Former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was joined by several musicians, including WARRANT singer Robert Mason, to perform three VAN HALEN classics — "Panama", "I'm The One" and "You Really Got Me" (originally by THE KINKS) — during the "Mark In The Morning" first-anniversary show on February 26 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Anthony, singer Sammy Hagar, Eddie and Alex Van Halen last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour. In exchange for taking part in the tour, Anthony reportedly had to agree to take a pay cut and sign away his rights to the band name and logo.

In 2007, the Van Halen brothers, Wolfgang Van Halen and singer David Lee Roth announced they would be hitting the road for a reunion tour. Anthony later told Music Radar that he "found out about that tour like everybody else did — in the press."

Anthony's new band THE CIRCLE, which also features Hagar, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson, plays hits from Sammy's four decades of rock (MONTROSE, solo, VAN HALEN, THE WABORITAS, CHICKENFOOT) as well as classic tracks from the LED ZEPPELIN catalog.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN played the second show of their "The Book Of Souls" world tour last night (Friday, February 26) at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. If Eternity Should Fail02. Speed Of Light03. Children Of The Damned04. Tears Of A Clown05. The Red And The Black06. The Trooper07. Powerslave08. Death Or Glory09. The Book Of Souls10. Hallowed Be Thy Name11. Fear Of The Dark12. Iron Maiden

Encore:

13. The Number Of The Beast14. Blood Brothers15. Wasted Years

Check out fan-filmed video footage below.

In his review of the show, Steven Reckinger of TulsaWorld.com writes: "The set design was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Inspired by the Mayan theme to 'The Book Of Souls', the artistic backdrops would rotate after each song, displaying a new piece of art that featured the band's mascot Eddie in some fashion. Before the encore when the members played their self-titled song that has remained the lineup since the beginning, a giant figure of a Mayan Eddie towered over the band. Some pyrotechnics and a dose of theatrics added to the finished product."

IRON MAIDEN new-and-improved branded private tour plane is named Ed Force One after the band's mascot, Eddie, who has appeared on all of their album covers, and graces the plane's tail.

The Boeing 747 jumbo is being piloted on the band's world tour by MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson.

The 747 is the world's most recognizable airliner on account of its distinctive hump. With its impressive dimensions of 70.7m (232ft) length, 19.4m (63.6ft) height and a jaw-dropping wing span of 64.4m (211ft) this double-decker aircraft has a range of 13,450km (7,262nm).

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

Support on the trek is coming from THE RAVEN AGE, the band led by IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's son George Harris.

MAIDEN's sixteenth — and first-ever double — studio album, "The Book Of Souls", was released worldwide on September 4, 2015 through Parlophone Records (BMG in the U.S.A). The CD was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added last year.

IRON MAIDEN announced in May 2015 that touring plans to support the album wouldn't happen until this year to allow Dickinson time to fully recuperate after his successful cancer treatment.

"What's special about this tour is that a year ago I didn't even know if I could sing," Dickinson told reporters last week. "We've had an amazing turnaround in fortune after, obviously being ill a year ago, getting rid of that, and getting out and looking forward to doing the tour."

Regarding the fan reception to the new CD and the current tour, Dickinson said: "The album was a massive success, and we were about that far [finger and thumb barely separated] off from getting the No. 1 slot [in its debut week on The Billboard 200 chart]. So now, we get to bring it out to the people, and, I mean, there's a few tickets left but not many. Pretty much the whole of the U.S. is sold out. It's amazing."

Guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH is putting the finishing touches on the debut album from his new "blues, country and folk" project for a tentative September release.

A couple of video clips from the recording sessions for the CD can be seen below.

Nergal recently told Spark TV that he "needed to get [the music] out of [his] system" and described the album's lyrical direction as "a different approach" but still "very dark."

BEHEMOTH has announced its return to North America this spring with a special tour, featuring MYRKUR as support. BEHEMOTH will play its latest album, "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.

MEGADETH played the title track of its new album, "Dystopia", live for the first time last night (Friday, February 26) at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.

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 official live video for the song "Through It All" from Lancaster, Pennsylvania's FROM ASHES TO NEW can be seen below. The clip was filmed during the band's arena tour with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH and IN THIS MOMENT.

"Getting to tour with FIVE FINGER and PAPA ROACH was absolutely surreal!" says FROM ASHES TO NEW vocalist Chris Musser. "The fact that we got to capture what that experience was like, performing for all these amazing people across the U.S., for the live 'Through It All' video was the icing on the cake."

"Through It All" is taken from FROM ASHES TO NEW's debut album, "Day One", which was released on February 26 via Better Noise Records.

Says FROM ASHES TO NEW vocalist Matt Brandyberry: "We have been sitting on this record for a while now so having to keep it to ourselves has been torture but also exciting.

"We could not be more proud of how 'Day One' turned out and we can't wait for everyone to share our excitement!

"There is going to be material everyone is familiar with and there are the new songs that people have not heard but will show how much we've grown since the release of the first EP."

FROM ASHES TO NEW will take part in the "We're All In This Together" tour alongside HELLYEAH, ESCAPE THE FATE and NEW YEARS DAY beginning May 2 in Baltimore, Maryland. Tickets are on sale now with a special incentive for rock fans: each ticket bought will come with a free eight-track tour sampler featuring unreleased and released tracks from each band on the bill. FROM ASHES TO NEW will be handing over the exclusive song "Who's Laughing Now", not featured on "Day One", and, of course, fan favorite "Through It All".

FROM ASHES TO NEW will join ATREYU and DEVIL YOU KNOW for a round of performances in March. In addition, the band will be a mainstay at nearly all of the upcoming rock festivals in the U.S., including Welcome To Rockville, Carolina Rebellion and Northern Invasion.

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of RIVER BLACK, the band featuring guitarist John Adubato (ex-BURNT BY THE SUN), vocalist Mike Olender (ex-BURNT BY THE SUN, FOR THE LOVE OF..., ENDEAVOR), bassist Brett Bamberger (REVOCATION, PUBLICIST UK, ex-EAST OF THE WALL), and drummer Dave Witte (MUNICIPAL WASTE, PUBLICIST UK, ex-BURNT BY THE SUN, DISCORDANCE AXIS, HUMAN REMAINS). The group is currently recording its debut album at New Jersey's Trax East studio (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, HATEBREED, DEADGUY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) with producer Eric Rachel (SKID ROW, MUNICIPAL WASTE, GOD FORBID) for a late 2016 release.

RIVER BLACK was formed by Adubato and Witte after the dissolution of BURNT BY THE SUN. The duo felt the need to keep the spirit and energy behind that going, pushing it a darker and heavier direction than anything in their collective past, and enlisted longtime friend Bamberger. After working through a few different lineups, the trio brought Olender into the fold.

Witte explains: "I've always had a strong connection with John and his riffs. Somehow, he's able to pull things out of me drumming-wise that no one else can. I found a rhythm partner and brother in Brett over the years, so those two together are the ultimate wing men for me so-to-speak. Adding Mike back into the fold was the puzzle piece that had been missing the whole time we've been working on this project."

