FEAR FACTORY singer Burton C. Bell has commented on the events of November 13 in Paris, France, when more than 129 people were killed in seven coordinated terrorist attacks.

The greatest number of deaths took place at the Bataclan, a French music venue where EAGLES OF DEATH METAL were performing when terrorists began a siege that ended with 89 people in the club either shot to death or killed in explosions.

A number of artists halted their European treks in the wake of the Paris attacks, including LAMB OF GOD, FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES and others.

During an interview with Ireland's Overdrive, Bell was asked if the Paris massacre made him and his bandmates consider canceling the remaining dates on their European headlining tour. He responded: "Personally, no. The events in Paris were horrific, and at that point, we were concerned that our shows woud be canceled or postponed, because of those events. We did not want that to happen, because, for selfish reasons, that would [be] very expensive for us, and, more importantly, that would just mean that the people who carried out those cowardly attacks would win. If you let them create the fear that they want us to fear, then they win.

"Yeah, gun violence happens every single day in America; it's almost becoming a commonplace event, which is very sad and is something that we just need to expect in our daily lives. No one expects to get hit by lightning, but they do."

He continued: "You can't let fear of these things prevent you from going outside and living your life. If you fall off your bicycle, will you never get back on it again? You have to keep going with things, because that's what life is. You can't let fear rule you, because you will have no life if you do.

"The Paris attacks were just so awful, and it breaks my heart to even think about it.

"Although we didn't cancel and had no intention of doing so, I can totally understand why other bands did cancel their tours, but that is not FEAR FACTORY."

The attacks in Paris led to a military response by France against the radical Islamic organization ISIS, as French jets bombed a series of targets in Syria.

The murders have stepped up worldwide concern over ISIS, as well as a debate in the U.S. over whether to accept Syrian refugees.

FEAR FACTORY's European trek saw the band playing the "Demanufacture" album in its entirety. They also showcased songs from their new CD, "Genexus", which came out on August 7 via Nuclear Blast.

Music Radar recently caught up with Trivium's Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu for a look back on the ten years since their landmark album, Ascendancy. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Q: What do you remember about writing and recording Ascendancy?

Corey: “I joined the band right after I graduated from music university. I had no job and nowhere to live, so I was living out of my car for a while, and then started crashing round Matt’s house. He was still in high school, so once he’d finish his studies we’d all meet at the warehouse and jam for hours. We had nothing else to do but play and write."

“That’s how pretty much all the songs on Ascendancy came about – just some dudes with nothing to do, no fans, no job, no nothing. By the end of that album and beginning of The Crusade, we already had done our first TG cover. I think it was when Matt had more of a bowl cut with short black hair…”

Matt: “Come on! It was a questionable swoop, not a bowl cut. I was about 17 years old and still living at my parent’s house. We just played what we wanted to hear as fans of metal. And all these different sounds began to creep in: death metal, melodeath, trad metal, hardcore… It became a melting pot of influences that probably shouldn’t go together.”

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Trivium has announced details of a winter headline trek, which will see the band performing their first shows of 2016 in support of their new LP, Silence In The Snow. The new dates are set to get underway January 8th at Charleston, South Carolina’s Music Farm with additional dates to be announced shortly.  Tickets for all dates will go on sale Friday, December 4th. For complete tour information, visit this location.

Long known as one of modern metal’s most potent live acts, Trivium are also set to take the stage at a myriad of international hard rock and metal festivals this summer.  Dates include appearances at Columbus, Ohio’s Rock On The Range, Mendig, Germany’s Rock AM Ring, Nuremberg, Germany’s Rock im Park, Paris France’s Download Festival and many more.

Tour dates:

January
8 - The Music Farm - Charleston, SC
9 - Capone's - Johnson City, TN
11 - Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA
14 - Asylum - Portland, ME
16 - The Lost Horizon - Syracuse, NY
18 - Dallas Nightclub - Kitchener, ON
20 - The Machine Shop - Flint, MI
21 - Route 20 Outhouse - Racine, WI
22 - Boondocks Pub - Springfield, IL
23 - The Vanguard - Tulsa, OK

May
20 - Rock On The Range - Columbus, OH

June
3 - Rock AM Ring - Mendig, Germany
3 - Rock im Park - Nuremberg, Germany
9 - Nova Rock - Nickelsdorf, Austria
9 - Greenfield Festival - Interlaken, Switzerland
10 - Download Festival - Paris, France
17 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium
23 - Nummirock Metal Festival - Nummijärvi, Finland

Trivium are:

Matt Heafy: vocals, guitars
Corey Beaulieu: guitars
Paolo Gregoletto: bass
Mat Madiro: drums

Photo by Will Ireland/Future



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Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has announced the grand opening of Bumblefoot Rock Project — an all-ages, all-levels music school in the United Kingdom focusing on musicianship, songwriting, recording, music videos and live performance.

Says Thal: "Our mission is to provide a safe, fun environment for youngsters to develop musical abilities. We encourage children to write, record and perform live their own music."

Visit BumblefootRockProject.com for more information.

Thal revealed earlier in the year that he was focusing on his solo career after spending eight years playing in the current version of GUNS. Thal, however, stopped short of saying that he was no longer a member of GUNS, which has caused some fans to criticize him for not coming clean about where he stands with the group.

Asked to clarify his status with the band, Thal said: "That is the thing I am not to elaborate on. I think there's enough clues out there for you to figure out what I'm up to now."

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in early 2006 as the replacement for Buckethead.

Thal expressed frustration in 2013 with the lack of new music from GUNS, saying, "If something came out at this point, it would be very old material that is just being released now… We need to make an album of this band right now." The last new GUNS N' ROSES album, "Chinese Democracy", came out in 2008.

Photo credit: Catherine Asanov

Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD, who recently toured Europe as part of the "Deathcrusher 2015" run alongside CARCASS, OBITUARY and NAPALM DEATH, will issue the "Post Society" EP. This special release will be available on digipak CD and as a digital download on February 26 via Century Media Records.

The "Post Society" EP, 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.

"Post Society" EP track listing:

01. Post Society02. Forever Mountain03. Fall04. We Are Connected05. Silver Machine

Langevin commented: "More songs from out in the woods!

"In between tours, we are steadily finding our way through recording the next album at RadicArt studio.

"Many riffs were composed on the bus, but until the North American tour with VEKTOR in 2016, we will spend most of wintertime in Montreal writing another batch of material. Meanwhile, we hope you will enjoy this EP of good old thrash-prog-punk-metal or whatever people want to call VOIVOD nowadays."

Regarding the musical direction of the new VOIVOD material, singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger told Metal Wani: "It's a bit different, I would say. But VOIVOD has always been doing different things each time. But it has its own signature with the new bass player, Rocky [Dominique Laroche]. He brought new elements to it, I think. It's different than [2013's] 'Target Earth' [album], but it's still VOIVOD."

Snake also talked about the passing of VOIVOD's original guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour and the eventual addition of Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain prior to the making of "Target Earth". He said: "Of course, the loss of Piggy was a terrible thing. We couldn't do, really, anything for two or three years; we didn't know what would be the future of the band. And we finally found a guy [Chewy] that could play VOIVOD [music]. And it's sort of a mixture of circumstances that happened. It's, like, 'Okay, maybe there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe if we pick up this guy who learned, actually…' The first thing [Chewy] learned [to play] was VOIVOD. The first show he saw was VOIVOD. And the [day after] he saw VOIVOD, he bought a guitar and started playing Piggy's riffs. So, for us, Chewy was the best option."

Snake praised Mongrain's contribution to "Target Earth", saying that he was "quite surprised" with the material that the guitarist penned for the album. He explained: "It's one thing to play VOIVOD's songs, already written songs, but to create new songs…"

He continued: "I think what [Chewy] wanted to do [on 'Target Earth'] was just compose music that VOIVOD fans want to hear. And so he did. And Piggy's spirit is really there. You can tell that it's surrounding the whole picture. The essence is there. But [Chewy] has his own thing as well. He's a different human being."

VOIVOD has announced the first leg of its next U.S. tour, starting in February 2016, with support from VEKTOR and EIGHT BELLS.

"Target Earth" was released in January 2013 via VOIVOD's own company, Iron Gang Factory, and Century Media.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Scott Weiland's third wife and now widow, Jamie Weiland, admitted in an interview with Rolling Stone that her husband was drinking heavily before he left on the tour that eventually claimed his life. She added: "He did tell me, 'I'm going to get it together.'" Jamie also said that she joined Scott on the road for a week in November, adding that he was "just killing it" onstage, "every night taking it up a notch."

Scott Weiland was found dead on his tour bus on December 3 at the age of 48 from a toxic combination of drugs and alcohol, including cocaine and ecstasy. He was touring with his band THE WILDABOUTS in support of their recent album "Blaster". He left behind two teenage children with his previous wife, Mary Forsberg Weiland.

Jamie said that the death last March of Scott's close friend, WILDABOUTS guitarist Jeremy Brown, from a drug overdose was a devastating blow to her husband. She explained, "Even up to a couple of weeks ago, when I saw him, he'd talk about Jeremy every day. He always had tears in his eyes."

Weiland's former bandmate, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist Robert DeLeo, told Rolling Stone that when the singer was at his best, "Scott was leading us. He had the power and charisma. It was as if we were getting baptized every night."

STP guitarist Dean DeLeo said: "Everything came easy to him — riding a horse, waterskiing, basketball." But Dean added that Scott couldn't stop "racing, worrying. He had a hard time accepting help, allowing himself to receive it."

Scott's manager at the time of his death, Tom Vitorino, said that Scott — who went from playing arenas with STP to struggling to fill clubs with THE WILDABOUTS — was "well aware of where he was in his career, of how he got there." Vitorino recalled Scott asking him why he would want to get involved with the troubled singer, to which Vitorino said he replied, 'Because you don't have a talent problem.'"

Robert DeLeo said he went into his garage and looked through his STP memorabilia after Scott's death, explaining, "I was looking back at all the stuff I saved. That's how I want to look back at Scott: for what he added to my life."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SOUNDGARDEN frontman Chris Cornell said in an interview with radio station DC101 that rock band "reunions" featuring just one original member can be "alienating" to fans, explaining: "Without comparing to specific other bands, a lot of things can happen when a band takes a decade or more off, and then reform…[They] kind of abandon their own identity to the degree that it's really alienating, and I'm speaking as a fan now of bands where they've done that. I think the thing that happens the most is one guy with a bunch of new guys, and still calling it the same band, and pretending it's the same band."

He added: "It's different people, and that's something we never would have done."

SOUNDGARDEN's current lineup features three original members of the band and bassist Ben Shepherd, who joined in 1990 and has played on every album since.

SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio that the band's 2010 reunion after 13 years apart never felt contrived. "You know, it never really felt forced or anything to try to make a big comeback and, you know, make a reunion happen, 'cause it can certainly backfire," he said. "I think we wanted to just approach it very methodically, and I think we've been doing so."

The members of SOUNDGARDEN have taken issue with the "one original member" type of reunion before, with guitarist Kim Thayil saying in a 2013 interview, "You've got one jackass who runs the whole thing, and a bunch of guys they hire around him."

It was speculated at the time that Thayil was slamming SMASHING PUMPKINS founder Billy Corgan, who called SOUNDGARDEN's reunion a cash grab while touring with an all-new version of the PUMPKINS.

SOUNDGARDEN will begin working on the follow-up to its 2012 reunion album, "King Animal", in early 2016, with a release likely later in the year.

Video footage of TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider and '80s pop star Taylor Dayne performing the popular Christmas carol "Silent Night" on "Breakfast Television", also known as "BT", a Canadian morning news and entertainment program produced by CITY, can be seen below.

Snider's holiday rock musical "Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale" had a two-month run last year at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago and just ended a run at Toronto's Winter Garden Theater. "Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale" tells the story of DÄISY CÜTTER, a heavy metal bar band looking to make it big even though the '80s are long over. This year, these four guys are ready to take the ultimate step and, in mythic rock tradition, sell their souls to the devil in exchange for success beyond their wildest metal dreams! But every time they try to seal the infernal pact, their headbanging anthems turn into warm-hearted carols. Soon these rockers are forced to realize their dreams of stardom are no match for the Christmas spirit.

Snider, who appears in the show as both the narrator and exorcist, says: "It's about a band that has a dream and is giving it everything they've got for that dream, and also recognizing that sometimes we overlook all the great things we have in our life."

A nearly two-hour special on the 11th annual Classic Rock magazine awards — the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour — whick took place on November 11 at The Roundhouse in Camden, London, can be seen below.

The ceremony was held hosted by FOZZY frontman — and WWE wrestling superstar — Chris Jericho.

AC/DC scooped the prize for "Band Of The Year" while IRON MAIDEN's "The Book Of Souls" was named "Album Of The Year".

QUEEN was named this year's "Living Legends" while Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare" landed the "Classic Album" award.

LED ZEPPELIN's massive remastering project led by Jimmy Page was voted top in the "Reissues Of The Year" category and Noddy Holder was named "Showman Of The Year".

Joe Satriani took the "Maestro Of The Year" prize and the "Tommy Vance Inspiration" award went to Jimi Hendrix. It was presented to Hendrix's sister Janie by MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy.

Referencing Jimi's track "I Don't Live Today", Janie Hendrix said: "Legends will never die. Jimi once asked, 'Will I Live Tomorrow?' Tonight Classic Rock and everyone here has answered that question with a resounding, 'Yes.'"

Classic Rock Roll Of Honour 2015 winners:

* Best New Band: WE ARE HARLOT* Film (Or DVD) Of The Year: FOO FIGHTERS – "Sonic Highways"* Reissues Of The Year: LED ZEPPELIN* Album Of The Year: IRON MAIDEN - "The Book Of Souls"* Band Of The Year: AC/DC* The Comeback: EUROPE* Classic Album: ALICE COOPER – "Welcome To My Nightmare"* The Showman: Noddy Holder* The Maestro: Joe Satriani* Tommy Vance Inspiration Award: Jimi Hendrix* The VIP: Rod MacSween* Outstanding Contribution: Nils Lofgren* Living Legends: QUEEN

As the winter solstice arrives, TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson and Canadian Celtic songstress Leah are revealing a brand new symphonic metal track, "Winter Sun". Featuring soaring soundscapes, blazing guitar solos and ethereal, operatic vocals, the track sounds like it could have taken weeks to complete. In reality, "Winter Sun" was written and recorded in three days by incorporating app technology. "Winter Sun" was recorded by five musicians between three different countries, so in order to quickly communicate internationally for free and have the track released by the holidays, the group incorporated the cross-platform communications app WhatsApp to pen the track. Listen to the track via the official lyric video below. As veteran yet tech-savvy musicians, Peterson and Leah feel that this new technology is completely revolutionizing the way they can pen tracks efficiently during their hectic schedules. "Leah and I orchestrated the vocals, drums, guitars and bass by leaving each other voice messages that you can record and can leave/make decent recordings of clips of music through WhatsApp," states Peterson. "Also, the sound quality is sharp enough that you can actually hear the dynamics well. It's truly amazing! It's a free app, so between Canada and Germany and Slovenia, that's some savings, for sure! Pretty awesome!" Leah adds: "I'm so excited about how technology has changed the music industry. Suddenly people are able to collaborate from all around the world and produce incredibly high-quality material. The possibilities are endless. Even something as simple as an app on a smart phone has completely revolutionized the way we write music. As a busy artist and mother of five kids, it was vital for me to be able to quickly record my vocal and lyric ideas and literally sing them into WhatsApp and fire it off to Eric in seconds. It made this song entirely possible." "Winter Sun" is performed by Eric Peterson (guitars and percussion) and Leah (vocalist, piano, harp and keys), featuring guest musicians Alex Bent (drums), Tilen Hudrap (bass), and Lyle Livingston (additional keys). Bent and Hudrap performed with TESTAMENT this year at Heavy Montreal, and all three gentlemen perform on the upcoming DRAGONLORD album, "Dominion" (Livingston is a full-time member of the band). "Winter Sun" is a delicate blend of Peterson's melodic side of his thrash metal background and Leah's Celtic metal fusion. This song is all about balance, with Peterson's signature guitar-playing style right up front and center, yet complimentary to Leah's feminine vocals. The song later takes a surprise change of pace in which the listener will experience less of a holiday-type vibe, and more of the original styles of each artist: haunting operatic choirs and full heavy metal; no compromises. In 2013, Eric Peterson and Leah first displayed their prowess as a songwriting duo with the track "Dreamland".

METALLICA has uploaded a new holiday video greeting from guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield. (Note: To watch the clip, you will need to register for METALLICA's new fan club, which is now free.) The 33-second video includes a short snippet of Hetfield in the studio at the band's headquarters in San Rafael, California playing back what appears to be a new METALLICA song.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett recently confirmed in interviews with About.com and Ultimate Classic Rock that the band is in the process of recording some of its new material for the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" album. Hammett revealed: "At this point, we're still just doing basic backing tracks. James is doing his guitar stuff, and I am just kind of waiting patiently to go in there and do all of my guitar stuff."

As for what the material sounds like, Hammett said: "It's heavy. We've got some heavy stuff going. It delivers on that front, for sure. You know, I would say a lot of it is along the lines of 'Death Magnetic'. A lot of it seems to be going along those lines. But, you know, with social media now and everything else, I'm a little bit wary to comment too much on the album. We're still working on it."

Aside from touring, METALLICA has spent much of the seven years since the release of "Death Magnetic" on several other projects, including launching a music festival, recording an album with the late Lou Reed and making a feature film.

Hammett told About.com that working at its own pace is necessary for METALLICA, explaining: "One always wants to work at the pace that they're most comfortable at, taking seven or eight years between albums is a lot of time, but we've filled it up with other things."

Still, bassist Robert Trujillo told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that the band still enjoys the songwriting process after all these years. "When we strap our guitars on and we get on the practice floor, we start writing, I mean, it's fun," he said. "And that's the thing that keeps, I think, this band so relevant, is that we actually really enjoy coming up with ideas. And the work ethic is super, super strong and that's what takes us longer than other bands, you know, because we're sitting there and, you know, sometimes we're really analyzing things."

Ulrich recently told RollingStone.com that METALLICA had written close to 20 new songs for its new album, although he declined to offer a possible release date for the new CD.

METALLICA played its last show of 2015 in September at the Rock In Rio festival in Brazil and will next perform at "The Night Before", a concert event set to take place the night before Super Bowl 50, on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

METALLICA released a limited 12-inch vinyl single of the new song "Lords Of Summer" in November 2014. The single featured the "first pass" studio version of the song as well as a live take recorded in Rome in July 2014. This collectable vinyl was only made available through independent record stores and Metallica.com.

Norwegian epic black metal pioneers BORKNAGAR will release their tenth studio album, "Winter Thrice", on January 22, 2016 via Century Media. The official video for the CD's title track can be seen below. The clip was directed by David Solbjørg and Kjetil Kolbjørnsrud for Twitchy Films.

BORKNAGAR founder and guitarist Øystein G. Brun comments on the video: "Finally it's time to present our brand new video for the song 'Winter Thrice'. Being the title track for the tenth album, we wanted this to be something special. We are indeed a special band. The song and the video features all the four vocalists throughout our 20 years of adventure, including Kristoffer Rygg, a.k.a. Garm, who was our very first vocalist back in the days. The video was produced by the eminent team from Twitchy Films and was captured at various locations in Norway; first and foremost at the amazing Midgard Historiske Senter at Borre, but also in the furious wilderness of the wintry Telemark. We all laid our hearts into this project; we hope that shines through!"

"Winter Thrice", which — just like 2012's "Urd" — was mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, KREATOR, AMON AMARTH) and packaged in artwork by Marcelo Vasco of P2RDesign (SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY), is unique to the BORKNAGAR catalogue also because it features four vocalist parts, including the return of original singer and ULVER mastermind Kristoffer Rygg, a.k.a. Garm, who guests on two songs.

The album encompasses everything that BORKNAGAR has put to tape over the past two decades, from their most brutal assaults to their most experimental compositions, with a larger progressive vibe than ever before, making it an absolute highlight in the band's already stellar career so far.

The track listing for the CD is as follows: 01. The Rhymes Of The Mountain02. Winter Thrice03. Cold Runs The River04. Panorama05. When Chaos Calls06. Erodent07. Noctilucent08. Terminus The album's limited-edition digipak CD version and the gatefold 2-LP also come with the bonus track "Dominant Winds" and additionally, the digipak will include a BORKNAGAR logo patch. As a first teaser for "Winter Thrice", BORKNAGAR has released a lyric video for the album's opening track, "The Rhymes Of The Mountain". Check it out below.

BORKNAGAR founder and guitarist Øystein G. Brun says: "This was in fact the very first song I wrote for the new album and in many ways a very personal song. The song is, quite frankly, a full throttle hymn to the mountains.

"Growing up between the mountains here at the west coast of Norway, the inborn attraction towards the mountains is very real — and has been real for generations. Maybe it is just some sort of evolutionary misfiring deriving from my ancestors where I feel the urge to get up high to watch for dangers or enemies approaching from the coast, or to find new places to settle down. Maybe, maybe not. But throughout history, mountains have had a special place in many cultures and that's certainly no coincidence. This is my way of portraying the grandeur feeling of being on a mountain top with thin air, deadly winds and bloody taste in my mouth. That feeling." He added the following about the album's artwork: "Once again we have been delighted to work with the genius Brazilian designer Marcelo Vasco to achieve a visual expression that projects the quintessence of our new album, 'Winter Thrice'.

"As usual, there is no obvious concept we uphold, but rather a piece of design with subtle ideas pointing in various directions. First and foremost, the cover holds the general feeling or the flavor that we wanted to express through the music and lyrics. The grandeur depth, the fierce reality and the cosmic mystery of life. As an example, the upper part of the cover has a cosmic feel to it and likewise the bottom part has a more earthly vibe. The wood-carved tree somehow represents the link between the two essential scopes in life — inwards and outwards, whilst the fire burns. And for those looking very closely on details you'll also find some references to our previous work. Apart from that, I prefer to leave it for everyone else to find their own meaning in the cover." BORKNAGAR has already been confirmed to appear at next year's edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, taking place on August 4-6, 2016. More tourdates to promote the release of "Winter Thrice" will be announced in the coming weeks.

BORKNAGAR lineup:

Øystein G. Brun - Clean and Electric GuitarsVintersorg - Grim Vocals, Clean Vocals and ChoirsJens F. Ryland - Lead GuitarsICS Vortex - Bass, Clean Vocals and ChoirsLars A. Nedland - Keys, Clean Vocals and ChoirsBaard Kolstad - Drums

Swedish classic/doom rock masters WITCHCRAFT will release their new album, "Nucleus", on January 15, 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The effort will be made available as a CD, lavish digipak (also as a t-shirt bundle), on vinyl (black, clear, splatter, gold) and as a digital download.

The song "Theory Of Consequence" can be streamed below.

The follow-up to 2012's "Legend", "Nucleus" was produced by vocalist Magnus Pelander, Philip Gabriel Saxin and Anton Sundell, and is described in a press release as a combination of the "rawer side of the older recordings as well as the slightly modern path of the younger past."

"Nucleus" track listing:

01. Malstroem02. Theory Of Consequence03. The Outcast04. Nucleus05. An Exorcism Of Doubts06. The Obsessed07. To Transcend Bitterness08. Helpless09. Breakdown10. Chasing Rainbows (limited digipak CD and 2LP vinyl bonus track)

The first single from the album, "The Outcast", was released on December 4 on seven-inch vinyl (black, clear) and as a digital download and is exclusively available via the Nuclear Blast mailorder. The single includes the NIRVANA cover "Even In His Youth".

WITCHCRAFT recently parted ways with drummer Oscar Johansson and bassist Ola Henriksson and replaced them with Rage Widerberg and Tobias Anger, respectively.

WITCHCRAFT, who formed in 2000 in tribute to band heroes Roky Erickson and Bobby Liebling (PENTAGRAM), create heavy, blues-based rock augmented with touches of psychedelica and late '60s pop flourishes. The quartet's first-class songs reference the darker side of hard rock while remaining surprisingly accessible. Flying largely under the radar of the popular music landscape previously, WITCHCRAFT is a hallowed name in underground circles and has found itself championed by a diverse cross-section of distinguished music adherents including American actor Elijah Wood, who publicly called the band "amazing," and DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo, who in 2009 proudly proclaimed WITCHCRAFT as his "new favorite band."

German rock legends, Scorpions, have posted more rare live footage via their official YouTube channel. In the clip below, the band perform their hit “Rock You Like A Hurricane” on German TV show Peter’s Popshow, making it Peter’s Rockshow.

The clip below was shot on September 13th, 1986 in Nürnberg, Germany.

"Yeah! We loved playing at Monsters Of Rock in Nürnberg along with Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and the Michael Schenker Group."

In addition, Rockpop was a popular music show on German ZDF Television in the 70s and early 80s. Check out the Scorpions slightly pyromaniac performance (towards the end) of “He’s A Woman, She’s A Man”.

Scorpions have released 50th Anniversary Deluxe Editions of their seminal albums Blackout, Love At First Sting, Animal Magnetism, Lovedrive, Savage Amusement, Taken By Force, Tokyo Tapes and World Wide Live.

“Arizona” was one of the single outtakes from the Blackout album. Check out this interesting promo video, especially the choreography of the girls:

An album player video for Tokyo Tapes can be found below:

Streaming below is another exclusive video from the Tokyo Tapes live album, the last Scorpions album with the legendary Ulrich Jon Roth on guitar.

This version of “Robot Man”, recorded on April 27th, 1978 at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo, was not on the original tracklisting for the Tokyo Tapes album but has been released for the first time on the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Tokyo Tapes.

Order the Scorpions 50th Anniversary Deluxe Editions at this location.



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Heavy Metal Greg has uploaded video footage of SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell's December 13 performance at the "KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas" concert at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Check it out below.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, singer Chris Cornell has told Australia's The Advertiser that SOUNDGARDEN will resume work on its seventh studio album as soon as he finishes touring behind his latest solo effort, "Higher Truth". The band already began working on new material earlier this year for the follow-up to 2012's "King Animal".

