The Acacia Strain will release their new album, Gravebloom, on June 30th via Rise Records. The band is streaming the song "Big Sleep”, which features a guest vocal appearance from Kublai Khan's Matt Honeycutt.

"I didn't even understand what the hell was going on when I first heard this song. Luckily, Matt did guest vocals and saved me the embarrassment," said singer Vincent Bennett.

Fans can pre-order Gravebloom in various packages at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Worthless”
“Plague Doctor”
“Bitter Pill”
“Big Sleep”
“Gravebloom”
“Abyssal Depths”
“Model Citizen”
“Calloused Mouth”
“Dark Harvest”
“Walled City”
“Cold Gloom”

“Bitter Pill”:

Gojira recently played two nights (April 1st and 2nd) at L'Olympia in Paris, France. The band have posted this recap video:

Gojira recently announced a run of US headline dates which will see the group joined by Kyng (5/2 - 5/3), followed by dates with Deafheaven and Code Orange (5/16 - 5/18). For tickets and more information, head here. Check out a tour teaser video below:

Furthermore, Gojira were recently announced as support for Metallica on a string of North American dates. Gojira are set to join Metallica’s WorldWired Tour along with Avenged Sevenfold on July 29th at Los Angeles, CA’s Rose Bowl and continue on the road with them through August 16th.

Gojira are set to embark on a string of US dates with Opeth which will kick-off May 4th at Nashville, Tennessee’s War Memorial Auditorium and will also see Gojira performing festival sets at Monster Energy’s Carolina Rebellion (May 5th) and Rock On The Range (May 19th - 21st). The tour will also include a stop at Morrison, Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 11th.

Find Gojira’s live itinerary at this location.

Only fourteen months after the arrival of its "The Devil Strikes Again" disc, German heavy metal trio RAGE will release its 23rd studio album called "Seasons Of The Black" on July 28 via Nuclear Blast. "Our fans are getting RAGE metal of the very first grade," says RAGE leader Peter "Peavy" Wagner. "We've been able to bring the band's typical trademarks into eleven new songs, and we're sticking to the course that we forged on the last album! This means hard and very catchy compositions that also sound thrash, aggressive and epic." Since RAGE was revamped in 2015, the three bandmembers have fully adapted to each other and the lost harmony has been fully restored. "We are even better matched with each other," says Peavy. "We offer new ideas to each other like we've never done something else before. It also happened that we created a whole new song within just two hours from start to finish, from scratch. Regarding the production, we were also able to prevent some complications, which had been an element of the last album due to a lack of experience. This time, everything worked perfectly." Guitarist Marcos Rodriguez and drummer Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos have been longtime RAGE fans from the very beginning. Their input also leaves its mark on their second album with RAGE. "Marcos and Lucky well know the 'classic' style-creating spirit of RAGE, so to speak, and on a personal level we all really like each other as well," Peavy says. "This contributed to the possibility of continuing to develop and expanding the band's spirit." The stylistic connection between "The Devil Strikes Again" and "Seasons Of The Black" is also visually reflected in the artwork, once again created by graphic artist Karim König. "We developed the idea together," says Peavy. "In this way, we want to show that both albums belong together in their own way. I modelled the sonically inspired sculpture that dominates the cover on my own. As a basis, I used a very rare skull from my collection, which I poured myself and then re-modelled. Karim created the gloomy landscape with the Golgotha Hill." The title song, "Seasons Of The Black", will be the opener of the 11-track-album. "The song is very personal. It is about a failed lifelong dream," says Peavy. "Imagine being stamped to the ground and looking at the broken pieces of your existence. This, sadly, is a destiny that many people have to share. Most of the songs on the album include a very gloomy view of the world, so we thought 'Seasons Of The Black' would be suitable for the entire album."

"Seasons Of The Black" was recorded in February and March 2017 at Megafon Studios in Burscheid, Germany and at Soundchaser Studios in Zandhoven, Belgium. Its production was handled by RAGE, while Dan Swanö (MARDUK, OPETH, KATATONIA) took care of the mix and mastering at Unisound Studios in Grefrath, Germany.

The official lyric video for "Seven Headed Whore", a brand new song from ICED EARTH, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Incorruptible", which will be released on June 16 via Century Media. The cover artwork for the disc (as well as additional illustrations to every song) was created by David Newman-Stump from Skeleton Crew Tattoo (pencil illustrations) and Roy Young (colors).

"Incorruptible" track listing:

01. Great Heathen Army (5:21)02. Black Flag (4:56)03. Raven Wing (6:25)04. The Veil (4:47)05. Seven Headed Whore (3:00)06. The Relic (Part 1) (4:59)07. Ghost Dance (Awaken The Ancestors) (6:35)08. Brothers (4:45)09. Defiance (4:08)10. Clear The Way (December 13th, 1862) (9:30)

"Incorruptible" will be available in the following formats:

* Deluxe CD digipak with extensive booklet, fold-out poster and slipcase (only available in Europe)* CD digipak (only available in the USA)* Strictly limited artbook with 36-page booklet with introduction, additional artworks, sketches and comments by Jon Schaffer to each individual song, CD and double 10" vinyl, worldwide limited to only 3000 copies* Deluxe 2LP version in various vinyl colors (see below for exact color split) with gatefold sleeve, 4-page lyric sheet, 180-gram vinyl, black anti-static inner sleeves, etching and 12-page LP-booklet with artworks to each of the 10 songs* Standard CD jewel case* Digital download / stream

The 2LP version of "Incorruptible" is offered in the following vinyl colors:

* Black vinyl: unlimited and offered through all retail channels* Dark-green vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available in the U.K.* Yellow vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available in France* Clear vinyl: limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at Century Media's European online store* Lilac vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast* Silver vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at EMP* Transparent-red vinyl: limited to 500 copies, distributed through RED in the USA* White vinyl: limited to 300 copies, exclusively offered in the USA through F.Y.E.* Transparent-orange vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold by ICED EARTH on tour

The artbook version of "Incorruptible" will be offered in the following vinyl colors:

* Transparent-red vinyl: main version, available through all retail channels* Clear vinyl: limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at Century Media's European online store* Golden vinyl: limited to 200 copies, available at various online stores* Black vinyl: limited to 200 copies, available at various online stores* Silver vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast* Transparent-orange vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold by ICED EARTH on tour

Regarding how "Incorruptible" compares to previous ICED EARTH albums, guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer told Metal Wani: "They're all kind of their own thing, but I have a very strong gut feeling about this, and so does everybody in the band, that this is one of the really special ones. So I put it up there with 'The Dark Saga' [1996], 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' [1998], 'Dystopia' [2011] — it's in that league of records — so it's really gonna be something special, man. I know musicians always say that, but there is something going on here, so it's cool. We're all very excited about it."

On the topic of the concept for the lyrics on "Incorruptible", Schaffer said: "There is no concept on this record; it's just ten individual tracks not related to each other. Actually, on 'Plagues Of Babylon' [2014], it was only the first six that were related to the 'Something Wicked' story; it was like a zombie apocalypse within the 'Something Wicked' framework. But this album, it's just ten individual songs. We have one called 'Clear The Way', which is about the Irish Brigade at the Battle Of Fredericksburg — very tragic, actually — but that's a big epic, like ten minutes; and then we have one called 'Black Flag', which is a pirate song. It's quite a… I think I pulled it off pretty well with the lyrics, to be able to tell such a big story in a very short amount of time. I think it's gonna be a highlight of the record. And then on [the last European] tour, [we opened] the show with a new song that will be the opener on the album — it's called 'Great Heathen Army' — that's got a Viking kind of a vibe to it. So there's a lot of different things, and none of it's really related. There's one called 'Raven Wing'… I can't really think of all of them righ now… 'Seven Headed Whore' — that's one that's actually pretty brutal; it's like a total kick in the balls. But, you know, there's a lot of varied emotions on this, and it's cool stuff, man."

Asked about singer Stu Block's contribution to "Incorruptible", Schaffer said: "Well, he came at the end of… for about the last month or so of pre-production… maybe a little bit more… five weeks… and we worked on his vocal parts. We do it like Stu and I normally do it. Some of the stuff we write together. I mean, I write the musical arrangements and do all that — he doesn't play any instruments — but he comes in… At the end of the writing process is when we focus on his parts. And the lyrics that we worked on together, on a song called 'Brother', which is about our brotherhood, [between] Stu and I and within the band… We've gone through a lot of shit together and we've had a lot of great times together, but the bond is very strong, and that's clear. So it's just a song, really, for us. And then he wrote the lyrics for 'The Great Heathen Army'. I'm trying to think… I can't think of 'em, man; I have to look at the list [of songs]. But usually, he goes to an area and works, and I go in my area and work. And, like I said, on some songs we collaborate sometimes. On this one, the only we did was 'Brother'… We work in the way we always work. And it's a very cool chemistry."

ICED EARTH took a break from touring in 2015, primarily due to Schaffer's second cervical fusion surgery.

Longtime ICED EARTH drummer Brent Smedley returned to the band for the current recording and touring cycle. Smedley had to step down due to personal family reasons in 2013 shortly before the recording of "Plagues Of Babylon".

The official video for the song "King Of The Ring" from ADRENALINE MOB — the band featuring Russell Allen (vocals; also of SYMPHONY X) and Mike Orlando (guitar) — can be seen below. The track is taken from the group's third studio album, "We The People", which will be released on June 2 via Century Media. The follow-up to 2014's "Men Of Honor" is the first ADRENALINE MOB release to feature the band's new drummer Jordan Cannata and bassist David Zablidowsky (of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

"We The People" will be available for purchase as a special edition CD digipak, gatefold 2LP+CD, and on all standard digital and streaming music platforms.

"We The People" track listing:

01. King Of The Ring02. We The People03. The Killer's Inside04. Bleeding Hands05. Chasing Dragons06. Til The Head Explodes07. What You're Made Of08. Raise 'Em Up09. Ignorance & Greed10. Blind Leading The Blind11. Violent State Of Mind12. Lords Of Thunder13. Rebel Yell

As the title "We The People" indicates, there's a political side to ADRENALINE MOB. Throughout their years as a musicians and songwriters, they hadn't stayed silent on matters significant. Whether they were masked in metaphor or flatly conspicuous, they've always poured their feelings into song. It was, as Orlando puts it, a form of catharsis. So, as they were watching the presidential campaigns, feeling the negativity — the constant bickering and finger pointing — they knew ADRENALINE MOB's next venture would be affected. In fact, the first song Orlando began writing for "We The People" was the politically charged rocker "Blind Leading The Blind". "The title track is very much inspired by the past election year," confirms Allen. "It touches on our society, here in America. The album title is a reflection of our times. The songs have certain particular stories that stand on their own. Many of them are also driven by the climate we live in today and some are about having a good time, being free and loving rock 'n' roll. All the tracks have a personality and character to them."

ADRENALINE MOB will embark on a 30-date U.S. tour on June 16 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Support on all dates will come from the Canadian band THE WILD!

Tour dates:

Jun. 16 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The LoftJun. 17 - New York, NY - Marlin RoomJun. 18 - Haverhill, MA - The Whiskey BarrellJun. 20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard RockJun. 21 - Rochester, NY - Harmony HouseJun. 22 - Flint, MI - The Machine ShopJun. 23 - Joliet, IL - The ForgeJun. 25 - St. Louis, MO - FubarJun. 27 - Denver, CO - Marquis TheaterJun. 28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Royal BarJun. 29 - Idaho Falls, ID - The GemJul. 01 - Everett, WA - Tony V GarageJul. 03 - San Francisco, CA - Slim'sJul. 06 - Las Vegas, NV - Beauty BarJul. 07 - West Hollywood, CA - Viper RoomJul. 08 - San Diego, CA - Brick By BrickJul. 09 - Scottsdale, AZ - Pub RockJul. 11 - Dallas, TX - Gas MonkeyJul. 12 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It LiveJul. 14 - St. Petersburg, FL - State TheaterJul. 15 - Sanford, FL - West End Trading Co.Jul. 16 - Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music HallJul. 17 - Greenacres, FL - Piepers Sports BarJul. 19 - Wilmington, NC - The Throne TheaterJul. 20 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore SoundstageJul. 21 - Easton, PA - One Centre SquareJul. 22 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz

ADRENALINE MOB and TWISTED SISTER drummer A.J. Pero died in March 2015 of a heart attack.

Bassist John Moyer, who has been a member of DISTURBED since 2004, joined ADRENALINE MOB in February 2012 and appeared on the band's "Covertà" EP (2013) and "Men Of Honor" album (2014).

"Men Of Honor" sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 99 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's full-length debut, 2012's "Omertá", opened with around 6,600 units to enter the chart at No. 70.

Drummer Mike Portnoy (FLYING COLORS, THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) quit ADRENALINE MOB in June 2013 due to "scheduling conflicts."

California rockers PAPA ROACH have released the official lyric video for their new song "American Dreams", from their forthcoming ninth studio album, "Crooked Teeth". Due on May 19 via Eleven Seven Music, the disc will be available digitally and physically, as a standard (10 tracks) and deluxe (10 tracks + 3 brand new tracks + 16 Live tracks Live at the Fillmore Detroit) editions (see details below).

Written and recorded in a cramped North Hollywood studio, "Crooked Teeth" was produced by first timers Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Colin Brittain, with the exception of "Born For Greatness", which saw the band collaborate with writer/producer Jason Evigan (Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Zedd, MAROON 5) for this positive, pulsating anthem. Furlong and Brittain, who grew up listening to PAPA ROACH, inspired the band to revisit some of the traits that personally endeared the band to them, most notably singer Jacoby Shaddix's remarkable rapping technique and the band's intense live energy.

"The first time we met up with RAS and Colin, they said that [2000's] 'Infest' was on constant rotation when they were growing up and they wanted to bring back some of that fire," says Shaddix. Adds Furlong, "The whole idea was to take the classic elements of PAPA ROACH that everyone loved and revamp them into a modern version of the sound through the creative process, and we ended up with a bold, courageous and more adventurous version of PAPA ROACH."

The Furlong/Brittain production team worked to bring in elements of music from different genres and parts of the world, and pockets of rhythm people associate more with rap or reggae, while still staying true to PAPA ROACH's sound. "The people who have wanted to hear me rap for years are gonna love some of the viciousness on this record," Shaddix proclaims.

From the instantly infectious nature of the title track to the atmospheric sheen of the moody ballad "Periscope" (featuring Skylar Grey) and the acoustic/ hip-hop rock mashup of "Sunrise Trailer Park" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly adding a verse to Shaddix rap) "Crooked Teeth" displays the various sides of PAPA ROACH and illustrates why they've managed to remain relevant while other musical trends ebb and flow. "We didn't go into this album with the intention of trying to write radio singles," guitarist Jerry Horton explains. "This collection of songs was really about bookending everything that we’ve done prior to this album and reintroducing PAPA ROACH to people who didn't realize the depth that we have," says drummer Tony Palermo.

In many ways making "Crooked Teeth" reminded Shaddix of the band's earliest days, well before they sold millions of albums and became a household name. "When we were in the rehearsal space I wasn’t thinking about who I needed to impress, I was thinking about how much I love making music with the guys in this band." "It [the album] feels honest and pure and that’s all we could hope for," adds bassist Tobin Esperance.

The band is set to hit the road throughout the year, with more shows to be announced soon.

"Crooked Teeth" track listing:

Standard Edition (Digital, CD, Vinyl)

01. Break The Fall02. Crooked Teeth03. My Medication04. Born For Greatness05. American Dreams06. Periscope (feat. Skylar Grey)07. Help08. Sunrise Trailer Park (feat. Machine Gun Kelly)09. Traumatic10. None Of The Above

Deluxe Edition (Digital + CD Only)

Disc 1

01. Break The Fall02. Crooked Teeth03. My Medication04. Born For Greatness05. American Dreams06. Periscope (feat. Skylar Grey)07. Help08. Sunrise Trailer Park (feat. Machine Gun Kelly)09. Traumatic10. None Of The Above11. Richochet (bonus)12. Nothing (bonus)13. Bleeding Through (bonus)

Disc 2

01. Intro (Live at Fillmore Detroit)02. Face Everything And Rise (live at Fillmore Detroit)03. Getting Away With Murder (live at Fillmore Detroit)04. Between Angels And Insects (live at Fillmore Detroit)05. Where Did The Angels Go? (live at Fillmore Detroit)06. Broken Home (live at Fillmore Detroit)07. Burn (live at Fillmore Detroit)08. Forever (live at Fillmore Detroit)09. Scars (live at Fillmore Detroit)10. Lifeline (live at Fillmore Detroit)11. Infest (live at Fillmore Detroit)12. Kick In The Teeth (live at Fillmore Detroit)13. Broken As Me (live at Fillmore Detroit)14. Still Swingin' (live at Fillmore Detroit)15. To Be Loved (live at Fillmore Detroit)16. Last Resort (live at Fillmore Detroit)

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

Drum-cam footage of original KORN drummer David Silveria playing the song "Act Of Valor" in rehearsal with his new band CORE 10 can be seen below. He is joined in the new group by Duncan Nisbet on vocals, Sean Lenhoff on vocals, Chris Dorame on bass, Joe Taback on guitar and Ronnie King on keyboards.

Says CORE 10: "'Act Of Valor' is inspired by, and dedicated to, the men and women who make up the United States Armed Forces, heroes who protect us and sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve our freedom to speak, to be, to live."

Asked by BackStage360 why CORE 10 opted to have two singers instead of one, Lenhoff said: "Well, it's trying to create your own sound, something original. Duncan had CORE 10 going for a little bit before I got involved. I left the previous band I was in, and he was, like, 'Sean, do you wanna come in and try this? Let's see how it works. Let's try and do a metal/punk rock fusion thing with two singers.' He's very much a high-end, I'm very much a lower-end power singer. And it just ended up blending really well, and it's done nothing but grow from that point."

According to Lenhoff, CORE 10's sound has been described as a fusion of metal, rock and punk. "From doing different styles like that, we've been able to open up for KMFDM, FEAR FACTORY, MISFITS… And that's pretty much some of the heaviest — in FEAR FACTORY — metal you can get, and KMFDM is completely electronica and you know what the MISFITS are," he explained. "And it's gone over really well. So we never wanted to pigeonhole ourselves into one genre. It's so hard to make a living as a band and a musician now, you just take your influencces and you just run with it. Why not create something for everybody but having continuity still in what you're doing?"

Although Lenhoff is perfectly aware CORE 10 is not for everybody, he believes that the band's music will have a lasting impact on those that give it a chance.

"One thing I've heard that I loved was music is supposed to be disruptive," he said. "It disrupts your being — emotionally, physically — it makes you wanna move, it makes you wanna cry. And that's what's highly important. That's kind of where we're at with it. It's gotta affect you.

"If people don't have an opinion about you, whether they hate you [or] love you, then you're dead in the water," he continued. "So they have to love or hate what you do, and as long as you get a reaction, that's all that matters."

Asked how he first got involved with CORE 10, Silveria said: "I've known Sean for about… probably fifteen, twenty years from downtown Huntington Beach days. And he kept sending me MP3s of songs, and the more I listened to it, it was kind of, like, you either love it or hate it. I was kind of conflicted when I first heard it. And I would show it to my wife and said, 'What do you think about this?' 'Cause I didn't really understand it at first. And the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Now they come over and play, and I come out and my wife is all giddy and excited going, 'I love that song. It's one of the best songs you guys have ever done.' And now I'm just in love with the music. So I'm all in now."

CORE 10 made its live debut on April 1 at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California.

Silveria, who left KORN in late 2006, sued his former bandmates in February 2015, claiming that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. Silveria said he still had ownership interest in KORN and was asking a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share. Silveria was said to be especially upset over the fact that KORN welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch four years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

KORN singer Jonathan Davis told The Pulse Of Radio that he believed Silveria had lost his passion for playing music, saying, "The first two albums, I think, he really enjoyed playing drums and then after that he just lost his love for playing drums. It happens."

Silveria told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."

The first video teaser for POWERFLO — the new band featuring BIOHAZARD's Billy Graziadei and former FEAR FACTORY bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers alongside Sen Dog from CYPRESS HILL, Rogelio Lozano from DOWNSET, and Brazilian drummer Fernando Schaefer — can be seen below.

POWERFLO's debut album is scheduled for a June 23 release via New Damage Records. The effort was mixed by Jay Baumgardner and was mastered by Maor Appelbaum.

Regarding how the name for the new project came about, Christian told The New American Media: "Basically, Sen Dog was spitting his game on some of the heavy riffs and shit. And he was, like, 'Do you like this?' And Roy, the other guitar player, said, 'Yeah. A power flow. That's good.' So that's where it kind of came from."

During the same interview, Graziadei described POWERFLO's musical direction as a cross between IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and CYPRESS HILL, and expressed hope that the new project would hit the road later in the year.

In February 2016, BIOHAZARD parted ways with its frontman of five years, Scott Roberts. A replacement singer has not yet been announced.

Olde Wolbers hinted in an interview last fall that he would join BIOHAZARD as the band's new frontman, but the group has not confirmed his involvement.

The last BIOHAZARD album, 2012's "Reborn In Defiance", featured Evan Seinfeld on lead vocals.




Ready?

Posted by Powerflo on Thursday, April 27, 2017

Video footage of former MEGADETH and current ACT OF DEFIANCE members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar) performing cover versions of METALLICA and MOTÖRHEAD classics during their April 1 clinic at the Brotherhood Metal Fest in Mexico City can be seen below.

In addition to Broderick and Drover, ACT OF DEFIANCE features ex-SCAR THE MARTYR singer Henry Derek Bonner and SHADOWS FALL's Matt Bachand (bass).

ACT OF DEFIANCE is continuing work on material for its sophomore album, tentatively due before the end of the year.

The band's debut disc, "Birth And The Burial", was released on August 21, 2015 via Metal Blade Records.

Henry recently completed recording all the vocal tracks for the second ACT OF DEFIANCE album at Red Light Studios in Los Angeles. He wrote in an online post: "I'm happy with the results and I can't wait for you guys to hear this new music! Being a band for a little while now has allowed us to come together with an array of ideas based upon our own individual styles and will undoubtedly bring forth an exciting album for sure."

Broderick told Maximum Threshold Radio last year that he was "really excited to be able to have the full band contributing equally" to the songwriting process for the next ACT OF DEFIANCE disc. He explained: "Because Matt was such a late addition to the band, all he got to do is record his bass lines [for 2015's 'Birth And The Burial' effort]. So he'll be able to write on this CD, and then we kind of know each other a lot better now than we did, and so we kind of know how to contribute with each other. It's more of a working relationship, whereas last time it was, 'All right, here's our format. This is the way we're gonna do it, because we've gotta get it out.'"

Chris also talked about the importance of getting everybody's input and allowing every musician to contribute his ideas to the final product. He said: "The main thing is not to bicker and argue. I think you have to put your ego aside and just realize that everybody's opinion is valid. There is no one best way to write a song or to make a band the way that the band should come across or the way that people should act. It's not for any one of us to try and do that."

On May 5th, Dutch death metallers God Dethroned will release their new album The World Ablaze worldwide via Metal Blade Records; it can be pre-ordered here. A video for the album track "Annihilation Crusade" can be found below.

God Dethroned comments: "The World Ablaze is our final album in the WWI trilogy. We aimed to create an album that is very dynamic and diverse. It contains typical GD riffing with loads of melodies and catchy hooks. The songs are perfect for our live shows as they contain many mid-tempo parts combined with faster and more brutal parts. Diversity to the max! Dan Swano mixed the album in his typical fashion but without robbing the band of its own identity. Mastering was handled at the Wisseloord Studios where they also mastered albums for bands like Rammstein, among many others, and they put the icing on the cake. The album sounds crystal clear and heavy as fuck at the same time. We are very proud to present this album during our upcoming Serpent Fest album release shows early May!"

The World Ablaze tracklisting:

“A Call To Arms”
“Annihilation Crusade”
“The World Ablaze”
“On The Wrong Side Of The Wire”
“Close To Victory”
“Konigsberg”
“Escape Across The Ice (The White Army)”
“Breathing Through Blood”
“Messina Ridge”
“The 11th Hour”

"Annihilation Crusade" video:

“The World Ablaze” video:

“On The Wrong Side Of The Wire” video:

The album will be available in the following formats:

- CD/DVD Digipak
- Jewelcase CD
- 180g black vinyl
- pale violet vinyl (limited to 400 copies - EU exclusive)
- gray-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- clear-pastel rose vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EMP exclusive)
- deep violet-marbled vinyl (limited to 200 copies - USA exclusive)
- clear/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies - Hells Headbangers exclusive)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available

God Dethroned will play two German release shows on the weekend of release, plus one Belgium and two Dutch shows on the following weekend. See below for all dates.

Release shows:

May
5 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete (with Lifeless, Visionary 666)
6 - Munchen, Germany - Backstage (with Revel In Flesh, Commander, Visionary 666)
11 - Kortrijk, Belgium - De Kreun (with Visionary 666, Fractured Insanity)
12 - Lelystad, Netherlands - Poppodium (with Visionary 666, Disquiet)
13 - Groningen, Netherlands - Vera (with Visionary 666, The Heritage)

Live shows:

April
15 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Baroeg

June
22-24 - Grafenhainichen, Germany - With Full Force

July
13-15 - Neukirchen-Vluyn, Germany - Dong Open Air

August
10-12 - Schlotheim, Germany - Party.San Open Air

December
2 - Dresden, Germany - Skullcrusher

God Dethroned lineup:

Henri Sattler - vocals/guitars
Mike Ferguson - guitars
Jeroen Pomper - bass
Michiel van der Plicht - drums

Last month, Swedish death metallers Cut Up released their sophomore album, Wherever They May Rot, worldwide via Metal Blade Records. The band have now released a video for the album track “Behead The Dead”.

Guitarist/vocalist Andreas Björnson comments on the video: "The time has come to deliver a new video upon thee and we're going all in on the Deathgrind with "Behead The Dead"! Working once again with our Arvika film crew we have created a suiting old-school VHS-like video for this unrelenting song. The lyrics describe the action plan for a corpse that simply will not rest and fits the music accordingly. Turn the stereo all the way up to eleven and blast shit to bits! Our brand new album, Wherever They May Rot is out NOW worldwide through Metal Blade Records!"

Order the new album, which features artwork by Lukasz Jaszak, at this location.

Wherever They May Rot tracklisting:

“From Ear To Ear”
“Necrophagic Madness”
“Behead The Dead”
“Wherever They May Rot”
“Vermin Funeral”
“By Hatred Bound”
“Psychosurgery”
“In The Aftermath”
“Master Dissector”
“Cranium Crusher”
“Raped By The Blade”

"Vermin Funeral" video:

In other news, Cut Up have been confirmed for this year's edition of the Summer Breeze festival, taking place in Dinkelsbühl, Germany in August.

Tour dates:

April
29 - Sundsvall, Sweden - Club Destroyer

May
12 - Deinze, Belgium - Muziekcafé Elpee
13 - Veghel, Netherlands - Deathfest II
20 - Hyvinkää, Finland - Steelfest Open Air

July
29 - Essen, Germany - Nord Open Air

August
16-19 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze Festival

October
21 - Belusa, Slovakia - Deathfest

Cut Up lineup:

Erik Rundqvist - vocals & bass
Andreas Bjornson - vocals & guitar
Anders Bertilsson - guitar
Tobias Gustafsson - drums

Experimental death-noise band Full Of Hell have premiered a video for “Trumpeting Ecstasy”, the title track of their forthcoming album, out on May 5th via Profound Lore. Check out the video below, and pre-order the album at this location.

Full Of Hell have embarked on quite the journey leading up to the impending release of Trumpeting Ecstasy, an album which will see the band deliver their most punishing, virulent, and dynamic album to date.

With Trumpeting Ecstasy, Full Of Hell build upon their progression since Full Of Hell & Merzbow and the releases succeeding it (collaborative album with The Body and several EPs, one being the split 7" with Nails). This time the band decided to go into GodCity Studios with Kurt Ballou at the production helm to help achieve the intended vision of Trumpeting Ecstasy. The result being the best and strongest sounding Full Of Hell album, their most towering release to date.

Sky tearing and sonically cataclysmic, the aural deluge that is Trumpeting Ecstasy also features guest appearances by Aaron Turner (Sumac, Old Man Gloom, Mamiffer, Isis), Nate Newton (Converge, Old Man Gloom), Andrew Nolan (Column Of Heaven, The Endless Blockade), and Canadian singer/songwriter Nicole Dollanganger.

Artwork for Trumpeting Ecstasy was created by Mark McCoy.

Tracklisting:

“Deluminate”
“Branches Of Yew”
“Bound Sphinx”
“The Cosmic Vein”
“Digital Prison”
“Crawling Back To God”
“Fractured Quartz”
“Gnawed Flesh”
“Ashen Mesh”
“Trumpeting Ecstasy”
“At The Cauldron's Bottom”

“Trumpeting Ecstasy” video:

"Crawling Back To God":

“Deluminate”:

(Band photo - Reid Haithcock)

Doom rock legends The Obsessed recently released their new album, Sacred. The album is now available for streaming in it’s entirety below.

Sacred is available on CD, LP, deluxe double LP, and digital formats. Physical orders and bundles are available via Relapse.com here, and digital downloads can be ordered via Bandcamp at this location. The deluxe 2xLP bundle includes an enamel logo pin, signed art print, and two bonus tracks.

With renewed energy and purpose, The Obsessed sounds heavier and more relevant than ever before. On Sacred, the band doubles down on enormous, heaving riffs and pummeling low-end across twelve tracks of eternal doom. Rounded out by Wino's lyrical honesty and iconic throaty vocals, Sacred is an album that further pushes The Obsessed into the annals of heavy metal history, well worth the two-plus decade wait. The band will perform once again as a three-piece featuring Wino, Reid Raley, and Brian Costantino.

Sacred tracklisting:

“Sodden Jackal”
“Punk Crusher”
“Sacred”
“Haywire”
“Perseverance Of Futility”
“It's Only Money”
“Cold Blood”
“Stranger Things”
“Razor Wire”
“My Daughter My Son”
“Be The Night”
“Interlude”
“On So Long” (Bonus)
“Crossroader Blues” (Bonus)

Album stream:

“Sacred” video:

“Sacred” making of video:

The Obsessed tour dates below.
 
April (with Karma To Burn)
27 - Highline - Seattle, WA ** +
28 - Star Theater - Portland, OR ** +
29 - Starlite - Sacramento, CA ** +
30 - DNA Lounge - San Francisco, CA  ** +

May
1 - Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA ** +
2 - Club Red - Mesa, AZ
3 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
4 - Three Links - Dallas, TX
5 - Grizzly Hall - Austin, TX
7 - Korova - San Antonio, TX
8 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
9 - The Jinx - Savannah, GA
10 - Hideaway - Johnson City, TN
11 - EARL - Atlanta, GA
12 - Gramps - Miami, FL
13 - Ground Zero - Spartanburg, SC
14 - Pour House - Raleigh, NC
16 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
17 - ONCE Ballroom - Boston, MA
18 - Saint Vitus - Brooklyn, NY
19 - The Ballroom at Outer Space - New Hanover, CT
20 - Otto Bar  - Baltimore, MD

# - with Lo-Pan
& - no Karma To Burn
** - with Weedeater, Primitive Man
+ - with Fatso Jetson

(Photo - Susie Costantino)

On the eve of the release of their new EP, The Healer, Helsott premieres a new promo video for “Astralive”, directed by Sicocis guitarist Rafael Ortega (Ayreon, Blessed Curse).

“Filming ‘Astralive’ was a very enjoyable experience,” explains vocalist Eric Dow. “Raf was great to work with and Coop and I had fun scouting for a location in Arrowhead.  We want to thank Mike Grieg for letting us set up camp.”

“I love how cold the video came out,” adds drummer Cooper Dustman. “It was actually blistering hot that day, we all got sunburns!  Finding this remote spot in the mountains was adventurous considering the GPS can only show so much. We scouted and shot this within a few days, and we’re proud of the final product.”

Tracklisting:

"The Healer"
"Astralive"
"The Tavern's Tale"
"Unconscious Power"
"Epic Battle"

Helsott’s exotic sound mixes death metal with pagan influences and their new five-song EP, The Healer, will be released April 28th on M-Theory Audio. Tracked at Trench Studios (Intronaut, Abysmal Dawn) and mixed/mastered by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm, Ex-Deo) the release features artwork from Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Iced Earth).

Secondly, Helsott has announced some upcoming tour dates, including the band’s first trip to Europe. The band will be supporting I Am Morbid (the new band from Morbid Angel’s David Vincent (vocals/bass) and Tim Yeung (drums) playing tracks from the first 4 classic Morbid Angel albums) and death metal legends Necrophagia.

“We have been working so hard to fulfill our goals,” states Eric Dow. “Taking our brand of Pagan Death Metal overseas has always been an ultimate goal for this band and now that we have the opportunity we will take full advantage of it. Europe… Helsott is finally coming!”

The run is immediately followed by the band taking part joining the west coast dates of the just announced Nomadic Folk Metal band Tengger Cavalry and virtuoso guitarist Felix Martin tour.

“We are excited to be joining our label mates, Tengger Cavalry, and the amazing Felix Martin on a west coast leg of their North American Raid,” explains Eric. “This is a unique line-up and fans are in for a treat!”

Helsott Tour Dates:

May
2 - Slidebar – Fullerton, CA
5 - Blacklight District – Long Beach, CA
14 - Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
29 - Rudeboy – Bielsko Biela, Poland
30 - Colosseum – Kosice, Slovakia
31 - Durer Kert – Budapest, Hungary

June
1 - Orto Bar – Ljubljana, Slovenia
2 - Revolver – Venice, Italy
3 - Kulturfabrik – Lyss, Switzerland
4 - Logo – Hamburg, Germany
5 - Live Music Hall – Morlenbach-Weiher, Germany
6 - Feierwerk – Munich, Germany
7 - From Hell – Erfurt, Germany
8 - Roxy – Flensburg, Germany
9 - Paard Van Troje – Den Haag, Netherlands
10 - 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
11 - Hellraiser – Leipzig, Germany
18 - Rickshaw Theater – Vancouver, BC
19 - Highline – Seattle, WA
21 - Dante’s – Portland, OR
23 - Bottom Of The Hill – San Francisco, CA
24 - Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
25 - Club Red – Mesa, AZ
27 - Hi Dive – Denver, CO

 

Madrost returns with a new full-length album titled The Essence Of Time Matches No Flesh on June 27th. Featuring seven tracks of Orange County's finest progressive thrash metal from one of the scene's most sci-fi bands, this is 37 minutes of total devastation and chaos. A lyric video for the album's opening track, "Eyes Of The Deceit" can be enjoyed below:

On The Essence Of Time Matches No Flesh, Madrost has found its definitive sound, one that is much more dynamic and darker than previous album Into The Aquatic Sector. The forthcoming album picks up where Into The Aquatic Sector left off and takes the sound to a whole new, previously unexplored level. Vocalist/guitarist Tanner Poppitt comments: "I wanted a broader scope to work with and have the listener think about what they are listening to." Last but certainly not least, Tony Koehl's (The Black Dahlia Murder, Putrid Pile, Malignancy) cover art also represents a huge step forward for the band, as his artistic interpretations tie everything together into a cohesive whole.

Tracklisting:

"Eyes Of The Deceit"
"The Silence In Ruins"
"From Sand To Dust"
"Abstractions"
"No Future"
"Scorned"
"Dimensions"

 

Maryland-based technical death metal outfit, Exist, will release their Prosthetic Records debut, So True, So Bound, worldwide on June 9th. A video for the album’s opening track, “Take My Picture”, can be seen below.

The self-produced album was mixed by Nolly Getgood (Periphery) and features eight forward-thinking tracks clocking in at just over 60 minutes. The album's artwork, featured above, was completed by Sebastian Jerke (Ahab, Zodiac).

Guitarist/vocalist Max Phelps commented, "We were fortunate enough to work with a really great team throughout the entire process. Nolly crushed the mix, as expected, and we were fortunate enough to find an amazing visual artist, Sebastian Jerke, who wasn't afraid to jump down the rabbit hole with us, illustrating and adding some very specific concepts in his own beautiful style of painting".

Formed in the late '00s by Phelps, who has cut his teeth as a touring member of Cynic and Defeated Sanity, in addition to acting as frontman for Death To All (touring tribute band to Chuck Shuldiner), the band is rounded out with bassist Alex Weber (Jeff Loomis), and guitarist Mathew Rossa. Drummer Hannes Grossman (Necrophagist, Obscura) lent his hand on the So True, So Bound recording, stating "Exist is hands down one of the most talented and musically interesting young bands out there. Deciding to record with them was a no-brainer."

Phelps added, "In absence of a drummer, Hannes Grossman stepped in as our session guy and fully delivered.”

Tracklisting:

“Take My Picture”
“Happily Ever After (For A Week Or So…)”
“So True: Imitation’s Flattery”
“So Bound: One Of The Herd”
“Peer Prejudice”
“To Sever The Strings”

“Take My Picture” video:

One week prior to the album's release, Exist with kickstart a North American tour with Montreal-based progressive metal giants, Gorguts. Phelps will pull double duty on the run, as he will also be fronting for tourmates Defeated Sanity. No small feat for two such hard-hitting bands.

Strike Mortal Soil, the debut album from Vancouver's Wormwitch, is scheduled for worldwide release on May 12th via Prosthetic Records. The album track “Relentless Death” is available for streaming below.

Strike Mortal Soil is available for pre-order at this location.

"To go from recording a demo over a couple days in a sweaty jam space to putting out an LP on Prosthetic within a year and a half... it's just not something we could have realistically expected," remarks the band, "It's got our fingerprints all over it. If something was possible to do ourselves, we did it, down to mixing and artwork."

Tracklisting:

"As Above"
"Howling From The Grave"
"Weregild"
"Even The Sun Will Die"
"Relentless Death"
"Cerulean Abyss"
"Everlasting Lie"
"...And Smote His Ruin Upon The Mountainside"
"Mantle Of Ignorance"
"So Below"

“Relentless Death”:

"Even The Sun Will Die”:

"Everlasting Lie" video;

Thematically, Strike Mortal Soil is about being alive and what that means in today's society. The band elaborated, "We live in a society both obsessed with and terrified of death. We exist in a world constantly seeking immortality through fame or Gods. Strike Mortal Soil means to live with a furious passion. It is to be able to enter one's grave like lightning, in rejection of eternity. It enforces the message that life has worth, not from your nationality, your land, your God or your flesh, but what you do with yourself."

For further details, visit Wormwitch on Facebook.

Modern melodic metallers, Lost Dreams, have released a video for “Finding X”, a track from their upcoming new album, Exhale, out on May 26th via Massacre Records. Watch the new video below.

Exhale tracklisting:

“Ego”
“Lethargy”
“Crashing Beyond The Horizon”
“Kyrie Helleison”
“Finding X”
“Oscillatingv
“Bitter Pills”
“Weight Of The World”
“Silence”
“Deluded”
“Nocturnal Delirium”
“It‘s Not A Game It‘s An Onslaught”
“Purple Clouds”
“Tranquilize”

“Finding X” video:

Santiago, Chile based metal band Half Blood have released their official video for "Self Exile", the second single off of their self-titled, debut album due out later this year.

"We were really tired about the empty lyrics of pop music, even on the metal scene in some cases, there's so much happening around the world right now and it seems that it didn't care, true pain, true horror, but all that matters now are how big is your ass or how much money do you have playing like a fake gangsta, so fuck it, we choose Self Exile" - Half Blood.

Tracklisting:

“Adamas”
“Self Exile”
“Crisis”
“The Choice”
“El Origen”
“Forever”
“No Future”
“Not Your Own”
“Release”
“G.T.F.A.”

Half Blood was created in late 2014 when Manuel Castillo (ex-Dissors) and Pablo Abatte (Nueve Círculos) began the search for a new live and studio, professional sound. Javier Contreras (ex-Dissors) later joined the project and together they started composing Half Blood’s first songs.

In the process of finding Half Blood’s sound, Sebastián Aguilera (ex-Wormhole Project) and Francisco Arévalo (electric bass professor from Instituto ProJazz and session musician) joined the band. After writing 15 songs and with the intention of recording they got in touch Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head and producer for Gojira, Cavalera Conspiracy, Fear Factory, etc.) who showed interest in the project and took it on.

The Half Blood debut, self-titled album was recorded at Logan Mader Studio in September 2016. Due to personal differences, Javier Contreras stepped aside, giving way to Ismael Gutiérrez (ex-Sumission and Kitsune Metaru).

Half Blood will be released in mid-2017 and will be available in physical and digital format through iTunes, Spotify, Amazon.

Band lineup:

Pablo Abatte - drums
Francisco Arévalo - bass
Manuel Castillo - vocals
Sebastián Aguilera - guitar
Ismael Gutierrez - guitar

Frontiers Music Srl will release JORN's brand new studio album, titled "Life On Death Road", on June 2.

The official lyric video for the song "Man Of The '80s" can be seen below. Easily one of the greatest rock singers of the 21st century, Norway's very own giant Viking warrior Jorn Lande's vocals are resoundingly strong once again on his ninth original studio album, "Life On Death Road". This absolutely brilliant new album sees Lande attacking the microphone with rejuvenated vigor, accompanied by a new band and a bigger and stronger sound. "Life On Death Road" took several months of hard work for the songwriting vision to come together. Jorn needed to take the music to a new level to push the concept of the band further than it has ever gone before. The result is a record that is deep, strong, full of groove and powerful with anthemic songs aplenty. Songs like "Man Of The '80s", "Love Is The Remedy", "Life On Death Road", "Insoluble Maze (Dreams In The Blindness)", and "The Slippery Slope (Hangman's Rope)" capture the essence of Jorn as a singer, songwriter and lyricist. Jorn says: "It's easily one of the best albums I've ever recorded. This was all about putting the right people together for the right result, and about taking the necessary time to work more thoroughly and in depth with the material we chose for the album.

"The older I get, the more I feel it is necessary to listen to my heart and look for that genuine and honest feeling that made me take interest in music in the first place.

"Back in the '70s and early '80s when I grew up, people and music were more free and so the presence of feeling and soul came more naturally and was expected from an artist or a band. This is the energy and craftmanship we've been looking for, but still keeping a pulse on the modern times we live in.

"'Life On Death Road' is an original album that is pretty much summing up the last 40-50 years of rock and metal and has become a hybrid modern heavy rock album without losing those tasty elements of a good aged wine. Regardless, we're all products of our time, and the feeling, soul and symbioses we've achieved for this album is a rarity in today's music world, so in that sense this album is a true old school sailors' 'tall ship adventure.' From start to finish, it took us nearly three years to finalize and I'm really proud to say that this album is the proof that classic albums can still be made." The album also marks the debut of a new lineup of very experienced and gifted musicians around the Norwegian singer. On bass is Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER, KISKE/SOMERVILLE) who needs virtually no introduction to European heavy metal fanatics. On keyboards and production is Alessandro Del Vecchio (HARDLINE, REVOLUTION SAINTS), who already joined JORN for the recording of his last covers album, "Heavy Rock Radio" and was the glue that helped Jorn to create the feel and the direction for the new album. Francesco Iovino (PRIMAL FEAR) is on drums and Alex Beyrodt (PRIMAL FEAR, VOODOO CIRCLE) handles guitar. Truly a recipe for a roaring success! Jorn had no desire to do "just another" JORN record. The aim was to do the best record possible and it took almost two years of writing, arranging, and producing before wrapping this all up. The performances are thunderous across the board and you can hear the urgency of these songs in Jorn's singing! Jorn's catalogue is getting too long to include in brief overviews and his innovative and creative skills as a vocalist and music visionary have led to him selling millions of albums worldwide while being a frequent entrant on sales charts around the world, including Billboard. Worth a mention here though are his years fronting MASTERPLAN, whom he recorded three albums with. He has also recently collaborated with the world's biggest online gaming company, Riot Games, providing vocals for the virtual band "PENTAKILL" in the game "League Of Legends". Claimed to be the biggest-selling Norwegian musical export since the pop band A-HA, Jorn continues his rock crusade and there are no signs of him slowing down and "Life On Death Road" is a magnificent testament to his abilities! "Life on Death Road" track listing:

01. Life On Death Road02. Hammered To The Cross (The Business)03. Love Is The Remedy04. Dreamwalker05. Fire To The Sun06. Insoluble Maze (Dreams In The Blindness)07. I Walked Away08. The Slippery Slope (Hangman's Rope)09. Devil You Can Drive10. The Optimist11. Man Of The '80s12. Blackbirds JORN is:

Jorn Lande - VocalsAlex Beyrodt - GuitarsMat Sinner - Bass Alessandro Del Vecchio - KeyboardsFrancesco Iovino - Drums

Swedish metallers DREAM EVIL will release their sixth album, aptly titled "Six", on May 26 via Century Media Records. The official video for the song "Antidote" can be seen below. The clip was directed by the band's longtime partner in visuals Patric Ullaeus (IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL, DIMMU BORGIR, ARCH ENEMY). DREAM EVIL has checked in with the following comment about the track: "When it comes to choosing a single for 'Six', you need to have a song that 'punches' the fans in their faces. 'Antidote' is just that type of in-your-face-punch song, so for us the choice was natural. And don't forget that metal is not just music, it's a way of living… as you clearly can see in the video."

"Six" track listing: 01. Dream Evil02. Antidote03. Sin City04. Creature Of The Night05. Hellride06. Six Hundred And 6607. How To Start A War08. The Murdered Mind09. Too Loud10. 44 Riders11. Broken Wings12. We Are Forever In addition to the album's standard version as CD and digital download, will be made available as a 180-gram vinyl version with a poster and bonus CD as well as in the limited-edition mediabook CD format with two bonus tracks ("Under Attack" and "Nowhere To Run") and three stickers. The follow-up to 2010's "In The Night" was once again produced by DREAM EVIL guitarist Fredrik Nordström at his own Studio Fredman facilities, which is the birthplace of many modern metal masterpieces by such bands as IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, HAMMERFALL, AT THE GATES, DIMMU BORGIR, POWERWOLF, ARCHITECTS and BRING ME THE HORIZON. The "Six" cover artwork, which can be seen below, was again created by Gustavo Sazes (ARCH ENEMY, AMARANTHE, FIREWIND). In related news, May 26 will also see the release of the third DREAM EVIL album, "The Book Of Heavy Metal", for the first time ever on vinyl. Considered a modern heavy metal classic by many, 2004's "The Book Of Heavy Metal" will be available on 180-gram black vinyl with the entire album on CD as a bonus.

DREAM EVIL is:

Niklas Isfeldt - Lead VocalsFredrik Nordström - Lead Rhythm GuitarsMark U Black - Lead Lead GuitarsPeter Stålfors - Lead BassPatrik Jerksten - Lead Drums

Arch Enemy recently released their live DVD / Blu-ray, As The Stages Burn!, which includes the unreleased official video for "Time is Black" from the War Eternal album. The band has posted a behind-the-scenes Making Of clip featuring Alex Boya Animation; it is available below along with the official video. 

 

As The Stages Burn! has conquered the German album charts by entering at position #9, repeating the success of the band’s much celebrated last studio album, War Eternal, which scored the same position back in 2014 marking Arch Enemy’s highest chart entry in Germany to date. As The Stages Burn! also reached position #2 of the Australian DVD charts.

Mastermind Michael Amott comments, "Top ten album in the German charts with a LIVE album? We'll take it! A huge thank you to all the amazing fans that pre-ordered or went out and picked up As The Stages Burn! in the first week of release! Feeling this fan support is extremely motivating as we continue working on our new studio album!"

As The Stages Burn!, which features the band’s largest and most impressive stage production to date filmed at Wacken 2016, is available as ltd. deluxe CD+DVD+Blu-Ray box set, special edition CD+DVD digipak, gatefold 2LP+DVD and as digital album.

The DVD/Blu-Ray also contains Behind The Scenes footage from Wacken, as well as excerpts from the Tokyo Sacrifice live DVD, all War Eternal music videos and a new, previously unreleased video clip for “Time Is Black” as bonus material! The deluxe box set comes with an artbook including CD, DVD and Blu-Ray, pop-up art, lanyard and As The Stages Burn! laminate.

Head to this location for ordering options.

Arch Enemy live:

July
6 - Rock Harz Festival - Ballenstedt, Germany
8 – Resurrection Fest – Viveiro, Spain
12 – Rockmaraton Festival – Dunaújváros, Hungary
14 - Gefle Metal Festival - Gävle, Sweden

August
4 – Rock Pod Kamenom Festival – Snina, Slovakia 
5 - Ostrava v Plamenech - Ostrava, Czech Republic
10 - Leyendas Del Rock - Villena, Spain
11 - Vagos Metal Fest - Vagos, Portugal
12 - Into The Grave - Leeuwarden, Netherlands
13 – Bloodstock Open Air – Derby, UK

Swedish-British death metal duo Ashcloud have finished works on their third album, Kingdom Of The Damned, out on June 19th via Xtreem Music. The album track “Suspended In Death” is available for streaming below.

Following the style that Ashcloud have been building through their two previous albums, this new work Kingdom Of The Damned shows a band that have forged an own personality, always within the traditional Swedish death metal style, spiced with good doses of crust and awesome melodies that are perfectly blended with the heaviness and fast parts of their songs. This new work shows a much rawer sound without loosing the melodic edge that is essential for Ashcloud’s style.

Kingdom Of The Damned tracklisting:

“Among The Grotesque”
“Kingdom Of The Damned”
“Suspended In Death”
“Dansa pa Krossade Skallar” (featuring David Nilsson)
“The Serpent King”
“Under Dödens Vingar Pt. 4” (featuring Rogga Johansson)
“The Seven Tumpets Of Hell”
“A Breath Of Decay”
“When Empires Are No More”
“Megeddio”

A live video for “Postcard To God”, from Vanden Plas' forthcoming live CD/DVD, The Seraphic Live Works, is available for streaming below. The set will be released on May 12th.

In their long career, Vanden Plas Official has only released one live album, Spirit Of Live, recorded in Paris at the legendary Elysée Montmartre, in 2000. With the upcoming release of The Seraphic Live Works, the wait for another documentation of the band's immense talents as a live act is finally over.

Through many tours and countless concerts, Vanden Plas has proven again and again that it is among the world's leading progressive metal bands. The quintet's glowing reputation carries across the pond to the U.S. where Vanden Plas was invited to appear at the renowned ProgPower USA in Atlanta in 2011. Regardless of a band's fame, an invitation to this prestigious event is an honor and their performance is certainly a high note in Vanden Plas' history. And it is for exactly that reason that Vanden Plas decided to captutre that unique moment.

The Seraphic Live Works shows unmistakably how extraordinary this gig at Center Stage Theater was for everyone involved. A performance exploding with energy, euphoric audience, and the venue's own special flair. The recordings will captivate every viewer and there is no question that Vanden Plas made the right decision to preserve this performance for eternity.

The Seraphic Live Works captivates and enthralls for nine songs, beginning with straightforward opener "Postcard To God" through the atmospheric "Far Off Grace" to the brilliant closer, "Silently." In this extended live version of the song, Vanden Plas ignites a prog metal fireworks display that is unparalleled, leading the listener through more than 11 magnificent minutes to a spectacular conclusion.

Vanden Plas has fans all over the world, but for those who have not yet been able to experience the band, they wanted to give them the next best thing with The Seraphic Live Works. The audio and video capture an authentic band that stands out in the prog metal genre.

Tracklisting (CD/DVD):

“Postcard To God”
“Rush Of Silence”
“Holes In The Sky”
“Far Off Grace”
“Scar Of An Angel”
“Quicksilver”
“Cold Wind”
“Frequency”
“Silently”

“Postcard To God” video:

“Rush Of Silence” video:

Lineup:

Stephan Lill - Guitar
Andreas Lill - Drums
Günter Werno - Keyboards
Andy Kuntz - Vocals
Torsten Reichert - Bass

Polish extreme metallers DECAPITATED will release their new album, "Anticult", on July 7 via Nuclear Blast.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Impulse02. Deathvaluation03. Kill The Cult04. One-Eyed Nation05. Anger Line06. Earth Scar07. Never08. Amen

The official video for the song "Never" can be seen below.

DECAPITATED guitarist and founding member Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka told The Moshville Times in a 2016 interview about the band's songwriting process: "I tend to focus on the music, as I always have, and Rasta [vocalist Rafał Piotrowski] writes the lyrics. He's been doing a really good job with those lyrics and we're going to be keeping the current arrangement."

DECAPITATED's sixth album, "Blood Mantra", was released in September 2014 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2011's "Carnival Is Forever" was recorded at Hertz Studio in Bialystok, Poland with producers Wojtek and Slawek Wiesawski.

The official lyric video for the track "Song On Fire" from the multi-platinum, chart-topping rock band NICKELBACK can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's forthcoming ninth album, "Feed The Machine", which will be released on Friday, June 16 via BMG..

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 NICKELBACK leader Chad 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.

NICKELBACK filed a $13 million insurance claim with Lloyd's of London after scrapping the tour. But Lloyd's sued to cancel the singer's insurance, alleging that Kroeger already had the throat condition and failed to disclose it before taking out the policy.

Last year, NICKELBACK countersued Lloyd's, claiming that the firm is making false allegations about the band so that it doesn't have to pay out the claim.

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

Photo credit: Richard Beland

Fan-filmed video footage of IN THIS MOMENT performing a brand new song called "River Of Fire" at several stops on the band's current tour can be seen below.

IN THIS MOMENT has completed work on the follow-up to 2014's "Black Widow" album and is planning a tentative summer release for the disc. Guitarist Chris Howorth told "The Cutting Edge Countdown" that a first single will likely arrive before the end of the month, adding that the album is "different and cool and I think it's a different step for us but that I think our fans are really gonna like."

Howorth said about the new CD's direction: "Stylistically, I think we went a little bit more raw, you know — like, not so much campiness like 'Sex Metal Barbie'. Not that there was anything wrong with that — we're always trying to experiment and do something different — but it's more serious, I guess, and a little more stripped down."

IN THIS MOMENT kicked off a new North American tour, dubbed the "Half God Half Devil" trek, on April 7 in Milwaukee. The road trip continues until May 6, where it ends at the Carolina Rebellion festival.

The trek marks IN THIS MOMENT's first full-scale tour since serving as special guests on last year's "Return Of The Dreads" run with KORN and ROB ZOMBIE.

IN THIS MOMENT recently revealed its summer tour plans, confirming that it will stay on the road with MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, along with VIMIC and LITTLE MISS NASTY, in June, through July and into August. STARSET will appear on a handful of dates. Additionally, IN THIS MOMENT will support AVENGED SEVENFOLD on June 19 and PAPA ROACH on June 23.

"Song #3", a new track from STONE SOUR, can be streamed below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Hydrograd", which will be released on June 30 via Roadrunner.

Head on over to StoneSour.com for an instant-grat download of "Song #3" and "Fabuless" when you pre-order "Hydrograd".

"Hydrograd" track listing:

01. YSIF02. Taipei Person/Allah Tea03. Knievel Has Landed04. Hydrograd05. Song #306. Fabuless07. The Witness Trees08. Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)09. Thanks God It's Over10. St. Marie11. Mercy12. Whiplash Pants13. Friday Knights14. Somebody Stole My Eyes15. When The Fever Broke

The cover artwork can be seen below.

The Paul Brown-directed video for "Fabuless" was filmed on April 18 in Los Angeles.

STONE SOUR singer Corey 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.

"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 14 or 15 will make the CD.

STONE SOUR will play the Rock On The Range Kick-Off Party on Thursday, May 18 at Express Live! in Columbus, Ohio. The event will start the Rock On The Range weekend, with METALLICA, SOUNDGARDEN and KORN headlining this year's festival.

STONE SOUR will also 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.

The official lyric video for the song "Fjällets Mäktiga Mur" from the Swedish duo VINTERSORG can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Till Fjälls Del II", which will be released on June 30 via Napalm Records.

It was a tricky question... How would VINTERSORG continue after 2014's intriguing album "Naturbål"? Shunning repetition, vocalist and mastermind Andreas "Vintersorg" Hedlund did the unthinkable and composed a sequel to his groundbreaking 1998 album "Till Fjälls", which is considered to be one of the most important albums in the genre of black/folk metal!

What to expect from "Till Fjälls Del II"? No scientific lyrical concept, no progressive trickery, but a heartfelt return to snowcapped mountains, pure nature-inspired mysticism, Nordic folklore and real black metal with a captivating epic streak. VINTERSORG share a vision of equally harsh and melodic soundscapes that melt the raging extremes of the late '90s with the focus of 2016.

"Till Fjälls Del II" track listing:

CD1

01. Jökelväktaren02. En Väldig Isvidds Karga Dräkt03. Lavin04. Fjällets Mäktiga Mur05. Obygdens Pionjär06. Vinterstorm07. Tusenåriga Stråk08. Allt Mellan Himmel Och Jord09. Vårflod

CD2

01. Tillbaka Till Källorna02. Köldens Borg03. Portalen04. Svart Måne

The album will be available as a 2-CD 6-page digipak and 2LP gatefold edition (black vinyl, strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide). Also available is the VINTERSORG classic "Ödemarkens Son" from 1999 on vinyl for the first time ever. 1LP gatefold edition, strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide.

Mighty Music has announced the signing of Florida death metal veterans BRUTALITY. The band's comeback album, "Sea Of Ignorance" — which was originally issued in 2016 — will be re-released in Europe on May 26 on LP, CD and digital. A new studio effort is planned for 2018.

BRUTALITY has been devastating the underground since 1986. In 1988, they released their first demo, "Brutality", which gained them recognition in the underground fanzines. Their second demo, "Dimension Demented", was recorded in 1990, and a seven-inch EP called "Hell On Earth" was issued via Gore Records.

1991 saw the arival of "Metamorphosis", a cassette EP that received worldwide distribution on Wild Rags Records.

After necessary lineup changes in 1992, the band propelled forward and into the studio to record a new demo. The band utilized this demo to shop for a record deal and found interest from many different labels. They signed with Nuclear Blast and released a two-song seven-inch EP called "Sadistic".

BRUTALITY's first album, "Screams Of Anguish", was released in 1993. They toured with HYPOCRISY in Europe and crushed venues with their dark metal riffs. The band's second album, "When The Sky Turns Black", came out in 1994. The release of "When The Sky Turns Black" was followed by a European tour with BOLT THROWER and CEMETERY.

With continued efforts to improve their sound and direction, additional lineup changes were made in 1995 and they started writing their third album, "In Mourning". The disc was released in 1996.

After years of hard work, BRUTALITY decided to disband to pursue family life and careers away from music.

All three of BRUTALITY's albums were re-mastered and released in 2008 on Metal Mind Productions with unreleased bonus tracks.

In 2012, BRUTALITY reformed and released the EP "Ruins Of Humanity" on CD in the U.S. and on seven-inch EP vinyl in Europe through Mighty Music.

"Sea Of Ignorance" was originally released in the States and South America through BRUTALITY's own label in 2016.

BRUTALITY 2017 is:

Scott Reigel - VocalsJeff Acres - Bass and VocalsJay Fernandez - Lead Guitar Ruston Grosse - Drums