Greyhaze Records has released Gore Aberration, the new album from Brazilian death metal band Pathologic Noise. The album is streaming via the Bandcamp player below:

Gore Aberration by Pathologic Noise

Pathologic Noise is pure, brutal, death metal. Started in the mid-‘90s in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the band has been a mainstay of that city's underground, death metal scene. Blood and brutality permeate the band's music and lyrics. Their new album, Gore Aberration, goes deeper into brutal death metal territory and should please fans of Brazilian and South American death metal, as well as those who are into bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Morbid Angel. The album cover was created by famed visual artist Kelson Frost, who had also created artwork for bands such as Sarcofago, Headhunter DC, and The Mist.

Tracklisting:

“Never Ending Blood’n Hate”
“Sexual Murder”
“Pathologic Metal Vision”
“Master Of Suffering”
“Bloody Deliriums”
“Lights On The Dark Sky”
“Calling With The Dead’s”
“War Lust (Queen Of Carnal Pleasure)”

Order the record at the Greyhaze Records Store.



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On November 2, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael donated his bass guitar to The Riff rock bar and café in Helsinki, Finland after playing a show in the city earlier that night to kick off of the band's European headlining tour. Video footage of Kael's appearance at The Riff can be seen below (courtesy of Kaaos TV).

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released a live performance music video for the band's new single, "Wash It All Away", which reached the Top 10 at rock radio just last week. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Got Your Six", and the clip was shot by legendary video director Wayne Isham, who has been behind the camera for videos from METALLICA, GODSMACK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, PANTERA and many other top-shelf heavy rock acts.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory said: "There is a reason why Wayne Isham is a legendary video director. I think he was the perfect choice to capture the band's live show and the energy that connects us to our fans. That energy is the reason why this band is still getting bigger and bigger. Something is simply infectious about what leads up to and what happens at our shows and we wanted to create a time capsule of that for ourselves and for the fans."

The clip was filmed at the band's recent headlining show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and showcases their highly visual stage show.

Bathory told The Pulse Of Radio that "Wash It All Away" is a perfect example of what FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH strives for with its songs. "You know that we work with a formula, but there's a formula as in what connects to people, you know," he said. "People care about songs. They care about things that they can connect to. They care about lyrically and both musically something that will touch them, move them. That's the reason for music to exist in the first place, you know, it has to be something that changes your mood. So that's always the approach, and this particular song is, I think, one of the strongest on the record."

"Got Your Six" entered the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 2, selling 119,000 copies in its first week of release. This was the band's third straight No. 2 debut, following both volumes of "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell" in 2013. "Got Your Six", however, did rack up the band's best single sales week ever, surpassing the 112,000 copies sold of "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell, Volume 1", in its first week.

Each of FIVE FINGER's previous albums has been certified gold in the U.S. for sales of 500,000 copies or more.

A trailer for RAMMSTEIN's 21st-anniversary box set — a numbered, career-wide collection titled "XXI" — is available below.

If RAMMSTEIN's music is the perfect soundtrack for building large monuments in the desert, then somewhere in the wilder world stands an imposing edifice some 21 years in the making — the length of time the six East Berliners have been collectively mining the RAMMSTEIN seam… In the course of these two decades, the band have risen to the apex of the great rock pyramid, achieving album and DVD sales in the millions, headlining major festivals and bigger venues around the world (including New York's Madison Square Garden, a show that sold out its 18,200 tickets in under 30 minutes!), and establishing themselves as peerless master showmen with an approach to their art — and "art" is the word — that is dramatic, epic in scale and capable of touching all of the senses; a dark and spectacular fairy-tale laced with controversy, don't-try-this-at-home theatrics, plus the all-consuming aroma of benzine. For RAMMSTEIN, and it's the same line-up now as at the start, it's always been a case of marching to their own beat, gleefully torching the industry rule-book… and everything else! They sing in German, they side-step those visuals typical of the rock ‘n' metal world, and they present an incendiary, everything-hotter-than-everything-else live experience the like of which hasn't been seen beneath the popular music banner… Some call it "RAMMSTEIN-esque." "XXI" not only features the six studio albums, produced by Jacob Hellner and re-mastered onto 180-gram heavyweight double vinyl by Svante Forsbäck, it also comes complete with a separate rarities double LP, "Raritäten", including a previously unreleased version of the track "Los". In terms of additional content for "Raritäten", RAMMSTEIN have taken the thoughtful approach, and there is certainly a choice selection on offer; 16 tracks taken from previous singles, "fan edition" releases and special album formats. However, it's the six studio albums that are the centre-piece here, a bona fide body of work bound together by attitude and intent. When it comes to defining precisely what RAMMSTEIN stands for, band and brand, it's the catalogue as a whole that speaks the loudest. Even the overall presentation of the anniversary box lives up to the bands longstanding reputation for quality and detail. The result is a tactile, high-end package that — as well as representing the band across the board, mirroring the scale and ambition of their music — successfully spotlights the character of the individual releases; each comes complete with gatefold sleeve, original artwork and lyrics. Four of the six albums have not been released on vinyl before: "Herzeleid", "Sehnsucht", "Reise, Reise" and "Rosenrot". With the vinyl weighing in at a full 180 grams, the sonic capacity is there to properly represent a group capable of shifting from a whisper to a roar without being slowed down by the gears in-between. From pin-drop to fusillade, from "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir" to "Rammlied", the anniversary collection is a carefully-crafted, stylish, authentic celebration of RAMMSTEIN 1995-2012, leaving the door ajar for studio album number seven…

"Raritäten" 2LP track listing: Side A

01. Feuerräder - Single: Engel (Fan Edition), 199702. Wilder Wein - Single: Engel (Fan Edition), 199703. Das Modell - Single: Das Modell, 199704. Kokain - Single: Das Modell, 1997 Side B

01. Stripped - Single: Stripped, 199802. Halleluja - Single: Links 1 2 3 4, 199803. Mein Herz Brennt (Piano Version) - Single: Mein Herz brennt, 201204. Los (Full Band Version) - Album: Reise, Reise, 2004 (Full Band Version - previously unreleased) Side C

01. Führe Mich - Album: Liebe ist für alle da, Special Edition, 200902. Donaukinder - Album: Liebe ist für alle da, Special Edition, 200903. Halt - Album: Liebe ist für alle da, Special Edition, 200904. Roter Sand (Orchester Version) - Album: Liebe ist für alle da, Special Edition, 2009 Side D

01. Liese - Album: Liebe ist für alle da, Special Edition, 200902. Mein Land - Single: Mein Land, 201103. Vergiss Uns Nicht - Single: Mein Land, 201104. Gib Mir Deine Augen - Single: Mein Herz brennt, 2012

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford wore a special costume for his band's performance of the song "Living After Midnight" Halloween night (Saturday, October 31) in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada. Check out video footage below.

Halford recently told the Q104 radio station in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada about JUDAS PRIEST's plans to record the follow-up album to 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls": "Well, you know, in rock and roll, you've gotta kind of strike while the iron is hot, and that iron has been burning hot for decades for PRIEST now. It doesn't show any sign of cooling off, I can tell you that. The cool thing about where we're at right now is, of course, having Richie [Faulkner, new PRIEST guitarist] with us and having gone through that first writing experience together [on 'Redeemer Of Souls']. We were so motivated to keep writing as we were going along, but our label had a time schedule for us to keep, so we had to put the brakes on and start recording the songs that we'd written. And with that in mind, we're raring to go again, and I'm sure there'll be another PRIEST record in the not-too-distant metal future."

Asked whether he feels that "the clock is ticking" on JUDAS PRIEST's recording and touring career, Rob said: "Yeah, the clock is ticking, [but] we’re trying to hold it back. [Laughs] But it's great, man. I've gotta tell you, this band is having the time of its life, and we're very excited to be back out on the road after a short break from our last show, in Wacken in Germany at the big heavy metal festival there in front of eighty thousand heavy metal maniacs. So we're still bringing the fire and the metal with us wherever we go."

"Redeemer Of Souls" was released in July 2014. The follow-up to 2008's double-disc concept album "Nostradamus" was billed as a return to JUDAS PRIEST's heavy-metal roots.

"Redeemer Of Souls" sold around 32,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Finland-based symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH released a strictly limited (no re-prints!), special tour edition of their current album, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", on October 30 via Nuclear Blast. The set comes with a bonus DVD containing all 21 making-of episode for the CD as well as two new, unreleased performance clips for "Yours Is An Empty Hope" and "Stargazers", along with five special clips, including documentary scenes for the songs "Planet Hell", "Last Of The Wilds", "Storytime", "Arabesque" and "Last Ride Of The Day". There will also be a huge photo gallery with more than 400 pictures, taken on the road and during the promotional period of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful".

The "Yours Is An Empty Hope" clipcan be seen below. "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" tour edition track listing: CD

01. Shudder Before The Beautiful02. Weak Fantasy03. Élan04. Yours Is An Empty Hope05. Our Decades In the Sun06. My Walden07. Endless Forms Most Beautiful08. Edema Ruh09. Alpenglow10. The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula11. The Greatest Show On Earth DVD

01. Yours Is An Empty Hope (live)*02. Stargazers (live)*03. Planet Hell (special clip)04. Last Of The Wilds (special clip)05. Storytime (special clip)06. Arabesque (special clip)07. Last Ride Of The Day (special clip)08. Making-of- The Cabin- By The Lake- Inside His Head- Summer Camp- More Campers- New Hometown- Almost There- London- Mixing And Mastering- Ready!- Release Of The First Single- The Theme Of The Album- The Recordings For Floor & Kai- Thoughts And Feelings- The Release- The Artwork- The Tour Rehearsals- The Tour Starts- The Second Single- The Upcoming Shows- Troy09. Élan (official video)10. Endless Forms Most Beautiful (official video)11. Photo Gallery *Previously unreleased, 5.1 Dolby digital and stereo Pre-order the "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" tour edition at this location.

NIGHTWISH has announced a 26-date headlining tour of North America for 2016, launching in Sayreville, New Jersey on February 19, hitting six Canadian cities plus Pittsburgh, Anaheim, and New Orleans, then closing out in Tampa, Florida on March 23. Support on the tour will come from Dutch symphonic metallers DELAIN.

"Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was made available on March 27 in Europe and March 31 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast.

The cover artwork for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was created by the band's longtime collaborator Toxic Angel. Famed evolutionary biologist and atheist writer/leader Richard Dawkins appears as a guest on the effort.

Longtime NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out the recording sessions for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" due to health issues. He has since been replaced by Kai Hahto (WINTERSUN, SWALLOW THE SUN, TREES OF ETERNITY).

After their triumphant come back with Boogie From Hell in 2013, Transport League from Gothenburg, Sweden is set to release Napalm Bats & Suicide Dogs November 6 via Metalville Records. 

Featuring Tony Jelencovich (vocals, guitar), Peter Hunyadi (guitar), Dennis Österdal (bass), and Mattias Starander (drums), Napalm Bats & Suicide Dogs is the band’s sixth output to date and was produced by producer Pedro Ferreira (The Darkness) with mastermind Svein Jensen spearheading the mix at Grand Recordings in Gothenburg.

Tracklisting:

“Hallelujah Vampire”
“Black Mountain”
“New Bomb War”
“Kill, Kill Faster”
“Burning Bible”
“Bag Of Bones”
“Pussy Law”
“Only For Fear”
“The Goddess And The Mad Man”
“Slowfall”
“Dark Days, Evil Ways”
“Monster Driven”

Preorders are available via the Amazon widget below.



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On October 30, Amaranthe released their digital-only compilation, titled Breaking Point – B Sides 2011-2015, and are currently on tour in North America, including Canadian stops in Montreal and Toronto this weekend. To herald the B-sides release and the tour, the band has dropped the video for the acoustic version of True, the original of which lives on 2014's Massive Addictive.

Upcoming North American dates:

November
4 - New York, - Webster Hall (Marlin Room)
5 - Stafford Springs, CT - Palace Theater
6 - Manchester, NH - Jewel Nightclub
7 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount
8 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
11 - Cleveland, OH - The Odeon
13 - Flint, MI - Machine Shop
14 - Green Bay, WI - The Sandlot Entertainment Complex
15 - Arlington Heights, IL - HOME Bar
17 - Sauget, IL - Pop's
18 - Little Rock, AR - Juanita's
19 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
20 - McAllen, TX - Cine El Rey
21 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
23 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
24 - Santa Ana, CA - The Yost Theater
25 - Scottsdale, AZ - Pub Rock
27 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
28 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
29 - San Jose, CA - Rockbar Theater



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The new Max Moore directed video for “Send Help” from The Acacia Strain is streaming below. The video finds the band in an 80s inspired bowling alley, along with 80s inspired clothing, of course, where they completely rock the place.

The track can be found on the band's most recent release, Come Witch, which was released in 2014 via Rise Records. The Acacia Strain is currently on the road with Counterparts, Fit For An Autopsy, Kublai Khan and Glass Cloud. Find their live itinerary here.



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Fan-filmed video footage of LOUDNESS's October 30 performance at Count's Vamp'd Rock Bar & Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

According to Roppongi Rocks, LOUDNESS will release a special 30th-anniversary edition of its classic "Thunder In The East" album in Japan on November 25 in several different versions featuring bonus DVDs with live footage from their 1985 U.S. tour and other things.

"It never gets old that album," LOUDNESS vocalist Minoru Niihara said. "We were listening to the demo tapes yesterday, because we are going to release a special edition of the 'Thunder' album. We will include some of the demo tapes on it and we have to choose which songs to include. When we listened to the demo tapes, we were shocked: 'This is good!' Even before recording and getting [producer] Max Norman involved, it sounds really good."

Regarding the songwriting process for "Thunder In The East", Niihara said: "We made a demo tape with 15 or 20 songs. We recorded those songs in Japan and brought the tape to Max Norman. He picked some songs from that demo tape and then he said that, 'This is not quite enough. You guys have to write another five or ten songs for me.' Eventually, we recorded twelve songs and Max Norman changed a little bit, this and that. The lyrics — that was a nightmare! I got five or six lyricists and singers to help me rewrite lyrics in English from Japanese."

LOUDNESS released its latest studio album, "The Sun Will Rise Again", in June 2014.

Last month, Salt Lake City's Visigoth delivered a full set of no frills, no gimmicks heavy metal to eager fans in Ventura, CA at the Frost And Fire Festival. For anyone that missed this epic performance, the band has launched a live video for "Iron Brotherhood" from the show.

Visigoth comments: "Frost And Fire was an absolutely incredible experience for us as both a band and as heavy metal fans. We are deeply honoured to have shared the stage with so many phenomenal bands and to have met so many die-hard heavy metal enthusiasts who were in attendance from all over the world. Thank you so much for having us out your way, Ventura. We can't wait to come back."

Visigoth released their debut, The Revenant King, earlier this year. While they pay tribute to the titans of steel that left their mark on metal history, the quintet goes above and beyond mere imitation, making their own musical mark on the genre they lovingly embrace. Purchase The Revenant King here.

On November 14th, Visigoth will appear at the Fall Of Zion Fest in their hometown of Salt Lake City. Stay tuned for more dates coming soon.

 



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Our Oceans has premiered the second song, titled “Let Me”, from their upcoming debut album. Check out the lyric video below:

Our Oceans is a new band, formed by guitarist Tymon Kruidenier (Exivious, ex-Cynic). Featuring Robin Zielhorst (Exivious, ex-Cynic) on fretless bass, Jasper Barendregt (Dodecahedron, Ulsect) on drums and Michel Nienhuis (Exivious, Dodecahedron) on additional guitars. Their music can be described as immersive, otherworldly and deeply melancholic.

The album was successfully crowd-funded and will be released November 15th.

“What If” lyric video:



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Legendary progressive-rockers Spock's Beard reveal the new lyric video for the third single from their 12th studio album, The Oblivion Particle.  The video is for the album's opening track, "Tides Of Time”, and is a classic Spock's Beard song with all the elements the band is known for.   

The Oblivion Particle is the follow-up to 2013's Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep. The album finds the band answering the needs of their creations by utilizing the considerable versatility of each member. In addition to Ted Leonard's soaring vocals and Dave Meros' distinctive bass, Alan Morse adds autoharp, banjolele, electric sitar and mandolin to his array of instruments, drummer Jimmy Keegan takes over lead vocals on "Bennett Built A Time Machine" and Ryo expands his arsenal of keyboard sounds throughout the album. In addition, virtuoso Kansas violinist David Ragsdale lends his touch to the album's majestic closer, "Disappear”.

Tracklisting:

“Tides Of Time”
“Minion”
“Hell's Not Enough”
“Bennett Built A Time Machine”
“Get Out While You Can”
“A Better Way To Fly”
“The Center Line”
“To Be Free Again”
“Disappear”
“Iron Man” (special edition bonus track)

“Bennett Built A Time Machine” lyric video:

“Minion” lyric video:

As with the previous album Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep, The Oblivion Particle was recorded at The Mouse House and produced by Rich Mouser, Alan Morse and John Boegehold, a band collaborator of many years.



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According to ITV News, the death toll from Bucharest metallers Goodbye To Gravity's nightclub fire in Romania is now 32 and could rise further, officials say. Some 130 people remain in hospital, of whom 90 are in a critical or serious condition, medical authorities said.

According to Ziarul De Iasi, guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru (pictured) were among the 32 who died.

The band's voclaist Andrei Galut is said to be in serious condition at Elias hospital with burns on 45 percent of his body and injuries from smoke inhalation. Bassist Alex Pascu is reportedly at Spitalul de Urgenţă Floreasca (Bucharest Emergency Hospital), where he underwent surgery.

Some 146 club-goers remained hospitalized across the Romanian capital Saturday morning after hundreds fled in a panic late Friday, trying to get out of the Colectiv club's only exit door from a basement in downtown Bucharest.

Witnesses told Antena 3 TV that between 300 to 400 mostly young people had been at the club, housed in a former factory, when Goodbye To Gravity's pyrotechnical show went awry when a spark on stage ignited some polystyrene decor. 



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Progressive metallers DREAM THEATER have set "The Astonishing" as the title of their thirteenth album, due in early 2016 via Roadrunner.

The band confirmed the title after promoters in Europe leaked it on a number of tour posters.

DREAM THEATER yesterday announced new tour dates for a momentous European headline run which is set to kick off February 18 at the Palladium in London, England. The winter run will see the prog-titans delivering a one-of-a-kind set in which they will be debuting "The Astonishing" live in its entirety. The unique tour is set to make stops at prestigious theaters around Europe, including Amsterdam's Carre Theater, Oslo's Konserthus, Stockholm's Cirkus, Paris's Palais des Congres and Milan's Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, with additional dates to be announced. Presale tickets for select dates will be available on Wednesday, November 4 with general onsale for all dates beginning on Friday, November 6.

DREAM THEATER has been working on the follow-up to 2013's self-titled album since January at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York. The band's guitarist, John Petrucci, told Revolver magazine: "The new album will be a further progression of the band's creative identity.

"Every time that we go into the studio, we always try to make something that's better than the last."

He continued: "Everybody in the band has this kind of attitude where we love doing what we do, we're very lucky to be able to do what we do, and we feel that the best is still to come. That's partially why we self-titled our last album, because it signified a new beginning, and the strength of the belief that we have in the future of the band."

Regarding the songwriting process for the new CD, Petrucci said: "A new album project is like a fresh and inspiring blank canvas, and I love that every couple of years you have the opportunity of reinventing, trying something new and starting from scratch. But given the history of the band, you do have to take all of that into account and consider what we've done already, what we haven't explored yet, and what will not only keep us interested and fired up, but will also keep people who listen to the band excited, as well. You really have to deliver the goods — you can't rest on your laurels, you can't get lazy."

Ex-EXODUS singer Rob Dukes has branded his former bandmates "douchebags" and has expressed his satisfaction over the fact that he "never has to talk to them again."

EXODUS in June 2014 announced the departure of Dukes and the return of his predecessor, Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Asked by Painful Pleasures if he has any new thoughts on his dismissal from EXODUS now that a year and a half has passed since his exit, Dukes said: "Fuck those douchebags. I never have to talk to them again...or their managers, and that's such a good thing. It's like I cut a cancer out of my life. "

In an interview with Australia's "Blood, Sweat And Metal" podcast, Dukes said that he had not talked to any of his former bandmates in EXODUS about his departure from the band. "I haven't spoken with anyone but [drummer] Tom [Hunting]," Rob explained. "Tom called me… He called me and said, 'We're gonna go on with a different singer. We're gonna be going with Zet.' And that was it. It was about a 20-second phone call. And that was really all I got. That's it."

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt last year defended the way the band fired Dukes, saying that "much time" was spent mulling the decision before the final move was made.

Holt — who has been pulling double duty with SLAYER for the past four and a half years — denied that EXODUS handled the dismissal of Dukes in an insensitive manner, saying "There were the calls to Rob preceding this, [so] how long should the final call be?

"20 seconds was not all this involved.

"[While I was] in Europe [with SLAYER, I] pretty much got the rundown on everything as we went through this."

He added: "Much time was spent on this."

Holt also shot down Internet speculation that the split with Dukes was motivated by financial reasons or that it was masterminded by EXODUS' new so-manager, TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy, who co-founded the management company Breaking Bands LLC. "It isn't for the money [and] Chuck did not orchestrate this," Holt said. "There were issues behind the scenes and we came to a conclusion." The guitarist, however, refused to go into the details of EXODUS' decision to part ways with Dukes, explaining: "All will remain internal. I see no need to air the laundry for anyone."

Holt, who previously said that the decision to fire Rob and re-hire Zetro "was the most difficult decision of our lives, one the entire band made," was once again full of praise for EXODUS' former frontman, saying: "I wish nothing but the best for Rob, [and I] have nothing but love for the man. He will be a force for a long time and I am proud of him and how he went from a dude with a pink mohawk to a vicious thrash vocalist. He is a killer singer and we have total respect for him and love the music we made together."

Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005), "The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007), "Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS' classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

Dukes has released two studio albums with his GENERATION KILL project, 2011's "Red White And Blood" and 2013's "We're All Gonna Die".

Ex-ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz has branded his former bandmates "fairytale tellers" for claiming that drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian were responsible for writing "most of the music" and all the lyrics on the group's early efforts.

Spitz, who was the lead guitarist for ANTHRAX from 1983 to 1995, and again from 2005 through 2007, was commenting on a 2014 Metal Hammer article in which ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian is quoted as saying about the band's "Among The Living" album: "The way we worked on 'Among The Living', Charlie [Benante, drums] wrote most of the music and I did the lyrics. It was the process we'd used on the first two albums, so why change it?"

In a posting on his personal Facebook page, Spitz wrote: "Again... Fairytale tellers... Play my riffs, play my harmonies, tell us all the scales I used, play one lead on any ANTHRAX song from 'Fistful Of Metal' through 'Sound Of White Noise'!! Give it a shot. Then I will on a $100 guitar.... anywhere... anytime! We are all sick of this!!! And cracking up... Get help, please. We are all praying for y'all..."

He added in the comments section below his original post: "Put up or shut up. C'mon, Ian... Now it's your challenge... Play a G phrygian dominant scale, dorian, locrian #9th with a b5th, maybe I played mixolydian b13th with a b9th??? Is the harmony to the main guitar riff a 7th? What's a 7th? ... Aeolian minor with a diatonic mnemonic mixed with a phrygian?? What song did i mix those last three scales and on what album??? Put up or shut up!!"

Spitz continued: "I'm really, really sorry this has to be. I thought this was over, as I have to move onward and leave this dirty laundry behind. As stated previously, it's all just starting to bother our ANTHRAX family now, who know the truth.

"Three producers have now made written statements (and weren't asked to). The only guitar tech ever allowed into the recording studios of almost all ANTHRAX albums made a statement (I mean, he changed MY strings on MY guitars, both acoustic and electric for all albums during the recordings and writing) and so many more who were there at writing sessions now.

"I don't want credit. That goes to GOD... Period. For without HIM above, no riffs (like the beginning of 'Armed And Dangerous') would exist."

In 2009, Spitz underwent open-heart surgery to repair a main artery in his heart that was said to be "almost completely closed."

Spitz is a born-again Christian and Messianic Jew who has frequently cited his faith as an influential component to his life.

Spitz took part in the reunion of ANTHRAX's classic lineup in 2005 and 2006 but left the band after ANTHRAX's split with singer Joey Belladonna.

In a brand new interview with The Irish Sun, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustane was full of praise for the band's latest addition, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA. He said: "A lot of times guitarists won't know how to add to something — they'll put something in there that's kind of like tits on a bull, unnecessary. Kiko came in and immediately started making some really good suggestions that we applied [to MEGADETH's new album, 'Dystopia']. When he first came in, I knew he had the ability but I didn't know if the songwriting technique and talent was going to show up this early on."

He continued: "What was great about the suggestions that Kiko made was that they weren't just guitar ones — he made a bass part in a song called 'Me Hate You' [that made it] really come along. In fact, that was one of the songs where he made a huge melodic contribution in the chorus and I said, 'Man, this sounds like something.'"

According to Dave, Kiko possesses all the elements that are required to become part of a legendary metal act like MEGADETH.

"For me — really simply stated — if you want to be a musician, that's one thing. If you want to be a rock star, that's another," Mustaine said. "But if you want to be legendary, you need to have three very important components: you need to have ability, you need to have appearance, and you need to have attitude. Without all three of those things, it's kind of like trying to have a three-legged milk stool without three legs — it's just not going to work."

He continued: "I found with Kiko, his ability was astronomical, with his attitude he was very confident in what he did — there's a difference between confidence and arrogance. In appearance, he was very classy and very subdued on the street, but up on stage he totally takes command of his performance. When he came up to Nashville to visit with me, I didn't even have him play for the majority of the day he was there. I just wanted to hang out with him and it's been a really long time since I hung out with a guitar player before I hired him. Usually I would listen to how he played and then I'd go, 'OK, we'll work it out.' I didn't want to do that again. Hanging out with Kiko, and having lunch and kicking back and talking music was all I needed — I knew he was the right guy."

In addition to Mustaine and Loureiro, MEGADETH's current lineup includes bassist David Ellefson and LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler.

MEGADETH's fifteenth studio album, "Dystopia", will be released on January 22, 2016. The follow-up to 2013's "Super Collider" was recorded earlier in the year in Nashville, Tennessee and was mixed by Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, ALL THAT REMAINS and GOJIRA.

Austria's Mulatschag recently conducted an interview with Paavo Lötjönen and Perttu Kivilaakso of Finnish cello rockers APOCALYPTICA. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about joining METALLICA on stage at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of the band's 30th anniversary in December 2011, Perttu said: "Of course we felt very privileged being included amongst all those amazing artists. And after the thing, what we have done during our career, it has been pleasant to realize and notice that, actually, the METALLICA guys, who are the reason for us to start to do something like this, that they do respect us at least that much that they wanted us to be a part of this big celebration of their career. Of course, it was crazy. I remember that when we started to play 'One', I'm starting this song and James Hetfield is just next to me, and I'm thinking, when I was 13 years old, he was my biggest idol and now we are playing together. So it's absurd, but just natural and logical in other terms."

Added Paavo: "You know, the connection to METALLICA has been really super great all these years. We played first time as a support to them already in '96. It was actually our fifth show for a proper rock and roll audience, and we were supporting METALLICA, so it was quite crazy. And since that, we have played many times with them at same festivals and… Let me say that the connection with METALLICA is really cool and really nice."

Continued Perttu: "We just were [on tour] this spring [in the U.S.] and Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] came to watch our show in San Francisco. And yeah, usually we try to hang out whenever it's possible."

APOCALYPTICA's new album, "Shadowmaker", was released on April 21 via Eleven Seven Music Group's Better Noise imprint. The Finnish musicians — accompanied by their American lead singer Franky Perez — recorded the CD with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES, MASTODON).

Slash (GUNS 'N ROSES), Lemmy Kilmister (MOTÖRHEAD), Kerry King (SLAYER), Joe Satriani, Adrian Vandenberg (WHITESNAKE), Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM) are among the musicians who have been interviewed for "Father Of Loud", a new full-length rockumentary about how the Marshall amplifier changed their sound and their perspective on rock and roll.

Jim Marshall's ascent into the history books as "the Father of Loud" and the man responsible for the "Sound of Rock" is a true rags-to-riches tale.

In 1960, Jim opened a drum shop which soon became a popular haunt for the up-and-coming rock bands of the time. "All the drummers used to bring their groups in with them, which is how I got to meet guitarists like Pete [Townsend] and Ritchie [Blackmore]," Jim recalled. "They kept pestering me to stock guitars and amps so I decided to give it a go." He quickly became aware of the fact his guitar playing customers were all searching for a sound they just couldn't get from the amps available at the time.

After five "close but no cigar" attempts, the first Marshall head was built in September 1962. Prototype six became the first Marshall and it was placed in the shop window in September 1962. It was named the JTM45 - JTM being an acronym for Jim and Terry Marshall, Terry being Jim's son. This game-changing, all-valve head produced 30 Watts of clean power. The JTM45 was an instant hit due to its aggressive but musical tone. In fact, twenty three orders were taken on the very first day it was put out.

"Father Of Loud" is currently in production for a 2016 release.

Jeff Waters, guitarist and vocalist for Canadian thrash legends Annihilator, recently spoke with the Ottawa Citizen for some hometown press. He discussed the new Wacken Open Air documentary, the band's new album Suicide Society, touring, and Annihilator's longevity. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

Q:  You’ve just released your 15th album, and you’re on tour in Europe again. How does the album compare to your previous works?

Waters: "We just did 13 shows in 14 days and are in month two of the tour, fantastic. We have been lucky enough to have been successful in Europe since 1989, so coming back here for around our 1,000th show is mind-blowing, even at my ripe old age of 49.

I never thought, as a teen mowing my parents lawn in Ottawa with my old Sony Walkman and listening to Judas Priest, that someday I would tour with them, twice, and make a life-long career out of music I love, playing around the world. To have just released our 15th studio record is pretty insane for a relatively-unknown-in-Canada Canadian band. I have some hope that we can get some support in our own country and the USA and come back home for more touring.

The new CD is another journey through musical influences I have had in my life. Lucky for us, the new CD is our biggest-selling record since 1996. Looks like I will hit 50 years old and still be rockin’."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

On October 16th, Annihilator performed in Belgrade, Serbia at Dorn Omladine in support of their new album, Suicide Society. Fan-filmed video from the show is available below.

The setlist on the night was as follows:

"King of the Kill"
"Snap"
"Suicide Society"
"Creepin' Again"
"No Way Out"
"Set the World on Fire"
"W.T.Y.D."
"Never, Neverland"
"Tricks and Traps"
"Bliss"
"Second to None"
"Refresh the Demon"
"Ultraparanoia"
"Brain Dance"
"Phantasmagoria"
"Chicken and Corn"
"Kraf Dinner" / "21" / "Reduced to Ash"
"Alison Hell"

Encore:
"Human Insecticide"

Suicide Society is Annihilator's 15th studio album. A full album stream can be found below.

As usual, guitar wizard Jeff Waters handles all songwriting duties, plays all guitar & bass, engineers, produces, mixes and masters Suicide Society… and Waters is also back commanding lead vocal duties, as he did on the critically acclaimed King Of The Kill (1994), Refresh The Demon (1996), Remains (1997) and other Annihilator albums over the years.

With Suicide Society, Annihilator goes headfirst into some of the most technically perfect, crisp, and crushingly taut, riffage Waters has ever produced. Although Waters’ vocals keep traces of stylings from his King Of The Kill album, they now evoke a surprising blend of legends such as Staley, Osbourne, Hetfield and Mustaine. This, in a twisted way, mirrors Waters’ signature blend of riffing, drums grooves and bass; all drawing from multiple sources and genres.

Waters has built a worldwide reputation as being a premier guitarist and songwriter; the conciseness and arrangement of “Creepin’ Again” is both an air-guitarist’s dream and a sharp reminder of this. The gloriously-brutal thrash of “My Revenge” calls up a vintage of ’85 with the technical chops of 2015. The neo-classic title track defiantly expresses anger at the state of world affairs, while offering up hope in closing. With the multi-layered power of the anthem “Snap”, Waters illustrates the diversity of Annihilator’s sound, without sacrificing one decibel of attack.

“Metal fans will likely sport evil, satisfied grins on their faces, when they hear this record”, chuckles Waters, “but in the words of Joe Perry: “Let the Music Do the Talking”!”

Tracklisting:
"Suicide Society"
"My Revenge"
"Snap"
"Creepin’ Again"
"Narcotic Avenue"
"The One You Serve"
"Break, Enter"
"Death Scent"
"Every Minute”

Album stream:

EPK:

"Creepin' Again" lyric video:



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FLYING COLORS, the band featuring Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Dave LaRue (bass), Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals), Casey McPherson (vocals, guitars) and Steve Morse (guitar), will release the electrifying "Second Flight: Live At The Z7" on November 13 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group on multiple formats (4K UltraHD, Blu-ray, DVD, LP + MP3, CD, iTunes, Headphone Surround, iTunes, Pono).

A performance clip of the song "Bombs Away" from "Second Flight: Live At The Z7" can be seen below.

On only the eighth show of their 2014 fall tour, FLYING COLORS took to the stage at Switzerland's storied Z7 venue and captured on film captured a breathtaking live performance. "It was especially exciting because we had just performed many of these songs for the first time, days before," explains Steve Morse. With their critically acclaimed sophomore album "Second Nature" out for only a week, the concert recorded an exceptional rarity: band and audience, together, discovering an album for the first time. That freshness is palpable in every frame of this Ultra-HD/Blu-ray/DVD release. With every crowd reaction you are transported there, becoming part of the event.

FLYING COLORS also explored technological innovation with the album, with unique ways for fans to experience it. Viewers can listen in 5.1-Surround from the two best seats in the house: behind the front-of-house soundboard, or right in the front row. In another first, an audio-only version of the concert is available in Headphone Surround, which recreates the front-row surround mix entirely in headphones. The headphone mix will be available in formats up to uncompressed 24 bit / 192 KHz from HD audio distributors, such as Pono. For the warmest sound and highest possible fidelity, every one of the show's mixes was mastered to 2" analogue tape, and digitised separately for each audio format, by mix/mastering engineer Rich Mouser (TRANSATLANTIC, WEEZER).

The audio itself underwent a new audio engineering process, Harmonic Phrase Analysis, developed specifically for the show at Manchester Metropolitan University in England. The technology reduces the unwanted processing normally associated with contemporary live recordings, imparting a more organic feel to the sound field. The video was mastered by famed special effects company Cinnafilm, using their revolutionary Dark Energy technology (IMAX). The result is unparalleled realism from the concert's 24 cameras, as well as eye-popping Ultra-HD versions of the concert.

"Second Flight: Live At The Z7" showcases a new level of musical prowess from the group, captures the candid energy of a new band, and lets fans experience them in innovative ways. It reflects the many hues and colors of the band members' individual-and collective-unique creative expression. Casey McPherson recounted, "We had a blast playing these tunes and can't wait for you to hear them… you can feel the excitement!" before going on to joke, "I'm still trying to learn Steve's guitar parts, though."

Summarizing the experience, Dave LaRue offered: "FLYING COLORS is like no other band to perform with. This tour was all about the joy of playing together, and sharing new songs with fans. Everyone felt something special that night, and I'm so glad we captured it."

FLYING COLORS' debut in 2012 auspiciously challenged conventional wisdom about fusing complex music with mainstream songwriting. Teaming the talents of such heavyweights as guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS), drummer Mike Portnoy (TRANSATLANTIC, THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER), keyboardist/singer Neal Morse (solo artist, TRANSATLANTIC, ex-SPOCK'S BEARD), bass wizard Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS, JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI), with new pop singer/songwriter Casey McPherson, the band quickly established itself as one of rock's most melodic enigmas.

The mission was to join virtuoso players, a pop singer/songwriter, and the right producer-to create sophisticated music that was accessible. In 2009, executive producer Bill Evans brought the idea to Morse, Portnoy, Morse, LaRue, and music producer Peter Collins. Having helmed enduring works by progressive artists (RUSH, BRIAN WILSON), as well as mainstream ones (ELTON JOHN, BON JOVI), the renowned Collins was a perfect fit. The band was incomplete, though, even after Evans and Collins considered over 100 singer/songwriters.

Then Mike Portnoy one night on tour heard Casey McPherson's "Colder Months" in rotation on his iPod. McPherson had recently released "New Morning" (Hollywood Records), dominating the Billboard Top 10 for 17 weeks, and VH1's Top 20 Countdown for four months. Portnoy realized, soon followed by everyone else, that McPherson brought the perfect tone to FLYING COLORS.

"Second Nature" was released in September of 2014, debuting in multiple Top 10 charts worldwide. In addition to numerous other accolades, the album received a Prog Award nomination for "Album Of The Year," with FLYING COLORS being nominated for "Band Of The Year." Adorned with artwork by Hugh Syme (AEROSMITH, STONE SOUR, RUSH), mixed by prog rock stalwart Rich Mouser, and bookended by two tracks of truly epic stature — "Open Up Your Eyes" and the anthemic "Cosmic Symphony" — "Second Nature" was a fitting release for the band's sophomore outing.

In late 2012, the band toured the United States and Europe, dazzling fans with FLYING COLORS originals and selections from the catalogues of the five members.

"Second Flight: Live At The Z7" is the follow-up to the band's previous Blu-ray/DVD, the #1 European-charting "Live In Europe".

"Second Flight: Live At The Z7" track listing:

01. Overture02. Open Up Your Eyes03. Bombs Away04. Kayla05. Shoulda Coulda Woulda06. The Fury Of My Love07. A Place In Your World08. Forever In A Daze09. One Love Forever10. Colder Months11. Peaceful Harbor12. The Storm13. Cosmic Symphony14. Mask Machine15. Infinite Fire16. Peaceful Harbor (Orchestral Version)*

*Bonus track 3LP and digital only

1965 marks the starting point of one of the most successful rock bands of our time. Hailing from Hannover, Germany, the SCORPIONS embarked on a journey that would lead them around the globe and would establish them as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

With the November 6 release of the 50th-anniversary deluxe editions, the SCORPIONS celebrate their impressive achievements and open their vaults to unleash hitherto unreleased songs, alternate versions of big hits, rough mixes and rare live concert footage.

In addition to dozens of previously unheard studio tracks and live recordings, all CD releases are contain extended booklets featuring rare photos and, single covers, backstage passes and additional liner notes by Edgar Klüsener, a former editor in chief of Metal Hammer who has followed the band's career closely over several decades. Five of the eight albums are accompanied bya DVD that contains live concert footage from the respective period, together with TV performances and in-depth interviews with the band. In these interviews, they talk about the background history and the creative process of each of these albums: "Lovedrive", "Blackout", "Love At first Sting", "World Wide Live" and "Savage Amusement".

The remastered LP formats are released on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating the first pressing. They also come with an audio CD, featuring the original track listing and the same bonus audio as the CD formats. A limited and numbered deluxe box set will contain all remasted vinyl discs.

SCORPIONS said: "It's hard to summarize 50 years in words, but listening back to all those songs — many of them them previously unreleased — recorded in one of our most creative periods, really took us back in time. This was a very heartfelt project for all of us. It brought back great memories whilst we rediscovered our musical DNA by listening to the archives, selecting dozens of unreleased songs and early versions of well-known SCORPIONS anthems. We really worked on the material to improve the sound quality, but always taking great care to preserve its original feel."

Part 1 of the documentary video for "Taken By Force" in which various members of the SCORPIONS introduce the story behind the making of the album from a very personal perspective can be seen below.

"Taken By Force" reissue track listing:

01. Steamrock Fever02. We'll Burn The Sky03. I've Got To Be Free04. The Riot Of Your Time05. The Sails Of Charon06. Your Light07. He's A Woman - She's A Man08. Born To Touch Your Feelings09. Suspender Love (bonus track)10. Busy Guys (previously unreleased demo version) (bonus track)11. Believe In Love (previously unreleased demo version) (bonus track)12. Midnight Blues Jam (previously unreleased demo version) (bonus track)13. Blue Dream (unfinished instrumental version) (bonus track)14. Born To Touch Your Feelings (previously unreleased demo version) (bonus track)

As a member of the SCORPIONS from 1973 through 1978, Roth helped pioneer the neo-classical style that has influenced countless guitarists to this day. His extraordinary playing can be heard on four classic SCORPIONS records, "Fly To The Rainbow" (1974), "In Trance" (1975), "Virgin Killer" (1976) and "Taken By Force". This lineup also recorded what many still consider to be one of the greatest live albums ever recorded, "Tokyo Tapes".

"At first I didn't realize the impact it had on the rock music scene," Roth told JamMagazine.com about the live album. "When I left the band in 1978, I disconnected myself from the past and was only interested in my new band, ELECTRIC SUN. I didn't follow the success of 'Tokyo Tapes'. Over time, I began to realize that musicians and fans kept referring to that album like it was something extra special. Gradually I understood why. Now I actually see the recording in a different light than what I thought back then."

Revocation will release the reissue of the band's debut album, Empire Of The Obscene, on November 13th via Metal Blade Records. The album can be pre-ordered now at this location.

During their recent headlining run of North America, Revocation featured select tracks from Empire Of The Obscene. During their Los Angeles stop, the band filmed their performance of the track "Alliance And Tyranny". Watch below:

In addition to the live video, the band has also completed work on a lyric video for the song "The Fix" from their 2014 release Deathless. The lyric video was created by Nick Hipa (Wovenwar) and can be seen below:

Founding member and frontman Dave Davidson on the re-release of Empire Of The Obscene: "Back in 2008 we self released our debut record Empire Of The Obscene only pressing 1,000 copies at the time, now thanks to the good folks at Metal Blade and the demand of our fans it will be available worldwide! We are very excited to finally give this record a proper release and can't wait for everyone to hear the newly remixed and remastered tunes courtesy of Pete Rutcho. We're also including the elusive Summon The Spawn demo from 2006 as well as newly revamped cover art to make this release extra special."

"Summon The Spawn:

"Empire Of The Obscene":



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You have heard new tracks from the Wizards Of Winter in anticipation of the holiday season, but now you can witness this holiday rock ensemble in action. Yahoo Music is currently hosting the exclusive premiere of the band's enchanting new music video for "The Spirit Of Christmas”.
 
The video was filmed at The Sherman Theater in East Stroudsburg, PA and features soaring jib and drone shots, showcasing the full power of the Wizards Of Winter on-stage holiday experience. The video is directed by Tommy Jones of Videohammer Studios.
 
Music director/keyboardist Scott Kelly states, "The concept of the video taking place inside a snow globe closely aligns to the live production of our holiday rock opera (see below for more information). The libretto, presented by our narrator at the concerts, asks the audience to join us aboard the Arctic Flyer as we journey inside the snow globe in search of the true meaning of Christmas."

Transport yourself a snowy wonderland here at Yahoo Music.

It is never too early for holiday music! Yuletide rock ensemble Wizards Of Winter - which features original members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra - are streaming a brand new guitar-driven instrumental track entitled "Flight Of The Snow Angels".

Featuring an electrifying and classic progressive rock sound infused with more than enough holiday cheer for the whole family, listeners will enjoy "Flight Of The Snow Angels" and all of the timeless tracks on the band's upcoming album, The Magic Of Winter, produced by Eric Rachel at Traxeast (Symphony X, Skid Row, Styx) and releasing on November 12th. Pre-order here.

The brand new album art, illustrated by renowned artist Ioannis (Styx, Dream Theater, Deep Purple), can be seen below:

When writing “Flight Of The Snow Angels", music director/keyboardist Scott Kelly was looking to create a song that could set the right mood as an opener for both their CD and live show. "It had to be upbeat as well as majestic. Multiple ideas entered my mind. One was of snow as it is blown by the wind. The other was a concept taken from the movie City of Angels where the angels were always positioned somewhere up high and "fell" to the earth. Hopefully the visual of angels soaring through a snowy scene is evoked in the mind of the listener."
 
Guitarist Fred Gorhau adds, "When Scott and I were working on this track, I wanted the guitars to sound like the title - lots of bounce and a majestic feel, and I think that comes across throughout the song. My favorite part of this track is the dramatic arpeggio climb on guitar and keys - it builds quite a bit into a reprise of the intro. This song sets a great mood for me and is a total blast to play."

Can you feel the spirit of Christmas in the air? Just in time to spread the joy of the holidays, yuletide rock ensemble Wizards Of Winter are announcing An Evening With Wizards Of Winter – a 20-city US tour beginning November 19th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and ending on December 29th in Harrisburg, PA.Wizards Of Winter perform an entire set of original holiday music at each stop of their theatrical, family-oriented rock opera experience. See below for a full listing of tour dates.

The An Evening With Wizards Of Winter experience is emphasized by music from the ensemble’s recently released original Christmas rock opera album, Tales Beneath A Northern Star. The libretto and music together take the listener on a journey throughout space and time on the night of Christmas Eve in search of the true meaning of the season.

Music Director and keyboardist Scott Kelly states, “The band is very excited to share some new music with our fans on our upcoming US tour! We hope it will get people into the Christmas spirit early. All of us are proud to offer a tremendous holiday experience that the whole family can enjoy.”

Tickets for An Evening With Wizards Of Winter are on sale now and are available for purchase here.

Tour dates:

November
19 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse
20 - Clearwater, FL - The Capitol Theatre
21 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live
22 – Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
27 - Wilkes Barre, PA - F.M. Kirby Center for Performing Arts
28 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre

December
3 - Concord, NH - Capitol Center For The Arts
4 - Collingswood, NJ - Collingswood Scottish Rite Theatre
5 - Easton, PA - The State Theater Performing Arts Center
9 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
11 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
12 - Kalamazoo, MI - The Kalamazoo State Theatre
13 - Munhall, PA - Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
16 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
17 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
18 - Effingham, IL - Effingham Performing Arts Center
20 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
26 - Albany, NY - The Egg
27 - Syracuse, NY - Crouse Hinds Theater
29 - Harrisburg, PA - The Forum

 



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New Jersey noisemakers Toothgrinder have premiered the video (see below) for their song, “The House (That Fear Built)”, from their upcoming Spinefarm Records full-length debut, Nocturnal Masquerade, out on January 29th.

It's a busy time for Toothgrinder, as they have revealed the tracklisting, album cover, and release date for Nocturnal Masquerade.

"With Nocturnal Masquerade, we wanted to capture a spectrum of sound that could bring you to different places in mood and spirit. This being our first full length there was a sense of timelessness that the band was reaching for. These songs are going to make a long-lasting impact in our lives and we can't wait to share it with our fans," explains guitarist Jason Goss about the record.
 
Drummer Wills Weller concurs, saying, "Using sonic colors, we were able to create moods and emotions and really dig deeper into every song on this record than ever before. Not only for the listener, but also for ourselves."

"We choose the opening track 'The House (That Fear Built)' as the first peek into the Nocturnal Masquerade for a few reasons. There is a lot of depth, darkness, diversity, and above all, clarity and resolution. The song foreshadows the intensity and melodic tension the rest of the album seems to exude. The track is a personal favorite of mine because it was the first song on the record where I found my groove and rhythmic capabilities which set the tone vocally and lyrically for the songs to come," says frontman Justin Matthews.

Tracklisting:

"The House (That Fear Built)"
"Lace & Anchor"
"Coueur d'Alene"
"I Lie In Rain"
"Blue"
"The Hour Angle"
"Dance Of Damsels"
"Diamonds For Gold"
"Nocturnal Masquerade"
"Dejection/Despondency"
"Schizophrenic Jubilee"
"Waltz Of Madmen"

"The House (That Fear Built)” video:



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Swedish heavy rockers, MarysCreek, have signed a two album deal with Escape Music. The band’s sophomore album, Inifinity, will be released on January 22nd.

MarysCreek’s new album was recorded in June/July 2015 at Green Hell Studios/Mike Cameron Force Studios and produced by the band. The 12 tracks are mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Within Temptation, Europe, Paradise Lost) and mastered by Svante Forsbäck (Rammstein, Volbeat, Lindemann, Tarja Turunen). The first solo part on the song “Forever Lost” is played by David Andersson (Soilwork, Night Flight Orchestra).

Tracklisting:

“Hypnotized”
“Buried Deep Within”
“Into Infinity”
“So Afraid (To Live)”
“The First Day”
“My Confession”
“On The Other Side”
“The Ghost Inside”
“Blinded By Darkness”
“Forever Lost”
“My Own Enemy”
“Tomorrow”

MarysCreek courageously blends modern heavy metal with the classic melodies of Scandinavian pop tradition to form a fresh and unique sound. The ambition is to take the best of the two worlds: a heavy rock foundation consisting of fat, distorted guitars and huge drums with a delicious topping of pop-flavoured song melodies arranged with multi layered vocals.

The debut album Some Kind Of Hate was mixed by demon producer Fredrik “Fredman” Nordström (In Flames, Soilwork, The Haunted, Opeth and Dream Evil) and released 2007 by MTM Music. The album received great responses and the band toured to support the album. MarysCreek have shared stage with many artists. Among them: Takida, Evergrey, Crucified Barbara, Dead by April, Uriah Heep, The Poodles, Fatal Smile, etc.

MarysCreek EP Incubic Tin was recorded, this time with the help of the two producers Henrik Edenhed (Robyn, Straight Frank, Cesars Palace, Dead By April) and Sebastian Forslund (Staireo, Night Flight Orchestra) and was released 2014 via MarysCreek Records.

MarysCreek are:

Mats Nilsson - Vocals
Stefan Halldin - Drums
Peter Bergkvist - Guitar
Roger Blomberg - Bass
Jonas Hallberg - Guitar



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METALLICA has uploaded a new video greeting from drummer Lars Ulrich welcoming the band's fans to its newly redesigned official web site, which was officially launched last week. The four-minute clip includes a short snippet of guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield in the studio at the band's headquarters in San Rafael, California laying down guitars on what appears to be a new METALLICA song with producer Greg Fidelman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

METALLICA played its last two shows of 2015 last month in Quebec and has no live dates on its schedule for the immediate future.

METALLICA recently announced plans to release four complete shows from the band's 2014 "By Request" tour on vinyl. An unboxing video focusing on the Montreal set, recorded on August 9, 2014, was made available. Three more sets recorded in Bogota, Helsinki and Istanbul will be released next month and all four will be limited to 500 copies each.

Rome, Italy’s Riti Occulti showcase a new form of black metal - one that blends inextricably with doom and ritualistic music, and this five-piece from Rome is back with a new single.

Riti Occulti have partaken in time travel, not only to cover The Beatles' classic, "Eleanor Rigby", but also to add their Sabbath-esque touch, resulting in a very special doomy and exotic version of the song. The single is now available for streaming on Spotify and you can watch the video below.

For this 5 mm production, the band worked once again with director Alessandro Pontillo. The actress' name is Sabrina Colicchia.

 



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