Texas-based classic rockers Scorpion Child release their second album, Acid Roulette, today (June 10th) via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The band has released a music video for "Reaper's Danse". Created by Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Media, the video can be viewed below.

Tracklisting:

“She Sings, I Kill”
“Reaper’s Danse”
“My Woman In Black”
“Acid Roulette”
“Winter Side Of Deranged”
“Séance”
“Twilight Coven”
“Survives”
“Blind Man’s Shine”
“Moon Tension”
“Tower Grove”
“I Might Be Your Man”
“Addictions”

"Reaper's Danse" video:

“My Woman In Black” lyric video:

“She Sings, I Kill” lyric video:

"Acid Roulette chronicles the life trials of a traveling man who was imprisoned for a murderous crime," comments Aryn. "He was forced into confessing by his wife and her wealthy lover so that they could live out their romance without him in the picture. Once sentenced to a life's term, he goes through extreme emotions dealing with the only woman he'd ever loved taking everything he'd known as "real" away from him. He has to create and redefine his own reality accompanied by its roller coaster of emotional reflection. He experiences many different psychological changes throughout the years and escapes by means of drugs and his writings. These songs become his diary of a madman. The focus is mainly on the seasons in a year, for each song represents a month. The songs exist to drive home the full power of human emotion as many albums do, however, Acid Roulette wires us into those extremes."

 

 

(Photo - Rodrigo Fredes)

Montreal based deathcore pioneers, Despised Icon, will release their Nuclear Blast debut, Beast, on July 22nd. Today, the band has released the music video for the song "The Aftermath". Check out the clip, directed by Matt Charland, below:

The new album was produced and engineered by former guitarist Yannick St-Amand (Beneath The Massacre, Neuraxis) and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Opeth, Nevermore). Artwork was created by Alexandre Goulet. Check out the album teaser for Beast below.

"It's been 7 years since our last record and our batteries are fully recharged," comments the band. "The O.G. lineup is back and the new shit hits hard. You'll hear sounds of our older slammin' death metal days blended with the speed and technicality of our latest records. Cheers to everyone that has stood by us after all these years. Can't wait to unleash the Beast."

Beast tracklisting:

“The Aftermath”
“Inner Demons”
“Drapeau Noir”
“Bad Vibes”
“Dedicated To Extinction”
“Grind Forever”
“Time Bomb”
“One Last Martini”
“Doomed”
“Beast”

"Beast" video:

Teaser:

In-studio video:

For many extreme music fans, it may be hard to remember a time before Despised Icon, given the massive influence they’ve subsequently had on the genre. But when the group formed back in 2002 and released Consumed By Your Poison the same year, there was little intersection between the sounds of classic death metal and the brute force of hardcore. But Despised Icon were among the first to fully embrace the signatures of the traditional death metal formula combined with a relentless embrace of breakdowns, part of an emerging new sound.

Now Despised Icon have returned with their upcoming album entitled, Beast. The genre-defining band is fully reawakened, poised to recapture the crown with the monstrous and merciless might of their potent expression. Featuring the men responsible for most of the band’s now classic death metal catalog, Beast is a vicious commentary on the state of the world and the state of music itself.

Despised Icon’s live itinerary can be found here.

(Photo - Charlie Baron)

Berlin, Germany’s Tanzwut will release their tenth studio album, Schreib Es Mit Blut, on July 8th via AFM Records. The band have released a video for the album’s bonus track, “Stille Wasser” (featuring Liv Kristine), which can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“Schreib Es Mit Blut”
“Steig Ein”
“Bruder Leichtsinn”
“Chaos”
“Reiter Ohne Kopf”
“Geteert Und Gefedert”
“Stille Wasser”
“Reicher Als Ein König”
“Hahnenkampf”
“Wenn Ich Tot Bin”
“An Den Klippen”
“Bleib Bei Mir”
“Wer Wir Sind”
“Neue Ufer”

Bonus track:
“Stille Wasser” (featuring Liv Kristine)

“Stille Wasser” (featuring Liv Kristine) video:

“Schreib Es Mit Blut” video:

After celebrating the album release with a live show at this year's RockHarz Festival and playing two other festival gigs, Tanzwut will be on club tour in the fall.

Dates are as follows:

July
7-9 - Ballenstedt - Rockharz Festival
29 - Langen Trechow - Open Air auf dem Nopperhof

August
13 - Aich - Schlosshof Festival

October
7 - Zwickau - Alter Gasometer
8 - Dresden - Tante Ju
14 - Munchen - Backstage Halle
15 - Kaiserslautern - Kammgarn
16 - Nurnberg - Hirsch
20 - Osnabruck - Rosenhof
21 - Rostock - M.A.U. Club
22 - Wilhelmshaven - Pumpwerk

November
3 - Koln - Underground
4 - Aschaffenburg - Colos-Saal
5 - Hannover - Musikzentrum
11 - Hamburg - Knust
12 - Berlin - Postbahnhof Club

December
23 - Polten - Mittelaterspektakel

Deadlock have released a lyric video for “Ein Deutsches Requiem”, a track from their upcoming Hybris album. The clip can be found below.

Sabine Scherer has decided to leave Deadlock to have more time for her family and her two children. Margie Gerlitz has been confirmed as new permanent female singer in the band. Sabine has released a special farewell video for her fans and supporters, including the first audio sample with Margie! Check it out below:

Deadlock have risen from the ashes, scarred, but with their heads held high, fully fuelled with new strength and their well-known passion for releasing their upcoming album, entitled Hybris.

Hybris is set to be released on July 8th via Napalm Records and turns out to be a multi-faceted monster in terms of both shape and content. At the same time it painfully digs through the latest events in the Deadlock camp. Despite the tragic death of founder and drummer Tobias Graf (immortalized with a moment of silence on the album) and the departure of singer Sabine Scherer (now replaced by Margie Gerlitz), the megalomaniac creative urge could not be suppressed.

Sebastian Reichl on Hybris: “Hybris is both powerlessness and hope, melancholia and confidence united, accounting for the past in the truest sense. The effort to meet your demons, to forgive and to find salvation with your own history. The release of dammed aggressions and wash away all fears. Put all wrath and anger in music and lyrics to fill with new passion. This is all what Hybris symbolizes and you can feel it every second on the album. It was our longest trip. Giving up was never an option.”

Hybris tracklisting:

“Epitaph”
“Carbonman”
“Berserk”
“Blood Ghost”
“Hybris”
“Wrath / Salvation”
“Backstory Wound”
“Ein Deutsches Requiem”
“Vergebung”
“Welcome Deathrow”
“Uncivil Hands” (Bonus Track)
“Fight Song” (Bonus Track)

“Ein Deutsches Requiem” lyric video:

“Berserk” video:

Hybris finds its inseparable counterpart in a 90 min. DVD documentary, The Longest Road, that translates the album concept to visuals. The DVD tracklisting reads as follows:

Intro
Winter - Restart
Spring - Songwriting
Summer - Demo
Fall - Pre-Production
Winter - Recordings
Spring - Hybris
Credits

The Longest Road trailer #1:

Deadlock have always been about extremes – and always will be! Fans love these Germans for every emotional force run through the raging depths of death metal, technical prowess, borderline pop-laden melodies, nods to classic metal, and casual flirtation with trance and beats. A gripping and blunt rollercoaster ride that sees light in the blackest night – and that is something only Deadlock can achieve!

See Deadlock live at these upcoming summer festivals:

July
3 - Basinfirefest - Spálené Porící, Czech Republic
7 - Rockharz - Ballenstedt, Germany
8 - Out & Loud - Geiselwind, Germany

August
19 - Summerbreeze - Dinkelsbühl, Germany
20 - Rockin' Rümmerschen - Wenden, Germany
26 - Metalacker Festival - Tennenbronn, Germany

Deadlock lineup:

Margie Gerlitz - Vocals
John Gahlert - Vocals
Werner Riedl - Drums
Ferdinand Rewicki - Guitar
Sebastian Reichel - Guitar
Christian Simmerl - Bass

ESP Guitars has announced that acclaimed guitarist Bill Kelliher of Atlanta-based metal band MASTODON has joined the company's family of endorsed artists. ESP also announced the introduction of two signature series models for Kelliher: the ESP Bill Kelliher and the LTD BK-600EC. Both models will be available later this year. Visitors to ESP's booth at summer NAMM later this month will be able to see the BK-600 in person at Booth 1231 Hall D.

"We are beyond proud to have a guitarist who is as universally respected as Bill in our artist roster," says Chris Cannella, ESP director of artist relations. "MASTODON is a consistent favorite among fellow musicians and fans, crossing multiple genres of metal with an appeal that's like no other band. Bill is a great representative of an ideal ESP player. We're completely stoked to have him onboard."

The new ESP Bill Kelliher and LTD BK-600EC are single-cutaway designs that employ a mahogany body with a traditional full thickness, and no waist cut. The three-piece mahogany neck is joined to the body with set-thru construction at 24.75" scale for smooth and comfortable fast access to the upper frets. The guitars feature an ebony fingerboard with pearloid "ESP Flag" inlays and 22 frets, as well as binding on the body, neck, and headstock.

The new Bill Kelliher models are powered by two of Kelliher's own signature Lace Sensor "Dissonant Aggressor" pickups, a sonically versatile humbucker set with excellent dynamic response, sustain and tone. The guitars also feature locking tuners and a TonePros locking bridge. Kelliher's new signature guitars are being created with a distinctive Military Green Sunburst Satin finish.

More information on the new Bill Kelliher ESP and LTD Signature Series guitars will be available soon via the ESP Guitars web site at www.espguitars.com.

The ILS Group (ILS), a leading distribution and label services company dedicated to bringing independent artists and labels to a major audience, has announced the signing of the nu/alternative metal band SLAVES ON DOPE to an exclusive label and distribution agreement. The group's upcoming release will be marketed and distributed globally by ILS through its partnership with the Universal Music Group.

Formed in 1993 by Jason Rockman and 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".

SLAVES ON DOPE's new record, "Horse", will be released on September 9. It 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 group will also be playing shows throughout North America starting in September and well into 2017.

Said Rockman: "We really can't wait to work with ILS. This album is very important to Kevin and I, and I think this will be a place for us to flourish and continue to put out great records for years to come."

Photo credit: Lana Nimmons

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have unveiled a new song called "We Turn Red", the third track the band has previewed from its eleventh studio album, "The Getaway". The set arrives in stores next Friday (June 17). "We Turn Red" alternates between funky and contemplative passages and follows the first two cuts issued from "The Getaway", "Dark Necessities" and the title track.

Bassist Flea told The Pulse Of Radio that making the new record was more exciting than usual. "Making this one was a really great experience and a new experience," he said. "You know, we've worked with the producer Rick Rubin for the last 25 years and, you know, this is the first time we haven't been with him for so long. We worked with this guy Danger Mouse and it was a much different creative process. And I think it was really healthy for us and as a result, we have a record that I think is really showing some progress in our music-making style."

Prior to the album's release, the CHILI PEPPERS are slated to join James Corden on "The Late Late Show" for "Carpool Karaoke" on June 13.

The band recently filmed a music video for "Dark Necessities" with actress Olivia Wilde directing.

"The Getaway" track listing:

01. The Getaway02. Dark Necessities03. We Turn Red04. The Longest Wave05. Goodbye Angels06. Sick Love07. Go Robot08. Feasting On The Flowers09. Detroit10. This Ticonderoga11. Encore12. The Hunter13. Dreams Of A Samurai

The CHILI PEPPERS are currently in the midst of European festival season, but will play several Canadian festivals next month before headlining Chicago's Lollapalooza on July 30.

Polish death metal veterans VADER will release their new studio album, "The Empire", on September 23 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "Tibi Et Igni" was recorded at Hertz Studios in Bialystok, Poland with producers Wojtek and Slawek Wiesawski.

A special ten-inch single, "Iron Times", will arrive on August 12. It includes the following songs:

Side A

01. Parabellum02. Prayer To The God Of War

Side B

01. Piesc I Stal02. Overkill

The song "Prayer To The God Of War" will also be available digitally.

VADER's Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek states: "I am so excited to announce new VADER album, which will be released by nuclear blast again! 'The Empire' is planned to be out at the end of September 2016. However, we prepared limited EP called 'Iron Times' yet in August! There are two new tracks included plus two bonus songs. All will be available in beautiful folded ten-inch vinyl, for which Joe Petagno himself created amazing cover."

In a 2014 interview with Radio Metal, Wiwczarek spoke about the fact that VADER has been in existence for more than thirty years. He said: "On one hand, I was a bit surprised at how fast time is flowing, because we've been an active band for so many years and I didn't feel that way. It feels like I just started a year ago or something. [Laughs] There was plenty of hard work but so many albums recorded, so many fans, so many countries visited, so I'm kind of proud that although we came from Poland and knew hard times, we still did it as if we couldn't be stopped, thanks to our passion. Actually, passion was a fuel for us to break through all these problems in the past. We just love what we do. We love music. We love metal. We did it for thirty years, and we still have fans who really want to see us and waiting for us every year. That's the best. That's the biggest success for us."

As part of their current recording contract, Five Finger Death Punch were barred from entering the studio to work on their next album until June 05th. It seems they are wasting no time with that limitation having now passed, as the group have been posting footage (see below) of themselves in the studio this week.

Those sessions find them holed up with their longtime producer Kevin Churko, who was dragged a legal dispute filed against the band by their current label Prospect Park. In that suit the label allege that the band had been rushing out subpar material to fulfil their contract, among other claims.

The band have since denied those claims, and despite still being under contract to Prospect Park for one more album, have agreed to sign with Rise Records for their albums that follow this upcoming effort. The aforementioned legal dispute has yet to be resolved, though the band themselves have expressed confidence that it will have a positive outcome for them.

Swedish bass player Magnus Rosén (Shadowside, Hammerfall) has revealed that former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin and former Yngwie Malmsteen and HammerFall drummer Anders Johansson are guests on his new solo album, The World Changes, due out via Brazilian label Furia Music Records on July 8th.

A release gala lunch party on June 17th, at the refined restaurant of Gothia Towers Hotel in Gothenburg, Sweden. On the occasion, Rosén will be accompanied by friends, celebrities and local authorities.

The World Changes is mostly instrumental and shows the versatility of the Swedish musician in an atmosphere outside heavy metal, a genre that brought him worldwide success, a Swedish Grammy nomination and golden records. This new material brings the listeners to an erudite ambiance with the Nordic melancholy in a work filled with expression and sophistication. The songs are interpreted by a quartet of great names of Swedish music such as George Keczán (grand piano), Johan Stengård (saxophone), Carolina Sandgren (vocals) besides Magnus Rosén himself (bass). The CD also brings special appearances from other renowned musicians that will be announced soon.

Check out the The World Changes album cover and tracklisting below:

 

 

"Centuries Of Memories"
"The Bridge From The Past To The Future"
"Soul Essence"
"The World Changes"
"Celestial Port"
"Bach Badinerie"
"Ack Värmeland du Sköna"
"The World Wide Blues"
"E Lucevan Le Stelle"
"The Castle Of Imagination"

Rosén, who has recently been on a promotional tour of his solo album in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, is currently recording the new Shadowside album. The album will feature the collaboration of Andy La Rocque (King Diamond) in the writing of two songs; and in charge of the production is Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, Evergrey, Hammerfall), the same producer of their latest album Inner Monster Out.
 

 

 

Thrawsunblat, the Canadian blackened folk metal brainchild of former Woods Of Ypres guitarist Joel Violette and Immortal Bird vocalist/drummer Rae Amitay, have checked in with the following update:

"Hey folks... er, surprise!

Today we've launched the first stream from Metachthonia: track two, 'She Who Names The Stars'. Available for stream on Bandcamp, it will also be available immediately as a download for anyone who pre-orders, or has pre-ordered. Anyone who pre-orders --or has pre-ordered-- also gets an exclusive, non-streamed track one week before release, as promised. Hope you dig!

Metachthonia by Thrawsunblat

The Metachthonia tracklist is as follows:

"Fires That Light the Earth"
"She Who Names The Stars"
"Dead Of Winter"
"Hypochthonic Remnants"
"Rivers Of Underthought"
"In Mist We Walk"

Thrawsunblat released their second album, Wanderer On The Continent Of Saplings, on March 13th, 2013. A full length clip of the song "Once Foreveined" has been posted online and is available for streaming below.

The tracklist for Wanderer On The Continent Of Saplings is as follows:

"Lifelore Revelation" 
"Once Fireveined"
"We, The Torchbearers"
"Goose River (Mourners' March)'"
"Bones In The Undertow" 
"Wanderer On The Continent Of Saplings"
"Maritime Shores"
"View Of A Million Trees"
"Borea (Pyre Of A Thousand Pine)"
"Elegy Across the Silence"
"Song Of The Nihilist"
"I Am the Viator'"

Swedish metallers SABATON will release their eighth studio album, "The Last Stand", on August 19 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2014's "Heroes" was once again produced by Peter Tägtgren (PAIN, LINDEMANN, HYPOCRISY) and it "marks a brand new chapter in SABATON history," according to a press release.

The official lyric video for the album's first single, "The Lost Battalion", can be seen below.

The story behind the lyrics: "'The Lost Battalion" is the name given to nine companies of the United States' 77th Division during the battle of the Argonne in 1918. Even though these 550-575 brave men were completely surrounded by the German Army and subjected to friendly artillery fire, they kept on fighting for a week until they were relieved. Of the over 500-plus soldiers who entered the Argonne Forest, only 194 walked out unscathed. The rest were killed, missing, captured, or wounded.

SABATON bassist Pär Sundström previously stated about "The Last Stand": "We once again worked with Peter Tägtgren in his newly upgraded and top-class Abyss studio in Sweden to record, produce and mix the album. The mastering [was] done by Jonas Kjellgren who also works in the same building in nice Pärlby on the countryside of Sweden. Both 'Carolus Rex' and 'Heroes' were done in the same way and we [felt] very comfortable to return to the same place and people again. Fans will recognize the sound of the album as SABATON, but we really feel we took it a step forward this time."

The artwork for "The Last Stand" was created by Peter Sallaí, who has worked with SABATON since "Carolus Rex". Sundström explained: "We had the idea to make an image reflecting soldiers of different times representing the different historical battles we sing about on the new album. This only reveals a small part of the album topics though."

Stated SABATON vocalist Joakim Brodén: "The concept of a last stand has always fascinated me, and both me and Pär were 'all in excited' about the subject so it was an easy choice to make."

Added Sundström: "We have always several ideas for albums to work with. Since there are countless different views and angles of war, we will, unfortunately, never run out of ideas. We kinda felt that the last stand was something perfect for SABATON. Something we really wanted to do. 'Heroes' was a perfect theme and 'The Last Stand' is right down our alley too. It was exciting to do the research."

"The Last Stand" will be available in the following editions:

- CD+DVD-Digi (including a concert DVD)- CD- Box (including earbook, 2LP Pic, 12" photo card, 12" poster, three plectra)- 2LP (black, clear, gold, yellow/blue)- Special edition (SABATON tank + box)- Digital

"The Last Stand" track listing:

CD+DVD-Digi

CD

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Bonus:

12. Camouflage13. All Guns Blazing

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

CD

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Earbook

CD:

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion06. Rorke's Drift07. The Last Stand08. Hill 323409. Shiroyama10. Winged Hussars11. The Last Battle

Bonus:

12. Camouflage13. All Guns Blazing14. Afraid To Shoot Strangers

DVD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France):

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

Live CD - Live @ Stereolux, Nantes (France)

01. Intro (The March To War)02. Ghost Division03. Far From The Fame04. Uprising05. Midway06. Gott Mit Uns07. Resist And Bite08. Wolfpack09. Dominium Maris Baltici10. Carolus Rex11. Swedish Pagans12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Attero Dominatus14. The Art Of War15. Wind Of Change16. To Hell And Back17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

2LP - 45 RPM

Side A:

01. Sparta02. Last Dying Breath03. Blood Of Bannockburn04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier05. The Lost Battalion

Side B:

01. Rorke's Drift02. The Last Stand03. Hill 323404. Shiroyama

Side C:

01. Winged Hussars02. The Last Battle

Side D (Bonus):

01. Camouflage02. All Guns Blazing

Mike Preston of Psycho Babble TV recently conducted an interview with legendary drummer Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, LAST IN LINE). You can now watch the chat below.

Asked to recount a wild story from his years on the road, Vinny said: "One time with BLACK SABBATH, we were playing the song 'Black Sabbath'. Whenever something weird happens, it's during that song. It's weird. The weather would start… So were playing in England… Stafford… Ten thousand people, sold out, in an arena. Back then we used smoke during the show, and they put dry ice in a big oil drum barrel full of water. That's how you created smoke back then. Now it's like a little box… Back then, you had to have these barrels and they'd throw the ice in and hoses. So we were playing the song, and we were in the low part, and they put the ice in and the freaking thing explodes behind me. So the water goes up 25 feet in the air, and everybody's, like, 'Yeah!' thinking that's part of the show. But it exploded, and all the water and the ice comes down on the drums and me. And they go, 'Holy shit!' And the drums are, like, [makes thumping sound]. And the band's laughing; Tony [Iommi] loved it, Ronnie [James Dio] was laughing, Geezer [Butler]… It was hilarious. And I'm sitting there, and then all of a sudden, my ass is burning. I was, like, 'What the fuck?' Dry ice went down the crack of my pants, and it's burning, 'cause it sticks to your skin. And I'm, like, 'Oh, shit!' Ten thousand people, [and I said], 'I'll be right back.' I went off the stage to the medics, and the stuff was stuck to my ass. The medics were two women. 'Okay, pull your pants down. We're gonna take that off.' So we all came off stage. They had to wipe up the stage and all that. And they put cream on me, they put bandages. They're asking me, 'Do you wanna go? Can you play the rest of the set? If you can't, cancel it.' The place is sold out. I said, 'Of course.' So I went up with a pillow. And we continued and played the whole set."

Appice joined BLACK SABBATH in 1980 during the "Heaven And Hell" tour and appeared on the albums "Live Evil" (1982) and "Mob Rules" (1981) . In late 1982 he left BLACK SABBATH with vocalist Ronnie James Dio and formed the band DIO. They recorded "Holy Diver" (1983), "The Last in Line" (1984), "Sacred Heart" (1985), "Intermission" (1986), and "Dream Evil" (1987). In December 1989, Appice left DIO. In 1992, he returned to BLACK SABBATH for the "Dehumanizer" album and tour. He then rejoined DIO and they recorded "Strange Highways" (1994) and "Angry Machines" (1996).

Appice rejoined his BLACK SABBATH bandmates Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi in 2006 as HEAVEN & HELL, touring and releasing one studio album, "The Devil You Know", before Dio's death in 2010.

Bigfoot, a hard rock band from Britain, has just signed a multi-album deal with Frontiers Music Srl.

Formed in the spring of 2014, Bigfoot consists of members from various bands from the Northwest England rock scene that combines powerful vocals, dual lead guitars, and a heavy driving rhythm section. With influences stemming from many different rock genres, from the likes of the Eagles to Pantera, this is a band that can be appreciated by a wide range of music fans. Since forming, Bigfoot have toured constantly around the UK and landed slots at the likes of Breakout Festival 2014, Bloodstock Festival 2015 and Hard Rock Hell 2015.

Bigfoot has already released two EPs (self-titled and Stone Soldiers), which both received great critical acclaim from the press, and they are set to commence the recording of their debut full length album after the summer.

Check out two songs from the band:

"The Other Side of Paradise" video:

"Run":

The band says, "We are absolutely thrilled to join the Frontiers family alongside so many of our musical influences and heroes. We hope that together we will have a long and successful relationship and we can't wait to release our debut album in 2017."

Bigfoot are:

Antony Ellis - Lead Vocals
Sam Millar - Guitar
Mick McCullagh - Guitar
Matt Avery - Bass
Tom Aspinall - Drums

(Photo - Neld9 Images)

On June 5, FaceCulture conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine at the FortaRock festival in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. You can now watch the chat in two parts below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how he explains his longevity:

Dave: "I don't know. I'm sure there's a lot of people that wanna know. [Laughs] I think it's just being honest to people. Sometimes people don't want you to be honest with them. [I am honest] sometimes to a fault. I think sometimes I can be blunt, and I think that it's hurt people. It's hurt me. There's things I've said I regret. But would I change anything? No. I love being right here at this moment, and if I changed anything, who knows where we'd be?"

On his main motivation to keep making new music, especially MEGADETH's latest album, "Dystopia":

Dave: "I think a lot of it was… There was some stuff that happened during the summer of 2014 and the whole year of 2015 that really had frustrated us and made us do some big changes with our management, with our staff… A couple of bandmembers had left. And I just knew that I wanted to go back to my roots. And I had said that back after 'Cryptic Writings' when Marty Friedman [guitar] was in the band. I said, 'We need to go back to our roots,' and he quit. 'Cause he wanted to become even more alternative than 'Cryptic Writings' was, and I couldn't go any further. And you see where Marty Friedman's at; he pursued his alternative life now, and he's happy. I'm happy. But I couldn't go that way. I couldn't take MEGADETH into that world. Because MEGADETH isn't an alternative band. It's a metal band. The thing about pop music and where we're at, and having Marty, having Nick [Menza, drums], having any of the guys that have played with us in the past, where they take the music, that's their own contribution. And I think that metal music is a lot different from pop music. What does pop music mean? It stands for 'popular.' So it's the stuff that you hear on the radio, like Rihanna, Beyoncé and stuff like that. It's not music that I particularly listen to. I like listening to music that makes me wanna fight, that makes me wanna drive fast, that makes me wanna do things. And I'm not a big fan of dance tracks [and] never have been. I think that's the beauty of the uniqueness of all of us as people; we're all different, and we all have different music tastes that we like."

"Dystopia" shifted 49,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending January 28. In terms of pure album sales, it opened with 48,000 copies, marking MEGADETH's highest-charting album since 1992's "Countdown To Extinction" debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the chart dated August 1 of that year. "Dystopia" also logged the group's best sales week since 2007, when "United Abominations" landed at No. 8 with first-week sales of 54,000.

The newest heavy metal quartet has debuted, but to the disappointment of more than 150,000 Motörhead fans, none of the members will be named for late rock legend Lemmy Kilmister, who died last December, reports David R. Merrell of ABC News.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) announced Wednesday (June 8th) that four newly discovered elements added to the periodic table have been named by their discoverers and are up for public review.

A change.org petition aimed to name one of the superheavy elements "lemmium" was perhaps doomed from the start, as IUPAC has strict guidelines for the naming of elements:

"Keeping with tradition, newly discovered elements can be named after a mythological concept or character (including an astronomical object); a mineral or similar substance; a place, or a geographical region; a property of the element or a scientist."

Learn more at this location.

 

Richmond, Virginia's speed metal punks MUNICIPAL WASTE have announced the addition of Nick Poulos on second guitar.

Guitarist Ryan Waste comments: "Nick joining the WASTE is a big deal for us. We couldn't just add anyone to the fold. It had to be a close friend, and he's one of our best buds in fact. It doesn't hurt that he can play his ass off too! He gets our style and totally adds to it, making us an even heavier force to be reckoned with. We're all having a blast working together, cooking up new tunes and pulling out some classic WASTE cuts for this upcoming European tour!"

Poulos adds: "I couldn't be more thrilled about teaming up with the WASTE! We're no strangers when it comes to making music together and when they asked me to join on second guitar, there was zero hesitation. The history of this band and watching the growth has not only made me proud but excited for the future."

Poulos currently plays with Ryan in VOLTURE and BAT, and previously played with bassist Phil Hall in CANNABIS CORPSE.

MUNICIPAL WASTE will embark on a European headlining tour in June and July. This marks the bands return to the continent since 2012, with appearances at the esteemed open-air festivals Hellfest, Download, Resurrection and Graspop Metal Meeting, among others.

Photo credit: Kip Dawkins

Fan-filmed video footage of KREATOR's June 3 performance at Metalhead Meeting at Arenele Romane in Bucharest, Romania can be seen below.

In early 2017, KREATOR will tour Europe in support of its upcoming, yet-untitled new record. Legendary guitarist/singer Mille Petrozza and his crew will be accompanied by a varied as well as iconic billing. Brazilian-American extreme metal pioneers SEPULTURA are announced to be direct support to the headliners, followed by visionary Swedish melodic death metallers SOILWORK and Belgium's finest death/grind outfit ABORTED.

Commented Petrozza: "Finally we are gonna be back on a headlining tour through Europe again. It will be more than two years by then since our last run and we have some amazing ideas for a new stage show, supporting our new album. It will be nothing less than spectacular, I promise! Looking forward to see all of you metal maniacs in 2017. And this will just be the beginning..."

KREATOR is working on material for the follow-up to its 2012 album, "Phantom Antichrist", for a tentative 2017 release.

"Phantom Antichrist" sold 3,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at No. 1 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Fan-filmed video footage of ABBATH, the band led by ex-IMMORTAL frontman Olve Eikemo (a.k.a. Abbath), performing on June 5 at the FortaRock festival at Goffertpark in Nijmegen, the Netherlands can be seen below.

ABBATH's self-titled debut album was released on January 22 via Season Of Mist.

Bass duties for ABBATH are being handled by a man familiar to metal fans across the world — Tom Cato Visnes, more widely known as King Ov Hell and main composer for several GORGOROTH albums as well as his own bands OV HELL, with singer Shagrath from DIMMU BORGIR, and GOD SEED, with exceptional black metal vocalist Gaahl.

In an interview with Australia's TheMusic.com.au, Abbath spoke about the circumstances surrounding his departure from IMMORTAL and his decision to launch a new group. "I feel like I've been fired," he said. "It was never my intention to go solo but I really feel like I've been forced into it. Apparently they [lyricist/guitarist Demonaz and drummer Horgh] are going to continue on [as IMMORTAL] without me and that's fine — but it was very disappointing that no one, not even [IMMORTAL's record label] Nuclear Blast, wanted to hear my side of the story. The other guys wanted to do things solely on their timetable and also claimed that I need to go to rehab, which was just nonsense, because I've always delivered, live and in the studio — always."

He continued: "I just think they ended up being in it for the wrong reasons. They weren't showing any passion for what we were doing.

"Even though my new band is called ABBATH, it finally feels like I'm in a real band — part of a group of musicians who have a great dialogue and share a passion for the music. It didn't feel like that in IMMORTAL for a long time."

Former DEVILDRIVER drummer John Boecklin has launched a new project called I OF TONGUES. The group, which also features guitarist Max Karon, has entered Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with acclaimed producer Mark Lewis (WHITECHAPEL, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CANNIBAL CORPSE).

Says Boecklin: "I've been working on this music a little over a year with Max.

"My main focus in the beginning was to not repeat myself musically with a DEVILDRIVER part 2.

"To me, the band is musically and vocally more adventurous. More singing than screaming and more technical than straightforward.

"It feels great to put this together and come back with something that turned out so unique.

"Can't wait to release stuff, but in the meantime here is a teaser with some demo stuff we did before entering the studio."

Boecklin exited DEVILDRIVER in October 2014. He played his last show with the band as part of that year's Knotfest in Devore, California.

Foghat comes full circle with their new album Under The Influence, released Friday, June 24th. Drawing from their collective musical influences, the band not only brought in some special guests from their past who helped launch and inspire the Foghat story, but also invited some new friends into the mix to continue the journey of this never idle band. BraveWords is premiering the brand new song, "Upside Of Lonely".

About the track the band comment: "The idea of the song is all about being single and not moaning about it. It’s a pretty cool song and so many people that have heard it, relate to it LOL. Roger first heard Tom Hambridge (our Grammy winning producer) sing it in the round acoustically at the BlueBird Café in Nashville. It was played as a slow blues. Roger really liked the song and they lyrics and the band pre-recorded it as a more Memphis Blues up-tempo type of tune. When Tom heard it, he liked it and there ya go. Scott Holt, our special guest who played with Buddy Guy for ten years, sang lead vocals on the track along with playing guitar (along with Kim Simmonds and Bryan Bassett). It is just a cool song and is appealing to all types of fans.”

BraveWords' Martin Popoff spoke to leader Roger Earl for an upcoming feature and he explains more background about the track in this audio clip here.

 
They started recording at their Florida studio, Boogie Motel South in 2013. In addition to Foghat members Roger Earl, Craig MacGregor, Charlie Huhn and Bryan Bassett,  two additional figures helped shape the sessions - Buddy Guy alumni, Scott Holt, who lent a hand in the writing, and added fantastic guitar and vocals to several tracks, and Grammy winning producer/songwriter, Tom Hambridge.  
 
With their resident genius, guitarist Bryan Bassett at the helm, the project was going slow since Bryan was doing triple duty, playing, writing and recording the tracks, while in the midst of a Foghat tour. So Tom Hambridge came aboard. According to Roger Earl "I met Tom when presenting three awards to Buddy Guy and Tom (his producer) at the Memphis Blues Awards.  Tom said that he was a fan, and would love to produce a Foghat record. Putting that in the back of my mind, this was the perfect opportunity. Tom came down to Boogie Motel South to meet the band and we clicked and started writing together immediately. Working with him was inspirational!
 
During this time, an opportunity arose for some "other" recording at Dark Horse Institute in Nashville for a friend's graduation project. Scott, Bryan and Roger recorded six tracks and a new "band", Earl And The Agitators, with Scott Holt as lead guitar/vocals was born.  They are now playing some dates opening for Foghat with Roger and Bryan doing double-duty.  This great experience prompted Foghat to move the recording of Under The Influence to Dark Horse Studios where they brought in two of their major influences.
 
Foghat was spawned from the British Blues band Savoy Brown in 1971, so it was fitting to ask Savoy founder and guitarist Kim Simmonds to join in. As Roger Earl puts it “Kim gave me my shot!” As soon as Kim started playing, everyone was mesmerized!
 
Included on this release is a new recording of "Slow Ride” to celebrate the 40th anniversary. They invited Nick Jameson, (original bass player and producer of “Slow Ride” on the 1975’ Fool For The City album) to play along with Foghat bassist Craig MacGregor who played bass on Foghat LIVE (1977). They had a blast, and Foghat lead singer, Charlie Huhn, was as usual at the top of his game with his incredible vocals and guitar work.
 
And to round out the project the amazing Dana Fuchs added some of her bluesy/sultry vocals to a couple of tracks.
 
Three years in the making, Foghat had fun with this record and the result is an eclectic blend of rock and blues with a little funk and R&B on the side for good measure. It showcases the combined talent of all of the members both in the writing and the playing. This band never stops.

Under The Influence tracklisting:
“Under The Influence”
“Knock It Off”
“Ghost”
“She’s Got A Ring In His Nose”
“Upside Of Lonely”
“Heard It Through The Grapevine”
“Made Up My Mind”
“Hot Mama”
“Heart Gone Cold”
“Honey Do List”
“All Because Of You”
“Slow Ride”

Teaser:

Melodic metallers, Temperance, will release their new album, The Earth Embraces Us All, on September 16th via Scarlet Records. The album artwork has once again been made by Gustavo Sazes (Kamelot, Arch Enemy, Morbid Angel).

Tracklisting:

“A Thousand Places”
“At The Edge Of Space”
“Unspoken Words”
“Empty Lines”
“Maschere”
“Haze”
“Fragments Of Life”
“Revolution”
“Advice From A Caterpillar”
“Change The Rhyme”
“The Restless Ride”

Singer Chiara Tricarico comments: “This is without any doubt the most complex and mature album we’ve ever done. It basically gave us the chance to add many new elements to our music. Most of the songs in our previous albums were short and straight to the point, these new ones are longer and stylistically challenging, it takes time to fully grasp their essence. The Earth Embraces Us All is the natural evolution of our musical path, we are very proud of it, I think it represents us well!”

Introducing... Lyle the Executioner (pictured above) - now drumming for the Headstones on stage and in the studio. "Obviously, he gives zero fucks," says the band.

Lyle replaces Dale Harrison who left the band last month; Dale's statement reads as follows:

"It is with mixed emotion that I announce my departure from the Headstones drum chair to make way for other endeavors. It has been a 22 year adventure that has now come to a close for me with the band," says Dale Harrison.

"In May ‘94 I was recruited to tour Picture Of Health, record and help finish the second album Teeth & Tissue; after the departure of Mark Gibson - the drummer who helped craft the first disc. I was accepted as the new member by our fans and have been the drummer ever since. It is my hope that Headstones fans will show whomever replaces me the same respect I’ve enjoyed ever since. In 2003 after 9 ½ years of hardcore touring and five albums later the Headstones took a much needed hiatus. In 2011 we reunited and continued to hammer out our brand of chaos to incredible audiences and played slews of awesome gigs across Canada and bordering US cites. During that time we also accomplished production of two fresh albums and a 12" vinyl single.

I will always reflect on this time in my life with great pride but I feel it is now time to move on and follow my own aspirations. I wish the best to the boys in the band whom I’ve called brothers for many years. I will miss the team at Bernie Breen management who were and will always be like family to me. Perhaps one day our schedules will align again! Until then, adios amigos! All the best! Be well! Oh and stay tuned folks for what projects I've got coming up! PVTA!"

The Sound Of Music Festival in Burlington, Ontario presents The Cult, Headstones, The Glorious Sons and more on June 11th. Go to this location for details and ticket links, check out the event page here for updates.

Crobot are streaming their new single, “Not For Sale”, as the first sneak peek to their upcoming album, Welcome To Fat City. From start to finish, and in true Crobot fashion, this ripper doesn't stop twisting and turning like a hard rock tidal wave. It gives you just enough time to come up for air, only to get pummelled back into the groovy undertow.

The single is a follow-up to their debut album, Something Supernatural, which saw the Pennsylvania-based four-piece dominate the US and European live scene, landing them direct support slots with the likes of Motörhead, Volbeat, Anthrax, Clutch, Black Label Society, Chevelle, and more.  

Recorded with producer, Machine (Clutch, Lamb of God, Every Time I Die), and mixed by legendary engineer Alan Moulder (Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, Them Crooked Vultures, Led Zeppelin), Welcome To Fat City is set to be released on September 23rd via Wind-Up Records.

Catch the band on the road this summer with Sevendust (full tour schedule below).

June
15 - Frankfurt, Germany - Zoom Club (with Monster Truck)
16 - Heerlen, Netherlands - Heerlen Theater - Limburg Hall
18 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
19 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop
20 - Oxford, United Kingdom - O2 Academy 2
21 - Milton Keynes, United Kingdom - Craufurd Arms
22 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - The Courtyard
23 - London, United Kingdom - 02 Academy 2 Islington
24 - Lille, France - International Lille Tattoo Convention

August
2 - Bloomington, IL - Castle Theater *
3 - Minneapolis, MN - Mill City Nights*
5 - Sturgis, ND - Full Throttle Saloon*
6 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theater*
7 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex*
9 - Regina, SK - Conexus Convention Hall*
10 - Calgary, AB - Marquee Beer Market & Stage*
11 - Edmonton, AB - The Ranch*
12 - Saskatoon, SK - Saskatoon Events Center*
14 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre*
17 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House*
19 - Council Bluffs, IA - River Riot*
20 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note* (also with Killswitch Engage)

September
17 - Revolution Rock Festival - Mashantucket, CT
18 - Chester, PA - Rock Allegiance Festival

October
1  - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
2 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival

January
16-20 - Shipwrecked 2017

* with Sevendust

On July 22nd, West Coast progressive heavy metallers Hammers Of Misfortune will release their sixth full-length, Dead Revolution, worldwide via Metal Blade Records. Hammers Of Misfortune enlisted Nick Dumitriu (Vhöl, Ritual Chamber) to produce this record, utilizing a vintage Trident board and minimizing digital processing. The result is a warm, sharp sound that harkens back to productions like John Leckie's treatment of Pink Floyd's Meddle or David Hitchcock's master work in Camel's Mirage. For a preview of Dead Revolution, listen to the album’s title track, streaming below.

Recorded at Light Rail Studios in San Francisco, CA, Dead Revolution is more varied than its predecessor (2011's 17th Street), by using different tones, and delving into heavier, darker territory. With tracks like the stupendous "The Precipice", the raging "Flying Alone", and the riff-organ fest that is "Dead Revolution", Hammers Of Misfortune have found a way to indulge their progresssive and psychedelic tendencies while remaining decidedly metal.

That's not to say Dead Revolution is without its slow-burners: "Here Comes The Sky" pivots off a Pink Floyd axis (think "A Pillow In The Wind") - with its soft strums, careful vocal interplay, and delicate percussion - before jettisoning into traditional heavy metal motifs.

"Of course, every song stands out to me," says principal songwriter and guitarist John Cobbett. "I've no idea how listeners will react to them. “The Velvet Inquisition” is probably one of the most ambitious compositions we've ever recorded. I was trying some different writing methods and the results are…interesting. “Days Of '49” is an attempt to repurpose an old traditional folk song, which is new for us."

Dead Revolution tracklisting:

“The Velvet Inquisition”
“Dead Revolution”
“Sea Of Heroes”
“The Precipice (Waiting For The Crash…)”
“Here Comes The Sky”
“Flying Alone”
“Days Of '49”

“Dead Revolution”:

Pre-order the album in various formats at this location.

Hammers Of Misfortune lineup:

John Cobbett - guitar
Will Carroll - drums, percussion
Sigrid Sheie - organ, piano
Leila Abdul-Rauf - guitar, vocals
Joe Hutton - vocals
Paul Walker - bass

Legendary US metal band, Heir Apparent, have joined forces with No Remorse Records for a new album that will be released during 2017.

Seattle, WA's Heir Apparent was founded in 1984 by guitarist Terry Gorle. The first album, Graceful Inheritance, that was released in January of 1986, is considered as one of the best US metal albums of the 80s and the second album, One Small Voice (1989), one of the best progressive metal albums of all time.

Although the future looked bright, tensions surrounding commitment and finances within the band caused a rift that split the group. In 2000, Heir Apparent reunited at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany, and in the next years more shows followed with different lineups.

The current lineup of Heir Apparent consists of original members Terry Gorle (guitars), Derek Peace (bass), Ray Schwartz (drummer) with the addition of Op Sakiya (keyboards) and the great new singer Will Shaw. This lineup dominated Up The Hammers (Greece) and Keep It True (Germany) festivals during 2016 and with this full comeback, the time is right for a new album that will be released in 2017.

Details to follow.

Portuguese progressive metalcore outfit, Borderlands, will release their debut full length, Voice Of The Voiceless, on June 10th. Mixed and mastered by Nicolas Delestrade (Betraying The Martyrs, Novelists), he helped the quintet find the exact sound they were looking for following their 2012 EP, Awaken Dreamers. The album’s lead track, "Continuum”, is streaming below.

"This album is definitely stepping up our game, we’ve put a lot of effort into this and hope that everyone enjoys it and loves it as much as we do," says vocalist Rui Martins.

Pre-order a digital copy of Voice Of The Voiceless here, or for physical copies and pre-order bundles visit this location.

Tracklisting:

"Continuum"
"Children Of The Storm"
"Release Yourself"
"Lineage"
"Limitless"
"Essencia"
"Voice Of The Voiceless"
"The Curse"
"Children Of The Sun"

"Continuum”:

"Children Of The Sun" video:

 

 

Southern California's veteran sludge-rock trailblazers -(16)- are set to return with their seventh full-length album, Lifespan Of A Moth, the band's heaviest, darkest, and most complex material to date. Check out the new video for the album track “Peaches, Cream And The Placenta”, streaming below.

Self-produced by the band and recorded with Jeff Forrest (Cattle Decapitation, The Locust) at Doubletime Recording Studio in San Diego, CA, Lifespan Of A Moth sees the band sounding uglier, rawer and more visceral than ever. Down-tuned feedback-driven riffs and bludgeoning rhythms violently clash with vocalist Chris Jerue's distorted, tortured howls across eight tracks of -(16)-'s signature blend of hardcore punk, thrash and sludge. Lifespan Of A Moth is the sound of a band that has spent 25 years wallowing in addiction and anguish, and will leave you feeling crushed and confronted by the negativity of existence.

Lifespan Of A Moth is set for release this July 15th via Relapse on CD/LP/Digital. Physical pre-orders via Relapse.com can be found at this location; digital pre-orders are available through the band's Bandcamp page, here.

Lifespan Of A Moth tracklisting:

“Landloper”
“Peaches, Cream And The Placenta”
“The Morphinist”
“The Absolute Center Of A Pitch Black Heart”
“Gallows Humor”
“Secrets Of The Curmudgeon”
“Pastor In A Coma”
“George”

“Peaches, Cream And The Placenta” video:

“The Absolute Center Of A Pitch Black Heart”: