Swedish progressive rock juggernauts OPETH have once again joined up with Northern Monk Brew Co. to launch their second beer, the Communion Pale Ale, on April 22.

Following on from their limited run of 2015's XXV Anniversary Imperial Stout, OPETH have opted to take a different approach with their second beer as their choice in drinks is as varied as the music they create. Available in cans, it's a lighter beer than OPETH's first offering, but still packs a punch full of flavor.

Head brewer Brian Dickson of Northern Monk Brew Co. comments: "After the success of the XXV Anniversary Stout, it's great to be continuing our collaboration with the guys from OPETH. This time we have come up with an easy-drinking American Pale Ale with a solid U.K. malt backbone over which we layered lots of classic U.S. hop varieties, including Equinox and Citra. Expect pine, spice and all the punchy citrus you'd expect of the style; perfect gig refreshment!"

The Northern Monk Co. opened in late 2014 in Holbeck, Leeds and have quickly established themselves as producing some of the highest quality and exciting beers in the U.K. with their New World IPA, Northern Star Mocha Porter and Eternal Session IPA. OPETH and Northern Monk came together to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary by producing last year's XXV Anniversary Imperial Stout. The Communion Pale Ale is the second product to emerge from the collaboration between the band and brewery, as both parties realized they held similar ideals in how they approached their "craft."

To celebrate the release, Northern Monk Brewery will be holding a free-entry release party at their tap-room in Leeds on April 22, from 6 p.m. OPETH guitarist Fredrik Åkesson will also be there at the launch, celebrating the release of the Communion Pale Ale with a special DJ set.

Åkesson comments: "The best drink in the world has now surprisingly got even better for life sustaining wealth!

"I hope to see you at the launch party on Friday April 22nd at the Northern Monk Refectory where you can enjoy some of our excellent Communion Pale Ale and I'm looking forward to spinning some tunes behind the DJ booth."

On the night, Northern Monk will be running a special launch offer for six cans of the Communion Pale Ale and a limited edition OPETH t-shirt for £25.

The Communion Pale Ale will initially only be available in the U.K. but Northern Monk Brew Co. will be distributing it in 12 other countries over the next couple of months and it will be rolled out globally in time.

Please note this is not a limited-edition beer like the XXV Anniversary Stout, so there will be plenty available.

If you're based in the U.K., you will be able to order online direct from Northern Monk Brew Co.

If you're in the Leeds area, you can visit the brewery and their tap room and pick up some beer in person: Northern Monk, The Old Flax Store, Marshalls Hill, Holbeck, LS11 9YJ.

"I'll Do Happiness", a new song from AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. A collaboration with British singer Terry Reid, the track will be included on Perry's upcoming solo project that the guitarist at first thought would focus solely on instrumentals.

In the late 1960s, Terry Reid was reportedlyasked to join both the NEW YARDBIRDS/LED ZEPPELIN and DEEP PURPLE, but he passed. Instead, he recommended Robert Plant to Jimmy Page and went on tour opening for CREAM and THE ROLLING STONES. He then recorded two albums for Epic Records: 1968's "Bang, Bang You're Terry Reid" and the 1969 self-titled follow-up, both with producer Mickie Most (who had worked with Donovan, THE YARDBIRDS and THE ANIMALS).

"Terry wasn't that big here in the States in the late '60s, but I had friends who would go to England every summer and bring back piles of albums, and so I was lucky enough to know about him, and when I heard him, I thought his voice was incredible," Perry told Classic Rock magazine. "So he came in and we got to know each other a little bit and played some tunes, and wrote some songs, and he was just great to work with."

Regarding how he plans to release his next effort, Perry said: "It seems now that the album is leaning towards more vocals on songs, because I'm getting to work with great singers and it's been a lot of fun. But it might be that we release an instrumental EP and an EP of vocal stuff; I don't know. We're just cranking out the songs, and we're having conversations about how we get it out there. But I wanted to get one of these Terry Reid songs out because they turned out really good. There's been some pieces in some of the big newspapers out here which have been about people re-discovering his talent, so the timing is kinda falling together."

Perry has also recorded with NEW YORK DOLLS frontman David Johansen, although it's unclear if those tracks will surface on the upcoming disc.

"I really don't know what's going to fit where, but there's some stuff I've been writing that I wouldn't have anyone else sing but Alice [Cooper], for the [HOLLYWOOD] VAMPIRES," the guitarist said. "But there's tracks that I think will work as instrumentals and then some cat will come into the studio and we'll give it a shot with vocals, and then it's not an instrumental anymore."

Richard Z. Kruspe (RAMMSTEIN, EMIGRATE) has contributed guest vocals to "Move It", the latest single from Tomoyasu Hotei, the Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer who is best known internationally for his "Kill Bill" theme "Battle Without Honor Or Humanity". Echoing the upbeat industrial vibe of the song and shot in Berlin, the accompanying video is dynamic and starkly atmospheric with intense performances from both Hotei and Richard. Hotei comments on the video: "I wanted to make it simple, because Richard has a very strong character, and I think we have different characters. First, we wanted to try to do a story, but now it's more like a focus on two characters on the same screen." Richard explained his inspiration for the lyrics to Metal Hammer: "I listened to it and the first image I had was this Bond character in my mind. I was seeing a guy going through streets and pushing everything away. I thought, 'Oh, that's interesting, let's try that'. And we pretty much recorded the vocals in one or two days." "Move It" was released as two-track single, featuring a "Hounds" remix of the song, done by Olly Burden, known for collaborating with THE PRODIGY on their most recent album. "Move It" is taken from Hotei's debut U.K. album "Strangers", which was released last year through Spinefarm and is a wide-ranging body of work with a dramatic sonic palette demonstrating Hotei's diversity as a songwriter and virtuoso guitarist. Other album guests include Iggy Pop, who lent his vocals to the high-energy rock stomper "How The Cookie Crumbles", BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's Matt Tuck on the cinematic "Kill To Love You" plus southern soulstress Shea Seger on the pulsating electro-blues boogie "Texas Groove". Heralded by Time Out as "iconic", and a genuine superstar in his native Japan where he has sold more than 40 million records, Hotei is sought-after as a collaborator both in the studio and on stage. Having previously joined forces with artists such as David Bowie, Andy Mackay (ROXY MUSIC), INXS, BLONDIE and Joni Mitchell, he also performed with THE ROLLING STONES on their 50th-anniversary tour. Hotei has just finished a European tour and is currently on a major tour of Japan.

On May 27, death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER will release the fourth installment of their "Graveyard Classics" series, this time paying tribute to two of metal's most heralded legends: IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST. Titled "Graveyard Classics IV: The Number Of The Priest" and mixed by Jesse Kirkbride at Kirkbride Recordings in Cape Coral, Florida, the album is comprised of five JUDAS PRIEST covers (side A), and six IRON MAIDEN covers (side B), handpicked by Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel.

For a first preview, the cover version of "Invader" is now streaming at metalblade.com/sixfeetunder, where the record is also available for pre-order in various formats.

In regards to this new serving of death metal tributes, SIX FEET UNDER founder Chris Barnes comments: "Get ready to have your ears violated and your mind blown! 'Graveyard Classics IV: The Number Of The Priest' just crawled out of the Heavy Metal Cemetery!

"Having a good time playing music is what it's always been about since day one, and that's what the 'Graveyard Classics' albums are to me... a good fucking time! On this trip down memory lane, we cover songs from JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN; the two greatest metal bands of all time. Ray Alder from FATES WARNING did a guest background vocal appearance on 'Invader', our first single. Ray is a great friend, and an awesome vocalist, and I felt our differences in styles blended well together for the middle section and added some harmony to the rawness. I hope you all enjoy the band's twist on these legendary songs!"

"Graveyard Classics IV: The Number Of The Priest" track listing

Side A: Judas Priest

01. Night Crawler02. Starbreaker03. Genocide04. Invader05. Never Satisfied

Side B: Iron Maiden

06. Murders in the Rue Morgue07. Prowler08. Flash Of The Blade09. The Evil That Men Do10. Stranger In A Strange Land11. Total Eclipse

SIX FEET UNDER will be on tour this summer in Europe for a very special select run of dates. Barnes comments: "'Graveyard Classics' the tour begins June 30th and ends July 9th, with our return to the all-powerful With Full Force festival!! Looking forward to that as well as playing an entire setlist of cover songs on this tour — something we've never done before! It will prove to be a very special group of shows. If you're anywhere near these places this summer, make sure not to miss this!"

SIX FEET UNDER tour dates:

Jun. 30 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Baroeg Jul. 01 - Roitzschjora, Germany - With Full Force FestivalJul. 02 - Flensburg, Germany - Roxy Jul. 03 - Rostock, Germany - Alte Zuckerfabrik Jul. 04 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi GaloreJul. 05 - Munchen, Germany - BackstageJul. 06 - Innsbruck, Austria - PMK Jul. 07 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - RockfabrikJul. 08 - Pratteln , Switzerland - Z7 Jul. 09 - Essen, Germany - Turok

SIX FEET UNDER is:

Chris Barnes - vocalsRay Suhy - guitars and bassJosh Hall - drums

A new experimental rock band called GONE IS GONE has been formed by MASTODON's Troy Sanders, AT THE DRIVE-IN's Tony Hajjar, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen and guitarist-keyboardist Mike Zarin. The collaborative group plans to debut an EP later this summer through their own imprint label via Rise Records/BMG. In anticipation of the impending release, GONE IS GONE has unveiled a clip of a new song and will be performing their first show ever at the Dragonfly in Los Angeles on April 27. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, April 15 at 10 a.m. PST.

What was once thought a distant idea is now reality. It began when members Tony Hajjar and Mike Zarin were writing music for film trailers and they realized they had created a sound that needed a life outside of that medium. It needed a band. Fast forward through some phone calls and drinks: Troy Van Leeuwen was in. The trio met and wrote an EP within the first several sessions, but were still in need of the right vocalist. Upon first listen, Troy Sanders understood the vision and flew to Los Angeles to write and record vocals on the spot.

In the interview with RollingStone.com, Tony Hajjar says: "GONE IS GONE is a project that can live even when we are working with our other entities as well. The goal is to be able to compose remotely, if needed, on film, trailers, or on anything else that comes up... It feels good to know that all this music will see the light of day soon."

Adds Sanders: "The vibe from Day One was, and has been, very therapeutic and refreshing for me. The chemistry was immediate." For more information, visit www.GoneIsGoneOfficial.com.

Professionally filmed video footage of SOULFLY performing the SEPULTURA classic "Roots Bloody Roots" on July 16, 2015 at the Resurrection Fest in Viveiro, Spain can be seen below.

SOULFLY will embark on a four-week U.S. headlining tour in April. Joining them on the trek will be brutal death metal legends SUFFOCATION, Metal Blade recording artists BATTLECROSS, as well as ABORMALITY and LODY KONG.

SOULFLY's tenth studio album, "Archangel", was released on August 14, 2015 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The CD was produced and mixed by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, BEHEMOTH, CHILDREN OF BODOM), and features cover artwork by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, HATEBREED, ICED EARTH, SODOM).

SOULFLY has tapped Mike Leon (HAVOK) to play bass on the band's current tour. Leon said: "I've been a fan of Max [Cavalera, SOULFLY mainman] and his music since I was a little kid, and to be playing with him and the guys now is truly unbelievable!"

Handling bass duties for SOULFLY during some of the group's shows last year was Max Cavalera's son Igor, who also sings for the Phoenix, Arizona band LODY KONG.

Former STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos left SOULFLY in May 2015 and is now touring with FEAR FACTORY.

Speaking to United Rock Nations about "Archangel", Max said: "I have not been excited for a SOULFLY record like 'Archangel' for ten years. It sounds really exciting, and I am excited. I worked with a great producer, Matt Hyde, and he understood what I wanted to do: this, kind of, exotic, mystic, biblical kind of record. And he helped me get through, and we did a lot of cool stuff together with the vocals; there's a lot of chanting and things I've never done before with my voice. It still sounds like Max, but there's a different feeling to it. And there's some trademarks on it. Like the first song's called 'We Sold Our Souls To Metal', it's a pure metal anthem. It's a great song — a declaration of proudness of being metal, and live metal, live the metal life. So it's, for me, my most honest way to tell the fans that I'm proud to be metal and I sold my soul to metal, so you should [sell] your soul to metal as well. It's a cool song… I don't know… I like the album artwork. Eliran did it. And I really like the colors. [There's] a bit [of the] Middle East [influence] in the guitar. There's some riffs that are very Middle Eastern riffs and kind of Babylonian riffs. So it's pretty cool. That's from me listening to MELECHESH and BEHEMOTH and stuff like that."

Quality video footage of multinational metallers Powerwolf performing at Toulouse France on April 6th can be seen below.

Powerwolf's sixth album, Blessed & Possessed, was released on July 17th via Napalm. The CD was mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden with Fredrik Nordström and Henrik Udd and was mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street. The album's cover artwork was once again created by Powerwolf guitarist Matthew Greywolf.

The limited-edition version of Blessed & Possessed contains a separate mediabook bonus album titled Metallium Nostrum featuring ten cover songs, including the Gary Moore classic "Out In The Fields".

Said Powerwolf drummer Roel Van Helden: "Like most of us, I began listening to metal when I was 11 years old. Later I discovered Thin Lizzy, who, just like Iron Maiden, had a big influence on me. I still love to spin Gary Moore's records while having a good glass of wine. Also his blues phases were genius!"

“We really went out on some crazy limbs this time,” says The Compulsions frontman Rob Carlyle, speaking exclusively to BraveWords scribe Aaron Small about his band’s forthcoming trio of cover tunes.

On April 19th The Compulsions - headed by Carlyle on vocals, alongside bassist Ken Rich and current Guns N’ Roses drummer Frank Ferrer, as well as former GN’R guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal - will issue their version of “Revolution” by The Beatles, exclusively on iTunes (a teaser video is available below).

A common misconception is that “Revolution” was chosen to tie-in with the current political landscape in The United States. “I knew people would read into that, but that had nothing to do with it. You want to know why I really picked that song,” asks Carlyle. “I had a little writer's block and I thought re-recording ‘Revolution’, and some of these other songs, would somehow cure me. I think it worked because then I immediately wrote a bunch of new songs, which we're working on now for next year. When I was about eight or nine years old, The Beatles were my favorite band and the White Album version of ‘Revolution’ was one of my favorites by them. I always loved the vibe of that song.”

Next week’s iTunes only release of The Compulsions’ cover of “Revolution” will be followed by their unique take on the KISS classic “Shock Me” – due in August. “That track has been in the works since 2005/2006… I couldn’t fit it on a record; I didn’t know where to put it? Then I had the idea to put out some covers this year. But the reason I chose ‘Shock Me’ was I thought we could do it in a cool way. Everybody involved blew my expectations apart; especially Bumblefoot! It sounds like he’s got 20 fucking fingers, it’s insane. He did a tremendous job on that solo – and all the guitar work. When you do songs that people really know and love, you’ve got to represent, you can’t puss out.”

Rounding out the threesome of cover songs in December will be “Fascination Street”, originally done by The Cure. “We didn’t do it anything like them,” testifies Carlyle. “One of the reasons I wanted to do that song is; the lyrics are fucking filthy! If you actually listen to what he’s saying… it’s PG (parental guidance suggested) so you can get it on the air, but what he’s intonating is pretty dirty, in a cool way. When you’re doing this stuff you’re in kind of a vacuum. You have no idea what anybody’s going to think. You’re just doing what feels right and hoping that people will dig it.”  

Surprisingly, The Compulsions remain an unsigned, independent band. When questioned about the possibility of joining a record label, Carlyle replied, “I would love to, but nobody’s asking, to be quite honest with you. What labels are there? I don’t even know. I just saw something that Nuclear Blast put out – dude, it’s fucking horrific. I don’t know what they’re thinking? It’s an utter piece of shit, and they put it out. It’s a joke. I saw it on a website and in the comments section, people are laughing at it. Why did Nuclear Blast sign that band? Why are they not calling me up? First of all, I barely know anything about Nuclear Blast, but they’re a record label that seems to be active right now. The song is an embarrassment to everybody involved.”

Vitriol aside, the Guns N’ Roses connection associated with The Compulsions is a drawing card for a lot of people. Present day GN’R rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus left The Compulsions in 2015, only to be replaced by Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal – who used to play with Axl Rose. “I know Frank (Ferrer, drummer) and Richard from before they were in GN’R. In the ‘90s in the bars and clubs down here (New York City), they were probably the most red hot and well respected drummer and guitar player. To see them live – in whatever bands they were in – it sounded like Madison Square Garden wherever they showed up. It’s not cause I have some sort of GN’R fetish, although I think the band is amazing; especially the Appetite-era stuff. When it came time to look for another guitar player, I was looking for the best motherfucker in town. It’s all about the music. As far as being intertwined in the Guns N’ Roses world man, it makes people press play, it makes people read the article… but it’s definitely got its drawbacks too because the guys are super duper busy. The Compulsions would be a lot more active if I had my way. I want to work with the best guys for the music that’s in my head, and these just happen to be the guys.”

Adding to the GN’R cloak that envelopes The Compulsions is the fact that they’re going to cover “Dust N’ Bones” by Guns N’ Roses. “That was an online contest we did, but honestly ‘Dust N’ Bones’ is such a great song and when I heard that somebody recommended it, I know I could kill that. I don’t even know how we would pull it off cause they crushed it. I love how they did it on that album (Use Your Illusion I). But I’ve been told I have an Izzy (Stradlin) sort of vibe with my voice and how I approach things.”

The Compulsions released their debut album, Beat The Devil, in 2011. Sophomore effort, Dirty Fun, came out in 2015. It currently looks like the as yet untitled third album will see the light of day in 2017. “I’m saying that we’re going to put out an album but maybe I’ll divide it in half, or divide it into EPs. I’ve heard people say that now it’s better to have a constant stream of new material, rather than banging people over the head with a huge album. Attention spans are really short these days. Even if it’s a great album, you only have about three or four months – and that’s pushing it – to talk about it before people are moving onto the next thing. I’m just trying to figure out a way to constantly keep the name out there that’s interesting to people. Aside from being an artist, you’ve got to strategize in this incredibly weird, complicated wasteland we’re in right now.”

Looking ahead to the next batch of The Compulsions music, Carlyle reveals that he’s “a big fan of ten songs on an album; that’s enough. This time around I think it’s going to be seven originals and three covers. I know three covers is a lot, but Diver Down (by Van Halen) is five covers and five originals, so you can put that many covers on an album and still make it cool. But I’m not giving away what those three covers are just yet. They won’t be these three (‘Revolution’, ‘Shock Me’ ‘Fascination Street’), they are stand alone. But I think it’s a cool evolution of where we’ve been.”

Quite graciously, Carlyle has shared a rough instrumental mix of “Addicted” from the forthcoming third Compulsions album on the band’s official Facebook page. Both Frank Ferrer and Bumblefoot play on that demo. “I love that new track! Not to give too much away, but if you really pay attention, the way it starts out, I’m thinking maybe that should be backwards. I’m thinking of rolling the tape backwards, like a Hendrix-type thing, then slamming right into the verse. The vocals are done. Maybe we might add a little percussion thing? But I don’t think there’s going to be that much done to it.” The question beckons, what is Carlyle addicted to? “When you hear the song, you can read into it any which way you want.  Is he singing about drugs, pussy or rock ‘n roll? I mean, what else is there dude?”

 

 

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of Raintimes for a multi-album deal. Raintimes is a new melodic rock project featuring two young and talented Italian musicans, Pierpaolo “Zorro” Monti (Charming Grace, Shining Line) and Davide Barbieri (Wheels of Fire, Charming Grace), together with singer Michael Shotton (Von Groove) and also featuring Sven Larsson, Andrea Gipponi and Ivan Gonzalez.

“Raintimes is an album that I really wanted to use as a tribute to show my love and admiration for The Storm,” says Pierpaolo Monti. “I have played to death their two albums (especially Eye Of The Storm): their mid-tempos, steeped in pure melodic class, are the perfect crossroad between AOR and melodic rock. The choice of Shotton as frontman however was based not only on my admiration for his talents, but because I wanted to give a strong personality to the album and make the music more personal and original.”

A few demos were sent to the attention of Frontiers President Serafino Perugino, who was really excited with what he heard and decided to give a chance to these talented guys from Northern Italy.

"I'm absolutely thrilled about this partnership with Frontiers," says Zorro. "We are still finding it hard to believe that Raintimes will be part of its great roster, which features some of the most iconic and influential artists of the past and present international rock scene."

"Frontiers represents with no doubts a big step forward in our careers," Dave adds. "We're absolutely honored to release our debut album under this renowned brand, which is well-known for offering premimum quality rock music to all the fans worldwide!"

The duo Monti – Barbieri (together with Dave Zublena) incidentally penned the song “Love Gets Through” on the upcoming First Signal album, One Step Over the Line, to be released in June.

Raintimes debut album is expected to be released in early 2017

With their fourth full-length album, Disconnected, set for release on June 10th via Karisma Records, prog rockers Airbag have released a video teaser to give everyone a taste of what to expect from an album that takes the listener on a sonic journey filled with lush soundscapes underlined by soaring guitars and soulful vocals, starting with the opening track, “Killer”, and ranging right through to the 13 minute long title track, "Disconnected".

Without a doubt Airbag have mastered the art of creating a strong narrative listening experience by closely tying together lyrical themes and music, and Disconnected ventures even deeper into blending musical styles and sounds, which create the unique listening experience that is Airbag.  The album itself is a reflection on the theme of alienation between the individual and society, what society expects from us as individuals, and our resultant failure to live up to those expectations. Each of the six compositions depicts the state of feeling on 'the outside’ and out of touch with oneself and those around us.  Guitarist Bjørn Riis gives us some insight into the thought processes and musical ideas that went into the making of Disconnected: 

"The early demos for Disconnected were written during a couple of months in late 2014. The idea and inspiration for most of the lyrics, and the title track in particular, came from me realizing that I had to make some changes in my life. I was tired of the daily routine, working 9 to 5 in an office doing basically nothing and never having enough time for my family and music. I took a year off and started writing for the album. 

“We discussed the theme for the songs and gave them a single title, reflecting different persons or ways of being disconnected to society and what’s expected of us and how we fail to live up to those expectations. 
 
“As for the music, we have done three albums prior to this and those songs will always be a part of what we do, but you also want to look forward and explore new sounds and musical ground. We talked a lot about wanting to use more electronic elements and giving more room for the drums, allowing them to be more percussive and basically avoid the usual rock formula on all songs. We also wanted to do a more stripped down production and create a more spacious and dynamic sound.”

For the production of Disconnected, Airbag has once again teamed up with longtime collaborator and engineer Vegard Sleipnes. The album is produced by Asle Tostrup and Bjørn Riis, and, as always, the artwork was designed by vocalist Tostrup.

Tracklisting:

“Killer”
“Broken”
“Slave”
“Sleepwalker”
“Disconnected”
“Returned”

Teaser:

Metallic hardcore four-piece Akani, featuring current and former members of Merauder, Soilwork and Dark Tranquillity, have revealed a new track from their forthcoming debut full-length, Through My Darkest Infernal, due out in June via Demons Run Amok. Listen to “Bloodlust” below.

