Legendary rocker Alice Cooper says that GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump's blunt way of speaking and ability to run large organizations has made the real estate mogul so popular among Republican voters.

Democratic Party presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton leads her party's primary race with 46 percent of the votes while Trump has 27 percent of primary voters on the Republican side.

During an appearance on the special Halloween episode of "The Strombo Show", the Canadian radio program hosted by award-winning personality George Stroumboulopoulos, Cooper stated about the 2016 U.S. presidential race: "It's so funny to think about Donald Trump and Hilary. It's going to be the funniest election of all time. I mean, think of it. I keep thinking to myself, is this really the best we can do? With all the great minds in America, this is really the best we can do?"

He continued: "The thing I think about Donald Trump and I'm not political at all, but I know Donald and I know he's doer, he's not a sayer, he's a doer. I think that's what the American public are looking at. The American public always votes with their wallets. They're looking at a guy and going, 'Why don't we put a billionaire in there that knows how to run a business? Because America is basically a corporation, and that's what they're thinking right now. They don't want some vanilla politician in there anymore doing business for us that's milk toast. They want a guy that is going to do something. I don't know how much he knows about foreign policy and that's what worries me, and I think [it worries] a lot of people."

Cooper previously criticized other rock musicians for wearing their politics on their sleeves. During the 2004 presidential race, Cooper quietly supported George W. Bush but criticized Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen for enthusiastically and publicly backing Democrat John Kerry.

"To me, that's treason," he told the Canadian Press at the time. "I call it treason against rock and roll, because rock is the antithesis of politics. Rock should never be in bed with politics.

"If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are," he said. "Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."

Cooper continued: "Besides, when I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry, if I wasn't already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched. Linda Ronstadt? Don Henley? Geez, that's a good reason right there to vote for Bush."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory recently became the first Republican-leaning rocker to express his views on the 2016 field. Others, such as STAIND's Aaron Lewis, Kid Rock, GODSMACK's Sully Erna and the members of AVENGED SEVENFOLD have yet to endorse a candidate.

VAGUS NERVE is a brand new hard rock band featuring Doc Coyle, formerly of GOD FORBID. This is his first creative output since leaving GOD FORBID in August 2013.

According to a press release, VAGUS NERVE is "focused solely on artistic integrity, devoid of any commercial ulterior motives. It's just a few guys who love hanging out, laughing, and making music together: no egos, no bullshit."

Doc began writing the material that would become VAGUS NERVE with vocalist Ravi Orr in 2011. Doc discovered Ravi through Orr's YouTube page and Ravi's solo outfit PHYLLOTAXIS. Ravi is an accomplished singer/songwriter in his own right, producing and playing all of the instruments on both PHYLLOTAXIS records.

As the material developed, Ravi and Doc decided to put a full band together. Ravi brought in his good friend Aden Oxenreider to play bass guitar. Aden is a multi-instrumentalist with a bachelor's degree in music, who specializes in electronic music.

The next member on board was drummer Maurice Watson. Maurice, or "Moe," got his start playing gospel in church, but would stretch his abilities playing in a multitude of bands and styles from post-hardcore, rock, deathcore, pop, R&B, and is currently touring with metalcore legends SHAI HULUD. Moe is also a professional music instructor with School Of Rock in New Jersey.

The last piece of the puzzle was finding a second guitarist. After sifting through dozens of submissions and several auditions, the band was blown away by Mike Gowen, who also plays for New York rock band MOTHER. Mike's tone, improvisational adventurousness, penchant for melody, and easy going attitude solidified the band's chemistry.

VAGUS NERVE has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the mixing and mastering of its forthcoming "Visceral" EP by Forrester Savell (KARNIVOOL, DEAD LETTER CIRCUS).

Despite 3,000 miles separating half the members, releasing this EP is all that matters. They want to share their music in the most organic way possible, with no labels, managers or handlers to muddy the waters.

A VAGUS NERVE song called "Do You Know Who I Am", featuring a test mix by Forrester Savell, can be streamed below.

Italian doom/death metal band, Tethra, have released a new video for the song “Solitude”, originally recorded by Candlemass on their first album, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. The song was recorded at Elnor Studios and mastered at Priory Studios by Greg Chandler (Esoteric).

Tethra lineup:

Clode Tethra - Vocals
Luca Mellana - Guitars
Gabriele Monti - Guitars
Giuseppe Aufiero - Bass
Lorenzo Giudici - Drums

More on the band at Facebook.



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KORN frontman Jonathan Davis has confirmed to Westword that he is working on a project with BIG & RICH, the American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. He said: "The BIG & RICH thing, I'm doing a country record. It's a record to commemorate the Bakersfield sound. I'm not going country or touring as a country artist. But it's a compilation of a whole lot of Bakersfield-sound songs that I'm covering with country artists.'

He continued: "It's pretty cool. BIG & RICH did 'Waitin' In Your Welfare Line' from Buck Owens. They're doing the background harmonies and all that shit. It's not like I'm trying to go country, though. I'm from Bakersfield, and it was a huge thing back in the '60s. I wanted to pay homage to that."

Davis also spoke about his collaboration with shock rocker Marilyn Manson. He said: "We're going to get together and write some music and see what happens. I'm going to get back and start working with him on ideas and shit. We hadn't talked for a long time and we recently hooked up again. He was one of my best friends back in the day. We just rekindled our friendship and started talking a lot about doing something together. I love the dude to death. He's a great guy. So I'm down to do something cool."

