"Scapegoat", the new video from FARMIKOS, the Los Angeles-based band featuring former OZZY OSBOURNE and DAVID LEE ROTH guitarist Joe Holmes and vocalist Robbie Locke, can be seen below. The song features Locke on vocals and Holmes on guitar, with guest appearances by current drummer Ken Schalk (CANDIRIA) and bassist Pancho Tomaselli (PHILM, WAR).

The "Scapegoat" clip was filmed at The Mouse House Studio by Terry Moews, edited by Michael Weissman and produced by Rich Mouser, who has lent his talents to recordings by FLYING COLORS, WEEZER, DREAM THEATER and TRANSATLANTIC. Mouser also handled the engineering, mixing and mastering of FARMIKOS's debut album at The Mouse House Studios.

"Scapegoat" appears on the band's debut album, "Farmikos", which was released this year to critical acclaim. The disc features ten original songs written by Holmes and Locke, with writing contributions on eight songs by Brent Hoffort.

The audio track for the "Scapegoat" video features former Holmes's OZZY OSBOURNE bandmate Robert Trujillo (now in METALLICA) on bass and Brooks Wackerman (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ex-BAD RELIGION) on drums.

Says Mouser: "In making the album, we always tried to keep the sounds raw and organic, recording to analog tape and using natural room reverb for the drums. We rode the line between classic and modern."

"Farmikos" track listing:

01. Scapegoat02. Am I One03. Kings Of Dust04. The Spoon And Sun05. Fragile06. The Sound Of My Gun07. Ascension08. I Was Them09. Exit Stencils10. Facing East

The individual tracks and entire album are available as a digital download and on compact disc formats through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and CD Baby.

FARMIKOS is Joe Holmes's first venture under his own flag since first attaining local notoriety with TERRIFF, an L.A. band he formed after taking guitar lessons as a teenager from none other than original Ozzy axeman Randy Rhoads. Holmes eventually went on to replace ALS-stricken Jason Becker on the 1991 David Lee Roth "A Lil' Ain't Enough" world tour.

In 1995, Holmes was brought to the attention of Ozzy Osbourne who was looking for a new guitarist to take over Zakk Wylde's spot for the "Ozzmosis" album touring cycle. Holmes would go on to co-write three songs, "Facing Hell", "Junkie" and "That I Never Had", which appeared on Ozzy's 2001 album, "Down To Earth".

Holmes began collaborating and creating material with Brent Hoffort and then joined forces with vocalist and Arkansas native Robbie Locke in 2011 to put together ideas for what would become FARMIKOS.

Says Holmes: "I really wanted to do my own thing and once Robbie came into the picture things really started to fall into place. It's taken us a bit longer than anticipated to get to this point but we're proud to finally present FARMIKOS to the world."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH held a moment of silence and played "The Bleeding" in tribute to the victims of the November 13 Paris terror attacks during their concert on November 17 at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH canceled a show in Milan, Italy on November 22 amidst rumors that the Islamic State (ISIS) was planning to attack the show as part of a series of multiple attacks spread across several countries.

The hacktivist group Anonymous claimed to have uncovered plots by ISIS for several terrorist attacks to occur on Sunday, including at a pro wrestling event in Atlanta and other locations in Paris, Rome, Lebanon and Indonesia, in addition to the concert in Milan.

The rumors of the attacks came a week after a deadly terrorist attack at seven locations in Paris, including an EAGLES OF DEATH METAL concert where 89 people were killed.

The hacktivists said the information about the fresh attacks was received from "several pro-(ISIS) accounts."

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

"In Metal We Trust", a brand new song from German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The song is taken from the band's new studio album, "Rulebreaker", which will be released on January 29, 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl. The effort will be made available in CD, deluxe CD/DVD and — in collaboration with Soulfood Music in Germany — on vinyl and a special super-limited vinyl edition featuring an eagle head on the vinyl.

"Rulebreaker" combines the strongest PRIMAL FEAR moments ever, with a well-balanced typical PRIMAL FEAR trademark riff vibe, crushing songs and some very ambitious musical journeys.

PRIMAL FEAR recently parted ways with Brazilian drummer Aquiles Priester (HANGAR, ANGRA) and replaced him with Francesco Jovino (U.D.O.). In addition, founding PRIMAL FEAR guitarist Tom Naumann — who has been touring with the group for the past couple of years years — has now officially rejoined the band as a full member. Singer Ralf Scheepers says: "We have so much energy, fantastic melodies and a hell of a drum groove on each and every song. There is no doubt that the fans will love it as much as I do! And again we have achieved to combine bombastic and atmospheric orchestral sounds with soaring heavy metal riffs and licks, together with ear-splitting screams and also emotional sequences. We have kept the promise of being a heavy metal band with all the trademarks for which people love PRIMAL FEAR." After the massive "Delivering The Black" world tour, PRIMAL FEAR started the songwriting in spring 2015 and recorded at Hansen Studios in Denmark, with producer/bassist Mat Sinner and engineer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, PRETTY MAIDS, AMARANTHE). Mat Sinner adds: "We learned a lot during the 'Delivering The Black' sessions and the following world tour. We tried to put this know-how and all the positive energy into the songs and production of 'Rulebreaker'. Working the second time with Jacob Hansen and even recording in his studio, gave another dimension to our sound, plus the recording comeback of founding member Tom Naumann was the right move." Classic and ultra-fresh PRIMAL FEAR have created riff-rockers like the album opener "Angels Of Mercy", and groove monsters "The End Is Near" and "Bullets And Tears", which hit the bulls-eye from the beginning. The album features another untamed speed killer "In Metal We Trust" and the metal anthem and title track "Rulebreaker". The melodic and unique ballad "The Sky Is Burning" shows a different side of PRIMAL FEAR with a new vibe and a monster chorus. And of course, PRIMAL FEAR included again an 11-minute plus prog metal tour de force entitled "We Walk Without Fear", spiced with big orchestral arrangements and complex sound designs. "Rulebreaker" track listing:

01. Angels Of Mercy02. The End Is Near03. Bullets & Tears04. Rulebreaker05. In Metal We Trust06. We Walk Without Fear07. At War With The World08. The Devil In Me09. Constant Heart10. The Sky Is Burning11. Raving Mad12. Final Call (bonus track; deluxe edition only)11. Don't Say You've Never Been Warned (bonus track; deluxe edition only) DVD (deluxe edition only):

* The End Is Near (video clip)* Angels Of Mercy (video clip)* Making Of "Rulebreaker" PRIMAL FEAR is:

Ralf Scheepers - VocalsAlex Beyrodt - GuitarMagnus Karlsson – Guitar, KeyboardsTom Naumann - GuitarFrancesco Jovino - DrumsMat Sinner - Bass, Vocals

Band photo by Alex Kuehr Photography

Back in 1997, NASUM members Anders Jakobson and Mieszko Talarczyk had a short-lived death metal project called BLOODSHED. They recorded a three-song demo titled "Salvation By Bloodshed", but it was never released properly. The demo tape was only handed out to a handful of people. Now, 18 years later, this lost recording is being released as a vinyl single by Swedish label Bone Records. Remastered by Dan Swanö, the pressing is limited to 500 copies and is being made available on red (100 copies) and black vinyl (400 copies).

Listen to opening track, "Carnal Revelation", using the SoundCloud widget below.

For orders, send an e-mail to: [email protected]
/* */

NASUM was hit hard by the passing of guitarist and co-founder Mieszko Talarczyk in the 2004 Asian tsunami, but embarked on a farewell tour in 2012 to mark the band's 20th anniversary and close the book on the influential act.

"Lost In America", the new video from German power metallers HELLOWEEN, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's 15th studio album, "My God-Given Right", which was released on May 29 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded between October 2014 and February 2015 at the band's MiSueno Studio on the isle of Tenerife with producer Charlie Bauerfeind (GOTTHARD, HAMMERFALL).

HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris told The Rockpit about "Lost In America": [It] is a true story. Whenever I listen to the song, I go, 'Oh yeah, I remember. Bastards!' Because they closed the airport in Belize in South America and we were left stranded with thousands of passengers and all the flights were cancelled... you can't imagine! Imagine this happening in our western world in Australia or Frankfurt, Germany and people would probably start a revolution and tear down the whole fucking airport! I mean, just imagine if someone says, 'Okay, we're closing the airport now. Fuck off! If you have a ticket or not, we don't fucking care.' It was unbelievable. We were stranded there for 17 hours, and if that wasn't enough, when we were finally on the plane from Belize to Sao Paulo, after two and a half hours airborne and nobody thought there was anything strange, but suddenly the captain announced, 'Ladies and gentlemen, captain speaking. As you may have realized, the plane is flying very low, we should be higher.' And it was true, you could easily count the cows down there, so after two and a half hours, you should be somewhere like 10,000 metres, and the captain said, 'The gauges are not working correctly, something is very strange here and as soon as it's daylight, we definitely would like to fly back by view if possible.' And, yeah, [laughs] everybody was scared to death, and like, 'Wow, what's going on there.' So he turned the plane and by view, actually followed the river back to Belize. [It was] so unbelievable. You can imagine a rock and roll/metal band on the plane, again drunk. [laughs] We were already completely pissed at the airport because waiting 17 hours. You cannot tell a metal band to stop drinking. [laughs] Then again on the plane, the guy announcing, his original words were: 'The guages are not working correctly. We are somehow a little bit lost here in America. [laughs] So I thought, 'Okay, I have to write a song about it.'"

The "My God-Given Right" artwork was once again created by graphic guru Martin Häusler (BON JOVI, QUEEN, GOTTHARD) and is also available as a 3D lenticular print.

HELLOWEEN will return to North America to play select shows in February and March 2016.

Finnish gothic metallers THE 69 EYES are working on their eleventh album, "Universal Monsters", with producer Johnny Lee Michaels at his Helsinki-based Bat Cave Studios for an April 2016 release through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD's first single and video, "Jet Fighter Plane", will be released on January 15, 2016. The accompanying music video was directed by Ville Juurikkala, who has previously worked with NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS and MICHAEL MONROE. A teaser for "Jet Fighter Plane" is available below. "The song has a dark early '80s kind of vibe," says THE 69 EYES vocalist Jyrki. "I wrote the lyrics with those Cold War-era times in my mind. Strangely, the world has totally returned into those dark days again after recording the song."

He continues: "It's been some 15 years since we recorded the 'Blessed Be' and 'Paris Kills' albums with producer Johnny Lee Michaels here in Helsinki. You can consider 'Universal Monsters' as a follow-up to those records. Nobody makes this kind of music anymore."

THE 69 EYES released a compilation album, "The Best Of Helsinki Vampires", on November 1, 2013 . The collection included a brand new song, "Lost Without Love", written by Jyrki69 and dealing with situations he and the band's drummer, Jussi69, have both gone through.

THE 69 EYES released a digital EP, "Love Runs Away", via iTunes on February 1, 2013. The effort included two previously unreleased bonus songs, "Rosary Blue" and "Dracula's Castle".

"Love Runs Away" was the third single and opening track of THE 69 EYES' latest album, "X", which came out in September 2012.

Devin Townsend was recently featured in Toontrack's Devin Townsend Challenge, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at Townsend at work making new music. Fans that missed the live broadcast can now watch the entire four hour clip below, but a segment sowcasing a new song  entitled "Stars" that Townsend recorded in under two hours has been isolated and can now be viewed separately. Check it out below.

The broadcast originally aired on November 19th at 8:00pm EST.

The clip below features a remixed version of "By Your Command" by Devin Townsend - taken from the new Devin Townsend Project album Z² - using his personally designed guitar tones from the Metal Guitar Gods EZmix Pack for EZmix 2, EZdrummer 2 and the Made of Metal EZX. Devin retracked his guitars and recorded them direct in (DI).

Earlier this year, Devin Townsend Project played an incredible sold-out show at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall, bringing the story of Ziltoid to life on stage, as well as playing tracks from across his back catalogue. This larger-than-life evening was captured on film and was released on November 13th in Europe via Inside Out Music.

Townsend posted the following message on Facebook to coincide with the European release:

“Finally, after a ton of work from all involved, we see the release of the Ziltoid at the Royal Albert Hall show! It was a milestone for me, and an experience none of us will soon forget. I hope you can in some way join the experience with us vicariously by watching it...enjoy, and as always: thank you for the opportunity to do this.”

Live At The Royal Albert Hall will hit North America on November 27th. Check out “Deadhead” from the upcoming release:

Shot on 15 high-definition cameras, it was directed by Paul M Green (Devin Townsend, Opeth, BB King, Steve Hackett) and features special guests such as Dominique Lenore Persi (Stolen Babies), Chris Jericho (Fozzy) and Jean Savoie, with video narration by Bill Courage, as well as 12 singers and actors as cast and choir.

Townsend states: “The show at The Royal Albert Hall was a great experience. To be able to make artistic expression rooted in creativity and then to be able to articulate it in these sorts of ways - at this sort of venue- was pretty awesome. The whole thing was quite a challenge, but ultimately it worked and we were all very satisfied with it. I completely appreciate the support that has allowed this to happen from the audience, and I thank my team and Inside Out Records for busting ass to make this DVD a reality. I think if you enjoy what I do, you'll really dig it. Thank you so much for the opportunity!”

The release will arrive on several formats including an artbook of 44 pages including the entire concert as well as extensive behind-the-scenes bonus footage and a full documentary, pressed on 3 CDs, 2 DVDs and a Blu Ray Disc, as Special Edition Digipak with 3 CDs and a DVD and as BluRay including the entire show and bonus material.

"March Of The Poozers" :





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On November 8th, Michael Schenker's Temple Of Rock performed at Le Bikini in Toulouse, France, offering up material from the guitar legend's extensive catalogue of UFO, Scorpions, MSG and Temple Of Rock material. Check out the fan-filmed video below.

The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Doctor Doctor" (UFO)
"Live and Let Live"
"Lights Out" (UFO)
"Where the Wild Winds Blow"
"Natural Thing" (UFO)
"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"
"Victim of Illusion" (Michael Schenker Group)
"Lovedrive" (Scorpions)
"Coast to Coast" (Scorpions )
"Vigilante Man"
"Saviour Machine"
"Too Hot to Handle" (UFO)
"Lord of the Lost and Lonely"
"Rock You Like a Hurricane" (Scorpions)
"Rock Bottom" (UFO)

Encore:
"Attack of the Mad Axeman" (Michael Schenker Group)
"Communion"
"Blackout" (Scorpions)

Temple Of Rock’s tour schedule can be found at this location.

In a new interview with MetalShockFinland, Michael Schenker discussed his band Temple Of Rock, and their future plans.

By around March it’ll be the end of our Spirit On A Mission World Tour, then we’ll be getting down to business and recording our third Temple Of Rock album and the release is planned for early 2017. We have also planned something very special for the UK tour, but it’s not confirmed yet.”

Listen to the audio interview at MetalShockFinland.

(Thanks: Metal Den)


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Leaves' Eyes vocalist Liv Kristine has launched a video trailer for her upcoming European tour. Check it out below:

Earlier this year Liv announced her annual European solo shows would feature former Theatre Of Tragedy bandmate Raymond Rohonyi as a special guest. She has checked in with the following update:

Liv Kristine: "Russia, Poland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, England - are you ready? I am very happy to play these very special solo gigs on behalf of world-wide fans' requests. It will be a highly atmospheric and unique live experience with a number of surprises - also Raymond/Theatre of Tragedy will be my special guest for the evening. Of course we will be happy to meet and greet you all at the merch for signings and pics. This tour will be magic!"

Raymond Rohonyi: "Excellent to be back on stage with Liv. A killer setlist is awaiting you, moreover, a special show with lots of fine memories! See you all in December!"

Liv Kristine: "Due to a lot of feedback from our wonderful fans we have decided to add a few changes to our setlist."

The updated setlist is now as follows:

"Vervain"
"Commute"
"Image"
"Siren"
"Venus"
"My Wilderness"
"Panic"
"A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal"
"Der Tanz der Schatten"
"Black as the Devil Painteth"
"On whom the Moon Doth Shine"
"Machine"
"Paris Paris"
"Let You Down"
"Cassandra"
"Love Decay"

The tour schedule is now as follows:

December
10 - Yaroslavl, Russia - Gorka Club
11 - St. Petersburg, Russia - Phoenix Club
12 - Moscow, Russia - Volta Club
13 - Samara, Russia - Zvezda
14 - Warszawa, Poland - Progresja Music Zone
15 - Nürnberg, Germany - Hirsch
16 - Amstelveen, Netherlands - P60
17 - Weert, Netherlands - Bosuil
18 - Nagold, Germany - Alte Seminarturnhalle
19 - Roeselare, Belgium - De Verlichte Geest
20 - London, UK - Underworld

Tickets are available at this location.



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The release of Find Me's new album, entitled Dark Angel, is scheduled for December 4th in Europe and North America. The album track “Midnight Memories” is now streaming below.

Find Me is a collaboration between Swedish musician, songwriter and producer Daniel Flores (Issa, The Murder of My Sweet, Seventh Wonder) and singer Robbie LaBlanc from Blanc Faces. The partnership was put together by Serafino Perugino with a vision to unleash another AOR behemoth. Find Me’s debut album, Wings Of Love received excellent reviews and left fans begging for more music from the duo. No demands could have been easier to fulfill as the two guys just love working together and finding the right songs for the group from contributors the likes of Alessandro Del Vecchio, brothers Tom and James Martin (Vega, Issa), Soren Kronqvist (Sunstorm), Niclas Olsson (Alyson Avenue) or Philip Lindstrand (Strong) is never a problem.

“Serafino of Frontiers and I searched for new songs and fresh ideas from writers from all over the world”, tells drummer and producer Daniel Flores. “I personally was searching for a musical challenge and Serafino with his golden ears is always looking for the next big song. It’s the combination of the two mentalities, with Robbie’s ability to sing and work on melodies that made this album what it is.”

According to Robbie LaBlanc: “Daniel really understands how to create an awesome AOR record. He allows me some flexibility in the melodies and is a pleasure to work with and a true pro.”

The result is once again a delightful and massive melodic rock record, chock full of mighty anthemic AOR songs with Robbie’s soaring lead vocals and amazing performances from Daniel Flores and guitarist Philip Lindstrand! Sonically, this powerhouse album sits in between the classic sound of Journey and Giant and newcomers like W.E.T and Eclipse.

“To be honest, in the first album, all involved tried to find the right combination of all the elements we love in AOR music” adds Daniel. “Now we feel more confident on what people will like. Productionwise everything just came naturally in place in this recording. Also Robbie sings even better than on last record and that's no small accomplishment really.”

“I feel I connected with these songs really nicely” adds Robbie. “It's funny of all the demos I received from Daniel I think we only changed one key. It's like they were written right for me!”

“I hope we get to give the AOR fans the same feelings they got when they discovered this music for the first time,” concludes Daniel, “We try to remind people of how the old records where done in this style, with the same mentality and complete devotion but with the cutting edge sound and quality engineering that technology has brought to date. Also, we hope to have chances to play for the fans live next year.”

Tracklisting:

“Nowhere To Hide”
“Let Love Rule”
“Forever”
“Another Day”
“Dark Angel”
“Bleed In The Rain”
“Face To Face”
“Where Do I Go”
“Midnight Memories”
“Don't Slip Away From Me”
“Did You Feel Any Love”
“I'm Free”

“Let Love Rule”:

“Nowhere To Hide” lyric video:

Trailer:

Find Me is:

Robbie Lablanc - Lead and background vocals
Philip Lindstrand - Rhythm and lead Guitars, Bass
Sören Kronqvist - Keyboards
Daniel Flores - Drums and Keyboards

Additional musicians:

Angelica Rylin - Vocals on "Another day"
Christopher Vetter - Lead guitars and Clean Guitars

Backing vocals: Robert Lablanc, Philip Lidstrand, Thomas Vikström, Angelica Rylin, Redas Jefisovas and Daniel Flores.



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Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore will perform RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE material at what will probably be four shows next year in Europe. The U.K. concert will take place on Saturday, June 25 at the Genting Arena in Birmingham. The performance will be Blackmore's first U.K. rock show in over 20 years. The two concerts in Germany will take place at the Monsters Of Rock festival on Friday, June 17, 2016 at Freilichtbühne in Loreley and on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at Festplatz am Viadukt in Bietigheim-Bissingen.

Blackmore will be joined by LORDS OF BLACK singer Ronnie Romero, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT).

The first photo of the new RAINBOW lineup can be seen below.

Blackmore recently told Billboard.com about his plans to revisit RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE classics: "I'm now 70, so I just felt like playing some rock 'n' roll for a few days. We're going to do four or five dates" — most likely in England, Germany and Sweden — "of just playing the old rock stuff, PURPLE stuff and RAINBOW. I'm doing it for the fans, for nostalgia, and the singer I found is very exciting; he's a cross between [Ronnie James] Dio meets Freddie Mercury. So this will mean exposing a new singer to the masses, and I'm sure he'll become pretty famous because of his voice."

Blackmore plans to film and record the performances for future release.

Blackmore quit rock and roll in 1997 to form a medieval folk band called BLACKMORE'S NIGHT with then-girlfriend and now-wife Candice Night. Since then, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT has released nine studio albums, with a new CD, "All Our Yesterdays", having arrived on September 18.

Over the past few months, RAINBOW has been the frequent subject of reunion rumors, with singer Joe Lynn Turner — who fronted RAINBOW from 1980 until 1984 and was a member of PURPLE from 1989 until 1992 — repeatedly claiming that Ritchie was "intching" to play rock music and insisting that he was in talks with the guitarist about a renewed collaboration.

Scandinavian black metallers Nordjevel are streamig a brand new track from their upcoming debut full-length album, to be released via Osmose Productions on the January 29th. The track, “Djevelen I Nord", features guest vocals from Troll’s Nagash, has been debuted as a lyric video below:

Titled Nordjevel, the nine-track album will be released in digipack and digital editions which will be followed by a vinyl version on a date as yet to be announced. Aside from a bonus track which it shares with the digipack version, the vinyl version will, unusually, be completely remastered, giving it a totally different sound from the digipack and digital editions.

Re-amped, mixed and mastered by Patric Darkhyrys G at the WSL Studios in France, Nordjevel features guest appearances by Troll’s Nagash and 1349's Archaon. Paintings and design layout for the album is by Khaos Diktator Design.

Nordjevel tracklisting:

“The Shadows Of Morbid Hunger” (featuring Nagash on guest vocals)
“Sing For Devastation”
“Djevelen I Nord”
“The Funeral Smell”
“Denne Tidløse Krigsdom”
“Blood Horns”
“Det Ror Og Ror”
“Når Noen Andre Dør...”
“Norges Sorte Himmel” (featuring guitar solo by Archaon and guest vocals by Nagash)
“Raining Blood” (Slayer Cover) - Bonus Track for Digipack and Vinyl editions

Nordjevel, which translated means "Northern Devil", was founded by frontman Doedsadmiral and guitarist Nord earlier this year. The Norwegian duo was quickly joined by Sweden's Fredrik Widigs on drums. The band's arrival on the scene immediately elicited a large amount of interest not just from fans, but also from labels who were keen to add a band with such a formidable lineup to their rosters.

 
Nordjevel recently debuted the track "Denne Tidløse Krigsdom”. The official video can be seen below:

It was recently announced that bassist DezeptiCunt (Ragnarok) had joined the band, and that rehearsals were under way to take the band live.  Commenting on the completed lineup, frontman Doedsadmiral had this to say: "Nordjevel now has an experienced team of musicians who are all committed to the band and who are able to bring their respective musical attributes together to form the distinctive Nordjevel sound. We are all very much looking forward to playing live, and whilst Fredrik obviously won't be able to join us for every show because of his commitments to Marduk, we have an excellent live session drummer already on board, who will be able to fill in whenever needed, and he is also rehearsing with us regularly, so that we are all stage-ready.”   



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Norwegian orchestral black metal band, Images At Twilight, have released their debut album, titled Kings, via Indie Recordings. The album is available for purchase and streaming at this location.

The album Kings is based on an epic story, lifted with grandios music fit for fantasy battle scenes. Images At Twilight resides in an orchestral soundscape between venomous black metal and ethereal grandeur.

Tracklisting:

“Lograttin Part I (The Saga Of The Ancient Warlords Chapter III)”
“Ninhagaz (The End Of An Era Chapter I)”
“Lograttin Part II (The Saga Of The Ancient Warlords Chapter IV)”
“Created To Destroy (The Saga Of The Ancient Warlords Chapter V)”
“Awazor (The Saga Of The Ancient Warlords Chapter I)”
“Kaizanbar (The End Of An Era Chapter II)”
“Zatholach (The Saga Of The Ancient Warlords Chapter II)”
“Awakening Of The Stars (The End Of An Era Chapter III)”

The brainchild of André Aaslie (Abyssic, Gromth, Profane Burial), Images At Twilight was conceived in the summer of 2011. He later recruited ex-members of bands such as Blood Red Throne and In Vain. The band is now complete and ready to bring you back to a time before the creation of man. Their symphonic black-metal ruthlessly forces the listener back to the ages of when extra-terrestrials ruled the earth!

 



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Publicist UK have released a music video for “Cowards”, created by the band's own guitarist David Obuchowski. The track is taken from the band's debut album, Forgive Yourself, out now via Relapse Records.

Originally conceived as a long-distance experiment, Publicist UK quickly and effortlessly became a fully functioning band. Featuring Dave Witte (Municipal Waste, ex-Burnt by the Sun, Discordance Axis, Melt-Banana), Zachary Lipez (ex-Freshkills), Brett Bamberger (Revocation, ex-East of the Wall), and David Obuchowski (Goes Cube, Distant Correspondent), many expected speedy, aggressive metal. Instead, the band defied expectations with Forgive Yourself by creating nine rousing songs that are as moody and melodic as they are heavy and driving. After writing and rough-recording songs from the band members’ respective homes in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Colorado during its early days, Publicist UK released two demos. Shortly thereafter, the band signed to Relapse Records and recorded its full-length in New Hampshire at The Wild Arctic Studio with producer Dean Baltulonis.  

Obuchowski commented "We went into the studio full of inspiration and energy, intent on getting straight to work---no experimenting, no messing around,” said guitarist David Obuchowski. “Dean had the same mindset, and the album was recorded at a breakneck pace and completed in a matter of days. We feel like Dean captured not only the atmosphere and mood but that urgency too."

Tracklisting:

“Cowards”
“Slow Dancing To This Bitter Earth”
“Levitate The Pentagon”
“Blood Relative”
“I Wish You’d Never Gone To School”
“Canary”
“Telegraphing”
“You Are The Stars”
“Away”

“Away” video:

“Levitate The Pentagon”:

 



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The latest FEAR FACTORY tour webisode, featuring footage from the band's concerts in Eindhoven, Aschaffenburg and Munich during their current European headlining tour, can be seen below.

FEAR FACTORY was involved in a bus crash on November 25 while en route to the show in Munich. FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares stated shortly after the accident: "Everyone is okay, just a little shaken up. It doesn't help when it's 4:30 a.m. and snowing outside!"

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

In a 2012 interview with Lithium Magazine, FEAR FACTORY singer Burton C. Bell stated about the hardships of touring: "Some people are just not cut out for that kind of lifestyle, and some are. It really comes down to the individual and the real drive that they have to pursue their dream of music. If you're going to pursue music, you've got to go all the way, you can't do it half-assed. You have to give it your all, and touring is a big part of that — live shows in front of people all over the world. That's what we do and if it's not in you, you're not going to last."

FOX411 called Europe singer Joey Tempest  during a tour stop in Munich, Germany to discuss how the band got its name, why “The Final Countdown” continues to connect with so many people, and what they might do if they got to play in space. An excerpt follows:

FOX411: What was the very first record that you got into as a kid, growing up in Sweden?

Tempest: “I’m pretty sure it was “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, the single (released in 1969). We had to travel 20-30 minutes on a train just to get to a good record store. I remember my friends talking about it, and when I heard it, I thought, ‘I have to get that’.”

FOX411: That song had a lot of impact on you, because it also inspired one of your biggest songs, “The Final Countdown”.

Tempest: “Yeah, it’s true. He was really fascinated with space, which fascinated me. David Bowie, talking about “floating in a tin can” — I was very taken by that. That was in my mind when I started working on the lyrics for “The Final Countdown”. I had the music first, and I played it over and over and over again, in my basement. I sang different things until I got to “the final countdown,” which fitted it really well. My thought was, the world is expanding and we’re leaving; we’re going up there in space. So the “Space Oddity” lyric really sparked that idea.”

FOX411: It’s become such a tremendously iconic song worldwide, right when it was released in 1986. It hit #1 in 25 countries at least, maybe more.

Tempest: (chuckles) “Yeah, we never really expected that, especially because it was over 6 minutes long. As a band, we thought it was an interesting song, and it would be a great opener for our show; something to capture people’s attention. We kept it as an opening track for a while, but then everybody started telling me, “You gotta switch it and put it at the end.” Then we started using it as an encore.”

Read more of the interview at FOX411.

Billboard.com recently reported that Europe’s appearance in a GEICO ad continues to pay dividends for the band, as "The Final Countdown" hit No. 1 on Billboard and Clio Music's Top Commercials Chart, powered by Shazam, for the month of October.

Using tagging data from Shazam, as well as sales and streaming information tracked by Nielsen Music, Billboard partners with Clio Music each month to present a chart ranking the top songs in commercials. Rankings exclude any song that has recently charted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

“The Final Countdown" leaps 4-1 on the October Top Commercials chart as the rock band's ad in the insurance company's "It's What You Do" campaign managed 12,000 Shazam tags, up from 11,000 last month. It rises with 28,000 in digital sales and 5.8 million US streams, up from 20,000 and 3.7 million, respectively, in September. The song spent four weeks atop Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Songs chart, sparked by its newfound attention, marking the band's first #1 on a Billboard chart. The anthem reached #8 on the Hot 100 in 1987.

Read more at Billboard.com.

Europe have revealed their plans for 2016, which include work on a brand new studio album, and some special events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their breakthrough album, The Final Countdown.

Speaking exclusively to Gigs And Festivals, singer Joey Tempest discussed planning a new release in 2017 - “we’re looking at booking some studio time in September next year” – and plans to celebrate the three-decade milestone of The Final Countdown in a suitably epic way.

Speaking about the anniversary, Tempest revealed that Europe will be playing the album in its entirety at a few select shows: “There’ll be a few shows regarding the anniversary of the The Final Countdown [in 2016]”.

Read more at Gigs And Festivals.

Europe’s place as a legendary hard rock band was platinum-stamped early in their career. Having enjoyed an explosive period of worldwide success in the ‘80s (under-pinned by their hit album and single The Final Countdown), 2015’s War Of Kings has seen them take full advantage of the global groundwork Europe have keenly re-established over the last few years.

Recently, it was decided that Europe’s momentous live appearance at Wacken 2015 should not only be filmed and recorded, but released as a DVD & BluRay. Europe’s War Of Kings Special Edition includes the original War Of Kings CD plus said Wacken 2015 DVD & BluRay, and will hit stores in North America on December 4th via Hell & Back Recordings/UDR Music.

Check out the first taste from the release - “Nothin’ To Ya” - below:

The set will come in three formats (2-disc Ecolbook CD+DVD, 2-disc Ecolbook CD+ BluRay, Limited Edition Deluxe Package with War Of Kings CD + DVD + BluRay and Photobook), and an audio-only edition of the Wacken 2015 performance will also be available via digital format.

Joey Tempest states, “Very excited to have the War Of Kings Special Edition coming out with our Wacken Festival performance as bonus disc and so great to soon be back in the USA after our very successful east coast shows earlier this year – covering a lot more States this time.. The War Of Kings tour continues!”

CD tracklisting:

“War Of Kings”
“Hole In My Pocket”
“The Second Day”
“Praise You”
“Nothin’ To Ya”
“California 405”
“Days Of Rock ‘N’ Roll”
“Children Of The Mind”
“Rainbow Bridge”
“Angels (With Broken Hearts)”
“Light It Up”
“Vasastan” (Instrumental)
    
DVD & BluRay tracklisting:

“War Of Kings”
“Hole In My Pocket”
“Superstitious”
“Scream Of Anger”
“Last Look At Eden”
“Second Day”
“Firebox”
“Sign Of The Times”
“Praise You”
“The Beast”
“Ready Or Not”
“Girl From Lebanon”
“Nothin’ To Ya”
“Let The Good Times Rock”
“Rock The Night”
“Days Of Rock ‘N’ Roll”
“The Final Countdown”

In celebration of this release, Europe is announcing the War Of Kings US Tour 2016. The tour begins in San Jose, CA on January 19th, and hits 16 cities before coming to a close in Atlanta, GA on February 6th. General on-sale begins next Friday, October 23rd at 9 AM, PT/12 PM, ET via all major ticketing sites or Europetheband.com.

Tour dates:

January
19 - San Jose, CA - Rockbar Theater
20 - Anaheim, CA - The Grove
22 - Los Angeles, CA - Saban Theater
23 - Las Vegas, NV - Hard Rock Live
24 - San Diego, CA - Music Box Theater
25 - Chandler, AZ - Wild Horse Pass Casino
27 - Lawrence, KS - The Granada Theater
28 - Sioux Falls, SD - Badlands Pawn
29 - Shawnee, OK - The Grand Events Ctr
30 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
31 - Houston, TX - House of Blues

February
2 - Fort Lauderdale, IL - Revolution
3 - St. Petersburg, FL - The Concert Courtyard - Ferg’s
4 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
5 - Biloxi, MS - Hard Rock Casino
6 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade



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Canadian production company Banger Films ("Metal: A Headbangers Journey", "Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage") will release the "Metal Evolution: Albums - Slaughter Of The Soul" documentary on December 25 via BangerTV.com. "Metal Evolution: Albums" is a sequel to Banger's successful 12-part TV series "Metal Evolution".

Says Banger Films co-founder Sam Dunn: "I'm continuing my journey into the history of metal music by delving into the most influential metal albums ever made. Not just the usual metal classics fans already know all about, but the albums that redefined the metal underground and captivated die-hard metal fans around the world. "Released in 1995, AT THE GATES' 'Slaughter Of The Soul' was one of those records. Its potent mix of Tomas Lindberg's screaming vocals, Björler/Larsson's melodic twin guitars, and Studio Fredman's soon-to-be-legendary death metal production changed the course of extreme metal forever and became an instant must-have in the metal underground. The record absolutely blew my mind and, 20 years after its release, remains one of my all-time faves. "But what's the story behind 'Slaughter Of The Soul'? "Last year, I travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden to meet with the band before a sold-out hometown gig. We talked about the making of 'Slaughter Of The Soul', the highs and lows of their early years, their break-up, reunion, and current music. We also filmed a killer live show showcasing several songs from the album. The result is 'Metal Evolution: Albums - Slaughter Of The Soul', a 30-minute documentary featuring exclusive interviews with the band, producer Fredrik Nordström and members of SHADOWS FALL and IN FLAMES, and live performance footage from the Gothenburg show.

"I'm stoked to finally release this doc and hope it gets you all excited about what's in store when we launch BangerTV as a full channel." Canadians will get the first chance to see "Metal Evolution: Albums - Slaughter Of The Soul". If your cable package includes AUX TV, tune in on December 24 at 8 p.m. EST for its broadcast premiere. Then, at midnight EST on December 25, "Metal Evolution: Albums - Slaughter Of The Soul" will be available to fans in every country to stream or download at BangerTV.com.

In a new interview with Vanyaland, King Diamond discusses, among other topics, the future of Mercyful Fate. Read an excerpt below:

Q: And what about Mercyful Fate; is there a future for the band touring again?

A: “It’s impossible to say now. Like I’ve said for many years, I wouldn’t be able to say no, because there’s always a chance — of course there is, you know? It depends on whether all the starts are aligning properly and that people would be serious enough to want it to happen, because I’m not going to do some cheap ass thing; I’m not going to soil that name — ever. Either it’s done proper, or it’s not done.”

Q: Are you surprised how influential Mercyful Fate and King Diamond have been to bands both massive and those just getting started?

A: “Yeah of course! I don’t think much about it in everyday life, you know? But when I hear it, I think a lot about it. When someone says something about it, absolutely. More and more people I run into tell me stories how they came to know and how it influenced their lives. It’s such an amazing and really good feeling. And it is surprising in some ways, but on the other hand, it is unique what we’ve done. When Sabbath first came out it was very unique at that time and it had a big influence. And the old Uriah Heep with David Byron, he is still my favorite singer of all time. We play a Uriah Heep song right before we go onstage.”

Read the full interview at Vanyaland.com

On November 13th, King Diamond played the Aztec Theater in San Antonio, TX where her performed the Abigail album in its entirety. Fan-filmed video courtesy of Jason Jude is available below.

King Diamond's complete setlist on the night was as follows:

"Welcome Home"
"Sleepless Nights"
"Eye of the Witch"
"Halloween"
"Evil" (Mercyful Fate cover)
"Melissa" (Mercyful Fate cover)
"Funeral"
"Arrival"
"A Mansion in Darkness"
"The Family Ghost"
"The 7th Day of July 1777"
"Omens"
"The Possession"
"Abigail"
"Black Horsemen"

The Abigail set is below:

 



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TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy spoke to Revolver magazine about the status of his experimental black-metal side project MRITYU, which ex-EMPEROR frontman Ihsahn will produce. He said: "MRITYU was initially intended to be a black metal band that I was never going to tell anybody I was in. I was going to make the music, and it was going to be pretty true to the '90s second wave-style-black metal — sort of like DARKTHRONE, early DIMMU BORGIR, early EMPEROR. But while MRITYU has its roots in black metal, it's become something so much more. It's not just black metal — it's anything I've ever wanted to try. Ihsahn from EMPEROR will be producing it, and he's co-written several songs with me. We'll also be recording it in Notodden, Norway, where all the EMPEROR records were done. It's just a matter of when. Ihsahn is incredibly busy and so is TRIVIUM. But he and I stay in contact and we pass things back and forth. And we have quite a few songs written and quite a few demos. It's going to be a dream come true when it happens."

Heafy previously said about his decision to launch MRITYU: "My love for black metal eventually spawned the idea of creating a side musical project based upon the same early values of Norwegian black metal: a project shrouded by anonymity — a musical venture that no one would ever know was 'me.' I think that initial idea was due to the fact that the black metal genre usually warrants some of the most elite-minded fans; the kind that… well, basically don't like anything anyone else likes — ones who even quickly turn their backs on their favorites of the black metal genre once any kind of popularity occurs. It's that close-mindedness of a small-faction of the fans that I initially wanted to try to grasp, but one day I befriended a new mentor who would help change that outlook through their musical and artistic influence."

He added: "Through [my] conversations [with Ihsahn] and the influence of his new record, the idea of the black metal 'project' I was intending to do completely took a new shape and form. No longer was I concerned what anyone would think about it — all I wanted to do was make exactly what I felt like; the principles of black metal I learned from Ihsahn all made complete sense with this attitude. Through the next few months, we would occasionally pass around more things for each other to check out, including passing back and forth the demos of MRITYU. The decision was clear — when time outside of TRIVIUM existed, Ihsahn must produce the MRITYU record."

STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand says the band has no choice but to be patient with frontman Corey Taylor, who is juggling his duties between SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR.

Taylor's touring schedule with SLIPKNOT means that STONE SOUR is effectively on hiatus until sometime next year when the band is expected to begin work on the follow-up to its last collection of original music, "House Of Gold And Bones", a double concept album which was released in two parts in 2012 and 2013.

Rand tells Music Radar: "The reality is this: Corey has obligations in SLIPKNOT. We are working on new material, but right now there's no timeline because we couldn't realistically support putting a record out."

STONE SOUR has just released a new covers EPs to follow up last April's "Meanwhile In Burbank…" "Straight Outta Burbank" features covers of songs from the BAD BRAINS, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, IRON MAIDEN and THE ROLLING STONES. Another EP, "No Sleep 'Till Burbank", which is expected next year, will focus on tunes from VAN HALEN, THE VIOLENT FEMMES, THE BUZZCOCKS, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AC/DC.

Rand tells Music Radar: "We live all over the U.S., really spread out; there's no city we all call home. So why not jam and do a few covers? We've all been influenced by different styles. For example, I really didn't know much about BAD BRAINS before this. I'm not much of a punk person, so doing that was like a whole new world to me. All in all, though, this came together pretty easy."

Taylor told The Pulse Of Radio this past summer that he had written "about eight songs" for the follow-up to "House Of Gold And Bones". He said: "I've got a bunch of new songs, bunch of new music written. Everybody in the band has stuff. So we're gonna start kind of putting that together early next year, kind of just trying to get demos together to see where we're at. And then maybe in the fall go in and start making a new album."

Taylor said in a radio interview that his new STONE SOUR material is "kind of going in a different direction than the older stuff — like a little more rock 'n' roll, a little more expanding the range again." But Taylor added that STONE SOUR won't record until he is finished with SLIPKNOT's current touring cycle, saying, "I've got SLIPKNOT until June of next year. So it's gonna be just kind of, where I can, filling in the blanks and getting everything ready for when that happens."

STONE SOUR recently named guitarist Christian Martucci as the permanent replacement for Jim Root, who was dismissed from the band in late 2013 after he decided to sit out the group's last tour in order to begin working on the new SLIPKNOT album. Martucci was recruited to play on that tour and was confirmed as a permanent member on March 18 in a Facebook post.

The situation made things awkward for Root and Taylor, but Root noted that the pair "didn't really have a lot of time to spend together" in the studio during the recording of the latest SLIPKNOT effort.

Root did not speak kindly of STONE SOUR in interviews after he was fired, saying, "Some of the guys in STONE SOUR, I think they just want to be a radio band and write strictly for radio and try to be more of a poppy rock band. And that's not really what I'm into. There's at least one guy in the band that's only concerned about money. I really have no desire to associate with people like that anymore."

Root played on all five STONE SOUR studio records to date, including 2010's "Audio Secrecy" and "House Of Gold & Bones".

The official lyric video for the song "Crawling Back To Life" from THE END, the new old-school Florida death metal trio featuring ex-DEATH/MASSACRE guitarist Rick Rozz, ex-MASSACRE drummer Mike Mazzonetto and vocalist/bassist Michael Grim, can be seen below.

THE END's debut four-song EP, "Age Of Apocalypse", will be available in January 2016. The effort is being recorded at CGM Studios in Altamonte Springs, Florida with producer/engineer Tim Vazquez.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Age Of Apocalypse02. Crawling Back To Life03. Silent Screams Of Death04. Inhale The Plague

Says THE END: "Remember when metal was exciting? The first time you heard SLAYER or DEATH? Through the years it has seemed as if metal has lost its edge. The more extreme bands get, the more it loses its value. Given, some bands can be brutal and still hold water. But most cannot. Here at THE END, we know the value of a good melody. With promise to keep it brutal at the same time. We play death metal the old school way, for in our eyes, it's the only way! Soon you will get a taste of what is to come with our first offering, 'Age Of Apocalypse'. It's dark, vicious, and hungry! We feel that it is in the spirit of the glory days of death metal, but with fresh modern feel."

Mike James Rock Show conducted an interview with singer Erlend Hjelvik of Norwegian rockers KVELERTAK during the band's current European tour with SLAYER and ANTHRAX. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about what KVELERTAK has been up to the last few months, Erlend said: "We've had some time off this year and the end of last year and we've just been working on new material and doing the occasional show here and there. But we've been working on the new album since before the summer — just been spending a lot of time on that. [We're] almost [done putting together all the tracks]. We're missing maybe, like, two songs, so we'll just get on that once we get home now."

According to Erlend, there is no concrete release date in place yet for the new KVELERTAK album, but fans who have seen some of the band's recent headlining shows might have gotten a taste of one new track which will appear on the forthcoming effort. He said: "We've been playing one new song on the 'off' shows [from the SLAYER tour], and it seems to be going over pretty well. It's just fun for us to play something new too and see how it works live. It's just cool to put something new on the table instead of playing the same stuff we've been doing for [the last couple of years]. It gives the people a reason to come out and watch us again."

KVELERTAK's follow-up to 2013's "Meir" is tentatively due before next summer.

"Meir" topped the official chart in Norway. The CD, which sold 1,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release, was issued on March 26, 2013 via Roadrunner Records. It was produced by CONVERGE's Kurt Ballou and features cover artwork by John Dyer Baizley.

KVELERTAK is Erlend Hjelvik (vocals), Vidar Landa (guitar), Bjarte Lund Rolland (guitar), Maciek Ofstad (guitars), Marvin Nygaard (bass) and Kjetil Gjermundrød (drums).

Levi of Sticks For Stones recently conducted an interview with SOILWORK singer Björn "Speed" Strid. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Asked if the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris and continued terrorist threats against France and Europe have affected SOILWORK's current European headlining tour, Strid said: "Not really. I mean, obviously, I would lie if I said that I'm not worried. But we came to the conclusion… I mean, the security so high right now in Europe… And, I mean, obviously, it's still scary, but… We feel like if we just cancel this tour, what's gonna happen next year? It might as well happen two years from now. You never know. So there's no way you can really defend yourself from it except just to keep the show running, I guess. That being said, I definitely respect people canceling as well — I do understand. I don't know… I mean, we're also on a different level. We can't really afford just canceling tours. We just came off a direct-support tour in North America to SOULFLY, and when you're the direct support, you normally don't end up with that much money to live with, so that's another factor. We need to keep going. This is our job, and we're not gonna let that affect us. As much as it scares us, we need to keep the show going."

SOILWORK's tenth studio album, "The Ride Majestic", was released worldwide on August 28 via Nuclear Blast.

Joining SOILWORK on tour in support of the effort is new bassist Markus Wibom, formerly of Helsingborg hardcore group HEARTS ALIVE. Wibom replaces longtime bandmember Ola Flink, who amicably left the group to focus on other endeavors. Wibom has been a personal friend of the band for many years and has previously toured with SOILWORK as a guitar tech and lighting designer. Wibom made his live debut with SOILWORK in Stockholm on April 30.

Dutch death metallers HAIL OF BULLETS have parted ways with vocalist Martin Van Drunen (PESTILENCE, ASPHYX).

Said the band in a statement: "We are sorry to announce that Martin Van Drunen is no longer part of HAIL OF BULLETS. On a personal level, it's no longer possible for us to continue the cooperation with Martin. Unfortunately, this means we have to cancel all upcoming shows until further notice.

"This does not mean the end of HAIL OF BULLETS.

"The main reason for starting this band eight years ago was our mutual love for real death metal and to have fun playing our favorite kind of music and we did not want to lose this 'fun' part.

"We acknowledge the fact that Martin's a good singer with a distinctive voice but he's not the only great singer on this planet. We wish him all the best in his future career.

"To be continued…"

HAIL OF BULLETS features GOREFEST drummer Ed Warby, THANATOS guitarists Stephan Gebédi and Paul Baayens and former HOUWITSER bass player Theo van Eekelen.

HAIL OF BULLETS' third album, "III: The Rommel Chronicles", was released in October 2013 via Metal Blade Records.

Tom De Smet, a music journalist from Belgium who writes for the newspapers Het Nieuwsblad and Gazet van Antwerpen and the magazine Rock Tribune, conducted an interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King shortly before the band's November 17 concert at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. Several excerpts from the chat, which was published on the Gazet van Antwerpen web site, follow below. (Original English-language quotes kindly provided to BLABBERMOUTH.NET by Tom De Smet.)

On the events of November 13 in Paris, France, when more than 129 people were killed in seven coordinated terrorist attacks, including at the Bataclan, a French music venue where EAGLES OF DEATH METAL were performing:

Kerry: "I am suprised that it took the terrorists this long to target a rock concert. Because they hate rock music. They hate our lifestyle. They hate our freedom and they hate that we enjoy ourselves. And, of course, it sucks. What happened makes everybody think twice about risking their lives to see a band play. But if you stop going to concerts or stop playing at them, you just do what the terrorists want you to do. It is very important to carry on and to do what you do, what you love doing. And, you know, I am not the kind of guy that goes through life worrying all the time. We took airplanes right after 9-11. We played shows right after Dimebag [late PANTERA guitarist] was shot. Sure, things can go wrong. But you might also step out this building here and get run over by a car. Just do what you love doing and stop worrying."

"I have written a lot of songs about the negative influence of organized religion. What happened in Paris is once again an example of that. I don't believe what ISIS — or ISIL or whatever you have to call them these days — believe, so therefore I must perish. That's the most ridiculous thing I have heard in my life. People have been killing each other for centuries because of organized religion."

On SLAYER's latest album, "Repentless", the group's first to be written and recorded without the contributions of co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died in 2013:

Kerry: "After Jeff got injured, I started writing. Because his arm was just destroyed. They thought they might have to amputate it in the beginning. So I said, 'Well, I've got to look out for SLAYER.' And I just started to make stuff up. Playing guitar five or six days a week and try to come up with new material. When the tragedy [Jeff's death] happened, I had nine songs already. The first song I wrote was 'When The Stilness Comes'. That was my test. It sounds like a Jeff song. The intro riff had been around for twenty years, I just never made a song out of it. I didn't need to, because Jeff always did stuff like that. The fact that I could finish this 'slower' song gave me the courage to continue writing."

"I have already seven songs for a new album. So I don't think the fans will have to wait another six years for a new record. Maybe [new SLAYER guitarist] Gary [Holt] will also contribute to the next record. We haven't talked about that yet."

On leaving Rick Rubin's American Recordings and signing with Nuclear Blast:

Kerry: "The deal with American ran its course. Our deal was up. They [American] made an offer that was just offensive. I wish that they rather would have said, 'We decline to make an offer.' It was that offensive. Nuclear Blast already had a deal on the table. So after the offer of American Recordings, Tom [Araya, bass/vocals] and I went to Nuclear Blast to talk with them. These guys like metal and know how to promote it. We are very happy with Nuclear Blast."

On the end of SLAYER:

Kerry: "Tom and I have an agreement: if one of us wants to stop, that will be the end of the band. He's the voice [and] I am now the only writer. We are the two remaining founding members. But I don't see the end of SLAYER happening soon. I'm 51, but I don't feel that old. When I grew up, being 50 was different than being 50 is now. I think our lifestyles are very different, I think our minds are more busy, I think we're physically more busy. I think 50 now is a far cry from when my dad was 50. I feel good, the shows are good, Tom sounds good, so until that changes, we will continue."

Rock N Reel Reviews conducted an interview with guitarist Andreas Kisser of Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA on November 18 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked if SEPULTURA has begun composing material for the follow-up to 2013's "The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart" album, Andreas said: "We started thinking about [the next album]. Of course, we have musical ideas flowing all the time. Especially nowadays [with the modern technology], it's so easy to record any idea [wherever you are]. And hopefully, if everything goes right, by the end of next year, we're gonna have something new. Let's see what happens."

According to Kisser, SEPULTURA has not yet written any complete songs for its next CD. "We're just working on early stages of demoing — just riffs and Eloy [Casagrande, drums] has some drum loops that we might [use to] start [building] something [from]," he explained. "Me and Derrick [Green, vocals] are talking about some topics — maybe songtitles and lyrics and stuff — so we start really building something. But it's still very early — [there's] not really too much to talk about."

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

SEPULTURA recently recorded a new song called "DarkSide" for the Brazilian publisher DarkSide Books. The track was "inspired by the darker side of literature."

This is not the first time a member of SEPULTURA has collaborated with DarkSide Books. Back in 2013, Kisser wrote the foreword to the BLACK SABBATH biography "Destruição Desencadeada".

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

MOTÖRHEAD has been forced to cancel the second consective concert — this time Saturday night (November 28) in Hamburg, Germany — after the band's guitarist, Phil Campbell, became ill and required hospitalization.

Earlier today, the band tweeted: "Hamburg show is off today, rescheduled to December 9 at Sporthalle. See you all there. Thank you for all the well wishes for @MotorheadPhil."

MOTÖRHEAD canceled several shows in the U.S. in September while mainman Lemmy battled health issues.

Asked in a 2012 interview if he has ever considered making a solo album, Phil responded: "Yes, I have thought about it a lot. But I shelved it a couple years ago, because I've decided that I want to write a book about all the insane things that happen on tour. So, I'm trying to compile all of those stories and funny situations. So, at this point, I'm working on that. But, I'm a bit lazy, so it's taken a while. But as far as a solo record, I do have a studio at home, it's just hard finding the time. With Motorhead, we've been working so hard, for so long."

Regarding whether there is anything that he would still like to accomplish as a member of MOTÖRHEAD, Phil said:" I've accomplished way more than I ever thought that I could when I was a young kid learning the guitar. We get great crowds every night, we've played some amazing concerts and places. It's nice that I got a Grammy Award, even if it wasn't for our own song. But we still got one, and I thought I would never have one of those on my mantle piece, along with several other awards. So, there's really nothing else that I desire to accomplish. But I think that our greatest accomplishment really is the fact that we are still going, and stronger than ever. I've been with Lemmy for [more than 30] years, so that's the main accomplishment, and we've done it with maintaining our dignity, and we still have a bit of sanity left. And people are still enjoying going to the shows. So, that's really our greatest achievement, when looking back on it. And just playing a good gig is satisfying to me, and just keeping it going."

MOTÖRHEAD's 22nd studio album, "Bad Magic", was released on August 28. The CD was recorded at NRG Studios with longtime producer Cameron Webb.

Fan-filmed video footage of AC/DC's November 27 performance at Domain Stadium in Perth, Australia can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Rock Or Bust02. Shoot To Thrill03. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be04. Back In Black05. Play Ball06. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap07. Thunderstruck08. High Voltage09. Rock 'N' Roll Train10. Hells Bells11. Baptism By Fire12. You Shook Me All Night Long13. Sin City14. Shot Down In Flames15. Have A Drink On Me16. T.N.T.17. Whole Lotta Rosie18. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

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

AC/DC's sixteenth studio album, "Rock Or Bust", has sold more than 550,000 copies since debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart back in December 2014.

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

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

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

One-time AC/DC drummer Chris Slade officially joined the band's lineup for its performance on the February 8 Grammy Awards telecast. Slade is also behind the kit for the group's current world tour.

Fan-filmed video footage of 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), performing on November 13 at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, New York can be seen 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 kicked off its North American tour on October 22 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Victor Arduini, a founding member/guitarist of FATES WARNING, has joined forces with Brian Balich, the almighty voice of ARGUS as well as the former singer of PENANCE, in a new project called ARDUINI/BALICH.

Victor began writing new music after FREEDOMS REIGN ended its 2013 promotional tour.

"I wanted to really challenge myself again with the writing process and push the boundaries of my progressive past with my current love of doom-styled metal," he explained.

"This is more of a solo effort of music, adding the incredible vocals and lyrics of Brian into the mix, which can only be described as a doom-laden progressive wall of metal.

"We were anxious to let people know of our collaboration and decided to release a song early to get some interest going. Currently all the music is recorded and we will be putting down the vocals over the next few months hoping for a spring 2016 release.

"The first release, 'Forever Fade', is a straightforward chugging and charging onslaught of power of both music and voice. "I can only describe the rest of the CD as songs that musically go in all directions, all time changes and moods," says Victor. "It contains some very dark heavy pieces of music and intricate arrangements that blend our two worlds together. It is very progressive at times and should please many hardcore fans of both of us."