Shock rock legend Alice Cooper rang in Halloween night with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Pro-shot footage of Cooper and his band performing "Elected" is available below.

Alice Cooper will hold his 15th Annual Christmas Pudding on December 3rd at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, AZ. Korn, Hollywood Vampires, Gin Blossoms and Sammy Hagar are all schedule to appear during the event. Las Vegas illusionist / magician Murray Sawchuck and the winners of this year's Proof Is In The Pudding musical talent search will also perform on the night.

Tickets are now on sale and proceeds from the event will once again benefit Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Center, whose mission is to "allow teens to build confidence and discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression and creativity in a sanctuary for troubled teens."

Go to this location for ticket details.

The sold out KISS Kruise VI set sail out of Miami to Cozumel and Grand Cayman on November 4th and ran until November 9th; with The Dead Daisies on board. Check out the following highlight reel:

The Dead Daisies are: Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy), Brian Tichy (Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner) and David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink).

Catch The Dead Daisies live on tour:

November
13 - Classic Grand - Glasgow, United Kingdom - SOLD OUT
14 - Corporation - Sheffield, United Kingdom
15 - Riverside - Newcastle, United Kingdom
16 - Picturedrome - Holmfirth, United Kingdom
18 - Diamond Live Lounge - Doncaster, United Kingdom
19 - Academy 2 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - SOLD OUT
20 - Concorde 2 - Brighton, United Kingdom
22 - Waterfront - Norwich, United Kingdom
23 - Electric Ballroom - London, United Kingdom
25 - Tivoli - Utrecht, Netherlands
26 - Biebob - Vosselaar, Belgium
28 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
29 - Magazzini Generali - Milan, Italy
30 - Backstage Halle - Munich, Germany

December
2 - Planet Rockstock - Trecco Bay, United Kingdom
3 - Knust - Hamburg, Germany - SOLD OUT
4 - Paradiso Nord - Amsterdam, Netherlands
5 - Matrix - Bochum, Germany
7 - Colos-Saal - Aschaffenburg, Germany
8 - Le Trabendo - Paris, France
10 - Sala Caracol - Madrid, Spain
11 - LA2 Apolo - Barcelona, Spain
13 - Omega Live - Toulon, France
14 - Transbordeur - Lyon, France
16 - New Age - Treviso, Italy
17 - Container - Grottammare, Italy
19 - Szene - Wien, Austria
20 - Bluesiana - Velden, Austria

Currently on the road in Europe with Annihilator, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Waters has checked in with the following update:

"Can't wait for the next two weeks of metal as the last two have been awesome, but also can't wait to fire up the Annihilator war machine in-studio December. Possible Epiphone Revolver Music Awards appearance December 13th in New York City and of course the mighty 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise; Annihilator play this year again, as well as I host the All-Star Jam "Jamming With Waters In International Waters". Add to that, we have our 5 DVD/Blu Ray disc release coming as well as I am coming to Musikmesse again in April."

Annihilator kicked off their In The Blood European Tour 2016 in Athens, Greece at Piraeus 117 Academy on October 28th. Fan-filmed video is available below.

The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Suicide Society"
"King of the Kill"
"Creepin' Again"
"Annihilator"
"No Way Out"
"Set the World on Fire"
"Stonewall"
"Syn. Kill 1"
"No Zone"
"Brain Dance"
"Alison Hell"
"Second to None"
"Phantasmagoria"
"W.T.Y.D."
"Human Insecticide"

Annihilator's tour schedule is available here.

Photo by Jasmina Vrcko

Norwegian progressive classic metallers Sahg released their new album Memento Mori on September 23rd via Indie Recordings. A new lyric video for “Blood Of Oceans” is streaming below.

Sahg is currently on the road as direct support to Opeth on the European leg of their Sorceress World Tour.

"We are very honoured and excited to join as direct support act to Opeth, on their upcoming European tour! We consider Opeth as one of the true greats of progressive metal, who has been in the front of renewing the metal genre over the last couple of decades. They have been a huge influence on Sahg for years, therefore this will surely be a unique experience for us and the best possible opportunity to present Sahg and our new record, Memento Mori, to the great rock and metal audience of Europe - so bring on this tour!" - Olav Iversen, Sahg

Tour dates:

November
12 - Theaterfabrik - Munich, Germany
13 - Volkshaus - Zurich, Switzerland
14 - Alcatraz - Milan, Italy
16 - E-werk - Cologne, Germany
17 - Ancienne Belgique - Brussels, Belgium
18 - 013 - Tilburg, Netherlands

December
16 - Docile - Hamar, Norway

KISS has uploaded pro-shot footage performing the Paul Stanley solo cut “Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me” from KISS Kruise VI. The sold out KISS Kruise VI set sail out of Miami to Cozumel and Grand Cayman on November 4th and ran until November 9th. This year was a seaworthy exploration of KISS’ iconic 1982 Creatures Tour.

 

The clip below features the band performing "Rock and Roll Hell" from the Creatures Of The Night album. The song is one of two on the 1982 record written in collaboration with Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.

It was announced during a Q&A session on the Kruise that KISS Kruise VII will sail November 5th - 10th, 2017 from New Orleans. Stay tuned for details.

German power metallers HELLOWEEN will be rejoined by vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen for a world tour in 2017 and 2018. Dubbed "Pumpkins United", the trek will feature seven musicians — including current singer Andi Deris and guitarist Sascha Gerstner — performing material spanning HELLOWEEN's entire three-decade-plus history.

"Pumpkins United" touring lineup:

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

For thirty years, HELLOWEEN has been delighting its fans with fantastic riffs, great songs, and haunting melodies — three decades of a global career they officially celebrated with the "Hellbook" in 2015. This is when the idea for "Pumpkins United" was born: The "Anniversary Bible" as well as touring with Kai made them realize that this band’s story is demanding its next chapter. Or, as Michael Kiske describes it: "Playing an original HELLOWEEN tracks with UNISONIC was quite a flashback already, but rocking with the original lineup and Andi will be something really special. The time has come!"

The super-tour's first confirmed date is October 28, 2017 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and takes the full "Pumpkins" entourage across selected cities and venues in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the U.S. An extremely big deal, which, including a few secret surprises, will present almost three hours of the biggest hits from three decades of HELLOWEEN as the band will obviously insist on performing a full-speed trip through the HELLOWEEN repertoire.

"We already had an awesome time on the 'Hellish Rock' part 1 & 2, but this time we'll definitely double down on it," says Hansen, and Markus Grosskopf adds: "There'll for sure be songs that we haven't played in a very long time or even ever before."

Kiske, who acrimoniously left HELLOWEEN in 1993, has been resistant to any kind of a reunion with his former bandmates, telling Dead Rhetoric in a 2013 interview: "I wouldn't do that. I'm up for peace, up for talking everything out and getting everything out of our systems. I met up with [HELLOWEEN guitarist Michael] Weikath a in Sweden. He was extremely nice and friendly. It was clear they have changed their mood. They've changed their attitude toward me. They really did me a lot of wrong over the years. I don't want to pass the blame here, but they've accused me of doing things that they know very well are not right. They needed some stuff to convince the old fans that it's good I'm not there anymore, and they went way too far. One of the things that I was really pissed about was this 'musical direction' talk, as if I would be the person to tell anyone what kind of music he should do. Everyone who knows me — anyone who really knows me — knows my attitude is totally different. I would always say, 'Do what you believe in. Whatever song is your song, write it, go play it.' I would never be the person to tell anyone in HELLOWEEN the direction we were supposed to go. That was so ridiculous, to blame me for the things that came up. Yes, I was responsible for my own songs, but it was always something the band made work… or not."

He added: "I don't know how they have suddenly changed their tone and why I should be there for a reunion tour and all. Like I said, I'm fine with making peace, but you can't undo the past. I'm a typical person. I can easily forgive, but I never forget. If someone betrays me, I tell them, 'Okay, I forgive you. Go in peace. I don't trust you anymore. You showed me who you are. I'm not saying you can't change, but you have to do a lot to convince me you have changed.'"

Pressed on whether he would consider doing a special guest appearance with HELLOWEEN at a festival, Kiske — who has been touring and recording with Hansen for the last few years as part of UNISONIC — said: "I can do that with UNISONIC. For the fans who are in love with the records of those times, like the 'Keeper' records, I understand they have hopes and think it would be a cool thing. I don't think they could give me the amount of money, just for business reasons to say yes. My heart is just not there. If they give me 2 million euros, I'd be stupid not to do it, but I know they'd never do it. [Laughs] This will never be an option. For the fans, you can do a lot, but for me, it would be very difficult to be on a stage and to sing among people who are not my friends, people who I have such a negative past with and feel so betrayed by. My voice would probably be gone."

Also in 2013, Weikath told Dead Rhetoric that he was open to the idea of reuniting with his former bandmates: "We've given thought to that and we've heard his [Kiske's] words that he doesn't like when people dream about those things in public in interviews. I've only merely been answering the questions of those wondering about [it], so I haven't been dreaming. I don't need that reunion as much as he wants it, or doesn't want it. If he ever gives in to any of that, then you can swear we'd probably try something like that. Maybe make some good money and have some fun on occasions where people are enjoying what we're doing then, as that particular strange outfit for the actual existing HELLOWEEN, with a few ex-members intertwined and you wouldn't know."

Former ACCEPT guitarist Herman Frank was recently interviewed by TNT Radio. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked how he looks back on his contributions to ACCEPT, Herman said: "I mean, that's the reason why I left ACCEPT, finally. I thought they mind change their mind, or, let's face it, I thought Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] would change his mind and give me a chance to show a little bit of my talent, but hey, it didn't work out, so what can you do? And then, after the last five years, I said to myself, I don't wanna stay the rest of my life on the right, standing in the dark on stage and covering somebody's guitar. It's easy like that. Sorry, that's the truth. I really wanted to do my own thing. I was doing so many albums and composed so many songs, and I missed this. I didn't wanna be just equipment. I mean, I was getting tired. This was a one-day street for me."

Regarding his opinion on the current lineup of ACCEPT, Herman said: "I can't tell. I wish them all the best. I mean, they're doing good. [Mark Tornillo, ACCEPT singer] is a really nice guy, and I really miss my brother Mark."

Herman also talked about the main differences between Tornillo and his predecessor, original ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider. He said: "[The biggest difference between them is their] character of voice. I mean, it's kind of similar, but they're two different persons. They both are excellent singers and excellent showmen, and you shouldn't compare them. And to tell differences? They're two different persons — easy like that. Everybody tells his own story."

Asked what he thinks about Dirkschneider's recent decision to embark on one last tour on which he is performing classic ACCEPT songs from his era of the band, Herman said: "[I think it's a] great idea. It's a fantastic idea. Why not? He was doing for years and years the ACCEPT songs, and right now [since] there was an announcement that he was doing it for the last time, lots of people show up at the shows, so it was a smart move. And what I've heard — I mean, he released a couple of tracks, and you can see it on YouTube — he's doing great with the old ACCEPT songs. I mean, that's his music."

Pressed on whether it's true that he was in fact fired from ACCEPT and didn't quit, Herman said: "I mean, if you come to the point, in the end, I wrote a letter to the management and to Wolf and said, 'I can't take it anymore, and I don't wanna take it anymore.' But the situation was not quite satisfying for both sides. No wonder why. I mean, if you think about… We started five years ago in a different point of view, to do this ACCEPT thing again. For me, for myself, I got an opinion, 'Finally they wanna do a band thing, like a band thing,' but in the end, it was still the Wolf Hoffmann project like the years before."

On the topic of his current relationship with his former bandmates in ACCEPT, Herman said: "Mark is still my buddy in rock, and we write several times on Facebook or e-mails and stuff like that. And the rest, okay, fine… I wish them the best."

He also discussed his relationship with Dirkschneider, explaining: "Yeah, we call [each other] once or twice or three times a year and say, 'Hey, what's going on? What's new?' Actually, I was supposed to maybe support him for the second part of [his] tour, but the album came out too late and stuff like that. Otherwise, I get along with him in a nice, smooth way."

Herman Frank will release a new solo album, "The Devil Rides Out", on November 18 via AFM. It will be made available as a CD, limited digipak (including a bonus track), limited silver vinyl and limited box set. The CD was produced by Frank and mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL, HELLOWEEN). It combines Frank's masterful guitar work with the raspy vocals of Swedish powerhouse Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN, AT VANCE), the powerful drumming of Andre Hilgers (ex-RAGE) and the talent of Michael Müller (JADED HEART) on bass.

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Stefan Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with new Tornillo and appeared on their last three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Spark TV, which is part of the Czech monthly magazine Spark, recently conducted an interview with vocalist Chris Boltendahl and bassist Jens Becker of German power metallers GRAVE DIGGER. You can watch the chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On if the band has been "healed by metal," in reference to the title of their forthcoming new album, "Healed By Metal":

Chris: "Yeah, I've [been] healed by metal a lot of times in my life. Mostly in bad times. When I listen to metal music, it builds me up again. I think it's a good title for GRAVE DIGGER. There's so many people outside who have problems. I think this record can help some people.

Jens: "In the past, when we were teenagers, when you're in a bad mood, or had a clash with your parents, you would go in your room and put on some metal, and you felt a lot better."

On why the band named the album "Healed By Metal":

Chris: "Yeah, two years ago, we played a big open-air festival in Moscow. There was a hospital beside the festival [site]. There were people inside who had to listen to metal all day. I said while I was with our sound engineer, 'Oh, the poor people. They have to listen to GRAVE DIGGER all day.' He said, 'Look at me. Yes, all the people are healed by metal.'"

On the goal with the new album:

Chris: "First, to satisfy ourselves, then to satisfy the people outside. We want to always deliver a piece of quality. This time, it's much better quality, not than the previous albums, but in our own mind. Yeah, I think it's a piece of metal."

On Boltendahl trying a different approach with his vocals:

Chris: "From time to time, I change small things. I think this time, it's perhaps a little more melodic. It's a little easier to listen to than in the past. [Laughs] It fits to the music. It's in the music, it's together with the music.

Jens: "It's more in the music. It's not this screaming, aggressive, shouting over [the music].

Chris: "This complete package makes the music aggressive, but on the other side, also melodic. All instruments fit very well together this time."

On how they view the business aspect of metal:

Chris: "There are so many bands, so many small bands trying to get success. I think at the end, it's one percent which will reach more or less the level what we have. Of course it's very important to deliver quality to keep this level where we are playing. That's the most important thing for us."

"Healed By Metal" will be released on January 13, 2017 via Napalm Records.

GRAVE DIGGER's last collection of all-new material, "Return Of The Reaper", was released in July 2014 via Napalm Records. The CD was recorded at Principal Studios (KREATOR, IN EXTREMO, GRAVE DIGGER) in Senden, Germany.

METALLICA played another rare, nine-song acoustic set on October 23 during Neil Young's 30th anniversary Bridge School benefit concert at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The band performed acoustic versions of both its own hits and some surprising covers, including THE CLASH's "Clampdown", DEEP PURPLE's "When A Blind Man Cries" and BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD's "Mr. Soul" featuring Young himself.

Also featured in the set were "Whiskey In The Jar", "Nothing Else Matters", "Bleeding Me" and new song "Hardwired".

In addition, they celebrated METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo's 52nd birthday at the event by covering him in cream pies.

Professionally filmed video footage of the concert and the pre-show tuning-room jam can be seen below.

Also performing at the all-acoustic charity event were Young himself, CAGE THE ELEPHANT, MY MORNING JACKET, Roger Waters, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson and others.

METALLICA and the other acts also performed one day earlier (October 22) for the first day of the event.

METALLICA previously appeared at the 1997 and 2007 installments of the concert.

The band's new album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", is due out November 18. It consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music. A U.S. tour in support of the effort is expected to launch next year.

Heavy metal pioneers BLACK SABBATH played their last-ever U.S. show on Saturday, November 12 in front of 13,000 fans at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The gig took place nearly five years to the day that the legendary act announced its reunion.

According to Andy O'Connor's review at Austin360, "SABBATH's setlist focused on the very early part of their career in the early '70s, and while that contains most of their popular material, it's a rather small sliver of their complete work."

Michael Knoop of MySanAntonio wrote in his review: "The highlight of the show was when [singer] Ozzy [Osbourne] invited the crowd to sing along to 'War Pigs'. The fans readily obliged, including wordlessly singing the guitar melody like a 13,000-strong choir. Other fan favorites were [Geezer] Butler's bass solo, which launched into a rip-snorting run-through of 'N.I.B.' Then Ozzy left the stage as the other three launched into the instrumental 'Rat Salad' which segued into a mammoth drum solo by [Tommy] Clufetos. The drum solo finished with a steady pounding then suddenly the guitar snarled as Ozzy wailed, 'I am Iron Man' and the crowd lost their collective minds yet again."

The setlist was as follows:

01. Black Sabbath02. Fairies Wear Boots03. After Forever04. Into The Void05. Snowblind06. War Pigs07. Behind The Wall Of Sleep08. N.I.B.09. Hand Of Doom10. Rat Salad11. Iron Man12. Dirty Women13. Children Of The Grave

Encore:

14. Paranoid

Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

Ozzy was famously banned from San Antonio for ten years after he allegedly relieved himself on the famous Alamo Centograph in 1982. The ban was finally lifted after the Prince of Darkness donated $10,000 to the Daughters Of The Republic Of Texas, who maintain and manage the Alamo, the mission that was the site of a famous battle during the state's War Of Independence in 1836. The site is considered sacred ground and a symbol of Texas pride.

SABBATH will bring its storied career to a close in its native England, with seven shows booked there in January and February. The last two, on February 2 and February 4, will take place in SABBATH's hometown of Birmingham and will likely be their final shows.

"It will be bittersweet," Geezer said about the band's final shows. "It has been a great achievement lasting so long and still being relevant — it's something to be proud of, but my life will be very empty without the band. I hope our music will be around for a very long time after we've gone."

The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.

They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after just a few months. The remaining trio issued the "13" album in 2013 and backed it with a successful world tour — despite Iommi being treated for lymphoma since 2012.

Casey Schwochow of How Was It Detroit? conducted an interview with drummer Jean-Paul Gaster of Maryland rockers CLUTCH on October 28 at The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On CLUTCH's plans for 2017:

Gaster: "We're gonna write some, and then we're gonna go back on tour. Touring really never ends. We take breaks from time to time. We'll take off the first three months of next year and we'll get down to writing, see what kind of direction that's gonna take us in, and then start making plans to record. Probably what will happen is we will do some shows in the spring, and then, for us, it's really important to play the new songs live, so I have a feeling that wherever we choose to record, we'll do shows on the way out there to work through the material, play the material. You know, for me, as a drummer, those experiences are crucial to recording a record that, at the end of the day, you feel proud of. In the live setting, you can immediately tell where the pulse of that tune is. You gauge by the audience reaction, how they're latching on to whatever groove that is, and you start to tweak things — you might pull stuff back or you might push stuff, change up an approach entirely, maybe. But that's really crucial — it really brings the song to life."

On his side project with guitarist Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD), bassist Yanni Papadopoulos (STINKING LIZAVETA) and keyboardist Chris Brooks (LIONIZE):

Gaster: "Yeah, I've been jamming with Mark, Yanni and Chris, and the four of us have been getting together for about a year now. We have a good collection of tunes, and I think, really, the next move is to make a recording. And so we'll probably do that at some point next year. It's such an eclectic mix of musicians that when we get together, it's a lot of fun more than anything, and stuff happens very quickly. So the shape of the music changes, and the approach change[s]. There's a lot of energy there, and we're still trying to figure out how to focus it and what exactly it's gonna be."

CLUTCH's latest album, "Psychic Warfare", debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart after shifting 26,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015.

"Psychic Warfare" was released via CLUTCH's own label Weathermaker Music.

Apple Music's Beats 1 radio DJ Zane Lowe recently conducted an interview with METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich. You can now listen to the chat at this location.

Speaking about the eight-year gap between METALLICA's 2008 album "Death Magnetic" and the band's latest effort, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", Ulrich said: "I'm talking to you from Bogota, Colombia, and we're out here, we're playing some shows and we're doing a lot of interviews. We were up in Mexico City the other day for a full day of interviews, abd everybody's, like, 'Eight years. What have you been doing?' it's, like, 'Excuse me?' We've been busier in the last eight years than we ever have in our lives. Sometimes I kind of go, 'Wait a minute.' We spent three years touring 'Death Magnetic', we put two incredibly hard years into making of the 'Through The Never' movie project, we did the whole dance with Lou Reed, and we've played every single festival on this planet multiple times in the last eight years, we've been to continents that are primarily inhabited by penguins. So it's been a pretty busy eight years. And we've managed to record a record. [Laughs]"

He continued: "You can probably throw this back in my face eight years from now, but I will go out on a limb here and say that it's been such a good experience to do this record and the whole vibe of getting these songs [together], I hereby officially predict — or 'hope,' maybe would be a better word — that it's not gonna [take us] another eight years [to release] another record. So there you go. I said it. Okay, throw it back at me eight years from now."

As previously reported, three songs from "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" have landed on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart dated November 19: "Atlas, Rise!" (No. 22), "Moth Into Flame" (No. 6) and "Hardwired" (No. 23). According to Billboard, this feat marks the first time that an artist has charted at least three songs on Mainstream Rock Songs simultaneously since September 2008 when METALLICA's "The Day That Never Comes", "Cyanide" and "My Apocalypse" made the list. It also marks the first time that an act has tripled up in the top 25 since GREEN DAY in August 2005.

"Atlas" debuted at No. 35 on the Rock Airplay chart with 1.8 million audience impressions, according to Nielsen Music. "Moth" ranks at No. 18 (3.6 million) and "Hardwired" at No. 46 (1.4 million).

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" is due out November 18. It consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.

The long-awaited fourth edition of KISS's popular "Kissology" DVD box set is "about 85 percent done," according to Tommy Thayer.

The KISS guitarist, who put together many of the band's previous home video collections before joining the group himself in 2002, has been compiling material for the project, which — like its predecessors — will combine never-before-seen footage, full-length concerts and rare TV appearances from the KISS archives.

Asked by Michael Cavacini why the fourth volume of "Kissology" still hasn't arrived even though it was originally due in November 2011, Thayer said: "I don't know if it was officially slated to be released then. I know we were talking about it and maybe that was the intention. It's still on hold. It's about 85 percent done. I put it together and produced what we've done so far."

He continued: "'Kissology 4', like the other Kissologies, will chronicle a certain era of the band. It will chronicle the band from early 2001-2002 up until the current date. It will also include vintage footage from the KISS archives that people haven't seen, so there'll be a cool bonus element to it too.

"Getting back to your question, I don't know if I have a good reason why it hasn't come out yet. There have just been so many other things going on, and something as important as that has to have its own window of time where it's focused on and committed to, in terms of talking about it, putting it out and doing it the right way, so the right attention is given to it. Sometimes that kind of stuff happens.

"A project like this is a little bit timeless so you have more flexibility where it doesn't have to come out at a certain time, so I guess that's why it hasn't yet. So, we're waiting to find the right time to put it out so it gets the attention that it deserves."

KISS frontman Paul Stanley said in a 2008 interview that he was taken aback by one particular aspect of the success of the "Kissology" series. "I think my biggest surprise is that 'Kissology Vol. 3' is the biggest and I thought that 'Kissology Vol. 1' would be the biggest because 'Kissology Vol. 1' is the beginning. And if you believed the loudest voices, the loudest opinions, you would think that the majority of people wanted the earliest stuff. But as it turns out, the biggest seller by far is 'Kissology Vol. 3', so once again the people who speak the loudest are not necessarily the majority."

Although KISS hasn't released a studio album since 2012's "Monster", Stanley told the audience at the band's October 29 concert at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut that a follow-up effort is on the way. Asked by Michael Cavacini when KISS will start writing material for the new disc and begin recording it, Thayer said: "I think right now it's still in the idea phase. I don't believe anything definitive has been determined or decided on yet for that. Within the band, we've talked and thrown some ideas around. So I think there's a good likelihood of that happening, especially since Paul announced it from the stage the other night. We'll see, but it would be nice to do another record."

Photo credit: Mohegan Sun / Khoi Ton (courtesy of CoynePR)

Singer Myles Kennedy, who has fronted Slash's solo band since 2010, was asked in an interview with Music Life magazine if there is a future for the group, dubbed SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, now that Slash is off touring with the reunited GUNS N' ROSES. Kennedy responded: "We usually have this sort of thing planned out well in advance. I think I knew, as did the rest of the CONSPIRATORS by the fall of last year, about the GN'R reunion."

But Kennedy added: "We actually had communication about a month or month and a half ago about reconvening in the next year to 18 months. So the door is definitely open.”

GUNS N' ROSES, with Slash and bassist Duff McKagan rejoining frontman Axl Rose in the band, began touring earlier this year and is already booking dates in 2017.

There's no word yet on how long GUNS intends to stay on the road or whether they plan to record new music.

Kennedy, who also sings in ALTER BRIDGE, revealed what he learned from working with Slash over the last few years, saying: "When we're preparing for a tour or a record, he will rehearse something over and over and over again. He just burns it into his brain. I've seen how that can have a positive impact on a performance and how a song comes across… I work that much harder because of it. He's instilled a certain work ethic for sure. He's amazing."

Slash once told The Pulse Of Radio something along the same lines about Kennedy. "You know, Myles is pretty interesting," he said. "I mean, he sings great, he's a great lyricist, all he does is work, he loves to tour. He works constantly, but when he's not working onstage he's working in his room, writing stuff and, you know, in the studio he's always there. So he's sort of odd. [Laughs]."

Slash's second album with Kennedy and the CONSPIRATORS, titled "World On Fire", came out in September 2014. Their previous effort was 2012's "Apocalyptic Love".

Slash released his first self-titled solo effort in 2010. On that album he employed a different vocalist on each track, before settling on Kennedy for both touring and eventually recording.

Kennedy and ALTER BRIDGE just issued their fifth studio album, "The Last Hero", in October.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows has hit out at "web sites that depend on clicks for revenue" over their coverage of the No. 4 debut of the band's new album, "The Stage", on The Billboard 200 album chart. The surprise release of the disc, which was announced the night it went on sale, earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED SEVENFOLD album in eleven years. It sold 76,000 copies in its first week, 73,000 of which were physical.

"The Stage", AVENGED's debut for Capitol Records, sold less than half as many copies in its first week as the group's two previous efforts, 2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King".

The group made the album available at midnight on October 27 with almost no promotion beforehand, save for the arrival of a new song one week earlier.

While artists like Beyoncé and Kanye West have staged similar stunts to great success, M. Shadows admitted to Inc. that AVENGED had "mixed feelings" about "The Stage"'s unconventional rollout, saying: "We know we could have done a boring lead-up and taken the number one spot. When you do a three-month buildup, you roll pre-orders, singles, etc. into your first week. The way we did it, our numbers are just for one week. Like Kanye: his first week numbers were low compared to what they could have been had he done the traditional release."

Now, in a new statement posted on AVENGED SEVENFOLD's Facebook page, M. Shadows clarified his comments while firing back at some of the web sites that he claims try to "sell their false narrative about A7X" and "The Stage"'s early success.

He wrote: "One thing I have noticed in the last couple of years is that websites that depend on clicks for revenue tend to love weaving narratives that benefit their bottom line. You see it largely in politics and now you see it in metal. I admit that I think these websites are entertaining and don't hate or even dislike the people that run them or their visitors. None of this is to be taken too seriously but when I am sent the same articles over and over that are meant to sell their false narrative about A7X, then I think it's time for the band to speak up.

"This is in no way aimed at our fans. By the looks of the comments on these sites you have already figured this out. This will undoubtedly be seen as justification for the album from the people that just hate A7X. Thats OK; we don't play music for them. So let's break this down.

"76K records sold in the first week by a heavy metal band in 2016 is supposedly a failure (USA only). Actually, 76k records on a surprise release with zero promotion and a single that had been out for 13 days with a running time of 8:30 is a failure. This kind of talk is insane and is the exact sort of narrative that plagues the failing music industry. This is the sort of talk that pressures artist to write their songs around 'what works financially' and not 'what they really want to create.'

"People want different. People want innovation. People want art. If this wasn't a huge risk, then everybody would be doing it. I haven't seen the hip-hop community or country music community questioning Jeezy or Kenny Chesney about why they didn't sell more albums and crush a heavy metal band with a surprise release by more then 3K records. Sure, we sold WAY less than 'Hail To The King'. But we feel this is a different circumstance.

"When 'Hail To The King' was released, Apple Music did not exist. It now has around 15 million subscribers. Spotify has 40 million subscribers these days. And when these websites try to sell you on the streaming metric, it's a little more complicated than that. There are plenty of studies done as to why rock doesn't have as many streams as hip-hop. You need 1500 streams to equal 1 album. Who has time to stream a song like 'The Stage' or 'Exist' that many times? These two songs alone equal 25 minutes. So should we write 3-minute songs so we can get more streams? Fuck no. That's ridiculous.

"When I said I had 'mixed feelings' about the results, I simply meant that there is a part of me that knows a traditional release would have been easier and we could all parade around with another meaningless number 1. But 'mixed feelings' in no way indicates that I think this was the wrong approach.

"I love that we did this for the fans. I love that we did this for our sanity, and regardless of how you feel about the music, there is no doubt that this has been exciting.

"Anyone with a brain knows judging an album's merit or overall lasting impact on first-week sales is simply crazy. Hell, I have never judged an album based on sales, period. But I'm not you, and you have to make your own decision.

"I just want other artist to be themselves and not be gun-shy of new ideas just because some things work and somethings don't.

"Regardless of this rant, I want the fans to know we will not change. Evolving album, innovative live show, and playing by our rules will never waver. We have never felt so much love on a release and we truly do appreciate it. We will see you on the road!

M. Shadows added in a postscript: "What will the title of the clickbait read this time? Let's take bets!"

The singer told The Pulse Of Radio that the band did the surprise release partially out of a desire to let fans hear it and form their own opinions. "It's almost like the jury has already, you know, decided if they like a record or not before it even comes out, because there's so many reviews and opinions," he explained. "And we just wanted people to hear it for themselves and make their own opinions."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is locked in a legal battle with its former label, Warner Bros. Records, over what the label claims is a breach of contract. The relatively soft sales of "The Stage" could reduce the damages that the band may have to pay to Warner if the label wins its case.

Photo credit: Rafa Alcantara of TWENTYFOURCORE

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett says that GUNS N' ROSES has "turned into somewhat of a nostalgia act" because the Axl Rose-fronted outfit hasn't produced or performed any new music in nearly a decade.

The subject came up during an interview with the Los Angeles Times, in which METALLICA's penchant for continually getting involved with new projects — from movies and one-off collaborations to the band's upcoming "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album — was held up in contrast to other groups from the same era who have focused exclusively on performing older material without flexing their creative muscles.

"Unfortunately," Hammett said, "[GUNS N' ROSES has] turned into somewhat of a nostalgia act, which, to me, is kind of sad."

"I don't want to think we're trying to stay young by writing new stuff, but it makes us feel relevant," added METALLICA frontman James Hetfield. "It makes us feel like we're still progressing."

Hammett's latest comments echoed those he made in 2014 when he was asked by Ecuador's El Comercio if he can ever see the day when METALLICA will just tour and will no longer make new music, The guitarist replied: "I hope not. There's a lot of different aspects to this band that we need to tend to. But I really think that the touring part supports the recording part, and the recording part — the creativity, the songs — supports the touring part. Both of those things kind of support each other and need each other for us to move forward. So I think that we would always need to write music, write songs, record them… It might be the exact opposite — we might just end up recording songs for the rest of our career at one point. Or we might end up just touring. But I, myself, doubt that any of those two things will happen. I'm pretty confident that we will always be creative, because that's how we are as individuals. I mean, that's how I am — I get bored, pick up my guitar, and next thing you know, I have a fucking riff. I get excited and I show it to the other guys, and next thing you know, we're jamming on it. It's a part of what we do."

The long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic", "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" is due out November 18 and consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music. A U.S. tour in support of the effort is expected to launch next year.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio that the band no longer wants to devote large chunks of time to any one project. "You know, METALLICA, in order for it to be true and pure and honest, has to be fun," he said. "And so the days of, you know, writing for a year and then recording for a year and then going on the road for three years — those kind of endlessly long cycles — they're just behind us. I don't think we have the stamina to do anything for those elongated periods of time any longer."

Fan-filmed video footage of former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp performing on November 10 at Hard Rock Cafe in Oslo, Norway can be seen below.

Tramp will release his tenth solo album, "Maybe Tomorrow", in February 2017 via Mighty Music/Target Group.

Tramp states about the follow-up to 2015's "Nomad": "'Maybe Tomorrow' is my tenth solo album, and twenty years have gone by since my first was released. My songwriting, style and sound is forever cemented in the rock world with 'Maybe Tomorrow', and there should be no more doubt or confusion, of who Mike Tramp is, 'cause this is where I stand and this is where I will remain." Adds Michael H. Andersen, CEO Target Group: "Having worked with Tramp on and off for twenty years, it warms my heart to witness his brand of rock 'n' roll, both music and image wise, is more vital than ever before."

It has been forty years since Tramp first stepped on stage as a very young lad, and the career up until now has been a show of force in the many different faces of rock 'n' roll, as frontman of WHITE LION and FREAK OF NATURE — followed by a glorious solo career for more than 25 years.

Mike in February 2015 once again squashed any rumors of a WHITE LION reunion, claiming guitarist Vito Bratta had no desire to play music.

"A WHITE LION reunion is impossible," Mike told the Jakarta Globe. "Bratta has shown a negative response [to the idea]. He stopped playing guitar, stopped recording; he is just not interested in music anymore."

Tramp's last attempt to revive WHITE LION resulted in the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride" with new members Jamie Law on guitar, bassist Claus Langeskov, drummer Troy Patrick Farrell and Henning Wanner on keyboards.

The Observer News Enterprise is reporting that according to Pollstar, the concert industry trade publication, Guns N' Roses has topped their list of tour earnings with $5,498,347 brought in on the Not In This Lifetime tour at an average of $117.34 per ticket. Go to this location for the complete Top 20, which includes Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Adele, Justin Bieber, Drake, Journey and Def Leppard.

The Top 20 Global Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows Worldwide. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers. 

At their recent Buenos Aires show, GN’R welcomed original drummer Steven Adler on stage to perform "Out Ta Get Me", marking Adler's fourth appearance with the band since the Not In This Lifetime tour began. Fan-filmed video is available below.

Following news that Guns N’ Roses will bring their Not In This Lifetime Tour to Australia in February 2017, the band has confirmed three shows for Japan which will precede the Australian tour. Upcoming GN’R dates are listed below.

November
11 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Allianz Parque
15 - Curitiba, Brazil - Pedreira Paulo Leminski
18 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Estadio Nilton Santos-Engenhao
20 - Brasilia, Brazil - Estadio Nacional
23 - Medellin, Colombia - Estadio Atanasio Girardot
26 - San José, Costa Rica - Estadio Nacional

January
21 - Osaka, Japan - Kyocera Dome
28 - Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena
29 - Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena

February
7 - Brisbane, Australia - QSAC Stadium
10 - Sydney, Australia - ANZ Stadium
14 - Melbourne, Australia - MCG
18 - Adelaide, Australia - Adelaide Oval
21 - Perth, Australia - Domain Stadium

Fan-filmed video footage of LEAVES' EYES' November 9 performance at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

LEAVES' EYES' new 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 the band's new singer, Elina Siirala. The cover artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann.

LEAVES' EYES made its live debut with Siirala on April 17 at the Hammersonic festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The remaining members of LEAVES' EYES and their former singer, Liv Kristine, 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 on April 6.

Liv told Spain's Empire Zone: "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."

An earbook tour edition of LEAVES' EYES' latest album, "King Of Kings", was released in June, including a new version and video for the song "Edge Of Steel", featuring Elina.

LEAVES' EYES is:

Elina Siirala - VocalsAlexander Krull - VocalsThorsten Bauer - Guitar, BassPete Streit - GuitarJoris Nijenhuis - Drums

VIMIC, the new band featuring former SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison, played two songs — "I Fear The Worst" and "Simple Skeletons" — during a Facebook Live session earlier today (Saturday, November 12). You can now watch the performance below.



VIMIC consists of Jordison on drums, singer Kalen Chase Musmecci, who has toured with KORN as a backing vocalist and percussionist, and Joey's former SCAR THE MARTYR bandmates Jed Simon (guitar), Kyle Konkiel (bass) and Matthew Tarach (keyboards). VIMIC has signed a management deal with Nashville powerhouse CTK Management, where Jordison will reunite with former member of SLIPKNOT's original management team Danny Nozell, and will be represented by United Talent Agency's Neil Warnock internationally and Tim Borror in North America. Additionally, the band is readying the release of a new album for 2017, which will be released on Jordison's joint venture record label, with the first video and single to be released in December.

"It's an honor to be back working with one of the world's best drummers and songwriters," said Nozell. "Joey is a metal icon. I look forward to Joey touring globally and reconnecting with his fan base, helping share his new music and talents with the world again."

"I am very excited to be back in business with Joey," said Warnock, head of music worldwide at UTA. "I have fond memories of working with him during his time with SLIPKNOT, and am looking forward to making him a global success with VIMIC."

Often referred to as one the best drummers in the world by fans, musicians and media thanks to his unique style, sound and lightning fast technicality, Joey Jordison has, in addition to co-founding SLIPKNOT, worked with some of the biggest selling acts in hard rock and heavy metal, including METALLICA, KORN, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON and many more. Before his departure from SLIPKNOT in late 2013, Jordison had been quietly struggling with the career-threatening neurological condion acute transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord which damages nerve fibers, which ultimately led to Jordison losing the use of his legs. Never one to quit or back down from a fight, Joey overcame the impossible through months and months of rehabilitation, regaining the strength to walk again. He is feeling stronger than ever and is eager to show the world what is possible.

Said Jordison: "The band members have just arrived to my home in Des Moines, and the energy and vibe is absolutely magnetic. We are ready to bring back our music, showcase our new live shows to the masses, and show our appreciation to the fans who got us here and supported us in the first place. That's what matters, the fans!!! It's been a struggle, but we've overcome it and are ready to unleash. Thank you to all who have believed in us, have patiently waited, and continue to stand by our side. We'll see you soon! Get ready."

Jordison and VIMIC's first priority is getting in front of the fans, who have been sending letters, approaching Joey on the street and posting on social media asking when they will be able to see the iconic drummer live. Starting December 26 in Jordison's hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, the band kicks off a world tour. After the short U.S. run, VIMIC will embark on a European run that will kick off at the end of February through the month of March and into April with dates in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Zurich, Tilburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Olso and more. VIMIC will also tour Asia, South America, and Australia in 2017.

VIMIC first confirmed tour dates:

Dec. 26 - Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's Dec. 27 - Janesville, WI @ The Back BarDec. 28 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

SLIPKNOT announced in December 2013 that it had parted ways with Jordison. SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Jordison is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are." Taylor said he could not get into specifics for legal reasons, but admitted, "It's when a relationship hits that T-section and one person's going one way and you're going the other. And try as you might to either get them to go your way or try and go their way, at some point you've got to go in the direction that works for you. This is me speaking in the broadest terms, with respect to Joey. I guess to sum it up, it was one of the hardest decisions we ever made."

Taylor said that the band is "happy right now and we hope that he is… he's just in a place in his life, right now, that's not where we are."

The singer would not answer whether drug use played a role in Jordison's dismissal, and confessed that he had not been in touch with his former bandmate. Taylor said, "I haven't talked to Joey in a while, to be honest. That's how different we are. It's not because I don't love him and I don't miss him. And it is painful; we talk about him all the time, but at the same time, do we miss him or do we miss the old him? That's what it really comes down to."

SLIPKNOT's new drummer is Jay Weinberg, son of longtime Bruce Springsteen drummer Max Weinberg.




#Vimic #JoeyJordison

Posted by Joey Jordison on Saturday, November 12, 2016

While on tour this summer with Sevendust, Denver modern metal merchants Red Tide Rising broke out a reinterpreted version of the Tears for Fears classic "Mad World" (also made popular by Gary Jules), which they soon discovered was becoming one of the many highlights of their set.  Upon returning home, the band worked up a permanent version of the song with producer Mike Luce (Drowning Pool) and entered The Keep Studios to track it.  

Matthew Whiteman comments: "We covered 'Mad World' because it fits into the theme of our music. The choice allowed us to create a dark and melodic spin to the song that showcases our diversity in tonality that is demonstrated from the first note to the last. Besides, the song is a band favourite and we always wanted to pay tribute to it."

As of today, "Mad World" can be downloaded from iTunes here.

Red Tide Rising recently released a new lyric video for the track "The Sound of Voices Screaming", taken from their Voices EP. Produced by Drowning Pool drummer Mike Luce, Voices was released in May 2016 via Vanity Music Group.

Regarding the track, guitarist, Andrew Whiteman says, "The 'Sound of Voices Screaming' is about making yourself known and showing the world who you are. It's a call to arms to stand up together for each other. It's definitely a highlight in the set for me."

The band spent the month of August on the road in the United States and Canada with Sevendust and Crobot. They are making plans to head back into the studio in early 2017 with the intention of recording a new full length album set to be released in summer.

For information and updates on Red Tide Rising go to this location.

Greek prog metal/rock band Need will release their fourth album Hegaiamas: a song for freedom on January 17th, 2017. Need will support Evergrey on their forthcoming North American tour in May 2017. The album was produced by Need and mixed/mastered by Hector.D at HD Studios.

Cover artwork by Nick "Eyejacker" Panagiotopoulos:

Tracklisting:

“Rememory”
“Alltribe”
“Therianthrope”
“Riverthane”
“Tilikum”
“I.O.T.A.”
“Hegaiamas”

Trailer:

Need is a prog metal/rock band based in Athens, Greece. Formed in 2004 they have three more albums and have toured Europe twice, having shared the stage with the likes of Jon Oliva's Pain, Symphony X, Candlemass and more while they've also performed the 15th edition of ProgPower USA in 2014, at Sonisphere Festival 2011 opening for Iron Maiden, Mastodon, Slipknot and more.

Crystal Ball have released a video for “Never A Guarantee”, a track from their new album, Déjà-Voodoo, out now via Massacre Records. The new video can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“Déjà-Voodoo”
“Director’s Cut”
“Suspended”
“Never A Guarantee”
“Reaching Out”
“Home Again”
“To Freedom And Progress”
“Time And Tide”
“Without A Net”
“Full Disclosure” (Bonus Track)
“Fool’s Parade” (Bonous Track)
“Dr. Hell No”
“To Be With You Once More”

“Never A Guarantee” video:

“Déjà-Voodoo” video:

Atmospheric doom metallers, Trees Of Eternity, featuring Fredrik Norrman and Mattias Norrman (ex-Katatonia, October Tide) and Kai Hahto (Wintersun, Swallow The Sun), have released a lyric video for the title track of their new album, Hour Of The Nightingale, out now via Svart Records.

Hour Of The Nightingale tracklisting:

“My Requiem”
“Eye Of Night”
“Condemned To Silence” (feat. Mick Moss of Antimatter)
“A Million Tears”
“Hour Of The Nightingale”
“The Passage”
“Broken Mirror”
“Black Ocean”
“Sinking Ships”
“Gallows Bird” (feat. Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost)

“Hour Of The Nightingale” lyric video:

“A Million Tears” lyric video:

“Broken Mirror” lyric video:

Sampler:

"Valor Interior", a brand new song from the Latin American metal group DE LA TIERRA, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's second studio album, "II", which will be released on November 18 via Sony Music Latin.

Says DE LA TIERRA guitarist/vocalist Andres Gimenez: "This song talks about the internal root that we all have. It has two strands — one that spurs us to fight and grow stronger, and another that leads to apathy and doesn't let us see our own inner value." DE LA TIERRA is comprised of some of Latin America's most talented metal musicians, including Brazilian guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), Argentine singer/guitarist Andres Gimenez (A.N.I.M.A.L.), Argentine bassist Sr. Flavio (LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS) and Cuban/Mexican drummer Alex Gonzalez (MANÁ). "II" follows the band's 2014 self-titled debut which received rave reviews and support from critics and fans. DE LA TIERRA found massive success following the release of their debut album in 2014. The record allowed the band to tour and share the stage with bands like METALLICA and SLIPKNOT and perform at festivals such as Rock In Rio, Santiago Gets Louder and Vive Latino as well as gain a strong following of fans throughout North and South America. For their follow-up record, DE LA TIERRA worked with renowned producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES, THE CURE, SEPULTURA) who helped the band craft a furious set of songs for one of the year's most dynamic, heavy rock/metal albums. "Our first album was self-produced," says drummer Alex Gonzalez. "This second album we had the awesome opportunity, honor and privilege to work with Ross Robinson. He produced and really captured and brought out the best of all of us. It was very positive and challenging, but at the same time he made us work hard and give 100% all the time. He really helped us to find our sound and voice." "II" was recorded in Los Angeles, where DE LA TIERRA laid down the music live to analog tape machines. Each of the band's members has a unique, individual style that Robinson helped blend and balance with their influential roots for a rich music experience that transcends language barriers. "All four of us listen to so much music and different styles that all of that information brings a lot to the table once we start writing music," Gonzalez adds. "It's so awesome that a band like DE LA TIERRA, that is a heavy/metal band, can bring so many different styles and sounds of heavy metal to our music, but at the same time we include rhythms, melodies and lyrics from Latin America."

The UK thrash masters have signed a new deal with UKEM Records, to release the first brand new Solitary studio album in more than eight years. UKEM are a label fast establishing themselves as major players in the underground scene, with a hunger to succeed that matches Solitary’s own. With this fiercely driven partnership in place and an album to promote that takes British thrash metal to new heights, 2017 should be an exciting year for both band and label.

Asked about the signing with UKEM, Solitary’s front man Rich Sherrington had this to say:

“We are all very proud of the songs on this album and how it sounds. Working with producer Simon Efemey gave us a renewed belief in what we could achieve, so it was essential that we signed to a label with the same level of enthusiasm and with UKEM we have found the perfect match. Having been on UK labels previously we were keen for that to continue. 2017 is shaping up to be mega for us! Having the album come out in time for us playing at Hammerfest and then returning to London with Acid Reign is perfect. Hopefully there will be more to come after that as well, but having UKEM join our existing team of metal brothers can only mean that more people will get to hear and experience our metal.”

Details of the new Solitary album will be emerging soon, but today you can feast your eyes on the new video for ferocious single “Unidentified”. The video has been created by Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art, who has also recently worked with Flotsam And Jetsam, and like the song itself it pulls no punches.

Download the single on Solitary’s Bandcamp.