Iron Bonehead Productions has set October 21st as the international release date for Verberis' highly anticipated debut album, Vexamen.

In the spring of 2014, Iron Bonehead located this mysterious New Zealand entity and released its first demo, Vastitas. What started as an otherwise-quiet release from an unknown band soon became a conflagration of interest and acclaim: for those who heard it, Verberis' Vastitas was hailed as the grand birth of something special or at least unusually promising. Indeed, the demo was both special and unusual, solely existing to traverse the devastating terrain of ravenous death metal from the spaces in between. Obscure and doubly vitriolic, narrated with chants of ascending and descending through creation and desolation, Vastitas was imbued with a hideous energy brimming with the essence of death.

But as much as the psychic terrain of that demo was vast and unknown, it is soundly trumped by Verberis' Vexamen. Whereas the band's demo lurked among the lonely landscape where early bestial metal splintered into more deathly shapes - think Finland's Belial and Mythos - here on their first album, Verberis aim for a more singular and idiosyncratic expression. Verily, this is death metal, ever blackened and always abyss-ward, but the four shadow-draped figures of Verberis finesse it into a feverishly flowing fount of highly dynamic and darkly memorable madness.

There is a certain alchemy at work across Vexamen; call it clarity of thought and execution or something similar, but the cleaner, more-clanging textures found here ably elucidate a wealth of songwriting ideas otherwise rare (or even nonexistent) in the subgenres of cavernous death metal and bestial black/death. And yet, simple categorization such as that eludes Verberis during these 10 songs totaling nearly an hour - rather, it is a journey, restless and wild and wide-eyed and soberly awake, to realms both forgotten and remembered, both imagined and very fucking real. Not for nothing does the band reveal its first photo, much less start an official website: Vexamen is the beginning of a new era, both for the band and especially the wider consciousness of death metal.
 
Fitting for such a monumental release, Vexamen will be released on CD, cassette, and double-LP formats, all graced with majestic 'n' malevolent cover art by Artem Grigoryev. Aptly titled, “The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity” is the first track to be revealed from Verberis' Vexamen, and can be heard below.

Vexamen tracklisting:

“Thanatosia”
“The Primordial Rift”
“Vexamen”
“Protogonos”
“Charnel Vibrations”
“Flagellum de Igne”
“The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity”
“Fangs Of Pazuzu”
“Vereri”
“Voidwards”

“The Gaping Hollow Of Divinity”:

New Jersey-based guitar shredder, Angel Vivaldi, has launched a mini documentary series entitled The Silent Humming Of Highways: A Tour Rockumentary. The three part series showcases the ups, downs and everything in between of being a DIY musician on the road. Parts 1 and 2 can be viewed below:

Vivaldi's newly recorded version of his 2009 EP, The Speed Of Dark: Revisited, is due out on August 26th - just in time for his Operation Domination co-headlining run with fellow ax-grinder Gus G., which kicks off on August 31st in New York City and will run throughout September.

The Speed Of Dark: Revisited is now available for preorder through Vivaldi's webshop. The preorder will include bundles consisting of a signed CD, poster, digital download and/or exclusively designed t-shirt.

Tracklisting:

“An Angel’s Poem On A Grave”
“Acid Reign”
“Sea Of Heartbreak”
“The World Burning Around Me”

Tour trailer:

Gus G. states: "I'm very excited to return to the US this fall to finally hit more markets and play for the fans that were left out on my recent spring mini-tour. Teaming up with a talented player like Angel Vivaldi seemed like a great opportunity. We're both stoked to bring the Operation Domination tour to the American audiences and we will be performing our own individual sets, but also collaborating on stage together as well. We will have a great band with us that features James Paul Luna (Holy Grail) on vocals, Alex Bent (ex-Battlecross, Testament) on drums and Jake Skylyr on bass. The setlist will once again be a mixed bag including songs from my solo works, Firewind, Ozzy material but some surprises as well. These shows are not to be missed. See you soon."

Vivaldi further adds: "For me this tour perfectly summarizes the evolution of modern guitar playing. To be able to share a stage with a force such as Gus is both inspiring and refreshing. I cannot wait to see the looks on people's faces when they see what we have planned! I'm also really excited to dip into music from all my releases including the upcoming re-recordings from The Speed Of Dark: Revisited, coming out this year. After the recent tragic events in Orlando, I'm going above and beyond to make this tour a much needed celebration of love, inspiration and positive energy. I have some exciting tricks up my sleeve that I'm anxious to unleash on this run. It’s going to be a party!"

Tour dates:

August
31 - New York, NY - The Studio At Webster Hall

September
1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Voltage Lounge
2 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East
3 - Leonardtown, MD - Park Rock @ St. Mary’S Fairgrounds
6 - Winter Park, FL - The Haven
7 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
9 - Stafford, TX - The Pub Fountains
10 - Ft. Worth, TX - The Rail Club
12 - Hollywood, CA - The Whisky
15 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp’D Rock Bar
16 - Costa Mesa, CA - Tiki Bar
17 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Bar
21 - Denver, CO - Herman’S Hideaway
22 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mewes
23 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe’S
24 - Berwin, IL - Wire

Firewind recently announced a return to European stages, which sees the group play some summer festival events as well as a European/UK tour in November, featuring a best-of set from the band’s rich catalogue.

Tour dates:

November
9 - Wolverhampton, UK - Slade Rooms
10 - Glasgow, UK -Audio
11 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
12 - Sheffield, UK - Corporation
13 - London, UK - Underworld
15 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
16 - Paris, France - Petit Bain
18 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
20 - Budapest , Hungary - A38
21 - München, Germany - Feierwerk
22 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
24 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix/Rockpalast
25 - Breda, The Netherlands - Mezz

Firewind festival dates:

August
6 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Ostrava v Plamenech

Firewind are currently working on new material for an upcoming studio album release, expected later in the year.

London, England’s Death Koolaid have released a video for their newest single, "Kids". This second track off of their upcoming Vol. 2 album, set to be released on August 25th, was directed by Brendan Cleaves and filmed by Heath McWalters.

“We wanted to make a video that was conceptually simple, but with a strong message – although we were keen not to completely spell it out for people. We try to make our videos as interesting as possible and this one is definitely our most out-there ideas; a bunch of terrified and bewildered children running away from what appears to be a backstreet place of worship. It’s basically a direct translation of our band’s philosophy, caricaturing the power of ideology, fear, and control.” - Death Koolaid

Instrumental tech metal architects Invoking The Abstract will release their debut full-length, Aural Kaleidoscopes, via Unique Leader on September 30th.

Invoking The Abstract is a four-piece unit hailing from Columbia, South Carolina. Formed in 2010, guitarists Tyler Ivey and Evan Garner started composing music for their new project. After the release of their first EP in 2012, they joined forces with percussionist Ryan Meadows and bassist Joseph Carrabotta. The band recorded Aural Kaleidoscopes at The Basement Recording Studios with Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, The Contortionist, Scale The Summit). Priding themselves on utilizing various approaches to rhythm, phrasing, and playing styles that conveys a sound that traverses genres, Invoking The Abstract's broad style, containing both soaring guitar solos and groovy mixed meters, creates a blend of catchy hooks accompanied by churning technical metal.

Comments the band, "Aural Kaleidoscopes is a diverse and precise album written to challenge us as musicians and composers. Each song is composed in a different key, none of which are repeated until the final track that transforms the keys into a serialist scale. Some songs are composed to freely flow from one to the next, as others stand alone as achievements in their own right, creating a partial concept album. This album is also our first experiment with completely instrumental arrangements leaving the interpretation of each piece to the listener."

Aural Kaleidoscopes tracklisting:

"Locus"
"Requiem"
"Sensory Substitution"
"Aural Kaleidoscopes"
"The Summit"
"Voiles"
"Mandatory Metamorphasis"
"Necropolis"
"Afterglow Eclipse"
"Celestial Born"
"Disharmonic Design"

Check out the band's play-through video for "Necropolis", as well as "Locus":

 

Swedish metallers Soilwork will release a special collection of rarities under the monicker Death Resonance, out on August 19th via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order the album at this location.

The band have released the third Inside Death Resonance video trailer, in which singer Björn "Speed" Strid talks about the upcoming collection. See all three trailers below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Soilwork recently released an official visualizer clip for "These Absent Eyes". The song was originally released on the Japan-only EP Beyond The Infinite which featured more songs from the recordings sessions for the band's globally praised double album The Living Infinite.

Commented Björn "Speed" Strid: "Beyond The Infinite consists of some special, quite experimental songs. They might have been cut out from the original album but have a unique charm to them. It wasn't easy to pick the final track list for »The Living Infinite«. It was never obvious which songs wouldn't make it. The writing and recording was highly experimental and playful in general, and it was through this album that we rediscovered ourselves as songwriters, with a new and improved line-up which brought - and will bring - so many interesting things to the table. Originally only released in Japan, it is with great pleasure that we finally share those special songs with you all. Enjoy!"

Watch the lyric video for "Helsinki", created by well known videographer Tommy Antonini, below.

Commented guitarist David Andersson: "Death. It's a word that might be used too often, but it can still be interpreted in a myriad different ways. It's not just the soma being deprived of its life-force; it's also the end of infinity, the birth of new possibilities and the acceptance of inevitable change. This song was written soon after the recording of our live album in Finland, making new friends and making sure that the old ones stay with us forever, despite the fact that everything is finite."

The album artwork was created by Mnemic guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie.

Says Björn 'Speed' Strid: "The cover for Death Resonance is made by Mircea Eftemie and in many ways he has managed to capture what we went through while recording The Ride Majestic: the sorrow, the close encounter with death, the aftermath and also the existential cogitation that came with it. It links those albums together, even though Death Resonance contains unreleased material from 2005 onwards. The cover almost seems like a link between life and death and not only captures where the band is right now, but also where we've been and what lies ahead."

Death Resonance tracklisting:

“Helsinki” (new song)
“Death Resonance” (new song)
“The End Begins Below The Surface” (The Ride Majestic Japan bonus track)
“My Nerves, Your Everyday Tool” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“These Absent Eyes” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Resisting The Current” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“When Sound Collides” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Forever Lost In Vain” (Beyond The Inifite Japan-only EP)
“Sweet Demise” (The Panic Broadcast Japan bonus track)
“Sadistic Lullabye” (re-recorded, The Panic Broadcast Japan bonus track)
“Overclocked” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Martyr” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Sovereign” (2016 mix, Sworn A Great Divide Japan bonus track)
“Wherever Thorns May Grow” (2016 mix, Stabbing The Drama Japan bonus track)
“Killed By Ignition” (2016 mix, Stabbing The Drama Japan bonus track)

Soilwork recently confirmed the departure of their longtime drummer Dirk Verbeuren to Megadeth.

Björn "Speed" Strid states: "In regards to the statement Megadeth released confirming that Dirk will join them as their full-time drummer, I just want to take the time to wish Dirk good luck on this new venture and thank him for 12 great years together. Together we have created a beast of a band and have pushed the limits musically further than we ever could have imagined.

"In the recent years, Soilwork have found new ways of expressing ourselves, and as much as of a cliché it is, I strongly believe that this is very much of a new era for us and that we still have so much left to say, whether it being with or without Dirk. This band has grown to be quite a metal collective and an institution that paves the way creatively and we hope that you, the fans, can feel the presence and the heart in our music still to this day. Believe me, it's there.

"I can assure that you will forever get 100% Soilwork, as long as we release albums. We aim to surprise ourselves and the listeners by constantly developing our sound and songwriting, something I believe we have succeeded in doing and yet remained true to our roots. That is something to be proud of and we are. We appreciate all our loyal fans and are excited that so many of you share our musical vision."

While Verbeuren has been playing with Megadeth, The Arcane Order stickman Bastian Thusgaard has been behind the kit for Soilwork.

Strid says, “Meanwhile, I'm sure many of you have seen us at a festival in Europe this summer with our friend Bastian Thusgaard filling in on drums and I'm sure we can all agree on what a monster he is. Thank you, Bastian — you are absolutely killing it. Check out the remaining festival dates and come see us. We'll be there. Thank you."

Dirk Verbeuren has this to say, "They say the biggest decisions in life are the hardest to make. This decision falls under that category. As a drummer I've always enjoyed the evolution of my path. The past twelve years with Soilwork have been incredible, a portion of my life I honor with pride. When I was approached to join Megadeth- a childhood dream come true and something I never anticipated- I was beyond excited to even consider the realm of possibility. But truth be told, I couldn't have rightfully made this step without the support and blessing of my Soilwork family. For that I owe a huge thank you to Bjorn, Sven, David, Sylvain and Markus. You have allowed me to see what lies ahead, and you're my brothers in metal. Chris Adler, thank you for introducing me to Megadeth and for your encouragement and support. Dave, David and Kiko, I'm thankful for your warm welcome and thrilled to perform and create badass music with you guys. To the fans, this is a new chapter for us; I hope we can enjoy this ride together!"

Swedish melodic rock band, Palace, will release their debut album, Master Of The Universe on August 26th. You can pre-order the album at this location. Listen to the album track “Path To Light” below:

The band was founded by lead singer and guitarist Michael Palace. The lineup is rounded out by Rick Digorio on guitar, Marcus Johansson on drums and Soufian Ma’Aoui on bass. Heavily influenced by 80’s imagery and sounds, Palace delivers massive arena rock with a modern touch! AOR fans of all ages will find much to love among the eleven hard rocking tracks on Master Of The Universe. Catchy choruses, heavy guitars, pounding drums, thumping bass, interstellar synths and soaring vocals are the order of the day with Palace. Prepare to go back to the future and beyond, with an album you simply can't miss in 2016.

Despite their young age, all four members have accumulated a wealth of experience both playing live and recording in the studio with several different acts. As individuals and at times crossing paths, they have played and/or currently play with with Adrenaline Rush, Reach, Erika, Houston, Find Me, GutterdÄMerung, Big Time, and Miljenko Matijevic to name a few.

Michael Palace began working with Frontiers as a songwriter and guitar player for First Signal (featuring Harry Hess), Cry Of Dawn (with Goran Edman), Kryptonite (featuring Jakob Samuel), and Toby Hitchcock. The successful collaborations led to a worldwide record deal with Frontiers and the signing of his band and the future is now wide open.

There is no doubt that delivering a great live performance is just as important as sounding top notch in the studio, and Palace delivers in spades. What you hear on the record is what you get live, so prepare for an unforgettable experience when Palace is in town!

"Starting in Sweden and working our way out all around Europe, our goal is to make sure that every single person who enjoys the album gets a chance to see us in their home town or at least at their favorite rock festival,” tells frontman Michael Palace. “We love the music that we play, and we want to share this happiness with all of you music lovers out there for as long as we can. We truly hope that you like the album and that we'll see you very soon!"

Palace will have an exclusive release show in Stockholm on August 26 at Harry B James Club.

Master Of The Universe tracklisting:

“Master Of The Universe”
“Cool Runnin'”
“Man Behind The Gun”
“Part Of Me”
“No Exit”
“Matter In Hand”
“Path To Light”
“Rules Of The Game”
“She Said It's Over”
“Stranger's Eyes”
“Young/Wild/Free”

“Part Of Me”:

“Master Of The Universe” video:

EPK:

Palace is:

Michael Palace - Vocals, guitar
Rick Digorio - Guitar
Marcus Johansson - Drums
Soufian Ma’Aoui - Bass

Kansas, America's legendary progressive rock band, will release their intensely anticipated new studio album, The Prelude Implicit, on September 23rd via InsideOut Music. The album is the first new release in 16 years for the band that has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and is famous for classic hits such as “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust In The Wind”, to progressive epics like “Song For America” and “Miracles Out Of Nowhere”.

The album track, ”With This Heart", is streaming below. The song will be available for purchase tomorrow, Friday, August 5th through iTunes, AmazonMP3, Spotify, and Google Play. Fans can also pre-order the album on iTunes, AmazonMP3, and Google Play at that time.

In a joint statement, the band says "We are excited for “With This Heart” to be the first new Kansas song released in more than 16 years. It definitely fits Kansas tradition."

The Prelude Implicit features 10 all new tracks written by the band and co-produced by Zak Rizvi, Phil Ehart, and Richard Williams. Kansas's signature sound is evident throughout the album. It showcases Ronnie Platt's soaring lead vocals, David Ragsdale's blistering violin, Williams and Rizvi's rocking guitar riffs, the unmistakable sound of David Manion's B3 organ and keyboards, Ehart's thundering drums, and Billy Greer's driving bass and vocals.

Kansas returned to the studio in January 2016 after signing with InsideOut Music. Says InsideOut founder and president Thomas Waber, "Kansas is the biggest and most important Prog band to come out of the United States. I grew up listening to them, and their music is part of my DNA. 'The Prelude Implicit' undoubtedly adds to their already impressive musical legacy. I can't stop listening to it, and we are proud to be releasing the album."

The result of the time in the studio was even more than the band imagined. "This is definitely a Kansas album," remarks original guitarist Richard Williams. "Whether it is the trademark prog epic like “The Voyage Of Eight Eighteen”, biting rocker such as “Rhythm In The Spirit”, or mindful ballad like “The Unsung Heroes”, there is something on this album for every kind of Kansas fan. After years of pent-up creativity, the entire band is very proud of The Prelude Implicit."

Lead vocalist Ronnie Platt adds, "Recording The Prelude Implicit was an incredible experience, and I couldn't be happier with the results. It is my hope that, knowing the intense listeners that Kansas fans are, the continuity yet diversity of this album will be pleasing to them."

The album title, The Prelude Implicit means, "Without a doubt, this is a new musical beginning," explains Ehart. Tattoo artist, Denise de la Cerda, did the oil painting of the front and back cover. "It shows a Phoenix flying from the past into the future."

The Prelude Implicit will be released September 23rd via InsideOut Music and is distributed by RED. The album will be available on CD, Double 180 Gram Vinyl, and digitally on iTunes and Google Play. Pre-order opportunities will be available starting later this summer at KansasBand.com and Amazon.com.

The Prelude Implicit tracklisting:

“With This Heart”
“Visibility Zero”
“The Unsung Heroes”
“Rhythm In The Spirit”
“Refugee”
“The Voyage Of Eight Eighteen”
“Camouflage”
“Summer”
“Crowded Isolation”
“Section 60”

Kansas will be debuting songs off The Prelude Implicit this fall, live in concert, as part of their Leftoverture 40th Anniversary Tour. More information on the tour, including tour dates, can be found at Kansasband.com.

Arjen Lucassen recently announced that Ayreon's first two albums, The Final Experiment and Actual Fantasy: Revisited will be released on vinyl via Mascot on August 26th. Check out a new preview video below:

The Final Experiment was Ayreon’s first album, released in the Netherlands in 1995 by start-up label Transmission Records. It set the tone for the project, with intricate sci-fi/fantasy storytelling and timeless progressive rock featuring a lineup of world class vocalists and musicians, including Barry Hay (Golden Earring), an-Chris de Koeijer (Gorefest), and Kingdom Come’s Lenny Wolf.

The follow-up, Actual Fantasy (1996), turned out to be a relatively modest production, but the phenomenal reception of these first Ayreon albums exposed Arjen Lucassen to world-famous singers and instrumentalists like Fish (Marillion), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Devin Townsend, James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Neal Morse (Flying Colors, Spock’s Beard), Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil), John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath), Ty Tabor (King’s X, The Jelly Jam), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Michael Romeo and Russell Allen (Symphony X), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper), Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and Rick Wakeman (Yes). Besides Lucassen himself, virtuoso drummer Ed Warby (Gorefest, Hail of Bullets, The 11th Hour) is the only other constant member of Ayreon.

The Deluxe Editions are limited to 1,000 copies worldwide and they are exclusively available from ayreon.com and mascotlabelgroup.com/ayreon.

Ottawa, Ontario’s Signs Of Chaos have posted a new lyric video for their track “Take You Out”, from their brutally hard hitting Watch It Burn EP, unleashed this past April. The EP was produced by SOC, mixed and mastered by bassist Tom “Big Dirty” Hansen and tracked by Topon Das of Fuck The Facts at Apartment 2 studios.

In additional news, the band is offering fans a free download of their track “Break You” via their Bandcamp page. Get it at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Taking You Out”
“No Guilt”
“All Kinds Of Sick”
“Monster”
“Break You”
“Watch It Burn”

“Taking You Out” lyric video:

EP stream:

Watch it Burn by Signs of Chaos

(Photo - Cheryl Gunhouse at Cher's Photography)

The Art Gates Records team announce Hollywood Groupies as the new talent to become part of its international roster of artists.

This four-piece lineup was born in the year 2006. Thanks to a refined song-writing, already well appreciated by critics all over the world and a sustained live activity, Hollywood Groupies was able to improve their sound further reaching a strong personal style now easily recognizable.

The tracks appearing in their brand new album are an interesting blend of groovy/catchy heavy metal suggesting a move towards Alterbridge and Black Stone Cherry’s latest productions.

In the words of the band: "We are very excited to announce the beginning of our relationship with Art Gates Records. In this period we are working on the release of our new album, From Ashes To Light, and AGR giving us a great support that we'll repay with hard work on our part. Indeed we see this relationship as an opportunity to grow as a band and as musicians, thanks to their experience and their tips we can look forward to new heights."

The new album will be released via Art Gates Records worldwide. More info coming soon.

Blackthorne, the early 90s supergroup formed by Graham Bonnet (Rainbow/MSG/Alcatrazz/Impellitteri), Bob Kulick (KISS/Meat Loaf/W.A.S.P./Skull) and Jimmy Waldo (New England/Alcatrazz) will on release the shelved follow-up to their 1993 debut album Afterlife via Cherry Red Records UK on September 2nd.

This new release, titled Don't Kill The Thrill, features 11 unreleased Blackthorne tracks that were recorded in 1994 for a proposed second album. However, following the departure of vocalist Graham Bonnet the group disbanded, (later to resurface with David Glen Eisley as Murderer's Row) and the Bonnet sessions remained unheard, until now.

Also on September 2nd , is the reissue of Blackthorne debut Afterlife (also via Cherry Red), previously released on the Music For Nations label. Both sets feature extensive live material and liner notes with new interviews from Graham Bonnet , Bob Kulick and Jimmy Waldo.

