After two successful albums — "Glorious" (2015) and "Pearls" (2016) — and over a hundred shows performed, veteran German rockers BONFIRE have parted ways with their American lead singer David Reece (pictured; formerly of ACCEPT) The "personal and professional differences" are irreconcilable, making it impossible for the parties to continue working together.

Returning to BONFIRE will be the band's former singer Michael Bormann, who was previously a member of the group in 1993-1994. A very accomplished singer in his own right, Michael is a seasoned veteran of the German music scene who is also well known for his appearances on the German edition of the TV singing competition "The Voice".

"This reunion of sorts with mastermind Hans Ziller at the controls has all the ingredients for a truly incredible future," BONFIRE says in a statement. "With all the missing pieces finally in place, this alignment will prove to be the strongest BONFIRE ever."

BONFIRE, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2016, released a double album, "Pearls", on March 18. The set was made available as single CDs and also as double CD/LP. The "Rock Pearls" CD features BONFIRE rockers that were not played so much in the past. The "Classic Pearls" CD features newly recorded BONFIRE classic ballads together with an orchestra.

Multinational Melodic Metal band Eden's Curse will release their fifth studio album 'Cardinal' via German Metal label AFM Records on October 14th, 2016.

Produced by Paul Logue and Thorsten Koehne, 'Cardinal' contains 12 songs with all of the usual Eden's Curse trademark melodies, hooks and riffs.

Written mainly by the band's long established writing team of bassist and founding member Paul Logue, virtuoso guitarist Thorsten Koehne and former drummer Pete Newdeck (Tainted Nation), what is immediately apparent about 'Cardinal' is that it showcases some of the group's melodic yet heaviest and most progressive moments to date.

"We took two years to write this album, because ‘Symphony Of Sin’ was such a successful album for us. We like to do things properly in this band and explore every possible opportunity to make each moment of every song the very best that it can be. We are not the type of band to just churn out songs with next to no quality control - we scrutinize every riff, lick, hook, melody, lyric and ask - can we do it better? This has been a long, hard and collaborative process that has not only produced some of the best songs we have ever written but some of the best collective performances on any Eden's Curse album to date" enthuses bassist Paul Logue.

Guitarist Thorsten Koehne added "We are known as Eden's Curse for writing some good hooks, so we can always come up with that, but one thing we wanted to do on this album was bring out the technical side of the band a little more as well as make it heavier".

'Cardinal' is the first studio album to feature drummer John Clelland (Code Of Silence), who appeared on 2015's 'Live With The Curse' double live release, and new Finnish keyboard player Christian Pulkkinen aka Chrism ( Simulacrum, Adamantra).

'Cardinal' is once again superbly mixed by the band’s long time engineer Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Pink Cream 69, KROKUSonline, Angra), with the artwork designed by another established collaborator in graphic artist Thomas Ewerhard (Edguy, Avantasia, Jorn Lande, James Labrie, MasterPlan). It is presented in a stunning triple gatefold digipak offering.

Tracklisting:

01. Prophets Of Doom
02. Sell Your Soul
03. The Great Pretender
04. Messiah Complex
05. Find My Way
06. Kingdom Of Solitude
07. Utopian Dreams
08. This Is Our Moment
09. Rome's On Fire
10. Unconditional (Featuring Liv Kristine)
11. Saints & Sinners
12. Jericho

Bonus Video Clip:
Sell Your Soul

Sensory Records, a division of Laser's Edge, will release "Machina Viva", the fifth studio full-length album from Swedish progressive metal kingpins WOLVERINE, on July 8.

The entire CD can now be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

A natural progression from "Communication Lost", released in 2011 via Candlelight, "Machina Viva" invites the listener into the harmonious yet portentous and sullen musical dimensions of WOLVERINE with perhaps their most dynamic album to date. From the fourteen-minute epic and powerful "The Bedlam Overture" and the dark electronic landscapes of "Machina", to the naked and organic nature of "Pile Of Ash" and "Sheds", "Machina Viva" is the next step in WOLVERINE's explorations in the progressive field. Recorded and produced by WOLVERINE in various locations throughout Sweden during the autumn and winter months of late 2015 and early 2016, "Machina Viva" was mixed at Spacelab Studio in Germany by Christian "Moschus" Moos (EVERON, HAKEN, DELAIN, CLOVERSEEDS), and mastered by Grammy Award-winning audio engineer Bob Katz. The layout features microbiological photos by Arturo Agostino and cover art by drummer Marcus Losbjer. The CD version carries a bonus cello version of "Pile Of Ash".

"Machina Viva" track listing:

01. The Bedlam Overture02. Machina03. Pile Of Ash (ES335 version)04. Our Last Goodbye05. Pledge06. When The Night Comes07. Nemesis08. Sheds09. Pile Of Ash (cello version) (bonus track)

WOLVERINE was formed in 1995 by vocalist Stefan Zell and drummer Marcus Losbjer. Initially the band was all about death metal, but they soon allowed a more melodic approach to influence their sound. Since their inception, the band has pushed out of boundaries of heavy metal and evolved through inventiveness and explorative ambition, now incorporating a wider spectrum of musical elements into their own progressive sound. WOLVERINE is:

Per Henriksson - keyboardsMarcus Losbjer - drumsThomas Jansson - bassJonas Jonsson - guitarsStefan Zell – vocals

Photo by Mattias Wigforss

Metal Maniac video magazine conducted an interview with vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL at this year's Hellfest on June 17 in Clisson, France. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about the relationship between the Internet's rise and the sharp decline in album sales, and how it has made it harder for bands to survive, Blitz said: "Back in the day, there was obviously no Internet. The Internet was invented while OVERKILL was existed; we existed prior to the World Wide Web."

He continued: I think [the Internet is] a double-edged sword. I think that, sure, it's great to have that type of exposure and instant information, and it makes the world smaller; these are just obvious qualities that it has.

"One of the things that social media has done has gotten so many people to think along an exact line or parallel line. There's no opposite thinking [anymore]. Whether you're a metal fan or a thrash fan or a pop fan or jazz fan, the Internet provides you with what you want. You consider it to be something that is… It's not just a necessity; it's just the way it should be. Free is the way it should be. Of course, all my friends think that way too. Does it make it right? It doesn't make it right. And it actually does hurt the scene. So you have to find ways to reinvent yourself. So instead of complaining about it, I look at it more as saying, okay, we have to reinvent. We have to partner with the right people. We have to — as business people — focus on our market. Who's the collectors? Who wants the vinyl? Who wants this? So you have to think differently to be able to survive in the age of the Internet. 'Cause the Internet will be really one of the reasons that this scene eventually will go away. It chips away at it continuously — it just eats it away and eats it away. It gives you great promotion, but on a slow, slow process, it's eating the scene."

Pressed about whether he truly believes the heavy metal scene will eventually go away because of the Internet, Blitz clarified: "There'll always be a want for that emotional chord to be struck, but with regard to all your favorite bands, eventually they'll just have to go away. And that'll have nothing to do with age. That'll have to do with, 'We just can't do this anymore. It's just not possible to do this and eat.' [Laughs] And everybody'll say, 'Oh, that's just too bad.' But they've become the reason for it; that's really part of the reason. So [for bands like us] it's [about] reinventing yourself, it's figuring out ways to get YouTube to up their royalties, it's getting Spotify to up their royalties, Google Play, etc. etc. So, from a business perspective, I think it's reinventing."

He went on to say: "I'm not concerned with regard to the result; I'm more about living in this particular moment. I'm not looking forward to my future. My future is in two hours on that stage; that's where I'd rather concentrate my efforts, because it's really a fruitless effort to say, 'Oh, this sucks and that sucks, and I should have more.' That's not what I'm saying. But I am saying that it's slowly eating it away and weakening it in places that it shouldn't be, and only because of common opinion. That's all."

Blitz also talked about the progress of the recording sessions for OVERKILL's follow-up to 2014's "White Devil Armory" album. He said: "The new record comes out in October of 2016. The drums, guitars are done. D.D.'s [Verni] gearing up to do the bass as soon as we get home. I should be singing by July 1st. Andy Sneap will be mixing it. We'll do the production. This is kind of the way we work, on those schedules — by pushing and pushing and pushing."

OVERKILL will embark on a European headlining tour in November. Support on the trek will come from U.S. sludge metal kings CROWBAR, Israel-based metallers SHREDHEAD and Aussie thrashers DESECRATOR.

OVERKILL played a special anniversary show on April 16 at Turbinenhalle 2 in Oberhausen, Germany. The evening saw the group perform their classic records "Horrorscope" (which is celebrating its 25th anniversary) and "Feel The Fire" (30th anniversary) in their entirety. And if that wasn't enough, the show was professionally filmed and recorded for an upcoming DVD and CD.

OVERKILL utilized a stand-in drummer — their soundman Eddy Garcia, who is also a member of the El Paso, Texas band PISSING RAZORS — for their recent European tour because the band's regular drummer, Ron Lipnicki, was forced to stay home due to undisclosed family issues.

Slash says that "everybody's really getting along great" on GUNS N' ROSES' stadium tour, but admits to finding it "surreal" that the reunited band is back on the road after more than twenty years.

The "Not In This Lifetime" trek, which kicked off on June 23 at Ford Field in Detroit, features classic lineup members Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and Axl Rose backed by drummer Frank Ferrer, guitarist Richard Fortus, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and new second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Speaking to AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer on WZLX, the guitarist said (hear audio below): "All the shows have been great that we've done so far. Last night was only our third show on this leg and then we did seven shows prior to that."

When Kramer asked Slash if everyone in the band is "playing nice," the guitarist said: "Everybody's playing great. Playing nice, yeah. Everybody's getting along and everybody's playing great, and the shows have been awesome. We all were pretty positive that that would never happen, so it's still sort of blowing our minds. It seems so surreal to me, you know. But everybody's really getting along great and I think everybody's come a long way, and it's all cool."

Rose just finished a stint as lead vocalist for AC/DC on that band's European festival run, and is slated to play at least ten North American shows with that group right after GUNS complete their stadium trek in late August.

GUNS N' ROSES next plays on Friday night (July 1) in Chicago, Illinois.

Legendary hard rockers AC/DC have uploaded a two-minute video clip in which rhythm guitarist Stevie Young talks about his playing style and his role in the band. You can now watch the footage below.

Stevie Young, the nephew of guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young, took Malcolm's place in the band prior to the recording of the group's 16th studio album, "Rock Or Bust".

Said Stevie: "I come from a musical family. My dad and all my brothers played an instrument, mostly guitars. So there was all these instruments [laying] around. You picked it up and played it away. There was always people to show you how to get on with it.

"I work out stuff all the time; I keep working away," he added. "Every day I listen and try to find bits that I missed or something that Malcolm did that would help with what's [going on] in the tunes. I'm not trying to imitate or copy him, but trying to keep the spirit of what he did in the band."

Stevie Young played with AC/DC once before during a 1988 tour, while Malcolm stepped out to deal with his dependency on alcohol.

Legend has it that Stevie resembled his uncle closely enough that many fans reportedly didn’t even know Malcolm had left the tour.

AC/DC made it official in September 2014 that Malcolm Young would no longer record or perform with the group. His family disclosed a short time later that he was afflicted with dementia. The guitarist was rumored to have suffered a stroke earlier that year.

Asked whether Malcolm Young approved of the band continuing without him after he was diagnosed with dementia, Angus told Sweden's Aftonbladet: "It was Malcolm himself [who said we should carry on]… He worked as long as he could himself [until] he couldn't continue doing it because of his medical condition. So he said it was left to me to keep it going. And the logical choice to fulfill Mal's role on the project was my nephew Stevie. He had filled in for Mal in 1988 and he had done an American tour, a whole American tour, and he did it well."

Added bassist Cliff Williams: "He was the obvious choice. And he fills in very well for Mal. He plays very similar — same style, which is hard to find. It's unique — it really is — and Stevie grew up with that, and he plays just like Mal, so he fills in extremely well. [He has the] same type of personality."

Metallica have just released a ton of hilarious behind-the-scenes footage detailing their new collaboration with Italian luxury menswear house Brioni and their new creative director Justin O’Shea.

Says the band: “We are beyond thrilled to have been invited to be the face of Italian luxury menswear powerhouse Brioni as they kick off their first creative campaign under the direction of newly appointed creative director, über cool style star Justin O’Shea. The black and white Queen ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ inspired photos were shot last month in San Francisco by photographer Zackery Michael. We’re sporting Bespoke Brioni suits and tuxedos as well as sunglasses from their new eyewear collection.”

According to BOF, the campaign will be distributed on social media channels and is set appear on billboards and kiosks in Paris and in The New York Times, reflecting a more focused initial print advertising buy. Wider print distribution and billboards in New York, Los Angeles and Moscow will follow in the autumn.

Check out more photos here.

 

PRIMUS drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander has suffered a second heart attack, two years after undergoing a successful bypass procedure to remove blockage from arteries near his heart.

Tim wrote on his Instagram account: "I had a second heart attack the other day. I did not think this could happen after having a triple bypass almost exactly two years ago. I was overwhelmed with sadness, not because of the fact that I could die but that I would have to say goodbye to my family."

He continued: "It can happen at any moment, and remember IT WILL HAPPEN ONE DAY so tell the people in your life you love them. Enjoy the days you have with them; they are limited. We are all here for a short time."

