MASTODON's Brent Hinds has broken his leg in a motorcycle accident, it has been revealed.

The guitarist/vocalist posted a photo of himself laying in bed with a cast on his right leg and the caption: "broke my fucking leg starting my motorcycle goddamnit. sorry to all the shows I was about to play with gto and west and more and fiend without a face.lifes a bitch then you die. happy thanking !"

Hinds was about to embark on a short run of dates with GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA, his collaboration with ALICE IN CHAINS vocalist William Duvall and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN guitarist Benjamin Weinman. It is not presently clear if he will still play all the scheduled shows with the group.

MASTODON recently finished recording the follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun" with producer Brendan O'Brien. An early 2017 release is expected.

GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA's tour is slated to kick off on October 29 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Hinds earlier in the year appeared as a guest on the AMC reality series "Ride With Norman Reedus" which follows "The Walking Dead"'s most popular actor and motorcycle enthusiast Norman Reedus as he takes viewers on a ride on the open road to explore local biker culture and its history and celebrate some of the best and brightest collectors, mechanics and motorcycle craftsmen around the country.

Atmospheric tech death collective Wrvth has issuesd the confounding video accompaniment to the track "Cease To Exist". The tune comes by way of the band's self-titled full-length release via Unique Leader Records. 

Elaborates bassist Taylor Preston of the fiery clip, "We decided to work with Cory Davis of Yellowbox Films again for 'Cease To Exist,' as we loved the work he did for our music video 'Malaise.' This song is the closing track to our self-titled release and it is fitting as it is also our closer for the year, musically speaking. As far as the creation goes, we wrote every part of the music to fit the lyrics. We put all our heads together to form something that we all felt was as fitting as it was meaningful. Even though the song has a seemingly straightforward interpretation, this song means something very different for every person in the band. We didn't write the song with a mindset of writing something relatable, in fact the events that inspired the song are all very specific and personal to each of us. We gave Cory the lyrics and artistic freedom to form a visual representation of the emotions in this song based on his own interpretation and the feelings the song may incite."

Tracked at SharkBite/Castle Ultimate Studios by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Fallujah, All Shall Perish), Wrvth features a guest appearance from Daniel Casares of Bay Area jazz group, Atta Kid, on saxophone and continues to astound the ears of fans and critics globally for its expert balance of beauty and brutality.

Magnolia Home Entertainment announced today that they have acquired home entertainment rights (physical and digital) to Stephen Kijak's We Are X. From the production team behind the Academy Award© winning Searching for Sugar Man, We Are X is a transcendent and beautifully shot rock 'n' roll story about the Japanese band X Japan, one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Celebrated as "a fascinating and assured documentary" (The New York Times) that "tells the greatest rock 'n' roll story America has never heard" (Pitchfork), We Are X is directed by acclaimed documentarian Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man). The critically acclaimed music documentary premiered theatrically starting October 21st via Drafthouse Films and is continuing to expand in theaters in over 40 markets nationwide.

Under the enigmatic direction of Yoshiki, composer, classically-trained pianist, drummer/percussionist, and the creative force behind the group, X Japan has sold over 30 million singles and albums combined, captivating such a wide range of admirers such as Sir George Martin, Gene Simmons, Marilyn Manson, Stan Lee, and the Japanese Emperor, while pioneering a spectacle-driven style of visual rock called Visual Kei, a one-of-a-kind cultural phenomenon. We Are X is an astonishingly intimate portrait of a deeply haunted--but truly unstoppable--virtuoso and the music that has enthralled legions of the world's most devoted fans. 

"'We Are X' is an extraordinary and exhilarating documentary about the cultural phenomenon Yoshiki and his best-selling band X Japan," said Randy Wells, Head of Magnolia Home Entertainment. "Stephen Kijak's film is a true celebration of Yoshiki's enduring legacy."

"I've been overwhelmed by the reception to the film thus far," said Kijak. "I couldn't be more excited to be working with Magnolia, who I have admired for so long, to continue to spread Yoshiki's inspiring message of salvation through art and the incredible story of X Japan to the masses."
 
"We are delighted to be in the hands of such an experienced and successful distributor," said Producer John Battsek. "We are excited to partner with Magnolia to continue to tell the unbelievable story of Yoshiki and X Japan. Magnolia really is the perfect home for We Are X."   
 
We Are X will arrive on Digital EST February 21st, 2017 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and VOD March 7th, 2017. Territories include U.S, Bermuda and Bahamas.

Rebirth is the first solo-album ever by Raff Sangiorgio. Guitarist of the long-running death metal band Gory Blister, with whom he wrote and published five full-length albums, Raff Sangiorgio debuts with a new one, for the first time as a soloist. The album is out now Sliptrick Records.

The guitarist peforms the title track in a new video below:

In a previous video, Sangiorgio performs the album track “Magic River” in the new video streaming below:

In another clip, Sangiorgio performs the album track “Quick Trigger”:

It is a one-man studio project, focusing on instrumental metal-rock songs with blues influences, in which Raff Sangiorgio wrote, produced, arranged and performed every single instrument, with particular focus, on the guitar work. This new album consists of nine original songs.

“Back To Glory”:

“Quick Trigger”:

Obscure melodic black metallers Cold Raven will soon be on the road for the The Evil Over Europe Tour supporting Possessed and Belphegor, kicking off December 2nd in Paris. Other support on the tour comes from Absu. Cold Raven has released a new song, covering Watain’s “Sworn To The Dark”:

Tour dates:

December
2 - Paris, France - Glazart
3 - Brescia, Italy - Circolo Colony
4 - Zurich, Switzerland - Dynamo
6 - Kosice, Slovakia - Collosseum
7 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Kino Siska
8 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Barrack Club
9 - Wroclaw, Poland - Alibi
10 - Berlin, Germany - Nuke Club
11 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Dudok
12 - Glasgow, Scotland - Classic Grand
13 - London, England - Islington Academy
15 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Rockfabrik
16 - TBA
17 - Bruges, Belgium - Entrepot
18 - Hamburg, Germany - Logo
19 - Flensburg, Germany - Roxy
20 - Erfurt, Germany - From Hell

More intense, more powerful and more epic – Majesty have reached the next stage of evolution and sound the horn of their new album Rebels to conquer the heavy metal throne. Recorded in the band's own studio and refined by the mixing and mastering of Frederik Nordsträm in the Studio Fredman, Rebels is the fundament for Majesty 2.0.

The band has revealed the cover artwork of this upcoming album, which will be released on March 3rd, 2017 via NoiseArt Records.

Singer Tarek comments:

"We are happy to present you the artwork of our new album Rebels. It exactly expresses what Majesty 2.0 means. Fight for your freedom and let nobody ever tell you how you should live your life!"

Rebels needs to be heard by full volume and thanks to its hymns, it will live up to its status as Majesty 2.0 on stage as well – get blown away!

Studio Diary 1 – Backing Vocals:

Studio Diary 2 – Vocal Recordings:

Studio Diary 3 – Album Title Announcement:

On November 11th, Swedish metal visionaries In Flames released their 12th studio album, Battles, via Eleven Seven Music in North America and via Nuclear Blast outside of the U.S. The album debuted on charts throughout Europe landing in the top 10 on the Top Overall Albums Chart in Sweden (#2), Finland (#3), Germany (#7) and Austria (#8). Battles also appeared on the charts in North America, debuting at #2 on the Metal chart, #5 on the Independent Record chart, and #8 on the Top Rock chart. 
 
Complete with 14 songs, the album showcases a new musical approach for the band while still staying true to themselves thus creating a whole new fan base while bringing their original fans along for the ride. With pounding, anthem-like force, the band’s first single, “The Truth” is instantly infectious, and currently trending Top 25 at Active Rock radio.

Tracklisting:

“Drained”
“The End”
“Like Sand”
“The Truth”
“In My Room”
“Before I Fall”
“Through My Eyes”
“Battles”
“Here Until Forever”
“Underneath My Skin”
“Wallflower”
“Save Me”
“Greatest Greed”
“Us Against The World”

“The Truth” video:

“The End” video

In Flames and Hellyeah’s 2016 co-headline Forged In Fire Tour of North America, kicked off on November 12th in Orlando, FL. Spanning 28 cities across the US and Canada, the heavy metal tour of the fall will be supported by new bands From Ashes To New and Source on all shows.

Forged In Fire tour dates:

November
25 - Detroit, MI - The Crofoot
26 - Fort Wayne, IN - The Hub
27 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
29 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts
30 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues

December
1 - Kalamazoo, MI - State Theater
3 - Saint Paul, MN - Myth Live Event Center
4 - Green Bay, WI - The Sandlot
6 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
7 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
9 - Los Angeles, CA - Belasco Theater
11 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
13 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
14 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
16 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
17 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
18 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory Concert House
19 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater

In Flames will be performing a string of dates in the UK alongside Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed.

Tour dates:

January (with Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed)
10 - Glasgow, UK - The SSE Hydro
12 - Newcastle, UK - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
13 - Birmingham, UK - Birmingham Genting Arena
15 - Sheffield, UK - Sheffield Arena
16 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Arena
18 - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
19 - Cardiff, Wales, UK - Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
21 - London, UK - Peninsula Square O2 Arena

Motörhead are creating a buzz with a new range of branded sex toys. The new collection, featuring the Orgasmatron rockers’ iconic logo is their second collaboration with Lovehoney.ca, one of the world's biggest sex toy brands.

Guitarist Phil Campbell said: "Just like our live shows, the next morning after using our sex toys you will be thinking 'what the f*** was that?' and go to work with a big smile. Just like the band, our products are EXTREME! Enjoy with care."

Drummer Mikkey Dee said: “Wherever you see, hear or feel Motörhead, you KNOW that it’s gonna be the most powerful time you’ll enjoy, and right here is no exception!”

Motörhead - The Official Pleasure Collection features the Motörhead Bomber Rock Hard Glass Dildo ($64.95) - available in clear or black glass, it is perfectly shaped to slip inside for an awesome assault on your intimate pleasure points. As an added bonus, it is temperature responsive for a weapons grade orgasm.

The Motörhead War Pig Wand Vibrator ($164.95) delivers the power and pleasure fans would expect from the ‘loudest band on Earth.’

The first range of products were released just three months before Lemmy's death last year and quickly sold-out. The band reckon the new collection will serve as a sexy souvenir reminder that Motörhead will rock forever for fans.

Lovehoney co-owner Neal Slateford said: “Once Motörhead said they were happy to go ahead with the new collection we were delighted to proceed. It was an honour to work with Lemmy, and it remains an honour to work with Motörhead. We’ve made sure the new products are of the very highest quality, as we did with the first line which the band and Lemmy loved."

Lemmy said of the first collection: “One of the songs on our debut album was called “Vibrator” so we had to have our own one day, right?”

Founded in 2002, Lovehoney is a multi-award winning manufacturer and distributor of pleasure products. Its focus on exceptional customer service, product innovation, and creative marketing has placed Lovehoney at the forefront of developments in the sexual wellbeing market. In 2016 Lovehoney won the Queen’s Award for International Trade and can now officially use the Royal Emblem on their products.

(Images - Lovehoney)

Florida metallic doom trio Weltesser have announced details of their upcoming album, Crestfallen, which will be released via Prosthetic Records on February 10th. The six track album will be streaming two weeks prior (January 27th) exclusively via the band's official Bandcamp page here.

Self-produced and engineered by Dan Byers, Crestfallen clocks in at just over 30 minutes of sickening, metallic doom. Having shared the stage with bands such as Primitive Man, The Body, Jucifer, Celeste and many more, they quickly became the go-to unsigned band in Florida for nationally touring acts. Their sound is inspired by Dystopia, His Hero is Gone, and Laudanum, lending a humble maturity beyond three years.

The LP version will be available in “Dab Slab” clear yellow swirl limited to retail only, while a clear/black resin smoke colour will be made available from the band’s Bandcamp page and the Prosthetic web shop in the coming weeks.

Tracklisting:

“Regret”
“Guide”
“Living To Try”
“Terminal”
“Rats”
“Crestfallen”
 
Fueled by sour diesel and misery, Weltesser is comprised of Ian Hronek (Rotting Palms, Landbridge) Nate Peterson (Rotting Palms, Sky Burial) and Mike Amador (Landbridge), who formed the band in Saint Petersburg, FL over Sabbath worship and Monolord. Roughly a year after their inaugural demo release - a syrupy four track cassette.
 
Tour dates:

December
17-18 - Orlando, FL - Florida Is Loud Fest (with Yautja, Knife Hits)

With their second album, The Longed-For Reckoning, Fall Of Carthage prove their intentions are serious. After numerous live shows within the last few months, it’s clear this is not just a side-project of Arkadius Antonik (SuidAkrA, Realms of Odoric) and Martin Buchwalter (Perzonal War), who pulled Sascha Aßbach in front of the mic after a long absence from the music scene. 

Sixteen songs represent a genre-defying creativity and joy for experimentation, as well as, their love for detail and natural sounds. Those who expect programmed blast-beats and  typical thrash or metalcore structures will be in for a surprise. What you get is much more. Their sound can be described somewhere between groove metal, hardcore and rap without having the feeling of simply throwing sounds together. The versatility of Sascha’s vocals is convincing in its full spectrum. Thanks to the solid and elaborate songwriting that all band members were involved in from the beginning, the new tracks are catchy without getting boring. 

Fall Of Carthage have grown together musically, and so The Longed-For Reckoning will surely be a highlight for 2017.  Like the debut, Behold, this album was produced at Gernhart Studio in Troisdorf, and promises a fat-ass sound with superb mixing. Be on the lookout for The Longed-For Reckoning on January 27th, 2017 via MDD Records.

SuidAkrA recently released a video for “Braving The End”, a track from their newest album, Realms Of Odoric, released back in May. The new video can be found below.

Realms Of Odoric is presented with extensive epic artwork by artist Kris Verwimp.

Tracklisting:

“Into The Realm”
“The Serpent Within”
“The Hunter's Horde”
“Creeping Blood”
“Undaunted”
“Lion Of Darcania”
“Pictish Pride”
“On Roads To Ruin”
“Dark Revelations”
“Braving The End”
“One Against The Tide”
“Cimbric Requiem”

Bonus track (Digipak version)
“Remembrance”

“Braving The End” video:

“Pictish Pride” video:

“The Hunter's Horde” lyric video:

My Sleeping Karma have revealed details for their first live record, Mela Ananda - Live!, due for release on February 24th via Napalm Records.

If you’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the live experience that this German four-piece unleashes, you’ll agree that the concert atmosphere provides a healthy dose of enchantment for their much-loved brand of psychedelic rock.

Mela Ananda translates directly to “a gathering of bliss”. The detailed artwork is the great work of Sebastian Jerke.

Tracklisting:    

“Prithvi”
“Enigma42”
“Glow11”
“Ephedra”
“Vayu”
“Akasha”
“Brahama”
“Psilocybe”
“Tamas”
“Hymn72”

This 8-page digipack also includes a very special bonus DVD, Let’s Give It A Try (video documentary of 10 years of My Sleeping Karma) and My Sleeping Karma live at Rockpalast in Cologne with the following tracklisting:

“Brahama”
“23 Enigma”
“Glow11”
“Ahimsa”
“Tamas”
“Hymn72”

Reckless heavy rock and multi-layered melodies to make you groove, freak out and dream away - whether you’re sweating in a tightly packed club or listening to Mela Ananda - Live! on your headphones, these instrumental wizards will bring light into even the darkest of souls.

A Breach Of Silence have released a video for “Falling Away”, a track from their third studio album, Secrets.

“Falling Away” takes on the controversial perception of a “value gap” occurring within the music industry while tackling the issue head-on and stressing the importance of subscription-based business models over ad-based streaming, for all creators of music… regardless of genre.

“We did this clip because there is a huge value gap for artists and labels in the music industry right now and it needs to be fixed” states guitarist Mat Cosgrove. “Best-case scenario, a 12-song album needs to be streamed about 125 times (1,500 total streams) on a subscription-based plan to equal the sale of an album. Our label is fully transparent with us, we see every transaction pertaining to our catalog and we get paid. The problem is that the revenue generated by free, advertising-based business models is fractions of that received from subscription models. If musicians aren’t fairly compensated for their music, then they eventually stop being musicians and are forced to choose other professions that are more profitable.”

Vocalist Rhys Flannery continues, “A subscription on Spotify (for example) is available for LESS than the cost of a six pack of beer, and that gets me unlimited music from all my favorite bands! We recognize that people don’t want to buy CDs or even download albums anymore, and that’s fine – people should consume music the way they want. All we’re asking of people is to subscribe to whatever service they prefer, because free streaming simply cannot sustain music creators OR the streaming services over the long-haul.”

The Secrets album was produced by Fredrik Nordstrom (Bring Me The Horizon, Arch Enemy, In Flames) and mixed by Henrik Udd at Studio Fredman. It will be released worldwide via Eclipse Records on February 24th.

 

 

Tracklisting:

"Falling Away"
"Ride Or Die"
"Undefeated"
"Secrets"
"Nightcrawler"
"Fair Weather Friends"
"Buzz Killington"
"The Revelator"
"A Better Place"
"Broken"
"Shameless" (The Weeknd cover)
"Dethroned"
"Sugar And Spice"

Secrets is available for pre-order via iTunes and Amazon. Either option comes with the songs “Falling Away”, “Secrets”, and “Nightcrawler” as instant grat tracks.

Featuring the new EMG Fat 55 set, Richie Faulkner plays over the Andy James track "Find The Feel" (provided by Jam Track Central) in the video below.

“The Judas Priest guitarist was handed a set of our new Retro Active pickups when he showed up to the studio and was happy to take them for a test drive. Richie truly put the Fat 55 set to the test. Listen how these pickups respond to his every move, creating a tone, clarity, and look that is new to EMG.”

Faulkner was interviewed by Sweetwater editorial director Mitch Gallagher during Making Hard Rock Look Easy, a three-day recording master class which was held October 20th-22nd at Sweetwater’s campus in Fort Wayne, IN.

Talking about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for Judas Priest’s follow-up to 2014's Redeemer Of Souls album, Richie stated: "I just flew straight back out of the UK, straight to Sweetwater. We've just been in the studio for a couple of months putting songs together. We haven't started the recording process yet, but we're recording demos; we're recording songs that work without the production to save them, if you know what I mean. But the core value… We're putting down some grassroots ideas and fleshing them out for the next Priest record. So we're gonna go into the studio to start recording in January. So it should be out sometime next year. But we're not touring next year. So we're gonna be touring, hopefully, in 2018."

My Kingdom Music has announced the signing, of Italian metallers, 5Rand. The band have signed a multi-album deal and will release their debut, Sacred / Scared, in February.

5Rand, headed by the talented, versatile and amazing Julia’s voice, without any doubt a great promise of the Italian modern metal movement, have decided that My Kingdom Music is the right home for their music.

"I'm really excited to be signing 5Rand to My Kingdom Music" commented Julia. "We’ve put all ourselves in our album working very hard for months on it and at the end we are really satisfied of the final result. Sacred / Scared is not an album like others and we are sure the listeners will feel its pulsating energy and passion. We really think that the deal 5Rand makes today with My Kingdom Music will be a significant step towards our quest to present people a different way to play extreme metal through originality, intensity and devotion!"

The managerial and booking activity of the band will be followed by Rock On Agency and it confirms the high expectations 5Rand have.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news heading your way soon.

Dario Mollo’s Crossbones will release their new album, Rock The Cradle, on December 2nd. A video for the album track “Gates Of Time” can be found below.

Best known for his partnerships in the The Cage with Tony Martin (ex-Black Sabbath) and Voodoo Hill with Glenn Hughes (Black Country Communion, Deep Purple, California Breed), Italian guitarist Dario Mollo began his career in 1981 with the band Crossbones. With them, he released his first studio album in 1989, which was produced by Kit Woolven (Thin Lizzy Official, Magnum and UFO, among others) before getting involved in the production side of things himself.

For this new Crossbones album, the Italian axeman brought back original drummer, Ezio Secomandi with the lineup completed by his regular collaborator Dario Patti on bass and keyboards. The choice for the singer was Carl Sentance (Nazareth, Don Airey Band, Persian Risk, Krokus), who came at the suggestion of Don Airey of Deep Purple, during a recent visit to Dario’s home.

“I think this record has a strong identity and character,” says Dario. “It is a mature production and the songs range on many styles of hard rock and classic heavy metal, but every song has a catchy chorus. I also think this album shows how much I liked working with Carl. He is easily one of the best singers I have ever worked with. I am certain our cooperation will not end with this CD!”

Rock The Cradle tracklisting:

“Red”
“Take Me High”
“Navigation”
“Rock The Cradle”
“Gates Of Time”
“I Got This Feeling”
“In My Blood”
“Running From The Shadow”
“Speed”
“Fright”

“Gates Of Time” video:

“Take Me High”:

“Red”:

"Rock The Cradle" video:

British rockers, The Jokers, have released a video for “Silver City”, taken from their recent album, Hurricane, out now via Steamhammer/SPV as CD, LP and Download.

A question which The Jokers from Liverpool like to answer to in their very own way. Hurricane, the third album by the four-piece surrounding vocalist Wane Parry and guitarist Paul Hurst leaves no doubt where their roots are and where their direction is taking them. “The style we play is ‘big rock’, that sound and feel runs through all our albums,” Hurst explains, adding: “Groove, riff-based songs with a strong top-line vocal melody and hooks. With Hurricane, we have still maintained this sound but tried to capture more of the raw live energy of the band in the recordings.” An energy which oozes through all 12 tracks (plus bonus material) on the album.

“Run 4 Cover” video:

The Joker’s live itinerary can be found at this location.

Over 30 years ago Honeymoon Suite stepped into Phase One Studios, Toronto to record their first album. In September of this year, boom 97.3 brought them back to where it all began. In front of a small studio audience, the band performed some of their biggest hits and some new tunes they’ve been working on. Check out the footage below.

Toronto-based guitarist Sean Kelly (Lee Aaron, Nelly Furtado, Crash Kelly), who collaborated with Honeymoon Suite for the band's forthcoming album Hands Up, recently posted the following update:

"Here is another snippet from the new Honeymoon Suite album Hands Up... '1986' has one of those big, tug at your heart choruses, and John Dee delivers it with a ton of emotion. A song I am very proud to be a co-writer on."

According to an update from the band issued back in May, "the new album will actually be a nine song EP with seven new original songs, plus two bonus live tracks. But we are doing something extra special: we are launching our first ever PledgeMusic Campaign, and sharing the album with you as it happens. A pledge makes you a part of the project and you will be helping us finish and mix the EP. Be the first to get a digital download or physical copy of the new album when it's finished, and a lot of other really cool stuff. There will be limited edition items, signed CDs, VIP experiences and more available with your pledge."

Check out a snippet of the new song "Never Was A Forever" below.

"Queen + Adam Lambert - Live in Japan" will be released in Japan on December 20, 2016. This multi-format release captures the band's headliner performance that took place on August 17, 2014 at Marine Stadium, the main stage of Japan's largest rock festival, Summer Sonic, in its entirety.

The combination of QUEEN's long and legendary standing with the young talent of Adam Lambert made for an unforgettable show. The stadium was filled to the brim with fans eager to see the first live show of QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT performing together on stage in Japan. The show itself, preluded by "Procession", opened with "Now I'm Here", and what followed was a performance of hit after hit, such as "Another One Bites The Dust", "Killer Queen", "Under Pressure", "I Was Born To Love You", "Radio Ga Ga", "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Are The Champions". Another highlight of the night was the performance of "Teo Toriatte (Let Us Cling Together)", a song written by guitarist Brian May especially for the Japanese fans and includes Japanese lyrics.

Even in 2016, two years since that show, May recalls: "We all thought it was quite a difficult gig. The audience was wonderful, but it was so hot and so humid, it was very difficult to play, but when we saw the video, we thought that it was great and the interaction with the crowd was great." Lambert also recalls: "The Japanese audience was so passionate, so emotional. You could feel the connection. And it's different than in other countries; there is something very special there." Drummer Roger Taylor adds: "The audience reaction was fantastic, and it was such a young audience, which was a big surprise for us."

Since that summer of 2014, QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT have once again earned much critical acclaim from Japanese media and fans alike with their live performances, having successfully wrapped up a three-night run at Nippon Budokan in September 2016.

"Queen + Adam Lambert - Live in Japan", released exclusively in Japan in various formats, will surely be yet another memorable release for the Japanese fans who wish to experience and relive such a special night.

Release formats:

* DVD* Blu-ray* DVD+Live CD* Blu-ray+Live CD* DVD or Blu-ray+Live CD+Tshirt* Super Deluxe Box set (including DVD or Blu-ray+Live CD+2LP+Tshirt+Tote Bag+Photo Book)

A trailer for "Queen + Adam Lambert - Live in Japan" is available below.

May described Lambert as the only singer the band had found capable of filling the shoes of iconic frontman Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991 of complications from to AIDS. "Adam is the first person we've encountered who can do all the QUEEN catalogue without blinking," said May. "He is a gift from God." Taylor echoed the guitarist's sentiments, adding: "[Adam's] incredibly musical, and we certainly take anything he says quite seriously."

Lambert, for his part, downplayed the Mercury comparisons, saying: "There's never going to be another, and I'm not replacing him. That's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to keep the memory alive, and remind people how amazing he was, without imitating him. I'm trying to share with the audience how much he inspired me."

METALLICA this week landed at position No. 6 on Billboard.com's "Hot Tours" list of top-grossing tours with $5.7 million in ticket sales from three performances in support of the band's new album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", released on November 18. 69,407 tickets were sold to the band's shows in San Juan, Puerto Rico (October 26), a horseracing track in Bogotá, Colombia (November 1), and a concert at the national stadium of Costa Rica in San José (November 5). The tour also stopped in Ecuador and Guatemala, but those box office stats have not yet been reported.

Asked by Rolling Stone magazine if METALLICA is planning to embark on a U.S. stadium tour next year, drummer Lars Ulrich said: "We're still in the process of putting it all together. Right now we're doing an Asian run in January and then we're opening the new Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark. Then we're doing Lollapalooza in South America and a few other things.

"We're still finalizing our U.S. plans for now. At this point, I don't want to say too much until it's completely dialed in. But we are definitely going to cover all of the U.S., and we look forward to getting out and doing a proper U.S. thing again. Obviously we've played a lot of one-offs and stuff, but we haven't really done a U.S. tour since 2009, so we look forward to that."

After METALLICA fans took only ten minutes in March to grab every ticket for the band's headlining concert at Minneapolis's new U.S. Bank Stadium on August 20, Ulrich said: "It's pretty awesome to be able to reach such a wide array of different music fans and people, but there are a lot of METALLICA fans in a lot of places of all ages, different backgrounds — culturally, socially, economically… the whole thing. And it's really cool. So we're very happy and appreciative that anybody shows up. And the fact that we can sell fifty, fifty-five thousand tickets to a show in Minneapolis still blows our minds, or probably blows our minds more than it ever did. And so it's kind of crazy, all of that. And we also, obviously, like to think that there are many different sides to what we do musically. We never like to be pigeonholed or to be stuck in one particular thing. So there's many different sides to METALLICA."

Lars went on to say that doesn't miss playing smaller venues "because we [still] play them. I mean, it's part of what we do. We're fortunate enough to be able to play giant, big-ass festivals," he added. "We played all seven continents in one calendar year, which was pretty awesome. We do it all. It's fun to be able to just kind of mix up the experience, not only for the fans, but for ourselves."

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR are putting the finishing touches on their new concert DVD, to be released in 2017. A couple of preview clips are available below.

As previously reported, PRIMAL FEAR will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year with a special concert in the band's home country. Vocalist Ralf Scheepers told Metal Master Kingdom before a recent gig in Toronto: "There are now negotiations for one big [anniversary] show. I don't wanna tell so much, because it's gotta be a surprise. There's still one year to plan and to schedule things."

Scheepers also said that PRIMAL FEAR has not yet begun work on material for the follow-up to this year's "Rulebreaker" album, "Not so far," he said. "It's a little bit too early. Maybe we'll find some time after the tour to collect ideas then and, basically, next year is gonna be a writing year, so we still have enough time for the next one. But be sure that it's gonna be an extremely heavy metal album."

PRIMAL FEAR last year parted ways with Brazilian drummer Aquiles Priester (HANGAR, ANGRA) and replaced him with Francesco Jovino (U.D.O.). In addition, founding PRIMAL FEAR guitarist Tom Naumann — who had been touring with the group for a couple of years — officially rejoined the band as a full member.

In an interview with Antihero Magazine, PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner stated about the band's enduring popularity: "I think we enjoy our job. We're playing a lot of shows and we are still really happy to do this. We like our job and every live show is a new challenge. We really enjoy to go on stage everywhere in the world. Have some fans and make a great night of rock with them. The fans really appreciate it if they see that you're really giving a hundred percent every night and have fun, like to communicate. This is important. This was, during the last years, I think, very strong for us, which made PRIMAL FEAR even stronger. That the fans really appreciate our attitude. That's one point."

Reunited Florida metal legends NASTY SAVAGE performed this past Saturday night, November 19 at the Crowbar in Ybor City, Florida. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Joining original NASTY SAVAGE members Ron "Nasty Ronnie" Galletti (vocals), Fred Dregischan (bass) and David Austin (guitar) at the show were drummer Greg Gall (of SIX FEET UNDER) and Tampa musician Demian Gordon on guitar.

The 54-year-old Galletti, a father of two teenagers who produces a television show that has spanned more than 20 years, told the Tampa Bay Times prior to this past weekend's gig: "As you get older in life, you want to reach out to what you had when you were younger

"It's a part of who I am and where I've been," he added. "I'll be Ron Galletti all day long on the 19th, but at 11:30 when we come on stage, it's time to turn that switch on all the way."

NASTY SAVAGE, which has previously played reunion shows in 2012 and 2014 using various musicians, came back together in early 2016 after Galletti asked Dregischan if he wanted to get the band back together and start writing new music.

"I didn't even hesitate for a moment, and answered, 'Hell yeah!'" said Dregischan. "NASTY SAVAGE 2016 began to blossom and I am stoked beyond belief."

The reformed band will next perform at the Famine Fest in Portland, Oregon in February 2017.

NASTY SAVAGE rose to popularity in the mid-1980s primarily due to Galetti's over-the-top stage performances (in early shows Ronnie would smash television sets over his head). After landing a deal with Metal Blade Records, the band released three full-length albums and an EP between 1985 and 1989. NASTY SAVAGE split up a short time later and played some reunion shows in the late 1990s.

NASTY SAVAGE's "comeback" album, "Psycho Psycho", was released in Europe in March 2004 through Metal Blade Records. The CD contained 12 songs in total, including a new version of the demo classic "Savage Desire".

On February 26, NASTY SAVAGE's self-titled debut album as well as its follow-up effort, "Indulgence", will be reissued. Both albums will be available on vinyl as well as on digi-CDs. The "Indulgence" CD will feature the four songs of the "Abstract Reality" mini-album as a bonus.

The NASTY SAVAGE vinyls will be released with 400g heavy cardboard spine sleeves (inside out print), 60x60cm artwork posters and 250g inserts.





Krista Grotte hit the stage and the crowd went wild ! Nasty Savage 2016

Posted by Nasty Savage on Wednesday, November 23, 2016

With more than 20 years (and counting) on the FOO FIGHTERS drum throne and detours with the COATTAIL RIDERS and BIRDS OF SATAN, Taylor Hawkins reluctantly steps into the spotlight with his first-ever album released under his own name, "Kota".

Whatever "Kota" means, the six-song mini-LP takes off like QUEEN on a skateboard, featuring Hawkins on lead vocals and nearly every instrument, with help from a few comrades in arms. From the hypnotic groove of opener "Range Rover Bitch" through the closing rave-up "I've Got Some Not Being Around You To Do Today", "Kota" mixes Hawkins' chops and influences with a true-to-life cast of characters to create a meditation on life as a rock star stranded in the suburbs. It's a short, sweet series of vignettes, but one that still strives to honor the tradition of BLUR's "Parklife" and THE KINKS' "Are The Village Green Preservation Society".

The official video for the first single, "Range Rover Bitch", can be seen below.

"Liam Lynch did an incredible job on the 'Range Rover Bitch' video," Hawkins told Rolling Stone in a statement. "I think our shared love of that pre-MTV late '70s/very early '80s direct-to-video late night television Don Kirshner/'Midnight Special' vibe really shines through on this video. He really captured that Kim Carnes, Nick Gilder feel."

Hawkins recently discussed the meaning behind "Range Rover Bitch" in a Consequence Of Sound interview. "'Range Rover Bitch' came from the fact that I live in Calabasas," he said. "I live in the neighborhood where the Kardashians live. I look around at my life, and outside of being onstage and all the wonderful crazy fucking shit that we get to do as a band, I lead a very normal life. I have three kids, a wife and we have a date night every week. ... So I look around and think how I never ever thought that picking up this pair of drumsticks would make me one of these well-to-do adults. [Laughs] I'm looking around going, 'Look at these idiots, and how did I become one of them?'"

"Kota" track listing:

01. Range Rover Bitch02. Bob Quit His Job03. Southern Belles04. Rudy05. Tokyo No No06. I've Got Some Not Being Around You To Do Today

FOO FIGHTERS have been on hiatus since November 2015, but they performed at a private charity concert in Los Angeles last month and have begun booking European festival appearances for next summer.

Video footage of GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna performing his solo song "Don't Comfort Me" at the studios of the Worcester/Boston, Massachusetts radio station WAAF can be seen below. The track is taken from Erna's second solo album, "Hometown Life", which was released on September 30 via BMG.

Erna told the WRIF radio station about "Hometown Life": "As people knew that, or learned that [my first solo album, 2010's] 'Avalon' was quite the departure from what I do in GODSMACK, this is pretty much another departure from what I did with 'Avalon'. This one's a lot… It's not as earthy and tribal as 'Avalon' was; it's a little bit cleaner production — kind of…. if I was to describe it, maybe more of a masculine Adele style. But there's a lot of different genres on here too; there's little hits of country or blues and jazz or contemporary, like some rock vibes at times. There's just a little bit of everything, and I love that about this record. I love that I didn't have to get handcuffed to one genre of music."

Regarding the differences between writing for GODSMACK and his solo project, Sully said: "I just write. I constantly write. If I'm home, I'm either writing on an acoustic or on my piano, and I can immediately identify if this melody or this riff or this kind of arrangement is gonna be better for GODSMACK or just better for my own thing on the side. So I separate them instantly and I make little folders and just kind of revisit them when it's either time to write for GODSMACK or write for the solo stuff."

Asked what his daughter thinks of his new album, Sully said: "I played her some stuff when I was putting it together and starting to mix some of the rough forms of it, and and she likes it a lot; she thought it was cool. She liked 'Your Own Drum' and she liked 'Different Kind Of Tears' a lot. And it's funny, because those songs are kind of inspired by her and her age group in general — just hoping that they'll be leaders and not followers and let 'em run to the beat of their own drum and things like that. So it was interesting that those are the ones that kind of singled out. But she likes my music. She's certainly into a lot of different styles of music, and she's got a very wide variety of stuff she listens to for as young as she is. So, yeah, she has great taste in music, but she listens to everything. As you see them grow, and as a parent, you're looking at their life through the eyes of a child. And there's just things that are really interesting, and they're getting to that stage now as teenagers where they're very challenging years; she's starting high school and you can easily go down the right path of the wrong path. So it's been a very interesting couple of years for me so far watching this whole teenage age develop."

For "Hometown Life", Sully worked with the same musicians from "Avalon" with the exception of percussionist Niall Gregory. On two of the songs — "Different Kind Of Tears" and "Your Own Drum" — Sully collaborated with Nashville-based tunesmith Zac Malloy, who has also written for Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, SKILLET and Daughtry.

On November 21, Josh Rundquist (a.k.a. That Drummer Guy) conducted an interview with drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, METAL ALLEGIANCE). You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked about his decision to leave DREAM THEATER in 2010 while he was on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD, Portnoy said: "I needed to do what I did because I couldn't have lived with myself wondering, 'Well, what if?' I didn't wanna wonder what could have happened because I was too scared to take that leap of faith. So I had to [do it]. And believe me, everyone was shocked and hurt, but nobody was more hurt than me. That was the hardest thing I'd ever done, but it was 25 years of blood, sweat and tears, 24-7, I lived and breathed every moment of my 25 years for that band and the fans. So it wasn't like I jumped ship after five weeks; it was 25 years — three times the length of THE BEATLES' or LED ZEPPELIN's careers. So there was plenty of time there, and there will always be a legacy of what I created in DREAM THEATER that will be there forever for the fans to like. But I needed to explore other things in my life in order to be happy and fulfilled."

He continued: "I always follow my heart. To me, I'm not gonna follow my wallet or even follow my mind. My mind probably would have said, 'Well, the rational thing is to ride this out into the sunset the rest of your life and be financially set and have your audience. And you can play the same venues the rest of your life.' You know, that's the safer way. But I needed to follow my heart. And it's not just that move six years ago. Every decision I make, I'm following my heart. I follow with what's gonna make me happy — not just that decision, but every decision I make is based on that. If you're not gonna be happy, then it's not worth doing anything."

Portnoy revealed a few years ago that he tried to rejoin DREAM THEATER, only to be rebuffed. He explained the move in a 2015 interview by saying: "I was doing whatever it would take to keep peace and keep things going smooth. And at that point, they were just only speaking through their lawyer. But it's a 25-year relationship coming to an end, so, obviously, it goes very, very deep, not only personally and emotionally, but also legally, and all the red tape that's involved with something like that. So it was a tough time, a tough period, and, luckily, we all got through it. But, yeah, I don't wish that kind of stuff on anybody in a band. It's tough."

Portnoy's replacement in DREAM THEATER is Mike Mangini, who has previously played with ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME and Steve Vai.

Ireland's Overdrive recently conducted an interview with former GUNS N' ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Overdrive: Looking back over the past few years with your commitment to GUNS N' ROSES and Nikki's [Sixx] with MÖTLEY CRÜE, it must have been very stressful to commit to SIXX:A.M. amidst the demands of touring and promo stuff, to mention your own personal life. Did it feel like a tremendous weight had been lifted off your shoulders when you finally departed from GUNS N' ROSES?

Ashba: It really does feel like a humongous weight has been lifted off my shoulders, for sure. That was as huge responsibility for me being in GUNS N' ROSES, and, to be honest, I didn't really know just how big that weight was going to be. I learned a lot from my time with GN'R and am very grateful for it all. I experienced something for six whole years that money can't buy and I was able to take away a huge amount of self-growth and an insight into the workings of a huge band like that. I didn't for one moment, anticipate that along with such a great gig, was going to be so much criticism, as well as a lot of praising and a lot of everything! The whole experience really made me grow thick skin real quick [laughs] and be aware of my surroundings. Looking back on that whole experience, I took away so much, to which I apply to my everyday life, as well as my role in SIXX:A.M. I feel that it's overall made me a better business person and I'm very grateful for it.

Overdrive: In keeping with GUNS N' ROSES, have you seen any of the "reunited" live shows recently?

Ashba: No, I have not. I would love to see that show. I could not be happy for them that Slash and Duff [McKagan] are back with Axl [Rose]. I would actually love to see the whole original lineup back on stage together and that's the fanboy in me talking. [Laughs] But as the band they are now, I guess we'll take what we can get for now. I'm extremely happy about the fact that those guys have sorted out their differences and can give the fans a chance to witness that chemistry that we all know so well from the early days.

Overdrive: If you got the call to jump back into GUNS N' ROSES, or even to fill in for Izzy [Stradlin] for a couple of shows, would you do it?

Ashba: To be honest, I think they are doing great without me, and really, I don't see myself going back to GUNS N' ROSES ever again. Those days are over for me. I'm having a blast doing what I'm doing with SIXX:A.M. and couldn't be happier with the way things have panned out for me. My heart is totally committed to all things SIXX:A.M. right now and I'm very excited about the prospect of touring and writing more music with Nikki and James [Michael].

You can read the entire interview at Overdrive.

An arrest has been made in connection with the death of former 3 DOORS DOWN guitarist Matt Roberts, who overdosed on prescription drugs three months ago.

According to Fox 6 News, Alabama physician Dr. Richard Snellgrove was indicted on November 16 for allegedly providing drugs to the 38-year-old musician.

The site adds Snellgrove allegedly prescribed five different drugs — including methadone, hydrocodone, loraxepam and fentanyl — with different names, all intended for Roberts.

"There's no satisfaction in seeing a doctor arrested," Matt's father, Darrell Roberts, said. "I don't have any bitterness, no anger, nothing like that towards the doctor, but I'm also aware this is a serious issue in the medical community all over the United States."

Matt Roberts was found dead on August 20 at a hotel in West Bend, Wisconsin, where he was scheduled to perform at a charity event for veterans.

West Bend police say the cause of death was determined to be a prescription drug-related overdose.

A founding member of 3 DOORS DOWN, Matt left the band in 2012 to concentrate on his health after experiencing circulation problems that were exacerbated by the group's heavy touring schedule. He was replaced by Chet Roberts (no relation).

Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault recently conducted an interview with guitarist John Petrucci of progressive metal masters DREAM THEATER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Metal Assault: Before you announced this tour, it was made clear that it was going to be "The Astonishing" tour and you'd play this whole album. It's not like you were hiding anything from fans that expected the older material. Considering that, what's the response been like from the audiences on the first leg?

Petrucci: "Yeah, in the beginning we tried to be as clear as we possibly could. This show is kind of like what PINK FLOYD did with 'The Wall', where we're only presenting this show. So, from beginning to end, once it's done, it's done. There are no encores, no other songs. The response was really great. We started in Europe, then we did the U.S., and it was amazing. Coming back through now and going to some of the places that we didn't go to in the spring, now in the fall, like down south and in Texas and things like that, we're definitely getting people who are repeat viewers who saw it the first time around and were kind of begging us to play some older stuff as well, just for the fun of the experience. We actually agreed and started doing that the other night in Canada City. So, for the remainder of the shows that we have until December 5th, we actually broke our protocol and we now do an encore with a few older catalog DREAM THEATER songs. It's a fun added element to close out the tour, because this is the last of 'The Astonishing' run that we're going to be doing, for now."

Metal Assault: With this kind of an album and a show, as you said earlier, you've been playing venues that do broadway musicals and things like that. Do you think there would ever be a possibility of you doing that kind of adaption for this album?

Petrucci: "Oh yeah, there have been many levels of this whole project from the very beginning. I imagined it first as a DREAM THEATER show, and then of course as a DREAM THEATER album, but beyond that, there's a video game that is in development, there's a novel that is in development. And one of the other things is that, yes, it would fit perfectly, I think, adapted as a musical, in the same way that THE WHO did that successfully with 'Tommy', and GREEN DAY more recently with 'American Idiot' on Broadway. So yeah, that would be amazing. It's a whole different world from the rock and metal scene, so it's a different group of people to have to make those relationships with, but that's something that we're pursuing and I would love to see that. I think it would be totally awesome."

Metal Assault: Writing music for a concept album like this with such a story and all these different characters and emotions, I'm sure it allows you to express yourself more as a musician, as compared to a typical album that you would otherwise right. Would you agree with that?

Petrucci: "You know, I think they're all musically expressive. It's always an 'anything goes' attitude that DREAM THEATER has when we write, but I guess this one may be expanded that a little more because we were going outside of ourselves and trying to picture what these different characters might be thinking and where the story was taking place. Of course it's all fictional, so we were kind of creating these different worlds. So, it did expand our mind creatively. But I would say that emotionally, musically and spiritually, it's always been something that's a part of all our albums. Even when we go in to write the next one, we'll have just as open-minded of a spirit. Whether it's more straight-ahead, more traditional DREAM THEATER, heavier, or whatever it turns out to be, it'll still be a reflection of who we are as musicians, as creative people, and it'll always come from that genuine place, which I think is really, really important. People pick up on that and appreciate it."

Read the entire interview at Metal Assault.

Kyle McGinn of Dead Rhetoric recently conducted an interview with LEAVES' EYES frontman Alexander Krull and new frontwoman Elina Siirala. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

Dead Rhetoric: In terms of [original LEAVES' EYES singer] Liv's [Kristine] departure, was it unfortunate that it ended up in this big Internet mess?

Alexander: "That was not the plan at all. We made a statement together with the band, with Liv and Elina, presenting her as the new vocalist in the band. Then it turned out that suddenly rumors were spread — the statement was attacked by our former vocalist as well, which was very disappointing for us. It was not a decision made from one day to another, or planned behind anyone's back. Not at all. It [the statement] was coming up as a process, as things happened. After our personal separation [between Krull and Kristine, who are married and have a son, Leon], everything was solved. The personal side was solved, and the band side was solved — actually in a peaceful way. But then, it happened that someone else popped up, in the personal life of Liv, and was affecting the band. Her therapist was affecting her side of life, and also the band. We were really surprised with what was said to us: no more tours, no more interviews. We were, like, 'What's going on now?" It was not very nice to see what was happening. Speaking for myself, and not for Tosso [LEAVES' EYES guitarist Thorsten Bauer], we supported her ever since she started her career. I was there when the label signed her, I was always on her side — as manager, producer, and songwriter. Then you see this — I'm a little bit surprised at how fast it can go, as someone goes there and manipulates, and does stuff like that. On the other side, we were really, really lucky to find someone like Elina in that situation. We had the band meeting — Liv had told us that a tour like this would be her suicide, or whatever. There was no way that we could continue [with her]. We had to cancel everything or we had to find someone else, who could fill this huge role. Not just to fill in the big shoes of Liv Kristine, but someone who is their own character — charisma, strength, a great singer… also looking great [laughs] — the whole package. She had to be suited for the band. Because it is a band — not a solo project. It was never 'a project of the ATROCITY guys with Liv Kristine.' In the beginning we had that going on, and we had to tell everyone that it was a full band. We had other band members coming and going — it's obviously a very important role, and we had to find someone who could not only fill her shoes, but also be refreshing and give us new possibilities in the music. It's all about the music. It's about the philosophy behind the lyrics, and the concept of the band. Not the gossip that's going on about 'Alex replacing his former wife with a new chick' — bullshit like that. That was not at all happening — even Liv wanted to be part of looking for a new singer — it was not about private stuff. But we said, no, we will continue the band ourselves, so of course, it's up to us who we want to work with in the future. It just so happened that we found Elina, and for both sides, I think it was very lucky. Also, it was a matter of time — we had to decide whether we would cancel Indonesia, European festivals/tours, and this [North American] tour as well… or we might have the opportunity to go on."

Dead Rhetoric: So Elina, what do you feel that you bring to the band?

Elina: "I think, first of all, like Alex said, I don't see myself as replacing Liv, because that's not possible. I think we are very different — as characters, as singers, and as performers. I think, hopefully, I bring something new, in terms of vocals — our styles are different. Maybe performance-wise — the voice is always going to dictate what you do with the music, so I think the future songs are going to show this more. We are still performing the old repertoire at the moment. I can just be myself, I'm not trying to copy anyone but just do everything as myself and hope people like it."

Dead Rhetoric: With the controversy that was stirred up, was there a sense that people didn't quite grasp the size of the role that you [Alex] played in the band, or your involvement with the lyrical concepts/production/etc?

Alexander: "We are always involved in the music and the lyrical concepts so we want to keep going with that, of course. I just think, when you are in the music business for a long time, and you see in other bands too, that people work more in the background that you think. It's not like it's one person doing everything [laughs]. I understand — if I think back, I remember there was a band called IRON MAIDEN. Suddenly they had a new singer, and I was a die-hard band back then. This guy was called Bruce Dickinson, and I was like, 'Who is this? It's the SAMSON singer. Okay…does it work?' Then 'The Number Of The Beast' came out… I don't have to say anything about that, right? [Laughs] It's a good example, I think. On the other side, I still love 'Killers' the most! So I understand if people stick to whatever their favorite album is, because music is often connected to private life. Maybe you met your first love and you found LEAVES' EYES, or you had a bad time and the music helped you, or you were just in a certain phase of your life and you were really into the band and you have great memories. That will always be there. But for the future, maybe the best thing is still to come."

Read the entire interview at Dead Rhetoric.

Former LEAVES' EYES singer Liv Kristine has given her first interview since parting ways with the group earlier in the year.

Kristine and the remaining members of LEAVES' EYES have offered different accounts of the circumstances behind their split, with LEAVES' EYES claiming the decision to part ways was amicably made in January and Liv saying she was dismissed from the group three months later. Her former bandmates then attempted to back up their claims by posting the the minutes of a band meeting that was held in early April in which they revealed that Liv had gotten engaged to her therapist after her marriage to LEAVES' EYES' co-vocalist Alex Krull broke down.

Speaking to Spain's Empire Zone online magazine, Kristine stated about her former bandmates' decision to publicize private details of her personal life: "I really disliked that. What's the meaning of this? First of all, I found it utterly unprofessional to post a band protocol I had never seen. It was neither signed by me, nor does it tell the whole truth. What the hell is going on? This is the property of the band, not of the rest of the world. Yes, it really hurt."

She continued: "I never thought any of my ex-band members would find it reasonable and cool to talk about my son and my private situation in interviews, and then post the bullshit on all LEAVES' EYES' pages. This doesn't make the situation for the band and their new singer any better. To me, it was a shock. I wonder what's the point in attacking me privately?

"The most important thing is the safety of my son. That's why it upset me so much.

"I have stayed away from press for months now. This is my first interview after the breakup on both personal and professional level early this year.

"LEAVES' EYES should concentrate on their career and be professional instead of being destructive.

"I just had to stop caring. The best way is to ignore the negative, to accept the past and concentrate on the positive.

"I love LEAVES' EYES music, what we once had together. However, I will be moving on for sure and I am not taking negative influences from anybody. This is also what I can say to any singer being a replacement for somebody who was there first."

Kristine also talked about how she has dealt with all the negativity that came out of her split with LEAVES' EYES and her determination to move forward.

"I am so glad and relieved that my life has gained new daily life structure and there's a brand new positive feeling towards my own situation," she said. "I can't deny it — times have been utterly complicated and tough. What a year! I have been busy finding a new home, having temporary different jobs to settle financially after I had to leave LEAVES' EYES. Moreover, it has been of vital importance for me to find my own way and accept what happened in the past.

"Life is a never-ending learning process. Experience is everything, next to a loving heart.

"I have tried to define 'love' and 'passion' through experience and I am so grateful for this new chance.

"In my opinion and own experience, you are alive when you feel real and honest love.

"I am living much more in this very moment with my son and all the wonderful, special people around me. I also would like to thank my fans for being a constant, steady strength and platform for me."

LEAVES' EYES guitarist Thorsten "Tosso" Bauer defended the band's decision to go public with the details of the band's split with Kristine, telling Russia's Rock Cor: "When Liv and Alex split up personally early January, Liv wanted to leave the band right away. But Alex convinced her to stay with the band and they both made a very good agreement with each other for their private life and business. So the band situation seemed to be solved at that point of time. But since February her new fiancé/therapist tried to interfere in a lot of band matters. He talked very bad about LEAVES' EYES and that shows, tours and interviews shouldn't happen without him anymore. Her fiancé/therapist even told Liv to step aside from the band. In March, things went far beyond after Liv moved to her engaged therapist and it became very clear to everybody in the band that we will go separate ways in the future. Liv also wanted to be involved in picking the new singer for LEAVES' EYES. We told her that we want to decide ourselves who will be our new singer in the band. So there has nothing been happening behind anybody's back.

"Beginning of April, we had a band meeting to talk about how things go on. In the meeting, we decided together to go separate ways immediately. Liv told us she is not able to fulfill her touring commitments with the band anymore for personal reasons. Moreover, Liv's lawyer wrote in a letter to Alex that a further cooperation including the live shows with the band is not possible for Liv anymore. So Liv was relieved not having to play any future shows with LEAVES' EYES. As a result of the meeting, we also set up a press statement together with Liv, to inform the fans and media. To the surprise of everybody, this first press statement we set up together was attacked soon after by several additional posts and statements from Liv. Suddenly other people and 'trolls' started to spread nasty rumors and lies on the Internet. That was the reason for the confusion and anger in April."

LEAVES' EYES' new singer is Elina Siirala, a Finnish vocalist who lives in London, England.

The band's latest EP, "Fires In The North", was released in Europe on October 7 and was made available in the U.S. on November 4 via AFM Records. The title track is a brand new song, featured in a regular and an acoustic version. In addition, the EP includes three songs from the band's latest album, "King Of Kings", in new versions, featuring Siirala. The cover artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann.