With their debut full-length album Solar Storm set for release on Karisma Records on October 6th, and with an extensive European tour supporting Leprous about to start, prog metallers Rendezvous Point have debuted a new music video for the track "Para". Directed by David Solbjørg at Twichy Films, the video can be found below.

Rendezvous Point's individual members come from a variety of different musical backgrounds ranging from classical to pop to metal, and several members play in some of Norway's top bands. The lineup, which is composed of Geirmund Hansen on vocals, Baard Kolstad on drums (Leprous, Borknagar, ICS Vortex), Petter Hallaråker on guitar (ICS Vortex, Solefald), Nicolai Tangen Svennæs on keyboards (Emilie Nicolas) and Gunn-Hilde Erstad on bass, create a unique sound which is able to balance a mix of technicality, heavy riffs, epic harmonies and breathtaking melodies.

Solar Storm pushes the boundaries of the progressive metal genre with its unique sound and compositions. The album was, for the most part, written by keyboardist Svennæs and guitarist Hallaråker, with the rest of the band taking care of the arrangements. It is this collaborative effort that allows the listener to hear touches of each of the musician's characteristic sound, such as Kolstad's intense rhythms and Hansen's beautiful melodies. It was Hansen and bass guitarist Gunn-Hilde Erstad who collaborated with the lyrics for Solar Storm, whose subject focuses on human relations and self-destructive behaviour.

The album was mixed by Christer André Cederberg and Jens Bogren, and mixed and mastered by Tony Lindgren, all at Fascination Street Studios. Album art by Costin Chioreanu.

Tracklisting:

“Through The Solar Storm”
“Wasteland”
“Para”
“The Hunger”
“Mirrors”
“The Conclusion Pt.1”
“The Conclusion Pt.2”

“Para” video:

“Wasteland” video:

Bangalore, India’s Whitenoiz have released a lyric video for their first ever single, “God Mode”. The track is from the band’s upcoming album, Sovereign Name, set to release on December 5th.

More album details to follow.

Whitenoiz is:

Sam John (Vocals)
David Crimson (Guitars)
Taz James (Keyboards)
Godson Gigin (Bass)
Joe Jacob (Drums)

Shad of CBC Radio One's arts and culture program "Q" recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the lyrical themes covered on IRON MAIDEN's new album, "The Book Of Souls":

"I don't think we could get into huge concepts… Well, we didn't get into huge concepts on the album. Every song was its own little world. And there's only two of us in the band, really, that write lyrics — myself and Steve [Harris, IRON MAIDEN bassist]. So, generally, if Steve co-writes a song, he tends to write the lyrics, unless he writes the song with me, in which case I'll probably write the lyrics, or we may write between us or whatever. So four out of the ten or eleven songs are my lyrics and the rest of them are Steve's. You know, his lyrics have changed over the years, and, obviously, 'cause I've been singing them, I've noticed the way that his use of language has started to change and the more, kind of, personal nature of some of the subject matter has become a little bit more… There's a little bit more nakedness going on there.

"I think, as we've been going down the track — yeah, we're all getting older and everything and all the rest of it — we've lost a few friends along the way. I mean, some of them were in quite early days — back in the '80s — but recently the rate of loss, sadly, tends to accelerate the further down the track you go. And I think people start to feel their own mortality a bit and you start to bring that into the music a little bit. As I say, I don't wanna do too much talking about his words, 'cause they're his words, but I sing them, so I do get a kind of a vibe off them that's a little bit different on this record."

On IRON MAIDEN's musical evolution over the years:

"The trouble is, when you inhabit being in a band like MAIDEN and you see what the individual musicians are actually capable of, when they're just messing around and not being recorded, you think, 'Wow! There's so much more stuff that we could do.' It's just a question of getting us to do it all at once in the right place at the right time, with the right kind of feel, and just capture that. And that's the problem — albums don't come around that often these days. Getting everybody together in one place in the right mood… And it really is down to stuff like that. If you look at bands' early careers — I mean, everybody from… you know, major bands — they crack out one, two, three, maybe four records maybe in as many years or less, and that stuff is — if they're really successful — that will be the bedrock of the next twenty-five years, if they carry on for that long; they'll still be playing some of those songs twenty-five years later, because that's it. And after that, it's extremely hard — it gets kind of exponentially hard — to create that same excitement. So you either have to wait thirty years before you do a record or something else like that… But if you want to keep doing records, it's very hard to come up with things that feel genuinely different. Most times, it's because it's about an emotional state which everybody has to be in — everybody has to lock in and [be] in synch and the sound has to be right and everything has to be… so that you can just play in a way that sounds special in a relaxed and, sort of, human way. It's easy to make stuff, kind of, by numbers, and it gets easier the better you are. The better the musician that you are, the easier it is to make soulless, rubbish music. If you take a bunch of kids that are playing right at the edge of their abilities, there'll be an excitement and an energy that comes off them that the old duffers in the next-door studio just won't be able to replicate. So the key is, how do you get the old duffers in the next-door studio that have got all the chops to actually get the essence and the feeling and the soul back into it. I mean, in the case of somebody like THE ROLLING STONES, they take six months to do a record… We don't really have that luxury. I suppose we do, but, to be honest with you, I'd get bored if I was doing that — I really would. [I'd go], 'C'mon, guys!' You know? But, on this one, we did a little bit of jiggling around, a little bit a change of pace, a change of attitude, a change of studio... A great studio, a really comfortable old-school vibe… old-school vibe with all the new technology available, but it was all behind the curtains, so you could just pretend it didn't exist. We even had tape machines in there — old 24-track tape machines and things. There was no tape on them, but they were just there, so you could kind of look and go, 'Ah, I feel really comfy now. I think I'm back in, like, 1978.' And that just adds to the whole atmosphere."

MAIDEN's sixteenth — and first-ever double — studio album, "The Book Of Souls", was released worldwide on September 4 through Parlophone Records (BMG in the U.S.A). The CD was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year.

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

Finnish heavy metal monsters LORDI will enter the studio in December to begin recording the follow-up to 2014's "Scare Force One" album for a 2016 release. Speaking to Australia's The Rockpit, LORDI mainman Mr. Lordi stated about the relatively short gap since the arrival of the band's last CD: "The thing is, why wait? Because if you look back at the '70s, bands like KISS did, like, two albums a year. I don't know how the hell they did — maybe the world was a little bit smaller back then. But between the last two previous albums, they were pretty fast and we decided: why do we have to wait? We come up with new songs all the time, we have new material all the time, and we have the positive problem of having anything from 40 to 60 songs that are demoed fully, to choose the 10 to 13 songs that are going to make it to the album. It's nevertheless a problem, even though it's a positive problem, that we write all the time, and there's a lot of material, so why should we be waiting? So it's better to get them out of your system and keep working because that's what we want to do."

Asked if LORDI is trying to bring back the old days of bands releasing albums more frequently, Mr. Lordi responded: "I don't know if we're trying to bring it back, we're trying to make it work for ourselves. Of course, back in the day, the band would go to the studio, they write during the tour, they would take two weeks off from the tour, they go to the studio and then they record and then they go back to the tour. That's how it was done back in the day, but it's a different place now; the music business is struggling. There's all kinds of different variables now that didn't even exist back then. But we're trying to be productive, more productive for the next one. As long as there is a label, as long as there is backup for us who are letting us do this, we have absolutely no reason to block out any activity. Why? As long as there is somebody to say, 'Yeah, if you guys have any material, go to the studio and do it.' So fuck yeah — we're doing it, we're happy to do it. We're really privileged to be able to do it."

"Scare Force One" was recorded with veteran Finnish producer Mikko Karmila, while the two efforts before it, "Babez For Breakfast" (2010) and "To Beast Or Not To Beast" (2013), were made in Nashville under the watchful eye of legendary producer Michael Wagener (SKID ROW, WARRANT).

According to the Mirror, SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has been tapped by the producers of "Doctor Who" to lend his "deep and terrifying roar to the alien warlord known as Fisher King" in the October 3 episode of the BBC television series.

Taylor and the other members of SLIPKNOT are huge fans of the "Doctor Who" series, so when BBC heard the band was going to be playing in Cardiff this past January, they reached out to see if Taylor would be interested in lending his voice to the character. The band was given a VIP tour of the "Doctor Who" set and Taylor recorded his vocals for Fisher King, which is a massive green alien that has tons of horns protruding from his body.

Fisher King is played by Neil Fingleton, the tallest British-born man and the tallest man in the European Union at 7 ft 7.56 in (232.6 cm) in height, and his speaking voice is "Shaun Of The Dead"'s Peter Serafinowicz.

France's Metal XS recently spoke to SLAYER's Kerry King and KISS's Gene Simmons about the current rock and metal scene. You can now watch the footage below.

Said King: "I think a lot of new bands really get popular because of fads, and fads come and go and they never stay. Metal is certainly not a fad. Hard rock is not a fad; it's something that's gonna be here forever. Unfortuantely, in the metal community, I haven't seen the next surgence [sic]."

He continued: "We were at a festival in South America somewhere, and they feed you a live feed of the stage, so you can watch it like you're out front. And I was watching a band, and I went over to [fellow SLAYER guitarist] Gary Holt and I said,' Gary, if I was a kid and these were my heroes, I would never pick up an instrument.' They didn't compel me to wanna be them, and I think that's what's missing in younger music… There's not a vibe. You look at some bands these days, and I've got nothing against roadies, 'cause I love my crew, but these bands look like roadies. It looks like they're just up there rehearsing, and that doesn't inspire me to wanna play guitar and be just like 'em."

King added: "When I was a kid, I [looked up to people like] Ted Nugent, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads… you know, people that are, like, 'Man, I wanna be like that guy.' And I don't see that in [new] bands. And maybe it's because I'm older and I don't know what's cool — I doubt that — but that's my opinion."

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

On September 16, SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor was interviewed on "Great Day", the morning program on KCWI, the CW-affiliated television station for the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area. You can now watch video footage of his appearance below.

Asked when SLIPKNOT fans can expect to see the band perform in its hometown, Corey said: "We're actually working on something for next year. We're putting together… 'Cause next year will probably be around the time that we start to kind of put the tail end to the tour cycle. By that time, it will like over a year and a half that we've been on the road. We're looking to something here right around that time — just make something big [and] have fun with it. I say that knowing that somewhere God's laughing at me for announcing my plans out loud. But we're working on it."

SLIPKNOT's latest album, ".5: The Gray Chapter", was released following a six-year hiatus during which SLIPKNOT's original bassist Paul Gray died and drummer Joey Jordison was dismissed. Since the CD's release, several of the SLIPKNOT band members, including guitarists Jim Root and Mick Thomson, have expressed hope that the group could record the follow-up effort sooner than expected, with Root claiming in interviews to have already begun compiling ideas for SLIPKNOT's next release.

The latest single released from "The Gray Chapter" is called "Killpop".

SLIPKNOT's "Summer's Last Stand" tour kicked off on July 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and wrapped on September 5 in Dallas.

STRYPER's cover version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "After Forever" can be streamed below. The song is featured on STRYPER's new album, "Fallen", which will be released worldwide on Friday, October 16 via Frontiers. The CD was tracked at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.

During an interview with Cryptic Rock, STRYPER lead vocalist and guitarist Michael Sweet was asked for his opinion on the current Christian metal and rock scene. "I do not really keep up with it," he replied.

"I come from a different school of thought and I do not like all the labels. I do not like being referred to as a Christian rock band.

"We are not a Christian rock band; we are a rock band comprised of Christians.

"Just like any other rock band out there, you have rock bands that are comprised of drug addicts, you have rock bands that are comprised of Satanists, and you have rock bands that are comprised of Catholics, like SLAYER.

"BLACK SABBATH [bassist] Geezer Butler [wrote] the song 'After Forever', which is about Christ, but they were not labeled a Christian band. Actually the opposite; they were labeled a dark, almost at times a Satanic band, and they are not.

"My point is that I just do not like all the labels.

"If you are going to label a band a Christian band, then you got to label all the other bands.

"If U2 is made up of members that are Catholic, then are they going to be called a Catholic rock band?"

He continued: "I do not know where the label 'Christian rock band' came from. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around it… It instantly puts you in a box. When they put you in a box, it limits what you are put on this earth to do.

