On December 18, Rhino will release a new boxed set and single-disc PANTERA compilation, "The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000", consisting of "Cowboys From Hell" (1990), "Vulgar Display Of Power" (1992), "Far Beyond Driven" (1994), "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996), and "Reinventing The Steel" (2000). Two versions of the collection will be released, one a five-CD set and the other a limited edition five-LP set on colored vinyl. The LP version of the studio albums box also includes a seven-inch single with two rare, non-albums tracks making their vinyl debut. The first is "Piss", a song that debuted in 2012 on the 20th-anniversary edition of "Vulgar Display Of Power". The second is "Avoid The Light" from the "Dracula 2000" soundtrack.

An unboxing video for "The Complete Studio Albums 1990-2000" can be seen below.

Speaking about PANTERA's commercial success following the release of the band's 1990 major-label debut, "Cowboys From Hell", bassist Rex Brown told the "Do You Know Jack?" radio show: "Everything was kind of changing at that point. All the hair bands and all that kind of stuff. Everybody was kind of stale. If you think about just songs in general, there were some pretty good songs that the look kind of took away from all that, 'cause you got lumped in with all that kind of crap. I'm not saying we did. But we just came around at a time that we saw a crack and we slipped through it, and we put a lot of hard work and a lot of touring [into it]."

He continued: "Those first two records ['Cowboys From Hell' and 1992's 'Vulgar Display Of Power'], we toured nonstop. We had 32 days off on the 'Cowboys From Hell' tour, and that was the total time period between 18 months on, and then directly back in the studio."

Brown added: "We just came in at a time when people needed us. We would stay out in the parking lots until six in the morning signing autographs. I think that really made a big, huge difference between us and other bands that were just, you know, 'go on the bus and bye.' You know, you meet one guy, and he goes, 'Man, those guys were cool.' And he tells another friend, and it gets around like that.

"We were the biggest underground band of the '90s. We didn't have a lot of MTV [support], we didn't have any radio play. Now you go to any sporting event and hear one of our songs at a football game, which is great, but they wouldn't touch it back then. So we just kind of [flew] by the seat of our pants and kind of D.I.Y., and just toured our butts off and worked really, really hard."

Late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on ex-PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott and singer Philip Anselmo to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag, who was shot and killed by a crazed gunman while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at a Columbus, Ohio rock club in December 2004.

Vinnie, who is Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo have not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie indirectly blamed Philip for Dimebag's death, suggesting that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have set "Incarnate" as the title of their seventh album, tentatively due out in March on Roadrunner Records.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach told Revolver about the band's new CD title: "The definition of incarnate is 'in the flesh.' And this record is who we are right now. Whereas [2013's] 'Disarm The Descent' was sort of my 'comeback' album, and was about us feeling out the new vibe. But now, after spending a few years traveling the world together, I think we're all in a really comfortable place. We definitely have a strong sense of self as to who we are as a band."

"Incarnate" will incude the song "Strength Of The Mind", for which KILLSWITCH ENGAGE recently filmed a video with the direction team of Ian McFarland and Mike Pecci (MESHUGGAH, FEAR FACTORY).

"The video visually captures a bit of the anxiety and chaos that the song touches on lyrically," said Leach. "It is almost a bit surreal and dream-like with the camera effects, called 'whacking.'"

He continued: "It is always a pleasure to work with McFarland and Pecci, as they are both artists who give it their all with no shortcuts. Watching Mike work the camera live, while Ian paces around and directs, is a very involving and creatively satisfying experience."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE drummer Justin Foley recently told Louder Noise that the band's follow-up to "Disarm The Descent" will "definitely [be] a little different record than last time. Last time, it was really, really fast the whole way through. This one doesn't have quite the same speed to it, but has a different kind of heaviness to it, I think — a little bit of moodiness to it. I don't really know how to describe it yet."

He also talked about "Strength Of The Mind", which the band has been performing live. He said: "I think that one is a good representation of stuff that we do. But I also think it's a song that would sound good live. It's a song that wasn't crazy, crazy fast, it wasn't crazy different from any of our stuff, so I think it was a good song to kind of ease into new material. I think live, it was the kind of thing that we could get it to sound tight fairly quickly, which is helpful, 'cause we didn't have a whole lot of time to get it ready for [the last] tour. So that kind of helped us influence picking that song."

"Disarm The Descent" sold around 48,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on April 2, 2013 via Roadrunner Records.

"Disarm The Descent" was KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's first album with Jesse Leach at the vocal helm since 2002's now-classic, genre-defining "Alive or Just Breathing".

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE contributed another new song, "Loyalty", to the mixtape for HBO's hit fantasy series "Game Of Thrones".

The official lyric video for the song "Deeply Ordered Chaos" from THE CULT can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Hidden City", which will be released on February 5, 2016 via Cooking Vinyl. The follow-up to 2012's "Choice Of Weapon" was written by singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy and was produced by Bob Rock, who has previously worked with METALLICA and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

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

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

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

"Hidden City" track listing:

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

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

"Choice Of Weapon" sold around 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was made available on May 22, 2012 via Cooking Vinyl.

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

Photo credit: Tim Cadiente

ALL THAT REMAINS guitarist Oli Herbert 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.

Speaking to All Access Live, Herbert was asked how ALL THAT REMAINS's feelings about touring in general have been affected by the recent concert tragedy. He said (see video below): "Well, it's pretty frightening. We've been at festivals with EAGLES OF DEATH METAL specifically — this year, actually, in Switzerland. And that could have been us up there. It hits our world pretty hard. Never mind the fact that if it hit anybody, it would still be horrible as well, but specifically [a rock band that we've shared stages with]."

He continued: "I tend to be an optimist and try not to worry about those types of things happening. I mean, if things are gonna happen, they're gonna happen; there's nothing I can do to stop them. I'm not gonna crawl into some cave and hide. You know, I need to work."

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.

RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee has confirmed the longstanding rumor that he almost produced METALLICA's classic 1986 album "Master Of Puppets". He told Noisey: "It's sort of true. There was some discussion with [METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich], back in the day, about working with them. This was before 'Master Of Puppets' came out, I think. There was talk, you know. I was friends with their management, and I met Lars back in England. I remember going to see them here in Toronto when they played at the Masonic Temple. That's when the original bass player [Cliff Burton] was still happening. You know, before that tragedy. And, you know, we talked about it, and I liked their band a lot at that time. But it just never came together."

During the same interview, Lee admitted that he isn't much of a heavy metal fan.

"I don't listen to a lot of metal," he said. "Even though there's an aspect of our sound that can be quite metal, I sort of attribute it more to early metal, in the way that [LED] ZEPPELIN were metal and in the way that BLACK SABBATH were metal, and BLUE CHEER were metal. And that's the sort of tradition of metal that we took on."

He continued: "I like METALLICA. I've got great respect for them. But you won't hear too much speed metal or death metal in my house."

"Master Of Puppets" was the last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus crash in September 1986 and was replaced by Jason Newsted. It was METALLICA's first album to go gold, for sales of more than half a million copies. Many songs from the disc, including "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "Battery", "Leper Messiah" and the title track are still part of the band's live set to this day.

As previously reported, METALLICA is collaborating with an author named Matt Taylor on a book about the making of the band's classic 1986 album "Master Of Puppets". Taylor, who wrote an acclaimed and extensively detailed book on the making of the movie "Jaws", contacted the band with a proposal to create a definitive history of the band's third album.

The book is expected to arrive next year to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the album's release, which will take place in February 2016.

In early 2016 Heaven And Hell Records will be releasing the first official CD release of New York ‘80s heavy metal warriors Takashi’s long out of print EP Kamikaze Killers.
 
Takashi formed in 1982 in New York City, New York with vocalist Danny Stanton, guitar duo Craig Khoury and Bob Simonson with rhythm section Tom Cangemi on bass and drummer Chuck Khoury. The band would quickly become a familiar name in the local hard rock/heavy metal circuit. The buzz quickly grew and soon the band was recording their debut that would be released on a small up starting label.
 
In 1983 New York’s Mongol Horde Records released a handful of EPs from bands such as Thor and Virgin Steele, and like those bands the label would go down in cult metal history for its contribution to the US metal scene – and it all started with Takashi Kamikaze Killers.
The release of Kamikaze Killers would help the band’s name to grow and now internationally as they began to gain more and more press in such publications as Hit Parade and Kerrang. As their popularity increased the band would land supporting slots for acts like Twisted Sister and Anthrax. A couple of more scattered recordings on compilation albums would follow before Takashi would disappear like a spirit wind.
 
Now after 33 years the sun will rise again and shed light on a cult classic with this upcoming re-issue of Kamikaze Killers. The release will include; the original EP tracks “Strangler”, “Kamikaze”, “Mad Max”, and “Playboy Girls”. Additional tracks include: “Kill Or Be Killed”, “Live To Rock”, “No Pay Toll” (Live In ‘85) and “Ninja Warrior” (30th Anniversary Remix)  All songs re-mastered by Jamie King at The Basement Studios. A eight page booklet including lyrics, essay, and full of flyers and never before seen pictures will only add to this first time ever CD release, Note: the release will be limited to only 500 pressed so don’t miss it.



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The Great Metal Debate conducted an interview with KAMELOT guitarist Thomas Youngblood before the band's November 15 concert in Louisville, Kentucky. You can now listen to the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the songwriting process on KAMELOT's latest album, "Haven", compared to the making of 2012's "Silverthorn":

"'Silverthorn' was the crucial first album with the new lineup, so we didn't want to mess around too much with the chemistry or the songwriting style. I think with 'Haven', we were able to kind of open that up a little more and give Tommy [Karevik, vocals] a little bit more personality into what he normally does. And I think it's a good template of what we can expect for the future records."

On KAMELOT's relationship with new label home Napalm Records:

"It's been good. I like it where I'm able to communicate directly with the heads of the label, whether it be the new CEO over in Austria or the guy that works here in New York. And that kind of direct contact is really important for me, because I like to have instant feedback when it comes to certain things. So, yeah, it's been great so far. We're ahead, I think, of what we projected for 'Haven' in terms of sales. We're hoping to also do a couple of more videos. We've already done two videos, and we're looking at hopefully doing at least two more. So it's also a cool thing that a lot of bands don't get to do, which we're fortunate. And that was part of… When we decided to go with them, we had some other labels involved with negotiations and stuff, and they really showed the most initiative to sign the band."

On KAMELOT's plans for the follow-up to "Haven":

"In terms of the next record, we're not even thinking about that right now. We have all of next year to tour. We're actually gonna do South America, Asia… go back and do Europe in April… Summer festivals next year. And then probably after the summer, we'll start working on new songs. So we're looking at another year and a half minimum for the next record. But we have a lot more places to tour, and we have more videos coming out to keep promoting the album. The album just came out in May, but it seems like it's been a year already. And I think one of the things that's even more exciting is when we start thinking about the next record, we already have a lot of cool ideas that we're gonna pack into it. But for now, it's all 'Haven' on the brain right now."

"Haven" sold around 7,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

The CD was made available on May 5 in North America and May 8 in the rest of the world (excluding Asia) via Napalm Records as part of an exclusive licensing deal through the band's Kamelot Music LLC.

Produced by Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen, "Haven" features guest appearances by Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY, ex-THE AGONIST), Troy Donockley (NIGHTWISH) and Charlotte Wessels (DELAIN). The g cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman has thrown his support behind Bernie Sanders, but has admitted that the Democratic presidential candidate will "need a miracle" to win the White House next year.

Draiman, the son of Israelis and the grandson of Holocaust survivors, used to be one of the most active rockers on Twitter before deleting his account earlier in the year, explaining that the Internet had "become a preying ground for trolls and just predators."

The singer, who often writes politically charged lyrics, took to his personal Facebook page on December 11 to write: "Well... Since it seems like the majority of the Republican voting base has fallen for [Donald] Trump's fear mongering, bigoted, racist, lunacy, and since no other Republican candidate (including mildly delusional Ben Carson) seems to have a chance against him, wether he goes independent or not... and since Hillary [Clinton] is hellspawn incarnate (best friend of the terrorist-supporting Qataris, and just basically Obama part II), I feel that I have no choice (even though I wish he were stronger on Israel, and has plans for a social welfare state that could very well bankrupt our country; I guess I'd rather be financially bankrupt, then morally bankrupt) but to throw my support behind the venerable Bernie Sanders (much to the chagrin of my conservative/Republican friends, I'm sure). I just hope he remembers who he is and where he comes from (a Jew) and that he does whatever he can to protect both the American people and the State of Israel. He'll need a miracle...but who knows? The world is crazy enough these days that he just might get one."

Draiman explained in June why he decided to quit Twitter and other social media outlets after several contentious years. He said: "I was never the guy who was going to try to use my social media to be a source of promotion for myself… It was always trying to use whatever kind of a voice in the position that I have been blessed with for good. To be able to try and educate people a little bit, make 'em laugh a little bit, make 'em open their eyes a little bit. And it just didn't seem to be making a difference."

Draiman added that social media "was taking away from my marriage, it was taking away from my time with my kid… I'm done being anybody's punching bag."

Draiman has in the past battled with Twitter trolls who have harassed him about his sometimes-controversial views regarding Israel and its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.

DISTURBED's first new album since 2011, "Immortalized", came out on August 21.

Frontiers Music Srl will release the self-titled debut album from NORDIC UNION on January 29, 2016.

NORDIC UNION is the name behind the new musical collaboration, built by Frontiers president Serafino Perugino, between singer Ronnie Atkins of the legendary Danish hard rock institution PRETTY MAIDS and the up-and-coming Swedish songwriter and producer Erik Martensson of ECLIPSE and W.E.T. fame.

The partnership between the two fellow Scandinavians worked well and together they have created some musical magic, which will truly impress the fans of these highly regarded musicians. Atkins says: "The music on the album has a focus on good melodies and there's some good guitar work as well. I had a good gut feeling ever since I heard the first songs from Erik Martensson, and I was right he's a very gifted and talented songwriter!"

These songs are guaranteed not to leave your head for a long time. Just have a listen to the gorgeous anthemic opener "The War Has Begun" and some killer melodic gems like "When Death Is Calling", "21 Guns" and "Hypocrisy" with great hooks and epic guitar riffs. "Wide Awake" can be described as a combination between pop and melodic rock with a modern production. There's really something for everyone here!

"While PRETTY MAIDS is still my first priority" explains Ronnie, "the production process and the work on this record went very smoothly. I think what came out is a killer melodic hard rock album with a lot of good songs on it. I could really feel the songs as mine and identify with those. So I hope the fans will be able to share my view and it's been some kind of a little fresh breath in between albums for me, really."

"Nordic Union" track listing:

01. The War Has Begun02. Hypocrisy03. Wide Awake04. Every Heartbeart05. When Death Is Calling06. 21 Guns07. Falling08. The Other Side09. Point Of No Return10. True Love Awaits You11. Go

The song "The War Has Begun" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

NORDIC UNION recording lineup:

* Ronnie Atkins: Lead, background vocals* Erik Martensson: Lead guitar, bass, keyboards and background vocals* Magnus Ulfstedt: Drums

Guest guitar solos:

* Thomas Larsson, guitar solo on "Every Heartbest" and "Wide Awake"* Fredrik Folkare, guitar solo on "Point Of No Return" and "Hypocrisy"* Magnus Henriksson, guitar solo on "The War Has Begun"

EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee has released her cover version of the Chris Isaak track "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing" via her recently launched YouTube channel. Check it out below.

Says Lee about her decision to cover "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing": "This cover and I have history. We've been through a lot together!

"It all started back in '09. I'm always on the lookout for a chance to write for film, and the people making 'Cabin In The Woods' wanted a cover of this song for the scene where a girl is dared to make out with a taxidermy wolf head on the wall. Gotta love it! We were hanging out writing together anyway, so I decided to take a stab at it with my collaborator and friend Will Hunt (producer/owner of Spaceway Studios in Ft. Worth). They sent us the scene to write to and we had a blast making a short part of this version — we LOVED it! …They didn't! Ha. And so it goes. We went ahead and finished out the song in my studio just for us, and, after many late-night jams with friends, decided it was too cool to waste — it was going on the next album."

She continued: "That album was the first time I watched something I was working on totally blow up in my face. The suits had a change of heart during a frustrating recording process and I was told that none of the songs I'd been pouring my heart into for a year, in any form, were good enough — time to start over. I was devastated. I was furious. I was determined to take control of the situation and use it to push myself forward. It ended up making me angry enough to write EVANESCENCE's heaviest album — which I love — and we did end up using three songs from the original project, but I was still left feeling unsatisfied about what I lovingly refer to as my 'broken record.'"

Lee added: "I've believed, mostly alone, in this damaged little handful of unfinished recordings for five years, and for the first time I own them. I plan to finish some, re-do some, and probably keep a couple to myself. Since this one is a cover, I decided to mix it the way I wanted it and put it out alongside the covers I've been doing lately. It feels SO good to finally share it!"

Lee previously released her covers of LED ZEPPELIN's "Going To California", U2's "With or Without You" and PORTISHEAD's "It's A Fire".

EVANESCENCE recently parted ways with guitarist Terry Balsamo and replaced him with Germany's Jen Majura.

EVANESCENCE re-emerged last month after a three-year hiatus with select, intimate shows in Nashville, Dallas and Los Angeles. The influential, Grammy-winning band had not performed live since November of 2012.

The official lyric video for the song "Your Last Breath" from DEVIL YOU KNOW — the creative union of Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and John Sankey (DEVOLVED) — can be seen below. The song is taken from DEVIL YOU KNOW's sophomore album, "They Bleed Red", which was released on November 6 via Nuclear Blast.

Produced by Josh Wilbur (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, LAMB OF GOD, KILLER BE KILLED), "They Bleed Red" is a breakneck paced trip through DEVIL YOU KNOW's broken psyche, struggles with anxiety, and ultimate triumph against adversity, all laid upon a foundation of high-level artistic achievement and vitriolic full throttle heavy metal fury.

"They Bleed Red" track listing:

01. Consume The Damned02. The Way We Die03. Your Last Breath04. Stay of Execution05. Break The Ties06. Shattered Silence07. Let The Pain Take Hold08. Master of None09. Searching For The Sun10. How The End Shall Be11. Broken By The Cold

Bonus tracks

12. Eye of The Tiger (cover)13. I Am Alive14. We Live

DEVIL YOU KNOW's debut album, "The Beauty Of Destruction", was produced by Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DEVILDRIVER, SOULFLY) and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, SOULFLY).

DEVIL YOU KNOW's lineup is completed by BLEEDING THROUGH bassist Ryan Wombacher.

MOTÖRHEAD's video for the song "When The Sky Comes Looking For You" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Pep Bonet, who has been working with the band since 2008 and compiled MOTÖRHEAD's "Röadkill" book of photography. It was shot over two days in Palma de Mallorca with extras who had applied to be part of the filming after Bonet made an online appeal.

"When The Sky Comes Looking For You" is taken from MOTÖRHEAD's 22nd studio album, "Bad Magic", which was released on August 28. The CD was recorded at NRG Studios with longtime producer Cameron Webb.

MOTÖRHEAD was forced to cancel three consecutive concerts last month after guitarist Phil Campbell became ill and required hospitalization.

Asked if there an album or tour cycle that was the most rewarding or enjoyable for him in MOTÖRHEAD's four-decade history, the band's mainman, Lemmy, told Loudwire: "I don't know, I can't remember all of them. Being in the studio for 40 years, it seems to me the most fun one was probably the first one, because you're new at it, discovering all these things that you're doing in the studio."

Lemmy told A.V. Club about MOTÖRHEAD's non-experimental musical approach: "Oh, it's paid off in dividends for us and for quite a few other bands like STATUS QUO. There's been a lot of bands who've stuck to their original idea and it usually helps them out. It's when bands like to switch to what they aren't or what they think they are that's bullshit. It really turns out to be bullshit in the end. People changing because they think they should is not a good idea, because I just don't think they should, really. [Laughs] It's something I thought was a good idea in the beginning. Why change it? [Laughs] People seem to keep liking it, though we've done a few departures. We've made bad albums in the past, and people have bought them. I don't know. I don't care. I'm just grateful for it."

ALMANAC, the new project led by former RAGE guitarist Victor Smolski, will release its debut album, "Tsar", on March 18, 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The CD's intricate cover artwork was created by Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák (WISDOM, ANNIHILATOR, DESTRUCTION, ELEVENKING).

Smolski himself was responsible for the production of the record, with mixing completed by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (ORDEN OGAN).

"Tsar" track listing:

01. Tsar02. Self Blinded Eyes03. Darkness04. Hands Are Tied05. Children Of The Future06. No More Shadows07. Nevermore08. Reign Of Madness09. Flames Of Fate

Smolski commented: "'Tsar' is the absolute best of and the highlight of my musical career. I had never had so much fun while producing a CD; it was incredible teamwork — and we were one hundred percent merciless. Push the pedal to the metal!"

The Belarus-born guitarist Smolski is joined in this new group by former LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA bandmembers Jeanette Marchewka (vocals) and the symphony orchestra Orquestra Barcelona Filharmonia and White Russian Symphony Orchestra. New in the lineup are bass player Armin Alić, drummer Michael Kolar and keyboardist Enric Garcia. Two high-class singers David Readman (PINK CREAM 69) and Andy B. Franck (BRAINSTORM) complete the extremely prominent lineup.

Fans with an interest in deeper subjects including history and culture will also be able to dive into a new world with "Tsar", which combines historic and modern parallels that will surprise many. From the warlike nomadic horsemen in the steppes of Russia, to the tsardom, Ivan the Terrible, warlike Cossacks who dominate the Tatar, the siege of Constantinople and the Mongol invasion are stories about battles, wars, intrigue, conquest, terror, power and love that can be heard vocally using the different styles of the singers' voices.

ALMANAC is:

Andy B. Franck - vocalsDavid Readman - vocalsJeannette Marchewka - vocalsVictor Smolski - guitarsArmin Alić - bass, fretless bassMichael Kolar - drumsEnric Garcia - keyboards, piano

"Fire", the new video from THE WINERY DOGS — the power trio featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB), legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS, DAVID LEE ROTH) and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen (MR. BIG, POISON) — can be seen below. The clip was directed by Steve Lyon and features performance and behind-the-scenes footage along with ethereal images of a woman on a beach in Thailand. It also includes clips of Kotzen in New York's Times Square with an acoustic guitar.

"Fire" is taken from THE WINERY DOGS' sophomore album, "Hot Streak", which debuted at No. 30 on The Billboard 200 chart, having shifted 13,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8.

"Hot Streak" was released on October 2 in North America on Loud & Proud Records via RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment) and in the rest of the world via earMUSIC.

Regarding "Fire", which was initially called "Last Chance", Kotzen told Billboard.com: "It's an idea I had floating around for awhile. When we were writing for ['Hot Streak'], I remember sitting around with the guys an playing the chord changes and kinda humming the melody. Billy and Mike made some really great suggestions for the arrangement and I went and took it and wrote some words for it, and we cut the song."

"Hot Streak" shows the powerfully pedigreed trio's initial burst of collective chemistry was no accident, from the strum and headbang of "Captain Love" to the propulsive uplifting vibe of "The Bridge" to the introspective acoustic harmonic convergence of "Fire". If these three DOGS thought they captured lightning in a supper dish the first time around, "Hot Streak" barks ups the aural ante into exciting new territory. "I feel we've taken the band to another level," explained Kotzen. "The compositions are stronger on this album. I feel more connected lyrically and musically to what I did on this record than on the last one. We've widened the musical scope of the band on this record and moved it forward." Portnoy added: "Everything on this album was more of a collaboration than on the first album. There's just a natural chemistry. The three of us really mesh very, very well, both musically and personally. The mission of this band is to write catchy songs, and not have the musicianship overpower that." "I'm glad we're not playing it safe and just doing songs that automatically fit in the category of what we did on the first record," Sheehan concluded. "Some of them are a little different, and we definitely took chances. And you have to do that — otherwise, you don't grow."

VENOMOUS CONCEPT — the international grind punk "supergroup" featuring BRUTAL TRUTH vocalist Kevin Sharp and bassist Danny Lilker alongside NAPALM DEATH members Shane Embury (bass) and Danny Herrera (drums), plus guitarist John Cooke, will release its third full-length album, "Kick Me Silly - VC III", on January 8, 2016 via Season Of Mist.

