Joe Satriani, the legendary guitar shredder who recorded such platinum sellers as "Surfing With The Alien" and "Flying In A Blue Dream", took time out of his schedule to join Shawn and Corbs of "The GuitCast" podcast to talk about his early music education, his amplifier prototype for Marshall Amplification, his new album, "Shockwave Supernova", and the current state of CHICKENFOOT, his project with Sammy Hagar (ex-VAN HALEN), Michael Anthony (ex-VAN HALEN) and Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS).

Speaking about what, if anything, is going on with CHICKENFOOT at the moment, Satriani said: "I think all my complaining and foot stomping really had an effect, because it was really bothering me and I still, philosophically, just felt like there was a really big disconnect there [between me and some of the other members of CHICKENFOOT]. I got asked by every single journalist ten times a day [what was going on with the band]. And when I started speaking my mind, I think I realized I rattled some feathers there in the 'FOOT camp. And I followed it up with just writing some new music, and I sent Sam some stuff, and I was surprised to see him respond so quickly with some creative ideas. And I can happily tell you now that there is a track that is circulating through the band. It's got new drums from Chad on it, it's got new vocals from Sam, and I think Mike is coming at the end of this week to add bass and vocals. So there might be something coming. I know there's a song in the works, and I'm working on a few others that I think I can get them to do. So, yeah, I think there's hope."

For the full interview, visit www.GuitCast.com.

"The GuitCast" is a weekly podcast bringing you the latest news & gear reviews related to the guitar world along with interviews with the biggest names in guitar.

Hagar revealed via Facebook that he spent August 28 in the studio with Satriani as the guitarist "gear[ed] up for his world tour to support his awesome new CD — and he and I are always messing around with song ideas to see if it tastes like chicken ha ha."

Asked to clarify the comments he made to Rolling Stone magazine where he was quoted as saying that he thinks CHICKENFOOT is finished making albums, Hagar told VH1 Classic's syndicated radio show "On Tap With Nik Carter" last fall: "It's not that [CHICKENFOOT has] run its course, it's just that I'm not sure… in everyone's schedule that we can put aside a year and make a record, make some videos and go out and do a world tour, like what we would have to do. The recording side of it is what's tough; that takes so much time and finances. And if the record business for a band like that, if we could sell a million records, we'd probably say, 'Okay, at least we can pay for the record.' But when you spend half a million dollars on a record and it sells a a hundred and twenty-five thousand copies, I'm sorry, that's 'pay to play."

He continued: "In my life, everything I do now, I'm looking at [it like], this could be my last year of this. I don't know how much longer I can really do that hard grind. I love to go out on tour, but I can't do a hundred shows a year. I would probably have to retire if I did, if I tried to do that. So I'm trying to pick and choose everything I do and make it more special for me. What I wanna do. [What] makes me happy. And it ain't just about work. I'm not interested in making more money. It's about just making myself happy. And CHICKENFOOT would really make me happy, except for the damn workload and the success of it. It's just that the record business is kind of done. I mean, I'm sorry to say that. It's sad."

CHICKENFOOT reissued its gold-selling 2009 self-titled debut as a double-disc set. The new version features bonus live tracks recorded on the group's tour behind its sophomore studio effort, "III"

CHICKENFOOT's most recent touring lineup included legendary drummer/musician Kenny Aronoff, who was filling in for Smith while Chad was on the road with RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

"III" sold 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 9 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's self-titled debut opened with 49,000 units back in June 2009 to debut at No. 6.

Hagar's current band, THE CIRCLE, plays songs from all eras of its members' lives, including tracks from VAN HALEN and LED ZEPPELIN.

Photo credit: LeAnn Mueller

In the short clip below, director Eli Roth and composer DJ Ashba (SIXX: A.M., ex-GUNS N' ROSES) introduce a first look at the music video for "Escape From The Green Inferno", from the official soundtrack for "The Green Inferno", in theaters September 25. The song was written by Ashba, while the music video — which features never-before-seen clips from the upcoming cannibal horror film — was directed by Roth.

From Roth, the horror mastermind behind such groundbreaking films as "Cabin Fever" and "Hostel" franchise, comes a terrifying new film about a group of college students who take their humanitarian protest to the Amazon jungle, only to be taken prisoner by the indigenous tribe they came to save. A twisted and blood-soaked take on a digital-age phenomenon, "The Green Inferno" tells the story of what happens when "slacktivism" — the well-meaning social-media response to global catastrophes — turns deadly deep in a South American rainforest. Trapped in a remote tribal village, these naïve, technology-dependent students suffer unspeakable acts as the victims of chilling and soul-destroying rituals reserved for only the most threatening intruders.

Ashba issued a statement on July 27 saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES. His statement read in part, "It is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with GUNS N' ROSES into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band SIXX: A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."

Ashba added: "I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavors, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years."

Ashba said earlier in his statement that working with GUNS N' ROSES was "the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined."

Ashba joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck.

US bashers Iced Earth are currently in the process of setting up a new headquarters for all things concerning the band, including a new studio for future recordings. Guitarist/founder Jon Schaffer has decided to sell some guitars from his massive collection to help finance the new project. He has issued the following statement:

“I’m selling a few guitars that have been on various recordings as well as some that were bought for my personal collection. We need to raise a large amount of money to complete the vision of our new headquarters, and begin this new chapter in the bands march to independence, to thrive in the ever-changing music business. There are some pretty killer guitars in the collection, so I urge die-hard fans, and guitar collectors alike, to go to Carter Vintage Guitars and see what’s there.”

Go to CarterVintage.com to check out the guitars up for sale from Schaffer's collection.

Century Media released the first four studio albums from Iced Earth back in July. All four albums come in gatefold sleeves featuring the original LP artwork. Layouts have been kept close to the layouts of the original vinyl versions as well. Each LP includes a 60x60 artwork poster and 180 g vinyl. The LP sound has been kept in its original form, with a special vinyl mastering of Patrick Engel, known from his careful mastering works for bands as Jag Panzer, Exodus, Trouble, Tokyo Blade or Candlemass, delivering you the best vinyl listening experience of these US power metal classics.

While The Dark Saga has already seen one vinyl re-issue in 2010 (which is a rare edition by now), the first three Iced Earth albums have never seen an LP re-issue since their initial release. As prices have reached ridiculous heights lately, it’s time to offer you these outstanding and influential albums for a regular price. The albums Days Of Purgatory, Something Wicked This Way Comes and Horror Show will follow in the first quarter of 2016.

Here is the info on the vinyl color splits:

Iced Earth LP:

Clear vinyl – 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro Europe)
Turquoise vinyl – 200 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro US)
Green vinyl – 400 copies (available at various mailorder stores)
Black vinyl – unlimited

Night Of The Stormrider LP:

Clear vinyl – 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro Europe)
Silver vinyl – 200 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro US)
Blue vinyl – 400 copies (available at various mailorder stores)
Black vinyl – unlimited

Burnt Offerings 2LP:

Clear vinyl – 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro Europe)
Orange vinyl – 200 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro US)
Red vinyl – 400 copies (available at various mailorder stores)
Black vinyl – unlimited

The Dark Saga LP:

Clear vinyl – 100 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro Europe)
Lilac vinyl – 200 copies (exclusively available at CM Distro US)
Yellow vinyl – 400 copies (available at various mailorder stores)
Black vinyl – unlimited

Order your copy at CM Distro here.

On September 18th, Christian Mistress will release their new 8-song excursion in pure American heavy metal - their LP titled To Your Death. The album is streaming in full below:

Marked by the powerful vocals of Christine Davis and the rich harmonies of guitar duo Oscar Sparbel and Tim Diedrich, Christian Mistress is simultaneously relevant and anachronistic. Formed in Olympia, Washington in 2008, the band quickly distinguished themselves through their tasteful treatment of the grit and style pioneered by early 80’s NWOBHM as well as through the unique, raspy vocal presence of Christine Davis. After releasing a demo and a single in 2009, the following year saw Christian Mistress partner with Olympia label 20 Buck Spin to release their debut full-length Agony & Opium.
 
Agony & Opium eventually caught the attention of Relapse Records, who signed Christian Mistress in 2011. Shortly thereafter, the band recorded their second full-length album, Possession; a 41-minute slab of traditional heavy metal mixed with classic rock sensibilities. Released in February 2012, Possession netted the band widespread recognition.
 
After relocating to Portland, OR, Christian Mistress has now returned with their new full-length To Your Death, an album that serves the song, the art, and the listener, while ignoring the line drawn between past, present and future. By now, it’s clear that Christian Mistress are deeply passionate about what they do, and aren’t simply following the latest trends.
 
To Your Death will be available on CD, LP and Digital formats September 18th from Relapse. More track premieres, video, and info coming soon.

Tracklisting:

“Neon”
“Stronger Than Blood”
“No Place”
“Walkin’ Around”
“Open Road”
“Ultimate Freedom”
“Lone Wild”
“Ill”

"Neon":

“Open Road” video:

“Stronger Than Blood”:

Christian Mistress is:

Oscar Sparbel - Guitar
Jonny Wulf - Bass
Christine Davis - Vocals
Reuben Storey - Drums
Tim Diedrich - Guitar

 

Bangalore-based stoner/doom metal quintet Bevar Sea will release its sophomore album Invoke The Bizarre worldwide on October 31. Pre-order the album at Bandcamp. Album tracks "Where There's Smoke (There's a Pyre)" and "Sleeping Pool" are now streaming below.

In November 2014, after a 10-day whirlwind session at Adarsh Recording Studio in their hometown, the band completing the challenging task of following up such a well-received debut album. Invoke The Bizarre sees a musically maturing Bevar Sea in exploration of new sonic territories while remaining rooted in stoner and doom metal. The album was then mixed and mastered by Matt Lynch from LA's Mysterious Mammal Recording between April and August 2015.

Invoke The Bizarre tracklisting:

“Bearded And Bizarre”
“Bury Me In NOLA”
“Sleeping Pool”
“Where There’s Smoke (There’s A Pyre)”
“Heathen”
“Grand Alignment”

“Where There’s Smoke (There’s A Pyre)”:

“Sleeping Pool”:

Boston thrashers Revocation have been on a tear, touring across North America and the rest of the world in support of their latest release 2014's Deathless that was released on Metal Blade Records. Today Revocation announces the long anticipated reissue and release of the band's debut album, Empire Of The Obscene.

The album will be released November 13th via Metal Blade Records and can be pre-ordered now at this location. Be sure to check out the stream of the title track as well.

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

Revocation are on the road for a headlining tour through early October. The tour features support from Cannabis Corpse, Archspire, and Black Fast.

This is Revocation's first headlining tour following the release of their latest album, Deathless. On October 3rd, Boston fans will be treated to a huge hometown show to bring the run to a close.

Tour dates:

September
3 - Providence, RI - Dusk (Revocation only)
4 - New York, NY - Studio - Webster
5 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
6 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
8 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
9 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's
10 - Columbus, OH - Ace Of Cups
11 - Cave In Rock, IL - Full Terror Assault Fest (no Archspire)
12 - Fort Worth, TX - Rail Club
13 - Houston, TX - Walter's On Washington
14 - Austin, TX - Dirty Dog
16 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
17 - Phoenix, AZ - Club Red
18 - Los Angeles, CA - Mystery Box
19 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Metro
20 - Portland, OR - Analog Cafe
21 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
22 - Vancouver, BC - Red Room
24 - Edmonton, AB - Pawn Shop
25 - Regina, SK - Riddell Center
26 - Winnipeg, MB - Windsor Hotel
27 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theater Studio B
29 - Detroit, MI - Shelter
30 - Toronto, ON - Hard Luck (no Cannabis Corpse)

October
1 - Ottawa, ON - Maverick's (no Cannabis Corpse)
2 - Quebec City, QC - La Source (no Cannabis Corpse)
3 - Boston, MA - Great Scott (no Cannabis Corpse)

California-based female fronted symphonic metallers, Graveshadow, have signed a worldwide deal with legendary metal label, Mausoleum Records. The band’s debut album, which is titled Nocturnal Resurrection, will be released in Europe on November 13th, followed by a North American release on December 13th.

Nocturnal Resurrection was produced by Matt "Hazmatt" Thomas (Fallrise), with mixing/mastering duties handled by Deathstars’ guitarist/songwriter/producer, Emil “Nightmare” Nodtveidt. The album will include a duet on the track “Blink”, which features guest vocals from Primal Fear vocalist, Ralf Scheepers.

The band, which is based in Sacramento, CA, has been a heavy favourite of the Northern California region over the past two years, including a recent nomination for “Best Metal Band” in the long running and prestigious Sammie Awards (sponsored by the Sacramento News & Review).

Graveshadow features lead vocalist Heather Michele, keyboardist Valerie Hudak, guitarists William Walker III and Matt Mitchell, bassist Benjamin Armstrong, and drummer Roman Anderson. Stay tuned for more album details.

 

Lovehoney has joined forces with legendary rock band Motörhead to launch an exclusive range of Motörhead branded pleasure products.

Motörhead - The Official Pleasure Collection boasts four bullets and classic torpedo shaped vibes, all decorated with the band's iconic logo and branding - and delivers the sort of power and pleasure you'd expect from the 'loudest band on Earth'.

The deal was brokered by Global Merchandising Services, Inc. who represent Mötorhead exclusively for retail, tour and licensing. The range is now available to the public.

"One of the songs on our debut album was called “Vibrator” so we had to have our own one day, right?!," said Motörhead singer Lemmy. "Apparently, it was worth the wait!"

Lovehoney's co-founder Neal Slateford said: "We designed these classic vibes for both fans of Motörhead and rock lovers, as well as those who just want a cool looking toy to add to their collection. The range captures the rock and roll lifestyle of the band perfectly, and offers a unique counterpoint to the traditionally pink and purple toys that currently dominate the market."

Global Merchandising's CEO Barry Drinkwater said: "Global is excited to be rockin' our clientele in such a fast growing industry. We like nothing better than making the fans happy... and we're thrilled to be partnering with Lovehoney."

Lovehoney's Commercial Director Ray Hayes said: "Motörhead's massive fan base is a testament to their popularity, with the band having sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. With the announcement of the band's 22nd studio album Bad Magic in August and their warmly received Glastonbury Festival appearance this year, we are certain that Motörhead - The Official Pleasure Collection will become a firm favourite for lovers and rock fans alike."

More info at Lovehoney.

The official teaser for "Hairmetal Shotgun Zombie Massacre: The Movie" can be seen below. Also available is a short making-of documentary that has a bunch of clips from the movie in it.

Also, all of the music in both the trailer and the documentary is new/original stuff from Singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) and Marzi Montazeri (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS). Owens and Montazeri composed the music for the fictional band WITCHES' LIPS portrayed in the movie, and a soundtrack album featuring those songs as well as the score music will be issued at a later date.

Directed by Joshua Allan Vargas, who has worked on music videos for DOWN, SOIL, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and WARBEAST, the film is about a hair metal band that, while struggling to find its own identity, decides to record its first full-length album is a creepy cabin located in the middle of a notorious cemetery. Chock full of weed, coke, and booze, the band discovers a secret in the cellar and unwittingly open a gate that allows demons to possess the corpses in the surrounding cemetery. Forced to have to survive the night and with the odds getting slimmer, the band must battle hordes of the demonic undead and hope to get a record deal somewhere in the process.

Written by Joshua Allan Vargas and Jvstin Whitney, based on a story by Jvstin Whitney, "Hairmetal Shotgun Zombie Massacre: The Movie" will feature cameos by Tom Araya (SLAYER), Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD) and David Vincent (MORBID ANGEL).

On November 6, Eagle Rock Entertainment will issue "The Ritchie Blackmore Story" on DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Formats and a deluxe 2DVD+2CD edition.

Without a doubt one of the all-time great guitar players, Ritchie Blackmore has always been one to let his music do the talking. In this documentary film, Blackmore has granted fans extraordinary access, resulting in a truly revealing, in-depth look into his life and career.

From his pop roots with THE OUTLAWS and his many session recordings in the '60s, through defining hard rock with DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW in the '70s and '80s, to the renaissance rock of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, Ritchie has proved that he is a master of the guitar across a multitude of styles. For the first time, "The Ritchie Blackmore Story" tells the story of his remarkable career through extensive specially recorded new interviews with Ritchie himself plus contributions from many of his colleagues and admirers, including Brian May, Glenn Hughes, Lars Ulrich, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, the late Jon Lord, David Coverdale, Gene Simmons, Joe Lynn Turner, Steve Vai, Graham Bonnet and Ian Anderson. The bonus features on this release offer up over 40 minutes of additional interviews with Ritchie Blackmore and his peers.

The amazing Deluxe Edition contains the DVD of "The Ritchie Blackmore Story" in addition to the "Live In Tokyo" DVD and 2CDs, all contained in a 60 page 12" x 12" hardback photobook with a black and silver front cover. "Live In Tokyo" is the first official DVD and CD release of the 1984 concert by RAINBOW from Tokyo's famous Budokan. It was to be the last RAINBOW concert before Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover went on to reform DEEP PURPLE.

"The Ritchie Blackmore Story" contains clips from many of his classic tracks with DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW and BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, including "Smoke On The Water", "Highway Star", "Since You've Been Gone", "Wring That Neck", "Space Truckin'", "All Night Long", "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll", "Hush", "Black Night", "Child In Time", "Mistreated", "Burn", "Man On The Silver Mountain", "I Surrender", "Perfect Strangers", "Play Minstrel Play", "Renaissance Faire", "Fires At Midnight" and many more.

Quite simply, "The Ritchie Blackmore Story" is a look into the life and career of the mysterious "Man in Black", an introspective look at a true guitar legend.

Track listing ("Live In Tokyo" Disc – Deluxe Edition Only)

CD Disc 1

01. Intro Medley
02. Spotlight Kid
03. Miss Mistreated
04. I Surrender
05. Can't Happen Here
06. Catch The Rainbow
07. Power
08. Keyboard Solo
09. Street Of Dreams
10. Fool For The Night
11. Difficult To Cure (Beethoven's Ninth)
12. Guitar Solo
13. Drum Solo

CD Disc 2

14. Blues
15. Medley: Stranded / Hey Joe
16. Death Alley Driver
17. Fire Dance
18. Maybe Next Time
19. Medley: All Night Long / Woman From Tokyo
20. Lazy
21. Since You've Been Gone
22. Smoke On The Water

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke to Jewish Journal about the status of his forthcoming autobiography, to be released in 2016. Marty said: "The primary work is done for it. It will take another six months or so to edit it. I think it will be of great interest to anyone who is thinking of taking a huge risk to try to realize their dreams. Oh, and there will also be plenty of sordid escapades in it."

Friedman previously said that he was working with "an excellent biographer" on his memoir. He added: "It surprises me how crystal clearly I actually remember everything to the smallest detail. I'm excited about it. It will be juicy yet life-affirming, no doubt."

Friedman last year spoke to Wondering Sound about his decision to leave MEGADETH in 1999 in order to make the kind of music that he was passionate about: Japanese pop music, or J-Pop, which Friedman calls "embarrassingly happy."

"I found myself touring with MEGADETH, and in my hotel room I'd be blasting this Japanese music all the time. What's wrong with this picture?" he said.

As his interest in J-pop grew, Friedman started enjoying MEGADETH less. "I thought I was doing myself a disservice just playing the same old stuff and not really enjoying it," he told Wondering Sound. "Making money from fans who want to see you play when you're not into it didn't really sit right with me."

According to Marty, he simply outgrew metal, explaining that MEGADETH's music began to bore him, and he singled out the band's popular ballad "A Tout Le Monde" as an example.

"The melody's like duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh. It's kind of the same thing over and over again," he told NPR in a separate interview. "I'd go play the show at night with MEGADETH. And I'd be like, you know, what what I'm listening to is just so much more exciting than what I'm playing as my gig."

Friedman told his MEGADETH bandmates that he would leave the group at the conclusion of a 16-month-long tour, but "only stayed three more months." He explained to Wondering Sound: "It was just too much. I'm the kind of guy who can't fake it that well. It wasn't very nice, but I just couldn't go on anymore."

Focusing on the J-Pop genre, Friedman noted that going for the opposite of metal was the whole point.

"There's not a whole lot of happy music going on," he told NPR. "Especially in the heavy metal world, where everybody's just trying to out-lame each other, you know, with darkness and monsters and crap like that."

Marty's new solo album, "Inferno", sold around 2,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 186 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on May 26, 2014 via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album was made available through Universal Music).

Legendary all-girl British hard rockers GIRLSCHOOL will release their 13th studio album, "Guilty As Sin", on November 13 in North America via UDR Music in red colored vinyl, digital download and a deluxe ecolbook formats. Pre-orders for "Guilty As Sin" will begin on October 9, with the first single, "Come The Revolution" (only available on the physical U.S. edition) as an instant-grat track. Produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY) at the Ecology Room Studios in Kent, England, "Guilty As Sin" includes ten tracks of the driven, melodic yet gloriously riff-heavy rock'n'roll that Kim McAuliffe (vocals and guitar), Enid Williams (vocals and bass), Jackie Chambers (lead guitar and backing vocals) and Denise Dufort (drums) are world famous for. Featuring raw, energetic, killer cuts such as "Take It Like A Band", "Treasure" and "Come The Revolution", "Guilty As Sin" is soaked in the late-night spills 'n' sweat of beer, cigarettes, denim and leather — a timeless evocation of how it feels to throw away all life's B.S. and get down'n'dirty with loud, crunchy yet catchy rock 'n' roll. There's also time for two storming cover songs (including the superb, swaggering rock version of THE BEE GEES' '70s disco classic "Stayin' Alive").

Speaking to rock journalist Mitch Lafon about the songwriting process for "Guilty As Sin", Williams said: "There are three main writers in the band, and we all wanna put our material on the album, which is great, because it makes you up your ante and you wanna do your very best. So we're all kind of working hard to get tracks that we love on [there]."

She continued: "To be very general, Kim tends to like… real, just the heart of GIRLSCHOOL. So on the album, there's quite a few tracks that she's written with Jackie, and some of them are real fast, double-bass-drum kind of tracks that you would associate with the early part of GIRLSCHOOL. And then there's always a few tracks that are kind of rock and roll, really. Again, Kim loves authentic… She likes to keep recreating, but really staying with how GIRLSCHOOL is, as she understands it, whereas I'm always much more experimental. And I keep reining it in a little bit, but I'm always the one that wants to try to push new boundaries. So I've written a couple of songs by myself and a couple with Jackie. They're still GIRLSCHOOL, because we're still playing them and it's still one or two of the writers of GIRLSCHOOL, but they're not necessarily exactly what you would expect."

Enid added: "The way that it all came together, the producer was quite ill, and we really got things going quite late in the day. And so we went back over the stuff we'd done in the past. And we had a few ideas that we'd been knocking around. We thought, 'Hold on. Let's give this a go.' I had a set of lyrics from the past. And we threw all this stuff together, and what we've come up with is really… It's very much a classic rock album, but covering a whole… almost a history of rock music that we've loved, really.

"It's hard to compare things, but some of heads-down rock and roll might have a touch of AC/DC or ZZ TOP or whatever, and as soon as you've got double-bass drums, it's back to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. But then there's a few songs, like a slower, not-quite ballad, but we don't generally do slower songs. And the odd hint of Iggy Pop or [David] Bowie in there. It's almost like a homage to the rock music that we've loved and have touched upon over the decades all coming together. But we didn't sit down and make that plan. But, like I said, because of having three different writers with three different… We like a lot of the same music, but, as I said, I tend to go left field, and Kim likes to find new ways of doing what is GIRLSCHOOL as understood by most people.

"We go for what excites us, what we're passionate about. And I think it's quite good to have a mix of stuff. But it's always with GIRLSCHOOL at its core."

British heavy metal veterans SATAN will release their new studio album, "Atom By Atom", in October via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2013's "Life Sentence" was recorded at Newcastle's First Avenue Studios and was once again mixed and mastered by Dario Mollo in Italy. The cover artwork, which can be seen below, was created by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH, SODOM and SOULFLY, among others. The CD features ten songs, including a collaboration with ANGEL WITCH's Kevin Heybourne.

"Atom By Atom" track listing:

01. Farewell Evolution02. Fallen Saviour03. Ruination04. The Devil's Infantry05. Atom By Atom06. In Contempt07. My Own God08. Ahriman09. Bound In Enmity10. The Fall Of Persephone

The song "Fallen Saviour" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

SATAN guitarist Steve Ramsey stated about "Atom By Atom": "We wanted to keep some continuity going with both the look and sound of this album.

"We've been working on the music for nearly two years now and I think people will definitely hear a progression from 'Life Sentence'. I can't really describe it, but I promise you, these songs will speak for themselves."

SATAN released a live album, "Trail Of Fire - Live In North America", in October 2014 to celebrate its debut live appearances last year on the North American soil in support of "Life Sentence".

Originating from Newcastle, England in 1980, SATAN is known as part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement. Though generally obscure throughout their career, the band is considered influential for playing a form of proto-thrash metal that was fairly advanced by the standards of the early 1980s, influencing major acts like METALLICA, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL.

"Life Sentence" was released on April 29, 2013 in Europe and May 21, 2013 in the U.S. via Listenable Records. The CD was the culmination of a process that began when the original "Court In The Act" lineup got together for an exclusive "one-off" reunion show at Germany's Keep It True festival in 2011 in what marked their first performance together in 28 years.

The recording lineup for "Life Sentence" was the same as that on "Court In The Act":

Brian Ross (vocals) Steve Ramsey (guitar) Russ Tippins (guitar) Graeme English (bass) Sean Taylor (drums)

SATAN is one of the most important groups that emerged in the early NWOBHM era. Their unique mixture of heavy and power metal spirit with thrash riffage brought a handful of unforgettable tunes and revolutionized heavy music as we know it.

"Court in the Act" was SATAN's debut release and was considered a true milestone at the time of its release (1983). The songs were melodic, but at the same time very aggressive. The band's two guitarists, Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey, delivered a truly amazing performance; although their styles were completely different, they managed to perfectly complement each other's playing and introduced a handful of timeless riffs and solos.

Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of German thrashers ACCU§ER. The band will once again enter Gernhart Studio next month with producer Martin Buchwalter to record the follow-up to 2013s's "Diabolic" for a March 2016 release.

ACCU§ER comments: "We are very proud and happy to announce that our new album is going to be released via Metal Blade and look forward to join forces. At Metal Blade, we feel comfortable and in good company. A large step for ACCU§ER and a big honor for us. At the moment, we are working eagerly on new songs and are totally convinced by the material. Look forward to a healthy dose of THRASH!"

Formed in 1986, ACCU§ER has released nine albums, including "Who Dominates Who", "Repent" and the aforementioned "Diabolic".

ACCU§ER is:

Frank Thomas - Vocals / GuitarDennis Rybakowski - GuitarFrank Kimpel - BassOlli Fechner - Drums

According to Stern.de, a billboard promoting IRON MAIDEN's latest album, "The Book Of Souls", in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany has been covered by a mob of concerned parents who apparently claimed the image had no business being there due to the school and kindergarten near its location.

The artwork for "The Book Of Souls" was created by Mark Wilkinson, whose previous works for IRON MAIDEN include "Live At Donington" (1998 remastered version) and "Best Of The 'B' Sides" (2002 compilation). According to MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris, the cover art ties in with the title track, as the depiction of the band's mascot, Eddie, is based on the Maya civilization, who "believe that souls live on [after death]".

To check the accuracy of the artwork, the band hired Mayanist scholar Simon Martin, who also translated the song titles into hieroglyphs. According to Martin, although the civilization had no Book Of Souls, "the Mayans are very big on souls ... So as a title, it's appropriate to Mayan culture, but it's very much IRON MAIDEN's own thing."

Released globally on September 4 through Parlophone Records (Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG in the U.S.), "The Book Of Souls" was recorded in Paris, France with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year.

Kataklysm vocalist and Ex Deo mainman Maurizio Iacono ended his band in February 2014 due to duties with his management company and his main band Katklysm stating “Ex Deo started to grow and at some point it will collide with everything and I need time to breathe.”

He also added “Maybe some years from now, when I'm grey, older with more time at hand, we’ll dust off those armors and go for one last battle on the field... For now, enjoy what we have done and see you legions in the afterlife!”

The end has been short lived as Iacono has posted the following message: “Yes it's true, Ex Deo is returning with a new album..but there's a twist and we will keep it confidential for now , my mind always works overtime but this plan is very sexy that’s coming together , the metal world needs some balls and I’m going to bring it .. #ExDeo #TheRoman #MMXVIII”

Ex Deo’s most recent album is Caligvla, released in 2012 via Napalm Records.

"Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)", the new video from American/German/Swedish symphonic metallers KAMELOT, can be seen below. The clip, which features a guest appearance by Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY, ex-THE AGONIST), takes off where KAMELOT's "Insomnia" video ends and takes the listener into the outside environment of this dystopian world, where the citizen is zero and only the privileged live in a lavish lifestyle. Surveillance over society is everywhere; even a fly on the wall can be the watching eyes of the monarchy. Only a revolution will make a change!

"Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" is taken from KAMELOT's latest album, "Haven", which sold around 7,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

"Haven" was made available on May 5 in North America and May 8 in the rest of the world (excluding Asia) via Napalm Records as part of an exclusive licensing deal through the band's Kamelot Music LLC.

Produced by Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen, "Haven" is a massive album that is sure to please critics and fans alike. Additional guest musicians on the CD include Troy Donockley (NIGHTWISH) and Charlotte Wessels (DELAIN). The breathtaking cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.

KAMELOT is currently on a massive world tour, with a number of shows scheduled for September/October as part of the band's biggest European headlining tour to date. KAMELOT will then return to the road for the second leg of its North American tour in November and December.

MOTÖRHEAD resumed its U.S. tour last night (Tuesday, September 8) in St. Louis after canceling its previous three shows due to health issues experienced by the band's frontman, Lemmy Kilmister.

In a Facebook message posted after last night's show, MOTÖRHEAD wrote: "St Louis. How lovely it was to kick every single one of your asses tonight eh!"

MOTÖRHEAD is due to play at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana, tonight and has ten more North American shows scheduled for later this month. A European tour kicks off in November.

On September 1, MOTÖRHEAD delivered only three songs — "Damage Case", "Stay Clean" and "We Are Motörhead" — in Austin before Lemmy told the crowd, "I can't do it." It followed a similarly abbreviated performance in Salt Lake City, where the band cited the high altitude as the reason behind Lemmy's inability to breathe. A show in Denver, at an even higher altitude, was scrapped the following day before MOTÖRHEAD ever took the stage.

MOTÖRHEAD later blamed the concert cancelations on the fact that Lemmy had a "lung infection," which was "exacerbated by that Denver altitude."

MOTÖRHEAD's 22nd studio album, "Bad Magic", was released on August 28. The CD was recorded at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood with longtime producer Cameron Webb.

The song Hearing Voices" from OPERATION: MINDCRIME, the new band led by former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate, can be streamed below. The track is taken from OPERATION: MINDCRIME's debut album, "The Key", which will be released on September 18 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Perhaps one of Tate's most ambitious recordings to date, "The Key" examines what one might do if they discovered "the key" to changing the way we view the world, the way we look at time, the way we travel, and could essentially change the human condition... for better or for worse. Fresh from the creative mind of Geoff Tate, "The Key" features a dozen songs (see entire track listing below) and marks part one of an epic musical trilogy that initiates that very question within a web of international politics, the world economy and social ethos. A trailer featuring snippets of four songs from the album ("Burn", "Re-Inventing the Future", "Life Or Death?" and "The Fall") is available below. OPERATION: MINDCRIME is described as a creative platform that continues in the spirit of the historic album of the same name, spawning concepts as grand as the music, and intertwining the intensity of the former QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist's iconic past with the provocative, progressive mindset that has made him one of music's most resolute forces and frontmen. "Musically, this album is quite adventurous," says Tate of "The Key". "Of course there are key elements in the music, melody and phrasings that are really identifiable, but throughout my career I've opened my eyes and ears to new standards and arrangements, and that's what keeps things fresh and exciting as an artist — we've thrown out the rules for this record, and it's been really liberating. I'm a fan of old prog, and that music didn't stick to rules. It's inspiring and enjoyable to be able to explore, and it's great being in a position to write without constraints." The results are a series of albums that don't languish in nostalgia, instead offering listeners an opportunity to delve into a world of ideas and inspiration that Tate has been nurturing for the better portion of the last decade. Instead of asking, "Who killed Mary?", OPERATION: MINDCRIME now asks, "What are the implications of changing the world?" "Like every album I've ever done, people will hear and experience it differently, and that is something that I look forward to," continues Tate. "Music is an intimate experience — your inspirations are unique to you, and will be heard differently through every set of ears and experiences - but isn't that really what makes art exciting? It inspires us all in different ways and for different reasons, and this album is no different. There are quite a few sections of this album that help propel the story with segues and dialogue, but the lyrics don't lay out a breadcrumb trail and tell the story in a linear fashion, there's a puzzle. We have several characters, and three other people singing lead vocals on the first album. That made it even more fun for me and helps give the album its own special character. "Musically, there's quite a smorgasbord, we've played with sound and established a sound palate — heavy guitar, obviously, cool drumming... all the music is very sophisticated, and there are interesting time changes, the band is playing with different countings and we switch throughout each piece. We can perform the verse in one feel, the bridge in another, and transition to a new chorus, very challenging stuff and lots of different sounds that people probably haven't heard on one of my albums before - new and different guitar sounds and vocal treatments, very dynamic stuff." Joining Tate on "The Key" are a hard-hitting cast of familiar faces and new collaborators: bass players David Ellefson (MEGADETH) and John Moyer (DISTURBED, ADRENALINE MOB), drummers Simon Wright (AC/DC), Scott Mercado (CANDLEBOX) and Brian Tichy (BILLY IDOL, OZZY OSBOURNE), guitarists Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE) and Scott Moughton (Geoff Tate's solo band), keyboardist Randy Gane (MYTH) and vocalist Mark Daly (THE VOODOOS). Tate makes one point exceptionally clear — OPERATION: MINDCRIME isn't a band, it is a musical project of like-minded people uniting to achieve a common goal. While the songwriting rests predominantly on the shoulders of Tate, Gray and Gane, it's up to every contributor to add their influence and help color the landscape. "The songs on these records tell a story, and each song is a scene or chapter — every scene is different," Tate says. "The words tell the story, the musical bed, the chord progressions and melodies, they set the pace. That's how I envisioned this album in total, very theatrical and definitely cinematic. "How do we describe passion?" Tate asks in conclusion, cautiously answering his own question: "Music is a personal journey, and all you can do is write what moves you. That's what passion is - it's so difficult, yet it's such an important human emotion. There are moments on this record that really impact me, the questions raised and the music those questions are set to... I don't know if it will have that same effect on everyone else, but that's where my passion and their passion meet. I do this because I love doing it. I love touring and I love playing live, performing with like-minded people in front of like-minded audiences, and being there in the moment together when all of our passions collide." "The Key" track listing:

01. Choices02. Burn03. Re-Inventing The Future04. Ready To Fly05. Discussions In A Smoke Filled Room06. Life or Death?07. The Stranger08. Hearing Voices09. On Queue10. An Ambush Of Sadness11. Kicking In The Door12. The Fall

The videos for the songs "Burn" and "Re-Inventing The Future" were produced and directed by Seattle filmmaker and documentarian Jamie Burton Chamberlin (of Black Dahlia Films), who previously worked with DUFF MACKAGAN'S LOADED on "The Taking" series.

Later this month, American rock band Bon Jovi was due to play its first shows in mainland China, with concerts planned in Beijing, Shanghai, and Macau, reports WashingtonPost.com journalist Adam Taylor. The band's namesake singer, Jon Bon Jovi, celebrated the news by recording a famous Chinese love song in Mandarin, a move that endeared him greatly to fans.

However, just a week before the first concert, it appears that the shows will be canceled. The problem? The performance permits have been pulled. Bon Jovi appears to be the latest American act to run afoul with China's notoriously opaque Ministry of Culture, the body that approves or denies performances and releases by musicians and others.

One source who works in the Chinese music industry says that the permit problem appears to have stemmed from a 2009 music video that featured imagery from the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.

The same source suggested that a video of a 2011 video that showed Bon Jovi performing in front of images of the Dalai Lama, along with other important figures, may also have caught the Ministry of Culture's attention.

Read the full story at WashingtonPost.com.

 

Tampa, Florida-based metal act, Dark Sermon, have released a new video for The Oracle album track “Rat King”. The Oracle was released on September 4th via eOne Music / Good Fight Music.

The album artwork for The Oracle (seen below), was created by artist Shaun Beaudry of Mister Beaudry Illustration.

