Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH) recently stopped by Guitar World studios to play the song "Can't Kill The Devil" from the self-titled debut album from their new project METAL ALLEGIANCE. Check out the clip below.

"Metal Allegiance" was released on September 18 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

Brought together by METAL ALLEGIANCE principal partner Mark Menghi, the project's original material came together from the creative minds of David Ellefson of MEGADETH, Mike Portnoy of THE WINERY DOGS, and Alex Skolnick from TESTAMENT, alongside Menghi. The four writers then reached out through their metal rolodexes to a diverse lineup of performers, each adding their own personal musical stamp to the collection of nine original songs.

"Can't Kill The Devil" features a guest appearance on vocals by TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy.

"I am very honored to be a part of the METAL ALLEGIANCE record," Chick said. "The track 'Can't Kill The Devil' was fun and challenging for me.

"Working outside of TESTAMENT lets me try different things with my voice. I think the fans are going to be singing along to this track, for sure."

In a recent interview with I Probably Hate Your Band, Menghi stated about the songwriting process for "Metal Allegiance": "We wrote the majority of the lyrics for the record. In particular, Dave Ellefson and I co-wrote a lot of the lyrics to the record. We based it off our personal experiences in life, some of the fucking crap we went through. For example, with 'Can’t Kill The Devil', he had two lines for that song: 'Can't kill the Devil, the Devil never dies.' And when he said that to me, I was, like, 'Just stop right there,' and an hour later, I came back with all the lyrics for the song. And I basically told a tale, I told a story about the Devil. We all have a Devil in our life. I told a story about my Devil and combined it with his."

The standard edition CD of "Metal Allegiance" features nine original songs. A digipak edition was made available that features an all-star tribute to Ronnie James Dio with a cover of his classic song "We Rock" as well as a 45-minute behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the album. A double vinyl version was also made available that features all 10 songs as well.

The video for the song "Let It Die" from PHANTASMA, the new symphonic rock musical of Charlotte Wessels (DELAIN), Georg Neuhauser (SERENITY) and Oliver Philipps (EVERON), can be seen below. The track is taken from the PHANTASMA's debut album, "The Deviant Hearts", which will be released on November 20 via Napalm Records.

PHANTASMA was born from the longstanding ambition to create a story-driven concept record of Georg Neuhauser, vocal force behind Tyrolean symphonic metal outfit SERENITY. He found his partner in crime with multi-instrumentalist composer, producer and vocalist Oliver Philipps (EVERON) who gladly embarked on this new mission that allowed him to reconnect with being a musician in the first place, as a welcome change from working for other bands, which he has done extensively over the years, providing the rich sound connoisseurs of the genre have come to expect from him.

As Oliver worked with DELAIN since their debuting record, a request at Charlotte Wessels's address was made to complete the dynamic trio of PHANTASMA. To introduce Charlotte Wessels to any connoisseur of symphonic metal would be like carrying coals to Newcastle — she is, after all, since 2005 the vocal figurehead of Dutch grandees DELAIN. It is therefore not only surprising, but also gratifying that Charlotte now even found some leisure time, to lend not only her voice to PHANTASMA but also her debut novella "The Deviant Hearts" —- which was written specially for the project.

Thomas Caser, Napalm Records vice president, comments: "We are thrilled to announce the signing of PHANTASMA which is one of the most exciting projects of the genre. Charlotte, Georg and Oliver have created a magical album and a fantastic concept and story to come with it. This is a must-have for all fans of this music!"

PHANTASMA states: "We have truly enjoyed giving a shape, face and sound to 'The Deviant Hearts'. It was an inspiring and exciting process and we can not wait to share the result of our efforts with you through the upcoming release with Napalm Records."

With PHANTASMA, Charlotte can let her beautiful and variable voice run free like the wind — sometimes tender like on "Runaway Grey", plaintive on "Let It Die", and the duet "The Lotus And The Willow" — makes Charlotte's passion for Nick Cave abundantly clear, matching even the intensity of "Where The Wild Roses Grow". Meanwhile, Georg's dedication to classic rock acts like QUEEN and MEAT LOAF shine through in tracks like "Crimson Course" and "Novaturient".

Giving a face to several characters in the story are noted guest vocalists Tom Englund (EVERGREY), who performs on tracks such as "Enter Dreamscape" and "The Deviant Hearts". Cloe Lowery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) shines on the heart-wrenching ballad "Try" alongside Dennis Schunke (VAN CANTO) who can be heard also on "Carry Me Home". Georg, Oliver, and Charlotte themselves finish the vocal palette while the sound is completed by Jason Gianni (DAREDEVIL SQUADRON, NEAL MORSE BAND, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) on drums, Randy George (NEAL MORSE BAND, AJALON) on bass and Tom Buchberger (ex-SERENITY) guesting two songs on guitar. Milan-based artist Marco Mazzoni provides the haunting cover art and illustrations to the story, creating an eerie visual world with his elaborate style.

"The Deviant Hearts" will be available in the formats listed below:

- Limited-edition earbook, bonus track, 48-page booklet including novel "The Deviant Hearts" + 2 bonus CDs including "The Deviant Hearts" audiobook read by Charlotte Wessels- Limited-edition 6-page digipack and bonus track — 100-page booklet including novel "The Deviant Hearts" and digipack sleeve- Regular jewel case edition- Digital download

"The Deviant Hearts" track listing: 01. Incomplete02. The Deviant Hearts (Give Us A Story)03. Runaway Grey04. Try05. Enter Dreamscape06. Miserable Me07. The Lotus And The Willow08. Crimson Course09. Carry Me Home10. The Sound Of Fear11. Novaturient12. Let It Die13. Symphony Of Light (bonus track)

PHANTASMA lineup:

Charlotte Wessels - VocalsGeorg Neuhauser - VocalsOliver Philipps - Guitars/Keys/Vocals

Album guests:

Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY) - VocalsDennis Schunke (VAN CANTO) - VocalsChloe Lowery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, CHAMELEON) - VocalsJason Gianni (DAREDEVIL SQUADRON/ NEAL MORSE BAND/ TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) - DrumsRandy George (NEAL MORSE BAND, AJALON) - BassTom Buchberger (ex-SERENITY) - Guitar

Photo by Fabio Interra

ALL SHALL PERISH co-founders Matt Kuykendall (drums), Ben Orum (guitar), and Caysen Russo (guitar) have rejoined forces with vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida and guitarist Chris Storey in the revamped version of the band, which is currently working on new music.

Hermida fronted ALL SHALL PERISH on the group's last three albums — "The Price Of Existence" (2006), "Awaken The Dreamers" (2008) and "This Is Where It Ends" (2011) — before exiting to focus full time on his gig as the new singer for SUICIDE SILENCE, a position he will continue to hold.

Orum plays guitar on all four ALL SHALL PERISH albums.

Kuykendall, who created the name ALL SHALL PERISH, played drums on all the band's CDs except "This Is Where It Ends".

Storey was a fan-favorite ALL SHALL PERISH guitarist from 2003 to 2009.

"Hate, Malice, Revenge"-era (2003) guitarist Russo returns to the fold.

Original vocalist Craig Betit also plans to contribute.

