German heavy/power metal act, Deja Vu, have joined the Infernö Records roster. The band previously released two albums via Karthago Records (Bullets To Spare in  2006 and Decibel Disease in 2008) and will unleash their third, entitled Ejected, via Infernö.

Ejected will include 14 brand new songs combining fine riffings and screaming heavy metal. Expect the album to be released in the next few months. In the meantime, listen to "Hell Or High Water”, a track from the upcoming Ejected album.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Angertea's fifth full length album, Snakes In Blossom, comes out March 15th via Finnish label, Inverse Records. The first song, entitled "Sinking In Strain" was premiered a month ago and now an other song, “Orange Machine”, has been released via the lyric video below. The song features two guest musicians Franz Stahl (ex-Foo Fighters, Scream) and Robi Jaksa (Ektomorf).

The album was recorded in Szeged, Hungary at Black Hole Sound Studio, and Szentes, Murphy Studio. It was mixed and produced by Gábor Vári.

Tracklisting:

“Snakes”
“Sinking In Strain”
“Seeds Of Hell”
“Aquarium”
“Orange Machine ”
“St. Andrew's Storm”
“The Song For Vengeance”
“Instancy”
“The Moon Encounter”
“Tisza”

“Orange Machine” lyric video:

“Sinking In Strain”:

 



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

UK-based modern rock quartet, Skarlett Riot, will release their new Sentience EP on May 2nd. Sentience sees the band exploring a darker, heavier sound than before without losing any of their signature trademarks.

With the commanding presence of Skarlett at the helm, her powerful and incredibly versatile voice defines Skarlett Riot’s sound and ensures they remain a cut above the rest. Musically the band are exploring a heavier avenue than before; taut guitar lines bolstered by clattering drums but all the while remembering the hooks and melodies that seen this band grow into one of the UK’s finest young bands.

Sentience will be preceded by the single, “Voices”, in April, with the band hitting the road across the UK and into Europe for the first time.

Updates to follow.

(Photo - marianneharris.co.uk)



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Finnish death metallers, Decaying, will release a vinyl version of their fourth full-length album, One To Conquer, on March 4th via Hellthrasher Productions.

Initially released on CD in November 2014 through the same label, One To Conquer features eight tracks of earth-shattering, doom-influenced death metal, picking up exactly where the band's third album The Last Days Of War left off, but also managing to incorporate enough twists and turns to keep things interesting.

The 12'' LP will be available in edition of 250 copies (100 x black and 150 x green in transparent red) housed in a pocket sleeve with full-color insert. All tracks were remastered by Decaying's founder/guitarist/vocalist Matias Nastolin.

Tracklisting:

Side A:
“Frequent Wind”
“The Fall Of Saigon ”
“Zero Hour”
“One To Conquer”
“The 38th Parallel”

Side B:
“The Balance Of Power”
“Iron Curtain”
“Ho Chi Minh Trail”

Album stream:

One to Conquer by DECAYING



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Bulgarian metal band, Velian, have released their debut EP, Fireflies. Their work is available in digital format at Bandcamp, while a full stream can be found below.

Four original compositions are included in the EP and they all refer to one general concept. Recordings were made at the band’s own studio, production (mixing and mastering) is done by Dilian Nedev, guitar player of the band. The artwork is made by  Velizar Bolchev and Ivan Maslev.

Tracklisting:

“Fireflies”
“Maiden Of Stone”
“Building Cages”
“Graveyard Of Love” (Orchestral Version)

EP stream:

Fireflies by VELIAN

"Fireflies" lyric video:

Velian's style is a mix of power and melodic death metal with a touch of gothic darkness. The band's members are well known for their participation in popular Bulgarin underground acts such as Wartime, Progression, Hellrider and Fanagoria.

Velian lineup:

Ivan Ivanov – Vocals
Dilian Nedev - Guitars, Keys
Vasil Simeonov – Guitars
Antonio Mitov – Bass
Velizar Bolchev – Drums



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Betraying The Martyrs have entered the studio, and are preparing to record their upcoming third album. The new album will be recorded by Justin Hill (Sikth, Bury Tomorrow, Heart Of A Coward).

Says the band: “We can finally focus fully on the recording of this album by having the best possible with the best pieces ever written. We have learned from our previous albums, what works and what does not, the choices to be made etc... We can assure that this album will be the best, heaviest, most epic and to move on, the best production Betraying The Martyrs has ever had. Thank you all to be loyal, we look forward to the adventure with you."

Updates to follow.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

SIXX: A.M., the band featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx alongside guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael, has unleashed the first single, "Rise", from the first volume of their upcoming double album, "Prayers For The Damned", which drops April 29 via Eleven Seven Music. Fans can stream the rock anthem via iHeartRadio below. In celebration of the single's release, iHeartMedia will be blasting the song across all Active and Mainstream Rock radio stations nationwide every three hours today, until midnight. Adding to the excitement, SIXX: A.M. also announced a slew of festival and headlining tour dates across the U.S., kicking off the global "Prayers For The Damned" tour cycle in Jacksonville, Florida on April 30 at Welcome To Rockville and seven major rock festivals in Europe, including Gods Of Metal (Italy), Rock Am Ring (Germany), Download and Isle Of Wight (UK).

Tickets are available for purchase via VIP presale starting on March 2 at 10 a.m. (local time) and an exclusive pre-sale, using the password "PRAYERS" beginning on March 3 at 10 a.m. (local time). The general public on-sale starts March 4 at 10 a.m. EST.

"Prayers For The Damned" will also be available to pre-order via iTunes and all digital retailers March 4, to coincide with the premiere of the "Rise" lyric video this coming Friday, March 4. Setting the stage for the new album, "Rise" is a call-to-action for everyone to stand up for their beliefs. Describing the song's message, Michael explains: "Throughout history, some of the most dramatic changes have occurred when people reject the status quo and demand change. 'Rise' is about how we find ourselves at a global tipping point and how it is our duty as citizens of this world to come together, communicate with one another and rise up to demand more of ourselves and our leaders."

Sixx adds: "A song like 'Rise' speaks to the fact that you don't have to look very far around the world to see people standing together and rising up against some oppressive force.

"We're not a political band, but we certainly do believe in a unity between people. The only time when things make a change for the positive is when people put their differences aside, rise up and stand together.

"A big part of our message is, and will always be, finding hope in dark subject matters, taking universal messages and rendering them in a way which people can ascribe their own meanings to and relate to their own life experiences. That is something that resonates with our crowd and gives us the strength of connection we do."

With two U.S. Billboard Top 20 albums and a string of hit singles already under their belt, "Prayers For The Damned" represents the band's most ambitious, complete and adrenaline-soaked effort to date. James Michael once again plays triple duty on "Prayers For The Damned" as vocalist, the album's producer and mixer, thereby solidifying the unique musicianship of this beloved hard-rock outfit. The introspective cover art for "Prayers For The Damned" is an original design created by guitarist DJ Ashba, further proving that all aspects of this album are a collaboration of true passion for the band. "SIXX: A.M. is in the most creative place of our careers," says Sixx. "For James, DJ and myself, we think it's the perfect time to release so much quality music to our fans who've been supporting us over the last three albums.” Michael agrees: "The double albums will leave no stone unturned in our quest to create important music and push the boundaries of rock." Ashba concludes: "We are on a mission to give our fans even more than they could have hoped for, both musically and visually."

"Prayers For The Damned Vol. 1" track listing:

01. Rise02. You Have Come To The Right Place03. I'm Sick04. Prayers For The Damned05. Better Man06. Can't Stop07. When We Were Gods08. Belly Of The Beast09. Everything Went To Hell10. The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground)11. Rise Of The Melancholy Empire

SIXX: A.M. tour dates:

Apr. 30 - Jacksonville, FL @ Welcome To RockvilleMay 01 - Fort Myers, FL @ Fort Rock FestivalMay 03 - Nashville, TN @ Cannery BallroomMay 04 - Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheater (w/ DISTURBED and ROB ZOMBIE)MAY 06 - CHARLOTTE, NC @ CAROLINA REBELLIONMay 07 - Richmond, VA @ The NationalMay 08 - Bethlehem, PA @ Sand’s Event CenterMay 10 - Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head LiveMay 11 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorvaMay 13 - Ft Wayne, IN @ Piere’s May 14 - Kansas City, MO @ KQRC’s RockfestMay 15 - Somerset, WI @ Northern InvasionMay 17 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music HallMay 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AEMay 20-22 - Columbus, OH @ Rock On The RangeMay 21 - Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank CenterMay 22 - Albany, NY @ Rock ‘n DerbyMay 24 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland BallroomMay 27-29 - Pryor, OK @ RocklahomaMay 29 - San Antonio, TX @ River City RockfestJun. 02 - Monza, IT @ Gods Of MetalJun. 03 - Nuremberg, DE @ Rock im ParkJun. 05 - Mendig, DE @ Rock am RingJun. 07 - Lodz, PO @ The Power FestivalJun. 09 - Solvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock FestivalJun. 11 - Castle Donington, UK @ Download FestivalJun. 12 - Newport, UK @ Isle of Wright FestivalJun. 16 - Pratteln, SW @ Konzertfabrik Z7Jun. 17 - Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop FestivalJun. 18 - Clisson, FR @ HellfestJun. 19 - Dessel, BE @ Grasspop Festival Jun. 22 - Stockholm, SE @ Grona LundJun. 23 - Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhell Jun. 24 - Halden, NO @ Tons of RockJul. 30 - Alberta, CA @ Sturgis Alberta Motorcycle Rally and Festival

Photo credit: Dustin Jack

French doom trio Witchthroat Serpent, featuring members of Darvulia, Fornication, and Sektarism, are streaming the new song "Into the Black Wood”, from their upcoming new album, Sang Dragon.

Sang Dragon was entirely produced at Drudenhaus Studio, while its artwork was handled by Branca Studio (The Black Dahlia Murder, Pentagram).

Sang Dragon will be released on April 30th via label Deadlight Entertainment, and is already available for pre-order at this location.

“Into The Black Wood”:

Band lineup:

Fredrik Bolzann (Darvulia, Fornication) - guitar, vocals
Lo Klav (Artemisia Absynthium) - bass
Niko Lass (Sektarism, Malhkebre) - drums

(Photo - Alionkas)



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Frontiers Music Srl will release of THE DEFIANTS' self-titled debut album on April 15. THE DEFIANTS is a new band put together by Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello — three fabulous musicians, all with ties to the great hard rock band DANGER DANGER.

A song from the album, titled "Love And Bullets", can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. Best known for being DANGER DANGER's frontman for a 12-year stint from 1992 to 2004, which included four studio albums, Paul Laine is now coming back to work with his former bandmates Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello, who are the other two pillars of THE DEFIANTS. The guys got back together under suggestion of Frontiers' president, Serafino Perugino, who really wanted to offer the fans a chance to hear some new music from these guys. The resulting album is an extremely exciting affair which is going to please not only DANGER DANGER fans, but also all the ones who are into the classic sound from the glory days of rock in the '80s and '90s. Paul Laine says: "From the moment Bruno and I started writing together, we knew we had something special. It's been my experience that when the writing process is effortless, you've trapped lightning in a bottle... Within the first two and a half months, we had close to forty ideas up on the board. I think it surprised both of us how intuitive we were of each other's ideas.

"I'm very proud of this record, and it feels good to let loose on an album of complete stadium rockers.

"Rob Marcello I consider to be one of the biggest talents in the world of modern guitar players. I love how much he shines on this record, and from track to track, I couldn't wait to hear what he had to say musically.

"On a personal note, it feels good to hit another musical and writing milestone with this album.

"It was very hard to choose the material for this record, and it's exciting to know that there are still bullets left in the chamber that nobody has heard yet." Bruno Ravel adds: "I'm so stoked for you all to hear this record! It was so much fun to create, and that feeling will be very evident once you give it a listen. Paul and Rob poured every bit of themselves into these tracks, and their performances were just ridiculous! Add that to the aggressive killer drum pounding that only my good buddy Van Romaine could deliver, and you have what equals a bona fide rock 'n' roll roller coaster! Strap yourselves in, folks! And get ready for the ride!" THE DEFIANTS are set to appear live at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Trezzo (Milano), Italy on April 24, where the band will perform classic tracks from Paul Laine's solo career, some DANGER DANGER hits and songs off THE DEFIANTS' debut. "The Defiants" track listing:

01. Intro (For A Few Dollars More - Carillon's Theme)02. Love And Bullets03. When The Lights Go Down04. Waiting On A Heartbreak05. Runaway06. Lil' Miss Rock'N'roll07. Last Kiss08. Save Me Tonight09. Take Me Back10. We All Fall11. That's When I'll Stop Loving You12. Underneath The Stars

"Making Monsters", the new video from former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Jonny Coffin and Matt Zane and contains live footage that was edited and directed by Zane.

"Making Monsters" will appear on John 5's new solo album, "Guitars, T!ts, And Monsters", due later in the year.

John has had an illustrious career collaborating with chart topping artists such as LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Ricky Martin, and Rod Stewart. John has performed on critically acclaimed world tours with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. Later, John ventured into the world of film score composing for Rob Zombie's "The Lords Of Salem". In 2004 he branched out into a successful solo career and has since released eight studio albums.

John recently released a video for the song "Behind The Nut Love". Originally recorded for his 2005 album "Songs For Sanity", this new version of the track was recorded with John 5's band, THE CREATURES (Ian Ross and Rodger Carter), and is available anywhere digital music is sold. The clip was directed by Matt Zane and shows John 5 sitting in a high-backed chair with a rare 1950 Fender Broadcaster, amazingly playing behind the nut to emulate the sound of a lap-steel guitar.

Fan-filmed video footage of MEGADETH's February 29 performance at The Warfield in San Francisco, California can be seen below.

MEGADETH played the title track of its new album, "Dystopia", live for the first time last Friday night (February 26) at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine recently stated about the "Dystopia" title track: "'Dystopia' is probably more along the lines of something from 'Rust In Peace' — kind of 'Hangar 18'-ish. And the same way 'Fatal Illusion' is a lot like 'Black Friday' and 'Bad Omen', this song, really, is us returning a lot to our roots."

"Dystopia" debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200, having shifted 49,000 equivalent album units in the week ending January 28.

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

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

The debut album from Shiraz Lane, entitled For Crying Out Loud, will be released on April 15th. Listen to the new track “Same Ol’ Blues” below:

Formed in 2011, Shiraz Lane is a young, energetic, ambitious, authentic hard rock group from Vantaa, Finland. Although wearing inspiration from big masters like Aerosmith, Skid Row and Guns N' Roses on their sleeves, the band has a sound and style all their own. Members of some of the biggest bands in Scandinavia - The 69 Eyes, Amorphis, Children Of Bodom, Lordi and Sonic Syndicate among others - have all described Shiraz Lane as being one of the most entertaining bands they have ever seen in the underground music scene, bringing something new to the table in terms of both music and live performance! Notwithstanding their young age (the band members are all in their 20s), the guys are already veterans of the underground circuit in their homeland and have developed a reputation for being uncompromising, loud and genuine.

"We started working on our debut album in mid-August 2015 after receiving confirmation about details and deadlines from Frontiers Music Srl”, says Miki Kalske. "We were actually extremely busy at the time since we did an extensive Finnish tour in September, so the Shiraz factory was working pretty much around the clock. In retrospect it was good to have a tight agenda, since the songs came out very naturally and with a steady pace. After we felt confident enough with the songs, we joined forces with our producer Ben Varon and analyzed them meticulously, re-arranged parts, rehearsed, re-rehearsed etc. Before hitting the studio to lay down the final tracks."

On the final result, For Crying Out Loud, the band shows they have learned all the tricks in the book and they're now ready to take on the world.

"The album is not conceptual, but it is definitely a tight knitted package so that every song has its own natural place in the running order”, continues Kalske. "All in all the record turned out to be an ass-kicking hard rock gem with a large scope of different emotions and feelings included. Variety would be a good key word to describe the album throughout, although bowing down to our own sound and style. An important notion would be to listen to the lyrics and message we are trying to send to the listeners out there  - we don't wan't to preach, but if our music can act as an eye-opener on some level and send positive vibrations out to the world during these darker times, I would say we have done something right!"

Shiraz Lane debuted with a two song single release, "Out There Somewhere" and "Money Talks" in October 2014. The band expanded upon those two tracks to release a five track EP, Be The Slave Or Be The Change in the spring of 2015. It was extremely well received by both the public and the press in Scandinavia and the single ''Mental Slavery'' could even be described as an underground hit. Following the EP release, the band has put out four music videos, played the biggest Finnish summer festivals and also performed in places like Toronto, Canada, Finland Fest in Tokyo Japan and Wacken Open Air in Germany. In the autumn of 2015, Shiraz Lane did an extensive national tour supporting fellow countrymen Santa Cruz. Although music is not a matter of competition, it should be mentioned the band won the Hard Rock Rising 2014 and Wacken Metal Battle 2015. The hype culminated with an international record deal with Frontiers Music Srl, which was signed and sealed in September.

"We have grown to fill the boots of the endangered Dinosaurus of Rock and continue the legacy of authentic, rocking and meaningful music" concludes Miki Kalske. "We are thrilled to let you guys experience a full-length insight in our musical minds and assure that this is going to be the best possible news for the fans out there after a heartsick and grieving turn of the year. Heads up and play this record loud and proud - we certainly will!"

For Crying Out Loud tracklisting:

“Wake Up”
“Momma's Boy”
“House Of Cards”
“Begging For Mercy”
“Same Ol' Blues”
“Mental Slavery”
“Behind The 8-Ball”
“For Crying Out Loud”
“Bleeding”
“M.L.N.W. - Kill Me (With Your Love)” (Bonus track digital version)

“Wake Up” video:

"Mental Slavery” video:

Shiraz Lane is:

Hannes Kett - vocals
Jani Laine - solo guitar
Miki Kalske - rhythm guitar
Joel Alex - bass
Ana Willman - drums



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Australian hard rockers, Massive, will release their new album, Destination Somewhere, on April 22nd via Earache. The new song, “Made Of Stone”, is streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“One For The Road”
“Blood Money Blues”
“Sinking Ship”
“The Fall”
“Made Of Stone”
“Destination Somewhere”
“Up In Smoke”
“Circus”
“The Way It's Always Been”
“Beaten Dog”

“Made Of Stone”:

Album preview:

“One For The Road” video:

Teaser:

 



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Former ASKING ALEXANDRIA and current WE ARE HARLOT frontman Danny Worsnop has posted audio samples from his upcoming debut solo album, "The Prozac Sessions". Check them out at TheSnop.com.

The singer, who is currently in Nashville seeking a suitable label to release the record, wrote on his Instagram account: "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, album cover A. Every piece of artwork was so perfect that I have decided to use them all, which means there will be four versions of the album, all with different visuals. I am thinking of writing a couple more songs so that each version will have a different bonus track."

Danny told Alternative Press last year about his upcoming solo CD: "[The solo album has] still got some of that typical snotty flair going. I'm still, for the most part, singing the blues. But I went into it with country in mind. I've always loved country. In England, I grew up as a country boy. I was in a small village of two hundred people. The lifestyle goes hand in hand with the music all over the world. [But writing] it just never crossed my mind. Obviously, of late, I've made a lot of life changes, where I'm exploring new things. So it seemed like an appropriate time. I had some time off, I was jamming on the guitar and I had some ideas, and I was, like, 'Fuck it, let's take this and run."

The material on "The Prozac Sessions" was completed with songwriters like Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood) and John Paul White (THE CIVIL WARS), while producer Jim Kaufman sat behind the boards.

"We're definitely going to push to radio a lot, do videos," Danny told Alternative Press. "[The solo project] is definitely something I'd like to make a lot of money doing and get to do more of. If it's not a success, I doubt I'll have much opportunity to do it again. [But] there's no plans to tour, per se. Maybe just shows here and there. So it's nothing that's... I know I've said this before, and it ended with me leaving the band. [Laughs]"

Worsnop revealed he was exiting ASKING ALEXANDRIA in January 2015, explaining in a statement: "Over the last eight years together, we've done some amazing things and created something truly special. I now, same as then, want what's best for the band and at this point in time, that isn't me."

Danny has since been replaced by Ukrainian singer Denis Shaforostov, who gained notoriety posting ASKING ALEXANDRIA covers on YouTube and consequentially inked a deal with Sumerian in his band DOWN AND DIRTY.

French progressive metallers NOVELISTS have released their debut full-length album, "Souvenirs", via Arising Empire/Metalville. The CD was mixed and mastered under the masterful watch of NOVELISTS bass player Nicolas Delestrade (BETRAYING THE MARTYRS) at NDSE Recordings and features guest appearances by Pierre Danel (KADINJA), Lotti Holz and Plini Roessler-Holgate (PLINI).

To commemorate the "Souvenirs" release, the band premiered their new music video for the album's title track.

Says the band, "Pavel's [Trebukhin, director] work is an amazing fit to our music. He manages to transcribe beautifully the emotions we're aiming to share in our music. It's been so easy to work with him and he always comes up with results even better than our expectations."

"Souvenirs" track listing

01. Inanimate02. Earth Grazer 03. Gravity 04. Antares 05. Ouroboros 06. Black Lights 07. Voyager 08. Muchos Touchey 09. Echoes feat. Pierre Danel (KADINJA)10. 5:12 AM feat. Plini Roessler-Holgate & Lotti Holz (PLINI)11. The Lichtenberg Figure 12. Souvenirs13. Twenty Years *14. Heartfelt *

* Bonus tracks

NOVELISTS was founded in early 2013 by brothers Florestan (guitar) and Amael Durand (drums), who quickly joined forces with the former A CALL TO SINCERITY members Matt Gelsomino (vocals), Charly Kelevra (guitar), and Nicolas Delestrade (bass). It was not later than April of that same year when NOVELISTS released their first single, "Twenty Years". From there, the group would go on to release five more singles and numerous videos along the next ten months, culminating in the release of their demo EP.

While working with full force on the production of their first full-length album, the demand for live shows had arisen leading the group to perform at events such as Euroblast festival, Ghostfest and Damage Fest, before hopping on their first tour ever with I, THE BREATHER through Europe at the end of 2014.

A new Twitter account purportedly belonging to former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Izzy Stradlin has appeared on the social media site, according to The Pulse Of Radio. Two sources have apparently confirmed to The Wall Street Journal reporter Neil Shah that the account is real, with Stradlin himself — or the person behind the account claiming to be Stradlin — tweeting a video of himself playing guitar.

But more importantly, the first tweet from the @IzzyStradlin999 account on February 22nd read, "At this point in time, I've no involvement in the upcoming April 2016 GNR shows."

It's been speculated that Stradlin would have some limited involvement — such as a guest appearance — at some of the upcoming GUNS N' ROSES reunion shows, which currently feature original members Slash, Axl Rose and Duff McKagan.

Fans online have offered "proof" both for and against the account actually belonging to Stradlin.

Evidence of the former includes a never-before-seen selfie of the guitarist, the aforementioned video, reported private correspondence between Stradlin and several friends and a few others on Twitter claiming it's definitely him.

Alleged evidence that the Stradlin account is not real includes some strange and now-deleted tweets, music sites not running his GUNS N' ROSES news despite being tweeted at directly by the owner of the account, and the fact that no one from GUNS N' ROSES has started following him or vice versa.

Rolling Stone got in touch with Izzy, who confirmed the Twitter account was indeed his. "I know there's a lot of questions regarding my Twitter account," Izzy said in a voicemail. "But it's me. I opened the Twitter account. There was just so much speculation going on regarding my involvement and studio recording. There's so much misinformation, so I wanted to clarify that I'm not in the studio recording with any of the GUNS N' ROSES guys. At this point in time, I'm not involved in the actual shows … A lot of stuff [fans] are reading isn't true."

GUNS N' ROSES has six shows scheduled so far, all in April: two at the Coachella Music And Arts Festival, two in Las Vegas and two in Mexico City. The exact band lineup has yet to be confirmed.

Swedish melodic doom/death metallers, October Tide, have released a lyric video for the track “Sleepless Sun”, from their forthcoming fifth studio album, Winged Waltz. Set to be released on April 22nd via Agonia Records, the record will feature eight brand new tracks and cover artwork prepared by Albin Högbom.

Tracklisting:

“Swarm”
“Sleepless Sun”
“Reckless Abandon”
“A Questioin Ignite”
“Nursed By The Cold”
“Lost In Rapture”
“Perilous”
“Coffins Of November”

“Sleepless Sun” lyric video:

Studio video:

Alexander Högbom (vocals) commented on Winged Waltz: "This is undoubtedly the best and most emotionally charged material October Tide has created, in my opinion. I know how much hard work Fredrik (guitars) has put into making this album and you can really feel the thought behind it all. I almost injured myself physically and was close to pass out a couple of times during the recording of the vocals. I gave it all to match the intense music and those powerful lyrics and I'm very happy with the result".

The successor to Tunnel Of No Light (2013) has been recorded, mixed and mastered in Wing Studios (Demonical, Centinex, Diabolical) in Sweden and produced by Sverker Widgren.

Winged Waltz will be available in the following formats:

- Digipack CD
- Regular Black Gatefold LP
- Gold LP with Gold Logo Patch (limited to 113 hand-numbered copies)
- Black T-shirt with white and silver print
- Grey T-shirt with gold print
- Digital formats

October Tide will join forces with Demonical for a tour of Europe starting in September. The co-headlining run will be supported by Finland's cold black metallers, Author. List of shows is available below.

Tour dates:

September
22 - Hultsfred, Germany - Hulingen
23 - Rostock, Germany - Bunker
24 - Lugau, Germany - Iron Eagle
25 - Poznan, Poland - Club U Bazyla
26 - Bielsko-Biala, Poland - Rudeboy
27 - Praha, Czech Republic - Modra Vopice
28 - Wroclaw, Poland - Liverpool
29 - Berlin, Germany - Werk 9
30 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore

October
1 - Bitterfeld, Germany - Festung

An event page can be found at this location.

October Tide lineup:

Alexander Högbom - vocals
Fredrik Norrman - guitars
Mattias Norrman - bass
Emil Alstermark - guitars
Jocke Wallgren - drums



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Finnish death metal legion, Gloria Morti, will release their fifth album, titled Kuebiko, on March 18th, their first for Willowtip Records. The album track, “The Foul Stench Of Vomiting Blood”, is streaming below.

With Kuebiko, Gloria Morti is back with another solid slice of confrontational Finnish death metal, the band expertly blending thrash, melodic, and black metal, and surreal atmospheric elements into their sound making for a sonic wrecking-ball reminiscent of such bands as At The Gates, Carcass and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Gloria Morti's fifth studio effort, Kuebiko finds the unit traversing grimmer and dirtier grounds than ever before, both musically and thematically.

Tracklisting:

“Syntymä”
“The Foul Stench Of Vomiting Blood”
“Josef Fritzl”
“Chimeral Form”
“Death By A Thousand Cuts (Lingchi)”
“Case No. 1102162”
“Gallows Built In Rows”
“Executioner”
“The Termination Of All Bonds”

“The Foul Stench Of Vomiting Blood”:

    
“Josef Fritzl”:

Pre-orders here.



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Fan-filmed video footage of DOKKEN's February 27 performance at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater in Pompano Beach, Florida can be seen below.

Former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson recently told rock journalist Mitch Lafon about the possibility of a reunion of DOKKEN's classic lineup, featuring Pilson, vocalist Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch and drummer Mick Brown: "We're actually working really hard to try and pull something together right now. It has to fall in spaces where there is time off [from my gig with FOREIGNER], so I don't know for sure whether it's gonna happen. So let's just say we're all friendly now, we're all past all the decades-old crap, and we all talk and everything's great. Now it really is just down to scheduling and trying to figure it out. Because, you know, you've gotta do it right, if you're gonna do it. We all feel that way."

He continued: "I think we've all come to a place where we're very appreciative of the legacy that DOKKEN has, and we would never wanna just do something for the money and take advantage… 'Cause we get offered a lot of things quite often, and if we wanted to do it that way, we could. But the fact that we don't, I think, is a great sign. I think when we do finally do something, we're gonna try and do it right. Although I don't know if we're gonna ever get to do the big sweeping tour that we've talked about — mostly because of the FOREIGNER commitment — but we're gonna try and do something. So hopefully I'll have something to report sometime soon."

Asked what would be the "right way" for a DOKKEN reunion to happen, Pilson said: "I think, really, to do it right means that when we go out there, we sound good — no matter how many or few shows we do, no matter… new music or old music. I would love to record some new music with DOKKEN; I would love that. I just don't know if we can or will. I have a sense that sometime we will, somehow, but we'll see. Again, it's just down to quality. Doing it right means doing it with quality. 'Cause we were always very quality conscious back in the day, and I don't think any of us wanna let that go now."

Regarding the current relationship between the members of the DOKKEN classic lineup, Pilson said: "No matter how argumentative a band is, no matter how much… I mean, think of all the time we spent together, think of what we accomplished together… I don't care what anybody says; we all love each other — we really do. There is a love in there that's… I mean, sometimes it's two siblings that love and hate at the same time, but there is a lot of love there. So I'm very glad that when I get an e-mail from Don, I'm not [going], 'Oh, God.' I'm excited to read it. George and I have been close for a long time, so that hasn't been an issue for a while. But, yeah, it feels really good."

He added: "We shared something very special together. I think we're all at the point in life where we kind of appreciate it now. And if we ever get a chance to do some more with it, I think… It would be very interesting, because we've never been in a situation where there wasn't animosity, so I don't know. [Laughs] Maybe it won't work. I don't know. [Laughs]"

Don and Lynch appeared on VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" together back in May of 2010 in hopes that a reunion of DOKKEN's classic linep would follow. Despite their efforts, the reunion never happened and Don went forward with DOKKEN's current lineup.

All the members of DOKKEN's classic 1980s lineup reunited on stage for the first time in more than a decade on November 29, 2009 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California. Don Dokken appeared on stage and said he had some friends he wanted to introduce. Pilson and Lynch joined Mick Brown for a two-song encore of "When Heaven Comes Down" and "In My Dreams".

Fan-filmed video footage of QUEENSRŸCHE's February 27 performance at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater in Pompano Beach, Florida can be seen below.

QUEENSRŸCHE hired Todd La Torre to replace Geoff Tate in 2012 and has released two albums with the ex-CRIMSON GLORY frontman: 2013's "Queensrÿche" and 2015's "Condition Hüman".

QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton recently told The Glendale Star that the band is stronger than ever after parting ways with Tate and adding La Torre.

"We went through a lot of drama over the past few years and we have been focused on rebuilding this band," Wilton said. "We are the original members and it was important for us to gain control of the name of the band. It was a chance meeting with [La Torre] that brought this together and it is working out great."

He added: "For the past ten years, this band has been more of a dictatorship. Now, with the influence of [La Torre], we have great chemistry and we are now a complete democracy, not a dictatorship."

"Condition Hüman" debuted at No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart, having shifted 14,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015.

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

"Condition Hüman" was released on October 2, 2015 via Century Media.

An expanded edition of Eclipse’s album, Armageddonize, in conjunction with the band’s appearance at Melodifestivalen in Sweden, is now available in Sweden, and will be available on March 15th in the rest of Europe and April 18th in North America

Armageddonize (Deluxe Edition), the new and expanded edition comes in a 2CD glossy digipak (first pressing only), and includes the song “Runaways”, which the band exclusively performed for the first time during their Melodifestivalen appearance at the Gavlerinken Arena in Gävle, Sweden on the evening of February 27th. Watch the “Runaways” video below.

Besides the new song “Runaways”, the album also includes a bonus CD featuring live songs, two rare cuts (originally b-sides of the “Bleed And Scream” single, only released via Sweden Rock Magazine) and three original, Japan-only bonus tracks.

Tracklisting:

CD1
“I Don't Wanna Say I'm Sorry”
“Stand On Your Feet”
“Runaways” (Album Version)*
“The Storm”
“Blood Enemies”
“Wide Open”
“Live Like I'm Dying”
“Breakdown”
“Love Bites”
“Caught Up In The Rush”
“One Life - My Life”
“All Died Young”

* Melodifestivalen song / bonus track added to the regular edition

CD2
“I Don't Wanna Say I'm Sorry” (Live)
“Stand On Your Feet” (Live)
“Wake Me Up” (Live)
“The Storm” (Live)
“Battlegrounds” (Live)
“Breakdown” (Live)
“Wide Open” (Live)
“Blood Enemies” (Live)
“Ain't Dead Yet” (Live)
“Bleed & Scream” (Live)
“Breaking My Heart Again” (Live)
“Come Hell Or High Water” (Bonus Track) §
“Into The Fire” (Bonus Track) §
“The Storm” (Acoustic)**
“I Don't Wanna Say I'm Sorry” (Acoustic)**
“Battlegrounds” (Acoustic)**

“Runaways” live:

The live tracks are all brand new and unreleased. Bonus tracks listed with "§" have been released only as a B-side of the “Bleed And Scream” CD single for Sweden Rock Magazine. Bonus tracks listed with "**" have only been released in Japan to date.

Band lineup:

Erik Mårtensson – vocals, guitars
Magnus Henriksson – guitars
Magnus Ulfstedt – bass
Philip Crusner – drums



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Los Angeles based experimental/doom/rock group, Deathkings, will release their second full length album, All That Is Beautiful, on March 18th. A lyric video for the album track “Sol Invictus” is now streaming below.

In the wake of their debut album, Destroyer, as well as the recent vinyl 7" split with Rozamov through Midnite Collective, Deathkings descended upon listeners with their bleak, yet enlightening look at the world around them. This state of unrest was developed and channeled into aural and material form with the help of Derek Donley (Bereft, Gravitron, National Sunday Law, You Big Ox, Pigeonwing, Intronaut) at his Ox Cave Studios in Los Angeles. With Donley at the helm, the band steers the listener through the blending of drowning, desperate rage blended with tranquil undertones.

All That Is Beautiful was finished in early 2014 at Donley's Ox Cave Studios. Uniting with the Midnite Collective for the third time, both entities have grouped to carefully craft a visually stunning package, deserving of the music contained therein. The band will unleash aural and visual ruin via digital. CD. cassette tape and vinyl (later in the year) releases starting this spring harvest, 2016.

Tracklisting:

“Sol Invictus”
“The Storm”
“The Road To Awe”
“Dakhma”

“Sol Invictus” lyric video:

“The Storm”:

The band has also announced its Spring Tour MMXVI. Confirmed dates are listed on the poster below:

Lineup:

Drums: Sean Spindler
Bass/vocals: Nicolas Rocha
Guitars: Mark Lüntzel
Guitars: Daryl Hernandez



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

For 10 months, the northern German band Mob Rules ensconced themselves in their studio, now they are set to present the results of their hard work: Tales From Beyond, the eighth studio recording by the group, impresses with a deeply melodic mix of progressive and power metal. A new lyric video for the track “On The Edge” can be found below.

When it comes to their lyrics, Mob Rules continue to go their own unmistakable path, influenced by historic events and inspired by literature. The album will be available on March 18th on Steamhammer/SPV as Digipak (including one bonus track + poster), double colored vinyl LP and digital download. In addition, there will be an extra iTunes version including an additional exclusive bonus track called “Ghost Town”, which has also been newly recorded.

Their powerful songs and haunting chorus parts have earned Mob Rules an excellent reputation over the past two decades both in their native country and abroad. Their anniversary boxed set Timekeeper, which arrived at the stores in October 2014, has been incontestable proof of the complexity and uniqueness of their material. Tales From Beyond sees an evolution of the band’s earthy and multi-faceted sound while the Celtic/British influences of their music have been honed even more finely. The current album is marked by a “new directness” which not only goes down well with Mob Rules’ own fans but will also win the group many a new metal fan. This applies all the more as Mob Rules entrusted the production of Tales From Beyond again to the tried and tested hands of sound engineer Markus Teske (Vanden Plas, Firewind, among others).

April will see Mob Rules join Axel Rudi Pell as special guests on his extensive tour, presenting the songs from Tales From Beyond live for the first time.

Tracklisting:

“Dykemaster’s Tale”
“Somerled”
“Signs”
“On The Edge”
“My Kingdom Come”
“The Healer”
“Dust Of Vengeance”
“A Tale From Beyond (Part 1: Through The Eye Of The Storm)”
“A Tale From Beyond (Part 2: A Mirror Inside)”
“A Tale From Beyond (Part 3: Science Save Me!)”
“Outer Space” (Digipak bonus track)

“On The Edge” lyric video:

Trailer:

Live dates:

March
19 - Oldenburg, Germany - Cadillac (Album release show)

On tour with Axel Rudi Pell:

April
1 - Hamburg, Germany - Grosse Freiheit 36
2 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
3 - Nurnberg, Germany - Hirsch
5 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
6 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
8 - Osnabruck, Germany - Hyde Park
9 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
10 - Zwolle, Netherlands - Hedon
12 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
13 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
15 - Erfurt, Germany - Stadtgarten
16 - Prattelen, Switzerland - Z7
17 - Prattelen, Switzerland - Z7



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

In the video footage below, Queen guitarist Brian May performs a 12-string acoustic version of “’39” in the studio. The clip is taken from the A Night At The Opera 30th Anniversary DVD.

Queen’s A Night At The Odeon, Live At Hammersmith ’75, is out now on CD (Hollywood Records), and DVD & Blu-Ray (Eagle Rock Entertainment). This show was a culmination of the 26-date Queen Invite You To A Night At The Opera UK tour and the first tour that they had ever performed “Bohemian Rhapsody” on.

The CD, DVD & Blu-Ray package features the band’s full live show, complete with a never heard before ‘second encore’ of “Seven Seas Of Rhye” and “See What A Fool I've Been”. The DVD and SD Blu-Ray versions also contain two special bonus features – Looking Back At The Odeon, a brand new 22-minute documentary featuring a previously unseen interview with Brian May and Roger Taylor by Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Bob Harris about the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon show, plus the rarely seen Live At The Budokan – Japan 1975 footage, featuring three songs (“Now I'm Here”, “Killer Queen” and “In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited”) recorded during their legendary tour of the Far East.

Tracklisting (CD/Vinyl/Digital):

“Now I'm Here”
“Ogre Battle”
“White Queen (As It Began)”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Killer Queen”
“The March Of The Black Queen”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” (Reprise)
“Bring Back That Leroy Brown”
“Brighton Rock”
Guitar Solo
“Son And Daughter”
“Keep Yourself Alive”
“Liar”
“In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited”
“Big Spender”
“Jailhouse Rock” Medley
“Seven Seas Of Rhye”
“See What A Fool I've Been”
“God Save The Queen”
 
DVD and SD Blu-ray formats do not include “Seven Seas Of Rhye” or “See What A Fool I've Been”.

Super Deluxe Box Set edition unboxing:

 

 

 

 

 

 



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Sarke’s fourth album, featuring the icy and grim screams from Darkthrone’s lead vocalist Nocturno Culto, is truly the grandest and most dynamic album from the band to date. Bogefod presents nine tracks that stretch from lingering atmospheric doom to thrash to black metal and technical metal - all within the realms of suberb quality. Check out the new video for “Alternation” below.

It is a highly conceptual album spinning around the evil walking dead Torolv Bogefod from the norse classic Eyrbyggja saga. After an ugly death Torolv breaks out of his tomb. Dead, yet undead, he terrorizes the villagers and causes deaths and devastations. This viking story is a 1000 years old.

Several retrospective musical elements enhance the underlying story, as the warm sound of a 100-year-old guitar colours the otherwise icy and grim atmosphere of Nocturno Culto’s screams. In addition to this, the ballad in the track “Dawning” in between all the ripping and chilling moments throughout the album enriches the contrast and contributes to telling the story’s true and folky nature.

Sarke is in a sense a band formed by legends of the darker metal genre, with the pre-mentioned Nocturno Culto on vocals, Steinar Gundersen (Satyricon) on guitar, Thomas “Sarke” Bergli (Khold, Tulus) on bass and Anders Hunstad (El Caco) on keyboards. Together they have crafted an extremely immersive album surely to draw the listener into a historical and dark universe in a way no one ever have before.

Tracklisting:

“Taken”
“Blood of Men”
“Barrow of Torolv”
“Alternation”
“The Wicked’s Transient Sleep”
“Burn”
“Dawning”
“Evil Heir”
“Sunken”

“Alternation” video:



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer Joe Lynn Turner has once again commented on Ritchie Blackmore's decision to go out and perform the two bands' classic material with a new group musicians instead of reforming RAINBOW with a more "authentic" lineup.

Blackmore, 70, quit rock and roll in 1997 to form a medieval folk band called BLACKMORE'S NIGHT with then-girlfriend and now-wife Candice Night. Since then, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT has released ten studio albums, with the latest CD, "All Our Yesterdays", arriving last September.

Over the past few years, RAINBOW was the frequent subject of reunion rumors, with Turner — who fronted RAINBOW from 1980 until 1984 and was a member of PURPLE from 1989 until 1992 — claiming that the former RAINBOW and PURPLE guitarist was "itching" to play rock music and insisting that he was in talks with the guitarist about a renewed collaboration.

Ritchie last year surprised everyone by telling a French newspaper that he was contemplating a return to rock music but excluding Turner from the project. "I think that Joe will not be part of the adventure, and he doesn't know it yet," Ritchie said. "He does his thing, I like him, and I made good albums and good songs with him, like 'Street Of Dreams'." The guitarist has since recruited LORDS OF BLACK vocalist Ronnie Romero, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau to accompany him at the upcoming shows.

Now in a brand new interview with Greece's Rock Overdose, Turner slammed his former bandmate, insisting that he was "betrayed" by Ritchie and blaming the guitarist for wasting his time trying to make an "authentic RAINBOW reunion" happen.

Turner said: "I'll tell you what happened…. A very short story. For over a year, I was talking with [Ritchie's] management, and we wanted to have big plans to have an authentic RAINBOW reunion — authentic, meaning with the integrity of the ex-members, with the material, with Doogie [White], Graham [Bonnet], everybody singing, everybody playing. This is what the fans really deserve to see — not what he is doing now, [which] I believe is a cover band. And we wanted… I wanted only to be involved if this was the situation. So when he started to back off of that situation, I just backed off of the whole thing myself and said: 'You know what? If you really want to do this, I am not gonna be involved with it,' because, for me, it's a very… How do you say the word? It's a cheap way of bringing it out. And I don't think the fans deserve it. I think it's a shame that he has to feel this way. So, to make this story short, I just said, 'Look, I'm not involved.' And then he had come with a comment in the Le Parisien newspaper that 'Joe Lynn Turner is not involved and he doesn't know it yet.' Well, I knew it, and it was a classless and very thoughtless way for him to announce that to the world. So I don't respect that very much; I don't think anyone should respect that. But that's his problem."

Despite the fact that he is not involved in Blackmore's return to rock, Turner says that he is "not angry about anything; I just feel that I wasted my time in trying to make an authentic RAINBOW reunion happen, and I was betrayed. So the fact of the matter, really, is that I wouldn't wanna do it any other way. I think it's just… what he's doing now, like I said, it's a cover band, you know. I don't know why he calls it RAINBOW, 'cause it's not RAINBOW, you know. And, to me, he doesn't give anything, really, to the fans. Of course, you go see Ritchie play, but so what? That's it. And I think a guitarist of his stature — he's an icon, he's brilliant, etc. – he sort of had the best way possible to return to some rock and roll. And I don't think he's making a good decision by doing this. But, you know, that's all I can say about it. Ritchie has the right to do what he wants. But I think he's making a mistake in so doing."

According to Joe, Ritchie's announcement that he was going back to playing rock music again has given him a sense of vindication for anyone doubting that he was really part of the RAINBOW reunion talks. He said: "Most of the people [were] saying that I was crazy, I was delusional, I didn't know what I was talking about… I kept talking about his return to rock, and they'd laugh at me. And I was upset about it, but at the same time, I'm not anymore, because I realize that I was telling the truth, I did know what I was talking about, I said what I was talking about. Whether I was involved or not, it's not important. But people should realize, 'Hey, at least Turner said the truth.' And I always say the truth. And what I tell you here today is the truth. I wanted authentic RAINBOW — not this. So good luck, Ritchie. I wish you well."

Turner also spoke about DEEP PURPLE's upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the controversy surrounding Blackmore's decision to sit out the ceremony because the current touring configuration of the band refuses to perform with the guitarist at the event. Joe said: "[Ritchie is] not allowed, actually, to come to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Because if he comes, Ian Gillan won't come, and the rest of PURPLE won't come. And if you ask me, they're all acting like children, and it's a mess, and it's a shame, and it's terrible for this to happen. But, you know, for me, it shows you exactly what's happening over there — that these people don't know how to grow up and just shake hands and be friends; you know, just stop all the bullshit. And it's a shame; it's making a big circus out of the whole thing. So… I'm gonna be on tour anyway; I'll be in South America for the whole month of April, so I have no problem about what the situation is."

He continued: "I made a statement on my Facebook that describes how I feel [about] the Rock And Roll Hall Of Shame, as I call it. I spoke with ['That Metal Show' co-host] Eddie Trunk about it on [his] radio show the other night, and he happens to agree with me. He said these people are clueless; they have no idea of who's who whatsoever. It's just a Hollywood cabal, it's a Hollywood event, and it really doesn't have much to do with rock and roll anymore; it's more of a celebrity event. In the early days, it was a true, honest… shall we say… organization. But now? I think Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has turned into a kind of a circus show. It's more like the Grammys or something stupid like that. People make the band, and I'm more concerned with the fans and the people. That's who makes the choices, not these organizations. It took them how long to make DEEP PURPLE in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? They should have been in the Hall Of Fame twenty-five years ago."

It should be noted that Gillan has insisted that he has no problems with Blackmore attending the Rock Hall ceremony and has said that he is not opposed to sharing the stage with the guitarist at the event. "We would love to perform with Ritchie, David [Coverdale], Glenn [Hughes] et al on 'Smoke On The Water' in the encore jam," Ian said.

On February 23, Alyona Minkovski of HuffPost Live conducted an interview with '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about her brief exit from THE RUNAWAYS forty years ago after learning that her bandmates were gay, Lita said: "This was in the early '70s, mid-'70s, so I was not aware of homosexuality; I didn't know anything about it. And it was still in the closet; nobody came out and said, 'I'm gay' — nobody came out at that time. And when I found out that the girls were all gay in the band, I wasn't sure how to take it, and I didn't know what it was. I was only sixteen at the time. And I quit the band. I went home and I told my parents that it was the manager's fault; I blamed it all on him and said that he was too weird and I couldn't handle him — he was just too freaky. But that wasn't the case."

She continued: "So I had given it a couple of weeks and thought about it, and I thought, 'You know, it's really no big deal. I shouldn't worry about that. And I hope to God that they call me back and get me back in the band.' Because I was thinking that they would go on to achieve superstar status and that I would just be sitting at home and doing nothing. And thank God they called me back and they said, 'Lita, we can't find anybody that can play guitar like you. Please come back.'"

Asked if there were was any tension between her and her bandmates after her return to THE RUNAWAYS, Lita said: "No, there wasn't. And they knew I was straight. They didn't bother me about it, we didn't bag on each other about it. We just carried on, because it was no big deal. But, to me, it was back then, and it just really threw me for a loop. I didn't know that people do that."

Lita Ford launched a solo career after the breakup of THE RUNAWAYS, which also featured Joan Jett and Cherie Currie.

A movie about THE RUNAWAYS' brief history, starring Dakota Fanning as Currie and Kristin Stewart as Jett, came out in 2010.

"The Runaways" was directed by Floria Sigismondi, who was best known for directing music videos by such artists as DAVID BOWIE, MARILYN MANSON, and SHERYL CROW.

Lita Ford's memoir "Living Like A Runaway", was released on February 23 via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

A Canadian psychology professor has claimed that heavy metal can help promote scientific thinking in the classroom.

In a recently published article, Rodney Schmaltz, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at McMaster University in Edmonton, Alberta, argues that cases where heavy metal has been implicated in graphic and disturbing crimes can provide educators with a way challenge students to consider what evidence they have used to assess the impact of music on behavior.

One of the examples that Schmaltz brings up is JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 subliminal-message trial in Reno, Nevada where the band was found not liable for the deaths of two young men who cited the band's music as the reason they killed themselves. He writes in the open-access journal Frontiers In Psychology for their series "Novel Approaches To Teaching Scientific Thinking: Psychological Perspectives": "[The JUDAS PRIEST] case can lead to an interesting class discussion on how extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The claim that a backwards, subliminal message can lead someone to take their own life is an extraordinary claim. Students can be challenged to describe how they would experimentally test the impact of subliminal messages on behavior, followed by a class discussion of how the actual research was conducted in the field. This is an engaging example to help students better understand variable manipulation, demand characteristics, and issues of generalizability. At least in the case of subliminal messages, students will learn that music does not lead to problematic or harmful behavior."

Schmaltz also discusses the 1996 case where two teenagers were charged in the murder of a 15-year-old girl and later claimed they took inspiration to commit the crime from lyrics in the SLAYER songs "Postmortem" and "Dead Skin Mask". The parents of the victim sued SLAYER and their record label for unlawfully marketing and distributing obscene and harmful products to minors.

The professor writes: "Students should be challenged with providing the nature of the claim, and then exploring the evidence supporting the claim. Is the evidence sufficient to demonstrate a causal relationship between heavy metal and problematic and deviant behavior? One approach to further engage students is to divide the class into groups to act as the prosecutor or defense in a mock trial of the SLAYER murder case. The value in using this case is that the real-world outcome is known. The case did not go to trial, as the perpetrators of the crime had a history of criminal behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, as well as other factors that clearly demonstrated that listening to the music of SLAYER was not the cause of the horrific crimes."

Schmaltz goes on to cite the lack of scientific evidence in support of the argument against heavy metal, pointing out that subsequent research has shown that "people who were fans of heavy metal music in adolescence fared better in many aspects of their adult lives than people who were not fans."

He writes: "The value of using examples in heavy metal is that instructors can refer to the research that sheds light directly on the relationship between harm and this style of music. By using examples from heavy metal music, instructors are able to pose the question of the relationship between harm and heavy metal, allow students to consider the claims, apply critical thinking skills, propose how these claims should be tested, and finally solve the mystery with data from the relevant literature."

You can read Rodney Schmaltz's entire article at the Frontiers In Psychology web site.

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SIXX: A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba says that he "loves" the fact that that a partial reunion of GN'R's classic lineup is finally coming together, but hopes that Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin will also be involved in the band's return.

Ashba, who joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck and stayed in the band until last July, was asked during a question-and-answer session on SIXX: A.M.'s Facebook page how he feels about GNR's reunion and guitarist Slash. Ashba responded: "I love it for the fans. However, I hope they bring in Steven, Izzy and even Matt [Sorum] and Gilby [Clarke]!" He added: "I've always been a fan of Slash's playing; that was a big reason why I took the gig!"

GUNS N' ROSES has so far announced six headlining performances in April, including two in Las Vegas and two at California's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, with singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan slated to perform together again for the first time in 22 years.

The rest of the band's lineup for the shows — and a potential tour later in the year — remains unclear, although keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus, keyboard player Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer are all believed to be involved.

According to Alternative Nation, there is an "oversight management committee" handling GN'R's affair, with Slash, Axl and Duff each having a representative and a fourth person representing the other members.

Fan speculation around the involvement of original members Izzy Stradlin (guitar) and Steven Adler (drums) has been heavy, with Stradlin reportedly not interested in doing extensive touring and the band members not sure whether Adler, who has a longer history of drug problems than any of the other members, can hold it together on the road.

Ashba issued a statement in July 2015 saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES. His statement read in part: "It is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with GUNS N' ROSES into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band SIXX: A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."

Ashba added: "I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavors, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years."

Ashba said earlier in his statement that working with GUNS N' ROSES was "the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined."

"In a few days we enter the studio to record our third and new full length album," states Subterranean Masquerade. "We don't want to reveal the title just yet but we can say that this album is taking everything you enjoy from Subterranean Masquerade up a notch. It's heavy, complex, rich and full with so much information, it will be a shame to even try to categorize it."

"After a year of the tunes playing in my head, a challenging journey to India, months of band rehearsals and lots of editing and rearranging, this is finally happening and I couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome," says guitarist and songwriter Tomer Pink. "This album is so schizophrenic sometimes I wonder if the tunes are playing with me or the other way around."

"Writing and arranging this new album was a completely different experience than the one I had with The Great Bazaar", says keyboardist Shai Yallin. "With The Bazaar, we had written the album not as a band but rather as individual players; I actually only met Tomer and the guys after the album was recorded, for a PR photography session we held after Kjetil’s vocal sessions. This time around, we’re a real band. My parts have evolved during rehearsals and practice sessions. Some parts were written for me by other players, while I wrote more string parts than on the previous album and even adding some brass and accordion parts. Add to that Tomer’s insistence that we do not repeat ourselves and you get some really interesting combinations of timbres and instruments."

"We are also working on a European tour prior our show at the ProgPower festival in September - so stay tuned for live dates as well."



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});