After a year of honing their malefic craft, North Carolina blackened thrashers, All Hell, will release a volatile offering entitled The Red Sect on October 16th via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. The new track "Blood For The Baron" is streaming below.

The Red Sect marks a crossroads for the band; the straightforward aggression of their debut blends with a seething, menacing atmosphere-further enhanced by the mixing and mastering skills of Toxic Holocaust main man Joel Grind, creating an album that is dark, vicious, and compelling. The record's ten tracks weave a frightful narrative of ritual possession, vengeance, and revolt. The band has further explored and defined their sound, once again drawing influences from a wide array of genres such as thrash, black metal, deathrock, and punk.

 
“Crossroads”
“Mass Possession”
“Venomous”
“Blood For The Baron”
“Graveyard Dust”
“In My Command”
“Blackshape”
“The Unseen”
“Funeral Feast”
“The Red Sect”

"Blood For The Baron":

“Venomous”:

Formed in Asheville, North Carolina in 2013, blackened thrash fiends All Hell began carving a name for themselves through their early performances and released their debut record, The Devil's Work, in 2014.

Since their 2014 debut release, All Hell have been busy sowing chaos through live performances while crafting their sophomore record. Playing and touring throughout the Southeast, the band has quickly developed a following and earned a reputation as one of the most intense and lethal live acts in the region, having shared the stage with bands like 1349, Black Tusk, Ghoul, Skeletonwitch, and Toxic Holocaust.
 
With their relentless drive, growing support, and two albums under their belt, All Hell pushes forward, intent on spreading their hellish music and intense live experience to as many people as possible

All Hell is currently booking dates for winter and spring tours in support of The Red Sect.

All Hell is:

Jacob Curwen - Guitar and Vocals
Kurt Henderson - Drums
Erik Ballantyne - Bass Guitar

Progressive/avant-garde death metal legion, Contrarian - which unites the musical prowess of drummer George Kollias (Nile), guitarists Brian Mason (Sulaco) and Leon Macey (Mithras), vocalist Cody McConnell (Goemagot), and guitarist Jim Tasikas and bassist Ed Paulsen, both from the New York-based progressive metal fusion act Delirium Endeavor - will release their debut full-length this fall via Willowtip Records.
 
Titled Polemic, the eight-track offering was captured at Watchmen Studios (US), Dreaming Studios (UK) and Soundtrap Studios (Greece) with all mixing and mastering done by Macey also at Dreaming Studios. 

A press release states: “A departure both musically and ideologically from most bands within the genre today, the record is essentially just that - a polemic. A smorgasbord of original and authentic death metal riffs, layered with blistering solos and mind-blowing percussion, Contrarian never sticks to any one thing for too long. Perpetually changing and evolving, the band's layered sound and technical wizardry is not to be misconstrued as senseless noodling. Instead, the songs on display delve into avant-garde, latter-day, Schuldinerian-style riffage, with atmospheric variations proving a wholly enticing listen to all those willing to take in its eccentricity.”

 
Tracklisting:

“Polemic”
“Need For Apathy”
“Retrieval”
“Foreknowledge”
“Predestined”
“Libertarian Manifesto”
“Diogenes At Delphi”
“Nothing Is Everything”

“Polemic” video:

Contrarian's Polemic will see release on CD and digitally via Willowtip Records on November 20 with preorders and additional track teasers to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

North Carolina death metal new-comers Abhorrent Deformity have premiered the title track off the band's upcoming debut full-length, Entity Of Malevolence. 

Entity Of Malevolence stands out as a convergence of brutality, complete with the boundless onslaught of crushing riffs, unmerciful drumming and bloodthirsty vocals. This unforgiving vortex of obliteration is poised to rise from the deepest depths of Hell. Artwork for Entity Of Malevolence done by the creative Italian mastermind Marco Hasmann.

Comatose Music will release Entity Of Malevolence on October 30.

Tracklisting:

“Crown Of Worms”
“Manifested Filth”
“Skeleton Carver”
“Buried Beneath Human Remains”
“Stench Of The Decomposed”
“Boundless Suffering”
“Entity Of Malevolence”
“Enshrined In Putrid Decay”
“Baptized In Embalming Fluid”
“Casket Maker”

“Entity Of Malevolence”:

Lyric video “Baptized In Embalming Fluid”:

Epiphone, UDR Records and Annihilator are offering fans an exclusive free MP3 download of "My Revenge", from Annihilator's new album, Suicide Society, out September 18. Suicide Society is the band's 15th studio album and guitarist, songwriter, and longtime Epiphone Signature Artist Jeff Waters wants to let Epiphone fans to be the first to hear some Epi-made metal riffs and shredding. Download “My Revenge” at Epiphone.

Waters recently posted the following update.

"Well, it is almost tour time for yet another Annihilator studio CD, Suicide Society... a pretty killer one. A lot of thrash and a lot of melody! Very proud of this one. Usually, Annihilator tours/live shows are pretty raw; lots of fun, smiling, running around and making mistakes, no real emphasis on lights and pyro, image, stage props, etc. A pretty raw and real show. But this time around, I think we will step it up a bit. Many of the venues we play now are getting bigger (well, not the actual venues, but the one's they put us in! hehe!) and we will be giving you much more of a show this time! Still fun, still real but now with a bigger crew, bigger lightshow, bigger! We cannot wait to see our fans again and we have one wicked set-list we will be rehearsing soon. Killer merchandise at the shows, too, thanks to our CD cover/booklet artist Gyula Havancsák .Tell all your metal friends that this is the Annihilator tour to see. We won't let you down!

On a completely opposite note, here is a short low-res set of clips from our "totally raw" (basically like jamming in the rehearsal room with some friends hanging out; just 80,000+ of them!) Annihilator at Wacken 2015.....hi-quality coming soooooooooon!"

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

Waters on his return to vocal duties: “Dave (Padden/vocalist from 03-14) and I have, essentially, been Annihilator since 2003 but he resigned last December, citing having had enough of touring, being away from home and other commitments. I thank him for his 11 years with Annihilator. That said, Annihilator and I are known for never giving up and, occasionally, coming up with something even better than its former offering(s): this is undeniably the case with Suicide Society!”

Waters later elaborated on his initial statement: "Those who expect a King Of The Kill vocal are in for something interesting! I intentionally tried to avoid the cliché metal vocal/rock stuff I did then (but didn't realize I was doing it then!) and weed out the bad in my voice and style; try to find the good stuff and only do those things! I guess you will be the judge but I am stoked!"

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

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

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

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

EPK:

"Creepin' Again" lyric video:

“Suicide Society”:

Audio clips:

Mono and The Ocean. Two bands from very different cultural origins, Japan and Germany, yet spiritually akin and connected by many similarities: a cinematic approach to music, based on lengthy, escalating compositions, the fact that both bands have existed for more than 15 years and released multiple albums since their inception; that they have toured many times around the globe, visiting off-the-beaten-track territories like Siberia, New Zealand, South East Asia and South America; and finally their shared passion for double albums, such as The Ocean's Heliocentric / Anthropocentric, and Mono's The Last Dawn / Rays Of Darkness.

It only makes sense that these two bands will now tour together - and release new music just in time for their extended European run, in form of a split LP. Two songs, only one by each band – but 24 minutes of new music altogether.

The Ocean have gone through lineup changes since the release of their 2013 opus Pelagial: Drummer Luc Hess was replaced by Paul Seidel, and Australian guitarist Damian Murdoch took Jonathan Nido's place. This recording is the band's first output featuring these new members, as well as cello player Dalai Theofilopoulou and piano player Vincent Membrez, who already played on Pelagial. The band will take this extended lineup to the stage on the upcoming tour.

The Ocean's contribution, a 13 minute song entitled “The Quiet Observer”, was inspired by Gaspard Noe's controversial movie Enter The Void. The movie tells the story of a drug dealer getting shot in a Tokyo toilet while tripping on DMT, and entering what is referred to as the "intermediate state" according to the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book Of The Dead: the book, which has been a source of inspiration for many writers, artists and musicians from John Lennon to Aldous Huxley, describes a state immediately after a person's death, when the intellect of the dead person must face its own illusions, in the form of peaceful and wrathful deities, in a protracted psychedelic experience. Only if it manages to expose these horrifying guises as products of its own imagination, can it escape the eternal cycle of rebirth. Noe leaves it open as to whether protagonist Oscar's death and the following metaphysical experience are actually happening - or whether he is simply tripping…

Mono, who have toured relentlessly since the release of 2014's double release The Last Dawn / Rays Of Darkness, address similar topics with their contribution, an 11-minutes song entitled “DeathIin Reverse”. The song serves as a trailer for the upcoming 9th Mono album, which is scheduled for an early 2016 release through Pelagic Records.

Guitarist and main song writer Takaakira Goto comments: "The theme of this track is life and death and regeneration. Even when our bodies decay and decompose our souls will prevail unchanged. Our bodies will act as seeds for the next generation, while our souls will journey together into our new eternal life. This is the story we want to explore with our next album, a portrayal of our journey through life towards death; from living out our lives proud and high, to bodies immolating, infused with precious memories… and through the vast, noisy tunnel of space, we become pure souls - a single drop of water in the fountain of life."

LA-based German cover artist Florian Bertmer was commissioned to transform these themes into cover art. The split EP will be released on a single 12" slab of vinyl in different colors, matching Bertmer's lucid illustration, as well as on CD and digitally worldwide through Pelagic Records.

Stratovarius members Timo Kotipelto and Jens Johansson performed three acoustic songs on Spain’s Rock Palace TV Show, including "Shine In The Dark" from their brand new album, Eternal. Watch below:

Coinciding with the release of the band’s new studio album Eternal, Stratovarius recently premiere the official music video for their single “My Eternal Dream”. Directed by Mariano Biasin, the video clip deals with one of the world’s recent burning issues realized in stunning cinematic visuals, as well as a powerful performance from the band filmed in Argentina and Finland.

Stratovarius releases their new album, Eternal, on September 11th (Europe). It will be available on September 18th in North America via earMUSIC. The symphonic metal masters offer a guided and intimate tour of the album via this behind-the-scenes mini-documentary.

It's 12-minutes long and allows fans and viewers to take a deep dive and to experience the birth of Eternal. The mini-doc spotlights the band in the studio recording, along with interviews. It's in-depth and intriguing. Watch this keyhole view of Stratovarius while making Eternal below:

Eternal will be released in three formats: Standard CD Jewelcase, Limited Deluxe Edition (CD + DVD mediabook incl. live video tracks recorded at Loudpark Festival 2015 in Japan) and Double Vinyl Gatefold.

Tracklisting:

“My Eternal Dream”
“Shine In The Dark”
“Rise Above It”
“Lost Without A Trace”
“Feeding The Fire”
“In My Line Of Work”
“Man In The Mirror”
“Few Are Those”
“Fire In Your Eyes”
“Lost Saga”

“Shine In The Dark” lyric video:

Stratovarius confirms Gloryhammer and Divine Ascension as support for their upcoming European Tour.

Main support joining Stratovarius in Europe will be Gloryhammer, the heroic fantasy power metal warriors led by Christopher Bowes of pirate metal legends Alestorm. Gloryhammer return in 2015 with the follow up to their debut album Tales From The Kingdom Of Fife. The new album from Gloryhammer entitled Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards catapults the listener at warp speed into the distant future, with epic power metal tales of intergalactic warfare and transdimensional conquest in outer space. Expect more orchestral bombast, more cosmic soundscapes, more terrifying narration, and more epic battles than you've ever heard before. Out on September 25th.

The band completing the line is Divine Ascension. After a successful Australian headliner tour, Divine Ascension is now set to conquer Europe, as support act for Stratovarius. Divine Ascension played alongside symphonic metal masters Kamelot in Australia before as well as were joining Blind Guardian, for their entire Beyond The Red Mirror Australian Tour. Now it's time for them to conquer Europe.

“We can't wait to be back on tour and see all our fans again”, states Timo Kotipelto. “And it's great to have yet again bands on the road with us, that are as passionate as us!”

Eternal World Tour:

October
5 - Tallinn, Estonia - Factory
6 - Riga, Lithuania - Melna Piektdiena
7 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Galaxy Event Hall
9 - Fabryka, Poland - Cracov
10 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
11 - Berlin, Germany - C-Club
13 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
14 - Budapest, Hungary - Club 202
16 - Geiselwind, Germany - Musichall
17 - Lindau, Germany - Vaudeville
20 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
21 - Milano, Italy - Live Club
23 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana
24 - Madrid, Spain - Sala BUT
25 - Sevilla, Spain - Custom
27 - Valencia, Spain - Koh-Tao
28 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
30 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z-7
31 - Besancon, France - La Rodia

November
1 - Paris, France - Trabendo
3 - London, UK - O2 Islington Academy
4 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
5 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Effenaar
6 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
7 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
10 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA
11 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
12 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
13 - Kufstein, Austria - Kulturfabrik

Relapse presents the first ever fully authorized reissue of Behind The Realms Of Madness, the landmark debut from legendary UK band Sacrilege.

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.
 
The album's first single, "Lifeline”, the debut track from the reissue and an old fan favorite, is streaming below.
 
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

One of the nameless ghouls from GHOST says that he was not offended by SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's recent comments about the Swedish occult rock outfit, explaining that GHOST "is not for everybody."

In an interview with Artisan News, King stated about GHOST: "Dude, I love the imagery… I love it. I just hate the fucking music. I like them [as people]. You know, they've been on many tours with us. I just… I can't [get into their music]. And I tried. I wanna like 'em, and I can't. I got their CD from Brian Slagel from Metal Blade. It was when Gary Holt [EXODUS guitarist] first started playing with us, and I picked up Gary. And I'm, like, 'Brian said this is awesome, man.' So we put it in, going to practice. It wasn't awesome. It wasn't awesome for me. It wasn't awesome for [Gary] either. I'm, like, 'Well, maybe the first song sucks.' [Laughs] And we went to the next one. It's just not for me. I know GHOST is hugely popular, and I'm very happy for their popularity. And, like I said, [they're] the nicest guys you'll ever meet. It's just not my music. And I've tried so hard. [Laughs]"

Asked by Metal Injection what his response is to Kerry's comments, a nameless ghoul from GHOST said (see video below): "We've toured quite a lot with SLAYER, actually. So, I mean, we're mates… I don't even think that what he said was negative. He just said that he didn't like the band… or he didn't like the music."

He continued: "We're not for everybody. We've never tried to please everybody. So it's, like… I didn't even see the negative element in what he was saying… I mean, it doesn't change my opinion of SLAYER. I've been a SLAYER fan ever since I was a kid, and I still love several of their records with all my heart. For me, it wasn't changing anything."

King later said that the way the metal media covered his original comments about GHOST was overblown. He told DigBoston: "The problem with doing interviews is that whoever you're doing the interview with may or may not have bad intentions. They didn't see the part where I said they were wonderful dudes. I said I love the imagery. I tried to like their music, but it's just not my thing. Somehow that became 'Kerry King hates fucking GHOST.' Whatever I say is just taken out of context for the furthering of whatever crappy web site they write for."

GHOST's third album, "Meliora", was released on August 21 via Loma Vista Recordings.

GHOST will embark on the "Black To The Future" North American headlining tour in the fall. The procession will begin at The Fillmore in Washington, D.C. on September 22.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival producers John Reese and Kevin Lyman spoke to AltPress.com about the end of the event, which performed to smaller-than-usual crowds this year amid controversy over the way the event was booked.

SLAYER was this year's Mayhem headliner, but the main-stage lineup lacked the second big headliner of previous years. Past lineups have paired the likes of AVENGED SEVENFOLD and KORN, DISTURBED and GODSMACK or ROB ZOMBIE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. This year, SLAYER was joined by KING DIAMOND, HELLYEAH and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. In addition, this summer's Mayhem Festival shrunk from four stages to two, and the overall lineup was trimmed by about half a dozen bands.

Asked if we see might see the return of Mayhem again someday, Lyman responded: "Maybe. I don't know. You never say never, right?"

Added Reese (pictured above): "Man, we're just out of the firing line with this. We haven't really had a debrief on anything as far as what we want to do, where we want to take it, if we want to take it..."

He continued: "The biggest problem heavy music has right now is headliners, ultimately. You can't play amphitheaters with this massive production without bands that are hard ticket sellers.

"There was all this B.S. about it being a shitty lineup this year — but trust me, we beat the streets for a lineup. We didn't leave a single stone unturned.

"We're going to let dead dogs lie. [Laughs] We'll see what happens in the future. Who knows what the future holds?"

Asked why there are there fewer heavy music headliners now than in the past, Reese said: "Heavy rock bands aren't overnight sensations. It takes a lot of time, a lot of touring, some big songs."

He continued: "The business from publishing and recorded music is just in the toilet. Bands don't make any money, whereas a DJ can put a song out there and fly all over the world with a backpack. A pop artist can get on KISS FM or Hits 1 on SiriusXM. They can be in commercials and blow up quickly. When you're an aggressive rock band, there are fewer channels."

Reese added: "It's sad because Mayhem was a great avenue for the smaller bands. A lot of major labels are out of the rock business. They'd rather sign a DJ or a pop artist to a 360 deal, whore the song out all over the world and see a big return on their investment in a shorter period of time. The heavy rock space just doesn't work that way."

The 2015 Mayhem Festival generated controversy earlier in the summer after Lyman blamed the event's low ticket sales on the fact that metal has failed to produce new and younger headlining bands, adding that "metal got gray, bald and fat" and "chased girls away."

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King responded by saying that the problem with this summer's event lay not so much with the metal bands themselves but with the way the festival was booked.

"At the end of the day, what I think happened to Mayhem was that they waited too late in the game to get the talent they needed to pull it off correctly," Kerry said. "Because what happens is, people get booked up so early these days that it seems like all the bands that could have made this more of a success are playing in Europe now instead of being on a U.S. festival. It just made the talent pool less than it could be."

Metal Wani's David Tobin recently conducted an interview bassist Derek Boyer of death metal veterans SUFFOCATION. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for SUFFOCATION's follow-up to the 2013 album "Pinnacle Of Bedlam":

"It's pretty much done. I mean, most of the material is all said and done. Kevin's [Talley] been doing some pre-production drum stuff. It's going really well — super aggressive. We've probably got about eight or nine [songs], and I've been working out all the lyrical content and getting some new influences with the new guy, with the new vocalist in the band. Frank's [Mullen] still in the band — don't be too scared — but Ricky's [Myers] gonna get involved and he's gonna do all our live shows. He's a great team player and a super-cool guy and really brutal on stage, so everything is going great."

On whether the next SUFFOCATION album already has a title:

"I'm leaning toward something, but I can't announce it, 'cause we may switch it. I don't wanna start promoting the wrong thing. But I have a really good idea."

On whether fans can expect to see the next SUFFOCATION album:

"I wanna say it's gonna probably be a spring or summer release, because we're recording either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. Right now, we're doing all the pre-production stuff, making sure we like the tempos and the melody lines, making sure all the hooks are there. [We're] really spending a lot of [time going over the material] with a fine-tooth comb [to] really get it polished to where we know all the ins and outs. We wanna dot all the I's and cross all the T's; we want it to be very thorough."

On how much room for experimentation there is in SUFFOCATION's music:

"It's funny, because for the most part… For us, for example, we wanna stick to the tried-and-true format of SUFFOCATION. And we dabble a little bit with a couple of new elements, but it'd be really a shame if you reached too far and then lost your main audience that you've been working for so long. So I don't think there's a lot — maybe five percent, ten percent experiment. If you do any more than that… You can't just go put clean vocals and stuff like that. People are just gonna go, 'What the fuck?' Thirty years' worth of fans are, like, 'Fuck that!' So you can stray from the path a bit, but I think sticking to the main formula is probably most important and then just dabble a little bit."

"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 58. The CD was released on February 19, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork was handled this time around by Raymond Swanland.

"Pinnacle Of Bedlam"sold 3,200 copies in the United States during its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 152. The effort landed at No. 2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" was produced by the band at Full Force Studios in New York with longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering of the effort was handled by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE).

Impact metal channel conducted an interview with former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo before the band's September 9 concert in Budapest, Hungary. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he follows any new extreme metal drummers:

"Not really. I'm in a different musical headspace, you know. I was part of one of the biggest extreme music bands in the world — SLAYER — so when I listen to extreme music, I listen to it, and it's, like, 'Oh, I've heard that before. I've heard that. Oh, okay.' There's some stuff that's very interesting, but very punk. There's a band called RETOX and THE LOCUST, both from the same drummer; his name is Gabe Serbian, and he's a fantastic player. I look to a more… I have to be careful what I say…. I have to look more into bands outside the genre that I was a part of, because I understand it very well. So I look for other genres and other styles of music to kind of enhance my extreme playing. So I really don't listen to anything, because I automatically go into extreme. Like tonight, I pick up a little bit of drum and bass, I pick up a little bit of funk, some just rock and roll, but I mix it in with thrash and extreme music and blast beats. So I take a little bit from everything."

On what makes a drummer a really good drummer:

"How versatile he is. How much feeling he has when he plays. And feeling, I don't mean his chops, what he does, or how complicated or how fast… It's his feel, his style that's very important. You have to have your own style."

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the band's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band.

PHILM released its sophomore album, "Fire From The Evening Sun", on September 16, 2014 (one day earlier internationally) via UDR. The band's lineup is completed by guitarist/vocalist Gerry Paul Nestler (CIVIL DEFIANCE), and bassist Francisco "Pancho" Eduardo Tomaselli (WAR).

The problem of dropping a record as career-defining as 2013's Everblack is that the bar is set so high following it up is a galling task. That The Black Dahlia Murder's response to such a challenge comes in the form of the devastating Abysmal serves to once again demonstrate why they are considered one of the most vital bands in contemporary death metal.

"Once the record started to come together we knew it was going to be something special," states vocalist Trevor Strnad. "It's more urgent, it has more dynamics, it's a more emotive record, and it has a more raw, angry sound to it. It's still million mile-per-hour death metal, but when you invest so much thought and emotion into what you're creating you end up with a record that does stand out, and we can hold our heads up high and say yeah, this is our best work."

Stream it now in its entirety below leading to its September 18th release. The album's pre-order bundle packages are now available at this location

Abysmal tracklisting:

“Receipt”
“Vlad, Son Of The Dragon”
“Abysmal”
“Re-Faced”
“Threat Level Number Three”
“The Fog”
“Stygiophobic”
“Asylum”
“The Advent”
“That Cannot Die Which Eternally Is Dead”

Album stream:

Trevor Strnad (vocals) states: The new album, Abysmal, is true to The Black Dahlia Murder formula, but further down the evolutionary path we began with our Ritual release. It has bigger, more dynamic and developed songs. People can expect a more raw and natural sounding TBDM record. It's the most real and live sounding thing we've done since our debut. It has a real energy and urgency to it. We made a conscious effort of having a more lively and dynamic sound and I feel the result is truly excellent. What I hear is my band playing as they do live when I step off the stage at soundcheck. Therefore, this is the real TBDM incarnate. Expect a relentless world ravaging touring cycle from us for the next couple of years. You'd better start exercising your necks now!""

The Black Dahlia Murder recently announced the second headlining leg of the Indiemerch 2015 Tour, which kicks off November 27th and features Goatwhore, Iron Reagan, Entheos and Artificial Brain. TBDM and friends are stoked to help celebrate a decade of merchandise and mayhem. TBDM has been part of the IndieMerch family since the beginning and continues to crush with their new album, Abysmal, which is set for a September 18th release.

Vocalist Trevor Strnad had this to say about the upcoming trek: "It's a pleasure for us to be involved in IndieMerch's anniversary tour, they are the greatest merch company in the world and have been doing right by us for years. We've assembled quite a tour together showcasing some of the most killer bands out there from all walks of extremely heavy music. We are proud to be a part of it and we hope to see your smiling faces in the crowd each night!"

The tour will run in two parts featuring some of our favorite bands from each genre. On Part I (10/01 - 10/24) thrash masters Iron Reagan will provide the circle pits at maximum velocity, Harms Way will bring their brutally heavy style of hardcore, and opening act Maruta will set the tone for the night with their brand of death metal grindcore. Part II (11/27 - 12/20) will feature New Orlean's masters of the dark arts Goatwhore, even more thrash from Iron Reagan, the modern technical metal mastery of Entheos (featuring 3/5th of now classic IndieMerch band Animosity!), and Profound Lore death metallers Artificial Brain.

Head over to Facebook for all tour dates.

 

Haiku, the Calgary, AB-based one man thrashing black and death metal project fronted by Luka Milojic, is streaming the new track, “Xhadex". The track is taken from Haiduk’s latest album, Demonicon, which was released independently on September 9th.

The follow-up to Spellbook was in the making for about three years and presents a 9-song concept album about nine demons, where each song is about a different demon. The artwork was created by Gragoth, from Luciferium War Graphics.

Demonicon tracklisting:

“Syth”
“Nazon”
“Deamris”
“Azyr”
“Sarxas”
“Corloch”
“Nergion”
“Vordus”
“Xhadex”

“Xhadex”:

American progressive power metal legends FATES WARNING will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their "Awaken The Guardian" album with an exclusive U.S. headlining appearance at the 2016 edition of the ProgPower USA festival, set to take place September 9-10, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets on sale October 3, 2015 via all Ticketmaster outlets.

FATES WARNING — in its original "Awaken The Guardian" lineup, featuring John Arch (vocals), Jim Matheos (guitar), Frank Aresti (guitar), Joe DiBiase (bass) and Steve Zimmerman (drums) — will play the complete LP, as well as other songs from the Arch era of FATES WARNING.

Also scheduled to appear at next year's ProgPower USA festival are Devin Towsend, SCAR SYMMETRY, GREEN CARNATION and HAKEN.

Confirmed acts:

Friday, September 9, 2016:

* ASCENDIA (Canada)* VANISHING POINT (Australia)* FREEDOM CALL (Germany)* GENTLE STORM (Netherlands)* SCAR SYMMETRY (Sweden)* FATES WARNING (USA) "Awaken the Guardian" in its entirety with John Arch. - a U.S. Exclusive

Saturday, September 10, 2016:

* SAVAGE MESSIAH (UK)* SERIOUS BLACK (multinational)* GREEN CARNATION (Norway) ("Light of Day, Day of Darkness" in its entirety. — a U.S. exclusive)* REFUGE (Germany)* HAKEN (UK)* Devin Townsend (Canada) (with special guest Anneke van Giersbergen)

Vinyl-Blog.com has uploaded an unboxing video for the limited-edition vinyl version of SLAYER's newly released eleventh studio album, "Repentless". Check it out below.

"Repentless" was released on September 11 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated "World Painted Blood" was produced by Terry Date, who has previously worked with PANTERA, DEFTONES and SOUNDGARDEN.

"Repentless" was made available in a wide array of formats, as detailed below:

* Limited CD + Blu-ray digipak (includes Blu-ray of "Slayer Live at Wacken 2014" and the "Making of Repentless" documentary)* Limited CD + DVD digipak (includes DVD of "Slayer Live at Wacken 2014" and the "Making of Repentless" documentary)* Strictly limited 12-inch sized Box (includes CD + Blu-ray digipak, DVD, exclusive Repentless 12-inch picture vinyl, "Slayer Live at Wacken 2014" CD, 12-inch photo card, 12-inch fold-out poster)* CD jewel case* Vinyl in gatefold (audio mastered for vinyl)* Digital (all digital platforms)* Limited edition "Metal Eagle Edition"

The artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with the band's Tom Araya and Kerry King.

The "Repentless" title track is an ode to SLAYER's late guitarist, Jeff Hanneman, who passed away in 2013. "I call it the Hannemanthem!" SLAYER guitarist Kerry King said of the song. "I wrote that for Jeff. Oh, dude, it's fast as fuck. You don't know what the fuck's coming!"

He added: "It's my perspective of Jeff's perspective. It's what I think... If Jeff wrote a song for himself, 'Repentless' would be it."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor and Alice Cooper are among the artists interviewed for a proposed new documentary called "The History Of Metal And Horror". The film will explore the longstanding connections between heavy rock and the horror genre, and also feature interviews with KORN frontman Jonathan Davis, ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein of the MISFITS and more.

Hammett told The Pulse Of Radio that he takes his love for the horror genre very seriously. "I like to think of myself as someone who, like, has a real passion for this stuff and is knowledgeable," he said. "You know, I like to think of myself as a horror movie historian and, you know, I like to think of myself as someone who actually means it. I really love this stuff."

Also interviewed for the film are icons from the world of horror such as "Hellraiser" star Doug Bradley, legendary makeup artist Tom Savini, "The Devil's Rejects" star Sid Haig and Gunnar "Leatherface" Hansen from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

The musicians discuss their love of the genre and the films that scared them when they were young, with Hammett citing "Night Of The Living Dead" and Taylor saying that "Jaws" "scarred me for life."

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to help the film's production, with a target of $50,000 set with two months to go.

Legendary guitarist Tony MacAlpine has announced the cancelation of his European tour, which was slated for October/November.

Tony's condition has not improved since the surgery to remove a tumor from his intestine, and he will need further treatment.

A press release from the MacAlpine camp states: "We are incredibly disappointed that the world tour dates are being postponed indefinitely, but Tony needs to focus completely on his recovery at this time.

"Thank you to everyone who has reached out to provide words of love, encouragement and support to Tony. It's deeply appreciated."

In his 29-year career, MacAlpine has redefined instrumental hard rock, jazz-fusion and heavy metal for a generation of progressive-minded music fanatics. Whether it's been as a solo artist, or with the progressive supergroup PSMS (with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian); the mind-bending metal fusion band PLANET X (with Derek Sherinian and Virgil Donati); the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group CAB; or in the band of another guitar hero Steve Vai, MacAlpine has continued to evolve and set the bar exceedingly high.

On April 21, Tony released his highly anticipated opus "Concrete Gardens" (SunDog Records), featuring 12 tracks of complex, intricate, yet hook-laden melodies, blinding solos and crushing 7- and 8-string guitar riffs, complemented by his own equally exceptional keyboards. This is built atop a formidable rhythmic foundation laid down by Brazilian drum sensation Aquiles Priester (PRIMAL FEAR, HANGAR, ANGRA).

Rounding out the rhythm section is bassist Pete Griffin (SHINING, GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA, ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA), along with guest appearances by bassists Sean Delson (FOZZY, STUCK MOJO), Lucky Islam and MacAlpine himself. Guitar virtuoso Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, CONQUERING DYSTOPIA, ex-NEVERMORE) guests for an extended guitar solo trade.

"Concrete Gardens" was mixed by Brazilian producer and engineer Adair Daufembach, and mastered by Seva David Ball.

Written and recorded in his Pasadena, California home studio (with drums recorded in Brazil), MacAlpine has blended metal, prog, jazz-fusion and rock into a tightly wound trip that is reflected in the album's title — both brutal and beautiful. "Concrete Gardens" is available in both standard and special edition versions — the special edition version includes a bonus DVD of Tony and band performing the album live at EMGtv. Featured is Aquiles Priester (drums), Pete Griffin (bass) and Nili Brosh (guitar), plus a special appearance by Jeff Loomis.

KISS, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, has earned more gold album record awards than any American band in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) gold and platinum awards certifications.

In the last 41 years, KISS has earned 30 gold albums (26 KISS albums and 4 solo albums that were all released simultaneously — a feat never before achieved by any band). KISS has 14 platinum albums, with three albums being multi-platinum. "Congratulations to KISS — the new gold standard for albums by American bands," said Cary Sherman, Chairman and CEO, RIAA. "What an extraordinary achievement for an enduring band. Forty years later and the band is still rocking. Congratulations to KISS on their gold album milestone and continued success." KISS remains one of the most influential bands in the history of rock and roll. Decades of record-breaking tours around the globe have included high-profile appearances at Super Bowl XXXIII, the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the Rockin' The Corps concert dedicated to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, special guest appearance on the 2009 "American Idol" finale that boasted 30 million viewers and a 2010 Dr. Pepper Super Bowl commercial and advertising campaign in support of their Hottest Show On Earth tour. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, with longtime members, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, are stronger than ever with a legacy that continues to grow, generation after generation. Their last album, "Monster", proved that they are still at the top of their game with impressive sales and topping the charts worldwide debuting at No. 3 in the U.S. on The Billboard 200 album chart and Top 10 in twenty other countries. The unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the "Hottest Band in the World" is a striking testament to the band's unbreakable bond with its fans. KISS is currently celebrating two other major milestones, their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April of 2014, as well as the band's 40th anniversary. "Kiss 40", an album celebrating 40 years of rock and roll is available now.

According to Le Journal de Québec, METALLICA has teamed up with Labatt to produce a limited-edition run of METALLICA-branded beer. The beer will be made will be made available on September 28 as a tie-in promotion for METALLICA ushering out the legendary Colisée Pepsi and opening the brand new Centre Vidéotron by playing two shows in Quebec City on September 14 and September 16.

On Wednesday, September 16, a tanker truck filled with Budweiser will be parked in front of the Centre Vidéotron. Once the METALLICA show is finished, the tanker filled will head to the Labatt plant in LaSalle, near Montreal.

The beer will be available in cans, coming in cases of 15 and 24. More than 91,000 black cans will be on the market to mark the historic transition from METALLICA in the new amphitheater.

"We are very pleased that the guys in METALLICA are participating in this unique partnership that marks the history of the Centre Vidéotron," said Labatt spokesman Jean Gagnon.

METALLICA currently has two dates on its calendar between now and end of September: one show in Quebec City, Canada and an appearance at the Rock In Rio festival.

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

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

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

Pink Floyd legend David Gilmour will release his new solo album, Rattle That Lock, on September 18th. A new extended EPK is streaming below.

Rattle That Lock follows the 2006 #1 platinum album On An Island, and once again features novelist Polly Samson as primary lyricist, as well as Phil Manzanera, who co-produced the album with David. The striking cover was art directed by Dave Stansbie from The Creative Corporation under the creative directorship of Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis.

Tracklisting:

“5 A.M.”
“Rattle That Lock”
“Faces Of Stone”
“A Boat Lies Waiting”
“Dancing Right In Front Of Me”
“In Any Tongue”
“Beauty”
“The Girl In The Yellow Dress”
“Today”
“And Then…”

Extended EPK:

"Rattle That Lock" video:

3D boxset unboxing:

"5 A.M." teaser:

The Rattle That Lock album will be available in a CD edition with clothbound, foil-blocked cover, including a 22-page booklet, but also on heavyweight vinyl, digital download and a deluxe box edition, which includes 4 Barn Jam films, 4 non-album audio tracks, 4 documentaries, and 2 promo clips. Available in CD+DVD or CD+Blu-ray versions, the deluxe edition also includes 2 hardback books, a double-sided poster, a postcard in a dedicated envelope and a David Gilmour plectrum.

Gilmour has announced his first ever tour of South America, playing Brazil, Argentina and Chile in support of Rattle That Lock. Also announced was the touring band that will accompany the Pink Floyd guitarist and singer on his solo South American trek this December, as well as to Europe. Tickets are on sale now.

Tour dates:

December
12 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Allianz Palmeiras
14 - Curitiba, Brazil - Pedreira Paulo Leminski
16 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Arena do Gremio
18 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Hipodromo de San Isidro
20 - Santiago, Chile - Estadio Nacional

David Gilmour’s touring band for South America and the forthcoming European and UK tour, starting in Pula, Croatia on September 12th includes:

Phil Manzanera - guitar
Guy Pratt - bass
Jon Carin - keyboards
Stevie DiStanislao - drums, percussion
Kevin McAlea - keyboards
Theo Travis - saxes, clarinet (Brighton and Europe only)
Joao Mello - saxes (Royal Albert Hall and South America only)
Bryan Chambers - backing vocals
Louise Marshall - backing vocals (Europe/UK only)

North American tour dates:

March
24 - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA
25 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
31 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON

April
1 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
4 – United Center – Chicago, IL
8 - United Center - Chicago, IL
11 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
12 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone. See the Live Dates page for all details.

 

Armored Saint are on the road now with metal legends, Saxon. The tour continues tonight in Washington D.C. with the remaining dates listed below.

Earlier this summer, Armored Saint performed a special headlining gig at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas to a sold out crowd. The show was captured on film and two tracks were cut to serve as official live bootlegs. Watch the classic Saint track "Dropping Like Flies" and a new song, "Mess”, below:

"Dropping Like Flies”:

“Mess”:

Bassist Joey Vera offered up a comment about the tour: "We're stoked to be out here again with our friends Saxon. This is such a great package tour for the fans and us alike. So far we've done Progpower Atlanta, Stafford Springs, CT and Portland, ME and every gig has been met with rabid fans. Love it! Looking forward to DC today and then we move into the Midwest. See you out there!"

Tour dates with Saxon:

September
15 - Washington, DC - Howard
16 - Westland, MI - Token Lounge
17 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
18 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
19 - Dayton, OH - Oddbody's Music Room
20 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theater

German thrashers, War Agenda, will release their debut album Night Of Disaster on October 9th. The album contain 10 tracks with an running time of about 43 minutes of the finest Bay Area influenced thrash metal. Today the band announce the final tracklisting and launch an album trailer with song snippets.

The album was recorded earlier this year in Double Terror Studio and is mixed and mastered by Kai Stahlenberg at the well known Kohlekeller Studios (Crematory, Powerwolf, Aborted).

Tracklisting:

“Shot To Pieces”
“Geocide”
“The Wait”
“Sentenced”
“Night Of Disaster”
“Time Heals Nothing”
“Mosh”
“Destiny Of A Mad Man”
“Gone But Not Forgotten”
“Axis Of Evil”

Teaser:

On October 10th the band performs a special Release Show in Berwangen, Germany with Cripper, Circle Of Silence, The Prophecy 23 and others.

Wormholedeath and Opera Core have released more news on Italian epic/symphonic metallers Norhod’s sophomore album, Voices From The Ocean. A full video announcement featuring video statements from the band, label and producers can be seen below.

The album, which was produced by Jonathan Mazzeo and mixed by Chris Donalson, will be released by Wormholedeath / Aural Music Group via Opera Core.

The band stated: “Finally! We're very proud to announce you our new album, we've been working really hard on it and we couldn't wait more to give you this news. Please enjoy and let us know in the comments what do you expect from this new album.”
 
Worm stated: “Opera Core is none the less a sound concept initially started by Wormholedeath with the band Crysalys. Later, after the big success of Crysalys' album "The Awakening Of Gaia" which was conceived to be the link between Opera and Deathcore, Norhod decided to inherit the legacy and restart the current. Opera Core is finally back with Norhod's apocalyptic new album.”

 

After a short hiatus, Downtread returns with a new studio album, The War Behind The Wolf, set for a November 6th global street date.

Formed in 2007, the band has steadily attracted a growing fan base propelled by their aggressive riffs, titanic drums and prowess in delivering hook-laden songwriting. Downtread is a modern classic, riding high on lofty rock vibes with a clear nod to guitar work emanating from the best of the ‘70s and ‘80s , alongside an expressive 21st century aggressive growl. In short, modern classic rock with a mean streak.

A pre-order just went live on iTunes at an aggressive artist development price of $4.99, with "Culture Of Violence" offered as an instant gratification track for all buyers. The War Behind The Wolf is available for pre-order at iTunes or via the band's web store, here.

The ten tracks featured on the upcoming album offer unbridled fury alongside a universally offered tale of redemption. Downtread's lyrics approach disparate themes that include today’s culture of violence, imploding relationships and in one instance a song about a werewolf.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Brett Petrusek shares, "The stories on this album are without question delving into the darker depths of self-realization, struggle, rage and the current wave of terror and violence in the modern world. Upon first listen maybe a bit polarizing and politically charged, but there’s typically a contrasting positive message lurking in the background. As always we want to deliver thought-provoking songs packed with attitude. I think the words and the music on War Behind the Wolf come together in a perfectly explosive way.”

The band’s technical prowess has blossomed, presenting a sound that is bigger and heavier than the band's first two albums, delivering a net effect that is rawer, more dangerous, and less groomed. The band has released a clip for "World Is Breaking" which can be viewed below:

Over the last several years, Downtread has staged performances in front of hundreds of thousands of rock fans. Alongside headline appearances, the band has appeared in support of Halestorm, Trapt, Saliva, Whitesnake, Judas Priest, Bret Michaels, Vince Neil, Ratt, Skid Row, Dokken and Collective Soul amongst many others. Whether they’re in a nightclub or on a much larger stage, the quintet brings it leaving nothing on the sidelines.

Downtread is Brett Petrusek (Lead Vocals / Lead Guitars), Marc Paradise (Lead Guitars / Background Vocals), Robert Berg (Bass / Background Vocals), and Eric Domagall (Drums / Background Vocals).

Malmö, Sweden-based metal act, Wasted Shells, have released an official short film in support of their Dark Matter release, issued in summer 2015.

Written and directed by Tobias Ohlsson, a description reads: “A story about our primal instincts, about using and abusing until there is nothing left. This is a rather dark matter. This is 2215.”

Dark Matter tracklisting:

“Tox”
“Masterplan”
“Lies”
“Breathe in Breathe Out”
“Today (The Edge)”
“2215”

Short film:

American power metal band Reverence, featuring Todd Michael Hall (Riot, Jack Starr’s Burning Starr), Bryan Holland (Tokyo Blade, Arrest), Steve “Doc Killdrums” Wacholz (Savatage, Crimson Glory), Pete Rossi (Overland, Sanxtion), and Michael Massie (Overloaded, Inner Recipe), have revealed the artwork for their new album, Gods Of War, created by Jobert Mello.

Gods Of War will be let loose to cause havoc on Asia/Japan on October 21st through Marquee/Avalon Records and will be unleashed to conquer the rest of the world through Razar Ice Records on November 4th.

Reverence previously released a teaser clip for the song “Race To Obscene”, which will appear on their upcoming album. Reverence’s second album will follow their first release, When Darkness Calls, which was released through Razar Ice Records in 2012. The clip below allows fans to get a quick peak of their upcoming album.

Syracuse, NY-based progressive rock band, Unified Past, have released their new album, Shifting The Equilibrium.

According to Unified Past, “a new chapter has begun for us with this new release, we have enlisted Emmy Award winning Vocalist Phil Naro (Talas, Peter Criss, DDrive) as our vocalist, and now full time band member.”

Unified Past have also released a new video entitled “Erasure Principle”, which is the lead track from the new six track album. As a bonus, the first 100 people that order. the new album will receive a FREE digital only bonus track of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer classic “From The Beginning”, a reinterpretation by Unified Past.