Tracklisting:

“Ode To The Black Widow”
“In Each Hand, A Talisman Of Sacred Stone”
“Children Of Gaia”
“The Myth Of Sanity”
“Rat King”
“Starve”
“The Eyeless Needle”
“Both In Equal Parts”
“The Wraith”
“Gargantua”

“In Each Hand, A Talisman Of Sacred Stone”:

Behind-the-scenes studio video:

German thrashers, Hatred, will release their fourth album, War Of Words, on September 18th. The album include 11 tracks, and three bonus tracks, with a running time of 70 minutes. Check out the new video for the album track “War Of Words”, streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“D.E.T.Y.S.”
“Fuck The Zombie”
“Watch The Genocide”
“Chaos”
“Virus”
“War Of Words”
“Enter The Halls”
“Storm”
“Rise Up”
“World Turns Black”
“Hope - Train Of Thought”

Bonus tracks:

“Nature Of Humanity”
“No Control”
“This Is Hell”

“War Of Words” video:

“Fuck The Zombie”:

 

Big of moustache and tight of trouser, Horisont drink from the bottomless wellspring of inspiration that's been bubbling up through the layers of time since the birth of the blues - or Blue Oyster Cult at the very least. Theirs is a sound that harks back to the dawn of the ‘70s, when a new clutch of heads decided it was time to harsh the ‘60s hippies' mellow and paint it black; those years when the twin spirit of hard rock and prog rose to redefine sound.

Today the band releases their video for the song "Bad News”:

This quintet's rock trip might be retro but their songwriting is timeless; a good melody lives forever and Horisont have songs in abundance. New album Odyssey is exactly as its title suggests: an epic journey into the known. A sonic trip. A mighty voyage of sound. You could even call their fourth full release a concept album - although they themselves prefer "space saga". Either way it's a brave band who open their album with a ten minute-long track, yet on the album's title track Horisont dive straight into the deep end, delivering space-rock with all the dexterity and deftness of the very best prog rock's finest, such as early Yes or Kansas.

Odyssey was recorded in Studio Kust in Gothenburg with producer by Henrik Magnusson. It was, the band explain their most harmonious creative period ever. "No Horisont recording session has ever been this good," admits Delborg. "We had worked with Henrik on our 'Break The Limit' single and knew that he was our guy. All the basics where recorded live in just a couple of days. Then we spent a lot of time on the intricate details."

The artwork for Odyssey harks back to both classic sci-fi paperbacks and prime prog rock albums of the ‘70s. "We wanted a slightly disturbed, Asimov-esque science fiction cover that told the story of Odyssey," says drummer Pontus Jordan. "Tom knew this guy who was really in to old science fiction stuff and he had done the cover for The Order Of Israfel. So we meet the guy and it was the one and only Henrik Jacobsen. And he really nailed it."

Their first two albums Tva Sidor Av Horisonten (2009) and Second Assault (2012) earned Horisont a special place in the rock underground, while Time Warriors (2013) was a no-holds barred demonstration of classic rock and metal combined with a fearlessly inventive streak, and took them to a wider international audience. And now comes Odyssey, a bold leap into more expansive and ethereal musical territory. It's the band's first to feature native Australian and former Church Of Misery guitarist Tom Sutton.

The new line-up change sees a definite gear-shift too. Here Horisont play as if their lives depend upon it: dueling guitars do battle in an endlessly thrilling interplay over a rhythm section that gallops like wild horses across the frozen tundra. And cutting through the middle, Axel Söderberg's howling heartfelt vocals delivered with a space-age sense of soulfulness.

Odyssey tracklisting:

“Odyssey”
“Break The Limit”
“Blind Leder Blind”
“Bad News”
“Light My Way”
“The Night Stalker”
“Flying”
“Back On The Streets”
“Beyond The Sun”
“Red Light”
“StÑder Brinner”
“Timmarna”

Horisont lineup:

Axel Söderberg - vocals
Charlie Van Loo - guitar
Tom Sutton - guitar
Magnus Delborg - bass
Pontus Jordan – drums

(Photo by: Anders Bergstedt)

 

Details of the upcoming debut full-length album from atmospheric black metallers Selvans, which is due for release on Avantgarde Music in October, have been revealed. Titled Lupercalia, the album is composed of six tracks, each lasting an average of ten minutes, and the band have released a video teaser which includes exerpts of each of the tracks (below).

Lupercalia was recorded at the Faunalia Studios and in Patrizio Tamborriello's Soluzioni Audio. The lineup on the album comprises Selvans Haruspex on keyboards, traditional instruments, vocals and programming, and Sethlans Fulguriator on guitars and bass. The album will be available both as a CD in A5 format and digitally.

The new album continues Selvans' idea of combining music, lyrics and aesthetics in such a way as to recreate the folklore of Italy's ancient peoples. As a consequence, the visuals, both in terms of album artwork and live sets, is an important aspect for the band. For Lupercalia, Selvans has once again turned to Diletta of E.B.A. Art, whose first collaboration occurred on the band's five-track EP Clangores Plenilunio, which was released on Avantgarde Music in February of this year. Diletta's artwork brings to life the designs of founder and frontman Selvans Haruspex in a much lauded way.

Tracklisting as follows:
 
“Matavitatau”
“Versipellis”
“O Clitumne!”
“Hirpi Sorani”
“Scurtchìn”
“N.A.F.H.”

Teaser:

 
Selvans will support Niklas Kvarforth's Shining on the Italian leg of their tour in November. Confirmed live dates as follows:
 
September
11 - Closer Club - Rome, Italy
12 - Sinistro Fest - Lago I Salici, Italy

November (with Shining)
5 - Traffic Club - Rome, Italy
6 - Circolo Colony - Brescia, Italy
7 - Alchemica Music Club - Bologna, Italy
 

Speaking with JournaldeMontreal.com, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson recalls a 1988 concert in Quebec City, Canada, in which Guns N’ Roses opened for Maiden.

GN’R frontman Axl Rose incensed both the French Canadian crowd and Dickinson by acting petulant after the audience wouldn't address him in English.

"I should have come onstage and given him a punch," says Dickinson. “How could he dare speak to my audience in that way? I always regretted not having done so.”

Read more of the interview (in French) at JournaldeMontreal.com.

According to Official UK Charts Company, Iron Maiden are way ahead in the race to top the Official Albums Chart in he UK.

The band’s 16th studio album, The Book Of Souls is currently over 30,000 chart sales ahead of nearest rival Jess Glynne, and have a good chance of scoring their fifth Official Albums Chart Number 1 this Friday.

On August 26th, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson attended a listening session for The Book Of Souls, at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France. In the clip below Dickinson performs sections of the epic 18-minute song "Empire Of The Clouds" on a piano.

The Book Of Souls is Iron Maiden's first album in 5 years. It was released worldwide on September 4th.

Iron Maiden’s recently released new video for "Speed Of Light" racked up over 3.2 million views in just three days, and is now pushing the 4 million mark. Written by guitarist Adrian Smith and vocalist Bruce Dickinson, "Speed Of Light" is taken from their new double album The Book Of Souls, due for global release on September 4th through BMG in North America. New behind-the-scenes footage on the video can be seen below.

The video was produced and directed by Llexi Leon with animation and visual effects by The Brewery Production Company. A huge Iron Maiden fan, this is Llexi Leon’s first music video. Creator of the cult comic book series Eternal Descent – an IP that digitally animated a cast list of metal and hard rock luminaries, Leon has further expanded into the video gaming industry. He chose to collaborate with The Brewery who’s previous film credits include 2010’s punk-rock inspired Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll with Andy Serkis, 2012’s music festival themed Spike Island with Emilia Clarke & more recently were providing VFX for the Sky Atlantic biopic on Ian Fleming.