Manson said this past summer that he was working on "Southern-sounding" acoustic blues material — and that it will feature Davis. Speaking in a Reddit session with fans, Manson revealed that a "completely unexpected" project he hinted at was an unplugged record, explaining, "That's some of the plans of the style of music that I'm working on right now. I don't know what it'll turn into. Some of it will be with Jonathan Davis, I think, because he has plans of doing something similar — something that might even cross over the boundaries of being more Southern-sounding."

Manson added: "I did record [1995 EP] 'Smells Like Children' in Mississippi, which is where the blues came from, so there might be something more acoustic and blues in my future. I like the rawness of it."

Manson and Davis last joined forces in 2002 on a song called "Redeemer" for the soundtrack of the movie "Queen Of The Damned".

Canada's Headstones have checked in with the following update:

"As you know, the Headstones have built their reputation on being the 'people’s band' and pandering to polite society at every opportunity. In keeping with that ideal, we’re excited to present our very first two song, 12" vinyl EP entitled 'Fuck It'. No bullshit, no record companies. A band and their fans staying ahead of the cutting edge in audio technology – VINYL!

With the A-side being 'Fuck It' – a four minute punk odyssey, and the B-side 'One By One' picking up where 'Longwaytoneverland' left off, what we have here is a one-time-only Collector's Edition. This is a limited release."

Pick up the EP at the following locations:

- Pledge Music
- Official Store

The Headstones recently added shows for Barrie and Toronto on December 4th and 11th to their tour schedule. A show in Ottawa on December 19th has also been confirmed. Tour dates are as follows, with more shows due to be announced soon.

November
26 - Victoria, BC - Distrikt (formerly Club 9ONE9)
27 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
28 - Calgary, AB - The Marquee Beer Market & Stage

December 
4 - Barrie, ON - Rock 95 9th Annual Toy Drive @ The Ranch
11 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
19 - Ottawa, ON - Barrymore’s

Go to this location for ticket information.

Headstones frontman Hugh Dillon recently issued the following statement:

"Sick Kid's Hospital and SickKids Foundation do incredible work... I worked there for many years pre-Headstones, and know just how hard they fight for all of those kids. Please take a moment to support a father of one of those kids, who has always been a supporter of our music... read Ollie's story, and his battle with Aplastic Anemia. Show his family that the Headstones family always bands together during rough times. Even if you can't donate financially, take the time to hear their words.

Let's show Ollie's family that we're standing with them."

Learn more at this location.



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This past February, Deadline Music (an imprint of Cleopatra Records) released Strange Time, the first solo album by Chip Z’nuff. The 10-track record marked a departure from the trademark Enuff Z’nuff trip-pop sound, with heavier guitars and more psychedelic elements. In addition to special guest appearances, the album includes a bonus 5-track EP collaboration with former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler.

The latest video from the album is for the lead-off track "Sunshine":

“It’s a stoner rock record,” said Z’nuff, matter-of-factly. “What I have with Enuff Z’nuff is special, but this is a labor of love. I started these songs while going through every type of hard time – family, finances, relationships – and found moments of clarity while writing.” He also called on some tour buddies and long-time friends to guest on the record.

Having played bass for both Dale Bozzio (Missing Persons) and Adler (Adler’s Appetite), Z’nuff knew they’d contribute something truly unique (Z’nuff calls Adler’s drumming “incendiary”). Home state legend Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) lends his pipes to “All Day And All Of The Night” Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler’s son, Biff, sings on “Rockstar.”

The EP was recorded at Chicago Recording Company and Chip Z’nuff Studios in Blue Island, IL. Brendan Jeffrey produced, Jeff Luif mixed, and Bob Ludwig mastered.  Z’nuff and Adler performed all the music, with Bozzio on vocals and a Slash sample solo on “Tonight We Met.”

 

 

Strange Time tracklisting (all songs written by Chip Z’nuff except where noted):

"Sunshine"
"Rockstar"
"Strange Time:  (written by Chip Z’nuff and Trent Reznor)
"Dragonfly"
"Still Love Your Face" (written by Chip Z’nuff and Wendel Rey)
"F..Mary..Kill" (written by Chip Z’nuff, Howard Stern, and Steve Miller)
"Anna Nichole" (written by Chip Z’nuff and Syklopps)
"Strike Three"
"Hello To The Drugs"
"All Day And All Of The Night" -  featuring Robin Zander and Steven Adler (written by Ray Davies)

Bonus EP: Steven Adler and Chip Z’nuff
"My Town"
"Yesterday (Another Wasted Day)"
"The Game"
"Tonight We Met (And Now We’re Going To Fuck)" -  featuring Slash and Dale Bozzio
"The Pain Is All On You" (written by Chip Z’nuff, Steven Adler, Paul McCartney)

"Rockstar" video:

 

 



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Video footage of HAMMERFALL's October 13 performance at 170 Russell in Melbourne, Australia can be seen below.

HAMMERFALL's latest album, "(r)Evolution", sold around 1,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

The band's previous CD, "Infected", opened with around 1,700 units back in 2011. The CD debuted at No. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

HAMMERFALL last year parted ways with longtime drummer Anders Johansson and replaced him with David Wallin (PAIN).

