Blando of the 99.5 The X radio station conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine at this year's edition of the Carolina Rebellion festival, which was held May 6-8 at Rock City Campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about how various obstacles in his personal life have inspired him in his art, Mustaine said: "I think it's kind of, in a weird way, an introduction for me to share my story with other people. Every time I've had something that's really weird that has been bad for me that I've overcome it, it was something where I could talk to somebody else who could be going through that same thing and needs somebody to say, 'Hey, it's gonna be okay.' And there's been a lot of times, for me, when I've been able to speak into people's lives and say stuff… And I can't figure it out — I don't know what the hell matters — but, for some reason, me saying something to them, I can say the same thing that their parents say, and they listen more, or it has a much deeper effect. And for me to go out of my way to just let people know that they matter. I'm not that big that I can't stop and say, 'You know what? Take the time to love yourself today.' And I think that blows a lot of people's minds, especially in our business, because pop stars and rock stars act like that; metal people don't. Metal people are really loving and considerate. Now this is totally ruining my bad reputation right now. [Laughs]"

According to Mustaine, part of the reason MEGADETH fans feel such a connection to the band's music is the lack of separation between the musicians and the people who buy their records and attend their concerts.

"It's definitely not an 'us versus them' thing," Mustaine said. "I think the commonality that we all go through… You know, people forget — just because I'm successful now, I lived in a car when I met David Ellefson [MEGADETH bassist], and I was on food stamps when I was a kid. So I've been through all this stuff. And when I see people go through hardship, and they think, 'You know what? You'll never know what I've been through.' Yeah, I do. I mean, I've had it to the point where I remember… I've talked to some of my friends… Where we lived, we had that powdered milk, which is freaking awful. So for me to be successful now, I really appreciate it and I don't wanna ever take that for granted. And that's why I wanna go out of my way to help younger bands and be available for our fans, 'cause they made it possible for us to live like this right now."

MEGADETH filmed a video for the song "Post American World" late last month. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Dystopia", which came out in January.

In addition to Mustaine, MEGADETH's current lineup includes longtime bassist David Ellefson, LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA.

The theatrical shock rock band GWAR is working on a new studio album. According to a press release, the group is "currently searching for a producer that is brave enough to risk their life to give them the tones of the gods to make this next record stand as a testament to the next era of GWAR."

The press release adds that "GWAR has been secretly in the writing phase for months in a crackhouse of seclusion in the northside of Chicago.

"A due date for the record has not been decided but the band is grinding out what may prove to be their most savage and bloodthirsty tracks to date."

GWAR's founder, Dave Brockie, was found dead in his home in Richmond, Virginia on March 23, 2014. According to Virginia's State Medical Examiner's Office, he died from acute heroin toxicity by accidental means.

Dave Brockie, who fronted GWAR under the name Oderus Urungus was the band's last remaining original member.

Brockie is not the first member of GWAR to die at an early age. GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot, who played the character of Flattus Maximus for over ten years, was discovered dead on the band's tour bus on November 3, 2011. He was 34 years old.

GWAR's latest album, "Battle Maximus", sold around 3,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 109 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD — the band's first full-length studio effort since the loss of Flattus Maximus — was issued on September 17, 2013 on Metal Blade Records.

GWAR's previous CD, 2010's "Bloody Pit Of Horror", opened with around 2,800 units — roughly half of the first-week tally registered by 2009's "Lust In Space", which premiered with 5,000 copies to land at No. 96.

Kamelot performed at the Ebisu Liquid Room in Tokyo on May 23rd on the first of three live dates in Japan. Fan-filmed video of the band kicking off their set with "Veil Of Elysium" can be viewed below.

Kamelot have released a trailer video for their three shows for Japan. Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz will be on board once again as the band's backing vocalist for these dates. They include:

May
25 - Nagoya, Japan - Club Quattro
26 - Osaka, Japan - Umeda Club Quattro

Trailer:

Kamelot recently released a music video for the track “My Therapy”, taken from their latest masterpiece Haven (2015, Napalm Records/Universal/ADA/Warner). The “My Therapy” video serves to put a spotlight on social anxiety that effects up to 20% of adults worldwide.

Kamelot vocalist Tommy Karevik states: "The original idea of the song was based on experiments done years ago on children where they would be clinically taken care of, but never held, loved or nurtured. The outcome was disastrous and proves that in this sometimes complicated world spinning faster and faster, the very foundation of our health and well being really rests upon something very simple and uncomplicated... The human touch...."

Haven sees Kamelot striving for new heights with their epic and highly emotional trademark sound: As if this album was meant to be a soundtrack for an unforgettable and monumental silver screen experience, it boasts dark melancholy, aggressive metal and soul-soothing melodies.  

Kamelot is:

Thomas Youngblood - guitars
Tommy Karevik - vocals
Casey Grillo - drums
Oliver Palotai - keyboards
Sean Tibbetts - bass

THE DEAD DAISIES' new studio album, "Make Some Noise", will be released on August 5 via SPV. The effort, packed with huge hooks, giant, intense guitar riffs and glorious, distinctive vocals, celebrates the kind of rock 'n' roll that has gone from strength to strength ever since it emerged in the early 1970s and that sweaty clubs, concert halls and stadiums the world over would be impossible to imagine without. Each of the joyously performed, perfectly crafted, melody-drenched 12 songs instinctively aims straight for the centre of the listener's autonomic nervous system, totally enveloping the heart and soul and compelling them to move to the irresistible rhythm.

"There are lots of very good reasons why this kind of rock 'n' roll has never gone out of fashion," band members David Lowy (RED PHOENIX, MINK), John Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE, RATT), Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO), Marco Mendoza (WHITESNAKE, THIN LIZZY) and Brian Tichy (OZZY OSBOURNE, FOREIGNER) all agree; "Our songs are simply timeless, immortal, classic! That's why working with THE DEAD DAISIES is so much fun, and that's why the reaction is always phenomenal, no matter when and where this band turns up."

"I'm very pleased with 'Make Some Noise'," says Aldrich. "It was a very productive time spent in Nashville and New York! The record is a straight-up rock n' roll record. Very raw and punchy. We didn't do lots of overdubbing of the guitars which I loved...it's really got a good vibe like the days we spent writing and recording. I think it is a cool record that adds to an already cool catalogue they the band had prior. The best part is the guys are all friends and very cool to be working together again!"

THE DEAD DAISIES were formed by guitarist and songwriter David Lowy, whose keen instinct and clear vision has guided the recruitment of an amazing revolving lineup of renowned musicians since the band's inception in 2012. Initially, Richard Fortus and Dizzy Reed of GUNS 'N' ROSES, plus THE ROLLING STONES band members Darryl Jones and Bernard Fowler, as well as John Tempesta and Charley Drayton of THE CULT, were involved. Lowy has once again enlisted incredibly talented international stars to record "Make Some Noise". "For me as a vocalist, this kind of high-caliber lineup is an absolute dream come true," enthuses Corabi, continuing: "When you work with THE DEAD DAISIES, everybody is amazingly motivated to deliver top performances."

From blazing opener "Long Way To Go" (the first single and soon-to-be crowd favourite) onwards, this album rocks hard right through to the very last note. Cross references from legendary bands from the past feature just as much as highly contemporary sounds and trendsetting directives. Compositions such as "Mainline" and "Last Time I Saw The Sun" bring to mind the likes of AEROSMITH and MR. BIG, while "Song And A Prayer", with its fluid guitar licks and anthemic chorus, is mightily reminiscent of GUNS 'N' ROSES. "Make Some Noise", the title track itself, is nothing less than a self-confident, tongue-in-cheek rousing rock statement, bound to be chanted over and over by euphoric audiences at this consummate combo's electrifying live gigs.

"Make Some Noise", which was superbly recorded and produced by Marti Frederiksen (AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE, BUCKCHERRY) in Nashville in February and March 2016, contains ten originals plus two inspired new incarnations of THE WHO's "Join Together" and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's "Fortunate Son".

THE DEAD DAISIES, a must-see live act who have already toured with the likes of ZZ TOP, AEROSMITH, BAD COMPANY, LYNYRD SKYNYRD and DEF LEPPARD, among others, have lined up a U.K. and Irish tour in July in support of "Make Some Noise".

Guitar legend Paul Gilbert will release his newest record, I Can Destroy, on May 27th via earMUSIC on CD Jewel and digital. A snippet of the new song “Blues Just Saving My Life” is streaming below:

From platinum album sales and number one chart success as a founding member of Mr. Big, to frightening the guitar community with new levels of ferocious picking technique with shred-pioneers Racer X, to exploring punk, pop, classical, blues, jazz, and progressive instrumental styles in his solo career, Paul Gilbert has recorded a massive amount of stunning guitar music, all while circling the globe to play sold-out arenas from Japan to Jakarta.

Gilbert’s style stands out for its rare combination of accuracy, creativity, and power – all which are balanced with Paul’s sense of humour and pure love of music.

Although Paul is best known for his work with Mr. Big and Racer X, he has also toured with Joe Satriani’s G3, played in a host of tribute concerts with legendary drummer Mike Portnoy, and been integral in the design of his signature Ibanez PGM and Fireman guitars.

Paul’s legacy as a guitar instructor began when he was eighteen, when he was hired to teach at Hollywood’s Guitar Institute of Technology. His groundbreaking “Intense Rock” videos and DVDs have inspired legions of guitarists to improve their accuracy, speed, and phrasing. Years as a columnist for Guitar Player magazine, and most recently, Premier Guitar magazine, along with giving countless clinics, private lessons, and serving for five years as the dean of MI Japan, have given Paul Gilbert deep experience in the art of communicating music to all levels of guitarists.

Over 25 years in the music business have only increased Paul’s passion to explore the possibilities of music and the art of playing the guitar. Whether he’s playing to 10,000 fans or jamming one-on-one with a student, Paul Gilbert is living his childhood dream of taking the sounds in his head and bringing them into reality – on the electric guitar.

I Can Destroy is Paul’s next solo-masterpiece and will be his 18th solo album. The album features 13 very diverse rock-tunes. With Kevin Shirley producing, and an amazing band of Freddie Nelson and Tony Spinner on guitars and vocals, Kevin Chown on bass, and Thomas Lang on drums, Paul rocks with more power and emotion than ever before.

Tracklisting:

“Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal”
“I Can Destroy”
“Knocking On A Locked Door”
“One Woman Too Many”
“Woman Stop"
“Gonna Make You Love Me”
“I Am Not The One (Who Wants To Be With You)”
“Blues Just Saving My Life”
“Make It (If We Try)”
“Love We Had”
“I Will Be Remembered”
“Adventure And Trouble”
“Great White Buffalo” (Bonus Track)

“Gonna Make You Love Me” snippet:

“Make It (If We Try)” snippet:

"Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal" video:

“I Can Destroy”:

New Haven, Connecticut-based melodic hard rock sensations St. James, feat. drummer Carl Canedy of The Rods, have signed a deal with Sleaszy Rider. Their debut album, Resurgence, will be released soon on CD and LP format and it's a perfect blend of sounds for fans of Van Halen, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith.

Resurgence tracklisting:

“Attitude”
“Worth Fighting For”
“This Distance”
“Let It Rain”
“What's Your Situation”
“The Road”
“Rattled Bad”
“Castles In The Sand”
“Shelter Me”
“Somewhere Between Here And There”
“Toughest I Can Take”
“In Your Heart”
“Ain’t It Sad”
“Princess Of Pain”
“Crimes Of The Heart”
“Inside The Outside”
“Fluffy Through The Hoop”

"It was frustrating as hell. Like having a dirty little secret you want to share with everyone yet can’t tell anyone." Carl Canedy, March 2016

Now, twenty-five years later, with the pending release of his band, St. James’ new record, Resurgence, the well-known drummer/ producer is letting that dirty little secret out.

"Back in the nineties I was the drummer for the band St. James. We wrote and recorded a ton of songs. I played drums on every track. And we were about as tight as any band I’ve been in.” Canedy tells us.

It started when guitarist/ songwriter, Jimmy Jacobs, along with his brother, Robert Jacobs on bass and singer, John James put together a five song demo.

"I knew of Carl as the drummer for The Rods. When I heard of his work as a producer, particularly with Anthrax, I sent him the songs." says bassist, Robert Jacobs. "Before we knew it we were in an Upstate New York studio.”

Canedy’s drumming and production skills proved to be a perfect fit. The four became fast friends and in the studio, creativity exploded. In that first session, five songs quickly turned into ten. And in no time at all, the group had amassed a huge catalog of material. But just as the band thrived in the studio, when it came to touring they had hit a brick wall. Canedy’s skills as a producer were in high demand and with a steady flood of obligations, there was no way he could take off on an extended tour.

“It was a drag. No matter how much we tried, the schedules never lined up.” singer John James adds. “We had to get out and play these songs but at the same time we didn’t want to say that our real drummer couldn’t make it. So we kept Carl’s playing a secret and used several different guys to fill in for the live shows.”

The band went on to develop a huge following but still felt there was never the same energy as when the core members, the one that had put their blood, sweat and tears into creating the songs, had played together. Time passed and it looked like the secret would never get out… Until recently, when Canedy stumbled onto a cache of old St. James recording.

“I listened to a bunch of the songs and felt like this stuff was just too good to never be released. The writing, the playing, the production, even after all this time they still hold up.”

This time everything fell into place perfectly. With just a few phone calls, all four original members of St. James were on board and wheels were set in motion.

Now, twenty-five years later, the dirty little secret is out. With seventeen newly remastered tracks, St. James’ Resurgence is about to be released. And what of the prospects of Jimmy, Carl, Robert and John finally taking the stage together for the first time?

“Whereas years ago things just never lined up for us, this time it’s all falling into place perfectly. It’s gonna happen. It really is, but that’s for the next story.” says Jimmy Jacobs with a broad smile.

"What's Left Inside", the new video from the all-female metal sextet CONQUER DIVIDE, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's self-titled debut album, which was released last July via Artery Recordings. The CD was produced by Joey Sturgis (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, WE CAME AS ROMANS) and includes the song " Sink Your Teeth Into This ", featuring a guest appearance by new ASKING ALEXANDRIA singer Denis Shaforostov.

Based in the United States and England, the members of CONQUER DIVIDE have made a name for themselves with their catchy hooks, and their ability to quickly embarrass guys who don't think girls can play. The six-member band (consisting of Kiarely Castillo, Janel Duarte, Kristen Woutersz, Isabel "Izzy" Johnson, Tamara Tadic and Ashley Colby) has managed to capture the attention and gain the respect from their ever-growing fan base and critics alike. Over the past three years, the band have toured with ALESANA, SLAVES, IWRESTLEDABEARONCE and UPON A BURNING BODY, with multiple featured showcases at SXSW. On their recently released debut, CONQUER DIVIDE was pushed to their limits and thought outside the box as they worked with Sturgis.

The very personal "What's Left Inside" is described by Kristen Woutersz as "cathartic," and she hopes to motivate fans to turn a negative situation into something positive.

Asked if she thinks it's harder being a girl than a guy in the current music scene, Kristen told Odyssey: "Honestly, I think it's probably harder being a guy in some aspects — not in every aspect. Since it is a male-dominated genre, there are more all-guy bands, so it's harder to get noticed, where in our case, almost as soon as we put the band together, we were getting noticed. We put one song out and we were getting noticed. I guess it depends on the situation. There are some aspects that are harder for us, being an all-girl band, but we try to make the most of it and it's not too bad."

Pressed on whether they think that being in an all-girl metal band is a feminist statement, Ashley said: "I think we're just musicians like anyone else. I'm new, so when I joined the band I know all the girls told me, 'Remember, you're a musician just like everyone else.' We don't wanna be, like, 'We're girls,' you know? We wanna be treated as musicians and with the guys; we're all musicians together. That's how I look at it."

Janel added: "I feel like calling us a female band is honestly just an observation at this point. We have the same heart; we could do the same shit. I don't feel like it's weird if people call us a female band, 'cause it's just like I said: an observation. But then again, you don't go up and be like, 'Hey, CROWN THE EMPIRE, the all-male band!' It's like observation in my eyes."

Fan-filmed video footage of LACUNA COIL's May 23 performance at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland can be seen below.

LACUNA COIL's new album, "Delirium", will be released on May 27 through Century Media. The CD was recorded at BRX Studio in Milan between December 2015 and February 2016. The effort was produced by LACUNA COIL bassist and main songwriter Marco "Maki" Coti-Zelati, with engineering by Marco Barusso and additional assistance from Dario Valentini. Coti-Zelati also created the artwork for "Delirium", which is based on an atmospheric session captured by Italian photographer Alessandro Olgiati.

Speaking about the heavier musical direction of"Delirium" compared to some of the recent LACUNA COIL records, vocalist Cristina Scabbia told Planetmosh: "We already had the feeling that this would be a much heavier record, just because we… You see it, when you start to write music, to put down the new compositions, you kind of see the general direction. Of course, everything can change, but at the very beginning, we started to work on something more heavy. And plus, we just realized that even during the live shows, we were enjoying much more to perform the most energetic songs out of the LACUNA COIL catalog. So we definitely wanted to do something different, not only compared to the previous records we did — at least the last ones — but we wanted to do something pretty different from the bands that, in our genre, were doing, in a way, because maybe fans and press, whatever, people were expecting us to go softer and maybe more into a rock direction while we went the other way around and made it heavy. I'm happy that this record is surprising a lot of people — really happy — 'cause that's kind of the reaction that we were hoping for."

Added singer Andrea Ferro: "That's also one of the reasons why we opened the record with a song like 'The House Of Shame', which is one of the heaviest songs of the record. We really wanted people to say, 'What is this? Is it LACUNA COIL really?' That's exactly the effect that we wanted. We wanted this record to be just another record, just because we have to put it out. We wanted it to be something that said, 'Okay, this is LACUNA COIL in 2016, opening a new chapter in their career and just showing that they're still interested in experimenting with their music,' and going places we haven't been so far."

On the topic of the "Delirium" album title, Cristina said: "The title came from… It actually came out while we were working on the 'Delirium' song; there's a song on the record that has the same title. And while we were working on music and lyrics at the same time, this word popped out and came out and opened a lot of doors, and we started to think about the whole Universe. We thought about the overall idea, we thought about the location, we imagined this asylum, this fictional asylum based on a real abandoned asylum that we visited. So it really came out during the songwriting. It's something that came out in such a weird way, because it really, really let it all start."

Added Andrea: "Basically, once we found the word, we thought about connecting the concept of the record, the concept of the mental illness with the smaller topic of everyday craziness — the craziness you experience personally every day in real life. Some of us went through some depression, some other people had some family problem that forced them to experience a different moment in their life. And so we played with the symptoms and we did a bit of research about the characteristics of each mental illness and then drag it into this concept, which is we imagined a sanitorium, a LACUNA COIL sanitorium, like the record, basically, and every song is like a room of the sanitorium where a patient is facing a different kind of illness. So, for example, in the song 'You Love Me 'Cause I Hate You', we took inspiration from the Stockholm Syndrome, which is when you fall in love with a person that is keeping you prisoner. But, of course, we've never been kept prisoners, so the real story is about a love story, a relationship where you are imprisoned, and even if you know it's very toxic for you, you can't get out of it, because you think it's the right thing, so you try everything possible to save it, to make it work, although you know it's not gonna happen. So this is the kind of metaphors we've been using once we found the concept, basically."

LACUNA COIL has recruited Diego Cavallotti as a fill-in guitarist for the band following the recent departure of Marco "Maus" Biazzi.

Biazzi left LACUNA COIL in January, explaining in a statement: "I felt I couldn't add more in this project any longer so I decided to leave my second family, LACUNA COIL, to take a different path for a new challenge in my life.

Currently on tour in North America, Act Of Defiance's Chris Broderick has launched a new guitar play-through for the track "Disastrophe", taken from the group's debut album, Birth And The Burial.

See below for all upcoming Act of Defiance dates, including special appearances with Hatebreed and DevilDriver.

May
24 - Spokane, WA - The Pin #
26 - Calgary, AB - Dickens Pub #
27 - Edmonton, AB - Brixx #
28 - Saskatoon, SK - Louie's #
29 - Regina, SK - The Exchange #
31 - Winnipeg, MB - The Park Theatre #

June
1 - Thunder Bay, ON - Rockhouse #
3 - Sudbury, ON - The Asylum #
5 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre ***
6 - Toronto, ON - Opera House ***
7 - Milvale, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre ***
8 - Albany, NY - Upstate Concert Hall ***
9 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground ***
10 - Providence, RI - Lupos ***
11 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place ***
12 - Elmhurst, NY - Blackthorn 51 #
13 - Amityville, NY - Amityville Music Hall #
14 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie #
16 - Dayton, OH - Oddbody's #
17 - Memphis, TN - The HiTone Cafe #
18 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom #
19 - Lubbock, TX - Backstage #
23 - Albuquerque, NM - The Co-Op #
24 - Flagstaff, AZ - The Green Room #
25 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky-A-Go-Go #

# - Act of Defiance headline
*** - supporting Hatebreed, DevilDriver

Italian metallers Overtures have just released the official video for the song “Artifacts”, the title track from the band's fourth album.

Says the band: “We promised it. Here it comes. “Artifacts”, filmed by Breaking Schemes, is the new official videoclip and title track of our upcoming album. Artifacts are mementos of our past that transcend time and carnal fragility. The amazing work made by director Aurora Ovan couldn’t express in a better way what our song and our album are willing to leave in your mind. Go beyond the music. Follow our words and our harmonies, feel the inner meanings of this amazing piece of art.”

Artifacts will be released on May 27th via Sleaszy Rider Records.

Artifacts tracklisting:

“Repentance”
“Artifacts”
“Gold”
“As Candles We Burn”
“Profiled”
“Unshared Worlds”
“My Refuge” (feat. Paolo Campitelli on keyboards)
“New Dawn, New Dusk”
“Teardrop” (feat. Marco Pastorino, Caterina Piccolo on vocals, Paolo Campitelli on keyboards)
“Angry Animals”
“Savior” - Alternative version

“Unshared Worlds” lyric video:

New Jersey's progressive metal mainstay, Binary Code, officially self-release their new album Moonsblood - the full-length follow-up to 2009's Suspension Of Disbelief and 2010's Priest EP - today, May 24th. A full album stream can be found below.

Moonsblood features new vocalist Oded Weinstock and promises to offer up a completely different sound from what fans might previously expect from the band. Moonsblood promises powerful vocal hooks, huge, thundering riffs, gorgeous atmospheric tapestries, and impressively technical musicianship and songwriting.

Engineered and mixed by Eyal Levi (August Burns Red, The Contortionist, Monuments) at Audiohammer Studios and mastered by Alan Douches (Suicide Silence, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge) at West West Side Music, the members of Binary Code poured everything they had into delivering an album that would ultimately be a game-changer. The band is set to release something heavy, melodic, and progressive, yet focused and tightly written.

Binary Code founder and guitarist Jesse Zuretti comments, "Moonsblood is a time capsule for Binary Code. Not only was the album written sporadically throughout the course of some of the hardest times I've personally had to endure, but also some of the most enlightening and positive moments of my life. The instrumentation perfectly conveys many of the instances of that period and instantly brings me back to those moments. It was amazing to see how everything fell into place with Oded (our singer) joining the band. It became clear in an instant that he was a missing element to the sound we evolved into."

Singer Oded Weinstock adds, "Upon listening to the pre-production tracks for Moonsblood, I knew that joining Binary Code would mean that I would need to step up my game. The stretch of time between joining the band to laying down the vocal tracks for Moonsblood was a period of complete transformation for me. That spirit of self awakening and finding this path comes out almost intuitively in the lyrics, melodies, and sounds of this album."

Order Moonsblood here.

Tracklisting:

“Immersion”
“Trees 100ft Underwater”
“Dark Meditations”
“Moonsblood”
“Knell”
“Push”
“Cetacean”
“707”
“Unexist”

Album stream:

“Moonsblood” lyric video:

Prosthetic Records has announced the signing of blackened thrash/punk trio, All Hell. Spawned from the dark hills of Asheville, North Carolina in 2013, The band consists of  Jacob Curwen (vocals, guitar), Kurt Henderson (drums) and Erik Ballantyne (bass).

All Hell are currently working on their label debut and third overall release with plans to enter the studio later this fall. An early 2017 release is expected.

Citing a varying array of influences consisting of punk, thrash, first-wave black metal and 80's deathrock, All Hell’s most recent release, The Red Sect, was produced by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust). The stygian trio have garnered a dedicated following in the underground metal scene sparked from their relentless touring history alongside acts including 1349, Black Tusk, Ghoul, Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust, Lord Dying,  Venom Inc., and Ramming Speed, just to list a few.

The band will continue to showcase their volatile stage shows throughout the summer, catch them on one of the below stops.

July
1 - Atlanta, GA - 529 (with Cloak)
2 - Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero (with Venom Inc.)
3 - Columbia, SC - The Sludge Gutter (with Satanachrist)

Sleaszy Rider Records has announced the signing of Iranian black/death metallers, Nathorg. The label will release the band’s sophomore album in the next few next. More info will follow soon.

More on Nathorg at this location.

Nathorg lineup:

Gaztus - Vocals
Holatoth - Guitars
Gorkh - Guitars
Ordal - Bass
Xarkhim - Drums

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

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

In anticipation of Heaven Bled's momentous release, Hobbs Angel of Deathwill be touring the United States this August and September, stopping through Hells Headbangers' Hells Headbash - Part 3 along the way. 

Nyle DiMarco and Peta Murgatroyd's freestyle dance on Monday night's (May 23) "Dancing With The Stars" was set to DISTURBED's take on SIMON & GARFUNKEL's "The Sound Of Silence". The pair used the track after Nyle, who is deaf, penned a letter to the band asking their permission to incorporate the song into the routine.

"Nyle emailed us to ask for our permission to use our version of the song that has inspired him and hopes to convey an even bigger message to help people better understand the history of the deaf community," DISTURBED wrote in a Facebook post. "Tonight is the big night so help spread the word and cast your votes for Nyle! This is not only a great honor for a hard rock/metal band like us to be asked to be part of the biggest night of their show but for us to play a role in raising awareness for Nyle's cause."

Nyle's touching letter to DISTURBED was shared on the band's Facebook page and can be found below.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman told Philadelphia radio station 93.3 WMMR that the band has been amazed by the response to its version of "The Sound Of Silence". Draiman explained: "We're pretty blown away — and surprised, to be honest — by the amount of positivity that has surrounded the cover. Because it was definitely a left turn, and it was something that, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't have intended to go to, stylistically, on my own."

Draiman said that it took him three hours to record the vocals for the song — the longest vocal session of his career — and recalled hearing it three days later. He explained, "[I] was kind of tearing up listening to it, because it had been so long since I have allowed myself to go to that place vocally, and hearing it, and hearing it come out as well as I thought it did was not just gratifying, but like having a weight lifted off me."

"The Sound Of Silence" is taken from DISTURBED's sixth studio album, "Immortalized", which was released last August.

The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, making it DISTURBED's fifth effort in a row to enter the chart at Number One, a feat shared only with METALLICA and DAVE MATTHEWS BAND.

DISTURBED kicked off a North American tour — its first in more than four years — on February 10 in Fargo.

Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH joined DISTURBED on stage at this past weekend's Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio to perform a cover version of the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE classic "Killing In The Name". Video footage of their rendition can be seen below.

DISTURBED has been a playing a few covers in its current set, including its take on SIMON & GARFUNKEL's "The Sound Of Silence", its hit 2006 version of GENESIS's "Land Of Confusion" and a late-set medley that includes NINE INCH NAILS' "Closer", U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", THE WHO's "Baba O'Riley" and "Killing In The Name". "I just thought it would be kind of fun to take a few big songs, classic songs, and get up there and have a moment that would take a fun little turn and pay a little tribute to a few bands in there that we're fans of," DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan told Billboard. "We always like messing around with a few little covers and just have fun with it. Because we're playing such a long set now it's just a nice little twist to get everyone singing and have them feel part of the show."

DISTURBED's sixth studio album, "Immortalized", was released last August.

The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, making it DISTURBED's fifth effort in a row to enter the chart at Number One, a feat shared only with METALLICA and DAVE MATTHEWS BAND.

DISTURBED kicked off a North American tour — its first in more than four years — on February 10 in Fargo.

TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy sang a rockabilly version of MOTÖRHEAD's classic song "Ace Of Spades" at a friend's surprise 50th-birthday party on Saturday, May 21 in Discovery Bay, California. Video footage of his rendition can be seen below.

Billy recently confirmed that TESTAMENT's forthcoming eleventh studio album will be titled "The Brotherhood Of The Snake". The record's title track, according to TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson will feature "the fastest blast" beat drummer Gene Hoglan has ever played, a sentiment that was echoed by Billy. "That's definitely a standout [song], but a lot of this record, the new record, is definitely gonna be geared up to a little more faster than 'Dark Roots Of Earth' record, definitely a little more aggressive musically, for sure, probably vocally as well," Chuck said. "I think I'll probably attack with a little more heavier voice on this one. I'll kind of feel my way through the song, which voice to use. But there's definitely gonna be some 'Demonic' [-type] stuff, but again like 'The Gathering', 'cause I think I did a little bit of everything on that record, which that's what we'd like to accomplish."

TESTAMENT's U.S. tour with SLAYER and CARCASS kicked off on February 19 in Chicago, Illinois and ended on March 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Italian power metal act, Kaledon, have signed a deal with Sleaszy Rider Records. The band have confirmed that their ninth album will be released in early-2017. Complete details as they become available.

Last year, Kaledon issued a new version of their 2006 release, Legend Of The Forgotten Reign – Chapter 4: Twilight Of The Gods. The new version of the album was completely remastered and restored by Giuseppe Orlando (November) and features two songs re-recorded by the band’s current lineup. The beautiful and completely renovated artwork was handled by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Rage, Rhapsody Of Fire).

“Into The Fog” lyric video (2015 version):

(Photo - Kaledon Facebook)

Having delivered five killer albums boasting some of the most potent, technical and abrasive metal unleashed over the last decade, it would be easy for Revocation to sit back and rest upon their laurels. However, with their constant drive to push their sound ever forward and refusal to compromise their integrity, this could never be the case - and Great Is Our Sin is their most dynamic, boundary-pushing and weighty release to date.

Great Is Our Sin is slated for a July 22nd release date via Metal Blade Records. The first song from the album, entitled "Communion", is available for streaming below. Head to this location to pre-order your copy of Great Is Our Sin today.

Frontman Dave Davidson commented about the first track: "“Communion” is the fastest song we've recorded to date, and while it's blistering in terms of speed, there are also some proggy elements present to add contrast to the aggression."

When it came time for the follow-up to 2014's Deathless, the quartet had their work cut out for them, and their response to the challenge is a record that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Never forcing anything, the songs that would comprise Great Is Our Sin came together organically, and while the members being spread all around North America would have been an impediment to some, Revocation drew strength from it.

Reuniting with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Bleeding Through), who also helmed Deathless and 2012's Teratogenesis EP, the record packs the requisite punch, yet retains the organic feel with which it was conceived. Known for their technical prowess, the band remained dedicated to upping the ante without ever losing sight of the importance of good songwriting.

While the songs come together to make for a cohesive record that is engaging from front to back, they are further united by the lyrical concept penned by Davidson. The title itself appropriated from Charles Darwin's quote: "If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin", Davidson went about building a theme that was not only fittingly expansive, but also had real resonance with regard to contemporary society. "The concept revolves around the folly of man throughout the ages. Some themes come from historical references that are hundreds of years old, yet sadly these themes are still very relevant today due to mankind's refusal to learn from the lessons history has taught us, time and time again."

Regardless of the state of the world, nothing is going to slow Revocation down any time soon. Whilst the lineup has changed over the ten years the band has been in existence, Davidson's passion has never waned, and they are arguably sounding better than ever as they look toward the future. "We can't wait to bring these songs out on the road and perform them for different audiences all over the world. 'Great Is Our Sin' is a new chapter for the band, and collectively we feel that it is our defining record to date."

Great Is Our Sin tracklisting:

“Arbiters Of The Apocalypse”
“Theatre Of Horror”
“Monolithic Ignorance”
“Crumbling Imperium”
“Communion”
“The Exaltation”
“Profanum Vulgus”
“Copernican Heresy”
“Only The Spineless Survive”
“Cleaving Giants Of Ice”

“Communion”:

In support of Great Is Our Sin, Revocation will be hitting the road this summer as part of the Summer Slaughter tour, alongside Cannibal Corpse, Nile, After The Burial, Suffocation, Carnifex, Krisiun, Slaughter to Prevail and Ingested. The tour kicks off July 23rd in Orlando, FL and runs through August 21st in Atlanta, GA. A complete list of dates can be found below.

Summer Slaughter tour dates:

July
23 - Orlando, FL - The Plaze Live
24 - Tampa, FL - The Ritz Ybor
26 - Knoxville, TN - The International
27 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
28 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
29 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
30 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
31 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theatre

August
2 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze
3 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
5 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
6 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
8 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO
10 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
11 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
12 - Los Angeles, CA - The Novo
13 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
15 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
16 - Austin, TX - Empire Control Room
17 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
19 - Richmond, VA - The National (B4BQ)
20 - Wilmington, NC - Ziggy's By The Sea
21 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade

Revocation lineup:

David Davidson - Guitars / Vocals
Dan Gargiulo - Guitars / Vocals
Brett Bamberger - Bass / Vocals
Ash Pearson - Drums

Bay Area thrash legends Death Angel will release their new album, The Evil Divide, on May 27th via Nuclear Blast Records. The band have released a sixth promo video, as well as a new official album trailer. Both can be seen below:

The Evil Divide Promo Video #6:

Official Trailer: Touring:

Receive the tracks “Hatred United / United Hate”, “Cause For Alarm" and "The Moth" instantly when you pre-order The Evil Divide digitally via iTunes, Amazon and Google. Pre-order various packages for The Evil Divide at this location.

The CD was once again recorded at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof (Trivium, Deicide), who previously worked on 2010's Relentless Retribution and 2013's The Dream Calls For Blood. Mastering duties were handled by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City.

Three decades into their celebrated career, Death Angel remain as hungry as ever. As a result, uncompromising urgency and unpredictability define the Bay Area thrash quintet’s eighth full-length album, The Evil Divide. The group - Mark Osegueda [vocals], Rob Cavestany [lead guitar], Ted Aguilar [guitar], Will Carroll [drums], and Damien Sisson [bass] - satiate the appetite for buzzsaw speed riffs, double bass mayhem, and scorching vocals over the course of ten new anthems.

The album artwork was created by tattoo artist Bob Tyrrell.

"Both Mark and I had been tattooed by Bob, and when the subject of album artwork came up," comments guitarist Rob Cavestaney. "We approached him to create the design. We wanted an image that would represent the idea of The Evil Divide; something beautiful, yet simultaneously wicked, hence the death moth. Bob realized our vision with mere pencil and paper, and now we proudly present to you the cover art for our 8th studio album, The Evil Divide."

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”:

“The Moth”:

The Evil Divide promo videos:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Trailers:

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

Trailight bassist and mastermind Omer Cordell has checked in with the following update:

"Our last album, The Primitive Mountain, was made possible through everyone's amazing support and it has been an incredible success! People from all over the world supported the project and have continued to do so throughout the year that it has been released. There are no words for me to describe how thankful I am for everyone who has helped make the album stand out from the ocean of music that is being released on a daily basis. I am truly thankful for each and every one of you who invested their energy into this. Thank you!

And so now it is time to do it again! Shortly after the release of The Primitive Mountain guitarist Cory McBain and I have been in full pre-production mode getting all the songs just right and now we are ready to take this project into the studio and deliver a world-class album, once again.

In order for us to be able to get this album going, we truly rely on your help and support. There are some great perks to chose form in the Kickstarter rewards menu from a Skype drum lesson with drummer extraordinaire Ryan Van Poederooyen to have a chance to appear as a guest narrator on the album!

And so once again, thank you to all who have contributed and made the previous album an incredible success! Let's do this again!"

Go to this location for details on the Kickstarter campaign.

Trailight, featuring vocalist Dave Padden (ex-Annihilator), recently released a cover of the Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds classic "The Weeping Song". It features Padden and Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell on vocals and released on February 22nd. Check it out below.

Cordell: "I can only think of a handful of people alive today who I consider to be the most prolific and inspiring artists who have influenced and inspired countless of people all over the world yet, in some way are considered to be unpopular. Who instead of following trends, the trends seem to follow them. Who continue to create their art without having to compromise their artistic vision and by doing so, they are able to create their own fusion and magic in music, words and visuals.And so, I wish to pay tribute to one of those people; one who I consider to be the most important artists of our time; the great Nick Cave. This is our version of 'The Weeping Song'

My endless gratitude to Dave Padden, Burton C. Bell, Cory McBain and Adrian Windsor for their great talent and hard work!"

Cordell spoke with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai about Trailight last year. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

“When I was first starting to think about doing this project, considering the vibe and riffs I was coming up with – ‘A Thousand Years’ was the first song I wrote – I knew who I wanted to play drums on it. Ryan has known me as a photographer for years, so when I called him up it was like ‘This may come as a surprise, but I’m making music now…’ (laughs). I asked if he’d be interested in playing on it and he wanted to hear the demos, but he had a bunch of touring to finish with Devin and then record the DVP double album. After that he had time to do my stuff.”

“Ryan came back from Devin’s album recording, learned my songs in about a week or 10 days, we had one day of pre-production where I had a chance to hear what he would be doing in the studio. Three days later we were in the studio and 10 hours later he was done recording. When we were finished I knew why I’d gotten Ryan to do it. He not only fits stylistically, he was also such an immense help with the whole process. I was basically flying blind. I’d been to the studios lots of times back when Strapping was around to take photos, but I’d never actually recorded in one before, so Ryan was helpful in guiding me.”

Cordell also took on outside help to produce The Primitive Mountain, a long and drawn out process that slowly deteriorated as the songs were being mixed. He eventually opted to take on the task of mixing and mastering himself; a daunting task on one hand, but the only option left if the album was going to live up to his expectations. Rather than a play-by-play of events, Cordell channels Metallica to sum up the situation.

“As far as the mix of the album, the first batch of songs that I sent you sound like St. Anger, and the final mixes sound like the Black album.”

Go to this location for the complete story.