RIVER BLACK's first-ever live performance will take place on Friday, April 15 as part of the first day of the 2016 New England Metal & Hardcore Festival.

Former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo is sitting behind the kit for SUICIDAL TENDENCIES during the latter band's North American tour as the support act for MEGADETH.

Lombardo made his live debut with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES last night (Friday, February 26) at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' latest album, "13" sold around 3,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 187 on The Billboard 200 chart. The first studio album in 13 years from SUICIDAL TENDENCIES was produced by vocalist Mike Muir and Grammy-nominated engineer/mixer Paul Northfield (DREAM THEATER, HOLE, RUSH).

Lombardo is currently a member of DEAD CROSS, a new "punk" outfit also featuring members of THE LOCUST and RETOX.

DEAD CROSS recently spent time in the studio recording its debut album, due later in the year. The sessions were helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others.

Vocalist Daniel Kubinski of the legendary Milwaukee hardcore group DIE KREUZEN joined Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD on stage on February 25 at The Metal Grill in Cudahy, Wisconsin to perform the DIE KREUZEN song "Man In The Trees". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

A live recording of VOIVOD's version of "Man In The Trees", featuring a guest appearance by Kubinski, was included on the limited-edition deluxe pressing of VOIVOD's last studio album, "Target Earth", which came out in 2013. At the time, Kubinski said about the track: "I'm truly honored and thankful to have shared the stage with VOIVOD at Roadburn 2012 and I'm completely stoked we were able to cover one of [late VOIVOD guitarist] Piggy's favorite DIE KREUZEN songs, 'Man In The Trees'.

"The melding of VOIVOD and DIE KREUZEN has been a long time coming and I am so glad we had the opportunity to play and record our performance together. I think our bands are open-minded within our creativity and like-minded in our approach to always stretch the boundaries and take our music to the next step!"

VOIVOD has just released the "Post Society" EP on digipak CD and as a digital download via Century Media Records. The effort, with artwork by VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin, contains five studio tracks, including the previously released vinyl-only new VOIVOD songs from the split seven-inch EPs with labelmates AT THE GATES and NAPALM DEATH, two brand new songs and a HAWKWIND cover ("Silver Machine"), for a total playing time of 30 minutes.

Video footage of OPERATION: MINDCRIME, the new band led by former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate, performing on February 23 at 12th & Porter in Nashville, Tennessee can be seen below.

Joining Tate in OPERATION: MINDCRIME's current touring lineup are guitarists Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE) and Scott Moughton, drummer Scott Mercado (CANDLEBOX), bassist Tim Fernley (THE VOODOOS) and keyboardist Randy Gane (MYTH).

"I love touring and I love playing live, performing with like-minded people in front of like-minded audiences and being there in the moment together when all of our passions collide," Tate told Digital First Media. "Typically I play a few songs off the new album, but really I focus on playing songs from my catalog of albums. I typically try to pull out different things that people haven't heard before or that I haven’t played in years or ever. I like doing that surprise thing during the show."

Asked if touring is something that he will be doing indefinitely or if he has a timetable as to when he will cease touring altogether, Tate told Oregon Music News: "I will always tour. I can't see myself stopping. I love performing live and I'm a believer that music is always best when experienced live. You're seeing it, you're experiencing it and you're witnessing the moment. It's incredibly special. I think a lot of us lose track of that in the 20th century digital age. There's nothing that compares to a live performance. I don't think there ever will be anything that will come close to it."

He continued: "I'm still relatively old school in the sense that I buy music on release date and whether you buy it online and have it shipped and it arrives on release date or if you go out and track down a hard copy. Nothing compares to tearing off the cellophane, popping the CD in and looking through the liners. It's sad that those rituals are essential a thing of the past, don't you think?"

Tate added: "In the United States, music has become a disposable commodity for people. It's not part of their lives like it once was. That's due to our cultural shift. I saw something similar happen in Japan in the early '90s; people grew out of music that was dear to their hearts. That's how the music industry treated music as if it were a passing thing. It was like this is what you liked in your youth and then you grew up to be an adult and then you didn't have anything or want anything to do with that music anymore. [Laughs] Music is art and music is essential to the human environment and essential to the human story. We need art. It's one of the most essential things to human existence."

"The Key", the first album of an ambitious trilogy from OPERATION: MINDCRIME, sold around 2,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was made available on September 18, 2015 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Fan-filmed video footage of AC/DC's entire February 26 concert at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Rock Or Bust02. Shoot To Thrill03. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be04. Back In Black05. Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder06. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap07. Thunderstruck08. High Voltage09. Rock 'N' Roll Train10. Hells Bells11. Given The Dog A Bone12. Sin City13. You Shook Me All Night Long14. Shot Down In Flames15. Have A Drink On Me16. T.N.T.17. Whole Lotta Rosie18. Let There Be Rock (with Angus Young guitar solo)

Encore:

19. Highway To Hell20. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

According to TMZ, AC/DC last month filed a lawsuit to get a judge's order that it can use to direct federal marshals, and authorize local and state police and agents hired by the company to seize bootleg T-shirts and similar items during the band's current U.S. tour.

AC/DC's latest leg of U.S. dates kicked off on February 2 in Tacoma, Washington and will conclude April 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

AC/DC's 2015 tour sold 2.31 million tickets for a total of $180 million in gross sales.

Guitarist Angus Young told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that AC/DC has never changed its approach to its live shows even as it's played bigger and bigger venues. "Somebody once had said, 'You know, people know what they like and like what they know,'" he said. "In the beginning, we were a, you know, just a rock 'n' roll band, and, you know, when you would play in bars and clubs and stuff, you know, this is what the audience was coming to hear you for."

AC/DC's sixteenth studio album, "Rock Or Bust", has sold more than 562,000 copies since debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart back in December 2014.

It's the band's first album without founding guitarist Malcolm Young, who is suffering from dementia. He has been replaced by nephew Stevie Young.

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was arrested in November 2014 at his home in Tauranga on charges of threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis.

Although Rudd played on "Rock Or Bust", he did not appear in photos or videos for the disc.

One-time AC/DC drummer Chris Slade officially joined the band's lineup for its performance at the Grammy Awards telecast. Slade is also behind the kit for the group's current world tour.

Norwegian band ENSLAVED has launched a new web site at Enslaved.no and webstore at Enslaved.aisamerch.com. The launch features promotions that will roll out a series of six "Enslaved 25" celebration shirts (each tied to a chronological period in the band's career). A new design will be made available approximately every two months starting today with "Yggdrasill". Each design will be limited to 200 copies worldwide and will feature the special "Enslaved 25" tag.

Costin Chioreanu of Twilight 13 Media has been retained to create a unique design and brand for "Enslaved 25", including the new webstore design. The stylized new designs are destined to become a collectibles based on the unique identity and strong, bold elements of the logo. This innovative merchandise will only be available at the official ENSLAVED webstore and at these two live shows: Oslo on February 25 and Bergen on March 12.

Since the anniversary celebration — which kicks-off internationally with the byNorse event this March in London — will run to the end of the year, fans can look forward to special pieces being added to the collection including designs by Trine + Kim Design Studio, Norwegian tattoo artist Jannicke Wiese-Hansen and others. Merchandise will include items such as zippered hoodies, wristbands, pint glasses and more.

"We have survived as a band for 25 years without any breaks" ENSLAVED co-founder Ivar Bjørnson explains. "We have worked non-stop on developing as a band and as individual artists. To celebrate these achievements we will re-launch our website enslaved.no with the help of Romanian multitalented visual artist extraordinaire, C. Costin. The site presents the visual side of what, where and who we are today — 25 years after forming the band."

"We are also thrilled to mark this milestone by launching our own new shop," Ivar continues. "We are honored to have some of Norway's finest visual artists, who are also our friends, doing the new designs fans can find there. Jannicke Wiese Hansen, who drew our original two logos, has come up with two stunning new creations in her characteristic Norse/mythological style. Trine + Kim, one of Norway's leading design teams and innovators within metal artwork for one and a half decades now, have lent us their talent for a shirt and a hoodie design. Finally, it wouldn't be complete if the aforementioned C. Costin did not also make merchandise for the grand opening: so he has designed the first of six limited-edition 25-year anniversary shirts, re-interpreting our releases and their visual profile."

"It is highly motivating," Ivar concludes "to be in a position to reinvent ourselves, both visually and conceptually, as well as exploring new musical territory. We hope our fans will enjoy all of this as much as we do."

ENSLAVED encourages fans to stay informed by signing up for their newsletter. News announcements will include exclusive information about upcoming merchandise and design availabilities, as well as promotional contests and chances to win rewards like tribal passes for collecting all six designs, and VIP experiences with the band.

Former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. singer Udo Dirkschneider has just embarked on a special tour during which he is performing ACCEPT songs one last time before he closes the chapter for good.

Fan-filmed video footage of Dirkschneider's February 26 concert at Trädgår'n in Gothenburg, Sweden can be seen below.

Asked about his decision to perform classic songs from ACCEPT for the last time in 2016 under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner, Udo told rock journalist Mitch Lafon: "A lot of people ask me, 'Why do you do this?' And I said… Always people are asking, 'Oh, can you play this ACCEPT song and this ACCEPT song and this ACCEPT song?' I mean, I have fifteen U.D.O. albums out, and, for me now, U.D.O. is U.D.O. Of course, I know that the people like to hear ACCEPT songs with my voice, but I wanna close something — I wanna close, like a book, and say, 'Okay, that's it. I read it.' Sometimes you have to come to an end with something. I wanna close up everything with ACCEPT. And this will be the last time. And I said, okay, I'll do one more tour. It will be a world tour. Hopefully we can do this also for America, around maybe a couple of shows. And yeah, that will be the last time that you… When we are on tour with U.D.O., we'll never play any ACCEPT songs again."

He continued: "I also wanna stop to be compared with… Now ACCEPT is still on tour, and they have a new singer, and they are doing also 'Balls To The Wall' and they are doing also 'Metal Heart', they do 'Princess Of The Dawn'. And I don't wanna be always compared and have to say, 'What do you think about this and this and this?' This is also another reason. I wanna close the ACCEPT chapter. I mean, it was a great… I mean, in a way, I was creating this band, you know. Sometimes you have to say, 'Okay, that's it.' I have enough U.D.O. songs, so I can play more U.D.O. songs and be U.D.O. I can say without being arrogant, U.D.O. has its own fan base now. Sometimes you have to say, 'Okay, that's it.'"

Udo went on to say: "There is a band called ACCEPT. And please, if you wanna hear these songs, please go then to [see] ACCEPT. [Laughs] So that's the only thing I can say. Now you'll have the chance next year to hear it with the original voice, but Mark [Tornillo, current ACCEPT singer] is doing a — I would say — really good job on it, so please go there and listen then to ACCEPT and U.D.O. is then U.D.O."

Regarding what makes the classic ACCEPT songs so special, Udo said: "I don't know what is special. You never can tell it, really. Like [DEEP PURPLE's] 'Smoke On The Water', in a way, something like this. Sometimes there's a song that, in a way, that stays forever."

Asked about the possibility of the DIRKSCHNEIDER tour being professionally filmed and recorded for an upcoming DVD and CD, Udo said: "Yeah, I think. Normally the record company says, Oh, you put out so [much] stuff. We have to suffer.' But I think definitely I can say there will be a live CD out. Definitely. I mean, you have to do this. It will never happen again like this. And I think you have to put this on a CD. What was very interesting [was that] the record company came up with this. They said, 'We have to do this.' And I said, 'Yes, I know.' [Laughs]"

California groove metallers DEVILDRIVER will be touring non-stop this year in support of their new album, "Trust No One". In addition to their already announced tour alongside HATEBREED, DEVIL YOU KNOW and ACT OF DEFIANCE, DEVILDRIVER has confirmed a string of North American headline dates. The first run starts prior to the HATEBREED tour and kicks off April 27 in Las Vegas, Nevada and wraps May 11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following the tour with HATEBREED that runs from May 13 in Cleveland, Ohio through June 11 in New Haven, Connecticut, DEVILDRIVER will have another string of headline shows starting July 13 in Columbus, Ohio and going through June 18 in San Diego, California.

Tickets for the DEVILDRIVER headline shows are on sale now at Devildriver.com. VIP packages include a meet-and-greet and with DEVILDRIVER, an exclusive DEVILDRIVER T-shirt, a digital copy of "Trust No One", and 11x17 tour poster and a souvenir laminate with lanyard.

DEVILDRIVER headlining shows:

Apr. 27 - Las Vegas, NV @ VinylApr. 29 - Boise, ID @ Knitting FactoryApr. 30 - Seattle, WA @ Studio SevenMay 01 - Spokane, WA @ Kinitting FactoryMay 03 - Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa TheatreMay 05 - Kansas City, KS @ Riot Room May 06 - Milwaukee, WI @ The RaveMay 07 - Detroit, MI @ HarposMay 08 - Flint, MI @ Machine ShopMay 09 - Cincinnati, OH @ BogartsMay 10 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/INMay 11 - Grand Rapids, MI @ The StacheJun. 13 - Columbus, OH @ Park Street SaloonJun. 14 - St. Louis, MO @ FubarJun. 16 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine TheaterJun. 17 - Window Rock, AZ @ Window Tock Sports CenterJun. 18 - San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

"Trust No One" will be released on May 13 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2013's "Winter Kills" was once again produced by Mark Lewis (ARSIS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER) with assistance from Jason Suecof (AUGUST BURNS RED, DEICIDE, DEATH ANGEL). The new CD mark the group's first release since the departures of guitarist Jeff Kendrick and drummer John Boecklin and addition of axeman Neal Tiemann and former CHIMAIRA sticksman Austin D'Amond.

A short audio sample of another song from "Trust No One" is available in the video below.

DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara previously stated about the band's new CD: "Almost three years in the making, get ready for a new DEVILDRIVER record!

"'Trust No One' is filled with killer riffs, groove after groove and massive hooks!

"Regarding the title 'Trust No One', it's rightly named and done so. There will be no explanation needed regarding what the title means. The lyrics are volatile and straight to the point!"

Asked what makes Austin the right drummer for DEVILDRIVER, Dez told Full Metal Jackie: "What made him the right guy is he's more than capable.

"You can understand when members leave a band, and Jeff, the guitar player, left 'cause he just didn't wanna tour anymore, and I totally understood that after the schedule we kept for almost 13 years. And John wanted to try and do some stuff on his own, and it was more than okay with me after that length of time. So, when you do replace members, what you wanna do is you wanna get people who are more than capable — or more capable than even who you had [before]."

He continued: "I definitely am looking forward to playing with Austin. He's a great guy, he's a great drummer, [and] he's got an incredible stage presence. And when he came in for the audition, he absolutely just smoked it. He's just an incredible guy. And you get a real good vibe from him, which is another thing. We're gonna tour a lot, so you're gonna have to have that."

Boecklin and Kendrick played their last show with DEVILDRIVER as part of the 2014 Knotfest in Devore, California.

"Winter Kills" sold around 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 32 on The Billboard 200 chart.

German metallers RAGE will release their brand new studio album called "The Devil Strikes Again" on June 10 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded in September/October 2015 at Megafon Studios (Burscheid, Germany) and at Soundchaser Studios (Zandhoven, Belgium). The production was handled by Marcos Rodriguez and Peavy Wagner, while Dan Swanö (MARDUK, OPETH, DISSECTION, KATATONIA) took care of the mixing and mastering at Unisound Studios (Grefrath, Germany). The cover artwork was created by Karim König.

Commented RAGE bassist/vocalist Peavy Wagner: "Here comes RAGE's hardest record in years! The title says it all, and we have captured the band's unique spirit of our classic works. The cover reflects the music — hard and straight!"

"The Devil Strikes Again" will be made available as a 3CD digipack (limited to 1,000 copies; Nuclear Blast mailorder exclusive), 2CD digipack, and 2LP (black, white). All editions contain six bonus tracks (including three cover versions: "Bravado" by RUSH, "Slave To The Grind" by SKID ROW and "Open Fire" by Y&T). The 3CD digipack also features a bonus live CD from the latest European tour with HELLOWEEN.

"The Devil Strikes Again" track listing:

3CD digipack

CD1

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War06. Ocean Full Of Tears07. Deaf, Dumb And Blind08. Spirits Of The Night09. Times Of Darkness10. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Bonus CD

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem04. Bravado (RUSH cover)05. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)06. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

Bonus Live CD

[to be announced]

2CD digipack

CD1

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War06. Ocean Full Of Tears07. Deaf, Dumb And Blind08. Spirits Of The Night09. Times Of Darkness10. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Bonus CD

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem04. Bravado (RUSH cover)05. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)06. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

2LP (Bonus Vinyl 45 RPM!)

Side A

01. The Devil Strikes Again02. My Way03. Back On Track04. The Final Curtain05. War

Side B

01. Ocean Full Of Tears02. Deaf, Dumb And Blind03. Spirits Of The Night04. Times Of Darkness05. The Dark Side Of The Sun

Side C (Bonus)

01. Bring Me Down02. Into The Fire03. Requiem

Side D (Bonus)

01. Bravado (RUSH cover)02. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW cover)03. Open Fire (Y&T cover)

RAGE released a four-track EP on January 22 to coincide with the band's tour with HELLOWEEN.

"My Way" contained four tracks, including two re-recorded versions of songs from RAGE's 1995 album "Black In Mind" and a brand-new song in both English and Spanish.

"My Way" was the first RAGE release to feature the band's latest additions, Marcos Rodriguez (guitar) and Vassilios Maniatopoulos (drums)

Marcos Rodriguez was born in Venezuela and currently resides in Antwerpen, Belgium. The guitarist is a die-hard fan of RAGE who met Peavy on RAGE's 30th-anniversary tour when his band SOUNDCHASER provided support on parts of the trek. Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos has so far primarily made an appearance as the vocalist of the band TRI STATE CORNER. However, the former drum student and drum technician of former RAGE and current TRI STATE CORNER/REFUGE drummer Christos Efthimiadis is also longtime friend of Peavy's.

Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS will release a special 30th-anniversary 3CD/2DVD set, "Behind The Wall Of Doom", on April 29 via Peaceville. The set will include an expansive 92-page book by writer Per-Ola Nilsson.

The three-decade-long tale of CANDLEMASS is told from recollections of bandmembers past and present and chronicles the rise and domination of the pioneering Swedes (who have firmly stamped their mark on the metal world).

"Behind The Wall Of Doom" includes never-before-seen photos dating from the mid-1980s "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" period to the present day. Also included are the CANDLEMASS demos, plus rare and previously unheard tracks from the band's early rehearsals in 1985, alongside choice tracks from CANDLEMASS's early classic releases, as selected by Leif Edling and former vocalist Messiah Marcolin.

The set is completed with extensive DVD footage featuring several integral band performances over the decades, including the much-sought and revered Dynamo performance from 1988, plus other exclusive material. "Behind The Wall Of Doom" is presented in deluxe 12" hardback book format.

Pre-order and get more details at this location.

CD 1:

01. Demon's Gate 02. Under The Oak 03. A Sorcerer's Pledge 04. The Well Of Souls - Live 05. Dark Are The Veils Of Death 06. Battlecry 07. Ancient Dreams 08. Bearer Of Pain 09. Dark Reflections 10. Into The Unfathomed Tower

CD 2:

01. Mourner's Lament 02. Somewhere In Nowhere 03. Samarithan 04. A Tale Of Creation 05. Bewitched 06. Mirror Mirror 07. The Well Of Souls 08. Under The Oak 09. At The Gallows End 10. Solitude

CD 3:

"Witchcraft" Demo

01. Warchild 02. Crystal Ball 03. A Sorcerer's Pledge 04. Into The Unfathomed Tower

Upplands Vasby rehearsal

05. Demon's Gate06. Under The Oak 07. Under The Oak (alternate version) 08. Black Stone Wielder 09. Demon's Gate (alternate version) 10. Under The Oak (alternate version 2)

"O.A.L." Studio Demo

11. Black Stone Wielder 12. Demon's Gate

DVD 1:

Live at Dynamo Festival The Netherlands 1988:

01. The Well Of Souls 02. Bewitched 03. Solitude 04. At The Gallows End 05. Crystal Ball 06. Dark Are The Veils Of Death 07. A Sorcerer's Pledge

Live at Bang Your Head Festival Germany 2005:

01. Black Dwarf 02. Mirror Mirror 03. Assassin Of The Light 04. Copernicus 05. Solitude 06. Bearer Of Pain 07. At The Gallows End

DVD 2:

Live at Fryshuset Sweden 1990:

01. The Well Of Souls 02. Dark Are The Veils Of Death03. Bewitched 04. Solitude 05. Dark Reflections 06. Under The Oak 07. Demon's Gate 08. The Bells Of Acheron 09. Through The Infinitive Halls Of Death 10. Samarithan 11. Mirror Mirror 12. At The Gallows End 13. A Sorcerer's Pledge

Fryshuset extras: Behind the scenes and soundcheck

Former CALIFORNIA BREED guitarist Andrew Watt recently released his debut solo EP, "Ghost In My Head", via John Varvatos Records/Republic Records. The digital EP includes the song "High", for which you can see the official music video below. "Ghost In My Head" paves the way for Watt's blues-infused, guitar-driven rock prowess. Converging between a robust wall of distortion and a distinct vocal howl, the EP proves potent, powerful, and passionate with a surprise around every corner. The 24-year-old Watt is no stranger to the rock scene, having received critical acclaim from rock icons including Jason Bonham and Chad Smith of the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, who lent his skills to the percussion heard on the EP. At a 2015 performance, Watt was joined onstage not only by Chad Smith but rock and roll photographer and director Danny Clinch (who performed on harmonica). Born in New York and now based in Los Angeles, Watt conjured up a striking and soulful sound after touring and writing with numerous artists across genres since the age of 16. 2013 saw him co-found CALIFORNIA BREED with Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) and Jason Bonham (FOREIGNER, LED ZEPPELIN), release the group's incendiary full-length debut, and tour with Slash and many others. Watt is also a producer, songwriter and musical director, working with artists across multiple genres, including Justin Bieber and Skrillex, Kygo, DJ Snake, Cody Simpson, SNBRN and more. A devout CALIFORNIA BREED fan, John Varvatos asked to hear Andrew's solo music and offered him a deal in 2015.

"Ghost In My Head" is produced by Alain Johannes (ELEVEN, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THEM CROOKED VULTURES) and features Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and Joey Castillo (ex-QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, DANZIG) on the drum throne. "Ghost In My Head" track listing:

01. High02. Ghost In My Head03. Seeing Red04. Runaway

Swiss all-girl heavy metal outfit BURNING WITCHES has completed work on its debut album at the Little Creek Studios in Switzerland with producers V.O. Pulver and Schmier (DESTRUCTION). The band says: "It turned out great and we are really excited to share the track 'Burning Witches' with you!"

Check out the song in the YouTube clip below.

Says Schmier: "Those ladies sound original, fresh and heavy! I love the classical heavy metal influence and the [Rob] Halford-inspired vocals!

He continues: "The BURNING WITCHES will sure get their fans. Their sound, in between classical [JUDAS] PRIEST and U.S. power metal like ICED EARTH, caught my attention right away."

BURNING WITCHES was founded during spring 2015 in Brugg, Switzerland, by guitar player Romana Kalkuhl. It has always been her big dream to perform with a women's heavy metal band on stage. During the music university studies, she already started her first group together with Kevin Schaffer, with whom she has recorded two albums and played several concerts.

In 2015, Romana started to look for talented ladies for the new combo. Jeanine Grob (bass), a longtime friend, became the first official member. At a party at a festival, Romana met Seraina Telli (singer) for the first time. It clicked right away betweens the two girls, on a musical and on a personal level. Seraina brought in many ideas and a lot of experience because of her studies at the Music Academy and her band SURRILIUM. The guitarist and the singer became a great songwriting team right away.

Romana wrote Schmier from DESTRUCTION about her new project, and the ladies brought him onboard as a producer/consultant.

After an intensive search and different auditions, BURNING WITCHES found Lala Frischknecht the perfect drummer for the all-girl metal band.

BURNING WITCHES' latest addition is guitarist Alea Wyss, who joined the band in December.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/burningwitches666.

"Paralyzed", the new video from German metallers CALIBAN, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "Gravity", which will be released on March 25 via Century Media.

Produced by Benny Richter and guitarist Marc Görtz, as well as co-produced by Marcel Neumann, "Gravity" was recorded at Görtz's Nemesis Studio by the guitarist himself who mixed the album together with Klaus Scheuermann.

CALIBAN singer Andreas Dörner told Spain's Made In Metal about the making of "Gravity": "The recording process was like always. Marc started collecting ideas around April [2015] and worked everything out with our producer Benny Richter. I was collecting ideas for the lyrics as well and in the end we put all together.. When we started recording, we changed some parts, wrote new lyric lines and so on... the usual work during the recording process in the studio. It was very important for us, that everything's perfect. Sometimes it was exhausting, but it also made a lot of fun!"

He added: "It would be boring to say, 'It's our best album, best production, best everything and so on,' but we put a lot of energy, sweat and lifeblood in it and we are very happy with the result, the sound and songs of 'Gravity'. The songs are very powerful, aggressive, dark and on top they come with some nice melodies... but it's up to you if you'll like it or not!"

"Gravity" track listing:

01. Paralyzed02. Mein Schwarzes Herz03. Who I Am04. Left For Dead05. Crystal Skies06. Walk Alone07. The Ocean's Heart08. brOKen09. For We Are Forever10. Inferno11. No Dream Without A Sacrifice12. Hurricane

The official lyric video for the song "For The Venom" from THE RESISTANCE, the Swedish extreme metal band featuring former and current members of IN FLAMES and THE HAUNTED, can be seen below. The track is taken from THE RESISTANCE's sophomore full-length album, "Coup De Grâce", which came out on January 22 via earMUSIC. According to a press release, "Coup De Grâce" "reconnects with the one and only, original extreme hardcore and slams it straight down your throat and into the present age. The ferocious and relentless pureness makes it a masterpiece, as the overwhelming aggression encloses and doesn't let you go."

Joining singer Marco Aro (also in THE HAUNTED) in THE RESISTANCE's current lineup are IN FLAMES founding member Jesper Strömblad on guitar, Daniel Antonsson (ex-SOILWORK, DARK TRANQUILLITY) on guitar, Chris Barkensjö (ex-KAAMOS, GRAVE) on drums, and Rob Hakemo (ex-M.A.N.) on bass.

Guitarist Glenn Ljungström (ex-IN FLAMES) wrote music for, and played on, "Coup De Grâce", but left the band after the EP was recorded due to "personal stuff."

"Coup De Grâce" track listing:

01. Death March 02. I Welcome Death 03. Smallest Creep 04. Violator 05. Felony 06. Death Blow 07. Resolution 08. World Order 09. Enslavement 10. Art Of Murder11. For The Venom 12. The Drowning 13. As It All Came Down

Asked how THE RESISTANCE compares to IN FLAMES, Jesper told Highware Daze: "Well, I would have to say, if I have to compare, THE RESISTANCE is a totally different band. The only common thing is that me and Glenn used to play in IN FLAMES. So, I guess, musically, it's much more simple. It's heavy and aggressive and it comes from another school, I would say. I wanted to do something that all of us wanted to do, like keep it simple [and have a] little bit more of death metal style. Also, we have some melodies, but they are very, very restricted, so to speak. So I would say for fans of IN FLAMES, do not expect to hear what they think they would. If you would call IN FLAMES the Ambassadors of Gothenburg sound, I would say that THE RESISTANCE — we're talking to a step back and have done something of a marriage between the Stockholm and Gothenburg sound."

THE RESISTANCE released its debut EP, "Rise From Treason", in North America on January 29, 2013 via earMUSIC. Another EP, "Torture Tactics", followed in February 2015.

THE RESISTANCE made its live debut on October 8, 2011 at Club Distortion in Stockholm, Sweden.

Strömblad quit IN FLAMES in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

MINISTRY mainman Al Jourgensen's new project, SURGICAL METH MACHINE, will release its self-titled debut album on April 15 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded primarily at Jourgensen's home studio in Burbank, California with his longtime engineer Sam D'Ambruoso.

The official lyric video for the song "Tragic Alert", taken from "Surgical Meth Machine", can be seen below.

"Surgical Meth Machine" track listing:

01. I'm Sensitive02. Tragic Alert03. I Want More04. Rich People Problems05. I Don't Wanna06. Smash And Grab07. Unlistenable08. Gates Of Steel09. Spudnik10. Just Go Home11. Just Keep Going12. I'm Invisible

"Surgical Meth Machine" LP track listing:

Side A

01. I'm Sensitive02. Tragic Alert03. I Want More04. Rich People Problems05. I Don't Wanna06. Smash And Grab

Side B

01. Unlistenable02. Gates Of Steel03. Spudnik04. Just Go Home05. Just Keep Going06. I'm Invisible

In an October 2015 interview with In The Loop magazine, Jourgensen stated about how the idea for SURGICAL METH MACHINE came about: "You know, [guitarist] Mikey [Scaccia] died a couple of years ago, from MINISTRY, and I just figured, like, nah, it's time to quit. I don't want to have John Bonham's kid playing drums for us and having replacement parts forever; that's just not my scene. So I just figured, 'All right, let's stop this. Let's do some other stuff.' And not only that. I found that it was really unburdensome to not have the MINISTRY moniker or expectations and just do something like whatever the fuck we want. I mean, the band's name is SURGICAL METH MACHINE. It's not like we're gonna be on Top 40 radio and on 'The Voice' and 'American Idol'. [Laughs]"

He continued: "I understand it's not a real commercial project for us, it's not gonna put bank in my wallet, but it was a lot of fun to do, in that sense — of just not having the constraints of the expectations of what you've done for twenty years. So this is… It's kind of new stuff. It's pretty cool. It sounds like kind of MINISTRY, but it's a different level. It's like I literally just put my foot on the gas pedal for this record."

According to Jourgensen, the sound of SURGICAL METH MACHINE's debut release leans heavily on the aggressive side, but fans can also expect to hear a few surprises. "There's a couple of real poppy things on there, which brings me full circle, because, literally, I don't give a fuck anymore," he said. "So I'm actually almost acknowledging that first horrible pop record I did in 1983. I'm crooning on some songs, I've got some pop songs on there, and then there's just brutal assault for the rest of it. It's a very dichotomous record, but it's me, and I'm acknowledging everything that's been me through, like, the last 35 years. Let's just throw my balls on the table and hope somebody doesn't have a meat cleaver running."

As far as the future of MINISTRY, Jourgensen has said in recent interviews that there will be no more MINISTRY albums, making 2013's "From Beer To Eternity" the band's swan song following Scaccia's death.

"Mikey died during the recording," Al told the Illinois Entertainer. "He just got finished with his last parts, went back to Dallas to play a show with RIGOR MORTIS and I got the call two days later that he was dead. I had to mix the record with his death still fresh in my mind, so the final playback on that one was extra special, and that album to me is very special."

"Ghost Of You", a brand new song from melodic progressive metal masters LORDS OF BLACK, can be streamed below. The song is taken from the band's second album, "II", which will be released on March 18 via Frontiers Music Srl.

LORDS OF BLACK is the band formed by world-class singer Ronnie Romero, renowned guitarist Tony Hernando and monster drummer Andy C. Their vision was to form a metal band with a modern approach blended with catchy, melodic and progressive elements.

After months of intense and hard work on the songs, LORDS OF BLACK independently released its acclaimed self-titled debut which was co-produced by Roland Grapow (MASTERPLAN, ex-HELLOWEEN). Metal Hammer Spain deemed it "the best metal album released in Spain this year."

LORDS OF BLACK supported the release with a series of very successful live shows, some of them as "very special guest" for high-profile international acts. Then the news of Ronnie Romero joining the new incarnation of RAINBOW broke out. This brought the band to the attention of the international media, with RAINBOW legend Ritchie Blackmore describing Romero's voice as "a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury."

However, now LORDS OF BLACK are ready to conquer the world with "II", an album which will blow the minds of fans of modern melodic metal. Once again co-produced, mixed and mastered by Roland Grapow, the disc is not only the follow-up to LORDS OF BLACK's outstanding and acclaimed debut album, but is an album with superbly crafted songs that will instantly become absolute metal classics.

"The new album, being the follow-up to a first record that was so greatly received, had to get to a higher place," says Tony Hernando. "After an intense year of writing and producing, along with the live performances, we came up with songs that are still deep and complicated in some arrangements, but have been written with the live performance in mind… The quest was to come up with something that artistically was meaningful for us as musicians and at the same time could catch the attention of the listeners. We really hope you enjoy this new album and come with us for a great ride!"

Tracks like "Merciless", "Everything You're Not", "Insane", "New World's Coming" and "Shadows Of War" showcase the heavy and complex yet very melodic style of the band. The song "The Art of Illusions Part III: The Wasteland" is the conclusion to the trilogy that commenced on the debut album, while the song "Cry No More" is inspired and dedicated to the late, great, Phil Lynott.

"II" track listing:

01. Malevolently Beautiful (Intro)02. Merciless03. Only One Life Away04. Everything You're Not05. New World's Comin'06. Cry No More07. Tears I Will Be08. Insane09. Live By The Lie10. Die By The Truth11. Ghost Of You12. The Art Of Illusions Part III: The Wasteland13. Shadows Of War14. Lady Of The Lake (RAINBOW cover, bonus track CD edition)15. Innuendo (QUEEN cover, bonus track digital edition)

Regarding how he landed the RAINBOW gig, the Chilean-born Romero told Rafabasa.com: "I don't know from how long they had me on their list, but they contacted me some months ago, at the beginning of summer, to tell me about a chance to an audition . I deeply remember that 'day one' and that first 'hi,' been doing your daily activities and receive an email from Ritchie Blackmore himself is quite hard to assimilate, after a few days days, even weeks."

Romero also talked about Ritchie's recent description of his vocal style as "a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury." He said: "I just think about how lucky I feel, not just to get the gig, but how the hell they found me. Having so many good singers worldwide. From the first contact, I just tried to give my best to get it. I always believed in myself, and with the support of my family and close friends, even more. About his words, I just can be thankful, he put the bar quite high with his description. [Laughs] But I'm also glad with his confidence on me to this huge task."

Swedish heavy metal heroes SABATON recorded their concerts at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and at their hometown festival Sabaton Open Air in Falun for an upcoming live DVD/CD package called "Heroes On Tour". Due on March 4 via Nuclear Blast, the set will contain two DVDs and a CD. The second DVD will feature two switchable viewing angles: live and studio.

SABATON bassist Pär Sundström commented: "We have always aimed to be a band people love to see live, for the simple reason we love to play live. With this DVD/Blu-ray release, we hope to share some of that feeling with you. We recorded two shows in case one is not enough for you!"

"Heroes On Tour" track listing:

DVD/Blu-ray 1

01. Final Countdown02. The March To War03. Ghost Division04. To Hell And Back05. Carolus Rex06. No Bullets Fly07. Resist And Bite08. Far From The Fame09. Panzerkampf10. Gott Mit Uns11. The Art Of War12. Soldier Of 3 Armies13. Swedish Pagans14. Screaming Eagles15. Night Witches16. Primo Victoria17. Metal Crüe

Bonus material:

- Noch ein Bier- SABATON With Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague

01. The Art Of War02. The Final Solution

DVD/Blu-ray 2

01. Final Countdown02. The March To War03. Ghost Division 04. To Hell And Back05. Carolus Rex06. Panzer Battalion07. Wolfpack08. Attero Dominatus09. 773410. Union11. The Art Of War12. Saboteurs13. Coat Of Arms14. En Livstid I Krig15. Resist And Bite16. Swedish Pagans17. Night Witches18. Primo Victoria19. Metal Crüe

CD

01. The March To War02. Ghost Division03. To Hell And Back04. Carolus Rex05. No Bullets Fly06. Resist And Bite07. Far From The Fame08. Panzerkampf09. Gott Mit Uns10. The Art Of War11. Soldier Of 3 Armies12. Swedish Pagans13. Screaming Eagles14. Night Witches15. Primo Victoria16. Metal Crüe

A performance clip of the song "Swedish Pagans", filmed at Wacken Open Air, can be seen below.

SABATON released a special, three-disc limited-edition deluxe version of its 2014 album, "Heroes", in the U.S. and Canada on April 7 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. Released on May 16, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records, the "Heroes" cover artwork was created by Péter Sallai. A number of bonus tracks were made available, including cover versions of songs originally written and recorded by METALLICA, BATTLE BEAST and RAUBTIER.

"Heroes" was tracked at The Abyss, the recording studio in Pärlby outside Ludvika, Sweden owned and operated by record producer and musician Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN).

Fan-filmed video footage of legendary guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen performing on February 19 at the Guitar Gods Festival in Miami Beach, Florida can be seen below.

The brainchild of Yngwie's wife and manager April Malmsteen, Guitar Gods Festival was a wall-to-wall showcase of virtuosity featuring performances by Steve Vai, IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain, Gus G., Rudy Sarzo and, of course, Malmsteen.

The centerpiece of the Guitar Gods Festival was the online competition where budding artists duked it out to determine the next "Guitar God," with the winners voted on by fans and an all-star panel of judges. Several finalists performed at the event: Brad Jurjens, Elmo Karjalainen, Tyler Morris, Jorge Almarales, Joey Lodes, Pareidolia, Robert Rodrigo, Janne Nieminen and Emil Pohjalainen, and judge favorites Mrs. Smith and Dario Pardini.

There was a $25 submission fee for entrants, with a portion of that fee going to benefit the April Malmsteen Foundation, a foundation that works to protect endangered species and their habitats around the globe.

Regarding how the idea for the festival came about, April Malmsteen told Seymour Duncan: "Years ago when I came up with the concept of this festival, I really wasn't looking at what was trendy. The idea just popped into my head simply because I saw a struggle among young musicians where in this day and age, it was hard to get into the music business and get exposure. I wanted to give an opportunity to up-and-coming musicians to ride on the wings of already-established artists. This particular event in Miami is as of now a one-off thing, but if it works, we'll definitely do more. I don’t see anyone else giving the same sort of avenue to new artists."

Vai, Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi will join forces for the "Generation Axe" tour beginning on April 5 in Seattle. The package is hitting the road for 26 performances in North America.

"The 'Generation Axe' show is a unique performance of five fiercely talented guitar players coming together to create a six-string extravaganza that is sure to amaze and delight," commented Steve Vai.

On February 25th, Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet's metal opera band Avantasia performed in the preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest for their native Germany. The goal was to be chosen to represent their country later this year in Stockholm, Sweden for the main Eurovision event. Avantasia placed 3rd out of the 10 acts on the bill.

Sammet posted the following update after the winner, Jamie-Lee Kriewitz, had been declared.

"Hey folks, thanx for your votes. It was great fun! Germany is not a rock ’n roll country, but that girl has got great talent. I wish her all the best for her future. I’ve met a lot of great vocalists here. Thank you for your support, and now we’ll get ready for the world tour! Can’t wait to present you our new stage production. Cheerz!"

Check out Avantasia's performance below. 

The new Avantasia opus, Ghostlights, features guest appearances of Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Geoff Tate (Queensryche, Operation: Mindcrime), Marco Hietala (Nightwish), Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation), Michael Kiske (Unisonic, Helloween), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), Bob Catley (Magnum), Jorn Lande, Bruce Kulick (KISS), Robert Mason (Warrant), Herbie Langhans, Oliver Hartmann and Sascha Paeth.

The record contains twelve songs and was produced by Tobias and Sascha Paeth in Gatestudio Wolfsburg, Germany. Paeth is responsible for engineering and mixing Ghostlights, too. Mastering was done by Michael Rodenberg.

The instrumentalists on Ghostlights are the following:

Sascha Paeth - rhythm guitars, lead guitars, bass, additional keys
Michael Rodenberg - orchestration, keys
Tobias Sammet - additional keys and bass
Bruce Kulick - lead guitars
Oliver Hartmann - lead guitars
Felix Bohnke – drums

Tracklistings:

CD
“Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose”
“Let The Storm Descend Upon You”
“The Haunting”
“Seduction Of Decay”
“Ghostlights”
“Draconian Love”
“Master Of The Pendulum”
“Isle Of Evermore”
“Babylon Vampyres”
“Lucifer”
“Unchain The Light”
“A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies”

2CD Digibook:
“Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose”
“Let The Storm Descend Upon You”
“The Haunting”
“Seduction Of Decay”
“Ghostlights”
“Draconian Love”
“Master Of The Pendulum”
“Isle Of Evermore”
“Babylon Vampyres”
“Lucifer”
“Unchain The Light”
“A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies”
“Wake Up To The Moon” (bonus track)

CD2 (Avantasia live)
“Spectres”
“Invoke The Machine”
“The Story Ain’t Over”
“Prelude”
“Reach Out For The Light”
“Avantasia”
“What’s Left Of Me”
“Dying For An Angel”
“Twisted Mind”
“The Watchmaker’s Dream”
“Another Angel Down”

3CD Deluxe Edition Book (includes 68 page photo book plus karaoke version of CD1 with bonus track).

Check out the new BraveWords Avantasia feature here.



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Canadian bashers Untimely Demise aregearing up for the release of their third album, Black Widow, and have issued an official lyric video for the first track off the record, "Forgotten In Time". It can be viewed below. The clip also offers a first look at the Black Widow cover art created by Ed Repka, known for his work on Megadeth classics Peace Sells... But Who's Buying and Rust In Peace.

In addition, Bryan Newbury of Into Eternity / Death Toll Rising is officially joining Untimely Demise as their full time drummer. Act Of Defiance drummer Shawn Drover performed drums on one song, "Anticolonizer".

The album tracklist is as follows:

"Forgotten In Time"
"Enslaver"
"Black Widow"
"Cancer Of The Heart"
"Anticolonizer"
"Calling Me Back From The Light"
"Sickening Repression"
"Holy Man"
"Anticolonizer" (drums - Shawn Drover)

Black Widow was produced by Justin Bender (Into Eternity) and Untimely Demise



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Minneapolis progressive metal band Gracepoint will release their sophomore album Echoes on April 8th. Three new songs from the album: "Animal", "Spider", and "Full Circle" are available for streaming via the audio player below.

Drawing on a wide array of influences from classic heavy rock and metal, thrash and death metal, and a variety of progressive bands from the '70s through today, Gracepoint has forged a heavy and rhythmically complex sound that remains focused and accessible. While debut album Science Of Discontent had a raw, underground sound, Echoes is the result of a collaboration with legendary producer and engineer Neil Kernon (Queensryche, Nevermore, Cannibal Corpse).

Echoes by Gracepoint

Bass player Sam Van Moer and drummer Lance Reed form a musical foundation rich in both syncopation and groove. Guitarists Lon Kunze and Stefan Radzilowski deal in aggressive and complex riffs while placing a clear emphasis on strong rhythmic and melodic phrasing. Together, the band tempers a myriad of time signature changes with groove, melodic sense, and concise song structures thereby forming the backdrop for the clear and powerful vocals of singer Matt Tennessen who brings another level of emotional depth and color to the music.

Pre-order the Echoes CD at this location.

 



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Rick Wakeman is re-recording his classic album, The Myths & Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table, as back in 1975 what you could squeeze musically onto a single vinyl disc was understandably inhibiting and so with this re-recording, (with full symphony orchestra, choir, band and vocalists), there will be all the original music and an additional 5 new compositions, all in the style of the original recording.

To get this started, Rick is partnering with direct-to-fan company PledgeMusic and making available the opportunity to pre-order the new album. Through PledgeMusic, fans can also access special and exclusive offers including signed vinyl, CDs, posters and memorabilia (including limited edition reprints of the original King Arthur Wembley programme, repros of the famous Arthur tee-shirt), an opportunity to visit Rick in the studio during the orchestral recording sessions, attend a very special launch party on the album's release and also get recording updates, bonus content, video clips and much more. All the details are on Rick's PledgeMusic campaign page at this location.

Speaking of the new project Rick says, "It has always been in my mind to re-record and once again perform an extended version of King Arthur, as it has only ever been performed three times in the UK.  I am delighted to now have the opportunity to do this and especially so with the help of the fans and my campaign on PledgeMusic...and if all goes well, maybe one day put it back on ice! In the meantime, I'm Iooking forward to the première performance at the O2 in London on June 19th as part of the Stone Free Festival."

PledgeMusic is the world's leading online, direct-to-fan music platform, offering artists a unique way to engage their fans in the music making experience, whilst interacting with PledgeMusic's global community of music fans. Since 2009, PledgeMusic has worked with artists and labels to deliver high impact campaigns that provide exclusive engagement and content, experiences and behind the scenes access for music fans alongside new commercial benefits and revenue streams for artists and music labels.



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Ontario, Canada-based prog/stoner/doom band, Sierra, is preparing to unveil 72, a sprawling, progressive, psychedelic EP with a very personal story line based on a hometown murder and long tale of injustice and revenge. A full stream can be found below.

As the record nears release, the band has sanctioned the creation of a video for one segment of the solitary twenty-three-minute track.

Produced by Phillip Cope (Kylesa), 72 tells the true story of a murder that took place in Sierra's hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo, back in 1972. A man, now in his sixties, told the band how his girlfriend was taken and murdered by a group of men on her sixteenth birthday, and as he was the last person seen with her alive, he was accused and harassed by the town and police for a solid year. It wasn't until one of the men killed himself and in a suicide note admitted what he had done that this man was cleared of all charges. 72 pays tribute not only to the bands love of all things progressive but also to a great friend of the band, and what he lost.

The band chose director Torin Langen's gritty style for the video of "Prologue 72”, and while the segment is based on the tragic tale the EP tells, out of respect to the victim the video is in no way a re-enactment of the events, but simply the directors inspired vision to help convey the song's depth.

The 72 EP will see self-release by the band on March 4th, on both CD and digital formats. Pre-orders are now available here.

72 tracklisting:

"Prologue 72”
"Dead or Dreaming”
"Seventies Pigs”
"Agatha”
"Black Fin”
"To Hear You”
"She Waits”

"Prologue 72” video:

EP stream:

Sierra has confirmed a couple of shows, including providing support for Indian Handcrafts at their record release show in Toronto on February 26th, and a show just days after the release of 72 in Waterloo with Hawkeyes and Public Animal. Additional shows will be announced soon.

Sierra Live:

February
26 - Velvet Underground - Toronto, ON (with Indian Handcrafts)

March
18 - Chainsaw - Waterloo, ON (with Hawkeyes, Public Animal)

(Photo - Chris Fertnig)



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Oakland-based old-school death metal squad, Necrot, featuring within its ranks current and former members of Acephalix, Vastum, Saviours and Watch Them Die, has joined the Tankcrimes Records roster for the release of their new album, The Labyrinth.
 
Featuring eight tracks cultivated from three hard-to-find and long out-of-print demo tapes, The Labyrinth was recorded at Lennon Studios by the late great Jef "Leppard" Davis (Abscess, Acephalix, Vastum) and at Earhammer Studios with Greg Wilkinson (Brainoil, Annihilation Time, Noothgrush), mastered at Mammoth Sound by Dan Randall (Ghoul, Toxic Holocaust) and will see release on April 15th on CD, digitally and deluxe, foil-stamped LP.

The new track “Rebirth In Chaos” is streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“Consume Control”
“Contagious Pain”
“Into The Labyrinth”
“The End”
“Cycles Of Pain”
“Scattered”
“Rebirth In Chaos”
“The Abyss”

“Rebirth In Chaos”:

Formed by the duo of bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio (Acephalix, Vastum) and drummer Chad Galey (ex-Vastum), and subsequently rounded out by guitarist Sonny Reinhardt (Saviours, ex-Watch Them Die), Necrot are one of the most punishing, savage and treacherous death metal acts to ever tread Californian soil. Initially forged in 2011 as a side-project of Acephalix, Necrot have since then built a devout following in their native Bay Area and beyond, and have become known as a merciless and bloodthirsty death metal killing machine thanks to their bulldozing live sets and their savage and butchering recordings.

Since inception, the band has only made their music available as very short and hard to find demo tapes that are now completely sold out, impossible to find and have become something of a cult object or collector's item, elevating the band's reputation to that of absolute cult and DIY monument in the Bay Area underground metal scene. Taking cues from legends like Asphyx, Bolt Thrower, Grave, Discharge, early Sepultura, early Morbid Angel, and Entombed, Necrot have thus far existed as a power trio with the build and attitude of a bloodthirsty tank. Necrot's music is a literal onslaught of buzz-sawing death metal riffs and spine-rupturing rhythms - an authentic sonic bludgeoning that can batter the listener's flesh into complete submission within seconds, and which owes much of its crude heaviness and primitive ferocity to old-school death metal just as it does to (crust) punk.



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