Regarding the band's new drummer, HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak said: "Pontus [Norgren, guitar] has known him for years; he's a good friend of Pontus from before. Joacim [Cans, vocals] and Pontus sat down with David and had a cup of coffee and just talked about it, and their gut feeling was to go with David. I didn't even meet him until we started rehearsing for the first shows in November [2014] — it was the first time I met the guy — but I trusted their gut feeling. And I think that was a wise choice. David is a great guy. He's really fun to have around, and he plays excellent drums. The drums make the sound of HAMMERFALL bigger and better. It's really, really cool having him as the drummer… We did a tour in Latin America; that was the first thing we did with him. It was an interesting time. If you don't know somebody, you don't know really what's gonna happen, but he fit really well into the group."

If Mastodon and Baroness gave birth to a bastard child, that child's name would be Canada's Adrenechrome. Hailing from Orillia, ON this quartet offer a blend of groovy progressive thrashy heavy metal that's ready to smash your headbanging into overdrive.

Three years since releasing their 2012 debut Hideous Appetites, these mosh thirsty bangers are ready to release their sophomore follow-up Tales From Adrenechrome on November 27th. With its epic album artwork by graphic artist Clöwnbäbÿ, Tales From Adrenechrome features seven hot pocket tracks exposing you to the horrors of their metal crypt.

BraveWords is exclusively streaming their new track "Led Elephant"; check it out below:

The band's first single “God Sized Shadow” is also streaming below. "I think this is our most 'song' like offering to date with a little black metal in the middle”, comments vocalist / guitarist Chris Friesen.

Tracklisting:

“A Familiar Face”
“Lockstep”
“Black Brubeck”
“God Sized Shadow”
“The Heart And The Feather”
“Hideous Appetites”
“The Led Elephant”

“God Sized Shadow”:

Tales from Adrenechrome by adrenechrome

Pre-order at this location.

(Photo - Dave Saunders)



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Re-emerging from the depths of St. Louis, USA, A Dark Orbit have released the first song and lyric video, “Floating Intact”, from the forthcoming album Inverted, which is set for release on November 27th via Basick Records. Check the new video below.

Producing a ruthless and progressive sound few can tame, A Dark Orbit have put together a follow up to their 2009 Voyager EP of stunningly intense heaviness, an aural bombardment that snakes between brutal self-mutilation and fiercely intelligent technical passages. Featuring guest appearances from members of Devil Sold His Soul and Bermuda, there's real beauty here amid the bleakness.

Written as a reflection of how the world is twisted and completely backwards when it comes to humanity and it's actions/decisions, Inverted heralds a cleansing purge in the name of music that has seldom sounded more urgent.

As frontman Chad Kapper explains: "As a band we're very proud of our efforts and can't wait for everyone to hear what was bottled up inside of us for so long. This album is full of filth and disgust for many things. It's like the final outcome of a war of impurities. The record embodies the angst and frustration we felt from the long lines of up and downs the band has gone through since our EP. Thank you to everyone that stuck around. Your next wait will not be long."

Inverted tracklisting:

“Weep To Water The Black Earth”
“Surfacing”
“Alter”
“They Rode The Heart Until It Spit Venom”
“Wavering”
“Haunted Error”
“Death Cult Philosophy” (feat. Corey Bennett from Bermuda)
“Lore Of Ocean”
“Pretty Guts” (feat. Paul Green from Devil Sold His Soul)
“Zombiehawk”
“Floating Intact”
“Proper Skin”
“Horrible Mud”
“New Age Sinkhole”
“The Golden Purpose”

“Floating Intact” lyric video:



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Mad Architects forthcoming sophomore full length album, Hang High (due at the end of October), is streaming in it’s entirety below.

13 new original songs. 58 minutes of epic Swedish metal. Available either on Limited Edition Vinyl (gatefold, 2LP) or as a Dropcard for digital download. With the Dropcard you can also download the artwork, and as an extra bonus the previous album Journey To Madness is included. Or why not order a bundle of all those things together with a poster and a T-shirt. Pre-orders can be made here.

Hang High was recorded, mixed and mastered at Sound Industry Studios with Arnold Lindberg (In Flames, Kamelot, Evergrey, Denner/Shermann) at the helm.
 

Tracklisting:

“Prologue”
“This Means War”
“Hang High”
“My Hometown”
“Grief (Her Resurrection Casts A Dark Reflection)”
“Sacrificial Lambs”
“Chronological Disorder”
“Frozen”
“Echoes In Eternity”
“The One Whose Name We Dare Not Speak”
“Coven Of Conspiracy”
“Branded And Exiled (The Ballad Of Oscar Wilde)”
“Epilogue”

Album stream:

Playing melodic metal from the dark side (from Gothenburg, Sweden that is), Mad Architect was brought to life in 2011 by guitarist Magnus Daun. A studio project also featuring the incomparable creative force Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Dimmu Borgir, Therion, Sabaton). Previous releases are Dreamworld (EP 2012), “Mad Architect" (Single, 2013), Journey To Madness (Album, 2013). The forthcoming new full length album Hang High is to be unleashed through Wunderwurld Music on October 31st, Halloween.

Mad Architect is:

Vocals: Snowy Shaw
Guitars: Magnus Daun
Drums: Snowy Shaw
Keyboards: Magnus Daun
Bass: Snowy Shaw



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Legendary UK crust/thrash pioneers, Sacrilege, have shared a new music video taken from the remastered reissue of their 1985 classic, Behind The Realms of Madness. The song, "Feed", is a bonus track on the reissue and the band's first new recording in over 25 years. The music video features the band performing the track in the studio in all its visceral heavy metal glory.

Relapse presents the first ever fully authorized reissue of Behind The Realms Of Madness, available on November 13th. Originally released in 1985, Behind The Realms Of Madness was one of the first albums of the 80s that both punks and metalheads rallied behind, establishing Sacrilege as a unique and pivotal player in the 80s' extreme metal scene. Propelled by singer Lynda "Tam" Simpson's ferocious vocals and politically-charged lyrics, Behind The Realms Of Madness blended crust, thrash, hardcore, doom and death-metal to create a timeless album that has directly influenced scores of punks and heshers alike.

Now fully remastered by Brad Boatright (Sleep, Hooded Menace, Obituary) with seven previously unreleased bonus tracks and expanded art and liner notes.

Behind The Realms of Madness tracklisting:

“Lifeline”
“Shadow From Mordor”
“At Death's Door”
“A Violation Of Something Sacred”
“The Closing Irony”
“Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”
“The Captive”
“Flight Of The Nazgul”
“Sight Of The Wise”
“Feed”
“Dig Your Own Grave”
“The Closing Irony” (Live)
“Bloodrun” (Live)

“Shadow From Mordor”:

“Lifeline”:

Pre-order at this location.

Sacrilege is:

Lynda “Tam” Simpson – Vocals
Damian Thompson – Guitar
Frank Healy – Bass
Spike T. Smith – Drums

 



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Norwegian black metal titans Ancient - featuring Zel (aka Aphazel) on vocals/guitars/keyboards, Dhilorz on guitars and bass, and Nick Barker on drums - have unveiled the tracklisting for their upcoming album, Back To The Land Of The Dead, set to be released in late December 2015/January 2016.

The tracklisting is as follows :

“Born In The Land Of The Dead” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Dhilorz and Zel)     
“Beyond The Blood Moon” (Music and lyrics by Zel)            
“The Sempiternal Haze” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)                 
“The Empyrean Sword” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)                                          
“The Ancient Disarray” (Music and lyrics by Zel)                              
“Occlude The Gates” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)                                  

The Excruciating Journey:
“Part I - Defiance And Rage” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)
“Part II - The Prodigal Years” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)
“Part III - The Awakening” (Music by Dhilorz, lyrics by Zel)   
“Death Will Die” (Music and lyrics by Zel)    
“The Spiral” (Music and lyrics by Zel)                                   
“Petrified By Their End” (Music by Dhilorz and Zel, lyrics by Zel)

Bonus track:
“13 Candles” (Music and lyrics by Quorthon)

More news regarding cover art, teaser etc. will be posted in the next weeks.

 



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Greek metallers AlphaState have released a lyric video for the song "Before The Soul Departs”, taken from their debut album, Out Of The Black, which has a release date set for November 27th. The new clip can be found below.

AlphaState is a new heavy metal band and the main idea was to combine the 80’s style of playing with a more modern sound. Bands that have huge influence in their music are Steelheart, Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, Primal Fear, Brainstorm, to name a few.

Out Of The Black tracklisting:
 
“Out Of The Black”
“Last Day”
“Don't Look Back”
“Before The Soul Departs”
“Great Divide”
“Road To Hell”
“World's Control”
“Only Chance”
“The System”
“The End?”

“Before The Soul Departs” lyric video:

AlphaState lineup:
 
Vocals - Manos Xanthakis
Guitars - Pete Breaker
Bass - Dimitris Tsounakas
Drums - Fivos Andriopoulos (Session)



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METALLICA recently announced plans to release four complete shows from the band's 2014 "By Request" tour on vinyl. The unboxing video below focuses on the Montreal set, recorded live at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 9, 2014.

This show joins three other limited-edition quadruple vinyl sets from Bogota, Helsinki and Istanbul.

Says the band: "With your help voting for your faves, we've pressed four shows from the 2014 'Metallica By Request' tour on 180-gram vinyl. These quadruple vinyl sets from Bogota, Helsinki, Istanbul and Montreal are limited to 500 copies of each show and you may pre-order the four-pack now at a reduced price or pick up a copy of the Montreal show. The three remaining titles will be available one each week in November starting on November 9th, four-packs will ship by the end of that month."

"Montreal - August 9, 2014" track listing:

Side One

01. Blackened02. Master of Puppets03. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

Side Two

01. Ride the Lightning02. Kirk Solo #103. The Unforgiven

Side Three

01. Lords of Summer02. …And Justice for All

Side Four

01. Sad But True02. Bass Solo03. Fade to Black

Side Five

01. Orion02. One03. For Whom the Bell Tolls

Side Six

01. Battery02. Kirk Solo #203. Nothing Else Matters04. Enter Sandman

Side Seven

01. Creeping Death02. The Four Horsemen03. Seek and Destroy

Side Eight

01. Lords of Summer (First Pass Version)

For more details, visit Metallica.com.

METALLICA has reportedly been working on its tenth studio album, which will follow up 2008's "Death Magnetic".

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone magazine that the band doesn't want to record in a way that feels "labored over and overthought."

METALLICA has spent a lot of time outside the studio in the last year, with activities that included a string of European all-request shows last summer, a week-long residency on "The Late Show With Craig Ferguson", and a Rock In Rio USA stint.

METALLICA has not revealed when it plans to begin recording or tentatively release the new album.

In a brand new interview with Telegram.com, former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash "politely declined to broach the subject" a possible reunion of the band's classic lineup.

Rumors of a reunion of GUNS N' ROSES' classic lineup have been flaring up since Slash revealed in August that he and singer Axl Rose had reconciled after 19 years.

Slash was asked about the possibility of a reunion last May on "CBS This Morning" and said, "Never say never," a surprising response given that he had been saying for some time that such an event was unlikely to happen.

Slash elaborated on the program: "I've got to be careful what I say there. I mean, if everybody wanted to do it and do it for the right reasons, I think the fans would love it. I think it might be fun at some point to try and do that."

Rose is the only original member of GUNS N' ROSES still in the current lineup, which has toured intermittently since 2006 and played its second Las Vegas residency last year.

The closest anyone came to a GUNS reunion in recent memory was when the band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2012. Three original members of the band, including Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler, showed up, but Axl and guitarist Izzy Stradlin were no-shows.

At the time Slash said in several interviews that the Hall Of Fame ceremony gave him a sense of "closure."

GUNS N' ROSES recently parted ways with guitarists DJ Ashba and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

Louder Noise has posted a new video interview with former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal in which he answers questions like "biggest turn-on," "favorite TV show" and "guilty pleasure" from the Playboy centerfold questionnaire. Check it out below.

Just days after guitarist DJ Ashba quit GUNS N' ROSES, a source confirmed to Detroit music writer Gary Graff that Thal is also no longer a member of the group — and has been out for some time. The source said, "Bumblefoot quit last year. I don't understand why he continues to be evasive on his status with the band — he quit in South America. He told [singer] Axl [Rose] he was done and [the second GN'R Las] Vegas [residency] would be his last run with the band."

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

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

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

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

Philadelphia (November 25 at The Fillmore) and Detroit (November 28 at The Fillmore) have been selected as the cities on the "Abigail In Concert 2015" tour at which KING DIAMOND will film the live shows for the band's forthcoming DVD. The massive, multi-camera shoot will be directed by Denise Korycki (CANNIBAL CORPSE, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), and will also include additional footage from multiple shows throughout the trek.

KING DIAMOND will perform its classic second album, 1987's concept effort "Abigail", in its entirety on the band's upcoming U.S. tour. Support on the trek, which will begin on October 29 and run through December 5, will come from legendary San Francisco Bay Area thrash metallers EXODUS.

KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque told Artisan News about the making of the "Abigail" album: "I've actually got some great memories [from the recording sessions for the LP]. I remember the whole studio thing pretty well, actually. Back in… I think we started back in December 1986 to record it, after we got back from some touring and stuff, and some writing too, and rehearsing, of course. [It was a] very cold winter back in Copenhagen, you know. We spent about two months, I think, with the recording and the mixing. And the whole recording process, I thought, was very, very creative, and I think we just captured an amazing atmosphere on the whole album, which still, when you listen to it today, is, like, 'Wow!' You get back to the feel you had for it while you recorded it. So it's still a very cool and special album to me."

KING DIAMOND in 2002 released an album called "Abigail II: The Revenge", which was said to feature a storyline that was the sequel to the original "Abigail" LP.

La Rocque in July said that KING DIAMOND hasn't officially started working on material for the follow-up to the band's 2007 album "Give Me Your Soul...Please", but he talked about a possible direction for the next CD. He said: "Hopefully the sound of the album is gonna be better. I don't really know about the story or… I've got some riffs and such that I wrote a few years back, actually, but I have to go back and check that to see if that still can be used. I don't know about that, because we get new ideas all the time. So we'll see about that. But I'm sure we're gonna have some fresh, good ideas for the next album, that's for sure. And when that's gonna happen, we don't really know."

Montreal extreme metallers CRYPTOPSY will release their new EP, "The Book Of Suffering Tome 1", on October 30. You can now stream the entire record using the SoundCloud widget below.

"The Book Of Suffering Tome 1" was produced by Chris Donaldson at The Grid studio in Montreal, mixed by Jason Suecof at Audiohammer Studio and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.

It has been three years since CRYPTOPSY's last release and many fans have expressed their eagerness to hear new material.  This time, rather than a full album, CRYPTOPSY will release a series of EPs titled "The Book Of Suffering". This new approach will allow CRYPTOPSY to put out new music more often while remaining true to their standards of quality.

"The Book Of Suffering Tome 1" track listing:

01. Detritus (The One They Kept) 02. The Knife, The Head And What Remains 03. Halothane Glow 04. Framed By Blood

The concept video for the song "Detritus (The One They Kept)" was produced by Chris Kells from Front to Back Video Production and can be seen below.

CRYPTOPSY states: "We are extremely proud of the new material; it is some of the most brutal, dark and technical music we have ever created."

Band photography by Eric Sanchez

Progressive death metallers FALLUJAH are currently at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren (ANIMOSITY, SUFFOCATION, ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH) recording the follow-up to their highly praised 2014 release, "The Flesh Prevails". The as-yet-untitled-album is set to be mixed and mastered next month with Mark Lewis (DEVILDRIVER, CANNIBAL CORPSE, WHITECHAPEL, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CARNIFEX) at Audiohammer in Sanford, Florida. An early 2016 release via Nuclear Blast Entertainment is expected. Until then, catch the band on their European tour this December with CARNIFEX, WITHIN THE RUINS and BORIS THE BLADE.

Comments vocalist Alex Hofman: "We took a considerable amount of time off this year aiming to make not just a new record, but one that sets a new bar for not just ourselves but the genre as a whole. As we begin to enter the studio, we all agree that we've achieved exactly what we set out to achieve. We also have two of the best minds in the game right now (Zach Ohren and Mark Lewis), working together to make this record the best-sounding FALLUJAH release to date. There is a lot of stuff heating up right now, including new tours for 2016, and we couldn't be more excited! Stay posted."

FALLUJAH caused quite a stir in the music world with the release of its latest album, "The Flesh Prevails". It topped several "best of 2014" lists in not only the metal world, but in the progressive music community as well and won over scores of new fans with their fresh, emotive, and technically challenging music. As a result, FALLUJAH has paved the way for a new melodic and atmospheric perspective on death metal!

FALLUJAH's commitment to crafting forward-thinking music has helped them build their own die-hard fan-base from the ground-up through several releases; 2009's "Leper Colony" EP, 2011's "The Harvest Wombs" LP, "Nomadic" EP in 2013, and the aforementioned "The Flesh Prevails".

"The Flesh Prevails" was mixed, mastered and engineered by Zach Ohren at Sharkbite Studios over the course of a few months. It features guest appearances from Christian Muenzner (SPAWN OF POSSESSION, ex-OBSCURA, ex-NECROPHAGIST) and the voice of Roniit Alkayam. The cover artwork was a collaborative effort between Poland's Tomasz Alen Kopera and the band's vocalist, Alex Hofmann. FALLUJAH is:

Alex Hofmann - vocalsRob Morey - bassAndrew Baird - drumsScott Carstairs - guitarBrian James - guitar

Kerry King of SLAYER and legendary Danish heavy metal singer King Diamond (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND) recently sat down for the latest episode of Noisey's "Back & Forth" series. Watch the two go into full nerd-out mode over how they got into heavy metal, making instruments out of rubber bands, and carving logos into flesh.

Kerry King has previously stated that he and fellow original SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman were big fans of MERCYFUL FATE when SLAYER recorded the album "Hell Awaits", so much so that the LP was very influenced by the Danish heavy metal act.

MERCYFUL FATE's last studio album, "9", was released in 1999.

MERCYFUL FATE will be remembered for its unquestionable mark on the history of metal with its innovative sound, complex arrangements, memorable melody, and its influence on bands that later took the genre to new heights.

In 1998, METALLICA paid tribute to MERCYFUL FATE by recording a medley of classic MERCYFUL FATE songs on the album "Garage Inc." Entitled "Mercyful Fate", the medley included parts from "Satan's Fall", "Curse of the Pharaohs", "A Corpse Without Soul", "Into the Coven" and "Evil".

Lars Ulrich of METALLICA (a fellow Dane) played drums on a new version of MERCYFUL FATE's "Return of the Vampire" on the "In the Shadows" album, which came out in 1993.

Asked by Full Metal Jackie if he feels at all uncomfortable when fans share the impact MERCYFUL FATE had on them, King Diamond said: "It's great to hear. I mean, I was very lucky the other day. I went and saw my friends in VOLBEAT play here in Dallas. And ANTHRAX was supporting. I met [ANTHRAX guitarist] Scott Ian before, but I met all of [the ANTHRAX guys] this time around and got to really talk to them. And what an amazing bunch of guys. I mean, really great human beings — nice people. It was amazing. And they just played and put on an amazing show. So it was a very good evening, and it was great to meet [them]. And they also were talking about: 'Hey! Let's do [MERCYFUL FATE's] 'Evil'.' [And I said] 'Okay, I can do 'Evil' in my sleep, so we can do that, if you want to.' And then one of the other guys said: 'Hey, there's a little more to it than just that.' It can quickly go wrong if you have not tested it properly. So some other time we'll do it. But I remember, the drummer [Charlie Benante] said that he could play the entire 'Melissa' album, if need be. So it's nice to hear that people are really that into that old music still."

SLAYER's new album, "Repentless", was released on September 11 via Nuclear Blast.

Legendary rocker Sammy Hagar and Vic Johnson performed at halftime during CBS's "Thursday Night Football" between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks on October 22 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Hagar recently confirmed to Ultimate Classic Rock that he has recorded one new song with his CHICKENFOOT bandmates, "Before I Die", and has vowed to continue making music with the supergroup, which also includes guitarist Joe Satriani, bassist Michael Anthony (ex-VAN HALEN) and drummer Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS).

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

Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA have released the official live video for their song "Unchain Utopia", filmed live earlier this year at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, Belgium. The clip was shot and edited by Jens De Vos and his team at Panda Productions. The show was recorded by Ace Zec and mixed by EPICA producer Joost Van Der Broek.

EPICA will return to North America in January for its rescheduled "Enigma" tour. Support on the trek will come from MOONSPELL and STARKILL. Commented EPICA frontwoman Simone Simons: "We were really disappointed when we were forced to drop our tour with ELUVEITIE because of my father's life-threatening accident. Luckily, my father is doing much better at the moment, and it is time to return to North America to finish what we started.

"Unfortunately, due to recording commitments, we are only able to reschedule part of the tour. We'll try to catch up on those missing shows as soon as possible and with a new album in our pocket!

"We can’t wait to be back in North America together with our friends from MOONSPELL. See you at one of the shows."

EPICA VIP tickets and uprades are available through Soundrink. VIP bundles will include a meet-and-greet as well as exclusive merchandise such as a seven-inch vinyl.

Ticketing and VIP links: www.epica.nl

EPICA's fall 2015 run was supposed to mark the band's long-awaited return to North America after their tour with MACHINE HEAD in late 2014 got canceled. It was also to be the band's first North American trek in support of their latest album, "The Quantum Enigma", which hit the charts all over Europe and beyond.

The new CHASTAIN album "We Bleed Metal" will be released worldwide on November 6. It is the follow-up to the band's 2013 reunion CD "Surrender To No One". That release marked the return of original vocalist Leather Leone. She has long been considered one of the originators of the female power metal vocal style. Leather was the vocalist on the classic CHASTAIN albums: "Mystery Of Illusion", "Ruler Of The Wasteland", "The 7th Of Never", "The Voice Of The Cult" and "For Those Who Dare". Also returning to the band is original bassist Mike Skimmerhorn. The drums are now being handled by Stian Kristoffersen (PAGAN'S MIND, FIREWIND).

"We Bleed Metal" track listing:

01. We Bleed Metal02. All Hail The King03. Against All The Gods04. Search Time For You05. Don't Trust Tomorrow06. I Am A Warrior07. Evolution Of Terror08. The Last Ones Alive09. Secrets

The official lyric video for the song "All Hail The King" can be seen below.

Guitarist David T. Chastain states: "This new album is a continuation of the sound we created on 'Surrender To No One'.

"We still have a foot in the past but we are also embracing the future.

"I have my style of writing metal and it isn't ever going to change to any major degree.

"I tried to write on some subjects that are important to me: The financial systems inevitable downfall, religious insanity, mankind's self-destructive nature, our own self-preservation and few other esoteric topics.

"Leather proves on the new CD she hasn't lost anything from her glory days.

"Stian's kicks the band to the next level, as he is the youngest member with the most modern influences.

"I think this is my most 'shredtastic' CHASTAIN guitar work since 'The 7th Of Never' era.

"I think all in all this is one of the best CHASTAIN releases in the catalog. Of course, it is hard for me to be objective about a CD until about ten years after it comes out."

Leather adds: "After our absence through the years, the response has been fantastic! I find much of it to be classic CHASTAIN. There are undeniably some modern concepts involved!! But I guarantee it will not disappoint. It is 100% a CHASTAIN CD!"

She continues: "The title track, 'We Bleed Metal', should be a battle cry for all who live and love metal! The song is about the camaraderie between metal lovers and overcoming the struggle, barriers and stigmas society places on the music. 'We will sacrifice and we will pay the price 'cause we bleed metal!'"

The Leather-fronted version of CHASTAIN recorded five CDs in the mid-to-late 1980s: 1985's "Mystery Of Illusion", 1986's "Ruler Of The Wasteland", 1987's "The 7th Of Never", 1988's "The Voice Of The Cult" and 1990's "For Those Who Dare". After the "For Those Who Dare" tour, David and Leather amicably went their separate ways but kept in touch over the years before reuniting in 2013.

Leather in 2012 released the debut album from her SLEDGE LEATHER project, "Imagine Me Alive". The CD was inspired in 2010 when Leather called Sandy Sledge to collaborate on the Ronnie James Dio track "Egypt" for a demo tribute recording. Due to the overwhelming response for more material, SLEDGE LEATHER was born and performed at Germany's Keep It True festival in April 2011.

MEGADETH's 12-inch single, "The Threat Is Real", will be released next month as part of Record Store Day's annual Black Friday bonanza. The effort will include the title track and a cover of FEAR's "Foreign Policy", both of which are taken from MEGADETH's forthcoming fifteenth studio album, "Dystopia",

Now in its eighth year, Record Store Day is an annual day-long celebration of record store culture taking place on the third Saturday in April, with an annual Black Friday event occurring the day after Thanksgiving. This year, RSD has named Dave Grohl as Record Store Day Ambassador 2015.

For more information, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

"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 produced by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine and Toby Wright (ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN). The CD was mixed by Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, ALL THAT REMAINS and GOJIRA.

"Dystopia" marks the recording debut of MEGADETH's new lineup, featuring founding members Mustaine (guitar, vocals) and David Ellefson (bass) alongside LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA.

"Dystopia" final track listing:

01. The Threat Is Real
02. Dystopia
03. Fatal Illusion
04. Death From Within
05. Bullet To The Brain
06. Post American World
07. Poisonous Shadows
08. Look Who's Talking (iTunes bonus track)
09. Conquer Or Die
10. Lying In State
11. The Emperor
12. Last Dying Wish (iTunes bonus track)
13. Foreign Policy (FEAR cover)

The band also recorded a cover version of "Melt The Ice Away" (BUDGIE).

The song "Poisonous Shadows" features piano playing from Kiko as well as orchestration from famed Nashville arranger Ronn Huff, the father of former MEGADETH producer Dann Huff. Mustaine described the track to Rolling Stone as "a really haunting piece" and added that "the part that [Kiko] played is very Chopin-meets-MEGADETH, if that makes sense."

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

"Kick Me Silly - VC III" track listing:

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

The track "Anthem" can be streamed below.

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

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

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

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

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

VENOMOUS CONCEPT is:

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

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

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

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

"The Outcast" single track listing:

Side A

01. The Outcast (edit)

Side B

02. Even In His Youth (NIRVANA cover)

"Nucleus" track listing:

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

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

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

Carsten Steinhausen of Metal Assault has uploaded video footage of OPETH's October 24 performance at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles California during the band's "25th Anniversary Tour". Check it out below.

Asked for his opinion about some fans' position that OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt should have started a side project under a new name instead of taking the band completely away from the death metal-tinged sounds of OPETH's early albums, Åkerfeldt told Lady Obscure: "Well, I mean… It doesn't really work like that, does it? First and foremost, people can have their opinions. It doesn't mean we'll follow it. We love our fans, [and] we respect them, but we're a band first and foremost. I never felt that… Whatever we do with this band, whatever ends up being OPETH is OPETH, because it's us. And that argument kind of fails in that sense… How does that work with Joni Mitchell [or] David Bowie? For solo artists who have a sound. Should they change their name? It's just a random and, I think, a bit ignorant and stupid comment, to be honest. I think it's easier if [the fans] just stop listening to it. I think the best solution is that they stop listening to it if they don't like it."

During an interview with Australia's The Rockpit, Mikael spoke about the sharp musical turn OPETH took with 2011's "Heritage" album and its follow-up release, 2014's "Pale Communion". He said: "I do understand and appreciate that 'Heritage' was a little bit of a shock to fans who are more into the heavy, death metal type of sound, and maybe it's a bit much to expect them to take it all in so we got a bit of shit for that record. I love that album with a passion, because, for me, it was natural, but I have seen that with the coming of the 'Pale Communion' record that people come up to me and say, 'I did not like 'Heritage' when it came out, but when you put out 'Pale Communion', I finally understood 'Heritage' and now I'm starting to like it.' So I'm hoping it's going to escalate into a love for that record."

He continued: "People have been more gentle with us with 'Pale Communion' coming out, but there is still... Like, I don't have social media, I don't correspond with the fans in that sense, so I don't really get a lot of the confrontations about what the hell we are doing. My overall response to that question would be that people might be getting used to and maybe understand a little bit better about what we are trying to do. And, for me, that is good, of course. I never had a problem. For me, it was never a big step. For everybody in the band, it was not a massive thing for us to do 'Heritage', but I do accept that it might have been too curvy of a curveball for people who are not in the band, but now it's starting to calm down a little bit."

Hello everybody!

So it has comes to this day; the Lindemann era is over for this time.
But it might be a third video later. We'll see.

Now it is time for me and Mr Till Lindemann to go back to our normal jobs.
But don't you worry, we will write more crazy, freaky songs together in the future.

Till and the guys in Rammstein have started to write songs since a month back.
Me, I have about 4-5 PAIN songs almost done.

A full, brand new, PAIN album will be released in the end of the summer of 2016.
I will aslo bring PAIN back to festivals the next coming summer. The summer of 2016.

And in September-October will we follow up the album release with a tour.
I will update you more frequently from now on.

Enjoy your life and think positive even if the world might looks dark sometimes.

Best,
Peter

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has told Rolling Stone India that his family's recent move to Nashville was prompted largely by his daughter's decision to launch a country music career. He said: "The reason we moved out here was because I've made four records out here and all those times I was recording, I did live here. It really was comfortable to be here. The last time we were here, Electra was only two years old. We didn't know that she had the gift and once she started singing — I heard her sing one time and I was really convinced."

He continued: "I don't profess to be a singer first and foremost — I'm a guitar player that sings more than a singer who plays guitar. But with her, she really is. That's her strong point. For her, this is music city. It's all about country. It's where she's flourishing."

Mustaine added: "I could do my job from anywhere — MEGADETH is that successful. I can do stuff on the net from a desert island if I wanted to. But I think for her, to be here right now and work with other songwriters builds her name. She just goes in and meets people and doesn't tell them who her dad is. [Laughs]"

Asked if he has met any country singers around town, Mustaine said: "Well, through her, yeah. It's interesting to me, because I'd have never thought that I'd have country singers who were MEGADETH fans. If you think about it, all the great guitar players that are in country bands are metal guys, believe it or not. It's funny, if you go to a restaurant here and somebody who serves you food is probably as good at guitar as you are. They just haven't had that break. There are so many talented people out here, it's mind-blowing."

He continued: "The country music scene is so different from metal. Like, Steven Tyler [AEROSMITH] moved out here and he had done a songwriting session with somebody and did it the way that we do it. He has the same background that I do — a rock background. When you write songs, you keep writing. Out here in the country thing, you have a three-hour session. You sit down with some guy and another guy and usually there's three people — one does the music, one does lyrics and another does melody. And in three hours, they've got a song. I'm thinking, 'Fuck me!' If I could write a song in three hours, my life would be so easy. [Laughs] If I was that good where I could put together a song that's exceptional in a matter of three hours, it would certainly change my life a lot."

Mustaine added: "For me, it's kinda weird. Songs aren't ever done until they're done. Sometimes they're quick, sometimes they're slow."

Grammy-winning country singer Steve Wariner revealed to The Tennessean earlier this year that he recorded a steel guitar part for a new MEGADETH song. Wariner met Mustaine in the recording studio, after which the MEGADETH leader came to see Wariner perform.

"Worlds collide," Wariner said. "It's funny. Imagine MEGADETH with steel guitar. That's what I did, and Dave Mustaine is the nicest guy in the world. Isn't that crazy? It's out of my world. You know me, I'm a traditional country guy. But the stuff I played on is awesome."

Back in November 2013, MEGADETH played at the tribute concert honoring the late Country Music Hall Of Famer George Jones at Nashville, Tennessee's Bridgestone Arena.

MEGADETH was joined by Jamey Johnson for a performance of Jones' song "Wild Irish Rose".

Mustaine and his family moved to Tennessee in October 2014 after living in Fallbrook, California for many years.

Due in January 2016, the new MEGADETH album, "Dystopia", will be the band's first to feature LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA.