Rock powerhouse ALTER BRIDGE has commenced recording the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed 2013 album "Fortress". The as-yet-untitled fifth LP is once again being produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette and is tentatively set for release in the fall.

In a brand new interview with Metal Wani, ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's new CD (hear audio below): "I'm actually tracking [my parts] today. We don't have a specific [release] date set yet, but we're trying as hard as we can to get the album out this year."

He added: "We've already tracked the drums and the bass for the album, and I started my guitar tracking yesterday, and I continue today. So we're well on our way."

Regarding what fans can expect from the next ALTER BRIDGE album, Tremonti told TeamRock Radio: "It could go in any direction. I've got a ton of ideas in all different styles. Last time, it was just one heavy idea after another and hopefully this time we can branch out and bring something new to the table."

"Fortress" was released in 2013 and featured the Active Rock Top 15 single "Addicted To Pain".

When ALTER BRIDGE is on hiatus, Kennedy can be found fronting Slash's band, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.

Tremonti will release the third effort from his band TREMONTI, titled "Dust", on April 29.

DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott was interviewed earlier today (Tuesday, April 5) by Johnny Garbutt of the Q107 radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

On DEF LEPPARD's latest, self-titled album:

Elliott: "[There are] fourteen tracks [on it], two of which have already been heavily exposed to radio, 'Let's Go' and 'Dangerous'. There's some great stuff on there, though; there's buried treasures on that record that will hopefully see the light of day down the road, you know. But it's a record we're really proud of, because it's different. The two songs I just mentioned are classic DEF LEPPARD — absolutely the second you hear 'em, you go, 'That's DEF LEPPARD.' And that's exactly why we did them. But there are other songs that go a lot deeper in different directions on the album but still tie in. So you know, for us it was a joy to do. It mostly came out of the fact that we didn't really know we were making an album when we made it. So, as daft as that sounds, we were only gonna do a three-track EP, but we kept writing and writing. And then when we thought, 'Well, which three do we pick?' You know, it was just kind of brought up, 'Well, why do we have to pick three? Why don't we put them all out?' And then we'd accidentally made an album. So we didn't have that pressure of A&R men or worrying about what direction we were going in. It just kind of came out naturally, which is the best way to do an album."

On his vocal issues that caused the postponement of a number of shows in February:

Elliott: "As far as I'm aware, it's fine. You know, I got a really bad cough over Christmas and New Year, and that's what did the damage. It wasn't singing. It was just an injury. It was like a footballer getting kicked very hard on the shin and not being able to play for a few weeks or a couple of months or whatever. It was nothing to do with his ability to play; it was just an injury that he picked up. And it was the same thing with me. I just got a really, really bad cough, couldn't clear it up, and I was warned, having seen a couple of throat doctors, that I needed to take four to six weeks off. So it's about now that I start giving it a shout again. But other than that, everything else is fine, you know. It's just… It just needed a rest."

"Def Leppard" entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 10 with first-week sales of just over 30,000 units — nearly all from pure album sales.

The album is the band's first studio effort since "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" in 2008.

Ultimate-Guitar.com recently spoke with Children Of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho on a variety of topics. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

UG: So, big news in the band, you recently got yourself a new guitar player, how did Daniel Freyberg come to be in the band? 

Alexi: "Well I've actually known him for over ten years. He's played in a couple bands so I always knew he could play guitar. When we started looking for a new member or at least somebody to do the shows with, we tried out a couple guys who didn't live in Finland and it didn't work out and this guy, he was right there and he just informally brought it up like, "hey if you guys need any help, let me know." I hadn't heard him play in a while so I had him send me a video with a couple of riffs to see if he could still play and he rocks. He's a hard working dude. He's a quick learner and so far, it's been awesome. But the thing is, we haven't really decided if we're going to have him as a permanent member or not. We're still not sure what's going to happen for sure."

UG: There seems to be a lot more to being in a band than just playing ability. 

Alexi: "Yeah, when you think about it, the playing part is such a small part of being in a band because the playing should be there no matter what. Being in a band is more about having people you get along with. We're the kind of band who is constantly on the road so you do basically live with each other so it's super important that we get along. If there's one guy that bums another guy out, it can be pretty destructive. I've seen that happen to so many bands and I don't want that around."

UG: Have you tested him out yet by playing some pranks yet? 

Alexi: "Not yet. I'm sure we will at some point."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Children Of Bodom recently checked in with the following update:

"We're so excited to announce Latin America dates for this year! Mexico - Chile - Argentina - Brazil we're coming for you this May. Head over to our events/tour dates page here for more info and tickets on sale today!"

METALLICA will reissue its first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", on April 15. Both albums have been remastered for the most advanced sound quality and will be available in three formats — CD, vinyl, and deluxe box set. Both deluxe box sets include original source material from the band's personal collection with many never-before- heard-or-seen recordings, along with a book including rare photos and essays from those who were there.

An unboxing video for the deluxe edition of the "Ride The Lightning" reissue — featuring METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich — can be seen below. Also available is the previously released "Kill 'Em All" unboxing video featuring METALLICA frontman James Hetfield.

The deluxe numbered box set of "Kill 'Em All" includes four vinyl records, five CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including rare photos and a patch while the deluxe numbered box set of "Ride The Lightning" includes four vinyl records, six CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including more of those unseen photos, a mini-book of lyrics handwritten by James Hetfield and a set of three posters. The deluxe box sets are limited-edition collectors' items.

Fans can pre-order both deluxe box sets at the Met Store now and all six new items will, of course, also be available at your local record store on Friday, April 15, just in time for Record Store Day.

Originally issued on July 25, 1983 through the independent label Megaforce Records, "Kill 'Em All" was recorded in two weeks on a miniscule budget in upstate New York. Although only 1,500 copies were initially pressed, the album was reissued by Elektra Records after the band signed to that label in 1984 and has since been certified triple platinum for sales of more than three million copies.

The varied sounds of "Ride The Lightning", which included the first METALLICA ballad in "Fade To Black", drew mixed responses from some fans. The band's drummer, Lars Ulrich, told Rolling Stone magazine: "It did surprise us a little bit, I guess. People started calling us sellouts and all that type of stuff. Some people were a little bit bewildered by the fact that there was a song that had acoustic guitars."

Noting that at least four songs from the album are still part of METALLICA's live set today, Ulrich said that "Ride The Lightning" "holds up very well," adding, "There's kind of a youthful energy that runs through the record."

Puerto Rico's thrash metal sensation Calamity has released their first music video, “Facing Calamity” from their debut album Imminent Disaster. The video was recorded and produced by a team of local students from Atlantic University College and was directed by Carolina Seda and Manuel Rosario.

"We are so proud of what we accomplished in this, our first music video”, says Berny Santos (vocalist and guitarist of the band). “’Facing Calamity’ is a song about a person suffering for bad things he or she did in the past, and we definitely captures that feeling on tape. The team wanted it to be a tribute to old school horror films and so they did. We were very into it from the beginning."

The band has just returned from US tour and are already getting ready for a second leg this summer/autumn in support of a veteran Latin band.

Israeli metallers, Ferium, will release their new album, Behind The Black Eyes this month. The follow-up to their 2014 debut album Reflections will be released on April 21st and pre-orders are being taken now at this location. Check out the new music video for the track “Power Is All That Matters” below.

Behind The Black Eyes was produced and mixed by Elram Boxer. It was mastered at The Panic Room by Thomas Plec Johanssen.

The band discusses the sound and ideas behind the album as follows: "Aggression is the most important thing about metal in our opinion. It has been an important outlet for so many people, including ourselves. We write the music from the bottom of our souls. The creative minds behind Ferium have experienced deceit, unfaithfulness, heartbreak, betrayal, pain and loss, all of which creates a sonic portrayal of aggressiveness and frustration in an effort to solve all of life's struggles, and to turn them into positive and empowering experiences.

“With our lyrical concept revolving personal relationships, emphasizing a story from the protagonists point of view, our new album has a much more direct and cohesive approach than Reflections, Behind the Black Eyes is a concept album, which makes it much easier to imagine yourself being in the story through vocals that play a big role in creation of the atmosphere and the huge groove riffing. Eliran Kantor's (Testament, Atheist, Hatebreed) mesmerizingly brutal cover artwork gives the lyrical concept the image it deserves."

Tracklisting:

“Aftermath”
“Power Is All That Matters”
“A Journey We Had”
“Revelation”
“Losing The Grip”
“She Feels Like Home”
“Seven Years Of Seven Levels Of Hell”
“We Fell Apart, We Fall Together”
“A Free Man”

“Power Is All That Matters” video:

“Revelation” video:

“A Journey We Had” video:

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA will enter Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden in May to begin recording their new album for a tentative late 2016 release. Helming the sessions for the follow-up to 2013's "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" will be Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH, among others.

Said SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser: "We're very happy that we have a chance to work with [Jens]."

SEPULTURA released a limited-edition seven-inch single to mark its 30th anniversary. "Under My Skin" features artwork of fan tattoos on its cover, with a live version of "Kairos" on the b-side. The single was issued on black, yellow and green vinyl, with only 200 copies of each version pressed.

"The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" came out on October 29, 2013 via Nuclear Blast.

Kisser told Metal Wani about SEPULTURA's last CD: "I think we have two factors on this last album, which are very important. I mean, [producer] Ross [Robinson] is one of them, for sure. And the other one is our new drummer [Eloy Casagrande], [who's been] four years with us already. And he really brought some new possibilities for our music. He's an amazing musician; he can play basically anything. [His playing style is] very metal, very powerful, very much with that urge to break limits. So the consequence was 'Mediator' — songs that were really… that stretch our possibilities as musicians, which was great for me, Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr., bass] and Derrick [Green, vocals], to have that kind of push and motivation to do something extra and something new, and really to take SEPULTURA to a different level. And Ross [who previously worked with SEPULTURA on 1996's 'Roots'] really enhanced everything, especially with Derrick's singing and the performance. It was great. I mean, of course, it was different times and different ideas than 'Roots' and stuff, but we have that kind of communication of friends. I mean, we know each other, and we respect each other so much. It was the perfect choice; we're very happy with everything."

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was interviewed on the March 25-27 edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the Podbean widget below. A few excerpts follow.

Full Metal Jackie: We are here to celebrate the release of the "Battle Cry" CD, DVD and Blu-ray. It is out now, and was recorded at [the] Wacken [Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany] in August 2015. Man, Wacken is such an amazing place. I got to see you play there a few years before that. Man, this one you guys play in front of like, 85,000 people?

Halford: "Yeah, it was amazing, an absolutely incredible atmosphere at Wacken. You know, all the metal festivals, no matter where they are around the world, they're unique, because they're not only great for the bands that are jamming onstage, but for the metal community and metal maniacs. They get a chance to get together and, yeah, listen to all their favorite bands, have some drinks and just talk metal and live that experience, and that's what Wacken is very, very famous for. It's a three-day event, I believe. And I can't remember how many times we've played [Wacken], but we knew we wanted to make a full… you know, film it for a DVD/Blu-ray and CD audio. And we were trying to figure out the best place to do it, as the 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour roared around the world. And Wacken made perfect sense, because they've already got in-house cameras and stuff going down; they do that every year — it's just a great set of facilities that they have backstage. So we got it all to work, and, man, this is great. This is a real celebration for PRIEST, the 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour and for metalheads all uniting on that special night."

Full Metal Jackie: So many people thought that the band sounded better than ever on the last tour, especially you. How much did that overall response initiate the making of "Battle Cry"?

Halford: Well, the fans drive us more than ever. When you see that kind of reaction, when you feel those kinds of vibes coming to you, not only from the stage but on social media, especially, [and] when we meet our fans as often as we can after a show, that's what we still thrive on in PRIEST and that goes into what we feel and what we do when we're out on that stage. We're obviously having the best of times ever, playing together as a band, but when you're looking out and you're seeing that frenzy, when you're feeling that kind of insane response, it fires you up to really put more into it. And we've said it so many, many times, we feed on that energy and power from our fans. And it goes into our performance. I think that's what it is, you know. I don't know why I was singing like I was, or how Glenn [Tipton, guitar] was playing so great, and Richie [Faulkner, guitar], Scott [Travis, drums] and Ian [Hill, bass]. But there was just something very special happening on that 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour, and you can really see it and feel it and hear it in the 'Battle Cry' release."

Full Metal Jackie: The last tour lasted a little more than a year, over a hundred shows. What factors did you have to consider when choosing which show to film and what ultimately made Wacken your choice?

Halford: "Well, we're still recording every show that we do. That's just part of what PRIEST has done forever, from the [mixing] desk. And that's kind of an important element, I think, all bands should consider. You know, capture all your shows, whether you can just do it from the desk or whether you've got some GoPro [cameras] on the stage. It's all important, it's all valuable. And beyond that, you're looking for, in this case, the biggest dimension that you can capture. I mean, this is just talking off the top of my head. When we were just recently looking to approve the Us festival that we did out in what is now Devore in Southern California in front of three hundred and fifty thousand metal maniacs, when you look at that, you go, 'Man, that's metal, that's metal in its biggest expression. You know, the big stage, hundreds of thousands of people, that's a very, very special type of attribute to metal music, and let's try and do that again on this current tour.' We played a ton of festivals, as you know, Jackie, both here in the States and elsewhere around the world, but the Wacken one fell into place from the calendar perspective. But above and beyond that, we wanted to put PRIEST in that dimension that we haven't seen the band in for the longest time for a festival moment. It took a festival atmosphere to capture the pure raw size and power and volume of PRIEST live in front of all of those fans and metalheads."

Full Metal Jackie: From young men who are relentless to succeed to becoming a well respected band with an impressive body of work, what's changed most about your overall perspective of being a musician?

Halford: "Well, I think that, you know, over four decades in metal, there's a lot of wisdom at this point [laughs], and I'm one for wisdom, Jackie; you know me. Speaking about this, that and the other, qualified or not. But you just do these things, you know? It's just part of living the life. And we've done thousands of shows, God knows millions of miles we've traveled, and all of these things accumulate, but at the heart of what you do, it's not really that much different, when you think about it. Because you're still a band together, you're still having good times, you're still loving to do what you do in a band, and being with your fans that have given you the life in metal. So it's a combination of all of those things that have changed incrementally, obviously. But the pureness of it is real, it's raw. And I think that's very important for any band to remember if you're growing. Don't lose sight of who you are and what you are and how you got to where you end up, you know? And a lot of that is all the hard work, but it's also the fans that have been with you and have grown with you as your band is developing. And as a musician, I think it's, again, to your advantage to consider and remember that you can never stop growing; there's always a new idea, there's always a new riff, there's always new way to sing a note, there's always a new way to hit a drum. All of these things, you can never stop really learning in music. So that, for me, I think is the fundamental part of the joy of being in PRIEST. As we gear up to make a new PRIEST record, we have that in built and we know that the chance to grow some more and to display some things that we haven't done yet."

Full Metal Jackie: Rob, how is the relationship between people in a band similar and different to co-workers in a more traditional 9-to-5 career?

Halford: "I think it's very similar, because, you know, we're all creative people no matter what we do in life. And it's very difficult to be creative in the singular sense. I mean, even the most famous solo artists in music will tell you that they're surrounded by a team of people that help them be who they are and to achieve the things that they wanna achieve with their music. And I think that's the same with whatever you do. Whatever you do, it's very difficult to live life alone and by yourself; it's difficult. And so, if you have a friend, if you have a teammate, if you have a co-worker, whether it's one, two [or] twenty, you're all pulling together to achieve something, and there's nothing better than a team being successful. Even if you have failure, that's okay. You grow from failure, you grow from striving. Life is about pain and life is about overcoming that pain and making it into pleasure and joy. Let me rephrase that. [Laughs] Life isn't about pain. Life has some pain in it, and it should do, because that's what makes you grow. So all of that is kind of involved in the similarities. We're all doing something different, but a lot of the essential elements are the same."

Full Metal Jackie: Rob, what can we expect from the mighty PRIEST for the rest of 2016? What are you able to reveal?

Halford: "Well, Jackie, we're going on to writing sessions very, very soon. As we're all winding up 'Redeemer Of Souls'… At the end of any tour, like most bands, [we say to ourselves], 'What are we gonna do, guys, girls? What are we gonna do? Where are we going next? What's the plan?' We finished this tour, this big world tour, just before the holidays in December, and we're about to start writing sessions pretty much now. And that's great. Oh, man, I can't wait to get into the writing zone again. That, to me, as you and I have spoken over the years, Jackie, that's one of the most thrilling moments for me personally in PRIEST. You go into a room, like very, very soon I'll be there hanging out with Glenn and Richie, you'll be in a room with some amps, and, 'Hey, guys, have a cup of tea, whatever.' Turn the amps on, start riffing and boom, you could have another amazing PRIEST song by the end of the day. I love that part of being in PRIEST. So that's the next step — writing sessions, get some really good, solid PRIEST material ready, and then, you know, Scott and Ian come in and we jam and we start putting the songs together. Like always, it'll be ready when it's ready, but there was already an extraordinary amount of ideas collected throughout that tour. So I'm optimistic that we should have something ready by… probably not by the end of this year, but definitely by the early part of next year."

To see a full list of stations carrying Full Metal Jackie's program and when it airs, go to FullMetalJackieRadio.com.

IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain says that his bandmate Bruce Dickinson's tongue-cancer battle inspired him to get sober, explaining that "it made me realize how stupid I was being."

Bruce's diagnosis came in early 2015, shortly after MAIDEN completed work on its sixteenth studio album, "The Book Of Souls".

"We recorded that album with Bruce knowing that something wasn't right," Nicko told The Drummer's Journal in a new interview. "It was only after we finished recording that he went to the doctors. When the news came back that he had cancer, I was just concerned for a friend. Plus it made me think about my own situation, my own health."

He continued: "When he got the 'all clear,' I looked at Bruce and thought, 'Here's my mate, he's been through hell, beaten cancer, and none of it was his fault.' And there I was, putting myself through hell too, except I was doing it to myself with drink. So I knew I had to stop. I took a lot of inspiration from Bruce; it made me realize how stupid I was being."

McBrain, who is a dedicated Christian, revealed that he knew his drinking was getting bad when he saw footage of an interview he had done when he was inebriated. "I'd probably been drinking for about four days straight," he said. "My eyes were red and bloodshot, I was slurring words and not making any sense. I don't remember doing the interview at all. I realized that is not good situation to be in. So I haven't had a drink in a while now. I'm not saying I'll never have another but something had to change."

According to McBrain, staying sober is a daily struggle for him, especially when he is attending social functions at which alcohol is present.

"I was at dinner last night with some friends and everyone was getting a bit drunk," he recalled. "I love red wine and this bottle went right past me, and I immediately thought, 'Give me that bottle,' but I let it go. It wasn't a nice feeling. I know that all it would take is one drink. But I'm just glad Bruce is alright. He seems to be running on twenty cylinders at the moment."

In 1999, McBrain heard a "calling" from God and converted to Christianity, after his wife Rebecca prayed for him. When he walked into a church, he said, "I just sat there thinking, 'I didn't drink last night. Why can't I stand?'" Since then, Nicko has had "this love affair with Jesus going on in [his] heart."

IRON MAIDEN's world tour, in support of "The Book Of Souls", kicked off on February 24 in Sunrise, Florida (a suburb of Fort Lauderdale).

"Rise", a brand new song from the gritty southern metal four-piece TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's forthcoming album, "Dark Side Of Black", which is due on April 22 via Carved Records.

Embracing southern roots while exploring a heavier sound than ever before, "Dark Side Of Black" achieves a murky, groovier feel while not straying too far from TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION's tried-and-true brand of rugged outlaw rock. The CD was recorded at Boot Hill Studio in Corinth, Texas and Valve Studios in Dallas, Texas with producer Sterling Winfield (PANTERA, HELLYEAH, DAMAGEPLAN). "'Dark Side Of Black' is our heaviest album to date for sure," states TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION vocalist Big Dad Ritch. "We've learned a lot having made four full-length albums prior. We're trying to use that knowledge we learned to make an album that can maintain what 'Ride On' and 'Peacemaker' bring to the table, yet we wanted it to lend itself more to the power that is the red dirt metal of 'Rollin'' and 'Pride Of Texas'. So it feels like 'Pride' meets 'Peacemaker'. Top-shelf TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION meets bottom-shelf liquor..." Although the members of TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION are experts at their trade, recording "Dark Side Of Black" wasn't easy at times. TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION drummer Timmy Braun went through a physical struggle while recording the album, having just recovered from a serious infection shortly beforehand. He feels, perhaps, that this struggle influenced his recording style overall. "About 'Dark Side Of Black', I have never had such a difficult time completing an album in my life," begins Braun. "I say that because my first session I had just got out of the hospital. It was difficult for me to walk let alone play a drum kit. After being in bed for literally two weeks, I felt a bit out of shape. Then for the second session, my hand was swollen to almost twice its size because of an injury! I couldn't make a fist, let alone play a drum kit. However, I'm hoping the vibe I was able to create will have a special flavor that I wouldn't have been able to offer had my life been in order, per se. In other words, tough times make for better art!" Guitarist Cord Pool adds: "Between tweaking our writing style and being influenced by personal things, 'Dark Side Of Black' leads the listener a step closer to the darker and heavier side of what we have to offer." "Dark Side Of Black" track listing:

01. Angel Fall02. Come Get It03. Dark Side04. Gods Are Angry05. Hit It06. Into The Wall07. Knee Deep08. Rise09. Shakin'10. Villain

Fan-filmed video footage of former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach performing at the Rock Fest ’80s festival — which was held April 2-3 in Sunrise, Florida — can be seen below.

In anticipation of his upcoming book, "18 And Life On Skid Row", Bach will embark on a U.S. spring tour that will incorporate an intimate acoustic set followed by a full electric live show.

Says Bach: "'An Evening With Sebastian Bach'. No, that doesn't mean we're going to end up in the back of a police car. It means that for selected shows on the upcoming tour, we want to do something brand-new. Let's bring the music back to its purest form.

"We have been touring a lot in the last few years so it's time to do something different. You're going to get two sets for the price of one. We're going to open up the show with some stripped-down tunes, re-set the stage, and then come back with the Big Guns."

The tour kicks off on April 27 in Jacksonville, Florida and wraps up in Salt Lake City on June 3. Bach's upcoming memoir "18 And Life On Skid Row" is now set for a June 28 release through Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. "Pushing the book gives us the opportunity to really finish it properly," Bach says. "The publishers asked me for 30 pictures. I gave them 150.

"There are easy ways to do memoirs, simple ways to do biographies. What separates these books is the archival content. '18 And Life On Skid Row' could also be called 'The Skid Row Archives'. I am giving you my personal collection, photos, and documents none of you have ever seen. A lot of them.

"I look forward to the book release and the book tour following the book release.

"If I am going to go on a tour of book stores, I have to really be into the book. June 28th release date gives us an extra month to pay attention to detail. In a project of this scope there are many details." In his memoir, Bach recounts lurid tales of excess and debauchery as he toured the world with BON JOVI, AEROSMITH, MÖTLEY CRÜE, SOUNDGARDEN, PANTERA, NINE INCH NAILS and GUNS N' ROSES. Filled with never-before-seen photos from his own personal collection, "18 And Life On Skid Row" is the story of hitting it big at a young age, and of creatively reeling from a band that broke up in its prime.

From a man who achieved his wildest dreams, only to lose his family, and then his home, this is a tale of perseverance, of wine, women and song, and of a man who has made his life on the road. "18 And Life On Skid Row" is not your ordinary rock memoir, because Sebastian Bach is not your ordinary rock star.

Fan-filmed video footage of Bobby Blotzer's new RATT performing on April 3 at the Rock Fest ’80s festival in Sunrise, Florida can be seen below.

Blotzer's RATT recently parted ways with bassist Scotty Griffin (ex-L.A. GUNS) and has replaced him with Robbie Crane.

Crane previously played bass for RATT from 1996 to 2012 and appeared on the band's 1999 self-titled album and 2010's "Infestation".

Said Blotzer in a statement: "Adding Robbie Crane back is naturally just like slipping into an old missed pair of spandex."

Blotzer announced last September that he was taking control of the RATT name and hitting the road with a new version of the group, which played shows earlier that year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE.

RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini later filed a lawsuit against Blotzer, claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing.

Blotzer's revamped RATT is rounded out by vocalist Josh Alan (ex-SIN CITY SINNERS) and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Nicholas "Blaze" Baum.

WBS, Inc., the company which manages the business and operations related to RATT, was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and singer Stephen Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again in 2014. Blotzer has since expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

STRATOVARIUS is one of the most influential, successful and enduring power metal bands in the world; one of the top names thanks to their distinguished mix of fast progressive metal and a melodic approach to melodies.

What started in 1985 under the name BLACK WATER and left a trail of 16 studio albums and ten Top 5 chart positions in their native country Finland (and more than 40 top chart positions all around the globe), found — after a few bumpy steps and stones in the band's lineup — its peak in STRATOVARIUS's recent studio works "Elysium", "Nemesis" and "Eternal" — all milestones in sound, creativity and songwriting.

It happens rarely nowadays, especially in metal, that a band creates one magic song after the other. STRATOVARIUS is one of the few exceptions. 29 of those exceptions (and there could have been more!) can be found on STRATOVARIUS's longest and greatest "Best Of", which is going to be released on May 6 via earMUSIC.

The "Best Of" is going to be released as 2CD standard edition, digital and as 3CD limited edition in a high-quality packaging, including the exclusive 60-minute bonus CD "Live At Wacken 2015". Both editions include liner notes written by exceptional keyboardist Jens Johansson as well as rare picture material from the band's private archive.

As a special treat, the "Best Of" includes the brand new song "Until The End Of Days" from the current band lineup consisting of Timo Kotipelto, Jens Johansson, Mattias Kupainen, Lauri Porra and Rolf Pilve.

All hand-picked by the band and adding up to two and a half hours of pure STRATOVARIUS bliss, the songs give metal fans and those to be a great selection on the band's impressive work, including classics such as "Black Diamond", "Hunting High And Low" and "Speed Of Light" as well as more recent material such as the most streamed song in the band's history "Unbreakable" and "Shine In The Dark" from their recent studio album "Eternal".

All songs have been remastered by the band's longtime companion Mika Jussila of Finnvox Studios.

Jens Johansson explains: "It's been twenty years since the 'Episode' album, we're all getting older but this stuff sounds as fresh as ever. Could it be that STRATOVARIUS has discovered the fountain of Eternal Youth!? You may feel younger, but we can't actually (legally) promise you'll be younger after listening to this best-of album, but we can guarantee one thing: when you put it through your speakers, it will play 'Until the End of Days'!! To me, it's a testament to the fact that paying attention to songwriting and production was expensive, but so worth it. The songs, the sound and the performances really have stood the test of time." Timo Kotipelto adds: "Wow! 20 years in STRATOVARIUS have passed at the speed of light! I still remember when I joined the band and was happy to do some power metal. And I am very happy to still be able to do it after all these years! This collection of songs is an excellent selections and a cool way to remember the history of the band from the past to the present! I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did while selecting the songs. Rock the metal!"

The whole STRATOVARIUS catalogue will be re-released throughout 2016 and 2017, including extensive booklets and a lot of bonus material. "Best Of" track listing:

CD1

01. Until The End Of Days (brand new song)02. My Eternal Dream03. Eagleheart04. Speed Of Light05. S.O.S.06. Forever Free07. Wings Of Tomorrow08. No Turning Back09. Break The Ice10. Distant Skies11. Will The Sun Rise? 12. A Million Light Years Away13. Under Flaming Skies14. Darkest Hours15. Winter Skies16. I Walk To My Own Song17. Maniac Dance CD2

01. Halcyon Days02. Will My Soul Ever Rest In Peace?03. Destiny04. Paradise05. Deep Unknown06. Elysium07. Black Diamond08. If The Story Is Over09. Unbreakable10. Forever11. Shine In The Dark12. Hunting High And Low CD3 - Live At Wacken 2015 (only available on limited edition)

01. Intro02. Black Diamond03. Eagleheart04. Against The Wind05. Dragons06. Legions Of The Twilight07. Paradise08. Shine In The Dark09. Speed Of Light10. Unbreakable11. Hunting High And Low

Rage Against The Machine bassist and former Audioslave member Tim Commerford has formed a new punk and hardcore-influenced band - Wakrat. In addition to Commerford who sings and plays bass, the group consists of drummer Mathias Wakrat and guitarist Laurent Grangeon.

"I am as excited about Wakrat and what we're doing musically as I was when Rage Against The Machine first started," Commerford said.  "Wakrat is brand new, we're not a 'known commodity,' so we're looking forward to finishing the album, paying our dues and earning our fans, and getting out there and playing shows as often as possible."

While Wakrat finish recording their debut album, they've launched their first video for the track “Knucklehead”. Visually, the video is a wild, dizzying spectacle shot at the band's Los Angeles rehearsal studio with cameras attached to flying drones and an abundance of go-pros positioned literally in every nook and cranny of the room. Lyrically, the song is rooted in a dark, difficult time Commerford went through personally, and putting that struggle into words and music helped the musician come out the other side.

"I don't ever want to go back there again," Commerford says, “but it lead to “Knucklehead”, so it all worked out."

“Knucklehead” video:

Wakrat has already been confirmed to play a series of major European festivals this summer and will be announcing North American dates soon.

Tour dates:

April
30 - 13th Annual Summer Meltdown - Santa Clarita, CA

August
18 - FM4 Frequency Festival - Sankt Pölten, Austria
20 - Pukkelpop - Hasselt, Belgium
21 - Lowlands - Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
26 - Rock En Seine Festival - Paris, France
27 - Reading Festival - Reading, United Kingdom
28 - Leeds Festival - Leeds, United Kingdom

(Photo - Ashley Beliveau)

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of Italy's SECRET SPHERE to a multi-album deal.

SECRET SPHERE honors the heritage of big names in the metal scene by creating a very unique brand of symphonic power metal: catchy choruses, majestic arrangements, and a multitude of musical influences (from hard rock to progressive metal) make up the ingredients of their musical recipe!

The band was founded in the summer of 1997 by guitar player and composer Aldo Lonobile. With eight albums under the band's belt, extensive tours, and great live shows around the world (including support slots for KING DIAMOND and GAMMA RAY and festival appearances at ProgPower USA, ProgPower UK, ProgPower Scandinavia, Metal Dayz, Gods Of Metal, and many more), SECRET SPHERE is one of the most exciting melodic metal bands around.

The band's latest original release, the critically acclaimed "Portrait Of A Dying Heart" — the first to feature extraordinary vocalist Michele Luppi — received overwhelmingly positive reviews and praise from fans and was heralded worldwide as one the best melodic metal albums of 2012. Some of you may recognize vocalist Michele Luppi's name as he was chosen to be the official keyboardist for the WHITESNAKE's "The Purple Album" world tour.

Aldo commented: "As a fan of Frontiers for many years, I'm very excited to work with them! It's such a great honour to read SECRET SPHERE name alongside many of my idols. Currently we are working on the final touches of our release 'Live In Tokyo', recorded during the headlining tour of Japan and the writing process for the new album is running smoothly. There is a huge message behind the new music again and we are focused more than ever to deliver the best SECRET SPHERE album to date!!! Later in 2016 we will be again on tour."

Michele: "I'm truly happy to get to work again with the Frontiers family after seven years. We are determined to write the best SECRET SPHERE album ever — get ready!"

Frontiers plans to release the Live CD/DVD "Live In Tokyo" in the fall of 2016, with the new album expected to come in the early months of 2017.

SECRET SPHERE is:

Michele Luppi - VocalsAldo Lonobile - GuitarAndrea Buratto - BassMarco Pastorino - Rhythm GuitarGabriele Ciaccia - Keyboards, PianoMarco Lazzarini - Drums

"Ben Sahar", the new video from Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH, can be seen below. The clip is described by the band as "a sprawling sensory experience, complete with ambitious production and design."

"Ben Sahar" is taken from BEHEMOTH's latest album, "The Satanist", which sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart.

BEHEMOTH has announced its return to North America this spring with a special tour, featuring MYRKUR as support. BEHEMOTH will play "The Satanist" in its entirety. In addition to the concert, fans will also have the chance to view "The Congregation" exhibition at each venue. Dubbed "a symbiosis of BEHEMOTH and Toxic Vision," the display showcases the collaboration between the two parties.

BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski recently told the video question-and-answer site asQme that he has been inspired by the "avant-garde" when writing the band's upcoming album. He also revealed that he listens to classic rock groups and artists from other genres, admitting that he is "really keen on the primitive, primal kind of tempos."

The black/progressive metal project Haunted Shores launched by Periphery's Mark Holcomb and Misha Mansoor have reworked their instrumental track "Norway Jose", now entitled "Feed The Wolf" and featuring Devin Townsend (Devin Townsend Project, Strapping Young Lad) on vocals. It is available as an iTunes bonus track on their Viscera EP. All lyrics were written by Devin Townsend. 

Fans can also download the Viscera EP featuring "Feed The Wolf" via the Bandcamp widget below.

Viscera EP tracklist:

"Viscera"
"The Spire"
"Norway Jose"
"Harrison Fjord"
"Memento"
"Vectors"
"Blast Inc." (feat. Jørgen Munkeby)
"Feed The Wolf" ("Norway Jose" feat. Devin Townsend)

Viscera EP by Haunted Shores

Ted Poley’s new solo album, Beyond The Fade, will be released on May 13th. Best known as lead vocalist for the legendary melodic rock masters Danger Danger, Ted Poley is also an accomplished solo artist, having released two acclaimed releases, Collateral Damage (2006) and Smile (2007). The album track, “Hands Of Love”, is streaming below.

The story of Beyond The Fade starts after Danger Danger's performance at Frontiers Rock Festival in Milano in 2014, when he and the label developed the idea to work together on some new music. The next step was to speak to producer Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Edge Of Forever) and with a band that he put together, Ted performed at the second edition of the Frontiers Rock Festival. A few months later, Ted came back to Italy to finish the vocals on the album.

Ted says: "I am absolutely thrilled with the way the whole album came out. If I have one quote: "ITS AWESOME!" My great friend and co-producer Alessandro Del Vecchio brought my sonic vision to life and no request from me was too great for him toward his goal of making "The Ultimate Ted Poley Solo Album" and he surely delivered on his promise. We had a lot of fun making the album and its obvious when you hear it. You can practically hear my smile while I am singing. We decided to make it sound BIG and there are a ton of backing vocals (in some cases more than 80 tracks of them!), along with great songs, soaring melodic guitar leads, pounding bass and big drums, all layered with cool keyboards... like a delicious Musical Cake! Save some room for dessert, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE!"

With songs penned by the brothers Tom and James Martin (Vega) and "Hands Of Love" written by Tony Bruno (Joe Lynn Turner), the sound of the record is nothing else but Ted Poley at his best, with immediately recognizable hooklines, amazing guitar work, immaculate production and total 80's attitude! Beyond The Fade is sure to please not only Ted Poley's fans, but all fans of melodic hard rock.

Beyond The Fade tracklisting:
 
“Let's Start Something”
“Everything We Are”
“Hands Of Love”
“The Perfect Crime”
“Stars”
“Higher”
“Where I Lost You”
“You Won't See Me Cryin'”
“We Are Young”
“Sirens”
“Beneath The Stars”

“Hands Of Love”:

“Higher” video:

EPK:

Lineup:
 
Ted Poley - lead vocals
Issa - duet vocal on “The Perfect Crime”
Alessandro Del Vecchio - drums, keyboards, backing vocals
Mario Percudani - guitars
Anna Portalupi - bass

The official video for the song "G O A T" from THE CULT can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Hidden City", which was released on February 5 via Cooking Vinyl. The follow-up to 2012's "Choice Of Weapon" was written by singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy and was produced by Bob Rock, who has previously worked with METALLICA and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

The final installment in a trilogy of recordings, completing 2007's "Born Into This" ("The Fall") and 2012's "Choice Of Weapon" ("Dark Night of the Soul"), "Hidden City" is a tightly woven series of experience and visions with underlying themes of redemption and rebirth threaded through THE CULT's visceral music. Astbury's signature baritone and blood-soaked lyrics paired with Duffy's smouldering, textured guitar tones, create a musical environment that is fearless and peerless.

From the sonic assault of the opening track "Dark Energy", "Hidden City" launches quickly into the dark underbelly of its subject matter. Stemming from the Spanish phrase "La Ciudad Oculta" or "hidden city," the album reflects an awakening of consciousness through its tone and complexity.

"Hidden City is a metaphor for our spiritual lives, our intimate interior lives," explains Astbury. "I find today's gurus are trying to peddle some cure, product or insight as if it's a new phenomenon. My place is to respond, not react, to observe, participate and share through words and music. There is no higher authority than the heart."

"Hidden City" track listing:

01. Dark Energy02. No Love Lost03. Dance The Night04. In Blood05. Birds Of Paradise06. Hinterland07. G O A T08. Deeply Ordered Chaos09. Avalanche Of Light10. Lilies11. Heathens12. Sound And Fury

THE CULT played its first show with new bass player Grant Fitzpatrick on October 28, 2015 at Stubb's Bar-B-Q in Austin, Texas.

THE CULT is Ian Astbury (vocals), Billy Duffy (guitars), John Tempesta (drums), Grant Fitzpatrick (bass), Damon Fox (keyboards, rhythm guitar).

Photo credit: Tim Cadiente

To celebrate their 35th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of their legendary album "Darkness Descends", reunited California thrashers DARK ANGEL will play the LP in its entirety on October 8 at The Vogue Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The band will also include songs from "Time Does Not Heal" for the 25th anniversary of this classic release.

The Vancouver show will mark the first DARK ANGEL appearance in Canada since 1989 and the band's exclusive West Coast appearance in North America for 2016.

Tickets for the concert go on sale on Friday, April 8.

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — 1984's "We Have Arrived" and 1986's "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — 1989's "Leave Scars" and 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992. Rinehart, drummer Gene Hoglan and guitarist Eric Meyer reassembled DARK ANGEL more than a decade ago but were forced to abandon their reunion plans after health issues reportedly put Rinehart's singing career on hold.

Asked how it feels playing together as DARK ANGEL again, guitarist Jim Durkin told "The Metal Magdalene With Jet" show on Metal Messiah Radio: "One thing I can say about this band is we laugh a lot. We have a pretty twisted sense of humor, and there's some things that we say that only we get, when we're talking about stuff, old stories or something. And we laugh a lot, and that's really important. No matter where we go, we're always cracking up or cracking on somebody or making fun of somebody. We laugh a lot, and that's the key right there; that's what makes it so much fun. You know, everybody's been in a band with somebody where they're, like, 'Oh, God, I've gotta see that guy again. Oh, I've gotta put up with him or her.' Or whatever. And it’s not like that here. We have a lot of laughs. We make fun of each other and everybody's got a good sense of humor about themselves."

Regarding whether there is new DARK ANGEL music on the way, Durkin said: "We have always had some things in the works, and there's some demos laying around. Yes. I won't give everybody a time limit. I want everybody to be excited, and it's gonna blow your heads off. But we want it to be the most badass thing that we can possibly do, and trust me, it will be."

DARK ANGEL's current lineup is:

* Gene Hoglan (drums)* Eric Meyer (guitar)* Jim Durkin (guitar)* Ron Rinehart (vocals)* Michael Gonzalez (bass)

Papa Emeritus III and his nameless ghouls from the Swedish occult rock band GHOST take things one-step beyond with the new wine Papastrello — an Italian red wine for the unholy moments of life.

Said Papa Emeritus III: "They say that this wine is the blood of Christ? I would argue otherwise. It's fermented grapes. That's all. Very nice fermented grapes… but fruit nonetheless."

About Ghost Papastrello: Rosso del Veronese is a powerful but well-balanced red wine, with perfumes of fruits and cacao and with a red color of great intensity. This wine is perfect with roast red meat, game and aged cheeses, but it is excellent also on its own. The very typical verenose grapes, Corvina and Rondinella, go under a natural drying process, without any alteration of the humidity and temperature level. Afterwards the wine goes through a very slow fermentation and a maceration of 8-10 days, followed by a second fermentation on the residue of Amarone’s dried grapes. From this second fermentation the wine gets more powerful, higher in alcohol, more tannins and acidity. Then the wine refines in oak barrels for approximately 12 months.

Aroma: Intense scents of ripe cherry, with ample spiciness and light notes of withered flowers

Taste: Powerful, with a rich and mouth-filling structure, dense tannins and a long persistence

Color: Intense ruby red

Facts - Vintage: 2013Article No: 78520-01Volume: 750 mlAlcohol: 13.5%Bottle/cs: 6Bottles/pallet: 570Producer: Premium Wine SelectionOrigin: Verona, ItalyPrice: 275 SEK

For more information, visit SystemBolaget.se.

Detroit's progressive rock royals, Tiles, have release a lyric video for “Weightless”, a track from their upcoming sixth studio full-length, the massive 2xCD Pretending 2 Run album. Watch below:

Tiles recently released another new trailer preceding the April 15th release of Pretending 2 Run, the band's first album with prog powerhouse, Laser's Edge. Here the band takes fans inside the album, showcasing through interviews, studio footage, behind-the-scenes info on the album and more how this simple idea grew into the incredibly complex double-album undertaking it became.

Produced by Terry Brown (Rush, Fates Warning) and bearing artwork by Hugh Syme (Iron Maiden, Rush, Dream Theater), Pretending 2 Run is unquestionably Tiles' most ambitious project to date. Containing just short of one hundred minutes of music, the epic sees the band pushing their musical boundaries into new dimensions, and features a remarkable collection of guest musicians, including the first recorded father-and-son collaboration with Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs, Dream Theater) and his son Max Portnoy (Next To None), the recording of which is documented in the trailer. As well as footage of Mike Stern (Miles Davis) recording his parts, other guests are also highlighted, including Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), Mark Mikel (Pillbugs), and Joe Deninzon (Stratospheerius).

See Tiles' behind-the-scenes trailer for Pretending 2 Run:

An official video for the album's first single "Shelter In Place" can be seen below:

Additional audio and video samples from the album will be released in the weeks ahead. Laser's Edge will release Pretending 2 Run globally on April 15th; pre-order packages are available here.

Just a month following the release of Pretending 2 Run, Tiles will take to the road in support of the record, having booked a Northeastern US run of dates with labelmates District 97 in May, with additional shows currently being booked.

Tour dates:

May
13 - Reggies - Chicago, IL
15 - Token Lounge - Detroit, MI
16 - Orion - Baltimore, MD
17 - Roxy and Duke's - Dunellen, NJ
18 - The Grape Room - Philadelphia, PA
19 - Drom - New York, NY at NYC Prog Rock Night
20 - Musica - Akron, OH

(Photo - Paul D’Angelo)



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"Hearts/Wires", a brand new song from the California-based rock band DEFTONES, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the group's eighth studio album, titled "Gore", which will be released on April 8 via Warner Bros. Records. The CD was produced by Matt Hyde and DEFTONES. DEFTONES singer Chino Moreno told U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine about the new album title: "If you look at the title and the artwork, it's about a juxtaposition that, for me, is very beautiful.

"I think DEFTONES have always flirted with dynamic and that yin-and-yang of things that are provocative and things that are beautiful. Where our last two album titles were a lot more optimistic, I think this title is intentionally different. This record is very different.

"I feel like 'Diamond Eyes' and 'Koi No Yokan' were brother-sister records in a lot of ways. They were both recording in the same way. And even though it was a tough few years we went through while making those records, I think it was important to have their optimistic outlook."

Moreno also spoke in more detail about the making of "Gore". He said: "We recorded this record in a different way. I'm not saying we went in with any preconceived ideas as such, but I do think we went in knowing that we wanted to make this record a little different from the last two. And I feel, definitely, like we did that. It's still a DEFTONES record — we didn't really have any new influences that changed that — but it's an expansion of what we were comfortable with. And it's important to get out of your comfort zone sometimes witch the music — just to be excited. It's got a different look. A different shade of color. I'd say some shade of purple. I don't know why, but I think it sits somewhere between pink, red and purple. Sometimes when I hear music, I see color, and when it came time to work on the artwork for this batch of songs, I knew exactly what I wanted."

"Gore" track listing:

01. Prayers/Triangles02. Acid Hologram03. Doomed User04. Geometric Headdress05. Hearts/Wires06. Pittura Infamante07. Xenon08. (L)MIRL09. Gore10. Phantom Bride11. Rubicon

"Gore" is available for pre-order at www.deftones.com. Those who pre-order will receive an instant download of the first single, "Prayers/Triangles".

"Gore" will serve as the follow-up to 2012's "Koi No Yokan", which featured the Top 15 rock radio hit "Tempest".

The new disc features a guest appearance from ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell.

Spark TV, which is part of the Czech monthly magazine Spark, recently conducted an interview with vocalist Joakim Brodén of Swedish metallers SABATON. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On SABATON's follow-up to 2014's "Heroes" album:

Joakim: "We are actually just finalizing the details. I don't wanna say anything yet, because we can just change our minds in the last second; we've done that before. So I'm not trying to be secretive or anything. But I can promise everyone that as soon as we know and we know we started the recordings and most of the vocals are done, and me and Pär [Sundström, bass] and Chris [Rörland, guitar] and Thobbe [Englund, guitar] and Hannes [van Dahl, drums] can't change our minds, then we will let everyone know."

On whether the upcoming album will be a continuation of the lyrical themes covered on "Heroes":

Joakim: "No, not really. We were thinking about it, actually, because that was, for us, to research and to write the lyrics, that was one of the most interesting albums to do, from that point of view. And we tried, I think, two or three different themes, but we still couldn't get the same feeling, personally, as we did for 'Heroes'. We were actually considering doing that, but then we found a topic that… it's touching on the same subject, [but] a little bit different."

On whether SABATON's next CD will be about "evil guys" or villains:

Joakim: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. We actually wanted to do that before, but our lovely record label didn't like that idea, and I can see the point in a way. Obviously, people in different places [have] different sensibilities about things. When we did 'Heroes', we wanted to also do a second CD that was called 'Commanders'. And in Sweden, it wouldn't be a big problem to put a song about Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin… you know, get all the crazy guys in there. The problem could be, though, that in other parts of the world… I'm guessing it would probably okay in the Czech Republic; you seem to be quite easy about these things. But I'm guessing Germany, America, doing these things… also maybe Russia wouldn't like us digging into those things. And we wouldn't want to make people really sad or end up on a 'banned' list. It would be kind of stupid for us."

SABATON released a special, three-disc limited-edition deluxe version of "Heroes" in the U.S. and Canada in April 2015 via Nuclear Blast. Limited to 5,000 copies, this deluxe edition includes two discs of live audio recorded on the 2014 Sabaton Cruise in addition to the original ten "Heroes" album tracks.

Back in November 2014, the helicopter descended upon the infamous Hard Rock Hotel as KISS invaded Las Vegas for an historic nine-show run. Now, for one night only on May 25, fans will be able to experience this spectacular night for themselves as "Kiss Rocks Vegas" hits cinemas across the globe. From this blistering live show, fans can expect sky high flames, ear-bursting volume and a few drops of blood! Includes exclusive interviews with band and footage you will only see in the cinema.

A trailer for "Kiss Rocks Vegas" is avaialbe below.

Famed for their iconic face paint and stage attire, KISS was formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar). Their sensational live performances feature fire breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics to spare. Tommy Thayer (lead guitar, vocals) and Eric Singer (drums, percussion, vocals) round out the band's powerful lineup. Tommy is also producer of the film "Kiss Rocks Vegas".

Said Stanley: "See us on the big screen with the awesome power of Surround Sound. Feel like you are in Vegas and don't be shy to 'shout it out loud!'"

Added Simmons: "Jin us for a 'crazy crazy night' in your cinema!”

Stated Thayer: "We are all tremendously proud of this production; it captures a truly unique performance. You need to see it in a cinema to get the full on experience."

Said Singer: "We rocked The Joint at Hard Rock in Las Vegas. You get up close and personal with KISS. You're going to love it."

A select number of cinemas worldwide will also be screening the concert in Dolby Atmos, providing a powerfully immersive and moving audio experience for the cinema audience.

For more information and to book tickets for the cinema event please visit www.kissmycinema.com.

Speaking to Las Vegas Weekly, Stanley stated about how the idea for the KISS residency came about: "To spend as much time as we do in Vegas and to live as close as we do, the idea of doing a residency and leaving our stage setup, as opposed to breaking it down nightly, was really appealing."

He continued: "We just finished 42 cities and played for 600,000 people, but that meant that every night the show got disassembled and moved. There’s something appealing and challenging about building a set that doesn’t have to be moved. You don't have to take into account the practicality of it, being able to be broken down constantly and reassembled. So this was something that we had wanted to do for quite a while; it was just a matter of making sure we found people who were in agreement on how to do it. The Joint was the natural place to do it."

In advance of their 2016 Spring live takeover, California atmospheric tech death unit, Wrvth, unveils the visual companion to "Larkspur", from their self-titled full-length album released via Unique Leader last year.

Wrvth's latest run of onstage mayhem will commence with a short string of headlining dates this Friday, April 8th in Riverside, California and run through April 13th in Austin, Texas. From there, the band will join Seeker and Forty Winters for a fifteen-date pillage through the end of the month. The chaos continues with four more headlining dates from May 1st in Spokane, Washington through May 4th in Cupertino, California with additional live abrasions to be announced in the weeks to come.

Catch Wrvth live in concert:

April
8 - Clash City Station - Riverside, CA
9 - The Nile Underground - Mesa, AZ
10 - Blu Phoenix Venue "The Compound 2" - Albuquerque, NM
11 - Mesa Music Hall - El Paso, X
12 - Renos Chop Shop- Dallas, TX
13 - Dirty Dog Bar -  Austin, TX *
14 - Boneshakers - Corpus Christi, TX
15 - Twist Of Lime - Metairie, LA
16 - The Handlebar - Pensacola, FL
17 - Backbooth - Orlando, FL
18 - Anonymous Guitars - Lake Worth, FL
19 - Epic Problem - Tampa, FL
20 - The Basement - Atlanta, GA
21 - The DHP - Fayetteville, NC
22 - The Hideaway - Johnson City, TN
23 - Cafe 611 - Frederick, MD
24 - Championship Bar- Trenton, NJ
25 - The Outpost - Kent, OH
26 - The Ritz- Warren, MI
27 - Fubar- St Louis, MO
29 - Black Gold Grille - Casper, WY
30 - Roxy Theater - Denver, CO

May
1 - The Pin! - Spokane, WA
2 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
3 - Wandering Goat - Eugene, OR
4 - Homestead Bown & The X Bar - Cupertino, CA

 

 



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Canada's This Is Death Valley - comprised of: vocalist Aaron Swain, guitarists Joey Kalnay and Conor Coupland, bassist Dan East, and drummer Ryan Claxton - have unleashed their new single, "The Bane Of God's Existence". It can be streamed via the YouTube clip below, and is available for purchase on iTunes.

Stay up to date with This Is Death Valley via their official Facebook page.



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Italian extreme metallers Darkend will release their new and third album entitled The Canticle Of Shadows on April 25th via Non Serviam Records. “Of The Defunct” featuring Mayhem’s Attila Csihar is streaming below.

Darkend stands for Extreme Ritual Art: a combination of ancient ceremonial chants mixed with arcane symphonies, nocturnal ambiences and Sulphur riffs engraved on black metal patterns.

Featuring guest appearances of Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) and Labes C. Necrothytus (Abysmal Grief), the band’s new album is a further step towards the abyss, taking every element to the extreme: a darker, heavier and far more intense monument than ever before.

Tracklisting:

“Clavicula Salomonis”
“Of The Defunct”
“A Precipice Towards Abyssal Caves (Inmost Chasm, I)”
“II Velo Delle Ombre”
“A Passage Through Abysmal Caverns (Inmost Chasm, II)”
“Sealed In Black Moon And Saturn”
“Congressus Cum Dćmone”

“Of The Defunct”:

“Clavicula Salomonis”:

 



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Montessori Hale O Keiki has big plans to grow; in and beyond its current site in Kihei, but after weeks of searching could not find the environment they were looking for. When they heard of Sammy Hagar’s home for sale in Ukumehame they made an offer and it was a match made in heaven. Sammy sold the 14-acre property and included a $250,000 donation that the school is already putting to great use. Watch the video below to see the planned development of this amazing school.

Sammy was happy to see the property being put to good use, saying, "This is a cause that's really close to my heart. I think it's going to be a great place for children to be able to have animals on the property, to have gardens to grow vegetables and fruit and things like that, which I think are very important in the world today.”

Learn more about the school and the property itself at this location.

James Hetfield and Sammy Hagar recently announced the lineup for their third annual Acoustic-4-A-Cure concert benefiting the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Acoustic-4-A-Cure returns to The Fillmore in San Francisco on Sunday, May 15th with another star-studded lineup (in alphabetical order): Melissa Etheridge, Sammy Hagar, James Hetfield, Tommy Lee, John Mayer, Pat Monahan and Joe Satriani - performing acoustic sets with true once-in-a-lifetime musical moments, collaborations and more.

Tickets are on sale via livenation.com. Tickets will not be available at The Fillmore box office, charge by phone or outlets. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

A very limited amount of VIP tickets will be available. VIP tickets include: Access to an exclusive VIP area to view the concert and mingle with the select artists, an Acoustic-4-A-Cure gift bag, complimentary food & drinks, and more. All proceeds from the concert will be donated to fund children's brain tumor research at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, one of the nation's leading children's medical facilities.

Acoustic-4-A-Cure was created by Bay Area rock legends Sammy Hagar and James Hetfield, whose vision was to raise needed funds and awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF by bringing together some of their legendary friends and throwing a must-see concert for fans. In past years, artists including Billie Joe Armstrong, Jerry Cantrell, Pat Monahan, Linda Perry, Chad Smith, Adam Sandler, Joe Satriani, Nancy Wilson, and more have joined Hagar and Hetfield to rock the sold-out benefit concerts.

Highlights from 2015 included a surprise appearance from Adam Sandler who performed "Ramble On" and "Dream On" alongside Monahan, Satriani and Smith; Cantrell, Smith and Hetfield joined together for Metallica's power ballad, "Mama Said"; Hetfield accompanied his daughter Cali, who wowed the audience with her performance of Adele's "Crazy For You"; and Satriani and Perry got the crowd rocking with "Communication Breakdown”.

Among the 2014 highlights included Hetfield's acoustic rendition of The Beatles "In My Life"; Billie Joe Armstrong, Hetfield and Satriani bringing the house down with a medley of Bob Seger's "Turn the Page" and "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams," and the Hagar promised, "only-in-San Francisco moment" when Hetfield, Armstrong, Satriani, Monahan and Nancy Wilson joined him on stage for an all-star jam of Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" to close the show.

In an effort to make sure that fans get the best tickets, this concert is a "will call only" event. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the concert begins promptly at 8:00 PM so we encourage guests to arrive early. All ticket orders over the 2-ticket limit will be subject to cancellation without notice. This includes duplicate orders having the same name, billing address, or credit card.

Each customer will need to bring their government issued photo ID and credit card used to purchase the tickets to the box office window on day of show to redeem the tickets. Once the ticket order is redeemed the customer must directly enter The Fillmore. All will call tickets must be picked up by the card holder. Alternate names for Will Call will not be permitted. You cannot leave tickets at will call to be picked up by someone else. No "drop-offs." Live Nation will cancel any and all orders without notice that exceed the ticket limit.

Video footage from the 2015 edition of Acoustic-4-A-Cure can be seen below:



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