The video is an homage to four decades of video gaming juxta-posed alongside Iron Maiden’s 40 years of incredible visual canon centring on their talisman, Eddie, as he travels through space and time to complete his Herculean task.

Behind-the-scenes footage:

“Speed Of Light” video:

The Book Of Souls was recorded in Paris with their longstanding producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley in late 2014, with the finishing touches added earlier this year. However, the band decided to delay its release so that vocalist Bruce Dickinson, who was recently given the all-clear from a tumour, would have time to recuperate sufficiently to join in the preparations for the album’s launch.

The stunning cover art was created by Mark Wilkinson who has worked with the band previously, and because this 11 track album has a total running time of 92 minutes, it is Iron Maiden’s first ever double studio album. There’s a broader split on the song-writing compared to previous Maiden records, with bassist and founder member Steve Harris contributing to seven of the tracks; six of them with Maiden’s guitarists and one sole composition. This is also the first time since 1984’s Powerslave that an Iron Maiden studio album also features two tracks written solely by Bruce Dickinson, one of which is the longest song Maiden has ever recorded! And also two Dickinson/Smith collaborations.

Steve comments: “We approached this album in a different way to how we’ve recorded previously. A lot of the songs were actually written while we were there in the studio and we rehearsed and recorded them straight away while they were still fresh, and I think that immediacy really shows in the songs, they have almost a live feel to them I think. I’m very proud of The Book Of Souls, we all are, and we can’t wait for our fans to hear it, and especially to take it out on the road next year!”

Bruce continues: “We’re really excited about The Book Of Souls and had a fantastic time creating it. We started working on the album in late summer 2014 and recorded it at Guillame Tell Studios in Paris, where we’d done the Brave New World album back in 2000 so the studio holds special memories for all of us. We were delighted to discover the same magical vibe is still alive and very much kicking there! So we immediately felt at home and the ideas just started flowing. By the time we’d finished we all agreed that each track was such an integral part of the whole body of work that if it needed to be a double album, then double its going to be!”

The Book Of Souls tracklisiting:

Disc 1
“If Eternity Should Fail“ (Dickinson) 8:28
“Speed Of Light“ (Smith/ Dickinson) 5:01
“The Great Unknown“ (Smith/ Harris) 6:37
“The Red And The Black“ (Harris) 13:33
“When The River Runs Deep“ (Smith/ Harris) 5:52
“The Book Of Souls“ (Gers/ Harris) 10:27

Disc 2
“Death Or Glory“ (Smith/ Dickinson) 5:13
“Shadows Of The Valley“ (Gers/ Harris) 7:32
“Tears Of A Clown“ (Smith/ Harris) 4:59
“The Man Of Sorrows“ (Murray/ Harris) 6:28
“Empire Of The Clouds“ (Dickinson) 18:01

Formats:

- 2CD deluxe hardbound book limited edition
- 2CD standard edition
- Triple heavyweight black vinyl
- High res audio (24-bit Mastered for ITunes and non-Mastered for iTunes)
- Standard res audio (16 bit/ 44.1 kHz)

The Book Of Souls is the band’s 16th studio album since their eponymous debut in 1980 charted at #4 in the UK, in a career achieving sales of over 90 million albums worldwide. Their previous album, 2010’s The Final Frontier was Maiden’s most successful chart-wise to date, reaching #1 in 28 countries and was their highest chart debut in the U.S reaching #4 in the Billboard 200.

Due to Bruce’s illness the band had to delay touring plans but promise to be out on the road again early next year, giving time for Bruce to make a full physical recovery to be ready for the rigours of Maiden live performances.

Check out BraveWords’ report from Iron Maiden’s Trooper Beer tasting event in Tampa, Florida at this location.

 

 

On July 29, Gitarre & Bass magazine conducted an interview with several members of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA (TSO) and SAVATAGE at this year's edition of the Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) music festival in northern Germany. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how SAVATAGE mastermind Jon Oliva prepared himself for the Wacken Open Air performance:

Oliva: "I stopped drinking. And I stopped eating. I stopped doing all the things I love to do. But it was worth it. 'Cause I feel a lot better than I have in twenty years. And my voice… Actually, it's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

On how they put together the setlist for the Wacken Open Air performance:

Oliva: "[Laughs] This is my favorite question of all time. The three of us [Oliva, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA creator and producer Paul O'Neill and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA music director and lead guitarist Al Pitrelli] wrote more setlists for this show than I think I have in my entire career. I think we spent what, guys… three months putting the setlist together? Meticulously, picking out… 'Okay, this is gonna work and this…' Because utilizing so many musicians… And that's why I think the SAVATAGE songs that we chose to do were — especially in the second half of the show — were songs that, as SAVATAGE, we couldn't do. We couldn't do them. We couldn't do 'Morphine Child' with five guys. 'Cause 'Morphine Child' was how many tracks? Like forty tracks of vocals alone. So it was tought putting the setlist together."

On the future of SAVATAGE:

Oliva: "We don't know. We don't know what we're gonna do, to be honest with you. You know, it's hard to say, because I've learned something from these guys sitting next to me, that you've gotta leave doors open. Once you say something, that something will happen, [then] you've got your foot in your mouth. So what I'm gonna say about that is, I wish the best for everybody in SAVATAGE. If we end up doing something after this, we do; if we don't, we don't. I don't know. I'm just not gonna say. 'Cause if I say we're gonna do something, that something will happen, and it won't happen, then I'll look like an asshole again. And if I say we're not gonna do something, and Paul comes up with another brilliant idea and we do do something, I'm gonna look like a liar again. So I'm just gonna say, I don't know. And that's the god's honest truth. I love SAVATAGE. I've spent… You know, since I was 18 years old, with those guys — well, most of 'em. So I don't know. I just wish that everything works out good [at the Wacken Open Air show] and then we'll see what happens down the road. I'll never say no to anything anymore, because every time I do, I get rained on."

At Wacken Open Air, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and SAVATAGE wowed 80,000-plus attendees with a never-before-attempted music festival performance. Following a 40-minute SAVATAGE set and a 40-minute TSO set, TSO and SAVATAGE band members, across two of the festival's main stages, performed a perfectly coordinated set of fan favorites. This ambitious feat, both musically and logistically, was helmed by Paul O'Neill. Al Pitrelli led TSO on the "True Metal Stage" and Jon Oliva headed SAVATAGE on the "Black Stage." Beyond the unprecedented act of two bands hitting the stage at the same time, this show was also memorable as it marked progressive metal originators SAVATAGE's first show in over a decade, TSO's first European festival show, as well as the only live appearances of both bands in Europe in 2015.

The closeness of these two bands is well-known to those versed in rock/metal lore. TSO was founded in 1993 by producer/composer/lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together SAVATAGE's Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli to fulfill a vision for a group that could meld the sound of classical and fury of rock music with Broadway's storytelling to create a unique amalgamation O'Neillcalls "rock theater." Since gaining massive popularity after beginning touring in 1999, TSO has grown to include additional members of SAVATAGE within its ranks.

At 9:45 p.m., SAVATAGE, including members Oliva, Pitrelli, Johnny Lee Middleton, Chris Caffery, Jeff Plate, Zak Stevens, Bill Hudson, plus several backing musicians (including TSO's Vitalij Kuprij), ripped through such SAVATAGE songs as "Gutter Ballet", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Edge of Thorns", "Jesus Saves" and more.

As the SAVATAGE set came to a close, guitarist Pitrelli raced to the other stage to join TSO for a fierce performance including songs from their upcoming release "Letters From The Labyrinth" — "Prometheus", "Toccata/Carpimus Noctem" from the platinum-certified "Night Castle" and more. For TSO's first set, the band consisted of John O.Reilly and Jeff Plate (drums), David Z and Middleton (bass), Angus Clark and Caffery (guitars), Mee Eun Kim and Derek Wieland (keyboards), Asha Melvana and Roddy Chong (strings). Vocal duties were handled by Jeff Scott Soto, Kayla Reeves and Andrew Ross, with the group bolstered at times with dancers, background vocalists and more.

At 11 p.m. came the portion of the performance that left the crowd astonished: all band members took to their respective stages and began an hour-long simultaneous performance playing the same songs concurrently. They stormed through the set containing such songs as SAVATAGE's "Turns To Me", a rousing version of "Believe" with a duet featuring Oliva and Robin Borneman along with TSO favorites including "A Last Illusion", "Requiem", "Beethoven" and "King Rurick" from TSO's forthcoming release. A united TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA featured four guitarists, four keyboard players, two drummers, two bassists, a string section, and multiple vocalists (including the addition of TSO's Russell Allen and SAVATAGE's Stevens to the above). It was a sight to behold, with several generations on stage: from teenagers taking their first steps on an international rock stage to seasoned veterans who have toured the world.

Throughout the two-plus hours, along with an unprecedented sonic storm, fans were treated to an incredible pyrotechnic display estimated to have cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. As anyone on site could attest, it was an unparalleled auditory and visual experience.

On September 3, Spence of the 95-7 The Rock Station conducted an interview with PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

Speaking about the fan response to PAPA ROACH's eighth studio album, "F.E.A.R." (Face Everything And Rise), which was released on January 27, Jacoby said: "I'm very proud of the record, very happy with the record. We put everything we had into it. And the process in making the record was very different for us. It was a very daring and bold adventure for the band, but it was exciting, and I think the record shows that."

He continued: "I'm always kind of drained at the end of the process of making a record, and I got done with this one and it was a trip, 'cause we got done and I just felt lifted, man. 'Cause when we went back and finished up and listened back to the record, we were all really happy."

Jacoby also talked about the role PAPA ROACH's high-energy, wildly entertaining performances have played in establishing the band's fan base. "[Being a strong live act is] the reputation that we've been known for throughout our career, and we do our best every night to live up to that — we try to leave it on the stage every night," he said. "We know that that's where rock and roll is truly born. You know, you can take a photo and look cool, you can make a video and look cool, you can record a track and sound cool, but if you can't pull it off live on the stage, beat it. You know what I mean? I think that that really tells who's kicking ass and who's not."

According to Shaddix, part of the reason PAPA ROACH's fans have been able to connect with the band's music so well lies in the fact that the group sings about issues that everyone can relate to.

"I think that our music is very personal," he said. "That's what makes PAPA ROACH who we are — the music is inspiring, and then when we couple that with lyrics that are just emotional and personal, it just makes this… what we do so much, I guess, more special to the fans and how they can relate to it on a life level. It's music with a purpose, man — purpose-driven music."

Shaddix previously said that "F.E.A.R." was "probably the most positive record we've written" and described it as a "very guitar-heavy record."

"F.E.A.R." followed up 2012's "The Connection", which was made as Shaddix was going through personal turmoil, including problems in his marriage and a struggle to stay sober.

Official fly-on-the-wall footage of METALLICA's August 25 performance in Saint Petersburg, Russia can be seen below. The 18-minute clip, which was shot by a MetOnTour reporter, includes a birthday "pie-ing," pre-show tuning-room footage, and "One" from the show.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Fuel02. For Whom The Bell Tolls03. Blackened04. King Nothing05. Disposable Heroes06. The Day That Never Comes07. The Memory Remains08. The Unforgiven09. Sad But True10. Turn The Page11. The Frayed Ends Of Sanity12. One13. Master Of Puppets14. Fade To Black15. Seek And Destroy

Encore:

16. Whiskey In The Jar17. Nothing Else Matters18. Enter Sandman

METALLICA currently has seven dates on its calendar between now and mid-September, including two shows 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".

METALLICA has made available for purchase a limited-edition box set containing 50 CDs that chronicle the band's tours of Australia and New Zealand in 2010 and 2013. The set features recordings of 62 different METALLICA originals and covers from 25 different shows, each on two discs, and retails for a hefty $395.

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.

Former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo was recently interviewed by Metal Wani's William Richards. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he still thinks about late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman and whether he has any memories of Jeff writing the song "Piano Wire", which appears on the band's new album, "Repentless":

"I have to listen to the melody, listen to the song itself. But, yeah, he definitely goes through my mind all the time. You know, your fellow musicians… Another singer that I worked with in GRIP INC., Gus Chambers, he's gone through my mind lately, because I've been listening to some of the music and admiring the voice that he had. With Jeff, it's the same thing — he goes through my mind, whether it's the sound of his laugh to his jokes to his music. So, yeah, it happens."

On what he thinks is missing in modern metal drummers:

"Feel is the most important, I think, element in drumming. It's good to be metronomically correct when you're playing — like you're just on point, like a drum machine — but you kind of have to learn how to weave in and out of the tempo: slow it down, play behind the beat, play ahead of it, but never off; it's just your approach, your execution. That, I think, is one of the most important things. And also what in a lot of ways has been great for the recording industry, but also has damaged, I think, the approach that drummers have to drumming and thinking that it should be put through processors to align and to fix, when all that should be done in rehearsal with the band. In a lot of ways, it benefits, but in a lot of ways, I think it has kept these up-and-coming drummers to really try to master the beats and a lot of them relied on computers, and so their performances lack live."

On whether there was ever a moment when he first started playing drums that he realized that he was just a lot better than everybody else:

"I always felt I was a little different, because other drummers… I don't know what period of my life… I think it probably started when I was like in fourth grade — I don't know; I could have been nine years old or something — and when I was taught a drum beat by my teacher and I played it, but then immediately after learning it, I made it a lot faster than how he taught us; I just sped it up I don't know how many times, and he was kind of impressed. But then it went from there to when I first got my drum set and I was hanging out with other drummers that I noticed my drum rolls were different. It was because I was left-handed and self-taught, so I developed my own way of playing drums, which were unorthodox, you know."

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).

Casper of Silver Tiger Photography & Media Community recently conducted an interview with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

Speaking about his exit from SKID ROW nearly twenty years ago, Bach said: "It was horrible. The time when I got fired from SKID ROW was the worst time of my life up to that point, because I couldn't believe that we had been embraced by the whole world and then we just didn't wanna do it anymore. I couldn't understand how you could make five guys' dreams come true and then just stop. That's mindblowing; it's still mindblowing to me. Yeah, that was not an easy time. I remember being in the woods at Christmas with my mom and my aunt in the snow, chopping wood for the fireplace. And I didn't have any idea what the hell I was gonna do. And my [booking] agency said, 'Would you like to go on the road solo for a couple of weeks?' And I never even thought of doing that. And I said, 'Okay.' And all the gigs were sold out, all the fans came. And that was '96, and I've never looked back, really, since then."

Bach also talked about his plans for the rest of 2015 and early 2016. He said: "Well, my next task is my book called '18 And Life On Skid Row', which will be coming out, probably in March, I think. And it's a very involved, detailed process, putting together five hundred pages or whatever. It's a big task. So I have to finish that. And then I'll do another record after that. My manager's name is Rick Sales, and I'm very fortunate to have him guide my career, help my career, and he told me that after the book, we'll be going back to do a new record, so I'm excited about that."

Bach is continuing to tour in support of his latest album, "Give 'Em Hell", which was released on April 22, 2014 via Frontiers Records.