"Kick Me Silly - VC III" track listing:

01. Rise02. Bust With You Debt03. Anthem04. The Potters Ground05. Human Waste06. Leper Dog07. Farm Boy08. Head On A Stick09. Pretend10. Johnny Cheeseburger11. Forever War12. Good Times13. Pretty On The Inside14. Holiday In Switzerland15. Fucked In The Czech Repub16. Neck Tie17. Frontal Lobe Disorder18. Daycare19. Quazimodo20. Burning Fatigue21. Rocket Science22. Pissing Match (bonus track)

The track "The Potters Ground" can be streamed below.

VENOMOUS CONCEPT was conceived as something like a grind punk supergroup — if that term can even be applied to a bunch of people with clear counter culture preferences. The name was quite obviously chosen as a homage to the legendary POISON IDEA.

At the core of VENOMOUS CONCEPT, you will find BRUTAL TRUTH vocalist Kevin Sharp and Shane Embury, the iconic bass guitarist of NAPALM DEATH. The two musicians had bonded over beer and pizza as well as their mutual love of such punk heroes such as BLACK FLAG, SYSTEMATIC DEATH, GBH, SIEGE, and, of course, the aforementioned POISON IDEA. The duo soon set about plotting their own assault on the style. Armed with bucket loads of coffee, the pair roped in Danny Herrera of NAPALM DEATH on drums as well as MELVINS guitarist Buzz Osborne. A record deal was signed with Mike Patton and VENOMOUS CONCEPT's first album, "Retroactive Abortion" (2004), was followed by a a split CD with Japanese grind band 324 (2006) and another in 2008 with BLÖOD DÜSTER.

Osborne eventually went on a hiatus, but he has never left and there is always a chance for his return — schedules permitting. Shane switched to guitar, when longtime friend Danny Lilker joined on bass. Next, VENOMOUS CONCEPT brought in John Cooke of CORRUPT MORAL ALTAR on second guitar for touring. A second full-length titled "Poisoned Apple" was also released in 2008.

Finally and after too long of a quiet spell, the band decided that it was time for more pizza and beer (cue the A.O.D. classic). They got together with a bunch of ideas, which they had recorded in demo form here and there, on tour, and in various smelly rehearsal studios…

VENOMOUS CONCEPT recorded "Kick Me Silly - VC III" during 2014, which sees the band continue in their trademark hardcore punk styles — with the added bonus of compositions by Lilker and Cooke. You will find these fire-starters branching out dynamically in order to perfect their art of grinding rock!

VENOMOUS CONCEPT is:

Kevin Sharp: vocalsDan Lilker: bass guitarDanny Herrera: drumsJohn Cooke: guitar, backing vocalsShane Embury: guitar, backing vocals

Video footage of HALESTORM performing an acoustic version of the song "Apocalyptic" live at Atlantic Records' recording studio in New York City this past April can be seen below. The track was released as the first single from the band's third studio album, "Into The Wild Life", which came out in April.

HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio that "Apocalyptic" strikes a middle ground between the band's older material and the new directions it's exploring on its latest record. "I didn't want to scare you guys too much with the first single [laughs], so we decided to go with this one. But there's a lot on this record that… I don't know, you just kind of throw caution to the wind, and there's a certain freedom that comes with that. But then there's also this kind of, there's a nervousness. But, you know, bottom line is that we came out with a record that we're really proud of."

HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale told Backseat Mafia: "In my opinion, I think 'Apocalyptic' is a little bit closer to where we left off on the last record. It seems like every time we put out a record it gets more and more diverse. The first record was very in the middle, then the next record was a little heavier and more intimate and this next record, it's so extreme and so all over the place. I think it was smart going with 'Apocalyptic' first because it kind of eases everybody into this new record."

"Into The Wild Life" debuted at No. 5 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 56,000 copies in its first week of release — more than double the first week haul of the band's previous effort, 2012's Grammy-winning "The Strange Case Of…"

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based act THE VEER UNION will release its newest slab of guitar driven melodic rock titled "Decade" on January 29, 2016 through Pavement Entertainment.

The video for the single "Defying Gravity" can be seen below.

2016 marks ten years since the release of THE VEER UNION's first album, "Time To Break The Spell", and the new CD follows the highly successful 2012 release "Divide The Blackened Sky".

Lead vocalist Crispin Earl took a rather unique approach to coincide with the concept of the new album "Decade". He took the opportunity to take five unreleased songs which were written before the first incarnation of THE VEER UNION ten years ago, and bring them back to life. Five brand new songs were also written for this new album, bridging the span of over a decade, proving that THE VEER UNION can stand the test of time. By incorporating the original vision of the band and blending it with the current incarnation, "Decade" truly takes the listener through the musical and emotion journey that represents all that is THE VEER UNION.

Crispin, like many other musicians, has struggled with depression over the years. Despite his internal battle, he continues to persevere through life and his musical journey, which is what the leadoff single "Defying Gravity" lyrically signifies. The album was self produced by Crispin in order to oversee every aspect of the recording and emotion involved in the making of the release.

It has taken THE VEER UNION four years to rebuild with new members Ryan Ramsdell (rhythm guitar), Dan Sittler (lead guitar), touring drummer Tyler Reimer, and Amal Wijayanayake (bass/scream vocals). THE VEER UNION is now ready to take 2016 by storm with a new album, new outlook, and new fire burning inside them.

"Decade" track listing:

01. Defying Gravity02. Watch You Lose03. You Can't Have It All04. I Said05. Make Believe06. We All Will07. I Don't Care08. The Unwanted09. Heart Attack10. The Underrate

ACT OF DEFIANCE, the band featuring former MEGADETH members Shawn Drover (drums) and Chris Broderick (guitar), alongside ex-SCAR THE MARTYR singer Henry Derek Bonner, and SHADOWS FALL's Matt Bachand (bass), recently took part in an interview and acoustic performance of the song "Birth And The Burial" at the studios of Alice Cooper's radio show "Nights With Alice Cooper". Check out the footage below.

ACT OF DEFIANCE's debut album, "Birth And The Burial", was released on August 21 via Metal Blade Records. The CD recording was split between three studios in three different states: Broderick handled vocal and guitar production at his own Ill-Fated Studio in Los Angeles, Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, REVOCATION, MUNICIPAL WASTE) worked with Drover tracking the drums in Dexter's Lab in Milford, Connecticut, while Bachand laid down his bass at ManShark, in Southampton, Massachusetts.

Regarding how ACT OF DEFIANCE secured the services of Bonner, Broderick told The Age Of Metal: "Well, when Shawn [Drover, ex-MEGADETH drummer] and I first came up with the idea of actually forming a band, the first thing we started thinking about was who we were gonna have as the frontman. So we got a list of about thirty different people that we… Well, some were shooting for the stars, other [singers on the list] were unknowns. We were very open to the idea of anybody. We kind of got those lists and we narrowed them down based somewhat on logistics and stuff like that. Then we narrowed it down to, like, five that we thought we really liked, and Henry, of course, was on that list. We e-mailed demos out to them, and when Henry's came back, we knew he was the right fit."

On the topic of playing smaller venues with ACT OF DEFIANCE compared to how it was with MEGADETH, Broderick said: "I think it's exactly what we expected in a way. I think the one thing we didn't expect was the amount of work that it takes. When you're designing your own merch and you're working on getting your RV ready and all these other just thousands of logistics, getting those things ready. So it is a lot of work at this level, but definitely we're willing to take it on, and we're having fun so far."

ACT OF DEFIANCE will close out 2015 supporting KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on a handful of holiday shows at the end of December:

Dec. 27 - Clifton Park, NY - Upstate Concert HallDec. 28 - Providence, RI - Lupo’s Heartbreak HotelDec. 29 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom

German power metallers Sinbreed will release their new, Master Creator, on February 26th through AFM Records. The tracklist and cover art is available below.

Master Creator tracklisting:

"Creation Of Reality"
"Across The Great Divides"
"Behind A Mask"
"Moonlit Night"
"Master Creator"
"Last Survivor"
"At The Gate"
"The Riddle"
"The Voice"
"On The Run"

Sinbreed recently parted ways with Blind Guardian guitarist Marcus Siepen. The band have issued an update on their next album and the parting of ways:

“We are very happy to announce a new Sinbreed album coming early 2016. Once more we have 10 songs full of blistering power metal prepared for you, coming hard, knocking you down. The new album will include all the trademarks we developed on When Worlds Collide and Shadows, plus a few things you may not have seen coming (Piano, anyone?).

“For the next couple of weeks we invite you to join us on our journey to the release date, whilst we keep you updated with studio reports and behind the scenes footage. New shows are in the making and we of course will keep you posted on this, too.

“While there are so many exciting news, there is also a bummer: Marcus Siepen has left the band of his own accord. There has not been - and there is not - any kind of dispute. In fact since his main band Blind Guardian is touring that much, it was simply not possible for him to focus 100% on Sinbreed, like he did the past years.

“We are very thankful for having Marcus as a band member in our ranks for more than three years and we wish him nothing but the best.

We can't wait to see you all on the road and keep you posted about the new record!”

Marcus Siepen has issued the following statement: “I guess by now most of you have heard the news about Sinbreed. There is a new album coming out next year and there will also be some gigs, but there is also a new lineup: I have left the band.

“So what happened? Internal fights? Musical differences? Did I just lose my interest? Actually none of this.

“Back in 2012 when I joined Sinbreed we had just finished a world tour for Blind Guardian's At The Edge Of Time album so the timing was perfect for me. Blind Guardian would not be active for quite some time, which gave me the freedom to focus on something else without any problems. And I enjoyed every second of it, suddenly playing with different people was a great experience for me that taught me a lot.

“At that time Sinbreed has not been signed to any label, we were free to do whatever we wanted so we played all kinds of gigs and at some point just started to work on new songs. This has also been a great experience and we had a lot of fun putting together the Shadows album which even got us a record deal. And all this still happened while Blind Guardian were not active.

“At the end of last year we all met and talked about how to continue with Sinbreed. For me it was obvious that we would have to take a break because for the next two years I would be completely busy with Blind Guardian, our Beyond The Red Mirror album was about to be released, so the whole promotion machinery was working at full throttle already and we were about to go on tour again, a tour that would (will) keep us on the road until around fall of 2016. I just didn't see any way to fully be there for Sinbreed during this period because obviously Blind Guardian would be my only focus, just as Sinbreed has been in the years before.

“Unfortunately but understandably taking this break was not what the others had in mind, of course they wanted to get ahead with Sinbreed and also our label wanted to have a new album so it was obvious for me that I had to come to a decision about how I wanted to go on.

“I know there are people that can handle being in more than just one band without bigger problems, they can switch between those bands easily, unfortunately I am not one of those people. I am not really able to do multitasking when it comes to bands, when my focus is on Blind Guardian there is no room in my head for another band, just as there was no room for anything else while I was focusing completely on Sinbreed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to give 100% for Sinbreed any time before the end of 2016, no matter if it was about song writing, recording or playing live, and giving less than 100% is not an option for me.

“So the only way for me was to step back and leave Sinbreed. I want to thank Fred, Flo, Herbie and Alex for having me and for some great years, I wish you guys all the best for your future and be sure to see me at some of your gigs.”



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German power metallers, Brainstorm, have released a lyric video for "We Are...", a track from their upcoming new album, Scary Creatures, due for release on January 15th.

The band continues where they left off one and a half years ago with the previous release, and also mix and mastering was once again handled by Achim Koehler. But right away you feel that Scary Creatures is just that notch better than Firesoul; more anthemic, heavy and all musicians plus vocalist Andy B. Franck delivering to the max. Starting with the infectious opening track “The World To See” (which will also be the album’s first single and video clip), Brainstorm once again prove why they are one of the most popular and respected metal acts in the European scene. The band will embark on European tour in February 2016, followed by many festivals around the world in the summer.

Vocalist Andy B. Franck states: "Scary Creatures is a very emotional, an almost personal, album. All songs reflect the events and feelings of the past months, which made the music incredibly intense. To me, Scary Creatures is the logical successor to 2014's Firesoul and perfectly bridges to Brainstorm 2016. Also for the first time we achieved that many of the band members' children were integrated into several songs. It's another reason why the new album is very valuable and unique to us. Add to this the rough lyrical concept dealing with severals atrocities all over the world in the past centuries, Scary Creatures turned out to become an impressive metal album we all are proud of."

Tracklisting:

"The World To See"
"How Much Can You Take"
"We Are..."
"Where Angels Dream"
"Scary Creatures"
"Twisted Ways"
"Caressed By The Blackness"
"Scars In Your Eyes"
"Take Me To The Never"
"Sky Among The Clouds"
 
Bonus track on ltd. Digipak:
"Lift Your Eyes To See"
 
+ Bonus Live DVD
(incl. "The World To See" video clip and live concert Essen 2014 (performing the entire Firesoul album plus many more songs)

"We Are" lyric video:

 "The World To See" video:

Scary Creatures will also be available as ltd. Box Set (incl. statue and Digipak) and ltd. colored Vinyl (500 units in golden vinyl).

 



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According to Billboard.com, eights songs of the top 10 titles on this week's Hard Rock Digital Songs are by Scott Weiland's former bands STONE TEMPLE PILOTS (six) and VELVET REVOLVER (two). The top-performing track, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' "Plush", registered a gain of 1,405 percent from 1,000 sold last week to 18,000 downloads sold this week. STP's "Interstate Love Song" sold 14,000 (up 1,447 percent), followed by "Creep" with 9,000 sold (up 1,192 percent). "Fall To Pieces", the top-selling track from VELVET REVOLVER sold 8,000 downlaods (up 2,512 percent).

On the album front, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' 2003 greatest-hits set "Thank You" re-entered The Billboard 200 chart at No. 47, up by 1,787 percent to 17,000 equivalent album units. The group's 1993 debut "Core" also re-entered, at No. 145 (7,000, up 530 percent), marking its first appearance on the chart in slightly more than 20 years.

Weiland, who has had a long history of drug problems, arrests and stints in rehab, was found dead on his tour bus on December 3 at the age of 48. The suspected cause of death is cardiac arrest, although an official report has yet to be released.

A small amount of cocaine was found on the bus and Tommy Black, bassist for Scott's band THE WILDABOUTS, was arrested for possession.

Both STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER issued statements on his passing, while musicians and fans around the world have also posted tributes.

Having signed with Relapse Records late this summer, Seven Sisters Of Sleep will release their debut for the label in February, in the form of Ezekiel's Hags. The band has released a new music video for the track "War Master".
 
Southern California's Seven Sisters Of Sleep is an act not content with fitting into one genre or subgenre. Through titles released by A389, Southern Lord and more since their inception less seven years ago, and several notable stateside tours with the likes of Full Of Hell, Ilsa and others, SSOS has hammered their way into the minds of many extreme music thrill-seekers utilizing tactics traced to doom, death metal, black metal, d-beat hardcore, grind and more.
 
In September it was announced that Seven Sisters Of Sleep hat signed to renowned independent label Relapse Records for their upcoming third full-length album, Ezekiel's Hags, which is far and away the band's most ambitious and meticulously-crafted material to date. Delivering a venomous mixture of violent, doom-ridden madness with a severe beckoning to the occult, the quintet has forged a monolithic album that transcends solitary genre classification without rewriting the rules. Recorded with engineer Paul Miner (Motörhead, Terror, Phobia), Ezekiel's Hags bears fifty minutes of new material through eleven relentless songs that beat the listener into oblivion. Chock full of tortured vocals, gigantic riffs, and thunderous drums, this is music as vile as it can be.

Ezekiel's Hags will see release through Relapse on February 5th. Pre-orders have gone live, the digital here and the physical with CD and both black and limited yellow wax merch bundles here.

Tracklisting:

“Jones”
“Denounce”
“Gutter”
“Plateau”
“Brother's River”
“Prey”
“Third Season”
“Sacred Prostitute”
“Ud-Nun”
“War Master”
“Bastard Son”

"War Master" video:

(Photo - Forrest Locke)



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In the video below, Coheed And Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez performs a sparse, haunting cover of Adele’s “Hello”.

And now, a personal message from Sanchez:  "For my mother, who told me the new Coheed record is just as good, if not better, than the new Adele. :) Honestly, what else is a mother supposed to say to her son? I love you, mom."

Coheed And Cambria are returning to the UK for three very special shows in support of their newly released album, The Color Before The Sun. Glassjaw and Crooks will be special guests for all dates. The upcoming tour will be the first chance to see Coheed perform in the UK since their massive headline slot at Hevy Fest back in the summer.

Claudio Sanchez commented: "The UK has always embraced us as if we are home, and ever since Hevy Fest went down so well this summer, we’ve been anxious to return. We are humbled that our friends (and legends) Glassjaw will be joining us – theres no doubt these shows will be monumental!"

The 2016 dates are as follows:  

January
31 - Cardiff, UK - Uni Great Hall

February
1 - Manchester, UK - O2 Ritz
2 - London, UK - O2 Forum

Tickets can be purchased from Gigs & Tours and special packages available from Ticketmaster.

Coheed And Cambria recently released their new music video for “Island”. The song is from the band’s latest album The Color Before The Sun, which is out now via 300 Entertainment. The video can be found below.

The Color Before The Sun tracklisting:

“Island”
“Eraser”
“Colors”
“Here To Mars”
“Ghost”
“Atlas”
“Young Love”
“You Got Spirit, Kid”
“The Audience”
“Peace To The Mountain”

“Island” video:

“Eraser” lyric video:

“Here To Mars” lyric video:

“You Got Spirit, Kid” video:

“You Got Spirit, Kid” lyric video:



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IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson just spent a couple of days in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was his second visit to the city after 21 years. The first time he was there, Sarajevo was under siege, cut off from the world, its citizens brutally terrorized by shootings, bombing and starvation, with electricity and water supply being nothing short of a luxury. Bruce and his solo band drove through the frontlines and ultimately played a show for the people trapped in the city. What this gig meant to the people and how it changed Bruce and his band will be told in the documentary film "Scream For Me Sarajevo", which just finished shooting.

Radio Sarajevo show "The Aebyss" had the immense pleasure and honor to welcome Bruce in its studio, where they talked about the upcoming film, his impressions of the city today and, of course, the upcoming IRON MAIDEN tour in support of the band new album, "The Book Of Souls".

The first part of the interview will air as part of tonight's edition of "The Aebyss", with the second part to follow next week.

"The Aebyss" broadcast times:

9:05-10:30 p.m. CET (Berlin/Sarajevo)8:05-9:30 p.m. GMT4:05-5:30 p.m. EST3:05-4:30 p.m. CST1:05-2:30 p.m. PST

You can listen to the program online, regardless of your location, at RadioSarajevo.ba.