Nearing the conclusion of a legal arbitration over control of the band’s name, unpaid royalties, and other assets, bassist Mike Tiner declined a personal invitation from Kuykendall to rejoin his ex-bandmates. The legal system ultimately ruled in favor of the four out of five original members, their longtime vocalist, and guitarist. Russo will handle bass duties for ALL SHALL PERISH.

Hermida, Storey, Kuykendall, Orum, Russo, and Betit now look forward to putting their music in front of the court of public opinion: the fans, ensuring the legacy of ALL SHALL PERISH remains secure.

ALL SHALL PERISH 2015 is:

Hernan "Eddie" Hermida - VocalsBen Orum - GuitarChris Storey - GuitarCaysen Russo - BassMatt Kuykendall - DrumsCraig Betit - Additional VoKills

The 30th-anniversary edition of STROMTROOPERS OF DEATH's classic debut album, "Speak English Or Die", will be made available on November 27 via Megaforce. The set is expected to include the original album as well as the demo recordings from the pre-STROMTROOPERS OF DEATH project CRAB SOCIETY NORTH.

STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The track "March Of The S.O.D." from "Speak English Or Die" was the "Headbangers Ball" intro song for many years.

After finishing his guitar tracks on the ANTHRAX album "Spreading The Disease", Scott Ian would draw pictures of the face of a character known as "Sargent D." The pictures would be accompanied by slogans such as "I'm not racist; I hate everyone" and "Speak English Or Die," and Ian would write lyrics about this character. He decided to form a hardcore band based on Sargent D, so he recruited ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, ex-ANTHRAX bassist Dan Lilker, and PSYCHOS bassist Billy Milano on vocals.

In a recent interview with Ireland's Overdrive, Lilker stated about the possibility of a S.O.D. reunion concert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Speak English Or Die": "A girl from the label was asking about a show. I am fine to do it as long as it didn't conflict with anything else on my schedule. ANTHRAX always seem to be busy all the time, you know. Never say never, but there is nothing I know about at the moment. Actually, the only thing with S.O.D. is the re-release of 'Speak English Or Die' with the CRAB SOCIETY NORTH stuff on it. We pre-dated ANAL CUNT and all that shit by a few years as far as just having seven-second songs of just pointless blasts of noise. We didn't use regular instruments either, we used on a cassette case with a screwdriver and a drum stick. The old tape decks, they had a microphone in-level and you could set the level to get your desired sound and when you put it to 10 it just was like a fucking jet engine. It was awesome. Anyway, all that stuff will be on the 'Speak English Or Die' re-release."

Asked if he thought an album like "Speak English Or Die" could be released for the first time in this day and age without controversy — especially in light of how hyper-sensitive and politically correct the world has become — Lilker said: "It probably would be too over the top for now. Some of it is still relevant, like 'Fuck The Middle East' is still relevant. But, you know, when we did it, it was [meant to be] tongue and cheek — 'Let's take the piss' — and we wanted to see what people would say. It was directed at people who had no sense of humor and had a stick up their asses. It’s kind of like that Bonnie Raitt song, 'Let's give them something to talk about,' and we did!"

In October 2011, Ian was asked by UnRated magazine if there was any chance of another S.O.D. reunion, to which he replied: "No. I think I can safely say that, yeah. It was never supposed to be anything more than it was. As far as I'm concerned, we did too much with it. It started out as a comic book strip that I drew in the studio and then turned into this record that we made, but you know, that's all that it is for me. It's the opposite of THE DAMNED THINGS [a supergroup featuring Ian alongside FALL OUT BOY and EVERY TIME I DIE members]. For me, it was never meant to be a real band with a schedule and making records and touring. S.O.D. was supposed to be the 'anti' of that, it was supposed to just be about having fun and never having it turn into something real where all of a sudden it's not just fun anymore — it becomes a job, it becomes a business. And I'm glad everyone around the world got to see it at least once because in '99 and 2000 we played everywhere and I don't feel the need to go out and do that again."

WATCHTOWER, the renowned ultra-prog, tech-metal band from Texas is at it again and finally releasing new material. The band's 1989 "Control & Resistance" lineup — Ron Jarzombek on guitar, Doug Keyser on bass, Rick Colaluca on drums, and Alan Tecchio on vocals — has crafted three new tunes, "M-Theory Overture", "Arguments Against Design" and "Technology Inaction", which are taken from the yet-to-be-released CD "Mathematics".

WATCHTOWER's last release with this lineup was just one solitary song back in 2010, so this event is already three times as good as that one! But seriously, the 2010 single "The Size Of Matter" was released just before the band played Germany's Keep It True festival. After a five-year rest recuperating from that gig, WATCHTOWER finally resumed work on "Mathematics", hoping to eventually complete it before the 23rd century.

Says Tecchio: "I am so psyched to be back with these guys and am fully committed to getting the great songs that were destined to be 'Mathematics' out there at long last— however it is we have to do it. They are awesomely heavy and complicated yet very melodic tunes. It's that classic, signature 'TOWER sound and I know the fans are gonna love it."

Adds Ron: "We've been talking the 'Mathematics' talk for too long, it's time to do some walking. Hopefully, we'll get more songs completed after these three new songs are released. All it takes is a little drive and motivation, and, of course, support from the fans."

Although the future may seem unclear for this ground-breaking group, one thing is for certain: They will eventually get their math homework done one way or another. But fans will undoubtedly have to be patient as the songs will most likely be released in a staggered fashion. The alternative is to wait indefinitely for the entire album to be completed, and that could take forever. Rather than deny the fans any music at all, WATCHTOWER will release songs as they are completed.

Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's October 20 performance at The Warfield in San Francisco, California can be seen below.

In a recent interview with The Press-Enterprise, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford stated about the band's current live show: "We decided to cut back a little bit because I think we made a huge statement on the 'Epitaph' tour, not only in the music, where we tried to play a track from every record. It was a two-and-a-half-hour-and-change show that did have all of the bells and whistles. I think what we're trying to do on this tour is basically condensing it somehow. So that means, like we always did, the focus should always be on the band. It should always be about your ability to walk out and play guitar or sing or play drums, bass, whatever. That's what it's about."

Halford also addressed the fact that JUDAS PRIEST's 2011 tour was supposed to be the band's "farewell," and credited the influence of PRIEST's new guitarist, Richie Faulkner, for changing their minds.

"We didn't really know if we were going to be able to continue at that point," Halford said. "But we were suddenly, we were up and running blind at a million miles an hour, and nobody (before the tour) said, 'Well, just hang on a minute. Now you've got Richie in the band. Maybe you should look at renaming this tour, just call it the 'Epitaph' tour because in essence, an epitaph conveys some kind of message.' I don't think epitaph conveys an end. I think an epitaph is a kind of pondering emotion. It's a statement. An epitaph is well, look at this and think about what it represents. However, we didn't do that. We went out as a farewell tour, and, of course, within the first two days, everybody was like, 'This isn't a farewell.'"

JUDAS PRIEST's latest album, "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.

Hypnotic Dirge Records and Solitude Productions has come to an agreement with the Greek doomsters Immensity to release their debut album The Isolation Splendour on CD format in early 2016. Active since 2009, Immensity is a six-piece atmospheric death-doom band from Athens founded by Andreas Kelekis, and rounded out by five other highly competent musicians. Since their founding, they have played many shows and in 2012 released the demo The Lonely Aquarelle.

Since that time, they have been busy perfecting their debut full-length The Isolation Splendour for an official release. Advance promotional copies were distributed this past spring to labels and webzines, but since then, the album has been remixed to further improve the sound and within months it will finally be officially released.

The Isolation Splendour will feature five brand new lengthy tracks for a runtime of around 48 minutes, and will also include the two tracks from “The Lonely Aquarelle” demo so that the entire band discography will be included. In total, the runtime will be approximately 68 minutes so expect a comprehensive slab of atmospheric and melodic death-doom that will appeal to fans of old school and traditional death-doom in the vein of My Dying Bride, and early-Paradise Lost as well as The Gathering, Novembers Doom, Daylight Dies, and Ahab.

Regarding the signing, the band comments:

“Finally after a long period of Splendid Isolation, focusing and working on nothing but our debut album, we are overjoyed and delighted that the wait is over. We hope the listener will enjoy above all, for us this would be the ultimate reward and stepping stone for what is yet to come. Huge thanks to Hypnotic Dirge Records and Solitude Productions for believing in Immensity...embrace the doom!”

Album track “Irradiance (For The Unlight)” is streaming below:

The Isolation Splendour by Immensity

 

Prog rock supergroup Flying Colors - featuring Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Dave LaRue, Casey McPherson, and Steve Morse - have posted a video clip for what they refer to as the Mike Portnoy ballad, "Furry Man". Check it out below:

On November 13th, Flying Colors will be releasing Second Flight: Live At The Z7 via Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group on multiple formats (4K UltraHD, Blu-ray, DVD, LP + MP3, CD, iTunes, Headphone Surround, iTunes, Pono.)

“Kayla” from Second Flight: Live At The Z7 can be seen below.

"Kayla was the very first song that Flying Colors wrote together and is still one of my favorites. The spacey spiritual love story thing is cool and the melody in the chorus is spellbinding.” — Neal Morse

Flying Colors previously issued another sneak preview in the form of “Mask Machine”.

On only the eighth show of their 2014 fall tour, they 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.” It’s Flying Colors at their very best, and a new milestone in the band's soaring adventure.

Summarising 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.”

Second Flight: Live At The Z7 tracklisting:

“Overture”
“Open Up Your Eyes”
“Bombs Away”
“Kayla”
“Shoulda Coulda Woulda”
“The Fury Of My Love”
“A Place In Your World”
“Forever In A Daze”
“One Love Forever”
“Colder Months”
“Peaceful Harbor”
“The Storm”
“Cosmic Symphony”
“Mask Machine”
“Infinite Fire”
“Peaceful Harbor” (Orchestral Version) *

* Bonus track, 3 LP and digital only

Relapse presents the first ever fully authorized reissue of Behind The Realms Of Madness, the landmark debut from legendary UK band Sacrilege, available on November 13th. Listen to “Shadow From Mordor” below:

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)

“Lifeline”:

Pre-order at this location.

Sacrilege is:

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

 

The release of the second chapter of Vanden Plas' rock opera, Chronicles Of The Immortals – Netherworld II, is scheduled for November 6th. A new video trailer for the upcoming release is streaming below:

Approximately one year after the release of the first chapter, Vanden Plas return with their elaborate arrangements, superb piano melodies, and epic instrumental passages, paired with the signature heavy Vanden Plas sound and distinctive vocals of Andy Kuntz.

In guitarist Stephan Lill’s words: “This is our 8th studio album, so now we know what works for Vanden Plas and what doesn't. With every new CD we try to continue to break new ground, while still remaining faithful to our original style. As the songs of Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld Part I & II are written for a Rock Opera, this time the arrangements of the music are more epic and orchestral than on the previous albums. The engagements for several rock operas in theaters and the work together with big orchestras helped us a lot to improve the way of writing songs or to arrange song parts in a way that makes it special. A band needs this kind of a light progression. And maybe the next cd will sound a bit more reduced again, we will see.”

Fans of the saga of the immortal Andrej Delãny will now be able to enjoy the eagerly awaited continuation with Chronicle Of The Immortals - Netherworld II. As Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld, Path I ended, the perfidious plans of the dark Godmaker threatened to emerge. All seemed lost, yet from within the pervading darkness shone a soft light. Deliverance comes in the second half of the story, where the creative duo of Vanden Plas and Wolfgang Hohlbein has merged again in top form.  And of course it will be up to the listener to find out how the story will end!

“Wolfgang Hohlbein was, together with his manager Dieter Winkler and our singer Andy, responsible for the story which was the base for both Chronicles Of The Immortals - Netherworld CDs. For the theater piece we did here in Germany, he wrote a book especially for this event what was fantastic,” tells Stephan.

Vanden Plas has always been open to remarkable and unusual ideas, and the collaboration with the writer Wolfgang Hohlbein found fertile ground there from the beginning. The author who has sold more than 40 million books worldwide was a big fan of the band. Blutnacht (Bloodnight), a stage production performed at the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern, was based on his series The Chronicle Of The Immortals. Hohlbein, his manager Dieter Winkler, and Vanden Plas frontman Andy Kuntz developed the story and Vanden Plas provided the musical realization. The reward was 25 sold-out performances during the 2012 and 2013 seasons and unanimously thrilled audiences.

“We will start the shows in support of the new album during the winter of 2015. For the previous CD, we played 3 to 4 shows in seven countries in Europe. That's what we plan also for the beginning of 2016. We just have to coordinate the dates of our Vanden Plas concerts with the dates of our theatre shows to take care that there won't be a crossing over,” concludes Stephan.

For more than 20 years, Vanden Plas has stood for intelligent progressive metal. With Netherworld II, the conclusion of Chronicles Of The Immortals, the band now opens a new and exciting chapter in its career.

Tracklisting:  

Vision 11even - "In My Universe”
Vision 12elve - "Godmaker’s Temptation”
Vision 13teen - "Stone Roses Edge”
Vision 14teen - "Blood Of Eden” (“All Love Must Die”) (“The Rite”) (“This Is The Night”)
Vision 15teen - "Monster”
Vision 16teen - "Diabolica Comedia”
Vision 17teen - "Where Have The Children Gone”
Vision 18teen - "The Last Fight”
Vision 19teen - "Circle Of The Devil”

“The Last Fight”:

“Stone Roses Edge” video:

Trailer:

 

NYC stoner rock/doom rock unit, Kings Destroy, today unveils a brand new video for the track "Smokey Robinson". Shot by Pit Full Of Shit's Frank Huang at their official record release show earlier this year at Brooklyn's Saint Vitus Bar, the tune comes by way of the band's self-titled War Crime Recordings-issued full-length.
 
Of the latest clip, vocalist Steve Murphy comments, "Our previous videos always had storylines so this time we bring you a live sampling of the band. It made sense to have it filmed at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, New York on our record release show because that place is home to us much like CBGB was home to our hardcore bands. The people at Saint Vitus have nurtured us from our early days. We also chose Frank Huang to produce it. Frank is in the process of documenting the heavy scene in NYC like no one else. His work is important and down the road it will be Frank who will be recognized for his tireless contribution to our scene. I did not tell the band that we were doing this video so it's a true representation of Kings Destroy live. The words of the song have darker undertones about the problems we have with racial equality in our country. The words play off the more upbeat tempo of the song."
 

In related Kings Destroy news, the band will take to the streets again on a short run of live dates supporting the likes of Acid King, YOB and more with future onstage debauchery in the plotting stages.
 
Dates include:

October
24 - Kings Barcade - Raleigh, NC (with Acid King, Demoneye)
25 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY (with Acid King, Sanhedrin)
27 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA (with Acid King, Heavy Temple)

November
7 - Webster Hall (Marlin Room) - New York, NY (with Yob, Black Cobra)

 

Chilean electro-heavy rock band The ReAktion – discovered by veteran producers GG Garth and Bob Ezrin and managed by Slipknot’s Sid Wilson – have unleashed their brand new album Selknam today. The album is out via Mainia Recordings and is available to order via iTunes,Google Play, Amazon, or the Mainia Recordings website. 

Produced by the renowned names mentioned above, Selknam was recorded at Estudios Tierra in Santiago, Chile. 

 
The ReAktion will perform their blistering set at Knotfest this weekend, taking place at San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, CA. The ReAktion will perform on Sunday, October 25th at 12:55pm on the Coldcock Extreme Stage. The band will perform new songs during their set, including their two previously released singles “10 Steps To Success” and “Synchro”.

The band is currently working on touring plans for US, Europe and South America for fall/winter 2015-2016.

Finnish power metal band Ghost Machinery are streaming the new video ”Arms Of The Strangers”, from the upcoming new album Evil Undertow, due for release on November 13th via Pure Legend Records.

On the third output, Evil Undertow, concise keyboards meet up with moody, strong guitar harmonies and a very clear, differentiated sound. Sometimes they exceed the limits to power metal in the well-known Stratovarius tradition. But mostly, on 13 tracks hard rock influenced by Rainbow, Black Sabbath (Tony Martin-era) and Axel Rudi Pell reigns supreme. Also AOR lunatics should give it a listen.

Tracklisting:

“Arms Of The Strangers”
“Fatal”
“Kingdom Of Decay”
“Go To Hel (It’s Where You Belong)”
“Evil Undertow”
“Brave Face”
“Tools of The Trade”
“No Easy Way Out”
“Dead Inside”
“Lost To Love”
“The Last Line Of Defence”

"Arms Of The Strangers" video:

“Lost To Love”:

 

Swedish metal band Steelwing have released a new song “Och Världen Gav Vika”, taken from their new album Reset, Reboot, Redeem. Reset, Reboot, Redeem is due for release on November 20th. It was recorded, mixed and co-produced by Swedish death metal legend Fred Estby (Necronaut, The Dagger, ex-Dismember) at Gutterview Recorders, with additional parts recorded by Nicko DiMarino in Deep Blue Studios where the band's early sound was once formed.

The band comments about the song:

"With this album we really wanted to challenge ourselves to try new things and go beyond what people expect from Steelwing. One idea we played around with for a while was to include a song in Swedish, which finally turned out to be ‘Och Världen Gav Vika’, the fourth track of Reset, Reboot, Redeem. The title roughly translates to ‘And The World Collapsed’ and is in itself an homage to the Swedish translation of Ayn Rand’s classic novel Atlas Shrugged.

“As with several of our previous songs the lyrics portray a nuclear apocalypse, but we’re bringing it closer to home this time. The song even includes a statement from former prime minister Thorbjörn Fälldin regarding the Soviet submarine, believed to be armed with nuclear weapons, that ran aground on the southern coast of Sweden in October 1981, causing a diplomatic crisis at the time. The decision to include this turned out oddly prophetic as in October 2014 when we were finishing up the songs, there were once again rumoured intrusions of Russian submarines in Swedish waters.

“The song in itself follows the darker theme of the album, intense and hypnotically brooding, combining influences from heavy metal, thrash and the domestic punk scene."

The artwork was created by Swedish artist Sandra Österberg Brolin.

Tracklisting:

“Carbon Waste Lifeforms”
“Reset, Reboot, Redeem”
“Ozymandias”
“Och världen gav vika”
“Architects Of Destruction”
“Network”
“Like Shadows, Like Ghosts”
“Hardwired”
“We Are All Left Here To Die”

“Och Världen Gav Vika”:

"Reset, Reboot, Redeem”:

"We envisioned a gritty attitude and more organic drum sound for these songs, so naturally we turned to Fred who is known for delivering just that. Since we have grown up listening to Dismember, it was truly an honor to work with him. I knew the new material would be very demanding to sing, so we decided to record the vocals with Nicko, an old friend of the band who has been with us from day one. We know we can always trust his ears and skill when the going gets tough."

Conceptually Steelwing continue to develop on the post-apocalyptic themes of the previous two albums. Where Lord Of The Wasteland focused on Mad Max-esque highway marauders and Zone Of Alienation described mutant-infested havens in outer space, Reset, Reboot, Redeem takes on a more serious misanthropic note: the current flawed state of mankind must be sacrificed to pave way for a trans-humanistic new breed - or all life on Earth will face extinction. One of many firsts for this album is a song in the band’s native tongue: “Och världen gav vika” (translation: “And the World Collapsed”).

Listenable Records has announced the signing of crushing riff-masters Black Wizard.

The Vancouver, BC crew’s new album reeks of denim, leather, sweat, booze, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, and attitude.

Their new album, New Waste, is scheduled for a late January 2016 release.

Listen some Black Wizard via the Bandcamp player below:

BLACK WIZARD LP by BLACK WIZARD

(Photo by: Milton Stille)

Canada's Kobra And The Lotus recently wrapped up their European tour supporting Kamelot. They have checked in with the following update:

"Alright. We are all finally home and settled in. What a trip!! Thank you so much to Kamelot for having us out on such an incredible trip! Thanks to the gang in Gus G, the killer Kamelot crew, and the amazing people of the world that support and believe in the spirit of rock'n metal! It will never die!"

Vocalist Kobra Paige was invited to perform with Kamelot during part of their show towards the end of the tour. Footage of "Center Of The Universe" from the last show in Tilburg, Netherlands can be viewed below.

Kobra commented on the performance to BraveWords: "This is the most gentle anyone probably ever seen me on stage. Haha..." 

Kobra And The Lotus vocalist Kobra Paige recently spoke with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai about the bands new covers EP, Words Of The Prophets. Following is an excerpt from the story:

Cover songs, never mind EPs or full albums, are a crapshoot at best. There’s nothing more boring than a band doing up a remake of the classic Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Judas Priest staples (we DO NOT need another version of ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Comin”… seriously), but hearing a band cover a less über-popular tune as a straight one-to-one is just as aggravating. That said, Kobra And The Lotus have somehow managed to deliver an EP of faithful covers that, surprisingly, don’t grate the nerves. How they pulled it off is a mystery.

“Doing covers is such a sensitive thing,” Paige agrees. “You don’t want to mess with the integrity of the original songs, and you don’t want to do a straight up version of the original. It’s tough trying to figure out how to deliver them. ‘The Spirit Of Radio’ was a really fun one to challenge ourselves with, especially for the guys because there are nine tempo changes in that song. There was one thing, though; the ska bit was gonna go (laughs). We had to rock n’ roll that section.”

Go to this location for the complete story.

