Evergrey have released a lyric video for “My Allied Ocean”, a track from their new album, The Storm Within, released back in September via AFM Records. The new clip can be seen below.

The Storm Within album details follow…

The Storm Within tracklisting:

“Distance”
“Passing Trough”
“Someday”
“Astray”
“The Impossible”
“My Allied Ocean”
“In Orbit” (Featuring Floor Jansen)
“The Lonely Monarch”
“The Paradox Of The Flame” (Featuring Carina Englund)
“Disconnect”
“The Storm Within”

“My Allied Ocean” lyric video:

“In Orbit” video (featuring Floor Jansen):

“Passing Through” lyric video:

Evergrey perform next on May 6th at The Haven in Winter Park, FL. Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

Scottish folk/power metallers ALESTORM have released the official music video for their new song "Mexico", taken from the band's upcoming fifth full-length album. Titled "No Grave But The Sea", the disc will be released on May 26 via Napalm Records.

Says the band: "Oh wow! It's Cinco de Mayo, so let's celebrate with a song dedicated to our favorite country in the world — Mexico! Like most of our music, this song is about drinking, pirates, and explosions. And don't worry, it's not a real donkey, it's just Bobo and Elliot in a donkey costume."

"No Grave But The Sea" track listing:

01. No Grave But The Sea02. Mexico03. To the End of the World04. Alestorm05. Bar und Imbiss06. Fucked with an Anchor07. Pegleg Potion08. Man the Pumps09. Rage of the Pentahook10. Treasure Island

No other band in the galaxy creates such epic modern symphonic folk metal anthems with endless hooks that will be stuck in your head until the heat death of the universe. Or in ALESTORM's own words, "stupid songs about getting drunk and stealing treasure." Twisted together with blistering harmonized guitar and keyboard solos, thunderous power metal majesty, and unrelenting modern metal riffing, "No Grave But The Sea" is nothing less than the perfect soundtrack to the most epic battle of your life. "A pirate's life is simple; we drink and steal and kill!" So raise up your tankard into the sky for this brand new treasure of pirate metal.

ALESTORM's last album, "Sunset On The Golden Age", came out in August 2014 via Napalm Records.

POISON frontman Bret Michaels has released the official video for his emotionally charged new single, "Jorja Bleu". The song is new and fresh, yet has the instantly familiar sound that we've all come to love and expect from Michaels. It's also a very personal and real conversation with his youngest daughter, for whom the song is named after. In the new single, Bret recounts an exchange between father and daughter with lyrics like: "She said, 'What if I fall?'…and I said, 'What if you fly?'"

Michaels, who has been described as a "Cultural Touchdown" by former CEO of MTV Judy McGrath (currently on the board of directors at Amazon) has had cross-genre and multi-generational success with songs like the country hit "All I Ever Needed" and the pop duet "Nothing To Lose" with Miley Cyrus; the latter was the most added song to radio the week of its release, topping both BON JOVI and NICKELBACK.

Michaels, the BMI award-winning songwriter states: "This song is as raw and stripped down as it gets. This is a man sharing his trials and tribulations in such a way that he hopes to inspire his daughter to chase her dreams with no apologies, while keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground."

In fact, Bret felt so strongly about the raw, pure emotion in the original demo (engineered on a laptop on his tour bus by longtime friend and music director Pete Evick), that after spending a lot of time trying to recapture it in a multi-million dollar studio, Michaels decided to release the original demo. Evick states: "More times than not, Bret's original untouched ideas are the best stuff. It's amazing watching him work. Bret will beat-box, hum, or sing all the parts from the drums, bass, guitar, keys, and even horns, right down to the vocals. Then go back and do the tracks with the instruments. He pushes my knowledge and the technology as far as it can go. The most special thing about this track is that Bret plays everything himself: all guitars, other instruments, and vocals (except the female harmony) are 100% him."

This is the first single from Michaels since his modern country crossover "Girls On Bars", co-written by two-time CMA award winner Luke Laired. Laired said, "Bret is awesome to write with. Ideas just kept coming nonstop when we were in the studio. He's always ready and willing to push the boundaries and try new things." "Girls On Bars" boasted the highest number of views of any debut single ever on CMT.

"Jorja Bleu", which in many ways is the sequel to his song "Raine", titled after his oldest daughter, is available on iTunes and all other digital retailers and subscription audio formats.

Swedish doom metallers, Avatarium, are back with their third studio album and once again, singer Jennie-Ann Smith and her gentlemen cast a spell over you with a truly magical sound experience. Hurricanes And Halos will be available via Nuclear Blast on May 26th, and today, the band has released the third official trailer for the album, available for streaming below.

The album artwork was once again created by Erik Rovanpera, who already designed the cover art of the band's debut album, and shows a mystical creature inspired by the epic track “Medusa Child”.

"To be asked to do the artwork for the new Avatarium album was an honor," states artist Erik Rovanpera. "And without knowing the lyrics to the title song “Hurricanes And Halos” this is my interpretation of the title. Inspired by art nouveau, comic books and many other things in the current art movement this is my take on the good, the bad, the beauty and the beast. And using a broader color palette than usual and thereby pushing my own borders was great fun to do.”

Hurricanes And Halos tracklisting:

“Into The Fire / Into The Storm”
“The Starless Sleep”
“Road To Jerusalem”
“Medusa Child”
“The Sky At The Bottom Of The Sea”
“When Breath Turns To Air”
“A Kiss (From The End Of The World)”
“Hurricanes And Halos”

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Trailer #3:

“Into The Fire / Into The Storm” lyric video:

Once again, Avatarium rely on beauty and darkness, heavy guitars and fragile sounds, unique female vocals and the mystic vintage blues sound from the 60s, while still staying on modern ground and trusting into the haunting soul of doom rock. Six out of the eight new tracks were forged by Candlemass wizard Leif Edling, but guitar master Marcus Jidell and singer Jennie-Ann Smith also contributed to the songwriting and formed a worthy successor to The Girl With The Raven Mask.

The new album was produced by Marcus Jidell himself, while David Castillo (Katatonia, Bloodbath, Opeth) recorded and mixed it in the famous Ghost Ward Studios and the mastering was done by Jens Bogren (Soilwork, Sepultura). Together they created an organic and warm sound that sets Hurricanes And Halos apart from the overbred, electronically optimized mass.

"Recording Hurricanes And Halos has truly been an emotional roller coaster for me and I do think that has contributed to a pure and vibrating energy on the album. I am deeply proud of what we have achieved together," states lead singer Jennie-Ann Smith.

Guitar wizard Marcus Jidell adds: "It feels like the two previous albums and the EPs lead us to this one, it's been a natural flow to where we are today, musical and emotional wise.”

US progressive power metal band MindMaze are streaming the new song “Abandon”, featured on their new album, Resolve, out now Inner Wound Recordings. The song is available for streaming below.

Over the span of 68-minutes of melodic and powerful music ripe with recurring themes, the band takes the listener on a whirlwind journey through the scope of human emotion in hopes they will be able to project their own experiences into these intensely personal lyrics inspired by an amalgam of real-life events.