 
Consisting of vocalist Jorge Rosado (Merauder), guitarists Daniel Antonsson (ex-Soilwork, Dark Tranquillity) and Daniel Cederborg (ex-Path Of No Return) and drummer Anders Löwgren (Dead Reprise), Akani formed in 2012 and quickly garnered a lot of attention with their debut EP Santa Muerte from 2014, which is now sold out.

"Bloodlust":

"I Won't Run" video:

 

Austria's Mastic Scum will release their new DVD entitled Rage [Live & Rare] on May 13th. It will also be available as an MP3 album for download.

The band states, “We are proud to share the artwork ‘mechanical eye’ for our upcoming DVD RAGE [Live & Rare]. Lukáš Lancko from Isis Design Studio did an awesome job! We are proud of the final design! The DVD will include a four page booklet and the live shot will also be available as MP3 album for download!”

DVD content:

-Full live show
-Band interview
-Nine official music videos 
-Live footage from five festivals
-Photo gallery 1993-2015
-Complete discography
-Bonus video footage

More than 160 minutes of content. 

Tasmanian death metal has never been in finer form and Infernal Outcry is making all the right moves . Now, after the release of their EP Mass Extinction Requiem I, they present the video clip for single 'Eclipsed".

An epic 5 minute short film, the clip shows a man's struggle with time and humanity's reckless destruction of the Earth via it's nonchalance and ignorance. A man literally out of time. A foreboding message about the over-population of the Earth and the reluctance to care for the Planet which sustains us... but for how long?

The twisting and turning narrative becomes the focus of the clip, with Hobart's hills and valleys serving as an amazingly picturesque backdrop. Jimmy Harmsworth of Harmless Pictures was at the helm of the project and created the bleak, grey world of Future Australian outback, wracked with desolation, over-population and managed also to show the brutality of the band's live persona that punctuates the film clip’s final 2 minutes. 

For the uninitiated, Infernal Outcry is a technical and progressive extreme metal band based in Hobart, Tasmania. Punishing drums, maliciously methodical guitars, and deathly screams all play their part in luring the listener into a diverse musical landscape of weighty, multi-textured, and brooding compositions. Drawing such on influences as Dream Theater and Meshuggah, Infernal Outcry’s unique twist of contemporary progressive death metal is a fusion of complex rhythms and sinister melodies teeming with intensity.

Infernal Outcry’s debut, Mass Extinction Requiem I, produced by legend of the Australian Metal scene, Joe Haley (Psycroptic), was released on March 18th, thanks to a grant from Tasmanian Regional Arts Fund.

Italy’s Terrorway have revealed the details of their new album The Second, out on May 20th on Bakerteam Records.

The Second was recorded at V-Studio in Cagliari and once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Olsen. Terrorway comments, "We think that this record sounds very different from the predecessor Blackwaters. We changed a lot of things for what concerns our musical style and experimented a lot more than in the past... to cut it short… it will come as a real surprise for our fans!"

Tracklisting:

“Under The Light of A Broken Down”
“Eye Of The Sun”
“Torment”
“On The Edge”
“T.F.B.T.M. (The Face Behind The Mask)”
“Enter The Columns”
“Columns”
“Trails Of Ashes”
“The Wanderer”
“Lights Turn Black” (bonus track)
“Threshold Of Pain” (bonus track)

High-energy Miami noise rock quartet, Wrong, have released an official video for the track “Mucilage”, from their self-titled debut full-length, out on April 29th via Relapse Records. Find the video below.

After steamrolling onto the scene in 2014 with their promising debut EP and unrelenting live show (and featuring former members of Torche and Kylesa amongst their ranks), Wrong play Helmet / Unsane inspired heavy noise rock for a new millennium. The band signed with Relapse Records in the summer of 2015, after they made waves on their first North American tour with now-labelmates Torche and Nothing.

After spending the rest of 2015 on tour with Black Tusk and House of Lightning, Wrong put the finishing touches on their debut full-length at PineCrust studios in Gainesville, FL. Pre-order the album at this location.

Tracklisting:

“More Like”
“Turn In”
“Read”
“Entourage”
“Hum Drum”
“Stasis”
“Mucilage”
“Fake Brain”
“Boil”
“Wrong”
“High Chair”

“Mucilage” video:

“Boil”:

“Turn In” video:

Wrong is:

Eric Hernandez - Guitars, Vocals
Brian Hernandez - Drums
Andres Ascanio - Bass
Ryan Haft - Guitars

(Photo - Wrong Facebook)

Debemur Morti Productions will release Codex Obscura Nomina, the split album between avant-garde extreme metal acts Blut Aus Nord and Ævangelist.

This spectacular split album is the dangerous meeting of two strange entities working towards the same horrific ends, this is not just music, this is pure terror.

The artwork was created by Daniel Valencia from Fenomeno Design.

Tracklisting:

“Evanescent Hallucinations” (Blut Aus Nord)
“Resonnance(s)” (Blut Aus Nord)
“The Parallel Echöes” (Blut Aus Nord)
“Infra-Voices Ensemble” (Blut Aus Nord)
“Threshold Of The Miraculous” (Ævangelist)

The split will be available on June 17th on digipak CD and digital. The vinyl release date is yet to be confirmed. 

North Carolina’s doom / stoner metal act Bedowyn has signed a record deal with Via Nocturna to release their full-length debut album Blood Of The Fall.

From Via Nocturna - "Heavy, intense atmosphere, and radical playing with surprising accessibility is Bedowyn's signature. The power of Blood Of The Fall gives the band the opportunity to become well known in the metal communities on both sides of the Atlantic. Move over Baroness and Orange Goblin! Bedowyn is here to kick some serious ass!”

In late 2014, the band set out to create the follow-up to their well-received debut EP. Expanding greatly on the bedrock sound they had established, further exploration has yielded eleven well thought-out tracks that showcase their nomadic and heavy sensibilities. Conceptual in design, the recording has been crafted in the traditional structure of a side A/side B album that harkens back to the groups’ early metal roots.

Blood Of The Fall was recorded in various locations, including Schaefer Sound Productions (Raleigh, NC), Jerk Music Productions (Burlington, NC), as well as the bands’ home studio. Egan O’Rourke of Daylight Dies was enlisted once again for mixing duties.

Tracklisting:

“The Horde”
“Rite To Kill”
“Blood Of The Fall”
“Cotard’s Blade”
“Leave The Living For Dead”
“For A Fleeting Moment”
“Where Wings Will Burn”
“I Am The Flood”
“Halfhand”
“Lord Of The Suffering”
“The Horde (Exodus)”

The album will be out as a jewel case CD limited to 500 copies. Preorders are available at the Via Nocturna Store.

Indiana extreme metal rabble Skeleton Wolf will release their self-titled debut album on June 10th.  A trailer is streaming below.

Skeleton Witch is an extreme metal band that will have you headbanging until you tear your neck meat in two. Catchy guitar work, heavy vocals, and machine gun drums come together to forge a metal assault that is sure to have you raising your horns. Taking the old-school do-it-yourself mentality, the band handles everything from writing the tunes to shipping them to your doorstep. Skeleton Wolf is sure to please listeners of bands such as Goatwhore, Amon Amarth, Immortal, and recent Onslaught.

The album will be available for purchase on June 10th at SkeletonWolf.com.

Tracklisting:

“Bow Down To Death”
“At The Sixth Foot”
“M.P.F.F.”
“Whatever Demons”
“Eternal Lies”
“She’s Insane”
“Forever Awake”

Trailer:

Philadelphia’s Nothing are streaming a new song from their forthcoming album, Tired Of Tomorrow.

In addition to appearing on Tired Of Tomorrow, "A.C.D. (Abscessive Compulsive Disorder)" will also be released this Saturday as a limited-edition 12" for Record Store Day - get more details here, and stream the track below:

Nothing recently launched a documentary video series in support of Tired Of Tomorrow, due for release on May 13th via Relapse Records. Watch Episode 1 below:

Tired Of Tomorrow will be available on CD / LP / Deluxe 2xLP (with two bonus tracks) / Cassette / Digital. Physical pre-orders and bundles are available via Relapse.com here, and digital downloads can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp at this location.

People often wonder why Nothing are so damn loud. In the case of many artists, the volume stems from a preoccupation with negativity, misanthropy and the human condition. But while Nothing's attitude lines up with these ideas, their personality isn't one that the band picked from a list of clichés. It's one moulded by their own experiences, from family troubles and personal tragedy to a string of bad luck that Murphy's Law would balk at. And that volume, rather than a selling point, is the only way the band has been able to translate the difficulty of real-life events into musical form.

Tired Of Tomorrow is a record born out of a chain of events that forced frontman Domenic Palermo to drastically re-think and re-shape his perspective about both life and music. Borrowing from personal memoir and external works alike, Nothing have worked the deepest influences of their youth and maturation into a package that's ultimately at its most relevant in the present day.

Tired Of Tomorrow was originally set for release via Collect Records, until the band discovered that the label had been funded by the now-infamous hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli, whose roster subsequently dissolved under the weight of the unsettling controversy surrounding him. Though the album was written before the Shkreli debacle, Palermo sees those events to only have strengthened the sentiments and ideas behind Tired Of Tomorrow, rather than confuse its message. It's a mess to think about, but as always, the contradictions and paradoxes of the kind Nothing harnesses ultimately lead to the greatest revelations, and the band's personal and tragic path has nonetheless led Nothing to produce deeply heartfelt and inspiring music. Whichever way you want to look at it, you can't deny that Nothing feels good.

The band’s 2014 debut LP Guilty Of Everything, a record inspired largely by the events surrounding Palermo’s incarceration in 2002 following an aggravated assault charge (to which he pleaded self-defense), garnered widespread critical acclaim. After having toured relentlessly across North America and Europe, playing with the likes of DIIV, Merchandise, Torche, Failure, Hum and many more, Nothing will announce tour dates for 2016 imminently.

Tired Of Tomorrow tracklisting:

“Fever Queen”
“The Dead Are Dumb”
“Vertigo Flowers”
“ACD (Abcessive Compulsive Disorder)”
“Nineteen Ninety Heaven”
“Curse Of The Sun”
“Eaten By Worms”
“Everyone Is Happy”
“Our Plague”
“Tired Of Tomorrow”

“Eaten By Worms” video:

“Vertigo Flowers” video:

French progressive metallers GOJIRA have set "Magma" as the title of their brand new studio album, due on June 17 via Roadrunner Records. The as follow-up to 2012's "L'Enfant Sauvage" was recorded at GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier's Silver Cord Studio in Queens, New York.

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.'"

GOJIRA's fifth album, "L'Enfant Sauvage", sold almost 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart.

In March 2015, GOJIRA released "Les Enfants Sauvages", a limited edition 5" x 7", 60-page hardcover photo book chronicling the band's journey around the world over the first two years since the release of "L'Enfant Sauvage". The images were taken around the globe, spanning over 150 shows on three continents, and were hand-selected by Joseph and Mario. The package also included a live CD and DVD capturing the band's performance at the legendary Brixton Academy in London, England.

Norway's THE WRETCHED END will release its new album, "In These Woods, From These Mountains", on April 22 via Indie Recordings.

It has been nearly four years since new sounds have emerged from the fiery studio alliance of former EMPEROR/ZYKLON guitarist Samoth, MINDGRINDER/WINDIR guitarist/vocalist Cosmo, and DARK FUNERAL drummer Nils "Dominator" Fjellstrom.

Boasting a darker foundation than its predecessors, "In These Woods, From These Mountains" was recorded by the band themselves and mixed with producer Marius Strand in Norway. Mastered at Fascination Street in Sweden, it is without doubt the strongest and most varied of the extreme metal band's growing sonic portfolio.

During the creation process of the album, Samoth and Cosmo made a conscious decision to strive for a more organic and spontaneous sound. Samoth notes: "We went into this recording with a do-it-yourself attitude. We recorded everything ourselves in different locations and setups. We really wanted to capture our raw energy. It really was a principle focus for us."

"Dead Icons" opens the album with fervent drumming and the signature buzz of Samoth's celebrated six-strings. Harrowing vocals cater to the songs blasting and calculated cadence. Old friend Attila Csihar (MAYHEM, TORMENTOR) lends hand on "Old Norwegian Soul" while LEPROUS vocalist/keyboardist Einar Solberg and RED HARVEST's LRZ contribute on the band's unexpected adaptation of Bel Canto's "Dewy Fields" for the album's epic closer.

Due to Samoth's extensive involvement with the assemblage of EMPEROR's 20th-aniversary headliner shows for their pivotal album "In The Nightside Eclipse", the recording process of "In These Woods, From These Mountains" has been a longer journey than originally intended.

"It's great to finally have this album ready for release," says Samoth. "It took us some years for various reasons; different things in our every day and professional lives that took a lot of focus on our parts. We never felt any great pressure. Looking back, I think the whole process affected the album in a positive way. I personally feel I've almost come full circle with this new album, bringing more elements rooted in the darkness of black metal."

"In These Woods, From These Mountains" track listing:

01. Dead Icons02. Primordial Freedom03. Old Norwegian Soul04. Misery Harbour05. Atheos06. The Decline And Fall07. Burrowing Deep08. Dewy Fields

The official video for the song "Primordial Freedom" can be seen below.

"In These Woods, From These Mountains" features design work by Norwegian artists Trine Paulsen and Kim Sølve (ULVER, ARCTURUS, ENSLAVED). The album will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats.

According to TMZ, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil was captured on surveillance footage last week dragging an autograph seeker to the ground by her hair before being cited for battery.

Neil claimed he only "pushed past" a female autograph seeker at the Aria in Las Vegas on April 7, but officers concluded after reviewing the video that the singer did in fact pull the woman by her hair.

The woman says that she was left stunned, and suffered a sore neck as well as pain in her lower back and hip.

Cameras also captured the woman taking pics with Carrot Top before she saw Nicolas Cage. She claims she said, "Nicolas, I love you" and followed Cage before being pulled down by Neil, who was having lunch with the comedian and the actor.

As for the scene outside the hotel, which was captured on video and posted by TMZ (see below), cops say Neil was actually trying to fight another individual, while Cage tried to play peacemaker. The clip was reportedly filmed after Vince was held for an hour by security and police had already ticketed the singer for battery.

Neil was released at the scene, police said, and is scheduled to appear in court on June 17 for the alleged assault on the woman.

The singer's attorney, David Chesnoff, told the Daily News he is still investigating the incident.

"All I've seen is that there was an allegation of a simple misdemeanor battery," he said. "People shouldn't pre-judge things until all the facts are in."

The night before, Vince was was seen checking out the newly opened T-Mobile Arena in Vegas with friends, including former "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous" host Robin Leach.

Cage and Neil are longtime friends who were previously photographed together at the rocker's strip club back in 2012.

"In The Age Of The Consecrated Vampire We All Get High", the new video from Rob Zombie, can be seen below. The song is taken from his new upcoming album, "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser", which will be released on April 29 via UMe/T-Boy Records. The CD was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris and features Zombie alongside guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Ginger Fish.

Zombie told RollingStone.com about the new clip: "I always loved the way Elvis looked on his comeback special standing in front of a giant 'ELVIS' sign. So I figured, let's do that, but instead of my name, it will say 'GET HIGH.' It's a simple message for everyone."

"The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" track listing:

01. The Last Of The Demons Defeated02. Satanic Cyanide! The Killer Rocks On!03. The Life And Times Of A Teenage Rock God04. Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.05. A Hearse Overturns With The Coffin Bursting Open06. The Hideous Exhibitions Of A Dedicated Gore Whore07. Medication For The Melancholy08. In The Age Of The Consecrated Vampire We All Get High09. Super-Doom-Hex-Gloom Part One10. In The Bone Pile11. Get Your Boots On! That's The End Of Rock And Roll12. Wurdalak

Rob Zombie spoke to Louder Noise about why he has held back the release of his new album even though the record was completed months ago. Zombie said: "What I wanna do is I wanna do a very large visual component to go with the record — shoot thirteen videos, or shoot a movie go with it. And because of [Zombie's upcoming sixth live-action feature film, a horror thriller called] '31', I couldn't get to that yet."

Zombie told Loudwire that the follow-up to 2013's "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" was recorded over the course of a year, with the band working for a few weeks, taking a break for a few months, then coming back. He said, "We were living with it for a long time, and it really — I think it made the record so much better."

He continued: "I love it. I mean, I really like the record. The last record was my favorite record in a long time. 'Cause I had kind of hit a low with making records. It just kind of got boring; I hated being in the studio, and I kind of got reinspired on the last record. And this sort of follows up on it. So I think that, much like '31'… You just have those things in your career where you're, like, they all can't be the best one. With records, sometimes you have those moments where you can tell, 'This one's special.' And that's how it feels."

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of ENUFF Z'NUFF. The band's brand new studio album will arrive in the fall. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Good Luv", "Radio", "Nothing" and "The Devil Of Shakespeare".

Wrongly lumped in with the disposable pop-metal bands of the late '80s, ENUFF Z'NUFF is instead a truly gifted power pop act. Founded in Chicago in 1984 by Chip Znuff, ENUFF Z'NUFF arrived with their self-titled debut in August 1989, scoring a couple of hit singles with "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle". The follow-up was 1991's "Strength" album, where the band had noticeably toned down their image and turned up their creative ambitions to deliver a masterful '90s take on the crunchy power pop sound of CHEAP TRICK and BADFINGER. As of today, ENUFF Z'NUFF is still going strong and continues touring the globe. Singer-songwriter Johnny Monaco now fronts the power-pop trio along with co-founder Chip Z'Nuff and drummer Erik Donner. Chip Z'Nuff says: "We are very excited with this new deal with Frontiers, thanks to old friend who discovered us, Derek Shulman.

"The new record is pure rock and features a couple rock-star friends, most notably James 'JY' Young (STYX), and the late great Jani Lane (WARRANT) singing on one of his last recording sessions.

"The band will be touring through 2016, worldwide.

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

Italian metallers, Ibridoma have renewed their partnership with SG Records. The band’s fourth album, entitled December, will be released on May 6th (in digital download on May 4th). The album has two special guests, Paul Di' Anno and Blaze Bayley. Album cover artwork was created by Gustavo Sazes (Arch Enemy, Kamelot).

The band comment on the album concept: "After consuming all the resources of the earth, after polluted the soil, the air and the sea, after killed each animal, cut every tree, will remain only desolation and silence...  Before arriving in hell, we'll realize that we should stop and reflect on the meaning of all this violence, and finally try to change our behavior! How would the world be without the man? ...December.”

December is yet another evolution of Ibridoma's sound, and while awaiting for the album release Ibridoma give us a taste of what is to come, with the new video "Chemtrails", watch it below.

Tracklisting:

"Sniper"
"Cover By The Blood"
"December"
"Chemtrails"
“I’m A Bully" (feat. Paul Di' Anno)
"Dead Trees"
"Come With Me"
"Land Of Flame" (feat. Blaze Bayley)
"I Don’t Like"
"Change Me"

"Chemtrails" video:

Ibridoma are:

Chriastian Bartolacci - Voice
Marco Vitali - Guitar
Sebastiano Ciccale' - Guitar
Leonardo Ciccarelli - Bass
Alessandro Morroni - Drums

Norwegian progressive metal band, Withem, will release their new album, The Unforgiving Road, on June 3rd. A new lyric video for the album track “The Pain I Collected” can be found below.

Withem are inspired by the likes of Symphony X, Pagan's Mind, Dream Theater and Circus Maximus, concentrating heavily on melodic, memorable hooks, but still with plenty of stunning and virtuoso instrumental sections. The band debuted with The Point Of You in 2013, gathering excellent reviews from several music websites, blogs and magazines from all over the world. The release was followed by European touring with Pagan’s Mind, Circus Maximus and Seventh Wonder, and performances at both ProgPower USA and ProgPower Oslo, always with an extremely positive reception.

The new album, The Unforgiving Road sees the band perfecting their style. Withem’s gripping, melody-driven songs avoid the clichés and pitfalls of overly dramatic instrumental sections and sheer senseless complexity and instead centre on creative interplay between the musicians, while the unique vocal range of Ole Aleksander Wagenius gives the band a distinctive touch. Just like the debut album, The Unforgiving Road was produced and mixed by guitarist Øyvind Voldmo Larsen at his own Lionheart Studio, boasting powerful and bombastic production values with plenty of moments for the listener to notice the most subtle intricate parts of the songs.

"The Unforgiving Road is a the culmination of almost a year worth of composing, recording and producing. We didn't want to rush things after the first album, to avoid the usual pitfalls of "sophomore albums," says Withem guitar player and producer Oyvind Larsen. "The challenges we encountered while writing and recording can only be matched with how rewarding it feels after everything is set and done!"

"Øyvind once again took the helm for most of the composition and the whole scope of recording, mixing and producing, and we can't wait to hear everyone's reactions after they listen to the end result," adds new bassist Miguel Pereira. "We are looking forward to start promoting The Unforgiving Road with live shows right after the album is out, and meet all our friends and fans throughout the world."

The Unforgiving Road tracklisting:

“…Intro”
“Exit”
“In The Hands Of A God”
“The Pain I Collected”
“Riven”
“C'est La Vie”
“The Eye In The Sky”
“Arrhythmia”
“In My Will”
“Unaffected Love”
“Outro…”

“The Pain I Collected” lyric video:

Withem lineup:

Ole Aleksander Wagenius - Vocals
Frank Nordeng Røe - Drums
Øyvind Voldmo Larsen - Guitar
Miguel Pereira – Bass

Canada’s Cauldron have released an official video for their track “Burning At Both Ends, featured on the group’s new release, In Ruin (The End Records). The live performance footage was shot at The Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California on February 3rd.

Says frontman Jason Decay, "This song is too relevant in the sense that it's about going too hard for too long and facing the ultimate crash and burn. These were fun times and we hope you enjoy!"

Following the band's horrific Valentine's Day tour van accident outside of Dallas, Texas, the members of Cauldron have received an outpouring of support from fans.

The band, as part of their North American tour with Enforcer, Warbringer and Exmortus, were en route to New Orleans, LA for their next show when their van hit debris from a previous accident on the roadway causing the vehicle to roll over several times before coming to rest on its roof.

While band members Jason Decay, Myles Deck and tour manager Henry Yuan escaped relatively unscathed with only cuts and bruises, guitarist Ian Chains suffered multiple fractured vertebrae in his back and neck, a fractured sternum, and a fractured hip bone. He is currently recovering after spending a week in a Dallas hospital.

Due to the crash and Chains’ injuries, Cauldron were forced to cancel all remaining dates of their North American tour including a headlining show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, NY.

Thankfully, due to some quick thinking, the show at Saint Vitus Bar was realigned as a benefit event and featured sets from Natur and Tower. All proceeds from the door and sales of leftover tour merch - as well as exclusive benefit merch going straight to Ian's recovery fund.

The band have now launched an official donation site where by simply purchasing an item off basementmetal.com you are helping the band. For those looking to donate without making a purchase, there is an option on the site to send the band an amount of your choosing.

Says the band, "We would like to thank all of the people that have expressed their thoughts and support. The last couple of weeks have been tough, but it just goes to show how amazing our fans are. THANK YOU so much to everyone who came out and supported our cause, especially Natur, Tower & Saint Vitus Bar - you're all the best and we really appreciate it! Hope to see you all again at Lee's Palace in Toronto on April 8th (we have a very special line-up announcement coming soon)! Cheers and all the best!"

To support Cauldron in getting back on their feet, The End Records has created an exclusive merch bundle on The Omega Order dedicated to Ian Chains, with all proceeds going directly to the band.