METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett was interviewed by Woody of the 93X radio station just hours before the band's headlining concert Saturday night (August 20) at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about the reaction to METALLICA's new single, "Hardwired", Hammett said: "I kind of feel the excitement. I can kind of feel the energy in the air. I mean, we all kind of are picking up on it. I'm getting a tremendous amount of texts from friends, saying, 'Great song. Wonderful song.' But as soon as I go on to my computer and turn it on, and think to myself, 'Should I read what other people are saying?' or 'Should I read some comments [on whatever web site]?' I instantly say to myself, 'Don't go there,' because I'll just get, first, angry, then frustrated, then confused, and then wanna just write it all off as just fucking useless bullshit, and why did I even waste my time. So, having said that, I know there's a great buzz out there, and I'm totally, totally thankful that the song is so well received."

Hammett also talked about METALLICA's mindset as it prepares to hit the road in support of the band's long-awaited new album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct", due on November 18. He said: "You have to understand, we have been together for 33 years. The last time we put out an album, we had been together for 25 years. Whenever we accomplish a goal… you know, we actually set out to do something and when we actually accomplish it — like making an album, making a movie, making a video, making a tour or whatever — once we get to the point where we've done the lion's share of things and we're ready to just cruise, it's always a really, really great feeling."

He continued: "The album's mostly finished — 99 percent finished — and it's a good time, because now we can go to the next step, which is playing the songs, performing them for the public, talking about them, making sure as many people as physically possible can hear these tunes and just working it like we always do.

"For us, going out and playing shows, it's really, really fun for us, really, really great, but over time, the mileage we have on ourselves, on our personal odometers, they're way up there. [Laughs] So, having said that, we have to take care of ourselves, and we have to make sure that going into this next little phase that we do it correctly and we do it in a healthy way that ensures much more longevity. And, yeah, it really feels like we've climbed the summit and we've reached the peak and now we can just cruise for a while."

"Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" was produced by Greg Fidelman with frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. The band recorded the disc at its own studio.

"Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" will be issued on double CD, vinyl and digital download. A deluxe version will feature a bonus disc containing the riffs that formed the origins of the album along with "The Lords Of Summer", which the band debuted on tour a couple of years ago.

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES will release their twelfth studio album, "Battles", on November 11 via Nuclear Blast in all territories excluding North America and Scandinavia and Eleven Seven Music Group in the U.S. The CD was recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson, who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD, BODY COUNT and SEPULTURA, among others.

The second "Battles" making-of webisode can be seen below. Also available are the album's first two singles, "The End" and "The Truth".

IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte described "The End" as "a fairly straightforward IN FLAMES song. Having said that, it's a really positive vibe [to] the song. It's not a slash-your-wrists kind of vibe; it makes you realize to just make sure you appreciate that moment."

Gelotte also talked about how the recording process for "Battles" compared to that of its predecessor, 2014's "Siren Charms".

"'Siren Charms' had a very dark vibe to it," he explained. "We recorded it at a cold, damp and dark time during the year in Berlin so it gave it a certain melancholy to the record. Now recording in L.A. with the sunshine, it's a different energy. The writing process was different this time, too — that I would like for us to continue to explore. Also, working with Howard and his team was great. I got stressed taking a break for even five minutes because they were always ready to go for the next take and kept my energy up."

"I think being in California really affected this album in the sense that we had a studio in the house that we were staying at and the vibe was really relaxed which lent itself to productivity," added vocalist Anders Fridén. "It really helped having a producer who could make us focus on what we needed to accomplish and keep us on track."

"This was a very new approach for us because we've never let anyone else in the way we did with Howard," said Gelotte.

"Battles" sees the band making the hooks sharper, the riffs tighter and honing the overall attack in a way that parallels their legendary live shows in an unparalleled fashion.

"When people hear this album I think they're going to instantly know that it's the new IN FLAMES without us repeating the same song over and over, and that's something I'm incredibly proud of," Fridén said. He went on to downplay the changes in the band's sound, calling "Battles" "guitar driven, melodic… it's like they know what to expect. It's not like we're coming out with something completely different, but at the same time it's still new. If they already like IN FLAMES, they will like it — and if they don't like IN FLAMES already, they still might like it."

IN FLAMES will release its new concert DVD, "Sounds From The Heart Of Gothenburg", on September 23 via Nuclear Blast. The set was recorded on November 7, 2014 at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden. IN FLAMES last year inked a new management deal with Tenth Street Entertainment, which also looks after MÖTLEY CRÜE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, among others.

The band's last disc, "Siren Charms", sold around 9,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 26 on The Billboard 200 chart.

IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced last fall that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life. He said in a statement: "It's hard to leave what have become my second family, but now it's time for me to take care and spend more time with the most important people in my life — my wife and my three daughters."

IN FLAMES has not yet named a replacement for Svensson.

IN FLAMES is:

Anders Fridén - VocalsBjörn Gelotte - GuitarPeter Iwers - BassNiclas Engelin - Guitar

Finnish metallers Re-Armed will release The Era of Precarity will be released internationally via Finland's Saarni Records. The physical core of the album is packed into a stylish digipak, which is made from ecological materials. The band has pledged to donate 50 cents from the sale of every copy to Karma Ry (organization), which supports elder people and young adults in band's hometown area with their activities to prevent disenfranchisement.

The band has released the following statement about the new album:

"The Era Of Precarity is fully conceptual album where each track dives into a dystopian-world that you would never want to live in. The album reflects decadent elements of our society and challenges the listener to think what kind of world we want to live in now and in the future. All the major conflicts of the 21st century are still solved with warfare and the interesting question is; 'Do we really want to leave this perishing world as a legacy to our descendants?' Therefore the message is current and very serious. While you're listening to the record we recommend you to leave larping clothes, drinking horns and mythological characters into the depths of your imagination. The world is here and right now."

Tracklisting:

“Novus Ordo Seclorum”
“Lullaby Of Obedience”
“Through The Barricades”
“Riot Act”
“Ivory Towers”
“Years Of Decay”
“Three Headed Beast”
“Evolve Cycle”
“The Aftermath”
“Cursed Beyond Belief”
“Purification”
“The Hunt Is On!”

Teaser:

The band's previous release, Total Lack of Communication (EP), was released in 2015, and followed with tours of  China and Baltic countries.

You can try to put Destrage in a box but you will never succeed. Words such as "progressive", "cinematic", "mathcore", "technical" and "groove-laden", could be thrown at them, but really the only one you need is Destrage, for they are in a category of their own making. This has never been truer than on A Means To No End, the fourth full-length from the Milan, Italy-based 5-piece, due out October 21st via Metal Blade Records. Riveting from start to finish, it leads the listener through an emotionally-charged labyrinth of complex yet catchy melody and muscle, following nobody's rules, and it stands out as one of the truly unique releases of 2016. For a first preview of A Means To No End, a lyric video directed by The Jack Stupid, “Symphony Of The Ego” can be seen below. Preorders are available at Metal Blade.