Resolve reprises the band's ever-present influences from bands like Queensrÿche, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Savatage, and a mixture of contemporary power metal and melodic rock hooks and songwriting while moving the band further into progressive and theatrical territory with more atypical song structures used to best serve the concept of the album.

The band continues to forge their footprint as one of the most promising and unique female-fronted bands to come along in recent times.

Resolve tracklisting:

“Reverie” (Instrumental)
“Fight The Future”
“In This Void” (Instrumental)
“Drown Me”
“Sign Of Life”
“Abandon”
“Sanity's Collapse” (Instrumental)
“One More Moment”
“Twisted Dream”
“True Reflection”
“Shattered Self”
“Release”
“The Path To Perseverance”

“Abandon”:

“One More Moment” lyric video:

“Sign Of Life” video:

Upcoming MindMaze tour dates:

May (supporting Arkona and Sirenia)
13 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
14 - Firehouse 13 - Providence, RI
15 - L'Anti - Quebec City, QB
16 - L'Astral - Montreal, QB
17 - Mod Club - Toronto, ON
18 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL
19 - Cabooze - Minneapolis, MN
20 - Riot Room - Kansas City, KN
21 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
23 - Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
24 - Bossanova Ballroom - Portland, OR
25 - Metro Opera House - Oakland, CA
26 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
27 - Pranksters - Scottsdale, AZ
28 - Rockhouse - El Paso, TX
29 - Curtain Club - Dallas, TX
30 - Grizzly Hall - Austin, TX

June
1 - The Caledonia Lounge - Athens, GA
2 - The Milestone - Charlotte, NC

NWOBHM pioneers, Tygers Of Pan Tang, have released a music video for “Never Give In”, a track from their new self-title album, out now. Watch the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

“Only The Brave”
“Dust”
“Glad Rags”
“The Reason Why”
“Never Give In”
“Do It Again”
“I Got The Music In Me”
“Praying For A Miracle”
“Blood Red Sky”
“Angel In Disguise”
“The Devil You Know”

“Never Give In” video;

“Glad Rags” video:

Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

Lineup:

Robb Weir - guitars
Jacopo Meille - vocals
Micky Crystal - guitars
Gav Gray - bass
Craig Ellis - drums & percussion

BraveWords is premiering Unleash The Archers’ new lyric video “The Matriarch”, from their upcoming album Apex.

The band comments on the track: “This track is chapter three in the story, and in it we are introduced to our antagonist ‘The Matriarch’ in all her malevolent glory.  We call this one our ‘quick banger’ because it's fast, catchy, and fun, and hopefully it won't take long to learn the words!  It is sung from an omniscient point of view, drawing the listener in with tales of The Matriarch's depravity.  The best part is the bridge, because the song is so dark, and then it launches into this flowing wraithlike guitar melody that is so memorable, I sing along to it every time and I think the fans will too!  Absolutely cannot wait to play this one live.”

It has now been 10 years of Unleash The Archers. These heavy metal heroes are celebrating this honour with an exhilarating feast on their upcoming album, Apex, out on June 2nd via Napalm Records.

The band states: “We are extremely excited to release another full on concept album; it's just so much fun to play out a story when you're up on stage. This one has a protagonist that we call 'The Immortal' being forced to serve the antagonist, a.k.a. 'The Matriarch' as she embarks down a very dark path to achieve immortality. We had a great time writing this record, and I think the cohesiveness of the story has really shone through in the music as well. It has a certain vibe throughout, from beginning to end, and we can't wait to hear what our fans have to say about the direction this album has taken. We don't like to write the same record over and over again and we are very happy with the progression of our sound on Apex. We think it will appeal to all of our fans old and new; it has the best parts of our past albums combined into one with just a little more spit and polish.”

Ken Sarafin created the picturesque album artwork for Apex. This album takes nerves of steel; from its opener “Awakening” to the title track that closes the album, the listener will partake in a furious adventure, weaving through elements of the strongest metal genres of our time. You’ll be guided by the shimmering heat of sweeping lead guitars, face-melting solos, deafening growls, pummeling bass lines and of course the thrilling hooks of Brittney Slayes' queen-size voice.

Tracklisting:

“Awakening”
“Shadow Guide”
“The Matriarch”
“Cleanse The Bloodlines”
“The Coward's Way”
“False Walls”
“Ten Thousand Against One”
“Earth And Ashes”
“Call Me Immortal”
“Apex”

"Cleanse The Bloodlines" video:

Lineup:

Brittney Slayes - Vocals
Scott Buchanan - Drums
Grant Truesdell - Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley - Guitar, Vocals
Nikko Whitworth - Bass

Mario Mikeal Maglieri, beloved and respected owner of Los Angeles's famous Sunset Strip establishments Rainbow Bar And Grill, The Roxy Theatre and the Whisky A Go Go, died earlier today (Thursday, May 4) at the age of 93.

Born February 7, 1924 in Seppino, Italy, Mario came to the U.S. at age four. He eventually ran restaurants and clubs in Chicago until he moved to Los Angeles with his family. There he started the legendary clubs, The Rainbow, The Roxy and The Whisky.

His Italian heritage inspired the delicious food served at the Rainbow, especially the pizza, which was known as the best in the city.

Truly a lover of music and the arts, he helped hundreds of artists get their start in Los Angeles. Known as the the King Of The Sunset Strip, hopefuls from all over the world came to Mario's clubs with the desire of being discovered. He was a friend to all, and frequently came across talented musicians who went on to become platinum sellers. Their pictures line the walls of the Rainbow.

Since opening in 1964, the Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles has hosted some of the biggest rock stars in history, including THE DOORS, THE BYRDS, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Smokey Robinson, THE TEMPTATIONS, LED ZEPPELIN, Alice Cooper, VAN HALEN, GUNS N' ROSES, MÖTLEY CRÜE and METALLICA. In 1972, Mario Maglieri, along with Whisky co-founder Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler and others, started the Rainbow Bar And Grill down the street from the Whisky. In its heyday, the Rainbow counted Keith Moon, John Lennon and Alice Cooper among its regulars.

"Yeah, I've seen a lot," Maglieri told The Guardian in a 2015 interview. "Things have changed on Sunset over the years, of course they have. But my business won't change until I die."

Back in 2005, Maglieri remembered Janis Joplin as a "raunchy broad. But she was a good kid. She meant well. Three days before she died, we sat in a booth and she asked for a Southern Comfort. She had this raspy voice and she was stoned and drunk. The girl brought over a glass of Southern Comfort and Janis said, "I wanted a [expletive deleted] bottle of Southern Comfort. She was a great girl. I loved her."

As for Jim Morrison, Maglieri said he was "just a mixed-up kid, but a good kid. I kicked his ass off-stage [when] he screwed around. He would never show up on time. But he was a good kid. He meant well. I tried to straighten him out. I saved his ass so many times."