Don’t Kill The Thrill  tracklisting:

Disc One:
“Don’t Kill The Thrill”
“Wild Inside”
“Skeletons In The Closet”
“Dreamin' In The Hideaway”
“Man In The Black Hat”
“Twist The Blade”
“Judgement Day”
“Insanity”
“Sanctuary”
“Paralyzed”
“Save Me”

Bonus Tracks
“Afterlife/We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
“ Hard Feelings” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
“Cradle To The Grave” (Live Foundations Forum 1994)
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 1
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 2
Japan Sony Music TV Interview 3
UK TV Interview / “We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Acoustic In UK)

Disc Two: Live Recordings
“Desert Song” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“Breaking The Chains” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“All Night Long” (Foundations Forum 1994)
“Wild Inside” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Since You Been Gone” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Hard Feelings” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Wishing Well” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Baby You’re The Blood” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Will You Be Home Tonight” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“Breaking The Chains ”(Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“All Night Long” (Fresno Aug 29th 1992)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Acoustic - Live In Japan 1993)

All tracks previously unreleased

Afterlife reissue tracklisting:

“Cradle To The Grave”
“Afterlife”
“We Won’t Be Forgotten”
“Breaking The Chains”
“Over And Over”
“Hard Feelings”
“Baby You’re The Blood”
“Sex Crime”
“Love From The Ashes”
“All Night Long”

Bonus Tracks
“Afterlife” (Unplugged - Sony Music TV Japan 1993)
“We Won’t Be Forgotten” (Unplugged - Sony Music TV Japan 1993)
“Rehearsal Reel” ("Mates" Studio La Dec 16th 1993)

Produced by Bob Kulick
Tracks 11-13 previously unreleased

German folk/power metal heroes Winterstorm are set to release their fourth studio album, Cube Of Infinity, on August 19th via NoiseArt Records. The album track “Pacts Of Blood And Might” is streaming below.

The album artwork was created by guitar player Michael Liewald. The band states: "Just like in the album itself the cover artwork centres the Cube Of Infinity. It combines myth and darkness to an epic structure of metal. Hard riffs and hard edges. We, Winterstorm, tried to upgrade our style with new elements. In our opinion the result is the best and hardest Winterstormalbum so far. Old and new fans can be looking Forward to (will be pleased about) the upcoming storm!"

Tracklisting:

“Infectious”
“Pacts Of Blood And Might”
“In Clarity”
“Secrets And Lies”
“Effects Of Being”
“Through The Storm”
“Cube Of Infinity”
“Frozen Awakening”
“Timeshift”
“Hymn Of Solitude”

“Pacts Of Blood And Might” lyric video:

Album teaser:

“Through The Storm” lyric video:

Cube Of Infinity shows that Winterstorm by far haven't reached the end of their journey. Once more, their highly diversified songs lure the listeners into a Fantasy World that becomes a thrilling adventure thanks to the high quality of the musical background. Catchy rhythms, enthralling melodies, and elating refrains make Cube Of Infinity a model of how power metal should sound in the year of 2016 they will fascinate not only fans of bands such as Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, and Orden Ogan.

Winterstorm again skillfully succeed in uniting folk elements and power metal to form a unique and kitsch-free mixture of their own. Cube Of Infinity is in schedule to offer a cooling summer storm in the heat of August, drying the sweat of fans with a huge portion of passion and fresh wind.

The reissue of Enslaved’s Vikingligr Veldi will coincide with the band’s 25 European Tour and will be available in a limited Enslaved 25 webshop edition (limited to 150) and a regular edition on September 23rd. Pre-order a limited copy at the following links:

- North America
- Europe/World

Listen to the track “Lifandi Liv Undir Hamri” below:

The astonishing new layout was done by Z. Bielak (Ghost, Mayhem, etc.) and includes four brand new illustrations specially made for this legendary album.

Z. Bielak has stayed true to the ideals of the era (it was originally scheduled for release in 1993); this 2LP gatefold with illustrated pockets has been respectfully remastered for vinyl by Iver Sandøy; preserving every bit of original dynamics.

"We have been waiting since the day we recorded it, and at last it is happening! It has been a challenging journey, and it has demanded a lot of patience and understanding from all parts involved. The day we hold the finished product in our hand will be as sacred a day for us as the day we finished recording it". - Ivar and Enslaved

Enslaved’s 1st full-length album was co-produced with the legendary Pytten in Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway. This album has lyrics in Icelandic, and is a tribute to the Norse landscape, history and mythology. The songs are matching these themes with long horizontal songscapes, dense atmospheres and winds from the past.  

Currently announced tour dates, with more to follow, are listed below.

September
29 - Aarau, Switzerland - KiFF
30 - Stuttgart, Germany - Club Cann

October
15 - Berlin, Germany - BiNuu
16 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
17 - Wroclaw, Poland - Firlej
18 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chelmnice
19 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
20 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
22 - Brasov, Romania - Club Rockstadt
24 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Kino Siska

November
2 - Toulouse, France - Metronum
3 - Rennes, France - Antipode
4 - Paris, France - Divan du Monde
5 - Leeds, England - Damnation Festival
9 - Hanover, Ljubljana Musikzentrum
10 - Dresden, Ljubljana Beatpol

Enslaved discuss their 25th anniversary celebrations in the video below:

The release of Ablaze My Sorrow’s new album, Black, is rushing nearer but there’s good and bad news for all AMS-fans out there. The good news is that the band are streaming another song off the record to shorten the time until its release. Listen to “When All Is…” below. The bad news is the release is postponed to August 26th.

“Black in itself is no colour but a condition”… This is more than just a phrase but a true statement which refers to many different moods. Dark frames of mind and feelings on the brink of the abyss can simply be described as Black. That’s why no other title fits the new songs by Ablaze My Sorrow better. 14 years after Anger, Hate And Fury, we finally hear new gloomy melodic death metal by the Swedes who reformed in 2013.

The perfect sound for the 11 tracks was created with the help of producer Christian Svedin (The Unguided, Faithful Darkness) in his Studio Haga while Niclas Malmström designed the sinister artwork which stands synonymously for every note on the record. Music, sound and artwork runs like a threat through the whole piece of art. Everyone should mark August 26th on the calendar in black.

Tracklisting:

“Black”
“One Last Sting”
“Tvåenighet”
“When All Is…”
“Send The Ninth Plague”
“To Reclaim What Is Ours”
“Insomnia”
“Blood Heritage”
“Razorblade Revolution”
“The Storm”
“My Blessing”

“When All Is…”:

“One Last Sting”:

Stephen Pearcy has not ruled out the possibility of a RATT reunion without drummer Bobby Blotzer, explaining that "good things come to those who wait."

The former RATT singer's comments come less than a week after three members of RATT's classic lineup — Pearcy, bassist Juan Crouceir and guitarist Warren DeMartini — reunited at the Los Angeles birthday party of former RIP magazine editor Lonn Friend. Also joining them at the event were former QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and ex-WHITE LION drummer Greg D'Angelo, a longtime member of Pearcy's solo band.

Notably absent was Blotzer, who has been touring the U.S. for the last few months with his own version of RATT, featuring several new members alongside bassist Robbie Crane, who previously played bass for RATT from 1996 to 2012 and appeared on the band's 1999 self-titled album and "Infestation".

Speaking to Canadian rock journalist Mitch Lafon earlier today (Thursday, August 4), Pearcy was asked if the reunion photographs that surfaced over the weekend were an indication of something more substantial happening further down the line. He responded: "Well, the bottom line is we still all talk — Juan, Warren and I. Warren and I actually got together and wrote a song a while back, which is phenomenal.

"Everybody was just taking these pictures, and I just liked one [so I decided to post it on my social media sites]. [Laughs] I thought it was time to… you know, never say never. And that was pretty much about it. Not immediately, but I think the picture spoke a thousand words."

Pressed about whether he thought he might work with Warren and Juan again in the not-too-distant future, Stephen said: "Juan has jammed with me several times, and who knows what will happen soon enough? We're just waiting for some dust to settle. I really can't say anything right now, but if the public has any positive message, it's being heard.

"It's like Western days: dust settles, things happen. Just never say never. And it's not gonna be called 'TTAR' either."

Pearcy also addressed the legal battle that is playing out between DeMartini and Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name, with the guitarist filing a lawsuit last fall claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing. That dispute is still pending in California state court.

"Let me explain something here: It's not our doing; it's one person who has decided… They're trying to change the course of history," the singer said. "Now, we're in the history books if we never play again.

"You wanna know who did what? Do some research. This isn't something to where if you hear it enough, you'll believe it. I think our fans are smarter than that worldwide. So I'll just leave it at that."

Stephen went on to reiterate the fact that the legal process will have to play itself out before any announcements could be made regarding a RATT reunion that doesn't include Blotzer.

