel live dates are listed below:

July
1 - Parque Simon Bolivar - Bogota, Colombia
9 - Antwerp Metalfest - Antwerp, Belgium
10 - Kulturfabrik - Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
14 - Glasklockorna - Gavle, Sweden
19 - Le Ferrailleur - Nantes, France
20 - Petit Bain - Paris, France
21 - Le Rat's - Puget Sur Argens, France
26 - Musigburg - Aarburg, Switzerland
29 - Vaudeville - Lindau, Germany

August
1 - Hirsch - Nuremberg, Germany
6 - Baroeg - Rotterdam, Netherlands
8 - Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
9 - Audio - Glasgow, United Kingdom
10 - Hobos Music Venue - Bridgend, United Kingdom
11 - The Underworld Camden - London, United Kingdom
12 - Festival Area De Lange Munte - Kortrijk, Belgium
13 - Festival Area De Lange Munte - Kortrijk, Belgium

“Boat”, a track from River Black’s upcoming self-titled debut album is available for streaming below. The album will be released on July 7th via Season Of Mist. Pre-orders are available at this location.

River Black deliver the musical equivalent to a diamond-tipped drill to bore breathing-holes into the crusty rusted armour-plating of the metal-genre in order to let some fresh air into the all too often stale scene. Their powerful self-titled debut album impresses with undiluted aggression, precisely executed and dead on target. Based on an intimate knowledge of thrash metal history, the Americans have found a modern answer to this classic style, incorporating suitable elements of death, hardcore, and other influences. This is boosted by a massive sound that drops the bomb in your face.

The expertise that River Black demonstrate in craft and talent does not come out of the blue. Guitarist John Adubato and drummer David Witte (Municipal Waste) formed their new creative outlet after the dissolution of Burnt By The Sun. The veteran duo felt the need to keep the spirit and energy behind that former collective going, while pushing it a darker and heavier direction. To complete their dream team, Witte and Adubato recruited fellow Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger and former Burnt By The Sun collaborator Mike Olender for vocal duties.

On completion of their line-up, River Black recorded their first album at New Jersey’s Trax East studio with producer Eric Rachel. River Black are now ready to drive a vicious spike into the bubble of metallic complacency. Crank up the volume and let River Black hit home hard. Impact is imminent.

Vocalist Mike Olender comments on behalf of River Black: "Our first track out, “Low” is an expression of horror at how religion can become twisted and manipulated by charlatans and demagogues. It was inspired by a news report, I heard about a journalist, who spent some time with the now-deceased Isis leader 'Johnny Jihad'. It revealed how this man used brutality with the purpose of inspiring others with similarly twisted minds. He used videos of his actions as recruiting tools. I was struck by the thought that there are people out there, who not only wouldn't be repelled by these horrific videos, but actually excited and inspired by the images of this man gleefully sawing off the heads of the orange-clad victims kneeling before him. Faiths have always had these characters throughout history, but it is surreal to realize we are living in such dark historic times."

Tracklisting:

“Jaws”
“Honor”
“Low”
“Shipwreck”
“River Black”
“South by South”
“Boat”
“Move”
“#Victim”
“Haunt”
“Sink”
“Everywhere”

“Boat”:

“#Victim”:

“Low”:

Syteria, the Yorkshire, UK-based rock band featuring Girlschool guitarist Jackie Chambers, have released a video for “When I Get Out Of High School”, a track from their debut full-length album, Rant-O-Bot, released on May 30th. The new clip is available for streaming below.

Rant-O-Bot is available from TuneCore, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and a variety of online music stores. You can also order a CD featuring a booklet containing lyrics and photos directly from the band's official website here.

Rant-O-Bot tracklisting:

“Revolution”
“When I Get Out Of High School”
“Complication”
“Sheeple”
“I'm All Woman”
“Get A Life”
“Stupid Girl”
“Loner”
“Hypocrite”
“Kamikaze”
“If”
“New World Order”

“When I Get Out Of High School” video:

“I”m All Woman” video:

Syteria lineup:

Julia Calvo - Vocals
Jackie Chambers - Guitars/Vocals
Keira Kenworthy - Bass Guitar/Vocals
Pablo Calvo - Drums/Vocals

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

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

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

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

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

“Blackened Karma” video:

Studio trailer #1:

Studio trailer #2:

Studio trailer #3:

Rage live dates:

June
10 - Starnberg, Germany - Food Rock Festival, Schlossberghalle
17 - Duisburg, Germany - Rage Against Racism (RAGE meets REFUGE)
29 - Gardelegen, Germany - Metal Frenzy

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

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

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

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

Rage lineup:

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

Cellar Darling, the new band formed by ex-Eluveitie members Anna Murphy, Merlin Sutter and Ivo Henzi, have released a second official video trailer for their upcoming album, This Is The Sound, out on June 30th via Nuclear Blast. Watch the clip below.

Tracklisting:

“Avalanche”
“Black Moon”
“Challenge”
“Hullaballoo”
“Six Days”
“The Hermit”
“Water”
“Fire, Wind & Earth”
“Rebels”
“Under The Oak Tree…”
“…High Above These Crowns”
“Starcrusher”
“Hedonia”
“Redemption”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

“Black Moon” video:

“Challenge”:

“Fire, Wind & Earth”:

Studio trailer:

Cellar Darling have announced three festival shows for Europe this summer. Their schedule is currently as follows:

July
14 - Bôle, Switzerland - ParaBôle Festival

August
17 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze
25 - Gränichen, Switzerland - Open Air Gränichen

Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has posted another Iron Maiden cover, performed at the EEF Festival in Holland.