Maglieri's love for his family was well known. He is survived by his wife, Scarlett, his son Mikeal and grandchildren Mikeal, Cheryl and Gina. A public memorial for Mario Maglieri be held at the the Rainbow Bar And Grill on Sunday, May 28, starting at 1:00 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lindemann in 2015 released a debut album with his side project LINDEMANN.

Kruspe's EMIGRATE project issued its sophomore album, "Silent So Long", in November 2014 via Spinefarm.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich's Beats 1 radio show, "It's Electric!", will debut Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m. PT with special guest Iggy Pop. An encore episode will air Monday, May 8 at 3 a.m. PT. Ulrich's longtime friend and METALLICA So What! fan magazine editor Steffan Chirazi will serve as co-host.

Unscripted, unfiltered and featuring no "genre-fiction" whatsoever, "It's Electric!" will include music that motivates Lars, as well as interviews with artists who inspire him... all wrapped up in some magnificent mindless banter reminiscent of the good 'ole Lars babble. Each week Lars focuses on music that you may not have heard, occasionally throwing in a deep track, but the key word is great music and great music is not genre specific. Expect lots of musical variation and tall tales from the road along with the occasional reflection on life as we know it.

On the debut episode this week, Lars plays some of his favorite new music that's turning him on, pulls out tracks you may not have heard from his favorite artists, tells stories from the road, and talks with Iggy Pop about their collaborative performance in Mexico City.

Ulrich called his show "my 16-year-old self's wet dream: doing a radio show to a worldwide audience."

He added: "We go all over the world — we look at international bands for an international audience. I'm gonna play you lots of really cool music by mostly bands you don't know; a lot of bands I've just been introduced to. We don't believe in boundaries, and we're open to everything. I have some guests call in on the phone, and they promise me I'm gonna have this show every week."

During an interview with fellow Beats 1 host Zane Lowe, Ulrich said that his new show will be "unfiltered, unscripted and completely all over the place."

"I gotta tell you, since we started this endeavor six weeks ago, I've been turned on to more great music just doing research for my show in the last four to six weeks than I have literally in the past five to 10 years," he said. "I've got so much stuff to share with everybody out there and a lot of stuff that's turning me on. I'm telling you, people that love great music, rock music but also hip-hop and world music, and all the rest of it — there's a lot of people that talk about, 'Well the music business is in sad shape, and it’s dying,’ but there's a ton of fantastic music out there, and I'm reenergized and reinvigorated and ready to share it with the world."

METALLICA begins the North American leg of its "Worldwired" 2017 tour on May 10 in Baltimore.

"California", the comeback album from RIVERDOGS, the band featuring DEF LEPPARD and LAST IN LINE guitarist Vivian Campbell, 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.

A behind-the-scenes video about the making of the new disc can be seen below. 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

AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance was recently interviewed by Meltdown of the Detroit, Michigan radio station WRIF. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked for his opinion on the announcement that Ozzy Osbourne was reuniting with guitarist Zakk Wylde for the first time in more than a decade, Zacky said: "Oh, dude, it's so cool. I love to see all that stuff. Certain bands, you get a couple of people together and it just creates magic. All those guys are extremely talented on their own, but when you put 'em together, it's just something really, really special."

He continued: "We had the privilege of doing Ozzfest back in 2006. And Zakk Wylde, he rules as a guitarist. He's just one of those magical guitar players that just can do stuff that other people can't — much like a Dimebag [Darrell Abbott] or a [Jimi] Hendrix. They just have something really, really spectacular. And Ozzy, he's the master. You put those two guys together and it's just crazy."

Zacky added: "I'm thrilled. I love seeing the original guys get back together. I love seeing the MISFITS get back together, and Slash and Axl [Rose] and GUNS N' ROSES. I mean, that's what it's all about. That's what creates the magic."

Osbourne and Wylde will head out on tour along with the rest of Ozzy's solo band for a series of headlining shows in the U.S. this summer and fall, beginning on July 14 at the Rock USA festival in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. While Ozzy and Wylde have performed together over the years, this will be their first full tour together since 2006.

The dates also mark Ozzy's first solo tour in the U.S. in years.

Ozzy and Wylde first teamed up 30 years ago when Wylde joined Ozzy's band in 1987 and made his debut on the following year's "No Rest For The Wicked" album. They last collaborated in 2007 on Ozzy's "Black Rain" album.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD will join METALLICA for the latter's "WorldWired" 2017 North American tour. Produced by Live Nation, the summer's hottest ticket kicks off May 10 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland with openers VOLBEAT.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is touring in support of its seventh album, "The Stage", which was given a surprise release at the end of October with almost no promotion beforehand.

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE have finished recording their new album for an October release. The follow-up to 2015's "War Of Kings" was laid down at London, England's legendary Abbey Road studios and was produced by Dave Cobb, who also helmed the band's last disc.

Says EUROPE: "[The new album] turned out so much more exciting than we expected!

"The vibe in this studio is great! The staff and facilities are out of this world.

"Of course, we couldn't resist having some fun with vintage equipment and amazing recording techniques.

"Our producer Dave Cobb really made the songs fly, beautifully engineered by Eddie Spear.

"The album is due out in October, with one or two tracks coming your way ahead of release. Meanwhile, we're getting ready to hit the road again for our 'Electric Summer Tour 2017'. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!"

EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland told FaceCulture last November about the band's songwriting process: "What we try with every new album is to actually not repeat [ourselves], but to look at the back catalog and [go], 'Okay, we did on that album, so maybe we'll go crazy about something else.' So that's good. And it's like having an art gallery with different pictures you can look at, and you get different feelings from different pictures. So I think the next EUROPE album is gonna be probably a bit different from 'War Of Kings', I guess."

EUROPE last year completed a short European tour during which the band played "The Final Countdown" album in its entirety to celebrate the LP's 30th anniversary.

"War Of Kings" was released in March 2015 via UDR Music.




FRIENDS!

We have just finished the recording for our new album at the legendary Abbey Road Studios!

It turned out so...

Posted by Europe on Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Despite widespread rumors to the contrary, "there's no deal in place" to get LED ZEPPELIN's surviving members — Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones — back together for an appearance at this year's Desert Trip festival in Indio, California, according to Billboard.

A cryptic post on Plant's web site — featuring a blackened page with only the white words: "Any time now..." — led to uncorroborated fan speculation that the legendary band may return for a festival performance later this year. In addition, several "industry sources" supposedly told the FeelNumb.com site that Plant — presumably the lone holdout over the past decade — has agreed to team up for the still-unannounced festival and front the band. It was widely reported that ZEP turned down a whopping $14 million to play last year's $160 million-grossing, three-day, two-weekend event, which featured THE ROLLING STONES, Paul McCartney, THE WHO, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters and Neil Young.

Also fanning the flames was Gary Tovar, the founder of AEG's Goldenvoice promotion unit, who told The Guardian in an interview last month that "we'd like to bring up the LED [ZEPPELIN], if you know what I mean," even though Tovar is no longer part of the company.

According to Billboard, the message on Plant's web site "is more likely a tease to a forthcoming album than to an upcoming performance."

LED ZEPPELIN's December 10, 2007 reunion at London's O2 Arena during the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert was chronicled on the band's 2012 "Celebration Day" CD and DVD. The set, which featured Jason Bonham subbing for his late father John Bonham on drums, marked Plant, Page and Paul Jones's first full-scale concert together since John Bonham's 1980 death.

The official video for the song "Dirty Eye" from horror icon Bill Moseley — most notable as Chop Top in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2", and Otis in Rob Zombie's "House Of 1000 Corpses" and "Devil's Rejects" — and extreme music legend Philp H. Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT, SCOUR, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, ARSON ANTHEM) can be seen below. The clip was directed by filmmaker Ryan Oliver of Deathblow Productions.

Oliver stated about the video: "As a three-year alumni of Housecore Horror Fest, it was a special honor to make a video for BILL + PHIL. My crew and I had a lot of fun making this bizarre puppet show over the past winter/spring.

"This opportunity came right on the heels of our last Housecore video for [Housecore labelmates] CHILD BITE's 'Vermin Mentality'. Though different, I think they complement each other quite well. Once again, we were trusted to do what we wanted creatively, and in the end, it seemed best to follow Bill Moseley's lyrical cues and try to interpret them in an entertaining fashion. We're pretty pleased with the turnout and hope it lives up to the uniquely wild music on this record."

"This video [is] down 'n' dirty and comes with no strings attached," says Moseley. "Well, except for the puppets. I can't speak for Phil, but frankly I've never looked better!" Anselmo finds it "very, very, very, very, very interesting."

"Dirty Eye" is taken from Moseley and Anselmo's special collaborative release titled "Songs Of Darkness And Despair".

Released on January 20 via Anselmo's own Housecore Records, the five-track offering was produced and performed by Anselmo and Stephen "The Big Fella" Berrigan (DOWN, SYK, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, EYEHATEGOD, HAARP, CLASSHOLE), and mastered by Scott Hull of Visceral Sound.

"Songs Of Darkness And Despair" includes guest appearances by Kevin Bond (SUPERJOINT) on guitar, Squizzy Squires (KING PARROT) on bass and guitar, and José "Blue" Gonzalez (SUPERJOINT, WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) on percussion.

From preppie journalist to Satanic serial killer, Bill Moseley's taken a long and unusual road to cult stardom, firmly cementing his place in the annals of horror history along the way. Having released his "Spider Mountain" record, and collaborated with Buckethead on their CORNBUGS project, Moseley expands his musical endeavors by teaming up with Anselmo. BILL & PHIL's "Songs Of Darkness And Despair" is a brilliant trip that will give everyone a thrill. Comments Anselmo: "Working with Mr. Moseley was an awesome experience! Bill brought the lyrics and Stephen [Berrigan] and I just improvised directly on the spot, and squeezed out six tunes in three days. All the songs have a different vibe because I wanted the music to represent Bill's lyrical vision(s), and we needed to, because Bill does indeed have a unique, visual element within his choice of words and phrasing. I love Bill Moseley, and can't wait to work on the next one! Be cool and enjoy this one!" "Songs Of Darkness And Despair" track listing:

01. Dirty Eye02. Corpus Crispy03. Catastrophic04. Widder Woman05. Tonight's The Night We Die06. Bad Donut

NICKELBACK leader Chad Kroeger spoke to Music Choice about the band's forthcoming ninth album, "Feed The Machine", which will be released on Friday, June 16 via BMG.

"This album is definitely heavier, as a whole, than a lot of our previous records," he said (see video below). "We've gone back to some pretty crunchy roots, and we're happy about that. I mean, we're always stretching off in different directions and trying different things, but we definitely went with more of an aggressive sound on this record."

Set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future where machines have imprisoned humans (think "The Matrix" and "The Terminator"), the video for the "Feed The Machine" title track sees Kroeger and his bandmates depicted as freedom-fighting revolutionaries who free the enslaved humans from their machine captors.

NICKELBACK is set to hit the road this summer on the colossal headlining "Feed The Machine" tour. Produced exclusively by Live Nation, the "Feed The Machine" trek will begin on June 23 in Noblesville, Indiana, with 44 dates across North America including stops in Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, and more. DAUGHTRY will join NICKELBACK as their special guest for all of the U.S. dates, as well as Toronto and Montreal, while SHAMAN'S HARVEST will be seen on all dates. Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame icons CHEAP TRICK will be special guests for the western Canadian leg of the tour.

In June 2015, NICKELBACK canceled the majority of its tour dates in support of the band's eighth album, "No Fixed Address", so that Kroeger could recover from surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal cords.

"No Fixed Address" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2014.

Photo credit: Richard Beland

The current version of L.A. GUNS — which includes singer Phil Lewis and the band's co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns — will release its new album, "The Missing Peace", on October 6 via the Italian record label Frontiers Music Srl. The disc's cover artwork was created by the Las Vegas portrait painter Kahla and can be seen below.

The last time Lewis and Guns joined forces was back in 2000 with legendary producer Andy Johns for the making of what would become "Waking The Dead". Speaking with Express & Star, Tracii said: "With Phil and I in particular, we have a certain chemistry that's undeniable. And, you know, when you're at your loneliest, you wanna go home, right? So, we both felt like it was time to go home and be comfortable with that undeniable relationship that we have musically. I mean, right away, the first time we got back together and played, you know, it's so obvious, you can't deny it. At some point in your life, you can't deny what's real." Regarding the sound of the new L.A. GUNS material, Tracii said: "Phil's vocal style and his way of writing kind of offsets that balance of the heavy music, that's something that's possibly more mainstream or identifiable, so there's a lot of, you know, kind of typical sleazy L.A. GUNS, high-energy riff rock. There's a little bit of sloppy New Orleans, kind of sweaty, kind of bluesier stuff too. It's a big record." L.A. GUNS' present lineup is rounded out by Shane Fitzgibbon on drums and Johnny Martin on bass with Michael Grant on guitar as a touring member. On the topic of the decision to use the L.A. GUNS moniker for the new album, Guns told LA Weekly: "When you put Phil and I together, that's the sound of L.A. GUNS. There's no way around that. As much as I love certain other [former] members of the band, it's hard to say what their contribution to the overall sound of the band was — but Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, the band's gotta be L.A. GUNS. It can't be anything else." Back in December, Phil announced that he was leaving the L.A. GUNS version that included drummer Steve Riley.

Video footage of L.A. GUNS performing a new song called "Speed" on April 8 at Yost Theater in Santa Ana, California can be seen below.

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes is perhaps best known for the infamous scene in the 1988 movie "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" in which he was interviewed while floating in a swimming pool, fully clothed and visibly quite intoxicated while his mother sat poolside. The interview stood out in stark contrast to the more light-hearted and humorous interviews conducted by director Penelope Spheeris, which mostly portrayed rockers as good-natured, though often dimwitted or deluded, party animals. During the interview, Holmes smiled drunkenly at the camera, deeming himself "a full-blown alcoholic" and "a piece of crap" despite his band's success, and punctuated his remarks by guzzling from three bottles of vodka. At the end of the interview, Holmes upends a full bottle of Smirnoff over his head as he rolls out of his inflatable chair and into the water.

Fast forward to 2017 and Duke TV has posted brand new pool interview with Holmes — conducted by his wife Sarah — which starts out with the same exact questions Chris was asked in the "Decline Of Western Civilization" scene. Check it out below.

Asked if he drinks very much, Chris said: "You've gotta drink something to stay alive. I drink Diet Pepsi, Gatorade, Powerade. I hate the water out of the tap. But I like Sparkletts. If you're asking about alcohol, no, I don't drink alcohol anymore. [I stopped] a long time ago — February 6 of '96. Why do I not drink anymore? After six DUIs, they throw you in jail, and it's really hard to drink in jail. And they'll make you quit, the government, or they'll lock you up."

He continued: "I've learned when somebody's drunk that they don't do really too much that's really constructive. They have a fun time, but they're not that smart. Drinking turns you into an idiot. A lot of people like to be idiots. I used to be one — probably the biggest one there was. But as you get older, things change.

"When I stopped drinking, I'd see all my friends drinking and they'd just turn into idiots. I was the one leading the pack anyway, so I'm not one to talk about being an idiot and drinking."

Asked if he thinks the "rock and roll lifestyle" turned him into an alcoholic, Chris said: "Drinking alcohol gives you something to do when you're on the road. If you don't have alcohol and you do drugs or whatever, you need something to do, something to keep you preoccupied. Drinking's easy, 'cause you've always got alcohol and everybody drinks at shows."

"The Decline Of Western Civilization" received a deluxe box set release in June 2015 from Shout! Factory. The four-disc set was made available in both Blu-ray and DVD formats, and contains Penelope Spheeris's "The Decline Of Western Civilization" (1980), "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years" (1988) and "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part III" (1998), a 40-page book containing an essay written by rock historian Domenic Priore ("Riot On Sunset Strip: Rock 'N' Roll's Last Stand In Hollywood"), rare stills, and bonus features, including extended interviews, a commentary recorded by Dave Grohl in February 2015, and more. This was the first-ever official Blu-ray or DVD release of the films.

"The Decline Of Western Civilization" box set features a new 2K high-definition scan of each film, supervised by director Penelope Spheeris. In keeping with the spirit of the rebellious times in which they were shot, the vintage aspects have been respected, and the films retain their original feel.

A couple of years ago, Spheeris spoke to Goldmine magazine about the Holmes scene in "The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years". She said: "When I shot Chris Holmes, you know, I thought we didn't get the interview. I remember saying, 'We're going to have to reshoot this.' Because we didn't get anything. The guy's just sitting there screwing off and we didn't get anything. And then I saw Jon and Val [Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris], who are the producers, and I told them, we're going to have to reshoot that interview with Chris Holmes. And they said, 'Well, too bad, because we don't have enough money to reshoot it.' So I tried to cut something together and include it. I would never have imagined it would be the most talked about and kind of most memorable moment of the movie."

Asked what happened in the five or ten minutes after she finished the interview with Chris Holmes, Spheeris said: "I think I was so stunned… You know how when you're in shock and you don't remember what happened? I don't remember! I don't remember him afterwards. Because I was just horrified that I didn't get an interview. I'm sure somebody must've given him a towel and… you know, most of that, [Penelope's daughter] Anna [Fox, who was instrumental in assembling the bevy of extras for the elegant box for the recently released 'The Decline Of Western Civilization' trilogy], when she put the DVD extras together, she pasted together all of the interviews from beginning to end. And so you can see in there the entire progression — or I should say digression — of his interview. And most of that clear liquid was pool water, by the way."

Spheeris offered more details about how the scene was shot during a separate interview with Rolling Stone. She said: "I don't remember if the pool was my idea or Chris's idea, but it was my idea to have his mom come down, 'cause I knew Sandy [Holmes]. She looks like she knows how far she can go with what she says to him. Like, she can't be too critical or he's just gonna go off on her.

"I didn't know he was going to be as drunk as he was. When we finished the interview, I took [cinematographer Jeff] Zimmerman behind a tree and said, 'I don't got this interview. We're gonna have to film him again.' But the great thing about doing documentaries is you just have to let them lead you. It turned out to be the most memorable thing.

"What I liked about the scene is you had all these younger kids talking about how they were gonna make it, but Chris was sort of an example of, 'Okay, I made it. Are you sure you want this?' That's why I liked it just from a filmmaker's standpoint. It counterbalanced all those crazy dreams that those kids had that were not gonna happen. It was a reality check.

"By the way, the first half of the bottle of vodka was real, and after that he was filling it up with pool water."

In a 2014 interview with Metallväktarna, Holmes stated about his appearance in "The Decline Of Western Civilization": "I get a lot [of questions] about that. [People wanna know], 'Was it alcohol? Were you drunk?' Or whatever. Yeah, I was drunk. I'm not known to be a liar. In fact, I was real drunk; I couldn't even talk. So a lot of people ask me, 'How do you feel about that being on TV?' or whatever. The only thing I don't like is where some kid will come up to me and go, 'Man, that's the coolest! I wanna live like that.' And, to me, personally, that's, like, me going down the tubes. And why would somebody wanna live like that?"

STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr told The Verge that the Holmes scene in "The Metal Years" "shaped my whole career, to be quite honest with you. At that point, heavy metal was at its peak. It was awesome to be drunk, floating in a pool. You knew you had a disease and you were going to kill yourself eventually, but that was cool back then. People just looked at that and said, ‘Wow, this guy knows how to party. Everybody knows how to party.'"

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

"Louder Harder Faster", the new video from WARRANT, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's new studio album, which will be released on May 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson, a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others, and was mixed by Pat Regan except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

With a lineup featuring original members Erik Turner (guitar), Jerry Dixon (bass), Joey Allen (guitar) and Steven Sweet (drums) along with singer Robert Mason (LYNCH MOB, CRY OF LOVE), WARRANT is now stronger than ever. Mason's vocals remain a breath of fresh air and his swagger on the songs gives new life and a bright future to the band. "Louder Harder Faster", true to the band's roots, is full of rockers with some classic ballads thrown in and will surely send their faithful fans into a frenzy.

Turner says: "You can hear and feel the emotions of the last twenty-five-plus years of being in this band poured into 'Louder Harder Faster'. The fun and the frustrations, the pleasure and the pain... a whole lot of blood, sweat, tears and beers went into the making of this album. Love it or hate it, it's the real-fuckin'-deal, hundred-percent pure melodic hard rock handcrafted by five musicians who dedicated their lives to music when they were just little kids with big dreams."

Dixon adds: "'Louder Harder Faster' is truly one of our best records to date. It has all the classic WARRANT ingredients that people have come to know, plus a lot of extras that keep it in the modern realm of todays music. It's a perfect mix between balls and ballads.

"When we started this project over two years ago, we wanted to bring the listener back to the days of sitting in the living room and cranking up a record from start to finish.

"Making full records seems to be a lost art, [and] we hope in some small way that this album helps people find that art again."

Regarding how the "Louder Harder Faster" album title came about, Mason told "The Rock Brigade" podcast: "On stage, since probably '09, '10, '11… I don't remember when; maybe it was after our record [was released]. But as a thing to say between… It kind of just came out of my mouth one day — 'louder, harder, faster' — and I screamed it into the microphone and we started the next song. It was kind of one of those dumb things lead singers say to break up the dead air between songs in live shows. And it kind of stuck in my head and I started doing it. It was a thing I kind of started saying. And one day I had a riff in my hands and a guitar in my house, or in a hotel room, and then it turned into, 'Oh, guys, by the way, I wrote this song. It's called 'Louder, Harder, Faster'.' And I think I half-drunkenly said in a hotel bar one night, maybe three or four years ago, 'Oh, by the way, the record should be called 'Louder, Harder, Faster', 'cause I have this fucking song.' And, you know, that's what cocky lead singers say to their guitar players. And I think Joey Allen was, like, 'Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah. I'll believe it when I hear it.' So there you go. When we came up with the songs for this record, it just kind of became obvious that that was the… If you're gonna name it after one of the songs, there you go."

"Louder Harder Faster" track listing:

01. Louder Harder Faster02. Devil Dancer03. Perfect04. Only Broken Heart05. U In My Life06. Music Man07. Faded08. New Rebellion09. Big Sandy10. Choose Your Fate11. Let It Go12. I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink (bonus track available on CD only)

"Grave Slave", a brand new song from DEAD CROSS, the Southern California outfit featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), and singer Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE), can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from DEAD CROSS's debut album, which will be released on August 4 via Patton's Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.

Patton told Rolling Stone that he got involved with DEAD CROSS after reaching out to Lombardo to see if he could release the band's album on Ipecac. After getting a text from the drummer asking him to join the group, "my jaw dropped," the singer said. "I was like, 'Who, me? Hmm …' And I think it took like all of 30 seconds, but in a sarcastic way, I'm like, 'Yeah, of course. I can do this. Are you sure you want me?' So I kind of second-guessed him a little bit. And he said, 'Man, you'd be our dream vocalist.' And then it was just a matter of logistics. I decided to record it here in my basement, which is fitting. It shouldn't sound too polished."

Regarding DEAD CROSS's musical direction, Patton said: "To me, it is a traditional hardcore record. It is very pointed, direct and visceral. Like, I wasn't going to play keyboards, add samples or any kind of orchestration. It was like, 'Yo, just go for it.' In some ways, it reminded me of stuff that we had collectively all grown up with and loved when we were like teenagers — bands like the ACCÜSED, DEEP WOUND or SIEGE, stuff that was just brutal, uncompromising and right to the point. I was listening to all those bands again before this came to be, so it was already back infused in my blood. And now I got a chance to do a pencil-in-your-eye record."

Lombardo concurred, telling Rolling Stone: "The album is only 28 minutes long. And the funny thing is [SLAYER's] 'Reign In Blood' was 29 minutes. This album carries so much anger and frustration. You hear it in my drumming. It was the perfect birth of a hardcore album. It's one of the most brutal albums I've ever done."

DEAD CROSS, which is rounded out by Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX, HEAD WOUND CITY) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), last year parted ways with singer Gabe Serbian.

DEAD CROSS has announced an appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago in September, and is planning two-week West Coast run in August and another one on the East Coast in September.

HALESTORM has unveiled a powerful new video for the song "Dear Daughter" from the band's latest full-length album, "Into The Wild Life". "I'm hoping that through this song, I can spread the inspiration and empowerment that has been instilled in me," said HALESTORM lead singer Lzzy Hale about the clip. "Carve your own path, ladies (and little gents too). I'm living proof that nothing in life is impossible." To celebrate the video launch, Lzzy will perform "Dear Daughter" for fans today via the band's Facebook page at noon Eastern. In honor of Mother's Day, HALESTORM is encouraging fans to post photos of their mothers and/or daughters with their own stories of encouragement and the hashtag #DearDaughter.

In an interview with RockSverige.se, Lzzy stated about "Dear Daughter": "This is a subject that… I mean, obviously, [HALESTORM drummer Arejay and I] grew up with a very supportive mother. We decided to start a rock band, and she actually said, 'Yes! Do that! Go for it!' So, for me, this was… We get to speak to a lot of young girls, and a lot of them do have those supportive parents, but a lot of them don't. So I think this was my way — lyrically, at least — just passing that on… As in, like, if I were… if and when I were to have a daughter, I would be passing these words on to her… I don't know… It's a strange song."

Added bassist Josh Smith: "It's a strange song, but [with] a great message. And although it says 'Dear Daughter', that's just great advice for anyone… be it a young kid, or anyone in a spot where they're, like, 'Man, I'm in just the pits right now. What the hell's my life gonna be like in ten years?' So it's just good sound advice for anyone kind of trying to find their way."

HALESTORM's third covers EP, "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP", was released on January 6 via Atlantic. The effort was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN).

"ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP" follows HALESTORM's previous covers EPs, 2011's "ReAniMate" and 2013's "ReAniMate 2.0".

Lzzy told Swedish outlet RockSverige that HALESTORM is continuing to write material for its next album, tentatively due later this year.

The new record will follow up 2015's "Into The Wild Life", which was criticized by some fans for veering too far into pop music territory.

Legendary New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL have announced the addition of drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) to the group's ranks.

Even though Ron Lipnicki had been part of OVERKILL's lineup for more than a decade, the drummer was absent from the band's last few tours, with OVERKILL's longtime drum tech, Eddy Garcia, stepping in to take his place.

"OVERKILL would like to announce its newest member, behind the kit and steering the ship, Jason 'Sticks' Bittner," comments OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth. "We wholeheartedly would like to thank Eddy 'The Mexicutioner' Garcia for holding down the ship and keeping the momentum up for the band over this past year plus. Eddy has, and always will be, part of the OVERKILL machine.

"Jason is a long time friend of the band and his abilities have always spoke for themselves. Let the touring continue... onward-upward!"

Bittner states, "When my phone rang about two months ago and Blitz said 'Hey, me and D.D. [Verni, OVERKILL bassist] are wondering if you would be interested in joining?' It really didn't take much for me to write back a one-word answer.... ABSOLUTELY! I am extremely excited to be a part, once again, of thrash metal history, and I cannot wait to get out on the road and wreck stages across the world with the 'Mean Green Killing Machine!'"

In a recent interview with HardrockHaven.net, Ellsworth spoke about Garcia's involvement with OVERKILL. He said: "Eddy's been part of our team since Ron's been part of our team, since 2005. He came on very soon thereafter. He was our sound guy. He played for a band called PISSING RAZORS. We had an issue with Ron. He'd broken his wrist, I think it was back in '12. And we were scheduled to do 70000 Tons Of Metal, two shows. We really like Andy [Piller], who puts it together — he's a friend of ours — so we said, 'Hey, here's our situation. We're gonna slide Eddy in.' So Eddy has played with us in the past, filled in for Ron. So when Ron just didn't wanna tour anymore, or just couldn't tour anymore — it seems to be a personal issue that he has — Eddy just was the slide-in. Just, you know, move over… It's kind of cool that he's already part of the team and you know him personally… We know him personally and we know what to expect from what he brings to each day. So he's a good choice for us to have, and we're lucky to have him as part of this team."

OVERKILL's latest album, "The Grinding Wheel", was released on February 10 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by OVERKILL and mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ACCEPT). The artwork was created again by Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH).

"Eye On You", the new video from BIG KIZZ — the rock band featuring drummer Axel Sjöberg (ex-GRAVEYARD), guitarist John Hoyles (SPIDERS, ex-WITCHCRAFT) on bass and vocalist / guitarist Pontus Westerman from Swedish garage outfit LADY BANANA — can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's debut EP, which will be released on June 9 via Tee Pee Records.

"We used the multibillion dollar budget that Tee Pee gave us for this video and spent it all on something else other than the video," Sjöberg comments. "But we're pretty confident that it will win all the awards in the world! And that you'll have a good time watching it!"

BIG KIZZ's bad-as-hell debut features the swinging originals "Eye On You" and "Baby Boy" and a rousing remake of the Roky Erickson ripper "White Faces". The three-song release — described as "good time rock 'n' roll energized with elements of power pop and punk" — is but a precursor to BIG KIZZ's full-length debut, tentatively slated for release this fall.

Regarding BIG KIZZ's formation, Sjöberg said: "I've been doing this too long to quit rocking now. When I turn a page and wonder what to do in life, I go to country lyrics and in this case Willie Nelson: 'The life I love is makin' music with my friends, and I can't wait the get on the road again.' So that's just what I did; I made music with my friends."

The song "Domino" from the Swedish classic/progressive rock supergroup THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA — featuring members of metal frontrunners SOILWORK and ARCH ENEMY — can be streamed below. The track is taken from THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA's third studio album, "Amber Galactic", which will be released on May 19 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded at Handsome Hard Studio in Lund, Sweden. The album follows THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA's two previous releases, 2012's "Internal Affairs" and 2015's "Skyline Whispers".

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA singer Björn Strid states: "'Amber Galactic' is a relationship drama set in space, the first classic rock space opera on double vinyl.

"As seasoned musicians, we're taking this project seriously, although we might come across as slightly retrofuturistic at times, there's no irony involved. It's just us trying to shape our future into a place where our race is led by female space commanders with pearl necklaces and a quasar sense of gravity.

"'Amber Galactic' is about setting free from genre boundaries and expectations that are put on people like us. We just want to create music that we would like to hear ourselves, but that isn't only for us.

"THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is here to set you free, to invite you to enjoy music in whatever form it is presented.

"For this particular journey, we'd like you to follow us into space, but who knows where we'll go next! After entering the NFO universe, you won't ever be the same!" "Amber Galactic" will be available as a limited edition digipak CD featuring an alternate cover art (see below), 2LP vinyl (black and violet sparkle) and as digital download and stream via all known platforms. "Amber Galactic" track listing:

01. Midnight Flyer02. Star Of Rio03. Gemini04. Sad State Of Affairs05. Jennie06. Domino07. Josephine08. Space Whisperer09. Something Mysterious10. Saturn In Velvet11. Just Another Night (bonus track, limited-edition digipak, vinyl)12. Fly Tonight (Never Rewind) (bonus track, Japan only)

Strid previousy stated about the album: "'Amber Galactic' was made during late nights and way too early mornings, when sometimes, in the corner of your eye, you can catch a glimpse of another dimension, where all the women are heartbroken space commanders in evening gowns, the champagne is always free and the drugs won't hurt you.

"We wanted to create more than just a listening experience; instead we want it to be an alternative reality.

"We hope that after listening to 'Amber Galactic', you'll be wide-eyed, horny and slightly drunk."

Guitarist David Andersson added: "Musicianship in itself is not interesting, neither are the technical aspects of creating music. The ideas and visions behind the music are the only things really worthy of in-depth discussions.

"We've all reached a point where we can all pretty much play and sing whatever we want.

"We didn't talk much about chord changes or amplifiers during the recording sessions. But we spent a lot of time discussing Kierkegaard's concept of anxiety, different vintages of sparkling wine, the psychoacoustic aspects of modulation, the innate superiority of women and why a pearl necklace always look better when whoever wears it has a bored expression on her face."

When asked about the direction of THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA within the realm of classic rock, Strid explained with a chuckle: "Most other classic rock bands sound like weed or LSD — we sound like cocaine."

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is:

Björn Strid - VocalsSharlee D'Angelo - BassDavid Andersson - GuitarRichard Larsson - KeyboardsJonas Källsbäck - DrumsSebastian Forslund - Guitar, Percussion





Alternate cover art for limited-edition digipak CD:

THREE DAYS GRACE has emerged out of the writing sessions for its sixth studio album to play a series of festival shows. It was at the Fort Rock event in Florida last weekend that The Pulse Of Radio caught up with drummer Neil Sanderson and asked about a timeline for when we could expect the new record. "We're starting recording in late July and we're probably going to take about six weeks, and so you know, by the end of the summer we'll be mixing and really gearing up for, you know, the tour and the release and everything," he said. "So I'd like to think that there will be new music by the end of the year. Can't guarantee that but we're in good scoring position [laughs] to have a record in our pockets by fall."

The band will play scattered festival dates through the end of May before heading to Russia and Poland in July.

THREE DAYS GRACE's latest album, "Human", came out in March 2015 and was the group's first record with singer Matt Walst, who joined THREE DAYS GRACE in 2013 following the departure of original frontman Adam Gontier.

On "Human", the band re-teamed with producer Gavin Brown, who did the same honors for THREE DAYS GRACE's platinum-selling 2003 self-titled debut album. Music heavyweights Nick Raskulinecz and Chris Lorde Alge signed on to mix "Human".

Last November, Downfall Of Gaia released their fourth full-length, Atrophy, via Metal Blade Records, plus completed a successful European tour supporting Conan. Now, the band is ready to launch a new lyric video for the title track of the album (produced by K Digital Productions).

Downfall Of Gaia comments: "We are pleased to present the lyric video for the title track of our recent album 'Atrophy', the grand finale of the story told on our latest record! This song is the end of a journey, the final chapter of a dialogue between life and death."

Downfall Of Gaia is a dark wall, moving forward relentlessly, enveloping the listener, absorbing one's spirit to take one into the realm of the band's potent sound. Although the group's roots lie within the DIY / crust scene, Downfall Of Gaia has expanded their sound to incorporate elements of black, doom, and sludge metal. To preview and purchase their latest album, Atrophy, please visit here.

Downfall Of Gaia has announced additional European shows in support of Atrophy.

Dates:

May
6 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion
7 - London, UK - Underworld
11 - Poznan, Poland - Pod Minoga
12 - Hannover, Germany - Bei Chez Heinz
13 - Leipzig, Germany - Westwerk

June 
17 - Kiel, Germany - Kiel Explode
24 - Munchen, Germany - Saint Helena Festival

August
5 - Karlsruhe, Germany - New Noise Fest

Ursinne, the old school death metal project helmed by Dave Ingram (Hail Of Bullets, Echelon, Down Among The Dead Men, Bolt Thrower, Benediction) and Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath, Ashcloud, Henry Kane, SYN:DROM), have announced an addition to their ranks in the form of bass player Sonia Nusselder (pictured above), former member of Ecocide, Deamension, and most recently Shade Of Hatred and Sepiroth.

Says the band: “Sonia will join us on our second release, somewhat off in the future. Remember, our debut album, Swim With The Leviathan, will be out in the next few months on Transcending Obscurity Records. The track “Talons” can be streamed, or downloaded as part of the Transcending Obscurity Records digital sampler package, here. Everyone take a moment to welcome Sonia to the band!”

Swim With The Leviathan tracklisting:

“Devil May Care”
“I, Serpentine”
“Bullet Bitten”
“The Chimes Of Midnight”
“Talons”
“Underworld”
“Hollow Hearse”
“Something Wicked This Way Comes”

The album will also include four cover versions, some featuring guest vocalists. More details to follow.

(Photo - Ursinne Facebook)

According to Malaysiakini, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine has expressed a willingness to remove "offensive" songs from the band's setlist for tonight's (Thurday, May 4) concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

It was reported yesterday that the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) Youth had voiced its objection to the MEGADETH show at Stadium Negara. The wing's information chief Hishamuddin Abdul Karim said the approval for the gig was given without taking into consideration the negative effects bands like MEGADETH have on the audience.

Mustaine later took to his Twitter account to ask Malaysian followers to name specific songs that "offend Malaysians or their faith" and said that MEGADETH had to drop certain tracks when touring China.

"If there is a song that offends Malaysians or their faith, please tell me. I wish to offend no one here. We cut songs for China," he wrote.

The MEGADETH frontman was replying to a fan who told Mustaine that PAS Youth would not be protesting at the concert venue.

MEGADETH's concert in Kuala Lumpur will be the band's debut performance in Malaysia since their ban was lifted as the group was previously banned from performing in the country back in 2001. Mustaine later said in an interview that MEGADETH was "banned in Malaysia because some knobhead in a remote area had conducted a black metal séance of some sort and killed somebody, then gave us the indubitable honor of spray painting MEGADETH and SLAYER on the wall."

PAS has previously protested against other concerts before, which it viewed as going against Islamic decorum.

Calls to ban concerts over moral concerns are not uncommon in the Muslim country. In 2013, the aforementioned Jakim raised objection to a planned LAMB OF GOD concert in Malaysia, claiming that the band's music was a mix of metal songs with the reading of verses from the Quran.

In 2015, British extreme metallers CARCASS upset some of their Malaysian fans by posting picture of the Malaysian flag upside down after the band failed to get visas for a show in the country.

An inverted flag is usually used in distress situations or sometimes as a form of protest.

Thank you. If there is a song that offends Malaysians or their faith, please tell me. I wish to offend no one here. We cut songs for China 🙏 https://t.co/Tuq5qBuGTo

— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) May 4, 2017

Icelandic death metal machine Narthraal will release their new album, Screaming From The Grave, on May 26th via Inverse Records. The first single "Death Of The Undying" can be heard on Spotify here. Check out the video below.

Vocalist/bassist Viktor comments the album and single: "Screaming From The Grave focuses more or less on human greed and how it is consuming the world and destroying it, the evil of organized religion and of course, gore, death and zombies. Death of the undying revolves around religion and how more and more people are slowly becoming enlightened."

Tracklist:

"Death Of The Undying"
"Screaming From The Grave"
"Million Graves To Fill"
"Worldwide  Destruction"
"Envy"
"Descent Into Darkness"
"Blood Path"
"Symbols Of Hate"
"Feed The Pig"
"Dismember The Entombed"

 

Line-up:

Vocals/Bass: Viktor Penalver
Rhythm Guitar: Antonio Aguilar
Lead Guitar: Birkir Karason
Drums: Jónas Haux

On April 20th, Internal Bleeding drummer and veteran FDNY firefighter Bill Tolley passed away after falling five stories from a rooftop while battling a two-alarm apartment fire in Queens, New York. The tragedy touched family, friends, his bandmates, the city of New York, and the worldwide metal community.

Many fans expressed concerns as to whether Internal Bleeding would continue and more specifically, whether they would still take part in the upcoming Strike Of The Empire US tour with Vader.

"Bill was having trouble getting all the vacation time needed to complete the tour, so we had a backup drummer in place and ready to go. He will be filling in," says the band. "Bill would want it no other way. When we were discussing the problems with his vacation, he told Chris [Pervelis] something along the lines of, 'You've gotta do it, bro. Fuck it, no matter what happens, Internal Bleeding needs to go on. You gotta do it, asshole.' So we think it's only appropriate that we do this tour, continue with the band, and continue to release music in Bill's memory, and in the memory for all those metalhead men and women who have fallen. There is no other way. Metal is our life. Our love. Our passion. And to our fans, you are family: we don't leave family hanging. We got your back, because you always had ours. Our backup drummer will be announced soon. Out of respect to Bill, please don't ask. Love and metal always: Chris, Shaun, Chris, and Joe.”

The Strike Of The Empire US tour will commence on May 27th in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and run through June 16th in New York City, New York. Additional support will be provided by Sacrificial Slaughter, Voices Of Ruin, and Micawber.

Tour dates:

May
27 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC
28 - Brass Mug - Tampa, FL
29 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
30 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
31 - Acadia - Houston, TX

June
1 - Curtain Club - Dallas, TX
3 - Blu Phoenix - Albuquerque, NM
4 - Club Red - Phoenix, AZ
5 - Malones - Santa Ana, CA
6 - Oakland Metro - Oakland, CA
7 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
8 - Las Vegas Death Fest - Las Vegas, NV
9 - Metro - Salt Lake City, UT
10 - Bluebird Theatre - Denver, CO
11 - Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
13 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
14 - Reggies - Chicago, IL
16 - Webster Music Hall - New York City, NY

Internal Bleeding's digital single, "Final Justice”, was released just one day after Tolley's passing. The track serves as a teaser from the band's forthcoming full-length, Corrupting Influence. While filled with all the hooks, slams, and grooves you've come to expect from the band, the track is more focused, sophisticated, and sharper, than anything they're released previously.

"Final Justice" is available now through Unique Leader here, and via iTunes.