METALLICA will perform with pop superstar Lady Gaga at the 59th annual Grammy Awards this Sunday night (February 12). The news about the collaboration, which had not been officially announced, broke on Monday night (February 6) after a Gaga fan saw the collaboration promoted on a TV commercial for the Grammys and tweeted about it.

Gaga told Apple Music's Zane Lowe that the idea for the pairing came about when she "was at [actor] Bradley's [Cooper] house with Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer], and we were just, like, hanging out…" She went on to call Ulrich "amazing," before adding: "I've gotta tell you something: I went to see [METALLICA] live. I mean, I've seen them a couple of times live, but I saw them live recently, and we were watching the show and I'll tell you something, those guys play better than they've ever played in their whole lives."

It's not yet known which song METALLICA will play at the event, which will air live Sunday night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

The band had previously promised "something unique and special" for its Grammys performance.

The band is up for the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Song" for the track "Hardwired" from its new album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct".

Meanwhile, METALLICA returned to the stage on Tuesday night (February 7) with a concert in Copenhagen, Denmark that was initially supposed to be the third of a four-night stand at that city's Royal Arena. The first show was cut short on Friday night (February 3) when frontman James Hetfield took ill.

Hetfield was put on complete vocal rest the next day, forcing the band to postpone the second show on Sunday (February 5).

Following the Grammy Awards on Sunday, METALLICA will play an intimate show for around 3,000 or so fans at the Hollywood Palladium.

During a brand new interview with Heavy Metal Mixtape, VENOM INC. bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan was asked for his thoughts on his band being called a "pale imitation" by members of the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Dolan said: "[I have] no thoughts at all. [Cronos] can moan for the rest of his time, if that makes him feel happy. We are just doing our thing, and the rest is of no importance."

As for "not seeing eye to eye" with Cronos with regards to the use of the VENOM name, Dolan said: "Well, we just tell the real story. He chooses a kind of strange series of alternating facts.

"The official biography on his site that he administers himself has changed six times in ten years, so it is hard to keep up, to be honest.

"He does what he does and hopefully he still does it well, but beyond that, we don't care.

"The name [VENOM INC.] was given to us, and the logo we use is the one Abaddon [former VENOM and current VENOM INC. drummer] designed originally with the addition of 'Inc.'

"We don't do as he does and spend time in interviews and onstage to audiences, disrespecting anyone... It's just not who we are."

In addition to Dolan, VENOM INC. features original VENOM guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and drummer and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray.

Mantas told Westword in a 2016 interview that he is well aware of a possible confusion fans may feel about the existence of two similarly named bands performing many of VENOM's classic songs.

"To be perfectly honest, we're letting the fans decide," Mantas said. "There are a few hardcore Cronos fans, but I think every little battle that we have, we're winning. Everybody that we meet after the show say that we are the true VENOM, this is what they've been waiting for. Everybody who I have spoken to who has seen the other version basically said that the heart, the soul and the spirit of VENOM is with us."

He added: "Cronos is doing what he does. The last few interviews I've seen, all he does is attack us in the press and call us names, and he's got his little minions, his guitarist, calling us a pale imitation, and it's like, actually, you're playing my parts and Abaddon's parts. So who's the fucking tribute band around here? But we don't want to get into that. Like I say, we're letting the fans decide. At the moment, the fans are deciding firmly in our favor. That's great. It shows a hell of a lot of loyalty, and I have the utmost respect and thanks."

VENOM INC. recently inked a deal with Nuclear Blast. The band's debut album is tentatively due later in the year.

Mantas told Westword that VENOM INC. will "go right back to basics" on the upcoming disc. He explained: "It's going to be fucking rock and roll, and what VENOM was all about. We're not planning to look at the first few albums and say that we need a song like 'Welcome To Hell' or 'Countess Bathory'. We're just going to do what we did in the early days, and that's strip everything back and just write. I think everybody's going to like it. I think they're gonna get a fucking shock — let's put it that way."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, LED ZEPPELIN's Top 10 "worst" songs have been posted online by CheatSheet.com. Leading the pack is the 1969 "Led Zeppelin" track "I Can't Quit You Baby", which is deemed "passable" — although "the band members are all on-point, particularly (Jimmy) Page, but the repetitive lyrics and slow pace make for a rather boring song on an otherwise riveting record." Coming in at No. 2 is the "Led Zeppelin II" favorite "The Lemon Song", whose lyrics are described as "(ranking) among the most juvenile LED ZEPPELIN ever recorded, which is really saying something."

The Top 3 is rounded out by the John Bonham workout "Moby Dick", which claims, "Bonham was obviously an amazing drummer, but even he can't make an extended drum solo that exciting to listen to. "

In the book "Isle Of Noises: Conversations With Great British Songwriters", Page spoke about LED ZEPPELIN's songwriting approach. He said: "One of the things that you'll see in the LED ZEPPELIN music is that every song is different to the others. Each one has its own character; musically as much as lyrically. For example, 'Ten Years Gone' or 'The Rain Song', which has got a whole orchestral piece before the vocal even comes in. So yes, it was crafted in such a way that the music was really of paramount importance to setting the scene and most probably inspired the singer, in this case Robert [Plant], to get set into the overall emotion, the ambience of the track of what was being presented, and then hopefully inspire him to the lyrics."

He continued: "Often we just had working titles. A good example of this and how it would change and mutate was 'The Song Remains The Same' leading into 'The Rain Song'. The original idea I had for that was an overture — as 'Song Remains The Same' is — leading into an orchestral part for 'The Rain Song'. I had a mellotron and I'd worked out an idea — John Paul Jones did it much better than me — coming into the very first verse. If it'd worked that way, there wouldn't have been any vocal until the first verse, you would have had this whole overture of guitars and then into the orchestral thing that opened up into the first verse. But as it was, when we were rehearsing it, then it actually became a song; the structure changed, there was another bit put in and then Robert started singing. That wasn't a bad idea to have an overture, a whole musical segment that took you into 'The Rain Song', but it worked out really well as it was. [Laughs] Whatever it was, you were constantly thinking all the time about it."

Christian singer and former FLYLEAF frontwoman Lacey Sturm told ROCKwell UnScene in a new interview that she is surprised more musicians haven't had "encounters with God." But, she added, "I've seen there's so much more lately than ever. I got to meet Dave Mustaine [MEGADETH mainman] the other day, and I was so amazed at him. The first thing he talked to me about was God. And he's just so real, and he can say whatever he wants; he doesn't have to impress anybody. And he's just, like, 'Hey, so I heard you love Jesus?' And he's just like looking at me. [And I was like] 'Yeah.'"

Mustaine spoke about "spirituality" during a 2016 interview, telling Honolulu, Hawaii radio host Dave Lawrence: "A lot of people believe that I'm into religion, because I had said that I had become a Christian. So let me just say that religion's for people who are afraid of going to hell, and spirituality's for people like me who've been there. And I say that there's a whole spirit world of stuff that… There's good and bad in everybody and in all things."

Those comments echoed what Mustaine said three years earlier in a chat with the Nashville Scene. He stated at the time: "I don't think that my faith has anything to do with my lyrics. I try and keep religion out of it. Frankly, for me, I don't believe in religion. I have a personal relationship with God and with Christ, and that's it. I don't push that on anybody; it's private. I kind of leave it there. [MEGADETH bassist] Dave's [Ellefson] real open about it."

In a 2012 interview with Great Falls Tribute, Ellefson — who recently became a Lutheran pastor — talked about how he and Mustaine renewed their interest in Christianity. "It's pretty funny, isn't it? When you fight [God], you have struggles and it's an uphill battle. When you surrender to it and you embrace it, that becomes like a jet engine that rockets you forward with not just great success but ease," he said. "All of a sudden, you're not operating from a place of always being so competitive and fear-based. You start to go downstream instead of always paddling upstream."

Ellefson also shot down speculation that MEGADETH would somehow incorporate their Christianity into their songwriting. He said: "That's the misconception that if you're a metal guy, you only sing about the devil and if you're a church guy you only sing about the Lord. What a lame stereotype that is.

"The only reason we talk about [our faith] is because people ask us about it. The MEGADETH tour isn't some crusade. We're not on some mission."

Reactivated California thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL are continuing to write material for their long-awaited comeback album. The band's first CD since 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" will feature the lineup that has performed sporadic live shows since reuniting in 2013: Gene Hoglan (drums), Eric Meyer (guitar), Jim Durkin (guitar), Ron Rinehart (vocals) and Michael Gonzalez (bass).

In a brand new interview with KNAC.COM, Hoglan stated about how the new DARK ANGEL disc is shaping up: "We started writing this new album, Jim Durkin and myself, in 2014. It was kind of an open year for me, there wasn't a lot of TESTAMENT stuff, there was a little bit of DEATH TO ALL going on and it gave me time to do a lot of DARK ANGEL stuff that year. Originally, we just threw it out: 'Let's get back together. We've got offers to get back together and play some shows and, hey, maybe we can write a little music, see how that goes.' And the shows were super amazing, super successful."

He continued: "The band, we've always gotten along. We never broke up due to acrimony; we broke up because it was time to move on. So all the guys getting together, it's been amazing, and we've all grown up. We used to argue like brothers, like teenage boys back in the day, and now we're just polite older chaps.

"The best way for us to write a DARK ANGEL record is when Jim and I are in the same room, we've both got our guitars on, I'm throwing ideas, he's augmenting them, he's throwing out ideas, I'm augmenting them and we work really well together. That has been a little challenging, schedule-wise, but hopefully over the course of this year, we'll get a little time in and I'll give Jim a shout and see what his schedule's like. I know when I have my gaps so far this year, and maybe we can get together."

Hoglan added: "We've already got five or six songs ready to go and they're killer. The stuff Jim's writing is deadly. And I'm trying to carry forth the youthful energy and aggression of 'Darkness Descends' with a little bit of what we were doing with 'Time Does Not Heal' and some cool-ass 'Leave Scars' thrown in. It sounds like DARK ANGEL, but I'm trying to err on the side of hyper-aggression, and that's cool with me. You never go wrong going heavier. So write a shit-ass heavy fucking record, that's gold in my book."

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — 1984's "We Have Arrived" and 1986's "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — 1989's "Leave Scars" and 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992. Rinehart, Hoglan and Meyer reassembled DARK ANGEL more than a decade ago but were forced to abandon their reunion plans after health issues reportedly put Rinehart's singing career on hold.

Multinational metal band DRAGONFORCE will release its new album, "Reaching Into Infinity", on May 19 via earMUSIC on CD, LP and a special-edition CD and DVD. The follow-up to 2014's "Maximum Overload" will mark the band's third full-length studio release with singer Marc Hudson, who joined the group in 2011 following the departure of original frontman ZP Theart (now in SKID ROW). The bulk of the recording sessions for "Reaching Into Infinity" took place at Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK and SYMPHONY X, to name a few. The band also laid down tracks while touring their "Killer Elite" best-of album, utilizing Lamerluser Studios in London, U.K.; Dark Lane Studios in Witney, U.K.; as well as the band's own Evil1 Studios in Charleville-Mézières, France and Shredforce One Studios in California. "We were flying out, playing a festival, then back into the studio, then back out again," explains DRAGONFORCE bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who also handled the majority of songwriting on this album. "It was very intense and very tiring. I obviously played bass but also a lot of rhythm guitar, electric and acoustic, and lost my temper a few times. I think we all did at some point, because we wanted to deliver nothing but the best." For their seventh studio album, DRAGONFORCE have opened up their sound like never before, capturing the fierce, forlorn and fun with both menace and melody. "I think we have proven that playing fast was something we were good at, so this time I wanted to bring even more diversity into our music," Frédéric continues. "It's great to challenge ourselves instead of staying in a comfort zone, and I really wanted to experiment with Marc's vocals. I think people are going to be surprised at his brutality."

"Reaching Into Infinity" is DRAGONFORCE's first album to feature Gee Anzalone, the Italian drummer who has laid down an insanely impressive performance to provide the perfect backbone to the DRAGONFORCE sound, which, of course, still boasts the bands trademark crazy-fast solos, courtesy of guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman.

"The title of the album explains pretty much what we are trying to do with our music," Frédéric concludes. "Today's world is really crazy — there is fear of the future, uncertainty. But the power of music is infinite, and it can give strength and hope to people." The band will give fans their first taste of the new songs in a live setting at a very exclusive one-off show at Camden Town, London's Black Heart venue, on April 12.

Totman says: "This is going to be insane! We always like to kick things off with some intimate shows and this will be the smallest London show we've done since doing three consecutive weeks at The Barfly back in 2005. It's going to be a wild sweaty party!" "Reaching Into Infinity" will be available on the following formats:

Standard Edition 01. Reaching Into Infinity02. Ashes Of The Dawn03. Judgement Day04. Astral Empire05. Curse Of Darkness06. Silence07. Midnight Madness08. WAR!09. Land Of Shattered Dreams10. The eDGE OF THE wORLD11. Our Final Stand Special Edition with multi-angle Bonus DVD: Disc 1 - CD 01. Reaching Into Infinity02. Ashes Of The Dawn03. Judgement Day04. Astral Empire05. Curse Of Darkness06. Silence07. Midnight Madness08. WAR!09. Land Of Shattered Dreams10. The Edge Of The World11. Our Final Stand Bonus Tracks 12. Hatred And Revenge13. Evil Dead Disc 2 - Bonus DVDDRAGONFORCE Live at Woodstock Festival Poland 2016 01. Holding On02. Heroes Of Our Time03. Operation Ground And Pound04. Holding On (Multi-angles)05. Heroes Of Our Time (Multi-angeles)06. Operation Ground And Pound (Multi-Angles)

METALLICA returned to the stage on Tuesday night (February 7) with a concert in Copenhagen, Denmark that was initially supposed to be the third of a four-night stand at that city's Royal Arena. The first show was cut short on Friday night (February 3) when frontman James Hetfield took ill.

Hetfield was put on complete vocal rest the next day, forcing the band to postpone the second show on Sunday (February 5).

Fan-filmed video footage of last night's concert can be seen below.

As previously reported, METALLICA will perform with pop superstar Lady Gaga at the 59th annual Grammy Awards this Sunday night (February 12). The news about the collaboration, which had not been officially announced, broke on Monday night (February 6) after a Gaga fan saw the collaboration promoted on a TV commercial for the Grammys and tweeted about it.

It's not yet known which song METALLICA will play at the event, which will air live Sunday night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

The band had previously promised "something unique and special" for its Grammys performance. The group is up for the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Song" for the track "Hardwired" from its new album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct".

Following the Grammy Awards on Sunday, METALLICA will play an intimate show for around 3,000 or so fans at the Hollywood Palladium.

"Dethrone And Defy", the new video from Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL, can be seen below. The clip was filmed at four different shows on the "Built To Tour" 2017 trek.

"Dethrone And Defy" is taken from HAMMERFALL's tenth studio album, "Built To Last", which was released on November 4 via Napalm Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Bring It!02. Hammer High03. The Sacred Vow04. Dethrone And Defy05. Twilight Princess06. Stormbreaker07. Built To Last08. The Star Of Home09. New Breed10. Second To None

HAMMERFALL kicked off a European headlining tour on January 12 in Bremen, Germany. A North American trek with DELAIN will launch in April.

Drummer David Wallin recently left HAMMERFALL in order to focus on his family life. He has since been replaced by Johan Koleberg, formerly of THERION and LION'S SHARE.

HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak recently told Distorted Sound about the songwriting process for "Built To Last": "It was difficult for me this time, because normally when we write songs for an album, I need six to eight months without anything going on. I need to able to think about writing songs, and I need to be able to have that in my head all the time. This time, pretty much every other month we were doing a tour somewhere, so that disrupted the whole process for me a lot, which made it more difficult in the end, because it was more stressful, and I never got the chance to enjoy writing songs the way I normally do. When one song was finished, I just wanted to move onto the next one rather than finishing one song and being able to savor the moment for a while — I never had any time to do that, so it was a little bit difficult, but I trusted my gut instinct that the songs that I had done were good enough, that I would like them in the end and it turned out to be really, really good. I'm very happy with everything, despite the pain that I went through to create it. I believe the saying is all art comes through pain."

Regarding the musical influences for "Built To Last", Oscar said: "It's the same things as always for me. When I'm in songwriting mode and I know that over the next couple of months I'll be writing songs, I usually try to listen to a lot of the music that I had been inspired by over the years. For example, JUDAS PRIEST are always one of my main inspirations, and I have this thing that I do where I go back and listen to their albums chronologically; I don’t mean that I put it on at one o'clock and then listen to all of them in a row, but when I listen to JUDAS PRIEST, I always listen to the next album in succession. I started with 'Rocka Rolla' and then went on to 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' and, of course, onward from there. By doing that, I see the development of the band in a different way, because the first album I'd heard by them was 'Screaming For Vengeance', and then I listened to every new album as it came out, so for me going through the albums chronologically it gives me a sense of nostalgia, but also for me it's a great way to see how JUDAS PRIEST has developed. I've done this with a number of different bands, KISS, MANOWAR, ACCEPT and KING DIAMOND as well. This is just a tool for me to find inspiration, basically."

SLIPKNOT guitarist Mick Thomson recently underwent spinal surgery at Beverly Hills Spine Surgery in Los Angeles, California. Overseeing the procedure was Brian Perri, DO, an orthopedic spine surgeon who is an attending surgeon Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Thomson revealed the surgery via a post on his Instagram account. He shared a flexion and extension X-ray of his spine and wrote in an accompanying note: "I recently joined the cyborg club. Sore as fuck but hope to be back to mid-2000s banging by our next record cycle. Should probably just have every disc replaced all the way down to be safe. Dr. Perri and the entire staff were awesome."

Thomson is not the only SLIPKNOT member to have problems with his spinal cord. Fellow guitarist Jim Root underwent disk replacement surgery last October, just two days after the band's headlining performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

Root was the second SLIPKNOT member to go under the knife in 2016 after singer Corey Taylor, who had emergency spinal surgery in June when it was discovered that he had been walking around for years with a broken neck.

Root revealed what happened in a December 2016 interview on "The Jasta Show" podcast, explaining: "I had this really sharp pain in my shoulder blade for, like, two and a half, three months. It just would not go away, and it was starting to freak me out; like, this is bad. And that evolved into my left arm kind of going numb a lot. And it just got to the point where I couldn’t ignore it anymore and I went and got an MRI."

Root continued: "I think it's exactly the same thing that Corey went through just previous, so I went to the same doctor that he went to."

After undergoing an MRI, Root was told by the doctor that he needed surgery as soon as possible, explaining that the guitarist had blown out several disks in his neck and needed to replace three of them or face permanent nerve damage.

With its intensely physical live show, everyone in SLIPKNOT has always been prone to injuries, as percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan explained to The Pulse Of Radio a while back. "Broken bones, broken fingers, broken arms, clavicles, ACLs, pelvic bones, tailbones, ribs, vertebraes...injuries go on, but every band's got that," he said. "I don't like to really glorify it, as much as I like to just say, 'This is real.'"

Root said he was about "90 percent" recovered as of two months ago, although he still had some residual pain in his nerves and was not sure if he would be able to bang his head while playing live again.

Taylor admitted last year that his injury had a huge impact on his daily life. "It was affecting so much stuff with me, and all because of a compacted disk that had basically pinched off all the spinal fluid," he said. "So it was pretty crazy."

The 2017 installment of the annual 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise set sail February 2nd - 6th on board Royal Caribbean’s luxurious Independence Of The Seas, leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Labadee, situated on the northern coast of Haiti. Fan-filmed live video of several bands on the cruise can be viewed below.

Death Angel

Pain

Carcass

Moonsorrow

Striker

Unleashed

Orphaned Land

Bands performing during the cruise included: Amaranthe, Amorphis, Angra, Annihilator, Anthrax, Arch Enemy, Avatarium, Axxis, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation, Cruachan, Cryptex, Cryptopsy, Dalriada, Death Angel, Demolition Hammer, DevilDriver, Draconian, Dying Fetus, Edenbridge, Einherjer, Equilibrium, Ghost Ship Octavius, Grave Digger, Haggard, Kalmah, Kamelot, Manegarm, Marduk, Misery Loves Co., Moonsorrow, Mors Principium Est, Nightmare, Omnium Gatherum, Orden Ogan, Orphaned Land, Pain, PowerGlove, Psycroptic, Revocation, Saltatio Mortis, Scar Symmetry, Serenity, Stam1na, Striker, Stuck Mojo, Suffocation, Testament, Therion, Total Death, Touch The Sun, Trauma, Trollfest, Uli Jon Roth, Unleashed, Vreid, and Xandria.

Watch for more footage in the coming days, along with an overview from BraveWords.com's own Metal Tim Henderson. Check out the BraveWords photo gallery courtesy of Mark Gromen here.

Tor-Helge (Manes, Manii) and Anna Murphy (Cellar Darling, ex-Eluveitie), Lethe's minds, souls and bodies, present with "Down Into The Sun" a new fragment off brand new album The First Corpse On The Moon ready to be released on February 24th via My Kingdom Music and they do it with a video edited by MKM Graphix:

The new ten-track album is an astonishing and unique experience into the most Avant-garde metal / trip-hop / electro / pop / experimental art and this new song shows how ambitious, eclectic and declarant is Lethe's musical universe.

Close your eyes, open your mind, and let the music take you on a musical journey through different moods.

Vocalist Joacim "Jake E" Lundberg has broken his silence regarding his departure from AMARANTHE, the successful Swedish melodic metal band he co-founded.

AMARANTHE has kept an active touring schedule in between recording and releasing four studio albums. Following AMARANTHE's tour of Japan with HELLOWEEN last September, Jake E, one of the band's three vocalists, announced he would "take a break" from the band to focus on other projects, with SMASH INTO PIECES vocalist Chris Adams stepping in for him at AMARANTHE's recent shows.

"I've had some fantastic seven years with AMARANTHE," Jake told Roppongi Rocks. "We have achieved success far beyond what I expected when we formed the band.

"I am very proud of what we have achieved with AMARANTHE: creatively and commercially, in the studio and on stage in front of our great fans. Now I am stepping off the AMARANTHE tour bus and will go on to do new things. I am involved with plenty of great things, both in the music space and in other creative areas."

Jake E, who will perform in March with his old band DREAMLAND, has spent time hosting a radio show, working on film projects and producing the debut album by Finnish band EMBER FALLS.

AMARANTHE's latest album, "Maximalism", was released in October via Spinefarm Records. The CD was once again produced by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA, DELAIN) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (RAMMSTEIN, APOCALYPTICA, DRAGONFORCE).

"The Separation Of Flesh From Bone", a brand new song from death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's twelfth studio album, "Torment", which will be released on February 24 via Metal Blade.

There's plenty of classic SIX FEET UNDER groove to be had on "Torment", but fans will note a much more aggressive approach, and even more modern blast beats throughout. This is a cantankerous SIX FEET UNDER with absolutely nothing to prove. This is SIX FEET UNDER at its most deadly.

"Torment" was brought to life by Chris Barnes with bassist/guitarist Jeff Hughell (BRAIN DRILL) shouldering the load of writing the music, along with heralded drummer Marco Pitruzzella (BRAIN DRILL, ANOMALOUS, SLEEP TERROR). The combination of Barnes's multi-decade death metal experience and the speed and precision of Hughell and Pitruzzella's relative youth go a long way to cementing this as a solid foundation for high-level death metal. This is immediately apparent in the first track "Sacrificial Kill" and expanded further right away in the second track "Exploratory Homicide". Both Hughell and Pitruzzella are allowed to play their style of metal with a unique SIX FEET UNDER flair. That's what makes "Torment" a unique and welcome addition to the band's stories catalog.

Barnes states about "Torment": "I've been lucky to have a lot of standout albums in my career. That's only because I've had a great many talented writing partners and musicians to collaborate with. Our new album, 'Torment', to me, is one of those albums. Jeff Hughell has provided the flammable material for me to write some explosive lyrics and vocal parts to.

"I know people always say, 'This is my best album ever,' and I won't say that, because everyone has their own favorites, but I do enjoy creating new music, and I feel as though with this one we expressed concisely and to the fullest the duality of our music. I have also found it important over the years, going back to the start of my career, that the artwork for our albums gets to express, on some level, what the experience is within. To do that this time around, we were able to incorporate an amazing new artist, Septian Devenum, to take on the task of visually bringing this album to life.

"Every song on the album is depicted with a piece of artwork that explores the lyrical content of each song, similar to what we did for the packaging for our album 'Bringer Of Blood'.

"'Torment' has been a great album to work on and help create, we hope all of our fans appreciate it."

"Torment" track listing:

01. Sacrificial Kill02. Exploratory Homicide03. The Separation Of Flesh From Bone04. Schizomaniac05. Skeleton06. Knife Through The Skull07. Slaughtered As They Slept08. In The Process Of Decomposing09. Funeral Mask10. Obsidian11. Bloody Underwear12. Roots Of Evil

SIX FEET UNDER's new album was mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris and was previously described by Barnes as "the most brutally intense, groove-laden masterpiece we've ever put together!"

SIX FEET UNDER in December completed the "X-Mas in Hell Tour 2016" in Germany where the band celebrated the 21st anniversary of its debut album, "Haunted", by performing the LP in its entirety.

Finnish doom/post metal band Oceanwake has released a brand new video for “A Storm Sermon (2nd Movement)”. The song is an excerpt that is the middle part of the 21-minute opening track “A Storm Sermon”, from the forthcoming album Earthen that will be released on March 10th via ViciSolum Productions.

Oceanwake about the video:

"All of us were familiar with the phenomenal music videos Vesa and Harri had shot for other bands. There was no competition, they were our numberone choice in the first place. The promotional clip for A Storm Sermon (2nd Movement) was shot at various arctic locations in three countries. We are definitely more than pleased with their dedication to the project and, of course, with the astounding end product." - Eero Haula

Oceanwake about the album:"On Earthen, we really tried to push the envelope and followed our instincts without limitations. Certain parts of the album might seem a bit out of place at first, but I can guarantee that every second of music serves a purpose. I feel that even the most unexpected moments still resonate with everything we've done before. This must be the greatest strength of Oceanwake." - Jarkko Mäkelä

(Photo by: Matias Nummelin)

Sweden’s In Flames released their new album Battles in November 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The band is streaming new track “Here Until Forever”:

 

Battles has been nominated for the Swedish Grammis as “Hard Rock/Metal Album Of The Year”, marking the group’s eigth nomination to date. The awards will take place in Stockholm on February 28th. Other bands nominated in this category include Dark Tranquillity and Ghost.

The band states: "We are very honored to have received our 8th Swedish Grammis nomination for our newest album, Battles. We can’t thank our fans enough, who, throughout their years of support and dedication to our music have kept In Flames alive and inspired. Jesterheads, this one's for you!"

In March, the band will kick off their European tour named In Our Room - An Evening With In Flames. They will perform in spectacular, intimate locations such as churches and theaters. Most of the shows are already sold out, so make sure to grab some of the last tickets available now at InFlames.com.

Dates:

March
18 - Oslo, Norway - Kulturkirken (Sold Out)
19 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik (Sold Out)
20 - Stockholm, Sweden - Berns (Sold Out)
22 - Berlin, Germany - Admiralspalast
23 - Bochum, Germany - Christuskirche (Sold Out)
24 - Offenbach, Germany - Capitol (Sold Out)
26 - Munich, Germany - Freiheiz (Sold Out)
27 - Milan, Italy - Teatro Dal Verme
28 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
29 - Paris, France - Alhambra
31 - Zurich, Switzerland - Theatre 11

British underground metal band Weak13 have released a new music video for their song “Obey The Slave” from their 2016 album They Live. The music video was filmed in a real English magistrate’s court and revolves around a theme of law and order. The song raises questions about authority and activism with thought provoking lyrics and proudly shouts “Don't start a revolution. Have a revelation and share. Wake up”.

The band is currently preparing to record their second as yet untitled studio album with producer John Stewart at FrEQ in Coventry, England. Speaking to the website, frontman and guitarist Nick J Townsend revealed, “We were so impressed with the engineering by Stewart on the They Live album; it's important news that we'll be able to work with him again and we know already that he'll do the new material the justice it deserves.”

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 "Don't Let Up" title track 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.

The new album, "Don't Let Up" was self-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)

Australia’s Boris The Blade have released a video for the new track “Nihilist” available for viewing below. The track is featured on the band’s second album, Warpath, out now via Siege Music.

Warpath tracklisting:

“Warpath”
“Backstabber”
“Misery” (feat CJ McMahon)
“Nihilist”
“Omens” (feat Scott Lewis)
“Paralysed”
“Thorns”
“Devastator”
“Elixir” (feat Tim Goergen)
“Solace”

“Nihilist” video:

“Misery”:

“Warpath” video:

The name Byzantine is synonymous with a band thriving in the underground for its whole existence. Heralded as the most underrated band from the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal movement, Byzantine has slowly gained a cult-like following after releasing five genre-bending albums. Now, Metal Blade Records has given Byzantine the chance to show their talent on a bigger stage and the band has responded with The Cicada Tree - the culmination of many years of musical craftsmanship and resounding songwriting. 16 years underground, it's finally time for the world to hear Byzantine on June 2nd.

In conjunction with PledgeMusic, The Cicada Tree is now available to pre-order in various formats and bundles, with every "pledge"/purchase receiving a digital download of the tracks, plus exclusive content. To reserve your copy of the album (with two cover songs by Fishbone and The Cars), signed material from the band, apparel, and more, visit this location.

Chris "OJ" Ojeda (vocals, rhythm guitar) comments: "The last two Byzantine albums were released DIY and both were coupled with successful crowd-funding campaigns. Now that we have finally landed a home with Metal Blade, we feel that it is vital that we continue our close relationship with our fan-base by offering up pre-orders for The Cicada Tree through PledgeMusic. Our experience with PledgeMusic has been nothing short of fantastic. We hope you enjoy The Cicada Tree as much as we enjoyed making it for you!"

With a lineup comprising Shatraug (Horna, Sargeist, Behexen, Nightbringer), Anti-Christian (Tsjuder, Beaten To Death) and founder and frontman Doedsadmiral (Nordjevel, Svartelder, Enepsigos), it was inevitable that there would be interest in Doedsvangr's debut full-length album, Satan Ov Suns, and today the band have revealed details.

Satan Ov Suns was recorded at Velvet Recording in Spydeberg with Christer Krohg, whilst drums were recorded at the Klang Studios in Oslo with Bjarne Stensli. Artwork is by Khaos Diktator Design.

Tracklisting:

“Our Lord Cometh!”
“Rituals”
“Doedsvangr”
“Black Dawn”
“Northern Watchtowers”
“Diaboli”
“Gnashing Of Teeth”
“Breath Of Lucifer”
“Throne Of Black Illumination”
“Blood Whores”
“Black Sun Nimbus”

“Rituals” and “Black Dawn” can be heard below:

Satan ov Suns by Doedsvangr

Satan Ov Suns will hit the streets on March 27th via Immortal Frost Productions, and will be available in CD, double vinyl and digital formats.

Despite the evil feel that pervades the whole album, Doedsvangr's vastly experienced Norwegian and Finnish members have not fallen into the trap of producing a formulaic black metal album, but have been able to create eleven tracks that offer extreme variations, and, it has to be said, "a lot of groove".

Commenting on the formation of Doedsvangr the band's prolific frontman "Doedsadmiral" recently had this to say: "All my other bands each have a different sound and musical ethos one from the other, and Doedsvangr is one that comes from a much darker direction. Doedsvangr, like the other projects in which I'm involved, does not come from me alone, but is the result of two great musicians coming onboard so that together we can create music the way we all want it to sound, and perform it in a way that we all want to hear it. Will Doedsvangr perform live one day? That remains to be seen, let's just see where the album takes us first".

Satan Ov Suns is now available to pre-order in CD and vinyl formats here, and in digital format here.

During the 1980s, the music scene was exploding with an abundance of great rock bands - including multi-platinum sellers such as Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot and Ratt - but there was always room for talented new contenders. For King Kobra this was an invitation from heaven, launching onto a landscape that was primed for killer hard rock, enormous sales, and unlimited airplay.

It comes as no surprise then, that respected re-issue label Rock Candy Records has turned a spotlight on their first two classic albums, Ready To Strike and Thrill Of A Lifetime. Both titles are set to be reissued on February 10th having been fully remastered with enhanced 16-page booklets featuring rare photos, new interviews, and a 4,000 word essay penned by Malcolm Dome.

Formed in California in 1984, by seasoned drummer Carmine Appice (Cactus, Beck Bogart & Appice, Ozzy Osbourne) and featuring vocalist Mark Free (Unruly Child), guitarists John Michael Philips & Mick Sweda (Bulletboys) and bassist Johnny Rod (W.A.S.P.), the band won instant attention for their unique look - four blondes and one brunette. Produced by Spencer Proffer (Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P., Cheap Trick) and signed to Capitol Records, the band’s debut album, originally issued in 1985, won them the attention of fans and critics alike by delivering one of the year’s best records. Tracks such as “Hunger”, “Tough Guys”, “Piece Of The Rock” and the title track itself are pivotal examples of some of the best mid 80’s hard rock.

Thrill Of A Lifetime, their sophomore album, originally issued in 1986, saw the band shift gear, modernising their sound and focussing on more accessible songs, perhaps modelled on the chart success of artists like Bon Jovi and Cinderella. The material was spearheaded by the hugely infectious “Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)”, a track that was included on the hit movie Iron Eagle. Elsewhere there’s “Feel The Heat”, “Raise Your Hands To Rock” and “Dream On” for further proof of their hard rocking credentials.

Each album can be ordered via the Amazon widgets below.

Ready To Strike tracklisting:

“Ready To Strike”
“Hunger”
“Shadow Rider”
“Shake Up”
“Attention”
“Breakin’ Out”
“Tough Guys”
“Dancing With Desire”
“Second Thoughts”
“Piece Of The Rock”

Thrill Of A Lifetime tracklisting:

“Second Time Around”
“Dream On”
“Feel The Heat”
“Thrill Of A Lifetime”
“Only The Strong Will Survive”
“Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)”
“Home Street Home”
“Overnight Sensation”
“Raise Your Hands To Rock”
“Party Animal”

Bonus Track:
“Home Sweet Home” (Street Mix)

 

 

 

 

MONSTER MAGNET is "almost done" recording its new album for a tentative summer 2017 release. Speaking to the "Talking Metal" podcast, frontman Dave Wyndorf stated about MONSTER MAGNET's planned follow-up to 2013's "Last Patrol" (hear audio below): "The way I write is different than a lot of people. I write the music in my kitchen [in Red Bank, New Jersey] and lay it all out, arrange everything, and [I] don't really write the lyrics 'till I've recorded everything. So I just sat here in the kitchen, wrote the songs and brought it to the band and worked it out with those guys. And then went into the studio, like a good rock man should, I did drums, bass, guitars and [we're] almost done. All we're waiting for now is for that idiot singer to complete the lyrics and sing them, and maybe put a couple of leads on, and then it'll be ready to go. So, at this point, I'll be mixing in March."

Regarding the recording process for MONSTER MAGNET's new album, Wyndorf said: "In Long Branch is where I did the drums and bass — at a place called Shorefire, which is a really, really great place. Total old-school studio; you'd think you were in 1972 in there — wood, big room, big glass…. like really, really hot. And then once all that's done, I take it out and go to a smaller place — Studio 13 in Red Bank, which is Phil Caivano's studio, the guitar player in MONSTER MAGNET and my co-producer. And then we start doing leads and vocals and all that kind of stuff."

Wyndorf also talked about the overall musical direction of the new MONSTER MAGNET material, saying: "It's full-on rock — shorter songs. Yeah, it's 'fight' music. Still 'psych' in a kind of garage-rock kind of way and sound, and you'll hear echoes and stuff like that, but it's less longform."

He continued: "The last bunch of records, I went on a psychedelic tinge, as is my right to do. But after I do a couple of records that are completely psychedelic, it just overtakes me to just rock — just go out there and pummel it. So it's fast tempo and a lot of Detroit-style… That's the best way I can describe it, 'cause Detroit had this spirit to it, and even a sound — kind of droney strings, but still rocking. It's what I needed to do in order to live continually in 21st Century, which is completely out of its mind. So I needed something… I take the psychedelic stuff and get all cerebral and kind of ruminate on what's going on in the world in my head and in my music. And then, when I get so disgusted with the way the world is, then I strike back with my music, or me, in this way. So it makes sense."

MONSTER MAGNET's next disc will be the final release under the band's current contract with Napalm Records. "And then I'll see if they wanna continue or somebody else will wanna continue," Wyndorf told Sofia Live last year.

MONSTER MAGNET's last release was "Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)", which came out in October 2015. The album was dubbed an "alternative listening experience" to the band's 2010 effort "Mastermind". The approach was similar to what MONSTER MAGNET did in 2014 when they took "Last Patrol", pulled the songs apart and rebuilt them as "Milking The Stars: A Re-Imagining Of Last Patrol".


Listen to "TM 651 Dave Wyndorf" on Spreaker.

Belgian black metal trio Wiegedood, featuring members of Amenra, Hessian, Oathbreaker and Rise And Fall, are sharing a full stream of their second full-length, De Doden Hebben Het Goed II, prior to the official release this Friday, February 10th.

Set for release on February 10th via Consouling Records, the new album follows-up Wiegedood’s debut album, De Doden Hebben Het Goed, and sees the Belgian trio sounding more concise, cohesive and ferocious than ever before. Physical pre-orders are now available via Consouling Sounds webstore at this location.

Album stream:

“Ontzieling” video:

(Photo - Stefaan Temmerman)

Power Trip gives us one last glimpse into Nightmare Logic before it's out this month on Southern Lord. The ripping title track does not disappoint - proving Power Trip grander than ever. With hooks and tightness rivaling greats like Pantera or Pentagram, "Nightmare Logic" punishes fans not only sonically but with pure songwriting skill.

Power Trip executes music with raw energy. They've trimmed the fat on every reference they pull from - whether that's hardcore, metal, or punk - to make music that leaves marks in 2017. Hailing from Dallas, the band has toured the world relentlessly for years. Their musical proficiency, perfect song structure, rich tones, fierce riffs, delivery, and collective attitude has seeded them as one of today's most prolific acts in any astute or heavy genre.

Riley Gale's lyrics reflect that aggression by honing in on the devaluation of human life by those who've gained power through money and politics. By creating a broad dissection of human suffering above reproach from personal agendas, the lyrics attempt to unify and inspire listeners. Coming from the hardcore world, where every band vaguely fights "the man", wants to live free and break down the walls, Power Trip noticeably stands out. Instead of skirting around the thought of fighting back, Nightmare Logic focuses in on real oppression felt by many all over the world, whether that's fighting addiction and the pharmaceutical industry ("Waiting Around To Die") or right-wing religious conservatives ("Crucifixation"). Taking cues from Discharge and Crass in Margaret Thatcher's UK, Nightmare Logic delivers poignant social information directly into those homes engulfed in the sour turn of global politics towards right-wing agendas.

Through the years, Power Trip has boldly surprised their broad fanbase by performing alongside less obvious artists - closing the gap that in 2017's social climate desperately needs to be filled. One month you can catch them playing with Title Fight, Merchandise, or Big Freedia, the next you can catch them on a long tour with Napalm Death or Anthrax. They're a powerful storm of aggression, gaining more and more momentum with true, honest spirit. Their next massive tour kicks off this month. Dates include an East Coast run with Iron Reagan and a West Coast run with Destruction Unit.

Nightmare Logic is out February 24th on Southern Lord. Preorders for the album are now available at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Soul Sacrifice”
“Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)”
“Firing Squad”
“Nightmare Logic”
“Waiting Around To Die”
“Ruination”
“If Not Us Then Who”
“Crucifixation” 

"Nightmare Logic":

“Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)”:

“Firing Squad”:

Power Trip hits the road again next month in support of the album. In addition to an East Coast run with Iron Reagan and others, the band has extended the tour up and down the West Coast with Destruction Unit and many more.

(Photo by: Renate Winter)

Summon Horrendous Destruction, the debut demo/EP from Portland, OR-based old school death metal butchers, Petrification, will be released on March 3rd.

Petrification formed out of their love of old school Swedish, British and particularly Finnish death metal, wanting to create music that while an homage to its roots, allowed its members to find their own unique voice in extreme metal. Drawn to the evil and doom-laden soundscapes of the Finnish masters (Funebre, Abohorrence, Convulse, etc.), Petrification set out to meticulously craft their own vision in the writing of the demo Summon Horrendous Destruction, lyrically and sonically conjuring apparitions of giant, man-eating arachnids and other horrors that lurk on the edge of the void awaiting their victims. Petrification’s old school death metal trudge batters the flesh and smashes bone with the cruelty of an orc unleashed from hell, and  Summon Horrendous Destruction is a glorious onslaught of mummified and gross as fuck old school death metal that will delight fans of Autopsy, Nihilist, Grave, Cruciamentum, Disma, etc.

The Summon Horrendous Destruction demo tape is slated to drop as a limited run of pro-dubbed cassettes and as a digital product (a vinyl 7" will be follow soon), and you can now listen to the title track of the demo below via the gore-laced madness that is the accompanying music video for the track.

Tapes and digital products can be now pre-ordered here.

Summon Horrendous Destruction EP tracklisting:

“Summon Horrendous Destruction”
“Stagnation Of Transmigration”
“The Headless One”
“Desecrators Of Conscious Entropy”

“Summon Horrendous Destruction” video:

(Photo - Kathryn Caligari)

London's premium old school extreme metal force Craven Idol will release their second album of ruthless first wave blackened thrash in the vein of early Bathory, Gospel Of The Horns, Manilla Road and Inquisition.  

After four years of toil, the U.K. four-piece present: The Shackles Of Mammon, an uncompromising and unique blend of tag-less extreme metal from the early days of horrible hellnoise. 

Recorded at Birmingham's Priority Studios and engineered by Esoteric's Greg Chandler (and mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound), The Shackles Of Mammon boasts an old school production as well as Craven Idol's most fierce and varied songs to date.

The album boasts artwork by the extraordinarily twisted Daniel Corcuera. The artist's powerful take on Sascha Schneider's 1896 wood carving 'Mammon und sein Sklave' is a striking work of art.  

Lyrically the album deals with the vices of man, the plagues they unleashed upon themselves, and the rationalisation of its own actions - be it in tragedy or ruin - through the creation of deities and cults. Mammon the - Demon of Avarice - reigns above all, whilst the black arts and countless religions seek to justify human failure. 

The Shackles of Mammon will be released April 14th on LP, CD, and MC via Dark Descent Records.

Oakland, California hard rock hooligans, Lecherous Gaze, will release their new album, One Fifteen, this Friday, February 10th. The album’s title track is now available for streaming below.

Produced by Greg Wilkinson (Eerie, High On Fire) at Earhammer Studios and mastered by Carl Saff (Earthless), One Fifteen is The Gaze's third full-length LP and showcases the hyper-talented musicians at the peak of their power. One Fifteen is the follow-up to the band's 2014 album Zeta Reticuli Blues.

Lecherous Gaze features current and former members of such kick ass bands as Annihilation Time, Witch, Saviours and more. The band play, in their own words, "Psycho-delic shred-tastic ultra-hyphened rock-punk heavy jams." ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons more concisely calls the band's sound "heavy". On One Fifteen, searing guitarist Graham Clise deals absolutely ferocious licks while vocalist Zaryan Zaidi and the band spit old school, no bullshit, in-your-face, maximum impact rock straight into your kisser. Mean and greasy riff forward proto-punk is the name of the game! Out of this world cover art from American fantasy and science fiction artist Frank Frazetta adds to One Fifteen's overall awesomeness. If you thought real deal hard rock had no future, Lecherous Gaze has returned to slap some sense into you.

"One Fifteen is the definitive Lecherous Gaze album," comments Clise. "This record is a timeless masterpiece of epic proportions or some shit."

Pre-order One Fifteen at Tee Pee Records.

Tracklisting:

“One Fifteen”
“Reptile Minds”
“Cosmos Redshift 7”
“Thing Within”
“The Day The Earth Caught Fire”
“Dark Nebula”
“Malevolent Shroud”
“Blind Swordsman”
“X City”

“One Fifteen”:

"Thing Within":

(Photo - O.)