Alexander, 51, originally left PRIMUS in 1996 and played sporadically with the band in the early 2000s in addition to being involved with various other groups, including LAUNDRY, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUSCIFER and a solo project. Before he rejoined PRIMUS in 2013, he played on several of the band's albums, including 1991's "Sailing The Seas Of Cheese" and 1993's "Pork Soda".

Alexander was the first drummer of A PERFECT CIRCLE, performing early live shows with the band, and recording drums for the track "The Hollow" on the band's debut album, "Mer De Noms". He is listed as a member in the band's DVD/CD release "aMOTION".

Back in 2014, PRIMUS frontman Les Claypool told RollingStone.com about Alexander: "When Tim 'Herb the Ginseng Drummer' Alexander had a minor heart attack a few weeks back, we were all startled. When he went in for an angioplasty the next morning and they said he needed a triple bypass, we were all shocked. Tim is the 'Ginseng drummer' for a reason: He was always the non-meat eating, teetotaling, mastodon of a man who could throw a football over a mountain, chuck a curve ball at 89 miles per hour and could play his drums for hours on end without breaking a sweat, but unfortunately genetics and a taste for dessert have a way of catching up and kicking one's balls."

Early recordings from AC/DC singer Brian Johnson with THE JASPER HEART BAND will be released later this month.

THE JASPER HEART BAND, a soft-rock group that performed selections from the musical "Hair", recorded the tracks — "Down by the River", "I Want to Be Around" and "Overload" — in the early '70s. The group was signed to Circa 2000 Records but never released anything.

The master tapes were found a few years ago, and JASPER HEART guitarist Ken Brown will release them independently.

If you are interested, contact Ken directly at [email protected]/* */

Johnson eventually went on to front the much-better-known GEORDIE, with whom he stayed through various lineups until he joined AC/DC after the death of Bon Scott in 1980.

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its recent North American tour after doctors told Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. AC/DC has since resumed its tour with GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist," with Johnson apparently not returning to the group.

Johnson said in an open letter to fans that he intends to solve his hearing problem and continue recording and touring, although he did not say whether he would be rejoining AC/DC.

The vocalist wrote: "My entire focus is to continue medical treatment to improve my hearing. I am hoping that in time my hearing will improve and allow me to return to live concert performances. While the outcome is uncertain, my attitude is optimistic."

Johnson had been AC/DC's frontman for 36 years, making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.

More than 35 guitars and amplifiers from the collection of late Irish guitarist Gary Moore were offered at Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia sale, which took place on June 29 at the auctioneer's location in Knightsbridge, London.

Leading the collection — which sold for a total of £143,235 (approximately $190,000) — was a 1963 Fender Stratocaster. The guitar, which went for £18,750 (approximately $25,000), was a gift from the late Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival. It can be seen on live footage of the Fleadh festival in Finsbury Park, London in 2001, and the "Blues For Jimi" DVD in late 2007.

Also featured was a Fritz Brothers Roy Buchanan Bluemaster guitar, which was sold for for £5,000 (approximately $6,600). Moore ordered the guitar after borrowing a similar instrument from George Harrison, who was his friend and neighbor in the Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames. Moore used Harrison's guitar when recording a track on the 1989 album "After The War", and he later decided to purchase his own to use for live performances.

Moore made a name for himself in the late 1960s with the Dublin-based SKID ROW, before following bass player Phil Lynott in 1974 to play with classic rockers THIN LIZZY.

Throughout his career, Moore recorded numerous solo albums, and shared the stage with the likes of B.B. King, Albert King, Jack Bruce, Albert Collins and George Harrison.

Moore passed away in his sleep on February 6, 2011, hours after checking into the five-star Kempinski Hotel in Estepona on the Costa del Sol, Spain with a female friend. He reportedly suffered a heart attack brought on by a massive amount of alcohol he consumed prior to being found dead in bed.

Mercyful Fate guitar legends Michael Denner and Hank Shermann have hit the official German Top 100 Album Charts at #55 with their new Denner / Shermann full-length album, Masters Of Evil.

The music video for the album track "Son Of Satan" was recently launched and can be seen below. The video was filmed, directed and edited by Owe Lingvall, animated by Konstantin Smirnov, and shot at Studio 1646 in Umea, Sweden. Based loosely on the movie The Omen, the song and video deliver an ominous dose of heavy metal music and imagery.

"We chose this song to be the first video because musically, it is a song that really captures the entire essence of what this band is becoming," Michael Denner comments. "The lyrics are also very vivid, and it fills your imagination with dark, sinister images and visions that Swedish director Owe captured perfectly."

"Shooting this video was a great time, and I felt that all of us being together there, bonding as a band during the filming process, was important and something I will always remember," adds vocalist Sean Peck.

The album cover, pictured below, was painted by Swedish artist Thomas Holm, who also created the Satan's Tomb artwork. The mixing was once again handled by Arnold Lindberg at Sound Industry Studio in Gothenburg, Sweden; he engineered their Satan's Tomb  EP. Mastering was done once again by Maor Appelbaum in Los Angeles, California. The vintage sound on the new record harkens one back to the days of two-inch tape machines, long nights in dark studios, and huge consoles glowing under dim incandescent light.

Masters Of Evil contains eight new Denner / Shermann tracks that continue right where the EP left off. Building upon the musical foundation of the Satan's Tomb EP, these songs cover the entire gamut of heavy metal nuances and take the listener down a mysterious path where tales of dark, supernatural fantasies are told, transporting you to places that can only be found in the most vivid, blood curdling nightmares.

Masters Of Evil is fully loaded to satisfy the old fans with just what they would expect - and also injected with menacing, sinister, new surprises that could only come from the sonic DNA of Michael Denner and Hank Shermann.

"After Satan's Tomb, we continued aggressively writing and recording ideas, except for the short break we took to do all the press for the release of the debut. We are very excited with the outcome, and the full-length album is ready to be unleashed this summer," says guitarist Hank Shermann.

Vocalist Sean Peck comments, "This record really has it all I think. Working with Hank and Michael and the guys creating this record, was the ultimate metal thrill ride for me! I can't wait to hear the fan reaction to this sinister sonic salvo of savagery!"

Michael Denner also adds, "This new record really shows how the five of us have grown as a band and bonded as songwriters. It contains the kind of compositions I believe our fans would expect from us. I think this release will serve as kind of a tribute to our incredible fans worldwide, as we recognize and acknowledge their die hard loyalty over the years."

The first single, "Angel's Blood", comes right at you with a sonic sledge hammer! Once the guitars hit your ears, the unmistakable trademark guitar sound of Michael Denner and Hank Shermann is instantly recognized. Prepare yourself for a heavy metal thrill ride!

With the upcoming Denner / Shermann release on June 24th, also comes live touring. Ever since the first announcement that this guitar duo was reforming, many show requests have been received from all over the world. Now with a full complement of original songs to draw from, look for the group to bring those to a city near you very soon.

 

 

Masters Of Evil tracklisting:

"Angel's Blood"
"Son Of Satan"
"The Wolf Feeds At Night"
"Pentagram And The Cross"
"Masters Of Evil"
"Servants Of Dagon"
"Escape From Hell"
"The Baroness"

"Angel's Blood”:

90-second audio preview:

Denner / Shermann is:

Michael Denner - guitars
Hank Shermann - guitars
Sean Peck - vocals
Snowy Shaw - drums
Marc Grabowski - bass

 

 

The Alien Blakk has just begun tracking for their third release. The upcoming title has been five years in the making and is finally underway with master recording.

Leader Joshua Craig Podolsky returns with a new line-up and will have roots from earlier recordings but a firm hold on a new approach on writing that is said to be "more ominous and demanding with droning layers of baritone guitar on much of the recording.”

Here's a preview of a recent outing as a solo trio (with Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative/Danzig fame) performing an instrumental Black Sabbath cover from a guitar/drum clinic captured by a fan.

For more details visit Thealienblakk.com.

AEROSMITH's Tom Hamilton says Ritchie Blackmore was looking "pudgy" and playing "a little flat" during the RAINBOW comeback concerts last month.

The bassist is on the road with THIN LIZZY as part of a tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of the band's frontman Phil Lynott and to celebrate 40 years since the release of the "Jailbreak" album. The first two shows of the tour were festival dates in Germany where THIN LIZZY went on before RAINBOW.

Hamilton told AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer on WZLX: "Right before [RAINBOW] went on, they booted everyone off the stage. They had to watch from the side. And then they put up this tape across the walkway, like 'do not cross' red-and-white striped tape."

Hamilton added: "Everybody's just kind of standing there, staring at them, like , 'Oh my God. Who's ever seen a band do that?' But he really did not want anybody on the stage while he was playing."

Asked how Blackmore looked, Hamilton responded, "pudgy," and added: "He was playing lead. It sort of sounded, just like, right off the record, and not in a real passionate way. A little flat."

For the three RAINBOW shows last month, Ritchie was joined on stage by LORDS OF BLACK singer Ronnie Romero, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT).

It's no secret that Cleopatra Records' melodic metallers, Icarus Witch have been craft beer enthusiasts for a long time. Now the boys have announced the first officially-endorsed Witches' brew - Icarus Wit (a Belgian style dark wheat ale with cocoa, ginger, and star anise). This summer witbier was the creation of Steve Ilnicki—long-time friend of bassist, Jason Myers and head brewer at Pittsburgh's most popular new brewery, Spoonwood Brewing Company. The Icarus Witch crew took a break from rehearsals for their upcoming 6th CD to enjoy a few growlers of their namesake brew. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, stop in for a round while supplies last.

Beer description:

In December 2015, three bands with three different stylistic approaches to aggressive music, but a common outlook on the world, came together to create a collective piece of work - The Depression Sessions. Those three bands were Thy Art Is Murder, The Acacia Strain and Fit For AnN Autopsy and on August 12th, Nuclear Blast Entertainment will release the results of this experience both digitally and on limited edition vinyl.

In regards to this achievement, the parties involved have released the following collective statement:

"After months of heavy touring, a cold NJ background set the tone for a dark, honest, and moody record. We gave some nods to the bands we grew up listening to and took some new risks in our own songs.  
 
More importantly, this record is a statement of community. We live in a very competitive and selfish world, and it this is proof it doesn't have to be like that. It's the friendships you make along the way, between the artists you share the stage with that you'll take away with you long after the shows are over. Support your peers; the whole music scene will be better for it. Thank you for listening."

Check out this lyric video for the first single "They Will Know Another" by Thy Art Is Murder below. The song, as well as their cover of Rammstein's "Du Hast", are the last pieces of music the band recorded before the departure of vocalist of CJ McMahon.

The Depression Sessions was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Will Putney. All the bands tracked in December 2015 at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, NJ. Cover art was created by Dan Bradley with a layout by Forefathers.

Tracklisting:

Thy Art Is Murder – “They Will Know Another”
The Acacia Strain – “Sensory Deprivation”
Fit For An Autopsy – “Flatlining”
Thy Art Is Murder – “Du Hast” (Rammstein cover)
The Acacia Strain – “Black Hole Sun” (Soundgarden cover)
Fit For An Autopsy – “The Perfect Drug” (Nine Inch Nails cover)

“They Will Know Another” – Thy Art Is Murder:

Preorder the limited edition clear with red splatter vinyl at the Nuclear Blast shop.

The official lyric video for the song "War" from German metallers RAGE, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "The Devil Strikes Again", which was released on June 10 via Nuclear Blast (July 8 in the U.S. through Metalville). The CD was recorded in September/October 2015 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). The production was handled by Marcos Rodriguez and Peter "Peavy" Wagner, while Dan Swanö (MARDUK, OPETH, DISSECTION, KATATONIA) took care of the mixing and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany). The cover artwork was created by Karim König.

"The Devil Strikes Again" was made available as a 3CD digipack (limited to 1,000 copies; Nuclear Blast mailorder exclusive), 2CD digipack, and 2LP (black, white). All editions contain six bonus tracks (including three cover versions: "Bravado" by RUSH, "Slave To The Grind" by SKID ROW and "Open Fire" by Y&T). The 3CD digipack also features a bonus live CD from the latest European tour with HELLOWEEN.

"The Devil Strikes Again" track listing:

3CD digipack

CD1

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War06. Ocean Full Of Tears07. Deaf, Dumb And Blind08. Spirits Of The Night09. Times Of Darkness10. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Bonus CD

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem04. Bravado (RUSH cover)05. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)06. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

Bonus Live CD

2CD digipack

CD1

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War06. Ocean Full Of Tears07. Deaf, Dumb And Blind08. Spirits Of The Night09. Times Of Darkness10. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Bonus CD

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem04. Bravado (RUSH cover)05. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)06. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

2LP (Bonus Vinyl 45 RPM!)

Side A

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War

Side B

01. Ocean Full Of Tears02. Deaf, Dumb And Blind03. Spirits Of The Night04. Times Of Darkness05. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Side C (Bonus)

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem

Side D (Bonus)

01. Bravado (RUSH cover)02. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)03. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

RAGE released a four-track EP on January 22 to coincide with the band's tour with HELLOWEEN.

"My Way" contained four tracks, including two re-recorded versions of songs from RAGE's 1995 album "Black In Mind" and a brand-new song in both English and Spanish.

"My Way" was the first RAGE release to feature the band's latest additions, Marcos Rodriguez (guitar) and Vassilios Maniatopoulos (drums)

Marcos Rodriguez was born in Venezuela and currently resides in Antwerpen, Belgium. The guitarist is a die-hard fan of RAGE who met Peavy on RAGE's 30th-anniversary tour when his band SOUNDCHASER provided support on parts of the trek. Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos has so far primarily made an appearance as the vocalist of the band TRI STATE CORNER. However, the former drum student and drum technician of former RAGE and current TRI STATE CORNER/REFUGE drummer Christos Efthimiadis is also longtime friend of Peavy's.

Extreme metallers BRUJERIA will release their fourth full-length album, titled "Pocho Aztlan", on September 16 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The release will be followed by a U.S. tour this October alongside CATTLE DECAPITATION and PIÑATA PROTEST.

"Pocho Aztlan" is the band's first release since "Brujerizmo" was released in 2000 via Roadrunner. It was recorded over the course of many years and at several studios around the globe. The end result was mixed by Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, THE EXPLOITED).

Check out the visualizer for the song "Viva Presidente Trump!" below. The track comes from their recent seven-inch release by the same name, which is now available for purchase digitally on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

BRUJERIA's legend has proliferated for nearly three decades. When the band first emerged from the sunbaked hellscape of Los Angeles in 1989, the city was on the brink of chaos. Daryl Gates ruled the LAPD with an iron fist, overseeing a legion of blue-suited stormtroopers who cracked brown and black skulls at every opportunity. Rodney King, the '92 riots, and California governor Pete "Pito" Wilson's anti-immigrant Prop 187 were all on the bleak horizon. The Mexican-American agitators of BRUJERIA captured the mood of the city's minorities with the band's infamous and widely banned 1993 debut, "Matando Güeros" ("Killing White People"), quickly becoming the Spanish-language counterparts to early grindcore masters TERRORIZER and NAPALM DEATH. Led by lyricist and mastermind Juan Brujo, BRUJERIA were alternately rumored to be satanic drug lords and members of well-established metal bands. The truth, as always, lay somewhere in between. Fast forward to right about now: "Pocho Aztlan" is BRUJERIA's first new album in 16 years. The title translates to "Wasted Promised Land", a combination of Aztlán, the fabled ancestral home of the Aztecs, and the term pocho, which native Mexicans use to refer — not always kindly — to their counterparts born in the States. Brujo himself is pocho, a man caught between two worlds. Many pochos are not exactly accepted with open arms in Mexico. Meanwhile, they're too often regarded as second-class citizens in their adopted U.S. home. Brujo has transcended both scenarios through the power of BRUJERIA's uncompromising grindcore and death metal. His all-Spanish lyrics are as vivid as they are effective: Bona fide tales from the frontlines of the drug war, the racial divide, and the battle for the border. "A lot of BRUJERIA songs are true stories," Brujo says. "And if they haven't happened yet, they will happen."

BRUJERIA's current touring lineup includes CARCASS frontman Jeff Walker (a.k.a. El Cynico) on bass, NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury (a.k.a. Hongo) on guitar and drummer Nicholas Barker (BENEDICTION, CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR, TESTAMENT).

BRUJERIA is:

Juan Brujo - VocalsFantasma - Vocals, BassHongo - Guitar, Drum ProgrammingEl Cynico - Bass, Guitar, VocalsHongo Jr. - DrumsPinche Peach - Vocals, SamplesPititis - Female VocalsA Kuerno - GuitarSangron - Backup VocalsGuero III - Backup Vocals

SLIPKNOT played the third show of its tour with MARILYN MANSON Friday night (July 1) at Perfect Vodka Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Florida. The concert once again saw SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor performing with a neck brace after undergoing surgery last month.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Taylor was ordered by doctors to refrain from headbanging and jumping when the band kicked off its summer tour Tuesday night (June 28) in Nashville, Tennessee. The group was forced to postpone its North American trek with MARILYN MANSON by three weeks after Taylor underwent what he described as "an unplanned spinal surgery."

SLIPKNOT played a 17-song set at the Bridgestone Arena, with Taylor telling the crowd: "Let's address the elephant in the room: I fucking broke my neck. But there was no way I wasn't coming to Nashville to do this show."

He later added: "It sure is weird playing with this pillow on my neck."

Before the show, Taylor tweeted: "First day back. Haven't smoked in two months. Broken neck, weird scar. Not enough coffee."

Taylor previously revealed on Twitter that his follow-up appointment with the doctor went "great," but added that "for now," there will be "no headbanging" or "jumping" for him for the foreseeable future. He also offered that he expects to be "back to 90 percent" within the next four to six months, and "100 percent" in a year.

The summer trek is likely to be SLIPKNOT's last U.S. tour in support of its latest album, ".5: The Gray Chapter", which was released in October 2014.

Following the tour, SLIPKNOT and BLACK SABBATH will co-headline the combined Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, a two-day festival scheduled for September 24-25 in San Bernardino, California.

According to the NBC-affiliated television station KVOA, a fraudulent Facebook page recently popped up stating METALLICA would appear at Joe's Crab Shack in Tucson, Arizona on August 7 and August 9. The page also claimed that tickets were being sold at all Los Betos Restaurant locations in town and that five golden tickets would be hidden in carne asada burritos. The lucky winners would receive VIP tickets and a chance to hang out with band members.

Andrea Grey, whose family owns seven Los Betos Restaurants, told KVOA they are not connected to any promotion involving METALLICA, but employees have reported being flooded with calls at their restaurants.

"They were telling us they were getting a lot of random calls talking about tickets and winning concert tickets that we were supposedly selling or raffling off," said Grey. "I don't know which one."

Joe's Crab Shack in Tucson closed its doors earlier in the month, with some employees claiming they found out about the closing from an emergency conference call.

One former employee estimated the location maintained almost 40 jobs.

Check out a video report from KVOA below.

Few rock bands were as successful as the SCORPIONS by the mid-eighties — headlining arenas/stadiums worldwide, scoring two mega-selling albums (the platinum-certified "Blackout" and the triple-platinum-certified "Love At First Sting") and two hit singles/videos ("No One Like You" and "Rock You Like a Hurricane").

But what quite a few newcomers to the band didn't realize was that the SCORPIONS had been regularly recording music since 1972, and that throughout the remainder of the decade, featured two guitarists (Michael Schenker and Uli Jon Roth) at separate points that are considered legendary among the heavy metal masses.

And while such albums as "Lonesome Crow", "Fly To The Rainbow", "In Trance", "Virgin Killer", "Taken By Force", "Tokyo Tapes" and "Lovedrive" did not come close to obtaining the commercial success of the aforementioned eighties-era efforts, they inspired and influenced countless renowned musicians.

"German Metal Machine: Scorpions In The '70s" by Greg Prato is the first book to focus solely on this period of the band. Interviews include such former members as Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell, longtime SCORPIONS producer Dieter Dierks, plus members of other bands that are major admirers, including K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST), Billy Corgan (SMASHING PUMPKINS), Joe Satriani, Tom Hamilton (AEROSMITH), David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT) and Eddie Trunk ("That Metal Show"), among many others, while Kirk Hammett (METALLICA) provides a foreword.

You can now read Hammett's foreword at Amazon.com (click on "Look Inside" to view the text).

Greg Prato is a Long Island, New York-based journalist, who has written for Rolling Stone, Songfacts and Vintage Guitar, and has authored such books as "Survival Of The Fittest: Heavy Metal In The 1990s", "Iron Maiden: '80 '81", "The Eric Carr Story" and "Touched By Magic: The Tommy Bolin Story". "German Metal Machine" is his 19th book overall.

"German Metal Machine: Scorpions In The '70s" is available as a paperback version (222 pages, $16.99), a Kindle download ($9.99), a Nook download ($9.99) and an iBook download ($9.99).

Today marks the release of SLAYER's new single, "You Against You", after the thrash titans unleashed their bloody music video to the world earlier this year. You can purchase the two vinyl editions of the single (in black and bi-colored versions) here.

With the video for "You Against You", SLAYER deliver the prequel to their 2015 release "Repentless", which was shot in a prison near Los Angeles. The main character is once again played by Jason Trost ("Hatchet III"), who narrates the story of his tragic imprisonment, even though he was never guilty of the crime.

For "You Against You", SLAYER travelled into the mojave desert to shoot the clip on an aircraft cemetery and find the a haunted location for their story around the prisoner named Wyatt. Again, the clip was directed by BJ McDonnell.

SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph recently told Be In The Loop Magazine about the "You Against You" clip: "We filmed that in southern California in the Mojave desert, and it was close to an air force base. There's this guy, and he's a collector of like, airplane wrecks, decommissioned planes, that kind of thing, so we went out there and filmed it on this guy's property. It was a huge yard, and it was just amazing. He had a C-130 without the wings, and, you know, how often do you get to sit in the cockpit of one of those things? When I was done with my part of the video, I just walked around all day, sitting in cockpits, checking out these planes. It was awesome. The video is killer, definitely the most fun I've ever had making one. When you see it, just know, those aren't props — that's all real stuff."

"Repentless" was McDonnell's first stint directing a music video. He directed the 2013 horror film "Hatchet III" and has worked as a motion picture cameraman.

"You Against You" is taken from SLAYER's latest album, "Repentless", which is the band's first album to feature guitarist Gary Holt. The EXODUS axeman replaced founding member Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on May 2, 2013 from liver failure. The band's other guitarist, Kerry King, told ArtistDirect how he worked with Holt during the recording of the record. "When I did leads, I probably did half of them," he said. "Gary came in and did his. Then, I probably did the other half of mine. He got to play off of mine on some songs. I got to play off of his on other songs."

He continued: "[Gary] did 'You Against You' before I did mine. I think that one really captured me and Gary playing off each other. He did the first lead and second lead. I did the third and the fourth. The second and third sound like they were written for each other. They play really well off each other."

"Repentless" was released on September 11, 2015 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated "World Painted Blood" was produced by Terry Date, who has previously worked with PANTERA, DEFTONES and SOUNDGARDEN. The artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with the band's Tom Araya and Kerry King.

"Repentless" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 50,000 equivalent album units in the week ending September 17, 2015.

Photo credit: Martin Hausler

The first teaser for "Sounds From The Heart Of Gothenburg", the forthcoming DVD from Swedish metallers IN FLAMES, is available below. The set, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast, was filmed on November 6, 2014 at Hovet in Stockholm and November 7, 2014 at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden.

IN FLAMES recently signed with Nuclear Blast for all territories excluding North America and Scandinavia.

Formed in 1990, the band is considered one of the forefathers of melodic death metal and the purveyors of the "Gothenburg sound." With eleven studio albums released, countless successful tours around the globe, millions of records sold and a massive fanbase worldwide, IN FLAMES has proven to be an unstoppable force in heavy music. From their 1994 debut, "Lunar Strain", to the most recent CD, "Siren Charms" (2014), the band's intricate twin-guitar attack, melodic vocals and superb arrangements have given them a signature sound that has evolved throughout the years.

"In a way, IN FLAMES and Nuclear Blast share a similar story," said IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén. "Both started in a garage in Europe, both love metal and both have grown a lot bigger over the years. For these reasons, it seemed a natural fit to come back to the place it all started."

"We're enormously happy that IN FLAMES decided to return and trust in us for the second time — Nuclear Blast is their home again from now on. I remember well how their debut album, 'Lunar Strain', inspired me back in the days. I was totally fascinated by their great and absolutely unique blend of death metal with delicate melodies," commented Nuclear Blast CEO Markus Staiger. "One year later, IN FLAMES signed with us and released eight splendid records over the years, including groundbreaking classics such as 'Whoracle', 'Clayman' and 'Reroute To Remain'. IN FLAMES developed all the time, reinvented themselves again and again and enthused fans of various genres with their always innovative sound. We're looking forward to the common future with Anders, Björn, Peter and Niclas."

IN FLAMES has been working on a new studio album, the details of which have not yet been announced.

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.

"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

Iron Maiden and Robinsons Brewery have commenced the pre-order for their new brew, Trooper Red ‘N’ Black - at this location. The new limited edition beer from their award-winning Trooper range will be available to fans worldwide from September 1st. Check out a tasting session video below:

Red 'n' Black tasting session from Trooper on Vimeo.

Trooper Red ‘N’ Black porter is the third beer in the Trooper range following on from the stunning success of Trooper and last year’s limited edition Trooper 666. The beer, designed once again by Iron Maiden vocalist and ale aficionado Bruce Dickinson along with Robinsons’ Head Brewer Martyn Weeks, takes its inspiration from a very early Robinsons recipe which was first brewed in the 1850’s; a time when porter style beer was becoming increasingly popular in Britain.

Bruce Dickinson explains: “I like tasting outside the box. Stouts and porters were virgin territory for me so I just went by feel. Martyn and I hope we have created a new take on a classic beer and one which I hope will tickle the taste buds of ale fans in a pleasantly unexpected way.”

At 6.8% in bottle or 5.8% ABV in cask, Trooper Red ‘N’ Black is the strongest beer in the range to date.

Taking its name from both the colour of the beer, which glows red when held up to light, and the song “The Red And The Black” from Iron Maiden’s critically acclaimed 2015 album The Book Of Souls, Trooper Red ‘N’ Black uses a blend of chocolate and crystal malts which help give the beer a roasted malt and caramel backbone. Robinsons yeast, the same strain which has been used in the Stockport brewer’s beers since 1942, provides hints of both liquorice and honey to create a delicious warming brew.

John Robinson, Brands Manager for Robinsons Brewery said: “With millions of pints sold in 55 countries worldwide it’s safe to say that Trooper remains a phenomenal success. Last year, we released Trooper 666 at the request of the fans and this year we are happy to be releasing another limited edition beer that broadens the Trooper range in an ever evolving and vibrant beer market.”

Robinsons have been taking global trade pre-orders from the beginning of March, to try and ensure that the limited edition bottles will be available simultaneously in local outlets in as many countries as possible around the world by autumn.

According to the Surrey Mirror, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson and his son Griffin are among a group of 32 friends who are driving to France with the hope of raising £50,000 for four of their favorite charities. The drivers will travel 832 miles in pairs in cheap cars to raise funds for children, domestic violence victims and those less wealthy than themselves.

The Dash To The Med starts on Wednesday, September from Reigate in Surrey and ends in Cannes, on Saturday, September 24.

The rules of the event are simple — each car has to be worth less than £500 and no GPS navigation or motorways must be used throughout the journey.

For more information, click here.

Being lead singer of IRON MAIDEN is just one of Dickinson's many accomplishments.

He gained a commercial pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s. In 2012 he set up Cardiff Aviation, an aircraft maintenance company which has recently signed an agreement with the Djibouti government to help re-launch their national airline.

The Nottinghamshire-born singer has also relaunched interest in Zeppelin-like airships, having invested a reported £250,000 in the world's largest aircraft: a hybrid of a plane, balloon and hovercraft, the Airlander 10.

If that wasn't enough, he has also created an aircraft fleet as a one-stop solution for airlines to use. On top of this, Dickinson is also an accomplished international fencer.

Having overcome cancer in 2015, the singer is writing his autobiography for release in 2017, crafting a limited-edition beer. This is in addition to the two Trooper beers already in production, which have sold over 3.5 million pints in the U.K.

He has been described as a polymath and, adding to his prodigious talents, he now brings together all his business creativity and experience and, as a speaker, shares it with corporate audiences, entertaining, inspiring and motivating them in keynotes around the world.

Death metal horde WARFATHER, the project fronted by MORBID ANGEL bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker, will release its sophomore album, "The Grey Eminence", on September 16 via Greyhaze Records. The follow-up 2014's "Orchestrating The Apocalypse" was produced by former MORBID ANGEL guitarist Erik Rutan, marking the first time Tucker and Rutan have worked together since MORBID ANGEL's "Gateways To Annihilation" album.

"The Grey Eminence" track listing:

01. Orders Of The Horde02. Headless Men Can No Longer Speak03. Judgement, The Hammer04. For Glory Or Infamy05. The Dawning Inquisition06. Heedless Servant07. Carnage Of The Pious08. Grey Eminence09. Fair And Final Warning

The song "Headless Men Can No Longer Speak" can be streamed using the widget below.

Said Tucker: "I am extremely excited for the release of 'The Grey Eminence'. I feel that this album is one of the best things that I have ever been a part of! Erik Rutan did an amazing job on the production and the songs speak for themselves!" Rutan added: "Recording with Steve and the guys on the new WARFATHER album has been fantastic! It has been a blast to be working on this monster album in the studio once again with my great friend and former bandmate. The songs are heavy as hell and just outright awesome. We have some great tones and performances."

WARFATHER saw Tucker back to fronting a death metal outfit after over a decade since his departure from MORBID ANGEL, and over two years since his participation as a vocalist and writer in the well-received Nader Sadek project.

Tucker said: "WARFATHER is more than just a metal band; it is a belief system and a meeting of the minds, the ones that can see what is truly happening in the times we are living in. [It] is a warning to the eyes that choose to be blind, and a call to arms to the minds that do feel the coming changes. It is pure blackened, apocalyptic death metal."

MORBID ANGEL guitarist Trey Azagthoth announced a year ago that the band had reunited with Steve Tucker and that they were working on material for the group's next record.


The Grey Eminence by Warfather

Montreal's Slaves On Dope have revealed the tracklisting and guests appearing on their upcoming album Horse, due out via the ILS Group (ILS) through its partnership with the Universal Music Group, on September 9th.

Horse tracklisting:
“Electric Kool-Aid”
“Health Food & Heroin’
‘Freebasing”
“K-Hole”
“Script Writer” (with DMC )
‘Interplanetary Mission” (with Mastodon's Bill Kelliher)
“Liquid Sunshine ‘(with HR)
‘Codependency” (with The Damn Truth's Lee-la Baum)
‘P&P”
‘Disco Biscuit”

Formed in 1993 by Jason Rockman, Kevin Jardine, Slaves On Dope somewhat eschewed the grunge music explosion for a new and heavier metal sound. The band relocated from their native Montreal to Los Angeles eventually signing with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s Divine Recordings. The subsequent release, Inches From The Mainline, helped the band reach a much larger audience through radio airplay, retail sales, and touring including Ozzfest and the SnoCore Tour. The group recorded another album in 2003, and shortly after took an extended hiatus, returning with their 2012 independent release Over The Influence.

Horse was recorded in Montreal at Uplift Studio and features several high profile guest musicians. ILS will be undertaking major radio and press campaigns to reintroduce the band to fans new and old. The band will also be playing shows throughout North America starting in September and well into 2017.

 

(Photo - Lana Nimmons)

 

BraveWords brings you the exclusive stream of End The Empire’s new album Ivory. The South Carolina post-hardcore quintet has been slaving over this record for nearly a year. They entered Newland Recordings to track with producer Kevin Newland (Memphis May Fire, Palisades) and create, by far, the most compelling album in End The Empire's repertoire. Ivory is the first record since 2014's Exile EP which was met by fantastic reviews. Now, End The Empire, seek to raise the bar with the release of this new record. 

Guitarist, Steven Bolin, says this about Ivory: "This album has been the culmination of everything we have worked towards as a band for this year. We are beyond excited to release it and can't wait to see what you all have to say about it."

In unison with the release of the new album, End The Empire also announces the IVORY Tour which BraveWords is proud to present.  The tour will be the band’s first headlining run of dates starting August 7th and ending on August 17th. Along with them will be support act Persistent Shadow.  The tour is sponsored by The Monarch Agency and Wavelink.

A new record and a headlining tour, End The Empire will sure be busy for a while. They also are planning a support tour in late August/Early September and will be releasing a music video by the end of the year.

Stay up-to-date with End The Empire by following them on Facebook.

