Creepsylvania's favorite hooded, cannibal splatterthrashers, Ghoul, will return with their fifth studio album this summer. Fittingly titled Dungeon Bastards, the 11 track audio abduction was recorded and mixed by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City) at Antisleep Studios in Oakland, California, mastered by Dan Randall (Impaled, Annihilation Time, Fucked Up, Necrot) at Mammoth Sound in San Francisco, California, and comes adorned in the ghoulightful graphics of Mark W. Richards of Heavy Hand Illustration (Pig Destroyer, The Black Dahlia Murder, Toke, Black Fast). With Dungeon Bastards, the metal punk maniaxe in Ghoul will rip your flesh with speed and riffs... before eating it.  
 
Ghoul's Dungeon Bastards will rear its mutinous head from the subterranean bowls of Creepsylvania on July 29th on CD, vinyl, and digital formats courtesy of the sound assassins at Tankcrimes Records.  

Dungeon Bastards CD preorders are currently available for just $6.66 this week only at this location. The record will also be obtainable as a diehard limited edition gatefold LP (appropriately on splatter vinyl) which opens into the Dungeon Bastardsboard game (full game details to be revealed next week). The diehard edition includes a digital download card (you get "Ghoulunatics," instantly), four two-sided Dungeon Bastards game chips, a screen-printed character sheet and poster! Reserve your copy today before they are no more here. The record will also come in slime green and blood red vinyl options, currently available for preorder at this location.

Tracklisting:

“Ghetto Blasters”
“Bringer Of War”
“Shred The Dead”
“Dungeon Bastards”
“Ghoulunatics”
“Blood And Guts”
“Word Is Law”
“Death Campaign”
“Guitarmageddon”
“Abominox”

“Ghoulunatics”:

Dungeon Bastards by Ghoul

Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH will release the ultimate collectors' piece, the "25 Years Of Musical Deviance" box set, on July 29. 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The set is limited to 1,000 units worldwide; only 585 will be available in the U.S. exclusively via the Nuclear Blast webshop.

The "25 Years Of Musical Deviance" box set will include

* Outer case with 3D cover art* Slipmat with exclusive design* 100-page hardcover book with lyrics and previously unreleased photos* Blu-ray with all music videos and previously unreleased studio footage* (17) ultra-clear, 180-gram 12-inch vinyl featuring brand new artwork Below are the vinyl that are included in the box set:

* "Meshuggah" EP - single, 45rpm vinyl* "Contradictions Collapse" - double, 33 1/3rpm vinyl* "None" EP - single, 33 1/3rpm vinyl* "Destroy Erase Improve" - double vinyl, 45rpm vinyl* "Chaosphere" - double vinyl, 45rpm vinyl* "Nothing" - double vinyl, 45rpm vinyl* "I" EP - single vinyl, 33 1/3rpm vinyl* "Catch 33" - double vinyl, 33 1/3rpm vinyl* "Obzen" - double vinyl, 45rpm vinyl* "Koloss" - double vinyl, 45rpm vinyl

Blu-ray track listing:

Music Videos

* "Abnegating Cecity"* "Terminal Illusions"* "New Millennium Cyanide Christ"* "Rash In All Gays"* "Rational Gaze"* "Shed"* "Breaking Those Bones Who Sinews Gave It Motion"* "Demiurge"* "I Am Colossus"

Studio Videos:

* "Contradictions Collapse"* "None"* "Destroy Erase Improve"* "Chaosphere"* "I"

Check out the teaser video for MESHUGGAH's upcoming release below.

MESHUGGAH will embark on a European tour in the winter. Main support on the trek will come from U.S. metallers HIGH ON FIRE.

The European headlining tour will follow the release of MESHUGGAH's highly anticipated new album, expected this autumn.

HELLYEAH's new album, "Unden!able", arrives on June 3. In addition to current single "Human", the set features a cover of Phil Collins's "I Don't Care Anymore".

The song features a guitar track from late PANTERA guitarist and HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott's brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, which Vinnie and Dimebag first recorded 14 years ago. Dimebag was shot to death in 2004 in a nightclub.

Vinnie told Rolling Stone about the track: "When Kevin [Churko, producer] got [Dimebag's original] tracks isolated, he synched them up, and when we listened them it totally gave me goosebumps.

"We've always felt like [Dimebag's] been a part of this band since day one. We felt like his energy and his spirit was always with us. And for people to be able to hear him again in 2016 puts a big smile on my face."

Added HELLYEAH singer Chad Gray: "It was like Dime was in an iso-booth tracking in the next room while I was singing my parts. Tracking that song was one of the most magical moments I've felt in my entire career. … After we recorded the first four vocal lines, Kevin called me on the intercom and said, 'I'm just gonna tell you right now. You're gonna be singing this song for the rest of your life. It's going to be amazing."

Gray said about the song, "I needed to make it ours… People are going to love it. What I really hope is that Phil Collins loves it."

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH's entire May 29 performance at the River City Rockfest in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hangar 1802. The Threat Is Real03. Sweating Bullets04. She-Wolf05. Post American World06. Trust07. Fatal Illusion08. Symphony Of Destruction09. Dystopia10. Peace Sells11. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

MEGADETH played its first show with drummer Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) on May 20 at the Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio.

MEGADETH recruited Verbeuren to play drums for the band while Chris Adler is busy touring with LAMB OF GOD.

Adler played drums on MEGADETH's latest album, "Dystopia", and has taken part in most of the band's live shows in support of the CD so far. On those shows where Adler was unable to play with MEGADETH, he was temporarily replaced by Tony Laureano (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, NILE, ANGELCORPSE), the veteran extreme-metal skinsman who has worked as MEGADETH's drum tech since 2011. However, going forward, MEGADETH will utilize the services of Verbeuren, the 40-year-old Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer who has been playing with SOILWORK since 2005.

Verbeuren was recommended for the MEGADETH job by Adler, who called Dirk "probably [one of the] top three drummers in the world."

Inner Wound Recordings released Warsaw, Poland-based prog band Votum’s new album, :KTONIK:, back in February . The album track “Vertical” is now available for streaming below.

Votum combines dark and vibrant atmosphere with metal traditions, bringing both force and ambience to play. The band is no stranger to musical diversity with subtle cinematic frailty and modern electronica. Dealing in powerful guitars and acoustic ballads Votum creates a very specific blend of fresh and unusual approach to progressive rock and metal.

:KTONIK: was recorded and mixed by David Castillo at Ghost Ward (Katatonia, Opeth, Bloodbath).

Tracklisting:

“Satellite”
“Greed”
“Spiral”
“Blackened Tree”
“Simulacra”
“Prometheus”
“Horizontal”
“Vertical”
“Last Word”

“Spiral” lyric video:

“Satellite” video:

Upcoming Votum tour dates:

September
23 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Forbrændingen
26 - London, UK - Garage
27 - Paris, France - La Boule Noire
28 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
29 - Munich, Germany - Backstage

October
14 - Bucharest, Romania - Maximum Rock Festival

Votum is:

Bartosz Sobieraj - vocals, accustic guitar
Piotr Lniany - guitar
Adam Kaczmarek - guitar
Zbigniew Szatkowski - keyboards
Bartek Turkowski - bass
Adam Lukaszek - drums

Emerging Hertfordshire, UK-based melodic death metal quartet, Countless Skies, are streaming a new song from their upcoming debut album, New Dawn. The new track, “Daybreak”, can be found below.

New Dawn was recorded by Danny Biggin at HVR Studios before seeing its mix and master under the scrutiny of Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio. The artwork was crafted once again by the talented Carl Ellis. New Dawn is scheduled for release on June 24th via Kolony Records.

Tracklisting:

“Aubade”
“Heroes”
“Incendium”
“Solace”
“Daybreak”
“Ethereal”
“Wanderer”
“Return”

“Daybreak”:

Pre-order New Dawn here.

Named after the Be'lakor song “Countless Skies”, the English quartet burst onto the modern metal scene with their blend of progressive and darkly intense music influenced by their Scandinavian melodeath heroes, the self-titled EP began a flood of shows up and down the UK. After winning the Bedfordshire “Metal To The Masses” competition, Countless Skies played a triumphant gig on the New Blood stage at the UK’s #1 independent metal festival, Bloodstock Open Air, in ummer 2015. With such a tremendous start, the future looks bright for Countless Skies.

Catch Countless Skies live:

June
3 - The Castle Tavern - Luton, UK

July
2 - The Portland Arms - Cambridge, UK

September
17 - Warhorns Festival 2016 - Selby, UK

American power metal band Sunless Sky have welcomed new drummer, Coltin Rady, to the fold. 

"Coltin comes into Sunless Sky with a level of skill and passion that is going to take the music and live shows to the next level. With this solidified line up Sunless Sky is ready to begin the final stages of writing for their second album. Sunless Sky wishes former drummer Robert Brant all the best in his future endeavor's in life and music. Sunless Sky's critically acclaimed debut album, Firebreather, is available through Pure Steel Records."

Sunless Sky is:
Juan Ricardo - vocals
Harry Hillock - guitars
Curran Murphy - guitars
Kevin Czarnecki - bass
Coltin Rady -  drums

For information on Sunless Sky go to this location.

In 2015, guitarist Curran Murphy's Shatter Messiah signed a worldwide deal with Sleazy Rider Records. They are led by Murphy and drummer Robert Falzano (ex-Annihilator), and have as new bass player Kelly Conlon (ex-Death).

Shatter Messiah's first two albums Never To Play The Servant and God Burns Like Flesh were released by Dockyard 1 and their third album, Hail The New Cross, was released in October 2013 by Mausoleum Records.

Check out Shatter Messiah here.

Brazilian female fronted metal band, Shadowside, has arrived in Sweden for the recordings of their fourth studio album. The band has been focused on the pre-production of the new album over the past few months and are already at Fredman Studio in Gothenburg, where they started the official recordings of the album. The record will feature Swedish bass player Magnus Rosén (ex-Hammerfall) debuting as the band's new bassist.

The band is already with producer Fredrik Nordström (Arch Enemy, Evergrey, Hammerfall), who produced the band's previous album, Inner Monster Out. They will work together over the next four weeks until the conclusion of the new material.  

The new Shadowside album features the collaboration of Andy La Rocque, guitarist known worldwide for his work with King Diamond. La Rocque wrote a few songs together with Magnus Rosén which will be on the new album.

Shadowside posted the first photos from Sweden on the band's official Facebook page and they will post frequent updates for fans to follow the entire recording and production process. Check it out at this location.

In a new interview with music writer Joel Gausten, legendary hard rock vocalist Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple,Yngwie Malmsteen) discusses a number of topics including the new album by his Sunstorm project, his longevity in the music industry and his current relationship with his former Rainbow/Deep Purple bandmate Ritchie Blackmore. An excerpt from the chat appears below:
 
Gausten: Much has been made in the press about your comments about Ritchie Blackmore’s new incarnation of Rainbow, while a recent statement from Ritchie (found here) was very complimentary towards you and your work in Deep Purple. How would you best characterize your current relationship with him?

Turner: "We do not talk in person or on the phone, mostly due to our schedules. We send messages through email, mostly through his manager because that is the way he likes it and I respect that. I was very pleased and humbled by his kind words about how I should have been inducted (into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) also, and he has often said Slaves and Masters is one of his favorite Deep Purple albums."
 
Gausten: Hindsight seems to have been very kind to the Slaves And Masters album, with many fans discovering or re-discovering it as time carries on. Why do you feel the album keeps growing in popularity year after year?

Turner: "The strength of the songs and musicianship keeps it alive. It is the kind of record that stands the test of time very well."
 
Gausten: Of all your many past musical projects, which ones would you like to create new music with if given the chance?

Turner: "Most all of them... but Rainbow, Deep Purple, Malmsteen and Hughes Turner Project (HTP) would be great to resurrect. I do not think it will ever be possible. but I also always say, never say never."
 
Gausten: What has been the key to your longevity in this industry?
 
Turner: "I think maybe my diversity and passion. I am able to write and sing all genres of music and all sub-genres of rock music...melodic, metal, symphonic...you name it! And my passion also drives me. I am so grateful to be able to make a living doing what I love. Not everyone in the world can say that. Of course, I have to mention that the fans keep me going as well. As long as they want me to continue making music, that helps drive my passion."
 
The complete interview is available here.

According to a report by CBS Los Angeles, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has contributed $2,500 to help catch a dog killer in Boyle Heights, CA. His contribution boosted the reward to $22,500 being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit. The canine was killed around 1:30 p.m. on May 14 in the 1600 block of East First Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

A witness told police he saw a small dog jump out of a Dodge Caravan. The driver also got out, chased down the dog and repeatedly punched it before throwing it down onto the sidewalk until the animal was dead. The man got back into his van and took off.

Go to this location for more details.

See Black Sabbath's world wide itinerary below. These dates mark the end of the epic journey that Black Sabbath began nearly five decades ago. The massive 2016 The End world tour by the greatest metal band of all time will take the band to Australia and New Zealand in April, then Europe fora mix of summer headlining and festival performances, before returning to North America in August.

As previously announced, a special fans-only CD featuring original artwork by Shepard Fairey/Obey Giant is being sold at shows along the tour route. The CD is comprised of eight previously unreleased tracks: four songs are outtakes from Black Sabbath's worldwide #1, Grammy Award-winning album 13 and four live songs from the band's critically acclaimed 13 World Tour.

When this tour concludes, it will truly be The End, The End of one of most legendary bands in rock 'n roll history... Black Sabbath.

Black Sabbath's remaining 2016 tour dates are as follows:

June
8 - Berlin, Germany - Waldebuhne
11 - Donington, UK - Download
13 - Verona, Italy - Arena Di Verona
15 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadon
17 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop
23 - Halden, Norway - Tons of Rock
25 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
28 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
30 - Prague, Czech Republic - 02 Arena

July
2 - Krakow, Poland - Tauron Arena
5 - Riga, Latvia - Riga Arena
7 - Helsinki, Finland - Monsters of Rock
9 - Stockholm, Sweden - Monsters of Rock
12 - Moscow, Russia - Olympisky Arena

August
17 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
19 - Philadelphia, PA - Susquehanna Bank Center
21 - Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
23 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
25 - Boston, MA - Xfinity Center
27 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
29 - Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
31 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theater

September
2 - Indianapolis, IN - Klipsch Music Center
4 - Chicago, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
9 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Ampitheater
11 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Ampitheater
13 - Portland, OR - Sunlight Supply Arena
15 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena
17 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
19 - Hollywood, CA - Hollywood Bowl
21 - Phoenix, AZ - AK-Chin Pavilion

In a brand new interview with Billboard.com, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee once again spoke of his disappointment over the way things ended between him and his bandmates after the conclusion of the group's final show.

"We had a super, super crazy afterparty, but none of the other guys came to it," said Lee. "It was interesting. I asked around, like, 'Hey, where are the guys at?' and they're like, 'Oh, they left.' 'Whoa! Okay...' Very disappointed, but in the same breath I kinda knew that was gonna happen, so I was prepared for it, y'know? And after a nearly two-year-long tour, I didn't blame them for wanting to just get the fuckin' out of there and go home. It's all good." Lee added that he hasn't spoken with bassist Nikki Sixx or frontman Vince Neil since the show, though he's in frequent contact with guitarist Mick Mars.

Even though MÖTLEY CRÜE has not officially broken up, "There won't be any new music or anything like that," Lee said. "It's clear that at some point the band just stopped making new music, and what are you supposed to do? Keep going around the country playing the same old songs? No way. In a world that was changing rapidly in all senses, musically and business and style and everything, people need to be really open and not really follow but forge ahead and make something new. That's a big challenge and you have to have a lot of open minds for that stuff. I can remember experimenting on a couple of our last CRÜE album efforts and getting resistance from other band members, saying things like, 'Well, our fans, if it's a Harley-Davidson they know they're going to get a Harley-Davidson, and you can't give them a beefed-up weird version of that. And I just don't believe in that. So there was nowhere to go, really, except to stop."

The "Mötley Crüe: The End" concert movie will screen in theaters June 14. The 140-minute film includes footage from the CRÜE's farewell show on December 31, 2015 at the Staples Center along with "exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the last week of the tour."

Norwegian black metal legends Immortal have completed the writing of their untitled ninth album. After the announced split with vocalist/guitarist Abbath in 2015 guitarist Demonaz will now handle vocal duties while Horgh will continue to play the drums.

An update from the band reads:

“This will be our darkest and coldest album in a long time: pure Blashyrkh metal the way our fans know it, with massive majestic riffs, grim frostbitten vocals and tales from our mighty realm. Fast and furious tracks, epic tracks and longer playtime than any of our previous albums.
Founding Immortal member, lyricist and guitarist Demonaz is now also handling the vocals. 

“The massive fan support has been very inspiring and we will not let down the fans. The last year we have completed all the new songs and look forward to record our most passionate album in a long time. The songwriting process has been awesome and we are soon ready to start the recordings.

“In a time when true and origin black metal is nearly dead, the band is in ultimate spirit. After the last years incidents it was time to go back to the roots to what this band is really about musically, and also to take the integrity of the band back to where it belongs. Cold, grim uncompromising Blashyrkh metal with a true feeling is what we deliver.

“From 2010 until 2014, Immortal wrote all the songs for the successor to All Shall Fall, but when ex-member Abbath left the band in 2014, he changed the lyrics, song titles and recorded these songs for his so called ‘solo album’. 

“We had to focus on making a new album nearly from scratch, which is the main reason why things have taken this much time. We are now looking forward to record the new album and present it to all those who have shown their loyalty and support. 

“Immortal has always been a unique and unstoppable force, and that goes for our fans as well. We will never change our music or attitude. The album title and song titles will be revealed soon.”

Anthony Morgan of Metal Forces recently conducted an interview with TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On material recorded in latter half of '90s being under-represented in TESTAMENT's current setlist:

"We're slowly starting to add stuff like that in there. We used to play that stuff a lot, but then when we kind of got 'The Ritual' lineup back, we went back to the old stuff. We've just recently been bringing in some of the stuff from the era where Alex [Skolnick, guitars] and the other guys weren't playing with us — we're starting to bring some of that stuff back in.

"Lou [Clemente, drums] and Greg [Christian, bass] aren't in the band any more, but when we got that line-up back together, those guys didn't really see the evolution of TESTAMENT and how those records really kind of brought us back from the dead. I mean, after 'The Ritual' [1992]… It's a good record, but I don't think it was a thrash favorite. I think once we kind of had a rebirth with 'Low' [1994], 'Demonic' [1997] and 'The Gathering' [1999], we saw TESTAMENT's status rise again, if not get bigger. Then when they came back, we went back to the old stuff. Like I said, we're starting to bring that other stuff back in, but the last records have been pretty good, I think.

"We've been getting back to our roots, and recording-wise and just songwriting-wise, I think we're as strong or as crazy as we used to be – especially with this new one. 'The Brotherhood Of The Snake' is gonna be… I don't wanna… I'm just trying to give you a name to describe it, but it doesn't sound like that so don't take it out of context. This is gonna be our kind of 'Reign In Blood' record [SLAYER, 1986], because it's just super-brutal but still melodic."

On forthcoming album "The Brotherhood Of The Snake":

"It's different. This one is more thrash. I mean, this has got some of the fastest stuff that we have ever played. Usually, we have one or two thrash songs, and then we have some mid-tempo, and then we have a slow, heavy one, and then up-tempo kind of stuff. Half of the new record is thrash, which we've never done before. Even with our first record ['The Legacy', 1987] , there's 'Over The Wall' and 'First Strike Is Deadly', but then there's stuff that's back and forth from mid-tempo to thrash like 'Do Or Die' or 'Apocalyptic City'. Full-on thrash though, like six or seven songs, has never been done by us. It's kind of a trip to hear it."

On previous album "Dark Roots Of Earth" [2012] being critically acclaimed:

"That's one thing, too. With each record getting good reviews and critical acclaim and stuff like that, it's always like 'What can you do with this music?' Everything's been done with it. There's so many bands that are a part of it, but we have the TESTAMENT card. We were one of the originals of this type of music. I mean, there are bands out there that are just doing some crazy shit, but they're number 120 out of 500 thrash bands, so maybe they get overlooked.

"Luckily for us, we were in the right place at the right time 25 or 30 years ago. With that being said though, all this time later, we're still delivering the goods. I can honestly say with this new one, it's hands down gonna be the heaviest record TESTAMENT has ever put out."

On how heavy "The Brotherhood Of The Snake" will be:

"It's kind of like 'Demonic' and 'The Gathering', but a little bit wiser, I think. Chuck's [Billy] not singing so death. I mean, he does some death stuff but he's singing more like he did on the last record and then with the craziness of 'The Gathering' or even heavy stuff like 'Demonic'. Yeah, I'm excited to put this record. It's gonna be killer."

On the album's release date:

"It's gonna be coming out September, October. It's gonna get delivered at the end of June, and it'll be probably be delivered to the record company by the end of the summer just in time for a really big tour we're doing of Europe. I can't mention who it is, but we'll be doing a big tour in Europe at the end of the year. And yeah, it's gonna be killer. We'll have a new record out, and be on tour."

In a brand new interview with HardrockHaven.net, MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro spoke about his contributions to the songwriting process during the tail end of the sessions for the band's latest album, "Dystopia". He said: "That's something that you … you build trust. It's all about building trust. So I think, if you look, that I have three songs that I have collaborated on the album, which is very difficult, because I just came to the band. So two of the guys have known each other for thirty years and I know them for two weeks and I can put my ideas there? So I think I was building trust and I'm still doing that, so, now one year after, maybe they can ask my opinions on stuff so I can help. It's like what I was telling you about being a band member for so many years and trying to decide what is MEGADETH. What MEGADETH needs. Not what Dave [Mustaine], or David [Ellefson], or whatever needs…what the band needs. And then trying to help and then you get your space. Of course, it's very different than Dave or David because they know the band. They've been through everything, you know. It's different. Also, not being a member for such a long time, maybe gives me a different perspective of things. So it can be good as well."

Asked if he was nervous having to follow in the footsteps of Chris Poland, Marty Friedman and other great former MEGADETH guitarists, Kiko said: "Yeah, it's a tough job. At the same time, it's a tough job, but I have the feeling that I'm able to do it. Technically, as a guitar player, I'm able to do it. Also, I've been playing with ANGRA for, like, twenty years, so I have all that experience as a band member. Actually, I think that's my best input for MEGADETH … to be a band member for many years, not a sideman. I was never a sideman. I've played with many bands. So I was always working for a band, like a brand … something with passion, so that's what I'm bringing to MEGADETH besides my guitar playing … a band member. Dedicated, bringing ideas … doing whatever is necessary for the brand, for the logo, for MEGADETH."

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie, Mustaine spoke about his relationship with Loureiro. He said: "Well, I think when you get around somebody that's great, you have a few choices. You can either roll up into a ball and just die, or you can see what you can learn, or you can say, 'You know what? I'm as good as you are.' And I'm good at what I do, Kiko's good at what he does."

He continued: "It was super exciting to be in [Kiko's] presence and to learn a lot of the stuff that he does. I showed him some stuff, he showed me some stuff. But I've gotta tell you, probably the most rewarding feeling out of all this is having a partner again. Because for a long time, it hasn't really felt like there was a partnership."

"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.

Kai Hansen, earMUSIC and the Wacken Foundation have announced the release of "XXX", the first "solo project" album by Kai Hansen, one of the most influential guitarists and singers to emerge from Germany during the first part of the '80s. He first made his name with the groundbreaking band HELLOWEEN (of which Hansen is one of the founding members) and later with GAMMA RAY, one of the acts that contributed to define the genre power metal, bringing it to generation of devoted fans worldwide since its first album.

"XXX" is, in pure Hansen tongue-in-cheek style, a reference to over 30 years of involvement in the world of heavy rock, as explained with the album's sub-title "Three Decades In Metal". The album will be released in August 2016 on earMUSIC.

"XXX" is a magical journey. It is the story of how powerful dreams can be. Dreams and passions big enough to bring a teenager from Hamburg who is in love with rock music, glam rock and the first heavy metal sounds from the practicing space in his bedroom and rehearsal rooms to the biggest stages in the world practicing, and ending up influencing and sharing the stage with the very same bands he admired in the first place.

Not strictly autobiographical, "XXX" is without doubt the story of Kai Hansen but it could very well represent the story of anybody who is not afraid to believe in dreams, with passion and dedication. It is the story of the ups and downs that everybody faces at some point during the journey of life: the lost-and-found-again friends, the glory, the tragedies and the joys.

After the achievements enjoyed by Hansen lately with UNISONIC and especially GAMMA RAY's recent work "Empire Of The Undead", Kai Hansen started working on the album with no precise commercial masterplan — just playing music with the same spirit as in the very beginning. This certainly was the reason for Hansen to communicate to his label the intention of donating the first advance payment he will receive for "XXX" — which in the meantime has shaped into a proper album — to the Wacken Foundation, a foundation which helps and supports young hard rock and heavy metal bands for over seven years now: musicians full of hopes and dreams, exactly as Hansen had in the beginning of the thirty years story told on this album... in the hope that one day, somebody could tell another thirty years long magic story, also thanks to this album.

Together with Hansen, a stellar band of musicians gravitating around the Chameleon Studio in Hamburg has formed spontaneously: Alex Dietz (guitar player of HEAVEN SHALL BURN) on bass, Eike Freese (who already worked as engineer and co-producer with Hansen on the last GAMMA RAY album on guitar and phenomenal drummer Daniel Wilding (CARCASS). The four will be joined by various guests, ranging from friends to followers to heroes — some having played a significant part in Kai's career, some who have expressed the wish to join the project with the same spirit that is leading Kai, Alex, Eike and Daniel to create loud music with joy, freedom and determination.

Kai and friends will do an exclusive one-time performance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, introducing the songs from the album to the audience for the first and only time.

Watch a video clip of Kai Hansen and Eike Freese discussing "XXX" below.

Commented Hansen: "30 years in metal, that's a damn long time.

"Over the course of all these years, I never recorded a solo album. It is quite nice and a hell lot of fun to create something without any boundaries and to get a fresh view on music.

"I am celebrating 30 years of being able to do what I like best... On 'XXX' I am reflecting on my roots, where I come from, how it all started for me. I believe you need a certain drive, passion and, of course, a bit of luck and coincidence to make it in the music world — and, of course, some financial support. This is where the Wacken Foundation came to my mind. They are helping people, musicians just like me, who want to make it. And I remember having had help myself, from my family, the families from the other band members — and by doing a paper round. So hopefully, with my donation, young musicians are given the same chance that I was given a long time ago, too. And who knows, maybe we all will be playing together at Wacken in 20 years…"

Wacken Foundation's Thomas Jensen adds: "This is really generous donation to the Wacken Foundation.

"Heavy metal is a way of life — and with this this amazing gesture, Kai showed what it stands for: selflessness, thoughtfulness and most of all the passion and love for music. The goal of the foundation is to keep this kind of spirit going. With Kai's doing, we are one step closer to this goal."

The four-day 2016 International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) at the Berlin ExpoCentre Airport in Schoenefeld, Germany, opens today (June 1st). It has attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries, who are displaying the latest technology from all areas of the aviation and space industries.

Visitors will be able to see some 200 aircraft of all sizes and categories, including the UK heavy metal rock band Iron Maiden’s flying tour bus, both on the ground and in flying displays.

Check out a photo gallery at The National.

Iron Maiden recently posted a video of the goings on backstage before taking the stage at one of their shows during The Book Of Souls World Tour.

In another video, Mayan temple expert and Killer Krew member Ashley Groom explains how the set gets built.

Iron Maiden perform next on June 3rd at Sonisphere Allmend Rockt in Lucerne, Switzerland. Dates for The Book Of Souls World Tour can be found here (with ticket links).

(Photo - ironmaiden.com/ed-force-one)

Edenbridge will enter the studio in June to record their ninth full length album, The Great Momentum. The album will be released through Steamhammer/SPV in February 2017.

Guitar player Lanvall: “A full year of songwriting and arranging lies past me and I am really looking forward to the actual start of the recordings now. After the quiet and melancholic debut Everflow of the acoustic project Voiciano and the huge 6-DVD documentation A Decade And A Half..The History So Far about the first 15 years of Edenbridge, it was time to focus on new, symphonic and bombastic sound territories again!

“I am extremely happy with the new songs, cause they continue our trademark style on one hand, but integrate a lot of new facets in our sound on the other. The music seems to be heavier than on our predecessor The Bonding and the orchestra parts and chorusses are even more concise and bombastic than in the past!

“The Great Momentum for me, transports everything that Edenbridge stands for in the year 2016. This goes from the short, sentimental ballad “Only A Whiff Of Life” to the monumental 12 minutes long track “The Greatest Gift Of All”.

“Furthermore Sabine and I co-worked on five of nine lyrics. We started this creative process on our acoustic project Voiciano and I believe that songs like “A Turnaround In Art”, “The Die Is Not Cast” and “Return To Grace” are wonderful witnesses!”

Singer Sabine Edelsbacher: “Our new creations show, that we had no standstill, although the frequency of our album releases has larger intervals than in the past. It simply takes time to let such a sophisticated production grow and Edenbridge stands for quality and not quantity!

“Our co-working process on the lyrics was absolutely amazing again as already mentioned. Lanvall and I are highly complementing one another and the result is profound and hopfully inspiring again for libertines, like we are!

“I still feel a constant development in my voice although I relatively don´t sing that much in rest periods. Still I am working on expression and dynamics and to record a new album is motivating me even more to discover and allow new nuances in my voice. All in all I can just say: a lot of things happened in our lives and this can be heard and felt on our new album!”

More info about the new album will be released in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned.

Photo from left to right: Lanvall (guitars) - Sabine Edelsbacher (vocals)

AC/DC has released a new video video interview with AC/DC guitarist Angus Young and bassist Cliff Williams in which they discuss the band's current European tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose.

"The band energy is really up there," said Cliff. "It's doing really well. We've thrown some different songs in, which is kind of always good [and] interesting; it changes it up for us and the audience. But the band is playing great. It's a good feeling up there right now."

"With Axl, we've been able to mix up quite a few songs, do a few older ones and put them, which we haven't done in a number of years," added Angus. "We always used to kind of get a setlist, and that would be [it] for a tour. So now we've got a lot more adding and putting in different tracks, and the fun part is when we get there on the stage, and seeing it come to life in front of the audience and seeing the reaction."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the first rescheduled dates of AC/DC's North American tour — which will be the band's first concerts here with Rose on lead vocals — have begun to surface. The group will kick things off at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on August 30, just one week after Rose completes his summer stadium run with GUNS N’ ROSES. AC/DC will also perform at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 14, with more dates expected to be confirmed soon.

AC/DC will make up the ten shows it was forced to cancel earlier this year when singer Brian Johnson had to abruptly come off the road or face total hearing loss.

The group recruited Axl Rose for 22 shows, including a dozen stops in Europe. There are four dates left on the European run.

Young said recently that he's not sure what AC/DC will do after wrapping up its current tour, remarking, "We were committed to finishing this tour, so that's been our main goal, and Axl's helping us. I know he's very excited. He keeps saying, can he do more? But we don't really know at the end how we will [proceed]."

The second annual Ride For Ronnie Motorcycle Ride And Concert, held on Sunday, May 22, raised $50,000 for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund. Some 1000 people participated in the day's events, including 300 motorcycle riders who made their way from Harley Davidson in Glendale to an afternoon of live entertainment at Los Encinos Park in Encino, California. Joining the Ride were "Sons Of Anarchy" cast members Emilio Rivera, Michael Beach, Star Fields and actor-musician Sean McNabb as well actor Al Coronel ("The Last Ship") and musicians Lita Ford, EJ Curse, Taime Downe and Gilby Clarke. Wendy Dio, Ronnie James Dio's widow and co-founder of the Dio Cancer Fund, welcomed everyone before joining Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund board member Scott Sentinella on his motorcycle for the 20-mile ride to the Park. Also riding was "Boston" Tom Foresteire on the "Holy Diver" Harley-Davidson motorcycle he won at the recent Street Party that launched this year's Ride. The one-of-a-kind motorcycle is custom-painted with the illustration from the cover of Ronnie James Dio's iconic "Holy Diver" album.

The afternoon's entertainment kicked off with DOCTORS OF THE EARTH as the procession of motorcycles arrived at the park. They were followed by sets from Sonia Harley, BUDDERSIDE, Gabbie Rae, DIO DISCIPLES, Lita Ford and headliners GREAT WHITE. The festivities were hosted by DJ Will.

Wendy Dio and Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund medical director Dr. Sandy Kapoor presented a check for $25,000 to Dr. David Wong, director of the Dental Research Institute at the University of California Los Angeles to further his research into a saliva test for the early detection of cancer. Dr. Wong believes this simple, non-invasive test will be available for medical use within the next three years. Assorted merchandise, a jumble sale booth, a silent auction and a raffle for a special limited edition ASG Vision MOTÖRHEAD white-body guitar with the "Ace Of Spades" graphic raised additional funds as did live auctions conducted by Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund board members Adam Parsons and Danny Zelisko between performances. Among the live auction items were a B.C. Rich guitar signed by Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN), King Diamond and Geoff Tate, a custom-made leather "Kutte" motorcycle vest with a set of specially-embroidered Dio Cancer Fund patches and an ESP guitar signed by all of the event's performers. The "Sons Of Anarchy" cast members as well as GREAT WHITE, Lita Ford and DIO DISCIPLES signed autographs at special "meet-and-greets" during the afternoon. Rocker Gabbie Rae hosted a meet-and-greet following her set to promote Free2Luv, the anti-bullying initiative for which she is a spokesperson. The Dio Cancer Fund passed out complimentary sunscreen, while premium beer was sponsored by Ninkasi Brewing Company and bottled water was provided courtesy of Solar Rain. Slammin Sliders, G's Taco Spot and Archie's Ice Cream food trucks were on site at the Park throughout the afternoon in addition to a variety of vendors. 100% of the net proceeds from the Ride For Ronnie will go to the Dio Cancer Fund.

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund was formed in memory of the legendary rock singer Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to gastric cancer in 2010. A privately funded 501(c)(3) charity organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $1 million in its short history. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. The recent passing of several high profile musicians to cancer has served to reinforce the commitment of the Dio Cancer Fund to support research and education that furthers early detection, prevention and treatment of prostate, colon and gastric cancers.

On June 24, Eagle Rock Entertainment will unveil "Flux", the brand new studio album from celebrated BLACK CROWES founding member/guitarist Rich Robinson.

The song "Which Way Your Wind Blows", taken from "Flux", can be streamed below. This is the moment 2016 has been building up towards: throughout the year, Eagle Rock Entertainment has released expanded, re-imagined versions of Robinson's solo albums, including "Paper", "Through A Crooked Sun" and "Woodstock Sessions" (on CD and digitally).These reissues served as a fitting lead-up to "Flux". With "Flux", Robinson presents his most accomplished solo album to date — 13 new, original songs that draw deeply on his diverse roots. A blues-rock odyssey straight from Robinson's soul, the guitarist returned to Applehead Studios in Saugerties, New York, the recording facility that has become his creative hub. Nestled away within Woodstock's famed artist enclave, Robinson's work at the studio has yielded "Woodstock Sessions", "The Ceaseless Sight" and now "Flux". The entire writing and recording process, explains Robinson, is the driving force for his creativity. "I love being in the recording studio," states Robinson simply. "It fuels the desire to create within me. I enjoy watching it unfold. Each development fires another idea and in the end, you have this organically created song that seemingly came out of nowhere. It brings me such joy and peace. It never ceases to amaze me." "Flux" showcases a rich variety of tempos, tones, and guitar tuning, ranging from the vibrant swagger Robinson first popularized with the BLACK CROWES to the rich, evocative allure evident in songs such as "Sleepwalker" and "Ides Of Nowhere". "These were great examples of songs transforming from little ideas I originally had," he says. "Both just came alive when I had the band with me in the studio. They weren't anything like what I had first envisioned. It was exciting to experience that process." Robinson's creative process within the recording studio shaped such standout "Flux" tracks as "Music That Will Lift Me", the album's first single. "I am always excited by the creation itself," Robinson explains. "I used the studio to specifically write that song. I had these parts written but it started to unfold once I got to Applehead Studios. I later wrote the lyrics in Nashville and it had really evolved into something special." Brimming with redemptive spirit, Robinson's vocal and guitar work shine throughout. Joining him on the track is Charlie Starr of BLACKBERRY SMOKE, who lends guitar alongside Robinson's own. Backed by musicians Matt Slocum (keys), Marco Benevento (keys), Danny Mitchell (keys), Zak Gabbard (bass), Joe Magistro (drums / percussion) and vocalists John Hogg and Danielia Cotton, Robinson transports the listener with a powerful collection of music. From the groove-laden feel of opener "The Upstairs Land", the kick of funk via "Shipwreck", and the gospel swell of "Everything's Alright", to the emotional build-up of "Life" and the hearty stomp of closing track "Sleepwalker", "Flux" ebbs and flows through moods, delivering a varied listener experience. A creative soul through and through, Robinson is not only presenting "Flux" this year, but his artwork was recently displayed at both Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City and Truth North Gallery in Canada. In May and June, Robinson will serve as a special guest guitarist for BAD COMPANY. Robinson and BAD COMPANY lead vocalist Paul Rodgers recently met and collaborated on a tribute to Jimmy Page. Rodgers was so impressed with Robinson that he asked him to take part in this special BAD COMPANY U.S. tour. Robinson will also embark on an extensive U.S. solo tour kicking off in July. Additionally, he recently collaborated with Zac Brown on his new album and is also featured on "The Way Home" — the final track of producer David Cobb's concept album "Southern Family" — with gospel choir the Settles Connection. "Flux" track listing:

01. The Upstairs Land02. Shipwreck03. Music That Will Lift Me04. Everything's Alright05. Eclipse The Night06. Life07. Ides Of Nowhere08. Time To Leave09. Astral10. For To Give11. Which Way Your Wind Blows12. Surrender13. Sleepwalker

Gabe Seeber of the Kennedy Veil was on drums with Abbath on their 2016 headlining tour with High On Fire, Skeletonwitch and Tribulation. Check out this video from Sick Drummer Magazine, for the track “Count The Dead”, filmed at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood, CO on April 5th:

Abbath, the new band led by the former Immortal frontman (real name: Olve Eikemo), released their self-titled debut album on January 22nd via Season Of Mist. The album is streaming below in it’s entirety.

Abbath album tracklisting:

“To War!”
“Winterbane”
“Ashes Of The Damned”
“Ocean Of Wounds”
“Count The Dead”
“Fenrir Hunts”
“Root Of The Mountain”
“Endless”
“Nebular Ravens Winter” (bonus track)

Album stream:

"Nebular Ravens Winter" video:

Order the new album at this location.

Fan-filmed video footage of French progressive metallers GOJIRA performing a new song, "Stranded", on May 31 at club Stodola in Warsaw, Poland can be seen below (courtesy of Antihero). The track is taken from the band's brand new studio album, "Magma", which will be released on June 17 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2012's "L'Enfant Sauvage" was recorded at GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier's Silver Cord Studio in Queens, New York.

"Magma" track listing:

01. The Shooting Star02. Silvera03. The Cell04. Stranded05. Yellow Stone06. Magma07. Pray08. Only Pain09. Low Lands10. Liberation

The cover artwork for "Magma" can be seen below.

Joseph told RollingStone.com in a new interview that GOJIRA worked on twelve songs for the album before ultimately deciding on ten. "We want a short album," he said. "Something less epic than what we usually do. People's attentions are shorter now. So a lot of the songs are four minutes."

Joseph and his brother, GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier, who make up the band's songwriting core, were forced to put the sessions for the new album on hold when their mother got sick and eventually died last summer.

"I felt physically, mentally exhausted," Joseph told RollingStone.com. "At the same time, though, the way it happened was beautiful. We were all around her. We had to cancel a few shows when she died, but it was very enriching at the same time. We learned a lot about death."

"When you read Joe's lyrics, for me, I cry right away," Mario said. "They're very deep and to the point. No bullshit. We recycle our sadness and depression in the music."

"Mario was recording drums, and I was playing guitar with him, just trying to help him know where he's at in the song, and both of us would start crying at the same time," Joseph added.

"The songs were half-written while she was sick," he said. "After she died, I still had to finish them. So one song was like, 'You're going to make it,' but the second verse is 'You didn't make it.'"

Bay Area thrash legends Death Angel released their new album, The Evil Divide, on May 27th, via Nuclear Blast Records. The latest video trailer for the new release can be seen below:

Rob Cavestany and son Aiden talk about bullying, a topic in the song "Lost" in another trailer:

The band recently released an official video for the track “Lost”, which can be seen below. The clip was directed and edited by Tommy Jones for Videohammer Studios.

Comments vocalist Mark Osegueda: "The song “Lost” is very personal to me and I believe it will resonate with many. As one who has been fortunate enough to be raised In the San Francisco Bay Area (an extremely diverse region), I have made friends with people from every religion, race, sexual orientation, and genre of music fan! One thing that no one can escape, no matter what one's beliefs are, or how well you were raised, or educated, is that one point in your life that you felt apart, or alone.

"It is an awful and disparaging feeling. Some are fortunate enough to have only experienced a fleeting moment of that empty feeling. More often than not though, it's much longer than a fleeting moment, and time moves no slower than when stuck in that feeling. I myself am not immune to that human experience.

"I find the best release for me, and what makes me feel as though I belong / am doing something right / have a quality of life that is not measured by a monetary system, is creating music!

"This song is for and about all who have ever been trapped in that dark hole of your own mind. This is 'Lost'! You are not alone!"

Adds Jones: "When I first spoke to Mark about the lyrical context of the song, I realized that he was coming from three different mindsets, or three different narratives that would lead someone to feeling “Lost”. So there was a challenge to represent these three scenarios into the video for the song. They were pretty heavy, current social topics in the form of religious extremism, a bad relationship riddled with drug and physical abuse, and cyber and school bullying. Each of these situations, could make a person feel 'Lost' as to what's right or what's wrong, or a sense of being trapped in a situation that in your mind you know is wrong, but being stuck in it, makes you feel 'Lost'. I also wanted the band to seem “Lost” as if they were nowhere. So the setting of the video is that they are in complete never ending blackness.

"The rain was a necessity. With the power that Mark is belting out the lyrics 'rain down on me', it was a no brainier, I saw it in my head and needed to have him singing that last chorus in the rain. So we made it rain, yo!"

Canadian documentary filmmaker Sam Dunn at Banger Films has posted his take on the new album for his latest instalment of Overkill Reviews. Check it out below:

Order various packages for The Evil Divide at this location.

Tracklisting:

“The Moth”
“Cause For Alarm”
“Lost”
“Father Of Lies”
“Hell To Pay”
“It Can’t Be This”
“Hatred United / United Hate”
“Breakaway”
“The Electric Cell”
“Let The Pieces Fall”

Bonus:
“Wasteland”

+ “Making Of” DVD

“Father Of Lies”:

"Hatred United / United Hate” video:

"Cause For Alarm”:

Slayer, with special guests Anthrax and Death Angel, will join forces this fall for a seven week North American beat down. The dates start in Cleveland on September 9th and will hit both major and secondary markets across the continent. Confirmed dates, as well as a tour trailer video, are below. For all ticket purchasing and VIP packages details, head here.

Said Slayer's Kerry King, "It's always super fun for us to tour with Anthrax. Frank is one of my best friends in the biz!! Put that together with Death Angel, and fans will probably see the best package this year. See you there!"

Fans will hear their favourite Slayer songs from the band's 30-year plus discography, as well as a few of the newer songs from Repentless. Slayer and Anthrax stormed through Europe together last fall, amassing a string of sensational live reviews, so North American fans, this will be a night of metal music that should not be missed.

"We are very excited to tour again with our fellow Kings Slayer on a thrash/metal extravaganza," said Anthrax's Charlie Benante. "Two of the Big Four - now that's a night of metal for all the Kings and Queens!"

Added Mark Osegueda from Death Angel, "We are thrilled and honored to be part of this amazing North American touring package. Slayer/Anthrax/Death Angel - it just looks, sounds and feels right. This will be Death Angel's first-ever tour with Slayer, something we've hungered for our entire career. And we will bring that hunger to the stage every night, so get there early because this will be a show not to be missed; from the first note of the night until the very last! Metal is alive, hungry, thriving, and coming for you!"

With more dates to be announced, here is the confirmed itinerary:

September
9 - Jacob's Pavilion - Cleveland, OH
10 - Freedom Hill Amphitheatre - Detroit, MI
12 - Sound Academy - Toronto, ON
13 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC
15 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
17/18 - Rock Allegiance - Chester, PA*
20 - Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
22 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
27 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL
28 - Fillmore - Miami, FL
30 - Horseshoe Casino Tunica - Tunica, MS

October
3 - Norva - Norfolk, VA
5 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
7 - Gas Monkey Live - Dallas, TX
8 - ACL at the Moody Theatre - Austin, TX
10 - Fillmore - Denver, CO
11 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
13 - The Wilma Theatre - Missoula, MT
17 - ENMAX Center - Lethbridge, AB
19 - South Okanagan Events Centre - Penticton, BC
20 - Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford, BC
23 - Reno Events Center - Reno, NV
27 - El Paso County Coliseum - El Paso, TX

* Slayer, Anthrax and Death Angel are all on this bill

EMP Label Group, the label owned by Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, has signed Orange County/Los Angeles County band Behind The Fallen. The band is set to release their first full length record on October 28th.

Behind The Fallen are a hard rock band based out of Orange County California. First emerging onto the scene in 2011, they released their debut six song EP Pages Of The Past that was produced by Erik Ron. The band embarked on several tours supporting their release with Assuming We Survive, Trapt, as well as their own headline tour.

While rejuvenating their team with new members and new management, BTF debuted their first single "Satellite" off of their upcoming full length As The Sky Falls Through on April 15th and on May 7th signed a deal with EMP Label Group (David Ellefson).

“The band is absolutely ecstatic about signing the deal with EMP Label Group. We are blown away that David Ellefson of Megadeth has put his faith in us and we are gearing up to make him proud by releasing the greatest album of the year. We are excited to be a part of such a tight knit family and cannot wait to see what the future holds withe the EMPire.”- Johnny Presley

“Satellite” lyric video:

Ninth Circle has announced the departure of long term drummer Dave Davis and replacement, Jim Standerfer. The official statement from the band thanks Dave Davis for his service during his time with the band and welcoming new drummer Jim Standerfer.

“Ninth Circle are thankful for Dave Davis’ service and time in the band. He helped the band professionally promote and perform two pivotal albums that were released during his tenure with Ninth Circle. Dave is a topnotch professional drummer and an all-around good guy. We wish Dave all the best in future endeavors.

“The band is proud to announce Jim Standerfer as Ninth Circle’s new drummer. Jim has been part of the Ninth Circle family for years and had stepped in a few years back to perform three shows when the banded needed help. Jim has recently been filling in with Ninth Circle and most recently performed with the band while opening up for Primal Fear in Anaheim, Ca. We are excited Jim has agreed to step in as the full time drummer and excited to what the future holds for the band with Jim behind the drums.” 

Ninth Circle’s first concert with new drummer, Jim Standerfer, will be Saturday, June 4th at M15 Concert Venue, in Corona, CA with Sebastian Bach.

Atmospheric metal band The Vision Bleak will release its new album, The Unknown, on June 3rd via Prophecy Productions. The album track “The Whine Of The Cemetery Hound” can be heard below.

The German group's sixth full-length release, The Unknown, sees The Vision Bleak shed songwriting patterns of its past; gone are the tried-and-trusted nods to horror classics and fictional terror, to legend and lore, replaced with intimate tales of personal demons and the horror that lives within themselves.

Fantastical artwork by legendary metal artist Dan Seagrave (Entombed, Gorguts, Morbid Angel) lavishly brings the album's title to life. For a close-up look at the art, visit DanSeagrave.com.

The Unknown is advanced as The Vision Bleak's "second birth". While the band has taken a wholly different approach to lyrical inspiration on the new album, longtime fans will also find plenty of familiar elements on The Unknown. Ulf Theodor Schwadorf's (also of Empyrium) unique guitar melodies, Allen B. Konstanz' unmistakable vocals and the overall gripping atmospheres combine to create a total work of art in image and sound.

The album will be released in a variety of high-quality formats, including CD digisleeve, gatefold LP (180 gram vinyl, black) with poster and PVC protection sleeve (500 copies available) and as a 2xCD box set which includes CD digisleeve, a bonus CD with two bonus tracks and wall flag of the Seagravve cover painting (limited to 1,000 copies).

Tracklisting:

“Spirits Of The Dead”
“From Wolf To Peacock”
“The Kindred Of The Sunset”
“Into The Unknown”
“Ancient Heart”
“The Whine Of The Cemetery Hound”
“How Deep Lies Tartaros?”
“Who May Oppose Me?”
“The Fragrancy Of Soil Unearthed”

“The Whine Of The Cemetery Hound”:

“The Kindred Of The Sunset” lyric video:

Pre-order The Unknown at this location.

Dark metal band Venomous Maximus will enter Portland, Oregon's Falcon Studios on June 21st to record the follow-up to their 2015 release, Firewalker. Tentatively titled No Warning, the album will be produced and engineered by Toxic Holocaust frontman Joel Grind (Poison Idea, Lord Dying). A fall, 2016 release date via Shadow Kingdom Records is expected.

"No Warning will point a magnifying glass directly towards this band's biggest strengths," comments Venomous Maximus vocalist / guitarist Gregg Higgins. "Prepare for riff after riff on top of riffs."

Tentative song titles include "Return Of The Witch", "No Warning" and "Spellblind".

In addition to Gregg Higgins, Venomous Maximus features Christian Larson (guitar), Trevi Biles (bass) and Bongo (drums). Stay tuned for updates.