SOUNDGARDEN has taken a more relaxed approach toward recording and touring ever since it reunited in 2010, which Cornell told The Pulse Of Radio he appreciated. "That made me feel a lot like it did when we initially were writing and making records, you know, and playing shows, 'cause it never felt like a job," he said. "That was how SOUNDGARDEN started — we didn't consider what we did a job and we didn't think of it in terms of business. So it felt a lot like that again."

Cornell is scheduled to tour Europe in April and May of 2016, so it's not clear whether SOUNDGARDEN will start recording in the first quarter of the year or after he returns from that trek next spring.

Cornell told The Advertiser. "It's great to be able to do the SOUNDGARDEN stuff and my solo career simultaneously. That's what makes me lucky as a performer. As soon as this album cycle is over, I'm working on SOUNDGARDEN songs for an album. I get to do a lot of different things and it feels like I get to have my cake and eat it too."

"Higher Truth" is Cornell's fourth studio solo set and contains the Top 5 rock radio single "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart".

The self-titled debut album from ART OF ANARCHY, the band featuring Scott Weiland (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, VELVET REVOLVER) on vocals, John Moyer (DISTURBED) on bass, Jon and Vince Votta on guitar and drums, and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (GUNS N' ROSES) as co-guitarist and producer, is available for free download at this location.

The members of ART OF ANARCHY explain in a statement: "In memory of Scott Weiland, we would like to offer the ART OF ANARCHY record digitally for free to the world during this holiday season. We hope everyone enjoys listening as much as we enjoyed creating it."

"Art Of Anarchy" was released on June 2 via Century Media imprint Another Century.

Weiland earlier in the year denied that he was ever a member of ART OF ANARCHY, explaining that he was paid to contribute to the group's CD as a session musician and a songwriter.

"It was a project I did where I was just supposed to have written the lyrics and melodies for this band that I'd never heard of, and I was paid to do it," Weiland told The Daily Beast. "And so I did it, and did some production work on it, and the next thing I knew there were press releases that I was in the band. I mean, I did one photo shoot with them, 'cause it was part of the deal, but I'm not in the band."

He added: "I wish them all the best once they find a singer, I hope they do well, but [SCOTT WEILAND AND THE WILDABOUTS] is my band."

In addition to Weiland, the recording lineup for ART OF ANARCHY's first album included GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DISTURBED bassist John Moyer. The rest of the lineup is filled out by Jon Votta on guitar and Vince Votta on drums.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Thal wrote that "ART OF ANARCHY is not competition or a threat or interference to what any of us are doing — it's a complement, an addition, one I'm proud of creatively."

He continued: "[There is] no need to minimize or undermine or devalue a project we all worked on together over the course of two years.

"I enjoyed working with Scott… The five of us made an album together. Scott is currently the singer of the band. It's in writing; no confusion. But yes, Scott's solo album and tour are his priority and we're all on the same page about getting another vocalist if ART OF ANARCHY hits the road. But we don't need to cross that bridge just yet. Taking everything as it comes, one step at a time, letting it evolve organically. Where it goes from here (and with who!) is yet to be seen."

ART OF ANARCHY is the brainchild of Thal and the Votta brothers, who have been friends for 18 years dating back to their days on the New York music scene.

Thal also serves as producer and engineer on the album.

Weiland was no stranger to supergroups, having formed VELVET REVOLVER with several former members of GUNS N' ROSES more than a decade ago.

He was dismissed from that band in 2008, rejoining STP until they also fired him in early 2013. He and THE WILDABOUTS will put out a new album in March.

Thal has been with GUNS N' ROSES since 2006, playing on the 2008 album "Chinese Democracy". He has also released a number of solo CDs.

Moyer has been DISTURBED's bassist since 2004. The band released its new album, "Immortalized", on August 21.

Toxicology tests revealed on December 18 that Weiland died from a combination of drugs and alcohol. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner in Minneapolis said that the former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS frontman overdosed on cocaine, MDA — which is chemically related to ecstasy — and ethanol. The report also indicated that heart disease and asthma were "significant" conditions and that Weiland's "multi-substance dependence" was also a factor.

Weiland was found dead on his tour bus on December 3 at the age of 48.

Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with the following update:

"Happy holidays and an amazing 2016! Sorry for not having posted for so long, I’m working feverishly on the Theater Equation DVD/Blu-ray. We hope to release before the summer, fingers crossed!" 

Nearly 6,000 Ayreon fans from 49 different countries flocked to Rotterdam (Netherlands) this past September to witness the once-in-a-lifetime theater production, The Theater Equation, based on Ayreon's The Human Equation. The album's original vocalists James LaBrie, Devon Graves, Heather Findlay, Eric Clayton, Marcela Bovio, Magnus Ekwall and Irene Jansen reprise their roles on 18th, 19th and 20th of September in the Nieuwe Luxor Theater. Rounding out the cast were Ayreon veterans Wudstik, Anneke van Giersbergen and Mike Mills.

For years fans of Arjen Anthony Lucassen's rock operas begged for a live performance. The creative team of Shadow Freaks, a theater production company lead by Lucassen's former manager Yvette Boertje, answered that call by staging a fan favourite: The Human Equation.

The Human Equation tells the story of comatose man who battles his emotions that have come to life in a frightening and bizarre world: his own mind. After a 20-day emotional rollercoaster ride filled with good and bad memories, shocking revelations and hope-filled desires, the man has to make a decision: wake up or die?

The band featured some of Lucassen's finest guest musicians: Ed Warby, Johan van Stratum, Jeroen Goossens, Ben Mathot and Maaike Peterse. Joost van den Broek was music director and arranger for the band that also features Marcel Coenen, Freek Gielen, Erik van Ittersum and Ruben Wijga. The Epic Rock Choir, assembled especially for this show, brought an extra dimension to this production as a finishing touch.

The Theater Equation's spectacular cast, band, stage design and costumes turned this production into the prog event of 2015. The first three shows sold out so fast, that a fourth (and final) show was added later. 

Cast:
James LaBrie as 'Me'
Devon Graves as 'Agony'
Heather Findlay as 'Love'
Eric Clayton as 'Reason'
Magnus Ekwall as 'Pride'
Marcela Bovio as 'Wife'
Irene Jansen as 'Passion'
Anneke van Giersbergen as 'Fear',
Jermain van der Bogt (Wudstik) as 'Best Friend'
Mike Mills as 'Rage/Father'
Nienke Verboom as 'Nurse'
Peter Moltmaker as 'Doctor'
Anita van der Hoeven as 'Mom'

Band:
Ed Warby: Drums
Jeroen Goossens: Flutes and woodwinds
Johan van Stratum: Bass
Maaike Peterse: Cello
Ben Mathot: Violin
Marcel Coenen: Guitars
Freek Gielen: Guitars
Erik van Ittersum: Keyboards/synths
Ruben Wijga: Keyboards/synths



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Electric Boys frontman Conny Bloom recently checked in with the following update:

“A solo album in Swedish? Hell yeah! Been on my mind for long and I’m happy Fullt Upp is finally being done. Straight from the horse’s mouth, from me to you. No big record label involved, just 100% artistic freedom with lotsa cool stuff to order. Check out the video for an album taster & hear me explain a bit more. I’m sure the music will work even for you non-Swedes as well!”

Bloom has released the first single from the album with a video for “Tanken É Fri”. The road movie was recorded during the European Electric Boys tour 2015.Conny Bloom is originally known as the frontman/guitarist for Electric Boys. Many also know him for playing guitar with the legendary Hanoi Rocks, as well as with Ginger Wildheart in SilverGinger5 and Ginger And The Sonic Circus.

Conny’s Electric Boys was around late 80's beginning early 90's, and was played heavily on MTV as their single ”All Lips ’N’ Hips” hit the Billboard Charts in America. He joined Hanoi Rocks 2004 and stayed in the band until 2009 (the band recorded Street Poetry in 2007) when the band split up and Conny decided to reform his original band again.

“Tanken É Fri” video:

His new album Fullt Upp is his first solo record since Been There, Down What? in 2003 and the first one in his native tongue, Swedish.

”I felt that singing in Swedish would be a new adventure for me”, says Conny, born 1964 in Stockholm. He’s the fifth generation of Stockholmers in his family and his streetwise tongue-in-cheek lyrics tells the tales of his working-class background.

”It’s different from English in that there’s less words to choose from. Having said that, it’s pretty easy for me to tell a story in Swedish cuz it’s my main language.”

The sound and the production on his solo stuff is organic, and not so much the big ”wall of sound” that is usually associated with hard rock: ”I like the 70s dynamic sound, where you can hear each instrument individually”, Conny says. ”My guitar alone, on stage, was once measured 130db in the middle of the stage. I’m quite happy turning it down a bit nowadays. 110db is enough.”

Conny’s solo album, Fullt Upp, will be released via Pledge Music on February 15th. More details and above mentioned video here.

(Photo: Johan Bergmark)

 



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Texas-based progressive/melodic death metallers, Fall, will self-release The Insatiable Weakness on January 26th. Technically accomplished and musically magnificent, the album is a tour de force of dual-guitar firepower and unforgettable melodies. Chemistry is key and The Insatiable Weakness is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The band is streaming the new track "...to dust" below.

Featuring the dynamic rhythm section of session drummer Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork) and bassist extraordinaire David Gutierrez, the guitar wizardry of Daniel Benavides, and the soaring vocals and colorful keys of Jessie Santos, The Insatiable Weakness is one of 2016's first awe-inspiring journeys into the progressive metal realm.

The Insatiable Weakness was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Robert Beltran at Precision Studios. Lyric videos for new songs "Soul Ignition" and "Harvester" can found below, as well as an album teaser.

Tracklisting:

“From Ashes”
“Not Of The Sky”
“Ever Hollow”
“Harvester” *
“Cinis” **
“Desolation”
“Soul Ignition”
“…to dust”
“Empty”
“Gods Of Ruin”
“You Were But A Shade”
 
* Guest vocals on "Harvester" by Jessie Frye
** Guest vocals on "Cinis" by Asa Dubberly

“…to dust”:

"Soul Ignition" lyric video:

"Harvester" lyric video:

Teaser:



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Toronto industrial-tinged death metallers, Soulstorm, have returned with a collection of covers of some of their biggest influences. The tribute album, fittingly titled The Devils Music: Volume 1, sees the band tackling classics from bands such as Celtic Frost, Godflesh, Ministry, Pitch Shifter, and Paraides Lost. Regarding the cover of the aforementioned UK doom gods, band mainman commented:

"We chose the song 'Eternal' because Paradise Lost's Gothic CD was a big influence on the dark/doom sound of what we wanted to do with Soulstorm."

The album also includes remixes of classic Soulstorm songs that originally appear on the Darkness Visible CD, released in '92 on Metal Blade/Music For Nations.

You can order the album now via the band's Bandcamp page.





Tracklisting:

“Return To The Eve” (Celtic Frost cover)
“Cold War” (Godflesh cover)
“Eternal” (Paradise Lost cover)
“Stay Here” (Swans cover)
“Yu Gung” (Einstueerzende Neubauten cover)
“Breathe” (Ministry cover)
“Inflammator” (Pitch Shifter cover)
“Primal” (2015 version)
“Nothingness” (Dub)
“Endless Human Failure” (Dub)
“Stranglehold” (Dub)



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Australian melodic/progressive metallers have released a video for “The Endless Road”. The track is taken from the Japanese edition of the Distant Is The Sun album, released February 2014 via AFM Records.

The band comments on the video: “With the help of some friends we put together a film clip for the Japanese bonus track ‘The Endless Road’ which was released in Japan last year on the Distant Is The Sun album.

“Although it was just over a year ago since we played in Japan, our tour there was a success and it really made a huge impression on all of us in the VP camp , so in a way we thought it would be a nice gesture for the people who haven’t heard the song to check it out and also as a tribute to the team of people in Japan who made the tour possible ( you know who you are ) as well as the people in Japan who made us feel welcome . We hope you all enjoy the track, 2016 is looking great with many good times ahead.”



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“Internal Bleeding”, another track from Ice Grave, the upcoming album from San Jose, California’s Spinebreaker, is streaming below.

Ice Grave debut provides a soundtrack of raw, sonic death-metal annihilation in a world of human filth, greed, and corruption. Having slithered into the Bay Area hardcore and metal community over the past two years, the band's explosive blend of European death metal is fueled through a sound and tendency for intense-as-fuck live performances out of love for an array of d-beat, punk, hardcore. Unloading pure audio destruction - not overly calculated, lightning-fast or technical, but reliably menacing and tremendously heavy - through the twelve tracks that form Ice Grave,Spinebreaker reminds the listener of the glory days of 1990s Scandinavian, Swedish and American death metal in a way that is refreshing and punishing. While the band varies in tempo, sometimes grooving into Heartwork-era down-tuned riffage, and other times blasting their way through an onslaught of tremolo and thrash, the songs never cease to impress in their ability to maintain brutally heavy, while diverse and violent in their own way.

Tracklisting:

“Enter The Storm…”
“…Into The Ice Grave”
“Internal Bleeding”
“Fractured Existence”
“Severed Denial”
“River Of Pain”
“Slithering Tyrant”
“Withering In The Blizzard”
“Flesh Wound”
“Entrenched”
“Divine Mortal Being”
“Merciless Victory”

“Internal Bleeding”:

"River Of Pain”:

Creator-Destructor will issue Ice Grave on 12" vinyl and through all digital outlets on January 15th. Preorders have gone live here.

(photo by Joe Calixto)



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Italian symphonic-death metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse recently announced the release of the first single from their new opus, King, on January 1st, entitled “The Fool”. To bridge the gap until the release, the band have launched the first studio trailer for King.

Watch the clip, which covers the drum recordings, below:

In regards to the upcoming single, the band commented: "“The Fool” is one of the craziest songs of the album and we felt like it was a perfect way to let people approach our new work. It’s a song without compromises and because of the character it is about, we had the chance to get into a profound matter that concerns us all."

Fleshgod Apocalypse will release King on February 5th via Nuclear Blast. Artwork and tracklisting below.

King tracklisting:

“Marche Royale”
“In Aeternum”
“Healing Through War”
“The Fool”
“Cold As Perfection”
“Mitra”
“Paramour (Die Leidenschaft bringt Leiden)”
“And The Vulture Beholds”
“Gravity”
“A Million Deaths”
“Syphilis”
“King”

Bonus Orchestral CD (digipak only)
“Marche Royale”
“In Aeternum”
“Healing Through War”
“The Fool”
“Cold As Perfection”
“Mitra”
“And The Vulture Beholds”
“Gravity”
“A Million Deaths”
“Syphilis”

King will be available in the following formats:

- Digipak (incl. bonus orchestral CD)
- CD
- Digipak + TS bundle (various sizes)

Pre-order King now at this location.

Fleshgod Apocalypse, will return to North America for a headlining tour this February. Joining them are fast rising extreme metal conjurers Carach Angren, along with Candlelight recording artist Abigail Williams.

Comments Fleshgod Apocalypse: "We are super stoke to finally return to the US and Canada! To celebrate the release of our upcoming album King, we are going to play a special show for you. Lots of new elements and features will be presented during an extended set, which will include songs from Labyrinth and several classics! Also, it will be great to share the stage with our dutch brothers from Carach Angren, and the crazy american black metal act Abigail Wiliams. We already know it's going to be a blast! See you there and hail to the King!"

Carach Angren adds: "We are very thrilled to return the horror to the USA and Canada! After bringing Death to the Phantom Ship in Florida we will set foot on mainland for the entire month of February. Our first visitation last year was met with your incredible support and now we will finally bring This Is No Fairytale alive to you, embedded in well known chapters from our previous horror stories."

Confirmed dates are as follows:

February
8 - Orlando, FL - The Haven
9 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Hell)
10 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
11 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
12 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
13 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
14 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
15 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
16 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
17 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
19 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
20 - Bend, OR - Third Street Pub
21 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
22 - W. Hollywood, CA - Whisky
23 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
24 - Phoenix, AZ - Joe's Grotto
25 - El Paso TX - Mesa Music Hall
26 - Ft. Worth, TX - Rail Club
27 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog

 



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Argonauta Records have announced the signing of Italy’s Filth In My Garage, who will enter the studio in the next days to record their new album.

Born in September 2007 and formed by Matteo, Luca and Stefano, Filth In My Garage immediately realized a bunch of songs based on distorted guitar riffs, dissonant chords and very break up tempo that fit with a post hardcore attitude.

The band have released three EPs and the lineup is: Stefano – Vox, Matteo – Guitar, Giacomo – Guitar, Simone – Bass, Mauro – Drums.
 
The new work and first full length sees the light three years after the EP 12.21.12, which laid the foundation for a real reborn from an apocalyptic landscape, bringing the band to a new and less frantic horizon, less standardized and more spontaneous.
 
Songs From The Lowest Floor will be released on CD/DD via Argonauta Records and will be available from March 4th. More details to follow.
 



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North Carolina-based death thrashers, Suppressive Fire, will release their debut album, Bedlam, on January 14th. The album was mixed and mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust) and features art by Par Olofsson (Exodus, Abysmal Dawn). The album’s title track is streaming below.

Suppressive Fire channels the old school fury of bands like Kreator, Exodus, Death, and Sodom in creating its own brand of scorched-earth devastation.

Tracklisting:

“Ceasefire”
“The Hellwraith”
“Coup d'état”
“Thy Flesh Consumed”
“Bayonet Penetration”
“Nazi Face Melter”
“Pyrophoric Blood”
“Ironsights”
“Crucify the Kings”
“Holy Masochism”
“Bedlam”

“Bedlam”:

“Ironsights”:

“The Hellwraith”:

Suppressive Fire hail from Raleigh, NC, along with greats such as Corrosion Of Conformity and Between The Buried And Me. The trio has shared the stage with Toxic Holocaust, Wretched, Genocide Pact, The Hookers, and a slew of other bands and have no plans on slowing down.

Suppressive Fire began their all-out attack on the Southeastern metal scene in 2013 and have refused to restrain the assault. Independently releasing Hellwraith (EP) in August 2014 and Covered In Conflict (Split) in 2015, the stage is now set for the unrepentant annihilation that is Bedlam.



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German extreme metallers, Downfall Of Gaia, have announced their split with guitarist Peter. The band has issued the following:

"The year is coming to an end and we would like to thank each and everyone for an intense and busy 2015.

“Europe, USA, Japan and Australia - it has been a crazy ride. But unfortunately it's not only 2015 that is coming to an end. Priorities in life do change and from time to time you have to make choices and walk the path that's best for yourself even if it differs from the direction of others. So today is the day where we have to say goodbye to Peter. We would like to thank him for the last 7 years, the highs and lows, the willing and the unforgettable time we spent with each other! Our last show with Peter on guitar will be in April 2016. More info soon.

“Downfall of Gaia will continue as always. So right now we are looking for a new guitar player. Someone based in Berlin or Hamburg (best case/no must) with enough time, passion and willing to tour worldwide!

“If this sounds like you - get in contact via booking@downfallofgaia.com. Thanks!"



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German extreme metallers, Todtgelichter, have a teaser video for their upcoming album, Rooms, which can be found below. The band recently unveiled  a collaboration with renowned Norwegian artist Truls Espedal, best known to the metal world for his outstanding work with Enslaved.

Says the band: “Since the first contact it was very clear that Truls has been the missing puzzle piece in terms of inspiration, interpretation and execution of the visualization of the album. The cover speaks for itself and continues an old tradition: Simple but deep in meaning. A remarkable artist and great person to work with.”

Rooms tracklisting:

“Ghost”
“Schrein”
“Lost”
“Shinigami”
“Necromant”
“Zuflucht”
“4JK”
“Origin”
“Pacific”

Teaser:



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Denmark's Royal Hunt is in the studio at the moment, going through material recorded at this fall’s festival appearances (ProgPower USA, LoudPark Japan and Rockingham UK), picking out tracks for an upcoming double live album. Expected to be releaseed in March, a deluxe limited edition digipak version of the album can be pre-ordered at this location.

Royal Hunt recently released a lyric video for the track "Riches To Rags", from their new album Devil's Dozen, available now.

With keyboardist and songwriter André Andersen at the helm, Royal Hunt once again created an album that combines the basic sound and core values of classic rock with progressive rock and more current musical elements. After selling approximately 1.7 million albums globally and touring the world numerous times, the band’s still going strong with the August release of their 13th studio album, The Devil's Dozen.

The new recording stays true to the original, larger-than-life Royal Hunt sound, with imaginative instrumentation, intricate arrangements, soaring vocals and catchy, massive choruses. Yet, the addition of classical musicians/instruments and contemporary, modern day production elements move to twist the outcome into a unique sonic palette. The album is chock full of carefully crafted songs, recorded and mixed by a team who combined crystal clear sonics with a weighty punch.

Featuring once again the talents of the awesome US singer DC Cooper – who, after numerous requests from fans and promoters worldwide decided to reunite with the band in 2011 – Royal Hunt features – besides André Andersen on keyboards - long time member Andreas Passmark on bass, Jonas Larsen on guitar and new drummer Andreas Habo Johansson (ex Narnia).

Devil’s Dozen tracklisting:

“So Right So Wrong”
“May You Never (Walk Alone)”
“Heart On A Platter”
“A Tear In The Rain”
“Until The Day”
“Riches To Rags”
“Way Too Late”
“How Do You Know” (bonus track)

“Until The Day”:

“So Right So Wrong”:

Royal Hunt lineup:

DC Cooper: vocals
Andre Andersen: keyboards
Andreas Passmark: bass
Jonas Larsen: guitars
Andreas Habo Johansson: drums

 

 

 



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While announcing the first details of "The Final Tour" at a Los Angeles press conference in January 2014, the four members of MÖTLEY CRÜE revealed that they took the unusual step of having their lawyer draw up a formal "cessation of touring" agreement that goes into effect at the end of 2015 and prohibits the members of the group from going on the road again under the MÖTLEY CRÜE banner.

Asked if there will be any legal penalties if MÖTLEY CRÜE reunites, the band's lead singer, Vince Neil, told The San Diego Union-Tribune: "Well, there's no penalty. There's just a legally binding contract that we can't perform as MÖTLEY CRÜE again."

He continued: "[The contract] wasn't for us; it's really for everybody else, to show how serious we are about not trying to find a loophole [to reunite]. Someone might ask: 'Oh, what if a sheik gave you tens of millions to get back together?' No. It's not about that... We have (a few) more shows, and that's it."

When reminded that bands like KISS and THE WHO had also announced farewell tours, only to reunite — and repeatedly, in some cases — Neil said: "Other bands don't really give a shit. That's their philosophy: 'This tour will never end,' or, 'We'll do reunion tour.' That's not what we’re about. That's why we're going out on our terms."

He continued: "I mean, KISS had five farewell tours and four reunion tours. That's exactly what we don't want to do… We wanted to go out on top, with people saying: 'Yeah, man, I saw the last concert. It was awesome!' We don't want to be that band, where it's [billed as] MÖTLEY CRÜE, and it's maybe one [original member's] brother left in the band, and they're playing clubs... If we let that happen, we wouldn't be thought of or remembered like we wanted to be." The 2014 leg of "The Final Tour" was one of last year's top-grossing tours, selling close to a million tickets across 72 cities and grossing more than $45 million.

Asked in an interview with For Bass Players Only if there is any chance of a reconsideration, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx laughed and said: "For me, no, never. Every version of that question has been asked and there's all the trick questions: 'Would you do it for $100 million for five shows in Dubai?'"

He continued: "Y'know, let's just get to the core of it: Do you want us to renege on our word? We don't want to. I don't need to name the bands that have. It's obvious. It's okay if they want to do that, and it's okay if their fans accept it. For us, we didn't want to do that. Plus, I have less years in front of me than I have behind me, and it's the same for all my bandmembers. There's a track record of what we've done together, and I think we each individually want to go out and do some other stuff."

Sixx added: "If it was just about money, it would be different. But it's not about money. It's about credibility. And, you know, the next day after we take our final bow, I'm gonna look at my band members and say, 'Wow, dudes, everything we said the first day we got together, the very first band rehearsal, we did it.' And then I'm right back at it. I've got my fingers in many pies and I'm very excited about creating stuff and watching it blossom and bloom and harvest it and get on with the next thing. I think it's a very exciting thing to look forward to as well."

Former QUEENSRŸCHE and current OPERATION: MINDCRIME singer Geoff Tate has commented on the events of November 13 in Paris, France, when more than 129 people were killed in seven coordinated terrorist attacks.

The greatest number of deaths took place at the Bataclan, a French music venue where EAGLES OF DEATH METAL were performing when terrorists began a siege that ended with 89 people in the club either shot to death or killed in explosions.

A number of artists halted their European treks in the wake of the Paris attacks, including LAMB OF GOD, FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES and others.

During an interview with the Pavillon 666 webzine that was conducted prior to his December 18 performance in Vauréal, France, Tate was asked for his thoughts on the Paris massacre. He responded: "I have many feelings about it. First off, it's a horrible tragedy. It's a horrible exhibit of humanity, that people would consciously set out to hurt innocent people for a belief. It makes no sense to me. It's actually quite insane, and I think people that engage in that sort of behavior should be eliminated from our human race, honestly. I'm just saying it how I feel. It's a horrible situation also because it affects the subconscious of people. People become afraid to go out in public and to gather in groups of people — gather in groups for holidays or events and things like that. And that's a horrible thing, because that's one of the highlights of being a human being — to gather in public places and have fun and witness an event, witness a musical show or a presentation or a sporting event, and have the freedom to feel comfortable there. And groups like ISIS are trying to take that away from the rest of us. And it's a horrible thing. And it shouldn't be put up with. The West, I think, should put an end to that kind of thinking."

He continued: "On one side, there's always the conscious that gets involved that says, 'Well, they have their own belief system, so maybe we should be accepting of their belief system.' I'm fine with people having their own belief system, as long as they don't hurt other people in inflicting their belief system on other people. So, if that's what they do, then I think they should be eliminated. 'Cause they're not adding to the human experience at all. They're not doing anything constructive; they're just causing fear, you know."

The attacks in Paris led to a military response by France against the radical Islamic organization ISIS, as French jets bombed a series of targets in Syria.

The murders have stepped up worldwide concern over ISIS, as well as a debate in the U.S. over whether to accept Syrian refugees.

"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 via Frontiers Music Srl.