Crowleyian black metallers HaXXan premiere the new track "Babalon". The track hails from the band's debut album, Loch Ness Rising, set for international release on February 17th via Hells Headbangers. 

Although "new" in name, HaXXan features underground legend Killjoy DeSade (Necrophagia, The Ravenous, Wurdulak) on vocals and synth. Formed in 2011 by Killjoy and guitarist Shawn Slusarek, the duo decided to write material that had an old-school black metal vibe, citing such influences as Beherit, Archgoat, and Blasphemy with hints of Candlemass and Mercyful Fate. The duo then added bassist Jake Arnette and drummer Serge Streltsov, and soon recorded their debut album, Loch Ness Rising.

Spread over ten tracks, HaXXan's Loch Ness Rising is conceptually based on Aleister Crowley, as Killjoy has been a life-long Crowley enthusiast. As a full-band unit, HaXXan soon celebrate the life, works, and magick of Crowley through patiently unfolding vistas of doom and dread, eerieness and unease. Recorded at Thelema Studios and mixed/mastered by Grzegorz Kulawiak at Sin Mix Studios, Loch Ness Rising richly resonates with a pure (and purely eerie/uneasy) tone that lends these songs a unique character: undoubtedly heavy in a manner not unlike To Mega Therion-era Celtic Frost, there's likewise a ghostly aspect to its conversely crushing stomp. As expected, Killjoy delivers a peerless performance, stretching all extremes of his twisted 'n' tortured throat, almost narrating the slowly enveloping fog of unearthly horror. Taken together, Loch Ness Rising is an experience both atmospheric and caustic, bleeding black blood and drinking it from a ceremonial cup - just as Crowley would've wanted it.

Tracklisting:

“Loch Ness Rising”
“93”
“A∴A∴ (Arcanum Arcanorum)”
“Babalon”
“Aiwass”
“Disciples Of The Silent”
“Chemical Perversions”
“The Blackest Chasm”
“Chemical Perversions”
“The Blackest Chasm”
“Beyond The Grace Of God”
“The Aethyr”

“Babalon”:

Loch Ness Rising by HAXXAN

Texas death metal outfit Desecrate The Faith have premiered "Angel Eater," a track from forthcoming Comatose Music release Unholy Infestation.

Desecrate The Faith will release sophomore album Unholy Infestation March 3rd on Comatose Music.

Tracklisting:

“Daemones Nos Ave Satanas”
“Predatory Impalement”
“Malignant Divinity”
“Shrine Of Enmity”
“Unholy Infestation”
“Magna Daemonia”
“Ceremonial Invocation”
“Sacrilege Reborn”
“Angel Eater”
“Septic Womb”
“Ascension Of Belial”
“Let Us Burn (The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit)”

“Angel Eater”:

“Shrine Of Enmity” video:

Inspired by the legendary progenitors of punk metal mayhem, Motörhead, comes this UK power trio poised to pick up the torch of supercharged musical assault lit by Lemmy & Co. and carry it to a whole new generation! Formed in 2011, Segrëgates self-released a 7”. 

The band even earned itself a spot opening up for longtime Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell. Burston, Segrëgates debut full-length album, is the perfect remedy for the Lemmy-less, Motörhead missing blues. Available on both CD and digitally starting January 27th.

Tracklisting:

“Segrëgates”
“Rock ‘N’ Roll”
“Living Nightmare”
“Miss ‘B’ Havin’”
“Let Battle Commence”
“Traitor Collaborator”
“Sweet Vengeance”
“Step Aside”
“No Regrets”
“Turn It Loose”
“Riding With The Driver”

   

Washington State quintet The Drip has shared a full stream of The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability debut full-length prior to release date through Relapse Records this Friday.

Fusing together the rawest elements of crust, powerviolence, d-beat, and grind, The Drip rips and ravages through thirteen frenzied tracks, full of slaughterhouse riffage, lightning fast blastbeats, and pulverizing breakdowns. Produced by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust and mastered by Brad Boatright (Skeletonwitch, Gatecreeper, Weekend Nachos), The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability is a new declaration of intensity that is sure to set the underground ablaze.

The band commented on the impending release, "The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability represents our progression, and continues to blur genre lines, and define our sound. Laying down the ground work for our future material to come."

January 13th, will see the worldwide release of The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability via Relapse Records on CD/LP/Digital formats. Physical and digital pre-orders and bundles are available via Relapse.com here and digital also via iTunes, Amazon (widget below), Google Play, and others.

The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability tracklisting:

“Blackest Evocation”
“Anathema”
“Gruesome Poetics”
“Dead Inside”
“Covered In Red”
“Terror War Industry”
“Painted Ram”
“Wretches”
“In Atrophy”
“The Answer”
“Exile”
“Consigned To Fate”
“Bone Chapel”

Album stream:

“Blackest Evocation” video:

“Dead Inside”:

"Anathema":

“Painted Ram”:

The Drip has scheduled a record release show for The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability, to take place in Spokane, WA at The Observatory on the same day the record hits stores, Friday, January 13th. Additional tour dates are to be expected in support of the album.
 
The Drip lineup:

Shane Brown - drums
Brandon Caldwell - vocals
Bobby Mansfield - guitar
Talon Yager - bass
Blake Wolf - guitar

(Photo - Orion Landau)
 

 

Wrath From Above, the Russian-themed brutal black and death metal band from Nantes, France will release their debut album Beyond Ruthless Cold on February 3rd.

Inspired by cult black metal acts talking about cold and panzers, with massive death metal parts betraying the origins of the members, their debut album Beyond Ruthless Cold is a discharge of spontaneous hatred, with overpowered blasts, and ferocious compositions.

Preorder at Apathia Records.

Tracklisting:

“Beyond Ruthless Cold (intro)”
“Prevail”
“Permafrost”
“They Came At Night”
“Storm The Sky”
“Empire”
“Scorched Ground (interlude)”
“Besieged”
“Concealed Weapons”
“World’s Burning”
“Everlast”

“Empire”:

Classic rock legends, Kansas, have released a new live video for "Rhythm In The Spirit”. The song is taken from the band's new studio album The Prelude Implicit, which was released on September 23rd, 2016. Watch the video below.

In a joint statement, the band says, "It's been a long time since we've made a one song concert video and we had a great time doing it! “Rhythm In The Spirit” was our unanimous first choice and we are very happy with how it turned out."

The band recently announced that they will be bringing their highly successful Leftoverture tour to more parts of the United States in the spring! For the first time in its 43-year history, the band is performing the hit album in its entirety. The tour showcases two hours of classic Kansas music including hit songs, deep cuts, and new songs from their new album, The Prelude Implicit.

Due to very popular demand, dates have been confirmed across cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, Denver, Seattle, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and more. Tickets for the tour dates can be purchased now. More information is available at kansasband.com.

In 1976, Kansas released the album Leftoverture. Containing the smash hit and million-selling single "Carry On Wayward Son”, along with fan favorites such as "The Wall”, “Miracles Out Of Nowhere" and "What's On My Mind”, Leftoverture became the band's breakthrough album. The album peaked at #5 on Billboard's Album charts and reached sextuple-platinum status with more than six million copies sold. They are performing the album in its entirety on this tour.

The Prelude Implicit, the band's most recent album, which was released on September 23rd, marked Kansas’ biggest selling week in the Soundscan era, and the highest charting release since Power (1986). The album reached #14 on the Top 200 album chart, #41 on the Billboard 200, #5 for Rock Albums, #6 for Physical Albums, #17 on the Vinyl Albums chart and more. The Prelude Implicitis now available for purchase in stores and online at Best Buy, Amazon, Apple Music, FYE, Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Spotify and Independent Record Shops.

Tour dates:

March
24 - Salina, KS - The Stiefel Theatre
25 - Tulsa, OK - The Brady Theater
31 - Des Moines, IA - Shoyt Herman Place

April
1 - Peoria, IL - Peoria Civic Center Theater
7 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace
9 - Charleston, WV - The Clay Center
18 - Denver, CO - The Paramount
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Delta Hall at Eccles Theatre
22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Smith Center - Reynolds Hall
23 - Chandler, AZ - Chandler Center for the Arts
26 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
28 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
29 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theater

Sensory Records welcomes Australian melodic progressive power metal outfit, Damnations Day, to the label's roster, signing the act for the early spring release of their incoming sophomore record, A World Awakens.

Recorded and mixed by Dean Wells at Wells Productions and mastered by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Kamelot, Wolverine), A World Awakens maintains the raw energy, power, and integrity of Invisible The Dead, while showcasing the bands growth in maturity, honesty and depth of both their musicianship and songwriting. Showcasing top-tier performances by vocalist/guitarist Mark Kennedy, brother and drummer Dean Kennedy, and lead guitarist Jon King, with additional strings and bass by Dean Wells, while not leaning to just one genre or direction, A World Awakens is an album that will have your undivided attention on first listen, only to pull you in further and further more on repeat.

Offers Mark Kennedy on the band's new alliance with the Sensory Records branch of American progressive powerhouse, Laser's Edge, "We are very privileged to team up with Sensory Records, for the release of, A World Awakens. This being our second release promises a more refined and mature sound, this beginning a new exciting chapter for Damnations Day."

A World Awakens will be the first 2017 title for Sensory Records, the album now set for release on March 24th. The cover artwork, track listing, and more have been issued, with audio samples, pre-orders, and more to be made available in the weeks ahead, with touring plans coming together for later in the year.

A World Awakens tracklisting:

“The Witness”
“Dissecting The Soul”
“Colours Of Darkness”
“I Pray”
“Into Black”
“To Begin Again”
“The Idol Counterfeit”
“A World Awakens”
“Diagnose”

Damnations Day was founded by brothers Mark Dean Kennedy, who have been playing music together since 2005, the siblings accompanied by Jon King who joined in 2012. The band released their debut album, Invisible, The Dead, through Nightmare Records in 2013 to amazing reviews. Since the record's release, the band has been working hard, supporting such bands as Nightwish, Sybreed, Psycroptic, Black Majesty, Widow, Teramaze, Pegazus, Vanishing Point, King Parrot, Soilwork, Battle Beast, Salamandra, Circle II Circle, and Helloween, as well as headlining shows and appearing in Australian Metal festivals such as Steel Assassins NSW and Stormrider Festival WA. In September of 2014 they joined Accept on the European leg of their Blind Rage Tour. This amazing opportunity allowed Damnations Day to expose themselves to nearly thirty sold-out shows in front of an average of two-thousand people a night, playing in legendary venues across Europe.

Damnations Day learned a lot from their live shows and tours, and continually grow more determined to greater define their sound. Although showing versatility over different styles, playing on the bigger stage has refined the direction of their music combining the maturity and knowledge gained through the experiences of touring and time. Remaining determined as ever to bring mature, professional, and honest music that is not directly covered by just one genre as well as bringing an energetic and powerful atmosphere to their live performance, the band spent 2015 writing, and then spent all of 2016 recording, what has now become the second Damnations Day album, A World Awakens.

Damnations Day lineup:

Mark Kennedy - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Jon King - Lead Guitar
Dean Kennedy - Drums

2017 will once again be a loud year for the Swedish metal institution, In Flames. They kick off the year with a UK arena tour as special guests of Avenged Sevenfold today, followed by a European Headline tour in select cities (see below) this spring.

In addition to their busy touring schedule ahead, their recent album Battles has now 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

Eversin have finished composition of their new album. The band will start the recordings of its eight songs very soon with the drums session.

The new full-length, as it was for the lucky Trinity: The Annihilation, will signal a new technical and composite evolution in the band's discography.

Ignazio Nicastro, bass player of the band says: "We are absolutely satisfied of what we have created for the new album. We succeeded to give to our music a new dimension loosing nothing of the violence and evilness that characterised Trinity. It's like Meshuggah and Candlemass have a jam session with Slayer".

The album, at the moment untitled, will see the light in early 2018.

Little, Brown has acquired the memoir of the late Greg Lake, the former frontman of progressive rock group EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER. The memoir, called "Lucky Man", is written in Lake's own words and was completed just before the rock star died from cancer last month, according to Andreas Campomar, publishing director at Constable. Campomar bought U.K. and Commonwealth rights to the title from Matthew Hamilton at Aitken Alexander Associates. Publishing this spring with Little, Brown imprint Constable, it will chart both the highs and lows of a career in rock music. Lake first won acclaim as lead vocalist, bass guitarist and producer when he formed KING CRIMSON together with Robert Fripp. Their debut album, "In The Court Of The Crimson King", co-produced by Greg, featured the track "21st Century Schizoid Man". In 1970 Lake met Keith Emerson during a North American tour, with whom he would go on to co-found the first progressive "supergroup", EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, with drummer Carl Palmer. To date ELP has sold over 50 million records, and the group dominated the charts and the field of progressive rock right up until 1977 when a U.S. tour with a full 100-piece orchestra nearly bankrupted the band. The band split in 1979 but reunited in the 1990s until a final performance headlining 2010's High Voltage festival in London. In the decade in between, Lake worked with musicians including Sheila E, Ringo Starr, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey and Ian Anderson. Campomar said: "Greg finished writing his poignant memoir, 'Lucky Man', just before he died last month, and I'm very sorry he won't be here to see it published. Probably the voice of his generation, Greg fronted the greatest rock supergroup of the 1970s but never held with the 'progressive' tag that attached itself to both the music and the excess. The memoir not only charts the highs and lows of a career in rock music but also reflects on the death of Keith Emerson last year and living with terminal cancer and the end of life. I think Greg can best be summed up by his now-famous line: 'Material wealth is a very fleeting pleasure … when you can buy anything you want and do anything you want, you soon discover that you actually don't want any of it.'" Stewart Young, Lake's manager, said: "I have been Greg's manager and close friend since 1972. In 2014 Greg was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He told me he was going to write his autobiography and it had to be in his own words. He had no regrets. In his wildest dreams he could never imagine having such a wonderful life; how extraordinary to have such a career in music — to do what you want, simply to expand, experiment! To love a woman, be married to her for 43 years, have a daughter he would be so proud of and then to cap it all a grandson who is now four years old and became the centre of his life. He then said, with a twinkle in his eye, I truly am a Lucky Man."

Legendary heavy metal band SLAYER has teamed up with "Metalocalypse" writer Jon Schnepp and "Twilight Zone" artist Guiu Vilanova for a three-issue Dark Horse Comics series, "Slayer: Repentless", with covers by Eisner Award-winning British comics artist Glenn Fabry. The first issue, with a variant cover by Eric Powell ("The Goon", "Hillbilly"), is scheduled for release on January 25.

You can now check out six pages from the issue at RollingStone.com.

"Slayer: Repentless #1" (of 3) is available for preorder on the Dark Horse web site.

With its story of a raging road trip down a bloodstained highway, a tale of the doomed and the damned, the "Slayer: Repentless" series is an expansion of SLAYER's "Repentless" videos, written and directed by BJ McDonnell ("Hatchet III"). "It's been my honor to chronicle the bloody road trip that is the SLAYER comic series from Dark Horse/Nuclear Blast," said Schnepp. "Using the band's music and lyrics from their three decades of albums, while crossing over and through the 'Repentless' music videos by BJ McDonnell, I have woven a tale of betrayal, hate, perspective, loyalty, family, and murder that will need to be experienced through the comic books' pages." The band made an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2016, with a subsequent sold-out performance at the House of Blues, in support of the Dark Horse Comics series.

Asked how he got involved with Slayer: Repentless, Schnepp told

Singer Lou Gramm has confirmed that he and the other founding members of FOREIGNER will join the group's current lineup "for a song or two" at a concert on the band's upcoming tour.

Although he initially insisted that he hadn't been invited to reunite with FOREIGNER on the trek, he tweeted on Monday (January 9): "After 24 hours of some crossed wires and miscommunication, I can confirm that I and the rest of the original band have been invited to join FOREIGNER for a song or two at any show during this 40th anniversary year. [Drummer] Dennis Elliot and [bassist] Rick Wills will be in St. Augustine, FL on 2/24. [Multi-instrumentalist] Ian McDonald, [keyboardist] Al Greenwood and I will perform on a date yet to be determined."

Gramm and guitarist Mick Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair has performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Kelly Hansen has fronted the group since 2005. Jones is the sole remaining founding member in FOREIGNER's current lineup.

Jones told The Pulse Of Radio that upon forming FOREIGNER in 1976, he knew that Gramm would prove to be invaluable with a signature voice — with the songwriting chops to match. "I knew he had written, he was a writer too, and always felt that, y'know, it was important that the singer in any band had something to do with, [laughs] obviously, creating the songs, 'cause they're gonna sing them," he said. "Lou came up with some great titles; I think 'Head Games', I think 'Hot Blooded', too. And he developed into a really good writer."

FOREIGNER's 40th-anniversary tour — with support from CHEAP TRICK and JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE — kicks off July 11 in Syracuse and runs through through September 9 in Auburn, Washington.

Tickets for the tour go on sale January 13 via Live Nation.

pic.twitter.com/wL457FgUBe

— Lou Gramm (@GrammLou) January 10, 2017

Greg Graffin, frontman of the iconic Los Angeles punk band BAD RELIGION as well as a renowned author, will release a brand new solo album titled "Millport" on March 10 via Anti-.

"Millport" delivers a stirring though perhaps unexpected reinterpretation of the classic Laurel Canyon country-rock sound alongside Graffin's insightful lyricism, all propelled by some esteemed colleagues from the L.A. punk scene, including SOCIAL DISTORTION members Jonny "Two Bags" Wickersham, Brent Harding and David Hidalgo Jr., with BAD RELIGION co-founder Brett Gurewitz producing. The resulting record is less a reinvention then a creative liberation — a group of Los Angeles musicians at the peak of their game, playing a brand of music they genuinely love.

You can preview the song "Making Time", a melodic and energetic folk rocker about "living in the moment" that features a soaring chorus and some truly tasteful guitar licks from Wickersham.

As Graffin explains: "This feels as exciting to me as when we made the BAD RELIGION record 'Suffer'. Like everything had been leading up to the songs and they just happened totally organically in this short intense burst. I'm really just doing what I did back then, which is write songs that mean something to me and deliver them in a way that is completely honest."

Gurewitz adds: "It's the two songwriters from BAD RELIGION and the rhythm section of SOCIAL DISTORTION, two influential L.A. punk bands, getting together to do an authentic country rock album, a genre most would think is the absolute antithesis of punk rock. But I think it sounds great. Both are iconic Southern California genres. It's like the Laurel Canyon sound played by the kids who were smashing up the clubs a few years later."

Greg Graffin will perform at the 2017 SXSW festival in March. Stay tuned for dates and locations.

"Millport" track listing:

01. Backroads Of My Mind02. Too Many Virtues03. Lincoln's Funeral Train04. Millport05. Time Of Need06. Making Time07. Shotgun08. Echo On The Hill09. Sawmill10. Waxwings

"Millport" is available for pre-order from Amazon, iTunes and Google. You will receive the tracks "Making Time" and "Lincoln's Funeral Train" instantly upon ordering.

Photo credit: Svenski - St. James

You don't need to be a die-hard '80s metal fan to know that the fruits of an artistic alliance between DANGER DANGER singer Ted Poley and guitarist/producer Steve Brown of TRIXTER is going to make melodic rock fans rejoice! The two musicians from New Jersey recently created TOKYO MOTOR FIST and the new band is ready to unleash on the world their self-titled debut album on February 24 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The song "Shameless", taken from "Tokyo Motor Fist", can be streamed below. Indeed, TOKYO MOTOR FIST is exactly what you would expect: catchy and uplifting hard rock, the way is should be! You want big — we mean, BIG — hooks? You got 'em. What about major guitar riffs? Of course there's plenty of those. Killer rhythm section? Well, with Greg Smith (TED NUGENT, RAINBOW, ALICE COOPER) and Chuck Burgi (RAINBOW, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, JOE LYNN TURNER), you simply can't go wrong! Ted and Steve have been friends for a long time. They were playing the same club circuit with their respective bands, DANGER DANGER and TRIXTER, when both bands were starting their careers. Over the years, they've had a great personal relationship and the idea of doing a record together has been in the cards for many years. Now, thanks to Frontiers, this concept has become a reality. "To say that I'm excited for the world to hear TOKYO MOTOR FIST would be an understatement," says Steve Brown. "Working on this project with my rock and roll brothers Ted Poley, Greg Smith and Chuck Burgi was a total blast… We had fun and it shows in the performances and in the music! As a songwriter, I couldn't be happier with the way the songs came together. Fans of TRIXTER, DANGER DANGER, DEF LEPPARD, BON JOVI and CHEAP TRICK will get the best of all those worlds." Poley adds: "Working with guys of this caliber was amazing. I was excited to collaborate with my longtime friend Steve Brown, who is not only a really great songwriter and guitarist but also an insanely cool producer! The band sounds great and very high energy. The vocals of Steve and I along with his SHREDDING guitar, combined with the world-class rhythm powerhouse section of Greg Smith and Chuck Burgi is amazing. What a cool band — the sound is HUGE. But it's the songs that drew me into making this album in the beginning and the record is full of catchy songs with massive choruses and great melodies and sounds BIG BIG BIG! I am beyond THRILLED with the final result and I hope you will be too." "Tokyo Motor Fist" track listing: 01. Pickin' Up The Pieces02. Love Me Insane03. Shameless04. Love05. Black And Blue06. You're My Revolution07. Don't Let Me Go08. Put Me To Shame09. Done To Me10. Get You Off My Mind11. Fallin' Apart TOKYO MOTOR FIST is:

Ted Poley - VocalsSteve Brown - Guitar, Vocals Greg Smith - BassChuck Burgi - Drums

Danny Worsnop, the newly returned frontman for U.K. metalcore pioneers ASKING ALEXANDRIA, will release his debut solo album, "The Long Road Home", on February 17 via the U.K.-based independent label Earache Records. The effort marks a slight musical departure from his previous work with ASKING ALEXANDRIA, now forging a deeper and often darker path through the British-born, Nashville-based musician's mind and displaying a truly stunning singing voice only hinted at in his previous work.

The track Anyone But Me", taken from "The Long Road Home", can be streamed below.

Says Worsnop: "The song is a very introspective look at my past failed relationships, where I ask myself if it was something I was capable of trying again. It is definitely one of those songs that makes you look at yourself very closely in hopes of answers and growth, and it definitely did its job."

Longtime fans will see a much more personal and reflective side of Danny's, with brutally honest lyrical themes ranging from loss and heartache to Danny's past (and often public) struggles with drugs and alcohol. Backed by authentic, blues-soaked outlaw country, the album is also interspersed with a few more upbeat tracks, showing that Danny's ability to craft catchy melodies which will have listeners singing along in no time is still very much alive and well.

Worsnop comments: "It has been an emotional roller-coaster creating these songs, but the end result has left me humbled, proud, and more excited about a project than I ever have been in my life.

"Writing as deep and personal as I have on this record brought up a lot inside me from my years, allowing me to grow and move on from demons I didn't even acknowledge having.

"I've done everything in my power to keep this album honest and pure, and it gives me chills every time I hear it. I'm beyond proud of what I've made and cannot wait to share it with the world. These songs are a reflection of my soul, and I hope you all enjoy them. See you on the other side!"

"The Long Road Home" is available to pre-order now on limited-edition signed CD and colored vinyl, along with a range of merch bundles.

"The Long Road Home" track listing:

01. Prozac02. Mexico03. I Feel Like Shit04. Anyone But Me05. High06. I Got Bones07. Quite A While08. Don't Overdrink It09. I'll Hold On10. Midnight Woman11. Same Old Ending12. The Man

Death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER will release their twelfth studio album, "Torment", 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 last month 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.

US heavy rockers Soldiers Of Solace have signed a record deal with German based label Rock’N’Growl Records, a division of Rock'N'Growl Promotion. The band is currently in the studio recording their debut album, for an album release due later in 2017. Soldiers Of Solace recently released a sneak preview track "Cold As a Stone", from their up-and-coming album, which can be streamed below.

"Soldiers Of Solace is excited to enter this new chapter of their professional career, and would like to thank their fans and supporters for believing in them!"

Soldiers Of Solace is an all original, hard hitting, American heavy rock band, comprised of five members: Jason Longo on vocals, Ron Therrien on bass guitar, Luis Cubille on rhythm guitar, Jeff Fahy on lead guitar and all the way from Italy, Francesco Daniele on drums.

Since their birth, a little over a year ago, Soldiers Of Solace has shared the mainstage with national acts such as: Nonpoint, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Scott Stapp of Creed. With poignant lyrical content, driving riffs, thundering beats, and powerful live performances, Soldiers Of Solace is making their mark on the international music scene.

 

 

 

HighVolMusic has confirmed the release date for the Newmachine debut, Karma, as March 17th. The album was engineered and produced by Howard 'The Doctor' Lindeman (John Lennon, Blue Oyster Cult, KISS) and recorded at CVRS Studios in Naples, FL during the months of October, November, and December 2016. Karma contains ten tracks with one track being mastered by Bill Leverty of Firehouse.

Tracklisting:

"Hell To Pay"
"Nowhere Fast"
"Everglades"
"Lost"
"Love Is Crazy"
"No More"
"Hold On"
"Livin' It Up"
*Bonus Track
*Bonus Track

Sound samples can be heard via the SoundCloud audio player below.

Karma will be distributed through MRi / Sony and also available on all digital platforms. The band has planned a short tour in March for the drop of the album followed by several more runs starting in May; dates to be announced.

Newmachine is now writing and recording for a second album also be released later this year. For more information visit this location.
 

 

St. Louis thrashers, Final Drive, will release their new studio album, Dig Deeper, on February 3rd. In addition to previously announced tour dates, Final Drive also just unveiled full album details for Dig Deeper, including the official tracklisting and pre-order information.

Artwork for the album cover was created by Final Drive’s own Jordan Gaw. Produced by Charlie Bellmore (Jasta, Kingdom of Sorrow), mixed by Nicky Bellmore (Dexters Lab Studio, Toxic Holocaust), and mastered by Zuess (Hatebreed, Rob Zombie); pre-orders for Dig Deeper are available now at the following digital locations: FinalDriveDigDeeper.com, Bandcamp. Each physical CD/vinyl pre-order also includes an immediate download of the full album. Get yours now at this location.

Dig Deeper tracklisting:

“This Is How”
“Built To Break”
“The Last Time”
“Six Feet Down”
“Want It All”
“Life Decided”
“Follow The Curse”
“Beneath Us”
“Of A Killer”
“Black Out”

“This Is How” lyric video:

Laser's Edge has confirmed the release date for Future Hopes, the seventh full-length from eclectic Norwegian prog quintet, White Willow, unveiling the album's artwork, tracklisting, and other details on the record.

White Willow's first album since 2011's well-received Terminal Twilight sees the outfit exploring some of the most "progressive" territory the band has ever ventured into, with several lengthy tracks and more instrumental passages than they are usually known for. Musically the album builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, with a modern approach to production. Future Hopes also features a heavy use of synthesizers, including the unique textures of the famed Blade Runner synth, the Yamaha CS80.

The Future Hopes lineup, which as always is a loose constellation of musicians with multi-instrumentalists Jacob Holm-Lupo and Mattias Olsson at the core, sees the return of several White Willow stalwarts, including flautist Ketil Einarsen (Jaga Jazzist, Motorpsycho), keyboardist Lars Fredrik Frøislie (Wobbler, Tusmørke), and bassist Ellen Andrea Wang (Pixel, Manu Katché Quartet). The singer is however a new arrival. Venke Knutson is best known in her native Norway for a string of Top 10 hits and is well established as a solo pop artist. She came into Holm-Lupo's orbit as a guest singer with his other project, The Opium Cartel. Guesting on several tracks and putting a clear stamp on the album is Norway's trailblazing guitar hero Hedvig Mollestad, known from her own Hedvig Mollestad Trio. Holm-Lupo felt the material needed a soloist who could both navigate the tricky, almost jazz-influenced chord and time changes on the album while at the same time retaining a rock edge, and Hedvig fit the bill perfectly.

Future Hopes was mixed by highly respected Norwegian Grammy-nominated engineer Christian Engfelt, known for his work on the Elephant9 / Reine Fiske album, Atlantis, and the Todd Rundgren / Lindstrøm collaboration, Runddans. The record was mastered by Grammy Award-winning audiophile legend Bob Katz, and completed with a specially commissioned painting by Roger Dean. The CD and digital versions of the album also feature two bonus tracks, including an original tune, "Damnation Valley", as well as White Willow's unusual cover of The Scorpions' classic dirge, "Animal Magnetism", re-interpreted as a Tangerine Dream-like electronic piece while still retaining the heaviness of the original. The star on the track is New York-based clarinetist David Krakauer, knows as the world's foremost klezmer clarinetist, with countless credits to his name both with his own projects, in jazz constellations, with many of the world's best philharmonic orchestras and with soundtrack music. Krakauer is a recipient of many prestigious nominations and awards, from DownBeat to the Grammys.

Laser's Edge will issue Future Hopes on CD, LP, and digital formats on March 31st. Audio samples, preorder info, and more will be issued in the coming days.

Future Hopes tracklisting:

"Future Hopes"
"Silver And Gold"
"In Dim Days"
"Where There Was Sea There Is Abyss"
"A Scarred View"
"Animal Magnetism" [CD/digital bonus track]
"Damnation Valley" [CD/digital bonus track]

Formed in Oslo in 1992 / 93, White Willow has built a reputation over the years as a diverse, subtle, progressively-focused group. They were a part of the original revival of progressive rock in Scandinavia that also included Änglagård, Anekdoten, and Landberk, and original Änglagård drummer Mattias Olsson is the drummer of White Willow. Fusing influences from 1970s prog rock and folk rock, hard rock, electronica, and even some pop influences, with each album they explore new territories. A common thread throughout all the albums though, is the use of female vocals and the employment of huge arsenals of vintage keyboards and synthesizers, notably mellotrons, chamberlins, moogs, solinas, prophets, and more.

[photo by Dagfinn Hobæk]

New York City sludge/doom/drone trio, Unearthly Trance, are streaming the track “Famine” from their new album, Stalking The Ghost, out on February 24th via Relapse Records. Listen to the track below.

An esoteric ritual of seismic doom, Stalking The Ghost taps into the darkest realms of the occult over the course of seven tracks that reek of utter despair. Forming a balance between slow-churning maelstrom and spine-chilling harmony, wrapped beneath a blackened cloud of rumbling feedback, Unearthly Trance sound more powerful and exploratory than ever before.

Recorded at Menegroth/The Thousand Caves Studios by Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts, Panopticon) and featuring cover art by Orion Landau (YOB, Red Fang, Graves At Sea), Stalking The Ghost restores misery to a gentrifying city.

Tracklisting:

“Into The Spiral”
“Dream State Arsenal”
“Scythe”
“Famine”
“Lion Strength”
“Invisible Butchery”
“The Great Cauldron”
“In The Forest's Keep” (Digital Only Bonus Track)

“Famine”:

“Dream State Arsenal”:

Tour dates:

April
17 - KB18 - Copenhagen, Denmark
18 - Hafenklang - Hamburg, Germany
19 - Magasin4 - Brussels, Belgium
20 - Roadburn - Tilburg, Netherlands
21 - Doom Over Leipzig - Leipzig, Germany
23 - JAZ - Rostock, Germany

(Photo - Jimmy Hubbard)

Brooklyn-based experimental metal outfit, Tombs, has entered Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida to begin recording their fourth full-length. Produced once again by Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal), this currently untitled album is set for a summer release via Metal Blade Records.

Guitarist/vocalist Mike Hill comments: "I've been gearing up for this moment for all of past year. Rutan is a master and I'm intending on us delivering the most punishing Tombs record to-date."

After recording this upcoming album, Tombs will head back out on the road in March, joining Darkest Hour, Ringworm, and Rivers of Nihil for a US tour. See below for all dates.

March
5 - Portland, OR - Analog Theater
6 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
8 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
9 - Sacramento, CA - Colonial Theater
10 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent
11 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
12 - Phoenix, AZ - Club Red
13 - Tucson, AZ - Club XS
14 - Albuquerque, NM - Blu Phoenix Venue
15 - Lubbock, TX - Backstage Lubbock
16 - Austin, TX - Grizzly Hall
17 - Houston, TX - White Oak
18 - San Antonio, TX - The Korova
19 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar and Grill
21 - Cincinnati, OH - Northside Yacht Club

Tombs lineup:

Mike Hill - Guitar/Vocals
Charlie Schmid - Drums
Ben Brand - Bass
Evan Void - Guitar
Fade Kainer - Synth / Vocals

Sainted Sinners are fronted by the unique, soul-driven voice of American born vocalist David Reece (Accept, Bonfire) and highly gifted guitar player Frank Pané. Rounding out Sainted Sinners are keyboard player Ferdy Doernberg (Axel Rudi Pell), and the dynamic rhythm section of two former Purpendicular members Malte Frederik Burkert on bass, and Hungarian drum maestro Berci Hillman

Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to David Reece and Frank Pané about their newly formed band Sainted Sinners and their new album which will be released February 24th on El Puerto Records. David Reece also makes his first official statement in regards to his departure from the band Bonfire; an excerpt follows:

In regards to writing all the material for the new album by Sainted Sinners:

"The material was already in the works," reveals Frank Pané. "It was planned for a different release for a different band (Perpendicular featuring Ian Pace) that I split up with. I took two guys out of that band with me which is the drummer and the bass player. And listening to that material I thought there is just one perfect voice for that kind of style and that is David Reece." 

In regards to David Reece's split with Bonfire:

"In all reality I don't think there is room to throw shit at each other," says David Reece. "I just personally was very unhappy working with Hans Ziller (Bonfire) and he was unhappy working with me and I disagreed with management and management disagreed with me. I had basically decided to leave this month, made up my mind I wanted out of the band. It kind of crashed down in July in Italy. Unfortunately it got really ugly, but I hold no animosity. I am actually better physically and mentally not being in that  environment. It's Hans Ziller's band. Nasically we are all hired guys. I'm not going to lie to you, it was a tough year. I was finally accepted as the new Bonfire singer and the next thing you know I'm out. Then they got another guy, and then they got another guy."

Watch the complete interview in the YouTube clip below.

(Photo by Matt Bischof)

 

 

 

 

 

On January 23rd, Dark Horizon will release a digital version of Metalhead, the limited edition EP pressed in 300 copies in March 2016.

This release, published by Tanzan Music, contains the unreleased track "I Wanna Be A Metalhead”, "Sea Sirens Voices” (Hollywood Edition) taken from the forthcoming new album Aenigma (Underground Symphony) and the covers "Lucifer's Hammer" (Warlord) and "Free" (Heavy Load).

Tracklisting:

“I Wanna Be A Metalhead”
“Lucifer’s Hammer”
“Sea Sirens Voices” (Hollywood Version)
“Free”

Lineup:

Roberto Quassolo - vocals
Daniele Mandelli - guitar
Alessandro Battini - keyboards
Luca Capelli - drums
Paolo Veluti - bass

Striker returns in 2017 with their fifth self-titled studio album, due out on February 24th, along with tours across the US and Europe from January till mid April (dates listed here).

The band comments on the upcoming release: "This is our no bullshit album. We cut out everything that wasn't absolutely necessary and kept everything short and to the point. We pray at the altar of heavy metal everyday, and there are some musical ideas that persist through time and some that don't. We focused in on what keeps listeners coming back and got rid of everything else. You can't climb Mount Everest dragging any useless shit with you; if you want to make it to the top, only bring with you what is absolutely necessary: Lethal Amounts of Shred."

Striker has launched a pre-order campaign with immediate download of their first single, “Born To Lose” (streaming below) at this location. Pre-order campaign will run from January 9th till the end of the month.

The band explains: “’Born To Lose’, like most of our songs, is about doing what you want in life. When you are born into this world, there is a lot of you life that is predetermined. If you choose to change part of your life you need to go out and live it, not just fantasize about it. We've always wanted to hear music like ours, so we started a band and created it. “Born To Lose” embraces everything we love about music: speed, nonstop shred, huge vocals, guitars, and drums, and over the top energy and emotion. If it doesn't make you want to throw down and party then nothing will."

Tracklisting:

“Former Glory”
“Pass Me By”
“Born To Lose”
“Cheating Death”
“Shadows In The Light”
“Rock The Night”
“Over The Top”
“Freedom's Call”
“Curse of The Dead”

“Born To Lose”:

East coast shock rockers, American Grim, have signed a worldwide deal with Entertainment One (eOne Music) / Rocktagon Worldwide Music with plans to release their first full length, Freakshow, on February 24th. A music video for the album’s title track can be found below.

“I can't begin to express how excited we are to debut this project at eOne,” says vocalist Ryan Healy. “We've worked relentlessly among ourselves, as well as with our producer Zardonic, to build an album we're confident has a great shot at striking a nerve in rock.”

For the album artwork, the band commissioned artist Tyler Reitan and couldn’t be happier.

Title track “Freakshow” is available on all streaming services today and will be an iTunes "instant gratification track," meaning fans who pre order the album will get "Freakshow" as a download immediately.

Healy continues, “There's an astounding problem in America with political correctness and all these taboo issues that are far more real than people think, all being swept under the rug.  We have an entire generation of kids overly medicated and under educated that no longer know the difference between their own opinions and the manipulation of mass media. Freakshow isn't just an album, it's the current state of America, and we're looking forward to taking it on across the country.”

Tracklisting:

“Concrete Jungle”
“Freakshow”
“Only One”
“Burn Hollywood”
“Drugs Like Candy”
“The Guns”
“I Want Out”
“Fight Night”
“Doctor Doc”
“Idols”
“Get Loud”
“Bodies All Around”

“Freakshow” video:

Pirate metallers, Alestorm have checked in with an update on their upcoming fifth album:

“Ahoy humans! We are very thrilled to announce that we have entered the studio to record our fifth full-length album, entitled No Grave But The Sea!

“We will be spending the next month at Alpaca Ranch Recording Studio in Orlando, USA, with producer Lasse Lammert once again at the helm. This will also be the first full release featuring our grandiose guitarist Máté Bodor!

“This is the point where we would usually tell you this album is going to be darker and heavier than our previous works, but that's probably not true. It is, however, full of epic songs about pirates, drinking, and pseudoscientific cryptogeography.

“We'll have a bunch more updates for you over the coming weeks and months, including the album cover, track list, release dates, and more!”

Stay tuned for updates from the band.

Old school thrash/death band, Downfall, have officially joined Memorial Records and will release a new album, Punishment For The Infidels, on March 17th in physical and digital formats.

Mixed and mastered by Adriano Quaranta (Sawthis) at Under Room Studios, the new album is a good mix between old and new generation of thrash metal music, influenced by death metal and punk/hardcore.

The band says: "Punishment For The Infidels shows anger, violence and frustration, resulting from the desire to not be submitted to a society that works for omologation and annihilation".

Punishment For The Infidels tracklisting:

“The Torture”
“Pleasure For Murder”
“Corrupted In Black”
“God's Hand”
“Slaughterism”
“Misanthropic Solution”
“Feeding The Beast”
“Abyss”
“Last Prophecy”
“Mass Homicide”
“Machination Of Revolution”

(Photo - Downfall Facebook)