Accept’s guitar powerhouse Wolf Hoffmann's classical handwriting carved a different niche for the German legends since the early music labeling of something called heavy metal, which can be witnessed on his second solo album, entitled Headbangers Symphony, completely dedicated to the grand Classic Maestros, out today via Nuclear Blast. And to coincide with its release is the new video fo the song “Night On Bald Mountain”.

Wolf Hoffmann has a passion. His life-long love and dedication to heavy metal music is documented in dozens of albums spanning four decades with his long time heavy metal band Accept. But beyond heavy metal, Wolf has an incessant craving for the classics, yes, the ones written decades and centuries ago.

Classical music has always been an influence - albeit limited - on Accept's teutonic approach to rock and heavy metal. However, it wasn't until 1997 during a extended hiatus from Accept, that Wolf Hoffmann finally had the chance to fully explore and fulfill this interest by recording his first astounding solo album Classical, a record filled with his rock guitar driven interpretations of some of classical music’s most loved compositions.

"I have always incorporated classical music in my songwriting with Accept, especially with Metal Heart, but I constantly felt there was so much more that I could do and I did not want to overload Accept or force it in any way. I always knew I could make a whole record of it and that’s how the first record Classical was born. Even today, fans tell me that they are still listening to it, that's why it is so fantastic now to do another one."

Headbangers Symphony is truly a bold statement by a genuine musician who simply refused to rest on his laurels and continues to push and challenge himself.

Headbangers Symphony tracklisting:

“Scherzo” (L. v. Beethoven)
“Night On Bald Mountain” (M. Mussorgsky)
“Je Crois Entendre Encore” (G. Bizet)
“Double Cello Concerto in G Minor” (A. Vivaldi)
“Adagio” (T. Albinoni)
“Symphony No. 40” (W. A. Mozart )
“Swan Lake” (P. Tchaikovsky)
“Madame Butterfly” (G. Puccini)
“Pathétique” (L. v. Beethoven)
“Meditation” (J. Massenet)
“Air On The G String” (J. S. Bach)

“Scherzo”:

"I am just so excited about Headbangers Symphony. It has taken a long, long time but here we are, it's done, finally!" Wolf is just bursting with vigor as he talks about his latest labor of love. But why now? "It's truly coincidental, after we completed the last Accept tour, I finally had the time to finish it. I started this a few years ago. The early recordings have been sitting in my archives in my home studio for years, almost completed. The reality was that with the continued success of Accept, I was only able to work on it when Accept was not recording or touring."

The prevalent early challenge was to pick the most suitable compositions. This was an exploratory process that only increased Wolf's adoration for the classics. "I always listen to classical music, it's always playing throughout my house. I have a huge collection of classics and as I listen - often at random, I take notes if something truly strikes me. When I notice that this or that could work in a translation to rock or heavy metal, I remember it and I pursue it! This has been going on for a long time!"

There are several reasons for the necessary experimentations that faced Wolf. Most classical compositions were written to be performed by a full orchestra. The fluid timing, those multiple, complex layers and sections that stretched out for lengthy periods, classical music was simply never designed to be played to the rigid beat so prevalent in rock 'n' roll.

Headbangers Symphony showcases an overabundance of highly skilled improvisations. Wolf took the main pieces, and then wrote riffs that fit them. Lastly, in the grand hard rock tradition, he layered a guitar solo over it. He shaped the sound into a quite adventurous elegance, but the key themes of the originals remained.

The first volume had a focus on the better known pieces; the second - Headbangers Symphony - takes a similar approach. "In general, it does follow the same path," admits Wolf, "but this time I did try to add a couple lesser known compositions. Mostly though, listeners will say, hey, I know that melody… so it’s pretty much the same path as the Classical record. It was my desire to record melodies I like and melodies people recognize."

Now that the album is done, Wolf is proud looking back and is pleased with this true labor of love; something he has wanted to do since the first record Classical came out almost 20 years ago. While Accept's Peter Baltes added several impressive bass lines, and other notable guest musicians made an appearance as well, the bulk of the work was completed by himself and Italian musician and arranger Melo Mafali.

"There are two major categories," Wolf elaborates. "First the heavier stuff like Beethoven, the bombastic, full force epics on which you can simply shred along. Of course then there are the ballads, slower compositions that bring out the deeper feelings in each listener."

The highlights on Headbangers Symphony are plentiful and easy to pin point. The album kicks off with 'Scherzo' from the well-known "9th Symphony" by Ludwig v. Beethoven. Many listeners might recognize the opening riff from the Accept song "Teutonic Terror". "Back in 2009," Wolf explains, "when we started working on the songs for the »Blood Of The Nations« album, I played the classical demos to our producer Andy Sneap. He liked that riff a lot and insisted on using it for the album. So we wrote 'Teutonic Terror' using this "borrowed" riff."

Other highlights follow in rapid succession: "Night On Bald Mountain" by Russian composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is a very dramatic dark song on the theme of a witches’ Sabbath, a perfect fit for Wolf's "metal treatment". "Symphony No. 40" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will be immediately recognizable. "It's a little more up-tempo, pretty happy, typical for Mozart. Not mean and heavy as most of the other stuff," Wolf points out. Additional high-points include Wolf's interpretations of such masterworks as Tchaikovsky’s "Swan Lake," "Pathétique" also from Ludwig v. Beethoven, "Méditation" from the opera Thais by French composer Jules Massenet, and of course the aforementioned "Madame Butterfly".

All in all, the eleven compositions on Headbangers Symphony paint the perfect portrait of Wolf's life-long passion for the classics and his adoration for heavy metal. "I worked so much and so long on this until I felt it was ready. Now it is and I am thrilled and proud. This is my baby, my labor of love, ready for me to set it free."

Watch both Headbangers Symphony trailers below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

US black metal legends Kult Ov Azazel have released a new official video for the song "Dawn of Luciferian Enlightenment".

Comments Xaphan, Kult Ov Azazel frontman: "The video was something we decided to put together using tour footage and photos from the past year. It was conceptualized between myself and Ricktor (Wolfpack 44/Electric Hellfire Club/Coven) with him creating and editing the video."

On January 1st, 2016 Kult Ov Azazel revealed a new pre-production demo track of “Corpus Edimus, Sanguinem Bibimus” on their Facebook page. The pre-pro demo track featured a guest solo by Phil Fasciana of Malevolent Creation. At this time, the band has half of the album recorded as a pre-production demo and continues to forge forward with the pre-production recordings. Violators Of The Covenant will be the first album recorded with the new line-up and will be the first recording appearances of Hag (vocals), Necrol (guitar), Armanen (bass), along with longtime members Xaphan (guitar/vocals) and Hammer (drums). The album will be recorded and produced by the band at S.B.S. Studio in Fort Lauderdale, FL and will include ten tracks. More information will be revealed shortly.