Album art was once again created by world famous fantasy artist Ed Unitsky.

Tracklisting:

“Erasure Principle”
“Smile (In The Face Of Adversity)”
“Etched in Stone”
“Peace Remains In This World”
“Deviation From A Theme (Of Harmonic Origin)”
“Today Is The Day”
“From The Beginning” (Bonus Track) Digital Only 100 copies will be available.

“Erasure Principle” video:

Unified Past Is:

Phil Naro: Vocals,
Stephen Speelman: Vocals, Guitar & Keys
Dave Mickelson: Bass
Victor Tassone: Drums & Percussion

 

As anticipation builds for the new release, Tales From The Deadside, A Sound Of Thunder unveil the new audio track “Tremble”. The song can be previewed in its entirety below:

A Sound of Thunder guitarist Josh Schwartz comments: ““Tremble” is the name of one of the big villains in the Shadowman comics [on which the album is based]; an ancient voodoo spirit inhabiting a human host, spreading fear wherever he goes, and inciting people to do terrible things because of that fear. He's a monster, so we wrote a monstrous song. “Tremble” is basically music to crush/kill/destroy... heavy groove meets grinding riffs and sinister vocals. Alternatively, if you own a Panzer tank, this is a good song to play when you take to the streets and start crushing cars beneath the treads. We also had a ton of fun recording this one, especially [ASoT vocalist] Nina, whose vocals are infused with black magic, ancient spells, vodka... and just a hint of King Diamondy cheese for good measure. Play it loud; do neck damage."

A Sound Of Thunder will release Tales From The Deadside worldwide via Mad Neptune Records on September 25th.

 

 

Tales From The Deadside is a full-length concept album based on Valiant Entertainment's Shadowman comic book series. The album was recorded at Assembly Line Studios with RIAA-platinum awarded producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Shinedown, While Heaven Wept, Raven). Tales From The Deadside is available on CD and limited colored vinyl, and in a number of exclusive pre-order packages that were only available during their successful Kickstarter campaign in July/ August. The standard CD edition of Tales From The Deadside will feature all-new Shadowman cover artwork, while select backers from the Kickstarter campaign will obtain an exclusive cover featuring Shadowman’s arch-nemesis Master Darque.

"The story of Shadowman, his alter-ego Jack Boniface, and the many characters in his world inspired us to create what we believe is our best album to date," said guitarist Josh Schwartz. "We let the story lead us to places our music has never been before, combining all the elements of supernatural horror, drama, action and adventure found in the comics. Of course everything has gone through our own unique Thunderous filter, and all the familiar ASOT elements will be there. The Shadowman's harrowing journey demanded no less!"

A Sound Of Thunder:

Nina Osegueda- vocals
Josh Schwartz- guitars/ keyboards
Jesse Keen- guitars/ keyboards
Chris Haren- drums/ percussion

British rock 'n' rollers The Temperance Movement have released the first taste from their brand new studio album, White Bear. Check out “Three Bulleits” below:

Due to be released on January 15th, 2016, the follow-up to their 2013 self-titled debut was recorded with producer Sam Miller in London, Northamptonshire and Monmouth and features 10 stomping new blues-rock anthems. The band will support White Bear with a UK tour which kicks off the day after the album's release.

The Temperance Movement guitarist, Paul Sayer confides, "White Bear is a real step on for us sonically and artistically. Playing so many shows together over the last 3 years allowed us to develop a really clear idea of where we wanted to go with our next record. When it came to making this album we had a bit more time and space to let our creativity go, and I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved."

Whilst on the album title, White Bear, singer Phil Campbell notes, "Nick called me with the title which inspired the lyric to the song. It refers to a study by Daniel Wenger on mindfulness and the controlling of unwanted thoughts, testing a quote from Dostoevsky's 'Winter Notes on Summer Impressions': 'Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.”

White Bear tracklisting:

“Three Bulleits”
“Get Yourself Free”
“A Pleasant Peace I Feel”
“Modern Massacre”
“Battle Lines”
“White Bear”
“Oh Lorraine”
“Magnify”
“The Sun and Moon Roll Around Too Soon”
“I Hope I'm Not Losing My Mind”

White Bear is available to pre-order now on CD, signed CD, vinyl and limited edition signed white vinyl, and is also available in a number of t-shirt bundles. Reserve your copy now at this location. The album is also available to pre-order now on iTunes, including an exclusive bonus track.

Don't miss The Temperance Movement on tour in the UK in support of White Bear:

January
16 - Portsmouth, UK - Pyramid Centre
17 - Norwich, UK - UEA
19 - Aberdeen, UK - Beach Ballroom
20 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowland
21 - Newcastle, UK - University
22 - Leeds, UK - Becket University
24 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
25 - Birmingham, UK - Institute
26 - Cardiff, UK - Y Plas
27 - London, UK - Shepherd's Bush Empire

All tickets and bundles are available at this location.

 

The newly launched YouTube channel The History Of..., found here, has posted a video showcasing The History Of KISS In 90 Seconds. Check it out below:

A new KISS book, Gene, Ace, Peter & Paul: A Detailed Exploration Of The 1978 KISS Solo Albums, will be released on September 18th.

September 18th, 1978. KISS made music history when they simultaneously released the member's four solo albums. The albums were backed by an unprecedented, multimillion dollar marketing and publicity campaign, and a total of more than 5.3 million units were shipped to retailers, creating KISSteria and representing perhaps one of the last examples of record industry excess in the '70s.

Gene, Ace, Peter & Paul: A Detailed Exploration of the 1978 KISS Solo Albums is based in large part on a 2013 KISSFAQ.com celebratory retrospective that commemorated the 35th anniversary of the solo albums.

Gene, Ace, Peter & Paul: A Detailed Exploration Of The 1978 KISS Solo Albums puts the four KISS solo albums under the microscope like never before. More than 30 brand-new interviews were conducted with various individuals who either worked directly on the solo albums or have a strong connection with the projects. These interviews offer readers fresh first-hand perspectives straight from studio musicians, producers, engineers, and songwriters, and the creative professionals working in the KISS camp at the time.

A supporting series of topical features further illuminates KISS' activities in 1978 while dissecting the albums and offering in-depth analysis and biographical information on the albums' participants.

Visit this location for more info.