"I just feel like it does limit the band. Some people misinterpret that as saying that I am ashamed of my faith or I am running from my faith. I think the exact opposite. We never ran from our faith, we have always been the most full Christian rock band that is comprised of Christians the whole time. We have never held back a punch."

Sweet added: "People certainly cannot say that we deny Christ or our faith, but I just do not like being called a Christian rock band. We are a rock band.

"I have been trying to break down that theory for a long time now, although I do not think I ever will. There is a genre of Christian rock and I guess that will always be."

"Fallen" track listing:

01. Yahweh02. Fallen03. Pride04. Big Screen Lies05. Heaven06. Love You Like I Do07. All Over Again08. After Forever (BLACK SABBATH cover)09. Till I Get What I Need10. Let There Be Light11. The Calling12. King Of Kings

"Yahweh" was co-written by SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery.

AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler joined country-turned-pop superstar Taylor Swift on stage last night (Friday, September 25) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee to perform the band's hit ballad "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing".

Swift later tweeted a video of the pair's rendition of the track.

"Singing 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' with @IamStevenT was an honor," she wrote. "So inspired by how sweet he was to all of us."

Tyler expressed his enthusiasm at being sharing the stage with Swift by replying to a 2012 Taylor tweet in which she mentioned the the band's 1998 track.

"I feel like I'd be more understood if people knew 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' by AEROSMITH is how most of my emotions sound in my head," Taylor wrote at the time.

"Well ma darlin'," Tyler replied after last night's concert. "You sure were overstood tonight! A++ ... Epic Show ... Until Nextime..."

AEROSMITH recorded "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" for the 1998 summer blockbuster "Armageddon". It was the band's first and, to date, only No. 1 single, keeping the top spot for four weeks while gaining an Oscar nomination and winning the MTV Movie Award for "Best Song From A Movie."

Canadian metal act KITTIE will release a career-spanning documentary next year. The trailer for the film premiered last night (Friday, September 25) in London, Ontario, Canada'shistoric Hyland Cinema in conjunction with the Canadian premiere of "Nintendo Quest: The Most Unofficial And Unauthorized Nintendo Documentary Ever!" as part of the London Comic Con convention. The two-and-a-half-minute clip can now be seen below.

"We are absolutely elated to be able to tell the band's colorful history through the many people that were involved throughout the years," says KITTIE frontwoman Morgan Lander.

"This project has been a labor of love for the last year and a half and we are excited that things are finally coming together.

"I'm sure people will be shocked, and maybe even a little astonished when our collective story is told. It has been a wild ride!

"Thank you to everyone who donated to the IndieGoGo campaign, who made this possible!"

The movie is directed by Rob McCallum, who says: "It's been an awesome adventure discovering the real story of the band.

"You think you've got the story sorted out from what you can research online, only to realize that everything on you thought you knew is only contorted fragments and a cracked reflection of the ultimate reality.

"The film charts the career of the heavy metal act from 1996 to present day from their perspective, as it's clear that they've never been given a platform to share their story in their words, and in their own voice.

"In addition to the band’s specific history, the documentary looks at the evolution in the music industry, gender and color politics in music, and, the backlash of success.

"Whether you're familiar with the band or not, this is a universal story that touches on themes of self worth, living up to exceptions of others, the necessity of goals, and the importance of family. It's a roller coaster ride that will get you to question and consider your own life in a different light. It's an important film and I'm lucky that I have the chance share it with the world."

The film aims to deliver a certain perspective to the band's unique audience. The film contains footage from all eras of the band, features a number of band members both past and present. It's rare that a band takes the time to catalog their entire career on video, but that's exactly what KITTIE did and it's another reason this film will be special. You will see the evolution of the band, and their music on screen.

KITTIE last year raised $40,000 via a crowd funding campaign for the documentary.

In addition to paying for the production costs of the 20th-anniversary documentary DVD, the Indiegogo campaign will help fund a tell-all book that "digs deep to give [the fans] the story behind the music." KITTIE is working on the official band biography with Mark Eglinton, an author, journalist and film-producer currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland who co-authored former PANTERA/DOWN and current KILL DEVIL HILL bassist Rex Brown's memoir, "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera", and whose first book, titled "James Hetfield: The Wolf At Metallica's Door", was published in April 2010.

The project will feature contributions from all of KITTIE's current and former members, including Talena Atfield, Lisa Marx, Jennifer Arroyo and Ivana Vujic. "That's what makes it outstanding for the fans, because we have had a tumultuous time in terms of (changing) some band members and we've had some bad blood with people," Lander said. "But I feel like time heals all (wounds) and we were able to put a lot of those things aside in order to celebrate the time we did have in the band together."


Pictured below: KITTIE 1996 - Present

From left to right: Talena Atfield, Fallon Bowman, Tanya Candler, Mercedes Lander, Morgan Lander, Tara McLeod, Trish Doan, Ivy Jenkins and Jennifer Arroyo

RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER, the new project featuring Juan Croucier (RATT), Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE), Mike Moore and Toni Aleman, made its live debut this past Thursday, September 24 at the Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER exclusively plays songs from the RATT catalog.

Having solidified the core of RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER (lead vocals, bass and drums), Juan and Pete set out to find the right guitar players for the group. After extensive auditions resulting from hundreds of submissions, they found two very talented guitar players in Mike Moore and Toni Aleman. Sharing the same passion, commitment and vision, they have been diligently rehearsing a set of over eighteen songs.

"We have left no stone unturned," said Croucier. "We've been working long and hard. It's all about the live show. We take this very seriously. Mike and Toni are simply killing it! There is a unique chemistry between the members of this band that is often so elusive. Our attention to detail has culminated in a fresh, energetic and modern twist on RATT's classic catalog of songs. I believe that anyone who loves RATT will really enjoy this band too. I can't wait to get out there and bring it to the people. After all, they are the ultimate judges of our art."

For more information, visit RattsJuanCroucier.com.

RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini yesterday released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET explaining that that he was "totally against" his bandmate Bobby Blotzer's decision to use the RATT name for the drummer's "tribute band" and is taking steps "to prevent any further misuse" of the brand.

Blotzer announced on Wednesday (September 23) that he was taking control of the RATT name and was planning to hit the road with a new version of the group, which played shows earlier in the year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE.

WBS, Inc., the company which owns the RATT brand, was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and singer Stephen Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again last year. Blotzer has since expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

In an exclusive statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, DeMartini said that he did not have any objections to Blotzer performing RATT's music with other musicians, but made it clear that he did not want the drummer to "solicit his tribute band as RATT."

DeMartini's statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET reads as follows:

"Back in March, Bob Blotzer phoned me and said he wanted to form a RATT tribute band and call it something like '…RATT EXPERIENCE.' I suggested he not use RATT in the title and call it something like BOB'S CELLAR as RATT's debut record, 'Out Of The Cellar', has rounded its third decade. He said something to the effect that he wanted to use RATT in the title 'like JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE.' I said I had no problem with him playing songs he recorded with RATT, but I didn't agree to him using the name in the title. He used it anyway. "Now he is soliciting his tribute band as RATT which he is completely unauthorized to do. I am totally against it, and steps are being taken to prevent any further misuse of the name as well as representation about future RATT performances."

Joining Blotzer in the new "RATT" lineup are singer Josh Alan (SIN CITY SINNERS), bassist Scotty Griffin (ex-L.A. GUNS), and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Blaze.

Shortly after announcing the formation of BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE in March, Blotzer posted a message explaining that while he "had the right to go out and tour as RATT, [he] would not consider that." He added: "This is not RATT, but a chance to go out a tour with complete familiarity in our music for you, the fans of RATT and myself humbly… After five years of us not touring, I'm bored and I want to play our songs that we all wrote and created. It ain't RATT, okay, but I'm confident after you see my band playing Ratt N Roll music, you'll agree that it kicked your asses, and you walk out with a good buzz on and in your ears when we start rollin' up on your town."

Michael Denner and Hank Shermann, the original Danish guitar players of MERCYFUL FATE's legendary "Melissa" and "Don't Break the Oath" albums, have created a new classic in the forthcoming EP "Satan's Tomb", coming on October 2 via Metal Blade Records. These songs were crafted with the MERCYFUL FATE worldwide legion of fans at the forefront of the duo's collective minds. From the first riff to the last wail, one cannot help but feel the magic newly recaptured once again.

The band, which is simply called DENNER/SHERMANN, calls into service a formidable group of allies who were capable of helping realize this menagerie of malice, was a task carefully orchestrated by these metal mad scientists. Shermann first called upon Marc Grabowski (DEMONICA) to handle the bass guitar, followed by the only drummer that made sense for many obvious aspects, the one known as Snowy Shaw (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND, DREAM EVIL). Many voices were considered, but fate lead them to Sean Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER). He was not only a fan but had the versatile vocal skills to make the new songs come to life like their fans would expect.

Said Denner: "Creating these songs with this lineup really ignited my metal fire hotter than ever! I'm sure the fans are going to love this thing."

Added Shermann: "This mix ended up really having an old-school feel to it that sounds awesome when blasting at an unhealthy volume."

Stated Peck: "Being invited to collaborate with these two guys who had such a profound, major impact on my indoctrination to metal, has been absolutely killer! And now we are continuing to write more material for a full-length release too. My mind is officially blown!"

The EP was recorded in the USA, Denmark and Sweden and was mixed by Arnold Lindberg at Sound Industry Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden. The mastering was done by Maor Applebaum in Los Angeles, California.

The "Satan's Tomb" cover artwork was painted by Thomas Holm whose work on MERCYFUL FATE's "Melissa" and "Don't Break The Oath" is well known throughout the metal world.

"Satan's Tomb" track listing:

01. Satan's Tomb02. War Witch03. New Gods04. Seven Skulls

This will be available in both CD, vinyl formats and downloads.

The video for the "Satan's Tomb" title track can be seen below.

DENNER/SHERMANN is:

Michael Denner - GuitarHank Shermann - GuitarSean Peck - VocalsSnowy Shaw - DrumsMarc Grabowski - Bass

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.

Danish metallers HATESPHERE will release their new album, "New Hell", on November 20 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded in August at producer Tue Madsen's Antfarm Studios in Aarhus, Denmark.

Prior to entering the studio to begin the new album recordings, HATESPHERE vocalist Esben "Esse" Hansen stated about the band's new CD: "You can look forward to 40 minutes of HATESPHERE as you know it, however, seasoned with a few surprising delights! Who, for example, would expect to hear blast beats on a HATESPHERE record?"

Produced, mixed and mastered by Madsen, "New Hell" will also be made available as a limited-edition digipak with two exclusive bonus tracks. The CD's stunning artwork was created by Niclas Mortensen (AMON AMARTH, AS I LAY DYING, PROTEST THE HERO, BRING ME THE HORIZON, WHITECHAPEL).

"Sail On", the new performance video from THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA — the classic-rock band featuring Björn Strid (SOILWORK) and Sharlee D' Angelo (ARCH ENEMY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) — can be seen below. The song is taken from THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA's second studio album, "Skyline Whispers", which was released on June 9 via Coroner Records. The CD was recorded at Nordic Sound Lab Studios in Skara, Sweden, was engineered by THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA and Bengan Andersson, was mixed by Sebastian Forslund and mastered by Thomas Plec Johansson at Panic Room Studios in Skara.

"Skyline Whispers" track listing:

01. Sail On02. Living For The Nighttime03. Stiletto04. Owaranai Palisades05. Lady Jade06. I Ain’t Old, I Ain’t Young07. All the Ladies08. Spanish Ghosts09. Demon Princess10. Skyline Whispers11. Roads Less Traveled12. The Heather Reports13. Floridian Eyes (exclusive digipak bonus track)

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA last year announced the addition of Sebastian Forslund (KADAWATHA) on congas, percussion and guitar.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA started like so many others as an innocent yet serious drunken idea when Strid and David Andersson (MEAN STREAK, session musician for SOILWORK) were on the road together somewhere in North America in 2007. Björn and David were bonding over what they considered "classic" or not, from rock and roll conspiracies to being arrested in a lobby with nothing but leather pants on. All those scenarios, fictional or real, needed a soundtrack. They also came to think that whether you're on a metal tour or not, a lot of classic rock songs say it all and can really lend you a helping hand and make you forget about everything, especially when in motion or travelling. The classic escape. The never-ending road trip. The transatlantic night flight. It may sound simple and naive, but what it all comes down to is that we all need that soundtrack to feel extra special, whether you have been arrested in a lobby or not.