"The Book Of Souls" was released on September 4 through BMG in the U.S.A. (Parlophone Records in the rest of world).

IRON MAIDEN announced in May that touring plans to support the album wouldn't happen until 2016 to allow Dickinson time to fully recuperate after his successful cancer treatment.

British revelers The Hell has released a rollicking music video for “Fever”. Filmed by DSY Media, the video features everything from choreographed dance routines to gory pseudo-surgical dramatizations.

The Hell have spent the past year on tour in support of their Prosthetic debut, Groovehammer, with appearances at some of the scene's most notorious festivals (Reading & Leeds, Sonisphere, Copenhell, Groezrock, Hevy Festival) while incessantly baiting music press with their gob-shite rhetoric and cutting social mockery. That hasn't stopped the band’s infectious anthems garnering widespread commercial airplay by leading BBC DJs Dan Carter and Zane Lowe.

The Hell’s follow-up effort, Brutopia - out worldwide digitally October 30, and on CD and LP on December 11 - is a concept album of sorts, based around a bleak, tragic world riddled with hate, corruption and greed that seems worryingly familiar.



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Experiment Of Existence from Chilean death thrashers Ripper will be released March 4, 2016 on CD from Unspeakable Axe Records, and on LP from Dark Descent Records.

A press release reads, “Some of extreme metal's classic acts have had simple, one-word names that told you just what to expect from them: Dismember.  Death.  Slayer.  Add to that list Ripper whose debut album - released in 2014 and then swiftly reissued by Iron Pegasus this year - was exactly as advertised: a destructive barrage of thrash riffs and beats in the Teutonic and South American mold, with harsh vocals in the Mille Petrozza vein and ridiculously technical bass-playing a la Steve DiGiorgio as bonuses.

“Now in 2016, this young band will follow it with their new full-length, Experiment Of Existence.  With more advanced songwriting and somehow even tighter playing, but without losing any of the aggression and speed, this is as good as death/thrash metal gets.  Featuring 11 tracks total and amazing, detailed artwork by Paolo Girardi (Craven Idol, Power Trip, Blasphemophagher, and others), Experiment Of Existence is a likely best-of-2016 album for anyone who loves thrash that is old school but not ‘Retro’ in quotation marks and capital letters, and anyone who loves thrash that skirts as close as possible to the edge of death.”

Tracklisting:

“Magnetic Solar Storms”
“Anthropophagic Life”
“Experiment Of Existence”
“Anatomy Of The Galaxies”
“Stellar Evolution”
“The Alpha Orionis”
“Rotten Dreams”
“Chromatic Fantasy”
“Neuronal Unity”
“Spherical Energy”
“Humanity Was Wrong”

“Neuronal Unity”:



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The World They Took Over, the new full-length by Icelandic progressive extreme metal band Show Me Wolves will be available through London-based Merdumgiriz Records on January 16th, 2016.
 
A press release states: “Eight songs of technical swirling and heaviness divide the 38-minute album. The violent throaty vocals are creating trees upon the mountains of technical guitars and thick drums. The music is an extreme progressive metal art that is totally a thing on its own. It is seamlessly connecting many styles of extreme art into a dissonant dance of strings. There is a good deal of emotions explored throughout the album of varying ideas and tools, but with more anger than before. The synths are an addition to the project that fits its ethereal music perfectly. The production is very clean yet super strong which makes for a very strong experience. This is a very innovative album that is a well worthy addition to the madness of Merdumgiriz releases. It is worth mentioning the strong and unique character of the person making this album that far surpasses the so called ‘dark’ musicians.”
 
Show Me Wolves is a solo project that was created in this past February by Hörður Lúðvíksson, currently located in Reykjavík/Iceland. Hörður have been involved in the Icelandic underground music scene in bands like Offerings, Provoke and is currently a guitarist for the hardcore/grindcore band Grit Teeth. The band Show Me Wolves does not think much about following a specific music genre but tries to stay within the black/death/progmetal scene.
 
As with all his work on Merdumgiriz Records, Emir Toğrul's grand vision, each copy of The World They Took Over CD, Tape, t-shirt and patch will be made by hand in the artisanal style.

Tracklisting:

“Birth (Intro)”
“Tabula Rasa”
“Mother”
“Exit The Realm Of The Living”
“Transparent Figures”
“Gates In The Shadow”
“Downfall”
“The World They Took Over”

“Tabula Rasa”:



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Veteran New York heavy metal power trio The Rods have re-recorded the song "Crank It Up" which originally appeared on their 1981 self-titled album, as part of the album's upcoming 35th Anniversary celebration.

The re-recorded song is available for purchase via iTunes, CDBaby or the Amazon widget below.

Guitarist David "Rock" Feinstein has checked in with the following comment:

"‘CRANK IT UP’, what more is there to say? It's kind of been our ‘motto’ since day one. 35 years later, we are still slamming our audiences with great powerful music. It's amazing to see all the different generations singing along to this classic Rods ‘Anthem’. Call it ‘rock ‘n’ roll’, or call it ‘heavy metal’, it's meant to be played loud with a passion, and that’s what we have done for 35 years.

Drummer / producer Carl Canedy has checked in with the following comment:

“We felt re-recording our very first single, ‘Crank it Up’, would be a fitting way to commemorate our 35 years together. Originally we'd pressed a few hundred 45's and sent them off to radio stations and record companies without much hope of getting any response. I'll never forget how thrilled I was when I contacted the DJ at a Rochester, NY radio station, asking if he'd received our song and what he thought of it. His response was, ‘Yeah, we received it, and Crank it Up sounds great on air!’ I was floored. It was the first time we'd received any recognition for our music. 35 years later I still love playing the song and the fans still seem to love hearing it.”

Bassist Garry Bordonaro commented:

“Re-recording The Rods most recognized early release seemed like an obvious way to celebrate having survived 35 years, almost a miracle! We wanted to show that we still have the same energy and dedication to our fans we had in the beginning. They deserve it after the faith they have shown in us!”

The Rods early years saw them open up for Judas Priest, Motorhead, Krokus, Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Foghat, as well as playing alonside Virgin Steele, Exciter, Def Leppard, a rising new band called Metallica and tapped by Iron Maiden to open up their legendary The Number Of The Beast UK tour.

(Photo by: Eric Phillipe)



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