Due out August 28th, the Words Of The Prophets EP (Titan Music) was produced by the Grammy-nominated Johnny K (Megadeth, Disturbed, Three Doors Down) and will feature cover songs by great Canadian artists. The band’s cover of the Rush classic, “The Sprit Of Radio”, is streaming below:

Of the new release, frontwoman Kobra Paige commented, ""Kobra and the Lotus is a riff-loving, vocal whaling, storm bringing band. We couldn't do what we do without paying homage to the true roots that were layed down before us. Words Of The Prophets is a tribute to those great Canadian classic rock influences that have set the foundation for music magic since we first heard these songs playing on the radio as little kids. They carry a ton of nostalgia, inspire ambitious journeys, and we hope to rub some of that off on you!"

Words Of The Prophets tracklisting:

“Lay It On The Line” (Triumph)
“Sign Of The Gypsy Queen” (April Wine)
“Black Velvet” (Alannah Myles)
“Let It Ride”  (BTO)
“The Spirit Of Radio” (Rush)

“Black Velvet”:

(Photo - Tim Tronckoe Photography)

Prepare to take a journey into the ancient rites of incarnation with the new music video for "The Ascent”, from Karyn Crisis' Gospel Of The Witches.

This track is taken from the latest album, Salem's Wounds, which features occult metal soundscapes that seamlessly soar from evil heaviness to ambient romanticism through soul provoking passages of light and darkness.

On the nature of "The Ascent" specifically and the release of the new video, Karyn Crisis comments: "“The Ascent” is about the transformative ancient rite of Death and Resurrection. It also alludes to the wisdom attained through attuning to the nature of energies which often appear to us as illusions of opposites. To be incarnated again we must first go through the death transition; we must enter the darkness to find the light; to hear the voice of the Universe we must go within, turning attention away from the physical world. Opposites are merely halves of a whole: masculine and feminine energies, the macrocosm and the microcosm, life and death.

“In pen and ink I drew a storyboard of the video that I sent to Bob Vigna, who filmed and edited the entire video. I explained to him I wanted to depict this rite of dying unto oneself, represented by the Hanged Man Tarot card. For our story, I felt it was important to have the male Druids taking action in the first part of the story which is about a seeker in the physical world, and for the female Priestesses to complete the creative inward rebirthing process.

“I was inspired by a story authored by Carlo Napolitano where a character seeking answers to the Great Mysteries was hung upside down on a tree, with a mask tied to his face, gaining a previously unknown view of the world around him as pagan rituals took place around him. Bob elevated these ideas and turned them into a cohesive storyline that's both tangible and earthly, dreamy and spiritual."

Salem’s Wounds contains 13 tracks recorded by Karyn together with Davide Tiso (Ephel Duath), Ross Dolan (Immolation), Mike Hill (Tombs) and Charlie Schmid (Vaura). The album was financed by fans via websites like Indiegogo/Etsy and recorded at The Basement Recordings in North Carolina with producer Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, The Contortionist). The album cover was painted by Karyn herself, who (in addition to her vocal talents) is a respected painter and leatherworker.

 

 

Salem’s Wounds tracklisting:

"Omphalos"
"The Alchemist"
"Ancient Ways"
"Aradia"
"Mother"
"Father"
"Goddess Of Light"
"Howl At The Moon"
"Pillars"
"The Secret"
"Salem's Wounds"
"The Sword And The Stone"
"The Ascent"

“The Alchemist” video:

"Mother":

 

Danish/Swedish squad Down Among The Dead Men will unleash their second full-length, Exterminate! Annihilate! Destroy!, on November 6th via Cyclone Empire Records. Check out the band’s cover of Anvil's "Forged In Fire”, featuring guest vocals from Kam Lee (ex-Death, Massacre):

The D-beat/crust-laden death metal outfit, featuring Dave Ingram (ex-Benediction, Bolt Thrower, Downlord) and axemaster Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, The Grotesquery, Ribspreader) have recorded 14 “heads down, no nonsense” tracks, amongst them two covers by Discharge and Anvil.

The cover artwork is again dragged from the filthy mind of Turkka Rantanen, whose past work has included Archgoat, Adramelech, The Grotesquery, Demilich, Demigod and more.

Tracklisting:

“Pyramids Of Mars”
“Warriors Of The Deep”
“The Oncoming Storm”
“The Ambassadors Of Death”
“Forged In Fire” (Anvil cover featuring vocals by Kam Lee)
“Arc Of Infinity”
“Death Seed”
“War Machines”
“Unearthly Child”
“Tooth And Claw”
“Armageddon Factor”
“Protest And Survive” (Discharge cover featuring vocals by Bob Thunder & Donovan Spenceley)
“Deadly Assassin”
“Exterminate! Annihilate! Destroy!”

“War Machines”:

Prepare to be Exterminated, Annihilated and thoroughly Destroyed.

Sweden’s Tribulation have launched a brand new video for the song “Melancholia”, taken from their latest album The Children Of The Night. You can watch it below:

Tribulation are currently on tour through North America, supporting Deafheaven. The band recently announced Grave Pleasures as co-headline act for the The Wailing Dead Tour 2016 across central Europe in January, which also features fellow Swedes and label-mates Vampire as support.

Grave Pleasures have checked in with the following comment about the tour: “There's a new dark wave coming, black-flagged by bands like us and Tribulation, who stretch their skeletal hands further out into the abyss of deathly rock. Each in our own directions, but sewn at the naval by shared influences, as children of the night-music. You're either with us or against us. Either way, we're out on the road through Europe in January 2016 to crash your dreams and drink your spirits. Fear the wailing of the dead."
 
Tribulation added: "We're proud and excited to announce that death rockers Grave Pleasures will join forces with us and the mighty Vampire on our European tour in January! Safe to say this will be the grandest achievement in our journey so far - the product of our struggle. Prepare for experiences wonderous and strange!"

Check out Tribulation’s live itinerary at this location.

 

Powerhouse American singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) was interviewed on a recent installment of HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta's official podcast, "The Jasta Show". You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On his departure from Yngwie Malmsteen's band:

"The funny this is, I quit Yngwie, and I never even announced it. I never announced that I quit, which was kind of funny. I get fired from so many bands, you'd think I'd finally be excited to tell someone I quit. But I just told [my manager] Wendy [Dio] to get hold of him and say I quit. And [the reason] I quit was he kept asking me to do shows, and I was already booked to do a solo show. So I thought he should get a singer that's young. He doesn't have to pay him anything… 'Cause they didn't advertise my name anyway, so I never understood it."

On whether he would ever work with Yngwie again:

"I would… I'd maybe do a record with him again, and maybe a quick tour, but I just couldn't fit it in. And the one cool thing about me doing it was it was totally different for me. It was really different… even the tunes. My records I did [with Yngwie] was a little bit more straightforward and I sang… It was decent, and it was cool. But it was different, and that's why I did it. First of all, it was Yngwie, and when I was young, he changed the face of guitar playing, and it was kind of cool…. I did it. I thought, 'I'm gonna have people see me sing that's never seen me,' and that was why I did."

On how he was treated by Yngwie:

"I'd seen things that I'd never seen before… hair dryers, some mascara… the normal stuff. But I'll tell you, he treated me really good, to be honest. Every time I got off stage, if I didn't have a good night, he'd be, like, 'Man, you fucking were great.' And he told jokes all the time. I'm not saying he treats everybody great. But I actually enjoyed my time being around him. Listen, he is bigger than life, man. His demeanor and his jokes were even just told like it's on stage, you know. And he loves to play the guitar. He sits with a guitar, playing blues, jazz… whatever it is. He is playing the guitar non-stop. And I learned from that. And he looks the part all the time as well, whereas me, I'm wearing a baseball hat and I just go out looking normal.

"There's a lot of things that I just really thought was cool, and one thing was that I don't always see is somebody who loves playing; he loves it, man. So when people try to get dirt from me about Yngwie: 'How was he? I heard he's an asshole.' I'm, like, 'Listen, man. He was great to me. I had a good time.' I just didn't have the time to do it. I thought he could get some young kid that could blow me away, pay the kid five hundred bucks a week on a tour and be happy with it and make the show better."

On being a hired gun as opposed to touring with his own band:

"I've gotta be honest. It was kind of comforting [to be singing in Yngwie's band]. I didn't have to do all the interviews at all the shows. Well, I didn't have to do any interviews, ever — not even one. But it was actually kind of nice, instead of being the guy that does all the interviews. And it started off where I sang about seven songs a night. Then, as I was in the band, he got excited and he started… I think I [was doing] about fourteen [songs] by the time [I finished touring with Yngwie]. Because it would be a song, and then you had the long solo section in the song, and then it would be the solo song next, and then it would be a solo section and then… But, you know, some of that stuff… Having to end the night with 'I'll See The Light…' 'Cause you'd go off stage for about fifteen minutes. It was tough, because you would keep shutting your voice off and then going back out."

Owens recorded two albums with Malmsteen: 2008's "Perpetual Flame" and 2010's "Relentless".

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was the song that changed everything, a song that resonates through time, a special moment in music history that has yet to be repeated. At The Q Awards yesterday, Queen were presented with the Classic Single Award, marking the 40th anniversary of song which was originally released on October 31st, 1975.

To mark the occasion for the first time ever, "Bohemian Rhapsody" will be released on 12 inch black vinyl with the original B-side “I’m In Love With My Car” on November 27th. Alongside this, Queen, A Night At The Odeon, Live At Hammersmith ’75, is set for release on CD (Hollywood Records), DVD & Blu-Ray (Eagle Rock Entertainment). This show was a culmination of the 26-date Queen Invite You To A Night At The Opera UK tour and the first tour that they had ever performed Bohemian Rhapsody on.

The CD, DVD & Blu-Ray package features the band’s full live show, complete with a never heard before ‘second encore’ of “Seven Seas Of Rhye” and “See What A Fool I've Been”. The DVD and SD Blu-Ray versions also contain two special bonus features – Looking Back At The Odeon, a brand new 22-minute documentary featuring a previously unseen interview with Brian May and Roger Taylor by Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Bob Harris about the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon show, plus the rarely seen Live At The Budokan – Japan 1975 footage, featuring three songs (“Now I'm Here”, “Killer Queen” and “In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited”) recorded during their legendary tour of the Far East.


Spirits were high within the band for this show; "Bohemian Rhapsody" - universally hailed as one of the most ground-breaking ‘pop’ songs ever released – was in the middle of its record-breaking nine week run at Number One in the UK charts. Their fourth album, A Night At The Opera (the most expensive record ever made to that point) was climbing the album charts on its way to No 1, which it achieved three days after this concert.

With over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of the world’s most well known and well loved songs. To this day, it continues to top ‘favorite song’ opinion polls and be discovered by new generations of music fans over and over again. Freddie wrote the whole song – including the composite harmonies – on telephone books and scraps of paper.

Brian May recalled recording "Bohemian Rhapsody”” “That was a great moment, but the biggest thrill for us was actually creating the music in the first place. I remember Freddie coming in with loads of bits of paper from his dad's work, like Post-it notes, and pounding on the piano. He played the piano like most people play the drums. And this song he had was full of gaps where he explained that something operatic would happen here and so on. He'd worked out the harmonies in his head."

Queen spent days overdubbing the vocals in the studio using a 24 track tape machine. By the time they were done, about 120 vocal tracks were layered together. The opera parts alone took longer than 70 hours to complete. At the time, it was the most expensive single ever made and upon presenting it to their record label, they were told by various executives that 5 minutes 55 seconds was too long and the song would never be a hit. But after the song was played by DJ and friend of Freddie, Kenny Everett, 14 times in two days before its official release, the song was only ever destined to be a hit. Hordes of fans attempted to buy the single only to be told by record stores that it had not yet been released. Over in the US, it was the same. American radio RKO managed to get a copy of the tape and started to play it in across their network, which forced the hand of Queen's US label to release the song in its entirety.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was Queen's first ever number 1 single and the 1975 UK Christmas number one, holding the top position for nine weeks. It is the first song ever to get to number one in the UK twice with the same version, and is also the only single to have been Christmas number one twice with the same version. The second was upon its re-release (as a double A-side single with “These Are the Days of Our Lives”) in 1991 following Mercury's death, staying at number one for five weeks, eventually becoming the UK's third best-selling single of all time.

The single has sold in excess of 6.5 million copies worldwide and has been covered by everyone from Kayne West during his 2015 controversial Glastonbury headline slot, Axl Rose, Elton John and Pink to The Flaming Lips and Elaine Paige and forever immortalized again by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in the smash hit 90’s film, Wayne’s World.

Queen - A Night At The Odeon, Live At Hammersmith ’75 released November 20th. 12-inch Black Vinyl Version released November 27th.

Tracklisting (CD/Vinyl/Digital):

“Now I'm Here”
“Ogre Battle”
“White Queen (As It Began)”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Killer Queen”
“The March Of The Black Queen”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” (Reprise)
“Bring Back That Leroy Brown”
“Brighton Rock”
Guitar Solo
“Son And Daughter”
“Keep Yourself Alive”
“Liar”
“In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited”
“Big Spender”
“Jailhouse Rock” Medley
“Seven Seas Of Rhye”
“See What A Fool I've Been”
“God Save The Queen”

DVD and SD Blu-ray formats do not include “Seven Seas Of Rhye” or “See What A Fool I've Been”.

In a new interview with Heavy Talk in Brazil, guitarist/founder Roland Grapow discussed the band's South American tour and future projects, which include re-recording songs from Grapow's Helloween days:

The Helloween re-recordings have been on the table for quite some time, as Grapow first revealed the idea to BraveWords scribe Carl Begai back in 2013:

Grapow: “I’ve been in the business for 25 years, and I was thinking I should do something like a Best Of Roland Grapow album. I’ve asked AFM Records about that because I think I’ve written some good songs with Masterplan and Helloween, and my solo stuff. There’s enough material for a double album. AFM didn’t like the idea, and then I was thinking that maybe Masterplan could re-record some Helloween songs as a bonus CD. Songs that I wrote like ‘The Chance’, ‘Mankind’, ‘Time Of The Oath’ and ‘Still We Go’. It’s not a lot of work since it would just be covering songs. Nothing to rearrange, lyrics are done, we could probably have it done in two weeks. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea because it’s a shame that my history with Helloween has been pushed aside. They don’t play any of the songs that I wrote, which is a shame.”

Check out the complete story here.

After releasing five studio albums since the band debuted with their self-titled debut in early 2003, melodic metallers Masterplan are set to unleash their first ever live release on October 9th. Check out the first taste with the official live clip of “Spirit Never Die” below.

Keep Your Dream aLive will be available as DVD/CD and Bluray/CD sets, both including the entire  show from Masters Of Rock festival, recordings from Wacken Open Air, footage from the band's latest Asian tour and ProgPower USA, as well as all (five) official Masterplan video clips. The Masters Of Rock show is featured on the CD.

CD tracklisting:

“Enlighten Me”
“Spirit Never Die”
“Lost And Gone”
“Crystal Night”
“Betrayal”
“Crimson Rider”
“Back For My Life”
“Time To Be King”
“Keep Your Dream Alive”
“Heroes”
“Soulburn”
“Kind Hearted Light”
“Crawling From Hell”
“Black Night Of Magic”

DVD (Masters Of Rock show) tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Enlighten Me”
“Spirit Never Die”
“Lost And Gone”
“Crystal Night”
“Betrayal”
“Crimson Rider”
“Back For My Life”
“Time To Be King”
“Keep Your Dream Alive”
“Heroes”
“Soulburn”
“Kind Hearted Light"
“Crawling From Hell”

Masterplan will tour Latin America in October.

New Brunswick, New Jersey-based technical death metal quartet, Dystrophy, has signed a deal with Selfmadegod Records to release their second full-length this November, the album bearing the title Wretched Host.
 
Formed in 2007, Dystrophy was spawned from a DIY ethic that has stuck with the band to this day. Progressing from the rapid technical approach of their first album, 2010's Chains Of Hypocrisy, Dystrophy has since refined their style, and on Wretched Host the band weaves an intensely personal tale of mental health into a savage and dissonant style of technical death metal. The album was tracked and mixed at One Stone Recording Studio, and mastered at West West Side Music. Initially self-released in June with a small amount of copies made available directly from the band, a few months later Wretched Host caught attention of Polish label Selfmadegod, which lead to signing official deal and proper worldwide release.

Wretched Host will see release on CD/digital formats in Europe on November 16th and in the US on December 1st. Preorders are available now via Selfmadegod.

Tracklisting:

“Apex”
“Singularity”
“Within The Mind”
“Exoparasite”
“Wretched Host”
“Demise”
“Anhedonia”
“Nadir”

“Singularity”:

Stand by for additional audio samples from Wretched Host, tour dates for Dystrophy and more in the days ahead.

The Swiss metal hopefuls Broken Fate will release the band's debut album next month.
 
Vocalist and guitarist Tobias about The Bridge Between:
 
"We wanted to create a nice mix between our modern and our old-school influences on the album, and I think we did well. Everyone who's into old-school thrash, modern metal, hard rock or rock will love our album!"
 
The album was produced, mixed and mastered by Christian Schmid and R.D. Liapakis at Music Factory/Prophecy Studios.
 
Tobias also talked about the album artwork, created by Anestis Goudas:
 
"The artwork pretty much symbolizes us: The man under the bridge, who has to fight his way to the top, and who has to conquer a lot of things before reaching the Rock Olymp. Broken Fate currently stands on the bridge between, and our journey is the reward!"

Tracklisting:

“The Beginning (Intro)”
“Your Night”
“Mind Control”
“The Bridge Between”
“No Chance”
“Thorns Of A Rose”
“Rising To The Dream”
“Freedom”
“Fall Of Serenity”
“The Moment With You”
“Take You Away”
“Forever In Me”
“Broken”
“Steel Grove”
“Layla”
 
The Bridge Between will be released on November 6 via Massacre Records.

 

Available on vinyl for the first time since its original 1988 release and appearing in its entirety for the first time ever, in any format, the legendary debut album from East Bay thrash metal legends Vio-Lence has been remastered with five bonus tracks added by Wax Maniax. Includes the previously unreleased album version of “Torture Tactics” - intended to be the eighth track on the album but omitted from the original release by MCA because of the extreme lyrical theme. Additionally, the band’s legendary four track Mechanic Demo is presented in its entirety and for the first time ever on vinyl. Eternal Nightmare is set for release on November 13.

Deluxe package includes a full color gatefold jacket featuring several rare and previously unpublished photos of the band from the Eternal Nightmare era, lyric insert, plus extensive liner notes from guitarist Phil Demmel.

Eternal Nightmare is held in reverance by thrash metal fans young and old and stands among legendary debuts from fellow first-wave Bay Area thrashers like Exodus, Forbidden, Testament, and Death Angel.

Chicago-based atmospheric progressive metal trio Austaras are set to release their debut full-length LP, Prisoner of Sunlight.

Following a four-year break since 2011's Under the Abysmal Light EP, Prisoner of Sunlight showcases a staggering musical evolution. The post-black metal stylings of the aforementioned EP are almost all stripped away in favour of grandiose musical passages that combine the band's atmospheric black metal roots with elements of jazz fusion, post-rock ambience, and classic synth-laden progressive rock. Brutal directness and groovy syncopation coexist alongside melodic guitar harmonies, massive choruses, and sweeping analog synth tone. Drummer Adam Hansen's soaring clean vocals, alongside those of guitarist/multi-instrumentalist John Becker, propel the album's compositions into epic territories. The massive record is loosely based around an original mythical concept, following the journey of an outcast soul to the inhospitable ends of the earth. It's an emotionally heavy opus that transcends genres and takes the listener on an enthralling sonic journey.

Prisoner of Sunlight was composed between 2012-2015 and was recorded, engineered and mixed by Vincent M. Ippolito at Swift Road Studios. The record was mastered by Collin Jordan at the Boiler Room and the artwork and layout were crafted by Niels Geybels.

Austaras (ow-STAR-ess) is a Chicago-based atmospheric progressive band, formed by guitarists John Becker and Shane Hill. They first performed live in 2010, and have shared the stage with a wide variety of local and international acts. After working the Chicago underground scene to support their 2011 debut EP Under the Abysmal Light, Austaras took time off to compose their next release. Despite numerous obstacles and major lineup changes, the band emerged with a stronger, more potent artistic vision than before. Prisoner of Sunlight serves as the band's definitive musical statement.

Prisoner of Sunlight will be available as a high-quality digital download or limited edition CD on November 6th on the Austaras webstore. The album's official trailer can be found below.

Prisoner of Sunlight tracklisting:

“Deserter”
“Thrones”
“Refractions”
“Threshold”
“Ossify”
“Fractures”
“Reflections”
“Seaworthy”

Trailer:

Austaras is:

John Becker: Electric & acoustic guitars, violin, viola, analog synthesizers, vocals
Adam Hansen: Drums, percussion, vocals
Shane Hill: Electric, acoustic,  and classical guitars

With:
Jeremy Eberhard: Synthesizers, Yamaha CP-80d piano
Richard Stancato: Electric bass, electric fretless bass

(Photo - John Becker)

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release JACO: Original Soundtrack on Friday, November 27th. Pre-order links below.

A single-disc collection of music from the forthcoming documentary film, JACO, the JACO: Original Soundtrack premieres three brand-new recordings including two riveting interpretations of Jaco classics: "Come On Come Over" by Mass Mental (featuring Robert Trujillo, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Flea, Whit Crane, Benji Webbe, Stephen Perkins & C-Minus) and "Continuum" by Rodrigo y Gabriel; and "Shine," the new track by Tech N9ne containing a sample of "Kuru," as recorded by Jaco Pastorius.
 
Produced by Robert Trujillo and Jaco's eldest son John Pastorius IV, JACO: Original Soundtrack brings together 16 essential recordings including Jaco Pastorius solo tracks, Weather Report masterpieces and musical collaborations with Joni Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Herbie Hancock and more. The album offers music fans the rare evocative sonic soundscape, "Longing," featuring Jaco's daughter Mary Pastorius (vox), Chuck Doom (bass), Robert Thomas, Jr. (hand drums/drum kit) and God (rain/thunder).
 
A full-length documentary film chronicling the life, music and ongoing influence of the mythic electric bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius, JACO is produced by Robert Trujillo (bassist: Metallica, Infectious Grooves, Mass Mental) John Pastorius IV, Bob Bobbing, and John Battsek of Passion Pictures (Searching for Sugar Man, Project Nim) and marks the directorial debut of documentary filmmaker Paul Marchand and Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, Cinemania). JACO incorporates interviews with musical visionaries including Sting, Joni Mitchell, Flea, Jerry Jemmott, Bootsy Collins, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana and others with never-before-seen photos and films from the Pastorius family archive. This extraordinary film reveals the story behind Jaco's life and music, both as a solo artist and member of Weather Report, the tragic arc of his demise and early death and the enduring influence and inspiration of his artistry and genius.
 
Legacy's JACO: Original Soundtrack includes liner notes on Jaco Pastorius penned by Robert Trujillo and album co-producer Chuck Doom.
 
Also slated for consumer home release on November 27th, JACO, the documentary, will be available via VOD, streaming services, digital download and on DVD and Blu-ray.
 
JACO had its world premiere earlier this year at Austin's SxSW Film Conference & Festival, accompanied by a panel discussion featuring filmmakers Trujillo and Marchand as well as longtime Pastorius collaborator Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Word of Mouth) and Executive Producer John Pastorius.
 

JACO: Original Soundtrack tracklisting:

“Come On, Come Over” - Jaco Pastorius
“Continuum” - Jaco Pastorius
“River People” - Weather Report
“Teen Town” - Weather Report
“Portrait Of Tracy” - Jaco Pastorius
“The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines” (Live Version) - Joni Mitchell
“All American Alien Boy” - Ian Hunter
“Liberty City” (with Herbie Hancock) - Jaco Pastorius
“Okonkole Y Trompa” - Jaco Pastorius
“Barbary Coast” - Weather Report
“Crisis” - Jaco Pastorius
“Longing” - Mary Pastorius
“Nineteen Eighty Seven” - †††
“Shine” - Tech N9ne
“Continuum” - Rodrigo y Gabriela
“Come On Come Over” - Mass Mental (featuring Robert Trujillo, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Flea, Whit Crane, Benji Webbe, Stephen Perkins & C-Minus)
 



 

According to MusicWeek.com, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has concluded a deal with TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider to acquire his Snidest Music music publishing catalog of 69 songs, including the classic TWISTED SISTER rock anthems "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock".

The songs in the catalog have been featured in numerous national commercials, films, television and the Broadway musical "Rock Of Ages", which currently has residency at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

UMPG previously administered the copyrights in the U.S. and Canada.

"We're Not Gonna Take It" and "Stay Hungry" were the biggest hit single and album, respectively, in TWISTED SISTER's career. Snider said "We're Not Gonna Take It" is now part of America's cultural fabric.

"It's become like a folk song. It's a traditional song now. It has a simple message that's applicable to everything from sports teams to politics. I even once heard about the song being used by people protesting the development of commercial property," he said.

The song's lyrics say in part "Oh you're so condescending/Your gall is never ending/We don't want nothin'/Not a thing from you."

"We're Not Gonna Take It" has been used in commercials for hotel chain Extended Stay America, Claritin, Walmart, Stanley Steamer and Yaz birth control.

Pictured from left to right: Jody Gerson, UMPG Chairman and CEO; Dee Snider; Phil Carson, manager for Dee Snider; and Linda Newmark, UMPG Executive Vice President, head of acquisitions & strategic projects.

MÖTLEY CRÜE lead singer Vince Neil was recently interviewed on the i95 Rock radio station in Connecticut. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether there is anything still left on his bucket list:

"Man, that's a tough one, 'cause I feel like I've done everything I've ever wanted to do. And the last thing I just wanted to do — as a band, too — was I always wanted to play Rock In Rio in Rio [De Janeiro, Brazil], and we just played it last [month], so that was pretty amazing. [I can] cross that one off. You know, if you look back on our career of 34 years, we've done some pretty cool stuff. I can't think of anything else that I haven't done that I still wanna do."

On how the way he prepares for a tour has changed over the years of being on the road:

"Ahh… Not really getting ready to go out on the road, but maybe just being on the road. Obviously, it's changed a lot from when we were in our early 20s. It was the early '80s and it was your first time out on the road and your first experiences in different cities and countries. Now, 35 years later, we've pretty much been everywhere and kind of done that. People say, 'Did you go out and look at the city?' And I go, 'No. We've seen it. We're just here to play a rock show and that's it.'"

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Final Tour" kicked off last year and will end New Year's Eve at the Staples Center in Los Angeles after one last round of North American gigs.

While announcing the first details of "The Final Tour" at a Los Angeles press conference in January 2014, the four members of MÖTLEY CRÜE revealed that they took the unusual step of having their lawyer draw up a formal "cessation of touring" agreement that goes into effect at the end of 2015 and prohibits the members of the group from going on the road again under the MÖTLEY CRÜE banner. The 2014 leg of "The Final Tour" was one of last year's top-grossing tours, selling close to a million tickets across 72 cities and grossing more than $45 million.

In a brand new interview with Songfacts, UGLY KID JOE frontman Whitfield Crane recalled the time when he served as the fill-in singer for BLACK SABBATH rehearsals during the late '90s. He said: "I jammed with BLACK SABBATH December 3rd, 4th, and 5th 1997 in Birmingham, England when they were recording those particular dates for a live SABBATH record. They had Thom Panunzio back there with an 18-wheeler truck, with a full-on studio backstage at the NEC. So it was the first of a series of reunion shows that included the original SABBATH lineup — that includes [drummer] Bill Ward."

He continued: "So when I got there, I was like, 'Holy shit. This is so awesome — we're going to see BLACK SABBATH... the real SABBATH.' And they needed to run daily through soundchecks to get their stuff tight, whether it be the studio backstage or just the players themselves. Their sound is kind of like a jazz band if you think about it, and they needed a vocal cue."

Crane added: 'From what I can gauge, Ozzy [Osbourne, BLACK SABBATH singer] was like, 'I don't want to sing a whole set and then sing another set.' And fair enough — I wouldn't want to, either. But of course, I would. [Laughs] And I got a note on my door at the hotel in Birmingham, that said, 'We need your help,' and that included me going to jam with BLACK SABBATH for three days — the full set, on the full PA, on Ozzy's mic, with the band loud as fuck, in Birmingham at the NEC. That did happen, and what a good trip."

UGLY KID JOE's new full-length album, "Uglier Than They Used Ta Be", was released in North America on October 16 via Metalville/UKJ Records. The CD was recorded at JT Studios and Balance Studios in Louisiana with producer (and UGLY KID JOE guitarist) Dave Fortman (SLIPKNOT, GODSMACK, EVANESCENCE).