BARDSPEC, the ambient project/band led by ENSLAVED composer/guitarist Ivar Bjørnson, will release its debut album, "Hydrogen", in June via By Norse.

Having launched at Roadburn in 2015, BARDSPEC has since evolved into a fully-fledged band, with Steve Austin on guitars/effects, David Hall presenting the live visual aspect of the project, and the layout created by Josh Graham (SOUNDGARDEN, NEUROSIS)

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

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

BARDSPEC is inspired by the German masters TANGERINE DREAM, Klaus Schultze and Conrad Schnitzler, in addition to contemporary ambient music like Norwegian one-man-band BIOSPHERE and abstract modern electronic music like WHEN (Norwegian also), as well as the electronic/industrial-driven metal like GODFLESH. Ivar describes the appeal and trance-inducing aspects of such music to him. "I remember listening to Richard Burmer and his album 'Mosaic' from 1984," he says. "I thought I fell asleep but I was in a semi-lucid state where I still registered music — but not much else. At the end of side A there's an explosion so violent and extreme that I jumped two feet into the air and was totally shocked. The weird thing is, I couldn't remember it being there. When I revisited the music again, it was just a little 'thud.' I was just experiencing a trance so deep into the music that this deviation from the pattern and frequencies in the foregoing half hour of monotony totally shocked me. I loved it!" Roadburn festival will play host to a very special public listening session of "Hydrogen" by BARDSPEC, a chance for people to hear the album from start to finish in advance of the official release date. This event shall take place on April 21.

"Hydrogen" track listing:

01. Intro - Deposition02. Bone03. Fire Tongue04. Gamma05. Salt06. Teeth (bonus track) "Hydrogen" willl be released on June 23 across all formats. The six-panel CD digipak is available as limited first press to a thousand copies including bonus track "Teeth". The double gatefold LP is limited to five hundred copies on black vinyl, and the digital format also including the bonus track.

"I Got What You Want", the new video from the internationally renowned glam rock band STEEL PANTHER, can be seen below. The clip was filmed during the group's sold-out 2016 U.K. arena tour.

"I Got What You Want" is taken from STEEL PANTHER's upcoming album, "Lower The Bar", which will be released on March 24 via Kobalt Music Recordings. The disc was co-produced with regular collaborator Jay Ruston, and includes eleven songs recorded at studios in north Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, with an additional two tracks on a Best Buy deluxe edition.

STEEL PANTHER frontman Michael Starr told Billboard about the follow-up to 2014's "All You Can Eat": "I think we've expanded. Our style is still the same formula, I guess, but we've changed it up a bit. I could say that we used to sing about pussy and partying; now we're singing about partying and pussy, but the reality is we did switch up a few things. It's a really solid, fun, intelligent party record. We're just maturing as a band after being on the road for years together and living together. It shows."

He continued: "It's hard to put into words without sounding like a typical review, but it feels different to me. It feels like we're doing some melody lines we normally wouldn't do on a couple of sings, different kinds of moods and not necessary just 'Dr. Feelgood'. There's some different stuff in there, but everything's open for interpretation. Hopefully we connect with it."

For the uninitiated, STEEL PANTHER was formed in 2000 and is Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitar), Lexxi Foxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums). Hailing from Los Angeles, the epicenter for rock n' roll in all its debauchery and glamour, STEEL PANTHER has established themselves as the world's premier party band, melding hard rock virtuosity with parody and criminally good looks.

Dutch black metallers CARACH ANGREN will release their new album, "Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten", on June 16 via Season Of Mist. The CD's cover art was created by renowned Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu.

"Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten" track listing:

01. Opening (2:17)02. Charlie (4:10)03. Bloodqueen (4:55)04. Charles Francis Coghlan (6:07)05. Song For The Dead (4:16)06. In De Naam Van De Duivel (6:29)07. Pitch Black Box (3:17)08. The Possession Process (4:27)09. Three Times Thunder Strikes (5:19)

The song "Song For The Dead" can be streamed below.

CARACH ANGREN comments: "After months of hard work, we proudly reopen the doors to our haunted mansion to reveal the first deadly taste of our upcoming concept album. A unique horror story as you all expect and deserve from us, we consider this as one of the most terrifying tracks that we have created so far."

On "Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten", CARACH ANGREN are painting musical pictures that easily combine the grandiose depth of a Rembrandt with Van Gogh's maelstrom of whirling colours and the utter madness of Bosch. This lusciously seductive danse macabre will drag you in and never let go.

CARACH ANGREN have employed all the sonic colours on their palette to dazzling effect. Their trademark whipping guitars are weaving harsh melodies and sinister soundscapes, which are beautifully contrasted by opulent keyboards and majestic orchestrations. That Till Lindemann (RAMMSTEIN) and Peter Tägtgren (PAIN) have called upon the composition talent of Clemens "Ardek" Wijers is a telling sign of his outstanding mastery of the craft. Another signatory counterpoint is provided by Seregor's fierce rasping and shrieking vocals. Adding to the impact, Namtar has become a relentless driving force with his hard-hitting-yet-intricate drumming. Each track on this album is a highlight on its own, while combined "Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten" simply shines.

With "Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten", CARACH ANGREN are returning to "pure" storytelling with episodes that are centered on a girl playing a little too long with her Ouija board. The Dutch have pushed their unashamedly theatric style to a new intense height.

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of Norway's AMMUNITION.

AMMUNITION was founded in 2014 by the songwriting duo Age Sten Nilsen (formerly of WIG WAM) and the multi-talented Erik Mårtensson (ECLIPSE, W.E.T., NORDIC UNION).

AMMUNITION released its stellar debut album, "Shanghaied", in 2015 on its own label. Teaming up with former TNT and JACK IN THE BOX bassist Victor Cito Borge, keysboardist Lasse Finbråten (CIRCUS MAXIMUS, ex-WIG WAM), skinsman Maguns Ulfstedt (ECLIPSE), and the exceptional guitar player Jon Pettersen, AMMUNITION has made a name for itself as an incredible live act.

AMMUNITION is currently mixing its second album, titled "Ammunition", due for release late summer. The first taste of what's to come, "Wrecking Crew" (written by Nilsen and Mårtensson), has already landed on the Norwegian charts, taking AMMUNITION to the Norwegian Eurovision grand finale. The full-length, original version of the song will be included on the forthcoming album, produced and mixed by the band's guitar player and co-writer, Erik Mårtensson.

"Show Yourself", the new music video from Atlanta heavy rock icons MASTODON, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's eighth studio album, "Emperor Of Sand", which will be released on March 31 via Reprise Records.

MASTODON drummer-singer-lyricist Brann Dailor handles lead vocals on the track. "You're not as safe as far as I can tell, and I can tell," he sings on the song's chorus. "Only you can save yourself/ Soon this will all be a distant memory/ Or could this dream be real at all?"

As Dailor told Rolling Stone, he was at first reticent about adding his vocals to "Show Yourself". "When I first heard that riff, I wasn't 100 percent on it," Dailor said. "I felt like it was too easy to like or something — which is stupid, but I want to avoid 'easy.' I was wrong about that one."

The follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun", "Emperor Of Sand" was recorded at The Quarry Recording Studio in Kennesaw, just outside MASTODON's hometown of Atlanta, with producer Brendan O'Brien (PEARL JAM, NEIL YOUNG, AC/DC, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE), who first worked with MASTODON on their seminal 2009 album "Crack The Skye".

MASTODON kicks off a spring U.S. headline tour in support of "Emperor Of Sand" on April 14 in Missoula, Montana, with support from EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and RUSSIAN CIRCLES. The tour also includes stops at several festivals, including the Carolina Rebellion on May 5.

Each pair of tickets purchased online for MASTODON (excluding festival dates and the May 6 Philadelphia show) includes a choice of a physical or digital copy of "Emperor Of Sand". Ticket purchasers will receive instructions via e-mail on how to redeem the album on March 31. Tickets are on sale now.

Norwegian rockers KVELERTAK have released the official music video for "Bronsegud", from their new LP, "Nattesferd", which was celebrated globally as one of 2016's best metal releases. The video, which was directed by Stian Andersen, documents the band's life on the road as they travel the world performing neck-breaking sets to sold-out audiences.

Furthermore, KVELERTAK has been announced as special guests for the entirety of METALLICA's upcoming "WorldWired" European tour. Dates are set to kick off September 4 at The Netherlands' Ziggo Dome and continue through May 2018.

Recently profiled by Vice's Noisey Shreds, KVELERTAK took home its third Spellemann award (Norway's Grammy equivalent) earlier this year for "Nattesferd". Recorded live in Oslo, Norway's Amper Tone Studio, the abum was produced by KVELERTAK and mixed/engineered by Nick Terry (LINDSTRØM, TURBONEGRO, THE LIBERTINES). It was the first KVELERTAK LP to be recorded in Norway.

KVELERTAK is Erlend Hjelvik (vocals), Vidar Landa (guitar), Bjarte Lund Rolland (guitar), Maciek Ofstad (guitars), Marvin Nygaard (bass) and Kjetil Gjermundrød (drums).

The Kaster Troy-directed video for the song "Death Grip Tribulations" from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist Dario Lorina can be seen below. The track is the title cut of Lorina's second instrumental album, which was released in February via Shrapnel Records, known for discovering and recording guitarists of extraordinary ability.

Dario's new record is a powerful show of songwriting infused with shred guitar, vintage modern influence, and a richly musical band consisting of longtime musical partner Dan "D.C." Conway (drums), BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bandmates John "J.D." DeServio (bass) and Jeff Fabb (drums), along with former LIZZY BORDEN bandmate Marten Andersson (bass). It also features a song with MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell. Engineered and mixed by Fred Archambault, known for his work with ALICE COOPER and AVENGED SEVENFOLD, among others, this effort is a sheer embodiment of this high caliber guitarist's vast skill set.

Says Shrapnel's Mike Varney: "'Death Grip Tribulations' makes it clear that Dario Lorina has become a force to be reckoned with, as at twenty-seven years of age, he draws from experience far beyond his years, creating a collection of songs built on forceful rhythms, strong melodies and an arsenal of advanced guitar chops." Lorina began his professional career in 2006 at age 16 as the touring guitarist with the late Jani Lane (ex-WARRANT). At age 19, he joined veteran metal act LIZZY BORDEN, whom he toured with for four years.

Dario released his first instrumental record on Shrapnel in September 2013. In January 2014, he joined BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and has since been touring worldwide with Zakk Wylde, performing on both guitar and keys, most recently on Wylde's "Book Of Shadows II" tour.

Brazilian female-fronted progressive power metallers VANDROYA will release their new album, "Beyond The Human Mind", on April 28 via rough Inner Wound Recordings.

The official lyric video for the song "I'm Alive", taken from "Beyond The Human Mind", can be seen below.

With a more evident progressive influence but without giving up the weight and virtuosity of power metal, the new album brings a more mature band, a more balanced sound and reflects the musicians technical and artistic evolution since the debut album, "One".

The "Beyond The Human Mind" album concept revolves around the journey we all go through in search of fullness and inner peace.

The cover artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, ICED EARTH).

Led by vocalist Daísa Munhoz, VANDROYA is ready to take the next step and make a mark in the metal scene with "Beyond The Human Mind".

"Beyond The Human Mind" track listing:

01. Columns Of Illusion 02. The Path To The Endless Fall 03. Maya 04. Time After Time 05. Last Breath 06. I'm Alive 07. You'll Know My Name 08. If I Forgive Myself 09. Beyond The Human Mind

METALLICA today announced the European leg of its "WorldWired" tour in support of the band's new album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct". The trek kicks off with two shows in Amsterdam at the Ziggo Dome on September 4 and September 6. Norway's KVELERTAK will be support for the tour run. See below for a complete list of all confirmed dates; no additional shows will be added. Presale tickets will be available to Legacy Met Club members beginning on Tuesday, March 21 at 10:00 a.m. CET, with presale tickets available to all Fifth Members beginning on Tuesday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m. CET. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 24. Every ticket purchased through official outlets includes your choice of a standard digital or standard physical copy of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct". Redemption information will be included in your ticket purchase confirmation email. Full details of how you can gift the album, should you have already purchased, will be given on the redemption page. Please note that shipping and handling fees apply to the physical version of the album. METALLICA has partnered with CID Entertainment to offer three options of special enhanced experiences on this tour, including premium tickets and amenities, early access to the venue, a visit to the "Memory Remains" exhibit of memorabilia, and meet-and-greets. For full package details, go to this location.

European tour dates: Sep. 04, 2017 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo DomeSep. 06, 2017 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo DomeSep. 08, 2017 - Paris, France - AccorHotels ArenaSep. 10, 2017 - Paris, France - AccorHotels ArenaSep. 12, 2017 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony GarnierSep. 14, 2017 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess ArenaSep. 16, 2017 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess ArenaOct. 22, 2017 - London, England, UK - The O2 ArenaOct. 24, 2017 - London, England, UK - The O2 ArenaOct. 26, 2017 - Glasgow, Scotland, UK - The SSE HydroOct. 28, 2017 - Manchester, England, UK - Manchester ArenaOct. 30, 2017 - Birmingham, England, UK - Genting ArenaNov. 01, 2017 - Antwerp, Belgium - SportpaleisNov. 03, 2017 - Antwerp, Belgium - SportpaleisFeb. 01, 2018 - Lisbon, Portugal - MEO ArenaFeb. 03, 2018 - Madrid, Spain - Wizink CenterFeb. 05, 2018 - Madrid, Spain - Wizink CenterFeb. 07, 2018 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant JordiFeb. 10, 2018 - Turin, Italy - Pala AlpitourFeb. 12, 2018 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol ArenaFeb. 14, 2018 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol ArenaFeb. 16, 2018 - Mannheim, Germany - SAP ArenaMar. 27, 2018 - Herning, Denmark - Jyske Bank BoxenMar. 29, 2018 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclaycard ArenaMar. 31, 2018 - Vienna, Austria - Wiener StadthalleApril 02, 2018 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 ArenaApril 05, 2018 - Budapest, Hungary - Sports ArenaApril 07, 2018 - Stuttgart, Germany - SchleyerhalleApril 09, 2018 - Stuttgart, Germany - SchleyerhalleApril 11, 2018 - Geneva, Switzerland - PalexpoApril 26, 208 - Munich, Germany - OlympiahalleApril 28, 2018 - Krakow, Poland - Tauron ArenaApril 30, 2018 - Leipzig, Germany - Leipzig ArenaMay 02, 2018 - Oslo, Norway - Telenor ArenaMay 05, 2018 - Stockholm, Sweden - Ericsson GlobeMay 07, 2018 - Stockholm, Sweden - Ericsson GlobeMay 09, 2018 - Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall ArenaMay 11, 2018 - Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall Arena

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted as expected at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart last November, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release. Both of the band's previous outings, 2008's "Death Magnetic" and 2003's "St. Anger", sold more copies in shortened sales weeks. "Death Magnetic" moved 490,000 copies in a three-day window, while "St. Anger" shifted 418,000 copies in a similar frame.

"Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

The North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" 2017 tour kicks off on May 10 in Baltimore, Maryland and will hit stadiums in 25 cities before winding down in mid-August. Support on the quartet's first North American trek since 2009 will come mainly from AVENGED SEVENFOLD and VOLBEAT, with GOJIRA taking over for the latter group for the last six shows.

Frank DiMino joined his former ANGEL bandmate Punky Meadows on stage for the first time in over thirty years on March 8 to perform the ANGEL song "Tower" at the Backstage Bar And Billiards in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"It felt just like it did in ANGEL," Punky said. "The band kicked ass and Frank felt it and sang his ass off. We didn't miss a beat and the fans went crazy!! We blew the roof off the house. It was really awesome to jam with Frank again!!"

Former members of ANGEL appeared at the 2016 Vegas Rocks! Hair Metal Awards last May at the at the Eastside Cannery Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The group received the "Glam Rock Legends" award in honor of their contributions and influence in music. Accepting the award were Meadows, DiMino, Gregg Giuffria, Barry Brandt, and Felix Robinson. This marked the first time all surviving ANGEL bandmembers — bassist Mickie Jones passed away from cancer in 2009 — had been on stage together since 1980.

Formed in 1975 by Meadows and Jones in Washington D.C., ANGEL straddled the fence between the prog-rock pomp of YES and ELP, the orchestral hard pop of QUEEN, BOSTON and ELO, and the riff-heavy raunch-rock of KISS and AEROSMITH. They were discovered by KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons while performing at a nightclub and were eventually signed to the same label as KISS, Casablanca.

Released in the fall of 1975, the band's self-titled debut was promoted with a number of live appearances on the great American arena circuit with the likes of AEROSMITH, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, JOURNEY and RUSH. The group's gimmick — the members were all dressed in white — got them labeled the "anti-KISS" by rock critics, and their spectacular stage show was so over the top that even Simmons & Co. were said to have been inspired by it.

ANGEL started to fall apart in the early 1980s after Casablanca pulled the plug on the group due in part to disappointing album sales. In 1981, Robinson and DiMino left to pursue other projects. Meadows and Giuffria tried to keep ANGEL going and came close to landing a record deal with CBS. But it didn't pan out, and ANGEL finally disbanded.

Several apparently inebriated members of AVENGED SEVENFOLD played a somewhat sloppy rendition of their song "Nightmare" during an unannounced appearance at a small restaurant and bar in Helsinki, Finland on March 5. Using equipment that was supplied by the Hard Rock Cafe, vocalist M. Shadows, guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ and drummer Brooks Wackerman performed the track to what was apparently an almost-empty bar before calling it quits.

Said the band in a Facebook post: "After arriving in Helsinki [on March 5], we decided to head to the local Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki and grace the customers with some sweet tunes. Unfortunately, as the patrons fled for the exits, we were cut off after only half of 'Nightmare' was played. Maybe better luck tomorrow."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD played at Hartwall Areena in Helsinki on March 7 as part of its European headlining tour with support from DISTURBED and CHEVELLE.

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.

The band filmed a music video last month in the Los Angeles area for the song "God Damn" from the new disc.

"The Stage" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart back in November following its surprise release. Co-produced by the band and Joe Barresi, the disc features eleven panoramic tracks tied together by an Artificial Intelligence theme. Inspired by the writings of Carl Sagan and Elon Musk, the album is the band's first thematic release. While the term "AI" conjures up images of robots and fantasy films, the band steers clear of a science fiction storyline. Instead, the album sees them taking a futurist's look at the accelerated rate at which technology's intelligence is expanding and what that means — good and bad — for the future.

Britain's Skarlett Riot have taken the music world by the throat with their powerful, riff-led songs blending melody and grit with a muscular backbone. Add to that an ear for infectious hooks, a singer blessed with an enormous set of vocal cords, and you have a band that not only has miles of attitude but the songs to back them up. And now, the rising rockers have signed a worldwide record deal with Sweden's Despotz Records.

The band says, “We're so excited to announce our signing to Despotz Records! We have been and still are working hard behind the scenes so it feels great to be able to share this news with you all! We've got an amazing team of people working with us now and we can't wait to see what the future holds for Skarlett Riot. We'd also like to thank all of our fans for their loyal support and patience. More news coming soon! Here's to us!”

Omer Akay of Despotz says, "After ten years of running Despotz Records, I had given up finding artists in the UK. But by pure luck we discovered Great Britain's best kept secret that will take the world by storm. We are so proud that Skarlett Riot choose us to lead their worldwide musical journey."

Skarlett Riot's debut single for Despotz, "Feel" is slated for release on April 21st with their full length album hitting the streets in the fall.

German classic heavy metal outfit, Midnight Rider, will release their debut album, Manifestation, on April 21st via Massacre Records. The album track, “When I Spew My Hate”, is available for streaming below.

The band was formed 12 years ago, and released a self-titled EP in 2008. They quickly became a well noticed band in the underground scene worldwide. But now it's time to rise from the underground.

Tracklisting:

“When I Spew My Hate”
“Tears Of Your Temptation”
“The Execution”
“Creature Of The Night”
“In My Void”
“Heroes And Speedfreaks”
“Change Your Life”
“I Wanna Be A Prowler”
“Arrival”
“Unknown Woman Of The Seine”

“When I Spew My Hate”:

The rare video below features an excerpt of Pink Floyd performing “Atom Heart Mother”, filmed by French TV channel Pop Deux at the Festival de St. Tropez, in the South of France, on August 8th, 1970. This clip and others are included on the CD/DVD/Blu-ray package Pink Floyd - The Early Years 1970 Devi/ation, which also includes a photo booklet, memorabilia from the period, and a credits booklet. Available from March 24th, with more details available here.

The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains opened on May 13th and runs for 20 weeks at Victoria And Albert Museum in London, England. Purchase tickets here. A video trailer can be found below.

The first international retrospective of one of the world’s most iconic and influential bands. Experience a spectacular and unparalleled audio-visual journey through Pink Floyd's unique and extraordinary worlds, chronicling the music, design and staging of the band, from their debut in the 1960s through to the present day.

Daily: 10 AM - 5:30 PM
Last ticketed entry: 4:15 PM

Friday: 10 AM - 9:30 PM
Last ticketed entry: 8:15 PM

Tickets cost £20 – £24 (varying weekday and weekend prices apply)

Presented by the V&A, Pink Floyd and Iconic Entertainment Studios. More details at this location.

San Francisco Art Exchange LLC (SFAE) has been selected to exclusively represent the most valuable collection of rock and roll artwork ever to be offered for sale: eleven original paintings created and hand-selected by famed English artist Gerald Scarfe, from Pink Floyd’s 1982 masterpiece The Wall. A major exhibition will be held in July with Scarfe in attendance at the invitation-only premiere to be held at SFAE’s gallery (458 Geary St, San Francisco, CA). Details to be announced.

The paintings being offered have been carefully selected by Scarfe as his most important works, and include several of the most famous images in rock history due to their association with The Wall. Among the paintings are the true definitive originals for iconic artworks such as The Scream (pictured above), Wife With Flaming Hair, Giant Judge and Hammers, The Mother, Education For What? No Jobs!, The Wife's Shadow, One Of The Frightened Ones, The Gross Inflatable Pig, Comfortably Numb, and The Teacher, as well as the massive original storyboard created for the film which incorporates 50 original renderings.

To view available artworks, including in-depth descriptions and histories, click here.

Epic in scale and steeped in rock history, these original works of art are marquis collectibles for major individual, corporate, and institutional collectors. Due to the extensive distribution of the imagery via album, live-performances, music-videos, and the film (along with the accompanying publicity), the artwork offered is among the most instantly recognizable and significant in pop culture.

One of the paintings available for purchase, Giant Judge and Hammers, will be prominently on display in London beginning May 13th as part of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s eagerly anticipated The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains, the first international retrospective of one of the worlds’ most ground-breaking and influential bands. This exhibition is expected to become one of the most successful on record.

The Wall album topped Billboard charts for 15 weeks, and in 1999 was certified 23 x Platinum. It remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling over 19 million copies between 1979 and 1990 in the US alone. The film was critically acclaimed when it was released in 1982 and won BAFTAs for Best Original Song and Best Sound. Scarfe developed the film's entire visual environment before the project began and his characters became a mixture of live-action and animated imagery, all of which played an integral role in the surreal narrative.

(Above: Judge With Marching Hammers)

 

Gerald Scarfe is one of the world's most famous political cartoonists and caricaturists whose work has been seen in The Sunday Times and The New Yorker for decades. His artworks reside in the following permanent collections, among others: Tate Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and The Parliamentary Art Collection in London, as well as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

San Francisco Art Exchange is the sole gallery authorized to sell these paintings. San Francisco Art Exchange is known worldwide for record-breaking sales of album cover related artwork, and has represented such revered artworks as the originals for Abbey Road, Meet The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Imagine, Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Ummagumma, Animals, Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, The Best Of The Doors, Candy-O, and many, many more.

For sales and inquiries, please contact San Francisco Art Exchange, sales@sfae.com, or call 415-441-8840. More information at www.sfae.com.

On his recent visit to EMGtv, Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) performed “Lay Me Down” from his new record, Book Of Shadows II. In this version, Zakk shows off the versatility and wide range of tone variations you get from the EMG Zakk Wylde Set (81/85). From rhythm to lead, the tone is harmonically rich, complex, and provides amazing sustain.

Previously posted footage of Zakk performing a playthrough of "Autumn Changes“ can be seen below:

Zakk Sabbath, the Black Sabbath cover band/supergroup featuring Zakk Wylde, bassist Blasko (Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie) and drummer Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queens Of The Stone Age) will embark on their first ever US headline tour May 19th - June 10th.

Tickets are on sale at ZakkSabbath.live, and VIP upgrade packages are available at the same location.

Support will come from Beastmaker (Rise Above Records) whose new album, Inside The Skull, will be released on May 26th.  

Tour dates:

May
19 - New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre
20 - Camden, NJ - MMR*B*Q*
21 - Columbus, OH - Rock on the Range*
23 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
25 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Studio
26 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill
27 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma*
28 - St. Louis, MO - Fubar
30 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
31 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade

June
2 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
4 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
6 - Spokane, WA - The Pin
7 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
8 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
10 - San Francisco, CA - Slim’s

* - No Beastmaker

On April 7th, Swedish heavy metallers Trial (swe) will release their new album Motherless worldwide via Metal Blade Records. A lyric video for the album’s title track is available for streaming below.

Motherless is one of the most original heavy metal albums in a long time. Trial (swe) have refined their sound and are one of the most unique acts you can find in today's heavy metal. Pre-orders are available at Metal Blade.

Trial (swe) comments: "'Motherless is a multifaceted album, a creation of many different elements, yet coherently crafted to perfectly represent the entity that is Trial (swe). The first single that we've chosen from the album is 'Cold Comes The Night'. A ferocious, fast-paced track which displays the aggressive and more straight-forward side of the album."

Tracklisting:

“Motherless”
“In Empyrean Labour”
“Cold Comes The Night”
“Juxtaposed”
“Aligerous Architect”
“Birth”
“Embodiment”
“Rebirth”

“Motherless” lyric video:

“Cold Comes The Night”:

(Band photo by: Skoorell Photography)

Royal Hunt are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of a brand new live 2CD/DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital set, entitled 2016, on May 12th. An official video trailer can be seen below.

Following a tradition established after two successful anniversary long form video releases - 1996 and 2006 - it is time for a third one: 2016. Recorded with 9 HD cameras and top-notch audio equipment in Moscow's Izvestiya Hall during last year's world tour, the video shows “all-fab-things-Royal”: a high energy show in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd, an excellent set list, the band in top form, and a stunning stage production. Add a stellar audio recording and this package, celebrating Royal Hunt's 25th anniversary, is any hard rock fan's delight.

In keyboardist André Andersen’s own words: “25 years later Royal Hunt's still going strong… who could have imagined that? Not me, that's for sure… a quarter of a century?! Absolutely unreal. 13 studio albums, lots of special EPs and compilations, 5 live albums, literally countless shows/tours, and now the 4th DVD release. Lots of ups and downs along the way, yet we're still around, still able to do what we love doing the most - making music. I always felt that if you do it from your heart, if you stay true to yourself and work hard you'll be granted this sort of staying power…and yes, we're all extremely grateful to our fans for giving us an opportunity to create, to improve and to continue our musical journey. So, once again, push that “play” button, enjoy this video and rest assured, the best is yet to come!”

2016 tracklisting:

CD1:

Medley: “So Right So Wrong” / “Martial Arts”
“River Of Pain”
“One Minute Left To Live”
“Army Of Slaves”
“Lies”
“Wasted Time”
“Heart On A Platter”
“Flight”

CD2:

“May You Never (Walk Alone)”
“Until The Day”
“Half Past Loneliness”
“Message To God”
“Stranded”
Medley: “A Life To Die For” / “Epilogue”

DVD / Blu-Ray:

Medley: “So Right So Wrong” / “Martial Arts”
“River Of Pain”
“One Minute Left To Live”
“Army Of Slaves”
“Lies”
“Wasted Time”
“Heart On A Platter”
“Flight”
“May You Never (Walk Alone)”
“Until The Day”
“Half Past Loneliness”
“Message To God”
“Stranded”
Medley: “A Life To Die For” / “Epilogue”

Lineup:

André Andersen - keyboards
DC Cooper - vocals
Andreas Passmark - bass
Jonas Larsen - guitar
Andreas Johansson - drums

The new DANZIG album will be released in mid-May. This will be the first collection of all-new DANZIG material in seven years, following 2010's critically acclaimed "Deth Red Sabaoth". The title for the new disc will be announced shortly.

This June also marks the 25th anniversary of "Danzig III: How The Gods Kill". "How The Gods Kill" was the first DANZIG album to crack Billboard's Top 30 and the first DANZIG album produced by the band's frontman and namesake Glenn Danzig himself. In honor of this momentous occasion, DANZIG will play a select handful of shows this summer and will perform many songs from "How The Gods Kill".

In other news, DANZIG and MINISTRY will play at this year's edition of the "Blackest Of The Black" festival, set to take place May 26-27 at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California. The two-day event will feature over twenty bands and over twenty "evil attractions." Look for the full details to be announced on March 27.

In a 2015 interview with Noisey, Glenn Danzig was asked what it is that keeps him coming back to the creative well. He responded: "It's so many different things. There's always stuff to write about, but I think that the whole punk thing helped a lot. If it gets boring, change it, fix it, make it exciting, make it relevant again, and that's what I did without sacrificing the music. That's what I try to do. I try to do stuff where first thing is I'm excited about the record, and then I hope that the people who listen to my music are gonna dig it too. That's pretty much how I go into doing a record, and I don't do a new record until I have stuff to write about it. I don't force myself to do a record. Someone doesn't come to me and say, 'Hey, it's been a year or two since your last record. You've gotta write a record and put one out in a couple of months.' No one comes to me and says that to me."

Asked if that attitude of not forcing the creative process is something that's always been there for him, Danzig said: "Yeah. I mean, I used to do it on a more frequent basis. [Laughs] But I think even back in the MISFITS and SAMHAIN days, I put out a record every two years, I think. The same thing with DANZIG, too, where I put out a record every two years. Later on it became further and further apart, but that's just the way it worked out. I think in between 'Danzig IV' and 'V' was probably a two-year period, and then between 'V' and 'VI' was probably a three-year period. It seems to be now it's gone to four or five. I think one of the things also was for 'Deth Red' we toured a lot over those years. Not two or three months at a time, but we just kept getting offers to go to Europe and then back to America. The record did pretty well for me, especially the way it was received, so hopefully the next one will be the same."

Glenn's covers record, "Skeletons", was released in November 2015 in North America via Nuclear Blast Entertainment/Evilive Music. A labor of love that dates back to 1979, "Skeletons" saw Danzig pulling back the curtain behind his influences with a collection of ten covers spanning artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, ZZ TOP, and AEROSMITH to BLACK SABBATH, THE TROGGS, THE EVERLY BROTHERS, and more.

Earlier this week, former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME frontman Geoff Tate performed on KING 5's daily talk show "New Day Northwest". You can watch video footage of his appearance below.

Tate's current acoustic tour, dubbed "The Whole Story 'Rÿche' Acoustic Tour" , sees him performing songs from all 17 albums he has done throughout his illustrious 35-year career. Geoff is backed during the show by a seven-piece acoustic band of musicians from the United States and Ireland and features three guitar players, mandolin, cello, saxophone, violin and multiple percussion instruments to produce high-energy acoustic versions of some of the Tate's former band's most recognized songs, including "Silent Lucidity", "Jet City Woman", "Empire", "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Eyes Of A Stranger".

Tate told Centre Daily Times about his acoustic tour: "I've done acoustic tours before, but nothing quite like this. This is a storytelling tour and I've got 35 years of music, touring and stories to accompany all of that. I thought that it would be kind of interesting to tell stories about the songs and what was going on at the time when they came out, either with me personally, with the band or what was going on in the news at the time and how they influenced the albums."

According to Tate, stripping down songs involves so much more than just replacing the electric guitar with an acoustic.

"An acoustic presentation goes back to the roots of the song," he explained. "Every song I've ever written has either started on an acoustic guitar or a piano and with this tour, I am just reverse engineering the song back to where it started. I think that a song is a song, and you can take just about any song and reformat it with different instrumentation. As long as you have a vocalist, it's going to be identifiable to the audience.

"It's been really fun reworking the music to fit acoustically," he continued. "You have to approach it differently and figure out what the song's strength is. Is it the melody? The rhythm? And then, how do you showcase those things? It really is a different way of thinking and presenting the music."

"Resurrection", the second album from OPERATION: MINDCRIME, was released last September via Frontiers Music Srl. The album is the second part of Tate's musical trilogy.





See Geoff Tate tonight and tomorrow at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle!

http://www.king5.com/entertainment/television/programs/new-day-northwest/rock-powerhouse-geoff-tate-returns-to-his-roots/422511640

Posted by Geoff Tate (Official) on Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Buckle up for a fast, no frills debut from Vancouver old-school death metal act Assimilation. BraveWords is streaming the debut album The Laws Of Power, set for release this Friday, March 17th. Prepare to be pummeled by relentless riffs and punishing rhythms!

Like a force of nature, the voice of singer and founding member Jesse Jardine’s vocal attack leaves the listener penetrated by high shrieks, and pummeled by mids and lows. Lead guitarist Matt Chanway brings his neo-classical shred style into the fold to melt off any remnants of what used to be your face. Shiloh Anderson holds the low end down with his finger/slap hybrid style, and Stephen Shaw brings his experience and ferocity as the entity that keeps this   juggernaut from flying off the rails.   

With The Laws Of Power, the four Canadians make it clear: there are still bands well versed in the art of original uncompromising death metal, something that is hard to find these days.

Tracklisting:

"Sigil Of The False God" 
"Decapitated By Beasts" 
"Laws Of Power"
"Karmic Future" 
"Mastery" 
"Apotheosis"  
"Remotion Of The Succubus" 
"Personal Vendetta" 
"S.L.D." 
"Massive Liquidation" 
Apotheosis EP – Bonus Tracks – 2015 
"Apotheosis"    
"Decapitated By Beasts"    
"Idle No More" 
"Personal Vendetta" 

Iconic drummer and former member of DREAM THEATER, Mike Portnoy performed the band's "12 Step Suite" in its entirety for the first time ever on the Cruise To The Edge, which sailed out of Tampa, Florida on February 7. The music documents the musician's battle with alcoholism, and is an ensemble of five songs recorded by DREAM THEATER from 2002 to 2009, with titles that reflect his struggles: "The Glass Prison", "This Dying Soul", "The Root Of All Evil", "Repentance" and "The Shattered Fortress".

Portnoy, who also celebrated his 50th birthday on Cruise To The Edge, said that it was always part of his master plan to perform "12 Step Suite" in its entirety live on stage with DREAM THEATER. However, his 2010 exit from the band made that impossible, until now.

"I would love nothing more than to perform it with [DREAM THEATER]," he told The National Student. "But they've made it clear that they have no intention in reuniting at any point. So, life is short; this [was] my 50th birthday and it just felt like the right time and place to finally play this music."

He continued: "I wrote all five of these songs with the intention of them being performed from start to finish, and I would have loved nothing more than to be doing it with DREAM THEATER. But it's obviously not on the cards for them. I can't sit around waiting for a reunion that may not happen."

Video footage of Portnoy's two appearances at this year's Cruise To The Edge — which also saw his performing music from several of his other projects — can be seen below.

Featured songs:

FLYING COLORS

01. Infinite Fire02. A Place In Your World03. Kayla04. Mask Machine

TRANSATLANTIC

05. Into The Blue (with Daniel Gildenlöw)06. We All Need Some Light07. Stranger In Your Soul

LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT

01. Paradigm Shift (Tony Levin, Eric Gillette and Diego Tejeida)02. Acid Rain (Tony Levin, Eric Gillette and Diego Tejeida)03. Universal Mind (Tony Levin, Eric Gillette and Diego Tejeida)

MIKE PORTNOY'S THE SHATTERED FORTRESS

04. The Glass Prison (Ross Jennings on lead vocals)05. This Dying Soul (Daniel Gildenlöw & Ross Jennings on lead vocals)06. The Root Of All Evil (Ted Leonard on lead vocals)07. Repentance (Mike Portnoy on lead vocals)08. The Shattered Fortress (Ross Jennings on lead vocals)

SHATTERED FORTRESS is:

Mike Portnoy - DrumsEric Gillette, Richard Henshall, Charlie Griffiths - Guitars Connor Green - BassDiego Tejeida - Keyboards

During a recent interview with the "Eddie, Jason & Chris Show", RATT singer Stephen Pearcy spoke about the legal battle the band has been embroiled in with drummer Bobby Blotzer over the rights to the group's name.

Last November, a California judge ruled against Blotzer with respect to whether bassist Juan Croucier had committed trademark infringement by using the RATT name and logo to advertise his band RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER back in the fall 2015. The judge furthermore decided that the corporation WBS, Inc. — of which Blotzer and guitarist Warren DeMartini were thought to be the sole shareholders — did not have ownership interest in the RATT marks and that the name and brand was still owned by the members who were part of the original RATT partnership agreement.

In addition to claiming to have expelled Blotzer from the partnership following the latest court ruling, DeMartini, Croucier and Pearcy said that Blotzer could now only refer to himself as a "former member of RATT," as per the partnership agreement.

Asked for an update on the court dispute over the rights to the RATT name, Pearcy told the "Eddie, Jason & Chris Show" (hear audio below): "A person decided, through another entity, which no longer exists, that he had control and rights when, in fact, he didn't, and it was proven in court that the partnership does — and that's the four of us, including him. But we fired him up from the partnership. So pretty much the dust has settled. It's just finalities now, legally. It was not a good thing."

He continued: "The thing is, with the band, this guy never wrote a note, and he just decided, 'Well, I'm king of the jungle, and I'm gonna rewrite history,' and we said, 'No, you're not.' And the fact that he was suing us made it even worse. It's, like, okay. How many fights do you wanna get into? One big gangfight, or you wanna take each one of us on by yourself?' And he decided to do it by himself, which is even worse. So we're happy with the outcome, and we are the only version that is out there and will continue to be out there."

Pearcy went on to express his outrage that Blotzer would even contemplate carrying on as RATT without any of the other members of the band's classic lineup. He said: "When you have somebody, like I say, try to rewrite history, and they're doing it with a cover band… And, look, I wrote a lot of, if not all of the songs I had something to do with, so it had more to do with our integrity. It's, like, we work all these years, and people still wanna see us. We don't go and play out there all the time anyway — we take a year or two off, or maybe six years between records — but that gives nobody else permission to just decide one day, 'Well, guess what? I'm going to do everything. And I had nothing to do with nothing but play drums.' So it was kind of insulting and damaging to the integrity of the group and our legacy. I mean, I'm sure Robbin [Crosby, late RATT guitarist] is quite pissed somewhere. The band will never be the same without him, but I'm sure he's not lying peacefully right now. Or he is now, but when this was going on.'

He added: "The dust has settled, and that's pretty much how we'll leave it. We're not into mudslinging and this adolescent name calling and stuff, which we found very humiliating to our audience. You know, our audience is much smarter than somebody gave them credit for."

According to Stephen, the newly reactivated RATT has already commenced the songwriting process for the long-awaited follow-up to the band's 2010 album "Infestation", although fans shouldn't expect to hear any new material for at least another year. "Now that [my new solo album] 'Smash' is done and out there, Warren and I have actually demoed up a couple of songs [for RATT]. We would like — as we're taking things very meticulously this time around… Hopefully by the end of the year we'll start work on the record. That's the plan, so that we can have a nice 2018 with a new record."

He continued: "We like making records. The one thing that keeps this band together all the time — in particular Warren and myself, and even Carlos [Cavazo, former QUIET RIOT and current RATT guitarist], who wrote on the last record — is the music. I mean, this is what we do. I do it 24-7. I'm always writing for something. But, yes, we'd like to start work, at the end of the year, on a record."

Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini played their first official show as the reunited RATT on February 11 at Treasure Island in Welch, Minnesota. They were joined on stage by Cavazo and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

A completely different version of RATT — led by Blotzer and featuring a revolving door of members — has been hitting stages across the country since the fall of 2015.

DEAD CROSS, the Southern California outfit featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), and singer Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE), has finished mastering its debut album at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California, to be released later in the year via via Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others.

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.

Lombardo recently told Madcap Music Review about the source of the searing anger and rage that is fueling the aggression of his new band. He said: "Ever since the tragedy in Paris [that took place in November 2015]; that's why I'm fucking pissed. Because everything hit really close to home. I could have been on that stage [at the Bataclan venue in Paris where EAGLES OF DEATH METAL performed]. I could have been at a festival and some fucking son of a bitch comes in with a shotgun or whatever and starts [blowing] people's heads off. So I'm just… I'm angry. I'm over it, but, you know, with the new releasing some aggressive music, [we're able to] get all the feelings out, get all the shit that we wanna say out in this music. It's not gonna come out playing alternative music, it's not gonna come out playing soft. And my name and my drumming is synonymous with thrash and hardcore music, so I'm really excited about this."

Divine filth. @_Dead_Cross_ @IpecacRec #threeoneg @pearson_justin @TheDaveLombardo #MikePatton #MichaelCrain #piday2017 #justinpearson31g pic.twitter.com/2cjPZqJbfy

— Three One G (@ThreeOneG) March 15, 2017

Swedish classic/progressive rock supergroup THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA — featuring members of metal frontrunners SOILWORK and ARCH ENEMY — will release its third studio album, "Amber Galactic", 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".

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:

The second trailer for "Forces Of The Northern Night", the highly anticipated double DVD from Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR, is available below. Due on April 14 via Nuclear Blast, the set will contain two of the band's live performances: their legendary show in Oslo, presenting DIMMU BORGIR on stage with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and a bombastic choir, as well as their entire performance at Wacken Open Air festival in 2012 in Wacken, Germany with almost a hundred musicians on stage. Both concerts present a spectacular sound scenario of raging black metal in front of an epic orchestral landscape plus the band's unique visuals.

DIMMU BORGIR's remarkable and atramentous stage show has long seemed like a natural evolution for fans, but much time, arrangements and commitment were necessary to put this gigantic production into reality and fill the stage with 90 minutes of mindblowing aural delight per night. The shows guide the fans through classics from the band's discography — from the majestic finisher "Mourning Palace" — which can be seen below (footage from the Wacken show) — to the stomping manifesto "Puritania" and the haunting "Gateways". "For us, this is the pinnacle of our career so far," says DIMMU BORGIR frontman Stian Thoresen (a.k.a. Shagrath). "As a band, we've always used a lot of symphonic elements in our music. But we haven't been able to use a real orchestra. We've had to use samples, synthesizers and so on, so this was a huge, awesome experience for us." In addition to the two concerts, "Forces Of The Northern Night" will include a bonus documentary feature.

DIMMU BORGIR's May 28, 2011 concert at the Oslo Spektrum in Norway, which is included on "Forces Of The Northern Night", featured a special setlist with 53 members of KORK (the Norwegian Radio Orchestra) and 30 members of the Schola Cantorum choir, who were musical guests on the band's ninth studio album, 2010's "Abrahadabra". The show was professionally filmed and was broadcast as part of a one-hour documentary in June 2011 on NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation), the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company and the largest media organization in Norway.

In an interview with Scuzz TV, DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) stated about the experience of performing with an orchestra: "It was, of course, really special, especially since it was in Oslo, and a lot of people traveled in for the show from all over the world. And everything went great on stage for once. When you have a hundred people on stage, the percentage of something going wrong is definitely there, but it was really, really good."

He added: "You think your band is professional, then you play with an orchestra, and then you know, 'Oh, we're not so professional after all.'"

DIMMU BORGIR last year extended its partnership with Nuclear Blast.

The band's tenth album is tentatively due before the end of 2017.

DIMMU BORGIR's most recent touring lineup included Geir Bratland (APOPTYGMA BERZERK, THE KOVENANT) on keyboards and Terje Andersen (a.k.a. Cyrus; SUSPERIA) on bass.

Robert Plant joined renowned violinist Nigel Kennedy on stage Tuesday night (March 14) at London's Royal Albert Hall to perform two songs: a cover of "Hey Joe", made famous by THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, and LED ZEPPELIN's 1975 classic "Kashmir". This marked the first time Plant sang "Kashmir" live since LED ZEPPELIN's historic O2 Arena reunion show in December 2007 and his first full performance of the seminal track without ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page.

A 38-second video clip of the "Kashmir" rendition can be seen below. Also available are audio recordings of both songs.

Kennedy said of the ZEPPELIN singer: "Planty is a genuine rock legend and a true musical trailblazer. He's always pushing and challenging himself and immersing himself in music. When we work together it's a combination of power and creativity."

The "Nigel Kennedy And Friends: Gala Celebration" was part of the inaugural Love Classical festival at the world-famous London venue where Plant made memorable appearances with LED ZEPPELIN in 1969 and 1970. He later returned as a solo headliner.

Plant first worked with Kennedy on his album "Fate Of Nations" in 1993.

The singer has arguably been the lone holdout for another LED ZEPPELIN reunion. Despite promoter-led attempts to get the band to reform for a series of concerts, Plant remains committed to his new musical direction in the roots and blues-based "Americana" field.

Frontiers Music Srl will release "Don't Let Up", the new studio album from NIGHT RANGER, on March 24. The disc will be available in both a standard edition and a deluxe edition (featuring bonus track and bonus DVD — physical format only).

The song "Truth", taken from "Don't Let Up", can now be streamed below.

NIGHT RANGER truly epitomizes the sound of the '80s, while at the same time transcending it. Since their reunion in 1996, they have brought their guitar heavy, melodic brand of hard rock into the 21st century with their unparalleled talent, energy, and creativity.

"Don't Let Up" was produced by the band.

"The 'Don't Let Up' album is the result of five musicians living and breathing rock 'n roll 24 hours a day. 35 years on and NIGHT RANGER is once again ready to let the fans know 'it's only rock and roll, but I like it,'" says NIGHT RANGER bassist and vocalist Jack Blades of the new album.

NIGHT RANGER drummer and vocalist Kelly Keagy adds: "Working on the material for the new album "Don't Let Up" was a great experience once again. I always look forward to creating music with Brad, Eric, Keri, and Jack. I'm really looking forward to playing some of this material for the fans. It rocks!"

States NIGHT RANGER guitarist Brad Gillis: "I'm looking forward to the new NIGHT RANGER studio effort 'Don't Let Up' as it's always a pleasure releasing new material to keep the bands creative flow. As typical for NIGHT RANGER, we have all the elements that made us popular in the first place, including twin-lead-vocal tradeoffs with Jack and Kelly and dual guitar harmonies and solos with my new partner in crime, Keri Kelli. We've stacked the deck again with up tempo driving rock songs, mid tempo tunes and a few acoustic ballad tracks. We're hoping this new album will be added to your existing NIGHT RANGER catalog!!!"

With more than 17 million albums sold worldwide, over 3000 live shows performed, and more than 1 billion in radio audience, NIGHT RANGER has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style of that era and beyond. With songs that have significantly impacted popular culture and continue to expand their ever-growing fan-base, NIGHT RANGER is proof that powerful songs, plus accomplished musicians is the perfect formula for continued success.

NIGHT RANGER has earned widespread acclaim, multi-platinum and gold album status while leaving their indelible mark on the music charts with a string of best-selling albums ("Dawn Patrol", "Midnight Madness", "7 Wishes", "Big Life" and "Man In Motion"), its popularity fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks.

NIGHT RANGER is Jack Blades (bass, vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals), Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars), Eric Levy (keyboards), and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars).

"Don't Let Up" track listing:

01. Somehow Someway02. Running Out Of Time03. Truth04. Day And Night*05. Don't Let Up 06. Won't Be Your Fool Again07. Say What You Want08. We Can Work It Out09. Comfort Me10. Jamie11. Nothing Left Of Yesterday

* Bonus audio track on deluxe edition

* Bonus DVD: Band Interviews; "Running Out Of Time" (video); "Day And Night" (Video)

Japanese pop-metal sensation BABYMETAL will release "Live At Tokyo Dome", on April 1. The 2 Blu-ray + 4 CD set captures the band's two September 2016 concerts at Tokyo Dome which saw BABYMETAL perform in front of 110,000 people.

"Live At Tokyo Dome" track listing: Red Night (September 19, 2016) [Blu-ray Disc 1 / CD Disc 1 & 2] 01. Road of Resistance02. Yava!03. Iine!04. Syncopation05. Amore06. GJ!07. Akumu No Rondo08. Song 409. Catch Me If You Can10. Gimme Chocolate11. Karate12. Tales of The Destinies13. The One (English version) Black Night (September 20, 2016) [Blu-ray Disc 2 / CD Disc 3 & 4] 01. Babymetal Death02. Awadama Fever03. Uki Uki Midnight04. Meta! Taro05. Sis. Anger06. Akatsuki07. Onedari Daisakusen08. No Rain, No Rainbow09. Doki Doki Morning10. Meigitsune11. Head Bangya12. Ijime, Dame, Zettai BABYMETAL will support the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS on select dates of their U.S. tour in April. They will also hit the road with KORN and STONE SOUR in June.

BABYMETAL appeared as special guests to METALLICA at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Korea on January 11 as part of the latter band's "Worldwired" world tour. They also supported GUNS N' ROSES in Japan in January.

BABYMETAL released a new 13-track live album, "Live At Wembley", on December 9 via earMUSIC/Edel. A digital version will was available on December 30. With a carefully selected track listing, the CD captures the spectacular performance recorded at BABYMETAL's first-ever U.K. arena show, "Babymetal World Tour 2016 Kicks Off At The SSE Arena, Wembley", which took place in London on April 2, 2016. The show saw BABYMETAL become the first Japanese artist in history to perform a headline show at The SSE Arena, Wembley. This concert garnered an attendance of 12,000 people, where BABYMETAL also broke the merchandise sales record of the venue, creating history once again.

BABYMETAL made its U.S. late-night TV debut on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" in April 2016, performing "Gimme Chocolate" off their debut album.

After a five-year hiatus, Finnish rock band THE RASMUS will release a new single, "Paradise", on March 31. The track was recorded and mixed in Stockholm, and produced by the Swedish team The Family.

One of Finland's biggest music exports, THE RASMUS has had a remarkable career to date, with the band's big international breakthrough coming with their fifth album, when single "In The Shadows" became a worldwide hit.

In 2012, after releasing three more albums, and multiple world tours, members Lauri Ylönen, Pauli Rantasalmi, Eero Heinonen and Aki Hakala, took a break from their busy band schedule. During this period, singer Lauri Ylönen moved to Los Angeles, a change that resonates in many of the songs he has written since.

"Paradise is a relative thing," Ylönen says on the upcoming single. "One man's hell can be another man's paradise."