It didn't take long before bass player D' Angelo joined forces as well as keyboard player Richard Larsson (VON BENZO) and drummer Jonas Källsbäck (MEAN STREAK). The goal was to reclaim the '70s/early '80s sense for classic melody, the forgotten recipe to a timeless song, preferably a song mentioning a city, street name or an exhilarating alcoholic beverage. Anything that will have you spitting out the word "classic." From "Tarot Woman" to "Badlands", from "Rhiannon" to "Running on Empty", from "Blind Man" to "Night Moves", from "Deuce" to "Separate Ways", from "Elected" to "Set me Free". The list goes on. It's all about reclaiming the "classic."

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA made its live debut in August, 2013 at Dina-scenen in Lidköping, Sweden.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is:

Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) - VocalsDavid Andersson (SOILWORK, MEAN STREAK) - GuitarSharlee D'Angelo (ARCH ENEMY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) - BassRichard Larsson (VON BENZO) - KeyboardsJonas Källsbäck (MEAN STREAK, ORCHID) – Drums

Fan-filmed video footage of W.A.S.P. performing a new song, "Last Runaway", on September 25 at Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Germany can be seen below.

W.A.S.P.'s new album, "Golgotha", will be released on October 2 via Austria's Napalm Records.

W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless previously stated about the making of the "Golgotha" CD: "The rehearsals for this album started in the spring of 2011. A lot of time was spent just talking about the direction of the songs and really trying to turn the songs inside out to see exactly where they wanted to go.

"One thing you learn over the years in the songwriting process is that after the songs begin to take shape, they will eventually start to talk back to you and they will tell you where they wanna go. The trick is learning to listen when they speak.

"This process of writing and arranging and the demos went on for several months before we even began to record the album for real.

"One of the first tracks we recorded was 'Miss You'. It's interesting because, ironically, it was the first song ever written for [1992's] 'The Crimson Idol' [album].

"There were three songs that were originally supposed to be on the 'Idol' [CD] but never made it and 'Miss You' was one of them. When you see the lyrics, you'll understand that Jonathan is clearly talking to his brother Michael, as he kneels at his graveside."

Regarding the song "Last Runaway", Lawless said: "Forty years ago I came to Hollywood as a teenager. Terrified and scared out of my mind, I had no idea what waited there for me. The song 'Last Runaway' is an intensely personal account of what happened to me, not only then but over the years and the success that followed after. Be it a kid looking for success in the music business or any life-challenging endeavor that someone would 'run away' from in life, I'm certain that everyone can relate to this story one way or another. It's another kid 'chasing the dream' and trying to survive it in the process. We've all been there."

At the 2014 edition of the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden, Lawless stated about the lyrical inspiration for the new W.A.S.P. CD: "'Golgotha' is Hebrew for place of the skull, and it's the hill where Christ was crucified. And it's interesting, when you see a lot of bands going around using Satanic images or images of death and things like that, and I'm thinking, all they need to do is look at the source, 'cause it's right there. I mean, if you want death, there's enough to go around there."

Drummer Mike Dupke recently left W.A.S.P. after a nine-year stint with the band. He has since been replaced on the road by YNGWIE MALMSTEEN drummer Patrick Johansson and, more recently, by Randy Black (PRIMAL FEAR).

Fan-filmed video footage of Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, performing on September 25 at Trädgår'n in Gothenburg, Sweden can be seen below.

Gus G. is currently touring Europe as the support act for KAMELOT. Also appearing on the bill is KOBRA AND THE LOTUS.

Gus G.'s current backing band on tour includes Henning Basse on vocals, Strutter on bass and Gus's FIREWIND bandmate Jo Nunez on drums.

Gus G.'s second solo album, "Brand New Revolution", was released in Europe on July 24 via Century Media. The CD was made available through Century Media in Australia and South America, Dismanic/eOne in North America and King Records in Japan. The cover artwork was once again created by Gustavo Sazes, who previously worked with Gus on the guitarist's debut album, "I Am The Fire", and also took care of artwork duties by such bands as ARCH ENEMY, KAMELOT and FIREWIND.

"Brand New Revolution" features guest vocal appearances by Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY, TALISMAN), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE), Jacob Bunton (ADLER, LYNAM) and Mats Levén (CANDLEMASS, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TREAT).

"Brand New Revolution" was recorded with Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER) and mixed by Mike Fraser (METALLICA, AC/DC, VAN HALEN, AEROSMITH). Just as on "I Am The Fire", the core of Gus's recording group consisted of Jo Nunez (FIREWIND) on drums and Marty O'Brien (LITA FORD) on bass.

The official lyric video for the song "Evil By Nature" from Hungarian extreme metallers EKTOMORF can be seen below. The track, which features a guest appearance by CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, is taken from EKTOMORF's new album, "Aggressor", which will be released on October 23 via AFM. The CD was once again produced by Tue Madsen at Denmark's Antfarm Studio (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, SICK OF IT ALL).

Commented EKTOMORF guitarist/vocalist Zoltán Farkas: "We are friends with the CANNIBAL CORPSE guys since a long time. Last year in November, I spoke to George about doing a song together. The recent Budapest show of CANNIBAL CORPSE then was the perfect opportunity to meet and record his parts. So I took small home recording studio gear with me and recorded vocals with George in the dressing room before their show. It was fun and turned out killer! The song's title is 'Evil By Nature' and you can be sure that it will smash your face!"

"Aggressor" track listing:

01. Intro02. I03. Aggressor04. Holocaust05. Move On06. Evil By Nature (feat. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher)07. You Can’t Get More08. Emotionless World09. Eastside10. Scars11. Damned Nation12. You Lost13. You’re Not For Me14. Memento

In March 2010, Norwegian doom goth metallers Theatre Of Tragedy issued a statement that they would be splitting up on October 2nd, 2010 citing desires to spend time with family and not being able to keep up with the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Their farewell DVD, Last Curtain Call, was released to commemorate their very last show in their hometown Stavanger.

Five years later, rumours that the band plan to reunite are building. BraveWords scribe Carl Begai spoke with Theatre Of Tragedy members Loretz Aspen (keyboards) and Hein Frode Hansen (drums), who made it clear a reunion is not in the works.

Lorentz: "Well, there's a very big chance that there will NOT be a reunion, but the Liv and Raymond show might be something coming to any town near you in the future. Any talks have been over a larger quantity of brewski, and how that caught fire I'm not sure."

Hein: "Sadly, a reunion is as likely as a Doors reunion with the original lineup.  No one has been approached or not approached."

Check out the Last Curtain Call DVD below:

Original Theatre Of Tragedy vocalist Liv Kristine (Leaves' Eyes) recently checkd in with the following update:

"Good news - here's my setlist for my upcoming solo shows. Raymond from Theatre of Tragedy will be my special guest for the original Theatre of Tragedy duets. Get ready for a unique live experience! This is the first time we will share stage since 2002. Here are the already confirmed dates for my special shows in December. Stay tuned for further dates!"

Confirmed dates featuring Liv Kristine and Raymond are as follows:

December
10 - Yaroslavl, Russia - Gorka Club
11 - St. Petersburg, Russia - Phoenix club
12 - Moscow, Russia - Volta Club
13 - Samara, Russia - Zvezda
18 - Nagold, Germany - Alte Seminarturnhalle

More dates will be announced soon.

The confirmed setlist for the above shows is as follows:

"Commute"
"Image" 
"Siren" 
"Venus" 
"Vervain" 
"My Wilderness" 
"Panic" 
"A Hamlet For a Slothful Vassal" 
"Der Tanz der Schatten" 
"Black As The Devil Painteth"
"On Whom The Moon Doth Shine"
"Machine"
"Silence" 
"Oblivious" 
"Stronghold of Angels"

July 4th, 2015 marked the 20th Anniversary of Theatre Of Tragedy's self-titled debut, released through Massacre Records. The band - repsonsible for launching the career of Leaves' Eyes vocalist Liv Kristine - has been credited with pioneering the "beauty and the beast" sound that so many acts have adopted over the past two decades. Theatre Of Tragedy officially called it quits in October 2010.

It was announced in February 2012 that Theatre Of Tragedy were working on remastered re-issues of their first three albums: the self-titled debut, Velvet Darkness They Fear, and Aegis. Initially meant to be released in late 2012, July 5th was the official release date for all three albums in digipack CD and double vinyl LP formats.

The re-releases feature rare bonus material, new liner notes penned by BraveWords scribe Carl Begai including comments from the band members.An excerpt from the liner notes for the re-issued debut is available below:

The journey started with a simple demo tape, which received favourable reactions first in Theatre of Tragedy’s hometown of Stavanger, Norway and then from the international metal press. From there everything snowballed, and the rest is history.

“Most of us were so young and inexperienced at the time, so we didn’t really have the fear of being ridiculed, nor the ambitions to make it big,” says drummer Hein Frode Hansen. “We were just a bunch of kids wanting to make a hybrid of our different musical influences at the time. Individually, we were mediocre musicians at best, but together we were something fresh and new.”

“We all came from different backgrounds and that what made it so special,” continues guitarist Tommy Lindal. “We simply put some elements of all the members together and it sounded really cool; metal with piano and soprano vocals. My impression at the time was that we didn’t worry too much about if the people liked it or not, as long we enjoyed it ourselves.”

The debut album seemed to be a risky affair on many levels. The Theatre was more than a bit daring when one considers there was nothing heavy or metal about ‘…a Distance there is…’ , a track featuring piano, cello, Liv’s vocals, and the sound of falling rain. The song has since become the cornerstone of the debut for many diehard Theatre of Tragedy fans. Tommy remembers working on the track:

“…’a Distance there is…’ is a song that I think everybody in the band has a different relationship to. We were in Sweden at Dan Swanö´s studio, spending our Christmas alone in Sweden recording the debut. Lorentz and Liv had some ideas and ended up recording the song. The cello was Dan Swanö’s brilliant idea; he called a friend to drop by the studio and record some cello parts. It took some hours and the result was amazing. We were all was excited about it and decided to put it on the record.”

Click here for more.

Lucid Dawn is the forthcoming full-length from West Coast progressive death metal practitioners, Arkaik. Set for release next month via Unique Leader Records, Lucid Dawn is the second installment in a series of concept albums revolving around Cyrix, a disillusioned character in a dystopian society. In Cyrix's world, dreaming is systematically controlled by a tyrannical ruler named Khaal-Li-Phar and his army of dark shamans, where people are forced to build monuments to the tyrant to stifle their imaginations and inhibit their ability to achieve a multi-dimensional existence. Lucid Dawn is a death metal take on American mythologist, writer and lecturer, Joseph Campbell's monomyth, and the beginning of Cyrix's "Hero's Journey." Musically and conceptually, Lucid Dawn carries the listener on a visceral expedition through the depths of evil and beyond the threshold of mundane reality.

In advance of its release, Arkaik offers up the first helping of Lucid Dawn in the form of a lyric video for "Awaken The I", enjoy.

The ten-track Lucid Dawn was engineered, mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, All Shall Perish) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California, and takes Arkaik's multifaceted sound to an entirely new dimension, showcasing each musician's creative potential and upping the proverbial ante of the brutality and technicality of their back catalog. With the addition of guitarists Miguel Esparza (ex-Hatriot) and Greg Paulson as composers, Lucid Dawn delivers a fresh approach to the band's sound and the entire progressive death metal genre. As an added bonus, the album features guest appearances from death metal heavy weights, Trevor Strnad and Ryan Knight of The Black Dahlia Murder, as well as Bay Area live string quartet, Amaranth in addition to the stunning art renderings of Tyler Space.

Lucid Dawn tracklisting:

“Intro”
“From The Void”
“Digital Shroud”
“That Which Lies Hidden”
“Awaken The I”
“Fleshwalkers”
“Fusion Of Epochs”
“Lucid Dawn”
“Conjuring”
“Temple Aflame”

Prior to the October 30th release of Lucid Dawn, via Unique Leader Records, Arkaik will embark upon a near month-long headlining tour from October 16th through November 8th. The Lucid Revolution Tour will terrorize 24 cities in eleven states with support from Bermuda and Enfold Darkness.

 

California metallers Saviours will drop the molten fruits of their new full-length this October 30th via a new partnership with France's Listenable Records. Titled Palace Of Vision, their first full-length in four years was captured at Type Foundry in Portland, Oregon with the inimitable Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth, Eyehategod, Taurus, Ommadon etc.) and boasts nine tracks of Saviours' signature brand of towering riffs, colossal rhythms, infectious guitar harmonies and an obsession with the end of times, the occult, psychedelics and the arcane.

Listen to the new track “Flesh Of Fire” below:

"It's a natural and logical continuation of where we left off with [2011's] Death's Procession," said drummer Scott Batiste of the offering. "There are some doomy crushers and faster ragers."

As an added bonus, the record comes sheathed in the fittingly dark, intricately transfixing cover renderings of Derrick Snodgrass (Obliterations, Lecherous Gaze).

Palace Of Vision tracklisting:

“The Mountain”
“Flesh Of Fire”
“Devil's Crown”
“Palace Of Vision”
“Burning Shrine”
“Hell's Floor”
“The Beast Remains”
“Cursed Night”
“The Seeker”

“Burning Shrine”:

 
Saviours will embark upon a North American fall tour supporting Corrosion Of Conformity and Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band. The trek will commence on November 16th and run through December 10th with additional support provided by Mothership. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18th at all local ticket outlets.

Saviours tour dates:

November
1 - Day Of The Shred Festival @ The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

November (with Corrosion Of Conformity, Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band, Mothership)
16 - Pub Rock - Scottsdale, AZ
17 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
18 - Slim's - San Francisco, CA
20 - Venue Nightclub - Vancouver, BC
21 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA
23 - The Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
24 - The Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
25 - Mill City Nights - Minneapolis, MN
28 - The Odeon - Cleveland, OH
29 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA

December
1 - Opera House - Toronto, ON
3 - Altar Bar - Pittsburgh, PA
7 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
9 - Shaka's Live - Virginia Beach, VA
10 - Lincoln Theatre - Raleigh, NC
 
Saviours:

Austin Barber - guitar, vocals
Sonny Reinhardt - guitar, vocals
Scott Batiste - drums
Andy Anderson - bass

The heavy yet technically challenging metal of Martyrd will soon be on display once more, with the arrival of a new album, Endless, and a performance on the star-studded Motörhead's Motörboat Cruise.

In a statement, the New York-based band (which is comprised of members Aaron Pollard - Vocals, Michael Andreas - Guitar, Mike Kitsos - Guitar, Brian Nichols - Bass, and Randall Lee - Drums) explained: "We loved what we did with The Mortal Coil, but we wouldn't want to keep making the same album again. All of us have grown as musicians and humans, and its been a natural progression taking us from that era to this new territory we're exploring with Endless. This time around, we're diving right into the deep end, the album is darker and heavier than anything we've ever done before - just how we like it! It's still Martyrd, but taken to the tenth degree."

And the quintet pointed out that Endless is a conceptual work, as well: "The album is really story driven - both musically and lyrically, every song is part of this big story. Each song stands by itself, but they're all part of a bigger whole. Musically too - you'll be able to listen to the whole album through as a single piece of music. We didn't decide on the name 'Endless' until very late in the recording process. All the music and story was done, by that point, we had been in the studio for almost a year already, and the name seemed really fitting!"

And headbangers will be able to sample some of the Endless material with a performance aboard Motörhead's Motörboat Cruise, which sets sail on September 28th, and features such renowned metal artists as Slayer, Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed, Exodus, and of course, the mighty Motörhead.

"We're incredibly excited to bring this album on the road. It defines who we are today - the culmination of all we've become. Its also the heaviest thing we've ever done, and we can't wait to get out there and go nuts with our friends. We'll be debuting a few new songs for the fish, the sea, and a couple thousand of our closest friends on Motörhead's Motörboat next week. Definitely no better way to kick off the new tunes from Endless!"

Reject The Sickness will release their new album, Chains Of Solitude, on November 13th via Mighty Music. The band’s new lyric video for “Only Darkness Is Real” is streaming below.

Reject The Sickness is a five-piece band from Belgium that has been shredding metal since 2010. The songs are a mixture of punching death-melodic guitar riffs, progressive characteristics and a slice of core. The music is perfectly balanced between melody and brutality. The lyrics are about confused and abused teenagers and all the anger and emotions that go hand in hand with that horror. Guy, the vocalist, works as a social worker and his job inspires him to write fictional stories about outcast youth and how they get back at society and at their molesters.
 
The band chose to record Chains Of Solitude themselves, in their own studio. This way they had the luxury of trial and error and could take time for the recordings. The mixing and mastering was done by Jochem Jacobs at Split Second Sound in Holland. "We really liked his work and sound for Textures, Crimson Falls, Scarred, … The fact that we could communicate in the same language was a huge advantage. He did a great job and we would like to thank him for that."

 
Reject The Sickness made a music video for the track “Hopeless” (streaming below), taken from Chains Of Solitude. "We chose to collaborate with Malika Maria at wOrk to shoot the video. Her dark, repetitive images and extreme live visuals convinced us. Malika Maria at wOrk also frequently joins us at our live gigs. The blend of her amazing visuals and our punching death-melodic guitar riffs makes our live show a total experience."
 
Reject The Sickness released its first demo in 2010, Slack Muscles Heal, and a mini-CD called Bloodstained Eyes in 2013. The mini-CD and demo where united on one CD and re-released worldwide through Headshot Records. Reviews for Bloodstained Eyes were very promising and fueled the bands eagerness to work even harder and more intensely to get the best possible result.
 
Reject The Sickness are five musicians, brought together by the love of metal. The different metal preferences and personalities in the band make them what they are today. They are more than ready for you.

“Only Darkness Is Real” lyric video:

“Hopeless” video:

Odium has been operating out of Hanover, Ontario producing dark, yet melodic metal layered with fast-paced gruff bellows, resonating vocals, and pounding instrumentals for nearly a decade. After releasing an EP, two full-length records plus lineup change, the band is gearing up for their third album, Terraform, due out on October 23rd, and before its release they are offering fans a free download of their latest single, “Return To Form”, at this location.

Terraform tracklisting:

“Odyssey”
“Feral Inversion”
“Centipedes”
“Return To Form”
“Delusion”
“Dead”
“Failure II”
“Obsolete”
“The Cell”
“Redemption”
“Displacement Of Hope”

“Return To Form”:

Return to Form by Odium

 

Ulterium Records has announced the signing of the Greek heavy metal band Diviner to the label. Their debut album, Fallen Empires, will be released on November 20th in Europe and North America on CD, LP and digital. The vinyl edition of Fallen Empires is strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide.

Fallen Empires is a very strong heavy metal album that keeps the legacy from the genre but at the same time sounds new and inspired. Perfect for fans of bands like Accept, Dio, Judas Priest and Iced Earth. Mastered by Peter In de Betou (Arch Enemy, Opeth, Amon Amarth).

Their sound influences cover a very wide range of metal paths having classic heavy origins and melodies, blended with modern crushing riffs, groovy rhythm sections, powerful vocals and an overall up to date approach.

Fallen Empires tracklisting:

“Fallen Empires”
“Kingdom Come”
“Evilizer”
“Riders From The East”
“The Legend Goes On”
“Come Into My Glory”
“Seven Gates”
“The Shadow And The Dark”
“Sacred War”
“Out In The Abyss”

Teaser:

Pre-order at this location.

Diviner is:

Yiannis Papanikolaou (Rock ’N’ Roll Children, ex-Innerwish) - Vocals
Thimios Krikos (Innerwish) - Guitar
George Maroulees (4bitten) - Guitar
Herc Booze (SiXforNinE) - Bass
Fragiskos Samoilis (Innerwish) - Drums

RATT guitarist Warren DeMartini (pictured) says that he is "totally against" his bandmate Bobby Blotzer's decision to use the RATT name for the drummer's "tribute band" and is taking steps "to prevent any further misuse" of the brand.

Blotzer announced on Wednesday (September 23) that he was taking control of the RATT name and was planning to hit the road with a new version of the group, which played shows earlier in the year under the name BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE.

WBS, Inc., the company which owns the RATT brand, was originally formed by Blotzer, DeMartini and singer Stephen Pearcy. Pearcy lost his share of the name in court after splitting with the group in 2000. He returned to the band in 2006 but exited again last year. Blotzer has since expressed his desire to keep RATT alive with a new singer, but explained that DeMartini did not want to tour as RATT without Pearcy.

In an exclusive statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, DeMartini says that he does not have any objections to Blotzer performing RATT's music with other musicians, but makes it clear that he does not want the drummer to "solicit his tribute band as RATT."

DeMartini's statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET reads as follows:

"Back in March, Bob Blotzer phoned me and said he wanted to form a RATT tribute band and call it something like '…RATT EXPERIENCE.' I suggested he not use RATT in the title and call it something like BOB'S CELLAR as RATT's debut record, 'Out Of The Cellar', has rounded its third decade. He said something to the effect that he wanted to use RATT in the title 'like JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE.' I said I had no problem with him playing songs he recorded with RATT, but I didn't agree to him using the name in the title. He used it anyway. "Now he is soliciting his tribute band as RATT which he is completely unauthorized to do. I am totally against it, and steps are being taken to prevent any further misuse of the name as well as representation about future RATT performances."

Joining Blotzer in the new "RATT" lineup are singer Josh Alan (SIN CITY SINNERS), bassist Scotty Griffin (ex-L.A. GUNS), and guitarists Doc Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Blaze.

Shortly after announcing the formation of BOBBY BLOTZER'S RATT EXPERIENCE in March, Blotzer posted a message explaining that while he "had the right to go out and tour as RATT, [he] would not consider that." He added: "This is not RATT, but a chance to go out a tour with complete familiarity in our music for you, the fans of RATT and myself humbly… After five years of us not touring, I'm bored and I want to play our songs that we all wrote and created. It ain't RATT, okay, but I'm confident after you see my band playing Ratt N Roll music, you'll agree that it kicked your asses, and you walk out with a good buzz on and in your ears when we start rollin' up on your town."

Pictured below: Bobby Blotzer's new RATT

Fuzzorama Records announce the release of Make It Belong To Us, the fourth, and most explosive album yet from Malmö, Sweden-based rockers Deville.

Well-versed in the ways of brutal melody, for over a decade Deville have built a career out of tight, hard-hitting rock and roll. Brought together in 2004 out of a shared loved for stoner metal and hard fuzz, the band – made up of lead guitarist/vocalist Andreas Bengtsson, drummer Markus Nilsson, bass player Markus Åkesson and rhythm guitarist Andreas Wulkan – are no strangers to the power of the weighted riff.
 
As you will hear on new song “Life In Decay”, the chugging, hook-laden guitars, soaring vocal and ambitious progression in song writing has shaped Deville into a leaner, meaner, and ultimately heavier sounding machine. A band that while happy to hold court with the likes of Mastodon, High On Fire and Queens Of The Stone Age, plan to not only stand beside them shoulder to shoulder, but seize the throne from under their noses.

“Life In Decay”:

 
With previous releases on Daredevil Records, Buzzville Records, Heavy Psych Sounds and Small Stone Records, new album Make It Belong To Us will receive an official release on Fuzzorama Records on November 13th. Having played over four hundred gigs and festivals across Europe and the USA since their formation, in celebration of the release Deville also embark on a support tour with fellow Swedes, Mustasch throughout October (see dates below).

October
10 – Antwerp, Belgium - Desertfest
16 – Essen, Germany - Turock (with Mustasch)
17 – Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser (with Mustasch)
18 – Berlin, Germany - Magnet (with Mustasch)
19 – Hamburg, Germany - Knust (with Mustasch)
20 – Köln, Germany - Underground (with Mustasch)
21 – Pratteln, Switzerland - MiniZ7 (with Mustasch)
22 – München, Germany - Backstage (with Mustasch)
23 – Coburg, Germany - Bei Adam
24 – Leeuwarden, Netherlands - Popcentrum Neushoorn

Deville lineup:
 
Andreas Bengtsson – Vocals, Guitars
Markus Nilsson – Drums
Andreas Wulkan – Lead Guitar
Markus Åkesson – Bass