Says Thomas: “I actually didn't want to upload any more versions of “The Trooper”… but this one was particularly fun to play, cause we started it way too fast, so we had to finish it in that tempo... enjoy! On drums we have Nathanael Taekema and on bass Anton Zwijsen.”

Zwijsen previously posted this cover of Iron Maiden's "Dance Of Death”:

 

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has "sent a musical prayer out to London and the world" in the wake of the terrorist attacks on London Bridge this past weekend. Check out the post below.

According to Quartz Media, following a suicide bomber attacking people coming out from an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in May and an Islamist extremist attacking people and police outside Parliament in March, another attack took place in the British capital of London on Saturday night (June 3rd) that killed seven people and injured almost 50.

The police were called at 10.08pm local time and told a vehicle had plowed into pedestrians on London Bridge. The van continued to drive south from London Bridge to Borough Market. Witnesses reported seeing the van driving at around 50mph, when it hit five to six people. Three attackers then left the vehicle and stabbed a number of people, including several police officers.

The police shot the three suspects within eight minutes of receiving the first emergency call. The police said in a press conference that they fired 50 bullets, “an unprecedented number of rounds,” at the attackers, fearing that they were about to detonate their suicide vests, which turned out to be fake.

 

Ticketmaster U.K. recently conducted an interview with STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist Josh Rand. You can watch the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the meaning of "Hydrograd", the title of the band's forthcoming studio album:

Corey: "It's a funny story, actually. A few years ago, and I was running through an airport, I think it was in Poland, maybe. It was before they upgraded everything, so everything was a little antiquated as far as the gate information, at each gate. It still had the LED, '80s digital watch, box-y numbers, letters and things going by. It switched between English [and something else] and I'm running, trying to find my gate and I kinda happened to look up. You get those subliminal flashes of what's going on. And I saw 'Hydrograd.' I kept going and I was like, 'I wonder what that word is in Russia?' I stopped and I was like, 'I got to know. I have to know where that is.' I go back to the gate and it wasn't even close. There was no word that actually looked like 'hydrograd' or sounded like 'hydrograd.' It was kinda funny; I just chuckled and went on and I just went 'Hydrograd,' huh. That's a cool name.' I tucked it away. Years later, lo and behold, I had written a song that I named 'Hydrograd.' I thought it could be a really cool name for the album. The rest is history."

On whether there is a lyrical theme running through "Hydrograd":

Corey: "Not really. Thematically, it's more about just how the songs feel than anything else. We just wanted to put together a solid album that just felt really good, like almost like a rock playlist. You put your favorites together and let it flow after that. That's kinda what this album has, that flow. Thematically, it's just like any other album, really, where it's talking about life, love, anger and stuff, and all the crap that goes with it."

On the "eclectic" nature of STONE SOUR's music:

Corey: "We've always said that there's cohesion in our eccentricities. This album really allowed us to explore a lot of different types, but at the same time, there was a cohesion that maybe it wasn't as pulled apart as some of our other albums are. It felt really good and linear and song-wise, we were just kicking a lot of ass with that, too."

On recreating STONE SOUR's live sound in the studio:

Corey: "You can't suck and be in this band, let's put it that way. We've always been that band where we've always felt like we haven't been able to capture ourselves on an album yet. We always prided ourselves on being an amazing live band. This album, I feel like is the first time in a long time that we've captured the spirit of where we are live. It's because we recorded it live and really went for it. You can hear that in every listen. It doesn't deteriorate. Every listen it sounds fresh and sounds good. It's exciting."

On whether the band is excited about touring again:

Corey: "Absolutely. Even smells and sights, yeah, dealing with all that crap. You get to a point where you're set in your ways. The road doesn't have a lot of the… I don't even know what the word is."

Josh: "Since I've been removed from it for a while this time, this is the longest break that we've ever had since 'House Of Gold & Bones [Part 1 and 2]'. Part of me is nervous. To go back out there, even doing the interviews, it's, like, 'I haven't done this for four years.' It's like getting back into the swing of things. I'm really excited. I think the record is great. It will be amazing to play some of that stuff live, and go back to all these places [where] it's been years since the band has been there. For me, personally, there's definitely an excitement and I'm kind of nervous at the same time. It's like a rediscovery of just doing this all over again, being able to start over, it's like being a young band. That's how I felt, literally, a couple of days ago. I was like, 'Wow, we've been doing this forever.' I remember back just getting ready to do this press tour, so yeah, I'm stoked. I think the break, obviously in the situation that we are in this band with him [Corey] singing in SLIPKNOT also, so we always have that break. Every time from when the band first started, everybody asks me about 'the break' and what I think of it. I've always really embraced 'the break.' I think every time that it does come back around, it's like starting all over again. It's not that I'm completely burnt out because we've done it ten years non-stop. I can come back to it and it's fresh, then it becomes exciting again."

Corey: "And you can burn out quick, even when you love something, it gets to a point where it can make you feel like this is beating you down. For us, being able to re-discover that energy and re-discover that love for it, you can see it in the live performance. You're so into it. You're just ready to give it everything you got. It never comes off as lackadaisical."

"Hydrograd" will be released on June 30 via Roadrunner Records. The disc was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

The band tracked the album live in the studio, cutting a total of 18 songs from which 15 will make the CD.

STONE SOUR will be special guests of KORN on the latter act's "Serenity Of Summer" trek, which starts on June 16 in Salt Lake City and wraps on August 2 in Cleveland.