Only four months after announcing that they were calling it quits, Swedish rockers GRAVEYARD have reformed. The band's new lineup will not include drummer Axel Sjöberg, who is apparently focusing on his new outfit called BIG KIZZ.

GRAVEYARD — which most recently consisted of Sjöberg slongside guitarist and vocalist Joakim Nilsson, guitarist Jonatan Larocca-Ramm, and bassist Truls Mörck — released four full-length albums, the latest one being 2015's "Innocence & Decadence".

In a new statement on Facebook announcing GRAVEYARD's return, the band wrote: "Living isn't always easy and playing in a band doesn't tend to make the noble art of living well any easier.

"Things weren't working and in the end a change in the lineup was the only option for our return.

"GRAVEYARD's journey will continue with a yet to be named new future drummer and the reasons behind this change of scenery are something that we don't want, wish or will comment on. We're gonna leave it be with Axel's own words: 'Word on the street is that there is a job opening in the drummer's section.'

"We wish Axel all the best and you can follow his next move with his already set to fly new outfit BIG KIZZ. We'd also like to apologize to each and every one of you out there for putting you through these uncertain GRAVEYARD times.

"With that said, we're beyond glad to announce that as of today the GRAVEYARD is officially re-opened for business. Albums will be recorded, shows will be played and all of this hopefully for a long, long time to come."

GRAVEYARD's breakup in September 2016 was attributed to "the all-so-classic reason 'differences within the band.'" The group explained at the time: "This is the unfortunate final decision we've had to make after going through a period of struggling and juggling with personal issues. Things have gone out of hand and now our energy is very low."




A.N.D.R

Posted by Graveyard on Thursday, January 26, 2017

SLAYER has issued a statement in response to the controversy that arose when a photoshopped picture of Donald Trump and the members of the band appeared on their Instagram account. SLAYER frontman Tom Araya posted the image and later criticized fans who objected to the photo, saying that he "thought it was funny" and that anyone who disagrees should keep quiet. "I never would have guessed that there where so many snowflakes commenting their distaste for the new president," he wrote. "Like him or not he is the president."

"As was verified by Tom, this was his post, is not something the band would have posted if asked, and does not belong on a SLAYER social page," the band's representative told Rolling Stone in a statement. "We all have our personal opinions, some of which we have voiced in the past, but SLAYER has never endorsed any political party or any candidate, and the band intends to keep it that way."

The same image first appeared on the official SLAYER Instagram account on inauguration day, but was mysteriously removed before being reposted on Tuesday.

"Believe it or not, this picture was posted by me Tom Araya on 1/20 'cause I thought it was funny," the SLAYER frontman wrote yesterday. "I was amazed at the comments about the picture some positive some negative more amazing was in two hours there was 10,000 likes ... But I never would have guessed that there [were] so many snowflakes commenting their distaste for the new president. Like him or not he is the president ... Woke up the next morning and found someone had deleted the post ... Can someone please explain why...?"

Araya later appeared to make a homophobic joke while replying to fans in the post's comments section. "Mike Pence turning fruits into vegetables," he wrote with laughing emojis. He added: "Thanks ... to everybody that has commented thanks for insight... this is how fake news gets started, not once did I say that I supported Trump... and assuming I speak for the band you are mistaking [sic] .. the picture did exactly what I thought it would do... piss some of you off."

SLAYER's Kerry King last year told Rolling Stone that Hillary Clinton was "the safe, correct choice" for president of the United States. He explained at the time: "Trump is just a sideshow. I'm not even going to apologize to all the Trump followers. I think the reason he's so popular is because he's like the politics version of WWE. He's sensational like wrestling and that's why middle America loves him. He's the biggest liar I've ever seen in politics. I mean, most of them are liars, but he just outright in-your-face lies."

King's words were echoed by his SLAYER bandmate Gary Holt who described Donald Trump as a "serial liar" who refused to disavow former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke. He said: "People might think some of the things he says, but you can't have a president calling Rosie O'Donnell a 'fat bitch.' [Laughs] It's, like, dude, do you even hear yourself? He won't even condemn David Duke's support. He pretended he doesn't know who he is. I'm a fucking headbanger who's done more drugs before getting sober than most people have ever seen on TV, and I've been drinking since I was 17, although in recent years much less, and I know who the fuck he is. Donald Trump is running for president and he [doesn't] know who the former grandmaster of the KKK is. That was your moment, Donald Trump, to say… you know, to condemn the man, basically, but you pretended you were just ignorant of who he was, 'cause you don't wanna fuck with that vote. There are some fucking hillbillies out there who you want voting for you."

Holt went on to say that he is "in many ways a Republican" but that he hasn't been able to find "a candidate up there who wasn't walked around on a leash by the Christian evangelicals, because they're the death of the conservative movement anyway. And if they just stay out of women's wombs and just actually concentrate on running a country and not being beholden to those people, I would vote Republican in a second."

SLAYER will hit the road in South America and Europe this spring before returning for more dates in the U.S. this summer.

Europe have announced new tour dates for 2017, with more to be added in the coming months.

Says the band: “We've just finished work on our new Final Countdown 30th Anniversary Live DVD, coming out soon. We think it's looking and sounding awesome! We're also in the middle of writing our next album that's coming out in the autumn. As usual we seem to surprise ourselves by jamming on some really "out there" stuff. This could get really interesting! Let's have a great year!”

Confirmed tour dates:

May
16 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arena Armeec
18 - Brno, Czech Republic - DRFG Arena

June
16 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Festival
23 - Brumenddal, Norway - Tømmerstockfestivalen
24 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell Festival

July
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Rock Fest
7 - Kvinesdal, Norway - Norway Rock
8 - Imatra, Finland - Pit Stop Party
21 - Carcassone, France - Festival de Carcassone

August
3 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
5 - Finnsnes, Norway - Finnsnes Festival

November
17 - Birmingham, England - Barclaycard Arena
18 - Manchester, England - Arena
20 - Cardiff, Wales - Motorpoint Arena
22 - Glasgow, Scotland - SSE Hydro
23 - London, England - The O2

(Photo - Larry Marano)

BMG has announced it has signed a worldwide recording agreement with chart-topping, multi-platinum rock band NICKELBACK. Currently in the studio, the band is working on material for a new full-length album, to be released via BMG, and is planning a major announcement slated for February 1. BMG is distributed worldwide by ADA, a division of the Warner Music Group.