"I say 'never say never,' and that's pretty much the way it is," Pearcy said. "We're all friends — most of us [laughs] — and we still have integrity for what we created. And we're not out there trying to bullshit people, talking down on people; that's pretty adolescent. We're grownups. It's a business. It's not a 'me-me-me' situation. So it takes time. Good things come to those who wait. And we'll see what happens."

He continued: "I can't speak for a person out there trying to convince people that we never existed. But we're grown men. We make careful moves and decisions. So if something happens, it's supposed to. It's not that we're trying to stay in the game, or need to. We just like what we do. When things are right, they're very good. And I think we're getting there.

"Like I said, when the dust settles, people will know."

Blotzer's new version of RATT played shows early last year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE before the drummer announced that he was taking control of the RATT name.

Blotzer and DeMartini are the only remaining shareholders in WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT.

WBS, Inc. was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again in 2014. Blotzer later expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

Blotzer's revamped RATT is rounded out by vocalist Josh Alan (ex-SIN CITY SINNERS) and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Nicholas "Blaze" Baum.

Croucier played a number of shows last year with a band called RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER, which also features Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE), Mike Moore and Toni Aleman. WBS — with Blotzer acting as both chairman of the board and president — later sued the bassist, claiming that Croucier was using the RATT logo "on all advertisements, web sites, merchandise, marquees, fliers, and record jackets" and was "referring to himself as 'The Other Voice of RATT,' even though… he was never the lead singer of RATT."

Happy B Day Lonn, good seeing ya last night. Great bash. pic.twitter.com/bb8xc3ZVag

— STEPHEN PEARCY (@StephenEPearcy) July 30, 2016



Out on the streets, that's where we'll meet....

Posted by Stephen Pearcy on Saturday, July 30, 2016

Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's July 30 performance at Hard Rock Live in Biloxi, Mississippi can be seen below.

Theart's involvement with SKID ROW was exclusively reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on December 31, 2015.

SKID ROW has not yet officially named Theart as the permanent replacement for singer Tony Harnell (ex-TNT), who quit the band in December.

Theart's band I AM I was the support act for SKID ROW on their April 2013 tour of the United Kingdom. The trek ended in great style at a sold-out Islington Academy on April 13, 2013, with members of SKID ROW, I AM I and fellow support band BUFFALO SUMMER getting up on stage to sing the final SKID ROW song "Youth Gone Wild".

A founding member of DRAGONFORCE, Theart made four studio albums and a live record with the band and toured the world for a decade, eventually performing to audiences of up to 85,000 people. His time with the group also saw him nominated for a Grammy in 2009. After his departure from DRAGONFORCE in 2010, ZP worked tirelessly to put together his own group and, after catefully handpicking a set of expert musicians, the result was one of the most exciting new rock bands of 2012, I AM I. A promotional single entitled "Silent Genocide" in the summer was followed by the release of a debut album, "Event Horizon", in September 2012.

Harnell announced his departure from SKID ROW on December 29, 2015, writing on his Facebook page: "I'm sorry to inform everyone that I'm no longer the lead singer for SKID ROW. I thank the fans for their love and support!" He added in a separate post a couple of hours later: "I was not fired from SKID ROW. I quit. Being ignored and disrespected isn't my thing. I had a great time performing with the band and singing so many great songs. I don't regret a thing!"

SKID ROW later said in a statement that they "found out about [Tony's] decision the same way all of [the fans] did, via his post on social media. He had posted that he was no longer in the band before informing the band personally." They added: "That being said, we are all moving forward and wish Tony the best in his future endeavors.

Harnell made his live debut with SKID ROW on May 22, 2015 at Living Sky Casino in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.

He officially joined SKID ROW in April 2015 as the replacement for Johnny Solinger, who was the band's frontman for fifteen years.

Classic MISFITS lineup members Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein will reunite for first time since 1983 to headline this year's Riot Fest.

The reunion, billed as "The Original Misfits," will take place at the Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago. The first show is scheduled for September 2-4 at Denver's Riot Fest And Rodeo, while the second will happen at Riot Fest And Carnival, set for September 16-18 in Chicago.

Speaking to Chicago's classic rock station 97.9 The Loop, Only stated about MISFITS' setlist for the upcoming concerts (see video below): "The first reunion shows are going to be all classic material. We've already picked the set. I let Glenn write the set. It's his baby. It's a really good set. We've got about twenty-two songs that we're definitely [gonna do], and we're probably gonna shoot for about thirty that we know before we we [walk out on stage]."

He continued: "When I'm fronting the band, we do up to forty or fifty [songs]. On our twenty-fifth anniversary, we played Roseland [in New York City], [and] we did fifty-something songs, and then we went down to the WWE World on Broadway for an after-party and almost hit a hundred songs in one night."

Only also talked about the possibility of the MISFITS reunion continuing beyond the Riot Fest shows. He said: "If [these two festival appearances] run well, and we find that we are hitting the potential…

"You see, the thing is, with us, we're a legendary act, we need to live up to what people conceive us to be. And the beauty of it is Glenn's in great shape, my brother looks like freakin' Hercules. And I've dropped about twenty pounds. I'm running every day, playing basketball with my nephews, trying to get that kind of mobility going. And then I rehearse the set about three times a night. We've got it on CD. We just got back from L.A. and we recorded the set. So I put it in and we put it through the P.A. and we rehearse to it. So it's like one hour of cardio, really."

He added: "It's gonna be us at the top of our game. And if we can live up to, and exceed, what people believed us to be, we're gonna try and keep going."

As previously reported, Glenn, Jerry and Doyle are rumored to have recruited Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) to play drums for the band for the Riot Fest shows.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine back in May, Glenn wouldn't hint at who will be sitting behind the kit but said: "It will blow your mind when I tell you. It's pretty crazy. He's one of my favorite drummers, and I've known him for a while." Only, meanwhile, said that the drummer was someone who is a "family guy" who had to sacrifice some gigs to stay home.

According to Only, the reunion came about after a meeting he had with Danzig in January. The pair had gotten together with the MISFITS management in order to discuss the rights to the band's name and merchandising with a view towards avoiding any further litigation between the parties.

Glenn didn't rule out more dates after the Riot Fest shows, saying: "We'll see how it goes. It may lead to some other work, but who knows how it's going to turn out? I mean, I don't think it's going to be a disaster; I think it's going to be incredible."

Regarding what fans can expect to see at the upcoming MISFITS concerts, Danzig said: "I'm just going to do what I normally do, which is to go out there and try and have a great time myself and make sure everybody has a fantastic fucking time. I want them to be so blown away they don't know what the fuck just hit them."

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and bassist Jerry Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.

After the original MISFITS disbanded, vocalist Glenn Danzig went on to form SAMHAIN and then the eponymous DANZIG. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s.




All your Misfits questions answered!

Posted by 97.9 The Loop - Chicago's Classic Rock Station - WLUP on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT have launched the countdown for the unveiling of the cover art for their upcoming twelfth album, "The Brotherhood Of The Snake", which will be released on October 28 via Nuclear Blast.

The cover artwork was once again created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

Check out the first part of the art below.

To see more of the record's cover, make sure to visit the band's social media pages daily, starting today.

"The Brotherhood Of The Snake" was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga (EXODUS, HEATHEN, MACHINE HEAD), guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy and is currently being mixed and mastered by British metal producer Andy Sneap (ACCEPT, ARCH ENEMY, CRADLE OF FILTH, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, MEGADETH).

TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson told Kaaos TV about "The Brotherhood Of The Snake": "The only difference on this one is we're trying to be a little bit more organic, and getting away from Andy's perfection sound, and get more of a looser… you know, still keeping the slickness of it, but trying to get a little bit more raw. So it's kind of a hard way to describe it. But we don't want it too perfect. And I didn't record four guitars; I did two this time. So there's a lot more air going on with the rhythms and stuff like that."

Asked whether the musical direction of TESTAMENT's new material is a throwback to the band's early albums or if it's more similar to the recent TESTAMENT records, Eric said: "More like the modern [TESTAMENT sound], but, you know, like I was saying earlier, having that more raw feeling. Of course, our influences have changed a lot. For me, I always get accused of listening to older stuff [and I am told that] I need to listen to more new stuff. But I always like to go back and listen to records from the '70s and the '80s. And I won't name the bands I listen to, but I listen to a lot of different stuff that has nothing to do with metal, because I hear things differently. I don't hear it, like… You know, like if I listen to [American blues rock guitarist] Joe Bonamassa or something, I'm not, like, 'Wow, I wanna sound like that.' I just kind of get ideas of key changes and the way he hits certain notes or whatever and apply it to what we're doing. And that's the same thing with anything."

TESTAMENT will promote "The Brotherhood Of The Snake" by teaming up with AMON AMARTH for a European tour this fall.

The third trailer for "Coming Home", the new album from PAIN, the Swedish metal band led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Peter Tägtgren, is available below. The follow-up to 2011's "You Only Live Twice" is due on September 9 through Nuclear Blast and features cover artwork by Stefan Heilemann.

Tägtgren, who last year collaborated with vocalist Till Lindemann of German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN on the debut album from their LINDEMANN project, stated about "Coming Home": "Musically, the album is a development of where PAIN and LINDEMANN ended at — more experimental than what I've ever done before. Acoustic guitars and a helping hand again from Clemens of CARACH ANGREN with the orchestra arrangements, and some guest vocals. And Sebastian Tägtgren did a great job on the drums."

The official lyric video for the song "Black Knight Satellite" can be seen below.

Commented Peter: "'Black Knight Satellite' is based around a story that circulates on the net, both interesting and confusing.

"The song is an up-tempo song, with orchestra parts and chugging guitars — it will be great live. A typical PAIN song. Didn't wanna start off with a surprise this time."

PAIN will hit the road for a full European headline tour this autumn. The band will join forces with the German gothic metal outfit THE VISION BLEAK.

PAIN's seventh album, "You Only Live Twice", was released in June 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Aetherside", the new video from DANIEL LIONEYE — the Finnish band featuring HIM members Mikko "Linde" Lindström on guitar and vocals, Janne "Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards and Mikko "Mige" Henrik Julius Paananen on bass, alongside Bolton from ENOCHIAN CRESCENT on drums — can be seen below. The clip was directed by Matti Penttila.

Mige stated about the video: "To prove his controversial aetherspermia thesis once and for all, Dr. Daniel Lioneye and his imaginery crew of tulpas attempted to reach out to the far side of quantum universe, and contact the unspeakable beings who occupy those dark, hallucinatory voids. The ritual succeeded beyond all expectations. Answering Dr. Lioneye's hypnotic call, a messianic alien being travelled across vast oceans of realities/possibilities, and penetrated the one we dwell in. The psychic explosion of his coming is now reverbating within the collective unconscious of our species, signaling the beginning of the age of aquarius. This is the testimony of those events."

"Aetherside" is taken from DANIEL LIONEYE's third album, "Vol III", due on August 19 via The End Records. The CD is described in a press release as "an album that is, in many ways, a combination of their previous two. Basking in magnetic glow of the northern lights, this album deals with an existential crisis- depression, disappointment, being lost, meaninglessness."

When formed in 2001, DANIEL LIONEYE originally consisted of Ville Valo (HIM) on drums, Mige on bass and Linde on guitar and vocals. That year, they released "The King Of Rock 'N' Roll" in Finland and Germany, a "tongue-in-cheek" psychedelic stoner rock album. Performing festival shows in Finland under the name DANIEL LIONEYE AND THE JOINT ROLLERS, their music soon reached international audiences when the title track of the album was selected as the theme song for Bam Margera's MTV show "Viva La Bam". In 2006, "The King Of Rock 'n' Roll" was the most played Finnish song in the world (right after Sibelius, of course).

In 2008, Linde wanted to do a DANIEL LIONEYE album completely different than the last. The follow-up album, simply titled "Vol II" (The End Records), was an extreme rock 'n' roll album much heavier than their first, quite noticeably influenced by black metal. The album represented everyday life- divorce, dealing with difficult situations and people, cannabis psychosis, extreme nightmares, self-realization, sex, moving on, standing up for yourself, anger management and the universe.

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED, the brainchild of former DEATH/ICED EARTH drummer Richard Christy, will release its third full-length album, "Creatures Watching Over The Dead", on September 23 via Metal Blade Records.

The first single from the album, titled "The Soulless", can be streamed below. Ask Christy what he wanted to achieve with "Creatures Watching Over The Dead", and his answer is as succinct as it gets: "To bring the metal! I want people to listen to this album, bang their head, and have fun." It's actually hard to imagine anyone with even the slightest hankering for the hard stuff not having this exact reaction when exposed to the nine tracks comprising the record — for this is heavy, catchy, anthemic and downright killer music to wreck your neck to. At the same time, it stands as one of the most uplifting contributions to the metal canon of 2016, which is both timely and welcome. With five years having elapsed since the quartet dropped "Cold Winds On Timeless Days", it's understandable that fans have been yearning for more, but they have not exactly been sitting around, kicking their heels. Christy, who has previously played with ICED EARTH, DEATH, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE and LEASH LAW, played drums on Monte Pittman's "Inverted Grasp Of Balance", wrote music for New York State's "The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze" event, and co-wrote a heavy metal comedy Viking rock opera with guitarist Jason Suecof and Titmouse Animation, titled "Majestic Loincloth". Suecof is, of course, one of the most in-demand producers in contemporary metal. Then there's legendary bassist Steve DiGiorgio, who made a name for himself in the ranks of DEATH, TESTAMENT, VINTERSORG, DRAGONLORD and a myriad of other great metal bands; in recent years, he has laid down his inimitable style on records from EPHEL DUATH, SOEN, MEMORAIN and others. Which just leaves vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens, who for a time fronted a little-known British band named JUDAS PRIEST — before lending his formidable pipes to ICED EARTH and Yngwie Malmsteen's mighty compositions, touring relentlessly under his own name, starting new band PROJECT ROCK. When it was time to lay the songs down, the members convened at Suecof's Audiohammer Studio, outside Orlando, Florida, and the subsequent sessions might well have been the smoothest in the history of the metalverse. With everyone more than prepared, after nailing a drum tone that sounds "so natural and crushing," Christy laid down all the drum parts in a single day, and DiGiorgio "crushed it as usual" over the space of two days, delivering an incredible performance which really shines through on every song. Suecof infused Christy's riffs with character, dynamics and sheer power as he tracked them, and then it was down to Owens, who delivered one of his finest performances - made all the more impressive by how quickly he worked. It's understandable that the four guys are seriously proud of the finished product. Once released, Christy has a simple ambition for the record, wanting "people to crank it up while they're drinking their favorite craft beer and cleaning their guinea pig's cage — which I do once a week — or mowing the lawn!" "Creatures Watching Over The Dead" track listing:

01. My Eyes02. The Soulless03. Afterlife04. As I Catch My Breath05. Lies06. Reach into the Light07. Tear Me Down08. Living in the Shadow of Yesterday09. Time Has Passed CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED is:

Richard Christy - DrumsJason Suecof - Guitar, ProducerTim "Ripper" Owens - VocalsSteve Digiorgio - Bass

Celebrating their 20-year career, Sacred Steel has revealed the cover artwork for Heavy Metal Sacrifice, the new album due out on October 14th.

This sensational art was provided by Polish artist Lukasz Jaszak who has worked in the past with acts such as Blood Red Throne, Decapitated, Dornenreich, The Vision Bleak among others.
Heavy Metal Sacrifice will be released on CD (digipack edition), LP (featuring Sacred Steel’s embossed logo) and digital via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Tracklisting:

“Intro (Glory Ride)”
“Heavy Metal Sacrifice”
“The Sign Of The Skull”
“Hail The Godz Of War”
“Vulture Priest”
“Children Of The Sky”
“Let There Be Steel”
“Chaos Unleashed”
“The Dead Walk The Earth”

The band has announced a round of shows to accompany the release of the album. Confirmed dates are as follows:

October
10 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Scala (20 Years Of Sacred Steel Festival / Heavy Metal Sacrifice Record Release Party with Tankard, Stallion, Tradedy Divine, Septagon)
21 - Vienna, Austria - Escape
22 - Pilsen, Czech Republic - Phantoms of Pilsen

November
12 - Rome, Italy - Traffic Club (Burn This Town Festival with Rosae Crucis, Hammer King, Battle Ram, Graal)

January
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore

(Photo - Matthias Leise)

On a new episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl talks with Chip Z’Nuff of Enuff Z’Nuff.  Topics include Howard Stern, Mancow, Donnie Vie, Blue Island, his work with Kanye West, upcoming tour dates opening for Ace Frehley, the Tweaked album, Enuff Z’Nuff’s issues with drugs, his recording studio, his autobiography and producing Jessie Camp’s band.

He also reveals that the forthcoming Enuff Z’Nuff album Clowns Lounge will feature the late Derek Frigo on guitar. Frigo died in 2004 from an apparent drug overdose at the age of 37.

Rock icons Enuff Z’Nuff will release a brand new studio album in the fall of 2016.

Wrongly lumped in with the disposable pop-metal bands of the late '80s, Enuff Z'Nuff are a truly gifted act. Founded in Chicago in 1984 by Chip Znuff, Enuff Z’Nuff arrived with their self-titled debut in August 1989, scoring a couple of hit singles with "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle”. The follow up was 1991's Strength album, where the band had noticeably toned down their image and turned up their creative ambitions to deliver a masterful '90s take on the crunchy power pop sound of Cheap Trick and Badfinger.

As of today, Enuff Z’Nuff is still going strong and continues touring the globe. Singer-songwriter Johnny Monaco now fronts the power-pop trio along with co-founder Chip Z’Nuff and drummer Erik Donner.

Chip Znuff says, “We are very excited with this new deal with Frontiers, thanks to old friend who discovered us, Derek Shulman. The new record is pure ROCK and features a couple rockstar friends, most notably James 'JY' Young (Styx), and the late great Jani Lane (Warrant) singing on one of his last recording sessions.

“The band will be touring through 2016, worldwide. A few of the titles on the new Enuff Z'nuff record are: "Good Luv", "Radio", "Nothing", and "The Devil Of Shakespeare".

“Wishing everyone a prosperous 2016 and may the BEST thing that happened to you last year be the WORST thing that happens to you this year!”

Hells Headbangers has set October 14th as the international release date for the comeback album of Hobbs Angel Of Death, Heaven Bled. Helmed by one relentless maniac named Peter Hobbs, Hobbs Angel of Death are one of the more unsung cult favorites of '80s metal. Hailing from Australia many years before it was cool to do so, the band released two classic demos in 1987, Angel Of Death and the telltale Virgin Metal Invasion From Down Under, before time came for the inevitable debut album. That album, 1988's Hobbs Angel Of Death, was released by Steamhammer during the label's glory years, and quickly found a devoted legion of fans enthralled to Hobbs' Kreator-meets-Dark Angel style of deathrash. With a unique charisma that was devilishly gleeful in a sense, Hobbs Angel Of Death sired the band's self-tagged "virgin metal," which worked in both connotations of the word. It would be many years before a follow-up, 1995's Inheritance, and the band broke up not long after.

Come 2002, however, Hobbs Angel Of Death would reform and play a number of European festivals and scattered tour dates over the next decade, but aside from the Hobbs Satan Crusade compilation of the two demos, no new material had yet arisen. But now, courtesy of longtime fans Hells Headbangers, the first all-new recording of Hobbs Angel Of Death in over two decades has finally come to pass. Titled Heaven Bled, this 12-song firestorm of thrashing death metal ("deathened" thrash?) proves that time has not dulled Peter Hobbs' passion one bit nor do the band once rest on their laurels. Much like Atomic Aggressor's Sights Of Suffering - which Hells Headbangers released in 2014 - Heaven Bled is undoubtedly infused with Hobbs' classic past, but is recast in a powerfully streamlined manner where the songwriting and execution take center stage and rawness and youthful enthusiasm are no longer the guiding principles. There's demonic fury in abundance, but it's tempered with the quiet confidence of age and wisdom, through which Hobbs loudly casts his incisive gaze on a whole host of subjects, each one more vitriolic (and catchier) than the next. Altogether, Heaven Bled is a timeless blend of extreme metals throughout the ages, sounding as fresh as Hobbs Angel Of Death's explosion onto the international scene in 1987. Hear for yourself with "Son Of God," the first track to be revealed from Heaven Bled, below.

A statement from Peter Hobbs reads: "With Hobbs' new album, I've tried to cater for a wider majority of metal lovers, giving a variety across the board with old-school feel and arrangements, but with a mature Hobbs Angel Of Death outlook. I'm sure many will find it an enjoyable album to listen to, showing my writing skills on the new album and giving back to the industry some of the great influences that have won me over the past lot of years. I've been fortunate enough to have met some of the greats I have the utmost admiration for, and it's an honor for me to hear it in return. I've met people through my travels, and especially one that I felt so overwhelming to hear that my now-cult album of 28 years ago actually saved someone from committing suicide, and they thanked me for my music, that it pulled him through that rough time! I know that I can't please everyone, but I have given this new album my heart and soul to accomplish another cult album in years to come!"

Tracklisting:

“II Mostro Di Firenze”
“Walk My Path”
“Final Feast”
“Suicide”
“Drawn & Quartered”
“Heaven Bled”
“Sadistic Domination”
“Son Of God”
“Depopulation”
“T.F.M.F”
“Hypocrites”
“Abomination”

“Son Of God”:

Heaven Bled by HOBBS' ANGEL OF DEATH

Preorders are being taken on Bandcamp.

The Mute Gods, the new band from the mind of renowned bassist, chapman stick player and vocalist Nick Beggs, alongside drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson), and long-time Steve Hackett collaborator and keyboardist Roger King, have released a new video (see below) for their track “Praying To A Mute God”.

“Praying To A Mute God” is featured on the band’s debut album, Do Nothing Till Your Hear From Me, out now via InsideOut Music.

The enigmatic artwork for the record was created by Lars 'Zeituhr" Tellmann,

Tracklisting:

“Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me”
“Praying To A Mute God”
“Nightschool For Idiots”
“Feed The Troll”
“Your Dark Ideas”
“Last Man On Earth” (bonus track)
“In The Crosshairs”
“Strange Relationship”
“Swimming Horses”
“Mavro Capelo” (bonus track)
“Father, Daughter”

“Praying To A Mute God” video:

“Father, Daughter” video:

“Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” video:

“Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” video (4K 360 degree version):

"Real", a brand new song from OF MICE & MEN, can be streamed at SiriusXM.com. The track is taken from the band's much-anticipated new album, "Cold World", which is set for a September 9 release on Rise Records.

The full track listing for "Cold World" is:

01. Game Of War02. The Lie03. Real04. Like A Ghost05. Contagious06. -07. Pain08. The Hunger09. Relentless10. Down The Road11. +12. Away13. Transfigured

The "Pain" video was directed by Mark Lediard at J6 Films and can be seen below. Fans can get "Pain" as an instant download by pre-ordering the album. OF MICE & MEN (vocalist Austin Carlile, guitarist Alan Ashby, drummer Valentino Arteaga, vocalist/bassist Aaron Pauley and guitarist Phil Manansala) recorded "Cold World" with producer David Bendeth, who they worked with on 2014's "Restoring Force", which hit No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart and No. 1 on both the Billboard Top Independent and Top Rock Albums charts. Fans can catch the band performing "Pain" as part of their set on the summer arena tour with SLIPKNOT and MARILYN MANSON. The tour, which kicked off at the end of June at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, runs through August 27 and will be followed by OF MICE & MEN's headlining U.K. tour, which begins September 30 in Birmingham. Over the course of the past few years, OF MICE & MEN has shared stages with artists such as METALLICA, LINKIN PARK and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, blanketed rock radio airwaves, garnered critical acclaim, amassed over 153 million Spotify streams, 20 million YouTube views and close to 5 million social media followers on the strength of an blistering sound and live show.

The official lyric video for the song "The Glory And The Scum" from Dutch symphonic metallers DELAIN can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's fifth studio album, "Moonbathers", which will be released on August 26 via Napalm Records.

Comments DELAIN: "We have never had so many milestone events in one year. The release of our EP, 'Lunar Prelude', our fifth studio album, 'Moonbathers', our upcoming 10-year anniversary celebrations and live registration, and there is still more to come. All of this while playing our most heavy touring year ever. We are on a roll, and our new album, 'Moonbathers', is here to embody that. We hope you will enjoy this new effort and join us on our endeavors making 2016 the biggest year for DELAIN ever!"

"Moonbathers", mastered by Grammy Award winner 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 (ARCH ENEMY) as a special guest on opening track "Hands Of Gold".

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

DELAIN singer Charlotte Wessels told Xpress Radio about the songwriting process for "Moonbathers": "For this new album, we cut up… Normally, you would like to take a few months to go into writing mode, to go into recording mode, and then go and put it all together. But we never really had the time for that this year. We kind of did a few writing blocks and a few recording blocks and a few production blocks. I really like the way that has allowed us to keep touring and to not take a break on anything else we were doing. On the other hand, I do also like the feeling of really immersing yourself in that creative process, and for my taste, we've been having to move on very soon. It's not really saying that one is better than the other, but everything comes with a price. And last time we were really, really busy touring, and I wouldn't have done anything else, but you do notice that for everything that you want to do, there's something else that you cannot do. So now we solved that challenge by kind of cutting up that whole production of the new album in different blocks. And I think it was a creative solution that worked."

Regarding the musical direction of the new DELAIN material, Charlotte said: "Listening to the album now, I think that in the style of the songs, it really goes in… It's more varied than our… Like, the production is a lot like our last album, because we really like the mix and we really like the master, so we chose to handle some of those the same, with the same people. But at the same time, if you listen to the songs… For example, on the last album, there wasn't like a real 'ballad ballad,' and there is on this record, but also it has probably some of the loudest tracks. Amd then there is like a really uptempo rock kind of track. There's really a lot of different stuff there, but the overall feel is really dramatic, and I like that. There's not one particular thing that I can pinpoint as being different, but I think in a way that the album is kind of going from one end of the style spectrum to another on this record, I think that's pretty interesting."

"Moonbathers" track listing:

01. Hands Of Gold (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)02. The Glory And The Scum03. Suckerpunch04. The Hurricane05. Chrysalis - The Last Breath06. Fire With Fire07. Pendulum08. Danse Macabre09. Scandal10. Turn the Lights Out11. The Monarch Bonus CD

12. Suckerpunch (live in The Netherlands)13. Turn The Lights Out (live in The Netherlands)14. The Glory And The Scum (live in The Netherlands)15. Don't Let Go (live in The Netherlands)16. The Glory And The Scum (orchestra)17. Hands Of Gold (orchestra)

As previously reported, DELAIN will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a special show in Amsterdam on December 10 that will also be recorded and filmed for a release on CD, DVD and Blu-ray.

DELAIN released a new EP, "Lunar Prelude", on February 19 via Napalm Records. Mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen, the set offered two brand new songs in the shape of the catchy "Suckerpunch" and the melancholic "Turn The Lights Out". "Don't Let Go" (taken from 2014's "The Human Contradiction") came in a brand new version, while the EP also contained four live cuts, as well as an orchestral reprise of "Suckerpunch".

DELAIN recently announced the addition of guitarist Merel Bechtold to the group's ranks.

Swedish melodic metallers AMARANTHE have completed work on their new album, "Maximalism", for a tentative October release via Spinefarm. The follow-up to 2014's "Massive Addictive" was recorded at Top Floor studios in Gothenburg with producer Jakob Herrman.

AMARANTHE will promote "Maximalism" with an extensive world tour which will kick off this October in Europe. Support on the European trek will come from SONIC SYNDICATE and openers SMASH INTO PIECES.

AMARANTHE guitarist Olof Mörck previously described the band's new material as "certainly [our] most diverse so far; our trademark bleeding edge modern metal is ever present, but fused with an even wider range of genres than before, featuring everything from stadium rock, the latest in pop music innovation and danceable super-hits. Expect these tunes to enter your mind permanently, never to leave!" AMARANTHE's single "Nexus" recently went gold and "Amaranthine" and "Hunger" were certified platinum — all in AMARANTHE's home country of Sweden. AMARANTHE singer Elize Ryd stated in a 2014 interview that the songs on "Massive Addictive" "represent each genre in a more clear way than on the two previous albums. I play around with the vocal melodies more than I’ve been able to do earlier."

She added: "I stand most for the vocal melodies; that's my ace in the making — to build up the spirit and emotion I want to represent.

"I wanted the album to sound more modern, sporty, intense, unlimited, playful. It's most important for me to always think forward and to keep the voltage alive in the music."

Frontiers Music Srl will release TYKETTO's new album, "Reach", on October 14.

After five years of relentless touring that included playing on some of the most prestigious stages on the planet, TYKETTO took their revitalized energy in to the studio in the spring of 2016. The sessions took place at the legendary Rockfield Studios (QUEEN, RUSH, OASIS) in Wales. Musically, the band is truly at the top of their game, with their muscular brand of melodic rock delivered with the finest arrangements and awesome performances.

Lead vocalist Danny Vaughn comments: "Although we only had planned on recording ten songs for 'Reach', we were so pleased with everything, we decided to keep all twelve songs on the record.

"We unanimously decided on 'Reach' as the title of the album as it defines who this band is in 2016.

"We have a new energy, some incredible new members, and a fresh outlook toward the future.

"All of us have pushed each other beyond our limits to make what we feel is a pinnacle record in our catalog."

Adds drummer and founding member Michael Clayton Arbeeny: "Many bands who have been out as long as we have feel they need to fit into a preconceived notion of what their fans expect to hear.

"Following in the footsteps of icons such as QUEEN, LED ZEPPELIN and Prince, we have decided to expand our musical boundaries and introduce our friends around the world to TYKETTO 2016.

"Rest assured that all the songs on 'Reach' still carry the trademark melodies and choruses our fans have grown to love over the decades.

"The band is feeling stronger and performing better than ever and we can’t wait to share this music with the world."

In addition to Vaughn and Arbeeny, the 2016 lineup of TYKETTO includes Chris Green (guitar and vocals), Ged Rylands (keyboards and vocals) and Chris Childs (bass).

A video for the title track, "Reach", will be released soon.

An eleven-country tour to support "Reach" commences in October.

"Reach" track listing:

01. Reach02. Big Money03. Kick Like A Mule04. Circle The Wagons05. I Need It Now06. Tearing Down The Sky07. Letting Go08. The Fastest Man Alive09. Remember My Name10. Sparks Will Fly11. Scream12. The Run13. Precious Little Gets Away (digital bonus track)

TYKETTO is:

Danny Vaughn – Lead VocalsMichael Clayton Arbeeny - Drums, Percussion, Vocals Ged Rylands - Keyboards, Vocals Chris Green - Guitar, Vocals Chris Childs - Bass, Vocals