Destrage recorded A Means To No End at RecLab Studios in Milan, reuniting with their longtime collaborator Larsen Premoli, and his assistant Alex D'Errico. While tracking, at the suggestion of drummer Federico Paulovich, they brought percussionist Alessandro "Pacho" Rossi into the fold. Having entered into the writing process with no plans beyond simply wanting to write good music, the finished product - which is mixed by Steve Evetts and mastered by Alan Douches - is somewhat revelatory, and will certainly grab the attention of anyone exposed to it. Known for their powerful live shows, these tracks are sure to sound incredible when blasted from titanic speakers as the band take them to the masses.

Tracklisting:

“A Means To No End”
“Don’t Stare  At The Edge”
“Symphony Of The Ego”
“Silent Consent”
“The Flight”
“Dreamers”
“Ending To A Means”
“Peacefully Lost”
“Not Everything Is Said”
“To Be Tolerated”
“Blah Blah”
“A Promise, A Debt”
“Abandon To Random”

“Symphony Of The Ego” lyric video:

Lineup:

Paolo Colavolpe - vocals
Matteo Di Gioia - guitar
Federico Paulovich - drums
Ralph Guido Salati - guitar
Gabriel Pignata - bass

Following their wildly successful debut EP, Breaking Out, UK trio Raveneye are set to release their full length debut album, NOVA, worldwide on September 23rd. The album track “Walls” is available for streaming below:

Since forming in 2014, UK-based rock band Raveneye has toured globally, supporting bands such as The Darkness, Slash, Deep Purple, Halestorm and Blues Pills. The band has headlined their own tours through Europe and America and have performed at major international rock festivals such as Download Festival​ (UK), Hellfest Open Air Festival​ (France), Azkena Rock Festival ARF​ (Spain), Rock For People (Czech Republic), Louder Than Life​ (US), and Aftershock Festival​ (US), and will also perform at this year’s Maximus Festival​ in Brazil and Argentina this September. Their incendiary live shows have captivated crowds and put them on the map as a ‘must see live’ band.  

Warren Riker (Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, Down, Anders Osborne), who engineered the debut EP, took over as producer to capture the band’s true sonic identity on NOVA. Together, Oli Brown, Aussie bassist Aaron Spiers and renowned drummer Gunnar Olsen worked at Water Music in Hoboken, New Jersey for 25 days and created an eleven-track album that pushed the band beyond its boundaries and into new ground. From the hard hitting riffs of “Inside”, “Madeline” and “Hero” to the raw sounds of “Wanna Feel You” and “Oh My Love’ to the stark reality of life and death in “Eternity”, NOVA takes you on a journey of defiance, pain, hate, death and, yes, love.

With songs filled with deep, bluesy grooves and infectious hooks that invoke giants such as Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden, Raveneye (who formed just two years ago) continue to win fans over around the world with their huge sound and killer live shows. The extensive touring in 2015 laid the ground work for a hungry fan-base and, this past April, one year after the release of their debut EP, Breaking Out, the band debuted on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

NOVA tracklisting:

“Wanna Feel You”
“Come With Me”
“Inside”
“Hero”
“Supernova”
“Walls”
“Oh My Love”
“Madeline”
“Hate”
“Out Of The Rain”
“Eternity”

“Inside” lyric video:

“Hero” video:

Skeletonwitch’s new EP, The Apothic Gloom, has debuted in the Billboard music charts at #7 for Hard Music, while landing in the Top 20 for Top Independent Albums and Top 100 for Top Current Albums.

To further the celebration of it's success, the band have teamed up with Indiana based craft brewery 3 Floyds Brewing Co. to debut the Red Death Sour ale.

Guitarist Scott Hedrick announced, "It's no secret that Skeletonwitch have an affinity for beer. It only makes sense that we partnered with one of the most "metal" and consistently top-notch breweries out there. The Red Death awaits you. Fall into the depths."

At 8.5%, the "Red Death Sour" is a thirst-quenchimg tart ale with juicy hints of tropical fruit-pineapple, mellow funky cheese and a slight barnyard dry finish topped with cherry, raspberry, pear and plum aromas.

3 Floyds Head Brewer, Chris Boggess adds, "Red Death is the product of an unholy blend of a sour grand cru fermented and aged in a foeder for 18 months and a Cherry Imperial Berliner Weisse.”

The beer will be available on tap and bottled at 3 Floyds Brewery in Munster, Indiana and throughout their distribution area (Chicagoland, Indiana and select cities in OH, KY and WI) on Labor Day. Due to the year long fermenting process of the sour, the first batch was limited to only 100 barrels, make sure to check www.3floyds.com to find out where you can pick one up before they are gone.

The Apothic Gloom EP stream:

Skeletonwitch are excited to bring new material from their forthcoming release, The Apothic Gloom, back to fans across the US this fall. Featuring direct support from Iron Reagan, Oathbreaker, Gatecreeper (9/29-18) and Homewrecker (19-30), the tour will span just over four weeks starting in Asheville, NC and ending in Richmond, VA. A complete listing of dates can be found below.

Guitarist Scott Hedrick: “Stoked to finally announce this! We've got new tunes to play and a killer group of bands to shred with. Love this lineup from top to bottom. See you all soon."

Tour dates:

September
28 - Asheville, NC - Mothlight #
29 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl ^
30 - Savannah, GA - The Jinx ^

October
1 - Tampa, FL - Crowbar ^
2 - Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic ^
4 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia ^
5 - Houston, TX - White Oak ^
6 - Dallas, TX - RBC ^
7 - Austin, TX - Barracuda ^
9 - Phoenix, AZ - Rebel Lounge ^
10 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick ^
11 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy ^
12 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge ^
14 - Portland, OR - Panic Room ^
15 - Seattle, WA - Highline ^
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar ^  
18 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theater ^
19 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room &
20 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews &
21 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock &
22 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean &
23 - Indianapolis, IN - 5th Quarter &
25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Cattivo &
26 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts &
28 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus &
26 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery &
30 - Richmond, VA - Hardywood Brewery &

# with Iron Reagan & Oathbreaker & All Hell
^ with Iron Reagan & Oathbreaker & Gatecreeper
& with Iron Reagan & Oathbreaker & Homewrecker

Finland’s Shiraz Lane have released a video for “Momma's Boy”, a track from the band’s debut album, For Crying Out Loud, released back in April. Watch the new clip below.

For Crying Out Loud tracklisting:

“Wake Up”
“Momma's Boy”
“House Of Cards”
“Begging For Mercy”
“Same Ol' Blues”
“Mental Slavery”
“Behind The 8-Ball”
“For Crying Out Loud”
“Bleeding”
“M.L.N.W. - Kill Me (With Your Love)” (Bonus track digital version)

“Momma's Boy” video:

“For Crying Out Loud” video:

“House Of Cards”:

“Same Ol’ Blues”:

“Wake Up” video:

"Mental Slavery” video:

EPK (Electronic Press Kit):

Shiraz Lane is:

Hannes Kett - vocals
Jani Laine - solo guitar
Miki Kalske - rhythm guitar
Joel Alex - bass
Ana Willman - drums

Texas metallers Darkness Divided have released a playthrough video for “Misery”, a track from their self-titled sophomore album, out now via Victory Records. The new video can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“The Point Of No Return”
“Back Breaker”
“A Life That Binds”
“ Wake Of The Dead”
“Misery”
“Deceiver”
“From Dust To Stone”
“The Answer”
“Deliverance”
“Mirror Of Death”
“The End Of It All”

“Misery” playthrough:

"Back Breaker" video:

"Back Breaker" behind-the-scenes:

“The End Of It All”:

“Misery” video:

Tour dates here.

On September 23rd, melodic death metal outfit Allegaeon will be releasing their fourth full-length, Proponent For Sentience, via Metal Blade Records. Today, the band has launched a performance video for the new album track, "All Hail Science", which was shot at Black Sky Brewery in Denver, Colorado during the recording of Proponent For Sentience earlier this year.

Greg Burgess (guitar) comments: "We had the great pleasure of being allowed to shoot “All Hail Science” at Black Sky Brewery here in Denver. We have a great selection of metal bars here and Black Sky is by far my favorite. It has such a friendly atmosphere and the staff and owners are so supportive of our local scene. Basically Black Sky let us throw a free show/party for anyone who wanted to show up. It's pretty apparent from the video, but we had a blast that day. Huge thanks to Black Sky for their hospitality, SSS Productions for running sound and lights, Vince Edwards from Metal Blade for filming us being dumb, and the fans who showed up to party!"

Produced by Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation), Proponent For Sentience is a musically complex, intelligent, and absorbing concept record that can rightfully sit alongside the true greats of the medium. With a lyrical arc rooted in science-fiction yet uncomfortably encroaching upon the reality of the present, it captures the Fort Collins, Colorado natives at their most ambitious and accomplished, pushing the boundaries even further than on their three previous critically acclaimed full-lengths.

Proponent For Sentience can be pre-ordered now at this location. Another playthrough video for the new track, "Proponent For Sentience III - The Extermination", featuring guest appearances by Soilwork's Bjorn "Speed" Strid (vocals) and Scar Symmetry/ex-Bloodshot Dawn's Benjamin Ellis (guitar) can be found below.

Proponent For Sentience tracklisting:

“Proponent For Sentience I - The Conception”
“All Hail Science”
“From Nothing”
“Gray Matter Mechanics - Apassionata Ex Machinea”
“Of Mind And Matrix”
“Proponent For Sentience II - The Algorithm”
“Demons Of An Intricate Design”
“Terrathaw And The Quake”
“Cognitive Computations”
“The Arbiters”
“Proponent For Sentience III - The Extermination”
“Subdivisions”

“Subdivisions” playthrough video:

“Proponent For Sentience III - The Extermination” playthrough video:

"Gray Matter Mechanics - Appassionata Ex Machinea” can be heard via the widget below:

Proponent for Sentience by Allegaeon

"Appassionata Ex Machinea" acoustic:

Format details:

- CD
- 180g Black 2LP
- Marbled Violet 2LP (limited)

* Exclusive t-shirts, plus a special collector's bundle (8-string Legator guitar + CD + 2LP + t-shirt + t-shirt) are also available now

In support of Proponent For Sentience, Allegaeon will join Max & Iggor Cavalera Return To Roots, The Black Dahlia Murder, Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, and Oni for a North American tour this September/October.

Tour dates:

September
12 - Las Vegas, NV - LVCS
13 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
15 - Nashville, TN - Exit / In
16 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Concert Hall
17 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
19 - Knoxville, TN - The Concourse
20 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theater
22 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
24 - San Bernardino, CA - Ozzfest Meets Knotfest *

October
10 - Ottawa, ON - Mavericks #
11 - Toronto, ON - Opera House #
12 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes #

* - Allegaeon only
# - Max & Iggor Cavalera Return To Roots, The Black Dahlia Murder, Allegaeon only

Allegaeon lineup:

Riley McShane - vocals
Greg Burgess - guitar
Michael Stancel - guitar
Corey Archuleta - bass
Brandon Park - drums

Progressive death metal masters Fallujah have released a guitar playthrough video for “Amber Gaze” a track from their new album, Dreamless.

A previously posted drum playthrough video for “Amber Gaze”, from Sick Drummer Magazine, follows:

Dreamless was released on April 29th via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album was recorded at SharkbiteStudios with producer Zack Ohren (Animosity, Suffocation), and was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis (Devildriver, Cannibal Corpse) in Orlando, FL at Audiohammer. Cover art was created by Peter Mohrbacher.

“Abandon” video:

“The Void Alone” lyric video:

Streaming below is “I’ll Play The Blues For You”, as well as a new trailer video for Joe Bonamassa's new live album, Live At The Greek Theatre, which was recorded live on August 29th, 2015 and will be released on CD, Blu-ray and DVD on September 23rd.

Pre-order Live At The Greek Theater here, and get a free poster.

The Grammy Foundation and Grammy Museum are partnering on September 1st to celebrate the life and legacy of B.B. King, 15-time Grammy-winning rhythm & blues singer.

Titled Icon: The Life And Legacy Of B.B. King, the live tribute will include performances by multi-Grammy winners Keb' Mo', Derek Trucks, and Jimmie Vaughan; Grammy winners Slash and Susan Tedeschi; Grammy nominees Joe Bonamassa and Kenny Wayne Shepherd; and artist Joe Lewis Walker. The show will be musically directed by the Conan show's own musical director and house band Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band.

In addition to a live tribute performance and storytelling by artists influenced by King's work, there will be a pre-event VIP reception, for VIP ticket buyers. A handful of auction items signed by participating artists will be available exclusively to attendees for silent bidding.

More details at this location.

Sweden’s Meshuggah will release their eighth album, The Violent Sleep Of Reason, on October 7th via Nuclear Blast Records. The album is inspired by a Goya painting called "The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters". Today, the second video trailer is released, in which Tomas Haake discusses the lyrical inspiration of the band’s eighth album.

The album was produced by the band and was engineered by Tue Madsen of Puk Studios in Kaerby, Denmark. For the cover, the band once again enlisted Keerych Luminokaya who created the artwork for Koloss and The Ophidian Trek as well as the new images for each of the seven albums and three EP's featured in the recently released 25 Years Of Musical Deviance box set.

Tracklisting:

“Clockworks”
“Born In Dissonance”
“MonstroCity”
“By The Ton”
“Violent Sleep Of Reason”
“Ivory Tower”
“Stifled”
“Nostrum”
“Our Rage Won’t Die”
“Into Decay”

“Born In Dissonance” lyric video:

The Violent Sleep Of Reason will be available in the following formats:

- CD Digipak
- Black Double LP
- Blue/Brown Splatter Double LP
- T-shirt Bundle (Includes digipak & poster; available in sizes: S-XXL) *
- Mail-Order Exclusive Box Set*
* Limited to 1,000 worldwide
* Includes: Latex face mask, (2) stickers, (2) 1.25” buttons, poster flag, certificate of authenticity

Pre-order your copy of The Violent Sleep Of Reason here. Digital copies here.

Meshuggah recently announced their epic North American Fall 2016 tour. The trek will kick-off at the House Of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on October 10th, visit two Canadian cities as well as Knotfest Mexico before concluding in Maryland at The Fillmore on November 6th. Joining the band as special guests is none other than US metallers High On Fire (pictured below).

Watch a tour teaser video below. Tickets are on sale now.

Tour dates:

October
10 - House Of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL*
11 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
12 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
13 - Marathon Music Works - Nashville, TN
15 - Knottiest Mexico - Toluca, Mexico*
16 - House Of Blues - Houston, TX
17 - House Of Blues - Dallas, TX
19 - The Novo - Los Angeles, CA
20 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV*
22 - Aftershock Festival - Elverta, CA*
24 - Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO
25 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
26 - Mill City Nights - Minneapolis, MN
28 - House Of Blues - Chicago, IL
29 - The Majestic - Detroit, MI
30 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, ON
31 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC

November
2 - House Of Blues - Boston, MA
3 - Playstation Theater - New York, NY
4 - The Trocadero Theatre - Philadelphia, PA
5 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
6 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD

* Meshuggah only

(High On Fire photo - J. Hubbard)

Finnish melancholic melodic death metal band, Shadecrown, have set a release date for their debut album. Entitled Agonia, the album will be released on October 21st via Inverse Records.

Shadecrown was founded in 2012 by songwriter/keyboardist Saku Tammelin and they have previously released one demo and EP. The band's music consists of many different elements and it's influenced by many metal genres such as thrash and melodic doom metal. In other words Shadecrown's music combines beautiful melancholic melodies and aggressive guitar riffs.

Tracklisting:

“Eremophobia”
“Led Astray”
“Ghostlike Existence”
“Far Off Innocence”
“Walk Through Hell”
“Longing For Sleep”
“The Ruins Of Me”
“Tear-Stained Heart”
“Silent Hours”
“Drown”

“Led Astray” video:

Lineup:

Saku Tammelin - Keyboards
Jari Hokka - Vocals
Janne Salmelin - Bass & Clean Vocals
Kalle Varonen - Drums
Joonas Vesamäki - Guitars
Riku Niemonen - Guitars

Cry Of Dawn, a new melodic rock/AOR project featuring Göran Edman on all lead vocals, will release their self-titled debut album on September 23rd. A stream of the track “Tell It To My Heart” can be found below.

Over the years, Göran Edman’s unique vocal style has been showcased in numerous genres including neoclassic metal, progressive rock, and AOR, just to name a few. His vocal stylings can be found on records by John Norum, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brazen Abbot, and Glory, among others.

Cry Of Dawn is Goran Edman’s latest musical adventure: a straight ahead AOR / melodic rock album which highlights his amazing vocal abilities on superb songs written especially for him by the likes of Michael Palace (Palace, First Signal, Kryptonite), Steve Newman, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Sören Kronkvist, Daniel Palmqvist and Robert Säll among others.

“It’s been a privilege to work with all  these  good songwriters within the genre of classic  AOR,” tells Goran. “The conformity of the production has a good red line with a straight forward melodic flow as you would expect. Its been a true pleasure performing it. The recording of the album took place in Daniel Flores’ studio for the instrumental part while I did the vocals in my own studio. Personally I am grateful to be a part of this project and look forward to the fans listening to the album”.

The result is a true feast for the ears of all lovers of this music. Picture hints of the likes of Night Ranger, Journey, Bad English and Starship and you'll get a sense of what is in store for you! Hear for yourself with an album sampler, streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“Chance”
“Listen To Me”
“When Right Is Wrong”
“Tell It To My Heart”
“Light A Light”
“Can't Go On”
“Building Towers”
“Hands Around My Heart”
“Life After Love”
“Yearn”
“Tell Me”

“Tell It To My Heart”:

“Chance”:

“Listen To Me” lyric video:

Album sampler:

Cry Of Dawn lineup:

Göran Edman - Lead and backing vocals
Michael Palace - Guitars and bass
Sören Kronqvist - Keyboards
Daniel Flores - Drums and keyboards

 

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper has paid tribute to actor Gene Wilder, who starred in such comedy films as "The Producers", "Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein" and "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory". Wilder died Monday (August 29) at his home in Stamford, Connecticut. His nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said he died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 83.

Cooper posted the following message on his Facebook page: "I count working with Gene Wilder on his TV sitcom 'Something Wilder' to be one of the most precious memories of my entire career. Doing 'one-on-one' comedy with Gene was like jamming with THE BEATLES. It doesn't get any better. Gene Wilder is IRREPLACEABLE and will always be an American treasure."

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER, the revamped version of the cult '80s British metal act GRIM REAPER led by singer Steve Grimmett, will release its new album, "Walking In The Shadows", on September 23 via Dissonance Productions.

The CD's title track can now be streamed below.

"Walking In The Shadows" track listing:

01. Wings Of Angels02. Walking In The Shadows03. Reach Out04. I'm Coming For You05. From Hell06. Call Me In The Morning07. Rock Will Never Die08. Temptation09. Thunder10. Now You See Me11. Blue Murder12. Come Hell Or High Water

"Walking In The Shadows" is GRIM REAPER's first new recording since 1987's "Rock You To Hell". Grimmett stated about the effort: "I am tremendously proud of the album. It has taken a long time because it has been fraught with problems, but we have ended up with the best thing I have done in decades. We're all looking forward to bring it to the fans and excited to be doing a world tour, starting straight after its release, and carrying on until 2017." Surrounding himself with an all-new band, Grimmett recently completed a 22-date North American tour. The trek included stops in New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Austin. Due to its success, the band recently announced a planned return in the autumn to support the new album after release. Original GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott joined STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER on stage on March 25 at 4 D's Bar & Grill in Fort Wayne, Indiana to perform several of the band's classic songs.

Bowcott previously played with STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER in 2014, marking the first time Steve and Nick appeared on stage together in more than 25 years.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER is:

Steve Grimmett - VocalsIn Nash - GuitarChaz Grimaldi - BassPaul White - Drums

GRIM REAPER's debut album, "See You In Hell", was released in 1984 and was distributed worldwide through RCA. A successful world tour in support of the album included an appearance at Texxas Jam in front of over 20,000 people. The band's 1985 follow-up, "Fear No Evil", showed improvement on the production front and also enjoyed moderate success in both the United States and Europe.

Ebony Records delayed the release of the band's third album, "Rock You to Hell", by almost two years. The LP eventually arrived directly through RCA in 1987.

The back catalog from GRIM REAPER was reissued in Japan in October 2008 via RCA/BMG.

Legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker completed a Japanese tour, Michael Schenker Fest, earlier this month. The concerts featured appearances by three MSG singers: Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley. They were joined by Ted McKenna on drums, Chris Glen on bass and Steve Mann on guitar/keyboards.

Combined, these men are responsible for such albums as "Michael Schenker Group" (1980), "Assault Attack" (1982) and "Save Yourself" (1989).

Fan-filmed video footage of the August 23 Michael Schenker Fest event in Osaka, Japan can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Roppongi Rocks, Michael stated about how the idea for the Michael Schenker Fest came about: "With all the other musicians in the past, I never really fired anybody. Every time it's time for a new record, I have to look around if the old members are still available. Sometimes they join other bands because they have to earn money. So I somehow ended up with different musicians all the time. But I guess that is also part of my life design.

"Today, I have a chance now to enjoy all my past. I can embrace everything — Graham Bonnet, Gary Barden, Robin McAuley, and all the musicians. I have a really big world all of a sudden and it is a lot of fun. I can take off in any direction. I can go out with Graham Bonnet if I choose to, I can go out with Gary… The advantages of all these different formations, it's not all the same. Then there's TEMPLE OF ROCK, where Doogie [White] is basically singing my past and my current. That is a completely different concept again."

He added: "It's a great opportunity to come out all the time. I'm very energetic, more than ever. I can go out and always come out with freshness, fresh surroundings."

Schenker also talked about his current mindset as he prepares to take Michael Schenker Fest to other parts of the world. He said: "You know what? I live in the now. I only have good memories of everything. I'm a positive person.

"Japan has been a fantastic audience for me over the years. They always understood what I was doing, more than people in Germany did in the beginning, but they are catching up. And the rest of the world is catching up.

"Fifty years of AC/DC and… I think people are ready to hear a bit deeper music than that.

"I think that in my middle years, I was able to withdraw and let bands like SCORPIONS and so on use what I created and made it in a more simplified way for their wider audience, in a nice packaging, for people to understand.

"I think my assignment was to create something like this and then other people's assignment was to use it and present it in a commercial way. I think now it's time to come out and take everything I started in my first part of my life — taking it to the next level. That's what I'm excited about and that's what I am looking forward to do."

Fan-filmed video footage of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's August 20 performance at the new U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota as the support act for METALLICA can be seen below. The concert marked the band's second appearance with drummer Brooks Wackerman, who joined AVENGED last year after the departure of Arin Ilejay.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows told the WGRD radio station about finding Wackerman: "Well, the process was really easy, because… Well, first off, we had to keep it secret, because we had to respect BAD RELIGION and what he was gonna have to do with telling them that he decided that he wanted to play with us. And we're huge fans of BAD RELIGION; they're one of our favorite bands growing up, and they still are — they still put out such great music. And so, for us, it was about just working with him for a year before we even announced it, 'cause we wanted to make sure he was the right guy. But deep down, we already knew. We've known Brooks for years and years and years, and we knew he was just a phenomenal drummer. We knew that there was no way he was gonna have trouble recreating The Rev's parts and Mike Portnoy's parts. So, basically, for us, it was about writing with him, and writing songs with him, to see how that went, before we decided to pull the trigger. And so, once we did that, we just knew… I mean, you can show that guy a song and he can learn it in three listens; he's that good of a drummer. So he's probably more prepared than we are, honestly, on some of these old songs, especially for the guitar players — they're playing all these duels and all these solos. And then Brooks, he's got it down. You can show him and song and he can learn it within a day, which is cool."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has been recording its seventh studio album, but it's not clear when the disc will be released since the band announced earlier this year that it was attempting to sever its contract with Warner Bros. Records.

M. Shadows stated about the status of songwriting and recording sessions for AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next CD: "We're writing, we've been throwing stuff around. You know, we've been working, and that's all I can really say about it. I think there's a lot of speculation online, and we're just kind of leaving it that way. But when there's something to be heard, we'll let the world know. But right now, we're just still working on stuff."

Warner sued the group in January for breach of contract, claiming the band owed it another studio effort and a live set on its existing deal.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD said at the time that "none of the senior management or A&R executives who were at the company and responsible for signing us are still there."

The band's previous two releases, 2013's "Hail To The King" and 2010's "Nightmare", both topped the Billboard album chart.

Texas metalcore band MEMPHIS MAY FIRE will release its new studio album, "This Light I Hold", on October 28 via Rise Records. The CD features guest appearances by PAPA ROACH's Jacoby Shaddix (on the title track) and former MY AMERICAN HEART vocalist Larry Soliman (on "Not Over Yet").

Speaking about the new record, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE frontman Matty Mullins says: "I feel like we took a giant step forward with this album. Having time off to write and not being rushed in the studio made such a massive difference. Musically, lyrically, sonically, this is my favorite MEMPHIS MAY FIRE album. We can't wait to share with you 'This Light I Hold'!"

Adds guitarist Kellen McGregor: "'This Light I Hold' just has that vibe, sonically speaking, that our fans are going to love. Every song stands on its own, yet the album gels as a cohesive whole. We're really proud of this one!"

"This Light I Hold" track listing:

01. Out Of It02. Carry On03. Wanting More04. Sever The Ties05. The Enemy06. This Light I Hold (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)07. That's Just Life08. Letting Go09. The Antidote10. Better Things11. Not Over Yet (feat. Larry Soliman)12. Unashamed13. Live It Well

The official lyric video for the first single, "Carry On", can be viewed below.

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE's last studio album, "Unconditional" rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts in its first week of release back in 2014, landing at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, and at No. 1 on the Hard Music, Rock and Independent charts.

The impressive first-week showing improved on the No. 16 chart debut of the band's 2012 LP, "Challenger".

Following their successful summer on this year's Vans Warped Tour and a support slot with I PREVAIL, Maryland quartet BAD SEED RISING will release its debut album, "Awake In Color", on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was produced by Drew Fulk, who has previously worked with MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and CROWN THE EMPIRE.

"I Can Feel You", the debut video from "Awake In Color", can be seen below. The clip was shot in Los Angeles by director Patrick Flaherty.

BAD SEED RISING vocalist Francheska Pastor stated about "I Can Feel You": "Nightmares are my favorite dreams. They're the only ones I have — at least what I can remember.

"'I Can Feel You' is an audio and video rendition of one certain dream I had about running away from something terrifyingly familiar on a train with a bag of nails weighing me down. I fall off the train trying to hide in tall grass and I see a snake coming to attack me and ends up strangling me. I remember waking up with scratches on my chest. I guess I thought it was really happening.

"I took some time and reflected that dream to real life and realized that the bag of nails are emotional baggage that's stopping my mental growth. The snake the truth that I've been hiding for years, and it's eventually coming back to bite me. And it did. I just thought that this dream alone was so introspective and somehow clairvoyant that I wanted to write about it. So we wrote 'I Can Feel You'." Since becoming the youngest band ever signed to Roadrunner, BAD SEED RISING has released two EPs and done extensive touring.

Those ordering physical copies of "Awake In Color" will be able to order the CD alone or in a bundle with an exclusive t-shirt. Along with the bundle, fans will receive a commemorative pin. The first 100 people ordering a bundle will receive a signed lyric sheet for the song "Fighting Gravity". Those ordering digitally will receive the instant grat tracks "I Can Feel You" and "Fighting Gravity". During a break in the I PREVAIL tour, the band shot the "Fighting Gravity" video. You can see it below. On September 12, BAD SEED RISING will head back on the road in support of ISLANDER and PALAYE ROYALE.

A SUN TRAVERSE
NEW DOOM METAL BAND FEAT. EX SATURNUS MEMBERS
A Sun Traverse is a Doom metal band from Copenhagen, Denmark.
After departing with SATURNUS, Peter E. Poulsen (guitars), Tais Pedersen (guitars), Nikolai Borg (drums) and Anders R. Nielsen (keyboards) formed A SUN TRAVERSE and was later joined by bassist player Lennart Jacobsen (also ex. SATURNUS). Recently vocalist Michael H. Andersen completed the line-up.
A SUN TRAVERSE is proud to present the first official release. A Journey into classic, melancholic yet beautiful doom/death metal with haunting melodies and deep, roaring vocals. Produced and mixed by KB Larsen (Volbeat, The Kandidate) and mastered by Henrik West/Medley Studio (Artillery, Glenn Hughes).
The Self titled minialbum is self released (with a little help from Mighty Music) on Christmas Eve 2016 on LP format and all digital platforms.
Recently a music video was done for the 8+ minute opus "Dance Darkness Dance" with Kennie Ørsted (The Vision Ablaze, Sea) to be released on October 28th.
Currently the band is booking their shows for early 2017."

"Light Of 1000 Eyes", the new video from U.K./Swedish melodic rockers SEVEN, can be seen below. The song is taken from SEVEN's new album, "Shattered", which will be released on September 23 by U.K. label Escape Music Ltd.

The roots of SEVEN can be traced back to the late '80s/early '90s in South Africa, of all places. At the time, Keith McFarlane and the brothers Simon and John LeFevre were in a band called FACE TO FACE, while Mick Devine was drummer in another band, called UC27. After releasing several singles and one album in a period of 18 months, FACE TO FACE split and the brothers LeFevre returned to the U.K. After a few months, they decided to reform the band and Mick was asked to join them in the U.K. as their drummer. It wasn't before long that the brothers discovered that Mick was actually a better singer than drummer, and so Mick became the band's lead vocalist. A couple of years later, they were joined by Pat Davey on bass and Austin Lane on drums and the band name was changed to SEVEN.

The AOR scene in the late '80s was a thriving hive of activity. At the turn of the new decade, the likes of Mitch Malloy, Paul Laine, FIREHOUSE, TYKETTO and TALISMAN were all signed up and ready to make an impact on the genre. Everybody wanted an AOR band, and Polydor Records was no exception. Having been fairly successful in the U.K with the likes of MAGNUM and LITTLE ANGELS, the label had set their sights on SEVEN, which at the time was a relatively unknown act from Bournemouth.

SEVEN toured extensively supporting an eclectic variety of acts that included the likes of Jason Donovan, Richard Marx, THE MONKEES and BROTHER BEYOND. It's a time period that Mick Devine is keen to reminisce about. "Even though they were out and out pop gigs, we loved the crowds and the noise," he says. "We went from pubs to opening to 3000 screaming fans in Southampton. It is a very addictive adrenaline rush. We got to play all the top venues, which were fantastic — including Wembley Arena, the NEC, BIC, SEC and even the Royal Albert Hall. The Richard Marx tour was definitely the best for us with a more grown up audience we were able to rock it up and truly be ourselves. It went down really well!"

With John Parr as producer, they recorded two very strong singles in the shape of "Inside Love" and "Man With A Vision", both of which achieved moderate success in the U.K. In 2014, the original bass player Pat Davey was working alongside Robert Hart on an Escape Music album when the name SEVEN cropped up in the conversation. It would seem that Khalil Turk was a big fan, as Devine explains. "Yeah, back in the day, Khalil had really loved the band and he got in touch to see if we would be interested in finally releasing an album," he says. Without too much convincing, the project was born.

The production talents of Lars Chriss (the LION'S SHARE guitarist whose repertoire includes albums with Steve Overland, Chris Ousey, LUGNET and RADIOACTIVE) were enlisted to produce the band's debut album, called "7", which was released to critical acclaim and was held up as one of the "albums of the year" on many lists. Following the success of the first album, a passion was rekindled within Devine and McFarlane, who began work on new material, and along with the writing talents of Lars Chriss, Fredrik Bergh (BLOODBOUND, ROB MORATTI, STREET TALK), Andy Loos (LION'S SHARE, GLORY, CHRIS OUSEY), Kay Backlund (LION'S SHARE, NIVA) and Jeff Paris (MR. BIG, Y&T, VIXEN, RADIOACTIVE), that passion was given focus and a place to come to life. What they discovered was a well of untapped creativity that had been hidden for far too long and the songs poured out.

SEVEN's "Shattered" is a collection of wonderfully catchy songs that rely on clean and memorable melodies that allow Devine's distinctive voice to shine through. It was Devine who took the lead in writing the lyrics on this album, matching the intensity and feel of the music to deliver a modern melodic rock album with influences ranging from hints of FOREIGNER in "A Better Life" and "Broken Dream", JOURNEY in "High Hopes" and even traces of MAGNUM in "Light Of 1000 Eyes" and "Last Illusion". The lyrical themes are drawn from a depth of life experience and observations and are heartfelt and real. The production talents of Chriss and the lineup of truly great musicians, deliver an album of depth and variation which ranges from driving guitar-led tracks with memorable riffs to melodic anthems, all backed by stunning keys, bass and standout solos. It is an album that is a worthy follow-up to the critically acclaimed "7".

"Shattered" track listing:

01. Light Of 1000 Eyes02. A Better Life03. Fight04. Shattered05. Live This Life06. Pieces Of You07. Broken Dream08. High Hopes09. I Needed Time10. Taking Over11. Last Illusion12. World Of Make Believe (bonus track)

SEVEN is:

Mick Devine: VocalsLars Chriss: Guitars, DrumsAndy Loos: BassFredrik Bergh: KeyboardsKay Backlund: Keyboards

Produced and mixed by: Lars ChrissMastered by: Mike LindExecutive producer: Khalil Turk

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON will enter the studio in the fall to begin recording their seventh album. Guitarist Bill Kelliher told MikeJamesRockShow.com about the writing sessions for the follow-up to 2014's "Once More 'Round The Sun": "Me personally, I've put together about eleven songs in my own studio, myself, just in my down time. Once we get home from this [European] tour, we're all gonna try to get in and hone in on it and put it into each other's hands so everyone can kind of make it a MASTODON record."

He continued: "With the eleven songs that we've recorded so far, it's mostly been Brann [Dailor, drums] and myself. I mean, he lives down the street from me, we grew up together and we write together.

"Once we get home, we're gonna just pick up where we left off. But we're pretty well ahead of the curve. Like I said, there's about eleven, twelve solid ideas, full songs that are there with vocals and everything. It's just a matter of finetuning [them] and cutting pieces outta here and there."

Kelliher added that MASTODON is hoping to enter the studio pretty quickly in order to capture the vibe of the new material.

"Our plan right now is to start recording in October, November," he said. "So pretty soon. We've gotta keep it fresh. You write something, if you let it sit too long, if it's not completed and recorded… It's not as fresh as when you first come up with the ideas and you record it right away, because that's when you really hit the nail in the head."

Earlier this month, Dailor said that MASTODON's next album would likely be "more proggy" than its predecessor. He said: "It sounds like MASTODON to me but an updated version. We always try to push to hear something new and hear something different, so that's what's going on.

"It's impossible to tell somebody what something sounds like, so I'll spare the details. But so far so good — we go with what we know, play what we like, and if we don't like it, we don't play it."

The last show of MASTODON's European tour will take place tonight (Tuesday, August 30) in Athens, Greece.

Sweden Rock Magazine held a party at Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm on August 26 to celebrate the release of the magazine's new issue about the 100 greatest hard rock/metal guitarists of all time as voted by the readers. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH) came in at No. 1, followed by Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW), Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen and Slash (GUNS N' ROSES).

At the party, TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy, who was in town doing press for the band's new album, gave an introduction speech and W.A.S.P. guitarist Doug Blair (who came in at No. 99 on the greatest-guitarists list) performed a short set that included W.A.S.P.'s "Sleeping In The Fire" (dedicated to former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes), KISS's "Forever" with THERION/ex-CANDLEMASS vocalist Thomas Vikström, and LED ZEPPELIN's "Going To California" with ADRENALINE RUSH frontwoman Tåve Wanning.

Video footage of the event can be seen below.

Dutch symphonic metallers, Delain, released their fifth studio album, Moonbathers, on August 27th via Napalm Records. On August 28th the band held an album release party at Muziek Café Stathe in Utrecht, Netherlands and performed a short acoustic set. Fan-filmed video is available below.

A full Moonbathers audio preview can be found below.

Moonbathers, mastered by Grammy award winning Ted Jensen, will satiate your hunger for the symphonic greatness, catchy hooks and a solid dose of metal that the band is known for. It showcases Delain from both their most extravagant and sensitive sides as they explore all things nocturnal through an especially varied set of tracks including a surprising cover of classic rock legends Queen as well as a reappearance of Alissa White-Gluz as a special guest on opening track, “Hands Of Gold".

The visual counterpart comes courtesy of longtime collaborator and neo-Victorian romantic Glenn Arthur:

Tracklisting:

“Hands Of Gold” (featuring Alissa White-Gluz)
“The Glory And The Scum”
“Suckerpunch”
“The Hurricane”
“Chrysalis - The Last Breath”
“Fire With Fire”
“Pendulum”
“Danse Macabre”
“Scandal” (Queen cover)
“Turn The Lights Out”
“The Monarch”

Bonus CD
“Suckerpunch” - Live In The Netherlands
“Turn The Lights Out” - Live In The Netherland
“The Glory And The Scum” - Live In The Netherlands
“Don't Let Go” - Live In The Netherlands
“The Glory And The Scum” - Orchestra
“Hands Of Gold” - Orchestra

Album preview:

“Fire With Fire”:

Listen to DELAIN – Fire With Fire byNapalmRecords on hearthis.at

“The Glory And The Scum" lyric video:

Delain will celebrate their 10th anniversary with a special show in Amsterdam on December 10th that will also be recorded and filmed for a release on CD and DVD.

The band states: “Happy Birthday to…US! Dear Delainers, as many of you know, 2016 marks a very important milestone for Delain: our tenth anniversary in music! In September 2006, we released our debut record, Lucidity, and YOUR overwhelming response to our first record made us turn Delain: The Project into Delain: The Band. That was 10 years ago, and today, we find ourselves looking back at a decade of rocking stages all over the world. Four albums, two EPs, and ten years later, we feel that we need to celebrate this milestone properly…with you!

“On December 10, 2016, legendary Amsterdam music venue Paradiso Amsterdam is ours to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We are planning to go all out for this one! Best of all, the entire show will be recorded and made available on DVD, Blu-Ray, CD, vinyl, and digital download! We’ve made it as a band for ten years thanks to you, so we turn to you directly to help us make this happen. Please check out our Pledge campaign and get ready for the biggest birthday bash ever! We are incredibly excited about this project and we hope you will join in with us!”

Delain recently announced a fall European/UK tour.

Since the release of their album The Human Contradiction in 2014 on Napalm Records, Delain have been constantly touring all over the world and shared the stages with arena acts such as Nightwish, Within Temptation and Sabaton. Delain ended 2015 headlining and conquering stages in sold out venues all over the world.

In between heavily touring, Delain found the time to release a new EP titled Lunar Prelude (February 2016, Napalm Records), which includes two brand new tracks, exciting live cuts, mastered by Grammy Award winning Ted Jensen, Lunar Prelude leaves the listener with a hunger for more, but shortens the wait for the next full length album.

October
14 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
15 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
16 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
17 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
19 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia-Theater
20 - Cracov, Poland - Kwadrat
21 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
22 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock Club
25 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Majestic Music Club
27 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
28 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
29 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
30 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
31 - Lyon, France - Ninkasi Kao

November
2 - Madrid, Spain - Arena
3 - Toulouse, France - Metronum
4 - Paris, France - Elysee Montmartre
5 - Lille, France - Le Splendid
6 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
8 - Birmingham, UK - Institute
9 - Glasgow, UK - The Classic Ground
11 - Dublin, UK - Button Factory
12 - Manchester, UK - The Ritz
13 - London, UK - Koko
15 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront
16 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
17 - Cardiff, UK - Tramshed

Glenn Hughes claims that he turned down an opportunity to join Ritchie Blackmore for live appearances where the guitarist revisited his past with RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE.

Prior to the three shows Blackmore played earlier this summer with an all-new version of RAINBOW, the legendary axeman hadn't performed an exclusively hard rock concert under the RAINBOW moniker since May 1997. Since that time, the guitarist had focused his efforts on composing and performing renaissance and baroque-inspired music with his wife, Candice Night, in their band BLACKMORE'S NIGHT.

Asked for his opinion on the new RAINBOW, Hughes told HardrockHaven.net: "[Ritchie] asked me to do it with him. And I said no because he wanted to, funny enough, he wanted to use an unknown singer and I said, 'It's not me. It's not me to do that.' I've done that with David [Coverdale, former DEEP PURPLE and current WHITESNAKE singer] and it was good. I don't want to do it again. It was something… I said, I very eloquently said, 'No, thank you. I really would like to see you, but I can't do this at the point where I am right now.'"

Hughes also commented on WHITESNAKE's 2015 release "The Purple Album", which was billed as "a re-imagination of classic songs from David Coverdale's time as the lead singer for DEEP PURPLE's Mark III and Mark IV studio albums."

Glenn said: "Jimmy Page told me 18 months ago, 'Have you heard this? David's album on the PURPLE.' I said, 'Excuse me?' Page is telling me and I'm going, 'Thanks for telling me.' [Laughs] I didn't know about it. So I didn't know about it until it was announced, and then David sent me a copy and wanted my opinion. I got back to him, and blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I guested with him onstage last year in Beverly Hills and it was great.

"David and I, for all intents and purposes… I'm really good friends with David. I mean, really, like as close as you can get, but he didn't want to tell me about 'The Purple Album' for some reason. I never asked him. I wasn't upset at all. I absolutely wasn't. He just put his own spin on it. He just put his own spin on those songs and I gave him my two cents' worth. I said, 'Great, I think you did a good job on changing the stuff up a little bit.' You know?"

He continued: "I think the reason he did it is because we were going to get together with Jon Lord to do a Mach III and, when Jon died, David figured out to get Ritchie in would be impossible and then Ian Paice is with… so I think he just went off on his own and did his own tribute. And I never had a problem with it. People think I did, but I never had a problem with whatever David does…

"I was informed by Jimmy, but I was a little bit surprised, you know? I was quite surprised that I wasn't asked to do something with him on it, because it would have been great, I think, for fans, but I think he wanted to put his own spin on it which I also understand. Like I said, David and I are as close as you can get."

Hughes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year along with Blackmore, Coverdale, Lord, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, has just completed work on a new solo album for an early November release.

Sharon Osbourne says that controversial Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is "disgusting" and "completely insane."

Ozzy's wife and manager, who holds dual American and British citizenship, tells The Sunday Times about the prospect of a Trump presidency: "It's very, very scary. I don't believe he thought he would get this far. He just wanted to build the brand, and now I think he's terrified.

"His wife is gorgeous, I mean, God bless her, she didn't sign up for this. She signed up for Park Avenue and a blowjob every night and the credit card. That's what she signed up for.

"I feel very sorry for her having that big thing on top of you every night. I mean, he's disguuuuusting. Disgusting. He is, like, completely insane."

Sharon previously defended Melania Trump after Donald's wife was accused of plagiarizing a 2008 speech by Michelle Obama.

"I feel badly for her," Sharon said on her talk show. "As a woman, I feel really badly for her. She's in a situation that is so huge.

Sharon added that she was convinced Melania wrote her own speech.

"I'm sure she did write it, and I'm sure she put her heart in it. I'm sure that she researched other candidate's wives' speeches," Sharon said, explaining how Melania might have borrowed segments from Michelle's speech.

"She obviously connected with the words of the First Lady and I think that she being from where she is, she doesn't realize that people hang on your every word. Everything you say is going to be researched. She doesn't know. She's in something with is so huge, so big, she's like doggy paddling to stay above the water."

Sharon, who worked with Donald Trump on "Celebrity Apprentice", told Conan O'Brien that she "would be terrified" if Trump were actually elected president, "because he's a narcissist," she said. "He just is — he knows that about himself.... And if somebody disagrees with him, he doesn't take it well. And to think that this man would have his hand on that button — can you imagine? He's got such a quick, fiery temper."

"Take Me Down", the first single from THE PRETTY RECKLESS's upcoming album, "Who You Selling For", has reached No. 1 on the rock chart after just seven short weeks. This milestone marks the fourth consecutive No. 1 for the band who broke records as the first female-fronted band to have three chart toppers in a row with "Heaven Knows", "Messed Up World" and "Follow Me Down" (all from 2014's "Going To Hell") — a feat that has not been accomplished since THE PRETENDERS in 1984, over 30 years ago. "THE PRETTY RECKLESS are the most exciting new band in rock. Taylor Momsen is a star, and we take a great deal of pride in helping the band break through in a genre largely dominated by male artists," says Razor & Tie co-founder Cliff Chenfeld. "This is just the beginning." THE PRETTY RECKLESS's extraordinary third studio album, "Who You Selling For", is set for release on October 21. Produced by longtime collaborator Kato Khandwala, "Who You Selling For" expands the band's sound to encompass soul, blues and rock and roll. The songs were written by frontwoman Taylor Momsen and guitarist Ben Phillips. Momsen's dark lyrics and raw, charismatic vocals are on full display and the band delivers at full intensity with a level of musicianship that raises the bar.

Despite feeling the physical and emotional demands from their epic two-year run supporting "Going To Hell", Momsen and Phillips jumped right into writing the songs for the new album. "We had so much we wanted to say, it was like shaking a can of soda on tour, and then when we started writing we cracked the seal," said Momsen. "The touring life is very isolating. You look at the world through a bus or airplane window. But music is the healing factor. It's the one thing that is grounding and a true companion through the forest. It saved us — again." With "Who You Selling For", the band continues to take bold steps forward, cementing their place at the forefront of rock. The deeply personal album features a diverse set of standout tracks, from the blistering hard rock of "Oh My God" to the classic southern rock of "Back To The River". Lead single "Take Me Down" features Taylor's distinctively smoky voice rolling over '60s-tinged rock guitar. THE PRETTY RECKLESS hits the road this fall in support of the album, hitting major markets in the U.S. and wrapping on December 6 in Los Angeles. Formed in 2009, THE PRETTY RECKLESS released their debut album, "Light Me Up", in 2010 scoring legions of fans worldwide, but it was their sophomore record "Going To Hell" that positioned the band to become the first new artist to break out of rock in years.

MikeJamesRockShow.com conducted an interview with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Jeremy Spencer at this past weekend's Reading festival in Reading, England. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's follow-up to last year's "Got Your Six" album, Jeremy said: "We've got a few tracks so far that we're really digging on.

"You know, it kind of changes course throughout the whole recording process; it starts one way and it finishes another way."

He continued: "I would prefer if we had more time to be off road and actually record, but we have to kind of fit it in when we can, and it's going well, and we're happy."

According to Jeremy, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will continue working on the new album over the course of the next few months while staying on the road in support of "Got Your Six".

"We'll be back in the studio finishing up [the next] record, but we'll be touring this one up through the end of this year," he said.

"Got Your Six" was officially certified gold on August 8 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

Effective February 1, the RIAA started including on-demand audio and video streams and a track sale equivalent in determining which releases get the coveted album awards, a change that follows a similar tweak in 2013 to include on-demand streams for its digital single award.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH recently signed a North American deal with Rise Records. The band's first album with Rise, the BMG-owned rock label, will be released following the completion of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's obligation to its current label, Prospect Park.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced a new co-headlining arena tour with SHINEDOWN that will kick off on October 18 in Little Rock, Arkansas and run into December. SIXX A.M. and AS LIONS will be along as support.

Canadian progressive metal band, Auras, have released two new tracks today, roughly one month before the release of their all new LP. The music video for "Dream Elixir" can be seen below:

The band also released "Spiral”, another track from their debut LP. The song is now available on Spotify and iTunes as an instant gratification track. Listen to the track below.

Heliospectrum will be released on September 30th via Good Fight Music. Pre-order options can be found at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Waterstone”
“The Ripple Effect”
“Eloquence”
“Stars Abound”
“Cosmic Black”
“Dream Elixir”
“Chronos Fear”
“Spiral”
“Infinite Influence”
“Solar Pulse”

“Spiral”:

“Waterstone”: