Dunderbeist will release their new EP, titled Tvilja, on March 10th via Indie Recordings. A lyric video for the title track is available for streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“Kometen kom”
“Terpentin”
“Vakum”
“Tvilja”
“Isvind (grå gås)”

“Tvilja” lyric video:

"We all have our doubts about most things, something the lyrics on this release describes. But there is no doubt about that Tvilja might be the very best stuff we have created with this band ever. I think. Probably." - Dunderbeist

Pre-order the Tvilja EP + CD here.

X Games Norway has decided to spice up their line-up with a bit of good-old Norwegian hard rock. Dunderbeist are ready and will rock the stage at X Games Norway on March 10th.

(Photo - Stian Froysang)

Australia’s Rebel Wizard have released a video for “Eat The Warlock”, a track from their album, Triumph Of Gloom, re-released by Prosthetic Records last month with the previously unheard bonus track, "Defenders Of The Gloom". The new video for “Eat The Warlock” can be found below.

Tracklisting:

"On The Unknown Self They Weep"
"Where We Surrender Completely To The Miserable Shaman"
"Trampled By Wolves And Sheep"
"Ease Of Wretchedness And Wonder"
"A Spell Of Sorrow To Relieve The Curse Of Triump"
"Eat The Warlock"
"Sorcerery"
"Hemorrhage Wonders"
"Defenders Of The Gloom" (bonus track)

“Eat The Warlock” video:

"Ease Of Wretchedness And Wonder”:

"Trampled By Wolves And Sheep" video:

GUNS N' ROSES sold a whopping 353,000 tickets during its recent tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The band also became the first international act to sell out the 74,000-capacity MCG in Melbourne. In addition, 85,000 people saw the band perform over two nights in Sydney.

Paul Dainty, CEO of TEG Dainty, said that he was surprised GN'R sold so many tickets this time around.

"GUNS N' ROSES has a huge fan base in Australia, but I would say it's now bigger than ever after this fabulous tour," he said. "Every night the band delivered its trademark sound and performance. I can't speak highly enough of their professionalism and passion. We would love to see them back soon."

GUNS N' ROSES "Not In This Lifetime Tour" attendance figures for New Zealand and Australia:

Feb. 02 - Westpac Stadium, Wellington - 33,000Feb. 04 - Western Springs Stadium, Auckland - 50,000Feb. 07 - QSAC Stadium, Brisbane - 40,000Feb. 10 - ANZ Stadium, Sydney - 50,000Feb. 11 - ANZ Stadium Sydney - 35,000Feb. 14 - MCG, Melbourne - 74,000Feb. 18 - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide - 36,000Feb. 21 - Domain Stadium, Perth - 35,000

As previously reported, GUNS N' ROSES is coming back to North America this summer for at least another 15 stadium dates starting on July 27 in St. Louis.

The band kicked off its reunion trek last April with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

Thirteen concerts on the South American leg of the "Not In This Lifetime" tour yielded a total box office gross of $56.5 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. More than 565,000 tickets were sold for the shows, including 105,000 tickets for the November 4 and November 5 gigs in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and another 93,600 for the November 11 and November 12 dates in São Paulo, Brazil.

Last summer's North American leg, which consisted of 25 shows in 21 stadiums, grossed $116.8 million with over one million tickets sold.

The band's appearances at MetLife Stadium in the metropolitan New York City market brought in $11.6 million from shows on July 23 and 24.

The tour features classic lineup members Slash on guitar, Duff McKagan on bass and Axl Rose on vocals, backed by drummer Frank Ferrer, guitarist Richard Fortus, and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese.

Snovonne is known for her melancholic and psychoanalytic creations, which often reveal things one would rather not see.  The new album The Child And The Bitch is exactly that and so much more.  
 
“The concept carries a strong psychoanalytic undertone.” Snovonne says. “It's about perception, points of view. It's the battle between two voices - how you were born vs. what the world turns you into. There's no right or wrong, both the entities have values to stand on, but that doesn't stop them from clashing... I wanted to give room to both voices.”  

The album will be introduced with the super-melancholic “Best Days”.  Coming out March 17th, the video presents the album’s concept of duality, musically and visually.
 
The third official full-length album The Child And The Bitch (subtitled “Chronicles 1984 - 2014”) has been in production since 2015 and is now scheduled for release on April 17th. 

With all artistic gears spinning to a maximum, it’s a big leap forward - not only its heavily emotional and expressive content, but also in its audio and visual presentation. Heavy-hitting, stomping riffs are supported by epic, aggressive orchestral arrangements and cut through with razor-sharp melancholy. 
 
Sno´s grandfather was, in his time, a reputable psychiatrist with a passion for fine arts and swing music. That had a significant influence on her artistic life. 

She continues: "I’ve always been fascinated by old medical journals and books… Grew up around it, family of doctors… So given the self-analytical tone of the record, it was only natural to make the artwork an old medical journal. The lyrics are my entries with dates when they were written, some of them I wrote when I was very young. As a parallel, I put in old articles from the 20’s, which I scanned from the original personal scrapbook of Dr. Frederick Finch Strong. He was a renowned persona of the last century - promoter of electrotherapy, cutting-edge in developing methods of treatment, and highly esoteric and eccentric. He was the first American to employ Tesla Coils therapeutically."

Tracklisting:

“The Child And The Bitch”
“Bullshit”
“Home”
“Sally”
“Anatomy”
“Breakdown”
“Best Days”
“All My Ghosts”
“Filth”
“My Poison’s Made For Me”
“Home” (orchestral version)

“Best Days” trailer:

Arkansas progressive doom quartet, Pallbearer, have released a video for “I Saw The End”, the lead track from their upcoming third album, Heartless. The band recently signed with Nuclear Blast Entertainment for the territories of UK, Europe, Australia & New Zealand. Heartless is due for release on March 24th via Nuclear Blast in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and via Profound Lore in North America. The new video is available for streaming below.

Initially formed in 2008, Pallbearer grew from the fertile underground metal scene of Little Rock, Arkansas - releasing their debut full length Sorrow And Extinction, in early 2012. The record made an immediate and immense impact on die-hard doom fans and metal critics alike, also forming the four piece fans outside of the metal scene. Their formidable sophomore record, 2014's Foundations Of Burden featured on countless critic's end of year lists and cemented their reputation as an unstoppable and emotive force - driving doom beyond its imagined limits, carving themselves an entirely original path through the realm of heavy music.

Pallbearer commented on the signing: "We are very excited to be working with Nuclear Blast on this record, as so many of the bands that have helped to shape our own artistic pathways have before us."

Monte Conner, Nuclear Blast Entertainment president added: "Pallbearer continue to evolve and scale new creative and sonic heights with Heartless. I am very honoured to be working hand-in-hand with the band, Profound Lore and Oblique Artist Management, and look forward to Nuclear Blast playing a key role in exposing new fans to this incredible band."

Pallbearer commented on Heartless: "This album finds us exploring new territories; instead of staring into to the void - both above and within - Heartless concentrates its power on a grim reality. Our lives, our homes and our world are all plumbing the depths of utter darkness, as we seek to find any shred of hope we can."

And on the ruminative album artwork, created by hugely talented Indiana based oil painter Michael Lierly: "Michael Lierly's indelibly expressive work perfectly captures the feelings of fear and heartbreak we hoped to convey as our world crumbles around us."

The album layout was handled by Chimere Noire.

Heartless tracklisting:

“I Saw The End”
“Thorns”
“Lie Of Survival”
“Dancing In Madness”
“Cruel Road”
“Heartless”
“A Plea For Understanding”

“I Saw The End” video:

“Thorns”:

Heartless was recorded entirely to analogue tape at Fellowship Hall Sound, Little Rock, Arkansas between June and August 2016. The record was produced by Pallbearer, and mixed by acclaimed producer Joe Barresi. Engineering was handled by Jason Weinheimer and Zach Reeves, and mastered by Grammy winning mastering engineer Dave Collins (Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper).

Pallbearer were initially formed in 2008 by Joseph D. Rowland (bass) and Brett Campbell (vocals/guitars) - growing from the underground metal scene of Little Rock, Arkansas. A year later they were joined by guitarist Devin Holt and (since departed) drummer Zach Stine, the four members quickly recorded the band’s first impressive demo. These three tracks garnered the band well-deserved attention, with critics and fans taking notice of what could only be described as a wholly singular sound from the promising newcomers.

Pallbearer's debut full-length Sorrow And Extinction was released in early 2012. At just under fifty minutes, the album's five tracks capitalized on the primal clout of the band's demo, but here the songs were freed from reliance on volume as the music wavered beautifully between subdued introspection and towering aural force. Released by respected Canadian underground label, Profound Lore, Sorrow And Extinction instantly made waves among listeners and critics who found Pallbearer's compositional paradox of vulnerability and might unparalleled in a metal world replete with imitators. Sorrow And Extinction proved to be an unequivocal masterpiece and, most importantly, compelled Pallbearer to reach even further creatively for what would come next. 2012 would also see the addition of drummer Mark Lierly, adding further depth to the already immense and mercurial sound the band had pioneered.

Rather than settle themselves into the convenient safety of listener expectation, Pallbearer delved even deeper into melodic contexts for their second record - 2014's Foundations Of Burden, working with legendary Bay Area producer Billy Anderson. With Joseph D. Rowland adding his own impressive vocalizations to the sonic texture, this new vocal dynamic brought an authentically visceral component to Pallbearer's music that, while giving credence to their metal foundations, added a new and compelling dimension to the music which has long since proved itself to be inexorably captivating.

Pallbearer have toured relentlessly since the release of 2014’s Foundations Of Burden and the same will happen in support of Heartless.

Dates:

March
22 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room
23 - Nashville, TN - The End
25 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
28 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
29 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
31 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall

Bobby Blotzer has tapped former QUIET RIOT and ADLER'S APPETITE singer Seann Nicols (a.k.a. Sheldon Tarsha) to front his version of RATT when the band performs on March 18 at the Prairie Knights Casino & Resort in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Nicols joins Blotzer's RATT as the replacement for Joshua Alan, who quit the band in January, explaining that he will be working and focusing on his original music this year.

Regarding how Seann landed the singer gig in his version of RATT, Blotzer wrote on Facebook: "In July [2016], when we were on the very successful RATT tour of 2016, and we had a few dropouts, I moved swiftly to a great array of awesome friends and great players — we never skipped a beat. Not a day or a show fell.

"When the other guys dropped, I asked our then-singer, 'Are you going too?', because the road might not be as easy as everyone thought it might be. I was apprised by a great buddy of mine that he knew of a ripping lead singer. I told our then-singer about him out of sheer honesty. And he replied to me as he did at every single show: 'No. You know how much I appreciate being in this, I'm in for THE LONG HAUL.'

"The last time I spoke to him was December 16th, Kentucky show.

"GREAT!

"We continued through the year with 35 more shows, give or take.

"This other lead singer guy sent me his voice singing over our RATT songs with [Stephen] Pearcy's voice pulled out and him singing in place. Well, fucking hell, I was quite astonished, to be honest.

"I stuck it out with the other singer [because] my word is real. But he knew there was someone in the wings. And the guy I met over the phone in July ended up with our fellow touring band guys in QUIET RIOT. Cool, way to go, I thought (also not knowing why our ex-bandmate Mr. Jizzy Pearl was gone from QUIET RIOT). But the music business is an incestuous small world.

"So, there you go.

"There is still a war waging but I'm not going to get into those specifics.I will, though, give you a little taste of what I was sent on the road in July 2016. I wish I had future vision then."

A recording of Seann Nicols singing the RATT song "Lovin' You Is A Dirty Job" can be heard below. Also available is footage of Blotzer, Nicols and thre other musicians performing the RATT hit "Round And Round" on March 5 at the Balz Magazine Release Party at the Mas Fina Cantina in Carlsbad, California.

Blotzer, who had a spinal fusion surgery for the C6-C7 vertebrae in his neck four years ago, said that he will undergo lumbar spine surgery two days after his version of RATT performs at the Prairie Knights Casino & Resort.

The drummer also promised that he would "mop up [the] litigation" he is currently embroiled in with his former bandmate over the rights to the RATT name and that he would return to the road "with RATT around late June."

Blotzer has spent the last year and a half battling the other three members of RATT's classic lineup in court. At the same time, he has been hitting the road with his version of RATT, which, in addition to Alan, most recently included guitarists Mitch Perry (TALAS, HEAVEN, STEELER, MSG, LITA FORD) and Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) and bassist Brad Lang (Y&T).

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor joined KORN on stage on Sunday night (March 5) at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California to perform the KORN song "A Different World". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

"A Different World" is taken from KORN's latest album, "The Serenity Of Suffering", which came out last October.

KORN singer Jonathan Davis spoke about getting Taylor to appear on the track. "We were trying to figure out who we wanted to collaborate with, and I'm like, 'You know, that's the one, that's the guy,'" he said. "And I texted him, I'm like, 'Do you want to be on a new KORN track?' He's all, 'Hell yeah! When and where, what do I do?' So he did great on the song. I already did my parts, I'm like, 'Do what you do, man.' And I like the way he did it, the approach: he starts creeping in underneath the song, you can start slowly hearing his voice under mine, and it crescendos up into the middle part where he sings, and then it's just full-on at the end, so the song came out great."

Taylor said that he became involved in "A Different World" after receiving "a phone call, like, 'Hey, do you wanna do this?' And I was on the plane the next day. I flew in, and I hadn't even heard the music. I was, like, 'Yeah.' 'Cause as a fan and as a friend, it was just something that we had been talking about for years. And all the stars aligned and I got to do this track. And it is heavy, dude. It is so righteous. People are gonna lose their minds."

KORN and STONE SOUR will join forces for a summer tour, set to get underway June 16 at the USANA Amphitheatre in Salt Lake City, Utah and then continue through early August. Presented by Live Nation, "The Serenity Of Summer" tour will be rounded out by support from Japan's female-fronted BABYMETAL, southern rapper YELAWOLF and ISLANDER (June 16-25), followed by a second leg (July 19 - August 2) which will see KORN joined by SKILLET, YELAWOLF and DED, creating a versatile bill reminiscent of KORN's famed "Family Values" tours in the past.

The first four classic albums by ACCEPT — "Accept", "I'm A Rebel", "Breaker" and "Restless And Wild" — will be available as CD re-releases in digipak format on April 14. These reissues were compiled in close collaboration with original ACCEPT vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. The booklets include the song's lyrics, old photos from the archives and liner notes by Udo; "I'm A Rebel", "Breaker" and "Restless And Wild" also come with exclusive live bonus tracks, performed by Dirkschneider.

Note: The "Accept" album, instead of written liner notes, includes an audio interview with Udo in which he gives insight on the foundation of the band.

These "Platinum Edition" reissues will only be available in North and South America, Asia, Russia, Turkey and the Baltic Countries.

Udo insists that he has no interest in reuniting with his former bandmates, even if it's just to play one last show with the group. "If Peter [Baltes, bass] and Wolf [Hoffmann, guitar] called me [to play with them again], but I don't think [they would], but [if they did], I would say, 'Have fun. Bye bye,'" he told Greece's Rockpages.

Last year Udo told Spark TV that he has "no relationship at all" with the members of ACCEPT. "We don't talk to each other," he said. "It's, in a way, also sad, but what can you do?"

The current lineup of ACCEPT includes American vocalist Mark Tornillo, who joined the band in 2009.

Canadian guitarist Sean Kelly has checked in with the following update:

"Just wrapped up an incredible 5 days working on the new Lee Aaron album in Vancouver. Big love and respect to John Cody, Dave Reimer, John Webster and of course Lee herself, this record is rockin'!!!!"

Guess who's in the studio making a kickin' new record? #fall2017 #newmusic pic.twitter.com/cADTYV5n1l
— Lee Aaron (@LeeAaronMusic) 7 March 2017

Lee Aaron has announced a string of live dates for Germany, due to take place in July 2017. Her schedule is currently as follows:

July 
10 - Köln, Germany - Yard Club
11 - Bensheim, Germany - Musiktheater Rex
12 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
13 - Nürnberg, Germany - Hirsch
14 - Balingen, Germany - Bang Your Head!!! Festival

Lee Aaron released her first album of her 30 year career in the United States with Fire & Gasoline on March 25th, 2016. BraveWords premiered Aaron’s third single of the album with the video for “Bad Boyfriend”.

Aaron says about the track, "I had this campy little song kicking around for a couple of years. We had included it in our live set as an encore and it always went over great so we decided to record it. It's one girl's self-satirical dialogue about the struggle between the worldly and the divine and coming to the realization that she's really the common denominator in all her relationship problems. Is it autobiographical? Ha, ha...in a 'been there, done that,' taking the piss out of myself, kind of way.

BraveWords’ Carl Begai spoke to Aaron about the album. An excerpt below:

"It's a rock n' roll record," she says. "I think it would have been a huge mistake to make an album that sounds like something I did before. Doing that doesn't show any growth as an artist or a writer. I think the guitar playing, the fact I used my live band in the studio, and that we recorded it in the same room live off the floor made a huge difference in the way the record sounds. I think all these songs belong on the same record even though they're different from one another."

"With this album, I don't think I have anything to lose. I'm of the mindset that I was going to let the songs flow naturally, and whatever came out we'd tie it all together in the studio with the same band, the same guitar tones, the same keyboard sounds. Obviously, having my history of jazz and blues, it would be crazy to think that wouldn't creep into my writing somewhere. The whole intro for 'Wanna Be' is actually four times as long as what's on the album, but we edited it because the distributor felt that for the third track in it was just too much. We'll probably put out the complete version out at some point. The complete jazz prelude to a punk song; why not? (laughs)."

Go to this location to check out the BraveWords feature story.

   

Photo by Rockingham Festival

"Medusa", the debut full-length album from the New York-based progressive metal band UNCURED, can be streamed in its entirety at the group's web site, www.uncuredband.com. The disc will be released on March 10.

UNCURED has attracted international attention for its combination of technical musicianship, brutal riffs and beautiful, melodic interludes.

The band released its debut EP, "Spontaneous Generation", last October. Top metal and rock outlets have praised the EP, likening UNCURED to prog metal titans OPETH, DREAM THEATER, MASTODON and GOJIRA.

UNCURED was founded in 2014 by brothers Rex Cox and Zak Cox. The Cox brothers wrote all of the music on "Spontaneous Generation" and played guitar and bass on the EP. They were joined on drums by special guest Max Portnoy (son of drumming legend Mike Portnoy, formerly of DREAM THEATER).

UNCURED's wide selection of videos and teasers have received more than 400,000 views on Facebook and YouTube. Joining UNCURED on drums is new full-time member Liam Manley from Portland, Oregon. Liam has over thirteen years experience playing drums, including five years of professional session work with various artists across the U.S. Jon Kita from Boston, Massachusetts, who also plays with metal stalwarts DIECAST and CITY OF HOMES, rounds out the UNCURED lineup on bass. UNCURED is signed to Conclave Studios in New York City and has plans to tour in the U.S. and internationally throughout 2017, including opening for KATATONIA on its North American tour in March and April of 2017.

Formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2010, Ides Of Gemini have built a formidable and enigmatic reputation by stoutly refusing to conform to anyone else's idea of what lurks in the shadows-with a sound that elegantly salutes the greats of the post-punk and proto-goth eras while simultaneously harnessing the oomph and clangor of underground metal. The ornate sparkle of something else, something irresistibly alien has long ensured that Ides Of Gemini have stood proudly alone, and yet their stately invective has clearly connected with the discerning masses.

"We get lumped in with a lot of metal bands, I guess for obvious reasons," says guitarist and songwriter Jason Bennett. "There are some metal songs on the new album, but it's really not a metal record. And we're not exactly a Goth band, either. So I don't know what to call what we do. Is it heavy? Yes. Is it metal? Not exactly. I guess you could say it's a mystery..."
 
Even the haziest of musical entities undergo some process of regeneration between records. Ides Of Gemini are no different, but their journey from their stunning 2012 debut, Constantinople, and its formidable follow-up Old World New Wave-both released via post-metal mavens Neurosis' Neurot Recordings-to brand new studio album Women, the band's first for Rise Above Records, has been a turbulent and challenging one. Original drummer Kelly Johnston-Gibson incurred a career-threatening injury while on tour in the US in 2015, causing Bennett and vocalist (and then-bassist) Sera Timms to reassess their next move. After enlisting Scott Batiste of Saviours as a stand-in drummer for a short West Coast tour, a new alliance was formed and Scott soon became a permanent member. The band then expanded to a quartet for the first time, as Sera relinquished her bass-playing duties to newcomer Adam Murray.

"Having Sera make that change ended up being the best thing we ever did," Bennett recalls. "It's freed her up to do so much more vocally. She was somewhat confined by also playing bass, and now she doesn't have to do that anymore-the sky's the limit. Scott and Adam are awesome. It's almost a new band. I think that the new record would've been pretty similar if we'd stayed a three-piece, but it wouldn't have been this good. There's a totally different dynamic now. We're new and improved.
 
Still recognizable as the work of the band behind those early triumphs, the new Ides Of Gemini album is both a dramatic leap forward for these idiosyncratic spirit guides and their most direct and impactful collection of songs to date.

Produced by the inimitable Sanford Parker, Women also features guest appearances from Tara Connelly of Clay Rendering (on "Queen Of New Orleans") and bewitching singer-songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle (on "She Has A Secret"). As ever, Ides Of Gemini's new songs uniformly fizz and crackle with a storyteller's verve, as Timms' emotionally devastating delivery and Bennett's scabrous riffs paint vivid images of womanhood's multifarious routes to the gates of Hell and beyond. As a result, the new album's title was a no-brainer.

"Why Women? The short answer is that all the songs are about women!" Bennett laughs. "The way we work is that I title all the songs and Sera writes all the lyrics, and I give her an idea of what inspired each title for me. She can either take my idea and use it or totally discard it and come up with her own concept for it. Some of these women are mythological figures, some are historical figures, some are obscure actresses, and some are people we just made up. But every song is about a woman, so the title seemed obvious."

Determined to make up for the time lost during recent upheavals, Ides Of Gemini hope to use Women as a springboard to re-launch their assault on the consciousness of the world's outcasts and eccentrics. Revitalized and armed with their finest album to date, these inveterate square pegs may yet prove to be unstoppable.

"We want to tour as much as possible," Bennett avows. "There are a lot of places we haven't been yet and a lot of places we haven't been to in a while. We never finished the tour when Kelly got injured, so we haven't done a full national tour since 2013 when we went out with Ghost. And we haven't been to Europe since 2012, so it's been a while. We can't wait to get started."

Tracklisting:

“Mother Kiev”
“The Rose”
“The Dancer”
“Raft Of Medusa”
“Heroine’s Descent”
“Swan Diver”
“The Last Siren”
“Zohra”
“She Has A Secret”
“Queen Of New Orleans”

Former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo spoke to the "Talk Toomey" podcast about his involvement with California hardcore thrash favorites SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and the reunited classic lineup of the North Jersey horror-punks MISFITS. Asked what it was like playing with the MISFITS at last year's Riot Fest, Dave said (hear audio below): "It was amazing, to say the least. Working with Doyle [Wolfgang Von Frankenstein] and Jerry Only and Glenn [Danzig] was kind of like… How would you say…? It was unreal to see that. You'd never think that those guys would ever work together again, and this music that they recorded back in the early days was, to me, and still is, these classic songs I think that a lot of people haven't heard. So I fell in love with their music.

"I really didn't hear any of their music before working with the MISFITS, 'cause I got into punk after they had broken up," Lombardo admitted." And, of course, I always saw the logo and their name. I got into DEAD KENNEDYS, CIRCLE JERKS, SUICIDAL… I got into all those bands first before I got into, let's say, the New York hardcore scene. So it was a real treat. I really enjoyed it. A great bunch of guys, great organization. I hope there's more shows."

Lombardo added that he was surprised by the extremely enthusaistic reception the MISFITS got from the audience at the Riot Fest. "I didn't realize that they knew all the lyrics," he said. "Later on, when I was watching some of the YouTube footage, [it was], like, 'Man, these people know this music.' And it was great."

He continued: "The songwriting on those early albums — I'll tell you, man — it was really magical. I really love the fact that the songs are very short, to the point — you know, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, out. That's it. Or even chorus, verse, chorus, out. That's it. No more. So it's really cool. I love it."

Asked how he landed the MISFITS gig, Lombardo said: "Glenn Danzig gave me a call, and he asked me if I would like to be a part of it. And when Glenn Danzig calls you, you're, like, 'Respect, man. Hell yeah!' So it was a surprise. But Glenn said, 'Dude, you've always been my favorite drummer.' And everybody was the same way, including Jerry Only. He was, like, 'Let's get Lombardo in here.' So I was really lucky and very fortunate to be a part of that historic moment."

Although the MISFITS "haven't discussed" playing any more shows in the coming months, according to Lombardo, the drummer is "sure there'll be more. But right now we're just waiting for Glenn to decide when, where and how we're all gonna get there."

Dave also talked about what it has been like joining two of the most influential punk band of all time within several months of each other. He said: "Yeah, it was kind of weird, because here's SUICIDAL TENDENCIES… I've always been a punk rock fan. I love punk rock music. It's what inspired SLAYER in the beginning. 'Cause we were just a metal band. I mean, we were covering songs by JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN. It's when Jeff [Hanneman, late SLAYER guitarist] brought all these records to the studio and said, 'Oh, man. You've gotta check this out. Listen to this.' You know, DEAD KENNEDYS' 'In God We Trust, Inc.' was one of those albums that just totally changed my attitude. And, of course, the first SUICIDAL record as well. I went to go see SUICIDAL before SLAYER's first album came out. So that's how far back… SLAYER's album came out in December '83, so more than likely I saw SUICIDAL summer of '83. So I was really into all that music. And then SUICIDAL called me, and then on top of that, then the MISFITS called me. I was, like, 'Man, what's next?' Is there gonna be a British punk band that's gonna be calling me soon?' So I would have the West Coast punk, East Coast punk and then the U.K. punk all covered or something. I don't know if I'd be able to do that — at least at this stage of the game, with as busy as my schedule is."

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and bassist Jerry Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.

After the original MISFITS disbanded, vocalist Glenn Danzig went on to form SAMHAIN and then the eponymous DANZIG. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Interview (audio):

Rocket Fizz and KISS have reached a gigantic licensing and co-branding agreement. Rocket Fizz will be bottling and distributing worldwide KISS soda pops, beginning with the KISS Destroyer Cola. Rocket Fizz will also be producing KISS and Rocket Fizz co-branded t-shirts and tin signs. The KISS Destroyer Cola will be available in all Rocket Fizz stores in 1-3 weeks. When you feel like you want to "rock and roll all nite and party every day" stop by a Rocket Fizz and pick up a super duper cool KISS soda pop, tin sign, and t-shirt.

 

Catch KISS live in concert:

 

April
21 - Grand Sierra Resort and Casino - Reno, NV
22 - Laughlin Event Center - Laughlin, NV

May
1 - Olympiski Stadion - Moscow, Russia
4 - Hartwell Arena - Helsinki, Finland
6 - Tele2 Arena - Stockholm, Sweden
7 - Spektrum Arena - Oslo, Norway
9 - Forum - Horsens, Denmark
10 - Scandinavium - Gothenburg, Sweden
12 - Westfallenhalle - Dortmund, Germany
13 - Schleyerhalle - Stuttgart, Germany
15 - Pala Alpitour - Turin, Italy
16 - Unipol Arena - Bolodgna, Italy
18 - Olympiahalle - Munich, Germany
20 - Brněnské Výstaviště - Brno, Czech Republic
21 - Wiener Stadthalle - Vienna, Austria
23 - Festhalle - Frankfurt, Germany
24 - Ahoy - Rotterdam, Netherlands
27 - The SSE Hydro - Glasgow, Scotland
28 - Barclaycard Arena - Birmingham, UK
30 - Manchester Arena - Manchester, UK
31 - O2 Arena - London, UK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Godhunter has completed a new EP titled Codex Narco, featuring a cast of fellow musicians hailing from the likes of CHRCH, Demon Lung, Mountaineer, Thorne, Methra, and others. The EP will see release in May, with the proceeds from each format going to several important charities.
 
In September of 2015, after finishing a successful US tour with Destroyer Of Light, several members of Godhunter amicably split with the band, simply moving on with more family commitments and unable to commit to regular touring. Within weeks of the lineup shift, the rest of the band began writing new material together through internet conversations and individual recording sessions, as remaining guitarist/vocalist David Rodgers, drummer Andy Kratzenberg, and keyboardist Matthew Davis, currently reside on opposite ends of the country, spread across Washington, Arizona, and Georgia.
 
Shortly into the creation process, it was realized that the band was deviating from their usual lyrical content on our deteriorating world and current events, and for the first time were instead focusing towards their own realms of inner darkness. Everyone in the band has experienced some dramatic personal trauma in recent years, a factor which is intensely reflected in the writing of Codex Narco, where dependency, depression, and loss are the driving factors, resulting in the most personal and deeply introspective material the band has ever made.
 
After fleshing out the main skeleton of the new material, the remaining members of Godhunter secured additional elements from several of the band's closer personal and musical friends. Several of the contributors recorded a large amount of Codex Narco at Homewrecker Studios in Tucson, with the additional material recorded by each musician at their hometown studio of choice. The record features guest vocals from Eva Rose (CHRCH) and Josh Thorne (Thorne), bass from Adam Sage (Demon Lung), guitars from Clayton Bartholomew (Mountaineer, ex-Secrets Of The Sky), and vocal, bass, and guitar contributions from Nick Genitals (Methra).
 
Codex Narco was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and features artwork by Bailey Illustration and layout by Cool Ghoul Ltd. (Ethan McCarthy of Primitive Man). The record will see release through Battleground Records in conjunction with Baby Tooth Records who will release a cassette version, on May 19th; all profits will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
 
Godhunter's commitment to speaking out about social issues has not changed though, and as such, the proceeds from this album will be donated to Planned Parenthood, as reflected in the pink color scheme. Mitch Wells from Thou is also making us a video for the Tegan & Sara cover song "Walking With A Ghost." This video is being made to support suicide prevention. Even though the album is very personal, the resulting effort is all about giving back to organizations the band members care deeply about.
 
Audio samples, artwork, and more from Codex Narco will be issued in the coming days.

On March 17th, Vancouver's Assimilation will release their first full length album, The Laws Of Power, via SAOL. Audiences should be prepared for a healthy dose of classic death metal and thrash.

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" 

 

Babylon A.D. has announced that founding member and guitarist John Matthews is back in the band. He is currently recording on the new forthcoming album Revelation Highway and will also be performing with B.A.D. on all US and European tour dates. "We are excited with the outcome of the new album and look forward to its release this fall," says the band.

"Danny De La Rosa is currently not in the band and will not be part of the new record as he is putting his efforts into writing and recording new solo music. We would like to thank Danny for his last 28 years of commitment to the band, outstanding musicianship and brotherhood... we wish him well with his future project."

 

 

"March marks the end of an era for Deathcrown, while April and our Spring Tour will mark the beginning of a new one," says guitarist Tommy Gunn, speaking exclusively to BraveWords.com 

"Our beloved brother Jake VanderBand has decided to step down as our guitarist. His life priorities are of a nature that leave little to no room for being in a full-time touring band. Deathcrown's March shows are Jake's final live appearances with us, although he will still be featured on our next release. Jake isn't just a band member. He's family and we will miss him in Deathcrown very much. His full-time replacement will be Kent Jung of Occultist (Primitive Ways). 'Jungle', as we affectionately refer to him, has filled in for Jake many times, including on our first tour last fall. We've already begun writing songs with him, and Jake is proud to have him as a replacement."

"In addition to welcoming Jungle to the band, we'd also like to officially welcome Robley Ball as our permanent drummer, and successor to Ryan Parrish (Iron Reagan, Mammoth Grinder). Following the writing and recording of the Living Hell EP we were forced to bring Robley in to play drums for us live. Ryan was just too busy with Iron Reagan and other projects. It should be noted that Robley is already the only drummer who's ever performed live with Deathcrown. He's also been involved in writing the new material for several months now, and is a huge asset to us as a band. Please join us in saying farewell to our brothers Jake and Ryan, while officially welcoming Kent and Robley into the fray. We have so much to look forward to this year. Lots of touring and recording ahead. We are all very excited about 2017, and we look forward to seeing so many of you before the year is out."

Catch Deathcrown live in concert:

April
7 - Roanoke, VA - The Coffee Pot
8 - Asheville, NC - The Odditorium
9 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern
10 - Augusta, GA - Soul Bar
11 - Gainesville, FL - Atlantic Nightspot
12 - Tampa, FL - Brass Mug
14 - New Orleans, LA - TBA
15 - Memphis, TN - High Cotton Brewery
16 - Dallas, TX - TBA
17 - Tulsa, OK - The Sound Pony
18 - Omaha, NE - Dr. Jack’s Drinkery
19 - De Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
20 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
21 - Chicago, IL - The Fallout
22 - Lafayette, IN - The Doom Room
23 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
24 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
25 - Pittsburgh, PA - TBA
26 - Baltimore, MD - Sidebar
27 - Harrisonburg, VA - TBA
28 - Charlotte, NC - The Milestone
29 - Raleigh, NC - The Maywood

Deathcrown is scheduled to return to The Ward Studios in Richmond, VA in May of this year. They plan to record new material for an upcoming split and very likely another EP. Guitarist Tommy Gunn will once again handle production duties, as well as helm the recording and the mix. The band plans to have at least one new release out before Fall 2017, when they intend to spend several weeks on the road for a full US tour.

 

German melodic black metal newcomers, Mallevs Maleficarvm, have released a lyric video for “Under The Red Skies”, a track from their debut album, Homo Homini Lupus, out on April 21st via NoiseArt Records. The clip is available for streaming below.

Founded back in 2011, mastermind Marius Berendsen entrenched himself over the course of the last years to give this beast of an album the final polishing.

Tracklisting:

“Homo Homini Lupus”
“Der Widerchrist”
“Under The Red Skies”
“A Blaze At Dawn”
“He Shall Bring No Light”
“Event Horizon”
“Sieben Sonnen”
“War”
“Tragedy And Triumph”
“Mors Ultima Ratio”

“Under The Red Skies” lyric video:

Trailer:

(Photo - Mallevs Maleficarvm Facebook)

Argentina-based heavy/power metal band, Helker, will release their new album, Firesoul on May 5th via AFM Records.

Helker is widely considered as the leading South American heavy metal band to emerge from Argentina. Since their start, Helker released three highly respected albums in their native language, Legado Secreto in 2001, Resistir in 2008 and A.D.N. in 2010; these albums helped a lot to built up a loyal fan-base not only by Argentina’s metal fans.

Since their beginning, Helker was one of the most active live bands in South America and toured with Primal Fear, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Gamma Ray, Shaman, Sinner, Masterplan and many more across Argentina and its neighbouring countries.

Firesoul will also be released in a Spanish version, Alma de fuego, which will be available digital only, also on May 5th. More details to follow.

On March 24th, Cut Up will release their sophomore album, Wherever They May Rot, worldwide via Metal Blade Records. Just as brutal as its predecessor, 2015's Forensic Nightmares, Wherever They May Rot offers a rougher edge and is catchier overall.

For a preview of the album, a bloody video for the new single, "Vermin Funeral", can be viewed below.

Cut Up's Anders Bertilsson (guitar) comments: "Inspiration for your arbitrary funerary rites arrives in the form of our new video. Shot in a cold, filthy, suitably depressing environment the video perfectly illustrates the scorching mid-tempo concentration of pure aggression that is “Vermin Funeral”. Thanks to the camera work and acting by the Arvika crew, we can now present you with this murderous cinematic experience. Watch as one by one is hunted down and hammered into the tomb. Get this and 10 more killing anthems with Wherever They May Rot, out March 24th worldwide on Metal Blade Records!"

Pre-order the new album, which features artwork by Lukasz Jaszak, at this location.

Cut Up guitarist/vocalist Andreas Bjornson comments: "Wherever They May Rot is an utter bloodbath from start to finish. We have managed to push the savagery even further than before, also broadening our sound without compromising one inch of aggression. Everyone has performed at the top of their game and the new songs are without a doubt the strongest we've ever created, reaching new heights in both speed and heaviness. We have sharpened our blades and the thirst for blood is unquenchable. The year of 2017 belongs to Cut Up!"

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”

“From Ear To Ear”:

Wherever They May Rot will be available in the following formats:

- Digipak CD (EU)/Jewelcase (US)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- olive green-marbled vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
- brass colored vinyl (limited to 100 copies - EMP exclusive)
- green/black-marbled vinyl (limited to 100 copies - USA exclusive)
* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available

Cut Up lineup:

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

Sumerlands have posted a live video of their song "Seventh Seal", recorded live last year at Union Pool in New York City:

Formed by an all-star cast of scene veterans, heavy metal force Sumerlands burst out of the gates with a fully-formed sound on their Guardian demo in 2014. The band's sound is one that calls to mind the most learned heavy metal ancestors and the most forward-thinking newcomers: one that sounds old but it feels new.

Sumerlands’ self-titled debut album of classic heavy metal is inspired by the timeless guitar-driven sound of the 70's & 80’s. Sumerlands feature former Hour Of 13 / Atlantean Kodex vocalist Phil Swanson as well as renowned producer Arthur Rizk (Inquisition, Power Trip, Pissgrave) on guitars and behind the boards. Powerful guitar riffs and galloping rhythms meld flawlessly together with soaring vocals and pristine production to create strong, hook-filled, moody anthems. This is a new wave of American heavy metal at its finest.

Additionally, Sumerlands features artwork by the legendary Jos. A. Smith, the renowned and prolific artist who originally created the Bathory goat in the 70s. Orders and packages are available via Relapse.com here, and digital orders can be made at the band's Bandcamp page here.

Sumerlands tracklisting:

“The Seventh Seal”
“The Guardian”
“Timelash”
“Blind”
“Haunted Forever”
“Spiral Infinite”
“Lost My Mind”
“Sumerlands”

Album stream:

Sumerlands lineup:

Phil Swanson - Vocals
Arthur Rizk - Guitar & Synths
Justin De Tore - Drums
John Powers - Guitar
Bradd Raub - Bass

Italian death metal collective Hideous Divinity, featuring within its ranks current and former members of Hour Of Penance and Aborted, are preparing to unleash their third full-length via Unique Leader this spring. The album’s lead track, “Ages Die”, is available for streaming below. Pre-order bundles for Adveniens are currently available here.

Titled Adveniens and scheduled for release on April 28th, the follow-up to the band's Cobra Verde long player was recorded, mixed and mastered at Stefano Morabito's 16th Cellar Studio (Hour Of Penance, Fleshgod Apocalypse etc.) during the fall of 2016, includes a rendition of Sinister's "Embodiment Of Chaos”, and finds Hideous Divinity offering up their darkest material yet.

"It may be pretentious to talk about evolution inside our musical genre, this is what Adveniens truly means for us," elaborates guitarist Enrico Schettino. "Just when we believed that with Cobra Verde we reached a point of no return, our songwriting turned even more dark and monumental. Although we'll never consider ourselves close to Lucyfyre, Adversarial, Deathspell Omega, and Akhlys, the influence of this new wave of obscure metal on us these last years has been massive. The result is our most epic death metal effort ever conceived. "

"Stefano Morabito and his 16th Cellar Studios set up a new standard with the production of Adveniens," he continues. "Never before has our sound reached such a level of uncompromising intensity without sounding forced or overproduced. The maniacal efforts made to perfect every single drum beat, vocal line and guitar chord almost caused a nervous breakdown but it truly paid off."

"The entire album is a reflection on history and time, on the succession of futile ages, on the role of the poet as soothsayer and witness of the winds of time erasing each one of these ages from the face of the earth. A reflection on Walter Benjamin predicting the 'adveniens' of David Cronenberg, on Professor O'Blivion predicting an era when 'all of us will have special names.' Adveniens is a violent reflection on art."

Adveniens tracklisting:

“Ages Die”
“Sub Specie Aeternitatis”
“Passages”
“Angel Of Revolution”
“Feeding Off The Blind”
“When Flesh Unfolds”
“Messianica”
“Future In Red”
“Embodiment Of Chaos” (Sinister cover)

“Ages Die”:

Forged in 2007, Hideous Divinity quickly established itself as one of the strongest rising European death metal acts thanks to their signature brand of technical yet gloomy classic styled death metal. Often compared to the likes of Nile, Hate Eternal, and Immolation, the band's two Unique Leader releases - 2012's Obeisance Rising and 2014's Cobra Verde - led to a successful European tour with Cannibal Corpse and Krisiun in the Spring 2016 as well as appearances at some of the most esteemed European extreme metal fests during the last few years. The band will be playing several festivals this Summer including Colony Open Air in Italy July 23rd and Stonehenge Festival in the Netherlands on July 29th. Additional performance to be announced in the coming weeks.

EMP Live last year conducted an interview with former ACCEPT and current DIRKSCHNEIDER and U.D.O. vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about his 1987 exit from ACCEPT, Udo said: "I never left ACCEPT. That's a very important point. They fired me. That's a very important thing. It's very interesting to be fired [from] your own band. I was creating ACCEPT, and then, in the end, they said, 'We wanna do more commercial stuff. Blah blah blah' — like this. And then I started U.D.O. And in the meanwhile ACCEPT, for me, is, let's say, far away."

Asked what he would say if he was offered a chance to rejoin ACCEPT, Udo said: "No. It's very simple to say 'no.' [Laughs]"

Dirkschneider also talked about his replacement, Mark Tornillo, who joined ACCEPT in 2009. Udo said: "He has a good voice. He's singing different. I think he got, let's say… be honest — I think he has problems to sing the old songs. It's no so easy for me. I mean, I know that. I was watching one concert."

Asked what it was like to see his old band perform without him, Udo said: "It was funny. I was interested. I mean, of course, I can watch it on YouTube, but, for me, it was interesting to see this. And I was watching a show in Hamburg [in October 2014], but I told nobody; I was just sitting in the back. But the people recognized me. [They were], like, 'What are you doing here?' 'I wanna watch ACCEPT.' But I think he's doing, in a way, a good job. He tries to sing it well. I think they're working now also on a fourth album [with Mark], a new one, and they don't play that much old ACCEPT stuff — just a couple of songs."

DIRKSCHNEIDER "Back To The Roots - Farewell To Accept" tour, which kicked off last year, sees him playing classic ACCEPT songs for the last time.

Timo Tolkki is a well known and highly revered musician best known as the creative force behind some seventeen STRATOVARIUS releases and a member of groups such as REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE (alongside members of HELLOWEEN, EDGUY, AVANTASIA and THUNDERSTONE) and SYMFONIA (members of HELLOWEEN, SONATA ARCTICA, ANGRA and AVANTASIA). Timo is also highly regarded for his two AVALON albums, where he really gathered the crème de la crème of international metal talent, including members of HELLOWEEN, WITHIN TEMPTATION, AMARANTHE, SYMPHONY X and SONATA ARCTICA.

In 2011, Guitar World magazine included Tolkki in the all-time top 50 list of fastest guitar players in the world and counted him among the hundred most influential guitarists ever.

Tolkki will now embark on a 2017 tour where he will exclusively perform "Songs From His Career", including STRATOVARIUS favorites "Black Diamond", "Hunting High And Low", "Father Time" and "Against The Wind". Joining him on stage will be keyboard player Mikko Harkin (ex-SONATA ARCTICA, SYMFONIA); bassist Santtu Lehtiniemi; drummer Alex Landenburg (RHAPSODY) ; and vocalist Mike Livas. Timo handpicked Mike, having discovered his faithful but also quite passionate renditions of some old STRATOVARIUS favorites.

First confirmed shows:

April 27 - Lemon Music Live - Madrid, SpainApril 28 - Centro Cívico Delicias - Zaragoza, SpainApril 30 - Paberse Club - Valencia, Spain

Tolkki drew up and signed an official waiver on May 20, 2008 giving up all rights to the STRATOVARIUS name. The remaining STRATOVARIUS members Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards) and Lauri Porra (bass) have since recorded and released four additional STRATOVARIUS albums with guitarist Matias Kupiainen.

Frontiers Music Srl will release HAREM SCAREM's fourteenth studio album, "United", on May 12. The disc offers up eleven tracks of trademark HAREM SCAREM music from Harry Hess (lead vocals, keyboards), Pete Lesperance (guitars, bass, keyboards), longtime drummer Creighton Doane, and backing vocals from original sticksman and current RED DRAGON CARTEL singerDarren Smith (who will be playing live drums for the band on tour dates). Frontman Harry Hess says: "This year will mark the thirtieth year of HAREM SCAREM and I can tell you that we are just as excited about writing and recording today as we were then. The brand new 'United' album is one of the best collection of songs we have ever put on one release and I can't wait for everyone to hear it!" HAREM SCAREM make it clear they still have something to say right from the start with the title track, "United", a chunky slice of guitar-driven melodic rock nirvana that kicks off their strongest studio outing since the early 2000s. From there, the album lifts off with well-crafted songs featuring big choruses with simple and addictive hook-laden earworms. Each track carries a power-rock-packed punch, swaggering riffs, and hooks to die for. Hess and Lesperance without a doubt show the world that their partnership still works, that they indeed are still "united." With sales of well over a million records in forty-three countries and twelve Top 40 hits around the globe, HAREM SCAREM has returned and is ready to dominate while touring the world in support of "United". "United" track listing: 01. United02. Here Today Gone Tomorrow03. Gravity04. Sinking Ship05. One Of Life’s Mysteries06. No Regrets07. Bite The Bullet08. Things I Know09. The Sky Is Falling10. Heaven And Earth11. Indestructible HAREM SCAREM is: Harry Hess - lead vocals, guitarPete Lesperance - lead guitarStan Miczek - bass guitarCreighton Doane - drumsDarren Smith - background vocals, live drummer

According to Germany's Rocks magazine, legendary English guitarist John Sykes (TYGERS OF PAN TANG, THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE, BLUE MURDER, SYKES) will release his first album in seventeen years, "Sy-Ops", before the end of 2017.

The 57-year-old completed the material for the disc three years ago. "But then my manager died," he explained. "With him I lost someone I could really trust. So I put the disc on ice."

Sykes added that his first album since 2000's "Nuclear Cowboy" will live up to his fans' expectations. "People who like what I did on the 1987 [self-titled album] from WHITESNAKE and the two studio records from BLUE MURDER" will be pleased by the new material, he said.

The new album will be released in a digipak format with a full-color six-panel artwork courtesy of David Dees.

Two years ago, Sykes released audio samples of some of the tracks that will appear on his solo album. You can check them out using the SoundCloud widget below.

The CD reportedly features guest appearances by the following musicians:

* Josh Freese (WEEZER, A PERFECT CIRCLE, GUNS N' ROSES, DEVO): Drums
* Tony Franklin (THE FIRM): Bass
* Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION): Bass
* Curt Bisquera (SARAH MCLACHLAN): Drums
* Jamie Muhoberac (THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS, FLEETWOOD MAC, THE ROLLING STONES): Keyboards

Sykes's much-hyped collaborative project with drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB) came to an abrupt end in January 2012. Portnoy later blamed the split on the fact that he "couldn't wait around any longer" for Sykes to get ready to enter the studio.

Portnoy and Sykes announced they were working together during a July 2011 taping of season eight of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show". The program's co-host Eddie Trunk tweeted about the project at the time, "I heard demos. Sounds like killer BLUE MURDER meets '1987' WHITESNAKE. Amazing!" He also said that the new group would perform some BLUE MURDER material when it hits the road.

The project in 2011 demoed more than a dozen songs at a Los Angeles studio, with Portnoy describing one track as "copping the [LED] ZEPPELIN/[BLACK] SABBATH vibe" and another as "[PINK] FLOYD meets [DEEP] PURPLE!!! Some serious old-school classic rock."

Sykes announced his departure from THIN LIZZY in July 2009, explaining that "I feel it's time to get back to playing my own music."

Conservation biologist Jukka Salmela of Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife in Finland recently discovered a new insect species in his home country and while remembering Tuomas Holopainen's love for nature, he decided to name it "Sciophila Holopaineni" after the NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter.

Following the release of the band's latest album, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", in 2015, Holopainen became known as someone who was highly interested in evolution and the diversity of nature.

"I am very, very touched. This is the highest honor a nature nerd like me can receive," Holopainen commented after being contacted by Salmela, who asked for permission to name the insect after the musician.

So far, this particular fungus gnat has only been spotted in eastern Lapland, Finland, and lives in shadowy environments.

NIGHTWISH frontwoman Floor Jansen recently shot down rumors that she will leave the band after welcoming her first child in early 2017 during the group's previously announced year-long break. She told Mariskal Rock TV: "No, I won't [quit NIGHTWISH]. I love this way too much; don't worry. You don't even have negative speculations one way or another. Things are great, and let's keep on doing this forever."

Jansen revealed in September that she was four months pregnant. The singer's partner is SABATON drummer Hannes Van Dahl.

NIGHTWISH recently completed a world tour in support of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful".

The band's latest DVD/Blu-ray, "Vehicle Of Spirit", was released in December. It features not only two full concerts, but also plenty of bonus material.

Sciophila Holopaineni photo by Jukka Salmela

KISS bassist Gene Simmons will kick off his first-ever solo tour on March 18 at the Agora in Cleveland, Ohio as part of Wizard World Comic Con.

Backing Simmons at the shows will reportedly be guitarist Phil Shouse (Rodney Atkins, John Corabi, LIPSTICK, THEE ROCK N' ROLL RESIDENCY), drummer Jarred Pope (THEE ROCK N' ROLL RESIDENCY), guitarist/bassist Jeremy Asbrock (THE SHAZAM, John Corabi, THEE ROCK N' ROLL RESIDENCY) and guitarist Ryan (HAIR OF THE DOG, THEE ROCK N' ROLL RESIDENCY).

On March 2, Simmons and his solo band played a corporate event, and video footage of the gig has been uploaded to Facebook. Check it out below.

"This is gonna be a first for me," Simmons told CantonRep.com about playing his own shows. "Outside of KISS, I've never done a solo tour. I never did anything like that. Every once in a while I'll jump up on stage and do a song with somebody. Johnny Depp and I did a few songs together, a few other knuckleheads, but that's about it. When Wizard World and I agreed to do five events together, the idea of jumping up onstage and gulping it on for an hour or so came up. And I got a great bunch of guys, real rocking guys who are gonna get up with me, and we'll play all the hits and have ourselves a good old time."

Simmons will perform "An Evening With Gene Simmons And His Band" and attend five Wizard World Comic Con events as an iconic star attraction in 2017. The club venue concerts are in conjunction with appearances at conventions in Cleveland (March 18-19), St. Louis (April 8-9), Philadelphia (June 2-3), Chicago (August 26-27) and Austin (November 17-18).

Evening concerts are planned on Friday in each of the respective cities, with Simmons on hand each Saturday to greet fans, pose for photo ops, sign autographs and conduct live interactive question-and-answer sessions at each Wizard World Comic Con.

Simmons said in an interview last week that he was still working on his box set that will include "150 songs that have never been released. That news is gonna be released soon."



Posted by Philip Shouse on Thursday, March 2, 2017

LAST IN LINE will enter the studio in September to begin recording its sophomore album for an early 2018 release via Frontiers Music Srl. Helming the disc once again will be Jeff Pilson, the veteran bassist and producer who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others.

LAST IN LINE is the band featuring DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell alongside fellow founding DIO member Vinny Appice, plus singer Andrew Freeman, who has previously fronted HURRICANE and LYNCH MOB. Playing bass for LAST IN LINE is Phil Soussan (OZZY OSBOURNE, BEGGARS & THIEVES, Steve Lukather), who joined the group after original LAST IN LINE bassist Jimmy Bain passed away in January 2016 at the age of 68. He was reportedly suffering from lung cancer at the time of his death.

In a brand new interview with Shut Up & Rock On, Campbell confirmed that LAST IN LINE has been working on material for the follow-up to last year's "Heavy Crown". He said: "I'm on my way today to another writing session with them. We've had several already; I'd say we have about two thirds of the album. It's sounding great.

"I didn't know how it was going to work with Phil Soussan from a creative point of view, but I'm very happy to say that he fits in there. He absolutely gets how we write songs and it's been a really good fit having Phil.

"The songs are sounding great. Andy's got some terrific lyrics and melodies.

"We wanna keep the same team in place. We worked on the 'Heavy Crown' record with Jeff Pilson and Jeff was absolutely fantastic for us, so it's a great fit and we want to keep that. That's the good news. The bad news is that because of Jeff's schedule with FOREIGNER and my schedule with DEF LEPPARD this year, it'll be September before we can actually start recording, which, unfortunately, means it'll probably be early 2018 before the record's released. But it will be coming, at least."

Campbell also praised his LAST IN LINE bandmates, saying: "Vinny Appice is the most inspirational drummer I've ever played with. When Vinny plays behind me, I really have to raise my game.

"It's so great to connect with Vinny again, it was great to connect with Jimmy before he passed away and just to reconnect with my youth and with my original love and my original passion — to play guitar like that. And then out of that grew the chance to write and record some new material with LAST IN LINE and it's just so much fun."

The DEF LEPPARD guitarist once again dismissed persistent Internet speculation that his decision to launch LAST IN LINE was somehow financially motivated. "I read things online and people say, 'This is a cashgrab' and all this. People have no fucking idea," he said.

"I am not doing this for money; there is no fucking money in this. This is completely for the love of it.

"We just did a European tour in November, you know. I bought my own plane ticket to get there and back. I'm my own roadie — I tune strings of my guitar for every show.

"I'm doing this because I want to do this. I do this because this is my passion — to play guitar, because I do it really really fucking well. It just exercises a very different muscle than I exercise in DEF LEPPARD. I mean, LEPPARD is a great great live show but the real challenge for me in DEF LEPPARD is vocals. It is a very very vocally challenging band because we all sing in every song; the challenge in LAST IN LINE is all about guitar. I don't even sing in LAST IN LINE. I don't wanna sing in LAST IN LINE. I never sang with DIO, I was just the guitar player, so that's all I do with LAST IN LINE. I put my head down and I play the shit out of that Les Paul."

METALLICA performed its song "Dream No More" live for the first time ever Sunday night (March 5) during the band's concert at Foro Sol in Mexico City in Mexico City. Multi-camera fan-filmed video footage of the track's live debut can be seen below.

"Dream No More" is taken from METALLICA's new album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", which 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.

Nevertheless, the overall fan reaction to the new disc has inspired the band to release its next record sooner. Frontman James Hetfield told Italy's Linea Rock, "At least for now, we've booked out two years (of touring), at least. So I can't predict the future, but… I would like to make some new music sooner than eight years, for sure. (You get) such a pleasure and a joy of hearing your new music and having other people hear it. So we don't wanna wait that long."

"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.

Each ticket purchased for the tour will come with a copy of METALLICA's new album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", available as a physical CD or a digital download. Various VIP packages are up for sale as well.

METALLICA has also announced the formation of its All Within My Hands Foundation, which will raise funds through ticket sales to support national, local and Bay Area charities selected by the band members, while continuing to donate to music education programs and local food banks.