Since forming in Alberta, Canada in 1995, globally celebrated, Grammy-nominated rock band NICKELBACK has cemented itself as one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades. NICKELBACK's success includes worldwide sales of more than 50 million units, solidifying their status as the "eleventh best-selling music act" and second best-selling foreign act in the U.S. of the 21st century — behind only THE BEATLES.

BMG U.S. president, repertoire and marketing, Zach Katz, said: "We are thrilled to welcome the legendary NICKELBACK to BMG. For us, the opportunity to work side by side with a band of their caliber, with an exceptional body of work reaching the highest levels of global success, truly speaks for itself. We are excited to let the world experience their extraordinary new music soon."

NICKELBACK adds: "We are honored to partner with the global BMG team and look forward to releasing new music for our fans. Sharing our vision and passion with such a dedicated team while being surrounded by some of the greatest music artists of all time is very humbling and we couldn't be more excited."

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

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

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

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

Supergroup CHICKENFOOT will release "Divine Termination", its first new tune in five years on "Best + Live", the band's first-ever best-of collection, on March 10. CHICKENFOOT features legendary guitarist Joe Satriani, former VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar, ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith.

In addition to "Divine Termination", "Best + Live" includes over 90 minutes of live music "Best + Live" for the first time released on CD. Hagar says: "Listening to this collection of songs from the 'FOOT brings back memories of some of the most fun I've ever had in a band. The chemistry between Chad, Joe, Mike and me is very special. It's almost like visual music — you can see us having fun when you listen to these songs."

In May 2016, CHICKENFOOT reunited for two highly-anticipated one-time shows at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, and played their first complete set in more than six years, along with a special unveiling of the new tune "Divine Termination". Satriani describes the track as "bone-crunching, hell-raising rock, dripping with attitude and vibe. Just the way CHICKENFOOT likes it!" Both the extra CD "Live" and the bonus tracks on the best of feature a 13-song strong setlist, including almost every song from CHICKENFOOT's debut album as well as Hagar's old MONTROSE classic "Bad Motor Scooter", THE WHO's "My Generation" and Satriani's interpretation of "The Star-Spangled Banner" — all recorded live in Phoenix 2009 and available for the first time on CD (previously only available as video on the DVD/Blu-ray "Get Your Buzz On"). "Best + Live" track listing:

CD1 – Best Of

01. Divine Termination (brand new song)02. Soap On A Rope03. Sexy Little Thing04. Oh Yeah05. Get It Up06. Future In The Past07. Big Foot08. Different Devil09. Lighten Up10. Dubai Blues11. Something Going Wrong Bonus Live Tracks:

12. Highway Star13. Bad Motor Scooter14. My Generation CD2 - Live

01. Avenida Revolution02. Sexy Little Thing03. Soap On A Rope04. My Kinda Girl05. Down The Drain06. Bitten By The Wolf07. Oh Yeah08. Learning To Fall09. Get It Up10. Turnin' Left11. Future In The Past

CHICKENFOOT has not made a new CD in five years but returned to the studio to record "Divine Termination".

"I wrote the lyrics while on an airplane to Cabo," Hagar told Rolling Stone about the song. "It's a dark tune, but it's fucking cool. It's a really raw production and a giant step for the 'FOOT."

Satriani told The Oakland Press that he is not holding his breath for a new album from CHICKENFOOT. "It'll always be upsetting to me, the fact [the band] is under-realized," Satriani said. "That befuddles me still. However, the other guys do have plenty of things to do, and I suppose maybe I get it. But when I think about it from an artistic point of view, it just seems ridiculous that we didn't do more. It just seems completely wrong."

CHICKENFOOT reissued its gold-selling 2009 self-titled debut as a double-disc set. The new version features bonus live tracks recorded on the group's tour behind its sophomore studio effort, "III".

CHICKENFOOT's most recent touring lineup included legendary drummer/musician Kenny Aronoff, who was filling in for Smith while Chad was on the road with RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

"III" sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's self-titled debut opened with 49,000 units back in June 2009 to debut at No. 6.

Coming out with all guns a-blazin', Hollywood glam metal masters L.A. GUNS will unleash "Fistful Of Guns", a superb career retrospective of the band's most wanted songs from 1985 on through to the group's most recent studio album, 2012's magnificent "Hollywood Forever".

It's all here — the good, the rad and sleazy, including the unforgettable blockbuster hit "The Ballad Of Jayne" plus "Sex Action", "Electric Gypsy", "Never Enough" and more. Also included are the 1987 studio sessions produced just before their self-titled debut album and the ultra-rare 1985 four-song EP "Collector's Edition No. 1" that first earned the band attention from major labels.

Packaged in a deluxe reverse board mini-LP style wallet with individual sleeves for each disc, "Fistful Of Guns" will blow fans away starting February 3.

Track listing:

Disc 1

01. Electric Gypsy02. Sex Action03. One More Reason04. Rip N Tear05. Never Enough06. The Ballad Of Jayne07. Malaria08. Slap In The Face09. Sleazy Come Easy Go10. Kiss My Love Goodbye (Live 1999)11. Ritual12. You Better Not Love Me13. Cry Little Sister (Theme from "The Lost Boys")14. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo15. Over The Edge (Phil Lewis Solo)

Disc 2 - The 1987 Demo Sessions

01. Soho02. Nothing To Lose03. Bitch Is Back04. Down In The City05. Electric Gypsy06. Instrumental07. Guilty08. Hollywood Tease09. Sex Action10. Midnight Alibi11. One More Reason12. One Way Ticket13. Shoot For Thrills14. Winter's Fool15. Alice In The Wasteland

The 1985 Demo Sessions

16. Don't Love Me17. When Dreams Don't Follow Through18. It's Not True19. Something Heavy

Buy the CD here.

Wyoming-based metalcore stalwarts Righteous Vendetta have announced the release of their forthcoming studio record, Cursed, on March 17th via Century Media Records. The new album was produced by Mitch Marlow (In This Moment, Stitched Up Heart) and is preceded by the band's 2014 EP Defiance.

Speaking on the creative journey behind the making of Cursed, the band states:

"After two years of writing and recording we are beyond excited to finally release this album with Century Media. For anyone that follows us, they know this has been a long process. But patience has paid off, because we feel that we have crafted the best album we possibly can."

“We challenged ourselves and pushed our creative limits,” states frontman Ryan Hayes. From the riffy hard rock bludgeon of opening track, “War Is Killing Us All” to the radio-ready hook-fest of “Weight Of The World”, Cursed is the sound of a band moving from strength to strength. “We wrote 30, 40 songs and really figured out who we are in the process.” Add to that a non-stop itinerary of live shows where the energized five-piece ensnare new fans and followers, Righteous Vendetta are burning rubber on their way to contender status.

In addition to their upcoming record, Righteous Vendetta will hit the road next month on a US tour building up the release of Cursed. In anticipation of these dates, members of the band state:

"Along with the release of our new album we are announcing a bunch of tour dates. We are excited to get back on a heavy touring schedule and return to some of our favorite cities!"

Teaser:

Former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME frontman Geoff Tate performed at the Capitol Theatre in in Clearwater, Florida on Tuesday, January 24 as part of his all-acoustic tour. Tate was backed by a seven-piece acoustic band of musicians from the United States and Ireland, with three guitar players, mandolin, cello, saxophone, violin and multiple percussion instruments producing high-energy acoustic versions of some of QUEENSRŸCHE's most recognized songs that included "Silent Lucidity", "Jet City Woman", "Empire", "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Eyes Of A Stranger".

A nine-minute video clip containing highlights of the Clearwater concert can be seen below.

Tate recently told Dutch radio/TV station RTV Parkstad about his acoustic tour: "I'm doing an acoustic performance of my life story in music. Songs from all of the different records, and done in an acoustic fashion with acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, cello, and an interesting percussion instrument called a cajón, which I believe is an Irish instrument. I have Scott Moughton on acoustic guitar, who also plays with me in my OPERATION: MINDCRIME project, and the rest of the lads are in an Irish band from Cork, Ireland called THE BAND ANNA. They're a fantastic band that my wife and I saw playing in a city park in Cork last summer. We loved their energy and their attitude, and we hired them to be our band for this tour. They're fantastic, a great bunch of guys. Very enthusiastic and wonderful musicians."

Regarding what fans can expect from his acoustic shows, Geoff said: "They can expect a lot of stories. I have stories for all the music that I'm playing. Interesting stories about the songs or how they were written, or interesting antidotes as to what happened while making that song. Stuff that I always wanted to know when I would read a book about a musician. I always wanted to know, 'How did you come up with that idea? Or what led to that idea?' I tell a lot of stories and the music is very intimate. When you play acoustically, it's interesting because you're reversing how the song was written in a sense. Most songs, in my experience, are written on either an acoustic guitar or piano, then you start building them up to what they become for the record. You add different guitars and drums, and that kind of thing. This is reverse engineering. You're bringing the song back to where it started, which I like."

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

According to The Pulse Of Radio, DEF LEPPARD's Joe Elliott, JANE'S ADDICTION's Perry Farrell, BUSH's Gavin Rossdale and Sting performed on Tuesday night (January 24) at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles for the "Celebrating David Bowie" show. In addition to such legendary Bowie side musicians as guitarists Earl Slick and Adrian Belew, pianist Mike Garson, and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, other guest vocalists included Sting's son, Joe Sumner, Donovan's son, Donovan Leitch, and longtime THE ROLLING STONES backing singer Bernard Fowler.

Highlights included Sting's renditions of Bowie's "Blackstar" and "Lazarus", with Elliott tackling "Suffragette City" and the Bowie-written and -produced MOTT THE HOOPLE classic "All The Young Dudes", and Farrell taking on "Golden Years". The show, which has already hit London and New York City, played again last night (Wednesday, January 25) at the Wiltern — without Sting — and continues on the road playing on February 2 in Tokyo.

Although thought of as perhaps the most theatrical force in all of rock, David Bowie always regarded performance as a way to enhance his music — not detract from it. "The impact of the show has to be the astounding thing — not the dressing of it, y'know?" he said. "It's a sort, of perfunctory kind of thing. But, the content has to astound. I mean, you can dress a show with a trillion dollars, or a trillion pounds worth of goodies, but if the show is not substantial, there will be no impact."

California-based rockers The Edge Of Paradise have revealed the artwork for their forthcoming album, Alive, which will be released on March 10th. Alive is produced by Chuck Johnson (Korn, Slipknot), mixed by Jay Ruston, Michael Wagener and Mike Plotnikoff. The band has issued the following statement:

"We were so fortunate to work with amazing, powerhouse people on this CD, and are confident that the outcome is the most exciting Edge Of Paradise musical experience yet! We present to you the more heavier/ industrial side of Paradise, while still maintaining the dynamic and melodic sound of the band! We put everything into this music and are so excited to share this new chapter with you!". 

 The album will be available for pre-order on the release of the first single and title track, out February 3rd followed by the music video on February 10th! 

Check out the trailer for the "Alive" video below. For information and updates on Edge Of Paradise go to this location.

Tampa Bay thrashers Fleashreaper are currently working on their follow-up to 2016’s Casketastrophe and is set for release later this year.

The band is made up of current and past members of The Crucifucks, Human Sufferage, Doomsilla, and Massacre. Fleshreaper was formed in 2014 by vocalist Tony Anderson (Generichrist, Doomsilla) with former drummer Mac Ciccocanti, who left the band in 2015.

Current lineup:

Tony Anderson – vocals (Generichrist, Doomsilla, Cemetery Slut)
Don Queen – guitar (ex-Genocide)
Ed Webb – guitar (Generichrist, Hideous, Destined To Ruin, ex-Massacre)
Scott Fagersten – bass (210, ex-Human Sufferage, ex-The Crucifucks)
Doug Sylvia – drums (ex-Skeletal Earth)

Following the addition of their new guitar player Andrea Mataloni, Black Therapy have announced another change within their lineup. Bassist Alessandro has left the band and founding member and longtime guitarist Lorenzo Carlini will now handle bass duties. With that, the band has announced the addition of a new guitarist, Davide Celletti. 

The band states: “We want to thank Alessandro for all the great time spent together, it's been awesome to share this journey with him. Davide already helped us out during our show in Bologna, proving himself to be a great addiction to the lineup. You can see him in action on this playthrough for ‘Theogony’ from our new album In The Embrace Of Sorrow, I Smile, out now via Apostasy Records!”

For all people that way too often feel deep grief and seek desperately for a way out, Black Therapy’s second full-length album delivers the perfect credo: In The Embrace Of Sorrow, I Smile.
 
Besides their self-released EP Through This Path, their debut-album Symptoms Of A Common Sickness and numerous live-shows (alongside bands like Nile, Ex Deo, Dark Lunacy, Arch Enemy, November) their EP The Final Outcome in 2014 attracted a lot of attention outside of Italy. In the 16th Cellar Studio (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance, Hideous Divinity) arose their new musical sign of life which comes even closer to the vision of the Italian melodic death metal five-piece.

A 360-degree teaser for the cover artwork of the new MASTODON album can be found at eos360.mastodonrocks.com. The site also includes a 45-second clip looping of one of the songs from the record, which is tentatively due in March.

MASTODON's follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun" album was once again helmed by famed producer Brendan O'Brien, who first collaborated with the band on their 2009 groundbreaking concept album "Crack The Skye".

MASTODON recorded the new disc at the Quarry in Kennesaw, Georgia before moving to Henson Studios in Los Angeles for the mixing stage. Songtitles set to appear on the disc include "Show Yourself", "Precious Stones" and "Your Own Blood".

MASTODON has confirmed a spring U.S. headline tour, which will kick off on April 14 in Missoula, Montana, with support from EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and RUSSIAN CIRCLES. The tour also includes stops at several festivals, including the Carolina Rebellion on May 5.

Born Of Osiris have released a video for “Empires Erased”, featured on their upcoming release, The Eternal Reign, out on February 24th via Sumerian Records. The clip is available for streaming below.

In regards to The Eternal Reign (The New Reign completely re-recorded and re-envisioned, including the brand new song “Glorious Day”), guitarist Lee McKinney comments: “We are beyond excited to break the silence on what we've been up to this past year. 10 years ago we were seniors in high school in Chicago and spent our spring break recording a record that we had no idea would massively impact our lives. The New Reign was something we all believed in, and for that reason we were all anxious and curious to see how it would be taken.

“This past year we decided to re-record our debut. I know what you're thinking.... "they took the album and sent it to someone else to re-mix / re-master and they are going to re-package and re-sell it." Wrong! We went to the studio, re-recorded the entire thing, changed guitar riffs/drum parts/bass/vocals and even recorded a new song that I wish made it onto the original version 10 years ago. This song "Glorious Day" was made before some of the other songs that made the original recording.

“I must say, it's crazy to still be in our 20's and be on a 10 year anniversary. I'm so thankful for this... and I must thank the fans for supporting us every step of the way, as well as Sumerian Records for believing in us all of this time.

“So to go along with such a monumental occasion, we give you The New Reign Tour to go along with this release. We are going to play this record for you now that we as a band and production are better and tighter than ever. Joining us, Volumes, and some more new friends on what should be one of the most meaningful Born Of Osiris tours to date.”

Sumerian Founder, Ash Avildsen states: “The New Reign was a seminal album for both Born Of Osiris and Sumerian Records. 10 years later, it is getting a well-deserved rebirth as they have re-created it from scratch. I believe fans, old and new, will be excited to hear these songs come to life re-imagined both musically and production wise."

Tracklisting:

“Rosecrance”
“Empires Erased”
“Open Arms To Damnation”
“Abstract Art”
“The New Reign”
“Brace Legs”
“Bow Down”
“The Takeover”
“Glorious Day”

“Empires Erased” video:

“Glorious Day”:

The New Reign Tour runs from February 17th - March 19th. Dates and tickets here.

Indian metal veterans, Demonic Resurrection, have released a lyric video for “Matsya - The Fish”, the lead track from their upcoming fifth full length album. The clip can be found below.

The new album is titled Dashavatar, which translates to 'the ten avatars of Vishnu', who is the 'the god of preservation' in Hindu mythology. The album is scheduled to release on March 15th and it will be independently released by the band, who were signed to Candlelight Records for their last two albums.

The band's vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Demonstealer comments, "Our previous album, The Demon King, was born from the idea of writing about 'Ravan' who is a demon king from Hindu mythology and while we wrote our own story from scratch it did kind of set the tone of where we want to go from there. My fiancé was the one who told me the rather gruesome tale of Narasimha the 'man-lion' avatar of Vishnu which really made me look at mythology rather differently and it made for a great idea to write a song about each of the avatars of Vishnu, since they were very interesting stories. It was pretty obvious then that the album had to be called Dashavatar."

Artwork has been made by Indian artist Reuben Bhattacharya (Visual Amnesia) who explains it in more detail: “Ten ancient gods in one and the band's most death metal sounding album, it had epic written all over it. So when Sahil got in touch with me with the brilliant idea of Dashavatar, i just had to give life to this vision. Since the idea itself of India's premier metal band doing something from Indian mythology itself is a polarizing one, I had a dual responsibility to create a Vishnu that hadn't been seen before and one that was demonical and true to the band's legacy as well. The amount of reference material to go through with this was ridiculous but i find studying and absorbing ancient lore and myths fascinating. Painting a completely new version of Vishnu was a worthy challenge i set myself and chased relentlessly. Of course it was not easy re-imagining a godly image so deep rooted in our culture; with so many layers both in meaning and sensitivity and how it relates to the stories of the 10 avatars on their respective tracks on the album. This the alien hyper god of the multiverse preserving the might of all that is good in his bolt of lightning, as the avatars fight of the sneering serpents of evil, all avatars united as one combined mega force in a central battle at the lair of all creation. Remember this image is not as a religious god, this is a metal god  \m/"

Tracklisting:
 
“Matsya - The Fish”
“Kurma - The Tortoise”
“Varaha - The Boar”
“Vamana - The Dwarf”
“Narasimha - The Man-Lion”
“Parashurama - The Axe Wielder”
“Rama - The Prince”
“Krishna - The Cowherd”
“Buddha - The Teacher”
“Kalki - The Destroyer Of Filth”

“Matsya - The Fish” lyric video:

Lineup:

Demonstealer - Vocals/Guitars/Keys
Nishith Hegde - Lead Guitars
Ashwin Shriyan - Bass
Virendra Kaith - Drums

In the new video below, Black Veil Brides guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinxx give EMGtv viewers a live playthrough of "Faithless”. They give yet another example of the articulate metal guitar tones of the EMG 81 and EMG 85 humbucker pickups. In the studio or on the road, BVB tone starts with EMG.

The unreleased Black Veil Brides tune below is an EMGtv exclusive. Jake and Jinxx, offered this playthrough of their unreleased song, "Pulverizer".

Jake and Jinxx also played an instrumental version of "In The End". Check out the performance below:

Black Veil Brides recently released a new song entitled "The Outsider", presumably due to appear on the band's forthcoming new album due in early 2017. Check it out below.

Progressive black metallers, Code, are streaming their upcoming Lost Signal EP,  to be released on January 27th (digital) and February 22nd (physical) via Agonia Records. Listen to the EP below.

In the summer of 2015, Code spent some time in a studio in England to experiment with tracks from their back catalogue of four albums. The idea was to re-visit past works from a different angle and Lost Signal is the result.

The EP features three songs from their most recent album Mut (2015), performed with a strong metallic approach. It also features three further songs, one from each of the first three albums performed in a more subtle and introspective style similar to that seen on the Mut album. The result is a release that alternatively emphasizes the subtlety and heaviness of the band's sound and provides a chance to hear these songs in a completely new way.

The songs featured on the EP are:

"On Blinding Larks" (from Mut)
"Cocoon" (from Mut)
"Affliction" (from Mut)
"The Rattle of Black Teeth" (from Resplendent Grotesque)
"The Lazarus Cord" (from Augur Nox)
"Brass Dogs" (from Nouveau Gloaming)

EP stream:

Trailer:

Produced and mixed by the band themselves, this is the sound of Code exploring the dichotomy within their music and producing a release of rich power, melody and dynamics.

Available formats:

- Transparent 12" LP limited to 389 copies
- Transparent 12" LP with black splatter limited to 111 copies
- Digital

Pre-orders: vinyl / digital

Code lineup:

Aort - Guitars
Andras - Guitars
LORDt - Drums
Syhr - Bass
Wacian - Vocals

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield has admitted that making fans wait eight years for the band's latest album was "a mistake."

Last year's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" marked METALLICA's first release since their 2011 collaboration with Lou Reed, "Lulu", and their first album of new, original material since 2008's "Death Magnetic". In the meantime, METALLICA toured the world relentlessly, even logging a 2013 Antarctica stop that made them the first band to play all seven continents. They also dropped the artsy concert film "Through The Never", which reportedly cost $32 million and made less than $4 million at the box office.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Hetfield said that perhaps waiting so long to make the new album "was a mistake" and reassured fans that "it won't be" another eight years before a follow-up effort sees the light of day.

The METALLICA frontman also offered his views on remaining relevant — and even being invited to play this year's Grammy Awards — in an industrial climate that is thriving on the past.

"Music comes in trends and what not, but we haven't gone anywhere," he said. "If we're still popular enough to play the Grammys, that's cool.

Hetfield added that he didn't put much thought into how METALLICA managed to stay on top when so many of their peers have fallen by the wayside or lost their mojo.

"I don't want to figure it out," he said. "What we have to offer is honesty and we love what we do. We're writing songs we want to hear and that's important.

"We're not trying to recreate something that worked before or try a different genre or do some other crazy thing that's not us."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich recently told Apple Music's Beats 1 that making "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" was "such a good experience" that he was willing to predict that it was not going to take another eight years for the next METALLICA record to arrive.

"Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" came out in November. The effort consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

METALLICA has shows booked in Denmark, Mexico and South America over the next three months, but has yet to unveil its full 2017 tour plans, including its first North American tour in eight years.

The band's sole North American date so far is May 21 at the Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Japan's Burrn! magazine has published the first cover story on the reunion of the classic lineup of German power metallers HELLOWEEN. Dubbed "Pumpkins United", the band's upcoming tour will feature seven musicians — including former vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen alongside current singer Andi Deris and guitarist Sascha Gerstner — performing material spanning HELLOWEEN's entire three-decade-plus history.

A few translated quotes provided to the Michael Kiske fan site Kiskelized follow below.

On who triggered the reunion:

Michael Weikath (guitar): "Kai has been way ahead of us. It has always been clear to him. The reunion is what Kai had wanted to do and he has been proposing over the years."

Michael Kiske: "It was Kai who gave me the final push to do this. It was me who said, 'Let's do this.' HELLOWEEN members have been making statements to imply a reunion, and the management must have thought about it for a number of years, but they never talked me into this. I brought it up backstage, and [HELLOWEEN/UNISONIC manager] Kosta [Zafiriou], of course, heard it and it started to roll from there. Everyone was waiting for me to say the word."

On Kiske's thoughts on the reunion:

Michael: "It is important to do this under the name of HELLOWEEN. It will be interesting and fun. We are planning many things, but it will be a fun healing process for me. I feel wonderful and relieved. It cannot be done in any other way."

"It's great to be able to do this reunion. I don't want to die leaving a problem unsolved. I feel very relieved now that I don't have any resentment anymore. This is very important for me. The reunion idea was gradually expanded inside of me. One day, I realized that I had no more hard feelings against HELLOWEEN."

On Kiske and Weikath repairing their relationship:

Michael Kiske: "When we met for the first time after a long time, you [Weikath] asked me, 'What did I do to you that you cannot forgive me?' And I said, 'I had forgiven you a long time ago.'"

Michael Weikath: "Honestly, I have been wanting to reach out to Michael for a couple of years. I have his phone number, and I have been thinking, 'Why not just call him?'"

On the possibility of Kiske singing Andi Deris-era HELLOWEEN songs:

Michael: "I think I should sing songs from Andi's era as well. Andi has been singing the old songs, and it's good idea for both of us to sing songs from each other's [eras]."

Kai: "We are thinking about having Andi and Michael sing together, sing in duet, and share vocals. Isn't it more interesting that way? I can do vocals, too. Sing in harmony and duet as well. We have three singers in this seven-member HELLOWEEN. Or, I may rephrase: Two singers and one shouter."

"Pumpkins United" touring lineup:

Michael Kiske - VocalsKai Hansen - GuitarMichael Weikath – GuitarMarkus Grosskopf - BassAndi Deris - VocalsSascha Gerstner - GuitarDaniel Löble – Drums

The super-tour's first confirmed date is October 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and takes the full "Pumpkins" entourage across selected cities and venues in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the U.S. An extremely big deal, which, including a few secret surprises, will present almost three hours of the biggest hits from three decades of HELLOWEEN as the band will obviously insist on performing a full-speed trip through the HELLOWEEN repertoire.



Posted by Helloween on Monday, January 2, 2017


Posted by Helloween on Monday, January 2, 2017

Swedish hard rockers EUROPE will enter London, England's legendary Abbey Road studios in early February to begin recording the follow-up to 2015's "War Of Kings" album. "It's gonna be quite exciting because this is gonna be the first album that I'm involved in that we're gonna record in England," EUROPE guitarist John Norum told Italy's Linea Rock (see video below). "So many legendary artists have recorded albums [at Abbey Road], so that's gonna be very exciting."

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

Asked what he has noticed about the direction of the material EUROPE has written for the follow-up to "War Of Kings", Haugland said: "I haven't noticed anything, because I haven't heard anything. [Laughs] the thing is, I know that for Joey [Tempest, EUROPE singer], for instance, he creates a lot of music in his mind before it ends up on tape so you can hear it. So I'm sure he has a lot of song ideas in his mind. I also know that John Levén [EUROPE bassist], he has a couple of really cool riffs; he played it to me. And the same with Mic Michaeli [EUROPE keyboardist]; he's got a lot of song ideas."

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

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

Drummer Hannes Van Dahl says that his impending fatherhood won't affect his status with SABATON.

Van Dahl is expecting his first child in a matter of weeks with his partner of the last few years, NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen.

Asked by Spain's Metal Journal whether his family situation will have an impact on his ability to tour with SABATON, Hannes said: "Well, you know, as far as I'm concerned, nothing will really change, 'cause this is what I do, an this is… this is what I do to make a living. People have had kids before in this business. So, to stop any worries — 'cause I know a lot of people are worried [about me] quitting the band — I will stay in the band. And as far as I can say, when it's time, I need to go and be there with my family. But when I've done that, I'm going back to touring. So I won't leave. I will be there."

Jansen herself has spoken about the challenges of raising a child while being in a touring band like NIGHTWISH. She told Finland's Radio Rock last fall: "Of course, it's a very challenging combination, and I was very happy that the way [NIGHTWISH is] today — or, actually, have always been — it's a very open group; we can talk about things. And the guys, actually, were curious. A few months ago, we started talking about it, like, 'So, 2017… How about kids? Yeah?' So it's great to think about things together: how can we combine it? Also 'cause my partner is in a successful band, touring a lot. Yeah, then you need the cooperation of the people that you are family with also. So I am not afraid that won't work. It will be a challenge, for sure, but, yeah, a little SABATON or NIGHTWISH daycare program sounds lovely, doesn't it? [Laughs]"

Jansen also dismissed rumors that she will leave the band after welcoming her first child. 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."

SABATON's eighth album, "The Last Stand", was released last August via Nuclear Blast.

Van Dahl joined SABATON in November 2013 after previously playing with another Swedish band, EVERGREY.

'80s hard rock queen Lita Ford has confirmed that she is about to begin work on a new studio album, to be released later in the year. Helming the project once again is guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who previously worked with Lita on 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" disc.

Asked by VintageRock.com at this past weekend's NAMM show in Anaheim, California how her new music is shaping up, Lita said: "It's dark, it's riffy — lots of guitar. I'm gonna really let the guitar flow on this one. So that's exciting."

Lita added that she will "take a break" from touring "for a little" while she completes the next record. But she promised that she will be back on the road soon after having "a huge, huge" 2016, which saw her and her solo band play "a hundred shows," including two months' worth of dates with HALESTORM.

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Ford in the past, but never before made available. "Time Capsule" was tracked after her 1988 "Lita" album — a time when, as Ford put it, "we had a break between recordings and it seemed so many of us were always in the same place, at the same time." Some of the album's featured guests: Billy Sheehan (bass), Rodger Carter (drums), Dave Navarro (mandolin), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander (backing vocals) and Gene Simmons (bass).

On January 18, David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com conducted an interview with former MOTÖRHEAD and current SCORPIONS drummer Mikkey Dee at the Hall Of Heavy Metal History all-star induction ceremony at the Anaheim Expo Center in Anaheim, California. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the fact that it has already been more than a year since the passing of iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy Kilmister:

Mikkey: "That's really weird. That is weird. And just the other day I was thinking, it's been so long since I've talked to him. Because even if we had a break here and there with MOTÖRHEAD, we always spoke to each other. Maybe not every week — he was in L.A. and I was in Sweden — but every other week at least. He'd call me, or I'd call him, and he'd go, 'What the hell's happening, Mik? Are we getting out there?' You know, we always had something. So it's unbelievable — a full year. Well, he's up there, or down there, or wherever he is. And hopefully he enjoys what I'm doing. I know he loved SCORPIONS. He respected that band tremendously. He kept saying, 'Oh, they played longer than us.' It's a real band. As I said in a lot of interviews, every snare hit I do from now on will be a small tribute to my friend Lemmy. And that's how I feel."

On SCORPIONS' plans for the coming months:

Mikkey: "It's gonna be touring. SCORPIONS, a while back, wanted to have a bit of a break, and that's where we are right now. So it'll be several months now where we're just relaxing. They've been touring so hard, and so did I. So it feels pretty good. But by spring now, we're gonna get together and then we're gonna tour our asses off, really. And then hopefully maybe next year we'll get together and we can produce an album. I don't know. It's a little up to the guys, and we'll see what happens."

Dee joined SCORPIONS last September as a permanent replacement for the band's longtime drummer James Kottak, who was previously said to be on a break while he sought medical attention.

Regarding how playing with SCORPIONS is different from performing with MOTÖRHEAD, Mikkey said: "I played so long with MOTÖRHEAD, we were a three-piece, and that's a tremendous difference. For instance, when Phil [Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist] was doing his solo, I might have to be a little busier on the kick drum. Here [in the SCORPIONS], I've gotta think the opposite — I've gotta be easier on certain things and step into some other stuff. But it's a great challenge."

Geoff Tate believes that his differences with QUEENSRŸCHE can be worked out and insists that he would "never say never" to a reunion with his former bandmates.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where Tate sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Original QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Eddie Jackson (bass) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Speaking to Rock 100.5's Jay Philpott, Tate — who currently fronts a new project called OPERATION: MINDCRIME — was asked if he thinks his issues with QUEENSRŸCHE can one day be resolved. He said (hear audio below): "Oh, yeah. I think anything… any problem, any situation can be resolved, given the amount of focus you wanna place upon it, and how dedicated you are to resolving the issues, really. So, yeah, I would never say never — although I just did twice, didn't I? [Laughs]"

Tate's replacement, Todd La Torre, told Metal Wani last September that QUEENSRŸCHE is "sounding better than it did for over ten years" now that he is fronting the band. He added: "The fans have certainly voiced that opinion. That's my opinion, and that's a lot of opinions we hear every night. And the energy of the other members of the band is way healthier, way happier with [Geoff] gone and me in the band. And that's just the facts. There's no stifled creativity, and there's no kind of leader and followers, if you will, in the band. We all talk and try to make decisions the same, and it's very democratic. I'm never gonna tell Michael Wilton that his guitar riff is too heavy, for example, and that had happened in the past. The band is way happier, and I think that it's evident when you watch a live show — not [a clip on] YouTube, but really go to a show and feel what's happening and see what's happening. These guys are happy again and they feel like it's a rebirth of the band and that those dark clouds are well behind them."

Frontiers Music Srl released "Resurrection", the new album from OPERATION: MINDCRIME, on September 23.

ART OF ANARCHY, the band featuring CREED singer Scott Stapp alongside DISTURBED bassist John Moyer and ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, will release its sophomore album, "The Madness", on March 24.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Echo Of A Scream02. 1,000 Degrees03. No Surrender04. The Madness05. Won't Let You Down06. Changed Man07. A Light In Me08. Somber09. Dancing With The Devil10. Afterburn

Thal said in a recent interview with TeamRock that Stapp is thriving as ART OF ANARCHY's new lead singer, adding that the band is providing a healthy environment for Stapp as he continues his fight to stay sober. Thal explained: "The band, ART OF ANARCHY, is drug free. Me and the Votta brothers [guitarist Jon and drummer Vince] have never even smoked a cigarette, none of us drink, have never done drugs, never smoked pot or anything like that."

Thal continued: "So that's good, because the last thing you need on the road if you're trying to stay clean is a bunch of people doing that around you. Scott is doing well... It's great that he has a strong family and a lot of people that care and support and that were there to help him get out of that situation. Now he's better than ever."

The CREED frontman joined the band last year, following a highly publicized, drug-enhanced meltdown in late 2014, after which he entered rehab program and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Stapp told The Pulse Of Radio he was touring as a solo artist again when he was approached about joining. "I really wasn't looking for a band, but I was definitely curious," he said. "I wanted to see what it was all about. I love writing with talented people and I think that's really what made the decision for me, was to sit in a room with Ron, Jon and Vince and throw out ideas, trade ideas and realize, 'Hey, there's something that could come of this.'"

ART OF ANARCHY made its live debut on October 27, 2016 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City.

ART OF ANARCHY released a self-titled debut album in 2015 that featured former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland.

Weiland, whom STP parted ways with in 2002 and again in 2013, died in December 2015.

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 and stayed in the band for eight years, playing on the 2008 album "Chinese Democracy". He has also released a number of solo CDs.

Photo: Annie Atlasman

It's funny how an offhanded comment can make a dream come true, but that's exactly what happened with thrash icons ANTHRAX.

Last year, the members of the band were hanging out at New York's West Village bar Daddy-O and mentioned to owner Phil Casacelli how they'd love to have their own brand of beer. Casacelli, a longtime fan of upstate New York's Butternuts Beer & Ale Brewery, made a call to Chuck Williamson, owner of Butternuts, a metalhead and a longtime ANTHRAX fan, and everything started to fall into place for what would become ANTHRAX's own craft beer, Wardance. Wardance will be available in stores, bars and restaurants where craft beer is sold in New York State beginning March 27. Plans are in the works to expand the distribution to other states around the country.

Said ANTHRAX's Scott Ian: "I've wanted to do our own beer for a long time, it was just finding the right guy to make that a reality. I am a fan of Butternuts, especially their Porkslap Pale Ale, and when I found out that Chuck was interested in doing a beer with us, I immediately said yes."

"Finding the right taste that all of us loved was really important," ANTHRAX's Charlie Benante explained, "but it was also important that the beer not leave people feeling heavy or filled up afterwards. The other thing I love about our beer is that it goes really well with a burger. It's the one beer to have when you're having a 'Wardance.'"

Working closely with Williamson and his partner on the Wardance project, marketing guru David "Rev" Ciancio (who also counts ANTHRAX as one of his all-time personal favorites), ANTHRAX's Ian, Benante and Frank Bello wanted a distinct flavor for Wardance, one that would fit not only the band members' personal preferences, but that their fans would enjoy as well.

"I spoke to Chuck and we talked about what we like/don't like and what I would want from our beer," added Ian. "It was simple, a beer that would be very drinkable yet still have flavor."

They decided on a pale ale style with a special blend of malts and hops to give it a unique flavor, and a "first batch" was brewed. Williamson and Rev did a tasting with the band on their tour bus parked outside the St. Vitus club the night ANTHRAX headlined a benefit show there last September for Gilda's Club NYC. In addition and unbenownst to the band's fans, a keg of that "first batch" was poured at the St. Vitus show with Williamson and Rev taking feedback from the fans. Taking band and fans comments into consideration, Williamson did a little more tinkering in the beer lab with the ale's recipe, one more ANTHRAX tasting which received a unanimous thumbs up from the band, and Wardance Pale Ale, available in 12 oz. cans, was inaugurated.

Wardance (5.5% abv) is brewed using a blend of both New York State and North American two-row malt barley and a blend of special malts to add color and depth of flavor. The hops are sourced through New York State and West Coast growers. A percent of the hops is added in the boil kettle and a percent post fermentation to create a unique flavor profile that balances the rich flavor and aroma of the specialty malts with the delicate aroma of the select hops. The result is a recognizable beer with a unique character that sets Wardance apart from other beers out in the market today.

ANTHRAX will hit the road beginning March 29, co-headlining a 27-date North American tour — Killthrax — with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA as main support.

Relapse Records has announced the signing of cult U.K. doom/sludge outfit IRON MONKEY. The band has entered Moot Group studios in Nottingham to record a new album with Johnny A. Carter (ex-PITCHSHIFTER). The effort will consist of eight tracks plus a cover song and is tentatively due late summer/early fall.

Heavily influenced by the nihilistic sound of groups like EYEHATEGOD, BUZZOV*EN, FLOOR and GRIEF, IRON MONKEY originally formed in Nottingham, England in 1994 and released two full-lengths (1997's self-titled debut and 1998's "Our Problem"), a live album and a split with CHURCH OF MISERY before splitting in 1999. Now, almost two decades later, the band has decided to reform as a trio with co-founding members S. Watson on bass and J. Rushby on guitar/vocals. They're rounded out by new member S. Briggs (CHAOS U.K.,) who also played with original IRON MONKEY vocalist J.P. Morrow in the short-lived sludge supergroup MY WAR. The band commented on the reformation and new material: "We're older, more cynical, more isolationist. Musically, we're more aggressive, more focused — a direct assault. We intend to take what is rightfully ours, usurp the scene, then crush its skull." Morrow died of a heart attack in June 2002.

New York death metallers IMMOLATION will release their new album, "Atonement", on February 24 via Nuclear Blast.

The fourth trailer for "Atonement", in which guitarist Robert Vigna an bassist/vocalist Ross Dolan discuss who should be in the "Big Four Of Death Metal", can be seen below.

"Atonement" was recorded at Millbrook Sound Studios in Millbrook, New York with longtime producer Paul Orofino, and mixed and mastered once again by Zack Ohren (ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION). Cover art was created by renowned artist Pär Olofsson (IMMORTAL, THE FACELESS, EXODUS, ABYSMAL DAWN), along with additional artwork by the very talented Zbigniew Bielak (GHOST, ENSLAVED, PARADISE LOST, WATAIN).

A 360-degree visualizer video for the first single from the effort, "Destructive Currents", can be seen below.

Comments IMMOLATION vocalist/bassist Ross Dolan: "We are excited that everyone will finally get a preview of what the new record has to offer.

"'Atonement' is a very dark and haunting album, both musically and lyrically, commenting on the darker side of humanity and the world today. Each song on this album is unique in its own way, offering the listener a wide range of dark and sinister passages that I think really hone in on all the elements that make this band what it is.

"The sound of this record is exactly what we were hoping for, and we feel the production really gives these songs that massive sound and dark sinister feel they needed. Zack and Paul really nailed it with this one and made our tenth album our best-sounding record to date. We are all very proud of what we have created here, and we hope everyone else will enjoy these eleven songs as much as we think they will.

"The song 'Atonement' is about that blind fury and destructivnes of religious extremism regardless of where it comes from and under what religious banner it flies. The cover piece was inspired by a passage of lyrics from this song, and Pär managed to create a visual for those four lines that just blew us away. So needless to say, we are very pleased with the overall look and feel of the album, which also includes four amazing pieces of artwork done by the extremely talented Zbigniew Bielak.

"We chose the song 'Destructive Currents' as the first song to leak to the fans because it's a fast and aggressive song that gets right down to business. It's just dark and powerful, and I think it gives everyone a sense of whats in store for them with this release. Lyrically, the song deals with the herd/mob mentality and how it gets fed, manipulated and exploited by outside forces. These are the currents of deception, misinformation and destruction, which are designed to mislead people. So that's really the idea behind the song lyrically."

Pre-order a physical copy of "Atonement" by itself or in various bundles from the Nuclear Blast webshop.

"Destructive Currents" is now available as an instant download when you pre-order "Atonement" from iTunes and Amazon.

"Atonement" track listing:

01. The Distorting Light 02. When The Jackals Come 03. Fostering The Divide 04. Rise The Heretics 05. Thrown To The Fire 06. Destructive Currents 07. Lower08. Atonement09. Above All10. The Power Of Gods 11. Epiphany

Bonus track (CD only):

12. Immolation (re-recorded)

IMMOLATION is:

Ross Dolan - bass/vocalsRobert Vigna - guitarSteve Shalaty - DrumsAlex Bouks - guitar

IMMOLATION will support Max and Igor Cavalera on the second leg of the "Return To Roots" tour in February/March.

CYNIC's "Uroboric Forms - The Complete Demo Collection" will be released on February 10 via Century Media and will come in digipak CD and limited LP+CD (with gatefold sleeve, LP-booklet, 180-gram vinyl and seven-inch single) format. "Uroboric Forms - The Complete Demo Collection" includes the four legendary demos — "Demo 1988", "Refections Of A Dying World" (1989), "Demo 1990" and "Demo 1991", showing CYNIC's development from a raw underground death/thrash metal band to the progressive technical death style the band is known for since the release of the classic "Focus" album. With a total playing time of over 56 minutes, all lyrics, loads of photos, an in-depth interview with CYNIC's musical mastermind Paul Masvidal and a beautiful cover artwork by Manuel Tinnemans as well as remastered sound by Patrick W. Engel, "Uroboric Forms - The Complete Demo Collection" offers everything you can ask for. As a bonus for the diehard fans, the album includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks, the songs "Uroboric Forms" and "The Eagle Nature", from a vocal audition with Brian DeNeffe, the singer of the U.S. death metal band VIOGRESSION. The LP version includes those two tracks on a separate seven-inch single. "Uroboric Forms - The Complete Demo Collection" track listing:

01. Uroboric Forms (03:48)02. The Eagle Nature (03:28)03. Pleading For Preservation (05:03)04. Lifeless Irony (04:07)05. Thinking Being (04:52)06. Cruel Gentility (04:32)07. Denaturalizing Leaders (03:47)08. Extremes (02:30)09. A Life Astray (02:44)10. Agitating Affliction (03:39)11. Once Misguided (03:00)12. Weak Reasoning (03:38)13. Dwellers Of The Threshold (03:59)14. Uroboric Forms (03:46)15. The Eagle Nature (03:34)

Tracks 1-3 taken from "Demo 1991"Tracks 4-6 taken from "Demo 1990"Tracks 7-10 taken from "Reflections Of A Dying World"Tracks 11-13 taken from "Demo 1989"Tracks 14-15 are previously unreleased; vocal audition with Brian DeNeffe (VIOGRESSION) The LP version will be released in the following vinyl colors: * Black vinyl: unlimited* Golden vinyl: limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at CM Distro EU* Clear vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast* Transparent-red vinyl: limited to 300 copies, exclusively distributed through RED in the USA* White vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold through CM Distro US